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VOLUME XXXI • NUMBER 5 • JAN – MAR 2020
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Dan’yelle Williamson (Diva Donna), Alex Hairston (Disco Donna), Olivia Elease Hardy (Duckling Donna) and the Company of SUMMER. © Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
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SUMMER:
THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
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SIGHTLINE BY JANICE SINDEN
APPLAUSE M
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VO LU M E X X X I • N U M B E R 5 • JA N – M A R 2 0 2 0
EDITOR: Suzanne Yoe ASSOCIATE EDITOR: John Moore DESIGN DIRECTOR: Kyle Malone DESIGN THIS ISSUE: Brenda Elliott CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER: Lucas Kreitler CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Shirley Fishman, Rodney Hicks, Cheyenne Michaels, Madison Stout
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Hello and happy 2020! With the dawning of a new decade, it seems appropriate to focus on all things “new.” First, I’m happy to share the results of our newly published Community Report. In our 2018/19 season, we welcomed 941,887 guests to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Of those, nearly 150,000 were students. Plus, we offered 53 ticketed events, 275 classes, 2000 in-school workshops, 17,000 student scholarships, and free or discounted admission to approximately 70,000 individuals. Finally, our cumulative economic impact was $175 million. All of this was made possible through the generosity of our donors, the loyalty of our guests and the incredible artisty of our dedicated team. Second, it’s time for our 15th Colorado New Play Summit, our annual festival of new plays. On February 15-16 and 21-23, we will feature five never-before-produced new works: Alma by Benjamin Benne Another Kind of Silence by L M Feldman Hotter than Egypt by Yussef El Guindi Reclaiming One Star by Suzan Shown Harjo and Mary Kathryn Nagle In Her Bones by Jessica Kahkoska This is your chance to be among the first people ever to see these works in development before they are fully produced by theatres across the country. Finally, our DCPA Theatre Company will present the fully staged world premiere productions of You Lost Me by Bonnie Metzgar and twenty50 by Tony Meneses beginning in January. These new plays were featured in last year’s Colorado New Play Summit and met with enthusiastic audience response. You Lost Me is a lyrical drama in which two women, 200 years apart, each serve as a beacon to lost souls in turbulent times. While You Lost Me spans two centuries, twenty50 is set 30 years in the future. As the Latino population has assimilated into the majority in the US, one Mexican American must decide if embracing his roots hurts or helps his political aspirations. Whether you are joining us for a world premiere, our festival of new plays, RENT 20th Anniversary Tour or SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical, we are glad you are here. And in keeping with our theme of “all things new,” we invite you to try something new in 2020. Attend a reading, take a class, join us for a tour. We hope you’ll join us for the unexpected. Happy New Year! Warm regards,
Janice Sinden President & CEO 4
APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2020 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES Martin Semple, Chairman Robert Slosky, Vice Chairman William Dean Singleton, Secretary/Treasurer Dr. Patricia Baca Joy S. Burns Fred Churbuck Isabelle Clark Navin Dimond L. Roger Hutson Ruth Krebs Robert C. Newman Roberta Robinette Manny Rodriguez Alan Salazar Hassan Salem Richard M. Sapkin June Travis Brisa Trinchero Ken Tuchman Tina Walls Dr. Reginald L. Washington Judi Wolf Sylvia Young
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HONORARY TRUSTEES Margot Gilbert Frank Jeannie Fuller M. Ann Padilla Daniel L. Ritchie Cleo Parker Robinson Lester L. Ward HELEN G. BONFILS FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES William Dean Singleton, President Martin Semple, Vice President Judi Wolf, Secretary/Treasurer
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THE MUSIC OF
WHITNEY & ARETHA MARCH 2020
AN ORDINARY GIRL ON AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY
Dan’yelle Williamson (Diva Donna) and the Company of SUMMER. © Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
BY SHIRLEY FISHMAN
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Donna Summer always dreamed big. She knew in childhood that she wanted to sing and, according to family members, sang around the house morning, noon and night. She never let go of that passion, despite personal and professional obstacles that impeded the path to reaching her goal. Growing up in the 1950s, the third of seven siblings in an African American churchgoing family in south Boston, Donna sang gospel while listening to records of Mahalia Jackson and Dinah Washington, the Supremes and the girl groups of Motown, as well as rock star Janis Joplin. Like many teenagers in the 1960s, she found kinship in the rebellious spontaneity of rock and roll music, and she was soon skipping school and singing with The Crow, a local rock band. By age 18, with ambitions to become a stage actress, Summer was sneaking off to New York where she auditioned for the rock musical Hair. She won a part in the company’s European touring company and, with her parents’ reluctant permission, left school to join the cast in Munich, Germany. After the show closed, Summer remained in Munich. She was modeling, performing and winning accolades in German productions of Godspell, Porgy and Bess, Show Boat, The Me Nobody Knows, and singing in Vienna Folk Opera productions. She married fellow Hair cast member Helmut Sommer in 1973 and gave birth to their daughter Mimi that same year. When she wasn’t working on shows, Summer sang backup at Musicland Studios for music producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, who were generating a new kind of synthesizer-driven dance music called “Eurodisco.” When they heard Summer sing, they told her that she had potential to become a recording artist. In 1974, Summer recorded a studio album with Bellotte and Moroder, Lady of the Night, which produced two hit singles. Moroder told her about the re-release of British actress Jane Birkin’s 1969 erotic hit recording “Je T’Aime,” written by French songwriter Serge Gainsbourg for his girlfriend Brigitte Bardot. He suggested that she try writing a similar song. She wrote “Love to Love You Baby,” which Moroder set to a disco beat. Initially reticent to record it, she relented and the rest is music history. Previously unknown in the US, Summer became a sensation within weeks of the 1975 American release of the record by Neil Bogart of Casablanca Records. Uncomfortable with how she was being promoted and the public’s perception of her as the “First Lady of Love,” Summer struggled to hold on to herself as the whirlwind of interviews, media appearances, concerts, touring dates and demands for new records took its toll on her energy, marriage and sense of self. She amicably divorced Sommer in 1976 and kept his surname, but adapted the spelling to Summer. She relocated to the West Coast and continued to work with Bellotte and Moroder. Neil Bogart began producing films in 1977, and for his film The Deep, Summer co-wrote the lyrics and sang the film’s theme song “Down, Deep Inside,” which earned her and co-writer John Barry a Golden Globe nomination for Best
This article reprinted courtesy of La Jolla Playhouse / Dramaturg Shirley Fishman.
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL JAN 28 – FEB 9 • BUELL THEATRE ASL interpreted, Audio described and Open Captioned performance: Feb 9 at 2pm
THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL Talk about a cast of characters! Costume Designer David Zinn was charged with bringing Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” cartoon characters to 3D life in all of their technicolor splendor. “Our goal was to immerse the audience in the world of Bikini Bottom,” said Zinn. “We wanted to introduce the audience to the sense of playfulness and discovery that were our guide-posts.” Enjoy this glimpse into the depths of the sea before The SpongeBob Musical comes to The Buell Theatre from March 10 – 22.
Alex Hairston (Disco Donna) and the Company of SUMMER. © Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
Original Song. In Bogart’s 1978 film, Thank God It’s Friday, Summer played a featured role and sang the film’s signature song “Last Dance,” which won 1978 Golden Globe, Grammy and Academy awards for Best Original Song. Summer had achieved worldwide acclaim, countless industry awards, magazine covers, and gold and platinum records. She was one of the most successful artists of the decade and the reigning Queen of Disco. Sensing the demise of disco and frustrated with being limited to one genre of music, she longed to return to her passion — rock music. Despite her close relationship with Bogart, she sued Casablanca and wrested herself from its yoke. Untethered from disco, Summer moved on to even more ambitious horizons. From the mid-1970s to the late 1980s, Summer released one hit after another, including “I Feel Love,” “MacArthur Park,” “Hot Stuff,” “Bad Girls,” “On the Radio” and “She Works Hard for the Money.” She collaborated with iconic music producer Quincy Jones and recorded “Protection,” a song written for her by Bruce Springsteen. Her #1 duet with Barbra Streisand, “Enough Is Enough,” became the first 12-inch single to be certified platinum. In 1979 Summer became the first artist to twice score a #1 single and album simultaneously and, to date, she is the only solo artist in history to achieve three #1 double-albums on the Billboard charts. In 1983, at a time when it was rare for African Americans to appear on MTV, Summer’s video for “She Works Hard for the Money” was in constant, heavy rotation on the fledgling music channel. She was also the first African American woman to be nominated for an MTV Music Award. Now in full control of her career, the public became increasingly aware of the scope of Summer’s musical tastes and the extent of her extraordinary vocal range. In 1980, after a three-year courtship, Summer married singersongwriter and frequent collaborator Bruce Sudano of Brooklyn Dreams. After the birth of two daughters (Brooklyn in 1981 and Amanda in 1982), Summer took a hiatus, with occasional concert dates, to raise her daughters, tend to family, and other passions. She reconnected with her interest in the visual arts, which she developed while living in Munich. Her vibrant abstract expressionistic paintings received critically acclaimed gallery exhibitions in Beverly Hills, New York and other cities, achieving sales in excess of two million dollars throughout her career. In recognition of her musical accomplishments, Summer was honored with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 1992. She returned to acting in the 1997 television series “Family Matters” as Aunt Oona. Her autobiography, Donna Summer: Ordinary Girl, the Journey, a candid memoir about the highs and lows of her professional and personal life, was published in 2003. In 2008, after 17 years without a recording, a new studio album, Crayons, proved she hadn’t lost her appetite for adventurous explorations in music. Fans and music critics applauded new songs written by Summer and other songwriters, including a duet with Ziggy Marley, and showcased diverse thematic and musical motifs in rock, reggae, samba, pop and dance music. Donna Summer died in her Naples, Florida, home on May 17, 2012 at age 63. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Three years ago, California’s La Jolla Playhouse produced the world premiere of SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical as a tribute to the legendary singer. The show transferred to Broadway and is now making its way across the nation including a stop in Denver’s Buell Theatre.
COMING UP FROM BROADWAY
MEET THE CAST!
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS Incurably optimistic, this free-spirited dude calls an undersea pineapple his home. PATRICK STAR SpongeBob’s BFF
SANDY CHEEKS SpongeBob’s squirrel-tothe-rescue SQUIDWARD Q. TENTACLES SpongeBob’s cranky co-worker
EUGENE KRABS SpongeBob’s crusty boss
(L-R, T-B): Lorenzo Pugliese as SpongeBob SquarePants, Beau Bradshaw as Patrick Star, Daria Pilar Redus as Sandy Cheeks, Cody Cooley as Squidward Q. Tentacles, Zach Kononov as Eugene Krabs, Tristan McIntyre as Sheldon Plankton. Photos by Jeremy Daniel.
SHELDON PLANKTON Mr. Krabs’ primary rival
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THE CONSEQUENCES OF RACIAL ASSIMILATION IN
twenty50
Illustration by Kyle Malone
BY JOHN MOORE
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APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2020
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Playwright Tony Meneses was intrigued when he came across a Pew Research Center study that predicted 2050 will be the year the U.S. population will no longer have a white majority. That, in itself, could make for a compelling “near-future” pot-boiler. Imagine: What will white people do to maintain power when they no longer have the numbers? Form coalitions with minority populations? Refuse to cede power? Take up arms? Meneses takes this census scenario one step further in his gripping world premiere play, twenty50: What if, in order to maintain their supremacy, white people simply absorb Latino people into their own population? Just as happened long ago with the Germans, Jews, Greeks, Italians, Irish and other groups once considered “less than” white. There would be many ways to explore that storyline, most from the white point of view. Meneses is more curious about the Latino perspective. “How can we resist that opportunity?” Meneses wondered. “But what would be the cultural cost? And would we be complicit?” twenty50 centers on a Mexico-born immigrant who is now running for Congress in middle America. The compromises this man must make to win can be boiled down to one telling question: Will he go by the name Andres Salazar — or Andy? (This might remind you of a certain Texas Senator born Rafael Edward — but is more commonly known as Ted. Meneses is not naming names, but “I will say there are conservative Latino politicians out there right now whose policies don’t protect their own people,” he said.) Andres — or Andy — “is now at a crossroads where he has to decide whether he identifies as Latino or white, and consider how that may help or hinder his campaign,” Meneses said. His campaign manager is a Latino who believes the man cannot be seen as Mexican and still win. What Latino people might be willing to do for a slice of America’s power pie is the heart of what twenty50 is about, said Director Henry Godinez. Because Andres must decide how much he should assimilate into the broader white culture, while still being perceived as “Hispanic enough” by his own Latino community. “What I love about this play is that it brings up a very difficult and yet very honest conversation that is going on within the Latino community right now, which is this: What are the consequences of a future in which Latinos have the luxury of no longer being considered ‘the other’?” Godinez said. “What I think the play does so beautifully is that it suggests progress has consequences.” The biggest being its impact on cultural identity. Thirty more years of blending will surely further blur the distinctions between skin colors, that much is certain. Meneses, who teaches at Fordham University, and Godinez, who teaches at Northwestern, are already seeing it among their many multicultural students. “I have light-skinned students who actually self-identify as ‘white-passing Latino,’” Meneses said. “And they acknowledge that
What I think the play does so beautifully is that it suggests progress has consequences. — HENRY GODINEZ, DIRECTOR
white privilege as part of their identity. They may be Latino or Latina, but they are starting to have this very keen awareness about the history of how white supremacy and race politics work, and how they intersect with the systems that have put historically systemic oppression into place.” twenty50 is a family drama. It’s a political thriller. It’s a classic American Dream story. It’s a cautionary tale. It is also, Meneses says, “my social justice dystopia.” Especially to those who assume that an America without a racial majority will inherently mean a more harmonious one. “People might walk into twenty50 with the idea that this is going to be a fun diversity story about how racism is finally over,” Meneses said. But the play actually argues the opposite. “twenty50 raises important questions about power and assimilation and how that all intersects with race and identity. It asks big questions about what is America? Where is America going? And who gets the privilege of being considered ‘us’?” Meneses didn’t write his play as a specific response to who is currently occupying the White House, but he admits “the audience is inevitably going to receive the play based on whatever is in the headlines at the time it is performed,” he said. Godinez expects the play to evoke strong personal reactions, especially during a presidential election year in which immigration is again a central issue. “For many people, America is no longer a place where refugees and immigrants see a beacon of light,” Godinez said. “They skip right over America and go to Canada — literally. My hope is that this play will make people ask, ‘Is that really the country we want to be?’ And specifically for the Latino community who see the play, given the potential power of our vote: ‘Is that the country we want to create with our vote?’” Meneses strongly identifies as a Mexican immigrant himself who moved here with his family from Guadalajara when he was 8 months old. “This is what I write about,” he said, “and given where we’re at right now, it’s such an important thing for me to give voice to the Mexican immigrant, because I want to demystify that. I’m a Mexican immigrant, and I think I’m a pretty nice guy. But if you say the words ‘Mexican immigrant’ to certain people, they think that’s a terrifying thing. I hope that I can dispel a lot of the (bleep) out there about who people think we are. “My hope is that when audiences meet the Salazars, they don’t see a Latino family — but simply a family. I believe this is a play for Americans — and we’re all Americans.” To read more of John Moore’s conversation with Tony Meneses and Henry Godinez, visit denvercenter.org/News-Center.
twenty50 JAN 31 – MAR 1 • SPACE THEATRE ASL interpreted and Audio described performance: Feb 23 at 6:30pm Personal Closed Captioning with English and Spanish: Feb 8 – Mar 1 Spanish translation available. Check with Patron Services. Stay for a post-show Talkback: Feb 8 – Mar 1
COSTUME COLUMN It’s not every day a theatre practitioner gets a glimpse into the future. “With shows set in the past, there is a trove of research to look back on,” said twenty50 costume designer Meghan Anderson Doyle. “With something in the future, you have to approach it differently.” The creative team for twenty50 found that the best way to design a show that takes place 30 years from now was actually to look 30 years in the past and observe what’s changed — and what hasn’t. “I looked at what garments have been present in western fashion and felt like they might have some stylistic changes, but stay in our wardrobes. Men’s suits, school uniforms and jeans are all things that we see in 2020 and have been popular for more than a century.” Perhaps most eye-opening was the realization that the grandmother in the play, Irene, is roughly the age Doyle will be in 2050. “[Designing for Irene] is kind of picturing myself in the future. It’s sort of bizarre to think that her first concert could have been Boyz II Men, she would have ushered in the year 2000 as a teenager, and could have voted for the first Black president.”
UPCOMING
SHOWS The Improvised Shakespeare Company® Now – Mar 22 Goodnight Moon Now – Feb 16
40TH ANNIVERSARY
SATURDAY
You Lost Me Now – Feb 23 Can I Kick it? Jan 24 – 25 SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical Jan 28 – Feb 9
NIGHT ALIVE
twenty50 Jan 31 – Mar 1 Mystery Science Theater 3000: LIVE Feb 15
A GALA BENEFITING DCPA ARTS & EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Colorado New Play Summit Feb 15 – 16 & 21 – 23
SAVE THE DATE
RENT 20th Anniversary Tour Feb 28 – Mar 1
MAY 16, 2020
The SpongeBob Musical Mar 10 – 22
The cast of Oklahoma! Photo by Adams VisCom.
Until the Flood Mar 20 – May 3
SAME CELEBRATION,
NEW TIME OF YEAR
Choir Boy Apr 10 – May 10 Disney’s The Lion King May 13 – Jun 14
The Book of Mormon Jun 9 – 28
Photos by John Moore
My Fair Lady Jul 15 – 26 The Band’s Visit Jul 29 – Aug 9 Hamilton Aug 12 – Oct 4
FOR A COMPLETE LIST, VISIT DENVERCENTER.ORG Tickets for some shows are currently unavailable.
Photos by Adams VisCom
DENVERCENTER.ORG/SNA
Dixie’s Never Wear a Tube Top... Apr 8 – May 3
That Golden Girls Show! A Puppet Parody May 20 – Jun 14
At Saturday Night Alive, we gather to invest in arts and education programs that engage and inspire nearly 150,000 students annually. This year, we’re moving the event to later in the spring, and while it might change what you decide to wear, we’ll still celebrate and support the same great cause. Thank you for your generosity!
Mean Girls Mar 25 – Apr 12
Explore more stories on other DCPA shows when you visit
denvercenter.org/ News-Center
The Dodgers
Tommy Mottola
with John Gore Organization, Courtney Sachs, and Lawrence S. Toppall present
Songs by
Book by
Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Paul Jabara, and others
Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, and Des McAnuff with
Dan’yelle Williamson
Alex Hairston
Steven Grant Douglas
John Gardiner
Olivia Elease Hardy Erick Pinnick
Jennifer Byrne, Jay Garcia, Tamrin Goldberg, Cameron Anika Hill, Brooke Lacy, Trish Lindström, Mara Lucas, Jo’Nathan Michael, DeQuina Moore, Kyli Rae, Crystal Sha’nae, De’ja-Simone, Sir Brock Warren, Candace J. Washington, Brittany Nicole Williams, Jennifer Wolfe Scenic Design
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Paul Tazewell
Howell Binkley
Gareth Owen
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Music Supervision and Arrangements by
Ron Melrose Choreography
Sergio Trujillo Directed by
Des McAnuff World Premiere Produced by La Jolla Playhouse, La Jolla, CA Christopher Ashley, Artistic Director & Debby Buchholz, Managing Director
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
SEASON SPONSORS
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
CAST
Diva Donna/Mary Gaines........................................................................DAN’YELLE WILLIAMSON Disco Donna.....................................................................................................................ALEX HAIRSTON Duckling Donna/Mimi ................................................................................. OLIVIA ELEASE HARDY Giorgio Moroder............................................................................................................................. KYLI RAE Pete Bellotte/Don Engel..........................................................................................JENNIFER BYRNE Neil Bogart/Sommelier/Gunther...........................................................................JOHN GARDINER Joyce Bogart...............................................................................................................TRISH LINDSTRÖM Brian/Helmuth Sommer.......................................................................................................JAY GARCIA Andrew Gaines/Doctor..................................................................................................ERICK PINNICK Young Mary Ellen/Brooklyn...........................................................................................DE’JA-SIMONE Young Dara/Amanda..................................................................................... CAMERON ANIKA HILL Pastor.........................................................................................................................SIR BROCK WARREN Michael........................................................................................................CANDACE J. WASHINGTON Maid/”To Turn the Stone” Soloist.............................................. BRITTANY NICOLE WILLIAMS Detective/David Geffen/Bob......................................................................................BROOKE LACY Bruce Sudano............................................................................................STEVEN GRANT DOUGLAS Norman Brokaw.................................................................................................... TAMRIN GOLDBERG Adult Mary Ellen.......................................................................................................... DEQUINA MOORE Adult Dara.................................................................................................................... CRYSTAL SHA’NAE ENSEMBLE JENNIFER BYRNE, JAY GARCIA, TAMRIN GOLDBERG, CAMERON ANIKA HILL, BROOKE LACY, TRISH LINDSTRÖM, DEQUINA MOORE, KYLI RAE, CRYSTAL SHA’NAE, DE’JA SIMONE, SIR BROCK WARREN, CANDACE J. WASHINGTON, BRITTANY NICOLE WILLIAMS SWINGS MARA LUCAS, JO’NATHAN MICHAEL, JENNIFER WOLFE UNDERSTUDIES For Diva Donna - DEQUINA MOORE, CRYSTAL SHA’NAE For Disco Donna - MARA LUCAS, CANDACE J. WASHINGTON, BRITTANY NICOLE WILLIAMS For Duckling Donna - CAMERON ANIKA HILL, DE’JA-SIMONE For Bruce Sudano - JAY GARCIA, JO’NATHAN MICHAEL For Neil Bogart/Sommelier/Gunther - JAY GARCIA, JO’NATHAN MICHAEL For Andrew Gaines/Doctor - JO’NATHAN MICHAEL, SIR BROCK WARREN Dance Captain - JENNIFER WOLFE Assistant Dance Captain - SIR BROCK WARREN Fight Captain - DAVID S. COHEN
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SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
CAST
(in order of appearance)
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
MUSICAL NUMBERS “The Queen Is Back” “I Feel Love” “Love to Love You Baby” “I Remember Yesterday” “On My Honor” “Faster and Faster to Nowhere” “White Boys” “MacArthur Park” “Heaven Knows” “No More Tears (Enough is Enough)” “Pandora’s Box” “On the Radio” “I Love You” “Bad Girls” “She Works Hard for the Money” “Dim All the Lights “ “I Believe in Jesus” “Unconditional Love” “To Turn the Stone” “Stamp Your Feet” “Friends Unknown” “Hot Stuff” “Last Dance”
BAND Conductor/Keyboard—Amanda Morton Associate Conductor/Keyboard—Lisa LeMay Keyboard—Makeena Lee Brick; Guitar—Larry Esparza; Drums—Jesse-Ray Leich Synthesizer Programmer: Randy Cohen Music Preparation: Anixter Rice Music Services Music Coordinator: John Miller
SUMMER WILL BE PERFORMED WITHOUT AN INTERMISSION.
DAN’YELLE WILLIAMSON (Diva Donna/Mary Gaines), a Broadway veteran with a passion for storytelling, is delighted to share in the legacy that is DONNA SUMMER all over the US! Last seen in the American Premier of Life After and a Holiday Celebration Concert in Tokyo, Japan. Broadway: Memphis, Scandalous and Rocky. Additional credits: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Sister Act, Disgraced, MAMMA MIA!, The Lion King (National Tour) and Wicked (Chicago). Film soundtrack: 12 Years a Slave. Agent: DGRW INC. IG: @dubbzlove / danyellewilliamson.com ALEX HAIRSTON (Disco Donna). Dreams come true. Broadway: Beautiful – The Carole King Musical. Nat’l Tour: Motown. Regional: West Side Story, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Hairspray, Chicago. NCL Vocalist: Vegas!, Legally Blonde, Priscilla, Burn the Floor. NCSA High. Thanks mom, dad, family, teachers, Tara Rubin Casting and the best at CGF! Romans 12:12 alexhairston.net @alexasusual OLIVIA ELEASE HARDY (Duckling Donna/Mimi). Originally from Sicklerville, NJ, Olivia is thrilled to be joining the cast of SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical as her First National Tour! Now a rising senior Musical Theatre major at The University of Michigan, she could not be more excited to be a part of this incredible production! STEVEN GRANT DOUGLAS (Bruce Sudano) is thrilled to share the SUMMER stage with this incredible team of artists. National Tour: Ghost The Musical (Sam Wheat). Regional: All Shook Up (Chad) at Flat Rock Playhouse, Cabaret (Cliff) at The Gateway and the premiere of A Sign of the Times (Dennis) at Delaware Theatre Company. Special thanks to Des, Sergio, Michael, Felicia, Dodgers and Gregg. Proud AEA member and BFA graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth. “For Lillian, Hazel, Olive & Gustaf. Love to Mom and Dad, always.” @stevengdouglas JOHN GARDINER (Neil Bogart/ Gunther/Sommelier). “I Feel Love” from Broadway: Jersey Boys (Tommy DeVito), A Bronx Tale (Rudy). “Heaven
Knows” he’s toured: The Lion King (Timon), Jersey Boys, A Bronx Tale. “Worked Hard For the Money” regionally: Million Dollar Quartet (Tuacahn), The Tempest (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Big River (St. Michael’s Playhouse), Sound of Music (Flatrock Playhouse). “Last Dance” with school - BFA: Northern Kentucky University / MFA: University of Alabama. He shares the SUMMER stage with “Hot Stuff” wife, Kyli Rae, and has “Unconditional Love” for their son Finnegan. IG: @GardinerNYC ERICK PINNICK (Andrew Gaines). NY credits include The Tin Pan Alley Rag and A Christmas Carol. National tour of Sunset Boulevard and European tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. Romeo & Juliet (ASF), A Christmas Carol (DCTC), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (PTC), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Engeman), and Once on This Island (ATL). Graduate of James Madison University. erickpinnick.com JENNIFER BYRNE (Pete Bellotte/Don Engel). Off Broadway: Nevermore (Original Cast), Evil Dead the Musical (Original Cast/Recording), It’s Karate, Kid the Musical (NYIT Nomination), Pirates of Penzance (Lortel/tour), Fairy Tale Christmas (World Premiere). Tour: BMC (Japan). Regional: MAMMA MIA!, Shear Madness, Light in the Piazza, among others. TV: “The View,” “All My Children,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” JAY GARCIA (Brian/Helmuth Sommer) is elated to share the story of SUMMER! National Tours and New York credits include West Side Story, Legally Blonde and Altar Boyz. Las Vegas: Avenue Q. Regional: MAMMA MIA!, The Secret Garden, Aladdin, Venice, Peter Pan. “Thank you to my family for their love and continuous support as I pursue my dreams!” @j.garcia_ TAMRIN GOLDBERG (Norman Brokaw). NY/Regional: Oklahoma! (Goodspeed Musicals), The Wiz (Broadway Sacramento), Ever After (Alliance Theatre), West Side Story (Barrington Stage), Tamar of The River (Prospect Theatre Company), I Dream (Toledo Opera, Opera Carolina). Recent recipient of the New
York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Choreography, B.A. in dance and philosophy from Barnard College. CAMERON ANIKA HILL (Young Dara/Amanda). Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen. Regional: The MUNY, Pittsburgh CLO, Music Theatre Wichita, Westchester Broadway Theatre, and The Ravinia Festival. CCM BFA class of 2016. Thanks Sean, BWA, Tara Rubin Casting and the entire SUMMER team. For Mom and Dad always. Love and gratitude. @cameronanika BROOKE LACY (Detective/David Geffen/Bob). Tour debut! Regional: Goodspeed Opera House’s THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES (Ziegfeld’s Favorite), North Shore Music Theatre’s YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (Inga), MTWichita, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Maltz Jupiter Theatre. Kansas City native, OUMT alum. Huge thanks to Sergio and Tara Rubin, and much love to her family and friends! @brooke.lacy, brookelacy.com TRISH LINDSTRÖM (Joyce Bogart). Toronto-born! Mother Night (59E59, NYC), If Sand…(NYMF); once (Dir John Tiffany, Mirvish/Dora Award), Life After (Musical Stage); STRATFORD: As You Like It, Alice Through the Looking-Glass, Chamber Dream (Dir Peter Sellars), The Tempest (Dir Des McAnuff, Starring Christopher Plummer), Cabaret, The Miracle Worker; SHAW (20037). Photographer: @lindstromtrish, www.trishlindstrom.org MARA LUCAS (Swing) is excited to join the First National Tour of SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical. Favorite credits: Fabiola, Warren Carlyle’s Havana!, The Leading Player, Pippin (National Tour 2017), and Patsy, Crazy For You (SSMT). She would like to thank her family and friends for all their love and support. JO’NATHAN MICHAEL (Swing) is a New Jersey Native and graduate of The University of The Arts ‘08 (BFA/ Modern Dance Performance). Jo has toured nationally & internationally, credits: Fame/China (Tyrone) Grease/ Istanbul & Dreamgirls/Japan (James
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
WHO’S WHO
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
“Thunder” Early). He was last seen in ArtsCentric’s Aida (Radames). Other credits: Bella: An American Tall Tale (Off Broadway/Playwrights Horizons/ Mr. Dinwiddie) Bubbly at City Center’s Encores (Chitty Chatty) The Color Purple National Tour & Ragtime National Tour. Jo is ever grateful to God, his family and church BJCF! DEQUINA MOORE (Adult Mary Ellen). Broadway: Legally Blonde (Pilar), Little Shop of Horrors (Chiffon), Two Gentlemen of Verona, Happy Days (Joyce), Hair (AFC). Nat’l Tours: The Bodyguard (Nicki alt., Rachel u/s, Ensemble), Flashdance (Kiki), Madea’s Big Happy Family (Rose). Film: Joyful Noise (Devonne), Madea’s Big Happy Family, The Last New Yorker (Alice), Ghost Town, Rachel Getting Married, Camp. TV: “5th Ward” (Rena), “Law & Order: SVU” (guest star), “Racing For Time” (Tonya), “Third Watch” (Tania), “All Falls Down” (Nycole). -NYU/TischTHX/LOVE to GOD, Mom, Dad, Jimmy III, Kat, & all fam/friends! KYLI RAE (Giorgio Moroder) sings My Boyfriend’s Back in the movie Jersey Boys, directed by Clint Eastwood. Broadway: Jersey Boys. National Tours: A Bronx Tale, Rock of Ages, Flashdance, MAMMA MIA!, Grease, Fame. Regional: lots! All-time favorite roles: Proud Mama to Finnegan Ray Gardiner & wife to favorite disco partner, John Gardiner. IG: @KyliRaeLA CRYSTAL SHA’NAE (Adult Dara) is ecstatic to be a part of telling this legend’s story. Oklahoma native and proud Syracuse Alum. Favorite credits: Nina Simone: Four Women (Alabama Shakespeare); OffBroadway: Dogman (Lucille Lortel); Parade (MerryGoRound). TV: “The Blacklist,” “Unforgettable.” Endless thanks and love to God, my supportive family and Wolf Talent Group tribe. God bless you! IG: @crystalshanae / crystalshanae.com DE’JA-SIMONE (Young Mary Ellen/ Brooklyn) is excited to be making her National Tour debut! Recent Graduate of the BFA Music Theater program at Florida State University. Regional: In The Heights (Vanessa), Aida (Aida), Hairspray (Inez) and many more. Eternal gratitude and love to God, The Crumpton’s, Creatives, Jenny, her beloved friends and TPG! IG: @dejacrumpton
SIR BROCK WARREN (Pastor). The A.R.T New York: Personality; Berkeley Rep: Paradise Square (Ens); The Public: The Harder They Come; Radio City Christmas Spectacular; REGIONAL: Weston Playhouse: Oklahoma! (Dream Curly); Muny: The Wiz (GateKeeper); American Stage: In The Heights; NCL: After Midnight (The Mooche); FILM/ TV: In The Heights: Warner Bros; AWARDS: Project Gen Yes grant recipient by The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; TRAINING: Saint Leo University: MBA concentration in Marketing; Full Sail University: MS in Entertainment Business; The Boston Conservatory: BFA in Dance. Follow: @only1sirbrock / Agent: Clear Talent Group (CTG) CANDACE J. WASHINGTON (Michael) is overjoyed to join the First National Tour of SUMMER! Biola University graduate with a degree from the Conservatory of Music and currently studies voice with Eric Futterer. Performed 4 years on the L.A. Clippers Dance Team and starred in L.A. Clippers Dance Squad (E! Network). Credits: Oklahoma! (Pittsburgh CLO), Singing in the Rain (McCoy Rigby Entertainment), Dance Captain/ Sarah’s Friend Ragtime (Pasadena Playhouse), Anything Goes (Encore), Cabaret (McCoy Rigby Entertainment). Candace has been a Disney AGVA (American Guild of Variety Artists) Principal Swing including Princess Tiana (Mickey’s Magical Map) and Timon/Nala (Lion King). Much love family, friends and KMR Agency for the everlasting support! #PraiseHIM @canndyj89 BRITTANY NICOLE WILLIAMS (Maid/ “To Turn the Stone” Soloist). Glory to God! National Tour: A Bronx Tale. Regional Theatre: MAMMA MIA! at Arkansas Repertory Theatre and Annie Get Your Gun at Westchester Broadway Theatre. She is an Ailey School and AMDA NY alumnus. Thanks to my family, Tara Rubin Casting and the SUMMER team! @brittany_nicolew JENNIFER WOLFE (Swing) is thrilled to join the First National Tour of SUMMER! Texas State Graduate. Credits: Rock of Ages, WDW and Disney Channel. TV: CSI and Vegas. Many thanks to Tara Rubin Casting and CESD. Beyond grateful for my family, friends and supportive husband. IG @jwolfe059
DES McANUFF (Director) is a twotime Tony Award-winning director and former artistic director of Canada’s Stratford Festival. He is also Director Emeritus of La Jolla Playhouse, where as Artistic Director he staged over 30 productions of classics, new plays and musicals. He’s co-founder of Broadway’s Dodgers. Broadway: Ain’t Too Proud, SUMMER, Doctor Zhivago, Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys and Dolls, Aaron Sorkin’s The Farnsworth Invention, Jersey Boys (Tony and Olivier Awards: Best Musical), Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays (Tony Award: Best Special Theatrical Event), Dracula the Musical, How to Succeed…, The Who’s Tommy (Tony and Olivier Awards: Best Director), A Walk in the Woods, Big River (Tony Awards: Best Director, Best Musical). Selected New York: Fetch Clay, Make Man (NYTW), multiple productions at The Public and BAM. Stratford highlights: A Word or Two, Caesar and Cleopatra, The Tempest (all with Christopher Plummer). Opera: Faust (The Met, ENO). TV: 700 Sundays (HBO). Film: Cousin Bette (with Jessica Lange, director), The Iron Giant (producer, BAFTA Award) and Quills (executive producer). In 2011, he was honored with a doctorate from Ryerson University where he attended theatre school. In 2012, he was awarded Canada’s Governor General’s National Arts Center Award and the Order of Canada. SERGIO TRUJILLO (Choreographer). Recipient of the 2019 Tony Award for Ain’t Too Proud, and an Olivier award for Memphis. Broadway: Ain’t Too Proud (Outer Critics Circle/ Chita Rivera nominations), On Your Feet! (Tony Award nominee, Outer Critics Circle/Astaire Awards), Memphis (OCC Award, DD/Astaire Award nominations), Jersey Boys (Olivier/DD/OCC/Greenroom/Dora nominations), SUMMER (Chita Rivera Award), A Bronx Tale (Chita Rivera Award nomination), The Addams Family, Next to Normal, Hands on a Hardbody (DD nomination), Leap of Faith (DD nomination), Guys and Dolls (Astaire Awards nomination), and All Shook Up. Director/ choreographer: Cirque De Soleil’s Paramour, Arrabal (Elliot Norton Award), Gloria Estefan on Broadway, Flashdance. Other Theatre: Invisible Thread (Astaire Award nomination), Carmen: An AfroCuban Musical (Helen Hayes Award
RON MELROSE (Music Supervisor and Arranger). Forty-three years of arranging, music direction and supervision including 19 Broadway shows and productions spanning the world. Music Director/Arranger, Jersey Boys (Helpmann Award, Australia). Music Supervisor, Jersey Boys film. Associate Producer, Jersey Boys cast and Christmas albums. Music Supervisor/Arranger, A Bronx Tale (Broadway), co-producer of cast album. Composer and Lyricist: Fourtune (Off-Broadway), The Silver Swan (NEA Fellowship), The Missing Peace (Washington’s Capitol Fringe), Early One Morning and Songs I Won’t Be Singing (one-woman musicals), two Harvard Hasty Pudding shows, a gospel Requiem, songs for “Saturday Night Live.” Education: Harvard (philosophy), Westminster (choral conducting). Thanks and love to Alexandra and Jake. ROBERT BRILL (Scenic Design). Broadway: Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (Tony nomination), Cabaret, Assassins (Tony nomination), Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys and Dolls (Tony nomination), Buried Child, Design for Living and many others. His other credits include Frozen (Disney California) and numerous opera world premieres including Moby-Dick, Cold Mountain, Everest, Doubt and The Manchurian Candidate. Recipient of the Michael Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration, he is a founding member of Sledgehammer Theatre and Professor of Scenic Design at University of California San Diego. PAUL TAZEWELL (Costume Design). Select Broadway productions: Pulitzer Prize-winning Hamilton; Ain’t Too Proud; In the Heights; The Color Purple; Memphis; Caroline, or Change; Elaine Stritch at Liberty; Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk; For film he designed the costumes for The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks starring Oprah Winfrey for HBO, HARRIET and the remake of West Side Story with Steven Spielberg. In 2016 he received both a Tony Award (Hamilton) and an Emmy Award (“The Wiz Live!”).
HOWELL BINKLEY (Lighting Design). Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations (2019 Tony nom.), Come From Away (2017 Tony nom.), A Bronx Tale, Hamilton (2016 Tony winner/2018 Olivier Award winner), After Midnight (2014 Tony nom.), How to Succeed… (2011 Tony nom.), West Side Story (2009 Tony nom.), In the Heights (2008 Tony nom.), Jersey Boys (2006 Tony winner), Avenue Q, Parade, Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993 Tony nom./Olivier and Dora Award Winner.) Co-Founder and Resident Lighting Designer for Parsons Dance for which he has designed over 85 pieces. 2006 and 2016 Henry Hewes Design Awards for Jersey Boys and Hamilton. GARETH OWEN (Sound Design). Oliviers: Come From Away, Bat Out of Hell (nom.), Memphis, Merrily We Roll Along, Top Hat (nom.) and End of the Rainbow (nom.). Tony’s: A Little Night Music (nom.) and End of the Rainbow (nom.). Currently: Come From Away and Diana on Broadway; Mama Mia The Party, & Juliet, and Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in London’s West End; Hunchback of Notre Dame, Bat out of Hell, Little Mermaid, Bronx Tale, Beauty and the Beast worldwide. 280 other musicals around the world. SEAN NIEUWENHUIS (Projection Design). Broadway: Dr. Zhivago, Jesus Christ Superstar. Regional: Rear Window (Hartford Stage); Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Sideways (La Jolla); A Word or Two (Ahmanson); The Who’s Tommy, JCS, Wanderlust (Stratford); The Little Prince (Theatre Calgary). Opera: Madama Butterfly, Whiteley (Opera Australia) Macbeth (L.A. Opera), Faust (The Met), The Manchurian Candidate (Minnesota); Nixon in China (Royal Swedish, WOO Dublin, San Francisco, Kansas City). Dance: Handmaid’s Tale, Going Home Star (Royal Winnipeg Ballet). Event: 2017 Invictus Games, 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. CHARLES G. LaPOINTE (Wig Design). Over 100 Broadway shows including Hamilton, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Anastasia, The Band’s Visit, SpongeBob SquarePants (Drama Desk Award), The Cher Show (Drama Desk Award), Beetlejuice (Drama Desk Nom.), Motown the Musical, Memphis, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,
The Color Purple, Doctor Zhivago, Newsies, Jekyll & Hyde, In the Heights. Television: “Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert” (Emmy Award nomination, MUAH Winner), “The Wiz Live!” (Emmy Award nomination), “Bluebloods,” “American Crime,” “Maddoff,” “Hairspray.” STEVE RANKIN (Fight Director). Broadway: Ain’t Too Proud, SUMMER, Carousel (Drama Desk Award Outstanding Fight Choreography), Jersey Boys, Memphis, Henry IV, Guys and Dolls, Doctor Zhivago, The Farnsworth Invention, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Dracula, Two Shakespearean Actors, Anna Christie, The Real Inspector Hound, The Who’s Tommy, Getting Away With Murder, Bonnie and Clyde. Off-Broadway: The Third Story, Pig Farm, The Night Hank Williams Died, Below the Belt. Mr. Rankin plays mandolin with The Susie Glaze New Folk Ensemble. He is a member of SDC. BILL BRENDLE (Orchestrations). Broadway: SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical. Regional theatre: SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical (La Jolla Playhouse), Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (La Jolla Playhouse). Film: The Sentinel, Woman on Top, The Game of Their Lives, Saigon USA. TV: “The Tonight Show,” “American Idol,” “The Four: Battle for Stardom,” “The Kennedy Center Honors 2017.” Recording highlights: arranger/ orchestrator on recordings with Sergio Mendes, Joss Stone, The Lonely Island, Jurassic 5, Jojo, Lamont Dozier. JOHN MILLER (Music Coordinator). Broadway (over 120 shows, including): Tina; Oklahoma!; Ain’t Too Proud; Once On This Island; Beautiful; Waitress; Jersey Boys; Once on this Island; Hello Dolly; Rock of Ages; Miss Saigon; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; The Great Comet of 1812; A Bronx Tale. Studio Musician (bass): Leonard Cohen, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Bette Midler, Peter, Paul and Mary, Eric Clapton, Frank Sinatra, BB King, Mose Allison, Portishead, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, NY Philharmonic. www.johnmillerbass.com AMANDA MORTON (Music Director) has collaborated with Ars Nova, The Wilma Theater (2018 Barrymore Award, Passing Strange), Philadelphia Theatre Company, Pig Iron Theatre
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
nomination). International: Disney’s Tarzan (Stage Entertainment), Peggy Sue Got Married (West End), West Side Story (Stratford Festival).
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
Company, Theatre Horizon (2015 Barrymore Award, Into the Woods), Arden Theatre Company, and Merry Go Round Playhouse, among others. She has a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre Performance from Ithaca College. Endless gratitude to mom, dad, and TTBB234. maestramusic.org TARA RUBIN CASTING (Casting). Selected Broadway: Ain’t Too Proud, King Kong, The Band’s Visit, Prince of Broadway, Indecent, Bandstand, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon, Dear Evan Hansen, A Bronx Tale, CATS, Falsettos, Disaster!, School of Rock, Les Misérables, The Heiress, The Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliot, Shrek, Spamalot, …Spelling Bee, The Producers, MAMMA MIA!, Jersey Boys. Off-Broadway: Jersey Boys; Here Lies Love; Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Regional: Six (North American Premiere). Yale Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, Berkeley Repertory Theatre. CHARLEY LAYTON (Dialect Coach) is a faculty member of the Atlantic Theater Company/NYU. Recent theatrical credits include Ain’t Too Proud (Broadway), Kinky Boots (National Tour), Escape to Margaritaville (National Tour) Jersey Boys (New World Stages), Awake and Sing! (The Public Theater). Film/TV: “Humor Me” (Shout! Studios) & Showtime’s “Billions.” www.charleylayton.com RANDY COHEN (Synthesizer Programmer). Over 70 Broadway shows including Hamilton, Frozen, Dear Evan Hansen, The Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots, Anastasia, A Bronx Tale, Escape to Margaritaville, Once on This Island and SpongeBob SquarePants. TV: “Sesame Street.” RALPH STAN LEE (Production Stage Manager) hails from Long Island, New York. Ralph has been touring as a Stage Manager for 10+ years. Ralph has worked countless theater festivals and off-Broadway productions. Ralph also worked several national tours. His favorite credits include: Hello Dolly (50th anniversary), Nice Work if You Can Get it, A Christmas Story, Dreamgirls, Motown, Bodyguard, Kinky Boots Asia and Chicago. He attended North Carolina A&T and the University of Illinois, respectively. Ralph is blessed to have been taken around the world to do theater #2blessed2bestressed
DAVID S. COHEN (Stage Manager) Is thrilled to be traveling North America with the wonderful company of SUMMER. David has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regionally, and is a show-caller and deck manager for large-scale corporate events. Some highlights include TedX, Yahoo, the International Science and Engineering Fair, and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s Teaching Visit to the U.S. Much love to my spouse who generously allowed me to leave home and go on tour for a year. ABBY L. POWERS (Assistant Stage Manager). Touring credits: Fiddler on the Roof, CATS, West Side Story, Catch Me If You Can, Ghost, Annie, Joseph and the...Dreamcoat, Cheers, Cinderella, and School of Rock. Thanks to Mom and Dad for these travelin’ tootsies BROADWAY BOOKING OFFICE NYC (Tour Booking, Engagement Management, Press and Marketing) is a leading theatrical tour booking, marketing and press company representing award-winning musicals and plays. Currently: Jersey Boys, Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, A Bronx Tale, SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical, Sting starring in The Last Ship, Be More Chill, The Ferryman, Potted Potter, The Heroin Diaries Musical, The Crown Dual, The New Colossus, the Lythgoe Family Panto productions including Aladdin and His Winter Wish and A Cinderella Christmas, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies. bbonyc.com THE DODGERS (Producer) is a producing partnership hatched at BAM in 1978 by six friends. Migrated to NY Shakespeare Festival, then off and on Broadway. Over 150 productions in North America, London, Europe and Australasia; blessed by Broadway’s Tonys (56), London’s Oliviers, Australia’s Helpmanns. Broadway: SUMMER, A Bronx Tale, Jersey Boys, Groundhog Day, Matilda, 42nd Street, Urinetown, The Farnsworth Invention, Dracula, Jesus Christ Superstar, Into the Woods (’87 and ’02), The Music Man, Titanic, Wrong Mountain, Footloose, Mandy Patinkin, High Society, 1776, ...Forum, The King and I, The Who’s Tommy, Ralph
Fiennes’ Hamlet, Guys and Dolls, Once Upon a Mattress, How to Succeed..., Jelly’s Last Jam, The Secret Garden, Prelude to a Kiss, Gospel at Colonus, Big River, Pump Boys and Dinettes. The original producers of Jersey Boys, and currently its tour in North America. They have recently awakened Jersey Boys Off-Broadway in NYC. Offices in Times Square and London’s Covent Garden. Their president is Michael David. TOMMY MOTTOLA (Producer) is the head of Mottola Media Group and is one of the most influential music executives in the industry, credited with discovering and guiding Hall and Oates, Carly Simon, John Mellencamp, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen, as well as creating what Time magazine called the Latin Explosion in signing Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. As Sony Music’s global Chairman and CEO he was responsible for a total of 8 billion units sold and over $65 billion in sales. By making acquisitions such as the Beatles catalogue along with Michael Jackson he enabled Sony to become one of the first majors to make available commercial digital downloads. Recently he produced the HBO film “The Latin Explosion” and its companion book, The Latin Explosion: A New America (Penguin 2016). He is a NY Times best-selling author for his memoir HITMAKER, the Man and His Music (Hachette 2013). He was born in the Bronx, and is married to celebrated Mexican singer Thalia. JOHN GORE ORGANIZATION (Co-Producer) family of companies includes Broadway Across America and Broadway.com, under the supervision of 11-time Tony-winning producer John Gore (Chairman & CEO). Productions include Angels in America; The Band’s Visit; Beautiful; Carousel; Dear Evan Hansen; Hello, Dolly!; Mean Girls; The Iceman Cometh; and Three Tall Women. BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com Broadway.com COURTNEY SACHS (Co-Producer) Many thanks to Des and the extraordinarily talented creative team for bringing SUMMER to the stage. I am most grateful to my family and friends for their unwavering support. Love to Mom, Dad, Steven, Blake and my wonderful husband, Neil.
LAUREN MITCHELL (Creative Producer). As producer, on Broadway: Summer, A Bronx Tale, Jersey Boys, Matilda, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Farnsworth Invention, Urinetown, Into the Woods (2002 revival), Wrong Mountain, High Society. Off-Broadway: Barbra’s Wedding, Bare. As actress, on Broadway: The Boys From Syracuse, Me and My Girl, Nine, Annie, City of Angels (L.A.), Into the Woods (original cast and PBS American Playhouse) and numerous Off-Broadway, regional, television and concert appearances. LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE (Original Producer). The Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse is internationally renowned for creating some of the most exciting and adventurous work in American theatre through its new play development initiatives and innovative Without Walls program. Led by Artistic Director and 2017 Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley and Managing Director Debby Buchholz, the Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, and reborn in 1983 under the artistic leadership of Des McAnuff. SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical is among the 32 Playhouse productions that have moved to Broadway including the currently running musicals Come From Away and Escape to Margaritaville as well as Jersey Boys, Memphis, The Who’s Tommy, Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays and the Pulitzer Prize-winning I Am My Own Wife. lajollaplayhouse.org
STAFF FOR SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT DODGER MANAGEMENT GROUP PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT NETWORKS PRESENTATIONS TOUR BOOKING, ENGAGEMENT MANAGEMENT, PRESS & MARKETING BROADWAY BOOKING OFFICE NYC Steven Schnepp Kent McIngvale Jenny Bates David Freeland Zach Stevenson Sean Mackey Stacy Burns Danny Knaub Rachel Peterson Phil Della Noce CASTING TARA RUBIN CASTING Tara Rubin, CSA Merri Sugarman, CSA Laura Schutzel, CSA Kaitlin Shaw, CSA Claire Burke, CSA Peter Van Dam, CSA Felicia Rudolph, CSA Xavier Rubiano, CSA Louis DiPaolo, Kevin Metzger-Timson, Juliet Auwaeter COMPANY MANAGER Michael Sanfilippo Production Stage Manager.............. RALPH STAN LEE Stage Manager................................................David S. Cohen Assistant Stage Manager........................Abby L. Powers Assistant Company Manager.........Jacob Stuckelman Associate Director.............................................Michael Bello Associate Choreographer.................... Jennifer Laroche Associate Scenic Designer..................Justin Humphres Associate Costume Designer.......................Sue Makkoo Assistant Costume Designer............................ Jess Gersz Costume Shopper.................................. Nicole Zausmauer Associate Lighting Designer.............................Joe Doran Assistant Lighting Designer.................................Joel Britt Lighting Programmer.......................................... David Arch Associate Video Designer....Michael Commendatore Assistant Video Editor.................................Kevin McGuire Associate Sound Designer.......................Joshua Liebert Time Code Associate........................................Tracy Cowitt Associate Wig & Hair Designer.......Ashley Rae Callahan Dialect Coach................................................... Charley Layton Head Carpenter..........................................Daniel Laushman Flyman.................................................. Alexander Groverman Automation................................................Mackenzie Kovaka Production Electrician..........................................Eric Briggs Head Electrician.................................Benjamin Abernathy Deck Electrician..............................................Wade Acevedo Assistant Electrician.......................................Jordan Brown Production Sound.................................................Scott Kuker Head Sound..............................................................Curtis Miller Assistant Sound................................................Sherie Farmer Production Properties................................. Emiliano Pares Head Props.................................................John “Seth” Leach Assistant Props.......................................................Sara Sharos Wardrobe Supervisor.................................. Emily Fauscett Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor..............Season Saulet Hair and Wig Supervisor........................... Kelly Flanagan Assistant Hair and Wig.......................................Sarah Zahn Electronic Music Producer................................Bill Brendle Associate to Mr. Mottola..................................Joanne Oriti Executive Assistant to Mr. McAnuff.......Megan Dieterle Production Assistants....................................Blane Barton, Brianna Koloszvary Assistant to John Miller...................Jennifer Coolbaugh Synthesizer Programmer..............................Randy Cohen Music Copying.......................Anixter Rice Music Service Accountant.................................Schall & Ashenfarb, CPAs Banking............... Signature Bank/Barbara von Borstel Insurance............................................ AON/Albert G. Ruben National Press Office..................Boneau/Bryan-Brown Print, Broadcast and Digital Marketing Materials..............................................AKA Hotel Booking.............................................DebCo Travel Inc. Travel Booking.....................................Janice Kessler, CWT Payroll..........................Checks and Balances Payroll, Inc. Counsel...............................................................Nan Bases, Esq. Physical Therapy......NeuroTour Physical Therapy, Inc Medical Director..................................Nikolaj Wolfson, MD Merchandising.............................................The Araca Group Production Photography......................Matthew Murphy Cover Photo.............................................Francesco Scavullo
THE DODGERS Dodger Properties President................................................................Michael David Executive Producer.......................................Dana Sherman Partner Emeritus............................................ Edward Strong Director of Creative Development.....Lauren Mitchell Director of Business Administration.....Pamela Lloyd Director of Marketing..................................Jessica Ludwig Director of Finance.................................. Paula Maldonado Associate General Manager.....................Kelly Ann Gray Project Coordinator/ Investor Relations............................................ Andrew Serna Production Coordinator...........................Lyndsey Goode Sales Director......................................Ann E. Van Nostrand Senior Finance Associate..................... Mariann Fresiello Office & Atelier Manager................................Shelley Little Administrative Assistant...........................Hayley Watkins General Management Assistant..........Baily Blanchard Front Desk Receptionist.........................Shelby Gerweck Special Events......................................................... John Haber Counsel to Dodger Properties.........................Nan Bases CPA to Dodger Properties.................................... Ira Schall Consultant to Dodger Properties............................................ Sally Campbell Morse Dodgers-at-Large Danny Austin, Deborah Barrigan, Samuel Burgess, Sandra Carlson, Richard Hester, Heather Losey, Ben Otten, Megan Turner, Linda Wright CREDITS Scenery and Automation by Hudson Scenic Studio. Lighting equipment from PRG Lighting. Video and Sound equipment from Sound Associates, Inc. Props by BrenBri Properties. Costumes executed by Giliberto Designs, Arel Studios, Colin Davis Jones Studios, Timberlake Studios, and Bethany Joy Costumes Inc. Dye work executed by Hochi Asiatico and Julzcrafts. Shoe wear by La Duca Shoes and Worldtone Dance. Photo Credit: ‘Xenon Dance Floor, 1979’ by Bill Bernstein courtesy of the David Hill Gallery London; ‘Studio 54, 1978’ by Tod Papageorge courtesy of Tod Papageorge; ‘Halloween 1977’ by Hasse Persson courtesy of Hasse Persson; ‘Waring Abbott - Le Jardin Nightclub in New York City’, ‘Donna Summer Portrait’ by Michael Ochs, ‘“Queen of Disco” Home Portrait’ by Michael Ochs, ‘1979 Grammy Awards’ by George Rose – all courtesy of Getty Images. Rehearsed at the Open Jar Studios and the Dodger Atelier. Kinesiology Therapeutic Tape Provided by KT Tape
SPECIAL THANKS Mimi Dohler, Jeff Parvin, Amanda Sudano Ramirez, Brooklyn Sudano, Susan Weaving IN MEMORY It is difficult to imagine producing anything without the presence of beloved Dodger family members James Elliot Love and Jean-Michel Quincey. Friends to everyone they met, James and Jean-Michel stood at the heart of all that is good about the theatrical community. They will be missed, but their spirits abide. www.TheDonnaSummerMusical.com SONG CREDITS “Bad Girls” (Joseph Esposito, Edward Hokenson, Bruce Sudano, Donna Summer) Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP), Earborne Music (BMI), Rightsong Music, lnc. (BMI), Rick’s Music, lnc. (BMI) “Dim All The Lights” (Donna Summer) Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP) “Faster And Faster To Nowhere” (Peter Bellotte, Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer) Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. o/b/o itself and Rightsong Music, lnc. (BMI), Rick’s Music, lnc. (BMI), Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP) “Friends Unknown” (Keith Diamond, Anthony Smith, Vanessa Robbie Smith, Donna Summer) Sony/ATV Melody Music (BMI), Vangail Songs (BMI), Keith Diamond Music (ASCAP), Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP) “Heaven Knows” (Giorgio Moroder, Peter Bellotte, Donna Summer, Greg Mathieson) Rick’s Music, Inc. (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP) “Hot Stuff” (Peter Bellotte, Harold Faltermeyer, Keith Forsey) WB
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
LAWRENCE S. TOPPALL (Co-Producer) has presented/produced over 100 Jewish-Yiddish-themed theatricals in the South Florida area for over 25 years. Broadway credits include The Gathering, Say Goodnight Gracie, Looped, Rocky, Burn the Floor, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Great Comet of 1812 and On Your Feet.
SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
Stage Manager................................................Eric H. Mayer Assistant Stage Manager ..................Lauren Cavanaugh Associate Director........................................Gavin Mitford Associate Choreographer ..........................Simone Sault Dance Captain........................................Erin Chupinsky Assistant Dance Captain............................Chelsey Arce Music Supervisor................................Kristen Blodgette Music Corp. (ASCAP) “I Believe In Jesus” Sawicki (Donna Blodgette..................David to Kristen Assistant Summer) Sweet........................Michael Summer Night Music (ASCAP) Walker Patrick Rehearsal Pianist Potter “I FeelDesigner Love”............................................M (Donna Summer, Peter ick Bellotte, Sound ..........................Emma Sound Designer Associate Moroder) Giorgio Warner Bros. Music James Corp. olle T. Bustin Production Sound....................................C (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Rongere arc ..............................................M Head Audio (BMI), Rick’s Music, Inc. (BMI), Sweet Summer ry Ireson ......................................Zacha Audio Assistant Night Music (ASCAP) “I Love You” (Peter Bellotte, and Costume Designer............Gabriela Tylesova Scenic Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer) Rick’s Music, Design Supervisor........................................Eddie Pierce lnc. (BMI), Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP) Price ................................Jen Designer Scenic Assistant “I Remember Yesterday” (Peter Bellotte, Giorgio Kurtz mie Carpenter ............................................Ja Head Moroder, Donna - Automation........Justin Summer) Warner-Tamerlane D’Apolito Assistant Carpenter Belanger Publishing Corp. o/b/o itself and Rightsong Music, - Deck........................Chris Assistant Carpenter Steele - Flyman Carpenter Assistant lnc. (BMI), Rick’s Music, lnc...........................Eric (BMI), Sweet Summer Properties ..........................BrenBri Production Night MusicProperties (ASCAP) “Last Dance” (Paul F. Jabara) Iverson ..Andrew of Props...................................... HeadMusic Olga (BMI), EMI Blackwood Music, lnc. (BMI), .......Kelly Lasley Props......................................... Assistant Olga Music (BMI), BMG Sapphire Songs (BMI), Costume Designer................Whitney Locher Associate Management Ill Music (BMI) “Love To Love You Assistant Costume Designer ..........................Jess Gersz Baby” Bellotte, Giorgio Moroder, Donna Kelbaugh ..................................Matty Wardrobe Head of(Peter Summer) Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. o/b/o Kelly ......Curtis Assistant Wardrobe................................ itself and Rightsong lnc. (BMI), Rick’s Bova DaveMusic, Janas, Designer........JJ & Make-upMusic, Hair, Wigs, lnc. (BMI),Hair, Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP) & Make-up Wigs, Associate Casalino ...................Kate Designer................................. “MacArthur Park” (Jim Webb) Canopy Music, Inc.
(ASCAP) “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” (Paul F. Jabara, Bruce Roberts) EMI Sosaha Music, lnc. (BMI), Olga Music (BMI), Reservoir Media Music (ASCAP) “On My Honor” (Donna Summer; Bruce Sudano, Harold Faltermeyer) Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP), Earborne Music (BMI), Rick’s Music, lnc. (BMI) “On The Radio” (Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer) Warner Bros. Music Corp. (ASCAP), Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP) “Pandora’s Box” (Peter Bellotte, Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer) Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. o/b/o itself and Rightsong Music, lnc. (BMI), Rick’s Music, lnc. (BMI), Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP) “She Works Hard For The Money” (Donna Summer, Michael Omartian) Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP), Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP) “Stamp Your Feet” (Donna Summer, Gregory Allen Kurstin, Danielle A Brisebois) EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI), Gator Baby (BMI) “The Queen Is Back” (Evan Kidd Bogart, Donna Summer, Jonathan Rotem) Here’s Lookin At You Kidd Music (BMI), Jonathan Rotem Music (BMI), Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP), Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. “Turn The Stone” (Giorgio Moroder, Peter Bellotte) Jastian Music “Unconditional Love” (Donna Summer, Michael Omartian) Sweet Summer Night Music (ASCAP), Universal MCA Music Publishing (ASCAP) “White Boys (Black Boys)” (Galt MacDermot, James Rado, Gerome Ragni) EMI U Catalog, lnc. (ASCAP)
Operations Manager.......................................James Carey Office Assistant ......................................Shaquille Stewart Rehearsed at New 42nd Street Studios and Lyric Rehearsal Studios. The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. The Director and Choreographer are members of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent national labor union. Backstage and Front of the House Employees are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (or I.A.T.S.E.). United Scenic Artists represents the designers and scenic painters for the American Theatre. The Press Agents and Company Managers employed in this production are represented by the Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers. The musicians employed in this production are members of the American Federation of Musicians. Partial support for open captioning provided by Theatre Development Fund. DENVER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE FOLLOWING SUPPORT IN ITS 2019/20 BROADWAY SEASON
PLEASE BE ADVISED • LATECOMERS and those exiting the theatre are seated at predetermined breaks in designated areas. • PHOTOS, RECORDING & CELL PHONE USE are prohibited. • CHILDREN 6+ are welcome in our theatres and must be ticketed. • DRINKS are allowed in provided containers. • ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES, LARGE PRINT PROGRAMS & BOOSTER SEATS are available in most theatres. Ask an usher to direct you. • BRAILLE PROGRAMS are available with 2 weeks’ notice to ckrueger@dcpa.org or 303.893.4836. Members of Denver Theatrical Wardrobe, Wigs, Hair and Make-up, Union 719 Linda Ackerschott Carrie Breidenbach Vonnie Clough Janel Clough Craig Cory Cyndie Cory Laura Cotugno Steve Davies Anne Davis Carolyn Dore Deborah Guess AnnSue Gunter
Judy Holabird Leslie Lambert Sharon Millikan-Hale Callie Morrow Laura Payne Yolanda Pollock Dave Poole Liz Spadi Amy Tepel Marybeth Tscherpel Barb Wilson
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Illustration by Kyle Malone
OFFERS A PORT IN THE STORM
B Y S Y LV I E D R A K E
BY JOHN MOORE
Y
You don’t have to live on a remote island in the north Atlantic to know that family legacy can be both an anchor and a life preserver. That’s pretty much true for every family on dry land. “As a parent myself, I feel both the heartache and the joy of being part of a lineage every day,” said Bonnie Metzgar, author of the compelling world premiere play You Lost Me. Her story is set at the Shipwreck Inn in Newfoundland’s southwest coastal town of Isle aux Morts. Time shifts between 1828 and present day — and sometimes in between. The Harvey family has run this inn for generations, ever since 17-year-old Ann Harvey helped save more than 160 Irish immigrants from a shipwreck and made herself into an instant legend. Nearly two centuries later, Ann Harvey’s namesake, a single woman in her 40s, is eager to welcome tourists (and tourist dollars) to this historic house on the bluffs overlooking Shipwreck Coast, a nickname earned by thousands of wrecks off its rocky shores. If only anyone would come. Our present-day proprietress could have been someone’s mother if her life had taken a slightly different jib. Instead, she has taken in her sister’s teenage son, Joe-L, a dark and troubled poet who would do anything to get off the island and start his life anywhere else. In the meantime, he’s helping his aunt Ann use the internet to attract visitors to this tear-stained drop in the ocean. And as the very last two
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remaining in the storied Harvey line are about to discover anew: Not all those who are lost are lost at sea. “I was really looking to write a story about how rebirth comes after tragedy and how we persevere through hard times,” said Metzgar, who was Associate Artistic Director at Denver’s Curious Theatre Company from 2004-07 and was named The Denver Post’s Colorado Theatre Person of the Year in 2007 before embarking on a master’s program that produced the first draft of this very play, which she describes as “a Neil Simon comedy inside a really scary seafaring tale.” While You Lost Me tells of two very unrelated and yet related Ann Harveys, Metzgar does not think of her play as two distinct stories. “I feel like it’s one epic family saga in the same way that The House of Atreus is one ongoing story,” she said, referencing an elaborate yarn known to many DCPA Theatre Company audiences as starting with Tantalus. Director Margot Bordelon also thinks of You Lost Me as a multi-generational epic poem. “I’m particularly interested in the questions the play asks surrounding loss and grief,” Bordelon said. “What do we do in the face of loss? Do we move forward or continually look to the past? How does grief shape us? And how is that all passed down?” You Lost Me was chosen for full production in the DCPA
APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2020 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG
Theatre Company’s 2019/20 season after being introduced at the 2019 Colorado New Play Summit. Shortly after, Artistic Director Chris Coleman sent Metzgar and Bordelon to Isle aux Morts to experience the real world of the play first-hand. The trip was, Metzgar said, like a lighthouse guiding her safely in from the sea. “We met these two old men who are the history-keepers of the town, and one of them took us out on this little boat to the actual spot where the original Ann Harvey’s house stood,” Metzgar said. It was the first permanent house ever built in Isle aux Morts. Speaking of lighthouses, Metzgar learned on her visit that Newfoundland’s first wasn’t built until 20 years after the shipwreck that made Ann Harvey famous. In those days, captains’ maps simply indicated the location of the Harvey house, which always had a light on. They also learned that 80 percent of the town’s population of about 650 directly descend from Ann Harvey’s father or his brother, who lived side-by-side on this rocky island. “All those people today are still related to the Harvey family,” Metzgar said. “It’s crazy. It’s so amazing.” One of the great challenges — and opportunities — of staging the world premiere of You Lost Me in the intimate Ricketson Theatre is trying to capture not only the vastness of the ocean in such a small space but also its terrible foreboding and transformative spirituality.
What I wanted to say with this play is that…the water will stop churning. A new day will dawn. And the sky is going to be pink. And the sea will be calm. And we will get to start over. — BONNIE METZGAR, PLAYWRIGHT
“The two Ann Harveys and their journeys are at the center of the play,” Bordelon said, “but the landscape of Newfoundland is a main character as well — the raw and wild environment is an omnipresent force.” So too are the “Voices of the Lost Souls.” Those are the voices of all the thousands who have been silenced at sea. It was important to Metzgar that she include them as a character in the play as well. “I think the title of my play is standing in the presence of its perfect opposite,” Metzgar said. “When someone dies, that person is gone — and yet that person will never be gone. Yes, mourning is real, and yes, grief is real. But what I think this play is saying is that those who are lost are never fully lost to you. Not really.” Metzgar says the central question her play — and really all of her work in the live theatre — addresses one simple question: Who are we to each other? “What I wanted to say with this play is that when you’re in the middle of a storm, no matter how scary the howling wind is, and how many ghosts scream in the night, you have to remember that the water will stop churning,” Metzgar said. A new day will dawn. And the sky is going to be pink. And the sea will be calm. And we will get to start over. “And I think that’s something. It’s important for all of us to experience together.”
YOU LOST ME JAN 17 – FEB 23 • RICKETSON THEATRE ASL interpreted and Audio described performance: Feb 16 at 7:30pm
• All people are equal • Moments are shared • Differences are valued • Discussion is encouraged We respect that everyone experiences our stories differently.
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BY RODNEY HICKS
THE AUDITION
It was a cold, snowy December day in 1995 when I auditioned for RENT, in the second-floor walkup studio of New York Theater Workshop. Earlier that year I had worked on another of Jonathan Larson’s musicals called Blocks. That is also where I met Anthony Rapp and Yassmin Alers (an original Broadway swing and longtime friend). When I was sent the casting breakdown for RENT, I immediately thought I was too young as the ages stated mid-late 20s to early 30s. I was 21. Although I had a few professional shows under my belt at the time, having just come from a stint in Paris and Germany with a Peter Sellars piece, I was green. At my audition I met Jesse L. Martin (the original Tom Collins in RENT on Broadway) who has since been like a brother. After a bit of chit chat, my name was called to go in. I said hello to the table of people: Bernie Telsey (casting), Tim Weil (musical director/arranger), Jim Nicola (Artistic Director, NYTW), Michael Greif (director), Martha Banta (Assistant Director), Marlies Yearby (Choreographer)…and there was Jonathan. I remember him smiling his, “there’s Rodney” smile. It was comforting. I preceded to sing the wrong song, “This is the Moment” (from Jekyll & Hyde), then was asked to sing something
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more R&B, so I did “On the Wings of Love” (Jeffrey Osborne). I was then asked to improvise some dancing to a beat that Tim, who had jumped behind the piano to accompany me, began grooving out using the piano as his drums. That was my “dance call.” I took off my GAP red cardigan Christmas sweater and proceeded to do a little breakdancing and added a back flip for good measure. After the audition Michael said “Great,” Jonathan said “Great seeing you, Rodney,” and Bernie said “Thanks, Rodney. Before you leave make sure you check the mirror.” Sure enough, after looking in the mirror upon leaving the room, my fake goatee that I drew on with black mascara sweated off and was now all over my face. I had drawn it on to look older. A couple of hours later my manager called letting me know I booked RENT.
THE REACTION
The show initially scared me because it was a direct reflection of all that I had come to fear about being gay because of how society had conditioned me to feel. At the time, being a closeted gay person who was suddenly in a room celebrating a community I was afraid of being a part of was overwhelming.
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The Company of the RENT 20th Anniversary Tour, Credit Amy Boyle 2019.
“LIVING (AND DYING) IN AMERICA AT THE END OF THE MILLENIUM”
I remember leaving the theater and Jonathan giving me a thumbs up and a smile as I passed by. I saw that he finally got the interview he had longed for — The New York Times. I thought I’d see him the next day. Our composer. Our friend. But we did not. We all stood in silence in the space of the New York Theater Workshop that next day. Just still. Then it was said that we would do a special invited sharing of the show to Jonathan’s friends and family who flew down to be with us. We sat in our “La Vie Boheme” chairs behind the tables and sang Jonathan’s show as he last heard it the night before. Jonathan’s soul filled the room as we sang his words. Once we got to “La Vie Boheme,” I remember Anthony jumping on the table and raising his hand as if he held a glass toasting Jonathan. It was a moment in time I will never forget. We all leapt up on the table during the course of that number and in that one moment, we all collectively knew the story we were telling, why we were dancing, why we were singing, why we were there sharing this man’s brilliance and legacy. The second act we put on its feet. After “Seasons of Love” you could hear a pin drop for several minutes. We could feel his spirit. Someone shouted, “We love you, Jonathan,” and then the whole room erupted in applause and cheer for this beautiful, singular artist and man.
IMPACT
Thankfully I had the experience of RENT, first as an original cast member until my initial departure in 1997 and again when I was asked to perform the role of Benjamin Coffin III to close RENT on Broadway in 2007. I would go and visit — back by the sound board in the Nederlander Theatre or on tour. I’d watch, listen and be with all that I came to love about myself and the many people who I feel honored to know from my time with this poignant show that was always more than a show to me. It’s a healing. As you know, RENT became a runaway success and is now a landmark Broadway musical firmly set in theatre history. I am grateful for all I learned on that journey of love, loss and continuance. There is truly “No Day but Today,” and I now live my life by those very words and will always be incredibly grateful to Jonathan Larson, RENT and everyone who I have the honor to know and have worked with along that journey both onstage and off.
peacelovegratitude — Rodney Hicks Rodney now currently lives in Denver with his husband and two dogs. His work as a playwright, actor and director takes him all over. In addition to many roles in theatre and TV, Rodney originated roles on Broadway in RENT, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Scottsboro Boys and Come From Away.
RENT 2OTH ANNIVERSARY TOUR FEB 28 – MAR 1 • BUELL THEATRE ASL Interpreted, Audio-described and Open Captioned performance: Feb 29 at 2pm
MEAN GIRLS Whenever more than a few people gather together for an extended amount of time, groups of likeminded individuals tend to congregate. In Mean Girls (playing Mar 25 – Apr 12), you see The Plastics, the Cool Asians, Band Geeks, Burnouts, etc. While we don’t care if the Gretchen Wieners of the world think you’re fetch, find out if you’re a Queen Bee, Mathlete, Jock or just…NOT. 1. How would you define your style? A. Fashionable, the best and newest clothes on the market. B. Eccentric, I make my own style. C. Comfy and casual. D. Does my jersey count? If not, my letterman jacket. 2. Halloween is just an excuse to… A. Wear something inappropriate. B. Go to a haunted house and watch scary movies. C. Eat ALL the candy. D. Play games and enjoy the beverages. 3. Are you going to the Spring Fling? A. Duh, and I’m a shoo-in for the crown. B. UGH, no! C. With the whole gang. D. Yes, my partner is my date. 4. What is your favorite Mean Girls movie quote? A. “On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” B. “Four for you, Glen Coco! You go, Glen Coco!” C. “Don’t let the haters stop you from doing your thang.” D. “That’s why her hair is so big. It’s full of secrets.” 5. People are jealous of you because or your… A. Popularity. B. Personality. C. Intelligence. D. Physique. If the majority of your answers were: A. You’re a Plastic B. You’re a Theatre Kid C. You’re a Nerd D. You’re a Jock
(L-R): Danielle Wade (Cady Heron), Megan Masako Haley (Gretchen Wieners), Ma-riah Rose Faith (Regina George), Jonalyn Saxer (Karen Smith), Mary Kate Morrissey (Janis Sarkisian), and the National Touring Company of Mean Girls Credit: © 2019 Joan Marcus
JONATHAN’S DEATH
COMING UP FROM BROADWAY
PROUD SPONSOR OF DCPA EDUCATION’S SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKING LOT
“We are pleased to support DCPA’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot program and the unique, hands-on experience it provides students…” — BRIAN OWENS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ROCKIES
A
At Occidental, what we do is important — and how we do it is even more so. As the largest producer of oil and natural gas in Colorado, we are committed to safely and responsibly developing these energy resources, which fundamentally support Colorado’s economy and modern life. We are proud to give back to the communities in which we live and operate, and partner with nonprofit organizations across Colorado, including the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) and its passion for bringing arts education to students. “The arts play a critical role in the development of people of all ages. Students benefit by learning to be more creative while collaboratively working well with others,” said Brian Owens, Senior Vice President of the Rockies. “We are pleased to support DCPA’s Shakespeare in the Parking Lot program and the unique, hands-on experience it provides students on their own campuses that is both enjoyable and educational.” Occidental partners with nonprofit organizations to ensure students across the Rockies have access to educational programming in science, technology, engineering, math and arts. Our employee volunteers fuel these efforts. These investments provide more than just funding to local organizations; they help create lasting change in our communities. We continue to demonstrate our commitment to working collaboratively with all stakeholders, including communities, landowners, governments and regulatory agencies, to develop the energy we need, support the economy and protect the environment. We are proud to be a part of enhancing America’s energy security, while contributing to Colorado’s economy as part of the oil and natural gas industry.
Occidental is committed to giving back to the communities in which we live and operate. We partner with nonprofits on projects including providing new bikes and helmets to elementary school students and supporting community foodbanks.
24
APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2020 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG
Four Diamonds AAA Four Stars - 5280 magazine Just 3 blocks from the theater complex 909 17th Street at Champa Call 303.296.3525 for reservations
Voted Best Indian Restaurant 18 years straight!
Free EntrĂŠe
Buy one entrĂŠe and get the 2nd of equal or lesser value with purchase of appetizer. (Max. value $15)
Over 250 Dishes Made Fresh. Every Day. 16th Street Mall, Denver, CO 80202. Located on the first floor. 303-595-0333
Dine-in only, Lunch menu excluded
Not valid with other offers • One coupon per table
Expires 3-20-20
ALL YOU CAN EAT LUNCH BUFFET $10.99 Free Delivery
303.629.5777
1533 Champa Street • Denver, CO 80202
OVEN-TOASTED SANDWICHES SALADS & SOUPS GLUTEN-FREE & VEGGIE OPTIONS RECEIVE $2 OFF ANY 7" OR 12� SANDWICH OR SALAD VALID ONLY AT SNARF’S 891 14TH ST. SPIRE BUILDING. NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. ONE TIME USE ONLY. ONE PER PERSON. INSTORE ONLY. NO CASH VALUE. EXPIRES 4/30/20. CODE: DCPA
FREE PARKING + DRINK
• Show your ticket for a Free Cocktail, Social Beer or House Wine with entrÊe purchase
Show your DCPA ticket for complimentary valet
parking at Le MĂŠridien Denver Downtown + a glass of house wine or draft beer with entrĂŠe purchase.
Join us before the show!
891 14TH ST.
1455 California Street | 3-Blks from DCPA CorinneRestaurant.com +1 720 996 1555
WWW.EATSNARFS.COM
• $7 Valet Parking • 2 Blocks from DCPA 1400 STOUT ST. DENVER 80202 | TEL: 720 214 9100
PRESENT TODAY'S T EATER T ET FOR A
FRENCH 75 COCKTAIL OR HOUSE WINE ON US BEFORE OR AFTER T E S O
JOIN US BEFORE OR AFTER THE SHOW!
SHOW YOUR TICKETS & GET: • 10% Off Your Bill • 40% Off Select Bottles of Wine • Free Parking at Independence Plaza* *Valid Mon-Fri when you enter after 3pm & all day Sat & Sun
At the corner of 17th Stout 2 blocks north of the DCPA
934 16 TH ST. DENVER 80202 • TEL (303) 893-2233
DCPA DCPATEAM TEAM
DCPA Janice Sinden..............................President & CEO Gretchen Hollrah..................................................COO Lydia Garcia.............................Executive Director, Equity & Organization Culture Donna Hendricks......................President & CEO Executive Assistant Julie Schumaker........................... COO Executive Assistant & Manager, Board Relations BROADWAY & CABARET ADMINISTRATION John Ekeberg.........................Executive Director Alicia Bruce.................................General Manager Ashley Brown...........................Business Manager GARNER GALLERIA THEATRE Abel Becerra............................. Technical Director Anna Hookana+, Alex Reshetniak+......................Core Stagehands DEVELOPMENT Rebecca Clark.......................................Coordinator Megan Fevurly....................... Associate Director Tamara Fox....................................Manager, Grants Marc Ravenhill........Manager, Donor Relations Megan Stewart..............Events & Development Officer Julie Voorhees....Manager, Capital Campaign Erin Walker..............Senior Director, Major Gifts EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Allison Watrous..................... Executive Director Patrick Elkins-Zeglarski............................ Director, Education & Curriculum Management Stuart Barr................................. Technical Director Claudia Carson.....Teaching Artist & Program Manager – Playwriting & Bobby G Leslie Channell.............................................. Director, Business Operations Emily Doherty.......Teaching Artist & Program Manager – Theatre for Young Audiences Hanna Dotson....................... Assistant Registrar Linda Eller........................................................Librarian Timothy McCracken...................Head of Acting Laura Morales................................................ Director, Community Engagement David Saphier.......Teaching Artist & Program Manager – In School Programming Elizabeth Schmit..........................Office Manager Melissa Sumner............................................Registrar Rachel Taylor...............................Teaching Artist & Program Manager – Literacy Engagement and Resiliency Programming Justin Walvoord.....Teaching Artist & Program Manager – Shakespeare in the Parking Lot Samuel Wood.............................Teaching Artist & District Liasion FACILITIES & EVENT SERVICES Facilities Timothy Courson.....................Director, Facilities Management Peter Stifter....Manager, Facilities Operations Dwight Barela, Mark Dill, James Ewald, Clint Flinchpaugh, Michael Kimbrough................................ Engineers Jane Deegan..................................Office Manager Dan Havens................................Manager, Security Quentin Crump, Cody Gocio.....................Lead Security Officers Steven Allen, Benjamin Koenig, Kyle Mitchell, Glen Newton.........................Security Specialists Madison Stout......................Reception/Security Brian McClain.....................Custodial Supervisor
Grabiel Bustillos, Cameron Carranco, Juan Loya, Harry McPherson, Carmen Molina, Blanca Primero, Judith Primero, Maria Reyes Soto, Michael Thomas.....................................Custodians Events Tara Miller......................................... Senior Manager Danielle Bell, Savanna Campbell, Matt Leaver..................................................Managers Brook Nichols......Director, Event Technology Tom Duffin...........Manager, Event Technology Colin Dieck, Stori Heleen, Will Stowe, Ian Wells............Specialists, Event Technology
Liz Sieroslawski*, Andrew Sullivan*, Emmalaine Wright*..........................Ticket Agents Theatre Services Carol Krueger...............................................Manager Samantha Egle, LeiLani Lynch, Aaron McMullen, Dylan Phibbs, Valerie Schaefer.......................Assistant Theatre Services Managers Paitra Babb, William Berry, Nora Caley, Kori Hazel, Stacey Renee Norwood, Margaret Ohlander, Elizabeth Schreffler, Shannon Teppert, Lauren Veselak........................Theatre Company House Managers MARKETING, SALES & Volunteer Ushers................................................305+ PATRON SERVICES Group Sales Lisa Mallory........................................Vice President Jessica Bergin................Groups Sales Manager Patrick Berger.............Audience Development Rebecca Hibbert..........................Student Matinee Manager Group Sales Associate Heidi Bosk.................................Associate Director, PR & Integrated Marketing ACCOUNTING & FINANCE Rachel Cadden......................... Communications Jane Williams.................................. Vice President Coordinator Jennifer Jeffrey........................Director, Financial Brenda Elliott.............Senior Graphic Designer Planning & Analysis Brianna Firestone..........Director of Marketing, Jennifer Siemers...............Director, Accounting Insights & Strategy Sara Brandenburg.......... Accounting Manager Rachel Garn..................................Email Developer Michaele Davidson, Jacquelyn Glover.......Junior Web Developer/ Linda Erickson.................... Senior Accountants Administration Valerie Lingbloom...................Staff Accountant Brittany Gutierrez.................... Communications Associate Vicky Miles...............Special Projects Associate Jeff Hovorka......... Director, Sales & Marketing Emily Kent................................Director, Marketing Lucas Kreitler.............Junior Graphic Designer David Lenk.......................................Video Producer Emily Lozow......Marketing & Digital Manager Adam Lundeen...........Marketing Technologist Kyle Malone.....................................Design Director Helen Masvikeni..........................Project Manager Cheyenne Michaels...........Marketing Manager John Moore....................... Senior Arts Journalist Jessica Noe...................Corporate Partnerships Manager Anna Nunez........................Jr. Marketing Analyst Joseph Schurwonn.................Financial Analyst Austin Walker.................Marketing Coordinator Suzanne Yoe...........Director, Communications & Cultural Affairs
HUMAN RESOURCES Vera Morales......................................Vice President Brian Carter......................................................Director Jamie Hawkins......................................Coordinator Paul Johnson...............................Payroll Specialist Monica Robles...................Mailroom Supervisor INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Yovani Pina.........................................Vice President Rick Bennett, David Tschan...................Director Eric Boone.............................Software Developer Vincent Bridgers....Ticketing System Analyst Simone Gordon......................Program Manager Christopher Hoge..................................IT Manager Phillip Johnson, Sarah Martinez ................IT Analyst; Help Desk Jacob Parker........................................BI Developer TICKETING & AUDIENCE SERVICES Joseph Reecher............................Junior Systems Administrator Jennifer Lopez....................Director, Ticketing & Audience Services THEATRE COMPANY Ticketing Services Kirk Petersen...........................Associate Director, ADMINISTRATION Patron Relations Charles Varin...........................Managing Director Micah White.............................Associate Director, Subscription Services Ann Marshall...............................General Manager Billy Dutton....Associate Director, Operations Allison Taylor Brinkhoff......Company Manager Malcolm Brown ............Subscription Manager Katie Grayson.... Assistant Company Manager Amanda Gomez...........VIP Ticketing Manager ARTISTIC Christina Gesford, Beth Gordon, Chris Coleman.............................. Artistic Director Tristan Jungferman, Rose Riordan......... Associate Artistic Director Mariah Thompson..........Box Office Managers Charlie Miller.........Associate Artistic Director/ Roger Haak............. VIP Ticketing Coordinator Off-Center Curator Jared Bakst*, Adam Busch*, Douglas Langworthy............Literary Director/ D.J. Dennis*, Edmund Gurule*, Director of New Play Development Paul Justice*, Becca Saunders*, Hayley Solano*.....................................Show Leads Melissa Cashion.........................Artistic Producer Grady Soapes...........................Artistic Producer/ Kirsten Anderson*, Scott Lix*, Director of Casting Brad Steinmeyer*, Gregory Swan*...................Subscription Agents Lynde Rosario.............................Literary Manager Patrick Beasley*, Bobby Bennett*, PRODUCTION Rena Bugg*, James Bullock*, Jeff Gifford...................... Director, Production & Jennifer Gray*, Kristina Guarriello*, Construction Project Management Noah Jungferman*, Cecillia Kim*, Matthew Campbell..........Production Manager Jonah LaPorte, Elias Lopez*, Julie Brou..............................Production & Artistic Frank Millington III*, Clayton Nickell*, Office Manager Hayley Obremski*, Jen Reid*, Gunnar Reinig, Lezly Rubio,
Scenic Design Lisa M. Orzolek...............................................Director Kevin Nelson, Nicholas Renaud...... Assistants Lighting Design Charles R. MacLeod....................................Director Lily Bradford..................................................Assistant Reid Tennis+......................Production Electrician Multimedia Gregory W. Towle............................. Projections & New Technology Supervisor Sound Design Craig Breitenbach........................................Director Alex Billman+, Frank Haas+, Pedro Lumbrano+.................Sound Technicians Stage Management Kurt Van Raden.....Production Stage Manager Rachel Ducat, Heidi Echtenkamp, Corin Davidson, Rick Mireles, Michael Morales, D. Lynn Reiland...........................Stage Managers Scene Shop Eric J. Moore............................. Technical Director Josh Prues, Robert L. Orzolek...............Associate Technical Directors Albert “Stub” Allison.........Assistant Technical Director Louis Fernandez III.................Master Carpenter Ian Macleod, Brian “Marco” Markiewicz............... Lead Technicians Tyler Clark, Amy “Wynn” Pastor, Kyle Scoggins, Mara Zimmerman................Scenic Technicians Prop Shop Robin Lu Payne....................Properties Director Eileen S. Garcia...................Assistant Properties Director Jamie Stewart Curl, Tobias Harding, Georgina Kayes, Tony Nguyen, Katie Webster..................................Props Artisans Paint Shop Jana L. Mitchell...................Charge Scenic Artist Melanie Rentschler...............Lead Scenic Artist Kristin Hamer MacFarlane............Scenic Artist Costume Shop Janet S. MacLeod.......................................Director/ Costume Design Associate Meghan Anderson Doyle......................Costume Design Associate Carolyn Plemitscher, Louise Powers, Jackie Scott, Corinne Serfass...............Drapers Cathie Gagnon..........................................First Hand Costume Crafts Kevin Copenhaver.........................................Director Chris Campbell............................................Assistant Wigs Diana Ben-Kiki........................................Wig Master House Crew Doug Taylor+.................Supervising Stagehand Jim Berman+, Joshua A. Kosmicki+, Stephen D. Mazzeno+, Kyle Moore+, Miles Stasica+, Matt Wagner+.........................................Stagehands Joseph Price+.....................Assistant Stagehand Wardrobe Brenda Lawson..............................................Director Mary Capers^, Jessica A. Rayburn^....................Wig Assistants Robin Appleton^, Amber Donner^, Anthony Mattivi^, Tim Nelson^, Lisa Parsons Wagner^, Alan Richards^..............................................Dressers *Member, I.A.T.S.E. Local B-7 + Member, I.A.T.S.E. Local 7 ^Member, I.A.T.S.E. Local 719 As of 12/20/2019
Photos by Mary Ellen Matthews
The Company of The SpongeBob Musical. Photo by Jeremy Daniel
DIRECT FROM BROADWAY
MAR 10 – 22
MAR 25 – APR 12
JUL 15 – 26
JUL 29 – AUG 9 SEASON SPONSORS
DENVERCENTER.ORG
FOR ALL OFFERS FOR DCPA PATRONS, VISIT
DENVERCENTER.ORG/RESTAURANTS
28
APPLAUSE • JAN – MAR 2020 • 303.893.4100 • DENVERCENTER.ORG
PHOTO COURTESY OF CORINNE RESTAURANT
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Providing quality AC and Plumbing Services to Denver for over 40 years. AC and Plumbing Emergency Services for Hotels/Restaurants/ Apartments/Assisted Living Facilities/Residential Homes
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UNTIL THE CHOIR BOY FLOOD THE HEADLINES ONLY TELL A PIECE OF FERGUSON’S STORY. THIS IS THE REST.
A COMING-OF-AGE MUSICAL DRAMA FROM THE OSCAR-WINNING WRITER OF MOONLIGHT
MAR 20 – MAY 3
APR 10 – MAY 10
POWERFUL PERFORMANCES IN INTIMATE VENUES TICKETS START AT $30 SEASON SPONSORS
DENVERCENTER.ORG
F E B R U A R Y
Marin Alsop Conducts Marin Alsop, conductor
FEB 7-9 FRI-SAT 7:30 ■ SUN 1:00
CLASSICS
Jun Märkl, conductor
A Symphonic Valentine
ALTERNATIVE
FEB 14 FRI 7:30
Bertie Baigent, conductor SPOTLIGHT
FEB 15 SAT 7:30
ALTERNATIVE
MAR 27 FRI 7:30
Brett Mitchell, conductor MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
HalfNotes
MAR 28-29 SAT 7:30 ■ SUN 2:30
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Presentation licensed by Disney Concert Library ©Disney
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Denver Young Artists Orchestra Side By Side 2020
HalfNotes
FEB 16 SUN 2:30
FAMILY
Bertie Baigent, conductor
A P R I L
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4
CLASSICS
APR 3-5 FRI-SAT 7:30 ■ SUN 1:00
Beethoven Missa Solemnis featuring the Colorado Symphony Chorus
CLASSICS
Rune Bergmann, conductor
Holst The Planets
FEB 21-23 FRI-SAT 7:30 ■ SUN 1:00
CLASSICS
APR 17-19 FRI-SAT 7:30 ■ SUN 1:00
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Andrew Litton, conductor MOVIE AT THE SYMPHONY
FEB 27-29 THU-FRI 7:30 ■ SAT 2:00
Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet with the Colorado Symphony APR 23 TUE 7:30
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Presented in partnership with Denver Arts & Venues
© 2019 & TM LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © DISNEY. Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts in association with 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Warner/Chappell Music
Colorado Symphony Ball 2020
FUNDRAISER
APR 25 SAT 6:00
M A R C H
Strauss A Hero’s Life conducted by Brett Mitchell
Music and Art: A Symphonic Exploration Disney’s Fantasia In Concert
Legendary Women’s Voices: An Evening with Cynthia Erivo
Star Wars Return of the Jedi in Concert
CLASSICS
MAR 20-22 FRI-SAT 7:30 ■ SUN 1:00
Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring Ingrid Fliter
Mission Ballroom CLASSICS
MAR 6-8 FRI-SAT 7:30 ■ SUN 1:00
Brett Mitchell, conductor
HalfNotes Please join us for family-friendly activities 1 hour before the concert. These performances include FULL SCREENING OF THE FEATURE FILM!
The Music of Queen with the Colorado Symphony MAR 14 SAT 730
Carnival of the Animals
MAR 15 SUN 2:30
HalfNotes
Bertie Baigent, conductor presenting sponsor
TICKETS: COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG
also supported by