Sundance INSTITUTE at BAM May 11—21, 2006 Sundance Theatre Songbook Audra McDonald, Host BAMcafé May 15, 2006, 8PM SUNDANCE THEATRE SONGBOOK A WELCOME FROM PHILIP HIMBERG It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Sundance Theatre Songbook as part of the Sundance Institute at BAM series. Tonight’s program is an opportunity to hear the work of a few of the composers and lyricists who have participated in the Labs and workshops that make up the Sundance Institute Theatre Program. And in keeping with Sundance’s commitment to discovery, tonight’s program consists principally of work that is new or has been rarely performed. While Sundance has become synonymous with independent film, our work in theatre is not as widely known, even though it has had great impact. With three annual programs focused on different stages of the creative process, we work to provide artists with a supportive environment in which the pressures of realizing a finished product are removed. The Sundance Theatre Lab is a three-week intensive workshop held at Sundance, Utah for the development of up to eight new stage works each year. The Sundance Theatre Lab at White Oak in Florida is focused on supporting artists in their development of musical and ensemble theatre. And the Sundance Playwrights Retreat at Ucross Foundation in Wyoming is a writing colony for playwrights and composers. We encourage the participating playwrights, directors, composers, and librettists to experiment with their work and to find and emphasize the elements that make their plays unique. Work ranging from The Light in the Piazza to Crowns to I Am My Own Wife has come through the Sundance Theatre Program, and tonight’s program reflects the innovative and independent artists we are honored to work with each year. I would like to thank these artists for sharing their work with us, our colleagues at BAM for collaborating with us to present this series, Margaret Whiting and the Mercer Foundation for their invaluable support, and each of you for joining us tonight. Sincerely, Philip Himberg Producing Artistic Director Sundance Institute Theatre Program SUNDANCE THEATRE SONGBOOK A SPECIAL GREETING FROM MARGARET WHITING As president of The Johnny Mercer Foundation, I am thrilled that we were asked to present this sensational evening. I feel like a proud relative since it was our Johnny Mercer Foundation who funded the original Sundance Theatre Lab workshop for The Light In The Piazza, Broadway’s Tony Award winning musical, featuring Adam Guettel’s triumphant score. The success of that show was very personal to me since I’m Adam’s #1 fan, I adore his mother, Mary Rodgers, and I did okay with a couple of her old man’s songs. The Johnny Mercer Foundation’s partnership with Sundance not only yielded three magical years of Theatre Lab Workshops (including the development of new musicals by Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Torke, both represented here tonight), but together we also launched a series of unforgettable collaborative weekends called “The Power of American Popular Song” bringing together young songwrit- ers and performers with celebrated icons including Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Jimmy Webb, Charles Strouse, Melissa Manchester, and Betty Buckley. The Johnny Mercer Foundation’s mission is “to preserve and celebrate Our Great American Songbook” because we believe our American Popular Songs are who we are. Our “Accentuate the Positive” program introduces our rich musical heritage of popular songs to elementary school children all over the country and helps them to understand that these songs belong to them. We sponsor lyric-writing labs for children as well as teacher-training labs and a student activity guide for kids call “LyricNOTES,” which explains how a song is born, how music and lyrics are conceived and written, and how these songs reflect our passions and ideals and tapestry our lives. There’s so much more. But I don’t want to gush. Please visit our delightfully animated website at johnnymercerfoundation.org. I’m extremely proud of The Johnny Mercer Foundation and our very special relationship with Sundance. My love and gratitude to everyone who has contributed to this spectacular evening. It’s a night I’ll never forget. Sincerely, Margaret Whiting SUNDANCE THEATRE SONGBOOK Presented by the Johnny Mercer Foundation Additional music program support is provided by the Shen Family Foundation Ted Sperling, Director, Sundance Theatre Songbook — Tonight’s program will include selections from the following — MARK BENNETT/ JESSICA HAGEDORN Ucross 2003 & Theatre Lab 2005 “Aria” “Don’t Cross the Line” from MOST WANTED from MOST WANTED Daniel Torres, Matt Cavenaugh, Adriane Lenox, singer Valerie MacCarthy, singers James Sampliner, piano James Sampliner, piano MARK CAMPBELL / STEVEN LUTVAK Theatre Lab 2002 & White Oak 2005 / Ucross 2004 and Theatre Lab 2006 “Exit Right” from SONGS FROM AN UNMADE BED Steven Lutvak, singer and pianist MARK CAMPBELL / MICHAEL TORKE Theatre Lab 2002 & White Oak 2004 / Theatre Lab 2002 & White Oak 2004 “A Few Days Away” from THE HOUSE OF MIRTH Marla Schaffel, singer Michael Torke, piano CHRISTOPHER DROBNY Theatre Lab 2000 “Josephine’s Farewell” from K Erin Hill, singer Christopher Drobny, piano SUNDANCE THEATRE SONGBOOK SCOTT FRANKEL / MICHAEL KORIE White Oak 2005 & 2006 “Sure Of You” from GREY GARDENS Celia Keenan-Bolger & Matt Cavenaugh, singers Dan Lipton, piano MICHAEL FRIEDMAN White Oak 2006 “Song of Progressive Disenchantment” “Lost Horizon” from NOBODY’S LUNCH Caitlin Miller & Trey Lyford, singers Caitlin Miller & Trey Lyford, singers Michael Friedman, piano Michael Friedman, piano JENNY GIERING Ucross 2006 “House on the Hill” “Sea Prayers” Jenny Giering, singer Jenny Giering, singer Brendan Milburn, piano Brendan Milburn, piano RICKY IAN GORDON White Oak 2003 “Is It Too Late?” “God Is True” from MY LIFE WITH ALBERTINE from DREAM TRUE Kelli O’Hara, singer Kelli O’Hara, singer Ricky Ian Gordon, piano Ricky Ian Gordon, piano ADAM GUETTEL Theatre Lab 2002 “Dividing Day” from THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA Fred Hersch, arranger Audra McDonald, singer Ted Sperling, piano SUNDANCE THEATRE SONGBOOK ANDREW LIPPA Ucross 2002 “Finally Found My Thing” “A Story of My Own” from JERRY CHRISTMAS Andrew Lippa, singer Celia Keenan-Bolger & David Reiser, singers James Sampliner, piano Andrew Lippa, piano STEVEN LUTVAK Ucross 2004 & Theatre Lab 2006 “Poison in My Pocket” from KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS Steven Lutvak & Malcolm Gets, singer Steven Lutvak, piano DUNCAN SHEIK / STEVEN SATER Theatre Lab 2000 “The Lover from Hell” “ A Purple Trail” from NERO from THE NIGHTINGALE Duncan Sheik, singer / guitar Mandy Gonzalez & Duncan Sheik, singers Dan Lipton, piano STEWART WALLACE Theatre Lab 2001 “You Can Live Enough” from SUPERMAX Bill Youmans, singer Dan Lipton, pianist SUNDANCE INSTITUTE THEATRE PROGRAM Philip Himberg, Producing Artistic Director Deborah Stover, Associate Producer Christopher Hibma, Coordinator SUNDANCE THEATRE SONGBOOK Composer/Lyricist Bios The Scarlet Letter with Marsha Norman and a new commission with Mark Campbell for the MARK BENNETT Transport Group. Awards: Larson Award, 2econd Composer/co-lyricist for Most Wanted (in col- Stage’s Klinsky Prize, Loewe Award, Clifton Art- laboration with writer Jessica Hagedorn and ist in Residence at Harvard, Sundance’s 2006 director Michael Greif), which was a commission Ucross Residency. Workshops and readings at from the La Jolla Playhouse and was included Barrington Stage, Theatreworks/Palo Alto, Wil- in both the 2005 Sundance Theatre Lab and liamstown, The O’Neill. the 2003 Sundance Playwrights Retreat at Ucross. His scores, songs, and sound designs for MICHAEL FRIEDMAN has been the composer/ Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theaters lyricist for the Civilians’ Nobody’s Lunch (59E59 include Henry IV (Lincoln Center Theater), and P.S. 122), Gone Missing (New York, The Seagull (Mike Nichols, Director), Golda’s National Tour, and London’s Gate Theatre), and Balcony, The Goat, Lily Tomlin’s The Search..., Canard, Canard, Goose? as well as for Darko A View from the Bridge, Mad Forest, Dead End, Tresnjak’s The Blue Demon (Huntington). With A Christmas Carol, Songs From an Unmade Steve Cosson, he wrote Paris Commune (La Bed, Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters, and scores Jolla Playhouse). His music has also been heard for eight Shakespeare productions for the New in the Signature Theatre’s current production York Shakespeare Festival/Joseph Papp Public of John Guare’s Landscape Of The Body, in Theater. Currently he is working on the music Christopher Durang’s Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild and sound for next season’s Tom Stoppard trilogy, Christmas Binge, as well as All Wear Bowlers, The Coast of Utopia (directed by Jack O’Brien) God Hates The Irish, Fully Committed, and at as well as developing a new musical for Nicholas NYSF/Public, NYTW, Playwrights Horizons, Martin and the Huntington Theatre Company. Roundabout, Soho Rep, Theater for a New Bennett is the recipient of Obie, Bessie, and Audience, Signature, La Mama, and The Acting Ovation Awards and multiple Drama Desk and Company, Hartford Stage, Humana Festival, ART, Lucille Lortel Award nominations. London’s Soho Theatre, and for six seasons at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. His film work CHRISTOHER DROBNY includes On Common Ground and Affair Game. Composer/Librettist: K (from the writings of He was the dramaturg for the recent Broadway Kafka), Sundance Theatre Lab; Kissing And revival of A Raisin in the Sun, directed by Kenny Horrid Strife, Opera Company of Philadelphia; Leon. Currently, he is working on musical theater Composer: Lucy’s Lapses, Portland Opera, commissions from The La Jolla Playhouse, Hun- Playwrights Horizons New Theatre Wing; Fire tington Theatre Company, The Kennedy Center, In The Future, Minnesota Opera New Music- Playwrights Horizons, The Foundry Theatre, and Theatre Ensemble; Arranger/Conductor: Cabaret with The Civilians. He is an artistic associate at Verboten, Huntington Theatre (Boston); and New York Theatre Workshop, was a MacDowell two collaborations with Anne Bogart, Marathon Fellow, and is a founding associate artist of the Dancing (En Garde Arts) and American Silents Obie-Award-winning Civilians.