CENTER REPERTORY COMPANY OF WALNUT CREEK Michael Butler, Artistic Director Scott Denison, Managing Director presents By Neil Simon Scenic Designer Lighting Designer Costume Designer Nina Ball Scott Denison Michael A. Berg Sound Designer Prop Master Dialect Coach Matt Stines Christopher Kesel Lynne Soffer Stage Manager Leslie M. Radin* Cast Jennifer Erdmann* Michael Butler* Mark Anderson Phillips* Mark Farrell* Amanda Denison Sharon Rietkerk* Dorian Lockett Lynda DiVito Kerri Shawn Gabriel Marin* Directed by Timothy Near RUMORS is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. Margaret Lesher Theatre March 30 - April 28, 2012 Lesher Center for the Arts Season Season Partner Season Media Sponsor Foundation Sponsor Sponsor *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society Center REP is a member of Theatre Bay Area and Theatre Communications Group (TCG), The National Organization for the American Theatre CAST (in order of appearance) Lynda DiVito (Claire Ganz) Dorian Lockett (Officer Sharon Rietkerk* (Cassie Timothy Near (Director) Scott Denison (Lighting Designer/ Managing is thrilled to return to Center Welch) is once again Cooper) is delighted to is delighted to return to Director) has been a leader in the Arts for 37 years Chris Gorman .................................Jennifer Erdmann* REP this season in Rumors. honored to be working with return to Center REP where Center REP to direct on the for Walnut Creek and the surrounding communities. Ken Gorman ...............................................Mark Farrell* Other Center REP credits Center REP, having previously she last performed in She charming Lesher Stage. Under Denison’s guidance for the last 21 years as Claire Ganz ..................................................Lynda DiVito include; “Bertha” in Boeing played Rev. Sykes in To Kill a Loves Me. She was most Other productions with REP General Manager for the Lesher Center for the Arts, Lenny Ganz ..........................Mark Anderson Phillips* Boeing, She Loves Me and Mockingbird. Dorian’s recent recently seen in concert with include Doubt, Noises Off and he oversees over 850 public events each year. He Ernie Cusack ......................................... Michael Butler* Mayor Mathilda in All Shook credits include Shoot O’Malley Faith Prince and Jason Graae The Mousetrap. She recently coordinates performing arts activities with over 85 Up. Other Bay Area credits Cookie Cusack ............................................ Kerri Shawn Twice, Fences, Bedtime in Detroit and Compared in Jerry Herman, The Best of concluded 22 years as Artistic producers and producing organizations. He is also include; Paulette in Legally Blonde at DTC, Velma Director of San Jose Repertory Theatre during Glenn Cooper .........................................Gabriel Marin* to What. He loves Anime, Nutterbutters and The Times. Regional credits include The Secret Garden the Managing Director of the Center REPertory in Hairspray at CCMT, The Full Monty at AMTSJ, In which time she produced over 132 plays, 20 world Cassie Cooper ....................................Sharon Rietkerk* Celtics. Enjoy the show! (Rose), TheatreWorks; Nymph Errant (Evangeline) Company producing 8 professional productions this House (Bay Area Critics Circle award 2008) at premiers, contributed significant leadership to the Officer Welch ..........................................Dorian Lockett each season; and is the director and co-founder of Playhouse West. NYC Off Bway/ International/ and Strike Up the Band (Anne Draper), 42nd St design and building of a new theatre facility and Officer Pudney ..................................Amanda Denison Gabriel Marin* (Glenn Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble, an adult family regional credits include; Cats/Jellylorum. Off Moon; Annie in Evil Dead the Musical, Willows led the company to be among the most respected Broadway Sheba/Leah. Oliver at Papermill Cooper) is delighted to Theatre Company. Other credits include The and artistically adventurous resident theatres in the performing arts company which presents programs TIME and PLACE Playhouse. Fiddler on the Roof at Riverside return to Center REPertory Drowsy Chaperone (Janet Van De Graaff), White country. Her final season at The Rep included the for the young and young at heart. Scott directed Theatre. Lynda toured throughout Europe in Company where he was Christmas (Judy Haynes), and Curtains (Niki), world premier of The Kite Runner, Spelling Bee and CCMT’s hits Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and The home of the Deputy mayor of New York in various different shows and was the lead singer previously seen in Arms And Diablo Theatre Company; My Fair Lady (Eliza Michael Butler’s production of Around the World Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Hairspray, and Sneden’s Landing for JamSquare, one of Holland’s premiere dance The Man (Sergius), Noises Off Doolittle) and Iolanthe (Phyllis), Lamplighters in 80 Days. Most recently she directed Race by for the past 13 seasons Center REP’s A Christmas bands. For L&H&N. (Garry), A Number (Bernard), Music Theater. Ms. Rietkerk has performed with David Mamet at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Carol. Denison has directed over 150 productions Late 1980s and Tuesday’s with Morrie (Mitch). Recent credits the South Coast Symphony (The Music Man, a workshop performance of The Proud by Aaron including most recently REP’s The Lady with all the Jennifer Erdmann* (Chris include Bellwether (Alan) at Marin Theatre Marian), the Napa Valley Opera House (The Best Loeb at Dance Mission in S.F. Near has directed at Answers starring Kerri Shawn. In 1979 he created the There will be one 15 minute intermission Gorman) is delighted to Company, Love in American Times (Hector) at of Gilbert and Sullivan) and the Bear Valley Festival California Shakespeare Theatre, Arizona Theatre Shellie Awards, which annually honors outstanding return to Center REP, having San Jose Rep, Wirehead (Destry) at SF Playhouse, Orchestra. Ms. Rietkerk received a BA in Theater, Co., The Guthrie, Berkeley Rep, Alliance Theatre, performing arts achievement in Contra Costa previously appeared in Collapse (David) at Aurora Theatre, and Superior with Honors in Musical Theater from the University Mark Taper Forum, L.A.’s Tiffany Theatre, La Jolla County. In 2007 he created the Chevron Family Boeing-Boeing (Gretchen) CAST BIOGRAPHIES Donuts (Luther) at TheatreWorks. Locally Marin Playhouse, Center REP, Ford’s Theatre in D.C., New Theatre Festival bringing adult nationally acclaimed and Noises Off (Belinda). of California, Irvine. Member of Actor’s Equity. has appeared at American Conservatory Theater, York Shakespeare Festival, Union Square Theatre, performances together for one day performing to Recent credits include Cincinnati Playhouse,The Intiman, A Contemporary Michael Butler* (Ernie the world premiere of Bill Aurora Theatre Company, Bay Area Playwrights Kerri Shawn (Cookie Cusack) over 7,000 guests of all ages. Theatre in Seattle, Portland Center Stage and Opera Cusack) is the artistic director Cain’s 9 Circles (multiple roles) at Marin Theatre Foundation, Black Box Theatre, Central Works, Last season Kerri was seen as San Jose. Near is also an actress and the recipient of Center REP and very Company, Nunsense Jamboree (Sister Mary Leo) Magic Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, Ann Landers in Center REP’s Matt Stines (Sound Designer) is very excited to of an Obie Award for her performance in Still Life pleased to return to the REP at the Meadow Brook Theatre, and The Miracle PlayGround, San Francisco Fringe Festival, San Off Center production of The return to Center REP, having previously designed by Emily Mann. She is the recipient many BATCC stage, having previously Worker (Kate Keller) at Sierra Rep. Bay Area credits Jose Rep, SF Playhouse, TheatreWorks, The Jewish Lady With All The Answers the sound for The Storytelling Ability of a Boy. He awards, a Shellie award, numerous Hollywood played Lloyd Dallas in Noises include performances with San Jose Rep (Pride Theatre, Thick Description, Word for Word, and Z and most recently returned was last heard at Shotgun Players with The Coast of DramaLogues, The Woman of Achievement Award Off and Paravicini in The and Prejudice, Major Barbara), TheatreWorks Space. Mr. Marin was named Best Actor by the East to the role of Mrs. Cratchit in Utopia: Voyage. Other credits include productions in the Arts given by the SJ Mercury News/Women’s Mousetrap, both directed by Timothy Near. As (Vincent in Brixton), Marin Shakespeare Company Bay Express in their “Best of The East Bay 2010”. Mr. with Aurora Theater, ACT’s MFA program, Guerilla REP’s A Christmas Carol. She is a resident actress Fund and The Janet Gray Hayes Award for Women an actor, Michael has performed on Broadway (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), American Musical Marin was named as co-MVP for 2011 Sam Hurwitt Rep, 11th Hour Ensemble, AlterTheatre, SF with Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble and has also in Leadership. and off, in film, television, books on tape, and in Theatre of San Jose (The Sound of Music), Willows (theIdiolect.com, Marin Independent Journal). He performed locally with Marin Theatre Company, Playhouse, Ann Marie Productions (at FringeNYC), regional theatres around the country. Highlights Theatre Company (Annie, Children of Eden, Best has performed on NBC, CBS, PBS and the BBC. Contra Costa Musical Theatre, and PlayGround. New Conservatory,