Wonderland to play at the Marquis Theatre

Wonderland: A New Alice. A New Musical Adventure will open on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre on 17 Apr 2011, following previews from 21 Mar 2010.

The musical will be directed by Gregory Boyd, the artistic director of the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas, with a book by Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy and lyrics by Jack Murphy, music by Frank Wildhorn and choreography by Marguerite Derricks.

In this new musical featuring a new score, Wonderland is a story about a new Alice who has lost her joy in life. Estranged from her husband, alienated from her daughter and in danger of losing her career, Alice finds herself in Wonderland where she encounters strange though familiar characters that help her rediscover the wonder in her life while searching for her daughter.

Wonderland will play a pre-Broadway engagement at the Ferguson Hall at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida from 4 - 16 2011.

Wonderland will be produced on Broadway by the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts (Judy Lisi, President and CEO), William Franzblau and Nederlander Presentations, Inc.

Wonderland is the first production of the Broadway Genesis Project, an initiative by the Straz Center for the Performing Arts to develop and prepare new musical theater for Broadway. From a show's inception to final staging, the Project provides a safe and nourishing environment in a state-of-the-art complex with artistic, technical and administrative resources.

"I am at a point in my life where I want to stay in love with the things I fell in love with. The process of creating Wonderland with my extraordinary producers and collaborators has shown me the magic of fun is not just for the young. Being part of the Straz Center's invaluable Broadway Genesis Project was an exciting and rewarding experience," said composer Frank Wildhorn.

Producers Judy Lisi, President and CEO of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center and William Franzblau said "Alice's story is one that has always resonated with us - whether reading it when we were children or now as adults. With Wonderland, our creative team has developed a Broadway musical that tells the story of a contemporary woman attempting to maintain her career as well as keeping her family together and not doing well with either. At her breaking point she escapes into the world of Wonderland where she finds out who she really is and what's important in life."

The cast, design team and Broadway ticket information will be announced soon.

Gregory Boyd (Director and Co-Bookwriter) is the Artistic Director of the Alley Theatre, where he directed Wonderland (premiere), 'The Gershwins' An American in Paris' (premiere), 'Jekyll & Hyde' (premiere, and first national tour), 'Treasure Island' (premiere), 'Cyrano de Bergerac,' 'Hitchcock Blonde,' 'Hapgood,' 'The Pillowman,' 'The Invention of Love,' 'Rock 'n' Roll,' 'Three Sisters,' 'In the Jungle of Cities,''After the Fall,' 'The Greeks,' among others. Recent productions outside the Alley include 'Travesties' at Long Wharf, 'Our Town' at Hartford Stage, 'Design for Living' at Williamstown. He is co-author of 'The Civil War' (Tony Nomination, Best Musical).

Jack Murphy (Lyricist and Co-Bookwriter) has worked on a wide variety of projects as both lyricist and composer from songs for Linda Eder to TV music for the "Animal Planet" and "Sesame Street." In collaboration with Frank Wildhorn and Gregory Boyd, he wrote the lyrics for' The Civil War,' which garnered him a Tony Nomination for Best Score when it debuted on Broadway in 1999. He was back on Broadway again at the St. James Theater with two songs penned for the hit show, 'Swing.'

Frank Wildhorn (Composer). Multi-Grammy and Tony Award nominated composer/producer Frank Wildhorn's works span the worlds of popular, theatrical, and classical music. In 1999, Wildhorn became the first American composer in 22 years to have three shows running simultaneously on Broadway: 'Jekyll & Hyde,' 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' and 'The Civil War.' Also for Broadway: 'Dracula' and 'Victor/Victoria.' Over 65 million records sold including Whitney Houston's international #1 hit "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?." He has also written for Natalie Cole, Kenny Rogers, Sammy Davis, Jr., Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews, Hootie & the Blowfish, The Moody Blues, Johnny Mathis, Linda Eder, Freddie Jackson, Trisha Yearwood, Stacy Lattisaw, Molly Hatchet, Blues Traveler, Trace Adkins, Patti LaBelle, Jeffrey Osborne, BeBe Winans, Stanley Turrentine, Amy Grant, Anthony Warlow, to name a few.

Marguerite Derricks' (Choreographer) has choreographed hundreds of films, television programs, commercials, music videos, and stage productions. She recently choreographed the feature film, "Fame." Derricks received the prestigious Emmy Award for three consecutive years. Her first was for the long running television series, "3rd Rock From the Sun." She won her second Emmy Award for "Fame LA" and a third for "The 1998 Goodwill Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies." Her films include "Little Miss Sunshine," "Spiderman 3," "Donnie Darko," "Charlie's Angels," the "Austin Powers trilogy" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," earning her MTV Movie Awards and American Choreography Awards nominations. Most recently, Derricks won the Astaire Award for Choreography of a Fictional Film (Fame).