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· Burt Shevelove Larry Gelbart Stephen Sondheim Rosemary Gass

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· Burt Shevelove Larry Gelbart Stephen Sondheim Rosemary Gass From the Book by · Burt Shevelove Larry Gelbart Music and Lyrics Stephen Sondheim Director Rosemary Gass Musical Direction Tyler Driskill Choreography Kat Walsh Ann Arbor Civic Theatre Board of Directors Advisory Board Darrell W. Pierce - President Anne Bauman - Chair Paul Bianchi -Vice President Robin Barlow Fred Patterson - Treasurer JohnEman Linda Borgsdorf- Secretary Robert Green Linda Carriere David Keren Paul Cumming Ron Miller Caitlin Frankel Rowe Deanna Relyea Douglas Harris Judy Dow Rumelhart Thorn Johnson Ingrid Sheldon Nathaniel Madura Gayle Steiner Lindsay McCarthy Keith Taylor Teresa Myers Sheryl Yengera Matthew Rogers Ann Arbor Civic Theatre is proud to honor Helen Mann Andrews, Burnette Staebler, and Phyllis Wright for their years of service on the Advisory Board. Suzi Peterson Emily Rogers Cassie Mann Managing Director Volunteer Coordinator Program Director 322 WEST ANN STREET ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48104 box office (734) 971-2228 office (734) 971-0605 WWW.A2CT.ORG Ann Arbor Civic Theatre Opening night June 5, 2008 Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Directed by Rosemary Gass Music Direction by Choreographed by Tyler Driskill Kat Walsh Assistant Director Producer Stage Manager Kat Walsh Douglas Harris Cathy Cassar Technical Set Designer Lighting Designer Artistic Set Designer Cathy Cassar Tiff Crutchfield Katie Cook Wilcox Hair and Makeup Properties and Set Dressing Costume Designer Susie Berneis Tina Mayer Susie Berneis Graphic Designer Costume Assistant House Manager Katie Cook Wilcox Alexandra Berneis Kyle Newmeyer Publicity Photographer Tom Steppe Produced through special arrangement with Music Theatre International 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 www.mtishows.com From the Director The director's note... .I'm always somewhat perplexed whenever I'm asked to write this note to the audience. What's the purpose? Is it to explain some hidden meaning in the show; to shed light on scenes that perhaps you, the audience may not "get"; or is it for me to expound with great verbosity my own magnificence? I don't see the purpose of any of this. I guess this note is really just to give you something to read as you wait for the show to begin. Therefore, I'm pleased to provide you with a few interesting, and perhaps pertinent tidbits as you wait for the curtain to rise: Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart (yes, Radar of M.A.S.H. fame) and Steven Sondheim worked together on A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, on and off, for about five years. The book was revised eleven times and each re-write was a distinct and completely new draft of the play. They were trying hard NOT to reinvent the wheel. Instead, fascinated by the work of Plautus, a third century B.C. playwright, they wanted to revisit t~e wheel­ the comic wheel. It was Plautus over two thousand years ago who invented the devices of theatrical comedy that we still use today. But, unlike today, he made it simple and he observed the three unities of classical drama: time, place and action. Then he added comic conventions, and humorous word play. Shevelove and Gelbart were positive that this was the winning formula. Two thousand and forty six years later (the first performance of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was in 1962) it still works as well today as when stage hands lit those candles so many centuries ago. When you hear Miles Gloriousus proclaim, "I am a parade" you're hearing a line that Plautus penned over 2400 years ago! So, in a nutshell: It's a farce. There are no hidden meanings. I know you'll all "get" everything. And I've admitted that it's all Plautus, not me, whds magnificent. That means that the only burden on you is to enjoy yourself and laugh. Laugh at the silliness, laugh at the vaudeville sideshow, and laugh at the characters. Forget for a couple of hours what's going on outside in the crazy world beyond this theatre and immerse yourself into an atypical but riotous day in Ancient Rome. Sincerely- Rosemary Gass, Director The Crew Co· Head Set Builder Head Set Painter Co· Head Set Builder Cathy Cassar Katie Cook Wilcox Brad Peters Set Building Crew Set Painters Set Building Crew Rick Gass DavidAno Joe York Nathan Elliott The Cast Douglas Harris Alexa Ducsay The Cast Special Assistant to the Director Sound Board Operator Emily Rogers Sound Board Operator Chris Fosdick Travis Paquet Sound Consultant David Greenspan c voted ohe of "the wot"Ld •s top 2.5 food markets,, b!f food & wihe great tastes ovoiloble everyday from 7om to 1Opm We'll bring the Zingerman's Experience to you. Zingerman's Catering specializes in combining the most exciting and flavorful food we could unearth, guaranteed to make your meeting or party the talk of the town! www.zingermanscatering.com modern, urn, courtesan as one of multiple roles The Cast in Parallel Lives (A2CT Studio) and an 18th cen­ JIMMY DEE ARNOLD (Hysterium) Jimmy is tury French courtesan in Les Liaisons Dangere­ excited to be in front of the scenery once again. uses (MCRT). Love to the fam, Andrew, the cats His last few A2CT musical credits include stage and JouJou, mon petit ananas! manager for Hair, and backstage crew for Best Little Whore House, Cabaret, My One & Only, and SUSIE BERNEIS (Panacea) was last seen in Smile. His last role in an A2CT musical was as an A2CT's Moon Over Buffalo not much more than Apostle in 1998's Jesus Christ Superstar! He di­ a moon ago. Apparently this is her season for rected last season's Tom Jones and played the roles comedy! See also COSTUMER. of Captain Blifil & Square. Other roles include Murray in A Thousand Clowns, Fagin in Oliver, BRANDON CAVE (Protean) is an award­ and Quince in A MidSummer Night's Dream. winning actor from Ann Arbor, MI who has appeared in over 30 productions throughout ALEXANDRA BERNEIS (Gymnasia) is happy southeastern Michigan; most recently play­ to be back on the Civic stage. It has been a while ing Lance Corporal Dawson in A2CT's A Few since she last trod the boards, but she's been Good Men. In addition to his acting he has also keeping busy backstage as half of the team of directed and stage-managed for A2CT and Im­ A2CT costume shop supervisors. Alix has been pact Dance of University of Michigan. In 2003 gearing up toward Forum for some time, hav­ he co-authored Super Heroes in Paradise a show ing played similar roles in her last few shows: a designed for children in Whitmore Lake, MI. Experience authentic cuisine and antbiance. ~ARSON ' S Jo. J.menmn{5i-ttro. 6fl!E.. fit ,.. - · <;.) 326 S. Main St. cfrop 2000 Commonwealth I. HOUSE Plymouth west of Green Q ~ • [J)Fl~J!® 341 S. Main St. a a a a a c c a a c : 322 S. Main St. 347 S. Main St. Pick your dining pleasure in Ann Arbor! Reservations: 1-888 456-DINE www.msventures.com JESSICA HARRIS (Tintinabula) is thrilled to be HANK NAASKO (Senex) This is Hank's fourth making her A2CT debut and is excited to once show with A2CT. He was Tony in The Full Mon­ again join her husband Scott onstage! Jessica has ty, Herman in Sweet Charity, and Ewart Dunlop previously done theater in Saline and has been in in The Music Man. He is very excited to be a their productions of Gypsy and You Can't Take It part of this show. As a music teacher of 40 years, With You. Jessica was last involved in A Christmas in Livonia, he directed and costumed many Carol for MorrisCo Art Theater. Jessica is also ex­ shows. He would like to thank his daughters cited to be expecting her first 'bundle of joy' with for encouraging him to join A2CT and his wife husband, Scott in early January. for putting up with all the night rehearsals. He would like to dedicate this show to all the men SCOTT HARRIS (Protean) In regards to Fo­ who would like to have a "maid': rum all Scott has to say is, "second time around!" Scott is excited to be reprising his role as a Pro­ MICHELLE NIXON (The Gemini) is an educa­ tean ("first time around" being with Saline) and is tion major at Eastern Michigan University and preparing for his biggest most important role yet: very excited to be in this fantastic show! You fatherhood. He is expecting his first child with his may have seen her in A2CT's The Best Little wife Jessica (Tintinabula) in January and couldn't Whorehouse In Texas and Sweet Charity. She be more thrilled. In the past, Scott has done the­ would like to thank the entire cast and crew for ater in Saline and Chelsea and was recently in all their hard work, her family, and Ryan who MorrisCo Art Theater's production of Glengarry she wishes could be here tonight! Enjoy! Glen Ross. JOEL NOFZIGER (Hero) is thrilled to be play­ BRIANNE HAWES (Vibrata) is tickled pink to be ing Hero opposite his lovely wife, Rachel. Joel making her A2CT debut. Her previous credits in­ was last on stage in college where he played clude Dr. Carrasco in Man of La Mancha, Narrator Dancalro in the opera Carmen and Mendel in in Joseph, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and many a Fiddler on the Roof He presently works as a batty old lady. When she's not moonlighting as an nurse at University of Michigan.
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