Celebrating 30 Seasons of Groundbreaking Theatre A Virtual Anniversary Concert to Benefit SpeakEasy Stage Company
November 19 - 23, 2020
The Calderwood Pavilion Resident Theatre Company at the Boston Center for the Arts Paul Daigneault, Producing Artistic Director
PRESENTS
Seasons of Groundbreaking Theatre Directed by Paul Daigneault Music Directed by Paul S. Katz Produced & Written by Alex Lonati Hosted by De’Lon Grant* WITH REMARKS FROM
Paul Daigneault, Founder & Producing Artistic Director Jim Torres, Director of Marketing & Communications FEATURING
Leigh Barrett*, Daniel James Belnavis*, Victoria Byrd*, Miguel Cervantes*, Sara Chase*, Tyla Collier*, Jared Dixon*, Kerry A. Dowling*, Sarah Drake*, Laura Marie Duncan*, Jennifer Ellis*, Crystin Gilmore*, Amy Jo Jackson*, Maureen Keiller*, Karen MacDonald*, Alison McCartan*, Will McGarrahan*, Michael Mendiola*, Dwayne P. Mitchell*, Davron S. Monroe*, Alejandra Parrilla, Aaron Patterson*, Brian Richard Robinson*, Carolyn Saxon*, Sam Simahk*, Erica Spyres*, Kathy St. George*, Val Sullivan, Santina Umbach* WITH SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCES FROM
Jaimar Brown*, Melinda Lopez*, Jeffrey Mello, Paula Plum*, Richard Snee*, Edward Stanley* FEATURING MUSICAL PERFORMANCES BY
David Freeman Coleman, Paul S. Katz, Taylor Thomas, Victor Carrillo Tracey, Owen Young
We wish to express our gratitude to the Performers’ Unions: ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS AMERICAN GUILD OF VARIETY ARTISTS SAG-AFTRA through Theatre Authority, Inc. for their cooperation in permitting the Artists to appear on this program.
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS LEAD SPONSOR Kerry A. Dowling
PLATINUM
Erik & Ranesh Ramanathan Nancy & Edward Roberts Paul & Jennifer Walsh Dana & Daniel Wolf Anonymous
GOLD
Dr. Richard Bankhead & Kemper Thompson Richard Davies & Alexander Albregts Jonathan Dyer & Thomas Foran Terence Janericco Keith MacDonald & Tom Webber Dawn & Doug Saglio Robert & Raeanne Sarazen
SILVER
Bob Band ◊ Joseph Castellana & James Seligman Clever Mountain Digital Media ◊ Anne d’Avenas & Jerry Brody Eastern Bank ◊ Andrew Fullem ◊ David Godkin & Pamela Haran Ken Hirschkind ◊ Nathan & Leslie Levenson ◊ Marianne Lonati Alyson Magliozzi ◊ Peter & Christine Palladino ◊ Grace Parker Rich Parritz & Promostuffonline ◊ Nick Scandalios Hal Tepfer & Stacie Simon ◊ Carl & Sharon Turissini Hannah Weisman & Michael Peluse
BRONZE
Alex Baker & Butch Chilton ◊ Gene Bauer & Ellen Shortell Law Firm of Bove & Langa, P.C. ◊ Susan Black & Richard O’Neal The Gregory E. Bulger Foundation/Gregory Bulger & Richard Dix Sandra Chase ◊ Stacey & Christopher Constas ◊ Cathy & Harvey Cotton Foley-Fiore Architecture ◊ Meegan Gliner ◊ Kevin Hemenger Mark Hickey & Jack Cornwell ◊ Betsy Munzer ◊ Jackie & Bob Pascucci Leah Rugen ◊ Mark Saperstein & Eric Karnowski ◊ Ann Teixeira Brian Wagner & Tim Carlson
THANK YOU TO OUR SEASON SPONSORS $100,000+
Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative
$50,000+
Boston Center for the Arts*
$20,000 - 49,999
Mass Cultural Council The Shubert Foundation
$10,000 - 19,999 Bank of America
$5,000 - 9,999
City of Boston, Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture The George & Alice Rich Charitable Foundation
$2,500 - 4,999
Boston Veterinary Clinic Madison Food Corp.
$1,000 - $2,499
Barbershop Deluxe Bove & Langa, P.C. Cathy Marotta, Sotheby’s Real Estate MIDA* Roberta Orlandino, Coldwell Banker John Snow, Inc. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Seligman Dental Designs Wilson Butler Architects
*in-kind donation
TONIGHT’S PROGRAM All performances are accompanied by Paul S. Katz, except where noted otherwise.
Heart and Music from A New Brain (1999-2000 Season)
Music and Lyrics by William Finn; arranged by Paul Daigneault & Will McGarrahan Performed by Amy Jo Jackson, Maureen Keiller, Alison McCartan, Will McGarrahan, Michael Mendiola, Dwayne P. Mitchell, Brian Richard Robinson, and Santina Umbach Originally a part of our ninth season, A New Brain holds a special place in SpeakEasy history, as it was our first time presenting a musical that really fit our defined aesthetic as a young company. In addition to collaborating with a brilliant cast of Boston artists, we also worked directly with William Finn, which was one of the first times we’d worked closely with a show’s creator. We are thrilled to present this version of “Heart and Music”, with so many of our incredible alumni, including Will McGarrahan who performed the lead role in our production.
I Hate The Bus from Caroline, or Change (2005-06 Season) Music by Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics by Tony Kushner Performed by Tyla Collier
In the words of Paul Daigneault, Caroline, or Change is one the most skillfully written musicals that SpeakEasy has ever had the opportunity to produce. Told through the eyes of a young Jewish boy and his Black maid, this production juxtaposed multiple perspectives on the Civil Rights Movement within a single American household. Caroline, or Change is one in a long line of SpeakEasy productions that prove a musical doesn’t need to sacrifice a compelling storyline or rich music to take a strong stance on social issues.
A Medley of Favorites from Kathy St. George Arranged and Performed by Kathy St. George
Tina’s Mother from Ruthless! (2002-03 Season) Music by Marvin Laird, Lyrics by Joel Paley
Johnny Guitar from Johnny Guitar (2004-05 Season) Music by Martin Silvestri & Joel Higgins, Lyrics by Joel Higgins
Evil Woman from Xanadu (2011-12 Season) Music and Lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar
Kathy St. George is one of SpeakEasy’s favorite alumni, and we are thrilled to be able to revisit three musicals, in which she starred, from SpeakEasy’s teenage years. Enjoy this exclusive medley, arranged by Ms. St. George herself, just for our 30th Anniversary celebration!
TONIGHT’S PROGRAM (CONT.) Not A Day Goes By from Merrily We Roll Along (1997-98 Season) Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Performed by Val Sullivan, accompanied by her husband, cellist Owen Young Merrily We Roll Along was produced early in SpeakEasy’s history and the final song (“Our Time”) mirrored our own feelings at the time — those of endless possibility and hope for the future. In many ways, this show encouraged us to step forward and embrace our mission of sharing the stories that matter. Returning to the Calderwood to perform this piece in person felt particularly poignant in a time when we are unable to celebrate live theatre together.
Be the Hero from Big Fish (2014-15 Season) Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa, Book by John August Performed by Sam Simahk
Our production of Big Fish was an incredible opportunity for us to take a large show, which had recently closed on Broadway, and tailor it to our theater’s intimate space. We worked directly with the show’s creators, Andrew Lippa and John August, to perfect the “12 Chair” version, pared down from the original and with a greater emphasis on storytelling and character. While still full of spectacle and adventure, the musical instead focused on the complicated relationship between father and son, making for an emotional ride from start to finish.
Let It Sing from Violet (1999-2000 & 2015-16 Seasons) Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa Performed by Daniel James Belnavis
Violet is the only show in SpeakEasy history to have been given a second production. (Once on this Island, originally slated to be presented this year, would have been — and will be — the second.) We were thrilled to have the opportunity to bring the revised piece back to our audiences, to explore how the creators streamlined the piece and improved it, and to revisit the need for both physical and metaphorical healing explored in the show.
Being Alive from Company (2004-05 Season) Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Performed by Aaron Patterson
Our production of Company, which premiered in October 2004, was a particularly special one for SpeakEasy, as it was our first show in what would become our artistic home, the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts. We chose this show in part to flex our muscles and show off our new space and all the possibilities it provided, including room for two-tier sets. We are so grateful to have such a beautiful place to rehearse and perform our art!
TONIGHT’S PROGRAM (CONT.) The Queens’ Medley: Unusual Way from Nine (2010-11 Season) Music and Lyrics by Maury Yeston Performed by Jennifer Ellis
The Beauty Is from The Light in the Piazza (2008-09 Season) Music and Lyrics by Adam Guettel Performed by Erica Spyres
Loving You from Passion (2001-02 Season) Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Performed by Leigh Barrett
One of the greatest joys of the past 30 seasons has been presenting roles for many of Boston’s powerhouse leading ladies. We are thrilled to welcome back three epic performers to reprise three epic roles, in an interlude we have appropriately nicknamed “The Queens’ Medley”. All three award-winning artists delivered such truly memorable performances that we wanted to revisit these moments in our history.
Nothing Short of Wonderful from Dogfight (2015-16 Season) Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul Performed by Alejandra Parrilla
Part of SpeakEasy’s mission is to champion emerging artists and producing Dogfight allowed us to do just that. Not only did this show feature music from a new generation of composers, but our production featured a group of relative newcomers, many of whom were just starting their artistic careers. A standout performance was that of Alejandra Parilla, whose character took a deep look into how a belief in goodness can prevail over all adversity.
Let Me Walk Among You/Three Bedroom House from Bat Boy: The Musical (2002-03 Season) Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe Performed by Miguel Cervantes, Sara Chase, and Kerry Dowling
Over the past 30 seasons, we’ve produced Tony Award-winning musicals and Broadway smash hits, but the longest running show in our history started as a modest Off-Broadway show called Bat Boy: The Musical. Who ever could have guessed that a musical based on a National Enquirer story would wow Boston critics and audiences alike, win Paul his first Norton Award for directing, and run for over 100 performances? Tonight, we are thrilled to welcome back Miguel Cervantes (Hamilton on Broadway), Sara Chase (Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), and Boston’s beloved Kerry A. Dowling for a chance to revisit the production that solidified SpeakEasy’s reputation as the place for bold, smart and entertaining theatre.
TONIGHT’S PROGRAM (CONT.) Superboy and the Invisible Girl from Next to Normal (2011-12 Season) Music by Tom Kitt, Lyrics by Brian Yorkey Performed by Sarah Drake
Next to Normal is a fine example of SpeakEasy’s commitment to producing contemporary American musicals that deal with relevant social issues. In addition to exploring the struggle of mental illness onstage with an all-star Boston cast, including some talented emerging artists from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, we partnered for the first time with the Massachusetts chapter of NAMI (The National Alliance on Mental Illness) to take the conversation deeper into our community.
If You Knew My Story from Bright Star (Upcoming) Music and Lyrics by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell Performed by Laura Marie Duncan With Taylor Thomas and Victor Tracey Carrillo on guitar and vocals
This is the only song in tonight’s concert from a musical that SpeakEasy audiences have not yet seen. Bright Star was originally scheduled for May 2020, but has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that you enjoy a preview of this show and Laura Marie Duncan’s brilliant portrayal of the musical’s protagonist.
Go Back Home from The Scottsboro Boys (2016-17 Season) Music and Lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb Performed by De’Lon Grant
The Scottsboro Boys is the perfect illustration of one of the SpeakEasy’s theatrical strengths - taking a title that didn’t find its audience on Broadway and turning it into a runaway success in Boston. The show told the real-life story of the Scottsboro boys through the lens of a minstrel show, and SpeakEasy’s production was an extraordinarily powerful and moving experience that was made even more meaningful against the backdrop of the 2016 election. The piece was so popular that we revived the production two months later for four additional weeks of sold-out performances.
As We Stumble Along from The Drowsy Chaperone (2010-11 Season) Music and Lyrics by Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison Performed by Karen MacDonald
The Drowsy Chaperone not only celebrates musicals as an art form, but also the people who love them. This production’s star-studded cast was headlined by the legendary Karen MacDonald and the late Thomas Derrah, one of Boston’s greatest actors and educators. Tommy shared SpeakEasy’s passion for supporting emerging artists, and so we established the Thomas Derrah Emerging Artist Fund to honor his memory and continue his legacy of lifting up the next generation of artists.
TONIGHT’S PROGRAM (CONT.) Why We Tell the Story from Once On This Island (1994-95 & Coming Again Soon)
Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens; arranged by David Freeman Coleman Performed by Victoria Byrd, Tyla Collier, Jared Dixon, Crystin Gilmore, Davron Monroe, and Carolyn Saxon With David Freeman Coleman on keyboards Once on this Island was SpeakEasy’s first full-length musical and remains to this day one of Paul Daigneault’s all-time favorite shows. Given the popularity of the recent revival on Broadway, our 30th Anniversary Season felt like the perfect time to revisit the piece. While we were disappointed to delay it because of the pandemic, we know that the show’s joy, infectious music, and messages of love will be all the more powerful when it is safe to return to the theatre. This particular performance includes a host of SpeakEasy alumni, gathering together to celebrate YOU — our audience, our community, our SpeakEasy family — the main reason why we tell the story.
CONCERT PRODUCTION TEAM Director ................................................................................................................. Paul Daigneault Music Director, Arranger, & Accompanist ...................................................... Paul S. Katz Artistic Producer & Writer ....................................................................................... Alex Lonati Production Managers ............................................ Dominique D. Burford, Paul Melone Video Production & Editing ........................................... Clever Mountain Digital Media Live Stream Engineer .............................................................................................. Ari Herzig “Why We Tell the Story� Arrangement, Music Direction, & Video Editing ................. David Freeman Coleman Graphic Design ....................................................................................................... Evan Turissini
CAMEO APPEARANCES BY Geraldine Bogard, Dominique D. Burford*, Johanna Carlisle-Zepeda*, Stephanie Carlson, Scot Colford, Paul Daigneault, Josephine Moshiri Elwood, Russell Garrett*, Melissa Geerlof, Nile Scott Hawver*, Bridgette Hayes, Elaine Hom, Liliane Klein*, Jenna Lea Scott*, Alex Lonati, Nathan Malin, Stephen Markarian, Bill Mootos*, Gary Thomas Ng*, Amanda Ostrow Mason, Maurice Emmanuel Parent*, Ellen Peterson*, J. Jerome Robbins*, Robert Saoud*, Stephen Shore, Cody Sloan, Bobbie Steinbach*, Colin Stokes, Ellie van Amerongen*, Gigi Watson*, Lewis D. Wheeler*
SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY STAFF Producing Artistic Director .............................................................................. Paul Daigneault General Manager / Production Manager ........................................................... Paul Melone Director of Marketing & Communications ............................................................. Jim Torres Director of Development .......................................................................................... Cathi Ianno Community Programs & Events Manager ............................................................ Alex Lonati Creative Services & Social Media Manager ..................................................... Evan Turissini Associate Manager of Production & Operations .......................... Dominique D. Burford Development Coordinator ....................................................................... Frankie Concepcion Artistic Fellow ................................................................................................. Dwayne P. Mitchell
OUR MISSION SpeakEasy 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 and supporters as collaborators, working with us to make Boston a city that is sustainable for artists.
SPEAKEASY BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michael Appell Alex Baker, Chair Cathy Cotton Paul Daigneault, President Richard Davies DannĂŠ Davis Kerry A. Dowling Jonathan Dyer Andrew Fullem, Vice Chair
Susan Irvings Melissa Langa Peter Palladino, Treasurer Joey Riddle Nancy Roberts Alejandro Simoes Jim Stiles Ann Teixeira, Clerk Clea Winneg
SPEAKEASY BOARD OF ADVISORS Michael Appell Bob Band Gene Bauer & Ellen Shortell Susan Black Brian Bourquin & Paul Mataras Gregory Bulger & Richard Dix A. Joseph Castellana & Jim Seligman David Freeman Coleman Stacey & Chris Constas Anne d’Avenas Tom Formicola & Lenny Goldstein Joe Gimbel & Jo Strobel Meegan Gliner Curly Glynn Laura Haas
Robby Morse Levy Keith MacDonald & Thomas Webber Ben Manthei Jeffrey Mello Roberta Orlandino Grace Parker Jackie & Robert Pascucci Ellen Piccioli Kenneth & Rise Shepsle Hal Tepfer Sandra Weinstein Hannah Weisman Neal Winneg Angela Yarde Julianne Yazbek
SPECIAL THANKS Beth Chambers & Jim Flis at Clever Mountain, The Staff at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts (Katie Most, Jesse McKenzie, Taylor Ness), L. Arkansas Light, Seth Gerber and our friends at MIDA, Richard Parritz & Promostuffonline.
WHO’S WHO - CREATIVE TEAM DAVID FREEMAN COLEMAN returns to SpeakEasy after serving as Music Director for Choir Boy and Associate Music Director for Violet. David currently serves as Choral Director at the Dana Hall School and Director of Tufts University Gospel Choir. Past music direction credits include Miss You Like Hell (Company One/A.R.T.), Mad Moon (Emerson College), Cabaret (Boston Children’s Theatre), and The Wiz (Eastern Nazarene College). He also served as the associate music director for Best of Both Worlds and as rehearsal pianist for The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, Waitress, Crossing, and We Live in Cairo (A.R.T.). David has worked with Audra McDonald, Bobby McFerrin, and Ryan Gosling, and has performed at Carnegie Hall and the White House. He is the recipient of multiple New England Urban Music Awards and the Thomas Dorsey Award from New England Conservatory.
in the Park with George, Merrily We Roll Along (The Boston Conservatory); Evita, Into the Woods, Urinetown (Boston College). Paul is a Professor of Musical Theater at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. He was honored in 2007 with the Boston College Art’s Council’s Alumni Award for Distinguished Achievement and served as the 20112012 Rev. J. Donald Monan S. J. Professor in Theatre Arts.
PAUL S. KATZ (Music Director) has collaborated with SpeakEasy since Season 2 and has conducted and/or served as music director for more than 21 of SpeakEasy’s musicals, concerts, and benefits includ-ing the mega-hit, Bat Boy. His favorite SpeakEasy memory, though, is meeting his future wife Sharon backstage at auditions for Season 6. Paul is a graduate of Brandeis University, and did additional studies at the New PAUL DAIGNEAULT (Director/ England Conservatory. Producing Artistic Director) was the recipient of the 2014 Elliot ALEX LONATI is a director, Norton Prize for Sustained producer, and arts administrExcellence presented by the ator in the Boston area. Boston Theater Critics AssocShe currently serves as the iation. Since founding SpeakEasy in 1992, he has Community Programs & Events produced over 150 Boston premieres. SpeakEasy Manager at SpeakEasy Stage directing credits: Admissions; The View UpStairs; Fun Company, where she has been on staff for six years. Home; Allegiance; The Curious Incident of the Dog She has directed for a number of theatre companies in the Night-Time; The Scottsboro Boys; Significant in the Boston area, including SpeakEasy, Brown Box Other; Dogfight; Violet (2016); Mothers and Sons; Theatre Project, Off the Grid Theatre, and Fresh Ink. Big Fish; The Color Purple; In the Heights; Xanadu; Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts from Emerson College, Next to Normal; Nine; Body Awareness; The Great where she hosted Standing Room Only on 88.9 WERS AmericanTrailer Park Musical; [title of show]; The for four years. She is also on the board of the Theatre Savannah Disput-ation; Jerry Springer: The Opera; The Community Benevolent Fund (tcbf.org) and was New Century; Some Men; Zanna, Don’t!; Parade [Elliot named Boston’s Theatre Community Member of the Norton Award—Outstanding Director]; Almost, Year by ArtsImpulse in 2016. Maine; Caroline, or Change; Take Me Out; Company; A Man of No Importance (co-production Súgán); Bat Boy: The Musical [Elliot Norton Award—Outstanding Director]; Passion; Violet (2000); A New Brain; Songs for a New World; Floyd Collins; Love! Valour! Compassion!; and Jeffrey. Regional credits: Grand Hotel and Nine (The Boston Conservatory and Cincinnati Conservatory of Music); Rent, City of Angels, Sunday
WHO’S WHO - CAST & CREATIVE TEAM LEIGH BARRETT* gratefully began her SpeakEasy story with Songs for A New World in concert. She continued her connection with Passion (Fosca); The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Drood); Elegies; A Class Act (Lucy); The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Jeannie); Adding Machine: A Musical (Mrs. 1); The Drowsy Chaperone (Mrs Tottendale); and the concerts All about Election Eve and Back to Bacharach & David. She has been seen on many New England area stages including the Lyric Stage, GBSC, NSMT, New Rep, Gloucester Stage, and Bridge Rep. Leigh is the honored recipient of four Elliot Norton Awards for Outstanding Actress as well as the 2018 Award for Sustained Excellence. Much love to HB & the boys. Happy 30th Anniversary! Stay safe, wear a mask. www.LeighBarrett.com
DANIEL JAMES BELNAVIS* was most recently seen in the first national tour of Hamilton (Ensemble, u/s GW, KG3, Mull/ Mad). At SpeakEasy, Daniel played Flick in Violet (2016), for which he was nominated for a Norton Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Other credits include: Dreamgirls (Japanese Tour); In the Heights (The Gallery Players); Memphis (Weathervane Theatre); Next To Normal (Arthur Miller Theatre); Little Shop Of Horrors (Cohoes Music Hall). Awards: 2014 New Hampshire Theatre Award – Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (Bobby in Memphis); 2019 Elliot Norton Award – Best Visiting Musical Production (Hamilton). Daniel is a Montclair, NJ native and holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan. Go Blue!
WHO’S WHO - CAST (CONT) JAIMAR BROWN* made his TYLA COLLIER* appeared as SpeakEasy debut this past fall the Music Hall Singer in Speakwith Choir Boy. Favorite roles Easy’s 2016 production of Violet include Seaweed in Hairspray shortly after graduating from (Legacy), Sebastian in The Little The Boston Conservatory Mermaid (LTOTS), and Sweaty with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Eddie in Sister Act (VMT). He would like to thank God, She was last seen as Ti Moune in Once on this Island and his family and friends, especially Chris, Christian, (Pioneer Theatre Company), and also appeared Eli, and Landon! Off-Broadway in Sistas the Musical (Tamika/Dance Captain) and Till (Woman 2). Thanks to SpeakEasy VICTORIA BYRD* is a proud for including me in this awesome event. It was and alumni of SpeakEasy, having always will be one of my favorite places to work! performed in School Girls as Erika. She is a recent graduate JARED DIXON* returns to of the Boston Conservatory at SpeakEasy having appeared Berklee and currently resides in the company’s productions in New York City. Congratulations on 30 years of of The Color Purple (Harpo) telling important, emotional, and innovative stories! and In the Heights (Benny). He recently appeared as MIGUEL CERVANTES* is Aaron Burr in the Angelica tour of Hamilton, and currently Alexander Hamilton has toured with The Lion King (Simba) and The in the Broadway production Color Purple Broadway Revival (Grady, u/s Harpo). of Hamilton, having previously Regional credits include Rent (Collins), Hairspray performed the role close to (Seaweed), Violet (Flick) and Sister Act (Eddie). Jared 1200 times in the Chicago also appeared on TV in Shades of Blue, and in the 1st company. Other Broadway credits include If/Then, cohort of #Bars Workshop at the Public. Thanks be to American Idiot, and 25th Annual ...Spelling Bee. family, friends, and CGF for their undying support. Additional theatre credits include Giant, Tails, Henry and Mudge, and more. SpeakEasy: Bat Boy:; A Man of KERRY A. DOWLING* returns No Importance. Film: The Greatest, N.B.T., and Tramps. to SpeakEasy Stage having TV: Person of Interest, Braindead, Madame Secretary, performed in Small Mouth Royal Pains, The Blacklist, and All My Children. Miguel Sounds (Elliot Norton Award holds a BFA in Musical Theater from Emerson College. Best Ensemble); The Bridges of His favorite roles have been “Daddy” to Jackson & Madison County (IRNE Award Adelaide, and husband to his superhero wife, Kelly. Best Supporting Actress); Casa Valentina; Carrie; Far From Heaven; Clybourne Park; Next to Normal; The SARA CHASE* made her Speak- Drowsy Chaperone; Nine; The Great American Trailer Easy debut as Shelley in Bat Boy: Park Musical; Reckless; Jerry Springer: the Opera; The The Musical while a student at New Century; The Mystery of Edwin Drood; Parade; The Boston University. She also Women; Bat Boy: The Musical; Company [IRNE Award appeared in SpeakEasy’s Best Supporting Actress]; Elegies; A New Brain; productions of Company and A Triumph of Love; Lips Together, Teeth Apart; Songs for Man of No Importance. She is best known for her role as a New World; and A Man of No Importance (Súgán/ Cyndee Pokorny on the five-time Emmy-nominated SpeakEasy). Other local credits include Murder on comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. the Orient Express, Nicholas Nickleby, Follies (Lyric Broadway: First Date. Off-Broadway: The Toxic Stage Company); Calendar Girls, Onegin, Being Avenger. Recording: Nick Cordero’s “Live Your Life.” Earnest, Steel Magnolias, Pal Joey (Greater Boston
WHO’S WHO - CAST (CONT) Stage Company); The Most Happy Fella, Dueling Divas (Gloucester Stage Company); Distracted (Underground Railway Theater); Gypsy (Next Door Theatre). Kerry is the recipient of the 2010 SpeakEasy Stage Outstanding Artist Award.
Heaven (Cathy Whitaker); and Nine (Claudia Nardi). A four-time recipient of the IRNE Award, Jennifer was most recently honored for her work in Shakespeare in Love. Other favorite credits include Merrily We Roll Along (Huntington Theatre) and Shear Madness (OffBroadway and Boston). Jen received an Elliot Norton SARAH DRAKE* is thrilled to Award for her work in My Fair Lady at the Lyric Stage be a part of SpeakEasy’s 30th and Wonderful Town at Reagle Music Theatre. She is Anniversary Benefit Concert. a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Sarah graduated from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee CRYSTIN GILMORE* last and appeared in SpeakEasy’s graced SpeakEasy’s stage as productions of Next to Normal (Natalie); Carrie (Sue Headmistress in School Girls; Snell); and The Drowsy Chaperone (Kitty). Other credits Or, The African Mean Girls Play. include Rizzo in Grease (Royal Caribbean, Harmony Throughout this production, of the Seas, Original Cast) and Penny in Hairspray she created and executed a (Royal Caribbean, Oasis of the Seas). For Dad. workshop for local students that focused on the definition of beauty and individuality. She also LAURA MARIE DUNCAN* is appeared in SpeakEasy’s production of The Color thrilled to return to SpeakEasy, Purple as Shug Avery, a role for which she received having previously appeared in an IRNE Award and Arts Impulse Award. Recent Fun Home (Helen, IRNE Award credits and roles include Miss Pain in The Bubbly Nominee). She is a Massachu- Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (Progressive setts native and a proud Theater); Mae in Letters from War (North Shore Music graduate of The Boston Conservatory. Broadway Theatre); Brenda in Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Show Palace credits include the original companies of The Full Dinner Theatre); Rosie in Mamma Mia, Motormouth Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and South Pacific at Maybelle in Hairspray, and Matron Momma Morton Lincoln Center, as well as the final year of Billy Elliot. in Chicago (Charleston Stage Company). Laura Marie also played Christine in the first national tour of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Off-Broadway credits DE’LON GRANT* is an actor include Cupid and Psyche, La Terrasse (MTC); An and singer starring on Experiment with an Air Pump (MTC); House and Broadway in the Tony AwardGarden (MTC), and The Body Beautiful (York Theatre). nominated hit musical Come TV/Film: Law and Order; Law and Order: SVU; Ed; from Away. He spent three Guiding Light. Things coming full circle as they years touring domestically and do, Laura Marie is now enjoying the next phase of internationally as Berry Belson in the Tony Awardher career as an Associate Professor at the Boston winning musical Jersey Boys, and was named Best Conservatory at Berklee. Love and thanks to Jeff, Paul Leading Actor in a Musical at the 2017 IRNE Awards Daigneault and Josie - her precious pup. for his portrayal of Haywood Patterson in Kander and Ebb’s The Scottsboro Boys at SpeakEasy Stage JENNIFER ELLIS* returns to Company; a role for which he also received an Elliot SpeakEasy having previously Norton Award nomination. Keep up with De’Lon via appeared in The Bridges of his website www.thedelon.com or on all social media Madison County (Francesca platforms as @thedelondotcom. Johnson); Shakespeare in Love (Viola DeLesseps); Far From
WHO’S WHO - CAST (CONT) AMY JO JACKSON* is an actor, kabarettist, voice/text director, and Glitter Alien based in NYC. SpeakEasy: Alison in Fun Home (IRNE Award nomination); “Ten Little Indians” soloist in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Elliot Norton and IRNE Awards nominations), and Necrophorus in Nine (Thanks for my Equity Card, SpeakEasy!). Currently, AJJ plays Vivien in Eschaton, a digitally immersive nightclub. Prior to lockdown, they played The Devil in Company XIV’s Seven Sins. Amy Jo is also the recipient of the 2019 Denovan Residency in Cabaret for their piece The Brass Menagerie. amyjojackson.com MAUREEN KEILLER* is truly honored to take part in SpeakEasy’s 30th Anniversary Benefit Concert. SpeakEasy credits: Admissions, Between Riverside and Crazy, The Whale, Reckless, Nine, Almost Maine, The Little Dog Laughed, The Women, and The Wild Party. Regional credits: The Roommate (Kitchen Theatre; Ithaca, NY); Oh, God (Chester Theatre; Chester, MA). Select Boston credits: Universe Coming Apart (Commonwealth Shakespeare); 33 Variations, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (Lyric Stage); Come Back, Little Sheba (Huntington Theatre); Oh God (Israeli Stage). Film/Television: Spotlight, Fever Pitch, Olive Kitteridge, Brotherhood, The Makeover, Ghost Light. Maureen is an Elliot Norton Award winner for Outstanding Performance by an Actress and a threetime IRNE Award winner for Best Supporting Actress. MELINDA LOPEZ* was the recipient of the 2019 Elliot Norton Award for Sustained Excellence, recognizing her 20year career. She is a multiple award-winning playwright and performer. Plays include: Mala [Best New Play Elliot Norton Award; available on Audible in Spanish and English]; Yerma (adaptation); Back the Night; Becoming Cuba; and Sonia Flew [Elliot Norton Award Best New Play, Best Production]. Melinda directed SpeakEasy’s production of American Daughter and
performed in its productions of Theater District, Anna in the Tropics, The Motherfucker with the Hat [IRNE Award - Best Supporting Actress]; Appropriate, and Grand Concourse. Happy Birthday, my friends! KAREN MACDONALD* has been an actor, director and teacher in the Boston area for many years. Her SpeakEasy credits include Drowsy in The Drowsy Chaperone, Polly in Other Desert Cities and Rose in The Children (the run of which was cut short by the lockdown on March 11). On Broadway, she understudied and performed the role of Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie, directed by John Tiffany. In the New England area, she has performed at Hartford Stage, Trinity Rep, Gamm Theatre, Huntington Theatre, Lyric Stage, Boston Theatre Company, Greater Boston Stage Company, Gloucester Stage, Israeli Stage, New Rep, and Commonwealth Shakespeare among others. She is a Founding Company Member of the American Repertory Theatre and appeared in 73 productions. Ms. MacDonald has worked nationally from The Wilma Theatre to Berkeley Rep. She has received the Robert Brustein Prize for Sustained Achievement in the Theatre and the Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence. She is a graduate of Boston University and teaches at Harvard University. ALISON MCCARTAN* is honored and delighted to celebrate SpeakEasy’s 30th Anniversary after appearing on their stages three different times! She took over the role of Janet in The Drowsy Chaperone, played Daphna in Bad Jews, and considers her experience playing Violet in Violet (for which she won an IRNE Award!) to be a career highlight. National Tour: Shrek the Musical. OffBroadway: Promises, Promises in Concert at Lincoln Center; Calamity Jane. Select Regional: Beauty and the Beast; Storming Heaven: The Musical; Dames at Sea; Steel Magnolias; 42nd Street; A Chorus Line; Next to Normal. TV: Law & Order: SVU. Proud graduate of The Boston Conservatory! @alisoncatherine
WHO’S WHO - CAST (CONT) WILL MCGARRAHAN* is thrilled to help celebrate SpeakEasy Stage’s 30th Anniversary. He has performed at SpeakEasy since 1999, including The Usual Unusual (Boston Project Podcast); The View UpStairs; The Bridges of Madison County; Casa Valentina; Big Fish; Far From Heaven; Next Fall; The Drowsy Chaperone; Reckless; Some Men; The Mystery of Edwin Drood; Five By Tenn; Company; The Last Sunday in June; Elegies; Ruthless!; A Class Act; and A New Brain. Locally, he has also performed at the Lyric Stage [Elliot Norton Award - Souvenir], Huntington Theatre, Greater Boston Stage, Gloucester Stage, Nora Theater, and Publick Theatre. Will worked as an actor, singer and pianist for many years in Seattle before moving to Boston’s South End in 2001. JEFFREY MELLO first worked at SpeakEasy building the set for Is There Life After High School?, SpeakEasy’s very first show. He built many more sets, designed costumes, and appeared on stage in nine SpeakEasy productions; A Weekend Near Madison, Unidentified Human Remains..., Fifth of July, Lady and the Clarinet, Red Scare on Sunset, Jeffrey, The Food Chain, A Fair Country, and Snakebit. He is most grateful to SpeakEasy for bringing Paul Daigneault to Boston from New York for an inaugural board meeting in February of 1992, when the two met and began the best co-production of which Jeff’s ever been a part. MICHAEL MENDIOLA* is honored to be a SpeakEasy alum, having performed in seven shows including Floyd Collins; Bat Boy: The Musical; Caroline, or Change; Elegies; Company; The Mystery of Edwin Drood; and Violet (2016). He is also a writer, whose first two plays, The Book of Dorothy and The Future’s So Bright, were semifinalists for the O’Neill’s National Playwrights Conference. Mike also served as the story editor for the newly-released fantasy novel, Velvet Moon
Chronicles: The Leveling. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and AEA, and is on the board of The Project Solution, a nonprofit organization that provides small infrastructure grants to people in distressed areas of the world. Mike currently lives in Seattle with another SpeakEasy alum, his husband Scot Anderson. Congratulations SpeakEasy Family! You have truly created something special, alive, enduring, and most importantly filled with love. DWAYNE P. MITCHELL* is a Boston-based actor, artist, and activist. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Fisk University, an Historically Black College/University (HBCU), and a Master of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Dwayne made his SpeakEasy Stage debut in last season’s Choir Boy, and he is honored to return to the SpeakEasy family as Artistic Fellow. Other performance credits include: Fences (Umbrella Stage); Ragtime, Little Women: The Broadway Musical (Wheelock Family Theatre); and La Cage Aux Folles (Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston). Film credits include: Reed Between The Lines (BET); My Parents, My Sister & Me (NBC); and The Reconstruction: America After the Civil War (PBS). On and off the stage, Dwayne continues to use his platform to advocate for diversity and inclusion. He is also passionate about bridging opportunity gaps for young artists of color in the performing arts, hoping to shape and inspire the dreamers of tomorrow. DAVRON S. MONROE* is a Boston-based, award-winning singer and actor with vocal talents that run the gamut from opera to musical theatre, gospel to jazz, and everything else in between. He was the 2019 recipient of the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Musical Performance for his work in Breath and Imagination: The Story of Roland Hayes, an African-American classic concert artist who was also a Boston-based artist in the later years of his life. Other performances of note include Murder on the Orient Express; The Wiz; Camelot; Company; My Fair Lady; City of Angels;
WHO’S WHO - CAST (CONT) Sweeney Todd; One Man, Two Guvnors; The Mikado, Avenue Q, Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Lyric Stage); The View UpStairs (SpeakEasy Stage); The Little Mermaid; Ragtime (Company Theatre); Man of La Mancha (New Rep); Caroline, or Change; Godspell (Moonbox Productions); and Hairspray (Reagle Music Theatre). He has also appeared in productions of Dreamgirls; Jesus Christ Superstar; Children of Eden; Songs for a New World (Key West Symphony, Broadway Across America); Smokey Joe’s Café; Cinderella; Streakin’!: A ’70s Musical Revue; and Sweet Charity. Davron was the first recipient of the Bob Jolly Award for local actors. ALEJANDRA PARRILLA is thrilled to be revisiting her professional debut, which was as Rose in Dogfight at SpeakEasy. She is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory whose favorite credits include Daniela in In the Heights, Miss Furnival in Black Comedy, and Woman 2 in Songs for a New World. She is grateful to the SpeakEasy community for welcoming her with open arms, and helping her believe in herself as an artist. AARON PATTERSON* made his SpeakEasy Stage debut this past fall in Choir Boy. Aaron is an Atlanta native and a rising senior at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, on track to receive his BFA in Musical Theater. Past work includes: Jim Conley (Parade - Elliot Norton Award Aaron Patterson - Outstanding Actor in a Musical); Richie (A Chorus Line); Emcee (Cabaret); Walter (Hair); and the Lion (The Wizard of Oz).
Norton Award for Sustained Excellence, and the 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award from Boston University. In 2009, in association with SpeakEasy Stage, Paula was one of five actors nationwide to receive the Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship. As a founding member of Actors’ Shakespeare Project, she has played Cleopatra, Beatrice, Lady Macbeth, and Phèdre. Paula has also appeared regionally at the Lyric Stage, the American Repertory Theatre, New Rep, Merrimack Rep, Huntington Theatre, Gloucester Stage, and Elm Shakespeare. Film credits include Mermaids, Malice, Next Stop Wonderland, and Woody Allen’s Irrational Man. Television: Science Court (three seasons - ABC) and The Dick & Paula Celebrity Special (co-creator and star – FX). Ms. Plum is a cum laude graduate of Boston University and has studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, the Dell’Arte Institute, and École Phillipe Gaulier in Paris. She has been published in American Theatre magazine, is married to actor Richard Snee, and is a professional acting coach. www.paulaplum.com BRIAN RICHARD ROBINSON* has been a soloist with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops, and a longtime member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, performing in Symphony Hall, Tanglewood, Carnegie Hall, and numerous international venues. He has worked at many Boston-area theaters, but made his professional debut at SpeakEasy in A New Brain. Other SpeakEasy credits include Jerry Springer: The Opera; The Bubbly Black Girl...; Caroline, Or Change; Passion; and The Wild Party. While an undergraduate at Yale, Brian sang with The Whiffenpoofs and The Baker’s Dozen. He is also a graduate of the Tufts University School of Medicine, and currently works for a UK-based biotechnology company.
PAULA PLUM* won the 2020 Norton Award for Outstanding Actress for her work in SpeakEasy’s production of The ChildCAROLYN SAXON* is a lifelong ren. Other SpeakEasy credits performer who tells stories and include The History Boys, Recksings songs all over the world. less, The New Century, The Savannah Disputation, and A longtime member of Actors The Divine Sister. She is the recipient of seven IRNE Equity, her theatrical credits Awards; the 1995, 2007, 2017, and 2020 Elliot Norton include Broadway, Broadway Awards for Outstanding Actress; the 2004 Elliot National Tours, and regional theatres throughout the
WHO’S WHO - CAST (CONT) United States, including Papermill Playhouse (NJ), Alliance Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Connecticut Rep. Now based in Boston, Carolyn has worked with Greater Boston Stage, Front Porch Arts Collective, New Rep, Christmas Revels @ Sanders Theatre, Wheelock Family Theatre, SpeakEasy Stage, Central Square Theater, North Shore Musical Theatre, Lyric Stage, Queen Mab Micro-Theatre, Starlight Square, the Outside the Box Festival, and the Emerson Paramount. Her orchestral work includes the Boston Pops, Carnegie Hall, Teatro Colon, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, and the Buffalo Philharmonic. She is a member of the Boston Pops Gospel Choir, Millennium Choir, Sharing a New Song, and the One City Chorus. An avid traveler who believes in the power of music to unite, she’s entertained audiences throughout Japan, Colombia, South Africa, Argentina, and Uruguay. Film credits include Woody Allen’s Sweet & Lowdown, Small Time Crooks, and The Curse of the Jade Scorpion.
ERICA SPRYES* is an actress, singer, and violinist who was recently seen in the Broadway production of Carousel. She has performed throughout the U.S. and abroad, appearing in the first national tour of Once, in the Parisian premiere of Sondheim’s Passion opposite Natalie Dessay and conducted by Andy Einhorn (Théâtre du Châtelet), and on tour as a soloist with the Boston Pops. At SpeakEasy, Erica received an Elliot Norton Award for her work in Tribes and an IRNE Award for playing Clara in The Light in the Piazza. Other credits include Annie Get Your Gun (Bay Street Theatre); Paradise Square (Berkeley Repertory Theatre); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Peter and the Starcatcher, Into the Woods, Avenue Q [IRNE Award], Time Stands Still (Lyric Stage); Camelot [IRNE Award], Marry Me a Little (New Rep); and Pirates! (Huntington Theatre).
SAM SIMAHK* has performed on Broadway in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel and on national tours of the Lincoln Center Theater productions of The King and I and My Fair Lady. He began his career on Boston stages, performing at SpeakEasy (Small Mouth Sounds, Big Fish); the Huntington (A Little Night Music); Lyric Stage (Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Sondheim on Sondheim), and Greater Boston Stage Company (She Loves Me). Originally from Ashburnham, MA, Sam has been spending much of the pandemic cooking, eating, and spending time with family.
KATHY ST. GEORGE* returns to SpeakEasy having appeared in Ruthless!, Johnny Guitar, Xanadu, Significant Other, Violet (2016), Once, All About Election Eve, and The Divine Sister, for which she received an Elliot Norton Award. She has appeared on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof directed by Jerome Robbins, which won the Tony Award for Best Revival. Kathy has also appeared OffBroadway in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; in six national tours; and in many regional and local productions. Proud member of AEA. Website: kathystgeorge.com. Congratulations, SpeakEasy, on 30 fabulous years!
RICHARD SNEE* is pleased to return to SpeakEasy where he has appeared in Choir Boy, Kurt Vonnegut’s Make Up Your Mind, and Body Awareness. He is a founding member of Actors’ Shakespeare Project and most recently played Malvolio in their production of Twelfth Night at the Lyric Stage. Recent credits include Gloucester Stage’s Barefoot in the Park, in which he appeared opposite his wife, the lovely and talented Paula Plum.
EDWARD STANLEY*. Edward’s SpeakEasy credits are two of his all-time favorites, playing Jeffrey in Jeffrey, and Bobby in Love! Valour! Compassion!, both under the masterful direction of Paul Daigneault. Since then, he’s changed his name once and changed cities twice, first moving to Los Angeles and now living in New York. Other stage highlights include Zach in A Chorus Line (Ivoryton Playhouse); Duncan in Punchdrunk’s
WHO’S WHO - CAST (CONT) Sleep No More; and Wyler in As Bees In Honey Drown, directed by SpeakEasy favorite Scott Edmiston. Edward teaches acting at The Barrow Group, and is honored to be part of the SpeakEasy family. VAL SULLIVAN has been an actor, teacher, and director in and around Boston for over 20 years. An early company member, Val has appeared in SpeakEasy’s productions of: [title of show]; Xanadu; A New Brain; Triumph of Love, and Merrily We Roll Along. She has studied at The Shakespeare Institute in Stratford, England, and at the Abbey National Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. She teaches high school English and theater, and has directed several plays for the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival. It is a thrill for her to be accompanied in this concert by her good friend, Paul S.Katz, and her husband, cellist Owen Young. VICTOR CARRILLO TRACEY is currently a senior at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where he is pursuing his BFA in Musical Theater. Past regional credits include Spring Awakening (Melchior); West Side Story (Riff); Hairspray (Link); Peter Pan (Peter); and Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter). Thanks to SpeakEasy for putting this amazing program together, and for keeping artists working through this challenging time. Much love. TAYLOR THOMAS is thrilled to be taking part in SpeakEasy’s 30th Anniversary Concert! She is currently a senior at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she is pursuing a BFA in Musical Theater with an emphasis in Songwriting. Some favorite credits include Clue: The Musical (female swing); Shrek: The Musical (White Rabbit/Ensemble/Fiona u/s); The Drowsy Chaperone (The Chaperone); and Rabbit Plantation (Adele). All her love and thanks goes out to her family & friends for their kindness, never-ending support, and senses of humor! taylornthomas.com | @taylorthomasmusic
SANTINA UMBACH* is ecstatic to be a part of SpeakEasy’s 30th Anniversary Benefit Concert. In 2010, she made her professional debut at SpeakEasy as Pickles in The Great American Trailer Park Musical, and later performed as Lina Darling in the company’s production Nine and as Nina Rosario in In the Heights. Santina was most recently seen touring Japan as Jasmine with “Disney on Classic” which can now be seen on Disney+ Japan. Broadway: Mamma Mia! Vegas: Mamma Mia! Off-Broadway: Dear Jane (Theatre Row), Mads Libs Live! (New World Stages). Select Regional: The Prince of Egypt as Nefertari (Tuacahn Amphitheatre), Evita as Eva Perón (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina & Asolo Repertory Theatre). Select Workshops: Mambo Italiano (George Street Playhouse), Becoming Cuba (Huntington Theatre Company). Santina received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Boston Conservatory. OWEN YOUNG, cellist, joined the BSO in August 1991. A frequent collaborator in chamber music concerts and festivals, he has also appeared as concerto soloist with numerous orchestras. He has appeared in the Tanglewood, Aspen, Banff, Davos, Sunflower, Gateway, Brevard, and St. Barth’s music festivals and is a founding member of the innovative chamber ensemble Innuendo. Mr. Young’s performances have been broadcast on National Public Radio, WQED in Pittsburgh, WITF in Harrisburg, and WGBH in Boston. He has performed frequently with singer/ songwriter James Taylor, including the nationally televised concert “James Taylor Live at the Beacon Theatre” in New York City. Mr. Young was formerly on the faculties of the Boston Conservatory, the New England Conservatory Extension Division, and the Longy School of Music; is currently on the faculty of Berklee College of Music; and is active in Project STEP (String Training and Education Program for students of color). Mr. Young holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University.