IRT Program: Fahrenheit 451

Page 1

2021-2022 SEASON

SHARE YOUR REVIEW & TAG US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @IRTLIVE!

ONEAMERICA MAINSTAGE | JANUARY 26 – FEBRUARY 20 2021 | 2022

IRTLIVE.COM | 317.635.5252

Original artwork by Kyle Ragsdale


Community Engagement That’s Built to Last Building a better future together The spirit of giving is strong at OneAmerica®. A community leader since our inception, we proudly support organizations, like the Indiana Repertory Theatre, that make a difference. OneAmerica is pleased to have further extended our support of the IRT. Our community commitment focuses on strategically investing in education; workforce development; community safety, wellness and success; and community vibrancy.

Visit OneAmerica.com to learn more about our involvement with local nonprofits.

Life Insurance | Retirement | Employee Benefits © 2021 OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc. All rights reserved.

C-34420 08/18/21



A STANDING OVATION TO ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

ONEAMERICA | 2021-2022 SEASON SPONSOR

OneAmerica is proud to support IRT, with our relationship among the longest running sponsorships in theater nationwide. As one of Central Indiana’s champions of imagination, innovation and inspiration, we sincerely hope you enjoy their 2021-2022 season.

—Scott Davison, chairman, president and CEO OneAmerica, 2021-2022 season sponsor

Through its community outreach efforts, the Navient Community Fund supports organizations and programs that address the root causes which limit financial success for all Americans. The Navient Community Fund is proud to support the Indiana Repertory Theatre as the Education Partner for the 2021-2022 Season. Navient is a leading provider of asset management and business processing solutions to education, healthcare, and government clients at the federal, state, and local levels. Millions of Americans rely on financial support to further their education and improve their lives. We work hard each day to help our customers navigate financial challenges and achieve their goals. We at Navient have a deep appreciation for the arts and for the hard work, passion, and emotion that go into them, as well as the positive influences the arts have on individuals and their communities. Our employees in central Indiana are proud to support our community through amazing programs like those offered by IRT. Enjoy the show.


OUR MISSION & VISION

CONTENTS

MISSION Live theatre connects us to meaningful issues in our lives and has the power to shape the human experience. The mission of the Indiana Repertory Theatre is to produce top-quality, professional theatre and related activities, providing experiences that will engage, surprise, challenge, and entertain people throughout their lifetimes, helping us build a vital and vibrant community.

3.................................................Mission & Values 4..................Land & Building Acknowledgment 5..................................................................Profile 7.....................................................................IDEA 8.........................................................Leadership 12...................................................................Staff 14............................................Board of Directors 22..................................................Fahrenheit 451 33...................................................Company Bios 38..................Interview: Todd Mack Reischman 40............................In Memorium: Robert Neal 46...................................................Donor Listing

VISION The Indiana Repertory Theatre will be a life-long destination of choice for an everexpanding audience of all ages and backgrounds seeking enjoyable and meaningful experiences. Using theatre as a springboard for both personal reflection and community discussion, our productions and programs will inspire our neighbors to learn about themselves and others. As an arts leader in the state of Indiana, the IRT's goal is to make Indiana a dynamic home of cultural expression, economic vitality, and a diverse, informed, and engaged citizenry.

AS AN INSTITUTION, WE VALUE... SUSTAINING A PROFESSIONAL, CREATIVE ATMOSPHERE The professional production of plays that provide insight and celebrate human relationships through the unique vision of the playwright • Professional artists of the highest quality working on our stages in an environment that allows them to grow and thrive • Our leadership role in fostering a creative environment where arts, education, corporate, civic, and cultural organizations collaborate to benefit our community. PRUDENT STEWARDSHIP OF OUR RESOURCES Our public-benefit status, where the focus is on artistic integrity, affordable ticket prices that allow all segments of our community to attend, and community service • Fiscal responsibility and financial security based on achieving a balanced budget • Growing our endowment fund as a resource for future development and to ensure institutional longevity. INCLUSIVENESS The production of plays from a broad range of dramatic literature addressing diverse communities • The involvement of all segments of our community in our activities • Using theatre arts as a primary tool to bring meaning into the lives of our youth, making creativity a component of their education • The employment of artists and staff that celebrates the diversity of the United States.

REVIEWS! FACEBOOK/TWITTER: @irtlive EMAIL: reviews@irtlive.com

CONTACT US IRTLIVE.COM TICKET OFFICE: 317.635.5252 ADMIN OFFICES: 317.635.5277 140 W. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204

PHOTO POLICY Photography of the set without actors and with proper credit to the scenic and lighting designers is permitted. Due to union agreements, photography, video, and audio recording are not permitted during the performance. The videotaping of productions is a violation of United States Copyright Law and an actionable Federal Offense.

HERITAGE AND TRADITION Our role as Indiana’s premiere theatre for more than 40 years, recognized by the 107th Indiana General Assembly in 1991 as “Indiana’s Theatre Laureate.” • The historic Indiana Theatre as our home, as a cultural landmark, and as a significant contributor to a vital downtown • Our national, state, and local reputation for 40+ years of quality creative work and educational programming • Our board, staff, volunteers, artists, audiences, and donors as essential partners in fulfilling our mission.

2021 | 2022

3


ACKNOWLEDGING THE LAND Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here or removed from here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Acknowledgment of the land which the IRT now occupies is critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage. We want to acknowledge that what we now call Indiana is on the ancestral lands of many indigenous peoples including the Miami, Piankashaw, Wea, Potawatomi, Kickapoo, Delaware, and Shawnee. We pay respects to their elders past and present. Please take a moment to consider the many legacies of displacement, migration, violence, and settlement that bring us together here today. This land acknowledgment was created in collaboration with Scott Shoemaker, PhD (Miami Tribe of Oklahoma). Portions of this acknowledgment come from the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture (usdac.us).

ACKNOWLEDGING OUR BUILDING’S HISTORY The Indiana Repertory Theatre moved to its current site on Washington Street in 1980, renovating and reopening a building that had been shuttered for nearly a decade. The historic Indiana Theatre was built in 1927, a time when the shameful practice of racial segregation was the standard in movie theatres and public buildings across the United States. The Indiana Theatre building was originally segregated and at some point in its history this practice ceased. Many Indiana residents and their families’ heritage stories recall being treated as less than equal citizens in this building, with some even being barred from entering. We cannot erase this history. We honor and respect all those who have faced discrimination and harm in this building. We strive every day to make the IRT a place that welcomes all people.

4


INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE PROFILE HISTORY Since the Indiana Repertory Theatre was founded in 1971, it has grown into one of the leading regional theatres in the country, as well as one of the top-flight cultural institutions in the city and state. In 1991 Indiana’s General Assembly designated the IRT as “Theatre Laureate” of the state of Indiana. The IRT’s national reputation has been confirmed by prestigious grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Lila Wallace–Reader’s Digest Fund, the Theatre Communications Group–Pew Charitable Trusts, the Shubert Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation; and by a Joyce Award from the Joyce Foundation. The IRT remains the largest fully professional resident not-forprofit theatre in the state, providing more than 100,000 live professional theatre experiences in a typical season. The Theatre regularly serves thousands of students from more than half of Indiana’s 92 counties. A staff of year-round employees creates six productions exclusively for Indiana audiences. Actors, directors, and designers are members of professional stage unions. The IRT’s history has been enacted in two historic downtown theatres. The Athenaeum Turners Building housed the company’s first eight seasons. Since 1980 the IRT has occupied the 1927 Indiana Theatre, which was renovated to contain three performance spaces (OneAmerica Mainstage, Upperstage, and Cabaret) and work spaces, reviving this historic downtown entertainment site. To keep ticket prices and services affordable for the entire community, the IRT operates as a not-for-profit organization, deriving more than 50% of its operating income from contributions. The Theatre is generously supported by foundations, corporations, and individuals, an investment which recognizes the IRT’s mission-based commitment to serving Central Indiana with top-quality theatrical fare.

PROGRAMS The OneAmerica Season includes six productions from classical to contemporary, including the INclusion Series. Young Playwrights in Process The IRT offers Young Playwrights in Process (YPiP), a playwriting contest and workshop for Indiana middle and high school students. Community Gathering Place Located in a beautiful historic landmark, the IRT offers a wide variety of unique and adaptable spaces for family, business, and community gatherings of all types. Call Marissa Klingler at 317.916.4872 for more information. Opportunities The IRT depends on the generous donation of time and energy by volunteer ushers; call 317.916.4872 to learn how you can become involved. Meet the Artists Virtual pre-show chats offer audiences unique insights into each production. Student Matinees The IRT continues a long-time commitment to student audiences with school-day student matinee performances of all IRT productions. These performances are augmented with educational activities and curriculum support materials. This season A Christmas Carol, Fahrenheit 451, and The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin offer opportunities for student attendance. Educational Programs The IRT has a long-time commitment to student audiences. This season, we are sharing five of our six productions with students virtually. If you are interested in bringing IRT to your students through streaming productions, or hosting a virtual workshop with an artist, please email education@irtlive.com. Auxiliary services include study guides.

5


Support in the Wings At Faegre Drinker, community takes center stage. We’re proud to stand with the IRT in honoring the resiliency of our city and reimagining the way forward.

faegredrinker.com © 2021 Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. All Rights Reserved.

Corteva Agriscience is on a mission to help nourish the world.

KEEP GROWING.

6

™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. © 2021 Corteva.

ANSWERING THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: WHAT’S FOR DINNER?


INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESS (IDEA)

INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE: WELCOMING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY We strive to celebrate and serve the diverse people and cultures that make up our whole community. The IRT is committed to providing access for all; to creating and maintaining an antiracist theatre that is inclusive, safe, and respectful. Whether you have been coming for years or are here for the first time—welcome to your Theatre!

VALUES • Our community thrives when diverse voices and peoples gather to make, watch, and support theatre. • It is our responsibility as a community resource to open our doors wide, welcoming all to our high-quality, relevant art. • We must acknowledge our history of privilege as a predominantly white institution in order to effectively support dismantling systems of oppression. • In order to be an antiracist and inclusive organization we must seek knowledge and understanding to identify discriminatory practices and increase cultural awareness in collaboration with, and learning directly from, BIPOC, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex (LGBTQI+), functionally diverse, and other historically excluded communities.

COMMITMENTS • We will represent and engage the diverse people, cultures, and communities of central Indiana. • We will employ more people of color and foster an inclusive culture of artists, staff, board, and vendors. • We will deepen our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) training for all board and staff. • We will be accessible to all audiences inviting those who have been unheard or unseen in the past, including people with disabilities, BIPOC, LGBTQI+, and under-resourced communities. If you would like to read more about our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) work, go to irtlive.com/about/idea. Katie Bradley, Andrew May, and Gavin Lawerance in the IRT’s 2020 production of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Photo by Zach Rosing.

7


MARGOT LACY ECCLES WAS A LEADING PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES. THE INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE CHERISHES ITS HISTORY WITH MRS. ECCLES AS A SUBSCRIBER, BOARD MEMBER, DONOR AND CHAMPION OF OUR ORGANIZATION IN BOTH ITS EDUCATIONAL AND ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP. IN RECOGNITION OF MRS. ECCLES’S LEGACY AS BENEFACTOR AND ADVISOR, THE INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE IS PROUD TO HAVE NAMED ITS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR POSITION THE MARGOT LACY ECCLES ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

LEADERSHIP: JANET ALLEN

Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director

Creating world-class professional theatre for Central Indiana audiences of all ages has remained a career-long passion for Janet Allen. She began at the IRT in 1980 as the theatre’s first literary manager–dramaturg. After four years in New York City, she returned to serve ten years as associate artistic director. Named the IRT’s fourth artistic director in 1996, she is now in her 26th season in that role. In January 2020, she was named the Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director. During Janet’s tenure, the IRT has significantly diversified its services to both adults and children, expanded its new play development programs, solidified its reputation as a top-flight regional theatre dedicated to diverse programming and production quality. Janet’s passion for nurturing playwrights has led to a fruitful relationship with James Still, the IRT’s playwright-in-residence for 24 years, and the creation and production of 16 new works—the Indiana Series— that examine Hoosier and Midwestern sensibilities (seven of them by James Still). Her collaboration with playwrights has brought the theatre prestigious grants from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Joyce Foundation, and the Doris Duke Foundation, as well as numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Janet’s leadership skills and community service have been recognized by the Network of Women in Business–IBJ’s “Influential Women in Business” Award, a Distinguished Hoosier Award conferred by Governor Frank O’Bannon, Girls Inc.’s Touchstone Award for Arts Leadership, and the Indiana Commission on Women’s “Keeper of the Light” Torchbearer Award. She is a proud alumna of the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership program (Class XIX) and was a 2013-2014 Arts Council of Indianapolis Creative Renewal Arts Fellow. She is a member of two honorary gatherings in the America Theatre: the College of Fellows of the American Theatre at the John F. Kennedy Center, and the National Theatre Conference. In 2017 she was named an Indiana Living Legend by the Indiana Historical Society. Janet is a member of the Indianapolis Woman’s Club, the Gathering, and Congregation Beth-El Zedeck. She serves on the board of Summit Performance, a small professional theatre company that produces work by and about women. She lives in an historic house built in 1855 in the Chatham Arch neighborhood with her husband, Joel Grynheim, and a lovely canine mutt. They enjoy following the adventures of their three adult children and their new grandchild, who are thriving on various continents.

Among the memorable productions she has directed on the IRT’s stages are The Glass Menagerie (1999), Ah! Wilderness (2002), The Drawer Boy (2004), James Still’s The House That Jack Built (2012 & 2021), To Kill a Mockingbird (2016), Looking Over the President’s Shoulder (2008 & 2017), The Diary of Anne Frank (2011 & 2018), Morning After Grace (2020), and Cyrano (2021.) Constance Macy and David Shih in the IRT’s 2021 production of The House That Jack Built. Photo by Zach Rosing.

8


LEADERSHIP: SUZANNE SWEENEY Managing Director

Suzanne is a 23-year veteran of the IRT and is proud to work alongside her mentor and friend, Janet Allen, as co-CEO of the Theatre. Suzanne oversees all of the administrative functions of the organization, including marketing, fundraising, ticket office, house management, finance, human resources, information technology, and building operations. During her tenure, the Theatre has secured a long-term lease for the building with the City of Indianapolis and renovated the Upperstage Lobby and restrooms. In June 2020 the Theatre surpassed its $18.5 million goal for its Front and Center campaign, raising $20 million. Suzanne was elected Treasurer of the League of Resident Theatres, a nationwide association of regional theatres, and she serves as a member of their board of directors.

In 2021 and 2016, she was honored to serve as a panelist for Shakespeare in American Communities in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Suzanne is active in the community, having been the treasurer of Irish Fest for nine years, a member of the board of directors and treasurer of the Day Nursery Association (now Early Learning Indiana) for three years, and a past treasurer of IndyFringe. Suzanne is an alumna of the College of William & Mary (undergraduate) and Indiana University (M.B.A.). She started her career as a CPA; prior to coming to Indianapolis, she worked in finance for more than 10 years, living in such varied locales as Washington, DC; Dallas, Texas; Frankfurt, Germany; Honolulu, Hawaii; and even working for three months in Auckland, New Zealand (where, yes, she went bungee jumping). She is a proud alumna of the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Program (Class XXXI). Suzanne lives in Fall Creek Place with her 18-year-old son, Jackson, and their foxhound rescue dog, Gertie, and spends some of her downtime in Palatine, Illinois, with her partner, Todd Wiencek.

Top: Michael Stewart Allen and Jamaal McCray in the IRT’s 2021 production of N0. 6 Bottom: Celeste M. Cooper and Mary Williamson in the IRT’s 2021 production of Mrs. Harrison. Photos by Zach Rosing.

9


AS PART OF THE FRONT & CENTER CAMPAIGN, SARAH & JOHN LECHLEITER HAVE GIVEN A GIFT TO THE IRT IN HONOR OF JAMES STILL’S LONG-TIME RELATIONSHIP WITH THE IRT, CREATING THE JAMES STILL PLAYWRIGHT-IN-RESIDENCE FUND, WHICH PROVIDES FUTURE SUPPORT FOR THE PLAYWRIGHT-IN-RESIDENCE AS WELL AS THE CREATION OF NEW WORK FOR THE IRT. Distinguished Play Award from the American Alliance for Theatre & Education, and his work has been produced throughout the United States, Canada, China, Japan, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

LEADERSHIP: JAMES STILL Playwright-in-Residence

During his 24 years as Playwright-in-Residence, IRT audiences have seen all three plays in James’s The Jack Plays trilogy (The House That Jack Built, Appoggiatura, and Miranda), as well as Looking Over the President’s Shoulder; And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank; Amber Waves; The Little Choo-Choo That Thinks She Can; April 4, 1968: Before We Forgot How to Dream; I Love to Eat: Cooking with James Beard; The Velveteen Rabbit; The Heavens Are Hung in Black; Interpreting William; Iron Kisses; The Gentleman from Indiana; Searching for Eden; He Held Me Grand, and The Secret History of the Future. James has directed many productions at the IRT, including Twelve Angry Men, A Doll’s House Part 2, The Originalist, Dial “M” for Murder, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Red, Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, Becky’s New Car, Rabbit Hole, Doubt, The Immigrant, and Dinner with Friends. This season he directed A Christmas Carol.

The Jack Plays is the 2020 winner for drama of the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award. Also in 2020 James wrote the short film A City of Stories commissioned by the New Harmony Project. Current projects include his new plays The Cratchits (in America) commissioned by the IRT, his adaptation of the classic Black Beauty, (A) New World, Dinosaur(s), and new play commissions with Prison Performing Arts (St. Louis) and American Blues (Chicago). He has recently written dozens of short new plays that are being performed on digital platforms across the country. James also works in television and film and has been nominated for five Emmys and a Television Critics Association Award; he has twice been a finalist for the Humanitas Prize. He was a producer and head writer for the TLC series PAZ, the head writer for Maurice Sendak’s Little Bear, and writer for the Bill Cosby series Little Bill. He wrote The Little Bear Movie and The Miffy Movie as well as the feature film The Velocity of Gary. James grew up in Kansas and lives in Los Angeles.

James is a member of the National Theatre Conference in New York, and a Kennedy Center inductee of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre. Other honors include the Todd McNerney New Play Prize from the Spoleto Festival, William Inge Festival’s Otis Guernsey New Voices Award, and the Orlin Corey Medallion from the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America. His plays have been nominated four times for the Pulitzer Prize, and have been developed at Robert Redford’s Sundance, the New Harmony Project, Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Conference, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, Colorado New Play Summit, the Lark, Launch Pad at UC–Santa Barbara, Telluride Playwright’s Festival, New Visions/ New Voices, and Fresh Ink. Three of his plays have received the 10

The cast of the IRT’s 2021 production of The House That Jack Built. Photo by Zach Rosing.


organization in addressing historical inequities and ensuring that the company’s work reflected the diversity of the local community. Prior to his role at CTC, Ben spent five years in California’s Bay Area, dividing his time between Berkeley Repertory Theatre and the Bay Area Children’s Theatre. In his native Minnesota, Ben was honored to serve on the education staff of Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation’s leading African American theatre, where he helped to expand their education and outreach offerings. His proudest accomplishments during his four years with the company include growing the nationally recognized Summer Institute for Activist Artists into a threeyear multidisciplinary social justice theatre training program, developing a multigenerational quilting circle, and helping to create and facilitate a racial equity training program through the company’s RACE workshop series.

LEADERSHIP: BENJAMIN HANNA Associate Artistic Director

Ben holds a degree in theatre arts from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He grew up on a small rural farm and fell in love with theatre at the age of eleven. He continues to create for his favorite audience: his five nieces and nephews.

Ben is a director, educator, and community engagement specialist whose passion for multigenerational theatre has influenced his work across the country. In all of his myriad roles, Ben is guided by the belief that access to high-quality theatre helps build creative, empathetic people and healthy communities. Ben is thrilled to be in his fifth season at Indiana Repertory Theatre, where he has directed Tuesdays with Morrie, This Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol (twice), The Little Choo-Choo That Thinks She Can, Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!,” and The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. This season he directs The Book Club Play and Fahrenheit 451. As associate artistic director, Ben manages casting both locally and nationally, helps guide education and community programming, and connects IRT to new artists and ideas. Dedicated to eradicating systems of oppression, he is an advocate for creating and maintaining an anti-racist culture that breaks down historical barriers of access to the theatre. Along with Sarah Bellamy, IRT’s Equity Consultant, he guides IRT’s work to develop thoughtful, sustainable Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access initiatives. Ben is the recipient of a Theatre Communications Group Leadership University Award funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The award supported his artistic mentorship at the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, the nation’s largest theatre for young audiences. During his tenure at CTC, Ben directed in-house productions and took shows across the globe, as far afield as South Africa; he played a key role in fundraising, management, education, and strategic planning processes; and he helped guide the Henry Woronicz in the IRT’s 2021 production of Tuesdays with Morrie. Photo by Zach Rosing.

11


INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE STAFF EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Customer Service Representatives Geneva Denney-Moore Zachary Hansen Ashlee Lancaster Courtney Plummer Kim Reeves Jessie Streeval Tessitura Administrator Molly Wible Sweets

EDUCATION

Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director​ Janet Allen Managing Director Suzanne Sweeney ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

Office Administrator Ariana Fisher

Education Coordinator Anna E. Barnett ELECTRICS

Assistant Master Electrician Kayla Brown Electrician Kathryn Burke Master Electrician

Beth A. Nuzum

ARTISTIC

FINANCE

Production Manager Malia Argüello Associate Artistic Director Benjamin Hanna Company Manager Hillary Martin Resident Dramaturg Richard J Roberts General Manager Jane Robison Playwright-in-Residence James Still

Director of Finance Jeffrey Bledsoe Payroll & Benefits Specialist Jen Carpenter

COSTUME SHOP

Draper Erica Anderson Costume Shop Manager Guy Clark First Hand Rachel Meiser Wardrobe Supervisor Rebecca Reyes DEVELOPMENT

Development Systems Brady Clark Institutional Giving Manager Eric J. Olson Individual Giving Manager Kay Swank-Herzog Director of Development Jennifer Turner

MARKETING

Marketing Communications Manager Kerry Barmann Director of Marketing & Sales Danielle M. Dove Graphic Designer Noelani Langille Associate Director of Marketing Elizabeth Petermann PAINT SHOP

Charge Scenic Artist Claire Dana Scenic Artist Jim Schumacher PATRON SERVICES

Building Services Eric Argyelan Housekeeping Dave Dunaway Leila Spicklemire Ebony Twyman House Manager Marissa Klingler Ticket Office Manager Judy Lombardo Assistant Ticket Office Manager Eric Wilburn

PROPERTIES SHOP

Properties Manager Geoffrey Ehrendreich Properties Carpenter Madelaine Foster Properties Artisan Abigail Stuckey

SCENE SHOP

Carpenters WonJun Brendon Choi Nick Kilgore Technical Director Chris Fretts Master Carpenter David Sherrill Automation Carpenter Hal Wenk SOUND & VIDEO

Audio/Video Engineer John Chung Audio Engineer Brittany Hath Resident Sound Designer Todd Mack Reischman

STAGE MANAGEMENT

Resident Stage Manager Nathan Garrison Assistant Stage Manager Becky Roeber Production Assistant Jalen Jones TELESERVICES

Group Sales & Teleservices Manager Doug Sims

Opposite: Ryan Artzberger, Melisa Pereyra, and Jeb Burris in the IRT’s 2021 production of Cyrano. Photo by Zach Rosing.

12


INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE STAFF PART-TIME STAFF AND ASSOCIATES ASL INTERPRETERS Tara Parchman Robin Reid AUDIO DESCRIBER John Simmons FINANCE ASSOCIATES

External Auditors Crowe Horwath LLP Legal Counsel Heather Moore PATRON SERVICES

Assistant House Managers Pat Bebee Grace Branam Nancy Carlson Preston Dildine Marilyn Hatcher Sarah James Barbara Janiak Michelle Kennedy-Coenen Jacob Lang Alicia McClendon Gail McDermott-Bowler Dianna Mosedale Jade Perry Jeff Pigeon Phoebe Rodgers Kathy Sax Karen Sipes Leila Spicklemire Sam Stucky Bartenders Jade Perry Cheryl Statzer Tina Weaver PRODUCTION

Lee Edmundson

13


BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS CHAIR

TREASURER

VICE CHAIR & CHAIR ELECT

SECRETARY

Mark Shaffer KPMG LLP

After one of the most challenging years in our history, we are very excited to welcome you in person to the Indiana Repertory Theatre! Great theatre sparks conversations, thoughtful questions, and ideas that reflect on and enlighten our lives, workplaces, and communities. Whether you’ve been part of the IRT family for years or are a first-time visitor, we are glad you are with us! I am very grateful for the hard work, dedication, and adaptability of our staff, bringing theatre to our audience in these extraordinary times. We are blessed with amazing leadership and talent. I also want to give a special thank you to all our patrons and partners for their loyal and tireless support, ensuring the IRT’s future for generations to come. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I thank you for joining us this season—one which will inspire and entertain.

– Mark E. Shaffer, IRT Board Chair

Andrew Michie OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc.

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

Nadine Givens* PNC Wealth Management

Detra Mills The Basement

MEMBERS Tammara D. Avant American Electric Power Allison Barkel LifeOmic IRT Offscript Advisory Council Liaison Keith A. Bice Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP Amy Burke Lacy School of Business Butler University Michael P. Dinius Noble Consulting Services, Inc. Laurie Dippold KAR Auction Services, Inc. Dan Emerson* Indianapolis Colts Troy D. Farmer BKD CPAs & Advisors Ashley Garry Roche Diagnostics Ron Gifford RDG Strategies LLC

Bruce Glor J.P. Morgan Julian Harrell Faegre Drinker Mike Harrington Eli Lilly & Company, Retired Michael N. Heaton Katz Sapper & Miller Holt Hedrick Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. Brenda Horn Ice Miller LLP, Retired Rebecca Hutton Leadership Indianapolis Elisha Modisett Kemp Corteva Agriscience Jill Lacy The Lacy Foundation Alan Mills Barnes & Thornburg LLP Michael Moriarty Frost Brown Todd, Retired

Brian Payne Central Indiana Community Foundation Lauren Petersen TechPoint Peter Racher Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP Susan O. Ringo Community Volunteer Myra C. Selby Ice Miller LLP Mike Simmons Jupiter Peak, LLC Shelly Smith Ernst & Young LLP Sue Smith Community Volunteer Amy Waggoner Salesforce L. Alan Whaley Ice Miller LLP, Retired Heather Wilson Frost Brown Todd LLC

BOARD EMERITUS Robert Anker* Rollin Dick Berkley Duck* Dale Duncan* James W. Freeman Michael Lee Gradison* (in memoriam) Margie Herald David Klapper David Kleinman*

* Past Board Chairs

14

Joy Kleinmaier American Specialty Health

Sarah Lechleiter E. Kirk McKinney Jr. (in memoriam) Richard O. Morris* (in memoriam) Jane Schlegel* Wayne Schmidt Jerry Semler* Jack Shaw* William E. Smith III* Eugene R. Tempel*


2021 | 2022

Original artwork by Tasha Beckwith and Kyle Ragsdale

ENJOY MORE OF OUR 2021-2022 SEASON WITH A SEASON PACKAGE! MARCH 23 - APRIL 16 the ties that bind

It’s 1866, and the Civil War has ended. Madison Hemings, son of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, and Israel Jefferson, formerly enslaved footman, return to Monticello in search of Israel’s brother. Together, they must face their conflicting feelings about the man who wrote “All men are created equal.” Slavery has been abolished, but what really has changed? From what personal bonds do we need to break free? And where do we need to hold on tight? Don’t miss this gripping world premiere about history, family, and hard truths. Part of IRT’s INclusion Series: Celebrating Diverse Storytelling

APRIL 20 - MAY 15 a surreal journey through past & present

Despite the US ban against Chinese immigrants, Harry Chin forged a new identity to earn precious American dollars to send home to his starving village. Now he is trapped between two families and two worlds. Seasoned with magic and mystery, this hauntingly theatrical tale from our overlooked history considers the personal and political repercussions of making a group of people illegal. Part of IRT’s INclusion Series: Celebrating Diverse Storytelling

MAY 10 - JUNE 5 strong and sassy

Before it was a movie, this pop culture favorite was an off-Broadway hit. With sharp, witty banter and memorable one-liners, six women from all walks of life celebrate the everyday joys and tears of small-town living while gathered at their favorite hair salon. When tragedy strikes, the play reveals the steely bonds of compassion and love that hold true friends together.

BUILD YOUR OWN 3 (BYO3) PACKAGE Choose any three productions you want to see live at the Theatre for $180

BUY NOW! I IRTLIVE.COM/PACKAGES I 317.635.5252


THEATER DANCE VISUAL LITERARY MUSIC FILM POETRY/ SPOKEN WORD

crafting a

CREATIVE COMEBACK Reconnect with your favorite Indy arts & culture experiences and discover new ones. Everything’s happening at

IndyArtsGuide.org 16

Kay Bae, Algae & Wildflowers, 2020 Banner artwork at Meridian and Washington streets


THAT OLD CAR GETTING YOU DOWN? Then donate it to the IRT

Yes, we will sell it at auction and proceeds will benefit the Theatre. You can qualify for a tax deduction for your generous gift! We also accept donations for: Boats | Farm Equipment | Lawn Mowers | Motorcycles | Motor Homes | And More!

MORE INFORMATION: KSWANKHERZOG@IRTLIVE.COM | 317.916.4830 17 The cast of the IRT’s 2020 production of The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963. Photo by Zach Rosing.


THE REPERTORY SOCIETY Exclusive Access and Support

Theatre is about community, coming together to share stories, allowing us to laugh together, cry together, and experience perspectives both familiar and new. CONTINUING OUR MISSION WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR DONORS.

YOUR GENEROSITY TRANSFORMS THE COMMUNITY BY: Providing an evening of laughter and entertainment with friends Illuminating bold new perspectives Enlightening young minds Bringing our community together, one story at a time Become a member of our Repertory Society and be part of what makes our city a great artistic community. Donors giving $1,500 or more each season will join this exclusive group and gain access to a slate of benefits created to extend your access to our art and enhance your theatergoing experience. REPERTORY SOCIETY BENEFITS INCLUDE: Exclusive Special Events, Discounts on single tickets purchased, VIP Ticket Concierge, and much more! Jennifer Johansen, Aaron Kirby, Constance Macy and David Shih in the IRT’s 2021 production of The House That Jack Built. Photo by Zach Rosing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO JOIN THE REPERTORY SOCIETY

Contact Kay Swank-Herzog, Individual Giving Manager: kswankherzog@irtlive.com | 317.916.4830


08-10

INDIA N A

21

arts4u

CELEBRATE THE ARTS

Arts and creativity make us stronger – as individuals, families, communities, and as a state. Make your license plate purchase count. Purchasing an Arts Trust License Plate contributes to an established endowment and, along with funds from the Indiana General Assembly, supports arts projects across the state.

www.arts.in.gov Pictured Arts Trust License Plate Project: Early Learning Indiana, Marion County


EQUITY IS JUSTICE. EQUITY IS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. EQUITY BENEFITS US ALL.

OUR MISSION:

to mobilize people, ideas and investments to make this a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential—no matter place, race or identity.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY FOR ALL BECOME AN EQUITY PARTNER

Learn more at CICF.org/equity

317.634.2423 CICF.org


THE CITY’S MOST HILARIOUS FUNDRAISING EVENT

d n a e (liv erson!) in-p A Dystopian Night of Mirth & Madness

February 25, 2022 BUY TICKETS NOW!

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SEE OUR SILENT AUCTION, CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE:

IRTLIVE.COM/RADIOSHOW


REVIEWS!

Share your review on social media by tagging us at @IRTLIVE, using #IRTLIVE or by emailing REVIEWS@IRTLIVE.COM PHOTO CREDIT (SET ONLY):

ONEAMERICA MAINSTAGE JANUARY 26 – FEBRUARY 20

ARTISTIC

SCENIC DESIGNER: William Boles LIGHTING DESIGNER: Michelle Habeck SEASON SPONSOR

Director_____________________ BENJAMIN HANNA Scenic Designer__________________________WILLIAM BOLES Costume Designer_________________________ IZUMI INABA Lighting Designer______________________ MICHELLE HABECK Sound Designer_______________________ KEVIN O’DONNELL Projection Designer_______________ RASEAN DAVONTE JOHNSON Dramaturg__________________________ RICHARD J ROBERTS Stage Manager_______________________ NATHAN GARRISON Assistant Stage Manager____________________ BECKY ROEBER

SEASON PARTNER

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS SPONSOR

STUDENT MATINEE SPONSOR

ARTS PARTNERS LEAD INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION SUPPORT

GARY DENNEY & LOUISE BAKKER

22


JANET ALLEN

Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director

SUZANNE SWEENEY Managing Director

THE CAST Montag_________________________ AMIR ABDULLAH Clarisse & Others_________________ JANYCE CARABALLO Mildred, Mrs. Hudson, & Others________ JENNIFER JOHANSEN Beatty & Others_______________________ TIM DECKER Faber, Aristotle, & Others_____________ HENRY WORONICZ

SETTING The future. A city.

APPROXIMATE RUN TIME: 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Fahrenheit 451 is produced by special arrangement with the Dramatic Publishing Company, Woodstock, Illinois. Fight Choreographer: Rob Johansen Lighting Assistant: Ron Collins Projection Assistant: Parker Langvardt Projection Programmer: Alex Gendla Wig Designer: Kelly Yurko

Actors and stage managers in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union. All designers (scenic, costume, lighting, sound and projections) are represented by United Scenic Artists Local 829, IATSE. Photography and recording are forbidden in the Theatre. The videotaping of this production is a violation of United States Copyright Law and an actionable Federal Offense.w Original artwork by Kyle Ragsdale

23


24


THE TRUTH OF FICTION BY JANET ALLEN, MARGOT LACY ECCLES ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

“Fiction is a lie that tells us true things, over and over.” In the preface to the 60th anniversary edition of Fahrenheit 451, published in 2013, writer Neil Gaiman wrote these prescient words, echoing a sentiment that many a fiction writer has held: While fiction is by definition untrue, it is often better at telling us important things about our world than journalism or documentary. While the latter forms are truth-based, fiction imbues our senses with emotional charges that we feel deep inside us, speaking powerfully to our hearts and viscera as much as to our heads. Bradbury’s cautionary tale does just that: it imagines a world that, from his 1953 perspective, seemed like a potential future: a world where reading (and critical thinking) would be illegal, where interactive television screens would fill whole walls of houses, where tiny ear buds would deliver messages that both entertained and controlled, where walking outdoors to enjoy nature would be viewed with grave suspicion—and where firefighters would start fires rather than subdue them, destroying rather than saving. How many of these things resonate in our current world? Not quite all—if they were, Bradbury would be a fortuneteller rather than a novelist—but the book captures a number of societal trends that frighten many of us. The intense addiction that technology holds for millions, the diminishment of human conversation about ideas, the impulse to ban books in order to control people’s thinking—these are all things we see widely practiced in our culture. There are secondary cautions as well. Drug addiction, abuse of power, excessive reliance on artificial intelligence,

random acts of state-authorized violence—we don’t have to look far in Bradbury’s story to feel the skin on the backs of our necks creep with recognition. This is a story that impacts us differently, as great classics do, at different points in our lives, and that’s one reason we chose to produce it this year. Many of us first read this story in junior high or high school, when the awakening of Montag and the independence of Clarisse appealed to our rebellious natures. We hope that these ideas will continue to captivate today’s student matinee attendees. As adults we might now find ourselves perceiving this story quite differently. We may question the roles we have played in enabling these societal norms to creep in unseen, or we may consider ways we want to combat some of these frightening trends in our own lives. In terms of the recent past, COVID has made us all more screen-addicted, and given us far greater challenges in terms of holding live conversations with others; but it has also, I hope, brought many of us more solitary time to consume lots of books! My own bookshelves are certainly more laden since COVID, and while my mind is the happier for this abundance, it also gives me a greater sense of horror at the book burning in Fahrenheit 451. We are very pleased to have found this stage rendition of Bradbury’s epic story, adapted by actor Tobias Andersen, who knew Bradbury well and collaborated with him on other projects. The joy of having Tobias’s input into the text, a direct line from the author to us, is something for which we are deeply grateful.

25


ARE YOU HAPPY? BY BENJAMIN HANNA, DIRECTOR

Clarisse asks Montag this simple question. For the first time in as long as he can remember, he contemplates his happiness. Is he experiencing feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment, and fulfillment? Do his positive moments on Earth outweigh his negative moments? And if he isn’t happy, what can he do to find happiness? This is the beginning of an awakening—a slow realization that his path is being carefully and meticulously tracked and guided. As he wakes, he realizes that every day he is choosing to follow this path and yet is immobilized by a system that has been built for him not to think, but to do. And not just to do, but to follow. Is any of this sounding familiar? In 1953 when Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451, it was deemed a great work of science fiction. Now, nearly 70 years later, we are—in often terrifying ways—living in the future he imagined. As the miracle of technology began to change our learning and living patterns, how did we fall into the traps that he suspected we would fall into? Revisiting Bradbury’s classic gives us an opportunity to contemplate what our culture will be like if we don’t change course—if we don’t figure out how to utilize technology without letting it become the center of our human experience. Many of us have already begun to understand the grip that technology has on our precious moments on Earth. Who hasn’t felt at least a moment of panic when we discover ourselves without internet access or cell service? Or when we lose our smart phone and need to navigate to our next destination on our own? Who hasn’t been frustrated by the expectations we have for

26

Opposite: Photo by Levi Stute on Unsplash

people to have the same competencies with technology that we have? When the power goes out and we are left by candlelight to sit and think without constant entertainment or distraction, can we find our way to happiness? Headlines blare that Facebook is preparing a virtual Metaverse where we can socialize, work, and play. Young people are developing extreme body dysmorphia and depression from social media. The wealthiest among us are becoming astronauts-for-a-day in the midst of a global pandemic. And capitalizing on this wave is a growing movement to disconnect from technology and find our way to wellness through meditation, yoga, silent retreats, medication, and any variety of therapeutic and detoxifying practices. We have gathered in the theatre together to connect to a human story that uses the breadth and energy of both the human experience and the technology that every year advances and grows more alluring. As we attend Bradbury’s cautionary tale, we must question how we will take a stand against the monoliths of technology. These companies benefit from our constant stream of information, and make us crave looking better, owning more, and judging our worth based on the size of our bank accounts and our online popularity. We have choices. Just months ago we were celebrating the transformational power of literature in The Book Club Play. Now, we imagine a world where our modern-day heroes are keeping us from the joy and imagination and freedom we receive from these same beloved books. Bradbury’s dystopia invites us all to consider our relationship to technology and ask the simple and important question: Are you happy?


27


FUTURE PRESENT

What does a world look like in which books are burned? Imagining Montag’s reality of Fahrenheit 451, surreal images of a mind-numbing machine inspired my thinking. While blending a library and a firehouse, we’ve worked to create an environment in which projected image relates to space in a physical way.

There are two contrasting costume ideas, the firefighters and the bookpeople, which I had a great fun designing. I am looking forward to Montag’s journey from the cold and rigid world of “civilization” to a warmer and more organic world of the imagination.

Often—and definitely for Fahrenheit 451—I find my early inspiration in the intersection of natural sounds and musical ones (both acoustic and electronic). Years ago I learned that “non-pitched” percussion actually had so many pitches that they cancelled each other out. It isn’t true to think of a drum as having no pitch, but rather no dominant pitch. This concept is true of the sounds of waves, rain, wind, and fire as well. If I drag wire brushes over a snare drum, I can mimic all of those natural sounds. The white noise or “snow” of a TV channel with no signal also shares this quality. These kinds of ideas always give me a starting place for sound and music when creating worlds that are not an exact reflection of our own, but that are still human. 28

Above: Preliminary storyboard by projection designer Rasean Davonte Johnson


“Let’s suppose that you were able every night to dream any dream that you wanted to dream. And that you could, for example, have the power within one night to dream 75 years of time. Or any length of time you wanted to have. And you would, naturally, as you began on this adventure of dreams, you would fulfill all your wishes. You would have every kind of pleasure you could conceive. And after several nights of 75 years of total pleasure each, you would say, “Well, that was pretty great.” But now let’s have a surprise. Let’s have a dream which isn’t under control. Where something is gonna happen to me that I don’t know what it’s going to be. And you would dig that and come out of that and say, “Wow, that was a close shave, wasn’t it?” And then you would get more and more adventurous, and you would make further and further out gambles as to what you would dream. And finally, you would dream ... where you are now. You would dream the dream of living the life that you are actually living today.”

— Alan Watts (1915-1973), theologian & philosopher

Above: Renderings by costume designer Izumi Inaba for Aristotle and the Firemen.

29


AUTHOR RAY BRADBURY

BY RICHARD J ROBERTS, RESIDENT DRAMATURG

At the height of the Space Age, Ray Bradbury inspired scientists, astronauts, and other readers of all ages with his stories and novels that blurred the boundaries between fiction and reality. In science fiction works that offered pointed social criticism and prescient warnings about over-reliance on technology, he focused less on science and more on human beings: “I use a scientific idea as a platform to leap into the air and never come back.”

The New York Times called Bradbury “the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream.” But Bradbury himself wrote, “People ask me to predict the future, when all I want to do is prevent it.” Ray Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinois, in 1920. His father was an electrical and telephone lineman, his mother a Swedish immigrant. By the age of 4 Ray had learned to read; among his favorite childhood authors were H. G. Wells, Jules Verne, and Edgar Allan Poe. In later years, Bradbury often told of an encounter with a carnival magician. Wreathed in static electricity, “Mr. Electrico” reached out to the 12-yearold boy and commanded, “Live forever!” Bradbury said, “I decided that was the greatest idea I had ever heard. I started writing every day. I never stopped.” 30

In 1934, Bradbury’s family moved to Los Angeles, California. Teen-aged Ray would roller-skate through Hollywood, “hellbent on getting autographs from glamorous stars. It was glorious.” Among those he met was George Burns, and at 14 Ray earned his first money as a writer by selling a joke to The Burns & Allen Show. He joined his high school drama club as well as the Los Angeles Science Fiction League, attending weekly meetings and making connections with other aspiring writers. Bradbury graduated from high school in 1938, but he always credited his real education to the public library. “Libraries raised me…. When I graduated from high school, it was during the Depression, and we had no money. I couldn’t go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for ten years.” He supported himself by selling newspapers on a street corner from 1939 to 1942. “I made approximately $10 a week. When I made $11 a week at writing, I stopped selling newspapers.” At 18 Bradbury saw his first published story, “Hollerbochen’s Dilemma,” in the Science Fiction League magazine, Imagination! The next year he published the first of four issues of his own magazine, Futuria Fantasia, using a variety of pseudonyms to hide the fact that he wrote almost every story himself. He also joined the Wilshire Players Guild,


where for two years he wrote and acted in plays that he later described as “incredibly bad.” Ruled ineligible for military service because of his vision, Bradbury continued to write throughout World War II. His first professional story, “Pendulum,” was published in 1941 in Super Science Stories. Many of his early stories were published in Weird Tales, where his rich, evocative writing style made him stand out from other pulp magazine writers. In 1946, his story “Homecoming” appeared in Mademoiselle, pulled out of the slush pile by a young editorial assistant named Truman Capote. Soon Bradbury’s stories were appearing in other major magazines like Harper’s, McCall’s, Collier’s, and The New Yorker. In 1947 Bradbury married Marguerite McClure, whom he had met in a bookstore. Hollywood special effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen, whom Bradbury had first met on roller skates, was best man at the wedding. That same year Bradbury’s first collection of short stories, Dark Carnival, was published. In 1950, after being rejected by several publishers who were more interested in novels than short stories, Bradbury gathered some random stories he had written about life on Mars. Revising them to create a narrative about the conflict between colonizing humans and native Martians, he developed The Martian Chronicles, now considered one of his major works. The next year another collection, The Illustrated Man, was published. (Twenty-one years later, Bradbury’s story “The Rocket Man” would inspire Elton John’s hit song “Rocket Man.” Lyricist Bernie Taupin was intrigued by the story’s portrayal of being an astronaut as an everyday job.) Fahrenheit 451 was published in 1953 at the height of McCarthyism, when its themes of censorship and conformity were particularly apt. This defense of literature against electronic media is considered Bradbury’s masterpiece. After a few minor television assignments, in 1956 Bradbury co-wrote the screenplay for Moby Dick with director John Huston. Soon he was writing scripts for such popular anthology shows as Playhouse 90, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and The Twilight Zone. Bradbury often made use of childhood memories in his work. His novels Dandelion Wine (1957) and Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962), as well as numerous short stories, were set in Green Town, a fictionalized version of Waukegan. In the early 1970s, Bradbury participated in the development of Disney World’s EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow). Around the same time, he began to focus

more on poetry and theatre, which had both been lifelong interests. Between 1985 and 1992 he adapted 65 of his stories for the HBO/USA series The Ray Bradbury Theatre. Until the end of his life, Bradbury wrote several hours daily. The result was more than 30 books and nearly 600 short stories, as well as poems, essays, screenplays, and plays. He said, “You must write every single day of your life.... You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads…. May you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.” In 2007 Bradbury received a special citation from the Pulitzer Prize board for his “distinguished, prolific, and deeply influential career as an unmatched author of science fiction and fantasy.” The board praised him as “one of those rare individuals whose writing has changed the way people think.” When Bradbury died in 2012, President Barack Obama said, “His gift for storytelling reshaped our culture and expanded our world…. Ray also understood that our imaginations could be used as a tool for better understanding, a vehicle for change, and an expression of our most cherished values.” As Bradbury himself once said, “That’s my function, and it should be the function of every science fiction writer around. To offer hope. To name the problem and then offer the solution.”

“People ask me to predict the future, when all I want to do is prevent it.” —Ray Bradbury 31


Ray Bradbury had a lifelong passion for books. As a young man, he spent a lot of time in the Los Angele Public Library, where he was dismayed to discover that even classic science fiction books were often in short supply because they were not considered “literature.” The ancient burning of the Library of Alexandrea, as well as contemporary events like Nazi book burnings and Joseph Stalin’s “Great Purge,” impressed upon him the vulnerability of books to censure and destruction. In 1947 the House Un-American Activities Committee, which had been founded in 1938, began holding hearings to seek out alleged communist influence in Hollywood. Like many Americans, Bradbury was concerned and angered by government interference in artists’ work. Around this time, he wrote “Bright Phoenix,” a short story about a librarian who confronts a book-burning censor. A couple of years later, while taking a late-night stroll, Bradbury was stopped and questioned by an over-zealous police officer. This incident inspired another short story, “The Pedestrian,” in which a late-night walker is harassed by a remotely operated robot policeman and taken to the “Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies.” In summer 1950 Bradbury wrote a story that combined the book-burning idea of “Bright Phoenix” with the authoritarian regime of “The Pedestrian.” “The Fireman” was published in Galaxy Science Fiction magazine. An editor at Ballantine Books urged Bradbury to expand “The Fireman” into a full-length novel. Bradbury wanted a new title for the book, one that would go beyond the single-character focus of “The Fireman.” He thought that the temperature at which paper bursts into flame would make a good metaphorical title. He telephoned several chemistry and physics departments at several universities; none could give him an answer. Finally, he called the Los Angeles Fire Department, and he had his title: Fahrenheit 451. 32


THE COMPANY AMIR ABDULLAH | MONTAG Amir has been seen on stage at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, the Geffen Playhouse, California Shakespeare Theatre, A Noise Within Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and other theatres around the United States. On screen, he has appeared on Chicago Med, Empire, The Odd Couple, Tosh.0, and other network shows and indie films. As a narrator he has recorded dozens of books; he is a four-time Golden Earphone winner, and his work has been recognized as an ALSC Notable Children’s Recording. Amir can be seen and heard in commercials for Ford, Adidas, Kaiser Permanente, Facebook, and more. His playwriting debut, Pray to Ball, had its world premiere at Skylight Theatre Company in Los Angeles and won the Ovation Award for Best Set. Amir earned his M.F.A. from Penn State and his B.F.A. from University of Miami. amir-abdullah.com

JANYCE CARABALLO | CLARISSE & OTHERS Janyce is very happy to return to Indiana Rep where she was last seen as Alice Sycamore in You Can’t Take It with You. Selected Chicago credits include work with Teatro Vista, Raven Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Theo Ubique, and Emerald City Theatre. Regional credits include American Players Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Paramount Theatre, and First Folio Theatre. TV and commercial appearances include Chicago PD, Discover Credit Card, Coors Light, Orbit Gum, ULTA Beauty, The Onion, Illinois Secretary of State PSA, and 2026 FIFA World Cup. “I would like to thank mi familía and the amazing women at Paonessa Talent Agency for their endless support ... and of course books, my greatest companions throughout the years, that made me who I am today.”

TIM DECKER | BEATTY & OTHERS Tim is delighted to be returning to the stage in his first role at Indiana Repertory Theatre. Previous stage credits include work in Chicago at the Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Timeline Theatre, and a four year run in Million Dollar Quartet. Additionally Tim has been seen in guest star and recurring roles on television series such as Boss, Chicago Fire, Chicago Justice, Empire, Detroit 187, and The Untouchables, along with film work in Slice, Uncle John, Thrill Ride, and Dirty Work.

JENNIFER JOHANSEN | MILDRED, MRS. HUDSON, & OTHERS Among Jen’s IRT appearances are The House That Jack Built, Holmes and Watson, The Mousetrap, The Game’s Afoot, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Syringa Tree, Julius Caesar, The Ladies Man, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, and 11 editions of A Christmas Carol. Phoenix Theatre favorites include The Pill; The Christians; Hir; On Clover Road; Mr. Burns, a post-electric play; and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. At the Human Race Theatre Company she has played Gloria Steinem in Gloria: A Life, and has also appeared in A Christmas Carol, God of Carnage, Sex with Strangers, and Romeo and Juliet. Jen is a proud member of Indianapolis Shakespeare Company with whom she has performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, and Coriolanus. Proud board member of both American Lives Theatre and Summer Stock Stage. Proud spouse of Rob Johansen. “Dedicated to Robert Neal.”

33


THE COMPANY HENRY WORONICZ | FABER, ARISTOTLE, & OTHERS At the IRT, Henry has acted in Tuesdays with Morrie, Morning after Grace, Twelve Angry Men, A Doll’s House Part 2, Holmes and Watson, The Originalist, The Mousetrap, Red, An Iliad, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Young Lady from Rwanda, and King Lear; he has also directed The Three Musketeers and Romeo and Juliet. Regional acting and directing credits include Actors Theatre of Louisville, American Conservatory Theatre, American Players Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Boston Shakespeare Company, Center Stage, Delaware Theatre Company, Hong Kong Repertory Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Meadow Brook Theatre, Syracuse Stage, the Shakespeare Theatre, and the Alabama, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Utah Shakespeare festivals. He was seen on Broadway in Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington. Television credits include Seinfeld, Cheers, Third Rock from the Sun, Star Trek, and Law & Order. At the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, he was a resident actor/director from 1984 to 1991 and artistic director from 1991 to 1995. Henry also served as executive producer at Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival from 2008 to 2009, the head of M.F.A. Acting at Illinois State University from 2009 to 2012, and a visiting professor in the Department of Theatre at IU Bloomington from 2014 to 2017.

TOBIAS ANDERSEN | ADAPTATION Tobias originated the role of Fire Captain Beatty for the 1977 inaugural production of Fahrenheit 451 at the Colony Theatre, Los Angeles. He and Mr. Bradbury later co-wrote The Illustrated Bradbury, a one-man show adapted from nine of Bradbury’s short stories. Tobias is a veteran of five decades of regional theatre with such noted companies as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Rep, Playmakers Rep, and the California Shakespeare Festival, where he appeared as Henry Higgins, Atticus Finch, C. S. Lewis, Don Quixote, and Sheridan Whiteside; and, as a devotee of Shakespeare, Falstaff, Dogberry, Prospero, Cymbeline, Polonius, Gloucester, King Lear, and another dozen or so. His critically acclaimed solo portrayal of famed attorney Clarence Darrow in Darrow has been seen throughout the United States and was selected to represent America in the second International Theatre Festival in Lahore, Pakistan. During his early Hollywood years he was a featured actor on such classic TV shows as Roseanne, The Incredible Hulk, Newhart, Little House on the Prairie, Bonanza, Knot’s Landing, ad infinitum. His most recent TV appearance was on Grimm as a Catholic priest having a very difficult time with an exorcism. He is a recipient of the Portland theatre community’s 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award.

BENJAMIN HANNA | DIRECTOR Ben is in his fifth year as associate artistic director at Indiana Repertory Theatre. He has previously worked with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Children’s Theatre Company, Penumbra Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Steppingstone Theatre, and the Bay Area Children’s Theatre. At the IRT, Ben has directed The Book Club Play, Tuesdays with Morrie, This Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, The Little Choo-Choo That Thinks She Can, Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!,” and The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. (see full bio on page 10)

34


WILLIAM BOLES | SCENIC DESIGNER William Boles is a multidisciplinary artist based in Chicago whose work bridges scenic design and landscape architecture. As a scenic designer in theatre, opera, and film, his work has been seen on Broadway and in regional theatres across America. In 2020 William founded the Future Future Parks, a studio that designs parks on abandoned lots engaging a conversation about co-defined safe space in communities. William has a B.F.A. in Theater Design and Technology from the University of Central Florida and an M.F.A. in Stage Design from Northwestern University, and he is an adjunct faculty member at DePaul University. He is represented by Abrams Artists Agency. wbdesigns.carbonmade.com

IZUMI INABA | COSTUME DESIGNER Izumi is thrilled to be working at Indiana Repertory Theatre for the first time. Recent credits include Titanic (Court Theatre), Il Segreto and Il Tabarro (Opera Festival of Chicago), Million Dollar Quartet Christmas (Evan Bernardin Productions, Phoenix Theatre Company), Nightwatch (Goodman Theatre), and Dishwasher Dreams (Writers Theatre). Upcoming: The Royale (Kansas City Repertory Theatre) and The King and I (Drury Lane). Awards and exhibitions: Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Awards (2014), Jeff Awards (2011, 2014) Black Theatre Alliance Awards (2020,) Prague Quadrennial (2019). Izumi is a member of United Scenic Artists Local USA829.

MICHELLE HABECK | LIGHTING DESIGNER At the IRT, Michelle has designed lighting for Twelve Angry Men, A Doll’s House Part 2, Looking Over the President’s Shoulder, Dial “M” for Murder, The Mousetrap, and Amber Waves (2000), and lighting and scenery for An Almost Holy Picture. Her Broadway credits include slide artist for Thoroughly Modern Millie; and associate/assistant lighting design for The Boy from Oz, Movin’ Out, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and King Hedley II. Off Broadway Michelle designed Fifty Words for MCC Theatre. Regional credits include the Guthrie, Steppenwolf, the Goodman, Alliance, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Minneapolis Children’s Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Arizona Theatre Company, Penumbra, Lookingglass, and others. Opera credits include The Masked Ball and The Elixir of Love for Austin Opera, and associate for Julie Taymor’s Grendel. Michelle was awarded the NEA/TCG Career Development Grant for Design. She leads the B.A./M.F.A. lighting program in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas at Austin.

KEVIN O’DONNELL | SOUND DESIGNER Kevin is excited to be working with the Indiana Rep for the first time. Based in Chicago for many years, he has worked as a musician, composer, and sound designer at Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, Writers Theatre, Northlight, Chicago Shakespeare, the Court, and many others. His work in Chicago has earned him 20 Jeff nominations and 10 awards. In New Orleans he has worked at the Shakespeare Festival at Tulane and the Southern Rep, and he has been nominated for two Big Easy Awards in theatrical sound design for his work with Le Petite Theatre. Kevin currently lives in the greater Nashville area and is the faculty coordinator for Sound and Media Design at Middle Tennessee State University. He is also a drummer. 35


THE COMPANY RASEAN DAVONTE JOHNSON | PROJECTION DESIGNER Davonte is delighted to be working with Indiana Repertory Theatre. A Chicago-based video artist and theatrical designer, he has had the opportunity to work with institutions such as Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, Hartford Stage, Lookingglass Theatre Company, McCarter Theatre Center, Long Wharf Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Group, Alliance Theatre, Court Theatre, the Hypocrites, the Kitchen Theatre, Teatro Vista, Olney Theatre Center, the Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and Manual Cinema. He has worked internationally with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland), B-Floor Theatre (Thailand), and the Ningbo Song and Dance Company (China). His video and installation work has been seen at the Yale Art Gallery, the Bay Street Theatre, the Bridgeport Film Festival, the Logan Center for the Arts, and the Columbus International Film Festival. He earned his M.F.A. at the Yale School of Drama. raseandavontejohnson.com

RICHARD J ROBERTS | DRAMATURG This is Richard’s 32nd season with the IRT, and his 24th as resident dramaturg. He has also been a dramaturg for the New Harmony Project, Write Now, and the Hotchner Playwriting Festival. He has directed IRT productions of A Christmas Carol (four times), Bridge & Tunnel, The Night Watcher, Neat, Pretty Fire, The Cay, The Giver, The Power of One, and Twelfth Night. Other directing credits include Actors Theatre of Indiana, the Phoenix Theatre, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Edyvean Repertory Theatre, Indianapolis Civic Theatre, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Butler University, University of Indianapolis, and Anderson University. This season he directs Pippin at Marian University. Richard studied music at DePauw University and theatre at Indiana University and has been awarded a Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis.

NATHAN GARRISON | STAGE MANAGER This is Nathan’s 26th season at the IRT. He has also worked with Center Stage in Baltimore, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Brown County Playhouse; and he is a company member with the Indianapolis Shakespeare Company.

BECKY ROEBER | ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Becky hails from the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania where they attended East Stroudsburg University for musical theatre and technical theatre. This is their fifth season at Indiana Repertory Theatre; they joined Actor’s Equity Association with this season’s production of A Christmas Carol. They also serve as production manager for Summer Stock Stage and as production stage manager for Eclipse productions. “I am grateful to be producing beautiful productions with this talented company during these trying times.”

36


OVATION SOCIETY: BRINGING JOY TO THE NEXT GENERATION! The IRT has produced professional, world-class theatre in Indianapolis for nearly 50 years. You can play a vital role in supporting the next 50 years by making a legacy gift to the Theatre. From a simple bequest to charitable trusts, there are a variety of ways you can include the IRT in your estate plans. Our staff will work with you and your financial advisor, tax professional or family attorney to determine how a planned gift can assist you in meeting your financial and charitable goals. Include the IRT in your estate plans, and help bring joy to the next generation, through our continued world-class stories that invite our community to reflect on our collective history and journeys that make up this vibrant place we call home. Please let us know if you have already included the IRT in your plan so that we can recognize you for your generosity in the Ovation Society!

LEARN MORE: IRTLIVE.COM/LEGACY | jturner@irtlive.com | 317.916.4835 37

Robert Elliott, Janyce Caraballo, and Milicent Wright in the IRT’s 2019 production of You Can’t Take It With You. Photo by Zach Rosing.


RESIDENT SOUND DESIGNER

TODD MACK REISCHMAN TODD HAS DESIGNED SOUND FOR NEARLY 100 IRT PRODUCTIONS IN HIS 20 SEASONS AS RESIDENT SOUND DESIGNER. AMONG HIS FAVORITES ARE THE PIANO LESSON , MACBETH , FINDING HOME , ROMEO & JULIET , NOISES OFF , AND 12 ANGRY MEN . IN 2018, TODD WAS AWARDED AN EMMY FOR HIS SOUND DESIGN ON THE WFYI BROADCAST VERSION OF IRT’S FINDING HOME—INDIANA AT 200 .

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and lived there for eight days. We moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma, because my dad went to grad school at OSU. He eventually worked for the Department of Defense, so I grew up in San Diego and northern Virginia. HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTERESTED IN THEATRE? My elementary school did Oklahoma!, and I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. I wanted to be in it, but you had to be in at least fifth grade. The next year I played Prince Chulalongkorn in The King and I, and the year after that I played Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun. I fancied being an actor as a kid; I did it all through high school, but then I needed to work. I also learned that I really sucked at auditioning. HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN MUSIC? When I was 10 I started playing drums. When I was a freshman in high school I learned to play the guitar, and eventually I was in a band called Paradise. Yeah, very eighties. But when I graduated from high school we were doing pretty well, we had a recording contract. We recorded a five-song demo, and a couple of our songs were used in a

38

program that toured high schools for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. We thought we were going to go somewhere, but we broke up pretty quickly. Meanwhile I now had a son to raise. I moved back to San Diego and began to work in food service. I managed some kitchens, and I even ended up with a chef title at one place. Then some time in the early nineties I accidentally got a part in a play. I happened to drive by the Grove Playhouse, and I walked in and volunteered. They needed someone to do sound, but then one of the actors dropped out, so I ended up doing this small part. At the end of the run, I went to every theatre in San Diego looking for work, and I ended up on the tech crew at San Diego Rep. HOW DID YOU LEARN THE ART OF SOUND DESIGN? My folks had great taste in music, so I grew up listening to different kinds of music, and I loved it. What music did to the body and the soul fascinated me from a very early age. I tinkered with our stereo equipment. I wanted to learn how to make it more powerful, I wanted to learn how to add more speakers in different places—all completely coincidental to what I ended up doing for a living. When I started playing the


guitar, I started writing and recording stuff, and I figured out ways to overdub things. I toyed a lot with home audio equipment. Then being in a band, I learned all about amps and microphones, so all that stuff was second nature to me. I was fascinated with recording arts, I was fascinated with music, I was fascinated with theatre. When I found my way into an electrics overhire at San Diego Rep, I was totally pumped. It was kind of a trial by fire, but I busted my ass figuring out how to do it. I read a bunch of books. I spent a lot of late nights at the theatre figuring out the buttons and knobs. I was already behind the console, and they were bringing in a new show every week. That summer the audio master left to do a show at La Jolla. So for three months I was the interim audio master, which I really wasn’t qualified for, but I learned by doing. We did 15 productions in 17 weeks. By the end of that summer, I knew I could do anything. I ended up head of the department, and then I spent two seasons as resident sound designer. HOW DID YOU GET TO THE IRT? When my son was 8, he moved to Missouri to be with his mom. I wanted to be closer to him. I was sending out lots of resumes, but when I interviewed at IRT, there were several things that drew me. One, the proximity to my son. Another, I had felt for several years that every day I woke up in a pile of sweaty body mics; so the fact that IRT did not do a lot of musicals was very appealing. And the longevity of the IRT staff was a key element. There are people who have worked here for decades. That’s impressive. In my six years at San Diego Rep I think I saw nine marketing managers—which starts to make things confusing. And now it’s my 20th season here. WHAT DOES YOUR JOB AS RESIDENT SOUND DESIGNER ENTAIL? Sound design is a way to aurally support the visual story telling on stage, in ways that can be intrusive or very subtle. It is the magnificently magical invisible design element. My job is to design shows when they are assigned to me, and to be the head of the audio-video department. As head of the department, I manage the budget, the labor, and the inventory, and facilitate the designer’s artistic vision. When I’m designing a show, I read the script. I look for sound, where sound lives in the story. That means both

necessary sounds like phones and doorbells, and possible sounds like musical underscoring. At the IRT, we have a concept meeting with all the designers and the director together, and we collaborate. Together, we come up with a plan. There’s research, and figuring out different versions of things to present to the director, so they can hear what you are thinking about and make choices. When it’s time for rehearsals, you have to figure out what the actors and the director need in rehearsal. Some shows need nothing at that point, some shows that’s half the design. Then we get to tech. We do it, and then we fiddle with it. And then we do it, and then we fiddle with it. If there was never an opening night, we would never stop working on shows. If a show is more about amplification, such as a musical, that requires a completely different set of skills. This is when live audio engineering comes into play. Where do the actors need to hear things? How are we going to hear the actors? Where is the band going to be and how are we going to hear them, and how is the band going to hear the actors and how are the actors going to hear the band? So that’s building a whole live sound system, and that’s a lot of fun. But in most IRT shows, we put a microphone on an actor to create a sound affect: not because we can’t hear them, but because we want to hear them differently. HOW DOES YOUR WORK AS A MUSICIAN AND SOUND DESIGNER FEED YOUR HEART? I found the career I have by pursuing the things that I have the most passion for: theatre and music. Play with gear, also. All of that naturally culminated when I got into theatre, and I found that I can be artistic, I can write music, I can be in a theatre, and they pay me for it. I cry when I work with young performers and their parents applaud at the end of the show. I get excited when I meet new young people—whether that’s children or college students—who are excited about theatre. That makes me feel like I’m contributing. I love that I work in a place that exposes people to theatre who might not otherwise get to see it. That’s a tremendous philanthropic thing for me to be a part of. I love playing music with other people in live situations. It’s soothing to the soul and creates positive energy. Those things I feel within my body, within my physiological being, and it turns me on.

3939


40


ROBERT NEAL | 1961-2021 One of the IRT’s most loved colleagues, Robert Neal, died on November 21 after a nearly two-year battle with brain cancer. A towering yet deeply warm presence in the Indianapolis acting community, Robert had a large and generous spirit that he shared with everyone he met. Our love and condolences to his wife, Sally; their children, Kathleen and Robert; and their entire family. Born in Clay County, Indiana, Robert graduated from Brazil High School and earned a B.A. in English literature at Indiana University in Bloomington. He briefly taught middle and high school before earning his M.F.A. in acting at Penn State. From 1998 to 2019, Robert acted in 45 productions at the IRT. He loved Shakespeare, and he particularly relished As You Like It, King Lear, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, and two productions of Romeo and Juliet. His other IRT favorites included Becky’s New Car, Jackie and Me, Who Am I This Time?, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Noises Off, and ten seasons in many different roles in A Christmas Carol. Perhaps Robert’s greatest triumph at the IRT was his solo performance as the larger-than-life television chef James Beard in the world premiere of James Still’s I Love to Eat. In 2012, Robert reprised this performance at the James Beard Foundation Awards at Lincoln Center. Robert was also a member of the Indianapolis Shakespeare Company (formerly Heartland Actors Repertory Theatre), where he acted in The Tempest and Twelfth Night and directed The Winter’s Tale and Coriolanus. Robert contributed his musical prowess as a guitar player and singer-songwriter to productions at both Indy Shakes and the IRT, allowing our community to share in his multifaceted talents. Robert’s other local work included the Phoenix Theatre, ShadowApe, and Cardinal Stage, as well as appearances with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Early Music Festival. His regional credits included Syracuse Stage, the Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, American Players Theatre, and

Opposite: Robert Neal in the IRT’s 2011 production of I Love to Eat. Photo by Zach Rosing.

several Shakespeare festivals. Early in his career, Robert performed Shakespeare throughout Germany with the English-American Theatre Festival of Dusseldorf. From 1996 to 1999 he was a founder and artistic director of the Indiana Shakespeare Company in Bloomington. In 2015 he appeared on NBC’s Chicago Fire. Robert’s passion for teaching made him a valuable mentor to many young actors at DePauw University, Anderson University, and the University of Indianapolis, as well as in a dozen years of the IRT’s Summer Conservatory for Youth. Always deeply interested in language, Robert wrote a novel, Will unto Law, available from Amazon. Set in Indiana in 1968, it is a story of murder, small-town corruption, and the local Shakespeare Round Table. Robert was committed to his Midwestern roots but thrived on honing his skills out in the world. In 2007, he received a Creative Renewal Grant from the Arts Council of Indianapolis that enabled him to study Shakespeare at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He received a 2016 Theatre MVP Grant from the Central Indiana Community Foundation, and he was a 2017 Lunt-Fontanne National Fellow at Ten Chimneys, where he worked with master teacher Alfred Molina. These experiences had a deep impact on Robert, and he brought the things he learned in these programs right back to his students and colleagues. In a career where one is constantly required to bare one’s soul, Robert never built protective walls around himself. He loved to share his personal foibles and laugh together with his friends. Even in some of the darkest moments of his illness, he could still laugh at the ironies of his own life. He was a fine actor, but even more, a remarkable human being. We miss him.

Robert’s family have identified two not-for-profits to receive funds in his memory: the Indiana Repertory Theatre and Indianapolis Shakespeare Company.

41


THANK YOU 2021-2022 SEASON ARTIST ENGAGEMENT SUPPORTERS

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE USING THEIR GIFTS NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT THE IRT, BUT ALSO TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE FOLLOWING ARTISTS WHO MAKE THE STORIES WE TELL POSSIBLE.

BOB & TONI BADER

SEASON SUPPORTERS OF JANET ALLEN

MICHAEL DINIUS & JEANNIE REGAN-DINIUS SEASON SUPPORTERS OF SUZANNE SWEENEY

SUSAN & CHARLIE GOLDEN

SARAH & JOHN LECHLEITER

SEASON SPONSORS OF ROB JOHANSEN

SEASON SPONSORS OF JAMES STILL

MIKE & LIZ SIMMONS

DAVID P. WHITMAN & DONNA L. REYNOLDS

SEASON SUPPORTERS OF INCLUSION SERIES

SEASON SUPPORTERS OF COSTUME & PROP SHOPS

42


AT THE HEART OF THE ARTS Barnes & Thornburg is proud to support the talent and vitality that is the Indiana Repertory Theatre.

Uncommon Value

ATLANTA BOSTON CALIFORNIA CHICAGO DELAWARE INDIANA MICHIGAN MINNEAPOLIS NEW YORK OHIO RALEIGH SALT LAKE CITY TEXAS WASHINGTON, D.C.

btlaw.com


the arts enhance everyone’s point of view. The largest locally-owned national bank is proud to be a major supporter of the Arts.

317-261-9000 ©2021 The National Bank of Indianapolis www.nbofi.com Member FDIC


2021 | 2022

Original artwork by Tasha Beckwith

JOIN US FOR OUR WORLD PREMIERE!

MARCH 23 - APRIL 16

the ties that bind

It’s 1866, and the Civil War has ended. Madison Hemings, son of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, and Israel Jefferson, formerly enslaved footman, return to Monticello in search of Israel’s brother. Together, they must face their conflicting feelings about the man who wrote “All men are created equal.” Part of IRT’s INclusion Series: Celebrating Diverse Storytelling

TICKETS ON SALE! | IRTLIVE.COM | 317.635.5252


THE SUPPORTING CAST

INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE DONORS WHAT IF YOU SAW ONLY HALF THE PLAY? Ticket revenue covers just half of what it costs to produce world-class professional theatre at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. The IRT gratefully acknowledges the remarkable support we receive from our generous and committed donors whose contributions ensure that the show does go on!

REPERTORY SOCIETY ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $1,500+ | JULY 1, 2021 - DECEMBER 19, 2021

PLAYWRIGHT CIRCLE $10,000+ Bob & Toni Bader David & Jackie Barrett AJ & Erin Bir Scott & Lorraine Davison Gary Denney & Louise Bakker Michael Dinius & Jeannie Regan-Dinius Nancy & Berkley Duck Dan & Ginny Emerson David & Ann Frick Tom & Jenny Froehle Susan & Charlie Golden Mike & Judy Harrington David & Betty Klapper Jill & Peter Lacy Sarah & John Lechleiter Bill & Susie Macias David & Leslie Morgan Jackie Nytes & Patrick O’Brien Mel & Joan Perelman Sue & Bill Ringo Mary Frances Rubly & Jerry Hummer Wayne & Susan Schmidt Simmons Family Foundation, a fund of CICF Cheryl Gruber Waldman David P. Whitman & Donna L. Reynolds DIRECTOR CIRCLE $5,000 - $9,999 A.J. Allen Susie & Joel Blum Darcy K. Burthay Charitable Fund, 46

a Donor-Advised Fund of the U.S. Charitable Gift Trust Rollie & Cheri Dick Drs. Cherryl & Shelly Friedman Dr. Gregory Gaich & Ms. Erin Fulton Nadine & Alvin Givens Derek & Elizabeth Hammond Ann Hinson Bill & Nancy Hunt Phil & Colleen Kenney Steve & Bev Koepper John & Laura Ludwig Kathryn Maeglin Dod & Laura Michael David & Robin Miner Mr. & Mrs. Kimball Morris Carl Nelson & Loui Lord Nelson Mr. Stephen Owen Sr. & Dr. Cheryl Torok Owen Jill Panetta & Leo Bianchi Ben Pecar & Leslie Thompson Noel & Mary Phillips* Drs. Eric Schultze & Marcia Kolvitz Marguerite K. Shepard, M.D. Cynthia & William Smith III The Michael L. Smith and Susan L. Smith Family Fund, a fund of Hamilton County Community Foundation John & Kathy Vahle Lainie Veenstra James & Linda Wesley Dr. Christian Wolf & Elaine Holden-Wolf

ARTIST CIRCLE $3,000 - $4,999 Don Anderson Dan Bradburn & Jane Robison Dick & Brenda Freije Charles Goad & James Kincannon Christopher & Sheila Gramling Donald & Teri Hecht Tom & Nora Hiatt Brenda S. Horn Pegg & Mike Kennedy David Kleiman & Susan Jacobs John & Susan Kline Kevin Krulewitch & Rosanne Ammirati* Douglas & Detra Mills Bob & Dale Nagy Dr. Christine Phillips & Mr. Michael Phillips N. Clay & Amy McConkey Robbins Jerry & Rosie Semler Mark & Gerri Shaffer Joe & Jill Tanner Gene & Mary Tempel Jeff & Benita Thomasson Lynne & Alex Timmermans Carol Weiss Bob & Dana Wilson The Winner Family PATRON CIRCLE $1,500 - $2,999 Janet Allen & Joel Grynheim Anonymous Trudy W. Banta


REPERTORY SOCIETY CONT. ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $1,500+ | JULY 1, 2021 - DECEMBER 19, 2021

Sarah C. Barney Frank & Katrina Basile Ray & Kathy Brinkmeyer Thomas & Victoria Broadie Amy Burke Sherry A. Butler David & Judith Chadwick Steve & Kim Chatham Alan & Linda Cohen Don & Dolly Craft Daniel & Catherine Cunningham Frank & Nora Deane Dr. Gregory Dedinsky & Dr. Cherri Hobgood Ann & Kenneth Dee Dr. Brian Dillman & Erin Hedges* Laurie Dippold* Paul & Glenda Drew Craig & Marsha Dunkin Troy Farmer Drs. Richard & Rebecca Feldman Barrie & Gary R. Fisch Joan M. FitzGibbon Mary L. Forster, M.D. Edward & Elizabeth Frazier Jim & Julie Freeman Brian & Lorene Furrer Future Keys Foundation Garth & Christine Gathers Robert & Christy Gauss Mr. Jim Gawne* Dorothea & Philip Genetos Kathy & Gene Gentili Robert Giannini Ron & Kathy Gifford Bruce Glor Walter & Janet Gross Bill & Phyllis Groth Chad & Kelli Grothen Ricardo & Beatriz Guimarães Mary & Gary Gustafson

Lisa Harris, M.D.* Michael N. Heaton Holt Hedrick William & Patricia Hirsch Randy & Becky Horton Drs. Meredith & Kathleen Hull Rebecca Hutton The Indianapolis Fellows Fund, a fund of The Indianapolis Foundation Patrick & Barbara James Tom & Kathy Jenkins Daniel T. Jensen & Steven Follis Andrew & Brianna Johnson Mrs. Janet Johnson Elisha & Reed Kemp Max Kime Joy Kleinmaier Dr. Michael & Molly Kraus Kurt & Judy Kroenke Dr. & Mrs. Alan Ladd Ed & Ann Ledford Dan & Martha Lehman Margaret Lehtinen & Lawrence Mark Joe & Deborah Loughrey Barbara MacDougall Donald & Ruth Ann MacPherson Kellie McCarthy Mike & Pat McCrory Sharon R. Merriman Michael D. Moriarty The Blake Lee and Carolyn Lytle Neubauer Charitable Fund, a fund of Hamilton County Community Foundation Dr. Ayesha Nichols & Troy Nichols Rob & Sara Norris Steve & Debbie Oldham Dr. Joseph M. Overhage & Dr. Mary R. Brunner Larry & Louise Paxton The Payne Family Foundation,

a fund of CICF Lauren Petersen Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth A. Peterson Dr. & Mrs. Lee Phipps Gail & William Plater Bob & Kathi Postlethwait Phil & Joyce Probst Scott & Susan Putney Peter Racher & Sarah Binford Michael & Melissa Rawlings Peter & Karen Reist Ken & Debra Renkens Karen & Dick Ristine Chip & Jane Rutledge Paula F. Santa Jane W. Schlegel Tim & Karen Seiler Mike & Holly Semler Jack & Karen Shaw Michael Skehan Linda & Carl Smith Edward & Susann Stahl Jim & Cheryl Strain Kathryn Godwin Stuart, DDS Kay Swank-Herzog & Robert Herzog Suzanne Sweeney & Todd Wiencek Jonathan T. Tempel John & Deborah Thornburgh Jennifer C. Turner Bill & Jana Varanka Jennifer & Gary Vigran Amy Waggoner Dorothy Webb Dr. Rosalind Webb Alan & Elizabeth Whaley Cliff Williams Heather Wilson Frederick & Jacquelyn Winters William Witchger, II & Kimberly Witchger John & Linda Zimmermann 47


THE SUPPORTING CAST

INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE DONORS DONOR GUILDS ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $300 - $1,499 | JULY 1, 2021 - DECEMBER 19, 2021

DRAMA GUILD $750 - $1,499 David & Mary Allen Bob & Pat Anker Anonymous Andrea Best Mr. & Mrs. Joseph B. Black III Charlie & Cary Boswell Paul & Renee Cacchillo Brady Clark CNO Financial Group Daniel P. Corrigan Susan M. Cross Priscilla Gerde Phylis & Paul Gesellchen Richard & Sharon Gilmor Emily F. (Cramer) Hancock* Andrea Hatch & Rich Dionne John Krauss & Marnie Maxwell David H. Moore, M.D. & M. Kristine Beckwith, M.D. John & Carolyn Mutz Ann Marie Ogden & Brian Murphy Roger & Anna Radue Lamar & Margaret Jean Richcreek Aleatha Romig, NY Times Bestselling Author Judy Roudebush Sallie Rowland Richard & Christine Scales Thomas & Teresa Sharp Lee Shevitz Spence Family Vision Fund Ed & Jane Stephenson Philip & Shandon Whistler THEATRE GUILD $300-$749 John & Eileen Ahrens* The Todd A. Andritsch Family Fund 48

Anonymous (2) Mark K. Bear Constance C. Beardsley* Donald & Carla Bennett Dan & Barb Bickel Joseph & Louise Boling Jesse L. & Carolynne Bobbitt Barbara & Christopher Bodem* Karry K. Book & John P. Hansberry III Charles W. Brown & Louise Tetrick David & Beverly Butler Vince & Robyn Caponi Allen B. Carter & Patricia Hester Clarence & Carol Casazza Robert Cedoz John Champley & Julie Keck Jeff & Jeni Christoffersen Jerry & Carol Collins Shane and Andrea Crouch* Karen Dace* Fr. Clem Davis* Paul & Carol DeCoursey* Nikki Eller Drs. Eric Farmer & Tate Trujillo & Christopher Scott* Margie Ferguson* Arthur Field IV Roger & Susan Frick Peter Furno & Pamela Steed Phyllis & Ed Gabovitch Richard Goehring & Kevin Petsche Thecla Gossett Howard & Linnea Green John & Mary Ann Grogan Greg Grossart Ron & Ellie Hackler Diane Hall Don & Carolyn Hardman Don & Elizabeth Harmon Tony & Amy Hatton

Steve & Kathy Heath The Steven Herker Charitable Fund, a donor-advised fund Sandra Hester-Steele Greg & Pat Jacoby Dave & Donna Kaiser Sunah C Kim Dorantes* Betsy & Ted Kleinmaier Rachel Barrett Knight & Jacob Knight* Steven & Mary Koch* Michelle Korin* Mary & Rick Kortokrax Shirley M. & Heather Kulwin Kathy & David Lentz Katie Lenz Andra Liepa Charitable Fund, a fund of The Indianapolis Foundation Carlos & Eleanor Lopez Linda Lough* Mark Magee* Michael R. & Sue Maine Lyle & Deborah Mannweiler Dr. & Mrs. Peter Marcus* R. Keith & Marion Michael Rev. Mary Ann Moman* Jay & Tammy Morris Jim & Judi Mowry Terry & Lew Mumford John & Beth Murphy Sharon & Dan Murphy* Susan & Jim Naus Dr. LeeAnne M. Nazer The Ostergaard Family Merrell & Barbara Owen Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. & Kelli DeMott Park Judy & Sidney Pellissier Steve & Paula Pletcher Davie & Dorian Poole Greg Pugh & Jill Woerner Debbie Rawlings


DONOR GUILDS CONT. ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $300 - $1,499 | JULY 1, 2021 - DECEMBER 19, 2021

Flora Reichanadter Richard & Diane Rhodes Richard & Ann Riegner Rev. Robert & Dr. Rita Schilling John Shearin* Dr. Jill Shedd* Vicky Sherman, M.D. Randy & Linda Shields Lillian Smith* Kimberly Sorg-Graves Luke Stark* Gregg & Judy Summerville

SunWarrior Solar Nela Swinehart* Steve & Barb Tegarden* Garrett & Elaine Thiel Mary Ann Thiel The Lori Thompson & Ben Downing Charitable Fund Dr. James & Linda Trippi Robert & Barbetta True* Barbara S. Tully* Norma B. Wallman

A. Donald & Jeanette Wiles Prof. Gail F. Williamson Patricia Johnson & Michael Wilson Reba Boyd Wooden* Robina Zink Family Charitable Fund Zionsville Physical Therapy* Chuck & Ruth Ann Zwolle *Denotes sustaining members

TRIBUTE GIFTS IN MEMORY OF ROBERT NEAL | Janet Allen & Joel Grynheim, The Chappell Family (co-worker at IRT) , Michael Dinius & Jeannie Regan-Dinius, Grace & Jordan Meier, and Christopher J. Tolzmann. IN HONOR OF GENE & MARY TEMPEL | Anna Fender IN MEMORY OF JEAN WIBLE | With our love – Molly & Christopher Sweets

OVATION SOCIETY The Ovation Society is an exclusive program that recognizes donors that have made a legacy gift to the IRT. The IRT truly appreciates those individuals whose gift will ensure that the Theatre can continue to provide meaningful and inspirational experiences for future generations of Hoosiers. Gary Addison Janet Allen & Joel Grynheim Pat & Bob Anker Frank & Katrina Basile Charlie & Cary Boswell Ron & Julia Carpenter John R. Carr (in memoriam) John & Mary Challman Sergej R. Cotton Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Dapp Nancy Davis & Robert Robinson Rollie & Cheri Dick

Nancy & Berkley Duck Dale & Karen Duncan Jim & Julie Freeman Meg Gammage-Tucker David A. & Dee Garrett (in memoriam) Michael Gradison (in memoriam) Emily F. (Cramer) Hancock Bruce Hetrick & Cheri O’Neill Tom & Nora Hiatt Bill & Nancy Hunt David Kleiman & Susan Jacobs Frank & Jacqueline La Vista

Andra Liepa Charitable Fund, a fund of The Indianapolis Foundation Barbara MacDougall Donald & Ruth Ann MacPherson Stuart L. Main (in memoriam) Michael R. & Sue Maine Megan McKinney Sharon R. Merriman David & Leslie Morgan Michael D. Moriarty Richard & Lila Morris Mutter Marines--Jim & Carol 49


THE SUPPORTING CAST

INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE DONORS OVATION SOCIETY CONT. Deena J. Nystrom Marcia O’Brien (in memoriam) George & Olive Rhodes (in memoriam) Jane W. Schlegel

Michael Skehan Michael Suit (in memoriam) Gene & Mary Tempel Jeff & Benita Thomasson

Christopher J. Tolzmann Alan & Elizabeth Whaley John & Margaret Wilson

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $300+ | JULY 1, 2021 - DECEMBER 19, 2021

CORPORATE Barnes & Thornburg LLP Corteva Agriscience Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath Frost Brown Todd KPMG Navient Community Fund OneAmerica Financial Partners Oxford Financial Group, Ltd. Printing Partners

FOUNDATION The Ackerman Family Foundation The Jerry L. and Barbara J. Burris Foundation Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation Christel DeHaan Family Foundation Elba L. & Gene Portteus Branigin Foundation The Margot L. Eccles Arts & Culture Fund, a fund of CICF

The Glick Family Foundation Lacy Foundation Lilly Endowment, Inc. Nicholas H. Noyes Jr. Memorial Foundation, Inc. The Penrod Society The Shubert Foundation GOVERNMENT Arts Council of Indianapolis Indiana Arts Commission

IN-KIND/TRADE GIFTS ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $300+ | JULY 1, 2021 - DECEMBER 19, 2021

National Institute of Fitness & Sport

50


STUDENTS FROM ACROSS INDIANA WILL EXPERIENCE LIVE THEATRE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, BRINGING THEIR CLASSROOMS TO LIFE. Thanks to the Alan and Linda Cohen Education Fund, students are able to attend IRT performances. Help us continue to give students the experiences they deserve by donating to the Cohen Education Fund today. “Without the assistance, our students would not have been able to have this experience. We read this book in class. Students loved the story and learning about the characters. However, the play brought these characters to life.” -An Indiana Teacher and her students regarding The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963

Xavier Adams in the IRT’s 2020 production of The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963. Photo by Zach Rosing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SUPPORTING STUDENT MATINEES, CONTACT: KAY SWANK-HERZOG: KSWANKHERZOG@IRTLIVE.COM | 317.916.4830 51


52


OFFICIAL CATERERS

A FINE SELECTION FOR YOUR EVENT AT THE IRT

Keith Little

Antonia Zunarelli

2025 E. 46th Street,

140 West Washington Street,

Indianapolis, IN 46205

Indianapolis, IN 46204

blackplatecatering.com | 317.255.8030

indianaroof.com | 317.236.1874

Jacquie Hensley

Shelby Sturtz

9840 North Michigan Road,

One American Square, Suite #140

Carmel, IN 46032

Indianapolis, IN 46282

jacquiesgourmetcatering.com | 317.283.2776

sahmsatrium.com | 317. 536.1305

IRT STAGE DOOR RESTAURANTS DISCOUNTS FOR OUR SEASON TICKET HOLDERS

LOUVINO

THE DISTRICT TAP

WEBER GRILL

TASTINGS

$15 OFF $30 FOOD PURCHASE dinner service only 530 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 140 317.744.9955

15% OFF FOOD downtown location only 141 S. Meridian Street 317.632.0202

10% OFF excluding alcohol 10 N. Illinois Street 317.636.7600

10% OFF 50 W. Washington Street 317.423.2400

DON'T HAVE SEASON TICKETS? BUY NOW! 317.635.5252 | IRTLIVE.COM/PACKAGES

53


Oxford proudly supports the Indiana Repertory Theatre.

Oxford is independent and unbiased — and always will be. We are committed to providing multi-generational estate planning advice and forward-thinking investment solutions to families and institutions.

CHICAGO F CINCINNATI F GRAND RAPIDS F INDIANAPOLIS F TWIN CITIES 317.843.5678 F WWW.OFGLTD.COM/IRT

54

Oxford is an investment advisor registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about Oxford’s investment advisory services and fees can be found in its Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. OFG-2109-4


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.