2019-2020 SEASON VOLUME XXVII • ISSUE 7 22......Information 26......Thrill Me 32......We Shall Overcome 36......Parsons Dance 46......Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Joshua Bell 73......Wharton Circle CONSUMER ALERT REGARDING TICKET PURCHASING With so many high-profile and popular events coming to Wharton Center, we have found more and more patrons are being exploited by unscrupulous ticket resellers. Often our tickets are being marketed on secondary ticket websites before the operator of the website has even purchased tickets – and they are selling at prices far above the price you will pay through whartoncenter.com. Purchasing tickets to Wharton Center events through another source might result in paying too much for your tickets or paying for tickets that are invalid. If there is a problem with your tickets, you may not be able to receive help from Wharton Center’s Ticket Office as there will be no in-house record of your transaction. In addition, we are unable to contact you if there is a change in performance time, traffic notices, etc. To avoid being ensnared by unscrupulous ticket resellers: • Bookmark our website, whartoncenter.com for ticket and show information. • Sign up for our eClub to receive information directly from Wharton Center. We urge you to protect yourself by purchasing directly from the official source for Wharton Center tickets: at whartoncenter.com; by phone at 1-800-WHARTON (1-800-942-7866); or at the Auto-Owners Insurance Ticket Office at Wharton Center. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY Please observe the lighted exit signs located throughout the building and theatre(s). All patrons should note all exits, especially those closest to your seat location. Our staff and ushers are trained to assist patrons through multiple emergency situations. If you have questions regarding our safety and security procedures, please contact the house management staff at Wharton Center by calling 884-3119 or 884-3116. CONCEALED WEAPONS AND FIREARMS Be advised that, per Michigan Compiled Laws, Section 28.425o(1)(f), this is an entertainment facility which has a seating capacity of more than 2,500 individuals. Concealed weapons and firearms are prohibited within the facility. 25 THRILL ME: THE LEOPOLD & LOEB STORY BOOK, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY STEPHEN DOLGINOFF DIRECTED BY BERT GOLDSTEIN A WHARTON CENTER THEATRE PRODUCTION February 12-16, 2020 Shirley K. & Athanase J. Pasant Theatre THIS PERFORMANCE IS SPONSORED BY April Clobes Jack & Susan Davis & Glen Brough 26 THRILL ME: THE LEOPOLD & LOEB STORY Book, Music & Lyrics by Stephen Dolginoff A Wharton Center Theatre Production Directed by Bert Goldstein Music Director: Jeff English Stage Manager: Katherine Nelson* Costume Design: Katherine Nelson Properties Designer: Miranda Hartman Lighting Designer: DJ Selmeyer Sound Designer: Lucas Nunn Rehearsal Stage Manager: Sarah Botroff Casting: Greg Kamp CAST Nathan ....................................................Mark Ryan Anderson* Richard ..............................................................Wayne Shuker* Pianist ................................................................... Jeff English Radio Voice #1 ...................................................... Ken Beachler Radio Voice #2 ................................................... George Spelvin Parole Officer Voice ................................................Kevin Craig Time: 1958 & 1924 Location: Chicago Originally produced in New York City by Jim Kierstead. Off-Broadway production by The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director). New York cast album available on Original Cast Records. *These Actors and Stage Manager appear through the courtesy of Actors Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. THRILL ME: THE LEOPOLD & LOEB STORY is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. THRILL ME will be performed without intermission. Approximate running time is 90 minutes. Continued on next page. 27 FROM THE DIRECTOR I have been asked several times why I chose a play that retells the story of Leopold and Loeb, and it’s a legitimate question. After all, it is the story of two wealthy, brilliant and privileged teenagers who commit murder, it happened 95 years ago, and we’ve certainly had more “crimes of the century” since then. But this story persistently intrigues and doesn’t want to go away; it keeps coming back to haunt us … and Stephen Dolginoff has given good reasons to again watch this tragic story unfold. Dolginoff’s musical is eerily fascinating as his music captures both the sinister nature of Leopold and Loeb’s crime and the complexity of their relationship. Dolginoff says the play is about the relationship and “its twists and turns, manipulations, shifts of power and ultimate surprise conclusion.” For audiences, the toxicity of a bad relationship and the consequences of such are ultimately the roller coaster ride of this show. With dark foretelling, the tag line in advertising for the Off-Broadway production was, “Relationships can be murder.” Yeah, no kidding. Dolginoff’s taut and hard-hitting script is the stuff of great theatrical drama set to a chilling and intoxicating score. This is what attracted me to the piece when I first saw it at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Audiences in the U.S. and around the world have been drawn to this re-telling of Leopold and Loeb as Thrill Me has had over 150 productions. I hope Thrill Me will thrill you as well. –Bert Goldstein BIOS MARK RYAN ANDERSON (Nathan). Off- many thanks to Mom and Dad and to Bert for Broadway: Two Irishmen Digging a Ditch, Stand inviting me to play. www.wayneshuker.com Up For Oneself, Coffee House. New York: Cabaret (The Gateway, Victor); the world premieres of SARAH BOTRUFF (Reheasal Stage Manager) is both the immersive musical Serenade (Fortunato) very excited to be working at Wharton Center and Hamlet the Hip-Hopera (Laertes). TV/film: again. She is a graduate of Michigan State Dead Sound, Eight of Spades, Shadow of Doubt, A University, BFA in theatre management, minor Crime to Remember, Unforgettable (CBS). All of in arts and cultural management. Recent/favorite my love to Mom, Dad, Gabi, my manager Lori, credits include MSU Department of Theatre’s and Stephen for his sagacity and even more for production of Peter Pan, AIPAC Conference his friendship. @markryananderson with VIVA Creative, and the World Special Olympics, LA with FiveCurrents. Lots of love to WAYNE SHUKER (Richard) is thrilled to my family: Mom, Dad, and brother Josh. be making his debut at Wharton Center. Some previous favorite roles have included JEFF ENGLISH (Music Director/Pianist) has Paul Bratter (Barefoot in the Park), Rocky been music director and pianist for over 150 Horror (The Rocky Horror Show), Sam Wheat musicals from high school and college theater (Ghost), and Lt. Cable (South Pacific). In 2018, to community theater and professional theater. 424,066 missing children were reported to Jeff is a retired teacher of choral music and piano authorities in the United States. In honor of in the East Lansing Public Schools. He was a this performance, Wayne will be donating to public-school teacher for 30 years, and before The National Center for Missing and Exploited that taught music at Lansing Community Children: www.missingkids.com. As always, College for 5 years. He is also the music director 28 at the Ruhala Center for the Performing Arts to graduate Michigan State University’s Theatre as well as pianist and music director at Unity Department with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Lucas Spiritual Center of Lansing. Jeff is married to spent years consulting with MSU as an audio a wonderful singer and music teacher, Jennifer, technician and hanging out with bands making and is the proud dad to six children. them loud professionally. Almost a decade later, he decided there was still more learning to do; MIRANDA SUE HARTMAN (Properties now Lucas finds himself back in school, pursuing Designer) is the owner of the Mirasu Actors a master’s degree in broadcast and cinematic arts Studio and 1024 Illustrations in Lansing, MI. from Central Michigan University. She is a teaching artist for Wharton Center for Performing Arts, Reach Studio Art Center, DJ SELMEYER (Lighting Designer) is a and the Lansing Art Gallery, as well as an freelance designer and stagehand. Favorite adjudicator for Wharton Center’s Sutton Foster lighting designs have included The Curious Awards. During the school year, she directs Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Rockford theatre productions for Waverly High School. In High School; Fangalangus Island at Union the summer, she teaches drama for Music, Art, Colony Civic Center; Aida at Little Theatre Drama & Dance (MADD) Camp in downtown of the Rockies; Cabaret and Ain’t Misbehavin’ Lansing. When Miranda is not teaching or (AriZoni for Best Lighting Design) at Arizona onstage, she works for local theatres as a director, Broadway Theatre; The Hobbitat Valley Youth makeup artist, props gatherer, scenic designer Theatre (STARS Award Best Lighting Design); and concessions peddler. She also volunteers as and Richard III at the University of Montana. the chair of Riverwalk Theatre’s Barney Award Special thanks to his family for their support of Committee and as board secretary of the Lansing his artistic endeavors! selmeyer.com. Children’s Choir. She was last seen onstage in Dancing at Lughnasa at Over the Ledge Theatre STEPHEN DOLGINOFF (Book, Music & Company. However, Miranda is most proud of Lyrics) received Drama Desk Award nominations her two amazingly wonderful children, Phillip for Best Musical and Best Music; an Outer and Emily! Critics Circle Award nomination for Best Off- Broadway Musical; and won an ASCAP Music KATHERINE NELSON (Production Stage Award for his musical Thrill Me: The Leopold & Manager/Costume Designer) has stage managed and Loeb Story. Over 150 productions in 16 countries designed numerous productions with Wharton and 10 languages have followed, including a run Center, including Lungs and Among the Darkest on London’s West End (WOS Award nom), Shadows, and assisted with the development of award-winning stagings in Los Angeles, Chicago, the Take It From The Top: Tech Track program.