Paradise Park

Home , David Fishelson, Edgar Bergen, The Talking Band

SPECIAL THANKS

The William Penn Foundation Peter DeFeo Earl Wilcox and Plannerzone Lehigh University Department of Theatre Pig Iron Theater Company/Belina Mizrahi Azuka Theatre Company/Kevin Glaccum The University of the Arts Charles Mee Actors’ Equity Association/Kenneth Naanep ICM Partners/Joan Wiest Eileen O’Brien and Sam Hopkins Liam Brock Ken Berman, Esq. Bill Brock David Stanger Gail Furman Dan, Scott and Sarah Perry Arcadia University Christian Prins Coen Gregory Day Walnut Street Theatre/Jessica Doheny Johanna Austin - AustinArt Photography (austinart.org)

The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium P. O. Box 63872 Philadelphia, PA 19147

www.IdiopathicRidiculopathyConsortium.org

February, 2013 Welcome to the Park!

2013 marks the IRC’s eighth season presenting difficult and rarely-produced absurdist gems from authors from around the globe. For the first time in the Many thanks to everyone who helped build Paradise Park: IRC’s history, we’re celebrating the tenacious spirit of America and all things American, which must be a play about a wacky ride through a fictitious Outer Space World American theme park written by the incomparable Charles L. Mee. ($1000.00 and above) Wyncote Foundation Today we will take a journey through a Twilight Zone of sorts: a Disneyesque The Samuel S. Fels Fund world where its vacationers and inhabitants are looking for meaning and The Philadelphia Cultural Fund respite from their disordered and anxiety riddled lives. Edgar, Paradise The Charlotte Cushman Foundation Park’s resident Ventriloquist tells us: "… because the theatre is the art form FirstTrust Financial, Alan T. Sherman, CEO that deals above all others in human relationships, then theatre is the art, par excellence, in which we discover what it is to be human and what is Future World possible for humans to be… theatre, properly conceived, is not an escape ($500.00 - $999.99) either but a flight to reality, a rehearsal for life itself, a rehearsal of these Luella Trip human relationships…” We’re happy to rehearse with you. Ernst & Young, LCC

Chuck Mee, on his work: “…human beings are, as Aristotle said, social Hampton Land creatures… we are the product not just of psychology, but also of history ($250.00 - $499.99) and of culture (and) we often express our histories and cultures in ways Beverly Stover even we are not conscious of… our lives are more rich and complex than can Chris Wolfgang be reduced to a single source of human motivation.. .I like plays that are not too neat, too finished, too presentable. My plays are broken, jagged, filled with sharp edges, filled with things that take sudden turns, careen into each Tea Time Land other, smash up, veer off in sickening turns. That feels good to me. It feels ($100.00 - $249.99) like my life. It feels like the world.” Here, here! Philip Alperson & Mary Hawkesworth • Fred Barfoot Peter and Sandy Bressler • Ray Costello • Marguerite Hawkins Vikram, our Paradise Park tour guide tells us: Sam Hopkins and Eileen O'Brien • Nancy Lanham • Steven Peitzman “…we need a little kindness to survive Christopher and Jennifer Rule • Lou Seitchik and Kanani Titchen if nothing else only that modest enough Robert J. Wallner • Kent and Sara Weymouth no big deal Christa Williford • Askold Zagars and Marie Feehan something more than that? no problem Tom Sawyer’s Swap Shop that, too would be nice ($50.00 - $99.99) icing on the cake.” Harry F. Bambrick • Pat and Stacey Bishop Norman and Carolyn Ellman • Moe and Sandy Lebo • Michael Lynch For much, much more, visit Charles Mee’s website, The (Re)Making Project Thomas and Kathleen Quinn • Bob and Pat Schmidt at www.charlesmee.org. Joel and Barbara Stewart • Stephen and Johnne Tint • Denise Wilhelm Thanks for helping us bring Paradise Park to life. Let’s raise a glass to not Wilderness Land having all the answers, and to the possibility that our relationships can serve as a mirror to understanding and growth if we dare to take a look. (Up to $49.99) John and Alberta Chiaravalloti • Jesse Delaney • Gertrude D. Furman Well wishes, Aida Galarza • Jeanne George • Chuck and Pat Hilpl • Roz Kuehn Jeanette Hartunian • Fred Jackes and Judy Adamson Jack and Sandy Jacobowitz • Antonio Merenda • Lois Shestack Bertram and Lynne Strieb Tina Brock Producing Artistic Director

Paradise Park by Charles L. Mee

CAST Benny……………………………...... …...Sean Close Ticket Seller………….………….………..Robb Hutter Vikram……………………Shamus Hunter McCarty Darling……………………….…………...Heather Cole Edgar, the Ventriloquist………….…..Robb Hutter Charlie, his Dummy………..……...…Michael Dura Mortimer, his Dummy…..…………….Tomas Dura Morton………………………………….….Bob Schmidt Nancy……………..………..…..…………….Tina Brock* Ella…….…………………………....….Colleen Hughes Jorge………………………….………….John D’Alonzo Voice of Paradise……………………..David Stanger Bob, The Pizza Guy…………….....…..Robb Hutter

Directed by Tina Brock Plannerzone helps businesses see things from a customer’s perspective. For over 20 years, our unique approach to market Costume Design by Erica Hoelscher research has helped our clients make more informed decisions about Lighting Design by Josh Schulman marketing, products and distribution. Scenic Design by Anna Kiraly

Produced by arrangement with Direct clients include: International Creative Management 3M, Aflac, Ameriprise, Nestlé, and Proctor & Gamble. The IRC’s 2013 season is made possible in part by generous

Are you as curious as we are? grants from: Wyncote Foundation, The Samuel S. Fels Fund, The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, The Charlotte Cushman Foundation Email [email protected] and Ernst & Young, LCC

*Member of Actors Equity Association Plannerzone is proud to sponsor The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium Playing time is approximately 85 minutes; there will be no intermission.

Paradise Park The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium Assistant Director presents Stephen Hyams

Technical Director Scott Cassidy The Castle Video Design Michael Long & Anna Kiraly by

Sound Design Franz Kafka Tina Brock

Dance Choreographer Adapted by Heather Cole David Fishelson and Aaron Leichter

Production Stage Manager from a dramatization by Mark Williams Max Brod

Lights, Sound and Video Operators Liam Brock & Mark Williams Fringe 2013

Assistant Costumer Jessica Barksdale We’re moving shop!

Assistant Lighting Designer Robin Stamey Join us in September for the

Fight Choreographer 2013 Fringe Festival at James Kiesel The Adrienne

Production Assistant 2030 Sansom Street Christian Prins Coen

Catapult Design and Construction Dan and Scott Perry

Magic Consultant Francis Menotti

Box Office Wizardry www.IdiopathicRidiculopathyConsortium.org Eileen O’Brien

WHO’S WHO MUSIC CAST Many thanks to these artists for their generosity in helping to create Paradise Park: Sean Close (Benny) is thrilled to be making his Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium debut! Credits include: u/s Charlotte’s Web 3 Leg Torso - Animals and Cannibals (Arden Theatre); Othello, The Merchant of Venice, The Venetian Twins, Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club Presents Henry V, The Importance of Being Earnest (Quintessence Theatre Maria Callas - The Very Best of Maria Callas Group); The Night of the Iguana, Exorcism (South Camden Theatre DeVotchKa - How It Ends Company); Fool for Love (Iron Age Theatre); Featuring Loretta (Walking Fish Theatre); The Pillowman (Bootless Stageworks); As You Bill Frisell - East West Like It (Theatre Horizon); High Dramma Sketch Comedy (B. Someday Bill Frisell - Ghost Town Productions). Educational: The Seagull, Eurydice, Hair, Damn Yankees, Bill Frisell - Good Dog, Happy Man Little Shop of Horrors, Antigone, Orpheus Descending (College of Bill Frisell - Nashville William & Mary). Robin Holcomb - Rockabye Robin Holcomb - Robin Holcomb Heather Cole (Darling, Choreographer) is so excited to perform Pat Metheny Group - American Garage in her second show with IRC. Heather recently choreographed Bloody Pat Metheny Group - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls Bloody Andrew Jackson at Plays and Players. This spring she will be movement and assistant directing Simpatico's Lysistrata Project. Much Pat Metheny Group - Beyond the Missouri Sky love to cast and crew, family and Z. Pat Metheny Group - Off Ramp Pat Metheny Group - Speaking of Now John D'Alonzo (Jorge) is very honored to be working with the IRC The Penguins - The Best of The Penguins again! Previous productions include The Gnadiges Fraulein, The John Zorn - Filmworks VII: Cynical Hysterie Hour Madwoman of Chaillot, The Arsonists, Marriage, two Raw Onions, Impassioned Embraces and Ivona, Princess of Burgundia. John would like to thank Tina, the cast, crew, friends, family and You for supporting the Arts!

Michael Dura (Charlie) has been actively involved in theatre, film, The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium music and dance for over twenty five years. He received his BA degree in Board of Directors Music at La Salle University in 1975 and went on to study voice with Regina Zona, Joyce M. DiDonato, Thomas Scurto-Davis, and finally Gail Furman - President Enrico Di Giuseppe. Theatrically he has performed with such companies Tina Brock - Vice President as The Vagabond Acting Troupe, Big Mess Theatre, Iron Age Theatre, Susan Feagin - Secretary and The Brick Playhouse. Philadelphians got to know him for his annual Alyson Filippone, CPA - Treasurer portrayal of Edgar Allen Poe with the Philadelphia Orchestra in its Bill Brock Halloween Concert at the Kimmel Center. He is also known for playing Bob Schmidt Dick Deadeye in the Savoy Company's last production of H.M.S Pinafore Ken Berman, Esq., Legal Consultant at the Academy of Music, and also Pish-Tush in it's recent production of Earl Wilcox, Marketing Consultant The Mikado. He has performed operatically for such companies as Delaware Valley Opera, Amici Opera, Blue Planet Opera, and the West www.IdiopathicRidiculopathyConsortium.org Chester Opera Society. Previous performances with the IRC include his shared performance with his brother, Tomas, in Samuel Beckett's Ohio Impromptu, The Street Singer in The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Neighbor in The Empire Builders, Firefighter Flynn Coleman in The Arsonists, Aleksei Dmitrievich Starikov in Marriage and, most recently, as both The Second Aunt and Checkers in Witold Gombrowicz’s Ivona, Princess of Burgundia.

Tomas Dura (Mortimer) has toured Europe, Canada and the U.S. and has appeared in film, video and television. He is best known as a The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium flamenco dancer in addition to being an actor, musician and fire eater. presents He worked with the great flamenco dancer, Jose Greco, for 8 years, frequently serving as assistant during Mr. Greco's last years. He dances in the movie, Cafe, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, and has worked in the films Smoke and Mirrors (director K. Hardy), Loneliness (director M. Zubarev) and About Angels (Zubarev). In 2007 Tomas performed solo with the Philadelphia Orchestra to a sold out house at the Kimmel Center Onion de Mayo! in his own choreography of the Spanish Dance from Swan Lake. Tomas has collaborated with artists like Flameno Ole, Kei Takei's Moving Earth and the Wilma Theater. He is the director and lead male dancer of Fiesta Flamenco Dancers and is choreographer in residence with the Join your favorite IRC performers Amici Opera Co. He has received numerous grants from the Pa Council as they bring to life the pages of on the Arts and the 5 County Arts Fund. He has also received commissions from the Community Education Center & NY performances The Onion, America’s Finest New Source. at the Joyce Soho through the New Dance Alliance. He teaches flamenco dance classes in grade schools, high schools, colleges and public community centers. Tomas has previously appeared with IRC in Ohio Impromptu, The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Empire Builders, The Sunday, May 5, 2013 Arsonists, Marriage and Ivona, Princess of Burgundia. 6:00 pm, 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm Colleen Hughes (Ella) is excited to be working on such an incredible play. She has also worked with Swim Pony Performing Arts, Tribe of Fools, Enchantment Theatre Company, EgoPo Classic Theatre and the Wilma Theater. Training: NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and the Stella L’Etage Cabaret Adler Studio of Acting. Next up: Shut Your Wormhole with Tribe of $25 Fools as part of the Kimmel Center's Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA). Love to Terry. www.colleenhughes.com

Robb Hutter (Ticket Seller, Edgar, Bob the Pizza Guy) is excited to be in his second IRC production (after playing the King in last year’s Fringe production of Ivona, Princess of Burgundia). He has just completed the run of Behind The Eye with Gas & Electric Arts at Philly Shakespeare. Favorite recent roles include Harry in The Prisoner of Second Avenue at the Montgomery Theatre, Don Luis in the Quintessence Theatre’s Don Juan, Otto Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank at the Ritz Theatre, Ebenezer Scrooge in the musical A Christmas www.IdiopathicRidiculopathyConsortium.org Carol at Steel River Playhouse and the doctor in the Mauckingbird production of Never The Sinner. New York City credits include Edward II and The Jew of Malta with the American Shakespeare Repertory. A fundraiser for the IRC’s 2013 Fringe production Robb is Artistic Director of Philly Senior Stage, bringing entertainment of The Castle by Franz Kafka. and theatre education to senior adults in retirement communities. He hails from Canada and received his MFA in Acting from Toronto’s York University. Flashpoint Theatre Company, Media Theatre Company, Theatre West Virginia, Seven Stages (Atlanta), Rebecca Davis Dance Company, in Shamus Hunter McCarty (Vikram) was last seen in the world addition to many others. Joshua was also the programmer for both the premiere of Marty’s Back in Town. A graduate of Dickinson College, relighting of Boat House Row along the Schuylkill River as well as the Shamus serves as Managing Director of The Bearded Ladies Cabaret. Cira Centre. Joshua lives in South Philadelphia with his wife, Karen and Recent credits include: Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Crumple Zone, Childe their son, Elijah. Education: MFA Boston University, BA Washington Byron and Corpus Christi. “I’m a mouse…duh.” Thanks to Tina, Bob, College. www.jlsld.com cast & crew. Love to Mom, Dad, Shandy, Jack, AJ & Zach. www.shamushuntermccarty.com Robin Stamey (Assistant Lighting Designer) is a graduate of Arcadia University where she earned her B.A. in Theatre Arts. While at Bob Schmidt (Morton) is a founding member of the IRC and has Arcadia, she competed in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre appeared in many productions since the company's founding in 2006: Festival for her lighting design of Samm-Art Williams' Home, for which Witold Gombrowicz’s Ivona, Princess of Burgundia, Alistair Beaton’s she won regionally and received an honorable mention at the national translation of Max Frisch’s The Arsonists, Boris Vian’s The Empire level. In addition to working on many shows in various capacities at Builders, Jean Giraudoux’s The Madwoman of Chaillot, Eugène Arcadia, she has professionally worked with Little Bunny Voodoo, Ionesco's The Chairs, Victims of Duty, The Leader, and Foursome; Rebecca Davis Dance Company, BRAT Productions, Pig Iron Theatre Christopher Durang's The Actor's Nightmare, Wanda's Visit, Samuel Company, Banji Girl Productions, Represented Theatre Company, Beckett's Catastrophe, and numerous Raw Onions. Many thanks to Tina Philadelphia Young Playwrights and Plays & Players. She currently works for making all of this possible, an awesome cast and dedicated crew. at the National Constitution Center as the Theatre Programs Manager. Thank you for supporting The IRC!

Mark Williams (Production Stage Manager, Sound and Video Tina Brock (Nancy; Director; Producing Artistic Director, Operator) Coming from New Jersey, Mark is a Technical Theatre IRC) Directing projects include works by Witold Gombrowicz (Ivona, Major at Gloucester County College. He is absolutely thrilled to be Princess of Burgundia), Nikolai Gogol (Marriage: An Utterly working with IRC again. It has been a very rewarding process to watch Improbable Occurrence in Two Acts), Max Frisch (The Arsonists), Boris Paradise Park grow into the hilarious, and insightful show that it has Vian (The Empire Builders), Jean Giraudoux (The Madwoman of become. Mark would like to thank Tina for bringing him onto the ship, Chaillot), Eugène Ionesco ( The Chairs, The Lesson, Frenzy for Two or as well as his family for supporting him throughout the production. More, Foursome, The Leader and Victims of Duty), Samuel Beckett (Ohio Impromptu, Catastrophe, and Come and Go), Edward Albee (The Sandbox), Harold Pinter ( Trouble in the Works), Christopher Durang (Wanda’s Visit, For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls, Desire Desire Desire, A Stye of the Eye and The Actor’s Nightmare), and Tennessee Williams (The Gnädiges Fraulein). Acting credits include Philadelphia

Actors' Equity Association (AEA) was founded in 1913 as the first of the Theater Company, Act II Playhouse, Luna Theater, Azuka Theater, American actor unions. Equity’s mission is to advance, promote and foster Theatre Exile, Arden Theater Company. Over the past twenty years she the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Today, has worked as a freelance producer and writer, including associate Equity represents more than 40,000 actors, singers, dancers and stage producer credits on the NPR radio series A Chef's Table with Jim managers working in hundreds of theatres across the United States. Equity Coleman, and in the development, public information and fundraising members are dedicated to working in the theatre as a profession, upholding departments at PBS affiliate WHYY-TV12. Many thanks to the spirited the highest artistic standards. talents in this cast and crew and to the friends and colleagues who have given countless hours to help the IRC grow; to the absurdly talented Equity negotiates wages and working conditions and provides a wide range designers who brought Paradise to life, and to the IRC board of directors of benefits including health and pension plans for its members. Through its all you do. Congratulations to my son Liam on this leg of the journey! agreement with Equity, this theatre has committed to the fair treatment of the actors and stage managers employed in this production.

AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. For more information, visit www.actorsequity.org.

CREW meaninglessness of everyday life. He is grateful for the experiences, discoveries and distractions this park provided along the journey. He'd Jessica Barksdale (Assistant Costume Designer) is happy to be like to thank the cast for all of their hard work and patience, the design working with the IRC again after previously assisting with costumes for team for their imagination and execution, and the crew for helping it all Marriage and Ivona, Princess of Burgundia. She has also done costume come together. Many thanks to you all for this learning experience! work for Shakespeare in Clark Park, Plays & Players, and The Media Theatre, where she is currently the Wardrobe Assistant. She graduated James Kiesel (Fight Choreographer) is happy to be working with from Vassar College in 2011 with a degree in English. She would like to Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium again after a successful run of thank Erica for all of her guidance. Impassioned Embraces. He is an Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and certified with the British Liam Brock (Light Board Operator) is the director's son. [His Academy of Stage and Screen Combat. He is also the questionable mother, the director, adds: Liam is an 12th Grader who eats a lot, sleeps a artistic mind behind GDP Productions, a company which provides fast, lot, enjoys computer games and has a vivid imagination. He’s an all- fun, twisted theatre for the masses. Recent credits include Sex and around swell person. He recently played Willy Loman in Death of a Violence upstairs at Plays and Players, and After the End at A&E Studios. Salesman and Felix Unger in The Odd Couple]. Up next, Raiders of The Lost Harlot (an Indiana Jones Burlesque) at the Walking Fish Theatre, and Dust to Dust: A History of Religious Violence, Scott Cassidy (Technical Director) is happy to be joining the IRC with the 95 Runagates. www.gdpproductions.com for the first time. Other credits include: Brat Productions, the Ohio Light Opera, Opera Saratoga, Scott is also on staff at UArts and Arcadia Anna Kiraly (Scenic Design, Video Design) Recent projects University. include set and video for UBU (with S. Fogarty for Columbia/Barnard), set design for Walk Across America (with Taylor Mac/The Talking Christian Prins Coen (Production Assistant) is a senior theatre Band), Saint Hollywood (Ideal Glass NYC), Terrible Things major at Arcadia University and was first introduced to the IRC during (Pearl/D’Amour at PS 122/COIL), Dog and Wolf (J. Randich at 59E59), the run of Ivona Princess of Burgundia. After ushering Ivona he production design and video for Flip Side (The Talking Band), costumes immediately pursued an internship with the IRC in which he has been for Kafka Fragments (P. Sellars) and set design for Chekhov Lizard- working on Paradise Park. He produced a couple of short videos to help brain, Isabella, and Pay Up with Pig Iron Theatre Company. She is a bring publicity to the IRCs production of Paradise Park. He looks recipient of the Arts Link Grant, the NEA/TCG Program for Designers forward to the day when he will use all the knowledge he has gathered as and the TCG New Generations (with the Talking Band). Her "noir" a production assistant for this show to produce his own television show. multimedia pieces The Quake (at Ideal Glass), Slow Ascent and UFO (St. Thanks everyone for the opportunity to help out and be part of the Ann’s Warehouse) won the Jim Henson Foundation’s support. Anna is adventure. excited to collaborate with the IRC for the second time. www.annakiraly.com Erica Hoelscher (Costume Designer) is very pleased to be joining the IRC for a fourth production. Erica has designed costumes for the Michael Long (Video Design) does freelance film and theatre work Colleague’s Theatre Company, NYC, Shadowland Theatre, Ellenville, NY, in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. He graduated from Drexel Media Theatre, Media, PA, Shakespeare in Clark Park, Plays and Players University with a B.S. in Film and Video production. He's worked on Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, and the Red Square Theatre Company, corporate, feature and television projects, as well as designing video Philadelphia, and The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Center Valley. projections for Delaware Theatre Company, Luna Theater Company and Current and recent projects include Urinetown at Lehigh University and 1812 Productions, to name a few. The Merry Wives of Windsor for Shakespeare in Clark Park. Erica has been on the faculty at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA since 1995, Joshua Schulman (Lighting Design) was the 2008 winner of the teaching courses in theatrical design, theatre history, costume history Barrymore Award for his lighting of Art at Delaware Theatre Company. and stage makeup. He was also a 2009 Barrymore Award nominee for his lighting of Rock ‘N’ Roll at the Wilma Theatre. Regionally Joshua has designed at Stephen Hyams (Assistant Director) had taken a break from People’s Light and Theatre, Wilma Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, theater to pursue other life endeavors. He quickly realized there was no Delaware Theatre Company. Joshua was also the lighting director for the such thing as taking a break from something that is a part of you. So he Hidden City Festival in 2009. Other companies that Joshua has worked too stumbled his way into Paradise Park to escape the abyss of total for include Azuka Theatre, InterAct Theatre Company, Theatre Exile,

Edgar Bergen (1903 - 1978) was an American ventriloquist and radio Edgar Bergen (1903 - 1978) was an American ventriloquist and radio comedian whose career in vaudeville, radio, and motion pictures spanned comedian whose career in vaudeville, radio, and motion pictures spanned almost 60 years. Bergen was best known as the foil of his ventriloquist’s almost 60 years. Bergen was best known as the foil of his ventriloquist’s dummies Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Born in Chicago, dummies Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Born in Chicago, Bergen used his talent for ventriloquism to earn tuition at Northwestern Bergen used his talent for ventriloquism to earn tuition at Northwestern University. University.

He created the character of Charlie McCarthy early on, and the act He created the character of Charlie McCarthy early on, and the act became so popular on the vaudeville circuit that Bergen took it to radio. became so popular on the vaudeville circuit that Bergen took it to radio. The Edgar Bergen - Charlie McCarthy Show was a permanent fixture on The Edgar Bergen - Charlie McCarthy Show was a permanent fixture on American network radio from 1937 until 1957, ultimately elected into the American network radio from 1937 until 1957, ultimately elected into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1991. The popularity of a ventriloquist on radio, Radio Hall of Fame in 1991. The popularity of a ventriloquist on radio, when one could see neither the dummies nor his skill, surprised and when one could see neither the dummies nor his skill, surprised and puzzled many critics, then and now. Even knowing that Bergen provided puzzled many critics, then and now. Even knowing that Bergen provided the voice, listeners perceived Charlie as a genuine person. Bergen was the voice, listeners perceived Charlie as a genuine person. Bergen was not the most technically skilled ventriloquist – Charlie McCarthy not the most technically skilled ventriloquist – Charlie McCarthy frequently twitted him for moving his lips – but Bergen's sense of frequently twitted him for moving his lips – but Bergen's sense of comedic timing was superb, and he handled Charlie's snappy dialogue comedic timing was superb, and he handled Charlie's snappy dialogue with aplomb. with aplomb.

Bergen, McCarthy and Snerd starred in several movies and appeared as Bergen, McCarthy and Snerd starred in several movies and appeared as guests on numerous television shows. Bergen's daughter Candice guests on numerous television shows. Bergen's daughter Candice followed in her father’s footsteps and also became a successful actress. followed in her father’s footsteps and also became a successful actress.

CHARLES L. MEE CHARLES L. MEE

What I like What I like

My own work begins with the belief that human beings are, as My own work begins with the belief that human beings are, as Aristotle said, social creatures—that we are the product not just of Aristotle said, social creatures—that we are the product not just of psychology, but also of history and of culture, that we often express psychology, but also of history and of culture, that we often express our histories and cultures in ways even we are not conscious of, that our histories and cultures in ways even we are not conscious of, that the culture speaks through us, grabs us and throws us to the ground, the culture speaks through us, grabs us and throws us to the ground, cries out, silences us. cries out, silences us.

I don't write "political plays" in the usual sense of the term; but I I don't write "political plays" in the usual sense of the term; but I write out of the belief that we are creatures of our history and write out of the belief that we are creatures of our history and culture and gender and politics—that our beings and actions arise culture and gender and politics—that our beings and actions arise from that complex of influences and forces and motivations, that our from that complex of influences and forces and motivations, that our lives are more rich and complex than can be reduced to a single lives are more rich and complex than can be reduced to a single source of human motivation. source of human motivation.

So I try in my work to get past traditional forms of psychological So I try in my work to get past traditional forms of psychological realism, to bring into the frame of the plays material from history, realism, to bring into the frame of the plays material from history, philosophy, insanity, inattention, distractedness, judicial theory, philosophy, insanity, inattention, distractedness, judicial theory, sudden violent passion, lyricism, the National Enquirer, nostalgia, sudden violent passion, lyricism, the National Enquirer, nostalgia, longing, aspiration, literary criticism, anguish, confusion, inability. longing, aspiration, literary criticism, anguish, confusion, inability. I like plays that are not too neat, too finished, too presentable. My I like plays that are not too neat, too finished, too presentable. My plays are broken, jagged, filled with sharp edges, filled with things plays are broken, jagged, filled with sharp edges, filled with things that take sudden turns, careen into each other, smash up, veer off in that take sudden turns, careen into each other, smash up, veer off in sickening turns. That feels good to me. It feels like my life. It feels sickening turns. That feels good to me. It feels like my life. It feels like the world. like the world.

And then I like to put this—with some sense of struggle remaining— And then I like to put this—with some sense of struggle remaining— into a classical form, a Greek form, or a beautiful dance theatre into a classical form, a Greek form, or a beautiful dance theatre piece, or some other effort at civilization. piece, or some other effort at civilization.

--Chuck Mee --Chuck Mee

For more information, For more information, visit Charles Mee’s website, visit Charles Mee’s website, The (Re)Making Project at The (Re)Making Project at www.charlesmee.org www.charlesmee.org CREW meaninglessness of everyday life. He is grateful for the experiences, discoveries and distractions this park provided along the journey. He'd Jessica Barksdale (Assistant Costume Designer) is happy to be like to thank the cast for all of their hard work and patience, the design working with the IRC again after previously assisting with costumes for team for their imagination and execution, and the crew for helping it all Marriage and Ivona, Princess of Burgundia. She has also done costume come together. Many thanks to you all for this learning experience! work for Shakespeare in Clark Park, Plays & Players, and The Media Theatre, where she is currently the Wardrobe Assistant. She graduated James Kiesel (Fight Choreographer) is happy to be working with from Vassar College in 2011 with a degree in English. She would like to Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium again after a successful run of thank Erica for all of her guidance. Impassioned Embraces. He is an Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and certified with the British Liam Brock (Light Board Operator) is the director's son. [His Academy of Stage and Screen Combat. He is also the questionable mother, the director, adds: Liam is an 12th Grader who eats a lot, sleeps a artistic mind behind GDP Productions, a company which provides fast, lot, enjoys computer games and has a vivid imagination. He’s an all- fun, twisted theatre for the masses. Recent credits include Sex and around swell person. He recently played Willy Loman in Death of a Violence upstairs at Plays and Players, and After the End at A&E Studios. Salesman and Felix Unger in The Odd Couple]. Up next, Raiders of The Lost Harlot (an Indiana Jones Burlesque) at the Walking Fish Theatre, and Dust to Dust: A History of Religious Violence, Scott Cassidy (Technical Director) is happy to be joining the IRC with the 95 Runagates. www.gdpproductions.com for the first time. Other credits include: Brat Productions, the Ohio Light Opera, Opera Saratoga, Scott is also on staff at UArts and Arcadia Anna Kiraly (Scenic Design, Video Design) Recent projects University. include set and video for UBU (with S. Fogarty for Columbia/Barnard), set design for Walk Across America (with Taylor Mac/The Talking Christian Prins Coen (Production Assistant) is a senior theatre Band), Saint Hollywood (Ideal Glass NYC), Terrible Things major at Arcadia University and was first introduced to the IRC during (Pearl/D’Amour at PS 122/COIL), Dog and Wolf (J. Randich at 59E59), the run of Ivona Princess of Burgundia. After ushering Ivona he production design and video for Flip Side (The Talking Band), costumes immediately pursued an internship with the IRC in which he has been for Kafka Fragments (P. Sellars) and set design for Chekhov Lizard- working on Paradise Park. He produced a couple of short videos to help brain, Isabella, and Pay Up with Pig Iron Theatre Company. She is a bring publicity to the IRCs production of Paradise Park. He looks recipient of the Arts Link Grant, the NEA/TCG Program for Designers forward to the day when he will use all the knowledge he has gathered as and the TCG New Generations (with the Talking Band). Her "noir" a production assistant for this show to produce his own television show. multimedia pieces The Quake (at Ideal Glass), Slow Ascent and UFO (St. Thanks everyone for the opportunity to help out and be part of the Ann’s Warehouse) won the Jim Henson Foundation’s support. Anna is adventure. excited to collaborate with the IRC for the second time. www.annakiraly.com Erica Hoelscher (Costume Designer) is very pleased to be joining the IRC for a fourth production. Erica has designed costumes for the Michael Long (Video Design) does freelance film and theatre work Colleague’s Theatre Company, NYC, Shadowland Theatre, Ellenville, NY, in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. He graduated from Drexel Media Theatre, Media, PA, Shakespeare in Clark Park, Plays and Players University with a B.S. in Film and Video production. He's worked on Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, and the Red Square Theatre Company, corporate, feature and television projects, as well as designing video Philadelphia, and The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Center Valley. projections for Delaware Theatre Company, Luna Theater Company and Current and recent projects include Urinetown at Lehigh University and 1812 Productions, to name a few. The Merry Wives of Windsor for Shakespeare in Clark Park. Erica has been on the faculty at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA since 1995, Joshua Schulman (Lighting Design) was the 2008 winner of the teaching courses in theatrical design, theatre history, costume history Barrymore Award for his lighting of Art at Delaware Theatre Company. and stage makeup. He was also a 2009 Barrymore Award nominee for his lighting of Rock ‘N’ Roll at the Wilma Theatre. Regionally Joshua has designed at Stephen Hyams (Assistant Director) had taken a break from People’s Light and Theatre, Wilma Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, theater to pursue other life endeavors. He quickly realized there was no Delaware Theatre Company. Joshua was also the lighting director for the such thing as taking a break from something that is a part of you. So he Hidden City Festival in 2009. Other companies that Joshua has worked too stumbled his way into Paradise Park to escape the abyss of total for include Azuka Theatre, InterAct Theatre Company, Theatre Exile, Flashpoint Theatre Company, Media Theatre Company, Theatre West Virginia, Seven Stages (Atlanta), Rebecca Davis Dance Company, in Shamus Hunter McCarty (Vikram) was last seen in the world addition to many others. Joshua was also the programmer for both the premiere of Marty’s Back in Town. A graduate of Dickinson College, relighting of Boat House Row along the Schuylkill River as well as the Shamus serves as Managing Director of The Bearded Ladies Cabaret. Cira Centre. Joshua lives in South Philadelphia with his wife, Karen and Recent credits include: Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Crumple Zone, Childe their son, Elijah. Education: MFA Boston University, BA Washington Byron and Corpus Christi. “I’m a mouse…duh.” Thanks to Tina, Bob, College. www.jlsld.com cast & crew. Love to Mom, Dad, Shandy, Jack, AJ & Zach. www.shamushuntermccarty.com Robin Stamey (Assistant Lighting Designer) is a graduate of Arcadia University where she earned her B.A. in Theatre Arts. While at Bob Schmidt (Morton) is a founding member of the IRC and has Arcadia, she competed in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre appeared in many productions since the company's founding in 2006: Festival for her lighting design of Samm-Art Williams' Home, for which Witold Gombrowicz’s Ivona, Princess of Burgundia, Alistair Beaton’s she won regionally and received an honorable mention at the national translation of Max Frisch’s The Arsonists, Boris Vian’s The Empire level. In addition to working on many shows in various capacities at Builders, Jean Giraudoux’s The Madwoman of Chaillot, Eugène Arcadia, she has professionally worked with Little Bunny Voodoo, Ionesco's The Chairs, Victims of Duty, The Leader, and Foursome; Rebecca Davis Dance Company, BRAT Productions, Pig Iron Theatre Christopher Durang's The Actor's Nightmare, Wanda's Visit, Samuel Company, Banji Girl Productions, Represented Theatre Company, Beckett's Catastrophe, and numerous Raw Onions. Many thanks to Tina Philadelphia Young Playwrights and Plays & Players. She currently works for making all of this possible, an awesome cast and dedicated crew. at the National Constitution Center as the Theatre Programs Manager. Thank you for supporting The IRC!

AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. For more information, visit www.actorsequity.org. as both The Second Aunt and Checkers in Witold Gombrowicz’s Ivona, Princess of Burgundia.

Robb Hutter (Ticket Seller, Edgar, Bob the Pizza Guy) is excited to be in his second IRC production (after playing the King in last year’s Fringe production of Ivona, Princess of Burgundia). He has just completed the run of Behind The Eye with Gas & Electric Arts at Philly Shakespeare. Favorite recent roles include Harry in The Prisoner of Second Avenue at the Montgomery Theatre, Don Luis in the Quintessence Theatre’s Don Juan, Otto Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank at the Ritz Theatre, Ebenezer Scrooge in the musical A Christmas www.IdiopathicRidiculopathyConsortium.org Carol at Steel River Playhouse and the doctor in the Mauckingbird production of Never The Sinner. New York City credits include Edward II and The Jew of Malta with the American Shakespeare Repertory. A fundraiser for the IRC’s 2013 Fringe production Robb is Artistic Director of Philly Senior Stage, bringing entertainment of The Castle by Franz Kafka. and theatre education to senior adults in retirement communities. He hails from Canada and received his MFA in Acting from Toronto’s York University. WHO’S WHO MUSIC CAST Many thanks to these artists for their generosity in helping to create Paradise Park: Sean Close (Benny) is thrilled to be making his Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium debut! Credits include: u/s Charlotte’s Web 3 Leg Torso - Animals and Cannibals (Arden Theatre); Othello, The Merchant of Venice, The Venetian Twins, Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club Presents Henry V, The Importance of Being Earnest (Quintessence Theatre Maria Callas - The Very Best of Maria Callas Group); The Night of the Iguana, Exorcism (South Camden Theatre DeVotchKa - How It Ends Company); Fool for Love (Iron Age Theatre); Featuring Loretta (Walking Fish Theatre); The Pillowman (Bootless Stageworks); As You Bill Frisell - East West Like It (Theatre Horizon); High Dramma Sketch Comedy (B. Someday Bill Frisell - Ghost Town Productions). Educational: The Seagull, Eurydice, Hair, Damn Yankees, Bill Frisell - Good Dog, Happy Man Little Shop of Horrors, Antigone, Orpheus Descending (College of Bill Frisell - Nashville William & Mary). Robin Holcomb - Rockabye Robin Holcomb - Robin Holcomb Heather Cole (Darling, Choreographer) is so excited to perform Pat Metheny Group - American Garage in her second show with IRC. Heather recently choreographed Bloody Pat Metheny Group - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls Bloody Andrew Jackson at Plays and Players. This spring she will be movement and assistant directing Simpatico's Lysistrata Project. Much Pat Metheny Group - Beyond the Missouri Sky love to cast and crew, family and Z. Pat Metheny Group - Off Ramp Pat Metheny Group - Speaking of Now John D'Alonzo (Jorge) is very honored to be working with the IRC The Penguins - The Best of The Penguins again! Previous productions include The Gnadiges Fraulein, The John Zorn - Filmworks VII: Cynical Hysterie Hour Madwoman of Chaillot, The Arsonists, Marriage, two Raw Onions, Impassioned Embraces and Ivona, Princess of Burgundia. John would like to thank Tina, the cast, crew, friends, family and You for supporting the Arts!