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Home , Alan Ayckbourn, Alan Bennett, Jane Carr, Patrick Kerr, The Lady in the Van

41st Season • 394th Production SEGERSTROM STAGE / OCTOBER 15 - NOVEMBER 21, 2004

David Emmes Martin Benson PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

presents HABEAS CORPUS

BY

SCENIC DESIGN COSTUME DESIGN LIGHTING DESIGN COMPOSER/SOUND DESIGN/MUSICAL DIRECTOR Christopher Acebo Shigeru Yaji Geoff Korf Paul James Prendergast

DIALECT COACH CHOREOGRAPHER PRODUCTION MANAGER STAGE MANAGER Philip D. Thompson Ken Roht Jeff Gifford *Randall K. Lum

DIRECTED BY Bill Rauch

HONORARY PRODUCERS Haskell & White LLP

Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Habeas Corpus • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P1

CAST OF CHARACTERS (In order of appearance) Arthur Wicksteed ...... Hal Landon Jr.* Mrs. Swabb ...... Jane Carr* Muriel Wicksteed ...... Caitlin O’Connell* Dennis Wicksteed ...... Christopher Liam Moore* Constance Wicksteed ...... Kate A. Mulligan* Canon Throbbing ...... Daniel T. Parker* Sir Percy Shorter ...... Patrick Kerr* Lady Rumpers ...... Lynnda Ferguson* Felicity Rumpers ...... Lynsey McLeod* Mr. Shanks ...... Richard Doyle* Mr. Purdue ...... Phillip C.Vaden*

SETTING The action takes place in and around the Wicksteeds’ house in Hove.

LENGTH Approximately two hours, including one 15-minute intermission.

PRODUCTION STAFF Assistant Stage Manager ...... Chrissy Church* Casting ...... Joanne DeNaut Dramaturg ...... Jennifer Kiger Fight Coach ...... Daniel C. Forcey Production Assistant ...... Deanna Keefe Assistant to the Set Designer ...... Kis Knekt, Celeste Thompson Assistant Lighting Designer ...... Celeste Thompson Costume Design Assistant ...... Julie Keen Assistant to the Director ...... Vanessa Watson Additional Costume Staff ...... Catherine Esera, Tracy Gray Amber Johnson, Peggy Oquist, Swantje Tuohino

Please refrain from unwrapping candy or making other noises that may disturb surrounding patrons. The use of cameras and recorders in the theatre is prohibited. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the theatre. Cellular phones, beepers and watch alarms should be turned off or set to non-audible mode during the performance.

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers.

Official Airline Media Partner

P2 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Habeas Corpus Presenting the Rehearsing the Body Bawdy

ESPRIT D’ ‘CORPUS’. In rehearsals for ‘Habeas Corpus,’ director Bill Rauch, above right, oversees a process that is some work, some fun, and all play. Testing the laugh potential of the play’s first encounters – above, left to right – are Jane Carr as Mrs. Swabb, Daniel T. Parker as Canon Throbbing, and Hal Landon Jr. as Arthur Wick- steed. At left, Christopher Liam Moore, as Dennis, and Kate A. Mulligan, as Constance, rehearse an encounter of the comical kind.

Habeas Corpus •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P3 A Farce by any Other Name... Alan Bennett Presents His Case for ‘Habeas Corpus’

abeas Corpus was written in 1973. It was an at- course plays don’t become timeless simply by weed- tempt to write a farce without the paraphernalia ing them of timely references any more than plays be- of a farce, hiding places, multiple exits and come serious by weeding them of all jokes. The Humpteen doors. Trousers fall, it is true, but in jokes in Habeas Corpus about the Permissive Society an instantaneous way as if by divine intervention. do date it. But it’s not altogether farce…. Death doesn’t quite lay down his book and poor Dennis ends up doomed.... Still Habeas Corpus is a favorite of mine if only because it’s one of the few times I’ve man- aged not to write a naturalistic play.

Freely excerpted from Alan Bennett’s Introduction to Forty Years On and Other Plays, Lim- ited (London: 1984).

I wrote it without any idea of how it could be staged and rehearsals began with just four bentwood chairs. The big revolution occurred after two weeks in rehearsal when the director, Ronald Eyre, decided we could manage with three. I had worked hard on the text beforehand and together we cut it to the bone before rehearsals started. The bare stage specified in the stage di- rections is essential to the bare text. Re-intro- duce the stock-in-trade of farce (as the Broad- way production tried to) and the play doesn’t work. There is just enough text to carry the performers on and off, provided they don’t dawdle. If they have to negotiate doors or stairs or potted plants or go anywhere ex- cept into the wings, then they will be left stranded halfway across the stage, with no line left with which to haul themselves off. Neither Getting On (1971) nor Habeas Corpus is what Geoffrey Grigson called “weeded of impermanence,” a necessary condition if a play or poem is to outlast its time. Topical references are out. Of

Above, the cast of ‘Habeas Corpus,’ London’s Lyric Theatre, May 1973. Right, Alan Bennett in 1994.

P4 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Habeas Corpus Sex, Please . . . We’re British The Flowering Power of the Sexual RevolutionI When I throw back my head and howl People (women mostly) say But you’ve always done what you want, Sexual intercourse began You always get your own way In nineteen sixty-three —A perfectlyInversion vile and of all fowl that’s been. (which was rather late for me)— The body’s an empty vessel, What the old ratbags mean–, Between the end of the “Chatterly” ban The flesh an awful cheat, Is that I’ve never done what I don’t. And the Beatles’ first LP. The world is just an abattoir, “The Life With The Whole In It” For our rotting lumps of meat. Up to then there’d only been So if you get your heart’s desire, A sort of bargaining, Your longings come to pass, A wrangle for the ring, Remember in each other’s beds A shame that started at sixteen It isn’t going to last. And spread to everything. The smoothest cheek will wrinkle The proudest breast will fall. Then all at once the quarrel sank: Some sooner go, some later Everyone felt the same, But death will claim us all. And every life became everybody shake it A brilliant breaking of the bank, – Habeas Corpus time to be free amongst yourselves A quite unlosable game. (Mrs. Swabb, Act Two) your mama told you to be discreet and keep your freak to yourself So life was never better than but your mama lied to you all this time In nineteen sixty-three she knows as well as you and I (Though just too late for me)— you’ve got to express what is taboo in you Between the end of the “Chatterly” ban and share your freak with the rest of us And the Beatles’ first LP –Philip Larkin, “Annus Mirabilis” cause it’s a beautiful thang

this is my sexual revolution

everybody break it Say nobody saw and nobody heard every rule every constriction Say no-one at all would breathe a word my papa told me to be home by now Say nobody knew the you that was you but my party has just begun And your secret dreams could all come true, maybe he’ll understand Picture the scene, figurez-vous, that I got to be You could have whoever you wanted to: to be the freak that god made me Felicity Rumpers, Omar Sharif, so many thangz I want to try Julie Andrews, Mr. Heath. got to do them before I die Orgies of swapping, five in a bed. You me and Omar, Julie and Ted. sexual revolution Don’t tell me you wouldn’t, given the choice Old men with schoolgirls, ladies with boys got to do them before I die If she’s what I fancy you really can’t quarrel, got to do them before I die ‘Cos given the chance you’d be just as immoral. Nobody’s perfect: I’m fifty-three. –Macy Gray, And the tide’s going out, Arthur Wicksteed, M.D. “Sexual Revolution” –Habeas Corpus (Arthur Wicksteed, Act One)

Habeas Corpus •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P5 ‘Habeas Corpus’ from A to Zed

Addis Ababa: Capital and largest city of Ethiopia. Lady today remains a desirable middle-class residential loca- Rumpers and her husband, General Sir Frederick tion. Many Hove residents still feel fiercely indepen- Rumpers, were stationed in Addis Ababa for many years dent. On meeting new people there are still many who while the General served as right-hand man to Haile Se- will state they are from “Brighton…well, Hove actually.” lassie, the last Emperor of Ethiopia. Cairngorms: A group of mountains forming part of the Brett’s Palsy: Fictional disease which afflicts Dennis Grampian Mountains in central Scotland. Wicksteed in the play. Although there are several forms of palsy, “Could I crave a it appears Bennett created this boon?”: “Could I ask a form specifically for Arthur Wick- favor?” steed’s hypochondriac son. Dame Anna Neagle: Brighton’s silk stocking district of Famous British film ac- Hove: Brighton is a seaside re- tress of the ’30s, ’40s sort in the Southeast of , and ’50s. the archetypal equivalent of At- lantic City in its heyday. A Decree nisi: The docu- Brighton weekend hints at a bit ment that notifies the of fun. It’s been said that parties that a divorce is Brighton’s Pavilion, which looks almost complete. like a small con- crete Taj Mahal, Forever Amber: A was created for the romance novel by pre-marital/ extra- Pop exports of the late 60’s and early 70’s, including the Kathleen Winsor, marital affairs of micromini skirt and the Union Jack as cheap souvenir. which tells the story the king. Far of orphaned Amber enough away from St. Clair, who makes London to keep her way through 16th century English society by sleep- the press away ing with more and more important men. The book was from the scandals, roundly condemned by decency watchdogs, which the upper class helped make it popular. One critic went so far as to crept in thinking “if number each of the passages to which he objected. the king can do it, so can we,” and F.R.C.S. and F.R.C.P.: Fellow of the Royal College of bed and breakfasts Surgeons and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. sprang up to ac- commodate. Gimcrack: a cheap and showy object of no use. It is only in recent years that Habeas Corpus: Latin, meaning: “you should have the Hove has been of- body.” A legal term which demands the presence of ficially linked with someone in court, but literally means “bring forth the Brighton. Hove body.” grew up from a number of small villages, and by the late 19th century it (Ralph) Hammond Innes: Highly successful British nov- became an affluent and independently run Victorian elist, known for writing action adventure novels and town. Built in 1928, Brunswick Square provides an ele- travel books; also refers to a trench coat one often gant reminder of its regency past and much of Hove wears while traveling.

P6 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Habeas Corpus

Mr. Heath: Ted Heath, a British jazz musician, who died in 1969. The Permissive Society Humbug: A mint candy, hard with white and brown stripes, and very tasty. “This is what they must mean by the Permissive Society.” (Mrs. Wicksteed, Act One) Inside leg: Inseam. “Permissive Society” is the label given to a society where K.C.B.: British orders and decorations, refers to the social norms become increasingly liberal. This usually ac- Order of the Bath. companies a change in what is considered deviant. A permissive society is one that has few moral codes be- Kenneth Clark: An English Art Historian who wrote yond “do not harm others.” Sexual freedom increases. several books, including Civilisation (1970). Freedom to view violent and sexual material including

Lancet: A groundbreaking medical journal, established in Britain in 1823.

Locum: A person, especially a physician or cleric, who substitutes temporarily for an- other.

Lucozade: An energy drink first produced in 1927 by a Newcastle chemist who experi- mented for several years to provide a source of energy which was acceptable to those who were sick. Still being sold today.

NAAFI: the Navy, Army and Air Force Insti- tutes, created by the British Government to run recreational establishments needed by the Armed Forces. But would you wish your wife or servants to read it...? The unexpurgated ‘Chatterly,’ fi- nally on sale. National Health Service: The publicly-funded healthcare system of the United Kingdom. It was movies, art and literature increases. created in 1948 by Clement Atlee’s Labour govern- The first inkling of changing attitudes and the ar- ment. The NHS was and largely remains a system rival of the sexual revolution in the UK came in 1960, of medicine intended to be “free at the point of de- when the government tried unsuccessfully to prosecute livery” and paid for by taxes. Private medical care Penguin Books for obscenity, for publishing the D.H. remains available in the UK. Lawrence novel Lady Chatterly’s Lover which had been banned since the 1920s, for its racey (for the time) con- Nosey Parker: A person who meddles in the af- tent. fairs of another. Censorship of the arts in England dated back cen- turies. By law, the Lord Chamberlain’s power of censor- Piles: Hemorrhoids. ship was entirely discretionary and could be enforced to prevent any profanity, lewd or improper language, inde- St. Michael’s panties: A name brand of lingerie sold cency of dress or action, and anything else which in the by British Department store Marks & Spencers. Chamberlain’s opinion might tend to induce riot or the breach of peace. The law remained unchanged until the Woggle: a neckerchief slide used primarily with revised Theatres Act of 1968 finally abolished the Lord Boy Scout uniforms. Chamberlain’s power of censorship. Writing in Backing into the Limelight: The Biogra- Vanilla blancmange: A flavored and sweetened phy of Alan Bennett, Alexander Games argues, “Habeas milk pudding thickened with cornstarch. Corpus is Bennett’s Oh! Calcutta, a play that commemo- rates the demise of the Lord Chamberlain and his blue Zambia: A territory in South Africa. pencil and dances a prolonged conga on his grave.”

Habeas Corpus •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P7 JANE CARR RICHARD DOYLE LYNNDA FERGUSON Mrs. Swabb Mr. Shanks Lady Rumpers

Artist Biographies

*JANE CARR (Mrs. Swabb) came Merchant of Venice with Sir Alec Lovage and Noises Off at the to America in 1986 with the Royal Guinness and The Way of the Pasadena Playhouse (which also Shakespeare Company in World with Dame , played in San Jose and San Fran- Nicholas Nickleby. She has just working with her again after play- cisco) and The Cider House Rules visited Britain to play Madam Ar- ing Mary McGregor in the film of at the Mark Taper Forum. Televi- cati in Blithe Spirit, directed by The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. sion appearances include “Judg- the former artistic director of The Among her other film work are ing Amy,” “Enterprise,” “Monk,” Royal Shakespeare Company, the cult hits Something for Every- “,” Terry Hands. During her years one and Austin Powers II. Ms. “,” “Yes, Dear,” “Dharma with the R.S.C. she appeared in Carr played Louise Mercer for and Greg,” “Caroline in the City,” many productions, including four seasons on NBC’s “Dear “Boy Meets World,” “,” Poppy, Peter Pan, A Midsummer John” and followed with a stint “Murphy Brown,” “Ellen,” “Bever- Night’s Dream, Much Ado about on Broadway in ’s ly Hills 90210,” “George and Leo,” Nothing, The Twin Rivals, Money, . She “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” The Caucasian Chalk Circle and performed at Carnegie Hall with “You Lucky Dog,” “London Suite” . She has appeared the Boston Symphony Orchestra and “An American Daughter.” at The in (conducted by Seiji Ozawa) in a You can hear her voice playing , Spring Awakening concert of Mendelssohn’s Mama Cosma on the “Fairly Odd and The Ticket of Leave Man and “Dream,” playing Hermia, Titania Parents” and Pud’n on “The Grim in the West End in What the But- and Puck. In California her ap- Adventures of Billy and Mandy.” ler Saw, Once a Catholic, Lovers pearances include Entertaining She has one son, Dashiel, aged Dancing, The Prime of Miss Jean Mr. Sloane and She Stoops to Folly 15, who is magnificent. Brodie and others. She did three at SCR, Sylvia and The Merry productions at The Chichester Wives of Windsor at The Old *RICHARD DOYLE (Mr. Shanks) is Festival Theatre, Oh Kay, The Globe in San Diego, Lettice and an SCR Founding Artist. He ap-

P8 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Habeas Corpus PATRICK KERR HAL LANDON JR. LYNSEY MCLEOD Sir Percy Shorter Arthur Wicksteed Felicity Rumpers

peared last season in Cyrano de ances on “The Pretender” and house; Sideman and South Pacific Bergerac, , “The Lot.” He is a voice-over at Denver Center; Coriolanus and The Last Night of Ballyhoo and A actor in animation, CD ROMS, Love’s Labour’s Lost at The Old Christmas Carol and the previous television, radio commercials, Globe; The Marriage of Figaro season in Relatively Speaking, books on tape and documen- and The Guardsman at ACT; The Proof and Major Barbara. Addi- taries, including the Emmy-win- Misanthrope, Midsummer Night’s tional appearances include the ning series The Living Edens, Im- Dream and Blithe Spirit at Balti- world premieres of The Beard of pressions of California and the re- more Center Stage; Hot N’ Throb- Avon, On the Jump (Robby cently released Green and Green bing at Arena Stage; and Antony Award), But Not for Me, BAFO, “Art-in-Architecture” documen- & Cleopatra and Macbeth at Col- The Interrogation of Nathan Hale, tary. orado Shakespeare Festival. Re- She Stoops to Folly, Wit, Hospitali- cent film and television credits in- ty Suite and Highest Standard of *LYNNDA FERGUSON (Lady clude Alex in Wonder, Making Living. Other credits include Rumpers) appeared at SCR previ- Contact, “Law & Order,” “Judging , A Deli- ously in Hedda Gabler, Private Amy” and “.” cate Balance, Of Mice and Men, Lives, The Misanthrope, The Ah, Wilderness!, What the Butler Philadelphia Story, Tartuffe, Mis- *PATRICK KERR (Sir Percy Shorter) Saw, Pygmalion, Six Degrees of alliance, Twelfth Night, The Miser previously appeared at SCR in Separation, Arms and the Man, and Round and Round the Gar- The Triumph of Love and A The Cherry Orchard, Waiting for den. On Broadway she appeared Christmas Carol. Other local Godot, Our Country’s Good and in Rumors and Bring Back Birdie stage work includes Steve Mar- Intimate Exchanges, for which he and Off-Broadway in Mrs. Feuer- tin’s The Underpants at the Geffen earned a Los Angeles Drama Crit- stein and Romeo and Juliet. Other Playhouse; Dealers Choice at the ics Circle Award nomination. He credits include Continental Di- Mark Taper Forum and Light Up won LADCC Awards for his roles vide at La Jolla Playhouse, G- the Sky at the Pasadena Play- in Sally Nemeth’s Holy Days and Nome at Padua Playwrights; The house. New York appearances as Reverend Hale in The Crucible. Homecoming, Dangerous Corner include The Devils at New York “Cheers” fans will remember him and Mad Forest at the Matrix The- Theatre Workshop, Mabou Mines’ as Woody’s snooty father-in-law atre Co.; The Duchess of Malfi at The Warrior Ant at the Brooklyn Walter Gaines. Other film and A Noise Within; Private Lives, The Academy of Music and Jeffrey at television credits include Air Misanthrope, Major Barbara and the Minetta Lane Theatre. Re- Force One, “NYPD Blue,” “Sis- Heartbreak House at Berkeley gional credits include productions ters,” movies of the week, “The Repertory; Les Liaisons Dan- at the Guthrie, Yale Repertory, Practice” and guest star appear- gereuse at the Pasadena Play- Baltimore Center Stage and

Habeas Corpus •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P9 CHRISTOPHER LIAM MOORE KATE A. MULLIGAN CAITLIN O’CONNELL Dennis Wicksteed Constance Wicksteed Muriel Wicksteed

Berkeley Repertory. On televi- peared in Leander Stillwell at the fornia Seagull and Too Noble sion he is best known for his re- Mark Taper Forum and in Henry Brothers. Regional theatre credits curring role as Noel Shemsky on V at The Old Globe in San Diego. Nickel and Dimed at the Guthrie “Frasier” and as the blind guy on Other resident theatre roles in- Theater, Medea/MacBeth/Cin- “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” clude Salieri in Amadeus, Malvo- derella at Yale Repertory Theatre lio in Twelfth Night and Gordon (CT Drama Critics Circle Nomina- *HAL LANDON JR. (Arthur Wick- Miller in Room Service. Among tion), The Good Person of New steed) is an SCR Founding Artist his film credits are Trespass, Pa- Haven at Long Wharf Theatre, As who recently appeared in Cyrano cific Heights, Almost an Angel, You Like It at The Old Globe, de Bergerac, Safe in Hell, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure Twelfth Night at Taper, Too (Ova- Antigone, The Drawer Boy and Playing by Heart. tion Award), A Community Carol (LADCC Award nomination), Two at Arena Stage and The King Gentlemen of Verona, Major Bar- *LYNSEY McLEOD (Felicity Stage at the American Repertory bara, Getting Frankie Married— Rumpers) has appeared at SCR in Theatre. He is also a founding and Afterwards, The School for The Beard of Avon, The Philan- member of Cornerstone Theatre Wives, Much Ado about Nothing, derer, Oleanna and Six Degrees of Company. On television he was Entertaining Mr. Sloane, The Hol- Separation. She is a graduate of a series regular on “Murder in low Lands, True West, Play the LACC Theatre Academy and Small Town X” and plays the re- Strindberg, Tartuffe and Ah, has studied at the American Con- curring role of Ian Jankowski on Wilderness! Other credits include servatory Theatre. She appeared “Judging Amy.” Other film and Arcadia, Our Town, Sidney in Private Battle at the Mark television credits include Bechet Killed a Man, BAFO, Six Taper Lab and Jake’s Women at “Friends,” “3rd Rock from the Degrees of Separation, An Ideal the Doolittle Theatre. She cur- Sun,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” Mem- Husband, A Mess of Plays by Chris rently hosts a kid’s show for Dis- ron, The Cherokee Kid and Si- Durang, The Things You Don’t ney and has happily launched mone. Know, Faith Healer, Ghost in the into screenplay writing and voice Machine, Green Icebergs, Morn- acting for Japanese Animax. *KATE A. MULLIGAN (Constance ing’s at Seven, Dancing at Lugh- Wicksteed) is making her SCR nasa, The Miser, Our Country’s *CHRISTOPHER LIAM MOORE debut. Theatre credits include Good and Waiting for Godot. He (Dennis Wicksteed) made his SCR Embedded at The Joseph Papp created the role of Ebenezer debut last season in Lovers and Public Theater in New York, Liv- Scrooge in SCR’s A Christmas Executioners. New York theatre ing Out at the Mark Taper Forum; Carol, and has performed it in all credits include The Video Store M/M/C at Yale Repertory; Mephis- 24 annual productions. He ap- Owner’s Significant Other, A Cali- to, Four Roses, Inspector General,

P10 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Habeas Corpus Titus Andronicus. His Off-Broad- way credits include Hedda Gabler at Manhattan Theatre Club, Street Dreams at La Mama, Father Anonymous at the Ensemble Stu- dio Theatre and Gun Play at Naked Angels. Regionally he has been in Hay Fever directed by Anne Bogart with the Siti, Co. at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, A Fairy Tale at the Huntington The- atre, Medea/Macbeth/ Cinderella at Yale Repertory, Picnic at Balti- more Center Stage, The Taming of the Shrew, She Stoops to Con- DANIEL T. PARKER PHILLIP C. VADEN quer and A Midsummer Night’s Canon Throbbing Mr. Purdue Dream at Shakespeare Santa Cruz and five seasons at the Williams- town Theatre Festival in Wild Oats, Henry IV, Part I and II, A The Dressing Room, Imaginary Measure for Measure at the Funny Thing Happened on the Invalid, Dorian Gray, Euphoria Shakespeare Theatre; Winter’s Way to the Forum and 1776. He and Hysteria at the Actors Gang; Tale, , Romeo & Juliet, appeared in the films Two Days, Fall at Taper Too; Bunny Bunny Slavs!, How I Learned to Drive, A Never Get Outta the Boat, Galaxy at the New York Shakespeare Doll’s House, Oh, Pioneers!, The Quest, The Out-of-Towners, and Stage and Film; and Good Film Society and There’s One in Working Girl, and on television in Woman of Setzuan at the Every Marriage at Center Stage; “E.R.,” “Spenser for Hire,” “Tracy Odyssey Theatre. Film credits in- Dinner with Friends, The Little Takes On…” (recurring) and the clude Embedded, written and di- Foxes, Pierre, The Cherry Or- movies-of-the week Thin Air, rected by Tim Robbins, The Ze- chard, Playboy of the Western Crossfire Trail and Small Vices. roes, Camera Obscura, Being World, The Front Page, Arms and John Malkovich, Dead Presidents the Man, Quilters and The Impor- PHILLIP C. VADEN (Mr. Purdue) and Harmony Lane. On televi- tance of Being Earnest at Denver appeared previously at SCR in sion she had recurring roles on Center Theatre; and An Two Gentlemen of Verona and A “It’s Gary Shandling’s Show” and Experiment with an Air Pump at Christmas Carol. Theatre credits “The Boys” and guest starred on the Dallas Theatre Center; The include Caught in the Net, A Mid- “NYPD Blue,” “Strong Medicine,” Road to Mecca and Electra at the summer Night’s Dream, Scenes “The Practice,” “E.R.,” “,” Intiman Theatre; and On the and Revelations, Love Letters and “Life and Stuff” and “Good Verge and The 9/11 Project at the Waiting for Godot. He is a gradu- Sports,” Chautauqua Theatre. Film and ate of SCR’s Professional Conser- television credits include The vatory. He recently completed his *CAITLIN O’CONNELL (Muriel Stepchild, “Whoopi,” “Law and film debut in Pope Dreams with Wicksteed) is making her SCR Order,” “Homicide,” “Perry Julie Hagerty and Stephen debut. Theatre credits include Mason” and “Another World.” Tobolowsky. Boy at Primary Stages; Julius Cae- sar at The Old Globe; Mrs. War- *DANIEL T. PARKER (Canon PLAYWRIGHT, ren’s Profession and Playboy of Throbbing) appeared previously DIRECTOR & DESIGNERS the Western World at the Guthrie at SCR in Two Gentlemen of Theater; Give Me Your Answer, Verona. He has appeared in nu- ALAN BENNETT (Playwright) was Do! at the Roundabout Theatre; merous productions at The born in , England, studied Much Ado about Nothing, Twelfth Actor’s Gang in L.A. including A history at Oxford University and Night, Henry IV Part 1 & 2, The Fairy Tale (Garland Award), Eu- received a B.A. degree in 1957. Merry Wives of Windsor, The phoria, The Imaginary Invalid He first came to public attention Comedy of Errors, Macbeth and (Ovation Award), Hysteria and in the revue ,

Habeas Corpus •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P11 which opened at the Edinburgh residence in Bennett’s driveway Chavez Ravine at the Mark Taper Festival in Scotland in 1960 and and stayed there for 15 years. Forum. Other regional design played before enthusiastic audi- Bennett turned the story into a work includes productions for the ences in London and New York play titled , Guthrie Theater, Portland Center City in the early 1960s. Bennett also starring Maggie Smith, in Stage, La Jolla Playhouse, Pasade- co-authored and performed in the 1997. His satirical novel The Lay- na Playhouse, the Goodman The- revue along with director ing on of Hands, about the death atre, Children’s Theatre Company , satirist Peter of a celebrity masseur, was pub- of Minneapolis, Cornerstone The- Cook, and actor . lished in 2001. ater Company, Missouri Reperto- Bennett’s first stage play was ry, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Forty Years On (1968), an allegory BILL RAUCH (Director) is co- The Kennedy Center, San Diego about the decline of Britain set in founder and artistic director of Repertory Theatre, The Magic an imaginary boys’ school called the Los Angeles-based Corner- Theatre and Sledgehammer The- Albion House. Several stage plays stone Theater Company, and has atre, among others. Mr. Acebo is followed, each stamped with Ben- directed over 40 of the company’s an ensemble member of the na- nett’s idiosyncratic brand of gen- productions, many of them col- tionally acclaimed Cornerstone tle, self-mocking satire. They in- laborations with diverse commu- Theater Company in Los Angeles. clude Getting On (1971), Habeas nities across the nation. He has He received his MFA in design at Corpus (1973), The Old Country also directed at the Mark Taper the University of California, San (1977), and The Madness of Forum, the Oregon Shakespeare Diego and is a past recipient of George III (1991), on which he Festival, the Guthrie, Long Wharf, the prestigious NEA/TCG fellow- based his Academy Award nomi- Great Lakes Theater Festival, ship for designers. He is on the nated screenplay for the motion Arena Stage, and Yale Repertory faculty at Cal State University, Los picture The Madness of King where he is an Associate Artist. Angeles. George (1994). He returned to For SCR, he staged Anthony Clar- the boys’ school setting with The voe’s Walking Off the Roof for the SHIGERU YAJI (Costume Design) History Boys (2004), a play that inaugural Pacific Playwrights Fes- is very pleased to begin his 23rd raises questions about the mean- tival and last season’s Lovers and season at SCR with more than 45 ing of education. Bennett has Executioners. Mr. Rauch has won productions including most re- also written plays for television, , Garland, LA Weekly, cently Cyrano de Bergerac, Lovers including An Englishman Abroad Drama-Logue, and Connecticut and Executioners, Major Barbara (1983) about , a Critics Circle Awards for his direc- and The School for Wives. For British diplomat and spy who fled tion, and was the only artist to more than 20 years he has de- to the Soviet Union. It was later win the inaugural Leadership for signed for 25 theatres on the West staged as a double bill titled Sin- a Changing World Award. He Coast, creating costumes for more gle Spies (1988), along with A served on the board of Theatre than 120 productions. He is the Question of Attribution about an- Communications Group from recipient of numerous awards and other spy, British art historian An- 1992-1998 and has testified to recognitions, including six Los thony Blunt. With Congress on behalf of the N.E.A. Angeles Drama Critics Circle (1988) and Talking Heads 2 He is proud to be one of Liam’s Awards and a Bay Area Theatre (1998), Bennett created two series two dads. Critics Circle Award. His most re- of tragicomic monologues in cent entertainment designs have which the characters reveal their CHRISTOPHER ACEBO (Scenic De- been for a spectacle show, Mystic self-deceptions. Maggie Smith sign) designed the world pre- Rhythms, at Tokyo Disney Sea in starred as an alcoholic vicar’s wife mieres of The Beard of Avon, Japan, and the A&E broadcast of in the Talking Heads monologue Hold Please and California Sce- Cathy Rigby’s Peter Pan, for “Bed Among the Lentils.” Writ- narios and the West Coast pre- which he received a 2000-01 ing Home (1994), a witty collec- miere of The Countess and the Emmy Award nomination follow- tion of extracts from Bennett’s di- current production of La Posada ing the production’s Broadway aries, reached British bestseller Mágica at SCR. Recent produc- engagement and national tour. lists soon after publication. At its tions include the world premieres Mr. Yaji is a member of the Unit- core is “The Lady in the Van,” the of The Clean House at Yale Reper- ed Scenic Artists Local 829 and story of an eccentric homeless tory, Electricidad at the Goodman the UC Irvine Drama Department woman who took up temporary Theatre and Living Out and faculty.

P12 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Habeas Corpus GEOFF KORF (Lighting Design) tor, production designer, and is *RANDALL K. LUM (Stage Manag- designed lighting for the SCR pro- knee deep in the world of alter- er) began his 15th year with the ductions of Lovers and Execution- native (natural) house building. company with Brooklyn Boy. Last ers, Two Gentlemen of Verona, He lives in Los Angeles and season he worked on Safe in Hell, The Dazzle, Making It, Hold Joshua Tree. Antigone, Terra Nova and The Please, Art, Entertaining Mr. Last Night of Ballyhoo. The previ- Sloane, Amy’s View, The Summer PHILIP THOMPSON (Dialect ous season he stage managed Moon, References to Salvador Coach) teaches voice and speech Major Barbara, Proof and Inti- Dali Make Me Hot and Two Sisters at the University of California, mate Apparel. During his long as- and a Piano. Most recently he Irvine and works as a voice and sociation as one of SCR’s resident designed the lights for Sarah dialect coach for professional and stage managers he has worked on Ruhl’s The Clean House at Yale university productions. He is cer- more than a dozen world pre- Repertory Theatre. Mr. Korf is tified as a master teacher of Fitz- mieres and has been associated also a member of the ensemble of maurice Voicework. This is his with over 65 productions. In Cornerstone Theater Company eighth production at SCR. He has 1997, Mr. Lum stage managed the where he has designed more than served as resident coach for six AIDS Benefit Help is on the Way 20 productions in the past 11 seasons at the Utah Shakespeare- III at the Palace of Fine Arts in years. His designs have also ap- an Festival. He has coached at San Francisco. Other stage man- peared in productions at the Mark Madison Rep, Weathervane Play- agement credits include the Amer- Taper Forum, La Jolla Playhouse, house among others, including ican Conservatory Theatre in San The Old Globe Theatre, Seattle numerous productions at the Francisco, The Old Globe in San Repertory Theatre, ACT Theatre Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Diego, Berkeley Repertory The- in Seattle, Long Beach Opera, San atre, San Jose Civic Light Opera, Francisco Opera, Goodman The- KEN ROHT (Choreography) is a VITA Shakespeare Festival, Pacific atre, Trinity Repertory, Yale recent recipient of the $45,000 Conservatory of the Performing Repertory Theatre, Huntington Audrey Skirball-Kenis TIME grant, Arts, Long Beach Ballet, San Fran- Theatre, Actors Theatre of awarded to only five other theatre cisco Convention Bureau and Louisville, The Children’s Theatre artists/companies in the country. Kawasaki Motorcycles. He would Company of Minneapolis, Stage His original song and dance like everyone to take a moment One in Louisville, and on Broad- works have been granted, per- to remember all those who have way. Mr. Korf is a graduate of formed at and/or commissioned lost the battle and all those still California State University, Chico by REDCAT, Mark Taper Forum suffering and fighting the AIDS and the Yale School of Drama. (mainstage), A.S.K. Common epidemic. He is also a member of the facul- Ground, Rockefeller Foundation, ty at the University of Washington Dance Theater Workshop, *CHRISSY CHURCH (Assistant in Seattle. Flintridge, California Arts Council, Stage Manager) is pleased to be and many L.A. theaters and insti- returning to SCR for the 04-05 sea- PAUL JAMES PRENDERGAST tutions. He has choreographed son. Previous credits at SCR in- (Composer/Sound Design/Musical for En Garde Arts and Gale Gates clude the world premieres of Mr. Director) made his SCR debut last et al. in New York, Cleveland’s Marmalade, Getting Frankie Mar- season with Lovers and Execu- Great Lakes Theater, Lookingglass ried—and Afterwards, Making It tioners. Theatre credits include in Chicago, Long Beach Opera, and Nostalgia and productions of productions at the Mark Taper Disney, Cal Arts and was a long- Intimate Exchanges, La Posada (Forum, Ivy, P.L.A.Y.), Long time collaborator with Reza Mágica, Anna in the Tropics and Wharf Theatre, Great Lakes The- Abdoh’s Dar-a-Luz through out Proof. She has also had the plea- ater Festival, Florida Stage, the L.A., New York and Europe. He sure of working on Clutter: The Geffen, East West Players, dozens is a producing member of the Ev- True Story of the Collyer Brothers of 99 seaters and 20 productions idence Room theater company. (world premiere) at the Colony with Cornerstone Theater Compa- He also works in film, internet, Theatre, La Perichole and Seven ny. His work has been featured cable, radio and recording pro- Small Operas at Long Beach at theme parks, in feature films, jects, and was seen at the Getty Opera, The Spitfire Grill at Laguna on recordings and in music Museum as part of Bill Viola’s Playhouse and The King and I, venues nationwide. He also video installation, Passions. Chicago, Ragtime and She Loves works as a vocalist, actor, direc- Me at Maine State Music Theatre.

Habeas Corpus •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P13 DAVID EMMES (Producing Artistic MARTIN BENSON (Artistic Direc- using the original SCR cast. Director) is co-founder of SCR. tor), co-founder of SCR with his Along with Emmes, he accepted He has received numerous colleague David Emmes, has di- SCR’s 1988 Tony Award for Out- awards for productions he has di- rected nearly one third of the standing Resident Professional rected during SCR’s 40-year histo- plays produced here. He has dis- Theatre and won the 1995 The- ry, including a Los Angeles Drama tinguished himself in the staging atre LA Ovation Award for Life- Critics Circle Award for the direc- of contemporary work, including time Achievement. Mr. Benson tion of ’s Horton Foote’s The Carpetbag- received his BA in Theatre from The Philanderer. He directed the ger’s Children and the world pre- California State University, San world premieres of Amy Freed’s miere of Getting Frankie Mar- Francisco. Safe in Hell, The Beard of Avon ried—and Afterwards, the criti- and Freedomland, Thomas Babe’s cally acclaimed California pre- PAULA TOMEI (Managing Direc- Great Day in the Morning, Keith miere of William Nicholson’s tor) is responsible for the overall Reddin’s Rum and Coke and But Shadowlands, the Southern Cali- administration of South Coast Not for Me and Neal Bell’s Cold fornia premiere of Michael Repertory and has been Manag- Sweat; the American premiere of Healey’s The Drawer Boy; and the ing Director since 1994. A mem- Terry Johnson’s Unsuitable for West Coast premieres of Peter ber of the SCR staff since 1979, Adults; the West Coast premieres Hedges’ Good As New and Martin she has served in a number of of C.P. Taylor’s Good and Harry McDonagh’s The Lonesome West. administrative capacities includ- Kondoleon’s Christmas on Mars; He has won accolades for his di- ing Subscriptions Manager, Busi- and the Southland premiere of rection of five major works by ness Manager and General Man- Top Girls (at SCR and the West- George Bernard Shaw, including ager. She currently serves as wood Playhouse). Other produc- the Los Angeles Drama Critics President of the Theatre Commu- tions include the West Coast pre- Circle (LADCC) Award-winners nications Group (TCG), the na- mieres of Three Viewings by Jef- Major Barbara, Misalliance and tional service organization for the frey Hatcher, The Secret Rapture Heartbreak House. Among the professional not-for-profit theatre. by David Hare and New England numerous world premieres he In addition, she has served as by Richard Nelson; and Arcadia has directed are Tom Strelich’s Treasurer of TCG, Vice President by Tom Stoppard, The Importance BAFO and Margaret Edson’s of the League of Resident The- of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, Pulitzer Prize-winning Wit, which atres (LORT) and has been a Ayckbourn’s and he also directed at Seattle Reper- member of the LORT Negotiating You Never Can Tell by George tory Theatre and the Alley The- Committee for industry-wide Bernard Shaw, which he restaged atre in Houston. He has directed union agreements. She repre- for the Singapore Festival of Arts. American classics including Ah, sents SCR at national conferences His producing responsibilities in- Wilderness!, A Streetcar Named of TCG and LORT; is a theatre volve the overall coordination of Desire, A Delicate Balance and panelist and site visitor for the SCR’s programs and projects. He All My Sons. Mr. Benson has National Endowment for the Arts has served as a theatre panelist been honored with the Drama- and the California Arts Council; and onsite evaluator for the Na- Logue Award for his direction of served on the Advisory Commit- tional Endowment for the Arts, on 21 productions and received tee for the Arts Administration the Executive Committee of the LADCC Distinguished Achieve- Certificate Program at the Univer- League of Resident Theatres, and ment in Directing awards an un- sity of California, Irvine; and has as a panelist for the California paralleled seven times for the been a guest lecturer in the grad- Arts Council. After attending Or- three Shaw productions, John uate school of business at Stan- ange Coast College, he received Millington Synge’s Playboy of the ford. She graduated from the his BA and MA from California Western World, ’s University of California, Irvine State University, San Francisco, The Crucible, Sally Nemeth’s Holy with a degree in Economics and and his PhD in theatre and film Days and Wit. He also directed pursued an additional course of from USC. the film version of Holy Days study in theatre and dance.

The Actors and Stage Managers em- The Scenic, Costume, Lighting and The Director is a member of the Soci- ployed in this production are members Sound Designers in LORT theatres ety of Stage Directors and Choreogra- of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union are represented by United Scenic phers, Inc., an independent national of Professional Actors and Stage Man- Artists Local USA-829, IATSE. labor union. agers in the United States.

P14 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Habeas Corpus