Paint Your Wagon at the 5Th Avenue Theatre Encore Arts Seattle
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2015/16 SEASON MATILDA AUG 18 - SEPT 6, 2015 WATERFALL OCT 1 - 25, 2015 RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S THE SOUND OF MUSIC NOV 24, 2015 - JAN 3, 2016 HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING JAN 28 - FEB 21, 2016 ASSASSINS FEB 27 - MAY 8, 2016 CO-PRESENTED AT ACT - A CONTEMPORARY THEATRE A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN MAR 25 - APR 17, 2016 KINKY BOOTS APR 27 - MAY 8, 2016 LERNER & LOEWE’S PAINT YOUR WAGON JUNE 2 - 25, 2016 A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER JULY 12 - 31, 2016 Readers June 2016 Volume 13, No. 9 Paul Heppner Publisher Captivated Susan Peterson Readers Sophisticated Sophisticated Consumers Design & Production Director Ana Alvira, Robin Kessler, Shaun Swick, Stevie VanBronkhorst Catering to your Whim & Fancy Production Artists and Graphic Design Advertise in Mike Hathaway .net Photo courtesy of Seattle Opera. 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PROFESSIONAL THEATRE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD SETTING ©2016 Encore Media Group. Reproduction without written permission is prohibited. 2 THE 5TH AVENUE THEATRE Big Fish - 5thAveAd.indd 1 4/27/2016 1:03:49 PM When Only The Best Will Do Dac 041816 emerald fp.indd 1 4/18/16 1:52 PM BOARD OF DIRECTORS ABOUT Stephen P. Reynolds Chairman Sterling Wilson THE TH Treasurer 5 Margaret C. Inouye AVENUE THEATRE Secretary • The non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre is one of the country’s leading musical theater Wanda J. Herndon companies. Our mission is to “nurture, advance and preserve all apsects of America’s Immediate Past Chairman great indigenous art form: The Musical. We achieve this by creating extraordinary theatrical experiences that enrich, entertain and inspire current and future audiences Kenny Alhadeff Ann Ardizzone everywhere.” Clodagh Ash Les Biller • The 5th is committed to achieving the highest standards of artistic excellence by Sharon Gantz Bloome employing world-class performers and creative artists, utilizing full live orchestras, and Robert R. Braun, Jr. Margaret Clapp staging exceptional and imaginative productions. The 5th places a special emphasis on Barbara L. Crowe employing our amazing community of Puget Sound-based artists and technicians. Larry Estrada Gary J. Fuller We are nationally renowned for our production and development of new musicals. Cyrus Habib • Randy Hodgins Since 2001, The 5th has premiered 17 new works, nine of which have subsequently Richard Kagan opened on Broadway. They include Disney’s Aladdin, First Date, A Christmas Story, Patrick F. Kennedy Scandalous, Shrek, Catch Me If You Can, The Wedding Singer and Best Musical Tony SaSa Kirkpatrick Award®-winners, Hairspray and Memphis. Elizabeth Lund Heather Sullivan McKay Richard Meadows • We are equally acclaimed for our vibrant new productions of musicals from the John Oppenheimer “Golden Age of Broadway” and contemporary classics. These signature revivals enthrall Llewelyn G. Pritchard fans of these enduring works and introduce these great shows to new generations of David Quinn Ann Ramsay-Jenkins musical theater lovers. Anthony Repanich Norman B. Rice • Our celebrated educational programs serve more than 74,000 young people each year Bonnie Towne through a host of projects including our Adventure Musical Theater Touring Company, Eric Trott The 5th Avenue Awards and the unique Rising Star Project. For adults, we offer free-to- Tom Walsh Tracy Wellens the-public events such as the popular Spotlight Night series and pre-performance Show Eileen Glasser Wesley Talks with Albert Evans. Kenneth Willman • We are the largest arts employer in the Pacific Northwest with more than 800 actors, PAST CHAIRMEN singers, dancers, musicians, creative artists, theatrical technicians and arts professionals OF THE BOARD working for us each season. Wanda J. Herndon (2013-2015) Barbara L. Crowe (2011-2013) Robert A. Sexton (2009-2011) • As a non-profit theater company supported by the community, we enjoy the patronage Norman B. Rice (2007-2009) of more than 25,000 season subscribers (one of the largest theater subscriptions in Kenny Alhadeff (2004-2007) America). More than 300,000 audience members attend our performances each year. William W. Krippaehne Jr. (2002-2004) Bruce M. Pym (2000-2002) John F. Behnke (1998-2000) Faye Sarkowsky (1996-98) OUR HISTORIC THEATER Donald J. Covey (1994-96) The 5th Avenue Theatre’s breathtaking design was inspired by ancient Imperial China’s Kenneth L. Hatch (1992-94) John D. Mangels (1990-92) most stunning architectural achievements, including the magnificent Forbidden City. Robert F. Buck (1988-90) Built in 1926 for vaudeville and silent pictures, The 5th Avenue Theatre reigned for Stanley M. Little, Jr. (1986-88) decades as Seattle’s favorite movie palace. In 1979, 43 companies and community R. Milton Trafton (1983-86) W.J. Pennington (1981-83) leaders formed the non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre Association and restored the theater D.E. (Ned) Skinner (1979-81) to its original splendor. The 5th Avenue Theatre re-opened in 1980 as Seattle’s premier home for musical theater. Founding Managing Director Marilynn Sheldon The 5th Avenue Theatre gratefully acknowledges our 43 original founders and sponsors. Please visit www.5thavenue.org for specific information on these important companies and individuals. WELCOME TO THE WELCOME TO 5TH FROM THE DESK OF DAVID ARMSTRONG EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR GOT A DREAM, BOY! GOT A SONG! t is my great pleasure to welcome you to our new incarnation of Lerner & Loewe’s classic musical Paint Your Wagon. This musical is quite unusual in that it is both iconic and Irarely seen. The show’s title and songs are very well known, but the musical itself is seldom produced—at least until now. Paint Your Wagon originally opened on Broadway in 1951 to very mixed reviews. Critics lavished praise on the score and the choreography by Agnes De Mille, but overall they felt that something was missing. The characters were engaging, but the storyline was weak and not very compelling. The New York Post said that “Paint Your Wagon is filled with talented people, but a lot of the time they have to get out and push.” There is, however, one theater in the world that still Audiences liked it better, and the show ran for nearly a year, a produces Paint Your Wagon on a regular basis—Sacramento’s respectable run for the time. Co-author Alan Jay Lerner later California Musical Theater—where understandably a described the show as “a success but not a hit.” musical set in the gold rush era has tremendous resonance. The following year a national tour was launched and the I was hired to direct a production of the original version of leading role of Ben Rumson was substantially rewritten Paint Your Wagon there nearly 20 years ago. In spite of the and expanded for its star: actor and folk singer Burl Ives. A weak plotline, the audience still had a very strong response London production opened in 1953 starring real life father to the show. They loved the western setting and, of course, and daughter Bobby and Sally Ann Howes. It became a solid the score had a great impact. I remember thinking at the hit, running nearly two years. British audiences have often time that if someone could successfully create a new book responded with enthusiasm to stories set in the American for this show, it might be able to join the ranks of Lerner West. & Loewe’s other great classic musicals. With that in mind, Over the following decades, due to the huge popularity about eight years ago, The 5th entered into discussions with of its songs, the show would be produced in countless the Lerner and Loewe estates to bring that dream to fruition. summer stock and amateur productions. Eventually, however, We commissioned playwright Jon Marans to create a new Paint Your Wagon would largely fall out of the standard story that would reflect the true history of the California musical theatre cannon, proving that a compelling story Gold Rush and showcase Lerner & Loewe’s unforgettable and captivating narrative are the most crucial elements in songs. The production you are about to see is the result of achieving lasting success.