'JAGGED LITTLE PILL' COMING TO NEW YORK'S BROADWAY
New York, NY – January 28, 2018 -- Producers Vivek J. Tiwary, Arvind Ethan David, and Eva Price are thrilled to announce that – following a record-breaking, sold-out world premiere at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T) last summer – the acclaimed new musical JAGGED LITTLE PILL will open on Broadway this fall, at a theater soon to be announced. JAGGED LITTLE PILL is directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Waitress, Pippin) and features an original story by Academy Award-winning writer Diablo Cody (Juno, Tully), music by seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette and six-time Grammy winner Glen Ballard, and lyrics by Morissette. Movement Direction and Choreography is by Olivier Award winner Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (“Apesh*t” by The Carters; Beyoncé at The Grammys 2017) and Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Arrangements are by Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, American Idiot).
Atlantic Records will partner with JAGGED LITTLE PILL for the release of the Original Broadway Cast Recording, adding the production to the label’s elite roster of Grammy Award-winning artists and casts.
JAGGED LITTLE PILL is an exhilarating new musical inspired by the themes and raw emotions laid bare in Alanis Morissette’s seminal album of the same name. The Healys appear to be a picture-perfect suburban family; but when the cracks beneath the surface begin to show, they must choose between maintaining the veneer, or defiantly facing truths about themselves and the world around them. “Urgent, wildly entertaining, and wickedly funny in all the right places” (The Boston Globe), this original story is ignited by Morissette’s groundbreaking music – including such hits as “You Oughta Know,” “Head Over Feet,” “Hand In My Pocket,” and “Ironic” – as well as songs newly written for the stage. Hailed by The New York Times as “a big-hearted musical that breaks the mold,” JAGGED LITTLE PILL inspires audiences to look within, speak out, and connect.
"This process, and what this process has yielded artistically and collaboratively, has been nothing short of a revelation, a balm and an arrival for me,” said Alanis Morissette. “It is a culmination of so much of what my life’s work has been oriented toward. To work with Diablo Cody, whose heart is as open as her mind is bright and brave, has taken this record – which has meant so much to me – to a whole other level of depth, meaning and natural activism. Touching on topics that keep me up at night for how deeply I care about them, Diablo’s at once fierce, sensitive and hilarious voice—and her willingness to stay and deepen the course through this journey of creation has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s ability to allow these strong and agile bodies and movement to animate and tell this story on visual, spatial, somatic and heart-gripping visceral levels is unlike anything I have ever seen. Tom Kitt’s multi-layered and seemingly effortless weaving together of the musical tapestry of these songs that range from tiny and pin-drop subtle to a kaleidoscope of blended honorings and re-interpretations, leave me with chills and tears. All of this, with Diane Paulus as our fearless visionary and leader. Her searing intelligence and her capacity to hold the complexity as well as the stillness, and her ability to see the big picture of what this story represents to so many of us, has allowed for her leadership to bring us into a level of profundity and service that we were both deeply moved and cracked open by. The entire team is the dream-come-true collaboration. A relational system of slam dunks, and a community of people who each care in a way that marks each person’s unique and powerful contribution. Grateful does not even come close to how I feel throughout this journey thus far. This process is tinged with giddiness, terror, surrender, wild passion, joy and light."
“Jagged Little Pill is more than a show, it is a movement,” said Diane Paulus. “We have become a company — all the creatives and the cast — dedicated to what this album stands for. At the A.R.T., we had never seen a response as massive as this before — people camping out overnight to get tickets, traveling from all over the world, changing plans to see the show again. There was a visceral energy every night in the theater of audience wanting to live inside our story and the music of this iconic album.”
The world premiere production of JAGGED LITTLE PILL ran for 79 sold-out performances, from May 5 – July 15, 2018, at American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA. The 10-week engagement marked the longest-running and highest-grossing production in the theater’s history. Variety declared the musical “Triumphant! Not since Rent has a musical invested so many bravura roles with so much individual life.” BuzzFeed described the show as “stirring, breathtaking and exceptionally relevant…work this ambitious broadens our perspective of what theater can do.” NPR declared, “Morissette’s anthems are now for the ages. Visually interpreted in Jagged Little Pill with an absorbing intimacy and ingenuity, they reach down to our deepest raw selves, regardless of who we are.”
“I could not be more thrilled to be making my Broadway debut with the support of this incredible team and of course, my hero, Alanis Morissette,” said Diablo Cody. “Writing Jagged Little Pill has been the most fulfilling and emotional creative experience of my life, and I am so excited to share it with as many people as possible.”
In celebration of the musical’s Broadway announcement, the producers will release an exclusive first-listen of “All I Really Want” – a special studio version performed by the World Premiere cast. All fans who sign up at JaggedLittlePill.com by Monday, February 11, 2019 at 12:00PM EST will receive a link to the exclusive song, and access to a special fan pre-sale for the musical.
“Jagged Little Pill was the soundtrack to our youth, so it's a dream come true to bring this beautiful, galvanizing story to the Broadway stage," said Tiwary, David and Price in a joint statement. "24 years ago, Alanis Morissette struck a deep emotional chord across the world, encouraging everyone to wake up to the difficult truths in our lives, be heard, and be seen. We're honored to continue the legacy of Alanis' masterpiece by shepherding a brilliant team of creative minds and shaping Jagged Little Pill into an essential and relevant Broadway musical – one that speaks to modern times and everyone in it – the insider, the outsider, and those in between.”
Released on June 13, 1995, the tremendous success of Alanis Morissette’s album Jagged Little Pill skyrocketed her to become the bestselling international debut artist in history; a title she still holds, with the record’s sales surpassing 24 million certified copies worldwide. Nearly 25 years after its release, Jagged Little Pill continues to be one of the Top 20 Best-Selling Albums of All Time. With nine eclectic and acclaimed albums released over the subsequent twenty years, Morissette’s music has garnered 7 Grammy Awards (with 14 nominations), a Golden Globe nomination and total sales of over 60 million albums worldwide.
“The music and messages of the Jagged Little Pill album are more topical, powerful, and inspiring now than ever. This brilliant new musical takes Alanis’s iconic songs and transforms them into a moving theatrical experience,” said Atlantic Records Chairman and COO, Julie Greenwald. “All of us at Atlantic are proud and thrilled to be partnering with the JAGGED LITTLE PILL team to release the cast album to what promises to be a landmark Broadway event.”
Rounding out the JAGGED LITTLE PILL creative team are Tony-nominated Scenic Designer Riccardo Hernandez (Parade); Costume Designer Emily Rebholz (Dear Evan Hansen); Tony-nominated Lighting Designer Justin Townsend (Moulin Rouge!); Tony-nominated Sound Designer Jonathan Deans (Waitress); and Tony-winning Video & Projection Designer Finn Ross (Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time). The production features additional music by Mike Farrell & Guy Sigsworth.
Lead Producers Vivek J. Tiwary, Arvind Ethan David, and Eva Price, are joined by Caiola Productions, Level Forward & Abigail Disney, Geffen Playhouse-Tenebaum-Feinberg, James L. Nederlander, Van Dean & Yael Silver, Stephen G. Johnson, Concord Theatricals, Bard Theatricals, M. Kilburg Reedy, 42nd.club, Betsey Bernstein, Sundowners, Araca Productions, Len Blavatnik, Burnt Umber Productions, Darren DeVerna & Jeremiah Harris, Daryl Roth Productions, Susan Edelstein, FG Productions, Fourth Wall Theatricals, Sue Gilad & Larry Rogowsky, Harmonia, John Gore Theatrical Group, Melissa M. Jones & Barbara H. Freitag, Jujamcyn, Stephanie Kramer, Lamplighter Projects, Christina Isaly Liceaga, David Mirvish, The Road Company, Spencer B. Ross, Bellanca Smigel Rutter, Iris Smith, Jason Taylor & Sydney Suiter, Rachel Weinstein, W.I.T. Productions & Work Light Productions, and Consulting Producer Tamar Climan, in presenting the American Repertory Theater production of Jagged Little Pill.
Dates, Theater, and Casting for the Broadway production will be announced on a later date.
BIOGRAPHIES
DIABLO CODY (Book) is an Academy Award-winning screenwriter of films including Juno, Young Adult, Jennifer’s Body, Ricki and the Flash, and Tully. She also created the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series “United States of Tara” alongside Steven Spielberg, and the WGA-nominated series “One Mississippi” with Tig Notaro. Through her company, Vita Vera Films, she continues to develop shows for both cable and broadcast television with Warner Brothers Studios. Jagged Little Pill marks her Broadway debut as playwright, following the musical’s sold-out world premiere engagement at American Repertory Theater in Boston.
ALANIS MORISSETTE (Music & Lyrics) Since 1995, Alanis Morissette has been one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians in contemporary music. Her deeply expressive music and performances have earned vast critical praise, 14 Canadian Juno Awards, 7 Grammy® Awards (with an additional 14 nominations), a Golden Globe nomination and sales of over 60 million albums worldwide. Morissette’s 1995 debut, Jagged Little Pill, was followed by such eclectic and acclaimed albums as Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998), MTV Unplugged (1999), Under Rug Swept (2002), So-Called Chaos (2004), Jagged Little Pill Acoustic (2005), her greatest hits album The Collection (2005), Flavors of Entanglement (2008), Havoc and Bright Lights (2012), and Jagged Little Pill: Collector’s Edition (2015). She also contributed musically to theatrical releases, some of which include The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince of Persia, and City of Angels. In 2015, Alanis was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Alanis has also donated her time to a number of causes that help raise awareness and funding on a number of issues including Equality Now, Music for Relief, UN Global Tolerance, “Every Mother Counts” (a CD to which she contributed her song “Magical Child” to help prevent needless maternal deaths), and P.S. Arts. In 2016, Alanis launched Conversation with Alanis Morissette, a monthly podcast that features conversations with a variety of revered authors, doctors, educators and therapists. alanis.com
DIANE PAULUS (Director) is the Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, where Jagged Little Pill premiered in May 2018. Broadway: Waitress (Broadway and US national tour), Pippin (Tony Award, Best Revival and Best Director); The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Tony Award, Best Revival; NAACP Award, Best Direction); HAIR (Tony Award, Best Revival). West End: Waitress (begins February 8). Off-Broadway: Gloria, currently playing at the Daryl Roth Theatre; In the Body of the World (Drama League nomination) at Manhattan Theatre Club; Invisible Thread at Second Stage. At A.R.T.: ExtraOrdinary, The White Card by Claudia Rankine, Crossing, Witness Uganda, Prometheus Bound, Death and the Powers: The Robots’ Opera, Best of Both Worlds, The Donkey Show. Upcoming: Hair Live! on NBC. Other recent work includes Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna, currently on tour in the US. Paulus is Professor of the Practice of Theater in Harvard University’s English Department. She was selected for the 2014 Time 100, Time magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world; as one of Variety’s “Trailblazing Women in Entertainment for 2014”; Boston magazine’s “50 Thought Leaders of 2014”; and Boston magazine’s 2018 “100 Most Influential People in Boston.”
SIDI LARBI CHERKAOUI (Movement Direction & Choreography). Honored with a Fred & Adele Astaire Award for Outstanding Choreographer in a Feature Film in 2013 (Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina) and a UK Music Video Award for Best Choreography in 2013 (Sigur Rós’ Valtari), Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui choreographs for companies and artists including Beyoncé (“Apesh*t” By The Carter’s, Tidal X Charity Concert, Grammy Awards 2017), Cirque du Soleil (Michael Jackson ONE, Kurios), Joe Wright (A Season in the Congo), Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (Orbo Novo), Pilobolus (Automaton), Benjamin Millepied's L.A. Dance Project (Harbor Me), and Martha Graham Dance Company (Mosaic). He has received ballet commissions from Paris Opera Ballet, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, and The Royal Ballet in London (upcoming). Cherkaoui is artistic director of Royal Ballet Flanders and his own company, Eastman.
TOM KITT (Music Supervisor, Orchestrator & Arranger) Broadway (composer): Next to Normal (Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award), If/Then (Tony nomination), High Fidelity, Bring It On: The The Musical. Off-Broadway: Superhero (currently running at Second Stage), New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theater. Broadway (Music Supervisor, Arranger, Orchestrator): Head Over Heels, American Idiot, SpongeBob Squarepants: The Musical, Everyday Rapture. TV/Film: “Rise,” NBC; the Pitch Perfect films.
VIVEK J. TIWARY is a producer of live entertainment from Tony-winning Broadway shows to groundbreaking immersive experiences, a media financier/investor, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. He is the founder of Tiwary Entertainment Group (TiwaryEnt.com). His graphic novel The Fifth Beatle won numerous literary awards including the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award and two Harvey Awards. It’s a Lambda Literary Finalist for Best LGBT Graphic Novel and has been added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Library and Archives. It is being adapted into a TV series that has secured unprecedented access to Beatles music; Vivek is writing and serving as Executive Producer. On Broadway, Vivek’s productions have won a combined 25 Tony Awards over 44 Tony nominations and include Green Day’s American Idiot, A Raisin In The Sun, and Mel Brooks’ The Producers. Vivek is also a pioneering producer in the world of site-specific, tech-based, and immersive theatre. He consulted on the creation and development of The Walking Dead Escape and The Walking Dead Experience. He served on the Board of Directors for New York’s seminal GAle GAtes—widely considered to be the founders of immersive theatre. He also produced experiential shows and installations for boundary-pushing companies such as The Wooster Group, Fischerspooner, and the São Paulo Art Biennial. Among many charitable pursuits, Vivek is the Co-Founder of Musicians On Call, a nonprofit organization that uses music and entertainment to complement the healing process. Follow him on Twitter @VivekJTiwary.
ARVIND ETHAN DAVID is a producer and writer who works across film, television, comics and theatre.
Born in Malaysia of Indian descent, David has lived and worked extensively in the UK, Asia and the US. In television, he most recently was Executive Producer of the acclaimed BBC America/Netflix series “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency,” starring Elijah Wood, which quickly became a cult favorite over its two seasons. David has produced eight feature films, including the British hit comedy The Infidel, and is currently in post-production on The Garden of Evening Mists for HBO Asia. David is also a comic book writer, whose credits include the Stoker Award-nominated Darkness Visible, which he is currently adapting for television. In addition to Jagged Little Pill, David’s theatrical work includes British comedian David Baddiel and Erran Baron Cohen’s The Infidel Musical, based on their film of the same name. Arvind Ethan David is based in Los Angeles, where he serves as the head of producing and financing company Prodigal, and where he lives with his wife, Janine N’jie Berridge and their daughter Odetta.
EVA PRICE is a two-time Tony Award-winning producer of over 15 Broadway plays, musicals, and concerts; a member of The Broadway League’s Board of Governors, one of Crain’s NY 40 Under Forty Rising Business Stars, and on the producing team of Killer Content and Abigail Disney’s entertainment venture, Level Forward. Credits: Oklahoma! (Broadway); Jagged Little Pill (A.R.T.); Angels in America (Tony-winning revival starring Nathan Lane and Andrew Garfield); Dear Evan Hansen (6 Tony Awards including Best Musical); On Your Feet!; Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on Broadway!; Peter and the Starcatcher (5 Tony Awards); Colin Quinn Long Story Short (directed by Jerry Seinfeld); Annie (Tony-Nominated Musical Revival); The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino (Tony-Nominated Play Revival); Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking; The Addams Family; Off-Bway: Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical; Drama Desk-nominated Found; The Lion (Drama Desk-winner, Off-West End-winner); Small Mouth Sounds. Touring: The Hip Hop Nutcracker with Rap Icon Kurtis Blow; The Magic School Bus Live!: The Climate Challenge; Ella, a bio musical about the life and music of Ella Fitzgerald. For five years Eva worked as an assignment editor and coordinating producer for special projects at ABC News, spending her last year producing and reporting on stories relating to Broadway for abcnews.com.
AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER (A.R.T.) at Harvard University is a leading force in the American theater, producing groundbreaking work in Cambridge and beyond. A.R.T. was founded in 1980 by Robert Brustein, who served as Artistic Director until 2002, when he was succeeded by Robert Woodruff. Diane Paulus began her tenure as Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director in 2008. Under the leadership of Paulus and Executive Producer Diane Borger, A.R.T. seeks to expand the boundaries of theater by producing transformative theatrical experiences, always including the audience as a central partner. A.R.T. developed and premiered JAGGED LITTLE PILL in 2018, where it played a ten-week record-breaking engagement. Throughout its history, A.R.T. has transferred numerous productions to New York, including Waitress (dir. Paulus), The Glass Menagerie, Crossing, and Sleep No More. The theater has been honored with many distinguished awards including the Tony Award for Best New Play for All the Way (2014); consecutive Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical for Pippin (2013) and The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (2012), both of which Paulus directed, and sixteen other Tony Awards since 2012; a Pulitzer Prize; a Jujamcyn Prize for outstanding contribution to the development of creative talent; the Regional Theater Tony Award; and more than 100 Elliot Norton and IRNE Awards.
Visit www.jaggedlittlepill.com @jaggedmusical
Photo Courtesy Of Matthew Murphy / Vivacity Media Group
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