Performances Begin Tomorrow for Broadway-Bound THE WANDERER at Paper Mill Playhouse

Performances begin tomorrow, Thursday, March 24, for Paper Mill Playhouse's world premiere of The Wanderer, the new Broadway-bound musical based on the life and music of Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famera??Dion DiMucci.

The show will play through April 24, 2022. Opening Night is set for Sunday, April 3. Signature support for the world premiere of The Wanderer is provided by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.

The cast features Mike Wartella (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Paper Mill's Chasing Rainbows) as Dion, Christy Altomare (Anastasia) as Susan, Joey McIntyre (Waitress, New Kids on the Block) as Johnny, Kingsley Leggs (Broadway's The Color Purple) as Willie Green, Jasmine Rogers (Becoming Nancy) as Melody Green, Jeffrey Schecter (Paper Mill's On The Town) as Bob Schwartz, Johnny Tammaro (Tony n' Tina's Wedding) as Pat DiMucci, and Joli Tribuzio (A Room of My Own) as Frances DiMucci. The ensemble cast features Joe Barbara, Mackenzie Bell, Stephen Cerf, Jordan Dobson, Josh Dunn, Billy Finn, Natalie Gallo, Miguel Jarquin-Moreland, Will Jewett, Michal Kolaczkowski, Jess LeProtto, Janayé McAlpine, Katie Pohlman, Sydney Skye, and Gabi Stapula.

Dion. One name set the standard of cool for a generation. The Wanderer isa??the riveting true story of a troubled Italian American kid from the Bronx's unlikely journey through fame as a teenage heartthrob to eventual Rock & Roll icon in intimate detail. The man Bruce Springsteena??once called "the link betweena??Frank Sinatraa??and Rock & Roll," Dion's music helped define a generation, but the darker side of success threatened to bring it all crashing down. The Wanderer is a moving, no-holds-barred new musical about the glow of the spotlight, the shadow of addiction, and the triumph of the human spirit against all odds, set to the iconic sound of an incomparable era in American music.

Produced in cooperation with Dion DiMucci, The Wanderer is written by Charles Messina (A Room of My Own) and directed by Emmy nominee Kenneth Ferrone (Cruel Intentions National Tour, "Rent: Live" on FOX), with choreography by Sarah O'Gleby (Disney's Frozen) and music direction, orchestrations and arrangements by Sonny Paladino (Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812).

The production will feature scenic design by Tony Award winner Beowulf Boritt (Come From Away, Paper Mill's A Bronx Tale), costume design by Sarah Laux (The Band's Visit), lighting design by Jake DeGroot (Oh, Hello on Broadway), sound design by Tony Award winner John Shivers (Kinky Boots), and hair & wig design by Charles G. LaPointe (Chasing Rainbows). Rick Sordelet (Clue) is the fight director, and Linda Marvel serves as the Production Stage Manager. Casting is by The Telsey Office.

The Wanderer is produced by Paper Mill Playhouse in association with Jill Menza and Charles Messina.

Dion is an American singer and songwriting icon whose work has incorporated elements of Doo-Wop, Rock, and R&B throughout hisa??career. Both as lead singer of Dion and the Belmonts and then as a solo artist, he was one of the most popular American Rock & Roll performers of his time. He had 30 Top 40 hits in the late 50s and 60s including "Runaround Sue," "Teenager in Love," "I Wonder Why,"a??"Ruby Baby,"a??"Abraham, Martin and John"a??and "The Wanderer," among manya??more.a??Dion was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.a??

Paper Mill Playhouse offers its audiences the opportunity to enhance their theater experience with behind-the-scenes views of mainstage productions, including Q&As with the Cast. New this season, Paper Mill Prologues and The Director's Viewpoint will be available to everyone on the Paper Mill Playhouse mobile app.

Q&A with the Cast: After the matinee on Saturday, April 23, stick around for a lively Q&A with cast members directly following the performance.

Tickets start at $36 and may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at papermill.org. All major credit cards accepted. Groups of 10 or more may receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.376.4343. Students may order $20 rush tickets over the phone or in person at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office on the day of the performance. Subscription packages are also available starting at just $114.

Paper Mill Playhouse offers award-winning access programs and services, including audio-described performances on April 17 & 23 at 1:30 pm (sensory seminars for the blind are held at noon) and an American Sign Language interpreted and open-captioned performance on April 24 7:00 pm. Braille and large-print programs and assistive listening devices available.

Paper Mill Playhouse requires proof of vaccination for all artists, staff and audiences over 5 years of age, as well as the wearing of face coverings for all staff and audiences in the theater and lobbies. For the complete and latest protocols please visit papermill.org/reopening-guidelines.

Programs, dates, and artists are subject to change.