Download all the way the great society

In partnership with OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
presents
ALL THE WAY
&
THE GREAT SOCIETY
ROBERT SCHENKKAN
directed by BILL RAUCH
written by
NOV. 14, 2014–JAN. 4, 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A MESSAGE FROM BRADEN ABRAHAM...............................p. 1
ABOUT THE LBJ PLAYS..................................................... p. 2-5
ARTISTIC TEAM.................................................................. p. 6
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE.................................................p. 7
PRODUCTION BUDGET....................................................... p. 8
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.............................................p. 9
REACHING THE NEXT GENERATION................................. p. 10
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.........................................p. 11
PRESS AND ACCLAIM.......................................................p. 12
SEATTLE REP......................................................................p. 13
Scenes from OSF’s 2012 production
of All the Way: Left: Lyndon
Johnson cheers his supporters at the
Democratic Convention. Right: Rev.
Martin Luther King Jr. shares a story
with Rev. Ralph Abernathy.
A MESSAGE FROM BRADEN ABRAHAM
Once every decade a project comes along that offers a unique combination of fascinating
subject material, masterful storytelling, and, potentially, a once-in-a-lifetime theatre-going
experience for our audiences. This was the opportunity we seized upon when we decided
to partner with Oregon Shakespeare Festival to commission two plays about President
Lyndon B. Johnson written by Seattle playwright Robert Schenkkan.
I have admired Robert’s writing since I read The Kentucky Cycle 20 years ago, and I
couldn’t pass up a chance to collaborate with him on such an ambitious and far-reaching
project. Moreover, the plays are an absolute reflection of the Rep’s mission to create
new work that is written, directed, and performed by an enormously talented group of
Northwest artists, directed by OSF Artistic Director Bill Rauch.
Politics are inherently theatrical, and you won’t find a more towering and complex figure in American politics than LBJ.
My generation has never known an America without the legislative policies he put in place. He has been called many
things: a bully and a charmer, an intimidator and a Southern gentleman. The real tragedy of his presidency is that his
accomplishments—the passage of hundreds of bills to enact reform in civil and voting rights, poverty, and education—have
been overshadowed by the bitter failure of the Vietnam War.
Such a tragic hero is exactly what OSF was looking for when they announced their American Revolutions program. Over
the course of 10 years, they will commission nearly 40 new plays that focus on moments of change in United States history,
mirroring the scale of Shakespeare’s history plays. The partnership between our two great theatres expanded the LBJ project
and enabled us to bring Robert’s grand vision to life.
And what a life it’s had. The first play, All the Way, was a runaway hit at OSF, then moved to American Repertory Theater
starring Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Bryan Cranston as LBJ (“Breaking Bad”). In March 2014, All the
Way opened on Broadway with Cranston reprising the role, and the show went on to win the 2014 Tony Awards for Best
Play and Best Actor. The second play, The Great Society, will premiere at OSF in July 2014.
Seattle Rep is thrilled to present both parts in sequence in November/December 2014—the first theatre in the nation to do
so. A project of this scale is unprecedented for Seattle Rep in its artistic size: 18 actors, two original plays, and the potential
for city-wide community engagement. Coinciding with the 50th anniversaries of the Civil Rights Act and the War on Poverty,
along with two other Great Society achievements—the Voting Rights Act and Medicare—the plays wrestle with political
issues that still haunt us today.
I second Robert’s assertion that audiences are hungry for a project of this size and ambition. As you can imagine, this is a
colossal undertaking for our theatre, one that requires the kind of support that can only be gained through contributions from
people like you. We hope you’ll consider supporting this theatre history-in-the-making.
Best,
Braden Abraham, Acting Artistic Director
1
ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENT. BRILLIANT POLITICIAN. FLAWED HUMAN.
DISCOVER THE MAN YOU NEVER KNEW.
ALL THE WAY
written by Robert Schenkkan
directed by Bill Rauch
NOV. 14, 2014-JAN. 4, 2015
PREVIEWS: NOV. 14 -18, 2014 OPENS: NOV. 19
Accidental president. Brilliant politician. Flawed man. It’s 1963 and an assassin’s bullet catapults Lyndon Baines Johnson into
the presidency. A Shakespearean figure of towering ambition and appetite, the charismatic, conflicted Texan hurls himself into
Civil Rights legislation, throwing the country into turmoil. But in faraway Vietnam, a troublesome conflict looms. The Huffington
Post calls Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan’s dramatization of LBJ’s first year in office “a vivid profile of one
of the most complicated men to occupy the presidency.”
THE GREAT SOCIETY
written by Robert Schenkkan
directed by Bill Rauch
DEC. 5, 2014-JAN. 4, 2015
PREVIEWS: DEC. 5-9, 2014 OPENS: DEC. 10
The minute you gain power, you start to lose it. In his second term of office, LBJ struggles to fight a war on poverty as the war
in Vietnam spins out of control. Besieged by opponents, Johnson marshals all his political wiles to try to pass some of the most
important social programs in U.S. history. Commissioned by Seattle Rep, Robert Schenkkan’s The Great Society depicts the
larger-than-life politician’s tragic fall from grace, as his accomplishments—the passage of hundreds of bills to enact reform in
civil and voting rights, poverty, and education—are overshadowed by the bitter failure of the Vietnam War.
HISTORY OF THE LBJ PLAYS
2008-12
2013
2014-15
2
2008
JUNE 2012
JULY 2012
All the Way is commissioned by
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
for its American Revolutions: the
United States History Cycle
The Great Society is
commissioned by Seattle
Repertory Theatre
All the Way premieres at OSF
under the direction of Bill
Rauch and led by actor Jack
Willis as LBJ
JANUARY
APRIL
SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER
Seattle Rep presents readings
of All the Way and The Great
Society at the New Play Festival
Robert Schenkkan receives
Harold and Mimi Steinberg/
American Theatre Critics
Association New Play Award for
All the Way
All the Way plays at American
Repertory Theater, starring Bryan
Cranston (“Breaking Bad”) as LBJ
MARCH 2014
JULY–NOVEMBER 2014
NOVEMBER 2014–JANUARY 2015
All the Way opens at the Neil
Simon Theatre on Broadway,
starring Bryan Cranston as LBJ
The Great Society plays at
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
All the Way and The Great Society
play at Seattle Rep in sequence
ALL THE WAY
On November 22, 1963,
President John F. Kennedy is
assassinated in Dallas, and
Lyndon Baines Johnson becomes
president. With the country
still in shock, Johnson moves to
shore up confidence by vowing
to carry on the Kennedy legacy.
In an address to Congress, he
dedicates himself to the passage
of the Kennedy civil rights bill
that is languishing in Congress.
Liberal Democrats, like Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey,
are surprised: LBJ is best known as a consummate political
operator, certainly not an idealist. Is this move for real? LBJ
moves to reassure Humphrey, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and
other civil rights leaders like the NAACP’s Roy Wilkins that he is
serious about passing the bill.
Southern politicians, such as Sen. Richard Russell, Sen. James
Eastland and Rep. Howard Smith are also concerned. Their
Southern Caucus seeks to preserve segregation at all costs, and
they are startled that LBJ, a Texas native, has taken this stand.
Russell, LBJ’s mentor and close friend, seeks to reassure them
that the president is just appeasing the liberals but will gut the
bill, just like he did with the 1957 Civil Rights Act.
series of deft gambits, LBJ outmaneuvers them. At the same time,
King and other civil rights leaders are furious that voting rights
are not part of the bill and argue about what to do. Activists
like Bob Moses and Stokely Carmichael come up with the idea
of Freedom Summer; sending hundreds of white and Negro
volunteers to Mississippi to register voters. Wilkins fears a
bloodbath, but King supports the bold plan.
In the midst of the civil rights bill battle, LBJ also has to run
for election in November—only months away. Within the
Democratic Party primaries he faces a threat on the right from
George Wallace, the segregationist governor of Alabama.
Meanwhile, the murder of three civil rights workers in
Mississippi puts him in the difficult political position of alienating
Southern politicians and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover by
forcing an investigation. He must also deal with Hoover’s smear
campaign against King.
Ultimately, things come to a head during the Democratic
National Convention in August, when the Mississippi Freedom
Democratic Party seeks to seat Negro delegates as part of the
otherwise all-white Mississippi delegation.
As the election approaches, LBJ tries to steer a middle course
to get elected between achieving civil rights goals and holding
together the Democratic coalition.
What follows from January to July 1964 is an intrigue-filled
battle as LBJ attempts to pass the bill. Russell and Eastland,
who hold powerful committee chairmanships, try to stall it. In a
Content courtesy of Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
CREATIVE TEAM
Lyndon Baines Johnson
J. Edgar Hoover/Ensemble
Hubert Humphrey/Thurmond/Ensemble
McNamara/Eastland/Gov. Johnson/Ensemble
Wallace/Douglas/Reuther/Ensemble
Judge Smith/Dirksen/Sanders/DeLoach/Ensemble
Russell/Martin/ Ensemble
Jenkins/Colmer/Ensemble
Levinson/Trammel/E. King/Ensemble
Martin Luther King Jr./Ensemble
Abernathy/Butler/ Ensemble
Moses/Dennis/Ensemble
Roy Wilkins/Ensemble
Harrison/Carmichael/Chaney/Ensemble
Lady Bird/Graham/Ensemble
Lurleen Wallace/Secretary/Muriel Humphrey/Ensemble
Hamer/Coretta Scott King/Ensemble
Director: Bill Rauch
Scenic Designer: Christopher Acebo
Costume Designer: Deborah M. Dryden
Lighting Designer: David Weiner
Music/Sound: Paul James Prendergast
Projections: Shawn Sagady
Dramaturg: Tom Bryant
Voice and Text Director: Rebecca Clark Carey
3
THE GREAT SOCIETY
As 1966 dawns, the Vietnam War drags on. Casualties are
mounting with no sign of victory in sight. King has moved north
to Chicago to challenge housing discrimination there. Johnson is
trying to pass an open-housing bill to remedy discrimination, but
faces stiff resistance, particularly from Chicago Mayor Richard
Daley. After white residents attack peaceful black demonstrators,
riots erupt.
The civil unrest in the North increasingly swings American voters
to the right. In quick succession, Johnson is handed defeats on
his open-housing bill and in the midterm elections of 1966. A
divide begins to appear between King and the President. In
early 1967, the rising death toll in Vietnam sparks more antiwar
protests. Finally, King speaks out against the war, which creates
an irreversible rift between the two men.
President Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act into law in 1965 with Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. in attendance.
As 1965 dawns, President Lyndon B. Johnson launches the
Great Society, the most ambitious raft of social program bills
since the Great Depression. He also wants to pass a voting
rights bill, but is worried he will alienate Southern legislators.
Meanwhile, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., frustrated at the lack
of progress on voting rights, has mounted a voter registration
campaign in Selma, Alabama, which Sheriff Jim Clark brutally
thwarts. As Johnson attempts to juggle these issues, a crisis
develops in Vietnam: The Viet Cong attack a Marine support
base, and the President feels compelled to retaliate. Despite
Vice President Hubert Humphrey’s trepidations, Johnson
agrees to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara’s plan for a
bombing campaign and an increase in American troops to get
the North Vietnamese to negotiate.
On the economic front, the war has caused deficits and inflation
to mount. Johnson is forced to defend his social programs
against budget cuts by conservatives and his war policy from
attacks by the left. An atmosphere of paranoia envelops the
White House as Johnson increasingly suspects Robert Kennedy
of trying to undermine him. Finally, in early 1968, the President
is faced with a major North Vietnamese offensive and a neardefeat in the New Hampshire primary. He decides not to run for
another term.
THE GREAT SOCIETY LEGISLATION
On Jan. 4, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson, in his State of
the Union speech, announces a plan for the most sweeping
series of social programs since the Great Depression. He calls
this collection of programs “The Great Society.” In the two
weeks following the speech, he introduces bills that would fund
huge increases in support for health care, education and a
campaign he called “the war on poverty.”
King organizes a protest march from Selma to Montgomery.
After the marchers are brutally attacked by Sheriff Clark’s
troopers, Johnson tries to get Governor Wallace to protect them.
Wallace refuses. Furious, Johnson puts the Alabama National
Guard under federal control.
At the same time, he sends his voting rights bill to Congress.
Legislative victories follow as Congress passes bills on Medicare,
education, poverty programs, and finally, voting rights.
But ominous events cloud these bright achievements: Facing
instability in Vietnam, Johnson sends more American troops.
Despite greater numbers, they meet with little success. Then, one
week after the Voting Rights Act is signed, the Watts riots in Los
Angeles begin to stir up public opinion against civil rights.
4
President Johnson introduces his platform for the “Great Society” at the
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor’s commencement on May 22, 1964.
In a whirlwind of legislative activity, Johnson then manages to
pass 181 bills over the next two years, including:
• The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which
provided federal aid for materials and special education
programs for low-income children and also established Head
Start to give preschool education for poor children.
• The establishment of Medicare, which provided low-cost
hospitalization and medical insurance for Americans over 65.
• The Economic Opportunity Act of 1954, which provided
more funding for the Office of Economic Opportunity and
enhanced programs such as Job Corps, Volunteers in Service
to America (VISTA) and the Model Cities Program for urban
redevelopment.
Johnson took office until 1970, the portion of Americans living
below the poverty line dropped from 22.2 percent to 12.6
percent, and the percentage of African Americans below the
poverty line dropped from 55 percent in 1960 to 27 percent
in 1968.”
But a variety of factors undermined support for many of the
Great Society programs. The cost of the Vietnam War squeezed
funding for domestic programs, and the resulting rising inflation
and government spending deficits led to public support for
cutbacks. In the ensuing years, although Medicare remained
fully funded, the Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford administrations
dismantled the Office of Economic Opportunity. In 1981,
President Ronald Reagan further cut funding for many of these
programs.
Joseph Califano, former United States Secretary of Health,
Education and Welfare, said, “...from 1963 when Lyndon
Content courtesy of Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
CREATIVE TEAM
Lyndon Baines Johnson
J. Edgar Hoover/Cronkite/Ensemble
Hubert Humphrey/Ensemble
McNamara/Mills/Ensemble
Wallace/Nixon/Westmoreland
Dirksen/DeLoach/Ensemble
Russell/Smith/Ensemble
Trammell/Walinsky/Ensemble
Bobby Kennedy/Ackley/Ensemble
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Abernathy/Powell/Ensemble
Moses/Williams/Frye/Ensemble
Stokely/Carmichael/Ensemble
Lady Bird Johnson/Ensemble
Pat Nixon/Muriel Humphrey
Coretta Scott King/Ensemble
Director: Bill Rauch
Scenic Designer: Christopher Acebo
Costume Designer: Deborah M. Dryden
Lighting Designer: David Weiner
Composer/Sound Designer: Paul James Prendergast
Video/Projections Designer: Shawn Sagady
Dramaturg: Tom Bryant
Voice and Text Director: Rebecca Clark Carey
Fight Director: U. Jonathan Toppo
5
ARTISTIC TEAM
Robert Schenkkan is the author of 12 full-length plays, two full-length musicals, and a collection of short plays.
His work The Kentucky Cycle was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for a Tony, Drama
Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards. Schenkkan’s film and television work includes The Quiet American,
The Pacific (HBO), Crazy Horse (TNT), Spartacus (USA Network) and The Andromeda Strain. He is a two-time
Emmy-nominated writer/producer who makes his home in Seattle. His website is www.robertschenkkan.com.
ROBERT SCHENKKAN
Playwright
BILL RAUCH
Director
BRADEN ABRAHAM
Acting Artistic Director
6
Bill Rauch is the Artistic Director of Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Having spent 11 seasons as director, he
has directed three world premieres: Mr. Schenkkan’s All the Way and By the Waters of Babylon, and Bill
Cain’s Equivocation; and thirteen other plays including Medea/Macbeth/Cinderella, Measure for Measure,
The Pirates of Penzance, Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, The Music Man, Romeo and Juliet, The Two
Gentlemen of Verona, The Comedy of Errors, Hedda Gabler, and Handler. Among his initiatives at OSF,
Mr. Rauch committed to commissioning up to 37 new plays to dramatize moments of change in American
history. American Revolutions: the U.S. History Cycle is now in its fourth year of productions. Mr. Rauch is also
cofounder of Cornerstone Theater Company, where he directed more than 40 productions and served as its
artistic director from 1986 to 2006. He has directed a number of world premieres, including The Clean House
at Yale Repertory Theatre; Living Out and For Here or To Go? at the Mark Taper Forum; and My Wandering
Boy and The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler at South Coast Repertory. He also directed the New York
premiere of The Clean House at the Lincoln Center. Work elsewhere includes productions at South Coast
Repertory, Guthrie Theater, Arena Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, Great Lakes Theater
Festival and En Garde Arts. He is the recipient of numerous awards, and is a graduate of Harvard College.
A lifelong Washingtonian, Braden Abraham grew up in the San Juan Islands and received a B.A. in English
from Western Washington University. He has served on the artistic staff of Seattle Rep since 2003 and was
named Associate Artistic Director in 2008. Under Jerry Manning’s leadership, Abraham became an integral
part of the season planning team. He helped re-envision the New Play Program, starting the Writers Group
for local playwrights and bringing exciting new voices such as Samuel D. Hunter, Laura Schellhardt, and
Anna Ziegler to the Rep. He advocated for the adaptation of Kirsten Grind’s book The Lost Bank and a new
adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s The Enemy of the People, both of which are under development at the Rep. An
accomplished director, Abraham’s credits for the Rep include Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,
Samuel D. Hunter’s A Great Wilderness, Anna Ziegler’s Photograph 51, Tennessee Williams’ The Glass
Menagerie, Bruce Norris’ Clybourne Park, Michael Hollinger’s Opus, Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, Melissa James
Gibson’s This, Laura Schellhardt’s The K of D, an urban legend, Breakin’ Hearts and Takin’ Names by Kevin
Kling and Simone Perrin, and My Name is Rachel Corrie, adapted by Alan Rickman and Katherine Viner.
JOIN US FOR
ALL THE WAY AND THE GREAT SOCIETY
PROPOSED PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER 2014
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
November
2
3
9
4
10
16
11
17
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
23
1 p.m. (ATW)
24
1
5
6
7
8
12
13
14
15
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
21
10:30 a.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
22
1 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
27
28
Thanksgiving
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
29
1 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
18
19
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (ATW) 7:30 p.m. (ATW)
25
26
1 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
Saturday
30
1 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
20
Preview
Opening
DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015
Sunday
Monday
December 1
7
1 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
8
14
1 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
15
21
1 p.m. (TGS)
22
28
1 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
29
4
1 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
Tuesday
2
Wednesday
Saturday
6
11
12
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
13
1 p.m. (ATW)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
17
1 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
18
19
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
24
Christmas Eve
25
Christmas Day
26
30
31
January 1
2
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
New Years Eve
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
16
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
23
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
4
Friday
5
10:30 a.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
9
3
Thursday
10
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
Preview
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
20
1 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (ATW)
27
1 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
3
1 p.m. (TGS)
7:30 p.m. (TGS)
Opening
7
PRODUCTION BUDGET FOR
ALL THE WAY AND THE GREAT SOCIETY
EXPENSES
Production Artists
Actors, Stage Managers
Carpenters
Props
Paints
Costumes
Stage Crew & Wardrobe
Materials
Travel, Housing, Per Diem
Casting
Royalties
Contingency
Subtotal
Production Support, Marketing & Education
Artistic Administration
Marketing Materials/Advertising
Education/Community Outreach
Subtotal
Total Expenses
$
168,407
$
360,238
$
58,992
$
14,606
$
23,208
$
107,111
$
223,652
$
80,750
$
192,473
$
2,187
$
69,285
$
24,632
$ 1,325,541
$
$
$
138,481
75,728
189,000
$
403, 209
$1,728,750
INCOME
Earned
Projected Ticket Sales
Confirmed Ticket Sales (as of 9.9.14)
$ 430, 579
$ 798, 176
Projected Earned Income
Contributed Income
Projected Donations
Confirmed Donations (as of 9.9.14)
$ 197, 000
$ 303, 000
Projected Contributed Income
Total Income
8
$ 1,228,750
$
500,000
$1,728,750
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Seattle Rep is not just about producing great plays. We are constantly looking for opportunities to engage our
community as a source of creative thought and conversation. Our programming allows us to build local alliances and
partnerships, and bring theatre into the classroom and the lives of our future citizens.
With the LBJ plays, Seattle Rep will build upon its strong history of addressing themes presented in its work with thoughtful and welcoming
conversations both in and out of our theatre. All the Way and The Great Society offer history lessons on effective democracy, as well as
an entry point for modern audiences to reflect on the social and political issues confronting us today.
Our production coincides with the 50th anniversaries of four landmark legislations of the era—the Civil Rights Act, the War on Poverty, the
Voting Rights Act, and Medicare. Or to put it in broader strokes, LBJ’s presidency was indelibly marked by legislation for civil and voting
rights; domestic and foreign policy; and poverty and social justice. Viewed in that light, there is a plethora of opportunity for engaging
civic dialogue. Plans are underway for the following community events:
COMMUNITY PARTNER KICKOFF BREAKFAST: In July, potential community partners were invited to a breakfast to educate them about both
productions and the opportunities for community outreach activities. Guest speakers included SRT Acting Artistic Director Braden Abraham
and playwright Robert Schenkkan, who discussed the who, what and why of this project. SRT’s marketing team presented community
engagement activities and encouraged attendees to participate and to create their own public programs. As of October 2014, more than
fifteen community partnerships have been developed.
$5 TOTAL ACCESS TICKETS
All the Way, Tuesday, Nov. 18; 7:30 p.m.; The Great Society, Tuesday, Dec. 9; 7:30 p.m.
A limited number of $5 tickets were made available to community non-profit organizations for the above selected performances.
Organizations were also invited to be present on-site prior to the show to showcase their organization in the lobby.
EXPLORING LBJ’S LEGACY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST: In collaboration with Seattle Public Library and the Museum of History
and Industry, Seattle Repertory theatre will present a panel discussion exploring the legacy of LBJ’s policies in the Pacific Northwest
from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, November 6 at the Central Library, Microsoft Auditorium. Each panelist had direct ties to LBJ’s
administration, were prominent politicians in Washington state during the 1960s, or worked for LBJ’s longtime U.S. Senate friend and
collaborator, Warren G. Magnuson. Panelists include: Daniel J. Evans (former WA state governor); Gerald Grinstein (former CEO
of Delta Airlines and the Burlington Northern Railroad); Gary D. Gayton (attorney and a delegate to LBJ’s first White House Civil Rights
Conference); Stanley H. Barer (chairman emeritus of Saltchuk Resources and former administrative assistant to U.S. Sen. Warren G.
Magnuson); and Gerry Johnson (managing partner at Pacifica Law Group and former administrative assistant to U.S. Sen. Warren G.
Magnuson).
SPEAK UP!
Seattle Rep invites audiences to Speak Up! panel discussions featuring civic leaders, local academics and community members who will
discuss the themes of the play and how they are reflected in our lives today. Discussions are free and open to the public.
Saturdays following the 1 p.m. matinee: Nov. 22, 29; Dec. 13, 20, 27; and Jan. 3
Estimated start time: 4 p.m.
New community events are being added weekly. Find out more at seattlerep.org/lbjcommunity.
9
REACHING THE NEXT GENERATION
In an effort to reach as many students as possible and engage deeply with those who are willing, Seattle Rep has
developed three school-based initiatives around the LBJ plays:
REGIONAL ESSAY CONTEST
In conjunction with The Seattle Times and Newspapers in Education, Seattle Rep will reach more than 50,000 students and 1,000
educators in King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties. This multi-part series will focus on the history of LBJ’s presidency and to create links
between 1964 and now. A regional essay contest will focus on LBJ administration policies and legislation that directly affect students
today: “What does a great society look like for you?” “What is your generation going to fight for?” Ten finalists will be selected by a
panel of community leaders and invited to read their essays at a special event hosted by Seattle Rep. In addition, one essayist will be
awarded a $500 cash prize, and their work will be published in the Nov. 26, 2014 edition of The Seattle Times.
STUDENT MATINEES
All the Way student matinee: Friday, Nov. 21, 2014; 10:30 a.m. SOLD OUT!
The Great Society student matinee: Friday, Dec. 5, 2014; 10:30 a.m. SOLD OUT!
A perfect tie-in for American history classes. At Seattle Rep, we believe that the best way for students to fall in love with theatre is to see it.
And we do our best to make it easy and affordable. Discounted tickets are provided for student groups. We provide show-specific study
guides for every student, and we offer educators complimentary tickets to pre-screen performances. In-class workshops are also available.
TEEN SPEAK AT FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL
Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ; Leo K. Theatre
Each year we work with playwrights from local high schools to create world-premiere short works via our Speak programs. With Teen
Speak, Seattle Rep teaching artists will lead Franklin High School students in an exploration of civic and student rights, inspired by the LBJ
plays. Using theatre tools, they will create an original performance piece in response to the questions “What is the world I want to live in?
What is possible?” The residency will culminate with a live performance.
NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION
October - November
Seattle Rep is partnering with The Seattle Times and Newspapers in Education to develop a 10-part, in-print newspaper curriculum series
that connects contemporary social issues with American history lessons from the LBJ era.
Concurrently, we will launch The Great Society Essay Contest, open to all 11th and 12th grade Washington state high school
students. Designed to promote discussion on the legacy of LBJ’s legislation, the question posed is: “Do we live in a Great Society?” Cash
scholarship prizes are available.
COLLEGE CONNECTIONS
History Matters: Let Us Continue
All the Way, Saturday, Nov. 15; 5 p.m. in the Leo K. Theatre
Prior to seeing the evening performance of All the Way, join area college students for a pre-show panel discussion exploring the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 and its legacy in today’s society.
The Great Society, Saturday, Dec. 6; 5 p.m. in the PONCHO Forum
Join civil rights scholars, community members, and Seattle Rep artistic staff in a more intimate, dialogue-driven conversation about LBJ’s
vision of a Great Society and how it has shaped our community. Students will then attend the evening performance of The Great Society.
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ALL THE WAY/THE GREAT SOCIETY
SPONSORSHIP BENEFITS
$100,000+ (exclusive)
$10,000-$24,999
• RECOGNITION AS “TITLE SPONSOR”
–above the title of the production on the title page of the
program [listed first]
–in All the Way/The Great Society funders list in the program
and lobby display
–in Encore for SRT shows throughout the season
• Exclusive dinner with Playwright Robert Schenkkan, Director Bill
Rauch and Artistic Director Jerry Manning (date TBD dependent
upon artist availability)
• Final, published copies of both scripts signed by Robert
Schenkkan
• RECOGNITION AS “PRODUCING SUPPORT”
–on lower portion of the title page of the program
–in All the Way/The Great Society funders list in the program
and on lobby display
–in Encore for SRT shows throughout the season
• See it first! Invitation to join Seattle Rep executive leadership for
pre-show cocktail reception and experience these events outside
of Seattle in premier seats:
–All the Way (Neil Simon Theatre in NYC)
–The Great Society (Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland)
*Cost of airfare, accommodations and tickets not included
$50,000-$99,999
• RECOGNITION AS “PRODUCING SPONSOR”
–above the title of the production on the title page of the
program [founding producing sponsor credit]
–in All the Way/The Great Society funders list in the program
and on lobby display
–in Encore for SRT shows throughout the season
• Framed posters for both shows, autographed by Robert
Schenkkan
• Four (4) tickets to opening night of each show at the Seattle Rep
(prime location)
$25,000-$49,999
• RECOGNITION AS “PRODUCING PARTNER”
–above the title of the production on the title page of the
program [founding producing partner credit]
–in All the Way/The Great Society funders list in the program
and on lobby display
–in Encore for SRT shows throughout the season
• Thank you in pre-show announcement
• Invitation to exclusive Funders Supper on 11/10/14 with
Seattle Rep executive leadership and artistic staff
• Two (2) tickets to opening night of each show at the Seattle Rep
(prime location)
$5,000-$9,999
• RECOGNITION IN PRODUCTION SPECIFIC
DONOR LISTINGS
–in All the Way/The Great Society funders list in the program
and on lobby display
–in Encore for SRT shows throughout the season
• Exclusive “Backstage Pass” experience (Thursday or Saturday
evenings prior to performance; based on space availability): tour
the Rep and walk on stage!
• Access to premier seating at All the Way/The Great Society
performances at Seattle Rep (based on availability)
$3,000-$4,999
• RECOGNITION IN PRODUCTION SPECIFIC
DONOR LISTINGS
–in All the Way/The Great Society funders list in the program
and on lobby display
–in Encore for SRT shows throughout the season
• Invitation to special “Meet the Artists” reception following Stage
Voices on 12/12.
$1,000-$2,999
• RECOGNITION IN PRODUCTION SPECIFIC
DONOR LISTINGS
–in All the Way/The Great Society funders list in the program
and on lobby display
–in Encore for SRT shows throughout the season
• Access to Donor Lounge (Thursday and Saturday nights
throughout the run)
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IN THE PRESS
“The arc of The Great Society is Johnson’s attempt to implement the domestic programs that were so dear
to his heart while at the same time maintaining what he knew would be an unwinnable war in Southeast
Asia, which would, in effect, kill the programs that he loved. Whereas All the Way is drama, The Great
Society is tragedy. In classical terms, a tragic hero eventually has a moment of awareness.”
–Robert Schenkkan, playwright | The New York Observer (Feb. 6, 2014)
“I think audiences are hungry for a play of this size and ambition…there’s something about 20 bodies on
the stage wrestling in this muscular visceral way with the political issues that still haunt us.”
–Robert Schenkkan, playwright | The New York Times (Feb. 5, 2014)
Scene from OSF’s 2012 production of All the
Way: Lyndon Johnson makes his point with
Hubert Humphrey.
“I’m not a historian, and I’m not a documentarian. I’m a dramatist. I imagine things, and at times play
fast and loose with history. I’m telling a particular story from my own point of view. When you tell these
stories that have so many stakeholders involved, you’re never going to please everybody.”
–Robert Schenkkan, playwright | American Theatre Magazine, October 2013
“Robert (Schenkkan) so deeply taps into not only LBJ’s desire for power but his fear of humiliation and the man within the unbelievably
skilled politician and the bully. Everything that he was, Robert finds the humanity so actively. I think that’s what makes it Shakespearean.
The background is the historical sweep, but the character pulls you in.”
–Bill Rauch, director | The Austin Chronicle (Aug. 17, 2012)
PRIZES
2014 TONY AWARD WINNER | Best Play
The Best Drama League Winner | Best Play
New York Drama Critics’ Circle Winner | Best Play
57th Annual Drama Desk Award Winner | Best Play
Outer Critics Circle Winner | Best Play
ACCLAIM FOR ALL THE WAY
“A jaw-dropping political drama”
– Marilyn Stasio, Variety (Mar. 7, 2014)
“The conflict of a divided soul—personal, political and national—sears onstage in the sprawling, heady and thoroughly gripping drama All the Way.”
–Frank Rizzo, Variety (Sept. 23, 2013)
“With a cinematic sweep and an eye toward teasing out parallels to our current political gridlock, Schenkkan artfully traces the first year of LBJ’s presidency.”
–Thom Geier, Entertainment Weekly (Sept. 27, 2013)
Members of the SCLC, NAACP and SNCC share their views.
“Schenkkan has brought intense craft and discipline to All the Way, switching among a dozen or so major characters and many minor ones. He brings us a wide-focus chronology of a key story line sometimes
overlooked in the history of the 1960s, one that resonates with today’s Washington gridlock.”
–Joel Brown, Boston Globe (Sept. 20, 2013)
“In Mr. Schenkkan’s sharply outlined portrait, Johnson spouts down-home truths, Southern-fried parables and the occasional blue tale like
a geyser gushing oil in his native Texas.”
–Charles Isherwood, The New York Times (Sept. 25, 2013)
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SEATTLE REPERTORY THEATRE
Seattle Repertory Theatre was founded in 1963. One of America’s premier nonprofit resident theatres, Seattle Repertory Theatre has
achieved international renown for its consistently high production and artistic standards, and was awarded the 1990 Tony Award for
Outstanding Regional Theatre. With an emphasis on entertaining plays of true dramatic and literary worth, Seattle Rep produces a season
of plays along with educational programs, new play workshops and special presentations.
PHOTO CREDITS
Page 9: (l to r) Civil Rights march (1965), photo by Museum of History and Industry; LGBT Civil Rights activists protest in Washington on Oct. 11, 2009, photo by Brendan Smialowski.
Page 10: (l to r) Student Matinee Audience at Seattle Repertory Theatre; Participants of Y-WE Speak journal about their experiences (2014), photo by Hayley Shannon.
PRODUCTION SHOTS:
Table of Contents, Left: Jack Willis.
Table of Contents, Right: (l to r) Kenajuan Bentley and Tyrone Wilson.
Page 12, Top: Peter Frechette and Jack Willis with David Kelly and Daniel T. Parker.
Page 12, Bottom: Ensemble.
All photos by Jenny Graham, courtesy of Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
ARTIST HEADSHOTS:
Page 6: Photo of Bill Rauch by Jenny Graham.
Page 1 and 6: Photo of Braden Abraham by Bronwen Houck.
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Please contact Jamie Herlich, Director of Individual Gifts at 206-443-2532 or [email protected] for more information.