Thu, May 27, 2021, 8:30 pm EDT
Sun, May 30, 2021, 8:30 pm EDT Online
TOGETHER APART, a collection of new short musicals written, composed, directed-by and starring Brown University alumni, will premiere on May 27 at 5:30 PT/8:30 ET and stream through May 30 to raise money for The Actors Fund.
The musical evolved out of a true Zoom moment: A Brown musical theater reunion attended by graduates from the early 80s through the late 90s. Lisa Loeb, ’90 Graduate and Grammy Award Winner, was energized by the digital reconnection, and inspired to write a musical about the experience. She asked the group if they wanted to collaborate, and the creative process began. Loeb said “As I sat in the Zoom reunion, listening to everyone talk about their current lives, connecting with friends, and reflecting on all of our vivid musical theater memories from Brown, I realized that we shouldn’t just talk about what happened in the past, but we should write a Zoom musical about what’s going on, and it should happen all in the world of Zoom. And by sharing our storytelling and our passion and love for theater, we can work together to provide an outlet for our shared creativity while giving back to this incredible cause.”
The production is a compilation of ten seven-minute musicals, all about connecting on Zoom at the beginning of the pandemic. Producer Beth Wishnie, ’89 Graduate and Tony Award winner, said “This entire project has been a labor of love. Once we decided to raise money for our friends in the entertainment industry, we worked around the clock to make something meaningful to anyone who was able to see it."
Emmy and SAG award winner Julie Bowen ’90, who was in the midst of filming in Canada, was especially enthusiastic to join, knowing the show would be raising money for The Actors Fund. David Lai ‘86, who was deep in production on the music for the movie of Come From Away, came aboard as well, as did so many other talented Brown alums including Broadway veteran Ann Harada, Emmy Award winner Josh Hamilton ’92, and film icon JoBeth Williams ’70.
General admission tickets start at $25 with a VIP pre-show event available for donations of $100 or more. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite with proceeds benefitting The Actors Fund.
Performers Include Akin Adams, Syd Atlas, Jessie Austrian, Kitty Balay, Julie Bowen, Isabel Brodsky, Noah Brody, Karen Bryant, Imani Camara, June Carryl, Sara Clarke, Maria Deasy, Mia Ellis, Abby Espiritu, Deborah DeFuria, Duncan Gallagher, Becky Gibel, Oamiya Haque, Ann Harada, Josh Hamilton, Laurie Israel, Claire Karpen, Eric Kirchberger, Pebble Kranz, Lisa Loeb, Tisola Logan, Gillian Maimon, Meg MacCary, Dan Mackenzie, Gillian Maimon, Joseph Meissner, Luisa Patino, Gabriel Rosen, Rhonda Ross, Jonathan Schaffir, Marcy Schaffir ,Sirsa Shekim, Lawrence Stern, Charlie Thurston, Paco Tolson, Anthony Walley, JoBeth Williams, Joe Wilson Jr., Beth Wishnie and Arianna Zukerman.
Writers: June Carryl, Matt Hoverman (Emmy Award winner), Maria Deasy, Deborah DeFuria, Eric Kirchberger, Derek Livingston, Lisa Loeb, Meg MacCary, Dan Mackenzie, Sam Phillips, Lawrence Stern and Lorin Wertheimer.
Directors: Seth Bockley, Leslie Buxbaum, Vivienne Benesch, Sarah Cusick, Michael Lippman, Derek Livingston, Cris Sales, Pam Seiderman and Margie Zohn.
Composers: Jocelyn Adams, Carl Belfatti, Jules Cohen, Jonathan Feinberg, Lisa Loeb, Dan Mackenzie, Erin McKeown, Maria Seigenthaler and Lawrence Stern.
Produced by Beth Wishnie and Lisa Loeb, and co-produced by The 24 Hour Plays.
Musical direction by David Lai.
Video direction and editing by Kevin Surace.
TICKET PRICES
General admission tickets start at $25 with a VIP pre-show event available for donations of $100 or more.
VISIT: Actorsfund.org
www.haikuonaplumtree.com
Maria Deasy
www.mariadeasy.com
http://linkedin.com/in/mariadeasy
