OLNEY THEATRE C ENTER

BAKERSFIELD MIST

A NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Dear friend of Olney Theatre Center, Living around DC, you must feel overwhelmed by political punditry at this jolly time in the election calendar. Are you tired of watching people foam at the mouth as they wonder how those people could possibly support that candidate? Whether the friends and relatives in your particular echo chamber rail against the evils of the establishment or decry the ignorance of the outsiders, do you ever want to stop them and ask, “Have you ever met the people you’re condemning? Have you ever sat down and had a drink with them?” That’s what Stephen Sachs imagines in his riotous, gently rebellious play Bakersfield Mist. When I read it a few years ago, I knew I wanted to produce it for this community, because here, in a tidy 75-minute comedy, was a way to get those folks in a room for a drink… at least onstage. Bakersfield Mist is an opportunity for us to laugh (and think) about the differences between “regular Americans” and “elites” (however you define them) without beating anyone over the head, and surprising us along the way. Based on the true story of Teri Horton (whose quest to authenticate a Jackson Pollock canvas became the subject of a documentary, Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock?), Bakersfield Mist is, on the surface, a comic debate about the authenticity of a painting. But it aims for a much deeper and relevant critique. Maude, an out-of-work bartender living in a trailer park outside Bakersfield, finds a splatter painting at a thrift store which she suspects might be a Jackson Pollock masterpiece. Desperate for a leg up in our increasingly unequal world, Maude solicits the expert opinion of Lionel Percy, a paragon of the New York art world establishment. As you’d expect, Maude and Lionel have some pretty strong preconceived notions about each other. And in the course of their 75-minute sparring session, they discover their assumptions are extremely off the mark. For me, the play’s a 1%-vs.-99% story without the political jargon and posturing. It might be something very different for you. Whatever story you see in Bakersfield Mist, I know you’ll come away with admiration for the incredible talent onstage: Olney Theatre Center Artistic Associates Donna Migliaccio and Michael Russotto, under the expert comic direction of DC veteran John Vreeke. I couldn’t imagine producing this play without these three people, and we are all so lucky their schedules aligned to tackle it. So though you might leave arguing with your seatmates about who’s right and who’s wrong in the play, you won’t have any doubt that you’ve seen actors working at the top of their craft… which is something we strive for every time we produce a play at Olney. Let me know what you think about Bakersfield Mist, and about our upcoming season at [email protected].

Onward!

Jason Loewith Artistic Director



OL N EY THEATRE C E NTE R

Managing Editor: JJ Kaczynski Ad Sales: 301.924.4485 x105 Copyright by Olney Theatre Center.

All editorial and advertising material is fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. Olney Theatre Center is a non-profit arts organization with a mission to create professional theater productions and other programs that nurture artists, students, technicians, administrators, and audience members; to develop each individual’s creative potential using the skill and imaginative possibilities of theater and the performing arts.

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Opening Night: Saturday, May 14, 2016

O L NEY THEATR E CEN T E R Jason Loewith,

Debbie Ellinghaus,

Artistic Director

Managing Director

presents

BAKERSFIELD MIST By

Stephen Sachs featuring

Donna Migliaccio^

Michael Russotto^

Scenic Designer

Costume Designer

Lighting Designer

Sound Designer

Daniel Ettinger

Seth M. Gilbert

Colin K. Bills^

Christopher Baine

Fight Choreographer

Production Stage Manager

Casey Kaleba

Trevor A. Riley

Director of Production

Associate Artistic Director/Director of Education

Dennis A. Blackledge

Jason King Jones Directed by

John Vreeke ^Olney Theatre Center Artistic Associate

BAKERSFIELD MIST WILL BE PERFORMED WITHOUT AN INTERMISSION. The use of recording (audio and video) or photographic equipment during the show is strictly prohibited. Please silence all cellular phones and personal paging devices before the performance begins.

BAKERSFIELD MIST is presented by special arrangement with DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC. 440 Park Avenue South • New York, NY 10016 301.924.3400

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THE TONY® AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL

EVITA Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics by Tim Rice Music Direction by christopher youstra Choreography by Christopher D’Amboise Directed by Will Davis

June 23 – July 24

301-924-3400 • www.olneytheatre.org Mainstage

O L N E Y TH E ATRE C E N TE R

CAST of BAKERSFIELD MIST (in order of appearance) Maude Gutman...........................................................................................................Donna Migliaccio* Lionel Percy................................................................................................................Michael Russotto* Production Stage Manager – Trevor A. Riley* *Member, Actors’ Equity Association PLACE: A trailer park in Bakersfield, CA. The trailer home of Maude Gutman. TIME: Present day.

Special Thanks to our Sponsors

BAKERSFIELD MIST PRODUCTION Sponsor John E. Gibson

Opening Night Sponsor

Artist Sponsors Robert E. Hebda sponsoring Donna Migliaccio Clifford L. Johnson & Margaret T. Roper sponsoring Michael Russotto

BAKERSFIELD MIST RESTAURANT SPONSOR

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Julie Carew, Director of Development, at 301-924-4485 ext.103 or [email protected]

O L N E Y T H E AT R E C E N TE R

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ANGELS IN AMERICA

Part I: Millennium Approaches and Part II: Perestroika September 7 – October 30, 2016 • AT ROUND HOUSE THEATRE

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

September 14 – October 23, 2016 • Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab DISNEY AND CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S

MARY POPPINS

November 2, 2016 – January 1, 2017 • Mainstage

SWEENEY TODD:

THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET February 1 – March 5, 2017 • Mainstage

THE DOUBLE INCONSTANCY March 1 – 26, 2017 • Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab

THE MAGIC PLAY

April 12 – May 7, 2017 • Mainstage

TOPDOG/UNDERDOG

May 17 – June 18, 2017 • Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab

MY FAIR LADY

June 21 – July 23, 2017 • Mainstage

THURGOOD

July 19 – August 20, 2017 • Mulitz Gudelsky Theatre Lab

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY! Contact Weldon Brown 301-924-4485 ext. 121 Monday - Friday • 10am - 6pm

For more info, visit OlneyTheatre.org Photos from top: Carmen: An Afro-Cuban Jazz Musical, The Price, Guys And Dolls, Carousel, HAY FEVER, THE PRODUCERS. Photos by Stan Barouh. BAD DOG. Photo by Nick Griner.

WHO’S WHO - CAST Donna Migliaccio (Maude Gutman) is delighted to return to Olney Theatre, where she most recently appeared as Ursula the Sea Witch in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. On Broadway she portrayed radical anarchist Emma Goldman in the 2009 revival of Ragtime. She spent nine months criss-crossing the country as General Cartwright in the 50th anniversary National Tour of Guys & Dolls. Other credits include: The Kennedy Center: OLIVERio: A Brazilian Twist (Rosa Maria), My Fair Lady (Mrs. Eynsford-Hill), Sunday in the Park with George (Nurse), Katie Couric’s The Brand New Kid (All The Grownups); Ford’s Theatre: Liberty Smith (Betsy Ross), Sabrina Fair (Margaret); Signature Theatre: Girlstar (Daniella), The Threepenny Opera (Mrs. Peachum), Assassins (Sara Jane Moore), Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett); Arena Stage: The Music Man (Mrs. Paroo); Alabama Shakespeare Festival: Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Ursula). She is the recipient of two Helen Hayes Awards and has been honored with an additional eleven nominations. Also a writer, Donna’s award-winning short story “Yaa & The Coffins” was featured in Thinkerbeat’s 2015 anthology The Art of Losing. www.donnamigliaccio.com Michael Russotto (Lionel Percy) is delighted to return to Olney Theatre Center, where he was last seen in Hay Fever. Other Olney Theatre Center credits include Rancho Mirage and Neville’s Island. Most recently, Michael appeared as The Chronicler in Falling Out of Time, and as Mervyn in The Sisters Rosensweig, both at Theater J. Michael is a member of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, where he has performed in many, many productions including The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, A Bright New Boise, She Stoops to Comedy, and Lenny and Lou. OTHER DC AREA: Arena Stage: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and The Shoplifters; Rep Stage: The Whale; MetroStage: The Letters and Lonely Planet; Signature Theatre: Art; Folger Theatre: Comedy of Errors, and Much Ado About Nothing; The Kennedy Center: The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg. Michael has also worked at The Franklin Stage Company (N.Y.); The Washington Stage Guild; Theatre Alliance; Adventure Theatre-MTC; and Studio Theatre. FILM: Playing Through; Death of a Nation. RADIO: L.A. Theatre Works: Seven Days in May. NARRATION: Hundreds of recorded books for Books on Tape and The Library of Congress.

WHO’S WHO - CREATIVE Stephen Sachs (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright, director, and the co-Artistic Director of the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles, which he co-founded with Deborah Lawlor in 1990. He is the author of eleven produced plays, including Heart Song (Fountain Theatre and Florida Rep), Cyrano (LA Drama Critics Circle Award, Best New Play) and Bakersfield Mist (2012 Elliot Norton Award, Best New Play), Miss Julie: Freedom Summer (Fountain Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse), Gilgamesh (Theatre at Boston Court), Open Window (Pasadena Playhouse, Media Access Award), Central Avenue (PEN USA Literary Award Finalist), Sweet Nothing In My Ear (PEN USA Literary Award Finalist, Media Access Award), Mother’s Day, The Golden Gate (Best Play Award, Dramalogue), and The Baron in the Trees. He wrote the teleplay for Sweet Nothing in My Ear for the Hallmark Hall of Fame, which aired on CBS starring Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels. Directing credits include the Los Angeles premiere of My Name is Asher Lev, the US premieres of Athol Fugard’s The Blue Iris, The Train Driver, Victory (NAACP Award for Best Director), the world premiere of Fugard’s Exits and Entrances (Ovation Award and LA Drama Critics Circle Award, Best Director), the West Coast premiere of Fugard’s Coming Home (Best Director, LA Weekly Award), and the Los Angeles premiere of Fugard’s The Road to Mecca; Itamar Moses’ Completeness, Warren Leight’s Side Man starring Christine Lahti and Frank Wood, a 3-city China tour of Top Secret (LA Theatre Works), Conor McPherson’s Shining City (LA Premiere), the world premiere of Miss Julie: Freedom Summer at the Fountain, the Canadian Stage Company in Toronto, and the Vancouver Playhouse; Arthur Miller’s After the Fall (Ovation Award, Best Director), Bakersfield Mist, and Sweet Nothing in My Ear (Fountain Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago, Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis); the inaugural production of Hippolytos at the Outdoor Classical Theater at the Getty Villa in Malibu, and many others. Sachs has twice been nominated for the SDC Zelda Fichandler Award, which recognizes outstanding directors who make unique and exceptional contributions to theatre in their region. John Vreeke (Director) is a company member at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and has directed for Woolly and other DC theaters for the past 15 years. His last assignment for Olney was a Van Gogh inspired Fiddler on the Roof. He has been nominated six times for Best Director with the Helen Hayes Awards. His production of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kris Diaz received nine Helen Hayes nominations. Most recently he directed Rajiv Joseph’s play Guards at the Taj for Woolly. Other DC area theaters include: Theater J, Round House, Metro Stage, Forum, Washington Shakespeare Company, Everyman Theatre, Source Festival, Charter Theatre, Theater Alliance, Kennedy Center TYA, Imagination Stage. Regionally, he started his professional work as a staff director decades ago with Nina Vance at the Alley Theatre. He worked with the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Attic Theatre in LA, Salt Lake Acting Company, First Stage in Milwaukee and a variety of theaters in Seattle. During the 90’s, he was the Associate Producer and Casting Associate CBS TV Series: Northern Exposure. 301.924.3400

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WHY OLNEY THEATRE CENTER MATTERS TO ME We attended performances at the Olney for decades. At first it was just for a change of pace and entertainment. As time passed, we began to recognize returning actors/actresses, as well as directors and other key contributors to the whole Olney experience. The family thing was taking root. Then the dependence phase began in which we looked forward to each new season and anticipated shows. I am now in the immersion phase. Since my wife’s passing, I now support the Olney with money. To me that means I am seriously hooked and part of the family. It is a perfect vehicle for staying relevant with intellectual currents washing over society and for stimulating thinking in directions and topics I would not normally encounter as a retired software engineer. I now judge plays differently from before. A good play causes me to think about it and talk about it for a good long time. I think of the Olney as a key ingredient of living a full life. John E. Gibson Olney Theatre Center Member Bakersfield Mist Production Sponsor

Got a lift? We need a ride!

Olney Theatre Center owns several vehicles for use by visiting actors, directors, and other designers, as well as our production staff and apprentices. The cars we have are aging and several had to be retired last year. We need reliable cars! If you have a vehicle in good condition, you can receive a tax deduction of the full blue-book value of the car by donating it to Olney Theatre Center. Contact Julie Carew, Director of Development at [email protected] or 301-924-4485 ext.103 for more information. 301.924.3400

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WHO’S WHO - CREATIVE Christopher Baine (Sound Designer) recently composed the music for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Round House Theatre, as well as When She Had Wings and The BFG with Imagination Stage [2015 Helen Hayes Award nomination]. Some recent designs include The Critic & The Real Inspector Hound and Heir Apparent with Shakespeare Theatre Company and Guthrie Theater; Colossal with Olney Theatre Center [2015 Helen Hayes Award winner], Wonderful World of Dissocia at Theatre Alliance [2015 Helen Hayes Award winner], Fetch Clay, Make Man at Marin Theater Company, Detroit at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Water By the Spoonful at Studio Theatre, and Romeo and Juliet [2014 Helen Hayes Award nomination] and Taming of the Shrew [2013 Helen Hayes Award nomination] at the Folger Theatre. He has also designed for The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity [2013 Helen Hayes Award nomination], Gruesome Playground Injuries and A Bright New Boise with Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company [2012 Helen Hayes Award winner] Gift of Nothing and Jason Invisible at The Kennedy Center TYA. He has also designed for many regional theaters including; Everyman Theatre, Forum Theatre, Dog and Pony, Adventure Theatre-MTC, Children’s Theater Charlotte, Synetic Theater, and Theatre Alliance. He has been a guest artist with the University of Maryland, Catholic University, UMBC, and American University. He has been the Resident Sound Designer for Imagination Stage for the ‘09-’16 seasons. He was a Kenan Fellow at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2012. www.bainedesign.com Colin K. Bills (Lighting Designer) is pleased to be returning to Olney Theatre Center, where he has previously designed Marjorie Prime, Guys and Dolls, Colossal, Peter Pan, and Venus, among others. He is a Company Member at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company where he has designed over forty productions, including Stupid F–ing Bird, Clybourne Park and The Convert. As a Conspirator with the devising company dog & pony dc, he has collaborated in the writing, direction and design of A Killing Game and Beertown. His designs have been seen at the Berkshire Theatre Festival, Center Stage, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Dallas Theater Center, Everyman Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Forum Theatre, Imagination Stage, Intiman Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Marin Theatre Company, Metro Stage, Olney Theatre Center, Opera Lafayette, Opéra Royal Versailles, Portland Center Stage, Round House Theatre, The Smithsonian, Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre, Synetic Theater, Theater J, the Washington Revels, The Wilma Theater, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Colin has won three Helen Hayes Awards and is a recipient of a Princess Grace Fellowship in Theater. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College. Colin is an Olney Theatre Center Artistic Associate. Daniel Ettinger (Scenic Designer) is pleased to return to Olney Theatre Center, having previously designed The Piano Lesson. REGIONAL: Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Civilization (Or All You Can Eat), You For Me For You, and Eclipsed; Imagination Stage: Jack and Phil, Slayers of Giants; Rep Stage: Sunset Baby, The Piano Teacher, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, and Venus in Fur; Barter Theatre (the state theatre of Virginia): over 100 productions. He is the resident scenic designer for The Everyman Theatre Company in Baltimore, where recent productions include Outside Mullingar, The Understudy, Blithe Spirit, and the current Great American Rep of Death of A Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire. Mr. Ettinger teaches in the Theatre Department at Towson University and is a member of design local 829. Seth M. Gilbert (Costume Designer) is the Resident Costume Designer and Assistant Costume Shop Manager at Olney Theatre Center. Recent credits: OLNEY THEATRE CENTER: Dial ‘M’ For Murder, The Producers, Carousel, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying [2014 Helen Hayes Award Nomination for Outstanding Resident Musical], A Chorus Line (Associate Costume Designer) [2013 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Resident Musical], You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Sound of Music, Grease, Annie, Forever Plaid. NATIONAL PLAYERS: Tour 66; As You Like It; To Kill a Mockingbird (Associate Costume Designer). REGIONAL: Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Marie Antoinette (Associate Wig Designer) [2014 Helen Hayes Award Nomination for Outstanding Costume Design; Helen Huang]; Theatre 40: The Ghosts of Mary Lincoln; University of Michigan – Flint (Guest Designer): Elegies; St. Clair County Community College (Guest Designer): James and the Giant Peach, Star Spangled Girl. EDUCATION: BS in Costume Design & Technology from the University of Michigan – Flint. Casey Kaleba (Fight Choreographer) OLNEY THEATRE CENTER: Dial ‘M’ For Murder, Neville’s Island, Spring Awakening, Camelot; National Players: Tour 56-present. DC AREA: Folger Theatre: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, Julius Caesar, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Henry V; Signature Theatre: West Side Story, Road Show, Cabaret; Round House Theatre: Stage Kiss, The Night Alive, Ironbound, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo; Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Guards at the Taj; Castleton Festival: Romeo et Juliette, Otello, The Girl of the Golden West; Rorschach Theatre: She Kills Monsters, Neverwhere; Constellation Theatre Company: Lieutenant of Inishmore [Helen Hayes Award nomination], Gilgamesh, Zorro. Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors; audition choreographer for Marvel Universe Live.

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WHO’S WHO - CREATIVE Trevor A. Riley (Production Stage Manager) is excited to return to Olney Theatre Center. Previous Olney credits include Godspell and A Christmas Carol. His DC credits include the World Premieres of Destiny of Desire and Our War at Arena Stage, A Year with Frog and Toad and Jack and Phil: Slayers of Giants, INC for Imagination Stage and The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Diety and Detroit for Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Other credits include works with Studio Theatre, Taffety Punk, Barksdale Theatre, and New York City Center. Jason Loewith (Artistic Director) recently directed Olney Theatre Center’s critically acclaimed production of Marjorie Prime. Previous Olney Theatre Center productions include Carousel, the NNPN Rolling World Premiere of Steven Dietz’s Rancho Mirage as well as Avenue Q and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying [2015 Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Musical]. Jason won Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, and Jeff Awards for Best New Musical for Adding Machine: A Musical, which he co-wrote with composer Joshua Schmidt (off-Broadway, 2008). His latest musical is Big Nate: The Musical which premiered in 2013 at Adventure Theatre-MTC, co-written with Olney’s Associate Artistic Director Christopher Youstra. Recent regional work as a director includes the world premiere of Broke (Alliance Theatre, Atlanta), Time Stands Still (Everyman, Baltimore), Crime and Punishment, and Working It Out (Center Stage, Baltimore), Adding Machine: A Musical (Studio Theatre, DC), and a dozen plays for Chicago’s Next Theatre Company, where he served as Artistic Director from 200208. Those credits include the Chicago area premieres of Dying City, Defiance, The Long Christmas Ride Home, and Fabulation. He conceived and directed the world premiere of The American Dream Songbook, and produced Chicago premieres by Caryl Churchill, Suzan-Lori Parks, Carson Kreitzer, Sam Shepard, Dael Orlandersmith, and many more. He is a three-time grantee from the NEA for Artistic Excellence, a recipient of support from the Rockefeller MAP Fund and MacArthur’s International Connections Fund, and a TCG New Generations Future Leaders grant. Jason joined Olney as Artistic Director in 2013 after serving four years as Executive Director of the National New Play Network. Jason is the proud recipient of a 2015 Montgomery County Executive’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities, and serves on the board of Governors for theatreWashington. Debbie Ellinghaus (Managing Director) joined Olney Theatre Center in August 2014. At Olney, she partners with Artistic Director Jason Loewith to lead the staff and execute the mission and vision of the Theatre. She also serves as a liaison to Olney Theatre’s Board of Directors, of which she is a member. Prior to joining Olney, she was the Director of Development at the University of Maryland, College of Arts and Humanities where she raised major gifts to help advance student scholarship and academic programming. From 2005-2011, she was the Senior Associate Director of Development at Yale School of Drama/ Yale Repertory Theatre in New Haven, CT. At Yale, she she was part of a university-wide campaign that raised more than $3.8 billion and included transformational gifts for Yale Rep from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Robina Foundation, which established the Binger Center for New Theatre. Ms. Ellinghaus was the Director of Development at Jean Cocteau Repertory (New York, NY) and held positions at the Guggenheim Museum, the Cathedral School (NY) and the Epiphany School (NY). She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Maryland (College Park) and is a graduate of the New Actors Workshop, where she studied with George Morrison, Mike Nichols, and Paul Sills. Since 2013, Ms. Ellinghaus has served as Chair of the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission, a not-for-profit organization that helps to preserve the cultural significance of Merriweather Post Pavilion and provides support to other arts and culture organizations in Howard County, MD.

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BAKERSFIELD MIST A CONTEXT GUIDE

WHAT MAKES SOMETHING ‘AUTHENTIC’? This is exactly the question that Maude Gutman, an out of-work bartender living in a trailer park, and Lionel Percy, a famous New York art critic, want to answer when Maude presents Lionel with a splatter painting from a thrift store. As their meeting goes on, questions about authenticity are raised about themselves as well as the painting. WHO IS AUTHENTICALLY ‘AN ARTIST’? | Critics praise Jackson Pollock for exposing emotions in his paintings and sculptures. Though today he is considered a giant in the twentieth-century art world, he started off as a talented high-school dropout trying to live up to the artistic prowess of his older brother. Jackson eventually gained sponsorship from a member of New York’s elite society and fame from the sales of his iconic drip paintings. LIFE magazine’s August 8, 1949 edition ran a feature article on Pollock with photos of him working in his Long Island studio. This feature catapulted him to fame beyond the art world; he essentially became a household name overnight as people around the world began to comprehend his impact on the modern art world. The photos of Pollock painting in his studio are still some of the most well-known photographs of the artist; ironically, those pictures were staged, as Pollock refused to let the photographer observe his true creative process. Following the article’s publication, other artists began to resent his success, and Pollock became increasingly conscious of how others viewed him. He began rehearsing prepared answers for interviews and avoided his former haunts to avoid drawing attention to himself. Pollock and his wife Lee Krasner were content to live far from the city where many townspeople were ignorant of his fame. In the years following his death in a car crash at age 44, Pollock’s paintings began circulating on the art market for millions of dollars. WHAT MAKES A WORK OF ART ‘AUTHENTIC’? | The process of authenticating a piece of art can take thousands of hours and dollars, and the end result is most often a financial transaction: the work is sold to an institution or to the highest-paying bidder. In fact, money is often the catalyst for a drawn-out authentication process; money, and oftentimes steadfast hope. In Bakersfield Mist, Maude’s friend Tom says to her “this could be a Jackson Pollock,” a sentence that means nothing to her; however, it means everything to New York art critic Lionel. Two people from different ends of the country, socioeconomic spheres, and intellectual paradigms are drawn together in the hope that a painting might have been created by one of the masters of twentieth-century art. WHAT MAKES A PERSON ‘AUTHENTIC’? | As Maude and Lionel’s first impressions of each other begin to melt away, so do their respective artifices. They start to discover that the authenticity of a painting’s origins may not hold as much power as what they know—absolutely and incontrovertibly—to be authentic about each other. It can be difficult to remember that discovering that sense of authenticity may require a process beyond a single ‘blink,’ and that process can happen anywhere, even in a trailer in Bakersfield, California. Pollock, who regularly exposed his deepest feelings on a canvas, felt the need to construct an artifice for the rest of the world. Contemporary authentication of his works indicates that the art world knows who painted them, but what does that mean beyond the dollar signs? Calling a painting a “Pollock” has become more of a label leading to sales and scholarship than it is a true identification of the creator. When a piece of art is deemed ‘authentic’ we display it so that we can give our opinions on it, but we would rather walk around appraising each other than discover what within us is ‘authentic.’ Maybe the labels we give ourselves and each other as human beings are not much more conclusive than those we give to the pieces on the walls of the Metropolitan Museum.

—Alexandra Ley, Dramaturg

Art

CONTEXT GUIDE

THE THE OF OF

forgery A portion of a fake Pollock painting created by Pei-Shen Qian.

In 1996, art connoisseur Thomas Hoving claimed that approximately 40 percent of museum art is either a fake or a forgery. According to Yann Walther, the chief of Switzerland’s Fine Art Experts Institute, at least 50 percent of art on the market is forged or misattributed. A typical forger is an overconfident middle-aged man who did not succeed as an artist. They often forge paintings by Impressionists and Abstract Expressionists because those are easier to create and harder to disprove, since older paintings will show wear and tear on their older materials. Jackson Pollock paintings are considered particularly easy to forge because the materials he liked to use are readily available, and minimal technique is required to replicate the visual effect of his paintings.

The FBI said [the paintings] were done by the hands of a genius. Well, that’s me. How strange it feels! – Pei-Shen Qian, a talented painter who was indicted in 2014 for forging works by Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and other twentieth-century artists and selling them to New York City dealers for more than $33 million.

BAKERSFIELD MIST Ironically enough, solid artistic training combined with true talent is often the foundation of a successful fake. After all, art students all over the world copy paintings and drawings as part of their training; it becomes almost second nature. Los Angeles-based artist Maria Apelo Cruz became famous for her trompe l’oeil paintings, as well as her eye for reproductions of famous paintings. When gallery owner Tatiana Khan came to her and asked her to paint a copy of a Pablo Picasso painting seen in a photograph, she thought nothing of it. Khan told her that the painting had been stolen and that the police needed a full-size replica to act as a prop in a scheme to catch the thief. When she went to sign the painting with her name, however, Khan stopped her and told her to replicate Picasso’s instead. Cruz’s reproduction later sold for $2 million out of Khan’s gallery. The fake Picasso painting created by Maria Apelo Cruz

Thomas Hoving visited the J. Paul Getty Museum in 1986 to see their recent purchase of an intact Greek sixth-century-B.C. kouros, a statue of a young man. He instantly thought that something was fishy with the way that the statue looked – as if different parts of the body were made during different eras of Greek art, and the piece looked newer than 2,500 years old. He teamed up with art journalist Geraldine Norman to investigate the Getty and the practices of the kouros’s purchaser at the museum, Jiri Frel. Scientific tests were not considered exceptionally conclusive in art authentication, but many experts voiced their concerns about the piece: Why does that marble look like it’s from a different area of Greece? Why can no one submit proof of provenance? Why do people mentioned in papers from the Getty know nothing about this six-foottall statue? Hoving believes that Frel purchased a fake on purpose to receive funding for the museum by delivering big ticket items that would bring the institution good press; after all, half of a successful forgery is the fact that someone purchases it and brings a certain amount of authenticity to the piece. After much deliberation, the kouros was returned to exhibition with a label noting that it was either from “the sixth century B.C. – or modern.” The Getty kouros

Why do these fake works find such a rich life in the art industry? The long and short of it is that people truly want to believe that the works are real. Purchasers often end up suing those who sold them phony paintings to retrieve the money that they put out. This predilection to desire a piece to be authentic does not belong to just the collectors, either; experts in art authentication have misidentified works many times before. Hermann Goering, a leader of the Nazi Party, had the painting Christ and the Adulteress analyzed by multiple people to see if it was in fact painted by Vermeer, and it was unanimously decided to be. The fact that the painting looked nothing like a Vermeer and there was next to no evidence of provenance barely concerned Goering or the authenticators— what was more important was the belief that another work of Vermeer’s existed and that Goering was the lucky owner. The true artist was eventually revealed to be Han van Meegeren, one of the most famous art forgers of the twentieth century.

Christ and the Adulteress

CONTEXT GUIDE

BAKERSFIELD MIST

Set Daniel Ettinger

The most interesting part of directing Bakersfield Mist, after the challenges of orchestrating the comedy and the mechanics of ‘in the round’ staging, is fully realizing Maude and Lionel’s psychological histories; that which drives these two fascinating, stereotypical and completely opposite individuals in Stephen Sach’s play.” – John Vreeke, Bakersfield Mist, director

Costumes

Renderings by Costume Designer Seth Gilbert

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SUMMER

STOCK Super Theatre at Olney for Creative Kids

is a one-of-a-kind theater arts program for students in grades 4-6. Students will work with OTC theater artists daily, taking classes in Acting & Improvisation, Voice & Singing, Dance & Movement, and Scene Creation. Masterclasses from Guest Artists and special visits to rehearsals of active OTC productions are also on the schedule. At the end of the two-week session, students will perform in a showcase featuring their original scene along with musical theater song and dance: parents and family members are invited!

Sing a number from a hit Broadway Musical Dance a routine choreographed especially for them

Write an original scene Act in the scene they write Play a variety of theater games Perform in a showcase Learn from the Professional Artists who work on Olney’s stages

Before and After Care available

FOR INFO AND REGISTRATION Visit OlneyTheatre.org/Camp or contact Jason King Jones Associate Artistic Director/Director of Education 301.924.4485 ext. 127 • [email protected]

Thank you for making us feel at home! Olney Theatre would like to thank the following friends for housing our actors and designers during the 2015-16 season: M. Charlene Dorrian Charles and Marilyn Mess Linda Rosenzweig and Sandy Bieber For more information on how you can help Olney Theatre Center with artist housing, please contact Julie Carew, Director of Development, at 301-924-4485 ext.103 or [email protected]

301.924.3400

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SAVE THE DATE FOR THE RETURN OF...

A FREE All Day Event at Olney Theatre Center!

Saturday, August 20 O LNEY THEATRE CE NTE R

Performances • Workshops • Movies • Tours • Food

B R O U G H T TO YO U BY BA ROUH STAN BAROUH PHOTOGRAPHY

PERFORMING ARTS | SPECIAL EVENTS | PORTRAITURE

[email protected]

301.924.3400

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Dr. Lori Reitman I am pleased to announce the establishment of a private retainer based practice of Internal Medicine in my home community of Olney, MD. WE ARE PROUD TO PROVIDE: Same day sick visits l Comprehensive annual physicals On time and unhurried appointments Hospital visits at Medstar Montgomery 24/7 access to your doctor for emergencies Available by telephone or email l Coordination of care House calls in the Olney area when medically appropriate Unmatched courteous and professional service

Lori L. Reitman, M.D.

301-774-7115 301.924.3400

l

l

Olney, MD

drlorireitman.com

Coed Age 18 months through Grade 12 ●

Beautiful 45-acre campus located just minutes from the Metro and ICC Limited spaces available for Fall 2016 Visit www.barrie.org for more information and to apply. 301.576.2800 13500 Layhill Road ● Silver Spring, MD OLNEYTHEATRE.ORG

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YOUR GIFT MAKES When you support Olney Theatre Center, you help us to provide outstanding productions, hire the best artists, and train the next generation of theatre leaders and lovers.

Your gift directly enables us to... Strengthen our programming through

artistic risk and rigor



We offer thought provoking, edgy new plays like COLOSSAL, BAD DOG, and MARJORIE PRIME, and provide the highest quality productions of classics and family programming like GUYS & DOLLS Lauren Weinberg (Adelaide) in 2016 Helen Hayes Award nominee Guys and Dolls - Photo: Stan Barouh

and THE PRODUCERS.

Build on Our



78–year History

We’ve been your home theatre for generations and we strive to become your mid-Atlantic destination for the arts. We believe Olney Theatre Center plays a vital role in the cultural fabric of our community and we take that role seriously.

A BIG DIFFERENCE Director of Education Jason King Jones takes questions from students

Mentor the Next Generation

Educate and

We train a new troupe of theatre practitioners each year through our Apprentice Program and provide professional experience for early-career actors through the renowned National Players. Our education programs introduce the magic of live theatre to hundreds of students each year through on-site programs and our unique Arts Integration program in our local schools.

Holly Twyford (Molly) and Alyssa Wilmoth Keegan (Abby) in 2016 Helen Hayes Award nominee Bad Dog Photo: Nick Griner

MAKE YOUR GIFT TODAY! There are many ways to give to Olney Theatre Center. Choose the most convenient from the following options:

ONLINE: Visit www.olneytheatre.org/donate PHONE: Call us at 301-924-4485 ext. 103 MAIL: Make checks payable to Olney Theatre Center

OL N E Y T H E AT R E C E N T E R

and send to Olney Theatre Center • 2001 Olney Sandy-Spring Rd • Olney, MD 20832 We also accept donations of stocks. Please call for more information.

CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION GIFTS This list consists of contributions of $250 or more for the period 12/1/2014 through 2/29/2016

$1,000+

$100,000+

Eugene B. Casey Foundation

Adventure Park Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Graham Holdings National Philanthropic Trust

500+ America’s Charities CQI Associates, LLC MedImmune, LLC. National Housing Endowment - In honor of Robert Mitchell United Jewish Endowment Fund

$50,000+

Matching Gift Companies

$10,000+

Edelman Financial GEICO Philanthropic Foundation IBM International Foundation Johnson & Johnson PEW Charitable Trusts Verizon Foundation

$5,000+ A NOTE FROM YOUR FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Prepare

Prosper

Protect

A Properly Produced Financial Plan takes CENTER STAGE with Direction, Leadership, & Skill. Integrating Tax & Wealth Management is the key to a Well Prepared financial future. At EagleStone, we provide a full spectrum of investment management, financial planning, wealth advisory, accounting, and tax services so we can help secure Your Financial Future with Your Goals in mind. Rooted in the Olney Community, we are here to help you get started. Contact us today.

$2,500+

Financial Planning, Investment & Wealth Management services provided through EagleStone Wealth Advisors, Inc. Tax & Accounting services provided through EagleStone Tax & Accounting

In-Kind Donations MaryLee Adams J. Roger Bentley Brooke Grove Retirement Village David and Laura Epstein Susan and Jay Finkelstein Suzanne Gust Mr. and Mrs. Jason King Jones Ruth A. Pollack Kathleen Quinn Michael Ricciardella Margaret T. Roper and Clifford L. Johnson Linda Rosenzweig and Sandy Bieber Martin H. Sachs Deborah Vicino Pam Wade

Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts

Government Support

Maryland Department of General Services 301.924.3400

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INDIVIDUAL GIFTS This list consists of contributions of $250 or more for the period 12/1/2014 through 2/29/2016

$500,000+ Bob and Eveline Roberts

Victor Shargai and Craig Pascal Carol Trawick

Dr. and Mrs. Steven C. White George A. and Katherine C. Whitehouse

$100,000+

$1,000+

$500+

Dr. Patricia Beaston Deborah and Bruce Berman Cathy S. Bernard Merle and Nancy Biggin Dennis and Holly Blackledge Robert Burk Julie B. Christopher Ned Cramer Ed and Leslie Cronin Steve Danielson and Dr. Kenneth Hoyle Eileen and Paul DeMarco Frederick Denecke Gordon and Margot Dibble Joan Elise Dubinsky and Craig N. Packard Debbie and Andrew Ellinghaus Edith L. Embrey Edward Epes Maureen and Tom Estrin Bob and Pat Fauver Berdie and David Firestone Barry and Marie Fleishman Mrs. Mary Graham The William H. Graham, Sr. Family William A. Hanson and Gail A. Lieberman John Hauge Paul Henderson - In memory of Marilyn Henderson Max and Helen Jacobs - In memory of William Graham Mr. and Mrs. Lane Jennings The Honorable Benjamin F. Kramer Jane Thérèse Larsen Megan and Tony Limarzi Mr. Jason Loewith David and Jennifer Lubitz John and Kathy Lyons Maggie and Tico McCready Lisa McKillop - In honor of Wes Meekins, Weldon Brown, and Valerie Leonard Sue Morss - In loving memory of Lester Robert Morss Clyde and Christina Northrop Steve C. Phan and Richard J. Poster Robert and Lelia Russell Adrienne and Louis Sacks Marlin R. and Alicia B. Taylor John R. and Andrea Z. Urciolo Sandy and Alan Wade Brad Watkins

JoAnn and Dean Aulick Harold M. and Christine A. Bartlett Jeanne Brush Alfonso and Alicia Burgos Susan and Dixon Butler Kevin and Amber Colleran Richard and Joan Curtis Rev. Lee Davis and Mr. Daniel Lonteen Brad Diederichs Patricia Dorazio Ms. Andrea Drimmer David Dunn Carol B. Epstein Mr. Mark B. Epstein Robert and Carole Fontenrose Robert J. and Liane A. Giardina Mr. Gerald Gietka Judith P. Hallett and Mark Hallett, M.D David and Lindsey Heinemann Elizabeth A. Henriksen Jim and Lynne Hensley Eric Horowitz Jon and Michelle Hulsizer Mr. and Mrs. Richard Jourdenais Mr. Jim Kronzer The Honorable Isiah Leggett and Mrs. Catherine S. Leggett Richard W. Ley Robert E. Liles II Susan McCarthy Mr. William L. Mitchell and Mr. David A. Vignolo Marty and Christina More Elizabeth M. Moss Osborne C. Parchment, PhD Rosemary Celia Pompa Daniel and Christine Powers Mark and Sharon Prysant Howdie and Cecelia Ritchie Ms. Margaret Ann Ross Mr. and Mrs. Louis Sacks Barbara and Roger Schwarz Dr. Robert Sjogren Mary and Richard Slaninka Charles and Mary Solla Jerome and Patti L. Sowalsky Ms. Donna Spiegler Neil and Lily Starr

Mrs. Eugene B. Casey Gana and Jim Dunlop Mrs. Maggi Root

$10,000+ Anonymous Susan and Jay Finkelstein Rhonda Friedman and James Rafferty Charles S. Mack and Alice Barrett Mack Helen Marshall Kathleen Quinn Margaret T. Roper and Clifford L. Johnson Patricia Woodbury

$5,000+ Anonymous - In memory of Kate Gibson Robert E. Hebda Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Z. Kaufman Jennifer and Scott Kneeland Paul and Pat Mangus Bill and Babi Meekins Bob and Marlene Mitchell Linda Rosenzweig and Sandy Bieber Mr. Vernon L. Skinner Kevin White & Rossana Salvadori - In honor of our parents Anson and Marge, Dilvo and Dina

$2,500+ Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. David Bottegal M. Charlene Dorrian Hal and Karen Gordon Morty and Meghan Gudelsky Ms. Winifred E. Herrmann Nettie Horne Andi Kasarsky Stephen and Mary Klein Sidney Kramer The Honorable Karen S. Montgomery and Mr. Harry Montgomery Tony and Connie Morella Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Mulitz - In honor of the Mulitz-Gudelsky Family James Pape and Nancy Newman-Pape Mita M. Schaffer and Tina M. Martin 301.924.3400

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OLNEY THEATRE CENTER THANKS THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR GENEROSITY Duane and Sylvia Straub Rusty Suter - In loving memory of Dick and Nancy Thomas Scott Tholan Ken and Jaki Ulman Adolph Vezza J. Watkins and Dr. Brad Frey Jonathan Weiss Robert and Sarah Wheedleton David and Deborah Yaffe

$250+ Anonymous Connie and Larry Aaronson Mark Ahart Richard H. and Mary Ann Austing Carol Ballentine Tim and Julia Boulay Arden M. Brady Patricia Bulhack Valerie M. Campbell Dan and Cheryl Chartier Katherine and Wil Chase Clare Crawford-Mason Susan DeGeorge James and Denise Duda

Lawrence and Joan Friend Ed Grossman and Rochelle Stanfield - In memory of Howie Stanfield Freddi and Dick Hammerschlag Joshua and Ana Rita Hauge Ms. Linda Lurie Hirsch Joannene Hudak Mr. Richard F. Hughes Ms. Susan B. Hughes Mr. and Mrs. Jason King Jones Elizabeth S. King Emanuel and Aimee Kokotakis Linda Levy and Dennis Kronenberg - In honor of Victor Shargai Mrs. Lillian Litowsky Marcia D. Litwack Jesus and Alicia Lizarazo Katherine C. Madaleno Mr. Walter Magruder Jr. Peg Mancuso Frederick and Betty Marcell Maury and Beverly Marks Edwin M. Martin and Nancy A. Spangler Linda and Tom McCabe Ms. Donna P. Mergliano Frederick and Elizabeth Montgomery

Reginald and Chrissie Nash Nancy M. Norton John and Maureen Pelosi William Phillips Wesley Pickard and Jeanette Studley Dr. Carole A. Rayburn Fill and Linda Ruegg Donald Sauer Julia and Peter Shawhan In honor of Susan J. Shawhan and National Players Cora and Murray Simpson Family Fund Leslie F. Smith and Stacy P. Smith Michael and Camilla Smith Patricia M. Smith Roger and Carolyn Sorensen Gary and Janet Sowers Hilda Springer Wyman and Tine Stone Susan Stracquatanio and Thomas Jones Lois Taylor and Stephen Simpson Peter Threadgill Carrie and John Trauth Marc Walton and Toni Stifano-Walton Helene Weisz and Richard Lieberman David Mendick and Naomi Yadin-Mendick

A NOTE FROM YOUR FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Prepare

Prosper

Protect

A Properly Produced Financial Plan takes CENTER STAGE with Direction, Leadership, & Skill. Integrating Tax & Wealth Management is the key to a Well Prepared financial future. At EagleStone, we provide a full spectrum of investment management, financial planning, wealth advisory, accounting, and tax services so we can help secure Your Financial Future with Your Goals in mind. Rooted in the Olney Community, we are here to help you get started. Contact us today.

Financial Planning, Investment & Wealth Management services provided through EagleStone Wealth Advisors, Inc. Tax & Accounting services provided through EagleStone Tax & Accounting

301.924.3400

OLNEYTHEATRE.ORG

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SUMMER OF MUSICALS! EVITA June 23 – July 24 THE REP OF THE HYPOCRITES’

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE AND THE MIKADO July 14 – August 21

GET ALL THREE MUSICALS STARTING AT $125!* *Prices vary according to date and performance time. Subject to availability. No other discounts apply.

OL NEY THEATRE C ENTER

Contact Weldon Brown 301-924-4485 ext. 121 Mon - Fri • 10am - 6pm

AUDIENCE SERVICES Theater Policies

Latecomers are seated at the discretion of the house manager. Please do not bring food into the theater (beverages are allowed). All buildings are smoke-free. The use of recording or photographic equipment during the show is prohibited. Olney Theatre Center is not responsible for any items left on our campus. All children, including babies, require a ticket. We will ask parents to take their children to the lobby if their behavior is disturbing patrons. Please turn off your cell phone in the theater.

Sign-Interpreted Performances

Sign interpretation is available for the third Thursday evening during a show’s run. The service must be requested two weeks in advance and is based on the availability of qualified interpreters. To request this service, please email [email protected]. 301.924.3400

Post-Show Discussions

Join the artistic staff and/or invited guests after select Saturday matinees for AfterWords. Please call the Box Office at 301.924.3400 for more information on these events.

Listening Assistance

We offer devices that amplify sound free of charge in exchange for identification. Please ask the house manager for assistance. (This service is not available on the third Wednesday evening of a show’s run.)

Audio-Described Performances

Audio-described performances are offered during the third week of a show’s run on Wednesday evenings. This includes pre-show program notes and descriptions of the action, scenery, and costumes during pauses in the dialogue. OLNEYTHEATRE.ORG

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INDEPENDENT LIVING

Independent living assisted living rehabilitation long-term care memory support 301.924.3400

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ABOUT OLNEY THEATRE CENTER Olney Theatre Center is an award-winning, nonprofit, Equity theatre. Our mission is to produce and present extraordinary theatre and performance on our four-theatre campus for an ever-more diverse set of audiences in our community, and to educate the next generation of theatremakers to follow in our footsteps. We strive every day to unleash the creative potential of our artists and audiences, and in so doing, become Maryland’s premier center for theatre performance and education. In the past two years, Olney Theatre has produced six world or regional premieres, including Andrew Hinderaker’s Colossal (2015 Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical), and Jennifer Hoppe-House’s Bad Dog (2015 Steinberg Award nominee). Olney’s shows and educational activities are accessible and affordable, and we strive to provide a thought-provoking and enjoyable theatrical experience. Olney Theatre Center is situated on 14 wooded acres in the heart of the beautiful Washington-Baltimore-Frederick “triangle,” within easy access to all three cities, and is also home to National Players, America’s longest-running touring company. Olney Theatre Center is led by Artistic Director Jason Loewith and Managing Director Debbie Ellinghaus. For more information, please visit www.olneytheatre.org. Follow Olney Theatre Center on Twitter @olneytheatre and on Facebook at facebook.com/olneytheatre.

OLNEY THEATRE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Executive Committee Charles S. Mack..................................................................................................................................... President Susan Finkelstein................................................................................................................................. Board Chair Linda E. Rosenzweig.........................................................................................................................Vice President Clifford Johnson.......................................................................................................................................Treasurer Robert Mitchell....................................................................................................................................... Secretary Jennifer Kneeland.............................................................................................................Immediate Past President

Directors Phyllis Bottegal • George Bradford • Debbie Ellinghaus • Rhonda Friedman • Robert E. Hebda • Stephen Klein Jason Loewith • Helen Marshall • William Meekins • Alan Wade • James Warring • Patricia Woodbury

Honorary Board Members Stephen Kaufman • Anthony Morella • Mita M. Schaffer William H. Graham, Sr. (in memoriam)

ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES Actors

Evan Casey • Julie-Ann Elliott • Rick Foucheux • Helen Hedman • Valerie Leonard Susan Lynskey • Donna Migliaccio • Paul Morella • Jon Hudson Odom • Tracy Lynn Olivera Michael Russotto • Bobby Smith • Stephen Gregory Smith

Directors, Choreographers, AND Musical Directors

Michael J. Bobbitt • John E. Going • Eleanor Holdridge • Tara Jeanne Vallee • Mark Waldrop

Designers AND Stage Managers

Colin K. Bills • James Fouchard • Misha Kachman • Pei Lee • Josiane M. Lemieux Milagros Ponce de León • Ivania Stack 301.924.3400

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OLNEY THEATRE CENTER STAFF ARTISTIC Artistic Director

ADMINISTRATION Jason Loewith

Managing Director

Debbie Ellinghaus

General Manager

Fred T. Paul

Christopher Youstra

Facilities Manager

Michael Plater

Director of Education

Jason King Jones

DEVELOPMENT

Artistic Apprentice

Leah Wedge

Director of Development

Associate Artistic Director/ Director of Music Theater Associate Artistic Director/

PRODUCTION Director of Production

Julie Carew

Manager of Institutional Giving Tom Eisman Individual Giving Manager Dennis A. Blackledge

R. Wesley Meekins

Marketing and

Company Manager/

Development Apprentice

Clara Huang

Assistant Production Manager Claire Kennedy Technical Director

Stephen M. Greene

Assistant Technical Director

David Ash

Shop Foreman

Sarah Splaine

Carpenters

Joseph Caverly, Brad Ziegler

Resident Scenic Artist

Fred Via

Costume Shop Supervisor

Jeanne Bland

Resident Costume Designer/ Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor

Seth Gilbert

Master Electrician

Samantha Campbell

Properties Master

Rachael Erichsen

Resident Sound and Projections Supervisor

Eric Bostic

Production Management Apprentice

Kathryn Lea

Production Apprentices

Trey Brazeal, Caron Davis,



Carissa Gilson, Emily E. James,



Shelby Marie Gable, Natalie Petruch,



Benjamin Ramos, Jack Riley

SHOW STAFF Production Managers

FINANCE Senior Accountant

Chyeslan Buso

Business Manager

Kynda Reid

COMMUNICATIONS Director of Marketing and Communications

Joshua Ford

Sales Director

Weldon C. Brown

Brand Director/ Graphic Designer

JJ Kaczynski

Marketing Associate

Kristina Erwin

Patron and Volunteer Services Manager

R. Wesley Meekins

Box Office Supervisors

Chisomo Maluwa, Taylor Payne,



Josh Rose

Front of House Supervisors

Lucirae Cooley, Desirée Ward

House Managers

Lina Al Dajani, Nic Lopez,



Ricardo José Meléndez, Barbara Scanlan

Box Office Associates

Judy Abrams, Jessica Comstock,

Vince Constantino, Shayla Garfield, Claire Kennedy

Assistant Stage Managers/ Wardrobe

Carissa Gilson, Jack Riley

Assistant Light Designer

Trey Brazeal

Assistant Costume Designer

Shelby Marie Gable

Sound Associate

Natalie Petruch

Light Board Operator

Trevor A. Riley

Sound Board Operator

Nathan Lloyd

Programmer

Ashley Wagoner

Additional Electricians

Tyler Bristow, Stephanie DeHart



Patrick Gillespie, Brittany Shemuga

Additional Painter

Anna Mihm

Additional Carpenter

Brendan Gregg



Marion Levy Qualls,



Rachel Spory-Harper, Emily Townsend

Marketing Intern

Becky Polinger

The Director is a member of the

Olney Theatre Center for the Arts is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization representing the not-for-profit American theater; the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington; the League of Washington Theatres; and the Baltimore Theatre Alliance.

EDUCATION Education Programs Manager Kevin Hasser Dramaturgy Apprentice

Alexandra Ley

Education Apprentice

Brittney Biddle

301.924.3400

Olney Theatre Center for the Arts is a professional theater employing members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. Actors’ Equity Association, founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the U.S. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Equity seeks to foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society.

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Special thanks to our Season Sponsors

When expertise and rapid response are key, healthcare professionals and their patients count on Roberts Home Medical, Inc. Serving Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia since 1977, Roberts Home Medical, Inc. is the area’s largest and most trusted independently owned and operated home medical equipment supplier. LOCATIONS: Ashland, VA • Baltimore, MD • Charlottesville, VA • Falls Church, VA • Frederick, MD Fredericksburg, VA • Germantown, MD • Harrisonburg, VA • Lynchburg, VA • Newport News, VA www.robertshomemedical.com

Since our founding in 1966 as a local distributor of compressed industrial, medical and specialty gases, cryogenic gases and equipment, welding equipment and supplies, we have expanded our capabilities and services to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers. Today, Roberts Oxygen is recognized as the finest service oriented independent distributor from Pennsylvania to Florida with 44 locations, serving 9 states. Roberts Oxygen Company, Inc.• 15830 Redland Road • Rockville, MD 20855 Main: 301-948-8100 • Fax: 301-948-2465 • www.robertsoxygen.com

OL NEY T H EATRE CE N T E R

“My Montgomery helped me lose 80 pounds and regain my life.” Losing weight for Carolyn was frustrating. She worked with personal trainers and dieted frequently. But instead of results, she got pain in her knees and back that was so extreme, exercising became limited. After an appointment at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, Carolyn found a doctor and procedure that changed her life. Today she’s 80 pounds lighter and 100 percent happier with the way she looks and feels. With a focus on all areas of health care, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center has the skillful, caring specialists to help you through it all.

To see Carolyn’s full story, visit MedStarMontgomery.org/Carolyn. Call 855-546-1928 to make an appointment with one of our physicians.

18101 Prince Philip Dr., Olney, MD

301.924.3400

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