Buckle up for the ride of a lifetime.

Darkly funny, wildly imaginative, and surprisingly heartfelt, Ride the Cyclone is the international musical phenomenon crashing into Southwark Playhouse Elephant.

When a freak roller coaster accident claims the lives of six teens, they find themselves trapped in limbo and offered one last shot at life. One by one, they step into the spotlight to prove why they deserve a second chance at life.

Ride The Cyclone

UNCLE Elephant and Castle

**Ride the Cyclone at New Conservatory Theatre Center**

**Dates:** September 20 - October 20, 2024  
**Location:** Decker Theatre, New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness Avenue at Market Street, San Francisco  
**Book, Music, and Lyrics:** Jacob Richmond & Brooke Maxwell  
**Status:** Regional Premiere

**About the Show:**  
"Ride the Cyclone" brings a thrilling and introspective journey to the stage, as six members of a Canadian chamber choir find themselves in limbo after a tragic rollercoaster accident. Presented with a unique opportunity by a mechanical fortune teller, each member tells their story in the hope of winning the ultimate prize: a chance to return to life. This award-winning musical is a blend of hilarity and reflection, posing deep questions about life and its worth.

**Performance Schedule:**  
- **Full Run:** September 20 - October 20, 2024  
- **Previews:** September 20 - 27  
- **Opening Night:** September 28  
- **Enhanced Safety Performance:** October 3  
- **Post-Show Discussion:** October 6

**Reviews:**  
- "Delightfully weird and just plain delightful" - The New York Times  
- "Chillingly dark and wittily funny" - Playbill  
- "Zany, zingy and macabre musical" - The Seattle Times  
- "Quirky, bizarre, creepy, clearly commercial, emotionally hefty and generally rather tantalizing musical" - The Chicago Tribune  
- "A musical that is unexpectedly charming and entertaining" - Curtain Up

**Ticket Information:**  
Subscribe today for the best prices and perks. Single tickets will go on sale in August 2024.

**About the Playwright and Composer:**  
Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, both celebrated for their contributions to theater and music, bring this captivating story to life. Richmond, known for his award-winning plays and co-founding the Atomic Vaudeville cabaret theater series, teams up with Maxwell, a freelance musician, composer, and educator with a rich portfolio of scored and sound-designed works.

**Contact Information:**  
Box Office: 415.861.8972 or boxoffice@nctcsf.org

Join us for a mesmerizing experience that explores the essence of life and the power of storytelling, all set against the backdrop of a fantastical limbo that challenges the imagination. Don't miss your chance to witness this regional premiere at the New Conservatory Theatre Center.

EPSG:4326

Ride the Cyclone

New Conservatory Theatre Center

This performance is free and open for general seating.


Junior Recital: Evelyn Ortman, soprano and Yeon-Kyung Kim, piano

Western Illinois University

Get ready for the ride of a lifetime – or, the end of a lifetime that is! After a tragic rollercoaster accident claims the lives of several high school choir students, they find themselves in the afterlife at a dilapidated carnival, face-to-face with the mechanical fortune teller, The Amazing Karnak. In his crystal ball, Karnak sees that only one student can be returned to the land of the living, and it is up to them to decide which among them is most deserving. As the students compete to prove their worthiness, they sing and dance their way through a series of hilarious and touching performances, revealing their deepest hopes and fears. Twisted, bizarre, and hilarious, buckle your seatbelts because you won’t want to miss this wild ride!

Riffe Center

In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. A funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived!

Ride the Cyclone: the Musical

Fort Boise Park

A hilarious, emotional, musical exhibition, Ride the Cyclone tells a compelling coming of age story while talking a look at what makes a life well- lived!

The lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life.

Selma Arts Center

University of South Florida

In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived!.

Brooke Maxwell

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 14, 2025 - Jan 10, 2026

Ride The Cyclone · Southwark Playhouse

Past events

Nov 14, 2025 - Jan 10, 2026

Ride The Cyclone · Southwark Playhouse

Sep 20 - Oct 20, 2024

Ride the Cyclone · New Conservatory Theatre Center

About

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