(FAIR LAWN, NJ) -- Old Library Theatre (OLT), Fair Lawn Recreation Department's resident theatre company, is currently presenting the musical Nine.  Remaining performances take place October 24-27, 2024. Based on Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical film 8 1/2, this dazzling production of Nine – with a cast of 19 brilliant performers, and a 10-piece orchestra – tells the story of celebrated film director Guido Contini as he navigates a personal and professional crisis while balancing the many women in his life. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.

Nine, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Arthur Kopit, won five Tony awards in 1982, including Best Musical and Best Score; in 2003, Nine won the Tony for the Best Revival of the year.  The musical has long been hailed for its lush, sophisticated score, and intriguing narrative.

This production, directed by NJACT Perry Award nominee Chris Hietikko, delivers a fresh new take on the material as the women – including his wife, mistress, muse, mother, producer – are empowered to actively participate in his journey – forcing him to make the critical choices at the crossroads of his life.

Director Hietikko said “Using the vocabulary of movie making as my basis, directing this group of artists has been a joy.  Watching them stretch into creative areas sometimes out of their comfort zone, crafting moments that startle and thrill is exciting.  The marriage of musical theatre and staging it full of cinematic movement has been my goal.  Having a collaborator as musically brilliant as Matthew Hosmer has been a personal gift I couldn’t be more grateful for. We have been crafting this production for months, measure by measure, moment by moment, creating a joy for all the senses.”

Nine, features a cast of 19, led by Dan Maceyak as Guido Contini; Laura Penney Shamir as his wife, Luisa; Lisa Cortney as his mistress Carla Albanese; and Kim Lougheed as the star of his movies, Claudia Nardi. Leslie Silverman is his producer, Liliane LaFleur; Evan C. Charpentier is his mother; Jessi Baden is Saraghina; Marcus Reyes portrays Young Guido; Beth Valenti is critic Stephanie Necrophorus; Jodi LW Reiss is Lina Darling; Kaitlyn Barnes is Our Lady of the Spa; and Kay Koch is Olga/Maddalena. The phenomenal ensemble portraying all of the other women in Guido’s life are Lila Bell, Morgan Ford, Caitlin Greene, Eileen Mager, Pamela Pedersen, Erica Stuppler, and Emma Thayer.

Remaining performances take place October 24, 25, 26 at 7:30pm, and a matinee on October 27 at 2:00pm. Performances are held at the George Frey Center for Performing Arts in the Fair Lawn Community Center, located at 10-10 20th Street in Fair Lawn. Tickets are $23 for Adults and $20 for Seniors and Students. Tickets are available for purchase online. Old Library Theatre is committed to bringing quality entertainment at an affordable cost in Bergen County.

Nine is directed by Chris Hietikko, with Music Direction by Matthew Hosmer, and choreography by Lillian C. Smith. The show is produced by Armanda Cerqueira and Dawn Toussas, and stage managed by Jeff Parsons. Costumes designed by Katie Lupfer, lighting/sound by Colleen C. Conwell, scenic design by Chris Hietikko, props by Beatriz Esteban-Messina and Jeff Parsons; Morgan Ford is Dance Captain.

Producer Cerqueira said “Producing this show has been an absolute joy. Watching Chris bring forth this classic story in a new light with modern perspectives on female agency, is a great example of how theatre is a living, breathing art form; ever changing with the time.”

Here are more photos from the production.

John Posada is a New Jersey based photographer specializing in photographing live theatre and music performances. For more than 15 years, John has photographed live events where he mastered the techniques of timing and capturing fast moving action under challenging lighting conditions. Currently, John has spent the last 3 years concentrating on photographing almost 200 theatre productions for over 70 different theatres. Click here for John's website.