Live From the Edge

SPACE BALLROOM APR 27 – MAY 21, 2023

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LONG WHARF THEATRE

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Jacob G. Padrón ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Kit Ingui MANAGING DIRECTOR

PRESENTS

BY

UNIVERSES

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We acknowledge that indigenous peoples and nations have for generations stewarded the lands and waterways of what we now call the state of Connecticut. We honor and respect the enduring relationship that exists between these peoples and nations and this land.

This production is taking place on the unceded territory of the Quinnipiac and Wappinger peoples. We remind ourselves that along with stolen land came stolen people. It is our responsibility to the future to know our past.

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LIVE FROM THE EDGE

PERFORMERS IN ALPHA ORDER

ASIA MARK (she/they)

SOPHIA RAMOS (she/her)

NATE JOHN MARK

MILDRED RUIZ-SAPP (she/her)

NSANGOU NJIKAM (he/him)

STEVEN SAPP (he/him)

CREATIVE DIANE HEALY* (she/her) STAGE MANAGER

TIM PLUMMER (he/him) LIGHTING DESIGNER

FOR THIS PRODUCTION ERIN PETER (she/her) COVID COMPLIANCE OFFICER OLGA MIKHAILOVNA SHEVELKINA (she/her) WARDROBE SUPERVISOR ALYSSA LEGATO (she/her) SPACE BALLROOM HOUSE MANAGER PAT DALTON (he/him) SPACE BALLROOM FRONT OF HOUSE ENGINEER

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association

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ROM T E ARTISTIC DIR CTOR Dear Friends – LIVE FROM THE EDGE is here!

It gives me immense joy to welcome you to what promises to be a thrilling theatrical experience.

When we talk about Long Wharf Theatre being an artistic home for boundary-breaking artists, look no further than UNIVERSES—a performance troupe founded by the visionary artists Mildred Ruiz-Sapp and Steven Sapp.

Over the years, UNIVERSES has created an extraordinary body of work, rooted in a commitment to using storytelling as a catalyst for justice and understanding. Their work is always in conversation with the state of the world, and they use their musical gifts to amplify both the joy and experiences of communities of color. Though their work has a specific focus, there’s a universality to the conversation they invite all of us into. Theirs is a theatre of connection.

I first met Mildred and Steven when I was just starting out as a young producer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. They were commissioned to write a new musical about the legacy of the Black Panthers and the Young Lords. The result was the thrilling piece called PARTY PEOPLE, which has gone on to have life in theaters across the country. When I began my tenure at Long Wharf Theatre, I asked Mildred and Steven if they would be interested in joining me in New Haven as our playwrights-in-residence. Thanks to the visionary support of the Mellon Foundation, Mils and Steve have been on staff for the last three years. Of course, the pandemic kept most of their residency virtual, but their impact was immense, and this production is such a powerful culmination of their time with us.

This production is also a homecoming. In UNIVERSES’ early years, one of their first stops out of New York City was right here in New Haven, thanks to Rafael Ramos who invited Mildred and Steven to share their gifts with our neighbors. They performed in the adjacent room of what is now Bar Pizza and the rest, as they say, is history. Given UNIVERSES’ commitment to creating theatre that reaches all people, LIVE FROM THE EDGE is the right offering for our first show, in our new model.

With their fellow performers—Asia Mark, Nate John Mark, Nsangou Njikam, and Sophia Ramos—this LIVE FROM THE EDGE promises to be like nothing you’ve seen before. Tell your family, return with your friends, and let us celebrate this new chapter in Long Wharf Theatre’s illustrious history. With all of you by our side, we are ushering in a new era and we’re just getting started.

With gratitude, Jacob G. Padrón 4

LIVE FROM THE EDGE

BI S UNIVERSES (Creator) is a national Ensemble Theater Company, of multi-disciplined writers and performers of color, who fuse theater, poetry, dance, jazz, hip hop, politics, down home blues and Spanish boleros to create moving, challenging and entertaining works for the stage.

The group breaks the traditional theatrical bounds to create its own brand of theater. Founded in The Bronx, New York in 1995, the members of UNIVERSES came together in the urban poetry and music scene of the late 1990s; quickly moving through the “down town” performance scene to built a home for themselves in American Theatre. In their 28 years, UNIVERSES has performed at venues throughout the United States and toured extensively worldwide.

Asia Mark (she|they) (Performer) is an interdisciplinary artist from Detroit, MI. BFA: Theatre Performance (Western Michigan University) Asia seeks to tell diverse stories through directing, photography, writing, music and theatre.

As a member of UNIVERSES Theatre Ensemble and the Co-Resident Teaching Artist of The Acting Ensemble at The Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, Asia is excited about bringing new work and experiences into the American Theatre. They are passionate about using various art forms to spread light, artistry and love. As a director and teaching artist, she is excited to simultaneously be a part of and support the next generation of theatre artists that will shape the American Theatre to reflect our reality. Acting credits Include: Oregon Shakespeare Festival: UniSon (Robert O’Hara—The Apprentice), Shakespeare In Love (Christopher Liam Moore—Lady in Waiting / Ensemble), Julius Caesar (Shana Cooper—Artemidorous / Ensemble); AmeriCUS (Joan Herrington-Playwright/Sunny); OSF PlayOn/Shakespeare In Detroit’s Twelfth Night (JaMeeka Halloway—Viola); Hook & Eye Theatre’s She She She (Off, Off Broadway—Cornelia); Ruined (Awoye Timpo—Josephine); Ameriville (UNIVERSES—Marie Laveau). Awards: NAACP ACT-SO National Gold medalist (Acting). Instagram: Asiamaybay

Nate John Mark (Performer) Actor at Shakespeare in Detroit; Actor/Writer at UNIVERSES; Actor at Idaho Shakespeare Festival; School Visit Tour—Actor at Oregon Shakespeare Festival; (FAIR) Audience Development Assistant in Marketing and Communications at Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Paraprofessional at Kalamazoo Public Schools. From Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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BI S Nsangou Njikam (he|him) (Performer) is an actor, playwright and Hip Hop Theatre artist originally from Baltimore, MD. His writing credits include Syncing Ink, Re:Definition, When We Left parts 1 & 2, Freaky Dee, Baby, I.D., 21 STRINGS and he is one of seven writers of Hands Up: Seven Plays; Seven Testimonials. Acting credits include Syncing Ink (Alley Theatre/Flea Theater), Re:Definition (LaMama), Henry V (Classical Theatre of Harlem), Deep Azure (Congo Square Theatre).

NSangou’s play Re:Definition (Hip Hop Theatre Festival reading) was developed by Chadwick Boseman. His work in Hands Up has been performed around the country, including the 2021 production at The Alliance Theater. NSangou has also written for and collaborated with Grammy Award winner Common, specifically on his Audible.com project “BlueBird Memories,” the 2020 NBA All Star Game and the Audible interview series “Mindpower Mixtape.” NSangou’s latest piece, Freaky Dee, Baby, was recently performed at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. His Hip Hop Theatre play, I.D. (commission by Penn State University) premiered at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa. NSangou is a member of the 2015 Emerging Writers Group at the Public Theater as well as a member of UNIVERSES. He received his BFA in Acting from Howard University. After tracing his African ancestry, he received his name from the Bamum King in Cameroon. He is represented by A3 Agency. He currently resides in New York City.

Sophia Ramos (she|her) (Performer) is an award-winning Rock n Roll singer/songwriter. Her hard rock band Sophia’s Toy signed to Sony/Epic Records and toured extensively. Sophia was named “Best Undiscovered Artist” by VH1, and was awarded the Abe Olman Excellence in Songwriting from The National Academy of Popular Music. She has collaborated with the likes of Metallica’s Jason Newstead, Joey Ramone, performed with an incredible variety of artists, who include Rod Stewart, Government Mule, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Jefferson Starship, Soundgarden and Big Brother and The Holding Company. Sophia is a veteran live and studio vocalist and voiceover artist whose talents you’ve heard in countless commercials and jingles. Theater work includes PARTY PEOPLE created/produced by UNIVERSES, directed by Liesl Tommy. Other credits: Live From the Edge by UNIVERSES, City Theatre Pittsburgh; The Tattooed Lady at PTC.

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BI S Mildred Ruiz-Sapp (she|her) (Performer) is a co-founder/core member of UNIVERSES Theater Company. Playwriting/Acting credits include: AmericUS; UNISON; PARTY PEOPLE; AMERIVILLE; The Denver Project; One Shot in Lotus Position; BLUE SUITE; RHYTHMICITY; SLANGUAGE; THE RIDE. Acting-only credits include: DJ Latinidad; The Comedy of Errors; The Unfortunates; Alfred Jarry’s UBU: Enchained. Director: The Tempest. Filmmaker credit: Rising (2022 Smithsonian and Ashland Independent Film Festival). Awards/Affiliations: 2020 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation National Playwright Residency Program recipient; 2015 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award (Theatre); Oregon Shakespeare Festival Acting Company Member ( 2012-2017) and Ensemble in Residence; 2008 U.S. Cultural Ambassador w/ the U.S. State Dept./Jazz at Lincoln Center—Rhythm Road Tour; 2008 TCG Peter Zeisler Award; 2006 Career Advancement Fellowship from the Ford Foundation through Pregones Theater; 2002-2004 and 1999-2001 TCG National Theater Artist Residency Program Award; BRIO Awards (Bronx Recognizes its own-Singing); Co-Founder of The Point CDC; Former Board Member (National Performance Network—NPN) and (Network of Ensemble Theaters-NET); New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect; Bard College, BA ’92 (Literature/Language). Publications: SLANGUAGE in The Fire This Time (TCG Books); BLUE SUITE in The Goodman Theatre’s Festival Latino—Six Plays (Northwestern University Press); PARTY PEOPLE in The Manifesto Anthology (Rain City Projects- Fall 2014); Featured on the covers of American Theatre Magazine 2004 and The Source Magazine 2000. Member: Actors Equity Association (AEA).

Steven Sapp (he|him) (Performer) is a co-founder/core member of UNIVERSES Theater Company. Playwriting/Acting credits include: AmericUS; UNISON; PARTY PEOPLE; AMERIVILLE; The Denver Project; One Shot in Lotus Position; BLUE SUITE; SLANGUAGE; RHYTHMICITY; THE RIDE. Acting-only credits include: The Comedy of Errors. Directing-only credits include: Serious Money; Thanksgiving Play; Fireflies; Passover; SWOPERA; Metamorphoses; The Seven; Alfred Jarry’s UBU: Enchained. Awards/ Affiliations: 2020 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation National Playwright Residency Program recipient; 2015 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award (Theatre); Oregon Shakespeare Festival Acting Company Member (3 Seasons:’12-‘14); 2008 U.S. Cultural Ambassador w/ the U.S. State Dept./Jazz at Lincoln Center—Rhythm Road Tour; 2008 TCG Peter Zeisler Award; 2002 TCG National Directors Award; 2002-2004 and 1999-2001 TCG National Theater

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BI S Artist Residency Program Award; 1998 and 2002 BRIO Awards (Bronx Recognizes its own-Performance); Van Lier Fellowship w/ New Dramatists; Co-Founder of The Point CDC; New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect; Bard College, BA ’89—Theater. Publications: SLANGUAGE in The Fire This Time (TCG Books); BLUE SUITE in The Goodman Theatre’s Festival Latino—Six Plays (Northwestern University Press); PARTY PEOPLE in The Manifesto Anthology (Rain City Projects—Fall 2014); Featured on the covers of American Theater Magazine 2004 and The Source Magazine 2000. Member: Actors Equity Association (AEA)

Diane Healy (she/her) (Stage Manager) is an NYCbased SM. She has worked extensively with BEDLAM. Fall River Fishing, The Winter’s Tale, Hedda Gabler, The Crucible, Sense & Sensibility, Saint Joan, Hamlet, Pygmalion, Peter Pan, Cry Havoc!, Twelfth Night/ What You Will. Has SM’d in NY with: Theatre For A New Audience, Playwrights Horizons, Atlantic Theatre Co., Primary Stages; NAATCO, Clubbed Thumb, Radical Evolution/WP Theatre, Mabou Mines; Playwrights Realm; Barrow Street Theatre; LCT3, LaMama, The Civilians. Regionally: Baltimore Center Stage, McCarter Theatre, Folger Theatre, Shakespeare & Company, Oldcastle Theatre Company.

Tim Plummer (he/him) (Lighting Designer) has worked as a lighting designer, programmer, and production electrician on stage and TV for 30 years. 90-Day Fiance (TLC), Legendary (HBO), Puppy Bowl (Animal Planet), Kitten Bowl (Hallmark), NFL Draft (ESPN), Clinton Global Initiative, The Center for Action and Contemplation. Locally, he was the Lighting Supervisor and Associate Production Manager for New Haven’s International Festival of Arts and Ideas from 1996 through 2021, and lit last year’s Big Tent Party gala for Long Wharf Theatre. His wife, Nicole, and daughters, Sophia and Violet, are the lights of his life.

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BI S About Long Wharf Theatre Founded in 1965, Long Wharf Theatre (Jacob G. Padrón, Artistic Director; Kit Ingui, Managing Director) is a Tony Award-winning company of international renown. It was founded with the mission of creating an accessible theatre culture unique to the Greater New Haven community.

Recognized for a historic commitment to commissioning, developing, and producing new plays to expand the legacy of storytelling in the American theatre, more than 30 of its productions have transferred to successful Broadway or Off-Broadway runs and countless others have inspired artists and audiences at theatres across the country. Guided by three core pillars of artistic innovation, radical inclusion, and kaleidoscopic partnerships, the company aspires to nurture and produce boundary-breaking theater. Long Wharf Theatre is entering a bold new chapter, moving beyond its home for nearly 60 years to activate venues, neighborhoods, and public spaces throughout Greater New Haven, underscoring its commitment to equity, inclusion and belonging in every aspect of its work.

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Allow us to introduce ourselves: We are the Founders/Directors/Core Playwrights of UNIVERSES, a poetic musical theater ensemble now celebrating its 28th year. Since our artistic beginnings, we have been dedicated to creating and supporting works that are rooted in a collective humanity. We channel the myriad of voices that speak to us on this journey, voices that too often drown in the dialogue of race, class, gender, and identity.

As UNIVERSES, we share a personal/collaborative journey that started in 1988. In 1993, while teaching in the NYC Department of Education’s (D.O.E.) LEAP Program in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx, we understood that we had a greater role to play. Having grown up as inner city “housing project kids,” we were well aware that, if it hadn’t been for our art, we would never have found our ways to where our paths would intersect. We believed that working with the D.O.E was not enough for our Bronx community or our artistic journey, so we set out to create our own cultural/economic development institution, right in the heart of Hunts Point. With two collaborators to envision this behemoth project, we secured a 12,000 square foot abandoned factory building and co-founded THE POINT Community Development Corporation.

At THE POINT, we built a theater, dance studio, art gallery, computer labs, the Bronx satellite of the International Center of Photography, and a business incubator where fledgling neighborhood businesses could thrive. Artists from all walks of life taught and practiced their craft in that same space with us, at our invitation—from Sarah Jones to Dael Orlandersmith, Reg.e.gaines to Danny Hoch, and many more. These brilliant artists joined in to make art where art was deemed impossible. In only two years, we were able to purchase the facility and launch a successful capital campaign that ensured the long-term sustainability or THE POINT, which remains a vibrant arts and business incubator today. (thepoint.org) 10 LIVE FROM THE EDGE

R I H IN T WORDS WN In that very space and time, we continued to develop our artistic craft. In 1995, we named ourselves UNIVERSES (universesonstage.com). With UNIVERSES, we have honed our unique musical theater aesthetic, one that has moved us from the streets of the South Bronx to the poetry scene, to the New York performance scene to university theaters, to Off-Broadway theaters and national and international stages. We have made homes in the many communities across the country that required our expertise—from the Bronx all the way to Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), which commissioned UNIVERSES in 2009 to write a new play for their American Revolutions’ History Cycle. The result was PARTY PEOPLE, a musical about the Black Panther Party and the Young Lords Party. It premiered at OSF in 2012 and toured to Berkeley Rep (2014) and The Public Theater (2016) where we worked with Jacob as a producer. Funded by the Ford Foundation, we became the first-ever Resident Ensemble at OSF (2013-2018). In 2014, OSF commissioned us to write UNISON, a music-filled work using August Wilson’s poetry (2017 OSF premiere). Throughout the years, we have created lifelong relationships with likeminded artistic directors and theater makers who have bravely joined us to support our work of heart and soul.

Our relationship with the City of New Haven started in the late nineties when the International Festival of Arts and Ideas (IFAI) invited us to perform a concert on the City Green. We returned years later to interview former members of New Haven’s Black Panther Party for PARTY PEOPLE. After the PARTY PEOPLE premiere, we returned to IFAI to present a PARTY PEOPLE salon/town hall/performance.

Even then, our Black and Puerto Rican roots invited us to continue building our relationship with this complicatedly vibrant city. We deepened these roots with New Haven and the greater community as Mellon Foundation playwrights-in-residence at Long Wharf Theatre beginning in 2020. Now, with LIVE FROM THE EDGE, we’re excited to introduce greater New Haven to the deeper UNIVERSES aesthetic and philosophy: to explore and further deepen the dialogue of the intersectionality of art and activism, the historical power of theater as a tool for social justice, and the reimagining of American theater, by and for the people.

– Mildred Ruiz-Sapp and Steven Sapp LONG WHARF THEATRE 11

2022–2023 SEASON

EVERYWHERE FOR

EVERYONE A S E A S O N I N T H R E E ACT S

ACT 1 New Play Readings // Virtual Black Trans Women at the Center Directed & Co-Produced by Dane Figueroa Edidi August 3, 2022 In its third year, Dane Figueroa Edidi led this annual festival of new work by Black trans women, featuring plays by Andrea Jenkins, Bl3ssing Oshun Ra, Danielle Davis, and Davia Spain.

A Work-in-Process Comedy // 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven Dignity, Always Dignity

By Bryce Pinkham, Zack Fine, Rona Siddiqui, & Kirya Traber Music & Lyrics by Rona Siddiqui Directed by Zack Fine Performed by Bryce Pinkham Dramaturgy by Kirya Traber September 10 – 11, 2022 Stranded alone on an island, a former Broadway star sets his sights on performing one last show before the waters swallow him up.

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A Concert Reading of an Iconic Musical // September 17 – 18, 2022 Jelly’s Last Jam Book by George C. Wolfe Music by Jelly Roll Morton Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead Musical Adaptation & Additional Music Composed

by Luther Henderson Directed by Dennis Whitehead Darling Creative Consultation by Patricia McGregor Choreographed by Chris Bell Music Direction by David Freeman Coleman At the birth of jazz in the early 20th century, one man led the band. The legendary Jelly Roll Morton revolutionized American music like no one before him. His life—the dizzying heights and inconceivable lows—becomes a thrilling theatrical ride in Jelly’s Last Jam. With an electrifying cast and a red-hot band, this concert reading spotlights the story of a trailblazing artist and celebrates New Haven’s love of jazz.

A Play Reading // October 22 – 23, 2022 Flying Bird’s Diary

By Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel // Directed by Madeline Sayet The story of a true Connecticut hero, Flying Bird aka Fidelia Fielding/Jeets Bodernosh shor (1827-1908). We first encounter Flying Bird, as a young Mohegan girl, in the 1800s, in a world attempting to erase everything she believes in. As the years pass, Flying Bird faces seemingly impossible obstacles but never loses sight of her goal: to save her language and culture against all odds.

ACT 2 A Community Event // October 14 + 15, 2022 Home(coming): Farewell + Block Party Conceived and directed by Jenny Koons 222 Sargent Drive + Audubon Street, New Haven Together we said goodbye to our home at 222 Sargent Drive with a series of festive communal rituals and micro-performances and then collectively moved forward into New Haven to celebrate all that is to come.

New Haven Play Project // 2023 I AM: Muslim/American a film

By Aaliyah Miller Directed by Halima Flynn This season’s offering of New Haven Play Project, I AM: Muslim/American, is a community-centered film inspired by interviews with Muslim Americans from Connecticut. Shot on location in New Haven with local actors, the film celebrates the “Muslim mosaic” and will be used as a jumping off point for meaningful dialogue with partners around the state, bridging Muslim and non-Muslim communities.

Supported by the Doris Duke Foundation.

ACT 3 Production // Space Ballroom April 27 – May 21, 2023 Live From the Edge

By UNIVERSES A production by Long Wharf Theatre’s Mellon Foundation Playwrights-inResidence, UNIVERSES, Live From the Edge showcases the ensemble’s special brand of fusion theatre in a “best of” evening that tracks the evolution of their poetic language from childhood rhymes and community rituals, to poetry and theater, hip-hop and gospel. Redefining what theatre is and who it speaks to, Live From the Edge is a unique performance event that turns the poem into a communal act.

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TH STAFF EXECUTIVE

Jacob G. Padrón

Kit Ingui

ARTISTIC & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Jenny Koons

(he/him) Artistic Director

Rachel Alderman

(she/her) Associate Artistic Director

Kate Moore Heaney

(she/her) Managing Director

(she/her)

Mason Alexander Park (they/them) (she/her)

Ryan J. Haddad

Katy Gonzalez

(he/him)

Vanessa Soto

Carolyn Stockage

(she/any) Executive Coordinator

Mildred RuizSapp

(she/her) Mellon Foundation Playwright-inResidence

Steven Sapp

(he/him) Mellon Foundation Playwright-inResidence

ARTISTIC ENSEMBLE Awoye Timpo (she/her)

(she/her) Patron Services Manager

Peython Echelson-Russell

EXTERNAL RELATIONS Jill H. Coulter

(she/her) Marketing Operations Manager

Nicole Makos

Maig Smith

(she/her) Creative Content Manager

(she/her) Box Office Supervisor

Griffin Kulp (he/him)

Box Office Supervisor

Sam Lundstrom (she/her) Patron Services Associate/Front of House

(he/him)

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Dane Figueroa Edidi

Nancy Meguerditchian

Dexter J. Singleton

Emily Goeler

(he/him)

(she/her) Program Payables Assistant

(he/him) Box Office Supervisor/ Assistant Front of House Manager

Bryce Pinkham

(she/her)

Michele Greenwood

(she/her) Payroll & Accounting Assistant

AUDIENCE SERVICES

Jessica Durdock-Moreno

(he/him) AP/AR Manager

Madeline Sayet

(she/her) Artistic Associate, Literary

(she/her) Company Manager

Geoffrey Molloy

(she/her) Director of Finance (she/her) General Manager

(she/her) Development & Events Manager

Kelly Brown

Jazmine Williamson

(she/her) Audience Development Coordinator

PRODUCTION Nicole Bouclier (she/her) Director of Production

Dylan Callery

(he/him) Technical Director

Allison M.J. Backhaus

(she/her) Charge Artist & Rental Manager

SERVICE PARTNERS Auditor

Karen Kowgios / WithumSmith+ Brown, PC Banking Services

KeyBank

Employee Benefits

Tzedakah House, LLC Insurance

Risk Strategies Company | DeWitt Stern IT Support

EBM, Inc.

Kenneth Murray

Legal

Ann M.K. McLaughlin

Performance Venue

(he/him) Membership Coordinator

(she/her) Institutional Giving Consultant

Elliot Kaiman / Wiggin & Dana LLP Space Ballroom

Real Estate Advisor

Carl Russell / H. Pearce Real Estate Company Rehearsal Space

Bregamos Community Theatre Website

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Madeo

B ARD OF DIR CTORS Nancy Alexander Chair William J. Aseltyne, Esq. Vice-Chair Babz Rawls Ivy Secretary Jenny Carrillo, PhD Treasurer

Kenneth Boroson Gail Brekke Diane Brown Lee Cruz Robert Esposito Barbara Franke James D. Horwitz Jacqueline Koral Treneé McGee Ruby H. Melton Victor Padilla-Taylor Joseph Roach John Rose, Jr. Esq. Constance Royster, JD Errol C. Saunders II Anita Sharif-Hyder

Ex Officio Kit Ingui Jacob G. Padrón Anne Schenck, Honorary Founder Trustee

HONORARY COUNCIL Robert Alvine Arvin Brown Anne Calabresi William Curran Elwood B. Davis Barbara DeBaptiste Charles D. Ellis Richard A. Ferguson Ruth E. Gitlin Sally Glick Beverly J. Hodgson D. Terence Jones Nicholas S. Lamont John S. Lapides Curly Lieber

Donald Margulies Phyllis McGrath Sandy Milles Ginger More David I. Newton George O’Brien Karen Pritzker Robin Sauerteig Pietrina L. Saxton Michael Schaffer Carol T. Schreiber Leonardo H. Suzio Pamela Tatge Cheryl Wiesenfeld A. Tappan Wilder

COUNCIL OF PAST CHAIRS Charles C. Kingsley Jerome H. Meyer Laura Pappano Barbara L. Pearce Mary L. Pepe R. Sanford Stoddard

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Support Long Wharf Theatre Today!

Bryan Terrell Clark (L), Sydney James Harcourt (R), and the cast of Jelly’s Last Jam, September 2022. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

Our 58th season is a pioneering year for our institution. We are bringing live performance, without barriers, to Greater New Haven audiences.

We are welcoming our many communities—including you—by producing new work that authentically and joyfully reflects lived experiences on our stages. And we are centering Artistic Innovation in three groundbreaking ways, each leaning into the abundance found in partnership and collaboration.

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•

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Our Artistic Ensemble is a collective of eight nationally respected artists who inform and inspire our daily work. Four members, including Madeline Sayet, brought their talents to our stages this past fall.

We are creating new ways to discover talent through our Artistic Caucus, a collective of national artists who support the Literary Offices at four regional theatres, including ours. They serve as thought partners and help us identify a new generation of artists while sparking new collaborations among our companies.

We are strengthening our roots of deeply investing in new work for the American stage. With 12 projects in development, upcoming seasons will bring premiere plays and musicals from this roster of diverse, national artists.

Please consider making a tax-deductible gift today—in celebration of our nearly 60 years of history and to help ensure we are here for 60 more. development@longwharf.org longwharf.org/donate

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T ANK YOU TO OUR DONORS OVATION CIRCLE $100,000 + Anonymous CT Humanities Department of Economic & Community Development, Office of the Arts

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Mellon Foundation Seedlings Foundation

The Shubert Foundation, Inc.

SPOTLIGHT CIRCLE $25,000-$99,999 Nancy Alexander & Phillip Bernstein City of New Haven Department of Cultural Affairs

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven Bob & Priscilla Dannies

DIRECTORS’ CIRCLE $10,000-$24,999 Jim Horwitz & Sandy Allison

KeyBank

STAR CIRCLE $2,500-$9,999 Howard & Katherine Aibel Foundation, Inc. The Arts Council of Greater New Haven Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Linda & Vincent Calarco Jenny Carrillo, Ph.D. Centerbrook Architects Mabel Burchard Fischer Grant Foundation

ACTORS’ CIRCLE $1,000-$2,499 Nina Adams & Moreson Kaplan Norman & Caron Alderman Anonymous Astmann Family Richard & Alice Baxter Christopher J. Berman Bowes-Weller Family Foundation Henry P. Brightwell Fund Ruth & Stearns Bryant

Anne & Guido Calabresi The Jane and William Curran Foundation, Inc. Elwood & Catherine Davis Toni Dorfman Linda Lorimer & Charley Ellis Mr. Eric Epstein & Ms. Karyn Gilvarg Andy & Polly Fiddler June & George Higgins Roger C. Ibbotson

ACTORS’ CIRCLE $500-$999

Rachel & Ian Alderman Anonymous Brenner, Saltzman & Wallman LLP, New Haven Mr. Peter Brandt & Ms. Laura Burwick A Broken Umbrella Theatre

Rodney Brooks Peggy Bull Emily Byrne Audrey Conrad Cynthia D. Conrad Vicki & David Crompton Jennifer Crookes Carpenter Bernadette Forget

Eucalyptus Foundation, Inc. Barbara Franke Ruby Melton & Gail McAvay

National Endowment for the Arts Theatre Forward

Lucille Lortel Foundation

NewAlliance Foundation

Howard Gilman Foundation Jeralea Hesse JANA Foundation, Inc. Jacqueline Koral Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, PC

Deatrice Mays Joseph Roach, PhD & Janice Carlisle John Rose, Jr. Esq.

Bennett Pudlin & Ann Judd Charles & Gretchen Kingsley Don & Mimi Kirk The Ethel & Abe Lapides Foundation, Inc. Benjamin D. Liveten Charitable Grand Nephew Trust Madeo Studio Peg & Dan Metz Ellen & Leonard Milstone

New Haven Pride Center David I. Newton Sarah Ohly Marie & Earl Robert Ted & Deb Schaffer Edwin Selden Gretchen Shugart & John Maurer D. Ellen Shuman & Douglas Rae The Tow Foundation

Barbara Franke Joe & Cindy Goldberg Family Foundation Kit Ingui & Geoffrey Molloy Jean & Nick Lamont Rita A. Landino, PhD Dwight Lopes Josephine Merck

Ginger More Philip Pivawer & Linda Hewlett The Possum Fund Princess Grace Foundation - USA Anne F. Schenck The Wareck Family Stuart Warner & A. David Paltiel

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T ANK YOU TO OUR DONORS ENSEMBLE CIRCLE $150-$499

Mark Ammann & Linda Taylor Anonymous (2) Raymond Baldelli & Ronald Nicholes Laurel Miller Barrows Susan Bernfield Rev. Hiram & Dr. Pat Brett Emily Byrne Elaine C. Carroll & John M. Anderson Victor & Marilyn Cassella Jenny Chan Joan Channick Harriet Chessman Dr. Craig M. Crews & Dr. Katherine C. McKenzie Lee Cruz Barbara & George Delmhorst Jackie Downing Susan & David Earle Cathy Edwards & Mike Wishnie Louise Endel Fund Robert & Vandelina Esposito Frank & Ellen Estes Dick & Marissa Ferguson

LEGACY CIRCLE Robert Alvine & Joann Thompson June Baldyga Joan & Richard Bonomi Dr. Harold D. Bornstein, Jr. Alice B. Colonna

Eden & Allan Fisher Mary-Christy Fisher & Harold Koh Nancy Noyes Foss Barbara Gaab Sandi & Jeff Garfield Henry P. Gates Gary Goodridge Mark Bauer & Joe Gordon Sarah B. Greenblatt Mr. and Mrs. E. Hadjimichael Judi Hahn Judith Hamilton Mr. John Hamlin Douglas Hansen & Elisabeth Travers Ms Merrie Harrison Ron & Pat Hensley Dr. Nkemakonam Ikekpeazu Elizabeth Jonas & Tom Eisen Susan Kerley Alvin K. Klevorick & Susan E. Bender Barbara J. Lamb Gary Leibowitz Janet A. Madigan, MD Anita P. Madzik

Susan B. Matheson & J. J. Pollitt Ann & Chad McLaughlin Betty & Dave Monz Jim & Marcia Morley Joyce Narden & Girin Munshi Kenneth & Susie Ng Althea Norcott William & Barbara Nordhaus David Norman-Schiff Michelle Olortegui Arlene O’Tell Ann Palmieri Alan Plattus & Nancy Berliner Leslie Pollack Barbara Possick Alec Purves Shelley Quiala Peggy & Peter Rae Charlotte Rea & Robert Fricker Norman Redlich Barbara & David Reif Constance Royster, JD Nina & John Ruckes Errol C. Saunders, II

Paul & Fern Schwartz Lisa Sclan Cooper Anita Sharif-Hyder Judith & Mark Sklarz William & Betsy Sledge Raina Sotsky Lisa Stanger & Gregory Colodner Sandra Stein Joan Steitz Adam Stern Elsa Stone & Steven Wolfson Leonardo H. Suzio Dr. Matthew Tanico Matt Tepper Theatre Development Fund Thimble Island Brewing Company Mina West Sandra White The Wilder Family John & Virginia Wilkinson Brendan Woo & Annie Lin Art & Ann Yost

Richard & Barbara Franke Toddie & Chris Getman Charles & Gretchen Kingsley Jacqueline Koral Henry Lord

Ruby Melton & Gail McAvay R. Lee Stump Jean Routt & Richard Shanahan Liana & David Snyderman

Pamela Tatge & Jerry Zinser Patsy R. Taylor Dr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Tinghitella Frank P. Villani

Ruth Lord M. Carol Mihalik June M. Rosenblatt Paula L. Schiller

Joan H. Scranton Martin Shubik Charitable Remainder Unitrust

LEGACY CIRCLE : ESTATE GIFTS Cynthia Kellogg Barrington James T. Brown, Jr. Louise W. Dimond

James D. English Robert Evans Mary C. Hallenbeck Gilbert Kenna

For more information on how you can join the Long Wharf Theatre Legacy Circle through bequests, retirement plan designations, life income gifts, and other deferred gifts, please contact development@longwharf.org.

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T ANK YOU TO OUR DONORS IN HONOR OF...

Adela H. French

by Rob Overdeck Sheila Hickey Garvey, Ph.D.

by Rita A. Landino, Ph.D.

Nicole Makos

by Christopher Rivera Betty Monz

by Stuart Warner & A. David Paltiel

Kit Ingui

by Lorraine Sutliff

Jacob G. Padrón

by Nancy Alexander & Phillip Bernstein

Mark Simon

by Rabbi Jeff & Mindy Glickman Eileen Wiseman

by The Tow Foundation

Elba Ramirez

by Rodney Brooks Newton Schenck

by Anne F.Schenck

IN MEMORY OF...

Katherine A. Berman

by Christopher J. Berman

Jack Abraham Huttner

by Sharon G. Huttner

Maggie C. Free

by Rev. Hiram & Dr. Pat Brett

Dr. Robert Levine

by Jeralea Hesse

MATCHING GIFT ORGANIZATIONS Aetna Foundation, Inc. Bank of America Matching Gifts Program

Bristol Myers Squibb Matching Gift Program Casey Matching Gift Programs

GIFT-IN-KIND SUPPORT The Blossom Shop Ideal Printing Company, Inc. IKEA

Madeo Studio Thimble Island Brewing Company

Francis D. & Marcella A. Moran

by Michael J. Moran Lewis A. Swyer

by Susan & David Earle

GE Foundation IBM Corporation Pfizer Foundation State Street Matching Gift Program

UBS Foundation United Technologies

WithumSmith+Brown, PC, Karen Kowgios

BUSINESS & MEDIA SPONSORS

To make a gift to Long Wharf Theatre in support of our vision to produce Theatre for Everyone, visit longwharf.org/donate or text LWT to 44321.

Donor listing current as of March 17, 2023.

LONG WHARF THEATRE 19

T ANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERS Anonymous (9) Nina Adams & Moreson Kaplan David Addams & Zanetta AddamsPilgrim Rachel & Ian Alderman Nancy Alexander & Phillip Bernstein Mark Ammann & Linda Taylor Nancy H. Apfel Donna Arbas Roger & Linda Astmann Jan Attridge Sara-Ann & Hillel Auerbach Karen Baar George Bajalia Raymond Baldelli & Ronald Nicholes Robert & Katalin Baltimore Michael Shea & Candace Barrington Laurel Miller Barrows Aboud Bashy Tim & Debbie Bates Bill & Donna Batsford Beth Bauer Richard & Alice Baxter Janice Beeghly Doris Bens Eric & Ethel Berger Christopher J. Berman Douglas Black Ann L. Bodurtha & Gregory S. Fitzpatrick Nicole Bouclier Michael & Maryann Bracken Mr. Peter Brandt & Ms. Laura Burwick Dorothea Brennan Rev. Hiram & Dr. Pat Brett Anna Broker Beth Brooks Rodney Brooks Donald & Mary Brown Peggy Bull James Bundy & Anne Tofflemire Emily Byrne Victoria Cairl Anne & Guido Calabresi Linda & Vincent Calarco Thomas G. Campbell Mary Cannata Michael Caplan Margaret Carl Jenny Carrillo, Ph.D.

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Victor & Marilyn Cassella Jean Cayer Jenny Chan Harriet Chessman Peter Colburn Audrey Conrad Cynthia D. Conrad Jill H. Coulter Craig Crews & Katherine McKenzie Vicki & David Crompton Jennifer Crookes Carpenter Lee Cruz Phyllis CummingsTexeira Ann Dallavalle Bob & Priscilla Dannies Elizabeth Darling Timothy Davidson Elwood & Catherine Davis Denese Deeds & David Gioiello Francis & Helen Degnan Barbara & George Delmhorst Maureen Derbacher Bernadette DiGiulian & Leo Christofar Linda DiVicino Marialina Dominguez Toni Dorfman Jackie Downing John Downs Julia Downs Bari Dworken Elizabeth East Cathy Edwards & Mike Wishnie Linda Lorimer & Charley Ellis Alice Engbith Amy Eppler-Epstein Ellen Erway Robert & Vandelina Esposito Sally Esposito Frank & Ellen Estes Kevin Ewing Dick & Marissa Ferguson Andy & Polly Fiddler Eden & Allan Fisher Steven & Susan Floman Bernadette Forget Nancy Noyes Foss Kathleen Fox Barbara Franke David & Leslie French Annis Fusaris Barbara Gaab Marie Gallagher Sandi & Jeff Garfield Henry P. Gates

Anonymous Lindy Lee Gold Carol R. Goldberg Donna L. Golden Noah Golden Robin Golden & David Berg Bernardo Gonzalez Linda Goodman Mark Bauer & Joe Gordon Kathryn Gould & Douglas Coffin Lyn & Robert Gradoville Sarah B. Greenblatt Sally & Barclay Griffiths Stephen & Frances Grodzinsky Mr. and Mrs. E. Hadjimichael Douglas Hansen & Elisabeth Travers Roni & Howard Harmetz Sandra Harris Ron & Pat Hensley Barbara Hentschel Jeralea Hesse June & George Higgins Jay Hirsch Emily Horning Sandy Allison & Jim Horwitz Charisse Hutton Nkemakonam Ikekpeazu, MD Kit Ingui & Geoffrey Molloy Priscilla Jencks Susan Johns Tom Eisen & Elizabeth Jonas Dr. Jay & Kathy Kaplan Beth Kaufman Donna & Paul Kazmercyk Susan Kerley Charles & Gretchen Kingsley Susan Kintner Don & Mimi Kirk Ruth Kleinfeld Jacqueline Koral Kim Taylor & Bruce Kueffner Barbara J. Lamb Bj Lambert Jean & Nick Lamont Rita A. Landino, Ph.D. J & J Lange Mary Brett Lee Gary Leibowitz Ivonne Leon Karen & Bill Longa Lois Longwell Dwight Lopes Carol & Robert Lyons

John & Erin MacDonnell Scott Macdowall Janet A. Madigan, MD Anita P. Madzik James Maroney Michael Martin Susan B. Matheson & J. J. Pollitt Ariel Mayer Drs. Rowland & Stephanie Mayor Paul A. McCraven Nicole McDonough Ann & Chad McLaughlin Marilyn Lord & James Meisner Ruby Melton & Gail McAvay Joyce Mercer Josephine Merck Gwen Milone Lisa Milone Ellen & Leonard Milstone Mary S. Mitchell Oliver Kai Molloy Betty & Dave Monz Leila Moore Ginger More Sandra & Brechin Morgan Patricia Morris Elise Morrison Patricia Morrison Jeff O’Donnell & Dorothy Muller Kevin Muzin Joyce Narden & Girin Munshi David I. Newton Kenneth & Susie Ng Robert Nixon Mr. & Mrs. William D. Nordhaus David Norman-Schiff Eileen O’Donnell Sara Ohly Mary O’Leary Michelle Olortegui Arlene O’Tell Victor Padilla-Taylor Steven Padla Ellen Page Judith Paniccia Laura Pappano & Thomas Lynch Mary L. Pepe Jim Perakis James M. Perlotto, M.D. & Thomas Masse Allie Perry & Charlie Pillsbury Philip Pivawer & Linda Hewlett Nancy Berliner & Alan Plattus Carol & Wesley H. Poling Leslie Pollack

T ANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERS Dr. George Puerschner & Dr. Susan Danberg Shelley Quiala Patricia Ann Reese Barbara & David Reif Sandra Resnick Cynthia Rider Joseph Roach, Ph.D. & Janice Carlisle Marie & Earl Robert Katherine Roberts Leslie Robinson John Rose, Jr. Esq. Samuel & Ellen Rost Sheilah B. Rostow Constance Royster, JD John Ruckes Nina & John Ruckes Karl Ruling Marta Elisa Moret & Peter Salovey Mr. Robert D. Sandine & Dr. Irene Kitzman

Errol C. Saunders, II Linda R. Savitsky Ted & Deb Schaffer Anne F. Schenck Rebecca & Alan Scheps Pauline Scherer Eileen Schuman & Robert J. Snyder Paul & Fern Schwartz Fiona Scott Morton Florie Seery Edwin Selden Sarah Shampnois Anita Sharif-Hyder Phyllis McGrath & Patrick Sheehan Gretchen Shugart & John Maurer D. Ellen Shuman & Douglas Rae Alix Simonetti Carol Sirot Judith & Mark Sklarz William & Betsy Sledge

Geoff & Vicki Smith J. Philip & Loretta K. Smith Jill Snyder Veronica & Dieter Soell Raina Sotsky Lisa Stanger & Gregory Colodner Edward Stannard & Patricia CarlStannard Sandra Stein Joan Steitz Carolyn Stockage Peter & Lee Stolzman Elsa Stone & Steven Wolfson Leonardo H. Suzio Larue & Capleton Swanson Matt Tepper Kathleen Tereb Sally Tomiko & David Taraskevich Mary Ann Turner

Harrison Valante Kathie Ventura Marc Wallman & Cynthia Carr Barbara Wareck Stuart Warner & A. David Paltiel Kalman L. Watsky & Deborah Fried Mina West Sandra White A. Tappan Wilder John & Virginia Wilkinson Judith Wilson Annie Lin & Brendan Woo Tim Yergeau Art & Ann Yost Rolan Joni Young Sheila Zinn

Member listing current as of March 17, 2023.

Long Wharf Theatre is Member-supported theatre.

Visit longwharf.org/membership or scan with your camera app to join our boundary-breaking community of Sustaining Members with a gift of $10 a month or a one-time annual gift of $120 or higher.

To make a gift to Long Wharf Theatre in support of our Everywhere for Everyone season, visit longwharf.org/donate or text LWT to 44321.

LONG WHARF THEATRE 21

$100,000 and Above Bank of America Hearst Foundations $50,000-$99,999 Citi $25,000-$49,999 The Augustine Foundation BNY Mellon Pamela Farr & Buford Alexander Goldman, Sachs & Co. Hearst MetLife Foundation Morgan Stanley Lisa Orberg Prudential Financial The Schloss Family Foundation Daniel A. Simkowitz & Mari Nakachi Wells Fargo $15,000-$24,999 Mitchell J. Auslander & Kimberlee Abraham Bloomberg Paula A. Dominick Lucy Hardison Donna Kalajian Lagani Gretchen Shugart & Jonathan Maurer Pfizer, Inc. TD Bank

$10,000-$14,999 Judy R. Bartlett Steven & Joy Bunson Dorsey & Whitney LLP Ernst & Young Bruce & Tracey Ewing Roe Green* Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. The Maurer Family Foundation RBC S&P Global Travelers $5,000-$9,999 Anonymous Michelle Cenis Richard K. Greene Nancy Hancock Griffith* KLDiscovery Susan & John Major Donor Advised Fund at Rancho Santa Fe Foundation Robin & Bob Paulson Donor Advised Fund at Rancho Santa Fe Foundation

Playbill † The Patti & Rusty Rueff Foundation Michelle Schwartz Raja Sengupta George & Pamela Smith* John Thomopoulos Evelyn Mack Truitt James S. & Lynne P. Turley* Joseph Yurcik* $2,500-$4,999 Joseph Baio* Yvonne Bell* BOND Theatrical Robin Cohen* Concord Theatricals Lucy Fato & Matt Detmer* Fischer Jordan LLC Ari & Shimona Katz* Louise Moriarty & Patrick Stack* Elliott Sernel & Larry Falconio* The Shubert Organization Mary Beth Winslow & Bill Darby* Wolters Kluwer

$1,500-$2,499 Cindy Black John R. Dutt* Christ Economos* Debi Feinman Kamilah Forbes Sanderson Family Donor Advised Fund at Rancho Santa Fe Foundation Daryl Roth Productions Roundabout Theatre Company Stephanie Scott Darren Sussman Carl Sylvestre & Robert Kennedy Elenora Walczak Walnut Street Theatre Michael A. Wall ZIN Technologies, Inc.

List as of July 2022.

Theatre Forward and our theatres are most grateful to all the funders. * National Society Membership

† I ncludes In-kind Support

Long Wharf Theatre is a proud recipient of a 2022 Bank of America ACTivate Award through Theatre Forward.

The Bank of America ACTivate Awards seek to foster and accelerate a theatre’s efforts to become more equitable, diverse, welcoming, and inclusive to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals and groups.

Theatres receiving these grants in 2022 are Actors Theatre of Louisville (Louisville, KY), Alley Theatre (Houston, TX), Alliance Theatre (Atlanta, GA), Center Theatre Group (Los Angeles, CA), Long Wharf Theatre (New Haven, CT), and The Old Globe (San Diego, CA).

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WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM THESE FUNDERS:

Long Wharf Theatre is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long Wharf Theatre programs are made possible, in part, with the support of Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts.

Support has been provided to Long Wharf Theatre from CT Humanities (CTH), with funding provided by the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) from the Connecticut State Legislature.

Long Wharf Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre.

LONG WHARF THEATRE 23

2022–2023 SEASON

WE INVITE YOU TO BECOME A LONG WHARF THEATRE MEMBER TODAY!

EVERYWHERE FOR

EVERYONE

Members champion our vision to create Theatre for Everyone through boundary-breaking investments in artists and new work for the new American theatre. You are making an important commitment that energizes our capacity to welcome, center, and celebrate a multitude of communities in our daily work.

For as little as $10 a month or a one-time $120 annual gift, you gain: • First access to tickets for our 2022-23 season • Discounted admission to Long Wharf Theatre productions • Invitations to special events, including Play Club, a book club for plays with members of our Artistic staff • Monthly Member email newsletters with behind-thescenes news, and • Unique opportunities to be in community with Long Wharf Theatre’s staff, artists & collaborators Want to make a monthly recurring gift at a higher level?

Or give the gift of a Membership to a friend or neighbor so they too can be among Long Wharf Theatre’s closest supporters?

We can help! Contact our friendly Box Office at (203) 693-1486 or boxoffice@longwharf.org.

longwharf.org/membership

24 LIVE FROM THE EDGE