THE PERFECT MATE

David Rossmer & Dan Lipton (Book, Music & Lyrics)
Carolyn Cantor (Director)
Jeff Theiss (Music Director)
Kelly Haywood (Stage Manager)

READING

Joan Sweete has always been drawn to the old-fashioned idea of true love with one person, which puts her at odds with the anything-goes dating scene of the year 2163. When she wins a competition to test the PerfectMate, an emotionally savvy robot, she thinks she may have found her lifetime match – but it turns out perfection isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. First commissioned for and developed in the 2018 SPARK festival, THE PERFECT MATE is a musical comedy for romantics of all eras.

Commissioned by Pittsburgh CLO through the EQT Commissioning Fund.

CREATIVE TEAM

DAN LIPTON & DAVID ROSSMER (Book, Music, Lyrics) are writing the score for MONOPOLY, the Broadway-bound musical produced by Hasbro and Araca Group, with a book by Tony nominee Rick Elice. They wrote “They Don’t Let You in the Opera” for Kelli O’Hara, whose performance with the Orlando Philharmonic went viral, garnering 5.8 million views on Facebook. Their TV show RATED P, developed by Kelly Ripa’s production company, sold to ABC Studios. The stage version of RATED P, which played Off-Broadway, is licensed by Broadway Licensing.  Rossmer co-wrote THE OTHER JOSH COHEN, which was nominated for 6 Drama Desk Awards. The show returned to Off-Broadway in November 2018 to rave reviews. Rossmer is in the inaugural class of Audible playwrights, commissioned by Amazon. Lipton was associate conductor of THE BAND’S VISIT and conducted Sting’s run in his own musical THE LAST SHIP, both on Broadway.  He scored the Molly Ringwald film ALL THESE SMALL MOMENTS, released by Orion Classics in January 2019. Representation: CAA

CAROLYN CANTOR (Director) is a New York based director who spends much of her time developing and directing new work for the stage. She has worked at most of the off-Broadway theaters in NYC and at many regional companies, collaborating with wonderful playwrights and composers. Carolyn is thrilled to be spending this week in Pittsburgh with Dan Lipton and David Rossmer. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the mother of two daughters, Stella and Vivian.

JEFF THEISS (Music Director) was most recently the music director for The Band’s Visit which won 10 Tony Awards and a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. He is also the resident music director for Merry Go Round Playhouse in upstate New York, and works as an audition pianist for Tara Rubin and Stuart/Whitley. Originally from Houston, Jeff has lived in NYC for the past 10 years yet remains a die-hard Astros fan. Go ‘Stros! BME Baylor University. MM Ithaca College.

KELLY HAYWOOD (Stage Manager) is excited to be part of New Musicals Weekend after working SPARK last year (Pool Boy). Favorite Pittsburgh CLO productions include: In the Heights, Mamma Mia, Aida and 42nd Street. Kelly has also done several productions with Pittsburgh Opera, Public and Ballet.

CAST

GENA SIMS (Susan Botellli)  is about to receive BFA in Music Theatre from Carnegie Mellon! Credits: SKiNFoLK at Pittsburgh CLO’s SPARK; Violet and Floyd Collins with Front Porch Theatricals; Detroit ‘67 (Chelle), Cabaret (Fraulein Schneider), and Medea/Shulie (Medea) at CMU. Founder of Autism Theatre Project.

OLIVIA VADNAIS (Joan Sweete) is ecstatic to be back at Pittsburgh CLO! She was recently seen down south as Sister Sophia (u/s Maria) in The Sound of Music at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and as Kate Mullins, setting sail aboard the Titanic here at Pittsburgh CLO last summer. Other favorite credits include Xanadu (Kira/Clio), Into the Woods (The Witch), and Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie Dillmount). Olivia is a proud alumna of Carnegie Mellon University and a proud member of Actors’ Equity. Instagram: @_olive_____

ELLIE VAN AMERONGEN (Moya, Engineer, Others, Guitar) was recently seen as the Ex-Girlfriend in Once and Medium Alison in Fun Home (IRNE Nominee) at SpeakEasy Stage Company. Boston Conservatory BFA Musical Theater Class of 2018. Check out her original music on SoundCloud @ellievanam. ellievanam.com

Brittany Bonney & Gena Sims | Photo: Matt Polk
Brittany Bonney & Gena Sims | Photo: Matt Polk
Gena Sims & Olivia Vadnais | Photo: Matt Polk
Gena Sims & Olivia Vadnais | Photo: Matt Polk
Ellie Van Amerongen | Photo: Matt Polk
Ellie Van Amerongen | Photo: Matt Polk
Jeff Theiss | Photo: Matt Polk
Jeff Theiss | Photo: Matt Polk
Jimmy Nicholas | Photo: Matt Polk
Jimmy Nicholas | Photo: Matt Polk
Gena Sims | Photo: Matt Polk
Gena Sims | Photo: Matt Polk
Olivia Vadnais & Jimmy Nicholas | Photo: Matt Polk
Olivia Vadnais & Jimmy Nicholas | Photo: Matt Polk
Brittany Bonney, Gena Sims, Olivia Vadnais, Jimmy Nicholas & Ellie Van Amerongen | Photo: Matt Polk
Brittany Bonney, Gena Sims, Olivia Vadnais, Jimmy Nicholas & Ellie Van Amerongen | Photo: Matt Polk
Olivia O'Connor, Dan Lipton & David Rossmer | Photo: Matt Polk
Olivia O'Connor, Dan Lipton & David Rossmer | Photo: Matt Polk
The Perfect Mate Cast and Creative Team | Photo: Matt Polk
The Perfect Mate Cast and Creative Team | Photo: Matt Polk
Brittany Bonney & Gena Sims | Photo: Matt Polk
Gena Sims & Olivia Vadnais | Photo: Matt Polk
Ellie Van Amerongen | Photo: Matt Polk
Jeff Theiss | Photo: Matt Polk
Jimmy Nicholas | Photo: Matt Polk
Gena Sims | Photo: Matt Polk
Olivia Vadnais & Jimmy Nicholas | Photo: Matt Polk
Brittany Bonney, Gena Sims, Olivia Vadnais, Jimmy Nicholas & Ellie Van Amerongen | Photo: Matt Polk
Olivia O'Connor, Dan Lipton & David Rossmer | Photo: Matt Polk
The Perfect Mate Cast and Creative Team | Photo: Matt Polk