Download A note FROM HERSHEY FELDER

A note
FROM
HERSHEY FELDER
I remember, as a kid, learning Mozart’s well-known and beloved D Minor Piano Concerto.
To be a musician 200 years ago meant to be a musical inventor, an improviser. Today, we
emphasize perfection in recreation instead of creation. Still, a concerto in its original
format was a showpiece for the performer and, at the end of the first movement, the
performer was given the opportunity to extemporize on the composer’s themes in
the form of a “cadenza.” Given our traditions today, we generally perform well-known
cadenzas so, when I studied the Mozart, I played a Cadenza by Beethoven. I had the
sense that here I was, some 200 years later, playing a piece that Mozart had written, that
a young Beethoven had contributed to. That I got to be with both of them for however
long those bars lasted made me feel a true sense of continuum in art, in humanity; the
sense of passing down from one generation to the next. Now that I look back on what it
is I have been doing, and continue to do, I can see a sense of one generation giving to the
next. The continuum is something that means a great deal to me and is what the pieces
you will see here at The Pasadena Playhouse are about.
Fryderyk Chopin is perhaps the greatest composer for the piano. He changed our approach to the instrument, directing us to
play as if we are actually singing - as if the sound is coming from within. Leonard Bernstein was the consummate music teacher
- not only entertaining us, but linking us to our past; to the tradition of music - to the continuum to which he was desperate to
be a part. And of course, Lincoln will always stand for humanity the way no other figure in American history shall. Given that the
work about President Lincoln is the most recent, I’d like to share how it came to be.
In November of 2008, I was invited to visit several theatres in and around Louisville, Kentucky, that were interested in the kind
of musical work that I do. Given my interest in all things historical, I made my way to Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace and childhood
home in Hodgenville, not far from the theatres I was visiting.
To visit these historic places is to step back in time. Hodgenville is a quiet little town with its share of quaint Lincoln memorabilia.
The larger national memorial is nearby on what was Sinking Spring Farm, Lincoln’s actual birthplace. When Lincoln was just two½
years old, his family moved a few miles from Hodgenville to Knob Creek. The day I visited both these places, it was Thanksgiving
weekend and a first light snow had dusted the ground. The air was clean and crisp and the sky was a miraculous blue. I was the
only visitor that day and even the small state park cabin office was closed. I knew that Lincoln had said that his earliest memories
were of Knob Creek and I was very moved as I imagined what the great man’s young life might have been like.
Immediately upon returning home, I delved into learning whatever I could about him. At the time I had no musical or theatrical
plan; the studying was just for personal knowledge and for a sense of connecting with history. But then I came upon a Library
of Congress collection that included a printed copy of an address entitled “Lincoln’s Last Hours.” This speech was given in New
York in February 1909 on the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth by one Dr. Charles Augustus Leale. As I read Dr.
Leale’s story about his hand in keeping the President alive and comfortable for those last few hours of his life, between the tears,
the story’s musical embellishment suddenly began to take place in my mind.
Over the next two years, the musical storytelling developed into an orchestral work whereby the orchestra could provide so
much of the auditory picture painting. The piece did turn into a one-man play for actor and orchestra and I made a recording
of selections from the piece with members of the Chicago Symphony and Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestras. Then earlier this
season, I was in Chicago performing Maestro: The Art of Leonard Bernstein and was approached by someone connected to the
Chicago History Museum just blocks from the theatre. I was told that I had to come and visit the museum’s attic on a private
tour as they had some Lincoln memorabilia.
I am still processing what I saw there that day. In the attic, simply covered by a white sheet was the table upon which Lincoln
signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Nearby was Lincoln’s piano from the White House. And then there was a small table with
a few boxes on it. The curator who was hosting me started opening the boxes...first, keys to Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC
from the night of the assassination. Next a small box with a tuft of hair - the hair pulled from around the President’s wound. Then
the blood-stained sheet, upon which the President took his last breath. At the time, what I was seeing was too massive to have
the impact that the next days and months to follow would afford me. I had been writing about that day for two years. To then be
with that bed sheet - just there, in a box, no glass protection - with his hair, holding the little box in my hand...
Lincoln - An American Story is a musical and theatrical telling of a true tale about a 23-year old man who unexpectedly found
himself at the center of history, as a major part of events that would impact generations to come. The work takes place in Ford’s
Theatre where the events that changed the world took place; a theatre where I spent two seasons performing the works of
George Gershwin. I distinctly remember standing on the stage and from time to time glancing at the box where the President
would have been. The engraving of Washington that was there on the night of the assassination is still there. It all became very
real.
I welcome you to this world premiere, and thank you for sharing with me over all these years.
Sincerely,
Hershey Felder
PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P1
MONSIEUR CHOPINwho’s who
Sheldon Epps
Charles Dillingham
Artistic Director
Interim Executive Director
in association with Stephen Eich
presents
The Eighty Eight Entertainment, Samantha F. Voxakis, Matthew Marsden and Lee Kaufman
Production of
The Music of
Fryderyk Chopin
Book by
Hershey Felder
Scenic Design
Lighting Design
Yael Pardess
Richard Norwood
Costume Design
Theatr’ Hall, Paris
Original Sound Design
Projection Design
Production Manager/Technical Director
Assistant Lighting Design/Lighting Director
Benjamin Furiga
John Boesche
Matt Marsden
Margaret Hartmann
Production Stage Managers
Production Consultant
GiGi Garcia & Nate Genung
Jeffrey Kallberg, Ph.D.
Directed by
Joel Zwick
FEBRUARY 28 – MARCH 7
P2 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe HERSHEY FELDER
(Fryderyk Chopin/
Playwright) Broadway,
London’s West End:
George Gershwin Alone
(Helen Hayes Theatre,
Duchess Theatre).
Composers Sonata 1999-2012 (George
Gershwin Alone, Monsieur Chopin,
Beethoven, As I Knew Him, and Maestro:
The Art of Leonard Bernstein) at dozens of
theatres across the U.S. and around the
world. Command Performance of Monsieur
Chopin for the Polish Ambassador to the
U.S. Winner of 2007 Los Angeles Ovation
Awards, Best Musical and Best Actor for
George Gershwin Alone. Compositions
include Aliyah, Concerto for Piano and
Orchestra; Fairytale, a musical; Les Anges
de Paris, Suite for Violin and Piano; Song
Settings; Saltimbanques for Piano and
Orchestra; Etudes Thematiques for Piano;
LINCOLN: An American Story for actor and
orchestra. Worldwide live broadcasts,
George Gershwin Alone. As director, he will
premiere Mona Golabek in The Pianist of
Willesden Lane at the Geffen Playhouse in
April 2012. Mr. Felder has been a Scholar in
Residence at Harvard University’s
Department of Music and is married to Kim
Campbell, former Prime Minister of
Canada.
JOEL ZWICK (Director) Joel Zwick directed
My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the highestgrossing romantic comedy of all time. Mr.
Zwick is recognized as one of Hollywood’s
most prolific director of episodic television,
having the direction of 525 episodes to
his credit. These include having directed
21 pilots which have gone on to become
regular series. He directed the Broadway
production of George Gershwin Alone.
Previous New York productions have
included Dance With Me (Tony nomination),
Shenandoah (Broadway national tour),
Oklahoma (national tour) and Cold Storage
(American Place Theater). He directed
Esther (Promenade Theater, NY), Merry-GoRound (Chicago, Las Vegas), Last Chance
Saloon and Woycek (West End, London).
Mr. Zwick has taught drama at the Yale
School of Drama, Brooklyn College, Queens
College, Wheaton College, and USC. A
graduate (B.A., M.A.) of Brooklyn College,
he is currently directing “Shake It Up” for
the Disney Channel.
GIGI GARCIA (Production Stage Manager)
GiGi is one of the original stage managers
for George Gershwin Alone and has called
close to 800 performances for EightyEight LLC. For fourteen years, she has
been a resident artist at A Noise Within
Theatre. Other theatres include The
Old Globe, Geffen Playhouse, Laguna
Playhouse, Arizona Theatre Company,
Kennedy Center, The Hollywood Bowl,
Cleveland Play House, Cuillo Center, L.A.
Theatreworks, Tiffany Theatres, Occidental
Theatre Festival, Bottom’s Dream, Eclectic
Theatre Company, Virginia Ave. Project and
Scottsdale Conservatory Theatre. GiGi
currently leads the Drama Ministry for
Montrose Church where she has produced
and directed several plays and films.
NATE GENUNG (Production Stage
Manager) is grateful to have joined Hershey
and Company last year for productions
at The Old Globe, Asolo Rep and Royal
George Theatre. He is also glad to be
making his stage management debut at
the Pasadena Playhouse after seeing
productions here as a child. Mark Taper
Forum: Harps and Angels, The Subject Was
Roses, Pippin. Reprise: Cabaret; Kiss Me,
Kate; Gigi; How to Succeed... Other Los
Angeles: Equivocation (Geffen Playhouse),
Medea (UCLA Live), Ring of Fire (McCoy
Rigby), world premieres of Summer of Love,
Life Could Be a Dream, Norman’s Ark and
Dawn’s Light. BA in Theater and Economics
from Occidental College. Love you, M & M.
MATT MARSDEN (Production Manager/
Technical Director) Matt is Owner/
President of Resolution Productions and
has managed production teams for the
world premieres of Monsieur Chopin;
Beethoven, As I Knew Him, and Maestro.
While Production Manager at the Royal
George Chicago, Matt oversaw dozens of
productions. His career has also included
working for Olympic City at the 1996
Olympic Games. He worked to open
Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre (Water
Tower Place) and production-managed
their inaugural show The Full Monty and
then Mornings at Seven. He more recently
managed the Chicago productions of
Million Dollar Quartet, Don’t Dress For
Dinner, and White Noise co-produced by
Whoopi Goldberg. Thanks to all who make
show biz fun, but especially my fantastic
wife, Nettie.
SAMANTHA F. VOXAKIS (General Manager)
Samantha is a native of Baltimore MD
where she spent twelve memorable years
with the Baltimore Orioles. Sam now keeps
busy with the day-to-day operations of
Eighty-Eight LLC and with playing proud
den mother on the road. With special
thanks to her ever-supportive family, the
auxiliary, the Friends of the Pasadena
Playhouse, and Mr. Felder.
EIGHTY-EIGHT, LLC (Producer) EightyEight Entertainment was created in 2001
by Hershey Felder, and is devoted to
the creation of new works of musical
theatre. Current projects include the
new musical, LINCOLN: An American
Story, recorded with Chicago’s Ars
Viva Symphony conducted by Alan
Heatherington. Additional recordings
include Love Songs of the Yiddish Theatre,
Back from Broadway, George Gershwin
Alone, Monsieur Chopin and Beethoven, As
I Knew Him.
MARGARET HARTMANN (Assistant Lighting
Design) Margaret is a Chicago-based
lighting designer. A member of Plasticene
Theatre Company and Big Picture Group
Theatre Company, she has designed at the
Royal George Theatre, Provision Theatre
Company, Chicago Hip Hop Festival,
Bailiwick Theatre, and CIRCA Theatre
Company. She has also associate-designed
for Milwaukee Repertory and assisted
designers at The Goodman Theatre, Writers
Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre and
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Company. Currently part of the lighting team on “The
Rosie Show” on OWN, Margaret will soon
take part in the Court Theatre production
of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America:
Millennium Approaches.
YAEL PARDESS (Scenic Design) Yael first
collaborated with Hershey Felder on
George Gershwin Alone in Los Angeles,
followed by productions on Broadway,
London, and throughout the U.S. An
award-winning designer specializing in
multi-disciplinary visual development
of immersive live theatre shows, special
events, and multimedia projects, her work
has been seen on Broadway and many
major regional theatres. She has artdirected theatre shows with multiple stages
and sets, multimedia and special effects for
Movie Magic (in collaboration with Steven
Spielberg), for Universal Studios Japan; The
Star of Destiny at the Bob Bullock History
PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P3
MONSIEUR CHOPINwho’s who
Museum in Austin (Theo Award winning
production); Lincoln Eyes (Lincoln Library,
Springfield IL). For more information, visit
www.yaelpardessdesigns.com.
RICHARD NORWOOD (Lighting Design)
Richard was nominated for a 2007
Ovation Award for best lighting design:
Monsieur Chopin at The Geffen. Recent
designs include Beethoven, As I Knew
Him, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story for
Drury Lane Theatre (Oakbrook IL); Bronte
for Remy Bumppo, A Passage to India
for Vitalist Theatre, An Intimate Evening
with Lynda Carter for Apollo Theatre,
Chicago. Richard holds the position of
Performance Coordinator at the Museum
of Contemporary Art.
JOHN BOESCHE (Projection Design)
Broadway credits include The
Glass Menagerie and Beyond Glory
(Roundabout). Notable regional work
includes productions for Arizona Theatre
Company, Geffen Playhouse, Steppenwolf,
McCarter Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory
Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Seattle
Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare at the
Folger, South Coast Repertory, Theater on
the Square, and Lyric Opera of Chicago.
John received a Joseph Jefferson Special
Award for projection design in 2005.
LEE KAUFMAN (Associate Producer) Lee
Kaufman is a business entrepreneur with
an interest in classical music that extends
from Gregorian Chants in the Middle Ages
through to the modern composers. In the
St. Louis community college system, he
teaches a classical music listening course,
as well as one dealing with the role of
music in the movies. He also teaches at the
Chautauqua Institution in New York and
Washington University in St. Louis. STEPHEN EICH (Presenter) is a producer,
manager, teacher, and director with over 32
years of experience in both commercial and
non- profit professional theatre. From 1979
to 1995, he was the Managing Director of
Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company
where he produced over 125 productions
including the 1990 Tony Award-winning Best
Play, The Grapes of Wrath. While there he
oversaw the emergence of an internationally
recognized award-winning theater, built a
new $9.5 million home for the company and
secured the theater’s administrative future.
He produced Steve Martin’s award-winning
Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Steppenwolf
P4 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe before taking it to Los Angeles’ Westwood
Playhouse, then to New York, Chicago, San
Francisco and England. Mr. Eich was coproducer of Paul Simon’s Broadway musical
The Capeman, and produced two concerts
at Carnegie Hall in New York featuring the
national voices of Puerto Rico. From 20002008 Mr. Eich was the Managing Director
of The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. In
2009, he produced the world premiere of
Mark Roberts’ critically-acclaimed Rantoul
and Die at the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood
and in April 2011 co-produced the Chicago
premiere with American Blues Theater.
Mr. Eich received a Master of Fine Arts
degree in Directing from the University
of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science
in Theater Education from Illinois State
University.
SHELDON EPPS
(Artistic Director) has
been Artistic Director
of the renowned
Pasadena Playhouse
since 1997. Before
beginning his tenure
at The Playhouse he served as Associate
Artistic Director of the Old Globe
Theatre for four years. He was also a cofounder of the Off Broadway theatre,
The Production Company. Mr. Epps has
directed both plays and musicals at many
of the country’s major theatres including
the Roundabout, Manhattan Theatre Club,
the Guthrie, Playwrights Horizons, Seattle
Repertory Theatre, Arena Stage, and the
Goodman Theatre. He conceived the highly
acclaimed musicals Play On! and Blues In
the Night, which both received Tony Award
nominations. He directed productions
of both of those shows on Broadway, in
London, and at theatres throughout the
world. Mr. Epps also has had a busy career
as a television director helming episodes
of shows such as “Frasier,” “Friends,”
“Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Girlfriends”
and many others. For more than a decade,
he served as a member of the Executive
Board of the Society of Stage Directors and
Choreographers. Mr. Epps received the
James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award
for his efforts and accomplishments at The
Pasadena Playhouse. Under his leadership
The Playhouse has earned distinction for
productions of artistic excellence, critical
and box office success, and highly praised
theatrical diversity. Recently he Co-Directed
the Broadway production of Baby It’s
You!, which premiered at The Pasadena
Playhouse.
CHARLES DILLINGHAM
(Interim Executive
Director) brings
to The Pasadena
Playhouse over
forty years of senior
executive experience
in performing arts management as well
as teaching, executive coaching and
consulting. He has led some of the largest
performing arts institutions in the country
and partnered with several leading artistic
directors. At Center Theater Group he
supervised all development, marketing,
administrative and financial operations
for the company’s three theatres – the
Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre
and the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Prior to
CTG, he was CEO of the Entertainment
Corporation USA, presenting commercially
the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera, Kirov Ballet
and Opera and the Royal Ballet at the
Metropolitan Opera House and arranging
American tours. He was Executive Director
of American Ballet Theatre during Mikhail
Baryshnikov’s tenure as Artistic Director,
supervising ten television films, seventyfive new stage productions and tours to
Paris and Japan. He previously served
as Managing Director of the Brooklyn
Academy of Music (BAM) Theatre
Company and worked closely with
Artistic Director William Ball at American
Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. He
began his career at the Yale Repertory
Theatre and the Williamstown Theatre
Festival with their founders Robert Brustein
and Nikos Psacharopoulos. Mr. Dillingham
holds a BA from Yale and a MFA from
the Yale School of Drama. He resides in
Pasadena with his wife, Susan Clines, an
executive at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo
Association.
Sheldon Epps
Charles Dillingham
Artistic Director
Interim Executive Director
in association with Stephen Eich
presents
The Eighty Eight Entertainment, Samantha F. Voxakis and Matthew Marsden
Production of
Music & Lyrics by
Leonard Bernstein & Others
Book by
Hershey Felder
Scenic Design/Lighting Design/Projection Design
François-Pierre Couture
Projection Design
Sound Design
Andrew Wilder
Erik Carstensen
Production Manager/Technical Director
Assistant Lighting Design/Lighting Director
Matt Marsden
Production Stage Managers
Margaret Hartmann
Production Consultant
GiGi Garcia & Nate Genung
Jeffrey Kallberg, Ph.D.
Directed by
Joel Zwick
MARCH 10 - MARCH 18, 2012 This Play is presented by permission of The Leonard Bernstein Office, Inc. The name and likeness of Leonard Bernstein
are US-registered trademarks used under license from The Leonard Bernstein Office, Inc.
MUSICAL SELECTIONS
“Somewhere” (from West Side Story, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim); “Carried Away” (from On the Town; music by Leonard Bernstein,
book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, additional lyrics by Leonard Bernstein); Piano Sonata (music by Leonard Bernstein); Variations 1 and 9 from
Piano Variations (music by Aaron Copland); “A Little Bit in Love” (from Wonderful Town; music by Leonard Bernstein, book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph
Green); “I Hate Music” (music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein); Lamentations (from Symphony No. 1: Jeremiah, music by Leonard Bernstein); Greeting (from Arias and
Barcarolles, music by Leonard Bernstein); “Glitter and Be Gay” (from Candide, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Richard Wilbur); “Maria” (from West Side Story,
music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim). “A Little Bit in Love” is used by arrangement with Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. Variations 1 and 9 are used
by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc. on behalf of The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Inc., copyright owner. The remaining songs listed above are used by
arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., Sole Agent for Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company LLC, publisher.
PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P5
MAESTRO: THE ART OF LEONARD BERNSTEINwho’s who
MAESTRO: THE ART OF LEONARD BERNSTEINwho’s who
HERSHEY FELDER
(Leonard Bernstein/
Playwright)
Broadway, London’s
West End: George
Gershwin Alone (Helen
Hayes Theatre, Duchess
Theatre). Composers Sonata 1999-2012
(George Gershwin Alone, Monsieur Chopin,
Beethoven, As I Knew Him, and Maestro:
The Art of Leonard Bernstein) at dozens
of theatres across the U.S. and around the
world. Command Performance of Monsieur
Chopin for the Polish Ambassador to the
U.S. Winner of 2007 Los Angeles Ovation
Awards, Best Musical and Best Actor for
George Gershwin Alone. Compositions
include Aliyah, Concerto for Piano and
Orchestra; Fairytale, a musical; Les Anges
de Paris, Suite for Violin and Piano; Song
Settings; Saltimbanques for Piano and
Orchestra; Etudes Thematiques for Piano;
LINCOLN: An American Story for actor
and orchestra. Worldwide live broadcasts,
George Gershwin Alone. As director, he will
premiere Mona Golabek in The Pianist of
Willesden Lane at the Geffen Playhouse in
April 2012. Mr. Felder has been a Scholar
in Residence at Harvard University’s
Department of Music and is married to
Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of
Canada.
Beethoven, As I Knew Him (sound design),
A Catered Affair and Robin and the Seven
Hoods. Erik is a member of IATSE Local 122.
JOEL ZWICK (Director) Joel Zwick directed
My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the highestgrossing romantic comedy of all time. Mr.
Zwick is recognized as one of Hollywood’s
most prolific director of episodic television,
having the direction of 525 episodes to
his credit. These include having directed
21 pilots which have gone on to become
regular series. He directed the Broadway
production of George Gershwin Alone.
Previous New York productions have
included Dance With Me (Tony nomination),
Shenandoah (Broadway national tour),
Oklahoma (national tour) and Cold Storage
(American Place Theater). He directed
Esther (Promenade Theater, NY), Merry-GoRound (Chicago, Las Vegas), Last Chance
Saloon and Woycek (West End, London).
Mr. Zwick has taught drama at the Yale
School of Drama, Brooklyn College, Queens
College, Wheaton College, and USC. A
graduate (B.A., M.A.) of Brooklyn College,
he is currently directing “Shake It Up” for
the Disney Channel.
GIGI GARCIA (Production Stage Manager)
GiGi is one of the original stage managers
P6 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe for George Gershwin Alone and has called
close to 800 performances for EightyEight LLC. For fourteen years, she has
been a resident artist at A Noise Within
Theatre. Other theatres include The
Old Globe, Geffen Playhouse, Laguna
Playhouse, Arizona Theatre Company,
Kennedy Center, The Hollywood Bowl,
Cleveland Play House, Cuillo Center, L.A.
Theatreworks, Tiffany Theatres, Occidental
Theatre Festival, Bottom’s Dream, Eclectic
Theatre Company, Virginia Ave. Project and
Scottsdale Conservatory Theatre. GiGi
currently leads the Drama Ministry for
Montrose Church where she has produced
and directed several plays and films.
NATE GENUNG (Production Stage
Manager) is grateful to have joined Hershey
and Company last year for productions
at The Old Globe, Asolo Rep and Royal
George Theatre. He is also glad to be
making his stage management debut at
the Pasadena Playhouse after seeing
productions here as a child. Mark Taper
Forum: Harps and Angels, The Subject Was
Roses, Pippin. Reprise: Cabaret; Kiss Me,
Kate; Gigi; How to Succeed... Other Los
Angeles: Equivocation (Geffen Playhouse),
Medea (UCLA Live), Ring of Fire (McCoy
Rigby), world premieres of Summer of Love,
Life Could Be a Dream, Norman’s Ark and
Dawn’s Light. BA in Theater and Economics
from Occidental College. Love you, M & M.
MATT MARSDEN (Production Manager/
Technical Director) Matt is Owner/
President of Resolution Productions and
has managed production teams for the
world premieres of Monsieur Chopin;
Beethoven, As I Knew Him, and Maestro.
While Production Manager at the Royal
George Chicago, Matt oversaw dozens
of productions. His career has also
included working for Olympic City at the
1996 Olympic Games. He worked to open
Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre (Water
Tower Place) and production-managed
their inaugural show The Full Monty and
then Mornings at Seven. He more recently
managed the Chicago productions of
Million Dollar Quartet, Don’t Dress For
Dinner, and White Noise co-produced by
Whoopi Goldberg. Thanks to all who make
show biz fun, but especially my fantastic
wife, Nettie.
SAMANTHA F. VOXAKIS (General Manager)
Samantha is a native of Baltimore MD
where she spent twelve memorable years
with the Baltimore Orioles. Sam now keeps
busy with the day-to-day operations of
Eighty-Eight LLC and with playing proud
den mother on the road. With special
thanks to her ever-supportive family, the
auxiliary, the Friends of the Pasadena
Playhouse, and Mr. Felder.
EIGHTY-EIGHT, LLC (Producer) EightyEight Entertainment was created in 2001
by Hershey Felder, and is devoted to
the creation of new works of musical
theatre. Current projects include the
new musical, LINCOLN: An American
Story, recorded with Chicago’s Ars
Viva Symphony conducted by Alan
Heatherington. Additional recordings
include Love Songs of the Yiddish Theatre,
Back from Broadway, George Gershwin
Alone, Monsieur Chopin and Beethoven, As
I Knew Him.
MARGARET HARTMANN (Assistant Lighting
Design) Margaret is a Chicago-based
lighting designer. A member of Plasticene
Theatre Company and Big Picture Group
Theatre Company, she has designed at the
Royal George Theatre, Provision Theatre
Company, Chicago Hip Hop Festival,
Bailiwick Theatre, and CIRCA Theatre
Company. She has also associate-designed
for Milwaukee Repertory and assisted
designers at The Goodman Theatre, Writers
Theatre, Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre and
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Company. Currently part of the lighting team on “The
Rosie Show” on OWN, Margaret will soon
take part in the Court Theatre production
of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America:
Millennium Approaches.
ANDREW WILDER (Projection Co-Design)
Andrew’s experience in lighting design, web
design, and photography have led him to
the world of projection design, and he is
thrilled to be working with the Eighty-Eight
Entertainment team once again. Andrew
designs websites and consults on internet
strategy at BlogTutor.com and writes about
being a “healthy foodie” at EatingRules.com.
ERIK CARSTENSEN (Sound Design) Master
Sound Technician at the Old Globe since
1997. Production Engineer on over 60
productions at the Globe, including Floyd
Collins, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole
Christmas!, The Full Monty, Dirty Blonde,
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Chita Rivera-A
Dancers Life, Hershey Felder’s George
Gershwin Alone, Monsieur Chopin,
FRANÇOIS-PIERRE COUTURE (Scenic/
Lighting/Projection Design) FrançoisPierre moved from Montréal to UCLA to
complete his Masters degree in scenic and
lighting design in 2006. He then designed
the scenery and lighting for the critically
acclaimed production of Love’s Labour’s
Lost at the Actors’ Gang Theatre. He was
nominated for an Ovation Award for his
scenic design of A Picasso at Los Angeles’
Geffen Playhouse, received the 2010 Los
Angeles Drama Critics Circle for sustained
achievement is set design; received a
Garland Award for the scenery of The
Quality of Life (Geffen Playhouse), and
was nominated for best scenic design for
Stranger at the 2010 LA Weekly Awards.
For complete information, visit fpcouture.
com.
STEPHEN EICH (Presenter) is a producer,
manager, teacher, and director with over 32
years of experience in both commercial and
non- profit professional theatre. From 1979
to 1995, he was the Managing Director of
Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company
where he produced over 125 productions
including the 1990 Tony Award-winning Best
Play, The Grapes of Wrath. While there he
oversaw the emergence of an internationally
recognized award-winning theater, built a
new $9.5 million home for the company and
secured the theater’s administrative future.
He produced Steve Martin’s award-winning
Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Steppenwolf
before taking it to Los Angeles’ Westwood
Playhouse, then to New York, Chicago, San
Francisco and England. Mr. Eich was coproducer of Paul Simon’s Broadway musical
The Capeman, and produced two concerts
at Carnegie Hall in New York featuring the
national voices of Puerto Rico. From 20002008 Mr. Eich was the Managing Director
of The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. In
2009, he produced the world premiere of
Mark Roberts’ critically-acclaimed Rantoul
and Die at the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood
and in April 2011 co-produced the Chicago
premiere with American Blues Theater.
Mr. Eich received a Master of Fine Arts
degree in Directing from the University
of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science
in Theater Education from Illinois State
University.
SHELDON EPPS (Artistic Director) has been
Artistic Director of the renowned Pasadena
Playhouse since 1997.
Before beginning
his tenure at The
Playhouse he served
as Associate Artistic
Director of the Old
Globe Theatre for four
years. He was also a cofounder of the Off Broadway theatre,
The Production Company. Mr. Epps has
directed both plays and musicals at many
of the country’s major theatres including
the Roundabout, Manhattan Theatre Club,
the Guthrie, Playwrights Horizons, Seattle
Repertory Theatre, Arena Stage, and the
Goodman Theatre. He conceived the highly
acclaimed musicals Play On! and Blues In
the Night, which both received Tony Award
nominations. He directed productions
of both of those shows on Broadway, in
London, and at theatres throughout the
world. Mr. Epps also has had a busy career
as a television director helming episodes
of shows such as “Frasier,” “Friends,”
“Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Girlfriends”
and many others. For more than a decade,
he served as a member of the Executive
Board of the Society of Stage Directors and
Choreographers. Mr. Epps received the
James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award
for his efforts and accomplishments at The
Pasadena Playhouse. Under his leadership
The Playhouse has earned distinction for
productions of artistic excellence, critical
and box office success, and highly praised
theatrical diversity. Recently he Co-Directed
the Broadway production of Baby It’s
You!, which premiered at The Pasadena
Playhouse.
and Opera and the Royal Ballet at the
Metropolitan Opera House and arranging
American tours. He was Executive Director
of American Ballet Theatre during Mikhail
Baryshnikov’s tenure as Artistic Director,
supervising ten television films, seventyfive new stage productions and tours to
Paris and Japan. He previously served
as Managing Director of the Brooklyn
Academy of Music (BAM) Theatre
Company and worked closely with
Artistic Director William Ball at American
Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. He
began his career at the Yale Repertory
Theatre and the Williamstown Theatre
Festival with their founders Robert Brustein
and Nikos Psacharopoulos. Mr. Dillingham
holds a BA from Yale and a MFA from
the Yale School of Drama. He resides in
Pasadena with his wife, Susan Clines, an
executive at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo
Association.
CHARLES DILLINGHAM
(Interim Executive
Director) brings
to The Pasadena
Playhouse over
forty years of senior
executive experience
in performing arts management as well
as teaching, executive coaching and
consulting. He has led some of the largest
performing arts institutions in the country
and partnered with several leading artistic
directors. At Center Theater Group he
supervised all development, marketing,
administrative and financial operations
for the company’s three theatres – the
Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre
and the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Prior to
CTG, he was CEO of the Entertainment
Corporation USA, presenting commercially
the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera, Kirov Ballet
PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P7
LINCOLN: AN AMERICAN STORYwho’s who
Sheldon Epps
Charles Dillingham
Artistic Director
Interim Executive Director
in association with Stephen Eich
presents
The Eighty Eight Entertainment and Samantha F. Voxakis
Production of
Written, Composed & Arranged by
Hershey Felder
based on traditional American folk songs and poetry by
Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Foster, John Howard Payne, and Henry Bishop
Lighting Design
Scenic Design
David Buess & Trevor Hay
Chris Rynne
Costume Design
Sound Design
Erik Carstensen
Projection Design
Abigail Caywood
Greg Sowizdrzal & Andrew Wilder
Scenic Construction
Special Effects
Production Associate
Production Manager
Technical Director
Production Stage Manager
Christian Thorsen
Trevor Hay
Pat Cain
Matt Marsden
Judith Caywood Nate Genung
Dramaturges
Cynthia Caywood, Ph.D.
David Hay, Ph.D.
Orchestra Conducted by
Alan Heatherington
Directed by
Joel Zwick
MARCH 27 - APRIL 7, 2012 OPENING NIGHT - MARCH 28, 2012 P8 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe HERSHEY FELDER (Dr.
Charles Augustus Leale/
Playwright/Composer)
Broadway, London’s
West End: George
Gershwin Alone (Helen
Hayes Theatre, Duchess
Theatre). Composers Sonata 1999-2012
(George Gershwin Alone, Monsieur Chopin,
Beethoven, As I Knew Him, and Maestro:
The Art of Leonard Bernstein) at dozens
of theatres across the U.S. and around the
world. Command Performance of Monsieur
Chopin for the Polish Ambassador to the
U.S. Winner of 2007 Los Angeles Ovation
Awards, Best Musical and Best Actor for
George Gershwin Alone. Compositions
include Aliyah, Concerto for Piano and
Orchestra; Fairytale, a musical; Les Anges
de Paris, Suite for Violin and Piano; Song
Settings; Saltimbanques for Piano and
Orchestra; Etudes Thematiques for Piano;
LINCOLN: An American Story for actor
and orchestra. Worldwide live broadcasts,
George Gershwin Alone. As director, he will
premiere Mona Golabek in The Pianist of
Willesden Lane at the Geffen Playhouse in
April 2012. Mr. Felder has been a Scholar
in Residence at Harvard University’s
Department of Music and is married to
Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of
Canada.
JOEL ZWICK (Director) Joel Zwick directed
My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the highestgrossing romantic comedy of all time. Mr.
Zwick is recognized as one of Hollywood’s
most prolific director of episodic television,
having the direction of 525 episodes to
his credit. These include having directed
21 pilots which have gone on to become
regular series. He directed the Broadway
production of George Gershwin Alone.
Previous New York productions have
included Dance With Me (Tony nomination),
Shenandoah (Broadway national tour),
Oklahoma (national tour) and Cold Storage
(American Place Theater). He directed
Esther (Promenade Theater, NY), Merry-GoRound (Chicago, Las Vegas), Last Chance
Saloon and Woycek (West End, London).
Mr. Zwick has taught drama at the Yale
School of Drama, Brooklyn College, Queens
College, Wheaton College, and USC. A
graduate (B.A., M.A.) of Brooklyn College,
he is currently directing “Shake It Up” for
the Disney Channel.
ALAN HEATHERINGTON (Conductor) is a
native of Buffalo, NY and has built his
career in the Chicago Metropolitan area
as a choral and orchestral conductor, a
violinist/concertmaster and an educator.
He has a Master’s degree in violin
performance from Northwestern University.
So distinguished are his accomplishments
that the “Chicago Tribune” named him a
‘Chicagoan of the Year’ in 2004. The Illinois
Council of Orchestras awarded him the
title of Conductor of the Year for 2005. In
2010 he received the Cultural Leadership
Award, the highest honor bestowed
by the Illinois Council of Orchestras.
Maestro Heatherington is the founding
Music Director of the Ars Viva Symphony
Orchestra (1995-present), a Chicago-based
chamber orchestra with its core players
hand-picked from the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra. He is also Music Director of the
Lake Forest Symphony (2000–present) and
the Chicago Master Singers (1989-present).
He is thoroughly enjoying his collaborations
with Hershey which began with the
recording of An American Story in Chicago
with the Ars Viva Orchestra.
GAYLE HEATHERINGTON (Orchestral
Librarian) is the Executive Director of the
Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra and loves
sharing her life with her husband Alan,
working side by side with him pursuing
their mutual passion for music. Gayle
attended the University of Texas in Austin
majoring in Music Education. Her second
love is graphic design and she is a freelance
designer working chiefly with performing
arts organizations. Alan and Gayle love
traveling, fine dining, red wine and just
spending time together at their home in
Libertyville, Illinois sitting on the deck in
the summer or in front of the fireplace in
winter. Life is good.
NATE GENUNG (Production Stage
Manager) is grateful to have joined Hershey
and Company last year for productions
at The Old Globe, Asolo Rep and Royal
George Theatre. He is also glad to be
making his stage management debut at
the Pasadena Playhouse after seeing
productions here as a child. Mark Taper
Forum: Harps and Angels, The Subject Was
Roses, Pippin. Reprise: Cabaret; Kiss Me,
Kate; Gigi; How to Succeed... Other Los
Angeles: Equivocation (Geffen Playhouse),
Medea (UCLA Live), Ring of Fire (McCoy
Rigby), world premieres of Summer of Love,
Life Could Be a Dream, Norman’s Ark and
Dawn’s Light. BA in Theater and Economics
from Occidental College. Love you, M & M.
MATT MARSDEN (Production Manager/
Technical Director) Matt is Owner/
President of Resolution Productions and
has managed production teams for the
world premieres of Monsieur Chopin;
Beethoven, As I Knew Him, and Maestro.
While Production Manager at the Royal
George Chicago, Matt oversaw dozens of
productions. His career has also included
working for Olympic City at the 1996
Olympic Games. He worked to open
Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre (Water
Tower Place) and production-managed
their inaugural show The Full Monty and
then Mornings at Seven. He more recently
managed the Chicago productions of
Million Dollar Quartet, Don’t Dress For
Dinner, and White Noise co-produced by
Whoopi Goldberg. Thanks to all who make
show biz fun, but especially my fantastic
wife, Nettie.
SAMANTHA F. VOXAKIS (General Manager)
Samantha is a native of Baltimore MD
where she spent twelve memorable years
with the Baltimore Orioles. Sam now keeps
busy with the day-to-day operations of
Eighty-Eight LLC and with playing proud
den mother on the road. With special
thanks to her ever-supportive family, the
auxiliary, the Friends of the Pasadena
Playhouse, and Mr. Felder.
EIGHTY-EIGHT, LLC (Producer) EightyEight Entertainment was created in 2001
by Hershey Felder, and is devoted to
the creation of new works of musical
theatre. Current projects include the
new musical, LINCOLN: An American
Story, recorded with Chicago’s Ars
Viva Symphony conducted by Alan
Heatherington. Additional recordings
include Love Songs of the Yiddish Theatre,
Back from Broadway, George Gershwin
Alone, Monsieur Chopin and Beethoven, As
I Knew Him.
ANDREW WILDER (Projection Co-Design)
Andrew’s experience in lighting design, web
design, and photography have led him to
the world of projection design, and he is
thrilled to be working with the Eighty-Eight
Entertainment team once again. Andrew
designs websites and consults on internet
strategy at BlogTutor.com and writes about
being a “healthy foodie” at EatingRules.com.
ERIK CARSTENSEN (Sound Design) Master
Sound Technician at the Old Globe since
1997. Production Engineer on over 60
productions at the Globe, including Floyd
Collins, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole
Christmas!, The Full Monty, Dirty Blonde,
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Chita Rivera-A
Dancers Life, Hershey Felder’s George
PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P9
LINCOLN: AN AMERICAN STORYwho’s who
Gershwin Alone, Monsieur Chopin,
Beethoven, As I Knew Him (sound design),
A Catered Affair and Robin and the Seven
Hoods. Erik is a member of IATSE Local 122.
DAVID A. BUESS (Scenic Design) In his
ten years in theatre, David has served
as scenic designer, scenic painter, props
artisan, carpenter, prop master and
stagehand with Local 122. In addition to
more than 35 shows at the Old Globe, he
has worked with theatres including the La
Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Rep, North Park
Theatre and Sledgehammer. He is credited
for set design on a new play “Lord Derby’s
Giant Eland” and has designed spaces for
many art exhibits around San Diego County.
David holds a degree in Fine Art from San
Diego State University.
TREVOR HAY (Scenic Co-Design and
Production Manager) Currently Union
Steward and Properties Master of the
Globe Stage at the historic Old Globe
Theatre in San Diego, Mr. Hay has led
aspects of production on more than 70
presentations, including the Broadway
productions of Jack O’Brien’s Damn
Yankees, How the Grinch Stole Christmas,
and Twyla Tharpe’s The Times They Are
A’ Changin’. Included in his 22 seasons at
the Old Globe are eleven seasons of the
Summer Shakespeare Festival Repertory.
This past season, Mr. Hay worked on Tracy
Letts’ August: Osage County directed by
Sam Gold, and Hershey Felder’s George
Gershwin Alone and Maestro.
CHRISTIAN THORSEN (Scenic Construction)
Christian is a Seattle native whose
experience in tech theatre dates back to
high school. He is a graduate of the Pacific
Conservatory of the Performing Arts with
a degree in Theatre. He has served in
numerous capacities during his more than
twenty years with San Diego’s Old Globe
Theatre, including master carpenter and
master rigger. His extensive experience
in set, props and furniture construction
has brought him to the Eighty Eight LLC
production team.
CHRIS RYNNE (Lighting Designer) Chris
returns to Pasadena Playhouse after last
designing Star Quality for LA theatrical
director Art Manke. Additionally, his
theatre and opera lighting credits include
designs for The Old Globe, San Diego
Opera, South Coast Rep, Houston Grand
Opera, San Diego Rep, Michigan Opera
Theatre, Madison Opera, Cygnet Theatre,
North Coast Repertory Theatre, and San
P10 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe Diego Musical Theatre. Chris also designs
lighting for museum exhibitions, special
events, and lighting systems for new venues.
GREG SOWIZDRZAL (Projection Co-Design)
Greg is a native of Orange County CA. A
member of IATSE Local 122, he has filled
the roles of stagehand, master electrician,
video engineer, audio engineer, and
carpenter. As an automation operator with
PRG, he has toured the U.S. on shows
including The Grinch Stole Christmas,
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Robin and the
Seven Hoods, and The First Wives Club. He
is pleased to be making his graphic design
debut on Lincoln: An American Story.
PAT CAIN (Special Effects) Pat has been
involved with a wide variety of live events.
He was with MGM for several years as the
Pyrotechnic and Stage Supervisor. His
television credits include “Magnum PI” and
“Tour of Duty.” He spent 21 years as the
Property Master at The Old Globe Theatre
and is a minority owner of Fireworks
America based in San Diego.
ABIGAIL CAYWOOD (Costume Design) Abigail
Caywood has worked in the costume shops
of the San Diego Repertory Theatre and
San Diego’s Christian Community Theatre/
Christian Youth Theatre. She is currently
working as an assistant to the Costume
Shop Supervisor at the La Jolla Playhouse.
JUDITH CAYWOOD (Production Associate)
Judith Caywood has worked as a
production assistant for San Diego’s Kroc
Center Junior Theatre, the University
of San Diego’s Theatre Arts program,
and recently held a stage management
internship at the Old Globe Theatre’s
Summer Shakespeare Intensive. She has
also worked in video production at San
Diego’s Mesa College Media Center. CYNTHIA CAYWOOD (Dramaturge) Cynthia
Caywood is a Professor of English at the
University of San Diego. She is a founding
faculty member of the Old Globe/
University of San Diego MFA Program in
Acting and has worked as a dramaturg on
several MFA productions. Her research
interests include Aphra Behn, Jane Austen,
August Wilson, with a special focus on
British and American theatre history.
DAVID HAY (Dramaturge) David Hay was
an Associate Director at the Old Globe
Theatre in San Diego for ten years and
the Artistic Director of Center Repertory
Company in Walnut Creek, CA for nine
years. He was one of the founders and the
first Director of the Old Globe/University
of San Diego MFA Program in Acting, and
he currently teaches at the University of
San Diego.
STEPHEN EICH (Presenter) is a producer,
manager, teacher and director with over 32
years of experience in both commercial and
non-profit professional theatre. From 1979
to 1995, he was the Managing Director of
Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company
where he produced over 125 productions
including the 1990 Tony Award-winning Best
Play The Grapes of Wrath. While there he
oversaw the emergence of an internationally
recognized award-winning theater, built a
new $9.5 million home for the company and
secured the theater’s administrative future.
He produced Steve Martin’s award-winning
Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Steppenwolf
before taking it to Los Angeles’ Westwood
Playhouse, then to New York, Chicago, San
Francisco and England. Mr. Eich was coproducer of Paul Simon’s Broadway musical
The Capeman, and produced two concerts
at Carnegie Hall in New York featuring the
national voices of Puerto Rico. From 20002008 Mr. Eich was the Managing Director
of The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. In
2009, he produced the world premiere of
Mark Roberts’ critically-acclaimed Rantoul
and Die at the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood
and in April 2011 co-produced the Chicago
premiere with American Blues Theater.
Mr. Eich received a Master of Fine Arts
degree in Directing from the University
of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science
in Theater Education from Illinois State
University.
SHELDON EPPS (Artistic
Director) has been
Artistic Director of the
renowned Pasadena
Playhouse since 1997.
Before beginning his
tenure at The Playhouse
he served as Associate Artistic Director of
the Old Globe Theatre for four years. He
was also a co-founder of the Off Broadway
theatre, The Production Company. Mr.
Epps has directed both plays and musicals
at many of the country’s major theatres
including the Roundabout, Manhattan
Theatre Club, the Guthrie, Playwrights
Horizons, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Arena
Stage, and the Goodman Theatre. He
conceived the highly acclaimed musicals
Play On! and Blues In the Night, which
both received Tony Award nominations.
He directed productions of both of those
shows on Broadway, in London, and at
theatres throughout the world. Mr. Epps
also has had a busy career as a television
director helming episodes of shows
such as “Frasier,” “Friends,” “Everybody
Loves Raymond,” “Girlfriends” and many
others. For more than a decade, he served
as a member of the Executive Board
of the Society of Stage Directors and
Choreographers. Mr. Epps received the
James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award
for his efforts and accomplishments at The
Pasadena Playhouse. Under his leadership
The Playhouse has earned distinction for
productions of artistic excellence, critical
and box office success, and highly praised
theatrical diversity. Recently he CoDirected the Broadway production of Baby
It’s You!, which premiered at The Pasadena
Playhouse.
CHARLES DILLINGHAM
(Interim Executive
Director) brings
to The Pasadena
Playhouse over
forty years of senior
executive experience
in performing arts management as well
as teaching, executive coaching and
consulting. He has led some of the largest
performing arts institutions in the country
and partnered with several leading artistic
directors. At Center Theater Group he
supervised all development, marketing,
administrative and financial operations
for the company’s three theatres – the
Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre
and the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Prior to
CTG, he was CEO of the Entertainment
Corporation USA, presenting commercially
the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera, Kirov Ballet
and Opera and the Royal Ballet at the
Metropolitan Opera House and arranging
American tours. He was Executive
Director of American Ballet Theatre during
Mikhail Baryshnikov’s tenure as Artistic
Director, supervising ten television films,
seventy-five new stage productions and
tours to Paris and Japan. He previously
served as Managing Director of the
Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
Theatre Company and worked closely
with Artistic Director William Ball at
American Conservatory Theatre in San
Francisco. He began his career at the Yale
Repertory Theatre and the Williamstown
Theatre Festival with their founders Robert
Brustein and Nikos Psacharopoulos. Mr.
Dillingham holds a BA from Yale and a
MFA from the Yale School of Drama. He
resides in Pasadena with his wife, Susan
Clines, an executive at the Greater Los
Angeles Zoo Association.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Alexander Bernstein, Jamie Bernstein
Thomas, Humphrey Burton, Matthew Burton,
Craig Urquhart, Marie Carter, Lola Kavonic,
Henry and Frances Fogel, Eleonor Sandresky,
Richard Ortner, Michael Lewin, Dan Gustin,
Dr. Jeffrey Kallberg; Ray White at the Library
of Congress.
Richard and Robin Tennant Colburn,
Cindy and Rick Tennant, Alan and Gayle
Heatherington, Rob Saslow, David and Michelle Taylor, the Ars Viva Orchestra;
David Hay, Cynthia Caywood, Abby and Jude
Caywood; Mona Golabek and Jackie Madoff;
Steve Robinson, Beth Schenker, Eric Arunas,
The WFMT Radio Network; Judith Haddon,
Rhona and Julian Frazin, Marc Alberico, Susan
Myerberg, Arlene and Keith Bronstein, Bruce
Ramer and Madeline Peerce, David Renzer,
Linda Newmark, Clark Germain, Irv and Dena
Schechter, Jim and Dana Barbour, Paula Holt,
Ory Shihor; Cliff Chenfeld, Craig Balsam,
and Razor & Tie Entertainment; Andrew
Tenenbaum and MBST; Jay Shields, David Ida,
Thomas Zoells; Irene Wlodarski and Steinway
Pianos, New York; Sheila and Doug Graves,
Susan Rowell, Milly Marmur.
Grosses bises à notre famille à Seine-Port—
Pierre, Isa, Amandine et Aston.
An important thank you to Lee and Claire
Kaufman for their continued support and
friendship.
A particular and heartfelt thank you to my
team of devoted artisans, many of whom have
been with me through dozens of productions
all over the world -- Matt Marsden, GiGi
Garcia, Nate Genung, Margaret Hartmann,
Christopher Ash, John Boesche, Larry
Blumenthal, David Buess, Pat Cain, Erik
Carstensen, Guy Casper, François-Pierre
Couture, Tonnie Ficken, Michael Gilliam,
Trevor Hay, Rich Norwood, Yael Pardess,
Chris Rynne, Greg Sowizdrzal, Brett Taylor,
Christian Thorson, Nettie Wasowski, Andrew
Wilder, Annette Ye – without whom none of
our work would be possible; Sheldon Epps,
Stephen Eich, and everyone at the Pasadena
Playhouse, including the Friends.
A special thank you to Candice and Joel
Zwick, and Joel Zwick “Alone”
A very special and personal thank you to
my Greek family—Samantha, Mom, Dad, and
Chris Voxakis. Without you, Eighty-Eight
Entertainment would not exist. And many
thanks to the rest of the auxiliary—Rosalinda,
Sandy, and Cheryl.
My father and stepmother Jack and Lea, my
sister and brother-in-law Tammy and Kevin,
and their dear children Avery and Kiley.
Bistro 45
congratulates
The Pasadena
Playhouse
for their
opening of
THE
HERSHEY
FELDER
COLLECTION
And of course...Leo and Kim (XXOO).
PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P11
ROGER & LILAH STANGELAND
In Honor of Their Support...
“The history of Roger and Lilah Stangeland is one of extraordinarily dedicated
support of The Pasadena Playhouse with their treasure, time, wisdom, and influence.
As chairman emeritus of Vons Companies, Roger also encouraged talented people
in business and law to support the Playhouse. We are so fortunate for their help in
making The Pasadena Playhouse a national treasure in the world of performing arts.”
- Albert Lowe, Former Board Chair
The Pasadena Playhouse is
grateful for the incredible
support of a dynamic couple,
Roger and Lilah Stangeland.
Roger and Lilah moved to
the Pasadena area from the
Midwest in 1983 when Roger
became the CEO of Vons
Companies, Inc. He joined the
Board of Directors in 1996 and
served until his death in 2004.
Lilah lovingly took his place on
the Board of Directors. As one
of the largest single lifetime
donors, we are privileged to
honor their commitment. We
cannot measure the combined
gifts that Roger and Lilah have
bestowed on our theatre -support, love, guidance, laughter
and fun.
“For quite some time we
have been customers and
supporters of The Pasadena
Playhouse. We are grateful for
the support of The Playhouse
by the the Stangelands which
has contributed much to the
continued work of this cultural
icon.”
- Ralyn and Nate Wolfstein,
Playhouse Subscribers
P12 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe “Lilah and Roger Stangeland’s contribution to The Playhouse is immeasurable. Roger
started attending board meetings in 1996 and brought with him his considerable
business expertise. He was always supportive of Sheldon and me—of the art and
of the business. He counseled me on finance, marketing, and fundraising and
gave generously of his time to meet me in his office or talk on the phone. Always
concerned that we should have a large endowment, he and Lilah made an irrevocable
bequest of one million dollars in hope that others would join them. When his heart
health made attending meetings a problem, Roger suggested that we add Lilah to
the board. He described her as a “fun-maker” and a great organizer of events. She
was his greatest gift to us and she continues to be enthusiastic supporter of the
arts--- and a great lunch date.”
- Lyla White, Former Executive Director
“I first met Lilah and Roger when they hosted a gathering at their home while
announcing their dedicated and major support of the Pasadena Playhouse. Roger’s
short speech was inspiring and heartfelt. We enjoyed a warm friendship, helped by
the fact I had gone to camp in Delafield, Wisconsin, home of his beloved St. John’s
Military Academy. Lilah has more than honored Roger’s commitment, serving on the
Board of Trustees, and becoming the beloved mascot of the Playhouse. She also
serves as an Ambassador Host and is one of the brightest stars in that program.
The Pasadena Playhouse is lucky indeed to have the Stangelands as friends and
supporters.”
- Peggy Ebright, Chair of the Ambassadors of The Pasadena Playhouse
“I first met Roger in the late 1970’s, and Lilah soon thereafter. From the first time
we met, I realized Roger had a zest for life and a passion for many different things.
When his passion for theatre brought him and Lilah to The Pasadena Playhouse, he
reached out and pulled me in as well. I then witnessed firsthand his deep love for
theatre and for The Playhouse in particular. The Playhouse was well-served by his
wise counsel and strong leadership during his years on the Board. When Roger left
the Board and Lilah joined, she brought her own wise counsel and her own brand
of passionate support. Roger and Lilah have been unwavering in their support of
The Playhouse and extraordinarily generous. I am delighted to join with all of you in
honoring them and recognizing their many generous contributions to The Pasadena
Playhouse.”
- Greg Stone, Former Board Member
In the 1990’s, we were fortunate to gain the interest and support of several regional
business leaders, who over the years, contributed support and advice. Roger
Stangeland, in many ways, was the most active of this leadership group. The year The
Pasadena Playhouse celebrated its 75th Anniversary, it was Roger that offered the
involvement of Vons Corp. to be the corporate partner in sponsoring a Rose Bowl
float. The float was supported by Vons but celebratory of The Pasadena Playhouse’s
long history. He continued to demonstrate his support and leadership by serving on
the Board of The Playhouse and of course, Lilah was very much involved as well and
continues to be a vital member of the Board today. I was indeed fortunate to have
their time and advice over the years.
- Kenneth Ott, Former Director of Development
Board of Directors
Michele Dedeaux Engemann
Chair of the Board
Sheila Grether-Marion
Vice-Chair of the Board
David DiCristofaro
Treasurer
Linda Boyd Griffey
Secretary
Lenore Almanzar
Valerie Amidon
Sheri Ball
Stephen Bennett
William Carroll
Peggy Ebright
Sheldon Epps
Brad King
Darrell Miller
Bingo Roncelli
Lilah Stangeland
Corky Hale Stoller
Mike Stoller
Martha Williamson
Emeritus Board Members
David M. Davis
Ralph Hirschmann
Frank Kleeman
Albert Lowe
Dennis Lowe
Kerry McCluggage
Greg Stone
Dear Playhouse Friends,
Spring is here. And last spring, our very own
Playhouse stage was graced with the extraordinary
talent of actor, playwright and Steinway concert artist
Hershey Felder who brought to life the story of the
legendary composer and pianist George Gershwin.
This spring, we are thrilled to welcome Hershey back
to The Playhouse to take us on a continued journey of
education and entertainment with a trio of splendid
offerings:
- The experience of a private piano lesson
under the tutelage of composer Monsieur Chopin;
- The artistic risk-taking of Maestro: Leonard
Bernstein in his ascension to being a legendary
musical ambassador; and
- The life of Abraham Lincoln as told during his final hours by the medical student
who tended to his fatal wounds in the world premiere of Lincoln – An American
Story.
With these three productions, we are transported across the continents and through the
portals of time to eras so rich in the history of art and music. Through these travels, I am
reminded how fitting The Playhouse stage is for artists to perform such transformative work
which truly compliments and accentuates the dynamic and eclectic programming vision we
have here at The Playhouse, and is in direct support of our organizational mission:
Built on a tradition of innovation and excellence, The Pasadena Playhouse is
committed to continue to be the premiere theatrical experience in Southern
California showcasing the most exciting theatrical entertainment in the state and
being an amazing forum for launching new work onto the national stage.
And it is thanks to our loyal subscribers and patrons that we continue to be able to feed our
mission and dedication to these artistic desires. We toast and thank you for your continued
support to the magic of the theatre. Spring is also about new discoveries and rebirth. If you
are new to The Playhouse or returning after a period of time, welcome. It is so good to see
you and we are so glad to have you be a part of this amazing experience.
And Hershey, thank you for being our partner in amplifying the powerful voice of the
theatre. Let your music, storytelling and talent continue to roar out loud, sharing the
wonderful worlds and lives you so magically portray. And thank you for bringing us all along
on this wild ride.
With thanks and gratitude,
Michele Dedeaux Engemann
Pasadena Playhouse Board of Directors Chair
The Gilmor Brown Society
The Gilmor Brown Society, dedicated to a legacy of live theatre and thus named after The Playhouse founder, was established
to recognize, honor and thank those individuals for provisions they have made through thoughtful estate planning to further the
mission of The Pasadena Playhouse:
Ellen Bailey
Estate of Evelyn Bray
Marjorie Cates
Estate of Angus Duncan
Estate of Shirley Filiatrault
Estate of Ada Gory
Sheila Grether-Marion
Adele Morse
Shirli Nielsen
Estate of Charles Pierce
Estate of Constance Ropolo
Lyn Spector
Lilah and Roger* Stangeland
Estate of Bill Watters
Jim Watterson
* Deceased
If you have included The Playhouse in your estate plans and your name is not currently listed, please notify the Development
Office so we may acknowledge you for your support and add your name to the Gilmor Brown Society.
For further information or questions about other gift opportunities, please contact Jennifer Berger, Director of Development at
626.921.1164 or by email at [email protected]
PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P13
Dear Friends,
THANK YOU! We salute the individuals and institutions that have made extraordinary gifts to
The Pasadena Playhouse. This is a season to honor friends and
heroes here at The Pasadena Playhouse.
*
Executive Director’s Circle -- $100,000 - $1,000,000+
Hershey Felder has been a great friend to
us. His unforgettable portrait of George
Gershwin reminded us of what great
American music can be and his engaging
audience sing-a-longs bonded us through
the joyful and healing power of song.
And now he brings to our stage two more
portraits of musical giants – the romance
of Chopin and the fire and passion of
Leonard Bernstein. In addition, he presents the World Premiere of Lincoln –
An American Story, combining history, storytelling, and the voice of a great
symphony to celebrate one of our greatest American heroes.
How blessed our theatre has been to be filled with the legacies of its own
heroes over the years - the singular vision of its founder, Gilmor Brown, for
example, and the expansive talents of our esteemed Artistic Director, Sheldon
Epps. But, as we learn from work of Hershey Felder, behind every hero is an
army of friends, supporting, encouraging, sharing in the vision and helping the
dreams become reality – not unlike the members of an orchestra, each playing
his or her part to create the symphony that we all enjoy.
This season we honor Roger and Lilah Stangeland, longtime friends AND
heroes of The Playhouse, whose generosity have helped to sustain The
Playhouse, and whose leadership has inspired us to secure its future. Lilah,
who has faithfully served on our Board of Directors since 2002, also heads our
Gilmor Brown Society, comprised of Playhouse friends whose planned giving
gifts provide the theatre with the confidence to dream even greater dreams
for our stage. Lilah’s continued support and commitment to The Pasadena
Playhouse honors the memory and legacy of her husband Roger, who served
as a Director from 1996 until 2002. In addition, Lilah’s service challenges all of
us here at The Playhouse to continue a tradition of excellence and create our
own “American Story.”
From all of us to all of you with our thanks for your commitment,
Martha Williamson
Board Member and Chair, Development Committee
*
Anonymous(2); Avery and Andrew Barth; Wells Fargo Bank
Artistic Director’s Circle -- $25,000 - $99,999
Jon Andersen and Martha Williamson; Chantal and Steve Bennett; Mary Lea and Bill Carroll; Michele and Roger Engemann; Connie and Ed Foster; The Green Foundation;
Sheila Grether-Marion and Mark Marion; Julie and Don Hopf; Pam and Brad King; Terri and Jerry Kohl; Mattel, Inc.; The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation; Bingo and Gino Roncelli;
Lilah Stangeland;Jinny and Scott Wilcott; Frank Williams
Director’s Circle – $10,000 - $24,999
Anonymous (2); Marilyn and Don Conlan; Dorothy Collins Brown Charitable Foundation; Linda and Jay Griffey; Ann and Robert Hamilton; Sumi and Bill Hughes; Jerry Katell;
Helen and Steven Kerstein; David Lee and Mark Nichols; Lindemann Foundation; Gayle and Tad Lowrey; Shannon and Darrell Miller; Milo W. Bekins Foundation; Gaylord
Nichols; Skip and Si Ober; U.S. Bank; Judy and Robert Waller
Playwright’s Circle – $5,000 - $9,999
Ann Peppers Foundation; Diane and Fred Blum; Frank Brooks, in loving memory of Betty Ann Brooks; Marty and Bruce Coffey; Patti and Jim Dolan; Gail and Jim Ellis; St.
Paul and Kathryn Epps; Sheldon Epps and Monette Magrath; Brenda and Bill Galloway; Tracy and Richard Hirrel; Marcia L. Hoffman; Ellen and Harvey Knell; Diane and Craig
Martin; Liz and David McFadzean; Christine Ofiesh; Pacific Global Investment Management Company; Kay and Bob Rehme; Betty Sandford; Sidney Stern Memorial Trust; Anne
Taubman and David Boyle; W.M. Keck Foundation
Performer’s Circle – $2,500 - $4,999
Anonymous; Nancee Bacigalupi-Darling and Frederick Darling; Bea and Paul Bennett; Meta and Jay Berger; Lesley Brander; Z. Clark Branson; The Capital Group Companies
Charitable Foundation; Lynn and Carl Cooper; Jean De Silvestri; David DiCristofaro; Peggy Ebright; Gerald Fishbein and Millicent Reynolds; Donna and Henri Ford; Don
Foster and Erin Quigley; Tom Hatten; Donna and Lou Jones; Justin Dart Family Foundation; Lena L. Kennedy; Greta and Peter Mandell; Susan McGuirl and Robert Musselman;
Stephanie and Greg McLemore - WebMagic; Edith Mehlinger; Sarah and Eric Miller; Sharon and Sam Muir; Barbara and Tony Phillips; Marilyn and Herbert Piken; Thomas Safran;
Marty Salvin; Deidra Schumann; Danielle and Elliot Stahler; Cheri and Bill Steinkellner; Laney and Tom Techentin; Alyce and Warren Williamson
Stage Manager’s Circle – $1,000 - $2,499
Harry Abrams; Dann Angeloff; Anonymous; Anonymous, in memory of Edward N. Glad, O.B.E.; AT&T; Ann and Olin Barrett; Cynthia Bennett and Ed de Beixedon; Monty
Bernstein/Easy Parking Service; Sue and Richard Biggar; Barrett and Carol Bingaman; Claire and Bill Bogaard; Brick’s Lissy Lantz, in honor of Edward N. Glad; Darrell Brown;
Lily and Tom Chang; Marty and Jim Childs; Hilary and Richard Clark; Dottie and Joe Clougherty; Terry and Anthony Clougherty; Barbara and Wes Coleman; Carol Ann Collins;
Sharleen Cooper Cohen and Martin Cohen; Ginny and John Cushman; Gary Dahle and Derek Whitefield; Faye and Robert Davidson; Alan Ett; Dorothy Falcinella; Friends of
The Pasadena Playhouse; Bridget and Bob Furiga; Richard Gilman; D.G. Gumpertz; Rose Ann Hall; Paul Theodore Hammond; George Handtmann; Arlene and Robert Harder;
Susan Hauk; Felicia D. Henderson; George Henning; Preston Hopson; Carolyn “Cece” Horne; Teena Hostovich; June and Gareth Hughes; Sally and Bill Hurt and Bernadette
Glenn; Maggie Jagels; Patti Johns Eisenberg; Anne and Charles Johnson; Marcia and Gordon Kanofsky; Richard Kaplan; Kelton Fund Inc./David and Lenora Kelton; Stacey and
Charles King; Helen Lambros; Sherry and Al Lapides; Sally Jean Lash; Elizabeth Levitt Hirsch; Shelly and Dennis Lowe; Melba Macneil; Steve Madison; Christine Madsen and
Steven Perry; Judy and Donald Matthews; Roger C. Memos; Lani and Jesse Moore; Cheryl and Judd Morris; Ceil and Mort Mortimer; Mark Ogden; Jennifer Parker-Stanton;
David Partridge; Gloria and Don Pitzer; Jane Prickett Luthard; Anette and Edward Pumphrey; Jean Scott and Kent Keller; The Seaver Institute; Rodney S. Shepard; Charles
Sheppard; Bernadette and Russell Sherman; Judy and Bill Shupper; Ronald Slates; Stellar Prosthetics Orthotics; Amy and Charles Stephens; Martin Udell; Greg Stone and
Cindy Vail; Ashana and Tom Thorman; June Thurber Paine and Garrett Paine; Betsey and Sid Tyler; Michele Vice-Maslin; Carolyn and Robert Volk; Richard von Ernst and
Thomas Castaneda; Maritia and Tom Walper; Nita Whitaker LaFontaine; Carolyn R. Williams/Southern California Gas; Molly and Ralph Wolveck; William H. Wright, Jr.
Supporter – $500 - $999
Esther Ames; Meghan and Monte Baier; Michael Balale; Kittie Ballard; Neil Bauman; The Beggs/Lau Family; Stacy and Michael Berger; John Brende; John Casani; Marlene
and Nolan Charbonnet; Craig Colbath and Ann Voyer; Meredith and Peter Coors; Cy Coleman Theatricals; William Craver; William Cunningham; D. Bello Associates; Dorothy
and William Davila; Jarita and Tony Davis; Edwina and David Dedlow; Laura Diaz; Harry Double; Ann and Gene Dryden; Ken Frankel; Patrick Garcia and Eric Baker; Cleola
Gavalas; Harry Gilbert; Zelda Gilbert; Margie and Paul Grossman; Cherie and Mark Harris; Diane and James Harris; Michael Hatch; Virginia Hawkins; Sue Haynie Horn; Liz and
Herbert Hezlep; Susan Hoffman; Gail and Bob Israel; Helga Johnstone; Nancy and John Killen; Charlotte and Frank Kleeman; Elizabeth Koen, in loving memory of Elizabeth
Koen Brooks; Donald Kottler; Diane Lau; Coco Lorenzo and Bryan Beasley; Maria Low Way and George Way; C. Peter Magrath; Pamela and J.C. Massar; William Meurer and
Elina Katsioula-Beall; Jessie Milano; Carolyn Miller; Gloria and Accie Mitchell; Wendi and Bill Moffly; Susan and Allan Mohrman; Morris & Berger; Robert Nafie; Sharon and
Robert Novell; Mimi O’Brien; Ellen and Doug Patton; The Estate of Charles B. Pierce; John Plimpton; Marianna and Charles Plott; Jack Pollock; Linda and John Poore; Ed
Richmond; Gary Roeber; Chief and Mrs. Phillip Sanchez; Fran Scoble; Rosemary Simmons; Janis and Stuart Simon; Gail and David Snyder; Phillip Sotel; Vivien Stanley Foran and
William Foran; Lisa Sugimoto; Philip Swan; Janet Thomasser; Eileen T’Kaye and David Bischoff; Mary and William Urquhart; Jeannie Vaughn; Sheran and David Voigt; Vroman’s
Bookstore; Greg Wessels; Michael Westmore; J. Patrick Whaley and Lynda Jenner; Richard Yadley
Friend – $250 - $499
GIFT-IN-KIND DONATIONS
Our thanks to the following individuals and companies who donated gifts-in-kind to The Playhouse since September 1, 2011. Any giftsin-kind received after January 24, 2012 will be acknowledged in the next program.
Jon Andersen & Martha Williamson
Elements Kitchen
FramePros
Bridget & Bob Furiga
Glass Bee Partners
Hospitality Consultings
P14 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe Doris Kao, Steve Bickel &
Bluelounge Design
The Krezel Family
O’Melveny & Myers
little junebugs
Saunders Electric, Inc.
TechFirmation
Wells Fargo Bank
wild Up
Arden Albee; Anonymous; Robert Banning; Pat Beauchamp; Jennifer and John Berger; Ruth Berger; David Blazek; Paula Brand; Crickette Brown Glad and Paul Glad, in memory
of Ned Glad; Suzanne and Walter Cochran-Bond; Renate and Mel Cohen; Linda and Charles Collier; George Coulter; Phyllis and David Crandon; Creative Capacity Fund’s
Next Gen Arts Professional Development Program; Darlene Crooks; Pat Cuneo; Tony Dinardo; Michele Dressback; Gerri and William Edson; Mark Esensten; Alan Eskot; Mary
Ann and Thomas Fell; Maye Fukumoto; Lisa and Rob Gallo; Anita Glasco; Beryl and Graham Gosling; Thomas Greany; Susan Groshen; John Hales; James Hayes; Ann Hayes
Higginbotham; Robin Hirabayashi; Richard Hoffing; Boyd Horne; Marguerite Hougasian; Dr. and Mrs. David V. Hubbell; Gary Hunter; Colin Hurren; Marie Ida; George Inadomi;
Lance Ito and Margaret York; Elisabeth Johns; Keith Kato; Albert Katz; Mary L. Latimore; Barbara Lee; Sandy Leonardis; Karen and Victor Limongelli; Clark Linstone; Tegra and
Marc Little; Lucas Public Affairs, in memory of Edward N. Glad; Michael Mackness; Marilyn McCoo Davis and William Davis, Jr.; Elizabeth McMurray; Asa Meudell; Michelle
Moore; Elly and Jim Morgan; Claudia Myles; Kenneth Nash; Deborah and Richard Nathan; June Nelson; Kimberly Nicholas; Debbie and Gregg Oppenheimer; Pasadena
Playhouse Alumni & Associates; Michaela Pereira; Harold Ray; Ron Redcay; Florence Reese; Debby and Bill Richards; Meg and David Sameth; William Sargent; Harriet Scott;
John Scott; Carol and Robert Shapiro; Dorothy Shepherd; Elizabeth and Grant Smith; Floraline I. Stevens; Jane Stiglitz; Walt Sumner; Frank Taylor; John Taylor; Sandra
Tofflemire; Emmett Tompkins; Janet and Robert Tranquada; Andrea and John Van de Kamp; Timothy Vient; Jim Watterson and George Martin; Jeph Willis; Ralyn and Nate
Wolfstein
All donors listed gave $250 since December 1, 2010. Contributions received after January 24, 2012 will be acknowledged in the next program.
PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P15
HARVEY & ELLEN KNELL
Featured Pasadena Playhouse Donors
Harvey and Ellen Knell, sweethearts since high
school, have been very visible donors to many arts
organizations here in Pasadena and in the greater
Los Angeles area. They are well known for their
generosity of time, energy and resources. We are
delighted to highlight them as donors of The Pasadena
Playhouse. It is a wonder how they find the time to
help so many organizations while managing equally
remarkable careers. Harvey, a local boy, grew up in
Rosemead and later Arcadia.
After earning his MBA from
Columbia University, Harvey
joined his father in the
family business, Ole’s Home
Centers, where as President
and CEO he oversaw its
growth from 4 stores to 36.
Harvey is now President of
KCB Management, a private
equity and real estate
investment firm in Pasadena.
Ellen is a PhD geneticist
specializing in cancer risk
assessment and prevention.
Harvey says the first play
he remembers seeing was
at eighteen years old when
his parents took him to see Funny Girl on Broadway
with Barbara Streisand. “Barbara sang directly to
me”, according to the young Harvey. Ellen and Harvey
moved to New York City when they were first married
and Harvey was in graduate school. That is when,
Ellen says, they started to see and enjoy theatre.
When they permanently returned to the San Gabriel
Valley to work and raise their young children, they
signed up for a course at UCLA in musical theatre. It
was there, Ellen says, they discovered an astonishing
statistic; only 5% of the population goes to live events
(outside of sports) and the overwhelming percentage
of the audience that do attend performances were
introduced as children. Immediately they started
subscribing and exposing their young family to the
performing arts. Ellen says to this day they prefer to
support arts organizations that place an emphasis on
bringing children to the arts.
When The Playhouse re-opened in late 2010, Harvey
and Ellen say they knew it was not time to “wait and
see.” The Knells jumped right in with a generous gift.
They believed it was time to
say, “OK we live in Pasadena
and they need our support”.
Growing up in the area,
Harvey says he was always
aware of The Pasadena
Playhouse, its revered
history and the many great
actors that worked and
studied here. Both Ellen
and Harvey have watched
The Playhouse over the last
few decades and they know
that the quality of the work
and the productions under
Sheldon’s artistic hand have
been growing in every way;
more sophisticated, more
daring and overall, generally
better. The Knells feel strongly The Pasadena
Playhouse must be here for their grandchildren.
Harvey and Ellen are not only generous donors to The
Pasadena Playhouse, they have graciously offered
their beautiful and very famous home The Greene
and Greene Blacker House for our special major
donor appreciation event in April with special guest
artist, Hershey Felder, in attendance. We are looking
forward to this fun event and the chance to thank our
generous donors for their making possible the magic
of the arts and education of the arts here at The
Playhouse.
Support The Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse relies on the generous support of its patrons to help bring art and magic to our stage, and offstage
with diverse outreach and education programming. Your individual or institutional contribution will significantly support the
productions that appear on our stage: world-premiere plays, musicals and dramas for all ages and generations of theatre-goers.
You can make a donation online at:
www.pasadenaplayhouse.org
or mail a contribution to:
Pasadena Playhouse
600 Playhouse Alley, Suite 300
Pasadena, CA 91101
P16 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe All donations are tax-deductible
to the fullest extent of the law.
For more information on ways to
give, please call the Development
Department: 626.921.1156
SAVE
THE DATE!
May 19, 2012
The Best Party in Pasadena!
Honoring outgoing Board Chair
Michele Dedeaux Engemann
Dine, Celebrate & Dance with us
under the stars at a private home.
For information contact The Development Office:
(626) 921-1156, or [email protected]
PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE SECOND
SATURDAY, MAY 12 | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Each high school will have up to 15 minutes to take the
Mainstage at The Pasadena Playhouse and present their
chosen piece: Scene Work, Selections from Musicals,
Student Assignments, Original Pieces, etc.
This is a no fee Festival event, NOT a competition,
that will take place on The Mainstage of The Pasadena
Playhouse with minimal to no sets and costumes.
Bring your talented students to see and be seen before
their peers and the public!
Tickets are only $5 and can be purchased online, over
the phone, or in person at The Pasadena Playhouse Box
Office. This is a once-a-year event with limited seating so
reserve your’s today!
Interested in participating with your school? Contact
Outreach & Education Coordinator Courtney Harper at
[email protected], or (626) 204-7388.
PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P17
Outreach & Education
Much gratitude to Sheldon Epps, David Lee, Roger Bart, Bradley Whitford, Michael O’Keefe, Jill Gold, Hethyr Verhoef, Beth Lewis, Whitney
Fortmueller, LoraBeth Barr, Kimberly Ruppert, and Stacey Castillo for their support and volunteering of time and resources. Thank you to
everyone who was able to participate as well! Your continued presence at outreach and education events and programs during Art have made
possible The Pasadena Playhouse’s commitment to bring the highest quality of supported artistic programming to you, our audience.
Pasadena Playhouse, at other companies
throughout the country, and even in
commercial productions on Broadway and
London’s West End. Current projects that
Dates are being finalized for The Astronomer
started in HOTHOUSE at The Playhouse
written and directed by Joshua Ravetch, and
include NOgoodDEED which recently
The Territory Of Dreams written by Velina Hasu
watch plays grow. finished a successful run at [Inside] the Ford
Houston and directed by Michael Arabian.
in Los Angeles, Sleepless In Seattle, The
More titles are also under consideration for the
rest of the season, and there is no doubt that each carefully Musical premiering onstage at The Pasadena Playhouse in
vetted project will go on to a life beyond HOTHOUSE at June of 2012, and the Tony nominated Sister Act, The Musical
The Playhouse. Please check the Playhouse website for currently playing at The Broadway Theatre in New York and
launching national and international touring companies.
updated information as it becomes available.
UP NEXT: A Footnote to the Illiad
by Steven Sater | March 20 & 22 @ 8:00pm
You are invited to HOTHOUSE at The Playhouse readings
but please RSVP to our HOTHOUSE Concierge at
[email protected] or by calling 626792-8672 and let us know what day you would like to attend,
how many are in your party and a contact email or phone
number for you.
The HOTHOUSE program has proven its success by
developing material in early stages, nurturing that material
and the writers to such a degree that a huge percentage
of the work that has been produced by the program has
subsequently been produced in major productions at The
HOTHOUSE at The Playhouse was started in 2005 and
since then has grown into an artistic home where playwrights
utilize the resources and support of The Pasadena
Playhouse. Each HOTHOUSE at The Playhouse project is
tailored to the playwright’s needs so that it aids the writer to
grow in whatever way he or she needs. HOTHOUSE at The
Playhouse is vital to the continued success of The Playhouse
and theatre as an art form in the sense of developing new
work and nurturing the artists who spend the time to create
it. We are thrilled for HOTHOUSE to be housed in the living
laboratory of the Carrie Hamilton Theatre. Please join us as
we watch plays grow.
“In 1964, a busload of kids from Los Angeles had alighted at The Playhouse to see Ethel Waters
perform one of her signature roles, in Carson McCullers’ The Member of the Wedding. Little
Sheldon, a preacher’s son, was 11, and it was his first play.”
– Mike Boehm, Los Angeles Times
In many ways our current Artistic Director represents a New Generations success story and reminds us why we do what we
do here at The Pasadena Playhouse: Provide Arts for All.
New Generations is an educational program that provides a theatrical experience to groups that include many members
of our community who have never been to the theatre before in their life. These groups have included It’s Time for Kids,
The Boys and Girls Club, Pasadena Unified School District, and others. Every New Generations group is paired with The
Pasadena Playhouse Teaching Artists who guide the group through an evening that includes a concessions voucher for
each participant and enriching discussions prior to and following the performance. These unique and key components of
the program actively engage these participants in their night out, get them thinking about what they are seeing, processing
the experience as a whole, and opening a door that hopefully leads to life in which the arts are appreciated and important.
To help support HOTHOUSE at The Playhouse, NEW GENERATIONS, and other Outreach and Education programs and
events please visit our website or contact the Development Office at [email protected] or (626) 921-1156.
Pasadena Playhouse Alumni & Associates
Some people may be surprised to discover there once had been an accredited college associated
with The Pasadena Playhouse. Many more might be amazed to know that even though the school
closed in 1969, the Pasadena Playhouse Alumni & Associates is still a vital organization with nearly 400
members around the world. The PPA&A publishes a quarterly newsletter to help our members stay in touch with
their classmates and the events at the Playhouse. Our yearly Brunch meeting - the 59th annual gathering is this
June – provides another opportunity to keep the bonds strong. We’re most proud of our scholarship program for
needy students of the theatre. Thanks to a generous endowment from alumnus Henry Sumid (‘40), the PPA&A has
bestowed college scholarships over the last five years with an aggregate value of $115,000.00. For more information
on our scholarship program for theatre students, please visit www.sumidscholarship.com! www.ppa-a.org
THE AMBASSADORS OF THE PASADENA
PLAYHOUSE
The Makineni Library, located above the lobby, has a view of the patio from its wall of oak
windows. It is here the AMBASSADOR HOSTS entertain donors, potential donors and special
parties sponsored by theatre patrons and guests. This beautiful room was the working library
of the College of Theatre Arts until 1969. The desk in the entry was used by Playhouse founder
Gilmor Brown, the fireplace is made of glorious Batchelder tile, the wooden bookcases contain
much of the original library and the paintings are by alumna Mildred Lapson and architect Elmer
Grey. It has been faithfully restored by the Pasadena Playhouse Alumni & Associates, even the
secret panel, behind which was the long sought silver puppet! For more information on the
puppet, or to JOIN THE HOSTS AND ENJOY THE MAGIC, please contact
[email protected].
The Friends of The Pasadena
Playhouse
Each year The Friends, the 375 member volunteer support group of The Pasadena Playhouse, vote for their favorite
actor of the previous season. Last season’s winner of the Twenty Third Annual FRED (Friends Recognition of
Entertaining Drama) Award was Hershey Felder. We are delighted to once again welcome him to our stage. For more
information on how to become a Friend, please check our website at www.friendsofthepasadenaplayhouse.org.
Backstage Tours
On an enjoyable backstage tour of our historic theatre you will learn what it takes to get a play on stage.
We welcome one individual or a group of one hundred. To book a tour or get more information, email
[email protected] or call 626 921-1162.
The Pasadena Playhouse Outreach and Education programs are made possible in part
by the support of the Wells Fargo Theatrical Diversity Project
P18 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P19
THEATRE RENTALS
This historic landmark, featuring the original architecture from 1925, is available for rental to the general
public. We have several rental spaces to offer for your upcoming event:
Makenini Library
An elegant space overlooking the flagstone patio with original
Batchelder fireplace, stunning woodwork and a free-standing bar
perfect for serving beverages at your event. The cozy leather
furniture and space for fine catered foods adds to the warmth making this the ideal space for exclusive VIP parties, pre-show
gatherings, or as a great background for film shoots. At 766 square
feet, it can comfortably hold up to 60 people.
Georgia McClay Friendship Center
An open and multi-purpose space featuring a high ceiling and
arched windows. Adjacent to the patio, this room lends itself to
business events, workshops, and parties, and comfortably holds
up to 50 people at 586 square feet (events featuring more guests
frequently flow onto the patio).
The Engemann Family Courtyard
An open-air space with Spanish style architecture. Perfect for
outdoor cocktail parties and large receptions associated with
Mainstage events. It features an historic fountain, free-standing bar
and ambient lighting. As our largest space, it can accommodate up
to 400 people, and for most occasions hosts live or amplified music.
Carrie Hamilton Theatre
An intimate 72-seat theatre located on the second level of the
Playhouse campus. Great for business presentations, auditions and
rehearsals. Hourly, daily and weekly rentals; subject to availability.
Theater technician on-hand if needed (separate fees apply).
Additional Equipment & Services Available (separate fees apply)
Beverage Service (soft drinks, coffee, beer and wine), Event Staffing, Theater Technician (light/sound), Tables, Chairs.
Contact Kristen Hammack, Associate Production Manager, at [email protected], or (626) 921-1166 for
information on rates and availability.
P20 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P21
Sheldon Epps
Artistic Director
Stephen Eich
Executive Director
TWO-SHOW PACKAGE
The Heiress
An American Classic
by Ruth and Augustus Goetz
Directed by Dámaso Rodriguez
April 24 - May 20, 2012
Sleepless in Seattle – The musical
PASADENA STAR-NEWS
CONGRATULATES THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE
ON THEIR OPENING OF
A World Premiere
Book by Jeff Arch Score by Michelle Citrin, Michael Garin & Josh Nelson
Directed by Joel Zwick June 12 - July 15, 2012
THE HERSHEY FELDER COLLECTION
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org
CALL OUR BOX OFFICE: (626) 356-7529
VISIT OUR BOX OFFICE: 39. S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101
P22 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe PErFORMANCEs MAGAZINE P23
kusclogo-cardinal-small.eps
PRODUCTION
Production Manger........................................................Joe Witt
Associate Production Manager.............Kristen Hammack
Technical Director.................................................... Brad Enlow
Company Manager................................................LoraBeth Barr
Master Electrician.............................................Cameron Zetty
Light Board Operator......................................Cameron Zetty
Sound Engineer.....................................................Eric Thompson
Wardrobe Supervisor...................................Leslie Rehm-Hunt
Scenic Artist..........................................................Mia Campagna
Production Assistant.........................................Daniel Trostler
Friends of THE Pasadena Playhouse
Executive Board
President..............................................................Lenore Almanzar
1st Vice President.............................................Sue Haynie-Horn
2nd Vice President.............................................. Nancy Ashcraft
Treasurer.........................................................................Nola Widin
Recording Secretary..........................................Sharon Zaslaw
General BoArd________________________________________________________________
Eugenia Amodei, Doris Arima, Ellen Bailey, Mary Basile,
Evey Brown, Virginia Browning, Bonnie Davis,
Bob DeWees, Ruthe Kilburn, Gloria Klaparda,
Patti La Marr, Richard Leaman, Yvonne Lai,
Beverly Meissner, Shirley Miller, Patrick Oliva,
Betty Parnell, Jayne Thomas
P24 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINe NI
SCE C A
O
29
•
•L
PATRON SERVICES
Patron Services Manager.................Lemuel H. Thornton III
Subscription Services Manager...........Frank Ensenberger
Patron Services Asst. Managers..............Louis Doug Jacobs,
Whitney LaBarge
Patron Services Associates..................................Kenia Brown,
Colin Burton, Kareem Cervantes, Elias Feghali,
Rafael Goldstein, Ben Lambert, Lauren Lees, Shelby Page,
Krista Taylor, Adam Quinney, Holly Walker
Hospitality Manager.....................................Kimberly Ruppert
Hospitality Associate........................................ Stacey Castillo
House Managers............. Sue Haynie-Horn, Patrick J. Oliva,
Lenore Bond Almanzar, Richard Leaman
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The Designers at this Theatre
T
IA
ISTS
RT
LEGAL COUNSEL
Pamela M. Golinski, Esq. Beigelman, Feiner & Feldman P.C.
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The actors and stage managers employed in
this production are members of actors’ equity
­association, the union of professional actors and
stage managers in the United States.
S
DEVELOPMENT/OUTREACH & EDUCATION
Development Director ...................................Jennifer Berger
Individual Giving &
Major Gifts Director......................................Patti Johns Eisenberg
Outreach & Education Coordinator........Courtney Harper
Development Associate............................................ Beth Lewis
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Marketing & Communications Director.........Patty Onagan
Public Relations Director..............................................Joel Hile
Marketing &
Communications Assistant.............................Jewel E. Moore
Subscriptions Manager..................................Jonathan White
Subscriptions Assistant................................................Erika Whalen
Group Sales Associate....................................Susan von Tress
Broadcast Advertising..............................Nancy’s Media Buys,
Nancy Pank
Graphic Design............................... Eric Pargac, Jessica Smith
Program Design....................................................... Jessica Smith
Photography.........................................................Craig Schwartz
Telemarketing.........................................................Theater Direct
HERSHEY FELDER
COLLECTION
SPONSORS
HERSHEY FELDER COLLECTION
production staff
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Production Stage Manager.
................................... Gigi Garcia
Company Manager................................................ LoraBeth Barr
Master Electrician.............................................Cameron Zetty
Light Board Operator......................................Cameron Zetty
Production Sound Engineer...........................Eric Thompson
Wardrobe Supervisor...................................Leslie Rehm-Hunt
Scenic Artist...........................................................Mia Campagna
Production Assistants.......................................Daniel Trostler
A
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
Controller....................................................Stephanie Surabian
Executive Assistant..............................................LoraBeth Barr
Administrative Assistant......................Whitney Fortmueller
Finance Assistant..............................................................Chris Lu
Union Liaison...........................................................Angela Sidlow
Accounting Consultant.......................Mary Ann Heidsman
IT Consulting Firm................................................TechFirmation
UNITED
Charles Dillingham
Dillingham
Charles
InterimExecutive
Executive Director
Interim
Director
I
Artistic Director
Artistic
Director
E
Sheldon Epps
Sheldon
Epps
THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE
ALUMNI & ASSOCIATES
Executive Board
President................................................................. Valerie Amidon
1st Vice-President.....................................................Anne LaRose
2nd Vice-President.................................................Bridget Furiga
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Administrator.....................................................RJ
Muehlhausen
Corresponding Secretary .......................Charlyn d’Anconia
Recording Secretary............................................Neva Wallace
Treasurer...........................................................................Eric Johns
BOARD OF DIRECTORS _____________________________________________________
Lenore Almanzar, Ellen Bailey, Marje Cates, Ross Clark,
Ross Eastty, John McElveney, Jaclyn Palmer, Jack Scot
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CA
8
L USA
are Represented by
United Scenic Artists • Local USA 829
of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes
warninG: The photographic or sound recording of any
­performance or the possession of any device for such
­photographing or sound recording inside the theatre, without
­written permission of the management, is prohibited by law.
­Violators may be punished by ejection and violations may render
the offender liable for money damages.
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