playwise ON STAGE AND OFF
November 12 through December 12, 2010
music and lyrics by William Finn book by Rachel Sheinkin conceived by Rebecca Feldman choreographed by Wendy Seyb directed by Marc Bruni
c e l e b r at i N g o u r 3 5 t h a N N i v e r s a r y s e a s o N
Dear Friends,
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Philadelphia Theatre Company turns 35 this year and we are celebrating all season long! From October through July, our stage is bursting with an amazing array of theatrical events featuring world class playwrights, composers and artists who will inspire you with their fresh ideas and energy. More than anything, however, our season is guaranteed to keep you talking which is what Philadelphia Theatre Company has been about since its inception. It is also a year when fresh young voices join hands with master craftsmen in celebrating a uniquelyAmerican perspective that has long been at the heart of our work. We kicked off our 35th season on October 6th with PTC@PLAY, a mini-festival of staged readings of new work by some of our favorite writers: Jeffrey Hatcher, Theresa Rebeck, Bill Cain, Kirsten Greenidge and the Tectonic Theater Project. Throughout 15 fantastic days we hosted 5 new plays, 34 actors, 5 playwrights, 4 directors and over 600 audience members, despite the Phillies’ playoffs! We now launch our mainstage with the delightful 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music by William Finn, composer of the beautiful and soulful Elegies, a PTC 2005 favorite. This Tony Award-winning musical has been an enormous success from its origins at Barrington Stage Company to New York’s Second Stage and, finally, Broadway—and with good reason. Its universal concerns and delightfully sophisticated book and score allow it to operate on a number of levels, much like Avenue Q, so that people of all ages are transported by its charm. We thank Marjorie and Lewis Katz for becoming our Honorary Executive Producers of this musical. The mainstage productions that follow are signature PTC: the first production of David Mamet’s super-charged Race, after its sold-out Broadway run, directed by longtime Mamet collaborator Scott Zigler; the long-awaited Philadelphia premiere of Anna Deavare Smith in her Off Broadway hit Let Me Down Easy, and the Philadelphia premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Ruined, arguably one of the greatest American plays of the decade by Lynn Nottage, author of another PTC favorite Intimate Apparel. So join in our celebration! Meet our artists, exchange ideas and engage in the dozens of PEP (Patron Enrichment Programs) we have created just for you!
Sara Garonzik Producing Artistic Director P.S. We wanted to make sure you heard our great news -- Philadelphia Theatre Company’s 2009/2010 production of The Light in the Piazza was the big winner at this year’s Barrymore Awards, garnering seven awards in all. We couldn’t be more proud!
A letter from a ptc Corporate Member, Beneficial Bank On behalf of Beneficial Bank, welcome to Philadelphia Theatre Company’s Suzanne Roberts Theatre and this presentation of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Beneficial proudly supports Philadelphia Theatre Company. Since 1853, Beneficial has served this region. As the oldest and largest bank headquartered in Philadelphia, Beneficial has a strong commitment to doing what’s right for the community in which we live and work. At Beneficial we believe that we are more than just a bank- we are an Education Company. We are committed to supporting education initiatives that teach youth and adults the tools they need to succeed in life. Beneficial’s philanthropic initiatives also include the arts, community investment and economic development and human service programs which help to improve low-income communities. Beneficial takes tremendous pride in making a difference in the lives of individuals and neighborhoods that we serve. For 35 years, Philadelphia Theatre Company has provided Philadelphians with the finest productions of new American plays and musicals. As a team, Beneficial and Philadelphia Theatre Company share an ongoing commitment to providing opportunities for high quality arts and educational programming.
Philadelphia Theatre Company presents
Sara Garonzik Producing Artistic Director
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Music & Lyrics by
Sincerely,
Book by
William Finn
Rachel Sheinkin
Conceived by
Rebecca Feldman featuring
Ephie Aardema Marla MIndelle ali stroker Scenic Design Anna Louizos
Local Casting greg schell
will blum
Lyle colby Mackston
Olivia oguma
jerold E. solomon
david volin
brandon yanez
Lighting Design David Lander
Casting Telsey + Company
Enjoy the season.
Kathleen Kund Nolan Interim Managing Director
Sound Design Nick Kourtides
Costume Design alejo vietti
Director of Production Bruce charlick Production Stage Manager michael Andrew rodgers
Technical Director Michael cristaldi Production Dramaturg Jacqueline Goldfinger
Music Director Andy Einhorn
Gerard P. Cuddy President & Chief Executive Officer Beneficial Bank (Former PTC Board Member)
Choreograhed by Wendy Seyb
Directed by
Marc Bruni Thank you to our 2010/2011 season sponsors The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Production Sponsors
Marjorie and Lewis Katz
Based upon C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, an original play by The Farm. The Barrington Stage Company workshop of the 25th annual putnam county spelling bee was originally co-directed by Michael Barakiva and Rebecca Feldman. Additional Material by Jay Reiss Originally produced on Broadway by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo
35th Anniversary Ticket Sponsor
be par t of ar t
Official Airline
Official Accommodations Sponsor
Official Media Sponsor
Barrington Stage Company, Second Stage Theatre The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is produced in association with Paper Mill Playhouse, Mark Hoebee, Producing Artistic Director; Todd Schmidt Managing Director.
Cast Logaine Schwartzandgrubenierre............................................Ephie Aardema* William Barfée...............................................................................................Will Blum* Leaf Coneybear.......................................................................Lyle Colby Mackston* Rona Lisa Peretti................................................................................Marla Mindelle* Marcy Park.............................................................................................Olivia Oguma* Mitch Mahoney................................................................................Jerold Solomon* Olive Ostrovsky...........................................................................................Ali Stroker* Vice Principal Douglas Panch..............................................................David Volin* Chip Tolentino....................................................................................Brandon Yanez* *Member of Actors’ Equity Association
Time: Present Location: A Middle School Gymnasium in Putnam County, NY
“I Speak Six Languages” .......................................................Marcy Park and Company “The I Love You Song” ..............Olive Ostrovsky, Rona Perretti, Mitch Mahoney “Second“..........................................William Barfée, Olive Ostrovsky and Company Finale..............................................................................................................................Company
orchestra Andy Einhorn...................................................................................Conductor/piano Mark Allen....................................................................................................woodwinds Tony Pirollo................................................................................................................cello Linda Henderson........................................................................................synthesizer Harvey Price...................................................................................drums, percussion Evan Solot..........................................................Contractor/Orchestra Supervisor All electronic devices such as beepers, cell phones, and watch alarms must be turned off prior to the performance.
Musical numbers “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”..........Rona Perretti and Spellers “The Rules”.................................................................................................................. Company
THE ACTORS AND STAGE MANAGERS EMPLOYED IN THIS PRODUCTION ARE MEMBERS OF ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION, THE UNION OF PROFESSIONAL ACTORS AND STAGE MANAGERS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE DIRECTOR IS A MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS, AN INDEPENDENT NATIONAL LABOR UNION. THE SCENIC, COSTUME, LIGHTING AND SOUND DESIGNERS IN LORT THEATERS ARE REPRESENTED BY UNITED SCENIC ARTISTS LOCAL USA-829, IASTE. PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY IS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE OF REGIONAL THEATRES (LORT).
“My Friend The Dictionary” ......................................................................Olive Ostrovsky “Pandemonium” ........................................................................................................Company “I’m Not That Smart” ...................................................................................Leaf Coneybear “Magic Foot” .....................................................................William Barfée and Company “Prayer of the Comfort Counselor” .........................Mitch Mahoney and Company “Chip’s Lament” ..............................................................................................Chip Tolentino “Woe Is Me “ ..........................Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre and Company
A CONSTITUENT MEMBER OF THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC. (TCG), A MEMBER OF THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA CULTURAL ALLIANCE (GPCA), THEATRE ALLIANCE OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA (TAGP), THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY PROUDLY PARTICIPATES IN THE BARRYMORE AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THEATRE, A PROGRAM OF THE THEATRE ALLIANCE OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA. ONE OPEN CAPTION PERFORMANCE IS PROVIDED FOR EVERY PRODUCTION TO OUR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PATRONS. ONE AUDIO DESCRIPTION PERFORMANCE IS PROVIDED FOR OUR BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PATRONS. LARGE PRINT, BRAILLE AND AUDIO CASSETTE PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
Support for Philadelphia Theatre Company’s Accent on Accessibility Program Comes From: Independence Foundation Louis N. Cassett Foundation
Wachovia Fargo Foundation
Philadelphia Theatre Company
The smash Broadway hit of 2010! january 21 - february 13, 2011
Lyle Colby Mackston (Leaf Coneybear) A proud member of AEA, is so incredibly excited to be a part of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! Recent Theater credits include: Phil (Academy at the NYMF) Peter (Darling), Bruce (The Smoking Gun), Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark (Pre-Broadway Reading). Recent Film Credits include: Michael & Michael Have Issues, The Naked Brothers Band, The Guiding Light, The Picture of Dorian Gray & numerous commercials. Thank you to Family, Pace University, FBI & TEG, Telsey & Co. , Sheri Sanders for inspiration, Laura Bergquist, my dear Genovians & the amazing cast for making this experience so memorable!
David Mamet
like sex, is a subject on which it is near impossible to tell the truth. -David Mamet
215.985.0420 or PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org
“
“Race,
Ephie Aardema (Logaine Schwartzandgrubenierre) is so pleased to be a part of PTC’s Spelling Bee! Off-Broadway: Dear Edwina (Edwina) at the DR2 Theatre. National Tour: The Sound of Music (Liesl) with Theatre of the Stars. Favorite regional roles include: Crazy for You (Patsy) at MSMT, Spelling Bee (Olive), HAIR (Sheila), The Fantasticks (Luisa), Oklahoma! (Laurey), Seussical (Gertrude), 42nd St. (Peggy u/s), and Into the Woods (Little Red.) Her other favorite rolls are dinner, kaiser, and spring. This one’s for every kid who’s ever been bullied. “It Gets Better.” Will Blum (William Barfée), most recently finished mooning people in over 700 performances of Grease on Broadway and National Tour including Philadelphia. He is very excited to keep his pants on. He is a Nashville native and proud graduate of the Boston Conservatory. National Tour/Regional: Seussical (Horton), A Funny Thing...Forum (Hysterium), Sweet Charity (Oscar), Big River (Huck). Reading: On A Clear Day… (Warren). His “Magic Foot” is appearing courtesy of AEA, Clear Talent Group, Telsey + Company, this amazing cast and creative team, and the good people at PTC. Made possible by the support of his friends and family and from viewers like you.
written by David Mamet directed by Scott Zigler Pulitzer Prize Award-winning playwright and Tony nominee David Mamet tackles the biggest four-letter word of all… RACE! Two lawyers, one black, one white, find themselves defending a wealthy white executive against the charge of raping a young black woman. When a new legal assistant gets involved, emotions bubbling just beneath the surface explode!
who’s who
Marla Mindelle (Rona Lisa Peretti) Broadway: South Pacific. National Tours: The Drowsy Chaperone (Kitty, first national). New York: POPart (Ms. St. Helen, NYMF), It Shoulda Been You (NAMT), Mrs. Sharp (Playrights Horizons), The Hudsucker Proxy (Manhattan Theatre Club). Regional: Queenie in The Wild Party (New Repertory Theatre), Songs for a New World (Princeton Opera), The Pirate (Prince Music Theatre). CCM graduate. A Bucks County native, Marla is happy to be on home ground. www.marlamindelle.com
Olivia Oguma (Marcy Park) Broadway: Mamma Mia, Les Miserables, Christmas Carol, Disney’s High School Musical (1st National Tour, original Kelsi). Off-Broadway: BFE (Playwrights Horizons) The Dispute (NAATCO), Sarah Plain & Tall (Lortel). Regional: Miss Saigon (NCTheater & Actors Playhouse; ), Snow Falling on Cedars (Portland Centerstage, BFE (Long Wharf; CT Critics Circle Award for Best Debut Performance), High School Musical 2 (Atlanta TOTS). TV/Film: Law & Order, All My Children, New Electric Company, Strangers with Candy: The Movie, Hallmark of Fame’s Flamingo Rising. Recently she was in the workshop of Eve Ensler’s newest play I Am An Emotional Creature (NYSF). Thanks to my Mom & Paolo for endless encouragement! Jerold E. Solomon (Mitch Mahoney) is excited to be making his PTC debut with Spelling Bee. Professional Credits include: Broadway: South Pacific (Original Revival Cast). National Tour: Ragtime, Big River, Annie. Regional: Smokey Joe’s Cafe, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Sweet Charity, Gross Indecency..., Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry V, The Lost Colony, King Island Christmas, and others. Film/TV: Law & Order (NBC), Kings (NBC), The Unusuals (ABC), Hiding Divya. Jerold received his BFA in Theater Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University. All for my Alison and Eden. Ali Stroker (Olive Ostrovsky) is back from the West Coast and thrilled to be onstage again. Her favorite roles include “McKenzie” in the new musical Mrs. Sharp with Jane Krakowski and “Fairy Godmother” in Cinderella. Other theatre credits include: Into the Woods, Pippin, Peter Pan, Cinderella, The Boys from Syracuse and Les Miserables. Ali can be seen on Sesame Street and The Fresh Beat Band on Nick Jr. and also heard on the radio and karaoke video games! She would like to thank her family, friends, and her amazing team for always believing there is a way! For Mrs. Daum. David Volin (Vice Principal Doug Panch) is delighted to be a part this wonderful show and to have the chance to stretch his singing muscles. This past year he had the pleasure of being in two history plays: The Crucible (at HTC) a play about witch hunts and Frost/Nixon (at Arkansas Repertory Theatre) also a play about witch hunts. Previously, David has worked at the Walnut Street Theatre, Gloucester Stage, New Jersey Repertory Co., and The Theater Project, among others. Currently, David can be heard as the voice of “Operation Spy” at the International Spy Museum in Washington DC and in TV and radio spots for Citadel Federal Credit Union. Love to his wife Christine O’Donnell, not the one from Delaware, but sometimes a witch. Brandon Yanez (Chip Tolentino/Dance Captain) is thrilled to be making his debut at Philadelphia Theatre Company and absolutely humbled to work alongside such an amazing cast and crew. Brandon is a proud graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, where he played the title role in Batboy as well as Claude in Hair. Professionally, he has been featured in Nickelodeon’s pilot The Difference as well as ABC’s One Life To Live. Brandon would like to thank his mom, dad, brother, and the rest of his loving family for their constant love and support. I am truly blessed.
William Finn (Playwright) is the writer and composer of Falsettos, for which he received two Tony Awards, Best Book of a Musical (with James Lapine) and Best Original Score. He has also written and composed In Trousers, March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland (Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, two Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, the Lucille Lortel Award, and Guggenheim Fellowship in Musical Composition). Mr. Finn wrote the lyrics to Graciela Daniele’s Tango Apasionado (music by the great Astor Piazzolla) and, with Michael Starobin, the music to Lapine’s version of The Winter’s Tale. His musical, Romance in Hard Times, was presented at the Public Theater. Recently, he wrote Painting You for Love’s Fire, a piece commissioned and performed by the Acting Company, based on Shakespeare’s sonnets. For television, Mr. Finn provided the music and lyrics for the Ace Award-winning HBO cartoon Ira Sleeps Over, Tom Thumb and Thumbelina, Pokey Little Puppy’s First Christmas, and, with Ellen Fitzhugh, two Brave little Toaster cartoons. Mr. Finn has written for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and The New Yorker. A graduate of Williams College where he was awarded the Hutchinson Fellowship for Musical Composition, Finn now teaches a weekly master class at the NYU Tisch Graduate Program in Musical Theatre Writing. His most recent projects include Elegies, A Song Cycle (Lincoln Center) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee which ran on Broadway and has been produced nationally and internationally, as well. His new musical, Little Miss Sunshine, premieres this season at La Jolla Playhouse. Rachel Sheinkin (Book) Recent work includes Broadway: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Tony, Drama Desk Awards); Off Broadway: Striking 12 (Lucille Lortel nomination), Off-Off: Serenade. Regional: Guthrie, Little House on the Prairie; Center Theater Group, Sleeping Beauty Wakes (Los Angeles Ovation Award); London: Blood Drive. Residencies, fellowships, commissions include: Eugene O’Neill National Theater Center, Baryshnikov Dance Foundation, MacDowell Colony, Manhattan Theatre Club, Deaf West, McCarter Theatre, Playwrights Horizons. Rachel is a volunteer mentor for TDF’s Open Doors program, a visiting instructor at Yale School of Drama, and adjunct faculty member of NYU’s Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program. Rebecca Feldman (Conceived by) The Farm was founded in 2000 by Rebecca Feldman, Artistic Director. It is a collective of writers and performers, including Jay Reiss, Dan Fogler, and Sarah Saltzberg. The Farm’s interest is in the role of improvisation in creating new work for the theatre. The Farm initially designates a two-week intensive period in which to discover, develop, and rehearse a play from the impulses borne mainly out of the pressure of a deadline. Previous projects include Super (at Atlantic Theatre Studios), Why I Hate Florida (workshop at White Wave in DUMBO) and C-R-E-p-u-s-c-u-l-e (at the Present Company Theatorium in October 2002), on which The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is based. The character and original dialogue of “Beth Margulies,” “Vice President Douglas Panch,” “Mr. Barfee,” and “Logan Schwarzengrubenierre” were created by Rebecca Feldman, Jay Reiss, Dan Fogler, and Sarah Saltzberg, respectively.
Marc Bruni (Director) NY: Fanny (City Center Encores!), Ordinary Days (Roundabout Underground), St. Louis MUNY: The Music Man (Kevin Kline Award Nomination), Sound of Music, My One and Only, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Other directing credits include Such Good Friends (NYMF Directing Award), High Spirits (York), Glimpses of the Moon (Oak Room), Lincoln Center Songbook, and gala performances for the American Theatre Wing, Eugene O’Neill Center, EST, and NYMF. Marc has been associated with Walter Bobbie, Kathleen Marshall, Jerry Mitchell, and Jerry Zaks on thirteen Broadway shows including Legally Blonde (NY/Tour/London/MTV “Search for Elle Woods”), Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (NY/Tour/12 companies internationally), The Pajama Game, Grease, Wonderful Town, High Fidelity, Sweet Charity, La Cage Aux Folles, and Little Shop of Horrors (Bway/Tour) as well as five City Center Encores! productions, most recently Finian’s Rainbow. Wendy Seyb (Choreographer) creates and choreographs in both worlds of dance and theatre. Broadway: The Pee Wee Herman Show (Opening Nov. 11, 2010). International/ Off-Broadway: The Toxic Avenger Musical (Dora, Lortel and Callaway Nominations), Click Clack Moo (Lortel Nomination). Regional: Harry Connick Jr.’s The Happy Elf, The World Goes ‘Round. Tours/Radio City: Nickelodeon’s Storytime Live, Virtually Me. Other New York Theater: Mel and El: Show and Tell, But I’m a Cheerleader, The Great Conjurer (Innovative Theatre Nomination). Ms. Seyb’s original dance comedies, including School Daze, have been presented at Dance Theater Workshop, Joyce SoHo, The Kraine (Golden Nose Award), DRA’s Gala Dance from the Heart (Hosted by Tony Winner Bill T. Jones), The Flea Theater and HERE Arts Center. She is a proud alumna of Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and DanceBreak. www.wendyseyb.com. Andy Einhorn (Music Director) Broadway: Brief Encounter (Music Director), Sondheim on Sondheim (Conductor), The Light in the Piazza. National tours: South Pacific, Sweeney Todd, White Christmas, The Lion King, Mamma Mia! Audra McDonald’s coach/pianist: Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine/LaChiusa’s Send (HGO). Music director/pianist in concert: Barbara Cook (Feinstein’s, Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music), Audra McDonald (Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony), F. Murray Abraham (Carnegie Hall), Ana Gasteyer. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: She Loves Me (Orchestrations). Roundabout: Ordinary Days. Goodspeed: Radio Girl, Flight of the Lawnchair Man, The Boy Friend. Original Cast Album: Sondheim on Sondheim. Honors graduate, Rice University. Award winning speller, The Village School. Anna Louizos (Set Designer) Broadway: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (also US Tour and UK); In the Heights (2008 Tony nomination); Curtains (Drama Desk Nomination); High Fidelity (2007 Tony nomination); Avenue Q; All About Me (with Dame Edna and Michael Feinstein); To Be Or Not To Be; Steel Magnolias; Golda’s Balcony. US tours: In the Heights; Avenue Q; OffBroadway: Crimes of the Heart, The Foreigner (Roundabout); Based on a Totally True Story, (MTC); Birdie Blue (Second Stage); Altar Boyz; The Foreigner (Roundabout); tick, tick… BOOM! (Jane St). Regional: Baby, It’s You; Vanities, the Musical (Pasadena Playhouse); Minsky’s (Ahmanson); Seven Brides, Baker’s Wife (Paper Mill) among others; Art Direction: Sex and the City.
David Lander (Lighting Designer) PTC: Orson’s Shadow, Frog Bride, Some Men, Nickel and Dimed. Productions with Marc Bruni: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Music Man, both in St Louis at The MUNY. Broadway: 33 Variations with Jane Fonda (2009 Outer Critics Circle and Tony Award Nominations, Best Lighting Design), A Man For All Seasons with Frank Langella, I Am My Own Wife with Jefferson Mays (also London); Dirty Blonde with Claudia Shear (also London); Golden Child. Regional: ACT, Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, Berkeley Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Geffen Playhouse, Goodman Theatre, Huntington Theatre, Kirk Douglass Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, The Old Globe, among others. International: London, Dublin, Caracas, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney and Melbourne among others. Alejo Vietti (Costume Design) PTC: Nerds. New York: Secrets of the Trade, MTC’s Nightingale and MCC’s Grace both staring Lynn Redgrave, Rooms, William Finn’s Make Me a Song, Tryst, Roulette, The Last Sunday in June, 16 Wounded, 2 X Tennessee, Servicemen, Five Flights, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Measure for Measure among others. Selected Regional: Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, Arizona Theatre, Asolo Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, Colorado Ballet, Florida Stage, Ford’s Theatre DC, Goodspeed, Guthrie Theatre, Hartford Stage, NY Stage & Film, Northlight, Pasadena Playhouse, Pittsburgh Public, San Diego Rep, Saint Louis Rep, Signature Theatre VA, Westport Country Plahouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival. Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Donetsk Opera Ukraine. Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Boo’A’Ring. Upcoming: Séance on a Wet Afternoon at NYC Opera. Irene Sharaf Young Master Award. Nick Kourtides (Sound Designer) is thrilled to return to PTC. Previously with the company: The Last 5 Years. New York: Chekhov Lizardbrain (Public Theater Under The Radar Festival 2010, Soho Think Tank 2008). International: Chekhov Lizardbrain (Konfrontacje Teatralne Festival, Lublin, Poland 2010), Flesh and Blood & Fish and Fowl (Edinburgh Festival 2010), Jekyll & Hyde in Concert (Seoul 2007, National and Korea Tour 2005-2006). Regional: Milwaukee Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Flat Rock Playhouse, Gettysburg Majestic. Philadelphia: Pig Iron Theatre Co., Walnut Street Theatre, Prince Music Theater, 1812 Productions, Lenape RPAC, Azuka Theatre, Arden Theatre, Villanova University, Swarthmore College, and many others. Nick was the Visiting Instructor in Sound Design at Swarthmore College in 2010. He is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829 and was awarded Philadelphia’s Barrymore award in 2006 for his work with Pig Iron Theatre Company on Mission to Mercury. TELSEY + COMPANY (Casting). Broadway/Tours: Sister Act, Catch Me If You Can, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark, Elf, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, A Life in the Theatre, Million Dollar Quartet, The Addams Family, Memphis, Next to Normal, Rock of Ages, In the Heights, Wicked, 9 to 5, South Pacific, Peepshow in Vegas; Off-Broadway: Atlantic, MCC, Signature; Film: Margin Call, Howl, Sex and the City 1 & 2, Jonah Hex, Main Street, Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, I Love You Phillip Morris, Rachel Getting Married, Dan in Real Life, Then She Found Me, Across the Universe, Ira & Abby, Rent, Pieces of April, Camp, The Grey Zone, Finding Forrester, The Bone Collector; TV: Ugly Betty (pilot), Whoopi, HBO’s Undefeated, commercials.
Jacqueline Goldfinger (Production Dramaturg) is a dramaturg and award-winning playwright. She is the Literary Manager/Dramaturg/PTC@PLAY Festival Director at PTC and holds a M.F.A. from the University of Southern California. She teaches playwriting at the University of the Arts and the Gershman Y, and her new play will be produced by Azuka Theatre this spring. Previously, she worked for Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff at La Jolla Playhouse. Visit her online: www.jacquelinegoldfinger.com Michael Andrew Rodgers (Production Stage Manager) is very happy to be back at PTC where he worked on The Light in the Piazza and Golden Age last season. Credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (SITI) directed by Anne Bogart, Broadway Under the Stars (League of American Theatres and Producers) directed by Anne Reinking, Pool Boy, The Memory Show (Barrington Stage Company), Bear Country (Alabama Shakespeare Festival). Over 20 productions at the Prince Music Theater. As well as work for Lincoln Center, Drama Desk, ArtsParty, BackStage, HBO, NBC, HERE, Ocean City Pops, PlayPenn, and NYC Fringe. A proud member of Actors Equity. BA Flagler College, MFA University of Alabama. Michael Cristaldi (Technical Director) has been with PTC since 2000. He is proud to be a part of the growing and vibrant theatre arts scene here in our wonderful city. Staldi has traveled the country and all over the world as TD for Enchantment Theatre Company, freelanced at almost every theatre in town, and has designed lights for the Walnut Street Theatre’s Studio 3 and for the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival. He also co-produced the 2008 “Unofficial Fringe Late-Night Cabaret.” Staldi credits his success to Allentown College (now DeSales University), his wonderful family, and his incredible wife, Stacey. Bruce Charlick (Director of Production and Theater Operations) is in his 14th season with Philadelphia Theatre Company. Bruce’s career in theater spans four decades, including: The Annenberg Center of the University of Pennsylvania, The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, and Temple University’s Department of Theatre. In his “spare” time Bruce enjoys his family of three children, a dog, and wife of over 30 years. Sara Garonzik (Producing Artistic Director) has directed and produced for Philadelphia Theatre Company since 1982, and introduced more than 130 world or regional premieres of major new American plays and musicals to Philadelphia including new work by Terrence McNally, Bill Irwin, Jeffrey Hatcher, Christopher Durang, John Henry Redwood, Tracey Scott Wilson, Naomi Wallace and Bruce Graham, among others. In 1991 she was named to the Philadelphia Theatre Company Board of Directors. Other service has included: Board Member of ArtReach and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (GPCA); theater panels for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio State Councils on the Arts; theater panels for The Philadelphia Theatre Initiative, the McKnight Foundation Advancement Awards for Playwriting and the O’Neill Playwrights Conference, and as a judge for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. She is listed in “Who’s Who of American Women” and was named one of Business Philadelphia’s and Philadelphia Magazine’s “People to Watch.” She has received the Award of Honor from the Alumnae Association of the Philadelphia High School for Girls and the President’s Award from the Philadelphia Young Playwrights. In 2007, she received the Achievement Award from the American Association of University Women, an honor she proudly shared with Dawn Staley and Terry D’Alessandro. In June 2008, she received the first Arts Pioneer Award created by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown. She currently serves as a Board Member of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, as President of the Board of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and on the advisory board of PlayPenn, a new play development organization.
Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee, Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt, Managing Director) A pioneer in the not-for-profit regional theatre movement, Paper Mill Playhouse opened its doors in 1938. Paper Mill Playhouse has been recognized throughout the theatre industry for the high-quality artistry and production values of its re-imagined musicals as well as its commitment to supporting the development of new works and emerging artists. A nationally recognized center for musical theater education and performance, Paper Mill Playhouse has award-winning arts education, artist training and outreach programs that impact more than 50,000 students each year. Paper Mill Playhouse’s productions have moved to Broadway, toured nationally, filmed for Showtime and PBS, and produced original cast recordings.
Director’s Notes Marc Bruni From the pioneers of Oklahoma to the gangs of West Side Story, musical characters have constantly examined questions of identity. What do I want? What are my dreams? What am I willing to do to achieve them? Few musicals of the past ten years have added to that tradition with as much charm and craft as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin have created a group of uniquely idiosyncratic middle school kids, all outsiders estranged from their world in some way. In a gymnasium clearly built to value competition of a more athletic variety, they come together for an intense intellectual showdown. Love, loss, heartbreak, disappointment, jealousy, euphoria, and vindication are all just a letter away. The irreverent comedy and fierce wit of Rachel Sheinkin’s Tony Award-winning book keep humor central, but it’s the show’s universal humanity that stays with me. Though some members of the audience join the Bee each night, in a way we are all participants. Like it or not, the Bee transports us back to those awkward moments of adolescence to share the characters’ journeys of self-discovery. Growing up sometimes means finding out “life is random and unfair” and the path to happiness doesn’t always run through the winner’s circle.
How Did Puritans Spell Fun?
S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G B-E-E!
An article for spellers of all ages by Mindy A. Early As red, white and blue as baseball and apple pie, spelling bees are an American phenomenon, thanks to the Puritans! In fact, it’s because of the Puritans that a spelling bee is called a bee. Besides being the word used to describe the stinging insect which collects honey, another meaning for the word ‘bee’ is, “a gathering of people for a specific purpose <a quilting bee>.” That definition is straight from the Merriam-Webster dictionary, which just so happens to be the official wordauthority of the National Spelling Bee.
While the earliest written reference to a spelling bee was in the mid-1800s, the practice of spelling contests dates back much earlier to the Puritans. For them, words were sacred. The ability to read meant the ability to study the Bible and create a stronger path to God. During the dark days of winter, what better way to challenge each other while quilting than with spelling contests? The strict settlers believed that game play had to have a practical purpose, and spelling was one of the few kinds of group play that fit the bill.
From there, the fascination with spelling contests grew. By the 1870s, advertisements for public spelling contests were listed in local newspapers. Anyone who wanted to compete paid an admission fee for the chance to win prizes. Some spelling bees were even part of the evening entertainment in vaudeville houses! Not one to be left behind, our City of Brotherly Love jumped on the spelling bandwagon, as seen in an article in the Bucks County Gazette on April 1st 1875, “On Thursday evening last, your correspondent attended the much talked of ‘Spelling Bee’ held in the Academy of Music, Philadelphia, and enjoyed it exceedingly.” But if we Americans enjoy spelling bees so exceedingly, why are we almost the only ones? The key to that question is language. In most other languages across the globe, spelling is phonetic. In other words, unlike English with its silent letters, in other languages what you hear is what you spell. German is one of the strongest examples of this – take the word kindergarten, for example, or Volkswagen. As for our English-speaking forefathers in England, while the spelling bee craze crossed the ocean for a short time in the 1870s, the United Kingdom hasn’t found the lasting love with spelling that we have. For the British, pronunciation is far more important. So while early Americans were hailing Noah Webster (that’s right, THE Webster), the British were listening to their countryman Thomas Sheridan and his promise that perfect pronunciation would guarantee higher social standing.
Even though it’s true that spelling bees just focus on getting the letters in the right order and not about connecting words with their meanings, the National Spelling Bee is still going strong. Since a newspaper in Louisville Kentucky started the national bee in 1925, a total of 86 champions have been crowned: 45 girls, and 41 boys. This nearly even number points to yet another reason why the spelling bee is utterly American – tall or short, black or white, rich or poor, every single contestant has the exact same chances of winning. And these days, all of America is watching the action, because the finals of the national bee are televised on both ESPN and ABC.
So do you think you have what it takes to be in a bee? If you’re a student speller, The National Spelling Bee allows competitors from 8th grade and under. Start your studies by checking out Spell It!, Scripps’ 1155 word guide to spelling bee success. Or, if you’re really brave, lookup Scripps’ Consolidated Word List, which features every single word used in their spelling bees since 1950. That’s a total of 800 pages and 24,000 words! And for you adults over fifty who are still spellers at heart, consider the National Senior Spelling Bee! This year the AARP-sponsored event will be held on June 18, 2011 in Wyoming and registration is open now.
Check Out These Other Spelling Spin-offs: •
Lee Blessing’s play ELEEMOSYNARY (1987) is about a girl named Echo who hopes that becoming a spelling bee champion will help her mom and grandmother put their differences aside.
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Myla Goldberg’s novel BEE SEASON (2000) centers around 11-year-old protagonist Eliza’s determination to win the national bee, and how her talent affects the rest of her family.
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Jeffrey Blitz’s documentary film SPELLBOUND (2002) follows eight regional spelling bee winners and their stories as they compete for the National Spelling Bee championship title.
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Doug Atchinson’s movie AKEELHA AND THE BEE (2006) is a coming of age story that features a young African-American girl who finds that spelling could be her way to shine.
Bee Season by Myla Goldberg
Jeffrey Blitz’s Spellbound
Doug Atchinson’s Akeelah and the Bee
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Company receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Philadelphia Theatre Company is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
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Philadelphia Theatre Company Gives Special Thanks to: Center City Film & Video Cozen Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor CRW Graphics Diccicco Batista Communications Iovine Brothers Produce
Ken Kaiserman Lafayette Hill Studios Steen Outdoor Advertising The 12th St. Gym West Park Imports, Inc.
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Inquiries from the hospitality industry may be made to 215-985-1400 ext. 117 or mjones@philadelphiatheatrecompany.org
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ON STAGE November/December 2010 Jersey Boys Forrest Theatre 9/30/2010 - 12/12/2010 (800) 447-7400 Improv Comedy* The N Crowd 10/1/2010 - 11/19/2010 (215) 253-4276
Urinetown UPenn Theatre Arts Program 11/16/2010 – 11/20/2010 (215) 898-3200
The Eight: Reindeer Monologues*
The Tempest* Act II Playhouse 11/16/2010 - 12/12/2010 (215) 654-0200
This Is The Week That Is* 1812 Productions 12/2/2010 - 12/31/2010 (215) 592-9560
Murder on the Nile* Hedgerow Theatre 10/14/2010 - 11/21/2010 (610) 565-4211
Phanatical Phantastical! A Philly Circus Cabaret
PTC $35
BCKSEET Productions 12/2/2010 - 12/12/2010 (215) 923-0210
It’s A Wonderful Life DCP Theatre Philadelphia School of Circus Arts 12/3/2010 - 12/12/2010 (215) 234-0966 11/17/10 (215) 849-1991 Uncle Vanya* Nuncrackers Lantern Theater Company The Scarlet Letter* The Barley Sheaf Players 10/21/2010 - 11/21/2010 The Academy of Vocal Arts 12/3/2010 - 12/12/2010 (215) 829-0395 11/19/2010 - 11/21/2010 (610) 363-7075 (215) 735-1685 x10 Simulations* The Great Divorce* Plays and Players Lantern Theater Company Annie Get Your Gun 11/4/2010 - 11/21/2010 Kelsey Theatre/Yardley Players 12/3/2010 – 12/19/2010 (800) 595-4849 (215) 829-0395 11/19/2010-11/28/2010 (609) 570-3333 And the Winner Is…* Once Upon a Mattress Burlington County Footlighters In the Blood* Actors’ NET of Bucks County 11/5/2010-11/20/2010 12/3/2010 - 12/19/2010 Allens Lane Theater (856) 829-7144 (215) 295-3694 11/19/2010 - 12/4/2010 (215) 248-0546 Babes in Arms A Christmas Carol Narberth Community Theatre Annie* Walnut Street Theatre 11/5/2010 - 11/20/2010 The Media Theatre 12/4/2010 - 12/18/2010 (610) 352-4823 11/23/2010 - 1/16/2011 (215) 574-3550 (610) 891-0100 Four Weddings and an Elvis Heresy* Old Academy Players The Last Night of Ballyhoo* Lantern Theater Company 11/5/2010 - 11/21/2010 The Stagecrafters Theatre 12/8/2010 – 12/18/2010 (215) 843-1109 11/26/2010 – 12/12/2010 (215) 829-0395 (215) 247-8881 Scrooge, The Musical* RENT* The Ritz Theatre Company 11th Hour Theatre Company Santa Claus is Coming Out 12/9/2010 – 12/19/2010 Passage Theatre 11/5/2010 - 11/21/2010 (856) 858-5230 11/27/2010-11/28/210 (267) 987-9865 (609) 392-0766 A Very Town and Country Seussical the Musical* Christmas The New Candlelight Theatre The Santaland Diaries* Town and Country Players Flashpoint Theatre 11/7/2010 - 12/22/2010 12/11/2010 - 12/12/2010 12/1/10 – 12/19/10 (302) 475-2313 (215) 348-7566 (215) 665-9720 The Belly* Cinderella* An Evening of Russian RoTemple Theaters Enchantment Theatre Company mances* 11/10/2010 - 11/21/2010 12/1/2010 - 1/3/2011 The Academy of Vocal Arts (215) 204-1122 (215) 496-9160 12/14/2010 - 12/16/2010 (215) 735-1685 x10
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See any production, any time, unlimited times for only $35 per ticket. Our membership allows for flexibility. You can see one production 15 times or see each prodution 3 times, all for only $35 per ticket. Bring as many friends as you want and still pay only $35 per ticket.
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Restaurant and parking discounts, and much more.
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Capital Campaign Contributors
Philadelphia Theatre Company applauds these leadership and major donors for their generous support of the campaign to help bring Philadelphia Theatre Company and the Suzanne Roberts Theatre to the Avenue of the Arts.
LEAD DONORS
Sue Perel Rosefsky
The Arcadia Foundation
Lisa S. Roberts and David Seltzer
Marilyn and J. Robert Birnhak
Anita and Terry Steen
City of Philadelphia
Shel and Karen Thompson
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Harriet and Larry Weiss
David and Nancy Colman
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Dorothy J. del Bueno
Independence Foundation
THE CORNERSTONE SOCIETY BENEFACTORS
Roberta and Carl Dranoff
Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest
Ken and Edna Adelberg
Suzanne F. and Ralph J. Roberts
Valla Amsterdam
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Beatrice Fox Auerbach Foundation Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
The Kaiserman Family
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THE FOUNDERS CLUB
Beneficia Foundation Blank Rome LLP Connelly Foundation
THE CORNERSTONE SOCIETY PATRONS Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Tracy and Rick Burke Citibank Michael M. Coleman
Ernst & Young Donna and Barry Feinberg Debbie and Bob Fleischman Matt and Marie Garfield Teresa Gavigan and Larry Besnoff Hamilton Family Foundation Independence Blue Cross
Catherine Roberts Clifton and Anthony A. Clifton
Will and Lucille Daniel
Eleanor M. and Herbert D. Katz Family Foundation
The Comcast Family
Sir David Bruce Duncan and Lady Deana Pitcairn Duncan
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Maher
Samuel S. Fels Fund
Richard and Alice Norman Mandel
Cozen O’Connor The Dietrich Foundation
Philadelphia Theatre Company Seat Naming Campaign Name a seat today and become an indelible part of the Suzanne Roberts Theatre. We invite you to place your name, that of a loved one, or your business on one or more of the seats in the theatre. An elegantly engraved plaque with your specified text will be placed on the back of a seat on the orchestra or mezzanine levels of the theatre.
Linda and David Glickstein
Otto Haas Charitable Trust #2 at the recommendation of Leonard C. Haas
Frank and Barbara Osinki PNC
Reasons to Name a Seat Today:
Daniel B. and Florence E. Green Family Foundation
Sally Lyn Katz
Don and Lynne Rosenblit
•
You enjoy and care about theatre and Philadelphia Theatre Company
The Lida Foundation
Kenneth M. Rutherford
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You’d like to make a meaningful contribution that supports our work
Jerry and Cookie Riesenbach
Neal and Sheila Schneider
•
You’d like to recognize a special person, occasion, or institution
Mr. and Mrs. Jon Harmelin
Carol Saline and Paul Rathblott
Shire Pharmaceuticals
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You’d like to honor the memory of a loved one
KieranTimberlake Associates
Bryna and Andrew Scott
James T. Smith and Debra I. Klebanoff
•
You need to find the perfect gift for the person who has everything
Monika Krug
Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams, Jr.
Laura and Richard Steel
Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust A at the recommendation of Carole Haas Gravagno
Richard and Dale Levy Kim and Rob Roberts The Fulcrum Foundation
Tracey B. Weiss and William I. Goldberg Special thanks to our many other donors.
For information about naming a seat, please call the Development Office at 215-985-1400, ext. 115
@
35 Seasons of Premieres! P TC’s mission is centered around the development and production of imaginative and entertaining contemporary theater focused on the American experience that both ignites the intellect and touches the soul.
Under the ongoing artistic direction of Producing Artistic Director Sara Garonzik, PTC supports the work of a growing body of diverse dramatists and takes pride in being a home to scores of nationally recognized artists who have participated in more than 130 world and Philadelphia premieres. OurPTC@PLAY new play project provides residencies and commissions while having developed over 75 scripts, half of which have gone on to production or publication. Philadelphia Theatre Company’s exceptional history of producing moving and provocative new work for the stage includes the world premieres of The Happiness Lecture (a PTC commission conceived by Bill Irwin), Terrence McNally’s Master Class (1995); Bunny Bunny by Alan Zweibel (1996); David Ives’s Lives of The Saints (1999); J.T. Rogers’s White People (2000); No Niggers, No Jews, No Dogs by John Henry Redwood (2001); Barbra’s Wedding by Daniel Stern (2002); A Picasso by Jeffrey Hatcher (2003); Bruce Graham’s According to Goldman (2004); Adrift in Macao by Christopher Durang and Peter Melnick (2005); and Some Men by Terrence McNally (2006), all of which were then produced in New York and other cities. Among its numerous other honors are the 45 Barrymore Awards that PTC has garnered over the years, including the 2008 Barrymore Award for Excellence in Education & Community Service, Best Theater Company or Theatre Company of the Year from the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Magazine, Philadelphia Weekly, City Paper, Philadelphia Style Magazine, Philadelphia Gay News and the Arts & Business Council Award (twice) for Arts Management Excellence and its partnership with Dranoff Properties. With its loyal subscription base and expansive education and outreach programming, PTC is now in its fourth season in its beautiful home on the Avenue of the Arts, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, confirming its status as a major player in the American national theater scene.
Productions with National Impact Red Hot Patriot: The Kick -Ass Wit of Molly Ivins by Margaret and Allison Engel Philadelphia Theatre Co. 2010 Golden Age by Terrence McNally Philadelphia Theatre Co. 2010 The Kennedy Center, 2010 Unusual Acts of Devotion by Terrence McNally Philadelphia Theatre Co. 2008 La Jolla Playhouse, 2009
The Happiness Lecture Conceived & Performed by Bill Irwin, PTC Commissioned, 2008 Some Men by Terrence McNally Philadelphia Theatre Co. 2006 Second Stage, 2007 Adrift in Macao Books & Lyrics by Christopher Durang Music by Peter Melnick Philadelphia Theatre Co. 2005 Primary Stages, 2007
A Picasso by Jeffrey Hatcher Philadelphia Theatre Co. 2003 Coconut Grove Playhouse, Cincinatti Playhouse and Manhattan Theatre Club, 2005 Geffen Theaer, 2007
No Niggers, No Jews, No Dogs by John Henry Redwood Philadelphia Theatre Co. 2001 Primary Stages, Off Broadway, 2001 Detroit Repertory Theatre, New Repetory Theatre, 2003
Barbra’s Wedding by Daniel Stern Philadelphia Theatre Co. 2002 Westside Arts Theatre, Off Broadway, 2003 Invisible Theatre, 2006
White People by J.T. Rogers Philadelphia Theatre Co. 2000 Salt Lake Acting Company, 2001 Atlantic Theater Company, Shakespeare & Company, 2009
Lives of the Saints by David Ives Philadelphia Theatre Co.1999 Berkshire Theatre Festival, 1999 Birdy by Naomi Wallace adapted from William Wharton Philadelphia Theatre Co.1998 Women’s Project, Off Broadway, 2003
Bunnny Bunny by Alan Zweibel Philadelphia Theatre Co.1996 Lucille Lortel Theatre, Off Broadway 1997 Master Class by Terrence McNally Philadelphia Theatre Co.1995 Tony Award for Best Play Broadway, Kennedy Center, Mark Taper Forum, National Tour, 1995-1999
Philadelphia Theatre Company Productions Key Code
All productions are Philadelphia premieres unless otherwise note v
World Premiere
l Co-Production n East Coast, Professional or American Premiere m Production moved on to NY or other regional theater. the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (2007 - Present) 2009 - 10 Humor Abuse by Lorenzo Pisoni The Light in the Piazza by Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel v Golden Age by Terrence McNally v Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins by Margaret Engel & Allison Engel Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom by August Wilson 2008 - 09 v Unusual Acts of Devotion by Terrence McNally 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother by Kate Moira Ryan & Judy Gold Resurrection by Daniel Beaty At Home at the Zoo by Edward Albee Grey Gardens book by Doug Wright, Music by Scott Frankel, Lyrics by Michael Korie 2007 - 08 v Being Alive music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, conceived and directed by Billy Porter M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang Third by Wendy Wasserstein v The Happiness Lecture by Bill Irwin
plays & Players theater (1982 - 2007) 2006 - 07
n Murderers by Jeffrey Hatcher
The Frog Bride by David Gonzalez
v Nerds://A Musical Software Satire by Jordan Allen-Dutton, Erik Weiner, music by Hal Goldberg l In The Continuum by Danai Gurira & Nikkole Salter Orson’s Shadow by Austin Pendleton 2005 - 06 vm Adrift in Macao book & lyrics by Christopher Durang, music by Melnick Ben Franklin: Unplugged by Josh Kornbluth in collaboration with David Dower After Ashley by Gina Gionfriddo Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage vm Some Men by Terrence McNally 2004 - 05 Trumbo by Christopher Trumbo with Bill Irwin The Story by Tracey Scott Wilson Elegies: A Song Cycle by William Finn Take Me Out by Richard Greenberg
The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and Members of the Tectonic Theater Project 1999 - 00 l Dinah Was: The Dinah Washington Musical by Oliver Goldstick v White People by J.T. Rogers Wit by Margaret Edson Side Man by Warren Leight 1998 - 99 How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel vm Lives of the Saints by David Ives Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde by Moisés Kaufman The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh 1997 - 98 Full Gallop by Mark Hampton and Mary Louise Wilson Minutes from the Blue Route by Tom Donaghy A Question of Mercy by David Rabe nm Birdy by William Wharton, adapted by Naomi Wallace
2003 - 04 Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks Nickel and Dimed by Joan Holden v According to Goldman 1996 - 97 by Bruce Graham vm Bunny Bunny by Alan Zweibel The Goat Or, Who Is Sylvia? Molly Sweeney by Brian Friel l Sylvia by A.R. Gurney by Edward Albee Seven Guitars by August Wilson 2002 - 03 Fully Committed by Becky Mode 1995 - 96 King Hedley II by August Wilson Three Viewings by Jeffrey Hatcher The Last Five Years I Am A Man by Oyamo by Jason Robert Brown Broken Glass by Arthur Miller vm A Picasso by Jeffrey Hatcher Love! Valour! Compassion! by Terrence McNally 2001 - 02 Dinner With Friends 1994 - 95 by Donald Margulies All in the Timing by David Ives n The Infidel by Bruce Norris Keely and Du by Jane Martin The Play About the Baby The Woods by David Mamet vm Master Class by Terrence McNally by Edward Albee vm Barbra’s Wedding by Daniel Stern 1993 - 94 2000 - 01 Sight Unseen by Donald Margulies The World Goes ‘Round m Compleat Female Stage Beauty by Jeffrey Hatcher by John Kander and Fred Ebb vm No Niggers, No Jews, No Dogs n “2” by Romulus Linney by John Henry Redwood Night Sky by Susan Yankowitz This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan
1992 - 93 Prelude to a Kiss by Craig Lucas Mountain by Douglas Scott with Len Cariou v Tiny Tim is Dead by Barbara Lebow Lips Together, Teeth Apart by Terrence McNally 1991 - 92 National Anthems by Dennis McIntyre Miss Evers’ Boys by David Feldshuh n Lady-Like by Laura Shamas vm Nagasaki Dust by W. Colin McKay 1990 - 91 Speed-the-Plow by David Mamet The Cocktail Hour by A.R. Gurney with Celeste Holm n Pill Hill by Samuel Kelley 1989 The Middle of Nowhere songs by Randy Newman and Tracy Friedman 1988 - 89 Elaine’s Daughter by Mayo Simon The Voice of the Prairie by John Olive Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune by Terrence McNally Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet Hannah Senesh by Lori Wilner and David Schechter adapt: of Senesh diaries Avner the Eccentric with Avner Eisenberg 1987 - 88 vm Stauf by Eric Saltzman and Michael Sahl co-produced with the American Music Theater Festival Orphans by Lyle Kessler Southern Exposure: n Sister and Miss Lexie by Eudora Welty, adapt. by Brenda Curran; and From The Mississippi Delta by Endesha Ida Mae Holland vm Hospitality by Allan Havis Out! by Lawrence Kelly First fully-mounted production 1986 - 87 Williams & Walker by Vincent D. Smith vm Citizen Tom Paine by Howard Fast with Richard Thomas, co-produced with The Kennedy Center Days and Nights Within by Ellen McLaughlin As Is by William M. Hoffman
1985 - 86 Painting Churches by Tina Howe Split Second by Dennis McIntyre. Co-produced with Freedom Theatre. Original commissioned from Grover Washington, Jr. Great American Sideshow: One Acts by Romulus Linney, Alan Zweibel and Robert Pine Extremities by William Mastrosimone 1984 - 85 Terra Nova by Ted Tally Geniuses by Jonathan Reynolds To Gillian On Her 37th Birthday by Michael Brady Fool for Love by Sam Shepard 1983 - 84 Getting Out by Marsha Norman True West by Sam Shepard Strange Snow by Steve Metcalfe Fifth of July by Lanford Wilson 1982 - 83 Wings by Arthur Kopit Lone Star/Laundry & Bourbon by James McLure Final Passages by Robert Schenkkan Dylan Thomas by Jack Aranson with Jack Aranson 1981 - 82 When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder by Mark Medoff The Vietnamization of New Jersey by Christopher Durang Nuts by Tom Topor
various theatres (1975 - 1981) 1980 - 81 The Rimers of Eldritch by Lanford Wilson Alice Through The Looking Glass company developed by Lewis Carroll Hooters by Ted Tally Jesse and the Bandit Queen by David Freeman Getting Out by Marsha Norman 1979 - 80 Streamers by David Rabe The Insanity of Mary Girard by Lainie Robertson The Emperor Jones by Eugene O’Neill Dementia 80 by Don Steele
1979 Ashes by David Rudkin The Exhibition by Thomas Gibbons Some of My Best Friends are Women by Don Steele and Edward Earle 1978 The Seagull by Anton Chekhov The Transfiguration of Benno Blimpie by Albert Innaurato The Persecution of Eugene Waterman by Louis Lippa The Final Concert Tour of Mickey Colossus by Peter Mattaliano A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare Center City Soap by Dorothy Louise 1976 - 77 The Lion and the Lamb by Joseph Orazi Future Tense by John Sevcik The Keeper by Karolyn Nelke 27 Wagons Full of Cotton by Tennessee Williams Mars by Clay Goss She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith (Theatre in the Court) Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (Theatre in the Court) 1976 Marlowe by John Yinger Rain by W. Somerset Maugham, adapted by Colton and Randolph The Crossing/As I Lay Dying A Victim of Spring by David Rabe & Leslie Lee The Three Daughters of M. Dupont by E. Brieux Translation by Pauline Jones Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (NewMarket) 1975 The Adding Machine by Elmer Rice Sargeant Musgrave’s Dance by John Arden Between Now and Then by Leslie Lee
Welcome to the ptc team KATHLEEN KUND NOLAN, Interim Managing Director Last month, Managing Director Diane Claussen who came to PTC in October 2007, stepped down to take on an exciting new position as Managing Director of the Theatre and Interpretation Center at Northwestern University. Upon learning of Diane’s plans, we began a search for an Interim Managing Director to fill this position in order to give us time to launch a thoughtful search for a permanent replacement who could start later in the season. We could not be more delighted to announce that we have found the perfect candidate in Kathleen Kund Nolan who began work November 1st. A seasoned theater manager, Kathleen served as Interim Managing Director at Princeton’s McCarter Theatre in 2008 where she had previously enjoyed a long association as General Manager. She continues to serve as a trustee on McCarter’s Board where she is Vice President for Development. Philadelphia theatre-goers might recall that Kathleen served as Business Manager for five years at the Philadelphia Drama Guild, and prior to that held positions with Pennsylvania Stage Company, Cleveland Playhouse and the North Shore Music Theatre. In addition to serving on the Board of McCarter Theater, Kathleen also serves as a Trustee on the Boards of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and the Tofte Lake Center. She and her family live in Newtown, PA. We are delighted to welcome her as we kick off the first mainstage production of our 35th Anniversary season.
Sophie V. Steuer , Director of Development Sophie V. Steuer joined PTC in August of 2010. In Philadelphia, she has done development consulting work with the Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe. Prior to that she was with Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, where for six years she worked in various senior development roles, most recently as Deputy Director of Development. At Jazz at Lincoln Center, under the artistic leadership of Wynton Marsalis, she oversaw substantial growth in their individual and major gifts program as the organization expanded into its new home, Frederick P. Rose Hall, at the Time Warner Center. Prior to Jazz at Lincoln Center she served as Development Manager for the Arts & Business Council Inc. in New York City, and in development roles with social service organizations in Seattle, Washington and Pasadena, California. She is thrilled to be joining the Philadelphia Theatre Company family.
Welcome to the ptc board Lynda Anne Barness, from Center City, is President and Owner of I Do Wedding Consulting. Recently she was named the 2010 Best Wedding Planner by the International Special Events Society, Greater Philadelphia Chapter. She had previously served as President of The Barness Organization, a real estate development and residential construction company, and Eastern Finance Director for Arlen Specter for U.S. Senate Committee. Among her many awards and honors, she was recognized as the 2004 Small Business Person of the Year from the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and listed as part of 50 Best Women in Business in Philadelphia. She serves on the Foundation Board of Trustees at Abington Hospital, Fox School of Business MBA Advisory Board, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Medicine Campaign Cabinet. Frank Giordano, a resident of Moorestown, NJ, is President of Atlantic Trailer Leasing Corporation, a transportation and storage equipment company that has been in the Giordano family since 1949. In addition to his position with Atlantic Trailer Leasing, he was the 64th President of the Union League of Philadelphia and is Past Chairman of Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey/Philadelphia. Frank Giordano is also a board member of the Committee of Seventy, the Salvation Army New Jersey State Advisory Board and holds directorships with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the West Jersey Chamber Music Society.
Jordan Savitch, a resident of Radnor, has served for the past eight years as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Penn National Gaming, Inc. Prior to that, he worked as a director and senior executive of a Wayne-based technology start up and as a Senior Corporate Counsel at Safeguard Scientifics, a company that provides growth capital for entrepreneurial and innovative life sciences and technology companies. Mr. Savitch serves on the board of trustees of the International Association of Gaming Advisors and the board of directors of Beth Am Israel. He and his wife, Julie, have held leadership positions in a number of recent fundraisers for local organizations, including the Please Touch Museum, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and as Co-Chairs of PTC’s 2010 Sweethearts’ Brunch event.
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about our home The Suzanne Roberts Theatre, designed by KieranTimberlake Associates, is owned and operated by Philadelphia Theatre Company and is the Company’s first permanent home. PTC is proud that the creation and development of its home, in partnership with Symphony House developer Carl Dranoff, has become a model for civic redevelopment; one that capitalizes on the ability of the arts to reinvigorate districts for residential and commercial revival. The Theatre’s design honors PTC’s mission to produce and develop new American plays and musicals. The space is contemporary, elegant and urbane, and features a 160’ double height glass facade on the Avenue of the Arts. The interior is defined by a uniquely warm and sculptural 365 seat mainstage auditorium with a proscenium arch of interlocking leather tiles, a spacious and contemporary mezzanine, and a planned 100 seat flexible second stage for new play development, intimate performances, and educational programming. Our stage house significantly enhances our ability to respond to the most imaginative visions of our creative teams with its spacious wings, soaring fly gallery, and trapped stage. The Theatre offers a full range of public amenities with an on-site box office, ample public restrooms, a concession stand, and lobbies designed for patron comfort and engagement with the City visible through large expanses of glass. The grand staircase leads from the main floor to the double height mezzanine lobby. The Theatre’s contemporary universal design makes it one of the country’s most accessible performing arts venues and supports one of PTC’s core values ensuring that our artistry is accessible to everyone in our community.
about suzanne Roberts
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Philadelphia Theatre Company is honored to name its home after Suzanne Roberts--actress, playwright, director, educator, producer and philanthropist. For more than 40 years, Suzanne has been a leading champion of the Philadelphia theater community. An actress by training, Suzanne has engaged as an artist in meaningful public service with projects as diverse as performing in dramas to inspire the purchase of war bonds during World War II to national appearances in plays discouraging racism and alcoholism. Demonstrating the breadth of her artistry, Suzanne has performed on many stages throughout our region in plays from Shakespeare to A.R Gurney. She has also performed in a variety of media including radio and television and is well known to audiences as the creator and host of the Emmy Award winning “Seeking Solutions with Suzanne.” One of Suzanne’s lifelong passions has been using theater to improve the lives of young people. Through the Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development Fund, she has supported the outreach work of theater and dance companies in sharing their creativity with school children and young adults.
DBCOMMUNICATIONS.NET Portrait of Suzanne Roberts by Alan Kole. Photo of Mainstage of Suzanne Roberts Theatre, home of Philadelphia Theatre Company, by Mark Garvin
Put a little PEP
for your information Box Office Hours: During Productions: Mon - Fri: 10am to showtime Sat - Sun: 12pm to showtime
Student Matinees, In-School Workshops, and Summer Camp Contact PTC’s Education Department at 215.985.1400 x106
Between Productions: Mon - Fri: 10am to 5pm Sat: 12pm to 5pm, closed Sun
Facility Rentals Contact events@philadelphiatheatrecompany.org
Open Captioned Performances: 12/04/10 at 2pm
Volunteer Opportunities Contact PTC’s Patron Services Manager, Meg Morris at 215.985.0420 x105
Personal captioning devices are provided which scroll text of the lyrics/dialouge across the device’s screen, in tandem with the lyrics/ dialouge of the performance for patrons with hearing loss. Audio Described Performances & Sensory Workshops State-of-the-art infrared assistive listening devices are provided for visually impaired patrons, through which a trained audio describer fills in the details of action on the stage. Large Print and Braille programs available upon special request. Contact the Box Office at 215.985.0420 to make areservation for this workshop and/or performance. PTC’s accessibility programming is sponsored by the Lincoln Financial Foundation and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ Accessibility to the Arts in Pennsylvania for Individuals with Disabilities Program. Accessibility technology in the Suzanne Roberts Theatre was made possible by a grant from the Lincoln Financial Foundation.
Photography The use of photographic or recording devices is strictly prohibited. Please note: The audience may be photographed by PTC staff for archival and publicity purposes. If you prefer that your likeness not appear in PTC materials, please notify the House Manager. Group Ticketing & Events Contact PTC’s Group Sales Manager, Carol Flannery at 215.985.1400 x304
(Patron Enrichment Programming)
in your PTC experience EdwardAlbee Albee Edward
Advertising Opportunities Contact Angela Madgin at 215.985.1400 x112 or amadgin@philadelphiatheatrecompany.org Parking and Public Transportation The Theatre is easily accessible by the Walnut/Locust and Lombard/South SEPTA Broad Street Subway stations, 15th/16th PATCO station, Route “C” bus, or taxi. On-site parking is available at the InterPark lot, as well as nearby garages along Broad Street. PTC Subscribers can pick up $2-off parking vouchers for the Interpark or Ez-Park lot at the Box Office.
Faith Prince, Angela Lansbury, Terrence McNally
Peter Peter Melnick, Melnick, Christopher Christopher Durang Durang
For The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Meet-the-artists (mta) 11/18, 11/23, 12/2
Restrooms, Elevator, Water Fountains LADIES’ & MEN’S ROOMS are located on the orchestra level of the Theatre. All restrooms are ADA compliant. The ELEVATOR is located to the left of the Grand Stair which may be used to reach the mezzanine level. WATER FOUNTAINS are located outside the restrooms.
Our post-show MTA events allow the audience to learn about the creation of each production and ask the cast questions.
Lost & Found If you have lost or found an item, please see the Box Office or House Manager. PTC is not responsible for loss or theft of personal belongings.
Join us for snacks as we discuss, Bee Season by Myla Goldberg (available at any bookstore or online at Amazon.com). RSVP: bookclub@philadelphiatheatrecompany.org
Lobby Video Installation The klip//collective is dedicated to creating high-end, large-scale and unique video installations. klip//collective transforms architectural spaces into immersive visual experiences. For more information visit www.klip.tv/about.html.
Backstage Tour - 11/27
American Playwrights in context (apic) - 11/21
Our post-show APIC events allow the audience to learn about the creation of each production
Book Club - 11/18, 6:30pm
Night Out! - 10/9, 6:30pm
Mix and mingle with friends from the LGBTQ community. Join PTC’s Technical Director and Literary Manager for a post-matinee backstage tour of the set. Learn how the set was conceived and built, and how the crew runs the show!
All PEP events are FREE! Photos by Paola Nogueras
PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY STAFF Producing Artistic Director Sara Garonzik Interim Managing Director Kathleen Kund Nolan Priscilla M. Luce, President Assistant to the Producing Artistic & Managing Directors Sharon Kling Julia Ericksen, Ph.D., Vice President Business Manager Patricia Lustig Neal Schneider, Vice President Director of Development Sophie V. Steuer Neal Cupersmith, Treasurer Manager of Development Communications Barbara Barnett Brigitte Daniel, Secretary Development Associate Meg Jones Director of Marketing & Communications Amy Lebo Michael M. Coleman, Co-Chairman Marketing Associate Angela Madgin E. Gerald Riesenbach, Esq., Co-Chairman Publicist Deborah K. Fleischman Group Sales Manager Carol Flannery Lynda Barness Patron Services Manager Meg Morris Marilyn Birnhak Box Office Manager Sarah Blask Assistant Box Office Manager Liz Fontenla Richard Burke Box Office Associates Jessie Pasquariello, Carla John C. Carrow Emanuele, Liam Daley, Sara Garonzik Sara Blomquist Alice L. George House Manager Ron Hunter Frank Giordano Director of Education Maureen Sweeney Resident Teaching Artist & Programs Associate Mindy A. Early Glenn Gundersen Teaching Artists Carla Emaunele, Kenneth Kaiserman* Jan Michener, Melody Tash Sally Lyn Katz Literary Manager and Dramaturg Jacqueline Goldfinger Monika Krug* Assistant Dramaturg Alexander Frangoulis Carol Clark Lawrence Literary Interns Veronica Decker Annie Halliday Dale Penneys Levy General Office Assistant Rashanda Freeman James M. Meyer, CFA Production staff Donald Rosenblit, Chairman Emeritus* Director of Production & Theater Operations Bruce Charlick Carol Saline Technical Director & Theater Operations Manager Michael L. Cristaldi Jordan Savitch Associate Production Manager/Company Manager Bridget A. Cook Facilities Supervisor Chris Butterfield Elliot Schwartz Assistant Stage Manager Danielle Commini Bryna Silver Scott, Esq. Props Master Melissa A. Cristaldi James T. Smith, Esq. Sound Supervisor Daniel A. Little Harriet Weiss Production Electrician Derek Hachkowski Alan Widra Wardrobe Supervisor Maxine Johnson Light Board Operator/Programmer Sam Henderson Assistant Director Ross Evans Members Emeritus Assistant Choreographer Tim McGarrigal Dance Captain Brandon Yanez Joanne Harmelin Local Assistant Lighting Designer Josh Schulman Sheldon L. Thompson* NY Assistant Lighting Designer Ben Pilat Assistant Set Designer Hilary Noxon Bettyruth Walter, Ph.D. Assistant Costume Designer Thomas LeGally Tracey Weiss, Ph.D. Wig Designer Leah Loukas Follow Spot Operators Jacob Lyon Goddard *denotes past president Stuart Bartlett Deck Crew Joshua Carazo A2 Andrew Perelman Dresser Hallie Keyser Deck Crew/Production Apprentice Melissa Mann NY Rehearsal Pianist Cathy Venable credits Cover Design diccico battista communications Scenery Scenery First, Inc. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Auditor Larson Allen 2010/11 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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OPEN HOUSE Sundays, 1-3pm
was rehearsed at the New 42nd Street Studios
A DRANOFF PROPERTY
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2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 S eason
philadelphia theatre company
ACT OUT!
Summer Theatre Ca mp for Teens 12–17
PTC Summer Conservatory:
ActOut Summer Session 2011:
June 20 - July 1 ((9:30am – 4:00pm)
Week #1 – July 11 - July 15 ; Week #2 – July 18 - 22; Week #3 – July 25 - July 29
In this intensive course, teens will spend 2 weeks working together as an ensemble of writers, actors, directors, and sound and lighting designers to create and produce an original one-act which will be presented on July 1st. Students will work with professional teaching artists and theater technicians to fully produce their piece. Fee: $725
(10:00am – 4:00pm with an optional warm-up at 9:30am)
With PTC’s flexible single week sessions, you can attend one, two, or all three weeks of ActOut Summer Session. Students spend mornings cycling through classes in playwriting, acting, directing, and design. Afternoons are spent with their company actively exploring theater concepts, building an ensemble and deciding what pieces to put on stage in our Theater Lab each Friday at 2:00pm – friends and family are encouraged to attend. Fees: $350 for 1 week; $675 for 2 weeks; $ 1,000 for 3 weeks.
Special combination Offer!
Receive $50 off PTC Summer Conservatory if you also register for any week of ActOut Summer Session!
215.985.0420 or PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org/education