Edition 4 | 2018-2019
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WELCOME FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTORS elcome to Paper Mill Playhouse and to our first letter as the new leadership team of this Wvenerable institution, now celebrating its 80th anniversary season. Mike Stotts recently joined the staff as Managing Director, fresh from an accomplished thirteen- year stint at Hartford Stage Company and after previously spending time at our neighborly theaters George Street Playhouse and the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Please join the entire Paper Mill family in welcoming Mike when you see him around the theater. We are so pleased to present for you this East Coast premiere of the inventive and poignant new musical Benny & Joon, thoughtfully penned by book writer Kirsten Guenther, composer Nolan Gasser, and lyricist Mindi Dickstein, based on the favorite 1992 film written by Barry Berman and Leslie McNeil. It’s an adventurous, tuneful exploration of complex issues including mental illness, romantic love, and the love between siblings, employing some magic, some ballet, and even some grilled cheese. Our stellar cast includes Tony Award nominee Bryce Pinkham, Paper Mill vets Hannah Elless, Conor Ryan, Paolo Montalban, and Belinda Allyn, and newcomers each with amazing credits of their own, Claybourne Elder, Natalie Toro, Tatiana Wechsler, Colin Hanlon, and Jacob Keith Watson. Jack Cummings III has shepherded this project with the authors for several years and makes his Paper Mill debut directing, with choreography by Scott Rink and music direction by J. Oconer Navarro. Paper Mill recently added four new trustees to our esteemed board: Sofia Cocoziello, Elizabeth Maher, Gail Mandel, and Rita Sallis. Each of these accomplished New Jerseyans brings vigorous passion and business acumen to our already outstanding board of trustees; together our board does heroic work to support the fiscal health of this organization and to make possible our growth and broadening impact. We have previously highlighted here the generosity of trustee Carolyn Ferolito for underwriting the renovation of this gorgeous theater as well as Larry Goren, whose family and Harmony Helper company have signed on as our inaugural Education and Outreach Sponsor and are generously matching all new and increased donations up to $150,000! Remember, Paper Mill is a not-for-profit arts institution that relies on the generosity of donors like you for its success. Please visit PaperMill.org/support-us to donate. In addition, we invite you to join the Ovation Society by including Paper Mill in your estate plans. Our 80th Anniversary Gala is coming up on Friday, May 10, at the Hilton Short Hills. We are proud to honor Paper Mill trustee Howard Hirsch along with his wife, Pam; Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler (who directed and choreographed our Bandstand, among others); and Pat McGowan of Neiman Marcus. This important fundraiser celebrates all the great work Paper Mill achieves through our mainstage productions and our education and outreach initiatives; the proceeds directly impact our transformative programs for children. Please join us for top-caliber entertainment, a luxury auction, fine dining, and dancing—see page 16 for details. Don’t miss our magical season closer before it sells out: our own 25th anniversary revival of a tale as old as time, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, running May 29–June 30. Also, now is the time to subscribe to our exciting 2019–2020 season featuring three high-profile new musicals—Unmasked, Chasing Rainbows, and The Wanderer—the riotous Sister Act, and the most beloved of all fairy tales, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella! As always, we would like to recognize our Season Sponsor, Investors Bank. Please enjoy the colorfully quirky Benny & Joon. Mark S. Hoebee Michael Stotts Producing Artistic Director Managing Director PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE 9 PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE 15 RECIPIENT OF THE REGIONAL THEATRE TONY AWARD® A not-for-profit organization under the direction of MARK S. HOEBEE MICHAEL STOTTS Producing Artistic Director Managing Director presents BENNY & JOON Book by Music by Lyrics by KIRSTEN GUENTHER NOLAN GASSER MINDI DICKSTEIN Based on the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture written by BARRY BERMAN and LESLIE McNEIL Starring (in alphabetical order) BELINDA ALLYN CLAYBOURNE ELDER HANNAH ELLESS COLIN HANLON PAOLO MONTALBAN BRYCE PINKHAM CONOR RYAN NATALIE TORO JACOB KEITH WATSON TATIANA WECHSLER Scenic & Costume Design Lighting Design Sound Design Hair & Wig Design DANE LAFFREY R. LEE KENNEDY KAI HARADA RACHAEL GEIER Flying by Casting Movement Coordinator FOY NORA BRENNAN, CSA LORENZO PISONI Production Stage Manager Press Representative VICTORIA NAVARRO RICHARD HILLMAN PUBLIC RELATIONS Orchestrations Music Director MICHAEL STAROBIN J. OCONER NAVARRO Choreographed by SCOTT RINK Directed by JACK CUMMINGS III By special arrangement with LARRY HIRSCHHORN BENNY & JOON was developed with Jack Cummings III, Transport Group, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, and Running Deer Musical Theatre Lab. The world premiere of BENNY & JOON was at The Old Globe, San Diego, California, on September 15, 2017; Barry Edelstein, Artistic Director; Timothy J. Shields, Managing Director. PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE 17 THE CAST (in alphabetical order) Benny ..........................................................................................................CLAYBOURNE ELDER Joon ....................................................................................................................HANNAH ELLESS Mike ....................................................................................................................COLIN HANLON Larry ...........................................................................................................PAOLO MONTALBAN Sam .................................................................................................................... BRYCE PINKHAM Sam (at certain performances) .................................................................................. CONOR RYAN Dr. Cortez/Mrs. Smail .......................................................................................... NATALIE TORO Waldo/Video Store Owner ......................................................................JACOB KEITH WATSON Ruthie .........................................................................................................TATIANA WECHSLER Standby for Joon, Ruthie, Dr. Cortez/Mrs. Smail ................................................ BELINDA ALLYN Standbys never substitute for listed players unless announced at the time of the appearance. Dance Captain: COLIN HANLON The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The taking of photographs, either with or without flash, and the use of any recording device, either audio or video, are strictly prohibited and are actionable federal offenses as a violation of United States copyright law. The use of cell phones in the theater, including texting, is prohibited. Please turn off all electronic devices such as mobile phones, beepers, and watches. 18 PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE MUSICAL NUMBERS Setting: Spokane, Washington, early 1990s ACT ONE Prologue: “Arrival in Spokane” ............................................................................................ Orchestra “This, This, This” .................................................Joon, Benny, Mrs. Smail, Larry, Waldo, and Mike “Saving a Life”............................................................................................................................. Joon “Playing for Keeps” ..................................................................Larry, Mike, Waldo, Joon, and Benny “Sam’s Bread Dance” .......................................................................................................... Orchestra “Happy” ...................................................................................................................................... Joon “In My Head” ..............................................................................................................................Sam “Grilled Cheese Ballet” ........................................................................................................ Orchestra “Benny and Joon” ..................................................................................................... Joon and Benny “It’s a Shame”................................................................................................................Joon and Sam “Dinner and a Movie” ......................................................................... Benny, Ruthie, Sam, and Joon 15-Minute Intermission ACT TWO Entr’acte: “A Windy Street” ................................................................................................ Orchestra “I Can Help” ..........................................................................................Sam and Video Store Owner “Wonder” ..............................................................................................Joon, Benny, and Dr. Cortez “It’s a Shame” (Reprise).................................................................................................Sam and Joon “You Meet a Man” ....................................................................................................................Ruthie “At the Park” ......................................................................................................................