This smash Off-Broadway hit takes you to the 1958 Springfield High School prom, where we meet Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy: four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts! As we learn about their lives and loves, the girls serenade us with classic ‘50s hits including “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover,” “Stupid Cupid,” and “Lipstick on Your Collar.” (Musical)
CAST
Written & Created by Roger Bean
Musical Arrangements by Brian William Baker Orchestrations by Michael Borth
Vocal Arrangements by Roger Bean & Brian William Baker
Originally Produced for the New York Stage by David Elzer, Roger Bean & Peter Schneider.
The Marvelous Wonderettes premiered at Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
Joseph Hanreddy, Artistic Director and Timothy J. Shields, Managing Director.
CREW
Karaline Rosen as "Cindy Lou"
Gail Cevallos as "Missy"
Mallory Wu as "Betty Jean"
Rachel Love as "Suzy"
Executive Producer….................................................Adam Neary
Producers....................................Jennifer Moffett, Andrea Polselli
Director...........................................................Matthew Muccigrossi
Music Director...........................................................Francois Suhr
Stage Manager…..........................................Kaitlin "Coco" O'Leary
Scenic Designer….................................................. Dorothy Bitetto
Costumes............................................................Annmarie Matseur
Lighting Designer….......................................Kaitlin "Coco" O'Leary
Sound Designers.............................Jeff Seesselberg, Joe Maisano
Properties...................................................................Jackie Master
Carpenters.........................................Michael Gilbert, Matt Nickles
November 4 - 20
Fridays at 8 p.m.
Saturdays at 8 p.m. and
Sundays at 2 p.m.
*Please note that we have changed our Sunday matinee times from 3 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Show runtime is about two hours which includes a 15 minute intermission.
Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of management.
Tickets are $24/adults & $22/seniors and students
Gail Cevallos (Missy) is delighted to be making her Playhouse 22 debut with the cast, creative team & crew of The Marvelous Wonderettes! Previous credits include The Spongebob Musical (Pearl Krabs), A Chorus Line (Judy Turner), The Addams Family (Wednesday Addams), She Kills Monsters (Kaliope), and Little Shop of Horrors (Ronnette). Shoutout to McCarter Theatre in Princeton for employment. #CatMom. She would like to thank the creative team for this wonderful opportunity, the girlies for such a great time and the crew for all they do! Much love to her family, friends, and (especially) Jason for all the support always. It’s PROM NIGHT!!!
Rachel Love (Suzy) is over the "Allegheny" moon to be in this marvelous production! She has performed throughout the state, most recently Spongebob Squarepants the Musical (Mrs. Puff), The Wedding Singer (Linda), and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre). When she isn't on a stage (or behind a zoom meeting), she is a High School Special Education Science teacher in Scotch Plains. Special Thanks to her friends and family for putting up with her ridiculous schedule now that free time is not a thing, Matt, Coco, and Francois who she would literally do anything for, her fellow wonderettes for being the coolest thing since sliced bread and her husband Zach for being the literal "Man of her Dreams" (yuck corny!)
Karaline Rosen (Cindy Lou) is delighted to be performing again at Playhouse 22. You may have seen her here this past spring as Terpsicore in Xanadu. Her other past roles include: Holly (The Wedding Singer), Nadine (Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party), Deb (Ordinary Days), and Cathy Hiatt (The Last Five Years). Karaline would like to thank Matt, François, Andrea, and Coco for all their hard work in this extremely short time frame. She would also like to thank her family and friends for always supporting her.
Mallory Wu (Betty Jean) is proud to be starring in her second all-female four-person cast production at Playhouse 22. Previous (New Jersey) credits include said musical, Lizzie (Bridget) and mostly Matt Muccigrossi shows like The SpongeBob Musical (Karen the Computer), Into the Woods (Little Red), Hairspray (Amber), and James and the Giant Peach (James). Other than that she’s from Brooklyn and mostly does commercials that play between YouTube videos so you most likely don’t know her. Thank you to all cast and crew for waiting for me to consistently arrive five minutes late to every rehearsal due to horrendous traffic on the Verrazzano. @beanann
Jennifer Moffett (Producer) serves on the board at Playhouse 22 and has worked on numerous shows in various capacities. She also serves as one of the theatre's technical directors. Select credits include: Little Shop of Horrors (Producer/Lighting Designer), My Fair Lady (NJACT nominated/Producer), Proof (Lighting Designer), The Complete Works of Shakespeare, Abridged (Director), The Mousetrap (Miss Casewell), Death of a Salesman (Lighting Designer/Miss Forsythe). Big thanks goes to this production team, cast...and especially my co-producer, Andrea You are all MARVELOUS!
Andrea Polselli (Producer) is ecstatic to be co-producing a show for the very first time ever. Previously, she’s stage managed, crewed, painted, and designed sets. Thanks to all involved (and especially Jenn for thinking to ask me!) for making this an educational and fun first time experience!
Matthew Muccigrossi (Director) is thrilled to be returning to Playhouse 22 where he previously directed My Fair Lady and Into the Woods. Select credits include: The SpongeBob Musical (Plays-in-the-Park), The Wild Party, Hairspray, Titanic (Villagers Theatre) and The Addams Family (SVP). Many thanks to Adam, Jenn, Andrea, Coco, François and the rest of the creative team for their hard work and dedication to this production.
François Suhr (Music Director) is a music teacher in the South Brunswick School District who comes from Filipino-Swiss heritage. He has worked as a pianist and music director throughout New Jersey, the Broadway Artists Alliance in New York City, and serves as a piano accompanist for the Princeton Girlchoir/Boychoir. Recent music direction credits include Camelot (Playhouse 22), A Chorus Line (Phoenix Productions), and Catch Me If You Can (Kelsey Theatre). He has also made appearances on the stage recently playing in the cast of Once and as Warren in Ordinary Days (Kelsey Theatre).
Kaitlin “Coco” O’Leary (Stage Manager, Lighting Designer) is excited for her first endeavor at Playhouse 22. She has professional experience as a stage manager, lighting designer and head electrician. Selected credits include: The Spongebob Musical (SM, PIP), The Wild Party (LD, Villagers); Mamma Mia (SM, PIP); Pride and Prejudice and The Nutcracker (ARB); Thrill Me and The Tall Girls (Luna Stage). Many thanks to this amazing cast and creative team. As always, Be Marvelous.
Dorothy Bitetto (Scenic Designer) continues her enjoyment of designing at Playhouse 22. Her last five shows were Camelot with Matt Nickles, Scenic Artist on Xanadu, Harvey, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Man of La Mancha. She recently designed Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Villagers Theatre. Dorothy attended the Lester Polakov Studio & Forum of Stage Design in NYC. After retiring from Viacom as a TV Producer, she continues her association with SW Artists, a NJ talent agency, taking classes at Rutgers.
Jeff Seesselberg (Sound Designer) is excited to be a part of The Marvelous Wonderettes as the beginning of his ninth season working with Playhouse 22! Jeff most recently directed Harvey on this stage. Sound Design Credits include Sound for Man of La Mancha and My Fair Lady (Playhouse 22) And the Winner is... (Villagers) and various Podcasts and Short films. Thanks to Matt for the opportunity, Joe for Co-Designing, and Jenn, Sam, and James for their support.
Jackie Master (Properties) is happy to be working on this production of The Marvelous Wonderettes. Past shows for which she has also done props include The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Few Good Men, Urinetown, Spamalot, Arsenic & Old Lace, My Fair Lady, and Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, among others. You can find her onstage this December in A Christmas Carol here at the Playhouse.
Michael Gilbert (Carpenter) was the technical director for AMAS Repertory Theatre in NYC and Shawnee Playhouse in the Poconos, the assistant technical director for the New London Barn Players in NH, and worked as a scenic carpenter and rigger at Playwrights Horizons, the Negro Ensemble Company, Princeton Summer Theatre, and most recently was the head carpenter for Palyhouse 22’s production of Harvey. As a theatre teacher in New York City for 33 years, he designed and built over 100 plays and musicals. Also an actor, Michael last year played the Ghost of Jacob Marley in Playhouse 22’s annual production of A Christmas Carol.
Roger Bean created the long-running hit The Marvelous Wonderettes (over 1,200 performances Off-Broadway), along with the sequels Wonderettes: Caps & Gowns, Winter Wonderettes, Wonderettes: Dream On, and the new large-cast Wonderettes: Glee Club Edition. Original cast albums for all Wonderettes shows are available from iTunes and Amazon. The Marvelous Wonderettes received the 2007 LA Ovation Award for Best Musical for its record-breaking Los Angeles run and continues to be an audience favorite in theatre companies throughout the country. Mr. Bean’s do-wop hit Life Could Be A Dream had a record-breaking 12-month run in Los Angeles, receiving the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, the LA Weekly Theatre Award, and the Backstage Garland Award for Outstanding Musical. Other popular musicals created by Mr. Bean includes The Andrews Brothers, Summer of Love, Route 66, Honky Tonk Laundry, and Why Do Fools Fall In Love?, all published by Stage Rights. More info at www.rogerbean.com
Produced by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing.