Paper Mill will Co-Produce Showcase for Young Artists with Disabilities on its Mainstage this August.

Paper Mill Playhouse has joined forces with the Cranford, New Jersey based non-profit Shining Stars Network to co-produce a performance featuring young artists with disabilities entitled “An Evening of Shining Stars: The Greatest Show!”  The showcase will offer audiences a Broadway spectacular featuring your favorite music, dance, and production numbers from the Great White Way and will take place on Sat, Aug 8, 2020, 7PM, at Paper Mill Playhouse. Tickets start at just $25!

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This event marks an expansion of Paper Mill Playhouse’s Theater for Everyone program, an award-winning initiative founded in 2011 that includes performances and classes for people with autism and other developmental disabilities and their families. Paper Mill’s Theater for Everyone program strives to weave inclusion throughout the fabric of the institution, creating opportunities for people of all abilities to learn, perform and attend performances with independence and dignity.

Shining Stars Network was created to put a spotlight on the special needs community and showcase their talents.  By producing inclusive entertainment, opportunities are provided for people with and without disabilities to work together to create experiences that enhance lives. Shining Stars performers are individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities who perform in inclusive events that build self-esteem and friendships. Performers are shadowed by Shining Star buddies, neurotypical high school students who help Shining Star performers learn new things and develop strong friendships.  Founded in 2012 and initially serving Union County, New Jersey, there are now Shining Stars performers from seven different New Jersey counties.

“Prepare to be amazed as our special needs performers and their high school buddies take the stage in front of an audience of over 1,000,” shared Shining Stars Director Sally Curci.  “When the lights go up, the stars always shine, entertaining with solo acts and full-cast dance choreography.  The audience is wonderful, and our performers are amazing. Each and every year our audience has grown along with our cast. They continue to inspire us every day.  We are so excited to give our special cast the chance to perform at such a great venue as Paper Mill Playhouse.”

“We are thrilled and honored to create this partnership with the legendary Paper Mill Playhouse,” noted Shining Stars Network Co-Founder and CEO Mike Curci. “From our special needs cast members, buddies, parents and our entire team, everyone is very excited for our stars to have the opportunity to perform on the iconic Paper Mill stage. It will be like performing on Broadway and we look forward to co-producing this show with their incredibly talented team.”

“An Evening of Shining Stars is an amazing opportunity to foster a love for performing for these young artists whose gifts are many,” remarked Paper Mill Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Mark S. Hoebee.  “We’re very pleased to be working with Shining Stars to make this event come to life on the historic Paper Mill stage.  When the New Jersey legislature-designated Paper Mill as the State Theater of New Jersey in 1972, we made it our mission to ensure that the art and cultural experiences at Paper Mill were available and meaningful to the entire population.  This event speaks to that core mission in a meaningful way.”

A national leader in cultural accessibility, Paper Mill Playhouse offers a myriad of award-winning access programs and services, including audio description, sensory seminars, Braille and large-print programs for the visually impaired, American Sign Language interpretation, open-captioning and assistive listening devices for those with hearing loss. In addition, Paper Mill offers classes for adults and adolescents with developmental disabilities to study creative drama and improvisation, and provides autism-friendly performances of both mainstage and children’s shows throughout the season. Upcoming autism-friendly performances are the one-hour performance of Click, Clack, Moo on April 15 at 10AM, and Charlotte’s Web on June 14 at 10AM. The Goren Family and the Harmony Helper App, and Merck are the major sponsors of the autism friendly performance of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

SHINING STARS NETWORK is a non-profit organization founded by Sally and Mike Curci that shines the light on the special needs community by creating opportunities in the performing arts, with the goal of building self-confidence and self-esteem while enjoying the experience of performing on stage. In addition, their Shining Stars Ambassadors basketball team travels to play local first responders and organizations while building friendship and understanding. Now entering its 4th year, Camp Shine, a two-week intensive special needs performing arts summer camp, will take place the last two weeks of August 2020. For more information on Shining Stars Network or any of their programs, please visit  www.ShiningStarsNetwork.org.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit arts organization under the direction of Mark S. Hoebee (Producing Artistic Director) and Michael Stotts (Managing Director), recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, is one of the country’s leading regional theaters. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.  Paper Mill Playhouse Education and Outreach are proudly sponsored by The Goren Family and The Harmony Helper App.  Major funding for autism-friendly programs is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and Wells Fargo. Additional support includes Autism Speaks, BD, The Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation, The Karma Foundation, Merck, MetLife Foundation, Nordstrom, and Summit Area Public Foundation.

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Directed by Mark S. Hoebee (Paper Mill’s Beauty and the Beast) with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter (School of Rock, Paper Mill’s Annie), and music direction by Michael Borth (Paper Mill’s Beauty and the Beast), the principal cast will feature Ashley Blanchet (Frozen) as Ella, Donna English (Paper Mill’s Lend Me a Tenor) as Marie, Rose Hemingway (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) as Gabrielle, Dee Hoty (Paper Mill’s Follies) as Madame, Andrew Kober (Beautiful) as Jean-Michel, Angel Lin (Once) as Charlotte, Christopher Sieber (The Prom, Paper Mill’s Annie) as Sebastian, Billy Harrigan Tighe (Pippin) as Topher, and Michael Wayne Wordly (Miss Saigon) as Lord Pinkleton.

Rounding out the cast are John Barsoian, Kelly Berman, Antonio Beverly, Erin Burniston, Monica Cioffi, Taeler Cyrus, Richard Gatta, Ricky Loftus George, Christopher M. Howard, Derek Luscutoff, Kate Marilley, John Peterson, Dave Schoonover, Cynthia Thorne, Leslie Blake Walker, Isabella Ward, CorBen Williams and Minami Yusui.

This enchanting, Tony-nominated Broadway adaptation of the beloved musical will put a spell on audiences of all ages. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella showcases some of the songwriting duo’s loveliest tunes, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible,” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” as well as some new characters and surprising twists. Add a dash of fairytale romance, magical onstage transformations, and the iconic pumpkin and glass slippers—and you’re guaranteed to have a ball!

The production team includes scenic design by Anna Louizos, costume design by William Ivey Long, costume coordination by Tom Beall, lighting design by Charlie Morrison, sound design by Matt Kraus and hair and wig design by Paul Huntley. The Production Stage Manager is Andrea Cibelli. Casting is by Telsey + Company, Lauren Harris, CSA.

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SCHEDULE
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella will be performed at Paper Mill Playhouse eight times a week, Wed—Sun. Performance schedule Nov 20–24: Wed at 7:30PM, Thur at 1:30PM and 7:30PM, Fri at 7:30PM, Sat at 1:30PM and 7PM, and Sun at 1:30PM and 7PM. Performance schedule Nov 27–Dec 29: Wed at 7PM, Thu at 1:30PM, and 7PM, Fri at 7PM, Sat at 1:30PM and 7PM, and Sun at 1:30PM and 7:00PM. Special Autism-Friendly performance on Dec 26 at 1:30PM. Tickets start at $32 and may be purchased by clicking here. Groups of 10 or more may receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680. Students may order $20 rush tickets over the phone or in person at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office on the day of the performance.

MEET THE COMPANY
ASHLEY BLANCHET (Ella). Paper Mill: Ever After; Broadway: Frozen (Elsa u/s), Beautiful (Little Eva/“The Locomotion”), Annie (Star to Be), Memphis (Felicia u/s). National Tour: Beautiful. Select Regional: Oklahoma! (Ado Annie, PCLO), How to Succeed… (Rosemary, TUTS), A Chorus Line (Diana, WVPT). Ashley received her BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan, where she became the first recipient of the Kurt Weill Award for Excellence in Theatre. She is also a proud alum of the Walnut Hill School in Natick, MA.

DONNA ENGLISH (Marie) has been featured in ten productions at Paper Mill including Lend Me a Tenor (Diana), The Sound of Music (Elsa), High School Musical (Ms. Darbus), Hairspray (Velma), Harold and Maude (Mrs. Chasen), and Beauty and the Beast (Madame de la Grande Bouche). Broadway: Living on Love, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Lend Me a Tenor. Off Broadway: Madame X (NYMF Outstanding Performance Award), Christmas in Hell, Taking a Chance on Love, Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back!, and Ruthless! (Drama Desk nomination). National Tour: Genie Klein in Beautiful. Donna’s extensive regional credits include principal roles at Long Wharf, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Goodspeed Musicals, and 5th Avenue. She is a proud recipient of the 2019 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship.

ROSE HEMINGWAY (Gabrielle) is so pleased to be making her Paper Mill debut. Some past favorite roles include: Broadway: Rosemary in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; National Tours: Lauren in Kinky Boots, Sophie in Mamma Mia!; Regional: Misty Mae in Moonshine: That Hee Haw Musical (Dallas Theater Center), Belle in Beauty and the Beast (North Shore Music Theatre), Molly in Peter and the Starcatcher (Weston Playhouse), Hazel in Time and the Conways (The Old Globe), and Mary Phagan in Parade (Mark Taper Forum). TV: “Blue Bloods,” “The Mob Doctor.”

DEE HOTY (Madame). Paper Mill: Follies (Phyllis, 1998). Most recently created the role of Mary Cassatt in Susan Stroman’s Marie. Fourteen Broadway shows and counting—most recently Bright Star and Gigi as well as Footloose (Tony nomination), The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public (Tony nomination), The Will Rogers Follies (Tony nomination), and City of Angels. TV/Film: “Dickinson” (Apple TV), “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Sinner,” “Elementary,” “Smash,” “Law & Order(s),” “IED” (indie), “The Chaperone” (Julian Fellowes, 2019). BA from Otterbein, Honorary Doctor of Arts, 1997. A proud member of AEA since 1976, Dee was elected to Council in 2018.

ANDREW KOBER (Jean-Michel). Broadway: Beautiful, School of Rock, Sunday in the Park with George, She Loves Me, Les Misérables, Hair. National Tour: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Off Broadway and regional: Roundabout Theatre Company, The Public Theater, MCC, New York Theatre Workshop, The Old Globe, Yale Rep, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Bucks County Playhouse, Denver Center Theatre, Barrington Stage Company, and four summers at Shakespeare in the Park. TV: Fosse/Verdon (FX Network), Ray Donovan (Showtime), House of Cards (Netflix), Boardwalk Empire (HBO), Blue Bloods (CBS), Pan Am (ABC), The Plot Against America (HBO).

ANGEL LIN (Charlotte). National Tour: Once (Emcee, u/s Girl), Kansas City Choir Boy (by Todd Almond, starring Courtney Love, ART/CTG). NYC/Regional: 1969: Second Man (NYTW), Interstate (NYMF), The Other Josh Cohen (Geva Theatre, dir. Hunter Foster), Once (Paramount Theatre), The Wolves (TheatreSquared), Stinky Cheese Man… (Atlantic, dir. Liz Swados), and the title role in the musical/band Riot Antigone on their upcoming album. Workshops/Readings/Concerts: Sing Street (NYTW, assistant MD), KPOP (Ars Nova), Joe’s Pub, Musical Theater Factory, McKittrick Hotel, among others. Voiceover: Pinkalicious (PBS), DreamWorks, Nickelodeon, Rockstar Games. BFA, NYU Tisch (Playwrights Horizons Theater School).

CHRISTOPHER SIEBER (Sebastian). Paper Mill: Paper Moon, South Pacific, Peter Pan, Hairspray, and Annie! Broadway: The Prom, Matilda, Pippin, La Cage aux Folles, Shrek (Tony nomination), Spamalot (Tony nomination), Thoroughly Modern Millie, Into the Woods, Chicago, Beauty and the Beast, Triumph of Love, A Christmas Carol. Off Broadway: The Kid, The Boys in the Band. TV: Two of a Kind, It’s All Relative, Ed, Law & Order: SVU, Elementary, The Good Wife, lots of daytime television.

BILLY HARRIGAN TIGHE (Topher). Paper Mill debut! Broadway: Pippin. West End: The Book of Mormon (Elder Price). Off Broadway: Sweeney Todd (Anthony). National Tours: Finding Neverland (J. M. Barrie), The Book of Mormon (Elder Price), Wicked (Fiyero), La Cage aux Folles (Jean-Michel), Dirty Dancing. Favorite regional: Cabaret (Cliff, Ogunquit Playhouse), Back Home Again (Ben, Lesher Center), Hairspray (Link, Marriott Theatre), Happy Days (Potsie, Goodspeed Opera House). Billy has also performed as a guest soloist with symphonies across the country and internationally. Training: CCM BFA, CCCEPA graduate.

MICHAEL WAYNE WORDLY (Lord Pinkleton). Paper Mill Playhouse debut! National Tours: Miss Saigon (revival), The Color Purple (revival), The Little Mermaid (5th Avenue Theatre/national tour). Off Broadway: Spamilton. Regional: Memphis (Henry Award winner), Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and Hairspray.

THE CREATIVE TEAM
MARK S. HOEBEE (Director, Producing Artistic Director) joined the artistic team at Paper Mill Playhouse in 2000. Under his leadership, Paper Mill was presented with the Regional Theatre Tony Award in 2016 and in recent years launched such noteworthy projects as the world premieres of Newsies, in partnership with Disney Theatrical Group, Honeymoon in Vegas, Ever After, Bandstand, A Bronx Tale, The Honeymooners, My Very Own British Invasion, and The Sting starring Harry Connick, Jr., as well as the American premieres of the 25th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables, working alongside Cameron Mackintosh, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and the national tour of The Bodyguard starring Deborah Cox. On Broadway, Mark directed the Actors Fund benefit of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas starring Jennifer Hudson. He has directed national tours of Victor/Victoria starring Toni Tennille, Dreamgirls, Company, and An Evening of Lerner and Loewe starring Diahann Carroll. His directing credits at Paper Mill include West Side Story; Beauty and the Beast; Annie; Mary Poppins; Dreamgirls; Hello, Dolly! starring Tovah Feldshuh; Harold and Maude: The Musical with Estelle Parsons; The Will Rogers Follies starring John Davidson; Meet Me in St. Louis; The King and I; Miss Saigon; Disney’s High School Musical; Peter Pan; Smokey Joe’s Cafe; Oliver!; Damn Yankees; Thoroughly Modern Millie; Curtains; and The Full Monty starring Broadway legend Elaine Stritch. He resides in Glen Ridge with his partner Larry Elardo, Broadcast Coordinating Producer for the CBS Evening News and CBS Sunday Morning, and their children, Stephen and Ashley.

JOANN M. HUNTER (Choreographer) is always honored to be back at Paper Mill. She has 20 Broadway shows to her credit as choreographer, associate choreographer, and performer. Choreography includes Broadway: School of Rock (also national tour, West End), Disaster, On a Clear Day…, Broadway Bound. Off Broadway: Rock and Roll Refugee, Dedalus Lounge, The Twelve (workshop). Regional: Ever After (Alliance); world premiere of Beatsville (Asolo); A Sign of the Times by Bruce Vilanch (Goodspeed); Harmony by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman (Ahmanson); world premiere of The Nutty Professor directed by Jerry Lewis; Annie, Grease, Oliver!, Pump Boys and Dinettes, and Curtains at Paper Mill. National Tour: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. She directed and choreographed Debra Monk’s Birthday Bash for BC/EFA. Upcoming: Unmasked at Paper Mill, Love Life Off Broadway.

MICHAEL BORTH (Music Director). Paper Mill: Beauty and the Beast. National Tours: Beauty and the Beast (international), The Phantom of the Opera, Man of La Mancha, 25th Annual…Spelling Bee, The Will Rogers Follies, Flashdance, The King and I. Orchestrator and conductor of the original Off Broadway run of The Marvelous Wonderettes, and arranger and orchestrator of its sequels, Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns and Wonderettes: Dream On. Over 50 regional credits including Reprise, Sacramento Music Circus, Musical Theatre West, Music Theatre Wichita, Ogunquit Playhouse, and Pasadena Playhouse. Musical director of the NYC concert and cast recording of Ryan Scott Oliver’s 35mm.

RICHARD RODGERS (Music) & OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II (Lyrics, Original Book). After long and highly distinguished careers with other collaborators, Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960) joined forces in 1943 to create the most consistently fruitful and successful partnership in American musical theater. Oklahoma!, the first Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, was the first of a new genre—the musical play, blending Rodgers’ sophisticated style of musical comedy with Hammerstein’s innovations in operetta. Oklahoma! was followed by Carousel (1945), Allegro (1947), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951), Me and Juliet (1953), Pipe Dream (1955), Flower Drum Song (1958), and The Sound of Music (1959). The team also wrote one movie musical, State Fair (1945, adapted to the stage in 1995), and one for television, Cinderella (1957, remade in 1965 and 1997, and mounted on Broadway in 2013). Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musicals have earned 34 Tony Awards, 15 Academy Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes, and two Grammy Awards.

DOUGLAS CARTER BEANE (Book). Musicals: The Band Wagon (Encores!), Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Sister Act (Tony nomination), Xanadu (Tony nomination; Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle awards). Plays: Shows for Days, The Nance, The Little Dog Laughed (Tony, Olivier nominations; GLAAD Media Award), Mr. & Mrs. Fitch, As Bees in Honey Drown (Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Playwriting Award), Advice from a Caterpillar, The Country Club, Music from a Sparkling Planet, The Cartells. Revues: White Lies; The Late, Late Show; Mondo Drama. Opera: Die Fledermaus (Met debut). Screenplays: To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar; Advice from a Caterpillar (Best Feature, Aspen Comedy Festival). Dramatists Guild, Playwrights Walk of Fame.

ANNA LOUIZOS (Scenic Design) is a three-time Tony Award nominee for In the Heights, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and High Fidelity. For Paper Mill: The Baker’s Wife, 25th Annual…Spelling Bee, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn, and Honeymoon in Vegas. Other Broadway designs: School of Rock (sets and costumes), Holiday Inn, Dames at Sea, Honeymoon in Vegas, It Shoulda Been You, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Avenue Q, The Performers, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Curtains, Baby It’s You!, To Be or Not to Be, All About Me, Steel Magnolias, Golda’s Balcony. Recent Off Broadway/regional: Scotland, PA (Roundabout); Ever After (Alliance).

WILLIAM IVEY LONG (Costume Design). Select Broadway: Tootsie, Beetlejuice, A Bronx Tale, Chicago, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Cabaret (2014 and 1998 revivals), The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Bullets Over Broadway, Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, Grey Gardens, The Boy from Oz, Hairspray, The Music Man, The Producers, Crazy for You, Guys and Dolls, Nine. Mr. Long has been nominated for 17 Tony Awards, winning six times. He was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2005 and elected chairman of the American Theatre Wing in June 2012. Previously at Paper Mill: A Bronx Tale, The Producers. Upcoming on Broadway: Diana.

CHARLIE MORRISON (Lighting Design). Paper Mill: Beauty and the Beast, Annie, Mary Poppins, West Side Story, Elf, Grease, The Little Mermaid, Curtains, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, The Full Monty, Meet Me in St. Louis, and Hello, Dolly!. National/International Tours: The Little Mermaid; How the Grinch Stole Christmas; The Producers; Hello, Dolly!; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Miss Saigon; Aida; Man of La Mancha; Guys and Dolls; Groovaloo; My Fair Lady; The King and I; 42nd Street; The Who’s Tommy; and many others. Regional: Shakespeare Theatre Company (DC), Guthrie, Goodspeed, Seattle Rep, Dallas Summer Musicals, TUTS, 5th Avenue, Kansas City Starlight, Pittsburgh CLO, George Street Playhouse, PlayMakers Rep, Tulsa Opera, and more. Two Helen Hayes Awards (seven nominations).

MATT KRAUS (Sound Design). Broadway: Liza’s at the Palace…, Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway, Kathy Griffin Wants a Tony. Off Broadway: Caucasian Chalk Circle, 50 Shades! The Musical Parody, Forbidden Broadway, Voca People. Audio coordinator for remote shoots at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse (Chasing Rainbows, Beauty and the Beast, Holiday Inn, Lend Me a Tenor, Newsies), St. Louis Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Walnut Street, and more. Matt has also played the Hollywood Bowl, Hampton Court Palace, Olympia in Paris, Sydney Opera House, Monte Carlo Sporting Club, and Vienna State Opera House. He won an Emmy for his work on Disney’s Broadway Hits at Royal Albert Hall.

PAUL HUNTLEY (Hair & Wig Design). London-born Paul Huntley has worked on hundreds of Broadway shows since his 1972 arrival in New York, most memorably the original productions of Amadeus, Cats, Evita, Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd, The Producers, and Hairspray. A recipient of the Drama Desk and Tony Awards, he also has worked with the some of the most legendary leading ladies of the cinema, ranging from Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, and Vivien Leigh to Jane Fonda, Glenn Close, Jessica Lange, and Scarlett Johansson. Currently on Broadway: Tootsie. Previously at Paper Mill: A Bronx Tale and The Producers.

TELSEY + COMPANY (Casting). Broadway/Tours: West Side Story, Tina, The Sound Inside, Linda Vista, Freestyle Love Supreme, Beetlejuice, Oklahoma!, To Kill a Mockingbird, Mean Girls, Frozen, Come From Away, Waitress, Hamilton, Wicked, My Fair Lady, Once on This Island, Hello, Dolly!, Anastasia. Off Broadway: Atlantic Theater Company, Classic Stage Company, MCC Theater, New Group, Park Avenue Armory, Second Stage Theatre. Film: The Kitchen, Mary Poppins Returns, Ben Is Back, The Greatest Showman, Into the Woods, Rachel Getting Married. TV: Tales of the City, Fosse/Verdon, NOS4A2, This Is Us, NCIS: New Orleans, One Day at a Time, Rent, commercials.

ANDREA CIBELLI (Production Stage Manager). Paper Mill: World premieres of A Bronx Tale, The Bandstand, and Honeymoon in Vegas, as well as Beauty and the Beast, West Side Story, The Sound of Music, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, The Full Monty, Steel Magnolias, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Nutcracker, and New Voices 2013–2019. Broadway: A Bronx Tale, Head Over Heels, Honeymoon in Vegas. Tours: West Side Story, Spring Awakening. International: West Side Story (Japan), Race for Love (China). Regional: Dreamgirls (TOTS), The Little Mermaid (DSM). Other credits include Monkey: Journey to the West, The Mile-Long Opera, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Princeton University Dance Department, and Lincoln Center Festival.

ACCESSIBILITY PERFORMANCES FOR RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA
Paper Mill Playhouse, a leader in accessibility, will offer audio-described performances for Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella on Sat, Dec 14,  at 1:30PM and Sun, Dec 15, at 1:30PM. Prior to these performances at noon, the theater will offer free sensory seminars. Sensory seminars offer an opportunity for patrons with vision loss to hear a live, in-depth description of the production elements of the show and hands-on interaction with key sets, props, and costumes. There will be a sign-interpreted and open-captioned performance on Sun, Dec 15, at 7:00PM.

Paper Mill Playhouse will also present an autism-friendly performance of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella on Wed, Dec 26, at 1:30PM. This performance is designed specifically for children on the autism spectrum or with other developmental disabilities, and is planned in cooperation with Paper Mill Playhouse’s Autism Advisory Team. The theater environment will be altered for this performance, providing a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming to all families. The performance itself will be adjusted with special attention paid to lighting and sound.

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FREE AUDIENCE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES FOR RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA
CONVERSATION CLUB: Join us Thursday evenings, Nov 21, Dec 5, 12, and 19 one hour before curtain for an informal, informative gathering. You’ll learn more about the performance you’re about to see.
THE DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT: One hour before curtain on Wednesday, Nov 20, a pre-show discussion with the show’s director in the Renee Foosaner Art Gallery.
Q&A WITH THE CAST: After the matinee on Sat, Dec 14 stick around for a lively Q&A with cast members directly following the performance.

Major sponsors for Paper Mill Playhouse’s autism-friendly performance of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella are The Goren Family & the Harmony Helper App and Merck.

Major funding for autism-friendly programs is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and Wells Fargo.

Additional support includes Autism Speaks, BD, The Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation, The Karma Foundation, Merck, MetLife Foundation, Nordstrom and Summit Area Public Foundation.

Paper Mill Playhouse will once again, be a collection point for this year’s Jersey Cares Coat Drive during the run of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella. For the past 23 years, The Jersey Cares Coat Drive has mobilized the collection and distribution of thousands of “gently used” winter coats to men, women, children, and infants in need. Last year, Jersey Cares collected more than 30,000 coats throughout the state of New Jersey. Paper Mill Playhouse has been a collection partner for more than a decade and will be collecting gently used winter coats from Nov 1—Dec 29. Collection of coats will take place in the lobby at Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ.

Paper Mill Playhouse Education & Outreach are proudly sponsored by The Goren Family & the Harmony Helper App.

The post Cast and Creative Team Announced for Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA appeared first on Paper Mill Playhouse.

• Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz (New Jersey Premiere)
• Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
• Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (World Premiere)
• Sister Act
• The Wanderer (World Premiere)

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW!

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Michael Stotts-Managing Director), recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is proud to announce the lineup for its 2019–2020 season with three premieres and a total of five musicals. Season subscriptions are on sale now and are available by calling 973.379.3717 or by clicking here. Paper Mill Playhouse’s 2019–2020 season is proudly sponsored by Investors Bank. Paper Mill Playhouse education and outreach programs are proudly sponsored by The Goren Family & Harmony Helper.

Paper Mill Playhouse will open its 2019–2020 season with a highly anticipated new musical about one of the world’s most beloved entertainment icons. Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz (Sep 26–Oct 27) is the story of how five-year-old Frances Gumm became Judy Garland, chronicling her early career from vaudeville to her rise at MGM, where she wins the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Next, a dash of fairytale romance, magical onstage transformations, and of course, glass slippers in this family musical just in time for the holidays, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Nov 20–Dec 29). This enchanting, Tony-nominated Broadway adaptation of the beloved musical will put a spell on audiences of all ages. Next winter, Paper Mill Playhouse presents the world-premiere musical Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Jan 30–Mar 1), about the remarkable life and celebrated work of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Unmasked will feature new material and rediscovered gems, along with the history of their creation intertwined with Andrew’s extraordinary personal story. In the spring, Paper Mill Playhouse welcomes back our good friend and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken with his Tony-nominated musical Sister Act (Apr 1–Ap 26). Based on the 1992 hit film, this feel-good musical follows Deloris Van Cartier as she goes into hiding in a convent—where she clashes, hilariously, with cloistered life. Deloris inspires the sisters with her soulful style, but the church choir’s newfound fame attracts some unwanted attention. Paper Mill Playhouse closes its 81st season with the world-premiere musical The Wanderer (May 28–Jun 28), the story of Dion DiMucci and how he skyrocketed to fame as a teenage heartthrob in the 1950s and early ’60s with hits like “Runaround Sue,” “Teenager in Love,” and “I Wonder Why.” Now, his extraordinary journey comes to the stage in a moving and intimate new musical.

“Paper Mill Playhouse delivers high-quality, engaging performances to broad audiences. By making good theater accessible, Paper Mill enriches our local communities,” said Investors Bank Chairman and CEO Kevin Cummings. “But most importantly, it provides unique educational opportunities to more than 40,000 students each year and continues to offer invaluable experiences that would not otherwise be available to them. Arts education is key to the development of our children and young adults.”

Paper Mill Playhouse will produce eight performances a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Three, four, and five-show subscription packages are available now starting at just $111. Each subscription package includes a different level of special benefits, click here for details. Youth subscriptions are available for children ages 4–18 with the purchase of an adult subscription with accessible discount pricing. Single tickets will go on sale on August 19 starting at just $35. Groups of ten or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680. Titles, casting and dates subject to change.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE’S 2019–2020 SEASON

CHASING RAINBOWS: The Road to Oz
September 26–October 27
Book by Marc Acito
Music Adapted & Additional Music by David Libby
Conceived & Created by Tina Marie Casamento
Directed & Choreographed by Denis Jones

This highly anticipated new musical about one of the world’s most beloved entertainment icons, Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz is the story of how five-year-old Frances Gumm became Judy Garland, chronicling her early career from vaudeville to her rise at MGM, where she wins the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Chasing Rainbows features legendary songs, including “Over the Rainbow,” “You Made Me Love You,” and “Everybody Sing.” The show has already earned praise from Liza Minnelli, who said, “My mother said that her biography is in her music, and now a talented creative team is using that music to tell the story of her early years and her extraordinary rise to fame.”

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA
November 20–December 29
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
New Book by Douglas Carter Beane
Original Book by Oscar Hammerstein II
Directed by Mark S. Hoebee

This enchanting, Tony-nominated Broadway adaptation of the beloved musical will put a spell on audiences of all ages. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella showcases some of the songwriting duo’s loveliest tunes, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible,” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” as well as some new characters and surprising twists. Add a dash of fairytale romance, magical onstage transformations, and the iconic pumpkin and glass slippers—and you’re guaranteed to have a ball!

UNMASKED: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber
January 30–March 1
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Written with Richard Curtis
Directed by Laurence Connor

One of the most successful musical theater composers of all time takes audiences on a behind-the-scenes journey in Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Written with Richard Curtis and directed by Laurence Connor, Unmasked is a not-always-reverential look at Andrew’s life and musical career. You’ll hear his best-loved work, including classics from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, and Sunset Boulevard, in sometimes new and unexpected ways. This new production will also feature new material and rediscovered gems, along with the history of their creation intertwined with Andrew’s extraordinary personal story.

SISTER ACT
April 1–April 26
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Book by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner
Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane
Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture Sister Act Written by Joseph Howard

Based on the 1992 hit film, this feel-good musical comedy smash sizzles with powerful music, spectacular dancing, and a story brimming with heart. The madcap plot is set in motion when disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder and must go into hiding in a convent—where she clashes, hilariously, with cloistered life. Deloris inspires the sisters with her soulful style, but the church choir’s newfound fame attracts the attention of the bad guys. Featuring original music by Tony and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors), the musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

THE WANDERER
May 28–June 28
Book by Charles Messina
Directed by Kenneth Ferone

Dion. One name set the standard of cool for a generation. But how does a kid from the Bronx make it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? In The Wanderer, the incredible musical journey of a troubled young man turned teenage heartthrob (and, ultimately, rock and roll icon) is told in intimate and no-holds-barred detail. Dion’s music helped define a generation of rock and rollers. His lifelong battle with addiction shed a stark light on the darker side of fame and success. This musical takes both subjects head on, set to the iconic sound of an incomparable era in American music, and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit against all odds. The Wanderer is the riveting true story of Dion, New York’s rebel king, the man Bruce Springsteen calls “the link between Frank Sinatra and rock and roll.”

Paper Mill Playhouse offers its audience an opportunity to enhance their theater experience with behind-the-scenes views of mainstage productions.  Have you ever wanted to sneak a peek behind the curtain? Or wondered what the director was thinking, or how the cast prepares for a show? Join us for one of many revealing insider’s experiences.

Paper Mill Playhouse offers people with disabilities the opportunity to see live theater with dignity and independence through a myriad of award-winning access programs and services, including audio description and sensory seminars for the blind, Braille and large-print programs, American Sign Language interpretation for the deaf, open-captioning for those with hearing loss, and assistive listening devices. In addition, Paper Mill Playhouse provides autism-friendly performances of both mainstage and children’s shows throughout the season. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella will feature an autism-friendly performance on Thursday, December 26, at 1:30PM.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit arts organization under the direction of Mark S. Hoebee (Producing Artistic Director) and Michael Stotts (Managing Director) and recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is one of the country’s leading regional theaters.  Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

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