Max McLean Founder & Artistic Director Presents SHADOWLANDS by William Nicholson Max McLean, Founder & Artistic Director Presents by William Nicholson Featuring Daniel Gerroll Robin Abramson John C. Vennema Sean Gormley Dan Kremer Stephanie Cozart Daryll Heysham Eddie Ray Martin Video Editor Original Music & Sound Design Voice & Dialect Casting Director Matthew Gurren John Gromada Claudia Hill-Sparks Carol Hanzel Technical Director Production Manager Sound Editor Casting Consultant Brandon Cheney Lew Mead Daniel Gonko Judy Henderson, C.S.A. Marketing General Management Assistant Director Company Manager Southside Entertainment Aruba Productions Dan DuPraw Tara Murphy Executive Producer Ken Denison Directed by Christa Scott-Reed This production made possible by arrangement with The Agency (London) Ltd. 24 Pottery Lane, London W11 4LZ, [email protected] CAST OF CHARACTERS (in order of appearance) C.S. Lewis ...................................................................................... Daniel Gerroll Dr. Maurice Oakley/Gregg/Clerk/Doctor/Priest/Waiter ......Daryll Heysham Christopher Riley ........................................................................Sean Gormley Rev. Harry Harrington ....................................................................Dan Kremer Major Warnie Lewis ............................................................ John C. Vennema Woman/Registrar/Nurse .................................................... Stephanie Cozart Joy Davidman .........................................................................Robin Abramson Douglas .................................................................................... Eddie Ray Martin The action takes place in Oxford, England, in the 1950s. 3 A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR Shadowlands lives at the intersec- joy, and thus into suffering too. tion of pain and joy. Shadowlands is a play that asks us When the play begins, we see to consider what we are willing to C.S. Lewis as a man confident in his give up in order to gain so much. studied ideas about the meaning of The line that should linger with suffering in the world. However, his audiences is, “The pain now is part settled middle-aged life is absent of the happiness then, that’s the both romantic love and the pain deal.” that such love risks. The Platonic idea of Then Joy walks in. And over the “Shadowlands” is explained this course of the play she upends way in the play: “This world that everything. She is the engine that seems to us so substantial is no makes him rethink more than the love, suffering and Shadowlands. faith. Suddenly his “The pain now is part Real life has not confident, intel- of the happiness then, begun yet.” As lectual ideas are that’s the deal.” death looms over tested by his new the characters experiences, and in this play they he becomes more speak of the con- alive. His suffering spurs doubt but trast between our imperfect, shad- also fuels an evolution that moves owed human world and the bright, him into a kind of peace with the unfathomable realness of the after- unanswerable. He steps further out life. But one also comes to feel that of the shadows. Lewis was in a shadowlands of his It takes courage to give up all your own until Joy illuminated his life. safety. Lewis learned to dive the In the play (and in life) Lewis summer he became a Christian. As examines the age-old question of the Lewis character says in BBC’s how God can allow suffering in the Through the Shadowlands, “You world. As we all struggle during a don’t have to do anything. All you pandemic, we may be asking the have to do is stop doing some- same question. May the words thing; you have to learn to stop of the play and Lewis’ own wis- trying to preserve yourself. Once dom and experience give us some you let yourself go head first with- strength in these times. out worrying where you’re going to land…you’re a diver.” It’s this Christa Scott-Reed stepping away from self-preserva- tion that allows him to dive into 4 WHO’S WHO DANIEL GERROLL (C.S. Lewis) has ites include Tamara, The Electric appeared on Broadway in Plenty, Baby, Twelfth Night (Viola), When High Society and Enchanted April, the Rain Stops Falling, Orange and he has performed extensively Flower Water, You Say Tomato, I Off Broadway, in various region- Say Shut Up (Denver Center) and al theatres and on TV, film and Tammy Ryan’s FBI Girl. radio. Recent theatre roles include Benedict in Much Ado About SEAN GORMLEY (Christopher Nothing at the Guthrie Theatre, Riley) most recently appeared at Higgins in My Fair Lady, Salieri in the Rep in the world premiere of Amadeus, Intimacy at the New Kingfishers Catch Fire. NY Theatre includes The Weir, Rebel in the Group and various other roles Soul, Aristocrats, Da, Transport, at the Manhattan Theatre Club, Yeats Project, Shaughraun and Roundabout, Second Stage and Devil’s Disciple (Irish Rep Theatre); eight summers at the Bay Street Jonah and Otto (U.S. premiere), Theatre in Sag Harbor. Film and A Day by the Sea (dir. Austin TV include Chariots of Fire, Big Pendleton), Shadowlands (Theatre Business, The Namesake, The Row); The Good Thief (Solo per- Starter Wife, Code Black and The formance/Players Theatre); and Woman in White for the BBC Nora, Shadow of the Glen (Marvell Rep). Regional work includes the ROBIN ABRAMSON (Joy U.S. premiere of Sucker Punch at Davidman) starred as Joy Studio Theatre D.C. TV includes Davidman in FPA’s 2017 produc- The Blacklist (NBC), Person Of tion of Shadowlands Off Broadway Interest (CBS), Z: The Beginning on Theatre Row. Some regional of Everything (Amazon) and credits include If I Forget at Studio Treme (HBO). Film includes What Theatre in Washington D.C. (Helen Maisie Knew and Falling Apples. Hayes nomination); Ghostwriter Numerous voiceover credits. www. at Riverside Theatre, Othello and seangormley.com Simon Stephen’s Heisenberg at Pittsburgh Public Theatre. Pittsburgh JOHN C. VENNEMA (Major Warnie City Theatre; The Last Match by Lewis) has been seen on Broadway Anna Zeigler, Elemeno Pea, Hope in The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, The and Gravity, Tribes (Philadelphia Royal Family, Otherwise Engaged, Theatre Company), Time Stands The Elephant Man, Racing Demon Still, Blackbird, Mary’s Wedding, and Bells Are Ringing (Encores). He Maple and Vine and Outlying toured Ireland and England in the Islands. Additional regional favor- Druid Theater production of The 5 WHO’S WHO Cripple of Inishmaan, ending at Regional credits include Denver the Atlantic Theater (Drama Desk Center Theatre Company (25 award). Off Broadway includes productions), Barrington Stage, Linda, House and Garden, In Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Celebration, Terms of Endearment, Paper Mill Playhouse, Cincinnati many others. Film includes The Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of Cat’s Meow, City Hall, Die Hard St. Louis, Virginia Stage, Laguna With a Vengeance. Television Playhouse, Portland Stage and includes Boardwalk Empire, Lone Tree Arts Center. TV/Film Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and includes The Good Wife, Law and House Of Cards (recurring roles). Order: SVU and Reflection. MFA: National Theatre Conservatory DAN KREMER (Harry Harrington) (also served as adjunct faculty.) Off-Broadway credits include Stephanie’s audiobook narrations Richard II (Pearl) and Prozak and can be found on Audible.com. the Platypus (Beckett). Nationally, Kremer has appeared with reper- DARYLL HEYSHAM (Dr. Maurice tory theatres from coast to coast Oakley/Gregg/Clerk/Doctor/ including Shakespeare Theatre Priest/Waiter, u/s Riley/ Gregg/ Company: Caesar, Julius Caesar; Doctor) is delighted to be a Capulet, Romeo & Juliet; and part of this virtual production of Enobarbus, Antony & Cleopatra; Shadowlands, having appeared in Utah Shakespeare Festival as King its 2017-18 Off-Broadway run for Lear, Titus Andronicus and Horace FPA. Other Off-Broadway credits Vandergelder. In 14 seasons with include Much Ado About Nothing the Oregon Shakespeare Festival: and Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding. He Undershaft, Major Barbara; appeared opposite George Peppard Prospero, The Tempest; Jaques, As and Susan Clark in The Lion in You Like It; and Lambert LeRoux, Winter and with Irene Worth in Pravda. www.dankremer.com The Odyssey, directed by Gregory Doran, Artistic Director of the Royal STEPHANIE COZART (Registrar/ Shakespeare Company. He has Nurse/Woman) Appeared with performed in Noel Coward’s The FPA in Shadowlands and directed Vortex at Philadelphia’s Walnut St. a staged reading of Animal Farm. Theatre; Superior Donuts and The Other Off-Broadway credits include Royal Family at Pittsburgh Public Communion (Urban Stages), Lost Theater; Three Sisters at Syracuse in Yonkers (TACT) and Seven Stage; Laughter on the 23rd Floor Rabbits on a Pole (Urban Stages). at St. Michael’s Playhouse; and 6 WHO’S WHO Lt. Shrank in West Side Story for Broadway, Off Broadway, National Florida’s Riverside Theatre, among Tours, Regional Theatre, Film and others. Originally from the UK, TV. She has performed in over 50 Daryll has called Manhattan home professional theatre productions in for the past 25 years. New York City and across the U.S. Christa’s most recent television EDDIE RAY MARTIN (Douglas credits include Madam Secretary, Gresham) is a 10-year-old actor The Loudest Voice and Elementary. from the UK, who loves to sing Christa is the Literary Manager for and dance. He is delighted to Fellowship for Performing Arts and be playing the role of Douglas a Part-Time Faculty Member at Gresham again. Theatre includes the School of Drama at the New Douglas Gresham in Shadowlands School. She is a proud member of (Chichester Festival Theatre); John SDC, AEA, and SAG-AFTRA. www. in Fun Home (Young Vic); and christascottreed.com Dick Whittington and Beauty and the Beast (LP Creatives). Television LEW MEAD (Production Manager) includes Anatomy of a Decision, Broadway engineering credits Crimewatch, Blindboy Undestroys include: A Chorus Line, Dream- the World and The Floogals (ani- girls, Bring Back Birdie. Broadway mation). Film includes Eddie’s Design credits include Onward appearing as a young C.S Lewis Victoria, Tom Sawyer, Urinetown, in the upcoming film of The Most The King and I and Wonderful Reluctant Convert. Eddie trains at Town.