DAMES AT SEA
DAMES AT SEA
November 28-December 16, 2018
Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson Street, San Francisco 94111
Wednesday-Thursday 7:00; Friday 8:00; Saturday 6:00; Sunday 3:00
Saturday Matinee December 8 at 1:00 PM
Book & Lyrics by George Haimsohn & Robin Miller
Music by Jim Wise
Director/Choreographer Nicole Helfer • Music Director Dave Dobrusky
Scenic Designer/Artist Brian Watson • Costume Designer Ashley Garlick • Lighting Designer Michael Palumbo
Stage Manager Alicia Lerner* • Assistant Stage Manager Lauren Howry*
It’s 42ND STREET meets ANYTHING GOES meets Busby Berkeley in Hollywood in this gem of a show which opened Off-Broadway in 1968 and helped launch the career of Bernadette Peters. Sweet, innocent Ruby arrives in New York with big dreams and lands in the chorus of a new show – but the theatre is about to be torn down! Can sailor-turned-songwriter Dick find a new venue for the show while juggling temperamental diva Mona, frazzled producer Hennesy and starry-eyed ingénue Ruby? Full of vim, verve, and tap-dancing, DAMES AT SEA will charm its way into your heart.
DAMES AT SEA runs about two hours, including one intermission.
Click on pictures for full-size images
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
Photo: Ben Krantz Studio
MEET THE CAST
A Bay Area native, Ashley is thrilled to be making her Moon debut with Dames at Sea. Local audiences may have seen her recently as salon-owner Daniela in Woodminster Amphitheatre’s In the Heights. Regional: Evita (Eva Perón), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), West Side Story (Anita), Cats (Demeter), Anything Goes (Hope Harcourt), A Chorus Line (Maggie), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Lucy), Legally Blonde (Serena), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Babette), and productions of 42nd Street, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman and more. Guest Performances: Dancers Responding to AIDS, NYC Festival of Dance, with Danskin at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, the Miss America Organization, and various corporate events. She is also an arts educator to both children and adults, and is currently on the Tap faculty at The Ballet School in Walnut Creek. BFA Musical Theatre, AMDA. Proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
42nd Street Moon debut! B.A. in Musical Theatre from CSU San Bernardino. Lead male singer on board Silversea Cruise Lines. Red Car Newsboys at Disney California Adventure. New York: Bobby and Emcee in Cabaret and Flashdance (New York Premiere, The Gateway). Regional: Phil Davis in White Christmas (Sierra Rep), Ren in Footloose (Glendale Centre Theatre), Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees and Joe in 9 to 5 (San Diego Musical Theatre), Riff in West Side Story, Frankensince in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Miss Saigon (Candlelight Pavilion), Rum Tum Tugger in Cats (Broadway at the Gardens), Smudge in Plaid Tidings (Welk Resort), Wally/Doucet in Animal Crackers (Cygnet). Titanic, Shrek, Big Fish, and The Addams Family (Moonlight Amphitheatre), Les Misérables and Carousel (Musical Theatre West). A huge thanks to this cast and team, and family and friends.
Lauren Meyer is delighted to be returning to the 42nd Street Moon stage in Dames at Sea after performing in New Girl in Town in 2017. She recently completed a run of Mamma Mia! at Center REPertory Company. Some of her favorite performances include: Violet Hilton (Side Show), Millie (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Serena (Legally Blonde), Chava (Fiddler on the Roof), and Wendy (Peter Pan). Lauren is the director of a high school theatre program and also enjoys her work as a musical theater teaching artist throughout the Bay Area. She has worked for organizations such as Starting Arts, Stage Kids, and Tada Theater in NYC. Lauren is also a private performance coach who works with students to maximize their potential. She holds a degree in Theatre from Azusa Pacific University and is also a proud alum of the apprenticeship programs at New York Theatre Workshop and New Victory Theater.
Jeff has been fortunate enough to play many characters that, interestingly enough, are all tap-dancing members of the U.S. military. Among them: Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street (Cabrillo Music Theatre, Moonlight Amphitheatre), Phil Davis in White Christmas (San Diego Musical Theatre, Musical Theatre West), Dick in Dames at Sea (Colony Theatre, North Coast Rep), and Billy Crocker in Anything Goes. For his performance as the Emcee in Cabaret (Welk Resort), he was nominated by the San Diego Critics Circle for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical. He starred as Molina in Kiss of the Spider Woman (Welk Resort) for which he won a Robby Award – Best Actor in a Musical. This year he created his own one man show COMFY which has played to glowing reviews in Los Angeles, San Diego, Temecula, and Salt Lake City. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @jeffreysparsons
Keith is excited to return to Moon after appearing in Me & My Girl. You may also have seen him in The Secret Garden, Where’s Charley? and Snoopy! Other favorites include: 1776, Scapin (American Conservatory Theater); Fly By Night (TheatreWorks); Into the Woods, Company (San Francisco Playhouse); The 39 Steps, Hand To God, Sweeney Todd and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (San Jose Stage); Sweet Charity, The Underpants, Lucky Stiff (Center Rep). Pinto is co-founder of the award winning hip hop band and theater company, Felonious. Felonious theater pieces, which Pinto appeared in as well as choreographed include: Beatbox: A Raparetta, Angry Black White Boy and Stateless: A Hip Hop Vaudeville Experience.
.
Melissa most recently played two Sallies for 42nd Street Moon: Young Sally in Follies in Concert and Sally Smith in Me and My Girl. Before that she was seen as Sally Bowles in Cabaret at Hillbarn Theatre. She has appeared in the national tours of 42nd Street and White Christmas, both choreographed by Randy Skinner. Some of her favorite Bay Area appearances are Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (TBA nomination), Peter Pan in Peter Pan, and Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain (SFBATCC Award). In Los Angeles, Melissa played Ginger Rogers in the West Coast premiere of Backwards in High Heels, Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street (Garland Award Honorable Mention) and Princess Fiona in Shrek (Scenie Award). Follow her on Instagram for a boat load of gym selfies and adorable baby niece and nephew snaps – @melissawolfklain and visit www.melissawolfklain.com to see what’s next!
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association
EXPERIENCE A FULLER MOON
Opening Night Receptions
Join the cast and crew as we celebrate the opening of each new production. Savor champagne, wine, and delectable delights from our Opening Night sponsor. The best part? It’s on us!
Opening Night date for DAMES AT SEA: Saturday, December 1, 6:00 PM
Discussion Sundays
Get all your burning questions answered about the show you’ve just seen during our fun and informative post-performance discussions with the audience, cast, and crew. Hosted by Executive Directors Daren A.C. Carollo and Daniel Thomas, who will share the history of the original production as well as our current incarnation! Learn more about the composers, lyricists, and book writers, as well as your favorite Moonie cast members. Discussion Sundays happen on the first and second Sunday of each show in our regular season offerings.
Discussion Sunday dates for DAMES AT SEA: December 2 & 9, 3:00 PM
Family & Student Matinees
The best deal in town for kids, parents, and students of all ages. Young people under 18 and college students with a valid student ID can see the show for just $10! Younger students receive a family activity guide, get to participate in an intermission contest (with prizes!), and can join in on a post-show discussion and visit with the actors that includes autographs and pictures. This is a great way to introduce the next generation to the heritage of American musical theatre. This is also a great idea for a kid’s birthday party. Please contact Education Director Dyan McBride for further details or if you have a large group wishing to attend.
42nd Street Moon created the Family Matinee to make musical theatre affordable and accessible for young people along with their parents and to provide families the opportunity to experience classic Broadway. Relevant, fun activities and fascinating discussion guides enable families to rediscover how theatre has served an important function in our nation’s cultural landscape and been a way for families to come together. We have expanded the matinee to be a Family and Student Matinee, so that college-aged students can also take advantage of the generous discount.
Family and Student Matinee date for DAMES AT SEA: December 8, 1:00 PM