Backstage - Memory

Matthew Reeder Artistic Director Kim Van Tuyl Managing Director

Amy Monday Development Director presents

Memory

by Jonathan Lichtenstein

Director......................................................................... Matthew Reeder Stage Manager........................................................................Jen Poulin Properties Designer.............................................. Angela M. Campos Scenic & Lighting Designer...............................................Heath Hays Dramaturg..........................................................................Ben Jacobson Sound Designer........................................................... Stephen Ptacek Costume Designer...................................................... Marisa Williams

Viaduct Theatre 3111 N Western Ave Reservations: (773) 296-6024 or www.backstagetheatrecompany.org This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

BackStage Theatre Company 1

CAST The Company Brenda Barrie* Tony Bozzuto* Samuel Buti Bilal Dardai Patrick De Nicola Shane Michael Murphy

The Director Josh Hambrock The Stage Manager Jen Poulin

P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Director ................................................................................................................ Matthew Reeder Scenic & Lighting Design ........................................................................................Heath Hays* Properties Design ..........................................................................................Angela M. Campos Costume Design ..................................................................................................Marisa Williams Sound Design ...................................................................................................... Stephen Ptacek Dramaturg ................................................................................................................. Ben Jacobson Graphic Design ........................................................................................................ David J. Loehr *Denotes ensemble members of BackStage Theatre Company The show is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission

D I R E C TO R ’ S N O T E S “Because I remember, I despair. Because I remember, I have the duty to reject despair.”

—Elie Wiesel “Appeals to the past are among the commonest of strategies in interpretations of the present.”

— Edward W. Said “In the well-wrought play (and perhaps in the honestly examined life), we will understand that what seemed accidental was essential, we will perceive the pattern wrought by our character, we will be free to sigh or to mourn. And then we can go home.”

—David Mamet PROFILES Brenda Barrie Brenda is grateful for BSTC’s pursuit of challenging plays and you for taking the journey. As an Ensemble Member with BSTC, Brenda has performed in Aunt Dan and Lemon, How I Learned to Drive, Beauty on the Vine, and Waiting for Lefty (Non-equity Jeff Nomination for Ensemble). She received her BFA in Theatre from the University of Indianapolis and studied theatre at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. Select Chicago credits include Mrs. Caliban (Lifeline, Non-equity Jeff Nomination for Actress in a Leading Role); The Ruby Sunrise (Gift); 2 BackStage Theatre Company

Graceland (Profiles); Mariette in Ecstasy (Lifeline, Non-equity Jeff Nomination for Actress in a Leading Role); A Streetcar Named Desire (Metropolis); Caravaggio (Silk Road Theatre Project); and Tango (Chopin).

She will also be understudying Sex with Strangers with Steppenwolf in the spring.

Tony Bozzuto Tony was last seen in the Jeff Recommended Orange Flower Water, and in On An Average Day (Jeff Nomination).

For about seven years, Tony has been honored to work his way around the Chicago theatre scene with such talented companies as

P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .)

Lifeline Theatre, Next Theatre, Metropolis PAC and of course BackStage Theatre Co. Whether on stage, television or film, Tony credits much of his skills and successes to his studies at the incomparable Hilberry Theatre in Detroit, MI, where he received his MFA. Samuel Buti Most recently, Samuel appeared in New Leaf’s acclaimed Curse of the Starving Class. Other theatre credits include: A.T.C. and Black Box Acting Studio’s Hot Georgia Sunday; a commercial production of The Quiet Man Tales; and a number of Emerald City Theatre plays. Film credits include: Gigglebot Media’s Ruperett and Casey Puccini’s Dinner. Sam is also a member of the sketch comedy group, Honest Productions. Many thanks to the collaborators and companies herein listed, BSTC for this opportunity, and the “family” that didn’t find their way into this bio. I dedicate this to you.

Bilal Dardai Bilal has spent most of his past ten years in Chicago as a playwright and performance artist, with occasional forays into so-called “straight” plays. As an ensemble member with The Neo-Futurists, Bilal has written, directed, and/or performed in such productions as Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind, Contraption, A Very NeoFuturist Christmas Carol, and Crisis: A Musical Game Show. He has also appeared in productions for Vitalist Theatre and New Leaf Theatre, including the latter’s critically acclaimed production of David Hare’s The Permanent Way. New Leaf has also produced two world premieres of his written work, 2007’s Vox Pandora and last year’s Jeff-nominated adaptation of The Man Who Was Thursday. This winter New Leaf is producing his new work Redeemers.

This is his first appearance with BSTC. Patrick De Nicola Patrick is thrilled to be back with Mr. Reeder and BackStage after taking on Edward Albee in last season’s The Play About the Baby. Other Chicago credits include:

Henry/Paul in The Ruby Sunrise (Theatre on the Lake & The Gift Theatre), Pete in Almost Maine (The Gift Theatre) and Collaboraction’s Sketchbook 9. This upcoming April he will be playing Sonny in American Theatre Co’s The Original: Grease. Patrick is a graduate of Second City and is a founding member of the Indy comedy troupe Shoelace Academy. Love and thanks to his family, Annie, his Shoelacers, his wonderful friends, and Gray Talent Inc. Patrick is a graduate of Emerson College (Boston, MA) with a BFA in Acting and a BA in Film.

Josh Hambrock Josh is excited to be making his BSTC debut.

Since moving to Chicago last year, Josh has been seen in the Jeff recommended production of The Philadelphia Story (Circle Theatre), Moby Dick…Rehearsed (The State Theatre), and the world premiere of Paper Thin Walls (Abraham Werewolf ). Professional credits include Measure for Measure and Much Ado About Nothing (Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival) and How the Other Half Loves and The Boys Next Door (Brown County Playhouse). Some past credits include Hamlet, Miss Julie, The Birthday Party, and A Moon for the Misbegotten. Josh studied at Indiana University and is originally from Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Shane Michael Murphy Shane could not be happier about making his BackStage debut with Memory. He most recently appeared as Toadsuck in Seven Snakes with The Mammals, and as Eddie in JPAC’s A Year in the Death of Eddie Jester. Favorite previous roles include Biondello in Short Shakespeare: Taming of the Shrew, Tristan Tzara in Travesties, and Kit Carson in The Time of Your Life. Shane would like to thank the exceptional cast and crew of Memory for the honor of working with them, and his friends and family for having his back.

BackStage Theatre Company 3

CREW Matthew Reeder (Director) Matthew is the Artistic Director of BackStage Theatre Company. Last Season he directed Wallace Shawn’s Aunt Dan & Lemon, and Edward Albee’s The Play About The Baby. Previous directing credits for BSTC include the Jeff Nominated On An Average Day, and the critically acclaimed production of Paula Vogel’s How I Learned To Drive. Matthew has directed Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Metropolis Performing Arts Center. Matthew is also a regular at Adventure Stage Chicago, where he directed the wildly popular theatrical adaptation of Louis Sachar’s Holes, as well as The Shakespeare Stealer, and Still Life with Iris. Other selected directing credits include Accomplice for Noble Fool Theatricals, The Glass Menagerie for Illinois Repertory Theatre, A Tempest by Aime Cesar for the “Playing French Festival” at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Woman in Black for Blue Ridge Theatre Festival. Matthew’s production of David Ives All in the Timing and English Made Simple was featured at the 1999 Sibiu International Theatre Festival in Sibiu, Romania. Matthew holds an M.F.A in Directing from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a B.S. in Musical Theater from Ball State University.

Jonathan Lichtenstein (Playwright) is from Wales. After a variety of careers, Jonathan studied drama at Bretton Hall.

After graduation, he founded the Yorkshire Theatre Company, a writing company. This new venture led to a freelance directing and writing career. During this period he started the first ever living museum at Wigan Pier. Later, he founded the Centre for Theatre Studies as the University of Essex. His first play Station, was selected as the play to open the new building for Soho Theatre in Dean Street, after which he was immediately commissioned to write a short play for Radio 4 about how the Soho venue was transformed from a synagogue into a theatre. He now combines a writing career with his work as the director for the Centre of Theatre Studies where he specializes in teaching playwrighting. He is married to the actress Barbara Peirson and they have three children.

Jen Poulin (Stage Manager) Jen is thrilled to be working with BackStage Theatre again, after a magical experience on Aunt Dan and Lemon last fall. Most recently, she collaborated with 2nd Story on a solo piece, Cabinalysis, for the Minnesota and 4 BackStage Theatre Company

Chicago Fringe Fests. Chicago stage management credits include EclipseTheatre, Theatre Mir, Mary Arrchie Theatre Company, Rasaka Theatre Company, WildClaw Theatre, and Silk Road Theatre Project. She holds a BFA in Theatre Studies from University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign. Love and thanks to cast and crew, her family and The Boy. Heath Hays (Scenic & Lighting Designer) Heath is a BackStage Ensemble member, where he has designed set for On An Average Day, The Memory of Water, Beauty on the Vine, Bloody Bess and Zombies from the Beyond as well as the Jeff-recommended shows Waiting for Lefty and Medea. He also designed sound for BackStage’s The Ruling Class and Seanachi Theatre’s drama Whistle in the Dark. He designed set for Infamous Conmmonwealth Theatre’s Keely and Du, GreyZelda’s Jeff-recommended production of A View From The Bridge as well as their Desire Under the Elms, and Hell in a Handbag’s Caged Dames. Heath has also worked for Grounded Theatre, Arena Dinner Theatre, and Village Players.

Angela M. Campos (Properties Designer) Angela is elated to join the talented production team and cast for her first production with BackStage Theatre Company. Since graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with Bachelors in English Literature and Cinema Studies, Angela has designed for a number of Chicago theatre companies.

Favorite Chicago credits include Autumn Garden (Eclipse Theatre Company), Sex Marks the Spot, (Grippo Productions), and Theories of the Sun (Sideshow Theatre Company) and Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Polarity Ensemble). Along with working in the theatre, Angela is currently working towards a B.A. in Interior Design with a concentration in Kitchen and Bath Design. She would like to thank her family, friends, roommate, and all the coffee shops in Chicago for their caffeinated support.

Marisa Williams (Costume Design) Marisa is excited for her costume design debut with BackStage Theatre Company.

Earning her BFA in Fashion Design at Moore College of Art Design in Philadelphia, Marisa has honed her talent to dress people with the help of friends, family, and many past customers of various famous retailers.

Having always loved design and historical costume, she is thrilled to combine the two with her personal shopper ability for this wonderful production. She would like to

C R E W ( c o n t .) thank BackStage for this opportunity and her wonderful husband for his support and encouragement - especially when it comes to doing what she loves.

Stephen Ptacek (Sound Design) Stephen is a Chicago based Sound Designer, Musician and Playwright. He has worked with a plethora of Chicago Storefront companies, and this is his second production with BackStage (his first was 2008’s Beauty on the Vine). He received a Jeff Award in 2008 for his Sound Design work on Adam Rapp’s Faster (Side Project) and is a company member with Dog & Pony. In addition to his theatre work, he is also a percussionist with El Is A Sound Of Joy, an experimental Jazz/ Rock collective. Stephen is also a faculty member with the MidCoastFreeSchool, a non-profit arts education program.

Ben Jacobson (Dramaturg) Ben graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BA in history

and minor in theatre. As a part of the Honors Program, his thesis—‘prechars, pryntars, and players’: Control, Conformity, and the Theatre Under Mary Tudor, 1553-58—won the departmental Martha Belle Barrett Prize for Outstanding Thesis in 2010. He is currently one of the literary interns at American Theater Company, and is pursuing a career as a dramaturg, sound designer, and historian. Credits as a sound designer include Dying City (Station Theatre, Urbana); In the Blood, Whispers of Bedlam, and Patient 307 (Armory Free Theatre, Champaign); and Moonchildren (U of I Dept. of Theatre). He was the sound board operator for 16th Street Theatre Company’s remounting of This Train (Steppenwolf Garage), and will be the board op for Steppenwolf’s First Look Rep new plays festival in October. Ben is very excited to be working with BackStage for the first time, and incredibly grateful to Matthew for giving him his first real dramaturgical opportunity.

S E A S O N 11: FA M I LY S E C R E T S We dance round in a ring and suppose, But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.

– Robert Frost Some secrets are discovered, some are revealed and some secrets actually die with the keeper. But all families have them. This season features an extraordinary pair of plays, a Chicago premiere and a reexamination of a contemporary classic . . . both revolving around the idea of family secrets. Join us on the journey to discovery as the Secret Season unfolds.

Also, we hope you will continue the conversation with us at our post-show discussions every Sunday after the performance, and on our blog.

Memory

by Jonathan Lichtenstein Matthew Reeder Artistic Director

6 BackStage Theatre Company

Three Days of Rain

by Richard Greenberg

C O M PA N Y P R O F L E S Matthew Reeder (Artistic Director) see Director bio Kim Van Tuyl (Managing Director) Kim is happy to serve BackStage in the role of Managing Director, originally serving as Audience Development Director for the previous two years. Several theaters have taken advantage of Kim’s services both in Chicago and regionally. They include: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Goodman Theatre, Grounded Theatre, Dominican University Performing Arts Center, Windy City Performing Arts, Maine State Music Theatre (Brunswick, ME), and Peninsula Players Theatre (Fish Creek, WI). Throughout her career Kim has focused on Theatre Management and Audience Development, but has also enjoyed work as an actor, director, sound designer and stage manager.

A graduate of Dominican University with a B.A. in Theatre Arts, Kim is the Box Office Manager of the historic 1300 seat Merle Reskin Theatre with The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Amy Monday (Development Director) Amy is the Development Director and co-founder of BackStage Theatre Company.

Under her direction, BackStage has met or exceeded its annual fundraising goals nearly every year since the company’s inception in 2000. Amy is also the Assistant Director of Development and Administration at the Evanston Community Foundation. Amy has a B.A. in Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has also completed the Philanthropy and NonProfit Fundraising program at Northwestern University. She and her husband, Paul, have two children, Kaitlyn and Kyle.

Jana Liles (Casting Director) Jana came to Chicago after receiving her B.F.A. in Theatre from Emporia State University in her home state of Kansas.

Continuing to pursue her education, she completed her M.F.A. in Theatre Performance from The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. She has performed with such theatre companies as Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (Julius Caesar), Quest Theatre Ensemble (The Wizard of Oz), 13Carat Productions (4Play: Bleach)The GreyZelda Theatre Group (The Skriker), Chemically Imbalanced Comedy (The Vietnamization of New Jersey and 2B (Or Not 2B)) and The Vittum Theater (A Woman Called Truth), while also appearing in numerous films and commercials. Jana also works full time as the Audience Development Coordinator for the award-winning Adventure Stage Chicago.

Kerensa Peterson (Literary Manager) Kerensa Peterson, BFA in Dramatic Arts from Emporia State University and MFA in Acting from the University of Florida, is thrilled to be an Ensemble member of BackStage Theatre Company. She has been seen in BackStage’s productions of Medea and The Ruling Class. She is also a member of the Laboratory for the Development of Substitute Materials. Two of her favorite roles include Amanda in Glass Menagerie with the New World Repertory Theatre, and Agnes Eggling in A Bright Room Called Day with Speaking Ring Theatre Company. She has been a writer, performer, movement coach and/or director with Chicago Fusion Theatre, Theatre Hikes, Halcyon Theatre, The Side Project, Chicago Danztheatre, the Neo-futurists, Pintig Cultural Group, the Side Project and the Chicago production of Gutenberg! The Musical. Proud to be a lifelong arts educator, she teaches acting, voice and movement, and has worked as a media educator for Facets Multimedia, Inc. Susan Hamel (Assistant Development Director) Susan has been involved in educational and regional theatres across

8 BackStage Theatre Company

C O M PA N Y P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .) the country, in administrative, creative and backstage positions, for more than thirty years. A retired educator, she relocated to the Chicago area to pursue her passion because of the broad theatre opportunities available. While best known as a stage director, she is currently focusing on expanding her administrative resume and looking forward to working with BackStage Theatre in support of their fine productions. Her primary interest at BackStage is researching and writing grants. When not playing in the theatre, Susan is occupied as an educational consultant and tax accountant.

David Zoltan (Assistant Development Director) David has lived a dozen lives on his strange path to joining BackStage for his inaugural season as Assistant Development Director. From being a secretary to owning his own business, from selling cars to being a consultant, his passion has always been in the theatre, and he’s excited to turn to his first love. David has worked as a fundraiser with Steppenwolf Theatre Company and is a thought leader in arts management

through his new social media venture, ArtsAppeal. He sits on the Governors Circle of the Steppenwolf Auxiliary Council, and helped Victory Gardens Theatre develop its young professionals group, Pulp. David grew up in Detroit, got his bachelor’s degree at Michigan State in East Lansing, his Masters of Arts Management at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, but he calls Chicago the best home he’s ever known.

Karl Smith (Marketing Manager) Karl comes from St. Louis, MO and has a large, musically inclined family and background. With his love of music and the arts, he majored in Marketing Management-Entertainment to share his passion of marketing and artistic expression. This is his first experience with BackStage Theatre Company and he looks to make it a rewarding, fun time! Karl has been in Chicago since 2008, and constantly looks for ways to involve himself with music and theatre around the Chicago area. You’ll probably recognize him because of his smile!

B AC K S TAG E T H E AT R E C O M PA N Y Artistic Director Matthew Reeder Managing Director Kim Van Tuyl Development Director Amy Monday BackStage Theatre Company Board of Directors Paul Monday, Chair Aaron Andersen, Treasurer Zachary Cook, Secretary Anthony Downing Heidrun Unterbeck Downing Jack Hickey Brandon Williams

Assistant Development Directors Susal Hamel David Zoltan Casting Director Jana Liles Literary Manager Kerensa Peterson Ensemble Members Brenda Barrie, Tony Bozzuto, Megan E. Frei, Heath Hays, Jessica Kuehnau, Ron Kuzava, Lindsey Miller, Michael Pacas, Eric Paskey, Kerensa Peterson, Sean Sullivan, Rebekah Ward-Hays, Brandon Wardell

Marketing Manager Karl Smith

M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T BackStage Theatre is a not-for-profit ensemble of theatre artists dedicated to the exploration of family. Through the creation of bold and eclectic productions, we question and examine what family means socially, spiritually, economically, emotionally, politically, and culturally. Our BackStage family is committed to the growth of all families.

For more information, visit www.backstagetheatrecompany.org BackStage Theatre Company 9

DONORS We are grateful for all our generous supporters during our 2009-2010 season (all gifts received August 1, 2009 – July 31, 2010) $5,000+ Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation $1,000 - $1,999 James and Susan Bachman CNA Foundation John Dangora Illinois Arts Council Motorola Foundation Quincy, Gala and Whizzer Brandon and Marisa Williams $250 - $499 Zachary Cook Heidrun Unterbeck and Anthony Downing Susan Downing Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Paul and Amy Monday James and Rebecca Reeder Patrick and Rebecca Spence

$100 - $249 Anonymous Amy Daigler and Aaron Andersen Vivek Beniwal Randall Chertkow Gina and Brent DelVecchio Peter Fulgenzi Jack Hickey Richard and Kathleen Katz Katherine Keberlein Grace Lee Atul and Aparna Modi Terri Hilton and Matthew Roth Frank and Karen Schneider Kim Taylor Daniel and Delores Ward Jim and Diana Zurer Kerensa Peterson and Seth Zurer Donors Andrea Atlass Deborah Holdstein and Jay Boersma

Mike and Pam Cramer Galen and Marge Gockel John and Tess Green Raymond Mitchell Nancy Rampson Stephen Ryan In Kind Donors Chopin Theatre Zachary Cook Heidrun Unterbeck and Anthony Downing Susan Downing Paul and Amy Monday Kim Taylor Nancy Thompson Vallea E. Woodbury Business Supporters Alliance Bakery & Cafe Austrian Bakery & Deli The Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Luke’s The Fifty/50

Ticket SPECIALS Visit Footlights.com to check out the latest event discounts.

10 BackStage Theatre Company

“10 F O R 10 ” C A M PA I G N Many thanks to all who supported our “10 for 10” campaign! The following people have given $10 or more in support of our 10th Anniversary Season.

Anonymous (2) Kara Allen Alfred Andreychuk Scott Antonucci Tom Arvetis Marsha Barrie Carrie Bauer Dana Black Janean Bowersmith Carole Breckbill Rosie and Mike Budrich Ron Butts Randall Chertkow Betty Cole Zachary Cook Gretchen Crone Erin Diener Nicolas Dimond Karen Durda Megan Farkas Suneeta Fernandes Tracie Gibler Lisa Ginet Deb and Kevin Grigg Sonja Hall Jewell Hamilton-Leaks Heather Harper

Barbara Harrison Ed Hawley Marge Hawley Robert Heiman Jessica Hoffmann Janet Holden Michael Johnson Maria Konopken Pete Lacey Mary Rose Lambke Susan Lapp Grace Lee Joan Lee Jana Liles Shirley and Roy Lundin Allegra Martin Colin McCormick Kenneth Miller Marshall Miller Matthew Miller Patricia Miller Rachel Miller Eugene Miller Ronald Moline Edward Mullikin Raj Nayak Pam Otto

• Calendar of Events • Feature Articles • Timely Arts News

Melinda Pagliarello Harry and Karen Parker Anne Pizzi Kirsten Plowman Laura Pyle John Randle James and Rebecca Reeder Matthew Reeder Scott Roos Matthew Roth John Salyers Cheryl Sigsbee Rebecca and Patrick Spence James Stanchfield Kevin Theis Blake Thomas Stephen Tovar Kim Van Tuyl Dan and Delores Ward Sunni Waterman Clay West Jodi Wojcik Marian Wood Rebecca Zeller Diana and Jim Zurer Kerensa Peterson and Seth Zurer

WEE T I C KK L Y ET GIVE AWA

YS

Photo: Milwaukee Rep

• Celebrity Video Blogs • Dining Guide • And more!

YOUR ONLINE GUIDE TO THE PERFORMING ARTS BackStage Theatre Company 11

Once the show is over… what do you do for fun?

Footlights is where you are – on Facebook, Twitter, the web, the blogosphere. Keep up with what’s happening in the arts and get special offers and giveaways!

Become a fan: facebook.com/footlights Follow us: twitter.com/footlightschi Make plans: footlights.com/chicago/events

iPhone is a trademark of Apple, Inc.