The Apple Boys: A Barbershop Quartet Musical
GMTWP Alum Ben Bonnema (Cycle 21) had the world premiere of his new musical THE APPLE BOYS: A BARBERSHIP QUARTET MUSICAL at HERE in December.
The show featured a book by writer and performer Jonothon Lyons with music and lyrics by Ben Bonnema, and direction by David Alpert.
Set in Coney Island at the turn of the 20th century, the story centers on Jack Chapman III (Johnny Appleseed’s grandson), who sets out to save his family’s apple orchard by enlisting the help of Nathan Handwerker (founder of Nathan’s Hot Dogs), Warren Lincoln Travis (“The World’s Strongest Man”), and Lina “Hank” Beecher (designer of the first looping roller coaster). Together, this very different group of friends discover the magic of a new kind of music: barbershop harmony.
The cast included Jonothon Lyons (Basil Twist’s Symphonie Fantastique, Sleep No More) as Warren, Amanda Ryan Paige (Zanna Don’t!) as Hank, Jelani Remy (Smokey Joe’s Café, The Lion King) as Jack, and Teddy Yudain (The Little Match Girl) as Nathan. The four actors played over 40 characters.