JPAS Proudly Presents the Local Premiere of this Tony-Award Winning Musical The Light in the Piazza

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Contact Anna Toujas Rosenberg
504-885-2000 x205
publicity@jpas.org

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA
JPAS Proudly Presents the Local Premiere of this Tony-Award Winning Musical
Pictured: Daughter and mother Ariel Assaf (Clara), and Nancy Ross (Margaret Johnson) in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA
Sponsored by East Jefferson General Hospital, the J. Edgar Monroe Foundation, and Iberia Bank

Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS) is proud to present the local premiere of Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel's THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. The romance of Florence combines with a passionate love story in this moving Tony-Award winning musical. On stage for three performances only!

Friday and Saturday, March 16, 17 at 7:30PM & Sunday, March 18 at 2PM
Tulane University's Dixon Hall

Tickets are Adults $30, Seniors/Military $27, Students $20. For tickets, call the JPAS Box Office at 504-885-2000 or online at http://www.jpas.org/. JPAS has great group rates and discount ticket packages are still available! Call the Box Office for more details!

Directed by Roland "Butch" Caire with the JPAS Orchestra conducted by Dennis G. Assaf, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA stars real-life mother and daughter NANCY ROSS and ARIEL ASSAF as mother and daughter, Margaret and Clara Johnson. The production also features a special appearance by Jefferson Parish President John Young as Roy Johnson. LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA also stars RICHARD ARNOLD (Fabrizio), RICHARD HUTTON (Signor Naccarelli), CELESTE VEILLON (Signora Naccarelli), KATE ABREO (Franca Naccarelli) and SCOTT SAUBER (Giusseppe Naccarelli).

The cast also includes WAYNE GONSOULIN, PETER ELLIOTT, JEANN DEMONTLUZIN, JIMMY DEMONTLUZIN, FRANK VON HOVEN, GRETCHEN HIRT, NATALIE JONES, AIMEE FORTIER, and PETER GABB.

LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA - A Family Affair for JPAS!
Portraying mother and daughter, Margaret and Clara Johnson, is real-life mother and daughter Nancy Ross and Ariel Assaf. The Assafs are certainly a musical family, the patriarch being none other than the Maestro himself, JPAS executive/artistic director Dennis G. Assaf, who will be conduction the orchestra and musically directing this production. Nancy Ross appears annually in JPAS operatic productions, however, this will be the first time in several years that the Assafs will share a stage for such a large scale production. Maestro Assaf, who co-founded JPAS over 34 years ago, is proud and thrilled to have his love of the arts and music expressed through his family's role in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.

Special Appearance by Jefferson Parish President John Young!
JPAS is thrilled to have the support and participation of Jefferson Parish President John Young in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. President Young will be portraying the brief but pivotal role of Roy Johnson, the husband of Margaret Johnson - the opposing force in the relationship developing between their daughter Clara and Fabrizio. Although he admits, he has not been in a theatrical production like this since his high school days, President Young is very enthusiastic about being a part of this beautiful production.

Pictured: President John Young (Roy Johnson), Richard Arnold (Fabrizio), Ariel Assaf (Clara), and Nancy Ross (Margaret Johnson) in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

The romance of Florence comes to life on stage in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. It is the summer of 1953 and Margaret Johnson (NANCY ROSS), the wife of an American businessman (PRESIDENT JOHN YOUNG), is touring the Tuscan countryside with her daughter, Clara (ARIEL ASSAF). While sightseeing, Clara- a beautiful, surprisingly childish young woman - loses her hat in a sudden gust. As if guided by an unseen hand, the hat lands at the feet of Fabrizio Naccarelli (RICHARD ARNOLD), a handsome Florentine, who returns it to Clara. This brief episode, charged with coincidence and fate, sparks an immediate and intense romance between Clara and Fabrizio. Margaret, extremely protective of her daughter, attempts to keep Clara and Fabrizio apart. As THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA unfolds, a secret is revealed: in addition to the cultural differences between the young lovers, Clara is not quite all that she appears. Unable to suppress the truth about her daughter, Margaret is forced to reconsider not only Clara's future, but her own hopes as well.


THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA . Book by Craig Lucas . Music and Lyrics by Adam Guettel . Directed by Roland "Butch" Caire . Orchestra/Music Direction by Dennis G. Assaf Stage Manager: Lauren Guillot. Assistant Stage Manager: Andy Neimann . Costumes and Props by Trish McClain. Hair and Makeup Design by Don and Linda Guillot . Lighting Design by Diane K. Baas . Scenic Design by James Jennings. Technical Direction by Richard Croy. Technical Interns: Alena Samoray & Amariah Henderson.

More About the Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS)
Founded in 1978 by Dennis G. Assaf and Hannah Cunningham, Jefferson Performing Arts Society is a non-profit professional arts organization whose mission is to promote arts performance, training and outreach by providing a diverse range of quality programs that entertain, educate and enrich the cultural and economic vitality of Jefferson Parish, Greater New Orleans and the Gulf South.
JPAS focuses on three main elements:

• PERFORMANCE JPAS annually provides a wide range of theatrical performances that appeal to many interests and age groups. Most seasons include a selection of grand opera, musical theater, dance and music. JPAS strives to network and partner with national and international artists and companies to bring new and diverse programming to the Southern Region.

• TRAINING JPAS provides performance and technical based training in the arts for all ages with a particular focus on young people.
• OUTREACH JPAS provides arts education programming in local area schools, as well as access to professional theatrical experiences that align to classroom curricula and Louisiana Content Standards, including Arts Adventure Series, Cultural Crossroads and Stage Without A Theatre. JPAS provides performers, musicians, artistic experiences and expertise to select area events and organizations to enrich the community.