Chicago – After 17 years, Tony n’ Tina are heading on their honeymoon. Route 66 Theatre Company will present the Chicago premiere of HIGH FIDELITY in its first major production the rock musical since its Broadway run in 2006. The rock musical will preview August 8, 2009; open Monday, August 17 at 7p.m.; and run through October 11, 2009 at the Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding space at Pipers Alley Theater, 1608 N. Wells Street. Part rock concert and part offbeat romantic comedy, HIGH FIDELITY is the fourth production from Chicago’s newest Equity theatre company.
HIGH FIDELITY is based on the 2000 film starring John Cusack. Originally a 1995 British novel by Nick Hornby, HIGH FIDELITY has become a cult classic around the world. The show features music by recent Tony Award winner Tom Kitt and Amanda Green and book written by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire.
HIGH FIDELITY follows Rob, the thirty-something owner of Championship Vinyl, a beloved Chicago record store. When his current relationship with girlfriend Laura goes south, Rob enlists the help of his two quirky clerks to expound on the intricacies of life and music while revisiting his former relationships to find out where he went wrong.
Route 66 Theatre Company presents a "Flight of the Conchords" approach to the show, featuring the talents of Michael Mahler and Jonathan Wagner as "Dick" and "Barry" who will double as an onstage band with Derek Hasenstab (as T.M.P.M.I.T.W) and Jim Barclay on the drums. HIGH FIDELITY also stars Jeff Award-winning actor and Route 66 Theatre Company Artistic Director Stef Tovar as Rob. The Pipers Alley Theater setting provides patrons with an intimate bar atmosphere to enjoy this Chicago premiere event.
Directed and choreographed by Peter Amster and with co-musical direction by Michael Mahler (who will serve as conductor as well) and Diana Lawrence, HIGH FIDELITY features an all-star cast of Equity and non-Equity talent with Dana Tretta as Liz, Tricia Small as Laura, Michael Weber as Ian, Christin Boulette as Marie LaSalle/Sarah Kendrew, Blair Robertson as Alison Ashworth/Anna, Katie Jeep as Jackie Allen, Maggie Chambers as Charlie Nicholson, Kelli Maier as Penny Hardwick/Backup Singer and Kevin Crowley and Ian Paul Custer as Mohawk Guy and Futon Guy, respectively.
Angie Weber Miller heads the design team responsible for the transformation of the space with scenic design, Jesse Klug and Mac Vaughey are co-lighting designers and Toy Delorio is the sound designer. Ricky Lurie is the costume designer, Bobby Richards and Marty Higginbotham are the projections designer and the stage manager is Cori Kabat. Assistant stage manager is Matt Bonaccorso with Preeti Nath serving as production manager with Laura Dieli consulting. Website/graphic design/Marketing and Media consulting and show graphic also by Marty Higginbotham with Chicncoop serving as graphic artists.
Peter Amster (Director/Choreographer) has directed and choreographed productions for most of the Chicago area's professional theatres and opera companies. He was nominated for Joseph Jefferson Awards for his direction of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE at Northlight Theatre, and for ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, THE ROTHSCHILDS and THE WORLD GOES ROUND, all for Apple Tree Theatre. He also directed M BUTTERFLY for Apple Tree, as well as PRIDE THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP, ENTER THE GUARDSMAN, and the Jeff-winning production of MASTER CLASS for Northlight Theatre, the midwest premier of SHLEMIEL THE FIRST at Pegasus Players, and BLIND TASTING and ESCAPE for Live Bait. He has been a regular guest director at the prestigious Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where he directed TARTUFFE, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, TWELFTH NIGHT, THE ROYAL FAMILY, PRESENT LAUGHTER, IDIOT'S DELIGHT and ENTER THE GUARDSMAN, and at Indiana Repertory Theatre, where he directed SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE, THE FANTASTICKS,OUR TOWN,THE GENTLEMAN FROM INDIANA, DRIVING MISS DAISY, PRIDE & PREJUDICE, ARCADIA, STATE OF THE UNION, ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS, THE GIFTS OF THEMAGI, SHE LOVES ME and TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. He directed LONDON ASSURANCE at American Players Theatre in Spring Green and MASTER CLASS and BORN YESTERDAY at Peninsula Players in Door County. His long association with Lyric Opera of Chicago includes direction of DIE FLEDERMAUS, LA TRAVIATA, LA CENERENTOLA, and THE MAGIC FLUTE for the Opera Center, and choreography of THE VOYAGE OF EDGAR ALLAN POE, DON QUIXOTTE and LA TRAVIATA for the main stage. He directed the first major revival of LADY IN THE DARK for Light Opera Works, as well as LA BELLE HELENE, H.M.S. PINAFORE, and DIE FLEDERMAUS. For Skylight Opera in Milwaukee he directed THE MIKADO, SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM and IRMA LA DOUCE; for Chicago Opera Theatre COSI FAN TUTTE and ELIXIR OF LOVE; and for DuPage Opera CARMEN, THE MAGIC FLUTE, THE MERRY WIDOW and TOSCA. Mr. Amster's choreography credits include THE GRAPES OF WRATH for Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, LaJolla, London and Broadway; FOUR SAINTS IN THREE ACTS and THE MOTHER OF US ALL for Chicago Opera Theatre; THE WINTER'S TALE, SHE ALWAYS SAID PABLO and THE GOOD PERSON OF SETZUAN for the Goodman Theatre, all directed by Frank Galati. He has taught theatre, opera and performance studies at Northwestern University, CalArts, LSU, Columbia College and Roosevelt University.
Stef Tovar (Artistic Director and “Rob”) is the Founder and Artistic Director of Route 66 Theatre Company, where he starred along with Johnny Clark in the critically acclaimed and Jeff Award Recommended ON AN AVERAGE DAY by John Kolvenbach. Stef was recently seen as Kenneth Tally, Jr. in FIFTH OF JULY with the Oak Park Festival Theatre and has been back in Chicago since 2006. Other Chicago credits include Knute Rockne in KNUTE ROCKNE: ALL AMERICAN at Theatre at the Center; Marty in the world premiere of Lisa Dilman's HALF OF PLENTY, George in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: THE RADIO PLAY and Michael in I DO! I DO! alongside Heidi Kettenring. Some of Stef's other Chicago credits include Dobbit in BELOW THE BELT (After Dark Award), Raff in A STONECARVER, Macheath in THE THREEPENNY OPERA, Michael Fitzsimmons in the world premiere of PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED the musical at Marriott Lincolnshire; Mike Depki in DO PATENT LEATHER SHOES...? at the Marriott and Candlelight; Studs Turkel's THE GOOD WAR at Northlight; Czolgosz in ASSASSINS, Valentin in KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN and Vinal in BLADE TO THE HEAT—all directed by Gary Griffin for Apple Tree, the latter of which earned Stef a Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play. In Los Angeles in addition to critically acclaimed, sold out run of ON AN AVERAGE DAY, Stef's LA credits include Jamie in the LA premiere of THE LAST FIVE YEARS, George in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (Ovation nomination), Homer in FLOYD COLLINS, Kip in WONDER OF THE WORLD, Che in EVITA and Rudy in WRONG FOR EACH OTHER. On Television: JUDGING AMY, films such as EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH (directed by Mitch Rouse) THE GYMNAST (directed by Ned Farr) and numerous television commercials for products such as Nexium, Travelocity, Walgreens, Midwest Airlines & AT&T. He currently splits his time between Chicago and Los Angeles.
Michael Mahler (co-music director, conductor, guitars, keyboard and "Dick") won the Jeff Citation for Best Actor in a Musical and an After Dark award for his portrayal of Benjy Stone in the Bailiwick's production of My Favorite Year. He can currently be seen playing Charles 'Chip' Barrington in the Marriott Lincolnshire Theater's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Favorite previous credits include: Magnolia (Goodman); Tomorrow Morning (Greenhouse Theater - Chicago Cast Recording); Leo Bloom in The Producers (Theatre at the Center); Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Drury Lane Oakbrook); Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit (Royal George); Shenandoah, The Princess & The Pea, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, & Treasure Island (Marriott); The Balladeer in Assassins (Porchlight); Hero in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Noble Fool); Sydney Falco in Sweet Smell of Success (Circle Theater - Jeff Citation nomination); and Urinetown (Mercury Theater), as well as staged readings of High Fidelity (Route 66); Yeast Nation (American Theater Company) and The Nervous Set (Stages Festival). Michael created the title role in Joe! The Musical (Equity Library Theater). He has also done voice-over work, including the voice of the Big 'N' Tasty Burger in McDonalds' national '$1 Menu' campaign. Michael is a proud member of Actor's Equity, ASCAP, Barrel of Monkeys and Provision Theater Company. He also sings and plays guitar in an as-yet-unnamed rock band coming soon to a venue near you.
Diana Lawrence (co-music director) Ms. Lawrence has worked as a musical director and pianist for Apple Tree Theatre (where she recently worked on THE MISTRESS CYCLE) and The Second City, as well as the Chicago Children’s Choir and the Theatre Conservatory at Roosevelt University. As a vocalist, she is a member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Balkan Klezmer band, Balkano. Diana also performers as asinger/songwriter and as the frontwoman of her band, The Dishes.
Jonathan Wagner (Barry, "Bruce", guitars, keyboards) Over the past ten years, Jonathan has traveled the country as an actor, writer and musician. Favorite roles include Jaime in The Last 5 Years (Steel Beam Theatre), St. John in Jane Eyre (Circle Theatre), the tenor soloist in the Kurt Weill revue Berlin to Broadway (Light Opera Works) and Mercutio inThe People vs. Friar Laurence (Boarshead Theatre/Pulsar Award). Most recently, he just finished a run at the Piven Theatre with CIF's scriptless theater project, Storybox. When he isn't judging your musical taste, Jonathan is a faculty member at the Second City Training Center. He also served as Music Director for one of the Second City's National Touring companies, scoring and sound designing their Dysfunctional Holiday Revue at The Metropolis. For the Web savvy, Jonathan provides the voice for the American Bar Association's popular "Litigation Podcast."
About Route 66 Theatre Company
Founded in February of 2008 by Stef Tovar, Route 66 Theatre Company produces theatre that knowingly encounters risk and embraces the American spirit of exploration. Committed to their home base in Chicago where the historic Route 66 began and collaborating with their artists in Los Angeles, Route 66 connects cultural divides by giving life to the vibrant stories that link America together.
Route 66 Theatre Company previous productions include the Chicago premieres ON AN AVERAGE DAY by John Kolvenbach, THE K OF D: AN URBAN LEGEND by Laura Schellhardt and the world premiere of I’M SPIRITUAL DAMMIT! written and performed by Jenniffer Weigel.
Previews for HIGH FIDELITY will be Thursdays, Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Preview tickets are $25. The press opening is Monday, August 17 at 7 p.m. (tickets are $40 and price includes post-show reception.) The regular schedule is Thursdays, Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets range in price from $29.50-$39.50. For tickets or more information visit www.Route66theatre.org or call Pipers Alley Theater at (312) 664-8844.
CONTACT: Kate Hughes/Lianne Wiker/Brenna O’Leary
Noreen Heron & Associates, Inc.
773.969.5200