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Grantors

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Sponsors

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Special Thanks

Endless thanks to Islay the Goldendoodle.

Donors

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Meet Our Donors

Tributes

Tributes

In honor of Nancy Agee and on her birthday by Dr. Nathaniel L. Bishop In honor of Ginger Poole and Jack Avis by Nancy O. Gray and David N. Maxson, by Mr. and Mrs. Mark. Lawrence, and by Will Trinkle and Juan Granados In memory of Margaret BakerIn memory of Mervin W. Brower by Ms. Blanche Brower In memory of Willeyne McCune Clemens and Dorothy Meyer Hannaford by Ms. Nancy R. Patterson In memory of John R. LightIn honor of Belle McNamara by Belle, Bo & Buzz In memory of Doug Patterson by Dorothy S. Clifton, Betty G. Tate, and Kathy and Ben Temple In honor of B.J. Preas by Jane and Jerry Cheadle Test Test Test Test Test
Our Tributes

Performers

(in alphabetical order)

Aaron Albano

*

William, u/s M. Maboul

Carlyn Connolly

*

Aurélie

Kevin Curtis

*

Colombe

Laura Girard

*

Dorian/Hérissonne

Jacob Hoffman

*

Gryphon

Tracie Elaine Lee

*

Geneviève

David Merten

*

Stéphane

Mike Schwitter

*

Napoléon

Christine Cornish Smith

*

Delphine

Sharrod Williams

*

Coquin/Perruche, u/s Chance

Aaron Albano – Understudy M. Maboul

Setting

1944, Occupied France
There will be one 15-minute intermission

Songs & Scenes

Act I
"Rebellion, Revolution, Paradox"
Full Company
"The Circle’s End"
Aurélie
"Almost Real"
Chance
"Curiosity"
Aurélie
"Long Story Short"
William, Perruche, Hérissonne & Aurélie
"Fantasia"
Chance & Full Company
"The Other Side"
Chenille
"Beyond the Sky"
Aurélie & Colombe
"Visions"
Delphine, Stéphane, & Aurélie
"Where You Want to Go"
Marie-Laure
"A Table for Three"
M. Maboul, Mars, & Dorian
Act II
"Roses In Bloom"
Full Company
"What A Pity"
Chance
"Laughter Through Tears"
Mme. Tortue
"Will You, Won’t You?"
Gryphon, Mme. Tortue, & Aurélie
"Nostalgic Echo"
Marie-Laure
"The Accusation"
Chance, Geneviève, Napoléon & Coquin
"A Table for Three (Reprise)"
M. Maboul, Mars & Dorian
"Nothing Whatever"
Full Company
"Expression More Profound"
Aurélie & Full Company
"To See You Again"
Aurélie & Delphine

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Actors’ Equity Association (“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers, Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving 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. www.actorsequity.org

Production Staff

Director
Melissa Rain Anderson
Scenic Design
Ann Beyersdorfer
Costume Design
Fabian Fidel Aguilar
Lighting Design
Jamie Roderick
Sound Design
Kevin Heard
Arrangements
Andrew Nielson
Casting
Kate Lumpkin Casting
General Management
EBP Productions
Production Stage Manager
Laura Malseed
Music Supervisor
Andrew Nielson

Venue Staff

School Administration Staff

No items found.

Musicians

No items found.

Board of Directors

President

Carlyn Connolly

Vice President

Pat Linhart

Treasurer

Pat Linhart

Secretary

Joe Chisholm

Board Members

Richard Hess Diane Lala Andrew Nielson Jodi Bluestein

Student Advisory Board

Message From The Theatre

Welcome to Parkside Court's inaugural production of the 2021 season, and the first performances on our stage following a devastating pandemic that shook our industry–and the world at large–to its very core.

We have long awaited the chance to welcome our patrons back to their seats and to once again experience and enjoy the innately transcendent and transformative art of theatre.

It is important to us that our audience understand the exhaustive measures we have taken to ensure not only the safety of our audience, but that of our staff, crew, and the cast on stage. From new cleaning protocols, to a new air filtration system, to the contactless program you hold in your hands, we have left no stone unturned in our efforts to ensure a safe and successful return to our theatre.


Gladys Kingston, Artistic Director

A Note From The Dramaturg

A work of art incorporating rebelliousness, revolution, paradox; distortions of space and time, logic, size, and proportion; disbelief in conventional reality; assimilation of dreams, wordplay, and the ineffable nature of childhood: What do we first think of when we hear these words?

Although the outrageousness of Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was limned within a conventional fairy tale (ostensibly for children), the surrealists deliberately sought outrage and provocation in their art and lives and questioned the nature of reality. For both Dodgson and the surrealists, what some call madness could be perceived by others as wisdom.Surrealism’s initial objective was to make accessible to art the realms of the unconscious, the irrational, and the imaginary, and its influence soon went far beyond the visual arts and literature, embracing music, film, theater, philosophy, and popular culture.*

We welcome you to our modern wonderland--a world of Rebellion, Revolution, and Paradox--and we invite you to ask of yourself the question posed so effortlessly in a rowboat on the Thames:

In a time of unrelenting crisis, who are you?

*Mark Burstein, “Dodgson and Dalì,” 2015

History of the Theatre

Established in 2011, Parkside Court Regional Theatre emerged as a dynamic force in the cultural landscape of its region. Nestled within the vibrant community of Parkside, the theatre swiftly gained acclaim for its dedication to presenting fresh, innovative works that resonated with contemporary audiences. From its inception, Parkside Court distinguished itself by embracing the spirit of experimentation and exploration, continuously pushing the boundaries of traditional theatre.

Starting in a modest venue, Parkside Court quickly expanded its reach, captivating audiences with a diverse repertoire that showcased new and exciting pieces from emerging playwrights alongside reimagined classics. With each production, the theatre fostered an atmosphere of creative collaboration and artistic risk-taking, inviting patrons to immerse themselves in thought-provoking narratives that reflected the complexities of modern life. Today, Parkside Court Regional Theatre stands as a beacon of creativity and ingenuity, enriching its community with a bold and ever-evolving vision for the future of theatre.

Cast
Creatives

Meet the Cast

Aaron Albano

*

William, u/s M. Maboul
(
Dance Captain
)
Pronouns:
he/him

Aaron Albano hails originally from the West Coast where he began performing professionally at the age of 15 in San Jose, CA. After attending the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), majoring in musical theatre, he made his Broadway debut in the original company of Bombay Dreams. Since then, Aaron has performed in such Broadway shows as Wicked, A Chorus Line, Mary Poppins, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (where he closed the production as Chip Tolentino), The King and I, Allegiance, Cats, and most notably, as Finch in the original Broadway company of Newsies. Aaron can currently be seen as Samuel Seabury (and on rare occasion King George III) on the national tour of Hamilton.

Carlyn Connolly

*

Aurélie
(
)
Pronouns:
she/her

Carlyn Connolly is a NYC-based performer and start-up founder. Select regional credits include Cabaret (Fräulein Kost, u/s Sally Bowles; Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Company (Sarah, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina), The Great Gatsby (Jordan Baker, Ivoryton Playhouse), Fun Home (Helen Bechdel, Mill Mountain Theatre), The Sound of Music (Elsa Schraeder, Virginia Opera), Hello, Dolly! (Irene Malloy, Virginia Musical Theatre), and An American in Paris (Milo Davenport, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina). Carlyn has performed as a soloist with orchestras in the US, Canada, and across Asia. Love always to Mom, Dad, Devin, and Melissa, and endless thanks to Andre for this incredible honor.

Kevin Curtis

*

Colombe
(
)
Pronouns:

Broadway: Moulin Rouge. B’way National Tour: A Chorus Line. Off-Broadway: Invisible Thread (Second Stage). Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, The MUNY, Steppenwolf Theatre Co., ART, Denver Center,  Geva Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, PCLO, North Shore Music Theatre, TUTS, Stages St. Louis and many more. TV: Pose (FX), Younger (TVLand), The Other Two (HBO Max), Side Hustle (Nickelodeon). Film: Loulou, Take Care, Newlyweeds. Training: Baltimore School for the Arts, AMDA.

Laura Girard

*

Dorian/Hérissonne
(
)
Pronouns:

Laura Girard is a proud graduate of the Ball State University BFA Musical Theatre program. She was recently seen dancing at Nationwide Arena with the Tom Sartori Band, and in Lippa's The Wild Party in collaboration with the Yale School of Music. She currently lives in New York with her boyfriend and her cat.

Jacob Hoffman

*

Gryphon
(
)
Pronouns:

Jacob Hoffman • Actor, Singer, Writer, Teacher • NY/Off-Broadway: Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly (The Actors Fund), I’ll Be Damned (The Vineyard Theatre), Bless You All! (Connelly Theatre), Scary Musical: The Musical (York Theatre), Jacob Hoffman's Kindergarten Thanksgiving Spectacular (The Green Room 42). Select Regional: Geva Theatre Center, Arkansas Rep., ACT of Connecticut, Pioneer Theatre Co., Utah Shakespearean Festival, Bay Street Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Arkansas Rep., and Porchlight Music Theatre.  Proud AEA member.

Tracie Elaine Lee

*

Geneviève
(
)
Pronouns:

Off-Broadway: Safeword. First National tour: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Uptown). Select Regional: Dreamgirls (Michelle), Fortress of Solitude (Marilla), Les Miserables (Eponine), Cabaret (Texas), Stagger Lee. Many thanks to Avalon Artists Group & Kate Lumpkin Casting. Endless love to God, Dad, Mom, Janelle & Bop.

David Merten

*

Stéphane
(
)
Pronouns:

David Merten just completed his first year as an MFA Acting student at Brown University/Trinity Rep. He made his New York Off-Broadway debut with a seven-month run of the hit play Afterglow at The Davenport Theatre. Other New York/regional credits include Sons of the Prophet, The Two Gentlemen Of Verona, And Then There Were None, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival Acting Apprentice program. Catch him in the popular fiction podcasts Gay Future and Meet Cute on iTunes, as well as the web series Queen's English, streaming online now. He is a proud graduate of Ball State University's BFA Acting program as well as a proud member of AEA.

Mike Schwitter

*

Napoléon
(
)
Pronouns:

Mike Schwitter just finished traveling for two years with the national tour of Les Misérables (covering Marius and Enjolras.) Broadway: Pippin (Lewis, u/s Pippin). National Tour: The Book of Mormon (Swing, u/s Elder Price). Regional: Next to Normal (Regional Premier and elsewhere; Gabe), Jesus Christ Superstar, Love Changes Everything, Chamberlain. Other favorites include HAIR, Urinetown, and Anything Goes. Mike has also performed with dozens of symphonies across the country in shows such as Cirque Musica, "The Spy Who Loved Me" with Sheena Easton, and West Side Story at the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Mike holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and currently resides in New York City.

Christine Cornish Smith

*

Delphine
(
)
Pronouns:

Christine Cornish Smith was most recently seen on Broadway in the Original Revival Cast of Kiss Me, Kate!, where she was a featured dancer in the ensemble and covered Lois Lane/Bianca. Christine is most well known for her portrayal of Bombalurina in the OBC revival of CATS, where she was nominated for a 2017 Chita Rivera Award for Best female performance in a Broadway Musical. She was also seen in the OBC of My Fair Lady in 2018 at Lincoln Center. A cum laude graduate of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, other credits include: Laurey Williams in Susan Stroman’s Oklahoma! at the MUNY, Sheila Bryant in A Chorus Line at the Riverside Theater, original revival tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat helmed by Andy Blankenbuehler, and more. She has also performed as a principal vocalist with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Phoenix Symphony, and the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, as well as was a finalist in Kurt Weill’s Lotte Lenya Vocal Competition in 2014. She appeared in the 25th Anniversary Concert performance of Crazy For You at Lincoln Center and has also appeared on HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver, “Good Morning, America”, “The Today Show”, “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”, and “The Tony Awards". Christine is a teacher for Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, CLI studios, Institute of American Musical Theater, Broadway Workshop, Broadway On Demand, Broadway Classroom, among other programs. She has been featured on Playbill.com, Broadway.com, Inside Dance Magazine, and BroadwayBox as one of the "Incredible Debuts" of the 2016 Broadway season. Catch Christine on the upcoming season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” on Amazon Prime Video coming fall 2021!

Sharrod Williams

*

Coquin/Perruche, u/s Chance
(
)
Pronouns:

Broadway: OBC CATS (Pouncival), Tuck Everlasting. Off-Broadway: Grand Hotel (Encores!). Tours: Hamilton (Chicago), A Chorus Line (Richie), Bring It On: The Musical (La Cienega). Regional: Kennedy Center, TUTS, MUNY, Asolo Rep. Dance Companies: The Chase Brock Experience, Life Dance Company, and the Von Howard Project. Film: Happy, Yummy, Chicken. TV: Under The Influence, Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, GMA, Today Show. Executive Producer, writer, and star of the award-winning web series, NEIGHBORS - now available to stream on YouTube. Sharrod is the CEO of multi-media company, Cocoa Dusted Productions - dedicated to telling stories by queer folx and people of color. “Keep Going”.

Meet the Team

Andre Catrini

*

Music & Lyrics
(
)
Pronouns:

Andre is a composer/lyricist based out of New York City. His musical, The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit (Book by Allan Knee) had its world premiere at the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester, England in 2019. 

Other works include: A Problem with the Pattersons (Book by Laura Zlatos), The Wolf (Book by Joe Calarco), Thursdays at 4:15, Other Women and Whisper, Love.

Awards include: 2014 ASCAP Foundation Cole Porter Award, given “in recognition for his outstanding talent as a musical theatre composer and lyricist,” as well as a 2015 New Voices Project Merit Award.  

Andre is a member of ASCAP, an alumnus of the ASCAP Johnny Mercer Songwriter’s Workshop, a current member of the BMI-Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop, and a graduate of the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.

Melissa Rain Anderson

*

Director
(
)
Pronouns:

Melissa Rain Anderson (Director) Regional Premier of The Play that Goes Wrong and The Wolves at The Repertory Theater of St. Louis; A Christmas Carol at Denver Center Theater Company (several years); Macbeth, Big River and The Cocoanuts at Utah Shakespeare Festival; The Wolves at Syracuse Stage and All is Calm- The Christmas Truce of 1914 at Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Melissa is an Affiliate Artist at Geva Theatre Center where she has directed In the Heights, HAIR, La Cage Aux Folles, A Funny Thing…Forum, Spamalot, Spelling Bee among others. Upcoming: RII at Santa Cruz Shakespeare. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, actor Jim Poulos.

Media

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2021 National Touring Cast

Pre-Show Snack or
Post-Show Dinner?

Don’t let the evening end when the curtain comes down. With The Marquee Local, you can find the perfect place for a pre-show snack, an evening meal, or a post-show cocktail. Enjoy exclusive deals from our local partners as you catch up, discuss the show, and create memories to last a lifetime.

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Raise a Glass
Settle into that post-show glow with a stellar drink in hand

Grab a Bite

Fumo

Italian
|
1600 Amsterdam Ave

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Fumo

Italian
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1600 Amsterdam Ave

Bright, modern neighborhood Italian destination serving upmarket pizza, pasta & cocktails.

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Harlem Public

American
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3612 Broadway

Cozy pub offering creative burgers, plus a huge selection of craft beers on tap, spirits & cocktails.

Harlem Public

American
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Cozy pub offering creative burgers, plus a huge selection of craft beers on tap, spirits & cocktails.

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Mexican
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Innovative Mexican cuisine & cocktails are served in an earth-toned space with splashes of art.

Oso

Mexican
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ROKC

Japanese
|
3452 Broadway

Japanese option for several varieties of ramen, plus snacks, a raw bar & sophisticated cocktails.

ROKC

Japanese
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Japanese option for several varieties of ramen, plus snacks, a raw bar & sophisticated cocktails.

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Raise a Glass

Oh Craft! Beer

Beer
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Craft Beer, Food & Good Times. Open now for takeout cans and growlers!

Oh Craft! Beer

Beer
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Craft Beer, Food & Good Times. Open now for takeout cans and growlers!

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The Honey Well

Cocktail Bar
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3604 Broadway

Craft cocktails & bar bites are offered in a low-lit, subterranean setting with a cozy vibe.

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Uptown Bourbon

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3631 Broadway

Cozy neighborhood watering hole offering bourbon, beer & cocktails along with happy hour.

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While You Wait

With the help of our friends at Theatrely.com, Marquee Digital has you covered with exclusive content while you wait for the curtain to rise.

See Who’s Joining The Company Of STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW On Broadway
Alan Koolik
December 4, 2024

Seems more people are joining the Upside Down! Today, further casting was announced for the upcoming Broadway production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow which brings performances at the Marquis Theatre on Friday, March 28, 2025 before an official opening night on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. 

Joining the previously announced Louis McCartney as Henry Creel, the company will include Rosie Benton (Patriots) as Virginia Creel, Alex Breaux (“Stranger Things” Season 5) as Dr. Brenner, Nicky Eldridge (Broadway Debut) as Bob Newby, Andrew Hovelson (Lucky Guy) as Principal Newby, Alison Jaye (“Shameless”) as Joyce Maldonado, Emmy Award nominee T.R. Knight (“Grey’s Anatomy”) as Victor Creel, Emmy Award nominee Gabrielle Nevaeh (Nickelodeon’s “That Girl Lay Lay”) as Patty Newby and Burke Swanson (Back to the Future: The Musical) as James Hopper, Jr. 

Further casting will be announced in January 2025. 

Before the world turned upside down. Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy…and the shadows of the past have a very long reach. 

See Who’s Joining Jonathan Groff In JUST IN TIME On Broadway This Spring
Alan Koolik
December 3, 2024

The cast is shaping up for who will be joining Tony Award winner Jonathan Groff as Bobby Darin in Just In Time on Broadway this March. He will be joined by Joe Barbara, Tony Award winner Michele Pawk, Lance Roberts, Caesar Samayoa, Christine Cornish, Julia Grondin, Valeria Yamin, John Treacy Egan, Tari Kelly, Matt Magnusson, Khori Michelle Petinaud, and Larkin Reilly.

The new musical begins previews at Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre on Friday, March 28, 2025 ahead of an official opening night on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. 

Developed and directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers, the Circle in the Square Theatre will be transformed into an intimate night club where the great American entertainer’s meteoric journey - from soaring highs to crushing lows – is brought to life by Groff, a cast of 16, and features a live on-stage band performing Bobby Darin’s iconic hits including “Beyond the Sea,” “Splish Splash,” “Dream Lover,” and “Mack the Knife.” 

The production features a book by Warren Leight and Isaac Oliver, music supervision and arrangements by Andrew Resnik, and choreography by Shannon Lewis.  

Full casting and creative team will be announced at a later date.

Jack Serio To Direct Ken Urban’s DANGER AND OPPORTUNITY Off-Broadway
Alan Koolik
December 3, 2024

Theatrely31 alum Jack Serio will direct Danger and Opportunity, a new play by Ken Urban this March. The new production will premiere at the East Village Basement, located at 321 East 9th Street in Manhattan. 

Christian and Edwin are a married gay couple in a rut when Margaret – Christian’s ex-girlfriend from Catholic high school – gets in touch after twenty years. At Edwin’s urging, Christian invites her over for drinks. The trio embarks on an unexpected journey together, testing the limits of what defines a contemporary relationship.

Danger and Opportunity marks a busy 2024-2025 season for both Ken Urban and Jack Serio. The Off-Broadway premiere of Urban’s A Guide for the Homesick is set to begin performances December 6 at DR2 Theatre for a limited engagement through February 2, 2025. Meanwhile, Serio will direct Academy Award-winner Brendan Fraser in the world premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s Grangeville, February 4 – March 16, 2025, at Signature Theatre.

The cast and creative team for Danger and Opportunity will be announced at a later date.

Please visit www.dangerandopportunity.com for more information

Theatrely News
EXCLUSIVE: Watch A Clip From THEATER CAMP Starring Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, and Molly Gordon
Theatrely News
READ: An Excerpt From Sean Hayes Debut YA Novel TIME OUT
Theatrely News
"Reframing the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Stage Manager’s Eyes"
EXCLUSIVE: Watch A Clip From THEATER CAMP Starring Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, and Molly Gordon
By: Maia Penzer
14 July 2023

Finally, summer has arrived, which can only mean one thing: it's time for camp! Theater Camp, that is. Theatrely has a sneak peak at the new film which hits select theaters today. 

The new original comedy starring Tony Award winner Ben Platt and Molly Gordon we guarantee will have you laughing non-stop. The AdirondACTS, a run-down theater camp in upstate New York, is attended by theater-loving children who must work hard to keep their beloved theater camp afloat after the founder, Joan, falls into a coma. 

The film stars Ben Platt and Molly Gordon as Amos Klobuchar and Rebecca-Diane, respectively, as well as Noah Galvin as Glenn Wintrop, Jimmy Tatro as Troy Rubinsky, Patti Harrison as Caroline Krauss, Nathan Lee Graham as Clive DeWitt, Ayo Edebiri as Janet Walch, Owen Thiele as Gigi Charbonier, Caroline Aaron as Rita Cohen, Amy Sedaris as Joan Rubinsky, and Alan Kim as Alan Park. 

Theater Camp was directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman and written by Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman & Ben Platt. Music is by James McAlister and Mark Sonnenblick. On January 21, 2023, Theater Camp had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

You can purchase tickets to the new film from our friends at Hollywood.com here.

READ: An Excerpt From Sean Hayes Debut YA Novel TIME OUT
By: Kobi Kassal
29 May 2023

Actor Sean Hayes is what we in the biz call booked and blessed. On top of his Tony-nominated performance as Oscar Levant in Good Night, Oscar, Hayes has partnered with Todd Milliner and Carlyn Greenwald for the release of their new YA novel Time Out

Heralded by many as Heartstopper meets Friday Night Lights, Time Out follows hometown basketball hero Barclay Elliot who decides to use a pep rally to come out to his school. When the response is not what he had hoped and the hostility continually growing, he turns to his best friend Amy who brings him to her voting rights group at school. There he finds Christopher and… you will just have to grab a copy and find out what happens next. Luckily for you, Time Out hits shelves on May 30 and to hold you over until then we have a special except from the book just for Theatrely:

The good thing about not being on the team the past two weeks has been that I’ve had time to start picking up shifts again at Beau’s diner and save up a little for college now that my scholarship dreams are over.

     The bad part is it’s the perfect place to see how my actions at the pep rally have rotted the townspeople’s brains too.

     During Amy’s very intense musical theater phase in middle school, her parents took her to New York City. And of course she came back home buzzing about Broadway and how beautiful the piss smell was and everything artsy people say about New York. But she also vividly described some diner she waited three hours to get into where the waitstaff would all perform songs for the customers as a way to practice for auditions. The regulars would have favorite staff members and stan them the way Amy stans all her emo musicians.

     Working at Beau’s used to feel kind of like that, like I was part of a performance team I didn’t know I signed up for. The job started off pretty basic over the summer—I wanted to save up for basketball supplies, and Amy worked there and said it was boring ever since her e-girl coworker friend graduated. But I couldn’t get through a single lunch rush table without someone calling me over and wanting the inside scoop on the Wildcats and how we were preparing for the home opener, wanting me to sign an article in the paper or take a photo. Every friendly face just made the resolve grow inside me. People love and support the Wildcats; they would do the same for me.

     Yeah, right.

     Now just like school, customers have been glaring at me, making comments about letting everyone down, about being selfish, about my actions being “unfortunate,” and the tips have been essentially nonexistent. The Wildcats have been obliterated in half their games since I quit, carrying a 2–3 record when last year we were 5–0, and the comments make my feet feel like lead weights I have to drag through every shift.

     Today is no different. It’s Thursday, the usual dinner rush at Beau’s, and I try to stay focused on the stress of balancing seven milkshakes on one platter. A group of regulars, some construction workers, keep loudly wondering why I won’t come back to the team while I refuse proper eye contact.

     One of the guys looks up at me as I drop the bill off. “So, what’s the deal? Does being queer keep ya from physically being able to play?”

     They all snicker as they pull out crumpled bills. I stuff my hands into my pockets, holding my tongue.

     When they leave, I hold my breath as I take their bill.

     Sure enough, no tip.

     “What the fuck?” I mutter under my breath.

     “Language,” Amy says as she glides past me, imitating the way Richard says it to her every shift, and adds, “even though they are dicks.” At least Amy’s been ranting about it every free chance she gets. It was one thing when the student body was being shitty about me leaving the team, but the town being like this is even more infuriating. She doesn’t understand how these fully grown adults can really care that much about high school basketball and thinks they need a new fucking hobby. I finally agree with her.

     [She’s wearing red lipstick to go with her raccoon-adjacent eyeliner as she rushes off to prepare milkshakes for a pack of middle schoolers. I catch her mid–death glare as all three of the kids rotate in their chairs, making the old things squeal. My anger fades a bit as I can’t help but chuckle; Amy’s pissed-off reaction to Richard telling her to smile more was said raccoon makeup, and her tolerance for buffoonery has been at a negative five to start and declining fast.

     I rest my arms on the counter and try not to look as exhausted as I feel.

     “Excuse me!” an old lady screeches, making me jump.

     Amy covers up a laugh as I head to the old lady and her husband’s table. They’ve got finished plates, full waters. Not sure what the problem is. Or I do, which is worse.

     “Yes?” I say trying to suppress my annoyance.

     “Could you be bothered to serve us?”

     Only five more hours on shift. I have a break in three minutes. I’ll be with Devin at Georgia Tech tomorrow. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” I say, so careful to keep my words even, but I can feel my hands balling into fists. “What would you—?”

     And suddenly Amy swoops in, dropping two mugs of coffee down. “Sorry about that, you two,” she says, her voice extra high. “The machine was conking out on us, but it’s fine now.”

     Once the coffee is down, she hooks onto a chunk of my shirt, steering us back to the bar.

     “Thanks,” I mutter, embarrassed to have forgotten something so basic. Again.

     “Just keep it together, man,” she says. “Maybe you’d be better off with that creepy night shift where all the truckers and serial killers come in.”

     Honestly, at least the serial killers wouldn’t care about my jump shot.

     It’s a few minutes before my break, but clearly I need it. “I’ll be in the back room.”

     Right before I can head that way though, someone straight-up bursts into the diner and rushes over to me at the bar. It’s a middle-aged dad type, sunburned skin, beer belly, and stained T-shirt.

     “Pickup order?” I ask.

     “You should be ashamed,” he sneers at me. He has a really strong Southern accent, but it’s not Georgian. “Think you’re so high and mighty, that nothing’ll ever affect you? My kid’ll never go to college because of you and your lifestyle. Fuck you, Barclay Ell—”

     And before this man can finish cursing my name, Pat of all people runs in, wide-eyed in humiliation. “Jesus, Dad, please don’t—”

      I pin my gaze on him, remembering how he cowered on the bench as Ostrowski went off, how he didn’t even try to approach me. “Don’t even bother,” I snap.

     I shove a to-go bag into his dad’s arms, relieved it’s prepaid, and storm off to the break room.]

     Amy finds me head in my arms a minute or two later. I look up, rubbing my eyes. “Please spare me the pity.”

     She snorts and hands me a milkshake. Mint chocolate chip. “Wouldn’t dare.” She takes a seat and rolls her shoulders and neck, cracks sounding through the tiny room. “Do you want a distraction or a shoulder to cry on?”

For more information, and to purchase your copy of Time Out, click here.

Reframing the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Stage Manager’s Eyes
By: Kaitlyn Riggio
5 July 2022

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency in the United States in March 2020, Broadway veteran stage manager Richard Hester watched the nation’s anxiety unfold on social media.

“No one knew what the virus was going to do,” Hester said. Some people were “losing their minds in abject terror, and then there were some people who were completely denying the whole thing.”

For Hester, the reaction at times felt like something out of a movie. “It was like the Black Plague,” he said. “Some people thought it was going to be like that Monty Python sketch: ‘bring out your dead, bring out your dead.’”

While Hester was also unsure about how the virus would unfold, he felt that his “job as a stage manager is to naturally defuse drama.” Hester brought this approach off the stage and onto social media in the wake of the pandemic.

“I just sort of synthesized everything that was happening into what I thought was a manageable bite, so people could get it,” Hester said. This became a daily exercise for a year. Over two years after the beginning of the pandemic, Hester’s accounts are compiled in the book, Hold Please: Stage Managing A Pandemic. Released earlier this year, the book documents the events of the past two years, filtering national events and day-to-day occurrences through a stage manager’s eyes and storytelling.

When Hester started this project, he had no intention of writing a book. He was originally writing every day because there was nothing else to do. “I am somebody who needs a job or needs a structure,” Hester said.

Surprised to find that people began expecting his daily posts, he began publishing his daily writing to his followers through a Substack newsletter. As his following grew, Hester had to get used to writing for an audience. “I started second guessing myself a lot of the time,” Hester said. “It just sort of put a weird pressure on it.”

Hester said he got especially nervous before publishing posts in which he wrote about more personal topics. For example, some of his posts focused on his experiences growing up in South Africa while others centered on potentially divisive topics, such as the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Despite some of this discomfort, Hester’s more personal posts were often the ones that got the most response. The experience offered him a writing lesson. “I stopped worrying about the audience and just wrote what I wanted to write about,” Hester said. “All of that pressure that I think as artists we put on ourselves, I got used to it.”

One of Hester’s favorite anecdotes featured in the book centers on a woman who dances in Washington Square Park on a canvas, rain or shine. He said he was “mesmerized by her,” which inspired him to write about her. “It was literally snowing and she was barefoot on her canvas dancing, and that seems to me just a spectacularly beautiful metaphor for everything that we all try and do, and she was living that to the fullest.”

During the creation of Hold Please, Hester got the unique opportunity to reflect in-depth on the first year of the pandemic by looking back at his accounts. He realized that post people would not remember the details of the lockdown; people would “remember it as a gap in their lives, but they weren’t going to remember it beat by beat.”

“Reliving each of those moments made me realize just how full a year it was, even though none of us were doing anything outside,” he adds. “We were all on our couches.” Readers will use the book as a way to relive moments of the pandemic’s first year “without having to wallow in the misery of it,” he hopes.

“I talk about the misery of it, but that’s not the focus of what I wrote... it was about hope and moving forward,” Hester said. “In these times when everything is so difficult, we will figure out a way to get through and we will move forward.”

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