Ma Raineys-University Theatre

University Theatre Department of Theatre and Drama University of Wisconsin-Madison presents

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM

by August Wilson March 2-17, 2012 Mitchell Theatre

Director – Patrick J. Sims Set Designer – William F. Moser * Costume Designer – Katie Gray Lighting Designer – Brandi Mitchell Sound Designer- Joe Cerqua * Technical Director –Jim Vogel Stage Manager – Lisa Marten Dramaturg – Jeff Godsey

* member of

Produced through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. New York City There will be a post-performance discussion with the actors after the Thursday, March 15 performance.

This production is part of the UW-Madison Lorraine Hansberry Project and is made possible with grant support from The College of Letters and Science Anonymous Fund.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 1

THE CAST Scott Harman .................................................................................................................Sturdyvant Whitney Derendinger...............................................................................................................Irvin Tory Latham ..............................................................................................................................Cutler *Alfred H. Wilson.................................................................................................................... Toledo LaVar J. Charleston......................................................................................................... Slow Drag Trevon Jackson.........................................................................................................................Levee jaki-terry............................................................................................................................Ma Rainey Stuart Mott.......................................................................................................................Policeman Asia Elliot.........................................................................................................................Dussie Mae Andrew Thomas.................................................................................................................Sylvester *appears courtesy of Actor’s Equity Association Setting: 1927, Chicago, Illinois. A recording studio.

There will be one 15-minute intermission.

T H E L O R R A I N E H A N S B E R R Y P R OJ E C T The Lorraine Hansberry Project honors the life and pioneering work of a remarkable UW alumna and woman remembered for her lasting achievements and contributions to American arts and culture. A student at the UW-Madison from 19481950, Ms. Hansberry went on to become the first AfricanAmerican writer to receive the New York Drama Critic Award for her groundbreaking drama A Raisin in the Sun (1959). Her work explores the momentous shifts that brought America from the complacent 1950s into the more turbulent 1960s.

The Department of Theatre and Drama, with its partners in Afro-American Studies, Women’s Studies, and English, seeks to honor Hansberry’s achievements by creating an endowed Chair of African-American Theatre Studies at UW-Madison. In support of our ongoing fundraising, University Theatre regularly presents production of an important work by a playwright of color, enhanced by scholarly panels, guest artists, and other events that highlight the legacy of Lorraine Hansberry.

This year’s scholarly symposium, entitled “Conversations on African American Youth and August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” takes place on Saturday, March 3 and is free and open to the public. It aims to provide a heartfelt discussion surrounding the issues that affect young people of color, particularly men of color, as they relate to matters of education, faith, self-esteem and transitions into adulthood. Another goal of the symposium is to provide frank and candid discussion about the legacy of August Wilson and the state of Black Theatre. For a complete listing of the day’s events, go to www.utmadison.com

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D I R E C TO R ’ S N O T E When you look at the canon of Black dramatic literature no other playwright has accomplished what August Wilson has done with his century-long arc of storytelling. Although Wilson wrote a play for each decade of the 20th century that reflects a kind of Black sensibility and way of life, his masterpiece should not be seen as a historically accurate portrayal of a “monolithic Black experience.” To be clear that was never Wilson’s intent. However, when you consider the humanity of his characters, the challenges they face and the uniqueness of those challenges as extensions of their cultural and ethnic origins, audiences gain an important insight and reminder of a painful truth that I believe anchors the American experience: the legacy of slavery. Through Wilson’s plays, in particular this evening’s production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, my hope is that Black and White audiences alike will come to understand and appreciate the intangible sense of community that was so critical to sustaining a group of people who were never meant to succeed in any cultural, social or economic capacity in this country. For me therein lies the lesson and beauty of his work. Wilson captivates our imaginations with rich imagery and sometimes painful language, all the while revealing a resilient and triumphant spirit that is essential to completing the journey from African slave to African American.

Thank you for joining me tonight and for being willing to take that journey with me.

With Love, Patrick Sims

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F R O M T H E D I R E C TO R O F T H E AT R E P R O D U C T I O N “They don’t care nothing about me. All they want is my voice.”With this quote from the play, let me welcome you to Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. This marks the fifth production in the Theatre and Drama Department’s commitment to honor the memory of the ground-breaking playwright, Lorraine Hansberry. I have to let you know that I am particularly excited about this production for a number of reasons. It has been quite a while since a work by August Wilson has been produced on our stage (at least for the 11 years I have been here) so it is great to be able to take in a work by one of the great voices of the American theatre. This production will be the first mainstage play directed by one of the Department’s fine professors, Patrick Sims, who also heads the Theatre for Cultural and Social Awareness program for the Department.

We are blessed to have Alfred Wilson gracing our stage for this piece. Alfred worked with August Wilson on many plays and is sharing his experience and knowledge with our students during his stay here in Madison. Along with Alfred, there are a number of guest actors from the community here in Madison and we thank them for their time and commitment to the play.

I must also recognize our visiting professor of scenic design, William Moser, who designed the set for the show and our guest sound designer, Joe Cerqua. It enhances our curriculum when we can host guests to work with the students.

This production also serves as a culminating moment for a number of our graduating MFA students. On stage we have jaki-terry and Trevon Jackson, and backstage we have Brandi Mitchell (lighting designer) and Katie Gray (costume designer).

Again, I want to thank you for attending our productions. Your support of our program is vital to our students’ work. You the living, breathing audience, the final component that completes the circuit and brings the electricity of live theatre into being.

With Aloha David Furumoto Director of Theatre Production

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MA R AINEY “I shimmied last night, the night before, I’m going home tonight, I won’t shimmy no more” -“Sissy Blues,” Ma Rainey Gertrude Pridgett was born in Columbus, Georgia, in 1886. By the age of fifteen, she had made her first public singing appearance in the Bunch of Blackberries revue, a local variety show housed in the Springer Opera House, still a vital performing arts venue. Soon after, Pridgett began travelling in minstrel shows. Like other African American performers, she would darken her skin with burnt cork and sing and clown in skits painting nostalgic pictures of plantation life. Somehow, Pridgett was able to swallow what must have been a bitter pill and hone her skills as a singer and comedienne throughout her teen years in these shows. Around 1902, while touring, she heard a girl in Missouri moaning as much as singing a song about the man who had done her wrong and left her alone. Pridgett, used to singing a much more theatrical, vaudevillian kind of song, was entranced by this unusual song and style and began to sing what would soon be known as “the blues.”

L. to. R. - Gabriel Washington (drums), Albert Wynn (trombone), Dave Nelson (trumpet), Ma Rainey (vocals), Eddie Pollack (saxophone), and Thomas Dorsey (piano).

In 1904, Pridgett married William “Pa” Rainey, an older song-and-dance man.

Together, Pa and “Madame Gertrude Rainey,” as she was now billed, performed all over the South, including in New Orleans, where she rubbed elbows with Louis Armstrong, who would later appear with her on her recording of the classic “See, See Rider.” During this time, Gertrude – not even thirty years old – acquired the nickname “Ma,” as much for her propensity to mother younger performers as for her marriage to Pa Rainey. The nickname stuck and became part of her official billing; “Ma Rainey” was the name under which she would eventually record. The moniker seems to have helped with her marketing, in fact. Ma did not conform to the age’s standards of beauty. She was short, heavy, dark, and had a mouth full of gold-capped teeth in a time when popular culture valued slim, light-skinned African American women. By advertising her as a maternal figure, promoters found a way to circumvent popular ideals for young women in entertainment in a manner that drew upon her natural earthiness.

Gertrude and Will Rainey separated in 1914, but Gertrude had enough cachet by then to form and tour with her own band – Madame Gertrude Ma Rainey and Her Georgia Smart Sets. Sometime between 1914 and 1916 while on tour with the Smart Sets, Ma met Chattanooga chanteuse Bessie Smith, then paying her dues as a chorus girl in minstrel shows. The two became fast friends, and their relationship would later become the stuff of legend. Stories that Rainey taught Smith how to sing the blues are apocryphal, however. Maud Smith, Bessie’s sister-in-law, said that “one time when were in Augusta, Georgia.... Bessie and Ma Rainey sat down and had a good laugh about how people was making up stories of Ma taking Bessie from her home… Ma never taught Bessie how to sing. She was more like a mother to her.”

In 1920, Mamie Smith, also a touring vaudevillian and blues singer, made history by not only being the first African American woman to be recorded but also the first person to record a blues song. That song, “Crazy Blues,” became an instant hit, selling a million copies in less than a year, quite a feat at that time. Because of the Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 5

M A R A I N E Y ( c o n t .) success of this single, record companies rushed to sign blues singers, and because of Mamie Smith’s popularity, these companies wanted those blues singers to be women. The two most popular of these women were Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith.

Dubbed by promoters as the “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey recorded over 100 songs for Paramount Records and toured extensively. Unlike Bessie, however, Ma never fully let go of her older style of blues. While Bessie acquired a jazzy sophistication in her recordings, Ma continued to honk and shout the country blues.

Because of Ma’s more old-fashioned approach and because of the poor recording quality at Paramount, her popularity began to fade in 1929.

Ma continued to perform until 1935, when she returned to Columbus and bought and ran two theatres. She had always been a smart businesswoman, and despite her well-known generosity to her musicians, had managed to save quite a bit of money. Gertrude Rainey died of a heart attack in 1939. She was 52. Her music has influenced many musicians, including her friend Bessie Smith, Charley Patton, Son House, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich, the Animals, and Janis Joplin. She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1983 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early influence in 1990.

Jeff Godsey, Dramaturg Works Cited Cohn, Lawrence, ed. Nothin’ But the Blues. New York: Abbeville Press, 1993.

Lieb, Sandra R. Mother of the Blues: A Study of Ma Rainey. Amherst: U of MA Press, 1981.

A Little Night Music August 10-19, 2012 The Playhouse at Overture Tickets available through Overture Center Box Office at (608) 258-4141. Visit www.fourseasonstheatre.com 6 University Theatre

P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Choreographer............................................................................................................ Chris Walker Assistant Stage Managers..............................................Michael Hennessy, Evan Mayhew,

Katie McBride, Stephanie Vidalakis Prop Master.............................................................................................................Chuck Mitchell Assistant Prop Master..................................................................................... Stephanie Manor Paint Crew.....................................................................Angela Thompson, Stephanie Manor Wardrobe Supervisor....................................................................................................Alli Rekow Master Electrician......................................................................................................Casey Martin UT Shop and Run Crews: T&D 160.................................................. Michael Bryant, Cwirla,Catherine, Nerrissa Dyett,

Cassandra Evansen, James Gavins, Austin Gray, Merle Hansen,

Aaron Heaps, Chuanyang Jiang, Victoria Kemnetz, Ezra Knickelbine,

Jolie Lebell, Drew Lehmann, Kathryn Mann, Kayla Mock,

Eva Nimmer, Ian Ostroot, Angelique Phanthavong, Hannah Ripp-Dieter,

Emily Stone, Hadieh Tazangi, Joel Thomas T&D 161...............................................Greta Becker, Katie Behrend, Katherine Busalacchi,

Gabriel De Los Reyes, Aliza Feder, Jacob Kallman, Cassandra Marzette,

Ashley McHose, Rachel Rubenstein, Christopher Ruska, Evelyn Sadowski,

Cyle Agee, James Gavins, Peter Hiller, Greg Johnson,

Elissa King, Jami Klagos, Mackenzie Luce,

Ross Morey, Theodore Schober T&D 162..............................................Melinda Capperino, Abbie Loeser, Mackenzie Luce,

Elizabeth Phan, Neil Ricci, Julia St. Pierre, Aaron Johnson,

Julia Kinney, Melanie Kulas, Alanna Reeves, Caelin Ross,

Alissa Taylor, Andrew Thomas, Katherine Busalacchi,

Dominique Chestand, Brinn Hill, Jami Klagos,

Haley Kosup-Kennedy, Alejandro Ortiz, Alyssa Rekow,

Evelyn Sadowski, Vishwas Wesley, WHO’S WHO August Wilson (Playwright) Considered by many to be the greatest African American playwright, August Wilson created through his plays a canvas of the United States in the twentieth century as epic and rich as the Romare Bearden paintings that inspired him. Born in 1945 in the Hill District of Pittsburgh to a mostly absent white baker from Germany and an African American cleaning woman from North Carolina, Wilson is most famous for The Pittsburgh Cycle, ten plays chronicling the African American experience in the twentieth century, each set in a different decade. On the way to completing this massive work, Wilson won two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama (Fences, 1985 and The Piano Lesson, 1990) and a Tony Award for Best Play (The Piano Lesson). In 1984, Wilson scored his first mainstream

critical success with the play with which he explored the 1920s: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, also nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play. Wilson completed his cycle in 2005 with Radio Golf, the play he set in the 1990s. Sadly, those of us waiting to see what he would undertake after completing his immense twentieth-century cycle would be disappointed; August Wilson died of liver cancer in 2005.

ACTORS LaVar J. Charleston (Slow Drag) LaVar makes his theatrical debut on this stage. While he has never acted on stage prior to this production, he has appeared in one short film, ‘The Alien In The Room,’ and one independent feature film, ‘Loud Pack.’

His artistic expression is most notably Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 7

W H O ’ S W H O ( c o n t .) relayed vocally through music as he has shared a stage with artists from a variety of music genres ranging from Lyle Lovett to Chris Shaffer to Dru Hill. He has found the challenge of a live production stimulating. In his professional life, LaVar is a senior research associate and lab manager for Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory (Wei Lab), and is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Whitney Derendinger (Irvin) Whitney is thrilled to be part of this amazing production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Whitney is in the final semester of the MFA Acting program here at UWMadison, and you can also catch him in the upcoming production of Two Gentlemen of Verona. Recent roles include Uncle John in The Grapes of Wrath, The Ringmaster in Elephant’s Graveyard, Mr. Kirby in You Can’t Take it With You, Colonel Pickering in My Fair Lady, The Bridegroom in Blood Wedding, and a litany of characters in the one man show Pounding Nails....

Whitney would like to thank his parents and family for their love and encouragement, and his wife Deb for her unconditional support and constant inspiration. Thank you so much for taking this journey with us, and enjoy the show!

Asia Elliot (Dussie Mae) Asia Elliot is a writer and actress hailing from Washington DC by way of Tampa, Florida. She is a graduate of Howard W. Blake High School of the Performing Arts where she majored in theater. She served as the only youth competitor/ organizer of nonprofit Write Side Poets Inc, with whom she wrote/produced/ co-starred in Spittin Images: A Play on Words. She is currently a student at UW under scholarship with First Wave Spoken Word and Hip Hop Theater ensemble. She’s written, performed 8 University Theatre

and featured in shows spanning Atlanta to Broadway’s Amsterdam Theater. Currently she is working on the full length of her One Woman show Working Class, which featured as an excerpt in Line Breaks Festival 2011.

Scott Harman (Sturdyvant) Scott is a 2nd-year Ph.D. student in Theatre and Drama whose primary research interest is the intersection between acting and cognitive science. M.A. - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; B.A. - Alma College. He has served on the faculty of Parkland College, Alma College, and the Interlochen Arts Camp.

He has worked as a theatre professional and educator in Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia. Previously at the UW, he has played Dr. Parker in Bat Boy: The Musical and Shorty in the Antagonists’ production of Elephant’s Graveyard. As always, thanks to friends and family for support and guidance.

Trevon Jackson (Levee) Trevon is a third year MFA acting graduate student from Austin, TX currently studying at UW-Madison. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom marks his eighth Wisconsin theatrical production. Trevon made his WI debut in 2009 in Federico Garcia Lorca’s Blood Wedding, followed by Into the Woods (The Narrarator), Music Theater of Madison’s The Wild Party (Sam), John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath adapted for stage (Noah), CTM’s production of Most Valuable Player (Jackie Robinson), You Can’t Take it with You (Donald) at University Theatre and most recently Forward Theatre Company’s The Farnsworth Invention. jaki-terry (Ma Rainey) jaki-terry is graduating as UW-Madison’s first MFA-Acting candidate with a concentration in Theatre for Cultural & Social Awareness. Her UT-Theatre credits include Blood Wedding, The Zen Substitute, Valparaiso and You Can’t Take it With You. In addition, she was in CTM’s production of MVP: The

W H O ’ S W H O ( c o n t .)

Jackie Robinson Story at the Overture Center last season, and directed Bullying: The Musical for TapIt New Works. jaki has also done industrial training film work with the Wisconsin Division of Public Health, and voice-over work for parent training modules with Wisconsin Foster Care. She dedicates this show to the Department of Theatre & Drama in appreciation for an amazing journey, and to her family for their constant love and support.

Tory Latham (Cutler) This is Tory’s first stage appearance of any kind. He was born and raised in Chicago on the southwest side of town. Both his parents are from southern states; his mother is from Mississippi and his father from Alabama. He hope because of this he can bring an almost natural feel for a first timer. Thanks to The University of Wisconsin and the city of Madison for being so welcoming.

Stuart Mott (Policeman) Stuart is a junior majoring in Theatre and Drama as an Acting Specialist and also earning a certificate in Integrated Liberal Studies. Madison credits include Bat Boy, [title of show], You Can’t Take It With You, and Elephant’s Graveyard.

Stuart’s motion capture work appears in Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Thank you to Patrick for all his help over these past couple of years, to this fantastic cast for all the fun, and as always, to his family for their unwavering support.

Andrew Thomas (Sylvester) is a senior at UW Madison where he is currently studying Theatre and Drama. He has some experience on the stage through his participation in the First Wave Spoken Word/Urban Arts Community.

In his work with First Wave, he has co-written, co-directed, co-produced, and performed in original works such as Boomboxed and Home Is Where... both of which focused on different

issues surrounding the lives of people living in urban areas. He is also an aspiring Recording Artist who performs under the name, Phonetic ONE. He has released two projects to date.

Last summer he took runner up for The Social Justice Song of the Year at Campus Moviefest, the world’s largest student film festival. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is his debut UT Performance.

Alfred H. Wilson (Toledo) Recent credits: was seen in The Chicago Code (Fox), The Playboy Club (NBC) and Shameless (Showtime).

Theatre credits: Delbert Tibbs in The Exonderated at Next Act Theatre, Toledo in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at the Actor’s Theatre of Louisville and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and The Court Theatre, Travis in The Etiquette of Vigilance at Steppenwolf Theatre, Holloway in Two Trains Running at Geva Theatre Center, Sam in Master Harold and the Boys at Timeline Theatre , Wining Boy in Piano Lesson at The Court Theatre, Solly Two Kings in August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Old Joe in Radio Golf at The Pittsburgh Public Theatre and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. Chicago credits include: Charlie in Bourdon at the Border (Eclipse Theatre), Becker in Jitney (Pegasus Players) Charles in Panther Burn (MMPAACT), and Memphis Lee in Two Trains Running (Pegasus Players) where he was awarded a Jeff Citation as best actor. He was also a co-founder of ONYX THEATRE ENSEMBLE. He has also worked at the Goodman Theatre and Victory Gardens Theatre.

Artistic/Production Staff Patrick J. Sims (Director) Entering his eighth year as the Founding Director of the Theatre for Cultural and Social Awareness (TCSA) - Patrick Sims is an Associate Professor of Acting and Faculty Director of the Creative Arts Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 9

W H O ’ S W H O ( c o n t .) and Design Community launching in the Fall of 2012. TCSA is an interactive theatre-based training model that dramatizes sensitive subject matters matters for universities, corporate and non-profit organizations in the United States. Patrick has helped train employees at Miller Brewing Company, Harley Davidson, Wisconsin Energies, WI State Department of Workforce Development, in addition to several institutions of higher education throughout the United States. Sims and his theatre outreach programs have been featured at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) and the Diversity Summit at Yale University. His latest work, a bilingual solo performance entitled Piel Como el Mío (Skin Like Mine), is inspired by race relations in Panamá and its three hundred year stint in the African slave trade. Patrick is delighted to be making his directorial debut at University Theatre as part of the

Lorraine Hansberry Project. A special thanks to his wife and son for their support and the Angels above who helped make this project happen!

William F. Moser (Scenic Designer) William F. Moser is a Visiting Assistant Professor in design. He has designed sets and or costumes for such New York theatre companies as Naked Angels, Willow Cabin Theatre, and the Jean Cocteau Repertory. Designed new works by writers such as Terrance McNally, Craig Lucas, and John Robin Baitz. Other New York credits include Il Re Pastore (NY Chamber Opera), The Comedy of Errors (Judith Shakespeare Company), and Arms and the Man (Theatre by the Blind). William has been an Associate Designer or Assistant on over twenty Broadway productions, over 200 Regional Theatre productions, and numerous National Tours. He has taught at NYU, University of Iowa, Wayne State

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

University and Kutztown University.

William is a member of United Scenic Artist 829.

Katie Gray (Costume Designer) Katie is proud to return to University Theatre to design Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. She wishes to thank the wonderful cast and crew; with particular gratitude to her director Patrick Sims for being as excited about the costumes as she is, and to Brandi for “making pretty”. Katie is a 3rd year MFA graduate student in costume design at UW. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from Susquehanna University. Past productions include The Rocky Horror Show, Valparaiso, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Narukami: the Thunder God, and Three Days of Rain. Most recently, Katie designed University Theatre’s production of [Title of Show]. Many, many, many thanks to Christopher. We did it, tiger!

Brandi Mitchell (Lighting Designer) Brandi Mitchell is a third year MFA student in the lighting design program here at UW-Madison. She completed her BFA at the University of Central Oklahoma and then started working for California Repertory as a lighting designer. Since arriving here at UW-Madison, Brandi has been the lighting designer for Ti-Jean and His Brothers, the ‘Year of the Arts’ architectural event lighting, and for the staged reading of Carl Djerassi’s Foreplay. She also worked as the Makeup Supervisor on UW-Madison’s production of Rocky Horror. Brandi would like to thank Ms. Ann Archbold and Casey Martin for all of their help!

Joe Cerqua (Sound Designer) Joe is a freelance composer, producer, vocalist, and sound designer.

Previous University Theatre credits include original composition and sound design for Blood Wedding, Three Sisters, The Greeks, and Musical Direction for Hair. He has

composed music for over 250 productions locally, nationally, and around the world. His music and/ or sound designs have been “Jeff” recognized 10 times, and he is also the recipient of four After Dark Awards and an Ostrander Award. Mr. Cerqua has contributed music to almost every major off-loop theatre in Chicago, including: Steppenwolf, The Goodman, Northlight, Court, Royal George, Apple Tree, The Athenaeum, National Jewish, and Shakespeare Rep. Mr. Cerqua’s music has also been heard nationally and internationally in productions at the American Players Theatre, The Cleveland Playhouse, Deaf West Theatre in LA, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Madison Rep, Indiana Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Clarence Brown Theatre in Knoxville, The Berkshire Theatre Festival, The Alliance in Atlanta, the Met in Los Angeles, Studio Arena, Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Weston Playhouse, and the English Speaking Theatre of Vienna, as well as productions in Australia, Scotland, and Ireland. His scores for Sideman, originally at Steppenwolf; How I Learned to Drive, Master Class, originally at Northlight Theater; and Broken Glass, originally at National Jewish Theatre have all enjoyed national tours. He was a featured composer at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh two years in a row. Mr. Cerqua is the Producing Director and composer-in-residence for the Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, a critically acclaimed thirteen-piece jazz orchestra and ten-member dance company. The musicians that have played on Joe’s recordings read like a who’s who of nationally known recording artists like Marcos Loya, Johnny Frigo, Orbert Davis, Bobbi Wilsyn, Aisha DeHaas, Liz Carroll, and Regina Taylor to name a few. He is the Supervising Producer of the Music Department and an adjunct Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 11

B I O G R A P H I E S ( c o n t .) faculty member at Columbia College Chicago. He has contributed original music to many of the Music and Theater Department’s mainstage and studio shows. Educated at the American Conservatory of Music and the Art Institute of Chicago, he also teaches master classes in theatrical composition and sound design at Roosevelt University.

Jim Vogel (Technical Director) Jim is currently a 3rd year grad student in UW-Madison’s MFA program, with an emphasis in Technical Direction.

Over the past decade or so, he has enjoyed being a dancer, aerialist, actor, technical director, rigger, stage hand, stage manager, carpenter, lighting board operator, electrician, sound board operator and all around jack-ofall-trades. Most recently, he was the Technical Director for UW-Madison’s production of “The Rocky Horror Show “ and is currently the Technical Director for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”. He’s looking forward to continuing all these many jobs, and discovering what else he can have fun doing. Thanks Kristi, for all the love and support!

Lisa Marten (Stage Manager) Lisa is excited to be stage-managing her first show at University Theatre! Previous theatre works include Assistant Stage Manager for Bat Boy: The Musical, Assistant Stage Manager for You Can’t Take It With You, and Production Assistant for The Grapes of Wrath.

Lisa would like to thank her family, roommates, and Ben for all their love and support, and especially her ASM team, dstew, and Team SMUT for all their support, guidance, and friendship!

Jeff Godsey (Dramaturg) Jeff Godsey is a PhD candidate in Theatre & Drama at UW and is the Chair of the Operations Committee of the Madison Gay Hockey Association. He also has a near-encyclopedic knowledge of twentieth-century American & British popular music. He studied the Blues at the University of Memphis with noted ethnomusicologist and Grammywinner David Evans. Jeff is also an actor, having performed most recently as Harold in Mercury Players’ production of The Full Monty and as Kulygin in UW’s production of Three Sisters.

U N I V E R S I T Y T H E AT R E S TA F F Director of Theatre Production .................................................................... David Furumoto General Manager............................................................................................... Michele Traband Production Manager..............................................................................................David Stewart Technical Director............................................................................................ Daniel T. Lisowski Scene Studio Supervisor.....................................................................................Chuck Mitchell Costume Studio Supervisor ........................................................................................Jim Greco Electrics and Sound Studio Supervisor ............................................................Casey Martin Office Manager......................................................................................................Cindy Schkirkie House Managers .........................................................................Mary McAvoy, Carol Carlson,

Erin Hood, Liz Foster-Shaner PR/Marketing Assistant .........................................................................................Pete Rydberg Graphic Design Support....................................................................................... Tim Hamilton Literary Manager..................................................................................Megan Marsh-McGlone Scene Shop Assistants..........................................................................Cynthia Dean, Katy Lai,

Cole Muth, Allyn Weber, Jennifer Reider Lighting Assistants.................................. Erik S Barry, Jonathan de Leon, Brandi Mitchell Costume Assistants...................................................................Katie Gray, Sarah Woodworth

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D E PA R TM E N T O F T H E AT R E A N D D R A M A FAC U LT Y A N D S TA F F Department Chair ............................................................................................ Ann M. Archbold Acting/Directing Faculty/Staff......................................Patricia Boyette, David Furumoto,

Norma Saldivar, Patrick Sims, Susan Sweeney Design/Technical Faculty/Staff......................................... Ann M. Archbold, Gail Brassard,

Jim Greco, Daniel T. Lisowski, Casey Martin,

Chuck Mitchell, William Moser, David Stewart Theatre Research Faculty/Staff.................................... Aparna Dharwadker, Kristin Hunt,

Michael Peterson, Mary Trotter,

Michael Vanden Heuvel, Manon van de Water Theatre for Youth Director .................................................................... Manon van de Water Theatre for Cultural and Social Awareness Director.......................................Patrick Sims Department Administrator.............................................................................Melinda Menard Departmental Office Staff..................................Terri Bonner, Jean Hauser, Brenda Weiss F R I E N D S O F U N I V E R S I T Y T H E AT R E The FRIENDS of UT is a group of individuals that serves as a support organization for UW Madison’s University Theatre, providing members with opportunities to connect with and offer support for student actors, dramaturgs, directors, and designers involved in University Theatre productions. FRIENDS of UT plan and host receptions prior to productions, enjoy exceptional performances together, and work to encourage broader awareness and appreciation of the UW Department of Theatre and Drama throughout the community.

Funds raised by FRIENDS of UT will provide much needed production support, including technical enhancements such as state-of-the-art equipment upgrades, as well as special guest artist residencies that will support the training of our students.

In the past, Friends of UT have enjoyed invitations to a special post-performance reception with Olympia Dukakis as well as a pre-performance discussion with show directors. They sponsored a visit with Anthony Rapp (from the original Broadway cast of RENT). Funds raised were used to support a Suzuki acting workshop with Brandeis Professor Eric Hill and several guest sound designers.

The group sponsored a day trip for FUT members and UT students to Ten Chimneys in Genesee Depot, WI. Recently, the group attended a performance of the play Ten Chimneys being produced by the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.

We are proud to share the names of the FRIENDS of UT with you throughout this season. If you would like to become a Friend of University Theatre, simply call the University Theatre office at 608-262-1582 or contribute online at utmadison.com FRIEND ($50-$249) Prof. Maurice and Sybil Better Roger & Elizabeth Gray Heather & Samuel Murn Shana Lewis & Rob Magasano Jeanne Whitish Ernest Peterson Guy Plunkett III & Joanne Harper Plunkett Louis & Julie Swedarsky Eric Mueller & Torrie Kopp Mueller

Katherine & Bailey Walsh John & Nancy Webster William & Sharon Koenen Steven Scholze & Michael McFadden Peter & Donna Napoleone Norlin & Cynthia Benevenga David & Shirley Susan Laura & Barry Burden A. Erick Weber Elwyn & Evelyn Weible

Mary Zellmer Prof. Barbara Buenger Hallman & Shirley Winsborough ANGEL ($250 and up) Merry Anderson Tim & Rhonda Current Dennis Dorn Jennifer Swan Tim & Pat Size Maureen Skelton Jon Sorenson Distillery Design Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 13

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DEPARTM ENT OF THE ATR E AN D DR A M A (from January 1 to December 31, 2011) $1,000+ Russell Howes Robert H., II and Becky Lehner Jonathan B. and Susan W. Lipp George E. Olsen Timothy K. and Patricia B. Size $500-999 Merry K. Anderson Dennis L. and Katherine A. Dorn Sara J. Harris Clifford J. Hirschman Robert and Joann Skloot Jennifer A. Swan $250-499 Timothy R. and Rhonda K. Current Leonard C. Harman, Jr. Maureen D. Skelton Jon E. Sorenson Daniel S. and Cecilia H. Yang $100-249 Norlin J. and Cynthia R. Benevenga Maurice B. and Sybil R. Better

Katherine M. Charron Peter M. and Susan Cole Kirk A. Domer Jane L. Forsyth Chris P. Jaehnig Rachel D. Johnson Patricia Kugler Whitely Allen J. Kuharski Marie T. Leithauser Gretchen J. Michlitsch Peter and Donna Napoleone John H. and Gretchen H. Oakley Ernest J. Peterson Stacie J. Pierce Mona J. Poehling Bernice R. Ruswick Steven M. Scholze Daniel J. Sebald Mark W. Stanley Harvey Sweet Sybil J. Trubin Steven M. Woolf $1-99 Barry C. and Laura R. Burden Timothy R. Dewart Mariam A. Duckwall Rebecca B. Entel Deborah L. Ferris Sarah Hasan

Fannie E. Hicklin Ademola Iyi-Eweka James H. Lieberthal Robert D. Magasano and Shana R. Lewis Eric V. and Torrie K. Mueller Charlotte M. Mullen Samuel and Heather L. Murn Nicholas L. Neds and Lindsey Hoel-Neds Gretchen H. Page Guy D., III and Joanne H. Plunkett Peter M. Reader Kathryn M. Rohe Ephraim J. Stanfield David J. and Shirley J. Susan Louis H. and Julie S. Swedarsky Nicholas H. Tamarkin Bailey G., Jr. and Katherine C. Walsh Erik W. and Tina M. Walstad Elwyn L. and Evelyn B. Weible William R. and Christine M. Wiegert

H OW TO C O N T R I B U T E There are many ways to contribute to the Department of Theater and Drama, including: • Gifts of appreciated securities, personal property, and real estate • Deferred gifts such as bequests, trusts, and life income agreements • Permanently endowed scholarships, fellowships, and professorships named for a relative or friend For more information about all giving opportunities, please call Ann Dingman at the UW Foundation, (800) 443-6162 or (608) 262-7211.

Please make your check payable to University of Wisconsin Foundation and mail to University of Wisconsin Foundation, US Bank Lockbox, PO Box 78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278-0807. Indicate that your contribution should be credited to the Department of Theater and Drama.

14 University Theatre

F O R YO U R I N F O R M AT I O N Cameras and Recorders: No photographs or recordings may be made during the performance.

Restrooms: Restrooms and drinking fountains for patron use are located in the lower level of the theatre lobby. Wheelchair accessible facilities are available on the lobby level. Please use lower level facilities unless special needs dictate otherwise.

Emergency Calls: Doctors and parents are asked to leave the campus security phone number, 264-2677, with their service or sitter. Please inform the house manager of your seat location if the possibility of a call exists.

In order not to disturb other patrons, please turn off all paging devices, electonic devices, cell phones and watch alarms.

Latecomers: Performances begin promptly. Latecomers will be seated only at a suitable break, which in some cases may not be until intermission.

Exchanges and Refunds: No refunds are given, but exchanges may be made up to 24 hours prior to the ticketed performance date when tickets are available.

Patrons who cannot use their tickets are asked to contact the Vilas Hall Box Office 24 hours in advance of the performance. Postdated tickets have no value and cannot be exchanged. Unused tickets can be donated to the theatre for resale, the proceeds of which will go to improvements of the theatre.

Ticketing: Any person entering the theatre must have a ticket. Babes in arms can not be admitted. UT discourages bringing small children to the theatre except when the production is specifically for young audiences.

Accessibility: University Theatre can accommodate your special needs. Call 265-2787 for information regarding wheelchair accessibility and hearingassist systems.

Parking: Parking passes are available for purchase by arts patrons in UW owned parking lots close to venues. Call Campus Arts Ticketing at 265-2787 for more information.

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