Producer/Director: Pamela Gilmore
Conductor: Kynan Johns
Creative Consultant: Allen Cutler
Design: Franklin Porath
Costume Designer: Peter Fogel
Choreography: Shawn Brush
 
“The Threepenny Opera” is based on John Gay’s and Johann Pepusch’s revolutionary “The Beggar’s Opera” of 1728. The only original music to survive both Weill’s and Britten’s re-imagining is the “Morning Anthem” sung by Peachum in the first act. “Die Dreigroschenoper” was Bertolt Brecht’s and Kurt Weill’s second collaboration, written in 1928, while Germany was in the grip of a severe economic depression, marked by the rise of Hitler’s popularity and the National Socialist Party. Brecht was an ardent Marxist Social Democrat, and while Weill had strong leftist leanings, he was unable to match Brecht’s passion – he complained to his wife Lotte Lenya that he was absolutely unable “to set the Communist Manifesto to music.” Their partnership eventually dissolved due to their political, rather than creative incompatibilities. Both fled Germany in 1933, after the Nazi “Machtergreifung” (seizure of power) when Hindenburg named Hitler chancellor.
 
Neither Brecht nor Weill expected the piece to be successful, as it was a thinly veiled socialist critique of the capitalist world. Much to their surprise, it ran for over 400 performances in 1928-29, and was translated into at least 18 languages.
 
Marc Blitzstein’s brilliant translation received its first performance in 1952 at Brandeis University, with Leonard Bernstein conducting. The original Broadway production in 1954 earned Lotte Lenya a Tony Award, and had 2,707 performances at the Theater de Lys, in Greenwich Village. Cast members included Edward Asner (J.J. Peachum), Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Peachum), Bea Arthur (Lucy Brown), Jerry Orbach (Street Singer and Macheath), John Astin (Readymoney Matt), and Jerry Stiller (Crookfinger Jake).
 
Opera at Rutgers has chosen to move the time period of the show from the coronation day of Queen Victoria (1837) to the days preceding the coronation of George VI in May, 1937. All of Brecht’s and Weill’s fears for their homeland had been realized by this date. How prescient they had been in 1928 – the show is an ironic howl of anguish over man’s inhumanity to man.
 
CAST:
Street Singer – Stephen Saharic
Mr. J.J. Peachum – Paul An
Mrs. Peachum – Diane Aragona, 11/14 // Alison Mingle, 11/16
Polly Peachum – Taylor Kurilew, 11/14 // Brittany Stetson, 11/16
Macheath – Christopher Sierra, 11/14 // Christopher Georgettti, 11/16
Jenny Diver – Heather Flemming
Tiger Brown – Clayton Mathews
Lucy Brown – Eugenia Forteza, 11/14 // Caroline Braga, 11/16
Ready Money Matt – Joel Krakower
Crookfinger Jake – Nicholas Carratura
Smith – Peter Monroy
Bob the Saw – Kevin Lucas
Walt Dreary – Nicholas Petroski
Constable – Charles Sachs
Filch – Joshua Druckenmiller
Reverend Kimble – Ifeanyi Ezeanya
Betty – Stephanie Mangioglu
Dolly – Jessica Sipe
Molly – Loren Roth
Coaxer – Sonya Headlam
Sukey Tawdry – JungHwa Park
Beggars – Heikyung Yu, Harrison Singer, Donyoub Kim
 
Music and Technical Staff
David Jeong, Assistant Conductor
Kelly Crandell, Chorus Master, Répétiteur
Christine Colonna, Stage Manager
Allen Cutler, Props Master
Fiona Malone, Technical Director
 
This performance is funded in part by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc, New York, NY and the Reeves-Moore Fund
 
THE THREEPENNY OPERA is presented through special arrangement with R & H Theatricals
 
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TABLE SEATING POLICY
Table seating for all seated shows is reserved exclusively for ticket holders who purchase “Table Seating” tickets. By purchasing a “Table Seating” ticket you agree to also purchase a minimum of two food and/or beverage items per person. Table seating is first come, first seated. Please arrive early for the best choice of available seats. Seating begins when doors open. Tables are communal so you may be seated with other patrons. We do not take table reservations.
 
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