A S O L O R E P E R T O RY T H E AT R E
PRESENTS
JANUARY 17 – FEBRUARY 24
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A S O L O R E P E R T O RY T H E AT R E
Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein Managing Director Ross Egan Proudly Present
By JEROME LAWRENCE and ROBERT E. LEE Directed by PETER ROTHSTEIN Scenic Design
KATE SUTTON JOHNSON Music Director
JENNY KIM-GODFREY
Costume Design
FABIAN AGUILAR Music Supervisor
JONATHAN GODFREY
Chicago Casting
CLAIRE SIMON CASTING
Production Stage Manager NIA SCIARRETTA*
Lighting Design
PHILIP ROSENBERG Cultural Competency Consultant
DeWANDA SMITH SOEDER New York Casting
MURNANE CASTIN CHAD ERIC MURNANE, CSA Stage Manager
JACQUELINE SINGLETON*
Sound Design
MATT PARKER Dramaturg
DRAYTON ALEXANDER
Hair/Wig & Makeup Design
MICHELLE HART
Intimacy Consultant
SASHA ANDREEV*..................................................................................................E.K.Hornbeck CURTIS BANNISTER*...........................................................................Reverend Jeremiah Brown MARK BENNINGHOFEN*...................................................................................Henry Drummond DANNY BOLERO*.............................................................................................................Meeker DAVID BREITBARTH*.......................................................................................Goodfellow/Judge JALIYAH CAMPBELL...........................................................................................Melinda Loomis TREZURE B. COLES..................................................................................................Mrs. Loomis BRIELLE RIVERA HEADRINGTON............................................................................Rachel Brown ANDREW LONG*......................................................................................Matthew Harrison Brady JAY LUSTECK*..........................................................................................Mayor/Dr. Amos Keller FINN MACBETH.......................................................................................................Howard Blair REBECCA ROSE MIMS................................................................................................Mrs. Krebs FALCIAN PAGE........................................................................................Organ Grinder/Bannister SHARON PEARLMAN≠.................................................................Mrs. Bollinger/Reuters Reporter JACKSON PURDY.....................................................................................................Elijah/Sillers JORDAN SAM RICH≠...................................................................... Hot Dog Man/Tom Davenport MIKHAIL ROBERTS≠ .............................................................................................Bertram Cates RYAN SCHMIDT≠..............................................................................................................Dunlap BROOKE TURNER.....................................................................................................Mrs. McLain DANIELLE VIVCHARENKO..............................................................Mrs. Blair/Margaret Aaronson RUEBEN WAKEFIELD..................................................................................Cooper/Dr. Allen Page RICKEY ALLEN WATSON JR..................................................Harry Esterbrook/Phil/Photographer SALLY WINGERT*........................................................................................................Mrs. Brady
SUMMER DAWN WALLACE
Resident Casting Director
CÉLINE ROSENTHAL
*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. ≠Appears courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association Directors are members of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; Designers are members of the United Scenic Artists Local USA-829; Backstage and Scene Shop Crew are members of IATSE Local 412.
Assistant Stage Manager
KRISTIN LOUGHRY*
UNDERSTUDIES
Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement for the appearance is made at the time of the performance
*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
For Melinda Loomis: RILEY APARICIO-JERRO; for Henry Drummond: DAVID BREITBARTH; for Rachel Brown: TREZURE B COLES; for Cooper/
INHERIT THE WIND is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
Grinder/Bannister: ZACH HARRIS; for Dunlap: JASON HEDGES; for Mrs. Krebs: AMARA KALI; for Matthew Harrison Brady: JAY LUSTECK; for Mayor/Dr. Amos
Dr. Allen Page/Elijah/Sillers: LUKE HOONMIN CHOI; for Mrs. Bollinger: CALEE GARDNER; for Howard Blair: LORENZO GONZALEZ; for Betram Cates/Organ Keller/Judge: BILLY LYONS; for Mrs. Brady: MICHELLE McCORD; for Mrs. Loomis: ANGELLE MISHON; for Reuters Reporter/Goodfellow: YAALA MULLER; for Meeker/Tom Davenport/Hot Dog Man: FALCIAN PAGE; for Mrs. McLain: ASHLEY BROOKE RAYMOND; for E.K. Hornbeck: JORDAN SAM RICH;
CO-PRODUCERS James and Maryann Armour Family Foundation • Lynda and Brad Blaylock • Kathleen France • Beth and Marc Hirsch George and Judith Hofmann • Ken and JoAnn Johns • Douglas Thweatt, in memory of Paul Grootkerk Jim and Michal Wadsworth • Pauline Wamsler and David Sales
SPONSORS
for Reverend Jeremiah Brown: RUEBEN WAKEFIELD; for Harry Esterbrook/Phil/Photographer: WILL WESTRAY; for Mrs. Blair/Margaret Aaronson: YUEYING ZHANG
THE SE T TING
Place: A small town. Time: Summer. Not too long ago.
THERE WILL BE ONE FIFTEEN-MINUTE INTERMISSION. THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR(S)’S RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: https://concordtheatricals.com/resources/protecting-artists
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Sasha Andreev He/Him (E.K. Hornbeck) Last seen in Ragtime as Tateh, Sasha is delighted to return to Asolo Repertory Theatre. Based in Minneapolis, he was recently seen as Marvin in Falsettos at Theater Latté Da. Sasha performed off-Broadway, on tour, and on PBS in the Drama Desk-winning All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Regional credits include Guthrie Theater, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theater, and Theatre de la Jeune Lune. On screen, Sasha has been seen in Stranger Things (Netflix), as host of Curb Appeal (HGTV), as a guest expert on multiple shopping networks, and in numerous commercials and films. IG: SashaAndreevNow Riley Aparicio-Jerro She/Her (u/s Melinda Loomis) Riley makes her debut in Inherit The Wind with Asolo Repertory Theatre. Known for her standout roles as Nemo in Finding Nemo at Sarasota Players and Young Ti Moune at West Coast Black Theatre, Riley brings a dynamic energy to every performance, and is thrilled to have this opportunity to work with the amazing cast, director, and production team at the Asolo. Riley would like to thank her mentors, friends, and family for their support and encouragement in her theatrical journey.
Let Go and Fall. History Theater: Tyrone and Ralph, Lord Gordon Gordon. Minnesota Jewish Theater Company: Compulsion. Park Square Theater: Shooting Star. Dark & Stormy Productions: The Hot House. TV and Film: Movie Stars, Frasier, Drew Carey, Chicago Hope, The Public Domain, Wilson, La Stanza Accanto, Older Than America, and Herman USA. Danny Bolero (Meeker) Danny was recently awarded the NYC 2023 Bisto Award and MAC award for his critically acclaimed oneman show They Call Me Cuban Pete, the music and genius of Desi Arnaz. He made his Broadway debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and returned to Broadway with In The Heights, which led to him originating the role of Kevin on the first National Tour. Last year, he returned to Broadway once again in In Plaza Suite, starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. He made his Public Theater debut as Manuel in Miss You Like Hell. He is proud to be the voice of character Abuelo on the PBS Kids animated series Alma’s Way. Films: Townhouse Confidential, Rapid Eye Movement, Low Tide. Many thanks to everyone at CTG and Entertainment Labs, and to the angels on my shoulder. @ELAactorinNYC, www.dbolero.com
Curtis Bannister (Reverend Jeremiah Brown) 2021 winner of the Actors Equity Foundation Roger Sturtevant Award: Outstanding Performance in Musical Theater; 2021 Drama League Award nominee: Best Concert Performance; 2023 Joseph Jefferson Award (The Jeffs) nominee: Outstanding Performance by a Principal Actor in a Musical. Recently, Curtis has performed in Big River (Jim) at Mercury Theater Chicago, Bernstein’s MASS (Soloist 1, Celebrant u/s) at The Kennedy Center, The Pajama Game (Sid) at Theater at the Center, Ragtime (Coalhouse), and The Last Five Years (Jamie). He is currently the concert partner of Tony and Grammy Award-winner Heather Headley throughout the U.S. and will make his solo concert debut in November 2024 in Washington DC. Select film and TV credits include his Tribeca Film Festival debut in The Conductor, the Apple TV+ Peabody Award-winning series Dickinson (Marquis), and NBC’s Chicago Fire (Reimers). www.thecurtisbannister. com, IG: @thee_cb, X: theecb.
David Breitbarth (Goodfellow/Judge; u/s Henry Drummond) Over 80 productions at Asolo Rep include: Murder on the Orient Express (also at Maltz Jupiter), Rhinoceros (also at American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco), The Little Foxes, Both Your Houses, The Grapes of Wrath, Glengarry Glen Ross, Clybourne Park, God of Carnage, Once in a Lifetime, Twelve Angry Men, The Immigrant. World premieres of Men of Tortuga, Perfect Mendacity, A Few Good Men, Laughing Stock, A Flea in Her Ear, Rounding Third, Art, Hobson’s Choice, and Nicholas Nickleby. Broadway First National Tour: Spring Awakening. Off-Broadway: Short Change, Perfect Crime, Fluorescent Hunger, and This Hard Life. Los Angeles: Life in the Trees (West Coast premiere) and David’s Mother. Film and television: Frasier, Taken!, Law & Order, and Fame. He is a 12-year ensemble member at Florida Repertory Theatre in Ft. Myers and has appeared regionally around the country. David is a 2013 LuntFontanne Fellow selected by the prestigious Ten Chimneys Foundation. He is thrilled to be back at Asolo Rep.
Mark Benninghofen (Henry Drummond) Actor Equity Association. Guthrie Theater: Juno and the Paycock, Born Yesterday, Appomattox, Time Stands Still, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide, Great Expectations, St. Joan, A Christmas Carol, The Merry Wives of Windsor. Theater Latté Da: Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Six Degrees of Separation, To
Jaliyah Campbell She/Her (Melinda Loomis) Jaliyah is thrilled to be performing in Asolo Rep’s Inherit the Wind. Jaliyah has a natural talent for acting, singing and dancing. Her past performances include Brundibar, Black Nativity, Fame The Musical, The Technicolor Musical, Once on This Island, and Holidays in Hamony. In June 2021, Jaliyah landed her first movie
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role in Playing Through. At 12-years-old, this dynamic performer always strives to give 100 percent with the talent, dedication and charisma that captivates the hearts of audiences every time. Luke HoonMin Choi (u/s Cooper/Dr. Allen Page/Elijah/Sillers) Luke HoonMin Choi is a dedicated actor based in New York, who was born in Korea. He is known for his commitment to the craft. He started his career at Meta Artist Troupe and recently finished his B.A. in theater at Queens College, NY. With a range of experiences and skills, he brings authenticity to every role he takes on. Trezure B Coles She/Her (Mrs. Loomis; u/s Rachel Brown) Trezure Coles is from Newport News, Virginia. Some works include: Eureka Day (Asolo Rep), Stick Fly, Love’s Labour’s Lost (FSU Conservatory), Antony and Cleopatra, Eurydice (TAM), A Christmas Carol, Comedy of Errors (Virginia Stage Company), Once on This Island, Gem of the Ocean, The Color Purple (NSU Theatre Company). Education includes: B.A. in Drama and Theatre at Norfolk State University, 3rd year M.F.A. acting candidate at FSU Asolo Conservatory. Zach Harris He/Him (u/s Betram Cates/Organ Grinder/ Bannister) Zach is very excited to begin training and learning at FSU/Asolo Rep. He looks to vastly expand his skills and knowledge in Theatre during his time at the Conservatory. Zach graduated from UNC Wilmington, where he discovered his passion for acting, and earned a B.A. in Theatre and a minor in Biology. He is looking forward to growing alongside the class of 2026. Brielle Rivera Headrington She/Her (Rachel Brown) Brielle is grateful to be participating in her second season with Asolo Rep and sharing the stage with her class of 2024. You last saw her on stage at the Cook Theatre as Sheila in An Inspector Calls, and The Princess in Love’s Labour’s Lost. She adores and thanks God, her family, friends, and teachers here at the Conservatory. She’d like to recognize Denise Parker, Gayle Justice, and Cheryl Williams for the support that has gotten her to this point in her life. A special shoutout to her husband, Isaiah. Jason Hedges (u/s Dunlap) Jason is a multiinstrumentalist musician, singer/ songwriter, and actor from Gainesville, Florida, and has been performing since childhood. He has been a SAG/AFTRA
Member for the past 20 years and studied improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade and film acting at HB Studios in NYC. Jason is also a professional musician and when he’s not recording, performing and touring, he spends his time playing bedside for patients at local hospital’s Arts in Medicine program. Calee Gardner She/Her (u/s Mrs. Bollinger) Calee is overjoyed for her Asolo Rep debut as part of her FSU/Asolo Conservatory M.F.A. Acting journey. Recent credits: Siobhan in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime (Tampa Rep), Margot Frank in The Diary of Anne (Stageworks), Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility (HTCO) and The Sketchbook in Scenes of an Execution (PTP/NYC). Originally from Utah, she holds a B.F.A. in Music-Dance-Theatre and is an accomplished dramaturg and vocal instructor. Caleegardner.com Lorenzo Gonzalez (u/s Howard Blair) Lorenzo, a vibrant 10-year-old born in Bogotá, Colombia, now resides in Sarasota, Florida. Since moving at the age of three, he has embraced his new surroundings with enthusiasm. Currently in fifth grade at Pine View School, Lorenzo shines with his artistic talents. His passions for acting, dancing, and playing the piano are evident, showcasing his incredible artistic qualities from a young age. Lorenzo’s zest for the arts makes him a standout student and a budding artist. Amara Kali She/They (u/s Mrs. Krebs) Amara is a Sacramento native, black feminist storyteller, and firstyear student at FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Her recent regional credits include Beneatha in A Raisin in the Sun (6th Street Playhouse), Lily in Crumbs from the Table of Joy (Town Hall Theatre), and staged readings at Berkeley Rep and Crowded Fire. She sends immense gratitude to those who have provided the foundation for her to tell stories – her family, lifelong mentors, and ancestors. Andrew Long He/Him (Matthew Harrison Brady) Broadway – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. BAM- Richard III (directed by Sam Mendes), The Iceman Cometh. London Old Vic – Richard III. International Tour – War Horse. Park Avenue Armory – The Oresteia, Hamlet. Hartford Stage – Heartbreak House, Hamlet. Arena Stage- The Watch on the Rhine, Good People. Shakespeare Theatre Company – Coriolanus, Cyrano, Richard II, The Duchess of Malfi. Guthrie – M. Butterfly, Gross Indecency. Signature Theatre – My Fair Lady, I Am My Own Wife. Repertory Theatre of St. Louis- Copenhagen, Enrico IV, asolorep.org
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Amadeus. Studio Theatre – Frozen. Film- Blue Jasmine. TV – Archive 81, Blindspot. Helen Hayes Award, Will Award, Lunt Fontanne Fellow. Jay Lusteck He/Him (Mayor/Dr. Amos Keller u/s Matthew Harrison Brady) Jay is thrilled to return to Asolo Repertory Theatre! Previous Asolo Rep productions include 1776 and A Tale of Two Cities. Selected credits - Broadway: A Tale of Two Cities. Off-Broadway (City Center Encores!): Road Show, Damn Yankees, Kismet, Of Thee I Sing, Juno, Fanny, Pipe Dream. Off-Broadway (Carnegie Hall): Showboat. Off-Broadway (Irish Repertory Theatre): The Bells of Christmas, Beowulf . National Tours: Big River (Deaf West), The Phantom of the Opera, The Producers. Regional: 1776, The Full Monty, Sweeney Todd, Fiddler on the Roof, The Mikado, The Most Happy Fella, Knickerbocker Holiday. Proud AEA member. Love to Shevhan and Bridget! www.JayLusteck.com Billy Lyons He/Him (u/s Mayor/Dr. Amos Keller/Judge) Billy, from NYC, is a first-year student with FSU/Asolo Conservatory. OffBroadway: Dancing at Lughnasa at the Irish Repertory Theatre and The Things They Carried with the American Place Theatre. Regional credits include Dancing at Lughnasa, The Imaginary Invalid, and The Time of the Cuckoo at the Schoolhouse Theatre. He directed a documentary, It Takes a Lunatic, about his acting teacher and mentor, Wynn Handman, which is streaming on Netflix. B.F.A. Ithaca College. Finn MacBeth (Howard Blair) Finn is a native New Yorker and a 6th grade student at Booker Middle School in the Visual & Performing Arts Program. He sings with the Sarasota Youth Opera, where he has been a participant since 2018. He has appeared in many productions with Bay Haven School, most recently as Horton in Seussical Jr. Finn has studied violin and piano, both for three years. He is very excited and proud to be appearing at Asolo Repertory Theatre! Michelle McCord (u/s Mrs. Brady) Michelle is excited to be involved at Asolo Repertory Theatre for the first time! Michelle’s career spans from being a ballerina at the Hannover State Opera, to performing in over 30 productions at Theater des Westens Berlin, including Grand Hotel, Anything Goes, Cabaret, Sweet Charity. 2004 she was a faculty member at NKU and CCM. In 2013, Michelle and her husband Matt opened Ovation- School of Musical Theatre and then Ovation Theatre Inc. 6
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Rebecca Rose Mims She/Her (Mrs. Krebs) Rebecca is overjoyed to be in the Asolo Repertory Theatre’s 2023 2024 season. She is a recent graduate of Central Michigan University with a B.F.A. in Acting/Directing. Her most recent credits include The Tempest (Miranda) and Othello (Emilia) in Shakespeare on the Green at Nebraska Shakespeare. She would like to thank her oldest sister, Rachel, for running so that she might fly, and her second older sister, Jessica, for loving her unconditionally. Angelle Mishon She/Her (u/s Mrs. Loomis) Angelle Mishon is a first-year student with FSU/Asolo Rep Conservatory. Angelle is from New Orleans and graduated from Louisiana State University with degrees in Performance and International Affairs. Angelle is eager to further explore intersectional identities through performance during her training. She hopes it will allow her freedom to exceed the scope of imitations imposed on identities and bring truth to stage. She has previously worked with Swine Palace (LA) and Williamstown Theatre Festival (MA). Yaala Muller She/Her (u/s Reuters Reporter/Goodfellow) Yaala Muller is honored to participate in her first season with Asolo Repertory Theatre. Originally from Israel, she has spent the last few years working as an organizer and voting rights advocate. Yaala is thrilled to return to the theater as a part of the ensemble at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Some favorite projects include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Village Players) and Thinking It (Washington University in St. Louis). Falcian Page He/Him (Organ Grinder/Bannister/Davenport/Hot Dog Man/Meeker) Falcian is VERY excited to be back on the Mertz stage. He was last seen at Asolo Rep in Our Town (u/s Simon Stimson). Other credits include Yvan in Art, Matt in Red Light Winter, and Governor John Slaton in Parade. Falcian is a third-year M.F.A. candidate at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. B.S. & B.A. from University of Tennessee. All the love to his friends and family! Sharon Pearlman She/Her (Mrs. Bollinger/Reuters Reporter) Sharon was last seen on Asolo Rep’s stage in Eureka Day (u/s Suzanne). She also understudied Our Town and Knoxville during the 2021-2022 season. Other credits include Rudolph in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (National Tour), Crissy in Hair (White Plains Performing Arts Center), and The Wizarding World
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of Harry Potter in Osaka, Japan (original cast). Sharon is a third-year M.F.A. student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. B.F.A. from NYU (Tisch). www. sharonpearlman.com Jackson Purdy He/Him (Elijah/Sillers) Jackson was born and raised in Bellows Falls, Vermont, and is a recent graduate of Temple University (B.A. Theater). He has enjoyed working with the Philadelphia New Playwrights Festival, and locally in Sarasota with Asolo Repertory Theatre and Florida Studio Theatre. He is currently in the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Much love to all his friends and family! Ashley Brooke Raymond She/Her (u/s Mrs. McLain) Ashley is thrilled to be joining Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory class of 2026! She recently graduated from Western Connecticut State University in 2022 where she acquired a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theater Performance and Psychology. She looks forward to taking part in her first season at Asolo Repertory Theater and is thankful for the warm welcome she has received from this community. Jordan Sam Rich He/Him (Hot Dog Man/Tom Davenport; u/s E.K. Hornbeck) Jordan Sam Rich hails from Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from The University of Michigan’s B.F.A. Acting program. At Asolo Rep, Jordan performed in Fountain and Our Town (U/S Howie Newsome) and understudied Hood (Little John) and Eureka Day (Eli). Professional credits: Pete the Cat National Tour, No Villain at the Public Theatre starring Judith Light. Regionally, Jordan performed at Santa Rosa Rep and worked in many capacities at The Eugene O’Neill. For MDZPLBNMJ. @jordy214 Mikhail Roberts He/Him (Bertram Cates) Mikhail first worked with Asolo Rep in the 2021/2022 season, as Understudy for Our Town, Grand Horizons, Hood, and Eureka Day, in which he made his stage debut as the character of Don at intermission (in his street clothes)! Roberts remained in the role for six performances. His international career spans over two decades, and his latest film is set to release this year. Other credits can be viewed in his website: www.mikhailroberts.com Ryan Schmidt He/Him (Dunlap) Ryan is a multi-instrumentalist and performer from Parrish, Florida. Ryan grew up playing and performing in the Manatee-Sarasota area as a guitarist, drummer, bassist, mandolinist, and pretty
much anything else he could get his hands on. This is Ryan’s second time performing with the Asolo Repertory Theatre. He has also performed with the Young Americans Dinner Theatre in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and has been a featured performer with Disney Cruise Line, including being a part of the opening cast of the Disney Wish. Brooke Turner She/Her (Mrs. McLain) Brooke is an FSU/Asolo M.F.A. candidate and intimacy director from Cleveland, OH, where she earned her B.F.A. in Classical Acting from Baldwin Wallace University. Her previous credits include: Our Town (Wally U/S) at Asolo Rep, Pride and Prejudice (Elizabeth U/S) and Misery (Annie U/S) at Great Lakes Theatre, and Richard III (Lady Anne) at The Idaho Shakespeare Festival. She is grateful for this opportunity and the support of Dad, Christian, and her friends/family. Danielle Vivcharenko She/Her (Mrs. Blair/Margaret Aaronson) Danielle is ecstatic to be back with the Asolo Repertory Theatre while in her final year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Previously at Asolo Rep, Danielle performed in the staged reading of Fountain and understudied Lady Anne/Much in Hood and Joe Crowell in Our Town. In the conservatory season, she was Kimber in Stick Fly. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. All the love to Mom and Dad! Daniellevivcharenko.com Rueben Wakefield (Cooper/Dr. Allen Page; u/s Reverend Brown) Hailing from Chicago IL, Rueben is ecstatic to be back on the Mertz stage. He was previously an understudy for Asolo Rep’s 2021 production of Our Town as Professor Willard. A third-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, he has been in productions of Sense & Sensibility, Stick Fly, and Love’s Labour’s Lost. He was last seen in Asolo Rep’s tour of Midsummer Night’s Dream as Oberon. Next up Intimate Apparel. Rickey Allen Watson Jr. He/Him (Harry Esterbrook/Phil/Photographer) Rickey received his B.F.A. in acting from UNCSA and is now in his final year of his M.F.A. at FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Recent Credits: Lysander/Bottom— A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Asolo Rep), Don Armado— Love’s Labour’s Lost (FSU/Asolo), Kent— Stick Fly (FSU/Asolo), John Dashwood— Sense and Sensibility (FSU/Asolo), George (U/S)—Our Town (Asolo Rep), Tommy (U/S)— Grand Horizons (Asolo Rep), George— Our Town (Triad Stage), Richard— Intangible (MCC Theatre), Kaa— Jungle Book (Peppercorn Theatre), King— Princess and the Pea (Missoula Children’s Theatre). asolorep.org
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CAST in alphabetical order Will Westray He/Him (u/s Harry Esterbrook/Phil/Photographer) Will Westray is grateful to be in his first year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Most of his training and professional experiences have been in the DC area and, until recently, NYC. He holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory and is a proud DMV native. He looks forward to starting a new chapter with Asolo Repertory Theatre. Sally Wingert She/Her (Mrs. Brady) Sally Wingert is very happy to be back at Asolo Rep. Her previous appearance here was as Mrs. Lovett in Peter Rothstein’s production of Sweeney Todd. Sally has worked across the country at The Alley, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Arena Stage, ART, Yale Rep, The McCarter Theater and others. She played London’s West End and Broadway
in La Bete, directed by Matthew Warchus. Sally makes her home in the Twin Cities where she has been in over 90 productions at The Guthrie, most recently Lady Bracknell in The Importance of being Earnest. Her work there includes numerous productions with Theater Latté Da, Mixed Blood, Ten Thousand Things, Six Points and many others. Yueying (Uri) Zhang (u/s Mrs. Blair/Margaret Aaronson) A native of Shanghai, Uri began her acting career in 2011 and graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy with a B.A. in Musical Arts in 2019. Uri is recognized for her diverse roles in stage productions, TV dramas, films, and singing competitions. Notably, she played the role of Nala in the Chinese version of Disney's The Lion King. Uri feels fortunate and proud to be the first international student at FSU/Asolo Conservatory and is eagerly anticipating collaborating with her talented peers this season.
AFFILIATIONS Asolo Repertory Theatre is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for theatres. Asolo Rep is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the national association of non-profit professional theatres; Florida Professional Theatre Association (FPTA); the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County; and the Manatee County Cultural Alliance.
UNION CREDITS Asolo Rep operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States; the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society; and the United Scenic Artists Local USA-829, IATSE Local 412 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Pictures Machine Operators of the United States and Canada. Asolo Rep programs do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, sexual orientation, handicap or age in accordance with federal law.
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CREATIVE TEAM Drayton Alexander He/They (Dramaturg) Highlights at Asolo Rep include Cabaret (transfer to The Old Globe), Man of La Mancha, Chicken and Biscuits, and workshops of Stellar Atmospheres and Dancing in the Blue Light. Other dramaturgical highlights include Spin at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Theatre Weekly Award, Best Solo Performance), Taylor Mac’s ball-pit play The Fre (world premiere), Not My Monster (OBA nomination, Best Family Entertainment), Syncing Ink, Scraps (world premiere), and good friday at The Flea Theater. Drayton was the Co-Artistic Producer of Serials for two years and has worked with such theater companies as The Vineyard, The New Group, New Earth Theatre, and Singapore Repertory Theatre. He received an Olwen Wymark award from the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an M.F.A. from NYU Tisch Asia. Ross Egan (Managing Director) Ross is the Managing Director at Asolo Repertory Theatre. Ross’ arts administration career began in Chicago where he was a co-founder of Jeffaward-winning Refuge Theatre Project. Ross has served as Managing Director at Barter Theatre, the nation’s longestrunning professional theatre, and as Director of Marketing & Operations at Illinois Shakespeare Festival. Ross holds a B.F.A. in acting from Michigan State University and an M.B.A. from Illinois State University. He lives with his family in Lakewood Ranch and proudly serves as a den leader for the Boy Scouts of America. Fabian Fidel Aguilar He/Him (Costume Design) Fabian attended the Yale School of Drama for his M.F.A. and Boston University (B.F.A.) to pursue theatrical costume design. Credits include DIG (Playwright Horizons), Three Sisters, Twelfth Night (Two River Theater), Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Max Makes a Million, Winnie the Pooh (Alliance Theatre), Wait Until Dark, Queen of the Night, Slow Food (Dorset Theater Festival), Straight White Men, Mlima’s Tale, In the Heights, Man of La Mancha, Romeo and Juliet (Westport Country Playhouse), American Mariachi, Mother Road (PCPA), Afterglow, Safeword (Midnight Theatricals), Recent Alien Abductions (Play Co.), ¡Bienvenidos Blancos! or Welcome White People! (Team Sunshine, Philadelphia), A View from the Bridge, Seven Spots on the Sun. Set and costume for The War Boys (NYC), Sotto Voce (Portland Stage), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Moors (Yale Repertory Theater world premier).
Jonathan Godfrey He/Him (Music Supervisor) Jonathan is a guitarist and composer whose internationally commissioned works have been described as “invitingly poetic” (Boston Globe) and range from choral music to a banjo concerto. Previous Asolo Rep credits include arranger and guitarist for Man of La Mancha and pit-musician for Knoxville, Stand Back Sarasota!, The Sound of Music, Ragtime, and Evita. He has performed over 20 programs with The Florida Orchestra and in the national tours of Mean Girls, Chicago, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He is on faculty at the University of South Florida, Florida Southern College, and the State College of Florida, and music directs for Parrish United Methodist Church. He holds a Doctor of Music from Indiana University. www.TampaBayGuitar.com Michelle Hart She/Her (Hair/Wig & Make-up Design) Michelle designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, Free Fall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film and television: Lady Of The Manor, Paradise, FL, and The Real Stephen Blatt. Jenny Kim-Godfrey She/Her RUBY E. AND CAROLE CROSBY FAMILY FOUNDATION GUEST MUSICAL ARTIST (Music Director and Vocal Arrangements) Jenny is a Korean-American music director, voice coach, and an award-winning opera singer. She is a resident voice coach with Cirque du Soleil, PerformerStuff.com, and a resident music director with Norwegian Cruise Lines. She has served on the Faculty at University of Albany, University of Tampa, and Sehan University (Korea). Some of her favorite directing credits include; Cabaret, Tell Me On a Sunday (Peterborough Players), Velvet, The Choir of Man (NCL) and Man of La Mancha (Asolo Rep). Jenny holds her master’s in vocal performance (opera) and choral conducting with an outside field in arts administration from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Jenny is a proud immigrant from South Korea and is grateful to return to Asolo Rep on the other side of the table alongside her husband Dr. Jonathan Godfrey as a collaborator. Full bio: www.JennyKimGodfrey.com | IG:@jennykimgodfrey
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CREATIVE TEAM Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee (Playwrights) Jerome Lawrence (1915-2004) and Robert E. Lee (1918-1994) collaborated for more than fifty years and were among the most prolific playwriting teams in the American theatre. In addition to their Pulitzernominated Inherit The Wind, their other major stage works include the comedy hit Auntie Mame, the books for the musicals Mame and Dear World, and the plays The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail, The Gang’s All Here, and First Monday in October. In 1990, they became members of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre at the Kennedy Center and were inducted into the National Theatre Hall of Fame. In addition to receiving recognition for their work in the theatre, they have also been honored for their contributions as writers for radio, television and film. Master craftsmen and teachers of playwriting, Lawrence and Lee communicated to their students a passionate belief that the theatre must be a forum for ideas and issues of social significance. The Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute, established at The Ohio State University, houses an outstanding growing collection of memorabilia and personal papers of theatre artists from all over the world. Kristin Loughry She/Her (Assistant Stage Manager) Kristin is thrilled to be back in sunny Sarasota! Previous Asolo Rep credits include Silent Sky, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, The Cake, Grand Horizons, Eureka Day and the unopened production of The Great Leap in the Cook. Additional credits include shows with Baltimore Center Stage, Hangar Theatre Company, Infinity Theatre Company, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, NewArts, New London Barn Playhouse, Primary Stages, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Soho Playhouse, Virginia Stage Company, NYU Grad Acting, and The New School. Proud AEA member and Ithaca College alum. Mucho mucho amor para Gaby (y Turbo). Victor Meyrich (Production & Operations Director) Victor is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and its facilities. He wrote the architecture program for both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Koski II expansion and is the owner’s representative on both projects. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969. Matthew T. Parker He/Him (Sound Design) Matthew received his B.F.A. in Theatre Production Design and Technology from Ohio University. He was the resident sound designer at Monomoy Theatre in 1990. He has worked sound and special effects at The Flat Rock Theatre in North Carolina on such shows as I Hate Hamlet, the world premiere of Gilligan’s Island: The Musical and others in the 1992 season. Since 1993, Matthew has designed sound for many of Asolo Rep’s 10
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productions. In addition, he wrote and performed the musical scores for The Count of Monte Cristo and Nicholas Nickleby. Outside the theatre world he has designed and programed the show control system for Livingston’s Amusements Bazooka Ball arena and produced virtual expositions for the National Watercolor Society. Philip S. Rosenberg (Lighting Designer) Broadway and West End: Mrs. Doubtfire, Pretty Woman, The Elephant Man, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and It’s Only a Play. Regional: Kennedy Center, La Jolla Playhouse, Ford’s Theatre, The Guthrie Theater, The Old Globe, TheatreWorks, Hartford Stage, Alliance, Huntington Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Dallas Theatre Center, Denver Center Theatre, The Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, The McCarter Theatre, Manhattan School of Music, Portland Stage Company, TACT, Barrington Stage Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Dorset Theatre Festival, Bay Street Theatre, Goodspeed Opera, Two River Theatre Company, George Street Playhouse, and Westport Country Playhouse. Céline Rosenthal (Resident Casting Director) Céline Rosenthal is a Tony®nominated producer, “Key” member of The Ring Of Keys, and New Georges Affiliate Artist. At Asolo Rep they directed Grand Horizons, The Incident At Our Lady Of Perpetual Help, The Lifespan of a Fact, Camelot, the Educational Tours of Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest, and served as AD to Frank Galati on Knoxville. Céline developed new work with NYMF, New Georges, MTF, Kidoons, and National Queer Theatre, and helms Asolo Rep’s new work series, The Ground Floor. Other Recent Projects: In The Next Room, Angel Street, A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre), Trayf (New Rep), Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T), the award-winning short film Wildflower. They are an alumnus of CTI and BMI Lehman Engel Workshop. www.celinerosenthal.nyc Peter Rothstein (Producing Artistic Director; Director) Peter is the Producing Artistic Director for Asolo Repertory Theatre where he directed Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd, and Ragtime. He works extensively as a director of theater, musical theater, opera and new work development. For 25 years Rothstein served as the Founding Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da, a Minneapolis-based company dedicated to new and adventurous music-theater. Other collaborations include the Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, Ten Thousand Things, and Seattle’s 5th Avenue, as well as the Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Chicago Opera Theater. Rothstein is the creator of All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, which had its Off-Broadway debut in 2018 receiving the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience, and has been seen around the globe airing on PBS. Rothstein served on the board of directors for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Alive and Kickin’, and the Twin Cities’ Ivey Awards. He has been a panelist and evaluator for the
CREATIVE TEAM Playwrights’ Center, the McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals. He holds degrees in music and theater from St. John’s University and an M.F.A. in directing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nia Sciarretta She/Her (Production Stage Manager) Selected Asolo Rep credits include PSM for Knoxville, Cabaret, Man of La Mancha, Silent Sky, Incident at Our L ady of Perpetual Help, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as Assistant Stage Manager for Rhinoceros, Guys & Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep. Member of AEA. Jacqueline Singleton She/Her (Stage Manager) Jacki is delighted to be back at Asolo Rep! Previously: Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers, Chicken & Biscuits, Our Town, The Great Leap, Terrace Season 202021, The Crucible, A Doll’s House Part 2, and Noises Off. 22 seasons with American Players Theatre (Spring Green, Wisconsin), including recent projects Love’s Labour’s Lost and Oedipus. Others: Animal Farm at Milwaukee Repertory & Baltimore Center Stage, Outside Mullingar at the Clarence Brown Theater in Knoxville, TN, three seasons at Forward Theater (Madison, WI), seven seasons at Madison Repertory Theatre, and numerous Chicago theaters including the Goodman Theatre, Writers’ Theatre, and Next Theatre.
DeWanda Smith Soeder She/Her (Cultural Competency Consultant) DeWanda is an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) strategist whose work involves change management, talent, organization development, and training experience. Specific to this work is her research and thesis, “Theatre as a Diversity Intervention.” She holds a M.A. in Psychology, and a B.S. in Health and Human Services. In addition to being a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), her credentials include Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, Instruction and Development (DDI), Human Interaction (NTL), Emotional Intelligence (The Hay Group), and Adjunct Professor of Psychology. Kate Sutton-Johnson (Set Designer) In 2019, Kate made her Asolo debut, designing the set for Sweeney Todd. She is so pleased to be back this season, collaborating again with the theater’s talented administrative staff, artisans, fabricators, and stagehands. Kate is based in the Twin Cities and has designed dozens of shows locally and nationally, most recently for a new play entitled Sounds Inside which she also wrote and directed. Her theater design credits include contemporary dramas, classical theater, large-scale musicals, devised work, and everything in between. Additionally, Kate works extensively in the museum world, designing exhibit experiences that focus on natural history, anthropology, science, childhood development, ethnography, archaeology, and conservation.
Asolo Repertory Board of Directors OFFICERS
Beverly Bartner
Herman Frankel
Enid Marshall
Randell Johnson | President
Robert Bartner
Teri A Hansen
L. Scott Merritt
Nancy Boxill-Thompson
Lawrence Haspel
Melanie Natarajan
Beth Hirsch | Vice President
Terry O. Brackett
Gary Heard
Jules Price
Mary Braxton Joseph
Nona Macdonald Heaslip
William Sandy
Scott Greer | Vice President
Susan C. Buck
Gigi Huberman
Nikki Sedacca
Ann J. Charters
Charlie Huisking
Stephanie L. Shaw
Marysue Wechsler | Vice President
Carole Crosby
Caryl Barrie Kaplan
William S. Villafranco
Ariane Dart
Carolyn Keystone
Kirk Voelker
Charles Wilson | Treasurer
Jaime DiDomenico
Beverly L. Koski
James Wadsworth
Susan Dweck
Ruth Kreindler
Pauline Wamsler
L’Tanya Evans
Lucie Lapovsky, Ph.D.
Mary Lou Winnick
Deborah A. Farrington
Kory Lee
Margaret Wise
Kathleen France
Nancy Markle
Geri J. Yonover
Judith Hofmann | Secretary Tom McLaughlin | General Counsel
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Staff ARTISTIC Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein
Development Associate, Individual Giving John Anderson
PRODUCTION Production & Operations Director Victor Meyrich
Managing Director Ross Egan
Development Associate, Data and Special Events India Marie Paul
Production Manager Mike Rodgers
General Manager Corinne Deckard
Development Associate, Grants and Communications Andrea Buscemi
Assistant General Manager Crystal McCall
Special Events Manager Tori Layton
Associate Artistic Director Céline Rosenthal
EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT Muriel O’Neil Education & Engagement Director Sara Brunow
Literary Manager Drayton Alexander IDEA Specialist DeWanda Smith-Soeder
Education & Engagement Coordinator Elizabeth Guilbert
Company Manager Cameron Thorp
Community Engagement Associate Gaby Rodriguez
Artistic Administrator Gabi Simon Executive Assistant Savannah Heslep Dramaturgy & Casting Apprentice Emma Bilderback Company Management Apprentice Katie Beazley
MARKETING Marketing & Communications Director Eric Pugh Associate Director, Marketing & Communications Sarah Hedges Marketing & Communications Coordinator Adriana Muniz
BUSINESS OFFICE Finance/Human Resources Director Ron McDonough Human Resources Manager Linda LaCaprucia Business Associate Ellen Dudley
Graphic Designer Joseph LaCrue Video Media Associate Sophia Marquart PATRON SERVICES Ticket Services Manager Mike Jones
Staff Accountant Kristen Yerger Systems Administrator Aron Lamerson
Assistant Ticket Services Manager Rachel Morris
DEVELOPMENT Director of Development Sarah Johnson
Assistant Ticket Services Manager Heidi Thomas
Assistantships/Endowment Associate Angel Hissom
House Services Manager Karen Collins
Corporate Partnerships Associate Molly Maginn
Front of House Managers Tom Aposporos Nancy Milligan
Wig Assistant Lisa Dufrense, Jonathan Hall Theatre Properties Head Christy Perry
Technical Director Shane Streight
Grips Jean-Ronald Lallemand, Geovi Urias
Associate Technical Director Daniel Solomon Holland
COSTUME SHOP Costume Shop Manager David M. Covach
Scene Shop Foreman Peter MacBeth Assistant Shop Foreman Mark Beach
Assistant Costume Shop Manager Jordan Jeffers
Senior Properties Master Frank J. Paul
Resident Hair/Wig and Makeup Designer Michelle Hart
Assistant Properties Master Adam Spencer
Lead Draper Laine June Marr
Property Artisan Bill Fenner
Drapers Jessica Hayes, Skyler Niedziela
Scenic Charge Artist Jo Ann Waters-Atkins Assistant Scenic Artist Peter Everly Painters Danielle Dygert, James Von Hollen Scenic Craftsmen Bill Atkins, Seth Berry, Taj Mederios, Christian Wadman, Bryant Warkentine, Garrett Wilson BACKSTAGE CREW Master Stage Carpenter Christian Wadman Master Sound Engineer Matthew Parker Audio 1 Sean Robinson Audio 2 Jeffrey Arnold Master Electrician Jojo Glodek
FEB 7 – MARCH 29
FEB 28 – APRIL 18
MARCH 20 – APRIL 25
MAY 8 – JUNE 9
Lead Cutter/First Hand Teresa Consolvo First Hand Kris Grooms Lead Stitcher Maureen Klein Stitchers Meg Carlson, Cassidy Van Brink, Andrea Herrera Dyer-Crafts Artist Sarah Cox STAGE MANAGEMENT Production Stage Manager Nia Sciarretta Stage Managers & Assistant Stage Managers Alexa Burn, Kristin Loughry, Jacqueline Singleton Stage Manager Apprentices Hanna Hagerty, Peyton Otis, Bailey Shea
Assistant Master Electrician Michelle Marcus Head of Wardrobe Jodi Urias
W O R L D ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION SUPPORT
Inherit The Wind
New York Casting Assistants Nicole King Rayshaun Sandlin
Stage Management Apprentice Peyton Otis
Directing Fellow Gregory Alamanza
Student Lighting Assistant Eli Carnahan
Child Supervisor Caitlyn Walters
Vocal Captain Sharon Pearlman
C L A S S
T H E A T R E
M A D E
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S A R A S O T A
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Drayton Alexander: This is an exciting project for all
this year. It’s incredibly relevant right now. We’re
of us at Asolo Rep because Inherit the Wind is a play
seeing this debate around censorship and banned
you’ve wanted to direct for many years, and it’s also
books in the news practically every day in Florida.
our audience’s first time seeing you direct a play
We’re wrestling with big questions around what
rather than a musical.
can be taught in schools and who gets to decide.
Peter Rothstein: I’m eager to share this side of myself with our community, and true, this isn’t a musical, but there’s still going to be a lot of music. The script calls for the people of Hillsboro to sing
A CONVERSATION WITH
Christian hymns, and we’ll be infusing a lot more
Should we look to educators, parents, or politicians to make those choices? These are questions that are fundamental to how we function as a society, with an impact that stretches far beyond the classroom.
PETER ROTHSTEIN
sacred music of the period into the production.
Drayton: Sarasota is a proudly mixed community
When I start working on a play, I always ask, “What
politically. How do you stage a play that’s
are the tools available to these characters? If they
about divisive issues without creating a divisive
were left to their own devices, how would they tell
production or pushing one viewpoint over another?
As rehearsal began for
the ways that they come together and express their
Inherit the Wind, Literary
solidarity. It’s important for me to honor their faith
Manager Drayton
in this story.
Alexander sat down
their story?” For much of this community, their most powerful tool is the church, and singing is one of
Peter: I think what theater does better than anything is put a human face on big ideas, and this play does that brilliantly by introducing us to nuanced characters that are complex human beings. Just like us, they’re full of contradictions, trying to be true to
Drayton: Why does this play speak to you so deeply?
both themselves and to their community. I hope this
Rothstein to learn
Peter: I grew up in a rural, religious household.
particular point of view.
about his life-long love
Religion was our north star; we didn’t talk about
of the play and why
politics, and if it did come up, my mom would say,
it feels as relevant
“We vote, but your father and I just cancel each
as ever.
other out.” I saw Inherit the Wind when I was a
with director Peter
teenager, and it rattled my world. I bought a copy of the script and read it countless times. The play made me question everything I had held as true. In retrospect, this play was a turning point for me. It set me on a path of questioning, of critical thinking: freedom of thought and the fight for self-expression became my north star. Drayton: How perfect that it’s a play you’re sharing with us in your first season as Producing Artistic Director.
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play inspires conversation rather than preaches one
Drayton: One of my great surprises while researching the history was how much empathy I felt for William Jennings Bryan, the basis for the character of Matthew Brady. He was shocked by the horrors of World War I, and he felt that the only rational explanation was that Darwin’s theories eroded people’s humanity. I don’t agree with his answer, but I had more sympathy to his motivations than I thought I would. Peter: I think what makes this play so powerful is that we see characters who, over the course of the story, think critically about the world and their place in it. And most importantly, they change their minds. It seems now in society that changing your mind
Peter: It was serendipitous. The idea to produce the
is a sign of weakness. Somehow it became a bad
play sprang from my predecessor, Michael Donald
thing to be influenced by another. But I think there’s
Edwards, who felt an urgency to explore these
actually great strength and power in the willingness
difficult questions. This classic American drama
to change your mind. To be always learning – always
premiered in 1955, but it could have been written
evolving. asolorep.org asolorep.org
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BY DRAYTON ALEXANDER
I
Clarence Seward Darrow (left) and William Jennings Bryan during the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial.
nherit the Wind is rooted in a historical event.
Wilson to the Presidency in 1912 and serving
as Bryan didn’t believe teachers should be treated
good. Even his morally questionable acts, such as
At the height of the Roaring Twenties, in a small
as his Secretary of State. Alongside his wife, he
as criminals. It wasn’t until 1925 that Tennessee
fighting to spare child-murderers Leopold and Loeb
town in Tennessee, two American giants squared
was a major force in the passing of woman’s
passed a legally enforceable ban on teaching
from execution, came from a desire to create a more
off in one of the most important trials of the era.
suffrage and Prohibition. As the 1920s dawned,
evolution. When Governor Austin Peay signed that
humane world. That was the north star that brought
In one corner was William Jennings Bryan, hero
he also became increasingly vocal in his opposition
law, he assured the public that no one teaching from
him to Tennessee, and one he would follow to
of the working class and three-time Democratic
to teaching evolution.
the approved curriculum would be punished, but he
Detroit later that year, where he successfully
clearly hadn’t looked at the state’s official biology
argued that Black homeowners had the same right
textbook, which contained an entire chapter on Darwin.
to defend themselves from violent intruders as
nominee for President, The Great Commoner whose syndicated “Weekly Bible Talks” reached 15 million
Fifty years after Charles Darwin published The
readers. In the other was Clarence Darrow, an avowed
Descent of Man, the scientific community had by and
agnostic who was widely seen as the greatest lawyer
large accepted Darwin’s theory of human evolution,
Within months, teacher John T. Scopes was on trial,
of his generation, championed nationwide for his
which was widely taught in school. As Bryan
with Bryan heading the prosecution. When Clarence
Thus, on that day in 1925 when Darrow and Bryan
defense of labor activists and vilified just as widely
surveyed the wreckage of WWI and saw reports
Darrow learned of this, he maneuvered to lead the
faced off in Tennessee, they were attempting, through
for his defense of wealthy criminals. At stake was no
of declining faith in Christianity, he came to view
defense. Darrow had known Bryan for years – they
starkly opposed methods, to achieve their common
less than the state of public education and scientific
Darwinism as the root cause of these evils. For Bryan,
were on the same Democratic ticket in 1896, when
dream of a just and good world. The question of how
knowledge in the United States.
belief in God was a reason to do good in the world,
Darrow ran for Congress – and had long resented the
to achieve that – whether through subscribing to a
while Darwinism, with its ethos of “survival of the
extent to which Bryan brought religion into politics.
unified belief system and gatekeeping information,
In his youth, Bryan had a meteoric rise, thanks to
fittest,” encouraged people to act violently. Aligning
The Scopes trial offered him the chance to have
or through creating a limitless flow of knowledge and
his virtuosic gift for oratory. At age 36, he became
himself with the growing Fundamentalist movement,
a public reckoning over the question of whether
boundless free speech – is one they posed to the
the youngest nominee for President, thanks to a
Bryan traveled the country, giving speeches and
religious beliefs and majoritarian rule trumped
community around them and to the nation at large.
soaring speech that mixed religious rhetoric with
encouraging state legislatures to ban the teaching
freedom of speech, belief, and the right to learn.
It is a question that we still find ourselves wrestling
an impassioned Populist message that midwestern
of Darwin in public schools.
farmers were being exploited by East Coast financial
white homeowners.
with, nearly a century later. Darrow’s point of view on evolution was the perfect
elites. Though he would lose the 1896 election
One of the first states to pass such a bill was Florida,
opposite of Bryan: for Darrow, the thought of a
(as well as 1900 and 1908), he would remain an
which had become Bryan’s adopted home. Under
common ancestry with all living beings gave him a
influential Democratic kingpin, elevating Woodrow
Bryan’s urging, the Florida law lacked a penalty,
deeper sense of connection and motivation to do
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Sponsor Spotlight Asolo Rep is grateful for the corporate support provided for the production of Inherit The Wind. Morton’s Gourmet Market, serving the arts and Sarasota for nearly 60 years. An array of ingredients to prepare spreads for any size occasion are available. Selections include prepared entrees, prime meats, seafood, fresh produce, freshly made salads, fine wines, gourmet to go items, unique and private label choices and an on-premises bakery with coffee bar. Fully prepared family dinners and catering for any gathering has become increasingly popular all year. For a tropical experience, check out Morton’s Siesta Key Market and Liquors. In-store, on-line shopping and limited delivery. mortonsmarket.com Cool Today is the premier cooling, plumbing, and electrical contractor in Sarasota since 1964. With guaranteed same-day service, we promise to help you get the best from today. We are passionate about growing our business through lifelong relationships with our customers, team members, and community, including amazing community venues like Asolo. Our goal is to deliver the very best and to always take care of people. With thousands of five-star reviews, you can trust Cool Today to serve your air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical repair, maintenance, and replacement needs quickly and with ease, so you can focus on the things you enjoy – like the theater! Gold Coast Eagle Distributing’s mission is to be recognized by our
retailers, the consumer and the community as totally dedicated to the principles of customer satisfaction in our honest, timely and positive approach to service, selling and merchandising quality beers in our area. Gold Coast Eagle Distributing was created when John W. Saputo purchased the distributorship from the Goodman family (Twin City Distributors) on November 1, 1996. Mr. Saputo’s experience runs deep, as he has managed or owned distributorships in Michigan, New York and North Carolina before coming to Florida. The company services over 1,600 supermarkets, convenience stores, bars, restaurants, clubs, and taverns on a weekly basis, and employs more than 200+ sales, service and support associates. Gold Coast Eagle is proud to support Asolo Rep in their 2023-2024 season.
Established in 1957, Sarasota Scene Magazine stands as Sarasota/ Bradenton’s longest-running and widely distributed city publication, fostering connections among the affluent and aspirational. It delivers engaging editorial content that is both inviting and highly relevant, making it an essential read for the prominent individuals in our area. Covering diverse interests such as arts, culture, philanthropy, health, wellness, education, events, design, and beauty, Sarasota Scene highlights the enriching contributions of individuals who support various venues and charitable organizations, actively giving back to the community. Proudly supporting Asolo Rep and other local nonprofits, the magazine annually donates over $250,000 in advertising space to more than 20 charitable organizations. B E I N F O R M E D … B E E N T E RTA I N E D … B E S C E N E 18
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Donor Spotlight Andrew and Judith Economos Andrew and Judith Economos are pleased to be helping Asolo Rep. In his youth, Andrew was an actor in a theatre tour group in Florida, and remembers well what theatre can do. Both graduated from the University of Florida and went on to Los Angeles, working in aerospace computing. Both earned Ph.D.s from UCLA. Returning to the East Coast, Andrew worked at Sarnoff Labs and Judith taught philosophy at Princeton University. They moved to New York, where Andrew was a vice president at NBC for 14 years. They supported theatre in the City and Westchester. Leaving NBC, Andrew started a company making pioneering software for broadcasters worldwide. Now retired in Florida, they have discovered theatre in Sarasota where Andrew serves on the Selby Gardens, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Faulhaber Science Center, and Asolo Rep Boards.
Thank you to our donors for your new and increased gifts. (Gifts pledged or received for the 2023-2024 season between September 1, 2023 and December 6, 2023).
Season Presenters Bob and Beverly Bartner Andrew and Judith Economos
Peter Rothstein Welcome Challenge Warren and Margot Coville Legacy Fund Blair Trippe and David Harding
AES Andrew and Judith Economos The Elster Foundation Arnold E. Lenius Rev. Trust O'Neill Family Charitable Trust Richard and Gail Rubin* Stephen Sanger Greg and Belle Stikeleather Leon and Marysue Wechsler Co-Pro The Granthon Family Dr. Sidney Katz* and Elaine Keating Richard and Gail Rubin* Corporate ALSO Youth CAN Community Health Canandaigua National Trust Bank The Schwartzbaum Urfer Group Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Women's Club of Cascades Sarasota Partnership with FSU/Asolo Conservatory Bob and Sharon Reitsch Carolyn Michel and Howard Millman, in honor of Angel Hissom Linda and Norman Idleberg Education and Engagement Marcia Jean Taub & Peter Swain, in loving memory of Ethel and Ron Taub
Dr. Gwen Krivi Freemajane Wolfson, in loving memory of Blair Wolfson and in honor of Peter Rothstein’s first season at Asolo Rep Director’s Society, Ovation Anonymous Ingrid Nutter Martin D. and Barbara H. Rich Family Charitable Foundation Director’s Society, Bravo Anonymous (2) Georgia and Terry Anderson Stanley and Donna Ber George and Susan Brooks Nanette Crist Peggy Allen and Steve Dixon Roz Goldberg Werner Gundersheimer Harry H. Harkins Linda Z. Klein in memory of Thomas Klein Dorothy Lawrence Patricia Lenke Joyce and Jim McAlpine Vinod and Gail Sahney Mary Stanclift-Hirsch, in loving memory of Ray and Dorothy Stanclift
Angels, Spirit Sumner and Donna Baum Dr. Brenda Brown Cynthia and Michael Charles Ann R. Friedman Dawn and Tim Jackson Marlene Kitchell James A. Martin Perrin and Tim Matheis Reckker and Ruehl Eileen Rosenzweig Stephanie Sonnabend Marilyn S. Weinstein Judy and Alan Wertheimer Angels, Attendant Ann and Stephen Bragg Mr. Bill Forester Chris D. Johns Angels, Celestial George and Deborah Baxter Ms. Myrna Blume Steven and Arlene Cohen Jean and Gregory Farrington Donald Fosselman Jules and Carol Green Mel and Diane Kestner Wayne Langlois James McLane Michael and Janice Novello Honey and Marty Schwartz Jackie and John Thompson
*in memoriam asolorep.org
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FEBRUARY 24, 2024 RITZ-CARLTON • SARASOTA
JOIN US IN CELEBRATION! We got rhythm, we got music, we’d love YOU there, who could ask for anything more? Enjoy an evening of rhythm and blues filled with the timeless melodies that have captivated hearts for generations. Come dressed in shades of blue as we celebrate the 65th Sapphire Season at Asolo Repertory Theatre. SCAN FOR INFORMATION
The funds generated from the Gala play a vital role in sustaining the talented artists and educators who contribute to Asolo Rep’s 2023-2024 season. For more information, contact Special_Events@asolo.org
LEAD SPONSOR: