DISENCHANTED!

What would the ‘real’ Pocahontas, a circa 1616 ten year old, rough and tumble Powhatan girl, think of the 1995 Pocahontas – a deer pelt lingerie clad twenty something with a mane of long flowing hair? That’s what creator, Dennis T. Giacino, an ex-history teacher, often wondered. A musician at heart, Giacino created a musical number skewering the princess pop culture that transformed Pocahontas from a revered American-turned-British princess into the pin-up girl vixen from the movies. Soon Giacino found himself finding a number of ‘princesses’ with similar complaints and DISENCHANTED! was born! The show was written over a three year period, and after several readings it started its sold out runs in May 2011 at the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, where it was extended, and won The 2011 Producers’ Award. With the acclaim immediately reaching the internet, Giacino licensed the piece to other theaters in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida, all receiving the same accolades – sold out performances, standing ovations, extended runs and rave reviews! During the summer of 2013, the NYC cabaret version “Bitches of the Kingdom!”, provided the press with a preview of what the Off Broadway audience will experience in 2014 as DISENCHANTED! makes its way back to the Big Apple. Directed by Fiely Matias, Mr. Giacino’s collaborator for twenty years, DISENCHANTED!‘s workshop production at Stephens College in Columbia, MO allowed the creative team, Broadway Choreographer Matt West, Scenic Designer Gentry Akins and Lighting Designer Graham Kindred, the chance get a closer look at the what the show will look like when it reaches New York. “Riotous! ‘Bitches of the Kingdom’ boasts side splitting performances by a talented ensemble. Walt Disney would spin in his grave.“- New York Post “You’ll be enchanted with ‘Bitches of the Kingdom!’ Its concepts, conceits and songs appealed to everyone in a demographically mixed audience, regardless of ages, sexual orientation, ethnic background, height or weight … packed with a roaring, cheering audience. As for the performers, they are superstardom bound!“- Myra Charnin, Huffington Post “Hugely Entertaining. Giacino’s music is endlessly tuneful, with a musical theatre vivacity that is immediately attractive. His lyrics are clever, inventive, and rich with delightful, quirky notions and rhymes. The cast is the very model of musical comedy artistry.“- BistroAwards.com “People are tapping their feet as they laugh their heads off.“- Times Square Chronicles “Now’s your chance to catch a show that deserves a bigger life, whether it’s in New York or anywhere the celluloid Disney princesses have paved the way!“- Elizabeth Maupin, “On Theatre” Orlando Sentinel “Gut-busting! A Tour de Force of Composition and Pacing!“- Orlando Weekly “A laugh out loud joy ride of bouncy melodies goosed with plenty of snark, wit and cleverly delivered message of female empowerment! The hippest, hottest new musical in the country!“- Bradenton Herald “The songs are all incredible …there are too many highlights to pick just one! A fantastic musical sure to be the next big thing!“- Disney Dispatch “Catchy music and clever lyrics … you can’t help but feel that you are part of a show that is going places!“- Watermark News, Orlando FL “A spoof of the Disney princess personas, this musical comedy will entertain both fans of Mickey’s kingdom and critics everywhere!“- Orlando Sentinel

SUMMER OF ’42

Based on the 1971 novel by Herman Raucher, SUMMER OF ’42 focuses on the coming-of-age of three teenage boys vacationing on an East Coast island for the summer during World War II. The boys set out to learn and experience all they can about love and life, with the object of their curiosity being three teenage girls. A source of temptation and frustration for the boys, these unlikely sirens also serve as a musical chorus that comments on both the story and the era.

At the center of the story is Hermie, whose youthful distractions find sudden focus when he is befriended by a beautiful young war bride named Dorothy. Their relationship provides wonderfully comedic and poignant moments. Hunter Foster’s book highlights the best of Raucher’s tale, adding new material that helps establish the period. David Kirshenbaum’s score and lyrics mix 1940?s big-band swing with the sounds of contemporary musical theatre. The music moves Foster’s storyline along with toe-tapping melodies and musical dialogue.

SUMMER OF ’42 ran Off Broadway the fall of 2001 through the winter of 2002 at the Variety Arts Theater.

“Humorous, endearing…evokes an age of innocence.” -The Cincinnati Enquirer

“It captures the tone and feel of the original while establishing its own separate creative identity.” -The Oakland Tribune

“There’s no doubt this show will be as winning as its young star.” -The San Francisco Examiner

ALL TOO HUMAN

Past President of the New York Bar Association is his most acclaimed summation on Clarence Darrow. ALL TOO HUMAN tells the story of Clarence Darrow’s fight against religious intolerance, capital punishment, prohibition, the oppression of the workers and anything else which he felt impeded the bringing of enlightenment and culture to the human mind. He was the plain-speaking son of Mid-Western abolitionists who considered himself ‘a cunning actor like that other trial lawyer from Illinois, Abe Lincoln’
. He argued and won many of the most famous cases ever brought to trial; defending the down-trodden and the a-moral; the maligned and the misguided; the obsessed and the oppressed; all human beings; all too human. His career and convictions re-defined the essence of the American legal system. In 1912, however, he was indicted for bribing a jurist. He hired the infamous Earl Rogers to defend him; but decided to deliver his own summation to his own jury. He won. Then came Leopold and Loeb followed the next year by a case in Dayton, Tennessee which became known internationally as the Scopes Monkey Trial.

After premiering at the White Plains Performing Arts Center, ALL TOO HUMAN performed Off Broadway to critical acclaim October 28 – December 3, 2006 at the 45th Street Theater.

“Henry Miller’s one-man show about Darrow is especially relevant. A good lawyer must be a good actor, and Mr. Miller’s courtroom experience has given him considerable stage presence. He also has fine comic timing.“

– Anita Gates, New York Times

“From the moment he stepped on stage, I bought Miller as Clarence Darrow. As a trial lawyer for the past 40 years, former president of the New York State Bar Association and clearly a gifted actor and playwright; he’s very good. I can’t imagine it being done much better than this.“

– Jeremy Blachman, AnonymousLawyer.com

“Henry Miller has written an honest and heartfelt testament to Clarence Darrow. Mr. Miller is also a lawyer. And a damn good one, I’ll bet. Seamlessly directed with minute care by Laurie Brown Kindred, ‘All Too Human: An Evening with Clarence Darrow’ makes us wonder about where the world is today and what we can do to help improve it. No small task.“

-Oscar e. Moore, talkentertainment.com

“In my 30-plus years as a Director of Continuing Legal Education, most of that time here at the New York State Bar Association, I have had the pleasure (and sometimes pain) of seeing thousands of attorneys address their colleagues in an educational setting. Of these speakers just a few are what I would consider superstars, persons who occupy the absolute top echelon. First among these is Henry G. Miller. What separates him from all the others is a very rare quality, a gift. It is a unique aspect of character, a combination of charm, humor, wit, and winning personality. It includes finely tuned sensitivity to what the audience is thinking and feeling and the ability to connect with each person in the room. It wins the audience over from the outset, holds them throughout, and leaves them wanting more. Henry is, quite simply, the best.“

-Terry Brooks, Director of Continuing Legal Education New York State Bar Association

I GOT MERMAN

“Some People” who are “Riding High” and have “Something to Dance About” are crazy about I Got Merman. You know “You are Just in Love” or that “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries” at the American Premiere of this tribute to the legendary Ethel Merman. Three women tell the story…a little girl from Queens, NY to mega Broadway Star, the loving mother and the tortured lover. “You’re the Top” or at least “The Hostess with the Mostess” with tickets to this new musical, so “Do Anything You Can Do” to be there. You’ll be sure to say “This Is It”—”It’s De-Lovely!”

After performing throughout Japan, I GOT MERMAN ran for several weeks at the Rich Forum Theater in Stamford, CT.

PIRATES

Live on Deck! PIRATES is the classic Gilbert and Sullivan musical comedy. This production is being performed on a tall ship docked at the South Street Seaport Museum, and has been re-written for modern audiences.

This is a new version PIRATES, with a new book and lyrics by Michael Scheman, musical adaptation by Steven Gross, and choreography by Tony Parise. The story is the same, as are the melodies. This way, we make it accessible to modern audiences. Gilbert and Sullivan fans enjoy the show very much-they are the people in the audience who are singing along, and then start laughing hysterically when we get to a new lyric!

The New York Times called PIRATES, “A refreshing get-away-from-it-all voyage into a warm night’s fun!”, and the Variety says that PIRATES “Still charms the pants off an audience!”

www.PiratesOfPenzance.net