Mourning Loss Of Beloved Theatre School Founder

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is mourning the loss of its beloved Theatre School Founding Director Mickey McNany, who lost her brave battle with cancer on Wednesday morning.   

Mickey, as she was called by everyone, founded the Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre School in 1989 and continued to manage the arts education initiative until recently. Information regarding services and arrangements will be posted on Paper Mill's website (www.papermill.org) when it is available. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to "Paper Mill Playhouse Education Fund" or "Peggy's House at Hope Village" in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. Paper Mill Playhouse released a tribute video today in Mickey's honor: www.vimeo.com/148156493.

Over the decades Mickey trained thousands of students throughout the state of New Jersey who would go on to become Broadway stars, Tony Award winners and movie stars including Academy Award-winning actress Anne Hathaway. "Mickey taught from a place of love, always with a smile in her eyes… that was Mickey's gift," 

Anne Hathaway, who studied with Mickey for several years in her youth. recently remarked, . "She taught us that this part of ourselves, the part that just had to sing and dance to feel whole, the part that for some of us wasn’t an easy fit in the rest of our lives, was lovable and cherished. She was the leader and constructor of our enchanted playground and she was always smiling."

Paper Mill Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Mark S. Hoebee added, "You will never meet another teacher as beloved as Mickey McNany.  She is truly one of those unique individuals you may meet once in your lifetime, if you are lucky enough – and if you are lucky enough to have had her as a teacher or colleague, she will leave an indelible mark on the very core of who you are. I know this because I have seen it happen countless times during my 15-year relationship with her and, in fact, have been transformed by her myself."

Mickey McNany, a resident of Springfield, NJ, was a certified instructor with a BA in Fine Arts Education and a PBM degree in Music Performance from Kean University.  Mickey tirelessly devoted herself to Paper Mill Playhouse students for nearly 30 years.  She founded the Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre School in 1989 and grew it from a single class to a thriving, year-round enterprise offering classes to over 500 students each year.  

She oversaw the Junior Division of Paper Mill's esteemed Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory.  She was an instructor, a director and the brilliant set designer for Paper Mill’s three student touring companies.  In her home garage “scene shop” she transformed cardboard refrigerator boxes into stunning sets as varied as the Darlings' nursery and Aladdin’s Agrabah.  Recently Mickey’s touring production of Aladdin was showcased on Paper Mill's mainstage.

Inspired by her granddaughter Mary, Mickey had a life-long passion for ensuring that children with disabilities could experience the joy and magic of theater arts. From the start of her Paper Mill tenure, she brought student touring companies to schools and centers for children with disabilities. She started Paper Mill's Creative Drama class for children with disabilities. She collaborated with the Horizon School on the “Lend Your Voice” project, an innovative partnership in which Paper Mill students record voiceovers that enable nonverbal children to realize the characters in their school play. This program was recognized with the Cultural Access Network’s 2013 Innovator Award. Mickey’s other awards include the New Jersey Theatre Alliance 2009 Applause Award for Excellence in Theatre Education, the 2013 New Jersey Governor’s Award for Arts Education, the 2013 VSA New Jersey Education in the Arts Distinguished Service Award,  Kean University’s 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award and the Byrne-Kean Arts Advocate Award from Paper Mill Playhouse.

"Mickey’s magic is that she makes every child feel like the most worthwhile person in the room," stated Paper Mill Playhouse Director of Education Lisa Cooney.  Because Mickey needed to retire from the classroom last month, a Facebook page was created so that her current and former students have a forum in which to share the impact Mickey has had on their lives. Among the hundreds of inspirational tributes, one student summed it up best when she said:

In a way, I am surprised by the hundreds of people here expressing how much Mickey meant to them. Mickey made me feel special and appreciated; she was a steadfast advocate. How did she have the time, love, and energy to make everyone else feel the same way? I think this is a testament to Mickey's capacity to care, her insight, her passion, and her uncanny ability to make everyone feel appreciated for their own specific skills. She made me feel like a star!

Cooney continued, "Every kid feels like a star when they are in her presence because, to Mickey, every kid, in their own way, is a star.  Discovering the inner strength and worth in each individual child and nurturing it until the child feels and believes it himself is the greatest gift a teacher can give to a student.  And Mickey has done this thousands and thousands of times.  She is an irreplaceable gift to her students and her colleagues, and everyone at Paper Mill Playhouse."

In a recent interview Mickey remarked,   “I have had the gift of working for 30 years in a place I adore and has given me the opportunity to meet and work with so many outstanding people.  I have seen people transformed through the magic of theater and students who are differently abled rise to their true potential and have so much fun, and it has been glorious. I am surrounded by a loving family and friends and cannot possible ask for anything more out of life. I am living the life out of every day I am given, and I'm so grateful for all the miracles I am noticing every day. Who could ask for anything more? Be assured that I will have my students and Paper Mill family in my heart…Always!”

'Fiddler' Returns To Broadway Sunday!

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Jam Theatricals, Louise Gund and Jerry Frankel are thrilled to announce the new Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof officially opens on Sunday, December 20, 2015 at The Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway). Tickets are now on sale via Telecharge.com or by phone at (212) 239-6200.

The cast features five-time Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Award winner Danny Burstein (Cabaret, Golden Boy, Follies, South Pacific) in the iconic role of Tevye, Tony nominee Jessica Hecht (A View From the Bridge, “Breaking Bad,” The Last Night of Ballyhoo) as Golde, Jenny Rose Baker (Annie Get Your Gun) as Shprintze, Michael C. Bernardi as Mordcha, Adam Dannheisser (Rock of Ages, The Coast of Utopia) as Lazar Wolf, Hayley Feinstein (Shrek The Musical, National Tour) as Bielke, Mitch Greenberg (It Shoulda Been You) as Yussel and the Beggar, Adam Grupper (The Addams Family) as the Rabbi, Adam Kantor (The Last Five Years, Next to Normal, Rent) as Motel, Karl Kenzler (You Can’t Take It With You, Mary Poppins) as the Constable, Alix Korey (All Shook Up, Chicago) as Yente, Jesse Kovarsky as The Fiddler, Samantha Massell (La Boheme) as Hodel, Melanie Moore (Finding Neverland, “So You Think You Can Dance”) as Chava, George Psomas (South Pacific) as Avram, Ben Rappaport (“Mr. Robot,” Picnic) as Perchik, Nick Rehberger (The Glass Menagerie) as Fyedka, Jeffrey Schecter (A Chorus Line, Nice Work if You Can Get It) as Mendel, Alexandra Silber (Master Class) as Tzeitel, Jessica Vosk (The Bridges of Madison County) as Fruma-Sarah, Lori Wilner (The Assembled Parties) as Grandma Tzeitel, Aaron Young as Sasha, and Jennifer Zetlan (Metropolitan Opera) as Shaindel. The ensemble features Julie Benko, Eric Bourne, Stephen Carrasco (Kinky Boots), Eric Chambliss, Austin Goodwin, Jacob Guzman (Newsies), Reed Luplau, Brandt Martinez (Aladdin), Matt Moisey, Sarah Parker, Marla Phelan (Sleep No More), Tess Primack, Silvia Vrskova, and Jonathan Royse Windham.

Fiddler on the Roof is directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, who most recently helmed the 2015 Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of The King and I. Sher has directed Burstein on Broadway in the revivals of Golden Boy and South Pacific, as well as in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It is choreographed by Hofesh Shechter, inspired by the original choreography of Jerome Robbins, and the music director is Ted Sperling (The King and I, South Pacific).

Fiddler on the Roof has book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, was the first musical in history to surpass 3,000 performances. The show won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Musical in addition to eight other Tony Awards that year.

The design team includes scenic design by Michael Yeargan (Tony Award nominee, The King and I), costume design by Catherine Zuber (Tony Award winner, The King and I), and lighting design by Donald Holder (Tony Award nominee, The King and I). Fiddler on the Roof will be their 5th Broadway production working with Sher, after South Pacific, Golden Boy, The Bridges of Madison County, and The King and I. Sound design is by Scott Lehrer (A Delicate Balance, South Pacific). Casting is by Telsey + Co./Abbie Brady Dalton.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION

Rediscover the joy as a Broadway tradition returns: Fiddler on the Roof. Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific and The King and I bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. The original production won ten Tony Awards including a special Tony for becoming the longest-running Broadway musical of all time—and now you can be there when the sun rises on this new production starring Tony nominees Danny Burstein and Jessica Hecht with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins. A wonderful cast and a lavish orchestra tell this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family. Featuring the Broadway classics “To Life (L’Chaim!),” “If I Were A Rich Man,” “Sunrise Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and “Tradition,” Fiddler On the Roof will introduce a new generation to this uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy! To love! To life!

Website: http://fiddlermusical.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiddlerBroadway

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiddlerBroadway

Instagram: https://instagram.com/fiddlerbroadway/

'Bronx Tale' Musical Announces Cast

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is proud to announce complete casting for the world premiere musical A Bronx Tale: The Musical. The musical will be co-directed by two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro and four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks, with choreography by four-time Drama Desk Award nominee Sergio Trujillo. A Bronx Tale: The Musical features a book by Chazz Palminteri, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater.

Leading the company are Jason Gotay as Calogero, Joshua Colley as Young Calogero, Nick Cordero as Sonny, Richard H. Blake as Lorenzo, Coco Jones as Jane and Lucia Giannetta as Rosina. A Bronx Tale: The Musical will run at the Millburn, New Jersey theater from February 4, 2016, through March 6, 2016.  The official press opening night is Sunday, February 14, at 7:00 pm. A Bronx Tale: The Musical is proudly sponsored by Bank of America and generously supported by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation. Paper Mill Playhouse's 2015-2016 Season is proudly sponsored by Investors Bank.

Based on the real life story by Chazz Palminteri‚ A Bronx Tale: The Musical is set against the backdrop of racial strife and organized crime in the 1960s. It is the story of an Italian-American teenager finding his path in life as he must choose between the father who raised him and a mob-boss father figure who fascinates him.

A Bronx Tale: The Musical will be performed at Paper Mill Playhouse eight times a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Performance schedule: Wednesday at 7:30pm, Thursday at 1:30pm and 7:30pm, Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 8:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm. Tickets are on sale now starting at $32. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted. Groups of 10 or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680.  College 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.

“A Bronx Tale has always had a very special meaning to me," commented co-director Robert De Niro “The story is so rich and I look forward to working with Jerry, Chazz, Alan and Glenn to bring it to the stage in its latest incarnation.”

“I’ve been in love with the story of A Bronx Tale ever since I directed Chazz Palminteri’s one-man show on Broadway a few years ago,” remarked co-director Jerry Zaks. “A Bronx Tale: The Musical is a universal story and I think it’s going to be a real treat for audiences to experience. I’m really looking forward to working on this new musical at Paper Mill Playhouse this winter.”

“There are only three things you can do to an audience - make them laugh, make them cry or you can scare them.  In A Bronx Tale: The Musical we do all three,” commented book writer Chazz Palminteri.

“I’m truly excited to be returning to Paper Mill Playhouse with this musical of A Bronx Tale,” said Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken. “As a longtime fan of Chazz Palminteri, I have treasured the opportunity to bring his incredible story to life through songs that are inspired by the Bronx neighborhood he grew up in, the unique world of his formative years and the rich sounds of late 50’s and early 60’s pop music. Besides reuniting me with longtime collaborators like Glenn Slater and Jerry Zaks, I have had the amazing honor of getting to know and work with a legend like Robert DeNiro.”

Jason Gotay (Calogero) was seen on Broadway in Bring It On: The Musical and Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. Mr. Gotay appeared in regional productions of Into the Woods, Rent, Shenandoah and The King and I. Mr. Gotay was seen in NBC’s Peter Pan Live!

Joshua Colley (Young Calogero) recently played Gavroche in Les Misérables and Les in Newsies on Broadway. Mr. Colley appeared in national tours of Elf: The Musical and the 25th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables.

Nick Cordero (Sonny) was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance as Cheech in Bullets Over Broadway. Mr. Cordero was also seen on Broadway and on tour in Rock of Ages. Off-Broadway, Mr. Cordero appeared in The Toxic Avenger.

Richard H. Blake (Lorenzo), a resident of Clifton, New Jersey, starred in many Broadway shows including Jersey Boys, Wicked, Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Aida and more. Mr. Blake appeared in national tours of Wicked, Saturday Night Fever, Footloose and The Sound of Music.

Lucia Giannetta (Rosina) returns to Paper Mill Playhouse where she was last seen in The 25^th Anniversary production of Les Misérables. Ms. Giannetta was seen on Broadway in Les Misérables and Leap of Faith.

Coco Jones (Jane) starred in Disney Channel’s #1 film of 2012, Let It Shine, Coco has gone on to sell more than 200k tracks on iTunes, including her debut single Holla' At The DJ which peaked at #2 on Radio Disney.  She has performed on Good Morning America as well as making high profile appearances at The U.S. Open, The Rose Parade, BET’s 106’s and Park, and The Radio Disney Music Awards.   

Rounding out the ensemble are: Gilbert L. Bailey II (The Book of Mormon), Joe Barbara (Jersey Boys, Las Vegas) Michael Barra (Man of La Mancha tour, Law & Order), Isaiah Tyrelle Boyd (Spring Awakening, Center Repertory Theater), Jonathan Brody (Spamalot), Ted Brunetti (Assassins, Plawrights Horizons), Eean Sherrod Cochran (Mamma Mia tour), Philip Colgan (West Side Story, Skirball Center), Brittany Conigatti (Matilda tour), Kaleigh Cronin (Cabaret), Kim Dodson (A Christmas Carol, McCarter Theater), Trista Dollison (The Lion King), Vincenzo Faruolo (A Christmas Story; The Musical, Paper Mill Playhouse), David Michael Garry (The Phantom of the Opera), Aisha Jackson (Beautiful), Jess LeProtto (Newsies, So You Think You Can Dance), Carlos Lopez (Grease), Corey Mosello ((We Will Rock You tour, One Life to Live), Dominic Nolfi (Jersey Boys), Paul Savlatoriello (Tony N' Tina's Wedding), Christie Schwartzman (Rock of Ages tour), Joey Sorge (Nice Work if You Can Get It), Kirstin Tucker (Cinderella) and Keith White (Jersey Boys tour). 

Robert De Niro (Director), considered one of the greatest American actors of all time, produced, directed and starred in many iconic films. Mr. De Niro won the 1974 Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role in The Godfather: Part II and the 1980 Academy Award for best actor for his role in Raging Bull. Mr. De Niro received Academy Award nominations for Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, Awakenings, Cape Fear and Silver Linings Playbook. Mr. De Niro is a four-time New York Film Critics Circle Award winner for his work on Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Awakenings. In addition to winning the 1981 Golden Globe award for his work on Raging Bull and winning the 2011 Cecil B. DeMille Award, Mr. De Niro was nominated for a total of seven Golden Globe Awards. Mr. De Niro was nominated for six British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards. Mr. De Niro starred in many other films including Mean Streets, Bang the Drum, Analyze That, Meet the Fockers and more. Mr. De Niro made his Broadway debut in the 1986 play Cuba & His Teddy Bear. Mr. De Niro founded his own production company, Tribeca Film Center, and made his directorial debut in 1993 with A Bronx Tale.

Jerry Zaks (Director) won four Tony Awards, four Drama Desk Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards and an Obie Award. Mr. Zaks directed many Broadway shows including Sister Act, The Addams Family, Guys and Dolls, Six Degrees of Separation, Lend Me a Tenor, House of Blue Leaves, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Anything Goes, La Cage aux Folles, Little Shop of Horrors and more. Mr. Zaks received SDC’s Mr. Abbott Award for lifetime achievement and an honorary doctorate of fine arts from his alma mater, Dartmouth College. Mr. Zaks is a 2013 inductee to the Theater Hall of Fame.

Sergio Trujillo (Choreographer) is a four-time Drama Desk Award nominee who choreographed the Broadway productions of On Your Feet!, Memphis, Jersey Boys, Leap of Faith, The Addams Family, Next to Normal, Guys and Dolls and more. Mr. Trujillo choreographed off-Broadway productions of Invisible Thread, Saved, The Capeman, Romeo and Juliet, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Kismet.

Chazz Palminteri (Book) wrote and performed his one-man show A Bronx Tale for the first time in 1989 before moving it off-Broadway. Mr. Palminteri went on to write the screenplay and co-star in the screen adaptation of A Bronx Tale alongside Robert De Niro. Mr. Palminteri has more than 55 movies to his credit as an actor, writer, and director, including The Usual Suspects, Bullets Over Broadway (Academy Award nomination), Analyze This, Hurlyburly, Mullholland Falls, Faithful (also written by Mr. Palminteri), A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Yonkers Joe, Jolene and most recently Legend starring Tom Hardy. Mr. Palminteri had a recurring role on the hit show Modern Family and has starred in Blue Bloods. Mr. Palminteri directed the HBO series Oz (episode “Unnatural Disasters”), Showtime’s Women vs Men, and the feature film Noel starring Susan Sarandon, Paul Walker, and Robin Williams.

Alan Menken (Music) composed the stage and film musicals Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Newsies, Aladdin and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Mr. Menken’s other stage musicals include God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, A Christmas Carol, Sister Act and Leap of Faith. Mr. Menken’s film musicals also include Life With Mikey, Pocahontas, Hercules, The Shaggy Dog, Enchanted, Tangled and Mirror, Mirror.  Some of Mr. Menken’s television credits include Galavant, The Neighbors, Lincoln, Sesame Street and more. Mr. Menken won eight Oscar Awards, 11 Grammy Awards (including Song of the Year), seven Golden Globe Awards, a Tony Award, an Olivier Award, a New York Drama Critics Award, a London Evening Standard Theatre Award, induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Some of Mr. Menken’s other awards and honors include Billboard’s #1 single and album, Disney Legend, and honorary doctorates from NYU and the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Glenn Slater (Lyrics) won the 2011 Grammy for his work co-creating Disney’s Tangled. Mr. Slater is a two-time Tony Award nominee who wrote the lyrics for School of Rock, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid and Leap of Faith on Broadway. Mr. Slater received an Olivier Award nomination for his work on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies.

Ron Melrose (Music Supervisor & Vocal/Dance Arranger) served as musical director and supervisor for Doctor Zhivago on Broadway. Mr. Melrose worked on many other Broadway productions including Wonderland, Jersey Boys, Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel and more.

Jonathan Smith (Music Director/Conductor) serves as the associate musical supervisor for Jersey Boys and has worked on productions across the world. Mr. Smith was co-creator of the Tony and Grammy-nominated Broadway musical Swing!. On Broadway Mr. Smith also worked on Thoroughly Modern Millie and Imaginary Friends.

Doug Besterman (Orchestrator) is a three-time Tony Award winner for best orchestrations for his work on Fosse, The Producers and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Mr. Besterman provided orchestrations for many other Broadway shows including It Shoulda Been You, Bullets Over Broadway, Aladdin, Elf:The Musical, Seussical and more.

The A Bronx Tale: The Musical design team includes:

Beowulf Boritt (Scenic Design) won the 2014 Tony Award for best scenic design of a play for his work on Act One. Mr. Boritt designed sets for many Broadway and off-Broadway shows including The Scottsboro Boys, Thérèse Raquin, Hand to God, On the Town, Sondheim On Sondheim, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Chaplin and more. Mr. Boritt received the 2007 Obie Award for sustained excellence in set design.

William Ivey Long (Costume Design) won six Tony Awards for best costume design and currently serves as elected chairman of the American Theatre Wing. Mr. Long designed costumes for many Broadway shows including Chicago, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Cabaret, Grey Gardens, The Boy from Oz, Hairspray, The Producers and more.

Howell Binkley (Lighting Design) won the 2006 Tony Award for best lighting design of a musical for his work on Jersey Boys.  Mr. Binkley served as lighting designer for many Broadway shows including Hamilton, Allegiance, Honeymoon in Vegas, After Midnight, Lombardi, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls and more.

Gareth Owen (Sound Design) received Olivier Awards for Merrily We Roll Along and Memphis and Tony Award nominations for A Little Night Music and End of the Rainbow. Mr. Owen designed more than 250 commercial musicals including worldwide productions of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Hairspray, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Singin’ in the Rain and Paper Mill’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Paul Huntley (Hair & Wig Design) won the 2003 Tony Award for excellence in theatre and the 2002 Drama Desk Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Huntley provided hair and wig design for many Broadway shows including Fun Home, The Visit, Big Fish, Gypsy and more.

Robert Westley (Fight Coordinator) recently served as fight director for Hand to God on Broadway. Mr. Westley’s off-Broadway work includes Important Hats of the Twentieth Century, Verité, Things of Dry Hours and Butcher of Baraboo.

Tara Rubin Casting (Casting) is a leading New York casting firm whose Broadway credits include Aladdin, Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Jersey Boys and Mamma Mia! among others. Tara Rubin Casting’s regional credits include Yale Repertory, Westport Country Playhouse, Bucks County Playhouse and more. The lead casting directors on this project are Tara Rubin, CSA and Merri Sugarman, CSA.

The Production Stage Manager is Beverly Jenkins.

Fiddler On The Roof To Launch Chanukah Celebration Sunday

The new Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof will celebrate the first night of Chanukah with four major events this Sunday, December 6. 

From DOROT on Upper East Side to Macy’s and Hebro in Midtown to The Museum of Eldridge Street on Manhattan’s historic Lower East Side, the city will be covered with Fiddler cast appearances and performances to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights. Fiddler on the Roof, the celebrated musical, is currently in previews and will open on Sunday, December 20, 2015, at The Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway). Tickets are now on sale via Telecharge.com or by phone at (212) 239-6200.

Below is a breakdown of the events featuring Fiddler cast members on Sunday, December 6:

DOROT’s Chanukah Party

11:30 AM – 171 West 85^th Street, New York, NY 10024

DOROT, an innovative leader in mobilizing volunteers of all ages to improve the lives and health of the elderly, will celebrate the season at this special event. The organization serves both the Jewish and wider communities to address the challenges of an aging society. Members of the Fiddler cast will perform “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Sunrise, Sunset” and visit with the seniors. More information on the organization is at www.DorotUSA.org

Macy’s Holiday Reading Circle

1:00 PM – Macy’s Herald Square, 7^th Floor – 151 West 34^th Street, New York, NY 10001

The Macy’s Reading Circle is held throughout the year and will be specifically featuring the stories of Sholem Aleichem for this holiday event. The production’s stars Adam Kantor, Samantha Massell, Melanie Moore, and Alexandra Silber will be performing “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “Miracle of Miracles.” Following that, Elisa Stein, the wife of Fiddler’s late bookwriter Joseph Stein, will read Aleichem’s classic tales that are the basis for the musical. While supplies last, attendees can receive a voucher good for a pair of Fiddler tickets with any $100 Macy’s purchase. For more details, please visit www.macys.com/events.

An Afternoon with lyricist Sheldon Harnick

2:00 PM – The Museum at Eldridge Street – 12 Eldridge Street, New York, NY 10002

Fiddler’s legendary lyricist Sheldon Harnick with talk will Alisa Solomon – author of Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof – about his fascinating life, career, and the making of a musical masterpiece. The program will also feature music by violinist Kate Mollica and is followed by a reception with traditional Chanukah treats to follow. Tickets to the event are $18 adults and $15 students and seniors. Visit Eldridgestreet.org or call (212) 219-0302.

Hebro’s HANUCON

5:00 PM to 8:00 PM – Therapy Bar & Lounge, 348 West 52^nd Street, 2^nd Floor

Hanucon – sponsored by Hebro, the gay Jewish social organization – will serve latkes, offer drink specials, and have a DJ. The Fiddler cast performs at 7:15 PM followed by candle lighting. Attendees are encouraged to flaunt the spirit of the holiday with a Hanukkah sweater or a Star of David necklace. Hebro produces club parties, bar nights, Shabbat dinners and cultural experiences for gay Jews in New York City. Hebro began in 2008 and this is their 4^th Annual Hanukkah event.  For further details and to purchase tickets, email info@myhebro.com or visit MyHebro.com

Fiddler on the Roof is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jam Theatricals, Louise Gund and Jerry Frankel.

The cast features five-time Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Award winner Danny Burstein (Cabaret, Golden Boy, Follies, South Pacific) who will step into the iconic role of Tevye, Tony nominee Jessica Hecht (A View From the Bridge, “Breaking Bad,” The Last Night of Ballyhoo) as Golde, Jenny Rose Baker (Annie Get Your Gun) as Shprintze, Michael C.   Bernardi as Mordcha, Adam Dannheisser (Rock of Ages, The Coast of Utopia) as Lazar Wolf, Hayley Feinstein (Shrek The Musical, National Tour) as Bielke, Mitch Greenberg (It Shoulda Been You) as Yussel and the Beggar, Adam Grupper (The Addams Family) as the Rabbi, Adam Kantor (The Last Five Years, Next to Normal, Rent) as Motel, Karl Kenzler (You Can’t Take It With You, Mary Poppins) as the Constable, Alix Korey (All Shook Up, Chicago) as Yente, Jesse Kovarsky as The Fiddler, Samantha Massell (La Boheme) as Hodel, Melanie Moore (Finding Neverland, “So You Think You Can Dance”) as Chava, George Psomas (South Pacific) as Avram, Ben Rappaport (“Mr. Robot,” Picnic) as Perchik, Nick Rehberger (The Glass Menagerie) as Fyedka, Jeffrey Schecter (A Chorus Line, Nice Work if You Can Get It) as Mendel, Alexandra Silber (Master Class) as Tzeitel, Jessica Vosk (The Bridges of Madison County) as Fruma-Sarah, Lori Wilner (The Assembled Parties) as Grandma Tzeitel, Aaron Young as Sasha, and Jennifer Zetlan (Metropolitan Opera) as Shaindel. The ensemble features Julie Benko, Eric Bourne, Stephen Carrasco (Kinky Boots), Eric Chambliss, Austin Goodwin, Jacob Guzman (Newsies), Reed Luplau, Brandt Martinez (Aladdin), Matt Moisey, Sarah Parker, Marla Phelan (Sleep No More), Tess Primack, Silvia Vrskova, and Jonathan Royse Windham.

Fiddler on the Roof is directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, who most recently helmed the 2015 Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of The King and I. Sher has directed Burstein on Broadway in the revivals of Golden Boy and South Pacific, as well as in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It is choreographed by Hofesh Shechter, inspired by the original choreography of Jerome Robbins, and the music director is Ted Sperling (The King and I, South Pacific).

Fiddler on the Roof has book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, was the first musical in history to surpass 3,000 performances. The show won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Musical in addition to eight other Tony Awards that year.

The design team includes scenic design by Michael Yeargan (Tony Award nominee, The King and I), costume design by Catherine Zuber (Tony Award winner, The King and I), and lighting design by Donald Holder (Tony Award nominee, The King and I). Fiddler on the Roof will be their 5th Broadway production working with Sher, after South Pacific, Golden Boy, The Bridges of Madison County, and The King and I. Sound design is by Scott Lehrer (A Delicate Balance, South Pacific). Casting is by Telsey + Co./Abbie Brady Dalton.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION

Rediscover the joy as a Broadway tradition returns: Fiddler on the Roof. Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific and The King and I bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. The original production won ten Tony Awards including a special Tony for becoming the longest-running Broadway musical of all time—and now you can be there when the sun rises on this new production starring Tony nominees Danny Burstein and Jessica Hecht with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins. A wonderful cast and a lavish orchestra tell this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family. Featuring the Broadway classics “To Life (L’Chaim!),” “If I Were A Rich Man,” “Sunrise Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and “Tradition,” Fiddler On the Roof will introduce a new generation to this uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy! To love! To life!

Website: http://fiddlermusical.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiddlerBroadway

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiddlerBroadway

Instagram: https://instagram.com/fiddlerbroadway/

Hurry, Sylvia To Close On B'way January 3; Holiday Schedule Announced

SYLVIA, the Broadway revival of the play by two-time Pulitzer Prize-nominee A.R. Gurney (The Dining Room, Love Letters) will end its limited-engagement on Sunday, January 3, 2016.  SYLVIA began previews on Friday, October 2nd and opened on Tuesday, October 27, 2015.  When it closes, SYLVIA will have played 79 performances and 27 previews.  SYLVIA is currently playing at The Cort Theatre (138 W. 48th Street). Tickets for SYLVIA are available online at www.telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200, or in-person at The Cort Theatre box office (138 W. 48th St.). Directed by Tony Award-winner Daniel Sullivan (Proof), SYLVIA stars two-time Tony-winner Matthew Broderick (It’s Only a Play, Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Producers, How to Succeed . . ., Brighton Beach Memoirs) as Greg, 2015 Tony-winner Annaleigh Ashford (You Can’t Take It With You, Tony-nominee for Kinky Boots, Hair) as Sylvia, Tony Award winner Julie White (The Little Dog Laughed, 2015 Tony-nominee for Airline Highway, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) as Kate, and Drama Desk Award winner Robert Sella (Stuff Happens, Sleepy Hollow, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Tom/Phyllis/Leslie. Funny and heartwarming, SYLVIA is about what happens when a smart, sassy, captivating canine befriends a New Yorker in Central Park and changes his life - and his wife’s life - forever. This wonderful look into the complexities of love and commitment asks what does it truly mean to be devoted to your partner . . . and how do you choose between the love of your life and man’s best friend? Presented by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, and Daryl Roth, SYLVIA has scenic design by Tony Award-nominee David Rockwell (You Can’t Take It With You, On the Twentieth Century), costume design by Academy Award-winner Ann Roth (The English Patient), lighting design by Tony Award-nominee Japhy Weideman (The Visit, Airline Highway), sound design by Peter Fitzgerald (All the Way, Movin’ Out), and music by Greg Pliska.  SYLVIA has wig and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates.  James Fitzsimmons is the Production Stage Manager.  Casting by Telsey + Company/William Cantler, CSA. The regular performance schedule for SYLVIA is Tuesday at 7 pm, Wednesday at 2 pm and 7 pm, Thursday at 7 pm, Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm, Sunday at 3 pm. Holiday Schedules: Thanksgiving Week – Tuesday, 11/24 at 7 pm, Wednesday, 11/25 at 2 pm and 7 pm, Friday, 11/27 at 2 pm and 8 pm, Saturday, 11/28 at 2 pm and 8 pm, Sunday, 11/29 at 3 pm. Christmas Week – Monday, 12/21 at 7 pm, Tuesday, 12/22 at 7 pm, Wednesday, 12/23 at 2 pm, Saturday, 12/26 at 2 pm and 8 pm, Sunday, 12/27 at 2 pm and 7 pm. New Years Week (final week): Monday, 12/28 at 7 pm, Tuesday, 12/29 at 7 pm, Wednesday, 12/20 at 2 pm and 7 pm, Friday, 1/1 at 8 pm, Saturday, 1/2 at 2 pm and 8 pm, Sunday, 1/3 at 2 pm and 7 pm. The running time for SYLVIA is 2 hours with an intermission. Tickets for SYLVIA are priced from $67 - $147 and are now available online at www.telecharge.com, by phone at (212) 239-6200, or in-person at the Cort Theatre box office (138 W. 48th St.). A limited number of rush tickets for SYLVIA are available for purchase in-person at The Cort Theatre box office beginning at 10am Monday - Saturday (12pm on Sundays) for that day's performance(s) only. Rush tickets cost $32 with a maximum of two tickets per person. Rush tickets are subject to availability and may not be offered at all performances. Rush seating locations will be determined at the discretion of the box office. Visit http://www.sylviabroadway.com/. Follow SYLVIA online at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SylviaonBroadway Twitter: https://twitter.com/sylviabroadway Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sylviabroadway

How 'Hamilton' Revolutionizes Broadway

About midway through the first act of the new Broadway musical Hamilton you may begin to ask yourself: Will the stomping and the rapping and the snapping and the hip-hopping and the leaping and the bopping ever cease?
And then you remember: This is a musical about a revolution. Revolutions are big, raucous, messy things.
But what's going on onstage is more than that. It's also a musical theater revolution in and of itself. It rips the lid off our traditional notions of showbiz -- of theater and music and movement and dance and razzle-dazzle.
Hamilton is big (no question about that) but it's also spare. The sets are minimal. The costumes are authentic but still relatively simple. There are no pyrotechnics, no special effects, no ascending or descending stage platforms, no glitter, no sequins, no stars, no streamers.
We're in an atmosphere of weathered wood, of ropes and docks, of brick and mortar, of barrels and casings.
This is the American revolution and we're moving from the 1770s into the mid 1780s as the story of Alexander Hamilton, his life and legacy unfolds.
The naturally-gifted and brilliant Hamilton was a propagandist, a patriot and a zealot.
His boundless energy and passionate convictions kept him moving onward and upward no matter what.
His accomplishments take your breath away: He was a Founding Father of the United States, chief staff aide to General George Washington, one of the most influential interpreters and promoters of the U.S. Constitution, the founder of the nation's financial system, the founder of the Federalist Party (the world's first voter-based political party) the Father of the United States Coast Guard, and the founder of The New York Post.
As the first Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton was the primary author of the economic policies of the George Washington administration. Hamilton took the lead in the funding of the states' debts by the Federal government, the establishment of a national bank, a system of tariffs, and friendly trade relations with Britain. He led the Federalist Party, created largely in support of his views. He was opposed by the Democratic-Republican Party, led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, which despised Britain and feared that Hamilton's policies of a strong central government would weaken the American commitment to republicanism.
Yes, Hamilton was a Very Important Person, indeed.
But he was also an outcast and a masterful provocateur. Born out of wedlock, raised in the West Indies, and orphaned as a child, Hamilton pursued a college education through the help of local wealthy men. He was an American immigrant who at once admired and despised his benefactors -- those who were born and raised under more fortunate circumstances. He not only married up himself but he also clawed his way up through a combination of street smarts, guts, conviction, self-promotion and good timing.
But Hamilton had fatal flaws.
So, this musical is a complete Greek tragedy.
So much is contained in the experience, personality and accomplishments of this one man. And though Hamilton's is a unique story, it's also a uniquely Americanstory -- an instructive story parts of which are told over and over again in the lives of so many Americans.
And, thanks to Hamilton's young, energetic cast, inventive direction and groundbreaking book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda (who also stars in the show) this is an exhilarating experience -- a celebration of the human spirit that sends us soaring out of our comfort zone and into a realm that makes us think anew about what it means to be "We the people . . . "
There are moments in this show that will touch your heart, that will make you angry, that will make you wonder about "the course of human events" and that will cause you to question what your learned about our founders and our founding. But you will also feel pride both in Hamilton's journey and the journey of our nation.
This is daring, adventurous theater. And it's nothing short of astonishing.
Sung through with moments of grandeur and pathos, triumph and tragedy it is at once a landmark American musical and a modern-day rap opera.
Get in the hunt for tickets now.
You'll have to wait, but it's worth it -- worth the wait and worth the price of admission.

A Broadway Show For $32? Yes, Tickets Are Available!

SYLVIA, the acclaimed comedy by two-time Pulitzer Prize-nominee A.R. Gurney (The Dining Room, Love Letters) announces that beginning Tuesday, November 9th a limited number of digital lottery tickets - specially priced at $32 - will be available daily for purchase online at sylvialottery.com. 

 The SYLVIA Digital Lottery is powered by Shubert Ticketing through the new Telecharge Digital Lottery platform, which provides theatre-goers wide access to affordable tickets through multiple social media networks.

Directed by Tony Award-winner Daniel Sullivan (Proof) and starring two-time Tony-winnerMatthew Broderick (It’s Only a Play, The Producers, How to Succeed…, Brighton Beach Memoirs), 2015 Tony-winner Annaleigh Ashford (You Can’t Take It With You, Kinky Boots), Tony Award winner Julie White (The Little Dog Laughed, 2015 Tony-nominee forAirline Highway), and Drama Desk Award winner Robert Sella (Stuff Happens, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), SYLVIA is currently playing a strictly limited, engagement through January 24th, 2016 on Broadway at The Cort Theatre (138 W. 48th Street).

The Telecharge Daily Lottery allows eligible entrants who are members of the Telecharge Daily Lottery or an individual show's Fan Program to enter a daily lottery for a chance to purchase same day rush tickets for participating Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. Available performances will be posted at sylvialottery.com andhttp://sylvialottery.socialtoaster.com/ by 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on the day of the available performance(s), along with the total number of tickets available for each performance. 

Entries must be received no later than 10:59 a.m. ET for matinees and 2:59 p.m. ET for evening performances. Winners will be notified by 11:30am for matinees and 3:30pm for evening performances. Digital lottery tickets cost $32.00 with a maximum of two tickets per person. The tickets are subject to availability and seating locations will be determined at the discretion of the box office. Winners must bring a photo ID to claim their tickets at the box office at least 30 minutes before the performance.

Funny and heartwarming, SYLVIA is about what happens when a smart, sassy, captivating canine befriends a New Yorker in Central Park and changes his life - and his wife’s life - forever. This wonderful look into the complexities of love and commitment asks what does it truly mean to be devoted to your partner . . . and how do you choose between the love of your life and man’s best friend?

Presented by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, and Daryl Roth, SYLVIA has scenic design by Tony Award-nominee David Rockwell (You Can’t Take It With You, On the Twentieth Century), costume design by Academy Award-winner Ann Roth (The English Patient), lighting design by Tony Award-nominee Japhy Weideman (The Visit, Airline Highway), sound design by Peter Fitzgerald (All the Way, Movin’ Out), and music by Greg Pliska. SYLVIA has wig and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates. James Fitzsimmons is the Production Stage Manager.

SYLVIA began previews on Friday, October 2nd and opened on Tuesday, October 27th. The limited engagement will end on Sunday, January 24th, 2016. The regular performance schedule is Tuesday at 7 pm, Wednesday at 2 pm and 7 pm, Thursday at 7 pm, Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm, Sunday at 3 pm.

The running time for SYLVIA is 2 hours with an intermission.

Regularly priced tickets for SYLVIA (priced from $67 - $147) and also available online atwww.telecharge.com, by phone at (212) 239-6200, or in-person at the Cort Theatre box office (138 W. 48th St.).

Visit http://www.sylviabroadway.com/.

Follow SYLVIA online at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SylviaonBroadway
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sylviabroadway
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sylviabroadway

Mamet's 'China Doll' Pushes Back Official Opening

The producers of CHINA DOLL, the new play by David Mamet starring Tony, Emmy and Academy Award-winner Al Pacino, announce that the production’s press opening will be moved back two weeks.  Directed by Tony Award-winner Pam MacKinnon (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf) and co-starring Christopher Denham (“Master Harold”… and the Boys, Argo, “Manhattan”), CHINA DOLL, originally scheduled to open on Thursday, November 19th, will now open after the Thanksgiving holiday on Friday, December 4th.  The move allows the creative team additional time to work on the play before its world premiere. Presented by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, and Steve Traxler, CHINA DOLL is currently in previews at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street).  CHINA DOLL marks the tenth presentation of a David Mamet work by Messrs Richards, Frankel and Treaxler on Broadway and in the West End. CHINA DOLL tells the story of Mickey Ross, a man of means who is ready to walk away from it all to start a new life with his young fiancée. Then one phone call changes everything . . . Al Pacino (Mickey Ross) was last seen on Broadway portraying the role of Shelly Levene in Mamet’s acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Glengarry Glen Ross and was also recently seen as Phil Spector in the HBO film written by David Mamet. Mr. Pacino is a two-time Tony Award winner who also starred in the 1983 revival of American Buffalo. He is also an Academy Award winner, four-time Golden Globe winner, and two-time Emmy Award winner. CHINA DOLL marks his twelfth time appearing on Broadway, including The Merchant of Venice, Salomé, Hughie, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, Camino Real, and Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie, among others. Christopher Denham (Carson) made his Broadway debut opposite Danny Glover in “Master Harold”... and the boys, as was also seen on Broadway in The Lieutenant of Inishmore. Other New York stage credits include The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durin (Roundabout Theater Company), Kindness (Playwright’s Horizons), and Red Light Winter (Barrow Street/Steppenwolf), for which he won the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actor.  Denham also appeared on screen in films such as Argo (2013 Academy Award for Best Picture and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast), Shutter Island starring Leonardo DiCaprio, The Bay, Sound of My Voice, Duplicity, Charlie Wilson’s War, and the upcoming Money Monster opposite George Clooney and Julia Roberts, directed by Jodie Foster.  He is a series regular on WGN’s Emmy-nominated “Manhattan.” David Mamet (Playwright) is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Glengarry Glen Ross. His other plays include Race, Oleanna, American Buffalo, Speed-the-Plow, November and Sexual Perversity in Chicago, among others. Earlier this year, Mr. Mamet was represented on the West End by a production of American Buffalo starring Damian Lewis, John Goodman, and Tom Sturridge, at the Wyndham Theatre. Pam MacKinnon (Director).  Recent credits include Wendy Wasserstein’s The Heidi Chronicles (Broadway); Bruce Norris’ The Qualms (Playwrights Horizons, Steppenwolf); Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance (Broadway); Bruce Norris’ Clybourne Park (Broadway, Playwrights Horizons, and Mark Taper; Tony and Lortel nominations, Obie Award); Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Broadway, Steppenwolf, and Arena Stage; Tony and Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle nomination); and Sarah Teem’s When We Were Young and Unafraid (Manhattan Theatre Club). Pam is an alumna of the Drama League, the Women’s Project and Lincoln Center Theater Directors Labs; an associate artist of the Roundabout Theater Company; executive board member of Stage Directors and Choreographers; and board chair of the New York City downtown company Clubbed Thumb, dedicated to new American plays. CHINA DOLL has scenic design by Tony Award-winner Derek McLane (33 Variations, Beautiful The Carol King Musical), costume design by Tony Award-winner Jess Goldstein (The Rivals, Jersey Boys), and lighting design by Russell H. Champa (In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)). The show was cast by Telsey & Company and Bialy/Thomas Associates. Tickets for CHINA DOLL are available for purchase online at www.telecharge.com, or by calling (212) 239-6200. The running time of CHINA DOLL is 1:55 with an intermission. For performance schedule and other information visit: www.ChinaDollBroadway.com. Visit CHINA DOLL online at: Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaDollBway Twitter: @ChinaDollBway

Win Tickets To Paper Mill's 'Christmas Story' Musical!

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) wants to know 'What is the One Thing You Want For Christmas?' and they will select a few respondents to win free tickets to their holiday show, A Christmas Story: The Musical.

Ralphie wants only one thing for Christmas: an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle. A Christmas Story: The Musical is the hilarious account of Ralphie’s desperate quest to ensure that this most perfect of gifts ends up under his tree this Christmas. The contest will run on Paper Mill Playhouse’s social media networks from November 2 through November 14 (see official rules below).

Winners will be announced the week of November 15, 2015. Participants must simply use the hashtag #PMPAChristmasStory and tell us what is the one thing they want for Christmas on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/PaperMillPlayhouse/), Twitter (@Paper_Mill), or Instagram (www.Instagram.com/PaperMillPlayhouse).

Based on the popular 1983 film, A Christmas Story: The Musical has a book by Joseph Robinette with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. A Christmas Story: The Musical will be directed by Brandon Ivie and choreographed by Mara Newbery Greer. Straight from Broadway‚ this musical captures holiday wonder with such deliciously wicked wit that it is sure to delight children and grown-ups alike. The holiday movie that the whole world loves comes to musical life. A Christmas Story: The Musical will run eight times a week at the Millburn, New Jersey, theater from November 25, 2015, through January 3, 2016. Paper Mill Playhouse's 2015-2016 Season is proudly sponsored by Investors Bank.

A Christmas Story: The Musical will be performed at Paper Mill Playhouse eight times a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Performance schedule: Wednesday at 7:00pm, Thursday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm, Friday at 7:00pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm. Check Paper Mill Playhouse’s website for special holiday week schedules.

Tickets are on sale now starting at $29. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted. Groups of 10 or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680. College students can order $20 rush tickets over the phone or in person at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office on the day of the performance.

OFFICAL CONTEST RULES: No purchase required. You must use hashtag #PMPAChristmasStory on your social media platforms (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram) and have a free account with Paper Mill Playhouse to be considered. You can sign up for a free account at this link:http://tinyurl.com/PaperMillAccount. The contest begins at midnight on Monday, November 2, 2015 and ends at 11:59pm on Saturday, November 14, 2015. The theater will give out a minimum of five pairs of tickets (ten tickets) for the contest in form of a prize letter. Prize letters have no cash value and are subject to specific performances and rules.

Winners will be announced the week of November 15, 2015. Winners agree to allow Paper Mill Playhouse to use their name and image (still images or video) for promotional materials for the theater and its productions. Tickets do not include travel or parking. Paper Mill Playhouse gives out prizes at their own discretion and all decisions are final. Other conditions and restrictions may apply. Contest is sponsored by Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ. Paper Mill Playhouse is a 501c3, not-for-profit arts charity.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit arts organization, 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.

Museum Marks Return Of Iconic Musical To Broadway

Events marking the return of Fiddler on the Roof to Broadway are not in short supply this fall at The Museum at Eldridge Street. This Sunday, November 1st, come join author and Columbia University Professor Alisa Solomon for a fascinating talk and a real treat. Solomon provides an inside look at the talented team who clashed, collaborated, and created this most celebrated of shows and explores how a story about shtetl life became a musical with worldwide appeal. The event will begin at 3:00 pm at the Museum at Eldridge Street (12 Eldridge Street, Lower East Side). Ticket pricing are $12 for adults; $10 for students and seniors. For more information please call 212-219-0888 or visit eldridgestreet.org. Fiddler on the Roof performances begin on Friday, November 20, 2015, with an official opening night on Sunday, December 20, 2015, at The Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway). ''Tickets are now on sale via Telecharge.com or by phone at (212) 239-6200.  The cast includes five-time Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Award winner Danny Burstein (Cabaret, Golden Boy, Follies, South Pacific) who will step into the iconic role of Tevye, Tony nominee Jessica Hecht (A View From the Bridge, “Breaking Bad,” The Last Night of Ballyhoo) as Golde, Adam Kantor (The Last Five Years, Next to Normal, Rent) as Motel, Adam Dannheisser (Rock of Ages, The Coast of Utopia) as Lazar Wolf, Karl Kenzler (You Can’t Take It With You, Mary Poppins) as the Constable, Alix Korey (All Shook Up, Chicago) as Yente, Samantha Massell (La Boheme) as Hodel, Melanie Moore (Finding Neverland, “So You Think You Can Dance”) as Chava, Ben Rappaport (“Mr. Robot,” Picnic) as Perchik, Nick Rehberger (The Glass Menagerie) as Fyedka, Alexandra Silber (Master Class) as Tzeitel, Jessica Vosk (The Bridges of Madison County) as Fruma Sarah, Aaron Young as Sasha; and Julie Benko, Eric Bourne, Jacob Guzman (Newsies), Jesse Kovarsky, Reed Luplau, Brandt Martinez (Aladdin), Sarah Parker, Marla Phelan (Sleep No More), George Psomas (South Pacific), Silvia Vrskova, and Jonathan Royse Windham in the ensemble. Further casting to be announced. Fiddler on the Roof will be directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, who most recently helmed the 2015 Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of The King and I. Sher has directed Burstein on Broadway in the revivals of Golden Boy and South Pacific, as well as in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It will be choreographed by Hofesh Shechter, inspired by the original choreography of Jerome Robbins, and the music director will be Ted Sperling (The King and I, South Pacific). Fiddler on the Roof has book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, was the first musical in history to surpass 3,000 performances. The show won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Musical in addition to eight other Tony Awards that year. The design team includes scenic design by Michael Yeargan (Tony Award nominee, The King and I), costume design by Catherine Zuber (Tony Award winner, The King and I), and lighting design by Donald Holder (Tony Award nominee, The King and I). Fiddler on the Roof will be their 5th Broadway production working with Sher, after South Pacific, Golden Boy, The Bridges of Madison County, and The King and I. Sound design is by Scott Lehrer (A Delicate Balance, South Pacific). Casting is by Telsey + Co./Abbie Brady Dalton. ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION  Rediscover the joy as a Broadway tradition returns: Fiddler on the Roof. Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific and The King and I bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. The original production won ten Tony Awards including a special Tony for becoming the longest-running Broadway musical of all time—and now you can be there when the sun rises on this new production starring Tony nominees Danny Burstein and Jessica Hecht with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins. A wonderful cast and a lavish orchestra tell this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family. Featuring the Broadway classics “To Life (L’Chaim!),” “If I Were A Rich Man,” “Sunrise Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and “Tradition,” Fiddler On the Roof will introduce a new generation to this uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy! To love! To life! Website: http://fiddlermusical.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiddlerBroadway  Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiddlerBroadway Instagram: https://instagram.com/fiddlerbroadway/ ###

Paper Mill Announces 'A Christmas Story' Cast

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is proud to announce casting for its holiday show, A Christmas Story: The Musical.  

Based on the popular 1983 film, A Christmas Story: The Musical has a book by Joseph Robinette with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.  A Christmas Story: The Musical will be directed by Brandon Ivie and choreographed by Mara Newbery Greer. 

A Christmas Story: The Musical will run eight times a week at the Millburn, New Jersey, theater from November 25, 2015, through January 3, 2016. The official press opening night is Sunday, November 29, at 7:00pm. Paper Mill Playhouse's 2015-2016 Season is proudly sponsored by Investors Bank.

Ralphie wants only one thing for Christmas: an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle. A Christmas Story: The Musical is the hilarious account of Ralphie’s desperate quest to ensure that this most perfect of gifts ends up under his tree this Christmas. Straight from Broadway‚ this musical captures holiday wonder with such deliciously wicked wit that it is sure to delight children and grown-ups alike. Bring the whole family‚ again and again. The holiday movie that the whole world loves comes to musical life.

A Christmas Story: The Musical will be performed at Paper Mill Playhouse eight times a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Performance schedule: Wednesday at 7:00pm, Thursday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm, Friday at 7:00pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm. Check Paper Mill Playhouse’s website for special holiday week schedules. 

Tickets are on sale now starting at $29. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted. 

Groups of 10 or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680.  College students can order $20 rush tickets over the phone or in person at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office on the day of the performance.

“There is no better way to celebrate the holidays than a trip to Paper Mill Playhouse to experience this heartwarming and hilarious musical based on the film that you know and love,” commented Paper Mill Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Mark S. Hoebee. “Bring the entire family and share an experience they will never forget.”

A Christmas Story: The Musical features a cast of Broadway veterans and amazing young talent. Judah Immanuel and Colton Maurer will share the role of Ralphie, a role they have each performed in previous productions. Judah Immanuel was featured in productions of The Secret Garden and Into the Woods. Colton Maurer (Mahwah, New Jersey), returns to Paper Mill Playhouse, where he appeared as a workhouse boy in Oliver! and performed in the Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory for two years. Hudson Loverro (Randy) has performed in productions of Oliver! and Fiddler on the Roof.

Elena Shaddow (Mother), a resident of Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, returns to Paper Mill Playhouse, where she was last seen as Maria in The Sound of Music. Ms. Shaddow’s Broadway credits include The Visit, The Bridges of Madison County, La Cage aux Folles, The Woman in White and The Light in the Piazza, among others.

Ted Koch (Jean Shepherd) performed on Broadway in Elling, The Pillowman, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Death of a Salesman. Mr. Koch’s television credits include The Americans, The Good Wife, The Sopranos, The West Wing and more.

Danette Holden (Miss Shields) returns to Paper Mill Playhouse, where she last appeared in Romance, Romance. Ms. Holden’s Broadway credits include Annie, Shrek and Laughing Room Only.

Chris Hoch (The Old Man) was recently seen on Broadway in Amazing Grace. Some of Mr. Hoch’s other Broadway credits include Matilda, La Cage aux Folles, Shrek and Spamalot, among others.

Rounding out the ensemble are: Kyle Nicholas Anderson, Jacob ben Widmar, Jillian Butler, Andrew Cristi, Madge Dietrich, Carlos Encinias, Marjorie Failoni, Ellie Fishman, Thay Floyd, Benjamin Howes, Karen Hyland, Charlie Johnson and Kirsten Wyatt.

The children’s ensemble includes: Laurel Caruso, Vincenzo Faruolo (Toms River, NJ), Parker James Fullmore, Ruby Griffin, Mackenzie Lewis, Anna McCarthy (Madison, NJ), Ryan McInnes, Gabriel Reis (Tenafly, NJ), Anthony Rosenthal, Dana Beth Steiner and Gavin Swartz.

A Christmas Story will feature two purebred bloodhounds in the production. Pete and Lily (The Bumpus Hounds) were adopted and rescued by trainer and guardian William Berloni. Mr. Berloni recruited Pete and Lily for the original Broadway Production of A Christmas Story: The Musical. Pete and Lily recently appeared in the world premiere of Moonshine: That Hee Haw Musical in Dallas, Texas.

The A Christmas Story: The Musical creative team includes:

Brandon Ivie (Director) served as the assistant director for First Date and A Christmas Story: The Musical on Broadway. At Paper Mill Playhouse Mr. Ivie served as the associate director for Damn Yankees. Mr. Ivie recently directed Jasper in Deadland at Seattle’s 5^th Avenue Theatre and at the West End Theatre off off-Broadway. 

Mara Newbery Greer (Choreographer) returns to Paper Mill Playhouse after performing in Honeymoon in Vegas. Ms. Greer performed in A Christmas Story: The Musical on Broadway and on tour. Ms. Greer has choreographed productions of Shrek, A Christmas Story: The Musical, Oliver! and Fiddler on the Roof.

Ben Whiteley (Music Director) returns to Paper Mill Playhouse, where he served as music director for Damn Yankees. Mr. Whiteley has worked both regionally and on Broadway, where he conducted Cats for six years. Mr. Whiteley has worked on many national tours including Falsettos, Grand Hotel, Big, The Full Monty and Spamalot.

William Berloni (Animal Director and Trainer) received a 2011 Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre. Mr. Berloni is Broadway’s go-to trainer for stage canines. Mr. Berloni transforms shelter dogs into stars for Broadway, off-Broadway, national tours, ballet, television, film and more. On Broadway, Mr. Berloni served as animal trainer for Bullets Over Broadway, Annie, Legally Blonde, Gypsy and many others. At Paper Mill Playhouse, Mr. Berloni provided animals for The Wizard of Oz and Annie, among others.

The A Christmas Story: The Musical design team includes:

Walt Spangler (Scenic Design) has designed sets for many Broadway shows including Scandalous, Desire Under the Elms, Hollywood Arms and more. At Paper Mill Playhouse, Mr. Spangler designed Of Thee I Sing and On the Town, among others.

Stephen Carmody (Scenic Coordination) designed sets for many productions including the world-premiere and off-Broadway productions of A Twist of Water, Carrie: The Musical, Broadsword and Sweeney Todd. Mr. Carmody served as an associate for the 2014–2015 tour of Big Apple Circus, Beaches: The Musical, Disney on Ice: Rockin’ Ever After and more.

Elizabeth Hope Clancy (Costume Design) has designed costumes for many Broadway shows including Passing Strange, A Few Good Men, The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?, Bobbi Boland and The Ride Down Mt. Morgan.

Leon Dobkowski (Costume Coordination and additional design) returns to Paper Mill Playhouse, where he recently served as the costume designer for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. On Broadway, Mr. Dobkowski served as the associate/assistant costume designer on The Trip to Bountiful, Nice Work If You Can Get It, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and more.

F. Mitchell Dana (Lighting Design) returns to Paper Mill Playhouse, where he has served as lighting designer for many shows including Boeing-Boeing, Guys and Dolls, The King and I and more. Mr. Dana served as lighting designer for Broadway productions of Oh Coward!, Mass Appeal, Once in a Lifetime and more.

Randy Hansen (Sound Design) is Paper Mill Playhouse’s resident sound designer and has designed sound for more than 130 musicals and 40 plays. Many memorable moments include working with opera star Jessye Norman, the Indianapolis and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In New York City he was the president of Audible Difference Inc., a sound design company that over the past 30 years has served the fashion industry in New York and Paris.

Leah Loukas (Hair & Wig Design) worked on the Broadway productions of On the Town, A Night with Janis Joplin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, American Idiot and Irena’s Vow. At Paper Mill Playhouse Ms. Loukas designed The Sound of Music, Grease, Elf, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Ever After and more.

Telsey + Company (Casting) is an award-winning organization of casting professionals in New York City with local, regional, national and international clientele including Broadway and touring companies of If/Then, The King and I, Motown, Kinky Boots, Finding Neverland, Honeymoon in Vegas, Rock of Ages and Wicked. The lead casting director on this project is Rachel Hoffman, CSA.

The Production Stage Manager is Gary Mickelson.

Paper Mill Playhouse, a leader in accessibility, will offer audio-described performances for A Christmas Story: The Musical on Saturday, December 19, and Sunday, December 20, at 1:30 pm. 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 along with hands-on interaction with key sets, props, and costumes.  There will be a sign-interpreted and open-captioned performance on Sunday, December 20, at 7 pm. 

Paper Mill Playhouse will offer a special autism-friendly performance of A Christmas Story: The Musical on Tuesday, December 29, 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. This is the third time Paper Mill Playhouse has expanded its autism-friendly performances to a mainstage production after successful performances of Elf and Disney’s The Little Mermaid. 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. 

Additionally, Paper Mill Playhouse will host a free open house titled Meet Your Seat on Monday, December 28, 2015, from 4:00 to 6:00pm.  This is an opportunity for children who are new to the theatrical experience to visit the theater space before the show. Often children with autism or other developmental disabilities become anxious in new surroundings, new experiences, and they need time to transition. The Meet Your Seat open house provides an opportunity for children to come to the theater in advance of the performance and take time to feel comfortable in this new space.

The autism-friendly performance of A Christmas Story: The Musical is proudly sponsored by the Merck Foundation. Additional generous support for autism-friendly programs is provided by C.R. Bard Foundation, The Karma Foundation and MetLife Foundation.

Paper Mill Playhouse embraces a long history of providing access services to patrons of the theater.  In addition to autism-friendly performances, Paper Mill Playhouse offers a wide variety of access programs and services including: sign-interpreted performances, open-captioned performances, audio-described performances, pre-show sensory seminars and barrier-free access theater-wide.  Paper Mill Playhouse’s accessibility programs have been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, VSA arts/MetLife, and the New Jersey Department of Recreation as a role model for other performing arts organizations throughout the country.

Paper Mill Playhouse will once again, be a collection point for this year’s Jersey Cares Coat Drive.  Over the years, Jersey Cares has collected, sorted and distributed more than 500,000 winter coats to New Jersey residents. The donated winter coats benefit at-risk men, women, children, and infants in our area. Each year, Paper Mill Playhouse gladly participates in this worthy cause and will be collecting gently used winter coats from November 25, 2015 through January 3, 2016. Collection of coats will take place in the lobby at Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ.

PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit arts organization, 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.   

Stellar Cast Energizes Swingin 'Bandstand'

New Jersey's renowned Paper Mill Playhouse is proud to open its 2015-2016 season with the world premiere musical The Bandstand. 

Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes (Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, Bonnie and Clyde), Corey Cott (Newsies, Gigi) and Tony Award winner Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone, 42nd Street) star in The Bandstand.

The Bandstand is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton, Bring It On, In the Heights). The Bandstand features a book and lyrics by Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor and music by Richard Oberacker.

The Bandstand began performances Thursday, October 8, 2015, and runs through Sunday, November 8, 2015.

Set in 1945, The Bandstand tells the story of a mismatched band of military veterans who join together to compete in a national radio contest in New York City with a prize that will guarantee instant stardom to the winners. But with complicated relationships, the demands of the competition and the challenging after-effects of war, going all the way for a win in the contest seems like a dream that may break these musicians.

The original score is strongly influenced by authentic 1940s swing music and much of it is played onstage by the characters who make up the band. The show races towards a “live on air” finale that has an emotionally charged and surprise twist ending that requires every ounce of talent, stamina and raw nerve that these musicians possess.

The Bandstand is performed at Paper Mill Playhouse eight times a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Performance schedule: Wednesday at 7:30pm, Thursday at 1:30pm and 7:30pm, Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 8:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00 pm.

Tickets are on sale now and range from $29 to $102. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at PaperMill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted. Groups of 10 or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680. College students can order $20 rush tickets over the phone or in person at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office on the day of the performance.

FOR TICKETS VISIT PaperMill.org or call 973-376-4343.