Imagination Stage's 2013-14 Season Includes Two World Premieres
Reptiles, fairies, and giants abound in Imagination Stage's 2013-2014 season of professional theatre. Its upcoming season features two world premieres: Lulu and the Brontosaurus, a musical by local author Judith Viorst, and Cinderella: the Remix, the final play in Psalmayene 24's hip-hop trilogy.
The 2013-14 season, beginning late September and running through August 2014, features Lulu and the Brontosaurus; Lyle the Crocodile; Rumpelstiltskin; Cinderella: the Remix; and The BFG. Subscriptions are available by calling the box office at 301-280-1660 (see pricing below). Single tickets go on sale August 12, 2013.
"The new season will delight your eyes, your ears, and your heart," says Janet Stanford, Artistic Director. "From a life-size brontosaurus to a sax-playing crocodile, and the biggest, friendliest giant of all time, we have characters you'll never forget. With stories about finding friendship, overcoming prejudice, and triumphing over evil, we promise you'll leave the theatre laughing and uplifted."
Imagination Stage is very excited to open the season with a world premiere and commission, Lulu and the Brontosaurus. This dino-mite production was written by Judith Viorst, a D.C. author and poet best known for her children's literature, including the series with Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Judith says the production is "complete with a tantrum-throwing Lulu and a dancing dinosaur." It will be directed by Stanford, with title role played by Casie Platt, who previously portrayed Junie B. at Imagination Stage.
For the holiday season, Lyle the Crocodile is a snazzy musical featuring a saxophone-playing reptile. Poor Lyle is shunned by his nasty neighbor Mr. Grumps, but after a series of events, Lyle saves the day and earns his place as a beloved friend. Imagination Stage previously produced this story as a play in 2009 to great acclaim and is thrilled to revisit is the story in a musical adaptation. Linden Tailor will play Lyle, and Kathryn Chase Bryer, Associate Artistic Director, will direct.
The next show "is a story that's old as old, of how a girl turned straw into gold." Rumpelstiltskin is a tale of the poor miller's daughter, who is directed by the King to spin straw into gold - even though she doesn't know how. Unable to perform this feat, she enlists the help of a rotten riddling fairy and must solve his puzzle to save her family. Rumpelstiltskin will be directed by Stanford.
Cinderella: the Remix is the final play in director and playwright Psalmayene 24's hip-hop trilogy, which includes Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth (premiered January 24-March 8, 2009) and P.Nokio: A Hip-Hop Musical (premiered February 1-March 11, 2012). Filled with music, dance, and "Girl Power!," Cinderella is a DJ in Hip-Hop Hollywood, where girls aren't actually allowed to DJ! Will Cinderella ever be allowed to spin as her true self, or will she be caught "frontin'" as a boy? Paige Hernandez will play Cinderella, and Nick Hernandez will produce the hip-hop beats. After playing at Imagination Stage, Cinderella: the Remix will tour to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center for an additional week.
In the summer, Imagination Stage is pleased to welcome back Eric Van Wyk, who will be creating the giant puppet for The BFG. Audiences will remember Eric's work on the lion puppet Aslan and the set design for The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, a production which received two 2013 Helen Hayes Awards. The BFG is a beloved story by Roald Dahl about little orphan Sophie and the Big Friendly Giant who venture together to Buckingham Palace to save the children of England. The story was adapted for the stage by David Wood, who also adapted Imagination Stage's 2012-2013 season productions of James and the Giant Peach and The Magic Finger,a world premiere. The BFG will be directed by Bryer.