A special medley of "Step Into the Light"/"Leap of Faith," two songs from the new musical Leap of Faith, is now available on Itunes.
The Broadway-hopeful musical, currently running at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, stars Raul Esparza as a phony faith healer who sets up shop in a small Kansas town and finds the ultimate challenge in the love of a pretty waitress (Brooke Shields) and her son.
Esparza, Kecia Lewis-Evans and Leslie Odom, Jr. lead the company on the Itunes track, which is part of a score by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. Slater and Janus Cercone (who wrote the film on which the musical is based) collborated on the book of the musical, which is directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford.
Matthew Morrison, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet are just a few of the stars who enjoyed the opening-night performance of the new Alan Menken-Glenn Slater-Janus Cercone musical Leap of Faith Oct. 3 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.
The three named guests share their thoughts on the show and its cast, led by Tony nominee Raul Esparza and Golden Globe nominee Brooke Shields, in the video below. The show’s Tony-winning director, Rob Ashford, and several of its cast members are also heard, and production footage is glimpsed.
The full list of celebrity attendees for the opening night included Angela Bassett, Julie Bowen, Yvette Nicole Brown, Ty Burrell, David Burtka, Lolita Davidovich, Wanda De Jesus, Brooke Elliott, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Erica Gimpel, Harry Groener, Neil Patrick Harris, Chris Henchy, Ricky Jay, Erik King, Adriane Lenox, Mario Lopez, Eric McCormack, Katy Mixon, Matthew Morrison, Valarie Pettiford, Priscilla Presley, Lara Pulver, Garry Shandling, Jimmy Smits, Abigail Spencer, Eric Stonestreet, Susan Sullivan, Russ Tamblyn, Courtney B. Vance, Ben Vereen, Lisa Vidal, Vanessa A. Williams and Vanessa L. Williams.
Raul Esparza and Brooke Shields star in the new musical Leap of Faith, currently playing its world-premiere engagement at Los Angeles’ Ahmanson Theatre.
“When his traveling ministry breaks down in a small Kansas town,” press notes state, “part-time reverend and full-time con artist (Esparza) quickly pitches a tent and invites the locals to a revival. The sheriff is determined to stop Jonas from separating the townspeople from their money, but Jonas’ real challenge arises when he meets a pretty waitress (Shields) and her son, whose love forces an ultimate cynic to take a real leap of faith.”
Rob Ashford directs the show, based upon the 1992 film of the same name. Leap of Faith features a score by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken, a book by Janus Cercone with Glenn Slater and lyrics by Slater.
Here is a new video montage with highlights from the show:
Tony Award nominee Raul Esparza performs the gospel rave-up number “Step Into the Light” in a promo video for the upcoming Los Angeles production of the new musical Leap of Faith.
Esparza will play a con-man preacher who sets up shop in a small Kansas town and meets a pretty waitress (Golden Globe nominee Brooke Shields) and her son. The musical, featuring a score by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater and a libretto by Janus Cercone and Slater, is based on the 1992 film starring Steve Martin, Lolita Davidovitch and Debra Winger. Directed by Tony winner Rob Ashford, it will premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre Sept. 5-Oct. 17.
Composer Alan Menken has delivered some of the catchiest tunes on stage and screen. From The Little Mermaid’s “Under the Sea” to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast and the title song from Little Shop of Horrors, audiences have been tapping their toes to his music for decades.
Menken is also at work on the new Broadway-aimed musical Leap of Faith, which features lyrics by Glenn Slater (Little Mermaid, Love Never Dies, Sister Act) and a book by Slater and Janus Cercone. The musical is set to debut Sept. 11 at the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles prior to a possible Broadway arrival next year, though no official announcement has been made.
The musical centers on a con artist posing as a traveling reverend who seeks to take a small Kansas town for all its worth. Producers have released a promotional video for the new musical featuring Menken and Slater’s gospel-infused title track.
