THE ROEPER SCHOOL
Educating and inspiring gifted students to think as individuals and to engage as a community with compassion for each other and this world.
LAND USE STATEMENT
We acknowledge that The Roeper School rests on the ancestral and contemporary homeland of the Anishinaabe, or Three Fires Confederacy. The 1807 Treaty of Detroit recognized these lands as belonging to the Ojibwe, Odawa, Potawatomi, and Wyandot Nations. We at Roeper affirm the inherent sovereignty of tribal governments and thank them for their stewardship of this land in the past, present, and future. With our Native neighbors, Roeper will work to advance educational equity and promote a better future for the earth and all people.
NOTE TO THE AUDIENCE
Kindly refrain from recording or using any electronic devices during the performance as it is a violation of United States copyright law and an actionable federal offense. Let’s keep the magic alive for everyone!
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
SPECIAL THANKS
Mocktail Bar Chairs - The Hunger Family Concessions Coordinators - Shelley and Franklin Sollars
Shani Yapa-Kimpson, Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Fund
Susannah Nichols, Middle & Upper School Campus Director
This event is brought to you in part by generous donations to The Roeper School Annual Fund.
CAST
PARKER ABRAMS
OLIVE BALLARD
LILLY BRINN
JUSTICE BROUGHTON
DAVID BURNLEY
STELLA FENTON
JENNA KANFER
CUB MURPHY
BROOKLYN PFEFFER
SHAYNA STEBBINS
COSMO STEFFKE
CREW
Lighting Crew Head ............................................................... Dash Hunger
Audio Crew Head ...................................................................... David Atley
Prop Head, Stagehand ................................................... Bryce Broughton
Lighting Assistant, Stagehand ........................................... Fulton Amaral
Stagehand ........................................................................... Nawa Okwudire
PRODUCTION TEAM
RTC Production Manager.................................................. Gloria Despard
Box Office Manager ............................................................ Rychee Brown
Promotional Design ............................................................... Jack Williams
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
Musical of Musicals (the Musical!) isn’t just a silly parody show about a girl who can’t pay her rent, it is a celebration of American Musical Theatre. Each section of the show features its respective composer, highlighting their unique contribution to the American Musical Theatre cannon. When I choose a season for the Roeper Theatre Company, I try to look for shows that follow our mission statement, usually containing an element of social justice. This is not the case with Musical of Musicals. Instead, I am using this show as a Musical Theatre History class. Together we discussed: Rodgers and Hammerstein, how they paved the way for modern musical theatre; why Jerry Herman musicals were so important to the queer community; Steven Sondheim and the concept musical; and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s mass appeal. To prepare, we watched a number of these musicals to understand each reference in our show.
Unless you are a huge Musical Theatre nerd like I am, you may feel left out. So here is my little Musical Theatre History lesson for you.
Let’s start at the very beginning.... a very good place to start! In the early days of American Musical Theatre, creators would showcase certain performers and songs, with little thought to the show’s plot. Showboat (1922), with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, was the first show to give equal weight to both music and script. It is therefore considered to be the first “book musical.” It wasn’t until 1943 when Hammerstein and composer Richard Rodgers wrote Oklahoma!, did the musical form develop again, ushering in the Golden Age of musical theater. Alongside choreographer, Agnes DeMille, they fully integrated the script with music and dance. DeMille’s biggest contribution to Oklahoma! was her dream ballet, when Laurie decides if she’s in love with the handsome cowboy, Curly, or the dangerous farmhand, Jud. This 17-minute dance sequence became the first time dance was used in a musical to advance the plot.
The first section of our show spends the most time with Oklahoma! There are, however, plenty of nods to other R & H musicals such as Carousel, South Pacific, Cinderella, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Big Willy resembles Curly from Oklahoma!, Billy Bigalow in Carousel (with his SoWilliquy pondering his future child) and the King of Siam from The King and I. Mother Abby is a play on the Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, Aunt Eller in Oklahoma! and Bloody Mary from South Pacific.
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
June represents any of the leading female characters but mostly Laurie in Oklahoma! Her name is even a reference to the song “June is Bustin’ Out All Over” from Carousel.
The next section of the show, dedicated to the complex style of Stephen Sondheim, most prominently features Sweeney Todd and Sunday in the Park with George along with references to Into the Woods, Company, Merrily
We Roll Along, and Follies. The character of Jitter is a combination of both Sweeney Todd, a murderous barber, and the painter George Seurat, the title character from Sunday in the Park with George.
Mentored by Oscar Hammerstein II, Sondheim began his career as a lyricist. His first major contributions were the lyrics for both West Side Story and Gypsy. His next project, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, featured both his music and lyrics. Forum was a commercial success, winning 6 Tony Awards and running for 964 performances. However, Sondheim’s score did not even receive a Tony nomination. His subsequent musicals produced greater critical praise but often failed at the box office. Due to his clever lyrics and complicated music, he became one of Broadway’s most respected composers/lyricists among critics and actors. Over his decades long career, Sondheim won several Tony Awards and even the Pulitzer Prize for Sunday in the Park with George. His most frequent criticism is that his melodies are forgettable and therefore do not appeal to mass audiences. He comments on this in one of his own musicals, Merrily
We Roll Along, in the song “Opening Doors.”
“That’s great! That’s swell!
The other stuff as well
It isn’t every day you hear a score this strong
But fellas, if I may
There’s only one thing wrong
There’s not a tune you can hum
There’s not a tune you go bum-bum-bum-di-dum-
You need a tune you go bum-bum-bum-di-dum-
Give me a melody!
Why can’t you throw ‘em a crumb?
What’s wrong with letting ‘em tap their toes a bit?
I’ll let you know when Stravinsky has a hit
Give me a melody!”
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
In the 1960s and 70s, Broadway evolved again, popularizing the term “concept musical.” A concept musical is comprised of a series of vignettes focusing on a uniting theme rather than plot. Sondheim’s Company (1970) is a prime example of this style, delving into marriage and relationships seen through the eyes of a 35-year-old single man. The character of Joanne is the inspiration for Abby in our show. Her big song in Act 2 of Company is “Ladies Who Lunch,” where she explodes in a drunken rage, lamenting her own superficial and unfulfilled relationships. Part of Abby’s advice to June in this section reflects this moment in tone and music.
Act 2! When you think of a good old-fashioned showtune, you probably think of songs by Jerry Herman. Herman gave us great diva musicals like Hello Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles, reliably featuring an older character descending a staircase in a fabulous costume. Known for their campy, glamourous, and optimistic tone, Herman’s musicals brought positive queer stories to the stage. The characters of Mame Dennis and Dolly Levi represent the larger-than-life, no-nonsense women living outside of societal norms: characters gay men could relate to and idolize. It wasn’t until his musical La Cage aux Folles, featuring an openly gay couple running a drag nightclub, did we see true gay representation in a Broadway musical. When La Cage aux Folles opened on Broadway in 1983, the AIDS epidemic was in full swing and homophobia was raging. His song “I Am What I Am,” about self-acceptance and pride, became an anthem for the LGBTQ+ community at a time when it was needed most. Herman himself was openly gay and contracted HIV in 1985. Thanks to the advancement of experimental medications, he lived to be 88 years old. The third section of our show reflects Jerry Herman’s contributions to Broadway through its humor, glamour, and uncompromising style.
By the mid-1980s, mega musicals and British imports were taking over The Great White Way. Broadway evolved yet again: Productions became more elaborate with bigger sets and bigger voices. Perhaps the most important composer whose popularity exploded during this era was Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. His shows, Phantom of the Opera and Cats, became some of the longest running shows in Broadway history. With this interest in epic showmanship, the original production of Phantom famously swung a huge chandelier over the audience to crash onto the stage at the end of Act 1; and who could forget Betty Buckley in full cat
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
makeup belting out “Memory” before ascending to the “Heavyside Layer” on an oversized tire? It wouldn’t matter if there was a plot, or even a proper throughline, as is the case with Starlight Express, a musical performed entirely on roller-skates and the whole cast is, get this... trains! Audiences came, repeatedly, to see Webber’s shows for their spectacle and their lush, dramatic score. Producers took advantage of this popularity: Ticket prices soared, and their success never waned.
Amidst his success, Webber faced accusations of musical plagiarism, most notably from the Puccini estate for Phantom’s “Music of the Night.” The lawsuit claimed that Webber used a theme directly from Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West and the case was settled out of court. Our show doesn’t hold back poking fun at these accusations. Phantom Jitter sings to Junita (our Evita stand-in), telling her that everything he writes is all brand new, while borrowing the melodies from both “Music of the Night”/ La Fanciulla del West and Puccini’s Turandot.
Our finale parodies the song “One” from the musical A Chorus Line. Created from a series of recorded workshop sessions with Broadway dancers, A Chorus Line follows the personal stories of several performers, auditioning for a part in the chorus of a new Broadway show. At the end of this musical, the entire cast enters in identical gold costumes, forsaking their individuality to become part of a seemingly never-ending ensemble.
The American Musical continues to evolve and adapt to modern audiences. I would love to see an updated version of this show featuring the likes of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mel Brooks, and even the influence of Disney. I hope this information helps you understand the thought (and humor) behind Musical of Musicals (the Musical!), and that you walk away with a new appreciation for this incredible art form. Class dismissed.
Alex Pedica (he/him)
RTC Artistic Director
BRAVO!
Dash - “True Light is that which radiates from within a man” (Khalil Gibran) Dash, your light shines so brightly you light up the world. I love you and am so proud of you always. - Mother
Parker – Break a leg! Love, Mom & Dad
David B. – We are all so proud of you and excited to see MoM. We hope you are having the time of your life x 4! Lots and lots of love from Your Family
Stella – Always our Star! Love, Mom & Trev
Lilly - Break a leg! We are so proud of you! Love, Mom, Dad & Tori
GREAT JOB, DAVID A.! SOUND CHECK 1, 2, 1, 2! WE LOVE YOU! MOM & DAD
Dash, we know you’ll do a fantastic job. We’re so proud of you. Love from Grandma & Papa
Congrats, Shayna! We love seeing you perform – Love, Mom & Dad
Olive – What big eyes you have! So proud of you! Love you – Mom, Dad, Lux and Fred (your #1 fans)
Break a leg, Cub – we’re all so proud of you!
Love Mom, Dad and Margot
Dash, Congratulations on another successful Roeper theater season. You’ve been providing lighting for the plays for the past few years now, but you have been the light of my whole life! Words aren’t enough to show how proud of you I am.
-Dad
DashD is for deliberate A is for absolutely sincere S is for serendipitous H is for honorable
We love and appreciate how special you are!
Love, Grammy & Zayde
“Dear” Cast & Crew – We know this show is “corn”y and “a little complex” but we hope you enjoyed some of its “aspects.” Break a leg!
Alex, Amy, Jake, Steven and Gloria
UP NEXT
Between the Lines JR.
February 2026
SENIOR BIOS
Olive Ballard
Decided for some unknown reason to finally try theater for the first time during her senior year of high school and has not regretted that decision at all. She is very happy for the opportunity to try something new during her last year at Roeper and hopes you enjoy her first ever attempt at acting.
Justice Broughton
Is ecstatic to play Jidder, Mr. Jitters, and Bill in RTC’s production of The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)! Being simultaneously over-the-top, silly, and stupid on purpose is one of Justice’s favorite things to do onstage, and this show is an impeccable opportunity to bring that to life. Justice hopes you’ll enjoy their colorful, comedic, occasionally cantankerous characters; and, more importantly, the show! (And while one may say, “Break a leg,” Justice hopes to not actually break a leg. Or an ankle. Or even sprain an ankle. We’re NOT repeating last year, folks.
David Burnley
Local baritenor, artist, designer, programmer, writer, analyst, and media extraordinaire, has only been in one Roeper Theatre production before this one, that being Urinetown. Music and performing have followed Burnley around his entire life. It’s for this reason that he’s very excited to take on a show as fun as the musical-est musical to ever musical for his last year before college, with super fun roles like Big Willy, Jitter, and of course, Phantom Jitter. After he’s done with this adventure, he’ll be onto the next. Trying out forensics again. And finally going on to create great stories and art, no doubt using the experience he’s had here to inspire himself going forward.
Dash Hunger
Throughout my time participating in RTC’s Stage Crew, I’ve participated in quite a few performances. Starting with Head Over Heels, which initially got me interested in RTC, there’s been nothing but good times (albeit stressful on not-so infrequent occasions). During these years here I’ve done five plays, where I’ve been operating the lightboard on all but my first. Personally (and in my completely biased opinion), I believe the lights to be the best part of the show, so being able to say that I’m one of the people with such involvement in it is truly an honor. In wrapping this up, I want to thank everyone in the Cast & Crew, but especially Alex and Jake for giving me this opportunity to not only develop new skills but create amazing memories to last a lifetime.
SENIOR BIOS
Jenna Kanfer
This is her first musical, and despite being nervous to act and sing in front of people, she is so glad to be performing! She has always enjoyed singing and has taken a few years of singing lessons, so she is thrilled to try something new. She loved joking around with her castmates and forming new friendships. Thank you, The Musical of Musicals, you have been a blast!
Cub Murphy
Behind the scenes last year, Cub Murphy made his year-two debut as various Williams onstage. He’s been a fan of singing along the whole time and is incredibly happy to be on cast this year. He’s currently praying to get into a science and art program and having enough free time to mess with his friends and waste their free time. Shout out to everyone on tech, he’s sorry he’s not around to help anymore but is forever grateful for all the work they’re doing. Give them some good applause at the end.
Brooklyn Pfeffer
After playing Philoclea in Head Over Heels and Caldwell B. Cladwell in Urinetown, Brooklyn Pfeffer is thoroughly stoked to take the stage by storm once more in RTC’s staging of The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!). This particular production has presented interesting new challenges for him, on top of balancing two additional shows and slogging through college applications; nonetheless it’s been a fantastic time, and (if one may be as corny as Kansas in August) it’s nothing that Brooklyn couldn’t handle with his wonderful mentors and incredible friends by his side. Brooklyn has been described by his noble cognoscenti as a compassionate, charming, quirky, and kind young gentleman, and can only hope he lives up to the hype. He is very proud to cite the Roeper Theatre Company as the catalyst that kickstarted his love of performing, and he hopes to continue fooling around on stage after graduation and into college. For now, though, he’s come here to churn butter and break a leg(s)… and he’s all out of butter.
Cosmo Steffke
In true Cosmo fashion, he made the decision to dive back into acting in the world of musicals for the first time in over 6 years on a whim. He prides himself on co-captaining the champion forensics team and his totally important role as Audio Chief for many years (that will never be done as good as he did it on EVERYONE’s soul) and begs everyone reading his bio to go to his student directed show in the spring before he goes broke. Enjoy Cosmo making references to musicals he’s never heard of for 90 minutes!
