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STAGED CONCERT READING 2020-2021 Season

Eric Svejcar

Chad Larget Chad Joey Chelius Joey

Chris Caswell Chris Joseph Nolan Joseph Paul Williams

Megan Harris Megan Denzel Taylor Denzel

Michael Unger Michael

Frankie Zabilka Frankie

George Lorimer George

...... Amanda Satchell Amanda

.... Stephanie Staszak Stephanie

Jamie Lynn Mercado Lynn Jamie

...... Eric R. Cohen, Marc Madnick Marc Eric R. Cohen, ......

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...... 20, 202120, ...... - ......

...... Streaming Presentation Fortunate Sons Cast Sons Fortunate ...... - February 19 (in order of appearance) order (in Directed by Michael Unger Produced by Marc Madnick Live First StagedFirst Concert Reading Fortunate Sons Creative Team Creative Sons Fortunate Skylight TheatreMusic Presents Music and by lyrics Paul Williams ...... ook by Eric R. Cohen and Madnick Marc ...... B Cabot BroadwayTheatre, Theatre Center ...... skylightmusictheatre.org ......

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Claire Willet Claire Willet Beth Robert Willet Robert Willet Wayne Troy Willet Troy Taylor Willy Abby Willet Abby Willet RJ Cliff Willet Music Supervisor Manager Stage Director Director Music Music and Lyrics Music and Book Program is available online at Production Support Steve Tonar ...... Production Manager Ryan Rosmann ...... Camera Eli Stamstad ...... Camera Simeon Stienke...... Video Adam Seaman ...... Audio Daniel Madnick ...... Video Montage Skylight Music Theatre Staff

Special Thanks Streamyard, Greenfield Hawks Drama, Logo design by Bebo Nelson

Musical Numbers (Subject to Change) ACT ONE "Able Bodied Men" ...... Abby and Ensemble "Two Ifs and a Maybe" ...... Abby, RJ "Your World Can Change (In a Heartbeat)" ...... Willy "Laurel Canyon" ...... Abby, RJ, Cliff, Troy "To the Losers" ...... RJ,Cliff, Troy, Willy "Brothers" ...... Cliff, RJ, Troy, Willy "My First Love Was the Boy Next Door" ...... Claire "Between Here & Eternity" ...... Abby, Willy "We Answer the Call" ...... Ensemble

There will be one 10-minute intermission

ACT TWO "Christmas is Hiding Upstairs" ...... Ensemble "Every Road I Travel" ...... Abby, RJ, Cliff "Home at Last" ...... Cliff, Beth "The Courage" ...... Troy "Between Here & Eternity" Reprise ...... Abby, Willy "Brothers" Reprise ...... Wayne, Robert "Burning Bridges" ...... Abby "Still Your Home" ...... Ensemble

A talkback will begin 5 minutes after the concert reading.

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2020-2021 | SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE Poppins and Kodaly in She Loves Joseph Nolan The Cast (Alphabetical order) Me, both at Sunset Playhouse. He (Wayne Willet) last Joey Chelius (RJ has been a soloist with the appeared at Willet) is a Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Skylight in Pirates Milwaukee native Racine Symphony Orchestra and a of Penzance and and graduate of the chorus member with the Lyric HMS Pinafore. 2018 BFA-Acting Opera of Chicago and Florentine Nolan has performed in numerous Class at UW – Opera. community and professional Stevens Point. Having lent his George Lorimer theaters throughout Southeastern talents as an actor, director, (Troy Willet) is Wisconsin and the Midwest. guitarist, and teaching artist to making his Skylight Favorite lead roles have included various theater companies, Music Theatre Dan in Next To Normal, Archibald schools, and non-profit debut. He is a Crain in The Secret Garden, organizations throughout graduate of the Fredrick in A Little Night Music and Southeastern Wisconsin, Chelius is College of Wooster, receiving a BA Sky Masterson in Guys & Dolls. currently residing as an emerging in Theatre and Music and is a Amanda Satchell professional resident actor at the Milwaukee native. Previously, he (Claire Willet) is Milwaukee Repertory Theater. has worked with local companies making her Recent credits include Jack such as First Stage, Music Theatre Skylight Music Worthing in Being Earnest at of Madison, Outskirts Theatre Co., Theatre debut. A Skylight, Fred Gailey in Miracle on and Greendale Community Theatre graduate of the th 34 St. with the Forte Theatre as well as regionally with the Ohio University of Michigan's Musical Company, and the guitarist in Light Opera, The College Light Theatre program, she has Hedwig and the Angry Inch with All Opera Company and Festival 56. performed in regional theaters like In Productions at the Next Act Lorimer has also worked as a Paper Mill Playhouse as well as in Theatre. teaching artist with Forte Theatre New York at Joe's Pub and Chad Larget Company, an assistant director Carnegie Hall. Recent favorite roles (Robert Willet) last with Milwaukee Chamber include Donna Sheridan in Mamma performed with Theatre's 2019 Young Playwrights Mia and Marian Paroo in The Skylight Music Festival, and a choral scholar with Music Man at Lake County Theatre in Trinity Episcopal Church in Playhouse, and Miss Gardner in Oklahoma! as Wauwatosa. Carrie with Outskirts Theatre. Andrew Carnes. His other Skylight Jamie Lynn Stephanie Staszak credits include Pasquale (Most Mercado (Beth (Abby Willet) was Happy Fella), Erlanson (A Little Willet) was last most recently seen Night Music), Dr. Blind (Die seen with Skylight at Skylight as Fledermaus), Don Curzio (Marriage in the 2020 Gwendolyn in the of Figaro), and Frederic (Pirates of KidsWrites: Me, virtual filming of Penzance). Larget made his Myself, & I cast and in the Being Earnest as well as Ensemble/ Broadway debut in the 1997 ensemble of Newsies. Other credits Understudy in Oklahoma! and revival production of Candide, include Dad’s Season Tickets at Newsies. Staszak has performed directed by Harold Prince. Other Northern Sky Theater, Matilda at with other theatres such as recent Milwaukee area credits First Stage and Songs For a New Milwaukee Opera Theatre, All In include Sewer Man in Dear World World at All In Productions. Productions and In Tandem, and with Boulevard Theatre, Jay Austin has done a handful of commercial in Only We Know Best, with and film work, including starring Milwaukee Metropolitan Voices, alongside four adorable puppets in the Bank Chairman in Mary the award-winning short film

STAGED CONCERT READING | FORTUNATE SONS ANGELAAA in the 2017 Milwaukee graduate of Ball State University. Society of Composers, Authors and Film Festival. The Creative Team Publishers (ASCAP), Paul Williams Denzel Taylor (Willy is also a leading spokesman for Taylor) is a Paul Williams music creators in the digital age. (Music and Lyrics) Wisconsin native Eric R. Cohen making his Skylight A lyricist and composer, Paul (Book) is a Music Theatre graduate of New debut. Taylor is an Williams has won an Oscar Award, York’s School of alum of the University of Wisconsin Visual Arts. His - Madison and the First Wave - Hip three Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and induction into screenplay, Liberty Hop and Urban Arts scholarship Smith written with Marc Madnick, program. In February of 2020, he the Songwriters Hall of Fame. “The Rainbow Connection” and has been optioned for every completed an Education residency medium but has found its biggest with Milwaukee Repertory “Evergreen” grace the American Film Institute’s List of Top Movie success on the stage as a theatrical Theater’s Emerging Professional musical. It was selected for The Resident program, teaching Songs of All Time. His hits have remained wonderfully diverse, National Alliance of Musical literacy and social-emotional Theatre Festival, The New York learning through theater practices. from “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “You and Me Against the World,” Musical Theatre Festival, and Taylor has additionally taught in received its world premiere residency with Theater Lila at to “Beyond” and “Touch” on Daft Punk’s chart-topping, Album of the production in 2011 at Ford’s Madison’s Capital High School and Theatre. It was nominated for six with First Wave as a co-facilitator Year Random Access Memories. Williams’ songs have also been Helen Hayes Awards and went on of their summer programming. His to become one of the most acting credits include Sheep and recorded by such diverse musical icons as Ray Charles, David Bowie, successful musicals ever produced John Arable in Charlotte’s Web and at this historic landmark. In Mr. Salt in Willy Wonka with Tony Bennett, The Carpenters, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella addition to Fortunate Sons his Children’s Theater of Madison, current writing projects include a Mayor in Romeo and Juliet with Fitzgerald, Diana Ross, Willie Nelson, and Gonzo. His song scores screenplay, Video Nation, a Theater Lila, and Lucentio in comedic look at the early years of Taming of the Shrew with Madison include The Muppet Movie and The Muppet Christmas Carol, Bugsy the home video revolution for Shakespeare Company. Plausible Films. Frankie Zabilka Malone, Ishtar, Emmet Otter’s (Cliff Willet) was Jugband Christmas, and Phantom Marc Madnick recently seen in the of the Paradise. Writing with (Producer/ Los Angeles Gustavo Santaolalla for the Book) was the co- premiere of a new animated film, The Book of Life, founder and chief musical called Williams received a World executive officer of Glass Ceilings. Before heading to Soundtrack Award for their Final Draft, Inc. LA, he performed near Chicago in “Apology Song”. His career, life, from 1991 to 2016 Final Draft is roles such as Frank Abagnale Jr. in and work in recovery have been the most widely used screenwriting Catch Me If You Can, Huck Finn in chronicled in the acclaimed software in film, television and Big River, and Leo Bloom in The documentary, Paul Williams Still theater today. In 2013 Madnick Producers at the Erica Heilmann Alive. He has also acted in dozens was presented with the Primetime Theatre. He also spent a summer in of films and on television, most Engineering Emmy Award for Kansas City playing Motel Kamzoil recently with Billy Bob Thornton on contributions to the television in Fiddler on the Roof with Western Goliath. As President and Chairman development process. A produced Playhouse. Zabilka is a proud of the Board of the American playwright, Madnick saw his

STAGED CONCERT READING | FORTUNATE SONS 2020-2021 | SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE musical, Liberty Smith premiere at Eric Svejcar Megan Harris the historic Washington D.C. Ford's (Music Director) is (Stage Manager) is Theatre in the spring of 2011. a composer/ a stage manager Michael Unger pianist/arranger who, originally (Director) joined living in Brooklyn from Wisconsin, Skylight as Artistic NY. Composing went to NYC to Director in fall, credits include Caligula: an Ancient pursue her degree, but is now 2019 and has Glam Epic, A ROCKIN’ Midsummer happy to be back in her home directed Night’s Dream (both directed by state. She is excited to be joining KidsWrites, virtual productions, Michael Unger) and the acclaimed the Skylight team and cannot wait and launched new works initiatives musical podcast series Loveville to share such an amazing project. bringing famed songwriters such as High. On Broadway he conducted Previous credits include: Paul Williams and Dennis DeYoung the Roundabout/Deaf West Production Assistant for Sweat on to Skylight, as well as supporting production of Big River and played Broadway; Production Assistant new composers through an first keyboard for The Little for Shadowlands Off Broadway; upcoming festival of BIPOC writers. Mermaid. With playwright/lyricist Assistant Stage Manager Unger is also the Producing Artistic David Zellnik he adapted Disney’s for Gretel and Escape from Peligro Director of NewArts, started in Peter Pan Jr. which has been Island at First Stage response to the Sandy Hook performed thousands of times Children's Theatre. tragedy. For NewArts, he has around the world. Off-Broadway he directed a dozen musicals involving arranged and performed in the 600 local children. Previously, he Zipper Theatre production was Associate Artistic Director of of Jacques Brel Is Alive And Off-Broadway’s York Theatre. He’s Well… and orchestrated Evil Dead, directed many benefit concerts, The Musical. As a pianist he has including for Sandy Hook and performed in concert with the Parkland. Selected world premieres Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and pre- include The 25th Annual Putnam pandemic was one of Broadway’s County Spelling Bee, Caligula, and most active audition pianists. A ROCKIN’ Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is featured in the documentary film, Midsummer in Newtown. He’s directed fifteen operas, two of which are available on DVD.

158 N. Broadway Milwaukee, WI 53202 Season Sponsors (414) 291-7811 www.skylightmusictheatre.org

STAGED CONCERT READING | FORTUNATE SONS 2020-2021 | SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE