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Underland - A New Musical at Shadowbox Live

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Started 4 months ago by jmak
Latest reply from Walker

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jmak
Gahanna
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Hey gang,

I've written a new musical for Shadowbox Live called "Underland." Inspired by "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" this musical is set in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco during 1967 (the famous Summer of Love) and tells the story of a Vietnam Veteran on a quest to find his missing daughter. It also features some of the best known songs from the era by the Beatles, the Byrds, the Who, the Rolling Stones, etc.

I've had some pretty good success with my previous musicals Tabloid, Burlesque de Voyage and Back to the Garden, but this is the most ambitious script I've ever written and truthfully, I could use some help making it the show I know it can be.

Please take a second to check out the Kickstarter page and see if it's something you might want to contribute to. I truly appreciate it.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/639106502/underland-a-mindbending-new-rock-and-roll-musical

Posted 4 months ago #
AlanBarber
Columbus
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Well, I pledged you a few bucks. I hope you hit the goal.

Posted 4 months ago #
jmak
Gahanna
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Wow, thanks Alan - I truly appreciate it!

Posted 4 months ago #
jmak
Gahanna
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We just got over $10,000. Around $6,000 to go with 8 days left. Thanks so much to those who have given so far! We added some new updates and incentives so please check out the page. Even if you can't give, I'd love for you to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on the project or any questions you may have.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/639106502/underland-a-mindbending-new-rock-and-roll-musical

Posted 3 months ago #
Anne
King Lincoln
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...AND it's funded!

Sweet!

Can't wait to see it!

Posted 3 months ago #
News
Columbus Underground
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Press Release:
UNDERLAND HITS GOAL ON KICKSTARTER!

On January 29th, with a whole three days left in the fundraising push, Shadowbox Live’s next original musical Underland blew past its fundraising goal on Kickstarter.com!

Shadowbox Live turned to Kickstarter.com on Wedensday, January 16, setting a target of raising $16,500 for Underland in a little over two weeks on the popular “all or nothing” fundraising site. As of Wednesday afternoon, donors have pledged $17,333 in support of what is now a highly anticipated production.

“We’re completely awestruck by the level of support we’ve been shown,” says Jimmy Mak, Shadowbox Live’s Head Writer. “It shows tremendous confidence in us, and believe me we take that very seriously.”

With several days still left in their Kickstarter campaign, Shadowbox Live has come up with a unique way to show their appreciation and give a little back to the community.

If the project can reach a stretch goal of $21,000 before this Friday, February 1 at 11:59 PM, Shadowbox Live will add a special Tuesday performance of Underland in honor of U.S. Veterans. All Veterans who call in for this performance will receive up to four absolutely free tickets for themselves and their families.

“The lead character of Underland is Albert Ice, a Vietnam vet suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” says Mak. “It’s important to remember what these men and women sacrifice for us, and this is just one way we can say ‘thanks.’”

To pledge your support of Underland on Kickstarter.com, please visit http://www.shadowboxlive.org and click on the Underland link.

Shadowbox Live presents the original musical Underland, opening on Sunday, March 3 at 7:00 PM, and running Sundays at 2:00 & 7:00 PM through May 19, 2013. No performances on March 31. Tickets are $30 / $20 for students and seniors. For more information and reservations, call the Shadowbox Live Box Office at 614-416-7625 or go online at http://www.shadowboxlive.org.

Posted 3 months ago #
Coremodels
Really close to Explorer's Club.
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Fantastic news...congrats to Jimmy Mak!

Posted 3 months ago #
jmak
Gahanna
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Coremodels said:
Fantastic news...congrats to Jimmy Mak!

Thanks Core (and to ALL who gave)! Very excited about this project (didn't know if you could tell or not).

Posted 3 months ago #
Anne
King Lincoln
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Underland

March 3 - May 19

Show Times
Select Sundays @ 2p and 7p
*No 2p performance March 3
*No shows March 31

Show Pricing
General Admission • $30.00
Students, Seniors (age 55+), Military • $20.00

http://www.shadowboxlive.org/shows/underland

Posted 2 months ago #
News
Columbus Underground
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Theatre Review: Underland is a feast for the senses
Published on March 7, 2013 4:30 pm
By: Anne

In the flood of Kickstarter requests, there are still some gems to be found. Shadowbox Live’s new musical Underland is such a gem and after a couple of years in the making, has been brought to the stage.

“I sent Stev my initial proposal for the script in November of 2011,” says author and Shadowbox Live head writer Jimmy Mak. “It still felt too soon after Back to the Garden to do a hippie musical, so I didn’t aggressively start writing it until spring of 2012.”

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/theatre-review-underland-is-a-feast-for-the-senses

Posted 2 months ago #
jmak
Gahanna
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The trailer has just come out:

Get the Video Player

Posted 1 month ago #
jmak
Gahanna
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Hey gang,

I'll be doing a talk-back after this Sunday's (5/5) 2 p.m. performance. If you haven't seen the show come check out this performance and afterwards I'll be happy to answer any questions you have about it.

Posted 3 weeks ago #
patient_zero
Falafel District
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Since I missed your Mak/Whitehouse performance yesterday, maybe I can catch this Sunday.

Thank you for honoring our service personnel in your own special way. Coming from someone who has served, it means a lot to me. I often wonder about the well-being of some of my comrades who stayed in the service, and I definitely think about those serving multiple tours over the last several years in multiple campaigns.
You will get a man hug the next time I see you, Brother Jimmy.

Posted 3 weeks ago #
catnfiddle
Peeghaven
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Rockmastermike and I were front and center for yesterday's afternoon performance (special thanks to the actors for minimizing emotive spittle in our direction). This is absolutely something that should be seen before it closes on Sunday evening. Jimmy's script is much darker than the one he wrote for Back to the Garden, which makes the Summer of Love backdrop sometimes feel like a bad trip. The main character of Albert Ice is a tragic one, although much of his back story is kept hidden through Act 1. The characters of Mouse and Cat refuse to leave his mind and are soon joined by the ominous Greenie, who brings out the worst in our anti-hero. Cat's appearance, in particular, was captivating and horrifying at once, and I never thought ANYTHING Amy Lay did would inspire horror. Through it all, as Albert, Robbie Nance managed to incorporate parts of all three into his performance while creating something special and memorable.

The real people surrounding Albert are wonderfully drawn from Lewis Carrol's work, including the Act 2 dramatic anchor of Carol Lewis (Julie Klein's work is some of the best I've seen from her). The allusions to the stories are sometimes blatant -- Albert Ice as a new Alice in Wonderland, for example -- and sometimes subtle. I think I was the only one who caught the reference to the Duchess' baby and laughed aloud. Clever, very clever. Trust me, Alice fans will love it.

The music was absolutely up to Shadowbox / BillWho? standards. There were times, especially toward the beginning, that the transitions from dialog to song were a little rough. However, once things got rolling, the singing and dancing took over. "Sounds of Silence" was incredibly effective and emotional as a moment of prayer, and I was surprised to find "I'll Be There" had me in tears.

Katy Psenicka is a treasure of a choreographer. I recognize her style from show to show but love her variations as new and veteran performers mix and incorporate new music material. The dance company is solid, moving the rest of the cast and chorus into the feel of the time and the story.

My hope is that this, like Back to the Garden, makes a few returns to the Shadowbox stage. Jimmy, Stev, Julie, and Katy created something special that is only available on one stage for two more shows. Consider it theatrical locavorism and catch one on Sunday, if possible.

Posted 1 week ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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Today's the final day!

Posted 4 days ago #