The world-premiere musical August Rush, based on the 2007 film about an orphaned music prodigy on a quest to find his birth parents, officially opened May 3 at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, Illinois. Performances are currently scheduled through June 2.
Tony Award winner John Doyle (Sweeney Todd, Company) directs the actor-musician production that features music and lyrics by Mark Mancina (who scored the original Warner Bros. film) and a book and lyrics by Glen Berger. Orchestrations and additional music are by Tony nominee David Metzger, who orchestrated the film.
The cast includes Jack McCarthy and Huxley Westemeier alternating in the title role, alongside The Band’s Visit’s George Abud as August's long-lost father; Sydney Shepherd (First Date), as August’s birth mother; and Leenya Rideout (War Horse) as Hope. Broadway veteran John Hickok plays the dual roles of Wizard (played by Robin Williams in the film) and Thomas Novacek.
Read reviews below:
Chicago Sun-Times (Catey Sullivan)
The Chicago Tribune (Chris Jones)
The ensemble includes Marta Bagratuni, Alex Bender, Matt Deitchman, Ginna Doyle, Brad Giovanine, Lizzie Hagstedt, Jessie Linden, Troy Valjean Rucker, Doug Smith, and Katrina Yaukey.
August Rush features choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, music direction by Greg Jarrett, sets by Scott Pask, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, lighting by Paul Toben, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier, projection design by Joe Burke, wig, hair, and makeup by Katie Cordts, and props by Jesse Gaffney. Casting is by Trent Stork and Stewart Whitley.
