KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
January 31 - March 8
BEFORE YOU GO
KNOW
We look forward to seeing you at La Jolla Playhouse at your upcoming performance of The Darrell Hammond Project. Below is some additional information about the production and the venue to enhance your theater-going experience. Parking Parking is free for all subscribers. For all others parking is $2 (subject to change), Mon-Fri. Upon arrival to campus, please purchase your parking permit from one of the automated pay stations located next to the information kiosk. Simply park, note your space number, and pay $2 at the pay station. Pay stations accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express or cash ($1 and $5), and do not give change. You will not need to return to your car. Parking is free on the weekends.
Audience Engagement Events The Playhouse offers unique opportunities for audience members to delve deeper into the play with these special performance series options: Foodie Fridays: Buy a ticket to The Darrell Hammond Project and enjoy San Diego’s finest food trucks, plus a complimentary microbrew tasting from Stone Brewing Company. - Friday, February 6 starting at 6:00 pm - Friday, February 27 starting at 6:00 pm Talkback Tuesdays: Participate in a lively discussion with actors and Playhouse staff members after the performance. - Tuesday, February 10 following the 7:30 pm performance - Tuesday, February 17 following the 7:30 pm performance Discovery Sunday: Explore the themes of the production with special guest speakers. - Sunday, March 1 following the 2:00 pm performance Insider Events: Join Playhouse staff for a special pre-performance presentation that gives an insider’s view of the play. - Wednesday, February 25 at 6:45 pm - Saturday, March 7 at 1:15 pm
Accessibility A golf cart is available to assist patrons with accessibility issues to and from the parking lot. Please notify Patron Services prior to your performance if you are in need of this service; additionally, you may pull into the five minute parking in front of the theatre, and a friendly La Jolla Playhouse greeter will assist you.
ACCESS PERFORMANCES Open Captioned Performance: This performance has added open captioning for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. - Sunday, February 22 at 2:00 pm Audio Described Performance: During this performance, La Jolla Playhouse provides audio description for patrons who are blind or have low vision. - Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 pm ASL Interpreted Performance: This performance has added American Sign Language interpretation for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. - Friday, March 6 at 8:00 pm
Dining La Jolla Playhouse is pleased to announce that James’ Place, the Theatre District’s new on-site restaurant, is now open.
Developed by renowned Sushi Master James Holder, the menu includes his signature sushi, as well as delectable dishes created with Prime and Angus cuts of beef, locally and sustainably harvested seafood, along with seasonal dishes. A lighter fare menu is also served at the newly-redesigned sushi/cocktail bar, featuring craft beer and California wines. James’ Place is open daily. Happy Hour begins in the bar at 3:00 pm and dinner reservations begin at 5:00 pm. For reservations, please call (858) 638-7778. We also recommend the following nearby restaurants: Dolce Pane e Vino 16081 San Dieguito Road Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 dolcepaneevino.com
Pamplemousse Grille 514 Via de la Valle, Suite 100 Solana Beach, CA 92075 pgrille.com
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 8970 University Center Lane San Diego, CA 92122 flemingssteakhouse.com
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery 8980 Villa La Jolla Drive La Jolla, CA 92037 rockbottom.com
Giuseppe Restaurants & Fine Catering 700 Prospect Street San Diego, CA 92037 giuseppecatering.com
Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar 875 Prospect Street La Jolla, CA 92037 roppongiusa.com
A MESSAGE FROM THE
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Dear Friends, It’s striking how many of our most successful and funny comedians come from backgrounds of pain. For many in the profession, comedy isn’t just a shield to hide their inner trauma from the world, it’s actually their way out from under it – a finely-honed survival mechanism.
MISSION STATEMENT: La Jolla Playhouse advances theatre as an art form and as a vital social, moral and political platform by providing unfettered creative opportunities for the leading artists of today and tomorrow. With our youthful spirit and eclectic, artist-driven approach, we will continue to cultivate a local and national following with an insatiable appetite for audacious and diverse work. In the future,
Darrell Hammond explores the highs and lows of his personal and professional lives with unflinching bravery, and in so doing, shines a light and brings humor even to the most savage and harrowing experiences. For this reason, I’m particularly excited to share The Darrell Hammond Project with you tonight. © Howard Lipin/U-T San Diego/ZUMA Wire
I’ve been a huge fan of Darrell’s work on “Saturday Night Live” for many years, and when I read his memoir, I was fascinated by the idea that this man, known worldwide for capturing the voices of others, had to continually grapple with the basic human question of who he was. That’s the heart of tonight’s performance: it’s the culmination of Darrell’s investigation into the mystery at the center of his life. What could possibly be directly responsible for both his enormous success, and his being carted away to a mental institution? What could possibly have both ruined and saved his life? Along with Elizabeth Stein, his collaborator on his memoir and tonight’s show, Darrell invites you inside the mind of a comic genius, dark corners and all.
San Diego’s La Jolla Playhouse will be considered singularly
Sincerely,
indispensable to the worldwide theatre landscape, as we become a permanent safe harbor for the unsafe and surprising. The day will come when it will be essential to enter the La Jolla Playhouse village in order to get a glimpse of what is about to happen in American theatre.
CHRISTOPHER ASHLEY
OUR MISSION
LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE presents Michael S. Rosenberg Managing Director
Christopher Ashley Artistic Director
Written and Performed BY
Darrell Hammond* Additional Material BY
Elizabeth Stein And Christopher Ashley directed BY
Christopher Ashley Scenic Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer Sound Designer Projection Designer Hair and Wig Designer Dramaturg Stage Manager Associate Production Manager
Robert Brill David Israel Reynoso David Weiner Chris LuessmanN John Narun Jodi Mancuso Gabriel Greene Zach Kennedy* Benjamin Seibert
Additional Staff Assistant Director.................................................................................................................. Jessica Bird Associate Scenic Designer..................................................................................................Steven Kemp Assistant Scenic Designers......................................................................Curtis Green, Andrea Healy Assistant Lighting Designer........................................................................................Sherrice Mojgani Production Assistant.....................................................................................................Kendra Stockton Personal Assistant to Mr. Hammond.......................................................................... Mackenzie Ward
Acknowledgements Outrageous Rugs • Sharp Business Systems
* Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage
Managers in the United States. The theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association. This theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, an independent national labor union.
This theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE. La Jolla Playhouse is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for the nonprofit professional theatre.
The Darrell Hammond Project is performed without an intermission.
PATRON SERVICES PATRON SERVICES is located in the lobby area of each theatre. A representative is available to answer questions and hand out assisted listening devices, restaurant guides, performance schedules and subscription information. BARS AND CONCESSIONS are provided by James’ Place and are open one hour prior to curtain and during intermissions. To avoid the rush, intermission beverages can be ordered before the show. AND RECORDING DEVICES are strictly P6 CAMERAS PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe
prohibited in the theatre. Please check these items with the House Manager and turn off your camera phone. PARKING is free for subscribers; $2 for the general public on weekdays (free on weekends). Upon arrival to campus, please enter your parking space number and pay the automated paystations located in the parking lot. Spaces that are not paid for are subject to ticketing by UC San Diego Campus Police. BABES IN ARMS Out of respect for fellow audience members and the performers, babes in arms are not permitted in the theatre during performances.
THEATRE TOURS Tour the stages and production shops of the Playhouse facilities and learn more about the history of La Jolla Playhouse and the role that it plays in the community. Contact (858) 550-1070 x101. ACCESSIBILITY
La Jolla Playhouse provides wheelchair-accessible seating and parking. Wheelchair seat locations are available for wheelchair users and a companion at all performances; be sure to advise the reservationist that you require a wheelchair location. Additionally, a golf cart is available to assist patrons with accessibility needs to and from the parking lot. Please notify Patron Services prior to your performance if you are in need of this service; additionally, you may pull into the five minute parking in front of the theatre, and a friendly La Jolla Playhouse greeter will assist you.The Playhouse also provides assisted listening devices for patrons who are hard of hearing. Devices are available, free of charge, at the Patron Services Center prior to performances (subject to availability). Listening Devices Provided in Part by
PLEASE SILENCE all electronic devices including cellular phones, watches and pagers before the performance. Safety in the Theatre District La Jolla Playhouse is constantly working with the UC San Diego Police Department and UC San Diego Transportation and Parking Services, which operates the parking lot and security system, to maintain and improve security conditions for patrons and staff members. Additionally, patrons and staff are welcome to use UC San Diego Community Service Officers (CSOs) for an escort to their cars by calling (858) 534-WALK (9255). Further questions regarding security may be addressed to UC San Diego Police at (858) 534-HELP (4357). DOCTORS AND PARENTS expecting calls during the performance should leave their names and seat numbers with the House Manager before the show. Leave the following number with your service: (858) 550-1030. LATECOMERS or PATRONS WHO LEAVE THEIR SEAT DURING THE PERFORMANCE will be admitted to the standing room section of the theatre at the discretion of the House Manager. They may take their assigned seats at intermission. La Jolla Playhouse accepts no responsibility for inconvenience to latecomers.
We’re pleased to welcome James’ Place as the Theatre District’s new on-site restaurant! Developed by Sushi Master James Holder, the menu features his signature sushi, delectable dishes created with Prime and Angus cuts of beef, locally and sustainably harvested seafood and other seasonal dishes. Lighter fare is served at the newly-redesigned sushi/cocktail bar, which also offers craft beer and California wines. Please call (858) 638-7778 for reservations. Visit JamesPlaceLaJolla.com for more information.
THE COMPANY Darrell Hammond, Playwright/Actor is one of the most prolific comedians of his time. For years, Mr. Hammond has brought to life a cavalcade of politicians, media figures, celebrities and newsmakers on television, most notably as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. He holds the title for being the longest-running cast member on the show, as well as for the most impressions by a single Saturday Night Live cast member and for the most times saying the show’s catchphrase “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” Every one of his impressions is applauded by television critics and viewers alike for their accuracy and range. Although it was a dream come true for Hammond to be a regular on Saturday Night Live, one of his biggest honors came at the nation’s capital at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner. During a surprise appearance with President Bill Clinton, Hammond received a standing ovation and was widely praised by the media for his deadon impression of the President before a great number of government officials and members of the Washington Press Corps. He also gave Comedy Central huge ratings performing in his own half-hour special, Comedy Central Presents: Darrell Hammond. In addition to his Saturday Night Live appearances, Mr. Hammond has been seen in a number of feature films, television shows and on Broadway. A truly versatile actor, Hammond has displayed his talents in both dramatic and comedic roles. Some of his feature films include: Buzzkill, Netherbeast, Weiners, Scary Movie 3 and 5, New York Minute, Nature Calls and Epic Movie. He also starred with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin in The Devil and Daniel Webster. On television, he received tremendous reviews for his portrayal of a deranged but intense criminal defense lawyer in Law & Order: SVU and has guest starred in the FX drama Damages and Law & Order: CI. He also had a recurring role on the popular TV series Are We There Yet? and is one of the celebrity judges in the new ABC talent show Sing Your Face Off. Mr. Hammond has been a frequent guest on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and The Howard Stern Show, and appears in several of the popular Funny or Die episodes on the internet. Mr. Hammond made his Broadway debut playing the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and in the summer of 2011, he starred in Bay Street Theatre’s Tru as Truman Capote. He is also a New York Times bestselling author. His book, God, If You’re Not Up There, I’m F*cked: Tales of Stand-Up, Saturday Night Live and Other Mind-Altering Mayhem, bravely chronicles his personal journey through trauma. Still a favorite on the comedy circuit, Mr. Hammond performs in New York and throughout the country. Elizabeth Stein, Playwright has made a career of recreating other people’s voices on the page. Ms. Stein has co-written memoirs with people who are prominent in their fields, as well as with ordinary folks who have found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. In 2011, she collaborated with acclaimed Saturday Night Live alumnus Darrell Hammond on his New York Times bestseller, God, If You’re Not Up There, I’m F*cked, upon which The Darrell Hammond Project is based.
Christopher Ashley, Director/La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director has served as La Jolla Playhouse’s Artistic Director since October, 2007. During his tenure, he has helmed the Playhouse’s productions of Chasing the Song, His Girl Friday, Glengarry Glen Ross, A Dram of Drummhicit, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Restoration and the acclaimed musicals Xanadu and Memphis, which won four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical. He also spearheaded the Playhouse’s Without Walls (WoW) series and the Resident Theater program. Prior to joining the Playhouse, he directed the Broadway productions of Xanadu (Drama Desk nomination), All Shook Up and The Rocky Horror Show (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations), as well as the Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration productions of Sweeney Todd and Merrily We Roll Along. Other New York credits include: Blown Sideways Through Life, Jeffrey (Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards), The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla, Regrets Only, Wonder of the World, Communicating Doors, Bunny Bunny, The Night Hank Williams Died, Fires in the Mirror (Lucille Lortel Award), among others. Mr. Ashley also directed the feature film Jeffrey and the American Playhouse production of Blown Sideways Through Life for PBS. Mr. Ashley is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Director Fellowship and an NEA/TCG Director Fellowship. Robert Brill, Scenic Designer Mr. Brill’s designs for the Playhouse include Kingdom City, Sideways, His Girl Friday, as well as Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Wiz, Creditors and many others. For Broadway: Cabaret, Jesus Christ Superstar, Assassins (Tony nom), Guys and Dolls (Tony nom), Design for Living, Buried Child and others. His other credits include Christopher Plummer’s A Word or Two (Ahmanson/Stratford); Sinatra (Radio City); Faust (Met Opera/ENO); Moby-Dick (Dallas Opera, San Diego, San Francisco, DC, Australia and Canada); Doubt (Minnesota Opera); Wozzeck (SD Opera); White Noise (Chicago); Robin and the Seven Hoods (Old Globe); On the Record (Disney); American in Paris (Boston Ballet); A Clockwork Orange (Steppenwolf); and The Laramie Project (BAM and others). Upcoming: world premieres of Cold Mountain (Santa Fe Opera) and The Manchurian Candidate (Minnesota Opera). A graduate of UC San Diego and a founding member of Sledgehammer Theatre, he is a recipient of the Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration and a 2011 La Jolla Playhouse Honors Award. David Israel Reynoso, Costume Designer La Jolla Playhouse: Kingdom City. Mr. Reynoso is the Obie Awardwinning costume designer for the Off-Broadway hit Sleep No More (Punchdrunk/Emursive). Recently, he designed Liz Lerman’s critically acclaimed Healing Wars at Arena Stage. He is recognized locally for his costume designs for Time and the Conways, Water by the Spoonful, Double Indemnity and Be a Good Little Widow, all at The Old Globe. Other regional scenic and costume design credits include returning collaborations at the American Repertory Theater, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Lyric Stage and Gloucester Stage, among many others. David is also the recipient of the Elliot Norton Award in Costume Design and a multiple nominee for the IRNE and BroadwayWorld awards. Mr. Reynoso’s other work includes designs for Amanda Palmer’s Down Under tour and Juan Son’s Mermaid Sashimi tour, as well as a variety of international music videos.
THE COMPANY David Weiner, Lighting Designer La Jolla Playhouse: American Night and The Seven. Broadway: Romeo and Juliet, Dead Accounts, Grace, Godspell, The Normal Heart, reasons to be pretty, Butley, Dinner at Eight, Betrayal and The Real Thing. OffBroadway: Atlantic, MTC, MCC, Second Stage, Playwrights Horizons, The Public, NY Theater Workshop, Theater for a New Audience and Vineyard. Regional: The Old Globe, Steppenwolf, Center Theatre Group, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Guthrie, Alley, McCarter, Huntington and ART. Awards: 2012 Lortel Award (Through a Glass Darkly), 2011 LA Ovation Award (Venice), 2011 Drama Desk Award nomination (Small Fire) and 2005 Lortel Award (Rodney’s Wife). www.DavidWeinerDesign.com Chris Luessmann, Sound Designer La Jolla Playhouse: Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays and Chasing the Song (workshop). Off-Broadway: The Third Story. Regional: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Big Bang, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, The Odd Couple, Dracula (Patté Award), A Christmas Carol (Patté Award), Baby (North Coast Rep); Long Story Short (San Diego Repertory Theatre); Das Barbecü, Too Old for the Chorus, Forbidden Broadway: SVU (Theatre in Old Town); South Pacific (Lamb’s Players Theatre); Les Misérables, Catch Me If You Can, My Fair Lady, The Wizard of Oz (Craig Noel Award), Young Frankenstein (Moonlight Stage Productions); Red Herring (Scripps Ranch Theatre). Mr. Luessmann earned his B.A. from UCLA and his M.F.A. from UC San Diego. John Narun, Projection Designer La Jolla Playhouse: The Tallest Tree in the Forest (co-produced with Kansas City Rep). Credits: The Laramie Project Cycle (BAM), Radio City Spring Spectacular (video content), Radio City Christmas Spectacular (video content) and Cirque du Soleil: The Immortal Tour (video content). Concerts: Madonna’s Sticky and Sweet Tour, The Spice Girls’ Reunion Tour, Celine Dion’s Taking Chances Tour, Ricky Martin’s The Black and White Tour and Christina Aguilera’s Back to Basics Tour. Broadcast Design: NBC Beijing Summer Olympics Teaser Campaign, ABC News Open (‘04), The Dr Phil Show Open (‘06), CBS Wolf Lake Main Title (Emmy nomination), HBO Genre Opens (‘02), The Oprah Winfrey Show Open (‘99). Education: Northwestern University. www.johnnarun.com. Gabriel Greene, Dramaturg joined La Jolla Playhouse’s artistic staff in 2007, and currently serves as Director of New Play Development. He has dramaturged nearly twenty new plays and musicals for the Playhouse, including Sheri Wilner’s Kingdom City, Herbert Siguenza’s El Henry, Ayad Akhtar’s The Who & The What, Des McAnuff and The Flaming Lips’ Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Kirsten Greenidge’s Milk Like Sugar (Off-Broadway transfer; Obie Award) and Joe DiPietro and David Bryan’s Memphis (Broadway transfer; four Tony Awards). In addition to curating and producing the Playhouse’s annual DNA New Work Series, he dramaturged the DNA workshop productions of Michael Benjamin Washington’s Blueprints to Freedom and Aditi Brennan Kapil’s Brahman/i. Other dramaturgy: UC San Diego’s Wagner New Play Festival (seven years), Steppenwolf, Playwrights Horizons, New York Theatre Workshop, South Coast Rep’s Pacific Playwrights Festival and TimeLine Theatre, among others. He is a graduate of University of Michigan and Trinity College, Dublin. Zach Kennedy, Stage Manager La Jolla Playhouse: The Tallest Tree in the Forest and Glengarry Glen Ross. Mr. Kennedy’s credits include TheatreWorks Singapore: Continuum: Beyond the Killing Fields (Shizuoka, Japan); Spoleto Festival USA and Singapore International Festival of Arts: Facing Goya. Regional: The Tallest Tree in the Forest (Arena Stage, Center Theatre Group); The Cherry Orchard Sequel (LaMaMa ETC); 2013 Shakespeare Festival, The Rocky Horror Show, Somewhere (The Old Globe). He spent two seasons as PSM at The Lost Colony, America’s largest outdoor theater. Mr. Kennedy is a freelance producer and stage manager for corporate theater and has done events for multiple companies including Google and Palantir. He holds his M.F.A. in Stage Management from UC San Diego.
Michael S. Rosenberg, Managing Director has served as the Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse since April, 2009. Working in partnership with Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, he has developed and produced new work by Ayad Akhtar, Trey Anastasio, Amanda Green, John Leguizamo, Carey Perloff, Herbert Siguenza, Basil Twist, Sheri Wilner, Doug Wright and The Flaming Lips. Playhouse collaborations have included projects with UC San Diego, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, The New Children’s Museum, San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego Rep, Tectonic Theatre Project, the I.D.E.A. District and the cities of Escondido and Chula Vista. Additionally, he fostered the growth of the Playhouse’s awardwinning Performance Outreach Program (POP) Tour, achieving the most performances at local schools in Playhouse history. Previously, Mr. Rosenberg was Co-Founder and Executive Director of Drama Dept., a New York non-profit theatre company, where he produced new works by the likes of Douglas Carter Beane, Warren Leight, Isaac Mizrahi, Paul Rudnick and David & Amy Sedaris. His early work included stints at the Kennedy Center and the National Dance Institute. As a Theatre Communications Group Board member, he is proud to be on the Global and Diversity & Inclusion Committees. Debby Buchholz, General Manager has served as general manager of La Jolla Playhouse since 2002. She is a member of the Executive Committee and of the League of Resident Theaters (LORT). In 2009, she received a San Diego Women Who Mean Business Award from The San Diego Business Journal. Previously she served as Counsel to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. She was a faculty member of the Smithsonian Institution’s program on Legal Problems of Museum Administration. Prior to the Kennedy Center, she served as a corporate attorney in New York City and Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of UC San Diego and Harvard Law School. Ms. Buchholz and her husband, noted author and White House economic policy advisor Todd Buchholz, live in Solana Beach and are the proud parents of Victoria, Katherine and Alexia. Des McAnuff, Director Emeritus served as La Jolla Playhouse’s Artistic Director from 1983 through 1994, and from 2001 through April, 2007. Under his leadership, the Playhouse garnered more than 300 awards, including the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Playhouse to Broadway credits: Jersey Boys (four Tony Awards), Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays (Tony Award), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (five Tony nominations), director and co-author with Pete Townshend on The Who’s Tommy (Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Director) and Big River (seven Tony Awards), among others. Film credits: Quills, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Iron Giant (nine Animation Society awards) and Cousin Bette. Recipient of the Drama League’s 2006 Julia Hansen Award, Mr. McAnuff served as Artistic Director at Canada’s Stratford Festival from 2007 through 2012. He recently directed the hit productions of Sideways, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and Jesus Christ Superstar at the Playhouse.