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American Theater Group to present the East Coast Premiere of
Jonathan Brielle's Himself and Nora, a New Musical tale of one of the 20th
Century's Greatest Romances, James Joyce and Nora Barnacle
Michael Bush Directs - Book, Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Brielle
On April 24, American Theater Group, New Jersey’s newest professional theater
company, will present, direct from its success at the 2012 New York Musical Theatre
Festival, Jonathan Brielle's new musical Himself and Nora at its new home, Hamilton
Stage in Rahway, New Jersey.
Director Michael Bush brings to life Himself and Nora, a passionate, bawdy, funny and
uplifting new musical that sings the true story of one of the great love affairs of the 20 th
century that changed the face of literature forever. Himself...the brilliant and hard
drinking Irish novelist James Joyce; and Nora...the earthy chambermaid Nora Barnacle
who became his lover, his partner, and his muse for 29 years. This inspiring new musical,
Himself and Nora sings a contemporary love story which survived their exile from their
beloved Ireland, the condemnation of the Catholic church, and ultimately helped to
create some of the greatest writing of the 20th century. Himself and Nora is alive with
intelligent and witty tunes by Brielle with an inspiring and original score that ranges
from raucously funny to movingly poignant. Broadway star Matt Bogart of Jersey Boys
fame and Jessica Burrows, one of theater’s fastest rising stars who was honored with
the Outstanding Performance Award as Nora in the NYMF production of Himself and
Nora will recreate their roles for this premiere.
An earlier version of Himself and Nora, first produced at The Old Globe in San Diego,
was honored with a National Endowment Award and was subsequently performed to
great acclaim at The James Joyce Center in Dublin. American Theater Group's CoProducing Artistic Directors James N. Vagias, Rick Sordelet and Joe Mancuso saw the
Tritone production under the direction of Michael Bush at the acclaimed New York
Musical Theatre Festival. The festival has been the launching pad for a remarkable
number of successes on Broadway, off-Broadway and internationally for such shows as
Altar Boyz,, The Big Voice: God or Merman?, Captain Louie, The Great American Trailer
Park Musical, Gutenberg! The Musical, Meet John Doe, Midlife (the Crisis Musical),
Nerds, Rooms, Shout! the Mod Musical, Yank! and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to
Normal.
“When we first saw the piece at NYMF, we all agreed that this is the type of theater we
want to produce: uplifting, passionate, funny and inspirational” says James Vagias. “As
a theater company, we look to find exciting new voices in the American theater, and we
are honored to be part of Himself and Nora’s journey, and to introduce our audiences
to the incredibly talented Jon Brielle".
American Theater Group is an ambitious new performing arts company launched in
2012 that offers musicals and spoken plays, a new musical reading series and theater
education at the newly built state-of-the-art Hamilton Stage in Rahway. Its focus is on
producing new and classic works, primarily by American playwrights, with an emphasis
on the development of new works and the rediscovery of undeservedly neglected older
ones. It is truly fitting that ATG's first offering is not only by a new voice on the American
musical theater stage but a resident of Tewksbury, New Jersey, Jonathan Brielle.
“I am so grateful to be working with Jim Vagias at their gorgeous new facility for our
next steps on the show that is so close to my heart”, says Jonathan Brielle.
American Theater Group will aim to make theater’s glorious possibilities accessible to
the diverse surrounding community of Rahway and the region, and to maintain a
nurturing environment for playwrights, actors and theatrical designers and technicians
to develop and hone their works.
Performances are. April 24- May 12 (Wednesday through Saturdays at 8 p.m. Sundays
at 3 p.m.)
Tickets are $30-$35 (Special rates for seniors and students)
American Theater Group's home is the new intimate new 199-seat Hamilton Stage at
360 Hamilton Street in Rahway New Jersey. Hamilton Stage is governed and operated by
the Union County Performing Arts Center.
Tickets to all American Theater Group events can be purchased at the UC PAC Box
Office.
3 Ways to Purchase Tickets:
1. Online - visit our virtual Box Office and purchase tickets 24 hours a day!
2. By Phone - call the UC PAC Box Office at 732- 499-8226
3. In Person - visit the UC PAC Box Office at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway
Methods of Payment
UC PAC accepts cash, check (with ID), American Express, Visa, MasterCard & Discover Card
Box Office Hours
Monday - Closed
Tuesday - 11am-5pm
Wednesday - 11am-5pm
Thursday - 11am - 8pm
Friday - 11am - 5pm
Saturday - Closed
Sunday - Closed
Or, by request. You may contact the UC PAC Box Office and make an appointment that is
convenient for you to purchase tickets.
The Box Office is open 2 hours prior to every performance. If you are purchasing tickets
on the day of an event, please note that online sales end two hours prior to the
performance. All purchases must be processed through the UC PAC Box Office either over
the phone or in person after that time.
About the Himself and Nora Company
JONATHAN BRIELLE (Book, Music, Lyrics) Currently has four musicals in development
including the critically acclaimed NYMF production of Himself and Nora opening April
24th at the brand new Hamilton Stage in New Jersey; 40 Naked Women, A Monkey and
Me premiered last summer at The Eugene O’Neill Theater Conference staring Veanne
Cox and Steve Blanchard; Nightmare Alley premiered at the Geffen Playhouse as the last
project directed by the legendary Gil Gates; as well as a brand new unnamed musical at
the Colony.
On Broadway, Jonathan wrote the songs for Foxfire staring theater legends Jessica
Tandy and Hume Cronyn, and Off-Broadway served as Composer in Residence at Circle
Rep in NY under Marshal Mason and Lanford Wilson writing songs and scores for dozens
of plays including a new version of Fifth of July, The Great Grandson of Jedidiah Kohler,
and Besides Herself. Regionally, an earlier version of Himself and Nora earned a National
Endowment Award at The Old Globe in San Diego and then at The James Joyce Center in
Dublin earning the Joyce estate’s seal of approval. His US and UK Tours include: Ringling
Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, Rugrats, & Goosebumps Live!; Jonathan’s Las Vegas
shows include: Enter The Night (book, music, lyrics) which ran for 12 years at the
Stardust Hotel, and a two year run of Madhattan (book, music, lyrics) which opened the
New York, New York Hotel featuring 30 street performers from the streets of
Manhattan.
Jonathan is serving his fourth year as Board Member of The Johnny Mercer Foundation
and his second term as Vice-President overseeing the JMF Songwriting Project at
Northwestern University, originating the Kaufman Lyric writing program in title one
schools in New York, the NJPAC lyric writing program for title one schools in New Jersey,
and is serving as the Writer Producer in Residence of the Writers Colony. He is also the
former National Projects Director of the Songwriters Guild of America and is the
founding member of Tritone Productions with partners director Michael Bush, and
producer Aldo Scrofani. For more info go to: www.jonathanbrielle.com.
MICHAEL BUSH (Director) most recently directed the Off-Broadway productions of
Psycho Therapy , Cactus Flower, and Based On A Totally True Story. Regional
Productions include: Stormy Weather (Pasadena Playhouse, Prince Music Theatre), The
Sisters Rosensweig (Capital Repertory Theatre), Murderers (Philadelphia Theatre
Company, City Theatre), etc. He is the co-author and director of Leslie Uggam’s Uptown
Downtown (Pasadena Playhouse, Capital Repertory Theatre) which won the Los Angeles
Drama Critics Circle Award for best solo performance. He won the 2009 New York
Musical Theatre Festival Award for Excellence in Direction for the world premiere
musical Hurricane. Since 2005 he directed 7 NYMF musicals including The Ballad of
Bonnie and Clyde, The Piper, and Jonathan Brielle’s Himself and Nora for the 2012
Festival. His second show for Leslie Uggams, Classic Uggams, premiered at New York’s
54 Below in November 2012. He will be remounting Himself and Nora for the American
Theatre Group in the spring of 2013.
He is the former director of artistic production and associate artistic director for the
Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City. He was associated with MTC for over 25 years
and helped artistically guide more than 150 new plays and musicals, including the
Tony®Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning Proof and Doubt, the Tony® Award winning
Love! Valour! Compassion!, and the musicals A Class Act (Tony Nomination for Best
Musical) and Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party. He was instrumental in the rebirth of the
Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s Cabaret & Performance Conference, and served as its
artistic director from 2005 to 2012. Under his tenure the conference developed over
100 new shows, revues, and intimate musicals including [title of show] and The Story of
My Life, both of which were produced on Broadway, and Now, Here, This produced by
the Vineyard Theatre in New York City this past spring. He is currently developing three
additional new musicals as a founding partner of Tritone Productions, including 40
Naked Women, a Monkey, and Me, Nightmare Alley, and Menu. His production of the
musical Stormy Weather has been optioned for Broadway and projected for the 2013-14
season.
MATT BOGART (James Joyce) is currently on Broadway starring as Nick Massi in Jersey
Boys. Past Broadway roles include Radames in Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, as Chris
in Miss Saigon (after originating the 2nd National Touring "Engineer" Company), in Frank
Wildhorn's The Civil War (also originated at the Alley Theatre) and as the White Guy in
Smokey Joe's Cafe, which was filmed for television, video and DVD Other Film and TV
include an indie feature film, Summer Nuts and Law & Order on NBC. Recently, Matt
played Lancelot to Lou Diamond Phillips' King Arthur of the Round Table in the National
Touring Company of Camelot. Regionally, Matt appeared as Val in Orpheus Descending,
Lancelot in Camelot (Helen Hayes nomination) and Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees at Arena
Stage where he is an Affiliated Artist and serves as a member of Arena Stage's alumni
steering committee. Matt originated the roles of Pasha/Strelnikov (San Diego Critic's
Circle Award) in Lucy Simon's Zhivago at La Jolla Playhouse under the direction of Des
McAnuff, Paul Claudel, opposite Linda Eder, in Frank Wildhorn's Camille Claudel at the
Goodspeed Opera House, the title character of Ace in Ace (opposite his wife, Jessica
Bogart) at the St. Louis Repertory Theatre and Cincinnati Playhouse, and the role of
James Joyce in Himself and Nora at the Old Globe and in Dublin Ireland for the
Bloomsday Festival, in association with the James Joyce Center. In the Kennedy Center's
Sondheim Celebration, he portrayed Paul in Company and reprised his role for the 2002
Kennedy Center Honors in praise of Elizabeth Taylor. Other credits include originating
the role of Matt in People Like Us, Off-Broadway, for the NY Musical Theatre Festival,
Mat in Joe Masteroff and Ed Thomas' opera of Anna Christie at the York Theatre, Sydney
Carton in Two Cities (Connecticut Critic's Circle nomination) at the Stamford Center, the
title role in Phantom at Music Theatre Wichita, Alfred/Sam in Romance,
Romance (opposite his wife, Jessica Bogart), Billy in Carousel and Lancelot in Camelot at
Paper Mill Playhouse, Starbuck in 110 in the Shade and Terry in Side Show at Signature
Theatre. In concert, Matt has sung and performed the Sondheim Celebration at Lincoln
Center's Avery Fisher Hall, with Steven Sloane and the American Composers Orchestra
at Carnegie Hall, with Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops with Joel Levine and the
Oklahoma City Philharmonic, The Columbus Symphony Orchestra and The Kentucky
Symphony Orchestra. He earned his BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of
Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). Matt's first solo theatre album,
“Simple Song,” was released on the Jay Records label.
JESSICA BURROWS (Nora Barnacle) is so thrilled to be a part of Himself and Nora. She
was last seen as Greta Garbo in the new musical When Garbo Talks at ICT in Los Angeles.
Other favorites include The Toymaker (NYMF), Lara in Zhivago (La Jolla Playhouse), Baz
Luhrmann's La Boheme (The Ahmanson), The Ten Commandments (The Kodak), 110 in
the Shade (Pasadena Playhouse), and Julie Jordon in Carousel. Jessica owns her own
practice as a Holistic Health Coach - www.healthilluminated.com.
STEVEN COHEN (Production Supervisor) brings an added dimension to this production
of Himself and Nora, A n accomplished production designer, lighting designer and
director, Cohen has worked with many of the world's most prominent music artists
including Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Billy Joel, Elton John, Enrique Iglesias, Lenny
Kravitz and more as well as numerous TV productions for VH1, AOL Music Live, HBO
Music, HBO Comedy, Showtime and television networks. He has also lent his talents to
such special events as Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children and Justin Timberlake and
Friends.
JAMES SAMPLINER (Music Director /Keyboard 1)
Broadway: Never Gonna Dance, BKLYN The Musical, The Wedding Singer, Legally Blonde
(arranger as well as MD). Off-Bway: Radiant Baby, Ghetto Superstar, (Public Theater)
The Mistress Cycle. Regional: Sleeping Beauty Wakes (McCarter Theater, La Jolla
Playhouse), In This House (Two River Theater), Being Alive (Westport Country Playhouse,
Philadelphia Theater Group), The Soul Of Rodgers (Reprise, Los Angeles), Most Wanted
(Sundance), 8 summers as the Music Director of the Williamstown Theater Festival.
West End: Legally Blonde (US music supervisor). Recordings: BKLYN The Musical, The
Wedding Singer, Legally Blonde, At The Corner of Broadway & Soul (Billy Porter), Love
Travels (Julie Reiber), Coming To My Senses (Jaron Vesely). Arranger/MD for Billy Porter,
Shoshana Bean, Patina Miller, Leslie Odom Jr. and many others.
KELLI BARCLAY (Choreographer)
NYC: City Center Encore's Pipe Dream, Camelot in Concert starring Jeremy Irons, Oscar
Hammerstein Awards salute to Carol Channing. NYMF: Hurricane the Musical, My
History of Marriage director Michael Bush. Goodspeed Opera House: My One and Only
(CT Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography,) How to Succeed in Business...(CT CC
Award nom.) and the new musical Hello My Baby at the Norma Terris. MUNY: Bye Bye
Birdie, Singin’ in the Rain (Kevin Kline Award,) Beauty and the Beast, 42nd Street, 50
Years of Muny Magic, and White Christmas. Feature film: Made for Each Other.
Associate Choreographer on Broadway: 42nd Street (Revival), Irving Berlin's White
Christmas, State Fair, Ain't Broadway Grand. Associate Choreographer on four City
Center Encore's productions. Asst. Choreographer: Radio City's Christmas Spectacular
Detroit MI. Original ballets: Angels Among Us featuring NY Times best selling author
Alma Daniel, Extensive teaching in all forms of dance including as a member of the
faculty of American Ballet Theater's Dance Intensive in NYC.
STEPHANIE KLAPPER (Casting Director) is pleased to continue her collaboration with
Michael Bush and team. Klapper Casting’s work has been seen on Broadway, OffBroadway, regionally, internationally, on television, film, the web, and heard on radio.
Select Credits: Broadway: A Christmas Story, The Musical; Dividing The Estate; Bells Are
Ringing. Off -Broadway: Horton Foote’s Harrison, Texas (upcoming); The Morini Strad;
RX; Olive and the Bitter Herbs (Primary Stages/Resident Casting Director); Twelfth Night
(New York Classical Theatre); Karen O’s Stop the Virgens! (St. Anne’s Warehouse);
Cactus Flower (Westside Theatre); Regional: Emotional Creature (Berkeley Rep); Nobody
Loves You (Old Globe); Three Musketeers (Cincinnati Playhouse); Venice (Kansas City
Rep/Kirk Douglas Theatre); God of Carnage (Capital Rep); Next to Normal (Milwaukee
Rep and Adirondack Theatre Festival); The Whipping Man (Hartford Stage Company and
Baltimore Center Stage),.Television: Lazytown; Film: Alice Jacobs; Roberta; Feast of the
Goat. Casting Society of America, League of Professional Theatre Women. Casting
Assistants: Lauren O’Connell and Tyler Albright.
ALDO SCROFANI (Producer/Executive Producer) Aldo Scrofani founded Theatre
Management Associates, Inc. (TMA) and its subsidiary, Moonglow Productions LLC in
2009. TMA/Moonglow is a theatrical production and management company providing
expertise and professional services to theatrical ventures on a worldwide basis. With 36
years of experience in the live entertainment industry, prior to forming TMA/Moonglow,
Mr. Scrofani served for 13 years as Executive VP/Producer of Jujamcyn Theatres, and 18
years as the COO of Columbia Artists Management, Inc. and Executive Producer & COO
of Columbia Artists Theatricals. In these capacities, he has produced, co-produced and
been associated with well over 100 productions on Broadway, London, Off-Broadway,
National Touring companies as well as numerous international presentations of known
and branded artists and productions. During this tenure, Mr. Scrofani has garnered
multiple Tony® Nominations and Tony® Awards as well as Drama Desk, Obie, Pioneer in
the Theatre Award, The Elliot Norton Award for outstanding production, and others.
Productions include, Gone With The Wind directed by Trevor Nunn, Dirty Rotten
Scoundrels directed by Jack O’Brien, Chita Rivera The Dancer’s Life directed by Graciela
Daniele, Lovemusik directed by Hal Prince, STOMP, Stomp Out Loud, Tap Dogs, Grand
Hotel directed by Tommy Tune, City of Angels directed by Michael Blakemore, You’re a
Good Man Charlie Brown directed by Michael Mayer, Gypsy directed by Arthur Laurents
and starring Tyne Daly, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof with Kathleen Turner, Big River, Bring In
‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk, Jelly’s Last Jam, Elaine Stritch At Liberty all directed by
George Wolfe, Sunset Boulevard, The Royal National Theatre production of Carousel
directed by Nicholas Hytner, The World Goes Round directed and choreographed by
Scott Ellis and Susan Stroman, Master Class with Elizabeth Ashley, The Belle of Amherst
with Julie Harris, M. Butterfly directed by John Dexter, Into the Woods directed by James
Lapine, The Piano Lesson directed by Lloyd Richards, My One and Only with Tommy
Tune…Dracula with Frank Langella. He has served on the Tony® Management and
Tony® Administration committees as well as The Executive Committee and The Board of
Governors of The Broadway League of which he has recently been elected to become a
“Lifetime Member”.
TRITONE PRODUCTIONS, LLC (Producer) A musical theatre development company
dedicated to fostering and exploiting new and innovative theatrical productions on a
worldwide basis. Headed by producer Aldo Scrofani in collaboration with an alliance of
industry veterans, Tritone’s current projects include: Himself & Nora; 40 Naked Women,
A Monkey and Me; Nightmare Alley with other projects to be announced.
THEATRE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES (General Management) under the leadership of
President & CEO, Aldo Scrofani, TMA provides management services for live theatrical
productions on a worldwide basis. For Himself & Nora, TMA is represented by Mr.
Scrofani and General Manager Maria Di Dia. Ms. Di Dia’s credits include: Executive
Producer/General Manager for Blue Man Group, Associate GM for Chicago, The Musical,
Producer of Bebe Neuwirth in Here Lies Jenny, and most recently, GM for Gregory
Charles at the Café Carlyle.
ALCHIMIA PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING (General Press Representative)
Alchimia Public Relations & Marketing has represented over 150 celebrities in music,
film, television, theater, fashion and the arts; 121 Broadway, Off-Broadway & Off-Off
Broadway productions, National tours and countless books, films & videos. The firm has
promoted and/or produced hundreds of special events for such diverse clients as the
Academy Awards, Tony Awards, NYC Dance Alliance, New York Daily News, MCA
Records, Harry Winston Jewelers, Faberge, AmFar, Citibank, HBO, American Music
Awards, Stella Adler Studio of Acting and Guild Hall of East Hampton.
Current projects include: the newly launched Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at
Goodspeed Musicals, Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project at Northwestern,
the soon-to-be-opened The Space at Westbury, a major performing arts and special
events venue, Glimmerglass Opera Festival, The Astaire Awards, designer Berry Brown,
the inaugural Art Southampton, Art Miami and Art Wynwood.