Background information on Rosemary Clooney
Born in 1928 in Maysville, Kentucky, American singer and actor, Rosemary Clooney charmed audiences throughout her lengthy career. She made many films and one of her most memorable is the 1954 film White Christmas, which she made with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Vera Allen, which lives on and has become a classic tradition for many families (including for us), who faithfully watch it each year as part of the holiday festivities.
Susan Haefner (Rosemary Clooney)
Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical
As a singer, she recorded many iconic songs including the 1951 song, Come On-a-My House, Botch-a-Me, Tenderly, the 1953 songs Hey There and This Ole House, followed by 1954 Mambo Italiano to name but a few. She fought depression and drug addiction for many years, however she renewed her career in 1977 after appearing with Bing Crosby on a special show honoring his 50th anniversary of working in the business. She continued to record until 2002, when she succumbed to lung cancer.
About the Actors
Susan Haefner (Rosemary Clooney) brings her extensive Broadway experience to the musical as well as touring nationally and internationally. She originated the role of Rosemary in Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical for the world premiere held at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and has performed this role at other theatres as well.
John Treacy Egan (The Doctor and other characters) has extensive Broadway experience and has toured nationally and internationally.
Susan Haefner (Rosemary Clooney)
Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical
The Musical
We had the pleasure of experiencing Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical on opening night, Saturday, September 18, 2021, complementing the performers was a three-piece band. For the past 35 years, founders Kevin Connors and Jim Schilling have brought high-caliber live theatre with impressive casts to their stage and Tenderly, was another success story.
Susan Haefner (Rosemary Clooney)
Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical
Although we were familiar with Rosemary Clooney (1928 – 2002) from watching the film White Christmas throughout the years, we did not know her backstory. The play delves into her life and takes place in 1968 with flashbacks to earlier years in her life, which was every bit as dramatic and tumultuous as a Hollywood movie. A small-town girl, Rosemary "Rosie" Clooney rose to fame, married a successful Hollywood actor, had five children, and battled the demons of a philandering husband, the emotional and physical drains of acting, recording, and performing, depression, and addiction to pills.
John Treacy Egan (The Doctor and others)
Susan Haefner (Rosemary Clooney)
Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical
Susan Haefner embodied Rosemary Clooney as she delivered a powerful and poignant performance and held the audience captive as she sang the songs that made Rosemary famous including Hey There, Count Your Blessings, Tenderly, Botch-A-Me, and many more, that were interwoven into the fabric of her life.
Susan Haefner (Rosemary Clooney)
Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical
John Treacy Egan demonstrated his depth of range as he moved from playing the role of Rosemary’s Doctor to other important people in her life, and delivered a performance that was engaging, compassionate, and when singing the duet Sisters with Rosemary is downright delightful and hilarious.
John Treacy Egan (The Doctor and others)
Susan Heafner (Rosemary Clooney)
Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical
Both Susan and John nail their roles as they take the audience on a wild rollercoaster ride of emotions that was Rosemary Clooney’s life, from the lofty highs to the rock bottom lows, to finding success again as a jazz singer recording on the Concord record label until the time of her death. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Rosemary Clooney’s story as told by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman, directed by Kevin Connors, and performed by Susan Haefner and John Treacy Egan, is absolutely riveting theater and a must-see. Bravo!
John Treacy Egan (The Doctor and others)
Susan Heafner (Rosemary Clooney)
Tenderly – The Rosemary Clooney Musical
Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, performance schedule: September 17 – October 23, 2021, Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm.
Until next time, keep enjoying and supporting the arts!
Cast:
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Susan Haefner
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Rosemary Clooney
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John Treacy Egan
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The Doctor and others
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The Creative Team:
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Janet Yates Vogt
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Playwright
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Mark Friedman
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Playwright
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Kevin Connors
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Director
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Jim Schilling
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Stage Manager
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Lindsay Fuori
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Scenic Design
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Diane Vanderkroef
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Costume Design
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RJ Romeo
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Lighting Design
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Will Atkin
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Sound Design
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Sean Sanford
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Prop Design
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Mollie Danenberg
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Wig Design
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Chris McNiff
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Choreography
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Musical Direction
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David Wolfson
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For information on the play, upcoming plays, or to purchase tickets, please call the box office at +1-203-454-3883 or visit them on the website at www.MusicTheatreofCT.com
Upcoming Performances – 2020 – 2021
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2021-2022 Season
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Dates Running
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Tenderly, The Rosemary Clooney Musical
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September 17 – October 3, 2021
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Falsettoland
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November 5-21, 2021
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Who’s Holiday
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December 10-19, 2021
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The Mountaintop
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February 4-20, 2022
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Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story
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March 18 – April 10, 2022
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MTC Safety Protocols (Updated September 17, 2021)
REQUIRED COVID-19 VACCINATION
"Guests will need to be fully vaccinated in order to enter MTC and must show proof of vaccination at their time of entry into the theatre with their valid ticket. "Fully vaccinated" means the performance date you are attending must be at least 14 days after your second dose of an FDA or WHO approved two dose COVID-19 vaccine, or at least 14 days after your single dose of an FDA or WHO approved single dose COVID-19 vaccine."
MASKS
"At this time, all patrons are required to wear masks inside MTC regardless of vaccination status."
About MTC
"Music Theatre of Connecticut is the premier provider of musical theatre performance and training. Founded in 1987, we produce an annual series of Equity productions featuring New York professionals (MTC MainStage), numerous annual student productions, and a conservatory-style School of Performing Arts with curriculum-based training for students ages four through high school, including the nationally-recognized College-Bound in the Performing Arts program for performance career-focused high school students."
The Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) was founded in 1987 by Kevin Connors (Artistic Director and Co-Founder) and Jim Schilling (Co-Founder), where MTC’s focus is musical theatre performance and training.
Music Theatre of Connecticut
509 Westport Avenue
(Enter the Bright Beginnings parking lot and look for MTC’s orange awning)
Norwalk, Connecticut 06851
United States
Box Office: +1-203-454-3883
Fax: +1-203-557-0496
Website: www.MusicTheatreofCT.com
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