Jasper, a new musical that follows 16-year-old Jasper as he journeys into the afterlife to save his best friend, runs through May 24, with an official opening set for May 14.
Brandon Ivie (assistant director of Broadway's A Christmas Story, The Musical and First Date) helmed Off-Broadway's Jasper, which features a score by Oliver and a book by Oliver and Foster. Lorin Latarro (Waiting For Godot and Scandalous) choreographed. Both Ivie and Latarro reprise their work in Seattle.
The cast also stars New York-based actress and musician Sydney Shepherd with Andi Alhadeff, Kyle Bernbach, Jared Michael Brown, Kyle Robert Carter, Taryn Darr, Sarah Rose Davis, Frederick Hagreen, Louis Hobson, Diana Huey, Brandi Chavonne Massey, Caety Sagoian and Evan Woltz.
Jasper in Deadland, according to 5th Avenue, "takes audiences on a mythological thrill-ride through the underworld. As teenage Jasper faces gods and monsters in search of his best friend (and true love) Agnes, he learns to let go of the demons of daily life and embrace the music within. With a pulsating contemporary score and vibrant roots in ancient Greek, Egyptian, Roman, and Norse legends and fables, this spine-tingling, hair-raising, heart-stirring show explores what it means to be truly alive."
Prospect Theater Company presented the New York City premiere, which featured Doyle (The Book of Mormon) as Jasper and Allison Scagliotti (Off-Broadway debut, SyFy's "Warehouse 13") as Gretchen. Click here to read the Playbill.com feature with Doyle and Scagliotti, who played the conflicted teenagers venturing through the underworld in Jasper in Deadland.
Jasper in Deadland replaced Something Rotten! in the company's season when Rotten fast-tracked its way to Broadway. Jasper was commissioned in 2011 for the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program and premiered as part of the Los Angeles Festival of New Musicals.
The 5th Avenue Theatre has developed numerous shows that have gone to Broadway, including the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Hairspray, Jekyll & Hyde, The Wedding Singer, Memphis, Catch Me If You Can, Scandalous, A Christmas Story, First Date and Aladdin.
The creative team includes John Clancy (orchestrator), Will Van Dyke (music supervisor), R.J. Tancioco (music director), Jason Sherwood (scenic design), Pete Rush (costume design), Robert J. Aguilar (lighting design), Justin Stasiw (sound design), Mary Pyanowski Jones (hair and makeup design), Kyle Loven (puppet designer and creator), Danielle Franich (assistant director), Trina Mills (assistant choreographer), Peter Donnelly (costume design assistant), Bob Franklin (assistant lighting designer), and Kevin Heard (associate sound designer). The stage management staff includes Amy Gornet (production stage manager), Lisa Armstrong (assistant stage manager) and Rachel Bury (assistant stage manager).
Oliver is the recipient of both the Jonathan Larson Award as well as a Richard Rodgers Award for musical theatre. Read more about his work in Playbill.com's Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know.
Foster has previously written the books to four musicals, including the Outer Critics Circle-nominated Summer of '42 and Circus in Winter. He is a Tony nominee for his performance in Little Shop of Horrors and was recently seen in the Broadway musical The Bridges of Madison County.
The 5th Avenue Theatre is located at 1308 5th Avenue in Seattle, WA. Tickets (starting at $29) may be purchased starting Jan. 16, 2015, at 5thAvenue.org or by phone at (206) 625-1900.
Check out behind-the-scenes videos from the production:
