Download THE CID - The New Phoenix Theatre

Who’s Who in The Cast (cont.)
STACIE RIPPY (Chimena) For NPT: Mariane in Tartuffe; Arsinoé in The Misanthrope. She
was born in North Carolina, raised in North Hollywood and received her BA in philosophy from
Hollins University in Virginia. She just completed a long run in Theatre 40's production of The
Manor at Greystone Mansion. Her television work includes roles in “True Blood,” “Saving
Grace,” “Medium” and “The Class.”
TONI SAWYER (Elvira) For NPT: Panope in Phaedre. Regional theatre includes: Night
(A.C.T. San Francisco), The Nerd (La Mirada Theatre); Anatomy of A Murder (Mill Run
Playhouse, Chicago); She Stoops to Conquer, Oedipus Rex, Caucasian Chalk Circle (Marin
Theatre Company); Harvey (Welk Resort Theatre) and over 10 productions at The Colony
Theatre including Lady Markby in An Ideal Husband and Ida in Morning’s at Seven. Also at The
Colony, she originated the role of Jeannette in Could I Have This Dance?, for which she won a
Drama-Logue Award, and which the American Theatre Critics Association named “Best
Regional Play of 1991-92.” She repeated the role at the Village Theatre in NYC. On film, she
played Nicole Kidman’s mother in “My Life” and Laura Dern’s overly protective mother in Peter
Bogdanovich’s “Mask.” Television includes many guest starring roles and movies.
JIM SIERING (Don Diego) For NPT: Theramenes in Phaedre and the title role in Tartuffe. Jim
was Associate Artistic Director of Theatre Matrix in New York City where he produced
numerous plays and one-act festivals. As an actor, Jim has performed at the Los Angeles Theatre
Center, Lincoln Center and in several Obie Award-winning productions with Andre Serban’s
company at LaMama and Charles Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatrical Company, in addition to
numerous Equity Waiver and Off-Off-Broadway productions. Jim has worked extensively in
youth theatre education as a teacher, writer and director.
DRE SLAMAN (Leonora) For NPT: Aricia in Phaedre. Dré earned her MFA in Acting at
Northern Illinois University where she studied the Meisner Technique under master teacher
Kathryn Gately. She has also studied at the Moscow Art Theatre, the William Esper Acting
Studio in New York and received her BA in Theatre Arts at University of the Pacific. In LA, she
has been seen in the US premiere of The Arab-Israeli Cookbook, the Dreamhouse Ensemble’s
poduction of Everything in The Garden by Edward Albee, What the Rabbi Saw, and The Great
Nebula in Orion by Lanford Wilson. Some of her other credits include Jedlikova in David
Edgar’s Pentecost, Jeanie in Hair, and Zara in Congreve’s The Mourning Bride. Dré has most
recently been seen in NBC’s "Medium." She is the Artistic Director of Momentum Theatre
Group and is represented by Baier Kleinman International and Brick Entertainment.
www.dreslaman.com.
FRANK TOBIN (Producer/Director) Founder of The New Phoenix Theatre, produced the
American premiere of Robin Soans’ The Arab-Israeli Cookbook at The Met Theatre in 2005, the
off-Broadway production of John Byrne’s The Slab Boys, which Paramount Pictures later
transferred to Broadway and the world premiere of John PiRoman’s The Palace of Amateurs.
He was formerly general manager of The American Players Theatre in Wisconsin, producing
Shakespearean plays in rotating repertory, and general manager of The Berkshire Theatre
Festival in Massachusetts, which produced revivals of classic American plays and musicals,
including the first major US revival of Anyone Can Whistle starring Tony Award winner Mary
Louise Wilson. He is the co-author, with his sister, Margaret Tobin Heneghan, of the young
adult book When You See Water, Call It Water: The Queenmother Yaa Asantewaa Story
(Ethidolls: 2008).
Acknowledgements
Our deepest thanks to Dre Slaman and Momentum Theatre Group @ The Lex
The New Phoenix Theatre
Frank Tobin, Producer
2nd Season
presents
“A Work in Progress”
of their upcoming
American premiere of
THE CID
A tragic-comedy by Pierre Corneille
The legendary romance of Medieval Spain’s most valiant knight
The New Phoenix Theatre Company
William Bremer Carl Crudup Billy Mayo
Sean O’Neill Dominic Rains Stacie Rippy Louisa Rosager
Toni Sawyer James Siering Dre Slaman
Saturday, February 7th
Friday, February 13th
Saturday, February 14th
8 PM
The LEX Theatre
6760 Lexington Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
www.newphoenxitheatre-la.com
Cast Of Characters
King Ferdinand of Castile……………………………………..................Billy Mayo
The Infanta, his daughter, formerly betrothed to Rodrigo…....…Louisa Rosager
Count De Gormas, father of Chimena
and the King’s foremost warrior……………………………............…..Carl Crudup
Chim ena, daughter of the Count de Gormas,
and in love with Rodrigo…………………………………...............…… Stacie Rippy
Don Diego, father of Rodrigo, an old man who was
once the King’s foremost warrior……………………………................Jim Siering*
Rodrigo, Don Diego’s son, who becomes “El Cid”……….........……Sean O’Neill
Don Arias, a Castilian nobleman………………… ………......…....William Bremer
Don Sancho, a Castilian nobleman, suitor to Chimena……....…...Dominic Rains
Leonora, a lady in waiting to The Infanta…………………...........……Dre Slaman
Elvira, a lady in waiting to Chimena… …………………….........……Toni Sawyer*
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Locale
The scene of the play is Seville, Spain in the 11th Century in the court of King Ferdinand
and the palaces of Don Diego & Count de Gormas
Synopsis
The betrothal of Rodrigo and Chimena is disrupted after their father’s deadly quarrel
over an important position at the court of King Ferdinand. Meanwhile, Moors from
North Africa launch a surprise attack on the Kingdom of Castile
Music: Classical Spanish Guitar Folk Music performed by John Williams
Running Time 2:15 with one 15 minute intermission
Pierre Corneille (1606-1684) was a French tragedian who was one of the three great 17th
Century French dramatists, along with Moliere and Racine. He has been called “The Father
of French Tragedy” and produced plays for nearly forty years. Written when the playwright
was 30, The Cid was an overnight success but accusations of immorality were leveled at the
play in the form of a famous pamphlet campaign. These attacks were founded on the
classical theory that the theatre was a site of moral instruction. Cardinal Richelieu himself
ordered an analysis of The Cid.
Producer’s Notes
“For in that hope is grace…” – The Cid, Act 5, Scene 7. Pierre Corneille compresses his
action into what must be the most crowded 24 hours in the history of drama -- a betrothal,
a quarrel, a duel, a surprise attack and a reconciliation – all take place before we, the
audience have time to think – which to Corneille was exactly the point. The concept of love
in the world of Corneille involves the concept of “gloire,” one’s sense of personal integrity
– that if one fails to perform what the code of honor demands, one proves oneself unworthy
of perfect love…and therein lies our tale…
Staff for NPT
Producer………………………………………………………………...……..Frank Tobin
Lighting Design & Technical Coordinator………………………...………....Joey Welden
Librarian………………………………….......…………………..……….…….Paul Jones
Who’s Who in The Cast
WILLIAM BREMER (Don Arias) For NPT: Loyal in Tartuffe and The Second Gravedigger
and Osrick in Hamlet. Now primarily a writer, he is grateful for the opportunity to dust off his
acting chops for the classics. As an actor, Bremer studied with Wynn Handman of The American
Place Theater in New York and made his Broadway debut in Bubbling Brown Sugar. He also
toured the country with that show’s First National Touring Company. His film credits include
"The Census Taker," starring Garrett Morris and Timothy Bottoms. As a writer, he collaborated
with Rory Flynn on her recently published book, “The Baron of Mulholland: Errol Flynn’s
Daughter Remembers,” and is the lyricist/composer of Senior Prom, a rock ‘n’ roll musical set
in a high school senior prom in the early 1960’s to be directed by Tony Award-winning director
Jack Hofsiss.
CARL CRUDUP (Count de Gormas) Carl graduated from New York’s American Academy
of Dramatic Arts in 1972. He then landed his first film role in “The Gambler,” costarring James
Caan and Paul Sorvino. The following year, he made his Broadway debut in The First Breeze
of Summer with the Negro Ensemble Company. Some film credits include starring in “J.D’s
Revenge” and “The Monkey Hustle.” Carl has guest starred in over 40 episodic television series
and appeared in over 100 stage plays.
BILLY MAYO (King Ferdinand) For over 20 years, Billy has appeared on stage, television
and film in strong, aggressive protagonist roles. A three-time “Drama-Logue” recipient for his
performances in Fences, A Soldier’s Play” and Of Mice and Men, Billy has appeared in over 40
stage plays including The Piano Lesson and Othello among several Shakespearean dramas and
comedies. His television appearances include Anselmo The Protector on “Traveler,” a firebrand
coach on Disney’s “The Jersey,” and guest-starring roles on “24,” “Without A Trace,” “Grey’s
Anatomy” and “Desperate Housewives,” among many others. On the big screen, he has appeared
in “Air Force One,” “The Perfect Storm,” “Clockstoppers” and several independent films.
SEAN O’NEILL (Rodrigo) For NPT: Hippolytus in Phaedre, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet and
the title role in Hamlet. Most recently, Sean appeared in A Night Out at The Space and in a
reading of Dante’s Inferno. He just wrapped production on the independent film "Story of Your
Life." Sean received his BFA in Theatre from SUNY Purchase, where he appeared as Leontes
in A Winter's Tale, Rev. Shannon in The Night of the Iguana, Old Pat in The Hostage and in the
ensemble for Boy’s Life. Sean made his professional stage debut at age 8 when Bill Irwin
plucked him from the audience at the Doolittle Theatre, dressed him a gown and a funny hat,
gave him a sledge hammer and cast him as his beleaguered assistant in a commedia skit in Fool
Moon.
DOMINIC RAINS (Don Sancho) For NPT: Valere in Tartuffe; Oronte in The Misanthrope,
Francisco in Hamlet and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. Other stage roles include Ismail in Desert
Sun at The Lillian Theatre, David Moss in Glengarry Glenn Ross, and Benedict in Much Ado
About Nothing for the LA Shakespeare Company. Most recently, Dominic was a series regular
in "General Hospital Night Shift" and had a recurring role on both "General Hospital"
and “Cane.” He has guest starred on "NCIS," "E-Ring," "24," "LAX," "Everything I Know About
Men," "Related" and “Courting Alex.” His films include a starring role in "Flight 93" and
supporting roles in "Saving Jessica Lynch," "Sharp Shooter" and "Final Approach."
LOUISA ROSAGER (The Infanta) has acted for stage and film, actively produces for film and
television, has choreographed historical dances for the theatre and teaches dance and drama for
young adults. Classical theatre roles include: Bianca in Othello; Viola in Twelfth Night; Lady
Capulet in Romeo and Juliet; Nina in The Seagull; Masha in Three Sisters and Mariana and Juliet
in Measure for Measure, among many others. She recently completed a lead role in the feature
“Au Pair Kansas,” following leads in the films “Keeping Up Appearances,” “September 13 th,”
“Key West” and “No Way Back,” among others. Her extensive conservatory training includes
Shakespeare & Co., The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Lee Strasberg Institute and
Ivana Chubbuck Studio. Danish-born, she is fluent in 5 languages.