In the summer of 2016, Euan Morton starred in a new musical comedy called "Cake Off" at the Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania. The musical, based on Sheri Wilner's play "Bake Off," featured music by Adam Gwon, a book by Wilner and Julia Jordan, and lyrics by Gwon and Jordan. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, the production ran from August 19 through September 10, 2016.
Synopsis
The musical follows the action at the 50th Annual Millberry Cake Off, where the stakes are higher than usual as the prize for the best sugary delight has been raised to $1 million. For the first time, men are also allowed to enter and Paul (Euan Morton), a starry-eyed single dad, has risen to the top of the competition. He meets his match in Bake Off veteran Rita (Michele Ragusa), and soon they are thrust into the heat of competition.
Forced to deal with the craziness, backroom politics, and sugar high of America's most famous baking championship, these two feisty contestants don their aprons, strap on their oven mitts, and square off in a tuneful, tasty competition. The story also follows Paul's complicated relationship with his teenage son Wyatt, who finds the contest embarrassing but gradually comes to appreciate his father's passion.
Euan as Paul
Euan Morton portrays Paul, a middle-aged Patient Care Rep going through a divorce. Unlike his competitor Rita, Paul isn't an expert baker - where she's cool and collected, he's frantic and unprepared. He has entered the contest partly to impress his sullen teenage son Wyatt (played by Aidan J. Lawrence), hoping to strengthen their relationship.
For Paul, the Cake Off represents more than just a baking competition - it's a chance to prove his worth as both a baker and a father. Throughout the musical, Paul's character grows as he navigates not only the challenges of the competition but also his evolving relationship with his son, who initially finds the contest embarrassing.
About the Musical
"Cake Off" was based on Sheri Wilner's play "Bake Off" and made its premiere at Virginia's Signature Theatre in 2015 before being revised for the Bucks County Playhouse production in 2016. The musical marked another chapter in the Playhouse's commitment to fostering new works in musical theater, particularly through its Oscar Hammerstein Festival, which all three writers of "Cake Off" had participated in earlier that year.
The production featured choreography by Josh Prince, music direction by Andrea Grody, scenic design by Lauren Helpern, and costume design by Sarah Holden. Despite its small cast and limited accompaniment, the production felt substantial, in part due to its well-crafted set which packed the "baking floor" with every appliance a baker could need.
Cupcake Competition Event
In a fun promotional event for the show, on August 16, 2016, the Bucks County Playhouse hosted a "Cupcake-Off" competition where local bakeries competed for prizes. Broadway star Justin Guarini, who played multiple roles in the musical, hosted the event, while cast members including Euan Morton served as judges for the competition.
Euan Morton in Cake Off
Links
