MMT Presents The Area Premiere Of ZANNA, DON'T! 6/5-21 At Illusion Theater

 

Minneapolis Musical Theatre's area premiere of the musical Zanna, Don't! casts its spell beginning this Friday. Directed by artistic director Steven J. Meerdink, MMT brings this recent Off-Broadway hit to the Twin Cities for a 12 performance run at the Illusion Theater (downtown Minneapolis) from June 5-21, 2009. Tickets are $25 to $28 and are on sale through the Illusion Theater box office at 612-339-4944 or online at www.aboutmmt.org.

Zanna, Don't! is a hip new musical fairy tale about Zanna, a matchmaking teen who turns relationships upside down, challenges our point of view and (literally) changes the world. In this alternate America, Hartsville High School is just like all other high schools - boys falling madly in love with dreamy boys, girls planning dates with other girls. Scandal erupts, however, when young Steve and Kate find themselves attracted to one another, and it's up to Zanna, the local love fairy, to search for the right spell to make the world safe for the two lovers. But Zanna's spell has a bigger impact than he planned. Is this new world really what he wanted? With a little magic and a fresh pop score, Zanna, Don't! celebrates the discovery of love in a world of diversity and acceptance.

With book, music and lyrics by Tim Acito (additional book and lyrics by Alexander Dinelaris), this Off Broadway hit won several Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle nominations and awards and was voted Favorite Off-Broadway Musical in the Broadway.com Audience Awards. Importantly, Zanna, Don't! also won the Media Award for Outstanding New York Theatre Production from GLAAD (Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) for its "fair, accurate and inclusive representations" of the gay community and issues that effect their lives.

"A chirpy new Off Broadway musical... with a pop score that aims to be nothing but catchy and a message that says nothing but that people should love each other..." - New York Times

The 8-member cast for the Minneapolis Musical Theatre's production features Bart Ruf (Zanna), Alan Wales (Steve), Anna Carol (Kate), Joseph Bombard (Mike), Emily Brooke Hansen (Roberta), C. Ryan Shipley (Tank), Andrea Alioto (Candi) and Andrew Newman (Arvin).

The artistic staff includes Steven J. Meerdink (Director) Lori Maxell and Emily Hanson (Music Directors), Joshua Stevens (Set Designer/Technical Coordinator), Craig Gottschalk, (Light Designer), Renata Shaffer-Gottschalk (Costume Designer), Collin Sherraden (Sound Designer), C. Ryan Shipley (Dance Captain) and Sarah Bauer (Stage Manager).

Zanna, Don't! is made possible, in part, by funds provided by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council from an appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature and by the generous support of the PFund Foundation.

The Minneapolis Musical Theatre (MMT) is dedicated to providing community access to high quality yet affordable works of musical theatre never before - or very rarely - seen by Twin Cities audiences. Founded in 1992, MMT has produced nearly 40 musical productions, including an impressive 18 area premieres, to significant critical and audience acclaim. Led by Artistic Director Steven J. Meerdink, the Minneapolis Musical Theatre was the Company in Residence at the Bryant Lake Bowl Cabaret Theater from 1997 through 2001 and subsequently moved to Hennepin Stages (formerly Hey City Theater) in 2002. In October of 2008 MMT moved to its new home at the Illusion Theater in downtown Minneapolis. For more information - including information about MMT's recently announced "Great, Big, Surprising 10th Anniversary Season", visit www.aboutmmt.org.

Zanna, Don't!
Presented by Minneapolis Musical Theatre
June 5-21, 2009

Book, Music and Lyrics by Tim Acito
Additional Book and Lyrics by Alexander Dinelaris

Venue:
The Illusion Theater
8th Floor of Hennepin Center for the Arts
528 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403 (corner of 6th and Hennepin)

Tickets:
$25-$28
Box Office: 612-339-4944
Online: www.aboutmmt.org