HALF TIME at Paper Mill Playhouse; Photo by Matthew Murphy; The Company of Half Time.
Society imposes many values and standards on what a person should be doing at a certain age. But what happens when someone does not want to conform? A new show playing at Paper Mill Playhouse seeks to answer that dilemma. Half Time is a marvelous new musical where a group of people become a part of a 60 plus years old team of dancers. The show follows them as they learn new things and succeed in their quests. The entire production is based on a true story that originated right here in New Jersey. Add to that believable story line a fabulous cast, some catchy music and well-developed staging and you have a production well worth seeing.
Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winning Jerry Mitchell, Half Time is based on the movie Gotta Dance. On the website for this documentary movie, Gotta Dance is described as a movie which “chronicles the debut of the New Jersey Nets’ first-ever senior hip-hop dance team, 12 women and 1 man – all dance team newbies from auditions through to center court stardom.” There are some departures from the movie but they lend themselves well to a live production.
Half Time is from a book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin. It begins after the squad has been selected. The team of senior dancers includes Dorothy/Dottie (Georgia Engel), Bea (Lillias White), Ron (André De Shields), and Joanne (Donna McKechnie). Also on the squad are Mae (Lori Tan Chinn), Camilla (Nancy Ticotin), Estelle (Madeleine Doherty), Fran (Lenora Nemetz), and (Muriel) Kay Walbye. Their challenge is to perfect a dance number they will perform during half time of an NBA game.
The problem with the dance routine: it’s hip-hop. This is far out of their comfort range. Their counterparts, the young dance squad, make it look easy. But it isn’t for them. The brainchild of the squad is Allison Prager (Tracy Jai Edwards). Her main job aim is to get the publicity needed at any cost. She appoints Tara (Haven Burton) as their coach. Tara is also suffering from a case of “old age” as she was on the young squad but maxed out and had to leave when she turned 27.
The musical provides an opportunity for viewers to really feel what these dancers are going through as their stories unfold. Each tries to deal with where they are at in their lives including Tara who later realizes she’s not ready to give up dancing. Half Time draws off of concepts used in the famous Broadway show A Chorus Line where the characters have a background story which is told in song. With music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Nell Benjamin, stories are told and dilemmas resolved. There is also music by the late Marvin Hamlisch and Ester Dean.
For example, math teacher Dorothy is the only one who knows something about hip-hop as she easily demonstrates hand movements. She tells her tale in “Dorothy/Dottie.”
HALF TIME at Paper Mill Playhouse; Photo by Jerry Dalia; Georgia Engel (Dorothy/Dottie), center and the Company of Half Time.
The only man on the squad, Ron, shows his form for dance in “The Prince of Swing/There You Are.”
HALF TIME at Paper Mill Playhouse; Photo by Jerry Dalia; André De Shields (Ron) and the Company of Half Time.
Camilla is an accomplished salsa dancer who still actively dances with her very young boyfriend Fernando (Alexander Aguilar) in the show stopping “Como No?”
HALF TIME at Paper Mill Playhouse; Photo by Jerry Dalia; Nancy Ticotin (Camilla) and the Company of Half Time.
Joanna tells her tale in “Too Good for This.” The audience went wild when the back scenery turned to display a mirror just like it did when Ms. McKechnie was in Chorus Line.
HALF TIME at Paper Mill Playhouse; Photo by Jerry Dalia; Donna McKechnie (Joanne).
Additional members of this fabulous cast include Nkeki Obi-Melekwe, Ken Ard, Sydni Beaudoin, Tami Dahbura, and Paula DeLuise. Also performing are Gabriela Garcia, Talya Groves, Kathryn Kendall, Valton Jackson, Summerisa Bell Stevens, Garrett Turner and Gayle Turner.
It all works out well in the end and there are a few surprises along the way. This gives it that extra little something that makes it a fun show to see.
Half Time appeals to audiences of all ages and teaches a little lesson: age doesn’t have to be a barrier to doing what you want to do in life. This is a very upbeat show, one that you don’t want to miss seeing!
Additional Information about Half Time
Running Time: Approx. 2.5 hours, one intermission
Location: Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ.
Performances: Half Time will be performed at Paper Mill Playhouse eight times a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Performance schedule: Wednesday at 7:30pm, Thursday at 1:30pm and 7:30pm, Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 8:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm.
Contact for Info and Tickets: Call 973.376.4343, go to the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org. Groups of 10 or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680. Students may order $23 rush tickets over the phone or in person at the Paper Mill Playhouse box office on the day of the performance.
Accessibility Performances: Audio-described performances for Half Time will play on Sunday, June 24, at 1:30pm and Saturday, June 30, at 1:30pm. Prior to these performances at noon, the theater will offer free sensory seminars. Sensory seminars offer an opportunity for patrons with vision loss to hear a live, in-depth description of the production elements of the show and hands-on interaction with key sets, props, and costumes.
There will be a sign-interpreted and open-captioned performance on Sunday, July 1, at 7:00pm.
Free Audience Enrichment Activities:
The Conversation Club is on Thursday evenings, June 14, or 21, one hour before curtain for an informal, informative gathering. You’ll learn more about the performance you’re about to see.
Q&A with the Cast is after the matinee on Saturday, June 30. Stay for a lively Q&A with cast members directly following the performance.