Shannon Wheeler, creator of Too Much Coffee Man, sent out a press release this week about the sequel to the Too Much Coffee Man opera — appropriately subtitled “Refill.”
EDIT: And here’s a clip from YouTube that Shannon sent over:
Check out the complete release after the jump.
Portland, Oregon - March 17th, 2008 - Too Much Coffee Man Opera: The Refill, the sequel to last years sold-out Too Much Coffee Man Opera, opens April 4th, 2008 at Brunish Hall in the Portland Center of Performing Arts and runs until April 20th. Admission is $20-$25 and tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.
“Last year’s performances sold out so fast, we really wanted to get the word out early so fans will have a chance to see this limited engagement,” said Shannon Wheeler, the creator behind Too Much Coffee Man.
Not only will fans get a chance to see the sequel, but those who missed out on the original will have an opportunity to experience both shows as Wheeler and his crew have brought the first show back for an encore that run before all showing of the the sequel. The first and second shows will play back to back with a short intermission between.
For many comic fans the original Too Much Coffee Man Opera was their first exposure to opera. While many opera fans saw Too Much Coffee Man for the first time. All attendees were impressed by the humor… and the music.
“This isn’t coffee-related-lyrics slipped into Wagnerian tunes. It’s original music with a personal story line about identity, love, and rejection,” said Stacey Murdock, who plays Too Much Coffee Man.
The Too Much Coffee Man Opera is the story of an idealistic hero, named Too Much Coffee Man, as he competes with rival Espresso Guy for the attention of a Barista. Unfornately, she has her own agenda, to be a super hero.
The second opera, entitled Too Much Coffee Man Opera: The Refill l, picks up two years later. The Barista has fulfilled her superhero dreamS and she’s married a Martian. Unfortunately she’s bored. She hopes caffeine will cure her ennui and calls Too Much Coffee Man for help. Antics ensue as Espresso Guy tries to win her back by pretending to be Too Much Coffee Man.
Shannon Wheeler created the comic book Too Much Coffee Man over a decade ago to parody the emerging coffee scene and to satirize the patrons (who would sit in coffee shops writing comics). Even though the comic book is humor based Wheeler and his co-creators took their opera project seriously.
Too Much Coffee Man Opera: The Refill re-unites the all star line up of creators who birthed the original This includes, Emmy award-winning Composer Daniel Crafts, award winning Canadian poet Damian Willcox, baritone Stacey Murdock performs as Too Much Coffee Man, tenor Matt Dolphin plays Espresso Guy and mezzo-soprano Jasmine Presson performs as the Barista with Meg Chamberlain producing.
Randy Rollison, a veteran of many stage productions throughout the U.S, including the world premiere of The Vagina Monologues, has taken the helm as director. He’s determined to take this show up to the next level or, at least, do something really weird.
CAST AND CREW
Too Much Coffee Man………Stacey Murdock
The Barista………………………..Jasmine Presson
Espresso Guy…………………….Matt Dolphin
The Martian………………………Daniel McLaughlin
Randy Rollison………………….Director
Meg Chamberlain…………….Producer
March 19th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
As with the original, I will not be able to see this, so I’m wondering when I’ll get to buy a soundtrack? If I can’t see it, I’d at least like to hear it.
March 19th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Too bad you can’t see it. I am going, but I still want a copy of the soundtrack. That would be awesome!
March 19th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Man I’d LOVE a soundtrack of both of those, also being unable to make it to the shows, themselves…