Cover Sheet

Title/Author
Director

Studio Theatre Production Proposal, Spring 2015

Avenue Q Music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx

Book by Jeff Whitty

Studio Production

Jonathan Martin

Production Staff:
Stage
Manager

Allison Poms
ASMs: Tess Wagner and
Lauren Schild

Music Director

Zoe McCray

Choreographer

Emily Iannotti

Set Designer
Dramaturge

John Hobson
Beatrice Owens

Costume Des.

Stephen Marks
Assistants: Chrissy Johnson and
Sydni Brawley

Publisher: Music Theatre International, Inc.

Are Rights Available? Yes
(Jonathan Stewart has confirmed availability of rights)

Fees:
Royalties:

$ 630

Scripts:

$ 550
Estimated Budget:

Set
Lighting
Props
Costumes
Sound/Projections
Publicity

$700
$100
$200
$100
$300
$100

Lighting Des.

Kelly Rudolph
Asst: Emma Drummond

Sound Des.

Isabella Scappaticci

Tech Dir.

Simon Lass

Props Mstr.

Laura West

Publicity

Sean Byrne

TOTAL : (fees + estimated budget)

$ 2680

Other

Hair/Makeup Jessica Pullis

Charge Artists Sarah Phillips
and Megan Ciszek
Video/Projection Designer
David Willmore
Puppet Master Madison Tolley

Estimated Ticket Revenue:

BreakEven

Number of
roles available:

10-14 (flexible casting: roughly 6

male, 4 female, plus swings)

Mature Audiences Only __X_ yes

(if yes, on what basis?) Sexual content, language,
adult themes and content

(TR = $8 - $2 (Forbes)- $1.80

(College Holdings) = $4.20)
Approx 120 seats
100% Attendance
120 X $4.20 X 6 perf = $3024
75% Attendance
90 X $4.20 X 6 perf = $2268
50% Attendance
60 X $4.20 X 6 perf = $1512
25% Attendance
30 X $4.20 X 6 perf = $756

Approx.
88.75%

Publishable brief synopsis:

The laugh-out-loud musical tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton who
moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that
although the residents seem nice, it's clear that this is not your ordinary neighborhood. Together,
Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.
Faculty Advisor: Kate Arecchi
signature indicating agreement to be advisor (required)

signature indicating written proposal has been reviewed

Approach

It sucks to be me, sucks to be you, sucks to be us, but not

when were together.
We all put on masks every day to conform to the expectations of other people, but we achieve the most
enjoyment in life and gain the ability to overcome lifes hardships when we find a community where we are
accepted for who we really are beneath those masks. This community helps us learn to laugh at the problems we
face every day of our lives, while also giving us the opportunity to be true to ourselves, even if we know we
must eventually put our masks back on.
In this production of Avenue Q, I want to present the show as if it is almost literally Sesame Street
after Dark. The studio theatre will be transformed into the television set of a childrens show, featuring our
audience as the live, studio audience. The environment will be very reminiscent of childrens theatre bright,
vibrant, colorful, and fun but the actors will be presenting a much different story. Essentially, it is the cast of a
childrens TV show off-air, after hours, being as honest and raunchy as they can in this childish environment. It
is, in all respects, the childrens theatre show that you would never bring your kids to.
The audience will be incorporated in the community in this world. They will be featured in a similar
way as a live, studio audience on set of a television series - the transitions between scenes will be presented
almost like commercial breaks are in live television, and the audience will always be aware that they are at this
presentational show where they can see props off-stage, stage managers calling cues, and board operators doing
their jobs. The script calls for multiple moments of breaking down the fourth wall, so we will essentially never
establish a fourth wall in order to make the audience feel incorporated into this world. This will invite the
audience to laugh at the ridiculousness of life along with these characters.
The acting in this production will have aspects of childrens theatre and presentational styles woven
within the scenes. Although the presentational style is not realistic, there will be nothing insincere about the
stories that are told or the truth in the situations of these characters. During the rehearsal process, I want to work
closely with the actors to bring these characters to life. I will start with many improvisational activities (rooted
in Viola Spolins theatre games) to help the actors create their own, authentic characters. We will explore
having these characters/scenes done realistically without puppets. Well revisit the scenes later with an
emphasis on presentational aspects and incorporating characteristics from childrens theatre and television
such as talking to the audience, exaggerated reactions, and over the top movements. We will then work together
to find a balance between these two styles that will be believable as well as entertaining.
To connect to the many issues presented in the play, I will take time working with actors to discuss what
societal factors impact all of our lives. Whether it is race, gender, sexuality, religion, class, political affiliation,
or anything else, we all have labels that we are forced to identify ourselves with. It is important, however, to not
let these labels be our sole defining factor. Just as the characters take a journey to look at themselves and find

what they really want in life, our cast and production team will take this journey as well to reflect on our own
lives.
Puppets
Madison Tolley will be working as our puppet master for this production. Puppetry is a difficult skill to
learn, but we will dedicate significant rehearsal time to teaching the actors the art of puppetry. I have worked on
basic puppetry in Bill Bucks Theatre for Young Audiences class, but due to my limited knowledge on the art
form, Madison has agreed to sign on as puppet master and help teach the cast this form. Madison has extensive
puppetry experience she has taken Bill Bucks Puppetry course; she also co-founded a group called Puppetry
in Education in 2009 and performed with this group for four years. The group aimed to present educational
messages to grade school children through puppets, and they created all of their own puppets using many of Jim
Hensons methods. I am confident in Madisons experiences and abilities with puppets, and she will be able to
teach our actors the basics of puppetry performance. She will also be responsible for building any additional
accessories needed for the puppets and repairing any wear and tear that the puppets may sustain during the
rehearsal process and shows run.
The puppets are being lent to us from West Potomac High Schools Theatre Department. Our music
director, Zoe McCray, attended this high school, and the drama director there has agreed to lend us the puppets
for free along with the costumes and hand props that come with the puppets. See attached e-mail below giving
confirmation for use of puppets:
________________________________________
From: Clark, Philip Lee (WestPo Theatre) <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 6, 2014 3:36 PM
To: McCray, Zoe-Elizabeth Renelda - mccrayzr
Subject: Avenue Q
Zoe,
You are more than welcome to use our set of Avenue Q puppets. We have all the puppets, costumes and some of the
hand props.
Let me know when you want to pick this stuff up so I can have it ready for you.
Cheers,
Philip Lee Clark

Music Direction
Zoe McCray will be responsible for music directing this production. She will teach the music to the cast
and work on techniques of singing while using character voices. She will help keep our cast vocally healthy
throughout the process. Additionally, Zoe will be responsible for assembling the orchestra of two keyboards,
one guitar, one drum kit, one bass, one saxophone, one clarinet, and one flute.
Choreography
Choreography for this production will be done by Emily Iannotti, a senior Dance Concentrator. Avenue
Q is not a dance heavy show, but Emily will work with the actors to ensure that the movement in the
appropriate songs has the bouncy, playful quality of childrens theatre. Many movements will be larger-than-life
in an effort to bring these exaggerated characters to life.

Set Design
John Hobson will be designing the set for this production. Our set will serve two functions. First, we
will transform the Studio Theatre into a television studio. This will be as realistic as possible. We will have the
sound and light boards in view of the audience as they enter the space. We will also have an On Air/Off Air
sign, and various cameras and/or monitors placed around. The design of the studio will help place the audience
into the overarching world of our TV studio.
The second function of the set will be the physical set on stage. This will be featured as the set of the
childrens show. We will have three flats upstage to serve as the front wall and doors of the Avenue Q
apartment complex. This set will be less realistic and more presentational in style bright colors and
exaggerated features.
The audience will be arranged in an end-stage configuration. We will take out the floor and have the
seats arranged in similarly to the Childrens Playshop configuration. This will help with the realism of the
television studio set, and it will also help our audiences who have attended Playshop be reminded of the
childrens theatre atmosphere.
John will communicate with Technical Director Simon Lass to ensure that the set is built properly and
efficiently. He will also work closely with Charge Artists Sarah Phillips and Megan Ciszek to ensure that the
painting of the set has the qualities we associate with childrens theatre and television.

Lighting Design
Lights will also help pull the audience into the world of childrens theatre. The lighting will mostly be
bright, soft, and natural to compliment and emphasize the colors of the costumes, puppets, and set. After
conversations with designer Kelly Rudolph, we acknowledged that lighting will be beneficial in helping the
audience distinguish when there are masks on versus when characters are being genuine. We will be playing
with this idea as we explore the relationship between the characters and the audience. Lighting will help
indicate when the audience is free to join the characters in temporarily stripping away their masks and being
free to laugh at life. This gives Kelly the opportunity to, at times, move away from the bright childrens theatre
lighting and emphasize whats being withheld or twisted onstage with pops of color and sharper angles.

Projections
David Willmore will be handling the projections and videos for the show. These are called for in the
script and will function in our play similarly to the function of commercial breaks during television shows.
David will work on creating the videos that will be projected, and he will also work with John Hobson to
establish a good location on the set for the videos to be projected onto.

Sound Design
Isabella Scappaticci will be sound designing this show, which will be used to highlight the
presentational aspects of what is being put on stage. Playback will incorporate traditional childrens theatre
sound effects that would not fit in a realistic show. These sound effects will emphasize the exaggerated features
of this show. Sound will also be responsible for pre-recording the sounds for the projections.
The reinforcement of the show will maintain its realistic qualities since we are not trying to skew the
audiences perception with the use of effects processors. This will be done in order to support the storytelling of
the actors. We dont want to skew the reality of the show since so much of the message is real. We are living in
a real world of a television studio, watching the unreal world of the play itself.

Costume Design
Stephen Marks will be costume designing this production, and he will be assisted by Chrissy Johnson
and Sydni Brawley. The costumes will feature exaggerated characteristics in order to fit cohesively in the world
we create. Additionally, we will play with the idea of making some of the costumes appear raunchier than
traditional childrens theatre would be. This will provide a physical manifestation of the overall dichotomy of
childrens theatre and late-night shows.
The puppeteers will be in all dark clothing as to not draw attention to them. Their feelings and thoughts
are projected onto their puppets, so we do not want to make the puppeteers themselves stand out too much.
Most of the costumes for the puppets will come with the puppets. Our costume design team will be responsible
for maintaining these costumes pieces, and they will also work to change any of the costume pieces if needed by
using scraps of fabric to create puppet sized costumes.
We have received permission from Kathleen to possibly pull a few items from stock, including some of
the costume pieces for the three non-puppet characters (Christmas Eve, Gary Coleman, and Brian). We have
also received permission from Kathleen to potentially use some scrap fabric to make puppet costumes and to
use machines for the creation of these small costume pieces.

Props
Laura West will be handling props for our show. Many of the hand props used in the show will come
with our puppet rental package, so these are not a concern. Laura will be responsible for the other props in the
show. Puppets will also fall under Props for this show, so Laura will work with Madison to ensure that the
puppets are taken care of. Part of the props budget will go to the care of the puppets in case any alterations need
to be made.
We have received permission from John Burgess to potentially borrow some props from stock, including
an On Air sign.

Dramaturgy
Beatrice Owens will serve as our dramaturge. She will be responsible for leading research into some of
the overarching issues in the play sexuality, racism, politics, etc. She will also work with me and the cast in
conducting research into the world of childrens television and puppet shows. Her research into the art of
puppetry, combined with Madison Tolleys knowledge and experience, will help us accurately portray the
specific world of childrens puppet theatre. Finally, Beatrice will research any specific questions that arise
during the process from the cast or production team about anything in the script.

Publicity
Sean Byrne will handle publicity for the show. Together, we will create a poster that captures the fun
and light-heartedness of childrens theatre. Additionally, he will help publicize the show through social media.

Jonathan Martin
Email: [email protected]
Age: 20
Height: 510
Eyes: Green
Hair: Brown
Voice: Baritenor
____________________________________________________________________________________
PERFORMANCE
MACHINAL
THE TRIANGULAR THEORY
FLICKER
ART IS TRASH
EVERYONES A CRITIC
SMOKE SCENES
NAOMI IN THE LIVING ROOM
THE HARDY BOYS AND THE MYSTERY
OF WHERE BABIES COME FROM
NEXT TO NORMAL
OUR GLORIOUS CAUSE
GODSPELL
GODSPELL
BYE BYE BIRDIE
CAMELOT
PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE
DMV TYRANT
COMEDY OF SHAKESPEREAN ERRORS
FAIRY TALE REFORM SCHOOL
AND THEY ALL LIVED.
JMU MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS
A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD
CINDERELLA (A FAIRY GODMOTHERS TALE)
SPRING AWAKENING

Young Man
Kyle
Sean
Gordie
Alex
John
John
Joe Hardy
Gabe
Sergeant Cooley
Ensemble: We Beseech Thee soloist
Jesus
Harvey Johnson/Barbershop Quartet
Squire Dap/Sir Sagramore

Director
Director
Writer/Director
Director
Scene Shop Assistant
Carpenter
Carpenter
Stage Hand

James Madison University (VA)

Cabrini Repertory Theatre (NYC)
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
ShenenArts (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
Kelsey Theatre (NJ)
Kelsey Theatre (NJ)
Kelsey Theatre (NJ)

James Madison University (VA)

Hightstown Theatre in the Park (NJ)
Our Community Place (VA)
Hightstown High School (NJ)
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)
James Madison University (VA)

EDUCATION
Junior at James Madison University (VA) B.A. Theatre and Dance, Honors, 3.888 GPA
Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars

TRAINING
Acting:

Classes at James Madison University Robert Bowen Smith, Drew Hampton, Kevin Wolf Sherrill
Private training with Krista John Astarita at Delirium Productions Summer 2013 (Metuchen, NJ)
Theatrical workshop with Michael Boudewyns and Sara Valentine at James Madison University, Spring 2013

Voice:

Choral and a cappella workshop through Berklee College of Music March 2012 (Boston, MA)

Dance:

Private Jazz, Musical Theatre, Ballet Class with Christie Lee Brayton at Dance Expo
January 2012 August 2012 (East Windsor, NJ)
Private Jazz/Musical Theatre Class with Kimberlee Antinoro at Talk of the Town Dance Studio
September 2011 January 2012 (Hamilton, NJ)

SPECIAL SKILLS
basic French (8 years)
percussionist
set construction

choral experience
vocal percussion
stage lighting

juggling
basic sewing
basic welding

basic sight reading

NJ drivers license

RELEVANT COURSE WORK

Performance Analysis (Spr. 13)
[Honors Option]
Performance Production (Spr. 13)
Scenery Practicum (Spr. 13)
Basic Acting (Fall 13)
Visual Aspects (Fall 13)
Lighting Practicum (Fall 13)
European Theatre Tradition to 1800
(Fall 13)
Technical Theatre (Spr. 14)
Management Practicum (Spr. 14)
Theatre for Young Audiences
(Spr. 14)
European Theatre Tradition from 1800
(Spr. 14)
Intermediate Acting (Spr. 14)
Music Theatre History and Analysis
(Spr. 14) [Honors Option]
Contemporary Scene Study (Fall 14)
Performance Practicum (Fall 14)
Directing for the Theatre (Fall 14)
Topics in Theatre Secondary Teaching
Methods (Fall 14)

Zachary Dorsey
Richard Finkelstein, Jonathan
Stewart, Emily BecherMcKeever, Pamela Johnson
Morgan Yeates
Rob Smith
Bill Buck
Emily Becher-McKeever
Dennis Beck

A
AA
A
B
A
A

John Burgess
Jonathan Stewart
Bill Buck

AA
A-

Dennis Beck

Drew Hampton
Zachary Dorsey

A
A

Wolf Sherrill
Terry Brino-Dean
Kate Arecchi
Leah Kirkpatrick

TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA