DAVE MAIER (Fight Director) has SCOTT DENISON (Managing Director) has impact on the quality of Center REP’s choreographed violence for several Center been the General Manager for the Lesher productions and has greatly enhanced the REP productions including Red Speedo, Center for the Arts since it opened 28 years experience for Center REP’s audiences. Baskerville, Born Yesterday, and Mirandolina. ago and has worked for the Arts in this area Grant-making decisions are based on the CENTER REPERTORY COMPANY He is the resident fight director at California for over 45 years. Scott has directed over vision of Dean and Margaret Lesher who felt Michael Butler, Artistic Director Scott Denison, Managing Director Shakespeare Theatre and San Francisco Opera. 150 productions, including The Wizard of Oz, quality education, diverse art programs, and His work has been seen at many bay area the musical hit Cinderella, Disney’s Beauty healthy children and families are the building theaters including Berkeley Rep, American and the Beast, Hairspray, The Music Man, blocks of a strong and vibrant community. Conservatory Theatre, Magic Theatre, Marin Les Misérables and for the past 20 seasons Theatre Company, Ubuntu Theatre Project Center REP’s A Christmas Carol as well as ABOUT CENTER REPERTORY COMPANY and Shotgun Players. He is recognized as all Fantasy Forum productions since 1970. a Master Fight Director with Dueling Arts He created and produces the annual Shellie Center REP is the resident, professional International and has won several awards for Awards now celebrating 40 years. Scott has theatre company of the Lesher Center for the his work including the 2018 Theatre Bay Area also designed lights for over 250 productions, Arts. Our season consists of six productions Award for Outstanding Fight Choreography including the national touring production of a year – a variety of musicals, dramas and for Quixote Nuevo at California Shakespeare Sylvia. Under Denison’s guidance the Lesher comedies, both classic and contemporary, Theatre. Center for the Arts presents over 850 public that continually strive to reach new levels events each year. He coordinates performing of artistic excellence and professional LYNNE SOFFER (Dialect Coach) has coached arts activities with over 100 producers and standards.. COMMUNICATINGDOORS over 250 theater productions at A.C.T., producing organizations. Scott created the Berkeley Rep, Magic Theatre, Marin Theater Chevron Family Theatre Festival which hosts Our mission is to celebrate the power Company, Theatreworks, Cal Shakes, San Jose over 7,000 guests each year. He is also the of the human imagination by producing emotionally engaging, intellectually involving, by Alan Ayckbourn Rep and SF Opera among others including Managing Director of the Center REPertory nine for Center Rep. Her regional credits Company producing professional productions and visually astonishing live theatre, and include the Old Globe, Dallas Theater Center, each season and is the director and co- through Outreach and Education programs, Arizona Theatre Company, the Arena Stage, founder of Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble, to enrich and advance the cultural life of the Seattle Rep and the world premier of The an adult family performing arts company communities we serve. Scenic Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer Laramie Project at the Denver Center. Her which presents programs for the young and film and television credits include “Fruitvale,” Young at Heart. What does it mean to be a producing Richard Olmsted Maggie Morgan Kurt Landisman “Metro,” “Duets,” “The Land of Milk and theatre? We hire the finest professional Honey” and “America’s Most Wanted.” Soffer OUR SPONSORS directors, actors and designers to create our Sound Designer Fight Director Dialect Coach works frequently as a professional actor and productions at Center REP. These are not acting teacher and is the recipient of the Chevron (Season Sponsor) has been the touring productions – they’re conceived and Cliff Caruthers Dave Maier Lynne Soffer 2011 Actors’ Equity Lucy Jordan Humanitarian leading corporate sponsor of Center REP developed here, the sets and costumes are Award. and the Lesher Center for the Arts for the built in our shops, and the actors rehearse in past twelve years. In fact, Chevron has been our rehearsal hall. Whether the production Stage manager KATHLEEN J. PARSONS* (Stage Manager) a partner of the LCA since the beginning, is a Bay Area premiere or a Shakespearean is excited to be doing another show with providing funding for capital improvements, classic, each is devised to be a one of a kind, Kathleen J. Parsons* Center REPertory Company. Companies event sponsorships and more. Chevron artistic creation that will be a unique theatre she has worked for include Rubicon Theatre generously supports every Center REP show experience for our audience. Company, Access Theatre, North Shore Music throughout the season, and is the primary Cast Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, sponsor for events including the Chevron What does it mean to be a professional The Pasadena Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Family Theatre Festival in July. Chevron theatre? It means that all our artists and Brittany Danielle* Julie Eccles* Theatre, Teatro Zinzanni, the American has proven itself not just as a generous artisans are career theatre-practitioners. Musical Theatre of San Jose, San Jose Rep, and supporter, but also a valued friend of the arts. The actors in this production are members Sharon Rietkerk* the National Theatre of the Deaf. Kathleen of Actors’ Equity Association; our directors Mark Anderson Phillips* was also the Production Manager for the Diablo Regional Arts Association (DRAA) and designers are members of professional California International Theatre Festival. (Season Partner) is both the primary unions. All do theatre because it is their Charles Shaw Robinson* Robert Sicular* fundraising organization of the Lesher profession and their passion. . Center REPertory Company Center for the Arts (LCA) and the City of Michael Butler Artistic Director Walnut Creek’s appointed curator for the We are very proud to have the opportunity Scott Denison Managing Director LCA’s audience outreach. DRAA’s role in the to produce professional theatre for our Directed by Michael Butler community in the beautiful theatres here at Production Manager Stichers community is all about building partnerships the Lesher Center for the Arts. Thank you for Jeff Collister Judy DeHont with the focused goal of enhancing artistic "COMMUNICATING DOORS" IS PRESENTED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. Technical Director Linda Scotting quality at the LCA and providing opportunities your support. Joshua Lipps Dresser Master Electrician Nadia Thomas for everyone to enjoy the arts. Through THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OFTHIS PRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS ON ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, Del Medoff Props Manager partnerships with the LCA and its producers, THANK YOU TO THE STAFF OF THE A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR'S RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:WWW.SAMUELFRENCH.COM/WHITEPAPER Carpenters Roger Anderson Kevin Bennett Marketing individual donors, corporate and foundation LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS Trevor Frey Marketing Associate sponsors and the City of Walnut Creek, Margaret Lesher Theatre Arian Grimsrud Morgan Mitchell DRAA plays a vital role in advancing the Production Services Audience Services January 25 - February 23, 2019 Gabriel Johnson Education Coordinator Coordinator Lesher Center for the Arts Brennan Shreves Education Directors arts for the betterment of the community. Toni Kilcoyne Courtney Egg Asst. Stage Manager Jeff Draper Please visit us online at www.draa.org. Technical Staff Ticket Office Staff Joe Coe Kerri Shawn Steve Pino Jeremiah Vierling Season Season Partner Foundation Sponsor Production Assistant Casting Director Alex Bull Rami Kim Sponsor Joseph Lubman Jennifer Perry Lesher Foundation (Foundation Sponsor) As Chris Currie Robert Nolan Costume Shop Manager Asst. to the Managing the namesake family for the Lesher Center Jacqualyn Metcalf Bailey Ferris Bethany Deal Director for the Arts, the Lesher Foundation has Lexie Oswald Jennifer Haga *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States Wardrobe Supervisor Gail Pfeifer Garrick Schuster Brandon Lawrence provided funding to Center REP and the The Scenic, Costume, Lighting andSound Designers are members of United Scenic Artists Union Kiara Montgomery Program/Webmaster Josh Stouffer Shannon Taylor The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society Costume Staff Linda Nomura Josh Yarnell Usher Coordinator Lesher Center since the Center opened in Center REP is a member of Theatre Bay Area and Theatre Communications Group (TCG), The National Organization for the American Theatre Michelle Kincaid 1990. Their support has had a profound Steve Young Pat Mitchell CAST (in order of appearance) Geva Theatre and Syracuse Stage. Julie is also performed in concert with the Grammy- ALAN AYCKBOURN (Playwright) has spent RICHARD OLMSTED (Scenic Designer) KURT LANDISMAN (Lighting Designer) a graduate of the University of California, nominated Bay Brass, South Coast, and his life in theatre, rarely if ever tempted by has designed over 150 theatre and dance Local audiences will be familiar with his television or film, which perhaps explains productions, for companies including work through past productions designed for Reece ...... Charles Shaw Robinson* Davis and the London Academy of Music and Bear Valley Symphonies, Feinstein's, and at why he continues to be so prolific. To date he California Shakespeare Festival, Marin Center REP including Mamma Mia!, Disney's Dramatic Art. the Park at Wrigley Field in Chicago. www. Jessica ...... Brittany Danielle* has written 77 plays, and his work has been Theatre Co, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, San Freaky Friday, Altar Boyz, Sisters Matsumoto, Ruella ...... Julie Eccles* sharonrietkerk.com translated into over 35 languages, is performed Jose Rep, ODC/SF, Joe Goode Performance Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Julian ...... Robert Sicular* MARK ANDERSON PHILLIPS* on stage and television throughout the Group, Traveling Jewish Theatre, Thick Anything Goes, Mirandolina, Deathtrap, Life Phoebe (Poopay) ...... Sharon Rietkerk* (Harold) was last seen as CHARLES SHAW ROBINSON* world, and has won countless awards. Major Description and Shotgun Players. For Center Could Be a Dream, Ella, the Musical, Sweet Harold ...... Mark Anderson Phillips* Sherlock Holmes in Center (Reece) returns to Center REP successes include: Relatively Speaking, How REP: Women in Jeopardy!, Rocket Man, Charity, The 39 Steps, Old Wicked Songs REP’s production ofBaskerville! where previously he played the the Other Half Loves, Absurd Person Singular, and On Borrowed Time. Other productions and Xanadu. His designs have been seen PLACE Other REP appearances include role of Sidney in Death Trap. Bedroom Farce, A Chorus of Disapproval and with Michael Butler include Bus Stop (Marin throughout the Bay Area at many theaters Witness for the Prosecution, More recently he was in the The Norman Conquests. The National Theatre Theatre Co.) and Knock Knock (Aurora). including San Francisco Opera, ACT, Berkeley recently revived his 1980 play Season’s Olmsted has designed over 35 productions Rep, San Jose Rep, Theatreworks, California A Suite in the Regal Hotel, London WC2 Rumors, A Christmas Carol cast of Oslo at Marin Theatre (Scrooge), A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Company. Other favorite roles Greetings to great acclaim and the past year for Aurora Theatre Co., including a celebrated Shakespeare Festival, The Magic Theatre, and Around the World in 80 Days. His work at other include Shag in Bill Cain’s Equivocation(Marin alone has seen West End productions ofAbsent revival of Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance, Marin Theatre Company. Locally his work has TIME Friends and A Chorus Of Disapproval. In 2009, last season’s Eureka Day, The Royale and garnered 19 Bay Area Critics Circle Awards, theaters includes roles with Marin Theatre Theatre Company); Milton in the West Coast he retired as artistic director of the Stephen Detroit ’67. He teaches stage design and 5 LA Dramalogue Awards and 5 Shellie May 1983 Company, American Conservatory Theatre, premiere of Tony Kushner's Homebody/ Joseph, where almost all his plays have been technology at Cal State East Bay. www. Awards. Nationally, his work has been seen October 2003 Berkeley Rep., ACT Theatre of Seattle, San Kabul (Berkeley Repertory Theatre); Iago in and continue to be first staged. Holding the olmstedscenic.com at many regional opera & ballet companies, July 2023 Jose Rep., TheatreWorks, The Magic Theatre, Othello (California Shakespeare Theatre); and post for 37 years, he still feels that perhaps his including the Los Angeles Opera, Minnesota Aurora Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Henri in Magic Fire, directed by Jack O'Brien greatest achievement was the establishment MAGGIE MORGAN (Costume Designer) is Opera, Virginia Opera, Tulsa Opera, and PROFILES Louis, SF Playhouse, California Shakespeare (Berkeley Repertory Theatre/Old Globe). of this company’s first permanent home when pleased to be back at Center Rep where she Ballet Arizona. His designs have also been Theatre, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Regional Theatre credits include the title roles the two auditoria complex fashioned from has designed It Shoulda Been You, Tenderly: presented off-Broadway, represented at Circle a former Odeon Cinema opened in 1996. The Rosemary Clooney Musical, Don’t Dress Rep, and the Douglas Fairbanks Theatres. BRITTANY DANIELLE* (Jessica) Arizona Theatre Company, Word for Word, in Hamlet (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), Santa Cruz Shakespeare and California Theatre Pericles (Centerstage), and Scaramouche In recent years, he has been inducted into for Dinner, Blues in the Night and Enchanted Other designs internationally include world was last seen on the Center American Theatre’s Hall of Fame, received the April. Other interesting projects include Soul premieres of plays by Sam Shepard in Japan, REP stage as Dyanne in the TBA Center. Mark recently directed The Siegel, (The Empty Space Theatre). He was last seen and Ideation at CityLights Theater SJ. Other in New York in the American premiere of 2010 Critics’ Circle Award for Services to the Doctor (Broadway, Off-Broadway),Office Hour and Singapore, as well as the San Francisco award-winning production of Arts and became the first British playwright to at Berkeley Rep, Endgame at Kirk Douglas Opera in Shanghai, China, and the Moscow directing credits include The 39 Steps!, Sleuth, Frank McGuinness’s Gates of Gold at 59E59 Million Dollar Quartet, which receive both Olivier and Tony Special Lifetime Theatre, "Send Me: an Original Web Series" Circus in Tokyo, Japan. kurtlandisman.com she later reprised with director Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike at Center REP, Theaters, and before that at the Second Achievement Awards. He was knighted in 1997 on BET.com and the recent feature film Hunter Foster at Fulton Theatre Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde at CityLights SJ. (Winner, Stage Theatre as the Father in Sarah Ruhl’s for services to the theatre. "Car Dogs." Bay Area: The Real Thing at the CLIFF CARUTHERS (Sound Designer) has in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Maine State Theater Bay Area award for outstanding Eurydice (a production that began its long life Aurora Theatre, Haunting of Winchester and created soundscapes and music for over 200 Music Theatre in Brunswick, Maine. No direction), The King & I, Cinderella, Joseph at Berkeley Repertory Theatre). Other New MICHAEL BUTLER (Director / Artistic Director) Groundswell at San Jose Rep, TheatreWorks, productions, including Red Speedo, The Liar, stranger to the REP stage, Brittany has been & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with York work includes The Common Pursuit, This is Michael’s thirteenth season as Artistic Magic Theatre, Playground, California Musical Altar Boyz, Sisters Matsumoto, Dracula, and seen in Noises Off, Don't Dress for Dinner, Children’s Musical Theater of San Jose, The Battery, and the revival of The Cradle Will Director of Center REP, where his directing Theatre, Capital Stage, Mondavi Center. LA Ella: The Musical for Center REP. Recent credits include The Liar, Women in Jeopardy, area: Sense and Sensibility at South Coast Rep, work includes American Night, The Tempest, Anything Goes, Spelling Bee, Sweet Charity, Birds, and The Trojan Women at California Rock. He trained at Juilliard. Theatre Center, and Othello at Calaveras Rep. Baskerville, ‘Art,’ Anything Goes, Clybourne DED! (Matrix/Bootleg), Mark Taper Forum, and The Seagull for California Shakespeare Smokey Joe’s Café, Becoming Britney, She Park, Real Housewives of Walnut Creek, and Pasadena Playhouse, Hollywood Bowl, Matrix Theater; Elektra, The Homecoming, The Loves Me, and Xanadu (Kira/Clio) for which He will direct Lauren Gunderson’s Silent Sky ROBERT SICULAR* (Julian) this spring at CityLights SJ. has performed a universe To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as the Shellie Theatre, Getty Villa. Regional: Long Wharf Caucasian Chalk Circle, and Race for she won a Shellie Award for Best Actress and BATCC Award-winning productions of Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Yale Rep, American Conservatory Theater; Crime and www.markandersonphillips.com of roles—both classical and and later reprised at WaterTower Theater in Around the World in 80 Days, A Midsummer Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Assistant Punishment and TRAGEDY: a tragedy for Dallas, Texas. Other favorite credits include; contemporary—at theatres all Night’s Dream, Enchanted April, and Witness Costume Designer on many films including Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Gross Indecency the World Premiere of Monstress and the Bay SHARON RIETKERK* (Phoebe/ over the country: ACT; Berkeley For The Prosecution. His directing work has "Mona Lisa Smile," "Wag The Dog," "The and The Diary of Anne Frank for Kansas City Area Premiere of The Unfortunates at A.C.T, Poopay) has been seen at Rep; TheatreWorks; the Seattle, also been seen at San Jose Rep, Cleveland Grinch," "Casino," "Men in Black," "Apollo Repertory Theatre; Troilus and Cressida Nick & Nora (Nora), Singin’ in the Rain (Lina Center REP in Dancing Lessons, South Coast, San Jose and St. Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Laguna Playhouse, 13" and "A Bronx Tale." She is a graduate of for Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Ubu Roi, Lamont), Shrek (Fiona), The Producers (Ulla) The Liar, Billie Dawn in Born Louis Repertory Theatres; Marin Theatre ACT in Seattle, Marin Theatre Company, the Yale School of Drama and is on the faculty Pelleas and Melisande, and A Dreamplay for and Ragtime (Evelyn Nesbit). Special thanks Yesterday (Theatre Bay Area Company; San Jose Stage Company; the Jewel Aurora Theatre Company, San Jose Stage, at University of California, Davis. www. The Cutting Ball Theater; The Happy Ones for Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and The Juilliard maggiemorgandesign.com Magic Theatre; The Loudest Man on Earth, to Michael and the entire REP family for this Award), Rumors, and Xanadu. Theatre; the Actors Theatre of Louisville; the School, of which he is a graduate. As an actor, The Clean House and Outside Mullingar for incredible opportunity. Always for Mom. Other regional credits: Elinor Denver Center Theatre Company; the Oregon, Dashwood in the world premiere of Jane Colorado, California, San Francisco, Lake Michael has worked on Broadway (Macbeth TheatreWorks; We Are Proud To Present, www.BrittanyDanielle.com THANK YOU TO: Austen's Sense and Sensibility at Chicago Tahoe, and Santa Fe Shakespeare Festivals; with Glenda Jackson and Christopher Death of a Salesman, and Venus in Fur for Plummer and Two Shakespearean Actors), Off Massimo’s Ristorante San Jose Stage Company, Julius Caesar for The Shakespeare and the Old Globe Theatre in and the Shakespeare Theatre Company in JULIE ECCLES* (Ruella) was last Broadway (Roundabout, The Public Theatre), Acting Company;Happy Days for The Guthrie seen in the Bay Area in Marin San Diego (Noel Craig Award nomination); Washington, DC. At Center REP he was last in regional theatres (The Guthrie, Arena Theater; Circle Mirror Transformation, and 9 Theatre Company’s production Roxanne in Cyrano, Triangle (Bay Area Critics seen as Professor Van Helsing driving stakes Stage, Long Wharf), film and television, as Circles for Marin Theatre Company, and Bug, Marjorie Prime Award) Emma, Marry Me A Little(Theater Bay and brandishing crosses in Dracula. On well as in REP’s productions of Mirandolina!, and Dead Man's Cell Phone for San Francisco of . She has CITY COUNCIL spent many years performing Area Award), Little Women, The Secret Garden the screen, he can be seen as Dad in Josh The Mousetrap, Noises Off and Rumors. He is Playhouse Mr. Caruthers is also co-curator (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley); Candida in A Kornbuth’s "Love and Taxes;" in the sci-fi a published songwriter and the co-writer and Cindy Silva, Mayor and technical director of the San Francisco with the California Shakespeare Matt Francois Minister’s Wife (San Jose Repertory Theater); comedy thriller "Never Die Twice; "and the composer of numerous music-theatre pieces, Tape Music Festival and has performed his Theater. Plays there include Loella Haskew which have been produced in NY, LA, and at electronic music compositions internationally. Othello, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, Candida, How the Other Half Loves, The Illusion, and Bollywood potboiler "Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya," Justin Wedel festivals in India and Morocco. In his career His music for the IOS app "Earth: A Primer" The Importance of Being Earnest, Pastures Gunmetal Blues (North Coast Repertory and in recurring roles on "General Hospital" Kevin Wilk Theater, San Diego); Triangle (Lyric Theatre and "The Young and the Restless. "Robert is a as a performer he has also danced with the ARTS COMMISSION was featured at the GDC's Experimental of Heaven, Much Ado About Nothing, King Erick Hawkins Dance Company, portrayed the Gameplay Workshop in 2015. of Oklahoma). Ms. Rietkerk performed in Bay Area native and attended the University Jane Emanuel, Chair CITY MANAGER Lear and An Ideal Husband. She has also villainous Pierre LeChance on “The Guiding concert with the San Francisco Symphony of California at Berkeley and the London Glynnis Cowdery Dan Buckshi performed locally with A.C.T., Berkeley Rep., Light," and played guitar and harmonica in Iasmine Klauber TheatreWorks, San Jose Rep., Aurora Theatre in its SoundBox series with her husband, Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. www. many rock, blues, and country western bands Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins. Rietkerk robertsicular.com Ann Merideth DIRECTOR, Arts + Rec Co., San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and at all the notable dives in NYC. Anita Sagástegui Kevin Safine Word For Word. Other Regional theatres plays Jane Fairfax in the new film of "Emma" include Huntington Theatre, Seattle Rep., available at StreamingMusicals.com. She has