Smart Love WRITTEN by Brian Letscher
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BUSINESS MANAGER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MANAGING DIRECTOR Jennifer Lonsway Marilyn Fox Bruce Whitney Pacific Resident Theatre presents Smart Love WRITTEN BY Brian Letscher PRODUCERS Terry Davis Tania Getty EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Marilyn Fox LIGHTING DESIGN COSTUME DESIGN Leigh Allen Elizabeth A. Cox SOUND DESIGN SET DESIGN Christopher Moscatiello David Mauer CHOREOGRAPHY / MOVEMENT STAGE MANAGER Myrna Gawryn Morgan Wilday ASSISTANT DIRECTORS DANCE SEQUENCE CHOREOGRAPHY Veronica Ostroski Marwa Bernstein Joshua Chamberlain DIRECTED BY Elina de Santos CAST Sandy . Melissa Weber Bales* Terry Davis*, Alternate Victor . Scott Conte* Benji . Zachary Grant Ron . Michael Mantell* Setting: The Wachowski home, located on the edge of a dying Midwestern city. 90 minutes, no intermission * Member of the Actors Equity Association, the professional union for actors and stage managers in the United States. Pacific Resident Theatre operates under the Equity Membership Company Rule TAKING PHOTOS, WHETHER USING FLASH EQUIPMENT OR NOT, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED AT ALL TIMES DURING THE PERFORMANCE. A NOTE FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT It’s late. I can’t sleep. No doubt over-caffeinated and, my senses, bombarded with so much information, so many things to do, to read, to watch, to research, to learn, to defend, to rage about –so MUCH in this brave new world! No doubt I am severely over-stimulated. So, the irony apparent, I turn on my television and click through a half-dozen streaming services. A glow-in-the-dark-box that holds the secrets to the universe. If I can just find the right one. The perfect viewing pleasure that will make it all better and per- haps send me off to sleep as well. Further down the meta-hole, I find a documentary on the explosion of technology and the pos- sibilities moving forward in this brave new world. I do not fall asleep. And a year later, I have this play, a version of it anyway, and two years later, here we are, sitting in this soon-to-be-dark theatre together. This makes me incredibly happy. I both thank you for coming out tonight, and urge you to do it more often. All of us here, breathing the same air, are having a collective experience in a way that only humans can have. A connected experience. Be- cause, in this brave new world, that connection - that vulnera- ble acceptance that we need each other, ALL of us - will keep us alive. It is no longer possible to cut ourselves off from the world and survive. The ‘fittest’ are now those who look the realities of our existence in the face and, despite the inevitable fear of change, have the courage to connect in ways that only humans are able. --Brian Letscher ACTOR BIOGRAPHIES Melissa Weber Bales (Sandy) is a long-time member of Pacific Resident Theatre. Recent PRT productions include RHINOCEROS (2017), AUTUMN AND WINTER (2016), WRECKED (2015) and A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (2014 LA Weekly Award Nom, Leading Female Performance). A 2013 Center Theatre Group Theatre Educator Fellow, Melissa teaches and directs theatre at Wildwood School and is delighted to be sharing the stage with her former student, Zach Grant. Love and gratitude to Michael, Davey and Sarah. Scott Conte (Victor) is a long-time member of Pacific Resident Theatre: BIG LOVE, GOLDEN BOY, ANNA CHRISTIE, EVERYDAY LIFE, LULU, ROCKET TO THE MOON, FATA MORGANA, LIONS, NORA, THE CHERRY ORCHARD, HOSTAGE. Other theater credits: THE IRISH CURSE, THE CAVE DWELLERS, TRACERS and LUCY AND THE WOLF. Television includes THE HAUNTED HATHAWAYS, CRIM- INAL MINDS, BOSTON LEGAL, NYPD BLUE, JOAN OF ARCADIA and SEINFELD. Films include CHAVEZ: CAGE OF GLORY, SWISHBUCK- LERS, NEVER SAY MACBETH and the soon-to-be-released DEAD WOMEN WALK- ING. Scott holds an M.F.A. from Rutgers University and loves teaching acting at his own studio and others around town. Terry Davis (Producer, Sandy Alternate) A proud and longtime member of PRT, Terry has been involved in productions in- cluding: PYGMALION, CAMINO REAL, UNDER THE GASLIGHT, SOUTHERN GIRLS, AMERICAN COMEDY, NIGHT BREATH, NO PROBLEM, A REVENGER’S TRAGEDY, HAPPY END, RACHEL RAY, MAURITIUS and most recently THE DOROTHY PARKER PROJ- ECT. Other L.A. productions include QUESTA, Tennessee Wil- liam’s KINGDOM OF EARTH, FAVORS (Drama-Logue Award), FACING EAST at ITC and SARAH’S WAR at the Hudson Theatre. A most gratifying experience was performing with the L.A. Philharmonic at Disney Hall in a dramatic presentation of Shostakovitch’s Symphony No.13 Babi Yar. Zachary Grant (Benji) is a graduate of USC School of Dramat- ic Arts. Theatre: Rogue Machine’s OPPENHEIMER, Skylight The- atre’s HOSTAGE, Odyssey Theatre’s PUNK ROCK. British Amer- ican Drama Academy’s THE UNNATURAL TRAGEDY. Film: BEING CHARLIE directed by Rob Reiner. Thanks to friends, family, and especially teachers for their support. Michael Mantell (Ron) has recently appeared in revivals of THE MODEL APARTMENT (Geffen) and BROADWAY BOUND (Odys- sey). LA premieres include A SMALL FIRE (Echo), THE MONOGA- MIST (Gascon) and ORANGE FLOWER WATER (LA Stage & Film). New York credits include THE TENTH MAN (Lincoln Center). Re- gional: Intiman Theatre, Seattle Rep., St. Louis Rep. and NY Stage & Film. TV: GREY’S ANATOMY; AQUARIUS; GETTING ON; FAMILY TREE; WEST WING; STATE OF GRACE. Film: LEARNING TO DRIVE; AI; OCEAN’S 13; A MIGHTY WIND; IDES OF MARCH; EIGHT MEN OUT. PRODUCTION BIOGRAPHIES Leigh Allen (Lighting Designer) is a recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Crit- ics’ Circle Award for Career Achievement. Accolades include: Ovation/Best Production for DYING CITY and KILLER JOE, Ovation/Best Production of a Musical for WHEN JAZZ HAD THE BLUES, LADCC award / Production for ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI, Garland Award for Lighting Design for COUSIN BEE, LA Weekly Lighting Design Award for TREEFALL, BroadwayWorld Santa Barbara Regional Lighting Design Award for MARY POPPINS, GLAAD Award for LIKE A DOG ON LINOLEUM, Macy Award for THE SECRET GARDEN, and LADCC and LA Weekly Awards for JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN. Marwa Bernstein (Choreography for Dance Sequence between Sandy and Ron) is honored to be part of the Smart Love team. Most recently she choreo- graphed Oppenheimer, and Finks for Rogue Machine Theatre. She has also choreographed for Pacific Resident Theatre, No - Pants Theatre company in New York, and X Repertory Theatre to name a few. She was a professional dancer for 18 years, dancing all over the world, and trained at the Joffrey, and Chicago City Ballet among others. She is a proud member of Pacific Resident Theatre and Rogue Machine. Joshua Chamberlain (Assistant Director) is a playwright and director origi- nally from Cincinnati, Ohio. He worked previously as a Directorial Assistant and Apprentice at the Purple Rose Theatre Company, with credits including HARVEY by Mary Chase, THE MORNING AFTER GRACE by Carey Crim, and GAPS IN THE FOSSIL RECORD by Matt Letscher. This is his first collaboration with Pacific Resident Theatre. Elizabeth A. Cox (Costume Design) has designed costumes for VIOLET & PA- RADE at the Chance Theatre, MEASURE FOR MEASURE (Independent Shake- speare Company) , POCATELLO, A PERMANENT IMAGE, FALLING (Rogue Ma- chine Theatre), TREVOR (Circle X Theatre Co.) IN THE HEIGHTS, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE & CARMEN (The Valley Performing Arts Center), SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE, (Los Angeles Philharmonic) IT’S ONLY LIFE, A DELICATE BAL- ANCE (The Rubicon Theatre) AT TRACTION, A HOLTSVILLE NIGHT’S DREAM, 3-7-11, (Cornerstone Theatre ) & RICHARD III for Kingsmen Shakespeare Fes- tival. She is a lecturer CSUN & Santa Monica College & has designed costumes for several other Southland colleges & universities. Elina de Santos (Director) Co-Artistic Director of the Rogue Machine, World Premieres: HOSTAGE (MK Brooks), FAMILY RIOTS (Wabvuta), IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW (K Cortez), NICE THINGS (Melocchi), DIRTY FILTHY LOVE STORY (Mersola), RAZORBACK (Pollono), CHURCH & STATE (Williams). American Premiere, DAYTONA (Cotton). LA Premieres; BHUTAN (D Foote), STOP KISS (D Son), FALLING (Jent), NEW JERUSALEM (Ives), Albee’s A DELI- CATE BALANCE and Mamet’s SPEED THE PLOW. PRT, Odyssey, WCJT: Miller’s ALL MY SONS, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, & BROKEN GLASS, Odets’ ROCKET TO THE MOON, AWAKE & SING!, & Williams’, ORPHEUS DESCENDING -LADCC Di- rection. Elina received the LADCC Career Achievement in Directing Award, 2012. PRODUCTION BIOGRAPHIES Myrna Gawryn (Choreography/Movement) has a background in dance, cho- reography, and physical performance for theater, film, and animation. She has taught for the Sundance Theater Lab in Utah, and the Lincoln Center Di- rector’s Lab at the Pasadena Playhouse. She continues to work in the theater, and directs and consults for the animation industry domestically and abroad. Myrna’s passion for understanding how we move and what moves us, has brought her to this collaboration with the cast and crew of SMART LOVE. Tania Getty (Producer) is also a writer and actor at PRT. Last seen in CIGA- RETTES AND CHOCOLATE and THE CHERRY ORCHARD, she is very glad to be able to help bring new work to the stage with this fantastic team. Brian Letscher (Playwright) A huge thank you to Marilyn Fox, Elina DeSantos and the fantastically game cast and crew of SMART LOVE at this Venice insti- tution, Pacific Resident Theatre. SMART LOVE is Brian’s second professional- ly produced play. WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON, a story of his days coaching college football, premiered at Jeff Daniels’ The Purple Rose Theatre Compa- ny in Chelsea, MI in 2008. SMART LOVE also had its World Premiere at The Pur- ple Rose, a sold-out run in 2017. Brian also acts, best known for playing “Tom Larsen” on the hit show SCANDAL among several regular and recurring roles. And his heart goes to Amy, Aidan, Lucy and Cowboy - thank you for supporting his pretend worlds. David Mauer (Set Design) recently designed the set for Rogue Machine’s west coast premiere of Greg Keller’s DUTCH MASTERS.