2011–2012 Season
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Music and Lyrics by: William Finn
Book by: Rachel Sheinkin
Directed and choreographed by: Cindy Thole
Musical Director: TBA
Sets by: Michael Minahan
Costumes by: Kevin Thacker
Lights by: Richard Currie
Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely manage to
escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't
necessarily make you a loser. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a hilarious tale of
overachievers' angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling
championship of a lifetime. The show's Tony Award winning creative team has created the
unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders
for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.
Cast of 5M and 4F with lots of audience participation
Performance Dates:
Wed, Oct 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th at 8pm and an extension
on Oct 21st, 22nd at 8pm and 23rd at 2.30pm
High School Matinee: Friday, Oct 8 at 11am
Orpheus Descending by Tennessee Williams
By: Tennessee Williams
Directed by: Stephen Hollis
Sets by: Yu Han Huang
Costumes by: Erin Schultz
Lights by: David Landau
One of Tennessee Williams’ lesser known but no less compelling plays, Orpheus Descending
follows the journey of young Val Xavier (Snakeskin), who lands in a small Southern Mississippi
town looking for work only to find himself the center of intrigue, gossip and violence. Full
of Tennessee Williams’ themes of sexual longings, unfulfilled desires and thwarted dreams.
Cast of 10M and 9F
Rehearsals begin Monday, October 10th
Performance Dates:
Thu - Sat, Nov 17-19th at 8pm and Sun, Nov 20th at 2.30pm
High School Matinee: FRI, NOV 18th at 11am
Gypsy
Music by: Jule Styne
Lyrics by: Stephen Sondheim
Book by: Arthur Laurents
Directed by: Stephen Hollis
Musical Director: Allen Cohen
Choreographer: Cindy Thole
Sets by: Jonathon Wentz
Costumes by: TBA
Lights by: David Landau
One of the most quintessential and beloved musicals of the 20th century, Gypsy is the ultimate
story of the aggressive stage mother. Join Rose, Baby June and Louise in their trip across
America in the 1920’s, when vaudeville was dying and burlesque was born. Jule Styne’s music
and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics include such classics as Let Me Entertain You, Some People,
You’ll Never Get Away From Me, All I Need Is The Girl and the unforgettable Everything’s
Coming Up Roses. Some of the most famous stage names in recent history have tackled the role of Mama Rose, including Ethel Merman, Rosalind Russell, Angela Lansbury and most recently Patii lu Pone and Bernadette Peters.
Large cast of M and F
(Please note that for the first time, FDU will be hiring a professional actress to appear alongside students and I am thrilled to announce that Carole Healey will be playing the part of Mama Rose. This kind of participation occurs in many MFA and BFA programs and students can only gain invaluable experience by working alongside professional actors.)
Rehearsals Commence Mon, Jan 30th
Performance Dates: Wed, March 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st at 8p and April 1st at 2.30pm
with an extension 2 weeks later (in order to avoid conflicts with Easter and Passover) on
April 13th, 14th at 8pm and April 15th at 2.30pm
High School Matinee: FRIDAY MARCH 30th at 11am
Production 4 - TBA
As in previous years, we are looking for an ‘issue’ play to fill the last production slot of the
season and are currently considering several possibilities. Details to follow.
Tickets for all shows are $5 for students and the FDU community, and $10 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased at the door or reserved in advance by calling 973-443-8644 (extension 4).
For
further information, email Stephen Hollis at hollis@fdu.edu or call 973 443 8467.
