Download 2016 Digital Program for Comedy of Errors

Welcome!
Welcome to the second year of FREE Shakespeare in the Park,
brought to you by Southern Shakespeare! The SSC family has grown since
last year, which you can witness firsthand by the increased numbers of
bleary-eyed artists, staff, volunteers, and Board members. And the passion
for the success of the Festival extends into many corners of Tallahassee and
beyond. Our major partners have been with us throughout the year, and we
have to acknowledge how indebted we are to Cuneo Creative, Tallahassee
Democrat, Hopping, Green, & Sams, and both the City and County, with
extra kudos to the Tallahassee Parks and Recreation Department.
The Southern Shakespeare Festival is the culmination of an effort
happening thoughout the year in valuable, but less visible ways. We are so
proud that our educational outreach program has been in most of the high
schools, many of the middle schools, and several elementary schools
promoting the understanding and love of Shakespeare. Our educational
programming includes Southern Shakespeare Company’s junior company,
The Bardlings, who will be performing The Tempest as part of our pre-show
program on Sunday. We also have a pilot afterschool program with the
Walker-Ford Community Center, introducing youngsters to the joys of The
Bard. And, of course, we are so pleased about the triumphant return of
Sonnet Man to Tallahassee, his internationally recognized hip-hop versions
of Shakespeare’s sonnets were one of the treasures of the Festival last year.
This year, SSC expanded our season to include a touring production of
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), and touched lives
at the Monticello Opera House, Goodwood Museum, Westminster Oaks, and
the Dixie Theater. It was a zany way to accomplish our mission to make
Shakespeare more accessible to a wider range of people. And that’s why this
year’s production of The Comedy of Errors is set in a Midway Carnival in
the Midwest in the early 1950’s. So grab some cotton candy and crackerjacks
and enjoy the ride!
We thank you for coming out to join us and for your continued support as
we continue to expand our programming and educational outreach.
Laura W. Johnson
Executive Director
Lanny Thomas
Artistic Director
SouthernShakes.org
The Southern Shakespeare Festival presents
by William Shakespeare
Directed by
Lanny Thomas
Scenic Design
Ruben Arana
Music Director
Stephen Hodges
Costume Design
Michele Belson
Production Stage Manager
Rick Neves
Lighting
Todd Randall
Multimedia Producer
DunbarWalker
Productions
Sound Design
Travis Spencer
WITH
Melanie Mays
as Adriana
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KISS All The Lawyers
We’d like to send out a Kewpie doll to all the lawyers who contributed $100
to the Kiss the Lawyers campaign supporting our Festival. The quote from
Shakespeare’s King Henry VI talked about the beginning of the overthrow
of the monarchy. One of the rabble-rousers says,
“The first thing we do, let’s KILL all the lawyers.” At SSF’s carnival, we have
a special booth for this, and we’d much prefer the sentiment of “Let’s KISS
all the lawyers.”
Our KISSable Lawyers
Karen Asher-Cohen, Esq.
The Law Office of Linda A. Bailey, PA
Terri Ballard
Elise and Warren (“T-Bone”) Bloom
Jan Bush
Mary Clark
Robert Cohen
Heather J. Encinosa
Robert M. Ervin Jr., Ervin, Kitchen
& Ervin
Donna Feldman
Seann Frazier, Parker Hudson Rainer
& Dobbs, LLP
Stuart E. Goldberg
Harry Graham
Carol Gregg
Donald Hinkle
Stephen Hurm
Brent Johnson
Brittany Adams Long
Jessica Mahoney
Jessica G. McGrew, P.A.
Hon. R. Bruce McKibben
Nicole Nate
Twyla Sketchley, B. C. S.
William Tyler
Palmer Williams
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CAST
(in order of appearance)
Egeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JIM MCMURTRY
Solinus/Duke of Ephesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NATHAN WILLIAMSON
Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RUBEN LANE
Antipholus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JAKE ARMSTRONG
Dromio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JESSIE MUTZ
First Merchant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JONATHAN CLOW
Adriana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MELANIE MAYS*
Luciana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIANCA MONTAGUE
Angelo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ROB KIMBROUGH
Balthazar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ZAKIYA JAS
Nell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SIERRA SERVICE
Second Merchant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JOE FISHER
Courtesan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANITA MILLER
Dr. Pinch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHRIS HARTMAN
Abbess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BRENDA GIBBS
Messenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LAUREN ANTISTA
Unicyclist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MARK KOCH
Vertically Challenged Acrobat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BRADY KOCH
* The actor appears through the courtesy of Actor’s Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Crew
Assistant Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HEATHER SAMPSON
House Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JENNIFER KOCH
Set Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MARK KOCH, JONATHAN MOORE
Sound Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TRAVIS SPENCER, BRYCE PETERS
Light Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TODD RANDALL, KIM ROBERTSON
Follow Spot Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JONATHAN MOORE, KAITLIN EVANS, IAN PLOUFFE
Wardrobe Assistants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JOHN MCDONALD, KAREN MOORE, OLGA
Time and Place
Set in 1952 at a Carnival in the Midwestern U.S.
THERE WILL BE ONE 15-MINUTE INTERMISSION
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SSF Board & Staff
Executive Committee
Dean Minardi
Chairman
Coman Leonard
Treasurer
Jonathan Johnson
Secretary
Members at Large
Tim Center
Executive Director, Capital Area
Community Action Agency
Sheila Costigan
Executive Director, The Foundation
for Leon County Schools
Michael German
General Sales Manager, WTXL-TV
R.Jai Gillum
Executive Director, BEST Project,
United Way of the Big Bend
Ryan Grindler
Co-owner, 101 Restaurant Group
Lila Jaber
Attorney, Gunster Law Firm
Catherine Leonard
Membership & Accounting,
Mission San Luis
Marian Reid
Visual and Textile Artist
Mark Seidenfeld
Professor, Florida State University
School of Law
George Smith
Attorney, Bryant Miller & Oliver
Susan Stratton
Founder, Downtown Merchant and
Business Association
Becky Tolnay
Manager, North Highland
Staff
Laura W. Johnson
Executive Director
Lanny Thomas
Artistic Director
Phillip Croton
Director of Education Program-
ming
Bianca Montague
Director, The Bardlings
Festival Co-Chair
Gretchen Jones
Festival Co-Chair
Sierra Service
Director, Afterschool Programs
Tracey Dowling
Volunteer Co-Coordinator
Wendy Weiner
Forest Watson
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Cast Biographies
published poet/author, artist, championship rapier
fencer, magician, and all-around Adventurer.
Lauren Antista (MESSENGER) is ecstatic to be
making her Shakespeare debut in The Comedy of
Errors with such a talented cast and crew! She was last
seen in Theatre Tallahassee’s production of Murder on
the Nile as Jacqueline de Severac. Lauren has
appeared in a number of local theatre productions.
Some favorites include Spamalot (Ensemble), the
coffeehouse production, Dead Man’s Cell Phone
(Jean), The Secret Garden (Rose Lennox), Nine
(Renata), and Bedroom Farce (Suzannah). When she
is not on stage, Lauren works at FSU in marketing and
public relations, teaches yoga, and enjoys life. [Love
and thanks to friends and family for their love and
support!]
Brenda Gibbs (ABBESS) From church basement
performances to national award-wining productions,
and just about everything in between, Brenda has
enjoyed countless (and she hesitates to count)
theatrical adventures. Some of her favorite roles
include Elmire (Tartuffe), Hedy LaRue (How to
Succeed...), Belinda (Noises Off!), Julia (Lend Me a
Tenor), Lucille (Dearly Departed), Madame Arcati
(Blithe Spirit), Clairee (Steel Magnolias), Ethel Banks
(Barefoot in the Park), and most recently Miss ffoliotffoulkes (Murder on the Nile) and Chris Harper
(Calendar Girls) at Theatre Tallahassee. None of this
would have been possible without the constant
support, encouragement and PATIENCE of the light of
her life, Bob. You are my “ever fixed mark.”
Jake Armstrong (ANTIPHOLUS) is a Tallahassee
native who recently appeared in Southern
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The
Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).
He received his Bachelors of Music in Voice
Performance from FSU’s College of Music. During his
studies, he appeared in tenor roles with FSU Opera: Il
barbiere di Siviglia (Il conte Almaviva); The Rape of
Lucretia (Male Chorus); with Theatre a la Carte: A
Little Night Music (Fredrick) and The Light in the
Piazza, (Fabrizio). He has covered lead tenor roles in
productions of La Traviata (Lyric Opera Virginia),
Sweeney Todd (Wolf Trap Opera), and Fra Diavolo
(Bronx Opera) and he sang the role of the Celebrant
in Bernstein’s Mass at Ruby Diamond.
Chris Hartman (DR. PINCH) did his first
Shakespeare play when he was ten years old playing
Dromio in The Comedy of Errors. Later he graduated
FSU with a BA in humanities with an emphasis in
music. He teaches music lessons around town, does
guitar and vocals for the band Flasks of Whiskey, and
played percussion for Tallahassee Winds and for
Theater Tallahassee’s Cabaret and The Full Monty.
Chris joined SSC and appeared as The
Emperor in Bard Wars.
Zakiya Jas (BALTHAZAR) most recently portrayed
Calpurnia in To Kill A Mockingbird, last year’s SSC
production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Claire
in Theatre Tallahassee’s Proof. She has also performed
in The Canopy Roads Theater production of Raisin in
The Sun, as Ruth. She has appeared in numerous
productions in the southeast: Resurgens Theatre
Company’s production of Doctor Faustus and the
touring production of The Changeling, Theatre
Tallahassee’s Much Ado About Nothing, Don’t Dodge
The Opposum, Brooklyn, and Measure for Measure.
Zakiya is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s
theatre program, and can be seen in many
commercials and films.
Jonathan Clow (First Merchant) is a Masters
student in computer science, a mobile app dev, a
barista, and local actor. He has recently been seen at
Theatre Tallahassee in such roles as Alan in One Man,
Two Guvnors, Smith in Murder on the Nile, and
Clerval in Frankenstein. Jonathan also appeared as
Mr. Gilmer in Canopy Roads’ To Kill A Mockingbird.
He is thankful and excited to be working with Southern
Shakespeare and for the wonderful cast he has the
opportunity to work with to stage this fantastic show.
Joe Fisher (MERCHANT TWO) grew up in Aberdeen,
South Dakota. Suddenly, he moved to Florida and
worked at Disney. He then became a special effects
makeup artist. He is an active actor, starring in local
theater groups throughout Tallahassee, such as
Southern Shakespeare, Capital City Shakespeare, Irish
Repertory Theater, as well as a symphonic Cellist,
Rob Kimbrough (ANGELO) received his Masters in
English Literature at Florida State University and
teaches social studies at a local high school. He has
appeared in The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, The
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Cast Biographies
Merchant of Venice, and Hamlet with Capital City
Shakespeare and The Little Princess at Young Actors
Theater. He has been involved with the Southern
Shakespeare Company since their 2015 productions
of Bard Wars. Rob would like to thank his parents for
their continued love and support.
Jim McMurtry (EGEON) has been acting
unprofessionally for 50 years. He welcomes another
opportunity.
Anita Miller (COURTESAN) is a bilingual actress of
Colombian heritage who grew up in Panama, where
she was active in theater. She studied acting at
Northwestern University and appeared in The
Romancers (Sylvette) at the Victory Gardens Theater
in Chicago. She recently appeared in Calendar Girls
(Elaine) at Theatre Tallahassee, and was seen in
Prisoner of Second Avenue (Edna), Mousetrap
(Mollie), and Steel Magnolias (M’Lynn) at the
Monticello Opera House. She does commercials,
voiceovers, and translations and enjoys collaborating
on films with the students at the FSU College of
Motion Picture Arts.
Ruben Lane (OFFICER) is a Tallahassee native and
Comedy of Errors marks his return to his hometown,
as well as his return to scripted work for the first time
in eight years. He is a former student of the FSU
School of Theatre where he appeared in works such
as Uncle Vanya (Telegin), Never the Sinner (Robert
Crowe), Pterodactyls (Arthur Duncan), The Laramie
Project (Multiple), and Charlotte’s Web (Mr. Arable).
He toured regionally as a member of the improv troupe
Oncoming Traffic and was mostly recently seen on
stage this December in New Orleans as a member of
The New Movement, performing long-form improv
comedy.
Bianca Montague (LUCIANA) has primarily worked
backstage in recent years, serving as the director for
Southern Shakespeare Company’s junior company,
The Bardlings, assistant director for Capital City
Shakespeare, and teaching several classes at the
Young Actors Theatre. This is Bianca’s first time as a
cast member in an SSC mainstage show and she is
grateful and honored to have had the opportunity. She
would like to thank her director and cast mates, and
give her appreciation and love to Victor Paul and his
family.
Melanie Mays (ADRIANA) Hailing originally from
Kansas City, MO, Melanie is a professional actor,
singer, dancer, musician, and model. She has
performed in the biz for 38 years in theater,
commercials, print and runway and is a member of
AEA, AGVA, and SAG/AFTRA. Though still an actor at
heart, nowadays, she prefers to spend her time as the
producer, director, choreographer, music director and
sometimes writer of shows performed by the company
she founded, The Monticello Acting & Dance Co.
MadCo produces children’s theater and a Broadway
Musical Series annually at the Monticello Opera
House and other venues. Melanie has performed from
Las Vegas to New York City and remembers her days
as a gypsy, fondly. Favorite roles include Roxie Hart
in Chicago, Denise in Smoke on the Mountain, Lilli in
Swingtime Canteen, Zee James in Diamond Studs,
Sister Leo and Sister Robert Ann in Nunsense, and
Ziegfeld Girl in Will Rogers’ Follies. Melanie is a Board
Member of the Monticello Opera House, a past
President and grant writer for Jefferson Arts Gallery,
and runs MadCo Studio where she teaches dance,
voice, piano, acting and Pilates. Also an avid
crocheter, knitter and published designer, her newest
venture is a “ewe-nique” gift and yarn shop, Naked
Ewe Boutique, located at 260 N. Cherry Street, right
next door to MadCo Studios in Monticello, FL. Kisses
to Todd and the furry ones who make life merry.
Jessie Mutz (DROMIO) is a PhD student in ecology
and evolution at FSU. Before starting graduate school,
she spent several years in Chicago as a professional
actor and director, working with groups such as
Walkabout Theater, Adventure Stage Chicago,
Ghostlight Productions, 20’ Theatre Company, and Tall
Ship Adventures, as well as teaching and performing
regularly with The Unrehearsed Shakespeare
Company. Favorite roles include Pinocchio in
Geppetto, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar in
Julius Caesar), and stunt work for the film Heaven is
Hell. Most recently, she lent both her scientific and
storytelling chops to Tallahassee-based Ecomotion
Studios (www.ecomotionstudios.com) for the
Animated Foundations of Ecology educational video
series. Jessie is thrilled to be joining SSC to bring
Shakespeare to the park.
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Cast Biographies
Sierra Service (NELL) holds a B.S. in Theater
Education from FAMU and is in her fifth year teaching
drama at SAIL High School. Last year she assisted in
the SSF education program with The Bardling’s
production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and this
year with their production of The Tempest and in a new
education program, Shaking It Up!, bringing
Shakespeare to the Walker Ford Community Center
along with the help of her awesome Drama Club
students from SAIL High School!
Nathan Williamson (DUKE) is thrilled to take the
stage for a third time with the SSC. He has previously
been seen in productions of Hamlet, The Santaland
Diaries, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bard Wars,
Mary Poppins, and A Christmas Carol. Love and
thanks to everyone in this glorious cast and crew, but
especially to Claire and Grant.
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Creative Team
Ruben Arana (SCENIC DESIGNER) is a Tallahasseebased scenic designer who works in theatre, opera,
dance, and film. He designed last year’s SSC
production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well
as Twelfth Night and Bedroom Farce for Theatre
Tallahassee and The Shaughraun and Outside
Mullingar for Irish Repertory Theatre. Other credits
include productions at Coppin State University,
University at Albany, The State University of New York,
Pulse Ensemble Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre,
The Duke Theatre, Stageworks Theatre, and Reid
Temple Church. He is a faculty member at Florida
A&M University where he has designed Gem of the
Ocean, 5 Guys Named Mo, Black Nativity, The Color
Purple, Oedipus Rex, Smokey Joe’s Café, The
Mountaintop, The Exonerated, Since ’76, and The
Colored Museum. His goal is to take a holistic
approach to the personal and academic enrichment of
a new generation of students utilizing the principles
and processes of theatrical design.
Michele Belson (COSTUME DESIGNER) has been
part of the FSU School of Theatre Costume Shop since
2004. She designed last year’s A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, and built costumes and props for SSC’s
touring production of The Complete Works of William
Shakespeare (Abridged). For the Irish Repertory
Theater, she designed The Cripple of Inishmann and
Outside Mullingar. Additionally, she costumed Twelfth
Night and Much Ado About Nothing for Theatre
Tallahassee, The Changeling for Resurgence, and
Anne and Emmett and To Kill a Mockingbird for
Canopy Roads Theatre. Michele’s work also takes the
field at Doak Stadium on the Marching Chief’s Drum
Majors. Besides costuming, Michele is a hand weaver
and Master Dyer and writes regularly for handweaving
publications and teaches handweaving, dyeing,
patternmaking and construction at Fiber Arts
conferences across the country. Michele did her
undergraduate work at Kansas University and
Colorado State University.
Steve Hodges (MUSIC DIRECTOR) is a long-time
musician, occasional actor and writer, and a full-time
professional city planner. He has created soundscapes
for local theatre productions, including last year’s SSC
production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Red
Roses for Me, Da, Black Coffee, Witness for the
Prosecution, The Member of the Wedding, Cat On a
Hot Tin Roof, The Seafarer, Much Ado About Nothing,
Playboy of the Western World, The Irish
Curse, and The Shaughraun, and most recently,
Outside Mullingar. Stephen is also a board member
of Tallahassee’s Irish Repertory Theatre. Additionally,
he is a founding member of the Irish musical group
Sligo Line, played with the Ned Devines and several
other groups, and can be heard on stages around
Tallahassee.
Laura W. Johnson (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR) is a
professional actor who has served as Executive
Director of Southern Shakespeare since 2013. Her
professional theater productions include The
Changling (Beatrice-Joanna) and Doctor Faustus
(Mephistophilis) with the New American Shakespeare
Tavern, Irish Folk Tales (Irish Repertory Theater), and
the Southern Shakespeare Festival’s 2015 production
of A Midsummer Nights Dream (Helena). Laura
currently serves as an Executive Committee Board
member of The Irish Repertory Theater and previously
served on the Artistic Advisory Committee of Theatre
Tallahassee. She also co-wrote and directed a
successful one-act play performed at Florida High for
the Holocaust Education Resource Council, and is
highly visible in both television and commercial
programming, including working as the on-air host of
the Multi-state Powerball.
Mark Koch (MASTER CARPENTER) and his stepson
Jonathan Moore have helped build sets throughout
Tallahassee. Together they have built sets for Young
Actors Theatre (Cinderella, 42nd Street, and A
Christmas Carol), Theatre Tallahassee (A Few Good
Men), Lincoln High School (You’re a Good Man,
Charlie Brown and Avenue Q), New Stage
Theatreworks (Murder Ballad), and Montford Middle
School (Little Mermaid). After completing sets, Mark
and Jonathan can be often be found helping crew
backstage or running spotlights.
Rick Neves (STAGE MANAGER) has worked on the
tech side of the Tallahassee theatre scene for over ten
years in roles ranging from refreshment server to
director. He has stage managed over a dozen
productions for various local theatre companies. Last
year he stage managed the SSC’s inaugural
performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He is
honored to stage manage this year’s production of The
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Creative Team
Comedy of Errors. In between Shakespeare
productions, Rick has stage managed Outside
Mullingar for the Irish Repertory Theatre and Ann and
Emmett for the Canopy Roads Theatre Company.
Todd Randall (LIGHTING DIRECTOR) is currently
the production manager and lighting director for
Disson Sports and Entertainment’s Skating
Spectacular television series on ABC. Todd joined the
creative staff of Southern Shakespeare Company last
year as the Lighting Director for A Midsummer’s
Nights Dream and recently toured with their
production of The Complete Works of William
Shakespeare (Abridged). While based in NYC, Todd’s
theatrical credits include Production Stage Manager
for the AEA National Tour of The Pointer Sisters’ Ain’t
Misbehavin’, and was Production Manager for the
Martha Graham Dance Company. Earlier companies
include Stars on Ice, Twyla Tharp Dance Company, Les
Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, and Sankai Juku.
Todd attended North Carolina School of the Arts,
School of Design and Production, and resides in
Monticello, FL where he serves as Technical Advisor
for MadCo Productions.
Heather Sampson (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER)
is a local artist (artbyheatherblog.wordpress.com) and
budding theatre convert. She’s an all-around
Renaissance woman bringing her creativity, her skills
of organization, her attention to detail, and more to the
table as she explores the theatrical world and what
wonders it may hold for her. This is her first gig as an
Assistant Stage Manager. Her previous theatre
experience includes volunteering with The Bardlings’
fundraiser production and helping with set trim for One
Man, Two Guvnors at Theater Tallahassee.
Travis Spencer (SOUND DESIGNER) has been
instrumental in providing sound for both SSC’s A
Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Complete Works
of William Shakespeare (Abridged), and has worked
with the Monticello Acting and Dance Company in
such shows as The Sound of Music, Little Shop of
Horrors, The Fantasticks, and Cabaret. He also worked
with Curtains For A Cause in Forbidden Broadway and
Are We There Yet? Travis recently handled sound and
lighting production for Davis Gaines, and also runs
sound for local bands and venues in the Tallahassee
area. He and his wife Dee live in Tallahassee.
Lanny Thomas (DIRECTOR) is the Artistic Director
of SSC, and directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream and
touring production of The Complete Works of William
Shakespeare (Abridged) for the SSC. For the Irish
Repertory Theater, he directed The Shaughraun,
Playboy of the Western World, The Irish Curse, and
Irish Folktales, which he adapted for the stage. He was
also at the helm for Black Coffee, Witness for the
Prosecution, and co-directed The Boys Next Door with
Chuck Olsen at Theater Tallahassee. Lanny has an
MFA in Acting from the California Institute of the Arts,
and was most recently seen as Anthony in Outside
Mullingar.
Michael Walker (MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER) is the
President/CEO of DunbarWalker Productions LLC, and
has more than three decades of experience in theatre
and video production, including his work as a
broadcast journalist. His passion for live performance
has its roots in theatre. A product of New York City’s
High School for the Performing Arts and Syracuse
University, Michael began as an actor, before moving
away from being in front of an audience to working
behind the scenes. Michael was the Multimedia
Producer for last year’s SSC production of A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, and has collaborated with
Florida A&M University’s Essential Theatre, Jazz at
Lincoln Center Series, and The Irene C. Edmonds
Summer Youth Theater Camp, as well as working with
a wide range of Tallahassee area, state, and national
media clients, including the Leon County Sheriff’s
Office, Lively Technical Center, and the City of
Tallahassee.
Playbill / Program Sponsor
Full Service Commercial Printer
3044 West Tharpe Street • Tallahassee, FL 32303
(850) 222-4768
Signage Sponsor
1706 Capital Circle N.E., #1 • Tallahassee, FL 32308
(850) 422-1883
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Sonnet Man
We are very pleased to welcome back Devon
Glover, a.k.a. Sonnet Man, for a return
engagement at the Southern Shakespeare
Festival this year. Devon created quite a stir last
year with his Hip Hop Shakespeare Fusion style
of delivering The Bard’s sonnets. And because
of the buzz, he will doing a greatly expanded
program in Tallahassee in 2016.
Working with Word of South and a grant
from the Knight Community
Foundation, Devon will perform on April
10th during Word of South, he will have
an extended schedule of workshops and
school presentations during the week
leading up to the Southern Shakespeare
Festival, and then appear on both Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16 evenings
on the Cascades Park stage.
Sonnet Man has performed his unique blend of modern hip-hop with the beauty
of Shakespeare’s sonnets from Stratford-Upon-Avon to the Magic Castle in Los
Angeles. He has performed at the Hague in the Netherlands, in Prague in the
Czech Republic, Shakespeare Festivals in Canada, and classrooms in Wyoming.
He even appeared on the Today Show in January 2011.
His school performances will include Godby High School and
FAMU Development School. He will also appear at several other
places in an around Tallahassee but I don’t know where they will
be so I can’t tell you, someone else will have to take over from
here on out, as it might include the involvement of 50 Large
(whose logo we should put right about here!
Please join us in welcoming Sonnet Man back to Tallahassee.
He is a treasure worth savoring!
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Friends
Capital City Pedicabs
Carson Dennis
Proof Brewing
Theater With a Mission
Ziffer Stansberry Advertising
& Public Relation
Goodwood Museum & Garden
Society for Creative Anachronism
Westminster Oaks
Nita Davis, Lichgate
Dixie Theater
Earl Bacon
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Members
Rob Atkinson
Shawn Bayern
Ellen Berler
Bruce Campbell
Tim Center & Family
Chip Chalmers
Beverlee DeMello
Tracey Dowling
Charles Ehrhardt
R.Jai & Andrew Gillum
Kate Harrell
Don Hinkle
Laura Jernigan
Laura & Jonathan Johnson
Gretchen Jones
Jeffrey Kahn
David Kirby
Victor Klunk
Coman Leonard
Anna Logan
Pam & Steve Marlin
Dean Minardi
Morris & Anita Miller
Brian Newman
Tim Nickel
Stephanie O’Connor
Nancy & Mike O’Farrell
Chuck & Rosalyn Olsen
Susan Osteryoung
Doris Partridge
Clarence Payne
Sunny Phillips
Stephen Ray
Marian & Bob Reid
Christine & Dennis Reilly
William Reynolds
Alan & Jennifer Rosenzweig
Mark Seidenfeld
George Smith
Robert Smith
James L. Smith
Joanne Taylor
Koren Taylor
David Thomas
Becky Tolnay & Family
Meredith Trammell
John Van Gieson
Barry & Carol Weissberg
Lisa & David Whiting
Hannah & Samuel Wiseman
JoLen Wolf
Gary Yorden
Roy Young
SPECIAL THANKS to Jessica Brown, Mario Palmentieri, Tana McLane, Dr. Don Rapp,
Randi Atwood, Kati Schardl, Carson Dennis, Larry Schmidt, Jim Dowling III, Brett Sealy,
Byron & Angela Burroughs, Molly Hand, Gary Stillwell, Rosemary Rausch, Nancy Morgan,
Jennifer Humayan, JoAnn Bixler, Javier Betancourt, Dixie Partington
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The Bardlings
The Tempest
by William Shakespeare
Co-Directors
Bianca Montague Philip Croton
Prospero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JACOB MCCALL SMITH
Ariel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DIANA BUTSCH
Caliban. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JOSH WEINSTEIN
Miranda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MELANIE APPLEGATE
Ferdinand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DUNCAN WILEY
Alonso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REED WORRELL
Gonzalo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ARIEL GIOIA
Antonio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ARIANA WHITE
Sebastian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PERRY O’CONNOR
Trinculo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANNABELLE PEOPLES
Stephano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ZADI ALMOND
Iris/Nymph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LEXI O’CONNOR
Ceres/Nymph/Mariner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SKYLER FRAZIER
Juno/Mariner/Nymph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANSLEY WHITE
Adrian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ISAIAH RAMSEY
Francisco/Evil Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MARGOT ALMOND
Boatswain/Evil Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SARAH OWEN
Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LIAM BENNETT
Mariner/Evil Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NATHANIEL O’CONNOR
The Education Program would like to thank: Sierra Service, Tarri White,
Michele Belson, Stephen Hodges, Amanda Sieradzki and Heather Sampson.
21
Honoring the Memory of …
June Strauss
1930-2010
~ Served as president of the organizing board of the
Southern Shakespeare Festival (1995-1996)
~ Longtime champion for the arts in Tallahassee
June’s dream was to have an amphitheater and free,
professional Shakespearean theatre in downtown Tallahassee.
Thank you to those who have made that dream come true!
Remembering “Mama June”…
Ted Strauss
Jeannine Strauss McGinn
Catherine Strauss
Leslie Strauss Redding
Patrick Strauss
Julie Strauss Bettinger
and families
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Partners
We are indebted to all of our Partners, we couldn’t
have done it without them.
NEED MUSIC
MASTERS LOGO
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Our Sponsors
Midsummer Night’s Dreamers Sponsors
Dean Minardi
Laborer of Love Sponsors
Much Ado Sponsors
Broad and Cassell
Florida Lottery
GreenPoint Holdings
Sachs Media Group
Target Copy
StanTec Engineering
All is Well Sponsors
Wrathell Hunt &
Associates, LLC
Gem
Collection
Earl Bacon Insurance
Agency
Minstral Sponsors
Mark Seidenfeld
Karen & Carl (Cox) Dennis
Muse Sponsors
Rob Atkinson
Brian Newman
Marian & Bob Reid
George Smith
Groundlings Sponsors
Chip Chalmers
Bob O’Lary
David Thomas
Creative Sponsor
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JoLen Wolf
Roy Young
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