The History Boys & The Letters Program

Mad Cow Theatre Presents

The History Boys

The Letters

by Alan Bennett

by John W. Lowell

AUG 8 — SEPT 7, 2014

AUG 22 — SEPT 21, 2014

in the Harriett

in the ZEHNGEBOTSTONEROCK THEATRE

Mad Cow Theatre

Acknowledgments

Mad Cow Theatre was founded on the belief that the theatre is a dynamic and powerful means of social understanding, as well as a hugely entertaining art form.

Mad Cow Theatre is supported in part with public funds from the United Arts campaign and by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the Florida Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Downtown Development Board, and Orange County through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program. A great nation deserves great art!

Mad Cow is a 501(c)(3) organization and welcomes all donations including funds, materials, time and good will.

We are especially delighted when audience members bring others to share the theatrical experience.

Lisa Buck

Through the combination of passionate, skillful acting and compelling, insightful writing, nurtured by an attentive and ever-changing process, Mad Cow presents entertaining works of theatre to an ever-widening audience — promoting, enhancing and celebrating the human condition through art.

Thank You Mad Cow Theatre has forged manyalliances and made many friends. This endeavor would not be possible without the generous spirit, passion and good will of the following individuals and organizations.

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THEATRE LOCATION: Mad Cow Theatre 54 West Church Street Second Floor Orlando, FL 32801 Mailing ADDRESS: Mad Cow Theatre P.O. Box 3109, Orlando, FL 32802-3109 BOX OFFICE: 407.297.8788 or madcowtheatre.com

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Anne-Marie Colwell Bill & Claudia Lefkowitz Terry & Robin Olson Thomas Ouellette Allen Overlander Peg O’Keef

Holland & Knight

Stephan Smith

Holland & Reilly

Marty Stonerock

Valencia College

Gemma Victoria

Tom Hurst Photography

Paul Williams

Terry Clark

All the Cows in the Pasture

Mad Cow Theatre Presents

The History Boys

by Alan Bennett August 8-September 7, 2014 The Harriett Theatre

- FEATURING Ryan Corbin Bathurst

Robert Johnston*

Adam Reilly

Sean Michael Flynn

Matt Lipscomb

Joshua S. Roth

Tommy Keesling

AJ Nickell

Jeffrey Todd Parrott

Philip Nolen*

Robin Proett Olson*

Peter Travis

Scenic Design William Elliott

Lighting Design John Hemphill

Sound Design Michael Powers

Costume Design Marco T. Magno

Props Master Frank Siano

Stage Manager Melissa Cooper

Director Mark Edward Smith

The History Boys is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the U.S.

Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 49,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society.

Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org

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The History Boys Cast of Characters In order of appearance Peter Travis........................................................................................ Irwin Philip Nolen..................................................................................... Hector Adam Reilly................................................................................. Crowther AJ Nickell........................................................................................Akthar Robert Johnston................................................................................ Dakin Matt Lipscomb................................................................................. Scripps Sean Michael Flynn.......................................................................... Rudge Joshua S. Roth............................................................................ Lockwood Jeffrey Todd Parrott.......................................................................... Posner Ryan Corbin Bathurst.........................................................................Timms Tommy Keesling....................................................................... Headmaster Robin Proett Olson.....................................................................Mrs. Lintott

PLACE AND TIME Summer in a sixth-form classroom, in a boy’s school, 1980s Northern England

The History Boys is performed with one intermission.

PRODUCTION TEAM Assistant Stage Manager................................................. Karen Stephenson Dialect Coaches.................................................................Gemma Victoria .................................................................................. Anne-Marie Colwell Technical Production Manager............................................. Larry Rodriguez Master Electrician................................................................. David Clenney Musical Consultant..................................................................... Philip King Scenic Charge............................................................................. Lisa Buck Scenic Assistant........................................................................ Tracy Lange Master Carpenter...................................................................... Chris Sutter Crew........................ Drew DeCaro, Tracy Lange, Ryan Roberson, Peter Ruiz

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Mad Cow Theatre is supported by United Arts of Central Florida, host of power2give.org/centralflorida and the collaborative Campaign for the Arts.

The History Boys THE HISTORY BOYS: The history in The History Boys is a slippery thing. Set in the 1980s, it is a play about history although not necessarily about a specific historical event. The subject is eminently suited to the medium of theater. A play, like history, lives for a moment and then is gone, only to be remembered in the minds of the witnesses and their accounts. The History Boys has sudden shifts in time and verb tense: A boy who may be 17 in one scene suddenly seems to be a man of 30 remembering his past.

In addition to the use of memory and personal account — the tools of history — in the structure of the play, The History Boys also thematically deals with how history is taught and how it is used. The three instructors provide a striking difference in approach — Lintott’s facts, Hector’s poetry and humanism and Irwin’s practical (or even cynical) expedience.

The history in the play is further complicated by the fact that Bennett in his introduction to the published version of The History Boys admits that he wrote the play based on his own ideas and remembrances of school life and examinations and that when he was informed that the system of examinations had changed he decided to set the play in the 1980s but he did not specifically add references from the era to the play.

Maren Robinson. History Boys Study Guide. The History. Web. http://timelinetheatre.com/history_boys/ HistoryBoys_StudyGuide2.pdf

Alan BennetT (Playwright) Since the legendary Beyond the Fringe in 1960, Bennett’s writing for page, stage and screen has captured hearts globally. Born in Leeds in 1934, this butcher’s son had early aspirations to be a medieval historian.

The gossiping Yorkshire folk and coastal holidays of his childhood pervade much of Bennett’s prolific output, from his first television play A Day Out and the star-studded Talking Heads series to his autobiography Untold Stories.

Bennett’s most recent and stunningly popular show The History Boys scooped three Olivier Awards and six Tonys in the US. For many, Yorkshire’s beloved son Alan Bennett is the premier English dramatist of his generation. With his floppy hair, horn-rimmed glasses and lashings of corduroy, he looks every inch the iconic English eccentric. But it’s his ability to paint the lives of everyday British folk with charm, humour and respect that has won him awards and a place on the school syllabus. All this and he’s a great political campaigner: work such as Thora Hird’s memorable monologue about her resistance to going into a care home have instigated political debate by capturing the plight of the overlooked.

“People ... have a notion of me being this cosy, northern creature, cup-of-tea and all that stuff. That’s all right; it doesn’t bother me most of the time.” — Alan Bennett BBC-Living Icons, Web-http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/livingicons/bio02.shtml

Out of respect for the audience and the artists, patrons who leave the theatre during the performance and patrons who arrive late will be re-admitted at the house manager’s discretion.

The photographing, video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.

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The History Boys RYAN CORBIN BATHURST (Timms) is thrilled to be making his main stage debut at Mad Cow Theatre, where he recently appeared as Dr. James Watson in a reading of Photograph 51.

Bathurst was trained at Rollins College and the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Some of his favorite roles include Ariel in The Pillowman and Don Armado in Love’s Labour’s Lost.

LISA BUCK (Scenic Charge) History Boys is Lisa’s 40th production as scenic charge for Mad Cow Theatre, including Later Life with Martin Charnin, Sunday in the Park with George and Enchanted April. Other scenic charge: Cary Wong’s The Magic Flute (Orlando Opera), and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra). Set designs include The Road to Mecca and Mrs. Warren’s Profession (Mad Cow Theatre). Don Pasquale, Abduction from the Seraglio, Carmina Burana with Cirque du Soleil (Orlando Opera), Madama Butterfly and II Barbiere di Siviglia (Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra). She earned her BFA at Massachusetts College of Art and art-directed fashion and dance catalogs in NYC. Lisa studied painting at Parsons School of Design and Cobalt Studios. She has won numerous awards for her painting and has written how-to-paint articles for North Light Publications.

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MELISSA COOPER (Stage Manager) has been with Mad Cow since Season 15. A 2012 graduate of Rollins College, she has been working behind the scenes as assistant director for Billy Bishop Goes to War, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, and Death of a Salesman; stage manager for Other Desert Cities and the Science Play Festival; and assistant stage manager for The

Mountaintop. She is also Mad Cow’s assistant production manager. She cannot wait to begin Season 18 and is excited to be with the herd.

WILLIAM ELLIOTT (Scenic Designer) has designed scenery and lighting for more than 200 productions, many of them in Central Florida, including operas at Stetson University’s School of Music and plays and musicals for Stetson’s theatre arts program. He designed many productions for Civic Theatre of Central Florida and Orlando Opera Company.

Some of his credits with Mad Cow Theatre include Hair, The Light in the Piazza, Other Desert Cities, Fool for Love, Blithe Spirit, Desdemona, Burn This, The Glass Menagerie, The Cherry Orchard, Crimes of the Heart, The Odd Couple, The Laramie Project, Ghosts (scenery and lighting), The Life of Galileo, Stop Kiss, The Butter and Egg Man, Legacy of Light, Next to Normal and The Understudy. He has designed not only for theatre and opera but also for television, film, corporate productions and theme parks.

SEAN MICHAEL FLYNN (Rudge) made his Mad Cow debut with Hair and is excited to be back on stage in The History Boys. He is grateful to be part of the pasture among such talented artists. Sean attended Valencia College, where he studied with Julia Gagne in productions of Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), Anything Goes (Moonface) and Lucky Stiff (Luigi). He later attended Marymount Manhattan College. Recent credits: Spring Awakening (Otto) and Glory Days (Jack). Apart from acting he has begun to focus on playwriting and has received numerous awardsand recognitions from colleges and festivals.

To infinity and beyond, everyone!

The History Boys JOHN HEMPHILL (Lighting Designer) is proud to be returning to the herd for the first time since 2012. He spends most of his time as lighting crew chief at Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as well as at other Disney special events, such as Spectacle of Dancing Lights and Star Wars Weekends. Favorite past credits with Mad Cow include The Heiress, The Lion In Winter, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Gone Missing, August: Osage County and She Loves Me. For the past four years John has also been lighting designer for the VIP and after-parties for the annual Headdress Ball. John is excited to be marrying his best friend Marisa Nieves in October and hopes to continue his work with the herd for many years to come.

TOMMY KEESLING (Headmaster) has appeared in more than 20 Mad Cow productions, including Arcadia, Our Town, The Constant Wife, The Seagull, Pericles, I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given to Me by a Young Lady

PHILIP KING (Musical Consultant) is a bass-baritone, pianist, and composer.

He studied voice and piano performance at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Philip has appeared on stage and served as music director for numerous musical-theatre productions.

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Colleen Blagov, Principal Flute

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(Photo by Venture Photography)

ROBERT JOHNSTON (Dakin) is happy to be returning to Mad Cow in this outstanding show. A proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, he has recently appeared as Rob in High Fidelity, Travis in Clark Gable Slept Here, Fabrizio in The Light in the Piazza, Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Tulsa in Gypsy, Andrew Jackson in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, the Emcee in Cabaret, Barnaby in Hello Dolly! (starring Sally Struthers), Chip in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Matthew in Altar Boyz. As always, he would like to thank his family and friends for their unending love and support.

From Rwanda, Eurydice, Amadeus, She Stoops to Conquer, The Pitmen Painters, August: Osage County, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Enchanted April, Death of a Salesman, Table Manners and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He has worked with many other Central Florida theatres, including Hubris Theatre (The Pillowman) and Theatre Downtown (Take Me Out). He has performed at the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival and has also appeared in staged readings for Mad Cow, PlayFest and Women Playwrights’ Initiative.

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The History Boys His most recent work includes Les Misérables (Theatre Winter Haven), Fiddler on the Roof and A Marvelous Party: The Noël Coward Celebration (American Stage); and Hair, Dreamgirls, the 11th and 12th annual Orlando Cabaret Festivals, Billy Bishop Goes to War, and Next to Normal (Mad Cow Theatre). In addition to theatrical work, Mr. King has appeared in concert with Gloria Musicae, Sarasota’s professional chorus; Encore! Cast Performing Arts; the Drake University Choirs; Drake University students, faculty, and guest artists; the Fort Dodge Choral Society; and the Des Moines Metro Opera.

MATT LIPSCOMB (Scripps) is making his Mad Cow Theatre debut. A native of Virginia, Matt earned a BFA in theatre performance from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012.

Before moving to Florida last August, Matt spent a year performing for children across America with TheatreIV on Tour, a division of Virginia Repertory Theatre.

Favorite roles include Antipholus of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors (Richmond Shakespeare/ Henley Street Theatre), Mercutio in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet (TheatreVCU), Jack in Elizabeth Rex (Richmond Shakespeare), and Jodelet in Two Precious Maidens Ridiculed (TheatreVCU).

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MARCO T. MAGNO (Costume Designer) is from Italy, where he studied psychology at La Sapienza in Rome and fine arts at the Fine Arts Academy of Brera in Milan. He pursued a career as a solo dancer with various ballet companies in Europe. Since 1986 he has worked as a costume designer assistant and later as costume designer for opera, theatrical plays, film,

television productions, commercials and music videos. In 2009 he moved to the U.S. and earned a degree in humanities summa cum laude, while cultivating the love for fine arts by expanding his knowledge of 3-D graphics.

AJ NICKELL (Akthar) makes his debut on the Mad Cow stage with The History Boys. Almost done with high school, AJ has trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York and studied under Rus Blackwell. He has appeared in multiple indie films (7 Lives of Chance, No Charge, Two Days and more), does voiceover work, and improvs every day. He extends his thanks to Mad Cow Theatre.

PHILIP NOLEN (Hector) is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Mad Cow audiences may remember him from Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Private Lives, and Amadeus. Most recently, Philip performed in Orlando Shakespeare Theater’s production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts One and Two. He has been an actor and singer for Walt Disney World since 1991, where he has performed in a variety of venues; he currently sits on the judges’ panel in The American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

ROBIN PROETT OLSON (Mrs. Lintott) is grateful to be back in the pasture. Her most recent work took her to Boca Raton as Ouiser in Steel Magnolias at the Wick Theatre. In Orlando she appeared as Linda in Death of a Salesman, Mattie Fae in August: Osage County, and Miss Helen in The Road to Mecca at Mad Cow Theatre and as Lady Middleton in Sense and Sensability and Lady Catherine in Pride and Prejudice

The History Boys at Orlando Shakespeare Theater. Her adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Dickens By Candelight, has been performed in Orlando and Germany since 1997.

Drama, and Violet (Billy Dean/Virgil) at Theatre Raleigh. Todd holds a BFA in music theatre from Elon University and sends love to his friends and family. www.jeffreytoddparrott.com

JEFFREY TODD PARROTT (Posner) is thrilled to be making his Mad Cow Theatre debut. Some of his favorite regional credits include The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (Lord Verisopht), The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs (Big Bad Wolf), The Taming of the Shrew (Curtis), A Night in New Orleans (Jack), Rapunzel (Plumber’s Apprentice), It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (singer/music director), all at at Orlando Shakespeare Theater; Killjoy (Sonny) and Captain Louie (Louie) at Derby Dinner Playhouse; Floyd Collins (Homer), Seussical (Cat in the Hat) and Footloose (Willard) at Stephen Foster

MICHAEL POWERS (Sound Designer) is excited to be working on The History Boys, his second production at Mad Cow Theatre. His first Mad Cow role was as lighting designer for Cock.

Michael is the resident lighting and sound director at Orlando Repertory Theatre. His recent credits include Money$hot a New Musical (sound design), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (sound and lighting design), and Aladdin Jr. (sound design). Additional credits have included Freckleface Strawberry the Musical, Busytown the Musical, and the Magical Adventures of Merlin (master electrician), and Rudolph

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The History Boys the Red-Nosed Reindeer the Musical, Jackie and Me, Ivy + Bean the Musical, Shrek TYA, Tom Sawyer TYA, The Cat in the Hat, Chasing George Washington, and The Little Mermaid (audio engineer). He would like to thank his family for all of their support.

ADAM REILLY (Crowther) is happy to be home in the swamps and on the stages of beautiful Orlando after graduating with a BFA in acting from Carnegie Mellon University. Adam has performed with the L.A. Philharmonic as Stravinsky in The Firebird, was featured on Showtime in the documentary Thespians, and most recently appeared in 20Nothing at the 2014 Orlando Fringe. He would like to thank Mad Cow and Mark Edward Smith for the opportunity to be in a great play, the cast and crew for their partnership, his family for their love and blood, and this city, in which he was born, for its constant support and extraordinary inhabitants.

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JOSHUA S. ROTH (Lockwood) is thrilled to be making his debut on the Mad Cow stage in such a special piece as The History Boys. His recent regional/ professional credits include Sidekicks (New York Musical Theatre Festival), The Sound of Music (Wick Theatre), White Christmas (Wick Theatre), The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (Orlando Shakespeare Theater), Sleeping Beauty (Orlando Shakespeare Theater), Grinchmas (Universal Studios Orlando), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra), Godspell (Vine Theatre),and Falsettos (Baggy Pants Theatre). Joshua holds a BFA in musical theatre from the University of Central Florida and can

also be seen at Universal Studios Orlando as a wizard in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.

FRANK SIANO (Props/Set Décor) has worked professionally in the entertainment industry for more than 40 years as a performer, director, producer, artistic director, production manager and currently props master for Mad Cow Theatre, Florida Opera Theatre and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s opera/musical series. The Letters marks Frank’s 13th production with Mad Cow, including Billy Bishop Goes to War, Twelve Angry Men, Enchanted April, Dreamgirls, Collected Stories, Death of a Salesman, Other Desert Cities, Venus in Fur, The Light in the Piazza, The Mountaintop, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Hair. As a performer he has appeared in more than 250 productions throughout the United States. Locally he has performed with Orlando Repertory Theatre, Winter Park Playhouse, the Orlando Cabaret Festival, Garden Theatre, the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, Florida Opera Theatre, TheatreWorks Florida and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.

MARK EDWARD SMITH (Director) makes his Mad Cow Theatre directing debut with this production of The History Boys. Directing projects elsewhere include A Doll’s House, The Triumph of Love, Boy Gets Girl, and Six Degrees of Separation. Active in the Orlando theatre community for more than 30 years, Mark began his association with Mad Cow in the inaugural season production of Blithe Spirit. Recent appearances on the Mad Cow stage have included The Light in the Piazza, Death of a Salesman,

s ’ o h W e Th

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SEASON Oct 3-Nov 2, 2014 madcowtheatre.com

Church Street Tavern

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The History Boys and The Pitmen Painters. Other Orlando area credits: Angels in America, Parts I and II; The Grapes of Wrath, La Cage aux Folles, Bent, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and Love! Valour!

Compassion!

GEMMA VICTORIA (Dialect Coach) is a British actor with credits in NYC and Orlando. She has studied dialects for the past ten years and is passionate about sharing her knowledge. Gemma is honored to have been asked to work with such a talented ensemble and be introduced to the world that is Mad Cow. Break a leg to all involved. This cast is making history.

Mad Cow Theatre celebrates its 17th season in its home in downtown Orlando. Mad Cow Theatre is one of

Orlando’s most respected professional theatre companies, presenting compelling works of theatre for a wide range of audiences, with a passion for both classic and contemporary plays representing the best of American and world literature. Mad Cow Theatre attracts the area’s most talented and gifted actors, designers and directors. A mainstay of the company is its dedication to the process of creating theatre, incorporating in-depth rehearsal and research periods along with a nurturing collaborative process. The company has received numerous awards, including Arts Innovator of the Year (United Arts of Central Florida), Best Place to See a Play (Orlando Sentinel). Best Live Theatre (Orlando Weekly), Best Local Theatre Company (Orlando Magazine), and Best Performance Theatre (Orlando Business Journal).

Special thanks to:

The City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer & City Council Downtown Development Board Community Redevelopment Agency 12

The Letters

The Letters

by John W. Lowell August 22-September 21, 2014 The ZEHNGEBOT-STONEROCK THEATRE

- FEATURING Brian Brightman*

Jennifer Christa Palmer*

Scenic Design Lisa Buck

Lighting Design Erin Miner

Costume Design Monica Titus

Props Master Frank Siano

Sound Design Dil Smith

Stage Manager Dil Smith

Director Blake Braswell

“First produced by Andak Stage Company, Los Angeles, 2009, under the direction of Anne McNaughton.”

The Letters is produced by special arrangement with the Playwright and Elaine Devlin Literary, Inc. 20 West 23rd Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10010.

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the U.S.

Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 49,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society.

Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org

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The Letters Talk Backs Thursdays & Sundays after the show.

Pay-What-You-Wish WedNESDAY Tickets: $15.00 in advance, Pay-What-You-Wish at the door.

Wednesday, September 17 @ 8:00 p.m.

Groups of ten or more Receive discounted tickets and flexible payment plans. Discounts start at 15% off for adult groups of ten or more.

Student groups of 10 or more receive 50% off admissions to any regular performance.

Reservations groups@madcowhteatre.com

Cast of Characters In order of appearance Jennifer Christa Palmer...................................................................... Anna Brian Brightman....................................................................... The Director

PLACE AND TIME A Russian city, the ministry Director’s office, fifth floor, Summer 1931

The Letters is perfomed without intermission.

PRODUCTION TEAM

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Technical Production Manager............................................. Larry Rodriguez Master Electrician................................................................. David Clenney Master Carpenter...................................................................... Chris Sutter Scenic Charge............................................................................. Lisa Buck Scenic Assistant........................................................................ Tracy Lange Crew................... Hanna Cole, Drew DeCaro, Jordan Diaz, Kashime Joseph, .................................................... Tracy Lange,Alissa Miley, Ryan Roberson

The Letters The Letters: This taut thriller resonates with the timeless question, “Who will claim the upper hand: those who suppress the truth, or those who will risk everything to liberate it?” Playwright John Lowell reflects on the process of writing The Letters: “And as I wrote, the play came to be about the interests of the state vs. the interests of those who wanted to keep the record straight, so to speak. And all through the writing, I tried to keep the great quote from Napoleon in my mind: ‘history is a set of lies agreed upon.’ ” Although The Letters takes place in the Soviet Union, it is not about the Soviet Union. It is about what happened this morning and what may happen tomorrow. The Letters touches upon relevant themes of government censorship and oppression, which echoes the recent Russian bill which bans the spreading of “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations.” With controversies of American government surveillance continuing to unfold, The Letters provides a chilling reflection of our current times.

Invisible Theatre. Press Release. Web. http://www.invisibletheatre.com/Media_Center/Press_Release_ THE_LETTERS_Invisible_Theatre.pdf

John W. Lowell (Playwright) is the author of The Letters, The Standby Lear, Sheridan Square, Autumn Canticle, Leo Tolstoy Is In The Next Room Dying, Two Women In A Garden, The Genius Of The System, The Great Purim Adventure Of Chip Malibu, Taken In, and Rensselaer. The Letters premiered in Los Angeles and has since been produced around the country. Autumn Canticle has received productions at the Walnut Street Theatre and the Celebration Theatre, following a workshop with the Eureka Theatre. Tolstoy… premiered at San José Stages. Taken In premiered at the Richmond Triangle Players Theatre and has since been produced in London, Santa Cruz, and Lima.

WELCOME TO CHURCH STREET Steeped in history dating back to the 1800’s, the Church Street District offers a view of the past while enjoying all the excitement of today’s top entertainment venues.

Come for the history & enjoy food, art, sports and entertainment, right in the heart of Orlando.

Visit churchstreetdistrict.com for more information on our businesses, special events, and ways to save!

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The Letters BLAKE BRASWELL (Director) has been performing and directing since he earned his BFA in professional acting from East Carolina University. A member of Actors’ Equity Association, he directed A Christmas Carol for Orlando Theatre Project and was fight director for The Miracle Worker and other productions at Orlando Repertory Theatre. Blake served as artistic director of Theater in the Mansion in Manheim, PA, where he directed and produced several immersive productions of Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens. Most recently Blake received a Theatre Tampa Bay Awards nomination for best choreography for his work as fight director on freeFall Theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet. Blake is honored to be joining the herd at Mad Cow Theatre.

BRIAN BRIGHTMAN (The Director) is excited to be in his fourth Mad Cow production. Originally from Pennsylvania, Brian has lived in New York, Seattle and Los Angeles. In preparation for this role, Brian lived for eight weeks in Moscow and performed in the one-man show Stanislavski at the National Russian Theatre. Brian would love to thank Mitzi and Mad Cow, the brilliant JCP, his Wednesday-night acting class with Lauren O’Quinn, and his beautiful wife and amazing daughter, to whom he would give the world if he could. And lastly, he thanks you for believing his yarn about living in Russia. That’s why he loves acting so much. The lights go down, and we believe.

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LISA BUCK (Masks/Scenic Charge) Set designs include The Road to Mecca and Mrs. Warren’s Profession for Mad Cow Theatre, Don Pasquale , Abduction

from the Seraglio and Carmina Burana with Cirque du Soleil dancers for Orlando Opera, and Madama Butterfly and II Barbiere di Siviglia for Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. Scenic charge includes Cary Wong’s The Magic Flute and Later Life with Martin Charnin, Sunday in the Park With George, Enchanted April, Death of a Salesman, Collected Stories and Venus in Fur. She earned her BFA from Massachusetts College of Art in 1976 and was art director for Danskin Dancewear in New York. Lisa studied painting at Parsons School of Design, Pratt Institute and Cobalt Studios in White Lake, NY. She has won numerous awards for her painting and has written how-to-paint articles for North Light Publications.

ERIN MINER (Lighting Designer) The Letters marks Erin’s 72nd show with Mad Cow Theatre. She is excited to be working with Blake. When not at Mad Cow, she can be found in the fields of Apopka High School as a drama teacher.

JENNIFER CHRISTA PALMER (Anna) hails from Hatboro, PA, earned her BA in theatre from Penn State University and is a grateful member of Actors’ Equity Association. She trains at Class Act Studios with Lauren O’Quinn in Meisner and scene study. Stage credits include Amanda Prynne in Private Lives (Mad Cow Theatre, best performance by a female actor ­– thedailycity.com), Tybalt in Romeo & Juliet (freeFall Theatre, outstanding featured actress, play – Theatre Tampa Bay), Miss Eve Montaigne in Scott and Hem (Actors’ Playhouse), Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (freeFall Theatre) and Catherine Sloper in The Heiress (Mad Cow Theatre).

Television credits include Homeland

The Letters and Army Wives. JCP extends special thanks to Blake, Brian, Lauren and her masters class and to her husband Ryan. www.jenniferchristapalmer.com FRANK SIANO (Props/Set Décor) has worked professionally in the entertainment industry for more than 40 years as a performer, director, producer, artistic director, production manager and currently props master for Mad Cow Theatre, Florida Opera Theatre and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s opera/musical series. The Letters marks Frank’s 13th production with Mad Cow, including Billy Bishop Goes to War, Twelve Angry Men, Enchanted April, Dreamgirls, Collected Stories, Death of a Salesman, Other Desert Cities, Venus in Fur, The Light in the Piazza, The Mountaintop, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Hair. As a performer he has appeared in more than 250 productions throughout the United States. Locally he has performed with Orlando Repertory Theatre, Winter Park Playhouse, the Orlando Cabaret Festival, Garden Theatre, the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, Florida Opera Theatre, TheatreWorks Florida and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.

DIL SMITH (Stage Manager/Sound Designer) is excited to be working on his third show at Mad Cow Theatre. Donald is a Cincinnati native and received a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University, majoring in music and German and minoring in theatre. He designed sound in St. Louis for New Line Theatre’s Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Cry Baby, and Passing Strange. He recently worked as the stage manager for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and on Table Manners as the dancing

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assistant stage manager. Dil is also the assistant production manager at Mad Cow and is excited to be part of the herd.

MONICA TITUS (Costume Designer) is excited to be returning to Mad Cow in a new capacity. Last seen on stage at Mad Cow in its cabaret It Was a Very Good Year as a part of the 12th Annual Orlando Cabaret Festival, she is pleased to be working backstage and bringing this deeply intriguing work to visual life. A graduate of Mercer University, she earned her bachelor’s degree in music and theatre and worked as an actress, vocalist, dialect coach, technician, stage combatant and director. A native Floridian, Monica spends her free time cultivating her writing, learning to play covers on her ukulele, and eagerly anticipating her next project.

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2013 - 2014 Donors The new home for Mad Cow Theatre is the largest venture in Mad Cow’s 17-year history. The theatre has continually expanded at a pace that reflects the need of the city around it, and today is no exception. Mad Cow Theatre is making progress every day thanks to the visionary and generous support of the citizens of Central Florida and individual philanthropists, foundations and corporations who believe that Orlando’s success is tied directly to a dynamic cultural and artistic scene.

Business Circle Mad Cow Theatre thanks the following businesses for their contributions to Mad Cow Theatre’s artistic and educational programs enriching the lives of the Central Florida Community.

CORPORATE ANGEL

Holland & Knight Individuals & Family PLATINUM CIRCLE $25,000 and over

Harriett Lake Bob and Marty Stonerock

United Arts of Central FL

GOLD CIRCLE $10,000-$24,999

Susan McKenna & Suzan Abramson

Maureen and Gary Fries Frank Santos & Dan Dantin

SILVER CIRCLE $5,000-$9,999

Jim Bowden Jim & Freddi Goodrich

Mitzi Maxwell

PRODUCER’S CIRCLE $2,500-$4,999

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Ken & Debbie Carpenter Michael & Jennifer Coleman Florida Theatrical Association Rosemary Maher & Mendel Melzer

Carol McKnight Prudential Foundation Joe & Sue Warren

2013 - 2014 Donors DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE $1,000-$2,499 Ann Cook Robert W. Davis Jr. William Elliott Michael Gross & Rey Tabarrok Hubbard Foundation Richard Manganel Ken & Trisha Margeson Cindy & Frank Murray Dicky and Deal Newberry William Newkirk Margaret Nolan

Jeffrey Ohara Richard Russell & Thomas Ouellette Molly Rose & Bob Fleming Sharon Siskie Dr. Alvin Wang & Lorrie Culbertson Bickley Wilson Timothy & Stephanie Young Gary Young Edward and Phyllis Zissman

ARTIST’S CIRCLE $500-$999 Stewart Brown Bettina Buckley & Tylor Wymer Susan Finnegan Stephen & Gloria Garret Katherine Ho and Joey Sacco Nancy & Mike Houston Sharon D. Kosack Dr. Mitch & Swantje Levin Craig and Jody Maughan Elizabeth Maupin & Jay Yellen Brian McDowell

Jim and Mari Moye Neil & Kuei-mei Olcott Wendy Mia Pardew John and Virginia Rigsby Lenore S. & Howard Roland Maria M. Rubin Deborah Simpson Trudy Wild Gayle Wirtz WOW! Works Leighton & Phyllis Yates Austin Zakari

Listings reflect donation totals from April 1, 2013 through June16, 2014.

We apologize for any errors or omissions.

Mad Cow Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Your donation to Mad Cow Theatre is tax-deductable.

To make a donation, make check payable to Mad Cow Theatre and mail to: Mad Cow Theatre| P.O. Box 3109 | Orlando, FL 32802 or visit our website: madcowtheatre.com 19

2013 - 2014 Donors HOLY COW $250-$499 Kay W. Allen Sherry Andrews Kurtis T. Bauerle Ana T. t’Heft Tom & Kathy Cardwell Charitable Fund of the Schwab Charitable Fund Mary Anne Ciavatta Bill & Yvonne Dunbar Rosemary DuRocher

Perry & Eileen Dworkin Stuart Fullerton Kenneth & Marcia Goodwin Susan Haralson Ron Hirsch & Betty Reid David Horgan Betty Jones Roy Kobert BJ Maxwell

Dr. Rudi Moerck & Brenda Dalman Sandy Neubarth John Parker & Deede Sharpe DW Phineas Perkins Barbara J. Smith Dennis Sobeck Phoebe & Eliot Rosewater Vivian Whitchurch

THE HERD UP TO $249

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Anonymous (5) Thelma Alexander Zac Alfson & Bryan Henley Russell P. Allen John & Lillian Armstrong Anthony & Marianne Bassile Thomas Bengston Neal & Genie Blaher Richard & Elizabeth Boggs Ruth Bolton Rita Bornstein Maria Bors Louise Borsoi in honor of Barbara Martin Midge Bowman Randy Brown Ted & Mary Wayne Bywater Lucy & Mike Carney Pamela Chamberlin Duck Gene Columbus John W. & Linda Cone Allen Mickey & Dick Cook Louise Cook

Larry & Adrienne Cooperman Julie Copeland & Robert Beller Claire Crabtree Margaret Cross Michael Daspin Deland, Reed Family Lynn Derrick Steve Diedrich Whitney Evers JoAnn Farb Maureen & Bill Fitzpatrick Jeff & June Flowers Gordon & Julie Foster Mitchell Frank Susan and Lenny Gardberg Tom & Gerry Garman JoAnn Gatlin Pamela Gillet Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Gillman Marilyn Goldman Gary Graham Adam Graham Kathryn & Leslie Grammer Alan & Barbara Greber

2013 - 2014 Donors THE HERD UP TO $249 (continued) Elinor & Robert Greenway Adriana Grezda Carol C. Griffin Michael & Margaret Haddad In memory of Sue B. Monroe Nancy & Dave Harvey Ashley S. Hickman Rod & Ronnie Hitt Lynne Hogg David Holland Jan Huebner & Rich Harm George & Angelyn Indest Ralph & Susan Ioder Harold & Alison Issen Tom Janzer Dean Johnson Rachel Kaufman Brian Kelley Jack & Charline Kennedy Barbara Kennedy Richard & Martha Kessler Philip & Lynn Kopala James & Fredel Goodrich Christine M. Kroetsch / Jeremiah J. Hayes Victoria & Michael Landon Francis Lepow Mara & Harvey Levitt Nancy P. Lewis Dawn Loges Rosalyn Lowenstein Shannon Lynch R. Engar & B. Martin Paul & Janet May Andi McNally Barry & Denny Meneghelli Thom Mesrobian Frank Meyer

Bob & Janice Miller Erin Miner David Mink & Matthew Stutsman Kevin & Tammy Muhs James Mullen Lisa Musante Bruce & Donna Mylrea Rajesh Nair Edith & Bill Nault Steve Neilson Jennafer Newberry Philip Nolen Anne Norris Thomas Brendon Nowicki Bill & Jane Oatway Rhonda Oehlrich Margaret Okeef Andrea Ostrodka Carrie & Ron Patterson Karl & Mary Jo Pecht David & Joyce Pfeil Robby Pigott Jean-Paul Pinelli George Poelker Adrienne & Ivan Polon Tom & Leslie Reilly Alice Reinhardt David Reinke Rob & Mer Renard Natasha Rene Joan E Robertson Peter Rocchio & William Baxter Traies Roe & Brigid Noonan Andy Rosemurgy Vincent Santo Jill Schwartz & Associates, P.A.

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2013 - 2014 Donors THE HERD UP TO $249 (continued) Ira &Rhoda Schwartzberg Cindy Segreto Cynthia Segreto Fran & Gordon Shogren Catherine Siefcak Leonard Simard John Simpson Michael Singer Cindy Smalls Joe L. & Beth Smith Mark Edward Smith Irwin & Ruby Suberman Daniel & Zena Sulkes Freeman Judy H. Thompson Judy Thompson TJM Communications, Inc. |Treva J. Marshall

Garritt & Deb Toohey Carmen M. Torres Gerald Van Buren Terry Velez Stacia L. Wake George Wallace Susan Walsh Paul Walther Joseph Waple Janet Weller Marilyn & Shane Williams Dr. James and Martha Williamson Julie Woods-Robinson Ann Worrall Lee & Wendy Zehngebot Jerome Zygmunt

Mad Cow Theatre Staff Directory Executive Director Mitzi Maxwell Director of Audience Development David B. Mink Manager of Community Engagement Crystal Edwards

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Technical Production Manager Larry Rodriguez Assistant Technical Director Chris Sutter Resident Director Aradhana Tiwari

Manager of Art & Design Lisa Buck

Resident Set Designer William Elliott

Box Office Manager Audrey McGowen

Props Master Frank Siano

Marketing Manager Kelli Cummins-Branson

Marketing Intern Josh McKee

Assistant Production Managers Mellissa Cooper Dil Smith Box Office Assistants Leonidas Bratini Laura DuBose Evan Valle Vicky Jane VanWinkle Photographer Tom Hurst Founding Members Rus Blackwell Trudy Bruner Alan Bruun Dennis Neal

Board Members Michael Gross Elizabeth Maupin Mitzi Maxwell Brian McDowell Dr. Jonathan Miller Amanda Perry Joe Saunders Jean Siegfried Dr. Robert Stonerock Timothy L. Young Dr. Alvin Wang

Mad Cow Theatre Donation Form THE HERD UP TO $249 Amount

HOLY COW $250-$499 Amount

ARTIST’S CIRCLE $500-$999 Amount

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE $1,000-$2,499 Amount

PRODUCER’s CIRCLE $2,500-$4,999

THE HISTORY BOYS/THE LETTERS

Amount

GOLD CIRCLE $5,000-$9,999 Amount

Platinum CIRCLE $10,000 & above Amount

Name

Address City

State

Zip

Phone E-mail n I would like to be listed in the program as:

n I would like to remain anonymous. n I would like my recognition in honor of or in memory of:

n I n support of Mad Cow Theatre’s ongoing efforts to create the highest quality theatre, I would like to pledge an annual gift of $ for the next years.

Method of Payment n Check

n Visa

n Discover

n Monthly CC Billing

n Mastercard

n American Express

Credit Card # Expiration Date

Signature Please make check payable to Mad Cow Theatre.

Mail to: Mad Cow Theatre, P.O. Box 3109, Orlando, FL 32802-3109 or visit our website: madcowtheatre.com

Mad Cow Theate is a 501 c 3 not-for-profit organization. Your donation, less goods and services received, is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll free 1-800-435-7352 within the state, or by going to the Department of Agriculture, Division of Consumer Services website at www.800helpfla.com. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. We do not employ a professional fundraiser. 100% of each contribution is utilized by Mad Cow Theatre.

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