SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE Presents

Book, Lyrics, and Music by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, Jim Wann

Directed & Choreographed by Allison Bibicoff# Musical Directed by Sean Paxton

#Member Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

It’s 1972 on Highway 57 - somewhere between Frog Level and Smyrna, North Carolina.

There will be one 15-minute intermission.

Pump Boys and Dinettes is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

Season Underwriters Maggi and David Gordon

The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. No food or beverages (other than water) are permitted in the Please turn offseating all electronic areas. devices. FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Welcome home to SMP! What better way to beat the heat of summer than with a rollicking, countrified musical set somewhere between Frog Level and Smyrna on Highway 57?

I have wanted to produce Pump Boys and Dinettes for a long time. I remember having a conversation about it with Sean Paxton, our music director, during the run of Always….Patsy Cline. We both agreed that it would be perfect for SMP. I think you’ll agree that we were right! Pump Boys isn’t produced very often – and only now do I appreciate why - it takes really good musicians! We are incredibly lucky that so many wonderfully talented ones showed up to make this show happen.

I’m excited for you to hear them – you know half this cast from Patsy Cline – Sean, Kevin, Jim, and, of course, Cori (who was Ovation-nominated for her performance as Patsy) – and the newcomers – Mike, Jimmy, and Emily Kay. I’ve been watching them in rehearsals having a blast getting to know this music and each other. Now it’s your turn. I bet you’ll leave singing these terrific songs – and I hope you’ll come back for another helping!

The cast has been led by Allison Bibicoff who directs at SMP for the first time. I’ve been looking for the right project to get her to work with us and I think we came up with the perfect show to introduce her to you!

SMP is really only alive when our patrons are in the house. I love being here when there is a buzz of excitement before a show with our loyal friends milling in the lobby and finding their seats. I don’t think you will stay seated long though – this show will make you want to get up and dance – AND eat pie!

Next up we are bringing back the amazing magician John Carney for a short run in August. Then I’ll direct The Gin Game by D.L. Coburn opening September 7. We’ll remount, with the same cast from last year, Jean Shepherd’s A Christmas Story for the holidays. Our Field Trip series play next year is E.B. White’s Stuart Little which we’ll stage for local schools in rep with another show for adults TBA. Always something to look forward to at SMP!

Now it’s time to enjoy the pump boys and the diner waitresses who make them sing. I hope they remind you of some great road trips and good old diner food – tasty, filling, and oh-so satisfying.

Have a great summer! Christian Lebano Pump Boys and Dinettes FEATURING (in alphabetical order)

Rhetta Cupp ...... Cori Cable Kidder Bobby (Drums) ...... Jim Miller Jim (Guitar & Dobro)...... Michael Butler Murray* L.M. (Piano & Accordian) ...... Sean Paxton Eddie (Bass) ...... Kevin Tiernan Prudie Cupp ...... Emily Kay Townsend Jackson (Guitar) ...... Jimmy Villaflor *Member Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director/Choreographer ...... Allison Bibicoff Musical Director ...... Sean Paxton Production Stage Manager ...... Chloe Madriaga Producer ...... Christian Lebano Co-Producer ...... Estelle Campbell

Set Designer ...... Jeff G. Rack Costume Designer ...... Angela Nicholas Resident Lighting Designer...... Derek Jones Sound Designers ...... Matthew Shane, Todd McCraw Properties Designer ...... McKenzie Eckels Hair Designer ...... Amanda Walter Engineer ...... Matthew Shane

Technical Director ...... Todd McCraw Set Builder ...... Mark Henderson, Sets-to-Go Scenic Artist ...... Orlando de la Paz Carpenters ...... John Dimitri, Jose Munoz Electricians ...... David Campfield, Christian Shen

Lobby and Special Events Curator ...... Diane Siegel

Program ...... Christian Lebano Publicity Photography ...... John Dlugolecki Production Photography ...... Gina Long Poster & Graphic Design ...... Mary Cox Special Thanks to Skylight Theater in Milwaukee, WI for use of their poster original art Publicist ...... Phil Sokoloff Pump Boys and Dinettes MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I "Highway 57" (J. Wann) ...... All "Taking It Slow" (J. Foley, M. Hardwick, J. Schimmel, J. Wann) ... Boys "Serve Yourself" (J. Wann) ...... L.M. "Menu Song" (C. Morgan and D. Monk) ...... Dinettes "The Best Man" (J. Wann) ...... Prudie "Fisherman's Prayer" (J. Wann)...... Boys "Catfish" (J. Wann and B. Simpson) ...... Boys “Mamaw" (J. Wann) ...... Jim "Be Good or Be Gone" (J. Wann) ...... Rhetta "Drinkin' Shoes" (M. Hardwick, C. Morgan, D. Monk)...... All Tap Choreography by Cori Cable Kidder

ACT II "Pump Boys" (J. Wann) ...... Boys "Mona" (J. Wann) ...... Jackson “The Night Dolly Parton Was Almost Mine” (J. Wann) ...... L.M. “Tips” ...... Dinettes “Sister”...... Dinettes "Vacation" (J. Wann) ...... All "No Holds Barred" (J. Wann and C. Morgan) ...... All "Farmer Tan" (J. Wann) ...... Jackson and Dinettes "Highway 57" Reprise (J. Wann) ...... All "Closing Time" (J. Wann)...... All

URCHASE A PLAY ASSPORT AND P 5 SMP P SAVE 5 Plays for the price of 4 – $160 (Senior – $144) Passport Tickets are valid for 18 months from date of issue. A $5 surcharge will be added at the box office for certain musicals and “special” events. Passports are valid for the noted Subscriber and may not be used as a multiple user ticket. Purchase one in the lobby TODAY! Pump Boys and Dinettes CAST

Cori Cable Kidder (Rhetta Cupp) is thrilled to return to Sierra Madre Playhouse following her 2017 fundraising concert Back Where I Belong and 2015 production of Always…Patsy Cline which garnered her an Ovation Best Actress in a Musical nomination for her role as Patsy Cline. Her credits include the Broadway Farewell Tour of Mamma Mia! (Donna u/s), In the Mood: A 1940s Big Band Revue, and Hello, Dolly! (Irene Malloy) in which she appeared alongside The Waltons star Judy Norton as Dolly Levi and Happy Days star Don Most as Horace Vandergelder. SMP’s. Cori is also a member of the local Andrews Sisters vocal group Swing Dames. Thank you to Christian, Doug, Ward, and Estelle. To my family – thank you for encouraging me to follow this glorious dream. I love you. www.coricablekidder.com

Jim Miller (Bobby – Drums) is a strong advocate for public school music education where he started. He studied classical percussion with two members of the L.A. Philharmonic. He attended C.S.U.- L.A. "Ran away with the circus" as a musical director and drummer for twenty years. Jim worked with Alvino Rey and the King Sisters and the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra. He has played dozens of Broadway shows including the Hamburg, Germany production of Cats. He did a long stint with L.A.'s premier German band, The Bluebirds, and more than a few cruise ships along the way. He’s worked with: Joe Farrell, Herb Gellar, Al Grey from the Basie band and Teddy Edwards to name a few. Jim played for SMP’s Always…Patsy Cline.

Michael Butler Murray* (Jim – Guitar & Dobro) is very excited to be making his SMP debut with Pump Boys and Dinettes! A veteran of the show, he performed the role of “Jackson” throughout the Netherlands as well as Stage West(Springfield, MA), The Strand Theatre (Pontiac, MI) and Traverse City, MI. Other shows include: Mamma Mia! (Harry- National Tour), I Love My Wife (Reprise!), Johnny Guitar (La Mirada), As You Like It (Goodman, ), Musical! The Musical (an improvised musical - Royal George, Pump Boys and Dinettes CAST

Chicago) and Always… Patsy Cline (Apollo, Chicago). Film: Frontera, Jersey Boys. He is also the narrator of over 55 audiobooks and is one half of the guitar comedy duo, “Schoolcraft and Murray.” Check out their original tunes at www.schoolcraftandmurray.com. Pump it up!

Sean Paxton (L.M. – Piano & Accordian) is a composer, pianist, and musical director who returns to Sierra Madre Playhouse after writing music for Deathtrap and A Wrinkle In Time, and music directing Always…Patsy Cline and The Marvelous Wonderettes. He started his career in Los Angeles at USC and has since scored films, composed for theater, and orchestrated or arranged for everything from orchestral to pop to jazz ensembles. In the past year Sean has worked on Man of La Mancha, The Fantasticks, Sister Act, Candide, Beehive, and The Robber Bridegroom. He is a recipient of ASCAP's Harold Arlen award, and former participant in the ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop.

Kevin Tiernan (Eddie - Bass) Pump Boys and Dinettes is Kevin's third show at Sierra Madre Playhouse. He previously was the guitarist for Always…Patsy Cline and The Marvelous Wondrettes. In addition, he's played guitar for countless musicals at the Getty Villa, Circle X Theatre , The Hudson, John Anson Ford Theatre, and many others. Musicals include: Bat Boy, Bad Apples, Hair, and the West Coast premieres of Bare and Heathers - The Musical. Kevin has performed at Disney Hall with Mike Einzenger from Incubus and played guitar on the world premiere of Frank Zappa's Joe's Garage. His film and television credits include: Lars and the Real Girl, , and Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. Pump Boys and Dinettes CAST

Emily Kay Townsend (Prudie Cupp) is ecstatic to be a part of Pump Boys and Dinettes. Emily, a Chicago native, started singing and playing the piano as a young girl with her father in church. She studied musical theater at AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts in NYC, obtained her Bachelor’s Degree at AMDA Los Angeles, and now plays at the Actors Studio West. Some of her favorite roles include: Gretchen in Boeing-Boeing and Madeline in Hit the Wall. She would like to thank her Midwest and California family for their ongoing love and support and the community and directors at Sierra Madre Playhouse for this opportunity.

Jimmy Villaflor (Jackson - Guitar) is an aspiring singer-songwriter and graduate of the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California. He picked up guitar and began singing in his school choir at age eleven and continued his passion for music throughout high school, singing in the men’s a cappella group, playing in rock bands, and performing every year in the annual variety show. All the while, Jimmy worked on honing his craft at songwriting until applying as a singer-songwriter to the Popular Music program at Thornton. Since graduating from USC, he has continued to write songs and will be releasing an album of original music this summer titled Wax & Wane. Pump Boys and Dinettes will be Jimmy’s first musical theater performance.

CREATORS

John Foley is a teacher (Northwestern University and NSCDS) and performer/musician in Evanston, IL.

Mark Hardwick composed the music for the 1975 Broadway production of Of Mice and Men and co-wrote the musical Oil City Symphony.

Pump Boys and Dinettes CREATORS

Debra Monk, a Broadway and film actress, won the Tony for Redwood Curtain, an Emmy for NYPD Blue, and also co-wrote Oil City Symphony.

Cass Morgan, her numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway shows include: The Bridges of Madison County, Memphis, Mary Poppins, Violet, and Floyd Collins. Her one-woman show, The Road to Where, premiered at Geva Theatre this year.

John Schimmel, his New York life in music and theater ended after the glory of Pump Boys and Dinettes. He went on to a twenty-year career as a Hollywood studio executive and producer, working for the likes of Warner Bros. and Michael Douglas. Currently he is head of linear content and performance capture producer for Cloud Imperium Games, writer/production consultant for Frame of Mind Films, and professor of screenwriting at the University of California at Riverside's Low Residency MFA Program in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts.

Jim Wann lead songwriter for Pump Boys, is a composer-lyricist- performer whose off-Broadway collaborations include Diamond Studs, King Mackerel & The Blues Are Running, and The People Vs. Mona. Music, events, and more at jimwann.com.

Pump Boys and Dinettes PRODUCTION TEAM

Allison Bibicoff (Director & Choreographer) Favorite credits: Director/Choreographer: Spelling Bee, Smokey Joe’s Café, Some Enchanted Evening (International Tour), Oliver!, The Pajama Game (Executive Producer: John Raitt), Fiddler (in 9 days, including tech, with no assistants!); Choreographer: The Who’s Tommy (L.A. Drama Critics Circle nomination), Godspell, 1776, Savin’ Up for Saturday Night (world premiere). Spamalot, Company (Deaf West workshop); Assistant Choreographer: Xanadu, Broadway (4 Tony nominations). Two time L.A. Weekly Award nominee and Garland Award winner, Allison specializes in developing new work. She directed two of the three new musicals in the 2015 ASCAP/Dreamworks Musical Theatre Workshop, moderated by Stephen Schwartz. Favorite performing credits: assistant dance captain and dancer in Swing! national tour, and swing dancing with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at The Hollywood Bowl. She also executive produced two Hallmark Christmas movies. www.AllisonBibicoff.com

McKenzie Eckels (Properties Designer) is delighted to be working with Sierra Madre Playhouse for the first time. A recent graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, McKenzie is a visual artist and actress. She fell in love with creating as a child and never recovered. This passion led her to begin working behind the scenes in 2014. Since then, McKenzie has worked on all sides of the stage, screen and fashion world. Credits include Unbound Production’s Wicked Lit 14-17, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Hollow Bedrooms and Playboy McKenzie would like to give special thanks to Jeff Rack, who has been both a mentor and dear friend for many years.

Derek Jones (Resident Lighting Designer) designed Bee-luther- hatchee, The Marvelous Wonderettes, A Christmas Story, Nothing Is the Same, and The Immigrant for SMP. Recently in LA, he has been the lighting designer at Long Beach City College, Los Angeles City College, Pepperdine University, REDCAT, Rockwell Table and Stage, Playwrights' Arena, and Mixed eMotion Theatrix. Highlights outside of LA include New York Fashion Week, Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center, the Virginia Opera, The George Washington University, and the Capital Fringe Festival. Derek has an MFA in Lighting Design from Indiana University and a BA in Theatre and a BS in Physics from The George Pump Boys and Dinettes PRODUCTION TEAM

Washington University. He is the lighting design professor at Long Beach City College and Los Angeles City College. ww.derekjonesdesignarts.com

Chloe Madriaga (Stage Manager) was born and raised on the island of Maui. In the spring of 2014 she moved to Los Angeles to continue her education in the arts. She graduated from AMDA College and Conservatory and since then has had the privilege of working on a diverse portfolio of stage work, from comedic fight shows to historical dramas. Recent credits include Bobbi in Nothing is the Same at SMP, Lady Yuna in The Video Games, and Christy in The Final Girl. She is grateful to be back working with her SMP ‘ohana for another summer. Mahalo!

Todd McCraw (Technical Director / Sound Designer) moved here from NYC where he spent 28 years working in all aspects of theater tech, in nearly every theater in NYC. He is head rigger for Fly-By-Night Dance Theater. He rigs for many other silk acts & trapeze acts & other theatrical productions. Todd spent four years in Big Apple Circus, assisting world- famous horse trainer & performer Katja Schumann. Other horse work: riding horses onstage at Lincoln Center for La Boheme, Aida & Manon Lescaut. Todd brings to LA his production company Sounds Like Art Inc. SLA supports live music, festivals, & corporate events. Regular clients: World Music Institute, Irish Arts Center, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, & Korean Arts. As SMP’s Technical Director, Todd is responsible for all aspects of the technical demands for each show. This is his ninth production at SMP since The Glass Menagerie.

Sean Paxton (Music Director) see his bio under Cast bios

Jeff G. Rack (Set Designer) This is Jeff’s first time designing for SMP and he thanks Allison and Christian for letting him play on this great stage. Jeff has won or been nominated for multiple Ovation Awards. He is also co-creator of Unbound Productions and their popular, immersive Halloween show, Wicked Lit. He is the resident set designer at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills and recently designed The Gary Plays for Open Fist Theatre. Jeff will be directing a new play, Martians an Evening with Ray Bradbury, which he co-wrote with Charlie Mount. It will open in September at the Whitefire Theatre (for more information check out GoFundMe/Martians). Jeff is also involved in Production Design, Sculpting and EFX work for the film industry, having worked on Planet of the Apes, Armageddon, Flubber, Con-Air, and Universal Studios’ Back to the Future ride. Jeff teaches set and film production design at FIDM. Pump Boys and Dinettes PRODUCTION TEAM

Matthew Shane (Sound Designer and Engineer) is pleased to be back at Sierra Madre Playhouse after having engineered The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The Marvelous Wonderettes. Recent productions in the greater Los Angeles area include: Celebration Theater's Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Theater of Arts The Devil You Know, and Falcon Theater's Little Drummer Bowie.

Diane Siegel (Lobby and Special programming Curator) French fries and ketchup. That was Diane’s standard order at Hunter’s Diner in Auburn, NY. That was also where she had a long ago summer experience as a singer/dancer in Finian’s Rainbow. She hopes everyone has fun this summer with SMP’s look back at diners and garage mechanics. This is her 19th lobby design for SMP: Battledrum, 6 Rms Riv Vu, A Walk in the Woods, The Odd Couple, Einstein/Putting it Together, Always…Patsy Cline, A Christmas Memory, Deathtrap, Charlotte’s Web, The Glass Menagerie, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, A Little House Christmas, Bee-luther-hatchee, Belle of Amherst/Wrinkle in Time, The Marvelous Wonderettes, A Christmas Story, Nothing is the Same, and The Immigrant.

Amanda Walter (Hair Designer) is thrilled to be back with SMP after last working on The Immigrant. Amanda's work ranges from stage to screen. Recently on stage, she has wig designed The Red Dress at the Odyssey and The Marvelous Wonderettes at Crown City Theatre and costume designed Somewhere in the Middle at Crown City Theatre. On screen, Amanda has worked on several films as a makeup artist including: Adult World (starring: Evan Peters and Emma Roberts), Teacher of the Year (starring Keegan Michael Key), Princess Rap Battles on Youtube, among others. You can check out Amanda's hair and makeup work at www.amandawaltermakeupartist.com

Special Performances – August 17, 18, & Matinee 19 Tickets: 626.355.4318 or SierraMadrePlayhouse.org THE SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE

Artistic Director ...... Christian Lebano Managing Director ...... Estelle Campbell Operations Director ...... Ward Calaway Technical Director ...... Todd McCraw Digital Marketing Director ...... Vanessa Silberman Box Office Manager ...... Mary Baville Volunteer Coordinator, Lobby and Special Events Curator ...... Diane Siegel Associate Artist - AKT Youth Workshop...... Alison Eliel Kalmus Education Manager (Field Trip Series) ...... Christa Backstrom Off the Page Coordinator ...... Roxanne Barker Accountant ...... Louise Calaway Intern ...... Brittany Romero Publicist ...... Philip Sokoloff Graphic Designer ...... Kiff Scholl

Organizational Consultant ...... Tim Dang

Board Members ...... David Gordon (President) Louise Calaway, Estelle Campbell, Christian Lebano Joan Riback, Anne Scott-Putney, Vanessa Silberman Advisory Board ...... Tim Dang, Susanna Guzman Lynda Jenner, Georgie Kajer, Alison Eliel Kalmus, Liza Kerrigan

The Unexpected Portrait – 626.372.7539 – GinaLong.Smugmug.com

Pump Boys and Dinettes Thanks the following for their contributions to this production: John LaLonde & Candlelight Pavilion, David Stafford &Theater 40, Bruce Dickerson & The Open Fist Theater, Louie Hengehold Family for their generous loan of props for this production Kista Cook for her volunteer assistance with the lobby including our life- size cutout, Pump Boys sign and many other creative contributions. Bridget Shinnerer and the staff at Vroman’s Book Store in Hastings Ranch for hosting our “Pie, Oh My!” event. City of Sierra Madre for hosting the cast at the first free outdoor movie of the year at Memorial Park. Rachel Rodriguez Zamora and the staff at Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain for hosting our Pump Boys and Dinettes mini concert. Dave Kalmus and Axiom Printing for his good-humor and patience with all of our last-minute requests. The Only Place in Town for providing our delicious coffee. Don Bergmann, Dorn Trask and Adrienne Bass for assistance with installation of the lobby. Jerry Siegel for being indispensable and generous with his time. Elaine Marshall for arranging and coordinating the donated pies. Please see program insert for a list of pie contributors.

The Volunteers of the Sierra Madre Playhouse for contributing their time and talents as ushers and assistants at public programs.

How to Support the Playhouse Without Writing Us a Check!

You must renew yearly – in September – please do. Sign up your Ralphs’ Rewards Card and up to 4% of your grocery bill will be donated to Sierra Madre Playhouse.

1. Visit Ralphs.com and sign-in or register for a Ralphs’ online account. 2. Click the My Account button and select Account Settings. 3. Scroll to Community Rewards and search for Sierra Madre Playhouse or enter our group number 83942 4. Select us under Organization Name. Click Save! And that’s all there is to it!

The Marquee Circle* The Sierra Madre Playhouse thanks the following members of the Marquee Circle for their generous contributions in support of our work.

Foundations, Grants, & Underwriters Los Angeles County Arts Commission Sierra Madre Civic Club Spero Foundation CIGNA Foundation Ralphs Supermarkets

Season Underwriters David & Maggi Gordon

Angels ($5,000 and higher) Ward & Louise Calaway Joan Riback Estelle Campbell

Producers ($2,500 - $4,999) Sandy Duvall

Backers ($1,000 - $2,499) Cate Caplin Foundation Paul Scranton Carolyn Dasher Vanessa Silberman & Kehrer Family Foundation Joseph Widman Christian Lebano Paul Van Dorpe & Anne Scott Putney & Jill Maglione Astrid Sheil

Promoters ($500 - $999) Anonymous Carole & Donald Roback John Corry Rodney & Joan Spears Mindy & Jim Halls Patricia Staub Harvey & Ellen Knell Fdtn. Glenda & Greg Vanni John Lusche

Patrons ($250 - $499) Delna Abernathy Leslie Jane Park Bechtolt Family Foundation Bill & Sharon Ramsey Boston Foundation Julie Rosenthal Kathy Calleton Evelyn Shaffer Michael & Maggie Ellis Sierra Madre Civic Club Marlene Enmark In Honor of Gordon Caldwell Janie & Robin Guentert Donald Songster Ursula Hyman Bob & Sue Spears Sheila Lamson John B. Vertrees Kathy McCormick Fred & Neola Zimmerman

Fans ($100 - $249) Anonymous Michael Hamud Chris Adams Robert Hardaway Jeanne Adams Harland Heath Lawanda Allee Michael Hegeman Barbara Ansell Sidney & Milicent Kanazawa Barbara Barbarics Peter & Joan Kaplanis J&P Barron Family Trust Albert Kirk Sue Beall Carol & Richard Libby Don Bergmann Patricia Locher Dorothy Bilajiw Dianne Logan Buccaneer Lounge Nina Losorelli Barbara Burnett Katherene L. Meisch Sheila Callahan & Geoffrey Middlebrook Carol Stasio Frank Moore Russell Cinque, Jr. Irene & Shinji Nakagawa Linda & Chuck Collier Sharon Novell Julia Ann Collins Bill & Judy Opel Todd & Meg Cranston-Cuebas Thomas Pocock Joan Crow Deborah Ponzio Steve & Irma Cunningham Kris Poulsen Maureen Daniels Sierra Madre Woman’s Club Susan Day Beth Smith Martha Denzel Annette Sneidmiller Sandra Dickey Robert H. Stevens Paul & Pauline Fairbanks Kenneth Masao Takemoto George & Barbara Garcia Christopher Thompson Ruth Giese Pearl Tyree Monica Greening *The gifts listed above were received between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.

Your gift is deeply appreciated by all of us here at SMP, to report a misspelling or omission, please contact [email protected].

“Off the Page” Free Reading Series Selected Mondays @ 7pm

July 23 - To be chosen from (rights pending): Wings by Arthur Kopit Sly Fox by Larry Gelbart The Other Place by Sharr White

Directed by Christian Lebano

August 20 - To be chosen from (rights pending): Making Movies by Aaron Sorkin Coastal Disturbances by Tina Howe Reckless by Craig Lucas

Directed by Nikki Hevesy

September 24 - Butterflies are Free by Leonard Gershe

Directed by Bob Hackman

Young Don Baker, hero of his mother's children's book series, "Donny Dark" has been blind since birth, his overprotective mother following his every move. Don finally decides to take his own apartment in Manhattan and pursue his songwriting ambitions. When she meets his kooky neighbor, sexy actress Jill, Mrs. Baker's controlling instincts go into overdrive with hilariously touching results.

"A lovely play. It is funny when it means to be, sentimental when it is so inclined, and heartwarming." - New York Daily News Who Will Win The Gin Game? By Fran Syverson

Think Hume Cronin and Jessica Tandy and if you’re of a certain age, you might think The Gin Game - right? But starting September 7, you will see Alan Blumenfeld and Katherine James as the elderly couple who strike up a tenuous friendship in the “old folks’ home” where they are resigned to living out the rest of their lives. Alan as Weller Martin offers to teach Katherine’s Fonsia Dorsey how to play gin rummy, so they can pass the time of day, but their games turn into battles of insults and name-calling, to the point where they are often very funny.

Katherine first met Christian Lebano, SMP’s Artistic Director when he directed her in The Glass Menagerie. They felt an instant rapport and began looking for another project. Alan and Katherine, in real life a couple married over 40 years, love to act together onstage. The three of them decided to collaborate on what turned out to be a very well- received reading of The Gin Game last fall at the Playhouse. It was so popular with patrons that Christian added it to the season!

The play, Alan says, is a beautiful, poignantly sad story that delves into the loneliness and frustration of older people who are cut off from contact with others. In this tragi-comedy, we learn more about how very damaged these two people have been in life.

Old age is a genre which is neglected in current story-telling, Alan says. Though one which should be explored. After all, he says, if we live to old age, one-third of our lives will be spent there! Not many good plays are written about the elderly, but The Gin Game is, and that is just one more reason he and Katherine are delighted to be a part of it.

Written in 1976 by Donald L. Coburn, it won the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It is as timely now as then. Christian Lebano will direct.

Welcome Weller and Fonsia this September and come to SMP to find out who wins The Gin Game.

Coming Next…

The Gin Game by Donald L. Coburn

Directed by Christian Lebano September 7 through October 6 Winner of the 1978 Pulitzer Prize. Weller Martin tries desperately to retain some control over his life despite falling into ill health and becoming a reluctant resident of a nursing home. Fonsia Dorsey serves as the symbol of all gone wrong, and his battles with her, though over a simple game of gin, become not only a conflict with the woman but with divine will itself. Starring Katherine James (Amanda in The Glass Menagerie) and Alan Blumenfeld.

"Perfect ... A vibrant study on loneliness, disillusion, and old age, yet fiercely funny." – The Boston Globe

A Christmas Story Adapted by Philip Grecian from the movie by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark based on the book In God We Trust, All Other’s Pay Cash by JEAN SHEPHERD

Directed by Christian Lebano November 23 through December 30 Back by popular demand…Jean Shepherd's memoir of growing up in the midwest in the 1940s follows 9-year-old Ralphie in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas. He pleads his case before his mother, his teacher and even Santa Claus himself. The consistent response: "You'll shoot your eye out!" All the beloved elements are here, the family's exploding furnace; the school bully; the wet tongue on a cold lamppost; and, of course, the lamp shaped like a woman's leg in a net stocking!

(4 stars!) "A chance to see it done right! A Christmas Story is a great gift!" Frances Baum Nicholson - Pasadena Star News

Sierra Madre Playhouse is keen on recruiting new members to its board. If you are interested, please contact David Gordon at [email protected]

BOARD of DIRECTORS Louise Calaway, Treasurer Louise – and her husband Ward - have been involved with the Playhouse for many years. They are excited by its recent productions (while keeping a close eye on their costs!). She lives in Sierra Madre.

Estelle Campbell, Managing Director Estelle is a former interior designer and an architectural project manager when she joined the board of the Sierra Madre Playhouse in 2010. She been the MD since 2013. She lives in Pasadena in an artist complex she developed from obsolete warehouses.

David Gordon, Interim President David is a former art museum director and consultant who discovered the Playhouse and became an enthusiast. He lives in Sierra Madre.

Christian Lebano, Artistic Director Christian has been AD since 2014 and joined the Board in 2012. He has produced, directed or acted in over 30 shows at the Playhouse. He and his family live in Eagle Rock. He thinks of Sierra Madre as his second home.

Joan Riback Joan has worked with nonprofits all of her career and has been an organization and community development consultant since 2001. She currently coordinates the Rotary Humanitarian Star awards for the Sierra Madre Rotary Club. She lives in Altadena.

Anne Scott-Putney Anne is chief advancement officer at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont. She is a live theatre enthusiast. She lives in Claremont.

Vanessa Silberman Vanessa is senior director of communications and strategic initiatives at The Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation. She grew up with a love of performance and live theater. She lives in Sierra Madre.

COUNCIL of ADVISORS Tim Dang Originally from Hawaii, Tim was Producing Artistic Director of East West Players, the longest running professional theatre of color in the

U.S., for 23 years until 2016. He is an adjunct professor for the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Tim directed Nothing is the Same for SMP’s Field Trip Series earlier this year.

Suzanna Guzmán Suzanna is a celebrated mezzo soprano who has appeared as a principal artist with international orchestras and opera houses since 1985, most recently in the War of the Worlds with the LA Phil. A tv and radio host, she is currently in the inaugural artist roster of “The Company” with Yuval Sharon’s experimental opera theater, The Industry. She is a passionate advocate of arts education. She lives in Sierra Madre.

Lynda Jenner Lynda, a former school teacher, went on to get a degree in television production; her shows won a Peabody, an Emmy and New York Television award. She was Director of Community Programs at the Los Angeles Music Center. Along the way she sang professionally for many years. She now brings the leaders of local arts organizations together for their mutual benefit. She lives in Pasadena.

Georgie Kajer Georgie is an architect with a background and interest in historic restoration, historic preservation issues and regional design. Kajer Architects, based in La Cañada, specializes in residential renovation and new construction. She welcomes the resurgence of the Playhouse. She lives in Pasadena.

Alison Eliel Kalmus Alison left corporate marketing to become an educator. She developed the AKT Youth Academy at SMP in 2000. As a director, producer and performer, she has toured nationally and internationally in theater and opera. A fourth-generation Pasadenan, she has an avid interest in Craftsmen Architecture, especially that of her uncles, the Heineman Bros.

Liza Kerrigan Liza did her architectural studies in the East, graduating from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design with a Master’s in Architecture. In 1998, she started her own residential design firm, Blue Studio. Recently it received the Pasadena Historic Preservation Award for Residential Rehabilitation. She lives in Sierra Madre.