WELCOME FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTORS elcome to Paper Mill Playhouse and to the fairy- tale ending of our 80th anniversary season! We Ware happy to have you join us for this magical, timeless love story. We are already gearing up for our thrilling 2019–2020 season. We open with Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz, chronicling the early life and career of Judy Garland. This year marks the eightieth anniversary of her most memorable film,The Wizard of Oz, and this fascinating new show brings to life how she got there, replete with favorite songs from the era. Then we celebrate all things enchanted with Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, an enjoyable treat for the whole family with spells, glass slippers, and some very clever mice. The winter ushers in the world-premiere musical Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, showcasing the very best hits of arguably the most popular musical theater composer of all time, with personal anecdotes and glimpses into his artistic process. Relive the memories of Cats, Sunset Boulevard, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph…, and The Phantom of the Opera. Next up is the “divine” Broadway comedy smash Sister Act, based on the hit movie about a nightclub singer who’s taken up hiding in a convent after witnessing a murder. We close with The Wanderer, another world premiere launching at Paper Mill, about 1950s rock and roll sensation Dion DiMucci (and the Belmonts). Set to a score including “Runaround Sue,” “Teenager in Love,” and “I Wonder Why,” Dion’s extraordinary journey in the spotlight—and in the shadow of addiction—is told with honesty and heart. Become a season subscriber today and guarantee your seats for this historic lineup! Please indulge us a moment as we proudly boast about Paper Mill’s transformational Summer Musical Theater Conservatory and the jewel in our educational crown: New Voices, the annual showcase concert production. Throughout the summer, 120 of New Jersey’s brightest young stars ages 10–18 will diligently train with top professionals in singing, dancing, and acting as they forge friendships, make personal discoveries, and grow artistically, while assembling a remarkable show that tugs at the heartstrings. This renowned program has kickstarted the careers of such Broadway and Hollywood talents as Laura Benanti, Anne Hathaway, Nikki M. James, Rob McClure, Jelani Remi, Ali Stroker, and Shanice Williams. Please join us August 2 and 3 for New Voices of 2019: Learn Your Lessons Well. You will absolutely be glad you did! We hope you might consider joining Paper Mill as a Member with a tax-deductible contribution of $100 or more. You’ll receive invitations to special events, discounts, and other exclusive benefits, and you will help us transform the lives of tens of thousands of students as well as thousands of people with disabilities—including children with autism and their families—through our innovative education programs and access initiatives. Now through the end of the season, all new and increased gifts will be matched by our Education and Outreach Sponsor, The Goren Family and Harmony Helper. Please act soon to give your gift even greater impact. In addition, we invite you to join the Ovation Society by including Paper Mill in your estate plans. We would like to recognize our Season Sponsor, Investors Bank, as well our Education and Outreach Sponsor, The Goren Family and Harmony Helper, who also have sponsored this production along with Merck. We are grateful for their generous support. As the 2018–2019 season comes to a close, we also want to acknowledge the terrific work of the Paper Mill staff and crew. We are very lucky to have so many dedicated individuals making the magic happen on our stage, in the wings, backstage, and offstage. Now be our guest and enjoy Beauty and the Beast! Mark S. Hoebee Michael Stotts Producing Artistic Director Managing Director PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE 9 DIRECTOR’S NOTE remember seeing the original cinema release of Beauty and the Beast back in 1991 and being thrilled by the score and surprisingly I moved by the story of these animated Disney characters. When the original Broadway company was being assembled, I was on tour and unavailable to attend the auditions, but I was lucky enough to be the very first person to join that original Broadway company a few months later in its inaugural year. I remember at that time there was much trepidation among the theater community about how this film-to-stage transfer would be accomplished. You must remember that this was long before the Disney triumphs we now know as The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Aladdin, and Frozen. The only reference most people had at that point were Disney’s theme park shows. But any and all doubt was immediately washed away the moment you entered the Palace Theatre and the truly enchanted world that had been created there. Though my time with that production was relatively short, I still remember it as one of the most joyful experiences I’ve ever had as a performer. I think that was largely because of the beautiful material we were given to perform each night—this incredible score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice and this wonderful book by Linda Woolverton. I am so happy to return to this show, more than two decades later, and to have this opportunity to see it from a different perspective. I continue to be moved by this story and its beautiful message— that true beauty is found within and that love has the power to transform us as individuals into the best version of ourselves. I am grateful to the entire team of professionals that have helped bring this production to the Paper Mill stage. Whether you are seeing the show for the very first time or returning to it like me, I hope that you will discover a bit of the magic that is Beauty and the Beast. —Mark S. Hoebee 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 Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Music by Lyrics by Book by ALAN MENKEN HOWARD ASHMAN & LINDA WOOLVERTON TIM RICE Originally Directed by ROBERT JESS ROTH Originally Produced by DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS Starring (in alphabetical order) BELINDA ALLYN JOEL BLUM JENELLE CHU KEVIN CURTIS DONNA ENGLISH GIANNI DAVID FARUOLO STACIA FERNANDEZ GAVIN LEE KEVIN LIGON STEPHEN MARK LUKAS TALLY SESSIONS ANTONIO WATSON Scenic Design Costume Design Enchanted Objects Design Lighting Design KELLY JAMES TIGHE LEON DOBKOWSKI HALSEY ONSTAGE CHARLIE MORRISON Sound Design Hair & Wig Design Makeup Design MATT KRAUS LEAH J. LOUKAS DENA OLIVIERI Casting Fight Directors Press Representative TELSEY + COMPANY RICK SORDELET RICHARD HILLMAN REBECCA SCHOLL, CSA CHRISTIAN KELLY-SORDELET PUBLIC RELATIONS Music Direction Production Stage Manager MICHAEL BORTH ANDREA CIBELLI Choreographed by ALEX SANCHEZ Directed by MARK S. HOEBEE MAJOR SPONSOR MAJOR SPONSOR Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www. MTIShows.com PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE 17 THE CAST (in order of appearance) Voice of the Narrator ............................................................................DAVID MICHAEL GARRY Belle ..................................................................................................................... BELINDA ALLYN Bookseller ..............................................................................................DAVID MICHAEL GARRY Lefou .......................................................................................................................KEVIN CURTIS Gaston ....................................................................................................STEPHEN MARK LUKAS Silly Girls ...................... BRITTANY CONIGATTI, CORINNE MUNSCH, ALEXA RACIOPPI* Maurice ......................................................................................................................... JOEL BLUM Cogsworth................................................................................................................ KEVIN LIGON Lumiere ..........................................................................................................................GAVIN LEE Babette ......................................................................................................................JENELLE CHU Mrs. Potts ....................................................................................................STACIA FERNANDEZ Chip ...................GIANNI DAVID FARUOLO†(evenings ‡), ANTONIO WATSON†(matinees ‡) Beast ....................................................................................................................TALLY SESSIONS Madame de la Grande Bouche .......................................................................... DONNA ENGLISH Monsieur D’Arque ................................................................................DAVID MICHAEL GARRY Townspeople and Enchanted Objects ................................... JOE BIGELOW, MONICA CIOFFI*, BRITTANY CONIGATTI, JUSTIN DePARIS*, STEPHEN DIBIASE*, JENNIFER EVANS, DAVID MICHAEL GARRY, LAUREN E.J. HAMILTON, LEEDS HILL, BRETT MICHAEL LOCKLEY*, MICHAEL MILKANIN, CORINNE MUNSCH, ALEXA RACIOPPI*, TAYLOR ROSENBERGER*, MOLLY RUSHING, BRONWYN TARBOTON, MATTHEW VINCENT TAYLOR*, CYNTHIA THORNE* Understudies Understudies never substitute for listed players unless announced at the time of the appearance.