The company of the new musical by Brian Lowdermilk (music) and Kait Kerrigan (book and lyrics) also features Melissa Benoist as Kelly; Stephen Bogardus (Falsettos) as Dad; Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening) as Adam; and Catherine Porter (West End's Sunset Boulevard) as Mom.
Daniel Goldstein, who is directing the new Broadway production of Godspell, directs Samantha Brown. The Norma Terris Theatre is Goodspeed's home for developing new works; productions are not open to review.
The show is based on an idea by Zach Altman and Brian Lowdermilk. Here's how Goodspeed bills Samantha Brown: "It is dawn. Samantha Brown is supposed to leave for college today. She sits in her car with her bags packed, but she can't turn the key in the ignition. She is filled with doubts as the defining moments of her senior year flash through her mind. Somehow Samantha has to come to terms with her parents' expectations, her first love, and a lost friendship before she can turn the key and make the first decision of her adult life. With a compelling and contemporary score, Samantha Brown is a fresh new musical that you must see."
Kerrigan and Lowdermilk won the 2006 Jonathan Larson Award and a Richard Rodgers Award. They've collaborated on Tales From The Bad Years, which appeared in Goodspeed’s 2008 Festival of New Artists, The Freshman Experiment, Henry and Mudge and The Woman Upstairs.
The creative team includes set designer Walt Spangler; costume designer David C. Woolard; lighting designer Jason Lyons; sound designer Tony Meola; and music director Gregory M. Brown. The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown is produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price.
Exclusively for this production, a special student ticket deal of just $20 with valid student ID will be offered for all performances.
For tickets and information, visit www.goodspeed.org.
*
The 1927 classic Show Boat is currently running at Goodspeed Opera House, the mainstage of Goodspeed Musicals, in East Haddam, CT.