"We Are… ON BROADWAY!" A Concert Celebrating Penn State Theatre!

After a sold-out performance last year, alumni from the Penn State School of Theatre return to State College for "We Are... ON BROADWAY!", a one-night-only concert presented by School of Theatre alumni Mike Karns, Robert Schneider, and Carolyn Quinn, in association with current sophomore Alexander Baron, on Monday, January 16, at 7:00 p.m. at Schwab Auditorium on the University Park campus.

The evening will showcase the talents of four Penn State alumni who are now performing on Broadway and around the country, current Musical Theatre majors, and local middle and high school students. The evening is directed by Penn State's Head of Musical Theatre John Simpkins, with music direction by School of Theatre Music Director Dan Riddle. Tickets start at $15 and are available via https://we-are-on-broadway.eventbrite.com. Proceeds benefit the School of Theatre's Alumni Programs Group.

Featured performers will include Gilbert Bailey (currently featured in A Bronx Tale, also Book of Mormon on Broadway), Audrey Cardwell (Cinderella in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella First National Tour), Jeremy Greenbaum (Newsies on Broadway), and Jodi Stevens (Jekyll & Hyde and Urban Cowboy on Broadway).

According to Mike Karns, Penn State consistently demonstrates that it has one of the elite theatre programs in the nation. "We're always thrilled to be able to bring some of our illustrious alumni that are performing on Broadway back to State College for this concert."

Senior Jessica Fleischman, who will serve as the production stage manager, said she is "thrilled" to collaborate on this concert. "As a graduating senior about to enter the theatre world professionally, I highly admire the talented and hard-working artists that Penn State continues to produce year after year. I'm excited to create a night that highlights both the past and present of Penn State's School of Theatre."

More info can be found on the show's Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/1lpYOEQ.

Artist Bios

Gilbert L. Bailey II graduated from Penn State in 2010. Since then he's performed in many premiere regional productions as well as on Broadway in The Book of Mormon. This fall Gilbert opened the Broadway production of A Bronx Tale as an original cast member. But more important than any of the shows he's done, Gilbert just asked the love of his life, Jessie Lee Hooker, to marry him...and she said "yes!"

Audrey Cardwell most recently starred as Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls at Asolo Rep. National tour credits include Cinderella, in which she played the title role, Anything Goes, and Elf. Regional credits: the MUNY, North Shore Music Theatre, Houston TUTS, and Dallas Summer Musicals. Favorite Penn State credits include Peter Pan (Peter), Grand Hotel (Flaemmchen), Kiss Me Kate (Hattie), Sunday in the Park with George (Yvonne), The Wiz (Addaperle). Audrey is thrilled to be performing again at her alma mater and sends endless gratitude to her Penn State family for the constant love and support.

Jeremy Greenbaum appeared on Broadway as Davey in Newsies and has been seen Off- Broadway in The Fantasticks (Mute/Matt u/s), Prospect Theater Company's Tamar of the River (Shelah), and York Theatre Company's Saturday Night (Dino). He has performed at regional theatres around the country including: Ogunquit Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Gateway Playhouse, American Theater Group, Miami Theatre Center, The Gretna Theatre, and The Media Theatre. Jeremy also performed in the international tour of Dreamworks' Madagascar Live! (Melman). He currently teaches on faculty at the New York Film Academy, American Musical Theatre Academy, and Broadway Kids Auditions. Jeremy also teaches and coaches around the United States and abroad. He is currently represented by Wolf Talent Group. www.JeremyGreenbaum.com.

Jodi Stevens was seen on Broadway in the original companies of Urban Cowboy (Pam) and Jekyll & Hyde (Bet/Lucy). Off Broadway: Jodi played Marlene Dietrich on more than a few

occasions; Noel Coward and Friends at Lincoln Center; Barry Manilow's Harmony: The Musical premiere at La Jolla Playhouse; and she starred in Dietrich and Chevalier - The Musical. Other favorites: Donna in Dreamer Examines His Pillow at The Mint; Claire Strider in the world premiere of Under Fire at NYMF; Doris in The Body Shop; Hildy Lincoln in Eliot Ness in Cleveland. Regional: Jodi was nominated twice for Best Featured Actress in a musical by the Connecticut Drama Circle for her Velma VonTussle in Hairspray and her Paulette in Legally Blonde, both at STONC. In addition, Jodi received two Connecticut Drama Circle nominations including Best Featured Actress in a play as Masha in Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike at MTC. Jodi is also a teacher, coach, director, voiceover artist, wife, and mother.

John Simpkins directed the three-time Drama Desk-nominated Off-Broadway production of Bloodsong of Love: The Rock and Roll Spaghetti Western (by Joe Iconis) at Ars Nova. He also directed Iconis' The Black Suits at Center Theatre Group (Kirk Douglas Theatre). New York credits also include the Off-Broadway productions of The Bus (59E59 Theatre); ReWrite (Urban Stages); The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks (Theatreworks USA: Lucille Lortel Theatre); and Things to Ruin (which he co-conceived and directed at Second Stage, Le Poisson Rouge, Zipper Factory, Joe's Pub, Ars Nova, NYMF). John is head of musical theatre at Penn State. Prior to joining Penn State, John was a member of the music theatre faculty at New York University Steinhardt. He holds a bachelor of music from Miami University and a master of arts from NYU.

Dan Riddle is the music director of the School of Theatre. He holds bachelor of music and master of music degrees from The Juilliard School (piano performance) and a Diplom (with Special Recognition) from Hochshule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Vienna, in piano and conducting (Fulbright recipient). Winner of numerous international piano competitions, Dan has performed as concerto soloist with the orchestras of Cleveland, Dallas, Monte Carlo, and Cairo (Egypt), among others. In New York, he has conducted the Broadway productions of LES MISERABLES, Titanic, A Class Act, Oklahoma, Into the Woods, Mamma Mia!, Bombay Dreams, and The Light in the Piazza. Since 2011, he has served as the head of the M.F.A. graduate program in music directing for musical theatre.

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