"Always & Forever" Really Is! Hit Musical Revue Returns to Illusion Theater August 21 - October 2010

(Minneapolis) – When the first production of Always & Forever was on stage at Illusion Theater in 1996, it played to standing-room-only crowds for more than three months. After nearly 15 years of audience requests, Illusion Theater is pleased to announce the return of the hit musical revue, created by Richard D. Thompson, Sanford Moore and Garry Q. Lewis. Always & Forever, starring original cast members T. Mychael Rambo, Dennis Spears and Julius Collins III and newcomer Jackson Hurst, will run August 21 – October 3, 2010.

Set in a 1970’s urban neighborhood barbershop, the play gives audiences a view of various aspects of love through the eyes and experiences of four African American men as they relate their stories through popular R&B songs of the ’60’s and ’70’s, including tunes by The Jackson Five, Percy Sledge, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and Earth, Wind & Fire.

T. Mychael Rambo returns to play Durius Wright, the wise and worldly barbershop owner singing “You Send Me,” “Do You Love Me?” and “Betcha By Golly Wow.” Also returning to the role he created, Dennis Spears will stalk the stage as Leviticus Tucker singing “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Baby,” “Tears of a Clown” and Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”  The role of Quenton Jones, a man whose marriage is in trouble, will again be played by Julius Collins III, who will crack hearts open when he sings, "Where Is the Love," "Have You Seen Her: and "I Want You Back."  The newest member of the Always & Forever ensemble is fifteen-year-old Jackson Hurst as the young Jahmal Purdy, who brings all his soul to the songs "Just My Imagination," "I'll Be There," "In the Rain," and "Signed, Sealed, and Delivered."  The revue will be presented with a live five-member band led by Sanford Moore.

The world premiere of Always & Forever was presented as part of Illusion Theater’s 1996 Season. Richard D. Thompson and Sanford Moore developed the show together after working at Illusion on the revue, Blues in the Night. Producing Director Michael Robins asked Moore and Thompson “if they might be interested in constructing a musical revue as a response [to Blues in the Night] revealing the male point of view about relationships.” First, they constructed the characters and then found songs to illustrate the different men’s perspectives about love and loving. Sanford Moore stated, “We picked songs purely from what the lyrics said…I found so much of this music to be so poetic and so passionate.”

Receiving rave reviews, Always & Forever was sold out for more than three months and extended its run to accommodate the demand. The Minneapolis Star Tribune said, “It’s the music, which always colors the characters, that is at the charming heart of this show…energizing this guy show is the smooth, street-smart choreography of Garry Q. Lewis. Don’t miss this one.” Drama-Logue wrote, “Always and Forever creates its own brand of theatrical magic, and it’s impossible to resist being drawn into its warm and love-filled embrace.” From City Pages came, “Always and Forever might be the best thing of its kind to come to town since Solid Gold Soul radio.”

Following the sold-out shows at Illusion, the Omicron Boulé invited Illusion to do a special encore performance of Always & Forever when its national conference was held in the Twin Cities in 2000. Always & Forever was presented for one night only in the old Guthrie Theater, followed by a limited run in Illusion’s theater in September 2000.

Ticket & Address Information
Single tickets for Always & Forever are $15-$40 and are now on sale at the Illusion Theater Box Office at 612-339-4944 or online at www.illusiontheater.org. Groups of 10 or more are eligible for a group discount and should call the box office to make reservations.

The theater is located on the 8th floor in the Hennepin Center for the Arts at 528 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis. The building is on the corner of 6th Street and Hennepin Avenue, just one block from Metro Transit’s Hiawatha Light-Rail Line. Construction for the Shubert Theater renovation project will continue throughout the summer and fall, but the doorway to the Hennepin Center for the Arts and Illusion Theater is wide open for audiences. Everyone is welcome.

Performance Schedule (Subject to Change)
Friday, August 20 at 8:00pm (Preview)
Saturday, August 21 at 8:00pm (Preview)
Sunday, August 22 at 7:00pm (Invite-Only & Press Opening Night Event)
Wednesday, August 25 at 10:00am
Thursday, August 26 at 8:00pm (Pay-What-You-Can)
Friday, August 27 at 8:00pm
Saturday, August 28 at 8:00pm
Sunday, August 29 at 7:00pm
Wednesday, September 1 at 10:00am
Thursday, September 2 at 8:00pm (Pay-What-You-Can)
Friday, September 3 at 8:00pm
Saturday, September 4 at 8:00pm
Wednesday, September 8 at 10:00am
Thursday, September 9 at 8:00pm (Pay-What-You-Can)
Friday, September 10 at 8:00pm
Saturday, September 11 at 8:00pm
Sunday, September 12 at 7:00pm
Thursday, September 16 at 8:00pm
Friday, September 17 at 8:00pm
Saturday, September 18 at 8:00pm
Sunday, September 19 at 7:00pm
Wednesday, September 22 at 10:00am
Thursday, September 23 at 8:00pm
Friday, September 24 at 8:00pm
Saturday, September 25 at 8:00pm
Sunday, September 26 at 7:00pm
Wednesday, September 29 at 10:00am
Thursday, September 30 at 8:00pm
Friday, October 1 at 8:00pm
Saturday, October 2 at 8:00pm
Sunday, October 3 at 7:00pm

About Illusion Theater
Illusion Theater was founded in 1974 and presents its season on the 8th floor of the Hennepin Center for the Arts in downtown Minneapolis. Since the beginning, Producing Directors Michael Robins and Bonnie Morris have led Illusion Theater in illuminating the illusions, myths, and realities of our times and in using the power of theater to catalyze personal and social change. In thirty-five years, Illusion has generated over 500 plays, developed thousands of artists, and created ground-breaking educational works. Plays developed at Illusion have been produced in theaters throughout the world. Illusion’s work has catalyzed conversations in living rooms, kitchens, coffee houses, and board rooms, and has led to transformations in policy, in organizations, in students, and in individuals.

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