Way Off Broadway (WOB), Iowa’s only professional musical theatre company, is fast becoming a major Midwest must-see experience. WOB produces musicals that mix the best Broadway performers with regional professionals and is delighted to announce their second summer season of professional musical theatre and educational programs at the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts in Fairfield, Iowa. Once again WOB will produce three professional, fully mounted musical theatre productions for Iowa and Midwest audiences. This summer WOB will continue their educational programming and as well as an adapted summer internship program offering more educational opportunities to budding theatre, technical and acting students.
For the second year WOB will bring professional productions back to the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts – currently the only Unites States theatre bearing his name. Adding to that mix WOB’s mentoring programs offer aspiring young performers opportunities to build their résumés and gain experience in a professional setting operating under Equity rules.
WOB also offers outreach educational programs, workshops and seminars. WOB's mission is to created “New Work”— encourages people to write new musicals, and trains the next generation of professional musical theatre talent. WOB is on its way to becoming a major force in Midwest professional musical theatre as the residential professional musical theatre company for the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts in Fairfield, Iowa.
The Summer Season 2009
Music Most Foul; June 26 – 28 — Music Most Foul is an original work that begins as a contemporary opera, which is derailed by a "murder,” transforming the show into a real murder mystery. This show within a show broke box office records in San Francisco as a very funny musical murder mystery. For this summer’s production WOB is taking the production a step further— Music Most Foul also has a screenplay that won “Best Unproduced Screenplay” at the 2007 Iowa Motion Picture Awards, and we will be shooting a low-budget film version of the screenplay during the summer. Acting Chairman of the University of Iowa Opera Department and voice Faculty member Stephen Swanson will be singing opposite Wesleyan college voice instructor Margaret Clair. Participants in this portion of the summer program will get both a live musical theatre experience and a film experience. Those interested in the technical aspects of either production can be involved as well. Performances June 26, 27 (7:30 PM); June 28 (2:00 PM)
High School Musical; July 17 – 26 — The midpoint in WOB’s summer season will feature a high-energy production of High School Musical. Adam Cates, our Broadway choreographer, will be returning to work on this show and it will be splashy dance production with lots of fun and that “Disney” magic throughout. Performances July 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 (7:30 PM); July 19, 26 (2:00 PM)
Pirates of Penzance; August 7 – 16 — Wrapping up WOB’s summer season will be another production loaded with roles. WOB’s big, fun, physical version of the Gilbert and Sullivan light opera Pirates of Penzance will be a thrilling and fun close to the 2009 summer season. University of Nebraska Voice professor Stan Brown will be returning to the Sondheim stage for this production. Performances August 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 (7:30 PM); August 9, 16 (2:00 PM)
Educational Opportunities
Way Off Broadway works with professional Broadway actors, professional regional talent, regional talent, local talent, and volunteer talent. This summer’s line up of productions will offer a rich variety of opportunities for younger talent. Not only will there be educational opportunities in musical theatre; singing, dancing, tech and acting but with the filming of Music Most Foul in June a whole other facet of “on camera” opportunities will be available. The summer stock program offers two separate educational opportunities for younger talent.
The first is WOB’s Summer Internship Program. For this WOB would supply housing and a small weekly stipend of $200 per week. The intern positions usually go the most talented student from major universities. To apply please submit a resume, headshot and DVD– see below for more information.
The second way to participate is our tuition-based apprentice program, in which talented students can train with professionals in a professional setting. WOB will not provide housing for apprentices but we will try to help those who are too far away to commute in finding local accommodations. We hope to have a housing list available soon. Apprentices pay a tuition fee of $300 for one show, $500 for two and $700 for the full summer program (three shows). Apprentices who register as a WOB summer season apprentice and are accepted will be involved in the musical(s) for which they registered, and will have access to all workshops and seminars that take place during that musical. Résumés and pictures should be sent to rwest@wobroadway.com, or call Randy at 641-919-0580.