Photo Coverage: Inside the Opening Night Cast Party For HALF TIME at Paper Mill

Paper Mill Playhouse presents the East Coast premiere of Half Time, a new musical, with book by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Nell Benjamin and additional music by Marvin Hamlisch and Ester Dean. Half Time began performances May 31, 2018 for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 1, 2018, at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ.

Last night was the show's opening night. Check out photos from inside the cast's opening night cast party below!

Half Time is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell and co-choreographed by Nick Kenkel with music direction by Charlie Alterman. The cast features five-time Emmy nominee Georgia Engel ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show," The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony and Emmy Award winner Lillias White (The Life, "Sesame Street") along with André De Shields (The Wiz, The Full Monty, Ain't Misbehavin') and Tony award winner and Broadway legend Donna McKechnie (A Chorus Line) who with this all-star cast will tell the uplifting true story of ten New Jersey seniors with extraordinary dreams. Half Time is based on the motion picture Gotta Dance, directed, written and produced by Dori Berinstein.

From the director/choreographer of Kinky Boots comes the incredible true story of ten determined dreamers who audition to dance at half time for a major basketball team. They have three things in common: they love to dance, they have something to prove, and they are all over 60. Only after making the cut do they learn they won't be dancing tap, salsa or swing-instead, they will bring down the house with a style that is entirely new to them: hip-hop. Take the uplifting journey with these dreamers-and the young coaches who inspire them along the way-as they battle self-doubt, stereotypes and even each other for a chance to bust a move at center court in front of 20,000 screaming fans. Together they remind us that in life, when the odds are stacked against you and the challenges seem too great to overcome, it's not the end of the game-it's Half Time.

The principal cast features André De Shields as Ron, Georgia Engel as Dorothy/Dottie, Donna McKechnie as Joanne, Lillias White as Bea, who are joined by Haven Burton as Tara, Lori Tan Chinn as Mae, Nkeki Obi-Melekwe as Kendra, Nancy Ticotin as Camilla, Madeleine Doherty as Estelle, Tracy Jai Edwards as Alison Prager, Mary Claire King as Jenny, Lenora Nemetz as Fran, and Kay Walbye as Muriel.

Rounding out the cast are Alexander Aguilar, Ken Ard, Sydni Beaudoin, Tami Dahbura, Paula DeLuise, Gabriela Garcia, Talya Groves, Kathryn Kendall, Valton Jackson, Summerisa Bell Stevens, Garrett Turner and Gayle Turner.

The creative team of Half Time reunites Mitchell with his Kinky Boots collaborators, including Tony Award winner David Rockwell (Scenic Design), Tony Award winner Gregg Barnes (Costume Design) and Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design), along with Nick Kenkel (Co-Choreography), Randy Hansen (Sound Design), Jason Lee Courson (Projection Design), Drama Desk nominee Josh Marquette (Hair and Wig Design), Tony Award winner Larry Hochman (Orchestrations), and Telsey + Company (Casting). The Production Stage Manager is Jason Brouillard.

Tickets are on sale now starting at $34. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org.

For additional information, please visit www.papermill.org

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter Keddy

Murphy Cross and Justin Ross

Mark William

Matt Zwyer and Mark William

Jim Borstelmann and Paul McGill

Harvey Evans

Larry Elardo, Stephen Hoebee-Elardo and Mark S. Hoebee

Jerry Mitchell (Director and Choreographer)

Jerry Mitchell

Jerry Mitchell and Mark S. Hoebee

Nick Kenkell (Co-Choreoghraper) and Jerry Mitchell

Annie Golden and Jerry Mitchell

Nancy Ticotin

Nancy Ticotin

Georgia Engel

Georgia Engel

Georgia Engel

Dori Berinstein (Producer) and Georgia Engel

Donna McKechnie

Donna McKechnie

Donna McKechnie

Patrick Parker, Donna McKechnie and Mark S. Hoebee

LiLlias White

LiLlias White

LiLlias White

Lenora Nemetz

Lenora Nemetz

Lori Tan Chinn

Lori Tan Chinn

Lori Tan Chinn

Kenny Seymour

Paula DeLuise (Dance Captain), Summerisa Bell Stevens, Kathryn Kendall, Gabriela Garcia, Tami Dahbura and Ken Ard

Tracy Jai Edwards

Tracy Jai Edwards

Talya Groves, Sydni Beaudoin, Summerisa Bell Stevens and Nkeki Obi-Melekwe

Christian Borle and Talya Groves

Valton Jackson and Sydni Beaudoin

Haven Burton, Mary Claire King, Garrett Turner and Tracy Jai Edwards

Denny Paschall and Haven Burton

Denny Paschall and Haven Burton

Mary Claire King

Mary Claire King

Mark S. Hoebee and Alexander Baron

Garrett Turner and Alexander Aguilar

Garrett Turner and Alexander Aguilar

Garrett Turner, Andre De Shields and Alexander Aguilar

Garrett Turner, Sydni Beaudoin, Andre De Shields and Alexander Aguilar

Andre De Shields

Andre De Shields

Peter Surace and Valton Jackson

Leslie Kritzer

Leslie Kritzer

Gayle Turner and Andre De Shields

Andre De Shields and Nancy Ticotin

Andre De Shields and Nancy Ticotin

Donna McKechnie and Justin Ross

Richard Skipper, Nancy Ticotin and Donna McKechnie

Mark S. Hoebee and Andre De Shields