Playlab Artistic Director Presents
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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 supporting Florida 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, “the play 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