Direct from its triumphant New York City run, Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas brings the beloved television special to life, live on stage. Hailed by The New York Times for its “enchanting puppets” created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and “superb score” by Academy Award®–winning songwriter Paul Williams, this 75-minute tale takes us to Frogtown Hollow, where Ma and Emmet Otter risk what little they have to make each other’s holiday dreams come true. Directed by Tony Award® winner Christopher Gattelli (Newsies, SpongeBob: The Musical, “Schmigadoon”), this very merry musical is a heartwarming celebration perfect for the entire family.

Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas is a theatrical adaptation of the Jim Henson Television Special and is based on the illustrated book Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas by Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban. The acclaimed musical premiered at Goodspeed Opera House in 2008 and played Off-Broadway at the New Victory Theater in December of 2021.

The music and lyrics for Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas are written by the legendary Paul Williams, the recipient of an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards and three Grammy Awards. His songs “The Rainbow Connection” and “Evergreen;” are included in the American Film Institute’s List of Top Movie Songs of All Time. The New York Times called Williams’s score for Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas “as playful as it is heart-whole beautiful.”

The book is co-written by lead producer Timothy Allen McDonald (Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, Between The Lines, and The Book Thief) and director/choreographer Christopher Gattelli (Tony Award Winner for his Newsies choreography, and choreographer of SpongeBob the Musical and AppleTV+’s Schmigadoon!). Of the 2021 run, The New York Times hailed “the message, which celebrates fellow feeling and mutual care, is especially welcome right now,” while Hollywood Soapbox called it “an important staple of any holiday season.”
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Scenic design for Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas is by three-time Tony nominee Anna Louizos (In The Heights, High Fidelity, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood), with costume design by two-time Tony winner Gregg Barnes (Follies and The Drowsy Chaperone), lighting design by Obie Award winner and Tony Nominee Jen Schriever (Death of a Salesman and A Strange Loop), and sound design is by Emmy Award winner Matt Kraus (“Disney’s Broadway Hits at Royal Hall”). The New York Times raved of the production “the sets are charming and transporting, the costumes elegant.” The orchestrations are by Dan DeLange (Oliver nominated production of Showboat, Goodspeed Musicals) and the music supervisor is Larry Pressgrove (Tony nominated production of [title of show]). Two-time Tony nominee Alexander Robertson (The Wiz; New York, New York; and The Piano Lesson) is Senior Associate Producer.

How the hell do you orchestrate Gypsy with only 8 musicians and no strings?
Well, we're going to find out!

​Goodspeed Musicals April 28 - June 18, 2023

Pit orchestra instrumentation:
Reed 1 (Piccolo, Flute, Alto Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax)
Reed 2 (Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Bari Sax)
Trumpet 1 (Flugelhorn)
Trumpet 2 (Flugelhorn)
Trombone
Keyboard
Acoustic Bass
​Drums/Percussion (Drum Set, 2 Timpani, Glock, Xylophone, Toys)

When asked to do new orchestrations for Troika's national tour of Annie, the first thing I thought is, "Oh God, I don't want to be the guy that ruins Annie!" I only had 10 musicians in the pit, so I justified having a smaller band by creating Annie's world through the sound of a 1930's depression era street band. Jenn Thompson, whose work as a director I truly love, was all in. She wanted to create a more authentic, grittier production. I think we succeeded. Great cast, great musicians in the pit - totally fell in love with our Music Director Elaine Davidson - solid as a rock and so easy to work with. She can play anything and was so willing to try anything I put in front of her. And of course, I LOVE Charles Strouse's music. There's a reason this show has been around this long. Fantastic music. I ended up being very proud of this production, and hope a lot of people enjoy it as much as I did as it starts its journey around the country.

17 incredible musicians including mandolin, dobro, 6 and 12 string guitar, ukulele, tenor and 5 string banjo, washboard and kazoos! Where else but Nashville to record it?

Goodspeed Musicals in unique in the regional theater world in that almost every production is freshly orchestrated specifically for their pit orchestras. In 2000 Goodspeed's resident music director, Michael O'Flaherty, took a chance letting a very eager, but very green orchestrator score "George M!"
Nineteen years and 52 shows later we sign off on our last collaboration together at the Opera House. Michael is retiring after 28 years at Goodspeed, and I can't thank him enough for his mentorship, his friendship and his unending support. His trust in me helped turn my dream into a reality.
Thank you, Michael. Happy retirement. We can't wait to see (and hear) what you create next.

We got the old gang together again for another reading of Emmet Otter's Jug Band.
​Sounds like exciting things are on their way for the Fall of 2020!

Music and Lyrics by Paul Williams
Puppets by The Jim Henson Company
Book adapted for the stage by: Timothy McDonald
Directed by Chris Gattelli 
Music Direction by Larry Pressgrove
Orchestrations by yours truly 

We're practicing hard for something special in the Fall of  2020!

I spent a wonderful afternoon sitting next to Charles Strouse (composer of Bye Bye Birdie, Annie) and his wife Barbara while we listened to his brilliant score "RAGS," which I newly orchestrated for the 13 piece NYU Broadway Orchestra conducted by Joe Church.

One of the highlights of my career working with Charles Strouse (seated , composer of Annie, Bye, Bye Birdie) and Stephen Schwartz (standing far right, composer of Wicked, Godspell) on this new adaptation of 'Rags.' Beautifully reimagined by director Rob Ruggiero (standing on left) and script writer, David Thompson

Congratulations to all involved. Honored to have had my orchestrations used in this beautiful production.

Reviews coming in.... All of our hard work seems to be paying off. 
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"Dan DeLange's orchestrations brilliantly show off the songs that would one day become Judy Garland classics."
-BroadwayWorld.com

"David Libby and orchestrator Dan DeLange have done a remarkable job of making the show's mixed bag of tunes (from composers as divers as Jerome Kern, Jimmy McHugh, Nacio Herb Brown and Luigi Arditi) fluid and smooth."
-Hartford Currant

I'm glad to announce my scores for "Something's Afoot" from Goodspeed's 2012 production are  available as the principle orchestrations through licensing company Samuel French.

Pure joy orchestrating "Bye Bye Birdie" for choreographer Patti Wilcox, composer Charles Strouse and director Jenn Thompson.

​"The music, whether Broadway or rockabilly, has been brilliantly orchestrated by Dan DeLange."
-New York Times

Greasepaint Orchestra at the Norma Terris Theater. I was asked to create new orchestrations for Don Stephenson's bold new vision for the cult musical. It was stripped down to just 4 actors and just 6 musicians.
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Music director Adam Souza
Celeste Cumming, Cello
Mike Raposa, Woodwinds
Nick DiFabbio, Guitar
Marty Wirt, Percussion
David Uhl, Bass

For complete instrumentation see the orchestration page

Director Daniel Goldstein's decision to showcase the orchestra on the upper deck of the ship caused me a lot of worry, but Jay Hilton's sound design and the willingness by the  extraordinary musicians at Goodspeed to "do what it takes"  ultimately made this one of my favorites. As the critic at BroadwayWorld.com said, "...the music soared!"