Bloomington welcomes 'Kissing Frogs'

Debuting its first ever musical production in partnership with IU, the Bloomington Playwrights Project will present “Kissing Frogs.”

With original music by IU alumus Jeremy Schonfeld and story by Nicole Parker, star of the musical performance “Wicked,” the show follows Greta, a panicked bride-to-be, as she revisits former flames and sorts out the frogs from the princes.

Artistic Director Chad Rabinovitz described it as a relationship comedy with “the heart of your typical Meg Ryan movie and a little bit of Woody Allen meets SNL.”

The BPP is committed to presenting all-new, original theater productions for Bloomington audiences, a goal that is helped by the BPP being the location for the world premiere of “Kissing Frogs.”

Tickets for opening night are already sold out.

“It’s absolutely insane to think that something of this scale is happening in Bloomington,” Rabinovitz said. “People don’t think of Bloomington as an incubator for shows that will move on to New York, but that’s what’s happening here.”

Rabinovitz said the producers plan to take this show to bigger stages and larger audiences.

“Kissing Frogs” features nine IU Musical Theater BFA students on-stage with several more behind the scenes, according to a press release.

“It’s been a dream run,” said sophomore Chloe Williamson, who stars as Greta. “I’m really looking forward to opening night and seeing which jokes play and which parts the audience members like best.”

BPP will present a “Pay-What-You-Can” preview of Kissing Frogs at 8 p.m. Thursday, at the Bloomington Playwrights Project. The show runs Friday through Feb. 19, and tickets are available now at www.newplays.org.