New Musical Adventure At Fulton Opera

What would possess a proper English gentleman to risk life and limb pursuing a seemingly impossible challenge? To find out, Lancaster theatre-goers will have to be at the Fulton for the world premiere of the new musical Around the World in 80 Days, March 15 through April 1.

Around the World in 80 Days is based on the classic Jules Verne tale about Phileas Fogg (Paul Jackel, Ragtime), an eccentric English gentleman with twin passions for gambling and punctuality. When members of his club wager that he can't circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days, Fogg takes the bet and sets off the very next day.

Initially accompanied only by his newly hired manservant, Passepartout (Kevin Kraft), Fogg quickly acquires a sizable entourage of colorful characters, including the Parisian chanteuse Chaudette (Jessica Edwards) and his exotic, recently rescued love interest, Aouda (Anita Vasan). Meanwhile obsessed with his desire to reveal Fogg as a charlatan and a thief, the clumsily clandestine, decidedly determined Detective Fix (Randall Frizado, Into the Woods, Carousel) doggedly pursues him. Thus, as if the 80-day time limit were not challenge enough, Fogg is forced to evade and escape his newfound nemesis.

The show, with music by Fulton Resident Musical Director and Composer Ron Barnett and book and lyrics by Julianne Homokay, offers an immensely fun and fast-paced adventure like nothing audiences have ever seen on the Fulton stage. All ages will marvel as Fogg makes his way by sea, rail, elephant and land yacht, encountering a series of entertaining hurdles along the way.

"Around the World in 80 Days marks the 9th world premiere the Fulton has produced since I started, says Artistic Director Michael D. Mitchell. "Some wonder why we don't only do the old tried and true scripts that are already out there. That makes me think about the speech made by John F. Kennedy on a different subject: we choose to do these things "not because they are easy, but because they are hard." While we are not putting a man on the moon, we are challenging ourselves to create something no one has ever done. All classics were once new. But, there is always risk involved. For this to work, we need Trustees who see the benefit of creating new plays, we need artists willing to expose themselves to criticism, and most of all, we need audiences who are willing to embrace and take pride in the new work that goes on our stage."

Director Robin McKercher and Choreographer Bernard Monroe are pulling out all the stops to make this a thoroughly enchanting spectacle. The show features a cast of 19; and over a dozen backdrops have been created to add authenticity to Fogg and his companions' journey around the world. Barnett and Homokay have created an upbeat and often hilarious score that drives the show to its edge-of-the-seat suspenseful conclusion.

The design and artistic team for Around the World in 80 Days is Scenic Designer Robert Klingelhoefer, Costume Designer Beth Dunkelberger, Lighting Designer Russell A. Thompson, Sound Designer David C. Temby, Wig and Makeup Designer Anthony Lascoskie, Jr., and Assistant Director Mike Dale. The stage management team for the play is Stage Manager Dan Efros and Assistant Stage Manager Amy M. Scura.

Around the World in 80 Days opens at the Fulton Theatre, at 12 North Prince Street in Lancaster on March 15, 2007 and runs through April 1.

Performance times are: 7:30 PM Wednesday and Thursday evenings, 8 PM Friday and Saturday evenings, 2 PM on Sundays and select Wednesdays and Saturdays. The 2 PM performance on Saturday, March 17th is a Pay-What-You-Want performance and will be ASL interpreted for deaf and hard of hearing patrons as well as audio described for blind audience members. Tickets range in price from $17 to $42, with discounts for children, full-time students, seniors, and groups of 15 or more. -- www.atthefulton.org