GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS Presents “VENICE” Original Cast Recording Available Online Today, In Stores Dec. 2

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS Presents “VENICE” Original Cast Recording Available Online Today, In Stores Dec. 2 1 The original cast recording of VENICE – the new musical produced by The Public Theater – is now available as an online exclusive with a digital booklet through iTunes, Amazon.com and other outlets. Two tracks are available to stream at PerezHilton.com and Playbill.com. The physical CD will be available online and in stores on December 2. VENICE was directed by Eric Rosen with book by Rosen, music byMatt Sax, and lyrics by Sax and Rosen, as well as additional music by Curtis Moore and choreography by Chase Brock. The physical CD is a deluxe jewel case package containing a full-color 40-page booklet with lyrics, photos, a show synopsis and an essay by The Public Theater’s artistic director Oskar Eustis. The album is produced by Matt Sax, Curtis Moore and Eric Rosen, with Matt Sax serving as executive prOducer. Pre-order the physical album at www.sh-k-boom.com/venice.

DIGIBOOK-MASTER.inddThe original cast recording of VENICE – the new musical produced by The Public Theater – is now available as an online exclusive with a digital booklet through iTunes, Amazon.com and other outlets. Two tracks are available to stream at PerezHilton.com and Playbill.com. The physical CD will be available online and in stores on December 2. VENICE was directed by Eric Rosen with book by Rosen, music byMatt Sax, and lyrics by Sax and Rosen, as well as additional music by Curtis Moore and choreography by Chase Brock. The physical CD is a deluxe jewel case package containing a full-color 40-page booklet with lyrics, photos, a show synopsis and an essay by The Public Theater’s artistic director Oskar Eustis. The album is produced by Matt Sax, Curtis Moore and Eric Rosen, with Matt Sax serving as executive prOducer. Pre-order the physical album at www.sh-k-boom.com/venice.

VENICE ignites the stage with a fusion of musical styles from hip-hop and rock to soaring anthems of love and hope, tracing a young man’s rise as he fights for what’s right against a backdrop of deceit and sibling betrayal. Part epic romance, part political tale, VENICE will transport you to a fallen city in the not-so-distant future where revolution is in the air, political structures are crumbling, and only the children of the city’s fallen heroes can change the course of history.

Variety hailed the show as “a new synthesis of rhythm and rock opera no fan of either art form should pass up.” According to the Associated Press, “The fine performances, kinetic imagery, haunting melodies and memorable lyrics combine to make VENICE an adventurous, winning musical experience.”

The complete cast of VENICE features Uzo Aduba (Anna Monroe), Jennifer Damiano (Willow Turner),Jonathan-David (Theodore Westbrook), Emilee Dupré (Ensemble), Claybourne Elder (Michael Victor),Semhar Ghebremichael (Ensemble), Leslie Odom, Jr. (Markos Monroe), Victoria Platt (Emilia Monroe),Angela Polk (Hailey Daisy), Devin Roberts (Ensemble), Matt Sax (Clown), Haaz Sleiman (Venice Monroe) and Manuel Stark (Ensemble).

VENICE featured scenic design by Beowulf Boritt; costume design by Clint Ramos; lighting design by Jason Lyons; sound design by Acme Sound Partners; projection design by Jason H. Thompson; and musical direction by Jim Abbott.

ERIC ROSEN (Director, Book and Lyrics) is Artistic Director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre and was Founding Artistic Director of Chicago’s About Face Theatre (AFT). Original projects include Venice (Kansas City Rep; CTG; “Best Musical of 2010,” Time Magazine); Wedding Play (Steppenwolf, AFT, Jeff Nomination); Winesburg Ohio(Steppenwolf, AFT, Jeff Award, Arden, Barrymore Award, KC Rep); Clay (AFT, Lookingglass, CTG, Kansas City Rep, LCT3, Drama Desk Nomination, Jeff Award); and Undone, Whitman, and Dream Boy (Jeff Award). Directing credits include LCT3, KC Rep, CTG, Steppenwolf, Goodman, Lookingglass, Chicago Shakespeare, Alliance, Hartford Stage, 5th Avenue, Prince, Cincinnati, Melbourne (Australia) and workshops at Sundance, O’Neill, Playwrights Horizons, and The Public Theater. He has developed and produced over 40 world premieres, including Doug Wright’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner, I Am My Own Wife and work by Mary Zimmerman, Frank Galati, Stephen Flaherty, Moises Kaufman, among others.

MATT SAX (Music and Lyrics, Clown) is a writer, actor and musician. His one man hip-hop musical, Clay, was presented by Lincoln Center (Drama Desk and Outer Critics nominations), Lookingglass Theatre/About Face Theatre (Jeff Award), Center Theatre Group (Ovation Award Nomination), Kansas City Rep and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Prior to The Public, Venice had been presented by Center Theatre Group and Kansas City Rep.  He also writes and performs in the comedy group, Sax & Dixon, whose work has been presented by Ars Nova, The Montreal Comedy Festival and The New York Fringe Festival. He is also one half of the music collective, Fellow Rebel. He is currently working on, Up & ADAM, a new musical he is developing for Center Theater Group.

CURTIS MOORE (Additional Music) has composed the score for Timon of Athens at The Public, and recently returned from conducting and performing in Sam Mendes’ production of Richard III, starring Kevin Spacey. With lyricist Thomas Mizer, he was awarded a Jonathan Larson Grant in 2009; together they wrote the musicals Triangle(NAMT), Stagecoach Mary (NAMT) and The Bus To Buenos Aires (EST). He composed and performed songs in the Todd Solondz film, Palindromes, and composed the score for Clear Blue Tuesday.

ABOUT THE PUBLIC THEATER AT ASTOR PLACE

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham, The Public Theater is the only theater in New York that produces Shakespeare, the classics, musicals, contemporary and experimental pieces in equal measure. The Public continues the work of its visionary founder, Joe Papp, by acting as an advocate for the theater as an essential cultural force, and leading and framing dialogue on some of the most important issues of our day. Creating theater for one of the largest and most diverse audience bases in New York City for nearly 60 years, today the Company engages audiences in a variety of venues—including its landmark downtown home at Astor Place, which houses five theaters and Joe’s Pub; the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, home to its beloved, free Shakespeare in the Park; and the Mobile Unit, which tours Shakespearean productions for underserved audiences throughout New York City’s five boroughs. The Public’s wide range of programming includes free Shakespeare in the Park, the bedrock of the Company’s dedication to making theater accessible to all; Public Works, a new initiative that is designed to cultivate new connections and new models of engagement with artists, audiences and the community each year; new and experimental stagings at The Public at Astor Place, including Public Lab; and a range of artist and audience development initiatives including its Public Forum series, which brings together theater artists and professionals from a variety of disciplines for discussions that shed light on social issues explored in Public productions. The Public Theater is located on property owned by the City of New York and receives annual support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; and in October 2012 the landmark building downtown at Astor Place was revitalized to physically manifest the Company’s core mission of sparking new dialogues and increasing accessibility for artists and audiences, by dramatically opening up the building to the street and community, and transforming the lobby into a public piazza for artists, students, and audiences. Key elements of the revitalization included infrastructure updates to the 158-year old building, as well as construction of new exterior entry stair and glass canopy; installation of ramps for improved accessibility; an expanded and refurbished lobby; the addition of a mezzanine level with a new restaurant lounge, The Library at The Public, designed by the Rockwell Group. The LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust provides leadership support for The Public Theater’s year-round activities. www.publictheater.org

“VENICE” TRACK LIST                                                                          

  1. Citizens of Venice
  2. Last Man
  3. Waited All These Years
  4. Anna
  5. City at Sleep
  6. Hailey Daisy
  7. Sunrise
  8. Liberation (Pull Up the People)
  9. Never Wish War on a People
  10. Final Hour Hymn
  11. If Only
  12. Poison
  13. Willow
  14. Wings
  15. I Wanna Be Great
  16. Put Out the Light
  17. We’re Not Children Anymore

ABOUT SH-K-BOOM & GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS

Sh-K-Boom with its imprint Ghostlight Records has become the leading independent force in Original Broadway Cast Recordings – building a library of over 130 records in the last 13 years, featuring the most successful Broadway musicals and solo albums by Broadway’s brightest stars. Founded by Kurt Deutsch and Sherie Rene Scott, Ghostlight has won two Grammy Awards (for The Book of Mormon and In the Heights) and is a frequent nominee, most recently for the OBCR of Disney’s Newsies and new cast recording of Anything Goes. Other notable recent releases include the 2014 “Best Musical” Tony Award winner A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Bridges of Madison County, Pippin and Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, plus The Last Five Years, Giant, Dogfight and the premiere recording of Carrie. The label has also released solo albums from some of Broadway’s biggest names: Sutton Foster, Kelli O’Hara, Alice Ripley, Christine Ebersole, Melissa Errico and Ben Vereen. Additional titles on Ghostlight include Next to Normal, Hair, Legally Blonde, Everyday Rapture, Passing Strange, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The Drowsy Chaperone. Sh-K-Boom Entertainment is a producer of the upcoming film version of The Last Five Years, written and directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. www.sh-k-boom.com.