FACELESS MAY 17 – JUNE 2, 2019 by
SELINA FILLINGER directed by
CRAIG A. MILLER scenic design
sound design
JARED SORENSEN
CRAIG A. MILLER
lighting design
costume design
APRIL GEORGE
GAIL REINE
production stage manager
BEULAH VEGA
Faceless is presented by arrangement with Samuel French. Run time approx. 90 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission The taking of photographs and the recording of this performance are strictly prohibited.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR CRAIG A. MILLER received his B.A. in Acting at the Illinois State University School of Theatre, and his M.F.A. in Directing at the University of South Carolina. Before serving as 6th Street Playhouse Artistic Director (2011-2018), he was the Executive Artistic Director of East Window Theatre Co. in Chicago, IL (1996-2000), served as Casting Associate for The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (2003-2005), and founded and served as the Artistic Director of The Texas Repertory Theatre Co. in Houston, TX (2005-2011). Craig has directed professional productions at regional theatres across the United States, receiving critical acclaim in publications including American Theatre Magazine, Variety, and The New York Times. His directing credits at the Playhouse include more than 30 productions. He was nominated for Best Director by the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle for August: Osage County and RED and both productions won the SFBATCC award for Best Ensemble. Mr. Miller is the Head of Directing for the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Idaho.
FROM THE DIRECTOR FACELESS: A FINAL ACT It is an absolute privilege to return to Santa Rosa, and to the theatre I continue to regard as my artistic home, 6th Street Playhouse. I want to say a sincere ‘thank you’ to Producing Artistic Director, Jared Sakren, and the Board of Directors, for allowing me the opportunity to return to direct this very special play as the Studio Theatre season closer. This production of Faceless, by Selina Fillinger, is the result of a tireless, two-year campaign of winning over the William Morris Agency, and moreover, the trust and consent of our esteemed Playwright. It also constitutes one of the last, valiant efforts that I undertook as Artistic Director of the Playhouse in bringing the newest works to our Studio Theatre stage. For me, Faceless possesses all the qualities of a great contemporary play: it speaks to timely and universal issues; it is smart, balanced and provocative without being preachy; and it leaves the final answers to the conflict to be decided by each, individual audience member. Better yet, it is a new play by one of the hottest, rising, female voices of the American Theatre. It brings a special sense of personal and professional accomplishment to me that this production of Faceless made it to the 6th Street stage. It is truly the final act of my tenure as the former Artistic Director of the Playhouse. My affection and gratitude go out to this cast and artistic team for their boundless talents, and to Selina Fillinger for her amazing play. Enjoy the show! Craig A. Miller
THE CAST Scott Bader............................................ David L. Yen Claire Fathi.................................. Ilana Niernberger Susie Glenn..................................... Isabella Sakren
Alan Glenn................................... Edward McCloud Mark Arenberg..................................... Mike Pavone
DAVID L. YEN (Scott Bader) is honored to be part of Faceless. He played Ed Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Spreckels Theatre Company), which won the BATCC award for “Best Ensemble” and “Best Production in the Bay Area”. Other roles include Cedric Doyle in The Nether (Left Edge Theatre), Captain Hook in Peter Pan (Spreckels), Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady (6th Street Playhouse), and the one-man Santaland Diaries, which ran all over the north bay for 10 consecutive years. He is also a critically acclaimed director, winning the MJTA award for Visiting Mr. Green (6th Street). Follow him at www.DavidLYen.com
ISABELLA SAKREN (Susie Glenn) is proud to be a part of 6th Street’s production of Faceless. Her previous credits include 6th Street’s Comedy of Errors as Luciana, Death of a Salesman as Jenny & Ms. Forsythe, Productions from South West Shakespeare company’s Antony and Cleopatra, A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Don Bluth and many other fabulous shows. Her training includes character mask classes with Jared Sakren, Scottsdale Acting Conservatory and current training at 6th Street Playhouse.
ILANA NIERNBERGER (Claire Fathi) is a native of Sonoma County. She attended SRHS Artquest, and went on to study acting in London at The Drama Centre. In recent years she has performed at theaters around the county. She is a core company member at Main Stage West, where favorite roles include Miss Julie in After Miss Julie, Sara in Grace, and Mileva Maric in Capacity. Ilana has also been seen recently in productions at Left Edge Theater, Shakespeare in the Cannery and Cinnabar Theater. She is grateful for the opportunity to work on this play with this talented group, and thanks you the audience for continuing to support live theater.
EDWARD MCCLOUD (Alan Glenn) was last seen at 6th St. as Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire and Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman. He has worked with many Bay Area theaters including Napa Valley Conservatory, Ross Valley Players, and The Shotgun Players. Favorite roles of his include R.P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Sharky in The Seafarer, Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, and Austin in True West for which he earned a BATCC nomination. MIKE PAVONE (Mark Arenberg) retired from his career as a television/ feature film screenwriter/ director and was last seen at 6th St in To Kill a Mockingbird and Clybourne Park. He’s worked at several Sonoma County theaters. He is happy to be a part of this wonderful production and working with this amazing cast.
PRODUCTION STAFF Stage Director........................................................................................ Craig A. Miller Production Stage Manager....................................................................... Beulah Vega Assistant Stage Manager............................................................... Hope Dombrowski Scenic Designer................................................................................ Jared Sorensen* Lighting Designer.................................................................................... April George Costume Designer.......................................................................................... Gail Reine Sound Designer...................................................................................... Craig A. Miller Properties Designer.................................................................................. Beulah Vega Technical Director....................................................................................Conor Woods *Designer’s participation is courtesy of a professional internship agreement between 6th Street Playhouse and the University of Idaho Department of Theatre Arts.
SPECIAL THANKS: The University of Idaho Department of Theatre Arts Michael Finkle and the William Morris Agency Jesse Dreikosen Marty Pistone Carl Kraines Allen and Lea Thomas Gerrit Wilford Bryce Gowey Sue Byrne Celina Keggereis Allen Thomas
SELINA FILLINGER (Playwright) is an Oregon-bred, Chicago-launched, and LA-based actor and writer. As a writer, Selina is committed to telling stories with female heroes and antiheroes--great women braving great storms. Her plays include Faceless (Northlight Theatre premiere, Jeff Award-nominated; Zeitgeist Theatre; Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; Park Theatre in London) and The Armor Plays: Cinched/Strapped (Available Light’s Next Stage Initiative; Alley All New Festival; Theatre Three). Cinched/Strapped is the 2019 recipient of Williamstown Theatre Festival’s L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award. Her play Something Clean, originally commissioned by Sideshow Theatre’s Freshness Initiative, is the recipient of the 2019 Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Award. Current commissions include South Coast Repertory, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Williamstown. Selina was a Hawthornden Fellow and resident at the Sallie B. Goodman Artist’s Retreat at McCarter Theatre Center. Selina is a Northwestern graduate (’16) where she studied playwriting under Laura Schellhardt.