DANGEROUS, A NOIR MUSICAL DIRECTED BY TWO-TIME TONY AWARD NOMINEE DENIS JONES HAS TWO WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS THIS WEEK

OCTOBER 17th AND 18th
​OPEN JAR STUDIOS

For more information, visit dangerousnoirmusical.com

New York, NY - October 15, 2024: The highly anticipated film noir musical-comedy DANGEROUS, book and music by John C. Introcasso, lyrics by Michael Colby, and directed by Two-time Tony Award-nominee Denis Jones (choreography Tootsie and Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn), assisted by Rachel Dolan, and Phil Reno as musical director, has its two-day workshop presentation on Thursday, October 17th and Friday, October 18th at 2:00 pm at Open Jar Studios (1601 Broadway, New York, NY, 10019). 

Combining the classic allure of 1930s gangster films with the suspense of Hitchcock, DANGEROUS promises an unforgettable afternoon of mystery, romance, and jazz-filled intrigue. A historical fiction told in the style of film noir, DANGEROUS is a love letter to the Golden Age of Hollywood set against the smoky backdrop of the late 1930s – where jazz clubs sizzle and danger lurks around every corner. For more information visit www.dangerousnoirmusical.com.

Saloon owner "Broadway" Rose McSweeney and her lover, top gangster Jake "the Dancer" Kinberg, find themselves entangled in a deadly game when involved in the murder of a sinister mobster on the opening night of Rose's nightclub in New York City's Shubert Alley. This swirls them into the dangerous world of a spy known only as the Courier, international detectives, and foreign agents worldwide. Inspired by Hitchcock spy thrillers and classic gangster films, Dangerous is a suspenseful tale of deception, romance, and a double surprise whodunit ending set to a smokin' hot jazz score.

The presentation is directed and choreographed by Denis Jones, whose choreography for Tootsie and Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn on Broadway earned him two Tony Award, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle nominations. A veteran Broadway performer in his own right, Jones has choreographed performances for Broadway, NY City Center ENCORES!, the Met Opera, Shakespeare in the Park, and more.

The presentation features ​ Jared Zirilli (“Wu Tang: An American Dynasty”/Hulu) as Jake “the Dancer”, Jill Paice (An American in Paris/Broadway) as Broadway “Rose”, Tony, Emmy, and Grammy-nominated artist N’Kenge (Caroline, or Change/Broadway) as Jazz, Preston Truman Boyd (Les Miserables, National Tour) as Klaus von Schuler, Nicholas Cortazzo (Hadestown/ National Tour) as Meyer Lansky/Simon Ben-Ezra, Henry Gainza as Percival Bouchard, Danny Gardner (A Christmas Carol) as Inspector Kittering, ​ Nigel Jamal Hall (A Wonderful World) as Dolsy Davis, Candice Hatakeyama (Funny Girl) as Olga Chikalov, Trisha Jeffrey (Little Shop of Horrors, Off-Broadway) as Monique, Kuppi Alec Jessop (The Sign of the Times, Off-Broadway) as Gregor Lawaich, Brian Martin (Nat’l Tour Frozen), as Bugsy Siegel, Kaitlyn Mayse (Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, National Tour) as Senator Rosland Pike, Jon J. Peterson as Jilly/Nelson, Alex Pouloutides as Reva Akkerman, Yash Ramanujam as Abbu Mussad, James Rana (The Band’s Visit) as Qasif Halim, Megan Sikora (42nd Street, Curtains, Promises, Promises) as Myrtle, Bobby Underwood (Fiddler on the Roof (in Yiddish), Off-Broadway) as Monk Genna/Hornbeck and Stuart Zagnit (Harmony/ Caroline, or Change) as Professor Zweben.

The presentation features music direction by Phil Reno and associate direction by Rachel Leigh Dolan. The production stage manager is Jonathan Bach, with assistant stage management from Emma Ramsay-Saxon and production assistance from Haley Robles.

The developmental workshop is presented by The Directors Company – Artistic Director Michael Parva, Producing Director Leah Michalos, and Associate Artistic Director Heather Arnson – and general management courtesy of Michalos Management LLC. Casting by Judy Henderson with associate Emily Grayce. Rachel J.S. Hewitt of Rachel|Media created the graphic design and website, with publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.

Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes (with an intermission)

https://www.dangerousnoirmusical.com

DENIS JONES (Director/Choreographer) is a two-time Tony Award, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle nominee, his work has been seen on Broadway in Tootsie, Holiday Inn and Honeymoon in Vegas. Recent credits: Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls (Kennedy Center),Crazy For You (Asolo Rep), Chicago (Muny, winner St Louis Theater Circle Awards for best director, choreographer), Oliver! (Maltz-Jupiter), Eurydice (Metropolitan Opera), A Chorus Line (Signature Theatre), Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz (Paper Mill Playhouse), The Flamingo Kid (Hartford Stage, winner Connecticut Critics Circle Award for best choreography), The Music Man (Goodman Theatre), Paint Your Wagon! (NY City Center Encores!) and The Tempest (NY Shakespeare Festival). 

JOHN C. INTROCASO (Composer, Playwright, add. Lyrics) is a self-taught musician who has played honky tonk, blues, country, and boogie-woogie piano in clubs in and around New York City, as a solo act and with his band OLD BULL LEE, from the Bitter End to the Village Gate to Hilly's. A recipient of an ASCAP award for his original musical CROSSROADS CAFE: John's original musical, DANGEROUS, is part one of a trilogy! This musical is dedicated to the memory of ANN CRUMB.

MICHAEL COLBY (Lyrics) is the Drama Desk Award-nominated lyricist/librettist of such musicals as CHARLOTTE SWEET, LUDLOW LADD, THEY CHOSE ME!, and TALES OF TINSELTOWN (originally produced by The Directors Company). In December, his HOLIDAY REGARDS will be his sixth show at the acclaimed Winter Rhythms series at Urban Stages. His musicals have been produced at Goodspeed, Amas, TADA!, and numerous regional theatres. A member of BMI and The Dramatists Guild, Colby wrote the popular book, The Algonquin Kid.

THE DIRECTORS COMPANY (Producer) is an award-winning not-for-profit theatre company with an extraordinary record in its mission to develop and produce groundbreaking new plays and musicals for the American theatre public. For 40 years, The Directors Company has mentored and supported emerging artists in the development of original theatre works from inception to production, providing artistic and dramaturgical guidance to promising, new theatre artists and their projects. The future of American theatre depends on a regular influx of new works, to which The Directors Company is committed, and the collaborative process we encourage involves not only the playwright and director but audiences as well, who play a part in the emergence of original works giving voice to contemporary concerns.

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