Tony Award-Winning Cast and Crew Premieres New Musical ‘Presto Change-O’ at Barrington Stage

'Presto Change-O' cast

‘Presto Change-O’ cast

(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – “Presto Change-O,” with book and lyrics by Eric Price and music by Joel Waggoner, receives its world premiere at Barrington Stage Company (BSC) from Wednesday, May 18, through Saturday, June 11. This exciting new musical, a production of BSC’s Musical Theatre Lab, tells the story of three generations of magicians who find themselves under one roof for the first time in years. When the grandfather causes real magic to happen, they must confront their past mistakes and re-examine what it means to be a family.

“Presto Change-O” stars Tony Award-winner Michael Rupert (Broadway’s Falsettos, On The Town) as “Lance,” Tony Award-nominee Jarrod Spector (Broadway’s “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”) as “Michael,” Tony Award-nominee Barbara Walsh (Broadway’s “Company”) as “Mary,” Jenni Barber (Broadway’s “Wicked”) as “Tina,” Bob Walton (Broadway’s “42nd Street”) as “Arthur,” and Lenny Wolpe (Broadway’s “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Wicked”) as “Sheldon.”

Jenni Barber

Jenni Barber

“Presto Change-O” features book and lyrics by Eric Price, music by Joel Waggoner, choreography by Chris Bailey, and direction by Marc Bruni of Broadway’s “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”  Vadim Feichtner is music director.

The design team includes sets by Tony Award-winner Derek McLane, lights by Tony Award-winner Ken Billington, costumes by Alejo Vietti. Illusions by Joseph Wartnerchaney. Production stage manager is Michael Andrew Rodgers.

Founded in 2006, the BSC Musical Theatre Lab is overseen by artistic director Julianne Boyd and artistic producer William Finn.

 

The popular Conversations With… Series kicks off on Sunday, May 22, at 12:30pm at the St. Germain Stage with “The Magic of Creating a Musical: From Commission to World Premiere,” with lyricist and Bbookwriter Eric Price and composer Joel Waggoner discussing the process of combining story, song, magic, and choreography to tell one family’s story.  While all Conversations With… events are free, reservations are highly recommended. All seating is general admission. Call the Box Office at 413-236-8888.

Michael Rupert

Michael Rupert

Performances of “Presto Change-O” begin May 18, 2016, with an opening night set for May 25, and closing on June 11, 2016. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30pm, with matinees Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. Both single tickets and 2016 season passes are now on sale and available at Barrington Stage Company or by calling 413-236-8888 or visiting the MainStage box office (30 Union Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201). Tickets range from $20 to $69.

 

ABOUT BARRINGTON STAGE COMPANY
Barrington Stage Company, a professional award-winning Equity regional theatre located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA, was co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julianne Boyd. Barrington Stage’s mission is three-fold: to present top-notch, compelling work; to develop new plays and musicals; and to find fresh, bold ways to bringing new audiences into the theatre—especially young people.  Barrington Stage garnered national attention in 2004 when it premiered William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s musical hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which later transferred to Broadway, where it won two Tony Awards. In 2009/2010 Barrington Stage produced the world premiere of Mark St. Germain’s Freud’s Last Session, which later moved Off-Broadway and played for two years. St. Germain’s Becoming Dr. Ruth (which premiered at BSC as Dr. Ruth, All the Way in 2012) played Off-Broadway at the Westside Theatre in fall 2013. BSC’s all-time record-breaking musical, On the Town, originally presented in 2013, opened on Broadway in 2014 with BSC as a co-producer, where it was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival. Barrington Stage was voted “Best Live Theatre” by The Berkshire Eagle readers in 2011 and 2012 and was named “Best Theatre Company” in Metroland’s Best of the Capital Region 2009-2012.

 

 

 

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