THE PROGRAM FOR BROADWAY IN DETROIT AT THE FISHER THEATRE The Whitney The Katherine McGregor Publication: MICHAEL HARRISON, DAVID IAN and NEDERLANDER PRESENTATIONS, INC. present Publication: Broadway in Detroit Dessert Parlor playbill program v. 56, n. 2 for Gobsmacked! and The Color Purple Based on the film Screenplay by Run dates: 11/3–11/5, 11/7–11/12WARNER BROS. LAWRENCE KASDAN Book by ALEXANDER DINELARIS Size: full-page with bleed Starring trim size: 5-3/8 in. w. x 8-3/8 in. h. DEBORAH COX bleed: 1/8 in. and inside margin: 1/4 in. JUDSON MILLS with Proof: 3/28/16; 5:22PM ALEX CORRADO CHARLES GRAY JONATHAN HADLEY KEVELIN B. JONES III For: NederlanderSEBASTIAN Detroit MAYNARD-PALMER JORGE PANIAGUA JASMIN RICHARDSON MARK McCULLOUGH THOMAS (Fisher Theatre & others) ELYSSA JO BROWN HENRY BYALIKOV WILLIE DEE MEGAN ELYSE FULMER DEVINN HARRIS Agency: SMZ advertisingALEX JACKSON MEGAN MELVILLE DEQUINA MOORE KEVIN MYLREA STEFAN RAULSTON …at The Whitney. Design: Frank Bach, MATTHEW SCHMIDT AMBER SNOW LAUREN TANNER NAOMI C. WALLEY Named after David Whitney’s daughter, Bach & Associates; PhoneLighting 313-822-4303, Designer Video Designer Sound Designer MARK HENDERSON DUNCAN MCLEAN RICHARD BROOKER Katherine Whitney McGregor, the new second-floor [email protected] dessert parlor features a variety of decadent cakes, Production Musical Supervisor Orchestrator and Additional Music & Vocal Arrangements CHRIS EGAN tortes, and miniature desserts. MIKE DIXON The menu also includes chef-prepared specialties, Associate Director Musical Supervisor Assistant Choreographer pies, and frozen treats, and you won’t want to miss FRANK THOMPSON RICHARD BEADLE AMY THORNTON the amazing flaming dessert station featuring Hair, Wigs & Makeup Musical Director Musical Coordinator Bananas Foster and Mixed Berries Van Gogh. CAMPBELL YOUNG ASSOCIATES MATTHEW SMEDAL TALITHA FEHR TL MUSIC INTERNATIONAL Join us after tonight’s performance! Casting Director Tour Booking Agency Tour Marketing STEWART/WHITLEY THE BOOKING GROUP AMY KATZ PAUL HARDT MEREDITH BLAIR General Manager Production Stage Manager Production Manager TROIKA ENTERTAINMENT RALPH STAN LEE TROIKA ENTERTAINMENT BRIAN SCHRADER ANNA E. BATE Choreographer KAREN BRUCE The WhitneyDETROIT Set & Costume Designer Restaurant | Ghostbar | Gardens TIM HATLEY Director THEA SHARROCK 4421 Woodward Avenue Originally produced in the West End of London by Michael Harrison Entertainment and David Ian Productions. 313-832-5700 The US Tour premiered at Paper Mill Playhouse, recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Produced with permission of Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Inc. thewhitney.com This production has not been authorized by the Estate of Whitney Houston. 3 Finding Your Nerve in spine of the musical. “At the time J. M. Bar- Bryan Adams, Aretha Franklin and more. rie wrote the play in London, it was incred- Graham (Privacy) is known not in Britain ibly radical and actually quite dangerous,” for writing fanciful musicals but rather plays Finding Neverland said British book writer James Graham. about urgent social and political issues such “This was a post-Victorian society that was as how technology is eroding our privacy By John Moore, very rigid. By putting children and the dog and sense of self. Putting them all together, Senior Arts Journalist, on the stage, J. M. Barrie flipped the power Graham said, shows how Paulus has a “fo- Denver Center for the dynamics of the London theatre. It was quite rensic knowledge for how to build a musical.” Performing Arts shocking to the theatre establishment.” And that’s exactly why they all worked so Paulus also loved how Finding Neverland well together, Michaels added. takes the audience backstage with Barrie “Diane is not afraid of anything,” she said. and his lovable theatre company. “She likes to surround herself with really cre- “Finding Neverland is a complete love let- ative people and then this very powerful, life ter to theatre,” said Paulus, who was includ- force happens between them.” ed in Time magazine’s Kennedy and Barlow annual list of the 100 couldn’t quite believe it most influential people when Paulus approached in the world. Paulus also them about scoring Find- helmed the launch of the ing Neverland. national touring produc- “We said to Diane, tion of Pippin in Den- ‘Look, we’re not musical ver in 2014. theatre writers—we’re “I love stories that take pop-tarts,” Kennedy us backstage, that take us said with a laugh. But through all the trials and Paulus has worked with tribulations and the fear unconventional artists cclaimed Director Diane Paulus was spirit of the Lost Boy into the DNA of a cen- that go into making art,” since she began writ- hooked on Finding Neverland by a tury of children to follow. Paulus said. “All sorts ing her own theatrical A line the nefarious Captain Hook says “J. M. Barrie was a visionary,” said Find- of people who have seen story in the New York to the story’s author himself, J. M. Barrie: ing Neverland co-composer Gary Barlow. Finding Neverland have fringe scene two decades “You can go back to being what everyone “Even in 1904, his mind was 100 years ahead then said to themselves, ago—and she had a gut expects you to be,” the iron-wristed pirate of his time.” ‘Oh my goodness—what instinct about the music says. “Or you can find the courage to write The story of Peter Pan, Paulus said, is a am I doing with my life? she wanted for Finding your own story.” clarion call to anyone of any age to ask them- I’ve got to wake up, do Neverland. “I knew we That taunting dare resonated deeply with- selves: When do we wake up and live the life what I love and take a had to explode the imagi- in Paulus as a director, mother and artist. that we know we need to live—not the life risk. That’s where the nation of J. M. Barrie on “Because that could mean literally, ‘write we think we should be living? riches of life will lie.’” that stage,” Paulus said. your own story,’” she said. “Or it could mean, And that is the story Finding Neverland To tell Barrie’s unconventional story on “And that really led me to understand how a ‘Write the story of your life.’” ultimately tells. The innovative Broadway Broadway, Paulus gathered a decidedly un- pop score by Gary and Eliot could function Barrie stared that question down the snout musical is based on the 2004 Oscar-winning conventional (and trans-Atlantic) creative in that story.” of the crocodile 105 years ago when he film of the same name. It follows Barrie team. American Choreographer Mia Mi- Still, when the “pop-tarts” brought their found the courage to write the story of Peter as he summons the courage to become the chaels is a three-time Emmy winner for initial song ideas to Paulus, “there was only Pan and, in doing so, essentially encrypt the writer—and the man—he yearns to be. Bar- her work on TV’s “So You Think You Can one song we thought she’d really love, be- rie finds the inspira- Dance.” Barlow is the architect of the endur- cause it really sounded like a musical theatre tion he’s been missing ing British pop band Take That, which has song,” Kennedy said. “But she hated it. She when he meets a wid- produced 28 top-40 singles since 1989. He told us, ‘Guys, don’t think about this too ow and her four young recently was voted the greatest British song- much. Just do what you do.’ And so that’s sons who inspire him writer of all time—a field that includes the what we did.” to conjure the magical likes of Paul McCartney, Elton John and An- And that is why, Kennedy added, Paulus world of Neverland. drew Lloyd Webber. “Gary is furiously well- is a genius. It was surprisingly known and well-liked here in England,” said “I think that’s probably an overused word,” risky for Barrie to co-composer Eliot Kennedy, who has had he said. “But she is. She is a genius, and not present his original No. 1 hits with the Spice Girls, Celine Dion, in the way that those dudes in an Apple shop play to high-society are geniuses. She is a visionary.” London theatergoers, Photos, top left: “Stronger,” the cast of Finding Neverland; a twist that provides bottom left: the cast of the National Tour; Finding Neverland is at the Fisher Theatre February 6–18. much of the dramatic above: Lael Van Keuren. Photos: Jeremy Daniel. For tickets, please see our ad on PAGE 16. 4 5 MUSICAL NUMBERS ALL AT ONCE ALL THE MAN THAT I NEED GREATEST LOVE OF ALL HOW WILL I KNOW I HAVE NOTHING I’M EVERY WOMAN I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU JESUS LOVES ME Advancing MILLION DOLLAR BILL ONE MOMENT IN TIME QUEEN OF THE NIGHT RUN TO YOU Possibility SAVING ALL MY LOVE Through funding and advocacy, the Children’s SO EMOTIONAL Through funding and advocacy, the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation enables WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO Hospital of Michigan Foundation enables researchers and community organizations to THERE WILL BE ONE 15-MINUTE INTERMISSION researchers and community organizations to identify and implement innovations capable of identify and implement innovations capable of ORCHESTRA advancing children’s health. advancing children’s health. Music Director/Keys: Matthew Smedal Associate Music Director/Keys: Wendell Vaughn Woodwinds: Erika Friedman • Trumpet: Steve Hawk Guitar: Ralph Agresta, Will Yanez • Bass: John Toney Drums: Shannon Ford Trumpet, Flugel Horn: Ric Wolkins OUR THREE PILLARS OUR THREE PILLARS Flute, Clarinet, Tenor Sax, EWI: Andrew Nichols Guitar 2 (electric, accoustic): Al Ayoub COMMUNITY BENEFIT COMMUNITY BENEFIT Keyboard sub: Leslie Saroli Innovative community, patient and family Music Coordinator: Talitha Fehr (TL Music International) Innovative community, patient and family support and wellness programs that improve support and wellness programs that improve MUSIC CREDITS the health of children.