Harlem Residents Shine in Nonprofit Blue Hill Troupe Performance of “City of Angels”

The Blue Hill Troupe, the only musical theater group in New York City to donate its net proceeds to charity, performs “City of Angels,” April 21 – April 29, at El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio (1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street). Harlem residents Paul Mitchell Wilder appears as Stone, Jennifer Dorre appears as Gabby/Bobbi and Shanna Siegmund appears as Mallory/Avril. All proceeds from the Blue Hill Troupe’s production will benefit Rocking the Boat.

Paul Mitchell Wilder is a grant writer for Classical Charter Schools. He became involved as a volunteer with the Blue Hill Troupe in Spring 2016. In “City of Angels,” Paul appears as Stone, a quintessential film noir, hard-boiled detective who has a smart quip, pun, or sarcastic comment to throw into the conversation, and seems unfazed by nearly everything, but is vulnerable deep down. The thing Paul is looking forward to the most about “City of Angels” is submerging himself into the atmosphere of 1940s Hollywood.

Jennifer Dorre is a former Chief Operating Officer and current independent consultant and principal for her own operations consulting company. She is also the President of the Blue Hill Troupe and became involved as a volunteer in 2005. In “City of Angels,” Jennifer plays the dual role of Gabby/Bobbi, who is the main character Stine’s wife and his character Stone’s ex-fiancé. Jennifer is excited about “City of Angels,” because it is her first leading role since 2011, and it is unprecedented for the Blue Hill Troupe to perform a musical as its Spring production, especially one of this level of technical difficulty.

Shanna Siegmund works on the Corporate Communications team at Morgan Stanley. She is also on the Blue Hill Troupe’s Board of Directors and became involved as a volunteer with Blue Hill Troupe in 2008. In “City of Angels,” Shanna appears in the dual role of Mallory/Avril. Mallory is a no-nonsense, seductive, teenage runaway, and Avril is a Hollywood starlet with wide eyes and big ambition. Shanna was last seen in Blue Hill Troupe’s Little Shop of Horrors.

“‘City of Angels’ is a show people really love, but it doesn’t get produced very often because it requires considerable production values,” says Jennifer Dorre, Blue Hill Troupe’s President. “We’re fortunate that we have those capabilities and are very excited to give New Yorkers a chance to see this rarely performed gem.”

Set in the glamorous, seductive Hollywood of the 40s, the world of film studios and flimsy negligees, “City of Angels” chronicles the misadventures of Stine, a young novelist, attempting to write a screenplay of one of his detective novels. Each scene he writes comes to life on stage, starring his hardboiled detective alter-ego, Stone. As Stone’s life in the film plot gets more complicated, so does Stine’s personal and professional life, until the point when the two plots intersect. The amazing double score and story do what all good movies should, eventually winding up with two happy endings.

Tickets to “City of Angels” are on sale now and range from $30.00 - $110.00, and can be purchased at http://bht.org/events/city-of-angels/. Performances are April 21, 28, and 29 at 7:30 PM, April 22 and 29 at 2:00 PM, and April 23 at 3:00 PM.

Every year since 1924, the Blue Hill Troupe has come together for a season of revelry celebrating its three great passions: Theater, Charity and Community. The Troupe’s efforts are rooted in a tradition of performing a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, and the group also presents a musical theater production as well as a concert series. Since its inception in 1924, adjusted for inflation, the Blue Hill Troupe has donated over $7 million to New York City charities. For more information about the Blue Hill Troupe, please visit www.bht.org, Facebook.com/BHT.org and @BlueHillTroupe.