By Qui Nguyen

52nd Season • 493rd Production JULIANNE ARGYROS STAGE / OCTOBER 4-25, 2015

Marc Masterson Paula Tomei ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MANAGING DIRECTOR

David Emmes & Martin Benson FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

IN ASSOCIATION WITH MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB

presents the world premiere of VIETGONE by Qui Nguyen

Timothy R. Mackabee Anthony Tran Jaymi Lee Smith SCENIC DESIGN COSTUME DESIGN LIGHTING DESIGN Shane Rettig Jared Mezzocchi Andy Knight ORIGINAL MUSIC/SOUND DESIGN PROJECTION DESIGN DRAMATURG

Joshua Marchesi Joanne DeNaut, csa Kathryn Davies PRODUCTION MANAGER CASTING STAGE MANAGER

Directed by May Adrales

Marci Maietta Weinberg and William Weinberg Honorary Producers

Vietgone was commissioned by South Coast Repertory as part of SCR’s CrossRoads Initiative, with funding from the Time Warner Foundation. This play is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award.

Vietgone • South Coast Repertory • P1 CAST OF CHARACTERS Asian Guy/American Guy/Nhan/Khue ...... Jon Hoche Quang ...... Raymond Lee Asian Girl/American Girl/Thu/Huong/Translator/Flower Girl ..... Samantha Quan Tong ...... Maureen Sebastian Playwright/Giai/Bobby/Captain Chambers/Redneck Biker/ Hippie Dude ...... Paco Tolson

LENGTH Approximately two hours, including one intermission.

PRODUCTION STAFF Production Assistant ...... Amber Caras Movement Coach ...... Qui Nguyen Graphic Illustrator ...... Swedian Lie Assistant Scenic Designers ...... Libby Stadstad, David Valentino Costume Design Assistant ...... Sarah Timm Lighting Design Assistant ...... Darrin Wade Stage Management Intern ...... Becca Sharpe Light Board Operator ...... Steven Williams Deck Crew/Follow Spot Operator ...... Isaac Jacobs Projection Operator ...... Vincent Quan Dresser ...... Jessica Larsen Wig and Makeup Technician ...... Audrey McVay Additional Costume Staff ...... Emily Burst

SPECIAL THANKS Thuy Vo Dang, Giana Nguyen Foster, Tram Le, Oanh Nguyen, Tu-Uyen Nguyen, Yvonne Tran, Linda Trinh Vo, Alan Woo

The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Please refrain from unwrapping candy or making other noises that may disturb surrounding patrons. Videotaping and/or recording of this performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited. Electronic devices should be turned off or set to non-audible mode during the performance. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the theatre.

Media Partner Media Partner

P2 • South Coast Repertory • Vietgone Gone Before: Evacuation During the Last Days of South Vietnam by Andy Knight PAVN and Viet Cong and the war ended. n early April 1975, after al- Helicopters packed with most two decades at war, refugees landed on U.S. air- South Vietnam was on craft carriers in the South Chi- the brink of collapse. Al- na Sea. As more Vietnamese though the Paris Peace Ac- escaped by aircraft after Op- Icords of 1973 brought about a eration Frequent Wind, space temporary ceasefire between aboard the ships dwindled. the communist North and the To make additional room, capitalist South, the People’s sailors pushed empty heli- Army of Vietnam (PAVN) from copters not making return the North and the Viet Cong trips overboard. (the South’s National Libera- The refugees aboard the tion Front tied to the North) U.S. Navy fleet joined other launched a series of success- evacuees at temporary pro- ful invasions of South Vietnam cessing centers in Guam and that began in January 1975. By the Philippines. From there, April, they were closing in on the U.S. relocated them to Saigon, the South’s capital. camps in California, Arkansas, For many Americans at Florida and Pennsylvania and that time, the Vietnam War had began the process of reset- ended two years earlier when, tling the refugees as perma- as a part of the Paris Peace Ac- nent immigrants in the U.S. cords, the United States with- and abroad. By the middle of drew all its combat personnel May, 130,000 Vietnamese ar- from Vietnam. Even with Sai- rived at the American camps. gon’s fall imminent, President Playwright Qui Nguyen’s Gerald Ford remained stead- parents were among this fast: the U.S. would not inter- wave of 130,000 refugees who vene in a war that was “finished came to the U.S. in the spring as far as America [was] concerned.” As a last resort, the U.S. launched of 1975. In Vietgone, he recounts how Without military aid, South Vietnam’s Operation Frequent Wind, a series of they met at the Fort Chaffee camp in armed forces crumbled with a swift- helicopter evacuations. On April 29, Arkansas. Although Nguyen’s play has ness that caught both Vietnamese and 395 Americans and 4,465 refugees a pivotal moment in world history as Americans by surprise. (mostly Vietnamese employed by the its backdrop, his family’s personal his- On April 1, the U.S. Defense Atta- U.S. or South Vietnam’s government) tory is at its forefront. And with hu- ché Office in Saigon opened the Evacu- escaped Tan Son Nhut by helicopter. mor, irreverence, a little hip hop and ation Control Center (ECC) at the Tan Approximately 2,000 other refugees, plenty of exaggeration—all hallmarks Son Nhut Air Base to facilitate the de- unable to reach the airbase, mobbed of the playwright’s distinctive style— parture of Americans and at-risk Viet- the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, a sec- Nguyen brings his parents’ story to namese from the South. By April 21, ondary evacuation point. Although life as only he can. approximately 5,500 evacuees left the helicopter pilots accommodated as ECC by plane each day. But on April many passengers as possible, more Above: the deck of the USS Midway during 28, the PAVN bombed Tan Son Nhut, than 400 potential refugees remained Operation Frequent Wind, April 1975; a fam- ily in the refugee camp at Fort Chaffee, 1975 and the facility could no longer sup- at the embassy compound on April (photo courtesy of UCI Libraries Southeast port departures by fixed-wing aircraft. 30—the day that Saigon fell to the Asian Archive).

Vietgone • South Coast Repertory • P3 Artist Biographies

Jon Hoche Samantha Quan Asian Guy/American Guy/ Asian Girl/American Girl/Thu/ Nhan/Khue Huong/Translator/Flower Girl is honored to be making his SCR recently appeared in SCR’s 2015 debut with Vietgone. Recently, he Pacific Playwrights Festival reading was a performer/puppeteer in the of Vietgone. Her theatre credits in- North American tour of War Horse, clude workshops of Peerless, Han- as well as performing in the show’s nah and the Dread Gazebo, Red Asian debut in Tokyo, Japan. He is the artistic asso- Flamboyant and American Hwangap (Ojai Playwrights ciate of Vampire Cowboys Theater Company, where Conference), B.F.E. (Just Add Water Festival), Masha playwright Qui Nguyen serves as co-artistic director/ No Home (Ensemble Studio Theatre) and An Infinite co-founder and resident playwright. Hoche recently Ache (The Globe Theatre). Her television credits include participated in the 2015 Jim Henson Company Diversity “NCIS,” “Blue,” “Subergatory” and “Castle.” Her film Puppetry Workshop. He also has worked with Ma-Yi The- credits include 4 Wedding Planners, Sake Bomb and the ater, Two River Theater Co., American Globe Theatre, upcoming independent film Good Grief. Quan is a gradu- 2G and Premiere Stages to name a few. Find out more at ate of the New York University graduate acting program. JonHoche.com. Maureen Sebastian Raymond Lee Tong Quang recently appeared in SCR’s 2015 appeared at SCR previously in the Pacific Playwrights Festival reading Pacific Playwrights Festival reading of Vietgone. Her regional credits of Vietgone and in productions include Arabian Nights (Berke- of Robin Hood and Four Clowns. ley Repertory Theatre and Arena Born in New York City and raised Stage), The Winter’s Tale, A Mid- in Los Angeles, Lee is an actor, summer Night’s Dream and The Taming of the Shrew musician, physical performer and founding member of (The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey) and Thunder the Los Angeles-based, internationally touring clown Above, Deeps Below (Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center and troupe, Four Clowns. The company’s inaugural show, Second Generation). Her off-Broadway credits include also titled Four Clowns, toured nationally and has taken Now Circa Then (Ars Nova), Lonely, I’m Not and Year them to notable venues such as La MaMa E.T.C. (New Zero (Second Stage), Soul Samurai (Vampire Cowboys York City), SCR, Sacred Fools Theater Company, The and Ma-Yi Theater Company) and Children of Vonderly Neo-Futurists (Chicago), Chopin Theatre (Chicago) and (Ma-Yi Theatre Company). Her television credits include Gremlin Theatre (St. Paul, Minn.), among others. His “Minority Report,” “Revolution,” “New Girl,” “Gossip television credits include “It’s Always Sunny in Phila- Girl,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Person of Inter- delphia,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Hart of Dixie,” est” and the feature films, Blumenthal and Thank You “Trophy Wife,” “Ben & Kate,” “Jessie” and “Zach Stone for Sharing. Follow her at maureensebastian.com. Is Gonna Be Famous.” His film credits include Farah Goes Bang (Tribeca Film Festival premiere and recipi- Paco Tolson ent of the Nora Ephron prize) and A Leading Man (Best Playwright/Giai/Bobby/Captain Supporting Actor, Asians on Film Festival). He also has Chambers/Redneck Biker/ appeared in more than a dozen national commercials. Hippie Dude He sends all kinds of love to his mom and wifey. theray- mondlee.com is proud to return to SCR after appearing in Peter and the Starcatcher and presentations of Vietgone for the 2014 CrossRoads

P4 • South Coast Repertory • Vietgone showcase and the 2015 Pacific Playwrights Festival. He is a graduate of Brown University and a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre. Tolson has developed new work with Ma-Yi Theater Company, Vampire Cowboys, Honorary Producers Studio 42, The Public Theater, Ensemble Studio The- atre, The Play Company and Center Theatre Group Marci Maietta Weinberg and William among others. He trained at the Williamstown Theatre Weinberg (Honorary Producers) are passionate Festival and the Chautauqua Conservatory. Find out theatre lovers with a particular interest in new more at pacotolson.weebly.com. “Love forever to Kate plays. Bill got the theatre bug early from his par- and my amazing family.” ents, Elaine and Martin Weinberg, who started bringing him and his four siblings to all of SCR’s Playwright, Director and Designers productions when Bill was a youngster. He and Marci are longtime Segerstrom Stage subscrib- Qui Nguyen (Playwright), often credited as a pioneer ers and have been Argyros Stage First Nights of “geek theatre,” is a Brooklyn-based playwright, fight subscribers since 2009. Bill joined SCR’s Board of director and co-founder of the Obie Award-winning Trustees in 2010 and today is co-chair of the Audi- Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company, New York City. ence Development Committee. This is Bill and His plays include She Kills Monsters (The Flea, Buzz22/ Marci’s first time as Individual Honorary Produc- Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Company One); Krunk ers of a production. In 2013, they helped under- Fu Battle Battle (East West Players); The Inexplica- write the world premiere of Beau Willimon’s The ble Redemption of Agent G; Soul Samurai; Trial By Parisian Woman as members of The Playwrights Water (Ma-Yi Theater); Aliens Versus Cheerleaders Circle. The following year, they helped under- (Keen Company); Six Rounds of Vengeance; Alice in write SCR’s free afterschool theatre workshops Slasherland; Fight Girl Battle World; Men of Steel; and for at-risk elementary school students, Neighbor- Living Dead in Denmark (Vampire Cowboys). He is a hood Conservatory. The Weinbergs have been recipient of the 2015 New York Community Trust Helen Gala table underwriters since 2011 and members Merrill Playwriting Award, 2014 Sundance Institute/Time of the Platinum Circle since 2007. Bill and Marci Warner Fellowship, 2014 McCarter/Sallie B. Goodman attended the 2015 Pacific Playwrights Festival last Fellowship, 2013 American Alliance for Theatre and Edu- spring, where they saw the staged reading of Viet- cation Distinguished Play Award (She Kills Monsters), gone, and immediately stepped forward to help and 2012 and 2009 GLAAD Media Award nominations underwrite its world premiere production. As for his plays She Kills Monsters and Soul Samurai. He described by Bill, “The heart of the play is about is a resident artist at New Dramatists, a core member love lost, love regained and love of place. It is re- of The Playwrights’ Center and a member of Ensemble ally an American story at its center, about coming Studio Theatre and the Ma-Yi Writers Lab. For television, here against one’s will and finding a way to call it he writes for the PBS children’s cartoon, “Peg+Cat.” His home, through the lens of a love affair between company, Vampire Cowboys, holds the unique distinc- the main characters. It’s powerful, direct and tion of being the first and currently only professional funny.” theatre organization to be officially sponsored by New York Comic Con. Development Center and artistic associate at The Public May Adrales (Director) is a freelance theatre direc- Theater. She earned her MFA at Yale School of Drama tor based in New York City, working primarily with new and has directed and taught at NYU, Bard College, plays. Her work has been seen at LCT3, Signature The- Juilliard and Fordham University. She is currently on atre, Portland Center Stage, The Cleveland Play House, faculty at Yale School of Drama and Brown University. Goodman Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwau- mayadrales.net kee Repertory Theatre and Two River Theater. She is a Drama League Directing Fellow, Women’s Project Lab Timothy R. Mackabee (Scenic Design) is making his Director, SoHo Rep Writers/Directors Lab and New York SCR design debut. His Broadway credits include The Theatre Workshop Directing Fellow, and a recipient of Elephant Man (starring Bradley Cooper), which he also the TCG New Generations grant, Denham Fellowship designed for its West End run and Mike Tyson: Undis- and Paul Green Directing Award. She proudly serves as puted Truth (directed by Spike Lee). He designed the an associate artist at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. She off-Broadway productions of Heathers and Gigantic, as is a former director of onsite programs at the Lark Play well as designs for Lincoln Center Theater, Manhattan

Vietgone • South Coast Repertory • P5 Theatre Club, Atlantic Theater Company, The Public Lucky Duck and Junie B. Jones and a Little Mon- Theater, Vineyard Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre, Ars key Business. She has been designing around the Nova, Culture Project and P.S. 122. His regional theatre country for the last 16 years at theatres such as Or- credits include work for Center Stage in Baltimore, The egon Shakespeare Festival, Dallas Theater Center, Cleveland Play House, Portland Center Stage, Dallas Steppenwolf Theatre Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Theater Center, Syracuse Stage, Yale Repertory The- Goodman Theatre, The Court Theatre, Pasadena Play- atre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Asolo Repertory house, Hartford Stage, Alliance Theatre, Getty Villa, Theatre, Studio Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Paper Utah Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory and Mill Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Arden Lookingglass Theatre Company. Her work has also Theatre Company, Theater J, The Muny, Ford’s The- been seen in China, Italy, Spain, Scotland and Ireland. atre, Pittsburgh CLO, Denver Center Theatre, The Old Her awards have included the 2003 Michael Merritt/ Globe, Geva Theatre, Merrimack Repertory and ACT San Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award and a 2010 Francisco. He has also designed the operas Paul’s Case Joseph Jefferson Award. She is currently an associate and Tosca and for Doug Varone and Dancers and Cedar professor of lighting design and associate head of de- Lake Dance. His film and television credits include Amy sign at UC Irvine. Her website is jaymismith.com. Schumer Stand Up, “Gotham,” “Smash,” “The Today Show,” Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth (HBO) and Mar- Shane Rettig (Original Music/Sound Design) is mak- got at the Wedding. He is a graduate of North Carolina ing his SCR design debut. His New York credits include School of the Arts and Yale School of Drama. timothym- The Liquid Plain (Signature Theatre Company), Wiesen- ackabeedesign.com thal (Daryl Roth Theatre), The Urban Retreat, Manahat- ta, Much Ado About Nothing and Detroit ’67 (The Public Anthony Tran (Costume Design) is a costume de- Theater), Bad Jews (Roundabout Theatre Company), signer for theatre, film, and television, working with Intimacy, Clive, One Arm, Marie and Bruce and A Lie a wide range of artists from “the pope of trash” John of the Mind (The New Group), She Kills Monsters (The Waters to Disney Channel star Ross Lynch. His theatre Flea Theater), Six Rounds of Vengeance, The Inexpli- credits include Triassic Parq (Chance Theater, Ovation cable Redemption of Agent G and Alice in Slasherland nomination), Chess (East West Players) and Year Zero (Vampire Cowboys), Wong Kids, Jesus in India, Sugar (The Colony Theatre). For television, he has designed House and Microcrisis (Ma-Yi Theater Company), When costumes for Disney’s superhero series “Mighty Med” as January Feels Like Summer, Fast Company and Year well as their ’60s beach party musical movie Teen Beach of the Rooster (Ensemble Studio Theatre) and La Brea, 2, helmed by Flashdance/A Chorus Line choreographer Motel Cherry and Civilization (Clubbed Thumb). He Jeffrey Hornaday. In addition to his work in the costume has worked regionally at Arena Stage, Berkshire Theatre departments of films such as Magic Mike and Insidi- Festival, California Theatre Center, Center Stage, Dallas ous, his own film designs include Excision (Sundance Theater Center, La Jolla Playhouse, Williamstown The- Film Festival premiere), Bad Milo! (SXSW Film Festival atre Festival and Yale Repertory. Rettig is the composer premiere) and the upcoming feature Trash Fire. antho- and co-lyricist of the musical War is F**cking Awesome, nytran.net with playwright Qui Nguyen, developed at the 2013 Sun- dance Theatre Lab. His work has been nominated for Jaymi Lee Smith (Lighting Design) is thrilled to be at Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel awards, and he was part SCR again after working on Peter and the Starcatch- of the United States sound design exhibition in the 2007 er, The Stinky Cheese Man, Top Dog/Underdog, Prague Quadrennial.

P6 • South Coast Repertory • Vietgone Jared Mezzocchi (Projection Design) is making his Motherf**ker with the Hat, How to Write a New Book SCR design debut. He was awarded the 2012 Princess for the Bible, Sight Unseen, Topdog/Underdog, Sideways Grace Theater Fellowship as the first projections de- Stories from Wayside School, In the Next Room or the signer to receive the honor. He is a company member at vibrator play, Doctor Cerberus, Ordinary Days, Our Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, most recently hav- Mother’s Brief Affair, The Injured Party, The Brand ing designed Women Laughing Alone with Salad. New New Kid and Imagine at SCR. Her favorite credits in- York City credits include Downtown Loop (3-Legged clude Dividing the Estate at Dallas Theater Center, La Dog); You Are Dead. You Are Here. (HERE Arts Center); Bohème at Tulsa Opera, The Mystery of Irma Vep at The and JET LAG 2011 (The Builders Association). Recent Old Globe, Daddy Long Legs at Laguna Playhouse, Tosca regional theatre includes The History of Invulnerabil- and La Fille du Régiment at Opera Ontario, Of Mice ity (Milwaukee Repertory), Breath and Imagination and Men at Theatre Calgary/CanStage/Neptune The- (Cleveland Play House), Stones in His Pockets (Center atre, The Dresser at Manitoba Theatre Centre, Skylight Stage) and Body of an American (The Wilma Theater). at Tarragon Theatre, To Kill a Mockingbird at Citadel His D.C. credits include Yellowface (Theater J), Astroboy Theatre/Manitoba Theatre Centre/Theatre Calgary and and the God of Comics (Studio Theatre) and BELL The Designated Mourner at Tarragon Theatre and the (National Geographic). Mezzocchi has also designed Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Davies also has worked as with Caden Manson’s Big Art Group (SOS, The People head theatre representative at the Toronto International and The Sleep) at the Vienna Festival, touring much of Film Festival, Dubai International Film Festival, AFI Fest Europe, Canada and nationally. He also designs com- (part of the American Film Institute), Los Angeles Film mercially, having just created projections for Connect- Festival and as team leader at Sundance. 4Climate and Alcantara at Design Week in Milan, Italy, as well as in the atrium of the World Bank in Washington Marc Masterson (Artistic Director) is in his fifth D.C. Mezzocchi currently teaches projection design at season with SCR. His recent directing credits include The University of Maryland. Zealot, Death of a Salesman, Eurydice and Elemeno Pea at SCR, As You Like It for the Houston Shakespeare Andy Knight (Dramaturg) is South Coast Repertory’s Festival, The Kite Runner at Actors Theatre of Louisville associate literary director and festival coordinator for and the Cleveland Play House. He served for 11 years the Pacific Playwrights Festival. At SCR, his dramaturgy as artistic director of Actors Theatre of Louisville and credits include last season’s Venus in Fur and The Whip- produced the Humana Festival of New American Plays. ping Man, as well as the world premiere of Catherine During his Actors Theatre tenure, he produced more Trieschmann’s Theatre for Young Audiences play, OZ than 100 world premieres, expanded audiences and 2.5. In addition to working as a production dramaturg, the repertoire, deepened arts education programs and he assists on SCR’s CrossRoads Initiative, a community- spearheaded numerous community-based projects. His based program that brings playwrights into the Orange other Louisville directing credits include A Midsum- County community on residencies as a way to inspire mer Night’s Dream, Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, their new plays. Before coming to SCR, Knight worked Glengarry Glen Ross, The Tempest, Mary’s Wedding, at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. The Crucible, Betrayal, As You Like It, The Importance of Being Earnest and Macbeth. The world premieres he Kathryn Davies (Stage Manager) previously stage- directed at the Humana Festival include works by Lisa managed OZ 2.5, The Whipping Man, Tartuffe, Reunion, Dillman, Wendell Berry, Craig Wright, Eric Coble, Adam Trudy and Max in Love, Ivy+Bean: the Musical, The Bock, Gina Gionfriddo, Melanie Marnich, Charles Mee

Vietgone • South Coast Repertory • P7 and Rick Dresser. He served as artistic director of City directed American classics such as A Streetcar Named Theatre in Pittsburgh for 20 years and was founder and Desire and has distinguished himself in staging contem- chairman of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Alliance, and as a porary work, including the critically acclaimed California theatre advisory panel member for the National Endow- premiere of William Nicholson’s Shadowlands. He di- ment for the Arts as well as numerous foundations. He rected a revival of Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bounti- won the Man of the Year Vectors Award, and received ful and Samuel D. Hunter’s The Whale and Rest (world the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pittsburgh premiere) and The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez. New Works Festival. Benson received his BA in theatre from San Francisco State University. Paula Tomei (Managing Director) is responsible for leading the overall administration of SCR. She has been David Emmes (Founding Artistic Director) is co-found- managing director since 1994 and a member of SCR’s er of South Coast Repertory. He received the Margo staff since 1979. She is a past president of the board of Jones Award for his lifetime commitment to theatre Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national excellence and to fostering the art of American playwrit- service organization for theatre. In addition, she served ing. In addition, he has received numerous awards for as treasurer of TCG, vice president of the League of productions he has directed during his SCR career. He Resident Theatres (LORT) and as a member of the LORT directed the world premieres of Amy Freed’s Safe in Negotiating Committee for industry-wide union agree- Hell, The Beard of Avon and Freedomland, Thomas ments. She represents SCR at national conferences of Babe’s Great Day in the Morning, Keith Reddin’s Rum TCG and LORT; is a theatre panelist for the National and Coke and But Not for Me and Neal Bell’s Cold Sweat; Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the California Arts the American premieres of Terry Johnson’s Unsuitable Council; site visitor for the NEA; and has been a guest for Adults and Joe Penhall’s Dumb Show; and the South- lecturer in the graduate schools of business at Stanford land premiere of Top Girls (at SCR and the Westwood and UC Irvine (UCI). She teaches a graduate class in Playhouse). Other productions he has directed include nonprofit management at UCI and was appointed by the New England, Arcadia, The Importance of Being Ear- chancellor to UCI’s Community Arts Council. She also is nest, Woman in Mind and You Never Can Tell, which he on the board of Arts Orange County, the county-wide arts restaged for the Singapore Festival of Arts. He has served council, and the board of the Nicholas Endowment. She as a theatre panelist and onsite evaluator for the National graduated from UCI with a degree in economics and pur- Endowment for the Arts, as well as a panelist for the sued an additional course of study in theatre and dance. California Arts Council. After attending Orange Coast Col- lege, he received his BA and MA from San Francisco State Martin Benson (Founding Artistic Director), co- University and his PhD in theatre and film from USC. founder of SCR, has directed nearly one-fourth of SCR’s productions. This season, he is directing Beth Henley’s Manhattan Theatre Club Under the dynamic leader- Abundance. In 2008, he and David Emmes received ship of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive the Margo Jones Award for their lifetime commitment Producer Barry Grove, MTC has become one of the to theatre excellence and fostering the art and craft of country’s most prominent theatre companies. Produc- American playwriting. They also accepted SCR’s 1988 tions at its Broadway and Off-Broadway venues have Tony Award for Outstanding Resident Professional The- earned numerous awards including 19 Tony® Awards atre and won the 1995 Theatre L.A. Ovation Award for and six Pulitzer Prizes to date. MTC’s world, Broadway Lifetime Achievement. Benson has received the Los and New York premieres have included Constellations, Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Distinguished Heisenberg, Airline Highway, Casa Valentina, Out- Achievement in Directing an unparalleled seven times side Mullingar, The Assembled Parties, The Lion, Choir for George Bernard Shaw’s Major Barbara, Misalliance Boy, Murder Ballad, Venus in Fur, Good People, The and Heartbreak House; John Millington Synge’s Play- Madrid, The Whipping Man, Ruined, Blackbird, The boy of the Western World; Arthur Miller’s The Crucible; Explorers Club, The Columnist, Rabbit Hole, Doubt, The Sally Nemeth’s Holy Days; and Margaret Edson’s Pulit- Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, Proof, Love! Valour! Compas- zer Prize-winning Wit, which he also directed at Seattle sion! and Ain’t Misbehavin’. For information on their Repertory Theatre and Houston’s Alley Theatre. He has 2015-16 Season, visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

The Actors and Stage Managers em- The Scenic, Costume, Lighting and The Director is a member of the Soci- ployed in this production are members Sound Designers in LORT theatres ety of Stage Directors and Choreogra- of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union are represented by United Scenic phers, Inc., an independent national of Professional Actors and Stage Manag- Artists Local USA-829, IATSE. labor union. ers in the United States.

P8 • South Coast Repertory • Vietgone