TADA! Youth Theater presents HHEERROOEESS

Music and Lyrics By Tammy Holder Book By Janine nina Trevens Based on a play by Tom Keegan and Davidson Lloyd

July 30 & 31, 2021 Streaming online starting August 15 TADATHEATER.COM About TAdA! TADA! inspires young people from different backgrounds to be creative, learn, and think differently through high-quality musical theater productions and educational programs. TADA! is a unique, Drama Desk award-winning, nonprofit youth theater that produces original musicals for children, teens, and family audiences. TADA! offers a free, year- round pre-professional training and positive youth development program for the Resident Youth Ensemble of TADA! (RYET) (ages 8-18); musical theater classes/camps for the public; and musical theater residencies in NYC schools/community centers. Through TADA!’s high-quality work, young people gain integral skills in leadership, responsibility, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills that help with growing up and are essential to their success both in school and in life. Original Mainstage Musicals TADA!’s original thought-provoking and fun musical theater productions are commissioned specifically for performance by the Resident Youth Ensemble of TADA! (RYET). These musicals are written, scored, arranged, directed, choreographed, and designed by professional theater artists with credits from Broadway, Off-Broadway, television, music, or the film industry. TADA!’s themes often empower performers and audiences to realize that they are vital members of society who can make the world a better place. Productions are intended for family audiences. Themes such as self- acceptance, acceptance of others, challenges with family, fears of growing up, and bullying are subjects that members of can relate to. Education at TADA! For more than 35 years, TADA! has offered year-round classes and camps at our onsite location as as in-school residencies and after-school programming in both public and private schools across New York City. This year, we have proudly pivoted to providing online, synchronous classes to students across the world. But we are proud to announce that we are back in person this summer and fall! Musical theater and storytelling are the cornerstones of our work with young people. All TADA! programs are based in ensemble-building techniques that facilitate an active, equitable, and inclusive learning environment where cooperative, personal, and creative growth are fostered in a structured and supportive setting. TADA! Education is rooted in the core belief that we are better together. Through our Arts for All Scholarship, we commit to providing every interested child regardless of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, nationality, or immigration status, an affordable way to experience the joy of musical theater. For more information about TADA!'s Staff, Board, and Programming, please visit TADATHEATER.COM. HHEERROOEESS

Music and Lyrics By Tammy Holder Book By Janine nina Trevens Based on a play by Tom Keegan and Davidson Lloyd

Scenic Design Costume Design Lighting Design Steve o'Shea Ceanna Bryant*** Anthony Raddi*** Production Stage Manager production supervisor Ashley Knowles Cesar Renero Assistant Director Lauralie Mufute** Musical director Utsav Bhargava Director & choreographer Gabriela Gross*** The cast Jonathan...... Lukas Mufute* (Jersey City, NJ, 11) J.J...... Ameerah Mair (Brooklyn, 12) Terry...... Marlena Vega** (Manhattan, 16) Kyla...... Elisa Oh (Freehold, NJ, 12) Dylan...... Julien Jobson-Larkin* (Brooklyn, 10) Georgia...... Katie Chan* (Queens, 13) Paula...... Soleil Mar Perez* (Bronx, 14) Woman of Great Magic...... Kiyo Garcia** (Brooklyn, 15) Guardian of the Water...... Nolan Shaffer* (Manhattan, 16) The 4 Wonders of Winter (4WOW) Duke Lemmings...... Oscar Segarra-Caussin** (Queens, 18) Irving Ash...... Mateo Aponte* (Bronx, 14) Cliff Michaels...... AJ Walker** (Manhattan, 17) Cal Wood...... Jon Luc Jobson-Larkin** (Brooklyn, 14) Musical Numbers "Our Day in the Sun"...... Kyla, Dylan, JJ, Terry, Jonathan, Paula, Georgia "I Want This"...... Kyla, Dylan, JJ, Terry, Jonathan, Paula, Georgia "We Can Be Heroes"...... Woman of Great Magic "Journey Song"...... Woman of Great Magic, Kyla, Dylan, JJ, Terry, Jonathan, Paula, Georgia "Guardian Song"...... Guardian, Kyla, Dylan, JJ, Terry "Journey Song Reprise"...... Kyla, Dylan, JJ, Terry "Star You Are"...... 4 WOW "Journey Song Reprise"...... Georgia and Paula "No Hero"...... Jonathan and Woman of Great Magic "Heroes/Sunrise"...... Full "Heroes/We Can Be Heroes Reprise"...... Full Company

TADA! Here We Are...... Full Company Music & Lyrics by Joel Gelpe the band Keyboard...... Utsav Bhargava Percussion...... ,...... Joe Brady Bass...... Jeremy Nunez***

* Denotes Apprentice Ensemble Members ** Denotes Principal Ensemble Members *** Denotes Alumni Ensemble Members Who's Who RESIDENT YOUTH ENSEMBLE OF TADA! (RYET) (Cast) TAMMY HOLDER (Composer/Lyricist) is thrilled to see A completely free, year-round, award-winning pre- Heroes take at TADA! again!! Tammy is currently professional training and positive youth development the Artist-In-Residence at the Broward Center for the program for talented kids ages 8-18 who thrive by being Performing Arts in Ft Lauderdale, FL following a 20-year immersed in musical theater. The 80 annual Ensemble career as a vocal coach/music director/teaching artist Members come from different ethnic and socio-economic based in New York City. Tammy has a long history with backgrounds and from all five boroughs of New York City, TADA! as a teaching artist and resident music director as well as local suburbs. They have access to performance and continues to be a huge fan! Tammy has also worked opportunities in TADA!’s main stage musicals and off-site as a teaching artist for City Center and Disney Theatricals performances, as well as free training in singing, dancing, and has music directed for the French Woods Festival of and acting, and a community of like-minded individuals. Performing Arts. She worked with Camp Broadway to teach the vocals for the opening number of the Macy's Membership in the Ensemble is by an audition process Thanksgiving Day and has appeared on public that determines talent, drive, and potential. Positive youth television’s Sesame Street. Tammy has toured here in the development programming for Ensemble Members U.S. and around the world and has worked as a vocal includes: healthy snacks provided when members are on director for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Jean Ann site, college preparation assistance, and paid Ryan productions. apprenticeships. TADA! has a 99% graduation rate for Ensemble Members compared to the 68% graduation GABRIELA GROSS*** (Director/Choreographer) After rate in NYC. Over 1,000 young people have been a part of spending 10 years in the Resident Youth Ensemble and TADA! productions and the Ensemble program since leaving at 18 to attend college, Gabi has continued to be 1984. In 2008, TADA! was honored with a Coming Up a part of TADA!. Over the years, she has stepped into Taller Award, the nation’s highest honor for youth many roles, starting as a wardrobe supervisor and today development from the President’s Committee on the Arts holding a full time position as Ensemble & Alumni & Humanities, and in 2009 with a special Drama Desk Manager. While exploring her for youth Award for “providing an invaluable contribution to the development and education, she worked at an future of the theater.” achievement gap program in Newport, RI and taught 3rd grade at Success Academy Union Square. Gabi is also a JANINE NINA TREVENS (Playwright, Producing Teaching Artist for TADA!’s Education programs. Artistic Director/ Executive Director) co-founded TADA! in 1984 with Linda Reiff. She has served as the UTSAV BHARGAVA (Music Director) is an NYC-based Artistic Director for all of the works produced by TADA!, composer/lyricist, orchestrator, and pianist. Current many of which she commissioned specifically for the projects include writing music and lyrics for Penelope with company. For TADA!, she wrote The Perfect Monster, The Caitlin Thomas, and music and lyrics for A Million Aisles History Mystery, The Little House of Cookies, Sweet Sixteen, Away with Luna Abreu-Santana and book writers Claudia and Odd Day Rain. She directs many of TADA!’s musicals, Bennett and Julia Newman. His work has been produced numerous staged readings, and Ensemble appearances at at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, at Hear Our Voices at various locations and events in and around NYC including UNC Greensboro, and at Curtain Up, Berklee’s annual 2016’s Banned Together: A Censorship for showcase of original musical . He has also music Dramatists Legal Defense Fund by John Weidman at The directed productions at various venues around Boston, Drama Book Shop. Nina was selected as one of 10 including Heathers with the Berklee Musical Theater Club Parenting Leaders by Parenting Magazine, and she was and at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, and one of only five women nationally to receive Family Circle’s associate music directed Shrek at Boston Conservatory First Annual Halo Award for women who make a under Eric Stern. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, difference. She was chosen to be part of the where he studied Film Scoring, Contemporary Writing & #OneInspired World Observatory opening, featured as an Production, and Musical Theatre Conducting, he is now artist that has made a NYC difference, and was featured attending the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program as New Yorker of the Week on NY1. Nina is a member of at NYU Tisch as a member of Cycle 31. As an Indian- the League of Professional Theatre Women. Thank you to American artist, Utsav is passionate about using his all my TADA! kids for their assistance on this production. privilege to bring representation of marginalized groups Most of all thank you and love to my grown , Ceanna. to the theatre industry – both on stage and off. Who's Who STEVE O'SHEA (Scenic Designer) is a lighting designer CESAR RENERO (Production Supervisor) is a Mexico for theater, opera, and dance. He has designed over 20 City native and, after graduating from College productions at TADA! since 2006. He is a design associate with a degree in World Politics (plus a minor in Music), for International, Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional, and has spent the last four years doing scenic fabrication and industrial productions. Recent projects include Lighting design in New York City. Past credits include set design Direction for the Kronos Quartet, SITI Company, Rude for and , Jr. at the Secret Theatre (LIC), art Mechanicals, Philadanco Dance Company, The direction for Yatra's Runaway music video featuring the Washington Ballet & Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Jonas Brothers, and multiple productions as Technical (Christmas Carol). M.F.A. Director at Target Margin Theater (Sunset Park), LaGuardia High School of the Arts (UWS), and TADA! CEANNA BRYANT*** (Costume Design/ Wardrobe Youth Theatre. In addition to their theatrical work, Cesar Supervisor) has designed costumes for Game Changers, has travelled across the nation managing display Sleepover, and last Spring's production of How to Eat Like installations and product launches; notable clients A Child at TADA!. She was a member of TADA!’s Resident include Tory Burch, Adidas, Sunbrella, Disney and Busch Youth Ensemble for ten years, appearing in numerous Gardens. In their spare time, Cesar enjoys watching films, productions and special events. She has served as discussing politics, playing their ukulele, and long bicycle Assistant Choreographer and Dance Captain on various rides that end in a picnic. productions, as well as a Teaching Assistant for TADA! Education camps and dance classes at Steps on ASHLEY KNOWLES (Production Stage Manager) holds Broadway. a BA in Theater & minor in Arts Administration from the University of Montevallo. Ashley has been with TADA! ANTHONY RADDI*** (Lighting Designer) is an alumni since 2016. Previously Ashley was a Sub Stage Manager of the Resident Youth Ensemble and is thrilled to be back for Sleep No More, and a Stage Manager/Counselor at with TADA! in this new capacity. He has worked at Stagedoor Manor. Some of her favorite stage venues including The Laura Pels Theatre, 59E59, Cherry management credits include She Kills Monsters, A Comedie Lane Theatre, The Barrow Group Theatre, Forestburgh of Errors, , Tartuffe, God of Carnage, RENT, Playhouse, Union County Performing Arts Center, and TADA!’s Game Changers. She enjoys movie marathons Centenary Stage Company, Burgdorff Center of and listening to podcasts in her spare time. Thanks Performing Arts, and Westminster Arts Center. During his always to Eric St. John and her family, both born and time abroad Anthony has had the opportunity to intern found. and work at the National Theatre, The , The , and Whitelight (’s largest Audio, Video, and Lighting Rental Company). Recent Design credits: Marisol (NextStage Repertory), The Wizard Special Thanks of Oz (Forestburgh Playhouse), Venus in Fur (Forestburgh Harry Platt, Andrew Martini, Rob Stawicki, Playhouse), The Ghost Train (Centenary Stage Company), The Things They Carried (Centenary Stage Company). Off- Hayden Reps, Jake Platt Broadway Assistant credit: STIFF (The Barrow Group Theatre). Production Staff Production Stage Manager...... Ashley Knowles Assistant Stage Managers...... AJ Walker**, and Naomi Jessica de Leon** Production Supervisor...... Cesar Renero Wardrobe Supervisor...... Ceanna Bryant*** Technical Director...... Henry Ellison Master Electrician...... Giles Indic Scenic Artist...... Chelsea Clark Electricians...... Lorena Ndokaj, Alex Xie, Ryan Edwards, Sam Ruszkowski Carpenters...... Anthony Shroeder, Sean McGrath, Jesse Mattes, Caterina Uceta, Cam Price 4WOW Art Graphic Design...... Marlena Vega** Cover Design...... Cindy Lan