FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DISENCHANTED! A New Musical Comedy That GivesFairytales the Bird! at Minneapolis Illusion TheaterOct. 31 - Nov. 23, 2014

MinneapolisSept. 1, 2014 - DISENCHANTED! is a new musical that gives fairytales the bird!The original fairytale princesses are none too happy with the exploitation theyve suffered in todays films, books and merchandise. Snow White and her angry band of storybook friends are storming the castle in order to take their lives back! Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Hua Mulan, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas and The Princess Who Kissed the Frog unite at Minneapolis Illusion Theater Oct. 31 - Nov. 23, 2014 (preview Oct. 30). ! Answering the question, What happens after Happily Ever After?, DISENCHANTED! was first performed at the Orlando Fringe Festival in 2011 (Best of the Fringe!). Since then, audiences in Tampa, San Diego, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Alexandria, Minn., have experienced sold-out performances of the empowering message of DISENCHANTED!

Casting Spells Productions first brought this hilarious princess comedy to Minneapolis in Fall 2013 and most recently sold out a week of performances this summer at Theatre LHomme Dieu in Alexandria, Minn., to standing ovations and raving audience accolades. Minneapolis audiences have a rare treat to see the show before audiences in NYC do! Watch for the OFFBROADWAY premiere of DISENCHANTED! later this year! ! Mark Bergren, well known in the Twin Cites as former artistic director of Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshop, and in Orlando as a show director and writer for Walt Disney Entertainment directs DISENCHANTED! He joins James Detmar, local actor, director and writer (providing Musical Staging) and Michael Shann, former Disney executive and producer of the Closing
Ceremonies of the XXII Winter Olympic Games, to make up Casting Spells Productions LLC. Disenchanted is a smart and hilarious new musical. The writing team
has created a work that is both accessible and original. It provides a great vehicle for female performers, something we need more of in the musical theater. - Peter Rothstein, Co-founder/Artistic Director,Theater Latte DaRaymond Berg, 2007 and 2013 Ivey Awards winner for Music Direction, and Lori Dokken are
music directors.

DISENCHANTED! is the rare musical comedy that's not afraid to tackle big, hot-button issues while it keeps the audience rolling in the aisles with laughter. Through music and comedy, the show cleverly addresses such topics as race (where The Princess Who Kissed the Frog points out that it took animated movies over 70 years to welcome an African-American princess to the fold), diet issues (as Cinderella bemoans the concept of skinny princesses in the song "All I
Wanna Do Is Eat"), the Princess Complex (in which The Little Mermaid can't believe she gave up her undersea life her father, her friends, not to mention her gills & fin just to net a man), and Hua Mulan (who points out that she's no less valid a princess just because she doesn't have a man in her life in the ballad, "Without The Guy").

For example, Mulan's story arc in DISENCHANTED! takes the fabled Chinese warrior on a funny yet poignant coming out story in which she goes from questioning to realization to acceptance of her sexuality. DISENCHANTED! brings this diverse group of women together on one stage in which, by the musical's end, they sing that those old, worn-out tales of weak, helpless damsels in distress are nothing more than just "Once Upon A Time."DISENCHANTED! is a visual treat with a vaudevillian flavor, featuring a variety of musical styles, dance moves, over-sized props and hand-puppet choreography.

The cast includes well-known Twin Cities actresses, all worthy of fairytale princess status: Bonni Allen (Cinderella), Jen Burleigh-Bentz (Snow White), Joy Dolo (The Princess Who Kissed the Frog), Vanessa Gamble (Belle, Rapunzel, The Little Mermaid) and Stephanie Bertumen (Hua Mulan, Pocahontas & Princess Badroulbador [Jasmine]).

Opening Night Party
DISENCHANTED! is having an opening night bash fit for a princess! On Oct. 31, come dressed for Halloween (be it Princess, Prince, frog or other character, fairytale or not!) and join the Princesses, crew and producers for a blow-out party just after the show at Masons Restaurant Barre, just downstairs from the Illusion Theater at 528 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403.
Costume contest with prizes, tasty bites and libations will be available. When the trick-or-treating time is over, celebrate the holiday with the adults and this opening night party, princessstyle!

Ticket Information
Tickets are available online at Illusion Theaters box office at http://www.illusiontheater.org or by
calling 612-339-4944. !

Disenchanted is handsomely produced, beautifully performed, keenly directed and joyously entertaining. Six super-talented women versatile singers, movers, and comediennes bring humor, harmonies, irony, and pathos to fabled characters who prove to be iconoclasts. -Jack Reuler, artistic director, Mixed Blood Theater

Pricing
Wednesday Evening 7:30 p.m. $28
Thursday Evening 7:30 p.m. $34
Friday Evening 7:30 p.m. $38
Saturday Evening 7:30 p.m. $38
Sunday Matinee 2 p.m. $34
Preview - OCT. 30 ONLY $24 !

Groups and Discounts
Students and Seniors $4 off
Groups of 10 20 10% discount
Groups from 21 100 15% discount
Groups over 100 20% discount

Groups of 10 or more should call Illusion Theater Box Office at 612-339-4944 and discounts are given automatically with quantities purchased. !
Performance dates are Oct. 30 (Preview), Oct. 31 & Nov. 1 (Opening/Media Nights) to Nov. 23 at the Illusion Theater, 528 Hennepin Ave. #704, Minneapolis, Minn. 55403, 612-339-4944. Performance times are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday
at 2 p.m.

Learn more about the production, view information, press photos and video clips at
www.castingspellsproductions.com.
Production Facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/disenchantedmpls.
Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DisenchantedMN.
YouTube preview video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihGyaBGg7oU.

Interviews/Appearances
Contact Kristen Montag to arrange interviews with cast or creative team members or to
schedule personal appearances at kristenmontagpr@gmail.com.

Casting Spell Productions
Casting Spells Productions, a Twin Cities-based professional theater company, is committed to
presenting remarkable stories and creating vibrant theatrical experiences by engaging the finest
professional artists, both onstage and off.