The newest version of 40 is the New 15 had its WORLD PREMIERE at the NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood this past weekend, and already has received rave reviews from critics!
Stage Scene LA calls it a “polished gem” with an “absolutely splendid cast that can sing with the best of them”, concluding that “L.A. theatergoers in search of that rare entity—an original new musical that works—have one in 40 Is The New 15“.
A GLAAD Media Award Nominee and participant of the prestigious ASCAP/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop, 40 is the New 15 follows the lives of five 40-year-olds who look back to their innocent days in high school, when they all dreamed of becoming successes at 40. Act I is a fun flashback to the ’80s, allowing the audience to see the characters’ 15-year-old selves (a wannabe neurosurgeon, a teen gymnast phenom, a computer geek, an all-too-All-American baseball fan, and a starry-eyed musical theatre fan), while Act II deals with their older, and more complicated selves going forward.
Michele Spears directs this brand-new world premiere production, with scenery and lights by Kevin Traxler (former producer for Disney). Cast members include Tod Macofsky, Dana Meller, Craig Woolson, Karole Foreman, John Allsopp, Peter Welkin, Gretchen Weiss and Lindsey Mixon.
For the rest of Stage Scene LA’s rave review, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes video about building the set, go to: http://www.anmt.org/4015review.asp .
For tickets, please visit: http://www.40isthenew15.com/ !
Trailer for 40 is the New 15 below:
Author: Elise Dewsberry
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Artistic Director of New Musicals Inc., Elise has been involved in the development of new works for over forty years: as an actor/singer, as a director, as a dramaturge, and as a writer. While living in Toronto, Elise served as the Assistant Artistic Director of the Muskoka Festival; the Co-Ordinator of the festival’s annual Musical Theatre Writer’s Colony, the Associate Dramaturge of the Canadian Stage Company; the Resident Dramaturge of the Smile Theatre Company; and was the co-founder of Toronto’s Script Lab. Elise spent many years touring Canada with Nine Months – a one-woman musical which she commissioned from writers Carl Ritchie and Stephen Woodjetts. Elise and Carl also co-wrote Any Body Home?, which was produced by the Cordova Bay Theatre in Victoria, British Columbia, and published by Dramatic Publishing. Elise joined ANMT as Associate Artistic Director in 2003; joined Founding Artistic Director John Sparks as Co-Artistic Director in 2010; and became Artistic Director of New Musicals Inc. in 2013. Elise is also the author and evaluator of the Book Lab and the Outlining Lab, offered online through www.writingmusicaltheatre.com, and publishes a monthly blog on the craft of musical theatre available at https://nmi.org/elises-video-blog/.