Download The Matchmaker Press Release

For information contact:
Shawn Stone
Director of Marketing & Communications
610.647.1900 x104
Cell: 484.678.9728
[email protected]
Box Office: 610.644.3500
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2016
People’s Light presents The Matchmaker
February 15 – March 12, 2017
By Thornton Wilder
Directed by Abigail Adams
With live music by Liz Filios
Leonard C. Haas Stage
“Ninety-nine percent of the people in the world are fools
and the rest of us are in great danger of contagion.”
–Horace Vandergelder
(Malvern, PA) People’s Light invites you to delight in “one of the sweetest and smartest romantic farces
ever written” (The Wall Street Journal). Crafted with satirical wit and whimsy by beloved American
author Thornton Wilder, and directed by Abigail Adams, The Matchmaker pits wealthy widower Horace
Vandergelder against the vivacious and sly matchmaker Dolly Levi in a search for the perfect wife. This
merry mix of outrageous misbehavior, mistaken identity, and spontaneous romance cavorts across the
Leonard C. Haas Stage from February 15 to March 12, 2017. For tickets, call 610.644.3500 or visit
peopleslight.org.
People’s Light chose The Matchmaker, the inspiration for the blockbuster musical Hello, Dolly!, to center
the 2016-17 season because it celebrates the best features of the American character. “This play is full
of idealism and open hearts,” says Producing Director Zak Berkman. “It concerns itself with themes of
love, adventure, and making an honest living.
“Right now feels like a good time for a classic American satire fueled by exuberance, and the happy
chaos of Dolly’s world.”
Director Abigail Adams says, “I love The Matchmaker for its unabashed belief in the importance of
generosity, wonder, and delight,” she says. “Our music will be live, our set and costumes a joyful
explosion of color, and our cast will leap into cupboards, crawl under tables, and dance with glee.”
The diverse ensemble includes long-time members of the Theatre’s resident company alongside a host
of guest artists. Kathryn Petersen (Ghosts, Dividing the Estate) plays Dolly Levi opposite Graham Smith
(A Single Shard, The Cherry Orchard) as Horace Vandergelder. Other company members include Peter
DeLaurier as Rudolf, Melanye Finister as Miss Flora van Huysen, Teri Lamm as Mrs. Molloy, Mark Lazar
as the Cabman, Stephen Novelli as Joe Scanlon, Pete Pryor as Malachi Stack, and Marcia Saunders as
Gertrude. Returning guests include Tabitha Allen as Minnie Fay, Christopher R. Brown as Barnaby
Tucker, Liz Filios as Musician, and James Ijames as Ambrose Kemper. Artists new to People’s Light
include Melanie Hsu as Musician, Mina Kawahara as Ermengarde, and Brandon Meeks as Cornelius
Hackl.
Abigail Adams, the Theatre’s Artistic Director and CEO, directs the production. Frequent guest Tony
Straiges (The Cherry Orchard, Noises Off) designs the set, and company member Dennis Parichy (Sense
and Sensibility, Auctioning the Ainsleys) designs lights. Resident artist and Costume Shop Manager Marla
J. Jurglanis (All My Sons, Sense and Sensibility) designs costumes. Returning guest Audrey M. Brown
stage manages, and Resident Director Samantha Reading choreographs. Cast member Liz Filios designs
sound, composes, and directs music for the production, while resident artist Gina Pisasale serves as
Dramaturg.
CONNECT, ENGAGE, INTERACT AT PEOPLE’S LIGHT
Join the cast for AfterWORDS, an informal Q&A after Thursday evening performances on February 23
and March 2 and 9. We will host Tappan Wilder, Thornton Wilder’s nephew and literary executor of
the Wilder estate, as a special guest for the AfterWORDS on Thursday, March 2.
Scoop on Wednesdays: History, Context, and Gossip
Join us for a lively discussion before Wednesday 7:30pm performances. Resident Dramaturg Gina
Pisasale hosts musician, sound designer, and composer Liz Filios to get the inside scoop about the
rehearsal and production process, design choices, and the world of the play. The program begins at 6pm
in The Farmhouse Bistro on February 22 and March 8. Cost of $15 includes light fare. Call the Box Office
at 610.644.3500 to purchase.
People’s Light will present Open Caption performances of The Matchmaker March 8 at 2pm & 7:30pm
and March 12 at 2pm.
Enjoy a prix fixe Dinner and a Show package for $76 (Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday matinee, Sunday
evening) and $85 (Friday, Saturday evening, Sunday matinee) at The Farmhouse Bistro prior to the
Wednesday through Sunday evening performances. That's a savings of up to 15% off the single ticket
price. Call the Box Office at 610.644.3500.
Valentine’s Day
Treat your sweetheart to Valentine’s Day at The Farmhouse Bistro, February 11-18. Indulge in a
delectable three course prix-fixe dinner February 11, 12, & 14 for only $55 per person. À la carte
selections from the Valentine’s Day menu are available February 15-18. Add tickets to The Matchmaker
for an unforgettable evening!
Located next to the Bistro is a full service catering venue, The Farmhouse at People’s Light, perfect for
weddings, corporate events, and special celebrations. Contact the Sales Team at 610.647.1631 x156 or
[email protected].
Meet Your Theatre Match at The Matchmaker
Looking for the perfect theatre companion? Join fellow theater fans for a pre-show wine and cheese
reception at The Farmhouse on Saturday, March 4 at 7pm. Use promo code MATCH to purchase tickets
for this special event. Price is $35 and includes your theatre ticket. Find out more at peopleslight.org.
TICKET INFORMATION
The Matchmaker previews on Wednesday, February 15 at 7:30pm, Thursday, February 16 at 7:30pm,
and Friday, February 17 at 7:30pm. The play opens on Saturday, February 18 and runs through Sunday,
March 12.
Standard single tickets start at $38. For tickets, call the Box Office at 610.644.3500. Special discounts
are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase group tickets, call
610.647.1900 x111 or email [email protected].
Buy a package of 3 or more plays and get a second package free! Buy One, Get One packages are
available for the 2016-2017 season and start at $114. Productions include The Matchmaker (February
15-March 12, 2017), I and You (March 29-April 23, 2017), The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
(April 29-June 4, 2017), Project Dawn (June 7-July 9, 2017), and Moon Over Buffalo (July 19-August 13,
2017). Visit peopleslight.org or call 610.644.3500 to order.
Actors, prices, productions, performance dates and times are subject to change. Additional service
charges will apply. Contact the Box Office for more details.
ABOUT PEOPLE’S LIGHT
Now in its 42nd season, People’s Light, a professional, not-for-profit theatre in Chester County,
Pennsylvania, makes plays drawn from many sources to entertain, inspire, and engage our community.
We extend our mission of making and experiencing theatre through arts education programs that excite
curiosity about, and deepen understanding of, the world around us. These plays and programs bring
people together and provide opportunities for reflection, discovery, and celebration. Founded in 1974,
we produce eight to nine plays each season, in two black box theatres with 340 and 160 seats
respectively, mixing world premieres, contemporary plays, and fresh approaches to classic texts for our
7-Play, Spark, and Teen Series.
BIOS
Abigail Adams Director
Company Member since 1975. People’s Light: Artistic Director & CEO. During her 39-year association
with the Theatre, Abbey has directed more than sixty plays, including Auctioning the Ainsleys, How to
Write a New Book for the Bible, The Cherry Orchard, The Rainmaker, The Trip to Bountiful, Dividing the
Estate, Nathan the Wise, and In the Blood. Theatre Includes: Directed readings and workshops of new
plays for Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey, Circle Rep, New York Stage and Film, and the Public
Theatre. Teaching: Swarthmore College, New York University, Bryn Mawr College, Carnegie Mellon
University, and The Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario. Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters
from Ursinus College.
Tabitha Allen Minnie Fay
People’s Light: Sleeping Beauty, The Three Musketeers (The Later Years), and Cinderella. Theatre
Includes: The Taming of the Shrew (DSF), This is the Week That Is! (1812), Failure: A Love Story, Local
Girls (Azuka), Always Coming Soon: The Future (BRAT), and Vainglorious (Applied Mechanics).
Christopher R. Brown Barnaby Tucker
People’s Light: Richard III. Theatre Includes: Ensemble in Macbeth (dir: Kenneth Branagh), Romeo in
Romeo and Juliet (Occupy Verona), Othello in Othello (No Stone Theatre Company), and Flip in Uniform
Justice (dir: Chuk Obasi/Intersections International [Fringe Festival]). Film/Television Includes: Mysteries
of Laura (co-star), Zachary Romero. Training: BFA, NYU; Stella Adler Conservatory and Royal Academy of
Dramatic Arts. Website: Christopherr-brown.com.
Peter DeLaurier Rudolf
Company Member since 1981. People’s Light: Artistic Associate; recent productions include Richard III,
How to Write a New Book for the Bible, The Cherry Orchard, Ghosts, The Trip to Bountiful, The Winter’s
Tale, and Of Mice and Men. Also: Six Characters in Search of an Author, Man from Nebraska, King Lear,
Sherlock Holmes in two productions, Anne of Green Gables (which he also adapted), Holes, In the Blood,
Hard Times, A Christmas Carol (also adaptor), Romeo & Juliet (also director), Midsummer Night’s Dream,
Measure for Measure, Voir Dire, Abundance, Sister Carrie and Kabuki Achilles. Theatre Includes: Acted
and directed extensively with the Lantern Theater - An Iliad, Underneath the Lintel (twice), Skylight, QED
(twice), Uncle Vanya, Heroes, Emma and Train Driver, (Directed 36 Views, Sizwe Bansi..., The Island and
Vigil) and many other local theatres. Cofounded Delaware Theatre Company. Artistic Director of New
Stage Theater, Jackson, MS. Awards: Two Barrymore Awards and six nominations.
Liz Filios Musician/Composer/Music Director/Sound Designer
People’s Light: Arthur and the Tale of the Red Dragon, Cinderella, Noises Off. Theatre Includes: As You
Like It (Lantern Theater); Passion (Arden Theatre); Into The Woods (Theatre Horizon); Midsummer (Inis
Nua); Eurydice (Wilma Theater); Vincent In Brixton (Walnut Street Theatre); The Tempest (South Coast
Rep). Sound Design/Music Directing credits include: An Iliad (Lantern Theater); Hamlet (Pennsylvania
Shakespeare Festival, WillPower Tour); The Tempest (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). Liz has been
honored as a Barrymore Award winner, an Independence Fellow, and an F. Otto Haas Award winner.
Training: BFA in Musical Theatre, University of Michigan; Cudamani Summer Institute, Bali, Indonesia;
Canada’s National Voice Intensive, Vancouver, B.C.; Directing Apprentice, Cape Town Opera Company,
South Africa.
Melanye Finister Miss Flora Van Huysen
Company Member since 1991. People’s Light: All My Sons, Fences, The Winter’s Tale, Seven Guitars, The
Return of Don Quixote, Six Characters in Search of an Author, Something You Did, Fabulation, and The
Member of the Wedding. Theatre Includes: Wilma Theater, Arden Theatre Company, Flashpoint Theatre
Company, InterAct Theatre Company, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Venture Theatre, Temple Theaters
and Walnut Street Theatre. Training: BFA, Carnegie Mellon University. Melanye is a Teaching Artist and
resident company member at People’s Light and a board member at PlayPenn.
Melanie Hsu Musician
People’s Light debut. Theatre Includes: music for Redbone: A Biomythography by Mahogany L. Browne
(Poetic License Theater Festival), Going Down Mt. Moriah (FringeArts), Diecious (Source Festival).
Film/Television Includes: Music for Funny Bunny (Magic Owl @ SXSW), The Never Bell (Daggewood Films
@ BAM), Names of Women (The Collective Sex). Personal work: I Was a Phoenix (2016), Call Home the
Crow (2014), This Living Room (2011). Training: Wesleyan University, Music at Port Milford, Lincoln
Center Teaching Artist Development Lab. Website: www.melaniehsu.com.
James Ijames Ambrose Kemper
People’s Light: Gossamer, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Shipwrecked. Theatre Includes: Wilma
Theatre, Arden Theatre, Interact Theatre, Philadelphia Theater Company, Delaware Theatre Company
and Baltimore Center Stage. Training: BA from Morehouse College, MFA from Temple University. James
is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Villanova University. Website: www.jamesijames.com.
Mina Kawahara Ermengarde
People’s Light debut. Theatre Includes: A New Brain (Theatre Horizon); Twelfth Night, Godspell,
Sometimes in Prague (University of the Arts). Training: BFA in Musical Theatre, University of the Arts.
Teri Lamm Mrs. Molloy
Company Member since 2015. People’s Light: Cydney Malloy in The Harassment of Iris Malloy, Fanny
Dashwood/Charlotte Palmer in Sense and Sensibility, Annalee in Auctioning the Ainsleys, Varya in The
Cherry Orchard, Leah in Row After Row, Jessie Mae in The Trip to Bountiful, Caroline Bingley in Pride and
Prejudice. Theatre Includes: The Iceman Cometh (Broadway), Cyrano de Bergerac (Roundabout), Palace
of the End, Hannah and Martin, Habitat, Little Eyolf, Time and the Conways (Epic Theater Ensemble),
Midsummer, Equus, Flea in Her Ear, Devil’s Disciple (The Alley Theater), How I Learned to Drive (Dallas
Theater Center). Film/Television Includes: Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, Third Watch, Trifling With
Fate. Training: MFA, NYU.
Mark Lazar A Cabman
Company Member since 1998. People’s Light: Sense and Sensibility, The Cherry Orchard, The Rainmaker,
Master Builder, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Of Mice and Men, King Lear, The Foreigner, The Secret
of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily, and all the pantos. Theatre Includes:
North Carolina Shakespeare Festival (12 seasons; 10 Christmas Carols as Ebenezer Scrooge), Madison
Repertory Theatre (10 seasons; Founding Member), American Players Theatre, Milwaukee Rep and most
of Wisconsin’s other professional theatres. Also: Charlotte Rep, Festival Stage of Winston-Salem, New
American, Cider Mill and East Lynn. Film/Television Includes: Frame of Mind, Folkbooks (PBS Award),
Shake Rag Alley. Radio: Ebenezer Scrooge, Delaware Public Radio’s annual theatrical broadcast of A
Christmas Carol, 15 years Broadcaster (USA and International). National Tour: Charlotte’s Web. Training:
B.A. Theatre, Dean’s List, University of Wisconsin.
Brandon Meeks Cornelius Hackl
People’s Light debut. Theatre Includes: Hamlet, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Macbeth, Henry VIII, King
John, The Tempest, Shakespeare For Kids, Snow White, Romeo and Juliet, Comedy of Errors
(Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival); A Christmas Carol, The Winter’s Tale, Beautiful in the Extreme, The
Red Badge of Courage (Roxy Regional Theater). Film/Television Includes: Olives.
Stephen Novelli Joe Scanlon/August
Company Member since 1974. People’s Light: Artistic Associate; Co-Artistic Director 1993-1997;
Associate Artistic Director 1997-2009. Actor: Hamlet, Sister Carrie, The Playboy of the Western World,
Sacco and Vanzetti: A Vaudeville, A Christmas Carol, The Little Foxes, Julius Caesar, Six Characters in
Search of an Author, Legacy of Light, King Lear, The Masterbuilder, The Winter’s Tale, The Cherry
Orchard, How to Write a New Book for the Bible, and Richard III. Director: Dutchman, Glengarry Glen
Ross, Valley Song, Measure for Measure, Camping With Henry and Tom, Tuesdays with Morrie, The
Mystery of Sherlock Holmes. Theatre Includes: The Beaux Stratagem (Barter Theatre), Philadelphia, Here
I Come (Soho Rep), Rumors (Walnut St. Theatre), The Tempest (Arden Theatre), A Skull in Connemara
(Lantern Theatre), Eurydice and Angels in America (Wilma Theatre), Inherit The Wind (Bristol Riverside
Theatre).
Kathryn Petersen Mrs. Levi
Company Member since 1986. People’s Light: Most recently Ghosts. Theatre Includes: Kathryn has
appeared in over seventy productions regionally. As a playwright, Kathryn has written six of People’s
Light’s holiday pantos amongst the work that she has had produced and published. She is an Associate
Professor of Theater at Arcadia University, where she recently directed Picnic by William Inge.
Pete Pryor Malachi Stack
Associate Artistic Director and Company Member since 2010. People’s Light: Director: Sleeping Beauty,
The Three Musketeers (The Later Years), Stella and Lou, Arthur and the Tale of the Red Dragon*, Bach at
Leipzig, Cinderella, Aladdin*, Noises Off, Mr. Hart & Mr. Brown, Treasure Island (*co-author). Actor: The
Harassment of Iris Malloy, Richard III, The Three Musketeers (The Later Years), Biloxi Blues, The Cherry
Orchard, Pride and Prejudice, The Rainmaker, The Winter’s Tale, Of Mice and Men, Treasure Island, A
Wrinkle in Time. Pete has directed the last eight holiday pantos. His play Beautiful Boy was produced at
People’s Light in 2012. Theatre Includes: The Wilma, The Arden Theatre, Act II Playhouse, The
Philadelphia Theatre Co, Theatre Exile, Azuka, 1812 Productions, Montgomery Theatre, PA Shakespeare,
Delaware Theatre Co, Cape May Stage, The Boarshead, and Pittsburgh City Theatre. Co-founder and
former Producing Artistic Director of 1812 Productions. Resident artist/drama instructor at the Pathway
School since 2005. Pete is a Lunt-Fontanne fellow and Independence Fellowship Artist and winner of
four Barrymore Awards. Film/Television Includes: Limitless, Lebanon Pa, Cellar, Backwards, Mayor
Cupcake, Seduction of the Will, Hack, The In Crowd, NBFS, Surrender Dorothy.
Marcia Saunders Gertrude/The Cook
Company member since 1976. People’s Light: Over 85 productions including Mrs. Jennings in Sense and
Sensibility, Stella in Stella and Lou, Mrs. Bennet in Pride & Prejudice, Dotty in Noises Off, Nurse Ratched
in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Amanda in The Glass Menagerie, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth,
Skin of our Teeth, My Mother Said I Never Should, A Room Of One’s Own, Heartbreak House, Abelard &
Heloise, Toys in the Attic, Old Times, Memory of Water, Hard Times, The Stonehouse, Hamlet, The
Misanthrope, The Taming of the Shrew. Theatre Includes: Recently made her directorial debut at
Candlelight Theater in Delaware directing Steel Magnolias. Off Broadway: The Intelligent Design of Jenny
Chow (Atlantic Theatre Co.) Regional: The Wilma, Arden Theatre, Two River Theater, Quintessence
Theater. Playing Claire in A Delicate Balance garnered Marcia a Best Supporting Actress award and she
has received numerous Barrymore nominations including Best Actress for Stella and Lou and A Man
from Nebraska. Training: Graduate Program: LAMDA.
Graham Smith Horace Vandergelder
Company Member since 1999. People’s Light: A Single Shard, The Cherry Orchard, King Lear, Dividing the
Estate, The Rainmaker, Shipwrecked, Valley Song, A Delicate Balance, Camping with Henry and Tom, The
Miser, The Crucible, Twelfth Night, The Return of Don Quixote. Theatre Includes: Romeo and Juliet, The
Tempest, Oedipus, A Man for All Seasons (NC Shakespeare), As You Like It, The Tempest, Dracula,
Humanafest (Actors Theatre Louisville), Proof, Misanthrope, Angels in America, The Substance of Fire,
Dinner With Friends, (Charlotte Repertory), Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, Moonlight and Magnolias,
Red (Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach), Best of Enemies, The Seafarer, 12 Angry Men, Camping With
Henry and Tom, My Three Angels, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Florida Rep). Training: 13
tours with family vaudeville-magic show, Saucy Sorcery; BA, Davidson College; MFA, Hilberry Classic
Theatre.
QUICK FACTS
THE MATCHMAKER
Performances:
Wed, Feb 15
Thurs, Feb 16
Fri, Feb 17
Sat, Feb 18
Sun, Feb 19
Tues, Feb 21
Wed, Feb 22
Thurs, Feb 23
Fri, Feb 24
Sat, Feb 25
Sun, Feb 26
Wed, Mar 1
Thurs, Mar 2
Fri, Mar 3
Sat, Mar 4
Sun, Mar 5
Tues, Mar 7
Wed, Mar 8
Thurs, Mar 9
Fri, Mar 10
Sat, Mar 11
Sun, Mar 12
Previews (P)
Community Nights (C)
Opening Night (O)
Scoop (S)
Open Caption (OC)
AfterWORDS (AW)
Dates:
7:30 pm (P) (C)
7:30 pm (P) (C)
7:30 pm (P) (C)
8 pm (O)
2 & 7 pm
7:30 pm
7:30 pm (S)
7:30 pm (AW)
7:30 pm
2 & 8 pm
2 pm
2 pm
7:30 pm (AW)
7:30 pm
2 & 8 pm
2 & 7 pm
7:30 pm
2 (OC) & 7:30 (OC) (S)
7:30 pm (AW)
7:30 pm
8 pm
2 (OC) & 7pm
February 15 – March 12, 2017
Location: People’s Light
Leonard C. Haas Stage
39 Conestoga Road
Malvern, PA 19355
Tickets:
Standard single tickets start at $38. Discounts are available for groups of
10 or more. Community Night tickets are $28 for the 7:30 performances on
February 15, 16, and 17, 2017.
Actors, prices, productions, performance dates and times are
subject to change. Additional service charges will apply.
Contact the box office for more details.
Public Contact Information
Box Office:
610.644.3500
Groups:
610.647.1900 x111
The Farmhouse Bistro: 610.647.8060
CAST
Horace Vandergelder
Ambrose Kemper
Joe Scanlon/Other Waiter
Gertrude/The Cook
Cornelius Hackl
Ermengarde
Malachi Stack
Mrs. Levi
Barnaby Tucker
Mrs. Molloy
Minnie Fay
A Cabman
Rudolf
Miss Flora Van Huysen
Musician
Musician
Graham Smith*
James Ijames*
Stephen Novelli*
Marcia Saunders*
Brandon Meeks*
Mina Kawahara
Pete Pryor*
Kathryn Petersen*
Christopher R. Brown
Teri Lamm*
Tabitha Allen*
Mark Lazar*
Peter DeLaurier*
Melanye Finister*
Liz Filios*
Melanie Hsu
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director
Director of Design
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Lighting Designer
Composer, Music Director, Sound Designer
Choreographer
Dramaturg
Production Stage Manager
Line Producer
Abigail Adams
Charles T. Brastow*
Tony Straiges
Marla J. Jurglanis
Dennis Parichy
Liz Filios*
Samantha Reading
Gina Pisasale
Audrey M. Brown*
Zak Berkman
*Member, Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors & Stage Managers.