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- Company Background
- Management/Staff Bios
- Press Release
- Production History
- Digital Artwork
- Contact Information
Company Background
CPA Theatricals, Inc. – Creative Productions And Theatricals – is a 501-C-3 non-profit corporation. Founded by Larry Little, its mission is the development of new musical theatre productions for the benefit of underserved populations. In recent years, its primary focus has been to serve female audiences and performers, through the development of musicals incorporating strong female leads.
This mission is pursued through an unusual process of creation. It begins when Larry Little convenes a group to assist Larry Little in shaping a story and group of characters that he has created. Then a national search is conducted to identify writers and composers to develop the show. They are commissioned to write and compose, under CPA Theatrical’s leadership. Multiple readings and workshops provide opportunities to test and refine the show.
CPA Theatricals first major project in this series was the musical 57th NATIONAL MATHLETE SUM-IT, following the efforts of an “almost all girl’s” high school math team. The show premiered Off Broadway at the New York Musical Festival (under the title NUMBERS NERDS) in 2017 and was subsequently licensed for international distribution to high school, college, and community theaters by Theatrical Rights Worldwide.
Then came GIRLHOOD, a story-driven song cycle telling the story of several girls/women as the move from the beginning of middle school (age 12) through high school graduation (age 17). GIRLHOOD is intended for performance in middle schools and high schools. It premiered in summer 2019 at Bravo Performing Arts, in Oak Park, IL, and is currently under active consideration at over 40 schools across the country.
THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS is the third project in this series, and the first to be pointed at the commercial market.
Management/Staff Bios
Larry Little (PRODUCER/President of CPA Theatricals) has a theatrical career that has spanned thirty-five years and more than 100 productions, first as an actor / singer / dancer, then as a director and producer. Along the way he became a Certified Public Accountant, providing an additional range of skills for his most recent role as a creating producer, developing new shows. Larry is the Lead Producer at CPA Theatricals and LCG Entertainment, LLC, the companies he founded to provide musical theatre for under-served populations. 57th NATIONAL MATHLETE SUM-IT, telling the story of a female high school math team opened off Broadway as part of the 2017 New York Musical Festival (under the title NUMBERS NERDS), was licensed to Theatrical Rights Worldwide, and has had productions throughout the US and in London. GIRLHOOD, following a group of girls/women from the beginning of middle school to high school graduation premiered in summer 2019 at Bravo Performing Arts in Oak Park, IL, and is currently being reviewed by over forty schools across the country. THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS is his first project intended primarily for the professional market.
Dylan MarcAurele (Composer) is a NYC-based composer and orchestrator. Composing credits include: 57TH NATIONAL MATHLETE SUM-IT (NYMF 2017; licensed through Theatrical Rights Worldwide), THAT 1770’S SHOW (dir. Tony Parise), WHAT THE HELL?! (Harvard University), GIRLHOOD (dir. Tina Reynolds), THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISSOCIA (A.R.T. Mainstage). Other credits include A DOG STORY (Music Director, Davenport Theater) and HAMILTON (Music Assistant, Broadway and Chicago). Orchestrator for the Hasty Pudding Theatricals. Member of the Signet Society and the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. B.A. from Harvard University. www.dylanmarcaurele.com
Jennifer Enchin (Lyrics/Book) is a playwright, lyricist, choreographer and long-time lover of musical theatre. Jennifer wrote the book and additional lyrics for cult-hit musical THE BEAVER DEN (The LOT, Korda Theatre) with her writing partner Jaclyn Enchin (who is also her twin!). She was honored to receive a Jenny Award as well as a place in Toronto Fringe’s Top Ten Best New Play Contest for her work on THE BEAVER DEN. Jennifer serves as a script reader for Pomegranate Pictures and critic for popular theater blog “Mooney On Theatre”. Her choreography credits include: SPRING AWAKENING (McMaster University), ROXANNE (Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival), THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (Can’t Stand Sitting Productions), THE BEAVER DEN (The LOT), SNAKES AND LATTES: THE SHOW (Really Awesome Days Productions) and New York’s 60/60 DANCE FESTIVAL (Vox Novus/Winter Garden Atrium Theater). She also served as the choreographer for the synthwave band “Tupper Ware Remix Party”.
Jaclyn Enchin (Lyrics/Book) is a playwright, lyricist and choreographer with a focus on musical theatre. She wrote the book and additional lyrics for THE BEAVER DEN (The LOT, Korda Theatre), a cult musical comedy which placed in Toronto Fringe’s Top Ten Best New Play Contest and won an honorary Jenny Award. Her play, BREAD has been produced in venues such as Theatre Yarbo, Theatre Passe Muraille and Social Capital Theatre. In her spare time Jaclyn is a script reader for You Go Far Productions, a production company based in the UK. Choreography credits include: 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE (No Strings Theatre), ROXANNE (Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival), THE BEAVER DEN (The LOT), SNAKES AND LATTES: THE SHOW (Really Awesome Days Productions) and New York’s 60/60 DANCE FESTIVAL (Vox Novus/Winter Garden Atrium Theatre). She also served as a choreographer/dancer for the synth-wave band “Tupper Ware Remix Party”.
Press Release
Click HERE for a PDF of the Press Release
Media Contact: John Olson
John Olson Communications
john@johnolsoncomm.com
773-517-6962
Family-friendly musical, THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS, opens to press on December 7, 2019.
CPA Theatricals, Inc. and LCG Entertainment, LLC, in collaboration with Greenhouse Theater Center, announce cast and designers for the world premiere of a new holiday musical, THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS, playing November 27 – December 29, 2019.
CHICAGO – A brand new holiday musical for families with teens and tweens, but enough smart humor to keep adults entertained as well, will premiere in Chicago this holiday season. THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS – developed by Chicago-based non-profit company CPA Theatricals and produced in collaboration with Greenhouse Theater Center – is a completely original 90-minute musical about a brilliant young woman just out of high school and her quest to save Christmas. Music is by Dylan MarcAurele, with book and lyrics by Jaclyn Enchin and Jennifer Enchin, based on a story by Larry Little. Additional lyrics by Mike Ross and additional content by Larry Little and James Zager. THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS will play from November 27 – December 29, 2019 at the Greenhouse Theater Center – upstairs main stage.
In THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS, Grace, a strong young woman fresh out of high school and fascinated by stars, planets, and distant galaxies, is stuck working in her family’s toy store in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, three days before Christmas. Desperate to leave and start a new life, she is suddenly transported to the Land of Forgotten Toys, where she learns that Santa has been captured by his evil sister Charlotta! It is up to Grace and her rag tag group of modern misfit toys to rescue Santa and save Christmas!
Leading the cast is Bre Jacobs as Grace. Jacobs won acclaim last year in Firebrand Theatre’s production of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE and was one of Chris Jones’s “Hot New Faces of 2019” in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. The evil Charlotta will be played by Liz Norton, who burst onto the Chicago theatre scene in Theo Ubique’s A NEW BRAIN and was most recently seen in Kokandy Productions’ HEAD OVER HEELS.
Joining them are Mary-Margaret Roberts as Nikki, Quinn Kelch as Schmedrick, Randolph Johnson as Santa, Katie Reid as the Queen, Brittney Brown as Karaoke, Cathy Reyes McNamara as Fun Oven Supreme, Evelyn Crane as Barbara Doll, Josh Bishop as Trivia, Lucas Crossman as Taxi Transformer, Jabari Thurman as Game Dude, Joe Scott as Elf 1, and Maya Keane as Elf 2. Kristin Brintnall is adult alternate/understudy and Liliana Martens and Kyler Rettberg are the child alternates/understudies.
The show is directed by Nicholas Reinhart, who directed and choreographed TRIASSSIC PARQ THE MUSICAL for Circle Theatre Chicago. Choreography and Associate Direction is by Dina DiCostanzo. Music direction by Stephen Coakley, with orchestrations by Chris Gurr. The design team includes Evan Frank (scenic design), Robert Hornbostel (sound design), G. Max Maxin (lighting design) Christina Leinicke (costume design), Kevan Loney (projection design), Tyler King (associate projection design), and Jim Radloff (properties design). James Zager is Dramaturg, Allyssa O’Donnell is Assistant Director/ Assistant Choreographer, and Andrew Donnelly is Stage Manager.
“We’re proud that we have created a female-driven show, a fun holiday musical that the whole family can enjoy year after year,” said lead producer Larry Little. “And the music is outstanding. You will leave singing these songs.” Samples of the songs available on YouTube include “Green Christmas,” sung by Liz Norton (https://youtu.be/xv8GLJiAA0I) and “Far Away from Here” sung by Alli Atkinson, (https://youtu.be/QbWrP8NtBn8).
Individual tickets, priced at $45, are on sale now at www.greenhousetheater.org, or by phone at 773-404-7336. Group Tickets, priced at $39 ($25 for student groups over 11 years old), are available at https://www.grouptheatertix.com.
Listing Information
THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS
Music by Dylan MarcAurele, Book and Lyrics by Jaclyn Enchin and Jennifer Enchin, based on a story by Larry Little. Additional lyrics by Mike Ross.
WORLD PREMIERE
Directed by Nicholas Reinhart
November 27 – December 29, 2019
Recommended for ages 10+
Press opening – Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 2 pm
Greenhouse Theater Center – Upstairs Mainstage
2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago
Individual tickets, priced at $45, are on sale now at www.greenhousetheater.org, or by phone at 773-404-7336.
Group Tickets, priced at $39 ($25 for student groups over 11 years old), are available at https://www.grouptheatertix.com/
For more information visit www.landofforgottentoystthemusical.com
About CPA Theatricals
CPA Theatricals, Inc. – Creative Productions And Theatricals – is a 501-C-3 non-profit corporation. Its mission is the development of new musical theatre productions for the benefit of underserved populations. In recent years, its primary focus has been to serve female audiences and performers, through the development of musicals incorporating strong female leads. Its first major project with this focus was the musical 57th NATIONAL MATHLETE SUM-IT, which premiered Off Broadway at the New York Musical Festival and was subsequently licensed for international distribution to high school, college, and community theaters by Theatrical Rights Worldwide. Current projects include THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS, intended for the commercial market, and GIRLHOOD, intended for performance in middle schools and high schools.
Production History
Through 2016-17 Larry Little was developing his idea of a female-centric holiday musical. He began to shape the story and defined his vision for the key characters. In October 2017, he convened a group for a weekend brainstorming and development event. Meanwhile he initiated a national search for an appropriate writing/composing team. He was committed that at least part of the team would be female. In the end, Jacklyn Enchin and Jennifer Enchin, twins from Toronto Canada were hired as writer and librettist and Dylan MarcAurele was hired as Composer.
In December 2017 the producers convened the writing team in Chicago. Larry Little presented his story and together they refined the story as the basis for the musical. They talked through the methodology for the overall project. And then the first two scenes of the show – approximately 20 minutes worth – were discussed and developed together. The team returned home to write and compose these two scenes.
In March 2018 the team reconvened. The producers hired actors and a musical director so that everyone could experience these first two scenes. This led to discussions of possible refinements and, at the end of the weekend, to a discussion of the next 20 minutes. This rhythm continued during the rest of the initial writing phase, with the group coming together to hear performances, revise, and move forward in early May, late June, late July, and mid October, 2018. By the end of the year a full first draft was completed. At that point, there was widespread consultation, which led to plans for further revision and refinement.
Following extensive revisions, a reading of the entire show was held at Carroll University, Waukesha, WI, on March 31, 2019, before an audience of over 100. The reading was under the leadership of director James Zager, chair of the theater department at Carroll. Composer MarcAurele served as music director. As expected, the reading generated additional ideas for refinement.
To our surprise, the show was invited to participate in the Florida Festival of New Musicals, held June 19-23, 2019 in Winter Park, FL. This festival provides directors and actors, who do a reading of a one-hour cutting. The show received three public performances at the Festival, with the producers and the composer in attendance. Outstanding feedback resulted from this experience. And that led to additional refinements.
This process led to the decision to commit to an inaugural run of the show, in a joint production with the Greenhouse Theater Center in November-December 2019.
Digital Artwork
Photos from the Production of THE LAND OF FORGOTTEN TOYS
Contact Information
John Olson Communications
john@johnolsoncomm.com
773-517-6962