A Letter From the Director
How do we stay connected to our past while building a future in a place that might never quite feel like home? I invite you to join us as we explore family, memory, and what it really means to belong.
When I first sat with Shayan Lotfi’s script for What Became of Us , I didn’t just read the words on a page; I felt the vibration they gave off. As a "souldriven" storyteller, I am always looking for the heartbeat of a piece and how it reflects the world we live in. What Became of Us does both. It is a poetic exploration of the oldest relationship one could ever know: the one between siblings.
In this play, one sibling was born "there," in the Old Country, and the other, "here," in the new one. Their story spans decades, tracing the invisible thread of memory and the different paths each takes. Both share the same origins but experience the world in their own ways.
I often say that theatre can turn abstract ideas like migration, identity, and parental sacrifice into something real. In our rehearsal space, we did more than just block scenes—we built a family and a culture that I hope you’ll recognize. We made a place where actors could be brave, take risks, and truly feel the complex times we live in. We asked ourselves: How do we carry our history without letting it weigh us down?
What Became of Us is a gift for anyone who has ever felt caught between two places, belonging everywhere and nowhere at once. It celebrates lives that may seem "unremarkable" but are truly extraordinary in their depth. At its core, this is a story about the lasting bond between siblings. I am deeply grateful to share the experience with Tony Award winner Francis Jue and Tony honoree Christine Toy Johnson, two powerhouse artists with tremendous bodies of work and hearts of gold. Together, they humanize the immigrant experience through the fresh lens of Shayan Lotfi’s characters.
Thank you for being in this room with us. Thank you for supporting work that captures the full, vibrant spectrum of our human experience. Let this play remind us that no matter how far we travel or how much we change, we are always bound by the stories that made us.
Enjoy the journey.
Laiona Michelle
MARCH 20
Desi Comedy Fest Smart, Fearless Stand-up Comedy
MARCH 21
Earth, Wind & Fire Tribute Band All the Classics
MARCH 28 & 29
Icons of American Ballet New Jersey Ballet
APRIL 9 - 11
Spring Dance Plus Performed by Students in the Dance Program
APRIL 17
Chris Mitchell Begging for Sax Tour
APRIL 22
Celebrating Mingus Rutgers University Mingus Big Band
APRIL 24
Miles Davis at 100 Rutgers University Jazz Ensemble
APRIL 25
Yellow Brick Road A Tribute to Elton John
APRIL 28 - MAY 17
My Lord, What a Night Directed by Sheldon Epps
MAY 1 - 3
Americana A Vibrant Mixed-Repertoire Performance
MAY 5
New Lens Film Festival Annual Competition of Student Works
MAY 9 & 10
Snow White Experience the Timeless Fairy Tale
MAY 19 - JUNE 14
Sizwe Banzi is Dead Directed by Ricardo Khan
JUNE 25
Good Witch Bad Witch The Broadway Witches
Board of Trustees
Chairman: James N. Heston*
President: Penelope Lattimer, Ph.D.*
Vice President: Sharon Karmazin*
Secretary: Janice G. Stolar
Treasurer: Kimberlee S. P. Murphy, CPA*
Edgar Herrera*
Philip L. Kirstein*
Adele T. Macula, Ed.D.*
Dina M. Mastellone, Esq.
Norman Politziner
Jocelyn Schwartzman
Lora Tremayne
*Denotes Members of the Executive Committee
Al D’Augusta
Cody P. Eckert
Kenneth M. Fisher
Artistic Director Emeritus
David Saint 1997-2025
Trustees Emeriti
Peter Goldberg
William Hagaman
Clarence E. Lockett
Honorary Board of Trustees
James Cahill
Anthony L. Marchetta
Alan W. Voorhees
George Wolansky
Thomas H. Kean Eric Krebs, Founder
Honorary Memoriam
Maurice Aaron∆
Dr. Edward Bloustein∆
Robert L. Bramson∆∆
Dora Center∆∆
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.∆
Milton Goldman∆
John Hila
Betty Wold Johnson∆
Arthur Laurents∆
Richard Sellars∆
Barbara Voorhees∆∆
Edward K. Zuckerman∆
Adelaide M. Zagoren
∆∆ – Denotes Trustee Emeritus ∆ – Denotes Honorary Trustee
CAST In Order of Appearance
(in order of appearance)
Christine Toy Johnson*
Francis Jue*
Time and Place
Then, in the Old Country &
Now, in the New Country
What Became of Us is approximately 80 minutes long with no intermission
There are flashing lights, haze, strong language, and adult themes in this production
What Became of Us (song)
Lyrics by Carol Lipnik
Music by Carol Lipnik and Scott Killian
* denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association
The actors and stage manager employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
The stage technicians of George Street Playhouse are proud members of IATSE Local 21.
The Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Projection and Sound Designers in LORT theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829, IATSE.
Francis Jue (Z) received the Tony Award, plus Outer Critics Circle, Lucille Lortel, and Obie Awards for Yellow Face. Other recent theatre: Tartuffe, Cambodian Rock Band (Lucille Lortel Award), Twilight: Los Angeles 1992, Good Enemy, Soft Power (Outer Critics Circle Award), Wild Goose Dreams (Obie Award). Film/ TV: Good Sex, Our Son, White Noise, Joyful Noise, “Madam Secretary,” “New Amsterdam,” “L&O:SVU.”
Christine Toy Johnson (Q) is a Tony and Obie honored, multiple awardwinning writer, actor, and advocate for inclusion. As an actor, she’s been featured on Broadway, OffBroadway, National tours, regionally, on film, and TV. Highlights include GSP’s streaming production of It’s Only a Play, Season 2 of Marvel’s Iron Fist, the first National tour of COME FROM AWAY, and various shows at the Guthrie, Williamstown, and the Public. Her written works have been produced and/or developed by the Roundabout, O’Neill, Abingdon, Ars Nova, Florida Studio Theatre, Barrow Group, Goodspeed Opera House, etc. and are included in the Library of Congress’s Asian Pacific American Playwrights Collection. Treasurer of the Dramatists Guild, founder of the Asian American Theatre Artists Collective, co-founder of AAPAC. Alum of BMI, The Writers Lab, Sarah Lawrence College. Details: www.christinetoyjohnson. com
Shayan Lotfi (Playwright) is the current Tow Playwright-in-Residence at the Atlantic Theater and his play What Became of Us was awarded a Citation of Excellence from the Laurents/Hatcher Foundation. He is a member playwright at New Dramatists, and is an alum of The Working Farm Writers’ Group at SPACE on Ryder Farm and Page 73’s I-73 Writers Group. He is the recipient
of the Horton Foote Award from the Dramatists Guild, a MacDowell Fellowship, and is under commission from the Atlantic Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, and South Coast Repertory. In addition to writing, he also works as an urban planning consultant. He holds degrees from New York University, the London School of Economics, and the University of British Columbia.
Laiona Michelle (Director/Artistic Producer)
Laiona Michelle (Artistic Producer) has a diverse background as a director, playwright, and actress. Some of her directing credits include: What Became of Us, Her Portmanteau, Having Our Say, and What the Constitution Means to Me—her work on the latter earning her a Broadway World Award nomination for Best Director. As an actress, Laiona is a recipient of the Barrymore and Carbonell Awards (2004); and the NAACP Hollywood Award (2005). Laiona was also nominated for numerous awards, including the Lucille Lortel and Antonyo Awards (2022); and the Helen Hayes Award (2005). Laiona co-starred in the Broadway production of Amazing Grace, The Musical at the Nederlander. Laiona has also starred in several shows at GSP, which include American Hero and Tiny Beautiful Things. In addition, Laiona created and starred as Nina Simone in the musical, Little Girl Blue, which also made its world premiere at GSP. Little Girl Blue is the recipient of numerous nominations and won the Off-Broadway Alliance Award and the Lilly Award in 2022. She penned the book for Mandela, The Musical, which premiered at London’s Young Vic in 2022. Some of her TV/FILM credits include: Law & Order series, CBS’s FBI, The Blacklist, Crashing, and Amazon’s Sneaky Pete. Loads of love to my darling daughters, sweetheart son, and loving husband, Kenderick Hardy. I am blessed to have you as my family. Facebook & Instagram @laionamichelle
Shoko Kambara (Scenic Designer) GSP: What the Constitution Means to Me, Ibsen’s Ghost, Having Our Say, Her Portmanteau, and Midwives. Off-Broadway: Ibsen’s Ghost
COMPANY Bios
(Primary Stages), Bees and Honey (MCC), Little Girl Blue: The Nina Simone Musical, Fairycakes. Other regional designs: Native Gardens (Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre, Portland Stage), The Prince of Players (World Premiere, Houston Grand Opera, Florentine Opera), The Barber of Seville (Opera Philadelphia, OTSL, Opera Omaha, Virginia Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, The Atlanta Opera, Utah Opera, Austin Opera).
With LAMB Design: In America: An Anthology of Fashion/In America: A Lexicon of Fashion (Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute).
Niiamar Felder (Costume Designer) Select credits, principal costume design: OffBroadway, August Wilson’s, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Reparations, The Old Settler, Yellow Man, A Walk into Slavery (Billie Holiday Theatre), Sowa’s Red Gravy (New Federal Theatre), What The Constitution Means To Me, What Became of Us (George Street Playhouse), The Other Play (LaChanze Productions), Crumbs from the Table of Joy (Crossroads Theatre), Sally: A Solo Play (Wharton Center for Performing Arts).
Television/LiveProduction: 12 Angry Men and Women (Billie Holiday Theatre) HitCityTemptations. Film: “An Extraordinary Life” (One Outta Twelve). Associate Designer: Wine in Wilderness (Classic Stage Company), Here There Are Blueberries (Tour) Assistant Designer: The Wiz (US Tour/Broadway), Back to The Future (Broadway) and Ain’t Too Proud, The Life and Times of The Temptations (US Tour).
Christopher J. Bailey (Lighting Designer/ Artistic Producer) This season marks Christopher Bailey’s 27th at George Street Playhouse and his 2nd as Artistic Producer, Production and Operations. Over the years, he has also served the Playhouse as Production Manager for 19 seasons, Technical Coordinator, and Sound and Lighting Manager.
At GSP, Christopher’s design work includes lighting for last season’s What the Constitution Means to Me and sound for King James. He
was also the Lighting Designer for Clever Little Lies, which transferred from GSP to the Guild Hall Theatre in East Hampton and subsequently Off-Broadway to the Westside Theatre. In addition, he has designed six scenic and nine sound designs for GSP’s Educational Touring productions, as well as 28 lighting and 40 sound designs for the Playhouse’s mainstage productions.
Beyond GSP, Christopher has designed for numerous companies, including Pearl Theatre, Barrington Stage, Premiere Stages, Bickford Theatre, Abingdon Theatre, Strand Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Two River Theater, Ashlawn Highland Opera, LKB Dance, Randy James Dance, Rand Theater, The Irish Repertory Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, Delaware Theatre Company, Jacob’s Pillow, and more. He also teaches Stagecraft and Play Production at Middlesex County College.
Scott Killian (Composer & Sound Design) Off B’way: Manhattan Theatre Club: Sarah, Sarah, Five by Tenn, A Picasso (Lortel nom.), The Other Side; The Public Theater: Lenny and the Heartbreakers; New York Theater Workshop: A Forest in Arden; MCC: Side Effects; Red Bull Theatre: Volpone, Duchess of Malfi, Women Beware Women, Edward the Second; Rattlestick Theatre: Steve and Idi, Miss Julie. Many regional theatres, including: George Street Playhouse (over 25 productions), Berkshire Theatre Group (Resident Composer/Sound Designer-over 40 productions), Alley Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre (DC), ACT San Francisco, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Shakespeare and Company, Cincinnati Playhouse, Huntington Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival. Original music for dance: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Nikolais-Louis Dance, The Jose Limon Company, ZviDance (over 30 works), Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance (Artistic Associate), Shapiro and Smith Dance (Resident Composer) and works with choreographers Susan Marshall, Ralph
Lemon, Bebe Miller and Johannes Wieland.
Austin Ku (Associate Director) is an award-winning new works director based in NYC. Off-Broadway: Parity (Pan Asian Rep's NuWorks). Readings: Dragon Empress of China (York Theater), Who You Kiss For Fun (Frank Silvera Writers’ Workshop), Everest and The Pearl of the East (NAAProject’s DISCOVER: New Musicals), Jie Jie (PlayGround-NY/People’s Choice Award) and more. Assistant Director: Queen of the Mist (PEAK Performances), Tomorrow We Love (Chain Theater) and more. Directing Observer: Oh, Mary! (Broadway/Tony Winner Sam Pinkleton), Yellow Face (Broadway/Leigh Silverman), This is Not a Drill (York Theatre/Gabriel Barre), Flower Drum Song (East West Players/Lily Tung Crystal). Austin is also an accomplished actor (Grammy nominee for Soft Power, Inventing Anna on Netflix and more), audiobook narrator (Indie Ink Award nominee) and food/cooking enthusiast who aspires to host/judge a food/travel show. www.Austin-Ku.com/directing • @secretaustinman
Samantha Flint (Production Stage Manager) (she/her) Previously at George Street Playhouse: ...Big Jersey Christmas Show, An Old-Fashioned Family Murder, King James, Gene & Gilda, What the Constitution Means to Me, tick, tick...BOOM!, The Club, Having Our Say, Tales from the Guttenberg Bible, ...Spelling Bee, Her Portmanteau, A Walk on the Moon, It’s Only A Play, Bad Dates, Conscience, Midwives, The Immigrant. Broadway. Venus in Fur (MTC). Off-Broadway: Gene & Gilda (Penguin Rep at 59E59); Final Follies, HIM (Primary Stages); Measure for Measure, In the Wake, The Winter’s Tale, The Brother/Sister Plays (The Public). Selected Regional: Franklin's Key (Pig Iron, World Premiere); Murder on the Orient Express (World Premiere), Disgraced, The Winter’s Tale, The Brother/Sister Plays, Herringbone (McCarter Theatre Center); Murder on the Orient Express, Somewhere (Hartford Stage); Camelot (Two River Theater); June Moon, The Visit (Williamstown); Kinky
Boots, ...Spelling Bee, Barefoot in the Park (Bucks County Playhouse); Tales from the Guttenberg Bible (Bay Street Theater); Chicken & Biscuits (Crossroads Theatre Company); And A Nightingale Sang (Westport Country Playhouse). Education: The Theatre School at DePaul University.
Caitlyn Ostrowski (Assistant Stage Manager) is a Stage Manager from East Brunswick, New Jersey. Select credits include ASM for Gene & Gilda (Off-Broadway), The Shark Is Broken, Small, Gene & Gilda, What the Constitution Means to Me, tick, tick…BOOM!, The Club, Having Our Say, and …Spelling Bee; Production Assistant for Clyde’s and Her Portmanteau (George Street Playhouse); ASM for Tales from the Guttenberg Bible (Bay Street Theatre); and Production Assistant for The Last Supper and The Gorgeous Nothings. She holds a BFA in Stage Management from Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts. She would like to thank her partner Emily, her family, and her friends here at GSP for always supporting and believing in her.
Carol Lipnik (singer/songwriter) is acclaimed as one of New York’s most individualistic and virtuosic singer/songwriters. Stephen Holden of The New York Times called her an “Ethereal vocal phenomenon.” With her stunning multi-octave range, subtle wit, charismatic stage presence, and distinctive songwriting, she draws equally on 70s art-rock, theater music, Eastern mysticism, opera, and the decaying phantasmagoria of the Coney Island where she was born and raised. Carol has built a dedicated following through her popular performances at the East Village boîte Ptangea, and at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater in New York City. She has released seven albums on her Mermaid Alley Music label. Visit carollipnik.com for more information
McCorkle Casting, Ltd. (Pat McCorkle, CSA, Casting Director) is proud of its longstanding collaboration with George Street Playhouse. Broadway credits include over 50 productions such as On the Town, Amazing Grace, End of the Rainbow, and A Few
COMPANY Bios
Good Men. Off-Broadway highlights among more than 60 productions include Tribes, Our Town, and Driving Miss Daisy. Regional work spans hundreds of productions nationwide, including seasonal casting with the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Barrington Stage, Play Makers Repertory. Film credits include over 100 projects and currently, casting for three upcoming theatrical features, as well as recent work on four Hallmark movies, Tripped Up, and Motherland. Notable past projects include The Thomas Crown Affair, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and School Ties. Television work includes Twisted, Sesame Street, Californication (Emmy nomination), Chappelle’s Show, and Strangers with Candy, among many others.
Scott Goldman (Artistic Producer) Scott Goldman was appointed General Manager in 2019 and has been with George Street Playhouse for 20 seasons beginning his career as Company Manager. His time at George Street Playhouse has allowed him to work with legendary artists spanning nearly 100 productions and the NY transfers of world premieres of productions of The Toxic Avenger, It Shoulda Been You, Gettin’ The Band Back Together, Clever Little Lies, Curvy Widow and Little Girl Blue. Since 2012, he has served as Foundation Manager for the Laurents / Hatcher Foundation, named after legendary playwright Arthur Laurents and his partner Tom Hatcher, distributing over $20 million in grants to support new work at theaters across the country. Goldman is a graduate of Ithaca College with degrees in Speech Communication and Drama, and a Masters of Science in Communications.
Edgar Herrera (Executive Director) is an arts leader and entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience across the U.S. and Mexico. Since 2023, he has served as Executive Director of George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ, where he sets strategy, forges partnerships, expands audiences, drives strategic growth, and deepens community engagement. He has also led several symphony orchestras, bringing vision and innovation to major
performing arts institutions.
Alongside his leadership in the performing arts, Edgar built and sold an IT startup, led an export–import company, and launched an accelerator for small businesses, ventures that shaped his entrepreneurial mindset and focus on innovation. He also directed a foundation dedicated to measuring social impact.
Passionate about the arts and a pianist at heart, Edgar champions Latin American classical music through The Ponce Project Music Foundation, where he volunteers to promote and resuscitate the music of great composers of the past.
GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE
gratefully acknowledges the following for their annual support:
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS $100,000 and Above
PRODUCERS
$50,000 - $99,999
THANK YOU for Your Annual Support
CO-PRODUCERS
$20,000 - $49,999
Bloomberg
Johnson & Johnson
PepsiCo
Rita Allen Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson III Fund
Union Foundation
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
$10,000 - $19,999
Amblin Entertainment
E.J. Grassmann Trust
MacMillan Family Foundation
Nancy Friday Foundation
Parker Home At Stonegate
CONTRIBUTING PARTNER
$5,000 - $9,999
Community Foundation of New Jersey
The Fred C. Rummel Foundation
Kean Foundation, Inc.
Merrill G. And Emita E. Hastings Foundation Northfield Bank
Puleo International, Inc.
Withum Smith + Brown
GUARANTORS
$2,500 - $4,999
BNY Mellon
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
EisnerAmper LLP
Fox Rothschild LLP
Fund for the New Jersey Blind, Inc.
LCK Wealth Advisors
Magyar Bank Charitable Foundation
Maple Capital Management
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch/The Erdmann Group
Musical Theatre International
Schumann Fund for New Jersey
Somerset Patriots/Clinton Honda/Land Rover of Princeton
Stevens & Lee
PATRONS
$1,000 - $2,499
Alchemation
American Properties
The Campbell Family Foundation
Genova Burns
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 4
Investors Bank Foundation
The Leonard Bernstein Foundation
Medicor Cardiology
New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Group
PNC Foundation
The Jerome Robbins Foundation
RWJBarnabas Health
Ruth Hendel Productions
Somerset Health Care Foundation
Stage Left
WME Agency
THANK YOU for Your Annual Support
BACKERS $500 - $999
The Geo Foundation
Hoagland, Longo, Moran, Dunst & Doukas, LLP
IATSE Local #21
Nassau Communications
New Brunswick City Center
New Jersey Theatre Alliance
Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 9
Wolk Transfer Company
MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF YOUR GIFT with a matching gift from your company!
Double or triple the impact of your gift to George Street Playhouse! Include the name of your affiliation on your pledge form and your company’s matching gift form. You will be entitled to donor benefits based on the combined gift total. Matching gifts play an essential role in the financial support of George Street Playhouse.
Current Matching Gift Companies Supporting GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE
ATT
Bristol-Myers Squibb
GE Corporation
Goldman Sachs
The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey
IBM Corporation
Johnson & Johnson
Merck Company
Merrill Lynch & Co
PepsiCo
Pfizer
Prudential Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
S&P Global Foundation
UBS
Verizon
PRODUCER’S CIRCLE
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
$25,000+
Laura Baron
Lois and Ronlad Bleich
Joan and Robert Campbell
Lucy Hughes and Sean Devlin
Peter Jewell and Fred Eisinger
The Honorable Thomas H. Kean
Sharon Karmazin
Mindy Raso Kirstein and Phil Kirstein
Dorothy and Norman Politiziner
Arthur Roswell
James N. Heston
CO-PRODUCERS $10,000–
$24,999
Marie M. Adair
Barbara and Gerald Essig
Rhonda and William Hagaman
Nancy and Duncan MacMillan
Kimberlee S. P. and Mark Murphy
Jocelyn Schwartzman
Alice Strampp Charitable Trust
Lora Tremayne
PLAYWRIGHT $5,000 – $9,999
Nancy and Joseph Benincasa
Al Berger and Carol Auerbach In Honor of Sharon Karmazin
Judith Burgis
William Engel
David M. Greene
Julie and Robert Goldstein
Suzanne and Eric Krebs
Leonard Littman
Dina Mastellone and Phil Tan
Sean O’Connell
Ellen Ozur and Stuart Brown
Adrienne and Andrew Ross
Julian Schlossberg
Janice and Lewis Stolar
Lexine and Cuyler Tremayne
Vicki and Neil Weisfeld
DIRECTOR $2,500 – $4,999
Anonymous
Edward Atwater
Isa Beck
Bobbi and Barry Freedman
Betsy and Louis Garlatti
L. Goldstein and I. Novak
Margaret and Thomas Gorrie
Chrisitine Grant
Janice and Brian Haggerty
Irene and Steven Lieberman
Laura and Dean Livingston
Adele T. Macula, Ed.D.
Anthony Marchetta
John M. Mortenson
Richard A. Patt
Rita Paszamant
Christine Renz and Noah Levy
Ann and Robert Rafano
Robert Rubin
Jeffrey Seller
Lynn and Barry Sherman
Beth Sparling
ARTIST $1,000 – $2,499
Frank Arcaro
Jo Anne and Richard Bednash
Ashley Bednash
Christine and Benjamin Bucca
Ann and Charles Brown
Laura and James Cahill
Kathleen Campbell Jackson
Shu Shu and Christopher Costa
Lori and Randy Csik
Central Jersey Oncology Center
D’Maris and Joseph Dempsey
Joe DiPietro and Derek McCracken
Barbara and Paul Eggermann
Carol Edelson
Suzanne Engel
Willard Geller
Susan Garruto
James G. Gibson
Marc Gonzer
Clara and John Grosso
Muriel Grimmett-Ray
Margaret Grove In Memory of Ralph and Barbara Voorhees
Jan Gura
Anne and Todd Hearp
Tim Heston
Tom Heston
Winnie Holzman
Jeffrey Hyman
Anne E. Hayden
John Jackson
Sherry and Janice Johnson
Penelope E. Lattimer, Ph.D.
Edward Mendlowitz
Ira Mont
Jack Moskowitz
Elizabeth Otterbein
Jacob H. Paster
Glennis and Phillip Politziner
Allison and David Politziner
Mona and Barry Portnoy
Marie and Marshall Rosen
Carole and Stephen Schneider
Noreen and Patrick Sinko
INDIVIDUALS
Barbara and Howard Sorkin
Judy and Ed Stier
Marlo Thomas
Renée Troiano
Margaret Velden
Philip and Rebecca Witt Family Fund
Michele and George Wolansky
Joe Zerillo
PARTNER $500 – $999
Richard Adleman
Valerie Anderson
Silvia Ascarelli
Phillip K. Barrood
Susan and John Byrne
Heather and Craig Champagne
Linda Choplick
Anne Clifton
Nancy and Jeff Davis
Lynnette Durko
Lisa Goldstein
Steve Guttenberg
Margaret Harris
Jane James
Cynthia Jankech
Leslie and Tom Kelso
Kathleen Killion
Thomas Kirdahy
Everett Kline and David Wald
Julie Larson
Nancy L. and Arthur E. Lee
Andrew Lippa
Pamela and Andrew Lovasz
Carolyn Malcolm
Emily Mann
Barbara Martalus
Charlene and Thomas Martino
Elisa Mazen
Mary and Sammie McGriff
Joan and Richard Barry McCormick
Yvonne Marcuse
Daphne and Steve Mishkin
Amy and Michael Moorby
Judith S. Musicant and Hugh Clark
Ellen Nardoni
Doris and Dennis O’Dea
Ali and Kite Okoh
F. Richard Pappas
Laura and Joseph Perez
Bethany and Jonathan Rabinowitz
Mary and Gary Reece
David Saint
Randy Schwartzman
Kathy and Ken Schurzky
Sukinder Sehgal
Nonny and Paul Stahlin
Linda Twinning
Vantage Group
Carolyn Myers and Dan Vickery
Michael Wolk
Ilene Wolff
BACKER $250 - $499
Thomas F. Arnold
Shelley and Tom Bankner
Peggy Barbella and William Fitzsimmons
Ken Billington
Robert Bishop
Karen and David Blivaiss
Susan and Alan Blanchette
Chris Bohjalian
Dennis Borden
Shirley and Charles Bowers
Jennifer and Richard Bullock
Joanne and James Bunce
Shari and Bruce Canell
Andrea and James Carroll
Donna Castronovo
Melissa and Charles Daniel
Jim Decker
Angela Fevola and Karen Maccaron
Barbara and Sheldon Freidenreich
The Ganguly Family
Judith E. Gardner
Marlene and Joel Gordon
Robin Greenberg
Gwendolyn and Michael Greenbrg
Denise and Irwin Hametz
Evelyn Hartmann
Ellen and Joel Henkin
Susan Hilferty
Karen Horlick
Patricia Irons
Joyce F. Jonat
Donna And Bud Keller
Pat And Roger Klein
Sharon And Joseph Kosmo
Susanne And Alex Kucsma
Jaynee Lavecchia
Ann and John Lech
Carol Lerner
Richard Mcadams
Cheryl and Jeff Mcbride
Mary Ann Mclaughlin
Beth and Mark Mehler
Sharon and Vance Merolla
Ali Marsh
Joan and Rabbi Bennett Miller
Bruce Moskovitz
Brenda Overcash and Thomas West
Barbara and Ken Peabody
Alberto Rivas
Laurence Rothstein
Karen Satterthwaite
Marguerite and Rene Schlag
Lynn Schlesinger
Rachel Silverstein
Sheldon Singer
Lea and Alan Stewart
THANK
Bonnie and David Sudol
Patrice Sullivan
Mary and Donald Thomas
Cecilia Tyler
Dara Wargo
Bob Warwick
Martha Weisgerber
Peter Weitsen
Lynne Weiss
Caroline Willard
FRIEND $100 - $249
Betsy Aidem
Beth and Marc Alterman
Jennifer Allen
Janet and Alan Arnowitz
Alan Axelrod
Carletta Beckwith
Anne Berry
Elizabeth and William Braden
Jody and Phil Bramson
Anne and Martin Bloomenthal
Barbara Blumenthal
Barbara Broggi
Peter Brenner
Premala Chandra
Sandy and Joe Chmielewski
Carol Ciociari
Margaret Cohen
Ellen Louise Cohen
Carol U. and Lewis B. Coe
Donald B. Cook
Mark Corso
Ellen and Cliff Cramer
Diana and Deniss Curran
Sean Cullen
Carolyn Daurio
Anthony DeMarco
Joanna and James Demaria
Norman J. Diamond
Jennifer and John Dowd
Michael Downing
Alan Dunst
Wally Dunn
Richard Engel
Fran Erlitz
Bette Marie Epstein
Diane and Matthew Feldman
Paula and Irwin Feifer
Joseph J. Filep
Alice D. Firgau
Gina M. Fiorillo
Marie Foucher and Daniel Hyman
Judith and John Fowler
Bonnie and William Fox
Pat Gatti
Tom Gilligan
Alan Godber
Carol and Jack Goldberg
Susan and Eric Goldman
Bonnie and Edmund Gould
Cynthia A. Graney
Donna and Jeffrey Grundy
Abhijit Gurjar
Brenda and Roland Hagan
Robert Harris
Laura Hasting
Robert Hartman
Julie Hench
Joan and Edward Honchen
Fredrick Holt
Michael Hritz
Denise and James Houghton
Robert Howard
Thomasina Hyland
Janice and Herbert Hymanson
Marie Foucher and Daniel Hyman
Kevin Janis and George Kupczak
Maxine Kasdin
Barbara and Arthur Ketterer
Kathleen Killion
Sunny Kordower
Liz and Murray Katz
Marcia and Robert Kerchner
Karn and David Levinsky
Dr. and Mrs. Eugene Lind
Kathleen Love and Glenn Bell
RoseMarie LaMar
Michael Lane
Paul Lehrer
Leslie and Richard Marcus
Judith Marino and Edwin Robinson
Joanne and Thomas Marino
Ruth Margolin
Jonathan Mills
Cheryl Mintz and Harris Richter
Linda J. and Richard Mirocco Jr
Stephanie Morgan
Deborah Morgan
Maria and Abel Moreyra
Maryann McKean
Barbara and Kurt Nathan
Suzanne Nacson
Debbie and Henry E. Newman
Anita and Harry Paborsky
Judy and Glenn Parker
Donn Peppler
Barbara and Jim Petrosini
Eileen and Lou Pichinson
Joan Pritchard
Marcus Peter Porcelli
Sylvia Psuty
THANK YOU for Your Annual Support
Francie Quaas-Berryman
Elliot Reiter
Frank Rees
Michael Reyes
Cheryl Mintz and Harris Richter
Christopher Root
Judith Marino and Edwin Robinson
Marlene and Karlheinz Timmerman
Alfred Sainato
Jacqueline Sarka
Ludmila Sak
Stanley and Cory Schneider
Rubeena Sehgal
Michele Senko
Michael Shernicoff
Pat Shiffner
Valerie Slade
Martha Smith
Mary Scott
Christine Sohn
Lynn and John Semmlow
Sally and Robert Stevens
Marjorie and Jeffrey Stevens
C. Parella and D. Tomasso
Pannie Trifillis-Kiledjian
Michael Triebe
Ernest Vernachio
Amy Vames
Jana Varlejs
Elaine and Evan Wasserman
Bonnie and Allan Warton
Amari Williams
Nancy and Edward Winant
Janet Zastko
We are grateful to our new and renewing annual fund donors listed here for their gifts received between August 15, 2024 and October 1, 2025. If you notice an error here, please do not hesitate to contact us at development@georgestplayhouse.org so that we may correct it for our next printing.
THE BLANCHE AND IRVING LAURIE FOUNDATION
We thank the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation for its support of What Became of Us, the most recent production in a long history of the Foundation’s support for theater.
Past productions supported by the Foundation at other theaters have included On the Twentieth Century, featuring Kristin Chenoweth; The Spoils, featuring Jesse Eisenberg; The King & I, featuring Kelli O’Hara; and Holiday Inn: The New Irving Berlin Musical.
Photo by Joan Marcus
ARTISTIC
Artistic Producers
Edgar Herrera, Executive Director
Christopher J. Bailey
Scott Goldman
Laiona Michelle
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Director of Finance
Administration Manager / Board Liason
Business Assistant
DEVELOPMENT
Director of Advancement
Ganapathi Kamath
Megan Cherry
Lynne Holton
Todd Rosen
Development Manager Alicia Whavers
Development Associate
Jane Mirvis
MARKETING & PATRON SERVICES
Marketing Manager
Sales and Audience Development Manager
Data Services Manager
Patron Services Manager
Assistant Patron Services Manager
Patron Services Associates
EDUCATION
Acting Studio Teaching Artists
PRODUCTION
Assistant Production Manager
Company Manager
SETS
Technical Director
Shop Foreman
Head Carpenter
Carpenters/Riggers
Scenic Charge
PROPERTIES
Properties Director
COSTUMES
Costume Shop Manager
Head Draper & Assistant to Costume Shop Manager
Wardrobe Supervisor
Marcus Montgomery
Erin Neupauer
Vanessa Hamilton
Rose Curran
Gary Frangione
Susan Blumert
Jessica Pace
Marlene Zyontz
Sam Clemett
Chad Colacurcio
Caroline Festa
Charlie Hudson III
Billy Goheen
Sal Fabio
Mohamed Haddara
Nick Skiba
Jake Blanchette
Tyler Hughes
Ezra Silkes
Jim Hancocks
Robert Lavagno
Becky Erlitz
Kaden Adrian
Woodward
Christina Gillespie
FOR THIS PRODUCTION
Associate Director
Austin Ku
Assistant Scenic Designer Madeline Goddard
Associate Lighting Designer Jason Flamos
Rutgers Assistant Lighting
Designer
Benjamin Levie
Assistant Sound Designer Christopher Peifer
Assistant Stage Manager Caitlyn Ostrowski
Production Assistant Caro Yeung
Lighting Supervisor
Sound Supervisor
Dresser
Ryan Fisher
Chiara DeSantis
Lucy Pizzicarola
Production Intern Abhi Doddapaneni
Original Music and Lyrics
Carol Lipnik
NEW BRUNSWICK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Executive Director
Managing Director
Merissa Buczny
Mark Sharp
Director of Patron Services Victoria Muscio
Senior House Manager
House Manager
Jessica Jasionowski
Sadiera Esannason
Assistant Patron Services Manager Gwen Streitman
Marketing Director
Eric Greenberg
Social Media Coordinator Shellby Lawless
Box Office Associate Shellby Lawless
Production Manager/ Lighting Supervisor
Deck Supervisor
Tommy Williamson
Jerry Pacheco
Sound and Video Supervisor Joey Copsetta
Assistant Sound and Video Supervisor & A1
A2
LX Programmer and Board
Operator
Deck Crew
Prince Bawuah
Jason Jackson
Matt Binkowitz
Chris Neilsen
For Your Information
George Street Playhouse is located at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
GeorgeStreetPlayhouse.org • Patron Services: 732-246-7717
AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCES
We offer audio-described performances for patrons with visual impairment.
Please call the Patron Services, 732-2467717, for further information. Large print and Braille programs are available upon request. Audio-described performances are made possible by support from Fund for the New Jersey Blind, Inc.
CAPTIONED PERFORMANCES
We offer captioned performances for patrons with hearing impairment.
George Street Playhouse’s accessible programming is made possible in part by Fund for the New Jersey Blind, Inc.
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM
For patrons who have a hearing impairment, light-weight, comfortable receivers are available from the NBPAC Concierge desk. If any individual requires special assistance or assistive technology, please contact the Patron Services Manager at 732-246-7717 as far in advance of the program as possible.
FIRE NOTICE
The exit indicated by the red light and sign nearest to the seat you occupy is the shortest route to the street. In the event of a fire or other emergency, please do not run, WALK TO THE EXIT.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
George Street Playhouse maintains a policy of not canceling performances due to inclement weather. Please call Patron Services, 732-246-7717, if you have any questions.
LATE SEATING POLICY
The theatre is open to the public one halfhour prior to the performance. In consideration of all patrons, latecomers will be seated at the discretion of House Management.
RECORDING EQUIPMENT
Due to copyright and union regulations and restrictions, still cameras, video cameras or any type of recording equipment is not permitted at any time in the theatre and will be confiscated.
SMOKING
The NBPAC is a smoke-free environment. There is no smoking or vaping in the building.
NEXT AT GSP
