Program - "Back Home Again: On the Road with John Denver" by Milwaukee Rep

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1 - Back Home Again: On The Road With John Denver Mark Clements Chad Bauman Artistic Director Managing Director By Randal Myler and Dan Wheetman Directed by Randal Myler Music Director Dan Wheetman Scenic Designer Vicki Smith Costume Designer Lyndsey C. Kuhlmann Lighting Designer Don Darnutzer Sound Designer Megan B. Henninger Casting Director JC Clementz Stage Manager Richelle Harrington Calin* September 11 – November 8, 2015 Stackner Cabaret Executive Producers Wayne and Kristine Lueders Associate Producer Adlon Partnership Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, an independent national labor union. *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION

2Back Home Again: On The Road With John DenverKatie Deal* David M. Lutken* Assistant Director .......................................................................................................... Nabrashaa Nelson Stage Management Intern ........................................................................................................ Rivka Kelly Understudy ............................................................................................... Bridgid Abrams for Katie Deal Understudies never substituted for listed players unless a specific announcement is made prior to the performance. Back Home Again: On The Road With John Denver will be performed with one intermission. The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. Production Manager .............................................................................................................. Jared Clarkin Technical Director ....................................................................................................................... Tyler Smith Properties Director....................................................................................................................... James Guy Charge Scenic Artist Jim Medved Costume Director .......................................................................................................................Sara Seavey Lighting & Video Director ...................................................................................................... Sean Nicholl Sound Director ............................................................................................................................... Erin Paige Production Stage Manager ....................................................................................... Lurie Horns Pfeffer Milwaukee Repertory Theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The scenic, costume, lighting and sound designers in LORT Theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE and our stagehands and carpenters are members of Milwaukee Theatrical Stage Employees’ Union IATSE Local 18. The Rep is an equal opportunity employer. The Rep is proud to be a member of The United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), which provides major annual financial support. THE PRODUCTIONCAST STAFF

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Dan Wheetman, Author/Music Director Dan is delighted to be returning to the Rep. He was here last season with Low Down Dirty Blues. Dan’s first professional theater gig was the Denver Center Theatre tour of Quilters in 1985. This year marks the 30th anniversary of that first job and the start of his artistic collaboration with Randal Myler. He has appeared in productions all over the US as an actor and musician. He’s written several musicals with Randal, including It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues, Appalachian

4Back Home Again: On The Road With John DenverKatie Deal Katie Deal is thrilled to be making her debut at The Rep with this beautiful show featuring the music of one of her knownsinger-songwriters!favoriteBestforherauthentic country sound, Katie regularly tours the nation with her one-woman tribute, Katie Deal in Today, Tomorrow & Forever: A Tribute to Patsy Cline and her latest show, Classic Nashville Roadshow with Jason Petty. Favorite credits: A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline (Patsy – 2006 & 2011 National Tours), 9 to 5: The Musical (Doralee – Springer Opera House), Ring of Fire (June – Barter Theatre), Man of La Mancha (Aldonza –Off Square Theatre), and The Spitfire Grill (Percy – Wayside Theater). Many thanks to Randal, Dan, JC and The Rep family for this incredible opportunity! Visit www.katiedeal. com to find out what’s next! David M. Lutken (Original Cast) BROADWAY: Inherit the Wind (‘07); Ring of Fire; The Civil War; The Will Rogers Follies. OFF-BROADWAY: Southern Comfort; Stars in Your Eyes; Winter Man; The Portable Pioneer and Prairie Show. With the NY City Opera, he appeared in Benjamin Britten’s Paul Bunyan as the Balladeer.

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

REGIONAL: UK: Dark of the Moon; Bonnie and Clyde; A Month in the Country. USA: Man of La Mancha; Big River; Elmer Gantry; Finian’s Rainbow; Fire on the Mountain; Buddy; Pump Boys and Dinettes; Stand By Your Man; The Love List; Death in England; Honky Tonk Highway; Smoke on the Mountain; The Man Who Came to Dinner; On Golden Pond, and In the Deep Heart’s Core Originally from Dallas, Texas, David studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The 92nd St Y, with the North Carolina Symphony, the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, and on the Louisiana Hayride. With his original show, Woody Sez: The Life and Music of Woody Guthrie (Milwaukee Rep 2014), he and his company have toured Europe, The British Isles, The US, The Middle East, and China. David won the Helen Hayes and the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Woody Guthrie. Randal Myler, Author/Director Randal is excited to be returning to The Rep, where he co-conceived and directed last season’s Low Down Dirty Blues. Randal received a Tony Award Nomination for It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues (Best Book of A Musical), and the show itself, which he also directed, was nominated for Best Musical. His musical on the life of Hank Williams Lost Highway ran for two years at the Grand Ole Opry’s Ryman Auditorium and off -Broadway garnered many awards, including a Drama Desk nomination and Best Director nomination from the Outer Critics Circle. Mr. Myler’s hit musical Love, Janis ran for over 750 performances off - Broadway and has been produced throughout the country, and his directing and productions have received over fifteen Jeff Awards and nominations from Chicago critics. Randal’s numerous regional theatre directorial credits include Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, the Arena Stage, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Mark Taper Forum, Geffen Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, Alley Theatre, BAM, Denver Center, Cincinnati Playhouse, Old Globe, Arizona Theatre Company, Kansas City Rep, Northlight Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Alabama Shakespeare Festival and many others. He is also currently commissioned to write a musical revue based on the “Muscle Shoals Sound.”

5 - Back Home Again: On The Road With John Denver Strings, Fire On The Mountain, Mama Hated Diesels, and Low Down Dirty Blues. He has garnered several LA Critics’ Circle awards for Musical Direction and a Tony nomination as a writer for It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues at the Lincoln Center in New York. Along with his theater work Dan toured for eight years in John Denver ’s band, has recorded several solo albums and plays in a very eclectic band, Marley ’s Ghost. Vicki Smith, Scenic Designer Vicki has designed several productions at Milwaukee Rep, including She Stoops to Conquer, Fences, The Rivals, The Foreigner, Dancing at Lughnasa, Christmas Carol, and The Mai. Her work at other theatres includes Denver Center Theatre Company, Geva Theatre, Indiana Rep, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Arizona Theatre Company, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Guthrie Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Penumbra Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, St. Louis Rep, Actors Theatre Louisville, Alley Theatre, Kansas City Repertory, Vigzhinhaz (Budapest), Nemzetia Szinhas (Miskolc), and others. Vicki has also earned several awards, including Colorado Theatre Guild (Mariela in the Desert, Doubt, Plainsong); Denver Ovation Award (Pierre, I’m Not Rappaport); 2007 Prague Quadrennial Exposition (Pierre); Bay Area Critics Award (Kite Runner, Execution of Justice); Dramalogue Award (Cyrano).

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

Megan B. Henninger, Sound Designer Megan B. Henninger is thrilled to make her debut at Milwaukee Repertory Theater! She is Milwaukee based and has served as designer and assistant designer on shows large and small. Favorite designs include: These Shining Lives (Umbrella Group) A Real Lulu (Peninsula Players), A Streetcar Named Desire, Hands on a Hardbody (Williams Street Rep), RRRED (NYMF), 42nd Street (TOTS tour), The Martian Chronicles (Fordham University),The Turn of the Screw (Lyric Opera, Kansas City). Assistant Designs include: You’re Welcome America, Ghetto Klown, Stick Fly, and Blithe Spirit (Broadway), Company (Lincoln Center), My Fair Lady, Camelot (Lincoln Center), The Wiz (LaJolla).

JC Clementz, Casting Director JC is The Rep’s Artistic Associate: Casting Director & Artistic Internship Program Director now in his fifth season with Milwaukee Repertory Theater. In addition to casting over 25 productions at The Rep, JC has directed The Doyle and Debbie Show and Forever Plaid in The Rep’s Stackner Cabaret where he will direct The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith later this season. Prior to his time in Milwaukee, JC traveled throughout Europe as the Assistant Stage Manager for New York Harlem Productions’ international tour of Porgy and Bess, and

Lyndsey C. Kuhlmann, Costume Designer Lyndsey is a costume designer and draper based here in Milwaukee. Previous designs include The Baker Street Irregulars with First Stage, Groucho: A Life in Revue at Next Act Theatre, Knock Me A Kiss at Ohio University, and Our Town and Antony and Cleopatra with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. She received her Master’s Degree in Costume Technology and Design from Ohio University in 2009 and is now in her seventh season as the Cutter/Draper in the costume shop at First Stage. Back Home Again is her first design with Milwaukee Rep. Don Darnutzer, Lighting Designer Don has designed Fences at Milwaukee Rep, It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues on Broadway, and Lost Highway; The Immigrant, and Almost Heaven: John Denver’s America Off-Broadway. His work has appeared at other theatres, including Guthrie Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, The Shakespeare Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Penumbra Theatre, Indiana Repertory, Cleveland Play House, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alley Theater, Denver Center Theater Company, Geva Theatre, Kansas City Repertory, Alabama Shakespeare Theatre, Portland Opera, Florentine Opera, Chautauqua Opera, New Orleans Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Atlanta Opera, Central City Opera and Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Richelle Harrington Calin, Stage Manager Richelle has been with Milwaukee Rep since 2004. Milwaukee Rep credits include: Bach at Leipzig, The Clean House, Intimate Apparel, Gem of the Ocean, A Christmas Carol, The Voysey Inheritance, Life Could Be a Dream, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Night is a Child, I Am My Own Wife, Greater Tuna, Pride and Prejudice, Shear Madness, The Lady with All the Answers, Yankee Tavern, Route 66, Cabaret, Bombshells, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Yellowman, Othello, The Mountaintop, How the World Began, Venus in Fur, End of the Rainbow, Ain’t Misbehavin’, after all the terrible things I do, The Beautiful Music All Around Us and Five Presidents.

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

Richelle most recently enjoyed taking Milwaukee Rep’s production of Five Presidents to make its East Coast Premiere with Bay Street Theater in beautiful Sag Harbor, NY! Rivka Kelly, Stage Management Intern Rivka, from Palo Alto, CA, is excited to join the stage management team at Milwaukee Rep. Her previous work in the bay area includes Sweeney Todd and Peter and the Starcatcher with Theatreworks, This Golden State with Magic Theatre, and The Magic Flute with San Francisco Opera Summer Conservatory. She graduated from the University of Vermont with a BA in theatre. Rivka is thrilled for the opportunity to work at The Rep. Mark Clements, Artistic Director Mark began his tenure as The Rep’s Artistic Director with the 2010/11 Season. He is directorinternationalaward-winningtheaterwhosework has appeared in over 100 major theaters throughout Europe and the United States. Mark will be directing The Rep’s production of Dreamgirls this fall. Recent Rep productions include: Five Presidents, The Color Purple, The History of Invulnerability, End of the Rainbow, Ragtime, Clybourne Park, Assassins, Othello, Next to Normal, Death of a Salesman, Bombshells and Cabaret at The Rep. Other credits include: Oliver!, Born Yesterday, Great Expectations, Les Miserables (2008 Barrymore Award-Best Production of a Musical) and Of Mice and Men (2007 Barrymore Award-Best Director and Best Production of a Play), all for Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia; The Milliner (Off-Broadway, World Premiere), CSC, New York; My Fair Lady, Copenhagen; The Browning Version at Derby Playhouse and Blunt Speaking (World Premiere), Chichester Festival Theatre U.K/ Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York. Other productions include Speaking in Tongues (U.S. Premiere), Roundabout Theatre Company; Speaking in Tongues (European Premiere; Barclays/ TMA Best Director Nomination), Hampstead Theatre, London; Creator/Director – Soul Train, West End; and three U.K. national tours and the U.K. national tours of The Glass Menagerie, The Gingerbread Lady and Love & Marriage all for Bath Theatre Royal productions. Mark served as an Associate Artistic Director for Moving Theatre Company, the production company founded by Vanessa and Corin Redgrave. He has also been Associate Director for New End Theatre and New Players Theatre, both in London, Royal Theatre in Northampton and Torch Theatre in Wales. Additionally, Mark served as Artistic Director of the award-winning Derby Playhouse in the U.K. from 1992 to 2002. He serves on the National Advisory Board for the

6Back Home Again: On The Road With John Denverspent four summers working at PerryMansfield Performing Arts in the mountains of Colorado. JC holds an MFA in Directing from Western Illinois University. Nabrashaa Nelson, Assistant Director Nabrashaa received her degree in Theatre Arts, Directing and a minor in Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Directing credits include Hamlet’s First Quarto, The Other Woman, Degas C’est Moi, The Vagina Monologues, and devised and student-written work. Professional credits include Santa Cruz Shakespeare as Directing Intern for The Liar and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts as Assistant Director for Appoggiatura. This is her premiere season position at a regional theatre.

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