THE WILMA THEATER presents THE TIN PAN ALLEY RAG, a new play with music by Mark Saltzman, featuring the songs of Irving Berlin and Scott Joplin
For Immediate Release: October 19,
1999
Contact: Damian J. Sinclair, 215.893.9456 x107
Philadelphia, PA - October 19 - Two musical giants of the 20th century,
Scott Joplin and Irving Berlin, meet for the very first time in THE TIN
PAN ALLEY RAG, a new musical play by Mark Saltzman. Directed by Wilma
Theater Co-Artistic Director Jiri Zizka, THE TIN PAN ALLEY RAG begins
previews November 10, opens November 17 and runs through December 12.
Tickets range from $7 - $38 and can be purchased by calling 215.546.7824
or online at www.wilmatheater.org.
THE TIN PAN ALLEY RAG is set in 1915, when 28th Street in New York City was known as "Tin Pan Alley" - the bustling, raucous music publishing capital of the world. On an April afternoon, Scott Joplin, the King of Ragtime, pays a visit to the office of a young, upstart songwriter named Irving Berlin. The musical is an intimate portrayal of two enormously talented men whose encounter is sometimes antagonistic, often humorous and ultimately touching.
Some of the best known and loved songs of the Ragtime Era are featured in THE TIN PAN ALLEY RAG including "The Maple Leaf Rag," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "The Entertainer," "I Love a Piano" and more.
THE TIN PAN ALLEY RAG has been performed three times previously, debuting at the Pasadena Playhouse in 1997, followed by a run at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut and most recently at The Coconut Grove Playhouse in Florida.
Mark Saltzman (playwright) wrote the CBS television production "Mrs. Santa Claus" starring Angela Lansbury with songs by Jerry Herman. For the movies, he wrote "The Adventures of Milo and Otis" and screenplays for Disney and Tri-Star. In New York theater, he was a co-writer of the musical revue "A...My Name is Alice" and as a musical composer, he scored several plays at the Soho Rep. For many years he wrote songs and scripts for "Sesame Street" where he earned seven Emmy Awards. THE TIN PAN ALLEY RAG, which received an L.A. Ovation Award nomination for Best Musical, is Mr. Saltzman's first full-length work for the stage.
Jiri Zizka (Director) became the Artistic Director of the Wilma in 1979 where he has directed over 40 productions including Orwell's Animal Farm, Camus' The Stranger, Arrabal's Garden of Delights, Mrozek's Tango, Brecht's Mother Courage, Capek's The Insect Comedy, Weiss' Marat/Sade, his own adaptation of Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, Erdman's The Suicide, Brecht/Weill's The Happy End, Nichol's Passion, Orwell's 1984, (at the Wilma, Kennedy Center and Off-Broadway), Fo's Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Havel's Temptation (a co-production with Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival), and others. Mr. Zizka has also directed Parch's Revelation in the Courthouse Park at American Music Theater Festival, and a feature film of Havel's Largo Desolato, adapted by Tom Stoppard, starring F. Murray Abraham for PBS's "Great Performances." He wrote and directed Inquest of Love, a film for PBS/WHYY, which was nominated for an Emmy Award (Mid-Atlantic) and received the Golden Eagle Award for Excellence.
Brad Ellis (Arranger/Musical Director) has musically directed and conducted for over 6000 performances of nearly 250 shows including stints in Japan, Russia and Western Europe. From 1990 to 1994 he was the Musical Director and arranger in New York for Forbidden Broadway, and came out to LA for it's successful run, and was co-creator of Forbidden Hollywood at the Coronet Theatre. As a composer for theater, he has written nine shows including two off-broadway shows: The Truth About Ruth at the Actor's Playhouse and Jekyl In Chamber at the Mazur Theater, as well as contributing material to Whoop-Dee-Doo! at the Actor's Playhouse. He served as the fingers of Coalhouse Walker Jr. as the pianist for Ragtime at the Shubert Theatre in LA. He conducted the world premiere of William Harper's opera El Greco, at Playhouse 91 in New York City, directed by Tom O'Horgan.
George Faison (Choreographer) won a Tony and Drama Desk Award for The Wiz and was nominated for another Tony for Porgy and Bess at Radio City Music Hall. He has staged concert appearances and music videos for performers including Ashford & Simpson, Natalie Cole, Betty Carter, Earth, Wind and Fire, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Al B. Sure, Tony Terry and Stevie Wonder. He joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in 1967, and was a principal dancer with the company for three years. Faison has, sometimes in collaboration with others, presented many great works including the NBC Special "Cosby Salutes Ailey," Roberta Flack's video "Oasis," Betty Carter's video "Movin," the HBO Special "The Josephine Baker Story," and ABC's children's series "Citikids." "Cotton Club," "The Wiz," "Sing, Mahalia, Sing," "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill," and his new musical "Heaven and the Homeboy" are also to his credit. Other recent projects are "Evolution of the Blues," a recording project based on Tupac Shakur's unpublished material, the cast album of "Heaven and the Homeboy," Fred Ho's new opera Women Warriors and the recent Broadway musical The Civil War.
David P. Gordon (Set Designer) has designed over 150 productions for opera companies and regional theaters both here and abroad. For the Wilma he has designed Bed and Sofa, Love and Anger, On the Razzle, Indiscretions (Barrymore Nomination), Arcadia, Escape From Happiness, Rendezvous With Reality (Barrymore Nomination) and The Ruling Class (1997 Barrymore Award for Outstanding Scenic Design).
Vickie Esposito (Costume Designer) has designed costumes for the Wilma productions of Indiscretions and The Ruling Class. She has also designed Henry V and Major Barbara at the Arden Theatre Company, Inspecting Carol for the Philadelphia Drama Guild, Out, As Is and Orphans for The Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays. New York credits include People Who Could Fly at Town Hall and Are You Now or Have Ever Been a Member of the Communist Party?
Jerold R. Forsyth (Lighting Designer) has designed more than 150 productions to date. Philadelphia area credits include The Wilma Theater (36 productions), Walnut Street Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, American Music Theater Festival, and The People's Light & Theatre Company, among others. Other East Coast credits include The Kennedy Center, New York Shakespeare Festival, Lincoln Center, York Theatre Company, Village Theatre Company, and Opera Ebony - New York.
THE TIN PAN ALLEY RAG features a cast of 12 actors, singers and dancers:
Rick Wasserman (Irving Berlin) has appeared in productions of The Last Night of Ballyhoo at Missouri Rep and the Denver Center Theatre and several different productions at UMKC. He also performed at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Hamlet, Henry V and Pericles.
Johnnie Hobbs, Jr. (Scott Joplin) has appeared in Black Nativity, Black Picture Show (for which he received a Barrymore nomination for outstanding leading actor in a drama), Simply Heavenly, and Zooman and the Sign at Freedom Theatre. On film he has appeared in The In Crowd, Twelve Monkeys, Up Close and Personal and the soon to be released Train Ride starring the late Esther Rolle.
CeCelia Ann Birt (Miss Lee) is a performer, director and writer for the stage, television, radio and film. She served as Musical Director for Freedom Theatre for the productions of Cooley High, Black Nativity and Purlie and performed in those and other plays as well, including a role as Billie Holiday in On The Run Productions of Lady Day.
Joel Blum (Ted Snyder/Alfred Ernst) was nominated for a Tony Award in 1995 for his portrayal of Frank in Showboat on Broadway and the West End, and received a second Tony nomination in 1997 for his role as Buddy in Steel Pier on Broadway. An experienced actor and dancer, Mr. Blum has been seen on the popular television show Law & Order and in the MGM movie Those Lips, Those Eyes.
Tom Cleary (Hopeful Songwrighter/Valet/Havana Singer/Jimmy Kelly) was last seen at The Wilma Theater in Bed and Sofa. He has also performed at the Arden Theatre Company (A Midsummer Night's Dream) and Walnut Street Theatre (Count Dracula). In 1996 Tom received a Barrymore Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his performance of Charlie Cotchipee in Purlie at Freedom Theatre.
Gary S. Giles (Williams) has been seen at the Zellerbach Theater in Black Nativity, Walnut Street Theatre (The Sorcerer), Venture Theater (North 17th Street), Arden Theatre (Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris); as well as productions at Freedom Theatre, the Allens Lane Arts Center, The Shubert Theater and the Keswick Theater.
Danielle G. Herbert (Hattie) has appeared at Freedom Theater, Walnut Street Theatre and The Annenberg Center in productions of Purlie, Cooley High, Paper Moon and Black Nativity. She danced with the PA Ballet in The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night's Dream and La Sylfide.
Maggie Lakis (Dorothy) has been seen in Philadelphia in Box Office of the Damned with 1812 Productions, at the Festival of New Plays and Drink Me at the InterAct Theatre Company Maggie sang with both the 1996 Region 5 State Chorus (4th chair) and District 7 Chorus Festival (2nd chair) as well as TV commercials.
Forrest McClendon (Gitlo/Mr. Payton) is a veteran Wilma actor who appeared in The Three Penny Opera and has also performed on the stage of Walnut Street Theatre in The Maids.
Allyson Tucker (Freddie/Treemonisha) has performed on Broadway in Ragtime, The Will Rogers Follies and Oh, Kay! She received a Barrymore nomination as Best Actress for her role as Velma in Chicago and performed in Jekyll & Hyde at Theater Under the Stars/ 5th Ave. Theatre and in the national Pre-Broadway Tour.
The award-winning Wilma Theater has been producing innovative work in Philadelphia for 20 years. Next up in the Wilma's 1999-2000 season will be the East Coast Premiere of the latest work by Oscar-winning screenwriter Tom Stoppard, THE INVENTION OF LOVE, followed by the U.S. Premiere of David Gow's searing drama, CHERRY DOCS.
THE TIN PAN ALLEY RAG at The Wilma Theater runs November 10 through December 12, 1999. Ticket prices range from $7 - $38, with discounts available for seniors and groups of 10 or more, and special radically discounted tickets for student and theater-goers under the age of 30. Tickets are available at the Wilma Box Office:
Phone: 215.546.7824
Fax: 215.893.0895
Email: tickets@wilmatheater.org
Online: www.wilmatheater.org
In person: Broad Street & Spruce Street, Philadelphia
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