THE NATION’S LEADING MUSICAL THEATER€¦ · You’ve spent your life accumulating wealth. And,...

JUNE 8-JULY 2, 2017

THE NATION’S LEADINGMUSICAL THEATER

JUNE 2017

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June 2017Volume 14, No. 7

Paul HeppnerPublisher

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Encore Arts Programs is published monthly by Encore Media Group to serve musical and theatrical events in the Puget Sound and San Franc isco Bay Areas. All rights reserved. ©2017 Encore Media Group. Reproduction without written permission is prohibited.

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• The non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre is one of the country’s leading musical theater companies. Our mission is to “nurture, advance and preserve all aspects of America’s great indigenous art form: The Musical. We achieve this by creating extraordinary theatrical experiences that enrich, entertain and inspire current and future audiences everywhere.”

• The 5th is committed to achieving the highest standards of artistic excellence by employing world-class performers and creative artists, utilizing full live orchestras, and staging exceptional and imaginative productions. The 5th places a special emphasis on employing our amazing community of Puget Sound-based artists and technicians.

• We are nationally renowned for our production and development of new musicals. Since 2001, The 5th has premiered 18 new works, nine of which have subsequently opened on Broadway. They include Disney’s Aladdin, First Date, A Christmas Story, Scandalous, Shrek, Catch Me If You Can, The Wedding Singer and Best Musical Tony Award®-winners, Hairspray and Memphis.

• We are equally acclaimed for our vibrant new productions of musicals from the “Golden Age of Broadway” and contemporary classics. These signature revivals enthrall fans of these enduring works and introduce these great shows to new generations of musical theater lovers.

• Our celebrated educational programs serve more than 83,000 young people each year through a host of projects including our Adventure Musical Theater Touring Company, The 5th Avenue Awards and the unique Rising Star Project. For adults, we offer free-to-the-public events such as the popular Spotlight Night series and pre-performance Show Talks with Albert Evans.

• We are the largest arts employer in the Pacific Northwest with more than 800 actors, singers, dancers, musicians, creative artists, theatrical technicians and arts professionals working for us each season.

• As a non-profit theater company supported by the community, we enjoy the patronage of more than 20,000 season subscribers (one of the largest theater subscriptions in America). More than 330,000 audience members attend our performances each year.

OUR HISTORIC THEATER The 5th Avenue Theatre’s breathtaking design was inspired by ancient Imperial China’s most stunning architectural achievements, including the magnificent Forbidden City. Built in 1926 for vaudeville and silent pictures, The 5th Avenue Theatre reigned for decades as Seattle’s favorite movie palace. In 1979, 43 companies and community leaders formed the non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre Association and restored the theater to its original splendor. The 5th Avenue Theatre re-opened in 1980 as Seattle’s premier home for musical theater.

The 5th Avenue Theatre gratefully acknowledges our 43 original founders and sponsors. Please visit www.5thavenue.org for specific information on these important companies and individuals.

ABOUT5THAVENUE THEATRE

THEBOARD OF DIRECTORS Stephen P. Reynolds Chairman

Sterling WilsonTreasurerMargaret C. InouyeSecretary

Wanda J. HerndonImmediate Past Chairman

Kenny AlhadeffAnn ArdizzoneClodagh AshLes BillerSharon Gantz BloomeRobert R. Braun, Jr.Debbie BrownMargaret ClappBarbara L. CroweLarry EstradaCyrus Habib Randy HodginsMike KatzPatrick F. KennedySaSa KirkpatrickElizabeth LundHeather Sullivan McKayRichard MeadowsJohn OppenheimerDavid QuinnAnn Ramsay-JenkinsAnthony RepanichNorman B. RiceEmory Thomas, Jr.Bonnie TowneEric TrottMarka WaechterTom WalshTracy WellensEileen Glasser WesleyKenneth Willman

PAST CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARDWanda J. Herndon (2013-2015)Barbara L. Crowe (2011-2013) Robert A. Sexton (2009-2011)Norman B. Rice (2007-2009) Kenny Alhadeff (2004-2007) William W. Krippaehne Jr. (2002-2004)Bruce M. Pym (2000-2002)John F. Behnke (1998-2000)Faye Sarkowsky (1996-98)Donald J. Covey (1994-96)Kenneth L. Hatch (1992-94)John D. Mangels (1990-92)Robert F. Buck (1988-90)Stanley M. Little, Jr. (1986-88)R. Milton Trafton (1983-86)W.J. Pennington (1981-83)D.E. (Ned) Skinner (1979-81) Founding Managing DirectorMarilynn Sheldon

Th is program facilitates early stage development of new musicals through a variety of initiatives including commissions, writer’s retreats, staged readings and developmental workshops. We have also established a Seattle Writers Group, to continue and build on our ongoing eff orts to nurture and support our rich community of Northwest artists. Some of these new works may never reach full production, and others may take years to make it to our stage or other theaters. However, we feel confi dent that this work is crucial to the future of the American Musical, and that signifi cant new additions to the musical theater cannon will emerge from this program.

Th is spring and summer three new works developed by Th e 5th over the past few years are receiving productions near and far. Th e new Beatnik musical Beatsville just completed an acclaimed run at the Asolo Repertory Th eatre in Florida. In July, Persuasion, a delightful new musical created in our Seattle Writers Group will have its world premiere at Seattle’s Taproot Th eater. Most excitingly, the musical Come From Away has become a major Broadway hit. Th e national tour of this multi-Tony Award nominated show will open in the fall of 2018 at Th e 5th where it was originally workshopped.

None of this work would be possible without the generous contributions of our 5th Avenue donors—especially the members of our Creativity Circles. Th is important “research and development” activity depends on their vision and support. You too can join in supporting New Work by contributing to our Annual Fund. Please call our development offi ce at (206)625-1900 or visit the New Works section of our website at www.5thavenue.org.

As you are about to see, the future of “the Musical” is alive and well and living at Th e 5th Avenue Th eatre!

And of course, have a Romy and Michele day!

WE

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TH

FROM THE DESK OF DAVID ARMSTRONGEXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

WE INVENTED MUSICALS!(WELL, SOME OF THEM)

The development and production of new musicals, like this world premiere production that you are about to see, is central to the purpose and mission of Th e 5th

Avenue Th eatre. Over the past 17 years we have produced 18 new musicals—Th e Prince And Th e Pauper (2001); Hairspray (2002); Yankee Doodle Dandy (2004); Princesses (2005); Th e Wedding Singer (2006); Lone Star Love (2007); Shrek (2008); Memphis (2009); Catch Me If You Can (2009); A Christmas Story, the Musical (2010); Disney’s Aladdin (2011); Saving Aimee (aka Scandalous) (2011); First Date (2012); Secondhand Lions (2013); A Room With A View (2014); Jasper In Deadland (2015); Waterfall (2015) and now Romy And Michele’s High School Reunion.

I am very happy to tell you that nine of those musicals have gone from our stage to Broadway including two (Hairspray and Memphis) that received Tony Awards® for Best Musical. Th is is an incredible track record of which we are very proud. Like most success stories ours has been the product of a great deal of hard work, a wealth of talent and a large measure of luck.

We are even prouder of the fact that almost all of those nine new musicals introduced exciting new writing teams to Broadway, and almost all have since entered the cannon of the American Musical Th eater receiving scores of productions every year around the world in professional, amateur, college and high school renditions.

However, it is important to note that when we select a new work for production we spend very little time considering the show’s chances for commercial success. It is virtually impossible to predict in advance what will be the next big Broadway hit, and many people smarter than I have gone broke trying to do it.

Instead we use only three signifi cant criteria when selecting projects that we want to get involved with: First, we look for immensely gifted bookwriters, composers and lyricists—artists who are brimming with talent and craftsmanship, and with whom we feel confi dent we would want to spend what might be several years in collaboration. Secondly, we look for stories, characters, and subject matter that lend themselves to bold, theatrical treatment, and that cry out for musicalization. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we select musicals that speak to us, and that we believe will engage, challenge and entertain our large and loyal 5th Avenue audience. If we achieve those goals we will feel that we have succeeded fully.

Th e 18 new musicals we have produced in full productions are only the tip of the iceberg in relation to our commitment to nurturing and development of new work. We believe “Th e Musical” is one of America’s most signifi cant contributions to world culture, and therefore it is crucial for us, and others, to advance and perpetuate it. Our New Works Program provides us with the opportunity to take this commitment far beyond what you see on our mainstage by investing in a new generation of composers, bookwriters and lyricists.

encoreartsseattle.com 5

Creativity CIRCLES

Photos by Jeff Carpenter, Team Photogenic and Mark Kitaoka

VISIONARIES

INVESTORS

CREATORS

Members of the Creativity Circles support the creative arc of the musical theater art form. They support The 5th’s investment in writers and artists; the creation, development and staging of new works; and help insure excellence in our service to this community, our children and this

magical art form. For your leadership, we applaud and thank you.

Sheri and Les Biller Ann Ramsay-Jenkins Stephen P. and Paula Rosput Reynolds

Barbara CroweBarbara Crowe Tom and Connie WalshTom and Connie Walsh

Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff

Glenna KendallClodagh and Bob Ash

Cynthia StroumTiia-Mai ReddittBeth and Buzz PorterHeather and Mike McKay

Patrick Kennedy and Melissa Ries

Faye Sarkowsky

6 T H E 5 T H A V E N U E T H E A T R E

2016/17 5th Avenue Season Sponsors Media Sponsor

The 5th Avenue Theatre

presents

CORTNEY WOLFSONin

BERNADINE C. GRIFFINManaging Director

BILL BERRYProducing Artistic Director

DAVID ARMSTRONGExecutive Producer & Artistic Director

2016/17 5th Avenue Season Sponsors[ArtsFund, US Bank, Alaska Airlines]

Media Sponsor[Seattle Times]

MARLEEN AND KENNY ALHADEFF, 5TH AVENUE PRODUCING PARTNER

Music and Lyrics by GWENDOLYN SANFORD and BRANDON JAYBook by ROBIN SCHIFF

Based on the film Romy and Michele’s High School Reunionwith

JORDAN KAI BURNETT

ERIC ANKRIM

STEPHANIE RENEE WALL

Directed by

KRISTIN HANGGI

Choreography by

PEGGY HICKEY

Music Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations by

KEITH HARRISON

Music Direction by

TIM SYMONS

MICHAEL THOMAS GRANTHANNAH SCHUERMAN TESS SOLTAU

KATE E. COOK AUTUMN GUZZARDI DANIELLE KELSEYTRINA MILLS TAYLOR NIEMEYER MICHAEL STARR

JAMES TABEEK LEIGH WAKEFORD LOUIS WILLIAMS, JR.

Sound Design

CHRISTOPHER WALKER

Production Stage Manager

ERIN B. ZATLOKADirector of Production

JOAN TOGGENBURGERTechnical Director

ERIK HOLDENResident Interim Music Supervisor

KAT SHERRELL

Wig & Hair Design

MARY PYANOWSKI JONESAssociate Director

MK LAWSON

Scenic DesignDONYALE WERLE

Costume DesignAMY CLARK

Lighting Design

JASON LYONS

Casting by

TELSEY + COMPANY, JUSTIN HUFF C.S.A.

Additional Casting by

CINDI RUSH

Produced by special arrangement with BARRY & MARGARET KEMP, PETER SCHNEIDER, LAURENCE MARK,

STEPHEN SOUCY & REYNOLDS/KENNEDY

Special Support for this production provided byTOM AND CONNIE WALSH


Romy White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CORTNEY WOLFSON*Michele Weinberger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . STEPHANIE RENEE WALL*Heather Mooney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JORDAN KAI BURNETT*Sandy Frink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MICHAEL THOMAS GRANT*Toby Walters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .HANNAH SCHUERMAN*Christie Masters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TESS SOLTAU*Billy Christianson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MICHAEL STARR*Kelly Possenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DANIELLE KELSEY*Cheryl Cook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KATE E. COOK*Lisa Luder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AUTUMN GUZZARDI*

ENSEMBLEERIC ANKRIM*, KATE E. COOK*, AUTUMN GUZZARDI*, DANIELLE KELSEY*, TRINA MILLS*,

TAYLOR NIEMEYER*, MICHAEL STARR*, JAMES TABEEK*, LEIGH WAKEFORD*, LOUIS WILLIAMS, JR.*

DANCE CAPTAINTRINA MILLS*

STAGE MANAGEMENTProduction Stage Manager: ERIN B. ZATLOKA*

Assistant Stage Manager: RACHEL BURY*Assistant Stage Manager: SHELLIE STONE*

THE 5TH AVENUE THEATRE ORCHESTRAConductor/Keyboard 1: TIM SYMONSGuitar 1/Keyboard 2: GREG FULTON

Guitar 2: RL HEYERDrums: TARIK ABOUZIED

Bass: DAVE PASCAL

ADDITIONAL MUSIC STAFFMusic Coordinator: DANE ANDERSEN

Rehearsal Pianist: KATHY MOORERehearsal Drummer: TARIK ABOUZIED

Electronic Instrument Programmer: KEITH HARRISONElectronic Instrument Coordinator: DAVE PASCAL

Music Copying: MATT JOHNSTONMusic Assistant: DEVIN REILLY

CAST

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The use of any recording device, either audio or video, and the taking of photographs, either with or without flash, is strictly prohibited.

Please turn off your cell phones and pagers prior to the beginning of the performance.

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States


CONTENTS

Romy and Michele’s Real Life Dilemma ....................................9

An Evolving Friendship: An Interview with Robin Schiff and Barry Kemp ..............................10

Who’s Who ..............................11

Your 2017/18 Season ................16

5th Avenue Award Reunion ......18

Upcoming Events .....................29

Stay Connected ........................30

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ROMY AND MICHELE'S REAL LIFE DILEMMABy ALBERT EVANS, Artistic Associate

IT’S 1987,

Romy and Michele is a light comedy—the bullying never results in physical harm. But emotional wounds leave long-lasting scars, and ten years later the BFFs are still locked in their immature “us against the world” bubble.

They search for boyfriends in trendy clubs and complain that “there are no guys here, absolutely none”—except the successful businessman, the social activist, the outdoors enthusiast. None!

Then fate leaves a message on their answering machine: a reminder that it’s just two weeks until their ten-year high school reunion.

This is Prom 2.0, a chance for Romy and Michele to settle scores with their former bullies and reboot their lives—but what will their professions be? What will they wear?

Most of all, how will they account for their past ten years of … nothing? Panic leads to bad choices, but after trying to win the reunion game by the bullies’ rules, they learn what might be called Romy & Michele’s Life Lesson #1:

AND ROMY AND MICHELEARE BEST FRIENDS.

That’s a good thing, because no one else in Tucson seems to “get” them.

They have a DIY fashion flair that sets them apart from the A-group girls of Sagebrush High, a judgmental clique led by a cheerleader (Go Scorpions!) who makes it her business to torment Romy and Michele every chance she gets.

What makes Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion different from the usual “revenge of the nerds” saga is its refreshingly honest approach to high school bullying—it acknowledges that kids can play multiple roles. Though they themselves feel the sting of social exclusion, Romy and Michele laugh at and dismiss others: the over-enthusiastic yearbook photographer, the science geek, the bitter loner. These Z-listers in turn have their own pecking order. And so it goes, presumably down to the atomic level.

All this social aggression will come to a head at the senior prom—cruel jokes will be played, hearts will be broken and as usual Romy and Michele will end up dancing with each other.

IT’S 1997,

AND IT'S REUNION TIME.

Photo by Mark Kitaoka

WHAT MAKES YOU A FREAK AS A TEENAGER CAN BE YOUR BRAND AS AN ADULT.


AN EVOLVING FRIENDSHIPAN INTERVIEW WITH LONGTIME ROMY AND MICHELE COLLABORATORS ROBIN SCHIFF (BOOKWRITER) AND BARRY KEMP (PRODUCER)

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"The Blonde Leading the Blonde."

This was the original tagline of the 1997 blockbuster film on which the musical Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is based. Since its premiere 20 years ago, countless fans and audience members (regardless of generation, gender or hair color) have inevitably asked themselves which of the two iconic blondes they identify with more.

Are you a Romy or are you a Michele?

When this question is posed to the bookwriter of the film and the musical, Robin Schiff, her immediate answer isn’t surprising.

“I’m both!” Schiff exclaims with a laugh. It is delightfully surprising when she begins to introduce a Freudian analysis of her two well-known characters. “They’re such naked representations of…” Schiff pauses momentarily. “Now, is it ego... or id?”

Barry Kemp, who produced the film and is a producer on the musical, can’t help but interrupt his friend and longtime colleague.

“Robin just gave you a great example of why she’s both,” he says. “Romy and Michele would say something exactly like that. Which is it, ego or id? They would use the terms, but they wouldn’t know which one was which.”

Schiff adds, “Romy and Michele like to sit indoors on a sunny day and watch a movie with a best friend. I like to do that. But they are so matter of fact about their thoughts and their desires—they’re almost like kids in that regard—they’re guileless. That is id, actually.”

Romy and Michele represents just one bullet point on an astounding list of Hollywood writing, producing and directing credits accumulated by Schiff and Kemp over the years. Yet the characters also represent a phenomenon that continues to amaze both their creator and their early proponent, especially when reflecting upon the origin of the two friends.

“They were like the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of Ladies Room,” Schiff explains. Her aptly titled play—which takes place in the ladies room of a Mexican restaurant called the Green Enchilada—first introduced the two loveable misfits in 1988.

“They were recognizable,” Schiff continues. “Their life started because I could hear them. And it’s the only experience that I’ve had of that—where I just heard these two characters talking in my imagination and decided to put them in different situations. And from their first entrance, they got laughter and applause—more or less as typical girls who you might encounter at a club…But they’ve evolved so much since then.”

Kemp adds, “One of the jokes in the original piece, and how [Robin] originally conceived of the two characters in [Ladies Room]—was that they were almost the same person. Each thought that the other one was the funniest person. They always

laughed at each other—when no one else around them was laughing—and the two ladies were almost a single character. When [Robin] did the movie, she started finding what made them different. When we got to the musical—those differences became clearer—and more emotional. Not only are they different, they each have an Achilles heel that [Robin] has discovered. Now, they both have a vulnerability that they did not have in either the play or the movie.”

“We really looked to the essence of who Romy was,” explains Schiff. “She is a very insecure person who wanted to fit in. And it became clear that this wasn’t important to Michele. Michele wants to go to the reunion for fun. She goes along with all this other stuff because Romy says that it’s important.”

“For Michele it sounds like a fun time, and for Romy it’s a wake-up call,” adds Kemp.

Schiff continues, “In the movie they’re just kind of shocked that they hadn’t accomplished anything in ten years. It’s momentary. There isn’t any real panic bubbling up. But now in the musical, we get to explore this more. There’s a song called ‘Ten Years’ where we are really able to dig into Romy’s deeper fears. As a bookwriter, I find that a musical pushes you to ask yourself, ‘What’s really going on in this moment? What is she really feeling—and does that mean we’ll have a song or just a few lines of a scene?’ And we felt that that moment especially was a potential song with a lot of depth and a reason for her to sing her inner thoughts.”

With Romy and Michele now in their third iteration, both Schiff and Kemp are thrilled by the opportunity to continue discovering more of their story.

“I’m beside myself with excitement,” says Schiff. “I just think it’s going to be so much fun to go in and have time to dig in deeper and I’m looking forward to sharing that experience with the audience.”

When asked to explain Romy and Michele’s continuing appeal, Kemp offers this thought: “Everybody has an innate longing to have a best friend. Sometimes that best friend is a platonic friend and sometimes that best friend is a lover—sometimes male, sometimes female—but the fact is it doesn’t really matter. Every person wants to have somebody who gets them on a level that is not judgmental, someone who accepts flaws as well as attributes… And who see attributes that others do not. That’s what is at the core of this story.”

Schiff adds, “I think the other part of it is… they’re different. They’re weird. They’re the weird people at school and I think that’s one of the reasons for their longevity. So many of us have felt like the other. And so I think we relate to Romy and Michele. And we’d like to see them triumph.”

By ORLANDO MORALES, Director of Education and Outreach


AN EVOLVING FRIENDSHIPAN INTERVIEW WITH LONGTIME ROMY AND MICHELE COLLABORATORS ROBIN SCHIFF (BOOKWRITER) AND BARRY KEMP (PRODUCER)

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"The Blonde Leading the Blonde."

This was the original tagline of the 1997 blockbuster film on which the musical Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is based. Since its premiere 20 years ago, countless fans and audience members (regardless of generation, gender or hair color) have inevitably asked themselves which of the two iconic blondes they identify with more.

Are you a Romy or are you a Michele?

When this question is posed to the bookwriter of the film and the musical, Robin Schiff, her immediate answer isn’t surprising.

“I’m both!” Schiff exclaims with a laugh. It is delightfully surprising when she begins to introduce a Freudian analysis of her two well-known characters. “They’re such naked representations of…” Schiff pauses momentarily. “Now, is it ego... or id?”

Barry Kemp, who produced the film and is a producer on the musical, can’t help but interrupt his friend and longtime colleague.

“Robin just gave you a great example of why she’s both,” he says. “Romy and Michele would say something exactly like that. Which is it, ego or id? They would use the terms, but they wouldn’t know which one was which.”

Schiff adds, “Romy and Michele like to sit indoors on a sunny day and watch a movie with a best friend. I like to do that. But they are so matter of fact about their thoughts and their desires—they’re almost like kids in that regard—they’re guileless. That is id, actually.”

Romy and Michele represents just one bullet point on an astounding list of Hollywood writing, producing and directing credits accumulated by Schiff and Kemp over the years. Yet the characters also represent a phenomenon that continues to amaze both their creator and their early proponent, especially when reflecting upon the origin of the two friends.

“They were like the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of Ladies Room,” Schiff explains. Her aptly titled play—which takes place in the ladies room of a Mexican restaurant called the Green Enchilada—first introduced the two loveable misfits in 1988.

“They were recognizable,” Schiff continues. “Their life started because I could hear them. And it’s the only experience that I’ve had of that—where I just heard these two characters talking in my imagination and decided to put them in different situations. And from their first entrance, they got laughter and applause—more or less as typical girls who you might encounter at a club…But they’ve evolved so much since then.”

Kemp adds, “One of the jokes in the original piece, and how [Robin] originally conceived of the two characters in [Ladies Room]—was that they were almost the same person. Each thought that the other one was the funniest person. They always

laughed at each other—when no one else around them was laughing—and the two ladies were almost a single character. When [Robin] did the movie, she started finding what made them different. When we got to the musical—those differences became clearer—and more emotional. Not only are they different, they each have an Achilles heel that [Robin] has discovered. Now, they both have a vulnerability that they did not have in either the play or the movie.”

“We really looked to the essence of who Romy was,” explains Schiff. “She is a very insecure person who wanted to fit in. And it became clear that this wasn’t important to Michele. Michele wants to go to the reunion for fun. She goes along with all this other stuff because Romy says that it’s important.”

“For Michele it sounds like a fun time, and for Romy it’s a wake-up call,” adds Kemp.

Schiff continues, “In the movie they’re just kind of shocked that they hadn’t accomplished anything in ten years. It’s momentary. There isn’t any real panic bubbling up. But now in the musical, we get to explore this more. There’s a song called ‘Ten Years’ where we are really able to dig into Romy’s deeper fears. As a bookwriter, I find that a musical pushes you to ask yourself, ‘What’s really going on in this moment? What is she really feeling—and does that mean we’ll have a song or just a few lines of a scene?’ And we felt that that moment especially was a potential song with a lot of depth and a reason for her to sing her inner thoughts.”

With Romy and Michele now in their third iteration, both Schiff and Kemp are thrilled by the opportunity to continue discovering more of their story.

“I’m beside myself with excitement,” says Schiff. “I just think it’s going to be so much fun to go in and have time to dig in deeper and I’m looking forward to sharing that experience with the audience.”

When asked to explain Romy and Michele’s continuing appeal, Kemp offers this thought: “Everybody has an innate longing to have a best friend. Sometimes that best friend is a platonic friend and sometimes that best friend is a lover—sometimes male, sometimes female—but the fact is it doesn’t really matter. Every person wants to have somebody who gets them on a level that is not judgmental, someone who accepts flaws as well as attributes… And who see attributes that others do not. That’s what is at the core of this story.”

Schiff adds, “I think the other part of it is… they’re different. They’re weird. They’re the weird people at school and I think that’s one of the reasons for their longevity. So many of us have felt like the other. And so I think we relate to Romy and Michele. And we’d like to see them triumph.”

By ORLANDO MORALES, Director of Education and Outreach

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CORTNEY WOLFSON (Romy White) is thrilled to be making her 5th Ave debut with Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion! Broadway credits include Kinky Boots (Nicola), The

Addams Family and Les Misérables (First Revival). First National Tours: The Addams Family (Wednesday) and Legally Blonde (Serena, Brooke Wyndham). Other stage favorites: Up Here by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (dir. Alex Timbers), Kinky Boots (NYC Readings), Pool Boy (Barrington Stage) and The MUNY. Film/TV: Are You Joking? and The Battery’s Down. Proud Indiana native and graduate of The University of Michigan, BFA. Thanks to Mom, Abrams and God. C+C. Twitter/Instagram: @cortneywolfson.

STEPHANIE RENEE WALL (Michele Weinberger) 5th Ave debut. Elsa in Frozen: Live at the Hyperion at Disney’s California Adventure. Recent credits include: Michele in Romy and Michele’s

High School Reunion (NY and LA workshops), Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (3D Theatricals and Performance Riverside), Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins (Performance Riverside), Fiona in Shrek (Performance Riverside), Louise in Gypsy (West Coast Ensemble), The Marvelous Wonderettes (Cindy Lou and Missy u/s – original LA company), Clara in The Light in the Piazza (West Coast Regional Premiere). Wall was also a lead vocalist in Top Rock with LiveItUp! Productions and as Alice with the Mad T Party Band in Disney’s California Adventure. Instagram: @stephiewall.

JORDAN KAI BURNETT (Heather Mooney) 5th Ave debut! Select credits: American Idiot (Whatsername, La Mirada), Side Show (Violet Hilton, American Theater of Actors), Seussical (Cat in

the Hat, Dir: Marcia Milgrom-Dodge), Hello! My Baby! opposite George Wendt (Frances, Rubicon Theater Co.), Romeo & Juliet: Love is a Battlefield (Benvolia) opposite Corbin Bleu. Co-creator of “Penelope, PCSA” and “Daisy and Jordan’s Sunday Brunch of Shame” with Tony Award-winner Daisy Eagan. Thanks to

Anthony at DDO, Kristin and the cast/creative team. For momma and poppi. Insta/Twitter: JKaiB.

MICHAEL THOMAS GRANT (Sandy Frink) is so excited to make his 5th Avenue debut! Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Grant now lives and works in Los Angeles. You may have seen him

on Roadies (Showtime), The Fosters (ABC/Freeform) or at any number of theater and cabaret events around Los Angeles!

HANNAH SCHUERMAN (Toby Walters) is elated to be back at The 5th after being seen most recently in The Pajama Game, and last season in The Sound of Music. She is also happy to

return to this show, as well as this role, after being part of the Production Lab last fall. She is a recent graduate of Seattle Pacific University. This one’s for Bella, Eddie, Ian and Tuck—here’s to new adventures.

TESS SOLTAU (Christie Masters) is so excited to be a part of Romy and Michele! 5th Ave debut. Broadway: Wicked, Addams Family. Regional: Into the Woods (Public Theater), Far From Heaven

(Playwrights Horizons), Diner (Signature Theatre), Grease (Paper Mill Playhouse), White Noise (Royal George Theatre). Film/TV: Love and Other Drugs, White Collar and Law & Order: SVU. Education: Carnegie Mellon University. Love to Matthew, Mom and Andrew.

ERIC ANKRIM (Ensemble) 5th Ave: Man of La Mancha, Paint Your Wagon, How to Succeed…, Jacques Brel…, Carousel, First Date, Oklahoma!, RENT, Into the Woods, The Rocky Horror Show,

Miss Saigon. Broadway: First Date. Endless love to Michele and the kids.

KATE E. COOK (Cheryl Cook, Ensemble) is honored to make her 5th Avenue debut! Seattle credits: Singin’ in the Rain and Great Wall (Village Theatre) and Bonnie and Clyde (Studio18). Select

regional: Chicago, Anything Goes, Mary Poppins, Hairspray, Dames at Sea, Footloose, Damn Yankees. Enjoy!

AUTUMN GUZZARDI (Lisa Luder, Ensemble) 5th Ave debut! Broadway: 9 to 5 (Doralee u/s). Off-Broadway: Trip of Love (Crystal u/s), The City Club (Rose). Tours: Trans-Siberian

Orchestra, 9 to 5 (Doralee). Regional: The Nutty Professor, We Will Rock You, Saturday Night Fever. TV: Blue Bloods, Nashville.

DANIELLE KELSEY (Kelly Possenger, Ensemble) 5th Avenue debut! Off-Broadway: Revolution In The Elbow…National Tours: Billy Elliot (u/s Mum), Young Frankenstein (u/s Inga). Other NYC/

Regional: The Producers (Ulla), Chicago (Roxie), Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Rockette). @diary.confessionals.

TRINA MILLS (Dance Captain, Ensemble) From Seattle, Mills earned her BA in acting from WWU. 5th Avenue selected: West Side Story (Velma), A Chorus Line (Sheila), How to Succeed… (Miss

Krumholtz), A Christmas Story, RENT, ELF, Spamalot. Love to Josh.

TAYLOR NIEMEYER (Ensemble) is thrilled to be part of this hilarious production! Past 5th Avenue credits: Allana (The Little Mermaid), Bebe (A Chorus Line), Zaneeta Shinn (The Music Man). Next Up:

Newsies at Village Theatre! Love to Tim.

WHO’S WHO


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MICHAEL STARR (Billy Christianson, Ensemble) 5th Avenue debut! UCLA Grad. Regional: Frozen – Live at the Hyperion; A Chorus Line; West Side Story; Wonderful Town; Salome; Footloose;

Carrie; Empire; Kiss Me, Kate; Legally Blonde; Grease; Spamalot and Big Fish. Thanks to a wonderfully supportive family! @mjstarr77.

JAMES TABEEK (Ensemble) 5th Ave debut. Broadway: Mary Poppins, Taboo, Beauty and the Beast, Wicked, Sweet Charity (Workshop). Other NYC: Babes in Arms, Die Fledermaus,

Christmas Spectacular. LA: Wonderful Town, Serrano, Sunday Dinner. Vegas: Idaho!. Europe: WSS. Film: Naked, The Best Date Ever, Retrograde, Northbound, Hail Caesar. Web series: The Residuals. @jamestabeek.

LEIGH WAKEFORD (Ensemble) 5th Avenue debut! National Tours: The Drowsy Chaperone, Chicago. Regional: Sacramento Music Circus, Ogunquit Playhouse, Fulton Theatre, La Mirada

Theatre. Film: First Period. Thanks to Kristin and Peg. Love and light! Follow @leighwakeford.

LOUIS WILLIAMS, JR. (Ensemble) 5th Avenue debut. Education: Webster University BFA, The Ailey School and Dance Theatre of Harlem. Regional: Steve Wynn’s ShowStoppers, Salome,

La Traviata (Principal), A Chorus Line and Hairspray. Music Artist: Fergie. Thank you to Peggy Hickey.

ROBIN SCHIFF (Book) has been working as a television comedy and feature film writer for more than 30 years. Among her many credits are the series Almost Perfect which she co-created with Ken Levine and David Isaacs, and the series Grosse Pointe, created by Darren Star, which she executive produced. She most recently wrote and produced a pilot for Amazon called Down Dog. Schiff was a member of famed LA comedy troupe

The Groundlings, which is where she honed her comedy skills. Romy and Michele were born in her play Ladies Room, which was Lisa Kudrow’s first role. Now it’s the 20th anniversary of Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (the movie), just as the musical has its debut. Schiff couldn’t be more excited to be having that debut at The 5th Avenue Theatre. In her free time, Schiff likes to watch TV and nap.

BRANDON JAY (Music & Lyrics) is overjoyed to be making his 5th Avenue Theatre debut. His first taste of musical success came at age five when he didn’t get gonged on The Gong Show. He would go on to play drums and guitar in various touring bands supporting acts like Metallica, Weezer, Ben Folds Five, The Breeders, The Flaming Lips, The Ramones and Soundgarden. Naturally, his next step was to start a band playing children’s music with his soon-to-be wife Gwendolyn Sanford. Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang pioneered the tot rock music scene in Los Angeles and, ironically, led Jay and Sanford to compose the score for the popular Showtime series Weeds. Weeds led to harder stuff (namely prison) in the Netflix original series Orange Is The New Black. When not in the studio making music, Jay enjoys listening to the ringing in his ears.

GWENDOLYN SANFORD (Music & Lyrics) 5th Avenue Theatre debut. Sanford got bit by the acting bug at an early age, attended LACHSA and spent time in repertory at Theatre 40 portraying such roles as Pearl in Tobacco Road, Shelly in Buried Child and Emily in Our Town (directed by Stephen Tobolowski).To pass the time between shows and auditions, she picked up the guitar and unearthed a passion for songwriting that would lead her down an unexpected musical path through noisy coffee houses, indie rock clubs and numerous recording studios. After fronting a band for kids called Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang, and spending years happily composing the score for Showtime’s Weeds and Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black, the long and winding road has led her back to her happy place — the theater! She is proud to join such a talented group to present one of her all-time favorite stories and her first-ever musical.

KRISTIN HANGGI (Director) is best known for the smash-hit Rock of Ages (five Tony Award nominations, including Best Direction of a Musical). She directed multiple productions including Broadway, West End, Australia, Toronto and Las Vegas. Other stage productions: original Los Angeles and Off-Broadway productions of the pop opera bare (Ovation Award for Best Musical, LA

Weekly Award for Best Musical); Pussycat Dolls Live at the Roxy with Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera and Charlize Theron; Atlantic Theater’s Pirate La Dee Da (Alliance Award); Catch the Fish by Jonathan Caren (New York Fringe Festival for Best Play); Los Angeles premiere of Terrence McNally’s Corpus Christi (Ticketholder Award Best Production and Best Director). Film: Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List starring Victoria Justice, Grantham & Rose, musical movie Dear Dumb Diary. Masters from USC after receiving her Bachelors from UCLA in Theater. UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television Distinguished Alumni Award. www.kristinhanggi.com.

PEGGY HICKEY (Choreographer) is happy to be returning to The 5th in the role of choreographer! Broadway: Anastasia, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Astaire and Outer Critics Circle Nomination, Best Choreography). Lincoln Center: My Fair Lady (NY Philharmonic), The Most Happy Fella, Lucky to Be Me, The Music of Leonard Bernstein (New York City Opera). Regional: Hartford. Old Globe, Goodspeed, Paper Mill, Music Theatre Wichita, California Music Theatre. Opera: Most major opera houses. Film: Woodshock, The Brady Bunch Movie (MTV Nomination, Best Choreography). Television: Hansel and Gretel (Live from Lincoln Center), Die Fledermaus (Live from the Kennedy Center), Beck’s “The New Pollution” (MTV Award, Best Choroegraphy). www.peggyhickey.com.

KEITH HARRISON (Music Supervisor/Arranger/Orchestrator) 5th Ave debut. Off-Broadway: One Day. Regional: Million Dollar Quartet, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Heathers, The Secret, Falling For Make Believe, The Boys From Syracuse (2009 Joseph Jefferson Award nomination). Film/TV: Grace and Frankie, American Idol, 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, 2014 Radio Disney Music Awards. Harrison is a versatile creative artist with a diverse portfolio as a performer, writer and filmmaker. NJ native. NU grad. Roland artist. Love to Laura. www.keithharrison.tv.

TIM SYMONS (Music Director) 5th Avenue music direction debut. Assassins (ACT/5th Ave); A Proper Place, Billy Elliot, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who’s Tommy, It Shoulda Been You (Village Theatre), Xanadu (Arizona Theatre Company). Symons is the resident music director at Village Theatre, where he has served as a music director/music supervisor on over 50 mainstage productions. As a composer, Symons is currently developing the new musical Jesus In My Bedroom with writing partners Brian Yorkey and Melanie Burgess. Symons composes and performs with Seattle jazz trio Fawcett Symons & Fogg. Love to Taylor!


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T A E H C I S

DONYALE WERLE (Set Designer) Broadway: Peter and the Starcatcher (Tony Award), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Tony nom), In Transit, Allegiance. Off-Broadway: The Robber Bridegroom (Roundabout), The Explorer’s Club (MTC), Encores Off-Center Series 2014-present, Signature, Public, NYTW, Vineyard and Lincoln Center. Regional: The Legend of Georgia McBride (Geffen), Miss You Like Hell (La Jolla Playhouse), Hartford, Paper Mill, Old Globe and Denver Center. Awards: Tony, Obie, Lucille Lortel, Hewes and Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Circle Critics nominations. Member: Broadway Green Alliance, USA 829, Wingspace Design Collective, curator for the US National Exhibit at the 2019 Prague Quadrennial. Werle speaks internationally on sustainable design practices for theater.

AMY CLARK (Costume Designer) The Little Mermaid (5th Ave); Chaplin (Broadway, Barrymore); On Your Toes (City Center Encores!); Other Desert Cities (Pittsburgh Public Theater); Lord of the Flies and The North Pool (Barrington Stage); Show Boat (Goodspeed); Monster at the Door (Alley Theatre). Awarded the 2012 Theater Hall of Fame Emerging Artists Fellowship. Most recently designed Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

JASON LYONS (Lighting Designer) 5th Ave debut! Broadway: Hand to God, On the Town, Bronx Bombers, Let It Be, Bring It On, Rock of Ages (Vegas, Toronto, Australia, London and National Tours), The Threepenny Opera, Barefoot in the Park, Good Vibrations. Recent Regional: Old Globe (Red Velvet, Love’s Labor’s Lost, Macbeth); The Public Theater (Dry Powder, Barbecue, Venice); 2nd Stage (Smart People); MTC (Linda, Important Hats of the 20th Century, The Commons of Pensacola); Primary (Lives of the Saints, Poor Behavior, All in the Timing); New World Stages (Heathers). He received the 2016 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Lighting Design. www.jasonlyonsdesign.com.

CHRISTOPHER WALKER (Sound Designer) is very pleased to return to The 5th Avenue, where his previous work includes Man of La Mancha, The Sound of Music and Buddy, and with ACT, Murder for Two and Jacques Brel… In Seattle, he’s worked at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman and the Seattle Children’s Theatre. Previously he spent seven years as resident sound designer for the American Repertory Theater in Boston. He’s designed in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Washington D.C. and New York. Commercially, he’s composed for Intel and Starbucks. He holds a BA in Classical Piano Performance from Cornish College.


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TELSEY + COMPANY (Casting) 5th Avenue: Secondhand Lions, First Date, Catch Me If You Can, Memphis, The Wedding Singer, Hairspray. Broadway/Tours: Anastasia; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Hello, Dolly!; War Paint; Present Laughter; Come From Away; Waitress; On Your Feet!; Hamilton; Kinky Boots; Wicked; Something Rotten!; The King and I; An American in Paris; The Sound of Music. Off-Broadway: Sweeney Todd, Atlantic, Classic Stage, MCC, Second Stage, Signature. Film: Miss Sloane, Into the Woods, Margin Call, Rachel Getting Married, Across the Universe, Camp, Pieces of April. TV: Making History, Julie’s Greenroom, This Is Us, Conviction, One Day at a Time, Hairspray Live!, Masters of Sex, Smash, The Big C, commercials. www.telseyandco.com.

MK LAWSON (Associate Director) 5th Ave debut. Lawson has worked as choreographer on award-winning projects for Atlantic Theater Company, White Plains Performing Arts Center, Sharon Playhouse, Ocean State Theatre Company and NYU. As Director/Choreographer: new musicals for NY International Fringe Festival and NY Children’s Theater Festival, as well as a uniquely conceived production of The Drowsy Chaperone for NYU. Thank you to this team and The 5th! Upcoming: Director/Choreographer for a re-imagined Brigadoon at NYU this fall.

HATTIE CLAIRE ANDRES (Assistant Director) is the 2016/17 Directing & Arts Leadership Fellow at The 5th, having recently directed The 5th’s Rising Star Project. Additional credits: The Secret Garden, The Pajama Game, Little Mermaid, Man of La Mancha (5th Ave); Lizard Boy, Dear Elizabeth (Seattle Rep); Shrek, Brooklyn Bridge (Seattle Children’s Theatre). BA: St. Olaf College. Love to D & family.

JOHN TODD (Assistant Choreographer) 5th Ave debut. Broadway: Movin’ Out, The Phantom of the Opera. International: West Side Story and Kiss Me, Kate (Herod Atticus in Athens, Greece). Film/Television: Days of Our Lives, The Last Tycoon, Saving Mr. Banks, Mad Men, About A Boy, Ronna and Beverly, Marvel’s Agents of Shield and Samantha Spade Ace Detective. www.johnjtodd.com.

SIRI NELSON (Costume Design Assistant) is so excited to be a part of this new musical. She is a local costume designer, director and actor. Regional: ArtsWest, 5th Avenue Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Village Theatre, Santa Fe Opera, Hartford Stage Company, Pig Iron Theatre Company.

CATHERINE GIRARDI (Assistant Lighting Designer) 5th Avenue debut. Designs include regional credits Our War (Arena Stage); The North Pool, The Complete History of Comedy abridged (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park); Seussical (Imagination Stage); Tommy, Ain’t Misbehavin’, All My Sons (The Clarence Brown Theatre); Doubt, Underneath the Lintel (North Carolina Stage Company). Ms. Girardi has also assisted on over 40 regional productions.

ERIN B. ZATLOKA (Production Stage Manager) most recently worked as the assistant stage manager on Murder for Two at ACT Theatre where she also stage managed last season’s production of Assassins. She is glad to be back at The 5th Avenue Theatre where she has previously assistant stage managed Oklahoma! and Damn Yankees. Nothing in her life could happen without family and friends. Love to Greg and Zoey.

RACHEL BURY (Assistant Stage Manager) 5th Avenue: The Little Mermaid National Tour, Paint Your Wagon, The Sound of Music, Waterfall, Grease, Jasper in Deadland, Carousel, A Christmas Story, Spamalot, Oliver!, Secondhand Lions, The Pirates of Penzance, Hairspray in Concert, The Music Man, RENT, Damn Yankees, Oklahoma!, Cinderella, Saving Aimee, Aladdin, Guys and Dolls. 5th/ACT: Assassins. Broadway: Scandalous. Other credits: Ordway, Seattle Rep, Intiman, Shakespeare Santa Cruz.

SHELLIE STONE (Assistant Stage Manager) Credits include: A Chorus Line, Oliver!, Secondhand Lions, The Music Man, Rent, Cinderella (5th Avenue). The Vaudevillians, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Venus in Fur, Boeing Boeing, Clybourne Park (SRT). The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Goodnight Moon; Lyle the Crocodile (SCT).

BARRY KEMP (Producer) This is Kemp’s 5th Avenue debut. He began his career as a writer for the Emmy-winning TV series Taxi, writing 14 episodes before leaving to create and produce the CBS series Newhart, which ran eight seasons. During that time, he also produced and co-wrote the six-hour mini-series Fresno starring Carol Burnett and created and produced all nine seasons of the ABC series Coach. In film, Kemp developed and produced Patch Adams starring Robin Williams, Catch Me If You Can starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Tom Hanks and produced Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion starring Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino. A recipient of multiple Writer’s Guild, Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, he is most proud of his Valentine Davies Award from The Writer’s Guild of America.

LAURENCE MARK (Producer) is an Academy Award-nominated, Emmy-nominated, Golden Globe-winning film and television producer. 5th Avenue debut. Broadway: Big. Films include: The Greatest Showman (December 2017); Flatliners (September 2017); Last Vegas; Julie & Julia; The Lookout (Best First Feature/Independent Spirit Award); Dreamgirls (Best Picture/Golden Globe); I, Robot; Center Stage 1, 2 and 3; As Good As It Gets (Best Picture/Academy Award nominee); Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion; Jerry Maguire (Best Picture/Academy Award nominee); Sister Act 2; Working Girl (Best Picture/Academy Award nominee) and Black Widow. Select TV credits: When We Rise, Political Animals (Emmy nominee) and the Hugh Jackman-hosted 81st Annual Academy Awards (Emmy nominee).

PETER SCHNEIDER (Producer) 5th Avenue debut. Schneider is the recipient of a Best Musical Tony Award for producing The Lion King on Broadway, and has directed productions worldwide of My Life with Men…and Other Animals; Pal Joey; Sister Act, The Musical and Julius Caesar. Schneider produced the award-winning documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty about Disney Animation from 1984–1994. During a 17-year tenure at Disney, he spearheaded the creation of over 50 films including The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Toy Story and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He is also a world champion bridge player.

STEPHEN SOUCY (Producer) is delighted to be on the producing team for Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion The Musical and to be working with The 5th Avenue Theatre for the first time. Under his Modernist Film production umbrella, he wrote, directed and produced A Gifted Amateur and Slant, award-winning short films featured at festivals worldwide. Soucy is on the Board of Directors of the Celebration Theatre, and champions their mission to create an outlet for LGBTQ voices in Los Angeles.

ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION (“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 50,000 actors and stage managers. Equity seeks to foster the art of live theater as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. #EquityWorks.


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Backstage employees are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (or IATSE) Local #15 and IATSE Local #488. Costume shop and Wardrobe staff are represented by IATSE Local #887. Hair and Makeup staff and scenic painters are represented by IATSE Local #488.

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__________________________________________________ RSC, ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY and the RSC logo are registered trademarks of the Royal Shakespeare Company__________________________________________________

IN MEMORYIt is diffi cult to imagine producing anything without the presence of beloved Dodger family members James Elliot Love and Jean-Michel Quincey. Friends to everyone they met, James and Jean-Michel stood at the heart of all that is good about the theatrical community. They will be missed, but their spirits abide.__________________________________________________

CREDITSScenery built, painted and automated by Hudson Scenic Studio. Additional scenery built and painted by Show Motion Inc., Milford, Connecticut. Sound shop: Sound Associates, Inc. Lighting equipment and special effects by PRG Lighting. Laser effects projection provided by Norman L. Ballard. Props provided by BrenBri Props, Prom ‘n’ Spoon, JCDP. Costumes and shoes provided by Tricorne Costumes, Artur & Tailors,Bra*Tenders, Hochi Asiatic, TO Dey Custom Shoes, La Duca, Gene Mignola Inc., Douglas Earl, Giliberto Designs, Beckenstein Custom Shirts, Bethany Joy Costumes, Claudia Diaz Costume Shop, Miro Affonso, Arnold Levine Millinery, Hilary Sleiman Knitwear, the Royal Shakespeare Company. Scooters provided by Micro Scooters. Harnessed Movement Consultants: Grounded Aerial, LLC. Rehearsed at the New 42nd Street Studios.__________________________________________________Matilda The Musical original Broadway cast recording is now avail a b l e from Broadway Records/Yellow Sound Label.__________________________________________________

WARNINGT h e p h o t o g r a p h i n g o r s o u n d r e c o r d i n g o f a n y

performance or the possession of any device for s u c h p h o t o g r a p h i n g o r s o u n d r e c o r d i n g i n s i d e t h i s t h e a t re

w i t h o u t w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n may be punished by ejection and violations may r e n d e r t h e o f f e n d e r

l i a b l e f o r m o n e y d a m a g e s .

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.

Backstage and Front of the House Employees are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (or I.A.T.S.E.).

The musicians employed in this production are members of the American Federation of Musicians.

United Scenic Artists represents the designers and scenic painters for the American Theatre.

The Director and Choreographer are members of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent national labor union.

The Theatre Managers, Press Agents, and Company Managers employed in this production are represented by the Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers.

This production is produced by a member of The Broadway League in collaboration with our professional union-represented employees.

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The 5th Avenue Theatre is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre. Founded in 1985, NAMT is a national service organization dedicated exclusively to

musical theatre. Members, located throughout 34 states and abroad, are some of the leading producers of musical theatre in the world, and include theatres, presenting organizations, higher education programs and individual producers.

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.



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CREDITS

Original fi lm choreography for the reunion dance by Smith Wordes

ADDITIONAL STAFF FOR ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION

Associate Set Designer ............ Craig NapolielloAssistant Set Designer .............. Bradley WehrleDraftsperson ....................................Arim KimCharge Artist ..................Gemma Cody AndersLead Scenic Artist .............. Carmen RodriguezBuilder ...................................... John LammonCompany ProductionAssistant ..................................Hannah BeehlerProduction Assistant .............Spencer BertelsenProduction Assistant .............. Cassie FitzgeraldProduction Runner ........................... Jack Mitz

SPECIAL THANKS

Scenery Constructed bySeattle Opera Scenic Studios

Additional Scenery by Big Image SystemsJeff Carpenter Photography

Dr. Mark A. Burick, Offi cial Chiropractor of Th e 5th Avenue Th eatre

Paul JepsonWilliam P. Beutler

Clarkson Auto SalesClarkson, WA

Corporate Traveler

TELSEY + COMPANY

Bernard Telsey CSA, William Cantler CSA, David Vaccari CSA,

Bethany Knox CSA, Craig Burns CSA, Tiff any Little Canfi eld CSA,

Rachel Hoff man CSA, Justin Huff CSA, Patrick Goodwin CSA,

Abbie Brady-Dalton CSA, Cesar A. Rocha CSA, Karyn Casl CSA,

Kristina Bramhall, Adam Caldwell CSA, Josh Einsohn CSA,

Conrad Woolfe CSA, Rachel Nadler, Rachel Minow, Rikki Gimelstob,

Rachel Dill, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Rebecca Scholl, Scott Galina,

Madison Sylvester, Lauren Harris, Laura Wade, Ally Kiley,

Rose Bochner, Jaime Jaget, Kristian Charbonier, Julia Torres


NORTHWESTPREMIERE!

SEPTEMBER 12 - OCTOBER 1, 2017With 10 Tony® nominations including Best Musical, SOMETHING ROTTEN! is “Broadway’s big, fat hit!” (NY Post). Set in 1595, this hilarious smash tells the story of two brothers who set out to write the world’s very first MUSICAL! It’s “The Producers + Spamalot + The Book of Mormon. Squared!” (New York Magazine).

NEVER BEFORE ON OUR STAGE!

OCTOBER 13 - NOVEMBER 5, 2017Ragtime is a musical theater masterpiece that will inspire and touch your soul. Three distinct American stories are woven together, united by their desire and belief in a brighter tomorrow, with an intensely compelling story of love at the core.

WEST COAST PREMIERE!

MARCH 10 - MAY 20, 2018At 8:17 PM, the Saint Cassian High School Chamber Choir will board the Cyclone roller coaster. At 8:19, the front axle will break, sending them to their tragic demise. Trapped in fantastical carnival-like purgatory, the recently deceased teens tell their stories of life. This wonderfully weird new musical is at every turn satirical, macabre, creepy, campy and hilarious.

A co-production with ACT Theatre

CELEBRATING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY!

APRIL 6 - 29, 2018A play-within-a-play inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, Kiss Me, Kate is a true battle of the sexes. A leading man and his diva ex-wife are starring in a production of the Bard’s play where combat and romance abound, both on stage and off. Kiss Me, Kate is a multi-Tony Award-winning Cole Porter masterpiece, celebrating its 70th anniversary.


WEST COASTPREMIERE!

NOVEMBER 24 - DECEMBER 31, 2017The West Coast Premiere of this recent Broadway hit! Holiday Inn is a wonderful new musical inspired by the Oscar-winning, film featuring lavish sets and costumes, spectacular choreography and 20 Irving Berlin songs. This is a heartwarming treat, sure to put your whole family in the best of holiday spirits.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST PREMIERE!

JUNE 1 - 24, 2018A glorious retelling of Victor Hugo’s epic masterpiece, this powerful tale of love, faith and prejudice will leave you utterly spellbound. The Hunchback of Notre Dame features songs from the Disney animated feature, with new music from legendary composers Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Newsies) and Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell and Pippin).

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FEBRUARY 2 - FEBRUARY 25, 2018A world premiere musical from the master of wacky comedies including cinematic sensations Airplane! and The Naked Gun. Two dim-witted brothers come to Potku-Potku after receiving an email from someone they never heard of, claiming that money has been left to them by a relative they never knew they had.

SUBSCRIBING SAVES SUBSCRIBING SAVES SUBSCRIBING SAVES YOU UP TOYOU UP TOYOU UP TO

40%40%40%CALL (206) 625-1900

OR VISIT WWW.5THAVENUE.ORG


JORDAN TAYLORI was involved with the 5th Ave Awards in 2010 where I was nominated for Best Actor for the University High School production of Sweeney Todd. I

played Sweeney.

I am now a professional working actor (currently in

The 5th’s Adventure Musical Theater Touring Company) as

well as a CrossFit trainer.

JORDAN TAYLOR ALLISON ROSSIn 2006 I was a senior at Mount

Baker High School in Deming, WA. I played Dolly Levi in our production of Hello, Dolly! and was nominated for Outstanding Female Actor in a Leading Role.

I now live and teach in Bellingham with my husband,

Jon. I am the drama director at Lynden Christian High School, and teach music and direct middle school drama at St.

Paul's Academy. I also teach musical theater classes at

Dancing for Joy.

ALLISON ROSS

MACARONI AND CHEESE, I DID IT!On the night of the awards, many students are invited to receive recognition, but also to perform for their peers. Many memorable moments are made when they step onto the stage for the Awards ceremony the first time.

Sarah remembers the moment she received her award. “When I got up there the only thing that came out of my mouth was, ‘Macaroni and cheese, I did it!’ I was so shocked when I got up there—it was the first time I really thought I could do theater as a career. “

“I will never forget stepping onto The 5th Avenue stage for rehearsal that day,” says Lauren. “It was the first of what would become many, many times. Since then, my new favorite moment comes every year when I get to stand backstage and listen to the roar of thousands of high school students supporting each other. The theater is never more alive than on the night of the Awards.”

THE 5TH AVENUE AWARDS

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL REUNIONBy ORLANDO MORALES, Director of Education & Outreach

Since its launch in 2003, The 5th Ave Awards program has sought to recognize and celebrate the amazing work that is being done across the state in the world of high school musical theater. Each season, dozens of evaluators see hundreds of performances in every corner of Washington and in June, thousands of students come together for the culminating 5th Ave Awards ceremony.

Over the years, countless students have taken part in this educational program—and as a high school reunion (Romy and Michele’s!) is taking place on The 5th Ave mainstage, we’re taking the opportunity to also throw a 5th Ave Awards Reunion. Recently, a handful of 5th Ave Awards alumni came together to share memories, updates, and advice for the Class of 2017.

SARAH RUSSELLI was involved with

The 5th Ave Awards in 2010.

I am now a professional working actress in Seattle,

seen most recently at The 5th in Grease, and currently in

Dreamgirls at Village Theatre.

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SARAH RUSSELL JARED MICHAEL BROWNIn 2003, at the first 5th Ave Awards, Hanford High School

was nominated in several categories, among which: Best

Musical Nomination for Les Misérables. That was the first time I ever set foot on that

stage.

I've been involved with the awards ceremony in some

capacity every year since—performing, presenting, helping wrangle folks backstage… And for the past four years I've been

an evaluator.


LAUREN SMITHMy school, Richland High

School, first got involved in 2006, and I was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role in 2007 as the Narrator in Joseph and the

Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

I’m currently the Assistant Producer of The 5th Avenue

Theatre.

LAUREN SMITH

YOU ARE NOT WEIRD!At one point, the group begins to imagine what they would say if they could go back in time and offer advice to their former high school selves.

“Keep embracing who you are and what you love,” Brandon declares. “And find the people that love it as much as you do.” Kirsten adds, “You are not weird. You are gifted. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that the joy you find in theater is silly. It is hard, absolutely. It is a hustle. But if you love it, if it brings you joy, do it. Work hard, never stop learning, never stop teaching.”

WE NEED YOU.Allison is one of a handful of 5th Ave Awards alumni who are now 5th Ave Awards teachers with students of their own. She, like many of the alumni present, are constantly reminded of the value of musical theater in one’s life.

“Musical Theater allows us to explore our own identities and step into the shoes of others. It's a place where anyone can show up and hear ‘we need you.’ It's a place where we can tell important stories as an ensemble and have conversations with people we might not have otherwise.”

Jordan appreciates how musical theater bridges generations: “It can touch on issues and it can reach audiences of all ages. Some of my fondest memories from my childhood are of me watching some musical with my grandmother. And I find that it brings a feeling of nostalgia to a lot of people I know.”

LASTING EFFECTS.“It fueled my passion to celebrate weirdos,” says Justin with a laugh. “Of the Lead Actor nominees that year, I was definitely one of the weirdest. But the support of the crowd—full of teachers and peers—made me feel welcome and encouraged me to lean into the weirdness. I think it's safe to say that I haven’t stopped since.”

Brandon adds: “The 5th Ave Awards was truly my 'in' to The 5th Avenue Theatre. I participated in The Awards and less than 10 years later I was directing on the mainstage. I feel pretty lucky about that.”

“After The Awards I knew that a career in the arts was what I wanted to pursue,” says Kirsten. “After graduating from PLU, I moved to Seattle and immediately auditioned for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! I went on to play Ado Annie in that production, performed with their Adventure Musical Theater program, interned, worked in casting, helped with many education programs, participated in the New Works department in both administrative and performance roles and continued to perform in productions over the course of six years. For me, I know it started with The Awards, and feeling like this was a community to which I belonged and could grow from.”

To learn more about The 5th Ave Awards and for a list of this year’s nominees and award recipients,

visit WWW.5THAVENUE.ORG/EDUCATION.

KIRSTEN DeLOHR HELLANDI first became involved in The 5th Ave Awards in 2004 (as a sophomore) and 2006 (as a

senior) when I was nominated for playing Adelaide in Guys

in Dolls and Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, respectively.

I recently moved to New York and, among other things, I’m proud to call myself a professional working actor.

JUSTIN HUERTASDuring my senior year at

Kamiak High School, I was nominated for Lead Actor

in The Pirates of Penzance as Major-General Stanley. Kamiak ended up walking away with the award for

Overall Musical Production.

Now, I'm an actor, musician, playwright, and composer for

theater.

JUSTIN HUERTASBRANDON IVIEI was in the very first 5th Ave Awards in 2003 where I won for Student Achievement for

producing, directing, and starring in The Last Five Years.

Now I’m the Associate Artistic Director at Village Theatre.

BRANDON IVIE

Heartfelt thanks to our title sponsor WELLS FARGO and to THE BOEING COMPANY and ALASKA AIRLINES

for their additional support of this program.


The 5th Avenue would like to extend a very special thank you to the following donors who have made a leadership gift to support our production of Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. Their support of our mission to invest in the next generation of writers strengthens our commitment to producing New Works and the process it takes to get this art from page to stage.

PATRICK KENNEDY & MELISSA RIES BONNIE & JIM TOWNE AMANDA & GARY TUCCI

TOM & CONNIE WALSH

DEBBY CARTER

KAREN & MARK WEBER MELINDA & STERLING WILSON

HELEN FANUCCI

HOWARD & LYNN BEHAR BRIAN & LAURA DENAULT

JEANNE SHELDON & MARVIN PARSONS JEAN SHERIDAN

DEBBIE BROWN

BECCA & BILL WERT

THANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERS

+In-kind

SUPPORTERS OF THE 5THWe would like to say thank you to the following donors who provided support at the $600 level and above as of May 18, 2017. Through their annual and fund-a-need gifts, donors become partners in our commitment to artistic excellence, community engagement, education and expanding the canon of musical theater. For more information on how you can support The 5th, please contact the Development office at (206) 260-2159.

VISIONARIES

ArtsFundThe Sheri and Les Biller Family FoundationEstate of Marian Lackovich

M.J. Murdock Charitable TrustAnn Ramsay-JenkinsStephen P. Reynolds and Paula Rosput Reynolds

INVESTORS

Alaska AirlinesThe Boeing Company Barbara L. CroweEstate of Sarah Nash GatesNational Endowment for the Arts Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

The Seattle Times + Unico Properties + U.S. BankTom and Connie Walsh1 Anonymous

CREATORS

4Culture Marleen and Kenny AlhadeffArc Media Studios + Bob and Clodagh AshBank of AmericaDCG One +John Graham Foundation

Glenna KendallPatrick Kennedy and Melissa RiesHeather Sullivan McKay and Mike McKay

Peoples BankBuzz and Beth PorterPremera Blue Cross

Tiia-Mai ReddittThe Seattle FoundationSusie and Phil StollerCynthia StroumUmpqua BankWells Fargo2 Anonymous

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER’S CIRCLE

Ann and Joe ArdizzoneDavid ArmstrongArtsFund/Costco Arts Education Access Award

Bill and Pamela AyerWilliam Bartholomew and Lauren Taylor

Rex and Angela BatesAndrew and Shayna BegunHoward and Lynn BeharSharon Gantz BloomeRobert R. Braun, Jr.Debbie BrownThe Capital Grille +Debby CarterMargaret ClappKen ClayThe Coca-Cola CompanyColumbia HospitalityDavis Property & Investment +

Brian and Laura DeNaultExpedia Inc.The Fairmont Olympic Hotel +Helen FanucciWanda J. HerndonKandy and Rick HolleyHomeStreet BankKaren KoonRoger S. LaymanThe Loeb Family Charitable Foundation

Frederick Loewe Foundation Elizabeth and James LundMacy’sLarry and Valorie OstermanPalomino+Hillary and David QuinnRealNetworks FoundationTony Repanich and Julie FloridaTom and Teita Reveley

The Herman and Faye Sarkowsky Charitable Foundation

Jeanne Sheldon and Marvin ParsonsJean SheridanLynne and Bob SimpsonThomas E. and Nita F. SitterleyGary and Elizabeth SundemAlison and Doug SuttlesEric and Julie TrottAmanda and Gary TucciBruce and Peggy WantaKaren and Mark WeberBecca and Bill WertEileen Glasser Wesley and Mark Wesley

Allen and Janice WiesenRosemary and Ken WillmanSterling and Melinda Wilson1 Anonymous

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ARTIST’S CIRCLE Albert Lee ApplianceMichael Amend and Jeff AshleyRita and Stephen AndersonPam and Ernie AnkrimArtsFund/John Brooks Williams

and John H. Bauer Endowment for Theatre

Kristen and Chris BaileyKeith and Sheri BankstonTom and Stephanie BardenDon W. BeatyDan BecraftRebecca BenaroyaMaureen and Joel BenolielSusan and Brett BentsenCatherine Boshaw and

Doug EdlundEd and Pam BridgeTracy Briggs and Tiffiny Brown

Michael and Janelle BrookmanYelena and Tom ButtonKarlyn and Richard ByhamJudi ChapmanAaron and Crystal ColdironChristina Cyr and Alan PageMartha Dawson and Ron CorbellJohn DeVoreRonald and Sharon DommermuthRichard and Maude FerryTom and Carol FleckJean GardnerDeborah GatesGinny Gilder and Lynn SlaughterThe Greco FamilyCece HawBart and Toni HeathCarolyn and George HubmanMarilyn Lee Huey

Jim and Meredith HutchinsJudy and Bill JurdenMichele and Nick KellerJeffrey and Barbara KingKenneth B. Kluge and

Susan DogenElaine Kwon and James BuckleyLandwork Enterprises Inc.Stacy Lawson and

Steven SarkowskyFlorence Leonard and Lynn HolmsMay McCarthy and Don SmithJeffery C. Morris -

The Happy CookerJeff MyrterNancy and William NicholsGregory and Marta ObergRobert D. and Dorothy S. O’Brien

Memorial Fund

Pacific Office AutomationAnnette and Bob ParksStan and Sharon ParryMary and D.L. “Pat” PattersonChristopher Peterson and

Mark WertMichelle Philbin and Michael YurkaKen RagsdaleRonald and Deborah ReedSandi and Jim ReedA J Rieger and J W SongMatthew and Melitta RileyJon and Judy Runstad Skip SampelayoJoyce Schweickert Marc Schwartz and

Michael CourtoisSeattle Rotary Service Foundation John F. Shaw

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE Aegis LivingGeoffrey AntosAdam and Maura BarrBill BerrySteven and Theresa BingerEric Blom and Min ParkBrandon BrayGrace BrewerDon and Marilyn CoveyScott Crowder and Todd PierceDaqopa Brands +Davis Wright Tremaine LLPCyndi and Alden DeSotoDennis and Deborah DeYoungDoris Duke Charitable Foundation Larry and Brittni EstradaFielder FamilyGary J. Fuller and Randy L. EverettChristy and Travis Gagnier

GM NameplateGreen Diamond Resource Company Sean and Bernadine GriffinDavid and Cheryl HadleyCorinne and Russell HagenMindy and Brady HillJohn Holden and Kathleen

McLagan - In Honor of Allegria and Cimorene Holden

Christian Huitema and Neige GilLisa JonesNicholas and Amanda JonesStellman Keehnel and

Patricia BrittonKaren and Gordon KirklandKPMGLisa KroeseChris and Christy LaneGrace and Franz Lazarus

Myron and Shirley LindbergLott FoundationTwyla and Tom LucasJudith LybeckerMary Ann and John MangelsJolene McCaw Family FoundationMichael McCormackRichard MeadowsSteven and Barbara MogerThe Morgan FundBeth MoursundRobert and Claudia NelsonJohn Nettleton and Bryan HathawayPaul and Dina PigottWendy and Mike PopkeProMotion Arts +Bruce PymRegence BlueShieldNorman and Constance Rice

Jim and Bet SchulerMary See Foundation Brad and Kathy SmithLinda and David StahlStart It! Foundation - Linda and

Kevin CheungGary and Barbara StoneKay Taylor and Walter OliverTheatre Communications GroupR. Porky and Terri ThomsenUnion BankU.S. Bank FoundationVirginia Mason Medical CenterWashington State Arts Commission Karla and Gary WatermanTracy WellensMary Williams and Pat GallisH.S. Wright III and Kate Janeway

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THANK YOU TO OUR NEXT STAGE LEADERSHIP SUPPORTERS

The following donors have made commitments of $25,000 or more to support our Next Stage, an endeavor to enhance the guest experience at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Over the next few years we will continue our ambitious renovations to update our irreplaceable performance venue with inviting spaces which will foster an enjoyable musical theater experience for the 300,000 guests we serve each year. Without these leadership gifts, The 5th Avenue renovations would not have gotten off the ground. We are deeply grateful!

4CultureMarleen and Kenny Alhadeff

Bob and Clodagh AshThe Sheri and Les Biller

Family FoundationMargaret A. Clapp

Barbara CroweGary J. Fuller and Randy L. Everett

Joshua Green Foundation

Wanda J. HerndonPatrick Kennedy and Melissa Ries

Estate of Marian LackovichThe Norcliffe Foundation

John and Deanna OppenheimerHillary and David Quinn

Ann Ramsay-JenkinsStephen P. Reynolds and Paula

Rosput Reynolds

The Herman and Faye Sarkowsky Charitable Foundation

Joyce SchweickertCynthia Stroum

Tom and Connie WalshRosemary and Ken WillmanSterling and Melinda Wilson

1 Anonymous

To learn how you can play a role in our Next Stage, please contact Rachel Whalen in the Development Department at (206) 971-7936 or [email protected].


THANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERSTHANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERSS

UP

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David ShowalterBrian and Megan SmithChristy and Brian SmithPeggy and Greg Smith

In Memory of Donna SmoakSouth Tacoma Antique MallPerry and Diana StultzJeffrey Sutherland and

Ben AguiluzToyota of Tri-CitiesTulalip Tribes Charitable

Contributions

Jim and Kathy TuneDavid Wang2 Anonymous

PRODUCER’S CIRCLEKathy AaronJoan and Tim AdkissonThe Aguiar GroupRay and Carol AironeJosh AlhadeffKirsten Anderson and Kevin SabolSusan and Heather AnsteadSarah and Scott Armstrong Edith and Ray AspiriBaby Pictures UltrasoundJack and Bea BakerEarl and Marilyn BarkerElizabeth Bastoni and

Ludovic Guillaume Michael BauerDoug and Maria BayerJudi Beck and Tom AlbergCharlotte BehnkeCraig and Gretchen BekinsKathleen Bennett David BernhardDel and Pat BishopGlen and Sherri BodmanDaniel and Janet BolongNeal and Katherine BoothLindsay BoschBob and Bobbi BridgeLauren and William BrightSandee BrockAlice M. BrownPatrick and Sherry BurnsSusan BuskeDeborah CallahanNancy and Ed CallawaySteve and Georgene CampArthur and Kristine CarreDouglas and Mary Casady SrDr. and Mrs. Mike CaseyBrian ChangBarbara Clinton and Ray WheelerJanet and Robert CoeKathleen and Bill CollinsDr. and Mrs. William ColwellEllen and Bill ConnerErin CoomerDavid CoonsDoris and Buck CoppessMichael and Sheila CoryJim and Nancy CrimRichard Cuthbert and

Cheryl Redd-CuthbertNeil DavidsonJill and Don DayMike and Maggie De LaurentisKaren Derrey and FriendsThe DeVinck FamilyMargot Dick and Bill RossCindy and William DickeyWende Doohan

Robert J. and Olga T. EarleLinda and Rande Ebberson Leo Eberle and Lisa VivianRobert and Jane EhrlichRuth-Ellen ElliottJanice and Ray EngleVicki FabreJennifer and Michael FaddisJohn and Sophy FanJack and Jeanne FankhauserJoyce Farley and Tom SteeleJanet FaulknerRod FichterGene and Judy FlathAlvin and Mary FormoBrian and Windy Autumn FosterSara FrankEleanor and Jeff FreemanSteve FreimuthCindy FryJohn FultonGerry and Linda GallagherErich GauglitzAnton and Karen N. GielenKathy GoldsteinSusan GrayJoshua Green III and

Pamela GreenChris Griffin - In Memory of

Beverly A. LongScott GuentherMarie and Brad GunnMike Hackett and

Cherie Lenz-HackettChuck and Kathy HamiltonJohn and Laura HammarlundBeth HammondsJohn and Katherine HarnishSteve HarrellThe Harrick FamilyCathi and Ken HatchLarry and Susan HauserCheryl and John HendricksMary and Tom HercheRod and Nancy HochmanTina and Randy HodginsMike HodgkinsJoelle and Greg HoffJoan and Patrick HoganHal and Donna HowardLaurin C. Huffman IISharon and Steve HulingMarilyn IversonKathy and Michael JacksonMarlene and William JenkinsFred JohnsonBrad JonesDavid and Rio JonesK Foundation

Danuta Kasprzyk and Daniel Montano

Travis and Suzanne KeelerBruce and Linda KilenSaSa and Ken KirkpatrickChris Knoll and Cheryl DobesKonstantin KomissarchikJudith A. KramerJune K. KuboDawnell LambRobert Land and

Renee McCormickSandra Lastoka, Tim and

Connor EwingThe Latimer FamilyPatrick and Cheryl LaymanLaurie and Karl LeavertonSharon Lee and David BlaylockBen LeiferMark Levine and John KeppelerStefan LewisMary and Harry LoGary LockeFloyd and Kim LorenzKen and Darlene LoweSue and Bill LoweryJeff and Lydia LukinsGary Lynch and Darin ThomasJulie and Scott LynchBob and Cindy Masin Mel and MJ McDonaldBruce and Christe McMenomyJim and Laura MendozaErika MichaelAin MilnerChie MitsuiMichelle Moga and

Jean-Francois PeyrouxRobin and Bill MonteroMitzi and John MorrisRon and Maria MurphreeDenise and Ben NelsonGregg and Judy NelsonReesa NelsonJanice NishimoriNancy NordhoffJeannie NordstromMichelle NorstromRoger NyhusDebbie and Rick PabstConnie and David ParkerArthur and Rachel PattersonPetra Charitable FoundationKaren E. PhillipsJudy PigottJeanette and Joe PiottVicki PogorelcRosalind and Melvyn PollEd and Eleonore Pottenger

Russell PowellDeb and Arnie Prentice Richard PyleBecky and Sean QuinlanDennis ReichenbachRichard and Sharon ReuterJoe and Linnet RobertsMarilyn and Patrick RobertsLori and Doug RosencransPam RosendahlSteve Rovig and Brian GiddensChristopher Santini Desiree SaraspiDon and Bev SchmidtJoe SchwartzJohn SearingDarren and Anne ShakibMichael SharpRobert and Mary SheehanEdward and Kathleen SherryJames and Rebecca ShipmanMiriam Shirley and Lynne KellerKathryn and Jon SiglerAnne and Mark StantonLeigh and Susi StevensHelen R. StusserStuart and Barbara SulmanTim SundayGretchen and Ted TaylorMatthew and

Catherine Coles TedescoBetty Lou TreigerJanet TurpenDiane VadnaisBill and Jeanette VictoryJean B. Viereck Lisa Vila and GI GreemanVine Street GroupMark and Kathy WagnerChristopher WainChristina and Mark WalkerOlivia Webb and Chris JohnsonJoseph and Kathryn WeinsteinLinda and Tony WhatleyClinton and Susan WhiteDennis and Jo Anne WhitePatty and John WhiteJohn and Darlene WilczynskiMadeline Wiley and Bob SmithingDavid WilliamsJim and Deanna WilsonBarbara and Mark WonKelly and Wayne WrightMargo and Curtis Wright2 Anonymous

THANK YOU TO OUR NEXT STAGE LEADERSHIP SUPPORTERS

PATRONSTyler AddingtonMs. Michael Adler and

Mr. Michel LebasAnderson & Hawkins

Annie’s Art & Frame +John and Karen Arbini

ArtsFund/Peter F. Donnelly Merit Fund



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Kerry and Laura BaileyMichael R. BarclayRobert and Joanne BarenbergMike and Kathy BarkerRob Barrick and Harold CostaDavid C. BealCarolyn BechtelJodi BehrmanClaire and Doug Beighle Debbie and Trond BodalJohn BolingMargaret and Richard BossiAnita Braker and Dave OlsenPhilip BrazilHerbert and Jerri BrodAdriane BrownDeryl Brown-Archie and

Butch WilliamsRichard and Cynthia BrownellKristine BryanDr. Foster and Mrs. Cheryl BucherMartha Buchta-Spevack and

Max SpevackJacqueline BumsteadJodi and Mark BurickGretchen and Jonathan BurksFred and Joan BurnsteadPaulette and Alex Camara Paula CampbellMaria CantrellDoris and James CassanGrant and Emilie CastleAline and Dennis Caulley Jennifer CearleyBarbara ChamberlainAndrew and Lorna ChinChristine ChristensenKatrina ChristianTina Riss ChristiansenPatti ChrzanKelly and James Clark Rex and JoAnn ClarkAlisha ClevelandAnnemarie and Peter ColinoBarbara and Michael ComteGary and Consuelo CorbettPeter Corippo and Scott MurrayBob and Linda CornynLisa CrockettEJ CurryKevin and Michelle DamourMelonee Daniels and Stuart PlattDorcee and Bob DavenportDavid and Susan DentonRichard and Elizabeth DobesIn Memory of Muriel L. DohrmannJoshua DunbarRichard DuncanZvi EffronKarl Ege Ian and Maria EinmanDebbie and Mark Eliasen Leonard and Edie ElionJerry and Julie ElkingtonLeAnn and Craig ElkinsKathy and Alan ElserRamona Emerson and

Brian McMullen

Sandra L. EnglishMary and Bruce EnterLorri Ericson and Pete BellmerIn Honor of Shari ErnstJodi and Andrew EvensonNyle and Terri FarmerAlison FastTodd and Diane FesslerJanet and Chuck FindleyJan FloateBob and Micki Flowers–In

Honor of Wanda HerndonDorothy and David FlukeLinda M. Fox and Monica FoxSarah FuellingNeal GafterIvonne D. GalvanTammi GardnerRobert Gay and

Heather ChristiansonCarmen and Carver GaytonLynn and Colleen GiroirDavid and Kathryn GodwinLouis Golden IIILaura B. GowenIn Honor of The Green FamilyMichael J. GreenTed and Sandy GreenleeRandy and Denise GrittonJennifer GuildSarah HahnWendy HalpinJonno HanafinJim Harms and

Louise Schilter-HarmsJanet and Bill HarrisRhonda HartzellSandra HawkinsDeborah HaynesBarbara and James HeaveyHarold and Mary Frances HillKathy J. HillMarty and Karen HowlettBu Huang and Zhan DingTeri and Charles HuddlestonSophie Hager HumeRyan HydeMary IsaacsonTrevor IwaszukKeith JohansenJon L. JohnsonKarol and Leyton JumpSuzanne and Chris JuneauRobert Kakiuchi|Keela WilliamsJudy and Jerry KarwhiteRuth and Harold KephartMarillyn KetchersideLori and James Kilberg Cindy A. KlettEileen KnobbsJohn KohlsaatDavid Kolk Teri Kopp and Walt WeberThe Kramer FamilyBill and Michelle KrippaehneLinda and Stein Kruse Camille and Gary KucinskiShailesh Kumar

Kimberly KuresmanThe Kuresman FamilyAlice LamkenTrevor LastukaJane LeachDonalee LeeThe Lesser FamilyMaureen and Jeff LewisMichael LincolnBecky LoebNancy Lomneth and Mark BoydAngela LoneyKaren and David LyonsGlenn MacDonald and

Amanda TwissJerry Magnoni and Janet Mueller Glenn and Jeanne MalubayPatrick MargherioCarmen Mayo Terry McCarthyMeredith McClurgLiz and James McDanielHeather McGeeSue McLain Nancy and James McMurrerCharlotte MeheganApril and Jere MeyerGina MeyersTami and Joe MichelettiCarol and Hart MillerTeresa Olson Miller and

Thomas MillerJennifer MitchellWilliam and Lyanne MonkmanJoseph MulcahyMulvihill Insurance ServiceNational Alliance for Musical

Theatre’s National Fund for New Musicals

Jeff and Bev NeherDavid NiekerkRebecca Norlander and

Chuck BassettTom and Christine O’ConnorDuane and Bonnie OlsonMaura O’NeillMarc and Pat OnkenSean OverlandMichael Parham and Hyeok Kim Nancy and Mark Pellegrino Steffi and Robert PencovicSonja PerkinsMarcie PirnieOwen PitcairnDan PoliakJoan and Brian PoorStephanie and Jay PotterWm. S. and Linda A. Potter -

In Honor of Kenny and Marleen Alhadeff

Mikel PoulsenLori and Tim PunkeJoanne QiuJohn and Stephanie RakeAlice and Dick RapaskyDeanna and Donald RappeChester ReillyRella and Ronald Reimann

David and Barbara RepanichPamela RhodesVictoria Ries and Sam Saracino Betty and Wayne RobertsonDale and Karmen RolfJudy and Kermit RosenTodd and Donna RosenbergMichelle and John RosenthalLonnie Rosenwald Curtis and Myrna RoslerValerie RosmanClifford RoweIn Loving Memory of

Herman SarkowskyMichael SaundersonJasper SchneiderTom and Bobbie SchroederSkip SchuetteDana and Rhianna ShaltryLee and Gwen ShelfordNeal and Linda ShulmanDon and Marilyn SidelJudy and Ben SimmonsHelen SingChris and Jeanine SlattBob and Pan SmithJL and Mike SongDavid and Jennifer SousaMark and Jennifer SpatzSandra StarkGladys SteeleKathy and Ed SternerTodd and Jane SummerfeltAnn and Ron SuterJanet SyreHarry Taniguchi, Jr.Ken and Lynne TaninoStephen and Terri ThomasJeanne ThompsonChristopher Togawa InsuranceCarole TovarTerrence TurnerGerald vanHeerdenMack Van WykRuth and Jerry VerhoffTira VillanuevaMary Wagner and Rich CarlblomMarilyn Wagoner-Funk and

Christopher FunkLucy and Wendy WallaceLisa and Brett WalldenJerrold and Ardee WarshalBetty WellerLinda WellsLinda and Tony Whatley Ben and Barbara WhislerClaude and Marie WhiteThomas and Jackie WilkinsonSusan M. WojackFlora J. WongTana WongJessica WrayJasmine YehMargaret YekelMarge and John YoungRebecca Zerngast and Ed SkoneBrian and Valerie Zitzman10 Anonymous


On March 17, The 5th Avenue Board of Directors hosted the annual Season Preview Dinner at The Fairmont Olympic Hotel where we announced the lineup for our 2017/18 Season, several days before the season was shared publicly. Circles donors enjoyed a fabulous dinner, lively commentary and entertaining performances of songs from the shows in our upcoming season, presented by some of The 5th’s favorite artists.

For more information on how you can become a Circles member and experience these and other exclusive events, please call Christine Johnson at (206) 260-2171.

SEASON PREVIEW DINNER

David and Cheryl Hadley

Les Biller, Cynthia Stroum, Steve Reynolds

Now through June 30, a member of our Board of Directors will match—dollar for dollar—all new and increased gifts up to $200,000 to support our critical artistic and educational endeavors.

DONORS HELP US

HELP US MEET OURDIRECTOR’S CHALLENGE

• Bring Broadway-caliber productions to our stage with Seattle-based talent

• Serve over 83,000 students through our arts education programs

• Advance the development of new musicals through our New Works program

HOW YOU CAN DONATE

MAIL: THE 5TH AVENUE THEATRE, 1326 5TH AVENUE, SUITE 735

SEATTLE, WA 98101

PHONE: (206) 971-7900ONLINE: www.5thavenue.org/support/donate

Suzanne Schreiber and Robert Greco

David Armstrong, Bob and Lynne Simpson and Roger Layman



Please join us in thanking our corporate and institutional sponsors for their generous support of The 5th Avenue Theatre!

For more information about sponsorships, please contact Sarah Bednar at (206)260-2185 or [email protected]

MAJOR SPONSORS

SPONSORS

2016/17 SEASON SPONSORS

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Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC. ©2017 U.S. Bank 160183C 5/17

We all have a part to play.

At U.S. Bank, we know the value that a vibrant art scene brings

to the community. That’s why we are proud to help support the

local arts organizations so they have a platform to

keep inspiring our community. usbank.com/community

U.S. Bank is proud to support The 5th Avenue Theatre.

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DAVID ARMSTRONG (Executive Producer and Artistic Director) Since his appointment in 2000, Armstrong has guided Th e 5th to a position as one of the nation’s leading musical theater companies, acclaimed for both its development and production of new works and its innovative stagings of classic musicals. As a director, he has created memorable 5th Avenue productions of Th e Secret Garden, Paint Your Wagon; Jacques Brel is Alive…; A Room with a View; Oliver!; Candide; Hello, Dolly!;

Sweeney Todd; White Christmas; HAIR; Mame; A Little Night Music; Anything Goes; Company; Th e Rocky Horror Show; Pippin; Vanities; Yankee Doodle Dandy!; and Saving Aimee, which he later directed on Broadway where it was renamed Scandalous. Prior to Th e 5th, Mr. Armstrong spent 20 years as a freelance director, choreographer and librettist. His work has been seen in New York and at many leading regional theaters including DC’s Shakespeare Th eatre Company, Th e Kennedy Center, Ordway Center, Ford’s Th eatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, and from 1990 to 1995 he served as Artistic Director of the Cohoes Music Hall in upstate New York. Armstrong has written the books for the musicals Th e Wonder Years (winner of seven Los Angeles Drama-Logue Awards), Gold Rush, A Christmas Carol and Yankee Doodle Dandy! In 2016, Th e Puget Sound Business Journal named Armstrong as one of their Business of Pride Outstanding Voices.

BERNADINE (BERNIE) C. GRIFFIN (Managing Director) fi rst joined Th e 5th Avenue in 2002 as director of theater advancement and development. She was appointed managing director in January 2010 and is responsible for the administrative, marketing, fundraising, information services and facility operations, as well as oversight of all activities related to the Board of Directors. During her tenure, Th e 5th Avenue has grown from a $10 million to a $25 million organization. She

brings to her position 30 years of fundraising and arts management experience. Prior to Th e 5th Avenue, she served as director of development for the prestigious Geff en Playhouse in Los Angeles, as well as for Th e Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach, California. Before moving to California, she served at the Seattle Symphony where she is proud to have been part of the team that built Benaroya Hall. In addition to the Symphony, Griffi n worked for the Tony Award-winning Seattle Repertory Th eatre, as well as Tony Randall’s National Actors Th eatre in New York. She began her career at the University of Denver. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington and is proud to have been born and raised in Walla Walla, Washington. She is a member of Th eater Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Th eatre as well as a board member of Seattle Rotary #4 and the Downtown Seattle Association. She has also served as a grants panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts. Griffi n was named one of the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 2013 Women of Infl uence. She is married to award-winning actor Seán G. Griffi n.

BILL BERRY (Producing Artistic Director) served as Th e 5th Avenue’s associate producing artistic director and casting director from 2002 through 2009. During that time, he directed productions of West Side Story (Seattle Times Footlight Award), Wonderful Town (Seattle Times Footlight Award), Wizard of Oz and Smokey Joe’s Café. In 2014, he made his Broadway debut as the director of the hit musical First Date at the Longacre Th eatre. Berry’s directing work has been seen at theaters across the country, most recently at New Jersey’s Paper

Mill Playhouse where he directed a critically acclaimed production of On the Town. Directing highlights include Cabaret performed at Th e 5th Avenue Th eatre, St. Paul’s Ordway Center (Ivey Award), San Jose’s American Musical Th eatre and Houston’s Th eatre Under the Stars, as well as the smash hits How to Succeed…, Little Shop of Horrors, First Date, RENT, Th e Music Man and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel at Th e 5th. From 2002 to 2009, he served as the producing director for Th e 5th Avenue’s education and outreach programs. During that time he signifi cantly expanded the scope and impact of these initiatives, including spearheading the creation of Fridays at Th e 5th and Th e 5th Avenue Awards, honoring excellence in high school musical theater, as well as substantially increasing the reach of the Adventure Musical Th eater Touring Company throughout the Northwest. Th ese programs combined now serve over 83,000 students annually. He also initiated the Show Talk series, which seeks to deepen the theater-going experience. Prior to his work at Th e 5th Avenue Th eatre, Berry was a freelance theater artist based in New York City.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

*Bring paid ticket stub to The 5th Avenue Box Office on day of performance. One stub per customer. $25 tickets subject to availability. Not valid for Prime/Pearl seating, with other offers or on previously purchased tickets.

See It Again for $25*

GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE CALL 1-888-625-1418ON 5TH AVENUE IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE

WWW.5THAVENUE.ORG

THE 5TH AVENUE THEATRETHE NATION’S LEADING MUSICAL THEATER

2016/17 SEASON SPONSORS

PRODUCTION SPONSOR MEDIA SPONSORS

JULY 11 - 30, 2017

“EXQUISITE. AN EMOTIONAL POWERHOUSE”

- Chicago Tribune

RESTAURANT SPONSORS

(206) 625-1900

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Business, meet Broadway.Encore Media Group connects businesses and brands to the best of arts & culture in Seattle and the Bay Area.

We’re proud to partner with The 5th Avenue Theatre, where last year audiences spent $13.3M on goods and services in King County—that’s $1.6M in lodging, $7.2M in food and beverage, $2.6M in transportation and $1.9M in shopping downtown.

From hotels and restaurants to stores and services, King County business-owners know that Encore is the best way to get their brand in the spotlight.

To learn what Encore can do for your business, visit encoremediagroup.com.

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2016/17 SEASONMAN OF LA MANCHA OCTOBER 7 – 30, 2016

DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID NOVEMBER 23 – DECEMBER 31, 2016

THE PAJAMA GAME FEBRUARY 10 – MARCH 5, 2017

MURDER FOR TWO MARCH 25 – JUNE 11, 2017 CO-PRESENTED AT ACTTHE SECRET GARDEN APRIL 14 – MAY 6, 2017

ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION JUNE 8 – JULY 2, 2017

FUN HOME JULY 11 – 30, 2017

CURTAIN UP! THE 5TH AVENUE’SCOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

The 5th Avenue Theatre supports a vibrant and diverse community throughout the greater Puget Sound area by providing a place for individuals to meet, gather and engage with American musical theater and celebrate its capacity to explore and reflect upon the human experience. Join us for the following events to celebrate America’s great indigenous art form, the Musical, and gain a deeper appreciation of the shows on our stage.

SHOW TALKS WITH ALBERT EVANSJoin us one hour before select performances for educational, enlightening and entertaining pre-show talks hosted by Artistic Associate Albert Evans. Show Talks are always free and open to all audiences.

POST-SHOW TALKBACKSWant to know more about a show you just saw? Join us on select evening performances for a free post-show talkback with the cast and creative team. Tickets for the evening’s performance are required.

Sunday, June 25 Evening – Romy and Michele's High School ReunionSunday, July 23 Evening – Fun Home

POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONSJoin us and other members of the audience immediately after select performances for a free post-show discussion about the themes of the show.Sunday, June 18 Evening – Romy and Michele's High School ReunionSunday, July 16 Evening – Fun Home

THEATER TOURSEnjoy a guided tour and learn about the building’s ornate architecture and intriguing history. Tours are approximately 20 minutes with time for questions. If your group is interested in any specific topics, please let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate you. Tours are held most Mondays at noon. Advance registration is required.

Sign up at www.5thavenue.org/about/faq#free-tours

7:00 PM, Thursday, June 86:30 PM, Tuesday, June 136:30 PM, Wednesday, June 147:00 PM, Thursday, June 156:30 PM, Tuesday, June 206:30 PM, Wednesday, June 217:00 PM, Thursday, June 226:30 PM, Tuesday, June 276:30 PM, Wednesday, June 287:00 PM, Thursday, June 29

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

6:30 PM, Tuesday, July 116:30 PM, Wednesday, July 127:00 PM, Thursday, July 137:00 PM, Saturday, July 156:30 PM, Tuesday, July 186:30 PM, Wednesday, July 197:00 PM, Thursday, July 206:30 PM, Tuesday, July 256:30 PM, Wednesday, July 267:00 PM, Thursday, July 27

Fun Home

YOUTH PROGRAMSAt The 5th Avenue Theatre, we pride ourselves on our extensive education programs that reach over 83,000 young people across the Pacific Northwest each year. Through a variety of classes, programs and events, we teach students not only a passion for the arts, but valuable life skills.

FRIDAYS AT THE 5THHigh school students are invited to attend a themed master class with a theater professional before attending a 5th Avenue show. Teens areprovided with a pizza party before the show and attend an exclusive talk-back following the performance.

3:30 PM, Friday, July 14 – Fun Home

MEMBERS ONLYMembers enjoy unique events all season long. We are excited to welcome new and long-time Annual Fund supporters to these special occasions. Stay tuned for dates and times for specific events in our 2017/18 season. If you would like more information about becoming a Member, contact Jeanne Thompson, Membership Manager, at (206) 971-7900 or [email protected].

BACKSTAGE TOURSFriends ($125+) join us for a guided tour of the theater, including backstage and onstage!

TECH WEEK REHEARSALS Friends ($125+) experience working rehearsals in the theater and pre-rehearsal talks with artistic and production leadership throughout the season. Patrons ($600+) come early to enjoy a reception before the rehearsal begins.

DESIGNER DOWNLOADPartners ($300+) enjoy a wine and cheese reception and hear from members of the creative team about their artistic vision.

SPOTLIGHT NIGHT FOR MEMBERSPartners ($300+) enjoy special benefits at Spotlight Nights including reserved seating at the front of the theater!

WAREHOUSE TOUR Partners ($300+) enjoy a morning with our production manager touring sets and props from your favorite productions.

GRAND TOUR Partners ($600+) visit the spaces rarely seen by the public: our costume shop, hair and makeup areas and the actors’ dressing rooms.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES In the event of an emergency, please wait for an announcement for further instructions. Ushers will be available for assistance.

EMERGENCY NUMBER The theater’s emergency number in Coat Check is 206-625-1294. Leave your account number or exact seat location with your emergency contact in case they need to reach you.

SMOKING POLICY Smoking is NOT allowed in any part of the theater or within 25 feet of entrance.

FIREARMS POLICY No firearms of any kind are allowed in any part of the theater.

ACCESSIBILITY Wheelchair seating is available.The theater is equipped with the Sennheiser Listening System;

headsets are available at Coat Check for use, free of charge, with a valid ID and subject to avail-ability. Braille playbills are available at no cost from Coat Check. Elevator access is available with usher assistance.

The 5th Avenue offers American Sign Language interpreted, audio described, and open captioned performances. Large print programs are available at coat check.

For more information, call 206-625-1900 (voice) or email [email protected].

CANDY & BEVERAGES Items purchased at the lobby concession stand may be brought into the theater. Beverages must be in a bottle with cap or a theater cup with lid.

COAT CHECK is located on the lower level lobby between Aisles 3 and 4.

LOST & FOUND Call 206-625-1418 between 10 AM and 4 PM on weekdays.

ADDRESS The 5th Avenue Theatre is located at 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101. The Theatre Administra-tive Offices are located at 1326 5th Avenue, Suite 735, Seattle, WA 98101.

BOX OFFICE 206-625-1900.

GROUP SALES Groups of 10 or more save. Call 888-625-1418 or email [email protected].

ADMINISTRATION 206-625-1418.

FAX 206-292-9610.

WEBSITE www.5thavenue.org

THEATER RENTAL For information regarding booking, please contact Cathy Johnstone at 206-625-1418.

Stay Connected to The 5th! Join the Conversation with #5thRANDM.

Become a Fan on FacebookLate-breaking news, musical theater trivia, backstage happenings, and more. It’s all there on Facebook when you become a fan.

Read More on the BlogCan’t get enough 5th Avenue? Get an in-depth look at The Theatre with wide-ranging posts about 5th Avenue influencers from actors to creatives to supporters.

Sign Up for 5th Avenue EmailJoin our email list and you’ll be the first to know about ticket deals, upcoming events, and everything else 5th Avenue! Sign up at:

Check Out Our Mobile Site and AppVisit www.5thavenue.org on your mobile device to access our mobile site. Or visit your mobile app store and search for The 5th Avenue Theatre. Currently available for iPhone and Android.

Follow us on InstagramPost your photos at special events using #5thAvenue and tell us what you think of your favorite shows!instagram.com/the5thavenuetheatre

Follow Us on TwitterTweet along with us at special events and tell us what you think of your favorite shows!twitter.com/5thAveTheatre

Visit our YouTube ChannelChats with visiting artists, clips from Spotlight Night, behind-the-scenes looks at shows in progress and more. See what we’ve added to our video library on The 5th Avenue YouTube Channel.www.youtube.com/5thAvenueTheatre

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5TH AVENUE THEATRE Wish LISTAs a non-profit theater, we rely on the generosity of our community to help us present the best work possible. The 5th Avenue Theatre is currently in need of the following items. If you or your

company can help us, please contact Office Manager Kelly Radke at (206)625-1418. All items are tax deductible.

www.5thavenue.org/account/signup

www.facebook.com/5thave

www.5thavenue.org/blog

PATRON INFORMATION

• 8 padded arm/easy chairs • Forklift


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David Armstrong, Executive Producer and Artistic DirectorBernadine C. Griffin, Managing Director Bill Berry, Producing Artistic Director

5TH AVENUE THEATRE STAFF

ARTISTICIan EisendrathAlhadeff Family Director of New Works & Music Supervisor

Lauren SmithAssistant Producer

Kat SherrellInterim Music Supervisor

Kelsey Th orgalsenCasting Director & Artistic Associate

Albert EvansArtistic Associate

Hattie AndresDirecting & Artistic Leadership Fellow

Christa SmithCasting Assistant

Jasmine JoshuaCompany Manager

Dane AndersenMusic Coordinator

Brandon PeckMusic Apprentice

EXECUTIVE AND ADMINISTRATIONPauls MacsExecutive Assistant to Mr. Armstrong & Mr. Berry

Katherine MantecaExecutive Assistant to Ms. Griffi n

COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING AND GUEST SERVICESMichael GepnerVice President of Marketing, Communications & Guest Services

Chris MarcacciDirector of Marketing

Robert PhillipsDirector of Sales & Guest Services

Marketing and Public RelationsBridget MorganSenior PR & Communications Manager

Rachel LiuzziPublic Relations Manager

Jordan LusinkCommunications Coordinator

Reesa NelsonMarketing & Engagement Manager

Britt TayrienMedia Buyer and Promotions Manager

David VedderSubscription Marketing Manager

Jeff CarpenterSenior Graphic Designer

Becky KelleyGraphic Designer

Direct Sales/TelefundraisingChrista BondDirect Sales/Telefunding Manager

Edwin BoydAssistant Manager

Angelica Gutierrez, Judy Henceroth, Henriette Klauser, Sherry Langlois, Jim Pennington, Gail Sage, Kate Scranton, Andrea Smith, Joseph Staub, Sylvia WiedleinRepresentatives

Front of HouseJaime WelkerFront of House Manager

Ed Lammi, Sean Martin, Emma Ruhl, Caitlyn StarkHouse Managers

Garth Ball, Colin Chez, Frank Chinn, Dave Cusick, Jessica Downen, Karen Hall, Nancy Harris, Josiah Harrison, Olivia Hollinger, Casey Kaplowitz, Ed Lammi, Sean Martin, Tony Mazzella, Sue Moser, Francie Mylet, Liz Pyle, Emma Ruhl, Scott Seramur, Caitlyn Stark, Miles Th ompson, Olivia Vaughn-Welker, Donald YatesHead Ushers

Kathleen Bryant, Barbie Denend, Karen Hall, Tony MazzellaCoat Check

Mike DeBenedictis, Kris Dunn, Isis KingSecurity

Guest Services/TicketingPeggy BusteedSubscription Services Manager

Chad BiesmanCorporate & Group Sales Manager

Martha McKeeGuest Experience Assistant

Isabel DickeyTicketing Manager

Devon PowellAssistant Ticketing Manager

Khajha RogersAssistant Manager - Guest Services

Mary DellasegaPatron Relations

Guest Service AssociatesLeila Ali, Christine Anderson, Courtney Bennett, Francesca Betancourt, Shayna Boardman, Ashley Burns, Caitlin Castro, Nicole Coven, Natasha Danziager, Jenna Galdun, Amanda Green, Renee Infelise, Levi Hawkins, Caleb Miller, Melanie Owen, Kayla Rabe, Andrew Rowland, Kelsey Sims, Nick Spencer, Pam Wagher, Patrick Walrath, Lily Warpinski, Rachel Zimmerman

DEVELOPMENTMichelle MogaVice President of Philanthropy

Sarah McKee BednarCorporate Giving Manager

Jill Big EagleIndividual Giving Offi cer

Amy ChasanovFoundation & Government Relations Manager

Danielle FranichSpecial Events Manager

Camille HansonDonor Relations Offi cer

Christine JohnsonCircles Manager

Chelsea JuddDevelopment Coordinator

Desiree SaraspiDonor Information Services Manager

Jeanne Th ompsonMembership Manager

Rachel WhalenMajor & Planned Giving Offi cer

EDUCATION AND OUTREACHOrlando MoralesDirector of Education and Outreach

Anya RudnickEducation Engagement Specialist

Connie CorrickSchool Programs Manager

Kwapi VengesayiCommunity Engagement Specialist

Lauren RuhlAdventure Musical Th eater Coordinator

FINANCEDean FrerkerVice President of Finance

Rory KroutController

Zoë OrtizPayroll Administrator

Sean StelfoxProduction Staff Accountant

Joline FungAccounting Associate

Kelly CogswellAccounts Payable Coordinator

Ben LeiferHuman Resources Manager

Jo-Ann GreenPayroll Clerk

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYJim CornelsonDirector of IT

Melisa BumpusAssistant Director of IT – Systems

Maryke VanBeuzekomAssistant Director of IT – Data

Nichole MinesSenior Database Manager

Douglas DayHelpdesk Administrator

Dave SimpsonHelpdesk Administrator

Christopher CuhelDatabase Coordinator

OPERATIONSCatherine JohnstoneDirector of Facility Operations

Alda ShepherdFacility Manager

Kelly RadkeOffi ce Manager/Volunteer Coordinator

STAGE DOOR/SECURITY STAFFKaren Hall, Erik Knauer, Dean LaRoque, Meg Plimpton

ATTORNEYSFor Th e 5th Avenue Th eatre:

Levin Plotkin & MeninLoren H. Plotkin and Susan MindellLawton PennSendroff & Baruch, LLP

PRODUCTIONJoan ToggenburgerDirector of Production

Mo ChapmanProduction Logistics Coordinator

Erik HoldenTechnical Director

Austin ManningAssistant Technical Director

Shannin Strom-HenryCostume and Wardrobe Director

Sets & RiggingLaurel S. HortonHead Carpenter

Benjamin BairdAssistant Carpenter

Ken BergAutomation Carpenter

John HudsonHead Rigger

Dave McCawleyHead Flyman

Scot C. AllisonAssistant Flyman

C. Luke MathisHead Builder

Brian AinslieAssistant Builder

LightingSean CallahanHead Electrician

Stephen A. GrahamAssistant Electrician

Ross M. Brown, Noel ClaytonKey Electricians

Nate RedfordProgrammer

SoundKaren Marta KatzHead Sound Engineer

James RudyAssistant Sound Engineer

Kelly MickelsonKey Sound Engineer

PropsDiana J. GervaisProduction Property Master

Tristan E. HansenCreative Property Master

Katy BrownAssistant Property Master

Ariana Donofrio, Austin SmartProp Builders/Artisans

Costumes & WardrobeChristopher MoadCostume Shop Manager

Deborah EngelbachCostume & Wardrobe Assistant

Marlys McDonaldWardrobe Master

Randy WerdalAssistant Wardrobe Master

Patti Emmett, Christina Hobbs, Gillian PaulsonDraper/Cutter

Jeanna GomezMaster Crafts

Holly Kipp, Robin Montero, Teresa O’LearyFirst Hands

Cora Brown, Rachel Kunze Wilke, Hannah McNamara, Shellie Moomey, Morgana SpakeStitchers

Hair & Make-upMary JonesHead Hair and Make-up

Heather SincicAssistant Hair and Make-up

Jason GoldsberryAssistant Hair and Make-up

SPECIAL THANKSACCO . Alphagraphics . Eden Pest Control . Evergreen Fire and Safety . McKinstry . Minuteman Press . Penske . Prime Electric . Rainier Building Services . Servicemark LLC . Unico Properties . Walter E. Nelson Co. . Washington Graphics LLC . Whitman Global Carpet Care . Zee Medical Service


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THE NATION’S LEADING MUSICAL THEATER€¦ · You’ve spent your life accumulating wealth. And,...

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