FLORIDA REPERTORY THEATRE 2015-2016 SEASON
HISTORIC ARCADE THEATRE • FORT MYERS RIVER DISTRICT ROBERT CACIOPPO, PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PRESENTS
SPONSORED BY NAOMI BLOOM AND RON WALLACE • MEDIA SPONSOR FLORIDA WEEKLY STARRING ensemble members DAVID BREITBARTH* • CARRIE LUND* • BRENDAN POWERS* and BRITT MICHAEL GORDON • BRIAN HATCH • LARRY JOHN MEYERS* MARGARET LOESSER ROBINSON* • LOU SUMRALL* • KATE YOUNG* DIRECTED BY ensemble member ROBERT CACIOPPO** SET DESIGNER LIGHTING DESIGNER COSTUME DESIGNER BERT SCOTT*** JOSEPH P. OSHRY*** STEFANIE GENDA*** ensemble member SOUND DESIGNER PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER ASST. STAGE MANAGER JOHN KISELICA JANINE WOCHNA* GRACIE DOD ensemble member THE UNEXPECTED GUEST is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
2015-16 GRAND SEASON SPONSORS
Anonymous • The Fred & Jean Allegretti Foundation • Naomi Bloom & Ron Wallace Bruce & Janet Bunch • Gholi & Georgia Darehshori • Ed & Ellie Fox • Dr. & Mrs. Mark & Lynne Gorovoy John & Marjorie Madden • Sue & Jack Rogers • Arthur Zupko This entire season sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. Florida Repertory Theatre is a fully professional non-profit LOA/LORT Theatre company on contract with the Actors’ Equity Association that proudly employs members of the national theatrical labor unions. *Member of Actors’ Equity Association. **Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. ***Member of United Scenic Artists. CAST (in order of appearance) Laura Warwick...... MARGARET LOESSER ROBINSON*† Michael Starkwedder...... LOU SUMRALL*† Miss Bennett...... CARRIE LUND*† Jan Warwick...... BRITT MICHAEL GORDON*† Mrs. Warwick...... KATE YOUNG*† Henry Angell...... DAVID BREITBARTH*† Sergeant Cadwallader...... BRIAN HATCH*† Inspector Thomas...... LARRY JOHN MEYERS*† Julian Farrar...... BRENDAN POWERS*†
TIME & PLACE Richard Warwick’s Study in South Wales near the Bristol Channel. Early November, 1958. Act I, i: 11pm Act I, ii: 11am, the Next Day Act II: That Evening
THE UNEXPECTED GUEST will be performed with one 15-minute intermission. The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT AGATHA CHRISTIE is the author not only of The Mousetrap, the longest running stage production in history but also Witness for the Prosecution and And Then There Were None to name but a few of her greatest stage successes. Her novels have sold more than 2 billion copies around the world, and she is only outsold by the Bible and Shakespeare. Born in 1890, in Torquay, Devon, England, to an American father and English mother, she wrote her first play Black Coffee (the only play in which she chose to feature Poirot) in 1930 having been disappointed by the way The Murder of Roger Ackroyd had been adapted into Alibi in 1928. She adapted her bestselling novel And Then There Were None for stage in 1943, giving it a different ending, followed by, in quick succession, Appointment with Death (1945), Murder on the Nile (1946) and The Hollow (1951). With The Mousetrap (1952), Witness for the Prosecution (1953), and Spider’s Web (1954), she became the only female playwright to have three plays running in the West End at the same time. Later plays include Towards Zero (1956) co-adapted with Gerald Verner, Verdict (1958) possibly her most unusual play, Go Back for Murder (1960), and Rule of Three (1962) a series of three one act plays. After a hugely successful career and a wonderful life, Ms. Christie died peacefully on 12 January 1976. You can read Agatha Christie’s own account of her life in An Autobiography which was published after her death in 1977.
†Member of Florida Repertory Theatre’s Ensemble of Theatre Artists. See page 23 for the entire ensemble.
The Actors & Stage Manager * employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity ** *** Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. CREATIVE TEAM
DAVID BREITBARTH*† seen on-screen as the narrator of Mississippi State (Henry Angell) happily University’s 2015 brand videos and next spring as returns to Florida Rep a supporting character on House of Cards, season for his fifth consecutive four. Upcoming: the Georgia premiere of Peter and season. Previously: Tribes, the Starcatcher at Georgia Ensemble Theatre. Brian Social Security, Lend Me wishes to thank Bob, Carrie, and Jason for bringing A Tenor, and Rumors. him back to his first theatrical home. He sends love 20 years an Associate to his first family, the Hatches, his second family, the Artist at Asolo Repertory Coynes, his little furball, Toby, and his exceedingly Theatre in Sarasota, over 70 better half, Molly Coyne. productions there include: Both Your Houses, The Grapes of Wrath, Glengarry Glen Ross, Clybourne CARRIE LUND*† (Miss Park, God of Carnage, Once in a Lifetime, Twelve Bennett) has been a Angry Men, The Front Page, The Immigrant, world company member and premieres of Men of Tortuga and Perfect Mendacity, the Associate Producer The Winter’s Tale, A Few Good Men, A Flea in Her of Florida Rep since its Ear, Rounding Third, Art, and Nicholas Nickleby. inception in 1998 and has Broadway 1st National Tour: Spring Awakening. acted in over 90 productions Film and television: Frasier, Taken!, Law & Order, in Southwest Florida. In and Fame. David is a proud 2013 Lunt-Fontanne 2012, she was named Best Fellow, selected by the prestigious Ten Chimneys Actress of the Year and Foundation. named one of the “Power Women of the Year” by Florida Weekly. She produced and acted on Sanibel BRITT MICHAEL GORDON Island from 1984-1998 at the Pirate Playhouse and (Jan Warwick) is grateful on Captiva Island with Carrie Lund Presents. She to be returning to Florida taught theatre at Florida Gulf Coast University Repertory Theatre having in its early years, produced theatre companies in previously participated in her hometown of Erie, PA and New York City, Florida Rep’s Performance and performed in regional theatres in NY, VT Internship, during which he and NC, as well as the Three River Shakespeare played Billy in Tribes. Britt Festival, Pittsburgh Playhouse, and American Ibsen most recently reprised the Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA. In 1987, the Sanibel- role of Billy in Mad Cow Captiva Chamber of Commerce awarded her the Theatre’s production of Tribes this past summer. Distinguished Citizen Award and the Lifetime His performance as Don in Broward Stage Door’s Achievement Award in 1997. Carrie has been in all production of Butterflies Are Free earned him a seven Florida Rep shows reviewed by The Wall Street Silver Palm award for outstanding new talent. Journal: One Slight Hitch, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Britt received his BFA in Acting from Florida Little Foxes, God of Carnage, Sylvia, You Can’t Take It State University, where he performed in several with You, and Dancing at Lughnasa. Other selected main stage productions including Monty Python’s credits include Florida Rep’s Dividing the Estate, Spamalot (King Arthur), David Mamet’s Speed-the- Tribes, Heart Song, Clybourne Park, Rumors (2002, Plow (Bobby Gould), and Lynn Nottage’s Intimate 2011), August: Osage County, Noises Off (1998, Apparel (Mr. Marks). Britt has also contributed to 2010), The Last Romance, Enchanted April, Rabbit multiple films through FSU’s College of Motion Hole, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Tale of the Allergist’s Picture Arts including Killer Kart, which won Best Wife, All My Sons, and Private Lives. Her work as a Short-Horror Comedy at LA’s Screamfest 2012. voiceover artist can be heard on NPR and industrial DVDs. Married to Robert Cacioppo, she enjoys the BRIAN HATCH (Sergeant accomplishments of their best productions: Matt, Cadwallader) was last seen graduate of UCF and Julia, graduate of FSU. here at Florida Rep during the 2012-2013 season, LARRY JOHN MEYERS* where he made his regional (Inspector Thomas) is happy debut as Colonel Starling to return to the Gulf Coast in Camping with Henry and Florida Rep after his and Tom, as well, he played work here in Clybourne Park Leo in The Little Foxes and during the 2013-14 season. various other characters Since then he has performed in three TYA shows that season. Since then, Brian in Caryl Churchill’s has worked as a professional actor out of Atlanta. A Number (Chester His theatre credits include Deathtrap at Georgia Theatre, Massachusetts), Ensemble Theatre, R&J at Fabrefaction, The Rocky Theresa Rebeck’s O, Beautiful (Centre Stage, State Horror Show at Actor’s Express, Madeline’s Christmas College, Pennsylvania), Charles Dickens’ Great at Horizon Theatre and others. He can currently be Expectations (PICT Classic Theatre, Pittsburgh), and DRAMATURGICAL NOTES GEOGRAPHY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM UNITED KINGDOM: An island country located off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe. The United Kingdom comprises the whole of the island of Great Britain—which contains England, Wales, and Scotland—as well as the northern portion of the island of Ireland. The name Britain is sometimes used to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole. The capital is London, which is among the world’s leading commercial, financial, and cultural centres. Other major cities include Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester in England, Belfast and Londonderry in Northern Ireland, Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland, and Swansea and Cardiff in Wales. WALES: A constituent unit of the United Kingdom that forms a westward extension of the island of Great Britain. The capital and main commercial and financial center is Cardiff. Famed for its strikingly rugged landscape, the small nation of Wales—which comprises six distinctive regions—was one of Celtic Europe’s most prominent political and cultural centers, and it retains aspects of culture that are markedly different from those of its English neighbors. MAJOR WELSH CITIES: Cardiff (capitol), Swansea, Newport, Wrexham, Rhyl. NORFOLK: A mostly rural county on the east coast of the Island of Great Britain. It is bordered on the north and east by the North Sea. Major towns and cities include Norwich, Great Yarmouth, and Thetford. SEA FOG ON THE BRITISH COAST: A number of factors determine the locational extent of sea fog and whether it will disperse quickly or linger throughout the day…During the night, when temperatures on land drop, the sea fog can penetrate a long way inland and linger till the next morning. 1958 YEAR IN REVIEW A BRIEF HISTORY OF • Elizabeth II is in her sixth year as head of FINGERprint identification the British Monarchy. in forensics • Harold Macmillan is the British Prime Minister; Dwight D. Eisenhower is 1888: Sir Francis Galton, British anthropologist President of the U.S. and a cousin of Charles Darwin, began his • Khrushchev becomes Premier of observations of fingerprints as a means of Soviet Union. identification in the 1880’s. • NASA is formed. 1891: Juan Vucetich, an Argentine Police Official, • Bobby Fischer wins the U.S. began the first fingerprint files based on Galton Chess Tournament pattern types. At first, Vucetich included the • The first Trans-Atlantic passenger jetliner Bertillon System with the files. service begins with flights between London 1892: Juan Vucetich made the first criminal and New York on the new British Comet Jet. fingerprint identification in 1892. • General Charles de Gaulle becomes Prime 1897: Two Indian fingerprint experts credited Minister of France. with primary development of the Henry System of • The Wham-O company introduces the Hula fingerprint classification. The Henry classification Hoop; over 100 million are sold. system is still used in English-speaking countries. • My Fair Lady opens on London’s West End 1901: The Fingerprint Branch at New Scotland starring Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews. Yard was created in July 1901 using the Henry • Popular Films: The Bridge on the River System of Fingerprint Classification. Kwai, South Pacific, Gigi, Vertigo 1946: By 1946, the FBI had processed 100 million • Popular Singers: Elvis Presley, Billie fingerprint cards in manually maintained files; and Holiday, Ricky Nelson, Frank Sinatra, by 1971, 200 million cards. • The Everly Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, Jerry Lee Lewis DRAMATURGICAL NOTES A LOOK AT THE WORK of agatha christie
DAME HERCULE POIROT: AGATHA Hercule Poirot is one CHRISTIE of the most famous (1890-1976): fictional characters of Christie is the all time, and has been author of over 80 synonymous with novels and short waxed moustaches, stories, writer of and perfectionism for the world’s longest over ninety years. His running stage first appearance was in play, mastermind Christie’s first published behind countless story, The Mysterious murders, creator Affair at Styles, in 1920. of world-famous detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss The character has been played onscreen by Peter Marple, and is commonly referred to as the Queen Ustinov, Albert Finney, Tony Randall, Alfred Molina, of Crime. She defined a genre of mystery writing, and most notably by David Suchet in the PBS series and followed in the footsteps of Edgar Allen Poe that ran from 1989 to 2013 (pictured left). and Arthur Conan Doyle. An author whose works are counted as some of the most best-selling in the MISS MARPLE: Miss world behind the Bible and Shakespeare, her play Jane Marple doesn’t The Mousetrap, is still playing today after 63 years— look like your average it opened just six months after the coronation of detective. Quite frankly, young Queen Elizabeth II. 2015 marks a world-wide she doesn’t look like celebration of her 125th Anniversary. a detective at all. But looks can be deceiving. Her first appearance in literature was in Christie’s 1930 novel, Murder at the Vicarage. Miss Marple has been played on screen by Joan Hickson, Geralidine McEwan, Margaret Rutherford, Helen Hayes, and Angela Lansbury in the 1980 film, The Mirror Crack’d (pictured left)—a portrayal that launched Lansbury’s longtime portrayal of Jessica Fletcher on Murder, She Wrote. FURTHER READING
CHECK OUT THESE NEW BOOKS ABOUT AGATHA CHRISTIE AND HER WORK
Agatha Christie: A Biography by Janet Horgan Using family papers and other protected material, Janet Morgan sheds light on Agatha Christie’s life, work and relationships. Little Grey Cells: The Quotable Poirot Discover the man behind the moustache in this book of one-liners by the world’s most famous Belgian detective, revealing the wit and wisdom of Hercule Poirot and his creator, Agatha Christie. Curtain Up - Agatha Christie: A Life in Theatre Curtain Up is the first ever book devoted to Agatha Christie’s writing for the stage. It offers a revealing and witty insight into how Agatha Christie became the world’s most successful female playwright. A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie Christie used poison to kill her characters more often than any other murder method, with the poison itself being a central part of the novel, and her choice of deadly substances far from random.
SOURCES www.agathachristie.com/about-christie/ • www.Britanica.com • www.wikipedia.com CREATIVE TEAM Shakespeare’s Othello (Pittsburgh Public Theatre). KATE YOUNG* (Mrs. His film credits in the past year include Low Tide In Warwick) returns to Florida Serf City, The Mutineer, The Race, Final Greetings, and Rep where she was last Concussion. Larry has been a proud member of the seen as Julia in Lend Me Actors’ Equity Association since 1983. A Tenor. Other Florida appearances include BRENDAN POWERS*† (Julian Miami Theatre Center Farrar) Florida Rep credits (Hedda Gabler), Gulfshore over the past eight seasons Playhouse (The Importance include Dividing the Estate, of Being Earnest, Naples Around the World in 80 Days, Daily News Award for Best Comedy, 2013), and The Fantasticks, Doubt, Opus, freeFall Theatre The( House of Bernarda Alba, Boeing-Boeing, and The Glass Theatre Tampa Bay Awards nominations, 2013). Menagerie. He is married Upcoming this winter in Orlando, Kate is looking to fellow Rep ensemble forward to Mad Cow Theatre’s Outside Mullingar. member Rachel Burttram Regional credits include the Human Race Theatre, and also serves as a Development Associate. Other Chicago Shakespeare, Milwaukee Shakespeare, Royal credits include the Tony Award-winning play, Art, George, Drury Lane, Light Opera Works, Northlight, and The Big Knife, both with Alec Baldwin, the ShawChicago, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Noel Coward revue, Oh, Coward! at Off-Broadway’s Irish and Classical Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre Irish Repertory Theatre, God of Carnage, August: Festival, and Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival. Her Osage County, Our Town, Arsenic and Old Lace, performances have been recognized with Jefferson and numerous others. TV work includes FBI Agent nominations and DayTony Awards as well as with Rick Cranston on Graceland (USA Network), and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Tribune Review citations. David Weller in the Netflix original series, Bloodline, Her film and television credits include Houseguest, starring Sissy Spacek. He can also be seen driving the Roommates, Diabolique, Citizen Cohn, and What She big blue Cadillac in a series of national commercials Doesn’t Know. A native San Franciscan now living in for Alabama Road Trips. His cartoon captions have Chicago, Kate trained in London at LAMDA, Brown been winners for various contests including The University, the University of Pittsburgh, and New New Yorker, Hartford Courant, Denver Post, Moment England Conservatory. www.kateyoung.biz Magazine, Clinical Psychology, Inside Higher Ed, and the Greensboro News-Record. GRACIE DOD (Asst. Stage Manager) is a recent www.BrendanPowers.com graduate from Samford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a concentration in stage MARGARET LOESSER management. While studying at Samford, she stage ROBINSON* (Laura Warwick) managed many shows including Macbeth, The Credits include: Guenevere Wizard of Oz, and Moon Over Buffalo. Over the past in Camelot (Theatre Under two summers, Gracie has worked with The Berkshire the Stars), Jane Bennet Theatre Group in Massachusetts where she worked in Jane Austen’s Pride on shows such as Mary Poppins, Cedars, Seussical, and Prejudice, a Musical and A Hatful of Rain. She also stage managed Shrek (NYMF), Mina in Dracula and The Little Mermaid in her hometown at Suwanee (The Denver Center), The 39 Academy of the Arts. Gracie would like to thank her Steps (The Cape Playhouse), friends, family, and her new and amazing Florida The Foreigner and Dial ‘M’ for Murder (The Fulton Rep family. Theatre), The Broken Heart (Theatre for a New Audience), Man and Superman and New Girl in STEFANIE GENDA***† (Costume Designer) Florida Town (Irish Rep). Margaret has a B.A. from Sarah Repertory Theatre: One Slight Hitch, Clybourne Lawrence College, where she studied literature and Park, Alone Together. Regional Theater: tick, tick... printmaking, and is a graduate of The Neighborhood BOOM!, Marry Harry (American Theater Group), Playhouse School of the Theatre. You can read more The New Moon, Sweethearts (Light Opera of New about Margaret at www.MargaretRobinson.net. York), The Pavilion (Mile Square Theater), Othello
(American Shakespeare Center), My Fair Lady, One LOU SUMRALL*(Michael Touch of Venus, Die Fledermaus (Ohio Light Opera). Starkwedder) This is Lou’s University Theater: She Stoops to Conquer, Barnum, first go-round at Florida The Cripple of Inishmaan (The Hartt School), Life is Rep, and he is grateful for A Dream (The College of Wooster), and Much Ado this opportunity. Since About Nothing (Rutgers Theater Company). Film/TV: graduating from Rutgers in How You Look at It (Short Film), The Americans (FX, ‘92, Lou has performed in shopper). Stefanie has also worked on several theatres across the country productions both on and off-Broadway at Lincoln and has taken some gigs in Center Theater, the Manhattan Theatre Club, television and film. CREATIVE TEAM The Public and MCC Theater. She holds a BA in productions of Dora the Explorer Live! in the US and Theatre from the College of Wooster and an MFA in Canada). Bert is an associate professor of theatre and Costume Design from Rutgers University. the coordinator of the Theatre Design & Technology BFA program at the University of Central Florida JOHN KISELICA (Sound Designer) is a graduate of in Orlando. West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in lighting and sound design. He is JANINE WOCHNA*† (Production Stage Manager) is the Resident Sound and Lighting Designer for delighted to return to Florida Rep having previously Endstation Theatre Company in Central VA and stage managed Tribes, Around the World in 80 Days, acts as the Lighting and Sound Supervisor for year Collected Stories, Time Stands Still, Talley’s Folly, and round consultation and project specific work. He has many others over 11 seasons. Regional theatre credits worked on a national tour, Buddy: the Buddy Holly include: Brother Wolf, Underneath the Lintel, and Musical, as the master electrician after a contract Abundance at Triad Stage, four seasons as Resident with Royal Caribbean International as a stage Stage Manager at the Geva Theatre, and 14 seasons technician. Commercial theatrical work includes at the Cleveland Play House. She is a graduate of installing Prodigy Hoists, an automated rigging the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory system from Electronic Theatre Controls. John is of Music and a proud member of Actors’ Equity excited to be here for his second year as the Resident Association. Sound Designer and Master Electrician at Florida Repertory Theatre. John continues to freelance in Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) was addition to his seasonal position with Florida Rep in founded in 1913 as the first of the American the professional, academic, and community theatre Actor unions. Equity’s mission is to advance, circles. promote and foster the art of theatre as an essential component of our society. Today, JOSEPH P. OSHRY*** (Lighting Designer) Equity represents more than 40,000 actors, singers, is glad to dancers and stage managers working in hundreds of be returning to Florida Repertory Theatre. Since theatres across the United States. Equity members are 1986 he has designed lighting for over five hundred dedicated to working in the theatre as a profession, productions with such organizations as Asolo Rep, upholding the highest artistic standards. Equity negotiates Palm Beach Dramaworks, Maltz-Jupiter Theatre, wages and working conditions and provides a wide range Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Palm Beach Opera, of benefits including health and pension plans for its Opera Tampa, New Orleans Opera, Carreno Dance members. Through its agreement with Equity, this theatre Festival, Ballet Eddy Toussaint USA, and the has committed to the fair treatment of the actors and stage Interlochen Dance Ensemble in Michigan. Joseph managers employed in this production. AEA is a member has received two Individual Artist Fellowships from of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs and is a organization of performing arts unions. For more two-time recipient of the Theatre Tampa Bay award information, visit www.actorsequity.org. for outstanding lighting design. Further, he serves on Florida Professional Theatres Association the Advisory Board of Tampa Rep and is a member (FPTA) is a statewide organization of of the Slice Creative Network in Orlando. He is also professional theatre companies and theatre a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829 professionals interested in the development New York. Joseph lives in Bradenton with his wife and promotion of professional theatre throughout Florida. Dee. www.josephoshry.com Florida Repertory Theatre is a proud FPTA member theatre. BERT SCOTT*** (Set Designer) is happy to join Florida Rep for his first production here. Bert’s Off- The National New Play Network is the Broadway designs include According to Goldman, country’s alliance of nonprofit theaters Bass for Picasso, The Unexpected Guest, The Cocktail that champions the development, production, and continued life of new Hour, The Middle Ages, The Rules of Charity, and plays. The NNPN strives to pioneer, implement, and many others. Regionally, Bert has designed for disseminate ideas and programs that revolutionize the way Stages St. Louis, Theatre West Virginia (where he theaters collaborate to support new plays and playwrights. served for seven seasons as Resident Designer), The Florida Repertory Theatre is proud to be an Associate Opera Company of Philadelphia, The Mark Twain Member of the National New Play Network. Playhouse (Branson, MO), Theatre by the Sea and Ocean State Theatre (Rhode Island), North Shore Florida Repertory Theatre is a member Music Theatre (Boston), The Orlando Shakespeare of Theatre Communications Group Theatre, Orlando Rep, and Nickelodeon (Slime (TCG), the national organization for the Time Live! on Norwegian Cruise Lines and several American Theatre.
SPECIAL THANKS BRUCE STRAYHORN THE CULT-CLASSICJean MOTION Shepherd’s PICTURE LIVE ONSTAGE! “YOU’LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!”
Adapted by Philip Grecian
SPECIAL FAMILY PACKAGE CHILD TICKETS ARE FREE WITH THE PURCHASE OF AN ADULT TICKET. TICKETS $49 & $45 • $10 Student Tix with a Valid Student ID DEC 1-20