Scott Alan Evans Executive Artistic Director Nora Chester & Jeffrey C. Hawkins Associate Artistic Directors VOLUME 24 No. 1 the actors company theatre SUMMER 2016 COMPANY 2016/17 NEWS SUMMER HAPPENINGS NEW

TACT’s 23rd Season wrapped up in June with the SEASON sixth newTACTics New Play Festival featuring staged readings of four new works from emerging and established playwrights. The festival kicked She Stoops to Conquer & off with JEFF KEILHOLTZ’S Bad Fiction, which was followed by KENNETH JONES’ new play The Gravedigger’s Lullaby Hollywood, Nebraska. Company Member JEFF TALBOTT’S new work How to Build a City came ACT’s new season will be full of daring in 1773, She Stoops tells the story of Charles next, and the festival wrapped up with KATE dynamic contrasts. In the fall we are Marlow, a British aristocrat who is terrified ROBIN’S Mr. Bigger’s Baby. (see page 7) Ttaking a fresh new look at a classic 18th of women of his noble status, but ironical- TACT is delighted to welcome two new members century comedy, the hilarious She Stoops to ly comfortable with women of lower-birth; to the Acting Company and to the TACT family: Conquer (we think we’re all going to need and Kate Hardcastle, a wealthy young no- KATE MIDDLETON and RICHARD THIERIOT. a really good laugh right about then) and a blewoman who, realizing Marlow’s peculiar Richard was recently seen in the staged reading of contemporary glance at a time gone by with psychological predilections, “stoops” to How to Build a City, and he will be seen in the Fall the world premiere of Jeff Talbott’s beauti- woo and win him over. Not only is the play Mainstage production of She Stoops to Conquer. ful new play The Gravedigger’s Lullaby in the an outrageously funny look at class, status, He will also be performing in the Samuel French spring. and courtship, it provides some of the most memorable and indelible characters in the Short Play Competition in August in Lizzie Vieh’s If you can believe it, TACT’s 2016/17 Main- theatrical canon – great fodder for our acting Monsoon Season. His band “Phil Pickens and the stage season marks the beginning of our company. She Stoops will be presented in a Astronauts” will be performing at Rockwood second decade of work as a resident acting th brand new adaptation created by Executive Music Hall on July 15 . Kate was last seen on the company at the Beckett Theatre at Theatre Artistic Director Scott Alan Evans, who will TACT stage as part of the 2015 newTACTics New Row. It seems like only yesterday that we also be directing the production. Play Festival, performing in the readings of The Art were loading in sets for our production of of Bad Men and Laugh. David Storey’s Home back in December of Goldsmith’s seminal work first graced the THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS is pleased to 2006. We have come quite a ways since TACT stage in December of 2015 as part of announce that ROY OTWELL has joined the TACT then: 20 productions later; critical acclaim; our Salon Series, and we are excited to an- family as its newest Board Member. Roy is the prestigious awards and nominations; 160 nounce that all of the company members founder and co-proprietor of the home furnishing roles performed by our company members who appeared in the Salon are set to recre- store Switch Modern, and we are so thrilled to be and guest artists; and many happy audience ate their roles at the Beckett Theatre. TACT’s working with him. connections. And now TACT is about to en- new adaptation will highlight the extraordi- ter its eleventh year of residency at the Beck- nary language of the piece while capturing CONTINUES ON PAGE 4 ett with a season that we think will continue the fun and boisterous nature of the play. our ascendant artistic trajectory. Evans says that there will be an improvisa- tional feel that will include some very daring In the Fall, we are opening the 2016/17 audience participation and a clever reuse of season on the Mainstage with an imagina- modern materials in an 18th Century vernac- tive, fresh, and audaciously irreverent, fully ular. Previews for She Stoops to Conquer will mounted version of the recent hit from our begin on October 4th, and the play will offi- Salon series: Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops cially open its five-week run on October 16th. to Conquer. TACT added its Mainstage programming She Stoops to Conquer is one of the eleven years ago as a vehicle to present brightest jewels in the crown of Classic fully-staged productions of lesser-known British Comedy– and arguably one of works by master playwrights that we were the greatest comedies in the English exploring only in our Concert Performances. language. Written by Oliver Goldsmith

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Lynn Wirght and Todd Lawson in 1 ARSENIC AND OLD LACE STOOPS...OCTOBER/NOVEMBER In recent years, however, TACT has expanded the company’s vision to include the examination of more contemporary work. An example of this was seen last season with the 2003 drama Hard Love by Motti Lerner This artistic expansion began, however, six years ago with the creation of our newTACTics New Play Development program. As that program blossomed, and we saw how valuable TACT’s drama- turgical experience could be in the development of new works, we envisioned a time when we could move a play from newTACTics to full production on our Mainstage. TO CONQUER In the Spring TACT will be accomplishing that long-term goal by presenting the World Premiere of The Gravedigger’s Lullaby, a play that arrives at the Mainstage by way of the 2015 newTACTics New Play Festival where it was workshopped and developed. Written by SHE TACT company member and Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Award winner Jeff Talbott, and directed by former TACT Artistic Director and current company member Jenn Thompson, the play tells the powerful, simple tale of Baylen, a hardworking gravedigger fighting by to feed his family in a world that threatens to bury him. When asked why he wrote the play, Talbott had this to say: Oliver “I had a long, complicated conversation with a family member about the wealth gap and was having a hard time Goldsmith processing my feelings about the conversation. I went where I go to process things I’m having a hard time with: the keyboard. And I got exactly nowhere. So I went for a long walk, and in my neighborhood in Queens, my long walks take me through an enormous cemetery about a mile from my home. And in the middle of that cemetery, I stopped thinking about big ideas and started thinking about people. And the person who grabbed me was this man: a gravedigger, in a time before now. And I knew what to do. I let go of my processing and just got to know this kind and tough man. And his wife. And his baby. And his friend. And a stranger. It started in a cemetery, but it with ended with a family.” Mary Bacon, With the Mainstage production of The Gravedigger’s Lullaby, TACT Jeremy Beck, will mark the first time that we and our our audience has been pres- Cynthia Darlow, ent throughout every step of the artistic process for a TACT show. Simon Jones, Audience members will have been present in some form or another every step of the way from page to stage, first by participating in MacKenzie Meehan, the immensely important audience talk-backs after the newTACTics James Prendergast readings, and finally by attending the Off-Broadway performances & Richard Thieriot

of the play. Those performances begin next Winter with previews TACT FALL MAINSTAGE starting February 28th for an opening on March 12th and running through April 1st. Set Design: Brett Banakis TACT 24th Season’s Mainstage productions will be a fascinating Lighting Design: M.L. Geiger, study in contrasts. On the one hand we have a rollicking comedic Costume Design: Tracy Christensen satire with elements of farce in She Stoops to Conquer, and on the Production Stage Manager: Kelly Burns, other we have a darker, more meditative piece of drama with The Assistanct Stage Manager: Yetti Steinman Gravediggers’ Lullaby. She Stoops comes straight from the canon, and Gravedigger’s is an important piece of new writing from a con- temporary voice. Directed & adapted by Light and dark/old and new/classic and contemporary: our 2016/17 SCOTT ALAN EVANS season will display the full range of TACT’s reach. PREVIEWS BEGIN Tuesday, Oct. 4th, 2016 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Our 2016/17 season is made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York State OPENS Tuesday 7:00PM Council on the Arts, a State agency, and by the New York City Department of Cultural Sunday, Oct.16th Wednesday-Thursday 7:30PM Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Friday 8:00PM PERFORMANCES THRU Saturday, 2:00 & 8:00 Nov. 5st, 2016 Sunday 3:00PM SPECIAL MATINEE Wednesday, Nov. 2nd @ 2:00pm *TALK-BACKS with the cast following every Sunday Matinee.

2 2016/17 SEASON From SALONto : TACT’s Fall production of Oliver Goldsmith’s amazedSTAGE at how much richer, funnier and more you the joyful mayhem and touch your hearts She Stoops to Conquer will be the seventh imaginatively realized the full production will with this hilarious masterpiece. But don’t take time TACT has moved a show from a Salon into be. And if you missed it, you’re in for a huge our word for it. Here’s what some of our com- a full production – and those of you who have treat. Scott Alan Evans will again direct and pany players are saying about the expected been with us for a while know how thrillingly the entire Salon cast (including this year’s Gala journey from Salon to Stage: transformative that can be. If you were de- honoree Simon Jones) will all be on hand to lighted by She Stoops last December, you’ll be re-create their performances and share with

After we paraded the skel- I’ve been in- What's obviously great etal bones of Goldsmith's volved in two of about doing a full produc- “She Stoops To Conquer be- “our TACT Salons “tion of a TACT salon: famil- fore our beloved Salon sub- (Home and The iarity with the play and the scribers, I found the bones Cocktail Party) characters, knowing ahead solid enough to produce that were received of time that your audience one of the most satisfying - with such enthusi- responds well to it, and the and frustrating - salons I've asm that we de- company is suited to it. I had ever been a part of. Satis- cided to mount that experience with The fying for the connection we the plays as fully Late Christopher Bean when made with our audience, realized produc- I played Abby, the over- and frustrating for the juicy bits we couldn't tions at the Beckett Theatre. It was a huge worked maid. The Salon was a blur, but when accomplish in the setting (we could only hint advantage to the cast that we had worked on we did the fully realized production, I was at the physical comedy, for instance). And the play together before. Much of the explo- able to explore the stillness and secrets of my while the rich spectrum of emotions, charac- ration of meaning and purpose had already character, give her life more detail, and the re- ter, and relationships were finely sketched (if I been discussed during rehearsals for the sa- lationships in that household more specificity. may say so) during the Salon, we were all left lon; the text was familiar; and we were already Usually a good salon at TACT leaves the ac- to imagine how much more so they would a team with five performed readings - with an tors feeling bereft: "Oh we just got started, play in high definition.Now I'm all for imagi- audience - behind us. I love this part, I love this play - and I think nation (and we are going to double down on What about the audience? Won’t they feel I may be beginning to understand it - and that in our upcoming production), but I ex- they’ve already seen the play, had the expe- we're done? What?" And that is exactly how perienced the thrilling transformation a the- rience? Well, in fact, in our experience, the we all felt after the She Stoops to Conquer. atrical experience can undergo when moving Salon readings tend to whet their appetite We just could not let go of the energy and a show from the salon to the Beckett stage to see a fully-mounted version, shorn of our chemistry the play ignited in us all. So, when when we moved The Cocktail Party in 2010. black file-folders. Our audiences feel they’ve we heard that we might mount a full produc- With that in mind, I am excited to be parading been treated to part of the rehearsal process tion with us all and bring some of the zany our fully-fleshedShe Stoops on the boards in – and they have. We’ve found that they want ideas borne out of necessity in the Salon to the Fall. - Jeremy Beck to see us take the work to a new level. And a fuller production, we all just knew, yes! this we do! – Simon Jones will definitely work and I definitely want to be ” a part of it! – Mary Bacon ” ” THE MARCH/APRIL GRAVEDIGGER’S LULLABY by Jeff Talbott PREVIEWS THE BECKETT THEATRE Directed by JENN THOMPSON Feb. 28th, 2017 THEATRE ROW OPENS 410 West 42nd Street NYC Sunday, Mar. 1st, 2017 newTACTics PERFORMANCES THRU SPECIAL MATINEE Wednesday, March 29th Apr. 1st, 2017 TACT SPRING MAINSTAGE TACT feature-length screenplay Overdrawn. SIMON JONES will be reprising his roles of J.V. (Major) Bouvier and Rev. Dr. Norman COMPANY NEWS Vincent Peale in starring and and directed by Continued Michael Wilson at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, with previews beginning TACT also recently hired a new full-time staff the Pacific Northwest visiting family, friends, July 6th for an opening on July 13th and a run th member. ROBERT GELBERG will be serving and the haunts of her youth. through August 14 . This haunting and often as TACT’s Development Associate. He has hilarious musical recounts Jacqueline Kennedy SCOTT ALAN EVANS is the proud father of a previously worked on the Development teams Onassis’ most eccentric relatives’ fall from college graduate! His daughter, Fiona Flynn for Healing Arts Initiative in Queens and the society darlings to notorious recluses in their Evans, tossed her mortar board in the air on in Minneapolis. crumbling East Hampton estate. For details, June 12th when she received her Bachelor visit www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/ has just finished up the run of of Arts diploma from Kalamazoo College. MARY BACON greygardens. The Call by Tanya Barfield at TheatreWorks in He couldn’t be prouder. Besides continued Hartford. The production was something of a kvelling, Scott recently directed Mr. Bigger’s Big goings-on for KARL KENZLER these days: TACT family affair (see Jenn Thompson and Baby by Kate Robin for newTACTics. an appearance on the TONY Awards show; a Todd Gearhart). Before that Mary appeared in big move; a new home; and he continues to be TACT adjunct company member MICHAEL the Mint’s production of Women Without Men, Tevye’s nemesis in the Broadway production FRIEDLANDER recently served as the stage which received numerous award nominations. of Fiddler on the Roof. Karl is also working on manager for a production of Rock of Ages at This summer Mary and her family are making our Devised Work Project, see page 7 for more Center Repertory Company in Walnut Creek, a trip to Ethopia, but she’ll be back in plenty info. California from late May through June 25th. of time to appear in the Fall production of She TED KOCH will be heading off for the summer TACT Associate Artistic Director Stoops! JEFFREY to the Contemporary American Theatre C. HAWKINS recently performed in The was seen this spring in the Festival in Shepherdstown, WV to work on a JEREMY BECK Fantasticks at the Great Lakes Theatre Festival, TACT/GTG production of Widowers’ Houses. new play by Ronan Noone entitled The Second and he will next appear as Antipholus of This summer he’s playing softball in, what he Girl from July 8th through the 31st. Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors and at the tells us is, a very “competitive” league in New Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, July 8th For some time now, JACK KOENIG has been Jersey, all the while gearing up to recreate his through August 21st. You can also look for appearing in the long running Off-Broadway role of Charles Marlow in She Stoops. Jeffrey as a Republican Senator from Utah on production of Perfect Crime, but this summer NORA CHESTER has been very busy this spring Braindead for CBS this summer. he’s taking a break from crime to understudy with her numerous duties as Associate Artistic the leading role of Terje Larsen in the new play TODD GEARHART is just back from Hartford’s Director of TACT. After playing Abby Brewster Oslo at Lincoln Center Theater. It’s running now TheatreWorks where he appeared in The Call in the Salon Series reading of Arsenic and Old through August 28th at the Mitzi Newhouse. with Mary Bacon, directed by Jenn Thompson. Lace and Alma in the newTACTics reading of DARRIE LAWRENCE and SCOTT SCHAFER Besides all the other functions she performs Hollywood, Nebraska, she will spend the latter can be seen together at the Cape Playhouse in for TACT (Board Member, Advisory Council part of July Dennis on Cape Cod this August and September Chair, Ambassador-at-Large, Fund-Raiser, and early in The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie. They will Party Host, etc.) actress, August in CYNTHIA HARRIS, be performing as the loathsome Mrs. Boyle performed in the final newTACTics and Mr. Paravincini, respectively. If you are offering this summer, Kate up at the Cape celebrating Labor Day, go see Robin’s play, Mr. Bigger’s them and guess ‘who done it’! Baby. TODD LAWSON is traveling out to Sheridan, BRANDON JONES Wyoming for the month of July to perform in recently wrapped the World Premiere of East of Heart Mountain his role of Danny by Edward Baker and directed by Giovanna in season one of Sardelli as part of the Wyoming Theatre Scissr: The Series. He Festival. Other than that, he will be up in will next be seen as Yonkers working on his new home. Martin Luther King, Jr., in All the Way at TERRY LAYMAN, who was seen on the TACT TheatreSquared in stage as Sartorius in Widowers’ Houses, Fayetteville, AR, in recently directed a production of Much late August and early Ado About Nothing at the Hartt School in September. He is Connecticut. This summer he will be directing currently working on One Man, Two Guvnors at the Monomy Theatre a new YouTube web on Cape Cod, where he will also be performing series, Shakespeare in Broadway Bound and Johnny on a Spot. in Pieces, and is also VICTORIA MACK directed two shows at penning his first NYU’s Stella Adler Studio this year: Beth Victoria Mack and Ian Kahn in HARD LOVE

4 COMPANY NEWS Bauhaus at Playwrights Horizons. filmed an episode of the CBS seriesMadame Secretary. His play How to Build a City was GREG MCFADDEN’S most recent episode of Blindspot can now be streamed on Hulu. read as part of newTACTics this year, and in the Spring his play The Gravediggers’ Lullaby In June, MACKENZIE MEEHAN and her will make its Off-Broadway premiere as part of husband, actor Matt Dellapina, welcomed John the TACT Mainstage. Daniel - aka “Jack” – a healthy 8 lbs 5 oz and 20.5 inches long baby boy into their family. This summer RICHARD THEIRIOT will be performing in the Samuel French Short Play KATE MIDDLETON was thrilled to be Competition in Lizzie Vieh’s Monsoon Season, recognized alongside fellow TACT members but before that his band “Phil Pickens and the Jenn Thompson and Mary Bacon for 2 Astronauts” will be performing at Rockwood Lucille Lortel nominations and 5 Drama Desk Music Hall on July 15th. nominations for Women Without Men at the Mint Theatre. She can now be seen once JENN THOMPSON recently directed Mary again as the hairdressing murderess, Barbara Bacon and Todd Gearheart in The Call at DeMarco, in New World Stages’ Shear Madness. TheatreWorks in Hartford, CT. Her production Go see it! of Women Without Men at the Mint Theatre Company received 2016 Lucille Lortel and JAMES MURTAGH recently was seen in a off-Broadway Alliance Award nominations for workshop of a musical version of A Tale of Two Outstanding Revival, as well as five Drama Desk Cities at The York Theatre. He also performed Award Nominations including Outstanding with Frank Langella in the filmYouth in Oregon Director and Outstanding Revival. The show John Plumpis in which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. WIDOWERS’ HOUSES featured TACT Company Members Mary Bacon Jim reports he “thought it was excellent and and Kate Middleton. Her next productions will Frank was wonderful.” Most recently, he be Bye Bye Birdie at the Goodspeed Opera Henley’s The Wake of Jamey Foster and appeared in the newTACTics workshop of Kate House followed by Tribes at Barrington Stage. Steel Magnolias. This summer she will be Robin’s Mr. Bigger’s Baby. On the personal teaching Shakespearean text analysis at the side of things: his son Patrick recently became MARGOT WHITE has been enjoying #tourlife Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Later in engaged, and Jimmy has been spending a lot for the past year as she is finishing up a the summer she will be starring as Ellen Tree of time with his grandchildren. year-long tour of Dirty Dancing in which she – the actress who performed Desdemona at performed as Baby’s Mom. In that time, she’s Covent Garden opposite from Ira Aldridge, the TONY ROACH was an ensemble member in seen the Northern Lights in the -24 degree first black actor to play Othello - inRed Velvet the musical Bright Star on Broadway, which winter of Canada, trained for and finished a by Lolita Chakrabarti. She has also created a recently won the Outer Critics Circle award full marathon in Napa Valley, had a chance new website at www.victoriamackteaching. for Best Musical and was nominated for five encounter swimming with a wild manatee in com and has begun corporate coaching to Hamilt---errr, Tony Awards, including Best Siesta Key, and most recently launched her help non-actors with their public speaking and Musical. baking company Sweets of Adversity, LLC, teamwork skills. JOHN PLUMPIS, fresh off of his turn in TACT’s designed around Shakespeare’s inspirations. You can visit her website at www.margotwhite. KELLY McANDREW recently performed in the Widowers’ Houses, directed a theatrical com to learn more. Humana Festival in Brendan Pelsue’s Wellesley variation on Romeo and Juliet at Montclair Girl and Quintessence of Dust by Corey Kinkles. State University, after which he and his She is currently rehearsing Pulitzer Prize adventurous dad drove through the American winner Donald Marguilies’ new play Long Lost Southwest to Cedar City, UT where John will directed by Dan Sullivan at the Illinois Theatre. be performing in the 2016 Utah Shakespeare In July and August she will be back in the Festival. There, he can be seen as Groucho city for the remounting of Clubbed Thumb’s Marx in The Cocoanuts, as Dogberry in Much production of Men on Boats by Jacklyn Ado About Nothing, and later in the season as Speed in The Odd Couple. Come visit Canyon Country and see some plays! DAVID STALLER recently directed NEWACTING the TACT/GTG production of Shaw’s Widowers’ Houses off- COMPANY MEMBERS Broadway at the Beckett Theatre, Kate Middleton & Richard Thieriot which was nominated as the best New York revival by the Off- Broadway Theatre Alliance. JEFF TALBOTT has had a busy spring. His new play Three Rules for the Dragon was a finalist for this year’s O’Neill Playwrights conference and received a workshop at Premiere Stages in New Jersey. Jeff also recently James Murtaugh in THE IMAGINARY INVALID

5 COMPANY NEWS 2016-2017 SEASON QUARTER- SALON MAINE’S SERIES TERMS THE CORN by Simon Gray IS GREEN November 12 - 15 It’s Academic by Emlyn Williams December 10 - 13 The teachers of a The cornerstone of TACT’s pro- you’ve ever experienced. Cambridge school for gramming and the exclusive do- So join us as we delve into the foreigners try to hold it main of our Subscribing Members, A brilliant young mind dramaturgical erudition of Simon together. will prevails when the Salon Series brings you four Gray, Emlyn Williams, Rebecca plays in fully rehearsed, script-in- championed by an Gillman and Jay Presson Allen in unlikely mentor. hand presentations in the distinc- TACT’s 2016/17 Salon Series “It’s tive TACT style. Academic!” And look for more This season the Salons are going details in our up-coming seasonal SPINNING back to school with a season we’re brochure. INTO calling: “It’s ACADEMIC.” We’ll PERFORMANCE BUTTER be looking at four very different SCHEDULE THE PRIME works by four very accomplished by Rebecca Gillman OF SATURDAY: 3:00PM & 7:30PM playwrights that each examine the January 21 - 24 SUNDAY: 3:00PM MISS JEAN fruitful and sometimes fraught re- MONDAY: 7:30PM BRODIE lationships between teachers and TUESDAY: 7:30PM A New England college their students. It will be a learning gets turned on its head. by Jay Presson Allen experience for us all – and some April 22 - 25 of the most entertaining lessons TALK-BACKS with the cast following every Saturday and Sunday Matinee. “Give me a girl at an SUBSCRIBING MEMBERS: Call TACT impressionable age and at 212-645-8228 to make your Salon she is mine for life.” reservations.

any of us in the company have [DEVISED WORK PROJECT] Mbeen eager to create an original theatre piece using our skills as DWPAn Open Letter from TACT Company Member Karl Kenzler performers and artists, with the hope was recently approached by Scott to take the lead production. It’s going to be a muscular piece of the- that at some point we will be able on developing a new piece of theater for TACT. ater that will showcase TACT’s particular strengths in to present it publicly, as happened IOf course, the company has some history in this an exciting new way. with the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory realm with the creation of THE TRIANGLE FACTO- I’m also working with some very talented guest art- Project. Karl Kenzler has been leading RY FIRE PROJECT in 2004. And I have an extensive ists to bring this piece to life. Silvia Vrskova is a sec- this effort, guiding us with ideas, and background in this kind of company-based creation ond generation dancer/aerialist with a family back- his directorial skill to come up with through my work with groups such as Chautauqua ground in folklore. She has worked on Broadway and and schools such as the Graduate program at NYU. a cogent and exciting piece. We are with companies from Alvin Ailey to Cirque du Soleil not yet ready to disclose the subject It’s always a unique process, dependent on the ac- and will be helping us develop a language of move- matter (mystery lends enchantment) tors involved, and TACT actors have both the creativ- ment. ity and the career experience to bring this kind of but suffice to say the work thus far has work to life and make it resonate deeply. Alexander Sovronsky is an actor/musician/composer really been stimulating. I look forward who has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in- A small group of company members has begun to the workshops which have been ternationally. He specializes in the Sound & Music of interesting and challenging to mind meeting in recent months to generate ideas and ma- Shakespeare’s plays and will be working to create a and spirit. For me the wonder of TACT terial for a piece. Using a mashup of poetry, con- score for the piece. temporary texts, pieces of Shakespeare’s, music and is what will we come up with next, and other found materials -- along with content gener- It’s early days, of course. But the prospect of collab- here it is. ated through theater game techniques -- we will be orating with my fellow company members on this crazy, beautiful piece is very exciting. We all look for- - CYNTHIA HARRIS creating a work centered on the subject of aging. I’m Founding Co-Artistic Director and ward to sharing it with you in the near future. currently compiling a draft of a script that we will TACT Company Member workshop with the eventual hopes of seeing a full

6 SIXTH ANNUAL 2016 NEW PLAY FESTIVAL

The Cast of HOW TO BUILD A CITY by Jeff Talbott,with the playwright, Wes Grantom, the director, and Owen Thopmson, newTACTics Producer

une is always a particularly exhilarating month for us here at TACT. Not only is it the end of our fiscal year and a time to look back and reflect on our season, it is also when the newTACTics New Play Festival bursts into flower. J The Cast of BAD FICTION by Jeff Keilholtz. For six years now newTACTics has premiered four new plays – one a week – in the June New Play Festival, and this year’s festival produced some particularly stunning work. Chosen from hundreds of submissions, the scripts in the 2016 New Play Festival came from one emerging writer, one woman; and two newTACTic veterans; Jeff Keilholtz’s Bad Fiction, directed by Owen Thompson kicked off the festival with a bang, both figuratively and literally. The play focused on the aftermath of an attempted political assassination and a potential conspiracy case therein. Keilholtz is new to the TACT family, unlike Kenneth Jones, who celebrated his second newTACTics reading with his new play Hollywood, Nebraska, directed by Susan Fenichell, about two actresses who independently return to their small Nebraska home from their careers on the coasts. Week three saw Company Member Jeff Talbott’s playHow to Build a City, directed by Wes Grantom, which tells the story of a young man attempting to balance his personal life with the wellbeing of his ailing father. This was Jeff’s fourth time out with newTACTics, and his 2015 play The Gravediggers’ Lullaby will be brought to a full production on the TACT Mainstage this Spring. Closing out the festival was veteran TV and The Cast of HOLLYWOOD, NEBRASKA in the Talk-Back stage-writer and first-time TACT participant Kate Robin withMr. Bigger’s Baby, a with playwright, Ken Jones and newTACTics Producer, Owen Thompson. funny, heartbreaking look at the passing of a family member in the bureaucracy of a modern hospital. It was directed by Scott Alan Evans. The four plays shared many common themes, including: familial piety; straining friendships in the face of adversity; redefining the meaning of “home”, inter-generational conflict; ageing; and mortality. Unforgettable performances came from Company Members Jeremy Beck, Nora Chester, Cynthia Harris, Todd Lawson, James Murtaugh, Richard Thieriot, and Lynn Wright and our Guests: Mary Beth Albers, Seth Andrew Bridges, Hanna Cheek, Katie Cunningham, Chad Goodridge, Jeff Gurner, Shannon Koob, Alycia M. Kunkle, Amelia McClain, Anthony Newfield, Andy Paterson, Will Rogers, Nandita Shenoy, PJ Sosko, Kim Sykes, Laurine Towler, and Alex Webb. Stage directions were read by Angelica Acevedo, Andy Paterson, Greg Brostrom, and Marianne Ferrari, and the production stage managers were Theron Alexander, Sarah Barry, Yetti Steinman, and Amanda Tralle. Special thanks go to Owen Thompson and Yetti Steinman, the producers and hosts of newTACTics. We’d also like to sincerely thank the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust and The Dramatists Guild, without whom the Festival The Cast of MR. BIGGER’S BABY in the Talk-Back with director Scott Alan Evans, playwright, Kate Robin, and would be all but impossible. Finally, thanks to the hundreds of guests who newTACTics Producer, Owen Thompson. attended the newTACTics readings. It is your participation that makes the festival the special experience it is. We were so happy to have had the opportunity to celebrate the end of the season with you, and we cannot wait for the next one.

7 newTACTics NEW PLAY FESTIVAL 2016 2016 SPRING GALA HONORING SIMON JONES

Company Member, actor, and all-around champion of the performing arts, Simon Jones. Company Member Mark Alhadeff provided a moving video tribute to Mr. Jones, and special guest honored and introduced his longtime friend and collaborator. Simon has been an integral part of TACT for nearly its entire history. More importantly, he has been a dear friend to all those involved with the company. For that, we he non-rhetorical question posed could think of no one more deserving of celebration and thanks as the Tby a video shown at TACT’s 2016 honoree of the 2016 Spring Gala. Spring Gala was simply, “Who is Whether as a result of the powerful draw of the great Simon Jones Simon Jones?” The video did not or as a result of the immense support of our friends, patrons, and attempt to provide a definitive collaborators, TACT was able to exceed its fund raising goals. It goes answer, nor did the aforementioned without saying that none of this would have been possible without celebration in his honor. All that can the support of TACT’s noble Board of Directors, including Stephen be said definitively is that Mr. Jones Lindenmuth, Michele Geist, Susan Mindel, Louise Schraa, Cynthia Harris, was the honoree of that celebration, Teri Scott, Roy Otwell and George Bunn, our generous friends and and that the celebration was a patrons such as Elaine Wolbrom, Linda complete and stunning success. Greenberg, Michael Eigen, and everyone The evening took place on Monday, else who provided in-kind donations for May 9th, at the University Club and the auctions and raffle, as well as all our was hosted by the Artistic Directors volunteers and company members who and the Board of Directors. Jack pitched in to make the 2016 Spring Gala Koenig was the Master of Ceremonies a night to remember. for the evening of music, cocktails, If you were able to attend the Spring raffles, auctions, storytelling, and Gala, we would like to thank you for celebration of all things TACT. Christine Ebersole performs joining us to celebrate our company The evening began with a cocktail and Simon Jones. If you were unable hour complete with a silent auction and Pick-a-Prize Raffle with music to attend, rest assured your presence provided by Karen Brown. Dinner came next, and afterwards the live was felt in spirit. We wish we could have auction, tributes, and entertainment. Returning celebrity auctioneer celebrated with you in person, but we David Silverman led the bidding for auction lots such as a vacations, take solace in knowing that our 2017 one-of-a kind experiences and intimate dinners. Judy Blazer, Steve Ross, Spring Gala is just around the corner. and Tony winner Christine Ebersole provided stellar entertainment with In fact, musical accompaniment provided by Jeffrey Saver. SAVE THE DATE: Monday, May 8, 2017! But the man of the hour was TACT Co-Artistic Director Emeritus, Michael Palin introduces Simon SAVE THE DATE Monday, January 31, 2017 TACT’s MUSICAL  INTER BENEFIT with host CHARLES BUSCH W CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SIMON JONES TRIBUTE VIDEO 8 2016 SPRING GALA $175 x = $ FULL MEMBERSHIP $175 1 Ticket to each Mainstage production All 4 Salon productions (members only) JOIN All Member Privileges FOR $112 x = $ MAINSTAGE PLUS MEMBERSHIP $112 1 Ticket to each Mainstage production Your choice of 1 Salon production (members only) OUR All Member Privileges 2016/2017US * SPECIAL PACKAGES! $230 x = $ FULL PREFERRED SEATING $230 SEASON 1 Ticket to each Mainstage production WITH PREMIUM SEATING. Online: www.tactnyc.org All 4 Salon productions (members only) WITH By Mail: Send completed form to: RESERVED SEATING. TACT 900 Broadway, All Member Privileges Suite 905 $70 x = $ TACT SAMPLER $70 New York, NY 10003 1 Ticket to One (1) Mainstage production By Phone: 212-560-2184 1 Ticket to One (1) Salon (members only) All Member Privileges Weekdays 8:00am - 12 midnight Weekends 8:00am - 11:30pm Tax Deductible Contribution = $ ARE YOU A Ticket Sales only cover a small portion of our expenses. Please consider supporting RENEWING MEMBER? TACT with an additional contribution. Renewing members get the best deals! If you're a renewing member, you should have already received a renewal notice GRAND TOTAL = $ inviting you to re-subscribe. If you HAVEN'T MEMBERSHIP received one, you can still call the TACT OFFICE to renew (212-645-8228). Be sure to have your Member Number handy.

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9 MEMBERSHIP INSIDE! CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING AT TACT THIS SEASON!

ON THE FOLLOW US ON MAINSTAGE THIS FALL /tactnyc DON’T MISS TACT’S

SHE STOOPS... @tactnyc by Oliver Goldsmith SALON Oct. 4 - Nov. 5 2016 The Beckett Theatre @tactnyc SERIES “It’s Academic!” page 6 /tactnyc Marlow is a gentleman. Kate is a lady. Marlow likes ladies; he just can’t talk to them. Kate likes Marlow, but if she talks to him, he’ll run. What’s to be done? SUMMER NEWS Schemes, deceptions, mishaps, and Our 2016/17 Season is on its way. In the mean- romance overflow in this hilarious 18th time, check out all that’s been going on with our century classic comedy of manners – company of actors and theatre artists. And, of and errors! course, learn all about the new season. You might page 1-2 also like to renew or become a new subscribing member - It’s all inside!

Honoree Simon Jones & Cynthia Harris at the TACT Spring Gala

900 Broadway, Suite 905 ARTISTIC DIRECTORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Scott Alan Evans Stephen Lindenmuth, Chairman New York, NY 10003 Executive Artistic Director Michele Geist, President Nora Chester, Jeffrey C. Hawkins, George Bunn, Scott Alan Evans, Cynthia Harris, Associate Artistic Directors Susan Mindel, Roy Otwell, Louise Schraa, Teri WINNING Scott, Judith Zabar AWARD COMPANY CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED Mark Alhadeff, Mary Bacon, Jeremy Beck, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jamie Bennett, Eve Bianco, Cynthia Darlow, Scott Alan Evans FOR OUR Francesca Di Mauro, Richard Ferrone, Todd JOIN US Gearhart, Cynthia Harris (Artistic Director Emerita), MANAGING DIRECTOR Jonathan Weber Brandon Jones, Simon Jones (Artistic Director Emeritus), Karl Kenzler, Ted Koch, Jack Koenig, DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE Darrie Lawrence, Todd Lawson, Terry Layman, Robert Gelberg 2016/17 Victoria Mack, Kelly McAndrew, Ron McClary, CASTING DIRECTOR Greg McFadden, MacKenzie Meehan, Tracy Kelly Gillespie Middendorf, Kate Middleton, Geoffrey Molloy, SEASON James Murtaugh, Margaret Nichols, John MARKETING Plumpis, James Prendergast, Tony Roach, Liv Hofstetter + Partners/Agency 212 TACT once again confirms its place in the Rooth, Justine Salata, Scott Schafer, Dana PRESS REPRESENTATIVE Smith-Croll, David Staller, Jeff Talbott, Richard David Gersten & Associates Off-Broadway scene. Thieriot, Jenn Thompson (Artistic Director THEATREMANIA Emerita), Margot White, Lynn Wright ADVISORY COUNCIL In Memoriam - Larry Keith Cynthia Harris, Chair, TACT makes you realize how much you’ve Diane Brandt, Billy DiMichele, Karen Falk, missed a playwright’s voice. ADJUNCT COMPANY Barbara Fleischman, Darya Geetter, William Drew Barr, Daryl Bornstein, Kelly Burns, Grau, Julianna Hannett, Matthew Harris, Dana NEW YORK TIMES Meredith Dixon, Cate DiGirolamo, Jonathan Ivey, Simon Jones, Lisa Korn, Carol Mitchell, Faiman, Michael Friedlander, Mary Louise John Pankow, Robert Silver, Michael Thomas. TACT is what Off-Broadway ought to be. Geiger, Amir Khosrowpour, David Macdonald, Lauren Miller, Jonathan Smith, Yetti Steinman, WALL STREET JOURNAL Joseph Trapanese, David Toser

10 PREVIEW OF THE ISSUE