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Concord’s Willows Theatre to present
Elton John and Tim Rice’s
AIDA
The Tony Award®-winning, intimate, epic and timeless tale of love in
ancient Egypt
February 14 – March 26, 2005: tickets on sale
now
The Willows Theatre Company
is among the first regional theaters in the country to produce an original
production of the Broadway smash AIDA. This new production,
specifically designed for the intimate 210-seat Willows Theatre, will run
from February 14 – March 26, 2005, with Press Night scheduled for
Friday, February 18 at 8 p.m.
Elton John and Tim Rice’s
AIDA is a musical bursting with contemporary energy that
tells of the love triangle between Aida, a Nubian princess stolen from her
country; Amneris, an Egyptian princess; and Radames, the soldier they both
love. Based on the opera by Giuseppe Verdi, AIDA is an
epic and classic tale of love, loyalty, betrayal, and courage, with an
exhilarating Tony® and Grammy® Award-winning score by Elton John and Tim
Rice, their first collaboration since writing the music and lyrics for
The Lion King together.
AIDA
is the latest in a recent string of Broadway musicals based on classic 19th
century operas that also includes Miss Saigon (based on Puccini’s
Madame Butterfly) and Rent (based on La Boheme, also by
Puccini). Though still set in ancient Egypt, this new production of
AIDA has been significantly updated and is infused with the energy
of Elton John’s unique brand of late 20th century pop music. Sir
Elton’s famous friendships and lifestyle even influence the story, with a
character reportedly based on Princess Diana, and an entire number dedicated
to high fashion (“My Strongest Suit”), including platform heels and
disco-era sunglasses.
“The first two albums I ever
bought when I was a kid were ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘Goodbye Yellow
Brick Road’,” declares director
Andrew Holtz.
“I am a lifelong fan of both Tim Rice and Elton John – one of musical
theater’s most successful lyricists and, in my opinion, the greatest pop
composer of the last 30 years teaming up together on one of the most
passionate love stories ever written … what more could a director ask for?”
Mr. Holtz, who directed last
season’s acclaimed production of Children of Eden, also serves as
Managing Director for the Willows and received official recognition for
“Outstanding Contribution to the Arts” from the Arts and Culture Commission
of Contra Costa County (AC5) in October 2004.
Aida will be played by
Dawn Troupe-Masi. Ms. Troupe-Masi last performed stage magic at the
Willows (literally) as the slightly daffy, good witch Addaperle in The
Wiz. Other recent credits include Ragtime, Memphis, and
The Little Princess at TheatreWorks of Palo Alto; South Pacific
at American Musical Theatre of San Jose; and Josephine Baker in two
separate productions at Black Berkeley Rep.
Jeff Leibow,
a newcomer to the Willows stage, will play the conflicted Egyptian captain
Radames. Mr. Leibow’s most recent credits include the San Francisco
production of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at the Marines
Memorial Theater and two Bay Area productions of the musical The Last
Five Years – including one opposite his fiancé, Melody. He has also
performed with American Musical Theatre of San Jose and TheatreWorks.
Returning to play the
heartbreaking princess Amneris is
Megan Ross,
who was last seen at the Willows as the doomed saloon singer Lucy in
Jekyll and Hyde. Ms. Ross appeared locally in the long-running
production of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at the Theatre
on San Pedro Square in San Jose, and recently completed a national tour of
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
Hector Quintana
portrays the evil minister Zoser, father of Radames, who employs sinister
techniques to gain the Pharaoh’s throne for his son. Mr. Quintana, an
accomplished performer, is making his Willows debut. Most recently, he was seen
in 8-Track: The Sounds of the 70’s at Theatre on San Pedro Square in
San Jose and in Sierra Repertory’s West Coast regional premiere of Andrew
Lloyd Webber’s Cats. He has also appeared at the Lorraine Hansberry
Theatre, as well as three years with San Francisco’s long-running
Beach Blanket Babylon.
Romar de Claro
(Livermore) makes his Willows debut as the wily Nubian slave Mereb, who
befriends Aida and assists her captured father, Amonasro, the King of the
Nubians, played by Ty Blair (Oakland).
David Hardie
(Antioch) will portray the Pharaoh. Pjay Johnston* (Brentwood)
will play Nehebka.
The multi-talented 18-member
singing and dancing ensemble includes Dominic Abordo (Berkeley),
Laura Benitez (Oakland), Erika Bowman (San Francisco), Dawn
Burroughs (Palo Alto), Crystal Bush (Berkeley), Shawna Darling
(Hayward), Kieleil DeLeon (Bay Point), Sarah Delp
(Berkeley), Armond Dorsey (San Francisco), Rod-Voltaire Edora
(Vallejo), Angel Hamon (Pleasant Hill), Kristen Heitman
(Sacramento), Ayi Kwei (Oakland),
Rami Margron (Oakland), Erienne Renee (Concord), Brendan
Simon (El Cerrito), Le Neac Weathersby (San Francisco), and
Scott Woodard (San Francisco).
The creative team for AIDA also
includes Colette Eloi (Choreography), Tom Benson (Scenic
Designer),
Loran Watkins
(Costume Designer),
Jonathan Retsky (Lighting Designer),
Shaun Carroll
(Properties and Set
Dressing),
John Koss
(Sound Designer),
Joshua Bruce
(Production Stage Manager), and
Cassidy Brown
(Casting).
Andrew Holtz
will also musical direct.
AIDA
was originally developed by the Alliance Theatre Company of Atlanta,
Georgia, in 1998 under the title Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida,
and was presented in a heavily revised version in Chicago before premiering
on Broadway May 23, 2000, where it ran for 1,852 performances, closing Sept.
5, 2004. The music is by Elton John; lyrics by Tim Rice; book by Linda
Woolverton, Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang; Based on the opera by
Giuseppe Verdi. The production won four Tony® Awards, including Best Music
and Lyrics (Elton John and Tim Rice), Best Actress (Heather Headley), Best
Scenic Design (Bob Crowley), and Best Lighting Design (Natasha Katz).
The original opera composed by Verdi was
commissioned by the khedive of Egypt as part of the celebrations surrounding
the opening of the Suez Canal. With libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, and
based on a scenario by Camille du Locle from a story outlined by Auguste
Mariette (a French Egyptologist and Inspector General of Monuments), the
opera premiered Christmas Eve, 1871, at the Cairo Opera House.
Incidentally, Verdi’s opera Aida
was adapted once before for Broadway: My Darlin’ Aida,
utilizing Verdi’s original music with new lyrics and story by Charles
Friedman, moved the action to Memphis, Tennessee, during the first year of
the Civil War. The production played at the Winter Garden Theatre in New
York from October 27, 1952 to January 10, 1953, for a total of 89
performances.
Ticket & Schedule
Information
Tickets are $30-$35
with discounts for students (6-18), seniors (65+), and groups (10+). To
purchase tickets call (925) 798-1300 or order
online.
Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday
at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 7:30 p.m., with matinees Wednesdays at 3:30
p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m.
The Willows Theatre Company
daytime box office is located at 1425 Gasoline Alley, Concord, at the corner
of Bisso Lane, one block north of Concord Avenue, behind the EXPO Design
Center. The daytime box office hours are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and
Sunday Noon-5 p.m. The Theatre box office and will-call window, located in
the theater lobby, opens one hour prior to each performance.
# # #
Recipient of the 2002 Cyril
Award of the San Francisco Business Arts Council for Nonprofit Arts
Excellence, the Willows Theatre Company is led by Artistic Director Richard
Elliott and Managing Director Andrew Holtz.
The Willows Theatre Company
2005 sponsors are Rocco’s Pizzeria of Walnut Creek, Industrial Lumber of
Martinez (our official scenic materials supplier), The Contra Costa Times,
Alphagraphics of Walnut Creek (our official printer), and The Hilton Concord
Hotel.
