Mystic Pizza (musical)

Mystic Pizza is a jukebox musical with a book by Sandy Rustin and score by various artists. The score includes pop music hits from the 1980s.[1]

Mystic Pizza
MusicVarious Artists
LyricsVarious Artists
BookSandy Rustin
BasisMystic Pizza (1988)
By: Alfred Uhry
Amy Holden Jones
Perry Howze
Randy Howze
Productions2021 Ogunquit Playhouse
2025 Paper Mill Playhouse

The musical is based on the 1988 film of the same name that starred Julia Roberts. The show is set in Mystic, Connecticut, during the 1980s and follows the lives of three young waitresses at the Mystic Pizza restaurant.[2]

Production history

edit

Work began on the show during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Sandy Rustin writing the book and video-conferencing with the all-female development team from home. The production was directed by Casey Hushion with choreography by Liz Ramos. Orchestrations of the score were done by Carmel Dean.[3]Melissa Etheridge was originally set to score the musical herself. The show does contain one song from her catelog, I'm the Only One.[4]

Ogunquit (2021)

edit

The show had its world premiere at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine, running from September 1, 2021, until October 2.[5]

The musical was also staged at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, New York from September 15, 2022, until October 30, 2022.[6] The show was workshopped at the Adirondack Theatre Festival from August 5–7, 2022.

Paper Mill Playhouse (2025)

edit

A Pre-Broadway production will premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, running from January 29, 2025, until February 23, 2025.[7]

Prior to the Paper Mill production, the show had a West Coast premiere at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada, California, from January 20 through February 11, 2024.[8]Krystina Alabado will reprise her role as Daisy in this production alongside a new cast including Deanna Giulietti as Jojo and Alaina Anderson as Kat. [9]

Original cast and characters

edit
Character Olgunquit (2021)
Daisy Araújo Krystina Alabado
Katherine "Kat" Araújo Kyra Kennedy
Josephina "Jojo" Barboza Gianna Yanelli
Leona Silva Rayanne Gonzales
Charles Gordon Windsor Jr. Corey Mach
William "Bill" Montijo Garrett Marshall
Tim Travers Joel Perez
Mrs. Araújo Nicole Paloma Sarro

Musical numbers

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Mystic Pizza". Concord Theatricals.
  2. ^ Maslin, Janet (October 21, 1988). "Review/Film; The Autumn Before Womanhood" – via NYTimes.com.
  3. ^ "Mystic Pizza Trades Smelly Fish for Melissa Etheridge, as the Musical Gods Intended - TheaterMania.com". September 9, 2021.
  4. ^ "Melissa Etheridge at Work on Mystic Pizza Musical | Playbill".
  5. ^ "Mystic Pizza - Show". Ogunquit Playhouse.
  6. ^ Theater, John W. Engeman (September 7, 2022). "Mystic Pizza, A New Musical coming to the Engeman". Engeman Theater.
  7. ^ "New Musicals Mystic Pizza and Take the Lead Set for Paper Mill Playhouse Season". Broadway.com.
  8. ^ "Photos: Take a Look at La Mirada Theatre's Mystic Pizza Musical | Playbill".
  9. ^ Mystic Pizza Papermill Cast and Crew
edit