GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS ANNOUNCES ORIGINAL CAST OF “BE MORE CHILL” NOW AVAIL ON VINYL

BE MORE CHILL – the musical whose hit album and social media following have propelled it to a critically-acclaimed, sold-out Off Broadway debut this summer – is now available on vinyl from Ghostlight Records and Two River Theater. The show features music and lyrics by Joe Iconis, book by Joe Tracz, and is based on the novel by Ned Vizzini. According to the New York Times, it became “one of the most popular new musicals in America” before ever premiering on a New York stage. The vinyl double gatefold package features new illustrative designs, green and red colored discs, and a 16-page booklet with lyrics, production photos and a new liner note from Joe Iconis. A special trailer of the LP is now available on YouTube HERE.

This release coincides with the show’s New York premiere production, which opened to glowing reviews earlier this month. The Wall Street Journal called it “A delight with a pop rock score, written by Joe Iconis, that is unfailingly lively and fresh. The cast is engaging without limit.” The Guardian praised its “witty, resonant, and often lacerating lyrics” and “hearty, charismatic performances,” with Billboard raving “Joe Iconis is one of Broadway’s next great songwriters.” NY1 TV said “Joe Iconis’ score is quite winning, especially the more tunefully intimate numbers,” with Vox declaring “the second act-showstopper is shaping up to the ‘On My Own’ of Generation Z.” According to AM New York, “With pop-rock show tunes that raise the roof, and high-powered acting performances, the production is a raucous good time, with a gleefully silly, hyperkinetic air that invades its every facet.”

PledgeMusic gives fans the exclusive on copies of the vinyl, in addition to limited edition and signed cast album merchandise, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and costumes and props from the original production at Two River Theater. A digital download of the Original Cast Recording is included with each offer. To view these special offerings, please visit https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/bemorechill.

The BE MORE CHILL New York premiere production — directed by Stephen Brackett and choreographed by Chase Brock — is enjoying a sold-out limited off-Broadway engagement that was recently extended through September 30. It takes place at The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street, NYC). For all performances throughout the engagement, a limited number of Be More Chill lottery tickets will be available exclusively through TodayTix for $29 each. For last-minute tickets to sold-out performances, join the cancellation line at the box office one hour prior to curtain for every show or check Ticket Central the day of the show.

Before arriving in New York, BE MORE CHILL was an organic sensation, amassing an unprecedented following across various online platforms, with millions of fans from Brazil to Japan to New Jersey sharing fan art, streaming the album, and talking about the show. The cast recording, which has now racked up over 160 million streams worldwide, entered the Billboard “Broadway Top Ten” chart in its 97th week of release and is one of the only shows to enter the top 10 prior to a New York run. In 2017, Tumblr ranked BE MORE CHILL as the #2 most talked-about musical on their platform, following Hamilton. The album is produced by Kurt Deutsch, Joe Iconis and Charlie Rosen.

BE MORE CHILL had its world premiere in an extended run at Two River Theater in Red Bank, NJ The orchestrator and musical supervisor was Charlie Rosen and the musical director and copyist was Nathan Dame. The BE MORE CHILL cast album was produced by Kurt Deutsch, Joe Iconis and Charlie Rosen. The show is licensed by R&H Theatricals. For more information about BE MORE CHILL, visit www.BeMoreChillMusical/presskit.

The recording of BE MORE CHILL features original cast members Jake Boyd (Jake), Gerard Canonico (Rich), Katlyn Carlson (Chloe), Will Connolly (Jeremy), Stephanie Hsu (Christine) Katie Ladner (Jenna Rolan), Lauren Marcus (Brooke), Eric William Morris (The Squip) George Salazar (Michael), and Paul Whitty (Jeremy’s Dad/Mr. Reyes/Scary Stockboy). The six-piece orchestra includes Nathan Dame (Conductor and Keyboard), Danny Jonokuchi (Theremin/Trumpet), Dan McMillan (Drums/Percussion), Josh Plotner (Vocoder/Reeds), Mike Rosengarten (Guitar) and Amanda Ruzza (Bass).

JOE ICONIS (Music & Lyrics) is a writer and performer. As a composer – lyricist – book writer, he has authored the musicals Be More Chill (Two River Theater), Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage Company), Bloodsong of Love (Ars Nova), The Black Suits (Center Theater Group), ReWrite(Urban Stages), Theaterworks USA’s The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks and We The People, and the currently in development Hunter S. Thompson Musical (for La Jolla Playhouse) and Love In Hate Nation. Joe’s songs appeared on Season 2 of NBC’s “Smash” and the New York Times called him “the future of musical theater.” His concert act, Joe Iconis and Family, frequently plays Feinstein’s/54 Below, The Laurie Beechman Theater, Weston Playhouse, and other venues around the country. He has been nominated for two Drama Desk Awards, a Lucille Lortel Award, and is the recipient of an Ed Kleban Award, a Jonathan Larson Award, an ASCAP Harold Adamson Lyric Award, a Doris Duke Grant, and a MAC John Wallowitch Songwriting Award. Joe is deliriously inspired by Robert Altman, Dolly Parton, Martin Scorsese, Sardi’s, The Rolling Stones, whiskey, The Muppets, and The Family of artists he frequently surrounds himself with. www.MrJoeIconis.com

JOE TRACZ (Book) is a playwright and screenwriter. His musical Poster Boy (with composer Craig Carnelia) premiered at Williamstown Theater Festival, and his musical adaptation of the first book in the Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief (with composer Rob Rokicki) received Lortel and Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Musical and Book, and will soon be launching a national tour. Joe is currently a writer/producer on Netflix’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events.” He is an alumnus of the Ars Nova Play Group, a former Playwrights Realm writing fellow, and, with Two River Theater and Joe Iconis, a recipient of a 2015 Doris Duke Foundation Commissioning Grant. He has an BA from Kalamazoo College and an MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

NED VIZZINI (Original Novel) (1981-2013) was the bestselling author of the acclaimed young-adult books It’s Kind of a Funny Story (also a major motion picture), The Other Normals, Be More Chill, and Teen Angst? Naaah…. He wrote for The New York Times, Salon, and The New Yorker. In television, he wrote for MTV’s “Teen Wolf.” His work has been translated into 25 languages.

TRACK LIST

Side A:
1. Jeremy’s Theme (Instrumental)
2. More Than Survive
3. I Love Play Rehearsal
4. The Squip Song
5. Two-Player Game

Side B:
6. The Squip Enters
7. Be More Chill Part 1
8. Do You Wanna Ride?
9. Be More Chill Part 2
10. More Than Survive (Reprise)
11. A Guy That I’d Kinda Be Into
12. The Squip Lurks (Instrumental)
13. Upgrade

Side C:
14. Halloween
15. Do You Wanna Hang?
16. Michael In The Bathroom
17. The Smartphone Hour (Rich Set A Fire)

Side D:
18. The Pitiful Children
19. The Pants Song
20. The Play
21. Voices In My Head

ABOUT GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS has become the leading independent force in Original Broadway Cast Recordings – building a library of over 150 records in the last 17 years, featuring some of the most successful Broadway musicals and solo albums by Broadway’s brightest stars. Founded by Grammy Award winner Kurt Deutsch, Sh-K- Boom/Ghostlight has won Grammy Awards for The Book of Mormon, In the Heights and Beautiful – The Carole King Musical. Other notable releases include cast recordings for 2017 Tony nominee Falsettos, 2016 Tony nominees Bright Star and She Loves Me and 2015 Tony nominee Something Rotten! as well as Disney’s Newsies. The label has also released solo albums from Patti LuPone, Billy Porter, Sutton Foster, Adam Pascal, Lea DeLaria, Kelli O’Hara, Ben Vereen, Christine Ebersole and more. The label continues to support the new generation of musical theatre composers with their extensive relationships with David Yazbek, Michael John LaChiusa and Michael Friedman, as well as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom Kitt, Pasek & Paul, Joe Iconis, Ryan Scott Oliver, Shaina Taub, Dave Malloy, Kerrigan & Lowdermilk and Adam Gwon. Sh-K-Boom Entertainment is a producer of the acclaimed film version of The Last Five Years, written and directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. The label recently became part of the new Arts Music division at Warner Music Group. 

ABOUT PLEDGEMUSIC

PledgeMusic is a global next-generation music company and fan marketplace dedicated to and enabling artists to build communities, harvest new fans, create exciting ways to connect fans into every promotional opportunity from pre-order through touring and “down” cycles, while presenting their creative vision far beyond just “click and play”. The company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, and Nashville. 

ABOUT TWO RIVER THEATER

Since its founding in 1994, Two River Theater has been committed to creating great American theater by developing and producing work by some of the country’s leading artists. We are proud to be viewed as a vital cultural resource in the community of Red Bank, New Jersey. Through 8+ theatrical productions each year (including world premieres, musicals, classics and theater for young audiences) and 40+ annual events happening around Monmouth County, we produce exceptional theater and cultivate engaged audiences. Two River Theater is under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst. For more information, visit tworivertheater.org.