Jeff Coon December 11th - 13th
Arden Theatre Company
Hamilton Family Arts Center: Studio Theatre 62 N 2nd St, Old City, Philadelphia
About The Arden Cabaret Series
The Arden Cabaret Series features live music and performance in the 100seat Studio Theatre at the Arden’s Hamilton Family Arts Center. Developed to provide an opportunity for artists to perform, develop and present work that is important to them, the Arden Cabaret Series offers a unique and intimate conversation between Arden artists and audiences.
A Note From Jeff Coon
I feel like the best cabaret performer is an unvarnished and unfiltered artist. It still has to be well-done and well-sung and it’s still a performance, but I think if it’s going to be really good, it asks me, as the artist, to put myself and the material that personally excites or engages me on the stage in a way that doesn’t allow me to hide behind or filter myself through someone else’s narrative. And that’s amazing and scary and absolutely thrilling. And I think that’s the biggest challenge of cabaret; freeing yourself to do whatever you want to do and still making it an experience that an audience wants to have with you. And I have enjoyed tackling this challenge. Truly. Because it’s pushing me into uncomfortable personal territory that, ideally, when I address it through songs and story, an audience will get a better sense of who I am as a person, not just a performer, and maybe translate some of my experiences into their own lives. I’m not an expert on anything, but I do believe that talking (or singing, in this case) about our own experience allow other people to feel less disconnected from the rest of humanity.
About the Artist
In 1993, 21-year old Jeff Coon walked into the Arden to audition for Sweeney Todd. He introduced himself, told us that he had just graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and then started to sing. That was the first time we heard his glorious voice – and, in the two decades since, not only has he become one of the Arden’s most treasured collaborators, he has established himself as one of one of the region’s leading theatre artists. Jeff has performed in close to 100 professional productions– from Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire to Frog in in A Year with Frog and Toad – and worked at most of the area’s theatre companies. Arden productions include George Seurat in Sunday in the Park with George, John Wilkes Booth in Assassins, Charles Lindbergh in Baby Case, and, most recently, Britt Craig in Parade. He is a 10-time Barrymore Award nominee, winning for his performance as Dominique in The Baker’s Wife at the Arden. This spring Jeff will be playing Archibald Craven in our production of The Secret Garden.
Who’s Who AMANDA MORTON(Music Director) is the Director of Arden Drama School and a freelance music director. Select credits include: Passion, Parade (Arden); Into the Woods (2015 Barrymore Award), Spring Awakening (Theatre Horizon); A New Brain (11th Hour Theatre Company); Malpractice Makes Perfect (York Theatre Company); Peter & I (American Theatre of Actors); We Tell the Story: The Songs of Ahrens & Flaherty (Lortel Theatre). She can be heard on the album Sheldon Harnick: Hidden Treasures (1949-2013), playing with Sheldon Harnick and Brian d’Arcy James. In her spare time, she collaborates with partner Larry Lees on writing original musicals. All for LJ. JUSTIN YODER (Cellist) performs throughout the Philadelphia region as a soloist and collaborative musician. He has been a guest soloist with the Young Musicians Community Orchestra, Maple City Chamber Orchestra, and St. Joseph Valley Camerata. Recent theater credits: Passion (Arden) and Into the Woods (Theatre Horizon), cello; Listening for Grace (Ted & Co. TheaterWorks), cello/original music. Justin holds a B.A. in music and interdisciplinary studies from Goshen College and is completing an M.M. in cello performance at Temple University. He teaches cello for Temple’s Community Music Scholars Program, which offers music lessons for under-served Philadelphia schoolchildren, and he maintains an additional private studio. Justin is also active as a church musician and choral conductor. MATTHEW DECKER (Cabaret Series Director) is the Associate Artistic Director at Arden Theatre Company and Co-Founder and Resident Director of Theatre Horizon. Arden: The Jungle Book, Great Expectations, Incorruptible, Pinocchio, Robin Hood. Theatre Horizon: Into the Woods, Circle Mirror Transformation, Spring Awakening, Kimberly Akimbo, …Spelling Bee, Fat Pig. Matthew is a two time Barrymore Award winner and a graduate of NYU where he studied at the Atlantic Theatre Company. Next, he directs Lobby Hero at Theatre Horizon and The Stinky Cheese Man at the Arden. Cabaret Producer........................................................................Jonathan Silver Stage Manager................................................................................Nicole Metas Production Manager...................................................................Courtney Riggar Technical Director.........................................................................Glenn Perlman Master Electrician.......................................................................Martin Stutzman Master Carpenter............................................................................Justin Romeo Production Assistant............................................................................JD Stokely Audio Engineer..............................................................................John Kolbinski Cello Arrangement........................................................................Patrick Ressler General Manager............................................................................John Grassey Associate General Manager..................................................... Mary Beth Simon House Management............................ Bryant Edwards, Matt Falance, TJ Harris
Upcoming Cabarets...
Teen Arden’s Cabaret of Duets Monday, December 14th at 8pm Studio Theatre at the Hamilton Family Arts Center
Teen Arden’s Cabaret of Duets is a unique event that pairs teenage performers with professional singers for a one-night only concert of musical theatre songs. It was created with the goal of giving young artists greater access to mentorship, as well as an opportunity to apply skills and concepts being taught at Arden Drama School. There is no better way to get into spirit of compassion and joy than by sharing in music. We hope you’ll join us this year! Teen Arden was established by a grant from The Albert M. Greenfield Foundation and has also been supported by Terry and Anne Marie Horner and a Fund for Children grant from The Philadelphia Foundation.
The Arden Cabaret Series: Joilet Harris Arden audiences will know performer Joilet Harris from her many roles on our stages: from Lena Younger in A Raisin in the Sun to Caroline in Caroline, or Change – Joilet’s dynamic performances are as impressive as her powerful singing voice. Join us this February as Joilet presents one of her popular cabarets – full of songs, performances, and unforgettable moments – in the intimate Arden Studio Theatre space.
February 12-14th, 2016 Studio Theatre at the Hamilton Family Arts Center Continue the Conversation! Today, you are participating in a unique and intimate conversation between an artist and his audience. Our Cabaret Series gives artists the opportunity to perform, develop and present work that is important to them, and invites you into that work. This collaboration is only possible through the support of our generous donors. Only 60% of our costs – for things like supporting the work of Philadelphia artists like Jeff Coon, commissioning the next great new play, designing our costumes and props, even keeping the lights on – are covered by ticket sales. For the rest, we rely on you. Please help us keep the conversation going, and make future cabarets possible, by making a tax-deductible gift to the Arden’s annual fund. Remember, gifts received by December 31 are eligible to count as a deduction on your 2015 taxes. Donate online at www.ardentheatre.org/support.