Photo Coverage: Inside the Opening Night Cast Party For HALF TIME at Paper Mill
By: Genevieve Rafter Keddy Jun. 13, 2018
Paper Mill Playhouse presents the East Coast premiere of Half Time, a new musical, with book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Nell Benjamin and additional music by Marvin Hamlisch and Ester Dean. Half Time began performances May 31, 2018 for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 1, 2018, at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ.
Last night was the show's opening night. Check out photos from inside the cast's opening night cast party below!
Half Time is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell and co-choreographed by Nick Kenkel with music direction by Charlie Alterman. The cast features five-time Emmy nominee Georgia Engel ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show," The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony and Emmy Award winner Lillias White (The Life, "Sesame Street") along with André De Shields (The Wiz, The Full Monty, Ain't Misbehavin') and Tony award winner and Broadway legend Donna McKechnie (A Chorus Line) who with this all-star cast will tell the uplifting true story of ten New Jersey seniors with extraordinary dreams. Half Time is based on the motion picture Gotta Dance, directed, written and produced by Dori Berinstein.
From the director/choreographer of Kinky Boots comes the incredible true story of ten determined dreamers who audition to dance at half time for a major basketball team. They have three things in common: they love to dance, they have something to prove, and they are all over 60. Only after making the cut do they learn they won't be dancing tap, salsa or swing-instead, they will bring down the house with a style that is entirely new to them: hip-hop. Take the uplifting journey with these dreamers-and the young coaches who inspire them along the way-as they battle self-doubt, stereotypes and even each other for a chance to bust a move at center court in front of 20,000 screaming fans. Together they remind us that in life, when the odds are stacked against you and the challenges seem too great to overcome, it's not the end of the game-it's Half Time.
The principal cast features André De Shields as Ron, Georgia Engel as Dorothy/Dottie, Donna McKechnie as Joanne, Lillias White as Bea, who are joined by Haven Burton as Tara, Lori Tan Chinn as Mae, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe as Kendra, Nancy Ticotin as Camilla, Madeleine Doherty as Estelle, Tracy Jai Edwards as Alison Prager, Mary Claire King as Jenny, Lenora Nemetz as Fran, and Kay Walbye as Muriel.
Rounding out the cast are Alexander Aguilar, Ken Ard, Sydni Beaudoin, Tami Dahbura, Paula DeLuise, Gabriela Garcia, Talya Groves, Kathryn Kendall, Valton Jackson, Summerisa Bell Stevens, Garrett Turner and Gayle Turner.
The creative team of Half Time reunites Mitchell with his Kinky Boots collaborators, including Tony Award winner David Rockwell (Scenic Design), Tony Award winner Gregg Barnes (Costume Design) and Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design), along with Nick Kenkel (Co-Choreography), Randy Hansen (Sound Design), Jason Lee Courson (Projection Design), Drama Desk nominee Josh Marquette (Hair and Wig Design), Tony Award winner Larry Hochman (Orchestrations), and Telsey + Company (Casting). The Production Stage Manager is Jason Brouillard.
Tickets are on sale now starting at $34. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org.
For additional information, please visit www.papermill.org
Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter Keddy
Matt Zwyer and Mark William
Jim Borstelmann and Paul McGill
Larry Elardo, Stephen Hoebee-Elardo and Mark S. Hoebee
Jerry Mitchell (Director and Choreographer)
Jerry Mitchell and Mark S. Hoebee
Nick Kenkell (Co-Choreoghraper) and Jerry Mitchell
Annie Golden and Jerry Mitchell
Dori Berinstein (Producer) and Georgia Engel
Patrick Parker, Donna McKechnie and Mark S. Hoebee
Paula DeLuise (Dance Captain), Summerisa Bell Stevens, Kathryn Kendall, Gabriela Garcia, Tami Dahbura and Ken Ard
Talya Groves, Sydni Beaudoin, Summerisa Bell Stevens and Nkeki Obi-Melekwe
Christian Borle and Talya Groves
Valton Jackson and Sydni Beaudoin
Haven Burton, Mary Claire King, Garrett Turner and Tracy Jai Edwards
Denny Paschall and Haven Burton
Denny Paschall and Haven Burton
Mark S. Hoebee and Alexander Baron
Garrett Turner and Alexander Aguilar
Garrett Turner and Alexander Aguilar
Garrett Turner, Andre De Shields and Alexander Aguilar
Garrett Turner, Sydni Beaudoin, Andre De Shields and Alexander Aguilar
Peter Surace and Valton Jackson
Gayle Turner and Andre De Shields
Andre De Shields and Nancy Ticotin
Andre De Shields and Nancy Ticotin
Donna McKechnie and Justin Ross
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