| BAM PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE NEW MUSICAL "SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED " | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 09:57 am EDT 07/18/24 | |
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| BAM PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE NEW MUSICAL SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED Based on the award-winning film by Derek Connolly Featuring Music and Lyrics by Guster frontman RYAN MILLER Book by Drama Desk Award nominee NICK BLAEMIRE Directed by Two-time Obie Award winner LEE SUNDAY EVANS NKEKI OBI-MELEKWE and TAYLOR TRENSCH will lead the cast as Darius and Kenneth Sep 17 - Oct 20, 2024 at BAM's Harvey Theater (July 18, 2024 / Brooklyn, NY) — BAM (The Brooklyn Academy of Music) announces the full company for the world premiere of the new musical Safety Not Guaranteed, directed by Lee Sunday Evans, at the BAM Harvey Theater beginning September 17 through October 20, 2024. Nkeki Obi-Melekwe (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) and Taylor Trensch (Dear Evan Hansen) will lead the cast as Darius and Kenneth, respectively. They are joined by Ashley Pérez Flanagan as Liz, Pomme Koch as Jeff, Rohan Kymal as Arnau, and John-Michael Lyles as Tristan. This new musical reimagines Derek Connolly's award-winning indie film of the same name, featuring new songs by Guster's Ryan Miller. The story follows Darius, a low-level journalist who is assigned to report on a local classified ad offering the opportunity to go back in time, and the complicated relationship that ensues. From Obie Award-winning theater director Lee Sunday Evans (Home, Farmhouse/Whorehouse), Safety Not Guaranteed is adapted for the stage by Nick Blaemire (Glory Days, Space Dogs). "Building on our intention to contribute to the vitality of the American theater through investment in new work, we're honored to welcome such a talented creative team and cast to BAM's uniquely beautiful Harvey Theater," says BAM Artistic Director, Amy Cassello. "I've been a fan of the film for years and always thought it could work as a musical, but the way it's come together has been a series of serendipitous moments you can't plan. Chance meetings with Ryan Miller and Peter Saraf and a lunch with Lee Sunday Evans sparked fast friendships and playful collaborations. And this wonderful cast and band have elevated the show beyond my wildest dreams. They're all at the top of their game, and to be performing in the BAM Harvey, my favorite theater in the world, is a dream come true. I can't wait to show New York what we've made," says writer Nick Blaemire. Safety Not Guaranteed features set design by the award-winning Krit Robinson, costume design is by the award-winning Sarita Fellows, lighting design by Obie award winner Reza Behjat, and composition and sound design by multi-Tony nominee Drew Levy. Assistant direction is by Isabel Perry, casting is by Taylor Williams, CSA, Steve Cuffio is the illusionist, and fight direction is by Drew Leary. Safety Not Guaranteed is stage managed by Alyssa K. "AK" Howard and assistant stage managed by Alfredo Macias. Tickets are available at BAM.org or by calling BAM Ticket Services 718.636.4100. Tickets start at $35. CREATIVE TEAM NICK BLAEMIRE (Book) is a Brooklyn-based writer and actor. He wrote the score to the Broadway one-night sensation rock musical Glory Days (book by James Gardiner), and has written book, music and lyrics to six other original musicals: A Little More Alive (premiered at Williamstown Theater Festival), Soon (premiered at Signature Theater), Fallout (with Kyle Jarrow), Edge of the World (with Ethan Slater), Quixote (with Daniel J. Watts) and Space Dogs (with Van Hughes, premiered at MCC Theater). In addition to adapting Safety Not Guaranteed, he wrote the book to Disney's Descendants, and is writing the book and new songs for the stage adaptation of the film August Rush. Nick has released three pop albums, all available online. As an actor, he most recently played Adolph Green in Bradley Cooper's Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro for Netflix. A University of Michigan graduate, he is repped by CAA, A&R and Writ Large. LEE SUNDAY EVANS (Director) is an Obie award-winning director and choreographer and was recently appointed Artistic Director of Waterwell. With Waterwell, she directed The Courtroom named (The New York Times' Best Theater of 2019) and led the creation of The Flores Exhibits, a series of videos in which artists, advocates, lawyers, and immigrants read testimony of children held in detention facilities at the U.S./Mexico Border. Her work has been seen at BAM, The Public Theater, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, Steppenwolf, The Atlantic, WP Theater, The Play Company, Juilliard, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Watermill, Sundance Theater Lab, Clubbed Thumb and New Georges among others. She additionally creates original ensemble-devised performance work with CollaborationTown. She received the 2017 SDC Breakout Award and the Vineyard Theatre's 2016 Susan Stroman Award. RYAN MILLER (Music and Lyrics) began his artistic career in a dorm room at Tufts University in 1991 as a founding member and lead singer of the band Guster. This year, Guster released their 9th studio album Ooh La La, toured the country on their "We Also Have Eras Tour," and performed sold-out shows at the Ryman Auditorium, Red Rocks Amphitheater (with the Colorado Symphony), and the Ford Amphitheater (with the Los Angeles Philharmonic). In 2012, Ryan wrote the score for Safety Not Guaranteed which began his career as a film and television composer. He has since scored 14 feature films including In a World, Kings of Summer, Tig, Something from Tiffany's, How It Ends, and Babes. Ryan also moonlights as a writer (The Atlantic, Seven Days), television host (Vermont PBS' Makin' Friends with Ryan Miller and Bardo), and actor (starring in the upcoming feature film The Wake). He lives in the woods of Williston, Vermont with his wife, two kids, and the best dog ever, Sebastian. CAST ASHLEY PÉREZ FLANAGAN (Liz) has appeared on Broadway in Freestyle Love Supreme and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. Her Off-Broadway work includes: The Connector (MCC Theater); The Beautiful Lady (La Mama); Morning//Mourning (HERE); Oratorio For Living Things (Ars Nova, Lortel Award); Freestyle Love Supreme (Ars Nova); In The Green (LCT3, Lortel Award nomination); The Lucky Ones (Ars Nova); Hadestown (NYTW); In Love With Jobim (York Theatre). Flanagan's regional engagements include: Cowboy Bob (Alley Theatre); The Tattooed Lady (Philadelphia Theatre Company, Barrymore Award nomination), Life After (Goodman Theatre), A Crossing (Barrington Stage Company), Moby-Dick (A.R.T.), The Great Comet of 1812 (A.R.T.), Prometheus Bound (A.R.T.), Evita, West Side Story, and The Sound of Music. She has performed in concerts at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Joe's Pub, and 54 Below and was in the film, The Kitchen. POMME KOCH (Jeff) has appeared in Broadway's The Band's Visit. His off-Broadway and regional work includes: How Long Blues (Twyla Tharp), Baghdaddy, Becket, The Last Supper, engagements at La Jolla Playhouse, Denver Center, George Street Playhouse, O'Neill Center, A.C.T. San Francisco, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Round House Theatre, Theater J, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Marin Theatre Company, Folger Shakespeare Library, Studio Theatre, Theatre Calgary, and the San Francisco Playhouse. Koch's film and TV credits include Daddy, WeCrashed, Law & Order, Blue Bloods, and House of Cards. www.pommekoch.com. ROHAN KYMAL (Arnau) is an NYC-based actor and musician. His theater credits include originating the role of Bob in The Fabulous Lipitones (Goodspeed and George Street Playhouse), Private Party (The Public), All the Rats and Rags (3LD), Red Wednesday (New Ohio Theatre), and Reality Show (Madison Square Garden). Kymal's film and television credits include Master of None, + 1, Newlyweeds, and Bull. He was a former touring and recording vocalist for Shankar Tucker's Shrutibox. Kymal is in the midst of an entrepreneurial venture which aims to build a decentralized streaming network for indie and art house cinema. He is a Sundance Catalyst Fellow. JOHN–MICHAEL LYLES (Tristan) originated two roles on Broadway: Thought 3 in A Strange Loop (Obie-Winning) and Eli, in The Heart of Rock & Roll. He's also been seen off-Broadway in Sweeney Todd (Barrow), The Flick (Barrow), 1776 (Encores), Love Life (Encores), This Ain't No Disco (Atlantic), Big River (Encores), Brooklynite (Vineyard) and Jasper in Deadland (Prospect). His film debut was alongside Alec Baldwin in Blind, and he's guest starred in The Other Two, Chicago PD, and NCIS: New Orleans. Regionally, he played Dickon in CTG's The Secret Garden, originated the role of Toby in Bliss at the 5th Avenue, starred in Second City's production of The Art of Falling, and was deemed a "fleet and winning phenom on stage" for his performance as Pharus in the Guthrie's Choir Boy. He's a Vivace Award-winning composer/librettist and wrote additional music for Second Stage's We're Gonna Die! www.john-michaellyles.com / @johnmichael_lyles NKEKI OBI-MELEKWE (Darius) made her Broadway debut as Tina Turner in Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, after starring in the West End production. She recently starred in the new musical Redwood opposite Idina Menzel at the La Jolla Playhouse. Additional theatre credits include originating roles in several musicals such as Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater's Alice by Heart (MCC) and Jerry Mitchell's Half Time (Paper Mill Playhouse). Her television credits include a series regular role on Antoine Fuqua's King Shaka, as well as appearing in Bull (CBS) and SMILF (Showtime). Nkeki is a graduate of the University of Michigan. TAYLOR TRENSCH (Kenneth) was last seen off-Broadway in The Seven Year Disappear at The New Group opposite Cynthia Nixon. He has appeared on Broadway in Camelot, To Kill a Mockingbird, Dear Evan Hansen, Hello Dolly!, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Matilda the Musical, and Wicked. Additional off-Broadway credits include Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, Bare, and Rent. Trensch made his professional debut in the first national tour of Spring Awakening. He has acted in world premieres at Pioneer Theatre Company, Dallas Theater Center, Williamstown Theatre Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, and Barrington Stage Company. Trensch's film and TV credits include Your Monster (in theatres October 25), Things Like This, Law & Order: SVU, and Evil. Credits Bloomberg Philanthropies is the Season Sponsor Leadership support for BAM's strategic initiatives provided by the Mellon Foundation Leadership support for BAM Access Programs provided by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation Leadership support for theater at BAM provided by The SHS Foundation Leadership support for theater at BAM provided by The Shubert Foundation, Inc. Leadership support for BAM's strategic initiatives provided by Altman Foundation Leadership support for every season provided by the BAM Board of Trustees, led by Diane L. Max, Chair & Vice Chairs Natalia Chefer and Tim Sebunya BAM is a recipient of a U.S. Small Business Administration Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, made possible by the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Charles D. Schumer. The BAM facilities are owned by the City of New York and benefit from public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with support from Mayor Eric Adams; the New York City Council including Council Speaker Adrienne E. Adams, and the Brooklyn Delegation of the Council; and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. BAM would also like to thank the Brooklyn Delegations of the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate, Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest, and Senator Jabari Brisport. |
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