presents the world premiere of based on five short stories by Kurt Vonnegut produced, adapted, and directed by Scott Rognlien starring Rob Beddall, Keith Blaney, Jason Frost, Marjorie LeWit, Carryl Lynn, Darren Mangler, Paul Michael Nieman, Eric Normington, Maia Peters, Paul Plunkett, JR Reed, Rob Smith, Matt Taylor producer producer JR Reed Maia Peters projection & lighting designer costume designer Kate Leahy Kimberly Freed set designer stage manager Brittany Blouch Becky Hefferman Vonnegut, USA is presented with permission from the estate of Kurt Vonnegut. Cast (in alphabetical order) Harry Barker, Lawrence Morgan…………..…………………….….Rob Beddall Verne Petrie, Herb White……………...………………………...…Keith Blaney* Newell Cady……………………….………………………………….Jason Frost Patty Lee Minot, Mary Mansfield, Elsie Strang Morgan……..….Marjorie LeWit Nancy Daily, Mrs. Dickie, Maid, Reva Deal………………..........…..Carryl Lynn Man, Fire Chief Stanley Atkins………...………………….…….Darren Mangler Upton Beaton…………………………………………...….Paul Michael Nieman Kennard Pelk………………………………….…….…………..Eric Normington Sheila Hinckley White………………………….…………………….Maia Peters Henry George Lovell, Jr………………...…….……………………..Paul Plunkett Dave Mansfield………………………………………...………………….JR Reed Lou Sterling, Ed Newcomb………………………………....…………..Rob Smith Bud Carmody, Al Tedler…………………………………….………..Matt Taylor *Member Actors’ Equity Association film cast (in alphabetical order) Blaire Chandler……………………………………………………..Gloria Hilton Lori Anne Edwards………..…………......…………..Women’s College President Jacques Freydont…...…………………………..…….FFF Chairman of the Board James Mathis III……………………………….……....…Know-How Voice Over Mark McCracken……………...…….….Gloria’s Husband, Vacuum Voice Over Zoe, Beau and Tyo Normington……………..……………..…..Gloria’s Children Scott Rognlien…………………..………………...……….FFF Promo Voice Over setting Sometime just north of the midway point of the last century. time Somewhere in the northeastern region of America. There will be a fifteen minute intermission. Herbal cigars are will be used during this production. Creative/Production Team Adaptor/Director……….…………..……….………….Scott Rognlien Producers…………………………………………………..Maia Peters JR Reed Scott Rognlien Projection and Lighting Designer……………….………….Kate Leahy Set Designer…………………………………………... Brittany Blouch Costume Designer………………………………..…….Kimberly Freed Stage Manager………………………...……………. Becky Hefferman Technical Director…………………….…………... Justin Ryan Brown Set Builders.………………………….…………………....Ben Durham Brendan Haley Kurtis Bedford Film Director……………………………...……………..Scott Rognlien Director of Photography………………....……………Darrett Sanders Film Audio……………………….…………………………Sara Glaser Lena Alkhatib Veronica Zebrocki Film Editors/Post Production……………………………Craig Kuehne Marjorie LeWit Scott Rognlien Publicist………………………………………………….Nora Feldman Graphic Designers……………………………………Joe McCarthy, II Owen Hammer Dave Portal Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was born on November 11, 1922, in Indianapolis, IN. When World War II broke out, Vonnegut was 16; at 20, he entered the army and was shipped off to Europe, where he almost immediately was captured by the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. He was sent as a POW to Dresden. On February 13, 1945, British and American bombers destroyed the city by dropping high explosives followed by incendiary bombs. The event would later be the inspiration for his groundbreaking novel, Slaughterhouse Five. After the war, Vonnegut took an advertising job at General Electric to support his family and began writing short fiction on the side. From 1950 into the early 60s, Vonnegut published multiple short stories every year in various American magazines that still packed their pages with what Vonnegut called "slick fiction." By the mid-sixties the short-story market was drying up but Vonnegut's novels had already developed a cult following of college students. In these novels, Vonnegut mastered his trademark black comic voice, making his audience laugh despite the horrors he described. By the early 1970s, Vonnegut was one of the most famous living writers on earth. - Courtesy of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library/Rodney Allen a note from the adaptor/director When Kurt Vonnegut died in April of 2007, I had already read a handful of his books, each very different in content, but with similar style. The voice always drew me in, as though I was experiencing a chance meeting with the same tall, lanky, kind fellow who was generous enough to share his stories with me. After his passing, I surprisingly felt like I had lost a friend, and at that point endeavored to read all of his books in chronological order. My friend came to life again and I watched him grow as a writer throughout his abundant career of novels, short stories, plays, essays, and so on. So many of the same characters, themes, and locations seemed to pop up throughout his work that I was intrigued with the idea of adapting his work for the stage by setting it inside the Vonnegut universe. His short stories were the best vehicle for this experiment because we could visit many locations, meet different characters, and show how they all live in the unique world that Vonnegut created. And his voice is always there. You can imagine him as a bustling employee of the Ilium Works, just as he was at the General Electric Schenectady Works, when he worked there as a PR man. In another life he may have been a seller of combination storm windows and screens, an occupation he's applied to many of his short stories' narrators. I have striven to stay as true to the original texts as possible in order to capture the feeling of Vonnegut's storytelling style, while at the same time attempting to create a wholly original piece of theatre. But mostly I just wanted to bring my friend back to life again, let him walk around the stage and tell these stories through his cast of characters. Kurt has said that some adaptations were often missing one character – him, the author. I would also say that his stories have another integral character, the reader, or in this case, the audience. Thanks so much for picking us up and turning the pages. the players Robert Beddall – Harry Barker, Lawrence Morgan Robert was born and raised in Worcestershire, England, and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He is a current member of The Road Theatre Company. LA and CA theatre credits: Henry IV part II, The Man in the Iron Mask (SSC), Coriolanus (The Archway Theatre), That Good Night (The Road Theatre), Sherlock Through the Looking Glass (POH), Richard III (A Noise Within). Film: Night Vet, A Marine Story, Second Thoughts, Locked Up, Selves. www.robbeddall.com Keith Blaney – Verne Petrie, Herb White I’m pleased as punch to be acting again with TNA for the third time! When I'm not working with this wonderful company and cast, I'm developing screenplays with my writing partners Charlotte and Bones and telling tales at one of LA’s many storytelling forums such as Sit 'n Spin at the Comedy Central Stage. Later this year you can see me with Dr. Dre in Apple TV's first scripted series Vital Signs. Thanks audience member! Jason Frost – Newell Cady Jason is thrilled to be originating another role with The Next Arena. From off (off-off) Broadway venues in New York to Los Angeles theaters like the Boston Court (as an understudy) and the Matrix Theatre (where he managed to blow hot candle wax on his own face while on stage, in a play with Darren Mangler), Jason has acted in plays and movies for 20 years. It's great to do another. Marjorie LeWit – Patty Lee Minot, Mary Mansfield, Elsie Strang Morgan This is Marjorie's TNA debut! She was recently seen as Lieutenant Black in Jacques Freydont's Eviction Notice with Defiance Theatre Company, where she is also the Associate Artistic Director. Past NYC theatre credits include Mommy in The American Dream (Brooklyn Music Theater), Spider Woman in Kiss of the Spider Woman (National Actor's Theater), Karen in The Children's Hour, and Arkadina in The Seagull, and several one-act plays at The Player's Theatre, Rattlestick Playwright's Theatre and the American Globe Theatre. Carryl Lynn – Miss Daily, Mrs. Dickie, Maid, Reva Deal Carryl is a native of Boston & Cape Cod, where her theatre credits include the original cast of Gip Hoppe's “Jackie: An American Life.” Los Angeles theatre credits: Coeurage Theatre’s award winning production of Tennessee Williams’ Vieux Carré, (StageSceneLA Award for Outstanding Ensemble), Fancy Meeting You Here, Talking With, and Cowboy Mouth. Her film & tv credits include CryptTV’s Bloody Mary, Kevin Smith’s Red State, Alice, True Blood, and NCIS. She studied with legendary Milton Katselas at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Darren Mangler – Stanley Atkins Darren graduated from WIU and toured the country performing Last of the Red Hot Lovers for the Repertory Theater of America and The Pied Piper with Missoula Children's Theater. His biggest hit in LA was The Last Laugh playing Fatty Arbuckle. He has been in many national commercials and has been seen on Freakylinks, Switched at Birth, The Longest Yard, and Conan. His short film "The Whole Person" has won awards and his web series "2 for Stew” is currently on Funny or Die. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1902919/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 Paul Michael Nieman – Upton Beaton Paul has been honored with two Best Actor awards for his portrayals of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and Lt. Col. Jessup in A Few Good Men. Paul appeared in the award winning film The Convicted, and the award winning web series Half Sisters. Paul’s background includes radio and commercial voice-over work. In San Diego on K-Best 95FM he was known as Paul Diamond and had the #1 rated show for women ages 18-35. Eric Normington – Kennard Pelk Eric is the proud father of three and a freelance actor/writer working in television and commercials. You can also see him perform longform improv with Big Boss, a House Team, most Sundays at The Nerdist School Stage. Eric would like to thank Scott and his fellow cast mates for all their hard work in bringing these great Vonnegut stories to life. Fun fact: This sentence brings Eric exactly to the 75 word bio limit.