LIMELIGHT
SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 2 016
THE 39 STEPS PAGE 6
MACBETH PAGE 10
DRACULA PAGE 14
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MEET KEVIN E. MOORE 4
ACTORS THEATRE WELCOMES A NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR Actors Theatre heads into our 2016-2017 Season with a new Managing Director at the helm. Learn about Moore’s career, what art means to him, and most importantly, why he’s excited to be in Louisville!
THE 39 STEPS PAGE 6
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THE IMPOSSIBLE MADE POSSIBLE This season kicks off with The 39 Steps, based on Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film and John Buchan’s groundbreaking spy novel. Learn more about this suspenseful, funny adventure, and how director Nathan Keepers and the cast will bring it to life this fall.
MACBETH CONSCIENCE OVERRIDE 10
Shakespeare’s riveting tale of ambition, betrayal, and power’s dark allure is the next project for Artistic Director Les Waters. Director Waters and actor Andrew Garman, who returns to Actors in the title role, shared their thoughts about Macbeth before the start of rehearsals.
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FIFTH THIRD BANK’S DRACULA 14 A TRADITION OF TERROR
Actors Theatre’s shriek-inducing vampire tale returns for another season of bloody thrills and chills. Hear from loyal fans about why this fright-fest keeps them coming back year after year.
AROUND ACTORS
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INTRODUCING THE 2016-2017 PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COMPANY Forty-five years after its founding, the nationally renowned Apprentice/Intern Company gets a new name, and a new group of emerging arts professionals joins us for the 2016-2017 Season. THE NEW AND IMPROVED INTERACT Learn more about where young professionals and theatre connect, and how you can get in on the action.
ACTORS THEATRE IN THE SUMMERTIME 21 Although our stages may be dark, our staff is busy preparing for the 2016-2017 Season and representing Actors
Theatre in their travels across the country.
WELCOME TO ACTORS THEATRE’S 53RD SEASON, WHERE IMAGINATION AWAITS! VOLUME 16, ISSUE 1 MANAGING EDITOR Sara Durham SENIOR EDITORS/WRITERS Hannah Rae Montgomery Jenni Page-White Jessica Reese Amy Wegener GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mary Kate Zihar CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sara Durham Melissa Hines CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Brosilow Bill Brymer First Light Image Photography Alan Simons 316 West Main Street Louisville, KY 40202-4218 ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Les Waters MANAGING DIRECTOR Kevin E. Moore TICKET SERVICES CALL 502.584.1205 OR 1.800.4ATL.TIX ONLINE Ac torsTheatre.org GROUP SALES 502.585.1210 FAX 502.561.3337
A strong and vital presence in the community, outstanding talent and design on our stages, and an array of stories that inspire and entertain—that’s Actors Theatre! We’re back, and we are incredibly excited to share a new season of theatrical adventures with you. We bring you the most creative minds working in theatre today to collaborate on productions built right here in Louisville, for this community. This fall, we are delighted to welcome back the talented Nathan Keepers for his Actors Theatre directing debut, as he stages a hilarious, thrilling adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps. You might remember Keepers as the unscrupulous and blundering Black Stache in last season’s family favorite, Peter and the Starcatcher. Next in the lineup, Artistic Director Les Waters will surprise us with his vision of Macbeth—a Shakespeare classic that is one of the theatre’s most fascinating horror stories about betrayal and dangerous desire. Later this fall, we are excited to produce the work of acclaimed performer and writer Dominique Morisseau. Seen as an actor in our 2013 production of The Mountaintop, Morisseau’s work as a playwright now graces our stage through her powerful drama, Detroit ‘67. In addition, this season we continue our commitment to investing in our community by enhancing our InterACT young professionals program. New and improved, InterACT is focused on creating the next generation of theatre enthusiasts now. For a combined investment of $250, young professionals age 35 and under not only become donors and Season Ticket Holders, but also play roles as engaged community ambassadors with unlocked access to exclusive events and perks. In addition, we believe it’s important to foster connections to the arts at even earlier ages. After the great success of our Teen Night during last season’s production of Peter and the Starcatcher, we are expanding the initiative this season. Teenagers will have the opportunity to make new friends and connect with other teens who are passionate about theatre. These fun nights out will include tickets to up to four Brown-Forman Series productions, with a lively pre-show mix and mingle and post-show conversation with the cast. Head to ActorsTheatre.org or call our Box Office at 502.584.1205 to learn how you and your family can participate in these exciting programs. We’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that Season Ticket Holders play an essential role in supporting the work we do. If you, a friend or a family member are still considering purchasing season tickets, we encourage you to do so. Flexible dates and savings make it so easy to enjoy world-class theatre in your own backyard. Visit ActorsTheatre.org or call 502.584.1205 for more information. See you at the theatre!
STOP BY the Box Office at Third & Main. Free shor t-term parking jus t inside the Main Street entrance. On cover: Technical Director Jus tin Hagovsky works in the Paul Owen Produc tion Studio. Photo by Bill Br ymer.
Les Waters
Artistic Director
Kevin E. Moore
Managing Director
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The sense of community here is palpable, and it truly seems like people love living here and love that Actors Theatre is a mainstay in the community. Photo by First Light Image Photography.
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MEET KEVIN E. MOORE As July’s heat settled in across the city, Kevin E. Moore arrived in Louisville ready to begin his tenure as the third Managing Director of Actors Theatre in its 53-year history. His appointment came after an extensive national search this past spring, following the departure of Jennifer Bielstein to the Guthrie Theater. Moore’s expansive administrative experience, dedication to theatre, innovative ideas, and knowledge of the national arts community will make him not only a great leader for Actors Theatre, but also a perfect collaborative partner to Artistic Director Les Waters. We took a few minutes to get to know Moore a little better while he settled into his new home and his first weeks of work as the newest member of Actors Theatre. What made you decide to pursue a career in the arts? There had to be that “aha” moment at some point in your life. Can you talk about that? KEVIN E. MOORE I’m not sure I ever “decided” to pursue a career in the arts. It kind of chose me. After graduating with a B.A. in English from Furman University, a liberal arts college, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do next. I happened to respond to an ad in the paper for a marketing position with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and got the job. I’ve been in the arts ever since and haven’t thought about changing careers even once in the last 26 years. What excites you about your transition to Actors Theatre of Louisville from TCG (Theatre Communications Group), the national organization for the not-for-profit American theatre?
What interests and excites you about your upcoming partnership with Les Waters? I’ve admired Les’s work from afar for years. As a frequent attendee of the Humana Festival for the last several years, I’ve thought his choice of plays was superb, and I’ve seen his directorial work in both Louisville and New York several times and have been thoroughly impressed. I’m so very excited to work with Les on expanding a vision for Actors Theatre and then matching or finding the resources necessary to fulfill that vision. I’m happy and honored to be his teammate. What are the top things that you feel your experience and skills will bring to the Louisville arts community?
KM I’m really very excited about getting back into the world
I’m hoping that the national contacts I’ve made through my work at TCG will help Actors Theatre, and that my 26 years of experience in the arts will allow me to play a part in a vibrant arts community.
of producing theatre. I truly loved my work at TCG and was able to receive sort of a bird’s-eye view of the entire national and international theatre field, but I admit to missing the audiences, the opening nights, the direct impact theatres have on their communities. I’m very happy to be getting back into the work of running a theatre.
Actors Theatre is known for many things, but at the top of that list would be new play development. What interests you about working at an organization that supports established and emerging artists in the field of new play development?
You will be moving to Louisville after many years of living and working in Manhattan. How do you feel about moving to this city, and what are you interested in learning about the Louisville community? I’m so impressed with what I’ve seen of Louisville so far. The sense of community here is palpable, and it truly seems like people love living here and love that Actors Theatre is a mainstay in the community. I’m extremely interested in learning about the neighborhoods here and their history, but more importantly, how Actors Theatre can impact the lives of the residents of these neighborhoods today.
New play development is so very important to the field of the American theatre. To continue to add to the existing canon with plays that reflect issues of today and the past is a vital and honorable mission, and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of this. Actors Theatre is one of the nation’s premier new play developers, and I’m honored to play a role. I hope that everyone in the community is as well. What are your hopes for the future of American theatre and the arts in general? I do believe in the power of theatre to change the world, and like anyone who loves the arts, I hope that theatre becomes more integral to the fabric of the country. My hope is that, one day, no one will feel “uninvited” to any arts event of any kind. — Sara Durham
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THE 39 STEPS adapted by Patrick Barlow directed by Nathan Keepers
Aug. 30–Sept. 18, 2016
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THE IMPOSSIBLE MADE POSSIBLE At first glance, the hero of The 39 Steps doesn’t seem very heroic at all. It’s August 1935, and Richard Hannay is alone and adrift in London, bored with his ordinary life. A deeply cynical man with a very silly moustache, Hannay’s biggest source of excitement is redecorating his apartment. But during a night out at the theatre, a mysterious woman asks Hannay for his help. She turns out to be a spy, and in coming to her aid, Hannay stumbles onto an outlandish plot to steal government secrets. To thwart the conspiracy, he embarks on a madcap journey across Scotland—and discovers along the way that he might just have heroic potential after all. (Continued on next page)
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be a particularly satisfying challenge. With dozens of characters, multiple chases, and endless costume changes, staging this production is about controlling the chaos. But according to Keepers, it’s also about letting some of the chaos sneak in. “The trick with a show like this,” he explains, “is to make it your own. Very often, this type of piece can be a machine. My hope is to make something that’s more authentic or raw.”
A vintage poster for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film version of The 39 Steps.
However, Hannay’s quest is a dangerous one, and the odds are stacked against him from the start. Playwright Patrick Barlow wanted to up the ante even more, or, as he put it, make the odds “as impossible as possible.” And so when he adapted The 39 Steps from John Buchan’s 1915 novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film, he combined the high-stakes plot with a unique challenge: put Hannay’s epic adventure onstage—plane crashes and all—with only four actors and a ton of inventive stagecraft. After premiering in England in 2005, The 39 Steps became a long-running, Tony-nominated hit on Broadway, and it has since been produced all over the world. The play’s popularity mirrors the success of its iconic source material: Buchan’s book, one of the first spy novels, was an immediate bestseller in Britain and has never been out of print, and Hitchcock’s fast-paced, slyly funny adaptation was a career-maker for the British director and is considered one of his best early films. Full of plot twists, romance, and slapstick comedy, Barlow’s stage adaptation is both hilarious and thrilling. That combination appeals to Nathan Keepers, who’s returning to Louisville to direct The 39 Steps after performing in several Actors Theatre shows, including Peter and the Starcatcher, Love’s Labour’s Lost, and Noises Off. Given his affinity for bold physical comedy, Keepers finds a lightning-fast, visceral play like The 39 Steps to
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For Keepers, part of making this production his own is ensuring that it’s fun not only for the audience, but also for the cast. His onstage experience has taught him that an actor’s joy can be contagious for audience members, and with material as beloved and well-known as The 39 Steps, he says, “We have to make it personal. Is there opportunity that’s not on the page? That’s how I look at it, and the actors have the freedom to do that too.” It’s an approach that the playwright encourages; in the foreword to the script, Barlow writes that when it comes to staging, artists working on the play should “take what looks helpful or fun, then invent the rest.” During their three-week rehearsal period here in Louisville, Keepers and the cast will do just that as they choreograph the play’s many action sequences, including a daring escape from a moving train and a chase across the Scottish moors.
The show’s thrill comes not only from discovering how Richard Hannay’s suspenseful story plays out, but also from watching the cast pull off the feat of telling that story live. Because of its physical demands and nonstop pace, The 39 Steps requires a special type of actor—quick-thinking, precise, imaginative—and Keepers is thrilled with the team he’s put together. As Hannay, David Ryan Smith (previously seen at Actors in The Glory of the World, The Grown-Up, and A Christmas Carol) will be on stage for almost the whole show, dashing from scene to scene. One intrepid actress, Zuzanna Szadkowski, will transform herself into three very different women: Annabella, the
A CENTURY OF THE 39 STEPS Scottish writer and statesman John Buchan wrote the novel The Thirty-Nine Steps at the beginning of World War I. Before Patrick Barlow’s stage adaptation was published in 2009, Buchan’s granddaughter reflected on the story’s enduring legacy:
The 39 Steps creator John Buchan (left) and filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, 1935.
alluring spy; Margaret, a shy Scottish housewife; and Pamela, the sharp-witted woman who becomes Hannay’s reluctant partner in crime. Finally, the play’s clowns, Carter Gill and Jesse J. Perez (who was previously seen at Actors in The Hard Weather Boating Party), will create unforgettable personas for the dozens of other people Hannay meets on his astonishing journey. All in all, the four performers in The 39 Steps will play more than 35 characters, and so the show’s thrill comes not only from discovering how Richard Hannay’s suspenseful story plays out, but also from watching the cast pull off the feat of telling that story live. However, in addition to crafting a sense of excitement and intrigue, Keepers recognizes that part of his job is to acknowledge where we are—in America, in 2016—and he notes that Hannay’s despondency at the beginning of the play might feel awfully familiar to modern theatregoers exhausted by news, politics, and the status quo. Hannay’s unlikely foray into espionage is a chance for both him and the audience to escape from the everyday—to get a muchneeded reminder that “life has color in it and a wide horizon,” as Hannay’s creator John Buchan once wrote. As The 39 Steps unfolds, the most cynical of men finds that even he has an idealist living inside him. And if he can be a hero, then take heart: anything is possible. —Jessica Reese
Production Sponsor:
My grandfather, John Buchan, would be amazed and delighted that a play of his novel The Thirty-Nine Steps is being published as a script nearly a century after he wrote it for his own amusement. JB was never proprietorial about his work—for example, he loved the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film of the book—and the more people who feel they want to put on and perform what was possibly the first spy thriller, the more delighted he would be. On a serious note, two themes JB was anxious to convey in his novels were, firstly, that the veneer of civilization is very thin, easily exposing the horrors beneath and, secondly, that evil comes in very attractive forms, making it all the harder to resist. […] Despite the deft and funny way the action in [The 39 Steps] is portrayed on stage, those themes are not lost. I think my grandfather would have been very proud. —Deborah Buchan, Lady Stewartby 9
BINGHAM SIGNATURE SHAKESPEARE
MACBETH by William Shakespeare directed by Les Waters
Oct. 4–26, 2016
Actors Theatre’s production of Macbeth is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
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CONSCIENCE OVERRIDE How far would you go to achieve your wildest ambition, if it were dangled within your reach? One of literature’s most exhilarating tales of treachery, Shakespeare’s
Macbeth pushes that question to its dark and dangerous extremes, putting its title character on a bloody roller coaster of betrayal. Macbeth begins the play a celebrated warrior, just returned from eviscerating his enemies in battle; elevated in rank and in his king’s good graces, he seems already marked for greatness. But when a prophecy promises him greater fortune still, Macbeth—goaded on by his bold wife—sets off a murderous chain of events. “It’s about the attraction of power,” says Artistic Director Les Waters, who brings his interpretation of the play to the Pamela Brown Auditorium with a stellar cast and design team this October. “And it’s about the combination of two people who push one another to grab power—and then discover that it destroys them.” This classic holds fascination for Waters not only for its examination of ambition and power, but also because Shakespeare has filled Macbeth with ghosts, apparitions, and the Weïrd Sisters who reveal future events that come to pass. “I’m really interested in the whole idea of the supernatural at work in the play,” explains Waters. “Where I come from, in the rural villages where my grandparents lived as agricultural workers in England, there were what my grandmother called ‘thin places,’ membranes between this world and the next, and we were warned not to go near them. So I’m compelled by the notion of parallel worlds to our own, where the unknown/evil is happening.” As Macbeth’s mind becomes haunted by his “unnatural deeds,” and he grows increasingly desperate for a sense of security that eludes him, the world of the play becomes haunted as well. The boundary keeping some parallel dimension of horror at bay, once trespassed, seems to dissolve. (Continued on next page)
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For returning actor Andrew Garman, whom Waters has cast in the title role, understanding Macbeth’s mind “full of scorpions” will be a thrilling challenge. “For all the supernatural aspects of the play, it’s also such an uncompromising examination of human behavior,” explains Garman. “What I think I’m most excited about is finding, or revealing, an experience of Macbeth that completely supports and justifies his extraordinary language. And Les has an incredibly sensitive ear for language, how to make it work most effectively. He’s also pretty much fearless when it comes to exploring difficult and complex emotion and interaction, and the play is just full of that. I trust him completely, and I’m so excited and grateful to now be working with him on Shakespeare.”
to be secure in what he’s done, surrounded by people who know he’s done it and are watching him, he can’t stop—it’s both personal and political.” From the performer’s point of view, Garman also feels that propulsion and suspense. “Events unfold rather quickly. Decisions are made, actions are taken, all of which can’t be undone,” he observes. “Time pushes forward, pushes Macbeth forward. As an actor, I really appreciate that kind of force pressing against me, the momentum of consequences playing out.”
The show’s visual and aural elements will help to create that sense of a dangerous world tumbling inexorably forward, also channeling Shakespeare’s imagination for our own time. This production is set in the present day, with a distinctly 21st-century look: Andrew Boyce’s striking scenic design is a room made of Last seen at Actors in panels, with sliding glass doors What if you achieve what The Glory of the World (2015 and a black floor, and Kristopher you’d dreamed, and realize Humana Festival), and widely Castle’s costumes for the acclaimed for his performance production will be contemporary. that it has no meaning? as Pastor Paul in The Christians Mark Barton (lighting design) and (2014 Humana Festival, likewise Christian Frederickson (sound —Director Les Waters directed by Waters), Garman design) complete this team of is no stranger to inhabiting leaders who struggle with Actors Theatre veterans working together to bring Waters’ decisions from which there’s no turning back. “Andrew vision to bloody life, brainstorming ingenious ways to draw is one of my favorite collaborators,” says Waters, “and the audience into the action—and into Macbeth’s troubled I find him a very truthful actor who is willing to go mind as thoughts become deeds. where the script will take him. He’s very open, and not protective of himself onstage. The Christians examined “It feels like one big thought, and then the play just choices based in belief, acting out of conscience, and examines the thought to its logical conclusion,” Waters I’m very interested in exploring the opposite of that elaborates, speaking of the tale’s exciting momentum with Andrew. What if you completely override your through Macbeth’s rise and fall. “And in the process of conscience to get what you want—and how do you live spinning that thought, Shakespeare is throwing out an with yourself after that?” awful lot of questions. What if you get what you want, but can’t hold onto it? I think the whole issue of having For all of its dazzling language and trenchant children in the play is enormous too; Macbeth becomes exploration of the dark side of human nature, watching king, but he has no heir. What if you achieve what you’d Macbeth is also, in Waters’ words, “like getting in a dreamed, and realize that it has no meaning? And then to very beautiful, fast car and then driving it at full speed rage onward as Macbeth does, out of that thought—well, into a wall.” The shortest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, it that’s very intriguing to me.” In this chilling Macbeth, feels like “the most propulsive of his plays,” the director Waters, Garman and team plan to “walk into the darkness” continues. “Somebody tells you what will happen, and (as Garman puts it), and the journey is bound to be riveting. then the characters make it happen. And for Macbeth —Amy Wegener
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Clockwise from top: A preliminary rendering of the set, by Scenic Designer Andrew Boyce, conveys the striking contemporary look of this production. Andrew Garman (at left, battling Bruce McKenzie) returns this season to play the title role in Macbeth. Garman last appeared at Actors Theatre in Les Waters’ production of The Glory of the World by Charles Mee. Photo by Bill Brymer. Garman in Waters’ production of Lucas Hnath’s The Christians, pictured here with Linda Powell in the 2014 Humana Festival production. Continuing in the role for the show’s celebrated New York and Los Angeles runs, Garman received Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Actor. Photo by Michael Brosilow.
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DRACULA originally dramatized by
John L. Balderston and Hamilton Deane from Bram Stoker’s world-famous novel, Dracula as adapted and directed by William McNulty
Sept. 9–Oct. 31, 2016
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A TRADITION OF TERROR Year after year, thrill-seekers come to Fifth Third Bank’s Dracula for hairraising suspense, heart-stopping stage magic, and the sheer fun of being scared silly. Take a peek at some chilling moments from recent productions...and get ready for more terror this fall.
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Clockwise from top: Lucy (Shannon Sullivan) watches, frozen in fear, as undead Mina (Hannah Karpenko) prepares to feast on an innocent child (Chandler Baker). Photo by Bill Brymer, 2015. When Dracula (Randolph Curtis Rand) commands, Miss Sullivan (Ali Burch) must obey. Photo by Bill Brymer, 2014. Levitating in midair, Lucy (Ann Sonneville) awakens to find herself face to face with a bloodthirsty Monster (Josh Bonzie). Photo by Bill Brymer, 2014. Jonathan Harker (Joseph Midyett) is no match for the supernatural Dracula (Rufio Lerma). Photo by Alan Simons, 2011.
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WHY DO YOU LOVE DRACULA? For many Louisvillians, Fifth Third Bank’s Dracula is a beloved Halloween tradition. We took to Facebook to ask audience members what excites them most about this spinetingling tale of the infamous Transylvanian count, and what keeps them coming back each year for more. Read on for just a few of the more than 65 enthusiastic responses we received from fans!
After years of watching scary movies, visiting haunted houses, and just loving the thrill of being scared and scaring others at Halloween, Dracula topped it all! Never would I have believed that jumping out of my skin— more than once—would happen to me at a live performance! —Karen Anthony Albers
It’s one of the few adaptations to not romanticize Dracula. In the play, he’s charming and mysterious, but at the core he’s a villain like he is in Bram Stoker’s novel. —Emily Borst
It has become a tradition that my wife and I bring nieces and nephews, when they reach an appropriate age, to see Dracula. Some try to remain cool and nonchalant, but all end up startled and screaming. Keep it coming—we still have several nieces and nephews growing up. —Rev. Ron Loughry
I’m a teacher and drama club sponsor at a local high school. One of the biggest joys of my job is getting to introduce my students to live theatre. My hands-down favorite show to take students to see is Dracula! Watching my students laugh, scream, and sometimes sneak terrified peeks between their fingers as they cover their eyes is the best part.
—Kayla Jo Seybold —Compiled by Hannah Rae Montgomery and Jenni Page-White
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INTRODUCING THE 2016-2017 PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COMPANY
For the past 45 years, the Professional Training Company (formerly known as the Apprentice/Intern Company) has been one of the nation’s oldest and most renowned pre-professional training programs of its kind. As a leading platform, the Professional Training Company (PTC) provides a full-immersion program focused on practical, experiential training and designed to help young artists transition from an academic degree to a real-world career. The program has launched the careers of many leaders in theatre, both at Actors Theatre and elsewhere nationwide. Notable alumni include: Timothy Busfield (Thirtysomething, The West Wing), Jenny Robertson (Bull Durham, Role Models), Jason Butler Harner (Ray Donovan, Blacklist, Changeling), Josh Hopkins (Cougar Town, Quantico), Alex Hernandez (The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity), Jeff White (Manhattan, Video Synchronicity, The Americans), Chris Boneau (Publicist and Co-Founder of Boneau/Bryan-Brown), Lisa McNulty (Producing Artistic Director at Women’s Project Theater), Anna Kull (Director of Community Relationships at Lark
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Play Development Center), Neil Pepe (Artistic Director of Atlantic Theater Company), and Actors Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director, Meredith McDonough. Last season, the Professional Training Company was one of three recipients of a prestigious and significant grant from The Roy Cockrum Foundation, which supports world-class performing arts projects in not-for-profit professional theatres throughout the United States. “We feel that renaming the program is a major step in the growth that the Company has seen in the last several years,” said Michael Legg, Director of the Professional Training Company. “It acknowledges what the program has become and cements our standing among our national peers as the premier place to train the next generation of theatre artists. It also finally integrates the two halves of the Company (formerly, acting apprentices and professional interns) into one group, with a common mission and set of goals.” — Sara Durham Actors Theatre’s Professional Training Company is supported by a generous grant from
MEET THE APPRENTICES Selected from more than 2,000 applicants across the nation, the 2016-2017 Professional Training Company consists of 39 college graduates—all of whom are extremely talented in their chosen fields. Through their participation in the ninemonth-long program over the course of the 2016-2017 Season, they will receive practical training, the opportunity to work with celebrated artists, and a firsthand look at the inner workings of one of the country’s leading regional theatres. The company will also produce its own season of exciting work, including new plays by nationally renowned writers and original creations developed by the members of the Company themselves.
Hannah Allgeier (Scenic Painting) Louisville, KY Lila Rachel Becker (Directing) Washington, D.C. Natasha Bray (Lighting/Electrics) Batesville, AR Alexis Breese (Stage Management) Dayton, OH Carter Caldwell (Acting) Louisville, KY Hannah Emily Cava (Production Management) Las Vegas, NV Andres Chaves (Acting) Bogotá, Colombia Andrew Cutler (Acting) Eden Prairie, MN Michael Donnay (Stage Management) Bryn Mawr, PA Rachael Everson (Development) Auburn, WA Katie Foggiano (Arts Administration) San Diego, CA Jenn Geiger (Acting) New Albany, OH Allison Paige Gilman (Events and Festival Management) Richmond, VA
Bryan Howard (Dramaturgy/Literary Management) Howell, NJ
Regan Moro (Acting) Mahwah, NJ Grace Palmer (Acting) Baltimore, MD
Abby Leigh Huffstetler (Acting) Rockmart, GA
Emily Pathman (Stage Management) Mill Valley, CA
Daniel Johnson (Acting) Ray, ND
Jake Sabinsky (Acting) Bellaire, OH
Kelsey Johnson (Acting) Indianapolis, IN Elijah Jones (Acting) Harrisburg, PA
Chandler Smith (Company Management/Hospitality) Paducah, KY
Kevin Kantor (Acting) Deerfield,IL
Katherine Thesing (Stage Management) Berea, KY
Sam Kotansky (Acting) Baltimore, MD
Anne-Marie Trabolsi (Acting) Dayton, OH
Katherine Louise Leggett (Communications) Calhoun, GA
Paige Vehlewald (Dramaturgy/Literary Management) Bakersfield, CA
Anna Lentz (Acting) Brooklyn, NY
Jennifer Jane Wilde (Marketing) Saint Albans, VT
Kathiamarice Lopez (Acting) Kenosha, WI
Sam Wisenden (Acting) Moorhead, MN
Victoria Marie Masteller (Education/Teaching Artist) Douglassville, PA
Alice Wu (Acting) Fargo, ND
Laakan McHardy (Acting) Montego Bay, Jamaica
Sammy Zeisel (Directing) Bethesda, MD
Alex Milak (Acting) Springfield, NJ
You don’t want to miss the Professional Training Company Season! Learn about the PTC Season lineup and reserve your FREE tickets by visiting ActorsTheatre.org! You can also follow the Apprentices’ experiences by engaging with Actors Theatre on social media:
Actors Theatre of Louisville
@ATLouisville
@actorstheatre
@actorstheatre
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INTERACT CREATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF THEATRE ENTHUSIASTS, NOW. With a combined season subscription and donation to the theatre, members age 35 and under can not only see seven world-class productions, but also dive deeper into an internationally known arts organization through a range of fun and exclusive engagement activities. Through InterACT membership, you’ll receive unique points of access, from behind-the-scenes tours to networking events with the theatre and the community at large.
READY TO JOIN? Purchase the Mid 2 Opening Night Series at 50% OFF, and include a tax-deductible gift.
Opening Night Thursday Series (Mid 2 section, 50% off ): $105* *
Limit two per qualifying patron.
Tax-Deductible Gift to Actors Theatre: $145* *
Minimum required gift for InterACT membership.
TOTAL INVESTMENT: $250 To learn more about becoming a member of InterACT, please contact Carrie Syberg at csyberg@actorstheatre.org or 502.584.1265 ext. 3023.
INTERACT EVENTS: 2016-2017 SEASON Saturday, October 22, 2016 MEET THE MAKERS | 11 a.m.–12 p.m., Actors Theatre Thursday, January 19, 2017 LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL COMMUNITY CONVERSATION reception at 6:30 p.m., performance and post-show discussion at 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 1, 2017 41ST HUMANA FESTIVAL SOIREE | 9:30 p.m., location to be announced
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ACTORS THEATRE IN THE SUMMERTIME When Actors Theatre’s stages go dark at the end of April, you may think the organization hibernates until the next season of productions kicks off in September. But that would be quite the misconception! The summer can actually be one of the busiest times of the year for the Actors Theatre staff. The Marketing Department is prepping promotional content and advertising, the Literary staff is deep in the process of reading scripts, the Education team is planning their lessons and study guides for classroom residencies, Production is beginning to build sets for next season’s shows—and this is just a small portion of the many departments that make up Actors Theatre’s varied and talented team. Beyond preparing for the upcoming season, staff members also represent Actors Theatre across the country at various events, conferences and professional development opportunities during the summer.
Clockwise from top: Steve Knight (Director of Marketing & Communications) and Sara Durham (Public Relations Manager) lobbied for Actors Theatre and represented the State of Kentucky on Capitol Hill at Arts Advocacy Day during the 2016 Theatre Communications Group Conference in Washington, D.C. Jeff Rodgers (General Manager) presented a spoken-word piece he created called “Lessons from Louisville: Fairness Speaks Out” during The Fairness Campaign’s 25th Anniversary celebration here in Louisville. Betsy Anne Huggins (Education Manager) and Lexy Leuszler (Education Associate) attended the annual American Alliance for Theatre and Education Conference in Boston. Huggins serves as the chair of the Professional Theatre Network for AATE and presented a session on early-career education at the conference. As July came to a close, Associate Artistic Director Meredith McDonough had a great week in New York with playwright Rajiv Joseph and composer Bill Sherman working on their new musical, currently titled The Blackbird.
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AUGUST, SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2016 A COMPLETE GUIDE TO EVENTS AT ACTORS THEATRE
8/27 BEHIND-THE-SCENES TECH EVENT: THE 39 STEPS
9/15 GIVE LOCAL LOUISVILLE
7 p.m. for Season Ticket Holders and donors at the Craft Artisan level and above only
A 24-hour online giving day created to inspire people to make our community a better, more vibrant place to live. Support Actors Theatre at givelocallouisville.org and help us reach our goal!
After a light reception, step into the theatre and get a glimpse of what goes on during a technical rehearsal. For more information and ticket reservations, please call the Box Office at 502.584.1205.
9/16 TEEN NIGHT: THE 39 STEPS
9/1 OPENING NIGHT KORBEL TOAST & RECEPTION: THE 39 STEPS immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance
9/7 FIFTH THIRD BANK’S DRACULA BLOOD DRIVE from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Fifth Third Bank’s location in Fourth Street Live!
Support Actors Theatre and the Red Cross by helping us reach our goal of 50 pints! To reserve your spot, contact Carrie Syberg, Community Philanthropy Manager, at 502.584.1265.
9/9 OFFSTAGE @ ACTORS
6:30 p.m. followed by a performance of The 39 Steps at 8 p.m. Network with fellow theatre enthusiasts while enjoying live music, a cash bar, and exciting giveaways! Sponsored by YPAL (Young Professionals Association of Louisville). Tickets to the show begin at $25, and include admission to the festivities. To purchase, visit ActorsTheatre.org or call 502.584.1205.
9/9 OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION: FIFTH THIRD BANK’S DRACULA immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance
9/11 CONVERSATION WITH THE ARTISTS: THE 39 STEPS immediately following the 2:30 p.m. performance
Enjoy an engaging dialogue led by a member of our artistic staff.
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8 p.m.
Calling all teens, grades 8-12! Bring your friends, see a great show, meet the cast and connect with other teens passionate about theatre! Use the Promo Code TEEN to purchase a $10 ticket. Valid for this performance only. Must have a valid student ID to purchase.
9/16 & 9/17 PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COMPANY SOLO MIO ROUND #1 2 p.m. on 9/16 and 10 a.m. on 9/17 Victor Jory Theatre
Join the 45th Professional Training Company as the Acting Apprentices present their solo pieces, written and performed by each actor. The event is FREE, but ticketed. Please call the Box Office at 502.584.1205 to reserve.
9/26 & 9/27 PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COMPANY NEW PLAY PROJECT #1 Actors Theatre has commissioned three playwrights to write one-act plays for the Professional Training Company to develop and perform this fall. The time and location of the final performances will be announced in September.
10/1 BEHIND-THE-SCENES TECH EVENT: MACBETH 7 p.m. for Season Ticket Holders only
After a light reception, Season Ticket Holders will have a chance to step into the theatre and get a glimpse of what goes on during a technical rehearsal. For more information and ticket reservations, please call the Box Office at 502.584.1205.
10/3–10/5 ST. JAMES COURT ART SHOW from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on 10/3 and 10/4 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on 10/5
Stop by our booth at the 60th Annual St. James Court Art Show for special ticket offers, prizes and more!
10/6 OPENING NIGHT KORBEL TOAST & RECEPTION: MACBETH immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance
10/21 TEEN NIGHT: MACBETH 8 p.m.
Calling all teens, grades 8-12! Bring your friends, see a great show, meet the cast and connect with other teens passionate about theatre! Use the Promo Code TEEN to purchase a $10 ticket. Valid for this performance only. Must have a valid student ID to purchase.
10/22 MEET THE MAKERS from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Bingham Theatre
10/9 WILL IN THE ‘VILLE: A CONVERSATION WITH DR. PETER HOLLAND, UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
An exclusive event for donors at the Craft Artisan Level and above. Learn how Dracula comes to life each night in this up-close event with the designers, technicians, and artisans. To reserve your spot, please contact Liz Magee, Annual Fund Manager, at LMagee@actorstheatre.org, or 502.584.1265.
A special post-show discussion with ACC Distinguished Lecturer Dr. Peter Holland, McNeel Family Chair in Shakespeare Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Part of Will in the ‘Ville, a city-wide celebration of all things Shakespeare in 2016.
10/24 & 10/25 PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COMPANY NEW PLAY PROJECT #2
immediately following the 2:30 p.m. performance of Macbeth
10/14 & 10/15 PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COMPANY SOLO MIO ROUND #2 2 p.m. on 10/14 and 10 a.m. on 10/15 Victor Jory Theatre
Join the 45th Professional Training Company as the Acting Apprentices present their solo pieces, written and performed by each actor. The event is FREE, but ticketed. Please call the Box Office at 502.584.1205 to reserve.
Actors Theatre has commissioned three playwrights to write one-act plays for the Professional Training Company to develop and perform this fall. The time and location of the final performances will be announced in October.
10/31 HALLOWEEN COSTUMES AND COCKTAILS immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance
Dress in your Halloween best and attend the October 31st performance of Fifth Third Bank’s Dracula. Linger after the show for spooky cocktails and a costume contest!
10/16 CONVERSATION WITH THE ARTISTS: MACBETH immediately following the 2:30 p.m. performance
Enjoy an engaging dialogue led by a member of our artistic staff.
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Non-Profit Organization US Postage PAID Louisville, KY Permit No. 549
316 WEST MAIN STREET LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 40202-4218 Les Waters, Artistic Director Kevin E. Moore, Managing Director
Thank you to our sponsors: The Shubert Foundation
The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
The Gheens Foundation
Actors Theatre’s production of Macbeth is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
SAVE THE
DATE: Lobster Feast
LOUISVILLE MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN 6 P.M. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2017 Enjoy an all-you-can-eat lobster buffet, signature cocktails, dancing, and silent and live auctions, all in support of Actors Theatre of Louisville.
LIMITED TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE SO ORDER NOW! TICKETS ARE $300 PER PERSON, $3,000 FOR A TABLE (SEATS 10), AND $5,000 FOR A VIP TABLE (SEATS 10). FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ORDER TICKETS visit LobsterFeast.org or contact Liz Magee at 502.584.1265 ext. 3026 or LMagee@actorstheatre.org. PRESENTING SPONSOR