AFT News

About Face Theatre Presents

WE THREE LIZAS

Book & Lyrics by AFT Artistic Associate Scott Bradley

Music & Additional Lyrics by Alan Schmuckler

Directed by AFT Artistic Associate Scott Ferguson

November 30 – December 23, 2012 in The Steppenwolf Garage

CHICAGO (October 30, 2012) About Face Theatre blends classic Christmas tales with queer pop culture for its world premiere holiday production WE THREE LIZAS with book and lyrics by AFT Artistic Associate Scott Bradley, music and additional lyrics by Alan Schmuckler, directed by AFT Artistic Associate Scott Ferguson, playing November 30 – December 23, 2012 in The Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted St., Chicago.  Show times include a 45-minute “cocktail hour” in Liza’s Lounge with special opening acts by guest artists. Tickets are currently on sale through Steppenwolf Audience Services online at www.steppenwolf.org or by calling (312) 335-1650. The press performances are Sunday, December 2 at 3 pm & 7 pm.

WE THREE LIZAS features AFT Artistic Associates Scott Bradley, Scott Duff, John Francisco and Arturo Soria with Sean Blake, Sharriese Hamilton, Sean Michael Hunt, Danielle Plisz, Andrew Swan, Dana Tretta and AJ Ware.

WE THREE LIZAS hijacks Christmas classics to create a dark, sexy holiday musical for a queer new world. In a quest for unrivaled glory, Conrad Ticklebottom and his anxious assistant Reggie conjure the Great Queen of Wishes to bestow upon him the trinity of power:  youth, wealth and beauty. Instead, Liza Minnelli knocks at Conrad’s door bearing holiday gifts and all hell breaks lose.

The production team for WE THREE LIZAS includes: Jerry Dye (set design), Mieka van der Ploeg (costume design), Mac Vaughey (lighting design), Josh Horvath (sound design) Alan Schmuckler (music director), AFT Artistic Associate Patrick Andrews (choreography) and Jeremy Phillips (stage manager).

Scott Bradley (Book & Lyrics) is co-founder of Chicago-based The Scooty & JoJo Show, where he has created the critically-acclaimed theatrical events Alien Queen, Carpenters Halloween, Mollywood, Tran: The Atari Musical, The Scooty & JoJo Variety Hour and Diva Brunch.  He is Creative Producer for Jonny Stax Presents, where he mentors new artistic and creative ventures. He has developed new performance works with Chicago’s About Face Theatre, Walkabout Theatre Company and Hell In A Handbag Productions, Washington, D.C.’s Washington Shakespeare Company, Seattle’s UMO Ensemble, Open Circle Theater and Bald Faced Lie, at New York’s HERE, BACA Downtown and CBGB’s. As a performer, he has worked with About Face Theatre (The Homosexuals), The Hypocrites (Angels in America), D.C.’s Arena Stage, The Shakespeare Theatre, NY’s adobe theater company, Next Stage Theatre, Seattle’s Open Circle Theater and AHA! Theatre. He is former Artistic Director of Seattle’s Open Circle Theater and served as Associate Artistic Director at BACA Downtown, Brooklyn, NY. He is an Artistic Associate with About Face Theatre and a member of Actors’ Equity Association and SAG/AFTRA.

Alan Schmuckler (Music/Musical Director) is donning him now his gay apparel. His new musical The Emperor’s New Clothes (book by David Holstein) enjoyed a critically acclaimed premiere production at the Tony-winning Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and recently received its international debut at the Stage Artz Theatre Company in Sydney, Australia. He and Michael Mahler co-wrote book, music and lyrics for Chicago Shakespeare’s How Can You Run with a Shell on Your Back?, which premiered and remounted in 2007, and has since been produced nationwide, including at the Chicago Humanities Festival, the National Alliance for Music Theatre’s 21st Annual Festival of New Musicals, and at theaters and schools nationwide. His concert credits include Alan Schmuckler: I Miss The City (Joe’s Pub, NYC); and, with Mahler, the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage (Washington, D.C.), and numerous Chicago gigs with their band, the Lincoln Squares, whose debut EP releases this fall. Alan’s music and lyrics have been featured in the Fourth Annual Broadway in South Africa Gala; the York Theatre Company’s NEO6 Benefit Concert; the Chicago “Monday Nights, New Voices” series; and the National Alliance for Music Theatre’s 2005 New Works Summit and 2007 Songwriters’ Showcase. Currently working on two commissions for Writers’ Theatre. Alan is a three-time Joseph Jefferson-nominated actor, a proud Northwestern University alum, and a member of AEA and ASCAP.

Scott Ferguson (Director) is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Theatrebam Chicago where he wrote and created the hit show, Schoolhouse Rock Live! and Schoolhouse Rock Live Too!. Scott has directed the SRLive! National Tours (’99-’01) with Troupe American, Inc., the Off-Broadway productions at The Atlantic and the Lamb’s Little Theatre, as well as many productions across the country. He recently wrote the new musical The Main Street Kids’ Club: A MathStart Musical, which is currently touring to schools and is licensed for production through Music Theatre International. As a proud Artistic Associate of About Face Theatre, Scott has directed Xena Live! Episode One, the Jeff Nominated Xena Live! Episode Two, Xena Lives! The Musical and Say You Love Satan. In Chicago, Scott has directed for Chicago Children’s Theatre, Hell in a Handbag Productions, Filament Theatre Company, Drury Lane Oakbrook & Watertower.  For the former Bailiwick Repertory, Scott directed the Non Equity Jeff Nominated A Man of No Importance, as well as The Cousins Grimm. Scott directed Bailiwick Chicago’s Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and award-winning production of Aida. Regionally, he has directed for The Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, The Wohlfahrt Haus Theatre in Wytheville, Virginia, The Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre, Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, TN, Rhodes College and New Trier High School. Favorites include: The Rocky Horror Show, Return To The Forbidden Planet, The Mystery Of Irma Vep, Evita, Bat Boy The Musical, Jekyll & Hyde, Floyd Collins, Disney’s Aida, Beauty And The Beast, Saucy Jack & The Space Vixens, Year With Frog And Toad, Big River, Altar Boyz, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Robber Bridegroom and Trogg! A Musical.

About Face Theatre (Bonnie Metzgar, Artistic Director; Jason L. Held, Executive Director) is one of Chicago’s most acclaimed theatre companies, and is a national leader in the development of new work exploring gender and sexual identity.  Since its founding by Kyle Hall and Eric Rosen in 1995, the company has premiered more than 45 world premieres by writers and directors who have been recognized with several Tony Awards, The Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The MacArthur Fellowship and dozens of Joseph Jefferson Awards.