The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and Zoetic Stage are proud to present the Miami premiere of Assassins, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning revue-style musical based on the men and women who have attempted, successfully or not, to assassinate American presidents. Playing January 30 – February 23, in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater (Ziff Ballet Opera House), Assassins continues the Arsht Center’s highly acclaimed 2013-2014 Theater Up Close Series which features artistic collaborations from stellar local theater ensembles and nationally acclaimed theater companies.
Assassins is made possible with support from Jerry and Adrianne Cohen.
“We’re thrilled to co-present Zoetic Stage’s production of Sondheim’s Assassins – a provocative way to celebrate our first Broadway musical inside our Carnival Studio Theater,” said Scott Shiller, executive vice president of the Adrienne Arsht Center. “It is an honor to continue our 2013-14 Theater Up Close season with a daring masterpiece from our greatest living musical theater composer, and we’re certain Zoetic’s stellar cast of acclaimed local actors and creatives will leave South Florida audiences in awe.”
“Assassins is by far one of the most daring, imaginative and darkly comedic American musicals. One of the thrills for me personally is experiencing Mr. Sondheim’s music being performed live in the theater, and bringing forth these American outcasts and their passionate, contemplative stories. Our cast is a ‘who’s who’ of South Florida finest actors and singers. Our design team is top notch. And with Caryl Fantel as music director, it feels that all the elements are in place for an extraordinary theatrical event. I can’t wait,” said Stuart Meltzer, artistic director of Zoetic Stage.
Winner of three 2004 Drama Desk Awards and five Tony Awards including “Best Revival of a Musical,” Assassins is the show that gives new meaning to the phrase “killer musical.” With a stylish Stephen Sondheim score and a striking book by John Weidman, Assassins brings to the stage a (shooting) gallery of some of history’s most notorious players – the men and women who have attempted to kill presidents of the United States of America.
Directed by Zoetic Stage artistic director and Silver Palm Award winner Stuart Meltzer and featuring an all-local cast, Assassins looks at the lives, loves and lunacy of nine American assassins including John Wilkes Booth (Nicholas Richberg), Charles Guiteau (Gabriel Zenone), Leon Czolgosz (Nick Duckart), Giuseppe Zangara (Henry Gainza), Lee Harvey Oswald (Chris Crawford), Samuel Byck (Chaz Mena), John Hinckley (Clay Cartland), Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme (Lindsey Forgey) and Sara Jane Moore (Irene Adjan). Both serious and satirical, the musical asks what hunger drove these people to their actions and what binds them all together.
Tickets to Assassins are $45, and may be purchased now through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722 or online at ArshtCenter.org.
