News & Features » June 2016 » Join Kaylie Jones for the From Here to Eternity musical!

Join Kaylie Jones for the From Here to Eternity musical!

From Here to Eternity
Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival
The Preston H. Thomas Theatre in the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse
6877 East Lake Road, Auburn, NY 13021
June 29–July 20, 2016

Sixty-one years ago, fresh out of the 25th Infantry Division in the United States Army, Akashic author Kaylie Jones’s father, James Jones, published his debut novel, From Here to Eternity, which would catapult him from the Purple Heart to the National Book Award. The novel, set in Oahu in the last months of 1941 before the infamous attack on the Pacific Fleet, was adapted into a 1953 film by the same, directed by Fred Zinnemann, ultimately winning eight Academy Awards including Best Picture.

Now, Jones’s novel is being reborn for a new generation and a new audience. From Here to Eternity has been adapted into a musical with lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, an Academy Award, Tony, and Grammy-winning lyricist (known for musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Evita; and the Disney films The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast). First premiering on the West End in 2013 at the Shaftesbury Theatre, From Here to Eternity is now set to make its North American debut at the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival at the Preston H. Thomas Theatre in Auburn, NY. It will premiere on June 29 and will run until July 20.

The musical features the drama of heart-wrenching love and hope amidst the threat of impending war on an island saturated with paradise. Private Prewitt (Prew) of G-Company finds himself head-over-heels for an escort girl, Lorene, while his platoon sergeant, Milt Warden, initiates an affair with his captain’s wife, Karen. The four lovers soon find that the Hawaiian Islands become a little too claustrophobic—but they have only weeks to wait before they, and their country, will explode across the Pacific theatre of war.

Jones’s daughter’s novels are no less profound; Kaylie Jones has published seven books, including her most recent novel, The Anger Meridian, her memoir, Lies My Mother Never Told Me, and her novel, A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries, which was adapted into a 1998 film. She has been a creative writing professor for more than twenty-five years and is currently working on her own publishing imprint, Kaylie Jones Books, within Akashic Books.

From Here to Eternity deals with heavy, and sometimes dark, issues, including homosexuality in the military, prostitution, bullying, and the harsh effects of war. The musical uses strong language and has been highly recommended for adult audiences only. The Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival has rated it R.

Tickets are priced as follows and can be purchased from the Box Office by calling 315-255-1785 or 1-800-457-8897. You can also click here to purchase them online.
Next Generation (22 and under) — $27
Seniors (62 and over) — $46
General Adult — $49

The full schedule for From Here to Eternity is listed below.
Wednesday June 29; 7:30 p.m.
Thursday June 30; 7:30 p.m.
Friday July 1; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Saturday July 2; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Tuesday July 5; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday July 6; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Thursday July 7; 7:30 p.m.
Friday July 8; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Saturday July 9; 8 p.m.
Monday July 11; 2 p.m.
Tuesday July 12; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday July 13; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Thursday July 14; 7:30 p.m.
Friday July 15; 8 p.m.
Saturday July 16; 8 p.m.
Monday July 18; 2 p.m.www.fingerlakesmtf.com
Tuesday July 19; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday July 20; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Click here for more information about the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival.

Posted: Jun 22, 2016

Category: News