Photo Flash: CURTAINS at Paper Mill Playhouse!

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is proud to announce casting for Curtains. Directed by Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, Curtains will run at the Millburn theater from April 27 through May 22, 2011. Family Week is April 27 through May 1 and during this period, children 18 and under receive half off the regular ticket price (certain restrictions apply). Curtains is generously supported by a gift from Allen and Joan Bildner. Curtains is a co-production with Theatre Under The Stars in Houston, Texas. Press opening is set for Sunday, May 1st at 7:00pm.

Production photos appear below!

Curtains will play the following performance schedule: Wednesdays at 7:30PM, Thursdays at 1:30PM & 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 1:30PM & 8:00PM and Sundays at 1:30PM & 7:00PM. Single tickets are now on sale and range in price from $25 to $92. Student rush tickets are $25 and are available the day of performance in person with current student ID. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973-376-4343, or at the Paper Mill Box Office on Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at Paper Mill Playhouse's website: www.papermill.org. Paper Mill Playhouse gift cards, available in any denomination, can be purchased at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted. Groups of ten or more can receive a 25% discount or more on tickets and should call 973-379-3636, extension 2438.

Aspiring actor and detective Lt. Frank Cioffi is investigating the rising body count on the set of a Broadway-bound show, and starting a romance with one of the actors. Can he solve the case without becoming one of the victims? This musical mystery-comedy was created by the team responsible for both Cabaret and Chicago. Curtains will have you on the edge of your seat. laughing!

Director Mark S. Hoebee comments, "I am thrilled to bring this fantastic cast and wonderful Kander and Ebb musical to Paper Mill Playhouse. Curtains was a great success on Broadway and I am excited to revisit this work with television stars Kim Zimmer and Robert Newman, who will bring a new energy to this spirited musical comedy."

Curtains brings a superb cast to the Paper Mill Playhouse stage. Robert Newman and Kim Zimmer reunite onstage for Curtains after spending years as the on-screen, power couple Josh and Reva on Guiding Light. Robert Newman (Lt. Frank Cioffi) is a four-time nominee for the Soap Opera Digest Award and two-time Daytime Emmy Award nominee. He is best known for his role as Joshua Lewis on Guiding Light. Regional credits include: North Carolina Theatre's Annie; Algonquin Theater's Sessions, The Musical; Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera's A Little Night Music, and extensive work in Los Angeles theatres. Kim Zimmer (Carmen Bernstein) won four Daytime Emmy Awards for 'Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series' for her portrayal of Reva Shayne on Guiding Light. Her theater experience includes off-Broadway's Love, Loss, And What I Wore and Four Dogs and a Bone. Ed Dixon (Christopher Belling) appeared in the Broadway productions of Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, Les Misérables and The Three Musketeers, among several others. National tours include: The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, Pippin and Sunset Boulevard. At Paper Mill Playhouse, Mr. Dixon portrayed the Major General in Pirates!, King Charlemagne in Pippin, Max in The Sound of Music, Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady, among others. Amanda Rose's (Niki Harris) credits include the Broadway production of Wicked and the national tours of Wicked, Dr. Doolittle and Oklahoma! Kevin Kern's (Aaron Fox) credits include: Broadway's Wicked, The Wedding Singer, and Les Misérables as well as the pre-Broadway runs of 9 to 5: The Musical and Next to Normal. Helen Anker (Georgia Hendricks) made her Broadway debut in the revival of Promises, Promises after appearing in recent West End (London) productions of Beautiful and Damned, On The Town and Parade. David Elder (Bobby Pepper) starred in the original Broadway production of Curtains and boasts credits that include; the national tour of Damn Yankees and Broadway's 42nd Street, Kiss Me, Kate! and Guys and Dolls. Aaron Galligan-Stierle's (Daryl Grady) Broadway credits include: Ragtime and Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. Dick Decareau's (Oscar Shapiro) Broadway credits include: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Raggedy Ann and the national tours of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Ragtime and Annie. Rye Mullis's (Johnny Harmon) credits include tours with Young Frankenstein and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Anne Horak (Bambi Bernstein) appeared in Broadway's Young Frankenstein and White Christmas.

Rounding out the cast are Monique Alhaddad, Ashley Arcement, Colin Bradbury, Joshua James Campbell, Lauren DeCierdo, Mathew DeGuzman, Taurean Everett, Becca Kloha, Mary Ann Lamb, Ian Liberto, Patrick O'Neill, Happy McPartlin, Molly Tynes, Kyle Vaughn and Dana Winkle.

Based on the original book and concept by Peter Stone and modified by Rupert Holmes, this Broadway gem features the razzle-dazzle musical style of celebrated songwriting duo John Kander (music) and Fred Ebb (lyrics), the same pair behind hits like Cabaret and Chicago. Additional lyrics by Kander and Holmes.

Curtains will be directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, who directed last season's hit productions of Smokey Joe's Café and Peter Pan. He has directed the Paper Mill productions of Disney High School Musical; Meet Me in St. Louis; Dreamgirls; The Will Rogers Follies; Victor/Victoria; The King and I; Miss Saigon; Grease; Harold and Maude: The Musical with Estelle Parsons; Hello, Dolly!, starring Tovah Feldshuh; Romance/Romance and Paper Mill Playhouse's critically acclaimed production of The Full Monty, featuring Elaine Stritch. Mr. Hoebee directed the Actor's Fund Benefit Concert of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the August Wilson Theatre which starred Terrence Mann, Emily Skinner, and Jennifer Hudson. Hoebee has directed national tours of Company; Victor/Victoria; and Dreamgirls. His Broadway performance credits include: Victor/Victoria, Beauty and the Beast, Nick & Nora, and Jerome Robbins' Broadway. He served as an Adjunct Professor in the Dance and Theatre Department at Northwestern University.

Curtains also features the work of choreographer JoAnn M. Hunter, whose productions include: Broadway's Spring Awakening, Curtains, The Wedding Singer and All Shook Up, as well as the national tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Joining Hoebee and Hunter on the creative team are: Tom Helm (Music Director), Randy Hansen (Sound Design), Charlie Morrison (Lighting Design) Robert Kovach (Scenic Design), and Tracy Christensen (Costume Design). The production stage manager is Thomas J. Gates.

In conjunction with Curtains, Paper Mill Playhouse is proud to announce a series of free audience enrichment activities including: The Director's Viewpoint, April 27th at 6:30pm, Conversation Club, every Thursday evening at 6:30pm and Q&A with the Cast on May 21st, following the matinee. Visit www.papermill.org for more details on Paper Mill Playhouse's free audience enrichment activities.

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/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by the generous contributions of numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

Photo Credit: Bruce Bonnett