The Producers Media Photos
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April 16, 2008
Contact: Heather Nowlin
(801) 581-7222
heather.nowlin@ptc.utah.edu
PIONEER THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS
The Producers
Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
Pioneer Theatre Company presents the Mel Brooks musical The Producers April 25 through May 10, 2008. This story of two shysters trying to make a buck on Broadway, adapted from the classic movie by the same name, won more Tony Awards than any other musical, including Best Book, Best Score, and Best Musical.
Max Bialystock and Leopold Bloom have discovered a surefire way to make a fortune on Broadway: raise millions from little old lady investors, produce the worst play in a long history of flops, and then run off with the money when the play closes on opening night. They think they’ve found their play in Springtime for Hitler – but anything can happen when the lights go down on Broadway!
The two would-be producers Max Bialystock and Leopold Bloom are played by AEA actors Kevin C. Loomis and Michael Keyloun, respectively. Loomis makes his PTC debut after appearing on Broadway in Inherit the Wind last year. His television work includes such shows as Law & Order: CI, The Practice, Frasier, and The X-Files. Loomis has worked at many regional theatres, including Portland Repertory, Montana Repertory, and ACT in Seattle.
Keyloun, also making his debut with PTC, has been seen in New York in Five Wishes at the Atlantic Theater Company, Her Majesty the King at HERE Arts Center, and theAtrainplays for NYMF/Neighborhood Playhouse. His regional credits include Taming of the Shrew at Capital Repertory, Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, and The Underpants for Actors Theatre of Louisville.
Ulla, the producers’ curvaceous assistant, is played by AEA actress Elizabeth Clinard. In addition to appearances on the PTC stage in Paint Your Wagon and Chicago, Clinard has appeared at such theatres as The Hudson Theater in New York City and the Chicago Symphony Center. She also served as assistant director/choreographer for the Harlem Gospel Singers 2006 International Tour.
Portraying the unstable playwright Franz Liebkind is AEA member Max Robinson. Robinson played Oscar Wilde in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde at The Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., which earned him a Helen Hayes Award nomination. His film credits include Other People’s Money, Woody Allen’s Shadows and Fog and Disney’s Pixel Perfect. He was most recently seen at PTC as the weaver Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Portraying Roger De Bris, Springtime for Hitler’s hack director, is Equity actor Dale Hensley. Hensley’s many Broadway credits include The Drowsy Chaperone, La Cage aux Folles, Sunset Boulevard, Guys and Dolls, Cats, and Anything Goes. He has also toured in The Full Monty, Big, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, La Cage aux Folles, Sugar Babies, and was in the Las Vegas company of Hairspray. This marks his first PTC appearance.
Portraying Carmen Ghia, the flamboyant assistant to Roger De Bris, is AEA actor Scott Barnhardt. On Broadway, Barnhardt was seen in Deaf West’s Revival of Big River, Bye Bye Birdie for City Center Encores!, and Behind the Limelight in the 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival. He also toured nationally in The Boy Friend directed by Julie Andrews. This marks his PTC debut.
Making up the large ensemble are AEA actors Scot Patrick Allen, Philip Michael Baskerville, Ginger Bess, Teresa Bramwell, Eric Lee Brotherson, Vanessa Cheney, Mary Fanning Driggs, Erin Hiatt, Justin Ivie, Mike Kirsch, Kelly Kohnert, Susan Day Lewis, Jayne Luke, Thomas Marcus, Janelle Neal, Katheryn Patton, Aaron Lloyd Pomeroy, Ron Remke, and Daniel T. Simons. Rounding out the ensemble are Jon Brady Copier, William Richardson, and Rosie Ward.
PTC Artistic Director Charles Morey directs the production. Morey has directed more than seventy productions for Pioneer Theatre Company, including Paint Your Wagon, The Ladies Man, Chicago, Pride and Prejudice, Humble Boy, and Les Misérables. Regionally he has directed for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Theatre Company, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Meadow Brook Theatre, American Stage Festival, PCPA Theaterfest and the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Morey is also a successful playwright whose works have gone on to successful productions in theatres across the country, and a fellow of the MacDowell Colony.
Patti D’Beck will choreograph the production. Her Broadway credits include Annie Get Your Gun, starring Bernadette Peters, and later Reba McEntire, Bells Are Ringing, Grease! and The Will Rogers Follies, working with people such as Jeff Calhoun, Graciela Daniele, Tommy Tune and Michael Bennett. She has appeared on Broadway in thirteen shows including A Chorus Line, Evita and My One and Only. She is currently a faculty member in the Theatre Department at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.
Lawrence Goldberg provides the musical direction for the production. Goldberg’s Broadway credits include The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Phantom of the Opera, Carousel, Young Frankenstein, Guys and Dolls, and Gypsy. He was also Conductor and Musical Director for both National Tours of The Producers. His other musical direction credits include National Tours of Les Misérables, Sunset Boulevard, and Cats.
Assistant Musical Director is Eric K. Johnston. Johnston’s off-Broadway productions include Shanghai Lil’s, Evil Dead the Musical and How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes. Regionally, he has musically directed Hello, Dolly! with Arkansas Repertory Theatre and assisted on Les Misérables at North Shore Music Theatre.
Scenic design for The Producers is by resident designer George Maxwell. Maxwell recently designed the sets for The Foreigner and Paint Your Wagon at Pioneer Theatre Company; his designs last season included Chicago, You Can’t Take It With You and Les Misérables. A member of United Scenic Artists, Maxwell has also designed sets for Utah Opera Company and the Utah Shakespearean Festival.
K.L. Alberts designs the costumes for the production after designing last season’s Les Misérables. Alberts’ designs have also been seen at SLAC in such shows as SexSting, Skin in Flames, Kimberly Akimbo, and Bad Dates. For the Utah Shakespearean Festival, Alberts designed Hay Fever, The Matchmaker and Ah, Wilderness!
Lighting design is by Karl Haas, who previously designed Les Misérables, West Side Story, and South Pacific among many others at PTC. His New York design credits include productions at Playwrights Horizons, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Julliard. Haas has been Lighting Supervisor/Designer for the Bolshoi Ballet/Opera, the Kirov Ballet, the Spanish National Ballet, and the Joffrey Ballet. Haas is currently the Architectural Western Regional Manager for Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC).
Sound design is by Joe Payne. Payne is in his eighth season as Resident Sound Designer for Pioneer Theatre Company. He has designed sound and/or composed music for more than 100 productions in theatres throughout the country.
Hair and Make-up Designer Amanda French, PTC resident designer, has worked for theatres all over the west. She is a contributing writer in the ninth edition of Stage Makeup by Richard Corson and James Glavan and is a featured artist in The Costume Technician’s Handbook by Rosemary Ingham and Liz Covey.
The Producers contains occasional strong language and suggestive dialogue.
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MEDIA PHOTO SHOOT: There will be a media photo shoot on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008. The shoot will be held at 7:00 P.M. at Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 S. 1400 E., SLC. Please RSVP at (801) 581-7222.
PHOTOS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD: High-resolution color photos of this production will be available for media use on the PTC website beginning Wed., April 16th, 2008 after 3:00 p.m. Go directly to www.pioneertheatre.org /season/presspix.html
TV CAMERA FILMING: Filming a short segment of the production during Preview or Opening Night for press use can be arranged. Call (801) 581-6270.
INTERVIEWS: Interviews with the cast and artistic staff are available. Call (801) 581-7222.
PRESS TOURS: Tours of the set for the press are available. Call (801) 581-6270.
WHO: Pioneer Theatre Company
WHAT: The Producers Book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan;
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
WHEN: April 25 – May 10, 2008
TIMES: Mondays – Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday matinees, 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre
300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City
PRICE: $25 – $49; Children K – 12 are half price on Mon. and Tues.
MORE INFO: Box Office (801) 581-6961. The Box Office is open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Monday – Friday, and Saturdays when there are performances
www.pioneertheatre.org
NOTE: The Producers contains occasional strong language and suggestive dialogue.
CAST:
Scot Patrick Allen*……………………………………………… Ensemble
Scott Barnhardt*………………………………………………… Carmen Ghia
Philip Michael Baskerville*…………………………………… Ensemble
Ginger Bess*……………………………………………………… Ensemble
Teresa Bramwell*……………………………………………….. Ensemble/US-Ulla
Eric Lee Brotherson*…………………………………………… Ensemble/US-Roger DeBris
Vanessa Cheney*……………………………………………….. Ensemble
Elizabeth Clinard*……………………………………………….. Ulla
Jon Brady Copier……………………………………………….. Ensemble
Mary Fanning Driggs*…………………………………………. Ensemble
Dale Hensley*……………………………………………………. Roger DeBris
Erin Hiatt*…………………………………………………………. Ensemble
Justin Ivie*………………………………………………………… Ensemble/US-Max Bialystock
Michael Keyloun*………………………………………………. Leo Bloom
Mike Kirsch*…………………………………………………….. Ensemble/US-Carmen Ghia
Kelly Kohnert*…………………………………………………… Ensemble
Susan Day Lewis*………………………………………………. Ensemble/US-Hold Me-Touch Me
Kevin C. Loomis*………………………………………………. Max Bialystock
Jayne Luke*………………………………………………………. Hold Me-Touch Me/Ensemble
Thomas Marcus*………………………………………………… Ensemble/US-Leo Bloom
Janelle Neal*……………………………………………………… Ensemble
Katheryn Patton*……………………………………………….. Ensemble
Aaron Lloyd Pomeroy*……………………………………….. Ensemble
Ron Remke*……………………………………………………… Ensemble
William Richardson……………………………………………… Ensemble
Max Robinson*………………………………………………….. Franz Liebkind
Daniel T. Simons*………………………………………………. Ensemble/US-Franz Liebkind
Rosie Ward……………………………………………………….. Ensemble
ARTISTIC TEAM:
Director…………………………………………………………….. Charles Morey
Choreographer…………………………………………………… Patti D’Beck
Musical Director…………………………………………………. Lawrence Goldberg
Assistant Musical Director……………………………………. Eric K. Johnston
Set Designer………………………………………………………. George Maxwell
Costume Designer………………………………………………. K.L. Alberts
Lighting Designer………………………………………………… Karl Haas
Sound Designer………………………………………………….. Joe Payne
Wig and Make-up Designer………………………………….. Amanda French
* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association.