NewsPHOTO 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
PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: A Grand Tour of Goodspeed's Show Boat With Cast Member Danny Gardner
Danny 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. 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. Read the Playbill.com story.
63 PHOTOS
Welcome indeed!
Danny Gardner
There she is! The Goodspeed Opera House! You can see some ushers setting up the piazza for the matinee crowd to enjoy pre-show.
Danny Gardner
One of my favorite places to chill is the Goodspeed dock.
Danny Gardner
Oh look, there's the famous swing bridge! Sometimes when the swing bridge opens we have to hold the curtain so actors / audience members can get to the show. Small towns, gotta love em!
Danny Gardner
As I go to the Stage Door I see the Man, the Myth, Mr. Goodspeed himself: Michael Price. He’s always available for a photo op.
As I enter the stage door, I look up in the stairwell. At Goodspeed, the theatre is on the 4th and 5th floors.
Danny Gardner
As I sign in I run into Broadway star Andrea Frierson, our show's Queenie.
Danny Gardner
Lesli Margherita is always camera-ready. Check out her bedazzled phone!
Danny Gardner
The girls dressing room just before call. Look at all the bustles.
Danny Gardner
I also run into another one of our Broadway stars, Karen Murphy. I guess some things don't change even if you're a star!
Danny Gardner
Ben Davis, getting into character. You'd never know he was listening to Lady Gaga on his headphones.
Danny Gardner
There's David Aron Damane already changed and getting into character one hour before show time. He's a consummate professional.
Danny Gardner
As you can see from this poster the Goodspeed Opera House has been a functioning theatre (on and off) for over 100 years. This poster is from 1891. That’s even before Ron Paul was born!
Danny Gardner
Our dressers / costumers Alina Jerall and Anna Hines hard at work!
Danny Gardner
Can you believe that John “Ooo Daddy” Riccucci (Goodspeed Costume Master) is actually taking a break? John has been at Goodspeed for 30 years and has taken a total of 4 breaks.
Danny Gardner
I hope to be cast as “Chancey Oglethorpe” when Goodspeed revives A Box of Monkeys for Michael Price’s 50th anniversary season!
Danny Gardner
The calm before the storm. A view from the Goodspeed Stage.
Danny Gardner
Time for Fight Call - safety first! As you can see, Lenny Wolpe takes charge as Captain Andy.
Danny Gardner
Kyle Baird warming up in the stairwell.
Danny Gardner
As I went downstairs to the Green Room for my daily tea, I found our amazing Swings Christiana Rodi and Adam Fenton Goddu and our assistant company Manager Juliet Greenblatt hanging with Heath Ledger.
Danny Gardner
Danny Gardner
Our Stage Manager Brad Spachman, ASM Derek DiGregorio and our head Costumer John Riccucci. All three are being very vague.
Danny Gardner
The amazing Nicholas Ward crocheting his way into character.
Danny Gardner
“Miss Sarah you done had twins! You’ll never be 18 inches again!”
Danny Gardner
David Toombs and Elise Kinnon chilling in the Victorian Green Room.
Danny Gardner
That's me making sure my shoes are tied tight.
Danny Gardner
Kyle Baird and A'lisa D. Miles prepare for their scenes in the beautiful Victorian Green Room.
Danny Gardner
Paule Aboite getting wigged by Wigs Artisan Emma Mead.
Danny Gardner
Caption not necessary
Danny Gardner
Uh Oh, the boss is here! We’d better watch our "P's and Q's"!
Danny Gardner
At intermission I catch my counterpart Jennifer Knox re-warming up her body for our big dance number in the second act, "Goodbye My Lady Love."
Danny Gardner
Me taking Jennifer Knox's lead and re-warming up before our big dance number.
Danny Gardner
This is a picture of me in my favorite costume in the show. I want to take this suit home! I have a couch that would match perfectly!
Danny Gardner
Maddy Berry (the daughter of Sarah Uriarte Berry), who plays young Kim, waiting for her entrance.
Danny Gardner
There isn't enough room in the wing on Stage Right, so we wait for our entrance in the stairwell.
Danny Gardner
Our view from the 4th floor of the Opera House. "It just keeps rollin' along".
Danny Gardner
Lesli Margherita waiting in the Goodspeed Garden for her entrance to sing "Bill."
Danny Gardner
Lenny Wolpe aging himself while Ben Davis preps for his last scene. You would never know that “Single Ladies” is blasting in their dressing room.
Danny Gardner
David Aron Damane putting on wrinkles for the last scene. We span a 40-year time period in the show.
Danny Gardner
Michael Price gave us a drive-by notes session. It included his usual words of wisdom: “Don’t F*** it up!”
Danny Gardner
We even got a visit from some Broadway Royalty! Then we’re off on our dinner break…
Danny Gardner
In our house, we all love watching Lenny make salad. Witness the skill, the concentration…
Danny Gardner
Lesli Margherita never knows what to make for dinner.
Danny Gardner
A quick trip across the swing bridge takes me to one of my vices on a two-show day...
Danny Gardner
Dunkin Donuts coffee for the night show!!!
Danny Gardner
Our lovely ushers stuffing playbills. This is their favorite thing to do on a Thursday night.
Danny Gardner
Our ASM Jillian Anderson waiting to set the Bail of Cotton.
Danny Gardner
Going over my spacing for "Lady Love" before the evening performance.
Danny Gardner
Always a must, Angry Birds before the second show!
Danny Gardner
Greg "Yup, The Village People mustache is real fellas" Roderick!
Danny Gardner
Places for the second show - Cupcake Costumes - Check!
Danny Gardner
Karen and Richard getting in character for the second show!
Danny Gardner
At places before the second show. On the top deck of the Show Boat - Stage Left.
Danny Gardner
On the top deck of the Show Boat – Stage Right.
Danny Gardner
Nicholas, Kyle and Richard striking a pose before the evening performance.
Danny Gardner
Prepping for my transformation into Frank Schultz, “If I get Steve thrown off the boat, maybe I can finally play the lead!”
Danny Gardner
The girls in “Life Upon the Wicked Stage.” Doesn’t seem so wicked to me.
Danny Gardner
As I said before, the show spans 40 years. Jennifer Knox's character uses hair dye, whereas my character likes it natural.
Danny Gardner
Sarah Uriarte Berry catches up on some VERY important reading! HINT! HINT!
Danny Gardner
Goodnight, Goodspeed...
Danny Gardner
Hello, Gelston House!
Danny Gardner
After a long two-show day, we like to go to the Gelston House bar and unwind! Here’s Bob Davis and Rob Richardson (two dads in our cast), hiding from their families.
Danny Gardner
"So Long, Farewell" from the cast of Show Boat. Hope to see you on Broadway! Or catch us as Goodspeed through Sept. 17!
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.
