Gift of the Magi-Porchlight

Michael Weber Managing Artistic Director Presents

Book by Mark St. Germain

Music by Randy Courts

Lyrics by Randy Courts and Mark St. Germain Featuring Nate Lewellyn, Kevin McKillip, Chelsea Morgan, Jason Richards, Gerald Richardson and Heather Townsend Set Design William Boles

Costume Design Bill Morey

Sound Design Victoria DeIorio Music Supervisor Doug Peck

Lighting Design William C. Kirkham Properties Design Barbara Trinh

Assistant Director Deborah Blumenthal

Production Management Patrick Fries

Music Direction by Elizabeth Doran

Stage Management Thom Van Ermen

Choreography by Brenda Didier Direction by Mark E. Lococo

The Gifts of the Magi is presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

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MUSICAL NUMBERS Star of the Night.................................................................................................................City Him and Her Gifts of the Magi............................................................................................................Willy and Company Christmas to Blame............................................................................................... Willy, City Him and Her How Much to Buy my Dream?.................................................................................................................Jim The Restaurant.....................................................................................................Soapy, City Him and Her Once More...................................................................................................................................Jim and Della Bum Luck...................................................................................................................................Soapy and Jim Greed................................................................................................................................................... Company Pockets..........................................................................................................................................................Willy The Same Girl..............................................................................................................................................Della Star of the Night (Reprise).......................................................................... Jim, Della, City Him and Her Gifts of the Magi (Reprise)............................................................................................................ Company SET TING AND TIME New York City, December 23 through 25, 1905 The Gifts of the Magi is presented without intermission

CAST

in order of appearance

The City - Her........................................................................................................ HEATHER TOWNSEND+ The City - Him......................................................................................................GERALD RICHARDSON+ Willy Porter.......................................................................................................................... NATE LEWELLYN Jim Dillingham................................................................................................................ JASON RICHARDS Della Dillingham.......................................................................................................... CHELSEA MORGAN Soapy Smith.......................................................................................................................KEVIN McKILLIP~ ~Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in America ^Denotes member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society ^^Denotes member of United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 +Denotes Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate UNDERSTUDIES Della Dillingham & The City - Her.................................................................................... LAUREN PARIS Jim Dillingham & Willy Porter..............................................................................TOM VENDAFREDDO Soapy Smith & The City - Him..................................................................................... DAVID GEINOSKY Understudy performances will occur only with an announcement to the audience prior to the show.

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MUSICIANS Conductor/Piano........................................................................................................ ELIZABETH DORAN Percussion.......................................................................................CHRISTINA FOSTER, BRENT ROMAN A R T I S T I C S TA F F Managing Artistic Director........................................................................................ MICHAEL WEBER^ Director............................................................................................................................ MARK E. LOCOCO^ Musical Director........................................................................................................... ELIZABETH DORAN Choreographer................................................................................................................. BRENDA DIDIER+ Music Supervisor.....................................................................................................................DOUG PECK+ Assistant Director............................................................................................. DEBORAH BLUMENTHAL Scenic Designer .................................................................................................................WILLIAM BOLES Costume Designer..................................................................................................................BILL MOREY+ Lighting Designer....................................................................................................WILLIAM C. KIRKHAM Sound Designer.......................................................................................................VICTORIA DEIORIO^^ Properties Designer ......................................................................................................... BARBARA TRINH Properties Design Assistant........................................................................................... ADRIAN JUAREZ Wig Designer....................................................................................................................... KEVIN BARTHEL Dramaturgy Intern........................................................................................... DEBORAH BLUMENTHAL P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Production Stage Manager................................................................................. THOM VAN ERMEN~+ Production Manager.............................................................................................................PATRICK FRIES Co-Technical Directors.................................................................................ELI KING & JEN SELEZNOW Scenic Artist ............................................................................................................................. MIKAH BERKY Stitcher...........................................................................................................KATE SETZER KAMPHAUSEN Wardrobe Supervisor .......................................................................................................... PEGGY CLUNE Assistant Stage Management........................................................ KORY PULLAM, NATE SCHEUERS Wig Styling and Maintenance .................................................................................... SCOTT SOWINSKI Casting Interns........................................................................................................................ELLEN DOYLE,

JENN OSWALD, ALEX ROSENBERG AU D I E N C E S E R V I C E S House Manager........................................................................................PEGGY CLUNE, KORY PULLAM M A R K E T I N G S TA F F Marketing & Press Representative............................SHOUT MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS:

JAMES JULIANO & JILL EVANS Promotional Photographer.........................................................................................KELSEY JORISSEN Promotional Video Producer............................................................................................... CHRIS GEKAS Promotional Video Director.......................................................................... DEBORAH BLUMENTHAL Website Design ...................................................................JON RUNNFELDT+, LAB OF LIFE DESIGN Logo Design.............................................................................................................................. JEN LONDON Graphic Design ...........................................................................................................................JEFF MEYER The Gifts of the Magi

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A D M I N I S T R AT I V E S TA F F General Manager...................................................................................................... CARRIE L. KAUFMAN Administrative & Marketing Associate...........................................................NATE C. GROONWALD Development Coordinator & Grant Officer........................................................ DONALD SPRAGUE Administrative/Production Interns.............................................. KORY PULLAM, NATE SCHEUERS Administrative/Marketing Intern..........................................................................................JEFF MEYER F R O M T H E M A N AG I N G A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R Season’s Greetings, and welcome to Porchlight Music Theatre!

At Porchlight, we pride ourselves on presenting “American musicals, Chicago style” and so, at this time of year, there is no greater American story to tell than the lauded writer O. Henry’s 1906 examination of what it is to love and to be loved and to recall the most important lessons when it comes to the true meaning of holiday giving.

Enhancing this musical adaptation is the inclusion of O. Henry’s 1904 masterpiece, The Cop and the Anthem, a story that includes all of the author’s classic elements and sets the stage for an exploration of being one of the “haves” or “have-nots” told with empathy for the lead character and, as always, including a delightful O. Henry ironic twist at the end.

The lead character, “Soapy,” became one of the great comically tragic clowns of literature and has been essayed in performance by none other than Charles Laughton, Robert Morse and Red Skelton, who borrowed freely from the creation in the evolution of his own tramp character “Freddie the Freeloader.”

We are so pleased to introduce to Chicago the premiere of this musical adaptation and we look forward to seeing you right here in this theatre for the return of our new critical and audience hit BEST MUSICAL! A Completely Improvised Musical in our new Holiday Edition playing on off-nights throughout the run of The Gifts of the Magi.

From all of us at Porchlight, warm wishes for a wonderful holiday season!

Michael Weber Managing Artistic Director

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BIOGR APHIES HEATHER TOWNSEND+ (The City - Her) is a proud Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate, having appeared as “Luisa Contini” in Nine, “Yvonne” in Sunday in the Park with George, and “Maude” in Macabaret. Other Chicago credits include work with Fox Valley Rep, Shattered Globe, Chicago Opera Vanguard/Caffeine, Theatre Wit, Northlight, Remy Bumppo, Apple Tree, Next, Dog and Pony, City Lit, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Pegasus, Boho and readings with Steppenwolf and the Goodman. She can currently be seen in Cinderella at the Broadway Playhouse as Cinderella’s loving and understanding Stepmother. She is a graduate of Columbia University, the University of Chicago Law School and the Cabaret Conference at Yale. Love, as always, to Jake, Lily and Mimi.

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GERALD RICHARDSON+ (The City - Him) is honored to be a part of another Porchlight Music Theatre production. He is also a proud Porchlight artistic associate. Gerald was last seen as “Tee-Tot” in Filament Theater’s production of Hank Williams Lost Highway. Other Porchlight credits include Once On This Island, Ragtime, Candide, Phantom Of The Opera, and A Wonderful Life.

Other Chicago credits include Parade, The Life, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Wild Party, Thou Shalt Not, The Student Prince, Countess Maritza, and The Wiz for which he won the Black Theater Alliance Award for best supporting actor as “The Tin Man.”

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NATE LEWELLYN (Willy Porter) is excited to be back at Porchlight Music Theatre, having understudied last year’s A Catered Affair. He recently appeared as “Harold” in Harold and the Purple Crayon with Chicago Children’s Theatre. Other Chicago credits include Follies at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and How Can You Run with a Shell on your Back? at the Marriott Theatre, Hot Mikado and A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane Oakbrook, Merrily We Roll Along at The Music Theatre Company, and [title of show] at Northlight Theatre. He also performed in The Bowery Boys at the New York National Alliance for Musical Theatre Festival at New World Stages. He is a proud graduate of Northwestern University. Many thanks to Michael, Mark, and Liz for this wonderful opportunity.

JASON RICHARDS (Jim Dillingham) is thrilled to be making his debut with Porchlight Music Theatre! Hailing from Detroit, Jason worked on nearly every stage in Michigan’s thriving theatre community, where he made appearances in Michigan’s longest running comedy Shear Madness, as well as the Detroit resident company of Forbidden Broadway. Other credits include Avenue Q (“Nicky”/”Trekkie”, NightBlue Theater), Men Exposed (Metropolis), Little Shop of Horrors (“Seymour”, Wilde Award nomination), and “Eugene” in all three parts of Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach trilogy (Wilde Award nomination, Oakland Press Award). Love and thanks to all of the incredible artists that have made his first year in Chicago theatre such a joy.

CHELSEA MORGAN (Della Dillingham) is delighted to make her Chicago debut with Porchlight Music Theatre!

She is a graduate of Western Michigan University, where she earned her BFA in Musical Theatre Performance in 2011.

Chelsea’s previous regional credits include ...Spelling Bee (“Olive Ostrovsky”). WMU credits: Good Death, Arabian Nights (“Perfect Love”), She Stoops to Conquer (“Mrs. Hardcastle”), and Carousel (“Julie Jordan”).

She sends eternal gratitude and much love to Mom and Dad, Trevor, and Michael.

KEVIN MCKILLIP~ (Soapy Smith) makes his Porchlight Music Theatre debut. Credits include The Story (Goodman Theatre), Arcadia (Court Theatre), Making God Laugh (Theatre at the Center), Intimate Apparel (Milwaukee Rep), as well as appearances with Chicago Shakespeare, Famous Door, ShawChicago, Remy Bumppo, American Players Theatre, Artists Ensemble Theatre, Boarshead Theatre, New American Theatre, and others. Kevin has appeared in over 20 productions with the Peninsula Players Theatre, including Cabaret, A Day in Hollywood - A Night in the Ukraine, Wait Until Dark, The Elephant Man, God of Carnage, A Few Good Men, The Importance of Being Earnest, Around the World in 80 Days, Is He Dead?, and many others. Kevin has appeared in over 25 productions with First Folio Theatre, including Hamlet (title role), Richard III (title role – Jeff Nomination Best Leading Actor), Unnecessary Farce, The Woman in Black, Jeeves Intervenes (Jeff nomination – Best Supporting Actor), Macbeth, As You Like it, 12th night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Jeff Nomination – Best Supporting Actor), Jeeves in Bloom, Design for Living, Much Ado The Gifts of the Magi

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about Nothing, and many others. As an American invitee to the Stratford Festival of Canada, Kevin was the recipient of a Tyrone Guthrie Award while appearing in Troilus and Cressida, Antony and Cleopatra, and The White Devil. Kevin’s One-man-show Will Rogers: An American Original has been produced by First Folio, Stormfield Theatre, Rosner Productions, Peninsula Players, and ShawChicago. www.kevinmckillip.com LAUREN PARIS (Understudy Della Dillingham & The City - Her) has spent the past year in the first Chicago productions of Rent (American Theatre Company/About Face Theatre, dir. David Cromer) and Spring Awakening (Griffin Theatre Company, dir. Jonathan Berry). She was most recently seen as “Mary Magdalene” in Jesus Christ Superstar (Big Noise Theatre, dir. Stacey Flaster). Other credits include Emerald City Theatre, Chicago Cabaret Project, and Canterbury Summer Theatre. Proud 2011 Loyola Chicago graduate. Huge thanks to her former professor Mark for the opportunity to work for Porchlight Music Theatre and with such fine folk! For her parents, as always. www.laurenparis.net TOM VENDAFREDDO (Understudy Jim Dillingham & Willy Porter )is thrilled to be making his Porchlight Music Theatre debut! As an active performer and music director, his recent credits include The Spitfire Grill (Bohemian Theatre Ensemble), Odyssey (Old Globe Theatre), Rent (San Diego Musical Theatre), Pump Boys and Dinettes (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre), It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play (Cygnet Theatre), Urinetown: The Musical (Harper Theatre Ensemble), and 8

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Zanna, Don’t! (San Diego State University). As an educator, Tom has worked with countless organizations on both coasts as well as in the Chicagoland area, including La Jolla Playhouse, Roosevelt University, University of Rochester (NY), San Diego State University, Circle Theatre, the Illinois Theatre Association, and the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. BM: Eastman School of Music. MFA: San Diego State University.

DAVID GEINOSKY (Understudy The City Him/ Soapy Smith) is thrilled to be making his Porchlight Music Theatre debut! Most recently , he was seen as Joe in Hello Norma Jeane with Pride Films and Plays. Other credits include: Man 3 in Rogers and Hart: A Celebration (Light Opera Works), Robert Martin in The Drowsy Chaperone (Big Noise), Jack Stone in Reefer Madness ( Brown Paper Box), Dennis in All Shook Up ( The Armory), Ensemble/ Bob Wallace Understudy in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Circa 21).

NYC: Bibi Bonnard in The Happy Time (Musicals Tonight). National Tour: Ensemble/ Scarecrow Understudy in The Wizard of Oz. David Traveled as a Featured Singer/ Dancer for Jean Anne Ryan Productions, on Silver Seas Cruises.

He is a proud graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC. Special Thanks to the Porchlight Team and love to Mom, Dad and Andrea.

O. HENRY (Author) Born William Sidney Porter, this master of short stories is much better known under his pen name “O. Henry.” He was born September 11, 1862 in North Carolina, where he spent his childhood. His only formal education was received at the school of his Aunt Lina, where he developed a lifelong love of

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books. In his uncle’s pharmacy, he became a licensed pharmacist and was also known for his sketches and cartoons of the townspeople of Greensboro.

York City, where over the next ten years before his death in 1910, he published over 300 stories and gained worldwide acclaim as America’s favorite short story writer.

At the age of twenty, Porter came to Texas primarily for health reasons, and worked on a sheep ranch and lived with the family of Richard M. Hall, whose family had close ties with the Porter family back in North Carolina. It was here that Porter gained a knowledge for ranch life that he later described in many of his short stories.

In 1884, Porter moved to Austin. For the next three years, where he roomed in the home of the Joseph Harrell family and held several jobs. It was during this time that Porter first used his pen name, O. Henry, said to be derived from his frequent calling of “Oh, Henry” the family cat.

O. Henry wrote with realistic detail based on his first hand experiences both in Texas and in New York City. In 1907, he published many of his Texas stories in The Heart of the West, a volume that includes The Reformation of Calliope, The Caballero’s Way, and The Hiding of Black Bill. Another highly acclaimed Texas writer, J. Frank Dobie, later referred to O. Henry’s Last of the Troubadours as “the best range story in American fiction.”

By 1887, Porter began working as a draftsman in the General Land Office, then headed by his old family friend, Richard Hall.

In 1891 at the end of Hall’s term at the Land Office, Porter resigned and became a teller with the First National Bank in Austin. After a few years, however, he left the bank and founded the Rolling Stone, an unsuccessful humor weekly. Starting in 1895 he wrote a column for the Houston Daily Post.

RANDY COURTS (Music & Lyrics) collaborated with playwright/lyricist Mark St.Germain on the musicals Johnny Pye and the Foolkiller (Lambs Theater, AT&T New Plays Of The Nineties Award); Joseph and Mary (Los Angeles, Dallas, Indianapolis and in concert in New York starring Kris Kristofferson); Jack’s Holiday (Playwrights Horizons, 3 Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, including Best Musical); The Book of the Dun Cow (10th anniversary of The New Harmony Project); and The Gingerbread House (Playwrights Horizons, commission from Playwrights Horizons and Dreamworks). Mr. Courts and Mr. St. Germain also contributed songs to the review A...My Name is Still Alice and to Cass Morgan’s True Home. Mr. Courts collaborated with author Walter Wangerin Jr. on the Christmas oratorio Angels and All Children, and they are currently finishing Potter, an opera based on the book of the same title by Wangerin. This summer, Mr. Courts is set to collaborate with writer Will Osborne on a musical adaptation of The Magic Tree House, a popular children’s book series by Mary Pope Osborne.

Meanwhile, Porter was accused of embezzling funds dating back to his employment at the First National Bank.

Leaving his wife and young daughter in Austin, Porter fled to New Orleans, then to Honduras, but soon returned due to his wife’s deteriorating health. She died soon afterward, and in early 1898 Porter was found guilty of the banking charges and sentenced to five years in an Ohio prison.

From this low point in Porter’s life, he began a remarkable comeback. Three years and about a dozen short stories later, he emerged from prison as “O. Henry” to help shield his true identity. He moved to New

Porter died on June 5, 1910 in New York City at the age of forty seven. An alcoholic, he died virtually penniless.

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MARK ST. GERMAIN (Book & Lyrics) has written the plays Freud’s Last Session, Camping with Henry and Tom (Outer Critics Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award), Out of Gas on Lover’s Leap, Forgiving Typhoid Mary (Time Magazine’s “Year’s Ten Best”) , Ears on a Beatle, and The God Committee.

With Randy Courts, he has written the musicals Johnny Pie and the Foolkiller, winner of an AT&T “New Plays For The Nineties Award” and Jack’s Holiday at Playwrights Horizons. Mark’s musical, Stand

By Your Man, The Tammy Wynette Story was created for Nashville’s Ryman Theater.

Television credits include Writer and Creative Consultant for The Cosby Show.

He co-wrote the screenplay for Carroll Ballard’s Warner Brothers film, Duma. Mark directed and co-produced the upcoming documentary, My Dog An Unconditional Love Story, featuring, Richard Gere, Glenn Close, and Edward Albee among many others. Mark has written the children’s book, Three Cups. He is an alumnus of New Dramatists, where he was given the Joe A. Callaway Award, a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Writer’s Guild East and a Board Member of the Barrington Stage Company. He was awarded the “New Voices In American Theatre” award at the William Inge Theatre Festival.

MARK E. LOCOCO^ (Director) is very happy to be back at Porchlight, where he previously directed Once On This Island (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for Best Production of a Musical). At the Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre, he directed A Chorus Line (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for Best Director of a Musical), Nunsense, and The Taffetas (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for Best Director of a Review). As an Artistic Associate at the Apple Tree Theatre in Highland Park, he directed Wings, the Midwest premieres of Dessa Rose (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for Best Director of a Musical), A Man of No 10

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Importance (winner of the 2004 After Dark Chicago Award for Best Production of a Musical), and The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin. Other productions at Apple Tree included Mountain, Uncle Vanya, Indian Ink, Syncopation, The Dresser, The Swan, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, Waiting for Godot, and Sugar. Other recent productions include The Producers at Milwaukee’s Skylight Theatre, The Miser at Northlight Theatre (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for Best Director of a Play), The Elephant Man at Peninsula Playhouse in Wisconsin, Shaw’s Misalliance at the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, a new musical version of The Princess and the Pea at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and Trumbo, featuring noted author and Chicago personality Studs Terkel at Steppenwolf Theatre. He has directed at Theatre On the Bay in Marinette, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Econo-Art Theatre, Pegasus Players, City Lit Theatre, and he assisted David Bell on the London production of Hot Mikado. He is Director of Theatre at Loyola University, where he is a professor of Fine and Performing Arts. He is also a member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers.

ELIZABETH DORAN (Music Director) is honored to be back at Porchlight Music Theatre after working on last year’s A Catered Affair. Originally from Wheaton and a recent graduate of Northwestern University, she worked on numerous shows while in school, such as Ragtime, Elegies: A Song Cycle, and The Wizard of Oz. Previous credits include: Some Enchanted Evening (Theo Ubique/Fox Valley Rep), Porgy and Bess (Court Theatre), and The Addams Family (Chicago). Many thanks to Doug and Michael for this opportunity.

BRENDA DIDIER+ (Choreographer) is thrilled to collaborate with Porchlight Music Theatre and Mark Loccoco once again! Choreography credits include:

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Cirque Shanghai at Navy Pier and its subsequent tours/engagements, Second City Etc. and Mainstage, T-Mobile’s national TV commercial, Home for the Holidays, The Kenny Rogers Christmas Tour, the upcoming Indie Film, Scrooge and Marley and numerous musical theatre, dance concert, university and industrial projects. A Porchlight Artistic Associate, Ms. Didier is a multiple Jeff Award recipient in both direction and choreography and the owner/director of the Lincolnshire Academy of Dance, now in its 15th season. Her students have completed training programs with American Ballet Theatre, the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet. Much gratitude to Michael Weber and everyone at Porchlight Music Theatre for the opportunity! Happy Holidays!

DOUG PECK+ (Music Supervisor) is thrilled to work with Porchlight Music Theatre as Music Supervisor, helping each production find its music director, musicians, and unique sound. For Porchlight, Peck has music directed A Catered Affair and Assassins, as well as the yearly Chicago Sings… concert. Peck is the winner of five Joseph Jefferson Awards and two After Dark Awards for his work at Court Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Writer’s Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, TimeLine Theatre Company, Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, and Ravinia Festival. Regional credits include productions with: Huntington Theatre, D.C.’s Shakespeare Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, and Peninsula Players. His concert collaborations with his husband Rob Lindley include galas for many theaters listed above, as well as Follies in Concert, and an evening of every song that won the Academy Award for the Chicago Humanities Festival. He can be heard on the recordings Bright Young People: The Songs of Noël Coward, Foiled Again: Live,

and Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein. Peck studied at Northwestern University and Interlochen Center for the Arts. Upcoming credits include: James Joyce’s The Dead (Court Theatre), Sweet Charity (Writers’ Theatre), Pal Joey (Porchlight Music Theatre), and The Jungle Book (Goodman).

DEBORAH BLUMENTHAL (Assistant Director/Dramaturgy Intern) is thrilled to be working with Porchlight for the 2012-2013 season. Chicago credits include Angels in America (Production Dramaturg) and An Iliad (Assistant Director), both directed

by Charles Newell at Court Theatre.

Deborah originally hails from New York, where she has worked with Clubbed Thumb (Dramaturg for Jordan Harrison’s Amazons and Their Men), and in the literary departments of Second Stage Theatre, The Public Theatre, Ars Nova, and Voice & Vision. Deborah holds a BA in American Studies from Barnard College of Columbia University and an MA in Humanities from the University of Chicago, where she studied with David Bevington.

WILLIAM BOLES (Set Designer) is thrilled to be working on The Gifts of the Magi with Porchlight. Recent scenic design work includes Equivocation (Victory Gardens Theater); The Glass Menagerie (Steppenwolf Garage); The Amish Project (American Theater Company); Zanna Don’t the Musical (The Music Theatre Company); The Bluest Eye, Spring Awakening, Beauty Queen of Leenane, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Godspell (Northwestern University). William received his BFA from the University of Central Florida and is an MFA candidate at Northwestern University. In 2008, he was awarded the National Design Award from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for his design of August Wilson’s, The Piano Lesson, and has also had his work featured in American Theater Magazine. See more of his work at: wbdesigns.carbonmade.com The Gifts of the Magi

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BILL MOREY+ (Costume Designer) has designed the costumes for Porchlight Music Theatre’s productions of A Class Act, A Catered Affair, The King and I (Jeff Award, BroadwayWorld Chicago Award), Into the Woods (Jeff Nomination), Candide (Jeff Nomination), Nine (Jeff Award), Macabaret, Ragtime (Jeff Award—Best Musical), Gypsy (After Dark Award), Elegies, Company, and A New Brain (After Dark Award). Other recent work includes A Light in the Piazza (Non Equity Jeff Award—Best Musical), Time After Time at Theo Ubique, and Pride and Prejudice at Lifefine. He made recently his Off Broadway debut doing costumes for Tomorrow Morning at the York. Bill has worked with Boho, Timeline, Griffin, Piven, Hell in a Handbag, The Scooty and JoJo Show and others. www.billmorey.com WILLIAM C. KIRKHAM (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to be working with Porchlight Music Theatre! Recent designs include The Verona Project (American Music Theatre Project),The Iron Stag King, Part 1 (Co-Designer, House Theatre), the world premieres of Gidion’s Knot and From Prague (Contemporary American Theater Festival); Life and Limb (Next UP, Steppenwolf Garage); The Little Prince, Rent, The Cherry Orchard, Spinning into Butter, Tartuffe (Northwestern University). Upcoming designs include Bud, not Buddy (Chicago Children’s Theatre). William is a graduate of the MFA Stage Design program at Northwestern University. www.wckirkham.com VICTORIA DEIORIO^^ (Sound Designer) is thrilled to be back with Porchlight Music Theatre after designing A Class Act and A Catered Affair. Off-Broadway Productions: Cassie’s Chimera (Joe’s Pub), The Public Theatre, The Bluest Eye (Steppenwolf Theatre @ The Duke Theatre), and Ophelia (NYC Fringe Festival). National Tour: Private Lives (LA Theatre Works). Regional: Northlight Theatre, Indiana Rep, Cleveland 12

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Playhouse, Syracuse Stage, Center Stage, Chautauqua Theatre Company, Florida Stage, Milwaukee Shakespeare, Milwaukee Rep, and others. Chicago: Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Writers’ Theatre, Next Theatre, Remy Bumppo, and countless other theatres in and around Chicago, NY, and LA. Victoria is a founding member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, an artistic associate at The Next, and an ensemble member at Lifeline Theatre. She has been nominated for 10 and has received 6 Joseph Jefferson Awards, as well as 2 After Dark Awards. She is the head of Sound Design for The Theatre School at DePaul University. For more information visit www.victoria-sound-design.com.

BARBARA TRINH (Properties Designer) is so excited to be working with Porchlight Music Theatre for the first time. She holds a BA in Film & Video from Columbia College Chicago. However, she did not find her niche until she started working in props. While at Columbia College, she worked at the Theatre Center as a props assistant. Since then, Barbara has been involved with Redmoon Theatre and Ka-Tet Theatre and she recently finished a props apprenticeship at Steppenwolf Theatre. In addition to The Gifts of the Magi this season, Barbara is the prop designer for Trainspotting, USA at Theatre Wit and Lysistrata at Oakton Community College.

PATRICK FRIES (Production Manager) is thrilled to be working with Porchlight Music Theatre again. Pat has previously worked with Porchlight on A Class Act and tick...tick... Boom! Some of Pat’s other credits include Crooked, Falling: A Wake, Precious Little, These Shining Lives, The Walls, Mary’s Wedding, and 26 Miles (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); Momma’s Boyz and I Put the Fear of Mexico in ‘Em (Teatro Vista), The UN Inspector, Dying City, Boom, End Days, War With The Newts, The Piano Teacher, and

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Madagascar (Next Theatre) and Welcome Yule! 2009 and 2010 (Chicago Symphony Orchestra). Pat is also the Programming Manager for 2nd Story.

THOM VAN ERMEN~+ (Stage Manager) served as Director of Operations for Theatre Building Chicago until 2010. During that time he also served as Technical Director, Building Manager and Business Manager.

Thom has also spent time being a freelance Technical Director for other performing arts groups throughout Chicago. He has also acted with Chicago Shakespeare, Bailiwick Theatre, Shakespeares Motley Crew, Goose Island Theatre, Zebra Crossing Theatre, Wayside Theatre (Winchester, VA), Free Shakespeare, Theatre Classics. He also serves as on the Advisory Board for Premiere Theatre and Performance.

MICHAEL WEBER (Managing Artistic Director) previously served as Artistic Director for the inaugural season of Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place (2005) and Theatre at the Center (1998-2004).

Directing credits include Fifth of July and Talley’s Folly at the Oak Park Festival Theatre, The Petrified Forest at Theatre at the Center, Over the River and Through the Woods at The Mercury Theater, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Pheasant Run Theatre, and Cirque du Symphony at Sears Center Arena. His

productions of Assassins at Porchlight Music Theatre, Grand Hotel at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place and She Loves Me at Theatre at the Center were each nominated for a Jeff Award for Best Production-Musical. He has written and directed the past seven Joseph Jefferson Awards ceremonies.

Weber’s regional acting credits include Annie Get Your Gun and Gypsy (starring Patti LuPone) at Ravinia, Disney’s My Son, Pinocchio at First Stage Milwaukee, Around the World in 80 Days at Cleveland Playhouse, The Winter’s Tale and Henry V at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, It Had To Be You (starring Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka) at Little Theatre on the Square, Angel Street at First Folio Shakespeare, and The Gifts of the Magi at Indiana Repertory and, most recently, For the Boys and White Christmas at Marriott Theatre. Weber is author of the new play, WAR of the WELLeS. CARRIE L. KAUFMAN (General Manager) has been passionately supporting theatre and helping theatre artists in Chicago for more than two decades, most notably as the Publisher and Editor of PerformInk, Chicago theatre’s paper of record. She is thrilled to now be managing a theatre she has admired since its inception. It is also her total belief that musical theatre feeds the soul.

A B O U T P O R C H L I G H T M U S I C T H E AT R E Mission Statement Porchlight is Chicago’s music theatre. By uniting the arts of music, drama, dance, and design we transform stories into passionate and relevant events, which affect the lives of artists and audiences alike. As professionals and leaders in this field, we nurture and develop new artists and works, expanding and redefining the music theatre genre while matching artistic vision with fiscal responsibility.

PMT Board of Directors Jeannie Lukow - President - Owner, Bespoke Cuisine Mary Kay Conley - Vice President / Secretary - Director of Labor Relations & H.R., Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co. The Gifts of the Magi

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A B O U T P O R C H L I G H T M U S I C T H E AT R E

c o n t.

PMT Board of Directors cont.

Ron Zoromski - Treasurer - CFO (in transition) Cheryl Coons - Resident Playwright, Chicago Dramatists Bill Crowther - President, Commodity Consulting Inc. Tom Hartman - Assistant Director of External Affairs and Fundraising at Carrie L. Kaufman - ex officio James Jensen - Concert Producer & Manager of Special Projects, Drury Lane Theatre, Adjunct Faculty, DePaul University Rhoda Reeling - President Emerita (retired) Greg Viti - Distributor-Call One, Realtor-The Viti Group-Prudential Rubloff Properties Michael Weber - ex officio PMT Artistic Associates Christin Boulette, Brandon Dahlquist, Brenda Didier, Eugene Dizon, Sarah Hayes, Bil Ingraham, Jenn Kincaid, Rob Lindley, Bill Morey, Doug Peck, Christopher Pazdernik, Gerald Richardson, Jonny Runfeldt, Heather Townsend, Thom Van Ermen PMT Advisory Board Eric Bramlett - Creative Arts Director, Community Christian Church Former Porchlight Artistic Director John Bucchino - Award-winning Broadway and Film Composer/Lyricist Kevin Depinet - Multi award-winning Set Designer Brenda Didier - Jeff Award-winning Director/Choreographer Owner, Lincolnshire Academy of Dance William Finn - Tony Award-winning Composer/Lyricist Linda Kline - Tony Award-nominated Author Jesse Klug - Multi award-winning Lighting Designer Sean Allan Krill - Chicago Theatre and Broadway Actor Jill Moore - Founder and former Artistic Director of Porchlight Music Theatre Lonny Price - Multi Emmy Award-winning Actor, Director & Author Hollis Resnik - Multi award-winning Actress L. Walter Stearns - Executive Director, The Mercury Theater Former Porchlight Artistic Director Maury Yeston - Tony Award-winning Composer/Lyricist PMT Benefit Committee Christin Boulette, Peggy Clune, Dina DiCostanzo, David Dorton, Jon Heuring, Jenn Kincaid - Chair, Blair Robertson, Elana Ernst Silverstein PMT Development Committee Cheryl Coons, Mary Kay Conley, Tom Hartman - Chair, Elizabeth Gelman, Greg Viti PMT Finance Committee Bill Crowther, James Jensen, Jeannie Lukow, Rhoda Reeling, Ron Zoromski - Chair PMT Marketing Committee Bil Ingraham, James Jensen - Chair, James Juliano 14

Porchlight Theater

SPECIAL THANKS To Stage 773 and to our subscribers and audience members who maintain a continuing commitment to our work.

To our special dining partner Cooper’s—A Neighborhood Eatery, critically acclaimed for their good food, extensive beer list, and good value. Located across the street from the theater, Coopers offers 10% off to Porchlight patrons, and free parking to patrons who dine there before the show. We are grateful to Coopers for their food donation for the opening reception of each show. Please patronize them!

To Tablescapes, American Metal Craft, Sasha Gerritson, and NEIU for their generous support of The Gifts of the Magi.

1232 West Belmont / Chicago, IL 60657 / 773.929.COOP (2667)

Porchlight Music Theatre is a proud member of the League of Chicago Theatres, Theatre Communications Group, Producing Area Chicago Theatres and the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce.

A N N UA L S U P P O R T Prochlight Music Theatre gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the following individuals, businesses, foundations and corporations. This list includes gifts received September 1st, 2011 through August 15th, 2012. We apologize to donors whose commitment is secured after the printing of this program and we regret any errors in the listing of contributors’ names. If you would like your name to appear differently or prefer to remain anonymous please contact us at info@porchlightmusictheatre.org or 773.777.9884.

Individuals can support Porchlight Music Theatre with gifts to the annual fund and with ticket purchases to the benefit concerts and annual auction gala. More than 70% of all donations in America come from individuals. Please consider making a gift to Chicago’s leader in music theatre, the company acclaimed for nurturing young talent and talent new to Chicagoland.

Foundations/Corporate Sponsors A.R.T. League Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development Baxter Bespoke Cuisine Chase Bank CityArts Program/City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events

Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Illinois Arts Council – A State Agency The MacArthur Fund for Art & Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Association of Realtors Peoples Energy

FRIEND $25-$49 Robert Austin Nan Birmingham Lili-Anne Brown Marcy Carrington Major George F. & Mary Dempsey Louise Dieterle David Fink Jack Hakman Deanna Haverty Thomas Moore Caroline Overman The Gifts of the Magi

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Coming Soon to WriterS’ theatre!

Pictured: Mark L. Montgomery and Kate Fry. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

The LeTTers

sweeT chAriTy

By John W. LoWeLL DirecteD by KimberLy Senior Featuring Kate Fry anD marK L. montgomery

book by neiL Simon, Music by Cy CoLeman, Lyrics by Dorothy FieLDS Based on an original screenplay by Frederico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and ennio Flaiano, Produced for the Broadway stage by Fryer, carr and Harris, conceived, staged and choreographed by BoB Fosse MusicaL Direction by Doug PeCK choreographeD by JeSSiCa reDiSh DirecteD by artistic Director miChaeL haLberStam

Performed at Books on Vernon – 664 Vernon Ave, Glencoe begins november 13, 2012

An edge-of-your-seAT poLiTicAL ThriLLer, sTAged in The mosT inTimATe of spAces!

Performed at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe begins January 22, 2013

The cLAssic dAnce musicAL scored for A Live jAzz combo!

For tickets: 847-242-6000 | writerstheatre.org

2012/13 Season Sponsor

WRITERS’ THEATRE

A N N UA L S U P P O R T

c o n t.

Marcel Pasciak Susan & Pat Pastin Barbara Plona Leigh Ann Reichenbach In Honor of Stephen B. Lewis Jan Wellspeak Caroline West PATRON $50-$99 In Honor of Rhoda Reeling Jim Anderson James Barrett Heather Behanna David Belew Alice Brandee David Chinitz Diane Claussen Magdalyn Cohn Diane Dorsey Brigid Duffy Lori Dunn Peter Eldridge Cardi Fleck Ann Followill Eric & Marilyn Fors Patricia Fort Charles Giglio Cindy Gold David & Ilise Goldberg David Gould Joseph & Linda Grear Michael Hamilton Chris Hodak Lavella Jones Marian Kanderbek Alexa Karkazis Brad Kemp Jenn Kincaid Caroline Lee Makena Levine Susan Lieberman Krystan Lordahl Paula Lyons Frances Maggio Henry & Florine Marks Diana Martinez Sonia Mauseth Megon McDonough Johann McKenzie Miller Beckie Menzie David Michael

Scott Mikita Arlene Mikol Madeline Moon Tom Mullen Richard Murphy Julia Neary Nancy Nickel Charles O’Connor Jeff Perry Jane Purdy Jeff Richey Mark Satter Linda Shore Jack Short Scott Silberstein Martha Spaulding Gerald Sherman Dariel Stack Sara Stern Mary Pat Studdert Richard Terrett Sean Thomas Denise Tracy Jaret Williams Larry Wyatt ARTIST $100-$249 Jennifer Aguilar Larry Baker Frances & Mona Barth Steven Bashwiner Richard Boyum & Louie Chua Richard Brannegan Brigid Brown Noreen Burke Leslie Cason Caryn Coons Matt DeCaro Elizabeth Derrico Mary Anne Doran Fred Drucker Deanna Dunagan Michael Elkow Jr. Patricia Fort Larry & Eileen Frederick Tony Gibson Jack Goes Jeffrey Glenn Jason Groh Thomas Guerra Paul Guse

Joan & Guy Gunzberg Susan & Harlan Haimes Lynn Hamilton Jon & Darcy Heuring William & Winfred Heuring Marty Higginbotham Kevin & Jan Holland David Jablonowski Louis Kersten Wayne Koepke Steve Kolinski Karen Kozlow Linda Kraft John Langfeld Thomas & Kathy Lengacher Charles Licht Marielle Lifshitz Krystan Lordahl Bill Marovitz Sonia Mauseth Corinne McArdle John & Linda Michael Anne Michka Paul Motondo Richard Murphy Drs. Shelly & Maris Nasatir Charlotte Newfeld Jeffrey Parker Angela & Charlie Platt Anthony Riviello Michael Rola Katherine Ruff Tamara Schiller & Charles Hoffman Mary Shilling-Martin Rosemary Schnell Randy Smith Neil Simmons Donald E. Sprague Gardener Stevens Brad Thien Suzy Thomas Lolly Trauscht Keeley Vasquez Mark Weston Roberta Zabel Kristi Zimmerman.

The Gifts of the Magi

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A N N UA L S U P P O R T STAGE MANAGER $250-$499 Lisa Bierly Michael Camp Carla Dawley Sylvia Friedman Barbara Gaines Scott Goldstein Barbara Goodman David Marker & Georgann Joseph Steve & Karen Multer Charles Peng Marc Robin Cassie Brooks & Sumit Sengupta Jay & Tamara Sims Lauren Taslitz Christopher Tisone Thom & Christa Van Ermen Dennis & Tina Vaughn Sandra Barnett White Susan Wishnick & Allen Steinberg

c o n t.

CHOREOGRAPHER $500-$999 Eric & Kristi Bramlett Maureen B. Daw, Ph.D.* Frank & Susan DiCostanzo David Dorton & Christin Boulette Patricia Elwood.

Nancy Flaster* Freda Friedman Tom Hartman* Yvette Ingraham Jeannie Lukow* Jerry McCann* Keith Olenik* John & Suzanne Shambrook* Kimberly Shambrook & Angela Johnson Seymour Zitomersky & Barbara LaSpesa DIRECTOR $1000+ Mary Kay Conley* Cheryl Coons* Leonora Dickson*

Judith Friedman* Patrick & Laura Lederer* Carl Tisone* Mary Alice Wheeler* Greg & Susan Viti* PRODUCER $2500-$4999 William Ingraham & Brad McCormick* Jean Klingenstein* Ron & Judie Zoromski* EXECUTIVE PRODUCER $5000+ Bill Crowther & Diane Hires* James Jensen* Kathryn Michael* Brenda Didier* Rhoda Reeling* L. Walter Stearns & Eugene Dizon* *denotes inaugural member of the PMT Annual Giving Society

A B O U T T H E A N N UA L G I V I N G S O C I E T Y With the arrival of new Artistic Director Michael Weber, Porchlight is more vibrant than ever, but we truly cannot grow and achieve our vision without you. Please take your place, as many others, recognizing the dedication of stars who contribute $500 or more each season. For more information, or to give your gift, please call 773.777.9884 or visit www.porchlightmusictheatre.org.

IN-KIND GIFTS We would like to thank the following individuals and organizations in the past year who donating goods and services to enhance our productions and to improve and equip our new office space.

Mike Accardo Brianna Aguilar Jennifer Aguilar Charissa Armon Jane Blass Carpets of Highwood Ian Paul Custer Brandon Dahlquist Fox Theatricals David Girolmo & Heidi Kettenring Greenhouse Theatre Center Tom Hall 18

Porchlight Theater

Sarah Hayes Jon & Darcy Heuring Bil Ingraham James Jenson Matthew Lew Jeannie Lukow Brad McCormick Kathryn Michael Steve & Karen Multer Next Day Toner Pianoforte Foundation Adam Pelty, Rhoda Reeling

Gerald Richardson Jonny Runnfeldt – Lab of Life Design Thom Van Ermen Greg Viti Michael Weber And our entire Board of Directors and Artistic Associates for their hours of work in making our office move happen.

A B O U T S TAG E 77 3 Mission Stage 773 acts to embody the vibrant spirit of Chicago off-loop theatre: · We celebrate the creative process, supporting the work of actors, directors, writers, composers and designers. · We nurture the artist, offering technical, organizational and emotional support. · We honor our audience, presenting accessible, affordable, exceptional entertainment.

S TAG E 77 3 B OA R D O F D I R E C TO R S Laura Michaud, Chair Brian Posen, Secretary Alex Meyer, Treasurer Michael Gellman, Charles H. Jesser, Steve Miller, Kristen Romans, Quinton Snodgrass, Jill Valentine, Brian Walter Please consider a gift to Stage 773 programming, or “Buy a Seat” in our new “Pro Theater” . Please contact jack@stage773.com for information on donations and sponsorships. Your support is critical to our future – and to the future of the many local artists who partner with us.

Stage 773 is partially supported by The Illinois Arts Council and The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.

S TAG E 77 3 S TA F F Brian Posen........................................................................................................................... Artistic Director Jill Valentine.............................................................................................................Director of Operations Brian Peterlin................................................................................................................ Director of Facilities Jack Short........................................................................................................ Director of Tenant Services

and Grant Management Matt Gerdes..................................................................................................................................Bookkeeper Emily Claibourne................................................................Resident Stage Manager/ Tech Assistant Nancy Farnand, Joey Gilmore,............................................................Box Office and Front of House Michelle Maurer Arrie Tucker Mandy Whitenack, Laura Wilson Amy Alfultis, Vance Brinkerhoff, ................................................................................................... Bar Staff Liz McArthur, Ben Miller, Jacob Welch Stage 773 ushers provided by The Saints For more information on performances, space rental and special events visit www.stage773.com The Gifts of the Magi

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HAVE A SEAT Make your mark on Stage773!

Imagine YOUR name on one of the seats in our new renovated “Pro Theatre� seen by thousands of theater-goers each year.

Does your family or circle of friends include an off-Loop performing arts enthusiast? Why not honor him or her with recognition right in the middle of the action?

Go public with your support for Stage773!

Call Jack Short at 773.929.7367 x 112 or email jack@stage773.com to engrave your name in our history today.

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Porchlight Theater