REGIONAL PREMIERE
Directed by
JONATHAN RHYS WILLIAMS
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JOIN US MUST-B FOR THE EVENT O E-THERE F THE Y EAR!
SAN JOSE STAGE COMPANY’S 24TH ANNUAL EPIC EVENING OF POLITICAL SATIRE!
MONDAYNIGHTLIVE24 GUEST HOST VICE MAYOR MAGDELANA CARRASCO
JUNE 26 2017 COCKTAIL RECEPTION 5PM PERFORMANCE 7PM
Featuring the usual suspects of political heavyweights in an evening of fun, fantasy and fiction where insiders and outsiders do what it takes to pull off the show’s topical sketches.
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A riotous political mash-up that benefits THE STAGE while revealing the hidden talents of our elected officials and the current state of political affairs, MNL is a sell out event, so make reservations early to save yourself a seat in the live studio audience!
ENTY
$150 PREFERRED SEATS
$75 RESERVED SEATS
THE STAGE • 490 S. 1st Street • San Jose, CA WWW.THESTAGE.ORG 408.283.7142
ANS NO POLITICRI MED ARE HA MAKING OF IN THE T LIVE... H MONDAY NIG
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FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR As I welcome you to our final production of this 34th season, we at the Stage owe our deepest thanks to you, our community. Your unwavering generosity continues to support the Stage’s awardwinning productions. Because of you our 2016-17 season has been an illuminating achievement! It is because of you that the Stage has been a mainstay in the San José performing arts community for thirty-four years. With your support this year we have accomplished many things: • a world premiere and international collaboration with our last production, The Memory Stick • three regional premieres - The Night Alive, Disgraced, and now The Toxic Avenger • recognition as Best Theatre Company - 2017 by Metro readers for the third consecutive year • our third consecutive Excellence in Theatre - Overall Production award from the San Francisco Bay Area Critic's Circle for our collaboration with El Teatro Campesino on Valley of the Heart • and Val Kilmer joined us for a two day event to screen his epic one-man show Citizen Twain Our success would not be possible without your support. Whether you're wrapping up your first year with the Stage, you're a Stage veteran, or you’re joining us for your first production we appreciate your support of the Arts. Your investment in the Stage allows us to continue to play a part in this community - exploring the human condition, strengthening our common spirit, and further understanding of our fellow man. Your support allows us to foster our acclaimed work and continue pioneering as the San Francisco Bay Area's premiere Off-Broadway theatre.
490 South First Street San Jose, CA 95113 408.283.7142 boxoffice@thestage.org thestage.org Cathleen King
executive director
Randall King
artistic director
Jonathan Williams producing director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dennis Martin president
Jason St. Claire vice president
Candace Lambrecht secretary
Richard T. Hilovsky legal counsel
Jerry Strangis
capital campaign chair
Robert Dewey Cathleen King Randall King Patricia McDonald Elizabeth Monley Jess Ron Moreles
We hope you will join us again in 2017-2018 as we continue to offer “powerful, provocative and profound” artistic programming. This landmark 35th Season promises to be as eventful and culture packed as our current. We will be opening our season with the hilarious & poignant new American play Hand to God, bloodying up Valentine’s Day with Sweeney Todd, and bringing you a spring thriller with the world premiere of The Postman Always Rings Twice adapted by Jon Jory from James M. Cain's 1934 novel. Please also stay tuned for our holiday offering and summer musical announcements! Subscriptions are available now. We’d love to see you back with us for our 35th anniversary! Until then, thank you for a fantastic 34th season and please enjoy The Toxic Avenger!
sjstage
Randall King
@sanjosestage
founder and artistic director 2017.06 • BAYSTAGES.COM
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sanjosestage
AN INTERVIEW WITH JOE DIPIETRO San Jose Stage Company’s Media & Communications Director Clinton Williams had the pleasure of speaking with Joe DiPietro, one of the Tony Award-winning creators of The Toxic Avenger, about the process of sculpting the show, collaborating with David Bryan, and his early career. CW: What was the inspiration for The Toxic Avenger? JD: David Bryan and I had written Memphis. While we were waiting for it to come to Broadway I thought, “It would be great to write something small and funny with David.” Something we knew we could get produced since Memphis was such a big show. It was almost like a lark. Then we get a call from a producer I know and she said she had the rights to The Toxic Avenger. I immediately said yes, and “How would you like the keyboardist from Bon Jovi to write the score for it?” She said, “Oh, you know him?” I said, “Yeah I’m working with him on something else.” So, as soon as she said the idea - and I was always a big fan of theatre of the ridiculous - I thought, "I wonder if we can write a really funny, out there, rock-n-roll musical?" CW: So Memphis came before Toxic?? JD: Yeah, we had written Memphis and I think it had two out of town productions. As with any show, especially a big Broadway show, it can just take years to get in. So we had written Memphis and David and I became friends in the process. David is funny… and musicians, especially rock musicians, aren’t necessarily funny. CW: Right. Very serious. JD: Yeah, exactly right! He’s not that at all. He really makes me laugh a lot. So I said I wonder if we could just write a goofy, funny show. CW: So Toxic was your second collaboration since you’d already written Memphis? JD: It was the second. Because Toxic was a smaller show it was easier to produce in New York. I think it debuted a year before Memphis did in New York, but it was really the second that we wrote. CW: How many collaborations do you and David Bryan have now? JD: We’re in the midst of our fourth. So Toxic, Memphis, a show which we workshopped at La Jolla Playhouse about three years ago called Chasing the Song which is just getting going again, and then we’ve got what we’re working on now. CW: So the new project that you guys have going on… you wanna tell me a little about that? Or… JD: It’s gonna be announced soon so I can’t quite do that but it’s definitely gonna be cool. CW: Toxic is based on Lloyd Kaufman’s 1984 film The Toxic Avenger released by Troma Entertainment, who are known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts and gruesome violence. It caught on with filmgoers and quickly became a cult classic. Were you a fan of the film before writing the musical? JD: I think I had seen it in high school… and, you know, as Lloyd Kaufman will admit to you, it's… ah, you know, a D movie. Not even a B movie. Sorta made for teenagers who are high. So I had seen it a long time ago and then when I saw it again I was, like, "I love the concept of this movie!" Ya know? A blind girl falls in love with a mutant freak to save New Jersey. That's fantastic! 2
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CW: That’s theatre at its best right there. JD: Yeah, exactly right! I felt like there's not really much of a plot in the movie so I really need to have creative control over this and be able to write my own script. When I approached Lloyd about that ..amazingly he said yes! He later said, “You’ve finally made my work commercial!” He’s a big fan. He goes to see it everywhere. CW: How does the musical differ from the film? JD: Oh, it’s very different. [The film] is very low budget. At one point I asked Lloyd if I could have a copy of the script, you know so I could just read it. He said “There’s no copy. No one ever wrote it down, we just made it up.” So it sort of has that feel to it - a really low budget really gross-out movie, ya know? I think in the musical we’ve given it a stronger plot and characters anyone can relate to. The show centers around Melvin Ferd III who, after attempting to clean up Tromaville, the most polluted town in New Jersey, is dumped into a vat of radioactive toxic waste, only to reemerge as The Toxic Avenger. CW: In terms of the themes of Toxic do you think they are relative to the current climate in society? JD: Oh God, yeah! I mean especially when we wrote it in 2009. The idea of global warming, which is now really called climate change, sort of was just… it had been around for a bit but was really becoming prominent. As the years have gone by, climate change is becoming more real. So I do think it’s really a silly fun musical but, you know, there really is that theme of going to all of those extremes to save the environment. That really resonates in the show and gives it a little more heft than we even really intended. CW: How did you get started in this industry? JD: Well, I just love to write. In my twenties I was working in advertising and I would write plays at night. I wrote for a long time and sent my plays around and no one cared. They got rejected. When you're in theatre, or any art, no one really gives you permission to do it. You just have to want to do it and you have to keep doing it and keep getting better at it. I kept getting better at it and better at it. I love the process of writing and I had blind faith in myself so I just kept doing it in my spare time. Then, just from knocking at the door long enough, I started getting plays accepted in smaller places. Then, after I'd written a series of sketches about dating that were done in basement theatres, a producer saw one and said "Oh, this is really a musical review. Put music in it.” I didn’t know what that was or what he meant, but after doing a little research those sketches became I Love, You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, which was my first real show. That got me involved in the world of musicals. CW: So, last question. What inspires your work? JD: I have to be obsessed with the topic to write about it because it takes so much of my life. The Toxic Avenger was one of those shows where we wrote it, we did a reading, and we got an offer to produce it. So it moved so quickly, but it still stole my life. If you have [an idea for] a show, you have to love it and you have to love working on it and exploring it for years. So, I have to be sort of obsessed with something about [the show] and I think with Toxic I was obsessed with the love story and the comic whimsy of it all, you know? How outrageously comic can you be? That sort of kept me going. CW: Like, how far can we push this? JD: Right! Exactly right. The first time we did The Toxic Avenger, literally the very first public performance… the first preview, a blind woman brings in her seeing eye dog and sits [in the front row]. I thought, “Oh fuck, we’re done!” She laughed as loud as anyone! So, you just have to be obsessed with it and really want to tell the story. 2017.06 • BAYSTAGES.COM
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broadway by the bay
08.11.17 to 08.27.17 | broadwaybythebay.org | 650.FOX.7770 | 2215 Broadway, Redwood City DRAGON
PRODU CTI ONS
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DR A G ON P ROD U CT I ONS •
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2120 BROA DWAY S TRE E T • RE DWOOD CI T Y, CA 9 4063 •
650.49 3 .2 006
ASSOCIATE ARTISTS
TH E STAG E presents
book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro music and lyrics by David Bryan based on Lloyd Kaufman's The Toxic Avenger
CAST
Sarah .................................................................. Courtney Hatcher* White Man ................................................................... Joshua Marx* Mayor Babs Belgoody, Ma Ferd, Nun......................... Allison F. Rich* Melvin, Toxie...................................................... Will Springhorn, Jr.* Black Man ..................................................... Branden Noel Thomas
CREATIVE TEAM
Director ....................................................... Jonathan Rhys Williams Music Director .............................................................. Brian Allan Hobbs Orchestrations & Arrangements.............................................David Bryan Christopher Jahnke Co-Choreographers.............................................. Brett Blankenship Carmichael “CJ” Blankenship Scenic & Lighting Designer.....................................Michael Palumbo Sound Designer................................................... Steve Schoenbeck Video Designer........................................................... Vijay M. Rajan Stage Manager ...........................................................Cirby Hatano* Costume Designer ..................................................... Ashley Garlick Scenic Artist.................................................................. Lacey Bryant SPECIAL THANKS: Jacob Cathcart, Tracy Layden, Ethan Oliva Del Rio, Sonja Wright. Originally produced Off-Broadway by Jean Cheever and Tom Polum. World premiere production presented by George Street Playhouse on October 10, 2008, David Saint | Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt | Managing Director. The Toxic Avenger Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. mtishows.com
* Member of Actors' Equity Association. This theater operates under an agreement with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Performances:
STAFF Alanna Bardell box office manager Kyra Hubis assistant to executive staff Tor-Elias Johnson education outreach, group sales Daniel Katzen volunteer coordinator Cathleen King executive director
Randall King
artistic director
Dave Lepori photographer Brian Miller company manager Ron Muriera development director Allison F. Rich casting director Clinton Williams media / communications Stephanie Whigham graphic designer Jonathan White marketing associate Jonathan Rhys Williams producing director
June 7 to July 16, 2017
The Stage, 490 South First Street, San Jose 95113
The performance runs approximately 1 hour and 55 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. 2017.06 • BAYSTAGES.COM
David Arrow Kevin Blackton C.J. Blankenship Johnny Moreno Giulio Cesare Perrone Allison F. Rich Rick Singleton Will Springhorn, Jr Halsey Varady
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PRODUCTION TEAM Sound Engineer....................................................... Anton Headman Master Electrician....................................................... Colin Landeck Video Operator .........................................................Samey Durman Master Carpenter......................................................... Caleb Salmon Production Assistant ..............................................Cayleigh Coester Electricians................................................................. Meredith King Stephanie Whigam Carpenters...............................................................Rodney Hilovsky Caitlin Shriner Board Operators........................................................Samey Dorman Brandie Larkin Dennis Tran Run Crew....................................................................Alanna Bardell Anjali Jain Raven Vujevich
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MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT ONE
“Neighborhood”........................................................................... Company “Who Will Save New Jersey?” .........................................Melvin, Company “Jersey Girl”............................................................Mayor Babs Belgoody, Waste Management Executives “Get the Geek” ...............................Mayor Babs Belgoody, Sluggo, Bozo “Kick Your Ass” ....................................................................................Toxie “My Big French Boyfriend” ................................... Sarah, Shinequa, Diane “Thank God She's Blind” .....................................................................Toxie “Big Green Freak” ......................................... Little Old Lady, Dr. Fishbein, Mayor Babs Belgoody, Professor Ken, Toxie
ACT TWO
“Choose Me, Oprah!” ........................................... Sarah, Shinequa, Diane “Hot Toxic Love” ...................................................................... Toxie, Sarah “The Legend of the Toxic Avenger” ................................Folk Singer, Toxie “Evil is Hot”.....................................Mayor Babs Belgoody, Professor Ken “Bitch/Slut/Liar/Whore” ..........................Mayor Babs Belgoody, Ma Ferd “Everybody Dies!” ...............................................................................Toxie “You Tore My Heart Out”......................................................................Toxie “All Men Are Freaks” ............................ Ma Ferd, Sarah, Shinequa, Diane “The Chase” ................................................................................ Company “Hot Toxic Love” (Reprise) ..................................................................Sarah “A Brand New Day in New Jersey” ....................... Toxie, Sarah, Company
BAND Conductor..................................................................... Brian Allan Hobbs Percussion................................................................................. Ryan Stohs Bass ......................................................................................Gus Kambeitz Reeds ................................................................................ Antony Pickard Guitar .................................................................... Daniel Mandrychenko
a division of Caselli Partners LLC 6
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ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES COURTNEY HATCHER* (Sarah)
returns to the Stage where she was last seen as Kate in The Wild Party, Gloria in BoeingB o e i n g , a n d We d n e s d a y Addams in The Addams Family. She was also seen in Death of a Salesman, Bonnie & Clyde, The Threepenny Opera, Reefer Madness and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. Past favorite roles include Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray (Broadway By the Bay), Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (Palo Alto Players), Logainne Schwartzandgrubbeniere in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Hillbarn Theatre), and Cindy Lou Huffington in The Marvelous Wonderettes and The Winter Wonderettes (Coastal Repertory Theatre). Courtney has a BA in musical theatre from California State University, Chico. courtneyhatcher.com
JOSHUA MARX* (White Man) is
excited to make his Stage debut. Favorite Bay Area credits include Barnette in Crimes of the Heart (TheatreWorks), Matt in New Girl in Town (42nd Street Moon), Bobby in the world premiere of Bridges (Berkeley Playhouse), and Christian in Cyrano de Bergerac (City Lights Theater Company). Regionally, he has played Jack in The Importance of Being Earnest and Fred in A Christmas Carol (Flatrock Playhouse), Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Titus in the modernlanguage adaptation of Timon of Athens, and understudied Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Stanley in One Man, Two Guvnors (TheatreSquared), Buzz in Finian’s Rainbow (Berkshire Theatre Group), Orlando in As You Like It (Theatre Under the Stars), and Sir Andrew in As You Like It (Mile Square Theatre). Joshua is also a director, fight choreographer, and producer of immersive
theatre. He holds an MFA in acting from Rutgers University. j-marx.com
ALLISON F. RICH * (Mayor
Babs Belgoody, Ma Ferd, Nun) is an associate artist with San Jose Stage Company. She last appeared here as Emily in Disgraced. Previous roles include Aimee in The Night Alive, Queenie in The Wild Party, Gretchen in BoeingBoeing, Annabella, Margaret and Pamela in The 39 Steps, Morticia in The Addams Family (TBA Award finalist for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Principal Role in a Musical), Vanda in Venus in Fur (TBA Award finalist for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Principal Role in a Play and San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Excellence in Theatre Award nominee for Principal Actress Play), Lizzie in The Rainmaker, Bonnie Parker in Bonnie & Clyde, Lucy in The Threepenny Opera (TBA Award finalist for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical), Lana Sherwood in It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Mae in Reefer Madness, Elizabeth Elliot and Henrietta Musgrove in Persuasion, Elizabeth and Erica in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Helga in Cabaret, Carly in reasons to be pretty, and Pippi in The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Other credits include Mimi Paragon in Sail Away (TBA Award recipient for Outstanding Performance by Female Actor in a Principal Role in a Musical), Tracy Gardner in Nick & Nora, Peggy Palaffi in I Married an Angel, and Iris Langston in Painting the Clouds with Sunshine (42nd Street Moon), Ursula in The Little Mermaid (Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre), Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray (PCPA 2017.06 • BAYSTAGES.COM
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HATCHER
MARX
RICH
SPRINGHORN
THOMAS
Theatrefest), Woman 1 in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (Oregon Cabaret Theatre), Carly in reasons to be pretty (Capital Stage Company), and Lilli/Kate in Kiss Me, Kate and Ulla in The Producers (Summer Repertory Theatre).
WILL SPRINGHORN JR.* (Melvin,
Toxie) is ecstatic to return to the Stage where he is an associate artist. Favorite roles include Kent in reasons to be pretty and Frederick Wentworth in the world premiere of Persuasion (San Jose Stage Company), Will in Coronado (San Francisco Playhouse), and Edmund in King Lear (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival). Will's roles at the Stage include Noah in The Rainmaker, Ralph in Reefer Madness, Tiger Brown in The Threepenny Opera, Buck in Bonnie & Clyde, Will in Every Christmas Story Ever Told, Tom and Tom Jr. in Reckless, Ernst in Cabaret, George Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Harold in Death of a Salesman, Lurch in The Addams Family, and Calhoun in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, as well as serving as the fight choreographer on this season’s The Night Alive and Disgraced. Will has worked locally with TheatreWorks, Center REPertory Company, San Francisco Playhouse, 42nd Street Moon, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, B Street Theatre, Magic Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and Theatre Rhinoceros. Will teaches theatre at Diablo Valley College and is a proud member of Actor's Equity Association. Will can be seen next as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast at Woodminster Summer Musicals. Check out Will’s short film ‘Til Friends Do Us Part on his website. willspringhornjr.com
BRANDEN NOEL THOMAS (Black
Man) began singing in 11th grade after admission to Oakland School for the Arts and its award-winning concert choir as a bass singer, where he received vocal training in a choral setting. He progressed as a vocalist in high school and started to perform in musical 8
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theatre. Credits include the Sour Kangaroo in Seussical, Ursula in Wish Upon a Star, and Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray. Branden aspires to inspire, and desires to touch people through his work, hopefully with a career in musical theatre.
JOE D I PIETRO (Book & Lyrics)
won the Tony Award for Best Musical and two additional Tony Awards (Best Book of a Musical, Best Score Written for the Theatre (with David Bryan) for Memphis. Joe was born and raised off Exit 166 in New Jersey and has been a Toxic Avenger fan for over twenty years. Joe wrote the book and lyrics to I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, the longest running musical revue in Off-Broadway history which has had hundreds of productions across the country and around the world. He also wrote the book and lyrics to the Broadway musical All Shook Up, and the award-winning musical The Thing About Men which has played internationally. His plays include the Edgar Award-winning mystery, The Art of Murder, as well as the long-running hit comedy, Over the River and Through the Woods, which has had over a hundred productions around the world and is currently being developed into a feature film. He lives in Manhattan and Connecticut, but his heart will always be in New Jersey.
DAVID BRYAN (Music & Lyrics)
lives near Exit 109 off the Garden State Parkway. He was conceived, born, and raised in New Jersey. As a young man, he saw The Toxic Avenger at a midnight showing in Newark, and from that day on, he dreamed of writing a musical about the first mutant superhero from his home state. This show is a fulfillment of that dream. David has accomplished some other stuff, too. He is the keyboard player, songwriter and a founding member of Bon Jovi one of the most successful bands in music history. They've sold over 130 million records worldwide, performed more than 2,600 concerts in over
50 countries for more than 34 million fans, and were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006. They've survived and thrived through the rock-and-roll years, the grunge years, the rap years, and everything in between. In his time off from recording and touring with Jon, Richie, and Tico, David began a career as a composer and lyricist of musicals. The song “Memphis Lives In Me” which he performs on Bon Jovi's recent box set is actually from his musical Memphis, which won four Tony Awards including Best Musical. David also won a Tony for Best Orchestrations (with Daryl Waters) and Best Original Score Written for the Theatre (with Joe DiPietro). David has also dedicated his time to being a national spokesperson for VH1's Save the Music Program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of music education in America's schools. davidbryan.com
GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE ,
under the leadership of Artistic Director David Saint since 1998, is a nationally recognized theatre, presenting an acclaimed mainstage season while providing an artistic home for established and emerging theatre artists. Founded in 1974, the Playhouse has been represented by numerous productions both on Broadway and Off-Broadway including The Toxic Avenger (Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Musical), Anne Meara's Down the Garden Paths, The Spitfire Grill (Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Drama League nominations) and the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Proof by David Auburn which was developed at GSP during the 1999 Next Stage Series. In addition to its mainstage season, GSP Touring Theatre features four issue-oriented productions and tours to more than 250 schools in the New York tri-state area, and are seen by more than 60,000 students annually. George Street Playhouse programming is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the
Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
JONATHAN RHYS WILLIAMS
( D ir ecto r ) i s t h e St a g e's production director. He played Isaac in Disgraced and Kenneth in The Night Alive earlier this season. He made directorial debut with the Stage with the 2013 production of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity. Jonathan has worked extensively throughout the Bay Area as an actor and director at companies like TheatreWorks, Aurora Theatre Company, Theatre on San Pedro Square, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and American Musical Theatre of San Jose. In 2002 he relocated to Sacramento where he co-founded Capital Stage Company, producing over seventy-five productions and leading the organization to becoming the region's premier new works theatre. Jonathan has directed numerous productions, including Guards at the Taj, Uncanny Valley, Tribes, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Dying City, Master Class, Hunter Gatherers, Dirty Story, Boy Gets Girl and The Shape O.
BRIAN ALLAN HOBBS (Music
Director) has extensive professional experience in musical theatre, with the Broadway credits of Finian’s Rainbow, Rock of Ages, and Tarzan and Off-Broadway work on Crossing Brooklyn, Marcy in the Galaxy, Queen of the Mist, and Rock of Ages. Regional credits include Altar Boyz (Mountain Playhouse) and It’s Only Life (Rubicon Theatre Company). Local credits consist of Evita (Broadway By the Bay), The Cable Car Nymphomaniac (FOGG Theatre), The Rocky Horror Show (San Jose Stage Company), Aida and West Side Story (Stage 1 Theatre), Little Women and Pippin (Sunnyvale
Community Players), 1776 (Tabard Theatre Company), Spamalot (Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre), Long Story Short and Wheelhouse (TheatreWorks), and Les Misérables and Catch Me If You Can (Woodminster Summer Musicals). He has worked with a number of solo artists including Kris Allen, Christine Andreas, Sarah Uriarte Berry, Sutton Foster, Frank Sinatra Jr., and Lisa Vroman. Brian studied at University of California, Los Angeles and the New York University Tisch School of the Arts.
BRETT
BLANKENSHIP
(Co-Choreographer) has choreographed the Stage's productions of The Wild Party, The Addams Family, Reefer Madness, Cabaret, and served as assistant choreographer for The Threepenny Opera. She’s also choreographed for Notre Dame de Namur University, Pocket Opera, Pacific Repertory Theatre, A.C.T. Young Conservatory, Goat Hall Productions, Redwood City Community Theatre, and the Bracebridge Dinner at Yosemite National Park. Her Bay Area theatre credits include Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Broadway by the Bay, West Edge Opera, City Lights Theatre Company, Palo Alto Players, Hillbarn Theatre, San Jose Dance Theatre, and Foothill Musical Theatre.
CARMICHAEL “CJ” BLANKENSHIP
(Co-Choreographer) returns to the Stage after choreographing The Wild Party and The Addams Family, in which he was also seen as an Addams Ancestor. Other roles here include Matthew in Altar Boys and Victor in Cabaret. He’s performed as a professional dancer, singer, and actor with companies such as Westchester Broadway Theatre, TheatreWorks, Moving Arts Dance, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Opera Parallele, and San Francisco Opera. As a 2017.06 • BAYSTAGES.COM
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HOUSE MANAGEMENT Margaret Akdeniz Anna Belaya Eleanor Vade Bon Coeur Susan Buchs David Carlos Frances DeLeon Pamela DeMartini Art Diaz Irma Diaz Pamela Dougherty Barbara Elsea Linda Guyer Lynnea Hagen Christine Calloway-Holt Kyra Hubis Margaret Husband Garry Johnson Daniel Katzen Karie Lew Howard Lyons Alex McKale Peter Miskin Ann Musinski Ken Odom Linda Russo Anne-Marie Schwartz Melinda Sheehan Mabel Shiramizu Joan Smith Sharon Smith Nettie Wijsman Gayle Yankee Wayne Yankee Diana Yuryeva Valerie Zborowski
choreographer, he has worked for Na Hula o Moku’aina, Lyric Theatre, and Bracebridge at Yosemite.
ASHLEY GARLICK (Costume
Designer) is a costume designer and actress who resides in the Bay Area. She is delighted to be back designing at the Stage, where she most recently costumed We Are Proud to Present... and The Night Alive. She's been on stage at the Stage in Death of a Salesman and Bonnie & Clyde. Ashley's costuming credits also include shows such as Sex and the City Live! and D'Arcy Drollinger's Champagne White is DISASTROUS! (OASIS).
CIRBY HATANO* (Stage Manager)
returns to the Stage after recently stage managing the world premiere of The Memory Stick. Cirby served as stage manager for the national tours of A Chorus Line (Baayork Lee, director), The Music Man: In Concert with Shirley Jones, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Buddy, and Dancing Pros Live! with Alan Thicke and Karina Smirnoff. Other credits include the 69th Annual Tony Awards, Opera San José, Chautauqua Opera, Manhattan School of Music, Bard SummerScape, Sacramento Music Circus, Reprise Theatre Company, Asian American Alliance, RADAR L.A. Theater Festival, the 3rd National Asian American Theater Conference and Festival, and the Pacific Resident Theater. Cirby is an alumnus of the University of California, Santa Cruz and the Professional Apprenticeship Program for stage management at the Juilliard School. “Special thanks to my family for their love and support.”
MICHAEL PALUMBO (Scenic & Lighting Designer) returns to the Stage, where he has created scenic and lighting designs for The
Memory Stick, The Wild Party, It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Race, and The Turn of the Screw. He has designed lighting for the world premiere of Valley of the Heart as well as The Addams Family, Bonnie & Clyde, An Iliad, Reefer Madness, Red, Buried Child, On the Waterfront, The Pillowman, Incorruptible and Anton in Show Business, as well as scenic designs for Cabaret and The Seafarer. He has also designed for TheatreWorks, Marin Theatre Company, Opera San José, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Sacramento Opera, Aurora Theatre Company, Magic Theatre, Shotgun Players, and Berkeley Playhouse.
VIJAY M. RAJAN (Video Designer)
returns to the Stage after designing video for The Memory Stick. As co-founder of Siren Song Creations and the Hive SJ, he has been directing and producing feature films, short films, and commercials for more than fifteen years. He has always been an admirer of plays and live performance, and is excited to be a part of bridging the worlds of film and theatre with The Toxic Avenger.
STEVE SCHOENBECK (Sound
Designer) is happy to return to the Stage where he previously designed sound for The Memory Stick, Disgraced, Rock ‘n’ Roll and Buffalo’ed. You may have also heard his work at San Jose Repertory Theatre - where he was resident sound designer, TheatreWorks, American Contemporary Theater, Pear Theatre, San Francisco Playhouse, Marin Theatre Company, Teatro Vision, Arizona Theatre Company, Portland Center Stage, and Edinburgh Festival Fringe Assembly Theatre. Steve’s designs have been honored with a Dean Goodman Choice Award and several nominations for an Excellence in
Theatre Award from San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle.
SAN JOSE STAGE COMPANY is a
resident professional theatre arts organization dedicated to the presentation and development of new works, with a concentration on American literature scripted by contemporary playwrights, that speak to the conditions, hopes and fears of all mankind. The Stage operates under the Bay Area Theatre (BAT) contract collective bargaining agreement with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. San Jose Stage Company is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG) - the national organization for the American theatre, Theatre Bay Area, and Americans for the Arts, and is a founding member of the Arts Alliance - a coalition of mid-sized arts organizations in San Jose. The Stage is funded, in part, by a cultural affairs grant from the City of San Jose and by a grant from Silicon Valley Creates, as well as by and the many individuals, businesses and corporations whose contributions make great theatre possible.
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 San Jose Stage Company 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 San Jose Stage Company or VIA MEDIA. Photo credits are included as provided.
Program designed and published by VIA MEDIA • 415.552.8040 • advertise@via.media © Copyright 2017 • VIA MEDIA, a division of Caselli Partners LLC • All Rights Reserved 10
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SAN JOSE STAGE COMPANY SALUTES SEASON 34 GOVERNMENT, FOUNDATION AND CORPORATE PARTNERS
INDIVIDUAL DONORS FOUNDER’S CIRCLE [$25,000+] Robert J. Bettencourt • Matthew Gregg*
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE [$10,000+] The Pedersen Family • Jerry + Janet Strangis • Anne Volpert* • Ronald + Ann Whyte
ASSOCIATE’S CIRCLE [$5,000+] Hal + Kyra Hubis • Amy McAnlis* • Gerald + Betty McIntyre • Edward + Jane Seaman Ellie Smith • Michael R. Van Every
DESIGNER’S CIRCLE [$2,500+]
George + Donna Erickson • M.M. Feldman + Rick Morris • Howard Lyons • Dennis Martin + Patricia Sausedo Joyce O’Donnell + Donn Wadley • Robert + Cathy Ragle • Deborah Zimmer
ACTOR’S CIRCLE [$1,000+] Tom Armstrong • Linda Bailey • Susan Bedolla • Cheryl Booton + Robert Mannell • Bob + Lana Bryan-Whitsitt Virginia Carpio • Jeff + Betty Chase • Dave + Pattie Cortese • Doug + Donna Dunham • George + Donna Erickson Kaye Evleth • Clayton + Sandra Feldman • Keith + Denise Gillen • Richard + Julie Hilovsky • Robert Hum + Lori Prince • David Karpf + Teresa Beyer • Greg Lahann + Maureen Monahan • Mark + Cheri Lewis • Rusty + Kate Lutz* • Chris Mengarelli + Dale Elliott • Elizabeth Monley • Jess Moreles • Alex + Roxanne Petruncola Neil Ruditsky • Charles + Norma Schlossman • Gary Schoennauer • Jason St. Claire • Marilyn Taghon* Mark + Karen Tucker • Rusty + Hollie Winzenread • Suzanne Wittrig + Alfonso Banuelos
BENEFACTOR’S CIRCLE [$500+] Nancy Alford • David + Rebecca Ayer • Joseph Azar • Joe + Cheryl Battiato • Frank + Anne Baumann • Martha Beattie • Mike + Jan Bergkamp • Greg Bettencourt • Jill Chandler + Geoff Walker • Bradley + Pauline Chibos • Kathleen Cohen + Mark Foote Darlene Culbertson • Patricia Curia • Lloyd + Maxine Darknell • Ron + Marion Dickel • David Eakin + Ruth Sitton • David + Liyuza Eisbach • Bill + Jim Engelman • Aiko Fadness • John + Barbara Friedenbach • Steven Geisheker • Harry + Pam Greenwood • Peter Haas • Verl + Patricia Hannah • Joseph Head • Cayce Hill • David + Lynn Hirschfeld • Richard + Cynthia Lake • Laura Manzanilla Ed + Patti Massey • Charles + Virginia McQueen • Barbara Nilsen • Glenda Parmentier • Georgiana Rudge • Marilyn Sefchovich Sandra Sobie • Kathy + Corrine Stewart • Steve + Kathy Stewart • M. Lee + Bonnie Stone • Matt Wahlin + Rose Herrera • Mark Waite Geri Weimers • Waldemar Wenner • Laurie Kay Williams + John Toth
2017.06 • BAYSTAGES.COM
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PATRON’S CIRCLE [$250+] Joe + Carol Abel* • Marvin + Bonnie Bamburg • Mike + Irene Bandy • Jim + Pat Beall • Bob Brownstein • Michael Brunetti Lisa Buchanan • Ben Castricone • Marlin + Annie Deckert • Linda Eckstone • John Fox • Barbara Frank • Rev. John + Marcia Freesemann • Gary Glick • Janice + Mel Goertz • Barbara Grams • Barbara Groth + Doug Duncan* • Scot Guenter Holly Hartman • Jim + Sheila Hill • Allen Horwedel • Michael Hubbard • Richard + Peggy James • Jonathan Karpf + Kathleen Zaretsky • Donald Keesey • Robert + Mary Kelly • Fran Laplante • Jan + Sofia Laskowski • Jill Levy Becker Stuart Loewenthal • John Mai • Ellen McInnis • Richard McKewan • Lyle Merithew + Sandra Swirsky • Arlene Murphy Ken Odom • Dan Pappone • Roy + Doris Peacock • Eugene Plevyak • Judy Rookstool • Jack + Kennette Shannon • Jacqui + Pieter Smith • Neville Spadafore • John Turner • Fred + Ridley Virdeh • Erik + Judith Walberg • Jane Wallace • John + Liz Whitaker • Dennis + Marianne Wilcox • Clayton Wilson
FRIEND’S CIRCLE [$100+] Sandra Abel • Kerry Adams Hapner • Susan Andersen • Kent Anderson • Kit Armstrong • Sarah Auvil • Karl + Valerie Ball Michele + Alan Barbic • Thomas Becker • Max Beckman-Harned • Norvelle Benevento • Dann Bergman + Marianne Haley Iris Berke • Linda Boyd • Jane + Link Bradley • Carol Campbell • Ross Campbell • Kathleen Cancilla • Kimberly ChesherGurley • Mary Chin • Sarah Clish • Catherine Coe • Leslye Corsiglia • Roseann Costabile • Erin Coyle • Robert Creth Neil + Francene Crowley • Jed + Sue Cyr • Roma Dawson • Constance Del Vigna • Piyu Dhaker • Art F. + Irma Y. Diaz* Steve + Denise Dobrenz • Lynn Dobson • Martha Doherty • Pam Dougherty • Connie Drosdat • Mary Dunlap • Cherie Ekwall Kelly Elliott • Carol Emmons • Mark Farrelly • Marty Feldman • David + Susan Foyle • Flavia Geist • Evelyn Geraci • Tim Giltz Ken Gott • Barbara Gottesman • Richard Gregg • Scott Grossfeld • Robert + Maxine Halem* • Marianne Haley • Jan Hannah Dave + Carol Harris • Gail Hashimoto • Salle Hayden /Upstart Services • Kathie Heidenreich • Linda Ho + James Von De Bur Dee Howard • Reiko Iwanaga • Teresa Jacobsen • Jerome + Rita Rae Jacobson • Russ + Tudy Johnson • Marni Kamzan • Kris Karlen • Linda Kawasaki • Derick + Christel Kennedy • Carole Kilik • In memory of Adina Shira Kletter • Jeff + Leianne Lamb Dianne Laumann • Desmond Lee • Elaine Leonard • Nicole Letellier • Roxanne Lim • John + Gail Long • Gloria Loventhal Kathy Lower • Peter + Soledad MacPhail • John Maier • Judy Marlin • Thomas Marlow • Katherine Mason • Sue McCall + Carolyn McInnes • Tom McEnery • Rick McGowan • Martin McHan • August + Alice Mendeke • Christine Miller • E. Mireault Alan Moo + Barbara Park • Rich + Kris Morrella • Nina Murphy • Barb Navelski • Valerie Neargarder • Lisa Nolan • Jan + Birgitta Nordin • Anne Olson • Laura Olson • Sylvia Ortiz • John Petrak • Margo Pizzo • Fawn Powers + Roger Poyner • Darlene Ristrim Jim Rumbaugh • Maureen Ryan • Marvin Sabado • Coleen Salsbery • Richard Santos • Carolyn Satake • Joan Sharrock Connelee Shaw • L Siahaan • Laura Skubik • Jerrold Snyder • Ruth + Alfred Sporer • Jean Steer • Wendy Stenzel Laura Sternberg • Joseph Sturkey • Lynn Telford • Mattye Tolbert • Kevin Turner • Jim Valentine • Sue Van Stee • Christine Wait Judy Wand • Robert Weinmann • Judith Ann West • Maureen West • Lisa Westerinen • Anne Wilson • Marilyn Winkleby + Mike Fischetti • Diana Wirt • Cecily Zazueta • Linda + Joel Zizmor * Indicates individual gifts which have been matched 1:1 or 2:1 by the donor's employer.
DOUBLE YOUR DONATION TO THE STAGE! Many companies have matching gift programs and charitable giving programs set up to match donations made by employees. Please check with your employer. Adobe Systems • AMD • Ameriprise Financial • Apple • Applied Material • eBay Foundation • Google Hewlett-Packard Company • IBM • Intuit • Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies • Loral Space Systems Microsoft • Morgan Stanley • The David and Lucile Packard Foundation • Suhr Risk Systems Visa International • VMware
IN-KIND GOODS AND SERVICES A Tool Shed • AJR Land Management and Pico Ranch • Center for Employment Training • Chromatic Coffee Thierry Chantrel + Rick Singleton • Kurt Cheetsos, MetroED • Nancy Cutler • Art + Barbara Elsea Richard T. Hilovsky • Harold J. + Kyra Hubis • Cathy Kimball, ICA • MACLA • Ron Raymond Silicon Valley Career Technical Education • Strike Brewing Company • Tom Trafton TV, Radio, Film and Theatre Department, San José State University Please contact Ron Muriera, Development Director, to learn more about donor opportunities. 408.283.7142 • rmuriera@thestage.org
THANK YOU! 12
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BAYSTAGES.COM • 2017.06
GOVERNMENT, FOUNDATION, AND CORPORATE PARTNERS San Jose Stage Company gratefully acknowledges our Government, Foundation and Corporate partners whose support allows the Stage to present bold, diverse and innovative new work.
GOVERNMENT PARTNER’S CIRCLE City of San Jose | Office of Cultural Affairs National Endowment of the Arts | Art Works City of San Jose, District 3 | Councilmember Raul Peralez City of San Jose, District 6 | Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio City of San Jose, District 8 | Vice Mayor Rose Herrera City of San Jose, District 9 | Councilmember Donald Rocha City of San Jose, District 10 | Councilmember Johnny Khamis
FOUNDATIONS VISIONARIES CIRCLE
Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation • The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation • Applied Materials Foundation • Brandenburg Family Foundation Silicon Valley Community Foundation • Rotary Club of San Jose Foundation • SV Creates Robert E. & Adele M. Boydston Foundation • Small Steps Fund • Thermond Philanthropy Fund Goldman Sachs Fund • The Toeniskoetter Family Foundation
PRODUCER’S CIRCLE [$10,000+]
Apple, Inc. • Barry Swenson Builder • Republic Family of Services
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE [$2,500+]
A Tool Shed Equipment Rentals, Inc. • Bay 101 • Boccardo Management Group LLC • CA Collective • California Waste Solutions, Inc. • The Core Companies • KB Home South Bay, Inc. • Law Office of Richard T. Hilovsky • Garden City Sanitation • The Lindholm Co. LLC • Morgan Stanley • MTM Building Group • Newbury Park & Associates • Pacific Gas & Electric • Republic Services, Inc. • Sausedo Company Consulting • The Sobrato Organization • Strangis Properties Swenson Development & Consulting • Trumark Homes • Yellow Checker Cab Co., Inc.
ASSOCIATE’S CIRCLE [$1,000+]
Amerprise Financial • The Arcadia Companies • Bank of the West • Berliner Cohen • BIA • Café Stritch • Chromatic Coffee Clear Channel Outdoor • Google • HMH, Inc. • Hopkins & Carley, A Law Corporation • J.B. Howard Investments IBM Corporate Matching Program • Justin’s Catering • LMA Law, LLP • Microsoft Systems • Newbury Park Robson Homes • Terrence J. Rose, Inc. • San Jose Police Officers Association • San Jose Water Company • Sprig Electric The Schoennauer Company • Silicon Valley Internet • Strike Brewing Co. • Studio Current Urban Design & Architecture VBO Tickets • VMware • Whole Foods Market
DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PARTNERS [$500+]
Metro • Cafe Stritch • Vero's Coffee Bar • Vitamina Juices & Blends Please contact Ron Muriera, Development Director, to learn more about donor opportunities. 408.283.7142 • rmuriera@thestage.org
THANK YOU!
✫✫✫✫✫ FEATURED PRODUCTIONS ✫✫✫✫✫
RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN | CITY LIGHTS THEATER COMPANY 05.18.17 > 06.18.17 | 408.295.4200 | cltc.org
THE ROOMMATE | SAN FRANCISCO PLAYHOUSE 05.23.17 > 07.01.17 | 415.677.9596 | sfplayhouse.org
KURT VONNEGUT’S MOTHER NIGHT | CUSTOM MADE THEATRE CO. 05.25.17 > 06.24.17 | 415.798.2682 | custommade.org
SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE | BROADWAY BY THE BAY
06.02.17 > 06.18.17 | 650.579.5565 | broadwaybythebay.org
YOU MEAN TO DO ME HARM | SAN FRANCISCO PLAYHOUSE 06.06.17 > 07.01.17 | 415.677.9596 | sfplayhouse.org
THE TOXIC AVENGER | SAN JOSE STAGE COMPANY 06.07.17 > 07.16.17 | 415.392.4400 | THESTAGE.ORG
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR | SILICON VALLEY SHAKESPEARE 06.09.17 > 06.25.17 | 408.289.1901 | SVSHAKESPEARE.org
THE GAY KITCHEN SINK | SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS 06.16.17 > 06.17.17 | 415.392.4400 | SFGMC.ORG
THE NORTH POOL | DRAGON PRODUCTIONS
06.22.17 > 07.16.17 | 650.493.2006 | dragonproductions.net
WHAT YOU WILL | PEAR THEATRE
06.22.17 > 07.16.17 | 650.254.1148 | thepear.org
SEUSSICAL | BAY AREA MUSICALS
07.06.17 > 08.0 5 .17 | 415.340.2207 | bamsf.org
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES | SAN FRANCISCO PLAYHOUSE 07.12.17 > 09.16.17 | 415.677.9596 | sfplayhouse.org
40th ANNUAL BAY AREA PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL 07.14.17 > 07.23.17 |415.626.2176 | playwrightsfoundation.org
LIZZIE | CITY LIGHTS THEATER COMPANY 07.13.17 > 08.20.17 | 408.295.4200 | cltc.org
MACBITCH | THE BREADBOX
07.28.17 > 08.19.17 | 415.993.1269 | breadboxtheatre.org
ADVERTISE @ BAYSTAGES.COM • 415.552.8040