Rider University Presents Musical 'Nine' Oct. 10-13

Editor's Note: The following is a news release from Rider University.

Rider University’s Westminster College of the Arts will present the musical Nine Oct. 10 through Oct. 14 in the Yvonne Theater on Rider’s campus in Lawrence Township.

A preview performance will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m. and performances will be Thursday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 12, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m.

Nathan Hurwitz is director and musical supervisor, Alex Harrington is musical director and Ginger Thatcher is choreographer.

The cast is composed of students studying musical theatre at Rider University’s Westminster College of the Arts, which is rapidly gaining recognition as offering one of the nation’s leading musical theatre and theatre programs. Graduates of the program are appearing on Broadway and in regional theaters around the country.

Based on Federico Fellini’s autobiographical film 8½, Nine tells the story of renowned film director Guido Contini as he approaches a grand creative and personal crisis, all while maintaining a wife, mistress, and film-star muse.

Entangled in these relationships, Contini faces his 40th birthday with all the disdain of an artist in trouble. He struggles to write the script for a film in which his wife, Luisa del Forno, is the star, while he’s distracted by the lonely calls from his mistress Carla. Contini’s thoughts take him into the past where he encounters himself as a nine-year old boy discovering for the first time the meaning of love.

The production includes adult themes and content.

“Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit's musical Nine feels essentially Greek to me,” says Nathan Hurwitz. “The ancient Greek theater inspired thought and discussion. In developing this production with my colleagues and collaborators we all agree that our hope is that, in addition to simply engaging you for a couple of hours, you leave the theater thinking, considering and discussing this play.”

Nathan Hurwitz is on the faculty of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Rider University. His Broadway credits include Blood Brothers, Dream and Phantom of the Opera. He has also participated in national tours of Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Blood Brothers, Company, The Who's ‘Tommy,’ Annie and many more. His regional credits include Syracuse Stage, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Indiana Repertory Theatre, The Pittsburgh Public Theatre and many others. His most recent Rider productions include The Producers and A New Brain.

Ginger Thatcher is currently associate choreographer for the new Broadway show, in development, "The Little Dancer,” with Susan Stroman. Her recent works include Billy the Kid for Verb Ballets, Pinnochio, Oklahoma!, the national tour of Swing and Hans Christian Anderson with Maury Yeston for Maine State Music Theatre. She has created works for Oregon Ballet Theatre, Louisville Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, Minnesota Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Virginia Ballet Theatre, New Jersey Ballet, Eisenhower Dance Theatre, and Ballet NY, and the film Far From Heaven.

Alex Harrington is a senior at Rider University. This is the fourth show he's conducted at Rider, the most recent being A New Brain. His other credits include The Addams Family on Broadway. Off- Broadway he has worked on Sistas, Avenue Q and Fat Camp. In the spring he will be part of the musical team for The Pirates of Penzance at Bristol Riverside Theater.

Tickets for Nine are $20 for adults, $10 for students/seniors, and $5 Rider for University students (with ID). Tickets for the preview performance are $9. Tickets can be purchased through the Rider box office at 609-896-7775 or online at www.rider.edu/arts. Rider University is located at 2083 Lawrence Rd. (Route 206) in Lawrence Township. For updates visit www.rider.edu/arts.