By Ernio Hernandez
15 Mar 2009
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| This Beautiful City stars Emily Ackerman and Stephen Plunkett |
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| photo by Craig Schwartz |
The Civilians' new musical, This Beautiful City, ends its limited run at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre March 15.
Steven Cosson directed the co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group. John Carrafa (Urinetown) choreographed, and Erik James provided music direction. Previews began Feb. 3, and the show opened Feb. 22.
Using its signature documentary style (seen in Off-Broadway's Gone Missing), New York theatre company The Civilians "explores the growth of the evangelical Christian movement," according to This Beautiful City press notes. The play with music was "drawn principally from interviews The Civilians conducted with people involved with or affected by the mega-church movement in Colorado Springs." Steven Cosson and Jim Lewis are credited as writers with Michael Friedman taking on music and lyrics.
The Off-Broadway cast (who conducted those interviews over the course of ten weeks) also features Emily Ackerman, Brad Heberlee, Brandon Miller, Stephen Plunkett and Alison Weller. Rebecca Naomi Jones succeeded original cast member Marsha Stephanie Blake.
Musicians include Chris Biesterfeldt, Benjamin Campbell and Richard Huntley.
The design team included Neil Patel (set), Alix Hester (costume), David Weiner (lighting), Ken Travis (sound) and Jason Thompson (projection).
Tickets ($60) to This Beautiful City at The Vineyard Theatre, 108 East 15th Street, are available by calling (212) 353-0303. Student rush tickets ($20, limited) are available two hours before the show at the box office (with valid student ID, 2 tickets per ID). For more information visit VineyardTheatre.org.
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| The cast of This Beautiful City
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| photo by Craig Schwartz |
