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Event
Will & Whit the Musical
Belmont Arts Collaborative and DMR Adventures present the new musical Will & Whit, based on the young adult graphic novel by local author Laura Lee Gulledge and featuring music composed by local musician Ceci Vaughan. The show premieres October 14th, 2017 and will run for two weekends. It features a talented cast of local performers under the direction of Melissa Charles, with music director, Celena Cox, and will be staged in the new black box theater at Belmont Arts Collaborative at 221 Carlton Road.
Will & Whit is a tale of Artnership, trauma, and finding light in the darkness. The story is set in Charlottesville and features a teen named Will who makes lamps to fight her fear of the dark. When Hurricane Whitney knocks out the power, she along with her creative friends are forced to face their fears as they come together to put on an end-of-summer arts carnival.
This matriarchal musical also features innovative cross-disciplinary storytelling elements such as an immersive hurricane, live drawing, and shadow puppetry. This production follows in the footsteps of other graphic novel musicals such as the Tony Award winning Fun Home, which is coming to Live Arts in 2018.
This book was my love letter to Charlottesville, a place which helped inspire me to pursue my big crazy creative ambitions. So Im thrilled that the musical is coming to life in the community where the story first took root! I hope it can in turn help spark inspiration, connection, and expression. Laura Lee Gulledge
I am passionate about musical theatre and especially new musicals that are accessible to young people! Im so inspired by the all-female team that created this wonderful piece and thrilled to be a part of bringing it to life. I look forward this show becoming a staple in high schools and after-school theatre programs Melissa Charles
Reviews of the book Will & Whit, which made the YALSA Top Ten Books for Teens 2014:
Quirky, clever, and insightful. Kirkus, Starred Review
Gulledges values are wholesome, and her energy is up-to-the-minute fresh. Publishers Weekly
Belmont Arts Collaborative and DMR Adventures will present Will & Whit on the following dates and times at at the new Belmont Arts Collaborative located at 221 Carlton Road, Suite 3.
Oct. 14 7PM
Oct. 15 3PM
Oct. 19 7PM
Oct. 20 7PM
Oct. 21 3PM
Oct. 21 7PM
Oct. 22 6PM
MELISSA CHARLES is the director of the Will & Whit musical. She is the Artistic Director of DMR Adventures and founder of the Belmont Arts Collaborative. She is a professional actor, director, educator, choreographer, a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA, and a graduate of the University of Virginia. Melissa is passionate about musical theatre, arts education, and the two guys with whom she lives (husband, Matt, and son, Cooper).
LAURA LEE GULLEDGE is the librettist of the Will & Whit Musical. She is a local author of graphic novels Will & Whit and Page by Paige, which was nominated for the prestigious Eisner Award. Her new interactive book of Sketchbook Dares comes out in February 2018 thru Abrams Books. She has worked in art education, scenic painting, creative consulting, and event production, among other pursuits.
CECI VAUGHAN is the composer of the Will & Whit Musical. She is a local Realtor, song-writer, author, and educator. She is a licensed Simply Music coach, a non-traditional piano pedagogy method. She is also mother of two very talented, strong young women and an avid community arts enthusiast.
STANDBY POLICY
If you'd like to buy tickets for our sold out performance, you can join the standby line, which will begin no earlier than 45 minutes before show time. Unclaimed tickets will begin to be released 5 minutes before the show begins. Anyone wishing to buy unclaimed tickets MUST stay physically in line, and no single person may buy more than 2 tickets. There will be no list in writing and it will be impossible to get tickets for the sold out performance more than 5 minutes before the show begins. Being in the standby line does not guarantee you will get a ticket, but we will do our best to accommodate as many people as possible.
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LocationBelmont Arts Collaborative (View)
221 Carlton Road, Suite 3
Charlottesvile, VA 22902
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 7 |
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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