York Theatre Company has announced its world premiere production of Welcome to the Big Dipper will get a cast recording. The album’s release date and further details are forthcoming.
The show began performances at The York November 21 for a limited run through December 29. DeMone Seraphin is directing the production, with choreography by Ashley Marinelli and music direction by Beth Falcone.
The cast includes Jennifer Byrne (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical), Robert Cuccioli (Jekyll & Hyde), Darius Harper (Kinky Boots), Jillian Louis (Twist of Fate), Christian Magby (Galileo), Mia Pinero (Sweeney Todd), Jayae Riley, Jr. (Trevor: The Musical), Pablo Torres (The Jerusalem Syndrome), Debra M. Walton (Storyville), and Michael Yeshion (Imaginocean). Understudies Ella Oleson (Fiddler on the Roof) and Erik Schark (Rock of Ages) round out the company. Casting is by Michael Cassara.
Based on a true event and inspired by Catherine Filloux’s play All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go, Welcome to the Big Dipper features music and lyrics by Jimmy Roberts (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change), a book by Catherine Filloux and John Daggett, and additional lyrics by Dagget.
The musical comedy takes place at The Big Dipper, a historic inn nestled in Bigelow, New York. The inn has been in Joan Wilke’s family for decades and is on the brink of closure, when a monster blizzard forces two wildly disparate groups of travelers to shelter in place. For three days and nights, secrets are revealed, young love ignites, and lives are changed.
"I am thrilled that Welcome to the Big Dipper will be immortalized with a cast album, featuring this exceptional cast,” York Interim Artistic Director Joseph Hayward said in a statement. “This will be the York’s 46th cast album—a truly remarkable milestone for The York. Come join us at The Theatre at St. Jean’s before our limited engagement ends on December 29th. This heartwarming musical is guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit!"
The creative team includes set and projection designer Brian Pacelli, costume designer Janine Loesch, lighting designer Kristen Paige, sound designer Julian Evans, hair and wig designer Earin Nealey, and properties designer Polly Solomon. The production stage manager is Bernita Robinson, the assistant stage managers are Caroline Pastore and Carter White, and the production manager is Noah Glaister. General management is by High Hard Heat's Dominick Balletta.
Visit YorkTheatre.org.
