5-star theatricals
announces its full cast joining
ADAM PASCAL
(Broadway’s Rent, Aida)
as Professor Harold Hill in its upcoming production of
THE MUSIC MAN
Book, Music and Lyrics by Meredith Willson
Musical Direction by Brad Ellis
Choreography by Peggy Hickey
Directed by Larry Raben
76 Trombones Herald our Harold!
Opens Friday, October 18 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza!
September 12, 2019…Thousand Oaks, Calif…5-STAR THEATRICALS is thrilled to announce the full cast to join previously announced Tony nominee ADAM PASCAL (Broadway’s original “Roger” in Rent and original “Radames” in Aida) who will star as Professor Harold Hill in the first show of its 2019-2020 season, THE MUSIC MAN, book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, musical direction by Brad Ellis, choreography by Peggy Hickey and directed by Larry Raben. THE MUSIC MAN opens on Friday, October 18, 2019 and runs through Sunday, October 27, 2019 at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.
This beloved Meredith Willson musical with Broadway’s Adam Pascal starring as fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill is very special to 5-Star. It is the first show they produced in the Kavli in 1994 and heading into the 25th Anniversary they are bringing back this audience favorite. In 1957, the show became a hit on Broadway, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and running for 1,375 performances. 5-Star’s production is going to be a bang-beat, bell-ringin’ smash packed with brassy favorites like “76 Trombones,” “Well Fargo Wagon,” “Ya Got Trouble,” “Shipoopi” and the beautiful ballads “Till There Was You” and “Goodnight My Someone.”
“We are overjoyed to announce our full cast that will join Adam Pascal in our upcoming production of THE MUSIC MAN,” says 5-Star Theatricals Artistic Director, Patrick Cassidy. “This will be the “can’t miss” theatrical event of the Fall to see the Broadway star of Rent and Aida bring to life one of the most iconic roles in musical theatre, with this extraordinary cast and creative team, in this glorious new production!”
ABOUT ADAM PASCAL
ADAM PASCAL (Professor Harold Hill) was born on October 25, 1970, in the Bronx and raised in Syosset, New York. He started singing in various rock bands when he was 12, playing the local New York club scene for many years, and has been singing in bands, as a solo artist, in movies, or on the Broadway stage ever since. In 1996, Adam tried out for the then unknown, off-Broadway production of Rent. He landed the role of “Roger Davis.” Adam was nominated for a 1996 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical), and won a Drama League and Obie award for his performance. The show went on to become a worldwide success and one of the longest running shows in Broadway history. In 1997 He reprised the role of “Roger” (the first of several times he would do so) for the West End Premiere of Rent. In 1998, Adam’s career expanded to the big screen in the independent film “SLC Punk.” In 2000, Adam was cast as “Radames” in Elton John and Tim Rice’s new Broadway musical Aida, for which he received a Drama League award. In May of 2000, his debut solo album, “Model Prisoner,” was released. Also, in 2000, Adam co-produced the hit off-Broadway play Fully Committed with fellow former Rent cast member, Jesse L. Martin. The show went on to garner many awards and played to sold out houses in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and London. In October 2003, Adam once again visited the Broadway stage, this time, asked to be the final “Emcee” in the Sam Mendes/Rob Marshall production of Cabaret at Studio 54, as part of the closing cast. Also, during that time Adam starred alongside Jack Black, as “Theo,” the lead singer of “No Vacancy” in 2003’s “School of Rock.” Finally, in 2004, Adam’s second CD, “Civilian,” was released in November, again on Sh-K-Boom records. In 2005, Adam reprised the role of “Roger” in the movie version of “Rent.” Adam’s journey with Rent finally came to conclusion when in 2009, he reprised the role one last time alongside Anthony Rapp, in Rent, The Broadway Tour, which traveled all over the U.S. as well as Japan and South Korea.
In 2008, Adam played the role of “Freddie Trumper” in the Tim Rice/Abba Musical Chess,
alongside Josh Groban, and Idina Menzel for two sold out performances at The Royal
Albert Hall, in London. The DVD is currently on sale worldwide. In 2010/11 Adam starred as “Huey Calhoun” in Broadway’s Tony Award winning musical Memphis and in 2013 Adam starred as “Billy Flynn” in Broadway’s long running hit Chicago. In 2015 Adam starred as “Chad” in Broadway’s Disaster. In 2017 Adam starred as “Shakespeare” on Broadway and in the first national tour of the musical Something Rotten. Most recently he starred at “Edward Lewis” in Broadway’s Pretty Woman. Adam is also the co-owner of the gluten and allergen-free packaged foods company “Cybele’s FREE to EAT.”
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST
LARRY RABEN (Director) returns to 5-Star where he directed last season’s much acclaimed production of West Side Story. Also, for 5-Star; The Little Mermaid and previously won the LA Ovation Award Best Direction for Singin’ In The Rain. He directed the world premiere of Tony winner Joe DiPietro’s Falling For Eve Off-Broadway at The York Theatre. Recents: Greater Tuna (Coyote StageWorks), Jersey Boys (Phoenix Theatre Company), Catch Me If You Can (MTW/Moonlight), Buyer & Cellar (Laguna Playhouse), Young Frankenstein (SDMT-Craig Noel-nom) Cabaret (Gateway Playhouse), Mamma Mia (Ogunquit Playhouse/Welk), Nice Work If You Can Get It (Ogunquit Playhouse-IRNE nom), Newsies (Moonlight ), Tru (CSW, Invisible Theatre Company), Sunset Blvd., Titanic (Moonlight), 7 Brides For 7 Brothers (MTWichita), The Producers, Cinderella (Gateway Playhouse), Plaid Tidings (Walnut Street Theatre), Hairspray, The Wedding Singer, Never Gonna Dance, The Thing About Men (MTW), Addams Family, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Performance Riverside), When You Wish, Love Makes The World Go Round (Phoenix Theatre Company), A Christmas Carol, Meet Me In St. Louis, Always Patsy Cline (Welk), Sweet Charity in Buenos Aires (Ace nomination). He is the Artistic Director of The Welk.
PEGGY HICKEY (Choreography) Previous shows for Cabrillo Music Theatre/5-Star Theatricals: Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast. As Choreographer: Broadway: Anastasia, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Astaire and Outer Critics Circle Nomination, Tony Award for Best Musical);
National Tour: Anastasia, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Directed & Choreographed) Lincoln Center: My Fair Lady (NY Philharmonic), The Most Happy Fella, Lucky to Be Me, The Music Of Leonard Bernstein (New York City Opera); International: Anastasia (Spain, Germany, Holland), The King and I (France/Theatre du Châtelet,), Fiddler on the Roof (Mexico). Selected Regional: Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion (5th Avenue Theatre), Kiss Me Kate (Hartford), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Old Globe), Carnival (Goodspeed), Oklahoma! (Paper Mill); Selected Opera: LA Opera (Wonderful Town), Washington Opera (Die Fledermaus), Lyric Opera of Chicago (directed and choreographed Trouble In Tahiti.. Film: Woodshock, The Brady Bunch Movie (MTV Nomination, Best Choreography); Television: Grease and Fiddler (Encore for Disney +), Hansel and Gretel (Live from Lincoln Center), Die Fledermaus (Live from The Kennedy Center), Beck’s “The New Pollution” (MTV Award, Best Choreography), Hot in Cleveland, General Hospital (ABC), 90210 (The CW), The Days of Our Lives, Passions (NBC). Upcoming: Anastasia, Tokyo, Elf (Tuacahn, Director); Kinky Boots (Gateway, as Choreographer), Mame (Musical Theatre West, as Choreographer).
BRAD ELLIS (Musical Direction) is a composer, orchestrator, and concert & jazz pianist. He is Matthew Morrison’s music director, and director of Jane Lynch’s symphonic show. He is perhaps most visible as the quiet teacher/pianist for the high school kids for all 6 seasons of “Glee” [Fox-TV] also serving the show as a music director, arranger, pianist and composer. Other TV: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Bunheads,” “2009 Academy Awards” (Co-creating Hugh Jackman’s opening number and winning an Emmy™ Certificate), “Glee Project 1 & 2,” “The Middle,” “Rocky Horror” (2016). Film includes “Chicago,” “Delovely,” and “Beauty And The Beast.” He is Music Director and Arranger for Stephen Schwartz’s show “The Secret Silk” on Princess Cruises.
Brad has conducted and performed in over 6,000 performances of more than 400 different concerts He orchestrates for and performs as soloist with major symphony orchestras in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, & London. He’s been the leader on 35 albums for RCA, DRG and Varese Sarabande. He’s been profiled by CNN, NPR, People Magazine, The Boston Globe and the New York Times. Donate Life Hollywood honored Brad as their “Person Of The Year” for his work promoting organ transplant awareness. He is married to Jazz pixie Eydie Alyson, and they frequently perform in swank nightclubs as “Ellis ’N Alyson.”
The Cast for THE MUSIC MAN will also feature: Katharine McDonough as “Marian,” Trent Mills as “Marcellus Washburn,” Joshua Blond as “Winthrop,” Lisa Dyson as “Mrs. Paroo,” Savannah Fischer as “Amaryllis,” Dani Gonzalez as “Ethel Toffelmier,” Rich Grosso as “Charlie Cowell,” Joe Hart as “Mayor Shinn,” Christie Lynn Lawrence as “Eulalie Shinn,” Antonia Vivino as “Zaneeta Shinn,” Chris Hunter as “Oliver Hix,” Jonathan Matthews as “Ewart Dunlop,” James Thomas Miller as “Olin Britt,” Richard Storrs as “Constable Locke,” L. Michael Wells as “Jacey Squires” and Adam Winer as “Tommy Djilas.”
The Ensemble will feature: Brittany Anderson, Laura Aronoff, Nichole Beeks, Lucas Blankenhorn, Lucy Bollier, Calvin Brady, Samara Gottlieb, Tina Hidai, Scotty Jacobson,
Rachel Josefina, Cleo Magill, Anne Montavon, Chet Norment, Luke Pryor, Camal Pugh, Aria Surrec, Bayley Tanenbaum, Joshua Tanenbaum, Abigail Thompson, Zachary Thompson, Dekontee Tucrkile, Spencer Ty, Weston Walker-Pardee and Samantha Wynn Greenstone.
The Design Team of THE MUSIC MAN features: Lighting Design by Jared A. Sayeg, Sound Design by Jonathan Burke, Costume Design by Tanya Apuya, Props Design by Alex Choate, Hair and Wig Design by Jessica Mills. The Production Stage Manager is Talia Krispel.
ABOUT THE PRICING AND SCHEDULE
THE MUSIC MAN opens on Friday, October 18, 2019 and runs through Sunday, October 27, 2019 at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.
Performances are Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm; Sunday at 2pm on October 19 and 1pm on October 27 and an added performance on Thursday, October 24 at 8pm.
Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Box Office located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks, or through www.5startheatricals.com, or by phone at (800) 745-3000. For groups of 10 or more, please call Group Sales, 5-STAR THEATRICALS at (805) 497-8613 x 1.
Ticket prices range from $35 – $83. For ticket and theatre information, call (805) 449-ARTS (2787). THE MUSIC MAN performs exclusively at the Kavli Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.
5-STAR THEATRICALS’ 2019-2020 Season will feature THE MUSIC MAN, MAMMA MIA! and NEWSIES in the 1,800 seat Kavli Theatre. For membership and ticket information, call 805-497-8613 x 6 or visit www.5startheatricals.com.
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To schedule press interviews, photos, press comps, or for additional information, please contact David Elzer/DEMAND PR at (818) 508-1754 or by e-mail at davidelzer@me.com.
Calendar Listing:
THE MUSIC MAN
Book, Music and Lyrics by Meredith Willson
Musical Direction by Brad Ellis
Choreography by Peggy Hickey
Directed by Larry Raben
OPENS: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18 at 8pm and runs through
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
PERFORMANCES: Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm; Sundays at 2pm on October 19th and 1pm on October 27th & Thursday, October 24th at 7:30pm
THOUSAND OAKS CIVIC ARTS PLAZA
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, in Thousand Oaks
Tickets range from $35 – $83
For tickets, please call (800) 745-3000.
For theatre information, call (805) 449-ARTS (2787) or buy online at www.5startheatricals.com.
Student, Senior and Group discounts are available.
