Bottle Shock! The Musical

Inspired by the 2008 film and based on the real-life “Judgment of Paris,” Bottle Shock! The Musical tells the story of how a small Napa Valley winery shocked the world in 1976 by besting elite French wines in a blind tasting. With a folk-rock score by Charles Vincent Burwell and James D. Sasser, the musical celebrates underdogs, identity, and the land that makes great wine possible.

Directed by J. Scott Lapp, this world premiere featured scenic design by Jo Winiarski, who transformed the California Center for the Arts stage into sun-soaked vineyards, rustic wine cellars, and even a Parisian wine shop. As Assistant Scenic Designer, I supported the production through drafting and technical detailing, collaborating with the scenic team to bring fluid transitions and iconic settings to life. The show’s layered visual storytelling—heightened by Zach Blane’s lighting design—anchored a piece that spans continents and cultures.

The cast included T.J. Mannix as winery owner Jim Barrett, Louis Pardo as English wine merchant Steven Spurrier, and Patrick Ortiz as aspiring vintner Gustavo Brambilla. Ensemble numbers like “Summer’s End” and “Best Wine in the World” carried the production’s emotional weight, while the design grounded the show in the tactile, earthy reality of Napa in the 1970s.

Bottle Shock! marked another chapter in CCAE Theatricals’ growing commitment to new work development. It was an honor to contribute to the visual shaping of a musical still in process—one that, like fine wine, may only improve with time.