presents

The Theory of Relativity

Music and Lyrics by Neil Bartram

Book by Brian Hill

June 28 – 30

(Wednesday, May 29, 2024) West Palm Beach, Fla. – The Theory of Relativity, a delightful and dynamic, wise and witty song cycle with music and lyrics by Neil Bartram and a book by Brian Hill, will be performed by 11 talented teenagers from Palm Beach County at Palm Beach Dramaworks from June 28-30. The show is being staged by theAcademy@pbd, a summer program that offers rigorous, professional-level training for both teen actors and stage managers, and creates a safe and positive environment for optimal learning. In addition to the 11 performers, two students are working on the show as assistant stage managers.  

“It’s the perfect song cycle for young people,” said Director of Education and Community Engagement Gary Cadwallader, who is directing the show. “The characters’ stories reflect the challenges and universal experiences young adults face when racing into adulthood. It’s about relationships and friendships as they grow and evolve, and how we step into our own power. It’s so relatable for our actors, and will also have a deep impact on our audiences.”   

The musical features a group of distinct and disparate characters revealing their innermost hopes, dreams, and concerns. The songs range from joyous and funny to poignant and determined, laying bare humanity’s interconnectedness and guiding us to embrace our past and present to create a more considerate and compassionate future.     

The Theory of Relativity was commissioned by Sheridan College in Toronto. Bartram and Hill were invited to write a show for the school’s musical theatre students, and they were determined to create something that authentically addressed the lives of young adults, that was relatable to the audience and the performers, and that did not require anyone to play a character outside their age demographic. The first draft received a 2012 reading by Sheridan College students as part of the Canadian Music Theatre Project. The show continued to evolve at other universities, and in 2014 it was presented as a staged reading at the Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals. The following year, The Theory of Relativity had its US premiere at Goodspeed Musicals and its Off-West End premiere. The show has become one of the most produced high school musicals. 

Casting for PBD’s production was by audition, and stage managers were chosen via interviews. The students are from Boca Raton Community High School, Dreyfoos School of the Arts, and G-Star School of the Arts, and all are actors unless otherwise noted. Those with an asterisk next to their names indicates that they also participated in last season’s Academy production of Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World. The students are Kayla Brown, Pedro Costa, Julia DiPiazza, Nisa Guvenilir*, Conor Hullender*, JJ Korkin*, Alexa Lasanta, Jasmine Massari, Shashvat Premkumar, Jacob Quartell* (assistant stage manager), Alejandro Quiñones, Atlas Saavedra (assistant stage manager), and Austin Tindell. Elizabeth Dimon is the assistant director, Lisa Stephens is the music director, Brian O’Keefe is the costume designer, Dylan Carter is the lighting designer, Roger Arnold is the sound designer, and Kira Barnes is the scenic artist.  

Neil Bartram (Music and Lyrics) is best known as the co-writer of Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks, for which he added new songs and expanded the classic Sherman Brothers score. This new stage adaptation toured the UK and Ireland in 2021-22. He is also the composer and lyricist of The Theory of Relativity and The Story of My Life, which was seen on Broadway in 2009. Other works include an adaptation of Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio (Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Young People’s Theatre Toronto), a musical adaptation of Michel Tremblay's Les Belles-soeurs (Canadian tour), a musical based on Ray Bradbury’s classic novel Something Wicked This Way Comes (11 Barrymore Award nominations), You Are Here (Off-West End), Senza Luce, and a stage adaptation of Shakespeare in Love (Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Asolo Repertory Theatre). Born in the UK, raised in Canada, and now based in New York City, Neil is a member of the Dramatists Guild and ASCAP, and is an alumnus of the BMI Lehman Engel Music Theatre Workshop.  

Brian Hill (Book) wrote the book for the stage adaptation of Disney’s classic Bedknobs and Broomsticks (UK tour), The Story of My Life (Broadway), Something Wicked This Way Comes (11 Barrymore Award nominations), the English language adaptation of Michel Tremblay’s Les Belles-Soeurs (Canadian national tour), a solo voice musical You Are Here (Off-West End), a fresh take on The Adventures of Pinocchio (Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Young People’s Theatre Toronto), a musical fable Senza Luce, and The Theory of Relativity, all with composer/lyricist Neil Bartram. Brian also wrote the new book for the Old Globe’s production of October Sky, based on the film of the same name, and the revised book for the Goodman Theatre’s acclaimed production of Brigadoon. Directing credits include new works, revisited classics, and works-in-development for Disney Theatrical Productions, Mirvish Productions, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Goodspeed Musicals, TheatreWorks, 5th Avenue Theatre, The Segal Centre, The Shaw Festival, and The Stratford Festival of Canada. He directed the early developmental readings, workshops, and production of Come From Away. Brian was resident director of the Toronto and Broadway companies of The Lion King, and associate director of Broadway’s The Little Mermaid. He is a member of CAEA, the SDC and the Dramatists Guild.

The Theory of Relativity is sponsored by Mary Keymer and the Sean Boneri Creative Fellowship.

Performances are June 28 and 29 at 7pm, and June 30 at 2pm. Tickets are $15 for students and $35 for adults. Tickets can be purchased through the box office, in person or by phone (561.514.4042 ext. 2), and online 24 hours a day at palmbeachdramaworks.org.    

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