ASOLO REPERTORY THEATRE WORLD CLASS THEATRE • MADE IN SARASOTA
A NEW MUSICAL
World Premiere
APRIL 27–MAY 29, 2016
OUR LIVES ON STAGE DEBORAH COX as Josephine Baker. Photo by Mike Ruiz. © Deco Recording Group, LLC.
ASOLO REPERTORY THEATRE
PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MICHAEL DONALD EDWARDS MANAGING DIRECTOR LINDA DIGABRIELE BY ARRANGEMENT WITH KENNETH WAISSMAN
PROUDLY PRESENTS
DEBORAH COX in
KEVIN EARLEY
Book by ELLEN WESTON and MARK HAMPTON Music by STEPHEN DORFF Lyrics by JOHN BETTIS From an original story by KENNETH WAISSMAN Based on the book Remembering Josephine by STEPHEN PAPICH
Directed and choreographed by JOEY MCKNEELY Music Supervision, Arrangements & Orchestrations
STEVE ORICH Music Direction & Additional Arrangements
SINAI TABAK Scenic Design
Costume Design
PAUL TATE dePOO III
EDUARDO SICANGCO
Puppet Design, Construction & Consultation
Lighting Design
Sound Design
Projection Design
BRIAN NASON
JUSTIN STASIW
ALEX BASCO KOCH
Hair/Wig & Make-Up Design
Production Stage Manager
Dramaturg
Associate Choreographer
MICHELLE HART
KELLY A. BORGIA*
LAURYN E. SASSO
LYNN STERLING
PUPPET KITCHEN PRODUCTIONS, INC. Dance Arrangements
Assistant Music Director
New York Casting
Voice & Dialect Coach
Assistant Stage Manager
STEVE ORICH
JUDI GLOVER
PAUL HARDT,
PATRICIA DELOREY
VERONICA GRAVELINE*
Projection Programmer
Stage Management Apprentice
Stage Management Apprentice
Costume Assisant
JENNA SNYDER
Lighting Assistant
LUAMAR CERVEJEIRA Literary Apprentice
DEANIE VALLONE
STUART HOWARD ASSOCIATES
RACHEL MORRIS
JOHN ERICKSON
Student Scenic Assistant
Student Lighting Assistant
TIANA ALDERSON
TIM CASTELL
ALLISON WOLF
Student Projection Assistant
NICOLE BIANCO
Josephine will be performed with one fifteen-minute intermission. Contains adult language and brief nudity. May not be appropriate for younger audiences. Directors are members of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; Designers are members of the United Scenic Artists Local USA-829; Backstage and Scene Shop Crew are members of IATSE Local 412. The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited. CO-PRODUCERS
George Allison and Alan Watkins • David and Betty-Jean Bavar • Susan and Jim Buck • Annie Esformes, in loving memory of Nate Esformes Donald Levine, in loving memory of Dr. Catharine Wingate • Carol Phillips • Gail and Skip Sack Stephanie Shaw and Glo Reber, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty • Stephen V. Wilberding and Teri A Hansen CORPORATE SHOW SPONSORS
ASOLO REP ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE SOCIETY 2
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CAST
in order of appearance
DILLON CASSIDY.......................................................................................................................................Male Ensemble LAURA KELLER*+..................................................................................................................................Female Ensemble ZACH WILLIAMS*......................................................................................................................................Male Ensemble ELYSE COLLIER*....................................................................................................................................Female Ensemble ALISON MIXON*.....................................................................................................................................Female Ensemble NAOMI C. WALLEY*......................................................................................................Mama/Serafina/Female Ensemble JELANI ALLADIN*......................................................................................................................................Male Ensemble JULIAN RAMOS*........................................................................................................................................Male Ensemble DEBORAH COX*.......................................................................................................................................Josephine Baker MATTHEW McGEE*.................................................................................................................................................Joujou ASIA DEKLE...........................................................................................................................................Female Ensemble JORDAN SOBEL.........................................................................................................................................Male Ensemble KEVIN EARLEY*................................................................................................................................................Jo Bouillon TORI BATES.............................................................................................................................................Young Josephine MARK CAMPBELL*.............................................................................................Prince Gustav VI of Sweden/Herr Goering LYNETTE DuPREE*...............................................................................................................................................Bricktop MICHAEL KEYLOUN*.................................................................................................................................................Sven
MUSICIANS
in alphabetical order
THOMAS ELLISON........................................................................................................................................Woodwinds 1 JUDI GLOVER............................................................................................................Assistant Music Director/Keyboard 1 JACK KEELING..............................................................................................................................................Woodwinds 2 TIM MULLIGAN.......................................................................................................................................................Drums GREG NIELSEN...................................................................................................................................................Trombone BILL O’HARA.........................................................................................................................................Woodwinds 2 Sub DON PARKER..............................................................................................................................................Trombone Sub DAVID PRUYN.......................................................................................................................................................Trumpet BILL SWARTZBAUGH.................................................................................................................................................Bass SINAI TABAK.....................................................................................................................................................Conductor KEVIN WU............................................................................................................................Keyboard 2/Rehearsal Pianist *Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. + Dance Captain UNDERSTUDIES Understudies never substitute for listed performers unless a specific announcement or posting is made at the time of the performance. For Josephine Baker: Naomi C. Walley*; for Jo Bouillon: Dillon Cassidy; for Joujou: Julian Ramos*; for Bricktop/Bessie Smith/Mama: Kedren Spencer; for Prince Gustav VI of Sweden/Herr Goering: Zach Williams*; for Sven: Jelani Alladin*; for Young Josephine: Nevaeh McCarthy; for Serafina: Alison Mixon*
THE SETTING The action takes place at the Folies-Bergère in Paris between 1945 and 1939. THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE SOCIETY MEMBERS FOR YOUR SPECIAL SUPPORT OF JOSEPHINE ARTISIC EXCELLENCE SOCIETY LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
David Peterson • Lee Peterson and Bob Peterson* • Alice and Norman Tulchin • Charles O. Wood, III and Miriam M. Wood Foundation SOCIETY MEMBERS
Anonymous • Bob and Beverly Bartner • David and Betty-Jean Bavar • Susan and Jim Buck • Arlan Clayton and Dale Horwitz Carole Crosby, Ruby E. and Carole Crosby Family Foundation • Herman and Sharon Frankel • Edward T. Gardner and Liza J. McKeever Larry and Debbie Haspel • Nona Macdonald Heaslip • The Huisking Foundation • Nancy Markle • Richard and Cornelia Matson Anna Nekoranec and Bengt Niebuhr • Maurice Richards and Jack Kesler • Flori Roberts • Alan Rose • Richard and Gail Rubin • Cynthia Schumacher Wes and Nancy Stukenberg • Judy Zuckerberg and George Kole *in memoriam JOSEPHINE ASOLOREP.ORG
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SCENES & MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT ONE SCENES 1-3: THE FOLIES-BERGÈRE – PARIS, 1945 When in Paris/Too Hot………......………………....…….……………………...…….Folies Chorus & Josephine Est-Ce Que C’est Vous?………….....…......……..…….......……………………………………...……...Josephine
SCENE 4: THE FOLIES-BERGÈRE – PARIS, 1939 SCENES 5-8: CHEZ BRICKTOP Anonymity…………………………………………...............………………………….....Bricktop & Folies Chorus She’ll Never Love an Ordinary Man……………………….....…….......……………...……………….Jo Bouillon Tonight I was an Ordinary Man……………....…………......…………..…………..Prince Gustav & Jo Bouillon
SCENE 9: JOSEPHINE’S BATHROOM SCENE 10: RAIL YARD – ST. LOUIS, 1917 One Way Ticket to Someday………………………………….................………………………Young Josephine
SCENE 11: GARE DU NORD SCENE 12: TRAIN BAGGAGE CAR SCENE 13: ROYAL PALACE – SWEDEN SCENE 14: ROYAL PALACE BEDROOM Wonderland…………………………….......……………………….................……………………...Josephine
SCENE 15: THE FOLIES-BERGÈRE Who Cares?……………………………………………………………...….............………………….…..Jo Bouillon
SCENE 16: ROYAL PALACE BEDROOM Coon Ass Drag………………………………………….….......…Bert, Benny, Bessie Smith, Young Josephine
SCENE 17: ROYAL PALACE KITCHEN Between the Bells……………………………………………...............………………………………Joujou & Sven
SCENE 18: JOSEPHINE’S MANSION SCENE 19: PRINCE’S PALACE DRESSING ROOM One Way Ticket – Reprise/I'm Coming Back....................................................................……….Josephine
SCENE 20: THE FOLIES-BERGÈRE Too Hot! – Reprise……………………………................…............………………….Josephine & Folies Chorus
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SCENES & MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT TWO SCENE 1: THE FOLIES-BERGÈRE The Trains Are Running………………….....…………...……………..Folies Chorus, Herr Goering, & Bricktop
SCENE 2: EXTERIOR OF THE FOLIES-BERGÈRE SCENE 3: RITZ HOTEL BALLROOM Something About This………………………….....……………….….....…………….…Jo Bouillon & Josephine
SCENE 4: CHEZ BRICKTOP Nobody's Listenin'……………….………....…......…............…………….………………..……………….Bricktop Est-Ce Que C’est Vous? – Reprise………….....…………….....……………………...…………………Josephine Liberté……………......………….....……………..……......................................……………………Folies Chorus
SCENE 5 & 6: RITZ HOTEL LOBBY Dark Side of the Moon………......…………........................……………..…………………………Folies Chorus Till I Had You………………………………….................……..........………………………………....Prince Gustav
SCENE 7: RITZ HOTEL ELEVATOR The Spy Tango (Dance Instrumental)…….........……….……......…….....……...……..Josephine & the Italian
SCENE 8: RITZ HOTEL LOBBY Dark Side of the Moon – Reprise………......…………..................................……………..……………Bellhops Here and Now…………………………………………………………........…..........…………………Joujou & Sven
SCENE 9: JOSEPHINE’S MANSION SCENE 10: GOERING’S/JOSEPHINE’S BALLROOM Herr Goering……………………………………………………………….................……………………...Josephine
SCENE 11: HOSPITAL Love Songs…………………………………………………………………................…………….……...Jo Bouillon Love Songs – Reprise……………………………………………………................…………….……...Jo Bouillon
SCENE 12: MOVIE THEATER Nobody's Listenin' – Reprise………………………..............…………….………………..……………….Bricktop
SCENE 13: PARIS Something About This – Reprise…....………..........….........……………..…………………………….Josephine Steps…………………………………....……………………....….Josephine, Young Josephine, & Folies Chorus
SCENE 14: THE FOLIES-BERGÈRE – PARIS, 1945 At the Folies/How Many Oceans?……………………………...…...………….......…Folies Chorus & Josephine
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An Interview with Director
JOEY M c KNEELY LS: What have been some of the most exciting aspects of the project? JM: The most exciting aspect right now is actually seeing everything take life. Throughout the years we’ve gone through the book and we’ve done workshops, but now to put it on its feet and give it life with this amazing cast who are all so perfect for their roles…it reveals the clarity of the material. LS: Do you approach a world premiere piece like this differently than a classic like West Side Story that you know intimately and have worked on many times? JM: Absolutely I approach it differently. A new musical is a very special breed. It’s unlike doing a classical show or revival. Your blueprint is already established in a revival – you can color it differently, but basically you’re not creating anything new. You’re creating a vision of the show but the show exists within its own terms. My whole Broadway career has been doing new musicals. I’ve only done two revivals – one as a dancer one as a choreographer (that was West Side). What’s amazing – and this is one of the things I love – is when you work on a new musical, there are moments that get embellished to great effect. To me, that’s the most exciting thing about a new musical – you can have a number that isn’t working and you keep talking about it and rewriting, and sometimes you change a couple of lyrics and you add a few little musical things and all of a sudden it explodes and blows the roof off of the theatre. LS: What are some of the things that have been challenging (or surprising) as you develop the piece?
LS: How did you first become involved with Josephine, and what drew you to the project? JM: I became involved with Josephine many years ago after the very first informal reading in New York City, when it was just a couple of actors in a room with a director, the composer, and the writers. Producer Ken Waissman asked me to come in as a choreographer just to hear what was going on. What drew me to the project was its source material – Josephine Baker is so rich – and its entertainment value. As a choreographer it was exactly the type of [piece] I knew I could bring my best self to.
JM: The most surprising aspect of putting the show up is discovering how funny it can be. Because the core material has comedy within it, we have been able to explode that and create more moments for it. After doing something like West Side Story, which is so dramatic and intense and emotional, it’s been such a joy to actually do something funny because I need a break from the drama! The biggest challenge is the time constraints. We are putting up a brand new musical, which has never been staged [before], in three weeks. It’s a big task. LS: What would you like the audience to take away from the experience? JM: I’d like the audience to walk away with the thrill of theatre. We’re [working] in a classic Broadway musical form, but we’ve evolved it to break the formula. I believe it will be a musical lover’s dream. – Interviewed by Asolo Rep Dramaturg Lauryn E. Sasso.
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BECOMING MS. BAKER Josephine Before the Limelight
–LS
“Strange, it seems just like yesterday that I ran away from home, not because I lived in poverty or that I was living in the slums for I have never been ashamed of my childhood surroundings. On the contrary, I have been very proud of my start, because it has made me remain human.” – Josephine Baker, February 3, 1952, in a homecoming speech in St. Louis Before gaining world renown as a singer, dancer, and international sensation, Josephine Baker had an entirely different life. Born Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri, she was the daughter of washerwoman Carrie McDonald and vaudeville drummer Eddie Carson, who abandoned the family when Josephine was very young. From an early age, Josephine helped support her family by cleaning houses and babysitting for wealthy white families who often treated her poorly. For a time during this period, Josephine ran away from home and lived on the streets – sleeping in cardboard boxes, scrounging for food, and making money dancing on street corners. When she was 13, Josephine dropped out of school and started waitressing at St. Louis’ Old Chauffeur’s Club. This allowed her to get out of assisting her mother as a washerwoman – a chore she loathed. Also, the club was next to the venue where her father’s band often played, enabling her to see him frequently. But though she was fairly happy at the club, she still longed for greater freedom. Alan Schroeder and Heather Lehr Wagner note in Josephine Baker: Entertainer that “it is perhaps not surprising that she seized the first opportunity for freedom that presented itself to her. It came in the person of a foundry worker named Willie Wells, whom Josephine probably met at a neighborhood dance. The naïve young girl knew little of life or men. Her focus was on escaping the misery at home. So she decided to marry Willie Wells.” She was still in her early teens.
The marriage – her first of an eventual four – was not happy. The couple was only married for a few weeks before a violent fight led to Willie leaving, never to return. Josephine, who had stopped working, resumed her job at the club but wanted more than ever to escape – this time, from St. Louis entirely. A way out soon presented itself. Schroeder and Wagner recount her flight. “In late 1919, she met a rag-tag trio of performers called the Jones Family Band. Old Man Jones played a brass horn, his wife played the trumpet, and their pretty daughter, Doll, was a fiddler. During her breaks at the Old Chauffer’s Club, Josephine entertained the customers by singing songs and doing a few easy dance steps. Old Man Jones liked what he saw and, on the spur of the moment, he invited her to join their trio. Josephine needed no time to think about the idea. On the spot, she quit her job and joined the Jones Family Band.” Josephine toured the South with the Joneses, taking on increasingly important and featured roles in their show. Later in life, Josephine recalled her departure from home. “We left by the night train. I had never seen curtains as pretty as those in the Pullman car windows. From my seat…I peered nervously out the window, looking for Mama’s angry face, Grandma’s reproachful eyes, or the stern gaze of Daddy or Aunt Jo…Closing my eyes, I dreamed of sunlit cities, magnificent theaters and me in the limelight.”
All dramaturgical information in this playbill written, edited, and compiled by Lauryn E. Sasso and Deanie Vallone. For even more information on all 2015–16 Rep Season productions, visit www.asolorep.org/this-season and click on the specific show's page. JOSEPHINE ASOLOREP.ORG
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A WORLD OF WONDER A Q&A WITH COSTUME DESIGNER EDUARDO SICANGCO LS: Where did you get your inspiration for Josephine? It’s such a big show, and there are so many individual designs, how did you begin your process? ES: I got a call in December and I was starting to get committed to other projects, but when I heard “Josephine Baker,” well, that’s catnip to a costume designer. I could not not do it because I have an affinity for that world and the glamour, and for Ms. Baker herself. She’s iconic. So I made sure that I worked it out. I researched Josephine and her life. There are a lot of photos – there’s almost too much research out there, too much visual imagery. Also [in the show] there are a lot of [characters who were] real people. I researched who Bricktop was, and Jo Boullion, and the Prince of Sweden. I looked at YouTube videos of Josephine in the Revue Nègre and certainly the iconic banana dance. I decided – together with the director when we met – that I was not interested in doing a documentary. This is, first of all, a musical, so I was not interested in exactly reproducing her clothes – I was much more interested in capturing her essence. Josephine was very elegant in her attire. I imagined who her couturiers would have been and suddenly from the pictures you began to see a pattern – she liked big jewelry, she loved feathers, and she loved beautiful elegant gowns. This is rare, but it just flowed out of me based on the dramaturgy and the storytelling. It was one of the easiest shows for me to design…and [one of the most] joyful. LS: Do you have a favorite piece – or pieces? ES: I’m very fond of the finale, and of the arc of the design because it’s very cohesive. A good designer will not just design clothes but will help tell a story and design the arc of the evening. So I’m partial to the finale if I had to pick one. 8
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– Interviewed by Asolo Rep Dramaturg Lauryn E. Sasso.
“[Josephine] is in her former mansion which has been turned into the headquarters for the Nazis. She walks through that scene and the Nazis have this intention of poisoning her with the soup. This number is amazing – it’s very theatrical. This is the big scene with all the intrigue, hence the spider web back [on Josephine’s dress]. The Nazis are in red, black, and white, so the whole number is a Nazi palette – hence the choice of red for the dress, and then the black and white for the Nazis and the guests. Black, white, and hints of red.”
“The banana skirt is a very famous costume, and it led me to an idea. She’s wearing a banana skirt, she’s in the jungle – I asked the set designer, and there really wasn’t a huge commitment to scenery for this number. So I made the showgirls banana trees. They wear banana leaves on their heads – that was kind of a wink at the audience.”
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SINGER, DANCER, SOLDIER, SPY Josephine Baker and the French Resistance During WWII
–DV
“France made me what I am. I will be grateful forever. The people of Paris have given me everything. They have given me their hearts, and I have given them mine. I am ready, Captain, to give them my life. You can use me as you wish.” – Josephine Baker to Jacques Abtey
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1926: At the Folies-Bergère, Baker performs La Folie du Jour in only a banana skirt made of 16 artificial bananas. This performance helps propel her into Parisian stardom; she becomes one of the highest paid performers in Europe.
1936–37: Inspired by her popularity in France, Baker returns to the US to perform in the Ziegfeld Follies but is met with hostile racism. She returns to France and marries French industrialist Jean Lion. Through the marriage she obtains citizenship and becomes a full French citizen.
September 1939: France declares war on
There is a famous saying which posits: “with great power, comes great responsibility.” As the premier singer-dancer of the Folies-Bergère, Josephine Baker wielded a unique form of power, and she took the responsibilities of her celebrity very seriously. Using her popularity to gain access to embassies, parties, and private conversations, Baker served as a soldier and spy for Charles de Gaulle’s French Résistance during WWII. From passing along intelligence to her handler in invisible ink to surviving a plane crash, Baker approached the war as she did the stage: with vibrant enthusiasm, a touch of daring, and a love of France.
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1925: France is obsessed with American jazz. Baker travels to Paris and performs in La Revue Nègre at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. There she performs the Danse Sauvage in only a feathered skirt.
Germany in response to the invasion of Poland. Baker is recruited by the Deuxième Bureau, the French military intelligence. As an “honorable correspondent” she fits the bill nicely: she has the cause and means to move around France and Europe freely, and she is in a good position to collect pertinent information. She works with Jacques Abtey, the head of military counterintelligence in Paris, who will be her close companion throughout the war.
March 1943–October 1944:
May–June 1940: Germany invades France. A month later an armistice is signed between France and Germany to end hostilities, allowing the Germans to occupy Paris.
November 1940: Baker and Abtey, disguised as her French assistant, travel through Spain to Lisbon, a hub of intelligence activities for both sides of the war. From there, they sneak intelligence back to London through notes written in invisible ink on Baker’s sheet music. Shortly afterwards, Baker returns to Marseille to meet with Résistance leaders. Abtey follows soon after.
Spring 1941: Baker and Abtey are forced to flee France immediately. They go to Morocco. Later, Abtey’s inability to secure a Spanish visa sends Baker to Spain alone. She takes advantage of her popularity to frequent embassy parties; with a large German presence in the country, she has access to plenty of intelligence. She writes snippets of information on small pieces of paper and smuggles them out of the country by pinning them inside her underwear.
June 1941–December 1942: Back in Morocco, a case of peritonitis and septicemia keeps Baker bedridden in a hospital in Casablanca. Abtey cares for her the whole time, using the hospital as a rendezvous point for various Résistance contacts.
Baker, now recovered, begins a series of performances across North Africa and the Middle East that will continue t h ro u g h o u t t h e w a r. S h e performs for British, French, and American troops, striving to generate respect among the people for Charles de Gaulle’s commitment to France Libre (i.e.; Free France, the anti-Nazi exiled French government). She becomes one of de Gaulle’s most widely-seen ambassadors and propagandists. Being a black woman, she represents Free France’s respect for people of color, and the need for Moroccan-French solidarity. Baker is also made a sublieutenant in the Women’s Auxiliary of the French Air Force. Her time as a soldier, coupled with her frequent tours, proves to be exhausting as well as exciting. She even survives a plane crash while flying to Corsica to perform for troops. At the last second, a huge flag sporting the Cross of Lorraine is stuffed between Baker and the front wall of the plane's cabin, protecting her from the impact. She, and other passengers, are eventually rescued at sea.
August 1944: France is liberated from the Germans. Two months later Baker returns to France, performing all over the country for the army, accompanied by her orchestra leader Jo Bouillon.
1946: Baker is awarded the treasured Medal of the Resistance for her contributions. General de Gaulle writes her, saying that he “greatly appreciated the services she had rendered during the war” and is “touched by the enthusiasm with which she had dedicated her talent to the cause of the resistance.”
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IN JOSEPHINE’S ORBIT Baker’s Closest Companions
The gravitational pull of Josephine Baker on the world around her is the impetus that drives Josephine. Just as the star’s theatrical adventures are drawn from real life, those characters who most closely orbit her in the musical were Josephine’s real-life companions. From a stately prince to a superb musician to a talented vaudeville entrepreneur, Josephine’s friends and lovers were as extraordinary as she was. –DV
Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden (1882-1973) Gustaf was King of Sweden from 1950 until his death. When he met Josephine Baker in 1929 he was crown Prince of Sweden. The prince was a lifelong amateur archeologist and a general in the army. Though he was married, he and Josephine had a brief, intense love affair. After visiting her in her dressing rooms, he took her to Sweden on his private train. The train’s bedroom had a swan bed and Gustaf seduced her with diamond bracelets. They spent a luxurious month together at his summer palace; on their last night he draped her in a floor-length sable coat and danced a silent waltz with her. They parted ways and never met again.
Joseph “Jo” Bouillon (1908-1984) A composer, conductor, and musician in his own right, Jo was a perfect match for Josephine Baker from the start. He led his own orchestra until meeting Baker, then began accompanying her performances. The two of them went on to make a number of recordings together. Jo became Baker's fourth, and last, husband in 1947. With Josephine unable to have children, and wanting to prove that people of different races could happily coexist, the two adopted 12 children of different nationalities that Baker called her “Rainbow Tribe.” The children were from Finland, Japan, France, Belgium, and Venezuela, and Baker strove to raise them with different religious and national identities.
Ada “Bricktop” Smith (1894-1984) Bricktop was a vaudevillian, saloon entertainer, international host, and nightclub owner. As a child growing up in Chicago, Bricktop toured the vaudeville circuit before heading to France, eventually earning her nickname, Bricktop, for her red hair and freckles. By 28 she was running a small club in Montmartre, and while there, with the help of Cole Porter, she opened her own club, Chez Bricktop. Of the club she said, “Bricktop's was a combination maildrop, bank, rehearsal hall, club house—even a neighborhood bar. But it was always chic.” It was through Chez Bricktop that she met Josephine Baker and became her close friend and mentor (and lover, according to some gossip). Leading up to the German invasion of Paris, Bricktop did radio broadcasts for the French government, but ended up fleeing France for the US as WWII approached. 12
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PUBLIC PROGRAMMING ILLUMINATION SERIES Join Asolo Rep for a new series of performances and events promoting cross-cultural conversations in the community. Held on select Tuesday performances throughout the season, IllumiNation evenings begin with a cocktail hour, continue with that evening’s performance, and conclude with a moderated panel discussion where audience members can further explore the topical and social issues that they have just seen played out on stage.
NEXT IN THE SERIES...
JOSEPHINE Tuesday, May 10 6:30pm Pre-show cocktail reception FREE for IllumiNation Series ticket holders, $10 for others 7:30pm Josephine performance Moderated panel discussion immediately following. FREE and open to all.
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For more information, please call the Asolo Rep Box Office 941.351.8000 or visit asolorep.org
The Scoop is offered for EVERY PERFORMANCE of Josephine. Arrive one hour prior to any performance to hear the ideas and inspirations that contributed to the production you are about to watch. (Opening Night, May 6, is excluded.)
JOSEPHINE MEET THE ACTORS SUNDAY, MAY 15
Following the 2pm performance. Immediately following select Sunday matinee performances, audience are invited to ask questions and learn more from cast members.
Deborah Cox. Photo by Keith Major. © Deco Recording Group, LLC.
GET “THE SCOOP”
TUESDAY TALKBACKS Join us for an intimate post-show discussion with featured actors or guests following every Tuesday performance of Josephine.
MAY 3 MAY 10 IllumiNation Series panel MAY 17 MAY 24 "Through the Eyes of a Critic," with guest host Jay Handelman of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune JOSEPHINE ASOLOREP.ORG
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WHO’S WHO IN THE CREATIVE TEAM ELLEN WESTON (Book) began her career as an actress. Broadway: Toys In The Attic, by Lillian Hellman; A Far Country, starring Kim Stanley; and Mary Mary. Guest starred in multiple TV episodes, appearing opposite Jimmy Stewart and Bette Davis, and continuing roles in Get Smart and S.W.A.T. She has written and produced over 20 TV movies, including: And The Beat Goes On: The Sonny And Cher Story; Holiday In Your Heart, starring Bernadette Peters and LeAnn Rimes; Outrage, starring Rob Lowe; Fear Stalk, starring Jill Clayburgh. She wrote lyrics for two albums with Lesley Gore, Love Me By Name, produced by Quincy Jones and Someplace Else Now. Their songs have been recorded by Patty Austin, Dusty Springfield, Bernadette Peters, and Carmen McCrae. She wrote book and lyrics to an original musical, A House In The Woods, performed at Goodspeed Musicals. MARK HAMPTON (Book) wrote Full Gallop with Mary Louise Wilson who also starred as fashion icon, Diana Vreeland, playing New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Rome, Brussels, South Africa, Sweden, and Spain. Subsequent plays include: Paper Doll, starring Marlo Thomas and F. Murray Abraham, Pittsburgh Public Theater and Long Wharf Theater (starring Dixie Carter) With Michael Sharp he wrote The Secret Letters of Jackie and Marilyn, directed by Leonard Foglia, Pittsburgh Public Theater. With Jeannie Berlin he has recently completed the screenplay for a romantic comedy, Crackpot. Kiki/Suzanne, starring Barbara Schulz, will premiere in Paris next season. He is currently working on You'd Cry Too, the Life and Music of Lesley Gore. STEPHEN DORFF (Music) Three-time Grammy, six-time Emmy nominated award-winning composer Steve Dorff has enjoyed success in every musical field. His diversity includes scoring major motion pictures, television, and an array of #1 hit songs. Dorff has also been honored with more than 40 BMI, and 12 Billboard #1 Chart Songs. Some of his classics include the Kenny Rogers hit "Through the Years," as well as "I Just Fall in Love Again," the Anne Murray #1 Song Of The Year. His many songs have been sung by some of the greatest artists of our time—Barbra Streisand, Céline Dion, Whitney Houston, George Strait, Vanessa Williams, and countless others. Thrilled to have Josephine debut at Asolo Repertory Theatre. JOHN BETTIS (Lyrics) has written songs that have been sung by Michael Jackson, Madonna, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, and The Carpenters, among others. His songs include “Human Nature,” “Top of the World,” “Yesterday Once More,” “Good-Bye to Love,” “One Moment in Time,” “Crazy for You,” and “Slow Hand.” John received a Los Angeles Drama Critics' Best Musical Score for The Last Session. Svengali, with Frank Wildhorn, opened at the Houston Alley Theater. The musicals Pure Country and Lunch were also written with Steve Dorff. John has served as Chairman of the Board of the National Academy of Songwriters, member of the Board of Directors of ASCAP, the Nashville Ballet, and on the Film, Entertainment and Music Commission of the State of Tennessee. KENNETH WAISSMAN (Producer/Original Story) is one of only two producers in the history of Broadway to have a musical run over 3,000 performances and a play run over 1,000. Waissman developed and produced the original Broadway production of Grease as well as the long running iconic hits Agnes of God by John Pielmeier and Torch Song Trilogy by Harvey Fierstein. Waissman’s prolific Broadway efforts have resulted in four motion picture features, a PBS TV special, 25 Tony Award nominations, 5 Tony Awards including a Tony Award as ‘Best Play Producer.’
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JOEY McKNEELY FIRST SEASON (Director/Choreographer) has directed/choreographed West Side Story throughout the world including the recent production at Asolo Rep, London's Sadler's Wells (Olivier Nom/Best Musical Revival), Paris's Théâtre du Châtelet, and Milan's La Scala. On Broadway, Joey’s choreographic debut was Smokey Joe’s Café, followed by The Life, Twelfth Night at Lincoln Center, The Wild Party, The Boy From Oz starring Hugh Jackman, and West Side Story. He has earned two Tony Award Nominations, two Outer Critics Circle Nominations, an NAACP Image Award, and an LA Ovation Award. He has also directed/ choreographed US National Tours of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Annie Get Your Gun, Crazy For You, and Smokey Joe’s Café. Internationally, The Beautiful Game in Japan; the world premiere of Love U, Teresa, and Ah, Kuling! in China; and Evita and Dusty in London. PAUL TATE dePOO III FIRST SEASON (Scenic Designer) is an international designer for theatre, opera, events, and film based in NYC. Recent and upcoming productions include: Off Broadway: Himself and Nora, Locusts Have No King, Romance Language, Pageant the Musical, Sex of the Baby, Look Upon Your Lowliness. Muny: Young Frankenstein. Goodspeed Musicals: A Sign of the Times, Guys and Dolls. Classic Stage Company: Othello. Signature: Titanic, Girlstar. SxSW: Swallowed. Maltz Jupiter: The Producers, The Wiz, Les Misérables, Will Roger’s Follies, Annie, The Music Man, Hello, Dolly!. Bard Opera: Turandot. Yale: The Rocky Horror Show. Broadway Associate Designer: Lincoln Center's Sweeney Todd, Lady Day, How To Succeed, Nice Work, Bengal Tiger, Follies, Anything Goes. Paul is a member of the Lincoln Center’s Directors Lab, United Scenic Artists, and was recently announced as Live Design Magazine’s ‘Designer to Watch’. www.pauldepoo.com EDUARDO SICANGCO FIFTH SEASON (Costume Designer) lives in New York and enjoys a varied career designing sets and costumes for opera, musicals, theater, ballet, film, revues, and arena spectaculars. He is happy to be back at the Asolo Rep where he designed The Plexiglass Slipper; Boeing, Boeing; The Imaginary Invalid; and The Game’s Afoot. www.eduardosicangco.com BRIAN NASON FIRST SEASON (Lighting Designer) Asolo Rep: West Side Story. Broadway:The Mystery of Edwin Drood ; Thurgood; On Golden Pond; Fortune's Fool; Taller Than a Dwarf; Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass; 1776; A Month in the Country; 3 Penny Opera with Sting; Metamorphoses with Mikhail Baryshnikov. More than 100 shows Off-Broadway and Regionally. Opera: Cold Mountain; A Little Night Music; A Coffin In Egypt; Cruzar La Cara De La Luna; Dead Man Walking; The End of the Affair; Three Decembers; West Side Story (La Scala). Special Events/Tours: Six National Tours and 11 DVDs for Tyler Perry; The Big Apple Circus; The Big Apple Circus Stage Show; The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber; Spirituals: Live at Carnegie Hall; American Playhouse O Pioneers; M. Butterfly (National Tour). Film: For Colored Girls; Sing. Brian’s been nominated for a Tony Award, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, two Audelco Awards, and won a Barrymore Award. JUSTIN STASIW FIRST SEASON (Sound Designer) is a NYC based sound designer and engineer. Selected recent design work includes How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Jasper in Deadland for the 5th Av. in Seattle, as well as Songbird Off-Broadway. Other design work includes Ghost for Atlantis Productions in Manila, and Little Shop of Horrors for ACT in Seattle. On Broadway, Justin has acted as associate designer for the productions of Something Rotten, Side Show, and It’s Only a Play. Justin also mixed the Broadway productions of Jekyll & Hyde and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Justin is excited to be a part of this team as his first experience at Asolo Repertory Theatre. Justin is a proud member of IATSE and USA/829.
WHO’S WHO IN THE CREATIVE TEAM ALEX BASCO KOCH FIRST SEASON (Projection Design) Projections design on Broadway: Irena's Vow (Walter Kerr). Selected OffBroadway: Bullet for Adolf (New World Stages); Goodbar (Waterwell, Under the Radar Festival, 2012); P.S. Jones and the Frozen City, Feeder (TerraNOVA Collective). Regional: Marley (Center Stage, Baltimore); The Invisible Man (Court Theatre, Chicago; Studio Theatre, Washington DC; Huntington Theatre Company, Boston); ReEntry (Center Stage, Baltimore; Round House, Bethesda, MD; Actors Theater of Louisville); 33 Variations (Capitol Repertory, Albany); La Casa de los Espiritus (Teatro Espressivo, Costa Rica; Mori Theater, Chile). Additional collaborators include the Director's Company, Theater MITU, The Woodshed Collective, the Assembly, SummerStage, Little Opera Theater, Dixon Place, Electric Pear, Shalimar, and the New Ensemble. Alex has taught master classes at the Colorado State University, University of North Carolina Wilmington, and Hamilton College. www.alexbascokoch.com STEVE ORICH SECOND SEASON (Music Supervisor/Arranger/ Orchestrator/Dance Arrangements) is happy to return to the Asolo Rep where he orchestrated Pulse. On Broadway, he received a Tony nomination for his orchestrations for Jersey Boys. Off-Broadway: Snoopy, Personals, A Good Swift Kick, Potholes, NYC Street Show. National Tours: Annie, Godspell, A Class Act. Regional Theatre: Paper Mill Playhouse, Hollywood Bowl, Pasadena Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, La Jolla Playhouse, Theatreworks, Asolo Rep, The Goodman Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals. As a composer, he has written music for numerous television series, specials, and documentaries including the ACE award-winning Mo' Funny for HBO, All About Bette Davis for TNT, and the awardwinning PBS/Lifetime documentary Jackie Onassis: An Intimate Portrait. He has also orchestrated and/or conducted dozens of albums including the Grammy-winning cast album for Jersey Boys. His orchestrations have been performed by the National Symphony, the Boston Pops, the BBC Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the White House and around the world. SINAI TABAK SECOND SEASON (Music Director/Conductor/Additional Arrangements) is thrilled to be back at Asolo Rep, having music directed Luck Be a Lady here last season. His other music direction credits include Les Misérables (Dallas Theater Center), Bells Are Ringing (Berkshire Theater Festival), Stars of David (OffBroadway),The Rocky Horror Show (Bucks County Playhouse), Johnny Baseball (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Family Album (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Justin Guarini’s Lovesick (Bucks County Playhouse), and workshops of The Total Bent (Public Theater), Damascus Square, American Psycho, and Murder at the Gates. He recently worked on the upcoming film version of Michael John LaChiusa’s Hello Again. He looks forward to returning to Asolo Rep in the fall to music direct Guys & Dolls. PUPPET KITCHEN PRODUCTIONS, INC (Puppet Design, Construction and Consultation) A trio of “Head Chefs” blend style with engineering to create dynamic visual stories and characters. Since 2008, Emily DeCola, Eric Wright, and Michael Schupbach have been designing, building, performing, directing, and teaching puppetry from their workshop in downtown New York City. They work in nearly every style of contemporary puppetry, including: shadows, TV/‘Muppet’ style, rod puppet, direct manipulation/‘Bunraku’ Style, Marionette, parade/costume, and even finger puppets. Some favorite recent projects & clients include The King and I and The Wiz (Maltz Jupiter Theater), Alice in Wonderland (New York City Opera), The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show & Other Timeless Stories (AUS Sydney Festival, USA Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre), Compulsion (Public Theater), The Soldier’s Tale (Orchestra of St. Luke’s), Disney Theme Parks, PBS, Mabou Mines, TheaterWorks USA, and The Disney Channel. PKP hosts workshops for the public and an internship
program at the studio, and creates original programming for all ages integrating puppetry, music, movement, and storytelling. More info at www.puppetkitchen.com MICHELLE HART THIRTEENTH SEASON (Resident Hair/Wig & Make-up Designer) is a licensed cosmetologist and certified professional makeup artist. Hart designs for Asolo Rep and FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet; Florida Studio Theatre; Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe; Banyan Theatre; Ruth Eckerd Hall; Venice Theatre; Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage and Open Stage Theatre (where she won the Award for Best Hair). She has also done hair and make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley and Richard Dreyfuss; Music videos “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain; short film Grief Splattered Canvas and feature film Paradise, FL. Her work has also been exhibited at SCF Fine Art Gallery in 2009 & 2013. SH ENTERTAINMENT (Casting) Stuart Howard and Paul Hardt are very happy to return to Asolo Repertory Theatre with Josephine. Previous Asolo Rep credits include: West Side Story, South Pacific. Along with casting for Broadway, Off-Broadway, National/ International Tours and Regional Theatres their favorite projects have been Gypsy with Tyne Daly, West Side Story and the upcoming The Nutty Professor directed by Jerry Lewis. LYNN STERLING FIRST SEASON (Associate Choreographer) has worked as a choreographic associate with Joey McKneely on The Molly Maguires, Nerds, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and Josephine. She has been a directorial associate on Angelina Ballerina, An Intolerant Vaudeville, and Yeah, That Happened, winner of the 2015 United Solo Festival’s Best Premiere Award. As a performer, Ms. Sterling appeared on Broadway in The Life, Cats, and the Encores! production of Pal Joey. Lynn starred as Billie Holiday to critical acclaim in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill at The Arena Stage in Washington, DC. She also had starring roles in national tours of Fosse, West Side Story, and Sophisticated Ladies. Her other national tours include Sweet Charity, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, Can-Can, Evita, and Anything Goes. JUDI GLOVER FIRST SEASON (Assistant Music Director/Keyboard 1) is excited to be making her debut with Asolo Repertory Theatre. Since relocating to Florida in 2013 after a lifetime in New Jersey, she has continued a career of piano instruction, and performs regularly with the Naples Jazz Orchestra, Soul Sensations, and Trinity Christian Fellowship Church in Sarasota. Upon graduating with a BM in classical piano performance from Rowan University, she became a faculty member at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and worked extensively in Atlantic City showrooms, and aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. KELLY A. BORGIA* EIGHTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Asolo Rep favorites include: West Side Story, All the Way, Both Your Houses; The Grapes of Wrath; 1776; The Heidi Chronicles; Noah Racey’s Pulse; My Fair Lady; Yentl; Hamlet, Prince of Cuba; Bonnie & Clyde; Las Meninas; The Life of Galileo; The Perfume Shop. Regional theatre credits include: 1776 (American Conservatory Theater); All in the Timing; Red; The Whipping Man; Boeing, Boeing; Deathtrap; Superior Donuts; Noises Off!; The Pavilion (Dorset Theatre Festival); Hedwig and the Angry Inch; Once on this Island; Betrayal (Hangar Theatre); Beauty and the Beast; The Full Monty (Northern Stage); The Miser; Picnic; am Sunday; Speed-the-Plow (CenterStage, Baltimore). Off-Broadway: Hurricane: A New Musical (2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival), Cato (The Flea Theatre). Big love to Travis, Zoe and all my beloved Borgias! Proud Member of Actors’ Equity Association. JOSEPHINE ASOLOREP.ORG
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WHO’S WHO IN THE CREATIVE TEAM VERONICA GRAVELINE* FIRST SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is so happy to return to Asolo Rep after assistant stage managing West Side Story. Veronica began her career with some wonderful independent companies in New York and has stage managed the international tour of West Side Story and the national tour of Annie. In addition to Stage Management, Veronica has worked in company management (Annie) and general management (West Side Story International). Favorite New York companies include IRT Theatre, Resonance Ensemble, and Rachel Reiner Productions. Proud Member AEA. LAURYN E. SASSO TENTH SEASON (Dramaturg) received her BA in Theatre Studies from Wellesley College and her MFA in Dramaturgy from UMass Amherst. She has also studied with Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA and the National Theater Institute at the O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. Previously, she worked at Perishable Theatre in Providence, R.I. and with the SPF Summer Play Festival in NYC. During her tenure at Asolo Rep, she has served as dramaturg for the theatre’s mainstage productions and New Stages education tours. She also co-adapted 2013’s New Stages Romeo & Juliet with director Dmitry Troyanovsky. She moderates the discussion series Inside Asolo Rep and is in her third season as Artistic Curator for Asolo Rep’s Unplugged Festival of New Work. PATRICIA DELOREY THIRTEENTH SEASON (Resident Voice and Dialect Coach) holds an MFA in Voice & Speech from MXAT/American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. She taught voice at the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia, the University of Bologna in Italy, and Harvard University. She currently teaches voice & dialects at FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Patricia works extensively as a professional voice and dialect coach including Bonnie & Clyde directed by Jeff Calhoun, 12 Angry Men directed by Frank Galati, Phaedra 4.48 directed by Robert Woodruff, Studio Six’s production of Plasticine directed by Dmitry Troyanovsky at the Baryshnikov Center, Saturday Night Fever for Royal Caribbean International Cruises, and the world premiere of Adam Rapp’s Nocturne directed by Marcus Stern.
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DEBORAH COX as Josephine Baker. Photo by Mike Ruiz. © Deco Recording Group, LLC.
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST JELANI ALLADIN* FIRST SEASON (Male Ensemble, u/s Sven) is excited to be making his Asolo Rep debut. His Off-Broadway credits include Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, and Lord Tom at the York Theatre Company. Regionally he starred as Pharus in Choir Boy by Tarell McCraney at both Marin Theatre Company and Studio Theatre of DC. His TV and film credits include Most Evil (Discovery ID) and High Maintenance (Vimeo). Jelani is a graduate of NYU Tisch New Studio on Broadway. jelanialladin.com Twitter: @jelanialladin TORI BATES FIRST SEASON (Young Josephine) is an 11 year old triple threat talent from Sarasota. Favorite theatre credits include Little Red Riding Hood (Into the Woods Jr.), Greta (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), and a solo singing Freak Flag (Shrek the Musical). When not on stage, Tori spends time enrolled in jazz, tap, ballet, and voice classes. With a passion for theatre, Tori loves what she does and is thankful for opportunities which allow her to grow as a performer. MARK CAMPBELL* FIRST SEASON (Prince Gustav VI of Sweden/Herr Goering) grew up in the Midwest and at any given time was often the tallest object in any direction. He fell in love with theatre at 7, but hated singing until he saw Les Misérables at 14 and realized how exciting two men singing loudly at each other about a loaf of bread could be. Specializing in tortured baritones, Mark originated the role of the Phantom for the 25th Anniversary tour. He has toured the country in Mamma Mia and Guys and Dolls. Mark can be seen from time to time in the Fox show Sleepy Hollow as George Washington. Love to my shockingly supportive family; both biological and hand-picked. DILLON CASSIDY FIRST SEASON (Male Ensemble, u/s Jo Bouillon) is so excited to be making his Asolo Rep debut. He was last seen aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines in Lights, Camera, Music! (Fred Astaire), Rock-A-Hula (Bernie), and in The Barber of Seville with Opera Philadelphia. Dillon has a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He would like to thank God, his family and friends, and Lisa and The Price Group for their support. ELYSE COLLIER* FIRST SEASON (Female Ensemble) is very excited to be making her Asolo Rep debut. A proud graduate of the Boston Conservatory, Elyse joined the 1st National Tour of Nice Work If You Can Get It following graduation and went on to play the role of Jeannie Muldoon in the first regional productions of Nice Work… at The Ogunquit Playhouse and Gateway Playhouse last summer. Other regional credits include: Lyric Theatre Oklahoma, Olney Theatre Center, and Central Square Theatre. She would like to thank God, her family, Joey, Peter, Henderson Hogan, and the entire cast and crew! elysecollier.com DEBORAH COX* FIRST SEASON (Josephine) Grammy® Award-nominated and multi-platinum R&B/pop recording artist Deborah Cox made her Broadway debut in the lead role in Elton John and Tim Rice’s musical, Aida. She returned to Broadway in Jekyll & Hyde (Lucy) and will star in The Bodyguard musical (Rachel Marron). Cox began her recording career as a background singer with Céline Dion, before securing her first recording contract with Rock and
Roll Hall of Famer Clive Davis. She has recorded six award-winning and critically-acclaimed albums, and has written and recorded on numerous celebrated soundtracks. Known around the world for her diverse music style, which includes R&B, pop, jazz and gospel, Cox has collaborated with such artists as Whitney Houston, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Josh Groban, The Isley Brothers, Cyndi Lauper, Sarah McLachlan, and numerous others. The Canadian born star has an impressive list of #1Billboard hit records, including twelve #1 songs on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart. ASIA DEKLE FIRST SEASON (Female Ensemble) is thrilled to make her professional theatre debut at Asolo Rep as a member of the ensemble. She previously appeared in a local production of Hands on a Hardbody and dedicates her performance in Josephine to her supportive family and friends, especially Austin. LYNETTE DuPREE* FIRST SEASON (Bricktop) is thrilled to make her Asolo Repertory Theatre debut. Broadway and national tour credits include Bring in da’ Noise, Bring in da’ Funk; Smokey Joe’s Café; Truly Blessed: A Musical Celebration of Mahalia Jackson; The Color Purple; and Dreamgirls. Television and film credits include Mike and Molly, The Mindy Project, Shameless, Angie Tribecca, Heartbeat, The Middle, Everybody Hates Chris, Scandal, ER, NYPD Blue, Law and Order, Southland, Random Hearts, and Their Eyes Were Watching God, just to name a few. Lynette can be heard as the voice of Ma Tembo the Elephant on the new animated Disney series, The Lion Guard. KEVIN EARLEY* FIRST SEASON (Jo Bouillon) arriving from La Mirada Theater in Empire, The Musical and thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut. Kevin’s Broadway/National Tour credits include Les Misérables, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and A Tale of Two Cities. In addition to receiving a NY Drama Desk Nomination for the title role in Death Takes a Holiday for the Roundabout, Kevin also received the L.A. Drama Critic’s Circle Award for 1776, a Joseph Jefferson Award for Assassins and four Ovation Nominations for leading roles in Can-Can, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, It Came From Beyond, and Side Show. Original cast recordings include A Tale of Two Cities, Ten Commandments, and Death Takes a Holiday. More at kevinearley.com LAURA KELLER*+ FIRST SEASON (Female Ensemble, Dance Captain) is not only thrilled to be performing in her home state of Florida, but is super pumped to work on Josephine again, after performing in the New York lab in 2011. Regional credits include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, La Cage Aux Folles, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, On The Town, And The Curtain Rises (World Premiere, Signature Theater), and The Ghosts of Versailles at LA Opera. TV credits include The Middle, Anger Management, and Bunheads. www.laura-keller.com
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WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST MICHAEL KEYLOUN* FIRST SEASON (Sven) Josephine marks Mr. Keyloun’s Asolo Rep debut. Off-Broadway, Michael co-starred in Clifford Odets’ Rocket to the Moon with Ned Eisenberg and Jonathan Hadary, and played opposite Everett Quinton in the world premiere of Drop Dead Perfect. Michael has worked extensively in theaters across the country, including Goodspeed Musicals, Shakespeare Theatre of DC, Denver Center, St. Louis Rep, Hartford Stage, Pioneer Theatre, Triad Stage, Long Wharf, La Jolla Playhouse, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, among others. His film and TV credits include The Road from Erebus, The Try-Out, and The Thing (webseries). He has an MFA from UCSD. www.michaelkeyloun.com MATTHEW McGEE* FIRST SEASON (Joujou) appeared at Asolo Rep in All the Way and Living on Love this season. He recently starred as Auntie Mame in freeFall Theatre’s production of Mame and has long been a fixture on the Florida arts scene as an actor and drag performer for the past 15 years. His favorite credits include Katisha in The Mikado (also at freeFall), Mother Superior in The Divine Sister (Stageworks Tampa), and Douglas Panch in Spelling Bee (American Stage In The Park). Follow Matthew on Twitter and Instagram @heresmatthew! ALISON MIXON* FIRST SEASON (Female Ensemble, u/s Serafina) is excited to be making her Asolo Rep debut. A graduate of The Juilliard School, Alison lives in New York City, where she performed the role of Dodo in Susan Stroman’s production of The Merry Widow at the Metropolitan Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Her theatrical credits include Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Dodgers Theatrical, Music Circus, Baltimore Centerstage, Pasadena Playhouse, and Disneyland Entertainment. Her film, TV, and commercial credits include Dance Flick, Smash, eBay, Welspun, and The Moment. Alison also teaches dance for Alvin Ailey, The Joffrey Ballet School, and Dance Theatre of Harlem. www.alisonmixon.com.
JULIAN RAMOS* FIRST SEASON (Male Ensemble, u/s Joujou) is thrilled to be joining the Asolo Rep family in Josephine. NY Credits: West Side Story (Carnegie Hall). Regional: MTWichita & RMRT. Proud Alum of The School at Jacob’s Pillow. Endless love and thanks to The Mine, IUMT, Liza Gennaro, & Em-Abs-Al. For Mom. @_julianramos JORDAN SOBEL THIRD YEAR STUDENT, FIRST SEASON (Male Ensemble) appeared at Asolo Rep in All the Way and Disgraced. Regional credits include: The Donkey Show (American Repertory Theatre), The Corn Is Green (Huntington Theatre Company), She Kills Monsters (Company One), Of Mice and Men (Moonbox Productions), and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Riverside Theatre Works). Jordan would like to thank his sponsors Nancy Stevenson, Nona Heaslip, Ron Banyay, the spirit of Esther M. Mertz, and his parents for their continuous love and support. NAOMI C. WALLEY* FIRST SEASON (Mama/ Serafina/Female Ensemble, u/s Josephine) Asolo Rep debut. Theatre: West Side Story (Int’l Tour, u/s Anita); Hairspray; Promises, Promises; Meet Me in St. Louis; The Drowsy Chaperone (MGR Playhouse). TV: The Get Down (Netflix Original), Victoria Secret Fashion Show 2015 (w/ Selena Gomez). Other credits: New York Fashion Week 2014/ 2015, Daddy Yankee “King Daddy” North American tour. Giving all honor to God, sending light, love and peace. This is for John, Jerra, and Mary. Follow @naomicwalley ZACH WILLIAMS* FIRST SEASON (Male Ensemble, u/s Prince Gustav VI of Sweden/Herr Goering) is thrilled to be making his Asolo Repertory Theatre debut. Favorite credits include the world premiere of Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz (Flat Rock Playhouse), Billy Elliot (North Shore), White Christmas (Fulton), Will Rogers Follies (Maltz Jupiter), and Dick McGann in Street Scene (Florida State University). Zach would like to thank Joey for this very special opportunity; and his friends, family, and mentors for all their love and support. Also a special dedication to my aunt, I would not be where I am today without you. www.zachforesterwilliams.com
* Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. + Dance Captain
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WHO’S WHO IN THE MUSICIANS TOM ELLISON SECOND SEASON (Woodwind 1) Asolo Rep: Luck Be A Lady, West Side Story. Tom has performed with Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Doc Severinsen, and many other big name artists. He performs with the Naples Jazz Orchestra, Hip Pocket, Soul Sensations, Sarasota Orchestra, Venice Symphony, and Naples Philharmonic. Pit credits: Smokey Joe’s Café, The World Goes ‘Round, Hairspray, Inspired Lunacy (Florida Studio Theatre). National tours: 42nd Street, Pippin, Book of Mormon, Kinky Boots. Bachelor of Music from SUNY Fredonia. JACK KEELING SECOND SEASON (Woodwinds 2) is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. He is former lead reed player with the Glenn Miller Orchestra (dir. Jimmy Henderson) and the Harry James Orchestra (yes, while Harry was still leading it). He has performed in shows throughout Florida and is pleased to participate in this production of Josephine. TIM MULLIGAN FIRST SEASON (Drums) is thrilled to make his official debut at Asolo Rep. Since graduating from Humber College in Toronto, Canada, Tim has enjoyed success as a freelancer with many groups, including jazz bands, big bands, percussion ensembles, symphony orchestras, and dance bands. Since 2001, Tim has primarily toured with various Broadway shows as both a percussionist and drummer. Favorite National and International Tours include: The Wizard of Oz, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Wicked (Munchkinland tour), West Side Story, Grease, and Cats. GREG NIELSEN FIRST SEASON (Trombone) has had a long career of jazz performances with “Native Brass” and “Foot Note Jazz Band.” He has performed with well-known musicians like Michael Feinstein, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Johnny Mathis, and pop groups including The Four Tops and The Temptations. Greg has trained young students who toured Europe at major jazz festivals including Montreux, North Sea, and Tuscany. He currently produces musical videos and audio cd’s.
BILL O’HARA THIRD SEASON (Woodwinds 2 Sub) is a veteran of Broadway show tours (42nd Street, Evita), Columbia Artist tours, many of the Big Bands, TV (Lawrence Welk), & Recordings. Since retiring to Sarasota, he has performed in the Venice Symphony and for most of the area’s professional & community theaters. He is a member of the Sarasota Jazz Project and freelances throughout Florida. DON PARKER FOURTH SEASON (Trombone Sub) a Sarasota native, was awarded a BM degree in trombone performance from the Swinney Conservatory of Music at CMU. He toured with many shows, including the famous RBBB Circus Blue Unit as Trombonist and Assoc. Conductor. This is Don’s third show with Asolo Rep, past credits being 1776 and Barnum. Don performs freelance with groups including the Sarasota Jazz Project Big Band, The Jazz Legacy Big Band, and The First Brass Choir. DAVID PRUYN FIRST SEASON (Trumpet) comes to Asolo Rep with a lengthy resume of jazz and show experience. Broadway credits include: A Chorus Line, Cats, The Tap Dance Kid, and Starlight Express. Show and jazz affiliations include Mel Torme; Harry Connick, Jr.; Michael Feinstein; and Manhattan Transfer; among numerous others. BILL SWARTSBAUGH SECOND SEASON (Bass) is in his second season at Asolo Rep. He is a veteran of musical theater having performed in many popular musicals including the national tours of Wicked, Mary Poppins, and West Side Story. Bill is also an adjunct professor at the University of Tampa. KEVIN WU FIRST SEASON (Keyboard 2/Rehearsal Pianist) is grateful to be back at Asolo Rep after working on West Side Story. He is an active recitalist and collaborator, and serves as music director/ pianist at First United Church of Tampa. He also teaches at Patel Conservatory and maintains a private studio. Wu holds a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and an MM from University of Southern California.
Kevin Earley and Deborah Cox. Photo by John Revisky. Photo taken at The Ringling Museum of Art.
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THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS 2015-2016 SEASON SUPPORTERS MAJOR SEASON SUPPORTERS Bob and Beverly Bartner • David and Betty-Jean Bavar • Susan and Jim Buck • Margot and Warren Coville Carole Crosby, Ruby E. and Carole Crosby Family Foundation • John and Christine Currie • Herman and Sharon Frankel • Larry and Debbie Haspel Nona Macdonald Heaslip • The Huisking Foundation • Stanley Kane, in honor of Janet Kane • Carolyn Keystone and Jim Meekison • Beverly L. Koski David Peterson • Lee and Bob* Peterson • Carol Phillips • Maurice Richards and Jack Kesler • Audrey Robbins and Harry Leopold • Alice and Norman Tulchin Ted and Jean Weiller • Charles O. Wood, III and Miriam M. Wood Foundation • Judy Zuckerberg and George Kole *in memoriam
THANK YOU TO OUR 2015-2016 MAJOR SEASON SPONSORS VIRGINIA B. TOULMIN FOUNDATION
THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS FOR YOUR NEW OR INCREASED ANNUAL FUND GIFTS. YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE! (Gifts pledged between December 11, 2015 and April 8, 2016. Asolo Rep gratefully recognizes all gifts of $125 or more.) George Allison and Alan Watkins, Co-Producer, Josephine The Rose Family, in loving memory of Jules Rose, Co-Producer, All the Way and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Kim K. Githler, Asolo Rep Adventures Sponsor Twenty7 North Group at Morgan Stanley, Corporate Night Sponsor EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Howard and Diana Armbrust, to the Asolo Rep Guild in memory of Lynn Kopman Jennie Branagan, West Side Story and Hetty Feather Family Access Bianca and Richard Lawrence and Wayne and Mindy Rollins, New Stages Tour David and Betty-Jean Bavar, Flori Roberts, and Ed and Mary Lou Winnick, New Stages Tour DIRECTORS' SOCIETY Anonymous • Mr. and Mrs. Alden Abraham • Bill and Linda Berliner • Mr. Jerry Bilik • Ms. Myrna Blume • Peggy Allen and Steve Dixon • Mrs. Thalia Dorwick Frances Fergusson and John Bradbury • Daniel and Arlene Fisher • Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Greene • Dr. and Mrs. Mark Kauffman • Patricia Lenke Gene Noble • Samuel and Susan Samelson • Dr. Robert and Mona Snyder • Liz Thompson • Norden Wetstone • Penny and John Wilson CELESTIAL ANGELS Anonymous • Linda and Alex Beavers • Charles and Nancy Blackburn • Dr. Janet Brown and Dr. Margaret R. Martin • James Courter • George E. Doty III Mr. Robert Harris • Laura and Michael Hassan • Bruce Lehman • Ms. H. Lee Levins • Martin and Beverly Rosenberg • Mr. and Mrs. David Snyder ATTENDANT ANGELS Anonymous • Jerry and Sue Ellen Addicott • Dolores Andrew • Howard Baker and Sharon Weinstock Joanne Barker • Barbara K. Bennett • Ellen Berman, in honor of Flora Major • Phoebe H. Bowers • Mr. Michael Brown • Laura Buckland Janice and Thomas Burne • Major General and Mrs. William E. Cooper, Jr. • Ms. Anne Deckert • Jean Dorton • Hal and Jean Craig Flynn Rev. Joel Fried • The Guernsey Family • William and Carol Jones • Alan Kesten • John and Joyce Leone • Carol Mangano • Adrienne J. Matcham Bernadette and Jim Meisenheimer • Susan Frances Mikulay • Maralyn and Raymond Morrissey • Mr. and Mrs. John Mulkin • Margaret Munson Mr. and Mrs. Don Osmon • Mr. and Mrs. Bruce E. Rapee • Mary Jo and Richard Reston • Carol and Fred Rickard • Mr. William Scott • Marilyn Sellman Barbara Simon and Richard Enslein • George Steitz • Diran and Virgina Tashian • Dr. Dawn F. Thomas • Mary Jane Tolpa • Jean Wood SPIRIT ANGELS Ms. Irene Antoniou • Dr. Leonard Apfelbach • David and Violet Bailin Family Fund • Edward and Judy Balmer • George & Deborah Baxter Barbara W. Blumfield • Ina and Carl Born • Mrs. Gay H. Boylston • Heidi R. Brown and David Lyles • Grace Budrys and Dan Lortie • Cynthia Charles Mary Ann Cona • Ms. Catherine J. Cooper • Dr. and Mrs. Robert Crootof • Barbara Frankel and Ronald Michalak • Michael and Jean Freed Mr. and Mrs. David Friedlander, in honor of Harriett Krass • Robert and Irene Fritsch • Joanna McClelland Glass • Ben and Judith Handelman Mr. and Mrs. Donald Helgeson • Philip H. Hubbell • Judith and William Hughes • Herbert Hurwitz and Judith Feldman Daniel Idzik and Kathleen Osborne • Anthony Low Joseph • Richard M. Joseph and Anne R. Friedman • Steven Kalt and Robert Heeren Marvin W. Ostroff and Susan Schaen • Robert and Carole Kay • G. William and Lorraine Kupper • Arthur and Marcella Levin • Mrs. Caryl Magnus Gordon and Susan MacLeod • Mrs. Dianne A. McLoughlin • Georgia and Dick Meyerson • George Milburn • Helene Morgenstern Marvin W. Ostroff and Susan Schaen • Colette Purcell • Mr. and Mrs. Samir Ragheb • Harriet and Raymond Resnick • Ms. Janice Reuther Marta Riordan • Gerald and Sarah Rudnitski • Barry Safir • Ms. Norma Schatz • Rookie and Jordan Shifrin • Rae Spicer Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stottlemyer • Barbara Struth • Susan Thomas • Mr. and Mrs. George Troy • Tom and Cheryl Walker • James Walsh Dr. and Mrs. Herbert Waltzer • Mary Lou Warner • Hannah Weinberg • Leon and Janet Weisbord • Mrs. Lisa G. West • Bain and Curt White Jackie and Frank Williams • Mr. Richard Wolf
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GIFTS IN SUPPORT OF THE PARTNERSHIP WITH FSU/ASOLO CONSERVATORY Paula and Jon Stein, Student Fellowship Cheryl and Alasdair MacLauchlan, Associate Friend of the Conservatory Ken and Colleen Rice, Associate Friend of the Conservatory David C. Logan and Dennis M. Kovach, Benefactor Friend of the Conservatory Mrs. Lola Hoenig, Attendant Friend of the Conservatory ExxonMobil Foundation Matching Gifts Program JOSEPHINE ASOLOREP.ORG
Thank you to the many generous donors who contributed to Asolo Rep’s Endowment Matching Challenge! Your gifts and pledges totaling $6 million will be matched with an additional $2 million from our anonymous donors who helped Asolo Rep create and underwrite the Challenge, in partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation. These gifts to Asolo Rep’s endowment are gifts that will last forever, generating income each season for Asolo Rep’s productions, education programs and work in the community. We send a very special thank you to our Endowment Co-Chairs Ed and Mary Lou Winnick, their dedicated board team of Bob Baer, Warren Coville and Joan Wood, and to the anonymous donors who matched each gift during this catalyst drive to build Asolo Rep’s endowment. Your leadership and generosity have placed endowment giving as an institutional priority, an effort Asolo Rep will continue well into the future.
THANK YOU! Anonymous • Peggy and Ken Abt • Patricia and Richard Anderson • Asolo Repertory Theatre Guild • Pat and Bob Baer Bob and Beverly Bartner • David and Betty-Jean Bavar • Donald H. and Barbara K. Bernstein • Kimberly and Etienne Bleach Susan and Jim Buck • Don and Jo Ann Burhart • Scott Bushey • Carol B. Camiener • Terry and Jim Chandler Thomas J. and Ann J. Charters • The Cohn Family/Gershom Cohn* • Even Collinsworth • Margot and Warren Coville Carole Crosby, Ruby E. and Carole Crosby Family Foundation • Designing Women Boutique • Christine Collard Devereaux Linda DiGabriele and Gary Sweetman • Michael Donald Edwards • Iris and Robert Fanger • Wendy and Jerry Feinstein Fergeson, Skipper, Shaw, Keyser, Baron & Tirabassi P.A. • Florida Department of State, Cultural Endowment Program Herman and Sharon Frankel • Shelley and Sy Goldblatt • Rita and Ron Greenbaum • Perry and Rose M. Harten* Lawrence and Deborah Haspel • Bette and Arn Hoffman • Charles L. Huisking, III • Anne E. Jones Beverly Koski, Koski Family Foundation • Philip and Nancy Kotler • Cheryl and Alasdair MacLauchlan Flora Major • Nancy Markle • John and Elenor Maxheim • Sean and Melanie Natarajan • Saralyn and Gene Oberdorfer Dr. Hal E. Ott • Carol Phillips • Maurice Richards and Jack Kesler • Flori Roberts • Judy Rudges• Ulla R. Searing* Toby and Noel Siegel • Ted and Mary Ann Simon • Wes and Nancy Stukenberg • Hobart and Janis Swan Janet and Bruce Udell • Ted and Jean Weiller • Allen and Sally Weintraub • John and Myrna Welch Stephen V. Wilberding and Teri A Hansen • Mary Lou and Edward Winnick • Edie Winston • Joan H. Wood William A. Yandow* • Judith Zuckerberg Foundation and George Kole *in memoriam
For more information on Asolo Rep’s Endowment and how you can become involved, please contact our Director of Development, Tricia Mire, at (941) 351-9010 ext. 4700.
JOSEPHINE ASOLOREP.ORG
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Asolo Rep presents the U.S. Premiere of
THE PERFECT JUNE 2-26
Charles Dickens meets Orphan Annie meets the circus in this thrilling theatrical masterpiece that took the U.K. by storm.
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‘An utterly magnificent show’ – Evening Standard
‘A triumph. A touching and absorbing tale for all ages’ – British Theatre
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ASOLO REPERTORY THEATRE
NOMINEE
941.351.8000 asolorep.org Photos by Helen Mu
SPONSORS:
rray.
FAMILY PACKAGES AVAILABLE!
Phoebe Thomas in Hetty Feather. Photo by Helen Murray.
FAMILY TREAT
WELCOME TO
asolorep 16 - 17 Recognized as one of the leading professional theatres in America and one of the largest in the southeastern United States, Asolo Rep is proud to announce our 2016-17 lineup of shows, marking our 58th season!
One of the few select theatres in the nation that performs in true rotating repertory, Asolo Rep’s highly-skilled acting company and extensive craftsmanship bring to life this unique performance method that gives audiences the opportunity to see multiple productions in the span of a few days. Through ambitious theatrical offerings and groundbreaking education and audience development programming, Asolo Rep is committed to expanding our reach into the community, furthering our collaboration with the best theatre artists working in the industry today and cultivating new artists of the American theatre through our affiliation with the FSU/ Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. In Sarasota, a city that is recognized as the arts and culture capital of Florida, Asolo Rep represents artistic achievement on its highest level. A very special THANK YOU to our treasured audience members, loyal supporters and community organizations who make these productions possible.
GUYS AND DOLLS NOVEMBER 15–JANUARY 1
THE GREAT SOCIETY JANUARY 11–APRIL 2
THE ORIGINALIST JANUARY 18–MARCH 5
BORN YESTERDAY FEBRUARY 8–APRIL 15
THE LITTLE FOXES MARCH 15–APRIL 15
BEATSVILLE
WORLD PREMIERE APRIL 27–MAY 28
THE ELABORATE ENTRANCE OF CHAD DEITY IN THE COOK THEATRE APRIL 5–30
SUMMER PRODUCTION
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
941.351.8000 or 800.361.8388 LEARN MORE AT ASOLOREP.ORG
To be announced soon! JUNE 1–25 NEW STAGES TOUR
HAMLET
SEPTEMBER 27–NOVEMBER 22, 2016