Steve Meerdink
Minneapolis Musical Theatre will produce the musicals "Reefer Madness" and "Sunset Boulevard" in their first season at the Hennepin Theatre Trust's New Century Theatre."Reefer Madness" was inspired by the 1936 film that was a major component in the propaganda effort against marijuana. The musical ran off-Broadway in 2001 and then was turned into a film in 2005 with Alan Cumming, Neve Campbell and Ana Gasteyer. MMT's production will run Feb. 1-24 next year.
"Sunset Boulevard" is the big Andrew Lloyd Webber extravaganza based on one of my favorite movies of all time. How Gloria Swanson missed the Oscar for that performance as Norma Desmond is a mystery. Christopher Hampton, in town for a three-play festival at the Guthrie, wrote the libretto for the musical, which was huge Broadway hit. It runs May 31-June 23, 2013.
Both productions will be directed by Steven Meerdink, MMT's artistic director.
The partnership between MMT and the Theatre Trust allows the small troupe to benefit from marketing muscle and audience development.
More information here.
