Scenes and Musical Numbers
ACT ONE
Scene 1: A Step and Repeat
“Changing Lives” Dee Dee, Barry, Ensemble
“Changing Lives Reprise” Dee Dee, Barry, Angie, Trent
Scene 2: School
“Just Breathe” Emma
Scene 3: School Gym
“It’s Not About Me” Dee Dee, Barry, Angie, Trent, Ensemble
Scene 4: School Hallway
“Dance With You” Emma, Alyssa
Scene 5: Motel
Scene 6: Concert (Rally) for Emma
“The Acceptance Song” Trent, Dee Dee, Barry, Angie, Ensemble
Scene 7: Motel Room
Scene 8: School Gym
“You Happened” Emma, Alyssa, Ensemble
Scene 9: Applebees
“We Look to You” Mr. Hawkins
Scene 10: Emma’s Room
“Tonight Belongs to You” Barry, Emma, Mrs. Greene, Ensemble
~ INTERMISSION ~
ACT TWO
Scene 11: Press Conference
“Entr’acte” Orchestra
Scene 12: Emma’s Bedroom
“Zazz” Angie, Emma
Scene 13: Principal’s Office
“The Lady’s Improving” Dee Dee
Scene 14: In Front of the 7-Eleven
“Love Thy Neighbor” Trent, Ensemble
Scene 15: School Hallway
“Alyssa Greene” Alyssa
Scene 16: Barry’s Motel Room
“Barry’s Going to Prom” Barry
Scene 17: Emma’s Bedroom
“Unruly Heart” Emma, Ensemble
Scene 18: Hawkins’ Office
“Changing Lives Act II” Barry, Dee Dee, Trent, Angie, Hawkins
Scene 19: Alyssa’s Home/High School Gym
“It’s Time to Dance” Emma, Alyssa, Company
Cast
Emma Nolan Mai Caslowitz
Alyssa Greene Nicole Duffy
Angie Dickinson Bailey Poe
Trent Oliver Johnny Doty
Dee Dee Allen Madison Figueroa
Barry Glickman Gavin Wright
Mrs. Greene Eleni Segerblom
Mr. Hawkins Rafael Ferreira
Sheldon Saperstein Janessa Machado
Olivia Keating Juliette Maners
Nick Maclain Rhine
Kevin Lucas Marinetto
Kaylee Megan Lozito
Shelby Mia Mintz
Coach Will Braxton Coffey
Monster Truck Rally Announcer Evan Blackwell
School Chorus Rayna Allen, “GB” Grace Brad, Chloe Calhoun, Ricky Cardenas, Nicholas Franki, Lincoln C. Funderburk, Nico Nazal, Samantha Ringor, Cole Russell, Trevor Shingler, Faith Stack, Maddy Winkler
Offstage Singers/Swings
Mya Bodnick, Will Braxton Coffey, Thomas Higgins, Arianna McMorris, Anna Spendley, Dominic Trivigno
Artistic Staff and Crew
Director/Choreographer Robin Lewis
Musical Director Peter de Mets
Production Stage Manager Abigail Dorwart
Technical Director Buck Linton
Lighting Designer Todd Loyd
Scenic Designer Yoshinori Tanokura
Costume Designer Robin I. Shane
Props Designer Shae Duggan
Props Designer Ellie Pearlman
Sound Designer/Sound Engineer Craig Pincus
Stage Manager Sean McDonald
Intimacy Coach Dr. Sean McCarther
Assistant Director Adam Andrews
Assistant Director Ellie Pearlman
Assistant Choreographer Hannah Post
Assistant Technical Director Rylee Berger
Assistant Lighting Designer Dakota Patterson
Assistant Costume Designer Javier Santos Benito
Assistant Stage Manager Sophia Ramos
Assistant Stage Manager Melena Scott
Assistant Stage Manager Cassidy Sweetland
Dramaturg Riley Bocchicchio
Stage Carpenter Sean McDonald
Wardrobe Supervisor Sophia Porter
Wardrobe Runner Paige Singer
Wardrobe Runner Grace Mandel
Wardrobe Runner Danasia McDonald
Assistant Hair/Makeup Abigail Bohn
Hair/Makeup Runner Jillian Lee
Light Board Operator/Projection Operator Paula Ciko
Follow Spot Operator Ella Rybczynski
Follow Spot Operator Brian Tobin
Sound Operator Presley Muirhead
Sound Runner Dajah McCormick
Props Supervisor Ava Hojnowski
Props Runner Ryan Kudless
Props Runner Nancy Roig
Lead Fly Operator Sam Hernandez
Fly Operator Cale Bianchino
Lead Stagehand Aidan Kelly
Stagehand Gavin Yauchzee
Stagehand Eamonn McLoughlin
Orchestra
Key 1/Conductor Peter de Mets
Key 2 Michael Kaish
Reed 1 Ron Chat
Reed 2 Bob Apgar
Trumpet Tom Cook
Guitar Neil Nemetz
Bass Bob Gargiullo
Drums/Percussion Kathy Goff
Keyboard Programming Design by STAGE SOUNDS, LLC www.stage-sounds.com
Administrative Staff
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Director of Production Management
Director of Performance Management
Kelly Bidle
Jason Vodicka
Buck Linton
Kristen Rodgers
Associate Director of Performance Management Leandra Acosta
Coordinator of Performance Management
Samuel Stephenson
About the Cast
RAYNA ALLEN, SCHOOL CHORUS, is a sophomore Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Schwartzy), and an upcoming production of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Ensemble). Recent professional credits include Guys and Dolls (Hot Box Girl), and The Wedding Singer (Ensemble).
MYA BODNICK, OFFSTAGE SINGER/SWING, U/S SHELBY, is a junior Musical Theatre major. Rider Credits include: Rebirth (Ensemble), Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim (Ensemble), and Kiss Me, Kate (Assistant Director).
“GB” GRACE BRAD, SCHOOL CHORUS, GREEN CAPTAIN* (all pronouns), is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: Pippin (Asst. Choreographer, Dance Captain, Swing), Cabaret (Young Soprano), Urinetown (Swing), Kiss Me, Kate (Hortensio), and the upcoming spring production of Anything Goes (Sailor). Professional Credits include: The Spongebob Musical (Electric Skate, Squidward u/s), Kinky Boots (Pat, Dance Captain, Angel Swing), Jesus Christ Superstar (Ensemble, Annas u/s) at Clear Space Theatre, and Hair (Jeannie), Kiss Me, Kate (Ensemble, Dance Captain) at Cortland Repertory Theatre.
CHLOE CALHOUN, SCHOOL CHORUS, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider main stage include: Kiss Me, Kate, Cabaret, Pippin, and ISM: A Cabaret Upcoming credits include: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 and Anything Goes Select professional credits include: Mary Poppins (Ensemble), West Side Story (Anybodys), and Mamma Mia! (Ensemble) at North Carolina Theatre, along with Footloose (Rusty) and A Chorus Line (Cassie) at North Coast Theatre Festival.
RICKY CARDENAS, SCHOOL CHORUS, U/S MR. HAWKINS, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider Credits include: Cabaret (Victor), Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (August), and Kiss Me, Kate (Dance Swing) Upcoming credits include: Anything Goes (Lord Evelyn). Professional credits include: Rent (Gordon) at The Muny, A Chorus Line (Mike Costa) at The New London Barn Playhouse, and Mamma Mia! (Pepper/Dance Captain) at The New London Barn Playhouse!
MAI CASLOWITZ, EMMA NOLAN (they/she), is a junior Musical Theatre major. Regional credits include: The Wizard of Oz (Hunk/Scarecrow) and Xanadu (Euterpe, et al.) with Cortland Repertory Theatre and Spring Awakening (Anna) with the Milton Theater. Rider credits include Rebirth and Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim and Carrie (Freida).
WILL BRAXTON COFFEY, OFFSTAGE SINGER/SWING, U/S KEVIN, is a sophomore Musical Theater major. This is Will's Rider mainstage debut. Regional credits include Like Father, Like Son at Passage Theater in Trenton and the Tank in New York.
JOHNNY DOTY, TRENT OLIVER, GREEN CAPTAIN*, is a senior BA Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: Urinetown (Officer Lockstock), Working (Man 1), Monstersongs (Doppelgänger), and It's a Wonderful Life: Radio Play (Harry Bailey/Ensemble), Carrie (Billy Nolan) and Westminster Choir College's 2023 Spring Opera: LAST WORDS (Ensemble/F. Scott Fitzgerald Intern). Recent professional credits include: Lend Me a Tenor (Max), Grease (Doody), and The Little Mermaid (Pilot/Ensemble) at Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater Michigan, and 54 Sing's Classic Rock (Soloist) at Feinstein’s 54 Below in NYC.
NICOLE DUFFY, ALYSSA GREENE, GREEN CAPTAIN*, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Dion), The Children’s Hour (Assistant Director), The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong (Assistant Director), Godspell (Celisse), Rider New Works '22 (Jessica/Librarian), JRB Cabaret, Rider New Works '20 (Sarah/Actor 2). Recent professional credits include: American Jukebox Summer Remix (Singer/Dancer Swing) at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Marry Me a Little (Woman u/s) and How to Cook Up a Good Idea (Nat) at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, Heathers the Musical (Heather McNamara) at The Landis Theater.
RAFAEL FERREIRA, MR. HAWKINS, is a junior Musical Theater major. Rider credits include Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim, Hide and Seek (Swing), Rebirth, and Kiss Me, Kate (Ensemble, u/s Hortensio and Gremio).
MADISON FIGUEROA, DEE DEE ALLEN, is a junior Musical Theatre major making her mainstage debut. Rider credits include: Carrie, Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim, and Rebirth
NICHOLAS FRANKI, SCHOOL CHORUS, U/S SHELDON SAPERSTEIN, is a junior Acting and Technical Theatre double major. Rider Credits include: Urinetown (Officer Barrel), Kiss Me, Kate (Gangster #2), Rider New Works ’22. Upcoming credits include: Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (Balaga/Opera Singer).
LINCOLN C. FUNDERBURK, SCHOOL CHORUS, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider Credits include: Urinetown (Senator Fipp) and Kiss Me, Kate (Dance Ensemble).
THOMAS HIGGINS, OFFSTAGE SINGER/SWING, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: The Children’s Hour (Joe), Urinetown (Bobby Strong), Cabaret (Ernst), Hide and Seek (Andrew), and Rider New Works. Recent Professional credits include: The SpongeBob Musical (SpongeBob), Kinky Boots (Angel), Jesus Christ Superstar (Priest) at Clear Space Theatre Company, Freaky Friday at Music Theatre Wichita; Junie B. Jones, The Musical at The Engeman and Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical at The Argyle
MEGAN LOZITO, KAYLEE, U/S ANGIE DICKINSON, is a junior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include Rebirth (Soloist/Dancer), and Into The Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim (Soloist).
JANESSA MACHADO, SHELDON SAPERSTEIN (they/she), is a junior Musical Theatre and Tech and Design major at Rider University. Rider credits include: Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim (Soloist), Rebirth (Soloist), and The Children’s Hour (Assistant Costume Designer).
JULIETTE MANERS, OLIVIA KEATING/ENSEMBLE, U/S MRS. GREENE, GREEN CAPTAIN*, is a junior Musical Theatre Major and Co-President of Rider Broadway Green Alliance*. Rider performance credits include: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive), Carrie (Swing), Rebirth, Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim Technical credits include: Like Father, Like Son (Production Stage Manager) at The TANK NYC, Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim (Production Stage Manager), Urinetown (Stage Manager/Stage Carpenter), Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Assistant Stage Manager) at Passage Theatre. Recent professional credit includes: Grease (Sandy). Upcoming credits include: Our New World: A Green Cabaret for a Sustainable Future (Producer/Director) presented by the Rider Student Theater Company and the Rider Broadway Green Alliance.
LUCAS MARINETTO, KEVIN, is a junior Musical Theater Major at Rider University. Previous professional credits include: World of Dance (Season 2), So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation (Season 13), the 2016 National Tour of A Christmas Story: The Musical (Scut Farkus). Rider credits include: Kiss Me, Kate (Ensemble, U/S Paul). Upcoming credits include: Anything Goes
ARIANNA MCMORRIS, OFFSTAGE SINGER/SWING, is a senior BA Musical Theatre Major. Rider credits include: Cabaret (Fräuleìn Kost/Helga), Love and Information (Ensemble), It's a Wonderful Life: Radio Play (vocalist). Professional and community credits include Something Rotten (Featured Dancer), Mamma Mia! (Tanya), Clue (Miss Scarlet), Pippin (Featured Dancer/Dance Captain), Suessical (Bird Girl), Legally Blonde (Margot), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Rona), Finian's Rainbow (Susan), Chess (Featured Dancer/Dance Captain) and Diary of an Ex-Slave (Vocalist) with the Gateway Playhouse
MIA MINTZ, SHELBY, U/S DEE DEE ALLEN, is a junior BFA Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim (soloist) and Rebirth (soloist). Recent credits include: Beauty and the Beast (Babette) and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Lucy).
NICO NAZAL, SCHOOL CHORUS, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: Pippin (Male Swing), Pete(Her) Pan (Twin #2), Cabaret (Ensemble), The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong (Trevor), Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Fate). Upcoming
Rider credits include: Anything Goes (Sailor). Recent professional credits: Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical at Passage Theatre.
BAILEY POE, ANGIE DICKINSON, GREEN CAPTAIN*, is a senior Musical Theatre major and Sustainability Studies minor. She is Co-President of the Rider Broadway Green Alliance* and a green captain for this production. Rider credits include: Kiss Me, Kate (Lois Lane U/S & ensemble) and Cabaret (Lulu). Recent professional credits include: A Chorus Line (Judy) and Mamma Mia! (Ali) at The New London Barn Playhouse, Footloose at The Muny, and West Side Story at Casa Mañana.
MACLAIN RHINE, NICK, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: Kiss Me, Kate (Ensemble/Internal DC), Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Iggy), The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong (Max), Cabaret (Swing/DC), and Polaroid Stories (Narcissus). Regional credits include: Hair, Kiss Me, Kate, and Mamma Mia!.
SAMANTHA RINGOR, SCHOOL CHORUS, U/S EMMA NOLAN, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include Monstersongs (Child/Dragon), Pride and Prejudice (Mary Bennett/Charlotte Lucas), Pete(Her) Pan (Tiger Lily), and Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Echo #1/U/S Andi). Recent professional credits The 39 Steps (St. Patrick's Summer Theatre), Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical at Passage Theatre, The King and I and Sister Act at the Interlakes Summer Theatre.
COLE RUSSELL, SCHOOL CHORUS, is a sophomore Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: Momentum. Upcoming Rider credits include: Entre’Acte: Come Together and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Dolokhov Cover/Ensemble). Professional Credits include: Like Father, Like Son (Oliver).
ELENI SEGERBLOM, MRS. GREENE, is a junior Musical Theatre Major. Rider Credits include: Into The Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim and Rebirth. Recent professional credits include: Matilda with Virginia Stage Company), and Sister Act and Mary Poppins with Virginia Musical Theatre.
TREVOR SHINGLER, SCHOOL CHORUS, U/S TRENT OLIVER, is a senior BFA Musical Theatre student. Rider credits include: Everybody (Death), JRB Cabaret, Hide and Seek (Swing), Cabaret (Cliff), Magic to Do Cabaret (Co-Choreographer), Swingin’ The Seasons, Lonely Hearts Cabaret, and The Bean (Gerald). Recent professional credits include Xanadu (Terpsichore), The Wizard of Oz (Uncle Henry/Oz Guard), and The Emperor's New Clothes (Weaver). Upcoming Rider credits include: Anything Goes (Billy Crocker)
ANNA SPENDLEY, OFFSTAGE SINGER, U/S ALYSSA GREENE, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: Urinetown (Josephine/Old Woman), Pete(Her) Pan (Ensemble), ISM: A Cabaret (Soloist), Everybody (Girl/Time/Dancer), Carrie (Helen), and Puffs (Xavia Jones). Recent professional credits include: Rumors (Claire) and Oklahoma! (Ensemble/Dance Captain).
FAITH STACK, SCHOOL CHORUS, is a senior BFA Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include Kiss Me, Kate (Lilli Vanessi), Carrie (Swing), and Rebirth (Dance/Vocal Soloist). Recent professional credits include All Shook Up (Dance Captain, Ensemble), THE PROM (Dance Captain, Ensemble), and South Pacific (Dance Captain, Ensemble) at NCC Summer Theatre and Spring Awakening (Thea) at Milton Theatre.
DOMINIC TRIVIGNO, OFFSTAGE SINGER, U/S BARRY GLICKMAN, is a junior Musical Theatre major. Recent professional credits include: Something Rotten (Francis Flute) and Seussical (Mr. Mayor/Wickersham 1, U/S Horton).
MADDY WINKLER, SCHOOL CHORUS, U/S KAYLEE, is a junior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: LAST WORDS (Ensemble), Urinetown (Asst. Choreographer), Into The Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim, Rebirth, and Carrie (Norma). Recent professional credits include: Grease (Marty Maraschino) at the Broadway Theatre of Pitman.
GAVIN WRIGHT, BARRY GLICKMAN, is a junior Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include Kiss Me, Kate (Ensemble, U/S General Harrison Howell), Into The Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim (Ensemble), Urinetown (Mr. McQueen U/S Mr. Cladwell), Rebirth (Ensemble), Fun Home (Swing with performances). Recent professional credits include: Rent (Ensemble, U/S Roger) at Milton Theatre and Something Rotten (Shakespeare) at Music Theatre Kansas City.
About the Artistic & Administrative Staff and Crew
ADAM ANDREWS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, is a sophomore Musical Theatre major. Previous Assistant Directing credits include: Little Shop of Horrors, Mary Poppins, & Frozen Jr. Rider mainstage credits include: Momentum.
LEANDRA ACOSTA, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (she/her), is a graduate of Rider University with degrees in dance performance and arts administration. During her time performing at Rider, she was awarded both the Dance Merit Scholarship and Mildred S. Hawkins Dance Scholarship and helped adopt the Dance Mentorship Program. She is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with so many fantastic choreographers during her time performing at Rider including: Kate Ladenheim, Randy James, Angela Cusumano, Merli Guerra, Jennifer Gladney, Robson Alves, Lynn Neuman, and Ryan Davis. She was recently featured as a choreographer for the 2023 Senior Dance Capstone performance, Acknowledgements In her role as Associate Director, Leandra creates programs for and manages the social media pages for the Department of Performing Arts and Westminster Choir College.
RYLEE BERGER, ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, is a senior Theatre Design and Technology and Arts and Entertainment Industries Management double major. Selected Rider credits include: Urinetown (Assistant Technical Director/Production Stage Manager), Kiss Me, Kate (Assistant Technical Director, A1), The Children’s Hour (Production Stage Manager/Co-Scenic designer), and Polaroid Stories (Production Stage Manager). Selected professional credits include: Like Father, Like Son (Scenic/Sound Designer) at The TANK, Cinderella and Don Quixote (Production Stage Manager) with American Repertory Ballet, and Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Assistant Stage Manager) with Passage Theatre. Upcoming credits include: Suor Angelica and Hermit Songs (Technical Director) and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Production Stage Manager). Rylee was a staff carpenter with Berkshire Theatre Group this summer. Currently, Rylee works in the scene shop as a carpenter and is the president of the Rider Student Theatre Company.
RILEY BOCCHICCHIO, DRAMATURG, is a junior Musical Theatre and Marketing Double Major. Recent credits include: a reading of F***ing Wall Street (Intern/Joe), Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Echo, Iggy/August u/s). Upcoming credits include: 54 Sings ‘INSIDE’ at Feinstein’s 54 Below. Previous artistic credits include: Like Father, Like Son (Playwright/Producer), premiered at The TANK Theatre in NYC in August 2023, and staged reading (Producer) at The Passage Theatre of Trenton.
PETER DE METS, MUSICAL DIRECTOR, is pleased to return to Rider for his third mainstage musical. Recent music direction credits: include Urinetown at Rider University, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder with MPOnstage, Next to Normal at the Bristol Riverside Theater, Shrek with MPOnStage, Pete(Her) Pan at Rider University, West Side Story with the Penn Players, Fun Home with Pierrot Productions, Merrily We Roll Along with the Princeton Opera Association, Sunday in the Park with George with PinnWorth Productions, and the Off-Broadway revival of the doo-wop, unaccompanied musical, Avenue X. He is the Director of Music at Ascension Lutheran Church in Newtown, PA, and is also a composer, conductor, and tenor soloist.
ABIGAIL DORWART, PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER, is a senior Theatre Design and Technology major with a Stage Management emphasis, the Production Coordinator for Rider’s Department of Performing Arts, and works as an electrician in the university’s theaters. Professional credits include: Little Women (Production Stage Manager), Double Trouble (A Musical Tour de Farce) (Production Stage Manager), Misery (Production Stage Manager), Driving Miss Daisy (Production Stage Manager), and Magical Thinking (World Premiere) (Production Stage Manager) at Bristol Valley Theater, Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (AEA Assistant Stage Manager) and Clean Slate Workshop (AEA Stage Manager) at Passage Theatre, Brick by Brick (Stage Manager) at the Pollak Theater, and An Evening of Readings and Carols (Lighting Operator) with Westminster Choir College. Rider credits include: Kiss Me, Kate (Production Stage Manager), Cabaret (Production Stage Manager), Cendrillon (Production Stage Manager),
Hide and Seek (Production Stage Manager), Everybody (Production Stage Manager), ISM (Production Stage Manager), Swingin’ the Seasons (Production Stage Manager), Pippin (Stage Manager/Lead Fly Operator), Elegies: A Song Cycle (Assistant Stage Manager), Urinetown (A1), Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim (A1), and Pete(Her) Pan (Sound Operator). Upcoming credits include: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (A1)
SYDNEY DRUTTMAN, ASSISTANT SCENIC DESIGNER, is a junior BFA Musical Theatre student. Rider credits include: Rebirth and Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Sydney is also a character performer at Sesame Place.
SHAE DUGGAN, CO-PROPS DESIGNER (they/she), is a junior BFA Musical Theatre major. Rider credits include: Kiss Me, Kate (Associate Choreographer/Dance Captain), Cabaret (Projection Operator), and Pete(Her) Pan (Spot Operator), Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim, and Rebirth.
ROBIN LEWIS, DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER, Rider credits include: Will Rogers Follies, Bonnie and Clyde, White Christmas, Pippin, Catch Me If You Can, All Shook Up, The Full Monty, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and The Producers. Film credits include: choreography for Bernie. Broadway performing credits include: Fosse (also film), Beauty and the Beast, and A Christmas Carol. His tour credits include: The Producers, A Chorus Line, Hello, Dolly!, Beauty and the Beast, Where’s Charley? at the Kennedy Center) and Jubilee during the Tony Awards® at Carnegie Hall,. He is currently a faculty member in the musical theatre department at Rider University.
BUCK LINTON, DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT/TECHNICAL DIRECTOR. Earning his MFA in Scenography and Technical Design (Virginia Tech), Buck joined Rider University as its Technical Director in 2012 and became the Director of Production Management in 2022. He professionally produced more than 200 productions with such venues as The Kennedy Center, Paper Mill Playhouse, Manhattan Theatre Club, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse and McCarter Theatre. Selected works include Travesties, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Take Flight, Herringbone, Lookingglass Alice and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Falstaff, Die Zauberflöte, Pelléas et Mélisande, Dialogues des Carmélites, La Clemenza di Tito, Oreste, Sunjata Kamalenya, The Odyssey Experience, Die Fledermaus, Rigoletto, Turandot, Chicago, EDDA (Ping Chong & Sequentia Ensemble, international tour). Since 2012, he has produced more than 100 productions for Rider University’s College of Arts and Sciences in the performing arts.
TODD LOYD, LIGHTING DESIGNER, is the lighting director for Rider University’s Department of Performing Arts. He supervises the lighting for every performance that the department produces in addition to mentoring several students that assist in designing, hanging, focusing, and programming the lighting for each show. At Rider he has designed over 30 productions including plays, musicals, dance recitals, cabarets,
and operas. Some of the highlights include Kiss Me, Kate, Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical, The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, Urinetown, Cabaret, Polaroid Stories, Rider Dances: Moving in Our Community, Pippin, Bright Star, Hair, Heathers The Musical, The Theory of Relativity, Once On This Island, She Kills Monsters, Our Town, A Chorus Line and Metamorphoses. Other selected professional projects include Rock of Ages and Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery at Forestburgh Playhouse, Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical and The Gun Show at Passage Theatre, and Journey to Oz with the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte and Experiential Theater Company.
SEAN MCDONALD, STAGE MANAGER, is a senior double major in Theatre Design and Technology and Acting for Film, TV and Theatre. Over the summer, Sean worked as a Deck Crew member at Ogunquit Playhouse for their mainstage season. Sean's Rider credits include: The Children's Hour (Co-Scenic Designer), Cabaret (Stage Manager), Rider New Works '22 (Props Designer), and Pride and Prejudice (Sound Designer). Sean is also a Scenic Carpenter Work Study in the scene shop and a member of the Rider Student Theatre Company's Executive Board as their Technical Director.
DAKOTA PATTERSON, ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER (she/they), is a senior Theatre Design and Technology major. Select Rider credits include: Urinetown (Assistant Lighting Designer), Rider Dances: Expanding Communities (Assistant Lighting Designer), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Production Stage Manager). Their professional credits include: Escape to Margaritaville, (Assistant Stage Manager), Cinderella, (Assistant Stage Manager), and A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline (Assistant Stage Manager) at Millbrook Playhouse.
ELLIE PEARLMAN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/CO-PROPS DESIGNER, is a senior Musical Theatre major. Directing credits include: Hide and Seek, Carrie the Musical, Lobby Hero (abridged), Love Letter to Lake House (select numbers), and Rootz and Dootz: Together Forever. Rider performance credits include Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Andi), The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong (Florence/Sandra), Pride and Prejudice (Miss Bingley/Mrs. Gardiner), and Everybody (God/Evil/Dancer). Professional credits include Hair (Sheila) and Kiss Me, Kate (Ensemble) at Cortland Repertory Theatre, Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Andi) at Passage Theatre, and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Ensemble/U/S Ella), Escape to Margaritaville (Wanda/U/S Rachel), and Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus (Actor 5) at Millbrook Playhouse.
CRAIG PINCUS, SOUND DESIGNER/SOUND ENGINEER, has worked in professional audio and system design for the past twenty-eight years. He has engineered audio for musical theater, television broadcast, and recording studio clientel. Craig holds a Bachelor’s degree in communication from Rutgers University and teaches audio production at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. Craig also performs and records music, owns a sound & event production service, and directs TheatreCraft
Musical Program, a children’s theater company, created with his wife Renee, producing theatrical performances in the central NJ area.
HANNAH POST, ASSISTANT CHOREOGRAPHER, is a junior BFA Musical Theatre student. Previous Rider performance credits include: Rebirth (Soloist/Dancer) and Into the Spotlight: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Previous technical credits include Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Assistant Stage Manager), and Kiss Me, Kate (Assistant Stage Manager).
SOPHIA RAMOS, ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER, is a freshman BFA Acting for Film, TV, and Theatre Major. This is her first Rider mainstage production.
JAVIER SANTOS BENITO, ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER, is a senior B.F.A. Acting for Film, TV and Theater and B.A. Film and TV double major. Rider performance credits include: Rider New Works ‘22 (Patrick), Puffs (Cedric/Mr.Voldy), and Romeo and Juliet (Benvolio) Rider technical credits include: Kiss Me, Kate (Assistant Costume Designer), LAST WORDS (Assistant Costume Designer), and Cabaret (Sound Runner).
MELENA SCOTT, ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER, is a sophomore Theater Design and Technology major. Rider technical credits include: Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical (Assistant Stage Manager), Urinetown (Assistant Stage Manager). Upcoming technical credits include: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Stage Manager). Recent Professional credits include: Detox: The Art of Expression (Production Stage Manager)
ROBIN I. SHANE, COSTUME DESIGNER, is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Rider University. Favorite designs at Rider include: Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical, The Children’s Hour, Cabaret, Polaroid Stories, Pippin, and many Rider Dance concerts. Recent professional credits include The Pillowman and In The Next Room, or, The Vibrator Play at the Hedgerow Theatre in Media, PA and Clean Slate: A World Premiere Musical and OK Trenton at the Passage Theatre in Trenton, NJ. Robin has been a professional costume designer for almost 30 years and she has designed costumes regionally and nationally at such varied theatre as The New Victory Theatre, Berkeley Rep, The Yale Rep, The Hedgerow, Theatre Exile, Philadelphia Artist’s Collective, EgoPo, Passage Theater, Shakespeare Theater of NJ, The National Constitution Center, The Revision Theater, the Jean Cocteau Repertory Theater, Soho Rep and The Harrisburg Opera, as well as for film and television. Robin holds an MFA from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and a BA in Theater and Psychology from Wesleyan University.
SAMUEL STEPHENSON, COORDINATOR OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (he/him/his), received his Bachelor of Arts degrees in English Literature and Music from Wabash College, graduating magna cum laude under a full-ride Lilly Scholarship. As a Joseph Flummerfelt Scholar, he received his Master of Music in Choral Conducting with distinction from Westminster Choir College. Samuel has performed
with many choirs across the world. He toured with the Wabash College Glee Club internationally to Taiwan and organized and managed the renowned Choral Institute at Oxford, a summer program at the University of Oxford for inspiring conductors to work with leading figures in the choral world. He has performed with The Same Stream, whose recordings can be found on all major music services, and at the Weiwuying National Center for the Arts as part of the opera chorus for Verdi’s La Traviata. Most recently, Samuel conducted Morten Lauridsen’s Mid-Winter Songs with the Westminster Choir in concert at Washington D.C. He currently works as the Performance Management Coordinator at Rider University and Music Director at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Warminster, PA.
CASSIDY SWEETLAND, ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER, is a freshman BFA Musical Theatre Major. This is their first Rider mainstage production. Professional credits: Props Artisan for PCPA's summer season.
YOSHINORI TANOKURA, SCENIC DESIGNER, originally from Tokyo, is currently teaching scenic design at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ. Yoshi holds a M.A. in Scenography from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London and an M.F.A. in Set Design from the University of Connecticut. As a freelance designer, his design credits include Moon Over Buffalo at the People’s Light and Theatre, Clever Little Lies by Joe DiPietro at Westside Theatre, NYC, Exonerated with the Delaware Theatre Company, and Peter and the Starcatcher at the Adrienne Arsht Center. Yoshi assisted John Lee Beatty on a number of Broadway productions, such as Venus in Fur, Doubt, and The Color Purple. Yoshi is a member of the United Scenic Artists, Local 829.
Book & Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Book by Bob Martin
Music
