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Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award Winner @Lin_Manuel joins @FreestyleLove at @KimmelCC for one night only: June 10, 2022! @KimmelCC (Twitter)/@KimmelCulturalCampus (Facebook/Instagram) Visit www.kimmelculturalcampus.org for info.
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Pulitzer Prize, Grammy®, Emmy®, and Tony Award® Winner LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA to Guest Star for One Performance Only June 10 in the Critically Acclaimed Hip Hop Sensation and 2020 Tony Award® Recipient, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME
HAMILTON alumni James Monroe Iglehart to make special guest appearance June 7-11 and Christopher Jackson June 11-12 at Kimmel Cultural Campus’ Miller Theater
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, June 1, 2022) – Producers Thomas Kail, Jenny and Jon Steingart, Jill Furman, and the Kimmel Cultural Campus announce that FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME founding member, producer, and Pulitzer Prize, Grammy®, Emmy®, and Tony Award® Winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights, Disney’s Encanto) will join the national tour of FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME as a special guest at the 8 p.m. performance on June 10, 2022 at the Kimmel Cultural Campus’ Miller Theater (formerly Merriam Theater). Miranda joins the previously announced special guests of Tony Award® winner James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin, Hamilton), who will appear in performances June 7 through June 11, 2022, and Grammy® and Emmy Award® winner and Tony Award® nominee Christopher Jackson (Hamilton, In the Heights), who will appear in performances June 11 and June 12, 2022.
The Broadway series in Philadelphia is presented by the Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Shubert Organization.
“We are thrilled to welcome the incomparable Lin-Manuel Miranda for this one-day-only performance as part of our week-long engagement of Freestyle Love Supreme,” said Matías Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. “A brilliant master of creative artistry, Miranda joins a sensational cast, alongside Philly’s own Anthony Veneziale, for an unforgettable experience unique to those sitting in the theater that night.”
Following a successful limited Broadway engagement this fall that included a 2020 Special Tony Award®, the critically-acclaimed improv sensation FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME is conceived by Philadelphia native Anthony Veneziale and created by Thomas Kail, Miranda, and Veneziale. Created before In the Heights and Hamilton and directed by Kail, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME is a thrilling, improvised musical comedy show that features talented performers providing non-stop action throughout this fast-paced evening, spinning suggestions from the audience into humorous bits, instantaneous songs and riffs, and fully realized musical numbers.
“We’ve had many of our happiest and most fulfilling creative moments working on Freestyle Love Supreme and are excited to see its next chapter unfold on this national tour,” said Thomas Kail and Lin-Manuel Miranda. “It is a show that consistently surprises us: we have no idea what to expect any time we do it - and isn’t that the true beauty of live theater? Freestyle Love Supreme wouldn’t want or have it any other way!”
The electrifying vocals of the performers – from singing to rapping to beat-boxing with harmonies and freestyle flow – are backed by tight tunes from keyboards and human percussion. The show is created live every night with the audience contributing words, ideas, and inspiration. No two shows are ever the same. FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME is an intermission-less, roller-coaster ride of a show that Rolling Stone calls “pure joy” and Entertainment Weekly describes as “lightning in a bottle.”
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA is a Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, Emmy and Tony award-winning songwriter, actor, director and producer. Mr. Miranda is the creator and original star of Broadway’s Tony-winning Hamilton and In the Heights. Additional Broadway: Freestyle Love Supreme (2020 Special Tony Award recipient), Bring It On: The Musical (co-composer/co-lyricist, Tony nomination for Best Musical) and West Side Story (2009 revival, Spanish translations). Recipient of the 2015 MacArthur Foundation Award, the 2018 Kennedy Center Honors and the 2019 Portrait of a Nation Prize. Emmy Award winner with Tom Kitt for their song “Bigger” from the 67th Annual Tony Awards. Mr. Miranda, and The Miranda Family, are active supporters of initiatives that increase people of color’s representation throughout the arts and government, ensure access to women’s reproductive health and promote resilience in Puerto Rico. TV/film: “Hamilton” (2021 Emmy Award), “His Dark Materials,” “Fosse/Verdon,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (2018 Emmy nomination), “Saturday Night Live” (2017 Emmy nomination), “Sesame Street,” “The Electric Company,” “House,” “DuckTales,” “200 Cartas,” The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Moana (Grammy Award for Best Original Song), Mary Poppins Returns, In the Heights and Vivo. Additional 2021 film releases: tick, tick…BOOM! (film directorial debut) and Disney’s Encanto.
JAMES MONROE IGLEHART is so excited to be on stage with his FLS family! Broadway: Hamilton (Lafayette/Jefferson), Aladdin (Genie; Tony Award), Memphis (Bobby), …Spelling Bee (Mitch); Chicago (Billy Flynn). TV: Netflix series “Maniac” (recurring), “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (recurring), “Gotham,” “Elementary,” “Perfect Harmony,” “Tangled: The Series,” “DuckTales,” “Elena of Avalor,” “Vamperina,” “HellavaBoss.” Film: Three Christs, Disney’s Disenchanted (2022).
CHRISTOPHER JACKSON is a founding member of FLS and a Tony Award-nominated actor as well as a Grammy and Emmy award-winning songwriter/composer best known for starring as George Washington in the award-winning musical Hamilton. He is currently starring in the hit CBS drama “Bull” and in “And Just Like That” on HBO Max. Additional Broadway credits include Holler If Ya Hear Me, Bronx Bombers, After Midnight, In the Heights, Memphis and The Lion King. His film and television credits include Hamilton on Disney+, In the Heights, “When They See Us,” “Freestyle Love Supreme” on Pivot, Moana, “Central Park” on Apple TV+ and many more. He is developing future projects for film and TV, with his company, Honorific Prods.
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME’s company on tour includes Allentown, Pennsylvania native Morgan Reilly AKA “Hummingbird” and Philadelphia native Anthony Veneziale AKA “Two Touch” along with Andrew Bancroft AKA “Jelly Donut;” Simone Acosta AKA “Sims”; Richard Baskin, Jr. AKA “Rich Midway;” Jay C. Ellis AKA “Jellis J;” Mark Martin AKA “Mandible”; Kaila Mullady AKA "Kaiser Rözé;” James Rushin AKA “Shifty Hills;” and Dizzy Senze AKA “Dizzy.”
In name and beyond, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME pays homage to John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme," with a nod to musical roots in jazz, soul, blues and hip-hop. FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME was originally developed and produced in 2004 by Ars Nova, in association with Jill Furman and Back House Productions. The show has played in all five boroughs and many states, as well as the U.S. Comedy Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Melbourne Comedy Festival, and the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival. Hulu premiered the documentary “We Are Freestyle Love Supreme” at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020 and the acclaimed film was nominated for a Grammy Award. Watch the 2021 Tony Award closing performance performed by FLS here. Watch Freestyle Love Supreme on NBC’s In the Wings special here.
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME features set design by Beowulf Boritt; costume design by Lisa Zinni; lighting design by Jeff Croiter; and sound design by Nevin Steinberg. Andy Jones and James Hickey are Executive Producers. General Management provided by Baseline Theatrical.
Connect with FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME online:
https://freestylelovesupreme.com/
Twitter: @FreestyleLove
Facebook: @FreestyleLoveSupreme
Instagram: @FreestyleLoveSupreme
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME is part of the Kimmel Cultural Campus’ 2021-22 Broadway season, co-presented by The Shubert Organization. The remaining season also includes To Kill a Mockingbird and Dear Evan Hansen. For information on the full season lineup, dates, and venues, visit www.kimmelculturalcampus.org.
Deeply committed to the health and safety of guests, artists, and staff and proudly certified by GBAC, the gold standard for infection prevention programs, the Kimmel Cultural Campus is requiring masks to be worn at all times for guests attending on-Campus events, as well as proof of vaccination for those over 5. Additional details below.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or online at www.kimmelculturalcampus.org. In-person ticket sales can be conducted daily from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Academy of Music Box Office, located at 240 S. Broad Street. See www.kimmelculturalcampus.org for more information.
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME
Kimmel Cultural Campus’ Miller Theater (formerly Merriam Theater)
June 7 – 12, 2022
Times Vary
Safe & Clean Commitment
The Kimmel Cultural Campus is proudly certified by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council – the gold standard for cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention programs.
We will always put the safety of our guests, artists, and staff first, and we have worked closely with partners, producers, artists, guests and other performing arts centers around the nation to develop the most comprehensive plan to safely reopen our doors. We are committing to a healthy and clean environment with increased disinfection, enhanced ventilation, and will enforce recommended health authority guidelines, including masks and proof of vaccination.
Masks are required to be worn at all times when on the Kimmel Cultural Campus, except when actively consuming food or beverage in designated locations. Prolonged periods of mask removal are not permitted.
All attendees for public events must show proof of full vaccination at the time of entry, with valid photo ID and copy of vaccination card (physical or photo). Children under 5 are no longer required to show a negative PCR test or negative rapid result when accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult.
This policy is subject to change based upon guidance from the CDC and local health authorities. For more information on our Safe & Clean Commitment and the most up-to-date information about our policies, please visit kimmelculturalcampus.org.
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THE SHUBERT ORGANIZATION
The Shubert Organization is America’s oldest professional theatre company and the largest theatre owner on Broadway. For over 120 years, Shubert has operated hundreds of theatres and produced hundreds of plays and musicals in New York City and throughout the United States. Under the leadership of Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO, Shubert currently owns and operates 17 Broadway theatres, six off-Broadway venues, and the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia. Notable productions and co-productions include Cats, Sunday in the Park with George, Dreamgirls, The Heidi Chronicles, Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Amadeus, Children of a Lesser God, The Grapes of Wrath, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Spamalot, The Elephant Man, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Band’s Visit, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Company, and the new musical Some Like It Hot. In addition, Shubert’s innovative ticketing solutions offer unparalleled distribution and marketing to the theatre industry and beyond. Its consumer-facing brands—Telecharge for retail ticket sales and Broadway Inbound for group sales and the travel industry—sell millions of tickets each year. The Shubert Foundation, sole shareholder of The Shubert Organization, Inc., is dedicated to sustaining and advancing live performing arts in the United States. The Foundation provides general operating support to not-for-profit theatres and dance companies. Foundation grants in 2021 totaled $32.1 million. For more information, visit www.shubert.nyc.
KIMMEL CULTURAL CAMPUS
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, our mission is to engage the region's diverse communities with art through performance and education. Our Cultural Campus serves more than 1-million guests per year and includes Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, and SEI Innovation Studio), the Academy of Music, and the Miller Theater (formerly the Merriam Theater) – representing more than 160 years of rich history for the performing arts along Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts. We are home to The Philadelphia Orchestra and seven esteemed Resident Companies: Opera Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, we are the region's most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. Our Cultural Campus serves as a preeminent and inclusive place to enjoy exceptional experiences that reflect the spirit of our region by cultivating a creative and socially responsible environment where our community shares experiences that are delivered with pride, integrity, and respect. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization, we collaborate on, present, and produce a broad range of relevant and meaningful events, we serve as an active gathering space for social and community events, we educate the region's young people through access to quality arts experiences, and we provide support to artists in the creation of new work. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is the proud Kimmel Cultural Campus Season Sponsor. Read Kimmel Cultural Campus' vision statement, world view, and mission statement here. Learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it encompasses our mission, co-workers, and programs here.
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For a PDF version of this press release, click here.