Lucie Arnaz Returns to Direct “Hazel: a Musical Maid in America” Starring Klea Blackhurst
Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Lily Robinson
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE
LUCIE ARNAZ
RETURNS TO DIRECT
“ H A Z E L: A M U S I C A L M A I D I N A M E R I C A ”
STARRING KLEA BLACKHURST
IN SPECIAL PRESENTATION LAB
FOUR BY-INVITATION-ONLY READINGS TO TAKE PLACE
ON MAY 28 & MAY 29
AT THE LYRIC THEATRE PERFORMANCE SPACE
New York, NY (March 10, 2015) – Following its much-buzzed-about reading last October, the new musical comedy Hazel: A Musical Maid in America, based on the Saturday Evening Post cartoon character and the multi-Emmy award-winning television series, will embark on the next step in its journey. The production team has recently announced that an Equity Lab, directed by Lucie Arnaz (who directed the October reading), will take place this coming May starring Klea Blackhurst (Hello, Dolly!) as the irrepressible maid. The new musical's score is composed by Ron Abel with lyrics by Chuck Steffan and book by Kleban Award winner, Lissa Levin.
The special two-day event will feature four performances of this hilarious and heartwarming new musical for industry-only audiences on May 28th and 29th at the Lyric Theatre performance space in New York City.
In a statement, Lucie Arnaz commented, “Hazel: A Musical Maid in America is one of the best new musicals I have read in 35 years, and I am honored to be asked to guide its first presentation.”
Hazel is based on one of the most beloved and enduring characters in American popular culture. Hazel, a saucy maid with a wry sense of humor, timeless wisdom, and a heart of gold, was created by cartoonist Ted Key and has been adored for over 60 years. She first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in 1943 as a single-panel cartoon and continued to delight readers of all ages until the magazine went out of print in 1969. Hazel was also brought to life by the inimitable Academy Award winner Shirley Booth on a TV sitcom of the same name, and ran for five well-received, award winning seasons. Hazel’s humanity, common sense, and warmth will touch all audiences as a musical, as it has from the beginning.
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