OUR SPONSORS ABOUT CENTER REPERTORY COMPANY UP NEXT FROM CENTER REP

Chevron (Season Sponsor) has been the Center REP is the resident, professional “Freaky Friday captures the best of great Disney leading corporate sponsor of Center REP theatre company of the Lesher Center for the musicals. The catchy, surprisingly deep score by CENTER REPERTORY COMPANY and the Lesher Center for the Arts for the Arts. Our season consists of six productions Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey is their best work since Michael Butler, Artistic Director Scott Denison, Managing Director past eleven years. In fact, Chevron has been a year – a variety of musicals, dramas and Next to Normal.” a partner of the LCA since the beginning, comedies, both classic and contemporary, – Buzzfeed providing funding for capital improvements, that continually strive to reach new levels of event sponsorships and more. Chevron artistic excellence and professional standards. generously supports every Center REP show throughout the season, and is the primary Our mission is to celebrate the power sponsor for events including the Chevron of the human imagination by producing Family Theatre Festival in July. Chevron emotionally engaging, intellectually involving, has proven itself not just as a generous and visually astonishing live theatre, and supporter, but also a valued friend of the arts. through Outreach and Education programs, to enrich and advance the cultural life of the Diablo Regional Arts Association (DRAA) communities we serve. (Season Partner) is both the primary fundraising organization of the Lesher What does it mean to be a producing Center for the Arts (LCA) and the City of theatre? We hire the finest professional BOOK BY MUSIC BY LYRICS BY Walnut Creek’s appointed curator for the directors, actors and designers to create our BRIDGET CARPENTER TOM KITT BRIAN YORKEY LCA’s audience outreach. DRAA’s role in the productions at Center REP. These are not Based on the novel Freaky Friday by community is all about building partnerships MARY RODGERS touring productions – they’re conceived and and the Disney films with the focused goal of enhancing artistic developed here, the sets and costumes are quality at the LCA and providing opportunities built in our shops, and the actors rehearse in Directed by Jeff Collister for everyone to enjoy the arts. Through our rehearsal hall. Whether the production Music Direction by Daniel Feyer partnerships with the LCA and its producers, is a Bay Area premiere or a Shakespearean Choreography by Jennifer Perry individual donors, corporate and foundation classic, each is devised to be a one of a kind, By sponsors and the City of Walnut Creek, artistic creation that will be a unique theatre March 30 - April 29 DRAA plays a vital role in advancing the experience for our audience. arts for the betterment of the community. Scenic Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer Please visit us online at www.draa.org. Season What does it mean to be a professional Sponsor The Resident Professional Theatre Company of the Andrea Bechert Michael A. Berg Scott Denison theatre? It means that all our artists and Lesher Center for the Arts MICHAEL BUTLER Lesher Foundation (Foundation Sponsor) artisans are career theatre-practitioners. We Artistic Director Season Partner SCOTT DENISON Managing Director Sound Designer Dialect Coach Stage Manager As the namesake family for the Lesher hire many actors that are members of Actors’ Center for the Arts, the Lesher Foundation Equity Association; many of our directors www.CenterREP.org Jeff Collister Kimberly Mohne Hill Sara Sparks* has provided funding to Center REP and the and designers are members of professional lobby banner.indd 1 2/26/2018 4:18:34 PM Lesher Center since the Center opened in unions. All do theatre because it is their 1990. Their support has had a profound profession and their passion. Starring impact on the quality of Center REP’s THANK YOU TO OUR productions and has greatly enhanced the OPENING NIGHT DINNER SPONSORS: We are very proud to have the opportunity Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Kerri Shawn experience for Center REP’s audiences. to produce professional theatre for our Scott’s Seafood Grill and Restaurant Grant-making decisions are based on the community in the beautiful theatres here at vision of Dean and Margaret Lesher who felt the Lesher Center for the Arts. Thank you for quality education, diverse programs, and your support! THANK YOU TO: Directed by George Maguire healthy children and families are the building Massimo’s Ristorante Waters Moving and Storage blocks of a strong and vibrant community. Associated Services-Alta Water

"" is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. THANK YOU TO Center REPertory Company THE STAFF OF THE Michael Butler Artistic Director LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS Scott Denison Managing Director Production Services Audience Services Margaret Lesher Theatre Production Manager Costume Shop Marketing Associate Coordinator Coordinator March 30 - April 29, 2018 CITY COUNCIL Jeff Collister Manager Morgan Mitchell Toni Kilcoyne Courtney Egg Technical Staff Ticket Office Staff Lesher Center for the Arts Justin Wedel, Technical Director Bethany Deal Education Joshua Lipps Costume Staff Education Directors Steve Pino Jeremiah Vierling Mayor Master Electrician Michelle Kincaid Jeff Draper Alex Bull Rami Kim Season Season Partner Foundation Sponsor Rich Carlston Del Medoff Wardrobe Supervisor Kerri Shawn Chris Currie Robert Nolan ARTS COMMISSION Loella Haskew Carpenters Alea Gonzales Casting Director Hanna Johnson Jennifer Haga Sponsor Cindy Silva Kevin Bennett Props Manager Jennifer Perry Garrick Schuster Laina Hare Anita Sagástegui, Stephen Spleiss Jave Hernandez Chair Kevin Wilk Trevor Frey Roger Anderson Asst. to the Managing Gabriel Johnson Asst. to the Scenic Director Josh Stouffer Elizabeth Martinie Jane Emanuel, Vice CITY MANAGER Josh Yarnell Shannon Taylor Dan Buckshi Caleb Salmon Designer Gail Pfeifer Chair Brennan Shreves Lynn Grant Program/Webmaster Security Gabrielle Wood *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States Glynnis Cowdery DIRECTOR Emmaline Coartney Usher Coordinator Asst. Stage Manager Production Assistant Linda Nomura The Scenic Designer is a member of United Scenic Artists Union Iasmine Klauber Arts + Rec Joe Coe Miranda Ketchum Nick Dowd Pat Mitchell Ann Meredith Kevin Safine Johnny Silveira Center REP is a member of Theatre Bay Area and Theatre Communications Group (TCG), The National Organization for the American Theatre CAST Company, PlayGround, CCMT, DAE, Town the UK. Shirley Valentine has been named Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation in the KIMBERLY MOHNE HILL (Dialect Coach) has villainous Pierre LeChance on “The Guiding Hall Theatre Company and she is a resident “one of the 10 most influential British plays of mountains of North Carolina for their yearly coached over 120 shows for such companies as Light," and played guitar and harmonica in Unto These Hills Shirley Valentine ...... Kerri Shawn actress with Fantasy Forum Actor's Ensemble. the 20th Century.” summer production of . It’s A.C.T., SF Playhouse, TheatreWorks, Berkeley many rock, blues, and country western bands Kerri has been the recipient of the Shellie nice to be back home at Center REP. Rep, San Jose Rep, Arizona Theater Co, at all the notable dives in NYC. Award, the Dean Goodman Award and was GEORGE MAGUIRE (Director) is CityLights, the Aurora Theater, Marin Theater SCOTT DENISON (Lighting Designer/ Company and San Jose Stage Company. She TIME AND PLACE honored by the Eugene O'Neill Foundation thrilled to return to Center REP with their special award, along with Richard and his endearing bond with both Managing Director) has been the General is thrilled to be returning to Center REP for Manager for the Lesher Center for the Arts Shirley Valentine after having served as the James, for twenty five years of participating Kerri Shawn and Shirley Valentine. The mid-1980s since it opened 27 years ago and has worked original production’s Dialect Coach the first in Student Days at Tao House in Danville. She It has been 13 years since the DIRECTOR'S NOTES The kitchen of a semi-detached house for the Arts in this area for over 44 years. Scott time it was mounted here! Kimberly isan has performed in one other one woman show last foray into this remarkable and a Greek Island has directed over 150 productions, including Associate Professor and the current chair of for Center REP. She played Ann Landers in The journey for them. His other The Wizard of Oz, the musical hit Cinderella, the Department of Theater & Dance at Santa Lady With All The Answers In the 1998-99 season at Center REP, a Shirley Valentinewill be performed , directed by her productions with REP are the Shellie Award Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Hairspray, The Clara University where she teaches Acting, with one fifteen minute intermission. husband Scott Denison. Scott and Kerri have winning Our Town and as an actor Woman Music Man, Les Misérables and for the past 20 Voice & Speech, Dialects, Improv and Musical wildly successful journey of joy began three beautiful daughters; Jennifer, Kelley and in Black opposite Richard James. George has seasons Center REP’s A Christmas Carol as well Theater along with directing shows in their with Kerri Shawn and myself joining Amanda and two awesome granddaughters; directed projects for A.C.T., the Great Lakes as all Fantasy Forum productions since 1970. theater season. Smith & Kraus publishers has forces to create Shirley Valentine for the PROFILES Grace Dawn and Sadie May. All of them are Shakespeare Festival, the Willows Theater, He created and produces the annual Shellie published three of Kim’s books – Scenes in "marvelous, brave, living women" and they New Conservatory Theatre, SummerRep Santa Awards now celebrating 39 years. Scott has Dialect for Young Actors and Monologues in audiences. We repeated it again in the KERRI SHAWN (Shirley Valentine) inspire her each and every day! Kerri is deeply Rosa, Broadway By The Bay, PCPA Theatrefest, also designed lights for over 250 productions, Dialect for Young Actors Volume I and Volume 2001 season and yet again in the 2005 In the past 19 years I have had the grateful to return to the role of Willy Russell's Playground and the O’Neill Foundation/ including the national touring production of II. great honor of walking in Shirley's Shirley Valentine in celebration of Center Role Players in Danville. George is Professor Sylvia. Under Denison’s guidance the Lesher season. So, here we are 19 years later shoes five different times. The REP's 2017-2018 50th Anniversary season. Emeritus at Solano College where he directed Center for the Arts presents over 850 public SARA SPARKS* (Stage Manager) is delighted since we first began, and 12 years older last time was in the summer of 50 main stage productions and received events each year. He coordinates performing to be working her first show with Center since our last run once again bringing 2006 in celebration of Center WILLY RUSSELL (Author) numerous Bay Area Theater Awards. He is a arts activities with over 100 producers and REP. She has worked all around the Bay, REP's upcoming 40th anniversary Born in Liverpool in 1947, 54 year member of Actors Equity Association producing organizations. Scott created the including TheatreWorks, Shotgun Players, this story of a woman’s deep desire to season. When I left the LCA after my final Willy Russell left school at 15, and his many film and TV credits include Chevron Family Theatre Festival which hosts Aurora Theatre Company, 42nd Street Moon, experience and change back to the performance I truly believed it was mine and became a women’s hairdresser, Wally in "13 Reasons Why," "The Pursuit of over 7,000 guests each year. He is also the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, San Jose Shirley's farewell to one another. Since then, and part-time singer/songwriter Happyness," "The Sweetest Thing," "True Managing Director of the Center REPertory Stage Company, Pear Theatre, Palo Alto Lesher Center. in the past 13 years, I have helped my mom to performing in the local folk scene Lies," "Youth," "Yosemite," "Fight Club," and Company producing professional productions Players, Silicon Valley Shakespeare, Eugenie each season and is the director and co- Chan Theater Projects and RE:ACT. She is die after she lived several years with cancer. I before returning to education "Generations" which he Executive Produced. Much has happened in these years for all founder of Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble, also a lighting designer, recently designing became a cancer survivor myself, and through and becoming a teacher. Whilst at St Future releases include a sound remake of of us. Grandchildren were born, nieces an adult family performing arts company Uncanny Valley, Major Barbara, and Uncle the years had the great privilege of traveling Katharine’s College, Willy began writing "Nosferatu" with "Shape of Water"'s iconic which presents programs for the young and Vanya at Pear Theatre. were born, trips were taken (Kerri visited to both England and Greece. I ate lunch and drama and, in 1972, took a programme of river creature Doug Jones. three one-act plays to the Edinburgh Fringe Young at Heart. Greece where the story takes place, drank wine at The Hippie Fish in Mykonos, MICHAEL BUTLER (Artistic Director) This is where the movie "Shirley Valentine" was Festival. Russell’s breakthrough work, John ANDREA BECHERT (Scenic Designer) has while I did a sabbatical living in Berlin). Paul George Ringo…and Bert transferred to designed over 300 productions across the JEFF COLLISTER (Sound Designer) was the Michael’s twelfth season as Artistic Director filmed. I also swam in Shirley's ocean and even Sound Designer for REP’s previous productions of Center REP, where his directing credits Tenuous and glorious times were had by met and talked with a taxi driver in Mykonos the West End, winning the Evening Standard country, including Sisters Matsumoto, Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike Cowgirls Don’t of Shirley Valentine. For this production he include The Liar, Women in Jeopardy, who could have easily been Costas. To be able and London Theatre Critics Awards for Best , , us and yet again – here we are. Dress for Dinner, Collected Stories, and Amy’s dusted off the old show CD and transferred Baskerville, ‘Art,’ Anything Goes, Clybourne to return to Willy Russell's magnificent script Musical. Russell’s first major hit, Educating View at Center REP. Companies designed for everything to the sound computer. It’s good Park, Real Housewives of Walnut Creek, and and channel Shirley once more and share Rita premiered in 1980 and enjoyed a long Although I have never been one to have include TheatreWorks, Colorado Shakespeare to learn new skills. Jeff’s main job is that of To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as the Shellie her stories with all of you is one of my life's West End run. Now a modern classic, the Festival, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Production Manager for Center REP, which he and BATCC Award-winning productions of a bucket list, Shirley’s journey into self greatest gifts. Thank you Center REP for this play has been translated and produced in The Magic Theatre, The Cleveland Playhouse, has been doing since 1995, when sound cues Around the World in 80 Days, A Midsummer grand opportunity! Thank you to my director almost every part of the globe. In 1986, Willy were put on cassette tapes and you’d cue Night’s Dream, Enchanted April, and Witness has brought me a sense of not wasted Russell created the iconic Shirley Valentine The Starlight Theatre, Opera San Jose, and George Maguire for joining forces with me and Marin Theatre Company. Her awards include them up using a pencil! In addition to being For The Prosecution. His directing work has time. I mean ANYTHING is possible if we Shirley yet again! I dedicate this journey with which went on to an acclaimed West End run, REP’s Production Manager Jeff also has stage also been seen at San Jose Rep, Cleveland earning Olivier awards for both Russell and three Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle awards, a dream it, actuate it, and lovingly fulfill it. Shirley Valentine to all of you "marvelous, Denver Ovation Award, and her designs have managed more than 50 productions since Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Laguna Playhouse, its star, , before transferring brave, living" people out there! My heart and been included in the 2005 World Design Expo starting with the company in 1989. Favorites ACT in Seattle, Marin Theatre Company, to New York for a highly successful Broadway To be in a room with my dear Kerri soul is filled with gratitude! and 1996 Prague Quadrennial. She is currently include Boeing-Boeing, A Number, Almost Aurora Theatre Company, San Jose Stage, run. Both Educating Ritaand Shirley Valentine teaching design at San José State University, Heaven – John Denver’s America, Becoming Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and The Juilliard speaking Shirley’s words and actuating became highly successful feature films with and has taught at several other universities Memories, Suds: The Rockin’ 60’s Musical School, of which he is a graduate. As an actor, her story is truly a rare dream come true. Kerri serves as Co-Education Director with Michael Caine, and Pauline across the country. Ms. Bechert is a member Soap Opera, Godspell, and The Mystery of Michael has worked on Broadway (Macbeth Jeffrey Draper for Center REPertory Company. Collins all winning Oscar Nominations for of United Scenic Artists Local 829. Edwin Drood. Jeff directed The 25th Annual with and Christopher I hope it brings you courage, happiness, She has been co-director of Center REP's their respective roles, as did Russell for his Putnam County Spelling Bee and Xanadu for Plummer and Two Shakespearean Actors), Off Young REP Theatre Training Program since "" screenplay. Willy Russell's MICHAEL A. BERG (Costume Designer) is REP and Urinetown, The Musical, and Grease Broadway (Roundabout, The Public Theatre), peace, laughter and above all an idea of 1995. (youngrep.org) Over the past four other worldwide theatrical success has been quite pleased to be returning to Center REP as for Contra Costa Musical Theatre. This Spring in regional theatres (The Guthrie, Arena unlimited possibilities. Find Greece in Blood Brothers, a Liverpudlian folk opera, Jeff will be directing Disney’s Freaky Friday Stage, Long Wharf), film and television, as decades Kerri has gratefully worked often the costume designer for Shirley Valentine. He your heart as I have! with Center REP where she has had the which won the Laurence Olivier Award for has been working with Center REP for almost – The Musical for REP. Jeff is a Shellie Award well as in REP’s productions of Mirandolina!, The Mousetrap Rumors opportunity to be a part of many wonderful Best New Musical in 1983. The 1987 revival of 20 years in the capacities of actor/costumer/ winning actor, a member of Actors Equity , and . He is Association, an avid San Francisco Giants and a published songwriter and the co-writer and productions includingThe Night of the Iguana, Blood Brothers ran for over 10,000 consecutive stitcher. He has been an independent theater George Maguire Harry Potter fan. “It does not do well to dwell composer of numerous music-theatre pieces, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Talley's Folly, performances during its 24-year West End artist in the greater Bay Area for 35 years Director on dreams and forget to live.” ― J.K. Rowling which have been produced in NY, LA, and at Rumors, Our Town, The Mousetrap, and A run. Willy Russell continues to be one of the and has worked with The Mountain Play festivals in India and Morocco. In his career Christmas Carol. Over the years, Kerri has had most celebrated and widely produced writers Association, Marin Shakespeare Company, of his generation with works regularly being Ross Valley Players, Contra Costa Musical as a performer he has also danced with the the pleasure of performing with several other Erick Hawkins Dance Company, portrayed the Bay Area theatre companies: Marin Theatre produced throughout the world as well as in Theatre, Theatre Rhinoceros and for the