Pump Up the Volume

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The Musical

Music by Jeff Thompson

Libretto by Jeremy Desmon

Directed by Dave Solomon

WORKSHOP PERFORMANCE

Friday, February 10, 2012 – 3:00p.m.
Friday, February 10, 2012 – 7:30p.m.
Saturday, February 11, 2012 – 7:30p.m.
Sunday, February 12, 2012 – 2:00p.m.

Michigan State University Department of Theatre will be offering area audiences a chance to see a musical in the making by offering FREE performances of the workshop of the new musical Pump Up the Volume. The show is based on the popular 1990 film, starring Christian Slater, about a loner teen in Arizona who begins broadcasting from his bedroom on the radio as DJ “Hard Harry” and soon gains a large following. 

The show will be fully memorized and choreographed but with limited design elements. The workshop is a chance for students to work on a new musical with new songs and material added during the rehearsal process. It is also a chance for local audiences to offer feedback on the possibility of a full production next year at MSU. Following the show there will be discussions with the cast, the writers and the director. 

New York City Director, Dave Solomon (Associate Director of Nine to Five and the Sunday in the Park with George revival) is a guest artist in residence at MSU and has been funded as part of the College of Arts and Letters’ Famous Affiliates program. This program brings experts in their field to MSU for extended residencies over several years. Dave Solomon’s full bio is included at the end of this release. 

The writers of the musical Jeff Thompson and Jeremy Desmon are award-winning composers bursting onto the scene in New York City. Pump Up the Volume has had similar developmental workshops at the Human Race in Ohio and most recently at the Goodspeed Opera House. Their full bios are at the end of this release.