NEW PLAYWRIGHTS' THEATRE MEMORIES

Okay, it's going to take a while to create a page about our working with Tim, so I will build this a little at a time.  I hope to combine prose with photos and photo galleries to remember the 12 original works that Tim created and we produced in our theatre on Church Street.  So to begin ...

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please note: photo galleries can be found amid the pix and prose below

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UPDATE 7-21-09

LISTEN TO TIM'S latest musical creation by going to these two videos on YouTube - you'll hear & watch it played by a trio of very talented classical musicians. Part one is found at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zIGyxAq6Ic

Part Two is found at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMmNt95RF3Q&feature=related

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TIM GRUNDMANN

playwright, composer, lyricist, musical director

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I wish I could take credit for it, but I can't.  Fact of the matter is, it's all thanks to Ken Bloom. 

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Ken & Tim in our offices circa 1979

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In the summer of 1976 I was crazed ... trying to juggle what Granville needed for his Bi-Centennial children's plays tour, with assisting a new theatre company with it's first season over on the eastern shore of Maryland, while hosting Inner Visions Ensemble's production of Edward H. Adamn's MAMA OF THE YEAR, and planning for a summer musical production while helping with the sand-blasting of the interior of the building (why let Bobby, Billy & Kathleen have all the fun?) while finding plays for the coming year and ... and ... trying to find money for the next month's rent on our wonderful building.  So with all that going on, I got a phone call from Ken Bloom telling me he had discovered a sketch comedy group with whom he wants to create a new musical revue that we can run as an 11:00 show  ... a simple cabaret, no set, just a bunch of props - Ken will direct and it'll cost us next to nothing (which was a damn good thing because that's about all we had in our checking accounting at that time.) 

Tim in the NPT office around 1980

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"They are real good at comic improv and this guy Grundmann is a great pianist and he writes clever songs."  Okay, maybe those weren't Bloom's exact words, but I remember that he was unusually enthusiastic about the talent he had discovered.

So, I figure, a simple late night comedy revue ... they have their own props and costumes ... how hard could it be?

Well, it wasn't hard at all ... except for the fact that Ken had assumed they had hours of songs and comic material when, in fact, they had about 20 minutes worth.  But hey ... it was only the end of June.  There's all of July to put together a show.  ... and they did. 

Eventually, MAMA OF THE YEAR closed as scheduled, the musical got canceled due to our lack of funds (sorry John & Nikki,) the comedy revue was given the 8:00 time slot and it was slated to open in August.  Which it did ... on Friday the 13th ... to outrageously great newspaper notices.  The title of the show, I believe, was a nod to Sir Noel Coward.

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Even before BRIDE closed, Ken and I talked with Tim ... "What do you want to do next?"  Ken suggested Tim tackle a book musical.  We scheduled it to open in December ... Tim would do the book, music and lyrics, Ken would direct and Russell would do the scenery ... all be needed was a script.  But hey, it was September ... weeks to go before we would open December 14th, right?

Tim at the piano - radio station WGMS FM in 1978

where we recorded one of his radio plays for

broadcast over that classical radio station

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NIGHTMARE!!  (1977)

Book, music & lyrics by Tim Grundmann

Directed by Ken Bloom / Musical Direction by Tim Grundmann

Set by Russell Metheny - Lighting by Tomm Tomlinson - Costumes by Mary Kay McGregor

Production Stage Managers: Sharon Obuchowski / LuAnne P. Origer

THE COMPANY: Debra Cerruit, Gardner Hathaway, A. David Johnson, Chris Kauffmann, Barbara Rappaport,  Tanis Roach & J. Fred Shiffman

December 14, 1977 – January 15, 1978 [24 performances]

April 5 – April 30, 1978 [19 performances]

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Insert photo gallery

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OUT TO LUNCH

Book, music & lyrics by Tim Grundmann

Directed by Ken Bloom / Musical Direction by Tim Grundmann

Choreography by Anne Reynolds Day

Set by Kit Grover – Lighting by Tomm Tomlinson – Costumes by Richard Dwight McGee - Wigs by Nicholas Polycroni

Stage Manager – LuAnne P. Origer

THE COMPANY: John Healey, Jr., A. David Johnson, Stuart Lerch, Jay Morse, Barbara Rappaport, Tanis Roach, J. Fred Shiffman, Dana Vance

Musicians: Tim Grundmann on piano, and Bob Rayel on percussion and alternating on bass were Mary Scott & Gary Starr

July 7 – September 2, 1978 [36 performances]

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Insert photo gallery (eventually)

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EDDIE’S CATCHY TUNES

Book, music & lyrics by Tim Grundmann

Directed by Ken Bloom / Musical Direction by Tim Grundmann

Choreography by Anne Reynolds Day

Assistant Director – Robbie McEwen

Set by Russell Metheny - Lighting by Tomm Tomlinson - Costumes by Peter J. Zakutansky - Special Large Properties & Costume Pieces by Ingrid Crepeau - Wigs by Nicholas J. Polychroni

Production Stage Manager – Mary Charles McNeill

THE COMPANY: Agnes Cummings, Donald F. Campbell, Gay Gibson Cima, T. J. Finkbinder, Tonette Hartman, A. David Johnson, Jay Morse, Barbara Rappaport, Holly Reich, Tanis Roach, J. Fred Shiffman, Dana Vance, Richard White, Bill Whitman, Jim Wilder

MUSICIANS: Tim Grundmann - piano/ Bob Rayel - percussion & Sulwan Yacuby - Bass

STAFF:  Technical Director - Robert Marietta / Asst. Stg. Mrg & Properties - Jim Wilder / Board Op - Kenny McCauley / Run Crew & Spot Ops - Katie Helene, Lisa Lias, Kathy Plowitz & Paul Donnelly, Jr.

April 4 – June 17, 1979 [39 performances]

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insert photo gallery here (eventually)

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DEAR DESPERATE

Book, music & lyrics by Tim Grundmann

Directed by Harry M. Bagdasian / Musical Direction by Tim Grundmann

Musical Staging by Robert Sacelli

Dramaturg Lloyd Rose

Set by Russell Metheny – Lighting by Allen Lee Hughes – Costumes by Peter J. Zakutansky

Production Stage Manager Pat Cochran

THE COMPANY:  Wayne Anderson, Mark J. Donahue, Frank Edwards, Amelia Estin, James Festa, Tonette Hartmann, Porter Koontz, Mary Ann Nichols, Nick Olcott, Barbara Rappaport, Cornelia Ravenal, Tanis Roach,  Steve Skardon, Valerie Stanislawczyk, Richard Tappen, Michael Willis

MUSICIANS: Bob David & Adrienne King on piano; Mary Scott on bass

January 23 – April 11, 1981 [49 performances]

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Insert photo gallery here (eventually)

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Thanks Tim - Good Times!

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