Sixteen musical theatre students across 11 states in the U.S. will gather online April 17 to premiere The Big One-Oh! JR. Zoomsical Edition, a 20-minute online adaptation of The Big One-Oh!, presented by iTheatrics. The goal is to test out the new version of the musical so that it can potentially be licensed to educational musical theatre groups across the country (Music Theatre International currently holds the rights).
The Big One-Oh! JR. Zoomsical Edition will be live steamed at 4 PM ET on the iTheatrics Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.
Seen in a world-premiere production at Atlantic Theater Company last fall, The Big One-Oh! follows nine-year-old Charley Maplewood as he prepares for his 10th birthday. Still adjusting to his parents’ divorce and his move to a completely new school, Charley decides to throw a horror-themed birthday party for himself and his imaginary monster friends.
The stage musical and "Zoomsical edition" are based on the novel of the same name by Oscar winner Dean Pitchford (Fame, Footloose), with lyrics by Pitchford, music by Tony winner Doug Besterman (Thoroughly Modern Millie), and a book by Timothy Allen McDonald (Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach).
Directed by iTheatrics’ Director of Education Marty Johnson, the cast of the April 17 reading will be made up of Emily Adams (Katy, Texas), Autumn Capes (Monmouth Junction, New Jersey), David Cortez (San Bruno, California), Trinity Evans (Greensboro, North Carolina), Beckett Fuller (New York City), Katrina Gedmin (Norman, Oklahoma), Leo Gonzalez (Oak Park, Illinois), Celeste Javier (San Bruno, California), Sadie Jeter (Gibsonia, Pennsylvania), Cameron Tino (Mars, PA), Ian Kent (Belle Mead, New Jersey), Erin Kirby (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina), William Power (Granbury, Texas), Joe Solomon (Fairhope, Alabama), Hailey Truong (Rancho Murieta, California), and Matty Ward (Charlottesville, Virginia).
The April 17 presentation is part of iTheatrics' new online educational musical theatre series, JTFriday. Immediately following the debut of The Big One-Oh! JR. Zoomsical Edition, Broadway alums Isabella Russo and Luca Padovan (School of Rock) will host a JTFriday post-show party where they will interview the student cast and will announce the next title to be performed as a Zoomsical.
See Russo sing "That Could Be Me" from The Big One-Oh below.