Program



ABINGDON THEATRE COMPANY 
CHAD AUSTIN, PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
PRESENTS

BROADWAY ON THE BOWERY SERIES:

THE MUSIC OF DIVIDED

JANUARY 31, 2024 AT CHELSEA TABLE & STAGE
DIRECTED BY

Jim Cooney

COMPOSED BY

Kristen Lee Rosenfeld

BOOK & LYRICS BY

Luanne Aronen Rosenfeld

MUSIC DIRECTION BY

Robbie Cowan

Kimberly Marable and Talia Suskauer

CHANGING THE RULES
FEATURING
ERIN GO BRAGH

Bart Shatto

HALLELUJAH

Rashidra Scott

WAITING FOR THE WIND

Jason Forbach and Mikaela Bennett

JUMP THE BROOM

Curtis Wiley and Alyssa Wray

CATCH & RELEASE

Robert Cuccioli

DIVIDED/WHAT IS GLORY

Curtis Wiley, Jason Forbach, Alyssa Wray, and Mikaela Bennett

Kimberly Marable

SILENT SONG
GIRL WITH THE LIGHT IN HER EYES

Carrie St. Louis

Rashidra Scott and Talia Suskauer + Bart Shatto, Jason Forbach, Carrie St. Louis, and Alyssa Wray

OUT OF THE ASHES
EMCEE

Wyatt McManus

Robbie Cowan…..………Piano/Music Director

Chris Smucker…….……………………...Reeds

Sean Murphy…………..……………………Bass

Noah Hadland……….……………………Drums

BAND

Running time is 75 minutes no intermission.


Who’s Who


JIM COONEY (Director) (he/him) is a NYC-based director/choreographer whose international body of work encompasses stage, screen, concerts, and events. He’s currently the Associate and Tour Choreographer of the national tour of Lincoln Center Theater's production of My Fair Lady. Highlighted past credits include Between the Sea and Sky (Best Musical award at NYMF), Shooting Star (StageSceneLA award for Best Choreography), A Chorus Line (Best Musical and BroadwayWorld Best Choreography awards), The Accused (Atlantic City Casino Show of the Year award), Sweet Charity (directed by Michael Rupert), and Broadway Bares (directed by Jerry Mitchell). He's been involved with Divided since 2018, directing its past readings and workshops. Jim is the Founder of Amplified Artists, a membership community helping theater professionals create careers and lives they love. He’s also the host of the Theater Life Uncensored podcast, which is in the top 25% of most followed podcasts on Spotify. Learn more at JimCooney.me.

LUANNE ARONEN ROSENFELD (Book & Lyrics) is a South Carolina based playwright and lyricist whose work has been performed on stage and in cabarets across the country. She has written the book and lyrics for EQUAL TIME; HOLLY AND IVY; THE QUEEN OF VALLELUNA; CARDBOARD CASTLES; DIVIDED; and CHASING GOLD DUST in addition to contributing lyrics to several other shows. A member of The Dramatists Guild, Luanne studied theatre at The New School and Tufts University and has also worked as a producer, director, and theater educator.

KRISTEN LEE ROSENFELD (Composer) is a New York based composer and music director. Her songs have been performed by some of Broadway's finest talent at venues such as 54 Below, Joe's Pub, the Triad and the Metropolitan Room, and her music has been commissioned by Sprouts Children's Theatre, Red Fern Theatre, the Atlantic Acting School, American University and Wooden O Theatre. Kristen's music direction credits include the 1st National Tour of the Broadway musical Spring Awakening and Band of Angels with collaborator Colman Domingo. Kristen has also music directed and arranged for children's pop sensation Laurie Berkner and Backstreet Boy Howie D. Other music direction credits include the Off Broadway hit Friends! The Musical Parody, and shows at NYMF, NAAP, Prospect Theatre Company, the John W. Engeman Theatre, the Olney Theatre Center and Village Theatre, as well as being a guest artist at Pomona College, American University and SUNY Cortland.

ROBBIE COWAN (Music Director) Last seen by Abingdon audiences as the music director and pianist for the star-studded 2023 gala, he has been the music director for several national tours including Bullets Over Broadway, Anything Goes, Shrek, and Elf. He supervised the long-running off-broadway hit The Imbible, is the resident music supervisor and contractor at the historic New London Barn Playhouse, and has worked at some of the country’s best loved regional theaters, like the Ogunquit Playhouse and Northern Stage. He produced, wrote, and directed the original comedy revue 4 Guys Who Sing, which has been seen worldwide aboard luxury cruise lines, and his original 10-minute comedy murder mystery play Who Did It? was selected from hundreds to be performed in Playbill’s inaugural Virtual Theater Festival. Educated at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Gonzaga University, and New College, Oxford.

ABINGDON THEATRE COMPANY (Producer) Established over 30 years ago, Abingdon Theatre Company (ATC) develops and produces critically acclaimed brave, new American work by emerging and established artists. Mainstage Productions include the Off-Broadway premiere of Robin & Me: My Little Spark of Madness written and performed by Dave Droxler, the New York premiere of Queens Girl in the World, which was nominated for Outstanding Solo Performance for the Vivian Robinson Audelco Recognition Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre, and the NYT Critics’ Pick Get on Your Knees written and performed by Jaqueline Novak, nominated for a Drama Desk Award. The DMW Greer One Night Only Series has showcased work such as Alex Edelman’s Just for Us which went on to receive Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations and has just completed its run on Broadway; Back by Matt Webster starring Emmy Award nominee Madeline Brewer and Tony Award nominee James Cusati-Moyer; The Prompter starring Oscar-winning actress Estelle Parsons; Date of a Lifetime, a new musical with book and lyrics by Carl Kissin and music by Robert Baumgartner Jr. ATC’s Around the Table Series has produced staged readings of new plays such as The Inferno by Chris Sherman and Arancini by Joey Merlo. In 2020, ATC established Abingdon Virtual led by Executive Producer Chad Austin, and has since produced three award-winning films, including As Apple Pie written and directed by Artist-in-Residence Pierre Marais, which was an official selection of the Cannes World Film Festival for Best Young Filmmaker and won multiple awards at festivals including Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Drama USA; Abingdon Virtual’s premiere film, It Cries Too Loudly, was an official selection of the Prague International Short Film Awards and won Best Cinematography and Best Short Film at the Eastern European Film Festival. 

Producing Artistic Director…….…Chad Austin

Associate Dir. of Marketing…………..Kate Bell

Associate Dir. of Production.…Owen Mannion

Artistic Associate………..……....…Leon Jones

Financial Manager..……………….Jenny Rader

Press Representative.….Liz Skollar/Skollar PR

ABINGDON THEATRE COMPANY STAFF

DMW Greer
chair

Jim Kierstead
vice chair

Lisa W. Speltz
secretary

Katelyn Nichols Barzizza

Merrie L. Davis

Amy E. Gewirtz

John Gasdaska

Judy Greenblatt

Katherine Kline

Loretta McCarthy

Paul Marlow

Yasmeen Mock

Sarah O’Gleby

Pamela Paul

Rachel Stange

Richard Vida

ABINGDON THEATRE COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chelsea Table and Stage, Augustina Casella, and Hailey Palmer, Adrian Thorstensen

Ben Rimalower (Zabar Entertainment)

Grace Copeland (Photographer)

Open Jar Studios

SPECIAL THANKS

The World of Divided


Lights up on Eleanor and Hanna in Mississippi, 1859. 

Eleanor, blinded with the naivety of her family’s beliefs, makes a noble choice that will free Hanna from a lifetime of slavery. As Hanna escapes from the South, leaving behind her husband, Joshua, Eleanor finds she must soon follow-suit; after marrying the love of her life, Connor, she no longer can stand for her family’s prejudiced morals. 

Once Eleanor and Connor arrive in Boston, reunited with Hanna, she realizes the North is not quite as accepting as she had hoped. When Connor’s Irish-Catholic family hears of her true identity, a web of lies is spun into their lives, making waves for the whole family. 

With the Civil War on the horizon, Joshua’s journey North to make his way back to Hanna, just before joining the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, and Connor joining the Union’s Irish Brigade. 

Nearly 20 years, a war, and a child later, Eleanor finds herself back at home to bring aid to her dying mother; all the while believing there is no one else left in this world for her. 

A twist of fate, a newspaper ad, and an unexpected fire later, Eleanor and Hanna reconnect after what feels like a lifetime apart.