Ernest Shackleton Loves Me is the epic musical adventure starring GrooveLily’s fierce and funny electro-violinist Valerie Vigoda (Striking 12), and the courageous and charismatic Wade McCollum (Priscilla Queen of the Desert). This innovative, high-tech adventure tells the story of a sleep-deprived single mom who struggles to work as a video game music composer. Unexpectedly, she is contacted across time by the famous polar explorer, Ernest Shackleton. Inspired by her music, he shares his epic Antarctic journey with her in video and song. Against all odds, they discover that their greatest inspiration lies within each other.

Directed by Obie Award winner Lisa Peterson and written by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro (Memphis), with music composed by Brendan Milburn and lyrics by Valerie Vigoda, Ernest Shackleton Loves Me features production design by Alexander V. Nichols (Nice Work If You Can Get It), costume design by Chelsea Cook and sound design and original compositions by Tony Award winner Rob Kaplowitz (Fela!). Ernest Shackleton Loves Me was originally co-commissioned by Theatre Works and La Jolla Playhouse.

RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes with no intermission.

While most of us are lucky if we find something other than moldy cheese and half-full water bottles in our refrigerators, musician Kat (Valerie Vigoda) makes the discovery of a lifetime when she meets famous antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton (Wade McCollum) after he casually appears from inside her fridge. He’s in the midst of his most legendary rescue mission, she’s in the middle of a creative block and some love problems, but together they find a way to help each other in achieving their purpose. In the boldly original Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, we are reminded about the power of art and the importance of standing up for what we believe in. Vigoda, who also wrote the lyrics for the musical (the music is by Brendan Milburn), gives her character a lovely earthiness that makes her one of the most complex heroines in recent musicals, while McCollum seems to have been imagined by either comic book writers or classic Hollywood directors, he’s all legs, beard and endless charm as the imposing Shackleton. The two have wonderful chemistry and audiences who can’t make it to New York will have a chance to catch the show on a livestream on BroadwayHD on June 7. I spoke to Vigoda and McCo …Read more