Gift-Absolute Hell

The Gift Theatre Company Proudly Presents the U.S. Premiere of

WRITTEN BY Rodney Ackland DIRECTED BY **+ Sheldon Patinkin

SCENIC DESIGNER Ian Zywica

LIGHTING & SOUND DESIGNER Scott Pillsbury

COSTUME DESIGNER Kate Murphy

PROPERTIES MASTER Rita Thornton

DIALECT COACH Eva Breneman

FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER John Tovar, SAFD

STAGE MANAGER * Taree Chadwick

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR David Preis

* Courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers ** Member of SDC, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society + Ensemble Member of The Gift

The Gift Theatre Company 4802 N. Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL 60630 (773) 283-7071 www.thegifttheatre.org “Come Closer.”

March 1 – April 29, 2012 The Gift Theatre Company’s 2012 season is made possible, in part, by generous contributions from The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; and an Anonymous Donor.

CAST (in

alphabetical order)

Bill.................................................................................................................................... Alexis Atwill Elizabeth Collier.................................................................................................... +Brittany Burch D.I. Roach / Non-Member................................................................................Harter Clingman Michael Crowley....................................................................................... +John Kelly Connolly Cyril Clatworthy........................................................................................................Kurt Conroyd Maurice Hussey.................................................................................................*+Paul D’Addario Butch......................................................................................................................Patrick De Nicola Lettice Willis........................................................................................................... Joanne Dubach Siegfried Shrager.............................................................................................. +Gabriel Franken Julia Shillitoe.................................................................................................... *+Alexandra Main Mrs. Marriner...................................................................................................... Donna McGough R.B. Monody........................................................................................................ Marssie Mencotti Douglas Eden..................................................................................................... +Kenny Mihlfried Christine Foskett..................................................................................................+Lynda Newton Doris.............................................................................................................................Justine Serino Mrs. Pratt / Cook...................................................................................................... Amy Speckien Madge / Fifi.............................................................................................................Maria Stephens Nigel Childs............................................................................................................... Dylan Stuckey Hugh Marriner...............................................................................*+Michael Patrick Thornton P.C. Molson / Non-Member.....................................................................................Adam Welsh Sam Mitchum....................................................................................................+Jay Worthington Understudies do not substitute for listed players unless an announcement is made at the time of the performance. * Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers + Indicates Gift Ensemble Member

P L AC E & T I M E The action takes place in the club area of La Vie en Rose, a private club, bar and restaurant in the West End of London.

Its name is the name of a song recorded by Edith Piaf.

Act I: Scene 1:

A summer evening in 1945, shortly after the Germans surrendered.

World War II still continues in the Pacific.

Act I: Scene 2:

Later that evening.

Intermission.

Act II: Scene 1:

Two weeks later.

Act II: Scene 2:

Two weeks later.

It has just been announced that the Labour Party has won the election.

PLEASE NOTE: SEVERAL LOUD GUNSHOTS ARE FIRED DURING PERFORMANCE. The play runs approximately 3 hours.

As a courtesy to the actors and fellow audience members, please turn off your cell phone!

The use of recording devices is strictly prohibited.

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S O M E N O T E S F R O M T H E D I R E C TO R The play was first produced in Brighton in 1951, then in London in 1952 as The Pink Room, or The Escapists. It flopped badly. Ackland rewrote it in 1988, after the Lord Chamberlain no longer censored scripts. It was then produced successfully in Richmond-upon-Thames. In 1991 the BBC did a production of it starring Dame Judy Dench and Bill Nighy; it was subtitled A Rose-Colored Spectacle. The National Theatre produced the play in 1995.

There are no real cigarettes smoked during the play.

Boxing Day is the day after Christmas when many people return presents to stores in boxes.

Hugh works at the MOI, which stands for the Ministry of Information.

Nigel is going to work for UNRRA, which stands for United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Association.

The Gift is an ensemble. There couldn’t be a more ensemble play if you tried.

“Acting is a particularly thankless art. It dies with the actor. Nothing survives him but the reviews, which do not usually do him justice anyway, whether he is good or bad. So the only source of satisfaction left to him is the audience’s reactions . . . The actor, in this special process of discipline and self-sacrifice, self-penetration and molding, is not afraid to go beyond all normally acceptable limits . . . The actor makes a total gift of himself.”

Jerzy Grotowski, Towards A Poor Theatre

AC K N OW L E D G E M E N T S & E X T R A T H A N K S We’d like to thank the following individuals and groups for their kind and generous contributions to The Gift’s Production of Absolute Hell.

Katie Genualdi Benjamin Hendren, our fabulous intern!

Absolute Hell 3

P R O D U C T I O N , A R T I S T I C , A N D A D M I N I S T R AT I V E S TA F F Artistic Director.............................................................................*+Michael Patrick Thornton Managing Director / Properties Master .......................................................... Rita Thornton Technical Director / Set Construction....................................................................David Preis Associate Artistic Director.............................................................................*+Paul D’Addario Casting Director...............................................................................................*+Hillary Clemens Publicist............................................................................................................ +Maggie Andersen Box Office Administration............................................................................. +Kenny Mihlfried Box Office Administration.......................................................................... *+Alexandra Main Graphic Designer...................................................................................................... Aemilia Scott Production Assistant ..........................................................................................Frank Thornton giftED Director.....................................................................................Lindsey Barlag Thornton giftED Consultant................................................................................................+Lynda Newton giftFILM Co-Directors...............................................Tom Blandford and +William Nedved giftLATENIGHT Director.................................................................................................+Ed Flynn New Play Development Co-Directors.......... +Maggie Andersen and +Jenny Connell THE GIF T ENSEMBLE Danny Ahlfeld, Maggie Andersen, Brittany Burch, *Hillary Clemens, Jenny Connell, John Kelly Connolly, *Paul D’Addario, *Brendan Donaldson, James D. Farruggio, Ed Flynn, Mary Fons, Gabriel Franken,*John Gawlik, Andrew Hinderaker, *Alexandra Main, Kenny Mihlfried, Benjamin Montague, William Nedved, Lynda Newton, Sheldon Patinkin, Maureen Payne-Hahner, *Michael Patrick Thornton, and Jay Worthington T H E G I F T B OA R D O F D I R E C TO R S George Karzas (Chairman of the Board) Paul Botts, John Brahm, *+Paul D’Addario, +William Patrick Nedved, Carrie Schloss, *+Michael Patrick Thornton, Rita Thornton, Michael Valenti, and Shannon Wallace * Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers + Indicates Gift Ensemble Member

NATURAL GAS - The g i f t L AT E N I G H T E n s e m b l e Dan Aho, +Ed Flynn, Joey Lesiak, Kirby O’Connell, Carly Olson, John Pantlind, Aemilia Scott, *+Michael Patrick Thornton, and Kyle Zornes

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MOST WEDNESDAY NIGHTS @ 8:00PM ONLY $5.00! AT THE GIFT! F o r re s e r v a t i o n s o r m o re i n f o , p l e a s e c a l l 7 7 3 - 2 8 3 - 7 0 7 1 o r g o t o w w w. t h e g i f t t h e a t re . o rg

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BIOGR APHIES Alexis Atwill (Bill) is thrilled to be working with The Gift Theatre!

She last worked with The Gift as an understudy in Lonesome West. Other favorite productions include Death of a Salesman with the Raven, Marat/Sade, and The Guernica Project. Alexis is a graduate of the Florida State University School of Theatre and the School at Steppenwolf. She would like to thank the wonderful cast and crew for this great experience with special thanks to Sheldon for his incredible support. Most importantly, she is forever grateful for the support and love of her friends and family.

Brittany Burch (Elizabeth Collier) is proud to be an ensemble member here at The Gift. She was last seen in Prairie View as a part of Ten. Other Gift roles include Rayna in the extension of Northwest Highway and Girleen in The Lonesome West. Brittany was also seen in Ask Aunt Susan at the Goodman, Carmilla with WildClaw, Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth with Lakeside Shakespeare. She has a BA in Theatre from Willamette University and is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf. She would like to thank her family for all their love and support.

Harter Clingman (D.I. Roach / Non-Member) is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago, originally hailing from Ottumwa, Iowa. He was last seen as Georg in Jonathan Berry’s Spring Awakening (Griffin). At Columbia, he was in many productions such as: Floyd Collins, Michael John Lachiusa’s The Wild Party, The Pirates of Penzance, The Winter’s Tale and Of Mice and Men. He’s elated to be on stage with this huge cast of knockout actors. Special thanks to Sheldon Patinkin for the opportunity.

John Kelly Connolly (Michael Crowley) is proud to a part of such a wonderful cast guided by Sheldon Patinkin, that has M P Thornton leading the way and held together

with love by Lynda Newton. His couch in the basement hasn’t even gotten cold from his performance in Ten. It was good to have the gang together, and thanks to Mr. Bogosian for writing such a wonderful part. Recently John was seen as Klopstock in Bonhoeffer’s Cost at the Provision Theatre, and prior to that as Valene in The Gift’s production of The Lonesome West. Most of his free time these days is spent on re-writes on The Alderman his screenplay for Gift Film. He would like to wish The Playground Theater a happy 15th Anniversary and the same to his team Cinco De Bob, Cinco’s you are now officially old.

God bless you M.E. He would like to thank the Baseball Hall of Fame for getting it right and putting Ron Santo in, but is still waiting for that apology to Ronnie. He is grateful for the generosity of family and friends, special thanks to Ed and Mary Lynn. John mostly wants to thank you for reading this, for being here and supporting us. Love to all and all to love.

Kurt Conroyd (Cyril Clatworthy) was last seen as Clive/Cathy in The GIft’s production of Cloud 9. A Pacific Northwest transplant, he performed with Miracle Theatre Group, Portland Center Stage, Portland Playhouse, Artists Repertory Theatre, Oregon Children’s Theatre and Theatre Vertigo, to name a few. Locally, he has worked with Pavement Group, Stage Left and just recently completed an independent feature film Wild Blue. Kurt holds a B.A. from Willamette University, and studied physical theatre at Studio Magenia in Paris, France under Ella Jarcowiez. Kurt is also a proud graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. He is thrilled to be back at The Gift Theatre with Sheldon and all these wonderful people. Thanks to friends, family and I love you Mom. Paul D’Addario (Maurice Hussey) is an ensemble member and Associate Artistic Director of The Gift Theatre. Most recently at The Gift Paul appeared in Ten, a production which celebrated The Gift’s tenth year anniversary.

Favorite productions with The Gift include Eddie in Hurlyburly (Non-Equity Jeff Award-Actor in a Leading Role-directed by Michael Patrick Thornton), Satan in Last Days of Judas Iscariot and Father Welsh in The Absolute Hell 5

B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .)

Lonesome West. Paul recently appeared in Next Theatre’s Maple and Vine. He has twice had the privilege of working with Griffin Theatre in Dead End and On the Shore of the Wide World both directed by Jonathan Berry and played George in Steppenwolf Young Audience’s production of Of Mice and Men directed by Michael Patrick Thornton. He is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf 2001 and continues to study with Mary Ann Thebus. Much thanks to Sheldon for his passion, Mike for having the guts and Lynda for coming back. (Although I would have preferred if she left all that Red Sox attire back in Massachusetts!)

Patrick De Nicola (Butch) is thrilled to be working with The Gift again where he made his Chicago debut 3 years ago as Henry/ Paul in The Ruby Sunrise, and later as Pete in Almost Maine.

Since then, he has performed as Sonny in American Theatre Co’s The Original Grease (Winner: Jeff Award for Best Musical), Anthony in Chicago Children’s Theatre’s World Premiere of Jackie and Me, Collaboraction’s Sketchbook 9, Felix in Memory, and Boy in Edward Albee’s The Play About the Baby, both with Backstage Theatre Co. Patrick is a graduate of Second City and is currently writing/acting in a comedic web series based on his Italian family called Tony and Miranda (On YouTube). Love and thanks to his famiglia, Annie, The DiMarias, his supportive and loving friends, his friend with the bad attitude, The Gift, Sheldon, and Gray Talent Group. Patrick is a graduate of Emerson College (Boston, MA) with a BFA in Acting and a BA in Film.

Joanne Dubach (Lettice Willis) is a recent graduate of the School at Steppenwolf. Local credits include A LIFE at Northlight Theatre, and Bordello and Hickory Dickory at

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Chicago Dramatists. Regional credits include The Lieutenant of Inishmore and The Little Dog Laughed with The Phoenix Theatre. She is an artistic associate at The Division Theatre Company. This is Joanne’s debut at The Gift, and she is very excited about it!

Gabriel Franken (Siegfried Shrager) is a proud ensemble member of The Gift, where he was previously seen as Colin in Northwest Highway and American Chorus in Night and Her Stars. He has also enjoyed working in Chicago with Griffin, Pavement Group, Ex-Pats, Point of Contention and New Leaf. Gabe moved from Seattle in June of 2010 to attend The School at Steppenwolf.

See him next in I Am Going To Change The World by Gift ensemble member Andrew Hinderaker at Chicago Dramatists.

Alexandra Main (Julia Shillitoe) is a proud ensemble member of The Gift Theatre Company. She was most recently seen as Maud/Betty in The Gift’s production of Cloud 9 and prior to that as Joyce Brooks in the acclaimed world premiere production of William Nedved’s Northwest Highway. Other Gift productions include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Ruby Sunrise, Stop Kiss, W;t (Jeff Awards Equity Wing Nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Principal Role), Blithe Spirit, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, The Clearing, and The Countess. She holds an MA in performance studies from Northwestern University. This past winter she directed Courting Vampires by fellow NUer Laura Schellhardt at Clockwise Theatre in Waukegan, IL. She studies with Mary Ann Thebus. Special thanks to MPT and all The Gifters, to Rita and Frank, to best friends, and always to David. This one is for Elbee again!

Donna McGough (Mrs. Marriner) is excited to return to The Gift Theatre after a three week stint with their popular hit, Northwest Highway.

Other Chicago credits include The Time of Your Life (Steppenwolf Theatre); *Death of a

B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .)

Salesman, *Happy Days, Angels in America and The Glass Menagerie (The Hypocrites, where she is a company member); The Hostage (Griffin Theatre); The Rimers of Eldritch and Frame 312 (Eclipse Theatre); The Seagull (TimeLine Theatre); Six Degrees of Separation, An Enemy of the People and The Time of Your Life (Raven Theatre), and *The Freedom of the City (Mary-Arrchie Theatre).

Donna is a three-time Joseph Jefferson recipient for *Actress in a Principal Role.

Marssie Mencotti (R.B. Monody) most recently appeared in Elling and Man From Nebraska at Red Twist Theatre, which received the 2011 non-Equity Jeff award for production of the year. Prior performances were in The Gurney for Secret Life Theatre and with other Chicago theatre companies such as Rivendell, Lifeline, and Caffeine.

Films include The Unborn and Hardball and several independent films. She is a voiceover talent with Innovative Artists-Chicago and an award-winning copywriter and producer. She is Associate Professor/Associate Chair of the Radio Department of Columbia College Chicago. She was Jeff nominated for supporting actress in The Walls Have Ears at Mary-Arrchie, for which she received an After Dark Award. She is a member of AFTRA and SAG. Kenny Mihlfried (Douglas Eden) has been a company member of The Gift for more than ten years, and has appeared in several of its productions. Roles have included Sigmund Freud / St Thomas (The Last Days of Judas Iscariot), Sir Charles Sturman (The Clearing), Dr Jason Posner (W;t), Baron Tuzenbach (Three Sisters), Dr Spivey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Betty / Edward

(Cloud 9), and Richie (Streamers). Besides acting, Kenny has collaborated on sound design for eleven Gift shows, and has written music for seven of them. He was once a baby portrait salesman.

Lynda Newton (Christine Foskett) is thrilled to be back at The Gift. A founding member, Lynda has appeared in The Gift productions of Boy‘s Life, Alcatraz, Orestes 2.0.

County Fair, Language of Angels, The Pavilion, Beauty Queen of Leenane, 365 Days/365 Plays, Summer People, and TEN. In Chicago, she also appeared at Griffin Theatre in 5th of July; understudy w/ performance “theatrical essays” at Steppenwolf; Glory of Living at Profiles. She studied at School of Steppenwolf (2001), UMASS Amherst, North Shore Community College, and was also taught by the recently departed Father Frank Toste CSC. Lynda was an Acting Instructor for 5 years at The Actor’s Workshop in Boston, and also acted there, in Salem, and at Harvard University. She is from Peabody, Massachusetts. Special Thank You To: Rita, Frank, Mike, and especially, Jerry Thornton.

Justine Serino (Doris) is delighted to be back at The Gift, having last been seen in Almost, Maine and heard in Talk Radio. Other credits include work with The Side Project, Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, Hancock Productions, Walkabout Theatre, Livewire Chicago Theatre, Chicago Jewish Theatre, Stage Left, Aspect Theatre Company, The Shakespeare Project of Chicago, Footsteps Theatre Company, Circle Theatre, The Mercury Theatre and The Artistic Home, where she is a student of Mary Ann Thebus.

Amy Speckien (Mrs. Pratt / Cook) was last seen at the The Gift in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; Stop Kiss; Get Behind Me, Santa!; and Son of Santa’s Great American Depression Holiday Show! America. She has also worked with Collaboraction, Profiles Theatre, and Griffin Theatre, among others. Amy has a BFA in Acting from Northern Illinois University. Amy Absolute Hell 7

B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) is beyond happy to be working with Sheldon Patinkin. Thank you to Sheldon and thank you for spending your evening at the theatre.

Maria Stephens (Madge / FiFi) is delighted and grateful to be back on stage with the wonderful folks at The Gift. Maria is an ensemble member at the Artistic Home, past productions there include Sabina in The Skin of Our Teeth, Beatrice in Modigliani, Gabby in The Petrified Forest, The Strange Passenger in Peer Gynt, Claire in Natural Affection, Sara Casey in The Tinkers Wedding, Look Homeward, Angel, The Madwoman of Chaillot, and The Miss Firecracker Contest. In Chicago she has worked with the Factory, The Mammals and Appletree. Maria last appeared at The Gift In The Clearing as Sweet Strange Killane. Always love to Pete and Violet.

Dylan Stuckey (Nigel Childs) is excited to be back working with another wonderful ensemble at The Gift.

He was last seen at The Gift in Cloud 9 playing Harry/Martin. Chicago credits include work with Northlight Theatre, Signal Ensemble, Sideshow Theatre, Redmoon, and Promethean Theatre Ensemble. Dylan would like to thank his family, and of course his new found inspiration, nephew, and acting teacher, Griffin.

Michael Patrick Thornton (Hugh Marriner) is the artistic director and co-founder of The Gift.

He most recently appeared in Will Eno’s Middletown at Steppenwolf directed

by Les Waters. At The Gift, he appeared in Suicide, Incorporated (Joseph Jefferson Award Nomination), The Lonesome West, The Ruby Sunrise, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Good Thief (Joseph Jefferson Award—Solo Performance) and Boys’ Life. Elsewhere: Cherry Docs (Next); A Skull in Connemara (Northlight—After Dark Award: Best Production); The Day Maggie Blew Off Her Head (Serendipity); Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Ivanhoe); 8 The Gift Theatre

Flanagan’s Wake! (Noble Fool); the San Antonio tour of Zoo Story; and the title role in Steppenwolf’s The Elephant Man. Directing credits with The Gift: TEN, Night and Her Stars, Stop Kiss; Santa’s Great American Depression Holiday Show! America; White People; Three Sisters; Long Day’s Journey Into Night; Hurlyburly; A Young Man In Pieces; Language Of Angels; County Fair; and Orestes 2.0. Other directing: My Kind of Town (Steppenwolf’s First Look Festival); Of Mice and Men (Steppenwolf); Sean Graney’s IS N UR B1UDS7REEM…and Mark Harvey Levine’s LA 8AM (Collaboraction Sketchbook); Picasso At The Lapin Agile (Noble Fool); Julius Caesar (Crew Of Patches). Michael was a grateful assistant director of Steppenwolf’s Pulitzer Prize/Tony Awardwinning August: Osage County. A graduate of The School at Steppenwolf, The Second City Conservatory, The Second City Directing Program, he has trained at iO Improv and Annoyance Theatre (with Mick Napier) and occasionally teaches at The Second City, The School at Steppenwolf, and Columbia College.

He improvises with Natural Gas (The Gift), Messing With A Friend (Susan Messing), and most recently, as Thornton & Messing at Steppenwolf and The Annoyance through the TBS/Just For Laughs Festival. As a writer, Michael’s plays have been workshopped through Young Playwrights, Inc. (New York) and The Second City. His play The Princess And The Bear was performed at Western Michigan University and published in excerpt along with his creative non-fiction in Third Coast Press and Packingtown Review. He is a frequent contributor to Chicago’s live magazine The Paper Machete. Awards/distinctions: Chicago Finalist: National Shakespeare Contest (Mitzi-Newhouse Theatre; Lincoln Center); 3Arts Artist Award; Northlight Theatre’s Jack Springer Award for Outstanding Performance; The Tim Meier & Helen Coburn Meier Foundation Achievement Award; The Second City Foundation’s Jim Zulevic Chicago Arts Award; and induction into The St. Patrick High School Hall of Fame. Michael plays Dr. Gabriel Fife on ABC’s Private Practice and appeared in FOX’s The Chicago Code. He lives blissfully in Jefferson Park with his wife, Lindsey Barlag Thornton.

Adam Welsh (P.C. Molson / Non-Member) Credits include, Chicago Sketchfest 2012 (Stage 773), This is Our Youth (Stage 773), Rag and Bone (Columbia College Chicago), The Normal Heart (Columbia College Chicago). Adam cannot be more grateful, and honored to work with an

B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) incredible cast and crew at The Gift Theatre.

He received his B.A. in Acting from Columbia College in 2011. Adam would like to thank Sheldon Patinkin and Michael Patrick Thornton for this amazing opportunity.

Jay Worthington (Sam Mitchum) is thrilled to be a part of the U.S. premiere of Absolute Hell. An ensemble member at The Gift Theatre, previous Gift credits include: TEN, Cloud 9, Night and Her Stars, Suicide, Incorporated, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. “Many thanks to a fantastic cast and crew, and of course: to Sheldon; it’s humbling to be working with so many great artists. Also thanks to those in attendance: this is both because of and for you. Thanks for giving us ten years of The Gift.”

Rodney Ackland (Playwright, 1908 – 1991), as a young dramatist, was sometimes referred to as the English Chekhov. Born Norman Ackland Bernstein, the son of a music-hall singer, he began acting professionally as a teenager before studying at London’s Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art. As an actor, he worked steadily in regional repertory companies and on tour, notably in the title role of John van Druten’s first successful play Young Woodley (1929). As a playwright, Ackland enjoyed London productions of Improper People (1929), Strange Orchestra (1932), Birthday (1934), and The Dark River (1943) which he also directed. Better known were his stage adaptations of novels: Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past (1938), Dostoyesky’s Crime and Punishment (1946), and Ostrovsky’s Diary of a Scoundrel (1949).

Although Ackland’s psychological and social realism prefigured the new British dramatists that appeared after 1955, his plays were generally swept aside by critical enthusiasm for those “angry young men” such as Osborne, Wesker, and Pinter. In the 1980s several of Ackland’s plays received London revivals, notably Absolute Hell, a retitled version ofThe Pink Room (1952), which appeared on the Royal National Theatre’s list of the top 100 plays of the 20th century. In 1988 it played to considerable success at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond-upon-Thames. In 1991 it was adapted and directed for BBC Television by Anthony Page, starring Dame Judi Dench and was revived by Page at the Royal National Theatre in 1995, again with Dench in the leading role. British Films include The

Queen of Spades (1949), Temptation Harbour, Wanted for Murder, 49th Parallel, among others. --Extracted from www.powellpressburger.org Sheldon Patinkin (Director) is Chair Emeritus of the Theater Department of Columbia College Chicago, Artistic Consultant to The Second City and to Steppenwolf Theatre, and Co-Director of the Steppenwolf Theatre Summer Ensemble Workshops. Among some of his favorite directing projects outside of the College have been the world premiere of Cormac McCarthy’s The Sunset Limited at the Steppenwolf Garage Theatre, which was then moved to a limited run at the 59E59 Theatre in New York, and to the Galway Arts Festival in Ireland; The Glass Menagerie, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, and The Lonesome West for the Gift Theatre Company; South Pacific at the Metropolis Art Center; Uncle Vanya at Steppenwolf; Long Day’s Journey Into Night at the Irish Rep and at the Galway Arts Festival and Krapp›s Last Tape for the Buckets of Beckett Festival, both starring John Mahoney. He received a Jeff Award for directing his Irving Berlin revue Puttin’ on the Ritz, and a special Jeff for his contribution to Chicago theater. His translation of Brecht’s The Good Person of Setzuan was directed by Frank Galati at the Goodman Theatre. His book The Second City: Backstage at the World’s Greatest Comedy Theater was published by SourceBooks in 2000, and No Legs, No Jokes, No Chance, his textbook on the history of the American musical, was published by Northwestern University Press in 2008. He is a proud member of The Gift Ensemble.

Taree Chadwick (Stage Manager) graduated in December 2010 with a BFA in Theatre from Columbia College Chicago. Since graduation she has worked in many theatres around the city including Sideshow Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, Moving Stories Theatre, Promethean, Silent Theatre, and Raven Theatre. She is extremely happy for the opportunity to return to The Gift after stage managing the hit production of Northwest Highway. A special thanks to all those who support and nurture the arts.

David Preis (Technical Director) has contributed his woodworking, general handyman, and all around technical expertise to The Gift since 2002, becoming Technical Director in 2006. He has worked as a luthier for over 30 years – making cellos and basses for Englehardt-Link, Inc. based in Elk Grove Village. David studied theatre and design at Illinois Wesleyan and Absolute Hell 9

B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) has worked as the sound engineer for “The Night Crawlers,” a Chicago area blues band.

Throughout the years, he has designed, built, and/or coordinated lighting, set, and sound for a number of Chicago area productions including critically acclaimed productions of Tango and Josephine, The Mouse Singer both at Chicago Actors Ensemble, Brick/Walls Open Spaces for Shakti Dance Company, Crying Woolf at Zebra Crossing Theatre, and Light Up the Sky at Gurnee Theatre Company.

Scott Pillsbury (Lighting and Sound Designer) Since arriving in Chicago in 2000.

He’s designed or assisted for several different theaters and dance companies: Albany Park Theater Project, Ballet Chicago, Beverly Theater Guild and Arts Center, BoHo theater, Collaboraction, Five Star Productions, GI Alliance, Gift Theatre, Neo-Futurists, Prevail Dance Company, Prologue Theater, Pure Renditionz, Shapeshifters, Strange Tree, Theatre of Western Springs and Theatre Wit. Films: Dead in the Water, Lac Du Flambeau, Something to Eat, Tapioca and Measure.

Eva Breneman (Dialect Coach) Previous Gift credits: Cloud 9, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. Other Chicago credits: The March; Man In Love, To Kill The Mockingbird, The Brother/Sister Plays, Huck Finn, The Diary Of Anne Frank (Steppenwolf ); Elizabeth Rex, The Madness Of King George (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Season’s Greetings, A Life, The Lieutenant Of Inishmore (Northlight); Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting, The Great Fire, Ethan Frome (Lookingglass); The Caretaker, Do The Hustle, Travels with My Aunt (Writer’s Theatre); Enron, The Front Page, In Darfur, To Master the Art, The History Boys, Fiorello, and This Happy Breed (Timeline); The Petrified Forest, Aristocrats. Regional: Around the World in 80 Days (Centerstage Baltimore and Kansas City Repertory); Mamma Mia! (National Tour; Las Vegas). Television: The Chicago Code (Fox); The Beast (A&E). Eva is an Associate Artist at Timeline, and A Production Affiliate of Lookingglass.

Ian Zywica lives and works in Chicago as a freelance Scenic Designer and Technical Director. His designs as of late include, Always, Patsy Cline (Fox Valley Repertory); The King and I (Porchlight Music Theatre); Jenni and Jenny (Factory Theater); The Moonstone (Lifeline Theatre); Jackie and Me (Chicago Children’s Theatre) and Meet John Doe (Porchlight Music Theatre).

Kate Murphy has been a free-lance costume designer and technician in Chicago for over 25 years. She is currently lead draper and shop manager for Chicago Custom Costumes. Her father, Thomas Doherty, was a US Navy Seabee in the South Pacific during WWII, where he contracted malaria and dengue fever. Kate’s childhood memories of him suffering from the long-term effects of those diseases lead to a lifelong interest in the personal experiences and global legacies of World War II. She would like to dedicate her work on this production to his memory.

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John Tovar, SAFD (Fight Choreographer) is thrilled to be working with the wonderful people at The Gift again, having previously choreographed violence for their productions of Cloud 9, Night and Her Stars, The Lonesome West, Summer People, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Streamers. Other companies John has choreographed violence for include Steppenwolf, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Route 66 Theatre Co., Mary-Arrchie, Fox Valley Repertory, and Buffalo Theatre Ensemble.

He is a faculty member of the theatre department at College of DuPage. John is a Certified Teacher and Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors, currently serving as their Vice-President.

He is also the Executive Director of MACE (Movement and Combat Education), whose focus is movement education in the performing arts.

DONORS THANKS FOR GIVING US A HAND IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE! The Gift Theatre Company would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for “giving a gift of themselves” to us. This list reflects gifts received from January 1, 2009 through February 7, 2012. Contributions received at The Gift Gala on November 18, 2011 at The Copernicus Center are highlighted in bold print.

If we’ve spelled you’re name wrong or you have a correction or you would prefer to remain anonymous, please call 773-283-7071. And a HUGE thank you to all of our loyal and generous subscribers as well as an enthusiastic welcome to all our new 2012 “Gifters.” We gratefully rely on your continuing support.

Liewellyn & Sheila Coffin J. Laurence Costin, Jr. Mike & Diane Christoi Covert Creative Group LEADING BENEFACTORS Carol & Dan Cynganowski Frank & Rita Thornton Ann Dalton $75,000 Mary Desler Anonymous (1) Br. Konrad Diebold Brian & Geraldine Donaldson $10,000 - $25,000 Thomas & Colleen Doyle The Alphawood Foundation Maureen Eisenberg The Richard H. Driehaus Nancy Emerich & Jim Freeman Foundation Hillary Evans $5,000 - $9,999 Al Franklin Douglas Brown & Rachel Kraft Marj Halperin & Alan Robinson The Gale Street Inn Andrew Hinderaker The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Paul & Kathy Hinderaker Foundation Mark Hudson Marty Gannon & Gannon Joyce Foundation Graphics Molly King George Karzas Reginald King Mike & Tina Valenti Martha Lavey $3,000 - $4,999 Jon & Mary LeBaron Ryan J. Christoi Rich & Mary Ellen Mack Ronald Greene Memorial Fund Guy Massey Danny McCarthy $1,000 - $2,999 Nancy McDaniel Paul Botts & Heather McCowan Dan & Cathy McHugh John & Gina Brahm Jim & Carre McGovern Deborah Bricker Bob McMenamin Chicago City Arts Susan Messing Sean & Nora Conroy Eric & Jennifer Meyers Patricia Cox (In honor of Matthew & Megan Moffit Doug Brown) Patrick & Marietta Mullane Copernicus Foundation (InBill Mulliken Kind) William Nedved Dr. Gerry & Maureen Gawlik John Nygro Dawn & Rick Gray Green Bak Publishing (In-Kind) James Oates Daniel & Shannon O’Brien Illinois Arts Council Janis & Roy Olausson Carrie Schloss Paskal, Rudnicke Casting Carla Scott Norman Patinkin Greg and Anne Taubeneck Family Fund at The Chicago Maureen & Christoph PayneHahner Community Trust Richard Raskin TCF Bank Rondi Reed Shannon & Marc Wallace Denise & Neal Robinson Brian Wilson Catherine Ryan Wolf Gang Puck (In-Kind) Rosa M. Schloss $100 - $999 Rosita Schloss Anonymous (1) Karen Schneider Arnold N. Schorn & Co., LLC Schultz Supply Frank & Sandy Barlag Robert Schwartz Ann Barzel/Patrick Henry Arts Seco Refrigeration, Inc. Fund Christa-Marie Singleton Susan Block Dr. Joanne C. & Rory Smith (RIC) BP Matching Funds-Mark Hudson Craig Steadman Lisa & Christopher Buckley Linda Stern Bernard Carman Mary Jo Swedko Bridgeport Coffeehouse, Inc. Sysco Chicago, Inc. Karen Callaway Arlene & Cary Tengel LOCAL BUSINESS SPONSORS The Gale Street Inn A. Saccone & Sons

Jerry Thornton Christty Uchida US Foodservice – On behalf of George Karzas Wichita Packing Mark & Mary Winter Terry & Kathy Xaverius Mary Ann Zgaljic & Bill Rowe $1 - $99 Michelle Boone Brian Cicirello Empire Cooler Service, Inc. Patrick Donaldson, Jr. Ida Goldberger Gordon & Pikarski Chartered Amelia & Ed Hanrahan Laurie Heffernan Matthew Hinderaker Tom Lembo Eileen McNulty Grace Moran Susan Mudd Patricia Musker James Oates Kathleen O’Shea Nancy Paluch Helene & Aaron Parks Dan & Kathy Pascente Ronals & Karaen Payne Molly Regan Renzo Dairy Madelyn Sergel Justine Serino Nancy Stasiek Brendan Steadman Linda Stern Randolph & Barbara Thomas Mike Villanueva Mark Walzak Al & Lori Weber Mary & Mark Winter Seymour Zitomersky –

By Theresa Barker In-Kind Alexis Atwill Billy & Georgene Cole Phil Hanes Tony V. Martin Photography Dan Mullane Kevin & Katie Mullane Pat & Eileen Mullane Kate Murphy Jia Mei David Preis The Gift Ensemble Interns Kelly Ahlfeld Chelsea Gulbransen Benjamin Hendren Hannah Rigsby Absolute Hell 11

C E L E B R AT I N G 10 Y E A R S O F T H E G I F T !

BEFORE JEFFERSON PARK 2001-2004 Boys’ Life By Howard Korder Dir. Sheldon Patinkin

“6” By William Nedved (World Premiere) Dir. Jonathan Berry

Orestes 2.0 By Charles Mee Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton

Language of Angels By Naomi Iizuka (Midwest Premiere) Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton

The Countess By Gregory Murphy (Midwest Premiere) Dir. Maureen Payne Hahner

A Young Man In Pieces By William Nedved (World Premiere) Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton

County Fair By William Nedved (World Premiere) Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton

The Pavilion By Craig Wright (Midwest Premiere) Dir. John Gawlik

IN OUR HOME IN JEFFERSON PARK 2005-2011 The Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams / Dir. Sheldon Patinkin Remounted at Theatre on the Lake

The Ruby Sunrise By Rinne Groff (Chicago Premiere) Dir. John Gawlik Remounted at Theatre on the Lake; Top Ten of 2009 TimeOut Chicago

Hurlyburly By David Rabe Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton Jeff Citation—Actor in a Leading Role—Paul D’Addario Summer People By Jenny Connell Dir. Paul D’Addario The Clearing By Helen Edmundson Dir. by Brendan Donaldson

Santa’s Great American Depression Holiday Show! America 2 (Son of Santa’s Great American The Good Thief By Conor McPherson Dir. by John Gawlik / Jeff Award—Solo Performance— Depression Holiday Show! America) Conceived/ Created by the Cast / Dir. Ed Flynn Michael Patrick Thornton Long Day’s Journey Into Night By Eugene O’Neill / Almost, Maine By John Cariani Dirs: Lindsey Barlag, Adam Belcuore, Tom Blandford, Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton Tara Branham, John Gawlik, Whitney Dibo, and BJ The Halloween Show Conceived/Created by the Jones / Special Benefit Event Sponsored by Gale Ensemble Street Inn 365 Days/365 Plays: Week 2 By Susan-Lori Parks One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest By Dale Wasserman/Based on the Novel By Ken Kesey / Dir. Blithe Spirit By Noel Coward John Kelly Connolly / Jeff Award Nomination—Sound Dir. John Gawlik Design—Miles Polaski The Beauty Queen of Leenane By Martin Suicide, Incorporated By Andrew Hinderaker McDonagh / Dir. Sheldon Patinkin / Jeff Award (World Premiere) Nomination—Actress in a Leading Role—Mary Ann Dir. Jonathan Berry / Jeff Award Nominations: Actor Thebus in Supporting Role—Michael Patrick Thornton; New Three Sisters By Anton Chekhov Work- Play—Andrew Hinderaker Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton The Lonesome West By Martin McDonagh/ Dir. White People By J.T. Rogers Sheldon Patinkin Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton Night and Her Stars By Richard Greenberg /Dir. Jeff Award Nomination—Sound Design-Midsize— Michael Patrick Thornton Miles Polaski Northwest Highway By William Nedved (World The Last Days of Judas Iscariot By Steven Adly Premiere) / Dir. Si Osborne / Top 20 Shows of 2011 Guirgis/ Dir. Kevin Christopher Fox Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune W;t By Margaret Edson Recommendation for the American Theatre Critics Dir. by John Gawlik Assn’s 2011 ATCA/Steinberg New Play Award Jeff Award Nominations: Production Play-Midsize; Cloud 9 by Caryl Churchill Actress in a Leading Role—Alexandra Main; Lighting Dir. Maureen Payne-Hahner Design-Midsize—John Horan Streamers By David Rabe Dir. by Daniel J. Ahlfeld Santa’s Great American Depression Holiday Show! America Conceived/Created by the Cast Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton Stop Kiss By Diana Son Dir. Michael Patrick Thornton Talk Radio By Eric Bogosian Dir. M. Payne-Hahner / Jeff Award Nomination— Scene Designer-Midsize—Courtney O’Neill 12 The Gift Theatre