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4th Wall Theatre Presents Take One

originally published: 02/08/2017
4th Wall Theatre Presents Take One
(BLOOMFIELD, NJ) -- 4th Wall Theatre, a non-union professional theatre in Bloomfield, continues its 20th Anniversary season of musical comedies with the original musical Take One.  Billed as “a musical comedy,” Take One features a book, music, and lyrics by Jeff Ward. Take One runs in Bloomfield at the Westminster Arts Center on the campus of Bloomfield College for three shows only, Friday and Saturday, March 3 and 4, at 8:00 pm and Sunday, March 5, at 3:00 pm.
 
Through a series of vignettes, the musical tells the story of the disastrous first versions of three great things – the creation of the world, Michelangelo and the painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the development of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma.  It’s a history-spanning musical comedy that explores the struggles that come with the act of creation, even for the gods.
 
According to the writer, Jeff Ward, Take One came about because he loves “hearing tales of the creative struggles of great artists.  The act of creation is hard, and success is never a foregone conclusion. Even geniuses can get things really, really wrong.”
 
The show features Rafi Bromberg and Jessica Walch of Bloomfield, Fred Carlton of Hasbrouck Heights, Peter Downing of Cliffside Park, Will Flamm and Mark A. Saylor of Montclair, Mimi B. Francis of New Brunswick, Kirk Jasen Lambert of Newark, Bob Russell of Hackensack, Keith Varney of Queens, and Madison Washer of Oak Ridge.

Take One is part of the company’s M.I.D. (Musicals-in-Development) Stage Series this coming March. M.I.D. Stage is a program designed to present new musical theatre works-in-progress by new or “up and coming” composers and writers.

“This series is 10 years old and is a signature event for the company,” says 4th Wall Artistic Director, Kate Swan.  “The presentation of new musicals is a natural extension of our mission to produce seldom seen or produced theatrical pieces. Talented writers are an essential ingredient for this series, and Jeff has created a really smart, funny piece that we are happy to showcase.

Jeff Ward is a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. He wrote jokes for Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” from mid-Colin Quinn through mid-Tina Fey, and writes music and comedy for National Public Radio and the comedy group Euphobia.  In the fall of 2016, he appeared in Nico: Underground at Theatre for the New City.  His short stories are published in May Contain Nuts (Harper Perennial), Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit (Crown), and The Lowbrow Reader. A collection of his plays from NPR, The Union Signal Radio Theatre Collection, has recently been released by Blackstone Audio.

Nancy Robillard of New York City directs.  Robillard has a great deal of experience in directing world premieres, including Old Love New Love, Rosemary & I, Rosa Loses her Face, Unsinkable Women, and the off-Broadway musical, National Pastime, to name a few.  She is joined by 4th Wall Music Director, Markus Grae-Hauck of West Orange, Choreographer Kate Swan of Teaneck, and Stage Manager Emma Iacometta of Rochelle Park.
 
The staff of Take One is working with the show’s writer as part of the production process. The show is being mounted as a workshop, with minimal sets, costumes, and lights, however, the show is full staged and memorized.  It will also include a talk-back session with the audience after each performance. “This format allows for useful feedback to the writers, staff and performers. The audience can focus on the story without being distracted by sets and props and costumes,” said Gwen Ricks-Spencer, 4th Wall Executive Director. “M.I.D. Stage provides a platform for new and emerging writers to see their creations in a workshop setting. Our hope is that one day these works will become the main stage productions for other theatres.”
 
Performances will be followed by talk-back sessions with the cast and crew following each performance.  Tickets are $22 with discounts available for students and seniors. Tickets may be reserved by calling 973-996-8484.  American Express, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted.  Tickets may also be purchased on-line; additional information is available at www.4thwalltheatre.org.




 
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