MARK KENNEDY
AP Drama Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez — the Oscar-winning husband-and-wife team behind the film “Frozen” — are preparing an original romantic comedy for the stage called “Up Here.”
The influential California theater company La Jolla Playhouse said Tuesday that the show will be part of its 2015-16 season and will be directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers.
The show is about a man who falls in love and it is described as “about moving past ourselves — and those little voices in our head — to find happiness.” Lopez and Anderson-Lopez have written the songs, lyrics and story. A few readings have been held, and now a deadline has been made.
“As you can imagine with the Lopezes, it is witty, it is wicked smart, it is irreverent, and it’s youthful in its energy. It will appeal to a broad audience but it certainly will be something that even Millennials will relate to,” said producer Scott Sanders, who has produced the Tony nominated “After Midnight” this season and recently produced “The Pee-wee Herman Show,” which was directed by Timbers.
“I’ve been fans of the Lopezes for a very long time,” said Sanders. Their agent suggested “Up Here,” which wasn’t finished. The four had a meeting and Sanders was sold: “I said, ‘I’ve spent my whole career betting on talent. We’re in.'”
Timbers, who directed “Rocky” on Broadway, also helmed the boundary-pushing “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.” Sanders said he is perfect to direct the new musical.
“Some of the characters are written in one of the protagonist’s imagination and it’s going to allow for some creative staging — so, of course, nobody’s better at that than Alex Timbers,” he said.
Lopez helped write “The Book of Mormon” and “Avenue Q,” while his wife is behind Disney World’s “Finding Nemo” show and co-wrote with him the 2011 Disney film “Winnie the Pooh.” Together they wrote the songs for “Frozen,” including the monster hit “Let It Go.”
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Online: https://www.lajollaplayhouse.org
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