Benny & Joon Musical and More Set for 2018-2019 Season at Paper Mill Playhouse

The East Coast premiere of the new tuner Benny & Joon and the world premiere musical My Very Own British Invasion have been newly announced as part of the complete 2018-2019 season at Millburn, New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse. Other highlights include a remount of Broadway's Holiday Inn featuring the Tony-nominated choreography of Denis Jones, who has also signed on for a new Paper Mill production of Beauty and the Beast. As previously announced, Paper Mill will begin its new season with the world premiere Andrew Lloyd Webber bio-musical Unmasked, running from September 27 through October 28.

Following Unmasked will be a winter run of the Irving Berlin musical Holiday Inn (November 21-December 30) directed by the musical's co-book writer and Broadway helmer Gordon Greenberg and featuring the Tony-nominated dance moves of Denis Jones. Based on the beloved film and featuring a libretto by Greenberg and Chad Hodge, Holiday Inn follows Jim Hardy, a man who leaves behind the hustle and bustle of showbiz for a quiet life on a Connecticut farm. Jim's new efforts are a flop, but things start looking up when he falls for a talented schoolteacher and together they infuse their sleepy rural setting with some Broadway razzle-dazzle. Holiday Inn features more than 20 classic songs from the Berlin catalog, including “Easter Parade,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Steppin’ Out with My Baby” and “White Christmas.”

Next up on Paper Mill's docket is the world premiere tuner My Own British Invasion (January 31-March 3), based loosely on the experiences of Peter Noone, who was just 15 when he rose to international stardom as the lead singer of Herman’s Hermits, while England became the center of the rock-and-roll universe. Featuring a book by Rick Elice and the music of various rock artists including Herman’s Hermits, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Petula Clark, The Moody Blues and other legendary bands of the 1960s British music scene, My Own British Invasion will be directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.

The new stage adaptation of the celebrated 1993 motion picture Benny & Joon (April 4-May 5) is next up at Paper Mill. The musical centers on Joon, a young woman dealing with mental illness, and Benny, the big brother who’s determined to take care of her. When a charmingly eccentric stranger comes into their lives, he throws their carefully calibrated world off-kilter—maybe for the better. Benny & Joon features a book by Kirsten Guenther, music by Nolan Gasser and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein. Jack Cummings III will direct the production, set to feature choreography by Scott Rink.

Closing out Paper Mill's season will be a new production of Disney's first Broadway musical, Beauty and the Beast (May 29-June 30). Singing teapots and candlesticks, an evil spell and an unlikely love story come together in the stage show based on the Oscar-winning animated feature and including all of the movie's original songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, plus additional gems by Menken and Tim Rice. Featuring a book by Linda Woolverton, the musical will be directed by Paper Mill's Producing Artistic Director Mark Hoebee. Tony nominee Denis Jones will also lend his talents to this production as choreographer.

Among Paper Mill Playhouse's acclaimed alumni works are the current hit Broadway musical A Bronx Tale and past Tony winners Bandstand and Newsies. Casting for all 2018-2019 season Paper Mill productions will be announced at a later date.