2024 ANNUAL REPORT
Stephanie Gould and Lewis D. Wheeler in Cost of Living.
Photo by Nile Scott Studios.
BOSTON’S HOME FOR THE BOLD
WHO WE ARE
We are SpeakEasy Stage — driving Boston theatre forward and sparking dialogue with courageous, contemporary productions made by and for our community.
OUR MISSION
SpeakEasy Stage Company produces intimate, entertaining plays and musicals that are new to Boston and compel thoughtful conversation. We champion new talent and future arts leaders, alongside a diverse community of experienced local theatre professionals who share our devotion to excellence. We treat our artists, audiences,
FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Friends and Supporters of SpeakEasy,
We are delighted to present the Annual Report for our groundbreaking 33rd season, which spans the period of July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.
More so than in previous seasons, this was a year defined by partnerships. This was our first year working together to enhance our reputation as Boston’s most thought-provoking theatre company and ensuring that SpeakEasy thrives in the coming years — both artistically and financially.
In the fall of 2023, we partnered with The Huntington to co-produce the Norton Awardwinning musical The Band’s Visit, which took place at a time that put the show in conversation with world events more than we could ever have anticipated. And we didn’t stop there, going on to co-produce A Strange Loop with Front Porch Arts Collective, as well as partnering with Somerled Arts on an exciting developmental workshop of a new musical, The Museum of Broken Relationships.
Telling these stories and working alongside other organizations, we saw firsthand the power of partnerships to create connections — between companies, yes, but also among artists, audiences, communities, and the world at large. We have worked with some of the best and brightest actors, designers, and production
crews that Boston has to offer, but it is ultimately our audiences who make the artistic connection complete. If you have ever watched a show, donated, attended an event, or engaged with us across social media platforms, you are a part of the SpeakEasy family. You are one of our dearest partners, and we could not have had such a successful season without you.
With these strong connections in mind, we are excited to chart a new path for SpeakEasy after our 34th season. In June 2025, we will, for the first time, welcome a new Artistic Director to lead the company into its next chapter. A national search is already underway, and we’ve made it our top priority to ensure that this new leader shares the values and vision that have shaped SpeakEasy over the past three decades. As we look to the future, we are confident that the inspired leadership and strong partnerships in place will allow us to continue thriving for many seasons to come.
Thank you for your continued support this year— we look forward to seeing you at the theater!
Warm regards,
Paul Daigneault Artistic Director David Beardsley Executive Director
Photo by David Costa
Photo by Nile Scott Studios
POTUS:
OR, BEHIND EVERY GREAT DUMBASS ARE SEVEN WOMEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALIVE
SEP 15 - OCT 15, 2023
SELINA FILLINGER
PAULA PLUM
“Hilarious! Great comic acting and direction! Perfect for the times we’re living in now. We need to laugh!...I’ve never been disappointed seeing a SpeakEasy show! They do great work!”
The riotously funny, politically timely, and socially relevant satire POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive by Selina Filinger left audiences in hysterics. POTUS launched SpeakEasy into its historic 33rd season in a hilarious and timely way, highlighting the women working behind the scenes of the Oval Office to mitigate a misogynistic president’s sex-related scandal.
Composed of an almost entirely female cast and production team, POTUS featured a standout ensemble made up of SpeakEasy alumni and newcomers, with Paula Plum, Marianna Bassham, Lisa Yuen, Laura Latreille, Crystin Gilmore, and Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda’s returning to
- Audience Member
work with Speakeasy; and the debuts of Catia and Monique Ward Lonergan. Rebecca Glick, a longtime wardrobe supervisor on our team, made her Costume Design debut. From a drug-induced, farcical chase to begging the question, “Why isn’t she president?”, POTUS kicked off our season with topical conversations, thought-provoking comedy, and lots of laughs from our ensemble and audience. In addition to the production, SpeakEasy also hosted a series of discussions and events, including a networking event for women and people of marginalized genders to discuss, mingle, and connect after a performance of the show.
Members of the cast of POTUS. Photo by Nile Scott Studios
THE BAND’S VISIT
A CO-PRODUCTION WITH THE HUNTINGTON
NOV 10 - DEC 17, 2023
MUSIC & LYRICS BY
DAVID YAZBEK PAUL DAIGNEAULT
KOLIRIN
BOOK BY ITAMAR MOSES
“Unreservedly recommended... It’s a tonic, a stunning reminder of the power of art to bring people together.”
- Bob Verini, Boston Theater Critics Association
The Band’s Visit marked a historic co-production between The Huntington and SpeakEasy Stage. It brought SpeakEasy’s intimacy and heart to The Huntington’s larger mainstage and earned Artistic Director Paul Daigneault his third Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director. This honor made Paul one of a handful of Boston artists to have won a Norton in each category (Small, Midsize, and Large Theater)!
The production won unanimous critical acclaim and earned Jennifer Apple the Norton for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical and the entire team the Norton for Outstanding Musical.
The Band’s Visit was unintentionally timely and topical with the show’s exploration of the universal desire for intimacy and human connection proving cathartic for audiences and artists. The team was dedicated to taking care of its artists during this time and was able to create and hold space for them with the help and incredible work of Kira Troilo and Art & Soul Consulting.
Members of the cast of The Band’s Visit. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.
A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
JAN 26 - FEB 18, 2024
WRITTEN
BY
SAMUEL D. HUNTER
DIRECTED BY
MELINDA LOPEZ
A Case for the Existence of God was an absolute masterclass in performance. This tour-de-force production centered the beauty of friendship and vulnerability between two men of different identities connected by their shared experiences of fatherhood. Case was helmed by the incomparable Melinda Lopez, whose delicate touch and diverse theatrical background allowed her to facilitate an electric connection between the actors, both in the rehearsal room and on stage.
“[Case] lives up to its lofty title...slowly but surely transcends the mundane.”
- The Boston Globe
This piece was a quiet but powerful production for SpeakEasy Stagecaptivating audiences with its intensity. The beautiful connection between Jesse Hinson and De’Lon Grant’s characters, originating from their deep desire to be good fathers and their shared love for their respective daughters, drove Case’s success. We additionally were able to host a talkback with playwright Samuel D. Hunter, who provided stunning insight into the world of his play.
De’Lon Grant and Jesse Hinson. Photo by Nile Scott Sudios
COST OF LIVING
MAR 8 - 30, 2024
MARTYNA MAJOK
ALEX LONATI
“One of the most extraordinary pieces of theatre I’ve seen in a long time.”
- Jared Bowen, WGBH
2018 PULITZER PRIZE FOR DRAMA
Cost of Living was a historic production for SpeakEasy Stage and for Boston in that it centered and uplifted the disability community, allowing us to commit to accessibility and inclusion both on and off the stage. This piece exemplified SpeakEasy’s commitment to casting and producing our shows with authenticity, as we worked with a number of actors, consultants, and production team members from the disability community and with caretaking experience.
The production marked longtime SpeakEasy staff member Alex Lonati’s directorial debut with the company, and she, the production team, and the talented cast (Gina Fonseca, Stephanie Gould, Sean Leviashvili, and Lewis D. Wheeler) brought incredible heart to the poignant portrayal about caretaking and the intimacy of connection. We had record-breaking engagement in our accessible performance offerings. Cost of Living reminded us of what it means to be human — no matter our background or lived experience.
Gina Fonseca and Sean Leviashvili. Photo by Nile Scott Studios
A STRANGE LOOP
A CO-PRODUCTION WITH FRONT PORCH ARTS COLLECTIVE
APR 26 - MAY 25, 2024
BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS BY DIRECTED BY
MICHAEL R. JACKSON MAURICE EMMANUEL PARENT
FREEMAN COLEMAN
2020 PULITZER
PRIZE FOR DRAMA
Producing this Tony-Award and Pulitzer Prize-Winning musical with our friends at Front Porch Arts Collective was the perfect way to cap our season. Our ensemble of Michael R. Jackson’s A Strange Loop could not have been more powerful. Their talent, camaraderie, and passion for this production, fostered by director Maurice Emmanuel Parent, co-Artistic Director of The Porch, allowed us to bring this intimate, bold, and deeply honest work to life — taking the Broadway hit and making it our own.
“It was so special to be able to experience the New England premiere! A powerful, personal, hilarious, and heart-wrenching work...this production holds its own with the best of all musicals!”
- Audience Member
The show additionally hosted various guests associated with the production’s history, including Michael R. Jackson and original Broadway cast member James Jackson Jr. It was an honor to have them in attendance and backstage, and their enthusiasm for the production meant the world to the team. SpeakEasy was proud to help bring this story to life with The Porch and the incredible community behind it.
The cast of A Strange Loop. Photo by Maggie Hall Photography
NEW MUSICAL WORKSHOP:
THE MUSEUM OF BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS
SpeakEasy Stage, in partnership with Somerled Arts, produced a developmental workshop of the new musical The Museum of Broken Relationships, which featured book, lyrics, and direction by David H. Bell and music and lyrics by Music Director Daniel Green. Inspired by the curious and surprisingly impactful Museum of Broken of Relationships in Zagreb, Croatia, The Museum of Broken Relationships was commissioned by Somerled Arts and has previously been developed at the Eugene O’Neill National Music Theater Conference, the American Musical Theatre Project, and the Aspen Theatre Festival. Set in a gallery displaying tokens from relationships past, the piece explores how memories and stories can infuse often simple objects with profound meaning.
Presented in June 2024. Museum’s cast included: Amy Barker, Susana Cordón, Ethan DePuy, Jesse Garlick, De’Lon Grant, Carly Kincannon, Sarah Linnell, Ryan Mardesich, Will McGarrahan, Mairéad O’Neill, Ned Riseley, Jenna Sage, Helena Tafuri, and Nik Walker.
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, AND ACCESS
SpeakEasy’s efforts to become a fully equitable and anti-racist theatre company are an essential part of our organization’s identity, and we acknowledge that our education is ongoing. In Spring 2024, we published the SpeakEasy Equity & Anti-Racism Action Plan 2.0 (SEARAP 2.0) — an updated version of our original plan that sets new short- and long-term goals to build on the progress we’ve made.
SEARAP was always intended to be a living document — something that we update as the company and our goals evolve. With the dedication of our leadership, and our continued partnership with EDI Consultant Kira Troilo of Art & Soul Consulting, we will continue to center this ongoing work.
We also continue to prioritize making our work accessible to all communities. Our Accessibility Program is going strong, with performances that featured open captioning and audio description for each production.
This season, our production of Cost of Living included a Relaxed Performance, with adjusted expectations of theatre etiquette (a “judgment-free zone”) to welcome patrons who might not otherwise feel comfortable attending the theatre.
A Strange Loop was our first production to incorporate Touch Tours. This interactive exhibit allowed Blind and visually impaired audience members the opportunity to physically engage with props and costumes from the show.
SPEAKEASY’S
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
SpeakEasy Stage and the Calderwood Pavilion reside on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Massachusett people. We acknowledge the truth of violence perpetrated in the name of this country and commit to uplifting the voices of those who have historically been left out of the conversation. We encourage you to learn more about the Massachusett people, their history, and their living traditions at www.massachusetttribe.org.
ENGAGE BEYOND THE STAGE
SpeakEasy hopes that our work will inspire conversation that lasts long after the show ends, and we are committed to fostering opportunities for engagement, networking, and further learning in our community. In addition to post-show artist discussions and panels — including “Exploring the Complex Experience of Fatherhood” during A Case for the Existence of God and a spotlight on “Gay Sons & Mothers” during A Strange Loop — we produced several special events:
“HBIC” NIGHT
After a performance of POTUS; Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, we held a special networking event for women and those of other marginalized genders. Dozens of theatre-lovers gathered to meet other professionals in the city, discuss the show, and talk about the unique challenges people of marginalized genders face in our modern world.
“Celebrating Accessibility in the Arts”
In partnership with Abilities Dance, Boston University, and WBUR’s CitySpace, we hosted this special event in celebration of accessibility advocacy and representation in the arts. The event featured performances from our production of Cost of Living and from Abilities Dance, as well as a panel discussion with a number of local artists from the disability community. The event was fully accessible, with ASL interpretation, open captions, select audio description, and livestream access.
11 Photo by Si Shen
SPECIAL GUESTS
This year, we welcomed several special guests to our theatre. Thank you to these incredible writers and artists for joining us in celebrating our season!
Samuel D. Hunter, playwright of A Case for the Existence of God, greeting patrons after a talk-back.
James Jackson Jr., Original Broadway Cast Member of A Strange Loop, visiting the cast.
Michael R. Jackson, writer, lyricist, and composer of A Strange Loop, at opening night. Photo by Eran Zelixon
2024 GALA
Every year, the SpeakEasy Gala brings together our family of supporters, old and new, to celebrate the art that inspires us all. On Thursday, April 11, 2024, friends and supporters gathered at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge for a night of joyous celebration. Hosted by Jennifer Apple, star of our co-production of The Band’s Visit, the 2024 Spring Gala became our most successful fundraiser ever, raising an impressive $268,000 in support of the 2023-2024 season.
We were deeply honored to present Gregory E. Bulger and Richard J. Dix with the Mayor Thomas M. Menino Memorial Award for Inspired Support of the Arts in Boston, Marianna Bassham with the Artistic Excellence Award, and Kira Troilo with the Community Impact
Award.
The evening was filled with memorable performances and moving testimonials honoring the remarkable individuals who have helped uplift and shape the SpeakEasy community. This year, we added the excitement of a live auction, led by the dynamic auctioneering of Board Member David Brown.
As we reflect on this unforgettable night, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible support from our community. We look forward to gathering again in April 2025, when we will celebrate another great year of SpeakEasy… stay tuned for more!
For more information on how you can get involved with the 2025 Spring Gala, please reach out to Randy Biagas-Hill at randybiagashill@speakeasystage.com.
THOMAS DERRAH AWARD
In recognition of legendary Boston actor Thomas Derrah’s dedication to teaching and the inspiration he provided to hundreds of students and young artists every day, SpeakEasy Stage – in partnership with Tommy’s husband, John Kuntz – created The Thomas Derrah Emerging Artists Fund. The Fund ensures that Tommy’s vibrant and influential legacy lives on, continuing to inspire new talent for years to come.
At this year’s Gala, we were thrilled to honor three incredible emerging artists.
Fady Demian - Actor, Wild Goose Dreams and The Band’s Visit
Brogan NelsonActor, The Prom
Rebecca GlickCostume Designer, POTUS
David Beardsley, Gregory E. Bulger, and Richard J. Dix
Paul Daigneault and Marianna Bassham Kira Troilo and Alex Lonati
Photos by Wes Verge
INSTITUTIONAL DONORS
$100,000+
Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative
$50,000-$99,999
Boston Center for the Arts*
The Shubert Foundation
Yawkey Foundation
$10,000-$24,999
Bank of America
Massachusetts Cultural Council
Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust
$5,000-$9,999
Boston College High School
Boston Veterinary Clinic
Point32Health
Wellington Management
$2,500-$4,999
Berkshire Bank
Burns & Levinson
Google Matching Gifts Program
Cathy Marotta, Sotheby’s Real Estate
MassHousing
Merck Foundation
Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Inc.
O’Brien Wealth Partners
$1,000-$2,499
Barbershop Deluxe
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
MIDA*
Power 10 Advisory Partners
Roberta Orlandino & Brenda Gailhouse
Reunion BBQ*
S&P Global
FROM THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE BOARD
Dear Friends,
It is an honor for us to share a look back at the results of SpeakEasy’s 33rd Season.
The 2023-2024 Season was filled with artistic excellence and deep engagement with our mission. We were pleased to produce a complex and engaging array of shows this year — ranging from outrageous and timely comedy to intimate and personal storytelling. It was truly a fantastic artistic year for SpeakEasy, bringing to the stage engaging and thought-provoking stories presented, directed, and supported by Boston’s amazing talent.
The future of SpeakEasy is exciting. While the current 2024-25 season will be Paul Daigneault’s last as Artistic Director, his legacy will continue to thrive here. His lifelong work and commitment to making SpeakEasy a cornerstone of the Boston arts community will provide a robust foundation for his successor. The search for a new Artistic Director will allow us the opportunity to hold fast to our mission of producing
bold theatre that engages audiences and inspires important conversations. We look forward to partnering with a new artistic leader to build upon Paul’s legacy, and to working with Executive Director David Beardsley to secure SpeakEasy’s future for years to come.
This year we also explored strong collaborations with fellow arts institutions. We’ve been proud to partner with The Huntington, Front Porch Arts Collective, and Somerled Arts to produce bold and excellent theatre. These experiences have strengthened our commitment to working with other arts organizations to stage memorable and impactful stories and increase mission impact. We were additionally honored with SpeakEasy’s recognition for The Band’s Visit, which garnered acclaim and won Outstanding Director - Large Theatre (Paul Daigneault), Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical (Jennifer Apple), and Outstanding Musical at the Elliot Norton Awards.
Reflecting on this past year, we are honored to help lead this organization, but we could not do it without you. Your contributions, subscriptions, participation
in our events, and attendance at our shows allows SpeakEasy and its staff to do what it does best: work with incredible Boston talent to bring engaging and important stories to life. We cannot thank our SpeakEasy community enough, and look forward to another wonderful season–and many more to come–with you.
Many Thanks,
Constance Gist Guindo
Co-Chair of the Board Andrew Fullem Co-Chair of the Board
Are you interested in becoming a strategic voice for SpeakEasy Stage?
We are looking for dynamic and thoughtful individuals to join both our Board of Directors and our Board of Advisors. Board members participate in a range of activities for the company — from governance and strategic planning to event planning and donor stewardship. For more information about our Boards, you can check out this page.
If you are interested in exploring the opportunity further, please fill out this form. If you have any questions, you can contact board@speakeasystage.com.
OUR SUPPORTERS
$20,000+
$10,000-19,999
$5,000-9,999
Thank you to all supporters of SpeakEasy Stage’s Annual Fund. Your donations help set the stage for future seasons of
Because ticket sales do not cover all of the costs associated with operating a professional, nonprofit theatre company, we are deeply grateful for the generous support of patrons who make it happen. If you are interested in making a tax-deductible gift to SpeakEasy Stage, please visit www.speakeasystage.com/donate.
SPEAKEASY LEADERSHIP
Board of Directors
Board of Advisors
SpeakEasy Staff
Artistic
Executive
Director
