JPAC-Wait Until Dark

Proudly Presents

By Frederick Knott STARRING

Stephanie Stockstill Joseph Gandurski

Khalil LeSaldo

Thom Pasculli

Karl Lewandowski Eden Strong Martin Vanegas John Warren Produced Diana Visk Scenic Design by Michael Nedza

Lighting Design by Dante Orfei

Costume Design by Jennifer Ring

Multimedia Design by Micheal A. Kott

Directed by Danted Joseph Orfei This performance of Wait Until Dark is presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. - 440 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016 Wait Until Dark 1

CAST Stephanie Stockstill............................................................................................................................Susy Hendrix Thom Pasculli.........................................................................................................................................Mike Talman Khalil LeSaldo....................................................................................................................................... Harry Roat, Jr. Joseph Gandurski................................................................................................................................... Sgt. Carlino Eden Strong......................................................................................................................................................... Gloria John Warren.......................................................................................................................................... Sam Hendrix Karl Lewandowski.................................................................................................................................Policeman 1 Martin Vanegas......................................................................................................................................Policeman 2 Setting The action takes place in a basement apartment in Greenwich Village.

There will be one 15-minute intermission.

The use of flash photography and video recording devices without the written permission of the management is prohibited.

Please remember to silence or turn off your cellular phones and other messaging devices.

F R O M T H E D I R E C TO R ’ S C H A I R As the leaves turn color and begin to fall, we enter the months of darkness. Even before we change our clocks, the sun has become ever so more elusive. A chill fills the air and we are in prime condition for a spine-tingling chiller. What better plot could capitalize as well as exploit that bone-chilling darkness?

Without turning to the supernatural or the occult, there may be no better playwright than Frederick Knott. While he may have not been as prolific as many other authors, his painstaking dedication toward perfection is readily apparent. With both of his masterpieces, Mr. Knott went into seclusion seeing and speaking to no one for a minimum of eighteen months. He was truly driven in his writings and re-writings. While many playwrights have attempted to equal Knott’s efforts, he remains the clear master of the genre.

In the event you may be curious as to the name of his other major work which was rejected by the first twenty producers to whom it was presented, it was entitled, “Dial M for Murder”.

C A S T P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .)

Joseph Gandurski (Sgt. Carlino) grew up near the Stock Yards on Chicago’s South Side.

After serving in the US Army in Vietnam, Joe joined the Chicago Police Department where he served for 31 years, retiring as Deputy Chief. He has studied acting extensively in Chicago and in LA and has appeared in several plays, to include: A Few Good Men, and Bleacher Bums; and on TV, recently co-starring in an episode of Criminal Minds. Joe also has worked in film, and has a lead role in the feature film Dog Jack to be released on Showtime. He enjoys working with creative individuals and continues his studies and loves learning about people and life, and this great profession. He thanks his family for their support.

2 Jedlicka Performing Arts Center

Karl Lewandowski (Policeman 1) is thrilled to be making his JPAC debut and to be part of this show. Other credits include Oklahoma!, Of Mice and Men, and True West. He would like to thank everyone involved with the show and those who came to see it.

Khalil LeSaldo (Harry Roat, Jr.) a Mainer born and bred, just moved to Chicago and is excited to be making his Midwest debut! A recent psychology student of Bowdoin College, past credits include Switch Tryptych, Drums in the Night, Venus, and A Little Night Music, among others. He is also famous for his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel.

B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .)

Thom Pasculli (Mike Talman) is pleased to be performing for the first time at the Jedlicka Performing Arts Center.

Pasculli recently moved to Chicago from Massachusetts where he was a resident company member of Double Edge Theatre. Prior to that in 2007 he created The Savannah Theatre Project, a three-month performance exchange in South Africa. Recent performances include Redmoon Theater’s Project E-Sam (Chicago); Double Edge Theatre’s UnPossessed (The Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.); Se Questo un Uomo (Moscow Art School Studio); and Odin Teatret’s Festuge performances (Hostlebro, Denmark). Other credits include assistant director for “Hot L Baltimore” at Steppenwolf Theatre, and movement director for Amahl and the Night Visitors at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, New York.

Stephanie Stockstill (Susy Hendrix) is thrilled (get it? suspense/ thriller...) to make her Jedlicka Performing Arts Center debut with WAIT UNTIL DARK. Previous Chicago experience includes Princess Margaret in THE STUDENT PRINCE with Light Opera Works, Mrs. Dilber in A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre and Anne Egerman in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at Circle Theatre. Stephanie wishes to thank Mr. Dante Orfei and the rest of the cast and crew, as well as Mom, Dad and Yaniv!

Eden Strong (Gloria) just finished a stint as Martha in Jedlicka’s the Miracle Worker, 9 year old Eden Strong is very happy to be working with JPAC again. She has performed in The Chicago Landmark

Project, The Iliad, Annie, Seussical, and Life During School Times. She is also a budding gymnast and alto saxophone player. Eden has studied theatre arts at both Stagecoach and ETA theaters. She is a student at Lincoln Elementary where she’s in the 6th grade. She can be seen during the holiday season in The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.

Martin Vanegas (Policeman 2) is excited to be a part of this production. This is not his Martin’s first time onstage, he made his JPAC debut in Phantom of the Opera, but he enjoys the technical side of the theatre a lot more. Martin plans to attain a B.F.A. in theatre tech. and make a career in scene design. He would like to thank his past and present directors for the wisdom instilled, also his family, friends and girlfriend for all their love and support.

John Warren (Sam Hendrix) tenor, is rapidly gaining recognition for his versatility as a performer. Warren recently performed the role of Pedro in Man of La Mancha and Piangi in The Phantom of the Opera at the Jedlicka Performing Arts Center, and he is excited to return for Wait Until Dark.

Warren has performed such roles as Gastone in La Traviata, Goro in Madama Butterfly, and the Duke in Rigoletto. He also recently covered the roles of Alfredo in La Traviata and Lieutenant Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at the Music by the Lake music festival.

Wait Until Dark 3

B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .)

Dante J. Orfei (Director, Lighting Designer) has been the Artistic Director at the Jedlicka Performing Arts Center for over 25 years. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and has produced and directed a travel documentary titled European Sojourn, which aired on PBS. Dante also directed the U.S. Premiere of the musical Metropolis and worked closely with the show’s creator, Academy and Grammy Award-winner Joseph Brooks on the development of the show. Dante directed the national regional theatre premiere of Brooks’ most recent Broadway show, In My Life. He has studied with Tony Awardwinners Harold Prince and Jules Fisher. He directed the Midwest Regional Premiere of the Queen rock musical, We Will Rock You, and has also directed the World Premiere of Nefertiti – The Musical, as well as Premiere Chicago Productions of Little Women, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love, Blood Brothers, Jekyll and Hyde, The Baker’s Wife, and numerous plays by Olivier Award-winning playwright Ray Cooney, including the U.S. Premiere of Cooney’s It Runs in the Family. Dante has directed well over 175 stage productions on the professional, dinner theatre and academic levels.

Micheal Kott (Multimedia/Sound Designer) has directed numerous plays and musicals both stateside and in Europe, including his critically acclaimed production of Murderer,

by Anthony Shaffer. His JPAC directing credits include Doubt, Lilies of the Field and The Boys Next Door. Michael is also a veteran performer at the JPAC having been involved in 18 shows over the last 12 years.

Among his favorites are Blood Brothers, Moonlight and Magnolias, Peter Pan, and Tuesdays with Morrie. He is very grateful to Dante Orfei for his friendship, support, encouragement and trust. Micheal played the scene-stealing Psychic in Brain Damaged Film’s 2008 release Secrets of the Clown, available at www.blockbuster. com! Micheal is the founding director of the Green Door Theatre in Garlstedt, West Germany. Currently he is the Artistic Director of Master’s Backstage Players in Carol Stream, Illinois. Micheal was also an ensemble member of Cenacle Theatre in Chicago, where he acted and directed numerous productions. Mike is the multimedia specialist for Morton College by day and at night divides his time among the various theatres in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. He is very thankful to Dr. Felicity Thoet for her guidance and direction. She is a wonderful director and I thank her for her knowledge.

Michael Nedza (Scenic and Properties Designer/Technical Director) has been designing throughout the Midwest for over 25 years. He has designed over 75 shows here at the JPAC. Some of the designs he is most proud of include, Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray, In My Life, We Will Rock You, Jekyll and Hyde, and 1776. Michael is a Theatre Arts faculty member here at Morton College. Michael has been recognized with the “Award of Merit” from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for his set designs of The Middle Ages and Picasso at the Lapine Agile.

Jennifer Ring (Costume Designer) has been enjoying a life in the theatre for over 20 years now. Since earning her degree from The University of Southern California she has worked in Los Angeles, Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Some of her other costume credits include JPAC’s production of Grey Gardens, The Muckle Man, Lysistrata at ECC, Les Liaisons Dangerouses, The Crucible and The Desk Set for the Albright Theatre Company in Batavia. She thanks Mr. Orfei and the staff of JPAC for the opportunity to work on this production.

Thank you and enjoy the show.

T H E AT R E S TA F F Ushers/Concessions........................................................................Bob Jadach, Margie McGowen Theatre Technical Staff......................... Arthur Stepanek, Natalie Stepanek, Martin Vanegas, Box Office Staff..........................................................................................................................Diana Visk 4 Jedlicka Performing Arts Center