Save the Theater Rally April 9 at Paper Mill

E-mail received from Paper Mill late last night, so you get it here right form the source. Take note of the rally planned for April 9 and the list of Paper Mill "alumni," which is nothing short of amazing.


Excerpeted fromthe e-mail:

The reason I am writing all of you today, is because Paper Mill Playhouse needs your help. For years Paper Mill Playhouse has often been perceived as a commercial institution, not a not-for-profit arts organization. We need to inform the general public in a very short amount of time that Paper Mill needs their support! I am convinced that if we can get the word out to those who love this organization, we can save this theater! You all have tremendous power as journalists to make a positive impact on our current crisis. ...

Paper Mill is hosting a "Save The Theater" Rally this coming Monday, April 9th at 7:00pm in the Courtyard at Paper Mill Playhouse. We are expecting crowds in the thousands along with Broadway/Paper Mill Stars, Celebrities, Political Leaders, Performances and more. If you can list this event or better yet, attend, please do! It will truly be a once-in-a-lifetime event, not to be missed.

I know this theater is worth saving and here are a few reasons why:
During the 2006/07 season over 236,000 New Jersey residents will enjoy performances at Paper Mill Playhouse including our mainstage productions, Nutcracker and the New Voices Concert.

In addition, nearly 50,000 students will participate in the outreach, artist training, inter-disciplinary programs, Children’s Theatre series, and On-School Time performances that we create, sustain and provide each season.

Over 130 schools in 18 of the 21 New Jersey counties will participate in Paper
Mill educational outreach programs such as the Rising Star Awards, Adopt-a-School,
and the Young Critics Program.

Over 7,000 theatre lovers with disabilities will take advantage of Paper Mill’s access programs including sign interpreted performances, audio described performances, wheel chair access, sensory seminars and infra-red hearing devices.

New Jersey Ballet’s viability depends on income from its annual production of Nutcracker at Paper Mill.

Each year, 800 W2’s totaling $8 million pass through the payroll department at Paper Mill Playhouse.

In 2006, 15,000 students from 103 schools participated in the Rising Star Awards program. In 2007, 110 schools from 19 counties are participating. $61,000 in college scholarship money is awarded to Rising Star participants each year. This program, now in its 12th year, has been replicated in 14 communities nationwide

6,000 students in 60 schools have participated in Paper Mill’s Adopt-a-School program since its inception in 1989. Since 1994 over 7,000 New Jersey high school students have received free tickets to participate in the Young Critics program.

Each year:

4,000-6,000 students attend special matinee performances of age-appropriate mainstage
productions. Tickets are heavily discounted, study guides are provided and a cast talk
back follows each performance.

Nearly 1,000 students from toddlers to senior citizens attend classes at Paper Mill’s year-round Theatre School, the Summer Conservatory, August Intensive, or Adopt-a-School program.

Nearly 2,500 senior citizens, school students, and children with disabilities are
treated to free performances by the Theatre School’s All-Star Touring Company.

1,900 adults and children take advantage of audience enrichment programming such as Conversation Series, Cast Talkbacks, Director’s Notes, Book Club, back-stage tours and special events.

130 of the state’s most talented musical theatre students attend the Summer Theatre Conservatory program which results in the New Voices Concert attended by an audience of over 3,000.

24,000 children and parents attend Children’s Theatre series, and On-School Time performances.

How many people rely on Paper Mill for work or study each year?

Actors and stage managers: 140
Musicians: 45
Back stage and load in crew: 125-150
Scene shop crew: 50
Directors, designers, choreographers, and their assistants: 96
Students: 50,000
Teachers: 50
Administrative staff: 100 (full- and part-time)


The “Young & Unknown”
For decades Paper Mill has served as stepping stone to Broadway and beyond, discovering many young stars-to-be and launching numerous careers including:

ANNE HATHAWAY
Attended Paper Mill theatre school and Summer Theatre Conservatory for many years, appeared in several mainstage productions as a young teen; nominated for a “Best Actress” Rising Star Award; went on to a television series which launched her rise to movie stardom (Princess Diaries, Brokeback Mountain).

SUSAN STROMAN
Choreographed her very first professional productions at Paper Mill (Sayonara and Rhythm Ranch – both world premieres). She has won numerous Tony Awards for her work on The Producers and Contact among others. She returned to supervise Paper Mill’s revival of her award winning Crazy For You which was aired nationally on PBS’ Great Performances series.

CAROL CHANNING
David Merrick saw her in Paper Mill’s production of The Millionairess (which also starred a young GENE WILDER and JOHN McMARTIN) in 1963 and promptly offered her the lead in Hello Dolly! on Broadway.

LIZA MINNELLI
Played the female lead in Paper Mill’s 1964 production of Carnival, which lead to her leading role in Broadway’s Flora the Red Menace for which she won her first Tony Award that launched her career.

JANE FONDA
Before becoming a multiple Academy Award winning movie star, Jane trained as an actress by appearing in regional theatre productions including Paper Mill’s No Concern of Mine in 1958.

PATRICK SWAYZE
Prior to his Dirty Dancing days, Swayze was honing his craft dancing in Paper Mill’s 1974 production of The Music Man.

SANDY DUNCAN
Appeared in Paper Mill’s 1966 production of The Boy Friend and subsequently appeared in the same role in Broadway revival which too her to stardom.

KRISTEN CHENOWETH
While visiting New York City for a week prior to entering Philadelphia’s Opera Academy, on a whim she attended an audition for Paper Mill’s 1993 production of Animal Crackers. She landed a role, got her Actors’ Equity card and never went to Philly, but went on to Broadway (Tony Award), television, recordings and film.

ROB MARSHALL
Paper Mill gave Rob his first directing job with Chess in 1992. It was a stepping stone to Broadway which led him to direct the Academy Award winning film of Chicago.

MARGE CHAMPION
In 1944, a young dancer names Marjorie Bell appeared at Paper Mill in Sally. She caught the eye of a certain Gower Champion which resulted in one of the best-known dance teams in show business.

DONNA McKECHNIE
Was featured in Redhead in 1960 before going on to Broadway fame and winning a Tony Award for A Chorus Line. She returned to Paper Mill in the 1998 acclaimed Follies.

LAURA BENANTI
Won the first Leading Lady Rising Star Award and received her Equity card following her graduation from high school in our Man of La Mancha. The following year she was cast in the Broadway revival of The Sound of Music, took over the leading role and has appeared in numerous Broadway productions and garnered 3 Tony Award nominations.

JERRY MITCHELL
Choreography for Paper Mill’s 1998 production of Follies brought him to the attention of Broadway. He has gone on to multiple Tony nominations for Hairspray, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and winning for La Cage Aux Folles. He is currently making his Broadway directing debut with Legally Blonde.

DULĚ HILL
Played his first professional stage role in Paper Mill’s 1989 Shenandoah and went on to a starring role in TV’s acclaimed series The West Wing.

CHRISTINE EBERSOLE
Played a leading role in Shenandoah in 1977 just prior to her Broadway musical debut in On the 20th Century the following year. She has gone on to film, television, and Broadway stardom and is currently poised to win her 2nd Tony Award. She returned to Paper Mill to star in Paper Moon in 1993 and Mame in 1999.

JUDY KAYE
First appeared in Paper Mill’s Jesus Christ Superstar in 1977 and would remain a Paper Mill leading lady for over a decade before Broadway claimed her. She has since won 2 Tony Awards.

ROBERT CUCCIOLLI
Achieved leading man status at Paper Mill in the 1980’s in such productions as Rhythm Ranch and Oklahoma. He would rise to Broadway stardom in Jekyl & Hyde and return to Paper Mill many times including Funny Girl, The Sound of Music and Guys & Dolls.

HUNTER FOSTER
Was an unknown before playing a leading role in Paper Mill’s 1997 Children of Eden. He went on to Broadway and numerous Tony Nominations for Urintown, The Producers and Little Shop of Horrors.

LESLIE KRITZER
We literally “discovered” young New Jersey native Leslie Kritzer when we cast her as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. She has since appeared on Broadway in Hairspray and is currently starring in Legally Blonde.

NIKKI JAMES
Was nominated for a Rising Star Award and attended our Summer Theatre Conservatory. Last season she starred in Broadway’s All Shook Up and was recently cast as the leading role of “Dorothy” in the revival of The Wiz.

JOHN LLOYD YOUNG
Received critical acclaim for his first major professional role in Paper Mill’s The Chosen opposite Theodore Bikel. He would return the following season opposite John Mahoney in The Drawer Boy. A few months later, he was cast in Broadway’s Jersey Boys winning the 2006 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

SHARON WILKINS
We gave Sharon her Actors Equity card, a leading role in our 1995 DREAMGIRLS and launched a career that would include 3 Broadway shows and numerous film and television appearances.

ROB ASHFORD
Made his professional debut as a Choreographer with 2 productions at Paper Mill. He next choreographer Thoroughly Modern Millie on Broadway winning the Tony Award, followed by The Wedding Singer and the current hit Curtains.

MATTHEW SCOTT
Won the Rising Star Award an unprecedented 3 years in a row, attended our Summer Theatre Conservatory and we helped him win a scholarship to the theatre program at prestigious Carnegie Mellon University. During his summers, he performed in several Paper Mill mainstage productions. Following his college graduation, he landed the Broadway company of Jersey Boys where he understudies 2 of the leading roles.

VERONICA KUEHN
Received multiple Rising Star nominations and won Best Actress in her Senior year. She spent several summers in our Theatre Conservatory, was accepted into Boston Conservatory’s lauded musical theatre program and graduated early in order to accept a job in the Broadway company of Mama Mia!

CHANDRA WILSON
Got her start playing a small role in Paper Mill’s 1993 production of Paper Moon. She recently won the Screen Actors Guild award for Best Female Actress in a Drama for her starring role in TV’s popular Grey’s Anatomy.

GREGG BARNES
As a recent graduate of Manhattan Fashion Institute of Technology, Gregg became Paper Mill’s resident Costume Designer for six years before moving to Broadway and numerous successes culminating in his Tony Award for last season’s The Drowsy Chaperone.


Thank you very much for your support during this very difficult time for Paper Mill Playhouse. I am willing to assist all of you on stories, interviews and any other coverage you can give us to help save this landmark theater. There is some copy below on our "Save The Theater" Campaign. Feel free to contact me at the numbers or email address below. Again, I thank you!