Welcome to our Virtual Play Reading Series. I am excited to be able to share theatre with all of you in this new way. As you may know we announced our fifth season at The Studio recently, it will include: Spike Heels by Theresa Rebeck, Pipeline by Dominique Morriseau, 9 to 5 The Musical by Dolly Parton and Ada and the Engine by Lauren Gunderson. We chose those stories to highlight seminal moments in herstory so we can celebrate how far women have come and keep an eye on how far women have yet to go. We have selected those stories around the theme: “Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History.” Now as we embark on this new chapter in our global history, I wanted to find a way to continue to bring theatre to our patrons in a way that will support the work we will be doing in the future. We started the series with George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, and now we will continue to bring you stories that highlight the struggles women have faced through out history. This week’s installment is Qualia, A Post Nuclear Play by central Florida playwright Ashleigh Ann Gardner, is a dystopian story set 100 years in the future. Enjoy The Show, Whitney Morse, Artistic Director
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QUALIA By Ashleigh Ann Gardner (2019)
Producer Jason Goedken Artistic Director Whitney Morse Director Nathaniel Niemi
Production Manager Danielle Paccione
Stage Manager Grace Zottig
Company Manager Ryan Loeckel
Assistant Production Manager Layna Hoopfer
Alex Mary Ellen Moreno Dom Trevin Cooper Seth Nicu Brouillette Stage Directions Lily E Garnett
Stay tuned after the show for a talk back with the actors and director. You can ask questions about the play, its history and the performance! TheStudioTheatre
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QUALIA A post-nuclear play by Ashleigh Ann Gardner (2019) Streaming: MAY 29 | 1PM EDT Is humanity born or created? Qualia, A Post-Nuclear Play by central Florida playwright Ashleigh Ann Gardner, is a dystopian story set 100 years in the future. The world has been decimated by toxic radiation, save a few lingering humans. Alex lives alone safely tucked away in a bunker made by her doomsday prepping parents. Her only companion is Dominic. Dom is an omnipresent artificially intelligent program engineered by her mother, a computer science professor. Alex and Dom are the only “living” creatures for miles. Until one day a knock outside the bunker door turns their safe world upside down. This intelligent and modern play explores what qualities are needed to be a part of humanity, and who makes those decisions? Do personality, care, and love make you human; or do you need a bodily experience too? Tune into the reading of this funny and honest play about finding what it means to be human in a modern, isolated world.
PYGMALION By George Bernard Shaw
ENCORE Streaming: JUNE 5 | 1PM EDT The classic comedic play that inspired My Fair Lady The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol presents a virtual reading of George Bernard Shaw’s 1912 classic romantic comedy, Pygmalion. Eliza Doolittle, an ambitious flower girl, is picked up as a project by Henry Higgins, a world class phonetician. Professor Higgins makes a bet that he can transform Eliza from a street vendor to a high-class duchess through training in six months. But what happens when this experiment is through? Shaw’s play examines class, highlights objectification of women, and pokes fun at the drawing room niceties of the period. It was the winner of the 1925 Nobel Prize and has inspired many adaptations; most notably the musical My Fair Lady.
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EVER YOUNG By Alice Gerstenberg (1924) Streaming: JUNE 12 | 1PM EDT Clutch your pearls and drop your cane. Ever Young, a one-act play set in 1920’s Palm Beach, FL follows the conversations of gossiping women about restricted diets, knitting needles, pearls, reset diamonds, and walking sticks. Some of these women have lost their husbands by death, some by divorce; others are finding new romance and reminiscing on the bygone days of love and loss. Carrying a whiff of feminism, this funny play could be a precursor to the Golden Girls. Alice Gerstenberg’s play will tug at your heartstrings, make you laugh, and reveal the “truth of youth”.
COMING SOON
ACCOMMODATION By Greg Burdick Streaming: JUNE 19 | 1PM EDT The apple doesn’t fall far from the teacher A concerned parent, whose son is in danger of failing one of his classes, schedules a conference with Celeste Dawkins, her son's high school science teacher. When accused of not honoring the state and federal-mandated modifications required for her son's different learning style, Dawkins loses her cool in an explosive tirade, provoking a high-stakes lawsuit against the school district. With her job on the line, Dawkins raises questions about the inherent risks of making special considerations for students claiming to have unique needs in her classroom, when the real world outside its walls doesn't seem to care. Accommodation was a finalist in the 2019 Scripts from Scratch staged readings at The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol. Join us now as we revisit this thought-provoking play using this new virtual platform.
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COMING SOON
THE SQUIRREL PLAYS By Mia McCullough Streaming: JUNE 26 | 1PM EDT Infestation, Compensation, and Eradication The Squirrel Plays is a trilogy of one-acts by Mia McCullough. It’s a metaphorical depiction of relevant social issues in America today. The plays broach many sensitive subjects including unwanted pregnancies, the use of public funds for termination, gun violence, and racism all under the guise of squirrels and the suburban community’s plans to control the small animals. These absurdist comedies about squirrel problems are a hilarious metaphor for social issues presented in a timely dark comedy about middle class liberal hypocrisy.
ElegAieSosng Cycle
by William Finn
ON SALE NOW ELEGIES A SONG CYCLE By William Finn Preview: AUG 13 Opening: AUG 14 | Closing: AUG 22
“Elegies: A Song Cycle” is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company.
$15 Preview Performance | $25 Performances "The living was the prize, the ending's not the story" Goodbye lyrics from Elegies The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol presents their annual summer song cycle, Elegies by Tony Award-winning composer, William Finn. This 5-person show is inspired by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Elegies is a heartfelt collection of songs about the deaths of various people Finn has known, including some of his closest friends and family members. This work is a commentary on the rewards and woes of being part of a family, a group of friends, and a society in good times and bad. Although the show is all about death and dying, it's no sad trip down memory lane. Never morbid, Elegies is touching, funny, and ultimately buoyant; floating on the spirits of those who inhabit its songs.
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SEASON 5 | Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History Anne Richards once famously remarked, "Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels." This quote clearly illustrates the awkward balancing act women have been performing for years. Do I nurture my career or my children? Do I support my spouse or my own goals? Do I forego family life all together and focus on myself? This season at The Studio we are going to take a deep dive into the struggles women have faced finding their footing over the last two and a half centuries as homage to the centennial anniversary of women's suffrage this year. Women no longer need to wear heels, or even be the partner that follows. Instead, we can take the lead in footwear of our own choosing! We chose these four stories to highlight seminal moments in herstory so we can celebrate how far women have come and keep an eye on how far we have yet to go. I am proud to present season five at The Studio: "Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History".
SPIKE SPIKE HEELS S HEEL
PIPELINE LINE PIPE
ADA & THE ENGINE
BY DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU
BY THERESA REBECK
BY LAUREN GUNDERSON MUSIC & LYRICS BY DOLLY PARTON
BOOK BY PATRICIA RESNICK
BASED ON THE 20TH CENTURY FOX PICTURE ORIGINALLY PRODUCED ON BROADWAY BY ROBERT GREENBLATT, APRIL 2009
“Pipeline” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
“Spike Heels” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
9/22/20-10/24/20
11/17/20-12/19/20
9 TO 5, THE MUSICAL is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com
1/26/21-3/13/21
4/6/21-5/8/21
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS ON SALE JUNE 9TH
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
JUNE 8TH Season 5 Subscription Renewals DEADLINE
JUNE 9TH Season 5 New Subscriptions ON SALE
JUNE 9TH Season 5 Individual Tickets ON SALE
JUNE 16TH Season 5 Preview Tickets ON SALE
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NICU BROUILLETTE (Seth) is excited to be returning to The Studio Theatre for this virtual reading. Regional theatre credits include The Visitor in The Spitfire Grill (Garry Marshall Theatre), Manolo Costaszuela in The Odd Couple: Female Version (Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre), Paul in Company (The Studio Theatre), and Party Member 3 in 1984 (Jobsite Theater). Nicu graduated from the University of South Florida with a BA in Music Studies with a focus in Vocal Performance. Enjoy the Show! TREVIN COOPER (Dom) Previous acting credits include: Frankie and Johnny in the Claire De Lune, My Fair Lady, Equus, Man of La Mancha, among others. Trevin holds an M.F.A from The University of Central Florida, an M.A. from The University of Oklahoma, and a B.A. from Rollins College.
LILY E GARNETT (Stage Directions) is delighted to be (virtually) returning to The Studio Theatre! Lily was last seen at The Studio in Bad Jews as Melody. Other favorite credits include: Catherine in The Foreigner (Rollins College), Belle/Fred’s Wife in A Christmas Carol (Garden Theatre), and Thomasina in Arcadia (Mad Cow Theatre). She recently toured her debut, one-woman show, War Paint, across the US after its premiere at the Orlando Fringe Festival. Lily is a proud member of the EMC program and graduate of Rollins College. Thank you to The Studio for this opportunity to shed some light in these uncertain times! MARY ELLEN MORENO (Alex) loves everything about this virtual reading. She thinks you'll love the play, the powerful cast, the direction, and oddly, this medium for it as much as she does! Her favorite past theatre credits are Callie in Stop Kiss (The Studio Theatre Tierra del Sol, FL), As You Like It (Classic Stage Company, NY), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theatricum Botanicum, CA), and Three Sisters (Riverside Theatre, NY). Favorite TV credits: Unbelievable, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Rhett & Link’s Buddy System. Favorite Film credits: Graduation (won Best Supporting Actress in a Short at LIIFE). She holds an MFA in Acting from Columbia University, and is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA. www. maryellenmoreno.com
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NATHANIEL NIEMI (Director) is thrilled to be directing Qualia! He previously directed The Studio's virtual play reading of Lysistrata and A Woman of No Importance. Recent credits include Sparkle at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Hawaii: Thumbelina, Ouch!, Elephant and Piggie's We Are in a Play (Honolulu Theatre for Youth), Noodle Doodle Box (Hawaii Theatre). Chicago: How to Survive a Fairy Tale, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Musical, Dooby Dooby Moo, Duck for President, Click Clack Boo (Lifeline Theatre), The Baker's Wife (Circle Theatre), Into the Woods (Quest), Hey Dancin'! Hey Musical! (Factory Theatre). TV: "Hawaii 5-O". Nathaniel holds an MFA in Theatre for Young Audiences from the University of Hawaii at MÄ noa and is a recipient of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival National Directing Award. Nathaniel is currently the Resident Director at The Studio Theatre and the Director of Education at The Sharon. ASHLEIGH ANN GARDNER (Playwright) is an Orlando-based actor, playwright, dramaturge, musician, photographer, and prop/ scenic artist. Gardner's full length drama, Eleftheria, received a staged reading at Rollins College’s former Fred Stone Theatre in July of 2017, and her two one-act plays, Ghost and Funeral Party, were staged in February 2018 at the ME Theatre. In July of 2018, her short play "Order, Control" was accepted into the #theatreactionimmigration catalogue of the nation-wide Protest Plays Project. Gardner earned her Master's Degree in Literary, Cultural, & Textual Studies (with concentrations in Victorian and Gothic literature, feminisms, and psychoanalytic theory) from the University of Central Florida in 2015. For more, visit ashleighagardner.com.
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CAST Alex..................................................................................... Mary Ellen Moreno Dom........................................................................................... Trevin Cooper Seth...........................................................................................Nicu Brouillette Stage Directions...........................................................................Lily E Garnett
PRODUCTION TEAM Director...................................................................................Nathaniel Niemi Stage Manager................................................................................ Grace Zottig Production Manager............................................................... Danielle Paccione Assistant Production Manager.....................................................Layna Hoopfer Company Manager/Editor............................................................ Ryan Loeckel Reading Graphics..................................................................... Kenny Constant Sound Design...............................................................................Nick Erickson
SPECIAL THANKS The Villages® Marketing
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New
Digital Offerings Page! All of our upcoming virtual & streaming offerings in one convenient location.
www.TheSharon.com/Schedule-Digital-Offerings
Stay safe & enjoy the show!
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