Scandalous!

New Orleans, USA, 2009

The international cast were truly exceptional - with Broadway's Bart Shatto and West End's Lindsay Hamilton brilliantly portraying the lead roles of Lawrence and Frieda.

The audience response was tremendous - with standing ovations and shouts of "more" every night.

This proved what the authors suspected, that Scandalous! can be a big hit on both sides of the proverbial pond!

The authors are now in talks with producers in the USA. See New York / London Page for more details.

"From the moment I first heard this wonderful music and read the powerful script, I knew I had to bring Scandalous! to the United Sates."

So said Maestro Dennis Assaf (Executive Director of Jefferson Performing Arts Society) and it was through his passion and determination that Scandalous! received its United States premiere in March, 2009.

This was an exciting and significant step forward in the musical's progress.

Staged at the Jefferson Performing Arts Centre in New Orleans, with a cast of twenty-two, an orchestra of fourteen and full sets and costumes, it was the grandest production of Scandalous! to date.

See below for further details about JPAS and Maestro Dennis Assaf.

"Scandalous! given the highest rating of Four Claps"

AL SHEA - Actor, Theatre & TV Critic

"Scandalous! is a wonderful and invigorating evening in the theater! 

With a totally compelling treatment of the elusive character of D.H. Lawrence, the book and very appealing music offer vivid musical theater - both entertaining and engaging.

I predict its continuing success."

ROBERT LYALL, General and Artistic Director, The New Orleans Opera Association

"... the score is as good, if not better, than just about anything playing on Broadway today.

... a delightful evening of theatre that lifts Lawrence from the page and from stodgy surveys of British literature to bring him vividly to life ... an epic musical ..."
 
THEODORE P. MAHNE, Times Picayune, New Orleans
 

"Scandalous! ... is among the very best musicals
I have ever seen ... the show is a smash ... enchanting and compelling music."
 
ALAN SMASON, Big Easy Theatre Committee, New Orleans

"I laughed and I cried. My emotions were pulled in every direction.

It was nothing less than brilliant. I hope to see this show go far."

JACKIE BANKSTON, Entertainer

"I haven't been this excited about a production in a long while.

I am now into D.H.Lawrence up to my eyebrows ... thanks to you and your stimulating production."
 
JACK BROCKING, Emeritus Professor of Theatre

"A perfect looking-glass into the complex world of D.H. Lawrence, poignant and powerful, lyrical and satirical at all the right moments.

The music of Scandalous! illuminates its subject brilliantly.

With every song, Glyn Bailey hits the mark ... over and over again!"

DR. RON BERMINGHAM, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra 

DENNIS G. ASSAF: JPAS executive/artistic director, conductor

Under Dennis G. Assaf's artistic vision and community leadership through JPAS, the cultural climate of Jefferson Parish was born in 1978.

In the ensuing years Assaf has created educational outreach programmes for children and adults alike and introduced the Metro New Orleans community to stars from the world of the performing arts and literally from the world at large.

As well as his extensive work in the USA, he is a frequent guest conductor around the globe and has conducted with The Croatian National Theatre Opera Orchestra, Rijeka, Croatia; The Solisti dell’ Orchestra Filarmonica di Roma, Italy; The Cairo Symphony, Egypt, and The Orchestra Fiorentina da Camera of Florence, Italy.

Assaf holds a BME from Loyola University and a Master of Music in Conducting from UNO.

He has studied at the prestigious Conductor's Institute, Westminster Choir College and the Conductor's Workshop with the Gregg Smith Singers.

Assaf’s entrepreneurial spirit and artistic vision are evident in his working relationship with other regional producers and cultural organisations that extend throughout the Gulf South Region.

This continues this season as JPAS tours several productions to venues throughout the state and the Gulf South.

Assaf and JPAS will continue to bring the arts and cultural enrichment to the community as they expand to new venues, explore new works and collaborate with new artists!

JEFFERSON PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY

The Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS) is a non-profit professional arts organisation whose mission is to promote arts performance, training, and outreach by providing a diverse range of quality programmes that entertain, educate and enrich the cultural and economic vitality of Jefferson Parish, Greater New Orleans and the Gulf South.

JPAS has rightfully earned the reputation as "Louisiana's Cultural Leader. "

One of the goals of JPAS is to be a “proving ground” for original works of musical theatre. Supporting that goal, JPAS executive/artistic director, Dennis G. Assaf, chose to include Scandalous! in the organisation’s 2008-2009 season.

By producing this historic American Premiere in March 2009, JPAS has positioned itself for national recognition as Scandalous! goes on to Broadway and London success.

Maestro Assaf is a true believer in the unlimited potential of Scandalous! and sees JPAS’s continued involvement with the show as a valuable opportunity for the growth of the organisation’s outreach and the continued fulfillment of its mission.

DENNIS G. ASSAF

JPAS Executive / Artistic Director, Conductor