FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!
La Jolla DNA -- A Pop Rock, Biotech Musical
Written by David Matt Green (Publicist) david@shycloud.com, http://www.ShyCloud.com
LA JOLLA, CA -- When the fault lines of hope and clinical trials collide, La Jolla DNA erupts in music and satire. A fascinating new biotech musical, the play made its world debut with two showcase performances on May 3rd and 4th at the Sherwood Theatre in the Museum of Contemporary Art, located at 700 Prospect Street in La Jolla.
La Jolla DNA takes medicine, science and surfing and weaves them into a story about mankind's efforts to understand what has been called "the thread of life" -- DNA. It features songs that are much more pop rock than Broadway, according to its three creators, Dr. Jonathan Michael Licht, Gary Hyde and Douglas Foxworthy. The play's impressive and extremely experienced production team also includes such well-known San Diego arts veterans as William Virchis, Jean Isaacs, Fran Palmer and The Heroes.
The musical focuses on a charismatic doctor named Saul Bennett, who has been unable to transform his dilapidated "Center for Advanced Treatment" into the gleaming institute of his dreams. Bennett longs to be a successful scientist, businessman and healer, but he is failing at all three. Because he so fervently believes that deciphering DNA will bring miracle cures for his patients, he prays desperately to it. Bennett's savior turns out to be not a molecular structure, however, but one of his patients -- a wealthy young widow named Ava Bard, who must choose between believing in Bennett or biotech in her quest to get well and surf again.
La Jolla DNA will feature Brian Doig as Saul and Carol Abney as Ava. Also in the cast are Priscilla Allen, Teena Diggs, Jean Dugan, Melissa Hamilton, Wendy Hoover, Dino Huston, Robby Jacobson, Rob Johnston, Karla Kash, Gerry MacKinnon, Matthew Scott and Michael Sloan.
A web site for the play has been created at http://www.LaJollaDNA.com. The site offers a great deal of information about the musical's very talented cast and crew, including its trio of creators. It also features links to both the play's script and the lyrics of its songs.
Performing the play's rock music will be long-time San Diego favorites The Heroes, who will serve as the La Jolla DNA house band. The group has won such awards as "Best Contemporary Band" at the San Diego Music Awards and "Best Band" in San Diego Magazine's annual Best of San Diego edition. Among the songs The Heroes will play are "DNA #2," "Getting Old Sucks," "Medicine Man," "Blueprint Of A Dream," "Band Of Angels," "Disco Studio San Diego," "I Want To Live" and "La Jolla DNA."
Director William Virchis, a professor in the Southwestern College theater department since 1973 and the Producing Artistic Director for Teatro Mascara Magica, recently was in San Antonio, Texas, directing the national touring company of Selena Forever. Virchis has directed numerous productions for San Diego Civic Light Opera (Starlight), San Diego State University, Southwestern College, UC-Riverside, Lyric Dinner Theatre, San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan Repertory, Centro Cultural de La Raza, California Pacific Community Theatre, Teatro Meta and On Stage Productions.
The choreographer for La Jolla DNA is Jean Isaacs, the Artistic Director of San Diego Dance Theater. A professor at UCSD since 1986, Isaacs has choreographed more than 60 dances in her career. In 1974 she co-founded San Diego's first professional modern dance repertory company, Three's Company and Dancers, which evolved into Isaacs/McCaleb and Dancers in 1985. In 1981 she co-authored the San Diego Dance Alliance, which she served as Director and Board President from 1981-86.
Producer Fran Palmer is a theater veteran who has appeared on both sides of the stage as an actress and a director, and has worked in all aspects of production. For the past three years Palmer has been associated with Coronado Playhouse, where she currently is on the Board of Directors. In 1999 she received the San Diego Performing Arts League's Star Award as "Volunteer of the Year" for Coronado Playhouse. Palmer also won awards for "Best Direction," as co-director of Arsenic and Old Lace, and for co-directing Mr. Roberts, which was named "Best Production of the Year."
A practicing neurologist, Executive Producer Dr. Jonathan Licht wrote the book for La Jolla DNA. He is Research Director for Coordinated Clinical Research in La Jolla and has been a principal investigator for many pharmaceutical research studies. His first play, called X-Ray Visions, was produced at the Fritz Theatre in 1996. Licht also has written a screenplay, In Good Times And In Bad, and once did a brief stint as a standup comic.
The music and lyrics for the play were written by Gary Hyde and Douglas Foxworthy. A talented singer, musician, songwriter and producer, Musical Director Gary Hyde has had over 30 of his songs recorded. The beloved KGB Homegrown albums of the '70s included three songs performed by Hyde himself: "The Last One In La Jolla," "Clairemont Mesa" and "Can't Go Back To Cardiff." He also spent some time as a Nashville session player, where he backed up such performers as Glen Campbell, Helen Reddy, Boots Randolph and Larry Gatlin. Hyde says his other profession is "Gambler."
Besides being a successful songwriter with multiple gold and platinum records to his credit, Co-Executive Producer Douglas Foxworthy is the Chairman and CEO of an exciting new Internet and cable television company called The T Channel. He has written or co-written such songs as "She Never Looked That Good For Me" and "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend Isn't Me," recorded by Autograph; "His Other Woman," recorded by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap; "Love On A Shoestring," recorded by the Captain & Tennille, Jennifer Warnes, Kerry Chater and Renee Armand; and "Everytime A Teardrop Falls," recorded by Janie Fricke and Frankie Miller.
La Jolla DNA is being produced in association with Teatro Mascara Magica, a non-profit, multi-ethnic theater group. Additional sponsorship opportunities still are available. The names of all sponsors will be displayed prominently both on the web site and in the play's souvenir program. Corporations or private individuals interested in becoming sponsors should contact Fran Palmer (619-224-1005, newandrecycled@juno.com) or Dino Richardson (619-265-1572, dprsmr@home.com).
Individual tickets for La Jolla DNA are available through Ticketmaster, at 619-220-TIXS or http://www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase group tickets or for further information, call Fran Palmer at 619-224-1005. All donations above and beyond the face value of tickets are tax deductible.
La Jolla DNA -- A Pop Rock, Biotech Musical
Written by David Matt Green (Publicist) david@shycloud.com, http://www.ShyCloud.com
LA JOLLA, CA -- When the fault lines of hope and clinical trials collide, La Jolla DNA erupts in music and satire. A fascinating new biotech musical, the play made its world debut with two showcase performances on May 3rd and 4th at the Sherwood Theatre in the Museum of Contemporary Art, located at 700 Prospect Street in La Jolla.
La Jolla DNA takes medicine, science and surfing and weaves them into a story about mankind's efforts to understand what has been called "the thread of life" -- DNA. It features songs that are much more pop rock than Broadway, according to its three creators, Dr. Jonathan Michael Licht, Gary Hyde and Douglas Foxworthy. The play's impressive and extremely experienced production team also includes such well-known San Diego arts veterans as William Virchis, Jean Isaacs, Fran Palmer and The Heroes.
The musical focuses on a charismatic doctor named Saul Bennett, who has been unable to transform his dilapidated "Center for Advanced Treatment" into the gleaming institute of his dreams. Bennett longs to be a successful scientist, businessman and healer, but he is failing at all three. Because he so fervently believes that deciphering DNA will bring miracle cures for his patients, he prays desperately to it. Bennett's savior turns out to be not a molecular structure, however, but one of his patients -- a wealthy young widow named Ava Bard, who must choose between believing in Bennett or biotech in her quest to get well and surf again.
La Jolla DNA will feature Brian Doig as Saul and Carol Abney as Ava. Also in the cast are Priscilla Allen, Teena Diggs, Jean Dugan, Melissa Hamilton, Wendy Hoover, Dino Huston, Robby Jacobson, Rob Johnston, Karla Kash, Gerry MacKinnon, Matthew Scott and Michael Sloan.
A web site for the play has been created at http://www.LaJollaDNA.com. The site offers a great deal of information about the musical's very talented cast and crew, including its trio of creators. It also features links to both the play's script and the lyrics of its songs.
Performing the play's rock music will be long-time San Diego favorites The Heroes, who will serve as the La Jolla DNA house band. The group has won such awards as "Best Contemporary Band" at the San Diego Music Awards and "Best Band" in San Diego Magazine's annual Best of San Diego edition. Among the songs The Heroes will play are "DNA #2," "Getting Old Sucks," "Medicine Man," "Blueprint Of A Dream," "Band Of Angels," "Disco Studio San Diego," "I Want To Live" and "La Jolla DNA."
Director William Virchis, a professor in the Southwestern College theater department since 1973 and the Producing Artistic Director for Teatro Mascara Magica, recently was in San Antonio, Texas, directing the national touring company of Selena Forever. Virchis has directed numerous productions for San Diego Civic Light Opera (Starlight), San Diego State University, Southwestern College, UC-Riverside, Lyric Dinner Theatre, San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan Repertory, Centro Cultural de La Raza, California Pacific Community Theatre, Teatro Meta and On Stage Productions.
The choreographer for La Jolla DNA is Jean Isaacs, the Artistic Director of San Diego Dance Theater. A professor at UCSD since 1986, Isaacs has choreographed more than 60 dances in her career. In 1974 she co-founded San Diego's first professional modern dance repertory company, Three's Company and Dancers, which evolved into Isaacs/McCaleb and Dancers in 1985. In 1981 she co-authored the San Diego Dance Alliance, which she served as Director and Board President from 1981-86.
Producer Fran Palmer is a theater veteran who has appeared on both sides of the stage as an actress and a director, and has worked in all aspects of production. For the past three years Palmer has been associated with Coronado Playhouse, where she currently is on the Board of Directors. In 1999 she received the San Diego Performing Arts League's Star Award as "Volunteer of the Year" for Coronado Playhouse. Palmer also won awards for "Best Direction," as co-director of Arsenic and Old Lace, and for co-directing Mr. Roberts, which was named "Best Production of the Year."
A practicing neurologist, Executive Producer Dr. Jonathan Licht wrote the book for La Jolla DNA. He is Research Director for Coordinated Clinical Research in La Jolla and has been a principal investigator for many pharmaceutical research studies. His first play, called X-Ray Visions, was produced at the Fritz Theatre in 1996. Licht also has written a screenplay, In Good Times And In Bad, and once did a brief stint as a standup comic.
The music and lyrics for the play were written by Gary Hyde and Douglas Foxworthy. A talented singer, musician, songwriter and producer, Musical Director Gary Hyde has had over 30 of his songs recorded. The beloved KGB Homegrown albums of the '70s included three songs performed by Hyde himself: "The Last One In La Jolla," "Clairemont Mesa" and "Can't Go Back To Cardiff." He also spent some time as a Nashville session player, where he backed up such performers as Glen Campbell, Helen Reddy, Boots Randolph and Larry Gatlin. Hyde says his other profession is "Gambler."
Besides being a successful songwriter with multiple gold and platinum records to his credit, Co-Executive Producer Douglas Foxworthy is the Chairman and CEO of an exciting new Internet and cable television company called The T Channel. He has written or co-written such songs as "She Never Looked That Good For Me" and "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend Isn't Me," recorded by Autograph; "His Other Woman," recorded by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap; "Love On A Shoestring," recorded by the Captain & Tennille, Jennifer Warnes, Kerry Chater and Renee Armand; and "Everytime A Teardrop Falls," recorded by Janie Fricke and Frankie Miller.
La Jolla DNA is being produced in association with Teatro Mascara Magica, a non-profit, multi-ethnic theater group. Additional sponsorship opportunities still are available. The names of all sponsors will be displayed prominently both on the web site and in the play's souvenir program. Corporations or private individuals interested in becoming sponsors should contact Fran Palmer (619-224-1005, newandrecycled@juno.com) or Dino Richardson (619-265-1572, dprsmr@home.com).
Individual tickets for La Jolla DNA are available through Ticketmaster, at 619-220-TIXS or http://www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase group tickets or for further information, call Fran Palmer at 619-224-1005. All donations above and beyond the face value of tickets are tax deductible.
For further information contact Fran Palmer 619-224-1005 newandrecycled@juno.com
Douglas Foxworthy (Lyricist and Co-Executive Producer) 858-268-3888, fxworthy@theTchannel.com
Dr. Jonathan Licht (Writer and Executive Producer) 619-294-9292, jlicht@popmail.ucsd.edu