Red Roses, Green Gold, the new Off-Broadway musical that features music by members of The Grateful Dead rock group, had been extended through March 18 but will will now close February 18 as the cast prepares to head to this year’s South by South West Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Red Roses, Green Gold will perform at the festival March 16 as part of the Relix and Brooklyn Bowl event at The Brooklyn Bowl Family Reunion in tribute to the Jerry Garcia Band album Cats Under the Stars.
Red Roses, Green Gold has songs mainly composed by Robert Hunter and the late Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead, but also features contributions from band alums Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, and Mickey Hart, as well as Bill Kreutzmann.
The show began performances at the Minetta Lane Theatre Off-Broadway October 11, 2017, and had already been extended once through January 7 before the second extension announcement late last year.
In addition to the performance at SXSW, plans are in the works for an original Red Roses, Green Gold cast album, and for additional productions and touring across the U.S. in 2019, with cities and dates to be announced.
Red Roses, Green Gold tells the story of Jackson Jones and his family of swindlers as they gamble their way to love and riches in 1920s Cumberland, USA. The musical features a book by Michael Norman Mann and direction and choreography by Rachel Klein. Grateful Dead touring member Jeff Chimenti serves as music supervisor and arranger.
The cast is made up of Brian Russell Carey (A Christmas Carol), Maggie Hollinbeck (Once national tour), David Park (Matthew McConaughey vs. The Devil), Michael McCoy Reilly (Hoots & Hellmouth), Natalie Storrs (Sister Act national tour), Debbie Christine Tjong (Howl at the Moon), Michael Viruet (Pitch Perfect), and Scott Wakefield (Ring of Fire).
Watch the cast perform an exclusive track from the show in the Playbill studio below: