Master Class Performing Arts

2019/2020 Season

December 7, 8, 14, & 15, 2019

Disney’s Frozen Jr Performances on the 14th and 15th to be held at the Electric City Barn

Performances on the 7th and 8th to be held at TBA

December 12 – 15, 2019

Heathers the Musical To be held at the Electric City Barn, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady, NY

March 14 & 15, 2020

Disney’s The Lion King Jr To be held at the Electric City Barn, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady, NY

March 20 – 22, 2020

Spring Awakening To be held at the Electric City Barn, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady, NY

March 20 – 22, 2020

Roald Dahl’s Matilda To be held at the Electric City Barn, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady, NY

June 13, 2020

Jekyll & Hyde To be held at the Electric City Barn, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady, NY

June 14, 2020

3rd Annual MCPA Awards

To be held at the Electric City Barn, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady, NY

Visit our website at www.masterclassperformingarts.com for other fun events, workshops and performance opportunities!

Master Class Performing Arts ~ Auditions

SPRING AWAKENING

Auditions for actors and actresses are scheduled for Saturday, January 11

beginning at 2pm at the Electric City Barn, 400 Craig Street, Schenectady.

Registration begins any time after 1:30pm and auditions will begin promptly

at 2pm. Applicants should come prepared to perform 32 measures of any

Broadway song, and complete a dance audition. An accompanist will be

available, please bring appropriate sheet music in order to audition. NO

ACAPELLA Auditions will be permitted.

If cast, you are required to accept or decline your role within 24 hours of the

offer or the role will be recast. A $50 audition fee will be collected at the time

of audition, if cast in the production this fee will be deducted from your

tuition amount. If student is not cast in the production the fee will be returned

within 5-10 business days. Remaining Tuition amount will be due

immediately upon acceptance of your role.

SPRING AWAKENING – PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Production Team: Directed by Andrew F. Higgs; Choreographed by Emily

Spateholts; Musical Direction by Peter Darling; Produced by Kelly Jaeger

Performance Dates: March 20 - 22, 2020

Rehearsal Dates: Saturdays commencing January and a few Wednesday /

Thursday evenings.

Tuition: $300.00

Ages: 14 - 99 Adult Performers, ages 21 to 99, DO NOT pay a Tuition Fee to be in this production.

JEKYLL & HYDE – PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Production Team: Directed by Andrew F. Higgs; Musical Direction by Peter

Darling; Produced by Kelly Jaeger

Performance Dates: June 13, 2020

Costuming Fee: $50.00 to be collected at first rehearsal.

Rehearsal Dates: Saturdays commencing in March.

Rehearsals and performances are to be held at the Electric City Barn,

400 Craig Street, Schenectady.

Visit our website for more information

www.masterclassperformingarts.com

Master Class Performing Arts

Artistic Director Andrew F. Higgs, Producing Director Kelly Jaeger,

and the Board of Directors

PRESENT

Book, Music and Lyrics by

Laurence O'Keefe and Kevin Murphy

Based on the film written by Daniel Waters

Heathers: The Musical was originally directed Off-Broadway by

Andy Fickman and choreographed by Marguerite Derricks.

“Heathers The Musical” is presented by special arrangement with

Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company.

Starring KELSEY DRAVES NOEL PAUL-LYMAN JASON SORANNO

LACEY ALLEN LAUREN MCCABE ZOE JAEGER FIONA PHELPS

LEAH JOHN MARIANNA LOOMIS

Also Starring LOGAN ESPOSITO ANDREW F. HIGGS GRACE LYMAN GEORGE PHELPS

MORGAN ROGERS BENJAMIN STRODL

Featuring PHOEBE AMIRAULT SABINA EICHORN RACHEL GUYER JESSE MATHIS CHAD MILLER

With BRYNN WILLIAMS* as MS FLEMING

*Appearing courtesy of Actors Equity Association

Direction by Andrew F. Higgs

Musical Direction by Peter Darling

Produced by Kelly Jaeger

Act 1: Musical Numbers

Beautiful…………………………………………….........Veronica & Students

Candy Store………...Heather Chandler, Heather Duke, & Heather McNamara

Fight For Me……………………………………………..Veronica & Students

Candy Store Playoff..Heather Chandler, Heather Duke, & Heather McNamara

Freeze Your Brain…………………………………………………………...JD

Big Fun………………………Ram, Kurt, Veronica, the Heathers, & Students

Dead Girl Walking……………………………………………..Veronica & JD

Veronica’s Chandler Nightmare………………..Heather Chandler & Students

The Me Inside of Me……………………...Heather Chandler, Veronica, Cops,

Ms. Fleming, & Company

You’re Welcome…………………….………………...Veronica, Kurt, & Ram

Big Fun Reprise…Heather McNamara, Heather Duke, Kurt, Ram, & Students

Our Love Is God……………………………………………...Veronica and JD

~ 15 Minute Intermission~

Act 2: Musical Numbers

Prom or Hell?........................................................................................Veronica

My Dead Gay Son……………………...Ram’s Dad, Kurt’s Dad, & Mourners

Seventeen………………………………………………………Veronica & JD

Shine A Light………………………………………...Ms. Fleming & Students

Lifeboat……………………………………………………Heather McNamara

Shine A Light Reprise……………………………....Heather Duke & Students

Hey, Yo Westerberg………………………….Heather McNamara & Students

Kindergarten Boyfriend………………………………………………...Martha

Yo Girl………………………………………..Heather Chandler, Ram & Kurt

Meant To Be Yours……………………………………………..JD & Students

Dead Girl Walking Reprise…………………………Veronica, JD, & Students

I Am Damaged…………………………………………………Veronica & JD

Seventeen Reprise………Veronica, Martha, Heather McNamara, & Company

Please silence all electronic devices such as

cellular phones, beepers and watches. The

use of cellular phones in the theatre is

strictly prohibited.

Special Thank You to Mr. Mark Halsey for the rental of his sound equipment.

Special Thank You to Kristin Holler, Tim Sheldon & the Electric City Barn

for the use of their venue.

Special Thank You to our volunteers!

Kim Garner and the staff at Actors Equity Association!

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST & CREW GEORGE PHELPS (RAMS DAD & OTHERS) Roles at Master Class—Gomez Addams in THE ADDAMS

FAMILY, Orin in LITTLE SHOP, Pulitzer in NEWSIES. Other notable roles include Fagin in OLIVER!, Lord

Farquaad in SHREK, Daryl Grady in Curtains! and Mr. Banks in MARY POPPINS. I'm excited and honored to be

back performing with Master Class!

MORGAN ROGERS (MARTHA DUNNSTOCK) is excited to be taking on a role of her dreams as Martha in MCPA’s production of Heathers. Morgan has appeared in many of MCPA’s productions including Frozen, The

Addams Family, High School Musical, Mamma Mia, Little Shop of Horrors, Annie, Newsies, Wonderland, and

Madagascar. She also performed in Mohon Masque Jr.’s productions of Oklahoma, Alice in Wonderland and Lion King. She is expanding her horizons and participating in Mohon Masque Jr.’s Into the Woods as a student director.

Morgan can also be seen this weekend in MCPA’s Frozen and in upcoming productions of Matilda, and Lion King, as

well as Bill Hennings’ Studio production of Speedboat. Morgan enjoys dancing at Ferrara’s Dance Studio where she has been performing in ballet and pointe for ten years combined. She also has experience with tap, jazz, lyrical, and

gymnastics. Morgan is grateful to have these opportunities and the support of her family and friends.

JASON SORANNO (JASON “J.D.” DEAN) is excited to make his Master Class Performing Arts debut. Previous

credits include: GUYS AND DOLLS (Nicely-Nicely Johnson), GREASE (Danny Zuko), INTO THE WOODS (Rapunzel’s Prince), FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Motel Kamzoil), THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (Ensemble),

NEWSIES (Crutchie), SUESSICAL (Horton the Elephant).

BENJAMIN STRODL (KURT KELLY) is a 13 year old 8th grader at Goff Middle School. His recent stage credits

include, Beauty and the Beast (Chip), Elf Jr. (Michael), Hairspray (IQ), Newsies (Les), Annie (Rooster), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), Mamma Mia (Ensemble), High School Musical (James) and The Addams Family (Mal). He

would like to thank Andrew, Kelly, Tanya and everyone else who has helped out for all they’ve done to make this

incredible show possible. Without them we wouldn’t be here today. He would also like to thank his parents for driving him to rehearsals and allowing him to pursue his passion of acting.

BRYNN WILLIAMS (MS FLEMING & OTHERS) is so excited to be a guest artist here with MCPA! She was most

recently seen at Procters (and all over the country) as Violet Beaureguarde in the first national tour of Charlie and the

Chocolate Factory. Favorite credits include understudy for Sandy Cheeks and Pearl Krabs in Spongebob Squarepants on Broadway, and Cassie in the original Broadway cast of 13! Thanks to family/friends and Andrew, Kelly, and Zoe

who count as both.

Introducing Our Cast of HEATHERS!

VERONICA SAWYER (12/13; 12/15 at 5pm)……………………..Noel Paul-Lyman

VERONICA SAWYER (12/14; 12/15 at 1pm)………………………….…………..Kelsey Draves

JASON “J.D.” DEAN……………………………………….….Jason Soranno

HEATHER CHANDLER (12/13; 12/15 at 5pm)………………...……….Lacey Allen

HEATHER CHANDLER (12/14; 12/15 at 1pm)………………………….……..Lauren McCabe

HEATHER MCNAMARA (12/13; 12/15 at 5pm)…………………………Zoe Jaeger

HEATHER MCNAMARA (12/14; 12/15 at 1pm)……………………………..……..Fiona Phelps

HEATHER DUKE (12/13; 12/15 at 5pm)…………………………………..Leah John

HEATHER DUKE (12/14; 12/15 at 1pm)………………………….……………..Marianna Loomis

MARTHA DUNNSTOCK (12/13; 12/15 at 5pm)……………………….Grace Lyman

MARTHA DUNNSTOCK (12/14; 12/15 at 1pm)……………………….……….Morgan Rogers

RAM SWEENEY………………………………………….…..Logan Esposito

KURT KELLY……………………………………………..…Benjamin Strodl

MS. FLEMING………………………………………………Brynn Williams*

RAMS DAD & OTHERS……………………………………....George Phelps

KURTS DAD & OTHERS…………………………………..Andrew F. Higgs

BELEAGUERED GEEK…………………………………………Jesse Mathis

HIPSTER DORK………………………………………………….Chad Miller

STONER CHICK..………………………………………………Rachel Guyer

NEW WAVE GIRL.…………………………..………………..Sabina Eichorn

YOUNG REPUBLICANETTE…………………...………….Phoebe Amirault *Appearing courtesy of Actors Equity Association.

Introducing Our Crew of HEATHERS!

Director………………....………………………….………….…...…………Andrew F. Higgs

Musical Director…………………………………………………....……….....…Peter Darling

Stage Manager…………………………………………………….…Michelle McGinty-Miller

Student Stage Manager………………………………………………………...…..Amelia Fuss

Prop Mistress……………………………………………………………………….Denise Paul

Scenic Construction……………………….……...Rick Baker, Sean Fuss, & Michael McCabe

Producer……………………………………………………..………………….….Kelly Jaeger

Technical Director…………………………..…………………………..…………Mark Halsey

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST & CREW LACEY ALLEN (HEATHER CHANDLER) is a 17 year old at Guilderland High School. Lacey is so happy to be

a part of this production! Previous productions include Hairspray! (Penny), Wonderland (Alice), Seussical (Mayzie),

Annie (Lily), Into The Woods (Stepmother), Mamma Mia! (Sophie), & Disney’s Frozen Jr (Elsa). Lacey would like

to thank her very supportive family at home and at the theater!

PHOEBE AMIRAULT (YOUNG REPUBLICANETTE) is a Freshman at BHBL who loves to play field hockey,

lacrosse and practice archery when she is not performing. Favorite previous credits include: THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Alice Beineke), LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Ronette) with MCPA; HOW TO SUCCEED IN

BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (Secretary), LION KING JR. (Sarafina) with Park Playhouse; ANNIE

GET YOUR GUN (Nellie Oakley) with Schenectady Light Opera; and THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Sailor Ancestor), with Saratoga Children's Theatre. Phoebe also enjoys doing background acting for Film and TV. Favorite credits

include: Bo Burnham's EIGHTH GRADE (MS Student) and Ben Stiller's ESCAPE AT DANNEMORA (Daughter at

King's Wok). Look for this “Young Republican” in an upcoming second season episode of “THE POLITICIAN.” Phoebe has a great time with MCPA family and is thankful to everyone that worked so hard on HEATHERS. Special

thanks to Brynn for teaching her how to safely shove a loser. She sends hugs to her many teachers, friends and family

who always show their support. “I must say acting was good training for the political life which lay ahead for us.” -Nancy Reagan

KELSEY DRAVES (VERONICA SAWYER) is seventeen years old and is a senior at the Albany Academy for

Girls. Kelsey’s recent credits include Into the Woods (Little Red) at the Albany Academies, Urinetown (ensemble) at

Park Playhouse, and Beauty and the Beast (Babette) at C-R Kids. Kelsey would like to thank her Mom, Dad, and her sister Emily for always cheering her on! She would also like to thank Master Class Performing Arts for giving her

this amazing opportunity!

SABINA EICHORN (NEW WAVE GIRL) is currently in her junior year at the Albany Academies and is thrilled to

be part of her first MCPA show! Previous shows include Into the Woods (Milky White), She Kills Monsters (Evil

Tina), and various dance programs. Sabina would like to thank her friends, family, and the cast for all their support. She would also like to tell the cast to break a leg!

LOGAN ESPOSITO (RAM SWEENEY)

AMELIA FUSS (STUDENT STAGE MANAGER) 16-year-old and a Junior at Shenendehowa High School. This

is Amelia’s sixth show with Master Class Performing Arts. The last three shows Amelia has been part of the MCPA

Junior Academy. The programs she is part of is Stage Manager, Assistant Directing, Sound and Music production.

Amelia has been part of a Dance company performing Ballet and Jazz. Most recently was part of two NY State

Champion Shenendehowa Color Guard Performance teams. Amelia has always loved the performing arts Singing and Acting on stage. She is looking forward to being part of many of the upcoming Master Class Performing Arts

show. Amelia would like to thank her Grandparents and Parents for all the help and support for getting to and from

rehearsals, putting together costumes, and coming to all her shows.

RACHEL GUYER (STONER CHICK) is sixteen years old and a junior at Guilderland High School. Other than theatre, she enjoys dance and being on the youth workshop team at her church. Select credits include: Ms Mushnik

(Little Shop of Horrors), Miss Hannigan (Annie), Morris Delancey (Newsies), Mrs Mayor (Seussical). Broadway

credits include: Chorus in The Scarlet Pimpernel (Manhattan Concert Productions). She is thrilled to be a part of this production, and would like to thank her mom for the constant love and support.

ANDREW F. HIGGS (KURTS DAD / DIRECTOR) is thrilled to be the Artistic Director of Master Class

Performing Arts and is a Theatre Association of NYS award-winning director from the Capital Region. Select

directorial Credits include: Little Shop of Horrors, Cinderella, The Addams Family, Hairspray, 13, Next to Normal, Legally Blonde, Gypsy, Spring Awakening, Les Miserables, Wendy's Shadow, Heathers, Dogfight, Disney's Beauty

and the Beast, Willy Wonka, Elf, Sleepy Hollow, Aida, Disney’s Newsies, and MAMMA MIA! BROADWAY

EVENTS: Ensemble in 25th Anniversary Concert Production of The Secret Garden & Frank Wildhorn’s Concert Production of The Scarlet Pimpernel at Lincoln Center. NYC THEATRE: Corey/Man 2 (Mad About the Boy; NYC

Reading) & El Gal (Choices; NYC Staged Reading). REGIONAL: Priest (Bare: a pop opera), Thenardier (Les

Miserables), Edna (Hairspray), Narrator/Mysterious Man (Into the Woods), Geronte (Scapino!), Patsy (Spamalot!), Santa (A Christmas Story). You can see Andrew on stage in the chorus of Manhattan Concert Productions

Joseph…Dreamcoat, and as Miss Agatha Trunchbull in MCPA’s Matilda this Spring! Andrew has also hosted several

guest artists and teachers across the Capital Region including: Adam Pascal, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Felicia Finley, Brynn Williams, Allie Trimm, Nicholas Masson, Becky Gulsvig, Corey John Snide, Kirstin Wyatt, Angie Schworer,

Derek Klena, Adam Kaplan and Kyle Dean Massey. He would like to thank his parents for their amazing support.

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST & CREW KELLY JAEGER (PRODUCER) is ecstatic to be the Producing Director of Master Class Performing Arts and

joining the production team of HEATHERS. Previous production credits include: Mamma Mia, Little Shop of

Horrors, Annie, Disney’s Newsies, Seussical, Hairspray, Elf Jr., Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, Sleepy Hollow the

Musical, The Wizard of Oz, Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Aida the

Musical and several others. No, not on stage, but as a stage mom (very similar to Dance Moms, if Andrew was Abby Lee Miller, but not in jail). Kelly also made her MCPA stage debut as the Grimm Reaper in The Addams Family!

She would like to thank you for coming to the show and congratulate her beautiful daughter, Zoe Jaeger.

ZOE JAEGER (HEATHER MCNAMARA) is currently 14 and in 10th grade at Columbia High School. In her

free time she likes playing soccer and hanging out with her friends! Previous Credits include: Violet in Willy Wonka, Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King, Deb in Elf Jr., Amber in Hairspray, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors and

Ensemble in 13 the musical. She is looking forward to playing Nala this spring in MCPA’s production of Disney’s

The Lion King Jr. Zoe would like to thank her mom for all her hard work, love, support and dedication to her and the Theatre. She would like to also thank her Aunt for all the love and support she continues to give her! And a special

thank you to Andrew for giving her a chance to shine, and being a great mentor and for all the rides he gives her to

rehearsal!

LEAH JOHN (HEATHER DUKE) is a freshman at Albany High School. She enjoys lacrosse and playing the

saxophone. Past stage credits include Specs (Disney’s Newsies), Grace Farrell (Annie), Mrs. Mushnik (Little Shop of

Horrors), and Eddie (Mamma Mia). She would like to thanks her grandparents for supporting her and always coming

to see her perform!

MARIANNA LOOMIS (HEATHER DUKE) is a 10th grade student at Columbia High School. Some of her recent roles include Sharpay in High School Musical (MCPA), Patty Simcox in Grease (SYFI), Newsies ensemble (Park

Playhouse) and Mrs. Corry in Mary Poppins (SYFI).She is very excited to be a part of this production of Heathers

the Musical. She would like to thank her MCPA family for being so supportive of her.

GRACE LYMAN (MARTHA DUNNSTOCK) is very excited to be Martha Dunnstock in Heathers. Some of her other credits are july in Annie aunt eller in Oklahoma Jr., Newsies as Mush, Wonderland as Tweedle Dum, Seussical

as a bird girl, and Mohon Masque Jr. 's production of Alice and Wonderland as Cheshire cat She is also doing a

production of Oklahoma as Aunt Ella with Mohon Masque Jr. Some of her other hobbies are colorgaurd preforming and arts and crafts. She would like to thank her family and grandparents for their endless support and for her friends

who support her as well.

JESSE MATHIS (BELEAGUERED GEEK), a freshman at Mohonasen High School, is thrilled to be performing

in Heathers with MCPA. Recent credits include Uncle Fester (The Addams Family Musical), Zeke Baylor (High School Musical), and Seymour Krelborn (Little Shop of Horrors). In addition to acting, Jesse likes playing

percussion in his high school marching band and indoor percussion group, singing in his high school choir and select

choir, and taking Engineering classes. Jesse would like to thank his family for supporting him throughout his acting endeavors, his friends, the entire cast and crew of Heathers, and Andrew and Kelly for just being awesome!

LAUREN MCCABE (HEATHER CHANDLER) is a tenth grade student at Bethlehem Central High. She loves to

sing, dance, act and spend time with friends and family. Some of her favorite roles she’s played are Sophie in

Mamma Mia!, Sour Kangaroo in Seussical, Cassie in 13 The Musical, Tracy in Hairspray and Winnie Foster in Tuck Everlasting. She would like to thank Andrew and Kelly for all the work they put into this production and her family

and cast for always supporting her.

CHAD MILLER (HIPSTER DORK) is a nineteen-year-old male, who is very thankful for the opportunity to

perform such a wonderful show with such an amazing cast. Other noteworthy shows he has been in are "Seussical", "Newsies", "The Music Man", and many others. He does, in fact, like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain, and

spending time with his adorable Service Dog in Training, Riku.

NOËL PAUL-LYMAN (VERONICA SAWYER) is very excited to be in Heathers and to play Veronica Sawyer .

Some of her other credits include wednesday in the Addams Family, crystal in little shop of horrors, Miss Hannigan in Annie, Newsies as Medda Larkin, wonderland as Tweedle Dee and White Queen, Madagascar as Mort and

Private, Seussical as a wickersham brother, Hairspray as Tammy, Elf as police officer and macy worker, and The

Lion King as Seraphini and Nala's understudy for Mohon Masque Jr. She would like to thank her parents and grandparents for their endless support. She would also like to thank her friends that are always there when she needs

support and for being great friends.

FIONA PHELPS (HEATHER MCNAMARA) is a sophomore at Chatham High School. Some favorite roles include: Elle in Legally Blonde Jr.(CCYT), Pepper in Annie (Mac-Haydn Theatre), Anna in Disney’s Frozen Jr,

Race in Newsies (Master Class Performing Arts) and Kendra in 13 the Musical (Upstage Productions). She is a

competitive dancer with Columbia Elite Allstars, and a Nationals Tap finalist. Fiona would like to thank the cast and crew of Heathers the Musical for this wonderful experience!