FLORIDA REPERTORY THEATRE 2014-2015 SEASON

HISTORIC ARCADE THEATRE • FORT MYERS RIVER DISTRICT ROBERT CACIOPPO, PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JASON PARRISH, PLAYLAB ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PRESENTS

The 2nd Annual PlayLab A Festival of New Plays and Emerging Writers of American Theatre

IN THE ArtStage STUDIO THEATRE WHERE I DWELL by Cynthia Babak APR 30 @ 8:00pm • MAY 2 @ 2:00pm J’OY VEY by Lojo Simon & Anita Yellin Simons MAY 1 @ 8:00pm • MAY 3 @ 2:00pm

A Special World Premiere Presentation of Journey To Oz by Christopher T. Parks MAY 2 @ 10:30am IN THE HISTORIC ARCADE THEATRE

THE DINGDONG THE FIRESTORM by Mark Shanahan by Meridith Friedman MAY 2 @ 5:00pm MAY 3 @ 5:00pm

2014-15 GRAND SEASON SPONSORS

GE Foundation

The Fred & Jean Allegretti Foundation • Bruce & Janet Bunch • Cheryl & David Copham Gholi & Georgia Darehshori • Ed & Ellie Fox • 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 Florida Repertory Theatre’s Ensemble of Theatre Artists A Special World Premiere Presentation! Welcome May 2, 10:30am JOURNEY TO OZ By Christopher T. Parks † Dear Theatre Lover, Directed by Jason Parrish Stage Managed by Olivia Palmer Commissioned by Florida Repertory Theatre for its Children’s Theatre Series. Thank you so much for supportingFlorida Repertory Theatre as we enter the next SPONSORED BY THE ALAN and JACQUELIN CADKIN FOUNDATION exciting phase of artistic growth: developing new plays and nurturing emerging & Original Music Sponsored by LCEC established playwrights. Since its founding, Florida Rep has endeavored to “nurture an ensemble of artists who work on a wide variety of plays,” and with the implementation of L. Frank Baum’s classic stories have been delighting readers around the world for over a cen- tury, and Southwest Florida Audiences were the first to experience these beloved tales like never PlayLab last spring, Florida Rep formally welcomed the Playwright into that ensemble, and before in a unique and interactive adaptation by renowned children’s theatre author, Christopher expands its signature ‘variety’ by making a commitment to producing new works. T. Parks. Journey to Oz will take audiences on an epic adventure from the Kansas prairie on the wings of a cyclone to the magical Land of Oz. Students, parents, and teachers will travel with Our common goal in bringing you the first-rate theatre productions you deserve has Dorothy and Toto down the yellow brick road to find the Wizard and will narrowly escape the always been to honor the play – after all, as Hamlet said, “theplay is the thing” – and now Wicked Witch of the West. Join the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion on an unforgettable journey home. we are pleased to begin honoring new plays by incubating them here in Fort Myers, and by providing playwrights with a safe laboratory in which to workshop their plays with CAST actors, directors, designers, and most importantly, with an audience. Courtney Feiman • Bailey Heinz • Mike Magliocca Elise Lorraine Miller • Kayla Christine Tomas During this intensive weekend festival, you will be a part of the development process on four Christopher T. Parks is the Artistic Director of The Experiential new works, and get to see two World Premiere productions of plays that had readings in Theater Company, which brings immersive, interactive theater to young the 2014 Festival: Split in Three by Daryl Lisa Fazio and Journey to Oz by Christopher audiences throughout the United States and United Kingdom. He is also the T. Parks. So keep in mind as you watch that each play is in consideration for a full Producing Director at Young Audiences NJ & Eastern Pennsylvania. As a production in our 2015-2016 Season. You are more than an audience member during the playwright his work has been seen at theaters all over the country including festival. You are an integral part of the PlayLab, and we welcome your feedback in each of The Children’s Theater of Charlotte, Alaska Junior Theater, McCarter Theatre Center, The John F. Kennedy Center (New Visions/New Voices 2010), New the post-show discussions. Jersey Renaissance Kingdom, Connecticut Renaissance Festival, Long Island Children’s Museum, Maryland Publick Playhouse, Goodwill Theatre, Acadiana Center With the opening of the PlayLab Festival, and our production of the WORLD for the Arts, and here for Florida Rep’s Educational Touring Program. Past productions include PREMIERE of Daryl Lisa Fazio’s Split in Three,Florida Rep joins an ever-growing list of The Odyssey Experience; Sunjata Kamalenya; The Adventures of Perseus; The Tempest, a Puppet theatres across the nation that give back to our art-form by pioneering and developing Play; Arabian Nights; Lucky Girl (co-wrote), The Scottish Play; Snow White; Quest for the Holy Grail; and some very silly adaptations of Hamlet, Julius Caesar, and Romeo and Juliet for the new works that will one day become the classics of our age. We thank you for your Post-Haste Players comedy troupe. Christopher created the interactive style of theater called involvement, enthusiasm, and support as we turn a page and begin work on a new chapter Experiential Theater and has been a guest lecturer on the subject at NYU; Rose Bruford College, in Florida Rep’s story. London; Manhattanville College; and Columbia University. Chris’ play, The Odyssey Experience has been chosen to tour throughout Ireland in October of 2014 as part of the prestigious Babaró Thank you, International Children’s Theater Festival. He is delighted to be returning to Florida Rep and looks forward to accompanying Bob, Carrie, and Jason on an amazing journey! The Experiential Theater Company Under the direction of Christopher Parks, the Experiential Theater Company is dedicated to creating quality immersive theater productions for young audiences and their families. Student and family audiences typically come to the theater expecting to see a play, but what they find out very quickly when they see our productions is that they are there to be in a play. They take on roles as co-creators and collaborators who sing, dance, and act alongside professional performers. It is a safe environment, Florida Rep is a proud so whatever our audience’s interest in participating, everyone feels just as welcome to watch as those Robert Cacioppo Jason Parrish Associate Member of the National Producing Artistic Director PlayLab Artistic Director New Play Network in Washington, who come up and play. The focus of our company’s work comes from collaborations with partner DC, the country’s alliance of theaters and organizations across the US and United Kingdom. In 2014-2015 we are looking forward to nonprofit theaters that champion reaching thousands of children with our friends at Trike Theatre; Babaró International Children’s Theater the development, production, and Festival, Galway; Florida Rep; Rose Bruford College, London; Long Island Children’s Museum; Young continued life of new plays. Audiences NJ & EPA; and Clark PAC. “If you’re in the room, you’re in the show!” PlayLab PlayLab May 3, 5:00pm Apr 30, 8:00pm THE FIRESTORM May 2, 2:00pm By Meridith Friedman WHERE I DWELL Directed by Barry Cavin by Cynthia Babak Stage Managed by Joshua Brown Directed by Greg Longenhagen† Stage Managed by Joshua Brown When a racially charged prank from a gubernatorial candidate’s past emerges in the media, his African-American wife is thrust to the forefront of his campaign. When a health crisis hits the matriarch of the Keane family of South Boston, she insists her Charged with defending her white husband against accusations of racism and saving the campaign from collapse, she begins to have serious questions about the husband invite their estranged son home for Christmas. Meanwhile the Keane’s once insular very foundation of her marriage. neighborhood is undergoing a seismic change. The journey from here to Christmas will make everyone reconsider where they dwell—within their own bodies, their family, their closest relationships, and their community. A play about loving fiercely! CAST Gaby...... Robin LeMon* CAST Patrick...... Zolan Henderson* James...... Tad Ingram* Leslie...... Courtney Feiman Rose...... Patti Gardner* The Man...... Robert Richards Jimmy...... Britt Michael Gordon Stage Directions Read by Joshua Brown Arlene...... Elise Lorraine Miller Paul...... Joey Panek* Meridith Friedman was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and raised in Christine...... Brittany Albury Honolulu, Hawaii. She received her BA from Connecticut College, and her Sean...... Christopher Brent MFA in Writing for the Stage & Screen from Northwestern University. Her work has been developed and performed at The Kennedy Center, Chicago Bartholomew...... Nuniez Philor Dramatists, The Greenhouse Theatre Center, Curious Theatre Company, Walter/Foreman/Doctor...... Mike Magliocca the NNPN National New Play Showcase, New Repertory Theatre, The Lark, Stage Directions Read by Kayla Christine Tomas Actor’s Express, Kitchen Dog Theatre, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Stage Left, the Samuel French OOB Short Play Festival, The American Southwest Theatre Company at NMSU, LOCAL Theatre Company, and The Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Cynthia Babak is a multi-disciplinary theatre artist living in Musicals. She was the NNPN Playwright-in-Residence at Curious Theatre Company for Brooklyn, NY. Where I Dwell is Cynthia’s first full-length play; it was their 2010-2011 season, a 2012-2013 Dramatist Guild Fellow, and the recipient of a 2013- workshopped at The Lanyard Theatre in Bath, Maine (2008). Her 2014 Downstage Left Playwriting Residency at Stage Left Theatre. She was awarded the 2014 one-act, Too Much Candy, was produced by Brave New World Rep in NNPN Annual Commission to write and develop a new play with Curious Theatre Company, conjunction with Company XVI as part of The Halloween Plays (2010); The Luckiest People. Meridith has taught playwriting and screenwriting at Kenyon College, and her one-act, In the Skin, was a semi-finalist for the O’Neill Theatre Northwestern University, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and Curious Theatre Company. She Conference (2007). She directed Lynn Nottage’s Fabulation, or the is currently working on the books for two new musicals. Re-Education of Undine, and Arthur Miller’s The American Clock, also for Brave New World Rep, and continues to direct for high schools and private schools in the NYC area. 2015 Play Reading Committee SPECIAL THANKS TO As actress, she has inhabited a wide range of roles, and especially loves creating roles in new plays. She recently appeared as a comically evil town gossip in Leegrid Steven’s The Viki Boyle • Rachel Burttram • Chris Clavelli Spirits of Bacchus Twelfth Labor, in NYC. With actress Michael Huston she writes and performs sketch Bryelle Dafeldecker • Courtney Feiman comedy under the dubious title of Babes in the Woods. She is a core member of Hook & Arts for ACT Summer Groh • Britt Michael Gordon Eye Theatre, appearing in the devised workThe Summoners last season (collaborating now Gary Stroh & Cypress Lake Center for Carrie Lund • Mike Magliocca • John Martin on a piece about the concepts and life of Buckminster Fuller), and a founding member Elise Miller • Olivia Palmer • Jason Parrish the Arts of Brave New World Rep Theatre in Brooklyn. Cynthia is also a long-time member of Brendan Powers • Lauren Sale • Carolann Sanita Florida Rep’s Administrative Staff WritersGroupNYC, whom she thanks for their input and support in all her writing, Kayla Tomas • Gerritt Vandermeer The Deli especially Where I Dwell. PlayLab PlayLab May 1, 8:00pm May 2, 5:00pm May 3, 2:00pm THE DINGDONG J’OY VEY By Mark Shanahan By Lojo Simon & Anita Yellin Simons Adapted from “Le Dindon” by Georges Feydeau Stage Managed by Lilly Baxley Directed by Robert Cacioppo**† Stage Managed by Lilly Baxley The Dingdongis a zany, hilarious, and delightfully naughty adaptation of a French sex comedy by Georges Feydeau—the father of the modern farce! From the comic mind of Broadway actor and noted director, Gammy Leigh has big plans for her holiday overnighter with her infant grandbabies, including Mark Shanahan (director of Florida Rep hits Around the World in 80 Days and Hound of the Baskervilles), a surprise visit from Santa. She isn’t alone with her twin grandbabies for five minutes when comes a refreshingly funny, irreverent, and stylish adaptation of a Classic FARCE! Set in Paris in the Bubbie Arlene unexpectedly shows up at the door armed with Chanukah gifts galore and luxurious 1930s, The Dingdong follows the outrageous sexploits of three couples who are caught in the a know-it-all attitude that even the most mellow Gammy can’t abide. Thus begins a fierce middle of a VERY complicated love triangle—and everyone is in way over their heads! competition for the title of World’s Best Grandma! CAST CAST Actor 1 (Lucy, etc)...... Carolann Sanita * Leigh...... Sara Morsey*† Actor 2 (Pontegnac, etc)...... Jason Parrish*† Arlene...... Carrie Lund*† Actor 3 (Vatelin)...... Gerritt Vandermeer* Stage Directions Read by Kiara Feliciano Actor 4 (Redillon, etc.)...... Daniel Benzing Actor 5 (Mme. Pont, etc)...... Olivia Williamson Lojo Simon plays include Adoration of Dora (Idiom Theatre, U Idaho, Stage Directions Read by Lilly Baxley KCACTF/ATHE David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award), Controlled Burn (OC-Centric Finalist, Missoula Colony), Moscow (Sam French Off Off Broadway Festival, City Theatre National Short Play Award, KCACTF Mark Shanahan makes his play writing debut at Florida Rep with Ten Minute Play Award, Tribal Humor Festival, Best of Tribal Humor), The Dingdong. Mr. Shanahan previously directed this season’s Around the Ginger America (T. Schreiber Theatre, Badass Theatre), Nice & Slow (Noorda World in 80 Days and last year’s The Hound Of The Baskervilles. In 2014, Theatre Center for Children). Plays with Anita Simons:Heartlabd (Dayton he directed the World Premiere of Mark Brown’s Tom Jones at Florida Playhouse FutureFest winner, David Mark Cohen award runner up) and J’oy Studio Theatre. Additional directing credits include The Alley Theatre, Vey (Florida Rep PlayLAB). Publications include Heartland (Sense Publishers) and Mi Corazon The Hangar Theatre, Theatre Squared, Penguin Rep, Merrimack Rep, (excerpt, International Center for Women Playwrights). These and other of Lojo’s plays have been The Cape Playhouse, and The Westport Country Playhouse, as well as at presented in California, Connecticut, DC, Florida, Idaho, Montana, New York, Ohio, Oregon, The George Street Playhouse, The Depot Theatre, The Weston Playhouse, Washington and Wisconsin. Lojo is also a dramaturg, working on new play development and and the Fulton Opera House. New York acting credits include Checkers (The Vineyard Theatre, production dramaturgy. She works part-time in the artistic department at Laguna Playhouse, and directed by Terry Kinney), Tryst, The Shaughraun (The Irish Repertory Theatre), the original holds an MFA from University of Idaho. More at www.lojosimon.com Broadway company of The 39 Steps (American Airlines and The Cort Theatre, directed by Maria Aitken), As Bees In Honey Drown (Lucille Lortel Theatre),Philadelphia, Here I Come! Anita Yellin Simons is a political activist and playwright who combines (Roundabout), The Internationalist (45 Bleecker and Fairfield Theatre Company), Downwinders, both her love of history and activism in her many award-winning plays. Her Lake Wanaga Macbeth, (Soho Rep), Madame Killer, Demon Baby (Ohio Theatre). Regional first playGoodbye Memories about Anne Frank before going into hiding, has theatre appearances include Tryst (WCP, Merrimack Rep, Hartford Theatreworks), Journey’s won numerous awards and had several productions and readings. Heartland, End (directed by Gregory Boyd), Sedition, Around the World In 80 Days (Westport Country about German POWs working on American farms and what happened to Playhouse), David Copperfield(directed by Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe), The Hollow, thousands of German-Americans sent to internment camps during WWII, Harvey, Hitchcock Blonde, Tryst, Treasure Island, Witness for the Prosecution, and Journey’s End had a production and placed second in the David Mark Cohen National (The Alley Theatre),Dial M For Murder (The Fulton Opera House), Dead Man’s Cell Phone Playwriting Award, and was recently published by Sense Publishers in their (Hartford Theatreworks),The West End Horror (Bay Street Theatre, Pioneer Theatre), One Foot social-fictions series. Later playsThis We’ll Defend, about female rape in the military, In Sanity, On The Floor (Denver Center Theatre), Andromeda Shack (The Kennedy Center),Augusta about a family’s struggle with teenage drug addiction, and Silence is Not Golden, about domestic (Merrimack Rep), Noises Off!, Bus Stop, Picasso at The Lapin Agile, and others. Film includes abuse, have all had successful readings with professional talk backs that spark stimulating Safe Men, Bug, Kinsey Three, Endsville, Mad About Harry. On television, Mark has appeared discussions and how to deal with each of the issues presented in the plays. Simons specializes in on David Letterman and All My Children. Mark is a graduate of Brown University, and holds thought-provoking theater with humor and pathos. an MA from Fordham University where he serves on the faculty. Mark is an award-winning voiceover artist and an Edgar Award-nominated playwright. www.mark-shanahan.net PlayLab PlayLab