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Home , Ahmanson Theatre, Billy Elliot the Musical, Bright Star (musical), Carmen Cusack, City of Angels (musical), Edie Brickell

Spotlight on Learning a Pioneer Classroom Companion

Pioneer Theatre Company’s Student Matinee Program is made possible through the support of Salt Lake January 12 - 27, 2018 County’s Zoo, Arts and Music, book & story by: Music, lyrics & story by: Directed by: Parks Program, Salt Lake City Arts Council/ STEVE EDIE WALTER Arts Learning Program, The Simmons MARTIN BRICKELL BOBBIE Family Foundation, The Meldrum Foundation Endowment Fund and Notes on the R. Harold Burton PTC Artistic Director Karen Azenberg discusses adding to the 2018-2019 Foundation. season.

Since arriving at Pioneer Theatre Company, I’ve said that I wanted to bring the best shows available to our stage. So I keep a “list”—shows that I’ve seen in New York that I feel will particularly appeal to our audience. I know our audience likes Spotlight on Learning is provided to see things they can’t see at other around the city, and I’m often asked to students through a grant about shows that simply aren’t being licensed to regional theatres. , for instance; or ; or , to name a few. provided by the

George Q. Morris Foundation Two years ago, I added Bright Star to the “list.” I loved the show. It was beauti- ful to look at, and listen to, and I felt it would resonate with this community. But when would it be available? Certainly, with its pedigree ( and !), it would tour before the rights would be available to us. And it is tour- Approx. running time: ing—but with the help of two very old friends, Broadway producer Joey Parnes and Producing Director Doug Baker. 2 hours and 20 minutes, which includes one fifteen-minute intermission. So Pioneer Theatre has joined in a unique partnership with the original Broadway production and the Center Theatre Group in to be able to present this Student Talk-Back: musical to you now. We’re the third city, after Broadway, to host Bright Star with There will be a Student Talk-Back the incomparable reprising her Tony-nominated Broadway role. directly after the performance. My thanks to Joey, Doug and everyone associated with Bright Star.

—Karen Azenberg, Artistic Director The Challenge of Creating an Original Book Musical The original book musical is a far riskier endeavor To hear Steve Martin and Edie Brickell tell it, than the other popular route for work with material by developing Bright Star has been sheer pleasure and a stars, the jukebox musical, in which the songbooks of thoroughgoing education. He wrote the book, she the big-name entertainers are replicated on the stage, with lyrics and both composed the bluegrass-influenced some bits of biography tossed in between the hit songs. music. “You’re never smart enough or see all the This practice has paid off hugely on Broadway with the complications, the impact of scenes,” Martin said in music of the Four Seasons (), Carole King a phone interview with Brickell. “You really have to (Beautiful) and most recently, Gloria Estefan (On Your learn things for the first time, every time.” Feet!). “I always knew it was going to be very hard,” said So give credit to the stars who take the more dangerous Martin, who’s well known as a banjo player and less leap into the book musical, a form that even for a genius well known as a dramatist, most notably, of the off- like requires more than a maiden Broadway play Picasso at the Lapin Agile (produced show to master; his early attempt at a commercial at PTC in 1999). musical, Saturday Night, never made it to Broadway. “One thing you keep learning is how humor works. And sometimes, the participation of a celebrity does I have a deep belief that a line is going to get a big reap major benefits: Witness the Tony Award bestowed laugh, and when I’m doing a line onstage, I have a upon in 2013 for the score of the hit stage pretty good idea it is going to work. But here, the lines version of . ( is the rare star to I was pretty confident would get a laugh just got a nice write the music for one vehicle, the movie-to-stage smile. Comedy is very, very delicate.” musical The Lion King, and then come back again, Excerpt: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/ winning a Tony with for his score for the for-steve-martin-and-edie-brickell-musical-theater-isnt-so-wild-and- 2000 . Alas, he also wrote the music for the 2006 crazy/2015/11/26/0cb298e6-9081-11e5-acff-673ae92ddd2b_story.html?utm_ vampire musical bomb .) term=.cfa50d58315e

The cast of Bright Star. 2 Pioneer Theatre Company Steve Martin Edie Brickell

STEVE MARTIN (Music, Book and Original Story) is one of the most well-known and pervasive talents in entertainment and one of the most diversified performers in the industry today, a successful author, playwright, producer, actor, screenwriter and comedian for more than three decades. His work has earned him an Academy Award®, five Grammy Awards® (two for comedy, three for music), the Mark Twain Award and the Kennedy Center Honor.

Martin’s films are widely popular successes, such as (1979, also screenplay), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), Roxanne (1987, also screenplay), Parenthood (1989), L.A. Story (1991, also screenplay), Father of the Bride (1991) and (1999, also screenplay).

As an author, Martin’s work includes the plays Picasso at the Lapin Agile (PTC patrons may remember it being Steve Martin and Edie Brickell on stage in 1999) and , the best-selling novella, and his memoir, . THE COLLABORATION Steve Martin is also an accomplished Grammy Award- winning, boundary-pushing bluegrass banjoist and In 2013, Martin and Brickell released “Love Has Come composer. For You,” a unique collaboration for the two. “” won a Grammy for Best American EDIE BRICKELL (Music, Lyrics and Original Story) Roots Song for the title track. Inspired by the true life was invited to sing one night in 1985 with friends tale of the Iron Mountain Baby, the album was the from her high school in a local group, New beginning of the creation of Bright Star, which opened Bohemians. She join the band as lead singer. After on Broadway in March 2016 and received five Tony the band was signed to a recording contract, the label Award nominations and seven changed the group’s name to Edie Brickell & New nominations, winning for Outstanding Music. Bohemians. Bright Star also won Outstanding New Broadway Their 1988 debut album, “Shooting Rubberbands at the Musical and Outstanding New Score at the Outer Critics Stars,” went multi-platinum, becoming a critical and Circle Awards. commercial success, including the single “.” Martin and Brickell’s second album together, “So Brickell had a role as a folk singer in the 1989 film Familiar,” was released on Rounder Records and Born on the Fourth of July. Her version of ’s featured 12 remarkable songs that brought the acclaimed “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” is featured on the film’s duo’s musical collaboration into fresh creative territory. soundtrack. She also sang a cover version of ’s Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers released “Walk on the Wild Side” in the 1990 filmFlashback . their newest collaboration, “The Long-Awaited Album,” on Rounder Records on September 22, 2017.

Pioneer Theatre Company 3 Characters

Alice Murphy is the wild young girl growing up in Billy Cane, fresh from WWII, returns home a hero the remote Blue Ridge Mountains, and also, 20 years and ready to make his mark on the world. He is old later, the successful woman running The Asheville friends with Margo, whom he does not realize carries Southern Journal with a firm hand and a dry . As a romantic feelings for him. He moves to Asheville to young girl, she is in love with Jimmy Ray, the “hand- try his hand at writing and finds some success when he somest boy in town.” Their love affair is passionate sells his first story to Alice for ten dollars. but sadly short-lived, due to the interference of their Daddy Cane is Billy’s father, In his first scene, he parents. sorrowfully informs Billy that his mother passed away Daddy Murphy and Mama Murphy are Alice’s par- while he was at war. Daddy Cane is a gentle, sweet ents. When Alice returns home late from a date with man, who loves Billy very much. He is not Billy’s bi- Jimmy Ray Dobbs, they fear for Alice’s future. Daddy ological father, but instead rescued him as a baby and Murphy despairs of not having raised Alice properly, raised him as his own. and worries that she will get into trouble. Margo Crawford is the childhood friend of Billy Jimmy Ray Dobbs is the flirtatious and handsome Cane. When he returns from the war, she is overjoyed local heartthrob. He and Alice have a passionate love to see him but her hopes of a romantic reunion are affair that ends in tragedy. Jimmy has a complicated quickly dashed when she learns of his plans to move relationship with his father, who is also the mayor. to Asheville. Mayor Josiah Dobbs from the beginning, disapproves Lucy Grant and Daryl Ames work for Alice in 1945 of Alice Murphy and her wild ways, and (rightly) Asheville at The Asheville Southern Journal. They are assumes that she is angling for his son—for whom he close friends. Together, they are very loyal to Alice has big plans. He wants Jimmy to follow in his foot- and extremely proud to be working for her. They like steps by becoming wealthy and powerful, and he sees to give Billy a hard time when he first arrives, but in Alice as an obstacle. time they welcome him into the group.

argue that the law save lives by encouraging Safe Haven Laws parents to surrender infants safely, providing an alternative to abortion, infanticide, or child The “Iron Mountain Baby,” a baby who was abandonment. anonymously abandoned, and recovered, in 1902, was the story that inspired the creators of Detractors argue that, because safe-haven laws Bright Star. allow the parent to be anonymous, one parent can use the law to avoid notice to the non- Safe-haven laws (also known in some states as surrendering parent. “Baby Moses laws”, in reference to the religious scripture) are statutes in the United States that • All 50 states now have some form of a Safe Haven Law. decriminalize the leaving of unharmed infants • Any Utah hospital, open 24 hours, is designated as a “Safe Haven” for newborns to be dropped off safely. with designated safe spaces (a fire department, If an infant is left at a hospital, the mother remains anony- a hospital, a church) so that the child becomes a mous and will not be reported to the police, investigated ward of the state. or criminally prosecuted. DCFS then places the child for an immediate adoption. Safe-haven laws are controversial in some communities. Supporters of safe-haven laws 4 Pioneer Theatre Company Our Equity Cast

WALTER BOBBIE (Director) directed the New York productions of Bright Star, Venus in Fur, The Landing, Golden Age, School for Lies, ’s White Christmas, , The Submission, Cabin Pressure, The Savannah Disputation, New Jerusalem, High Fidelity, The Other Woman, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, , Twentieth Century, Footloose, Durang/Durang, For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls and A Grand Night for Singing.

Carmen Cusack CARMEN CUSACK (Alice Murphy). Tony®-nominated for her 2016 Broadway debut in Bright Star. Off- Patrick Cummings Broadway: . National Tours: Wicked, . Regional: For the Record: Scorsese (The Wallis), First Wives Club (Chicago’s Oriental Theatre), Sunday in the Park with George (Chicago Shakespeare). West End: Over the Rainbow, Les Misérables, The Secret Garden, Personals, The Phantom of the Opera. Studied opera at University of North Texas.

STEPHEN LEE ANDERSON (Daddy Murphy). Broadway: Productions including Bright Star, Spider-Man, Wicked, Julius Caesar, The Crucible, Footloose, The Capeman, The Kentucky Cycle. Off-Broadway: Violet, Floyd Collins (Playwrights Horizons), Atlantic Theater Company, Vineyard Theatre, MTC. Film/TV: The Stephen Lee Kaitlyn Davidson Anderson Treatment, “Daredevil,” “Public Morals,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “Elementary,” “Madam Secretary.”

DAVID ATKINSON (Daddy Cane) Regional: (Merry-Go-Round), : The Musical (La Mirada), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Urban Cowboy (TUTS Houston), Trails (NYMF, World premiere). L.A.: Bonnie & Clyde, Lucky Stiff, , , , The Spitfire Grill. TV/film:American Made, “Snowfall,” “Scandal,” “2 Broke Girls,” “Castle,” “50 to 1,” “Longmire,” “Justified,” “CSI” and “True Blood.”

JEFF AUSTIN (Mayor Josiah Dobbs). National tours: , The Unsinkable Molly Brown, David Atkinson A.J. Shively (European tour). Film: Armageddon, L.A. Confidential. TV: “Grace & Frankie,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Castle,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “The Closer,” “Bones,” “The King of Queens,” “Without a Trace,” “NYPD Blue,” “Carnivàle.”

MADDIE SHEA BALDWIN (Margo Crawford). Broadway: Bright Star. New York: A Wall Apart (New York Musical Festival). Favorite regional: Back Home Again (Lesher Center), Bright Star (Kennedy Center), How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Ace (The Old Globe), Little Women (North Coast Rep.).

JEFF BLUMENKRANTZ (Daryl Ames) originated the role of Daryl on Broadway, where he also appeared Jeff Austin in A Class Act, How to Succeed…, , The Threepenny Opera and . On camera Devin Archer appearances include The Big Sick, “The Detour,” “30 Rock,” “The Good Wife,” Joseph…Dreamcoat, “Will & Grace,” “Law & Order(s)” as well as the NY Philharmonic/PBS productions of and .

ALLISON BRINER-DARDENNE (Mama Murphy). Bright Star: The Old Globe, Kennedy Center. Broadway: Bright Star, Mamma Mia! National Tours: (Ahmanson Theatre), Mamma Mia!, White Christmas, Les Misérables, . TV: “The Carrie Diaries,” “Law & Order,” “SVU,” “All My Children,” “One Life to Live.”

Maddie Shea PATRICK CUMMINGS (Jimmy Ray Dobbs). Broadway: Bright Star. New York: This Is How It Ends Kelly Baker Baldwin (59E59), New Girl in Town, Donnybrook, Transport (Irish Repertory), It Must Be Him (Peter Jay Sharp), Happiness (Mitzi Newhouse). TV/film: “Hostages” (Robert Harper), “Madam Secretary,” “The Blacklist,” Pittsburgh!. BFA in acting from Carnegie Mellon. Thanks to CGF, Alessa and my family for their steadfast support.

KAITLYN DAVIDSON (Lucy Grant) returns to PTC after and White Christmas. Broadway: Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Nice Work If You Can Get It. National Tour: Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Ella), Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Judy). Jeff Blumenkrantz Audrey Cardwell A.J. SHIVELY (Billy Cane). Broadway: Bright Star (Drama Desk nom.), La Cage aux Folles. TV/film: “Homeland,” “The Blacklist,” “Younger,” “The Daily Show,” Syrup, HairBrained, Nobody Walks in L.A., From Nowhere.

DEVIN ARCHER (Ensemble, Understudy for Jimmy Ray Dobbs). National Tours: Mamma Mia! Las Vegas: Mamma Mia!, Ace. L.A.: The Last Five Years and (McCoy Rigby), Tarzan (3D Theatricals), Les Misérables ( West). Chicago: Follies (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), (Marriott Lincolnshire), Departure Lounge (Bailiwick), Twelfth Night (Notre Dame Shakespeare). Allison Briner- Hayden Clifton Dardenne Pioneer Theatre Company 5 Our Equity Cast KELLY BAKER (Swing) is thrilled to be joining the Bright Star cast in her first National Tour! Credits include Norma (Carrie) and Celeste #2 (Sunday in the Park…). Other credits: Cinderella (Into the Woods), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Laurey (Oklahoma!).

AUDREY CARDWELL (Ensemble, Edna, Understudy for Alice Murphy). National Tours: Cinderella (Ella), , Elf. Regional: The Old Globe and Asolo Rep. (Sarah Brown, Guys and Dolls), , North Shore Music Theatre, Houston Theatre Under the Stars, Summer Musicals, Pennsylvania Robin De Lano Centre Stage. Kevin McMahon

HAYDEN CLIFTON (Ensemble, Understudy for Daryl Ames) is thrilled to be joining the Bright Star tour! Regional: Music Theatre Wichita, Gateway, Arrow Rock Lyceum, Engeman, Ogunquit, Casa Mañana. TV: HBO’s “The Deuce.”

ROBIN DE LANO (Ensemble, County Clerk, Understudy for Mama Murphy). L.A.: Mamma Mia! (), Song and Dance, A Chorus Line, and more. Film: @GirlsIAuditionWith (HollyShorts Comedy Finalist), First Comes Like, Inferno, 66 Drive, Harmony, Let the Right One In and Zombie Prom. Richard Gatta TV: “Rosewood,” “The Temp,” “Passions,” “Journeyman.” Alessa Neeck RICHARD GATTA (Dance Captain, Fight Captain, Swing) was last at PTC in Sweet Charity. NYC: Zorba, Countess of Storyville, Back Home Again (Asst. Choreographer), Beatsville (Associate Choreographer). Tours: R+H Cinderella, Billy Elliot: The Musical (Asst. Resident Choreographer, USA/ Brazil), Fiddler on the Roof, , Grease.

DAVID KIRK GRANT (Ensemble, Dr. Norquist, Understudy for Mayor Josiah Dobbs and Daddy Murphy). National Tours: (Julian Marsh), (Charlie Cowell/Harold Hill), H.M.S. David Kirk Grant Pinafore (Dick Deadeye), (Pirate King). TV/Film: “The Office,” “Journeyman,” Robert Pieranunzi Spud, The Thin Line.

DONNA LOUDEN (Swing, Understudy for Alice Murphy). Select credits: Frozen—Live at the Hyperion (Disney’s California Adventure), The Scarlet Pimpernel (Contempo Productions), You Can Be Anything (Mattel), Sister Act, Disney’s When You Wish and Beauty and the Beast (Tuacahn Center for the Arts), Seussical The Musical (3-D Theatricals), The Music Man and Young Frankenstein (Musical Theatre West), Rent (Lawrence Welk Theatre), Godspell (ACTC).

Donna Louden KEVIN McMAHON (Ensemble, Stanford Adams, Understudy for Daddy Cane). Broadway Tours: Michael Starr Wicked, City of Angels. L.A.: , Full Monty (Musical Theatre West–Ovation nom.), Hunchback of Notre Dame (McCoy Rigby), A New Brain (Musical Theatre Guild), Children of Eden (Cabrillo). TV/Film: Merchants and Masterpieces, “Little Secrets.”

ALESSA NEECK (Ensemble, Florence, Understudy for Margo Crawford and Lucy Grant). Broadway: Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Ella alternate/original Broadway company), White Christmas (OBC). National tour: Little House on the Prairie, The Musical (Mary Ingalls).

ROBERT PIERANUNZI (Swing, Assistant Dance Captain). Regional favorites: (Bert), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy), West Side Story (Riff), I Only Have Eyes for You (Busby Berkeley), (Munkustrap, Rum Tum Tugger), (Albert Peterson), Meet in St. Louis (Lon), Dames at Sea (Lucky), Cinderella (Prince Charming) and Grease (Kenickie), to name a few.

MICHAEL STARR (Ensemble, Understudy for Billy Cane). Regional: Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (5th Avenue Theatre), Kiss Me, Kate (Hartford Stage/The Old Globe). L.A.: Mamma Mia! and A Chorus Line (Hollywood Bowl), Frozen (Disneyland), Carrie: The Musical (The Los Angeles Theatre), Salome and (LA Opera), West Side Story and Empire: The Musical (McCoy Rigby), Footloose, Oklahoma!, Big Fish

Spotlight on Learning is published by Pioneer Theatre Company, 300 S. 1400 E. SLC, UT 84112. Copyright © 2018, Pioneer Theatre Compa- ny. Please feel free to download and print Spotlight for Learning.

For more information about Pioneer Theare Company: Pioneer Theatre Company • University of Utah • 300 S. 1400 E. SLC, UT 84112 • 801-581-6961 www.pioneertheatre.org

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