Milwaukee Chamber Theatre - The Thanksgiving Play by Footlights.com

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Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

CAST LOGAN.............................................................................................................................................. Kelsey Brennan* CADEN................................................................................................................................................Torrey Hanson* JAXTON.....................................................................................................................................................Eric Schabla ALICIA................................................................................................................................................... Hannah Shay*

C R E AT I V E T E A M Director Laura Gordon** Stage Manager Briana J. Fahey* Composition and Sound Designer Joseph R. Cerqua*** Costume Designer Misti Bradford*** Scenic Designer Jason Fassl*** Lighting Designer Marisa Abbott Properties Designer Jim Guy Dramaturg Benjamin Wilson Videography and Editing Studio Gear: Kimberlee Beggs, Derek Buckles, Logan Allen *Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. ** THIS DIRECTOR IS A MEMBER OF THE STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, A NATIONAL THEATRICAL LABOR UNION. *** MEMBER OF UNITED SCENIC ARTISTS, LOCAL 829.

T H A N K YO U TO O U R G E N E R O U S P R O D U C T I O N S P O N S O R S Producers Barbara Johnson & Sandra Zingler Associate Producers Chris & Judi Collins John Mahony & Evelyn Burdick

Playwrights Horizons, Inc., New York City, produced the World Premiere of “THE THANKSGIVING PLAY” in 2018. “THE THANKSGIVING PLAY” was commissioned and originally produced by Artists Repertory Theatre Damaso Rodriguez, Artistic Director Sarah Horton, Managing Director Portland, Oregon. Playwrights Horizons is dedicated to cultivating the most important American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, as well as developing and producing their bold new plays and musicals. Tim Sanford became Artistic Director in 1996 and Leslie Marcus has been Managing Director since 1993. Under their decades of leadership, Playwrights builds upon its diverse and renowned body of work, counting 400 writers among its artistic roster. In addition to its onstage work each season, Playwrights’ singular commitment to nurturing American theater artists guides all of the institution’s multifaceted initiatives: our acclaimed New Works Lab, a robust commissioning program, an innovative curriculum at its Theater School, and more. Robert Moss founded Playwrights in 1971 and cemented the mission that continues to guide the institution today. André Bishop served as Artistic Director from 1981-1992. Don Scardino succeeded him and served until 1996. Over its 47-year history, Playwrights has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including six Pulitzer Prizes, 13 Tony Awards, and 39 Obie Awards. “THE THANKSGIVING PLAY” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

D I R E C TO R ’ S N O T E Giving Thanks Some Reflections on Returning to the Rehearsal Room After a Year To say that this past year has been challenging is a ridiculous understatement. Faced with the realization that what I do is essentially “non-essential,” I wrestled mightily with existential questions about my identity and purpose. And I found that what I missed the most was being in the rehearsal room. What I longed for was collaboration. I certainly have a new appreciation for what I took for granted for so many years: the special camaraderie that takes place with a group of artists in a room together, the value of storytelling, the primal need for connection, the laughter (so much laughter), the gift of my life in the theatre. I’m grateful to Larissa FastHorse for writing this searing satire on white liberal wokeness and the myths surrounding Thanksgiving that cleverly does two things at once. It provides insightful social and cultural commentary which also happens to be incredibly funny. In taking on Larissa’s play it was really important to be specific about exactly what we were trying to satirize. I’m so grateful to have Benjamin Wilson, part of the Milwaukee theatre community and a member of the Choctaw Nation, on our team. Ben served as dramaturg and cultural advisor for this project. He’s been invaluable in not only providing perspective and historical context, but also in shining a light on what it means to be a Native American in 2021. I’m grateful to a design team that is among the best in the country and for their willingness to pivot and push beyond what we normally do. For a cast of actors who inspire me every day and make me laugh harder than I have in well over a year. For the perfect stage manager. I’m grateful to MCT’s commitment to producing this work and for keeping us safe while doing so. And I’m grateful to Brent Hazelton for getting me back in the room. Laura Gordon

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

BIOGR APHIES Laura Gordon (Director) A Milwaukee based actor and director, Laura’s directing credits include SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER, THE UNEXPECTED MAN, AN IDEAL HUSBAND, THE ROYAL FAMILY, SEASCAPE, OLD TIMES (American Players Theatre); THE FOREIGNER, VENUS IN FUR, SPEAKING IN TONGUES, ALMOST MAINE, GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL! (Milwaukee Rep); BOEING, BOEING (Indiana Rep); MEASURE FOR MEASURE, LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST, THE WINTER’S TALE (Utah Shakespeare Festival); ROMEO AND JULIET, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Santa Cruz Shakespeare); IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY (Actors Theater of Louisville); RUSSIAN TRANSPORT, AMELIA, SKIN TIGHT (Renaissance Theaterworks); HEISENBERG, RED, GOING TO ST. IVES (Forward Theater). Her acting credits include Winnie in HAPPY DAYS, Margie in GOOD PEOPLE, Linda Loman in DEATH OF A SALESMAN, Sister Aloysius in DOUBT, Elizabeth in RICHARD III, Maureen in THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE. Laura is a Lunt-Fontanne Fellow and an Associate Artist with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. She received her MFA in Acting from the University of Iowa and is a member of SDC and Actors’ Equity Association. Kelsey Brennan* (LOGAN) is a Core Company Actor at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin. In her ten seasons there, favorite roles include Nora in A DOLL’S HOUSE, Viola in TWELFTH NIGHT, Masha in THREE SISTERS, Elizabeth Bennet in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, and the titular role in EURYDICE. She has also been seen onstage at Indiana Rep, Victory Gardens, Remy Bumppo Theatre, Next Act Theatre, First Folio, and Madison Children’s Theatre. Kelsey began her career as an intern at Milwaukee Repertory Theater (THE GLASS MENAGERIE,

TROUBLE IN MIND) and is delighted to return to Milwaukee for her debut at MCT. www.kelbrenn.com. Torrey Hanson* (CADEN) is excited to be making his Milwaukee Chamber Theatre debut. Chicago credits include Steppenwolf (DANCE NATION); Goodman (BLIND DATE); Chicago Shakespeare (PERICLES, JULIUS CAESAR, THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III, ELIZABETH REX); Writer’s (ARCADIA); The House (THE NUTCRACKER); Drury Lane (A CHRISTMAS CAROL); Profiles (COCK); Silk Road Rising (PAULUS); Piven (LANGUAGE ARCHIVE). Regionally: Milwaukee Repertory Theater (seventeen seasons), Oregon Shakespeare Festival (five seasons), Alley Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Indiana Repertory Theater, Intiman Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, Empty Space Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Resident Ensemble Players at the University of Delaware. Television/Film: Fargo (Season 4), The Exorcist, Empire, Detroiters, Crisis, Chicago Fire, Cheers, Wings, and Jordan Peele’s upcoming Candyman. Eric Schabla (JAXTON) is an actor and writer based in the midwest and is excited to make his MCT debut. Regional credits include the Guthrie Theatre (EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON, CYRANO DE BERGERAC), Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Short Shakes! ROMEO AND JULIET), American Players Theatre (two seasons), Utah Shakespeare Festival (AS YOU LIKE IT, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE TAVERN) and Door Shakespeare (HENRY V, title role), among others. His plays have been developed at MCT, Forward Theater, APT and Two Crows Theatre Company. His poetry has appeared in numerous publications. www.ericschabla.com THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

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Hannah Shay* (ALICIA) earned her BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Following her undergrad, she received further training at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater as part of their Emerging Professional Residency program. Hannah is thrilled to be back at Milwaukee Chamber

Theatre, where she was last seen in NO WAKE. Additional theatre credits include Milwaukee Repertory Theater (JUNK, A CHRISTMAS CAROL), Shakespeare Project of Chicago (MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING), and understudying at American Players Theatre (A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2). Commercial and voice over credits include: Motorola, MaxiCosi, Snap-On, Casey’s General Store, and Johnson Controls. www.hannahshay.art

C R E AT I V E T E A M B I O G R A P H I E S Briana J. Fahey* (Stage Manager) currently resides in Chicago and is thrilled to join MCT this season. Her regional credits include stage managing at Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, California Shakespeare Theater, Magic Theatre, Center REP Theatre and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. She is proud member of Actors’ Equity. Joseph R. Cerqua*** (Composition and Sound Designer) is a freelance, awardwinning composer, producer, vocalist and sound designer. Joe has composed/designed sound for over 300 productions nationally and internationally. Past projects for Chamber Theatre include original music and sound design for MERRILY WE ROLL and DEAR ELIZABETH. Original music and sound design: Steppenwolf, Goodman Theatre, American Players Theater, Milwaukee Rep, Arizona Theater Company, ATC, Asolo Theater, The Alliance, Mark Taper Forum, Geva Theater, Deaf West, Northlight Theatre, Skyline Opera, Cleveland Playhouse, Clarence Brown Theatre, Forward Theatre, Kansas City Rep, Indiana Rep, Berkshire 6

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

Theatre Festival, Shakespeare and Co, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Repertory Theatre of St Louis, Remy Bumppo. National Tours: SIDEMAN, AMERICAN BUFFALO, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, THE LARAMIE PROJECT, BROKEN GLASS, MASTER CLASS. Joe is the Composer in Residence for the Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre and the Creative Director and Producer for the Music Department at Columbia College. Future projects include concerts in Chicago with Cerqua Rivera, original music and sound designs for productions with the American Players, and Forward Theatre. Misti Bradford*** (Costume Designer) is a professional costume designer and educator. Some of her selected design credits include BOSWELL, MHK Productions, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 2019; HAPPY DAYS and ANNIE JUMP AND THE LIBRARY OF HEAVEN (world premiere), Renaissance Theaterworks (Milwaukee, WI); THE NERD, Milwaukee Repertory Theater; PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, Illinois Shakespeare Festival; MURDER FOR TWO, Merrimack Repertory Theatre and Milwaukee Repertory Theater; MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING and THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, Door Shakespeare; two seasons of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Children’s Theatre of Madison; GOOSEBUMPS THE MUSICAL

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(world premiere), First Stage; BUS STOP, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre; THE FLYING DUTCHMAN, LES MISÉRABLES, and MAN OF LA MANCHA, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. She spent five seasons as Resident Costume Designer and three seasons as Costume Crafts Supervisor and Wig Stylist with PCPA Theaterfest and has also worked several seasons as a Costume Crafts Artisan for American Players Theatre. Misti is an Associate Professor of Costume Design and currently serves as the University of Wisconsin-Parkside’s Theatre Arts Department Chair. Misti is a proud member of the United Scenic Artists, Local 829. Jason Fassl*** (Scenic Designer) This production marks Jason’s 14th MCT production, including BROTHERS SIZE, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, and ART. This is his 6th set design collaboration with director Laura Gordon, including SKIN TIGHT, AMELIA, RUSSIAN TRANSPORT and HEISENBERG. Over the last decade, Mr. Fassl has consumed mass quantities of electricity at The Milwaukee Repertory Theater, The Milwaukee Ballet, American Players Theatre, First Stage, Peninsula Players, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Skylight Music Theatre, Milwaukee Opera Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Next Act Theatre, Forward Theater Company, and many others. Jason is a member of United Scenic Artists Local#829, the Milwaukee Stagehands Local#18 and an UW-Stevens Point Alumnus. Portfolio and information at www.AntiShadows.com. Marisa Abbott (Lighting Designer) works as a freelance Lighting Designer, Electrician, and Scenic Artist around the Milwaukee Area. Previous designs at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre include FIRES IN THE MIRROR and BEN BUTLER. Other recent lighting designs include CHASIN’ DEM BLUES, THE ALL NIGHT STRUT! and

EVERYBODY (Milwaukee Repertory Theater), HAPPY DAYS (Renaissance Theaterworks), THE REVOLUTIONISTS (Next Act Theatre), GRETEL, ELF THE MUSICAL, and THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER (First Stage), A CHRISTMAS STORY THE MUSICAL and MY FAIR LADY (Fireside Dinner Theater), and SKELETON CREW (Forward Theater Company). She has also painted scenery for the Milwaukee Rep, Renaissance Theaterworks, and Kohl’s Wild Theatre. ma-stagedesign.com Jim Guy (Properties Director) has been a props professional since shortly after he joined the resident company of The Cleveland Play House more than 40 years ago, following brief stints elsewhere as a librarian and stage manager. Since then his work has appeared on and Off-Broadway, on tour, in print, on television, in museums and on the stages of theaters, opera and ballet companies across the country. In that time he has propped an estimated 600 plays, musicals and operas. For seven years he was director of the MFA program in Properties Design and Management at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before that he ran his own freelance company, The Prop Guys, designing and producing props for industrial shows, events, photography, print, film, video, museums and the performing arts. At the top of the 1998-99 season he was once again seduced by the glamour of regional theater props, and joined the Milwaukee Repertory Theater as their Properties Director, where he and his four person team prop thirteen or fourteen shows in nine months on four stages. In what time is left, he still teaches – most notably bringing his Firearms Safety for Stage workshop to theaters and colleges around the country, as well as consulting and serving as President of the professional not-for-profit prop masters and educators association, the Society of Properties Artisan Managers THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

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(SPAM), and taking in a little freelance work as time and temperament allow. If there’s one thing he enjoys more than any other thing in his career as a Prop person, it’s decorating sets. Good, well thought-out and integrated set decoration supports text, illuminates performances and enhances and adds depth and texture to scenic designs. Jim refers to it as “telling stories with stuff.” He was born in a log cabin. He never tells a lie.

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Benjamin Wilson (Dramaturg) is thrilled to be working on THANKSGIVING PLAY with the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre. An enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, he has worked with other companies in Milwaukee such as Optimist Theatre, Outlaw Artists, and the Electa Quinney Center at UW- Milwaukee. He is a co-founder of Youngblood Theatre. He currently lives in Riverwest.

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AU D I E N C E G U I D E Dramaturg’s Notes Before 1960 and the beginning of the Red Power movement, the role of the Native in American theatre had largely been regulated to Wild West shows and redface in forms such as the early musical revues. The famed Ziegfeld Follies began in 1907 with numbers titled “My Pocahontas” and “My Yankee Doodle Indian Boy.” A precursor to radio, film, and television, these numbers were vapid caricatures that fit a white narrative that the Indian was a comically noble however ultimately doomed “savage.” Only after the Civil Rights movement did Native theatre artists begin to establish themselves in the 1970s’ theatre landscape with the foundation of companies like the Red Earth Performing Arts Company in Seattle, Chicago’s Echo-Hawk Theater Ensemble, the Indigenous Woman’s troupe Spiderwoman Theatre, and the American Indian Theater Ensemble or AITE, which took up residence in the famed La Mama Experimental Theatre Club in 1972. In a statement put out at their inception, AITE said: “For decades, Indians have been portrayed in films and television in a manner entirely derogatory to their cultural and mental wellbeing. Who on this earth can enjoy seeing themselves and their race portrayed as fiendish savages and murderers who scream blood-curdling yelps as seemingly their only forms of vocal communication?” Indeed, much good work had been done by Native playwrights, actors and other theatre artists that continue to push and establish ourselves and our stories in the American Theatre world. Playwrights like Thompson Highway, Drew Hayden Taylor, and William Yellow Robe Jr. emerged with lush works illustrating not a generic Native Experience, but a variety of experiences specific to their respective Tribal Nations, their histories, and their geographies. Today, playwrights like Mary Kathryn Nagle and the author of this play, Larissa FastHorse, have their work being done across the country: their plays combining their own histories and lived-in experiences with the politics of the 21st century. FastHorse wrote the four characters built to skewer white liberal “wokeness” in THE THANKSGIVING PLAY after being confronted with the conundrum of a perceived lack of Native actors to fill the roles in her previous works. An ingenious solution to the layered problems many Native theatre artists have found ourselves in, her play sparks a sincere self-examination among non-Native performers and patrons alike. What are the perceptions of who you think Native Americans are? What Tribal Nations exist close to you? What famous current Native politicians, performers, artists, or athletes do you know of, and what are their accomplishments? What does it mean to actually “honor” a person or group of people that are defined in media and the public school system by genocide committed by the current government from which you benefit and enjoy? After the 2016 election you could take the southbound Green Line bus and it was common to see MIAD art students wearing safety pins to demonstrate white alliance. Once the bus passed MIAD and the students went to school, the racial segregation in Milwaukee became quite apparent. Around that same time, a production of BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON was just put on in the city and I remember wondering if it was worth it to make a public protest. A couple of years later in early to mid 2018, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren was in the midst of controversy due to her past claims of Cherokee ancestry which later that year devolved into an incredibly problematic DNA test which then led to then-Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin, Jr. to demand a correction and apology. The spring of that same year, my little sister who was involved in her high school theatre THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

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program quit the orchestra pit of the musical her high school was putting on. Some rather racist moments in PETER PAN understandably made her quite uncomfortable. Her teachers made little to no effort to figure out a compromise of any nature. Certainly pulling the racist play was off the table. THE THANKSGIVING PLAY is a comedy. It is satire. It is safe space to laugh at performative political wokeness and at ourselves. At the same time, it is an actual Native voice demanding our bodies and our stories be included in the American theatre landscape. No grunts, no broken English, none of the blood curdling yelps referenced by the AITE; just ourselves: existing as resistance, as the saying goes. This play joins the growing canon of the Native American Theatre, which is a praiseworthy feat. I’m eternally grateful to the director, cast and crew for their openness putting on the show, to Milwaukee Chamber Theatre for having the guts to stage the play, especially during COVID, and to Larissa FastHorse, for creating a firecracker of a piece. -Benjamin Wilson Laughter and Change: About the Play In a 2018 interview with theatre critics Jose Solís and Diep Tran about the Playwrights Horizons production of THE THANKSGIVING PLAY, Larissa FastHorse was asked for her summary of the play. She smiled. A summary? Or her summary? Her summary, they replied. Her response?: “I make fun of white people for eighty-two minutes!” After a laugh (yes, it’s funny because it’s true, but let’s face it—it’s also simply funny), she explained. As our dramaturg Ben Wilson discusses above, THE THANKSGIVING PLAY digs into the concept of “performative wokeness”—people who are essentially broadcasting that they are aware, informed, in solidarity with and supporting non-white constituencies “without necessarily doing the work or understanding what that means and how they can actually be of service to the world.” Laughter, however, is absolutely the key here. In another interview, FastHorse asserted, “We can deal with difficult issues and still have fun.” Laughter is healing, neutralizing, energizing. Who wants to go to a play and not have fun in some way? “It actually adds time to your life. So I’m giving you information, and I’m giving you more time to change the world.” That’s a tactic to get behind. FastHorse wrote the first draft of the play in ten days, and it soon became one of the hottest, most frequently-produced plays at regional theatres across the United States just before the pandemic. (And pandemic-era productions, including MCT’s, have continued its streak.) Ironic? Without a doubt. Our laughter at that may be rueful. The questions that irony asks us to confront, detailed by Ben above and echoed in our pre-performance questions below, are vital. And yet, even as we ask, that laughter can buoy us with the time and the space to reflect. To change. FastHorse’s gift keeps on giving. There’s a reason to give thanks. -Marcella Kearns 10

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A S K I N G T H E A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R Brent, THE THANKSGIVING PLAY caps MCT’s virtually re-imagined season, one of two titles to be retained from your original slate. With a larger cast and complexity of design demands in every arena, this one has arguably been the greatest hurdle to clear. Tell us about your hope to retain it, and why you wanted to bring it to us here and now. I love the conversation the play has about the failings of white liberalism, particularly all of the ways that we get it wrong in trying to create inclusive spaces—most often in neglecting to include those that we’re actually trying to include in the conversation about how best to create them. Comedy—and satire specifically—are great tools for questioning our own behavior without having to first navigate the weight of indictment. There are dozens of moments in the play where I have to hold my hand up and say “guilty”—both as theater artist, and as a human more broadly; I find that self-reflection the play inspires to be really healthy. And because Larissa’s a terrific writer, it’s also an incredible amount of fun. The play has been on my wish list since I first read an early draft several years ago now, and I couldn’t be more proud that we were able to get our arms around it in this challenging pandemic producing paradigm. C O N T I N U I N G T H E C O N V E R S AT I O N Share your thoughts with your fellow theatergoers, or offer them to us at MCT. We always want to hear from you. (Write to marcella@milwaukeechambertheatre.org!) Pre-Performance Discussion 1. Try to recall what you learned in school about “The First Thanksgiving,” from art to activities. 2. How would you teach the story of Thanksgiving to young people if you were an instructor or volunteer in an elementary or middle school? 3. If you celebrate Thanksgiving, how do you celebrate it? What meaning does it hold for you? 4. If you are not Indigenous, what connections to or experience do you have with your Indigenous neighbors and friends? 5. In the area where you live, who were the earliest humans to settle? 6. Artistic Director Brent Hazelton says he likes what THE THANKSGIVING PLAY has to say about how white liberals, in trying to be inclusive, sometimes forget to talk to the people they’re actually trying to include. In your opinion or experience, what are some common fears of white humans who seek to be inclusive or antiracist in their communities? 7. Moving from fears (see above) to encounters, what are some common mistakes in action or speech that you have experienced among white humans seeking to be antiracist? Post-Performance Discussion (Caution: Spoilers ahead!) 1. In your opinion, could the characters have taken any other course of action at the end? 2. What is the significance to you of that action—creating no play, nothing? 3. What are your views on actors playing characters outside their own ancestral heritage? When, how, and why is it possible, and when is it not? (Consider additional questions of identity: gender, sexuality, ability, neurotypicality, and more!) 4. What was each character’s blind spot, in your opinion? 5. What was one moment of personal illumination for each character, if you think they had one? 6. The play trucks in stereotype of white culture, Los Angeles, the entertainment industry, liberals, teachers, parents, and more. Where did you see kernels of truth in any of the moments? 7. How do you feel after laughing? THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

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A B O U T M I LWAU K E E C H A M B E R T H E AT R E The mission of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre is to produce intimate, high-quality, professional theatrical works of literary merit that engage and challenge the audience, while employing and nurturing principally local theatre artists.

M I LWAU K E E C H A M B E R T H E AT R E S TA F F Artistic Director..................................................................................................................... Brent Hazelton Managing Director.................................................................................................................. Amy Esposito Associate Artistic Director................................................................................................Marcella Kearns Development Director.................................................................................................... Meghan Roesner Milwaukee Black Theater Festival Artistic Producer............................................. Malkia Stampley Production Manager/ Company Manager................................................................Colin Gawronski Education Associate................................................................................................ Samantha Martinson

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S TA F F B I O G R A P H I E S BRENT HAZELTON (Artistic Director) A Whitewater native, Brent succeeded C. Michael Wright as MCT’s Artistic Director on July 1st, 2020. After graduating with a Bachelor of Special Studies Degree (Integrated Theater Studies), from Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, he returned to Wisconsin for an Acting Internship at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. He would go on to serve at The Rep for twenty seasons, including the final ten as Associate Artistic Director, in which position he spearheaded the season planning process, collaborated on ongoing strategic planning and initiative development, and created crossdepartmental pathways to program and support productions. From 2003 to 2010, he expanded The Rep’s Artistic Internship Program (now Emerging Professional Residency), into one of the premier professional transition programs in regional theater. From 2011 to 2019, he built and oversaw all aspects of the John (Jack) D. Lewis New Play Development Program including supervising the development of nearly two dozen new plays and served as production dramaturg for the world premieres of FIVE PRESIDENTS, AMERICAN SONG, and ONE HOUSE OVER, among others. His directing work set three all-time Rep sales records, and he is one of only three directors to have staged productions in all four of The Rep’s core performance spaces. At The Rep, he wrote and directed LIBERACE! (subsequently produced at two dozen theaters nationally), conceived the premiere and 2019 installments of REP LAB, directed SONG MAN DANCE MAN, HOW THE WORLD BEGAN, THE WHIPPING MAN, the final installment of the Hanreddy/Morgan A CHRISTMAS CAROL, MCGUIRE, OUR TOWN, and GUARDS AT THE TAJ, as well as numerous readings in collaboration with Ten Chimneys Foundation. Brent is also a former member of the adjunct faculties of Carthage College and the University of Wisconsin-

Parkside, and has taught development workshops at colleges, conservatories, and universities both locally and across the country. As an institutional leader, Brent is eager to explore how a regional theater can speak directly to the experience of its community and include everyone who chooses to call it home in that conversation. AMY ESPOSITO (Managing Director) Amy Esposito has been the Managing Director of Milwaukee Chamber Theatre since June 2020. Her career focus has been in arts leadership and finding sustainable ways to evolve the nonprofit performing arts sector to be more inclusive and representative of the world we live in today. Prior to moving to Milwaukee she was on staff with the University of Minnesota Twin Cities as the Marketing and Communications Specialist for the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, a multifaceted producing and communications role with an emphasis on professional development for graduating seniors. Prior to that, she served as the Associate Director of Marketing for Chicago Opera Theater. Her professional experience includes theatre, classical and contemporary opera, museums, higher education, special events, and website development. Amy has her B.S. in Theatre Arts Management from Ithaca College and is finishing her M.P.S. in Arts & Cultural Leadership from the University of Minnesota. MARCELLA KEARNS (Associate Artistic Director) Marcella is a Milwaukeebased actor, director, theatre educator, and coach. She teaches acting and theatre skills to students level K-4 through lifelong learners as an independent coach and as an adjunct instructor for Carthage College THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

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and First Stage. In July 2013, she joined the staff of MCT as lead educator/literary manager and has served as associate artistic director since 2016. Marcy earned an MFA in Acting from the University of South Carolina and completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Vienna, Austria, where she studied dramatic literature. In 2008, she was the recipient of a TCG Observership Program grant to study theatres’ approaches to teacher training. The former education director of Milwaukee Shakespeare, Marcy spearheaded the company’s multi-year participation in the National Endowment for the Arts Shakespeare For a New Generation initiative. She is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. MEGHAN ROESNER (Director of Development) Meghan is MCT’s Development Director, leading all fundraising efforts for the organization, including individual donations; major gifts; legacy giving; corporate, foundation, and government grants; and special events. Prior to joining MCT in 2019, she worked at Milwaukee Repertory Theater for three seasons as the Associate Director of Development, Institutional Giving, where she led many grant writing, volunteer management, and donor stewardship efforts. She has held other arts administration positions at the United Performing Arts Fund and the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Meghan is a Milwaukee native who attended Nicolet High School (as an active participant in their theater department) and now resides in the Washington Heights neighborhood on the near West Side. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Arts Management from Indiana University – Bloomington.

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

Malkia Stampley (Milwaukee Black Theater Festival Artistic Producer) Malkia is an actor, director, and producer born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Malkia made her Chamber Theatre debut in DOUBT. She received her training at Marquette University, Skylight Music Theatre and Milwaukee Rep. She has worked and traveled worldwide as a performer and in 2013 she co-founded Bronzeville Arts Ensemble in Milwaukee where she served as Artistic Director for three years. Malkia has worked as a performer in Chicago, New York, and all over Wisconsin. Favorite productions include TWO TRAINS RUNNING (Milwaukee Rep/Cincy Playhouse), TALENTED TENTH (Congo Square), GOOD PEOPLE (Forward Theater), FLYING WEST (Bronzeville Arts Ensemble), and A MIDNIGHT CRY (First Stage), among many others. Malkia began directing in 2016 with Black Arts MKE and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts’ annual production of BLACK NATIVITY. As a TV and film actor, Malkia has appeared on Showtime (Work in Progress, Shameless, The Chi), NBC (Chicago Med, Chicago PD), HBO (Native Son), Fox (Empire), Netflix (Beats), and in a host of independent short and feature films. Colin Gawronski (Production Manager/ Company Manager) is very excited to be part of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre staff and to contribute to the vibrant theatre community in Milwaukee. Colin is a lighting designer and theatrical technician native to Milwaukee. They have worked extensively with Danceworks, Inc. as well as such local companies as Renaissance Theaterworks, Skylight, Milwaukee Opera Theatre, UWM Dance, Next Act, Kohl’s Wild Theater, PrideFest Milwaukee, Bard and Bourbon,

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Gina Laurenzi Dance Project, Black Arts Milwaukee and the Bronzeville Arts Ensemble. They have also worked with the Sacramento Music Circus, the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Lila and has taken productions to the Indianapolis and Chicago Fringe Festivals. Favorite productions include IGNITE: A HIP HOP EXPERIENCE, SECRETS FROM THE WIDE SKY, BLACK NATIVITY, RUSSIAN TRANSPORT, FRANKIE AND JOHNNY, STORIES FROM A LIFE, KING LEAR, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, SERENDIPITY, ANY GIVEN MONDAY, MAURITIUS, MY FAIR LADY, LAMPS FOR MY FAMILY, and VAGABONDARE. Give Love Always. SAMANTHA MARTINSON (Education Associate) Samantha Martinson is a theater artist and educator—she has worked in administration, education, and production at several regional theaters including Milwaukee Repertory Theater, First Stage, and Door Shakespeare. At Chamber, Samantha facilitates high school playwriting residencies across the greater Milwaukee area and biennially assistant produces the Young Playwrights Festival Showcase. Samantha previously worked for the Zoological Society of Milwaukee, focusing

the majority of her work on grant programs, DE&I initiatives, and the power of fostering empathy for one another. She has presented at national conferences with the Association for Zoos and Aquariums and Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife Network on the importance of cultivating empathy to increase social action. Her recent directing credits include LEONA LIONHEART SAVES THE WORLD (Kohl’s Wild Theater), STITCHED WITH A SICKLE & HAMMER (Renaissance Theaterworks, Br!nk), THE TEMPEST (Mad Rogues), MISS LULU BETT (Voices Freed Reading Series), TWELFTH NIGHT (Milwaukee Youth Theater). Assistant Directing: THE ROOMMATE (Renaissance Theaterworks), MILWAUKEE CARRIES (Cooperative Performance). Recent performances: SAVIOR’S GRACE (Renaissance Theaterworks, Br!nk Briefs); RICHARD III, THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Mad Rogues).

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T H A N K YO U TO O U R G E N E R O U S S U P P O R T E R S ! Milwaukee Chamber Theatre gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and organizations for their generous support of our work. Please note: We are currently undergoing an extended database transition which may impact the accuracy of this list. For changes, additions, or omissions to your listing, please contact Development Director Meghan Roesner at meghan@milwaukeechambertheatre.org. Donations listed are tax-deductible gifts received between July 1, 2020 – April 1, 2021. Milwaukee Chamber Theatre gratefully acknowledges the United Performing Arts Fund, our single largest donor, for its annual support of more than $163,000. CORPORATION, FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT GIVING $10,000+ Bader Philanthropies The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation Harley-Davidson Foundation The Richard and Ethel Herzfeld Foundation Milwaukee County CARES for Arts & Culture Grant Program Northwestern Mutual The Shubert Foundation Tinsley Helton Charitable Trust Wisconsin Arts Board Wisconsin Department of Administration COVID-19 Cultural Organization Grant Program $5,000-$9,999 CAMPAC City of Milwaukee Arts Board Greater Milwaukee Foundation Hitz Foundation Johnson Controls Foundation Rotary Club of Milwaukee Bert L. & Patricia S. Steigleder Charitable Trust

$2,500-$4,999 Anonymous The Gardner Foundation GE Foundation Sempercor Foundation Quarles & Brady We Energies Foundation $1,000-$2,499 Baird Foundation Black Arts MKE The Business Council, Inc. Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors Youth Foundation Dorothy Inbusch Foundation World Outreach and Bible Training Center, Inc.

Evan and Marion Helfaer Foundation MBRACED CULTURE Microsoft Corporation MKE Black Ring & Du Chateau LLP Rockwell Automation TheaterRed U.S. Bank $1-$99 Footlights Performing Arts Relief Fund In-Kind 88Nine Radio Milwaukee Broadway Theatre Center Studio Gear WUWM 89.7 Milwaukee’s NPR

$100-$999 Actor’s Equity Foundation, Inc. Athena Communications BMO Financial Group Brookby Foundation Carvd N Stone

INDIVIDUAL GIVING $10,000+ Isabel L. Bader Greater Milwaukee Foundation Anonymous Elaine N. Peterson Max and Marni Seigle John Shannon and Jan Serr $5,000+ Julie Anding and Lisa Kornetsky Robert Balderson Buffy and Steve Duback Patrick and Julia Fennelly Konrad Kuchenbach Elizabeth Levins and Herbert Zien Greater Milwaukee Foundation Judith A. Keyes Family Fund Debbie and Jamshed Patel Barbara Johnson and Sandra Zingler J. Michael Reavis Emily and Leopold Shircel Wilfred W. Wollner, Jr. 18

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$2,500-$4,999 Koren Black Chris and Judi Collins Robert Gardenier and Lori Morse Joseph and Gwenn Graboyes Charitable Fund of the Door County Community Foundation, Inc. Angela Jacobi Nancy Laskin Marina and Frank Krejci Susan and Robert Lueger DeAngela Luna John Mahony and Evelyn Burdick Guy and Mary Jo McDonald Dwight and Marleen Morgan Jason Rae and Phillip Bailey Debbie and John Roesner Dan Schley and Barb Haig

$1,000 - $2,499 Keith and Paula Anderson Carolee Beutler Richard and Kerstin Conner Pamela Frautschi Michael and Kelly Grebe Jami and Joe Hanreddy Nancy Jacobs Dan and Pat Johansen Jewish Community Foundation Pam Kriger Donor Advised Fund Joseph R. Pabst Patricia and Allen Rieselbach Marsha Sehler James Van Ess $500-$999 Anonymous James and Theresa Alioto Donald and Donna Baumgartner James Cauley and Brenda Andrews Charitable Fund

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INDIVIDUAL GIVING CONTINUED Susan and Gee Esslinger Robert Ferriday III and Barbara McMath Michael and Lyn Hamilton James and Mary Ann Hanson David and Margarete Harvey Anita Holloway Leslie Kohler Vince Martin William Lorber and Kristy Nielson Allyson Nemec Donald Petersen and Corinthia Van Orsdol Alan and Carol Pohl Susan Riedel Imy Schley Robert Spencer Richard Stone Anne and Gary Summers Greater Milwaukee Foundation Bill and Gwen Werner Fund Michael Wright and Ray Jivoff $250-$499 Anonymous (2) Patricia Andersen Richard and Sara Aster Natalie Beckwith James Boerner Cathy and Mario Costantini Pat and Phil Crump Thomas Derenne and Robert Zimmermann Carol Z. Dolphin Kathleen S. Donius Sandy Duffy Eric Durant Mike Fischer and Elaine Griffin David S. Flores Nadya Fouad Linda Gaalaas Barbara Gawronski Reed and Nancy Groethe Andrew and Paula Holman Kathleen and Hal Jenkins Mary S. and Charles Kamps Demaris and Gontran Kenwood Thomas Kelly and Jane Kivlin Patricia Knight David and Mary Ann Lillich Alan and Nancy Meier Douglas Mickelson John Peyton and Roger Hansen Susan Ploetz Patrick G.H. Schley Ruth Schudson Pamela Seccombe George and Eileen Stone Jerry and Donna Walsh

Steve Weber and Kelly Schlicht Mary Wegener $100-$249 Anonymous (4) Vivian C. Aikin Larilyn Arbelaez Carl and Ellen Baehr Nancy Balcer Barbara J. Becker Glendon and Susanne Bogdon William and Barbara Boles William Bradley and Jill Anna Ponasik Anne Marie Bula David and Deborah Cecsarini Karen and Richard Christenson Mary and James Connelly Betsy and Daniel Corry Wayne Cranston Cathy Dills Kyle Dlabay Eileen and Howard Dubner Shawn Duffy Susan Ela Mary and John Emory Tom Ewing and Gary Balcerzak Gerald and Patricia Freitag Mary Frenn Mary Anne Gavin Matthew and Karin Gerdisch Colleen Colomski Kirt Graves Norm and Daryl Grier Katherine Grogan Bruce and Sandra Hazelton Katie Heil Hugh Hoffman Michael Holloway Erin and Charles Housiaux Mark Huber and Nari Haig Pauline and Thomas Jeffers Maureen Kania James Kaplan Dale and Susan Karpen Edward Kelly Mary Knudten Dennis Kois James and Charmaine LaBelle Avrum and Dannette Lank Bill and Judy Laste Heinz and Barbara Leichter Dale and Barbara Lenz Colleen Lese Gregory and Sue Lochen Theodore Londo Michelle Lopez-Rios Lois Malawsky Christine Martin

Jeffrey Martinka Cara McMullin Mark Medrek Scott Mendel Frank Miller Ron and Becky Mitchell Virginia A. Mueller Robert and Theresa Muselman Ann Navin Jan Niebler Jean Novy John Oberwetter Lauren Pagenkopf and Michael McCafferty Dr. David S. Paris, DDS Thomas J. Paschke John E. Peters Joshua Pohja Christine Radiske and Herbert Quigley Emily and Stewart Randall Karen and John Reddin The Helen Reich Fund Linda Gale Sampson Michael and Susan Schall Cory and Joe Schlangen Mary Beth Schmalz and Urban Wemmerlov Mary Anne Siderits Carla Slawson and Bill Martens La Toya Sykes Paul Tanzer Lindsey Tauber and Sam Leichtling Barbara Tessman Robert Titley and Sharon Riley Sara Toenes Lynn Tolcott Michael and Charlane Uhing Pamela Van Doren Louise VerWert James and Kathie Vint Andrea Wagoner and Roger Ruggeri Michael A. West Russell and Alyce Weiss Jeffrey and Elizabeth Williams Mary Wolverton Daryl and Bonnie Wunrow Sue Patrice Yee Judith Zwirlein $1-$99 Anonymous (13) George Affeldt Judith Schaumberg-Aigner MacArthur Antigua Robert Ater and Greg Baer Rebecca Bailey and Jim Schley Paul Barnes THE THANKSGIVING PLAY

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INDIVIDUAL GIVING CONTINUED F. Tessa and Richard Bartels Christopher and Jill Bebeau Gerald Bergtrom Karen and John Berst Emily Besser Mark and Geri Bialzik William Bird Mary Bolich David and Deborah Bonofiglio Andrew and Linnea Booher Karen Brubakken Jim and Stephanie Buske Richelle Harrington Calin Kathleen Candee and Janet Koester Ryan Cappleman Jennifer Clark Wendy and Fred Coleman David Counard William and Jane Crise Diane Dalton Cathy Demers Gerald and Ellen DeMers Laura Sue Diamondstone Michael Duncan Ed and Alice Eisendrath Don and Mary Ellingsen Luke Erickson Richard and Deborah Esposito Russel C. Evans Ed and Sheila Fabiszak Leonard and Ann Marie Fabos Donna Faw and Jay Miller Al and Sally Ferguson Leslie Fillingham Katrina Fingerson Maura Fitzgerald Kama Fletcher Sarah Ford and Randall Klumb Barbara Franczyk John Frederick Ken and Susan Freitag James and Margo Frey Ken Germanson Christopher Gerson Juliet Gorsuch Irv and Reesa Gottschalk John and Kathy Goudie Stephanie Govin-Matzat Rick and Maggi Grabowski Richard Gustin Richard and Susan Hackl Dale Hagan Richard Hehn and Joanne Tlachac-Hehn Katie and Tom Heinen Roe Hemenway Dennis Hennessy and Linda Roethlisberger Michael Hildenbrand David Hitz 20

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Thomas J. Darrow and Michael D. Houle Thallis Hoyt Drake Betty Hunt Linda Jaeger Janice Jeanneret Ina and Dennis Johnson Marcella Kearns Celia Klehr Marie Kohler Henry Krokosky and Charlotte Schall-Krokosky Lane Kuske Deb Lampert James and Teri Larson Robin Leenhouts Janice Leffert Sally Lemke David and Deborah Lenz Eva Llanera and Michael Egan James and Debra Lowder Mary Ellen Lukaszewicz Mary and Rodney W Malinowski Sean Malone Monica Mann Gaetano Marangelli James Marten M. Kent Mayfield and Jack Ford Gerry and Cathy McGrath Patrick and Mary Mickelsen Jay and Bobby Miller Janet Moebus Karen Morris-Cetin Bruce Murphy Charles and Barbara Murphy Carolyn Murray Lois Mytas Charlane O’Rourke Hertig and Keith Hertig Michelle Owczarski Shelia Payton Velta Pelcis Margot Peters Randy and Janet Peterson Katja Phillabaum Ann Phillips Sally Schley Tom Reed Darlene Roberts Carol Robinson Ruth Ruege Syndi and David Salat Patricia Santilli Sharene Schmalz Kathleen Schultz Kathleen Scullin Linda Sheridan Patricia Sherman-Cisler Michael Shipley Nancy Simuel

Stanislaus Spence Malkia Stampley and Chiké Johnson Shayne Steliga LeRoy Stoner Nancy Tawney Tom and Michele Tiffany Janet Trigg Jacque Troy Susanne Burwell Carrie and Sam Van Hallgren Thomas and June Varney Gregg Vergetis and Curt Cattanach Mark and Yvonne Wagner Bailey Wegner Dawn Wenszell Richard Wenzel Kathy and Dennis Wicht Sharon Wolf Mary Thomas Carolyn Wood James Zinky

MEMORIALS AND TRIBUTES In honor of C. Michael Wright Linda Loving Robert Ferriday and Barbara McMath James Van Ess In honor of Ruth Schudson Isabel L. Bader In honor of Jean Collins Nancy Balcer In honor of Elyse Edelman Scott Mendel In memory of Larry Compton The Compton/Jacobson Family

In Memory of Monty Davis Buffy and Steve Duback In memory of John Holland Nancy Balcer Andrew and Linnea Booher Leonard and Ann Marie Fabos Konrad Kuchenbach Charlane O’Rourke Hertig and Keith Hertig Ruth Ruege Sharene Schmalz In memory of Annette Mickelson Nadya Fouad Hans and Kathy Jorgensen Janet Moebus Mary Beth Schmalz and Urban Wemmerlov

MCT FRIENDS FOR LIFE Marilyn Auer Nancy Balcer Cecile Cheng Donald A. Cress Pat and Phil Crump Al and Sally Ferguson John E. Holland and Konrad K. Kuchenbach David Keen and Judy Perkins Sandy Laedtke Robb Marks Guy and Mary Jo McDonald David Paris Jamshed and Deborah Patel Mickey and Casey Ripp Ron and Sandy Roller Ruth Schudson Carol and Kevin Schuele Michael Wright and Ray Jivoff

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M C T B OA R D O F T R U S T E E S Emily Shircel...................................................................................................................................... President Marina Krejci.......................................................................................................................... President-Elect Jason Kuwayama..............................................................................................................................Treasurer Allyson Nemec.................................................................................................................................. Secretary Trustees Julie M. Anding Koren Black Julia Fennelly Dr. Prasenjit Neel Guptasarma Erin Corbo Housiaux Sue Lueger DeAngela Luna (D) Dwight Morgan Jason Rae Daniel E. Schley (Dan) Max Seigle Anne Summers La Toya Sykes

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