Alison C. Vesely Artistic Director
David Rice Executive Director
by William Shakespeare Nick Sandys Director & Fight Director Scenic Designer – Angela Miller Lighting Designer – Camden Peterson Sound Designer – Christopher Kriz, U.S.A. Costume Designer – Rachel Lambert Voice & Diction Coaching – Phil Timberlake Properties Designer – Angela M. Campos Choreographer – Patrice Egleston Stage Manager – Kate Danziger, AEA First Folio Theatre is in residence at Mayslake Hall on the grounds of the Mayslake Peabody Estate, Oak Brook. The Estate is owned and operated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. This program is provided by First Folio Theatre, a not-for profit organization. This program made possible in part by grants from the Illinois Arts Council (a state agency), and the DuPage Community Foundation. First Folio Theatre is a member of the League of Chicago Theaters and Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre.
Major Corporate Sponsorship Provided By: (Add Donnelley Info)
AN AGENCY OF T H E S TAT E O F I L L I N O I S
Opening – July 9, 2011 First Folio Theatre 1
CAST (in
or der of appe ar ance)
Samson.................................................................................................................. Zach Livingston Gregory....................................................................................................................... Nate Santana Abram......................................................................................................................... Joshua Razavi Benvolio.............................................................................................................. Brian Plocharczyk Tybalt...........................................................................................................................Luke Couzens Capulet....................................................................................................................... Tom McElroy* Lady Capulet......................................................................................................... Patrice Egleston Montague..................................................................................................................John Milewski Lady Montague.........................................................................................................Julia Stemper Prince Escalus......................................................................................................Michael Downey Romeo................................................................................................................................. Will Allan Paris..........................................................................................................................David Sajewich Nurse....................................................................................................................Annabel Armour* Juliet.........................................................................................................................Kelsey Brennan Mercutio..................................................................................................................Christian Gray*° Friar Lawrence....................................................................................................... Phil Timberlake Peter......................................................................................................................................Dan Toot Friar John........................................................................................................................ Matt Dreier Balthazara........................................................................................................ Cassidy Shea Stirtz Officers, Servants............................. Matt Dreier, Kristen T. King, Zach Livingston, Joshua Razavi, Nate Santana, Cassidy Shea Stirtz, Dan Toot *Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. ° Artistic Associate Understudies Lord Capulet – Michael Downey; Paris, Samson – Matt Dreier; Lady Capulet, Balthazara, Lady Montague – Kristen T. King; Tybalt – Zach Livingston; Friar Lawrence – John Milewski; Romeo – Brian Plocharczyk; Peter, Lord Montague, Escalus – Joshua Razavi; Mercutio – David Sajewich; Benvolio – Nate Santana; Nurse – Julia Stemper; Juliet –Cassidy Shea Stirtz; Gregory, Abram, Friar John – Dan Toot Setting Europe, 1818 There will be one 15-minute intermission The use of cameras, videotape recorders, or audio recorders during this performance is strictly prohibited by copyright laws.
First Folio Theatre is a professional theatre employing members of the Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
First Folio Theatre 3
F I R S T F O L I O P R O D U C T I O N H I S TO R Y First Folio has received 1 Joseph Jefferson Award, 18 Joseph Jefferson Nominations and 2 After Dark Awards 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
The Tempest A Midsummer Night’s Dream The Taming of the Shrew Romeo and Juliet; Much Ado About Nothing Macbeth; As You Like It Antigone; Twelfth Night (Jeff Recommendation) The Comedy of Errors Hamlet; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2 Jeff Nominations); Staged Reading Series (Indoor space premiere) The Importance of Being Earnest (Jeff Nomination); The Taming of the Shrew; A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court Private Lives (Jeff Nomination); The Tempest; The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe (Jeff Nomination) Angel Street (Jeff Recommendation); Richard III (Jeff Nomination); The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe Jeeves Intervenes (Jeff Nomination); Driving Miss Daisy (2 Jeff Nominations); Much Ado About Nothing (2 Jeff Nominations, 2 After Dark Awards); The Passion of Dracula Design for Living, A Moon for the Misbegotten (4 Jeff Nominations, 1 Jeff Award), Macbeth, The Castle of Otranto Jeeves in Bloom (1 Jeff Nomination); Will Rogers: An American Original; Twelfth Night (2 Jeff Nominations); The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe Blithe Spirit (Jeff Recommendation) More information can be found at www.firstfolio.org
CAST BIOGR APHIES Will Allan (Romeo) returns to First Folio after playing Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing in 2008. Recent Chicago credits include Billy in The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, Servant and performed as Konstantin in Robert Falls’ production of The Seagull at the Goodman Theater, Leper in A Separate Peace at Steppenwolf, and Scripps in The History Boys at TimeLine Theatre (Jeff Award – Outstanding Ensemble and Production). In Chicago, he has also worked with Strawdog Theatre Co., Victory Gardens, and Chicago Children’s Theatre. Regionally he has worked at The Heartland Festival and The Human Race Theater Company. Upcoming projects include Red at The Human Race Theatre Company and the World Premiere of E.L. Doctorow’s The March at Steppenwolf – adapted and directed by Frank Galati. Annabel Armour (Nurse) is an artistic associate with Remy Bumppo Theatre Company where she has appeared in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Fiction, Philadelphia Story, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, The Best Man, Power, Aren’t We All, Humble Boy, A Delicate Balance, Hidden Laughter, Money, Top Girls, Hapgood, Road to Mecca, and Heartbreak House. She most recently appeared in The Goat or, Who is Sylvia with Nick Sandys. Some favorite include: At Home at the Zoo(Victory Gardens), Picnic ( Writers’ Theatre), Pride and Prejudice (Cleveland Playhouse), Sunday in the Park with George (Chicago Shakespeare), Long Day’s Journey (Irish Rep & Galway Arts Festival), Before My eyes (Victory Gardens), Angels in America I & II (Journeymen), Grapes of Wrath (Ford’s Theatre D.C,) and The First Look Series (Steppenwolf ). She can be seen in the films: Amityville Horror, Conviction with Hillary Swank and the upcoming Contagion with Matt Damon. Annabel is the recipient of two Joseph Jefferson Awards and two After Dark Awards Kelsey Brennan (Juliet) makes her First Folio debut. Chicago credits include The Gospel According to James (Victory Gardens Theatre) and The
Importance of Being Earnest (Remy Bumppo Theatre). Regionally, Kelsey has appeared in The Gospel According to James (world premiere at Indiana Repertory Theatre), Trouble in Mind, A Christmas Carol, and Cyrano de Bergerac (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre), Ah, Wilderness!, Henry IV, and The Belle’s Stratagem (American Players Theatre), and The Value of Names (Next Act Theatre). Kelsey is a graduate of Ohio University. Luke Couzens (Tybalt) is very excited to be working with First Folio Theatre for the first time. He recently appeared in War & Peace: a dancetheater short, directed by Jim Manganello. Other credits include Leonard Cowherd II in Letters Home (Griffin Theatre), and Dylan Klebold in Columbine & Roses (Chicago Fringe Festival). He can also be seen in the short films Chimera (dir. James Fotopoulos, Fantasma Inc.), A Wake (Columbia College Chicago), and Victims of Gravity (dir. Vlady Oszkiel, Ozzarts Productions) which recently played at the Columbia House during the Sundance Film Festival, among others. Luke received his BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. Michael Downey (Escalus) returns to First Folio for his third production with the company. He first worked with First Folio as the male understudy for their production of Jeeves in Bloom and later as the male understudy for Blithe Spirit. Michael has also been seen locally as King Phycus in King Phycus and The Spaceman in Hey! Mr. Spaceman (Strange Tree Group); Mr Hatch in Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch! (Lifeline Theatre); and The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (20% Theatre Company). Outside of Chicago, Michael has appeared at the Phoenix Theatre and Theatre on the Square in Indianapolis, Indiana and at Theatre South Carolina and Trustus Theatre in Columbia, South Carolina. Favorite roles include Katurian in “Pillowman” and John Severing in “The Violet Hour”. Matt Dreier (Friar John, Ensemble) is thrilled to be working with First Folio for his second time! He has previously First Folio Theatre 5
C A S T B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) been seen as the understudy of Mr. Kipps in First Folio’s Woman in Black. In Chicago, he has recently directed Scared Sh*tless (a love story) and has worked with such companies as Steppenwolf, Blatant Testimony, and Urban Theater Company (where he is a proud company member). Outside of Chicago, he has been seen in Hot L Baltimore (Madison Theatre Guild), Tecumseh! (Scioto Society), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre). Recent film credits include supporting roles in Everything and Nothing (Seventh Level Productions) and Arms of an Orphan (dir. John Mossman). He will be assistant directing Beauty of the Father with UrbanTheater Company this next fall. Patrice Egleston (Lady Capulet, Dance Choreographer) returns to First Folio after playing Lady Macbeth in 2009’s Macbeth. Previously at First Folio, she choreographed the dances for Much Ado About Nothing. Most recently, she played Lady Pembroke in The Madness of George III (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Other credits include Reverend Mother Celine in Mariette in Ecstasy (Lifeline Theatre), Barbara Fordham (understudy) in August: Osage County (Steppenwolf Theatre), Kate in All My Sons (Oak Park Festival Theatre), and Lady Croom in Arcadia (Remy Bumppo Theatre). You may currently see her in the webseries BANGbangShoot! on the website www.theatremir.com. She is proud co-conceiver of the series, ensemble member, and writer/director of two of the episodes. Christian Gray (Mercutio) happily returns to First Folio, where he has appeared in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1998), The Taming of the Shrew (1999 & 2005), Romeo and Juliet (2000), Much Ado About Nothing (2000), Twelfth Night (2002), The Importance of Being Earnest, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Private Lives, Jeeves Intervenes, The Passion of Dracula, A Moon for the Misbegotten, and recently as Bertie Wooster in Jeeves in Bloom. He has also appeared in First Folio’s outreach shows of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Shakespeare’s Warring and Wooing, and directed outreach productions of Romeo and 6 First Folio Theatre
Juliet and Shakespeare’s Warring and Wooing. He most recently played Bluntschli in Arms and the Man for ShawChicago, where he is an ensemble member. He has performed with over a dozen Chicago area companies, including Court Theatre, Remy Bumppo, and Writers’ Theatre. Regional credits include Fort Worth Shakespeare (TX), Kentucky Repertory, and Pennsylvania Stage Company. Recent film/internet/television credits include Plastic (FPPI Films), Reclamation (NTG Productions), and Normal (Rule 42 Productions); a webisode series Classholes (Red City Productions); and commercials for Stein Gardan & Horseshoe Casino. Kristen T. King (Ensemble) is excited for her First Folio debut! New to Chicago as of last summer, you may have caught her as Belle in A Christmas Carol (Metropolis), or Lizzie Borden in Axe Lizzie (Cock and Bull). Other favorites include Mina in Dracula, Don Antonio in The Rover, and Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing (ISU). Zach Livingston (Samson, Ensemble, Fight Captain) is excited and honored to appear in his first production with First Folio. Around Chicago, he has appeared in Zero (Oracle Theatre); Extinction Fantasies (Tympanic Theatre); Soul Samurai (Infusion Theatre) and A Klingon Christmas Carol (Commedia Beauregard). Zach is a member of Commedia Beauregard and he will reprise his original role as well as direct the fights for this year’s installment of A Klingon Christmas Carol. He has also choreographed fights for several other productions around Chicago. Tom McElroy (Lord Capulet) makes his First Folio debut. Other Chicago Credits include Lord Montague in Romeo & Juliet at Chicago Shakespeare, William Crocker in The Farnsworth Invention at Timeline Theatre (Jeff Award – Best Production, Mid-sized Theatre), Torlief in the world premiere of Old Glory at Writer’s Theatre, Ralphie’s Old Man in A Christmas Story at Noble Fool, Marcus Hubbard in Another Part Of The Forest at
C A S T B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Eclipse Theatre (Non-Equity Jeff Nomination – Best Actor, Non-Equity Jeff Award – Best Ensemble) as well as roles at Steppenwolf, Court, Next, Red Twist, Theatre on the Lake, National Jewish, Terrapin, Bailiwick, Pegasus Players, A Red Orchid, and The Royal George. Film work includes The Dark Knight, What If..., and Contagion as well as many independent features and short films. Television includes Early Edition, Prison Break and The Chicago Code. Tom also has many on camera commercial and industrial credits. He voiced Rayford Steele in the Left Behind dramatic audio series (144 episodes) and has voiced multiple characters in The Twilight Zone, The New Adventures Of Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer and Unshackled radio dramas. Tom is a proud member of Actor’s Equity. John Milewski (Lord Montague) returns to First Folio for his second production. He last appeared at First Folio as Ratcliffe in Richard III. John has just recently appeared as Mr Baquin in Slaughter City (Jackalope Theatre). He has also been seen in Candles to the Sun and Six Degrees of Separation (Eclipse Theatre); as Salieri in Amadeus (Beverly Arts Center); as Dracula in Dracula (Village Players). Musical credits include Fagin in Oliver! (Rising Stars Theatre); Dear World (Circle Theatre); and as El Gallo in The Fantasticks (Green Man Theatre). Brian Plocharczyk (Benvolio, u/s Romeo) Makes his debut on the First Folio main stage after appearing in “Warring and Wooing,” and “The 50 Minute Midsummer”for First Folio’s Educational Outreach Program. Some of Brian’s favorite Chicago roles include Edward Hyde in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (City Lit ), Tom in The Glass Menagerie ( Oak Park Village Players), and Justin Hammond in After Ashley ( Stage Left) which garnered him a Jeff nomination for best actor in a principle role. Brian’s other Shakespeare credits include Proteus in Two Gentlemen of Verona (Talisman) Percy in Richard II (Actors Revolution) and the Ensemble in Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth (Chicago Shakespeare). Outside of Chicago, he toured many prestigious theatres on the East Coast with Letters Home (Grifin Theatre). Brian was just seen as Freely in Mother Bear
with Mortar Theatre, and will next be playing Stephen, this fall in Stage Left’s Chicago premiere of Farragut North. Brian is also a voice over actor, stage combat and stunt performer, as well as a karate instructor. He would like to thank his wife and family for their support. Check out www.brianplo.com for more info. Joshua Razavi (Abram; Ensemble) is appearing in his first production with First Folio. Relatively new to Chicago, he last appeared in The Alchemist with Nothing Special Productions (BoHo Theater) and the sketch comedy show The Chicagoan (Gorilla Tango Theater). Before arriving in Chicago, Josh spent last summer appearing in the outdoor drama Tecumseh! and Romeo and Juliet (The Scioto Society) in Chillicothe, Ohio. He received his BA from Illinois State University’s Acting program in May 2010. David Sajewich (Paris) is excited to be making both his First Folio and Chicago area theatre debuts with this production. He is a recent graduate from the Theatre Conservatory of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University where he graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Outside of Chicago and school, he has also appeared at the Hope Summer Repertory Theatre in Michigan, as well as New Line Theatre in St. Louis. Nate Santana (Gregory, Ensemble) is very excited to be making his debut with First Folio. He has been seen in Slipping and What happened when…(The Side Project) and References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot (The Phoenix Theater of Indianapolis). Additionally, Nate has worked as an ensemble member for Imagination Theater. Julia Stemper (Lady Montague) is excited to be making her debut with FirstFolio. A recent arrival to Chicago she has also performed with First Folio Theatre 7
C A S T B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Red Tape Theater in their Fresh Eyes Festival. Favorite touring productions include Stone Soup Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (Romeo) and Shakespeare in the Parque’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hermia). Recent regional performances include Twelfth Night (Globe Theatre - London), Heuristics in the Diner (Traverse Theatre - Edinburgh), Marriage a la Mode (Arches - Glasgow), Captain Squishy’s Yee-Haw Jamboree (Capital Fringe - DC) and Alice in Wonderland (Classika Theater - DC). Cassidy Shea Stirtz (Balthazara, u/s Juliet) is honored to make her First Folio debut. She has also been seen in And A Child Shall Lead as Gabriela (Adventure Stage Chicago); Scenes from an Italian Notebook (n.u.f.a.n. ensemble); and The Diary of Anne Frank (Metropolis Performing Arts). Cassidy has done featured background work for The Dilemma. She is a recent graduate of Millikin University’s BFA program. Favorite roles while attending include Tamora in Titus Andronicus, Masha in The Seagull, and Nancy in Frozen. Phil Timberlake (Friar Lawrence, Vocal Coach) appeared at First Folio as Caliban in The Tempest, as well staged readings of The Seagull (Trigorin) and Playboy of the Western World (Jimmy). He also coached dialects for Playboy, Private Lives, Importance of Being Earnest, and Connecticut Yankee, and was the vocal coach for Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, Hamlet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Taming of the Shrew. Phil is an ensemble member at Lifeline Theatre where he was nominated for non-Equity Jeff Awards as Best Supporting Actor for both Queen Lucia and Busman’s Honeymoon. Other Chicago acting credits include Apple Tree (Violet), Powertap (The Beaux’ Stratagem), Shaw Chicago (Misalliance), City Lit (Playboy Stories), and Shakespeare’s Motley Crew (Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night’s Dream). He has also coached dialects for the Goodman, Lifeline, Stage Left, Signal Ensemble, and New World Repertory. Phil is an Associate Professor of Voice and Speech at The Theatre School, DePaul University.
8 First Folio Theatre
Dan Toot (Peter, Ensemble) is making his First Folio debut. He has appeared around Chicago as Fish in Cherry Smoke (The Side Project), Colin in the world premier of Run of the Mill (CUT Theatre), as well as Dr. Jekyll in Jeffrey Hatcher’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Theatre-Hikes) among others. Dan originally hails from the east coast where he appeared in productions of Noises Off! (playing Tim) and A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas (The Hartford Stage) and Stefano in The Tempest (Capital Classics). He was also a two-season company member at The Monomoy Theatre in Chatham, Cape Cod, Mass.
P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F B I O G R A P H I E S Nick Sandys (Director & Fight Director) is an Artistic Associate with First Folio where he has appeared in Blithe Spirit, Twelfth Night (Jeff Nomination 2010), Much Ado About Nothing (Jeff nomination 2008), Richard III, and Midsummer Night’s Dream, and has directed Macbeth (2009). His other directing credits include: Fiction, American Ethnic (Remy Bumppo--Artistic Associate); Twelfth Night (Noble Fool Theatricals); The Consul (Chamber Opera Chicago); Taming Of The Shrew, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, Merry Wives Of Windsor (Fort Worth Shakespeare in the Park); Breaking The Code, I’m Not Rappaport, Walk In The Woods (Stage West, TX); Separation, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) (Circle Theatre, TX). Furthermore, his Jeff-awardwinning work as a fight director has been seen all over Chicagoland, including at The Goodman (over 25 productions), Lyric Opera of Chicago (over 35 productions), Northlight, Steppenwolf, Remy Bumppo, Next, Shattered Globe, Timeline, and Victory Gardens, as well as The Metropolitan Opera and Manhattan Theatre Club, NYC. He is a certified Fight Director with The Society of American Fight Directors and is adjunct faculty at The Theatre School at DePaul. Alison C. Vesely (Artistic Director) is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder (with her husband David Rice) of First Folio Theatre where she directed The Woman in Black and Blithe Spirit earlier this year. Last season she directed the world premieres of Will Rogers: An American Original and The Castle of Otranto, as well as the Chicago premiere of Jeeves in Bloom. This past fall she directed Richard III for Hilberry Theatre in Detroit. In 2009, she was nominated for a Jeff Award for her direction of A Moon for the Misbegotten, which was also nominated for Best Production. Previous First Folio directing credits on the indoor stage include Design for Living, The Passion of Dracula, Driving Miss Daisy, Jeeves Intervenes, The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe, Angel Street, Private Lives, A Connecticut Yankee…, and The Importance of Being Earnest. On the outdoor summer stage Alison has directed Richard III, The Tempest (1997 & 2006), The Taming of the Shrew (1999 & 2005), Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, Antigone, As You Like It, Macbeth (2001), Much Ado About Nothing (2000), Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1998). Onstage at First Folio she has been seen as Widow Kitty in The Taming of the Shrew and Amelia in The Comedy of Errors. She has also overseen First Folio s school touring
shows, which have played to over 100,000 students in the past fourteen years. Before founding First Folio, Alison was the Classics Project Director for Footsteps Theatre, a women s theater company specializing in all-female productions of Shakespeare s plays. Alison worked as the Folio Director and Dramaturge on many productions at Footsteps, including Romeo and Juliet, A Midsommer Night’s Dreame, and Macbeth. She also performed in these productions, earning an After Dark Award for the title role in their production of Macbeth. Additionally, Alison directed Richard III for both Footsteps and Shakespeare’s Herd at the Chicago Cultural Center. Other directing credits include Real Human Dialogue, Riders to the Sea, Kiss Me Kate, and Scrooge. Alison has been an adjudicator for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival and the Irene Ryan Awards as well as serving a three-year term on the Theater Program Grants Panel for the Illinois Arts Council. She is a proud graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University. David Rice (Executive Director) is co-founder (with his wife Alison C. Vesely) of First Folio, where he has produced over 30 shows, stage managing fifteen of them. As a playwright he specializes in stage adaptations of literary works, including The Castle of Ortanto and The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe (Jeff Award Nomination for New Adaptation in 2007). His adaptation of Dean Monti’s Why Dogs Don’t Talk was chosen for City Lit Theater’s first annual Art of Adaptation Festival. As an actor, he has been seen at First Folio as Boolie in Driving Miss Daisy, Chris the Sly in The Taming of the Shrew, Egeus and Snug in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Aegeon in The Comedy of Errors, Feste in Twelfth Night and Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing. David has also appeared as Boolie in Driving Miss Daisy with Charlotte Rae (Briar Street Theatre); George Reed in 1776 (Marriott’s Lincolnshire); Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened... (Kinetic Theatre); and in numerous other plays and musicals, including Follies (Candlelight Dinner Playhouse), Kuni-Leml (Illinois Theatre Center), and Room Service (Bailiwick). David originated the role of Mr. Toad of Toad Hall in Doug Post’s musical version of The Wind in the Willows at the Organic Theater. Die-hard trivia fans might be interested to know that David was a 4-time winner on Jeopardy! David has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity Assn. since 1991. Angela M. Campos (Properties Designer): First Folio Theatre 9
P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Angela is excited to join the talented cast and crew of Romeo and Juliet with her first production at First Folio. She is a recent graduate of the University of Illinois where she studied English, Cinema Studies, and the science of coffee drinking. Chicago credits include Memory and Three Days of Rain (BackStage Theatre Company); Lovers (City Lit); Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Polarity Ensemble); Theories of the Sun and Heddatron (Sideshow Theatre Company); The Chicago Landmark Project and We Live Here (Theatre Seven of Chicago). Ms. Campos is also currently working on a short film entitled Under the Table with Glass City Films. She would like to thank her friends and family for all their unwavering support. Kate Danziger (Stage Manager) is excited to return to First Folio for her eighth production with the company. She most recently stage managed their production of The Woman In Black. She has also stage managed Macbeth and Twelve Night and assistant stage managed The Taming of the Shrew, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, The Tempest, and Angel Street at First Folio. Other Chicago credits include Escanaba in da Moonlight and The House of Bernarda Alba (Circle Theatre); Blancaflor (tireswing theatre); Siskel and Ebert Save Chicago (Factory Theater); and Being 11 (Serendipity Theatre Collective). Kate has a MFA in Stage Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity. Jeri Frederickson (Asst. Director, Asst. Stage Manager) is stoked to be working with First Folio again after assistant stage managing Blithe Spirit with them this past winter. Chicago credits include: Stage Manager for The Water Engine and Production Stage Manager for The Chicago Landmark Project at Theatre Seven and asm intern for Lookingglass Alice at Lookingglass Theatre Company. She has a B.A. in Theatre from Hope College. Christopher Kriz (Sound Design) is pleased to be working with First Folio again, having previously designed The Woman in Black, The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe and The Castle of Otranto. Other Chicago credits include Eclipsed (Northlight), Precious Little (Rivendell Theatre), This (Theatre Wit), Madagascar (Next Theatre), Dead Pile (XIII Pocket), Shining City (Redtwist) and Dental Society Midwinter Meeting (16th Street Theatre). Recent credits include the national tour of America Amerique (Jena Company), 10 First Folio Theatre
Open Systems(Goodman Theatre/WBEZ), Aiming For Sainthood (Victory Gardens), Thieves Like Us (House Theatre), The Invasion Of Skokie (Chicago Dramatists), Baal (TUTA), Master Harold and The Boys and All My Sons (TimeLine). Upcoming productions include Conquest Of The South Pole (Strawdog Theatre) and Festen (Steep Theatre). To hear more of his work, please visit www.christopherkriz. com Rachel Lambert (Costume Designer) is thrilled to be working with First Folio and thanks David and Alison so much of the opportunity. She is currently the costume shop manager and a second-year graduate student in design and directing at Purdue University. She recently completed an internship at the Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis where, among other things, she designed costumes and puppets for Avenue Q. This summer she will also be designing costumes for Eclipse Theatre’s productions of The Trestle at Pope Lick Creekand their revival of After the Fall at Theatre on the Lake. In the fall she will be directing a multi-media production of the Book of Mark at Purdue. Angela Miller (Scenic Design) is a First Folio Artistic Associate whose recent First Folio shows include The Woman in Black, Blithe Spirit, Twelfth Night, Will Rogers An American Original, Jeeves in Bloom (Jeff Nomination), The Castle of Otranto, Macbeth, and A Moon for the Misbegotten (Jeff Nomination). Other FFT credits include the premiere and remount of The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story, The Passion of Dracula, Driving Miss Daisy, Jeeves Intervenes, Angel Street, The Tempest, Private Lives, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Other credits include Jolson & Company, The Thing About Men, Almighty Bob, Over the River and Through the Woods (later adapted for the Mercury Theatre), A Christmas Story, I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change, High Society, Gigi, and Little Shop of Horrors at Theatre at the Center; Five Guys Named Moe, and And the World Goes Round at Drury Lane Evergreen Park; His Way, A Tribute to the Man and His Music at the Mercury Theatre and at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts; and Rose-Marie and Yeoman of the Guard for Light Opera Works. Angie recently designed a production of High School Musical (that was for her kids!) at The Little Theatre on the Square, where she also designed It Had to Be You, as well as High Fidelity for Route 66 Theatre Company. Camden Peterson (Lighting Design) is thrilled to return to First Folio for another summer.
P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Previous First Folio credits include Blithe Spirit, Twelfth Night, & Macbeth. Other Chicagoarea designs include Agnes of God and Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Hubris Productions); Inherit the Whole (Mortar Theatre Co.); and Lost in Yonkers (Village Players Theatre). She graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University with her BFA in Lighting Design. While at TTS, she designed Urinetown (dir. Dexter Bullard), The Sugar Wife (dir. Patrice Egleston), The Heidi Chronicles (dir. Jane Drake Brody), and the world premiere of Isaac Holter’s Good Worker (dir. Carlos Murillo). In addition to her work in theatre, Camden is a designer with Performance Lighting, Inc. Past events with Performance include We are the World / We are the Drum (with choreographer Frank Gatson, Jr.), Lollapalooza - Playstation, and Celia! The Life & Music of Celia Cruz. Her work can be seen online at www.camdenpeterson. com. Kim Schechter (Assistant Lighting Design) is thrilled to join the production crew at First Folio. Kim is a senior at Columbia College, majoring in Lighting Design & Photography. She is currently designing lights for Only Kidding! at Emergent Theatre, and has recently volunteered on electric crews for Chicago theatres such as Redmoon and City Lit. College productions include assistant lighting designs for Rag and Bone and What Didn’t Happen at Columbia. Kim has also interned two summers with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival in Bloomington. Kim sends thanks to her family for all their love & support. Beth Zupec (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to be returning to First Folio were she previously assistant stage managed Blithe Spirit, The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe, Twelfth Night and Jeeves in Bloom. Previous Chicago credits include stage manager/assistant director for Apocalypso (Point of Contention) stage manager for The Wind in the Willows (City Lit) The Miracle Worker (Village Players Theatre) assistant stage manager for One Flea Spare (Eclipse) The Marriage of Bette and Boo (Village Players) and stage manager intern for Funk It Up About Nothin’ and Willy Wonka (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). Beth also served as the casting intern at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Beth is a graduate of the University of Kansas where some of her credits include A Flea in Her Ear, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and In Darfur.
First Folio Theatre 11
A R T I S T I C A S S O C I AT E S U P DAT E Michael F. Goldberg is currently working on a new show centering on the lighting of Michael McNamara and the music of Pantera. He has also been very busy chauffeuring his boys to soccer, basketball and hockey practices/games this winter as well as trying to maintain a backyard ice rink. Michael is very much looking forward to First Folio’s upcoming extravaganza The Merchant Project in summer 2012. Christian Gray – See Cast Biography Sean Grennan is spending the first part of the summer in residence at the Peninsula Players theatre where they are mounting a production of his play Making God Laugh. Very happily, Making God Laugh will also be produced here at First Folio this coming winter. Additionally, his plays, Beer for Breakfast and As Long As We Both Shall Live will open this season at the American Heartland Theatre in Kansas City. (Defying logic and decency, he will also act in the former!) He is currently at work on straight shows as well as a new musical, 1st & 10, with composer, David Kreppel. His shows Married Alive!, A Dog’s Life, and Another Night Before Christmas, written with composer Leah Okimoto, have been produced all over the country and Canada and are published with Playscripts, Inc. He’s very pleased that the latter, Another Night... will bow at Chicago’s Theatre at the Center this holiday season under the direction of Bill Pullinsi. Sean looks forward to the next opportunity to come and play in the grass with his excellent friends at First Folio! Elsa Hiltner has just returned from a leave of absence from First Folio after spending a year in the Middle East, where she and her husband were studying Arabic culture. She will be back to designing costumes for First Folio beginning with this fall’s production of Tea At Five.
Melanie Keller is excited to be joining fellow Artistic Associates Kevin McKillip and Sean Grennan in Door County, Wisconsin at Peninsula Players this summer, appearing in the hilarious comedy The Fox on the Fairway. And this fall, she looks forward to returning to Signal Ensemble Theatre, where she will appear in two Chicago premiere productions by exciting Canadian playwright, Hannah Moscovitch. Later this coming season she will return to First Folio to appear with Nick Sandys in The Turn of the Screw as well as playing Portia in The Merchant of Venice. Kevin McKillip is currently trodding the boards at his usual summer haunt, Peninsula Players in Door County, Wisconsin, where he will be appearing in The Importance of Being Earnest, A Few Good Men, and God of Carnage. He will return to the First Folio stage next winter in Making God Laugh. Michael McNamara recently worked on the Dallas Opera production of Boris Godunov and a new production at the Prague Quadrennial in the Czech Republic. Michael is now back in the area recreating his design for Eclipse Theatre’s After the Fall at Theatre on the Lake. Angela Miller – See Staff Biography Hayley L. Rice is currently appearing in The Women at Circle Theater. She has most recently been seen at First Folio as Edith in Blithe Spirit and Lady Matilda in The Castle of Otranto. Other recent roles include Dolores in Dream of a Common Language at Prologue Theatre Company and Flora in The Wonder: A Woman Keeps a Secret! with Point of Contention Theater. Hayley is also a casting associate for First Folio and a company member at the newly formed Focal Point Theatre Company. Nick Sandys – See Staff Biography
F I R S T F O L I O T H E AT R E S TA F F Artistic Director..............................................................................................................................Alison C. Vesely Executive Director................................................................................................................................. David Rice Director of Educational Outreach..............................................................................................Megan Schutt Volunteer Coordinator...................................................................................................................Kris Biendarra Graphic Designer............................................................................................................................ Carol Alleman Technical Director..........................................................................................................................Jason Pikscher Tech Assistants..................................................................................................Miguel Garcia, Ricky Harbecke Asst. Scenic Artist.................................................................................................................Samantha Schubert Master Electrician...............................................................................................................................Cassi Cobert Asst. Electrician................................................................................................................................ Kim Schechter Photography........................................................................................................................................... David Rice Auditor................................................................................................................................................. Paul Wieland Insurance Provider.................................................................................................................Paczolt Insurance Casting Assistants...........................................................................Hayley Rice, Melanie Keller, Nick Sandys Volunteer Ushers and Concessions.................................... The Saints and First Folio’s Volunteer Corps 12 First Folio Theatre
F I R S T F O L I O B OA R D O F T R U S T E E S President................................................................................................................................................Alan Becker Vice-President.................................................................................................................................Ellen Callahan Secretary...........................................................................................................................................Theresa Wilkie Treasurer........................................................................................................................................... Chris Beaulieu Trustees...............................................................................................................John Bauer, Margaret Bennett, Richard Berman, Barbara Disko, Brian McKillip, Patricia Noska, David Rice, Alison C. Vesely Advisory Board Robert J. Schillerstrom (DuPage County Board Chairman) D. “Dewey” Pierotti (Forest Preserve Board Chairman) Dr. Richard Strier (Professor of English, University of Chicago) Dr. Michael Shapiro (Professor of English, Loyola University) Dr. Peter Kanelos (Professor of Dramatic Literature, Loyola University) David LaBrash (President, Clarendon Hills Bank) Melissa LaBrash (CPA) First Folio invites all persons interested in joining our Board of Trustees, our Board of Advisors, the Folio Society, or our staff of volunteers to contact us at (630) 986-8067 for more information on how you can become a part of the Western Suburbs premier professional theater!
DONORS LIST (Donations received between June 1, 2010 and June 1, 2011
Paul Keller Kinder Morgan Foundation Brian McKillip In Memory of Martha Mees Lifetime Bard’s Club Members Terrie & Lee Munder (For Outstanding Support) Patricia Noska Anonymous Teri Ellen Rogers Susan & Alan Becker Robert & Sue Sanford JeanE Charnas Coleman & Deborah Tuggle Joyce Chelberg Alison C. Vesely & David Rice Meg & Jim Fletcher Brian McKillip KING LEAR ($500+) Susan & Brian (Coach) O’Connor Anonymous John Plosnich Ms. Irene Antoniou Chris Beaulieu BARDOLATOR Bennett Law Firm, LLC ($5,000 +) David Smith & Suzanne Anonymous Bessette-Smith Illinois Arts Council Joyce Chelberg Alan & Susan Becker Merl Douglas Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Mary Ann Flynn Foundation Robert & Lynn Jones DuPage Community Lottie & Shadow Kowalski Foundation Barbara Linduska Cathy & John Machota HAMLET ($1,000+) Mr. & Mrs. Carl Manofsky Anonymous (2) Jeff & Barb Modlin Bank of America Joeanne & Jeffrey Monroe Margaret Bennett Daniel Nowaczynski Rick Berman Alfred Potter Dr. & Mrs. John Buntrock Jim & Maureen Reichardt Ellen Callahan Irene Staleny Clarendon Hills Bank/Hinsdale Susan Tolin Bank & Trust Joan & Raymond Wielgos Jac Cotiguala Theresa Wilkie Marie & David Dickson Barbara Disko LADY MACBETH ($250+) Ron & Judy Eshleman In Memory of Dan Allar Rita Getz Anonymous (4) Peg Gramas The Arch Foundation Art & Nancy Hirsch Jeff & Allison Bennett
Ronald & Wendie Benton Bob & Kay Carlson Joel & Betty Chrastka Susan Elwart Jim Farrell Mary Ann Flynn Gregg & D’Anna Gugerty Marilyn Halasz Leslie & Tyrone Jacobson Judith Keller Christine Kenar Evan & Tina Krith In Memory of Walter Kulivowski Keith & Stephanie Kushner Patricia & Richard Loechl Mary Ellen Lukavsky B.A. & Janice Mack Gil & Yvonne Meyer Ms. Audrey Muschler Northern Trust Frank & Mary Nowinski Dorothy Richmond Mary & John Rooks Pat Schultz Joe Sekura Doris Shepherd Donald & Anita Shotola Joseph & Mary Beth Turek Barbara Voorhees Kathleen & John Westberg William & Sue Womack Robert & Cindy Wunderlich George Zahrobsky Jim & Mary Zajac PROSPERO ($100+) Vanda Alekna Ken Amos Anonymous Anita & John Bauer Steven & Rosemary Belling First Folio Theatre 13
D O N O R S L I S T ( c o n t .) Roy Benedek Gene & Helen Benes John Berwanger Carol Black Sandra Boves Patrica Brandin Marilyn Brown In memory of John R. Buckley Bob Campbell Patricia Campbell Rachel Daugherty & Michael Guenther Bruce DeViller Marybeth Dougherty Diane Eleveld George & Marie Forster Tom & Anne Fuelling Judith Grey Jane & Kirk Grimm Jane Herron Richard Hesler Bonnie Hilton Prism Entertainment-Nancy Hixon Barbara N. Holman Vida Hotchkiss Jorge & Beatriz Iorgulescu Walter & Susan Jay Ann Boisclair & Jeff Jens Ruth & Mark Karasek Jane & Paul Klenck Jeffrey A. Koblish, D.D.S. Jacqueline Koranda Maureen Kozak Leo J. Krupp & Debbie Krupp Larry & Melanie Krupp David & Melissa LaBrash Cynthia Laughlin Richard & Linda Lauterbach The Lofchy Family Marilyn Longwell Janet Lucero Kathleen & Mark Lundberg Shari & Larry Lutey Lise Lutz Steven & Joyce Maly Robert & Linda Manski Sharon Manuel Cynthia Marler Julie & Roland Marshall & Family Sheila Maschek Patrick & Mary Mauro Kathy McKillip Tom & Olga Mosillo Karen & Mark Mueller Dolores Oberg Magne B. Olson Ray & Esther Paice Vicky & Tom Pate D. Dewey Pierotti Lucy Pillinger Mary Plunkett Joy Ransdell Joe & Anne Rieber John & Lisa Roche Chet & Pat Rozanski Irene Ruffner James & Margaret Schlegel Kristine Schnacke 14 First Folio Theatre
In honor of Merl Douglas Jackie Smith Connie Sprovieri Carl Strang Lisa Super & Nathan Brown Lynn & Gene Suwanski Thomas Szot Tracey Tarantino John Templeton Eunice Treadway Bob & Ann Watt John Weinberger, Jr. James Whitehead Nancy Woodruff Marcianne Zajeski
Hair Looms Debra Hamilton Gail & Jim Hannon Bob & Carol Hansen Krista Hansen Lucille Hilger James Inkpen Lenore Ivancevich S. Jecmen Steven Johnson Beverly Kurasz-Johnston In Memory of Eunice Juracic John Kay Jerry Kelly Melanie Keller Michael Kennedy OTHELLO ($25+) Catherine Kistler Anonymous (5) Katherine Klein Barb Aguirre Cynthia Koehler Lance Anderson Virginia Gott Kristine & Peter Baldo Patricia Kralik Elizabeth & Edward Barrow Annette Lamon Cheryl Berger Elinor Lamont Kristine Biendarra Carol Larson Arlene Blaha Linda & John Larson Donald Bohringer Caryl Lezatte Belinda Bremner Fran & Charles Licht Diane Brooks Cheryl Maibusch Stephanie Burg Alice Malicki Ray Burkhardt Anna Marek Anne Canapary Nancy Martin Laurel Carlson & David George Martiny Hersemann Eric Maurstad Mary Christofidis Mr. & Mrs. Judson McCarthy, Jr. Michael Colucci Richard & Bernice McKillip Ann Cook Kathleen McKillip Elaine Cook Kevin McKillip Irene Copack Michael McNamara Joe & Judy Cosenza Patricia & Ray Mehler William & Sherry Crater Marianne Miklas Mary Crois Angie Miller Margaret Degnan Marvin Mirsky Major & Mrs. George F. Dempsey, Elizabeth & Arturo Mora USAF (Ret.) Kerri & Glora Morrissey Robert DeSalvo Victoria Narayan Barbara DiLiberti Bob & Joan Nejdl Sue Dornfeld Anthony & Linda Nelson Carol Doyle Paricia O’Brien Charles & Debra Doyle Leslie O’Connell Deborah Dubson Rosemary Olsen Carol Ducommun Roberta Parkhill Grace Eck Nan Parson Daniel Efner Mary Pavia James Engling Margaret Peterson Margaret Eva Charles Plock Paul Farber Barbara Plona Erin Faulkner Michelle Porebski William Ferguson Dragomir Propadovich Anita Field Thomas & Elaine Rath David Foulser Dennis Reagan Paul Francis Marianne Reinhofer Mary Frederick Jim Rendel Noelle Frost Amy Rieselman Tom & Anne Fuelling Carole Rigoni Richard Gallicchio Neil Ringquist John & Olivia Gow Sally Roberts Christian Gray Daniel & Barbara Roos Diane Graziano Deborah Ryan Maureen F. Greene Mary Ann Ryan
D O N O R S L I S T ( c o n t .) Nick Sandys Diane Sarther Kathleen Schmohe Charles Sexton Carol Sheppard Pamela Signorella Renee & Geoffrey Silver Jeanne Smith Judith Smith Dennis & Patricia Smith Suzette Sniegowski Randy Sparks Paula St. Louis Michael Stemberk Gerianne Stohlquist April & Preston Stosur Denise Stout Walter Sulskis Gail Tagney Nina & Frank Thorp Jeanne Tilton Mr. & Mrs. Myles Tlusty Elizabeth J. Tromp Sabrina Tsao Carol Varney Melva Walker The Waters Family Ken Wendorff Judith Werner Mary Wiesen In Honor of Theresa Wilkie Brigitte Winkler Roseann Wolf Jeff York 2010 Auction Sponsors Our Artistic Associates Artistic Home John Bauer
Alan Becker Margaret Bennett Ellen Callahan Bob Campbell Photography Chicago Dramatists Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Court Theatre Jim Cunningham Barbara Disko Eclipse Theatre Elmhurst Symphony Goodman Theatre Inn at Irish Hollow, Galena Lifeline Theatre Lookingglass Theatre Ensemble Mario Tricocci Marriott Theatre Metropolis Theatre Brian McKillip Next Theatre Noble Fool Theatre Northlight Theatre Provision Theatre Quality Tire and Service Center Porchlight Musical Theatre Rasaka Theatre Remy Bumppo Theatre ShawChicago Theatre Signal Theatre Ensemble Silk Road Theatre Steppenwolf Theatre Teatro Luna Theatre Wit Timeline Theatre A. Coleman Tuggle Victory Gardens Theatre Theresa Wilkie Writers’ Theater
Matching Grant Donors Aetna Foundation Allstate Bank of America McMaster-Carr Supply Co. Nicor Energy Northern Trust In-Kind Donors Arabian Knights Farm Anita & John Bauer Bennett Law Firm, LLC Boeger Landscape Supply Charlotte Ann Marilyn Brown Ellen Callahan Bob Campbell Clarendon Hills Bank J. Cunningham Productions, Inc. Clarke Environmental La Verne Dissmeyer Tony Dobrowolski Margaret Eva Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Elisabeth Grzywa Nancy Hacket Kathi Harbecke The Inn at Irish Hollow Cynthia Kranic Mario Tricoci-Oak Brook Center Brian McKillip Stephen Melvin Deb Miller Gail Mrozak Mueller Broadcast Design Patricia Noska Lloyd Osborn Pizzazz Promotional Products
S P E C I A L T H A N K YO U Our wonderful Board of Trustees; Chrissie Howorth, Janneke Fowers, Taip Bashir, Sherry Brooks, Neal Quigley, David Naydenoff, & the entire staff and Board of Commissioners of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County; Paczolt Insurance; Pizzazz Promotional Products of Hinsdale; Village Cleaners of Clarendon Hills, Donna Steel and Steele Beam Theater A special thanks to Kiley Moore and Rachael Hancz for spectral services. First Folio has lots of ways for you to join in on the fun! FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US AT 630-986-8067 or visit www.firstfolio.org
WISH LIST Knaack Box or other Tool Storage Containers Vintage dresses, tuxedoes, and hats Any antiques that can be used for props Bolts of fabric (especially muslin) Design & Printing services Accounting services for annual audit First Folio is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donation of services and goods are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. First Folio Theatre 15