NOW PLAYING: Angel Wings THE AWAKENING OF ANGEL DELUNA

Angel Wings NYC, LLC Presents the World Premiere of The Awakening of Angel DeLuna

Book & Lyrics by Judylynn Schmidt 

Music & Lyrics by Lee Ellis

Directed by Bryan Bell
Musical Direction by Jalyn Webb & Choreography by Kate Griffler 

Angel Wings NYC, LLC presents the World Premiere of The Awakening of Angel DeLuna June 17 through July 10 at Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder, CO.  A percentage of proceeds will benefit The Carousel of Happiness in Nederland, CO. Set in the Great Depression, yet with a timely message of hope, the circus themed The Awakening of Angel DeLuna is certain to appeal to all audiences.  Angel DeLuna is a circus star who fell from the trapeze years ago. Unable to 'fly', the circus has her running the lovely Center of the Universe carousel. Here she has created a magical world where she speaks to the carousel animals and the angels adorning the carousel roof of her hopes, while always dreaming of flying once again.  Unbeknownst to Angel, the shifty circus owner, has plans to sell off the carousel to make room for a new penny-arcade and hires a mysterious worker from the auction house, to take the carousel down.  As the carousel is dismantled the lives of the entire circus troupe are forever changed as together they learn what truly matters in life. 

The cast includes Britta Laree as Angel DeLuna, Kevin Schwarz as Ollie the clown, Arnie Folldendorf as Charles Deuce, John Riggs as Mike and Kyle Smith as Fred; ensemble chorus and understudies include Amy Luna, Daniel Seifert, Brooke Lyn Seiz,  Joshua Rivera , Mikael MacBeth and Shoshana Bass.

Judylynn Schmidt (Book & Lyrics) originated The Awakening of Angel DeLuna as a play which received staged readings throughout New Jersey. The Awakening of Angel DeLuna was presented as a full musical with composer and co-lyricist Lee Ellis at a Staged Reading at the Dramatist Guild in February of 2007 and again in March of 2009 Off Broadway at Theatre 80 St. Marks;  featuring American Idol  First Season Runner Up Justin Guarini. 

Lee Ellis (Music & Lyrics) began performing professionally with the Light Opera of Manhattan, appearing in Theatre, Television, Film and entertaining audiences in cabarets worldwide. While working with Tony Award winning producer John Glines in the Stamp Out AIDS project, MR. Ellis co-produced the first series of benefits for Broadway Cares with his writing partner Tug Wilson. 

The Carousel of Happiness was conceived as an instrument of giving. The 36 carousel animals were born of the carver Scott Harrison's imagination - a labor of love that took 22 years and counting. Scott donated this priceless work to his town of Nederland establishing a non profit to help needy families in the area. On Memorial Day Weekend, 2010, when the switch was thrown (on the original motor), and the reborn carousel jumped to life for the first time, the Carousel of Happiness rejoined a rich legacy of American culture. More information can be found at www.carouselofhappiness.org 

Angel Wings NYC presents The Awakening of Angel DeLuna June 17 - July 10
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302.  For tickets of more information, call 303-444-7328 or online at www.angeldeluna.com.

 

Photo Credit: Scott Kaplan