September 25 – October 19, 2003

Book by Sybille Pearson, Music David Shire, Lyrics Richard Maltby Jr.. Baby was nominated for six 1984 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Score. A funny and touching musical about three couples (one in their 20”s, one in their 30’s and one in their 40’s) dealing with having a baby. Of the original Broadway production, Frank Rich in the New York Times said, “The best new songs on Broadway! Baby will inspire you to run to the record store as soon as the original cast album comes out.

Reviews

STRONG DIRECTION, TALENTED CAST MAKE GOOD THEATER’S ‘BABY’ SING
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD
by Mary Snell
Don’t be fooled by the title. “Baby” is a musical that is more about parents than babies, more about people thinking about being parents than actually bouncing them on their knees. Good Theater has opened its second season with this Maltby/Shire/Pearson musical that is as touching as it is funny, as lively as it is lyrical. Crisply directed by Brian P. Allen, this production has all the trademarks of Good Theater’s good theater: good property, great music, outstanding talent. Three couples in different decades of their lives face the prospect of having a baby. Each couple and each story is different, but all are striking in their depiction of what real people go through and how they respond. The insights expressed by the performers are underscored by a varied and emotional score that sweeps the audience along for the ride... (Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book were three of the six nominations the show got for the 1984 Tony Awards.) The vocally stunning Kelly Caufield and Ian Gleason are Lizzie and Danny, two college kids who, ooops, discover Lizzie is pregnant. Will this change their future? Samantha Fitschen and Timothy Bate are Pam and Nick – a couple in their 30’s who decide to try having a child. And Karen Stickney and Stpehen Underwood are Arlene and Alan – a couple with grown kids who, another ooops, discover they are pregnant again. They KNOW this will change their future. Allen has the ability to attract and encourage talented new and veteran performers to his shows. Even the ensemble include many who would be leads elsewhere – Cathy Counts, Jennifer McLeod, Bill Ellis, Margaret Plouffe, Chris Handy, Mark Calkins, Lois Sturtevant, Amy Roche, Meg Christie.

THE FORECASTER
by Scott Andrews
What’s so unique and clever about “Baby,” the 1983 Broadway musical – with book by Sybille Pearson, music by David Shire and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. – is that it makes a coherent and charming evening of theater out of the experiences of three very different pairs of parents in a New England college town. “… ‘Baby,’ is a thoroughly professional (non-Equity) production, directed with skill and finesse by Good Theater founder Brian P. Allen. And let’s also note that Good Theater is Portland’s hottest and best new company to emerge in many a moon.”

Cast & Crew

Starring: Timothy Bate, Kelly Caufield, Samantha Fitschen, Ian Gleason, Karen Stickney, Stephen Underwood
Featuring: Mark Calkins, Meg Christie, Cathy Counts, Bill Ellis, Laura Harris, Chris Handy, Jennifer McLeod, Margaret Plouffe, Amy Roche, Lois Sturtevant
Set Design Janet Montgomery
Set Construction by Craig Robinson
Costume Design Joan McMahon
Lighting Design Jamie Grant
Production Stage Manager Karen Dunton
Choreography Betsy Melarkey Dunphy
Musical Director Beth Barefoot-Jones
Directed by Brian P. Allen