The Gift of the Magi - Breckenridge Backstage Theatre 2023

PLAYBILL

Presented by Breckenridge Backstage Theatre Since 1974 - Breckenridge, Colorado - 2023

A HOLIDAY MUSICAL FOR ALL AGES

The

Gift Magi of the

Book by

JAMES DEVITA

Lyrics by

JAMES DEVITA & JOSH SCHMIDT

Directed by

Music by

JOSH SCHMIDT

JACQUELINE STONE

Based on the short story by O. Henry Starts DECEMBER

06

BAC K S TAG E T H E AT R E .O RG

Tickets: 970-547-3100

Wraps DECEMBER

30

Book by James DeVita Music by Josh Schmidt Lyrics by James DeVita and Josh Schmidt Directed by Producing Artistic Director, Jacqueline Stone Music Direction by Courtney Navarre Production Team Scenic & Lighting Designer Keith Parham Costume Designer Rachel M. Sypniewski Sound Designer Joe Court Props Designer Kylee Purcell Stage Manager Lloyd Harvey II Asst. Stage Manager Addison Olson Scenic Painter & Sound Op Megan Nations Set Construction Branden Smith, Harrison Farmer, and Randy Nations Photographer Curtis DeVore

Cast and Crew O. Henry Matt Miles Jim James Fagan Della Courtney San Pedro Busker/Violin Player Morgan Tapp Cello Player Rebecca Jonas Male Understudy Harrison Farmer Cello Player Understudy Ann Hunsinger BBT’s mission is to enrich, educate and entertain Summit County residents and visitors of all ages through high quality professional theatre, community theatre, and meaningful learning through the arts.

BBT is partially supported by BGV Gives, The Town of Breckenridge, Colorado Creative Industries, Summit Seniors, and The Summit Foundation

A special thanks to this show’s Sponsor, Allen-Guerra Architecture

BBT Staff Producing Artistic Director Creative Producer Front of House Manager

Jacqueline Stone Branden Smith Rebecca Summer

Board of Directors

Chair Vice Chair Treasurer Secretary Executive Committee

Suzanne Allen-Sabo Amanda Jones Laurie Rambaud Chuck Marcy Renee Imamura James Anderson Cara Cipriani Anna Dudick David Nicoli Juli Rathke Chris Shandera Jacqueline Stone

Artist Biographies Matt Miles (O. Henry) After achieving Airness here at BBT this Summer, Matt counts his lucky stars to be back for The Gift of the Magi. As a Chicago-based actor and cinematographer, his partial credits include: THEATRE: Seagull, Bald Sisters (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Comedy of Errors (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Avenue Q (Mercury Theatre Chicago); Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Porchlight Music Theatre). FILM/TV: Emmy Award winner Trial In the Delta (Peacock); Chicago Fire, Chicago Med (NBC); Chicago Rot (Dakini Productions). Love to his life’s gift - Agnes, Jackie for everything, William Sidney for all the magic, and most, the Breck community for truly supporting the Arts.

James Fagan (Jim) is beyond thrilled to be returning to the Breckenridge Stage so soon after last they saw it. You may remember them from the ensemble of this summer’s production of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder as well as last summer’s production of The Play that Goes Wrong where they played the role of Trevor. James would like to thank all of their incredible friends and family for their support as they pursue a dream career, as well as the lovely people here in Breckenridge for making them feel like they have a second home.

Courtney San Pedro (Della) is so excited to be in the beautiful Breckinridge, Colorado playing Della in The Gift of Magi! She is originally from Gurnee, IL (most people know this town because of Six Flags) and is in school for Musical Theatre! When she’s not in rehearsal, you will catch Courtney working at TopGolf, baking any sort of pastry, or more likely, spending time with her friends. Most recently, Courtney was in The Addams Family as Wednesday, Newsies as Katherine Plumber, Rent as Mimi, and The Spongebob Musical as Sandy Cheeks. She would like to thank her family and friends for always supporting everything she does, and specifically her Mom and Dad for allowing her to follow her dreams. Courtney is so excited for you all to see this production and she hopes you enjoy the show!

Morgan Tapp (Busker/Violin Player) is thrilled to be making her debut with BBT! Originally from St. Petersburg, FL, she recently graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in English Literature from The University of Alabama at Birmingham (blaze on!). A few favorite credits include Once (San Luis Obispo Rep), Pink Clouds (Red Mountain Theatre), Into The Woods, Sense and Sensibility, and Hair (UAB). All the love and thanks to her family and favorite folks for their never-ending support. IG: @ morgan.tapp

Rebecca Jonas (Cello Player) is an active musician, music educator, therapist, and mental health educator and advocate. A former orchestra teacher, Jonas enjoys working as a frequent guest conductor with youth orchestras across Colorado, and regularly works with the Denver Adult String Camp as coach and conductor. Rebecca works to provide mental health support through education, advocacy, and individual and group counseling with Tune In Mental Health, her therapy practice that specializes in supporting artists, musicians, neurodivergent folk, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Rebecca maintains an active and varied performance career as a freelance cellist, and as singer, songwriter, and cellist with All Through The Night, her Indie-Americana band based out of Denver.

Harrison Farmer (Male Understudy) is delighted to celebrate the holidays at The Backstage! Previous shows here have been The Haunting, The Understudy, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Play That Goes Wrong. Other productions include Suddenly Last Summer (TWSTL), Fahrenheit 451 (WebCo), Hamlet (STL Rep), Romeo and Juliet (Shakes STL). Happy happy Christmas!

Ann Hunsinger (Cello Player Understudy) is excited to appear in her first production at the Breckenridge Backstage Theatre after almost 30 years as a Summit County local and 50 years as a cellist, though she played in the pit orchestra for the Backstage Theatre production of Oliver! at the Riverwalk Center years ago.

A current local Suzuki cello instructor and performer in numerous community orchestras and small music ensembles for many years, Ann also enjoys many days of hiking and skiing here in Summit County.

Courtney Navarre (Music Director) is a teaching artist in the Denver-Boulder area. She completed her Master of Music in Voice Performance at the University of Missouri- Kansas City Conservatory in May 2020. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Metropolitan State University of Denver. A lover of both opera and theater, Courtney spends her time teaching, directing, and performing a variety of works.

Recent performance credits include: Die Zauberflöte (Boulder Opera), A Christmas Story (Breckenridge Backstage Theater), The Impresario (Midwest Opera Theater), La finta giardiniera, La cambiale di matrimonio (UMKC Conservatory) as well as Into the Woods, The Sound of Music, and The Merry Widow. She has directed, assistant directed, and music directed a number of productions, including Twelfth Night; You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown; Frozen Jr.; Xanadu; Honk Jr.; and more. Courtney also makes music with Elle Tyler as Chansonniers (@chansonniers.music), performing works written by women across all genres. She is a co-creator and co-producer

Artists Continued of New Musical Project (www.newmusicalproject.org). Courtney is the Director of Voice and Theatrical Education as well as a voice instructor at Parlando School of Musical Arts in Boulder.

Keith Parham (Scenic & Lighting Design) BRECKENRIDGE BACKSTAGE THEATRE: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder and Airness. BROADWAY: Between Riverside and Crazy (Second Stage Theatre); Therese Raquin (Roundabout Theatre Company).

OFF-BROADWAY: Wild Goose Dreams (The Public Theater) The Purple Lights of Joppa Illinois, Between Riverside and Crazy (Atlantic Theater Company); Tribes, Red Light Winter (Barrow Street Theatre); Stop the Virgens (Karen O at St. Ann’s Warehouse/Sydney Opera House); A Minister’s Wife (Lincoln Center Theatre); Adding Machine A Musical (Minetta Lane). REGIONAL: Goodman, Steppenwolf, Mark Taper Forum, Court Theatre, Trinity Repertory, The Alley, among others. CONCERT: Crush Songs Tour (Karen O). TUTA Company Member. AWARDS: Obie, Lortel.

Rachel M. Sypniewski (Costume Design) is a Chicago based designer who is grateful to be collaborating on The Gift of the Magi with BBT. Other companies she has worked with include Goodman, Kokandy, Music Theater Works, Trap Door, Midsommer Flight, Oak Park Festival Theater, Broken Nose, Black Button Eyes, Jackalope, TUTA, Emerald City, Lifeline, Porchlight, Griffin, Chopin, Compass, Strawdog, the Factory and Redtwist. She also has designed at Wheaton College, Governor’s State University, North Central College, St. Patrick’s High School, Indiana University Northwest, Loyola Academy, and the Chicago Academy for the Arts.

She is an eight-time Non-equity Jeff nominee, having been awarded one for La Bete at Trap Door. More info at www.rachelsyp.com Joe Court (Sound Design) is excited to work with Breckenridge Backstage Theatre for the first time! His work has been heard in Chicago (TUTA, Mary-Arrchie, A Red Orchid, The Hypocrites, Emerald City, and many more), New York (59E59, Off-Broadway), Los Angeles (REDCAT at The Disney Concert Hall), McCarter Theatre, The Clarence Brown Theatre (Knoxville), Great Lakes Theatre (Cleveland), Virginia Stage Company (Norfolk), and the Idaho, Lake Tahoe, and Illinois Shakespeare Festivals. He has taught at Ball State University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Chicago. He is an associate company member with TUTA Chicago.

Member of USA 829.

Lloyd Harvey II (Stage Manager) is excited to be back on the BBT stage. Starting with one show last summer and this is his 7th show with the company. They can’t get rid of him! A Fort Worth resident, Lloyd was seen in BBT’s A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter and the Starcatcher. He has worked with Dallas Children’s Theatre, Casa Mañana, Jubilee Theatre, Uptown Players, WaterTower Theatre, Ohlook, Artisan Center Theatre and many others. Some greatest hits include Next to Normal (Dan), Company (Bobby), Sweeney Todd

(Sweeney Todd), How I Became a Pirate (Swill), Some Girls (Guy), Take Me Out (Darren Lemming), Dog Sees God (Beethoven), RENT (Tom Collins), Grease (Danny Zuko), and Peter Pan (Captain Hook).

Addison Olson (Assistant Stage Manager) is delighted to be back at Breckenridge Backstage Theatre, this time behind the scenes. While she loves being on stage, she also enjoys learning about the technical side of theater production through her theater tech classes and experiences at Summit High School and Breckenridge Backstage Theatre. Addy loves being able to work with such a wonderful and talented group of people, both on and backstage!

Jim DeVita (book and lyrics) a native of Long Island, NY is an author, actor, and a theater director. He is a core company member and literary manager of American Players Theater. He has worked as an actor in Japan, Germany, Australia, Ireland, and around the United States. Along with his novels A Winsome Murder, The Silenced, and Blue. Jim has worked extensively as a playwright. His work in the field has been acknowledged with the Distinguished Play Award from AATE; The Intellectual Freedom Award by the KY Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts; The Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwrighting Contest; and AATE honored his body of work in Youth Theater with the Charlotte B. Chorpenning Award. His adult plays for the stage include: An Improbably Fiction; Learning to Stay; Christmas in Babylon; Gift of the Magi; In Acting Shakespeare; The Desert Queen; Dickens in America; Waiting for Vern; and Cyrano de Bergerac. Jim is also a recipient of the NEA Literature Fellowship for Fiction. Jim is a member of The Dramatists Guild and AEA. Josh Schmidt (music and lyrics) is a composer/sound designer/musician/educator living in Milwaukee. Theatrical credits as Composer/Co-Author include Adding Machine (Minetta Lane, NYC; Next Theatre, Evanston; Finborough, London); A Minister’s Wife (Lincoln Center, NYC; Writers Theatre, Glencoe), Whida Peru (59E59, NYC); Midwestern Gothic (Signature, VA); Gift of the Magi (American Players Theatre, WI); Killing the Cat (Riverside Studios, London). Incidental music credits include When the Rain Stops Falling (Lincoln Center, NYC) Fifty Words (MCC Theater, NYC).

Theatrical credits as Composer/Sound Designer on Broadway include Therese Raquin (Roundabout/Studio 54), House of Blue Leaves (Walter Kerr), Brighton Beach Memoirs (Nederlander). Off Broadway projects include About Alice (TFANA), Dinner with Friends (Roundabout) Model Apartment (Primary Stages), 3 Kinds of Exile (Atlantic), Water By The Spoonful (Second Stage), Crime and Punishment (59E59), many others. In Chicago, Josh has designed numerous productions for companies including Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theater, Writers’ Theatre, Victory Gardens, Raven Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Next Theatre Company, many others. REGIONAL: Over 300 productions at venues across the country including 3 seasons Stratford Shakespeare Festival (Ontario, Canada), Bay Street Theatre (Sag Harbor, NY), Philadelphia Theatre Company (PA), The Kennedy Center, Ford’s Theatre (Washington DC); Seattle Repertory Theatre (WA), Alley Theatre (Houston, TX); Arizona Theater Company (AZ); Cleveland Playhouse (OH), Kansas City Rep (MO); South Coast Repertory (CA); Delaware Theatre Company (DE); Hope Summer Repertory Theatre (Holland, MI); 20 Seasons at American Players Theatre (Spring Green, WI); many others. Film credits include the upcoming release of The End (Final Cut for Real/Neon), Midwestern Gothic (Royal Academy of Music, London), One Foot In

Artists Continued (Buckhowl). COMMISSIONS: Metropolitan Opera. TEACHING: University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, University of Illinois – Chicago; University of Nevada – Las Vegas; Lectures at Harvard, Suffolk, Mississippi-Oxford, Illinois-Urbana/Champaign, Lawrence University, Wisconsin-Madison. MEMBER: ASCAP. AWARDS/ RECOGNITION: Lortel, Outer Critics, Jeff, ASCAP, NEA/TCG, Prague Quadrennial 2007, Sundance Theatre Lab UCross 2012, many others.

Jacqueline Stone (Director) is the Producing Artistic Director of Breckenridge Backstage Theatre, where she most recently directed A Christmas Story. Prior to BBT, she spent the last ten years serving as Artistic Director at the acclaimed TUTA Theatre in Chicago, delivering bold international productions and professional actor training programs. Highlights at TUTA include directing the world premiere of Hedda Gabler (as well as adapting), Off-Broadway (59E59 Theaters) and Chicago premieres of Adam Rapp’s The Edge of Our Bodies, world premiere of The Anyway Cabaret, and U.S. premiere of The Silent Language. She’s performed in over twelve highly regarded productions including smash hit productions of Uncle Vanya, The Wedding, Baal, and Alice. From 2016-2020 Stone served as the Artistic Director of Emerald City Theatre Company, Chicago’s largest professional theatre for young audiences. Highlights include Chicago premieres of Fantastic Mr. Fox, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and The Snowy Day, world premieres of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Peter Rabbit, and Mother Goose’s Garden, and Junie B. Jones and Ramona Quimby. Other select directing credits include The Second City, Broadway in Chicago, Piven Theatre, Strawdog Theatre, Chicago Immersive, Chicago Dramatists, Mudlark Theater, and Akvavit Theatre.

Stone is the co-founder of Sirens, the longest running all-female improv ensemble in the country. She has created and performed in over two hundred original shows with them around the country. Jacqueline has taught acting and improvisation at The Second City – Chicago for ten years and Columbia College Chicago for five years.

She served as Education Director of Emerald City Theatre for twelve years, building and fostering new acting programs for thousands of young people across Chicago. Other select teaching credits include The Faculty of Dramatic Arts (Belgrade, Serbia), University of Chicago, Duke University, UCLA, Miami Improv Festival, and Chicago Improv Festival. She is a proud member of SDC, Stage Directors and Choreographers union.

Sponsors

Special thanks to Hearthstone Restaurant and Habitat for Humanity’s Restore - A Summit Treasure, for their in kind support of this production.

COMING THIS WINTER! Purchase tickets online today!

Directed by Kiana Holmes Music Direction by August William Walker February 1 - 10, 2024 All Ages Breckenridge Theater www.backstagetheatre.org

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Donor List 2022-23 Season Backstage Theatre gratefully acknowledges all who have donated in time, talent and treasure this season.

Below is a list of last season’s generous donors. (Please excuse any omissions and kindly let us know.)Please check the lobby display TV’s for more acknowledgements and information on how to donate.

Platinum $10,000 +

Allen-Guerra Architecture Debra & Jim Anderson BGV Gives Mike & Anna Dudick Fortunato Properties G & G Roofing iFurnish Richard & Gene Sosville Suzanne Allen-Sabo Summit Foundation Town of Breckenridge

Gold $2,000 +

Colorado Creative Industries The D’Augustine Foundation Exxon Matching Grants First Bank Linda Gunden David Hughes Renee Imamura CJ & Chuck Marcy The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation Theatre Scholarship Program David & Robyn Nicoli Pinnacle Gives Laurie Rambaud Marte Singerman Michael and Claire Sullivan Slifer Smith & Frampton Stables Village Solitude - Ranch at Breckenridge Alan & Kathy Sonnanstine

THANK you to our amazing supporters of the 2022-23 season!

Silver $500 -$1,999 Alpine Bank, Kenneth & Lorraine Appleton, Penny Banks, Jean Berkheiser, Tom Briggs, Richard Carleton, Howard & Sue Carver, Lisa Cobb, Timothy Casey, Greg & Alison Decker, John & Linda Ebright, Jonathan & Robin Gear, John & Judith Goebel, John Goff, Sherman & Alana Glass, Claire Greenberg, Linda Hall, Matt Hanson, Hearthstone Restaurant, Vanessa & Jim Hester, Roland & Loretta Jacobs, Nina Janneti, Patti Klinge, Ted Lawson, Helen LeMay, Dominique McLerran, Edward & Ro Means, Jim & Kaylon Phillips, Juli Rathke & Kevin Zygulski, Chris Schandera, Phred Solutions, Hollis Shumway, Marte Singerman, Summit Seniors, Will & Marci Tolerton, Tin Plate, Treeline Dental, Bruce & Sally Queen, Dan Rowley, Edward Wahtera, Ann & Gordon Wilson, Steve & Sandy Wilson

Copper $100-$499 Karen & Ed Bassett, Benevity Fund, Sarah Barclay, Penny Banks, Lynn Bishop, Paul Krummen Bird + Cow, Gary Clark, Alice & Mike D’Ambrosio, Jim & Suzanne Davis, Reilly Desantis, Christopher Dorton, Peter & Alicia Dunn, Deb Edwards, Alanna Ferrara, Debra Fox, James Gaynor, Janet Good, Ben & Cynthia Gordon, Reginald Gray, Beth & Neil Groundwater, Scott Hislop, Kaede Holland, Dona Parker Horne, Jordan John, Mary Lou Johns, Phil & Janelle Kopp, David Krapf, Gary Martinez, Braden McMillan, Anne Mead, Cornelius Milmoe, Janna Nolt, John O’Neil, Tara Olson, Marta Orpiszewksa, Geoff Palmer, Tamara Park, Barbara Payne, Lorraine Rambaud, Dunie Righter, William Rubio, Jessica Ruda, Ray & Sharon Smith, Scott Sperry, Jacqueline Stone, Daniel Stone, Russ & Janey Trowbridge, Ann & Layton Williams, Jennifer Welch and Ashley Wolick

Supporting to $99 Howard Bellowe, Stephanie Benzian, Stephen Blitz, Margaret Brazzel, Chris & Jen Cawley, Hilary Chu, Dana & Bob Cottrell, Wanda Creen, Judy Farrell, Candace Galen, Don Glendenning, Julie Granshaw, Janet Good (Wendy Moore), Diane Henderson, Chris & Risa Holmes, Dona Parker Horne, Laura Komeshain, Cornelius Milmoe, David Pepper, Katherine Pope, Mariel Rodriguez, Sheri Skolnick, Lawren Susan, VERT Sites, Sally Vincent, Victoria Walcott, Anne Watts, Jennifer & Patrick Welch, and Susan Witala

Backstage Theatre is honored to be supported by so many in our community. There are unique ways to get involved with your TIME. TALENT. TREASURE. Please reach out to learn about creative and fun sponsorship opportunities.