History of Mizzou on Broadway

Established with an initial generous gift from Gary and Marilyn Tatlow, Mizzou on Broadway was scheduled to debut at the York Theatre on September 15, 2001. Sadly with the horrific attacks just days before on the twin towers, the first performance was postponed until February 2, 2002.

With the plays Like It Is by Lindsey Alley and Ruby Nelle by Mike Kateman, directed by Dr. David Crespy, Mizzou on Broadway was officially launched. For the next several years the program included plays such as Trash by David M. White, Assumption #1: Truckers and Assumption #2 Parents by Kate Berneking Kogut, The Right to Remain Silent by Brent Briscoe and Mark Fauser, Under the Shadow of the Sword by Adrienne Adderley, Leaving Hannibal by Mary Barile and Jukebox by Andrea Onstad. We also took the showcase, Basic Black, with plays by David Eshelman, Erin McHugh, Brett Merrill, Kate Berneking Kogut and Jamie Lindemann.

After a hiatus, Mizzou on Broadway was relaunched to take All the Spaces by Murphy Ward in fall 2020. This new musical was developed under the direction of Brandon Riley, musical director Brett Kristofferson, scenographer Mimi Hedges, and dramaturg Joy Powell. Due to the global pandemic, the cast performed virtually in the summer of 2020, and then with a masked and distanced staging in fall, 2020. As we continue to ride the roller coaster of Covid 19, we thank our lucky stars that we are able to bring this showcase that includes student original works to Times Square’s Jerry Orbach Theatre.
Among the playwrights featured in tonight’s performance are graduating seniors Harlow Bunten, Ellison Land, Joe Shiffrin, and Abby Uphoff. With our incredible Mizzou students, the future of Broadway continues to shine brightly.

Welcome to Mizzou on Broadway! May 17, 2022

We are thrilled that you are here to celebrate our writing, performing and technical students’ talents.
We are proud of our playwrights in the Writing for Performance program who inspired traveling to NYC in 2002. Mizzou on Broadway philanthropists have been integral to our program since its inception twenty years ago. With deep gratitude MUTheatre acknowledges the generous donors who have provided support through their named endowments and gifts.

We remain grateful to Andrew Sackin, one of the first members of our Advisory Committee. Andrew spent hours critiquing scripts for performance as well as generously supporting our program. Tonight, we honor Andrew who passed away in August 2021. This evening’s program has been made possible through these named endowments and gifts: Marilyn Tatlow Mizzou on Broadway Showcase Endowment; Mary Nell’s Groupie Performing Arts Showcase Endowment; MU Performing Arts Showcase Endowment contributors; and the Stage Door Club.

The 2022 Mizzou on Broadway cast and crew also thank Gary Tatlow of Columbia, MO, for his vision and philanthropic support in creating this unique project: “We will remember that you opened a stage door for University of Missouri students who are drawn to the lights of Broadway through writing, acting and production.”
So please sit back, relax, and enjoy the original student writing, the award-winning monologues, and the musical numbers created for you, our wonderful audience gathered at the Jerry Orbach Theatre in Times Square.
M-I-Z!      
                    M. Heather Carver,
                    Artistic Director and Chair

Director’s Notes

Time. It’s a funny thing, right? I mean it has become such a weird concept in the last little while. I look at my macbook and phone several times a day to check the time but also the date. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve forgotten where we are on the calendar. All of the days run together, and I feel as though I’m always playing catch up with the clock. That’s one reason why the first piece you will hear is so important. It’s “Our Time” from Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. When crafting the showcase, the words and sentiment of this song kept coming back to me over and over. This song says, in so many words, “We are seizing our time and no one will take it from us.” It gives voice to the idea that we are all in this together and we are going to make the most of the time we have. Because, of course, that’s the other thing about time: it’s fleeting, isn’t it? It is tough to get a handle on it, all we really have is the moment.
We will share all different kinds of stories with you. Our hope is that you will see each student for who they really are and the light they bring. Each selection has been put together to give space for each one to shine. However, the most powerful thing is to see these individuals come together to create our beautiful theatre community.  

It’s our time, breathe it in
Worlds to change, and worlds to win
Our turn, coming through
Me and you pal, me and you

    “Our Time” from Merrily We Roll Along

Me and you. You and me. It’s gonna take all of us to keep remaking the world into a place where everyone has a safe space to belong. Thanks for joining us in this process.
Time is precious and we are so grateful you decided to spend some of yours with us.  

               —Dr. Joy Powell

Show Order

“Our Time” from Merrily We Roll Along
by Stephen Sondheim
Caleb Jared, Reginald L. Coleman II, Payton Woodruff and Company

In the Cards
by Abby Uphoff, Mizzou student
Claire: Ayanna Taylor and Sal: Gehazi Whitehurst

“Goodbye, Love, Goodbye”
by Brett Kristofferson
Averey Campbell

“Dear Danger”
by Ellison Land, Mizzou student
Ayanna Taylor, De’Janna Scales-Hand, Payton Woodruff,
Dacia Slater, Jack Taylor

“Fine” from Ordinary Days
by Adam Gwon
Abby Uphoff and Anthony Coleman Blatter

“My Petersburg” from Anastasia
by Ahrens/Flaherty/McNally
Caleb Jared

A World Built for Dirt and Ashes
by Joe Shiffrin, Mizzou student
Asne: Payton Woodruff and Yaavob: Joe Shiffrin

“Undefined”
by Harlow Bunten, Mizzou student
Dani Major

“Things That Haunt Me”
by Brett Kristofferson
Kasey Lynch

“Michael in the Bathroom” from Be More Chill
by Joe Iconis
Dani Major

“Let it Sing” from Violet
by Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley
Reginald L. Coleman II

“WTF Disney”
by Brett Kristofferson
Peyton Boudourias, Abby Uphoff and Dacia Slater

“Who I’d Be” from Shrek the Musical
by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire
Anthony Coleman Blatter, Payton Boudourais and
Reginald L. Coleman II

“I’m Here” from The Color Purple
by Norman/Walker/Russell/Willis/Bray
Symonne Sparks

Monologue from Crumbs from the Table of Joy
by Lynn Nottage
Raynesha Green

“Stand Up” from Memphis the Musical
by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro
Raynesha Green, Anthony Coleman Blatter, Jack Taylor, Reginald Colemann II, Symonne Sparks and Company