and Bruce W. Zisterer in association with Christine Boylan & Eric Heisserer, LaToya Morgan, and Jack Morrissey present The Viewby Max VernonUpStairs with (in alphabetical order) Jake Anthony, Darren Bluestone*, Benai Boyd*, Matthew Hancock*, Pip Lilly, Rehyan Rivera, Joey Ruggiero, Chala Savino*, Pat Towne*, and Travis York* Scenic Designer Lighting Designer Costume Designer Alex Calle Martha Carter Michael Mullen Props Designer Sound Designer Wig Designer Michael O’Hara Eric Snodgrass Byron Batista Fight Director Casting Director Matt Orduña Jami Rudofsky Graphic Designer Lizzy Ross/Lizzy Ross Graphic Design & Christopher Maikish Marketing/PR Production Stage Manager David Elzer/DEMAND PR Rebecca Schoenberg Associate Producers Mark Giberson, David Tran, Tommy Vergason and Alan Wethern Producers Andrew Carlberg and Jay Marcus Music Director Jake Anthony Choreographer and Assistant Director Cate Caplin Director Michael A. Shepperd *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. This production is presented under the auspices of the Actors’ Equity Los Angeles Membership Company Rule. The View UpStairs is supported in part by a grant from the Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation The View UpStairs is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. Originally developed and produced for the stage by Invisible Wall Productions, Inc. The View UpStairs was developed in part at Rhinebeck Writers Retreat. Developed and originally produced in Chicago by Pride Films and Plays, David Zak, Executive Director 2 A MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MICHAEL C. KRICFALUSI Thank you all for The largest responsibility I have coming to see this though has to be fiscal. Monies for the performance of The arts is at an incredible low right now View UpStairs. We are and California falls at the bottom of all so excited to have this states in what it gives to the arts. The show to open our 35th bulk of what does get given out goes season. After a suc- to the larger theatres, museums and cessful run Off-Broadway, this West other cultural organizations so there’s Coast premiere is a privilege for us to not much left of what wasn’t much present to you. This show represents a to begin with for theatres of Celebra- historical moment in time yet events tion’s size. This is why I reach out to like this still happen today. Consider all of you to encourage you to donate for a moment what happened recently today, tomorrow and to consider at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. planned giving for the future. Ticket Given what’s going on today with so sales are never enough to cover all many feeling it’s ok to go after certain our costs. Some of you may like to groups, we must remain aware and help “produce” a show we do and see vigilant to stop people from attacking your name on our marketing materi- not only us but the other groups in als, press releases, etc. for an individ- the same world. This show aside, we ual production. Some of you may only hope you come to see all our produc- be able to support us by purchasing tions, readings and other events we that ticket. Whatever it is you can do, put on. These are as much labors of please know that all of us at Celebra- love on our part as they are entertain- tion applaud you and thank you for ing, informative or even educating to being part of our family. you our audience. One of our major goals here at Cel- My major responsibilities here at ebration is to make sure our patrons, Celebration include overseeing our actors, designers, crew etc. are treated incredible creative/management with respect and given an enjoyable team of Michael Matthews, Michael place to create and watch what goes A. Shepperd, Michael O’Hara, and up at our theatre. For you our patrons the talented and devoted managers that begins with your visit to our web- and company members that report to site, purchasing a ticket, walking both them. Another is to be a representa- into and out of our theatre. tive for Celebration in our theatrical community, our audience community If this is your first or fiftieth time here, and our corporate/public grantors/sup- welcome and we hope you enjoy the porters. I also look forward to what we show. If you have any questions or want to do as a theatre company and want to know how you can support how outside organizations or people us further, my email address is kric@ can impact us. celebrationtheatre.com and I look forward to hearing from you. 3 CAST (Alphabetical) JAKE ANTHONY Buddy DARREN BLUESTONE* Patrick BENAI BOYD* Henri MATTHEW HANCOCK* Wes PIP LILLY Willie REHYAN RIVERA Freddy JOEY RUGGIERO Dale CHALA SAVINO* Inez PAT TOWNE* Richard TRAVIS YORK* Cop SWINGS LYLE COLBY MACKSTON*, PARNELL DAMONE MARCANO*, BRITTNEY S. WHEELER* *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. BAND JAKE ANTHONY Piano/Music Director JOHANNA CHASE Bass NICOLE MARCUS Drums MAX WAGNER Guitars SONG LIST Some Kind of Paradise Buddy and Cast #householdname Wes Lost or Found? Buddy, WIllie, Freddy, and Henri What I Did Today Patrick Are You Listening, God? Cast World Outside These Walls Henri and Cast Completely Overdone Inez and Freddy The Future is Great!!! Wes Waltz (Endless Night) Patrick Sex on Legs Freddy and Cast Better Than Silence Dale Most Important Thing Inez Crazy Notion Wes and Patrick Theme Song Willie and Cast The View UpStairs Wes PRODUCTION INFO PLACE - The UpStairs Lounge, a gay bar in New Orleans, LA TIME - Present Day and 1973 The production runs 90 minutes with no intermission. 4 PRODUCTION TEAM MAX VERNON Writer MICHAEL A. SHEPPERD Director CATE CAPLIN Choreographer and Assistant Director JAKE ANTHONY Music Director MATT ORDUÑA Fight Director REBECCA SCHOENBERG Production Stage Manager JILLIAN MAYO Assistant Stage Manager ALEX CALLE Scenic Designer MARTHA CARTER Lighting Designer MICHAEL MULLEN Costume Designer ERIC SNOGRASS Sound Designer MICHAEL O’HARA Properties Designer/Managing Director/Executive Producer BYRON BATISTA Wig Designer REI YAMAMOTO Assistant Scenic Designer BRUCE W. ZISTERER Executive Producer CHRISTINE BOYLAN & ERIC HEISSERER Executive Producer LATOYA MORGAN Executive Producer JACK MORRISSEY Executive Producer MICHAEL C. KRICFALUSI Executive Director/Executive Producer MICHAEL MATTHEWS Co-Artistic Director/Executive Producer ANDREW CARLBERG Producer JAY MARCUS Producer/Producing Director MARK GIBERSON Associate Producer DAVID TRAN Associate Producer TOMMY VERGASON Associate Producer ALAN WETHERN Associate Producer JAMI RUDOFSKY Casting Director BRITTNEY S. WHEELER Casting Associate DAVID ELZER/DEMAND PR Marketing/PR/Publicist LIZZY ROSS/LIZZY ROSS GRAPHIC DESIGN Graphic Designer CHRISTOPHER MAIKISH Graphic Designer MATTHEW BRIAN DENMAN Production Photographer DARREN BLUESTONE* Dance Captain REYHAN RIVERA Dance Captain CHALA SAVINO Fight Captain The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings of this production or distributing recordings on any medium, including the internet, is strictly prohibited. CELEBRATION SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@celebrationthtr) Share your Celebration experience on social media with #ViewLA. 5 A NOTE FROM DIRECTOR MICHAEL A. SHEPPERD Sometimes looking at our history can be not so pleasant, especially when it still so closely resembles the world we live in today. 1973. A man purposely starts a fire in a queer nightclub in New Orleans killing 33 people. 2016. A man purposely starts shooting in a queer nightclub in Orlando killing 49 people . In choosing The View UpStairs as the opener of our “Be Who You Are, No Matter What - a season of living out loud” at Celebration, we are taking a stand. We are saying that we will continue to look at our his- tory for inspiration and use it as a guide to create change, but we will not let society repeat it. We hope to continue to entertain, inspire, and empower with innovative productions that celebrate the LGBTQ community. We are your community theatre. SPECIAL THANKS Celebration would like to thank the following for their contributions to the production: Our Subscribers, Membership Holders and patrons; Our Company Members; Our Board of Directors; Jon Imparato, Patricia, Cody and Mike at the LGBT Center; Jason Weiss; Theatre of Arts; Jay Donohue and Joy Rinaldi; Aaron Lyons; Andrew McGarity; Archer Altstaetter; Micky’s West Hollywood; Denise Grayson; Mary Reitz; Don Wise; Adam Eramian; East/West Players; Matt Richter; Joshua Finkel 6 A NOTE FROM THE LAVENDER EFFECT® The View UpStairs provides a Stairs lessons are both universal and glimpse into the diverse person- timeless. alities that patronized the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans. The audi- The 40-year time gap between Wes ence is transported back to 1973 and the locals is amplified when with the main character Wes, a a cop enters the bar and begins 20-something fashion designer who to harass its patrons. This was a purchased the historic building. A common scene in bars across the colorful cast of characters from the country in the 1970s. Do patrons past enrich his understanding of life, keep their heads down to survive or love, and community. rise in rebellion? These are the same questions we are asking ourselves The 1970s was a decade when any in 2017. suggestion of homosexual activity was illegal. Like many other cit- The View UpStairs honors the ies, the only safe spaces for queer vibrant lives of the 32 people that people were gay bars. Ironically, perished in the historic June 24th, this French Quarter bar also dou- 1973 arson fire, as well as the June bled as a home for the young local 12th, 2016 Orlando nightclub Metropolitan Community Church, shooting that took 50 lives. Please Founded by Reverend Troy Perry of join me in thanking Celebration for Los Angeles.