John J. Cali School of Music Department of Theatre and Dance Musical in Concert
Dear World
February 6 I 7 I 8 I 9, 2020
Leshowitz Recital Hall
Dr. Susan A. Cole, President Daniel Gurskis, Dean, College of the Arts Jedediah Wheeler, Executive Director, Arts + Cultural Programming John J. Cali School of Music Thomas McCauley, Interim Director
Department of Theatre and Dance Randy Mugleston, Chair
Musical in Concert
Dear World Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman Book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Based on The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux, as adapted by Maurice Valency New Version by David Thompson Director/Choreographer Robin Levine Music Director Gregory J. Dlugos Costume Designer Joseph Anello Production Stage Manager Sydney Caprio
Cast (in order of appearance) Prospector...................................................................................... Thomas Short Mute ................................................................................Jonah Duchesne-Shaw Nina................................................................................................. Grace Rivera Waiter ..............................................................................................Jacob Batory Countess........................................................................................Gianna Grosso Julian..............................................................................................John T. Albert President 1............................................................................. Daniel Verschelden President 2...................................................................................Chase Fontenot President 3.......................................................................................Alyssa Burns Sergeant ...........................................................................................Jadon Lopez Sewerman.....................................................................................Matthew Hakel Constance ........................................................................... Crystal RenĂŠe Wright Gabrielle........................................................................................ Caroline Quinn Dance Captain Alyssa Burns Understudies Jonah Duchesne-Shaw (President 1, President 2, Prospector, Julian), Carley Jaymes (Countess, Sergeant), Chanel Johnson (President 3) Montclair State University is a proud member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre. Dear World is presented by arrangement with Tams-Witmark, A Concord Theatricals Company. www.tamswitmark.com Duration: Two hours, including one 15-minute intermission. In consideration of both audiences and performers, please turn off all electronic devices. The taking of photographs or videos and the use of recording equipment are not permitted. No food or drink is permitted in the theater.
Musical Numbers Act One Overture ................................................................................................ Orchestra “A Sensible Woman” ...............................................................................Countess “Just a Little Bit More (Part One)”................The Three Presidents, The Prospector “Just a Little Bit More (Part Two)”................The Three Presidents, The Prospector “Each Tomorrow Morning”......................Countess, Nina, Julian, Waiter, Sergeant “Just a Little Bit More” (Tag) .......................The Three Presidents, The Prospector “Pretty Garbage”.............................................Sewerman, Julian, Nina, Countess “I Don’t Want to Know”............................................................................Countess “I’ve Never Said I Love You” ............................................................................ Nina “Dear World” .......................................................Countess, Constance, Gabrielle “One Person”..... Countess, Gabrielle, Constance, Nina, Julian, Sergeant, Waiter
Act Two
~~Intermission~~
Entr’acte ............................................................................................... Orchestra “The Spring of Next Year” ...........................The Three Presidents, The Prospector “Memory”.............................................................................................Constance “Pearls”..................................................................................Countess, Gabrielle “Dickie”.................................................................................................. Gabrielle “Voices” ...............................................................................................Constance “Thoughts”.............................................................................................Countess “Tea Party Trio” ....................................................Countess, Constance, Gabrielle “And I Was Beautiful” ..............................................................................Countess “Have a Little Pity on the Rich”........................... Sewerman, Gabrielle, Constance “Dear World” (Reprise) ................... Nina, Julian, Countess, Gabrielle, Constance, ............................................................................... Sewerman, Sergeant, Waiter “The Spring of Next Year” (Reprise) .............The Three Presidents, The Prospector “The Spring of Next Year” (Second Reprise)...The Three Presidents, The Prospector “Kiss Her Now” .......................................................................................Countess Finale..................... Countess, Nina, Julian, Sewerman, Mute, Waiter, Sergeant, ............................................................................................ Gabrielle, Constance Place and Time: Paris. Tomorrow Morning.
Instrumentalist Piano Gregory J. Dlugos
Further program content, including artist bios, may be found at peakperfs.org/programs.
Staff Office of Arts + Cultural Programming
College of the Arts
Jedediah Wheeler, Executive Director Stephanie Haggerstone, Managing Director Jill Dombrowski, Producing Director J. Ryan Graves, Director of Production Chrissy D’Aleo Fels, Cultural Engagement Director Camille Spaccavento, Marketing & Media Director Robert Hermida, Audience Services Director Regina Vorria, Associate Producer Andy Dickerson, Production Coordinator Colin Van Horn, Technical Director Andrew R. Wilsey, Master Stage Electrician Jeff Lambert Wingfield, Box Office Manager Laurel Brolly, Business Administrator Patrick Flood/Flood Design, Art Director Blake Zidell Associates, Media Representatives Natalie Marx, Media Creator Martin Halo, Webmaster Susan R. Case, Copy Editor Bart Solenthaler, Program Layout Design Maureen Grimaldi, House Manager Maya Siguenza, Student Assistant
Daniel Gurskis, Dean Ronald L. Sharps, Associate Dean Linda D. Davidson, Assistant Dean Marie Sparks, Director of Administration Zacrah S. Battle, College Administrator Abby Lillethun, Art and Design Thomas McCauley, John J. Cali School of Music Keith Strudler, School of Communication and Media Randy Mugleston, Theatre and Dance Patricia Piroh, Broadcast and Media Operations
Production Staff
Staff for Dear World
Clay James, Coordinator of Musical Theatre Gregory J. Dlugos, Music Supervisor Peter J. Davis, Production Manager Cyndi Kumor, Production Associate Nicholas Zaccario, Production Office Assistant Erhard Rom, Scenic Supervisor Ben Merrick, Technical Director Daniel Graham, Assistant Technical Director Jason Audette, Master Carpenter Olivia Joyce, Scenic Charge Alison Merrick, Props Supervisor Debra Otte, Costume Supervisor Judith Evans, Costume Shop Supervisor Jeanette Aultz, Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor Tilly Adams, Amanda Phillips-Balingit, Katie Pippin, Drapers Taylor Pico, Wardrobe Mentor Cecilia Durbin, Lighting Supervisor Chris Thielking, Production Master Electrician Michelle Tobias, Master Electrician Daryl Bornstein, Sound Supervisor Mysti Stay, Stage Management Supervisor Michelle Tobias, Master Electrician Daryl Bornstein, Sound Supervisor Mysti Stay, Stage Management Supervisor
Primo Davis, Assistant Costume Designer Rachel Klemovitch, Assistant Stage Manager
Programs in this season are made possible in part by funds from: The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts Discover Jersey Arts New England Foundation for the Arts–National Dance Project PEAK Performances is in partnership with WNET’s All Arts. PEAK Patrons: Mary Brislin; Susan Campbell; Yong Chang; Joanna Conrad; Bob Fisher/Monroe Denton; Julie Harris; Paul Horowitz; Eric Levin; Karen Lundry; Michael Peroff; Gerard Piserchia, Jr.; Martin Wechsler To view our complete season and for more information, visit peakperfs.org. @peakperfs
@peakperfs
Production Biographies Robin Levine (Director/Choreographer) has credits including Hair, The Last Five Years, Freewheelers (World Premiere), Bring It On, The Who’s Tommy, 42nd Street, Rock of Ages, Mad Libs Live! (World Premiere), Bells Are Ringing, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Azamara Club Cruises, to name a few. She is a member of A Broken Umbrella Theatre, an award-winning nonprofit theatre company dedicated to the creation of new works, located in New Haven, CT. Performance credits include Mamma Mia! (Broadway, Las Vegas), Radio City Christmas Spectacular (New York), the Tony Awards, City Center, and the Joyce SoHo. As a guest lecturer, Levine has taught at universities and conservatory programs, including Montclair State University, Rider University, and Nazareth College, and has been on faculty at Steps on Broadway, CAP21, and AMDA in New York City. Levine holds a BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC). robin-levine.com Joseph Anello (Costume Designer) has previously been an assistant costume designer for shows at MSU. Dear World is his first solo design. Sydney Caprio (Production Stage Manager) is a BFA Theatre Production/Design major with a concentration in stage management and sound design. Other MSU credits include Breaking the Cycle (production stage manager), Lysistrata (production manager), and Fall Dance 2019 (assistant sound design). New York City credits include Leap and the Net Will Appear, New Georges (production assistant and producing assistant); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, New York Classical Theatre (production assistant); and The Antipodes, Signature Theatre (swing production assistant).
Cast Biographies John T. Albert (Julian) is a junior BFA Musical Theatre major at MSU. He grew up in New York City performing with the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, and
New York City Opera in various solo and chorus roles. Dear World is his sixth production at MSU. Past credits include Guys and Dolls (Sky), Urinetown: The Musical (Cladwell), and a couple more. Jacob Batory (Waiter) is a sophomore Musical Theatre major at MSU. Dear World is his first concert show. Alyssa Burns is a sophomore Musical Theatre major and Detroit native. Her most recent roles include Jane in Cold Turkey and Elle in Legally Blonde. Jonah Duchesne-Shaw (Mute/President 1, President 2, Prospector, Julian Understudy) is a freshman Musical Theatre major. Recent credits include Bobby Strong in Urinetown at Venice Theatre, Prince Topher in Cinderella, and Albert in Newsies. He is appearing in his first role at MSU. Chase Fontenot (President 2) is a freshman Musical Theatre major at MSU. Dear World is his first show. Gianna Grosso (Countess) is a junior in the BFA Musical Theatre program. Her most recent credits include featured dancer in Urinetown, Pam Sakarian in Baby, Georgie Bukatinsky in The Full Monty, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and Anita in West Side Story. Matthew Hakel (Sewerman) is from Lincoln, Nebraska, and is in his second year at MSU. Dear World is his fourth production here. Hakel has trained in dance since the age of three. He has portrayed such roles as Don Lockwood in Singin’ in the Rain and Bert in Mary Poppins and has been a part of Reefer Madness on campus in the ensemble and as dance captain. Carley Jaymes (Countess Understudy/Sergeant Understudy) is a 2019 graduate of Cobb County’s School of Excellence in Performing Arts, located a couple of miles from Atlanta. She starred as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre and was awarded “Best Actress.” Other roles include Hope Cladwell in Urinetown, Cheryl Ann in Catch Me If You Can, and Rapunzel in Into the Woods. Jaymes has earned college scholarship awards as a contender in the Miss America
Scholarship Competitions, including winning “Overall Talent” and “Overall Interview” at the Miss Georgia Competition. She has performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” over 100 times publicly, including a solo on ESPN television. She supports the American Liver Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Jadon Lopez (Sergeant) is a graduate of Paramus High School and currently a freshman in the Musical Theatre program at MSU. His past roles include Jean Michelle (Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella), J. Pierrepont Finch (How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying), and Chad (All Shook Up). Caroline Quinn (Gabrielle) is a current junior at MSU as a BFA Musical Theatre major. Previous roles include Fiona in Shrek (Walnut Street Theatre), Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Jo March in Little Women. Quinn is a Vocal American Protegé winner and has done solo vocal performances at Carnegie Hall and the US Naval Observatory. Grace Rivera (Nina) is a freshman at MSU and is pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre. Dear World is her first college show. She was last seen as Roxie in Union High School’s production of Chicago. Her training includes Elefante Music and School for Performing Arts and vocal training with Julie Galerenzo. Thomas Short (Prospector) is a Musical Theatre BFA major in his last semester. He has appeared in numerous shows at MSU, including as Lockstock in Urinetown, Malcolm in The Full Monty, and Nick in Baby. Over the summer he performed various roles at the Peterborough Players in New Hampshire. Daniel Verschelden (President 1) is a senior Musical Theatre major at MSU. He played Dave in The Full Monty and Jesus in Reefer Madness. Crystal Renée Wright (Constance) is honored to be making her debut in Leshowitz Hall for her fifth production at MSU. Some previous credits include The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Cold Turkey. When Wright is not at school she spends her time working as an assistant choreographer for Pixie Dust Players. Working with this company has allowed her the opportunity to work in conjunction with MTI on multiple pilot productions.