This information is only valid:
January 1, 2016
to May 31, 2016
Gary W. Blackman and Mark A. Blackman
Executive Producers
Greg Gunning
Artistic Director
present
CHICKEN DANCE
Based on the book by Tammi Sauer
with
Eddie Andrews
Brittany Lacey
Amanda Leakey
Amalia Tollas
Tom Kordenbrock
Stage Manager
Adapted and Directed by Greg Gunning
Music and Orchestrations by John Forster
Lyrics by John Forster
Choreography by Nicole DiVincenzo
Costumes by Fred Sorrentino
Incidental Music by Ron Drotos
CHICKEN DANCE
Written and illustrated by Tammi Sauer
Illustrated by Dan Santat
Published by Sterling Children’s Books, New York, NY.
Presented under an exclusive arrangement. All rights reserved.
CAST
Mac and Elvis Poultry……………………………...…………..…………...Eddie Andrews
Lola …………………………………………………………………………..Brittany Lacey
Ms. Farmer and Elsie ………………………………………………….…...Amanda Leakey
Marge…………………………………......................................................Amalia Tollas
Stage Manager………………………………………………………………Tom Kordenbrock
MUSICAL NUMBERS
Barnyard Banter……………………………………………Marge & Lola
Talent Show Tonight! …………………………………......Ms. Farmer & Cast
Wing Girl…………………………………………..………...Marge & Lola
Marge & Lola’s Juggling Act………………………………Marge & Lola
Cockadoodle Doo……………………………………..……Elvis, Marge, Lola, Elsie
Marge & Lola’s Magic Act………………………………….Marge & Lola
Over the Moon………………………………………………Elsie
Marge & Lola’s Balancing Act …………………………….Marge & Lola
A Talent Show Tonight! (Reprise)...................................Narrator, Mac, Lola
Surf Duckie…………………………………………..………Mac & Cast
The Big Jump………………………………………………..Cast
Chicken Dance ……………………………………………...Ms. Farmer, Lola, Marge
The Big Jump (Reprise)…………………………………….Cast
Wing Girl……………………………………….……………..Marge & Lola
Chicken Dance (Reprise)…………………………………...Cast
CHICKEN DANCE Who’s Who
EDDIE ANDREWS (Mac and Elvis Poultry) is thrilled to be doing his second tour with
ArtsPower after having toured with Dog Loves Books in the fall! B.A. in Theatre Arts with an
acting emphasis from Stephens College. Favorite credits: The Drowsy Chaperone, The Little
Shop of Horrors, 25thAnnual…Spelling Bee, and A Catered Affair. Love to my family, onstage
and off! Enjoy the show!
AMANDA LEAKEY (Ms. Farmer and Elsie) is very excited to be returning to ArtsPower for her
third national tour. She previously played Mrs. Frankweiler in The Mixed-Up Files …, and the
Narrator/Mrs. Smythe in Dog Loves Books. Amanda graduated from Rollins College in 2011 with
her B.A in Theatre Arts. Upon graduation, she was an acting/education intern with The Orlando
Shakespeare Theater where she performed in Miss Nelson is Missing and the sequel Miss
Nelson Has a Field Day (in the roles of Miss Nelson and her evil counterpart). She also was
in Charlotte’s Web as Fern and The Goose. Amanda was recently in Rapunzel at OST where
she played Rapunzel's Mother and The Witch. She would like to thank her family and friends for
all of their love and support in her theatrical endeavors.
BRITTANY LACEY (Lola) is thrilled to be hitting the road again. She was last seen this past fall
as Dog in ArtsPower's Dog Loves Books, after originating and touring the role last spring!
Favorite past credits include: Little Bo Peep at Story Land in New Hampshire. Mills
Entertainment's Clifford the Big Red Dog Live! (Female Swing), Kiss Me Kate (Lois/Bianca),
Next to Normal (Natalie), RENT (Mimi), Rugrats: A Live Adventure (Angelica), Goodnight Moon
(Mouse), and the title roles in Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and
Alice in Wonderland. Brittany holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from SUNY Stony Brook. Many thanks
to my amazingly supportive family and Evan.
AMALIA TOLLAS (Marge) is excited to return for her second ArtsPower tour. She was last seen
as Claudia in ArtsPower’s From the Mixed-Up Files… Favorite roles include Wednesday in The
Addams Family (LaComedia Dinner Theatre), Rizzo in Grease (NYU), and Paige in The Firebird
(reading & workshop at NYU). B.FA. in Acting from New Studio on Broadway, Tisch School of
the Arts at NYU. Thanks to Mom and Dad for their unending love and support.
TOM KORDENBROCK (Stage Manager) Tom is a California-raised, Boston-educated stage
manager living in New York City. Broadway: Les Misérables; Off-Broadway: Claudio Quest, A
Night with Janis Joplin; National Tours: Beauty and the Beast, Dog Loves Books. B.F.A.
inTheatre Arts from Boston University. Tom is so excited to be back with ArtsPower and touring
with this amazing group.
GARY BLACKMAN (Executive Producer) co-founded ArtsPower in 1985 with his identical twin
brother, Mark, and serves as ArtsPower's managing director. Gary received his Bachelor's
degree in Psychology from Columbia College, Columbia University and earned a Master's
degree in Music Education from the College of Music at Florida State University. In 2013, he was
appointed as a council member to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts by Governor
Christie. He is also a graduate of the Commercial Theatre Institute. Gary, his wife Amy, and their
daughter Emma live in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.
MARK BLACKMAN (Executive Producer) is ArtsPower’s founding co-director and currently
serves as director of development. He is a graduate of Columbia College, Columbia University
and received his Master’s of Music Education degree from Florida State University's College of
Music. He is also a graduate of the Commercial Theatre Institute. Mark is responsible for
ArtsPower’s fundraising and marketing efforts. In a former life, Mark was a jazz saxophone
player who was a recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to study for a
year with jazz recording artist Eddie Daniels. Mark and his wife, Leslie Sutton-Smith, each have
a daughter, Alyssa Blackman and Kelly Sutton-Skinner. They all share their dog Alex in their
Montclair, New Jersey home.
GREG GUNNING (Artistic Director) hails from Chicago, Illinois and is the man behind
ArtsPower’s on-stage magic. He has written every ArtsPower production since 1989. Greg
auditions and rehearses ArtsPower’s theatre companies each semester in addition to creating
at least one new production each year. A graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and
a former actor, Greg has performed in 38 states across the country.
JOHN FORSTER (Composer, Lyricist, and Orchestrator) is an award-winning songwriter,
humorist, and record producer whose work encompasses the worlds of singer-songwriting,
musical theater, and children’s entertainment. John’s debut album, “Entering Marion,” received
an Indie Award HM for Best Comedy Album in 1994. Many of his songs have been featured on
NPR’s “Morning Edition.” His songs have been recorded by Christine Lavin, Judy Collins,
Rosanne Cash, and the late Dave Van Ronk, among many others. As a writer and producer of
music for children, John has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, most recently for the
Tom Chapin album, “Some Assembly Required.” Other children’s albums written with Tom
include, “Family Tree,” “This Pretty Planet,” “Billy the Squid,” and a dozen more. His stage
musicals include, Four Score and Seven Years Ago for ArtsPower, the regional theater
favorite Eleanor-An American Love Story, How to Eat Like a Child, and Into The Light on
Broadway. He also wrote the lyrics for Freaky Friday with composer Mary Rodgers.
FRED SORRENTINO (Costumer) has designed and built the costumes for ArtsPower’s
Beyond the Miracle, Laura Ingalls Wilder: Growing Up on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables,
Hans Brinker & the Silver Skates, A Little Princess, Terrifically Tilly, Salem Justice, Caddie
Woodlawn, Are You My Mother? Anastasia Krupnik, Highlights for Children, Otherwise Known
as Sheila the Great, Lily’s Crossing, The Little Engine That Could; Earns Her Whistle, From The
Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Mike Mulligan And His Steam Shovel, and The
Rainbow Fish, Amber Brown is Not A Crayon, My Heart in A Suitcase, and Harry the Dirty Dog.
Fred is a gifted musician having earned a Bachelor’s degree in voice from Jersey City (NJ)
State College. A veteran performer in both operatic and musical theatre productions, Fred now
maintains a busy schedule designing and building costumes.
ARTSPOWER NATIONAL TOURING THEATRE Celebrating our 30th anniversary season in
2015-16, ArtsPower is one of America's largest and most respected producers of professional
theatre for young and family audiences. Founded by twin brothers Gary and Mark Blackman in
1985, ArtsPower has created 28 original musicals and plays that have been presented for more
than 13 million people throughout 49 states and the District of Columbia. Based in Cedar
Grove, New Jersey, ArtsPower hopes you enjoy today’s performance and invites you to share
your comments with us at info@artspower.org.
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