WILD ABOUT HARRY

New York Musical Theatre Festival 2008

Written by Susan DiLallo
Directed by Elizabeth Lucas
Choreographed by Joshua Bergasse, Daryl Gray,

Linda Goodrich, Jeff Shade and Shea Sullivan

An all-danced riff on Leona Helmsley....the Queen of Mean

This unique, danced-through musical, created especially for NYMF '08 and choreographed by five of today's most talented young choreographers, begins where the tabloids left off. A completely fresh look at Leona Helmsley, one of NYC's most colorful characters, and the one man who loved her, the many others who did not, and her dog...who inherited 12 million bucks.

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center

Dance Stage Musical

SUMMER SHORTS (Series B) - PLAISIR d'AMOUR

59E59, NYC

A Terrence McNally/Skip Kennon theatrical premiere featuring Jonathan C. Kaplan (Tony Nominee FALSETTOS), Stephanie D’Abruzzo (Tony Nominee AVENUE Q), Rita Harvey (FIDDLER revival) and Neal Mayer (LES MIZ). PLAISIR D'AMOUR is part of Summer Shorts, a series of short plays.

"...the prize goes, no contest, to "Plaisir D'Amour," mostly because of the amazing synchronization of all its disparate elements."

- Sam Thielman, Variety

"Plaisir D'Amour," starring Tony nominees Stephanie D'Abruzzo ("Avenue Q") and Jonathan C. Kaplan ("Falset-

tos"), is the undisputed highlight"

- Frank Scheck, New York Post

"Elizabeth Lucas' fluid direction allows the action to unfold gracefully."

- David Barbour, Lighting & Sound America

"as directed by Elizabeth Lucas, the musical proves to be pertinent to our own lives, and soars with the sublime acting of its two principals."

- Deirdre Donovan, Curtain Up

"Of course, the real reason to see either series is for...Terrance McNally and Skip Kennon's mini-musical, Plaisir D'Amour (Series B)...It's the most polished of the eight plays, with outstanding performances from Stephanie D'Abruzzo and Jonathan C. Kaplan as they chronicle a relationship from the desperate single life to the troubled married life and eventually, with their own children now married, to the comfortable afterglow of a once passionate life. Far too many one-acts, even decent ones, come across as ultimately empty etudes, but this musically simplistic piece does for a transient comedy what Prelude & Liebestod did for drama."

- Aaron Riccio, Theater Talk

Stage Musical

RAGTIME

Cape Rep in Brewster, MA

View Production Photos

"the Cape Rep Theatre production, under the masterful direction of Elizabeth Lucas, beautifully captures the spirit and essence of the show...Lucas works magic with this ensemble production.

Lucas moves her cast with great skill as time, place and focus fluidly change from New Rochelle to the Lower East Side, from train station to dock, from Harlem to Union Square, from Atlantic City to J.P.
Morgan's library. The ensemble work is excellent."

- Debbie Forman, Cape Cod Times

"Lucas then takes a cast of 25 characters played by 19 actors with over 30 musical numbers, and creates an intense yet intimate show. Bring a tissue."

- Amy Tagliaferri, Cape Cod Chronicle

Stage Musical

THE LAST STARFIGHTER

New York Musical Theatre Festival - September 2007

See a video excerpt here

From JONATHAN BETUEL’s screenplay for the beloved 1980s sci-fi film comes the cosmically entertaining romantic musical fantasy THE LAST STARFIGHTER. It’s Spring 1983 in a Sierra Nevada trailer park. High school senior Alex Rogan’s hardworking, unrewarded life takes an unexpected turn when he breaks a video game record and is spirited away by the game’s inventor, the alien huckster Centauri, to fight for the Star League in a faraway galaxy. Centauri leaves behind Beta, a body double droid of Alex, to cover Alex’s absence with his mother, brother and beloved girlfriend Maggie while Alex is off fighting the evil Zur and the Ko-dan Armada. Beta’s comic mishaps on Earth with Maggie and the neighbors in the trailer park, and shape-shifting alien assassins in pursuit of Alex on his home turf, alternate with Alex’s heroic starfighter achievements. Alex must reach inside himself to discover his true potential – the universe and his life depend on it!

Stage Musical

Holidays Around the World

Young People's Chorus of New York City

In a spirited celebration of the season, the award-winning Young People’s Chorus of New York City raise their voices in holiday songs from many cultures and traditions around the world.

Staged Concert

Jekyll & Hyde

by Frank Wildhorn
Trump Plaza in Atlantic City

"Director Elizabeth Lucas deftly guides her actors through a psychological drama turned musical, bringing the characters to life... a straight-ahead exceptional dramatic musical that, according to more than one theatergoer, compares favorably to the Broadway production."

- Steve Angelucci, Atlantic City Weekly

Full Review: Atlantic City Weekly

"If top-shelf staging, stellar ensemble performances and a dynamic and compelling lead turn are more your speed, then don't miss Jekyll & Hyde..."

- Chuck Darrow, Courier Post

Full Review: Courier Post

The View From Here

music and lyrics by Timothy Huang
book by Timothy Huang in collaboration with Elizabeth Lucas

Premiered at the New York Musical Theatre Festival

"This one-man musical plays like a fresh variation on Wonderful Town propelled by stunning music and a tremendously appealing solo performance by Shonn Wiley." (Backstage)