FLORIDA REPERTORY THEATRE
GREG LONGENHAGEN, Producing Artistic Director • CHRIS VERRILL, Executive Director
2025-2026 SEASON
ARTSTAGE STUDIO THE ATRE • FORT MYERS RIVER DISTRICT PRESENTS
A NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK ROLLING WORLD PREMIERE SPONSORED BY DARLENE M. ARNOLD
STARRING
JENNIFER BYRNE* • JOHN LONG* • PATRICK RICHWOOD*
DIRECTED BY BRENDON FOX** SCENIC DESIGNER DENNIS C. MAULDEN***
COSTUME DESIGNER AMANDA MILLER
LIGHTING DESIGNER WESTON WILKERSON***
SOUND DESIGNER BRADEN DOWNING
STAGE MANAGER ARTHUR D’ALESSIO*†
ASST. STAGE MANAGER EVIE HUFSTETLER
Advice was part of Florida Studio Theatre’s New Play Festival. Advice was a Finalist in the 2024 New Comedies Festival at the B Street Theatre in Sacramento, CA. CEO/Executive Director Lyndsay Burch. Permission granted by Stewart Talent 1430 Broadway Suite 601 New York, NY 10018. All inquires concerning rights to the Play shall be addressed to the above. Advice is produced at Florida Repertory Theatre as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Other Partner Theaters are Florida Studio Theatre (Sarasota, FL) and B Street Theatre (Sacramento, CA). For more information, please visit nnpn.org †Member of Florida Repertory Theatre’s Ensemble of Theatre Artists • *Member of Actors’ Equity Association **Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
2025-26 GRAND SEASON SPONSORS Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency
Florida Repertory Theatre is a fully professional non-profit LOA/LORT Theatre company on contract with the Actors’ Equity Association that proudly employs members of the national theatrical labor unions.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
ROLLING WORLD PREMIERE
National New Play Network
SPONSORED BY DARLENE M. ARNOLD & CLIVE DANIEL HOME
THE CAST
(in order of appearance)
Joy.........................................................................Jennifer Byrne* Ron.................................................................................John Long* Gary..............................................................Patrick Richwood* UNDERSTUDIES Joy.......Hannah Eastonˆ Ron.......Cody Klimekˆ Gary.......Gabe Hunyorˆ
TIME & PLACE An apartment in a large American city. Present Day. The videotaping or audio and/or visual recording of this production is a violation of United States Copyright Law and an actionable federal offense.
ADVICE is performed without an intermission.
RUN CREW
Wardrobe Crew.......Alexander Davidson A/V Operator.......Grace Carter
†Member of Florida Repertory Theatre’s Ensemble of Theatre Artists. See page 27 for the entire ensemble.
* The Actors & Stage Manager employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
ˆEquity Membership Candidate **
°Member of the Choreographers Guild ***
BRENT ASKARI is a Persian-American writer and actor. He received the National New Play Network Smith Prize for Political Theater for his play The Refugees, which premiered at Gulfshore Playhouse in 2024. His play Andy Warhol in Iran premiered at Barrington Stage Company in 2022 and won the Berkshire Theatre Critics Award for Best New Play of the season. The play was subsequently produced by Northlight Theatre (Chicago, 2023), City Theatre (Pittsburgh, 2024), and Mosaic Theater (Washington, DC, 2025). His play Advice had a rolling world premiere at Florida Studio Theatre (Sarasota), B Street Theatre (Sacramento), and Florida Repertory Theatre (Fort Myers). Other notable works include American Underground (Barrington Stage Company, runner-up for the Bonnie and Terry Burman New Play Award); Hard Cell (developed at PlayPenn, produced at Geva Theatre Center); White Party (developed at Florida Repertory Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre LA, and Palm Beach Dramaworks; semifinalist for the O’Neill Conference, finalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival); Digby’s Home (semi-finalist O’Neill Conference, produced at Mad Horse Theatre); Cocktails and Travails (winner of the Neil Simon Festival’s National New Play Contest, produced at The Theater Project, upcoming production by the state theater in Ankara,Turkey); Bending Reeds (semi-finalist Bay Area Playwrights Festival, developed at Blank Stage Living Room Series); and Dirty Deeds Downeast (produced at Penobscot Theatre Company and Portland Stage Company). His work has also been developed at Vital Theatre, The Boston Theatre Marathon, New American Theatre, The Drilling Company, Swarthmore College, Eastern Connecticut State University, the College of Southern Nevada, and Santa Fe Playhouse. He has been recognized as a finalist for the Heideman Award and the Reva Shiner Comedy Award. Brent was part of HBO’s New Writers Project and has written screenplays for companies including Paramount Pictures, Marvel Films, and MTV. He is an ensemble member of Mad Horse Theatre Company and an affiliate artist of the National New Play Network. He also narrates the nationally syndicated television show Animal Science, which was nominated for a National Daytime Emmy.
WHO’S WHO JENNIFER BYRNE* (Joy) most recently performing the role of Ethel McCormick in Footloose at The Engeman Theatre, Jennifer started her year as Morticia in The Addams Family at The Gateway Playhouse before reprising her role as Mrs. White in Clue at GVT. When not performing, Jen is busy renovating and restoring a 1945 house in the Catskills with her partner in crime, Timothy C. Goodwin and their new rescue pup, Merrygold. A few performing favorites: SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical (FNT), Nevermore (Original OB Cast), Evil Dead the Musical (Original OB Cast/recording), Welcome to the Big Dipper (Original OB Cast/recording), It’s Karate, Kid! The Musical (NYIT Nomination/ OC recording), Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty, Noises Off!, Head Over Heels, Musical of Musicals the Musical (TTB Award), Shear Madness. Member of AEA, CAEA, SAG/AFTRA. @jenbyrne726 Jennifer-Byrne.com
Bridegroom (Off Broadway), Constantin in The Seagull, Albert in The Body Beautiful (Off Broadway and Cast Recording), Renfield in Dracula, Stephen Stevens in Down South (Off Broadway), Mr. Smee in Peter Pan (National Tour starring Cathy Rigby), Freddy/Phillip in Noises Off and Ellard Simms in The Foreigner (Helen Hayes Award). Over 150 wacky commercials, 3 Television series and 24 films, including The Princess Diaries, Dear God, Beaches, The Race to Space, Runaway Bride, Streets, Armageddon, The Other Sister, and Soul Surfer have made his face a familiar one. Fun fact: Patrick is most often recognized as Dennis, the Elevator Operator in the Touchstone film, Pretty Woman, and least often as The White Rabbit, a 75-year-old, British bunny (underneath 3 hours of prosthetic makeup) on the Emmy Award-winning Disney series, Adventures in Wonderland.
BRENDON FOX** (Director) is the Artistic Director of the 92-year-old Peterborough Players in New Hampshire, as well as a director, JOHN LONG* (Ron) is teacher, author, and producer whose work grateful to be making has been seen from Los Angeles to Prague. his Florida Repertory Directing credits include Murder on the Orient Theatre debut with Express (Nebraska Rep), Hay Fever, Boeing Advice. Most recently Boeing (Peterborough Players), Much Ado he was seen as Dick About Nothing, Judith, Twelfth Night (THT Cade in Front Row to Rep), The Winter’s Tale, A Midsummer Night’s Murder at The Barnstormers Theatre. John’s Dream (The Hanover Theatre Conservatory), regional credits include The Asolo Theatre, Troilus and Cressida, Henry VI Part 3, Much Florida Studio Theatre, The Shakespeare Ado About Nothing (Prague Shakespeare Theatre, The Gateway Playhouse, WHAT, Company), Judith, Reborning (Urbanite The Barter Theater and The Provincetown Theatre), A Hundred Words for Snow Theater. TV: The Blacklist, FBI: Most Wanted, (Connecticut Rep, US Premiere), Baskerville The Equalizer, One Life to Live. Graduate of (Cleveland Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse in Notre Dame. With love to Christine, Harper the Park, Long Wharf Theatre, Cape Playhouse), Shipwrecked! (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), and family. www.johnlong.nyc Blithe Spirit (Peninsula Players), Lucy Loves PATRICK RICHWOOD* Desi (LA Theatre Works, National Tour). He has (Gary) is delighted to collaborated on new work at the Asolo New be back at Florida Rep Play Festival, the New Harmony Project, and after playing Vinnie the JAW Festival in Portland, OR. Member, SDC. in last season’s Lucky www.foxdirector.com Stiff. Favorite Theatre roles include Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, Goat in The Robber
WHO’S WHO HANNAH EASTONˆ (u/s Joy) is a passionate, creative storyteller with a deep love for theatre and film. Her journey began through an educational theatre program, inspiring her to give back and uplift the next generation. A dedicated performer and advocate for all bodies to be represented in the arts, Hannah is constantly seeking opportunities to learn, create, and live in community. She recently trained in London, performing at the Globe Theatre and earning a certification in stage combat. She’s deeply grateful to her family, partner, and vocal coach, Zacchaeus Kimbrell. GABE HUNYORˆ (u/s Gary) recently made his Florida Rep mainstage debut in The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge. Gabe is currently an Acting Intern for Florida Rep Education’s Theatre for Young Audiences program! Whether performing for students, filling in as an understudy, or joining the official cast, Gabe is overjoyed and thankful to perform! CODY KLIMEKˆ (u/s Ron) is an acting intern for the ‘25 -’26 season and just made his Florida Rep main stage debut in The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge. As a recent graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University’s theatre program, he has appeared in The Life of Galileo, Letters to Sala, or Radium Girls. Cody is excited to continue his work in professional theatre. And he would also like to thank his friends and family for continuing to be his biggest supporters. ARTHUR D’ALESSIO*† (Stage Manager) is pleased to return to Florida Rep for its 28th season. Previous shows as a Stage Manager at Florida Rep include Doubt: A Parable, Fully Committed, The Miracle Worker and A Christmas Carol. Arthur has been associated with Florida Rep since its very first year (1998), having choreographed Fascinatin’ Gershwin, Dream, Company, A Funny Thing… Forum, Too Marvelous For Words, The Johnny
Mercer Songbook and Night and Day… Love Lost and Found Through the Eyes of Cole Porter. BRADEN DOWNING (Sound Designer) is a Fort Myers native excited to return for her second season at Florida Repertory Theatre. She has previously worked on productions including The Rat Pack Lounge, Shout! The Mod Musical, Fully Committed, Ben Butler, Forever Plaid, Hank Williams: Lost Highway and Beehive: The 60s Musical. Most recently, Braden provided sound design for Florida Rep’s productions of Fully Committed and Ben Butler. She holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Mississippi. Braden extends her heartfelt gratitude to her family—and her ever-supportive cat, Lucky—for their unwavering encouragement! EVIE HUFSTETLER (Asst. Stage Manager) is a recent graduate from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. She recently worked as an apprentice at the Santa Fe Opera. This is her first season with Florida Rep, and she hopes you enjoy the performance! DENNIS C. MAULDEN*** (Scenic Designer) is delighted to be working with Florida Repertory Theatre again after having designed a number of shows since 2014, including Fully Committed, Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (2023), Into the Breeches! (2022) and Let’s Fall in Love (2021) and An Inspector Calls (2019). He has served since 1985 as the Resident Scene Designer at Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of North Carolina. He has headed design programs at the University of Florida and the University of South Carolina, where he also was Departmental Director of Graduate Studies. Maulden, a scene designer since 1970, has designed in other university, community, and regional theatres as well as in New York. In addition to a long list of theatre classics, he considers himself privileged to have designed many premiere productions of straight plays, musicals, and operas. He received his MFA in Design from UNC-Greensboro in 1977 and is a member of USA, NY Local #829.
WHO’S WHO AMANDA MILLER (Costume Designer) is Florida Rep’s Costume Shop Manager. Much of her work has been seen in opera at the Brevard Music Center and with the Floridian company Wardrobe Witchery. She recently graduated from Boston University with a master’s degree in Costume Technology. Her design credits include films and plays such as Mrs. Packard, Bearing Our Soles, Bash, and the Florida Rep Conservatory productions of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Shrek: The Musical, Jr. WESTON WILKERSON*** (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to return to Florida Rep where he previously designed lighting for Bloomsday and Oleanna. Regional credits include designs for Portland Stage Company, Theatre By The Sea, Stages, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, TheatreSquared, City Theatre, Ocean State Theatre, Clarence Brown Theater, and Cumberland County Playhouse. TV and Commercial work includes lighting designs for Nickelodeon, Nick Sports, Indy Racing League, NASCAR, ESPN/ ABC, Shell Oil, College Gameday, Trackside Live, and HBO Boxing. Weston lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas with his wife Kim Powers (set designer for Florida Rep’s upcoming production of The Play That Goes Wrong) and their son Haakon and is a teacher and Chair of the Department of Theatre at the University of Arkansas. NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK is an alliance of professional theaters that collaborate in innovative ways to develop, produce, and extend the life of new plays. NNPN envisions a robust, equitable, and inclusive new play ecology that reflects a broad range of aesthetics, and strives to pioneer, implement, and disseminate ideas and programs that revolutionize the way ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA) was founded in 1913 as the first of the American Actor unions. Equity’s mission is to advance, promote and foster the art of theatre as an essential component of our society. Today, Equity represents more than 40,000 actors, singers, dancers and stage managers working in hundreds of theatres across the United States. Equity members are dedicated to working in the theatre as a profession, upholding the highest artistic standards. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions and provides a wide range of benefits including health and pension plans for its members. Through its agreement with Equity, this theatre has committed to the fair treatment of the actors and stage managers employed in this production. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. For more information, visit www. actorsequity.org.
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theaters and audiences encounter new work. Since its founding in 1998, National New Play Network has grown into a vital force for new work in the American theater, serving over 110+ Member Theaters as well as artists and audiences around the world. NNPN’s National Showcase of New Plays, initially presented in 2002, was the Network’s first program aimed at creating a new play pipeline that spanned the US. In 2004, NNPN launched the pilot of what has become its paradigm-shifting Rolling World Premiere program. As NNPN’s membership, funding, and programmatic offerings have grown, emergent innovations include season-long Residencies within Member Theaters for rising administrative leaders, a dedicated fund for theater-makers working to develop new plays across institutions, and more. The New Play Exchange®, launched in 2015, is the world’s largest online library of scripts by living writers, and features unprecedented opportunities for direct connection among playwrights, readers, and producers. NNPN’s current Strategic Plan centers its commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. The Network’s dedication to new plays remains the center of its work, but the future NNPN envisions is one that is robust, inclusive, and equitable for all theater-makers and audience members. nnpn.org | newplayexchange.org SPECIAL THANKS to CLIVE DANIEL HOME for their loan of furniture for the set of Advice.
FLORIDA PROFESSIONAL THEATRES ASSOCIATION (FPTA) is a statewide organization of professional theatre companies and theatre professionals interested in the development and promotion of professional theatre throughout Florida. Florida Repertory Theatre is a proud FPTA member theatre.
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Florida Repertory Theatre is a member of THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP (TCG), the national organization for the American Theatre. Florida Repertory Theatre is a proud Associate Member of the NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK.
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THRU DEC 21 • HISTORIC ARCADE THEATRE NOSTALGIC MUSICAL
CREATED & ORIGINALLY DIRECTED BY TED SWINDLEY
HEARTFELT DRAMA
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BOOK & LYRICS BY HOWARD ASHMAN MUSIC BY ALAN MENKEN
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Single Tickets: $39 • All-Access Pass: $185 The annual festival features five new plays—a curated mix of works by both emerging talents and established playwrights—that reflect Florida Rep’s mission to produce a wide variety of compelling, thought-provoking theatre. Over four days, these plays are presented in staged readings, followed by talkbacks and audience conversations that help shape the work’s future. PlayLab also features a panel with all the playwrights, where audience members get to learn more about their process and their work, and sometimes a keynote address. Don’t miss this opportunity to be in the room where brand new works are created!
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS & FLORIDA REP STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Janice Danzig, Chair Naomi Bloom, Vice Chair Dinah Bloomhall Alexandra Bremner Shavon Chester
Fay C. Gronski, Secretary Arthur M. Zupko, Treasurer
John Martin, Executive Director Emeritus Laurye O’Melia
David M. Fritz Greg Longenhagen Sunny Lubner Jeanette Meade
Spencer Roach Chris Verrill Fred Weinman
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Don Abbott • Liz Abbott • Suzanne Boy • Marc Collins • Janice Danzig • Don Gurule • Melinda Isley • Jan Klein • Jane Lane • R. Marc Laviolette • Darrel Lieze-Adams • Greg Longenhagen • Donna Lovejoy • Clive Lubner • John Martin, Executive Director Emeritus • Kathleen McClanahan-Gruhl • Jeff McCullers • Martin McLaughlin • Kinfay Moroti • Sharyn Rosenblum • Carly Schwartzel • Chris Verrill
STAFF ARTISTIC & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
PRODUCTION
Executive Director...............................................Chris Verrill Producing Artistic Director..............Greg Longenhagen Associate Artistic Director............................Jason Parrish General Manager.....................................Dianne Summers
Director of Production..................................Charles Clark Asst. Production Manager................................Katie Lowe Interim Technical Director........................Miranda White Resident Director..............................................Chris Clavelli Resident Assistant Stage Manager..................Joy Brooks Master Electrician...............................................MK Doherty Asst. Master Electrician...............................Jason Bernardi Lead Carpenter...................................................Brady Bright Audio Engineer............................................Braden Downing Costume Shop Manager...........................Amanda Miller Asst. Costume Shop Manager...................Caitlyn Collins Wardrobe Supervisor...................................Skylee Vaughn Scenic Charge...................................Julie Beth McCracken Scenic Artist..........................................................Koi Johnson Interim Props Master...................................Laura Lumetta
ADMINISTRATION Finance Director....................................................Scott Osler Business Manager..............................................Kelly Colton Company Manager......................................Samantha Luna Front of House Manager.....................................Scott Wray Box Office Manager.......................................Gena Gossett Front of House Associates...................Steven Abatiello, Rick Aschenbrenner, Gerrie Benzing, Beth Conradson, Artie D’Alessio, Kristalynn Freeman, Matt Gualco, Chelly Innes, Samantha Luna, Lori McKenzie, Basia Mielnik, Sunny Pillow, Collin Roberts, Lori Skinner, Lee Slattery, Lorraine Stanek, Sheri Trover, Lisa Vogell
DEVELOPMENT & FUNDRAISING Development Director..................................Cindy Borassi Development & Grants Manager................Emily Yorgey
MARKETING Marketing Director.................................Deborah Jonsson Digital Media Specialist..........................Joe Dafeldecker Social Marketing Specialist...................Stephanie Davis
2024-2025 INTERN COMPANY Acting Company............Jana Denning, Patrice Eakman, Hannah Easton, Gabriel Hunyor, Cody Klimek, Ethan León Production.........................Ashton Allred, Grace Carter, Kat Daniels, Wilson Dillard, CJ Jelagin, Max Newman, Carson Sams Stage Management.................................Sarah Colatriano, Evie Hufstetler, Rebekah William Properties/Costumes.....................Alexander Davidson, Kaylei Kipper, Bo Vargas
EDUCATION Education Director................................Monique Caldwell Asst. Education Director........................Megan Leonard FLORIDA REPERTORY THEATRE Touring & Outreach Manager..................................DJ Kelly Contains strong language, adult situations, & brief nudity.