A Tale of Autumn by VIA MEDIA / BAYSTAGES

A TALE A OF TALE AUTUMN

OF AUTUMN BY CHRISTOPHER CHEN DIRECTED BY MINA MORITA

BY CHRISTOPHER CHEN DIRECTED BY MINA MORITA

P R O G R A M S | 2 0 1 7. 0 9

ROBERT O'HARA DIRECTED BY

MARGO HALL

sept. 26 - nov. 11 sfplayhouse.org

FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR "Systems of Power" and "Truth." Two complexities that have been thrown around over the last eight months, no? Well, in true Crowded Fire fashion, we have landed right in the middle of today's American zeitgeist with Christopher Chen and his Escher-like tale examining these ideas. You see, Chen is obsessed with systems of power: how they are structured, perpetuated and how they wend their way into our most intimate psychological spaces. His primary interest is the scope of a system’s multiplicities, its evolution of shifting truths, and our giving over to these truths. He wields language and tone as tools, and exploits metatheatrical form to expose the living dynamics of an idea. His inquiry of these systems began at Crowded Fire in 2012 with the critically acclaimed world premiere of The Hundred Flowers Project (co-produced with Playwrights Foundation) and continued in a more intimate fashion with another CFT commission, The Late Wedding. It expands and evolves in his canon of work now produced around the country: Mutt and Passage look at systemic racism through the lens of politics and colonialism. His Obie Award winning play, Caught, examines the question of authority when it comes to cultural appropriation within the art world and journalism. It is thrilling to bring you A Tale of Autumn, Chen's artistic examination of corporate structures. Originally conceived as an examination of corporate personhood, it has shifted dramatically in direct response to the political quagmire in which we are now living. Commissioned when I stepped into the artistic director role, it is remarkable (and rare!) to be working with a writer who can so adeptly respond to current events as they unfold. A Tale of Autumn is an investigation of complicity, a true search to understand our current political era. It has been developed over these past two years with a collaborative spirit, a lot of love, and tremendous rigor. It embodies the coming together of an entire company of artists who consider Crowded Fire their home – including Chris as our resident playwright. Now, I have the great joy of inviting you to join us in our home. Welcome to the fire!

1695 Eighteenth Street, C101 Annex San Francisco, CA 94107 415.523.0034 info@crowdedfire.org boxoffice@crowdedfire.org crowdedfire.org Mina Morita

artistic director

Tiffany Cothran managing director

Stephanie Alyson Henderson production manager

Edith Borrebach

director of community engagement

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Emily Rosenthal, president Tina Brier, vp/secretary Graham Gockley, treasurer Jennifer Devere Brody Steven Collier Kerstin Firmin Sean Fenton Celine Parreñas Shimizu Sarah Williams

crowdedfiretheater

Mina Morita artistic director

@crowdedfire crowdedfire

2017.09 • BAYSTAGES.COM

cftheater

PRODUCTION SPONSORS

C RO WDE D F IR E T H E A T E R p r e se n t s

A TALE OF AUTUMN

LUIS TAMAYO + DAVID THOMPSON SUSAN + TOM + CHELSEA LOOY

PROJECT SUPPORT KENNETH RAININ FOUNDATION (NEW PROGRAM) THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (ARTSWORKS) THE SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION (OPG) THE TOURNESOL FOUNDATION THE VENTUROUS THEATER FUND OF THE TIDES FOUNDATION

by Christopher

Chen ♦

CAST

[ IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE ]

San.......................................................................... Nora el Samahy* Mariana.........................................................................Mia Tagano* Dave.................................................................Lawrence Radecker♦ Gil........................................................................... Shoresh Alaudini Xavier.............................................................. Christopher W. White Rena.....................................................................Maria Candelaria* Yul............................................................................... Skyler Cooper Gesalm, Board President Gen...................... Michele Apriña Leavy* ♦

CREATIVE TEAM

Director......................................................................... Mina Morita♦ Scenic Designer......................................................... Adeline Smith♦ Costume Designer....................................................Miriam R. Lewis Lighting Designer.................................................. Ray Oppenheimer Sound & Video Designer................................ Theodore J.H. Hulsker Props Designer......................................................... Devon LaBelle♦ Assistant Director.............................................................May Liang♦ Dramaturg..........................................................Sarah Rose Leonard Specialty Makeup Designer...................................... Devon LaBelle♦ Fight Choreographer....................................................Carla Pantoja Key Art Designer.......................................................Cheshire Isaacs

PRODUCTION TEAM

Crowded Fire Theater is a resident company of Potrero Stage, operated by PlayGround, and A Tale of Autumn is presented as part of PlayGround’s Potrero Stage Presenting Program. This 99-seat newly refurbished state-of-the-art performance space located in the heart of San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood serves as home to some of the Bay Area’s leading new play developers and producers, including PlayGround, Crowded Fire Theater, Golden Thread Productions, and 3Girls Theatre, among others. Potrero Stage is surrounded by live/work studios. Please show consideration for our neighbors by maintaining quiet when you are outside the building and as you enter and leave. potrerostage.org

Stage Manager....................................................... M. Sohaa Smith♦ Assistant Stage Manager.......................................... Benjamin Shiu♦ Production Manager..........................Stephanie Alyson Henderson♦ Technical Director.......................................................... Beckett Finn Light Board Programmer......................................... Mitchell Jakubka Master Electrician................................................... Mitchell Jakubka Costume Assistants........... Michelle Mulholland, Jackquelin Pedota, Tabatha Sartain, Aureolus Stetzel, Kinsey Thomas, Hannah Velichkod SPECIAL THANKS: Julie Bell, Henry Borrebach, Sharon Bridgforth, Cheshire Isaacs, Lyslynn Lacoste, Paul Loper, Michelle Mulholland, Cheri Lynn, Nancy Rubin, Patricia Sakai, Adam Tolbert, Mike Tuton, Malachy Walsh, Golden Thread Productions, and the theatre department at the University of California, Berkeley. A Tale Of Autumn was commissioned and developed through The Matchbox @ Crowded Fire, a new play program. ♦ Crowded Fire Theater Resident Artist PERFORMANCE DATES: September 14 to October 7, 2017 Potrero Stage, 1695 Eighteenth Street, San Francisco 94107 The performance runs approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes. There will be one intermission. Please note the location of all exits. Please turn off your cell phones. Photography, videotaping or other recording of this production is strictly prohibited. Please feel free to enjoy your concessions purchases in the theater in a closed container. 2

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ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES SHORESH ALAUDINI (Gil) marks his fifth show with Crowded Fire with A Tale of Autumn. Previous credits here include I Call My Brothers (Evren Odcikin director), Forever Never Comes (Mary Guzman director), and DRIP and GONE (Marissa Wolf, director). He is incredibly excited to work with yet another female powerhouse director, Mina Morita, and humbled to have the opportunity to grace the stage with such a phenomenal ensemble of actors and crew members. In these turbulent times, such prevalent works which speak upon the power of the visionary and the execution of policies by any means, perfectly parallel the catch and question facing any administration: how does one convince others to action when core values are clearly out of union? Shoresh has worked with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Shotgun Players, Theatre Period, Sleepwalker's Theatre, Pollinator's Theater, and Theatre Lunatico. Catch him on air Tuesdays from 10:00 p.m. to midnight on Shoradio, showcasing entertainment history, the Bay Area theatre scene, archived footage, and music. sfcommunityradio.org MARIA CANDELARIA* (Rena) is a San Francisco-based actor. She has acted in world premieres for such playwrights as Luis Valdez and Octavio Solis, and in theatrical adaptations of groundbreaking literary works like the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. Maria has had the pleasure of working with California Shakespeare Festival, Campo Santo, Intersection for the Arts, Thick Description, Word for Word, Aurora Theatre Company, Shotgun Players, San Diego Repertory Theatre, and El Teatro Campesino. She has a master’s of fine arts degree from the University of California, Davis.

SKYLER COOPER (Yul) is thrilled to be back on the stage and with Crowded Fire once again. He was first wooed to the theatre through Shakespeare, where he discovered he had an affinity toward gender bending, playing Othello (Melissa Hillman director) to Queen Margaret (Jon Tracy, director). Skyler brought his talents to television and film writing as well as producing and directing. His award-winning short film, Hero Mars, addresses the limitations of gender stereotypes inside the world of classical theatre acting. Skyler trained in acting with Phil Bennett Lab, American Conservatory Theater, and as a summer intern with California Shakespeare Theater. “Gratitude for this moment, you for being here with us, and for what art can do! Thank you Maha for being a wellspring of strength and inspiration throughout my creative process. I love you.” skylercooper.net. NORA EL SAMAHY* (San) is delighted to be working with Crowded Fire on a Christopher Chen play. She is a proud company member of Campo Santo and Golden Thread Productions. Nora has worked with Aurora T h e a t r e C o m p a n y, M a g i c Theatre, foolsFURY, Traveling Jewish Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, EXIT Theatre, Shotgun Players, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and AfricanAmerican Shakespeare Company. In 2013 she founded a performance company called Affinity Project with Atosa Babaoff, Beatrice Basso, and Emily Hoffman. Nora is a pilates teacher and co-owner of Studio 74 Pilates with business partner Jennifer Moulton. “Love and gratitude to Patrick and Ziyad.” MICHELE APRIÑA LEAVY* (Gesalm, Board President Gen) has been a resident artist with Crowded Fire since 2004 where 2017.09 • BAYSTAGES.COM

RESIDENT ARTISTS

Laura Brueckner Christopher Chen Sonia Fernandez Devon LaBelle Michele Apriña Leavy Amanda Melton Julie McCormick Lawrence Radecker Nican Robinson Lisa Marie Rollins Keiko Shimosato Carreiro M. Graham Smith M. Sohaa Smith Adeline Smith

MENTEES May Liang Benjamin Shiu

UP NEXT AT CROWDED FIRE: 2017 MATCHBOX READING SERIES

Brava Theater Center 2781 24th Street, San Francisco

An idea, the artists, the words, and you! Presenting free readings of four new plays.

SIESTA KEY

November 15 • 7:30 p.m. Jonathan Spector, playwright

TOKEN

November 16 • 7:30 p.m. Lisa Marie Rollins, playwright

ESAI’S TABLE

November 17 • 7:30 p.m. Nathan Yungerberg, playwright

BLUEPRINT

November 18 • 2:00 p.m. Idris Goodwin, playwright Following Saturday’s reading, we invite you to join us for a 2017 season celebration and 2018 season - our 20th anniversary announcement party!

ALAUDINI

she has developed and premiered many roles. Michele last appeared with the company in Blackademics. Most recently she was seen in the Brava Theater Center production of Ghost Limb. Bay Area theatre credits include American Conservatory Theater, Alameda Civic Ballet, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Brava Theater Center, Bay Area Playwrights Festival 2014, Center REPertory Company, California Conservatory Theatre, Livermore Shakespeare Festival, Marin Theatre Company, and TheatreWorks. In farther locales, she has appeared with Theatre Key West (Florida), The Elephant Theatre Company (Los Angeles), and Theatre 167 (New York City). Michele serves on the Crowded Fire literary committee and is a core member of BALTAN, the Bay Area Latino Theater Artists Network. LAWRENCE RADECKER (Dave) is a resident artist at Crowded Fire and has developed and debuted roles in a number of world premieres here including The Listener, Sticky Time, Invasion!, The Bereaved, and Christopher Chen's The Late Wedding. Additional credits include The Night Alive (San Jose Stage Company), The Heir Apparent (Aurora Theatre Company), Arctic Requiem (The Bootstrap Theater Foundation), Buried Child and Dogeaters (Magic Theatre), and Christopher Chen's Mutt (Impact Theatre.) MIA TAGANO* (Mariana) is delighted to be making her Crowded Fire debut. Bay Area credits include Lady Macduff and Witch II in Macbeth (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), Genevieve in Splendour (Aurora Theatre Company), thirteen characters in Love and Information (American Conservatory 4

BAYSTAGES.COM â&#x20AC;˘ 2017.09

CANDELARIA

COOPER

Theater), the Nurse and the Player Queen in Hamlet and Ms. Knagg and Mrs. Wittiterly in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (California Shakespeare Theater), Sara in Every Five Minutes (Magic Theatre), Olivia in Twelfth Night (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival), and Hiromi in Calligraphy and eleven characters in The Loudest Man on Earth (TheatreWorks). Regional credits include Zenocrate in Tamburlaine (Shakespeare Theatre), the chorus of Tantalus (Denver Center and Royal Shakespeare Company co-production including UK tour), and Fujiko in Snow Falling on Cedars (Portland Center Stage, Hartford Stage). New York credits include Far East (Lincoln Center Theater), 99 Histories (Cherry Lane Theatre), Song of Singapore (Capital Repertory), and Waiting for Tadashi (George Street Playhouse). She holds an MFA in acting from the University of Washington. CHRISTOPHER W. WHITE (Xavier) was a co-founding artistic director of Mugwumpin from 2004 to 2016 where he co-created and performed in Blockbuster Season, conceived and performed in the performance installation Luster at the Asian Art Museum, directed The Great Big Also (2013), and co-created and performed in Future Motive Power (2012), Super:Anti:Reluctant (2006/2008 Cairo tour), and This Is All I Need (2010/2011 European tour). Other credits include Lance in The River (Campo Santo) and Christopher in film The Other Barrio - both by Richard Montoya, Simon Stimson in Our Town (Shotgun Players), co-creator and performer in A Hand in Desire and Monkey Gone

LEAVY

to Heaven (EmSpace Dance), and puppet design, construction, and direction for Coraline (San Francisco Playhouse). Additional credits include Magic Theatre, Banana Bag & Bodice, foolsFURY, Lunatique Fantastique, and the San Francisco Opera. Christopher has written for American Theatre, Theatre Forum, Theatre Bay Area, and HowlRound. He holds an MFA from Naropa University/London International School of the Performing Arts and a BA from Yale University. CHRISTOPHER CHEN (Playwright) is an Obie Award-winning playwright whose prior Crowded Fire productions include The Hundred Flowers Project (Glickman and Rella Lossy awards, James Tait Black Award shortlist) and The Late Wedding. Other works include Caught (Obie Award for Playwriting, Barrymore Award, New York Times Critics Pick, Drama League nomination), Into the Numbers (Belarus Free Theater International Playwriting Competition, second place), Mutt, You Mean To Do Me Harm, Aulis: An Act of Nihilism in One Long Act and Home Invasion. Honors include the 2017 Lanford Wilson Award, the 2015-2016 Sundance Institute Time Warner Fellowship, and the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award through which he was playwrightin-residence at the Vineyard. He is currently under commission at American Conservatory Theater, Aurora Theatre Company, LCT3 at Lincoln Center Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Playwrights Horizons. Christopherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next world premiere is Passage at the Wilma in Philadelphia. A San Francisco native, he is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley, and holds an MFA in

RADECKER

playwriting from San Francisco State University. Christopher is Crowded Fire's resident playwright. MINA MORITA (Director, Artistic Director) previously served as the artistic associate at Berkeley Repertory Theatre and was a founding member of its Ground Floor program. Other contributions include board president of Shotgun Players, participant in the 2014 Lincoln Center Director’s Lab, founding member of Bay Area Children's Theatre, and a community arts panelist with the Zellerbach Family Foundation. In 2015, she was honored to share her story on TEDx and in 2016 she was chosen as one of the YBCA100, for "asking questions and making provocations that will shape the future of culture." Mina has had the privilege of directing Aulis: An Act of Nihilism in One Long Act by Christopher Chen (Zellerbach Playhouse), Sisters Matsumoto by Philip Kan Gotanda (Center REPertory Company), and By and By by Lauren Gunderson and The Great Divide by Adam Chanzit (Shotgun Players). She co-directed The Shipment by Young Jean Lee and Blackademics by Idris Goodwin for Crowded Fire. Memorable assistant directing credits include Tony Kushner’s The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures and Sarah Ruhl’s Tonynominated In the Next Room, or the vibrator play at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. In 2012, Mina worked with Anna Deavere Smith as the artistic coordinator for On Grace. She received a TBA Award for Outstanding Achievement for directing Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Min Kahng in 2014.

SAMAHY

TAGANO

LAURA A. BRUECKNER (Development Dramaturg) is a proud Crowded Fire resident artist. She has been supporting productions and playwrights with her dramaturgical work for over twenty years, with an emphasis on digital dramaturgy, world premieres, and commissions. Laura has been proud to count among her collaborators artists such as Lauren Gunderson, Christopher Chen, Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig, Mina Morita, Marissa Wolf, Idris Goodwin, Lachlan Philpott, and Dominique Serrand. She has worked with groundbreaking companies such as Crowded Fire Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the New Harmony Project, Playwrights Foundation, and Marin Theatre Company, where she serves as literary manager and resident dramaturg. As an artist, Laura is committed to theatre as a path of social action, critical inquiry, discovery, and delight. Her journalistic writing on artistic process and audience engagement has been published by HowlRound and Theatre Bay Area while her dramaturgical writing has been published by Berkeley Repertory Theatre, California Shakespeare Theater, and Crowded Fire Theater. A member of Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas, she holds a BA in English dramatic literature from University of California, Berkeley, and a PhD in dramaturgy from the University of California, San Diego. THEODORE J.H. HULSKER (Sound & Video Designer) is a Bay Area-based theatre artist, composer, sound and video designer, impresario, and curator. Recent theatre sound design credits include The Baltimore Waltz (Magic Theatre), August:

WHITE

Osage County (Marin Theatre Company), The Roommate (San Francisco Playhouse), and Leni ( Au r o r a T h e a t r e C o m p a n y ) . Theodore curates a monthly event, Klanghaus, showcasing the work of local performing and visual artists in an immersive environment, for which he received a Theater Bay Area CA$H grant in 2016. He has also developed, produced, and performed in several original Klanghaus productions including A Play About Leaving and The Office of Certain Things. On certain moonlit nights, he can be found performing in DIY spaces, bars, cafes, and homes as his alter ego, the Showman. He graduated as department honoree from San Francisco State University in 2012. theodorehulsker.squarespace.com DEVON L A BELLE (Properties Designer) is a multidisciplinary artist who focuses on vivid visual and special effects components. In eight short seasons, she has fueled over one hundred Bay Area productions with the physical artifacts that make them work. Devon is a resident artist with Crowded Fire Theater and a TBA Award recipient for properties design. She is the properties shop coordinator at San Francisco State University. “Love to Sam, Jo, and Roscoe.” giverherprops. wordpress.com SARAH ROSE LEONARD (Production Dramaturg) is the literary manager at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Prior to moving home to the Bay Area, she was the literary associate at Signature Theatre in New York City. 2017.09 • BAYSTAGES.COM

ABOUT

CROWDED FIRE “one of the most reliable local stops for high-quality new work by diverse voices” “instrumental in introducing the Bay Area to new writers who push the boundaries of what theatre can be.” - American Theatre Magazine A COMMITMENT TO NEW PLAYS Crowded Fire is a vital home for fierce new plays compelling in language, vision, and structure. In addition to our mainstage productions, we offer a robust new play development program. The Matchbox @ Crowded Fire actively supports the creation of high-quality contemporary theatre through commissions, in-house workshops, an R&D lab, a playwright residency, and an annual, free, public, new play reading series. A COMMITMENT TO DIVERSE VOICES We deeply believe in the power of supporting work by a body of playwrights whose plays give visibility to all communities. We are committed to actively participating in the creation of a contemporary theatrical cannon that more accurately reflects the world in which we live. A COMMITMENT TO ARTISTS Crowded Fire provides a rich home for our ensemble of Resident Artists made up of top Bay Area actors, designers, dramaturgs, technicians, and directors. This ensemble, with its wealth of interests and ideas, as well as the dedication and talent of its members, represents one of the company’s most significant strengths.

In New York, Sarah held positions as the associate agent at AO International, the next generation fellow at the Segal Center at the CUNY Graduate Center, the literary resident at Playwrights Horizons, and the literary associate for Page 73. She has dramaturged works by Eliza Bent, Mia Chung, David Henry Hwang, Martyna Majok, Charles Mee, Kyoung Park, and Sam Shepard. Sarah is so happy to finally be working with Chris and Mina. MIRIAM R. LEWIS (Costume Designer) has worked in theatre as long as she can remember. Among the many shows she has costumed are The Yeomen of the Guard, The Pirates of Penzance, The Grand Duke, The (New) Mikado, and Patience (Lamplighters Music Theatre), Treefall, The Paris Letter, Sagittarius Ponderosa, Salomé, and Warplay (New Conservatory Theatre Center), Floyd Collins, City of Angels, Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (San Francisco State University), Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and The Rocky Horror Show (Ray of Light Theatre), She Rode Horses Like the Stock Exchange and Truck Stop (Crowded Fire Theater), and Everybody Hates Harry Thaw (Shotgun Players.) Miriam received her MFA in theatrical design from San Francisco State University where she now lectures in costume. She is thrilled to be back with Crowded Fire for the premiere of A Tale of Autumn. MAY LIANG (Assistant Director, Crowded Fire Theater Mentee) is an emerging director and theatre artist establishing a career in the San Francisco Bay Area. She most recently worked with California Shakespeare Theater as the social impact consultant and assistant dramaturg for As You Like It (Desdemona Chiang, director) and was previously an intern with California Shakespeare Triangle Lab. Other local credits include directing fellow for PlayGround, Bay Area Playwrights Foundation, literary manager for Ferocious 6

BAYSTAGES.COM • 2017.09

Lotus Theatre Company, Bindlestiff Studios, Ubuntu Theater Project, Berkeley Repertory Theatre Ground Floor Lab, and Impact Theatre. With Crowded Fire, May served as assistant director for Brahman/i: A One-Hijra Stand-Up Comedy Show, I Call My Brothers, and You For Me For You. She was accepted to participate in the Lincoln Center Theater Director's Lab 2017. You can next see May’s work at TheaterFIRST and Bay Area Children's Theatre. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with degrees in theatre and performance studies and integrative biology. May currently works at the San Francisco Film Commission. “Love to all my families for the support.” RAY OPPENHEIMER (Lighting Designer) is excited to be back working with Crowded Fire for A Tale of Autumn. His past designs here were seen in Brahman/i: A One-Hijra Stand-Up Comedy Show and Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them. Locally Ray has designed for Shotgun Players, Magic Theatre, Mugwumpin, Center REPertory Company, David Herrera Dance Company, and West Edge Opera. He is currently completing his MFA at San Francisco State University. C A R L A P A N T O J A (Fight Coordinator) is a certified stage combat instructor with Dueling Arts International and a founding member of the local chapter, Dueling Arts San Francisco. She worked on the violence for this season’s You For Me For You. Previous fight creations for Crowded Fire include The Shipment, Truck Stop, Blackademics, and others dating back to Forever Never Comes in 2010. Recent local fight credits include Hamlet this summer with San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, where she is also a resident artist. Past local fight credits include Our Enemies and The Most Dangerous Highway (Golden Thread Productions), The

Tempest (California Shakespeare Theater), and Into the Beautiful North (Central Works). Carla is also a company member at PlayGround. She is forever grateful to her family for babysitting her two kids while she creates violent art. BENJAMIN SHIU (Assistant Stage Manager, Crowded Fire Theater Mentee) graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in drama 2016. He recently stage managed the world premiere of Autobiography of a Terrorist for Golden Thread Productions. Ben worked as an assistant stage manager for You For Me For You, The Shipment, and I Call My Brothers and as stage manager for the staged reading of The Strangest here at Crowded Fire. Further credits include stage manager for Belleville (The Custom Made Theatre Co.), production assistant for Our Enemies: Lively Scenes of Love and Combat (Golden Thread Productions), set crew for Chinglish (Palo Alto Players), and front of the house management for Crane (Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company). He recently became a resident artist as a mentee of Crowded Fire and is proud to be part of the CFT family. ADELINE SMITH (Scenic Designer) is a scenic artist, properties designer, set designer, and resident artist with Crowded Fire. In addition to her scenic design and stage managing here, Adeline has designed properties for New Conservatory Theatre Center and has painted for multiple productions with Shotgun Players, Aurora Theatre Company, and Musical Theater Workshop. She graduated from San Francisco State University where she studied technical theatre with an emphasis in set and properties design. This is her sixth production with Crowded Fire.

M. SOHAA SMITH ( S t a g e Manager) is very excited to be joining Crowded Fire for her fourth Chris Chen play. As a company member, her favorite thing about CFT is being on the ground floor of new works such as this one. Past credits here include Good Goods, Invasion!, The Hundred Flowers Project, 410 Gone, The Taming, She Rode Horses Like the Stock Exchange, The Late Wedding, Mechanics of Love, and The Shipment. Additionally, Sohaa has worked on A Lie of the Mind (Boxcar Theatre), the 2012 edition of the Bay One Acts Festival, The Great Big Also (Mugwumpin), A Man, His Wife, and His Hat and The River Bride (AlterTheater), Romp! (LEVYdance), Dreamplay (The Cutting Ball Theater), and You Mean To Do Me Harm (San Francisco Playhouse). EDITH BORREBACH (Director of Community Engagement) passionately advocates for social justice oriented art, particularly where it intersects with the political. In collaboration with the Crowded Fire leadership team, she fosters the sincere inclusion of diverse and varied audiences unique to each production. Edie aims to magnify Crowded Fire's reputation as an audiencefocused institution through creativity and tenacity. She has worked in outreach for the Bay Area cultural performing arts nonprofits Golden Thread Productions and Chitresh Das Dance Company and is currently a producer with Daydream Reels. Edie joined Crowded Fire during the 2015-2016 season. TIFFANY COTHRAN (Managing Director) has led the administrative operations in collaboration with Crowded Fire’s artistic director for the past ten years. She is a handson, problem-solving manager, focused on maximizing the financial and operational systems of the company while implementing strategic and meaningful growth. Tiffany is passionate about theatre

as a catalyst for conversation and social change. Also an arts education advocate, Tiffany previously served as the associate director of education and outreach at TheatreWorks. In addition to wearing many hats at Crowded Fire, Tiffany also proudly wears her Mom hat. The phrase “Everything goes to the theatre!” has been uttered more than once by her children. In recognition of this truth, Tiffany thanks Jack, Abby, and Kieran for their love and support. STEPHANIE ALYSON HENDERSON (Production Manager) has called Crowded Fire home for over five years. She has a bachelor’s degree in theatre and performance studies from University of California, Berkeley, where she started her career in stage management. Stephanie has freelanced as a stage manager and production manager throughout the Bay Area for both theatre and dance. She is interested in challenging, important, thought-provoking theatre. Stephanie enjoys problem-solving, facilitating, and supporting the brilliant artists and technicians she works with on a daily basis. When not working, you may find her catching Pokemon, singing karaoke, or doing some sort of craft project. ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION was founded in 1913 and is the US labor union that represents more than 50,000 actors and stage managers. Equity seeks to foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, working conditions, and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. actorsequity.org * Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers.

All images and/or content provided by Crowded Fire Theater staff, contractors and/or creative artists unless otherwise credited. Opinions expressed by contractors, contributors and/or creative artists do not necessarily reflect the views of Crowded Fire Theater or VIA MEDIA. Photo credits are included as provided.

2017 SEASON SPONSORS KARENA FIORENZA INGERSOLL + EMRYS INGERSOLL DUGAN MOORE | G. TIPHANE

GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT

CFT MEMBERS CFT Memberships are donations that start as low as $25. Members receive fantastic perks from listings in our program to discounted tickets to behind-the-scenes access to our work. Tremendous thanks to our current members!

VISIONARIES [$2,500+] Anonymous • Karena Fiorenza Ingersoll and Emrys Ingersoll • Dugan Moore • Toni Rembe + Arthur Rock Celine and Dan Shimizu • David Thompson + Luis Tamayo • G. Tiphane

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COMMISSIONERS [$500+] Kathy + Mark Bressler • Jennifer Burden • Nancy + Chase Dearborn • Sandra Hess • Helene Park • Jill Matichak The federal public and community defenders of the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

INNOVATORS [$250+] Linda Brewer • Alan Brown • Keren Creations • Morgan Forsey • Connie Garrison • Keith Goldstein • Nancy Olson • Marjorie Randolph • Eleanor Reinholdt • Elizabeth + Steven Rosenberg • Bekka Robbins + Andrew Sullivan • Noelle Vinas + Kevin Vincenti

STRENGTHENERS [$100+] Janice Azebu • Valerie Barth • Denmo Ibrahim + Wesley Cabral • Lisa Callender • Harriet Chessman + Bryan Wolf • Judith Cohen + Malcolm Gissen • Michael Fenton • Roger Gould + Catherine Wagner • James Imahiro • Nikolene Isely • Emory Lee • Miriam Lewis • Jonathan Luskin • George Maguire • Tim + Mary Marnell • Susie Medak • Andrew Meisel + Marilee Talkington • Amanda Melton • Susette Min • Everett and Julia Moore • Phoebe Moyer • Patricia Radecker • Ellen Robinson • Anna + Bryan Rodrigues • Charles Shamieh • Gae + Mel Shulman • Nancy Smith • K.M. Soehnlein • Lisa Steindler • Tolbert/Garrison Familia

SUSTAINERS [$25+] Anonymous • Douglas Armstrong • Vivian Auslander • Sue Behr • Elizabeth Benedict • Amy Bobeda • Shad Bradbury • Farah Bullara • Eugenie Chan • Amie Chang • Dale Cook • Stardust Doherty • Ellen Dunphy • Elaine Eger • Rebecca Ennals • Rodney Farrow • Judith Feins + Richard London • Alycia Dymond + Philip Genera • John Glazer • Samuel Harrison • Barbara Hebert • Kerry Higuera • Theresa Hurley • Richard Louis James • Jennifer Jordan • Ann Katzburg • Venus Ke • Julie Kuwabara • Terry Lamb • Paul Loper • Siri Louie • Cat Luedtke • Jamie McClave • John Mercer • Amy Mueller • Rose Oser • Abigail Panares • Marilyn Patel • Rosemary + Samuel Robinson • Oliver Saria • Judy Schwartz • Susan Shay • Jay Siegel • Molly Aaronson-Gelb + Jonathan Spector • Deborah Taylor Barrera • Marjorie Westbrook • Sarah Williams • JoAnne Winter + Adrian Elfenbaum • Tom Toro + Marissa Wolf Listed donations were received from November 2016 to August 2017.

TREMENDOUS THANKS TO OUR CURRENT MEMBERS! 8

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