|
Tony
Award Winning Composer, Jason Robert Brown, will celebrate Opening Weekend of
the Arizona Premiere of his newest musical “13” with
Valley
Youth Theatre at the Herberger Theater Center in January.
(PHOENIX, AZ) Jason
Robert Brown has been hailed as "one of Broadway's smartest and most
sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim" (Philadelphia Inquirer),
and his "extraordinary, jubilant theater music " (Chicago Tribune) has
been heard all over the world, whether in one of the hundreds of productions of
his musicals every year or in his own incendiary live performances. The New York
Times refers to Jason as "a leading member of a new generation of composers
who embody high hopes for the American musical." Jason is the composer and
lyricist of the musical, "The Last Five Years," which was cited as one
of Time Magazine's 10 Best of 2001 and won Drama Desk Awards for Best Music and
Best Lyrics. Jason won a 1999 Tony Award for his score to "Parade", a
musical which premiered at Lincoln Center Theatre in December 1998, and
subsequently won both the Drama Desk and New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards
for Best New Musical.
Valley Youth Theatre is
starting the New Year off with a smash as it introduces Arizona to Brown’s
new, hip, teenage musical, “13” performing on stage at the Herberger Theater
Center, January 29 through February 13, 2010.
Brown will be joining Valley
Youth Theatre on January 29 for their opening night performance and reception at
the Herberger Theater Center. On Saturday, January 30th,
in addition to giving the cast and crew of “13” a private workshop, he will
also offer his considerable musical and theatrical skills to the Valley with a
public workshop at Valley Youth Theatre at 3:00pm.
Seven spots are available to aspiring actors, ages 13 and19 to work one-on-one
with Jason Robert Brown, and are being offered for $200. Applicants should
contact Valley Youth Theatre at 602-253-8188 x 307 for
this unique opportunity. The public can observe these sessions and learn from
this Broadway powerhouse. Tickets are available to the public for $20.
Brown will round out his trip
to the Valley by giving a special, one hour concert Sunday, January 31st
at 5:00pm at the Herberger Theater Center. He will be performing
selections from his hit musicals, including “The Last Five Years”, “Songs
for a New World”, and “Parade.” Valley Youth is offering a special
deal for “13” theatre goers – tickets to the concert are just $20 with
purchase of a ticket to “13”. Tickets are $30 for general seating, and
$50 for reserved, premium seats. Contact the Herberger Theater Center Box
Office at 602-252-8497 for concert tickets.
This promises to be an
exciting and unique opportunity for not only Valley
Youth Theatre, but for musical theatre fans throughout the Valley!
Directed by VYT’s producing
artistic director Bobb Cooper, “13” opens Friday,
January 29th at
the Herberger Theater Center and runs through Saturday, February 13th.
Performances are Thursdays and Fridays
at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m.,
and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets range
from $17 to $33 and are on sale now. (Discounts
are available for groups of 20+). For tickets call
the Herberger Theater Center Box Office at 602-252-8497.
For more information about Valley Youth Theatre, visit
www.vyt.com.
Named by the
Arizona Republic as The Best Place to Become a Future Star, Valley Youth Theatre
is a world-class, nationally recognized non-profit organization that targets
young people age 7 – 19 for participation in and attendance at quality live
theatre productions. VYT’s mission is to inspire young people to be the best
that they can be by providing them with lifelong lessons through a wide range of
performing arts opportunities. VYT is an award-winning theatre company whose
alum include American Idol, Jordin Sparks and Broadway Star, Max Crumm, Film
Star, Emma Stone and the Disney Channel’s Chelsea Staub. Valley Youth Theatre
is supported in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts with funding from the
State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts. Partial funding also
is provided by the Phoenix Arts Commission through appropriations from the
Phoenix City Council. Valley Youth Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications
Group, the national organization for the American Theatre. For more
information about Valley Youth Theatre, visit www.vyt.com.
|
