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Theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI) has announced the licensing availability of Always Something There…, a brand new show part of the Lively McCabe Entertainment ’Hits’ Musicals Collection.
A joyful musical homage to the beloved teen films of the 1980s, Always Something There… features a book by Sandy Rustin (Clue, Mystic Pizza) and arrangements and orchestrations by Geoffrey Ko (Titanique, The Notebook), with a score of iconic hits made famous by Madonna, Whitney Houston, Culture Club, Naked Eyes, The Go-Gos, Tiffany, and many more.
When Samantha Craig wakes up on the morning of her 45th birthday as her 18-year-old self, she has a chance to rewrite her past and land in the future of her dreams. Does she redo her past choices, or should she accept that those choices have made her who she is today? Bursting with nostalgia, heart, and one unforgettable hit after another, Always Something There… is a show that feels both timeless and irresistibly fresh.
“Always Something There… is exactly the kind of show that reminds us why musical theatre is such a powerful communal experience,” said Drew Cohen, President & CEO, Music Theatre International. “Sandy Rustin has crafted a story that is as warm and funny as it is genuinely moving. Whether you grew up with Madonna and Whitney Houston or you’re discovering these songs for the first time, this show delivers pure joy from start to finish. We are thrilled to welcome Always Something There… into the MTI catalogue and look forward to seeing theatres everywhere throw the ultimate ’80s party.”
The musical had its world premiere at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois, directed by James Vásquez, where it was met with warm critical and audience acclaim. The Chicago Tribune celebrated it as a “fun and escapist cavalcade of ’80s hits,” while Splash Magazines called it “a love letter to second chances, self-discovery, and the power of music to heal the soul.”
Sandy Rustin shared, “I wrote Always Something There… as a love letter to the music and movies that shaped my childhood, but aimed to do it in a way that offers an alternative to the coming-of-age stories of that era. My first professional job was playing Sandy in Grease, a role and show I’ll always treasure. But as I grew up – became a woman, a mother, and a playwright – I started dreaming about the kind of high school musical I wanted to write. One where the heroine doesn’t change herself to win the boy, but instead becomes more fully herself, discovering love, friendship, purpose, and joy along the way. Always Something There… is that musical – a show celebrating the nostalgic soundtrack and teen-rom-com magic of the ’80s and ’90s, filtered through a fresh, contemporary, feminist lens.”
Allison Bressi, the President of Lively McCabe adds, “We had so much fun creating this musical with Sandy, Geoff, and James! This story with these songs is pure joy from start to finish. In Always Something There…, Sandy blends the beloved spirit of 1980s John Hughes movies with a fresh, girl-powered perspective and the heartfelt sincerity of high school friendship. I’m so excited for younger generations to discover these iconic songs—and the vibrant world of the ’80s—for the first time, or to experience them in a whole new way through this new musical.”
With an adaptable cast size, abundant great roles, and flexible production requirements, Always Something There… is an accessible, crowd-pleasing choice for theatres of every kind, and a guaranteed night of singing and dancing for audiences of every generation.
Licensing and additional information about Always Something There… can be found here.
About Music Theatre International
Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.
MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.
MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.
