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The Human Race Uncovers Dorothy’s Life on This Side of the Rainbow with World Premiere Musical, WAS, October 14 - 31 

(Dayton, OH) – September 13 – On October 14, The Human Race Theatre Company will continue its impressive tradition of giving life to new musicals with the world premiere production of WAS. With book and lyrics by Barry Kleinbort and music by Joseph Thalken, WAS is based on the celebrated novel by Geoff Ryman. WAS interweaves two stories told a century apart – the first, in the 1870s, involving a young orphan named Dorothy Gael; the second, in the 1980s, regarding Jonathan Wood, a successful but dying actor, whose obsession with The Wizard of Oz leads him to Kansas searching for proof of Dorothy Gael's existence. Winner of the Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla Commendation Award and first developed at Lincoln Center Theater, WAS is filled with compelling characters whose interconnected journeys create a poignant and unforgettable experience.

Barry Kleinbort has worked as a composer, lyricist/librettist and director over the last twenty-five years, earning the prestigious Edward Kleban Foundation Award for Lyric Writing, 2002 and 2003 Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Musical Theatre Foundation Commendations, two BackStage Bistro Awards, ten Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) Awards and two cable Telly Awards for his efforts. He has directed and/or written special material for such cabaret/theatre luminaries as Kaye Ballard, Marcia Lewis, Mary Cleere Haran, Regis Philbin, Rita Gardner, Brent Barrett, John Barrowman, Jeff Harnar, Heather MacRae, and many others. He wrote the incidental music and songs for the Off-Broadway production of Second Avenue by Alan Knee, the book, music and lyrics for Angelina, based on That Summer -That Fall by Frank D. Gilroy, and co-wrote the musical Perfect Harmony, which ran for over six months in South Florida.  A highly acclaimed revue of his theatre songs, Big City Rhythm, which played at the Triad Theatre in New York City, is available on Harbinger Records.

Joseph Thalken is a recipient of two Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Theatre Foundation Commendations and the Constance Klinsky Award for excellence in writing for musical theatre. His most recent projects include a Trombone Concerto for trombonist James Pugh and a song cycle for the Euro Games in Munich, Germany. His new musical Harold and Maude, with book and lyrics by the estimable Tom Jones, will have its world premiere in January at the Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey. Joe was a participant in the ASCAP Workshop and BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, and is a graduate of Northwestern University.

A mutual friend introduced Barry Kleinbort and Joseph Thalken. “We found that we shared similar theatrical sensibilities,” remembers Kleinbort. “We started looking for a project. After attending a wedding in Baltimore, I bought the book WAS for the 5 hour train ride back to New York. I read it and immediately knew that Joe would want to do it, because it seemed impossible,” stated Kleinbort.

“I took the book to read on my plane ride to New Mexico to work on some orchestrations,” said Thalken. “When I landed I was one-third of the way through the book. I got off the plane, called Barry and said, ‘Let’s do it!’”

In 1998, Barry Kleinbort and Joseph Thalken traveled to London to present a few songs and scenes to the book’s author, Geoff Ryman. They rented a church basement and hired a few actors from the West End production of Showboat to perform 20 minutes of material. Impressed, Ryman gave his heartfelt approval for them to proceed. The Lincoln Center Theater sponsored a reading of the first act under the direction of Graciela Daniele in June 2000. A two-week workshop of the entire musical was also sponsored by Lincoln Center under the direction of Tina Landau, with musical direction by David Loud, in December 2001. WAS received a 2001 Second Stage Constance Klinsky Award for excellence in the musical theatre, and its writers received a 2002 and 2003 Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Theatre Foundation Commendation Award. In September 2003, WAS was selected for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s 15th annual Festival of New Musicals in New York, where a 45 minute cutting was presented to the musical theatre industry members from The United States, England, Wales, Germany, China, Finland and Canada.

“It was through the NAMT Festival that I first became familiar with WAS,” stated Human Race Executive Director Kevin Moore. “I served on the Festival Committee that year, and had the job of reading 75 of the 190 musical submitted for consideration. When I reached WAS, I couldn’t put it down. I knew that this was a show that our audiences would embrace. As soon as the Festival was over, I began to work on securing the world premiere for Dayton.”

The Human Race has earned a national reputation for cultivating new musicals through its workshop process. Moby Dick is now being produced around the country. Green Gables has been showcased in New York City and East Hampton, NY, and will receive its professional regional theatre production this spring by The Human Race at the Victoria Theatre.

The cast of WAS includes: James Darrah (L. Frank Baum), Jeffrey Doornbos (Jonathan Wood), Reneé Franck-Reed (Dotty), Jessica Grové (Dorothy), Scott Hunt (Wilbur Jewell), Peak Kwinarian (Henry Gulch), Katie Pees (Ensemble), Alan Souza (Ira Bernstein), Marya Spring (Ensemble), Moira Stone (Angel), Scott Stoney (Ensemble), Erin Elizabeth Ulman (Young Dorothy), Melanie Vaughan (Emma Gulch), Aaron Vega (Ensemble) and Nick Verina (Ensemble).

The director of WAS is David Pittu, the musical director is Joseph Bates, choreography by Janet Watson, scenic design by Mark Halpin, lighting design by John Rensel, costume design by Mary Beth McLaughlin, sound design by Lindsay Jones, orchestrations by Joseph Thalken and the production stage manager is Sherri Nierman.

WAS is not recommended for children under the age of thirteen.

The Human Race Theatre Company’s production of WAS will be presented at The Loft Theatre October 14 - 31*. The Loft Theatre is located on the third floor of the Metropolitan Arts Center, next to the Victoria Theatre on Main Street in downtown Dayton. Performances begin at 8:00 p.m., except Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. The open-forum discussion While We’re on the Subject will be held immediately following the Sunday, October 24 matinee.

In conjunction with WAS, The Human Race will host Night Out at the Race. Following the Friday, October 22 performance, ticket holders are invited to join the cast of WAS at Celebrity Show & Dance Club, 850 North Main Street. The WAS ticket stub will be good for free admission to the club.

Audience members have the opportunity to meet Barry Kleinbort, Joseph Thalken and musical theatre legend Tom Jones in person during the Under Construction 2: Creating New Musicals workshop on October 16. For more information on this event and to register, contact Kevin Moore at 937-461-3823, ext. 3115.

All tickets for WAS are priced at $29, with discounts available for students, seniors and groups. Tickets are on sale now through Ticket Center Stage, with locations at the Victoria Theatre and Schuster Center box offices in downtown Dayton. Tickets may also be purchased by phone at 937-228-3630 or toll free 888-228-3630. Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday noon – 4:00 p.m. The Loft Theatre box office opens two hours prior to each performance. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

For more information about The Human Race Theatre Company and The Loft Series 2, visit www.humanracetheatre.org.

* The Saturday, October 23 performance may be sign interpreted and/or audio described by request with two weeks advance notice to Ticket Center Stage at 937-228-3630.

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Founded in 1986, The Human Race Theatre Company moved to the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence at The Loft, a 219-seat theatre. In addition to the Humana Loft Series 1, produced in collaboration with the Victoria Theatre Association, The Human Race produces the Humana Loft Series 2, the Musical Theatre Workshop series and special event programming. The Human Race, under the direction of Artistic Director Marsha Hanna and Executive Director Kevin Moore, also maintains educational outreach programs for children six to sixteen, guest artist and artist residencies in area schools, The Muse Machine In-School Tour, Youth Summer Stock and The Human Race Conservatory.