Mainstage Playbill Richard Hopkins, Producing Artistic Director

Jeffrey Plunkett. Photo by Matthew Holler.

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY by James Lecesne CAST Jeffrey Plunkett*

Scenic Designer Costume Designer Sound Designer Stephen Dunham Adrienne Webber Thomas Korp

Lighting Designer Asst. Lighting Designer Mike Wood Anthony LeFebvre

Stage Manager Roy Johns*

Directed by Kate Alexander Season Underwriters Dennis & Graci McGillicuddy and Anne H.S. Nethercott Co-Producer Gulf Coast Community Foundation Additional sound research provided by Jeffery Plunkett. The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey runs 70 minutes without intermission The video or audio recording of this performance by any means is strictly prohibited. Original Off-Broadway Production produced by Darren Bagert and Daryl Roth. Originally developed and first presented at Dixon Place in New York City. THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. * Denotes member Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. ARTIST PROFILES JEFFREY PLUNKETT FST: the recipient of numerous acting, directing, and The Exonerated, Freud’s Last public service awards, including FAER, She Knows Session, The Columnist, Race, Where She’s Going Award (Girls, Inc.), The Woman Sylvia, Opus, Permanent of Light Award, National Council of Jewish Women, Collection (Best Actor The Woman of Power Award, the Sarasota County Nominnee - Sarasota Arts Leadership Award, Education Award, Sarasota Magazine), Pure Confidence, Manatee Jewish Federation, and most recently the The Gambol of Love, The God Unity Award. Ms. Alexander leads the FST Forums of Isaac. NEW YORK: Cherry Lane Theatre (with Mia Series and developed the Blue Butterfly Theatre Dillon and Joyce Van Patten), Manhattan Theatre Program, a program for teens suffering from grief Source (NY Innovative Theatre Award Nominee), through loss. She created the Art of The Gesture Algonquin Theatre, Broad Horizons. Jeffrey played program at Ringling College of Animation and is Greg in over 350 performances of The Sum of Us. the co-author of The Animated Short, with Karen REGIONAL: Syracuse Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Sullivan, now in its 2nd edition. Capitol Rep, Pennsylvania Stage Company, Three ROY JOHNS (Stage Manager) is pleased to be Rivers’ Shakespeare Festival, Chicago’s Body Politic, back for another season at FST. He has had an Pennsylvania Centre Stage, Geva, Fairfield Theatre exciting and varied career both on stage and Company, South Jersey Regional Theatre, and The behind the scenes from Tokyo Disneyland to the Metro Lyric Opera. TV: All My Children, Deadline. White House. Past credits at FST include Burt & Me; FILM: Millennium Crisis, Firefly, Solar Vengeance, Rich Girl; brownsville song (b-side for tray); Million Alien Uprising, and Clonehunters. Dollar Quartet; The God of Isaac; The Roommate; KATE ALEXANDER (Director) is the Associate The Fabulous Lipitones; Alabama Story; Outside Director of FST and the Founder of the FST Theatre Mullingar; One Man, Two Guvnors; The Hound of School. Ms. Alexander has directed numerous the Baskervilles; Chapatti; Hairspray; and Taking productions and premieres on the FST stages Shakespeare. including The Exonerated, brownsville song (b-side STEPHEN DUNHAM (Scenic Designer) is the for tray); Clever Little Lies; Alabama Story; Outside Assisant Techinical Director and Shop Foreman at Mullingar; Over The River And Through The Woods; FST. For six years he has been working professionally Chapatti; Dancing Lessons; Becoming Dr. Ruth; and as a freelance Technical Director, Shop Foreman, Freud’s Last Session; Thurgood; South Beach Babylon; On-Set Dresser (Film), & Scenic Designer. Some of The Columnist; Talley’s Folly; Jericho; Next Fall; The his favorite design credits include: 1776, Once on Savannah Disputation; Ghost- Writer; Two Jews This Island, Into The Woods, Tartuffe, A Funny Thing Walk into a War...; I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Happened on the Way to the Forum, Rumors, Twelfth Change; Sylvia; Shotgun; The Miamians; Brooklyn Night, and Seussical The Musical. Boy; The Exonerated; Wit; Proof; Lobby Hero; and Ten Unknowns. Ms. Alexander has also been a resident ADRIENNE WEBBER (Costume Designer) is actress for over 25 years. Some of her leading the current Florida Studio Theatre Costume Shop roles were: Edward Albee’s The Goat; Filumena; Manager. She has designed and coordinated Master Class; Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women, costumes for The Barter Theatre, The Barter Players, The Occupant , The Play About the Baby; Golda’s Chautauqua Opera, FSU MFA film and video Balcony; and Taking Shakespeare. Ms. Alexander is program, FSU MFA acting program, Asolo Children’s tour program, Sarasota Players and Anna Maria Island ARTIST PROFILES Island Players. Her most recent designs were The Creative Loafing “Best of the Bay” best lighting Hound of the Baskervilles and Lady in Black for The designer. Mike is excited to return to FST for a 4th Barter Theatre. She is happy to be back in Sarasota time. Proud member, United Scenic Artists USA- with her new FST family. 829. @mikewoodld / www.mikewoodld.com MIKE WOOD (Lighting Designer) is a theatrical THOMAS KORP (Sound Designer) is a former FST lighting designer whose work has been seen intern. After his departure in 2013, he traveled throughout the country. He is currently the director abroad from 2014 - 2017 under Royal Caribbean of technical theatre at Collegiate School in New York Cruise Lines as an onboard sound technician. City, the nation’s oldest independent school. Mike Design credits include Talley’s Folly; The Columnist; also served on faculty at Howard W. Blake School The West Side Waltz; Freud’s Last Session; A Chorus of the Arts and Hillsborough Community College in Line; Grounded; Rich Girl; Burt & Me. Mixing Credits: Tampa. Awards: 2013, 2014, 2015 Theatre Tampa Next to Normal; Das Barbecu; Smokey Joe’s Café; The Bay Awards for Outstanding Lighting Design, 2014, World Goes Round; Tango: Buenos Aires; We Will 2015, 2016 BroadwayWorld Regional Awards, 2015 Rock You. SEASON UNDERWRITERS DENNIS & GRACI MCGILLICUDDY FST are values that we so strongly believe in. As a is important to us because we believe so consequence, it is a privilege for us to be a part strongly in the transformative power of the of, and supportive of this great theater. arts. For close to 30 years now, we have been ANNE H.S. NETHERCOTT When asked to so fortunate to experience first-hand how define giving, Anne said: “My mother used to that transformative power works its magic in say, ‘The best way to find you is to lose yourself, the hands of an organization that is not only by focusing on the needs of others rather than experienced and dedicated, but so highly on oneself.’ So, giving has always been an skilled in their craft. The values of the theater important family value, which in childhood and its leadership, as reflected in its mission, was reinforced by the community experience and as manifested in its work, whether it be of surviving The Depression.” Anne is proud to on the main stage, in the cabaret, and in its be a supporter of FST. education and community outreach programs, CO-PRODUCER GULF COAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION home of more than 600 families who have Together with its donors, Gulf Coast established charitable funds here, and we have Community Foundation transforms our region invested over $227 million in grants in the through bold and proactive philanthropy. Gulf areas of health and human services, civic and Coast is a public charity that was created in economic development, education, arts and 1995 through the sale of the Venice Hospital. culture, and the environment. Learn more at Since then, we have become the philanthropic GulfCoastCF.org FST FORUMS ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT JAMES LECESNE James recently starred in the critically acclaimed Off- Broadway and Los Angeles productions of his one-person, nine-character show, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, which won an Outer Critics Cricle Award, an Off Broadway Alliance Award, a United Solo Special Award and was nominated for Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk awards. James’ first one-man play,Word of Mouth, was presented Off-Broadway by Mike Nichols & Elaine May, directed by Eve Ensler and received the NY Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Solo Performance. Word of Mouth went on to be performed in Los Angeles (LA Weekly Theater Award), at the HBO Comedy Festival in Aspen, and in many cities throughout the U.S. Last year, New York Stage and Film produced the premiere of his play, Mother of Invention, starring Linda Lavin. Other theater credits as an actor include Gore Vidal’s The Best Man on Broadway, One Man Band, directed by Jack Hofsiss, Cloud 9, directed by Tommy Tune, Extraordinary Measures, written & directed by Eve Ensler, the 30th anniversary production of The Boys in the Band, directed by Ken Elliot, I Am My Own Wife, The Mystery of Irma Vep (both at the Hartford Stage Co) and the premiere of Motherhood Out Loud at Primary Stages and at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. He has also appeared on television in Sex and the City and in the filmsHome for the Holidays, Broadway Damage and Motherhood. James wrote the screenplay for the short filmTrevor , which received an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short. He has published two young adult novels, Absolute Brightness and Virgin Territory and he wrote The Road Home: Stories of Children of War, which was presented at the International Peace Initiative at The Hague. He also co-edited the recently published The Letter Q (Scholastic, Inc.). For television, James adapted Armistead Maupin’s Further Tales of the City for Showtime (Emmy Nomination), wrote one of the final episodes ofWill & Grace and is a story consultant on this season’s ITV series Vicious starring Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi. He executive produced the award winning documentary filmAfter The Storm, about life in New Orleans for young people following Hurricane Katrina and is the co-founder of The Trevor Project, the only 24 hour crisis intervention and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQ teens. He also regularly speaks to corporate and educational groups on issues related to diversity awareness. James is profiled in the recently published Everyday Heroes (Welcome Books). FST COMPANY BOARD OF TRUSTEES COMMUNITY RESOURCE GROUP President...... Dennis McGillicuddy Gaele Barthold Valerie Joels Vice-President...... Richard Hopkins Jan Coleman Marie Kropp Secretary/Treasurer...... Tom Hayes Larry Coleman Frank Malickson Trustee...... Kate Alexander Maddy Freshwater Graci McGillicuddy Trustee...... Carol Poteat Buchanan Sy Goldblatt Dick Nimtz Trustee...... Georgia Court Sydney Goldstein Ina Schnell Trustee...... Patricia Courtois Jim Goldman Alan Schottenstein Trustee...... Jeff Hotchkiss Trustee...... Barbara Lupoff Sandy Goldman Lois Schottenstein Robert Grady Lois Stulberg Trustee...... ­ Jennifer Michell­ EXECUTIVE STAFF Wendy Grady Charlie Ann Syprett Producing Artistic Director...... Richard Hopkins Robert Israeloff Martin Taffel Associate Director...... Kate Alexander Bonny Israeloff Managing Director...... Rebecca Hopkins AUDIENCE ENRICHMENT GROUP ARTISTIC STAFF Hon. Larry L. Eger Dr. Eddy Regnier Director of Artistic Operations...... Greg London Mr. Trevor Harvey Ina Schnell Casting/Hiring Coordinator...... James Ashford Innocence Project Commissioner Willie Resident Pianist...... Jim Prosser of Florida Charles Shaw Associate Artist...... Jason Cannon Associate Artist...... Catherine Randazzo The Jewish Federation Mr. Howard Tevlowitz Assistant to the Artistic Director...... Doris Iemolo of Sarasota-Manatee Chief Judge Charles Director of Improvisation...... Will Luera Gilbert King E. Williams PRODUCTION STAFF OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE Production Manager...... Bruce Price House Counsel...... John Patterson Mainstage Stage Manager...... Roy Johns Facility Custodian...... Carlos De Oliveira Asst. Tech Dir./Scene Shop Supervisor...... Stephen Dunham ...... Confidence Cleaning Company Carpenter...... Garrett Wilson Caretaker...... Doctor Nik Costume Shop Manager...... Adrienne Webber Sound Supervisor...... Thom Korp INTERN PROGRAM Props/Paint Supervisor...... Kristine Kreutzer Acting Apprentice...... Davion T. Brown ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Acting Apprentice...... Michael Fraser IT Manager...... Lee Schlosser Acting Apprentice...... Kihresha Redmond Business Manager...... Carmen Gonzalez Acting Apprentice...... Brianna Roche Business Office Associate...... Jennifer Fullman Asst. to the Managing Dir...... Phyllis Silverman Artistic/Co. Mgmt Intern...... Robin Mackey Operations Manager...... Mark Quackenbush Company Management Intern...... Dianna Burgos Facilities Manager...... Joseph Goepfrich Costume Intern...... Shaye Hurst General Manager...... Jill Zakrzewski Development Intern...... Amanda Moths Events Coord/Gen Mgmt Asst...... Christina Charlotte Directing Intern...... Michael Galvez Company Manager...... Luke Johnson Education & Outreach Intern...... Maclain Hardin Marketing Director...... Becca Jennings Literary/Playwriting Intern...... Alexander Hehr Public Relations Associate...... Nicole Clayton Literary Intern...... Alexander Charles Adams Marketing Associate...... David Meiers Literary Intern...... Lydia Baxter Marketing Assistant...... Alexandria Hill Literary Intern...... Melanie Slusar Director of Indiv. Giving...... Melody Mora-Shihadeh Prod./Lighting Intern...... Bryce Benson Development Associate...... Samus Haddad Prod./Carpentry Intern...... Marco Acosta Development Associate...... Corriane Oster Prod./Sound Intern...... Jonathan Baker Application Systems Manager...... Kathleen Smith Production Management Intern...... Kristina Ramos Box Office Manager...... Kelsey Wehde Stage Management Intern...... Rebecca Li Grady Asst. Box Office Manager...... Gigi Delpero Stage Management Intern...... Kelsey Peavyhouse Asst. Box Office Manager...... David Wallace Asst. Box Office Manager...... Noah Scheibmeir Stage Management Intern...... Addison Powers Box Office Assistant...... Amy Beach Stage Management Intern...... Jynelly Rosario Restaurant Manager...... Tom Curry Summer Camp Intern...... David Anthony Restaurant Manager...... Karen Kraster Summer Camp Intern...... Megan Bentley Restaurant Manager...... Josh Rodoski Summer Camp Intern...... Jordan Davis Receptionist...... Joan O’Dowd Summer Camp Intern...... Reuben Roberts Administrative Assistant...... Bart Dolce Summer Camp Intern...... Brianna Tschuor EDUCATION & TOURS Summer Camp Intern...... Rachel Weaver Director of Children’s Theatre...... Caroline Kaiser Director of Education...... Christine Hopkins Education Administrator...... Pamela Smith Teaching Artist/YPF Coordinator...... Adam Ratner Education Group Sales Assoc...... Hannah Bagnall 941.366.9000 1241 North Palm Avenue • Downtown Sarasota, FL 34236 www.floridastudiotheatre.org • [email protected]