Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, opens its 37th season with the Chicago premiere of Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by David Stern. Snapshots is directed by Ken Sawyer and runs September 16 - October 23, 2011. The press opening is Friday, September 23, 2011.
Snapshots blends together some of the best-loved music with some of the genuinely wonderful lesser known gems of renowned Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz, the creator of Wicked, Godspell, Pippin! and Working.
This touching romantic comedy exposes a marriage at a crossroads, as a couple reminisces how love brought them together and why life pushed them apart. Mr. Schwartz has rewritten many of the lyrics to even his most familiar songs to reflect the fascinating story and characters of this new work. Funny and bittersweet, Snapshots brings into focus all the wonders and frustrations of trusting your heart and believing your memories.
The cast includes Gene Weygandt in his third production with Stephen Schwartz, following Wicked and Working; and Susie McMonagle, the lead of the Mamma Mia! National Tour and direct from the Billy Elliott National Tour. Snapshots also features Tony Clarno, Nick Cosgrove, Jess Godwin and Megan Long.
Designers include Jack Magaw (set), Elizabeth Flauto (costumes); Jesse Klug (lights); Mike Tutaj (projections) and Lindsay Jones (sound). Rita Vreeland is the stage manager). The Music Director is Chuck Larkin. The Musical Supervisor and Arranger is Steve Orich (Tony nomination for Best Orchestrations, Jersey Boys).
"Stephen Schwartz is one of the greats of American Musical Theatre. Bringing Snapshots to Northlight is a great opportunity for local artists to work with this legendary composer, and for our audience to glimpse his favorite musical pieces in a new context." says Artistic Director BJ Jones. "Snapshots is the next step in Northlight's ongoing dedication to new work and long-standing commitment to new musicals, including the world premieres of Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years, A Marvelous Party, Studs Terkel's ‘The Good War', and most recently, Daddy Long Legs."
Relevant Theatricals and Cardboard Belt Productions have been developing this project for the past several years and most recently worked on the musical with David Stern, Stephen Schwartz and the creative team in preparation for its Chicago premiere.
"Stephen's work is unparalleled and, Snapshots, in particular, is a beautiful piece of musical theatre that features many of his best-loved songs. I couldn't be more thrilled about Northlight wanting to bring Snapshots to Chicago audiences," says Relevant producer Gigi Pritzker.
Stephen Schwartz (Composer/Lyricist) has contributed music and/or lyrics to Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker's Wife, Working (which he also adapted and directed), Rags, Children Of Eden and the current Broadway hit, Wicked. He collaborated with Leonard Bernstein on the English texts for Bernstein's Mass and wrote the title song for the play and movie Butterflies Are Free. For children, he has written songs for two musicals, Captain Louie and My Son Pinocchio. For films, he collaborated with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney's Enchanted as well as the animated features Pocahontas and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame and wrote the songs for the DreamWorks animated feature The Prince Of Egypt. He has released two CDs of new songs entitled Reluctant Pilgrim and Uncharted Territory. His first opera, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, premiered with Opera Santa Barbara in the fall of 2009. A book about his career, "Defying Gravity," has recently been released by Applause Books. Under the auspices of the ASCAP Foundation, he runs Musical Theatre Workshops in New York and Los Angeles, and is currently the President of the Dramatists' Guild. Mr. Schwartz has recently been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Other awards include three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, four Drama Desk Awards, and a tiny handful of tennis trophies.
David Stern (Book Writer) began his career working on the Broadway productions of Miss Saigon, Nick & Nora and Big. He then wrote the plays Dreams & Stuff and Finders of Lost Luggage. After a small detour into directing with the NY revival of Starting Here, Starting Now and a stint with The American Project at Circle in the Square, he wrote for NPR's The 1990's Radio Hour and a Half. David then migrated west where has written numerous movies, including: Geppetto for the Wonderful World of Disney (nominated for four Emmy Awards), Open Season 2 (nominated for an Annie Award), Open Season 3 as well as the upcoming The Hotel Transylvania, and Henry & Me. He recently finished the stage adaptation of Geppetto entitled My Son, Pinocchio, and is currently writing and producing Turkeys-an animated feature starring Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson, due in theaters Thanksgiving 2012.
