8 PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE WELCOME FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTORS elcome to a new season! Paper Mill enjoyed a stellar 80th anniversary in 2018–2019—we hope you Wenjoyed it, too. We produced five diverse musicals, including the world premiere of My Very Own British Invasion, the Tony Award–winning The Color Purple, two blockbuster favorites in Beauty and the Beast and Holiday Inn, and the refreshingly poignant Benny & Joon, creating memorable experiences for over 167,000 audience members! We welcomed many incredible talents to our family both onstage and behind the scenes, most notably including, of course, Managing Director Mike Stotts. We opened a uniquely inviting cocktail lounge called The Loft upstairs at the F. M. Kirby Carriage House Restaurant. Our highly lauded and continually expanding education, outreach, and access programs broke boundaries and touched the lives of countless students and families in the local community and across the state. New Jersey’s brightest young stars shone in an inspiring New Voices concert. The annual gala, held in May, brought in more than one million dollars, capping off a truly stellar year in fundraising, all so we can grow these important initiatives as well as present the highest quality theater. Paper Mill’s artistic identity is represented nationwide and worldwide through international and touring productions of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and A Bronx Tale, the brand-new cast album of Half Time, and the cinematic release of Bandstand direct from Broadway. And as we begin our 81st season, all this good news just got better as Paper Mill recently received the Citation of Excellence from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts along with a ten percent increase in grant support. We thank the many people who helped make this great work possible—from our dedicated trustees to every individual donor, our corporate and foundation sponsors, our loyal subscribers, hundreds of volunteers, Theater School families, amazing artists and crew, tireless staff, and every enthusiastic patron, including you. Now here we are, rolling out the red carpet for the 2019–2020 opening production of Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz. This greatly anticipated new show coincides with the 80th anniversary of legendary entertainer Judy Garland’s most memorable film,The Wizard of Oz. You will be both fascinated by the historical insights brought to light and delighted by the classic song and dance, thanks to the creativity of Paper Mill favorite Denis Jones, who directs and choreographs. It’s not too late to secure the best seats for the rest of our fabulous lineup by becoming a subscriber. Up next we celebrate all things enchanted with Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, followed by the world premiere of Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The “divine” Broadway comedy smash Sister Act, based on the hit Whoopi Goldberg movie, ushers in the spring, and we close with The Wanderer, another world premiere launching at Paper Mill, based on the life and music of 1950s rock and roll sensation Dion. We hope you will consider becoming a Member of Paper Mill Playhouse with a tax-deductible contribution of $100 or more. You’ll receive discounts, invitations to special events, and other exclusive benefits, while helping us transform the lives of students as well as people with disabilities—including children with autism and their families—through our innovative programs. In addition, we invite you to join the Ovation Society by including Paper Mill in your estate plans. Please help us thank our Season Sponsor, Investors Bank, our Education and Outreach Sponsor, The Goren Family and The Harmony Helper App, as well as Bank of America, the sponsor of this production. We are grateful for their generous support. Now forget your troubles and enjoy Chasing Rainbows! Mark S. Hoebee Michael Stotts Producing Artistic Director Managing Director PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE 9 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 CHASING RAINBOWS: THE ROAD TO OZ Book by MARC ACITO Music Adaptated by & Additional Music by DAVID LIBBY Conceived by & Additional Lyrics by TINA MARIE CASAMENTO Starring (in alphabetical order) STEPHEN DEROSA COLIN HANLON LESLI MARGHERITA KAREN MASON RUBY RAKOS MAX VON ESSEN MICHAEL WARTELLA Scenic Design Costume Design Lighting Design Sound Design ALEXANDER DODGE LINDA CHO JAPHY WEIDEMAN MATT KRAUS Projection Design Hair & Wig Design Makeup Design Production Stage Manager PETER NIGRINI CHARLES G. LAPOINTE DENA OLIVIERI BONNIE PANSON Casting Creative Consultant Press Representative TARA RUBIN CASTING JOHN FRICKE RICHARD HILLMAN PETER VAN DAM, CSA PUBLIC RELATIONS CLAIRE BURKE, CSA Music Supervision & Arrangements Music Direction DAVID LIBBY LAWRENCE YURMAN Orchestrations LARRY BLANK & DAVID LIBBY Directed & Choreographed by DENIS JONES MAJOR SPONSOR CHASING RAINBOWS was produced by Goodspeed Musicals in 2016 in East Haddam, CT. The world premiere of CHASING RAINBOWS was produced by Flat Rock Playhouse, Flat Rock, NC. PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE 15 THE CAST (in order of appearance) Judy Garland (Frances Gumm) ...................................................................................RUBY RAKOS Frank Gumm ...................................................................................................... MAX VON ESSEN Director ......................................................................................................................JOE CASSIDY Adrian ............................................................................................................KEVIN B. MCGLYNN Wardrobe Mistress ................................................................................................ KATHY VOYTKO Makeup Artists .................................................... TESSA GRADY, SAMANTHA JOY PEARLMAN Ethel Gumm ..................................................................................................LESLI MARGHERITA Young Virginia Gumm ........................................................................................ MOLLY K. LYONS Young Mary Jane Gumm................................................................................ALLSUN O’MALLEY* Baby Gumm............................................................................................................SOPHIE KNAPP Jim ....................................................................................................................SEAN THOMPSON Millie ........................................................................................................CHRISTINA MAXWELL Ma Lawlor ..............................................................................................................KAREN MASON Lana (Julia Jean) ............................................................................................................CLARA COX Mickey Rooney (Joe Yule) ........................................................................... MICHAEL WARTELLA Shirley ........................................................................................................VIOLET TINNIRELLO* Harold .............................................................................................................. LAMONT BROWN Virginia Gumm .........................................................................................................TESSA GRADY Mary Jane Gumm ...........................................................................SAMANTHA JOY PEARLMAN Bill Gilmore ................................................................................................................JOE CASSIDY Kay Koverman .......................................................................................................KAREN MASON Louis B. Mayer ..................................................................................................STEPHEN DEROSA Clark Gable .......................................................................................................SEAN THOMPSON Teresa .......................................................................................................................... TIA ALTINAY George Jessel ..................................................................................................KEVIN B. MCGLYNN Roger Edens .........................................................................................................COLIN HANLON Deanna (Edna Mae) ..................................................................................CHRISTINA MAXWELL Jean .......................................................................................................... KIMBERLY IMMANUEL Buddy ........................................................................................................... DREW REDINGTON Hollywood Harry ...........................................................................................KEVIN B. MCGLYNN Gale Sondergaard .............................................................................................. MACKENZIE BELL Ensemble..............................................TIA ALTINAY, MACKENZIE BELL, LAMONT BROWN, JOE CASSIDY, CLARA COX, TESSA GRADY, KIMBERLY IMMANUEL, SOPHIE KNAPP, MOLLY K. LYONS, CHRISTINA MAXWELL, KEVIN B. McGLYNN, ALLSUN O’MALLEY*, SAMANTHA JOY PEARLMAN, DREW REDINGTON, PARKER SLAYBAUGH, SEAN THOMPSON, VIOLET TINNIRELLO*, KATHY VOYTKO Understudies Understudies never substitute for listed players unless announced at the time of