ASOLO REPERTORY THEATRE
2015-16 SEASON
NOV. 13 – DEC. 27
PREVIEWS NOV. 10, 11 & 12
ASOLO REPERTORY THEATRE PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MICHAEL DONALD EDWARDS
CAST
in order of appearance
MANAGING DIRECTOR LINDA DIGABRIELE
PROUDLY PRESENTS
WEST SIDE STORY Based on a Conception of
Music by
Lyrics by
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Book by
ARTHUR LAURENTS
JEROME ROBBINS
Entire Original Production Directed and Choreographed by
JEROME ROBBINS Directed by JOEY McKNEELY Choreography Reproduced by JOEY McKNEELY Music Direction by DONALD CHAN Scenic Design
Costume Design
Lighting Design
Sound Design
Hair/Wig & Make-up Design
LEE SAVAGE
ANN HOULD-WARD
BRIAN NASON
KEVIN KENNEDY
MICHELLE HART
Production Stage Manager
KELLY A. BORGIA* New York Casting
PAUL HARDT, STUART HOWARD ASSOCIATES
Dramaturg
Associate Music Director
Associate Choreographer
Voice & Dialect Coach
LAURYN E. SASSO
MICHAEL DUFF
JACQUELYN SCAFIDI ALLSOPP
PATRICIA DELOREY
Assistant Stage Manager
Assistant Lighting Designers
Stage Management Apprentice
Literary Apprentice
LUAMAR CERVEJEIRA JESSICA CREAGER
MARISSA PUIG
DEANIE VALLONE
VERONICA GRAVELINE*
CO-PRODUCERS
Gerri Aaron • Joan and Larry Castellani • William Evans • Herman and Sharon Frankel • Rita and Ron Greenbaum • The Huisking Foundation, Charlie Huisking John and Elenor Maxheim • Ronni and George Minnig • Carol Phillips • Audrey Robbins and Harry Leopold • Richard and Gail Rubin The Samowitz Foundation, Paulette Samowitz and Lani Haynes • Joyce Tate, in loving memory of Bob Tate Thank you to the following Artistic Excellence Society members for their special support of West Side Story. ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE SOCIETY LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
David Peterson • Lee and Bob** Peterson • Alice and Norman Tulchin • Charles O. Wood, III and Miriam M. Wood Foundation SOCIETY MEMBERS
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, Charlie Huisking • Nancy Markle 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
Originally Produced on Broadway by Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince By Arrangement with Roger L. Stevens WEST SIDE STORY is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International [MTI]. All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY. Phone: 212-541-4684 Fax: 212-397-4684 www.MTIShows.com
Directors are members of 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.
AMOS WOLFF*............................................................................................................Riff BRETT THIELE*.......................................................................................................Action MICHAEL CALLAHAN*............................................................................................A-Rab SEAN ROLLOFSON*................................................................................................Diesel RAYNOR RUBEL...................................................................................................Big Deal DANIEL RUSSELL*...........................................................................................Baby John CALEB DICKE......................................................................................................Snowboy ANDRÉS ACOSTA*..............................................................................................Bernardo TRAVANTE S. BAKER*……............................…………………......…………..Nibbles JAMES GREGORY JEFFERY…....…................…………………………..………Moose VIRGIL MATELAU.....................................................................................................Chino ANTHONY RAIMONDI†………..............................................…………………..Anxious ALEJANDRO FONSECA..............................................................................................Pepe KENN CHRISTOPHER*.........................................................................Officer Krupke/Doc STEVEN SEAN GARLAND*.................................................Lieutenant Schrank/Glad Hand TAHLIA JOANNA BYERS....................................................................................Anybody’s MARC KOECK*..........................................................................................................Tony JENNA BURNS*.......................................................................................................Maria MARY ANTONINI*.....................................................................................................Anita VICTORIA BYRD………..........……………………………………………..Marguerita MARILYN CASERTA................................................................................................Rosalia ISABELLE McCALLA*…......……….................……………………………..Francisca MICHELLE WEST…………....….……………………………………………Conseula BRIANNA ABRUZZO.............................................................................................Graziella JILL GITTLEMAN….................…..........…………………...……..……..Velma/Teresita KATHRYN HUXTABLE…….....……......................………...............……………..Minnie
ORCHESTRA
in alphabetical order
TERI BOOTH...................................................................................................Woodwind 2 JOHN COOLEY...................................................................................................Trombone MATTHEW DENDY..............................................................................................Violin Sub MICHAEL DUFF.................................................................................Piano/Sub Conductor THOMAS DURANTE..............................................................................................Sinfonia TOM ELLISON.................................................................................................Woodwind 1 CARLANN EVANS......................................................................................................Violin PAUL GAVIN............................................................................................................Drums SUSANNAH KELLY.....................................................................................................Cello VICTOR MONGILLO...............................................................................................Trumpet AARON NIX……………....……........…………………………....................Percussion JANIS POTTER…………...………..…………………………………..Percussion Sub CHRISTIAN REGUL………...…...……………………………………Rehearsal Pianist BILL SWARTZBAUGH……...........................…………………………....................Bass KEVIN WU……………...…....………………….........……………………...Piano Sub
SETTING The mid 1950s. The action takes place on the West Side of New York City during the last days of summer. West Side Story will be performed with one intermission.
*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. †Dance Captain The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. 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, Charlie Huisking 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
SPONSORED BY
SEASON SPONSORS VIRGINIA B. TOULMIN FOUNDATION
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SCENES & MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT ONE PROLOGUE: THE MONTHS BEFORE Prologue...............................…………………………………………………………………………Orchestra
SCENE 1: THE STREET – 5:00 P.M. Jet Song….........……………...............…..…............……………………………………………….….Riff, Jets Jet Song Chase………...........………….……….………………….........……………………...……...Orchestra
SCENE 2: A BACK YARD – 5:30 P.M. Something’s Coming………..…….…………………………............…………………………...……………Tony Something’s Coming Chase…….…………………………..........………………………………….....Orchestra
SCENE 3: A BRIDAL SHOP – 6:00 P.M. SCENE 4: THE GYM – 10:00 P.M. The Dance at the Gym—Blues…………..……………........………………...………………………..Orchestra Promenade……………………………………………...........……………………………..…………..Orchestra Mambo……………………………………………............……………………………………………..Orchestra Cha-Cha……………………………………………............……………………………………………Orchestra Meeting Scene………..…………………...........………………………………………………………..Orchestra Jump……………………………….............………………………………………………………….…Orchestra Maria………………………….……...............…………………………………………………………………Tony
SCENE 5: A BACK ALLEY – 11:00 P.M. Balcony Scene (Tonight)………….............…………………………………………………………..Maria, Tony America……………………………………..…...........……………………………….Anita, Rosalia, Shark Girls America to Drugstore Transition……….………........…………………………………………...……Orchestra
SCENE 6: THE DRUGSTORE – MIDNIGHT Cool………………………………………….…………..............…………..………………………….…..Riff, Jets Cool Chase…………………………..…………….………...…........................................................Orchestra Under Dialogue and Change of Scene…………….….....………………………………………..…Orchestra
THE NEXT DAY SCENE 7: THE BRIDAL SHOP – 5:30 P.M. Under Dialogue………………….………….…............………………………………………………....Orchestra One Hand, One Heart…………………………………..........…………………………...……………Tony, Maria
SCENE 8: THE NEIGHBORHOOD – 6:00 TO 9:00 P.M. Tonight…………………………………………........…………Jets, Sharks, Anita, Tony, Maria, Riff, Bernardo
SCENE 9: UNDER THE HIGHWAY – 9:00 P.M. The Rumble…………………….………............………………………..………………………………..Orchestra
ACT TWO SCENE 1: MARIA'S BEDROOM – 9:15 P.M. I Feel Pretty……….…………….………...........………………………..Maria, Consuela, Rosalia, Francisca Under Dialogue……………...........………………………………………………………………………Orchestra Ballet Sequence……………….…...........…….....…………………………………..………………..Tony, Maria Transition to Scherzo………....………….………………..........……………………………...……….Orchestra Scherzo………………….………………………………............…………………………...………..Orchestra Somewhere……………………………………………..............…………………………………………Rosalia Procession and Nightmare………………..……………........………………………….Tony, Maria, Company
SCENE 2: ANOTHER ALLEY – 10:00 P.M. Gee, Officer Krupke…………………..….………...........……………………………………………………...Jets
SCENE 3: MARIA'S BEDROOM – 11:30 P.M. A Boy Like That/I Have a Love……………………………............…………………………...……Maria, Anita Change of Scene………………………..………………..........………………………….……………..Orchestra
SCENE 4: THE DRUGSTORE – 11:40 P.M. Taunting Scene………….…………………………………............………………………………....….Orchestra
SCENE 5: THE CELLAR – 11:50 P.M. SCENE 6: THE STREET – MIDNIGHT Finale………………..………………………………………..............………………………….…...…Tony, Maria
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WHO’S WHO IN THE CREATIVE TEAM JACQUELYN SCAFIDI ALLSOPP FIRST SEASON (Associate Choreographer) A native of Brooklyn, New York, Jacque has been a soloist with such companies as Feld Ballets NY/Ballet Tech, Smuin Ballet SF, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, International Tours of West Side Story, and Momix. She was also the Associate Choreographer for Broadway’s 1st National tour of West Side Story (director Arthur Laurents) in USA, Europe, and Australia (director Joey McKneely). Jacque has also taught pieces for students at the prestigious Juilliard School. Jacque has done both modeling and print work. Her credits include Elle Magazine, Baryshnikov Dance Wear, Revolution Dance Wear, Dance Magazine, Pointe Magazine, Dance Spirit, runway shows in Bryant Park, Lois Greenfield Photography. Most recently Jacque has welcomed two beautiful baby girls into this world that are currently her heart and soul.
MICHAEL DUFF FIRST SEASON (Associate Music Director/Piano/Sub Conductor) Broadway: The News; National tours: West Side Story, Cats, Les Misérables, Starlight Express, Nunsense with Dody Goodman, 42nd Street, Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. International tours: 42nd Street- Moscow, The Sound of Music- Asia, The King and I- Asia, Cinderella with Lea Salonga- Asia. Resident Musical Director: Burt Reynolds Jupiter Theatre (1981-1988), Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theatre (1991-1996). Composer: Phantom of the Country Opera (Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theatre), Joseph Jefferson Award nominee for Best New Work, published by Music Theatre International; Rodeo (ASCAP/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop winner); At Wit’s End (Florida Stage and Northlight Theatre), Carbonell Award winner for Best New Work. Other credits: Who’s Who In Entertainment, guest conductor, Grant Park Orchestra.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN (Music) Composer, conductor, author, teacher, and recording artist, Bernstein transformed the way Americans and people everywhere hear and appreciate music. A few of his many compositions include the symphonies Jeremiah and The Age of Anxiety, the theatre piece Mass, Chichester Psalms, Divertimento, the film score for On the Waterfront, the ballets Fancy Free and Facsimile, and the operas Trouble in Tahiti and A Quiet Place. He was music director of the New York Philharmonic from 1958 to 1969 and, over his lifetime, conducted many of the major orchestras of the world. His Broadway musicals include Wonderful Town, Candide, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and the immensely popular West Side Story.
VERONICA GRAVELINE* FIRST SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is delighted to make her debut at Asolo Rep after spending the last year on the National Tour of Annie. She previously stage managed the 20122014 International Tour of West Side Story and is happy to be working with Joey and Don again. 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 Theater, Resonance Ensemble, and Rachel Reiner Productions. Proud Member AEA as of this production.
KELLY A. BORGIA* EIGHTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Asolo Rep favorites include: 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; A.M. 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. DONALD CHAN FIRST SEASON (Music Director, Conductor) has worked extensively as a conductor, musical director, and composer. He holds an MS degree (Juilliard) and completed his DMA at the University of Colorado. He has served as musical director for many works, including Cabaret and The Phantom of the Opera. Regional credits include productions at the American Conservatory Theater, Seattle Opera, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and St. Louis Municipal Opera. Over the span of his career, he has collaborated with the likes of Gene Kelly, Ethel Merman, and Chita Rivera. The San Jose Symphony featured him as the piano soloist for Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2: The Age of Anxiety. As composer, he has written for many ensembles, and provided music to Ibsen and Brecht plays and the PBS documentary March of the Living. He has served as musical director for more performances of West Side Story than any conductor, including recent productions at the Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris, France) and the Sadler’s Wells Dance Theatre (London). 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, Twelve 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.
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, West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theater, 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. ANN HOULD-WARD FIRST SEASON (Costume Designer) Select Broadway: The Color Purple (2015 Revival), The Visit, A Free Man of Color (Drama Desk nomination), A Catered Affair (Drama Desk nomination), Beauty and the Beast (Tony Award, American Theatre Wing’s Design Award, Ovation Award, Oliver nomination), Into the Woods (Tony, Drama Desk nominations, L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award), Sunday in the Park with George (Tony, Drama Desk Nominations). Off-Broadway: Hamlet (Public Theater), Passion revival at CSC, Russian Transport Cymbeline. Film: Strike! Other: Metropolitan Opera – Peter Grimes, Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus 2001 & 2003, The Most Happy Fella (NYC Opera), L.A Opera –Mahagonny, Graciela Daniele (Ballet Hispanico), Lar Lubovitch (the White Oak Project – San Francisco Ballet), American Ballet Theatre (Othello, Artemis, and Meadow), Alvin Ailey (Reminiscin’, Saddle Up, Morning Star). Over 100 regional theater credits, US Representative for the International Design Quadrennial in Prague, and Recipient of the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Patricia Zipprodt Award. KEVIN KENNEDY NINTH SEASON (Sound Designer) Credits include Luck Be A Lady, Noah Racey’s Pulse, 1776, Deathtrap, and Bonnie & Clyde (pre-Broadway) at Asolo Repertory Theatre; This Wonderful Life at Asolo Rep, Cleveland Play House, Syracuse Stage, Laguna Playhouse, and North Coast Rep; The Colored Museum at Huntington Theater Company; Moonshine at Dallas Theater Center; Nilo Cruz’s Hurricane for the RIAF and Arca Images/MDCA; 1776 and A Little Night Music at A.C.T.; The Rocky Horror Show at The Old Globe; Mamma Mia!, Joseph And His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Flashdance tours; Production Engineer/Assistant Designer for Sister Act, Bonnie & Clyde, and Kinky Boots (2013 Sound Design Tony Award) on Broadway.
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WHO’S WHO IN THE CREATIVE TEAM ARTHUR LAURENTS (Book) An award-winning playwright, screenwriter, librettist, director, and producer, Arthur Laurents has been responsible for creating the librettos of many Broadway shows including Gypsy, Anyone Can Whistle, Do I Hear A Waltz?, Hallelujah, Baby!, and Nick & Nora. He wrote the screenplays for The Snake Pit, Anna Lucasta, Anastasia, Bonjour Tristesse, The Way We Were, and The Turning Point. He also wrote the plays Home Of The Brave, The Time of The Cuckoo, and A Clearing of The Woods. He directed I Can Get It for You Wholesale, Anyone Can Whistle, Gypsy, La Cage Aux Folles, Birds Of Paradise, and Nick & Nora. JOEY McKNEELY FIRST SEASON (Director and Choreographer) has directed/choreographed West Side Story throughout the world including 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. VICTOR MEYRICH FORTY-SEVENTH SEASON (Production Manager) is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and serves as consultant for the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969. MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting schools as well as amateur and professional theatres from around the world the rights to perform the largest selection of great musicals from Broadway and beyond. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists, and book writers of these shows to provide official scripts, musical materials, and dynamic theatrical resources to over 60,000 theatrical organizations in the US and in over 60 countries worldwide. See more at www.mtishows.com BRIAN NASON FIRST SEASON (Lighting Designer) 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, Threepenny Opera with Sting, Metamorphosis with Mikhail Baryshnikov (Tony Nomination). Opera: Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain, Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, The End of the Affair, Three Decembers, Salome (NYCO), West Side Story (La Scala). Off Broadway Brian has designed more than 60 shows including: Cagney The Musical, Texas in Paris, The Emperor Jones, The Cripple of Innishman, Richard II, Cellini, Four Dogs and a Bone. Special Events/Tour: Tyler Perry’s Madea on The Run, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls (Film), Sing (Film), Spirituals (Carnegie Hall), O Pioneers (American Playhouse), M. Butterfly (Tour).
Travante S. Baker, Andrés Acosta, and James Gregory Jeffery as the Sharks. Photo by Annamae Photo. 6
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JEROME ROBBINS (Original Choreography) is world renowned for his work as a choreographer of ballets as well as his work as a director and choreographer in theatre, movies, and television. His Broadway shows include On the Town, Billion Dollar Baby, High Button Shoes, West Side Story, The King and I, Gypsy, Peter Pan, Miss Liberty, Call Me Madam and Fiddler on the Roof. His last Broadway production in 1989, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, won six Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Director. Among the more than 60 ballets he created are Fancy Free; Afternoon of a Faun; The Concert; Dances at a Gathering; In the Night; In G Major; Other Dances; Glass Pieces; and Ives, Songs, which are in the repertories of New York City Ballet and other major dance companies throughout the world. His last ballets include A Suite of Dances created for Mikhail Baryshnikov, 2 & 3 Part Inventions, West Side Story Suite (1995), and Brandenburg. In addition to two Academy Awards for the film West Side Story, Mr. Robbins received four Tony Awards, five Donaldson Awards, two Emmy Awards, the Screen Directors Guild Award, and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. He was a 1981 Kennedy Center Honors recipient and was awarded the French Chevalier dans l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur. 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 Festival Curator for Asolo Rep’s Unplugged Festival of New Work. LEE SAVAGE FIFTH SEASON (Scenic Designer) Past Asolo Rep credits include Our Betters, Glengarry Glen Ross, Inventing Van Gogh, Las Meninas, and The Innocents. NYC: Sunset Baby and Thinner Than Water (Labyrinth); Collapse (Women’s Project); Rx (Primary Stages); All-American (LCT3); The Dream of the Burning Boy, Ordinary Days (Roundabout); Oohrah! (Atlantic); The Bereaved (Partial Comfort); punkplay (Clubbed Thumb); End Days (EST). Regional: Alliance, CenterStage, Chautauqua, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Cleveland Play House, Dallas Theatre Center, George Street Playhouse, Glimmerglass Festival, Goodman, Guthrie, Long Wharf, Milwaukee Rep, Old Globe, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Trinity Rep, Two River, Westport Country Playhouse, Washington National Opera, Wilma, and Yale Rep. Awards: Helen Hayes: Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (nom), Richard III (nom), and Connecticut Critics Circle: The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow. Member of Wingspace Theatrical Design. BFA, RISD; MFA, Yale School of Drama (currently on faculty). SH ENTERTAINMENT (Casting) Stuart Howard and Paul Hardt are very happy to return to Asolo Repertory Theatre with West Side Story. 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. STEPHEN SONDHEIM (Lyrics) wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, The Frogs, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park With George, Into The Woods, Assassins, Passion, and Road Show as well as lyrics for West Side Story, Gypsy, and Do I Hear A Waltz - and additional lyrics for Candide. Anthologies of his work include Side By Side By Sondheim, Marry Me A Little, You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow, Putting it Together, and Sondheim on Sondheim. He composed the scores of the films Stavisky and Reds, songs for Dick Tracy, and the television production Evening Primrose. His collected lyrics with attendant essays have been published in two volumes: “Finishing the Hat” and “Look, I Made A Hat.” In 2010 the Broadway theater formerly known as Henry Miller’s Theatre was renamed in his honor.
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST BRIANNA ABRUZZO FIRST SEASON (Graziella) is thrilled to be making her debut with Asolo Rep. She studied ballet for 11 years at the School of American Ballet. She performed in numerous ballets with the New York City Ballet as well as the Miami City Ballet including Serenade, Ballo della Regina, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, Scherzo à la Russe, and Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite. Brianna danced in a contemporary work by Benjamin Millipied with the LA Dance Project for their 2015 European tour and in commercials for Comedy Central’s Tosh.0.
MICHAEL CALLAHAN* FIRST SEASON (A-Rab, u/s Action) is thrilled to make his Asolo Repertory Theatre debut. Broadway: Cinderella (Raccoon/ Jean Michel u/s). Regional: West Side Story (Action) at Sacramento Music Circus, Guys and Dolls (dance captain) at Goodspeed Musicals, A Chorus Line (Mike) at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, and Theatre Under The Stars, Damn Yankees at Ogunquit Playhouse, Man of La Mancha at Hangar Theatre. BFA, Elon University. Special thanks to Mom, Dad, Kenzie, Cian, Mel, and DGRW.
ANDRÉS ACOSTA* FIRST SEASON (Bernardo) is a NYC based actor from Ft. Myers, FL. He is honored to be making his Asolo Rep debut and to take on this masterpiece. National Tours: West Side Story (Bernardo), Flashdance (Joe/ensemble). Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, North Shore Music Theatre, Merry Go Round Playhouse, Arvada Center, and Lyric Theatre of OK. Favorite professional credits: Grease (Danny), A Chorus Line (Al), and Ragtime (Houdini). BFA Music Theatre from Florida State University and proud member of Actor’s Equity Association. Special thanks to Joey McKneely and Paul Hardt.
MARILYN CASERTA FIRST SEASON (Rosalia, u/s Maria) is making her Asolo Rep debut. Professional credits include Snoopy! The Musical at Area Stage, staged reading of The Rise of David Levinsky, and Within Reach: A Tribute to Contemporary Musical Theatre Composers. She attended the Atlantic Acting School and is a proud YoungArts Alumna. So much love and gratitude to the cast and team, Joey, Donald, Paul, Michael, Arthur, Dee, Colleen, Maria, and John. For Mom, Dad, and Little D, who fill me with dreams. www.marilyncaserta.com
MARY ANTONINI* FIRST SEASON (Anita) could not be more excited to be making her Asolo Rep debut in her ultimate dream role. She was part of Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway, at the La Jolla Playhouse, and at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. She was also in the Flaming Lips Musical: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots at the La Jolla Playhouse and spent three seasons at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival where she did several shows including Camelot, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and West Side Story. Mary sends her deepest thanks to the whole creative team and crew, DBA, Mum, and love to the Ladle. www.maryantonini.com
KENN CHRISTOPHER* SECOND SEASON (Officer Krupke/ Doc) is extremely thrilled to be back at Asolo Rep having graduated from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training (Class of ‘85) where he appeared in Amadeus, Dames at Sea, Rashomon and The Drunkard. Tour Credits include the 1st National Tour of Victor/Victoria with Toni Tennille as Andre Cassell, and the International Tour of Enter the Guardsman. He originated the roles of Charles Sr. and Mack Sennett in The World Premiere Production of Chaplin. Other favorites include Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby (Starkey), Les Misérables (Jean Valjean), and most recently Catch Me If You Can (Carl Hanratty).
TRAVANTE S. BAKER* FIRST SEASON (Nibbles) Asolo Rep Debut. Travante is very proud to be a part of this West Side Story team here at Asolo Repertory Theatre and to be working with Joey McKneely and Donald Chan again. He first worked with them on the International Tour of West Side Story. Since then he has worked with Disney and trained at The Ailey School in NYC.
CALEB DICKE FIRST SEASON (Snowboy, u/s Diesel, u/s Big Deal) A native of Xenia, Ohio, Caleb is ecstatic to be making his debut at Asolo Rep. Regional: Goodspeed Musicals, Music Theatre Wichita, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, The Lexington Theatre Company, Surflight Theatre. Proud OCU Grad. Many thanks to Paul Hardt, The Mine, his family, and friends for their endless support. www.CalebDicke.com
JENNA BURNS* FIRST SEASON (Maria) is thrilled to be making her Asolo Repertory Theatre debut. Favorite regional credits include: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie), Into the Woods (Cinderella), and Legally Blonde (Vivienne Kensington). Jenna is a proud graduate of Belmont University. She would like to thank Jesus Christ, her family, friends, and BlocNYC. www.jenna-burns.com
ALEJANDRO FONSECA FIRST SEASON (Pepe, u/s Bernardo) is excited to be making his Asolo Rep debut in West Side Story. He is a recent graduate from Indiana University with a BS in Dance Kinesiology. He has also performed West Side Story on the National Touring production as well as at The Muny. Other favorite regional credits of his are: Hairspray (Brad, Cardinal Stage Co.); Joseph…Dreamcoat (Simeon, The Muny); and Man of La Mancha (Tenorio, CFRT). @alejandreamy
TAHLIA JOANNA BYERS FIRST SEASON (Anybody’s) is absolutely thrilled to be making her Asolo Rep debut in such a classic and iconic production. Local audiences may recognize her from leading roles in such productions as Chicago (Roxie/Liz), Legally Blonde (Margot), White Christmas (Judy Haynes), most recently reprising her role as Victoria in Cats. Tahlia (rhymes with Maria) currently dances as a Minion Recruit and a Jellyfish in the Superstar Parade at Universal Studios in Orlando. Gratitude and love. Merde! VICTORIA BYRD FIRST SEASON (Marguerita) is thrilled to be debuting at Asolo Repertory Theatre. She is completing her final year at Booker High School’s Visual and Performing Arts theatre program. Previous roles include The Wiz (Dorothy), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hermia), Once on This Island (Ti Moune), Hairspray (Little Inez), Cats (Nikita). She has also performed in Westcoast Black Theatre’s Harry and Lena.
STEVEN SEAN GARLAND* THIRD SEASON (Lieutenant Schrank/Glad Hand) is pleased to return to Asolo Rep, where he previously appeared in Twelve Angry Men and The Life of Galileo. Theater credits include Spring Awakening, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Hairspray, August: Osage County, and The Pillowman, among many more. Television credits include The Walking Dead, Outcast, Satisfaction, Halt and Catch Fire, and Burn Notice. He is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association.
SWINGS/UNDERSTUDIES: Mark Comer (u/s Doc, Krupke, Schrank, Glad Hand), Chris Alexy Diaz (u/s Chino), Kelsey Petersen (u/s Anybody’s), Evan White+ (u/s Action, Diesel), Kevin Barber, Ally Farzetta, Tom Harney, Josh James, Joe Knispel, Jordan Ben Sobel, Kim Stephenson, Lisa Egan Woods. ASOLOREP.ORG WEST SIDE STORY
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JUST ADDED TO OUR SEASON!
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST JILL GITTLEMAN FIRST SEASON (Velma/Teresita, u/s Graziella) is excited to be making her professional debut at Asolo Repertory Theatre. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and an alumna of Broadway Dance Center’s Summer Professional Semester. She has performed works by such choreographers as Richard Hinds, Cornelius Carter, and Geoffrey Doig-Marx at venues including Symphony Space in NYC and Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. Thanks to CTG, friends, and family. KATHRYN HUXTABLE SECOND SEASON (Minnie, u/s Velma, Shark Girl Swing) is excited to be returning to Asolo Rep for her second season. She graduated from the University of Tampa with a degree in Musical Theatre and recently finished dancing in Treasures of the Mirage at Busch Gardens Tampa. Regional credits include In the Heights at American Stage, Hairspray at Florida Studio Theatre, and The Plexiglass Slipper at Asolo Rep. Special thanks to Mom and Gabe. JAMES GREGORY JEFFERY FIRST SEASON (Moose, u/s Pepe) is elated to be making his Asolo Rep debut. He had the opportunity to travel and do what he loves while on the Rhapsody, Adventure, and Navigator of the Seas of Royal Caribbean Cruises. Has taken part in Dance Inferno, Christmas Wonderland, and Le Grande Cirque Adrenaline under the direction of Emma Rogers. He is looking forward to the great opportunity to be part of one of his favorite musicals. MARC KOECK* FIRST SEASON (Tony) is excited to be making his Asolo Rep debut. He recently starred as John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the New London Barn Playhouse. Other recent credits include: Lancelot (New Repertory Theatre), Legally Blonde (Ocean State Theatre), Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar (The Boston Conservatory), and the workshop of the upcoming Baseball Hall of Fame musical Stars and Strikes. Mr. Koeck is a proud 2014 graduate of The Boston Conservatory. Thanks to Richard Fisher and to his parents for supporting him on this wild ride. www.marckoeck.com VIRGIL MATELAU FIRST SEASON (Chino) is so excited to be part of Asolo Rep. Virgil is a senior at Booker High’s Visual and Performing Arts program for theater. Virgil’s previous roles include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon), The Wiz (Scarecrow), Hairspray (Mr. Pinkie). Virgil plans on becoming a professional musician and producing original music. ISABELLE McCALLA* FIRST SEASON (Francisca, u/s Anita) is very excited to be making her Asolo Rep debut. Regional credits include The Muny (West Side Story, Holiday Inn, Aladdin) and the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (Mary Poppins, Singin’ in the Rain, Legally Blonde, Footloose, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers), among others. BFA University of Michigan. Much love and thanks to the creatives, Paul Hardt, the lovely ladies over at Judy Boals, and my family. ANTHONY RAIMONDI† FIRST SEASON (Anxious, Jet/ Shark Boy Swing) graduated from University of Arizona with a BFA in Dance, and began performing with Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago in addition to performing the role of Alejandro in the musical tribute tour Bad Romance. Anthony’s most recent credits include both the national and international tours of West Side Story as a swing, Dance Captain, and also as assistant choreographer. Anthony is thrilled to continue his journey with this show in his Asolo Rep debut. 8
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SEAN ROLLOFSON* FIRST SEASON (Diesel, u/s Riff) is from Redmond, Washington. He began attending Pacific Northwest Ballet School at age seven. He joined Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2008 at age 18. With PNB he performed leading roles in ballets by Balanchine, Kent Stowell, Jean-Christophe Mailot, Marco Goecke, Tharp, Jiri Kylian, and many more. He is featured in the Starz mini drama series Flesh and Bone and in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway as the Slave Master/Soloist dancer. RAYNOR RUBEL FIRST SEASON (Big Deal) is excited to be making his Asolo Rep debut. He has performed in six seasons of New Jersey Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker in soloist roles including Fritz. He teaches dance and martial arts to children with special needs for Pathways for Exceptional Children, a nationally funded non-profit organization. He is currently studying musical theatre at Montclair State University. He would like to thank his family, the cast, and crew for their support. DANIEL RUSSELL* FIRST SEASON (Baby John) is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut. Daniel starred as Billy in Billy Elliot the Musical (Melbourne Australia, US National Tour). He was a guest performer on The Price Is Right, and recently choreographed and starred in Tori Kelly’s official lyric video Should’ve Been Us. In 2014, Daniel completed Sydney Dance Company’s PPY and was also titled Male Winner in the McDonald’s Ballet Scholarship. Daniel performed Le Grand Tango (Sydney Opera House) with SDC earlier this year and recently graduated from Broadway Dance Center’s 2015 Summer Professional Semester. BRETT THIELE* FIRST SEASON (Action, u/s Tony, u/s Riff) is thrilled to be joining Asolo Rep this holiday season. A graduate of Pace University, Brett’s favorite credits include Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark (Foxwoods Theatre), The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Radio City Music Hall), The First Wives Club (Oriental Theatre), and West Side Story (St. Petersburg Opera Company). Film and TV Credits include One Bad Choice (MTV), and Hamlet: Son of a Kingpin, as well as commercial work with Comedy Central and Macy’s. Love to his family and friends. Happy holidays! MICHELLE WEST FIRST SEASON (Consuela) is thrilled to be joining Asolo Rep. Michelle was born in Philadelphia, PA and raised in Middletown, DE. Theater Credits: Memphis the Musical (National Tour), Jim Henson’s Sid the Science Kid Live (National Tour), Avenue Q (Westchester Sandbox), West Side Story (Harbor Lights Theater Company), Rappaccini’s Daughter (Theater for the New City), A Flash of Time! (The Kimmel Center). Michelle graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance from Temple University. Thank you to my family and friends for all your continuous love and support. www.MichelleWest.net
PERFECT FOR ALL AGES. THE THRILLING THEATRICAL MASTERPIECE THAT TOOK THE U.K. BY STORM MAKES ITS U.S. PREMIERE AT ASOLO REP NEXT JUNE!
family packages available.
JUNE 3-26
in the Mertz Theatre NOTE SPECIAL SHOW TIMES: Tuesdays: 2pm Wednesdays: 2pm & 7pm Thursdays: 7pm Fridays: 7pm Saturdays: 10:30am & 3:30pm Sundays: 2pm
SPONSORS:
AMOS WOLFF* FIRST SEASON (Riff) has been seen on Broadway in Gigi, Chicago, and Follies. Other New York: Guys and Dolls (Carnegie Hall), Piece of My Heart (Signature), and Where’s Charlie? and Little Me (Encores). He’s toured the country in First National Tours of the recent revivals of A Chorus Line and South Pacific and regionally has performed productions at The Kennedy Center, Goodspeed Musicals, Williamstown Theater Festival, The Muny in St. Louis, and Pittsburgh CLO. Education: University of Michigan, BFA Musical Theater, and RADA: Shakespeare in Performance. Thank you, Joey. www.amoswolff.com
941-351-8000 asolorep.org
*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
+ Courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
†Dance Captain
Specially priced
Hetty Feather photos by Helen Murray.
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WHO’S WHO IN THE ORCHESTRA TERI BOOTH NINTH SEASON (Woodwind 2) is happy to be back here at Asolo Repertory Theatre after playing Luck Be A Lady and South Pacific last season. She has recorded background/scene change music for straight shows as well as played in the pit for other Asolo Rep Productions such as Show Boat, Barnum, Backwards in High Heels, 1776, and Noah Racey’s PULSE. JOHN COOLEY SECOND SEASON (Trombone) is excited to return after performing in Luck Be A Lady last season. He holds BM and MM degrees, was a successful high school band director in NY and trombonist in leading jazz ensembles and symphonies before relocating to Florida in 2010. He also has worked leading stage shows in FL/NY and backed Tony Bennett with the Woody Herman Band. Also Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow, Clark Terry, The Midtown Men, among many others. MATTHEW DENDY FIFTH SEASON (Violin Sub) Asolo Rep: South Pacific, Show Boat, 1776, Yentl. Currently a violinist for the Venice Symphony and a resident violinist at St. Martha’s Catholic Church. He has accompanied prominent entertainers throughout Florida, including Michael Amante, Johnny Mathis, Celtic Woman, Irish Tenors, and Mannheim Steamroller. Matthew attended University of South Florida for his undergraduate studies and University of Colorado Boulder for graduate school. THOMAS DURANTE SECOND SEASON (Sinfonia) has worked in theatre throughout his educational career and has played in pit orchestras for shows including Wonderful Town, Smile!, The Gondoliers, and helped with Asolo Rep’s Luck Be A Lady last season. Graduate of FSU College of Music and the Chicago School for Piano Technology. TOM ELLISON SECOND SEASON (Woodwind 1) Asolo Rep: Luck Be A Lady. Tom has performed with the likes of Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Doc Severinsen, Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd, 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 (Florida Studio Theatre), Venice Theatre, 42nd Street, Pippin (National Tours). Bachelor of Music from SUNY Fredonia. CARLANN EVANS SIXTH SEASON (Violin) performed in Bonnie & Clyde, Yentl in which she collaborated with the composer Jill Sobule, 1776, Show Boat, and South Pacific. Carlann is a member of the Sarasota Orchestra, Musicians Out of the Box, teaches extensively, and loves performing other genres of music. She is excited to be back with Asolo Rep playing West Side Story, as it is by one of her all-time favorite composers, Leonard Bernstein. PAUL GAVIN FIRST SEASON (Drums) is a two-time international competition-winning drummer, teacher, composer, arranger, and band leader in Tampa, FL. Paul regularly plays all types of music, from Jazz to Hip-Hop throughout South Florida. To find out about the bands Paul leads and plays in, go to PaulGavinMusic.com
SUSANNAH KELLY SECOND SEASON (Cello) has performed with the Southwest Florida Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, the Florida Orchestra, and in the orchestras of Palm Beach Opera, Opera Naples, and Opera Tampa. She joined Asolo Repertory Theatre’s pit orchestra last season for several performances of South Pacific. She is from Connecticut. VICTOR MONGILLO TENTH SEASON (Trumpet) has been a music educator for the past 27 years and is currently Director of Bands at Pine View School for the Gifted. Past Asolo Rep credits include Biff, 1940’s Radio Hour; Palace Trumpeter, Plexiglass Slipper; and pit musician for Show Boat, 1776, Barnum, Beehive, A Tale of Two Cities, Swingtime Canteen, Guys and Dolls, and The Music Man. AARON NIX FIRST SEASON (Percussion) is excited to join Asolo Repertory Theatre. He is thrilled to be back in Sarasota after three years of domestic and international touring with Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and can also be heard in performance with the Sarasota Orchestra and the Sarasota Opera. JANIS POTTER FIRST SEASON (Percussion Sub) is one of America’s most respected marimba soloists, having more than 325 recitals, master-class and concerto performances to her credit. She has been presented at five Percussive Arts Society International Conventions and has won awards from the Sony Corporation and The Carnegie Foundation. Janis served five years with “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School. CHRISTIAN REGUL FIRST SEASON (Rehearsal Pianist) is excited to be making his debut at Asolo Rep. Credits include Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (World Premiere Berlin, Germany), Jesus Christ Superstar, Aida, Camelot, Little Shop of Horrors (all in Germany), Cats, West Side Story, Evita (US and International Tours). Christian lives in Los Angeles, where he recently music directed and played for Wicked and Avenue Q. BILL SWARTZBAUGH SECOND SEASON (Bass) is a veteran of many of the top Broadway shows having performed such musicals as Wicked, Mary Poppins, and West Side Story. Bill is also an adjunct professor in the Contemporary Music department at the University of Tampa as well as maintaining a private studio. KEVIN WU FIRST SEASON (Piano Sub) is an active recitalist, collaborator, and teacher. He studied piano at Carnegie Mellon University and University of Southern California. He also participated in the Chautauqua and Apple Hill Music Festivals. Principal piano teachers include Sergey Schepkin, Norman Krieger, and Rebecca Penneys. Wu currently resides in Tampa.
Inspiring Day… Saturday, December 5th
FAMILY DAY AT WEST SIDE STORY
HELP ASOLO REP GO “ALL THE WAY” THIS SEASON!
A special matinee performance offers theatre-loving families an affordable way to see this classic American musical, and welcomes you to learn more about how the magic is made at Asolo Rep. With four tickets for the price of one, bring the whole family! Pre-show activities at 1pm, 2pm matinee Families can purchase four tickets for $60; two members of the group must be age 18 or under. Additional youth tickets can be purchased for $12. West Side Story is recommended for ages 10 and up.
Inspiring Night… Sunday, December 13th
AMERICAN CHARACTER IN CONCERT This one-night-only cabaret event has become an anticipated annual tradition. West Side Story artists will inform and entertain in an intimate educational performance. 7pm in the Mertz Theatre $15 tickets $10 students (25 and younger with valid I.D.)
941.351.8000 | asolorep.org
Asolo Rep is the ideal candidate for your charitable giving this year. Passionate about our meticulously designed sets and costumes? Committed to securing the future of American theatre by supporting students through our partnership with FSU/Asolo Conservatory? Exhilarated by the moment a young child sees their first theatrical production? With a gift of $75 or more, you can find a new way to become engaged with our work, deepening your relationship with us and setting the stage for us to provide artistic excellence to the Sarasota Community for the next 57 years. For more information, contact Scott Guinn at 941.351.9010 ext. 4707 or scott_guinn@asolo.org.
Asolo Rep sends a special thank you to these donors who are supporting youth and family activities for West Side Story, including student access throughout the run of the production, and a special Family Day on December 5th.
Jenna Burns and Marc Koeck as Maria and Tony. Photo by Annamae Photo.
Lead Sponsor:
Harry Leopold Arts Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County • Charles Henry Leach II Fund • Cordelia Lee Beattie Foundation • Linnie E. Dalbeck Memorial Foundation Trust Mandell and Madeleine Berman Foundation • Asolo Repertory Theatre Guild • Koski Family Fund for New Audiences • Andrew R. Ferrell Foundation • The Huisking Foundation M. Beverly and Robert G. Bartner Fund for Future Young Audiences MAJOR DONORS ($5,000+)
Anonymous • Pat and Bob Baer • Chuck and Margie Barancik • David and Betty-Jean Bavar • Margot and Warren Coville • Larry and Debbie Haspel • Nona Macdonald Heaslip • Pamela Hughes FRIENDS OF EDUCATION ($1,000-$4,999)
Peggy and Ken Abt • Walton and Deborah Beacham • Jennie Branagan • Susan and Jim Buck • Tom and Ann Charters • Kathy Cole • George and Diane Davis • Susan Dweck Herman and Sharon Frankel • Jelks Family Foundation • Carolyn Keystone and Jim Meekison • Ivan and Marilyn Kushen • Ron Legere • Melvy Erman Lewis • John and Elenor Maxheim Jonathan and Cynthia McCague • Melanie and Sean Natarajan • Anna Nekoranec and Bengt Niebuhr • Maurice Richards and Jack Kesler • Laurence Saslaw • Ted and Mary Ann Simon Ronald Taub** and Marcia Jean Taub • Leon and Marysue Wechsler • Stephen V. Wilberding and Teri A Hansen • Z Foundation • Judy Zuckerberg and George Kole **in memoriam Your support helps us to provide entertaining and engaging opportunities to inspire a new generation of passionate theatre-goers. To learn how you can support Asolo Rep’s Education Programs, visit asolorep.org/theatreartseducation, or contact Director of Development Tricia Mire at 941.351.9010 ext. 4700 or tricia_mire@asolo.org. 10
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An Interview with Director
JOEY McKNEELY
LS: In previous interviews about West Side you’ve mentioned that you feel your mission is to reinvigorate the show for both dancers and audiences. How do you balance honoring the original with bringing new life to it? JM: I think what makes West Side so relevant is that the issues and the story and the themes are still part of our society today. It’s not hard to stay true to the original. Just look at the news, read a newspaper – kids are still killing each other, gangs are still attacking each other. Now they’ve got guns, or they’re dealing in drugs, but they’re still attacking for the same reasons. Out of fear, out of hate, out of racism. So staying true to the original themes of the show is easy – I’m not changing anything, I don’t need to, because it’s still valid. The material is classic. I have such passion for the material because of what it did to me as a dancer. It was a way to be a better dancer and stretch myself. That’s why I try to give my passion that I lived to the dancers now. I think that’s what makes it exciting and new and invigorating. Anything old can feel new if it’s passionate. LS: Do you take liberties with the choreography? Is it about re-envisioning or is it more about reproducing? Or a blend of the two?
JM: It really is reproducing. The only liberties I take are because of the dancers. Robbins [originally] did West Side Story in the middle of his musical theatre career – by the time we got to him in the 1980s, [he] had a much more balletic viewpoint, and the dancers on Broadway were more balletic because our training had improved. So the only liberties I have taken are to try to Asolo Rep dramaturg Lauryn E. Sasso sat down with director/ increase that ballet line that already exists in the choreography. choreographer Joey McKneely early in rehearsals for Asolo Rep's To me, that’s what makes the choreography sizzle off of the production of West Side Story and spoke with him about the stage – the lines are so spectacular. My liberties are really with direction. I push the boundaries of what was acceptable and show he calls a "life changer." deemed entertainment in the 1950s, and what’s acceptable and LS: West Side Story has become a signature piece for you. how far you can go on stage in 2015. Could you talk a bit about your first experience with it? JM: My first introduction to West Side was an audition I had LS: Having directed and choreographed the show several for Jerry Robbins back in 1988 [for the original production of times, what is unique about this production? Is there Jerome Robbins’ Broadway]. It was the first time I’d ever really something particularly exciting to you this time? experienced choreography that was so creative. It was about energy, it was about emotions, character. I remember he put us through our paces to see what we had inside of us, to see what we could bring to the material, and it wasn’t until we got into the room for the actual rehearsal process and dove into the choreography that I started to understand what West Side was. LS: Understanding “what West Side was.” What does that mean to you? JM: For me, West Side was an opportunity to release things that I had bubbling inside of me. I could express them through the dance. In a way, it was a therapy session for me. I didn’t know the level of anger that I had inside of myself, but the choreography allowed me the ability to release it. I believe that was why Jerry put me in such prominent positions in the West Side Story suite [in JRB]. He gave me all the features, and my dance character was a combination of A-Rab and Action. It was a revelation, not only about dance, but about myself. That’s what I try to bring to each cast – to say “now here’s an opportunity for you to grow as a person, as a dancer, and utilize the story and the message and the choreography to express yourself.” 12
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JM: What always makes West Side new and exciting is the cast. I am the same. I still have all that information – it gets richer and deeper over the years because I collect it, and it gets more refined, but everything I can bring to West Side is kind of the same. What makes it different is the new people in our cast. The Anita is going to bring something new to it, the Tony and Maria will bring something very exciting and new to it. They have to become these characters and what’s exciting for me is what they bring into it – LS: They really get to help shape it. JM: They do. They get to help shape the story. I give them the goal posts and all the information, but it’s truly a new set of young people discovering the material and becoming the characters and telling their stories. For Asolo Rep I’m doing a brand new physical design, which for me is very exciting and unpredictable. The set is similar but different, the costumes are similar but different. The way the show is going to look is very stylized. But I think the emotional aspect of the show is very natural and real. Trying to bridge those two things is really the new and exciting aspect of this production.
shark ( sound) bites
With its th rilling sco re and cho set agains reography t the broa , West Sid der backd asked to re e Story te ro p of socia spond to lls a n l and cultu questions and what ral upheav ow iconic tale of tw regarding connects o ill-fated al. Membe why the s them pers lovers, rs of Asolo how’s the onally to th m Rep’s cas es are still e piece. t were relevant a nd resona nt today,
JENNA BURNS (Maria) I believe this story is still relevant in today’s society because we as human beings will always have differences, whether they are racial, cultural, religious, etc. These differences make us unique. If we were the same and agreed on everything, what an uninteresting world we would live in! I think a major way West Side Story resonates with people today is that it encourages us to find the common ground even with those who are dissimilar from us. Disagreement does not have to equal hate, and we do not have to fear individuals or things that are different from us.
MARILYN CASERTA (Rosalia) When my mom was in her teens, the film version of West Side Story would play once every year on television. She and her friends would watch it and sing along with a box of Kleenex handy. West Side Story has been special to my family for years. When I was old enough to watch it, it was the first time I saw the Hispanic culture (a culture I was raised in) portrayed in a widely-known musical. It was the first show to leave me in tears. I grew to greatly appreciate how honest the show is. It shows the reality of falling in love in a world so full of hate. It taught me the importance of acceptance and forgiveness at a very young age. I feel honored to tell this story and be a part of the magic every night.
VICTORIA BYRD (Marguerita) Amid the brilliant score and masterful choreography is a story of torment. The two adolescent groups, the Sharks and the Jets, look only at how the other is different. They each speak, dress, and act differently. But Maria and Tony look beyond any external dissimilarities, and see only the person inside, to find that we are all very much alike. Every generation of adolescents has their own social and cultural struggles but is still yearning for “peace and quiet and open air.” I am so very privileged to contribute to this message of acceptance rather than violence, as relevant today as it was nearly 60 years ago.
ANDRÉS ACOSTA (Bernardo) I’m personally connected to this masterpiece because it boldly introduces the roots of the Latin American experience to this art form. I was born and raised in Colombia and moved to the States as a 10-yearold. It’s thrilling to tell a story of immigration, pride, and family in which the question of assimilation vs. maintaining tradition and cultural roots is so preeminent. This is a challenge that we as immigrants face as we work towards discovering our identity in this country. I’m honored to bring my personal experience to this extraordinary role. Bernardo isn't a bad guy; he’s just a kid, a brother, a son struggling to find a sense of place and protect his loved ones in a world of bigotry and violence.
MARY ANTONINI (Anita) Issues like racism, sexism, immigration, and police brutality are on our minds and in our faces daily. It is so rare to see a show that does not shy away from or step around these issues but presents them through a medium steeped in history, artistry, and heart, with music and choreography that is truly timeless. Nearly 60 years after this show was written, we are still dreaming of a place and time we can be together without prejudice and violence. Until a peace like that is realized and considered the norm, West Side Story will be relevant.
For even more behind-the-scenes information, visit www.asolorep.org/shows/west-side-story/2015-2016 All dramaturgical information in this playbill written, edited, and compiled by Lauryn E. Sasso and Deanie Vallone. ASOLOREP.ORG WEST SIDE STORY
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1562 English author Arthur Brooke writes his 3,000 line poem, “The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet,” itself adapted from a number of Italian Renaissance sources from as far back as 1474.
1597 The first quarto of William Shakespeare’s famous play, Romeo and Juliet, based on Brooke’s poem, is published.
1957 West Side Story opens at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre and runs for 732 performances.
With influences that trace back hundreds of years and a legacy that can be seen both on and off stage, West Side Story has established itself as a piece of art that has both rewritten and redefined history. –DV The film version of West Side Story is released. It stars Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer as starcrossed lovers Maria and Tony, and is directed by Robert Wise and original Broadway choreographer, Jerome Robbins. It becomes the second highest grossing film that year, and wins 10 Academy Awards, setting a record for most wins for a musical film.
A Broadway revival of the show opens at the Minskoff Theatre and runs for 333 performances. The show features the original choreography, scenic, lighting, and costume designs.
1990-TODAY Television shows such as Friends, Glee, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Newsroom, and That 70s Show parody and pay tribute to West Side Story’s iconic music, choreography, and characters.
West Side Story TIMELINE
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obbins a hur erome R J r e right Art h p nd playw oreogra a h c ical , in s 9 te u 4 s 9 m In 1 rd Bern ate a a re n c o e y L e r e d th Juliet. compos suggeste ssic, Romeo and d n a , ts la Lauren peare’s c f Shakes version o
1961
1980
A CULTURAL
1 ION PIRAT S N I ST EP C ed LASSI pproach
1996-TODAY A tribute album, The Songs of West Side Story, is released in 1996. It features covers from a number of popular artists, including Brian Setzer, Selena, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, Phil Collins, Kenny Loggins, and Patti LaBelle. Since then, other artists, including Barbara Streisand, Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Waits, and Pet Shop Boys, have covered or featured West Side Story songs on their albums.
2009 A second Broadway revival, directed by Arthur Laurents, opens at the Palace Theatre and runs for 748 performances. "I see no point in doing a revival of anything," Laurents says, "unless you have a fresh look at it." His “fresh look” features selectively integrating Spanish lyrics throughout both the book and songs, including having Maria sing “I Feel Pretty” almost entirely in Spanish.
2015 Asolo Repertory Theatre launches its 2015-16 season with a powerhouse production of West Side Story, directed and choreographed by Joey McKneely. He has directed and choreographed multiple previous incarnations of the show, and choreographed the 2009 Broadway revival under Laurents’ direction.
2 FT ST EPTHE FIRST DBRISAH
blueprint FOR BUILDING A HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL –DV
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4 ST ETPHE ENVELOPE
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8 USIC—OR JUESRT P E T H M S UR OT YOUR
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9 RATE! ST ETP EB O CEL TIME
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West Side of NYC, late 1940s.
' THE
T
WEST OF NYC SIDE THEN & NOW
oday, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts sprawls across several city blocks on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The complex, which includes the Juilliard School, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, and the New York Philharmonic, as well as being home to Lincoln Center Theater, is a magnet for students, tourists, and all who love the performing arts. Bordering Central Park, the Lincoln Center area is not far from famous upscale apartment buildings like the San Remo and the Dakota, and the American Museum of Natural History is only a little bit further to the north. The Upper West Side was described in a recent New York Times article as “a livable, convenient neighborhood, with a tiny dash of hip and a decidedly liberal bent.” But Lincoln Center’s addition was not the Upper West Side’s only major transformation. The area has seemingly always been in a state of flux. The current Lincoln Square neighborhood – and the former enclave of San Juan Hill – was previously home to a vibrant African-American community that had first settled there in the early 1900s. By the late 1930s, the neighborhood was thriving, giving rise to the Charleston and bebop, and boasting a lively theatre scene.
Construction begins on Lincoln Center, 1955.
The large-scale middle class flight to the suburbs immediately following World War II, coupled with an influx of Latino immigrants, saw the composition of the neighborhood change yet again. By the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Upper West Side consisted of a maze of warehouses and tenement buildings, the latter housing approximately 5,000 people per city block at their most congested. The neighborhood’s crime rate had also begun to soar. Joe Richman, in a 2007 feature for Radio Diaries in conjunction with National Public Radio, noted that “The summer of 1957 had already been a deadly one: About a dozen gangs on Manhattan's Upper West Side had carried out 11 murders.”
It was into this shifting, and increasingly dangerous, landscape that West Side Story was set, but the area’s fortunes were about to take another turn under the influence of developer Robert Moses. Moses, often referred to as New York’s “Master Builder,” held numerous civic positions including serving as chairman of the city’s Committee on Slum Clearance. He had an enormous impact on public works in New York City for decades. As Oksana Mironova related in a recent article for the Architectural League of New York’s Urban Omnibus, “the 1955 designation of the Lincoln Square Urban Renewal Area served as the capstone for Moses’ reimagining of the Upper West Side and ranked as the largest urban renewal project in the country to date. The project envisioned replacing 18 city blocks of aging tenements, warehouses, small businesses, and light industrial spaces with new homes for the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic, a new campus for Fordham University, and a luxury housing development.” The project, facilitated by Moses’ use of eminent domain, also displaced approximately 7,000 families, and remained highly controversial with New Yorkers for some time.
Above: Scene from the 1961 film, West Side Story.
“A
GANG THAT DON’T OWN A STREET IS NUTHIN’!”
In 1960, the opening sequence for the film version of West Side Story was shot on location in the heart of the Upper West Side. The film’s extended, dance-centric prologue was filmed primarily on West 68th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and West End Avenue. The street no longer exists, its former location now part of the Lincoln Towers apartment complex – another result of Moses’ development efforts. Filming took place less than a block away from areas that had already been bulldozed to make way for the new construction, and apocryphal stories suggest that the film’s production company paid the contractors for Lincoln Center to knock down the buildings on West 68th Street last. Shooting this iconic opening number on location captured the now-vanished neighborhood forever, and lent the film a gritty realism, proving just how much impact a single street can have. After all, as Jet gang member Action says, “a gang that don’t own a street is nuthin’!” –LS
Lincoln Center, present day.
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most beautiful “ Thesound I ever heard:
Marc Koeck and Jenna Burns as Tony and Maria. Photo by Annamae Photo.
Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria… All the beautiful sounds of the world in a single word… Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria…
Dance Dance
Maria! ”
Revolution:
the tritone is key All it takes is reading the lyrics above, and it’s more than likely that the familiar notes of the song’s soaring melody have begun racing through your mind. The plaintive, yearning quality they express as Tony revels in the wonder of his new-found love have struck a chord with West Side Story’s audiences over the years, and the song has become one of the most enduring and identifiable aspects of the musical’s score.
accident. Nigel Simeone related Kostal’s account in his book Leonard Bernstein, West Side Story. “The song ‘Cool’ begins with these three notes, and they are reiterated in one way or another forwards and backwards for the first four measures. The song ‘Maria’ begins with these three notes, then repeats them quicker and becomes the familiar song we all know. The song ‘Who knows’ [‘Something’s Coming’] once again begins with three notes…Much of the incidental music also is built on these same three notes. Lenny explained all this to us and to Leonard Bernstein discovered, as he was composing West Side himself. He said he had never noticed all these similarities. Only Story, that “Maria” was the genesis of a musical theme carrying in retrospect was he finding out how his mind had been working.” through the entire show. In an interview with Mel Gussow, longtime former theatre and film critic for The New York Times, Bernstein said “[‘Maria’] had those notes. I think that was the This three-note structure, a musical interval called the tritone, kernel of the piece, in the sense that the three notes of ‘Maria’ was not widely used in musical theatre prior to West Side Story, pervade the whole piece – inverted, done backward.” Though though it was well-known in classical music. As Misha Barton he went on to reveal that this hadn’t been his original intent. “I noted in Something’s Coming, Something Good: West Side Story didn’t do all this on purpose. It seemed to come out in ‘Cool’ and the American Imagination, “In classical harmony, the tritone and as the gang whistle. The same three notes.” is a dissonance that demands resolution…the sound of a tritone was considered ominous, even heretical, and generally avoided Irwin Kostal, a successful orchestrator and music arranger who by composers. Modernist composers, however, embraced the co-orchestrated the original production of West Side Story with device, and in West Side Story Bernstein savored the inherent Bernstein and Sid Ramin, confirmed that the thematic linkage tension of the tritone enough to introduce it into the Broadway between several of the score’s musical numbers was a happy musical lexicon.” –LS 18
WEST SIDE STORY ASOLOREP.ORG
THE SHOW’S HEART When talking about West Side Story, few critics fail to note how integral dance is to the show. Instead of filling space with flashy spectacle, as often happens in big Broadway productions, the seamless integration of dance throughout the narrative remains a vital element of storytelling in West Side Story to this day. Joey McKneely said in a New York Times interview about the 2009 revival, “If you remove Jerome Robbins’ choreography, you lose significant plot, storytelling moments, and you lose characterization elements that are set in the dance. It’s rare that shows have dance as that kind of signature. It’s the emotional glue.”
HOW JEROME ROBBINS CHOREOGRAPHED WEST SIDE STORY INTO STARDOM
DANCE AS STORYTELLING That emotional glue carried its own emotional turmoil during the rehearsals for the original Broadway production. Even before West Side Story, Robbins had gained an infamous reputation for being a brilliant but relentlessly tough choreographer. Carol Lawrence, who originated the role of Maria, noted in Robert Emmet Long’s book, Broadway, the Golden Years, “Ultimately it [Robbins’s harshness] would be for the good of everyone concerned.” Widely lauded as the “first quintessentially American choreographer,” Robbins pioneered an artistic style that saw no division between natural human physical behavior and dance. His early work especially is noted for being character and story driven, and for emphasizing everyday movements. In much of his work, but in West Side Story particularly, dancing naturally emerged from and blended into walking, running, or fighting. Throughout the nearly wordless fiveminute opening scene of West Side Story, the gang rivalry between the Sharks and the Jets is established, the brutal landscape of the West Side is explored, and Robbins’ unique and significant storytelling device of dance is laid out to inform the entirety of the musical.
ROBBINS’ LEGACY Since the musical premiered in 1957, Robbins has been a central figure in most major revivals. His insistence on a high level of performance drove him to choreograph and direct a number of them himself. His dedication to the continued quality of West Side Story has made his name synonymous with the show. If asked to choose a classic dance moment from the play, most likely people will remember the punctuating moments of finger snapping, or the silhouetted image that has graced so many playbills over the years: the lithe dancer leaping upward, arms extended, one leg lifted sideways. Robbins’ legacy extends to the choreographers whom he influenced, notably Agnes de Mille (Oklahoma!), Bob Fosse (Chicago), Susan Stroman (Contact), and, of course, Joey McKneely. Of Robbins’ ideology, Anna Kisselgoff, in her New York Times obituary for Robbins, wrote, “Above all, he was a very American choreographer...But unlike others who created ballets with pioneers and cowboys, Mr. Robbins did not indulge in 'Americana.' He was not concerned with the myth of America but with its reality. This genius for capturing the essence of an age was the Robbins signature.” –DV ASOLOREP.ORG WEST SIDE STORY
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RICO'S
IN AMERICA
”
“AMERICA IS GOD’S CRUCIBLE, THE GREAT MELTING POT.” – Israel Zangwill Playwright and Jewish immigrant
As a population made up largely of immigrants or descendants of immigrants, America remains an amalgamation of races, religions, languages, and cultures. Some would argue, however, that our country is not as integrated as Zangwill suggests. The cultural conflicts depicted in West Side Story still occur today, highlighting the musical’s relevance nearly 60 years after its debut. –DV
WHY DO ISLAND-BORN PUERTO RICANS MOVE TO THE US MAINLAND? 42% JOB-RELATED 38% HOUSEHOLD/FAMILY 7% RETIRED 7% HOUSING 6% OTHER
Economic opportunities are often what bring immigrants to a new country. As in the 1950s, Puerto Ricans today primarily cite job-related reasons for coming to the United States.
1980-90
65,817 1970-80
1960-70
1950-60
116,571
214,000
470,000 151,000 1940-50
18,000
42,000 1920-30
11,000 1910-20
By 1980, nearly 75% of Puerto Rican immigrants lived in the Northeast, especially New York. The Puerto Rican population in the US steadily rose over the following decades, then plateaued and declined slightly in the 2000s. Instead of heading north, many immigrants are now settling in the southern US, including Florida.
EMIGRATION FROM PUERTO RICO 1900–1990
2,000
Internal migration is when people migrate within the same country or region. The term is applicable here because Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the US.
Though Puerto Ricans were legally made full US citizens in 1917, it wasn’t until after WWII that the internal migration from Puerto Rico to the US mainland drastically spiked. Economic changes on the island encouraged workers to move to the mainland’s metropolitan areas to look for jobs.
1900-10
WHAT IS INTERNAL MIGRATION?
1930-40
“PUERTO
YEAR Source: Data for 1900-1970 are from José L. Vázquez Calzada, La población de Puerto Rico y su trayectoria histórica; data for 19701990 are from Francisco L. Rivera Batiz and Carlos Santiago, Island Paradox: Puerto Rico in the 1990s.
"TONY WAS BORN IN AMERICA SO THAT MAKES HIM AN AMERICAN. BUT US? FOREIGNERS!"
Source: Current Population Survey merged sample, 2007-2013. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.
– BERNARDO
As of 2011, Puerto Ricans
rank
#8
ON THE LIST OF DIASPORA GROUPS TO THE US
Germany RANKS
#1
Source: Migration Policy Institute analysis of the 2011 ACS microdata. The microdata were downloaded from the Minnesota Population Center. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 2012.
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23%
of American adults support increasing immigration levels to the US
35%
of American adults want immigration decreased.
40%
of American adults want immigration to remain at its present level.
(The current number of over a million annual immigrant admissions was not supplied to respondents.) Source: National Post-Election Survey 2014. The Polling Company, Inc. on behalf of The Federation for American Immigration Reform National Post-Election Survey 806 Actual Voters. Field Date: November 4, 2014. Margin of Error: ±3.5%.