Chelsea Theater Center is a free professional theater designed to serve and develop unknown writers while simultaneously de veloping new audiences for the theater. It is concerned with any play of contemporary interest; from plays of protest to kitchen drama, from commercial come dies to political satire-if it has a bag, it is an eclectic one. Established in 1965 off off-Broad way, the Chelsea Theater Center, 3 years and 39 plays later, takes up residence in a new theater at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Chelsea Theater Center for its fourth season, 1968-69. @.li: li:lfu® mrr©©JlillWffi\ &~cdl®11lfuW ©~ ~m~fi©
The Chelsea Th eater Center Plays-in~ Workshop program serves as a testing ground for author, director, performers and audience--a place w here an artist, well-known or unknown, may work, without pressure, on a project of in terest. The program is directly related to CTC's policy of discoverin g and de veloping new work s. In workshop, physical production is minimal and re hearsal time for each work is limited. The author has a chance to see his play mounted, utilizing professional actors, sound and lights. From a Play-in-Work shop, the script, reworked during or after the production, may then move Robert Kalfin to a more complex presentation. In the Artistic Director past, CTC has mounted the same work Michael David as a read ing, a workshop and then a Executive Director full production, sometimes with a year or more in between. Chelsea Theater BOARD OF DIRECTORS Oliver Rea, Chairman Center is interested in developing play Robert E. Armstrong w ri ghts as well as plays. George A. Bari HONORARY The over-all program gives CTC, and Susan Bloch ADVISORY COMMITTEE Ben Edwards Harold Clurman everyone else, a chance to become Henry Guettel Barbaralee D. Diamonstein familiar with a work and its problems, Robert Kalfin John Houseman several times, if necessary, and hope O mar K. Lerman Ju les Irving fully without the pressu re of sleepless Ernest Levenstein Richard Kirschner nights in New Haven and thousands of Helen Merrill Sidney Lanier Anthony Perkins Lawrence Sch ubert Lawrence, Jr. dollars going down the drain if the O liver Rea Milton Lyon author doesn't create by tomorrow's Ira T. Wender Robert Whitehead opening. Mrs. Charles Yearwood Fred Williams Th1JNDER ll~ THE INDEX BIG CITY EREAKDO~~ by by PHILIP DEAN HEN'RY ZEIGER Directed by. Directed by fi® Gladys Vaughan Isaiah Sheffer ]F)ll~rr~fc 9~ Lighting Designer Design Consultant IF©rr11llf[ffi. George Peck Eoin Sprott
(four new Plays~in-Workshop) Stage ;,ranager Lee Caldwell Fourth Season 1968~69
Saturday, Dec. 14 thru Monday, Dec. 16 Assistant Stage Nanager CHRISTOPHE Suki Dewey by John Gay Sound Electrician Saturday, Dec. 21 thru Monday, Dec. 23 Suki Dewey Ed Dougherty THE BLOOD OF THE PIG AND THE BITE OF THE DOG by Elizabeth Levin Thursday, Jan. 23 thru Saturday, Jan. 25 ~OMMUNITY KITCHEN by Alex Foster THUNDER IN THE INDEX Thursday, Jan. 30 thru Saturday, Feb. 1 "Ay me, what act, THE WATCH-PIT That roars so loud, and Thunders by Kit Jones in the Index?" · Hamlet, III,iv. ALL PERFORMANCES Joshua •...... •...... •...... • Philip Dean* ADMISSION FREE Dr. Goldn:an ...•...•...•••.•••••.• Ed Seamon* Curtain Time: 8:30p.m. Nurse ....•...... •...•. Pat 0' Tool# Attendants .•...... ••.•..•. George Peck The Third Theater Robert vlilde in the Brooklyn Academy of Music 30 lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, New York Reservations: ST 3-5111 -interrr.ission-
STAFF FOR CHELSEA THEATER CENTER Production Man.Jfll.'t George Bari Pmducrion Auociare Clinton J<~keman BIG CITY BREAKDOWN Aclmino.wative Auist.tnt Verdelle Standard Lighring Design George Peck Tenant .....••..•..•.•••••.•.•...• Aston Yount Lirerary .mel Re)f!.Jrch Advisor (Dr~maturg ) lee Caldwell Superintendant ••..•..••.• ~ ..•..•• LeeR?Y G~les Design Consultant Eoin Sprott Girl ••••••••••.•••••.•••••••••••. Lesl1e R1. vers* Volunteer Assistant June Jerome ... J~.rr. Rose ••••••••.•••••••••••••••• Hy Anzel..,.. ~ The Third Theater stage designed by Inspector························Wil Alber~ Robert Mitchell in association with Potter· .• ··• • • · · · · • • • • · · • ········Allie WoodS''= MacFayden and Knowles, AlA. Scenic Rebel· .•• ·· .• ···••·• • · • • · • ·······Daniel Goldman* units designed by Eoin Sprott. lighting Guitar: James Slon:an bv George Peck. *Equity r\~ember appearing through the courtesy of Actor's Equity Association. AU CONTRIBUTIONS AU TAX DEDUCTIIlf. THUNDER IN THE INDEX
PHILIP DEAN (playwright, Joshua) his BIRD OF DAWNING SINGETH ALL NIGHT LONG, first seen at th~ Chelsea Theater Center, ended its run last week at The American Place Theater. GLADYS VAUGHAN (director) has dire.cted the New York Shakespeare Festival prod~cti9ns of CORIOLANUS, MACBETH, WINTER'S TALE and James Earl Jones in OTHELLO,• Her numerous New York credits include the New York premiere of Bre·tht' s BAAL as well as OTHEL'LO ·in repertory for Circle-in-the-Square, twoH>rorks-in-progress for thec·"Amer.ican Place Theater and Brecht's EDWARD II · for the Theater of Ideas. Miss: Vaughan, .. who spent a year studying British Repertory Theate·r under a Fulbright Grant, has also directed for .. the Front Street Theater in Memphis, the Washington Arena and the American. Theater Wing. . ED SEAMON (Dr. Goldman) rec~ntly appeared as. The Scotsman in ·chelsea · ·. Theater Center's opening production, CHRISTOPHE • . . · · .~ PAT O'TOOLE (Nurse) presently studying with the Tucom. Theater Workshop, she last appeared off-off Broadway a·s Alice in DANCE OF DEATH. In reg ional theater, Miss O'Toole has played Catherine in THE HEIRESS, Aima in SU~R AND SMOKE and Tracy in THE_PHILADELPHIA - . ST~Y. , _.· . ''':·'-:.. .. . :-- J. '~ .. ·, . , ..
. .. . . - BIG CITY.~· BREAKDOWN
·.-... •'· HENRY ·'ZEIGER {playwright) •' Playwr.ight, novelist And critic; his play ·. FIVE ·DAYS, produced a1t Chelse~ :tAe.at~r Center .. in.l965 (CTP'S first pro duction), was ~lso seen onJvGinl~T~·; in Boston and is inclutl~~.· tn Beacon Press' ttBes:t,--Plays -of 1955-56." H1..s ,work, MR HUBERT, playea1 1.n London in 1966. Mr. Zeiger's books include THE CASE AGAINST ADOLF ~lCHM0N~ 1 LYNDON B. JOHNSON: MAN AND PRESIDENT· and ROBERT F. KENNEDY:' A BIOG~PHY. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, he writes drama criticism for · The -- New L.eader ,. The New Repu_blic .,and . ShQ.:W magazines...... ,.~ ' ...... ''t - ·~ .·..1 • • .. ISAIAH SHEFFER· (director) · has been a WBAI:·-.Drama Critic s.ince .1962. His bi-weekly program, ·ttTheater Review with. n~a~ah Sheff~r,., '!: . ~- ~.. heard regular ly on WBAI. Mr. Sheffer is a director, prOd\l.c.er, writer tl,I;lcl' ~qt~r and . · has staged many .Off-Broadway product.ion.s, ·.among theni THE.. ,T,HE;A.~~- ·10F PERETZ · !: (1963), Brecht's THE EXCEPTION AND THE RUlE (1965-67}_ . ~nq '· .11161le· l .. De Ghel dercde's CHRONICLES OF HELL (1967). He was also the au~hor · and . director of the award-winning documentary film THE LAST CHAPTER. Mr. Sheffer is .presently an Assistant Professor of Theater Arts at Columbia and directs the Columbia University Summer Theater. He is also a producer-director at the newly-organized DMZ Political Cabaret and a contributor to the New Leader and Midstream. ASTON YOUNG {tenant) past director of the summer stock program at James Weld~o . Johnson Theater Arts Center, his Off-Broadway credits include OLD GLORY at the American Place Theater, BENITO CERINO at Theater DeLys, THE TRAILS OF BROTHER JERO and STRONG BREED. Seen on TV's EDGE OF NIGHT, Mr. Young appeared in CTC's past production PSALMS ARE PSUNG ON PSUNDAYS. . .' ' ,. ~ . . -· .. .. LEEROY GILES (superintendant) his past New York productions include ANOrHER SIDE OF TOMORROW; MAN, I REALLY AM; COLO~ US COLORED; CASTE LIFE .·. . ~Ey~w and Mr .• Gile · ~:· Monologue. GO DOWN DEATH w~s : seen as a showcase pro- ,, .. · duct· ~on .. at the Am~r~can Co~un~~Y Theater. · Tr~uned ·at Ac~or' s Mobile Thea ter and A.C.T., h~s TV cred~ts ~nclude ··a Channel 13 educational series, . ~ENN STATION •. ~e ~as a. member of the AJASS Repertory Theater a.nc;l <;ippeared ~n the 1964...,'6.5 product~on) NATURALLY. · ... . . •. . . -. .. ~ . .\. LESL!E RIVERS (girl) recently in th~ .. premiere of THE'.. VI~LAGE~: -\A ···PARTY as Bella at Princeton's 'McCarter rheatre, she . appearetl in-·:th~' New· ·rork .'.Theatre-in-the-Streets tours of: ·Moliere's THE BUNGLER' cind=an '"adapta.tion .... o:f Chekhov' s CHANE LEON • . She was · ·5 :~~eJ;1 in the Chicago cofupan.y or: Douglas . turner Wa~~ · 's HAPPY ENDING and DAY> 9F ABSENCE. Her TV credits include N.Y.P.D. ahd DIRECTIONS. · ·{·, .
HY ANZEL (Mr. Rose) seen on Broadway in SEIDMAN AND SON; BLOOD, SWEAT AND STANLEY POOLE; OKLAHOMA; ,BEGGAR'' S HOLIDAY and . LITTLE MUR~ERS, ... , he has appeared on the Los Angeles stage in A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE and THE LOVE OF FOUR COLONELS. His mant film and TV credits include BEAU JAMES, '· . ·· .. ·BLACK ~UESDA!l. ' TH~ .. TEN CO~WIANDMENTS and .fLAYHOUSE." .. ' 9;Q, ~.·{ 1;30~ r ~~OPE SHOW and ,: ..H1e ~,ACK~ .. · G~~pqN . SHOW: respectively...... ·.. : · ...... • ·. ,_,_. ... ,. vliL ALBERT (inspector) recently seen in CTC 's produc·tions THE BLOcb · OF THE PIG AND THE BITE OF THE DOG and CHRISTOPHE, he spent the 1967-68 season with the Pittsburg ~ Playhouse Repertory where he played King Henry in HENRY IV, Part I; Majon Petkaf in ARMS AND THE MAN and Frankie in THREE MEN ON A HORSE. Last seen on Broadway in FADE OUT., .f.f\DE, TN, among his Off-Broadway credits are MEDEA and DINNY AND T·HE WI'PC-HE&·.-:-=He .. has also played feature roles for two years on CBC-TV • . .. ,.~ ALL:IE: WOODS (Pott~r) member of ·,t.h~ : ::~~~;i.dent acting· compari~
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~ · : .. JOIN
The Chelsea Theater Center AUDIENCE -IN-RESIDENCE
The Chelsea Theater Center at the Brooklyn Academy of Music is, for the present, an engagement. We, at Chelsea Theater Center, hope it can become a marriage. The most crucial question a po tential father-in-law might ask is, "Is there an audience in Brooklyn?" We have been snapping "Of course" to skeptical father-in-laws since we decided to cross the river. But now we quietly ask you: Is there an audience for professional theater among the 3,000,000 residents of Brooklyn? Can we develop a theater here that will bring our past audiences and others across. the bridge too?
WARNING: Chelsea Theater Center is not a theater of hits, though it has, on occasion, produced one; and it is not a theater of stars, though they have, on occasion, played for us. It is a theater of experimentation, exploration, and of exposure--exposure of new and unknown works and forms to you, and you to them.
Chelsea Theater Center must build an audience in Brooklyn. An audience that re flects a continuity of interest and understanding of our work in general, not simply one show in particular--a nucleus or base around which we may confidently plant our roots and grow. To facilitate the development of that audience, we now make available, for the first time, 135 seats to our Invitational Rehearsal (the night prior to opening) , previously used solely for reviewers, producers, agents and special guests. The availability of this Rehearsal for attendance by our members will not only provide them with one more choice of performance, but also with an inside view of how we work and what we work at. NOTE: If attendance at these Rehearsals is encouraging, seminars after the Rehearsal performance with actors, director and playwright are waiting in the wings.
For a tax deductible contribution of $5 or more (categories on enclosed envelope) , each member of the AUDIENCE-IN -RESIDENCE will receive: *Advance mailing{ 1st class) on all brochures, schedules and announcements *A newsletter, four times a year *Opportunity to attend Invitation Rehearsals *A STAKE IN THE FUTURE OF PROFESSIONAL THEATER IN BROOKLYN.
JOIN US? ' ,
PAST CONTRIBUTORS TO THE CHELSEA THEA ER C E N TER Seasons 1965-1967 \ GRANTS The Dramatists Guild Fund The Rockefeller Foundation The National Endowment for the Arts The Rodgers and Hammerstein Foundation The New York Foundation The Peg Santvoord Foundation The New York State Council on the Arts Mrs. Warren T. Weber
SPONSORING MEMBERS Algie Knight Milton Lyon William Kranz Alex E. Munsell Mr. & Mrs. John Lamb Mrs. Averil Lawrence SUSTAINING MEMBERS Omar K. Lerman Leonard Bernstein Mrs. Blanche Lenne Henry Guettel Mrs. Nancy Mellon Hon. Theodore R. Kupferman Martha Orrick Nancy Potts Profile Press Jerome Robbiris Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Bobby Short Hoel H. Seicol, M.D. Ira T. Wender Beatrice Sheahan Anonymous Dr. Bertram Slaff Mr. & Mrs. G. Bennett Stackhouse CONTRIBtJTING MEMBERS Mr. & Mrs. John Sta~khouse TadAdoue Mills Ten Eycke 1 Christopher Allan Miss Rose M. Tischl(\1' Miss Sally Germ Mr. & Mrs. Timothy J.. Sullivan Arthur Littgow Russ Vliet Tom Mechling Ira F. Weiss Edwin Wilson William Harold Whited Mr. & Mrs. Charles Yearwood ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Myrna R. Zoll Norman Barrish Mrs. Anna Zuckerman Emily Barto Mr. & Mrs. Gabriel Zuckerman Charles Berman Mr. & Mrs. David Berman SUPPORTING MEMBERS Miss Louise R. Berman Bruce Aldini Miss Harriet Blum Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Anderson Dorothy L. Chace Robert Armstrong Mr. & Mrs. Burton Daugherty Virginia Barber Coleman Dowell Mrs. Lillian Bartok Miss Helen Eisner Max Dattner Rachel Erlanger Mr. & Mrs. Dewitt Drury Mr. & Mrs. Edson M. Finney Morris Ernst Dr. Emanuel Goldberg Dr. & Mrs. Murray Goldberg Edith Dee Hall Miss Nancy Hanks William Hoffman Peter Josten Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Johnson Robert V. Kristan Hon. Dorothy Kenyon The Rev.. Eugene A. Monick Robert M. Kline Anthony Perkins ... . '- ."'-' ..
Harold Prince Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Robinson Carolyn Proctor Mrs. Gerel Rubian Mrs. Henry Sachs Fred Russell Richard Scheuer Mrs. Edith Salzer Alfred Smoke Ida M. Sharkey Nathan Sonnenblick Mrs. Houghton C. Smith Mr. & Mrs. William Stern Don Sobolik Sasha Von Scherler Trudy Stamm Harvey Stark PARTICIPATING MEMBERS Eli Stern Miss Rita Barrish Ruth Stern Harvey Birnbaum Edward S. Stewart William Blizzard Catherine Sullivan Ed Blaumeiser Deirdre Sullivan Samuel & Adele Braude Mrs. Sophie Torr Richard Briglia Miss Mila Trachtenberg Peter Bromilow Mr. & Mrs. Jack Traub John Byrne Margaret Van Alstyne Robert Campus Gordon Watkins Dan Carpenter James R. Wiener Vincent Colbert Hal Winston Ralph A. Dale Eugene V. Wolsk Darm n.mn Workman's Circle, Branch 1076 Miss Anne T. Eaton Mr. & Mrs. R. Youdelman Mr. & Mrs. J. Eisner Dr. Thomas Franck SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Garrity Joseph Burstin Mrs. Mildred Glantz Chelsea Clinton News Mr. & Mrs. Max Glassman Church of the Holy Apostles Willard W. Gooditan Robert N. Essman Dorothy Goldbaum Miss Leona Finestone William Gundel Mrs. Carolyn Friedson Margaret E. Hand Eric Gertner David Harrop Stanley Gilkey Daniel Jamison The Reverend Robert M. C. Griswold Thomas Bland Jennings Ray Guenter Helen Kruger The Reverend Robert T. Jenks Mr. & Mrs. Clifford Lageoles Elaine Kerr Mr. & Mrs. C. L. Mackler AI Kornbluth Mr. & Mrs. S. J. Manookian Doris McMillan Mr. & Mrs. I. Lee Merin Mrs. Fred Metzger Angela Michael Earl Montgomery Joseph Miller Edmund Motyka Alfred D. Morgan Betty Owen Samuel N. Namowitz Joseph Papp Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Oppens Natalie Priest Mr. & Mrs. Claude N. Owen Mr. & Mrs. H. A. Richards Mrs. Bertran Perkel Saxon Paper Corporation Mrs. E. Pierce St. Peter's Episaopal Church Thomas Van Deus en 3 years and 39 plays later ... It is one of my regrets that it is not possible for the Manitoba Theatre Centre to concentrate on the presentation of new plays to the extent that I would wish. It is most vital to all of us working 'An unknown playwright must have in theater, that new writers are en some place to make mistakes that es couraged and provided with opportun tablished writers commit in out-of-town ities to see their work pass through a previews. But producers ignore them, rehearsal period and stand the chal Tlfu® Wrrftli:®rr~ maintai ning time-tested stand-bys in a lenge of confrontation by an audience.' 'A writer, in order to gain the perspec sort of in-breeding which leads to com Edward Gilbert, Artistic Director, Mani tive, energy, resilience and momentum placency and, perhaps, sterile theater. toba Theatre Centre necessa ry to keep writing, must work As a struggling playwright ... 'it had within a rea listic context and environ occurred to me to give the w hole thing 'The kind of work Chelsea Theater ment-a stage upon which he can test up. W hat a shocker it was when CTC Center is doing with playwrights is so his vision or fantasy against the hard announced MY play was selected for vital that one almost dare say the fu reality and discipline of a public show performance before an audience. I was ture of the theater depends on it.' ing. It was this that the Chelsea Theater supplied with a top-notch director, ex Sidney Lanier, President, American provided.' Edward Pomerantz, Kid cellent cast and dedicated crew. The Place Theater care and attention to detail amazed 'Sometimes it is an immense relief for me. (Without costing me a cent). a playwright to discover-without the Of course, there were many pro ®rm@ @U:fu\~rr~ burden of financial loss to others or ducers in the house but that was not 'Familiar with the work of the Theater injury to good ac tors' careers that a full the only advantage. The audience re Center, I must say that I will do every production might entail- that he is a action and my own reaction of this thing in my power to see that it is per novelist. That's a service too, you know spectacle enabled me to make revisions mitted to continue its good work.' -at leas t to the theater, and perhaps that never would have occurred to me John V. Lindsay, to literature in general. This is the ser on the flat pages of the script. Shortly Mayor, City of New York vice Chelsea Th eater Center rendered after ... a letter ca me expressing pos me, and I am deeply grateful.' Russ sibility of a Broadway production. One 'E n suma total el Chelsea Theater Vliet, Sweetly Sings the Mocker of the factors that clinched the pro Center merece nuestra gratitud por ducer's interest-the fact that the play haber seleccionado una obra que, como 'As a result of your production, severa l appeared to be in the final stage of LAS VENT ANAS, es representative del people have shown definite interest revision. For that I thank Chelsea. Jean alcance de Ia literatura teatral puerto in producing my p l ay. ...' James Maljean, Psalms are Psung on ?sundays rriquena.' El Diario, Nueva York- re Spencer, The Captain's Marbles viewing a workshop production pre sented in Spanish by a new Puerto 'Th e facil ities are admirab le: lighting, 1r1fu~ }P)rr©~~~®li©rm Rican playwright. a hell of a lot better th an another play 'We in the resident theater movement, of mine received at a midtown Off with all the best intentions in the world, 'The Chelsea Theater Center vibrantly Broadway theater; the production as are finding it difficult to give the fulfills one of the theater's chronica lly sistant was ded ica ted and resourceful; proper atten tion to new playwrights. neglected functions.... Although one the rest of the staff entirely helpful; Certainly we hope that, before long, of the newer off-off Broadway theaters, and last, but hardly leas t, the large the situation will be rectified. But, CTC has moved the fastest and most group of patrons w ho come to view un til that time organizations such as deftly toward securing a solid institu the final result were all that an audience yours must carry the ball.' Pirie Mac tional footing.' Robert Pasolli, The should be in their response, in their Donald, Associate Director, Seattle Nation comments: thoughtful, honest and in Repertory Theater volved.' Coleman Dowell, The Eve of Chelsea Theater Center is a free, professional, 'Hearing that you aired the works of 26 the Green Crass non-profi t, producing organization. It is sup new playwrights at Chelsea Theater ported solely by contributions from private in 'Ever since my play was produced at Center last year, I can only express dividuals, foundations, corporations, government CTC, I have been devoting myself to great envy and even greater compli agencies as well as voluntary donations from its writing as neve r before. Your organi ments. Quite clearly this is the only way audiences. Partial support is currently being re ceived from The Ford Foundation, The Special zation has injected me w ith new en this country will develop the new play Projects Program of the New York State Council thusiasm. I hope you ca n continue to wrights we desperately need.' Pet er on the Arts, the Dramatists Guild Fund and in do the sa me for others. Dennis Selby, Culman, Executive Director, Center dividuals to be published later during the season. The Island of Symmetrical People Stage, Baltimore All contributions are tax deductible. CHELSEA THEATER CENTER at The Brooklyn Academy of Music 30 Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11217 Memberships in the Chelsea Theater Center AUDIENCE- IN- RESIDENCE
Participating $ 5 Sustaining $ 100
Associate 10 Sponsoring 250 Supporting 25 Patron 500 Contributing .50 Charter 1000
All contributions will be receipted
Enclosed is my tax deductible donation of $ ____ payable to Chelsea Theater Center. NAME______ADDRESS ______
CITY______ST ATE ______ZIP CODE ______PHONE ______
I am already on your mailing li s t ~___ (CTC 's list is separate form BAM's).
Please call me for voluntary work at CTC ~ 82
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