SHANE PETERMAN, PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
PRESENTS

GOIN' HOLLYWOOD

Book & Lyrics by Stephen Cole

Music by David Krane

ON THE TERRY MARTIN MAIN STAGE 

THEATRE NAMING SPONSORS:

Anonymous, Stan Graner and Jim McBride, Kathy Messina

The Phillip Donahue and Marlo Thomas Trust

The Flora Major Fund

Alexandra Jupin

Janis Bosenko

Jocelyn Weston

CAST:

*Appearing through the SPT Agreement between this theatre, WaterTower Theatre, and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. 

The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited

MUSICIANS

Keyboard Programming by: Jesse Fry

Opening Night Reception Sponsored by Keith & Andrea Redmon

Closing Party Sponsored by Antonio Ristorante

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I

OVERTURE-Orchestra

GOIN’ HOLLYWOOD-Alice, Garson & All

TAP IT OUT-AJ, Writers, Alice, Garson & All

PUNCHLINES AND LEAD-INS-Nancy, Alice, & Garson

NAMING NAMES-Alice & The Wonderlads

ALICE’S SONG & LOVE DROVE AWAY-Garson & Alice

TOO SMART-AJ

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE (Finale Act I)-Alice, Garson, AJ, Ann Miller & All

ACT II

IT COULDN’T HAPPEN TO A NICER GUY-The Writers

YOUR NAME ON THE DOOR-AJ

THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM-Alice

NANCY’S SONG-Nancy

GOWER GULCH-The Wonderlads and Vera Hruba Ralston

THANK YOU-Garson

ANY TIME (Finale)-Alice & Garson

GOIN’ HOLLYWOOD (Curtain Call)-All

It is such a joy and pleasure for me to be directing the world premiere of the new musical, GOIN’ HOLLYWOOD here at the Watertower Theater for quite a few reasons. First, it is a chance to reunite and work with old friends and collaborators, David Krane, Stephen Cole and Larry Yurman, all consummate professionals with huge talent and who are all great team players. Secondly, the show that David and Stephen have crafted is one of the more unique musicals I have come across. It is full of unexpected twists and turns and never takes the easy way out. They have somehow found a way to create a thoroughly entertaining work that is fresh and new, yet also delivers a nostalgic view of the movie musical genre. It takes place primarily in 1948 and yet resonates today in ways that we hope will take all by surprise. And, though not shying away from some of the harsh realities of the day, it also delivers unabashed humor and frothiness! Quite a feat of balance and finesse, all lifted by such an original and sophisticated score and by artful lyrics. And beyond all that, I am extremely impressed by the excellence of our local and fantastic design team, cast, and the staff here at Watertower Theater. I admire greatly, new friend, Shane Peterman’s tenaciousness and boldness in producing an ambitious new show like this, and, I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it. Hope you all enjoy the show and thanks to you also, for supporting this theater and the arts in general!

-Gabriel Barre

Author’s Note

By Stephen Cole

Have you ever wished you were born in a different time?

David Krane and I pondered this question as we met to write our musicals. As we wrote and produced Aspire (in the Middle East), The Road to Qatar! (in Texas, NYC, London & Edinburgh) and Inventing Mary Martin Off-Broadway, we dreamed about how different our lives and careers might have been if only we had been born before our time. If only we were around to write movies during the golden age of movie musicals, when MGM was cranking out classics like American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain. Then the bolt of lightning hit. I came up with the idea of Alice Chandler and Garson Stein, two writers, discontent with the twenty-first century, who would go to lunch at a magical restaurant in Grand Central Station and…well, I won’t tell you what’s going to happen…it will all become clear when the overture begins.

But I will tell you that writing an ORIGINAL musical with new music and lyrics that are not from yesterday’s hit parade with an original story, not based on a novel, film, or TikTok video, is a wondrous and arduous process that took us down many dark and winding hallways, some leading to brick walls and others leading us through doors to that magical place when book, music and lyrics all combine to tell the tale we always wanted to tell. With words and notes on the page, we proceeded to readings and workshops in Toronto, New York and right here in Addison, Texas. Writing is rewriting and we did it from the first day to the last rehearsal. Putting our baby in front of you in the form of this grand WaterTower World Premiere is the ultimate culmination of the dream we had and grafted onto our two lead characters.

We are not Alice and Garson, but then again we are. We are also Nancy and AJ and even old L.B. Mayer, back in 1948…and, as we explored every aspect of 1948 as a mirror for our own times, we, like our fictional and real characters, learned the lesson that no time is better than the other; that every time is filled with danger, joy, fear and...yes, love. We are so excited that you are here, as our first audience to take this magical journey with Alice and Garson and us, their creators. As the authors and the original dreamers, we thank you. Hold on to your hats and enjoy the dream.

Aaron Johansen

Baylor University Theatre

Byron Holder

Carmen Clausse

Coy Covington

Dallas College Brookhaven

Dayna Dutton

Jovane Caamaño

Lexi Herrin

Robin Clayton

Skye Strauss

Stage West Theatre

Steve Barcus

Susan Yanofsky

Tiina Wilson

University of Texas at Dallas

Uptown Players 

Rebecca Neef, President 
Steven Pipes, Vice President 
Maggie Vera, Vice President  
Phil Longacre, Treasurer 
Jeannette Johnson, Secretary 

Rosalind Benjet 
Blake Clemens 
Barbara Daseke 
Tim Horan 
Nadia Loudon 
Craig Sutton 
Tiffany Richmond 
Maggie Vera
Brittany Willis

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to the following donors who have given between March 1, 2023 – April 10, 2024

The below listing reflects gifts received between 03.01.2023 and 04.10.2024. We apologize for any unintentional omissions. 

We gratefully acknowledge the 500+ donors who each year, through their contributions, make it possible for WTT to present over 125 performances each year. Although space limits our ability to publicly recognize donors at levels below $250, we deeply and sincerely appreciate every contribution. As ticket sales cover only a portion of our annual costs, these generous gifts of patrons, corporations, foundations, and others are critical to WTT’s ability to create quality professional theatre for our audience.  Should you wish to be added to this extraordinary list of donors, please visit our website at www.watertowertheatre.org/donations or contact Brian Gonzales at 972-450-6275 or via email at bgonzales@watertowertheatre.org

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