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48th Season • 458th Production JULIANNE ARGYROS STAGE / JANUARY 8-29, 2012

Marc Masterson Paula Tomei ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MANAGING DIRECTOR David Emmes & Martin Benson FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

presents Topdog/Underdog

by Suzan-Lori Parks

Shaun Motley Soojin Lee Jaymi Smith SCENIC DESIGN Costume DESIGN Lighting Design

Sam Lerner Jackie S. Hill Kathryn Davies* Sound Design PRODUCTION MANAGER STAGE MANAGER

Directed by Seret Scott

Alan & Olivia Slutzky Honorary Producers

Produced on Broadway by , Waxman/Williams Entertainment, Bob Boyett, Freddy DeMann, Susan Dietz, Ina Meibach, Scott Nederlander, Ira Pittelman, Hits Magazine, Kelpie Arts, Rick Steiner/Frederic H. Mayerson, / Shakespeare Festival.

Original New York production by The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, George C. Wolfe, Producer.

Topdog/Underdog is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

Topdog/Underdog • • P1 CAST OF CHARACTERS (In order of appearance) Booth ...... Gary DeWitt Marshall* Lincoln ...... Curtis McClarin*

LENGTH Approximately two hours and 20 minutes with one intermission.

PRODUCTION STAFF Casting ...... Joanne DeNaut, CSA Production Assistant ...... Deb Chesterman, Julie Renfro Assistant to the Director ...... Adrian Balbontin Assistant Scenic Designer ...... Toi Whitaker Assistant to the Costume Designer ...... Claire Townsend Assistant Lighting Designer ...... Stacy McKenney Stage Management Intern ...... Alyssa Champo Light Board Operator ...... Matt Shipley Sound Board Operator ...... GW Rodriguez Wardrobe Supervisor/Dresser ...... Bert Henert, Alma Reyes

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Special thanks to Jonathan Levit.

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers.

Please refrain from unwrapping candy or making other noises that may disturb surrounding patrons. The use of cameras and recorders in the theatre is prohibited. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the theatre. Cellular phones, beepers and watch alarms should be turned off or set to non-audible mode during the performance.

Media Partner Media Partner

P2 • South Coast Repertory • Topdog/Underdog Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

opdog/Underdog considers nothing less And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller than the existential traps of being African- of the ground. American and male in the United States, the masks that wear the men as as vice And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought versa … This family portrait of two broth- of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. ers specializing in the sidewalk scam called Tthree-card monte is all about poses and pretenses, And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock large and small, that somehow take you to the and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto truth… Abel and to his offering: Topdog is of course a variation of sorts on the story of Cain and Abel, a tale that has traditionally But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. served American artists well in exploring the divided And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. nature of their country, from John Steinbeck’s East of Eden to Sam Shepard’s . And the LORD said unto Cain, Why thou wroth? and Ms. Parks gives the archetype her own dizzying why is thy countenance fallen? spin. Brotherly love and hatred is translat- ed into the terms of men who have If thou doest well, shalt thou not known since their be accepted? and if thou youth, when their par- doest not well, sin lieth ents walked out on at the door. And unto them, and who will thee shall be his de- never be able entirely sire, and thou shalt to trust anyone, in- rule over him. cluding (and espe- cially) each other. And Cain talked Implicit in their rela- with Abel his broth- tionship is the idea that er: and it came to to live is to con. pass, when they were That’s the central in the field, that Cain dynamic of Topdog, and rose up against Abel his it is reflected in everything brother, and slew him. from idle sexual boast- ing to truly murderous And the LORD said unto lies. The rhythms of three- Cain, Where is Abel thy card monte, demonstrated so brother? And he said, I smoothly by Lincoln and so in- know not: Am I my broth- eptly by Booth, are the rhythms er’s keeper? of the play. ~Genesis 4: 1-9 F~Ben Brantley F I am God in nature; And Adam knew Eve his wife; and I am a weed by the wall. she conceived, and bare Cain, and ~ from “Circles” said, I have gotten a man from the by Ralph Waldo Emerson LORD. Used as the epigraph to the published edition of And she again bare his brother Abel. Topdog/Underdog

Topdog/Underdog • South Coast Repertory • P3 The Moves and the Grooves n January 1999 I was think- the imagination of the uni- ing about a play I’d written Suzan-Lori Parks verse in a very deep way … seven years earlier called I think that we can’t dismiss The America Play. In that that, because all the world’s play’s first act we watch a a stage, and the costume black man who has fash- is very, very important. … ionedI a career for himself: He And he was shot in a theater sits in an arcade impersonat- by an actor. That’s what ing Abraham Lincoln and let- draws me to him a lot, also. ting people come and play at Costume? Free the slaves? shooting him dead—like John That’s icing on the gravy. Wilkes Booth shot our sixteenth Shot in a theater by an actor. president in 1865 during a per- How good is that? If you’re a formance at Ford’s Theatre. So playwright, it just doesn’t get I was thinking about my old any better than that. play when another black Lincoln ~From an interview con- impersonator, unrelated to the ducted by the Academy of first guy, came to mind: a new Achievement, June 2007 character for a new play. This time I would just focus on his hey were named Lincoln home life. This new Lincoln Tand Booth because it was impersonator’s real name would their father’s idea of a joke. be Lincoln. He would be a for- I thought it would be funny mer 3-card monte hustler. He would live with his broth- to have two brothers named Lincoln and Booth and see er, a man named Booth. how their story would play out. Would it play out as the My interest in 3-card monte began one day when original Lincoln and Booth—the Abraham Lincoln and my husband Paul and I were walking along Canal Street the John Wilkes Booth who had an encounter in 1865— and saw some guys doing the shell game. I was fascinated or would this one play out differently? So it’s fun to know because, while I’d seen the scam before, this time I had that those are their names, feel the weight of history and someone whispering a running commentary in my ear, the weight of destiny, and yet watch them live their lives a kind of play-by-play, explaining the ins and outs of the and see what happens at the end … scam, what was really going down. Sure enough the com- When you show yourself as a person, you focus on mentator was my husband. Turns out that, back in the your humanity and your possibility, and the possibilities days when he played in the Muddy Waters Blues Band, of the world you live in. You might only have this much Paul would, for fun, hustle 3-card monte between sets. So choice in your life, but if you exercise a bit of choice that when we got home that day he sat me down and showed you do have, then you have a life that is everything it’s me how to throw the cards. supposed to be rather than everything someone told you This is a play about family wounds and healing. it was going to be. And that’s what interests me about Welcome to the family. these guys. They were named Lincoln and Booth by their father, which sort of sets a certain life into motion, but ~Suzan-Lori Parks’ introduction to the they have choice—each moment of their lives they can published edition of Topdog/Underdog exercise the choice. ~From an interview on PBS “NewsHour,” April 2002 hat is it about Lincoln that hooks me first? It’s his Wcostume. That’s not irreverent or dissing Lincoln. here are two men in a room. Just take it for that … You know what I’m saying? It’s his costume: the hat, the TLincoln says, when he’s teaching Booth cards, “Don’t beard, the height. This is from a person who as a child think about the cards! Don’t think about anything. Just was very drawn to mythic characters. So the hat, the watch. Just look. Just take it in.” beard, the height, I think that that has burned itself in ~From an interview in , July 2001

P4 • South Coast Repertory • Topdog/Underdog Artist Biographies

Playwright, Director and Designers Gary DeWitt Marshall* Booth Suzan-Lori Parks (Playwright) is a writer whose is making his SCR debut. On plays include The Book Of Grace, Venus (OBIE Broadway, he originated the role Award), In The Blood, (Pulitzer Prize Finalist), Fuck- of “Freedom Fighter” Michael ing A, The America Play, Father Comes Home From Dube in the Tony Award nomi- The Wars, Part 1: The Union of My Confederate Parts, nated drama The Song of Jacob Topdog/Underdog and 365 Days/365 Plays (a year- Zulu. On television, Mr. Marshall long international collaboration involving over 700 played Detective John Smollers in “Life on Mars” and theatres; co-produced with Bonnie Metzgar). Her has guest-starred on “Without A Trace,” “Southland,” other plays include The Death Of The Last Black Man “New York Undercover,” “24,” “ER,” “Angel Street,” In The Whole Entire World, Devotees In The Garden “Matt Waters,” “Gemini Man” and “Unsolved Myster- Of Love and Imperceptible Mutabilities in the Third ies.” He has been featured in such films as The Hur- Kingdom (, Best New American Play). ricane, Renaissance Man, In & Out, New Jersey Drive, Recently, she was a part of Watch Me Work, a perfor- Love Walked In, Still Water and Game Day. Com- mance piece and meditation on the artistic process mercially, Mr. Marshall has endorsed such products at the Public Theater. Her Ray Charles musical, Un- as Comcast Cable, Lowes Home Improvement, AT&T, chain My Heart, is scheduled to premiere on Broad- Midas, Hallmark, McDonalds, Budweiser, Kay Jewel- way within the coming year. She is the subject of the ers, Remy Martin and Land Rover. Special thanks to family, friends and loved ones for your support, tol- erance and patience. Alan and Olivia Slutzky (Honorary Produc- ers) are second-generation SCR supporters, fol- Curtis McClarin* lowing in the footsteps of Alan’s parents, Joel and Lincoln Judy Slutzky, who became involved with SCR dur- ing the Second Step days in the late 1960s. Alan is making his SCR debut. On was introduced to SCR at a young age by his par- Broadway he appeared in Bring in ents, and after he and Olivia returned to Orange ’ Noise, Bring in the ’Da Funk County from Chicago, they joined the Platinum and Off-Broadway in The Good Circle in 2009 and became First Night subscribers Negro, Tartuffe and East Texas on the Argyros Stage, seeking the best cultural ex- Hot Links at The Public Theater; perience our region has to offer. Alan has served Dust at ; King Hedley II at Signature on the Board of Trustees since 2010 and he and Theatre; The Exonerated at Bleecker Street Theatre; Olivia generously support SCR’s Gala every year. and St. Stanislaus Outside the House at Manhattan The Slutzkys helped underwrite last season’s Class Company. Regional theatre credits include Silent Sky as members of the Playwrights Circle, Intimate Apparel at Two River Theater Company; and they are excited to be exclusive Honorary Lobby Hero at Public Theater; Elmina’s Producers for the first time, especially for a fasci- Kitchen, and Day of Absence at nating work like Topdog/Underdog. “We enjoy Centerstage; at Crossroads Theatre Company; everything that SCR does, but there are particu- The Day the Bronx Died and Ceremonies in Dark larly thought-provoking works that you connect Old Men at ; and Bailey’s Café at with, often unexpectedly,” Alan says. “Having that Hartford Stage. Television appearances include “The discussion together as we walk out of the theatre, Good Wife,” “Damages,” “Rescue Me,” “The Wire,” peeling the layers off the characters, we discover “Law & Order: SVU,” “Trial By Jury,” “Oz” and “The something relatable. It’s one of the great things Perry Story.” He appeared in the web series about the SCR experience.” “The Confession” and in the movies The Occupant, The Happening and Path to War.

Topdog/Underdog • South Coast Repertory • P5 PBS film The Topdog Diaries. Most of her plays are Denver’s Henry Award for Outstanding Production, and published by Theatre Communications Group. Her a as an actress. Directing nomina- first novel, Getting Mother’s Body, is published by tions include Connecticut Critics Circle, D.C.’s Helen Random House. Ms. Parks has a leading role in Plus Hayes and Beverly Hills’ NAACP Image awards. She is One, the fictional documentary that premiered at the on the executive board of SDC. Cannes Film Festival. Her additional work for film includes: as writer/director, Anemone Me (produced Shaun Motley (Scenic Design) has worked in by Christine Vachon and Todd Haynes); as writer, theater, television and film for the last 15 years. His Girl 6 (dir. Spike Lee); screenplays for Brad Pitt, work has been seen in theatres throughout the country Jodie Foster and others. She wrote the adaptation of including at SCR, at Their Eyes Were Watching God (staring Halle Berry) Geva Theatre, Home and Zooman and the Sign at for Presents. She is a recipient of a Signature Theatre, Lady Day at , Chuck MacArthur “Genius” Grant and won the 2002 Pulitzer Mee’s Full Circle and a new play History of Tears Prize for Topdog/Underdog. She is currently work- at the Abe Burrows Theater, The Roof at Sanford ing on a revival of Porgy and Bess that will open on Mesiner Theater, Po Boy Tango at East West Players, Broadway in December. She is at work on her sec- Leading Ladies at Perseverance Theatre, ond novel, serves The Public Theater as their Master at The Chance Theatre, Shining City at The Fountain Writer Chair and appears as an animated character Theatre and Frau Ohne Schatten at Zurich Opera on Nickelodeon Jr. For more information please visit House. Some of his credits as an art director include suzanloriparks.com. Mind the Gap (Eric Schaffer Film), The Cry (Redbone Productions), Nicky’s Game (Holland Productions), Seret Scott (Director) directed Fences, Crumbs From “Let’s Make A Deal” (CBS) and “Dance Your Ass Off” the Table of Joy and for SCR, as well (Oxygen Channel). His recent credits as second art as Tough Titty and Eye to Eye for the Pacific Playwrights director include “Lincoln Heights” (ABC Family), “The Festival. She is an associate artist at The Old Globe, Sopranos” (HBO), “The Book of Daniel” (NBC), “The where she has directed productions of The Constant Bronx is Burning” (ESPN), Pride and Glory and Be Wife, Two Trains Running, I Just Stopped By To See The Kind Rewind with (New Line Productions). He is an Man, Faith Healer and the world premiere of Know- alumnus of NYU Graduate Tisch School of Design. ing Cairo, among others. For L.A. Theatre Works she directed Crumbs From the Table of Joy. Soojin Lee (Costume Design) returns to SCR, where Off-Broadway credits include the premiere of Mujeres she designed The Emperor’s New Clothes, Putting It Y Hombres at New Victory Theatre and Birdie Blue Together and A Year with Frog and Toad. Other cred- and Zooman and the Sign for Second Stage Theatre. its include God Save Gertrude, Paradise Lost: shadow Regional credits include Denver Theatre Center, Court and wings (2007 Ovation nominee) and Othello at the Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre Theater@Boston Court; Touch the Water at Corner- of Louisville, PlayMakers Repertory Company (NC), Two stone Theater; , Playboy of River Theater (NJ), A.C.T. (), Long Wharf the Western World, Noises Off, The Rehearsal (Ovation Theatre, , Arena Stage, Woolly nominee), Oliver Twist (Ovation nominee), The Taming Mammoth Theatre Co., Hartford Stage and Philadelphia of the Shrew, Henry IV, Part I, The Winter’s Tale, Dear Theatre Co., among many others. Ms. Scott received Brutus, Man of La Mancha and A Touch of the Poet at the 3Graces Award, Director’s Award, A Noise Within; Dawn’s Light and Voice from Okinawa

P6 • South Coast Repertory • Topdog/Underdog at East West Players; Invisible Glass at REDCAT, Cabaret Gagarin Way (National Theatre of Serbia). He re- at ICT, La Ronde at Zephyr Theatre and FringeNYC; and ceived his training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic others, including Book of Tink, Skin, The Masque of the Art, The Central School of Speech and Drama. Death, Marriage, Fire Disease, herStory, Back to Heaven, Dusk, King Lear, Faust and Believe It. Educa- Kathryn Davies (Stage Manager) previously stage tion/Training: Wimbledon School of Arts (U.K), MFA managed Sideways Stories from Wayside School, In in theatre design from California Institute of the Arts. the Next Room, or the vibrator play, Doctor Cerberus, soojinlee.com. Ordinary Days, Our Mother’s Brief Affair, The Injured Party, The Brand New Kid and Imagine at SCR. Fa- Jaymi Smith (Lighting Design) is thrilled to be work- vorite credits include Dividing the Estate at Dallas ing at South Coast Repertory again after working Theater Center, La Bohème and Rigoletto at Tulsa on Lucky Duck and Junie B. Jones and a Little Mon- Opera; The Mystery of Irma Vep at The Old Globe; key Business. She has been designing around the Daddy Long Legs and The Marvelous Wonderettes at country for the last sixteen years at theatres such as Laguna Playhouse; Tosca, La Traviata and La Fille , Steppenwolf Theatre Com- du Régiment at Opera Ontario; Of Mice and Men pany, , Clarence Brown Theatre at Theatre Calgary/CanStage/Neptune Theatre; The Company, Court Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, Hart- Dresser at Manitoba Theatre Centre; and Em- ford Stage, Alliance Theatre, Getty Villa, San Jose physema at Tarragon Theatre; To Kill a Mockingbird Repertory, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Milwaukee at Citadel Theatre/Manitoba Theatre Centre/Theatre Repertory and Lookingglass Theatre, among others. Calgary; Phèdre at Soulpepper Theatre Co.; Closer at Her work has also been seen in China, Italy, Spain, CanStage; and The Designated Mourner at Tarragon Scotland and Ireland. Previous awards have included Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Ms. Davies the 2003 Michael Merritt/Michael Maggio Emerging has also worked as head theatre representative at Designer Award and a 2010 Joseph Jefferson Award. the Toronto International Film Festival, AFI Fest and She is currently an associate professor of lighting LAFF; team leader at Sundance; and as international design and head of design at The University of Cali- consultant and head theatre rep for the Dubai Inter- fornia, Irvine. Her website is available at jaymismith. national Film Festival. com. Marc Masterson (Artistic Director) is pleased to be Sam Lerner (Sound Design) is the audio engineer taking the reins for a new era of leadership for SCR. at South Coast Repertory. He previously designed In eleven seasons as Artistic Director of Actors The- the SCR Players productions of Into and atre of Louisville, he produced more than 200 plays, Mansfield Park. Regional designs include Bed & Sofa expanded and deepened arts education programs (Cygnet Theatre Company), The Dresser (North Coast and spearheaded community-based projects. Recent Repertory) and Salsalandia! (). directing credits include The Kite Runner, A Midsum- Prior to his return to California, he was based in mer Night’s Dream, Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, London, where he designed productions for venues , , Mary’s Wedding, including the Hampstead, Old Red Lion, Pleasance, , Betrayal, As You Like It, The Importance Arcola and Vanburgh theatres. Designs elsewhere in- of Being Earnest and Macbeth. World premieres clude Attempt 3.4 (Battersea Arts Centre and touring), directed in the Humana Festival of New American Long Time Dead (Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh) and Plays include Ground, Wild Blessings: A Celebration

Topdog/Underdog • South Coast Repertory • P7 of Wendell Berry, The Unseen, Natural Selection, The ing the art and craft of American playwriting. Along Shaker Chair, After Ashley, Tallgrass Gothic, Limon- with Emmes, he accepted SCR’s 1988 Tony Award ade Tous les Jours and Wonderful World. He served for Outstanding Resident Professional Theatre and as Artistic Director of City Theatre in Pittsburgh for 20 won the 1995 Theatre L.A. Ovation Award for Life- years. He was founder and chairman of the Greater time Achievement. Mr. Benson has received the Los Pittsburgh Arts Alliance, a board member of the Citi- Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Distinguished zens for the Arts in , and for Leadership Achievement in Directing an unparalleled seven Pittsburgh. He has served as a theatre advisory panel times for George Bernard Shaw’s Major Barbara, member for the National Endowment for the Arts as Misalliance and Heartbreak House; John Millington well as numerous foundations. He won the Man of Synge’s Playboy of the Western World; ’s the Year Vectors Award in 1998, and received the The Crucible; Sally Nemeth’s Holy Days; and Margaret Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pittsburgh Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning , which he also di- New Works Festival. He is married to Patricia Mel- rected at Seattle Repertory Theatre and the Alley The- vin, and they have two daughters—Laura and Alex. atre in Houston. He has directed American classics including Ah, Wilderness!, Paula Tomei (Managing Director) is responsible and . He has distinguished for the overall administration of South Coast Reper- himself in the staging of contemporary work, includ- tory and has been Managing Director since 1994. A ing the world premiere of Horton Foote’s Getting member of the SCR staff since 1979, she has served Frankie Married—and Afterwards and the critically in a number of administrative capacities, including acclaimed California premiere of William Nicholson’s Subscriptions Manager, Business Manager and Gen- Shadowlands. Mr. Benson received his BA in The- eral Manager. She served on the board of Theatre atre from San Francisco State University. Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for theatre, from 1998 to 2006, and was David Emmes (Founding Artistic Director) is co- its President for four years. She has also served as founder of SCR, and directed last season’s successful Treasurer of TCG, Vice President of the League of revival of Three Days of Rain by . Resident Theatres (LORT) and has been a member of He has received numerous awards for productions the LORT Negotiating Committee for industry-wide he has directed during his SCR career, including a union agreements. In addition, she represents SCR Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for the direc- at national conferences of TCG and LORT, is a the- tion of George Bernard Shaw’s The Philanderer. He atre panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts directed the world premieres of Amy Freed’s Safe in (NEA) and the California Arts Council, and site visi- Hell, The Beard of Avon and Freedomland, Thomas tor for the NEA; served on the Advisory Committee Babe’s Great Day in the Morning, Keith Reddin’s for the Arts Administration Certificate Program at UC Rum and Coke and But Not for Me and Neal Bell’s Irvine; and has been a guest lecturer in the graduate Cold ; the American premieres of Terry John- school of business at Stanford and UC Irvine. She son’s Unsuitable for Adults and Joe Penhall’s Dumb is on the board of Arts Orange County, the county- Show; the West Coast premieres of C.P. Taylor’s Good wide arts council, and the board of the Nicholas and Harry Kondoleon’s Christmas on Mars; and the Endowment. Ms. Tomei graduated from UC Irvine Southland premiere of Top Girls (at SCR and the with a degree in Economics and pursued an addi- Westwood Playhouse). Other productions include tional course of study in theatre and dance. She also the West Coast premieres of The Secret Rapture by teaches a graduate class in nonprofit management at David Hare and New England by Richard Nelson as UC Irvine. well as by Tom Stoppard, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, Ayckbourn’s Woman Martin Benson (Founding Artistic Director), co- in Mind and You Never Can Tell by George Bernard founder of SCR, has directed nearly one-fourth of the Shaw, which he restaged for the Singapore Festival plays produced here. In May 2008, he and David of Arts. After attending Orange Coast College, he Emmes received the Margo Jones Award for their life- received his BA and MA from San Francisco State time commitment to theatre excellence and to foster- University, and his PhD in theatre and film from USC.

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 • Topdog/Underdog