Local theater students premiere "Jasper in Deadland"

from Pasadena Musical Theatre Program

Students in the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program (PMTP) will premiere award-winning lyricist and composer Ryan Scott Oliver's new pop/rock musical Jasper in Deadland at Pasadena High School, 2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena on August 5 at 7 PM and August 6 at 2 PM and 7 PM.  It’s a featured event in 2011 Festival of New American Musicals.

Jasper in Deadland tells the story of 16-year-old Jasper, who loses his best friend, Agnes, and travels into the afterlife to retrieve her.  But this afterlife, “Deadland,” is a hybrid of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse and Judeo-Christian mythologies, divided into seven “circles.” While there Jasper encounters Cerberus; the demoness Ammut; Loki and his daughter Hel; a psychotic redneck named The Chuckster; and the ever mysterious Mr. Lethe.  Will Jasper retrieve his best friend Agnes or will he join the Dead forever? The show features a cast of students in 7th-12th grades from Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre.

Oliver, who is the Artistic Director of PMTP, is also writing the score for Disney Theatrical’s musical Freaky Friday, which is slated for development at the La Jolla Playhouse in Spring 2012.   In addition to his work with PMTP and Freaky Friday, Oliver is a Jonathan Larson Grant recipient and Richard Rodgers Award Winner.

He’s written music and lyrics for 35mm, Darling (featured on the  tenth season of NBC’s The Apprentice), and Mrs. Sharp (Playwrights Horizons July 2009 starring Jane Krakowski, dir. by Michael Greif).  A collection of his work, Rated RSO, played the Kennedy Center, Joe's Pub, and the New York Musical Theatre Festival among others, with a cast including Broadway’s Megan Hilty, Kate Shindle, Matt Cavenaugh, and more.  His other credits include Off-Broadway: TheatreWorksUSA's We the People.  Songbook: Music+Lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver: Volume 1. He is an adjunct professor at Pace Univerisity, New York City.

Tickets can be ordered online at www.pasadenamusicaltheatre.org  or purchased at the door for $15 for general admission, or $30 for Premium reserved tickets.

The production team for Jasper includes Company Manager Anne Clark, Asst. Music Director Jordan Baum, Asst. Choreographer Camden Gonzales, Asst. Stage Manager Allison Dufford, and Stage Manager Ashley Thaxton.  Puppets are designed by Michelle Finston; lighting is designed by Curtis Mueller; costumes, hair and make-up designed by Gwyneth Conaway Bennison; and sets designed by Kurt Boetcher.  Music is supervised by Brett Ryback; Vocal Direction by Cindy Abbott; Choreography by John Todd; and Directed by Ryan Scott Oliver.

In June, Jasper in Deadland received two professional readings, the first in New York City and subsequently in Los Angeles.

The Pasadena Musical Theatre Program is a nonprofit musical theatre training program committed to bringing the highest quality in music and theatre education to students who live or attend school in Pasadena, Altadena or Sierra Madre.  For more information about the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program, visit www.pasadenamusicaltheatre.org.