THE BIRDHOUSE THEATER AT NEST+M AUDITORIUM
present
Jr.
A part of THE BROADWAY JUNIOR COLLECTION™ Based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon Book by JO SWERLING & ABE BURROWS
Music and Lyrics by FRANK LOESSER
Directed by Rana Strazza Musically Directed by Scott Ethier Choreographed by Laura Danette February 9, 11, and 12, 2012
Thursday at 6:00pm, Saturday at 7:00pm, Sunday at 12:00pm The “Birdhouse” at the NEST+m Auditorium 111 Columbia Street, New York, NY “Guys and Dolls Jr.” is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Music Theatre International, 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 Logo re-created by Paul Wein
Director’s Notes This season we present the coming-together of the contrasting characters named within our productions’ titles. The King and Anna are as foreign to each other as the individual desires of our “guys” and “dolls”. Both productions pit title characters in a struggle – with each other and with their own pride and principle – but somewhere along the course of our audience, they reconcile their conflicts, examine themselves, and accept the quirks and flaws of those vibrant beings they know have colored their hearts. Likewise, though they share the honor of being critically acclaimed, Tony-award winning musicals, Guys & Dolls and The King & I couldn’t be more dissimilar. One, a pageantry of regal sophistication and another, a song-and-dance vehicle of cool camp, their characters inhabit realms separated by time, place, culture, and tone. And yet, after rehearsing both on alternating days (an endeavor most cited as proof of my insanity), they seem so perfectly natural being presented within the same week, because together, they harmoniously showcase the delightful diversity of talent and type that we are grateful to accept into our ever-expanding fold. We hope audiences enjoy both productions (hey, if we can rehearse both, you can see both!) and appreciate the tremendous possibilities presented when opening eyes (and young hearts) to brand new and colorful worlds.
Guys & Dolls was my first choice for a follow-up to last year’s inaugural season. The cast of wildly eccentric characters lends itself to childlike portrayal, the show offers great production numbers, the score is timeless, and the thought of these kids in these costumes was too irresistible to pass up. And so, we held auditions seeking what we needed to fill a possible cast and were drowned in an ocean of aspiring actors. Over 100 hopefuls turned out to join a company that would perform an unannounced production. Lest we disappoint more than half, we resolved to “double down,” and decided upon an additional script suitable to the talent we encountered at audition. Thus, we rolled the dice, beginning our ambitious and simultaneously scheduled second season. With the self-imposed pressure of dual productions, it helped that, having twice performed Guys & Dolls, I knew it as well as Laura knew The King & I (Scott knows just about everything, so we weren’t concerned about him). Such familiarity makes for confident casting and a more informed approach. But, like Sky Masterson, just when we thought things were running smoothly,
we ended up with cider in our ear: within one week more than half-way through rehearsals, we said farewell-for-now to two leads leaving for other endeavors as our cast learned how quickly Lady Luck could smile upon understudies and we hedged out bets. And then, in the shock and shuffle of the subsequent restart, the cast came together with a shared purpose. The kids we chose for this production were already natural characters – idiosyncratic individuals with cosmic and comic differences – and now they looked upon each other anew and we all decided to take some extra chances with what we had been dealt. So here’s our happy ending. A show that was second nature to its director, that inspired a second season (and some second guessing), led to a second production, pulled up some second strings, gave its cast a second wind, and despite the odds, won’t play second fiddle to another. That’s a lot of deuces...but I’m hoping for a full house. Theatrically, Rana Strazza
Setting New York City, 1940s
ACT I Scene 1: A New York City street Scene 2: The Save-a-Soul Mission Scene 3: The Hot Box Scene 4: A street, a day later Scene 5: Outside the Mission Scene 6: A street near Broadway Scene 7: Havana, Cuba Scene 8: Mission exterior, early morning
Intermission
ACT II Scene 9: The Hot Box Scene 10: The Street, near Mission Scene 11: A New York sewer, immediately after Scene 12: A street off Broadway Scene 13: The Mission Scene 14: A street off Broadway, night Scene 15: Same street, the next day
Feathered Fact: Ratio of guys to dolls in Birdhouse cast: 1:7
Musical Numbers ACT I Overture Fugue for Tinhorns.................................................................................Nicely, Benny, Rusty Charlie Follow the Fold........................................................................................Sarah and the Mission Band The Oldest Established............................................................... Nicely, Benny, Nathan, Crapshooters I’ll Know....................................................................................................................... Sarah and Sky A Bushel and a Peck................................................................................. Adelaide and Hot Box Girls Adelaide’s Lament..................................................................................................................Adelaide Guys and Dolls.......................................................................................Nicely, Benny, Rusty Charlie If I Were a Bell............................................................................................................................Sarah I’ve Never Been in Love Before....................................................................................... Sarah and Sky ACT II Overture Take Back Your Mink.............................................................................. Adelaide and Hot Box Girls Adelaide’s Second Lament.......................................................................................................Adelaide More I Cannot Wish You........................................................................................................... Arvide Luck Be A Lady....................................................................................................... Sky, Crapshooters Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat............................................................................. Nicely, Ensemble The Guys Follow the Fold...................................................................................................... Ensemble Marry the Man Today............................................................................................Adelaide and Sarah The Happy Ending (Guys and Dolls)..................................................................................... Ensemble
Cast In Order of Appearance
Nicely Nicely Johnson.................................................................................. Luke Whitney Benny Southstreet..................................................................................... Hayley Feinstein Rusty Charlie.....................................................................................................Macy McGrail Sarah Brown......................................................................................................... Nixie Strazza The Mission Band:............ Arvide Abernathy..................................................Daniela Morgan Martha.......................................................................Kaeta Jarkow
Rosie..................................................................... Isabel Lombardi
Calvin........................................................................Sasha Roberts
Agatha................................................................ Lexy Van de Kieft
Harry the Horse..............................................................................................James Flannery Lt. Brannigan......................................................................................................... Julius Philp Nathan Detroit...................................................................................................Riley Sexton The Crapshooters:......... Aidan Ahram, Asia Bermudez, Sarah Caba, Elisa Carillo, Elana Field, Casey Gottsegen, Naya Kalita Mukul, Anna Molloy, Bo Nordberg, Isabella Serrano, June Thoren, Victoria Uberti, Charlie Vanderbeets, Adam Vogel Angie the Ox..................................................................................................... Isabella Serrano Miss Adelaide.......................................................................................................Rubyrose Hill The Hot Box Girls:.......... Lily Bender, Ella Briman, Clarisa Carillo, Natalie Glassie, Joslyn Gray, Emma Griebsch, Coco Hill, Haylie Parilla, Cate Pederson, Carli Seigelstein Sky Masterson..................................................................................................Benjamin Slater Hot Box Emcee........................................................................................................Elana Field Mimi.......................................................................................................................... Clarisa Carillo General Cartwright....................................................................................... Eloise Esseks Big Jule................................................................................................................... Tori Feinstein Society Max............................................................................................................ June Thoren Liver Lips Louie.....................................................................................................Bo Nordberg Waiter........................................................................................................................ Sarah Caba
Cast
Cast
The Cast of Guys & Dolls thanks “in spades” our “diamond” of a photographer, Lauren Seigelstein, for capturing our “club” with photographs that captured our “hearts”!
Cast Biographies AIDAN AHRAM (Crapshooter) Aidan has loved acting from afar but this is his first real production and he’s thrilled! Aidan’s first love is chess and he was part of NEST+m’s national championship team last year. Special thanks to his parents and big brother Maury watching and hoping he doesn’t forget his lines! LILY BENDER (Hot Box Girl) Lily is 9 years old and in the 4th grade. At camp she performed in Wicked, Singing in the Rain, and Hairspray. She has also performed at Aaron Davis Hall three times with Peridance Dance School and is performing there this year, too. Lily was also in last year’s NEST+m production of Annie. Outside of school, she takes jazz and plays soccer on a team called Celtic. Her favorite singer is Adele, her birthday is March 17th and her favorite colors are purple and blue. This is her 5th year at NEST+m. ASIA BERMUDEZ (Crapshooter, u/s Hot Box Emcee) Asia is 9 years old and in the 4th grade. She loves singing, reading, and playing Uno and Monopoly...and, of course, watching television. Guys and Dolls is her first play at NEST+m and she is very excited. ELLA BRIMAN (Hot Box Girl, u/s Mimi) Ella is 8 years old, in the third grade, and is a big sister to Chloe (6) and Mia (2). She is thrilled to be part of Guys & Dolls. Ella played the role of Molly in last year’s NEST+m production of Annie, and spent several weeks this summer creating musical theater numbers in summer camp. In addition to the drama club, Ella participates in the NEST+m Lower School chorus (Songbirds). Ella is also passionate about reading and writing, and wants to be a famous author when she grows up. SARAH CABA (Crapshooter, Waiter) Sarah is in 3rd grade and she is 8 years old. This is her first play. She has done ballet recitals, but has never done anything like this show. She loves to paint, read and listen to music. Her favorite song in Guys & Dolls is “Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat”. In her free time she likes to sing along with the radio. She is so excited to be in Guys & Dolls but also nervous. CLARISA CARRILLO (Hot Box Girl, u/s Sarah Brown) Clarisa is a Level 6 gymnast, singer and dancer who loves Broadway theater and all things musical. She is a founding member of the NEST+m Birdhouse Players and was cast as the flipping orphan in the group’s premiere performance of Annie in 2010. Clarisa spent time last summer at Frenchwoods where she was the understudy for Tinkerbell in their production of Peter Pan. ELISA CARRILLO (Crapshooter) Eight-year old Elisa was delighted this year to join the NEST+m community and the Birdhouse Players. Elisa’s love for performing inspired her to attend the Frenchwoods Performing Arts camp this summer, where she was cast as an Indian princess in Peter Pan. She has a passion for art and sewing and hopes to one day design costumes for the Birdhouse Players. ELOISE ESSEKS (General Mathilda Cartwright) NEST+m fifth grader Eloise Esseks has lots of energy, so she loves to dance, play soccer and softball, do gymnastics, hike, sail, ride horses, and horse around with friends. She takes piano and clarinet lessons, and loves to play louder than her brother when he plays
the trombone. She also loves to read and make up stories. This is Eloise’s second show with the Birdhouse Players; she also appeared in last spring’s cabaret fundraiser. Huge thanks to Aunt Julie and Aunt Deb for encouraging her to perform! HAYLEY FEINSTEIN (Benny Southstreet) Hayley is thrilled to perform in Guys and Dolls. Theater: 1st Broadway National Tour of Shrek The Musical (Young Fiona, Young Shrek, Grumpy), Little Mermaid Jr. TV: 3rd & Bird on Disney Jr. (Rudy, series regular), Sesame Street, Team Umizoomi. Various voiceovers. Member Broadway Youth Ensemble. XOXO to Mom, Dad, Tori. TORI FEINSTEIN (Big Jule) Tori is excited to perform in Guys & Dolls. TV credits include 3rd & Bird (Muffin, series regular) and Chuggington (Toot, recurring character) on Disney Jr. and 30 Rock (Liddy). Films include Arthur (Library Girl) and Hello I Must Be Going (Caley). TV/radio commercials. Love to Mom, Dad, Hayley. ELANA FIELD (Crapshooter, Hot Box Emcee, u/s Rusty Charlie/Big Jule) Elana is in 3rd grade and loves NEST+m, her class and her teacher. She is thrilled to be in her first play. She is not a stranger to the stage. She has been dancing with Mark Morris Dance for over five years. Elana is an amazing singer and a member of the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. She sings solos in her church, The Brooklyn Tabernacle, for audiences of over 3,000 people! Elana does commercials when she is not in camp or traveling. She loves horses, reading, and play dates. Elana wishes her fellow actors great luck and success. JAMES FLANNERY (Harry the Horse) James Flannery was born and raised in New York City. He is now in fourth grade at NEST+m. Guys & Dolls is his theatrical debut. He is good at skate boarding but is better at speed stacking. He likes playing basketball but could do with more practice. NATALIE GLASSIE (Hot Box Girl) Natalie Glassie is in 2nd grade and lives in Brooklyn. She attends the School of American Ballet and danced this year in the New York City Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center. She also danced in SAB’s annual workshop performances at the Peter J. Sharpe Theater last spring. She has really enjoyed being a Hot Box Girl, especially since her mom played one in high school. AUDREY GORDON (Crapshooter) NEST+m third grader Audrey Gordon was born and raised in Manhattan. She loves chocolate, cats, and singing. Her favorite subjects in school are math and reading. She takes piano lessons and enjoys writing and performing her own songs. This is her third show with the Birdhouse Players: she also appeared in Annie, and in last spring’s cabaret fundraiser. CASEY GOTTSEGEN (Crapshooter) Casey is in 5th grade and is so excited to be a part of Guys & Dolls. She loves to sing and act but this is her first stage production. Casey wants to thank everyone for their help getting her ready to perform. JOSLYN GRAY (Hot Box Girl) Joslyn enjoys writing and drawing at her desk. She also likes putting on spontaneous shows with her neighbor, Zoe. She
Cast Biographies has fun singing and dancing. She has participated in Shakespeare productions for the past two summers. EMMA GRIEBSCH (Hot Box Girl) Emma Griebsch is a NEST+m 3rd grader whose previous trepidations about appearing onstage were conquered after attending last year’s wonderful production of Annie. Throughout the year, she has truly enjoyed practicing and learning her role (she had her entire family singing the show’s tunes!). In her spare time, Emma loves gymnastics, horseback riding and reading. Emma would very much like to thank everybody who made it possible for her to be a part of Guys & Dolls! It was a truly amazing experience. COCO HILL (Hot Box Girl, u/s Miss Adelaide) is eight years old and in the third grade. This is her first production at school and she’s having a really great time. She is very happy with her part and thinks she fits it pretty well. She loves being a Hot Box Girl because she loves to sing and dance. Her favorite things to do outside of the play are wrestle with her sister, draw, sing and dance. RUBYROSE HILL (Miss Adelaide) Rubyrose Hill is 10 years old and in 5th grade. She enjoys being a member of the Birdhouse Players. She is very happy with her role as Miss Adelaide. This is her first production and she hopes to be a part of more. Outside of school, she enjoys going to her house upstate. When she is there she likes to horseback ride, ski and be with her friends. KAETA JARKOW (Martha) 10-year-old Kaeta has been entertaining her family for years with her Karaoke antics and unique dance moves. She had fun being in Annie last year and is psyched to be a member of the inaugural Birdhouse Players troupe. Now she is having a blast performing in Guys & Dolls. In her free time, Kaeta likes giving her little sister makeovers and concocting her own homemade lip balms and scrubs. Kaeta can’t wait until opening night, and she would like thank all the cast and crew for putting together such a great show! ISABEL LOMBARDI (Rosie) Isabel Lombardi, a fourth grader, is excited to make her debut with the Birdhouse Players in Guys and Dolls. Isabel enjoys taking gymnastics and loves spending summers on LBI. Isabel thanks her family for their wonderful support and dedicates her performance to her father, John, for his acting inspiration. MACY MCGRAIL (Rusty Charlie, u/s Benny) Macy is really excited to be in her 3rd Birdhouse production. She was Annie in last year’s show, so she’s really happy that she is a completely different character this year. She would like to thank Rana, her director, Scott, her musical director, and Laura, her choreographer. She wishes good luck to the other Birdhouse Players in The King & I! ANNA LENA MOLLOY (Crapshooter) Anna Lena was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She began her performance career at the early age of 3, as the baby voice in the HBO Emmy Award winning children’s special, Classical Baby, the Music, Art and Dance Shows. She appeared in The HBO family special, Hard Times for an American Girl, The Great Depression, which premiered in 2009. That same year, she was one of
only 2 children who performed in Meredith Monk’s Ascension Variations, a site specific performance for 120 performers at The Guggenheim Museum. At Dance Theater Workshop, Anna has performed her own choreographed solos for the past three years as a part of Ellen Robbins’ Dances for Young Choreographers. Anna is passionate about dance, acting, cooking, and fashion. DANIELA MORGAN (Arvide Abernathy) Daniela Morgan is a 6th grader at NEST+m. She is so excited to be in Guys & Dolls. She has been in several camps and performances. With Rana, she was in the Birdhouse Players’ Annie, in which she played a Star-To-Be and a Boylan sister. She is excited to play Arvide and would like to wish her cast-mates good luck! NAYA KALITA MUKUL (Crapshooter) Naya Meenakshi Kalita Mukul is a second-grader at NEST+m. She plays piano and loves to dance, mostly Bollywood, bhangra and bharatnatyam (Indian classical). Her favorite color is lime green. She lives in Jackson Heights, Queens. Love to her parents (Mama and Papi), her new little sister, Riya Namai, and the rest of her family, and all her teachers and friends. BO NORDBERG (Liver Lips Louie) Bo Nordberg is nine years old and this is his first drama experience EVER, because usually sports take up ALL his time after school. What he like most about being in this play is hanging out with his buddies. He also loves to sing so this is a good place for him to practice... Usually he sings rap and pop songs. His favorite songs to sing to are “Moves like Jagger” by Maroon 5, “Give me Everything” by Pitbull and Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind”. Hope you like the show! Oh and thank you, Rana, for this opportunity! HAYLIE PARRILLA (Hot Box Girl) NEST+m third grader Haylie Parrilla was born in the Bronx and raised in Manhattan. Haylie loves gymnastics, playing sports, and swimming. Her favorite subjects are reading and writing. She enjoys reading novels and writing her own stories. This is her first show with the Birdhouse Players. She is very excited for the show! CATE PEDERSON (Hot Box Girl) Cate Pederson is a 4th grader at NEST+m and resides in Alphabet City. Over the past year Cate has developed a passion for the stage and all things theatrical. She loves to sing, dance, design clothing, jewelry and fashion hair and make up. In addition to theater Cate also studies guitar and has been participating in gymnastics at Chelsea Piers for the past several years. Cate’s other interests include cooking, origami, reading Manga, and enjoying the great outdoors. Cate is thrilled to be a part of Guys & Dolls this year and looks forward to many more NEST+m Birdhouse Players performances. JULIUS PHILP (Lt. Brannigan, u/s Nathan) Julius (Jules) Philp is a fourth grader at NEST+m. He lives in Brooklyn, New York with his family. He was not in Annie or any other school play before. He likes soccer and music but dislikes dark chocolate and spinach. He likes Guys & Dolls because it’s fun preforming on stage.
Cast Biographies SASHA LYNN ROBERTS (Calvin, u/s Arvide/ General) is ecstatic about her debut with the NEST+m Birdhouse players. She is a 9 year old 4th grader here at NEST+m with a strong affinity towards the musical arts. In addition to singing and dancing she also enjoys playing the violin and guitar. Her previous stage performances include ensemble characters in 2010 & 2011 end of summer productions with the Lenox Hill Arts & Performance camp, violin recitals for Joe’s Music Center and ballet and tap recitals with Bonni’s Dance Studio. She feels that this has been an amazing opportunity to work with such a wonderful cast and would like to thank the entire theatre family for making this production such a rewarding experience. RILEY SEXTON (Nathan Detroit) Riley thoroughly enjoyed rehearsals and working with his fellow actors on Guys & Dolls! Riley has been in several performances, most recently appearing this summer as the dastardly farmer Bean in The Fantastic Mr. Fox, and the Imp, Pain, in Hercules. He was also thrilled to appear as a child in Love Creek’s Off Off Broadway production of Medea, particularly the part where he got to perform dead and covered in blood on stage. Riley is 9 and in the 4th grade. CARLI SEIGELSTEIN (Hot Box Girl) Carlie is 8 and in the 3rd grade. She likes her character because she sings and dances a lot and she enjoys both of these activities. She takes hip-hop at PeriDance and has performed five times on stage. Last year, she played Tessie in Annie. Thanks to Rana, Laura, and Scott, my castmates, friends and family. She is so excited for the show -- she hopes you like it! ISABELLA SERRANO (Angie the Ox) Isabella wants to be an artist and a vet when she grows up. She loves music, is an accomplished singer who recorded Yellow Submarine for “The Beatles Complete on Ukulele” project, and made her stage debut as a Marzipan in the Brooklyn Nutcracker. She has had a wonderful time preparing for Guys & Dolls and looks forward to many more projects with this talented team. BENJAMIN SLATER (Sky Masterson) Benjamin’s theatre credits include Medea (The Living Theatre), Cougars In The Outfield (Manhattan Theatre Source), Odyssey:The Musical (Off Broadway) and The Jazz Singer (Metropolitan Playhouse). Feature film credits include: We Are The Hartman’s, The Prospects, and Lily. Benjamin is thrilled to be a part of the Guys & Dolls cast! NIXIE STRAZZA (Sarah Brown) Nine-year-old Nixie is thrilled to make her second main-stage Player appearance (and to reunite with the BHP Staff) after portraying Pepper in Annie. Represented by the supportive team at Generation, she has been seen/heard in commercials, print, film, and voice over work making her a proud member of SAG. She loved rehearsing with her friends and fellow actors on this production and wishes “Luck” to “Be A Lady” to all in the cast... as well as a former cast-mate whose character’s shoes she fills tonight! JUNE THOREN (Society Max, u/s Sky/Brannigan) June Thoren is a fifth grader at NEST+m. June has always loved musicals. She studies tap dancing, ballet, and flying trapeze. June also loves to read, write
fiction, and play with her little sister Hattie. This is June’s first performance with the Birdhouse Players. VICTORIA UBERTI (Crapshooter, u/s Harry) Victoria Uberti is making her theatrical debut. She hopes this role will be the first step in her journey to become a professional actress. Victoria is a third grader who enjoys writing stories and doing gymnastics. Her hobbies include singing, reading, and driving her brothers insane. LEXY VAN DE KIEFT (Agatha) Lexy is 10 years old and in the 5th grade at NEST+m. She is so excited to be a part of the Birdhouse Players for the second time playing Agatha. She works for Wilhelmina modeling and talent agency. She was recently in Vogue Bambini magazine’s back-to-school issue. Her little sister, Emily, is in her first play, The King & I, here at NEST+m. She also has a three year old brother named Gregory. She’ll see you in the audience! CHARLIE VANDERBEETS (Crapshooter) Charlie was born in Brooklyn and raised in a theater in Williamsburg until he was three years old. He now lives in Midtown Manhattan, where he is very excited to live on the same street as Toys ‘R Us and Bowlmor Lanes! He has been studying dance since the age of three and he now studies ballet at American Ballet Theatre (ABT). He loves pretending to be different characters, from Super Mario to Pokemon to anything else that pops into his mind. Charlie would like to dedicate 1/2 of his performances to his brother, Jack, and the other 1/2 to his pug, Sparky. ADAM VOGEL (Crapshooter) Adam Walter Vogel was born in Virginia and made the move to Manhattan in September 2007 when he was four years old. He lives with his Mom, Dad, little sister, Ava, a beagle named Dixie and his fish, CC. Adam is in 3rd grade and loves The Beatles, science, BBQ potato chips and video games. This is Adam’s first performance in a musical and he is happy to be part of the Birdhouse Players. LUKE WHITNEY (Nicely Nicely Johnson) Luke is so excited to be performing again on the stage at NEST+m! You may have seen him in the very successful production of Annie here with the Birdhouse Players as Bert Healy/Lt. Ward. He is thrilled to be getting in touch with his funny 1950’s gambler as Nicely, Nicely Johnson in the production of Guys & Dolls! Luke is a 4th grader at NEST+m. A renaissance man, he also enjoys competitive baseball and plays for the Peter Stuyvesant All Star team. He aspires to play for the New York Yankees! He would like to dedicate this performance to his wonderful family. Luke would like to thank everyone who made this opportunity possible, especially his mom and dad! Enjoy the show!
Feathered Fact: Number of Birdhouse “dolls” playing “guys”: 19
Staff Biographies RANA STRAZZA (Director/Executive Producer) Off-Broadway, Operettas, tours, and the IJE’s International Vocal Award. Highlights among opera/recital/dramatic/musical theater productions: The Bartered Bride (Marenka). Guys and Dolls (Sarah, Hudson Guild Theater, NY/Denver, Tour), Cloud Nine (Ms. Saunders, Atrium Theater, NY), Baby (Arlene, Mitchell Theater, DC), Our Town, (Emily, Gate Theater, NY), Manny and Jake (Manny, Lisner Auditorium), Peter Pan (Peter, Gate Theater, NY), The Pajama Game (Babe), Frankenstein (Off Bway workshop, Theater for the New City), Cinderella (Cinderella), You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown (Lucy), The Odd Couple (Vera), Aria da Capo (Corydon, Congressional Stage, NY), Annie (Annie), Grease, and the Son of Dr. Caligari (Nurse) by award-winning playwright, Crystal Skillman, which Rana also choreographed. Fronted a Washington DC-based Big Band, playing The Duke Ellington Club and Lisner Auditorium as well as State dinners (receiving a kiss from Czech President Vaclav Havel after a televised, solo performance). Singer/songwriter: NYC music clubs, corporately-contracted engagements in all musical genres. Modeling/print: Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein among many others. Trained with Travis Preston at the New School, work-shopped with Sundance Films, Carlin Glynn and the esteemed, EmmyAward winning director Joan Darling (San Francisco Opera/Victory Theater, Los Angeles). Production/ Design credits include industry-acclaimed, nationally televised events for Bravo Media, Time Inc., MLB, The WEBBY’s, The Public Theater, Tribeca Film Festival, DirecTV, among others as well as large-scale concerts/galas featuring celebrated talents including Alicia Keys, Sting, Bono, Janet Jackson, Prince, Gwen Stefani, Kathleen Battle, the Jonas Brothers, Diana Ross, John Legend, Natasha Bedingfield, David Bowie, and Taylor Swift. Rana is the Artistic Director and a founding board member of the nonprofit Aerie Repertory, the professional wing of the Birdhouse Players. SCOTT ETHIER (Musical Director) Scott returns as Musical Director from Annie and the Birdhouse Benefit. He is a composer and pianist who writes and performs musical theater, concert works, and jazz. His musical Rosa Parks (book and lyrics by Jeff Hughes) was commissioned by Theaterworks/USA and kicked off a tour of the United States at New York City’s Town Hall in February of 2009. In 2002, Scott was named composer-in-residence of the Macon Symphony Orchestra thanks to the American Composers Forum’s Continental Harmony Program. His orchestra works have been performed and commissioned by the Melrose Symphony, the Cape Ann Symphony, the Quincy Symphony, and by choreographer Martita Goshen’s company Earthworks
(to write the score for her piece Breathing Water, Breathing Eye at the Danspace Project). Man Near the Moon, a short musical written with playwright Trista Baldwin, was staged as part of Dreams this Way: The Best of Raw Impressions Musical Theater at TADA! Theater and later at the Beckett Theater as part of the New York Musical Theater Festival. Other theater scores include I Am Star Trek (Rick Vorndran, book; Clay Zambo, lyrics) at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and incidental music for Sarah Ruhl’s play Eurydice (Williamstown Theater Festival). He is currently at work on an adaptation of the novel The Third Miracle (book and original novel by Richard Vetere, lyrics by Jeff Hughes), excerpts of which were staged at Manhattan Theatre Club. Scott has been a fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and a participant in the Nautilus Music Theater/New Dramatists ComposerLibrettists Studio. He was also named a Dramatists Guild Musical Theater Fellow in 2005-6, and is an alum of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. Active as a pianist and music director in theater and dance, Scott has played for Forestburgh Playhouse, Mark Morris Dance Group, the New York Fringe Festival, St. Bart's Players, and Broadway Classroom among others, and has worked as pianist, pit musician, and music assistant for Ahren’s and Flaherty’s The Glorious Ones at Lincoln Center Theater, and recorded a podcast with Neil Patrick Harris. Scott has written on music and theatre for the magazine Humanities and taught at Berklee College of Music and Hunter College, CUNY. He is a member the Dramatists Guild, BMI, the American Music Center, the American Composers Forum, and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 802. While a teenager, Ethier studied with jazz legend Jackie McLean and South African pianist Hotep Idris Galeta. He later studied composition with Larry Bell, Richard Danielpour, and David del Tredici. LAURA DANETTE (Choreographer) NYC Educational Programs Faculty: New York City Center’s Encores Educational Program (since 2006), TADA! (since 1996), The Lee Strasberg Theater Institute’s Young Actors at Strasberg, Coupe Studio Theatre (Nanuet, NY), Salvation Army Arts Conservatory (since 2002), Beginnings Workshop, Diller Quaile School of Music. NYC Musicals: Annie, Jr. (NEST+m), Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Way Off Broadway-L.I.), The Fantasticks, Footloose, Grease, Once Upon A Mattress, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, American Beauty, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Snow White (The Hewitt School). Off Broadway productions: Much Ado About Nothing, Love’s Labours
Staff Biographies Lost (American Globe Theatre), Aladdin, Jr., Dear Edwina, Jr., Honk, Jr., Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jr., (Theater 315’s Young Broadway Experience with NYC’s Professional Performing Arts School), L’Histoire du Soldat (choreographed and performed with George Merritt). Nationally: Curtains, Beauty and the Beast, Bye Bye Birdie, Seussical, and The Next Step (Camp Broadway), Chicago (Regional Tour), The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Crazy For You (Jacksonville State Univ-AL), Phantom (Helen Hayes Theater), Once Upon A Mattress (L.A. Children’s Civic Light Opera), Change Reaction (Friendship Ambassadors of the UN, Peekskill’s Children’s Theater Company), Oklahoma (Depot Theater), Damn Yankees, Pippin (Mt. St. Vincent’s College), Footloose (Tyler, TX), Theater Works (Young AudiencesAbilene, TX). Industrials: New York Life’s 150th Birthday Celebration (Madison Square Garden with Marvin Hamlisch, Liza Minelli), Glamour Magazine’s Glamour A-Go-Go, DK Publishing and AXA Financial. Awards: Kool & the Gang’s MTV video VICTORY; American Music Award winner. CD: Pre-Ballet for Beginners (Kimbo Educational CD with Dennis Buck). Performing Credits: Chicago (Hunyak-National Tour), My One and Only (with Georgia Engel-Atlantic City), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (with Morgan Fairchild-Regional Tour), Radio City’s Disney Summer Magic (with The Rockettes), Tribute to Hollywood’s Showgirls (Avery Fisher Hall), The Promised Land (Off-Broadway), Damn Yankees,West Side Story, Can Can, Teddy and Alice, South Pacific, Funny Girl, Mame, Oliver (Artpark), Funny Girl, Sugar Babies (Carlton Davis Tours-New England), Hello Dolly (Carousel DT-OH), Sugar Babies, The King and I (Darien DT-CT). Education: BFA Dance/ French (cum laude) from UNC-Greensboro, L’Universite de Toulouse, France. Actors Equity Association proud member since 1983. Lauren McGrail (General Manager) Lauren is a NEST+m parent managing the daily operations of the Players from pre-production planning, organizing volunteers, contracts, ticket and booster sales, editing/organizing Playbill information, communications, and various other non-directorial tasks associated with Player productions including the spring Benefit, the winter chamber concert, and last year’s Annie. A lifelong theater-lover, she is far from her high school performance days, and now works full-time overseeing the administration of a private philanthropic foundation with a mission to advance the opportunities of under-privileged youth. Lauren is a founding board member of the non-
profit Aerie Repertory, the professional wing of the Birdhouse Players. Yvette Ortiz (Executive Producer, Costumes) A full-time physician, Yvette spearheaded the creation of the after school programs several years ago and, with Roberta Glick, co-founded and co-chairs all programming and operations of After3. She has championed the cultivation of arts programs for school children and, as a full production partner of the Birdhouse Players, has helped in the organization and planning of these productions as well as last year’s Annie (not to mention assumed responsibilities of an excessive amount of costuming, merchandizing and concessions). DAVID BENDER (G&D Set Direction/Design) David reprises his responsibilities after directing set construction and design of last season’s Annie. He is a full-time artist retaining a studio in Brooklyn. He is represented by galleries located in New York City, Sag Harbor, Hudson and Martha's Vineyard. His work can be seen at BenderStudio.com Debby Lee Cohen (K&I/G&D Set Consultation; K&I Ballet Costume/Prop Direction/ Design) Debby has designed scenery for Meredith Monk and other multi-media directors for over 20 years (BAM, Lincoln Center, Houston Grand Opera). Her HBO credits include set designer/ story advisor for the Emmy award winning special, “Classical Baby.” She designed giant puppets for the Village Halloween Parade for 8 years, a children’s parade in the center of Paris, and her animation has been shown on PBS, Showtime/The Movie Channel, and MTV. She is a recipient of grants from NEA, NYSCA, NYFA, and the Henson Foundation and has applied her design/collaborative skills to eliminating Styrofoam in NYC schools and to achieving Zero Waste cafeterias (SOSnyc.org & CafeteriaCulture.org). Lisa Seale Cruz (Playbill Designer) Lisa has a MS from Pratt Institute and was a designer and web manager in financial services for over ten years. She is a freelance graphic designer and founder/editor of shopalicious.com. Travis Davis (Co-Stage Manager, G&D/ Stage Crew, K&I) Travis is a NEST+m senior and returns to the Players after working as crew in last year’s Annie and performing in the Players’ Benefit last May. He has assisted the director through the course of rehearsal. Travis is a founding member of a school-based charitable organization at NEST+m. He looks forward to attending college in Fall 2012. JEREMY ETWAROO (Stage Crew) Jeremy is a high school student at NEST+m. He worked on last year’s production of Annie and has returned to backstage duties again this year.
Staff Biographies Josiah Houston (Stage Manager, K&I) Josiah is an assistant teacher in the NEST+m fourth grade classrooms. As co-founder and resident playwright for PIECE Theatre (based in NYC), he is developing a Youth Storytelling Education Program called Little Pieces. He has received numerous awards, including Teacher of the Year - Manu’a Island and Distinguished Thesis Award Honors College: Southern CT State University. HOPE LANDRY (Make-up Artist) Hope Landry is a New York-based Make-up Artist. Her work has been featured multiple times in Martha Stewart Weddings magazine as well as Manhattan Bride and Fitness magazines. Her television credits include a number of episodes for Martha Stewart, Maury Povich, the Windows 7 launch broadcast, work for Playboy Enterprises and several books including Steve Forbes’ last cover and Colin Cowrie’s Weddings. For a decade, she has done the make-up for hundreds of prestigious weddings at noted venues throughout the tristate area and abroad, and is a specialist in basic and special effects as well as post surgery/reconstructive make-up, teaching doctors and patients from New York to Beverly Hills how to cover the scarring that comes with plastic surgery. SAM LINARES, Fairfield Pro (Lighting Designer) Sam Linares is the founder, owner and operator of Fairfield Pro, a professional event lighting company
specializing in high-end functions and performances throughout New York and surrounding areas. Fairfield has delivered services to renowned venues and A-list artists for decades and their expertise lights many events recognized throughout the world. KRisten Persinos (Stage Manager, G&D) A graduate from Boston University’s acting program, Kristen has spent many years involved in downtown theater. She is the singer and songwriter for a NYC based rock band called “Impostor Syndrome” and plays out regularly around the City. Her band is also currently working on a recording. Kristen woked on last year’s production of Annie, and is thrilled to return as Stage Manager for Guys & Dolls. Alex West (Head Usher) Alex is a responsible, athletic, 6th grader who plays soccer and tennis and returns this season as the recruiter, organizer, and trainer of the Middle School ushers. When she wants to settle down, she plays the piano and bass clarinet. She is a caring, loving person to everybody and lives in Battery Park City with her mom, dad, and foster brother, Kulachok, who is a 12th grader at NEST+m. During the summer and on the weekends, she enjoys going to herbeach house in New Jersey. USHERS: Andres Ayola, Leila Fahmy, Tarek Fahmy, Grace Goss, Sean Harty, Philipine Mariaud, Daniela Morgan, Rachel Salem, Marcos Uberti, Nathaniel Winters
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Congratulations, Adam Vogel. You’re always our shining star! Love, Aunt Sue and Uncle Rich Aidan, You’ve been a gambler since you were born - now’s your chance to show it off! Go on, throw the dice - you’ve got it made already, kid! -- Love from Maury, Mom and Abba
Dear Macy, We are thrilled to see you on stage again...and again... and again! We love you very much and we could not be more proud of you. Bap and Pop
Break a leg, Natalie, and congrats to all the Hot Box girls! With love from your whole family.
Nixie and Fina, Congratulations, my sweets.
McGrail & Bensinger LLP Congratulates the Cast and Crew of Guys & Dolls Don’t roll the dice when you need legal advice! Corporate/Bankruptcy Law www.mcgrailbensinger.com
I am very proud of you.
Love, Dad.
Congratulations, Mavis! We “Les Miz” you as you nationally tour in that “Castle on a Cloud”! The Birdhouse Players
Congratulations to the cast & crew of Guys & Dolls on all Â
your hard work! Emma W e are so very proud of you ! Love, Mommy & Daddy
To our favorite HotBox Girl Lily, We’re so proud of you and know you’ll be terrific in the show! All our love, Mommy, Daddy and Jonathan
CONGRATULATIONS, KAETA and the rest of the cast of GUYS & DOLLS! Kaeta, we would ‘follow’ you anywhere! With tons of love, Mom, Dad & Tess Ama & Pojo Grandma & Grandpa
Thanks! v Thanks! v Thanks! Though “nested” at 111 Columbia, The Birdhouse Players welcome students from other schools into their afterschool program. We currently have actors from neighboring public schools in our cast and hope to draw more as we cultivate what we’ve come to think of as our community theater. It is impossible to accomplish these shows without our community of students, actors, volunteers, and parents, for they have approached this season with an excitement and willingness to become a part of it all and help us reach our goals. We thank our actors for enduring the process, we thank every parent who trusted us to guide their children to these openings, we thank our audiences for their support and attendance, and we specially recognize the following people for their direct help in readying our productions: Yvette Ortiz & Roberta Glick of NEST After 3 Susan Townes & Katie Sperling of the NEST+m PTA Samantha Williams and the NEST After 3 Staff Lisa Seale Cruz (Playbill/cover logo Designer) John Carlone & the NEST+m Custodial Staff The NEST+m Security Officers Pieter Voorhees, David Salyers & Sarah Wolff Jared Rosoff & Sarah Liogys Marcy Rios Duran & Cecilia Buktenica Julia Adorno-Kempczynski (K&I Ballet Props) Carlos Bermudez (K&I Sets) Robin Perl (K&I Ballet Props) Keith Strahan (K&I Ballet Props) Emily Simpson (G&D Costumes) Meredith Simpson (G&D Costumes) Jill Neiberg (K&I Costumes, Playbill Proofreader) Lauren Seigelstein (G&D Photography) Jake Chessum (K&I Photography) Scott Hill (Marketing/Merchandise Design) Rosaura Pineda (Costumes) Maria Gualdoni (K&I Costumes) Sharon Lawyer (K&I Costumes) Wilfredo Cruz (Birdhouse Players logo, CD artwork Designer) Paul Wein (Playbill cover logo recreation) Parent Volunteers: Makeup/Hair: Natalie Barrett, Juliet Pederson, Terry Slater, Aimy Tran Tickets/Concessions: Lucy Green, Justine Manser, Nancy Miller Logistics: Heather Chait, Georgie Harvey, Lauren McGrail, Rosie Morgan, Jill Neiberg, John Philp, Angela Vogel
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Our 3rd Season “takes flight” with AUDITIONS this May!
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