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Home , Laurie Woolery, Lisa Loomer, Murder in Small Town X, South Coast Repertory

Un Phénomène Français fter the third quarter of the 16th trologers. It had been announced, vine decision. Century “only the French” – as a and therefore imposed, by the most Obviously such explanations Acontemporary put it – “recklessly ancient and venerable prophecies, do not explain the phenomenon for engaged in duels,” or at least en- ranging from a vision which King us, but they have an interest which gaged in them with an ardour which Chilperic had at the dawn of French goes beyond anecdotal curiosity. had no equivalent elsewhere. The history to one of David’s psalms or These explanations, formulated and accounts given by foreigners are the Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Holy disseminated at the time, helped to best proof of this. We must there- Writ itself. So the French were du- consolidate phenomenon and rein- fore take as a pertinent observation elists because of a mysterious and di- force its durability. For if it were destiny, be it biological, astrolog- ical or providential, which forced the French, commoners includ- ed, to fight duels, then it was pointless to try to resist. The ac- ceptance that it is the nature or fate of a nation to adopt a cer- tain social attitude, it is a guaran- tee that individuals are not re- sponsible for the unfortunate consequences of their actions. The stereotype of the furia francese, of the hot-blooded people, justified and reinforced the duel’s strength in France.

from The Duel, Its Rise and Fall in Early Modern France by François Billacois (New Haven: Yale University Press, Fencing positions from a French seventeenth-century handbook. 1990).

and not as boasting the affirmation by French authors that their compa- triots surpassed their Italian masters and that the duel, which was brought back from Naples by Charles VIII’s army, found its most favourable territory in France—as al- ready witnessed by the character of the ancient Gauls. For it was not enough to state that dueling was a chiefly French phenomenon. This fact was justified and interpreted with all sorts of arguments which we can classify as natural and supernatu- ral. According to supernatural ar- guments, the French aptitude, and indeed vocation, for single combat was beyond all rational explanation, A German training school, from a sixteenth-century handbook on fencing. except perhaps for that of as-

Lovers and Executioners • P3 Antoine Jacob de Montfleury

by John Strand larly on French stages well after the playwright’s death. Among ntoine Jacob (1640-1685), these were Le Mari sans known as Montfleury, femme (The Husband With- Awrote plays for a brief, out a Wife), La Fille capi- twelve-year period during the taine (The Girl Soldier), golden age of French comedy. and his masterpiece, Louis XIV reigned absolutely on La Femme juge et par- the throne, and Molière, less abso- tie (The Wife, Judge lutely but no less brilliantly, on the and Accuser). stage. As a writer of comedies, Montfleury Molière had several serious rivals came from a presti- in his day. Of these, Montfleury gious theatre fami- was, for a time, the most serious. ly. His father, He was the principal play- Zacharie Jacob, wright for the Hôtel de Bour- also known as gogne, the prestigious troupe that Montfleury, was a predated Molière’s, and which was sometime-play- also funded directly by the king. wright and re- He wrote some 15 plays, all come- nowned actor, one dies, with the exception of one of the great stage well-received tragedy (which inci- performers in a cul- dentally, bears a good deal of re- ture that took its the- semblance in plot to Hamlet, atre very seriously, de- Montfleury having used the same bated it hotly, and sup- source material as Shakespeare). ported it assiduously. Of his comedies, several were su- Montfleury père was a big perior, enjoyed great success in presence, literally. He was a their day, and were played regu- mammoth figure, rotund with a powerful, booming voice and Zacharie Jacob de Montfleury (1600- given to 1667), father of the playwright.

Cyrano de Bergerac (pictured at left) wrote a letter in which exaggerated he made fun, rather heavily, of Montfleury’s large stomach: stance and de- “I can assure you,” he wrote, “that if a beating could be livery, a style sent by post, you would read my letter with your shoulders; then much ap- and don’t be surprised by my suggestion as, your rounded preciated, al- surface being so great, I am convinced you are a land in which I would like to plant sticks to see what would become though not uni- of them.” In Act One of his play versally: Zacharie produced at SCR this June) Cyrano de Bergerac Montfleury’s epistolary incident into a face-to-face, Edmond Rostand meeting turned between(to this be chief detractor Cyrano and Montfleury on the stage of the Hôtel de Bour- was Molière. gogne. When the latter lampooned Mont- (from Daily Life in the French Theatre at the Time of Molière fleury in The Im- by Georges Mongrédien, translated by Claire Eliane Engel) promptu of Ver- sailles, the rivalry

P4 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Lovers and Executioners turned to bitter en- mity. To the de- fense of his father leapt the son, then aged 24 and a lawyer who had written a half dozen plays. An- toine penned The Impromptu of the Hôtel de Condé, a deliberate counter- attack that lam- pooned Molière in the same fashion. The family honor, at least, was intact. Shortly there- after, Zacharie Montfleury made the mistake that earned him the disdain of genera- tions of French lit- erary historians The Royal Players of the Hôtel de Bourgogne. and theatre critics: he denounced Molière to the King, was forced to wear to support his Tartuffe. It is said that Mont- accusing the great playwright of enormous belly. fleury’s play was considered by his having married his own daughter, Antoine’s breakthrough as a contemporaries to be the equal of a rumor that plagued Molière playwright came just after his fa- Molière’s. History has disagreed. throughout his later years. The ther’s death. Montfleury fils admired King did nothing directly above all else the Spanish about model—the great dramatists Lope de Vega and Calderòn. He could speak Spanish fluently, better, ac- Hôtel de Bourgogne cording to the Queen of Spain (whom he knew) than many Built in 1548, the Hôtel de Bourgogne was the first theatre in Paris Spaniards of her court. Many of and for a long time, the city’s only true theatre. The building was his own plots were borrowed, in leased to traveling players until 1610, when the first permanent com- the common practice of the day, pany was formed. Called the King’s Players, the actors at the Bour- from Spanish plays. At a time gogne were the unchallenged masters of theatrical art, with legendary when Molière was inventing a performers such as Bellerose, Floridor and Montfleury setting the bom- French comedy of manners, bastic style of the day. The arrival of Molière at the Théâtre du using the Italian model as a Marais in 1658 created fierce competition between the two compa- jumping-off point, Montfleury nies and the Hôtel de Bourgogne was never able to regain its former remained devoted to the roman- supremacy. In 1680, these two companies merged to form the tic, florid, and often bawdy ma- Comédie Française. La terial of Spanish theatre. As a re- Femme juge et partie was a sult—in a curious, geography-de- the charges, resounding success and fying twist of literary fate—Mont- Montfleury père died a short time something of a scandal, due to its fleury’s work is closer in style to later, having been mortally injured, controversial subject matter. Play- Elizabethan theatre than to the the story goes, by a portion of his ing on stage a few blocks away new French style Molière was es- stage costume—the metal belt he was another scandal: Molière’s tablishing.

Lovers and Executioners •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P5 Horns of Dilemma he Oxford English Dictionary promiscuity was the defines “cuckold” as a “deri- order of the day. Tsive name for the husband of The origin of an unfaithful wife.” The word can the image of horns, also be used as a verb meaning which is typically “to dishonor a husband by com- associated with mitting adultery.” Derived from cuckoldery, is un- the Middle English word clear. It may have cukeweld or cokewold, which in descended from the turn appears to have come from pagan sign of the the Old French cucuault, this Horned God, which derogatory term has been around was sacrificed as a for more than seven centuries. stag, goat, or ram at The modern French word the spring feasts. for cuckold, cocu, is also the Priests wore the name of the European cuckoo. horns of the sacri- Females of this species make no ficed animals on nests of their own, but instead lay their heads, and their eggs in other birds’ nests— horned masks or unusual behavior that apparently headdresses were recalls the scandalous deeds of commonly worn by unfaithful wives. The cuckoo was participants in the sacred to the medieval May- rite. When a mar- games, when marriage bonds ried woman had were temporarily ignored and sexual relations out- side of mar- riage, her husband was said trating this concept. In the one at to sprout horns, in reference left, the betrayed husband has ac- to his public humiliation. tually sprouted horns; in the one Throughout history, the horn above, the seducer of the woman has been a on the couch is drawing a cuck- powerful em- old’s horns blem of sexu- BERNARD: al power (or I now speak the word I am loathe to hear, the lack That damns the very soul of the woman I held dear, thereof). To In private only, man to man, may it be said: give a man Cuckold. “the horn” FREDERIC: was to signi- Cuckold? fy the sexu- BERNARD: al conquest of his wife, My wife dishonored my bed. (Lovers and Executioners, thereby ex- Act IV, Scene 2) posing the husband’s impotence and the adulterer’s virility. on her unfortunate On this page are two husband’s portrait. depictions of cuckolds illus-

P6 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Lovers and Executioners JULIAN ACOSTA ANDREW BORBA SUSAN DALIAN Don Lope Octavius Beatrice

Artist Biographies

*JULIAN ACOSTA (Don Lope) , Arcadia, Two Gentlemen Medea/Macbeth/Cinderella at The made his SCR debut earlier this of Verona, Pentecost, Cymbeline, Actors’ Gang; Bitter Women at the season as the Lector in Anna in Love’s Labour’s Lost and Henry IV, Cast Theatre; Immortality at LATC; the Tropics. Other theatre appear- Part 1 at the Shakespeare The Importance of Being Earnest ances include Loose Ends and Festival; The Misanthrope at the at the 24th Street Theatre; Romeo Stags and Hens both at the Dallas Theatre Center; An Enemy and Juliet at the Grove Theatre and Anna De- of the People at the Long Wharf Center; A Midsummer Night’s veare Smith’s Piano at IACD/ Theatre; A Shayna Maidel at the Dream at the Shake- American Repertory Theatre in Delaware Theatre Company; Ten speare Festival; On the Razzle at Cambridge, Mass. He was a series Little Indians at the Hangar The- Indiana Repertory Theatre; The regular on ABC’s critically ac- atre; and Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Rape of Tamar and Merry Wives of claimed “The Job,” and played a The Illusion and Othello at the Windsor at Shakespeare Santa recurring role on Lifetime’s drama Portland Stage Company. Film Cruz; Volpone at Berkeley Reperto- “Strong Medicine.” Other televi- and television credits include Live ry; and Hamlet, As You Like It, sion credits include “Kingpin,” from Baghdad, Path to War, A Macbeth and Two Gentlemen of “Law and Order” and “One Life to Bright Shining Lie, Discord, Verona at the Shake- Live.” Acosta is a recent graduate “Alias,” “The Shield,” “Once and speare Festival. Film credits in- of Rutgers University Mason Gross Again” and “Century City.” clude Undisputed, The Brothers, School of the Arts. Disney’s The Kid, and The Scottish *SUSAN DALIAN (Beatrice) returns Tale. Television credits include *ANDREW BORBA (Octavius) is to SCR after appearing in BAFO roles on “The Pretender,” “Party of making his SCR debut. Theatre and Crumbs from the Table of Joy. Five,” “The Parkers,” “The Hugh- credits include The Countess at the Other theatre credits include leys,” “Felicity,” “Star Trek: Voy- ; Closer at Mephisto, XXX Love Act, Dream- ager” “Hang Time,” “The Practice” Berkeley Repertory; Othello, play, Private Battle and and “Profiler.”

Lovers and Executioners •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P7 DAVID KELLY RUTH LIVIER CHRISTOPHER LIAM MOORE Bernard Constance Guzman

*DAVID KELLY (Bernard) is making Posada Mágica. She was born in Significant Other, A California his SCR debut. He appeared at Guadalajara, Mexico where she Seagull and Too Noble Brothers. the Oregon Shakespeare Festival began performing in local govern- Regional theatre credits Nickel between 1991 and 2003. Some of ment-sponsored theatre while in and Dimed at the Guthrie Theater, those appearances include her early teens. Ms. Livier has Medea/MacBeth/Cinderella at Yale Richard II, Present Laughter, Nois- worked non-stop as an actress Repertory Theatre (CT Drama Crit- es Off, As You Like It, Merchant of ever since. In addition to count- ics Circle Nomination), The Good Venice, Three Sisters, Enter the less Spanish language commer- Person of New Haven at the Long Guardsman, Hamlet, The Three cials, she remains loyal to her the- Wharf Theatre, As You Like It at Musketeers, Richard III, Henry IV, atre roots, performing with The the Old Globe Theatre, Twelfth Part II, Comedy of Errors, A Mid- Actor’s Gang and East L.A. Classic Night at Taper, Too (Ovation summer Night’s Dream, Baltimore Theater at the Mark Taper Forum Award), A Community Carol at Waltz, Timon of Athens, Death of as well as the Long Beach Opera and The King Stage at a Salesman, Tempest, Coriolanus, Company. Her feature film credits the American Repertory Theatre. Romeo and Juliet, Pravda and You include a co-starring role opposite He is also a founding member of Can’t Take It with You. Other the- Dennis Hopper in Bad City Blues, Cornerstone Theatre Company. atre credits include Haroun and directed by Michael Stevens, On television he was a series reg- the Sea of Stories and Fuente Ove- which was screened at the AFI ular on “Murder in Small Town X” juna at Berkeley Repertory, A Film Festival. Her other films in- and plays the recurring role of Ian Christmas Carol at GEVA, Much clude The Last Flight, Matters of Jankowski on “Judging Amy.” Ado about Nothing and A Mid- Consequence, Hash Brown’s, A Other film and television credits summer Night’s Dream at the San Death in Bethany and My Father’s include “Friends,” “3rd Rock from Francisco Theatre Festival, Two Love. On television, she was a se- the Sun,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” Gentlemen of Verona at Montana ries regular on “Resurrection Memron, The Cherokee Kid and Shakespeare, King Lear at Col- Blvd.” and has had recurring roles Simone. orado Shakespeare and Twelfth on “Beverly Hills 90210,” “Soldier Night at Utah Shakespeare. of Fortune” and “Weird Science.” *LIBBY WEST (Julie) is making her She has guest starred on “Becker,” SCR stage debut. She previously *RUTH LIVIER (Constance)returns “NYPD Blue,” “The Pretender” and appeared in the NewSCRipts read- to SCR after appearing in the “Haunted” opposite Matthew Fox. ing of People Be Heard. New NewSCRipts reading of Montezu- York theatre credits include the ma and Hispanic Playwrights Pro- *CHRISTOPHER LIAM MOORE Off-Broadway productions of ject readings of Welcome to Ar- (Guzman) is making his SCR Things You Shouldn’t Say Past royo’s, El Otro and Santa Concep- debut. theatre credits Midnight and The Cripple of Inish- tion and as the first Gracie in La include The Video Store Owner’s maan as well as Antony and

P8 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Lovers and Executioners five shows at the Actors Theatre of Lincolnesque and is also working Louisville. Film and television on new play commissions for credits include Two Weeks Notice, Arena Stage and the Shakespeare Homecoming, The Take, Dream Theatre. He lives in the Washing- House, Ride of Passage, Die ton DC area with his wife and Blessed, Iceman, The Guests, Mir- three children. rorland, Fluffy, The Scrapper, Richard, The Take, Rift, Misan- BILL RAUCH (Director) is co- thrope, “As the World Turns,” founder and artistic director of the “One Life to Live” and “All My -based Cornerstone Children.” Theater Company, and has direct- ed over 40 of the company’s pro- PLAYWRIGHT, ductions, many of them collabora- DIRECTOR & DESIGNERS tions with diverse communities across the nation. He has also di- LIBBY WEST JOHN STRAND (Playwright) is the rected at the Mark Taper Forum, Julie author of Tom Walker (SCR, 2001) the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Lovers and Executioners (both the Guthrie, Long Wharf, Great commissioned and premiered by Lakes Theater Festival, Arena Cleopatra, The Seagull, The Dying Arena Stage; published by Dramat- Stage, and Yale Repertory where Photographer, Passion Play, Assas- ic Publishing, Inc., Chicago) which he is an Associate Artist. For SCR, sins Have Starry Eyes, Zastrozzi, won the Charles MacArthur Award he staged Anthony Clarvoe’s Measure for Measure, Dead and for Outstanding New Play. His Walking Off the Roof for the inau- Gone to Granny’s and Othello. Re- other work includes The Diaries, gural Pacific Playwrights Festival. gional theatre credits include Les Signature Theatre 2002; the book Mr. Rauch has won Helen Hayes, Liaisons Dangereuses at the Ameri- for a new musical entitled The Garland, LA Weekly, Drama-Logue, can Conservatory Theatre, Orange Highest Yellow premiering at the and Connecticut Critics Circle Flower Water at the Contemporary Signature Theatre fall 2004; a Awards for his direction, and was American Theatre Festival, Cyrano translation and adaptation of the only artist to win the inaugural de Bergerac at the Denver Theatre Molière’s The Miser, set in Reagan- Leadership for a Changing World Center, Wuthering Heights and An era America; Three Nights in Award. He served on the board of Ideal Husband at the Paper Mill Tehran, a comedy about the Iran- Theatre Communications Group Playhouse, Pygmalion at Indiana Contra affair; Otabenga at Signa- from 1992-1998 and has testified Repertory Theatre, Real Inspector ture Theatre, directed by Michael to Congress on behalf of the Hound/Black Comedy at The Kahn; The Cockburn Rituals at N.E.A. He is proud to be one of Wilma Theatre, Red Corners at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre; and Liam’s two dads. Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Burying Molière at New York Uni- at PlayMakers Rep, versity’s Mainstage Theater. He LYNN K. JEFFRIES (Scenic Design) The Comedy of Errors at the Old has adapted his play Otabenga to has worked with director Bill Globe Theatre, Ghosts at the Inti- film for Julian Krainin Productions. Rauch for 23 years. She is a man Theatre, Love’s Labour’s Lost Mr. Strand received an SCR com- founding member of Cornerstone at The Shakespeare Theatre and mission to write his latest play Theater Company, for which she

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Lovers and Executioners •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P9 has designed sets, costumes, or theatres on the West Coast, creat- Beach Opera, San Francisco both for over 40 productions, in- ing costumes for more than 120 Opera, , Trinity cluding The Central Ave; Chalk productions. He is the recipient Repertory, , Circle; For Here or To Go; Broken of numerous awards and recogni- Huntington Theatre, Actors The- Hearts; Twelfth Night, or As You tions, including six Los Angeles atre of Louisville, The Children’s Were; The Winter’s Tale; An Inter- Drama Critics Circle Awards and a Theatre Company of Minneapolis, state Adventure; Romeo and Juliet; Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Stage One in Louisville, and on and Tartoof, or an Impostor in Award. His most recent entertain- Broadway. Mr. Korf is a graduate Norcatur, and at Christmas! She ment designs have been for a of California State University, has also designed sets for Peter spectacle show, Mystic Rhythms, Chico and the Yale School of Pan at Great Lakes Theater Festi- at Tokyo Disney Sea in Japan, and Drama. He is also a member of val, The Good Person of New the A&E broadcast of Cathy the faculty at the University of Haven at , Rigby’s Peter Pan, for which he Washington in Seattle. Steelbound at Touchstone Theatre received a 2000-01 Emmy Award (performed in the former Bethle- nomination following the produc- PAUL JAMES PRENDERGAST hem Steel iron foundry) and A tion’s Broadway engagement and (Composer/Sound Design) is hon- Community Carol at Arena Stage. national tour. Mr. Yaji is a mem- ored to be making his SCR debut, Costume credits include Nickel ber of the United Scenic Artists and overjoyed to be working once and Dimed at the Guthrie Lab and Local 829 and the UC Irvine again with old friends. Theatre Medea/Macbeth/Cinderella at the Drama Department faculty. credits include productions at the Actors’ Gang. Jeffries’ puppets Mark Taper (Forum, Ivy, P.L.A.Y.), have appeared in several Corner- GEOFF KORF (Lighting Design) de- Long Wharf Theatre, Great Lakes stone productions, including Body signed lighting for the SCR pro- Theater Festival, Stage, the of Faith and Mary Shelley’s Santa ductions of Two Gentlemen of Geffen, East West Players, dozens Claus, and have been featured in Verona, The Dazzle, Making It, of 99 seaters and 20 productions shows at Company One, The Road Hold Please, Art, Entertaining Mr. with Cornerstone Theater Compa- Company, Kanaqeel, The Guthrie Sloane, Amy’s View, The Summer ny. His work has been featured at Lab, and the Mark Taper Forum’s Moon, References to Salvador Dali theme parks, in feature films, on Other Voices Project. She has re- Make Me Hot and Two Sisters and recordings and in music venues ceived a Drama-Logue Award and a Piano. Most recently he de- nationwide. He also works as a two Back Stage West Garland signed the lights for Sandra Tsing vocalist, actor, scenic designer, Awards, and nominations for two Loh’s Sugar Plum Fairy at the Gef- and is knee deep in the world of Ovation Awards and a Lester Hor- fen Playhouse. Mr. Korf is also a alternative (natural) house build- ton Dance Award for Set Design. member of the ensemble of Cor- ing. He lives in Los Angeles and nerstone Theater where he has Joshua Tree. SHIGERU YAJI (Costume Design) is designed more than 20 produc- very pleased to enter his 22nd tions in the past 11 years. His de- DANIEL R. FORCEY (Fight Chore- season at SCR with more than 45 signs have also appeared in pro- ographer) received his undergrad- productions including most re- ductions at the Mark Taper Forum, uate degree in theatre with minors cently Major Barbara and The , Old Globe in physics and philosophy from School for Wives. Over more than Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, the University of Southern Califor- 20 years, he has designed for 25 ACT Theatre in Seattle, Long nia. Mr. Forcey also holds his

P10 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Lovers and Executioners graduate degree in Acting with an ning production of Our Town won Children, Relatively Speaking and emphasis on movement teaching Best Scene at the 2001 Kennedy the world premiere of Rolin Jones’ from York University in Toronto, Center’s American College Theatre The Intelligent Design of Jenny Canada, where he wrote his mas- Festival and her production of A Chow. He worked as SCR’s stage ter’s thesis on the use of the Sick World was part of in the manager for the Second Stage pro- British quarterstaff. He has O’Neill Summer Festival. Her solo ductions of The Dazzle, True West, worked extensively across the US play, Salvadorian Moon/African Play Strindberg, the world pre- and Canada for the last ten years, Sky, was commissioned by the miere of But Not for Me and the choreographing and teaching Cornerstone Theatre Company Pacific Playwrights Festival pro- movement and stage combat. He and performed by Ms. Woolery in duction of Landlocked. He also has held faculty positions at York their citywide Festival of Faith. was stage manager of La Posada University, the Centre for Indige- She worked on the world pre- Mágica for two seasons and SCR’s nous Theatre, the University of miere of ’s Living Out Festival Latino ’97 production of Southern California, Cal State Uni- and Annie Weisman’s A Totally Rick Najera’s Latinologues. He versity, Long Beach, Cal Poly Meaningful Ritual at the Mark has worked as assistant stage Pomona and the Cerritos Center Taper Forum. Ms. Woolery is an manager on the Mainstage pro- for the Performing Arts. His work Associate Artist with Cornerstone ductions of New England, Our can currently be seen in Master Theatre Company, an active mem- Town and Arcadia, and the Sec- and Commander: The Far Side of ber of the Virginia Avenue Project, ond Stage productions of BAFO the World (20th Century Fox) and playwright in residence for Holly- and Three Days of Rain. Mr. on the History Channel program grove Children’s Home in Los An- Tucker has worked at the Long “Conquest.” geles, Instructor at Beach Civic Light Opera on No, and Director of SCR’s Young Con- No, Nanette, Can Can, A Chorus (Assistant Di- servatory. Currently, her produc- Line, The King and I and Man of rector) is an actor, director and tion of Bryan Davidson’s Reflect- La Mancha. If you can’t find him playwright who has worked at ing Back can be seen at the Los in the theatre, he is likely to be on SCR, the Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles Central Library as part of the diamond. Angeles Theatre Center, Corner- their American Originals exhibit. stone Theatre, Deaf-West Theatre, She is also a proud member of the DAVID EMMES (Producing Artistic fofo Theatre, Highways Perfor- Lincoln Theatre Center’s Directors Director) is co-founder of SCR, mance Space, A Noise Within, Lab West. one of the largest professional res- Sundance Playwrights Lab as well ident theatres in California. He as the Sundance Children’s The- *JAMIE A. TUCKER (Stage Manag- has received numerous awards for atre. As a director and playwright, er) completed his MFA in Dance, productions he has directed dur- she has created and collaborated specializing in Stage Management, ing SCR’s 39-year history, includ- on many new works including Or- at UCI in 1994. This season he ing a 1999 Los Angeles Drama phan Train: The Lost Children, has stage managed Anna in the Critics Circle Award for the direc- The Snow Teen, BLISS, I Slept with Tropics and last year stage man- tion of George Bernard Shaw’s Jack Kerouac, Lapin and Lapino- aged the world premiere of The Philanderer. He directed the va, California Scenarios and the ’s The Violet world premieres of ’s adaptation of Eleanor Estes’ The Hour, the West Coast premiere of The Beard of Avon and Freedom- Hundred Dresses. Her award-win- ’s The Carpetbagger’s land, Thomas Babe’s Great Day

ANTIGONE by Sophocles translated by Brendan Kennelly directed by January 23 – February 29 One of the most powerful figures in the history of theatre comes to vibrant life in a bold new production of this riveting classic. Call (714) 708-5555 or buy online at www.scr.org

Lovers and Executioners •SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P11 in the Morning, Keith Reddin’s of the plays produced here in the with David Emmes, he accepted Rum and Coke and But Not for Me last 39 years. He has distin- SCR’s 1988 Tony Award for Out- and Neal Bell’s Cold Sweat; the guished himself in the staging of standing Resident Professional American premiere of Terry John- contemporary work, including Theatre and won the 1995 Theatre son’s Unsuitable for Adults; the Horton Foote’s The Carpetbagger’s LA Ovation Award for Lifetime West Coast premieres of C.P. Tay- Children and the world premiere Achievement. Mr. Benson re- lor’s Good and Harry Kondoleon’s of his Getting Frankie Married— ceived his BA in Theatre from Cal- Christmas on Mars; and the South- and Afterwards, the critically ac- ifornia State University, San Fran- land premiere of Top Girls (at SCR claimed California premiere of cisco. and the Westwood Playhouse). William Nicholson’s Shadowlands, Other productions include the Athol Fugard’s Playland, Brian PAULA TOMEI (Managing West Coast premieres of Three Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, Director) is responsible for the Viewings by Jeffrey Hatcher, The David Mamet’s Oleanna, Harold overall administration of South Secret Rapture by David Hare and Pinter’s The Homecoming, David Coast Repertory and has been New England by Richard Nelson; Hare’s Skylight and the West Coast Managing Director since 1994. A and Arcadia by Tom Stoppard, premieres of Peter Hedges’ Good member of the SCR staff since Six Degrees of Separation by John As New and Martin McDonagh’s 1979, she has served in a number Guare, The Importance of Being The Lonesome West. He has won of administrative capacities includ- Earnest by Oscar Wilde, Ayck- accolades for his direction of five ing Subscriptions Manager, Busi- bourn’s Woman in Mind and Rel- major works by George Bernard ness Manager and General Manag- atively Speaking and You Never Shaw, including the Los Angeles er. She currently serves as Presi- Can Tell by George Bernard Shaw, Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) dent of the Theatre Communica- which he restaged for the Singa- Award winners Major Barbara, tions Group (TCG), the national pore Festival of Arts. His produc- Misalliance and Heartbreak service organization for the pro- ing responsibilities involve the House. Among the numerous fessional not-for-profit theatre. In overall coordination of SCR’s pro- world premieres he has directed addition, she has served as Trea- grams and projects. He has are Tom Strelich’s BAFO and Mar- surer of TCG, Vice President of served as a consultant to the Or- garet Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-win- the League of Resident Theatres ange County Performing Arts Cen- ning , which he also directed (LORT) and has been a member ter and as a theatre panelist and at Seattle Repertory Theatre and of the LORT Negotiating Commit- onsite evaluator for the National the in Houston. He tee for industry-wide union agree- Endowment for the Arts. He has has directed American classics in- ments. She represents SCR at na- served on the Executive Commit- cluding Ah, Wilderness!, A Street- tional conferences of TCG and tee of the League of Resident The- car Named Desire, A Delicate Bal- LORT; is a theatre panelist and site atres, and as a panelist for the Cal- ance and All My Sons. Mr. Benson visitor for the National Endow- ifornia Arts Council. After attend- has been honored with the ment for the Arts and the Califor- ing College, he re- Drama-Logue Award for his direc- nia Arts Council; served on the ceived his BA and MA from Cali- tion of 21 productions and re- Advisory Committee for the Arts fornia State University, San Fran- ceived LADCC Distinguished Administration Certificate Program cisco, and his PhD in theatre and Achievement in Directing awards at the University of California, film from USC. an unparalleled seven times for Irvine; and has been a guest lec- the three Shaw productions, John turer in the graduate school of MARTIN BENSON (Artistic Direc- Millington Synge’s Playboy of the business at Stanford. She graduat- tor) shares co-founder credit and Western World, Arthur Miller’s The ed from the University of Califor- artistic leadership of SCR with his Crucible, Sally Nemeth’s Holy nia, Irvine with a degree in Eco- colleague David Emmes. As one Days and Wit. He also directed nomics and pursued an additional of SCR’s chief directors, Mr. Ben- the film version of Holy Days course of study in theatre and son has directed nearly one third using the original SCR cast. Along dance.

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 Man- Artists Local USA-829, IATSE. labor union. agers in the .

P12 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • Lovers and Executioners