Sweet Charity
Book by Neil Simon
Music by Cy Coleman
Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Based on an original screenplay by Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli, and Ennio Flaiano
Department of Musical Theatre
October 11-21, 2018 • Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
Charity Hope Valentine simply wants to find love. But that’s a hard thing to do in the big city, particularly when one’s dead-end job as a dance-hall hostess for hire doesn’t exactly expose one to the best of potential partners. Ever the eternal optimist, Charity keeps searching. Things start to look up when she finds herself stuck in a broken elevator with a reserved and claustrophobic tax-accountant named Oscar Lindquist. As Charity and Oscar start to date and to get to know each other, her (kept secret) profession looms over the couple. Oscar seems to be falling deeply in love, but will he be able to forgive Charity’s past in order to marry her?
Based on Federico Fellini’s screenplay for Nights of Cabiria, Sweet Charity brought together comic playwright Neil Simon, lyricist Dorothy Fields, and composer Cy Coleman. The musical debuted on Broadway in 1966 starring Gwen Verdon and featuring the distinctive choreography of Bob Fosse. Field and Coleman’s score includes such favorites as “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “The Rhythm of Life,” and “Rich Man’s Frug.” Filled with energy, humor, and heartbreak, Sweet Charity reminds us to be generous with what we have, no matter how little that may be.
Artistic Staff
Director: Mark Madama
Music Director: Tyler Driskill
Choreographer: Linda Goodrich
Scenic Designer: J Branson
Costume Designer: Suzanne Young
Lighting Designer: Rob Murphy
Sound Designer: Al Hurschman
Wig Designer: Amanda Miller
Stage Manager: Amelia Dahmer
Cast
Charity Hope Valentine: Nevada Koenig
Helene: Mikaela Secada
Nickie: McKenzie Kurtz
Vittorio Vidal: Blake Bojewski
Oscar Lindquist: Lake Wilburn
Herman: Griffin Binnicker
Daddy Brubeck: Commodore Primous
Ursula March: Allie Re
Ensemble: Maya Alwan, Travis Anderson, Emma Ashford, Thani Brant,
Spencer Croy*, Sam Faulkner, James Fobes, Kuppi Jessop, Natalie Kastner, Neil McCaffrey, Devon McCleskey, Megumi Nakamura, Alana Pollard, Commodore Primous, Conrad Sager, Joe Serafini, Sydney Shepherd, Jake Smith, Nina White, Noah Wolfe
*Dance Captain