FEINSTEIN’S/54 BELOW, Broadway’s Supper Club, presents The Songs of Small Town Story, the musical about a musical that rocked a community. Hailed as “a work of explosive power,” Small Town Story explores how two families in a North Texas town grapple with a community controversy over a high school production of Rent. Combining modern Broadway pop and country roots, the songs will be performed by the acclaimed cast of the recent World Premiere production at the South Orange Performing Arts Center produced by American Theater Group, Producing Artistic Director James Vagias. Featuring music and lyrics from Brandon James Gwinn and book and lyrics from Sammy Buck, Small Town Story is a timely yet timeless story about the power of theatre, the generational divide, and the potential of young people to change the world.
The cast includes Broadway vets Stacey Todd Holt (Something Rotten!), Joanna Young (The Drowsy Chaperone), Thursday Farrar (Aida), as well as Zack Blanchette, Jessi Clayton, Sunnie Eraso, AJ Foggiano, Ilana Gabrielle, Claire McClanahan, Jaqueline Neeley, Frank Paiva, Lionel Ruland, and Nick Siccone. Gwinn will music direct.
BroadwayWorld lauded the American Theater Group production as “A very timely show that portrays the divisions in our country and thoughtfully addresses them.” NJ Arts described it as “A work of explosive power, as well as one that says something important about the state of our divided country without hitting you over the head with it… with likeable but flawed characters dealing with the kind of familial and identity problems that anyone can relate to.”
Small Town Storywas originally commissioned and developed by New York Theater Barn, where it was conceived by Artistic Director Joe Barros, Laura Brandel, Buck, Karen Marshall, Reed Prescottand Sam Willmott. The show was presented at Village Theatre’s 2013 Festival of New Musicals in Issaquah, Washington and was workshopped at both The Hartt School and Wagner College. The writers received a NAMT Writers Residency Grant at NYTB and were finalists for the Richard Rodgers Award.
The Songs of Small Town Story plays Feinstein’s/54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on Tuesday, August 14 at 9:30pm. There is a $25-$35 cover charge ($60 for premium seats) and $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.