SHINE! The Horatio Alger Musical with a Book by Richard Seff; Music by Roger Dean Anderson and Lyrics by Lee Goldsmith is being presented by Other Side Productions (Peter Mercurio, Chuck Blasius - Co-Artistic Directors) as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival at The Theater at St. Clements, 423 West 46th Street. The director is Peter Flynn and the choreographer is Devanand Janki. Michael Bottari & Ronald Case are the set and costume designers and the lighting designer is Jeff Croiter. Greg Anthony is the music supervisor, arranger, orchestrator; Annbritt duChateau is the music director and the associate musical directors are Danny Percefull and Sue Anschultz. www.shinethemusical.com
With a highly melodic, hummable and bouncy score with bright lyrics, "SHINE the
Horatio Alger Musical", has tons of period atmosphere, nostalgic charm, comedy and entertainment. A multi-talented cast of 19 makes this one of the largest of the festival productions. Tickets are $20. Performances are: Thurs. 10/7 at 8pm; Sat. 10/9 at 5pm; Mon. 10/11, at 9pm; Fri. 10/15, at 1pm; Sat. 10/16, at 9pm and Sun. 10/17 at 3pm. The principals for the show are:
Andy Mientus (
Richard Hunter);
Michael Halling (Luke Gerrish);
Meggie Cansler (Stacia Jane Hauser);
Jimmy Ray Bennett (Gideon Chapin);
William Ryall (Silas Snobden);
Stanton Nash (Higgins);
Philip Chaffin (Allen Carlisle); Tyler Merna (Rob Carlisle);
Dan Lawler (Foswell);
Evan Jay Newman (Mickey Maguire) and
Katherine McGrath (Mrs. Mooney). The Ensemble includes:
Jason Mills, Cheo Bourne,
Todd Horman,
Robert Mintz, Rachell Coloff,
Jessica Vosk,
Joy Hermalyn and
Melissa Rain Anderson
"SHINE! The
Horatio Alger Musical" follows the tale of Ragged Dick (
Horatio Alger's first best-selling hero) in lower Manhattan (1876) as he rises from penniless bootblack to budding Wall Street entrepreneur. Dick's adventures with a little bit of luck, some charm and a whole lot of hard work bring him face to face with scheming ex-convicts, vicious comic villains, kind benefactors, and a world of colorful street characters in this charming rags-to-riches romp for everyone.
Richard Seff (Book) has spent a lifetime in the theatre as actor, playwright, columnist, critic, agent, librettist, investor and now memoirist. He first acted professionally in 1946 and took a 22 year leave of absence from the stage to become an agent representing artists in the musical theatre on Broadway.
Roger Dean Anderson (Composer) has been fortunate to collaborate with such legendary talents,
Michael Smuin,
Joe Layton,
Wally Harper,
Tony Walton,
Vivian Matalon and
Hal Prince. In 1979 he was paired with lyricist
Lee Goldsmith, more than 30 years his senior; later composing the award-winning "Chaplin", followed by "Quality Street". Recent projects include "Ladykiller"; "Flying Tigers" and "Abe".
Lee Goldsmith (Lyricist) enjoyed an early career with National Comics scripting stories for The Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and The Flash. He adapted several projects for the stage, writing book and lyrics: "Come Back Little Sheba", "Golddiggers of 1633" and his ground-breaking Broadway musical "Sextet".
Peter Flynn (Director) is Artistic Director of The Hangar Theatre and staged the star-studded Broadway concerts of "On the Twentieth Century" (
Douglas Sills,
Marin Mazzie, &
Joanne Worley); "Chess" (
Josh Groban); and "Funny Girl" (
Whoopi Goldberg,
Bebe Neuwirth, &
Peter Gallagher, among others).
Devanand Janki (Choreographer): directed & choreographed the award-winning hit "Zanna, Don't"! and "Junie B. Jones", "Cupid & Psyche", "Henry & Mudge" and
John Patrick Shanley's "Romantic Poetry" (MTC). Broadway concerts: director of "Hair" (all-star cast, featuring
Jennifer Hudson), choreographer of "Funny Girl" (16
Fanny Brices, including
Whoopi Goldberg,
Bebe Neuwirth, &
Jane Krakowski).
Michael Bottari &
Ronald Case (Set and Costume Design) won:
Lucille Lortel Award (Drama Desk nomination) for "Shanghai Moon" costumes and again for "Die Mommie Die" (Drama Desk, Outer Critics, &
American Theatre Wing nominations). On Broadway: "State Fair", "Prince Of Central Park", and
Marc Shaiman's "Prop 8, The Musical".
