TheatreWorks, the nationally-acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, in co-production with Pittsburgh's City Theatre, presents the dazzling world premiere of LONG STORY SHORT, a brand-new musical from the award-winning team of Brendan Milburn & Valerie Vigoda.
A roller-coaster romance from the creators of the TheatreWorks hit STRIKING 12: The GrooveLily Holiday Show, which went onto a successful off-Broadway run, this infinitely charming pop musical showcases the start to finish of the relationship of two seeming opposites. One Jewish, one Asian-American, this funny, frazzled couple careens from new-found desire to old-time commitment in this dynamic new musical. Continuing its commitment to new works, TheatreWorks' world premiere of LONG STORY SHORT will be directed by City Theatre's Artistic Director Tracy Brigden, and will star veteran actors Ben Evans and Pearl Sun, who are both making their TheatreWorks debuts. LONG STORY SHORT plays December 3-28 (press opening: December 6) at TheatreWorks at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto. For tickets ($27-$65) and information, the public may call (650) 903-6000 or visit TheatreWorks.org - Contains mature language.
LONG STORY SHORT follows the engaging story of socially-inept Charles, an East Coast Jew who falls head-over-heels in love with his polar opposite, feisty Hope, an Asian-American from Los Angeles. Through hip dialogue, clever lyrics, and indelible melodies, LONG STORY SHORT fast-forwards from the couple's disastrous first date, through the ups and downs of their decades together, to a finale with a twist. This celebration of life reminds us how something as fragile as love might last forever. Performed by a four-piece band (piano, violin, cello and percussion), the production will feature more than a dozen new songs by Milburn & Vigoda.
The authors of LONG STORY SHORT, GrooveLily founding members Valerie Vigoda and Brendan Milburn burst onto the theatre scene with their hip holiday musical, STRIKING 12: The GrooveLily Holiday Show, in the winter of 2004. This rewired version of Hans Christian Anderson's classic tale The Little Match Girl is a unique holiday mixture of theatre and live pop-rock tunes. The San Jose Mercury News said STRIKING 12 "sets the holidays afire" with "the hippest holiday show in recent memory," and the San Francisco Chronicle called STRIKING 12 a "captivating new holiday show…a holiday gift for all of us."
Bringing eclectic credits to this tuneful world premiere, Milburn (book, music, lyrics) writes musicals, produces records, and plays in the indie power trio GrooveLily. With his wife Valerie Vigoda and other collaborators, he has written music and/or lyrics for Striking 12 (with Rachel Sheinkin, for TheatreWorks and off-Broadway), Sleeping Beauty Wakes (with Rachel Sheinkin, for Center Theatre Group and Deaf West, winner of the Garland Award for Best Production and an Ovation Award for Best World Premiere Musical), Toy Story The Musical (with Mindy Dickstein, for Disney Creative Entertainment), Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (with Joe DiPietro, in development, TheatreWorks), and A Midsummer Night's Dream (with Gene Lewin, for Paper Mill Playhouse and McCarter Theatre). Milburn has also written WATT?!? (with bookwriter/lyricist/Daily Show head-writer/executive producer David Javerbaum, in development at Barrington Stage). With Vigoda, he has been a two-time recipient of the Jonathan Larson Award (2006 and 2008).
Following LONG STORY SHORT, TheatreWorks will present the regional premieres of Tony Award-winning farceur Ken Ludwig's TWENTIETH CENTURY (January 14-February 8, 2009), and the sizzling Broadway hit musical IT AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT THE BLUES (March 11-April 5, 2009). The regional premiere of Lisa Loomer's DISTRACTED (April 1-26, 2009) will close the season. With nearly 10,000 subscribers and over 100,000 patrons per year, TheatreWorks has developed a national reputation for artistic innovation and integrity, often presenting Bay Area theatregoers with their first look at acclaimed musicals, comedies, and dramas, directed by award-winning local and guest directors, and performed by professional actors cast from across the country.
