2013/14: the 59th Season On August 28th, our country marked the fiftieth anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The “Great March” of 1963 was a powerful demonstration that paved the way for the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, and it was at the March on Washington that Martin Luther King, Jr. laid out his vision for the country’s future in a speech now known by its most famous words, I Have a Dream. The focus on jobs and freedom continues to resonate today. The fiftieth anniversary of the march was marked by one of our neighbors, the DuSable Museum of African American History, who mobilized and inspired the public in an astounding recreation of the March on Washington in nearby Washington Park. It was also commemorated by another neighbor of ours—the President—who keeps a framed copy of a program from the March on Washington in the Oval Office. Our production, the Chicago premiere of Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop, follows closely on the heels of that fiftieth anniversary and commemorates a different speech of Dr. King’s. On April 3, 1968, speaking in Memphis in support of a sanitation workers’ strike, King maintained the themes of I Have a Dream while expressing peace with his own mortality: “I’ve been to the mountaintop... And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land.” This speech was to be his last. The Mountaintop is a fictional meditation on the final hours of Dr. King’s life following that last speech. It is not a historical account but a poetic drama born from the remarkable imagination of the playwright, Katori Hall. Rather than take the legend of Dr. King for granted, the play imagines him as a man with the strengths and flaws of any human being. Like Ms. Hall’s play, we present our subject matter with a mix of reverence, joy, curiosity, and hope. The Mountaintop is not just a new look at a revered icon; the play allows us to imagine ourselves in the presence of an extraordinary leader, one whose life was cut short, with perspective on the impact that his life has had on our nation. It is a wonderful fantasy. We’re pleased to begin our 59th Season with our Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson back at the helm. If you haven’t already subscribed, we hope that you’ll take a moment to consider the rest of Court Theatre’s award-winning season. Thank you for your support, and welcome back to Court.
Charles Newell, Artistic Director
Stephen J. Albert, Executive Director Court Theatre 1
2013/14: the 59th Season Ar t i st i c D i re ct o r CHA R L E S N E WE L L
E xe cu t i ve D ir ec t or S T E P H E N J . A LB ER T
CHICAG O P REMIERE
by Katori Hall directed by Ron OJ Parson | Sept 5 - Oct 6, 2013
Scenic Design by Scott Davis U.S.A. Costume Design by Melissa Torchia U.S.A. Lighting Design by Sarah Hughey U.S.A. Sound Design / Original Music by Victoria Delorio U.S.A. Video / Projection Design by Mike Tutaj U.S.A. Casting by Cree Rankin
Martine Kei Green-Rogers Production Dramaturg Sara Gammage* Production Stage Manager William Collins* Stage Manager
Original Broadway production produced by Jean Doumanian, Sonia Friedman Productions, Ambassador Theater Group, Raise the Roof 7, Ted Snowdon, Alhadeff Productions/Lauren Doll, B Square + 4 Productions/Broadway Across America, Jacki Barlia Florin/Cooper Federman, Ronnie Planalp/Moellenberg Taylor and Marla Rubin Productions/Blumenthal Performing Arts, in association with Scott Delman. THE MOUNTAINTOP was developed at the Lark Play Development Center, New York City, and was first produced by Theatre 503 in June 2009 and further produced at Trafalgar Studio One in July 2009 by Sonia Friedman Productions and Jean Doumanian, Tali Pelman for Ambassador Theatre Group, Bob Bartner, Freddy DeMann, Jerry Frankel, Ted Snowdon and Marla Rubin Productions Ltd. THE MOUNTAINTOP was developed at the 2008 Bay Area Playwrights Festival, a program of the Playwrights Foundation (Amy L. Mueller, Artistic Director). THE MOUNTAINTOP is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union. Those Designers and Scenic Artists identified by U.S.A. are members of United Scenic Artists, I.A.T.S.E. Local USA829, AFLCIO,CLC. *Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Sponsored by
Court Theatre 2
Ron OJ Parson’s Artistic Residency is made possible by a grant from
CAST Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. .............................................. David Alan Anderson* Camae ........................................................................................... Lisa Beasley Understudies: Mark Smith (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), Jennifer Glasse (Camae) *Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
SETTING 3 April 1968. Room 306, Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee. THE MOUNTAINTOP is presented without an intermission. This production contains simulated cigarette smoking with a water-vapor device.
SPECIAL THANKS Barbara Andrews (National Civil Rights Museum) Edwin Frank and Christopher Ratliff (University of Memphis Library, Special Collections) Solomon Ondomo Julia Ogorodnikova DuSable Museum of African American History Audio recordings courtesy of Special Collections, University of Memphis Libraries Pemon Rami Cover photo of David Alan Anderson by joe mazza/brave lux inc. Court Theatre performs in the intimate Abelson Auditorium, made possible through a gift from Hope and Lester Abelson. The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited. Please turn off all phones, pagers, and chiming watches. Court Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. Productions are made possible, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; a City Arts grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; and the Cultural Outreach Program of the City of Chicago. Court Theatre is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for the American Theatre, the League of Resident Theatres, the Illinois Humanities Council, Arts Alliance Illinois, and the League of Chicago Theatres.
Court Theatre 3
PLAY NOTES In Conversation with Director Martine: Why did you want to direct The Mountaintop?
RON OJ PARSON During the first week of rehearsals, Dramaturg Martine Kei GreenRogers sat down with Director Ron OJ Parson to interview him about the play and the rehearsal process.
Ron: Growing up, Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of my idols. Though, the challenge of doing this play is that it is not about the legend as we have come to know him and love him, but more about him as a person, a human. Also, his birthday is a few days before mine. His is January 15th and mine is January 19th. So, I always felt an affinity for him. In addition, I recently had an opportunity to work on a project, the MLK Project with Yolanda Androzzo at the Writers’ Theatre, in which I met, and interviewed, Rev. Billy Kyles, who was with Martin Luther King, Jr. at the time of his assassination. Through this project, we had the opportunity to explore various aspects of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., so I was already in the mind-set necessary to begin working on this show. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s surroundings and environments always intrigued me, and so this play is a good opportunity to take the challenge of working on his life outside of the movement. Also this play provides numerous opportunities to collaborate with all types of fine theatrical artists, in a technical sense. I don’t want to divulge too much to the people who have not seen the play yet, but there are some interesting technical aspects of the play that I am excited to have the opportunity to bring to life, in our way, onstage. Martine: Thank you for that! My next question is, what is the most important thing an audience should understand about this show before watching it? Ron: That it will not be the typical story of Martin Luther King, Jr.—it will be an interesting study of the man himself. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a human first, a man who was struggling with his own personal demons as well as the issues and problems of the world. Also, one more thing, he was an international icon, not just a national one. Hence, the Nobel Peace Prize. Martine: I know that it is very early in the rehearsal process as this interview is occurring, but have you made any new discoveries about the play or MLK, Jr. since rehearsals began? Ron: Yes, it is early in the process, especially since we are only four days into rehearsals. (Laughs.) At the moment, all I can say is that my process is one of discovery. Not only mine, but the actors’! So, at this stage it is too early to say if I have discovered anything new about the play. In terms of the man, himself, some of the things that you have brought to the table in your research for the show CONTINUED ON P 7 Court Theatre 4
DIRECTOR’S
NOTE
When Charlie first asked me to take the reins and climb this mountain, I was initially hesitant, because Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of those figures who we know and love in one light but who, in another light, have the same trials and tribulations, doubts, pressures, stresses, faults, highs and lows that we all have. We sometimes don’t realize that our icons and leaders are real human beings. Given the controversy surrounding MLK, who led the way for many of the rights we have today, it was a wonder he was able to accomplish anything under the constant barrage of speculations and pressures. I dedicate this production to the memory of the many leaders who gave their lives, so that we may have many of the rights we take for granted today. Of course, the dream is still alive. The battle rages on and we continue the quest for freedom and equality. It is a protracted struggle. We must keep his dream alive and of course we must continue to march: Uno para todos, y todos para uno If this is the same avenue my ancestors fought 2 liberate How come I can’t buy a piece of it even if my credit’s straight? If all the water’s dirty and I wanna lay the pipe, my dammy The river that I drink from, will it be the same as your mammy? Now’s the time 2 find a rhyme That’s got a reason and frees the mind From angry thoughts, the racist kind If we all wanna a change it come on get in line Next time we march We’re kickin’ down the door Next time we march All is what we’re marchin’ 4… -from “We March” by Singer-Songwriter Prince
Photo by joe mazza/brave lux inc. Court Theatre 5
of good. Allstate is a proud sponsor of Court Theatre’s The Mountaintop. © 2013 Allstate Insurance Company
Court Theatre 6
PLAY NOTES have been fascinating. I have been able to discover some new things about his relationships with the people who constantly surrounded him, such as Ralph Abernathy and his family. Which I probably wouldn’t have known if not for the dramaturgy work you did. Martine: Well, thank you for the compliment! So, what is your relationship with the ideas, themes, etc. found in the play? Is there anything in the play that you connect with emotionally? Ron: We are all human, whether we are Black, White, Latino, Asian, etc. We are all humans, first and foremost! Martin Luther King, Jr.’s philosophy (although we have come to look at it as a matter of “Black” and “White” issues) evolved as he evolved into his destiny as a civil rights leader. MLK, Jr. and Malcolm X were looking at the world as a whole as opposed to just “Black” and “White.” Martine: That’s beautiful! So, what are you looking forward to, the most, about this process? At this point, William Collins, from the Court’s Theatre’s Stage Management Team, interjects. William: Besides working with the award-winning Stage Management Team? (Laughs) Ron: (Laughs) Didn’t I say that at the Jeff Awards one time? I think when I received my award; I talked about how if it were not for the stage managers, I wouldn’t have this award. Wait, so ask me the question again? Martine: (Laughs) This conversation just became hilarious! So, what are you looking forward to about this rehearsal process? Ron: I love that this is a two-character piece. Working on a show with only two characters gives you the ability to focus on the actors for a longer period of time during the rehearsal process. I have two actors who are willing to open up their hearts to developing the process with me. To clarify, my process is very different from those of other directors, it’s organic, and it is good having two actors who are willing to accept my techniques and strategies to achieve the result we are all looking for. And also, as I said before, collaborating with top-notch designers and creative artists from Chicago, the best theatre city in the world! Martine: For my last question, I was wondering if there was anything else you wanted to add, to share with the audience, about you, or this play, as they sit down to watch this amazing production? Ron: I am enjoying the opportunity to direct a play about a man I have admired since childhood and to, once again, delve into the theatricality here at the Court Theatre since it always allows for me to expand my creative process. I hope that everyone enjoys the result of my (and my artistic team and actors’) growth, as artists, during this time. Court Theatre 7
KATORI Court Theatre 8
PLAY NOTES
the
Playwright
by Resident Artist Drew Dir
On April 3, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a speech at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee in support of striking sanitation workers. The speech, which contextualized the local struggle of the Memphis workers in terms of the national civil rights movement, turned out to be King’s final address before he was assassinated the next day. Many were in attendance for King’s last speech, in which he proclaimed that he had “been to the mountaintop” and “seen the Promised Land”; he concluded by quoting the Battle Hymn of the Republic, “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” Many other Memphis citizens, however, stayed away that night. Rumor had it that there were threats of violence, including a plan to bomb the church where King spoke. One of those to stay home was fifteen year-old Carrie Mae Golden, the mother of Mountaintop playwright Katori Hall. “There are certain things that you regret until the day you die, and that’s one of them,” recalled Golden to the New Yorker (Schulman). Golden’s own mother had heard the rumors of potential violence and refused to let her daughter join the crowd at Mason Temple. The family story of missed opportunity stuck with Katori Hall, who says it “planted a seed in me so deep that when I got the skill and the desire and passion to write the story, I took it on” (Soloski). By Hall’s own admission, the character of the chambermaid in The Mountaintop, Camae (short for “Carrie Mae”), is modeled after the personality and viewpoint of Hall’s mother. Katori Hall herself grew up in Memphis not far from the Lorraine Motel where King was fatally shot; as a child she came into frequent contact with King’s legacy, but wasn’t exposed to much theater until attending Columbia University on a full scholarship, where she studied African American studies and creative writing. Soon, she grew interested in the theatre, and during her junior year she took an acting class and was asked to find a scene that she and her scene partner, another African American woman, could perform together. After combing through the library’s collection of plays, they could find nothing written for two young black women; their teacher didn’t know of any titles, either. It was a defining moment in Hall’s education, convincing her that if nobody else was writing roles for actors like her, then she would have to write them herself (Soloski).
HALL
CONTINUED ON P 10 Court Theatre 9
PLAY NOTES Hall went on to study acting at the ART Institute, dividing her time between Harvard University and Moscow; soon, she arrived at Juilliard to study playwriting. There she began work on The Mountaintop at the age of twenty-six; after a workshop at the Lark Play Development Center, a British theatre group expressed interest in producing the play. The Mountaintop premiered in London in a small 65-seat theatre above a pub and became an instant hit; the Guardian wrote that the play “marks Hall as a playwright ascending the mountain” (Gardner). The production transferred to London’s West End where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play of 2010, the first time the award had ever been given to a black female playwright. In 2011, The Mountaintop premiered on Broadway with Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett in the roles of Dr. King and Camae. At the time of The Mountaintop’s U.S. premiere, an unprecedented three plays by African American women were being produced on Broadway at the same time (Lydia Diamond’s Stick Fly, Suzan-Lori Parks’s new book for Porgy and Bess, and Hall’s The Mountaintop); it seemed to signal the beginning of a long-awaited change to a field dominated by men, particularly white men. The trend failed to take hold, and Broadway returned to its standard practice the next season. Still, Katori Hall seems to answer the American theatre’s dearth of black female voices with her productivity; she is one of the hardest-working and most prolific playwrights working today. “I want to be emerging always,” Hall said to fellow “emerging” playwright Tarrell Alvin McCraney in an interview. “I’m in a transitional period with my identity. I’m a young black woman, but who is Katori Hall beyond that?” Beyond The Mountaintop, to name a few, her plays include Hoodoo Love and Hurt Village, both complex treatments of her hometown of Memphis; WHADDABLOODCLOT!!!, a satire of race and class about a wealthy Upper-East-Sider who awakens from a stroke to discover that she can only speak with a heavy Jamaican accent; and Children of Killers, an exploration of the descendants and survivors of the Rwandan genocide. In addition to productions of these new plays, American audiences all over the country are quickly being introduced to Katori Hall’s distinctive and uncompromising voice through myriad productions of The Mountaintop. “If you want a play with King on a pedestal,” she told the Washington Post earlier this year, “there is a play for you over there. If you want a sanitized version of black women, there is a play over there. I can’t please everybody” (Brown). Works Cited Brown, Deneen L., “Playwright Katori Hall: Young, gifted and fearlessly redefining theater,” Washington Post, March 8, 2013. Gardner, Lyn, “The Mountaintop (Review),” Guardian, June 17, 2009. McCraney, Tarrell Alvin, “Theater’s Hottest New Voices On Why The Great White Way Is Not the Holy Grail,” Aleim Magazine, Issue No. 3, October 2012. Schulman, Michael, “King’s Speech,” New Yorker, September 19, 2011, 30. Soloski, Alexis, “The Ascent of Katori Hall,” American Theatre, October 2012.
Court Theatre 10
Exclusive Listings At
Come see our two amazing homes in this classic art deco building. incredible views of the lake, gleaming parquet floors, updated kitchens and parking. come live in a Building with doorman, indoor pool and a ballroom. Call us to view anytime.
4950 S. Chicago Beach Drive Units 19A & 12B (773) 667-1000 • www.metroprorealty.com Court Theatre 11
the center for
CLASSIC T H E AT R E
Campaign for the Center for Classic Theatre at Court Theatre Court Theatre recognizes those individuals whose generosity supported the creation of The Center for Classic Theatre at Court Theatre and the University of Chicago.
Leadership Supporters Virginia and Gary Gerst Barbara and Richard Franke David and Marilyn Fatt Vitale Karen and James Frank Additional support provided by: Linda and Stephen Patton Lawrence E. Strickling and Sydney L. Hans Lorna Ferguson and Terry Clark Ms. Margaret Maxwell Zagel and the Honorable James Zagel Helen and Roland Baker Michael Lowenthal and Amy Osler Photo of Patrese D. McClain by Michael Brosilow.
Court Theatre 12
PLAY NOTES
The Little-Known Man by Martine Kei Green-Rogers, PhD
“As I listened to Ralph Abernathy in his eloquent and generous introduction and then thought about myself, I wondered who he was talking about. It’s always good to have your closest friend and associate say something good about you. And Ralph is the best friend that I have in the world.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking at Mason Temple, Memphis, April 3, 1968 Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 15, 1929 and assassinated on April 4, 1968, is a complicated public figure who left behind a prolific legacy when he died. In the years leading up to his assassination, the life of a very public civil rights advocate had taken its toll on him. Martin Luther King, Jr. had become increasingly nervous and depressed as numerous agencies across the nation began to purposefully discredit him amongst the other leaders and followers of the Civil Rights Movement. For example, “dirty jokes and bawdy remarks King had made” were found on a tape that the FBI created from wiretaps and bugs they had placed in his hotel room at Washington’s Willard Hotel and other places (Garrow 373). These tapes also include sounds of “people engaging in sex” and were sent to Mrs. King with a threatening letter that “seemed to suggest King commit suicide” (Garrow 374). These tapes also include sounds of “people engaging in sex” and were sent to Photo of David Alan Anderson by joe mazza/brave lux inc.
CONTINUED ON P 14 Court Theatre 13
PLAY NOTES Mrs. King with a threatening letter that “seemed to suggest King commit suicide” (Garrow 374). In addition, surveillance revealed that Dr. King was a smoker and his autopsy revealed a serious heart condition that was probably a result of stress and poor eating habits. This attempt to discredit him proved that although he is a legend, he was still human, and that he had a large cross to bear as the leader and public face of the Civil Rights Movement. To take a step back, how did Martin Luther King, Jr., the man and the legend, find himself in Memphis on that fateful day and how does that connect to us now? Dr. King was in town to continue the work he started on March 28th of 1968 to help bring attention to the problematic working conditions of the African American sanitation workers in Memphis. Unfortunately, the peaceful march/protest descended into violence that ended with “155 stores…damaged, 60 people injured, and a sixteen-year-old Negro Boy killed by police gunfire” (Oates 477). This young man’s (Larry Payne) death haunted Dr. King. Therefore, he decided to return to Memphis to finish what he started, this time with a (hopefully) non-violent ending. Dr. King’s last speech, given the day before his death (on April 3rd) in Memphis (as a precursor to the march that was scheduled for the 8th), occurred after much prodding by his friend, Ralph Abernathy. Dr. King had sent Abernathy to the Mason Temple in his stead, because he was tired and concerned that the possibility of a low turnout due to poor weather in Memphis might get coverage by the press, making people falsely think the movement was losing steam. Unbeknownst to all, the events of the next day would give the movement new power through an incredible loss. Many of the events of the day, and the good that came from the day, are often masked by the assassination event itself. However a question that Dr. King posed prior to his death illustrates the power in the legacy he left behind. “The question, King said, was not what would happen to him if he stopped to help those men. ‘The question is, if I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them’” (Oates 485). Change occurred, for the benefit of the workers, in despite of, or possibly because of, Dr. King’s death. I believe that The Mountaintop, amongst the many other plays that are discussing, documenting, and revising African American history, is important. These plays complicate American history by making the legends of this pivotal moment in African American history accessible. The stories they tell and the humanness they portray, through the fictionalization of these people, empower all of us to continue working towards the creation of a better America without allowing us the excuse that we are not “good enough” or “saintly enough” to put ourselves on the line for progress. Or if anything else, it reminds us that none of us are perfect but we all have the ability to enact change. Works Cited Garrow, David J. Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1986. Oates, Stephen B. Let the Trumpet Sound: A Life of Marin Luther King, Jr. New York: HarperCollins, 1994.
Court Theatre 14
Commyounity. Just the right balance of connection and individuality in a single retirement community. Sometimes you want to be in the middle of things. Other times you want to do something entirely on your own. You definitely will find Montgomery Place to your liking. The interesting people you’ll know here and the interests they pursue come in a variety of flavors. Together they make up an especially smart, friendly and diverse community. Yet for all the shared experiences you can have here, you’ll fully enjoy being just who you are. Could there be a sweeter choice than this established lakefront community in Hyde Park? When you live at Montgomery Place, your future is secure and every day is filled with opportunity. Visit our website. Then call to schedule a private consultation. See how delicious living in this place can be. The views. The amenities. The location. The lifestyle. The opportunities. Redefining Retirement 5550 South Shore Drive • Chicago, IL 60637 Montgomery Place is a not-for-profit (773) 753-4102 • www.montgomeryplace.org 501(c)(3) organization.
Court Theatre 15
PLAY NOTES
When King Made History
at UChicago
By Susie Allen and Michael Drapa
Martn Luther King, Jr. Day was first established by an act of Congress in 1986, and every January, the University of Chicago hosts its own annual MLK Day Celebration featuring speakers, seminars, and open community discussions. The centerpiece of the celebration is the keynote address in Rockefeller Memorial Chapel; past speakers have included Dr. Angela Davis, Melissa Harris-Perry, and Barack Obama. In the following article published last year, Susie Allen and Michael Drapa trace the tradition back to Dr. King’s own visits to the University of Chicago and Rockefeller Chapel. On April 13, 1956, a 27-year-old preacher with a powerful voice and a resounding message stood in the pulpit of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel. “We cannot slow up, because we have a date with destiny and we must move with all deliberate speed,” Martin Luther King, Jr. told the men and women crowded into Rockefeller’s pews. “This is a conflict between the forces of light and dark, and in the end there will be victory for justice and democracy because love will triumph … If you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl, but keep moving forward!” That Rockefeller speech, often overlooked, was King’s first major address in Chicago. He would make three visits to the University of Chicago campus between 1956 and 1966 — a decade that proved transformative for the nation and for King. In 1964 alone, Congress passed the historic Civil Rights Act and King received the Nobel Peace Prize. With each visit, King deepened his ties to the city of Chicago and inspired new audiences with his message of hope, justice, and courage.
‘A glorious day’ Local activist and civil rights leader Timuel Black, AM’54, was instrumental in bringing King to Rockefeller Chapel in 1956. Black left the Army after World War II ready to fight injustice on the home front. “We came home, determined to make the world a better place,” he remembers. He first saw King on TV during the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, and was struck by the young minister’s passion and charisma. Black and fellow members of the First Unitarian Church encouraged their minister to invite King to speak at an upcoming conference of Unitarians and Universalists. They moved the conference to Rockefeller after realizing the First Unitarian Church at 56th and Woodlawn was too small to accommodate the crowd King was expected to draw. CONTINUED ON P 18 Court Theatre 16
Article originally published by the University of Chicago News Office on January 9, 2012.
Rachel Watson, from the Divinity School, reads a letter written by Dr. Martin Luther King during the University of Chicago’s MLK celebration at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel Thursday, January 17, 2013. (Photo by Robert Kozloff ) Court Theatre 17
PLAY NOTES King’s speech offered “a very strong message of a way to protest,” Black says. “It was a very important part of the beginning of civil rights.” The speech is believed to be King’s first major address in Chicago. (Records indicate that in February 1956, he visited Shiloh Baptist Church on the South Side.) In his Rockefeller speech, King emphasized the importance of peaceful resistance to the injustices of segregation. “We must use as our weapons, the love which transcends everything and can make you compassionate with those who hate you,” he told the congregation, according to the Chicago Defender. King helped the early civil rights protestors see a viable way to achieve their goals, Black says. “We had the idea, but we didn’t have the method.” King’s 1956 visit “stands out clearly in my mind,” Mark Morrison-Reed, AM’77, wrote in his memoir, In Between: Memoir of an Integration Baby. “When he ascended the podium, a hush settled over the audience…[W]e were awed by the presence of a man who inspired simple black folk to walk over 370 days for the right for a seat on the bus.” Longtime Unitarian church member Norma Poinsett, then 30 years old, recalls how King’s moving words affected her. “The most impressive thing was to see such a young person like me, speaking with such clarity on what I felt needed to be done in this country,” says Poinsett, who was in the Chapel with her husband Alex, who had covered King as a senior editor for Ebony magazine. Black says the speech left the crowd “jubilant, from a religious, as well as a non-religious perspective. He inspired and informed. It was a glorious day.” The visit to Rockefeller also helped to raise King’s profile nationally. He soon began getting more requests to speak at other major churches across the country. “It gave a certain validity,” Black explains. “If a bigtime church like Rockefeller would have this man, then I have to have him, too.” Court Theatre 18
PLAY NOTES On Oct. 25, 1959, King returned to Rockefeller Chapel to preach at the Sunday service. According to the Chicago Maroon, King was hopeful about the progress of the civil rights movement. “We are, in the South, moving from a negative peace, where Negroes accept a subordinate place in society, to a positive peace, where all people live in equality,” he said. The documents recording King’s visits are treasured items in the Rockefeller Chapel archives, says Davenport. For the 1959 event, Chapel secretary Marilyn Lickfield made one small notation on the Sunday program: “Chapel filled for this service.”
‘Still at it’ By the mid-1960s, the civil rights movement had made substantial gains: Little Rock High School and the University of Mississippi were integrated. The 24th amendment was passed, abolishing poll taxes, and President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law. For King, however, the struggle was far from over. On Jan. 26, 1966, he moved his family into a tenement on Chicago’s West Side to draw attention to the plight of the nation’s poor. Just one day later, he spoke at Student Government’s Speakers Series in Mandel Hall, where he called for economic reforms aimed at combating the spread of urban slums. Yet his hope was unflagging. “I do not think that the tiny nation that stood in majesty at Concord and Lexington, that electrified a world with the words of the Declaration of Independence, will defame its heritage to avoid a responsibility,” King said, according to the Maroon. “That is why I believe not only in the future of the Negro family, but also the future of the family of man.” David Stameshkin, U-High’63, AB’67, helped organize King’s visit to campus that day. “I arranged to use a guest room on the main floor of Pierce Tower for Rev. King to rest and spend some time that afternoon preparing his remarks for the evening talk,” he recalls. Later that evening, Stameshkin accompanied King for a short ride from Pierce to Mandel Hall. “I recall Rev. King, shivering a little in a thin raincoat. He said that he had left Atlanta without a warm coat because his wife (who had packed for him) had not realized how cold it would be in Chicago at that time of year.” “It was, for me at least, a very memorable day,” Stameshkin says. King would not return to campus again, but the memory of his visits lingers. “There’s just an extraordinary feeling when I remember the people who have preached from this pulpit,” Davenport says. “The sense of hearing Dr. King’s footsteps echoing through the chapel, the sense of hearing his voice in this very space where I spend my day, is a very moving thing.” Timuel Black, now 93, proudly carries on the work of the man who called him “Brother Black.” “Still at it,” Black says. Court Theatre 19
PROFILES DAVID ALAN ANDERSON (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) is honored to make his Court Theatre debut. He is a 2013 recipient of the prestigious Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship, sponsored by the Ten Chimneys Foundation. A resident of Indianapolis, he is a frequent performer with Indiana Repertory Theatre, where his many credits include The Whipping Man, Radio Golf, Gem of the Ocean, Romeo and Juliet, The Heavens are Hung in Black, A Christmas Carol, the title role in Julius Caesar, and the one man show Looking Over the President’s Shoulder. He is a company member with the critically acclaimed Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul, MN, where his credits include King Hedley II, Seven Guitars, Two Trains Running, and Jitney. Regional credits include Troy in Fences at Denver Center, Walter Lee in A Raisin in the Sun at The Guthrie, Penumbra, Cleveland Playhouse, Arizona Theatre Co., and Kansas City Rep, Othello at Great Lakes Theatre and Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Kent in King Lear and Othello at Pennsylvania Shakespeare, and Sebastian in The Tempest at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Other credits include Geva Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare, St. Louis Black Repertory, and Peoples Light. Directing credits include Most Valuable Player and The Color of Justice at Indiana Repertory, and Topdog/Underdog and Two Trains Running at the Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis. He also works in film and television and does voice-over work. LISA BEASLEY (Camae) is excited for her first Court Theatre experience. Her recent credits include eta Creative Arts Foundation’s Field of Souls (Ruby) and Flow (Will Power); Black Ensemble Theatre’s The Marvin Gaye Story (Ensemble), One Name Only (Tanika), The Other Cinderella (Margarite), and From Doo Wop to Hip Hop (Nina), and she is a company member with Black Ensemble’s Plays With A Purpose and The High School Series. Originally from Gary, IN, Lisa is a graduate of The LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, TN with a B.A. in Classical Jazz Studies and also attended The American Musical and Dramatic Academy of Los Angeles. Visit www.TheLisaBExperience.com. KATORI HALL (Playwright) is a playwright and performer from Memphis, Tennessee. Her award-winning play Hoodoo Love premiered at Cherry Lane Theatre in 2007. It was developed under Lynn Nottage as part of the theatre’s Mentor Project and received three AUDELCO nominations. Her other plays include Remembrance, Hurt Village, Saturday Night/Sunday Morning, The Mountaintop, On the Chitlin’ Circuit, and Freedom Train (KCACTF ten minute play national finalist). Her work has been developed and presented at the American Repertory Theatre, Kennedy Center, Cherry Lane Theatre, Classical Theatre of Harlem, BRICLab, Women’s Project, New Professional Theatre, The O’Neill, the Juilliard School, Stanford University, and Columbia University. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Lecompte du Nouy Prize, North Manhattan Arts Alliance Fellowship, New York State Council on the Arts Grant, New Professional Theatre’s Writers’ Festival award, Fellowship of Southern Writers Bryan Family Award, New York Foundation of the Arts Fellowship, Royal Court Theatre Residency, and the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award. She has also been a Kennedy Center Playwriting Fellow. As an actor, her credits include Law & Order: SVU, The President’s Puppets (The Public), Growing Up a Slave (American Place Theatre), Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (American Place Theatre), Amerika (Theatre de la Jeune Lune), Spring Awakening (Moscow Art), Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death (Classical Theatre of Harlem), Schooled (WOW Café), and Black Girl (Sande Shurin). As a journalist, her work has been published in The Boston Globe, Essence, and Newsweek. She graduated from Columbia University with a major in African-American Studies and Creative Writing. In 2005, she graduated from the American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard. She is now a student in the Juilliard School’s Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program. She is a proud Court Theatre 20
PRODUCTION STAFF Assistant Director.............................................................................................................. Henri Watkins Scenic Assistant................................................................................................................... Michelle Lily Lighting Assistant.........................................................................................................Rebecca Jeffords Sound Assistant.................................................................................................................................... Amanda Sager Musician.................................................................................................................................................... Orbert Davis Consultant, Illusions.........................................................................................................Walter King, Jr. Consultant, Spoken Word............................................................................................... Kristiana Col贸n Scenic Artists......................................................................... Scott Gerwitz U.S.A., Julie Ruscitti U.S.A. Carpenters.................................................Kevin Decker, Erik Tylkowski, Brian Claggett, Josh Lambert Wig Design.........................................................................................................................................Christina Carlson Wardrobe Supervisor...............................................................................................................................Jodi Schmidt Costume Shop Assistant................................................................................................................. Alexia Rutherford Assistant Master Electrician............................................................................................ Jessica Goings Electricians.....................................................Erik Barry, Tamar Daskin, Soren Ersbak, Jared Gooding, Greg Hoffman, Tristan Meredith, Cassie Mings, Dayna Shrader, Chris Wilham Video Programmer................................................................................................................................. Alex Buholzer Video Editor...............................................................................................................................................Hillary Leben Sound/Video Load-in Crew.....................................................................................Sarah Gilmore, Claudette Perez Floor Manager..................................................................................................................... Katie Adams Scenic Artists identified by U.S.A. are members of United Scenic Artists, I.A.T.S.E. Local USA829, AFL-CIO,CLC.
Court Theatre 21
Behind-the-scenes means more than just going backstage. ’
A donation of $2,500 or more each year ensures your invitation to our Producers’ Circle dinners. Learn more by contacting: Rebecca Silverman
773-834-5293 rsilverman@uchicago.edu
Join the Producers’ Circle, a donor society that gives you exclusive access to the research and creative process behind each Court Theatre production. Court Theatre’s Producers’ Circle offers our most passionate supporters unique, behind-the-scenes previews of select productions each season. At three dinners a year, scholarship and artistry intersect when renowned faculty from the University of Chicago join Court’s Artistic Director Charles Newell and other members of the artistic team in conversation and exploration.
Photo by joe mazza/brave lux inc. Court Theatre 22
PROFILES member of the Women’s Project Playwrights’ Lab, the Lark Playwrights’ Workshop, and the Dramatists Guild. Visit www.katorihall.com. RON OJ PARSON (Director / Resident Artist) is a native of Buffalo, New York and a graduate of the University of Michigan’s professional theatre program. He is a co-founder and former artistic director of The Onyx Theatre Ensemble of Chicago. Mr. Parson is a resident artist at Court Theatre. He has worked as an actor and director. Chicago directing credits include Chicago Theatre Company, Victory Gardens Theater, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, Northlight Theatre, Court Theatre, Black Ensemble Theatre, eta Creative Arts Foundation, City Lit Theater, Writers’ Theatre, Urban Theater Company, and Congo Square Theatre Company. Regional credits include Virginia Stage Company, Portland Stage Company, Studio Arena Theatre, Roundabout Theatre, Wilshire Theatre, The Mechanic Theatre, CenterStage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Repertory, St. Louis Black Repertory, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, Geva Theatre, Signature Theatre, and Alliance Theatre. In Canada, he directed the world premiere of Palmer Park by Joanna McClelland Glass at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario. Ron directed Blue (South Bend Civic Theatre), I Just Stopped by to See the Man (Alliance Theatre), and Jitney (South Coast Rep and Pasadena Playhouse). He is a proud member of AEA, SAG, AFTRA, and SDC. Visit www.ronojparson.com. SCOTT DAVIS (Scenic Designer) previously designed James Joyce’s “The Dead” at Court Theatre. Other Chicago credits include productions with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, Drury Lane Theatre, American Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre, and Northwestern University. International credits include productions with: Shakespeare’s Globe, Unicorn Theatre (London), The Market Theatre (Johannesburg), The Neuss (Germany), and the Edinburgh Festival (Scotland). Regional credits include Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Rep Stage, and Dallas Theatre Center. Mr. Davis serves as adjunct faculty at Columbia College having received degrees from the University of Maryland College Park and Northwestern University. Visit www.scottadamdavis.com. MELISSA TORCHIA (Costume Designer) is designing for Court Theatre for the second time after working on Jitney last season. Other credits include The Crownless King, Rose and the Rime, and Iron Stag King (The House Theatre of Chicago); The Verona Project (California Shakespeare Theater); My Fair Lady, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Hair (Paramount Theatre); Grease (American Theatre Project); Gypsy, Aida, and Sugar (Drury Lane Oakbrook); Peter Pan (Lookingglass Theatre); Samuel J and K (Steppenwolf Theatre); Not Wanted on the Voyage (American Musical Theatre Project, Northwestern University); The Importance of Being Earnest (Remy Bumppo Theatre); and Abigail’s Party and Butcher of Baraboo (A Red Orchid Theater). Ms. Torchia completed her Masters in Costume Design at Northwestern University and in June of 2011 presented her design work at the Prague Quadrennial, an international scenography conference. SARAH HUGHEY (Lighting Designer) is designing for the first time at Court. Chicago credits include Invasion!, Lake Effect, Night Over Erzinga, Yellowface, and Scorched (Jeff Award for Lighting Design) for Silk Road Rising, where she is Resident Lighting Designer; Goodnight Moon, The Houdini Box, and The Elephant and the Whale (Redmoon) (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Wilson Wants It All, Girls vs. Boys, and The Iron Stag King (House Theatre); Moment, Festen, and Parlour Song (Steep Theatre); Hamlet (Writers’ Theatre); Black Pearl Sings (Northlight); The Kid Thing (About Face); Collected Stories (American Blues); Into the Big Green Meadow and Pulcinella (Lookingglass w/ Chicago Symphony Orchestra); and shows with Fox Valley Rep, Lifeline, Teatro Vista, The Gift, A Red Orchid Theatre, and many others. Sarah is the 2013 recipient of Chicago’s Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award. She holds an MFA from Northwestern University and teaches at NU and Columbia College Chicago. Court Theatre 23
PROFILES VICTORIA DEIORIO (Sound Designer / Composer) is thrilled to be making her Court Theatre debut. OffBroadway: Two Point Oh at Primary Stages, The Bluest Eye with Steppenwolf at The Duke Theatre; Cassie’s Chimera at Joe’s Pub (The Public); Arnie the Doughnut at the NY Music Theatre Festival; Ophelia at the NYC Fringe Fest; The God of Hell at the Actor’s Studio (Associate); Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams at Primary Stages (Associate); Live Girls at Urban Stages (Associate); Luminescence Dating at Ensemble Studio Theatre (Associate); and Boy at Primary Stages (Associate). Regional: Shakespeare Festival, The Goodman, Steppenwolf Theatre, Victory Gardens, Northlight Theatre, Center Stage Baltimore, Syracuse Stage, Chautauqua Theatre Company, Indiana Repertory, Cleveland Playhouse, and many others. She is the first woman to have been nominated for 11 Joseph Jefferson Awards--winning 6--and she has received 2 After Dark Awards. Victoria is the head of Sound Design at DePaul University. MIKE TUTAJ (Video / Projection Designer) returns to Court Theatre having designed projections for The Year of Magical Thinking and Angels in America. Recent credits include: By the Way Meet Vera Stark (Goodman Theatre); Shrek and Sunday in the Park with George (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Still Alice (Lookingglass Theatre); Beyond the Score: The Tristan Effect (Chicago Symphony Orchestra); Fiddler on the Roof and Annie (Paramount Theatre Aurora); Sunset Boulevard and Xanadu (Drury Lane Oakbrook); Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West and 33 Variations (TimeLine Theatre Company). He was a recipient of the Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award in 2012. Mr. Tutaj is an artistic associate with TimeLine Theatre and a company member of Barrel of Monkeys Productions. MARTINE KEI GREEN-ROGERS (Dramaturg) recieved her PhD from the Department of Theatre and Drama at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her dramaturgical credits include: Classical Theatre Company’s productions of Uncle Vanya, Antigone, Candida, Ghosts, Tartuffe, and Shylock, The Jew of Venice; productions of Home and Porgy and Bess at Court Theatre; The Clean House at CATCO; To Kill A Mockingbird, The African Company Presents Richard III, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and Fences at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; 10 Perfect and The Curious Walk of the Salamander as part of the 2006 and 2007 Madison Repertory Theatre’s New Play Festival; and A Thousand Words as part of the 2008 WI Wrights New Play Festival. She is currently a Raymond C. Morales Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Utah. SARA GAMMAGE (Production Stage Manager) s delighted to return to Court Theatre. Credits here include Flyin’ West, What the Butler Saw, The First Breeze of Summer, Wait Until Dark, The Mystery of Irma Vep, The Illusion, Sizwe Banzi is Dead, Home, Orlando, Porgy and Bess, Spunk, An Iliad, Invisible Man, Jitney and The Misanthrope. Other credits include productions with Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Greenhouse Theater, Theatre at the Center, Marriot Theatre, Apple Tree Theatre, and Redmoon Theater. She spent several seasons at Peninsula Players Theatre in Door Country, WI; credits there include A Little Night Music, Comic Potential, Wait Until Dark, Is He Dead?, Rumors, and The Lady’s Not for Burning. Sara is a proud graduate of Northwestern University. WILLIAM COLLINS (Stage Manager) is in his eighth season with Court Theatre. Stage Management credits include The Misanthrope, Tartuffe, Angels in America Parts 1 and 2, An Iliad, Porgy and Bess, Three Tall Women, The Year of Magical Thinking, Uncle Vanya, Thyestes, Titus, The Comedy of Errors, and Arcadia, among others. William has worked at The Goodman Theatre (Other Desert Cities, Rock N’ Roll, Vigils, and Blue Surge), Peninsula Players Theatre in Door County Wisconsin (Chicago, Murder On The Nile, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, and Around the World In 80 Days), Paramount Theatre (My Fair Lady), Drury Lane Theatre (Sugar), The Chicago Humanities Festival, Redmoon Theater, About Face Theatre, and The Guthrie Theatre. KRISTIANA COLÓN (Consultant, Spoken Word) is a Chicago poet, playwright, actor, and educator. In February and March 2013, she toured the UK with her collection of poems promised instruments published by Northwestern University Press. In autumn 2012, she opened her one-woman show Cry Wolf in Chicago while her play but i cd only whisper had its world premiere in London at the Court Theatre 24
PROFILES Arcola Theater. TimeOut London gave it a four-star review and OffWestEnd.com nominated her Most Promising New Playwright. but i cd only whisper was the 2nd place winner of the 2008 Theodore Ward Playwriting contest and was workshopped at the Lincoln Center’s Director’s Lab in New York. Her play the darkest pit had its world premiere at the Prop Thtr in 2009. Her play one week in spring was a finalist for Victory Gardens’ 2010 Ignition festival and opened in Halcyon Theater’s Alcyone Festival in September 2013. Kristiana also launched the brother/sister hip-hop duo April Fools whose rhymes can be heard at aprilfoolschicago.bandcamp.com. She was featured on Season 5 of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam. Learn more atwww.kristianacolon.com. ORBERT DAVIS (Musician) is the co-founder, Artistic Director, and conductor for the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, a 56-member professional, symphonic jazz orchestra. He has recorded over 3000 television and radio commercials and projects for Atlantic, Capitol, CBS, Epic, MCA, and the Warner Brothers record labels. Film projects include arrangements and on-camera performances for feature films such as A League of Their Own, starring Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O’Donnell, The Babe, starring John Goodman, and Road to Perdition, starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman, where he also served as the jazz consultant for director Sam Mendes. He has also recorded projects for Steppenwolf Theatre, the Goodman Theatre, and the Missouri Repertory Theatre. In addition to being a jazz musician, conductor and composer, he is an active advocate for music in education. In 1999 he co-founded Discover Music: Discover Life, Inc, a Chicago-based arts education program that connects arts-based learning to reading and math. In 2006, he started Jazz Alive, the arts education arm of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. Davis won an Emmy award for composing the score for the 2010 PBS documentary, DuSable to Obama. He is a recipient of the 2012 Jazz Journalists’ Jazz Hero award and the 2010 Arts Alliance Arts Legend Award. CHARLES NEWELL (Artistic Director) has been Artistic Director of Court Theatre since 1994, where he has directed over 30 productions. He made his Chicago directorial debut in 1993 with The Triumph of Love, which won the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Production. Directorial highlights at Court include The Molière Festival (The Misanthrope and Tartuffe), Proof, Angels in America, An Iliad, Porgy and Bess, The Year of Magical Thinking, The Wild Duck, Caroline, Or Change, Titus Andronicus, Travesties, and Hamlet. Charlie has also directed at the Goodman Theatre (Rock ‘n’ Roll), the Guthrie Theater (Resident Director: The History Cycle, Cymbeline), Arena Stage, John Houseman’s The Acting Company (Staff Repertory Director), the California and Alabama Shakespeare Festivals, Juilliard, and New York University. He is the recipient of the 1992 TCG Alan Schneider Director Award. He has served on the Board of Theatre Communications Group, as well as on several panels for the National Endowment for the Arts. Opera directing credits include Marc Blitzstein’s Regina at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Rigoletto at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Charlie is a multiple Jeff Award nominee and recipient. STEPHEN J. ALBERT (Executive Director) is a founding Partner in Albert Hall & Associates, LLC a leading arts consulting firm. Prior to forming the consulting practice, Albert was recognized as a leading arts manager. He has led some of America’s most prestigious theatres, including the Mark Taper Forum/Center Theatre Group, Alley Theatre, and Hartford Stage Company. Albert began his career with the Mark Taper Forum/Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles where he worked in senior management positions for over a decade, rising to Managing Director. He went on to become Executive Director of Houston’s Alley Theatre where he led a turnaround that stabilized the organization, enabling the Alley to return to national standing and drove a capital campaign that secured the organization’s future. At Hartford Stage, his partnership with Mark Lamos resulted in some of the theatre’s most successful seasons and reinforced Hartford Stage’s position at the forefront of the regional theatre movement. During his tenure in Hartford, Mr. Albert led the initiative Court Theatre 25
PROFILES to create a 25,000 square foot, state-of-the-art production center, securing the donation of the facility and the funding for its renovation. Albert has served as both President and Vice President of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and as a board member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG). He has also written and produced a variety of productions for television, is an ACE Award nominee, and has been an associate producer of numerous acclaimed Broadway productions. He is a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum, a graduate of the University of Southern California, and holds a MBA from the UCLA Graduate School of Management.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Marilyn Fatt Vitale, Chair Barbara E. Franke, Vice Chair Margaret Maxwell Zagel, Vice Chair Michael McGarry, Treasurer Trustees Mary Anton Roland Baker Joan Beugen Leigh Breslau Tim Bryant Jonathan Bunge Joan Coppleson Kenneth Cunningham Lorna C. Ferguson David Fithian Karen Frank Virginia Gerst
Mary Louise Gorno Jack Halpern Kevin Hochberg Thomas Kallen Dana Levinson Karen Lewis Michael Lowenthal Linda Patton Diane Saltoun Karla Scherer Leon I. Walker
Honorary Trustee Stanley Freehling Ex-Officio Stephen J. Albert David Bevington James Chandler Charles Newell Larry Zbikowski D. Nicholas Rudall
FACULTY ADVISORY COUNCIL Shadi Bartsch-Zimmer
Travis A. Jackson
Larry Norman
David Bevington
Heinrich Jaeger
Martha Nussbaum
Robert Bird
Jonathan Lear
Jessica Stockholder
James Chandler
David J. Levin
Kenneth Warren
Cathy Cohen
Patchen Markell
David Wellbery
Michael Dawson
Margaret Mitchell
Christopher Wild
Philip Gossett
Deborah Nelson
David Wray
Tom Gunning
David Nirenberg
Judith Zeitlin
Reginald Jackson
Sarah Nooter
Court Theatre 26
STAFF Artistic Director Executive Director Resident Artist Resident Artist Casting Director and Artists-in-the-Schools Director Teaching Artists Casting/Education Assistant Kemper Casting/Education Fellow
Cree Rankin Caren Blackmore, Kamal Angelo Bolden, Tracey N. Bonner, Ashley Honore, Patrese D. McClain, Courtney O’Neill, Michael Pogue, Mark Villafranco Jamie Mermelstein Scarlett Kim
Production Manager Assistant Production Mgr/Company Mgr Technical Director Assistant Technical Director Properties Manager Costume Shop Manager Master Electrician Sound and Video Supervisor Production Intern
Jennifer Gadda Joshua Kaiser Ray Vlcek Adina Lee Weinig Lara Musard Erica Franklin Brenton Wright Sarah Ramos Myra Su
Development Specialist Associate Director of Development for Individual Giving and Special Events Development Manager Kemper Development Fellow
Elaine Wackerly
Charles Newell Stephen J. Albert Ron OJ Parson Drew Dir
Rebecca Silverman Erin Kelsey Grace Wong
General Manager Heidi Thompson Saunders Business Manager Zachary Davis Management Assistant Melissa Rose
Director of Marketing and Communications Associate Director of Marketing Assistant Director of Marketing for Group Sales and Community Relations Kemper Marketing Fellows Public Relations
Adam Thurman Traci Brant
Matthew Sitz Diane Osolin
Audience Services Manager Box Office Manager Associate Box Office Manager and Database Admininstrator Box Office Assistants House Managers Concessionaires Volunteer Ushers Volunteer Coordinator
Kate Vangeloff Chloe Atchue-Mamlet, Adam Przbyl, Nick Sidoran Cathy Taylor Public Relations, Inc.
Heather Dumdei Navea Frazier, Ariel Mellinger, Kareem Mohammad Jason McCreery, China Whitmire Alex Colborn, Jason McCreery, Mallory VanMeeter Courtesy of The Saints Judd Rinsema Court Theatre 27
SPONSORS The work of Court Theatre, both on stage and in the community, is made possible by the following corporations, foundations, and government agencies who share our values and provide extraordinary generous support enabling our aspirations.
Production Sponsors Allstate Insurance Co. The Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation The Chicago Community Trust City of Chicago Grant Thornton LLP Kirkland & Ellis LLP National Endowment for the Arts Sidley Austin LLP The University of Chicago Women’s Board Winston & Strawn LLP
Student Education Program Sponsors Cultural Outreach Program, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Hyde Park Bank The James S. Kemper Foundation Polk Bros. Foundation Northern Trust Target
General Operating Sponsors Alphawood Foundation City Arts IV, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Illinois Arts Council The Irving Harris Foundation The Julius Frankel Foundation John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Nuveen Investments Prince Charitable Trusts The Rhoades Foundation The Shubert Foundation University of Chicago Walgreens
Special Initiatives Sponsors Boeing Company Harper Court Arts Council The Joyce Foundation Southwest Airlines Court Theatre 28
PRODUCERS’ CIRCLE Court Theatre wishes to honor the following individuals and institutions whose generous gifts in support of our work has earned them status in the Producers’ Circle, Court’s premiere giving society. The list reflects gifts received through August 13, 2013. Names in bold indicate members of Court Theatre’s Board of Trustees. If you have a correction or would prefer to remain anonymous, please call (773) 834-0941.
Crown Society ($50,000 and above)
Virginia and Gary Gerst Mr. and Mrs. David J. Vitale
Royal Court ($25,000 – $49,999)
Joan and Bob Feitler Mr. and Mrs. James S. Frank Karla Scherer
Distinguished Patrons ($15,000 - $24,999)
Robert and Joan Rechnitz Lawrence E. Strickling and Sydney L. Hans Sarita I. Warshawsky Ms. Margaret Maxwell Zagel and the Honorable James Zagel
Barbara and Richard Franke
John and Rita Canning Joan and Warwick Coppleson
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Bryant Kevin Hochberg and James McDaniel James Noonan and Dana Levinson Linda and Stephen Patton
Grand Patrons ($10,000 - $14,999) Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Bunge Martha and Bruce Clinton
Directors ($10,000-$14,999)
Helen N. and Roland C. Baker BMO Harris Bank Joyce Chelberg James E. Clark and Christina Labate Martha and Bruce Clinton Lorna Ferguson and Terry Clark
Benefactors ($5,000-$9,999)
Stephen and Terri Albert Leigh S. Breslau and Irene J. Sherr Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Bunge Richard and Ann Carr Shawn M. Donnelley and Christopher M. Kelly Sonja and Conrad Fischer Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Graham Gerst Mary Louise Gorno Ms. Janice Halpern Mr. and Mrs. Robert Helman Dr. and Mrs. Peter T. Heydemann Gayle H. Jensen
Kevin Hochberg and James McDaniel Sarita I. Warshawsky
David B. Fithian and Michael R. Rodriguez Tom and Esta Kallen Joan E. Neal and David Weisbach Diane Saltoun and Bruce Braun Earl and Brenda Shapiro Foundation Joan and James Shapiro
Bill and Jan Jentes Mr. Carroll Joynes and Ms. Abby O’Neil Anne Kutak Mr. Bennett Lasko Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lewis Mr. Michael C. Litt William and Kate Morrison Dr. Larry Norman Mr. Robert Patterson Susan H. and Robert E. Shapiro Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Townsend Leon and Rian Walker Court Theatre 29
PRODUCERS’ CIRCLE Patrons ($2,500-$4,999)
Mary Anton and Paul Barron Judith Barnard and Michael Fain Jonathan and Gertude Bunge Stan and Elin Christianson David Cooper Ginger L. Petroff and Kenneth R. Cunningham Mr. Charles F. Custer Sylvia Fergus Mr. Harve Ferrill Dr. and Mrs. Willard A. Fry Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gray Mark and Melanie Greenberg Gene and Nancy Haller Jack Halpern Dr. Lynn Hauser and Neil Ross
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Karp in honor of Karen Frank Michael Lowenthal and Amy Osler Charlene and Gary MacDougal Margaret McCormick Robert McDermott and Sarah Jaicks McDermott Robert Moyer and Anita Nagler Thomas Rosenbaum and Katherine Faber Kathy and Robert Sullivan Elaine and Richard Tinberg Anne and William Tobey Dr. and Mrs. James Tonsgard Fidelis and Bonnie Umeh Thomas and Barbara Weil Gretchen Winter and Jim Brown Paul and Mary Yovovich
ANNUAL SUPPORT Court Theatre’s work on stage and in the community is made possible by the generous support of our patrons. Their gifts make it possible to have accessible ticket prices, to bring students to the theatre at no cost, and to place artists in classrooms. The following individuals and institutions have made gifts to Court, and we are deeply grateful for their generosity. This list reflects gifts received through August 13, 2013. If you have a correction or would prefer to remain anonymous, please call (773) 834-0941. (* indicates deceased.)
Leaders ($1,000-$2,499)
Anonymous Mr. Ed Bachrach Jay R. Franke and Pamela Baker Jean and John Berghoff in honor of Virginia Gerst Mrs. Edwin A. Bergman Mr. and Mrs. David L. Blumberg Mary and Carl Boyer in honor of Virginia Gerst Mary Douglass and Thomas P. Brown Brady and Geraldine Brownlee Mr. and Mrs. James K. Chandler Greg and Jessica Coleman Paula and Oscar D’Angelo Paul Dykstra and Spark Cremin Philip and Phyllis Eaton Mrs. Emlyn Eisenach and Mr. Eric Posner Mrs. Deborah Epstein Jacqueline and Howard Gilbert Ms. Susan Gordy and Mr. David Epstein Peter Gotsch Mr. and Mrs. Craig Griffith Doris B. Holleb Mrs. Leonard J. Horwich Court Theatre 30
Ms. Kineret Jaffe Ben and Laura King Jean A. Klingenstein Ms. Nancy A. Lauter and Mr. Alfred L. McDougal Mrs. Merle Litt* Mr. and Mrs. Michael McGarry Mr. and Mrs. Don Robinson Mr. and Mrs. John Sabl Alan and Allison Satyr Ms. Yolanda Saul Lynne F. and Ralph A. Schatz Ms. Terese Schwartzman Mr. and Mrs. Richard Seid David and Judith L. Sensibar Mr. James Smith Nikki and Fred Stein James Stone Otto and Elsbeth Thilenius Anne and John Tuohy in honor of Virginia Gerst Ms. Martha Van Haitsma Mr. and Mrs. R. Todd Vieregg Elaine and Patrick Wackerly Charles and Sallie Wolf Luigi and Jill Zingales
ANNUAL SUPPORT Supporters ($500-$999)
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Lasinski Barry Lesht and Kay Schichtel, in memory of Jack Shannon Ms. Carolyn S. Levin Ms. Nancy Levner Phoebe R. and John D. Lewis Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Michael B. Lowe Mr. and Mrs. John W. McCarter, Jr. Greg and Alice Melchor Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Mhoon Joanne Michalski and Mike Weeda Mr. and Mrs. Robert Moeller Lisa Kohn and Harvey Nathan Mr. and Mrs. Phil C. Neal Ms. Grayce Papp Elizabeth M. Postell Edward M. Rafalski Mr. and Mrs. James M. Ratcliffe Ms. Martha Roth and Mr. Bryon Rosner Sharon Salveter and Stephan Meyer Mr. Craig Savage and Dusan Stefoski Ilene W. Shaw Mr. and Mrs. Charles Shea Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP Tim Burroughs and Barbara Smith Mike and Pamela Starr Mr. Carl Stern and Mrs. Holly Hayes in honor of Marilyn Vitale Ms. Isabel Stewart Gary Strandlund Ruth Ultmann
Contributors ($250-$499)
Nancy Felton-Elkins and Larry Elkins Edie and Ray Fessler B. Ellen Fisher Celia and David Gadda Dr. Thomas Gajewski and Dr. Marisa Alegre Ms. Denise Michelle Gamble Dr. Sandra Garber Judy and Mickey Gaynor Joan M. Giardina Ms. Deborah Hagman-Shannon and Dean Daniel Shannon Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Hartfield in honor of Virginia Gerst and Marilyn Vitale Mary J. Hayes, DDS Roz and Jo Hays Douglas and Lola Hotchkis Carrie and Gary Huff Mr. Gilbert Johns Mr. James Jolley and R. Kyle Lammlein Dorthea Juul Ms. Anne Van Wart and Mr. Michael Keable Nancy and Richard Kosobud Bill and Blair Lawlor Steven and Barbara Lewis
Drs. Andrew J. and Iris K. Aronson Brett and Carey August Ms. Catherine Bannister Joan and Julian Berman Henry and Leigh Bienen Douglas Bragan Thomas Coleman Mr. John Cook Barbara Flynn Currie Anne M. and Scott Davis Nancy and Eugene De Sombre Frederick T. Dearborn Mr. Lawrence D. DelPilar Nancie and Bruce Dunn Kent S. Dymak and Theodore N. Foss Eileen and Richard Epstein Dr. and Mrs. Wolfgang Epstein Sidney and Sondra Berman Epstein Mr. Stephen Fedo Mr. Bill Fraumann Mr. and Mrs. Paul E. Freehling Delphine and Timothy Geannopulos Richard and Marilyn Helmholz Beth and Howard Helsinger Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Hirsch Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Howell in honor of Virginia Gerst Ms. Deone Jackman Koldyke Family Fund
Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. Steven A. Adelman Mrs. Geraldine S. Alvarez Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson Eugene L. Balter and Judith R. Phillips Randy Barba Catharine Bell and Robert Weiglein Thomas C. and Melanie Berg Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Berry Ms. Kathleen Betterman Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Beverly James Bishop Phyllis Booth Gregory and Rosalie Bork Jim and Sandy Boves Mr. Scott Brickwood John and Sally Carton Mr. Robert Chicoine Dr. Adam Cifu Mr. Richard Clark and Ms. Mary J. Munday Lydia G. Cochrane Eloise DeYoung Lisa and Rod Dir
Court Theatre 31
ANNUAL SUPPORT Mr. and Mrs. Joe Madden Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Mages William Mason and Diana Davis Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Mayer, Jr. David E. McNeel Mr. Ernst Melchior Renee M. Menegaz and Prof. R. D. Bock Doris and Glenn E. Merritt Drs. Donald E. and Mary Ellen Newsom Mr. Arnold Ordman Irving and Vivian Paley Mr. and Mrs. Norman Raidl Nuna and Ennio Rossi
Ms. Ann M. Rothschild Mr. James Sampson Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Scott Elizabeth and Hugo Sonnenschein Mr. and Mrs. David Stalle Judith E. Stein Dorie Sternberg George P. Surgeon Prof. and Mrs. Lester Telser Edward and Edith Turkington Sharon and John van Pelt Virginia Wright Wexman and John Huntington Howard S. White
Associates ($150-$249)
Mr. Norman Kohn Kenneth and Doris Kolb Susan and Anthony Kossiakoff Maria and Peter Lagios Mrs. Dianne Larkin Bruce and Mary Leep Mr. Michael Lewis Charles and Fran Licht Ms. Barbara Mallon James and Katharine Mann Sharon Manuel Michelle Maton and Mike Schaeffer Ms. Corinne McArdle Stacey and Patrick McCusker Dean Miller and Martha Swift Ms. Regina Modestas Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Molner Doug and Jayne Morrison Marianne Nathan and Jim Hugunin Alan and Kathryn Nesburg Mr. and Mrs. Harold Newton Mr. Gary Ossewaarde Ms. Jane Grady and Mr. Alan J. Pulaski Michael and Virginia Raftery Bruce Rodman Cecilia and Joel Roth Dr. Janet Rowley Manfred Ruddat Michele and Jesse Ruiz Martha Sabransky Judy Sagan Roche Schulfer and Mary Beth Fisher Mr. Barre Seid Drs. Michele Seidl Mr. Joseph Senese Robert A. Smith Dr. and Mrs. Eric Spratford Ms. Cheryl L. Thaxton James and Sue Thompson Daina Variakojis and Ernest Fricke Ms. Linda Vincent Ms. Lynn Werner Dr. Willard E. White Nancy and John Wood Mr. and Mrs. Joel Zemans Ms. Nicole Zreczny
Anonymous Dr. J. B. Achebe Ms. Roula Alakiotou and Mr. Alvin Burenstine Filomena and Robert Albee Wendy Anker and Ed Reed Mr. and Mrs. Cal Audrain Ms. Ann Becker Mr. Melvin Belton Mr. Stephen Berry David and Peggy Bevington Helen and Charles Bidwell Mr. Aldridge Bousfield Mr. Norman Boyer Mr. John Buenz Karen A. Callaway Elizabeth Fama and John Cochrane Mr. and Mrs. Howard Cohn Katherine and John Culbert David Curry and George Kohler Bruce Davidson Quinn and Robert Delaney Lynn and James Drew John Dyble Rose B. Dyrud Ms. Erika Erich Donald and Martha Farley Paul Fong Ms. Carma Forgie Paul B. Glickman Natalie and Howard Goldberg Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Golden Mr. Ray Greenblatt Mr. Andrew Halbur Joel and Sarah Handelman Carrie L. Hedges Mr. and Mrs. Allen Hintz Mr. James Holzhauer Ms. Susan Horn Mr. James Ibers Ms. Terry Iverson Mr. Richard K. Jacoby William Kaplan and Kathryn Clarke Mr. and Mrs. Richard Keller Ms. Elizabeth Kieff Margaret M. and Thomas L. Kittle-Kamp
Court Theatre 32
ABOUT COURT 5535 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 (773) 753-4472 www.CourtTheatre.org Mission: The mission of Court Theatre is to create innovative productions of classic plays that are thought provoking, character-driven, and thematically enduring. Through main stage productions, audience enrichment programs, and collaborations with the University of Chicago, we re-examine, re-envision, and renew classic texts that pose enduring and provocative questions that define the human experience. Vision: Court Theatre’s vision is to create the Center for Classic Theatre at the University of Chicago. Dedicated to the creation of large-scale interdisciplinary theatrical experiences, the Center will: • Inspire, educate, and entertain audiences both on and off the stage. • Attract and feature artists of extraordinary talent. • Add new adaptations and translations of classic works to the canon. • Collaborate directly with University of Chicago scholars and students. • Connect Court Theatre to individuals throughout Chicagoland, and especially to our community on Chicago’s South Side. As a professional theatre-in-residence at the University of Chicago, Court is uniquely positioned to be a leader in the successful marriage of artistic practice and academic inquiry; by integrating the making of art with the creation of knowledge, Court will mount ambitious theatrical events unlike any other theatre in the country. The Center for Classic Theatre represents the realization of this potential and will propel Court Theatre to a position of national preeminence.
Court Theatre 33
SPECIAL GIFTS Endowment Support and Planned Gifts
Court Theatre greatly acknowledges the generous individuals and institutions who have supported Court’s artistic excellence by contributing to our endowment or making a planned gift. Hope and Lester Abelson Family The Michael and Lillian Braude Theatre Fund Joan S. and Stanley M. Freehling Fund for the Arts The Helen and Jack Halpern Fund The William Randolph Hearst Foundation Anne Kutak Marion Lloyd Court Theatre Fund Michael Lowenthal Carroll Mason Russell Fund For more information on how to leave a legacy of support for the arts by making a planned gift or contribution to Court Theatre’s endowment, please contact Erin Kelsey at (773) 834-0941 or erink@uchicago.edu.
Court Theatre Facility Support The University of Chicago
In-Kind Contributions
The following companies and individuals support Court through the donation of goods or services: Stephen J. Albert Alliance Française de Chicago Bin 36 Tim and Jackie Bryant Chant Joan and Warwick Coppleson Disney Theatricals Food for Thought Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts Freehling Pot and Pan Karen and Jim Frank Gold’n Pear Catering Harris Theater Helaine and Peter Heydemann Kevin Hochberg and James McDaniel Hyatt Hotels Corporation The Jupiter Hotel, Portland, OR The David and Reva Logan Center for the Performing Arts Mary Mastricola and La Petite Folie Larry Norman Piccolo Mondo Ritz Carlton Chicago The Saints Diane Saltoun and Bruce Braun Rob and Susan Shapiro Southwest Airlines Supreme Jewelers Trenchermen United Airlines David and Marilyn Fatt Vitale Court Theatre 34
We’d like to thrive on creative spirit alone. But the truth is, the cast, the set, the program, and many other critical production parts would not be possible without your support. You can ensure that the show goes on. Support Court with a tax-free gift from your IRA.
Certain rules apply. To learn more about ways you can make a gift to Court, contact Heather McClean in the Office of Gift Planning at 773.834.2117 or giftplan@uchicago.edu.
Photo of Erik Hellman and Grace Gealey by Michael Brosilow.
Court Theatre 35
DINING PARTNERS Court Theatre patrons receive 10% off at Chant, The Nile, and Piccolo Mondo. One discount per ticket. Not valid with any other offers.
uhd
1509 E. 53rd St. (773) 324-1999 chantchicago.com
NILd
HYDd PaRk
1162 E. 55th St. (773) 324-9499 nilerestaurantofhydepark.com
1642 E. 56th St. (773) 643-1106 piccolomondo.us
La Petite Folie offers a prix fixe menu for Court patrons
1504 E. 55th St. (773) 493-1394 lapetitefolie.com Food for Thought is Court Theatre’s Premier Caterer
435 N. Michigan Ave. (312) 222-3022 fftchicago.com Kimbark Beverage is Court Theatre’s Beverage Sponsor An exhibition of photographs by Jason Reblando documents how many modern jobs were invented in the ancient Middle East.
1214 E. 53rd St. (773) 493-3355 kimbarkbeverage.com Court Theatre 36
Open Tuesday through Sunday 58th & University Ave oi.uchicago.edu