Stage III Playbill Richard Hopkins, Producing Artistic Director by Aaron Posner adapted from the novel by Chaim Potok Gil Brady and Claire Warden. Photo by Matthew Holler. Ben Rosenbach. Photo by Matthew Holler. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. MY NAME IS ASHER LEV by Aaron Posner adapted from the novel by Chaim Potok CAST (in alphabetical order) Aryeh Lev, Jacob Kahn, and others.............Nathan Kaufman* Rivkeh Lev and others.............................. Naama Potok* Asher Lev................................................ Ben Rosenbach* Scenic Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer Bruce Price Donna Riggs Tom Hansen Stage Manager Rebekah Small* Directed by Jason Cannon Season Underwriters Georgia Court, Dennis & Graci McGillicuddy, Anne Nethercott Show Co-Producers Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Herald Tribune Media Group, Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, Virginia Lipton & Frank Malickson Setting: Asher Lev’s Memories Originally commissioned and produced by the Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dramaturgy by Michele Volansky. My Name Is Asher Lev is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Services, Inc., New York. The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. * Denotes member Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. ARTIST PROFILES NATHAN KAUFMAN (20th Century Fox); Carol, Reindeer Games. (Aryeh Lev, Jacob Kahn, BEN ROSENBACH (Asher and others) is thrilled to Lev) is very excited to be be making his FST debut. making his FST debut Stage credits include Les playing Asher Lev. This is Liaisons Dangereuses, Julius Ben’s second Potok/Posner Caesar, Galileo, As You Like show, his first was while It, Cymbeline, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, playing Danny Saunders in King Lear (The Shakespeare Theatre of New the Barrington Stage Company production of Jersey); Coriolanus, Pericles, Harvey (The Texas The Chosen. Other credits include: Laughter on Shakespeare Festival); The Tempest, Romeo & the 23rd Floor at the Flat Rock Playhouse; South Juliet (The Human Race Theatre Company); The Pacific at the Engeman Theatre on Long Island; Cmplete Wrks of Wllm Shkspr Abridged (Shadow Rent at the Harbor Lights Theater Company on Lawn Stage); Beyond Therapy, Time Flies (Bohe- Staten Island. Very grateful for this extremely mian Archaeology). Television Credits include “worthwhile” experience. ABC’s What Would You Do? and The View as well as Discovery Family’s American Icons. Nathan JASON CANNON (Director) is an Associate received his BFA in Acting from the Purchase Artist at FST, where his responsibilities include College Conservatory of Theatre Arts and Film directing, acting, New Play Development, and lives in New York City. supervising the Acting Apprentice Program, www.nathankaufman.com and teaching in Adult Education. Most recently he directed Butler, and his performance last NAAMA POTOK (Rivkeh season as Ever Montgomery in Dancing Lessons Lev and others) was last garnered him “Best Actor of 2015” awards from seen as Christine in Two both Sarasota Magazine and the Herald-Tri- Mothers at a Roadside Cafe bune. He holds an MFA in Directing, an MA in (Schreiber Shorts Festival Drama, and a BA in Theatre and English. Proud of Short Plays). Earlier cred- member SDC, AEA, SAG-AFTRA. its include Rivkeh Lev, Anna jasoncannon.biz Schaeffer, and Rachel in My Name is Asher Lev at Penguin Rep Theatre and in the Off-Broad- REBEKAH SMALL (Stage Manager) is excited way production, Eileen Rafferty in Slides (dir. to be back at Florida Studio Theatre! Her NY Geraldine Fitzgerald), Scheherazade in Arabian credits include: Trojan Women, Single Room Nights (dir. Mary Zimmerman), Greek Princess Occupancy (NYC Fringe), and Summertime. Her in Mirror of the Invisible World (Goodman The- Regional Credits include: Butler; Hairspray; atre), Katherine in Henry IV, and Manke in God Tom Jones; Taking Shakespeare; The World Goes of Vengeance (A Contemporary Theatre). Film ‘Round; Too Darn Hot; Spamalot; Let’s Twist credits: Christie, Waiting for Marilon Cotillard Again: The Wanderer’s, and Urban Cowboys. (Mediane-Art &Communication); The Chosen ARTIST PROFILES BRUCE PRICE (Scenic Designer) joined the FST O’clock Theatre), 42nd Street (Sarasota Players), staff in 2002 as the Production Stage Manager Hairspray (Voldasta State University), Man of and stage managed 14 productions. In 2004, LaMancha (Show Palace) and Joseph...Dream- Mr. Price was promoted to Production Manager coat (Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center). and has overseen the technical aspects of over AARON POSNER (Playwright) is a Helen Hayes 100 productions here at FST. In addition, Mr. and Barrymore Award-winning director and Price has designed sets, lighting, and costumes playwright. He is the founder and former Ar- for dozens of production over his 30 year career tistic Director of Philadelphia’s Arden Theatre, including FST’s production of Thurgood, as well is an Associate Artist at both the Folger Theatre as a number of the FST Cabaret productions. and Milwaukee Repertoy Theatre, and has Mr. Price has an MFA in Directing from the directed at major regional theatres from coast University of Houston where he studied with to coast including the Folger, Seattle Rep, Port- Edward Albee, Jose Quintero, and Stewart land Center Stage, The Alliance, Actor’s Theatre Ostro. Mr. Price has worked regionally at The of Louisville, Arizona Theatre Company, Mil- Alley Theatre and Stage Repertory Theatre both waukee Rep, California Shakespeare Theatre, on stage and backstage. He has found his home Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Roundhouse Theatre, here at FST. Studio Theatre, Signature Theatre, Theatre J, DONNA RIGGS (Costume Designer) Local American Player’s Theatre and many more. His costume and clothing designer, Donna Riggs is adaptations include Chaim Potok’s The Chosen excited to costume yet another great play for and My Name Is Asher Lev (both of which have FST, My Name Is Asher Lev. She has designed enjoyed successful runs at more than 50 other and styled wardrobes for movies, (Dinesh theatres across the country), Ken Kesey’s Some- D’souza’s America, Gena Rowlands in Six Dance times a Great Notion, Mark Twain’s A Murder, A Lessons in Six Weeks) national commercials Mystery, And A Marriage, an adaptation of three (Honda) and created costumes for corporate Kurt Vonnegut short stories, entitled Who Am I branding, mascots, cosplay, and recently This Time? (and Other Conundrums of Love) and the FST production, Butler. Donna is also an Stupid Fucking Bird, a variation on Chekhov’s award-winning illustrator and graphic design- Seagull. Aaron was raised in Eugene, Oregon, er. www.costumes-donnariggs.com. graduated from Northwestern University, is an Eisenhower Fellow, and lives near Washington, TOM HANSEN (Lighting Designer) FST Credits: D.C. Soul Mates, Yesterday, and Laughing Matters. Awards: Singing In the Rain , Oklahoma!, SPECIAL THANKS - Thank you, Rabbi Brenner Harvey, Philadelphia Story, The Sound of Music, Glickman, Marian Raupp (Ritual Chair) and Beauty & the Beast, The Great Sebastians, Judy Dean (Administrative Assistant) at Temple Mornings At Seven, Big River, and Crazy For You Emanu-El for contributing items to our ward- (Colorado Springs Fine Arts Council nominee). robe! www.sarasotatemple.org. 151 McIntosh Favorites: The Foreigner (American Stage), Road, Sarasota, FL 34232. (941) 371-2788. Grey Gardens (freeFall Theatre) Chicago (Eight SEASON UNDERWRITERS GEORGIA COURT I love great theater and FST its leadership, as reflected in its mission, and as delivers that. FST is among the best theater manifested in its work, whether it be on the main companies I have seen, but it is more than a theater stage, in the cabaret, and in its education and company. It is an organization that recognizes it is community outreach programs, are values that part of the greater community--and it reaches out we so strongly believe in. As a consequence, it is a to that community in positive, productive ways. privilege for us to be a part of, and supportive of Having FST so accessible adds to the joy of living in this great theater. the fabulous arts community that is Sarasota. ANNE NETHERCOTT When asked to define giving, DENNIS & GRACI MCGILLICUDDY FST is Anne said: “My mother used to say, ‘The best way important to us because we believe so strongly in to find you is to lose yourself, by focusing on the the transformative power of the arts. For close to 30 needs of others rather than on oneself.’” So, giving years now, we have been so fortunate to experience has always been an important family value, which first-hand how that transformative power works in childhood was reinforced by the community its magic in the hands of an organization that is experience of surviving The Depression. Anne is not only experienced and dedicated but so highly proud to be a supporter of FST. skilled in their craft. The values of the theater and COPRODUCERS GULF COAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Together THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF SARASOTA- with its donors, Gulf Coast creatively invests in MANATEE’S mission is to strengthen Jewish life and unique cultural assets like Florida Studio Theatre. identity in our community, provide for Jewish people Gulf Coast is the philanthropic home of more than in need, and promote support for Israel. Sponsoring 600 families who have established charitable funds FST’s production of My Name Is Asher Lev gives there and together they have invested over $208 Federation the opportunity to expose the greater million in grants in the areas of arts and culture, Sarasota-Manatee community to a glimpse of health and human services, civic and economic Jewish life and Jewish tradition. Our partnership development, education, and the environment. with FST allows us to support innovative Learn more about their bold and proactive educational initiatives such as The Roots of Hatred: philanthropy at GulfCoastCF.org. Anti-Semitism Yesterday and Today.