PhotosPHOTO EXCLUSIVE: A Grand Tour of Goodspeed's Show Boat With Cast Member Danny GardnerDanny Gardner, who plays song and dance man Frank Schultz in Goodspeed's intimate new production of Show Boat, offers an exclusive look at the production and the historic Connecticut venue.
By
Matthew Blank
September 07, 2011
Playbill.com readers are invited to tour the show's set and theatre space and explore Goodspeed's scenic campus, brand new performer housing and the 2nd largest musical theatre library in America.
Here's a tour of Show Boat with Danny Gardner and cast:
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PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: A Grand Tour of Goodspeed's Show Boat With Cast Member Danny Gardner
The 1927 musical romance about the extended family connected to a Mississippi floating playhouse, circa 1890-1927, is based on the novel by Edna Ferber, and features book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and music by Jerome Kern.
David Aron Damane, whose Broadway credits include The Life and the revival of Big River, plays Joe, the post-Reconstruction African-American stevedore who labors on the Cotton Blossom, cooing with his lady, Queenie (Andrea Frierson), and ruminating about the indifference of "Ol' Man River." The company also boasts Sarah Uriarte Berry as Magnolia, Ben Davis as Gaylord Ravenal, Lesli Margherita as Julie, Karen Murphy as Parthy, Lenny Wolpe as Capt. Andy, Danny Gardner as Frank, Jennifer Knox as Ellie and Madeleine Berry as Kim.
The famous score features "Cotton Blossom," "You Are Love," "Make Believe," "Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine," "Why Do I Love You" and "Life Upon the Wicked Stage."
The musical broke ground by introducing serious story elements — racism, miscegenation, spousal abandonment — into the genre of musical comedy.
Director Ruggiero recently staged High and Looped on Broadway, and previously staged 1776, Annie Get Your Gun and Camelot for Goodspeed. Noah Racey, the Broadway actor of Curtains and Never Gonna Dance, choreographs.
The ensemble includes Paule Aboite, Kyle E. Baird, Elizabeth Ann Berg, Robert Hannon Davis, Elise Kinnon, Denise Lute, A'Lisa Miles, Robert Lance Mooney, Rob Richardson, Greg Roderick, Jet Thomason, David Toombs, Mollie Vogt-Welch, Richard Waits, Nicholas Ward, with swings Belle Doraz, Adam Fenton Goddu and Christiana Rodi.
The creative team includes Michael Schweikardt (scenic designer), who does create a boat in the scenic design, despite Goodspeed's tiny stage; Amy Clark (costume designer), John Lasiter (lighting designer), Jay Hilton (sound designer), Michael O'Flaherty (music director), F. Wade Russo (assistant music director), Dan DeLange (orchestrations). Show Boat is produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price.
Tickets are available through the Box Office at (860) 873-8668 or at www.goodspeed.org.