LA JOLLA–Due to popular demand, La Jolla Playhouse announces a one-week extension for its exciting new musical: Sleeping Beauty Wakes, book by Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), with a score by composer Brendan Milburn and lyricist Valerie Vigoda, both of the acclaimed trio GrooveLily (Striking 12, Long Story Short), and directed by Rebecca Taichman.
“The audience’s enthusiasm for Sleeping Beauty Wakes has been tremendous,” said Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. “This is a terrific show for all ages, but it’s especially gratifying to see how it resonates with teens – I haven’t seen this kind of response to a delightful ‘girl-power’ production since Wicked!”
In Sleeping Beauty Wakes, a young woman is brought to a sleep disorder clinic, and soon all the patients find themselves sharing a familiar dream. The show reunites two members of the acclaimed rock trio GrooveLily – Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda – with Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin, who last collaborated on the inventive holiday tale Striking 12. With beguiling characters, hypnotic lyrics, and a rocking score, Sleeping Beauty Wakes delves into the magical space between dreaming and waking in this delightful adaptation of a classic tale.
The cast features Aspen Vincent (“Beauty”), who grew up in San Diego, performing with Starlight Musical Theater, Christian Youth Theater and Christian Community Theater. A veteran of both the stage and recording studio, Ms. Vincent has played arenas across the globe as Meat Loaf’s duet partner on several world tours. Her stage credits include Broadway’s American Idiot, the first national tour of Dirty Dancing as well as regional productions of West Side Story (Maria), Grease (Sandy), Once Upon a Mattress (Winifred) and Little Women (Jo March).
The full cast includes Adinah Alexander (Broadway’s Wicked, The Wedding Singer) as “Hadara,” Jimmy Ray Bennett (Off-Broadway’s The Nuclear Family; Sundance Film Channel’s The Extended Family) as “Leon,” Steve Judkins (West End’s Notre Dame De Paris and The Full Monty) as “Murray,” Kecia Lewis-Evans (Broadway’s Chicago, The Drowsy Chaperone, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Dreamgirls) as “Doctor,” Carrie Manolakos as “Cheryl,” Bryce Ryness (Broadway revival of HAIR – Drama Desk Award nomination) as “Orderly” and Tony Award nominee Bob Stillman (Broadway’s Grey Gardens, Dirty Blonde) as “King.”
A co-production with Princeton’s McCarter Theatre Center, Sleeping Beauty Wakes has been extended through August 28 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.
Tickets are available at LaJollaPlayhouse.org, or by calling (858) 550-1010.
