F.U.D.G.E. Presents Their Tenth Anniversary Executive Board

In the spring of 2001, three nineteen year old friends named Joseph DeMita, Christopher Smith, and Laura Chandler met to discuss the creation of a theatre company. They had the will and the desire; they didn't have a name! As luck would have it, just as they were about to throw in the towel, a friend walked into the room carrying a plate of freshly made fudge. She must not have heard the three when they asked her opinion on a name, because she promptly asked: "How about some fudge?" It stuck! In order to have "fudge" make any sense in the theatrical world, the trio created an acronym. In a stroke of genius, "Friends United Developing Genuine Entertainment" came to fruition. The co-founders decided to select Merrily We Roll Along, Steven Sondheim's critically acclaimed musical about three friends who believe they can do anything they can dream of, as the first official F.U.D.G.E. production. Though it might sound insane for a brand new company to produce one of Sondheim's more difficult musicals as an inaugural production, the musical mirrored the youthful optimism of the young company and those involved. The production used college-aged students for every aspect of production, including actors, designers, and crews. The show opened on a Tuesday night in August with a cast of 9, an orchestra of 12, and an audience of 30. While not a huge financial success, Merrily We Roll Along proved that F.U.D.G.E.'s mission was in fact possible! With a hard work, creative thinking, and dedicated "friends united" both old and new, The F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company continues to change and grow with each production as it provides quality and affordable theatre productions for the audiences in the greater Boston area, cultivating an appreciation for and understanding of the arts. A concept to which Founder and Artistic Director Joe DeMita is completely committed!

ABOUT JOE DeMITA

JOE DeMITA is one of the founders of The F.U.D.G.E Theatre Company, Inc. Directing credits include Jake's Women (Stonehill Theatre Company), Company (Winthrop Playmakers), and the F.U.D.G.E. productions of Once On This Island, Working, Rumors, Urinetown, Dedication or The Stuff of Dreams, I Sing!, The House of Blue Leaves, Into the Woods, Bat Boy, I Love You Because (Boston Premiere), Fuddy Meers, and bare (Boston Premiere). Joe has also served as the directing intern to Rob Ruggiero at TheatreWorks Hartford on productions of The Exonerated (featuring TV/Film star Kim Fields) and the world premiere musical Ella: Off the Record (starring Broadway's Tina Fabrique). In the Boston area, Joe served as the assistant director to Adam Zahler on the Lyric Stage's production of Talley's Folly. His work on the Company's production of Nevermore received unanimous critical acclaim. He most recently directed the F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company's World Premiere of Charles Antin and Ryan Cunningham's romantic comedy, Half-Married, the New England Premiere of Broadway's Glory Days and the highly praised and critically acclaimed musical, VIOLET.

THE QUOTES
"F.U.D.G.E. is a small, dedicated, award-winning theatrical group
that consistently produces edgy, top-drawer entertainment.
Their first-rate productions are always impressive works of theatrical art.
This is a young and vibrant company."
-Sheila Barth, Independent Newspaper Group

"Joe DeMita has made a reputation for thoroughly professional work.
This is the F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company tradition."
-Barry Andelman, Theatre Mirror

"Director Joe DeMita and F.U.D.G.E are to be commended
for constantly seeking out new material to present to the Boston audiences."
-Iris Fanger, The Patriot Ledger

"A TRIUMPH."
-Robert Israel, EDGE

www.FudgeTheatre.com

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