Black Cypress Bayou Program

BLACKCYPRESSBAYOU

WELCOME TO

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / CEO GIL CATES, JR.

Welcome to the world premiere of Black Cypress Bayou! We are very proud to present this thrilling and funny play from playwright Kristen Adele Calhoun in our intimate and immersive Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater.

As we look ahead to 2024/2025, our new artistic director Tarell Alvin McCraney and his team have been in planning mode to curate a collection of plays that promise to innovate, inform, entertain, and inspire, true to our mission as a home for the performing arts.

We’ve also been busy this season making improvements and upgrades to our systems and infrastructure to provide you with the best experience possible. These include a seamless new ticketing system, state-of-the-art backstage improvements, as well as enhancing the front-of-house experience for all our guests.

Alongside these efforts, we are also working to expand our programs within the community to broaden our relationships, as well as bring in new collaborators to Geffen Playhouse.

None of the work we do, on stage or off, would be possible without your presence here today. We thank you for your support and for being a part of the Geffen family.

Enjoy the show!

Gil Cates, Jr. Executive Director / CEO

PHOTO BY JEFF LORCH

BLACK PARTNERS APPRECIATION NIGHTS

In the spirit of Broadway’s Black Out Nights, we welcome Black-identifying audiences and their allies to experience a powerful Black drama alongside passionate community partners in a celebratory environment.

100% of ticket proceeds for these peformances benefit our community partner organizations.

UPCOMING BLACK PARTNER APPRECIATION NIGHTS

BLACK CYPRESS BAYOU................TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20

THANK YOU TO OUR EXCLUSIVE HOSPITALITY SPONSOR

From January 15, 2024 (in honor of MLK Jr. Day) through June 19, 2024 (in honor of Juneteenth), Uncle Nearest is partnering with bars, restaurants, retailers, e-Commerce partners, and our Uncle Nearest #WhiskeyFamily to raise up to $1.4 Million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in order to provide one full in-state tuition scholarship to each of the accredited schools.

FAT HAM TUESDAY, APRIL 2 FOR TICKETS AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT geffenplayhouse.org/blackpartners

PHOTO BY JEFF LORCH

AMY LEVINSON

Welcome to Black Cypress Bayou! We are thrilled to welcome playwright Kristen Adele Calhoun to the Geffen with her wildly funny, mysterious, affecting play. Black Cypress Bayou is a genre-defying piece of writing that beautifully explores familial relationships, ancestral ties, and the possibility of healing within even the most painful legacies of pain. Kristen instills her characters with power both natural and supernatural as they navigate through an unsettling night in the Texas bayou. What initially drew us to the piece were the vividly drawn relationships between a mother and her daughters, as well as the audacious surprises of Kristen’s plot (which I won’t spoil here). But as we came to know the play more, we grew to appreciate the multi-generational elements of the story: in moving towards shared knowledge, rather than secrets, these women find a way to both illuminate the past and reshape the future.

We also welcome Tiffany Nichole Greene, who has directed this play with extraordinary precision and passion. She has assembled a singularly spectacular cast and team of designers, who transport us into the bayou the moment we set foot in the theater. Both Texas-raised, Kristen and Tiffany understand this place and the people who live there in a profound way; this authenticity comes through in everything they have created together.

Thank you for being here to share in this world premiere play. We at the Geffen are grateful to have been part of the process of bringing it to life. Enjoy the show!

Amy Levinson Associate Artistic Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Adi Greenberg CHAIR

Dr. Gene D. Block

Gil Cates, Jr. Executive Director / CEO

Mary Ann Cloyd Vice Chair

Merle Dandridge

Dr. Brad Edgerton

Bonnie E. Eskenazi

Mark Fleischer

Susan Nahley Fleishman

Brenda Garcia

Patricia L. Glaser

Eric Heer

Carla Malden

Brian Mann

Tiffany Mayberry

Tarell Alvin McCraney Artistic Director

Mary Osako

Danny Passman

Holly Rice

Linda Bernstein Rubin

Matt Shakman

Richard Sherman

Cynthia P. Stafford

Howard Tenenbaum Chair Emeritus

JaHan Wang

Marc Weinstock

FOUNDING TRUSTEES

Harold A. Brown

Kirsten Combs

Robert A. Daly

David Geffen

Herbert M. Gelfand Chair Emeritus

Quincy Jones

Jeffrey Katzenberg

Glorya Kaufman

Frank G. Mancuso Chair Emeritus

Ron Meyer

Bruce M. Ramer

Founding Chair

Victoria Mann Simms

Andy Spahn

Steven Spielberg

Steve Tisch

IN MEMORIAM

Gilbert Cates

Founder

Marcia Israel-Curley

Audrey Skirball Kenis

Charles Kenis

Karl Malden

Ginny Mancini

Jerry Moss

Jerry Perenchio

Edie Wasserman

Lew Wasserman

Dr. Charles E. Young

LEGAL COUNSEL

Nikki Kerman

Venable LLP

NOTE FROM PLAYWRIGHT KRISTEN ADELE CALHOUN

LIKE THE CHURCH FOLK SAY—“YOU COULD HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD TODAY BUT YOU CHOSE TO BE HERE.” And for that, we give thanks! Welcome to the Bayou.

I started writing this play in April 2020 when, like many people, I was consumed with the questions of:

• What must change for humanity to thrive?

• How do we co-conspire with nature for the good of the planet?

• What ancestral practices can we reclaim in the name of healing?

I trace my roots at least seven generations back (on both sides) to Deep East Texas. We are of red clay, big sky, an illogical hope in better days, and the audacity to bring those days to bear. I am grateful to the people of this place—like my paternal grandparents, R.L. and Octeria Calhoun—for showing me that all of our survival is connected. I am grateful to the communities of care they created in the midst of unthinkable horrors. I am grateful for the shout, the rocking chair, the wail, the altar call, the belly laugh, the garden and all the tools they passed down with no name but deep power.

I hope you feel some of that power in this play. Here in this sacred space we call the theater, I honor the genius and generosity of the Black South and strive to be in conversation with the works of Dr. Barbara Ann Teer, Israel Hicks, Jeffrey Nickelson, Ebony Noelle Golden, Shay Wafer, Lorraine Hansberry, Dr. Ron Himes, vickie washington, Woodie King Jr., Tarell Alvin McCraney, Eric Lockley, Belynda M’Baye, Lynn Nottage, Lynda Gravatt, Katori Hall, Tricia Hersey, August Wilson, Dominique Morisseau, Jenny Koons, Nikki Vera, Marcus Gardley, Jonathan McCrory, Sade Lythcott, York Walker, Princeton James, Roberta Uno, Michael Thomas Walker, Rodney Hicks, Marshall Jones III, Cajardo Lindsey and all collaborators past, present and future who believe in the transforming power of the stage.

And while this play is hyperspecific to a culture and region, I hope no matter where you’re from it touches something familiar and unearths healing for you too.

If at any point during our time together, you should feel a quickening in your spirit— let it out. I invite you to laugh loud, cut up, carry on and let us know how you feel. Thank you again for being in our number.

My daddy’s people.

CAN I GET A WITNESS?

BY LINDSAY A. JENKINS, DRAMATURG FOR BLACK CYPRESS BAYOU

In her book, Black Imagination, Natasha Marin offers “Seeing ourselves as whole and healthy is an act of pure rebellion in a world so titillated by our constant subjugation.” The creation of art in response to racial violence is a part of the legacy of Black theatremakers. For example, during the pandemics of lynchings and terror that spread across the U.S. in the early 1900s, it was playwrights such as Angelina Weld Grimké and Georgia Douglas Johnson who acknowledged the impact of this violence on the interior lives of Black women and Black families.

This act of seeing and being seen is an important aspect of performance that can lead to healing. And so, we take our role as audience members seriously as we come together for the collective witnessing of Black Cypress Bayou by Kristen Adele Calhoun.

Natasha Marin also observes that “witnessing is sacred work.” In honor of Marin’s beautifully sacred work, I offer you a ritual for witnessing this performance :

Close your eyes. Take a breath. Think about the people who have come before you. Did they have the luxury of leisure? Of free-time? Of disposable income? Bring them with you into the space. Say their names. During the show, if someone puts out a call, lean into the response.

When the play ends, please fellowship. Linger in the lobby chatting. Touch and agree. Remember that ritual results in transformation. These transformations can look like:

• Closed to Open

• Hurt to Healed

• Denial to Acceptance

• Secrecy to Transparency

• Sadness to Joy

I leave you with this reflection from Alexis Pauline Gumbs from her soul-stirring book

Undrowned:

“What is the scale of breathing? You put your hand on your individual chest as it rises and falters all day. But is that the scale of breathing? You share air and chemical exchange with everyone in the room, everyone you pass by today. Is the scale of breathing within one species? All animals participate in this exchange of release for continued life. But not without the plants. The plants in their inverse process, release what we need, take what we give without being asked. And the planet, wrapped in ocean breathing, breathing into the sky. What is the scale of breathing? You are part of it now. You are not alone.”

Scan the QR code to see the research (and the memes, and the videos) that supported this beautiful work.

BLACK CYPRESS BAYOU

WRITTEN BY KRISTEN ADELE CALHOUN

DIRECTED BY TIFFANY NICHOLE GREENE

SCENIC DESIGNER LAWRENCE E. MOTEN III

LIGHTING DESIGNER DONNY JACKSON

COSTUME DESIGNER MYLETTE NORA

SOUND DESIGN & MUSIC BY EVERETT ELTON BRADMAN

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR VELANI DIBBA

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGERS

GABRIELLE J. BRUNO

CLARA KING

KESIA ROSS

ADDITIONAL SOUND DESIGN FAN ZHANG

DRAMATURG LINDSAY A. JENKINS

CASTING DIRECTOR PHYLLIS SCHURINGA, CSA

OPENING NIGHT

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

BLACK CYPRESS BAYOU

CAST OF CHARACTERS

(IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)

LadyBird Manifold ................................................................

Vernita Manifold

RaeMeka Manifold-Baler

Taysha Hunter

BRANDEE EVANS

KIMBERLY SCOTT

ANGELA LEWIS

AMBER CHARDAE ROBINSON

UNDERSTUDIES

(IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

RaeMeka Manifold-Baler / Taysha Hunter

Vernita Manifold

LadyBird Manifold / RaeMeka Manifold-Baler

ASIA MARTIN

INGER TUDOR

AKILAH A. WALKER

Understudies never substitute for listed players unless specified.

The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

SETTING/TIME

Deep East Texas. August 2020.

RUNNING TIME

80 minutes

There will be no intermission.

PLEASE NOTE

There is no photography or filming of any kind allowed during the performance. Please turn off all electronic devices, including cell phones. Thank you!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PRODUCTION STAFF FOR BLACK CYPRESS BAYOU

Associate Scenic Designer

Danielle DeLaFuente

Assistant Costume Designer

Wendell Carmichael

Tech Production Stage Manager

Alyssa Escalante

Production Assistant

Lanae Wilks

On-Book Production Assistants

Gia Blakey, Cecelia Bonner, Sidney Edwards, Aja Houston, Kimleigh Smith, Jasmine Williams

Script Assistants

Aja Hinds, Rediet Yared

Weapons Instructors

Ito Aghayere, Julie Ouellette

Lead Scenic Carpenter

Philip Rossi

Scenery Built & Painted By Undefined Laboratories

Lighting Equipment

Provided By Kinetic Lighting

Sound Equipment

Stage Supervisors

Gabrielle Bruno, Greg Mueller

Deck Assistant

Greg Mueller

Wardrobe Supervisor/Dresser

Haley Powell

Lighting Programmer

Nicole Jaja

Light Board Operator

Jesus Cambero Elias

Sound Board Operator

Michael Svolos

Properties Artistans & Carpenters

J. Cody Andersen, Christopher R. Baab, Mikayla Bettner, Sigourney Chin, Danny Dolan, Rowan Knight, Aaron Lyons Carpenters

Oliver Brink, Ryan Fischer, Ezra Fisher, Dave Foubert,

Mason Irwin, Shadow LaValley, Greg Mueller, Lyn Nguyen, Beth Scorzato, Syd Shoell

Scenic Painters

Vanessa Lara, Chandish Nester Stitchers

Stephanie Castro, Kiko Cheyenne, Kassidy Klinesmith, Michayla

Van Treeck

Electricians

Erica Ammerman, Shannon Barondeau, Ezra Fisher, Miri Henerson, Emma Inglehart, Justin Kelley-Cahill, Juan Lozano, Ezra Muthiah, Keannak Parvaz, Keanu Ross-Cabrera, Christiana Saldibar, James Tatsch, Benjamin Wendel

Sound Technicians

Oliver Brink, Guillermo Cervera, Michael Svolos

PRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Production Photographer

Jeff Lorch

Media Filming

Ramon Garcia

Provided By DnB Design, Jon Sound Inc., Launch

SPECIAL THANKS

Design + Art Direction Base Design

Photography

Justin Bettman

UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television Scene, Prop, Sound, and Costume Shops; You Go Natural Headwraps; Kristen Adele Calhoun would like to thank: Glo Calhoun, Ryan Calhoun, Dr. Ron Calhoun, Loretta Calhoun, Joseph Calhoun and the whole Calhoun Family, Will and Morgan Adams, Vera Jorden, William Heard and the Heard Family, The Edmond Family, The Henderson Family, Tramell Tillman, Margaret Odette, Richard Prioleau, Jessica Kitchens, Brandi Holmes, Cherish Robinson, Melissa Firlit, Josh Levine, Kate Walker, Patty Kingsbaker, Michael Kingsbaker, Seth Michael White, Marron Moore, Mya James, Sicley Williams, Jada Suzanne Dixon, Russell Taylor, Danielle Pinnock, Tiffany Wright, Dionn Richardson, Lee Edward Colston II, Tarell Alvin McCraney, and Kemiyondo Coutinho; My agents: Olivier Sultan, Lauren Jane Holland, Angela Dallas, and Christina Chou; The earliest readers and supporters of this work: York Walker, Nikki Vera, Jenny Koons, Bobby LeFebre, Kerrie Joy, SuCh, Michael Thomas Walker, Anasa Troutman, Amy Levinson, Theatre Tuscaloosa, and the National Black Theatre; and my collaborators: Tiffany Nichole Greene, Resmaa Menakem, Darnell Brown, Jenina Kibuka, Raven Jackson, Morgan Grain, Shannon M. Houston, Stephanie Allain, Janet Mock, Kahlil Joseph, Onye Anyanwu, Francie Calfo, Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood for pushing me deeper in all of my writing. Tiffany Nichole Greene would like to thank: My bloodline, the Strong Black Women in My Life: Jackie Cross Ecford, Aniece Cross, Jonda Cross, My Great-grandma “Red” Regina Knight, Ester Greene, Emma Greene; My agents, Alex Gold and Olivier Sultan; Jamie Kaye-Phillips for all of the support; The Ancestors. And always and forever, my brother, James Weldon Ecford. I miss you so. Angela Lewis would like to thank: Jamal Mallory-McCree and Priscila Diaz for holding down the home front.

This theater operates under agreement between the League of Resident Theaters and Actors Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

This theater operates under agreement between the League of Resident Theaters and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, an independent national labor union.

The Director is a Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.

The scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers in LORT theaters are represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829, IATSE.

Geffen Playhouse is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

This project was also funded in part by the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles.

Geffen Playhouse, a not-for-profit theater company, is proudly affiliated with the University of California at Los Angeles.

AMBER CHARDAE ROBINSON

Taysha Hunter

Amber Chardae Robinson was born and raised in Port Arthur, Texas. Amber is a proud graduate of Prairie View A&M University (B.A. Theatre 2012) and Columbia University (M.F.A. Acting 2015). Recent film credits include: Judas and the Black Messiah, Moving On, 80 for Brady, So Help Me Todd, Loot, Stuber, Always a Bridesmaid, The Neighborhood, Hell On Wheels. Additionally, Amber recently performed as “Virginia” in Apple TV+’s Palm Royale which is set to release in 2024. Theatre credits include: off-Broadway: The Comedy of Errors, Light, Fen, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Classic Stage Company); regional: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (California Shakespeare Company). Amber dedicates this performance in honor of her mother Cherel Lynette Sanders. @amberchardae

BRANDEE EVANS

LadyBird Manifold

Brandee Evans is an actress and caregiver. She appears as a lead on the Starz network show P-Valley, in the role of “Mercedes.” Brandee received two NAACP Image Award nominations in the Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series category for her work on seasons one and two of P-Valley. She won the Women’s Image Network Awards in 2021 for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. She will next be seen in the Bleecker Street comedy The Fabulous Four playing Sheryl Lee Ralph’s daughter, Color Book alongside Will Catlett which will premiere at Tribeca Film Festival June 2024, and starring in the independent feature film Incision. Brandee’s first career was as an educator. She held the Chair position of the English department in Memphis, her hometown. Brandee is also an accomplished dancer and choreographer—she has appeared in multiple music videos and has toured, danced, and created for artists all over the world. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

IG: @TheRealBrandee www.BrandeeEvans.com

ANGELA LEWIS (she/her)

RaeMeka Manifold-Baler

Angela Lewis, hailing from Detroit with a B.F.A. from the University of Michigan, is a versatile actress known for her world premiere off-Broadway and on-camera roles, most recently, her acclaimed portrayal of “Aunt Louie” on the FX hit series Snowfall. Prior television appearances include Showtime’s The Big C, Law & Order: SVU, TNT’s The Last Ship, and CBS’s Code Black Alongside her acting career, she co-founded BlüRemedi Media with her husband (a production company that illuminates the vast diversity within diversity) and a non-profit, Moon Child Collaborative. In 2019, Angela became a mom, and the beautiful experience moved her to create Birth Village, the first program under the MCC umbrella, dedicated to eliminating the Black maternal health crisis by raising awareness, educating, and advocating for Black (and Brown) birthing people and their families. In 2023, she gave birth again and cemented her commitment to fostering joyful birthing experiences. You can follow Angela Lewis on social media: @luvangelalewis, @birthvillage_org or visit her website www.luvangelalewis.com.

KIMBERLY SCOTT

Vernita Manifold

Broadway: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations). Regional: The XIXth (world premiere at The Old Globe); Sweat (co-world premiere at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Arena Stage); Familiar (world premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre); Head of Passes (Berkeley Repertory Theatre); Her Portmanteau (A.C.T. Strand Theatre); American Night: The Ballad of Juan José (Kirk Douglas Theatre); Ruined and The Liquid Plain (world premiere) (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); A Raisin in the Sun (The Huntington), Death of a Salesman (Yale Repertory Theatre); and The Gospel at Colonus (Mabou Mines/Moscow Gorky Art Theatre), among many others. TV recurring: Bob Hearts Abishola, Medium, Family Law, The Commish. Film: Respect, The Abyss, Love & Other Drugs, Guess Who, K-PAX, I Am Sam, The Client, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin. M.F.A.: The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. Two-time Beinecke Fellow at Yale Repertory Theatre and Board Member for the extraordinary environmental non-profit Mujeres de la Tierra (www.mujeresdelatierra.org).

KRISTEN ADELE CALHOUN (she/her)

Playwright

Kristen Adele Calhoun is a writer, actor, producer, and curator. Her playwriting commissions include Penumbra Theatre, Lucille Lortel Theatre, the NAACP, St. Louis Black Repertory Company, 651 ARTS, and the Black American West Museum. Other plays include WILDCAT, blood work, Out the Mud, and Canfield Drive. She is the co-curator of BLKSPACE, a two-week, rest-centered residency for Black artists and is currently an I AM SOUL Playwriting Resident at Dr. Barbara Ann Teer’s National Black Theatre. Her film and television writing credits include: HBO’s adaptation of Toni Morrison’s novel SULA helmed by showrunner Shannon M. Houston and Stephanie Allain’s Homegrown Pictures, and BLKNWS directed by Kahlil Joseph, produced by A24 and Participant. Kristen’s television and film acting credits include: House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, Elementary, Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, Everything I Whispered to Dorothy, and The Astronaut Who Lost His Helmet. A native of

Dallas, Texas, she is a graduate of the University of North Texas (Bachelor of Fine Arts) and the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University (Master of Fine Arts). She splits her time between Ghana, Mexico, and the United States of America. Instagram: @kristenadelecalhoun

Tiffany Nichole Greene was the original resident director of Hamilton: An American Musical (Philip Tour). Her most recent credits include, York Walker’s Covenant at Roundabout Theatre Company; Jonathan Larson’s Rent at Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Steph Del Rosso’s 53% Of at Second Stage Theater; Christina Ham’s Nina Simone: Four Women at Arizona Theatre Company; the world premiere of Vichet Chum’s High School Play: A Nostalgia Fest at the Alley Theatre; the world premiere of Invincible at The Wallis, featuring the music of Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo; and Adrienne Kennedy’s Ohio State Murders for the Goodman Theatre’s LIVE series. During

TIFFANY NICHOLE GREENE (she/her) Director

the pandemic, Tiffany directed the world premieres of Lydia R. Diamond’s whiterly negotiations and Lynn Nottage’s What Are The Things I Need To Remember for Theatre For One: Here We Are, produced by Octopus Theatricals (NYT Critic’s Pick). She is a Lincoln Center Directors Lab alum, a Soho Rep Directors Lab alum, and a proud member of SDC. She holds an M.F.A. from Brown University/Trinity Rep. www.tiffanynicholegreene.com

LAWRENCE E. MOTEN III (he/him)

Scenic Designer

Broadway: Chicken & Biscuits (Circle in the Square). New York: The White Chip (MCC Theater), Covenant (Roundabout Theatre Company), Patience (Second Stage Theatre Uptown), STEW (Page 73), The White Chip (59E59 Theaters). Regional: Bulrusher (McCarter Theatre Center & Berkeley Repertory Theatre); Sir John in Love (Bard Music Festival); Faust (Wolf Trap); Proof, Once Upon a Bridge, The Brothers Size (American Players Theatre); Twelfth Night (The Old Globe); Sherlock Holmes and The Case of The Jersey Lily (Alley Theatre); Blues for an Alabama Sky (McCarter Theatre Center & Guthrie Theatre); Appropriate, The Little Foxes (South Coast Repertory); Christmas in Connecticut (Goodspeed Musicals); Requiem (IN Series); This Little

Light of Mine (Santa Fe Opera); Much Ado About Nothing (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company); Fairview (Wilma Theater); it’s not a trip it’s a journey, We declare you a terrorist… (Round House Theater); Gem of the Ocean (Portland Center Stage); Trouble in Mind (The Old Globe). Member: Local USA 829. www.motendesigns.com

IG: @motendesigns

MYLETTE NORA Costume Designer

Mylette Nora designs costumes for film, TV, stage, and music videos. She is the esteemed recipient of an NAACP Theatre Award and the prestigious Ovation Award for Best Costumes. Her theater credits include: August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Radio Golf, and Seven Guitars; Shay Youngblood’s Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery; David Austin’s Has Anyone Seen My Rainbow?; Dura Temple and Sheri Bailey’s Southern Girls; Matt Donnelly and Jamelle Dolphin’s Recorded in Hollywood; Kathryn Taylor Smith’s A Mile In My Shoes; Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop; and Boni B. Alvarez’s Bloodletting Off-Broadway credits include: Karen Abercrombie’s Ciao Bella and Mark Wilding’s Our Man In Santiago. Her designs have been seen at numerous theaters and theater companies in Los Angeles including Kirk Douglas Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, LATC,

Playwrights’ Arena, East West Players, Open Fist Theatre Company, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Atwater Village Theatre, Skylight Theatre Company, and The Hudson Theatres. Her film credits include: All American Family and Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story. Mylette worked for thirteen years in television on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

DONNY JACKSON

Lighting Designer

Donny Jackson is an award-winning lighting designer based in Los Angeles. Work highlights: In the Heights (La Mirada Theatre, Orange Curtain Review Award); If I Forget, directed by Jason Alexander (The Fountain Theatre); Closely Related Keys (International City Theatre, StageSceneLA Scenie Award); Four Clowns (La MaMa, New York Premiere); God Looked Away, starring Al Pacino (Macha Theatre); KJazz Concert 2017 (The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts); Arrival & Departure (The Fountain Theatre, BroadwayWorld Award); and Transition (Lounge Theatre, NAACP Theatre Award). Recent projects: Is God Is (Lobby Theatre), A Doll’s House, Part 2 (International City Theatre), A Little Night Music (Greenway Court Theatre), and Angels in America (Long Beach Playhouse). He is Head of Technical Theatre and Design at

Cypress College and holds an M.F.A. in lighting from UCLA. www.donnyjackson.com

EVERETT ELTON BRADMAN (he/him)

Sound Design & Music

Everett Elton Bradman’s composer/sound designer credits include world premieres (Lear at Cal Shakes), West Coast premieres (TRAYF at Geffen Playhouse), audio dramas (Aurora Theater Company’s The Bluest Eye), student productions (UC Riverside’s Red Oleanders), Zoom theater (Actors Theatre’s Romeo & Juliet: Louisville 2020), podcasts (Z Space/Word for Word’s Retablos trilogy), filmed theater (San Francisco Playhouse’s [hieroglyph]), hybrid visual/audio (New Conservatory Theatre Center’s Interlude), and outdoor performances (Oakland Theater Project’s The Waste Land). Other recent adventures include teaching a sound design class and co-writing a musical for Bay Area Children’s Theatre and The Rose Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. Stop by and say hello at eltonsounds.com!

FAN ZHANG (she/her)

Additional Sound Design

Recent off-Broadway: The Far Country (Atlantic Theater Company); At the Wedding (Lincoln Center Theater); This Land Was Made (Vineyard Theatre); Snow in Midsummer (Classic Stage

Company); On That Day in Amsterdam (59E59 Theaters), A Kid Like Rishi (Origin Theatre Company), Paris (Atlantic Theater Company), Our Dear Dead Drug Lord (Second Stage Theater & WP Theater), Pumpgirl (Irish Repertory Theatre), Suicide Forest (Ma-Yi Theater Company), Molly Sweeney (Theatre Row), Behind the Sheet (Ensemble Studio Theater), The Trail of the Catonsville Nine (Transport Group). Her designs have been seen at numerous theaters across the country including: Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Milwaukee Rep, Capital Repertory Theatre, Artists Repertory Theatre, American Repertory Theater, Long Wharf Theatre, City Theatre Company, Portland Center Stage, Studio Theatre, Two River Theater, Westport Country Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Yale Repertory Theatre, Huntington Theatre Compant, and The Old Globe. Member of Local 829, TSDCA. Head of the sound program at Purdue University. Education: M.F.A., Yale School of Drama.  www.fanzhangsound.com

VELANI DIBBA (she/her) Associate Director

Velani Dibba is an LA-based director and multidisciplinary artist. Her work focuses on the

collision of cultures through design-focused and ensemble-driven pieces. Select credits include Pride and Prejudice (The Dramat at Yale Repertory Theatre), we need your listening (New Ohio Theatre Ice Factory Festival), Apologies to the Bengali Lady (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Tank NYC, The Gathering), I Pledge Allegiance (UNESCO International Theatre Festival and World Congress, TCG National Conference), Space Odyssey (Columbia School of the Arts). She is an Inaugural Fellow at the Laboratory for Global Performance & Politics in Washington

D.C., a former Global Cultural Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, a founding member of The SuperGeographic Ensemble Theatre, and a former SITI Company Artistic Associate. Her work has been reported on by The New York Times, Vulture, The Scotsman, and various other outlets. M.F.A. Columbia University, B.S.F.S. Georgetown School of Foreign Service.

LINDSAY A. JENKINS (she/her) Dramaturg

Lindsay A. Jenkins (L.J.) is a dramaturg and cultural consultant based in Los Angeles by way of Dallas, TX. Her area of specialty is Black Performance Heritage, connecting past performances to contemporary experiences. L.J. loves supporting the development of new work, most

recently in residence at the Ojai Playwrights Conference. Other dramaturgical work includes The First Deep Breath at Geffen Playhouse, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 at the Mark Taper Forum and Lines in the Dust produced by Collaborative Artist Bloc. She considers herself an Afrocentric dramaturg, rooted in ritual and employing embodied practices in her approach to research and development. L.J began her career as a middle school teacher and is currently on the faculty at Pomona College. She is the Founder of Maroon Arts and Culture, an arts organization dedicated to illuminating the richness of Black experiences through innovative theatre and performance.

GABRIELLE J. BRUNO (she/her)

Production Stage Manager

Gabrielle J. Bruno is a proud graduate of California State University, Northridge and is so excited to be back at the Geffen for Black Cypress Bayou! Previous Geffen credits include Assistant Stage Manager for Ava: The Secret Conversations and Production Assistant for Mindplay. Additional stage management credits: A Raisin in the Sun at South Coast Repertory; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, A Raisin in the Sun, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, A Christmas Carol, and Man of La Mancha at A Noise Within;

Native Gardens at Coachella Valley Repertory; Seven Loves at the Getty Villa; the 2023 Cycle of Poverty reading series presented by Lower Depth Theatre. Additional theatre experience as the Production Manager of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival from 2021-2023 presented by Independent Shakespeare Co. Currently the Stage Supervisor of the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse.

CLARA KING (she/they)

Production Stage Manager

Clara is thrilled to be working on her first show with the Geffen. She is an AEA stage manager and theatre artist based on the West Coast. Recent select stage management credits include: The Manager (The Bourbon Room, Workshop); Did You See What Walter Paisley Did Today? (La Mirada Theatre, World Premiere); Big Fish (Broadway Rose Theatre Company); Head Over Heels, The Wedding Singer (Playhouse Stage Company); HAIR (Staged!); and Marabella (CalArts, World Premiere).

M.F.A. in Stage Management, California Institute of the Arts. All my love to Richard and Ella. www.ckingsm.com

KESIA ROSS (she/her)

Production Stage Manager

Kesia is excited to be returning to the Geffen Playhouse! As a

Las Vegas native, Kesia came to California to attend Chapman University and received her B.A. in Theatre Technology with an emphasis in Stage Management. Some of Kesia’s highlights include A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Los Angeles Philharmonic; Annie at the Hollywood Bowl; the Ojai Playwrights Conference; Power of Sail, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Ava: The Secret Conversations, and The Mountaintop at the Geffen Playhouse; and various shows at the Disneyland Resort as a Production Stage Manager.

PHYLLIS SCHURINGA, CSA (she/her)

Casting Director

Phyllis is an Artistic Associate and the Casting Director for Geffen Playhouse. She has received 9 Artios nominations: The Inheritance: Part 1 & Part 2, Power of Sail, Man of God, Witch, Significant Other, Actually, Barbecue, Barcelona, and The Country House. Before joining the Geffen, she was the Casting Director for Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago where her favorites include Frank Galati’s adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath (also La Jolla Playhouse, National Theatre in London, and Broadway, where it received the Tony Award for Best Play), the original production of Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile (and subsequent

productions including Westwood Playhouse and Briar Street Theater in Chicago). Broadway transfers include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Tony Award for Best Revival), The Song of Jacob Zulu, and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. She is a member of the Casting Society of America.

TARELL ALVIN M c CRANEY (he/him)

Artistic Director

Tarell Alvin McCraney is Artistic Director of Geffen Playhouse. In this role, he is responsible for identifying, developing, and programming new works and re-envisioned classics. He sets the strategic artistic course for the Geffen’s Gil Cates and Audrey Skirball Kenis Theaters. McCraney is an award-winning writer, producer, and educator, best known for his acclaimed trilogy, The Brother/Sister Plays. His script In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue is the basis for the Oscar–winning film Moonlight directed by Barry Jenkins, for which McCraney and Jenkins also won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. He is an ensemble member at Steppenwolf Theatre and a member

of Teo Castellanos D-Projects in Miami, a graduate of New World School of the Arts, The Theatre School at DePaul University, and the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Warwick. He was recently Co-Chair of Playwriting at the David Geffen School of Drama, where he remains on faculty. He is an associate at the Royal Shakespeare Company, London, and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Writers Branch).

GIL CATES, JR. Executive Director / CEO

Gil Cates, Jr. is Executive Director / CEO of Geffen Playhouse. In this role, he is responsible for managing the Geffen’s day-today operations; developing new, ongoing theater partnerships and leading its mission to inform, entertain and inspire diverse audiences with live theater of the highest caliber. Prior to being named Executive Director in 2015, Cates served as Geffen Playhouse Board Vice Chairman since 2012 and served as a producer and director in theater, film and television. His theater

credits include the award-winning Names (Matrix Theatre Company) and Three Sisters and David Mamet’s A Life in the Theatre (both at Syracuse Stage). Cates’ film credits include The Surface (starring Sean Astin and Geffen Playhouse alumnus Chris Mulkey), Jobs (starring Ashton Kutcher, Josh Gad, Dermot Mulroney, as well as Geffen Playhouse alumni Matthew Modine and Ron Eldard) and the 2011 feature film Lucky (starring Colin Hanks, Ari Graynor and Ann-Margret). In addition, Cates co-produced and co-directed the critically acclaimed Life After Tomorrow, featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, which premiered on Showtime. His other films include Deal (starring Burt Reynolds, Bret Harrison and Charles Durning) and The Mesmerist (starring Jessica Capshaw and Geffen Playhouse alumnus Neil Patrick Harris). Cates’ television directorial debut was an episode of the NBC comedy Joey, starring Emmy winner Matt LeBlanc. He recently directed Displaced, a documentary short chronicling the journey of one of the first refugee families to flee Ukraine and arrive in the U.S. after escaping the Russian invasion. He studied at the National Theatre Institute in Waterford, Connecticut, and holds a B.F.A. in Drama from Syracuse University.

GEFFEN AT A GLANCE THE NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

CONTACT

Geffen Playhouse

10886 Le Conte Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90024

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

310.208.6500

Monday – Friday, 10:00am – 6:00pm

AUDIENCE SERVICES

310.208.2028

Tuesday – Sunday, 12:00pm – 6:00pm

Please visit geffenplayhouse.org for hours, parking and more information.

BOX OFFICE WINDOW

Tuesday – Sunday, 12:00pm – 6:00pm, as well as on performance days up until 15 minutes after curtain.

Please note: the box office window is unable to process exchanges or future sales one hour prior to curtain time on performance days.

ACCESSIBILITY

Geffen Playhouse is fully committed to providing access to patrons with mobility, visual and hearing impairments. Parking spaces directly outside the theater are zoned for drop off and pick up, as well as disabled parking spots for patrons with appropriate placards and plates. For more information, visit geffenplayhouse.org/access or call Audience Services.

LATE SEATING

Should you arrive late to the theater or vacate your seat during the performance, please expect to be held in the lobby until an appropriate pause in the action on stage. Some productions or circumstances may not allow for late or return seating. To minimize disturbances to other patrons, you may be seated in the first available location by the house staff even if it is different from your assigned seat.

NO PHOTOGRAPHY

There is no photography or filming of any kind allowed during the performance. Please turn off all electronic devices, including cell phones.

UCLA SCHOOL OF THEATER, FILM AND TELEVISION

Geffen Playhouse is affiliated with the University of California at Los Angeles, specifically the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Geffen Playhouse values its role as an important educational resource by providing students with master classes, workshops and internships. Students are also able to work and learn from distinguished visiting Geffen artists in areas of directing, playwriting, acting, design, dramaturgy, management and production.

Geffen Playhouse also draws upon the distinguished experts in the university to enhance the theater’s programs and research.

Supporting artists is central to the mission of the Geffen Playhouse, and play commissions are a cornerstone of that support. To commission a playwright to write a play means making a commitment to their voice, craft, and vision, with the hope of sharing the fruits of their work on our stage.

The Geffen Playhouse’s New Play Development Program is made possible, in large part, through the leadership and generosity of donations from: The Edgerton Foundation, The Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Fay & Frank Mancuso, Sandra Krause & William Fitzgerald, Hilary & Jack Angelo, and Mary Bianco, The MOCA Foundation.

We are proud to have the following artists under commission:

LUIS ALFARO

JONATHAN CAREN

COLMAN DOMINGO

MICHAEL GOLAMCO

MEGHAN KENNEDY

MATTHEW LÓPEZ

MARTYNA MAJOK

QUI NGUYEN

STACY OSEI-KUFFOUR JIEHAE PARK

JOHN POLLONO

ROBERT SCHENKKAN

JEN SILVERMAN

DAVID WIENER

CRAIG WRIGHT

LAUREN YEE

For more information on this program, please visit geffenplayhouse.org/newplays.

THE WRITERS’ ROOM

A group for Los Angeles-based playwrights, The Writers’ Room is a product of the Geffen’s deep commitment to supporting new plays and specifically to fostering bold, relevant work by the vibrant artistic community of this city. During this one-year residency, playwright members gather monthly at the Geffen to share their work and receive feedback from their peers and the Geffen’s artistic staff, culminating in a play reading series.

We are proud to have the following artists in the 2023/2024 Writers’ Room:

ASHLEY AUGUST

JENNIFER CHANG & INARA GEORGE

PARIS CRAYTON III

CHRISTINA HAM

PALOMA NOZICKA

ALEXIS ROBLAN

The Writers’ Room is made possible through the generous support of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation and Jerry & Terri Kohl.

For more information on this program, please visit geffenplayhouse.org/thewritersroom.

development series, the

Storytelling Workshop for Young Adults (ages 18-24) explores creative dramatic writing. Each session invites participants to expand their writing skills, discover their own unique style, and share their most authentic artistic voice. This workshop also explores the process of giving and receiving useful feedback and encourages artistic integrity.

ANNUAL DONORS

Geffen Playhouse recognizes the following individuals and organizations for their generous support of our Annual Fund. Donors are listed at the Partner’s Circle level and higher for gifts made between December 1, 2022 and January 15, 2024. A full listing of our supporters can be found at geffenplayhouse.org/thankyou.

† Geffen Playhouse Board of Directors

^ Geffen Playhouse Founding Trustees

In appreciation, Annual Fund donors enjoy a host of special benefits including house seats, complimentary drinks, receptions, and much more.

For more information, please call Tracy Reich at 310.208.6500 ext. 113.

PREMIERE CIRCLE

$100,000+

Anonymous (2)

The Ahmanson Foundation

Jana & Trevor Bezdek

California Arts Council

City National Bank

Edgerton Foundation

The Adi† & Jerry Greenberg Foundation

William Randolph Hearst Foundation

Jerry & Terri Kohl

Linda Bernstein Rubin† & Tony Rubin

Shubert Foundation

The Simms/Mann Family Foundation

Jodi & Howard Tenenbaum†

Miranda & Brett Tollman

UCLA

UCLA Health

INNOVATOR CIRCLE

$50,000 – $99,999

The Berlanti Family Foundation

Kevin & Claudia Bright

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation

Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer

Loretta Everett Kaufman & Victor Kaufman

John McCrite & Juan Lopez

Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation

The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation

Holly Rice† & Vince Gilligan

Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation

PRODUCER’S CIRCLE

$25,000 – $49,999

Anonymous (2)

Marcy Carsey

Capital Group

City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

The Walt Disney Company

Dwight Stuart Youth Fund

Eric Flamholtz & Yvonne Randle

Susan & Mark Fleischer†

Carol & Paul Frimmer

Patty Glaser† & Sam Mudie

Samantha & Eric Heer†

Martha Henderson

Cindy & Alan Horn

Stanley Iezman & Nancy Stark

Marcia Israel-Curley Foundation

Los Angeles County Arts Commission

Matt Shakman† & Maggie Malone

Allen Blue & Kira Snyder

State of California, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development

Judith & Bruce Stern

Shel & Cynthia Stone

PLAYWRIGHTS’S CIRCLE

$10,000 – $24,999

Anonymous

Pat & Sandy Adams

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

Mary Ann Cloyd†

Merle Dandridge†

Dr. & Mrs. Paul Eisenberg

Robyn Field & Anthony O’Carroll

Alexander & Katie & Grey Grosvenor

In Memory of Morris A. Hazan

Julie & David Kavner

Carla Malden† & Norman Beil

Carol & Bill Ouchi

Soundis & Danny Passman†

Thomas L. Safran

Carol ‘Jackie’ & Charles Schwartz

Marcia & Robert Shuwarger

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust

Deborah Tavlin

U.S. Bank Foundation

Julie & Peter Weil

Daniel Tongbai & Henry Clancy

Joanne & Ken Weinman

Susan & Dan White

Ken Willner & Jim Stine

CREATOR’S CIRCLE

$5,000 – $9,999

Anonymous

Eva Aaronson—

In Memory of Bucky Hazan

Laura & Harvey Alpert

Aversa Foundation

Dr. Joan Denson & Dr. Victoria Berck

Shelly & Libby Bergen

SPARK Theatrical

Mara W. Breech Foundation

Robert Brook & Jacqueline Kosecoff

Katherine Brown & Rene Mendoza

Jay Butterfield & Susan Ewert

Glenn & Lynn Cardoso

Marissa Caudill & David Merrill

Steven Cerasale & Mary Katherine Cocharo

In Loving Memory of Ed Cypert

Mary Jo & Caleb Deschanel

In Honor of Virginia Field

Lynn T. Franklin

Sonia & Robert Freedman and Family

The Freedman Fund

Steve Freedman & Helen Sideris

Bob & Diana Friedman

G2 Graphic Service, Inc.

Fariba Ghaffari

Waterman and Glicksteen Families

The Goldenberg Family

Jill Grey

Richard Rasiej & Joan Herman

Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation

Stephen Sass & Steven Hochstadt

David & Martha Kadue

Mannon Kaplan

Kling Family Foundation / Allen & Jessica Kling

Norman Koplof & Leslie Falick

Sandra Krause & William Fitzgerald

Karen & Walter Loewenstern

Tania Lotia & Tamar Tokat

Marcia E. Williams & Gene Lucero

Renee & Meyer Luskin

Cara Gardenswartz & David Melnick

Bradley & Lisa Mindlin—

In Memory of Sandra Tenenbaum

Dan & Margie Mintz

Rio & Frank Morse

Benedicta & Geoffry Oblath

Cheryl Petersen & Roger Lustberg

Reed Wayne Pigman Jr. & Pamela Pigman

Carolyn A. Poer & John M. Poer

Judith Reichman, M.D.

Susan Rogers

Nancy & Ted Sanborn

Amy & Andy Schwartz

John Shustitzky & Christine Chakoian

Jerome & Joan Snyder

Jane Rissman & Richard Sondheimer

Nancy Heller & Fred Specktor

Johnese Spisso, MPA

Gerry Szeman

Anne C. Taubman

William & Karen Timberlake

Kathryn & Alan Van Vliet

JaHan Wang†

Julie & Peter Weil

Alison Whalen & Steve Marenberg

Susan & Dan White

Karen & Rick Wolfen

Lisa Yen & Tom Bajoras

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE

$2,500 – $4,999

Robert E. & Maria H. Barron

Madelyn Bennett & Eric Gibson

VJ Boyd

Noora Raj Brown

Brown Family Fund

Jay Butterfield & Susan Ewert

Cindy Clark

Joanne Cohen

Linda & John Coleman

Ginger Conrad

Ellyce R. Cooper & Barry Cohen / Sidley Austin LLP

Tim Curtis & Shandon Youngclaus

Jacki & Murray Drechsler

Kathryn Falberg & Monique Predovich

Dennis & Jackie Fox

Ellie Goodman

Karney Guren Family Foundation

Zvia Hempling

Barbara Herman

Rand Hoffman & Charlotte Robinson

Linda & David Kagel

Stephanie Kramer

Cookie Miller

Thaine & Elizabeth Morris

Joyce & Harvey Reichard

Carol Risher

Allison & Bennett Rosenthal

David A. & Karen Richards Sachs

Leonard Sharzer

Snyder Family Foundation

Gelena & Seth Weissman

Leslie White & Al Limon

DESIGNER’S CIRCLE

$1,000 – $2,499

Anonymous (4)

Miriam Aguiar

Jan & David Altemus

Patti Amstutz

Bonnie & Bill Apfelbaum

Eloise & Mark Appel

Margaret Campbell Arvey

Karen Bell & Robb Cox

Wendy & John Bergquist

Westmount Asset Management

Susan Bloch-Kay & Stephen Kay

Artie & Ellie Berrick

John Bjorge & Mary McKelvey

Mrs. Carol K. Block & Chancellor Gene D. Block†

Paula Brand

Dr. Adrienne Brandriss

Chancellor Albert Carnesale & Mrs. Robin Carnesale

Dr. Fanya Carter, Ph.D.

Peter & Heidi Cartmell

Shelby & Lee Chaden

Martha J. Chase

Stephen Cook

Susan Dashe

Brock Dewey

Dr. & Mrs. William M. Duxler

Colleen M. Ellis

Terri & David Elston

Carl & Courtenay Enright

Lynne & Michael Feldman

Dr. Kimberly Finney

In Honor of Frank & Betty Fouce

Joan & Charles Fox

Anita Dann Friedman & Harvey Friedman

Catherine Froloff

Diane Futterman

Priscila Giraldo

Charlotte Gold

Lorain Goldberg

Ellie Goodman

Barry Gribble

Jill Grigsby & Rett Bull

Penny Grosz & Eugene Korney

Mary Hartley

Murray & Gail Heltzer

Jackson Henry

Hella Hershson

Jack Hileman & Roxanne Huddleston

Jean Himmelstein

Dr. John D. Hofbauer & Dr. Laura E. Fox

Iris Tuesday Productions

Freya & Mark Ivener

Lynn Hunt & Margaret Jacob

Nancy & Len Jacoby

Linda & David Kagel

Sally & Dr. Manny J. Karbelnig

Corrinne Mann Kempinsky & Louis Kempinsky

King Nutronics Corporation

Ann & Jonathan Kirsch

Wendy Kirshner

Katherine Kleindienst & Marc Goldsmith

Dr. Leonard & Stella S. Kleinrock

Trice Koopman & Mark Freund

Lena & Mark Labowe

Linwei Li

Judith Locke

Carl Levinger

Trini Lewis

Linwei Li

Cathleen Fitzpatrick Linder

Dr. Jennifer Lucero

The Malins Family Foundation

David Israeli & Dr. Marie Mazzone

Michael N. Marks

Douglas McAvoy, Jr.

Jeanne McDonald-Powers & Travis Powers

Alice Greene McKinney and E. Kirk McKinney, Jr. Fund

S. McQueen & D. Whalen

Ali Meghdadi

In Memory of Jane Hall

Norma & Larry Meyers

Lance & Hillary Milken Foundation

Joan & Phil Miller

Andrew & Laura Mintzer

Thomas W. Mitchell

Ron Myrick

Mark & Diane Neubauer

Ornest Family Foundation

Ralph Page

Philip & Leslie Paton

Sallie Patrick

Jacalyn & Paul Pepperman

Phil & Agnes Peters

Clark & Kathryn Porter

Joyce & Harvey Reichard

Dolores Rogers

Allison & Bennett Rosenthal

Oren Rosenthal

The Ross Family

Susan Schwarz & Stuart Berton

Sylvan & Sandra Seidenman

John Shaw

Rita & Jose Sigal

Ron Silverman & Soraya Ross

Mitch & Sherry Stein

Eric Strom & Eileen Goodis

Patrick Summers

Melora Sundt & Rob Kadota

Mr. & Mrs. David Tann

Audri & Stan Tendler

Marjorie Thomson

Ricardo Torres

Catherine & Leonard Unger

Theodore H. Sweetser & Jane L. Valentine

Daniel & Shauna Valenzuela

Marcia & Charles Wasserman Ph.D

Judith Leslie Waxman & Leo Stytle

Herbert Wolas

Cherie Wrigley

Richard Yaffe

Arnold & Tricia Zane

Ellen & Arnold Zetcher

PARTNER’S CIRCLE

$500 – $999

Anonymous (2)

Toshka & Norman Abrams

Carol Ahmanson

Robert C. Anderson

Greg Angstreich

Eloise & Mark Appel

Bonnie R. Arnold

In Memory of Janet Birnkrant

John B. Balen

Larry & Julie Blivas— In Honor of Phyllis Blivas

Susan & Michael Bordy

Howard Brightman

Marlene Bronson

Diane Burbie

Laura D. Campbell

Anthony Carbone

Sandra Chan & Richard Pezner

Mike Clements

Pam Coats

Hedva & Dr. Dudley Danoff

Susan Dashe

Bert Deixler

Kristin Diehl

Jan & Thea Drayer

Jeff Eckerle & Marilyn Osborn

Elizabeth A. Evans

Katherine A. Evans

Ron Rafay

Kenneth J. Friedman & Marilynn J. Friedman Family Foundation

Elaine & Larry Friedman

Burt & Nanette Forester

Carol & John Fox

Lynn & Barry Friesen

Corinne B. Garson

Francine Golden & Marvin Schlossman

Dorit Goldstein

Howard Gradet

Roger Gordon

Howard Gradet

Marcy Gross

Eve Haberfield & David N. Johnson

Roberta L. Haft

In Memory of Jane Hall

Michael & Candie Herman

Hella Hershson

Dr. Shelley Hill

James G. Hirsch

Robin & Edgar Hirst

Paul Gordon Hoffman & Sue Caren Hoffman

Robert & Gail Israel

Drs. Sharon & Lou Ignarro

Dr. Vito Imbasciani

Victoria Jackson & Bill Guthy

Linda Kaplan

Elodie Keene

Sharon Kerson

Cynthia A. King

Dr. & Mrs. Klausner

Dr. Phyllis H. Klein

Leana Kleinman & Jerald Johnson

Patricia Klous

Delores Komar & Susan Wolford

Sharon & Joel Koppelman

Deborah Lacusta & Daniel Castellaneta

Christo & Jeanne Lavagnino

Rhonda K. Lawrence

Rena & Craig Leeds

Gina Maria Leonetti

Lydia & Chuck Levy

Wendie Malick

Eric & Eva Plaza Mandel

Mark Mandel

Barbara Marshall

Douglas McAvoy, Jr.

Kathy & Jim McCaffery

Erin McKenzie

Christina Medigovich

Cynthia Melville

On Shore Foundation

Andrea & Patrick Murray

Bonnie Nash

Lorna Osunsanmi

Carol F. Phillips

Gloria & Michael Rausch

Faye Ray

Julie Rogers

Wil Rosser

Valerie & Bennett Roth

Lisa Rowley

Maxine Savitz

Lorin Schiff

Joel & Sonia Schneider

Nancy & Steven Schneider

John H. Scott

Marlene Sklar & Joel Moskowitz

Karen Smits

Jill & Scott Spiwak

Kirk & Mei-lan Stark

Andrew Stearn

Mr. & Mrs. David Tann

The Tatasciore Family

Barbara & Larry Tenan

Ms. Cathy Thomas

Johnson Thurston

Brigitta Troy

Ira & Laurie Waldman

Elizabeth Wheat

Mr. & Mrs. Mark Whitman

Herbert Wolas

Albert Wolsky

HOSPITALITY SPONSORS

Thank you to our year-round in-kind hospitality sponsors for their incredible generosity and support of the arts:

STK | The ONE Group

W Los Angeles — West Beverly Hills

Wolfsglen

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

The Chairman’s Circle acknowledges the historical contributions of the following individuals, whose support of Geffen Playhouse made the original vision of our founder, Gil Cates, Sr., possible:

Anonymous

Annenberg Foundation

Mrs. Carol K. Block & Chancellor Gene D. Block†

City National Bank

Kirsten^ & Donald Combs

Maria Israel-Curley & Jim Curley

Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman, Inc.

The David Geffen Foundation

Herbert M.^ & Beverly J. Gelfand

Rabbi Uri D. Herscher & Dr. Myrna Herscher

Audrey & Charles Kenis

Lincy Foundation

Fay & Frank^ Mancuso

Tina & Jerry^ Moss / The Moss Foundation

Perenchio Foundation

The Shubert Foundation

The Simms/Mann Family Foundation

Skirball Foundation

University of California, Los Angeles

Wasserman Foundation

Judy & Chancellor Charles^ E. Young

If your name has been misspelled or omitted from the list in error, please contact Tracy Reich, Director of Individual Giving at 310.208.6500 ext. 113.

DIRECTOR

ARTISTIC

Amy Levinson

Associate Artistic Director

Daniel Ionazzi

Producer

Phyllis Schuringa

Artistic Associate / Casting Director

Bella Luna

Company Manager

Olivia O’Connor

Literary Manager & Dramaturg

Lexy McAvinchey

Artistic Coordinator

Dionn Richardson

Assistant to the Artistic Director

PRODUCTION

Renee Duron

Director of Production

Jill Barnes

Artistic & Production Administrator

Alyssa Escalante

Production Coordinator / Resident Production Stage Manager

Melissa Hartman

Technical Director

Patty Squibb

Technical Director

Alexandre Norkus

Automation Supervisor

Philip Rossi

Lead Scenic Carpenter

Rick Gilles

Properties Master

Daniel Lynn

Associate Properties Supervisor

Audrey Lastar

Costume Supervisor

Sarah Lindsley

Costume Shop Supervisor

Spencer Doughtie

Lighting & Projection Supervisor

Jesus Cambero-Elias

Assistant Lighting Supervisor

James Grabowski

House Sound Supervisor

Bob Gilmartin

Resident A1

Chloe Shi

Production Assistant

ADMINISTRATION

Sarah Sturdivant

Chief Financial Officer

Erick R. López

General Manager

Berenice Campos

Director of Human Resources

Janice Gompers

Payroll Manager & HR Admin

Youra Kim

Accounting Manager

Jake Jones

Staff Accountant

Clay Dzygun

Office Coordinator

Marguerite Harris Receptionist

DEVELOPMENT

Sarah Weinberg Chief Development Officer

Elizabeth Kegley

Director of Institutional Giving

Tracy Reich

Director of Individual Giving

EDUCATION

Brian Allman

Director of Education & Community Engagement

Mark J. Chaitin

Manager of Education & Community Engagement

Paloma Nozicka

Education Associate

Sean Michael Boozer, DeJuan Christopher Conner, Lyssa Deehan, Sidney Edwards, Ryan Hallahan, Aja Houston, Bethany Koulias, BJ Lange, Tara Ricasa, Kenzo Rice, Gerry Tonella, Maddy Wager

Teaching Artists

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Patrick Brown

Director of Marketing

Zenon Dmytryk

Director of Communications

Karen Gutierrez

Director of Advertising & Audience Development

Brian Dunning

Director of Content & Creative

Zack Hamra

Director of Audience Services & Ticketing

Isaak Berliner

Social Media & Communications Manager

Alyssa Tyson

Audience Services Manager

Janice Bernal

Box Office Manager

Gil Cates, Jr. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / CEO

Jacob Feller

Box Office Manager

Rachel Jacoby, Anika Waco

Donor Relations Ticketing Associates

Brianna Barrett, Rachel Jacoby, Lauren Machain, Sara Turken, Anika Waco, Dennis Woullard

Box Office Staff

Theater Direct

Outbound Sales

OPERATIONS

Jeni Pearsons

Director of Operations

Mel Yonzon

Front of House Manager

Amy Farkas

Lead Concierge

Rob Mersola

Event Manager

Sarah Chute, Anya Pryjmak, Emir Yonzon

Part Time House Managers

Savanna Chute, Elizabeth Fritsch, Alia Mahboob, Shannon Noel, Autumn Oyemade, Adam Simers Guest Services

Brynn Allen, Blaire Battle, Avery Brown, Marlon Campos, Lauren Curet, Enzo De Cunto, Cecily Dowd, Camille Edwards, Kosi Eguchi Blake Elder, Sydney Fleischman, Aja Hinds, Dylan La Rocque, Cassidy LeClair, Meredith McClure, Austin Merrill, Elena Scaringe-Peene, Lanae Wilks Ushers

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Abdelkrim Bouzzit

Cloud System Administrator

Dream Warrior Group System Administrator

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Art Guillen

Facilities Manager

Martin Ayala, Felipe Ayala

Building Maintenance

Mario Santillan-Perez

Custodial

Juan Carlos Umaña, Camerina Martinez

Cleaning Custodial

Tarell Alvin McCraney ARTISTIC