Asolo Repertory Theatre completes its 2014-15 season lineup with two new productions: Luck Be a Lady: The Iconic Music of Frank Loesser and Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie.
The world premiere of Luck Be a Lady: The Iconic Music of Frank Loesser replaces the theatre's previously announced production of It Only Takes A Moment, which was postponed to a future season. This brand new musical revue celebrates the life and music of Frank Loesser, the legendary composer and lyricist of the Tony Award-winning Broadway classic Guys and Dolls, the Tony and Pulitzer-Prize winning hit How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Most Happy Fella, and more. Throughout his remarkable career, Loesser penned dozens of heartwarming, unforgettable songs for both the stage and film. He received an Academy Award for his holiday favorite, "Baby, It's Cold Outside," from the film Neptune's Daughter. His rich canon of hits includes some of the most treasured classics of all time, from "Heart and Soul," to "On a Slow Boat to China," "Luck Be a Lady," and more. Conceived and directed by Gordon Greenberg (Asolo Rep's Yentl 2012), Luck Be a Lady: The Iconic Music of Frank Loesser opens Friday, May 1 at 8pm and runs through Sunday, May 24, with previews Tuesday, April 28 at 7:30pm, and Wednesday, April 29 and Thursday, April 30 at 8pm.
Woody Sez: The Life and Music of
Woody Guthrie is a rousing theatrical concert featuring the toe-tapping, heartfelt music of this revolutionary singer/songwriter, including "This Land is Your Land," "The Ballad of Tom Joad," and "Goin' Down That Road Feelin' Bad." Four actor/musicians play 15 different musical instruments in this jubilant celebration of the father of American folk music and the social justice that his songs inspired. Woody Sez: The Life and Music of
Woody Guthrie premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2007 and has since toured Munich, Berlin, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., and London's West End. Its acclaimed 2013-14 season tour included performances at the
Cleveland Play House,
Milwaukee Repertory Theatre,
Syracuse Stage, and TheaterWorks, as well as stops in China and New Zealand. Directed by
Nick Corley and devised by
David M. Lutken with
Nick Corley and Darcie Deaville, Helen J. Russell, and
Andy Teirstein, Woody Sez: The Life and Music of
Woody Guthrie opens Saturday, May 30 at 8pm and runs through Sunday, June 21.
"Luck Be a Lady and Woody Sez spotlight two very iconic American voices. From Guys and Dolls to How to Succeed,
Frank Loesser was a self-taught musical sensation who greatly impacted the trajectory of Broadway musicals as well as music in general," said
Michael Donald Edwards, producing artistic director of Asolo Rep. "Woody Sez is a truly unique theatrical experience celebrating
Woody Guthrie's music - the soulful soundtrack of one of this country's most trying economic periods that continues to stir, uplift and inspire the American people. They are deeply apt and joyful additions to our ongoing American Character Project that I know will enthuse and delight our patrons."
