Phoenix Productions Presents: Green Day's American Idiot - March 10 & 11, 2023

Community Theatre at the

Count Basie Center for the Arts

March 10 & 11, 2023

THE VOGEL

Sponsored by

PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS Presents

Music by Green Day

Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong

Book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer

Original Broadway Production Produced by Tom Hulce & Ira Pittelman

Ruth and Stephen Hendel Vivek Tiwary and Gary Kaplan Aged In Wood and Burnt Umber

Scott M. Delman Latitude Link HOP Theatricals and Jeffrey Finn Larry Welk

Bensinger Filerman and Moellenberg Taylor Allan S. Gordon/Élan V. McAllister

Berkeley Repertory Theatre in association with Awaken Entertainment and John Pinckard and John Domo and

Was originally produced by Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, CA

Tony Taccone, Artistic Director / Susan Medak, Managing Director

Musical Arrangements and Orchestrations

Tom Kitt

Scenic Design ASHLEY CUSACK

Lighting Design KYLE SANTOPADRE

Production Manager TOM HESSMAN

Music Director

Costumes JOANNE PENROSE

Production Stage Manager

Season Sponsors:

The Law Firm of Jonathan D’Agostino & Associates; World Subaru

Silver Season Sponsor: The Coleman Family

Joe Wajda, Executive Manager & Phoenix Operations Co-Chair

A MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

The musical theatre cannon contains so many great stories – love stories for the ages like West Side Story and Cinderella, monumental changes to our social structure like Ragtime and Hairspray, and translations of great films and books like Man of La Mancha, South Pacific, and Shrek! So why present a musical with themes that delve into depression, addiction, and social outcasts? For me, this is the power of musical theatre – a way to humanize and socialize challenging stories and break the stigma of social and media judgment about these very complicated subjects. American Idiot explores the intertwined lives of three friends as they journey toward adulthood on their own terms – one falls prey to the allure of the city nightlife and into the grips of heroin addiction, one tries to create a more important, masculine life by running away to the military, and the third stays in his suburban squalor unable to come to terms with relationships, fatherhood, and responsibility. Three young men who are lost in a rapidly changing world dominated by both commercial and social media. Three young men who get lost in their own dark depression. The CDC reports that over 41,000 suicides are attributed to depression every year and the ages of those affected by depression is now as young as 8 years old. This month during its Giving Year, the Count Basie Center, which now includes Phoenix Productions, is donating $1 of every ticket sold during the month of March to The Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide– a vital organization working with educators, parents and clinicians to destigmatize mental health challenges and understand the warning-signs for potential teen suicides. I’m proud to be part of an organization that is actively supporting all aspects of our great community through the arts and through outreach. And your support of live theatre will be a part of our mission. Together we can shine a light and offer hope to those in need.

Enjoy the show.

James

If you’d like information about auditioning for a future show, please visit our website at: www.PhoenixRedBank.com/auditions

Phoenix Productions, Inc. would like to thank our dedicated cast and staff that worked so hard to make our American Idiot show a success.

THE CAST

Johnny ........................................................................................................ JEREMY ROTOLO

Tunny................................................................................................................. ZACK AUTIERI

Will FRANKIE CONFALONE St. Jimmy ............................................................................................................. W.D. FORDY

Heather ....................................................................................................... ASHLEY WETTLIN

Whatsername ................................................................ DAGMAR MARSHALL-MICHELSON

Extraordinary Girl CAT LONDON

Favorite Son ....................................................................................... CRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ

The Men ................................................................. NICK BUONVICINO, NATHANIEL PARIS, JAKOB SCHULER, ZANE DANIEL WALDEN

The Women KRISTINE COELHO, GABIE HOCSON, AMANDA MARINO

UNDERSTUDIES

For Johnny - CRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ

For Tunny - NICK BUONVICINO

For Will - NATHANIEL PARIS

For St. Jimmy - ZANE DANIEL WALDEN

For Heather - KRISTINE COELHO

For Whatsername - AMANDA MARINO

For Extraordinary Girl - GABIE HOCSON

For Favorite Son - JAKOB SCHULER

If you’d like information about auditioning for a future show, please visit our website at: www.PhoenixRedBank.com/

THE PRODUCTION TEAM

Director JAMES GRAUSAM

Music Director ............................................................................................... JASON NERI

Production Manager / Video Effects Operator ................................... TOM HESSMAN

Production Stage Manager JENNIFER LEE

Lighting Design .................................................................................KYLE SANTOPADRE

Scenic Design / Scenic Charge ............................................................. ASHLEY CUSACK

Costumes JOANNE PENROSE

Properties ............................................................................................ JAMES GRAUSAM

Associate Production Manager .....................................................DENNIS TOLENTINO

Assistant Stage Manager LILLIAN CHEN

Production Assistant ..................................................................................... DANI LIROV

Run Crew ............................................................. MARISA PROCOPIO, DIANA PUERTAS

Managing / Artistic Director JAMES GRAUSAM

Special Thanks ............................ COUNT BASIE CENTER MARKETING DEPARTMENT, DIANE DiYANNI, GUNTHER PUBLICATIONS, JIM & DEB MARCANTONIO, DIANE MARKS, DENNIS TOLENTINO

THE BAND

Music Director / Keyboard ............................................................................... JASON NERI

Bass CHRIS LOUGH

Guitar 1 ............................................................................................................ PAUL HEANEY

Guitar 2 RUDY MEIER

Violin ......................................................................................................................... MIMI PAK

Viola .................................................................................................................. ALEX DADON

Cello ............................................................................................................... PATTY GONSKY

Drums ................................................................................................................. JON GLEICH

The use of any recording device, either audio or video, and the taking of photographs, either with or without flash, is strictly prohibited. Please turn off all electronic devices such as cellular phones, tablets, beepers, and watches. The use of cell phones in the theater is prohibited.

PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

SoVonna Day-Goins (Co-Chair)

Sarah Bradley

Karen Franklin

Fran Katz

Joe Wajda (Co-Chair)

Michael Parent

Mark Regan, Jr.

Jon Vena

Jerry Conaty

Marc Goldberg

Jim Marhold

Adam Philipson

Izzy Sackowitz

Count Basie Center for the Arts, a not for profit organization

Count Basie Center Executive Committee of the Board

Jeremy Grunin Chairperson

Stephen Cutler Treasurer

Robin Klein

Human Resources Chair

Stuart Alderoty

Mitch Ansell

Alison Banks-Moore

Tom Bernard

Sarah Bradley

Michael Bruno

Heather Burke

James M. Cadet

Puja Choudhry

Jerry Conaty

Michael Parent Vice Chair of Operations

SoVonna Day-Goins

Co-Secretary

Claudia Dulac Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer

Maggie Riker Vice Chair of Development

Maria Maher

Co-Secretary

Adam Philipson

President & Chief Executive Officer, Ex Officio

Count Basie Center Board of Trustees

Craig Cummings

Mollie Giamanco

Lauren Goldfarb

Yvonne Grayson

Mark Hogan

Jason Jurgens

Nancy Karpf

Marshall Knopf

Mario Monello

Mark Rohl

Peter T. Roselle

Matthew J. Saker

Peter B. Seligman

Richard Spengler

Carol Stillwell

Fran Turner

Joe Wajda

Tom Widener

Darrell Lawrence Willis

Kaye Wise

Edward J. Zipprich

MUSICAL NUMBERS

“American Idiot” ...................................................................................................... Company

“Jesus of Suburbia”

“Jesus of Suburbia” ............................................................................... Johnny and Will

“City of the Damned” ............................................. Tunny, Johnny, Will, and Company

“I Don’t Care” Johnny, Will, Tunny, and Company

“Dearly Beloved” ............................................................................... Heather and Men

“Tales of Another Broken Home” .................................................. Johnny, Will, Tunny, Heather, and Company

“Holiday” .................................................................................. Johnny, Tunny, and Company

“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” ......................Johnny, Whatsername, Tunny, and Company

“Favorite Son” Favorite Son and Women

“Are We the Waiting” ........................................................................... Tunny and Company

“St. Jimmy” ........................................................................ Johnny, St. Jimmy, and Company

“Give Me Novacaine”................................................................... Will, Tunny, and Company

“Last of the American Girls”/“She’s a Rebel” ...................................Johnny, Whatsername Will, St. Jimmy, and Company

“Last Night on Earth” St. Jimmy, Whatsername, Heather, and Company

“Too Much Too Soon” .........................................................Will, Heather, Nathaniel, Kristine

“Before the Lobotomy” .................................................................................Tunny and Men

“Extraordinary Girl” Extraordinary Girl, Tunny, and Company

“Before the Lobotomy” (reprise) ......................................................... Tunny and Company

“When It’s Time” .......................................................................................................... Johnny

“Know Your Enemy” St. Jimmy, Will, Johnny, and Company

“21 Guns” .......................................................................... Whatsername, Extraordinary Girl, Heather, Tunny, Johnny, Will, and Company

“Letterbomb” .............................................................................. Whatsername and Women

“Wake Me Up When September Ends” ......................... Johnny, Will, Tunny, and Company

“Homecoming”

“The Death of St. Jimmy” ........................................................... St. Jimmy and Johnny

“East 12th Street” ....................................................................... Johnny and Company

“Nobody Likes You” .......................................................................... Will and Company

“Rock and Roll Girlfriend” ..................................... Zane, Heather, Will, and Company

“We’re Coming Home Again” ................................ Johnny, Tunny, Will, and Company

“Whatsername” ................................................................................... Johnny and Company

“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” .................................................................... Company

AMERICAN IDIOT WILL BE PERFORMED WITHOUT AN INTERMISSION.

WARNING: Strobe lights are used during this performance.

PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS THANKS OUR 2022/2023 SPONSORS & DONORS

2022/2023 SEASON SPONSORS

The Law Firm of Jonathan D’Agostino & Associates - Jon & Jade D’Agostino

World Subaru - Joe & Nicole Wajda

Silver Season Sponsor

The Coleman Family

PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS 2022/2023 SEASON DONORS

ANGEL LEVEL: $1,000-$1,999

The Goins Family, Thomas Hessman, Susan Relyea

RISING STAR LEVEL: $500-$999

The Valentino Family

PATRON LEVEL: $250-$499

Joseph Ercolino, Patrice Simonetti

FAN LEVEL: $50-$249

Chris Adamo, Sean, Melissa & Cricket Bailey, Joyce Barnett, Scott Barnett, Alfred Bevacqua, Nancy Cavaliere, Frances Crocco, Susan & Doug Culbert, Ronald Danielson, Brittany Dinardo, Charles Falk, Eric Klings, Thomas LaBue, Donna Pinamonti, Charles Rodman, Robert Ronan, Barbara Saake, Diane Tresente, Angela Ensor Tress, John Wells

STARS ON PHOENIX’S “WALK OF DREAMS”

Todd Aikens, Andrea Andrews Zawadzky, Matthew Blankley, Grace Brancato, Brothers Commercial Brokerage, The Brown Family, Chloe Carone, Erin O’Malley Chiaravalloti, Sarah Coleman, Liz & Randy Cooper, Sophie Creed, The Cullen Family, The D’Agostino Family, Mike & Betty Ann Dalberg, Bobby Davis, Lily DelPresto, In Memory of Mildred & Patrick DeLuca, Tina & Mike DeVito, Denise DiBona DDS, The Dobbs Family, Hudson Eder & Jo Wymer Music Studios, Joe Ercolino & Melvin Polisher, FILCO Red Bank, Immediate Care Medical Walk-In & CEO Sal Cannizzaro,In Memory of Jakob Franke, Bob Fuller, Carmen Gemellaro, Kayla Goins, Jennifer Grasso, James Grausam, Anthony Greco, Keegan Robert Haack, Holly Hankins & Family, Don & Lois Heirman, Thomas K. Hessman, Taylor Nicole Kaplan, Nancy Karpf, Fran Centofante Katz, Sydney & Jason Katz, Zoe & Molly Kenney,George & Kelly Kerrick, The Kinneman Family, The LaRue Family, James, Kathleen & Patrick Marhold,The Martini Family, In Loving Memory of Pat Mercandetti, The Monteleone Family, Jillian Mueller, Scott Naef,The Nodes Family, Don Olah Hair/Wigs, Alexa Origlio, Christine Paccillo, Wayne, Daniel & Marisa Peck, The Pennington Family, Joanne Penrose, Red Oak Mortgage, The Regan Family, Remember Jones, Lily Grace Riddle, Kara Robertelli, Harper Robinson, The Robinson Family, The Scherzo Family, Haley & Chris Schmalbach, Thomas Scove,The Sheftel Family, Carl Sterling Smith, Jack & Joyce Sica, The Stefanelli Family, The Thorner Family, Mary Jo Tort-Bergeron, Carol Wade, The Wagar Family, Ellen & Michael Walsh, Amanda Winter, Lindsay Wood, Chip & Ilda Wood, World Subaru

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST

ZACK AUTIERI (Tunny) is an actor, musician, and teaching artist based in Brooklyn, NY. He’s a keyboardist, backup vocalist, and occasional cowbell player with the nationally touring soul/pop/funk act Remember Jones. Last fall, Zack was the Music Director of Hair with Remember Jones and Phoenix Productions. Zack also music directs at Artistree Performing Arts in Westchester, NY. Thanks to James, Jason, KC, and the team. ZackAutieri.com @ZackAutieri

NICK BUONVICINO (Ensemble / Tunny u/s) is excited to be back with Phoenix in the ensemble of this rockin’ cast of American Idiot! Recent credits: The Who’s Tommy (Capt. Walker), Rent at Algonquin Arts Theatre, and Songs for a New World at Phoenix Productions. Outside of theatre, Nick is an active member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, where he currently sings tenor in Ovation Quartet! Nick would like to thank the cast & crew, his family, friends, and his beautiful fiancé, Diana, for their love and support!

KRISTINE COELHO (Ensemble / Heather u/s) is pumped for her first production at Phoenix! Kris is based in Brooklyn and works as an event planner for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. She’s a co-founder of In Confidence, a social storytelling company that produces secret shows in unlikely places. She’s putting her degree in Theatre Education & Performance from Emerson College to good use (finally). Thanks to Zack, Gabby, the queens, Idiots, and her family in Massachusetts. @inconfidence.club

FRANKIE CONFALONE (Will) is thrilled to be making his Phoenix Productions debut in this dream show! Favorite previous credits include: Next to Normal (Henry) with Pierrot Productions, Rent (Angel) at The Summit Playhouse, The Rocky Horror Show (Riff Raff), The Wedding Singer (George), Spring Awakening (Otto), and Be More Chill (Scary Stock Boy/Ensemble) with Exit 82 Theatre Company. Many thanks to the team at Phoenix for an amazing experience!

W.D. FORDY (St. Jimmy) is ready to rip it up as your patron saint! He is a Berklee College of Music alum and current teacher at School of Rock in Clark. Big thanks and hugs go out to his family, friends, and collaborators who have been so supportive of his pursuits. He creates and performs music as Wyndup Kid, and you can find his music on all major streaming services.

https://linktr.ee/wyndupkid

GABIE HOCSON (Ensemble / Extraordinary Girl u/s) is so excited to make her NJ stage debut with Phoenix Productions! A recent transplant from Dallas, TX, some of her favorite theatre credits include: Ordinary Days (Deb), Heathers (Veronica), Evita (Mistress), and The SpongeBob Musical (Pearl). During the day, you can find Gabie working as a pediatric speech therapist. Much love to her family, friends, and Silas for their endless support. Enjoy the show!

CAT LONDON (Extraordinary Girl) is back for her second show with Phoenix. Cat is a musician, actress, and musical improv comedian. She enjoys podcasting and playing music with her husband, taking her sister’s Zumba classes, and eating her brother-in-law’s cheesecakes. She learned to intermediately execute the moonwalk from her father, and she enjoys going to her mother’s photography exhibitions. Her family is in the audience tonight, and they did not pay her to say these nice things about them.

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST

AMANDA MARINO (Ensemble / Whatsername u/s) is beyond thrilled to be part of American Idiot. Amanda works for A+E Television Networks by day and fulfills her love for theatre at night. Phoenix credits include: Evil Dead The Musical (ASM) and The Wedding Singer (Ensemble / Linda u/s). Amanda thanks James, Jason, Jennifer, and Tom for their support and allowing her to continue working with Phoenix. Shoutout to the incredible cast and crew for making this one of her favorite theatrical experiences. Love always to her amazing mom, family, and friends.

DAGMAR MARSHALL-MICHELSON (Whatsername) is elated to be performing with Phoenix Productions once again! Regional: American Idiot (Chance Theater), Off Broadway: Cabaret (Emcee), A Chorus Line (Diana Morales). She is incredibly proud of the cast and team for all of the work and dedication during the process. She would like to thank her family and friends for always showing up to support her, her loving partner, and her mom and dad for never giving up on her dreams. @daggy6260

NATHANIEL PARIS (Ensemble / Will u/s) is excited/elated/ecstatic/thrilled to be able to do a second show with Phoenix Productions, that show being one of his favorites: American Idiot! He attends school at Rutgers University, majoring in Music and minoring in Microbiology. He would like to give a special thanks to his friends, family, and partner, who makes theatre so special. He hopes that you enjoy the show, as it is one of his only outlets to let out his abundant energy, in the manic episode that is American Idiot

CRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ (Favorite Son / Johnny u/s) is thrilled to be making his Phoenix debut with this incredible cast. Recent credits include: Rent (Roger), Carousel (Billy), and Legally Blonde (Warner). Cristian recently graduated from Villanova University and he is extremely grateful to his family for their unending support in all parts of his life. He would also like to thank Phoenix Productions and the American Idiot production team for taking a chance on a new face - he couldn’t have asked for a more welcoming (and talented) cast and crew!

JEREMY ROTOLO (Johnny) is a New Jersey based actor and excited to make his return to Phoenix Productions in American Idiot. He has appeared as Robert in Specs Staging’s Off-Broadway production of Black Locust. Other New York/Regional theatre credits include: The Seagull, Death of a Salesman (Columbia University), Hamlet, 4000 Miles (BBAC), Moving to Quebec (ACTC), Hair (Phoenix Productions), Accidental Death of an Anarchist, The Real Inspector Hound, Hello Herman, and The Profession (Stockton University). Film/TV credits: True Fear (XYXEE) and One Bad Choice (MTV). He can also be seen this April as Drew in Rock of Ages at The Brookdale Performing Arts Center.

JAKOB SCHULER (Ensemble / Favorite Son u/s) is performing in his second Phoenix Productions musical and Vogel debut! Jakob graduated from Brookdale Community College with an associates degree in Theatre and was previously seen in A Christmas Carol The Musical (Mr. Smythe/Ensemble). He’s super thrilled and grateful to perform Green Day’s masterpiece for you! Jakob thanks all his friends and family for their ongoing love and support, and of course the most talented cast and crew he’s ever worked with! Enjoy the show! <3

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST

ZANE DANIEL WALDEN (Ensemble / St. Jimmy u/s) is ecstatic to be making his Phoenix debut in one of his dream shows! Favorite credits include: Spring Awakening (Moritz; Forager Theatre Co. Off-Broadway), Rent (Roger; NexGen Off-Broadway); and Dog Sees God (Van; Independent Project). Aside from the stage, you can find him dubbing for Netflix, doing photography, or dancing his days away! He’d like to dedicate this performance to Green Day for creating music that has impacted his life in the most positive way throughout the years and to everyone who feels like an outsider; here you have a home. Instagram: @zeensten

ASHLEY WETTLIN (Heather) is thrilled to be back at Phoenix after playing Sheila in Hair last September! When she’s not in rehearsal, she can be found teaching yoga in NYC and napping on her couch. She has an album of original music on Spotify with another on the way, and her play “…and Getting Caught in the Rain” will be produced back home in SC in 2024. She holds an Associate of Arts degree and completed the Broadway Dance Center Training Program in 2019. She hopes you enjoy American Idiot and would love to thank her parents, her friends, and Steve for always supporting her. www.ashleywettlin.com

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES

GREEN DAY (Music) - vocalist/guitarist BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG, bassist MIKE DIRNT, and drummer TRÉ COOL - were kids from working-class backgrounds who came of age in the underground punk scene in Berkeley. Even though they had released two records prior (1,039 / Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk), they announced their arrival with 1994’s Dookie, a dynamic blast of exuberant punk-pop that sold 15 million copies and earned the band its first Grammy® Award for Best Alternative Music Performance. Over the years, Green Day continued to top the charts with their subsequent studio albums Insomniac, Nimrod, and Warning, while entertaining millions of fans with their frenetic live shows. But it was their landmark 2004 album American Idiot that launched Green Day into the stratosphere. American Idiot debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, spawned five hit singles, earned seven Grammy® nominations (winning two, including Best Rock Album), and raised the bar for modern rock and roll. In 2009, Green Day released 21st Century Breakdown, which won the 2010 Grammy® Award for Best Rock Album. It spawned two hit singles: the gold “Know Your Enemy,” which was the first song ever to top Billboard’s Rock, Alternative, and Mainstream Rock charts simultaneously, and the double-platinum “21 Guns,” which earned them three 2009 MTV Video Music Awards including Best Rock Video. Green Day also took home an American Music Award for Favorite Alternative Rock Music Artist. Later that year, Green Day collaborated with Tony Award winning director of Spring Awakening, Michael Mayer, for the stage musical of American Idiot. The play bowed at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in September 2009 and set attendance records during its limited engagement. The play went on to Broadway and ran for a year at the St. James Theatre and won two Tony Awards. Green Day’s highly anticipated album trilogy kicked off with the release of Green Day ¡Uno!, (September 25, 2012) followed by Green Day ¡Dos! (November 13th), and Green Day ¡Tré! (December 11th). The band recently completed the Soundwave Festival in Australia. For more info visit www.greenday.com.

BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG (Lyrics & Book), frontman of the rock band Green Day, came of age in the underground punk scene in Berkeley. Green Day’s albums include 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours; Kerplunk; 1994’s Dookie, which sold 15 million copies and garnered their first Grammy (and inspired a raft of imitators); Insomniac; Nimrod; Warning; 2004’s landmark American Idiot, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart, spawned five hit singles, and earned seven Grammy nominations (winning two, including Best Rock Album); 21st Century Breakdown (Grammy Award, Best Rock Album); and 2012’s consecutively released ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré! (as well as the behind the scenes DVD, ¡Cuatro!). Last year, Armstrong and Norah Jones released Foreverly, a tribute to the Everly Brothers’ 1958 Songs Our Daddy Taught Us. The Tony and Grammy winning musical American Idiot, featuring lyrics by Armstrong, music by Green Day, and a book written by Armstrong and director Michael Mayer, opened on Broadway in 2010. Throughout its run, he made cameo appearances in the role of St. Jimmy. The recent documentary, Broadway Idiot, chronicles his road to the Great White Way. Armstrong also composed the music for These Paper Bullets currently being staged at the Yale Repertory Theatre. His other film and TV credits include This is 40, Nurse Jackie, and the upcoming feature film, Like Sunday, Like Rain. www.greenday.com

MICHAEL MAYER (Book) made his Metropolitan Opera debut with a celebrated new production of Rigoletto Broadway: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever; American Idiot (Drama Desk Award, Best Director); Everyday Rapture; Spring Awakening (Tony Award, Best Director/Best Musical); Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award, Best Musical); Side Man (Tony Award, Best Play); A View From the Bridge (Tony Award, Best Revival); Uncle Vanya; ’night, Mother; After the Fall; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Triumph of Love. Off-Broadway: Spring Awakening, Everyday Rapture, The Illusion, Our House, 10 Million Miles, Antigone in New York, Baby Anger, The Credeaux Canvas, Stupid Kids. Film: A Home at the End of the World, Flicka. Television: Do No Harm; director and consulting producer for the first season of Smash.

TOM KITT (Musical Arrangements and Orchestrations) received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama as well as two Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Orchestrations for Next to Normal. Next to Normal also received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Score. He is also the composer of If/Then (Tony Nom., Outer Critics Nom.); High Fidelity (Broadway); Bring it On, The Musical (co-composer with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Broadway); Superhero (2nd Stage); Disney’s Freaky Friday (Stage Production and Original Disney Channel Movie Musical); Dave (Arena Stage); The Winter’s Tale, All’s Well That Ends Well, and Cymbeline (The Public’s NYSF); From Up Here and The Madrid (MTC); Orphans (Broadway); The Retributionists (Playwrights Horizons); and As You Like It (Toho Co., Japan). As a music supervisor, arranger, and orchestrator, credits include The SpongeBob Musical (Tony Nom., Outer Critics Nom, Drama Desk Nom.); Head Over Heels; Jagged Little Pill; Grease Live!; Rise (NBC); and American Idiot. His work with Green Day also includes additional arrangements for their Grammy Award-winning album 21st Century Breakdown and their album trilogy, ¡Uno! ¡Dos! ¡Tré! Tom received an Emmy Award as co-writer (with Lin-Manuel Miranda) for the 2013 Tony Award opening number, Bigger. Other Television Songwriting credits include a musical episode of Royal Pains, and songs for Penny Dreadful, Sesame Street, and Julie’s Greenroom. As a musical director, conductor, arranger and orchestrator, credits include the Pitch Perfect films, 2Cellos featuring Lang Lang (Live and Let Die), The Kennedy Center Honors, 13, Debbie Does Dallas, Everyday Rapture, Hair, Laugh Whore, Pippin (Deaf West), and These Paper Bullets. Upcoming projects include musical adaptations of the films Almost Famous, Magic Mike, and The Visitor.

Joe Wajda, Executive Manager & Phoenix Operations Co-Chair

WHO’S WHO ON THE PRODUCTION TEAM

JAMES GRAUSAM (Director / Properties) has directed several productions for Phoenix at the Count Basie including: Fiddler on the Roof, The Full Monty, Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy, The 30th Anniversary Gala Concert, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Songs for a New World, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Spring Awakening, Elf, Putting It Together, and Evil Dead The Musical. He continues to direct and perform other places as time allows. As always, for Olivia.

JASON NERI (Music Director) is thrilled to be back with Phoenix after music directing Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Spring Awakening, Putting It Together, The Wizard of Oz, and Evil Dead The Musical. He works extensively in the tri-state area as a Music/Vocal Director and Accompanist. Favorite past productions include: Ragtime (Barrymore Nominated for Outstanding Music Direction), The Last Five Years, Godspell (Barrymore Nominated for Outstanding Music Direction and Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical), John & Jen, Rock of Ages, Heathers: The Musical, Bonnie & Clyde, Tick Tick… Boom!, Rent, Tommy, Evil Dead The Musical, Baby, Song of Singapore, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Be here now!

LILLIAN CHEN (Assistant Stage Manager) is so excited to take part in her second Phoenix show! She is a senior at Communications High School and part of Monmouth Regional High School’s drama club. Previously, she’s been ASM for Phoenix’s A Christmas Carol The Musical and both PSM and Assistant Lighting Designer for MRHS productions, including Night of the Living Dead and Chicago. She would like to thank the cast and production team for their outstanding kindness, dedication, and creativity. Enjoy the show!

ASHLEY CUSACK (Scenic Design / Scenic Charge) is a freelance Scenic Designer and artist working throughout the tri-state area. She holds an MFA in Scene Design from Mason Gross School of the Arts, and loves transforming spaces into magical environments to be explored and developed. Everyday life with her wild-child daughter keeps her on her toes and ready for any adventure that comes along.

TOM HESSMAN (Production Manager / Video Effects Operator) is a lifelong theatergoer, and spent 15 years on the media crew for Staples Players (Westport, CT) before fully transitioning to the New Jersey community theater scene. In addition to seeing shows all around NJ, Tom loves volunteering at Phoenix in various capacities. Tom had a brief walk-on role in Phoenix’s 2019 production of Young Frankenstein as one of the hangmen, and Phoenix hasn’t been able to get rid of him since! Past credits include: A Christmas Carol The Musical, Evil Dead The Musical, Carrie The Musical, The Wizard of Oz, Spring Awakening, and Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Tom also serves as a board member at Exit 82 Theatre (Toms River, NJ). Tom would like to thank his Phoenix family for this amazing opportunity, his incredible friends, and his wonderful sister Kat. TomHessman.com

JOANNE PENROSE (Costumes) is a retired middle school FACS teacher that likes to sew and is always proud to be involved with a Phoenix production. Past shows include: Spamalot, Peter Pan, West Side Story, The Wedding Singer, and Elf. She is thrilled to add American Idiot to the list. Enjoy the show!

KYLE SANTOPADRE (Lighting Design) has a BA in Theatre with a Design concentration from Rowan University. After college, Kyle worked for Royal Caribbean as Technical Stage Staff on board the Oasis of the Seas (CATS, Frozen In Time, Come Fly With Me, Oasis of Dreams). He is currently the Assistant Technical Director and Lighting Designer for The Count Basie Center for the Arts. Some past designs include: Spring Awakening, A Chorus Line, The Wizard of Oz (Phoenix Productions), Hello, Dolly! (Capital Productions), and Noises Off (Raritan High School). Many thanks to a wonderful production team!

APRIL 13 & 14