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Director’s Note Dear Friends: Ever since I was in a production of Nicky Silver’s The Food Chain years ago, I’ve been a fan of this playwright. I am drawn to pieces that mix humor and pain, as well as those that take serious issues and address them through humor. When I first saw The Lyons off-Broadway, I loved it. It’s a play about connections. Every one of us is looking for a connection in life, whether it be with another person or with themselves. The Lyons family blames their inability to connect on each other and you’ll see that here on stage tonight. Mr. Silver didn’t call this family the “Lyons” by coincidence. They’re sharp, domineering, and always ready to attack. But when their claws do come out, it’s in extremely hilarious ways. Directing is 90% casting and 10% making sure the actors don’t bump into the furniture. I have found the perfect cast for this show and can’t wait to share it with you, the audience. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to direct this wonderful piece at TheatreWorks New Milford. This rehearsal process has been so smooth and wonderful; the whole thing has been a dream. So please, go ahead and laugh at the problems of the Lyons family. I’m sure it will help you forget your own. Matt Austin Director
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Saturday, April 25, 8:00 pm at New Milford High School Tickets $25 theatreworks.us
Sincere thanks to all our supporters Artists $5,000+ • Grant & Jacqui Smith • Tillie Page Laird Playwrights Circle $1,500+ • The James J. McInerney & Gary R. Fafard Foundation Sponsors $500+ • Pathways for Older Adults Fund & Sponsorship Fund at Connecticut Community Foundation • Norman Adler & Michele Shackelford • John & Kathy Bolster • Glenn & Dionne Couture Partners $250+ • Frank Arcaro • Stephen Gorell • Laurie Hombecker • Tim Maitland • Ann M. Mckinney • Rich & Suzi Pettibone • Russell Postauer, Jr. • Stephen Sondheim Advocates $100+ • Lois Benfield • Donald Bickford • Warren & Bodil Braren • Hilma Carter • The Daley Family • Wright Danenbarger • In Memory of Ray & Bea Flanders • Tom Fogarty • Martha Holcombe • Mrs. Ishier Jacobson • Patty & Harold Jacobson • Alfred & Skip Jennings • Marilyn A. Johnson • Marilyn Lieff • Kathryn & Larry Palmer-House • Joseph H. Privitera • Chrissy & Jim Scrimgeour • Sherry & Stephen Seward • David Sprintzen •Richard & Joanne Sterk • Arthur Stueck • Henry & Susan Tritter Associates $50+ • Ellen Alpert • Chris & Susan Anderheggen • Ethel Anderson-Krenkel • Nancy Babington • Cecilia Buck-Taylor • Margie Bueide • John Caraszi • Joseph & Diane Czarnik • William & Suzan Dahl • Marian Dar • Siubhan Fallon • Andrew C. Flatt • Dr. Marilyn & Robert Gansel • Kirsten Gould • Barb & Doug Henry • Nancy Hutchinson • Christy Johnson • Marion & Philip Kallinikos • Joe Keneally • Carl Klorman • Loretta & Bob Kretchko • Theresa & David Mitchell • Carmel O’Neill • Jill & Michael Pace • Kristin Mulhare • Natalie Slavin • Nadine Strossen & Eli Noam • Barbara & Albert Uziel • Ann Vallombroso • Evelyn & Michael Weinstein Every effort has been made to ensure that all donors’ names are included and listed correctly. If you notice any errors or omissions, please email info@theatreworks.us and let us know so that we may have the opportunity to correct our error and properly recognize your contribution.
presents
DIRECTED BY MATT AUSTIN THE CAST Ben Rita Curtis Lisa Brian Nurse
Bill Hughes Jody Bayer Joseph Russo Courtney Brooke Lauria Jim Hipp Beth Young
ACT ONE “The Lyons” One evening in a Manhattan hospital room Intermission - 15 minutes ACT TWO Scene 1: “Location, Location, Location” One week later, a vacant studio apartment Scene 2: “Most Poor Sons of Bitches” Three days later in a hospital room THE LYONS was produced by Vineyard Theatre, Douglas Aibel, Artistic Director; Jennifer Garvey-Blackwell, Executive Producer, New York City, 2011. Original Broadway production produced by Kathleen K. Johnson
Production Staff Director....................................................................................... Matt Austin Stage Manager.................................................................. Erin Shaughnessy Costume Design .......................................................Joe Russo, Bill Hughes Lighting Design....................................Richard Pettibone, Scott Wyshynski Running Crew................................................Jay Austin, Ressa Roccapriore Set Design............................................................. Bill Hughes, Matt Austin Builders...................... Richard Pettibone, Scott Wyshynski, Russ Posthauer .................... Jay Novicky, Bill Hughes, Malcolm Fano, Glenn R. Couture, ............................ Frank Russo, Matt Austin, John Bolster, Sonnie Osborne Sound Design.......................................................................... Tom Libonate House Managers............................................. Mary Kimball, Kathy Bolster, ...............................................................................Christine Daley, Jill Pace Publicist...................................................................................Tom Libonate Production Photography...........................................Ghostlight Photography Web Site.....................................................................printplusdesignllc.com Producers....................... Richard Pettibone, Bill Hughes, Glenn R. Couture Special Thanks The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, FM97.3 WZBG Backstage with Johnny O Susan Twombly, Community Outreach Coordinator, New Milford Hospital, Geraldine Rosato, Michael Wright
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST JODY BAYER (Rita) is excessively happy to be back on the TheatreWorks stage where she was last seen as Berthe in Boeing Boeing. She treasures the fortunate and full life she’s had performing in several area theaters over the years. Some highlights were: Eleanor (The Lion In Winter), Edna (Prisoner Of Second Avenue), Sister Amnesia (Nunsense), Domina (... Forum), and Madame Arcati (Blithe Spirit) for which she received an Excellence In Acting award from the Theater Association of New York State. In addition, she enjoys performing comedy improv with the ‘17 Debacles’ troupe at TBTA. Jody is honored to share the stage with this talented cast and crew. She thanks her dear friends and family for being her biggest fans, Peter for his unwavering understanding of her creative passions, and Matt for his insight, support and friendship. theatreworks.us
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST BILL HUGHES (Ben) Aside from Page2Stage readings, B. Hughes’ was last seen as a player in The Laramie Project in 2003, in 2005 as the playwright of Ghost of a Chance and director of The Shape of Things. In 2013 & 2014 he was a producer for Boeing Boeing and Bonnie & Clyde. A member of the Dramatists Guild, his work has been produced at a range of venues, from Off-Broadway to regional theaters. COURTNEY BROOKE LAURIA (Lisa) Credits include: Off-Broadway - Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, 25th Anniversary cast (Sister Albert Maria/Terry),Various One Act Plays at Ensemble Studio Theatre. As a playwright her work has been developed and workshopped with The Powerhouse Theater/NYSF, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Rattlestick Theater, and The Chain Theatre. She is an alumna of Youngblood and Mission to Ditmars Writers Collective. Love to Eric. JOSEPH RUSSO (Curtis) is happy to return to the stage after having last appeared as Cripple Billy in The Cripple of Inishmaan. Other roles include Freddy Eynsford-Hill (Pygmalion), Beethoven (Dog Sees God) and Bob Cratchit (Ghost of a Chance). Offstage, he has directed numerous shows and readings regionally, including the East Coast Premiere of Bonnie & Clyde; Boeing Boeing; Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer; Oscar Wilde’s Salomé; All About Eve; Auntie Mame; Marlene; The Normal Heart; Torch Song Trilogy, and the World Premiere of See Dick… In 2010, he assisted Gordon Edelstein on Long Wharf Theatre’s production of A Doll’s House. Also a playwright, Joseph is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, The Dramatists Guild and the Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of the Americas. His award-winning works have been seen at Hartford Stage and the HBO Studios in NYC. He is on the Board of Directors at TheatreWorks where he serves as the Dramaturg of the Page2Stage reading series. Special thanks to Matt and this fantastic cast. theatreworks.us
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST ELIZABETH YOUNG (Nurse) has performed in a number of theatre productions locally and in NYC. Favorite roles include Blanche in Brighton Beach Memoirs, M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias, Annette in God of Carnage and a trio of fun characters in Sylvia. She is grateful to a fabulous cast and director for giving her this opportunity to debut at TheatreWorks New Milford. As always, she thanks her very encouraging, supportive, and understanding husband, Kevin. JAMES HIPP (Brian) just stepped off this stage five minutes ago when the production of The Games Afoot ended its sold out run, in which he played Simon. Fortunately, his holiday season was not lonely. Other TheatreWorks credits include Bernard (Boeing Boeing), Leslie (Seascape), and Bartley (The Cripple of Inishmaan). If you’d like to hear more, come downstairs after the show and you can have fun watching him try to remember the other shows he’s been in. He’d like to thank Matt for finally giving him the chance to work with him, the rest of the cast for hours of laughter and the beautiful and spectacular Erin Shaughnessy for editing his bio. Erin Shaughnessy (Stage Manager) is very excited to be stage managing for the first time ever here at TheatreWorks! Normally seen onstage, Erin has been in multiple productions in the past few years. Recently, you may have seen her on the TheatreWorks stage as Lala Levy (The Last Night of Ballyhoo) and Gloria (Boeing Boeing) where she had the wonderful opportunity to work with and get to know many of the people that are in this very cast. She is so glad to be back and working with these extremely talented and fun people once again and is thankful for the privilege to do so. In the future, she hopes to appear once again on this stage as well as many others in the area and in New York. TheatreWorks has become a second home to her and she is happy to be involved in any and all aspects of volunteering and performing here. Thanks to her friends, family, and you, our faithful audiences, for making everything we do possible and worthwhile. Enjoy the show! theatreworks.us
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST Matt Austin (Director) is so grateful for the opportunity to direct a mainstage production here at TW. He was most recently seen here onstage in last year’s production of Boeing Boeing. In addition to that, he has directed and been involved in various Page2Stage productions including Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All, The Glass Menagerie and Bell, Book & Candle. Other directing credits include Prisoner of Second Avenue, Be a Good Little Widow and The Book of Liz. Acting credits include Assassins, Little Shop of Horrors, Fiddler on the Roof and Moonlight and Magnolias. He is a graduate of WCSU as well as The Upright Citizen’s Brigade in NYC, where he also performed. He is the founder of, and currently performs with, The Brookfield Theatre for The Arts’ resident Improv troupe ‘17 Debacles.’ He would like to thank his family and friends, especially Joe Russo. NICKY SILVER (Playwright) The Lyons was Nicky Silver’s first play to be produced on Broadway, where it received an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding New Broadway Play and a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Play. His other plays include Pterodactyls (Oppenheimer Award, Kesselring Award, Drama Desk nomination, Outer Critics Circle nomination), The Eros Trilogy, The Food Chain (Outer Critics Circle nomination), Fat Men in Skirts, Fit to Be Tied, The Maiden’s Prayer, Free Will and Wanton Lust (Helen Hayes Award), My Marriage to Ernest Borgnine, The Altruists, Beautiful Child, and Raised in Captivity (Drama Desk nomination, Outer Critics Circle nomination). He also wrote the new book for the Broadway revival of the Rodgers and Hart musical, The Boys from Syracuse, produced by the Roundabout Theater Company in 2002. UP NEXT:
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Playwright Nicky Silver talks family ties, lost plays, and getting back to basics. By Sarah Stern, Co-Artistic Director Vineyard Theatre – Full interview at vineyard.org (reprinted with permission) I’m calling to interview you. I’m ready, and just let me know if you need me to repeat anything. I can repeat everything I say. Verbatim? There’s nothing spontaneous about me. But you’re a very quick wit; doesn’t that make you at least linguistically spontaneous? Nope. I process it all in the moments before it comes out. I’m very aware of the lingual choices I make in life. Someone once accused me, well, I don’t think they meant to accuse me, someone suggested that I have no sense of editing. The reality is that I have a very strong sense of editing — I don’t employ it all the time but I am very conscious of what I’m saying. I know it’s a shock that I would be conscious of the things I’m saying and still say them, but it’s true. That’s a good transition to THE LYONS, actually. Rita, the matriarch of the Lyons family, and Ben, the dying patriarch around whom the family has gathered, both tend to say just what’s on their minds. Do you think they know the effect their words will have? Hmm. I would say that they are conscious of what they’re saying, but they are misguided as to the effect that it will have. It’s almost willful ignorance. Rita is not interested in editing, but if she did actually think about the consequences, her conclusions would be misguided. Also, the play is set at a particular time in these characters’ lives where a lot of anger is coming to the surface because of the crisis with which they’re confronted, and I think that probably shortcircuits some of their judgments. Especially Ben. He says horrible, horrible things to his son. Imminent death is liberating. So many of your works have a complicated family at the center. What compels you to write about families? Our most basic relationships are in our families — those are the densest relationships we ever develop, our husbands, wives, sons, daughters. I actually believe at their core that all plays are family plays, whether they appear to be or not. GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS looks like a workplace play, but to me it’s a play about brothers. What was the inspiration behind THE LYONS? My last play had had a lot of ideas and hyper-theatrical conceit. With my new play, I wanted to get back to basics — to write something that was as simple stylistically as possible. And that meant putting a family in a room and having them talk to each other. What can you tell us about the Lyons as a family? I didn’t name them the Lyons by chance, I’ll say that. I think that they are a combative group, which is not to say that they don’t love each other very much. For whatever reason, each of them has been isolated in some way and is fighting pretty ruthlessly to find some kind of completion, some kind of connection that they don’t have naturally. I love each and every one of them.
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