STRAWDOG t h e a t r e
c o m p a n y
BRANDON BRUCE* Artistic Director
PATRICK RYBARCZYK* Managing Director
By Jennifer Haley Directed by Joanie Schultz Scenic Designer Mike Mroch*
Lighting Designer Jordan Kardasz*
Costume Designer Joanna Melville*
Sound Designer/Composer Thomas Dixon
Properties Designer Mary O’Dowd
Media Designer Kyle Hamman*
Fight Choreographer Brandon Bruce*
Casting Director Michael Caloia*
Dramaturg Joe Pindelski
Production Manager Patrick Fries
Stage Manager Lindsey Miller
*Denotes Strawdog Company Member This production is made possible in part with support from The Alphawood Foundation, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Saints, and the generous contributions of individuals and businesses. Strawdog Theatre Company is a member of The NortHalsted Area Merchants Association, The League of Chicago Theatres, and the Theatre Communications Group
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THE PL AY LOCATION A suburban neighborhood *****The play will be performed with no intermission*****
CAST Daugher type (Makaela, Kaitylyn, Madison, Chelsea).................................................................................Leah Karpal Son type (Ryan, Jared, Zombiekllr14, Blake)...............................................................................................Sam Hubbard Father type (Steve, Doug, Tobias)............................................................................................................... Michael Dailey* Mother type (Leslie, Vicki, Barbara, Joy).......................................................................................................Kendra Thulin * Denotes Strawdog Company Member
A D D I T I O N A L P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Assistant Director......................................................................................................................................................Jesse Todd Technical Director.................................................................................................................................................... Joe Dybdal Master Electrician............................................................................................................................................. Dan Laushman Dramatrug................................................................................................................................................................Joe Pindleski Media Relations.................................................................................................................................................Shout! Chicago * Denotes Strawdog Company Member
SPECIAL THANKS The Saints for their time and talent • Harrington College of Design • Sean Savoie
A L E T T E R F R O M T H E A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R It’s an exciting time at Strawdog. With a season consisting of a Chicago premiere, a Midwest premiere of a new musical, and a vibrant new take on a play from one of America’s most celebrated authors, our 25th anniversary season is a thing to behold. I first encountered Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom three years ago when I saw a production of it at Hot City Theatre in St. Louis. I was immediately struck by how simultaneously funny and dangerous this play can be. Given that this play has had a much celebrated performance history around the U.S. without stopping by Chicago, I felt the time was right to produce this work. Having a supercharged director at the helm of this thrilling play, along with some of the best theatre artists in town, makes this production a truly momentous one for Strawdog. Our mainstage isn’t the only place where big things are happening. Following most performances of Neighborhood 3, there will be a good deal of happenings in Hugen Hall, our cabaret space adjacent to this theatre. Notably, we will be presenting the Chicago premiere of Tony Burgess’s Pontypool, directed by Hugen Hall Artistic Director Anderson Lawfer. In February and March 2013, we will offer a rare staged reading of the graphic novel Kill Shakespeare. Come back and join us in the winter and spring, when you will be able to see the Midwest premiere of the Irish musical Improbable Frequency (directed by yours truly, with music direction by ensemble member and musician/composer extraordinaire Mike Przygoda) followed by Charles Mee’s Big Love, directed by the kinetic Matt Hawkins. I thank you for supporting storefront theatre. I look forward to sharing our theatre with you. Brandon Bruce Artistic Director brandon@strawdog.org 2
Strawdog Theatre Company
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BIOGR APHIES Michael Dailey (Father) is thrilled to be working on this production with our wonderful guest artists. He is an ensemble member and an Associate Artistic Director here at Strawdog, where he has been a company member since 1997. He has been seen on this stage in State of the Union, Aristocrats, Marathon ‘33, Julius Caesar and HurlyBurly, among many others. Around town he has had the pleasure of working with the good folks of About Face, Steppenwolf, Black Ensemble, Eclipse, Shattered Globe, Noble Fool and Defiant, to name a few. He is a proud graduate of Illinois State University. Next up for Michael is the new award winning World War II era Irish musical, Improbable Frequency, right here at Strawdog Theatre in Spring 2013. Sam Hubbard (Son) is thrilled to working with Strawdog for the first time. Recently Sam has been seen in The Gray Girl (Factory Theatre), My Name is Mudd (Jackalope Theatre Company), Henry IV, Henry V (Oak Park Festival Theatre), and The Swordsmen! at Bristol Renaissance Faire. Sam is a recent BFA graduate of Columbia College Chicago where his productions included The Winter’s Tale, The Lonesome West, The Normal Heart and Operation Sidewinder. Sam is also the Resident Violence Designer for Cold Basement Dramatics and an Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. You can see him this spring in Raven Theatre Company’s production of Brighton Beach Memoirs. Thanks to Joanie and the entire production ensemble. Leah Karpel (Daughter) Is delighted to be working with Strawdog Theatre Company for the first time. Previous Chicago credits include: The Glass Menagerie, The Hot L Baltimore (Steppenwolf Theatre), We Are Proud To Present... (Victory Gardens Theatre), Punk Rock (Griffin Theatre), and Feet Of Clay (Last Match Theatre). Regional credits include: Ten Chimneys (Milwaukee Rep), Half And Half (Penguin Rep), The Play About My Dad (CollaborationTown), and Evanston: A Rare Comedy (HERE Arts/PS 122). Leah received her BFA from Boston University and is a graduate of The School At Steppenwolf.
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Kendra Thulin (Mother) is happy to return to Strawdog where she previously appeared as Mary Matthews in State of the Union. Other acting credits include Hunger (Alena), Lifeline Theatre, Want (Lee), Steppenwolf First Look Repertory, Pornography (Seven), Steep Theatre and Harper Regan (Harper), Steep Theatre, for which she won a non-Equity Jeff for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Principal Role. Kendra’s dialect coach credits include Moment, Love and Money and Festen at Steep Theatre, where she has been member since December 2011. Kendra is a professor at Columbia College Chicago, where in addition to teaching voice and acting, she has vocal and/or dialect coached over fifty-five productions. Joanie Schultz (Director) most recently directed The Receptionist by Adam Bock at Steep Theatre, where she previously directed A Brief History of Helen of Troy and the Jeff Award winning In Arabia We’d All be Kings. Also recently, she directed the world premiere of fml: How Carson McCullers Savead My Life by Sarah Gubbins at Steppenwolf Theatre; The Girl in the Yellow Dress by Craig Higginson at Next Theatre; Ask Aunt Susan by Seth Bockley for The Goodman Theatre; and the The Kid Thing by Sarah Gubbins, a co-production of About Face Theatre and Chicago Dramatists. Also recently in Chicago she directed The Metal Children at Next Theatre; Wreckage and Many Loves for Caffeine Theatre; Shining City for Redtwist Theatre; The Ring Cycle for the Building Stage; and A Perfect Wedding and Stone Cold Dead Serious for Circle Theatre. Ms. Schultz has directed the operas New York Stories, Savitri, and The Telephone for Chicago Opera Theater and National Opera Week; and Acis and Galatea at Chicago Cultural Center. Ms. Schultz holds an MFA from Northwestern University; was a Drama League Fellow; The Goodman Theatre’s Michael Maggio Directing Fellow; the SDC Denham Fellow; was a participant in the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab; and currently teaches directing at Columbia College Chicago. Jennifer Haley(Playwright) is the winner of the 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for The Nether, which will see a world premiere by Los Angeles’ Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Spring 2013. Her other plays include Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom, which premiered at the Actors Theatre of Louisville 2008 Humana Festival and continues to see productions nation-wide, Froggy, a graphic novel play in development with The Banff Centre and American Conservatory Theatre, and Sustainable Living, which recently appeared at the Ojai Playwrights Conference. Her work has been developed at the Sundance Theatre Institute, O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, Lark Play Development Center, Rockefeller Brothers
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Fund Residency, Summer Play Festival in New York, PlayPenn Playwrights Conference, Lincoln Center Director’s Lab, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference and the Page 73 Productions Summer Residency at Yale, among other venues. She is a former fellow of the MacDowell Colony and Millay Colony for the Arts, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Brown University. Her work is published by Samuel French and Playscripts, Inc. Jennifer lives in Los Angeles, where she founded a network of dramatic writers called the Playwrights Union. You can find out more about her at jenniferhaley.com. Brandon Bruce (Fight Choreographer/Artistic Director) is embarking on his second season as Artistic Director of Strawdog. Previously at Strawdog, Brandon directed The Duchess of Malfi and choreographed combat for The Petrified Forest. As Artistic Director of BackStage Theatre, Brandon directed the Jeff Award-winning production of The Skin of Our Teeth, The Ruling Class, Terra Nova, and the new work Denise Druczweski’s Inferno. With an MFA in Directing from the University of Iowa, other directing credits include The Little Foxes (Shattered Globe - Jeff Nominated for Best Production), Tango (Orgie Award for Best Director), The Scene (Iowa Rep), Catch-22 (Signal Ensemble), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (New Leaf Theatre) The Fantasticks and The 39 Steps (Shawnee Theatre). Come back in February and March when you can see his Midwest premiere production of the musical Improbable Frequency. Thomas Dixon (Sound Designer/Composer) is happy to be working with Joanie again and Strawdog for the first time. Recent credits include The Sea with Theatre Mir, for which he received a Jeff Nomination, fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life at Steppenwolf, The Girl in the Yellow Dress at Next, and many more. Thomas is a proud Artistic Associate of Steep Theatre, where he has designed The Receptionist, Pornography, A Brief History of Helen of Troy, and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. He will also be working on their production of Luther this winter. Visit Thomas’ website at www.thomasdixonsound.com. Joe Dybdal ( Technical Director ) is excited to be working with Strawdog Theatre. Joe just got back from Monomoy Theater in Cape Cod where he was the Assistant Director on 8 shows in 10 weeks. Joe has also Technical Directed at Provision Theater, Chicago Dramatist, City Lit Theater, Theater Seven. Joe has also worked with Writers Theater, First Follio, North Central College, and Judson College. Patrick Fries (Production Manager) is thrilled to be working with Strawdog for the very first time. Some of Pat’s previous credits include A Class Act and tick, tick, BOOM (Porchlight Music Theatre) Crooked, Falling: A Wake, Precious Little, These Shining Lives, The Walls, Mary’s Wedding, and 26 Miles (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); Momma’s Boyz (Teatro Vista)
The UN Inspector, Dying City, Boom, End Days, War With The Newts, The Piano Teacher, and Madagascar (Next Theatre) and Welcome Yule! 2009 and 2010 (Chicago Symphony Orchestra). Upcoming shows include The Gifts of the Magi with Porchlight and I Put the Fear of Mexico in ‘Em with Teatro Vista. Pat is also the Programming Manager for 2nd Story. Kyle Hamman (Media Design) is happy to be creating again at Strawdog, where he has been an ensemble member since 2000. Kyle is the owner/ operator of KBH Media, a small multi-media production company that specializes in visual storytelling. Kyle has been involved in Chicago theatre as an actor, designer, director and producer for over a decade most recently directing The Factory Theatre remount of Ren Faire! A fistful of Ducats. He has been seen in over 20 productions at Strawdog and worked with numerous other theatres in Chicago including Writers, Northlight, Wildclaw, 2nd Story, and Mary-Arrchie among others. Jordan Kardasz (Lighting Designer) is excited to be starting her second season as an ensemble member lighting N3RD. Previous Strawdog credits include Duchess of Malfi and Conquest of the South Pole, along with many assistant designs. She will also be lighting Pontypool and Improbable Frequency this year. Jordan has designed or assisted with Strange Tree, Sideshow, Lifeline, Matter Dance, Theatre Seven, The Hypocrites, Next, Adventure Stage, and many more. Huge thanks to Joanie and the team for a great collaboration! You can see some of Jordan’s work at www.jordankardasz.com Dan Laushman (Master Electrician) From a family of biologists and botanists, Dan decided spending his days in dark theaters sounded like a good path. Having recently returned from his multiple tours, and his Summer-Stock season at Mason Street Warehouse in Michigan, Dan is thrilled to be back with Strawdog Theater for the first show of the season. Thanks to my friends and family for supporting my (sometimes crazy) life choices, the fantastic cast and crew of Neighborhood 3! and as always, thanks to Jen, Jon, and Pete. Joanna Melville (Costume Designer) is working on her sixth show at Strawdog, and her second as an ensemble member. She also freelances around town. Her bio is short because she is in the midst of sewing the costumes. She hopes that you enjoy the show. Lindsey Miller (Stage Manager) is returning to Strawdog for the third time, previously stage managing Conquest of the South Pole and The Duchess of Malfi. This will also be her third time working with Joanie, for whom so stage managed Stone Cold Dead Serious at Circle Theatre and The Ring Cycle at The Building Stage. As a former member of BackStage Theatre she worked on A Scent of Flowers, Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom
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BIOGR APHIES Play About the Baby, and On An Average Day. Other credits include Ironmistress (Oracle), The Fever Chart (eclipse), and Wuthering Heights (Lifeline).
associate at Signal Ensemble Theatre. She is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.
Mike Mroch (Scenic Design) is a graduate of Columbia College with a BFA in Directing and Scenic Design. Design credits: Hot and Throbbing (Interrobang Theatre), Arsonists, Anger/Fly, Progress on my Mother’s Lips… (Trap Door), Brand, Church/Pullman, Wa (Red Tape Theatre), The American Plan, Tea and Sympathy (Artistic Home), The Sea (Theater Mir). Past Strawdog credits: Old Times (designer), Conquest of Southpole, Red Noses, Good Soul of Szechwan, Uncle Vanya (asst. design), Uncle Vanya, Cherry Orchard (dramaturg). Directing credits: What Didn’t Happen, Miracle Worker, Rope (Columbia). Mike is the General Manager at Strawdog and has been an ensemble member since 2011.
Patrick Rybarczyk (Managing Director) has worked in arts administration with Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare and Urban Gateways. Chicago stage credits include work with Ulysses Theatre, Bailiwick, and Timeline Theatre. Favorite roles include Mitchell Garabedian, in Sin: A Cardinal Deposed (original Chicago and Boston casts), Judas in Corpus Christi (Jeff Citation & After Dark Award: Ensemble), Frank O’Hara in the premiere of Too Live As Variously As Possible and Felix Turner in The Normal Heart (After Dark Award: Performance). He appeared in the short film Telling Dad and directed the premiere of Katrina: State of Emergency. Patrick was a co-founding member of Ulysses Theatre Company and is an ensemble member with Pride Films & Plays.
Mary O’Dowd (Props Designer) is honored to return to Strawdog, having created props for The Duchess of Malfi. Favorite prop/set dressing credits include The Price (Jeff Nomination, Artistic Specialization), Bus Stop, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Raven Theatre); Ballad of the Sad Cafe (Signal); and Enchanted April (Theatre of Western Springs). Also a Jeff-nominated actress, Mary is an artistic
Jessie Todd (Assistant Director) is a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Directing and Playwriting. He is very excited to be working with the Strawdog Ensemble and Joanie Shultz on this show! This year Jesse also helped found the Chicago Traveling Theatre Collaborative and will be working at Raven Theatre this winter.
P R O D U C T I O N H I S TO R Y 1988-1990 Five of Us + The House of Correction + Temptation + A Family Affair + Dearest Father ~ Back Bog Beast Bait 1991 Muzeeka Play with Repeats # Titanic Icarus’ Mother Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down # The House of Yes + 1992 Etta Jenks + A Circle of People: Four by Chekov ~ Gertrude Stein and a Companion + Lux in Tenbris + Sure Thing + Hot Fudge + Speed-the-Play 6
Strawdog Theatre Company
Ancient History + Light Up the Sky 1993 Absent Friends Gertrude Stein and a Companion The Revenger Relationship Hell The Big Funk + Lunch Search and Destroy + Crossing Boundaries: Women’s Roles and Realities 1994 Race ~ New Anatomies Wilhelm Reich in Hell Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) 1995 Burn This A Mother, a Daughter, and a Gun +
Crossing Boundaries II: The Tower of Babel Project ~ Mariposa ~ Cat’s-Paw 1996 Criminal Hearts Crossing Boundaries III: The Life of the Mind ~ Interrogating the Nude 1996–1997 It’s a Mediocre Life ~ Skeletons Crossing Boundaries IV: Leap of Faith ~ 1997–1998 Dark Rapture + Imagine Drowning Waltz Invention 1998–1999 HurlyBurly Owners
P R O D U C T I O N H I S TO R Y 1999–2000 Manufracture + Measure for Measure Return to the Howard Bowl ~ 2000–2001 Disco Pigs # Our Country’s Good The Ball of Justice ~ 2001–2002 Ivona, Princess of Burgundia Toasting George ~ The Green Bird 2002-2003 Julius Caeser Knives in Hens Spring Awakening 2003-2004 Detective Story Merchant of Venice Fuddy Meers
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2004-2005 Puntila, and His Man Matti Impossible Marriage The True Ballad of Fall’s Blessings~
2009- 2010 St. Crispin’s Day + Uncle Vanya Good Soul of Szechuan 2010-2011 Red Noses (Remount) State of The Union The Master & Margarita Conquest of the South Pole
2005-2006 Three Sisters The Tooth of Crime (Second Dance) 2006-2007 Marathon ‘33 A Lie of The Mind
2011-2012 Duchess of Malfi The Petrified Forest Old Times
2007-2008 Aristocrats Richard III Old Town
+ Midwest Premiere # U.S. Premiere ~ World Premiere
2008-2009 R.U.R. Cherry Orchard Red Noses
DONORS Strawdog Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges the generous contributions of individuals, organizations, and businesses made between July 1, 2011 - September 12, 2012 Challenge ($2,500+) – we strive to challenge the Strawdog audiences and actors by producing theater with teeth! Alphawood Foundation Anonymous Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Lois and Jim Hobart Thomas Linguanti Denis and Martha Pierce Jack Rubin & Pat Yuzawa-Rubin Community ($1,000+) – we strive to build a community of patrons and artists to celebrate theater in all its forms AT&T Stephen Bennett Joyce McGreevy Seth Rickard The Saints Nora Stapleton Mark D. Warner
Ensemble ($500+) – we strive to build an ensemble where artists can build and explore their craft Pabst Brewing Company Rogo Entertainment Inc. Susan Toonen Genuine Connection ($250) – we strive to build genuine connections and relationships among actors, patrons and the community Richard Clark George Darveris Matthew & Leah Haran Stephen Johnson David Aaron Katz & Eileen Carol Katman Joseph Valerio Robert and Sheila Wentland Donor (Up to $249 Basel Al-Aswad, MD Gregory Altman Michael Altman Thomas Anderson Michael and Jean Ban David Baricos Bruce Beatus
Richard Bergfeld James Bishop Blackman Kallick Heidi Bloom Ardyce M. Boland Karine Bravais-Slyman John and Marilyn Bruggink Adela Cerda Judy Clifford Michael Coleman Barbara S. Cronin Katherine Dailey Julie Daniels Carla DeLio Judy DeMike Robert B Dorfman Jennifer Draffen Dr. Wolfgang Epstein Allan & Mary Fenske Eric Fortner Sherry Friedman Helen Garrahy Ruth Giles-Ott Tiffany Giammona John Green Carm Grisolia Francis Guinan Matthew and Leah Haran Lorraine Hart Joseph P. Hassel
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DONORS
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Reid Hickman Melvin Hirsch Ernest and Harriet Hirschfeld James Hobart & Mary Geraghty Marianne Hobart Linda Hoffmann Lillian D. Hohmann Bradley L. Kisner Ekaterina Klyachko Michael Kuntz Barbara Lanctot Merle Levine Jennifer Loomis Kat Mackenzie Lynn Mackenzie Maureen McCarthy
Shawn McCormick Nancy McDaniel Peter McDowell Dorothy Milne Ann Murray Jennifer Nelson Renee Nelson Susan Pateros Christine Plautz John & Nancy Prangl David R. Rickard and Margaret L. Rickard John J. Ronan Seth Rubin Kate Schriner Karen Serges
Greg Sommers Jon L. and Cathy J. Stein Deborah Thorpe Stef Tovar Jamie Vann Megan Wildebour Katherine Willhoite Steven Winterstein Stephen R. Wise Sharon Wolfson and Jake Trussel Midori Yokoyama and Pascal Dumas Nancy Young Tim Zingelman Patrick Zubrod
S T R AW D O G T H E AT R E C O M PA N Y Strawdog Theatre Company • 3829 North Broadway Chicago, IL 60613 Box Office 773.528.9696 • Administration 773.528.9889 • Fax 773.528.7238 • www.strawdog.org ensemble Aly Greaves Amidei Anderson Lawfer Anita Deely Carmine Grisolia Gregor Mortis
Hank Boland Jamie Vann Jennifer Avery Joanna Melville John Henry Roberts
board of directors Seth Rickard: Jack Rubin Board President James Hobart Gregory Altman Jennifer Nelson artistic associates Chris “Evil Vince” May Matt Hawkins Kimberly Senior membership emeritus Amy Dunlap Elea Crowther Andre Pluess Elizabeth Bart Petty Laidlaw Carrie Hegdahl Garrett Todd Chuck Harper Jaime Denton Dan Apodaca Jess Hill David Meihaus Jo Ann Oliver David Warren Wooley Debbie Caruso Julie Stanton Donald Cardiff Karen Hough
John Ferrick Jordan Kardasz Justine Turner Kat McDonnell Kyle Hamman
Kyle Gibson Michaela Petro Mike Dailey Mike Mroch Paul Fagen
Mike Przygoda Sarah Goeden Sean Mallary Shannon Hoag
Joyce McGreevy Mark Warner Pat Yuzawa-Rubin
Romain Ichbiah Stephen Bennett Thomas V. Linguanti
Scott Zematis
Shade Murray
Kat McDonnell Katherine Laidlaw Kenny Williams Kevin Ritchey Kristen Caskey Kristen Kelly Larry Novikoff Lindsay Jones Loretta Rezos
Lynn Koscielniak Michael Dobbs Michelle Caplan Nancy Bishop Noah Simon Oona Kersey Paul Engelhardt Richard Shavzin Sarah Stray Scott Cummins
Sean Sheridan Stacy Parker Stephanie Manglaras Steve Savage Tim Curtis Tim Zingelman Chris Hainsworth
administrative and production staff Brandon Bruce........................................................................................................................................... Artistic Director Patrick Rybarczyk................................................................................................................................ Managing Director Mike Mroch.............................................................................................................................................. General Manager Michael Caloia...........................................................................................................................................Casting Director Patrick Fries........................................................................................................................................Production Manager Josh Sobel.................................................................................................................................................Literary Manager 8
Strawdog Theatre Company