Pine Box Theater Company presents
A Girl With Sun In Her Eyes
Written By Joshua Rollins Directed By Matt Miller Stage Managed By Amber Johnson* Starring: Karen Aldridge* Steve Pickering* Sean Parris Lucy Sandy And Pine Box Ensemble Members: Vincent Teninty* Audrey Francis* *Denotes member of Actor’s Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers Pine Box Theater Company 1
CAST (In Order of Appearance) VINCENT TENINTY*+.................................................................................................................. WILLIAM STEVE PICKERING*.......................................................................................................................... LANDY KAREN ALDRIDGE*....................................................................................................................GOGGINS AUDREY FRANCIS*+..........................................................................................................................LUCY SEAN PARRIS...................................................................................................................................DARNEL LUCY SANDY.....................................................................................................ANA MARKS/WAITRESS Understudies: Derek Gaspar (William), Lucy Sandy (Goggins), Josh Odor+ (Landy), McKenzie Chinn (Lucy/Ana Marks/Waitress) *Denotes Members of Actors Equity Association +Denotes Members of Pine Box Theater Company SETTING The South Side of Chicago 2am-8am
P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Director...................................................................................................................................... Matt Miller Playwright...........................................................................................................................Joshua Rollins Artistic Director......................................................................................................... Vincent Teninty*+ Associate Producer/Production Manager............................................................ Catherine Allen Dramaturg............................................................................................................................ Susan Bowen Production Stage Manager..................................................................................... Amber Johnson* Scenic Design/TD..................................................................................................................Grant Sabin Props Design....................................................................................................................... Zach Stinnett Lighting Design....................................................................................................................... Julian Pike Sound Design.............................................................................................................................Joe Court Costume Design............................................................................................................Joshua D. Allard Fight Choreographer.......................................................................................................Matt Hawkins Fight Captain............................................................................................................................ Sean Parris Publicist..........................................................................................................................David Rosenberg Graphic Designer.......................................................................................................................Jay Kapur Original Music by....................................................................................................Anthony Schneider
PL AY WRIGHT’S NOTE I grew up in a small town in West Virginia and I was really the first person in my family to not only apply to colleges, but to show any interest in blowing past that third stop light and heading out for greener pastures. I remember the day I was set to leave, going to the local grocery store to steal banana boxes to pack up my meager belongings–books and books of plays, a couple pairs of jeans, Bob Dylan records. I was driving down a little side street in my dad’s beat-up van. The sun was bouncing off the windshield and I was squinting, trying to see. Then it happened. A kid on a bike, no older than 8, flew out of nowhere right in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and the van went up over an embankment into the opposite lane of traffic. By sheer luck, I missed the biker, missed the trees, and missed the oncoming car. The kid was gone and I was shaken to my core. (continued on next page) 2 Pine Box Theater Company
PL AY WRIGHT’S NOTE (cont.) A few feet to the left or right, a few seconds later, and I would have killed that kid. And college would have been gone. Would I have gone to prison? Where would I be now? These questions have haunted me. It’s no mistake that the character of Detective Goggins has a monologue about a similar incident. And a few feet in either direction would have changed her life forever. Maybe it is all just dominoes. Maybe we are all just a few feet, a few seconds, a few decisions away from our ideal life. Or the end of it. The characters in this play make some awful decisions. And in some way, they are all haunted by them. But it’s what they do after those decisions, how they choose to handle what comes next, that fascinates me. The central theme of the play is a simple question of “What would you do?” Here’s the horrible situation. Here are the two terrible options you have to choose between. What would you do? How far would you go to protect the life you have? –Joshua Rollins
BIOGR APHIES VINCENT TENINTY (William) is the current Artistic Director of Pine Box, and he is honored to be a part of their comeback! Vincent has been an actor in the city of Chicago for the past 12 years, and has worked with several different theatre companies including: Steppenwolf - Mother Courage and her Children and A Lesson Before Dying; The Goodman – Talking Pictures and The Good Negro; Appletree Theatre – To Kill a Mockingbird; Timeline – A Cry of Players; Strawdog – Julius Caesar; Steep Theatre – The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui; and The Hypocrites – Desire Under the Elms. He was also nominated for a Jeff Award in 2003 for his role as “Dexter” in Trvial Pursuits (Visions & Voices), and is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf class of 2004. He has studied at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, and Western Michigan University. Vince would like to thank his ever supportive, and beautiful wife Kerry, and his two beautiful twin daughters Lexi and Paige. STEVE PICKERING (Landy) is an awardwinning actor, director, designer and playwright who has lived and worked in Chicago for over two decades. He is a founding mem-
ber of Shanghai Low Theatricals, a former Artistic Director of the Next Theatre, and Artistic Associate for the Organic. This past season, he appeared in the world premiere of Thomas Bradshaw’s MARY, and Robert Falls’ production of Chekhov’s THE SEAGULL – adding to a total of over 30 productions for Chicago’s Goodman Theatre since 1987. In 2005, he completed over 700 performances of Falls’ Tony Awardwinning production of DEATH OF A SALESMAN opposite Brian Dennehy at the Goodman, on Broadway, for the National Tour, the Showtime Network, and in London’s West End. In 2010, he appeared in WAR WITH THE NEWTS at the Next, at Milwaukee Rep in SEVEN KEYS TO SLAUGHTER PEAK, in BLACKBIRD for Pittsburgh City Theatre, and as the title role in John Clancy’s FATBOY for Red Orchid. This fall he will appear at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in THE WINTER’S TALE and DIAL M FOR MURDER, and in the spring as Jim Tyrone in Eugene O’Neill’s MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN at Seanachai Theatre. KAREN ALDRIDGE (Goggins) is excited to be making her Pine Box Theatre debut. Chicago theatre credits include: Trinity River Plays, The Good Negro, The Cook (Jeff Award nomination - Best Actress), and Proof (BTAA Ruby Dee Award) - Goodman Theatre; Pine Box Theater Company 3
B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Edward II, and Love’s Labor’s Lost - Chicago Shakespeare Theatre; Man from Nebraska - Steppenwolf Theatre Company; Seagull - Writers’ Theatre; Far Away, In the Blood (Jeff Award nomination - Best Actress) - Next Theatre. She also starred in the international tour of Le Costume, a French-language production directed by Peter Brook. Regional credits include productions with: Indiana Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Film: The Dilemma directed by Ron Howard. Karen will make her television debut this fall in the role of Dr. Ella Harris on BOSS. AUDREY FRANCIS (Lucy) is a grateful and proud company member of Pine Box Theater. She most recently appeared as Franky in Where We’re Born at Steppenwolf Theatre. Audrey is a Jeff Nominated actor and has worked with The Goodman, Victory Gardens, Writer’s Theatre, The Hypocrites, Circle Theatre and Northlight. She has appeared in multiple independent films, most recently: Chicago Overcoat and Just Act Normal. Audrey has worked on several commercials, webisodes and television shows including the NBC series ER. She has directed numerous productions in the city and this coming fall will be directing Sexual Perversity in Chicago at the University of Chicago. She is a graduate of the of the School at Steppenwolf and Colorado State University with a degree in Journalism. Audrey is also the proud owner of Black Box Acting Studio and sends tons of love to all of her team and students. SEAN PARRIS (Darnel, Fight Captain) was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Miami, Georgia, and other parts of the world. He is a recent graduate from Depaul University’s Theatre School, where he got his MFA in Acting (with a class that became his family). While at the theatre school he was The One Eyed Arab in 1001 directed Carlos Murillo, Asagai in Raisin in the Sun directed by Phyllis Griffin, Mali in Haroun and the Sea of Stories directed by Damon Kiely, and Shawny in the world premiere of MayDay MayDay Tuesday directed 4 Pine Box Theater Company
by Dexter Bullard. He is happy and over the moon about the opportunity to work on such an awesome play right out of Grad School. He is honored to be in the company of so much talent. Much thanks to Matt Miller, Josh Rollins, and Pine Box Theatre for this opportunity. Ya’ll Rock! He is represented by Paonessa Talent Agency (Hey Marisa!) LUCY SANDY (Ana Marks/Waitress/u/s Goggins) is excited to make her début at The Pine Box Theatre. She has recently received her MFA in acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University class of 2010. Her recent credits include A Twist of Water directed by Erica Weiss a company member of Route 66, Eclipsed (understudy) at Northlight directed by Hollie Gordon, A Mid Summer Night’s Dream with The Arc Theatre Company directed by Mark Boergers, Thieves Like Us directed by Kimberly Senior, A Street Car Named Desire directed Damon Kiely, and Holes directed by John Jenkins. MCKENZIE CHINN (u/s Lucy/Ana Marks/ Waitress) Before moving to Chicago, McKenzie appeared at Washington D.C.’s Studio Theatre in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Alan Ball’s All That I Will Ever Be. She also appeared in The School for Scandal and the regional premier of Opus at Baltimore’s Everyman Theatre, and Wendy McLeod’s Apocalyptic Butterflies at The Bay Theatre in Annapolis. She spent the past winter creating Neofuturist-style theatre in classes with Mary K. Fons and Bilal Dardai, and is a recent graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul’s MFA acting program where she most recently appeared in Mayday Mayday Tuesday, and original play by Carlos Murillo, directed by Dexter Bullard. DEREK GASPAR (u/s William) This is Derek’s first time working with Pinebox and he is thrilled to be part of such a great project (Thanks Matt!). He has just completed his MFA in Acting at the Theatre School at DePaul. Around Chicago he has worked with companies such as Timeline, Court, Trap Door, Uma and Greasy Joan. This fall you can see him playing Joe in American Blues Theater’s production of Waiting for Lefty, directed by Kimberly Senior. He is represented by Paonessa Talent Agency.
B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) JOSH ODOR (u/s Landy) is happy the band got back together. Josh is a Pine Box ensemble member where he performed in “Hot and Throbbing”,“Liquid Currency” and “Hedges/3”. Most recently he played Chance Wayne in The Artistic Home’s “Sweet Bird of Youth” and will be seen as the “attractive man” in the upcoming tv show “Boss”. Josh is a graduate of the School at Steppenwolf. Thanks Mom. LEVENIX RIDDLE (u/s Darnel) was born, raised, and currently resides in the beautiful city of Chicago. Levenix studied engineering at the University of Illinois before realizing that wasn’t really his thing...so he found his way to The Theatre School at DePaul to begin a much more stable career in acting. Past Theatre School credits include: Walter Lee in A Raisin in the Sun, Eddie Carbone in A View from the Bridge, Puss in Puss in Boots, Versati in The Underpants. Treplev in The Nina Variations, and many more. Levenix is very excited to be working on his very first professional show at Pine Box with such amazing people and such a brilliant script. Levenix also loves jazz and the blues and is currently in the process of trying to teach himself how to play them on the piano. His fingers haven’t gotten the memo. JOSHUA ROLLINS (Playwright) is an actor and writer living in Chicago. Before moving here, his full-length play Bathtub Medea was workshopped with Devanaughn Theatre and he had numerous one-acts produced by Devanaughn, Boston Playwrights Theatre, the Boston Theatre Marathon, and Essayons Theatre. After moving to Chicago, his play American Rex was a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Center’s Summer Conference, had a staged reading offBroadway with Alchemy Theatre, and will be workshopped later this year in Chicago. Another full-length play, Postscript, was showcased as part of Chicago Dramatists acclaimed Saturday Series of New Work last year. Joshua has had numerous one acts produced with The Artistic Home, American Blues Theatre, and American Theatre Company. His full length Turning the Beam had a staged reading with Portland Theatre Company. Joshua currently has a screenplay and a pilot script under consideration with production companies in LA. MATT MILLER (Director) Originally from Kent, OH, Matt is a Chicago based director and teacher. As a stage director, Matt’s
recent credits include the critically acclaimed revival of THE WEIR for Seanachai Theatre Company this past fall, 4000 MILES (staged reading) for Steppenwolf’s First Look Repertory with Tony winner Deanna Dunagan, Serendipity’s Chicago and L.A. productions of GIRL,20 (Best Director and Best Ensemble nominations LA Weekly 2008 Theatre Awards) and the world premiere of GRACELAND for Profiles Theatre (Top 10 Plays of the Year 2009, Chicago Tribune & Sun Times). As an associate casting director with Tenner Paskal & Rudnicke Casting, Matt’s film credits include the Chicago casting for THE WEATHERMAN, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR, THE ICE HARVEST, STRANGER THAN FICTION, LET’S GO TO PRISON!, THE BREAKUP, THE PROMOTION, THE EXPRESS, and PUBLIC ENEMIES. Matt is also a proud twelve-year company member of Barrel of Monkeys, a group that provides creative writing workshops for Chicago Public Elementary Schools that lack arts funding. www.mattmillerdirect.com CATHERINE ALLEN (Associate Producer/ Production Manager) is thrilled to be a part of the amazing team at Pine Box Theater. Catherine is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where she received a BFA in Acting. This past spring, she produced the live storytelling event 3 Guys 4 Stories 5 Songs at Messner’s Wrigleyville. Last summer she worked as a Casting Associate for the feature film I Heart Shakey, the first 3D live-action film shot in Chicago. Catherine currently works at Innovative Artists Chicago. SUSAN BOWEN (Dramaturg) While living in New York Susan collaborated on productions at HERE Arts Center, Grove Street Playhouse, the Abingdon Theatre, Nuyorican Poets Café, The Performing Garage, Barrow Group Theatre, Participant Inc., and P.S. 122. In Chicago, Susan has directed Speakeasy at City Lit, Chicago Chronicle: Volume III at American Theater Company, and The Gingerbread House for Route 66 Theatre Company’s monthly reading series. She was assistant director to Laura Eason on her production of Ethan Frome at Lookingglass. Most recently, Susan directed a staged reading of The House of Mr. Orange by Aasif Mandvi at Access Theatre in New York. AMBER JOHNSON (Stage Manager) is very excited to be working with Pine Box. Other Chicago stage management credits include: Comedy of Errors, Three Tall Pine Box Theater Company 5
B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) Women (Court Theatre), The Colored Museum (Congo Square Theatre Co.), The MLK Project (Writers’ Theatre), It’s a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph! (American Blues Theatre), Jersey Boys (Sub SM, Broadway in Chicago), Dreamlandia, La Posada Magica (Teatro Vista), I Do! I Do!, A View from the Bridge (American Theatre Company), Faith Healer, The Violet Hour (UMA), Three Sisters (Strawdog Theatre Co.), As Much As You Can, Clouds (Dog & Pony Theatre Company), and Orange Flower Water (Steppenwolf ). Regional credits include: Williamstown Theatre Festival, Michigan Shakespeare Festival and Antelope Valley Ballet. Amber graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BFA in Theatre with Stage Management emphasis. As always, Boomer Sooner! GRANT SABIN (Set Designer) is pleased to be working with the creative team at Pine Box. He primarily works as a set designer, but has had the great opportunity to teach scenic painting for Northwestern University’s Cherubs Program. He’s a company member and resident set designer for Dog and Pony Theatre, designing their past productions of God’s Ear, Ape, Mr. Marmalade (Jeff Award Nominee), Dead City, Osama the Hero, and Crumble. Grant is a graduate of Columbia College with a BFA in theatre design, where he was awarded the 2005 Michael Merritt scholarship for collaboration in theatre design. Recent set design credits include: Circle Mirror Transformation. Victory Gardens, Invasion of Skokie (Chicago Dramatists), Sweet Tea (About Face Theatre), Garage Rep (Steppenwolf Theatre), It’s A Wonderful Life (American Blues Theatre), Design for A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare), Whiff of Anarchy (The Seldoms), The U.N. Inspector (Next Theatre), Forbidden Broadway, (Royal George Theatre), Dashiell Hamlet, Hound of the Baskervilles, The Juniper Tree (City Lit Theatre), Augusta, (American Theatre Company), A Prayer for My Daughter and The 4 –H Club/ Cowboy Mouth (Mary-Arrchie), Crossing California (Lifeline Theatre), Faster and Thief River (The Side Project), Blasted and The Sea Horse (Jeff Award Nominee), (A Red Orchid Theatre), Leaving Iowa, (Royal George Theatre and The Overture Center, WI), and The Gift (Chicago Ballet). grantsabindesign.com JOE COURT (Sound Designer) is excited to work with Pine Box for the first time. Joe serves as sound engineer for the Chicago production of the Tony Award wininng musical Million Dollar Quartet. He is also 6 Pine Box Theater Company
a company member with Mary-Arrchie Theatre Company. Recent credits include The Homecoming (Mary-Arrchie), That Was Then (Seanachai), and Arnie the Doughnut (Lifeline). His work has also been heard with A Red Orchid (Jeff nom - The Unseen), Emerald City, Theatre7, The Gift, The Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and The Clarence Brown Theatre (Knoxville, TN.) Thanks and love to his family and his wife, Anna. JOSHUA D. ALLARD (Costume Designer/Stylist) has designed over 70 productions with over 20 companies in Chicago since 2003, including Piccolo Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Eclipse Theatre, Chicago Tap Theatre, and Chicago Opera Vanguard. He has also served as a choreographer and movement practitioner. Joshua toured for five months in 2008 as the Wardrobe/Props ATD for an Equity TYA production from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Joshua is an artistic associate and resident costume designer with Piccolo Theatre in Evanston, IL. JULIAN PIKE (Lighting Designer) Julian is once again freelancing as a Lighting Designer after spending the past three seasons as the Lighting Apprentice at the Lyric Opera of Chicago where he assisted world re-known designers such as; Duane Schuler, Robert Wierzel, Damien Cooper, and Mark McCullogh. During those off seasons Julian was the Lighting Supervisor/Assistant Lighting Designer at Chicago Opera Theater where he just designed the last two productions; Medee & He/She. Other Chicago design credits include collaborations with; Seanachai Theatre Company, Chicago Folks Operetta, The Strange Tree Group (company member), Artistic Home Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, Mordine & Co. Dance Theatre, Inaside Chicago Dance, Theatre Building Chicago, Griffin Theatre Company, and Chamber Opera Chicago among others. Upcoming projects include; The Rose of Stambul (CFO), and Violet with Bailiwick Chicago. Julian has a M.F.A. in Theatrical Design & Techonology from the University of Missouri –Kansas City. ZACH STINNETT (Props Designer) studied technical theatre at Elon University before transferring to Columbia College Chicago where he received his BA in Directing. Previous credits include, Properties Master for Wizard of Oz Lexington Children’s Theatre), Properties Assistant for Dracula
B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) (Triad Stage), and one season of Howl-OScream (Busch Gardens Williamsburg). MATT HAWKINS (Fight Choreographer) was last scene as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire (Writers’ Theatre) and served as the Movement Director for Peter Pan (Lookingglass). This Fall he will direct a new adaptation of CYRANO for The House Theatre of Chicago. Matt is a Founding Member of The House, an Artistic Associate and Resident Director with Strawdog, an Artistic Associate with 500 Clown, the recipient of two Non-Equity Jeff Awards and a graduate of Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. DAVID ROSENBERG (Publicist) currently serves as Communications Director at Steppenwolf Theatre Co. Other publicity credits include: Broadway In Chicago, The Audito-
rium Theatre, The Harris Theater, JAM Theatricals, About Face Theatre, Greasy Joan & Co., Uma Productions and others. He has worked as a producer/writer at CNN Headline News, WGN TV, FOX Chicago and CLTV. JAY KAPUR (Graphic Designer) is based in New York, New York. Jay recently returned from a two-year stay in New Delhi, India, where he helped open a graphic design and print shop servicing primarily western brands operating in India. Jay’s been designing promotional materials for the Chicago Theater scene since early 2005 and has worked with Victory Gardens Theatre, Quest Theatre Ensemble, Pine Box Theatre, Urban Theatre Company, Rogue and Second Story. See his work and say hello by logging onto www.jaykapurdesign.com.
T H A N K YO U
Officer Joe Cox. Brian Coash. Holly Miller. Nick Sandys. Joseph Moore. James Vincent Meredith. IHOP. Vicky Fillow. Piccolo Theatre Company of Evanston. Ridhaa Campbell. Goodman Theatre. Mary Gaspar. Paskal Rudnicke Casting. Jennifer Rudnicke. Mickie Paskal. Caleb Condit Photography. Black Box Acting Studio. Acting Studio Chicago. More Cupcakes. Roadhouse 66. Innovative Artists Chicago. Greg Rothman. Audrey Francis. Penny’s Noodles. Twist. Martyrs. Kerry Teninty. Brands Park Manor. Erin Breen. Caleb Condit Photography. Jordan and Rookie Shifrin. B E N E FAC TO R S
Our deepest gratitude is owed to the following people for making Pine Box Theater Company possible. Without their generous donations, we would not be where we are today. Bobolink Foundation The Rothman Foundation Michael and Linda Kreiger Carol Bartell Jordan and Rookie Shifrin
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