Justin Guarini will bring the theatre to the lone-star state when he stars in the world premiere of Moonshine: That Hee-haw Musical in Dallas.
Taking place in present-day Kornfield Kounty, the show follows Misty Mae (Rose Hemingway), a girl with big dreams, who leaves her microscopic hometown behind to chase her dreams in the “big city” of Tampa. When Misty returns home to visit her friends and family with her new love (Guarini), who turns out to be a cunning city slicker, everything goes haywire. The comedic musical, loosely based on the popular television series, features a score by multi-Award winning artists Brandy Clark, a book by Robert Horn, with direction by Gary Griffin and choreography by Denis Jones.
Guarini first made his presence known when he rocketed to fame in 2002 as the first-runner up of the debut season of American idol. According to his website Guarini was inspired to become an entertainer at young age and said, “As I watched The Jackson 5’s “Victory Tour” in 1986, at the long-forgotten Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GA…I made a decision that would forever shape my life. I said out loud, to myself, “I want to do that”. Justin used his introduction to the masses, from American Idol, as catalyst to solidify himself as an all around entertainer.
He has starred on Broadway in Wicked, Romeo & Juliet (starring Condola Rashad & Orlando Bloom), American Idiot, & Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown opposite Brian Stokes Mitchell. Earlier this summer the entertainer was tapped to host the simulcast of the Tony Awards in Times Square alongside Broadway Black actress Deborah Cox (Aida, Jekyll & Hyde)
Opry Entertainment and Fox Theatricals will be producing the show, in conjunction with Dallas Theater Center.Performances of Moonshine: That Hee Haw Musical will take place at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, in Dallas, from September 2 to October 11.
