EMOJILAND THE MUSICAL TO LAUNCH NATIONAL TOUR
Visceral Entertainment today announced that after a critically acclaimed Off-Broadway run in 2020, EMOJILAND The Musical is launching a national tour in the Summer of 2022, with cities, theaters, and dates are to be announced soon. The show’s creators will take a unique approach to finding the touring cast: through a nationwide social media campaign, seeking out undiscovered talent from across the country, and opening all roles to all performers, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, or experience level.
The audition process begins immediately, with submissions now open through March 27, 2022. Performers wishing to apply should go to EMOJILAND for eligibility requirements, audition materials and submission instructions. Those auditioning will post their audition video on the social media channel of their choice, and then upload their video link with their application at Emojiland.com. Following the first submission period, the show’s creative team will narrow down the prospective performers through multiple online audition rounds, culminating in the finalists getting flown to New York City by the producers for their final callback.
“It’s our true hope that this opportunity fulfills a core tenet of the show, connecting EMOJILAND fans and artists in a way that uplifts the musical theatre community at large,” said the show’s Co-Creator, Keith Harrison Dworkin. “Just as anyone and everyone can use emojis to express themselves in the digital realm, we invite everyone and anyone to audition for these dynamically iconic roles. If you’ve got the talent, we want to see it!” Co-Creator Laura Schein, who also originated the role of Smize in the Off-Broadway cast, added, “We’re thrilled to be expanding the EMOJILAND family!”
EMOJILAND originally opened Off-Broadway at the Duke on 42nd Street on January 19th, 2020, where it received a New York Times Critic’s Pick and played a total of 11 Previews and 59 Performances prior to the shutdown of the theatre industry on March 12th, 2020. The show occupies a unique place amongst those which were shuttered two years ago by the COVID-19 virus: the musical’s second act focuses on a society battling a computer virus which is spreading throughout the emoji population.
Michael Chase Gosselin, one of EMOJILAND ’s lead producers, commented, “We always felt that Keith and Laura possessed an extraordinary ability to mirror and satirize our own society in EMOJILAND , but we never could have imagined that the ‘virus’ subplot would prove to be so eerily prescient. Two years after the pandemic closed us down, we hope that, like the citizens of EMOJILAND, this is an opportunity for a real ‘reset,’ and we can’t wait to share this uplifting show with fans outside of New York.”
Not to be confused with, and very much unlike The Emoji Movie, EMOJILAND is an electric ensemble piece inspired by The Unicode ® Standard, 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 their own good; a face with sunglasses who can’t see past their 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?
EMOJILAND was a 2018 Richard Rodgers Award Finalist and earned 12 award nominations and 5 wins at the 2018 New York Musical Festival. The original Off-Broadway production, a NYT Critic’s Pick, earned 2 Outer Critics Circle Awards and Nominations for 4 Drama Desk Awards, a Lucille Lortel Award, and an Off-Broadway Alliance Award. It was a Grand Jury Selection of the 2018 New York Musical Festival.
Music and orchestrations are by Dworkin, and book & lyrics are by Dworkin & Schein. The musical is directed by Thomas Caruso (Southern Comfort, Matilda, Groundhog Day), with choreography by Kenny Ingram (The Lion King). The creative team also includes David Goldstein (Scenic Design), Vanessa Leuck (Costume & Make-Up Design), Jamie Roderick (Lighting Design), Ken Goodwin (Sound Design), Lisa Renkel & Possible (Projection Design), Bobbie Zlotnik (Hair & Wig Design), Lena Gabrielle (Music Supervision), Nick Wilders (Music Director), and Josephine Kearns (Gender Consultant).
The Original Cast Recording of EMOJILAND is available now at Broadway Records and wherever digital music is sold.
George Abud as Nerd Face and Laura Schein as Smize
in the 2020 Off-Broadway Production of Emojiland at The Duke on 42.