Emojiland is a pop
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
written by Keith Harrison Dworkin and Laura Schein. It premiered
off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
on January 19, 2020, at
the Duke on 42nd Street. It centers around a group of
emoji
An emoji ( ; plural emoji or emojis) is a pictogram, logogram, ideogram or smiley embedded in text and used in electronic messages and web pages. The primary function of emoji is to fill in emotional cues otherwise missing from typed conversat ...
s living in the world of a
smartphone on the eve of a software update.
Background
"Not to be confused with, and very much unlike ''
The Emoji Movie'', Emojiland is an electric ensemble piece about a diverse community of archetypes who take one another at face value: a smiling face dealing with depression; a princess who doesn’t want a prince; a skull dying for deletion; a nerd face too smart for his own good; a face with sunglasses who can’t see past his own reflection; and a police officer and construction worker who just want to work together. When a software update threatens to destroy life as they know it, Emojiland faces the most fundamental questions a society – and a heart – can face: Who are we? And who matters?"
Productions
''Emojiland'' was first performed live in concert in
Los Angeles.
''Emojiland'' was first presented in New York City on July 22, 2018, as part of the
New York Musical Theatre Festival. It was staged at the
Acorn Theater at Theater Row.
Off-Broadway
After its success as part of the ''New York Musical Theatre Festival'', the show premiered Off-Broadway on January 19, 2020, at
The Duke on 42nd Street.
It starred
Lesli Margherita as Princess, Josh Lamon as Prince,
George Abud as Nerd Face, Laura Schein as Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes aka Smize,
Lucas Steele
Lucas Steele is an American stage actor best known for his role as Anatole in ''Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.''
Early life
Steele was raised in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania. He began learning piano by ear at age 3, and violin at age ...
as Skull, and
Ann Harada as Pile of Poo.
The production was directed by Thomas Caruso, and choreographed by Kenny Ingram, with musical direction by Lena Gabrielle. It featured scenic design by David Goldstein, costume and make-up design by Vanessa Leuck, lighting design by Jamie Roderick, sound design by Ken Goodwin, hair and wig design by Bobbie Zlotnik, and projection design by Lisa Renkel and Possible Productions.
The musical was a Critic's Pick from
The New York Times and played a total of 11 Previews and 59 Performances before the
COVID-19 shutdown.
In May 2022, the show announced a non-union national tour beginning in June 2022, but was subsequently cancelled after its first stop in Columbus, Ohio.
West End Concert
In October 2022 a one-off concert version of the show was held at the
Garrick Theatre in heart of London’s West End. It featured a star-studded British cast including Olly Dobson as Skull,
Louise Dearman as Princess, Hannah Lowther as Kissyface and Natalie Paris as Construction Worker.
Musical numbers
; Act 1
* "Overture" – Orchestra
* "It’s Just So Great To Be Alive" – Company
* "Sad On The Inside" – Smize
* "Princess Is a Bitch" – Princess
* "The Progress Bar" – Company
* "Zeros & Ones" – Nerd Face, Smize
* "Cross My Bones" - Skull, Nerd Face
* "New Crown In Town" – Prince
* "Work Together" – Police Officer, Construction Worker
* "Stand For" – Construction Worker
* "Thank Me Now" – Skull
; Act 2
* "Entr’acte" – Orchestra
* "Firewall Ball" – Prince, Princess, Sunny, Company
* "Pile Of Poo" – Pile of Poo
* "Virus" – Company
* "A Thousand More Words" – Police Officer
* "Anyway" – Smize, Nerd Face
* "Start Again" – Nerd Face, Skull
* "It’s Just So Great To Be Alive (Reprise)" – Company
Original Off-Broadway cast and characters
Awards and honors
Original Off-Broadway production
References
Off-Broadway musicals
Emoji
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