She Can't Believe She Said That! (2008)
The Rise and Fall and Fall and Rise of Kathie Lee Gifford nee Epstein
at TBG Theater
Friday, Sep 26th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, Sep 27th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Monday, Sep 29th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct 1st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Saturday, Oct 4th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Sunday, Oct 5th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
She Can't Believe She Said That! recounts the true story of talkshow hostess Kathie Lee Gifford over thirty years, creating an identity out of thin air to achieve national fame… and international infamy. The original Kathie Lee-sical, this loony satire from one of the writers of SOUTH PARK is like Evita crossed with cheese -- Velvevita, if you will.
Matt Prager As a studio executive, Matt made numerous films including THE RAT PACK (Ray Liotta, Don Cheadle (Golden Globe win)) and BREAST MEN (David Schwimmer, Chris Cooper) and worked with directors such as Rob Cohen (THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, XXX) and Oscar winner Bill Condon (DREAMGIRLS). As a writer, Matt has written on such shows as SOUTH PARK, THAT’S MY BUSH, and the upcoming remake of VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. Matt has also sold a number shows to MTV, been a celebrity tarot card reader, and starred as the sidekick on a cooking show pilot. Additionally, Matt was once offered the job of temporary game warden at Stephanie Powers’ William Holden Wildlife Foundation which he thankfully weaseled out of because he lied a little bit about his comfort re “working with rhinos.” SHE CAN’T BELIEVE SHE SAID THAT!, which was a finalist for a Richard Rodgers award, is Matt’s first musical.
Broadway: Company (Amy) Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, Cabaret (Sally Bowles, Rosie) and The Boy from Oz (Cover for Liza Minnelli, performed! and Judy Garland). Recent regional credits include: Company (Amy), Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; All About Us (Joan from Arc), McCarter Theatre; The Full Monty (Vicky), Gateway Playhouse; Pump Boys and Dinettes (Prudy), MALTZ Jupiter Theatre; Beguiled Again (Original Cast), Florida Stage.
Credits include: the New York companies of the Awesome 80s Prom, and Shakedown Street (a Grateful Dead musical).
Europe/ Asia: The Who's Tommy (Cousin Kevin). National Tours: Cats (Tugger), South Pacific, The Scarlet Pimpernel. Brian has also recently been involved with the new musical Bratt Camp, by Bobby Cronin. He's very excited to be a part of She Can't Believe ..., and wants to thanks everyone involved, his friends, his family, and especially Annie!
Charles Karel, Verdi Baritone, has sung at The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera and throughout Europe and this country. On Broadway, he performed with Carol Channing, Ginger Rodgers, Angela Lansbury, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme and Anthony Quinn, whom he understudied in the Broadway revival of ZORBA. He also starred in The Most Happy Fella at the prestigious Sacramento Music Circus and throughout the country over 150 times. On television, he appeared with Ed Sullivan, Ethel Merman, Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett. Mr. Karel was featured in the film, The Music Man with Robert Preston and Shirley Jones.
National Tours: Barnum (Chairy), Annie (Grace Farrell), State Fair (Melissa Frake),
The Sound of Music (Sister Sophia), John Brown’s Body. Off Bwy: 110 in the Shade
(Lizzie), The Grass Harp (Dolly), She Loves Me (Amalia), at York Theatre.
Regional/Stock: Wonderful Life (Millie Bailey), My Fair Lady (Mrs. Higgins),
Footloose (Vi), Into the Woods (Wicked Step-Mother), The Sum of Us (Joyce), City of Angels (Bobbie/Gabby), Sound of Music (Elsa, Maria), Company (with Carol Burnett)
(Jenny), Private Lives (Amanda), Baby (Arlene), Chapter Two (Jenny). TV: Men
Behaving Badly, Love and War, Hooperman, Diagnosis Murder, Jake and the Fatman,
Newhart, Young and Restless, Santa Barbara. Film: Night Train to Kathmandu, Blood-Sucking Pharoahs in Pittsburgh (true).
Rob Sheridan appeared recently in West Virginia Public Theatre’s productions of Urban Cowboy (Uncle Bob) and West Side Story (Lt. Schrank). Off and Off-Off Broadway: The Lady Swims Today (Mal), several characters in The Two Lives of Napoleon Beazley (New York Innovative Theatre Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role). Several editions of Vital Signs at the Vital Theatre, and theAtrainplays. Toured in The 1940’s Radio Hour (Johnny Cantone), 42nd Street (Julian Marsh) and Jolson: The Musical (Lee Shubert). Regional fun includes I Love You, You’re Perfect…, Rounding Third, The Mystery of Irma Vep, and The Foreigner.
Broadway: Fiddler On The Roof (Perchik), Cyrano-The Musical (Christian). Regional: Changes Of Heart (Mark Taper), Quills (Geffen Playhouse), Hello Again (LA Premiere), I Sent A Letter To My Love, Pera Palas (Long Wharf), The Game Of Love And Chance (Huntington), How It Was Done In Odessa (Walnut Street), Children Of Eden (American Premiere), Hate Mail, Hair, The Most Happy Fella, Forum. Film: The Appearance of Things, Somewhere in the City, Duty Dating, Shadows and Fog. TV: Danny Santos on Guiding Light (Emmy Nom.), Law & Order, Dream On, The Hunger, The Inheritance (Movie), First Time Out, Loving.
Laura Beth is excited to be a part of this year's NYMF and SHE CAN'T BELIEVE SHE SAID THAT! A veteran of regional theatres from New York to San Francisco, her recent credits include Louise in GYPSY and Sally Bowles in CABARET (Forestburgh Playhouse), Brenda in THE PAJAMA GAME (Arizona Theatre Company), Autonoe in THE ROCKAE (Prospect Theatre Company/NYMF '07), Rhetta in PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES (Porthouse Theatre and West Virginia Public Theatre), and Rizzo in GREASE (North Carolina Theatre). Laura Beth, a proud Equity member since 2001, lives in NY with a big cat, a tiny dog, and her partner, Ian---love to all and "Sing Out, Louise"!
Tia recently appeared in the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl). Prior, she performed in Germany in both Starlight Express (Dinah /cover Pearl) and Cats (Demeter, Rumple, Sillabub and Victoria). A Las Vegas native, she starred in Country Tonite, Viva Las Vegas and The Dueling Pirate Stunt Show (high-diving Princess). Other credits include Choreographer / Artistic Director for Thoroughly Modern Millie (Riverside Dinner Theater). She trained with gymnastic coach Bela Karolyi and designs her own line of fine fashion jewelry www.ZorneDesigns.com.
Daryl Getman, NYU Tisch-CAP21 grad, is excited to be a part of SCBSST and this incredible team of artists. She was recently in Japan for the out of town tryout of Trip of Love (World Premiere 1960s Musical). Other recent credits include Singin’ in the Rain (Goodspeed) and Joseph… (MUNY). Credits: Gigi, in Gigi (MGR Playhouse, NY), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Carpenter Center, CA), Miss Alice Fairfax, in The Sounds of Plaid (workshop-Stuart Ross), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Pasadena Civic). Also seen in La Boheme (Placido Domingo, LA Opera), and Mouse Hunt (DreamWorks, Nathan Lane).
NY: Public Sings (City Center), Muscleman vs. Skeletonman: A Love Story, the Musical (Fringe at Lucille Lortel). Tours: Fosse (Steam Heat), WIll Rogers Follies. Regional favorites: Chicago (Roxie), A Chorus Line (Kristine, Val, Bebe, Judy), Pajama Game (Gladys), West Side Story (Graziella), and Hot Mikado (Peep-Bo). Also a yoga teacher and an orthopedic physical therapist specializing in pelvic pain and incontinence rehabilitation.
National Tour: Oklahoma! Favorite regional: Bat Boy, Bat Boy: The Musical (Helen Hayes Award Nomination), The Studio Theatre, DC; Jimmy, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Maine State Music Theatre; North Shore Music Theatre, Crazy For You; The Kennedy Center, Leonard Bernstein’s MASS; North Carolina Theatre, The Music Man with Tom Wopat. Film/TV: “The Producers”, “Barbara Cook: Mostly Sondheim”, Julie Taymor’s “Across The Universe”. Training: Catholic University, D.C. Proud Member: AEA, I.A.T.S.E. 764
Josh Hecht most recently directed Anna Ziegler's BFF (WET at the DR2) and Megan Mostyn-Brown's LIZARDS (Guthrie). His production of CHRISTINE JORGENSEN REVEALS (Dodger Stages) won the 2006 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience and received a GLAAD Media Nomination for Outstanding New York Theater, before touring to Boston (Boston Center for the Arts — IRNE nomination: Outstanding Visiting Production), Edinburgh (Assembly Rooms) and Dublin (Dublin Arts Festival). Other recent productions include: Megan Mostyn-Brown's GIRL (Cherry Lane), Bob Morris' ASSISTED LOVING (MCC Theater), Winter Miller's THE PENETRATION PLAY (13P), and others.
Recent workshops include new plays by John Guare (MCC), Itamar Moses (MCC), Taylor Mac (New Dramatists), Brooke Berman (New Dramatists), Winter Miller & Lance Horne (TheatreWorks), Allison Moore (PlayLabs), Megan Mostyn-Brown (LAByrinth), Rachel Schroeder (DTW, Dixon Place, and the Berkshire Theatre Festival), Victor Lodato (O'Neill Playwrights' Conference), Anna Ziegler (Geva), Kate Moira Ryan (NYTW), Ross Maxwell (EST), B. Walker Sampson (SoHo Rep), and Dorie Baizley (Fountain Theater, LA). VERSION MARY, a performance piece he is developing with writers Mike Albo, David Grimm, Lisa Kron, Bryony Lavery, Wendy MacLeod, Theresa Rebeck, and Kate Robin and performers Bradford Louryk and Jack Ferver, was workshopped at Rattlestick twice. He performed some of his own writing with Ping Chong and Company in INSIDE/OUT at the Kennedy Center this June.
As Director of Playwrght Development at MCC, he co-founded and ran the Playwrights Coalition, a development and support group for 25 of New York's most exciting and honored early- and mid-career playwrights. He also served as Creative Director of MCC's winter benefit, as well as their 20th Anniversary Celebration, initiating and developing new short plays by Jon Robin Baitz, Eric Bogosian, Richard Greenberg, John Guare, Peter Hedges, Neil LaBute, Terrence McNally, Tim Blake Nelson, Wendy Wasserstein, and Doug Wright and creating the look and sound of the evenings at Broadway's Circle in the Square.
Music Director and/or Conductor: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS National Tour, Walnut St. Theatre, Bristol Riverside Theater, Seaside Music Theater, Muhlenberg Summer Music Theater, Theatreworks USA. Associate Conductor: National Tours of CHICAGO, A CHORUS LINE and A FUNNY THING...FORUM with Mickey Rooney, Queens Theater in the Park, Kansas City Starlight Theatre, Philadelphia Theater Company, American Music Theater Festival, Israel Pops with Theodore Bikel. On-call keyboardist for Broadway and off-Broadway shows, currently AVENUE Q and CHICAGO. Award-winning composer and alumnus of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop.
Tara Jeanne Vallee (Choreographer) most recently choreographed Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, which played this summer at the Broadway Theatre after a successful 2 year National Tour. Other choreography credits include The Sphinx Winx (Algonquin Theatre), Breakthrough (Ziegfeld Theatre, NYC), Body and Soul (37 Arts), They’re Playing Our Song (Surflight), Christmas Dreams (Branson). Tara Jeanne has also served as Assistant Choreographer on The Music Man National Tour and Goodspeed’s Singin in the Rain. As a performer, White Christmas (Denver Center), The Music Man (NC Theatre), National tours of Footloose and My Fair Lady. Thanks to the Gersh Agency, Josh, Matt, and the team. Love to my boys, Matthew and Aidan.
Active as a musical director, performer, arranger, orchestrator, session
musician, and instructor Frank is regarded as one of the most versatile and
hardest working musicians on the New York scene today. He has worked for
Bette Midler, Howard Stern, VH1, the United Nations, Giorgio Armani, Daphne
Rubin-Vega, Kim Sozzi, the New York Islanders Hockey Team and is currently
Musical Director for Break the Floor Productions. Heartfelt thanks to God,
My Family, Chrissy Fong, Garry Dial, Richard Boukas, Rich Shemaria and all
my friends who encourage me - musical and otherwise.
Adam Fitzgerald (Associate Producer/GM) joined the "She Can't" team after serving as the Associate Producing/Artistic Director with South Ark Stage and the Artistic Associate at Playhouse West, where his production of "Defiance" garnered SF Bay Area Critics Circle nominations for Best Director and Best Production and was named in the Top Ten Productions of 2007 by the Contra Costa Times. Adam is one of the Founding Producing Directors of kef productions and formerly the Associate GM of Theatre Row. Other recent directing credits include "Infinite Joy" (benefit concert, Las Vegas), kef productions, Diverse City Theater, First Look (NYU) and "365 Days/365 Plays" for the San Francisco Theater Festival. Producing credits, with kef productions, include Israel Horovitz' "Lebensraum" with Studio J (Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance). Adam will serve as a Directing Resident at Playwrights Horizons during the 2008-09 Season, assisting Wilson Milam and Bart Sher on a world premieres of plays by Nicky Silver and Craig Lucas.
Tei Blow (sound design) is a Brooklyn-based artist and musician. Tei's recent projects include interactive video
sets for the band Steve Burns and the Struggle, a book of music reviews conducted by plants, and an all-gold musical entitled *everything one in the disc of the sun*. He also plays in the bands Silver Haunches and Frustrator! He can be found at the Science Company, www.sciencecompany.org.
Musicals: PLAY IT COOL in this year’s NYMF. Past NYMF shows include THE CHOCOLATE TREE(dir.Sheryl Kaller) & SAINT HEAVEN(also played Stamford’s Rich Forum and Village Theatre of Seattle). Also LOVE ACCORDING TO LUC(Greenwich Street Theatre), FRANKENSTEIN(Ontario, Canada), & Aaron Posner’s musical adaptation of TWELFTH NIGHT(Actors Theatre of Louisville).
New York Plays: Edward Bond’s CHAIR(Theater for a New Audience), WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HATE ALL YOUR FRIENDS(Lion Theatre), SWEET STORM(Public LAB series), Brett C. Leonard’s UNCONDITIONAL(LAByrinth/Public Theatre: dir.Mark Wing-Davey), Ariel Dorfman’s WIDOWS(dir.Hal Brooks), NIGHT OVER TAOS(dir.Estelle Parsons), REARVIEWMIRROR(dir.Carl Forsman), POINTS OF DEPARTURE(dir.Ron Daniels), MATTER OF CHOICE(dir.John Gould Rubin), David Mamet’s THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD(Broadway, co-cast), and OPEN HOUSE(dir.Josh Hecht). For American Repertory Theatre: THE SEAGULL(upcoming), CARDENIO, JULIUS CAESAR, DONNIE DARKO, BRITANNICUS, WINGS OF DESIRE, ISLAND OF SLAVES, ROMEO & JULIET, THE KEENING, OLLY’S PRISON & DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS. Selected Regional Theatre: THE TWO OF YOU(Kitchen Theatre), Naomi Iizuka’s STRIKE/SLIP(dir. Chay Yew) & Carlos Murillo’s DARK PLAY OR STORIES FOR BOYS(dir. Michael John Garces): Humana Festival ’07. Film/TV: BODY/ANTIBODY, LEGACY, DUANE INCARNATE, several shorts, animation, & web series. NY Casting Associate: MEAN GIRLS, SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE, & SHORTBUS. Judy casts for the American Repertory Theatre, LAByrinth, Rattlestick, & Partial Comfort Productions. www.judybowmancasting.com
Raquel Davis (LD) Recent NYC credits include: Slavey (dir. Robert Ohara, Clubbed Thumb), STRETCH: a fantasia (dir. Emma Griffin, New Georges), 27 rue de Fleurus (dir. Francis Hill, Urban Stages), Becoming Tennessee (dir. Michael Bush, Emelin Theatre), The Runner Stumbles (dir. Scott Evans, TACT), and Removable Parts (dir. Emma Griffin, @HERE). She is the resident lighting designer for the O’Neill Playwrights and Cabaret Festivals and a member of the Drama Desk and Obie award winning Keen Theatre Company. Raquel began designing while at Middlebury College and received her MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. www.RaquelDavisDesigns.com
Clair Lamb is a writer, editor and researcher who has also, at various points in her checkered career, cooked behind a drugstore counter, sold children's clothing, lobbied for state bank regulators, and won Ben Stein's money. Her most recent theatrical experience has been as President of Gaslight Theater, a community theater group based in Hallowell, Maine.
AARON RHYNE (Video Design) is a director and video artist specializing in theatrical video and projection design. His video designs include the recent New York premiere of Jerry Springer: The Opera at Carnegie Hall, the current revival of Stephen Schwartz’ Working (Asolo Rep and The Old Globe), Amiri Baraka's Dutchman (Cherry Lane), The JAP Show (Actors Temple and US Tour), Topsy Turvy Mouse (Cherry Lane), Flags (59E59), and Monica Bill Barnes’ Suddenly Summer Somewhere (Dancepace). He has done extensive video work with Caden Manson’s Big Art Group and has toured with them through Europe and the U.S. with The House of No More and Flicker. He directed and designed InsideOut, which was nominated for an Innovative Theatre Award. Other directing credits include Playing House (HERE), Bent (Columbia University), Glued to Grammy (HERE), Princess Ivona (Polish Cultural Institute). Additionally, Mr. Rhyne directs music videos, commercials, and performance projects for television. He is a proud graduate of Fordham University.
Ryan has met Kathie Lee Gifford twice in his lifetime, once backstage at The View, when she mistook him for someone else and once at a party where she complimented him on his jacket. Ryan has designed for the Nymf, The Fringe, been an assistant designer both on and off-Broadway, done a lot stuff on the West Coast and most importantly he single-handedly brought Unicorns back into fashion!
NYC credits: Hoodoo Love (The Cherry Lane), A Very Common Procedure (MCC), Pen (Playwright’s Horizons), Acts of Mercy: passion play and God Hates the Irish (Rattlestick),
Black Snow (The New School), Mario and the Magician (Center for Contemporary Opera), Get What You Need (Atlantic 453),
The Darker Face of the Earth (TWAS, AUDELCO nomination), as well as shows with WET,13P, Clubbed Thumb, Theater Askew, and The Drama Loft.
Regional: Hansel and Gretel (Washiington National Opera), Ariadne Auf Naxos (Utah Opera. And Vancouver Opera), Brevard Music Center, Triad Stage, Playmaker’s Rep., Williamstown Theater Festival, Yale Rep., and Dallas Theater Center.
Robin Graduated from Yale School of Drama and now is on the design faculty at Rutgers University.
No music tracks are available for this show yet.
Laws Is Kathie Lee Gifford in NYMF's She Can't Believe She Said That!
Heather Laws will star as famed talk-show host Kathie Lee Gifford in the New York Musical Theatre Festival production of She Can't Believe She Said That!, which begins performances Sept. 26.
The new 'Evita'?: Kathie Lee Gifford inspires musical
The New York Musical Theatre Festival is featuring a production of "She Can't Believe She Said That," a new musical about the tragic figure of our times (or at least a couple of months in 1997), Kathie Lee Gifford nee Epstein.
