Side Man Reading Playbill by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

Alone we can do so little; Alone wetogether can do so little; we can do so much. together we can do so much. – Helen Keller

– Helen Keller

The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation proudly supports the Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati The Otto M. Budig Family as it explores of Foundation proudlythemes supports kindnessTheatre and reconciliation. the Ensemble Cincinnati as it explores themes of kindness and reconciliation.

D. Lynn Meyers, Producing Artistic Director

SIDE MAN by WARREN LEIGHT Directed by D. LYNN MEYERS†

March 22 – April 4, 2021 Director of Photography BECCA SCHALL

Stage Manager BRANDON T. HOLMES*

Production Manager MATTHEW HOLLSTEGGE

THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION IS A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW AND AN ACTIONABLE FEDERAL OFFENSE.

SIDE MAN is presented by special arrangement with DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC., New York. First produced in New York by Weissberger Theater Group (Jay Harris, Producer) and Peter Manning Off-Broadway and on Broadway with Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director and Ellen Richard, Managing Director). Produced on Broadway at the Golden Theatre by Weissberger Theater Group (Jay Harris, Producer), Peter Manning, Ron Kastner, James Cushing and Joan Stein. Originally produced by New York Stage and Film Company and The Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College, in association with RJK Productions, July 19, 1996. SIDE MAN was presented by Naked Angels (John McCormack, Artistic Director; Beth Emelson, Producer) as a workshop during March 1996.

*Member belongs to Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. This theatre operates under an agreement between Actors’ Equity Association, Professional Actors, and Stage Managers in the United States. Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.

†

SERIES SPONSOR

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2020–2021 SPONSORS

Photo by Ryan Kurtz

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR

SEASON FUNDER

OPERATING SUPPORT

FAIRY GODMOTHER SPONSORS

SEASON SUPPORT Susan Friedlander Mitchell S. and Jacqueline P. Meyers Foundation IN-KIND SUPPORT Cincinnati State Technical & Community College, Interpreter Training Program College Hill Coffee Co. & Casual Gourmet LPK OMS Photography Suder’s Art Store

4 | 2020–2021 sponsors

SEASON TICKET SPONSOR

EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SPONSOR

EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SUPPORT Anonymous (2) William P. Anderson Foundation The Charles H. Dater Foundation Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation In Honor of Marilyn F. Hill Betty Huck Mr. & Mrs. David E. Moccia The Daniel & Susan Pfau Foundation Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund

the arts are the highest form of expression. PNC is proud to be a part of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Because we believe in and support everything the arts can accomplish.

CAST LIST CAST Jonesy............................................................................................ GEOFFREY WARREN BARNES II* Ziggy............................................................................................................................ MICHAEL G. BATH* Gene................................................................................................................................ CHARLIE CLARK* Patsy........................................................................................................ MALIYAH GRAMATA-JONES Terry............................................................................................................................. JENNIFER JOPLIN* Clifford........................................................................................................................SPENCER LACKEY Al.........................................................................................................................BRIAN ISAAC PHILLIPS*

*Member belongs to Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.

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6 | cast list

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ABOUT US OUR MISSION Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire our audiences. OUR HISTORY From its founding in 1986, ETC has focused on providing an artistic home for local theatre professionals, including serving as a training ground for young artists. Each season, ETC produces a lineup devoted to the newest in contemporary theatre that attracts a diverse audience of 30,000 to more than 220 performances. Our work also includes education and engagement programs centered on introducing the performing arts to students from under-resourced schools and children with disabilities. Combined, our productions and educational programs strive to fulfill ETC’s vision of creating an urban arts district that is accessible to all.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOARD OFFICERS Charles H. Gerhardt, III, Chair Kathy DeLaura, President Jeffrey Schloemer, Vice President Mary Stagaman, Vice President Dennis Geiger, Treasurer Darryl A. Peal, Secretary DIRECTORS Holly Brians Ragusa Otto M. Budig, Jr. Kathy Burklow Tom Carothers Sue Friedlander Stephen M. King Shekhar Mitra Nilesh Patel Richard L. Postler Leah Quortrup Jackie Reau Mike Schueler Paul G. Sittenfeld Meggan Thompson DIRECTORS EMERITI Skip Hickenlooper Edward G. Marks FOUNDERS' CIRCLE Ruth D. & John Sawyer Ken & Mary "Murph" Mahler Dr. Charles O. Carothers Mitchell S. Meyers

This Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

(513) 421–3555 1127 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 www.ensemblecincinnati.org

Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau.

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

@ENSEMBLECINCY

Photo by Ross Van Pelt

ABOUT ETC

OUR STAFF LEADERSHIP

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

D. Lynn Meyers, The Ruth Dennis Sawyer/Mary Taft Mahler Producing Artistic Director

Jocelyn Meyer, Director of Marketing & Communications Amy J. Barbian, Marketing Manager Kay E. Moore, Content Marketing Coordinator Becca Schall, Videographer

FINANCE Michael R. Zimmer, CPA CGMA, Director of Fiscal Operations

ARTISTIC Brian c. Mehring, Resident Set & Lighting Designer Shannon Rae Lutz, Properties Master, Design Assistant, & Director of Apprentice Programming

DEVELOPMENT Josh Neumeyer, Finance & Grants Manager

OPERATIONS Jared D. Doren, Programming & Events Manager Nick Ligon, Head of Security

PATRON SERVICES Amy Weinstock, Box Office Manager

PRODUCTION Matthew Hollstegge, Production Manager Jack Murphy, Technical Director Chris Holloway, Assistant Technical Director

EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION

Stormie Brennan, Costume Supervisor

Lauren Carr, Director of Education, Engagement, & Inclusion

Rae Kuhn, Scenic Charge Artist & Production Assistant

Victoria Hawley, Education Associate & Resident Teaching Artist Becca Howell, Education Associate

DIRECTOR'S NOTES The script to Side Man arrived on my desk not long after taking my job at ETC. It came from an agent I had worked with over the years. I recall opening the envelope late in the afternoon and I started reading it immediately. This is not my standard procedure, since there are always pending things that take priority and my reading is usually done in the in-between times or after hours, but Side Man was different. I began reading and never stopped. It immediately transported me to a time and place that was altogether new, and yet somehow familiar. I knew these people, I understood them because the writing was so clear and compelling, I forgot I was an outsider, yet I was in. By the time I stopped reading I realized everyone else had left the building, but I wasn’t alone. These characters were now part of this theatre, part of me. Immediately I requested the rights, but it was on its way to being developed in New York and, eventually, on to the Broadway stage. But still, I asked. I was persistent but to no avail. Finally, when being interviewed about the coming 1999-2000 season and the plays which I had selected, a very wise local journalist asked, “If there was one play I wanted to do but couldn’t, what would that be?” I told him, “Side Man.” He connected me with the playwright, Warren Leight, and one phone call later ETC had the rights. Warren gave a director he had never met (me) and a theatre he had never attended (ETC) the rights to be the first regional theatre to produce Side Man, and then it won the Tony. His leap of faith in us led to two other wonderful collaborations with Glimmer, Glimmer and Shine and James and Annie. I do not like compromise. I do not like settling for less than what I believe is essential. In fact, the last line of Glimmer, Glimmer and Shine is “never settle.” You will see in this virtual dramatic reading of Side Man an uncompromising look at life through a sometimes smoke-filled room. It arrives at the intersection of despair and hope. It’s perfect for right now, 20 years after it appeared on our stage. Love is not too strong a word to describe how I feel about this play, and I hope you feel the same.

D. Lynn Meyers

10 | director's notes

BIOS GEOFFREY WARREN BARNES II (Jonesy) is thrilled to be a part of this project at Ensemble Theatre, where he was last seen in Sleeping Beauty (2014) as the Wizard and Hands on a Hardbody as Ronald McCowan. His credits include After Aida (joint project with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and Cincinnati Opera); Drunk Santa Xmas Spectacular, All the Way, Fences, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and Marian: or The True Tale of Robin Hood, Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Geoffrey holds a BFA in Musical Theater from Webster University in St. Louis and an MFA in acting from the University of Texas at Austin. He is an alumnus of the Cincinnati School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Thank you to my family, friends, and Katie for your love and encouragement.

MICHAEL G. BATH (Ziggy) returns to Ensemble Theatre, having appeared in 23 holiday musicals such as The Frog Princess, Alice in Wonderland, The Dancing Princesses, and Cinderella: After Ever After, among others. Some of his favorite ETC credits include The Exonerated, Opus, Mauritius, Becky’s New Car, My Name is Asher Lev, Next Fall, and End Days. Other regional credits include Superior Donuts with Clifton Players and Angels in America at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. He is a Wilmington College graduate and a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Much love to his wife Trish.

CHARLIE CLARK (Gene) was last seen at Ensemble Theatre as Bruce in Fun Home, where his credits include Next to Normal, Violet, Rapture, Blister, Burn, Hands on a Hardbody, Luna Gale, and Next Fall, among others. Some of his other local credits include Church Girls, Take Me Out, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, On Golden Pond, Carousel, Love’s Labour’s Lost, See What I Wanna See, The Full Monty, and Sunday in the Park with George. His Chicago credits include Company, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, and Sweeney Todd. His Twin Cities credits include Guys and Dolls, Mary Poppins, and The Bridges of Madison County. Charlie is eternally grateful for his family’s love and support.

Bios | 11

BIOS MALIYAH GRAMATA-JONES (Patsy) made her Ensemble Theatre debut as #00 in the 2019 production of The Wolves and is grateful to return to ETC virtually! Offstage, Maliyah is a teaching artist and arts ambassador, having toured Japan, Germany, Poland, Canada, and the US. Her recent credits include Megan Jones in Puffs and A in Red Bike at Know Theatre of Cincinnati, as well as Nurse in Titus Andronicus at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.

JENNIFER JOPLIN (Terry) is thrilled to play again with her friends at Ensemble Theatre. She has called Cincinnati home for a decade now where some of her favorite credits include The Humans, Outside Mullingar, Tribes, and Rapture, Blister, Burn, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; Feast, Girl in the Red Corner, and Man-Beast, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; and the roles of Lady Macbeth and Cleopatra at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Her film credits include Donnybrook and The Old Man and the Gun. Jennifer is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and graduate of Wright State University where she is an adjunct professor. She sends love and thanks to her husband, Jason, and son, Max, who support and celebrate her crazy, wonderful career.

BRIAN ISAAC PHILLIPS (Al) returns to Ensemble Theatre, having appeared in Outside Mullingar, Dead Man's Cell Phone, The Seafarer, Ice Floe, and the Off-Center Series production of God's Country, as well as directing the 2018 production of Red Velvet. Other recent credits include Collapse at Know Theatre, Porgy & Bess and Carmen at the Cincinnati Opera, as well as Lloyd in Noises Off at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Other favorites include the title roles in Hamlet, Macbeth and Henry V, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Weir, all with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, The Goat or Who is Sylvia with New Stage Collective, as well as productions with Playhouse in the Park and The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati. Brian is proud to be serving his 18th season as Producing Artistic Director at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. He would like to thank Corinne, Holden, and Annabel for making every day of quarantine an adventure!

SPENCER LACKEY (Clifford) is an Ohio-born actor based in New York and makes his Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. His theatre credits include Barefoot in the Park, Shakespeare in Love!, The Gospel of Fat Kathy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Other Rhine, METH: A Love Story, and Justice. His film/television credits include Dead of Winter, Notzilla, Healing River, A Very Special High School Story, and Paranoia.

12 | bios

ENSEMBLECINCINNATI.ORG | 513.421.3555

Junior Summer Camp

July 12-24, 2021 | Ages 7–15

Technical Theatre Intensive July 12-16, 2021 | Ages 13–18

High School Intensive

July 26-30, 2021 | Ages 13–18

ETC SUMMEr camps 2021

BIOS WARREN LEIGHT (Playwright) is an award-winning writer and showrunner who currently helms Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, now enjoying an historic 22nd season. Previously, he was showrunner and Executive Producer of HBO's Peabody Award-winning In Treatment, the FX drama Lights Out, and the Edgar-winning Law and Order: Criminal Intent. His play Side Man won the 1999 Tony Award for Best Play and was a 1999 Pulitzer Prize Finalist. His other plays include No Foreigners Beyond This Point (Drama Desk nomination), Home Front, Fame Takes a Holiday, Glimmer, Glimmer and Shine (ATCA nomination), and The Loop. He wrote the book to the musical Mayor (Drama Desk nomination) and co-wrote the book to Leap of Faith (Drama Desk nomination). Two collections of one-acts, Dark, No Sugar and Stray Cats, have been published by DPS. His many articles and humor pieces have appeared in dozens of periodicals including the International Herald Tribune, Rolling Stone, Village Voice, Mademoiselle, National Lampoon, and BOMB Magazine. D. LYNN MEYERS (Director) is the Producing Artistic Director of Ensemble Theatre, where she has directed more than 100 world and regional premieres, including Fun Home, The Wolves, Ripcord, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Hands on a Hardbody, Detroit ’67, I Am My Own Wife, Next to Normal, and The Dancing Princesses. She began her career as the Associate Artistic Director at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, has directed OffBroadway at the York Theatre, and has directed extensively throughout the US and Canada. As a member of the Casting Society of America, Lynn's recent feature credits include Carol, The Old Man & the Gun, and The Public in addition to serving as the Location Casting Director for The Shawshank Redemption. She was named a finalist for the Zelda Fichandler National Award in 2011, is a past recipient of the YWCA Career Woman of Achievement Award, and recipient of the 2018 Rosa F. and Samuel B. Sachs Fund Prize for her regional arts impact and leadership.

BRANDON T. HOLMES (Stage Manager) is excited to work with Ensemble Theatre again after serving as Production Stage Manager for eight seasons and stage managing over 40 productions, where some of his favorite credits include Fun Home, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Tribes, Grounded, Violet, and Hands on a Hardbody. Past credits Newsies, Legally Blonde and West Side Story, Lexington Theatre Company; Hello, Dolly!, The Drowsy Chaperone and Side by Side by Sondheim, LOOK Musical Theatre; and more than 20 productions with Music Theatre Wichita including Sunset Boulevard, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Miss Saigon, and Les Misérables, as well as productions with Playhouse in the Park including Thunder Knocking on the Door, Merrily We Roll Along, and A Christmas Carol. He has also managed workshops with Cleveland Play House and Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Brandon lives in Cincinnati with his fiancé, AJ, and two dogs, Toby and Ollie. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

14 | bios

Impacting our community through art.

The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation is committed to making our community a better place to live. Through our dedication to the advancement of art programs and organizations we seek to enrich the quality of life for everyone in our community. That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s productions.of “Pipeline.” The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation was created to enhance the quality of life in Greater Cincinnati concentrating our efforts in support of community development, arts and culture, education, and human services. Our work is designed to have the largest possible impact as we help lead the way to sustaining a vibrant community.

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