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Production credits

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Dramaturg's Diary

Director's Corner

Setting: The Dumont Television Studios, New York City, New York Time: Circa 1959

Set in the fifties, The Taffetas will have you singing along with teenage sisters (Kaye, Peggy, Donna and Cheryl)
from Muncie, Indiana, as they face their destiny on a TV variety show where you are part of the live studio audience.
Four very talented singer/dancers relive the time of "Girl Group" quartettes presenting songs that were favorites
of the time and songs that became classics. It's two hours of fine music and good fun.

The Taffetas

Remember when gas was 23 cents a gallon and a carload of friends could go to the drive-in movie for a dollar? And remember the feel good innocence of the ‘50s, when small groups sang words and nonsense syllables in harmony against a rhythmic melody and girls in saddle shoes and poodle skirts dreamed of recording the next big hit? The Taffetas revisits more than 30 hit songs as the four sisters hope their performance on “Spotlight on Music” will have Ed Sullivan making them an offer.

The production is nostalgic with songs such as Sha-boom, Mister Sandman, Johnny Angel and Where the Boys Are,
but you’ll see it also packs relevance to the social conditions and climates of today.

The international hit musical, The Taffetas, was conceived by Rick Lewis, an author, musical arranger and director with additional material by Arthur Whitelaw. Rick Lewis was nominated for a Jefferson Award for Outstanding Musical Direction for his work on the Chicago production of The Taffetas.

Jack Phillips directs the TWS version, choreography is by Joseph Savino
and Iya Goshchinsky, musical direction
by Sue Kinney.

Cast

Susan Kinney Musical Director, keyboard
Sarah Basel Drummer
David Watshke Drummer for June 3rd and 4th
Ken Krafthefer Bass

Dramaturg's Diary
By Carol A. Suda

The Taffetas is a musical tribute to the 1950’s. The fifties was an era of growth and prosperity. We won the war; then we looked forward to a future with optimistic innocence and enthusiasm. The music of the fifties tells us a story of endless possibilities seasoned with the irrepressible energy of Rhythm and Blues (R&B), the vocal harmony of Doo Wop and the rebellious spirit of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The forties had the Big Bands and Swing; the fifties added everything else.

Teenagers swooned over teen idols Bobby Darin, Frankie Avalon, Elvis Presley and Fabian. The musical was a great hit -- My Fair Lady, West Side Story, and Singin’ in the Rain to mention some of my favorites. The music and artists were very diverse: Chuck Berry (Maybelline), The Four Aces (Love is a Many Splendored Thing), Buddy Holly, Johnny Ray (Cry) , The Chordettes (Mr. Sandman), Gogi Grant (Ricochet), McGuire Sisters (Achoo Cha-Cha), Chords (Sh-Boom), The Browns (The Three Bells), Cordell Jackson (I’m Sorry), Patti Page (Mockin’bird Hill), Lewis Lymon and Teenchords ( I Cried), Peggy Lee (You Give Me Fever), The Lennon Sisters, Pat Boone (Love Letters in the Sand), Tony Bennett, Doris Day, Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, The Platters (The Great Pretender), Les Paul and Mary Ford, The Shirelles (Will you Love Me Tomorrow.. The lyrics focused on romance, heartbreak, and the endless search for true love, while being unaware of the social issues unfolding around them. But the different influences enriching music of this decade set the stage for the protest songs of the sixties.

The Taffetas showcases the “Girl Groups” of the fifties -- groups such as The Chantels, Bobettes, and The Shirelles. These talented women artists created a unique rock style harmonizing nonsense words or syllables to highlight the crazy, warm, illogical emotions of love, with an up-tempo back beat.

The Taffetas premiered Off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Time magazine selected The Taffetas as Critics Choice. For the Chicago production, Rick Lewis, creator and director, was nominated for a Jefferson award for Outstanding Music Direction. Mr. Lewis continued the fun with two sequels, A Taffeta Christmas and Taffeta Memories: Senior Musical Moments. There is also a male version featuring The Cardigans, Those Swingin' Singin' Guys from Alpha Mu Phi Pi. Co-writer and Director, Arthur Whitelaw’s career in theatre and film spans over 50 years. Other productions of Mr. Whitelaw’s include You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Butterflies are Free.

May the musical magic of The Taffetas awaken warm memories and create a few new ones.

Production Credits

Director Jack Phillips
Technical Director Troy Lee Brasuell, Jr.
Choreography Joseph Savino & Iya Goshchinsky
Musical direction Sue Kinney
Stage Manager Ed Wavak
Assistant Stage Managers
Costume Co-Chairs
Costume Crew
Dramaturg
Hospitality Chair Carol Clarke
Hospitality Crew
Lighting Designer Cal Turner
Lighting Crew
Makeup Designers
Makeup Crew
Properties Designer
Properties Crew
Set Construction Chairs
Set Construction Crew
Set Designer
Set Dresser
Set Painting Chair
Set Painting Crew
Sound Designers Benton Bullwinkle
Sound Crew
Box Office ChairMary Ellen Schutt
Box Office Crew
House Manager Chair Bill Wilson
House Managers
Front Row Center flyer Joe Petrolis
Group Sales Co-Chairs Ceri Hartnett, Betsy Stiles
Poster Distribution Kathleen Kusper
Production Coordinator Linda Roberts
Program Advertising Peggy Carlson
Publicity Chair Carol Dapogny
Program Editor Stephanie Williams
Program Crew Marion J. Reis
Website Judy DiVita

Director's Corner
By Jack Phillips

Since we are reminded daily of the precarious state of the world in which we now live, we decided to take a break. For the next two hours you’ll get a respite from today headlines. We’ll take you back to a time of innocence and joy. There are no deep messages here. The songs are all about looking for love, being in love and the search for the little things that can make a person happy. There is great value in being entertained. We invite you to sit back and share the great joy The Taffetas have in singing for you.

Thursday Nights
are audience Talkback nights.

Join us immediately following the show
for a discussion with the cast, crew, and
experts in the subject.

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