IRT Program: A Christmas Carol

2021-2022 SEASON

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ONEAMERICA MAINSTAGE | NOVEMBER 23 – DECEMBER 26 2021 | 2022

IRTLIVE.COM | 317.635.5252

Original artwork by Tasha Beckwith

Community Engagement That’s Built to Last Building a better future together The spirit of giving is strong at OneAmerica®. A community leader since our inception, we proudly support organizations, like the Indiana Repertory Theatre, that make a difference. OneAmerica is pleased to have further extended our support of the IRT. Our community commitment focuses on strategically investing in education; workforce development; community safety, wellness and success; and community vibrancy.

Visit OneAmerica.com to learn more about our involvement with local nonprofits.

Life Insurance | Retirement | Employee Benefits © 2021 OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc. All rights reserved.

C-34420 08/18/21

A STANDING OVATION TO ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

ONEAMERICA | 2021-2022 SEASON SPONSOR

OneAmerica is proud to support IRT, with our relationship among the longest running sponsorships in theater nationwide. As one of Central Indiana’s champions of imagination, innovation and inspiration, we sincerely hope you enjoy their 2021-2022 season.

—Scott Davison, chairman, president and CEO OneAmerica, 2021-2022 season sponsor

Through its community outreach efforts, the Navient Community Fund supports organizations and programs that address the root causes which limit financial success for all Americans. The Navient Community Fund is proud to support the Indiana Repertory Theatre as the Education Partner for the 2021-2022 Season.

Navient is a leading provider of asset management and business processing solutions to education, healthcare, and government clients at the federal, state, and local levels. Millions of Americans rely on financial support to further their education and improve their lives. We work hard each day to help our customers navigate financial challenges and achieve their goals.

We at Navient have a deep appreciation for the arts and for the hard work, passion, and emotion that go into them, as well as the positive influences the arts have on individuals and their communities. Our employees in central Indiana are proud to support our community through amazing programs like those offered by IRT. Enjoy the show.

OUR MISSION & VISION

CONTENTS

MISSION Live theatre connects us to meaningful issues in our lives and has the power to shape the human experience. The mission of the Indiana Repertory Theatre is to produce top-quality, professional theatre and related activities, providing experiences that will engage, surprise, challenge, and entertain people throughout their lifetimes, helping us build a vital and vibrant community.

3.................................................Mission & Values 4.................................................Land & Building Acknowledgment 5..................................................................Profile 6......................................................... Leadership 10 ������������������������������������������������������������������Staff 12............................................ Board of Directors 22............................................. A Christmas Carol 31...................................................Company Bios 37................................Interview: Rob Johansen 42................................................... Donor Listing

VISION The Indiana Repertory Theatre will be a life-long destination of choice for an everexpanding audience of all ages and backgrounds seeking enjoyable and meaningful experiences. Using theatre as a springboard for both personal reflection and community discussion, our productions and programs will inspire our neighbors to learn about themselves and others. As an arts leader in the state of Indiana, the IRT's goal is to make Indiana a dynamic home of cultural expression, economic vitality, and a diverse, informed, and engaged citizenry.

AS AN INSTITUTION, WE VALUE...

SUSTAINING A PROFESSIONAL, CREATIVE ATMOSPHERE The professional production of plays that provide insight and celebrate human relationships through the unique vision of the playwright • Professional artists of the highest quality working on our stages in an environment that allows them to grow and thrive • Our leadership role in fostering a creative environment where arts, education, corporate, civic, and cultural organizations collaborate to benefit our community.

PRUDENT STEWARDSHIP OF OUR RESOURCES Our public-benefit status, where the focus is on artistic integrity, affordable ticket prices that allow all segments of our community to attend, and community service • Fiscal responsibility and financial security based on achieving a balanced budget • Growing our endowment fund as a resource for future development and to ensure institutional longevity.

INCLUSIVENESS The production of plays from a broad range of dramatic literature addressing diverse communities • The involvement of all segments of our community in our activities • Using theatre arts as a primary tool to bring meaning into the lives of our youth, making creativity a component of their education • The employment of artists and staff that celebrates the diversity of the United States.

REVIEWS! FACEBOOK/TWITTER: @irtlive EMAIL: reviews@irtlive.com

CONTACT US IRTLIVE.COM TICKET OFFICE: 317.635.5252 ADMIN OFFICES: 317.635.5277 140 W. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204

PHOTO POLICY Photography of the set without actors and with proper credit to the scenic and lighting designers is permitted.

Due to union agreements, photography, video, and audio recording are not permitted during the performance. The videotaping of productions is a violation of United States Copyright Law and an actionable Federal Offense.

HERITAGE AND TRADITION Our role as Indiana’s premiere theatre for more than 40 years, recognized by the 107th Indiana General Assembly in 1991 as “Indiana’s Theatre Laureate.” • The historic Indiana Theatre as our home, as a cultural landmark, and as a significant contributor to a vital downtown • Our national, state, and local reputation for 40+ years of quality creative work and educational programming • Our board, staff, volunteers, artists, audiences, and donors as essential partners in fulfilling our mission.

2021 | 2022

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ACKNOWLEDGING THE LAND Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here or removed from here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Acknowledgment of the land which the IRT now occupies is critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage.

We want to acknowledge that what we now call Indiana is on the ancestral lands of many indigenous peoples including the Miami, Piankashaw, Wea, Potawatomi, Kickapoo, Delaware, and Shawnee. We pay respects to their elders past and present. Please take a moment to consider the many legacies of displacement, migration, violence, and settlement that bring us together here today.

This land acknowledgment was created in collaboration with Scott Shoemaker, PhD (Miami Tribe of Oklahoma). Portions of this acknowledgment come from the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture (usdac.us).

ACKNOWLEDGING OUR BUILDING’S HISTORY The Indiana Repertory Theatre moved to its current site on Washington Street in 1980, renovating and reopening a building that had been shuttered for nearly a decade.

The historic Indiana Theatre was built in 1927, a time when the shameful practice of racial segregation was the standard in movie theatres and public buildings across the United States. The Indiana Theatre building was originally segregated and at some point in its history this practice ceased. Many Indiana residents and their families’ heritage stories recall being treated as less than equal citizens in this building, with some even being barred from entering. We cannot erase this history.

We honor and respect all those who have faced discrimination and harm in this building. We strive every day to make the IRT a place that welcomes all people.

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INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE PROFILE HISTORY Since the Indiana Repertory Theatre was founded in 1971, it has grown into one of the leading regional theatres in the country, as well as one of the top-flight cultural institutions in the city and state. In 1991 Indiana’s General Assembly designated the IRT as “Theatre Laureate” of the state of Indiana. The IRT’s national reputation has been confirmed by prestigious grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Lila Wallace–Reader’s Digest Fund, the Theatre Communications Group–Pew Charitable Trusts, the Shubert Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation; and by a Joyce Award from the Joyce Foundation.

The IRT remains the largest fully professional resident not-forprofit theatre in the state, providing more than 100,000 live professional theatre experiences in a typical season. The Theatre regularly serves thousands of students from more than half of Indiana’s 92 counties. A staff of year-round employees creates six productions exclusively for Indiana audiences. Actors, directors, and designers are members of professional stage unions.

The IRT’s history has been enacted in two historic downtown theatres. The Athenaeum Turners Building housed the company’s first eight seasons. Since 1980 the IRT has occupied the 1927 Indiana Theatre, which was renovated to contain three performance spaces (OneAmerica Mainstage, Upperstage, and Cabaret) and work spaces, reviving this historic downtown entertainment site.

To keep ticket prices and services affordable for the entire community, the IRT operates as a not-for-profit organization, deriving more than 50% of its operating income from contributions. The theatre is generously supported by foundations, corporations, and individuals, an investment which recognizes the IRT’s mission-based commitment to serving Central Indiana with top-quality theatrical fare.

PROGRAMS The OneAmerica Season includes six productions from classical to contemporary, including the INclusion Series.

Young Playwrights in Process The IRT offers Young Playwrights in Process (YPiP), a playwriting contest and workshop for Indiana middle and high school students.

Community Gathering Place Located in a beautiful historic landmark, the IRT offers a wide variety of unique and adaptable spaces for family, business, and community gatherings of all types. Call Margaret Lehtinen at 317.916.4880 for more information.

Opportunities The IRT depends on the generous donation of time and energy by volunteer ushers; call 317.916.4880 to learn how you can become involved.

Meet the Artists Virtual pre-show chats offer audiences unique insights into each production.

Student Matinees The IRT continues a long-time commitment to student audiences with school-day student matinee performances of all IRT productions. These performances are augmented with educational activities and curriculum support materials. This season A Christmas Carol, Fahrenheit 451, and The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin offer opportunities for student attendance.

Educational Programs The IRT has a long-time commitment to student audiences. This season, we are sharing five of our six productions with students virtually. If you are interested in bringing IRT to your students through streaming productions, or hosting a virtual workshop with an artist, please email education@irtlive.com.

Auxiliary services include study guides.

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Janet’s leadership skills and community service have been recognized by the Network of Women in Business–IBJ’s “Influential Women in Business” Award, a Distinguished Hoosier Award conferred

by Governor Frank O’Bannon, Girls Inc.’s Touchstone Award for Arts Leadership, and the Indiana Commission on Women’s “Keeper of the Light” Torchbearer Award. She is a proud alumna of the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership program (Class XIX) and was a 2013-2014 Arts Council of Indianapolis Creative Renewal Arts Fellow. She is a member of two honorary gatherings in the America Theatre: the College of Fellows of the American Theatre at the John F. Kennedy Center, and the National Theatre Conference. In 2017 she was named an Indiana Living Legend by the Indiana Historical Society.

Janet is a member of the Indianapolis Woman’s Club, the Gathering, and Congregation Beth-El Zedeck. She serves on the board of Summit Performance, a small professional theatre company that produces work by and about women. She lives in an historic house built in 1855 in the Chatham Arch neighborhood with her husband, Joel Grynheim, and a lovely canine mutt. They enjoy following the adventures of their three adult children and their new grandchild, who are thriving on various continents.

LEADERSHIP: JANET ALLEN

Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director

Creating world-class professional theatre for Central Indiana audiences of all ages has remained a career-long passion for Janet Allen. She began at the IRT in 1980 as the theatre’s first literary manager–dramaturg. After four years in New York City, she returned to serve ten years as associate artistic director. Named the IRT’s fourth artistic director in 1996, she is now in her 26th season in that role. In January 2020, she was named the Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director.

During Janet’s tenure, the IRT has significantly diversified its services to both adults and children, expanded its new play development programs, solidified its reputation as a top-flight regional theatre dedicated to diverse programming and production quality. Janet’s passion for nurturing playwrights has led to a fruitful relationship with James Still, the IRT’s playwright-in-residence for 24 years, and the creation and production of 16 new works—the Indiana Series— that examine Hoosier and Midwestern sensibilities (seven of them

by James Still). Her collaboration with playwrights has brought the theatre prestigious grants from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Joyce Foundation, and the Doris Duke Foundation, as well as numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Among the memorable productions she has directed on the IRT’s stages are The Glass Menagerie (1999), Ah! Wilderness (2002), The Drawer Boy (2004), James Still’s The House That Jack Built (2012 & 2021), To Kill a Mockingbird (2016), Looking Over the President’s Shoulder (2008 & 2017), The Diary of Anne Frank (2011 & 2018), Morning After Grace (2020), and Cyrano (2021.)

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Constance Macy and David Shih in the IRT’s 2021 production of The House That Jack Built. Photo by Zach Rosing.

LEADERSHIP: SUZANNE SWEENEY Managing Director

Suzanne is a 23-year veteran of the IRT and is proud to work alongside her mentor and friend, Janet Allen, as co-CEO of the Theatre. Suzanne oversees all of the administrative functions of the organization, including marketing, fundraising, ticket office, house management, finance, human resources, information technology, and building operations.

During her tenure, the Theatre has secured a long-term lease for the building with the City of Indianapolis and renovated the Upperstage Lobby and restrooms. In June 2020 the Theatre surpassed its $18.5 million goal for its Front and Center campaign, raising $20 million.

Suzanne was elected Treasurer of the League of Resident Theatres, a nationwide association of regional theatres, and she serves as a member of their board of directors.

In 2021 and 2016, she was honored to serve as a panelist for Shakespeare in American Communities in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

Suzanne is active in the community, having been the treasurer of Irish Fest for nine years, a member of the board of directors and treasurer of the Day Nursery Association (now Early Learning Indiana) for three years, and a past treasurer of IndyFringe.

Suzanne is an alumna of the College of William & Mary (undergraduate) and Indiana University (M.B.A.). She started her career as a CPA; prior to coming to Indianapolis, she worked in finance for more than 10 years, living in such varied locales as Washington, DC; Dallas, Texas; Frankfurt, Germany; Honolulu, Hawaii; and even working for three months in Auckland, New Zealand (where, yes, she went bungee jumping). She is a proud alumna of the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Program (Class XXXI). Suzanne lives in Fall Creek Place with her 18-year-old son, Jackson, and their foxhound rescue dog, Gertie, and spends some of her downtime in Palatine, Illinois, with her partner, Todd Wiencek.

Top: Michael Stewart Allen and Jamaal McCray in the IRT’s 2021 production of N0. 6 Bottom: Celeste M. Cooper and Mary Williamson in the IRT’s 2021 production of Mrs. Harrison. Photos by Zach Rosing.

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AS PART OF THE FRONT & CENTER CAMPAIGN, SARAH & JOHN LECHLEITER HAVE GIVEN A GIFT TO THE IRT IN HONOR OF JAMES STILL’S LONG-TIME RELATIONSHIP WITH THE IRT, CREATING THE JAMES STILL PLAYWRIGHT-IN-RESIDENCE FUND, WHICH PROVIDES FUTURE SUPPORT FOR THE PLAYWRIGHT-IN-RESIDENCE AS WELL AS THE CREATION OF NEW WORK FOR THE IRT. Distinguished Play Award from the American Alliance for Theatre & Education, and his work has been produced throughout the United States, Canada, China, Japan, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

LEADERSHIP: JAMES STILL Playwright-in-Residence

During his 24 years as Playwright-in-Residence, IRT audiences have seen all three plays in James’s The Jack Plays trilogy (The House That Jack Built, Appoggiatura, and Miranda), as well as Looking Over the President’s Shoulder; And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank; Amber Waves; The Little Choo-Choo That Thinks She Can; April 4, 1968: Before We Forgot How to Dream; I Love to Eat: Cooking with James Beard; The Velveteen Rabbit; The Heavens Are Hung in Black; Interpreting William; Iron Kisses; The Gentleman from Indiana; Searching for Eden; He Held Me Grand, and The Secret History of the Future. James has directed many productions at the IRT, including Twelve Angry Men, A Doll’s House Part 2, The Originalist, Dial “M” for Murder, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Red, Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, Becky’s New Car, Rabbit Hole, Doubt, The Immigrant, and Dinner with Friends. This season he directs A Christmas Carol.

The Jack Plays is the 2020 winner for drama of the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award. Also in 2020 James wrote the short film A City of Stories commissioned by the New Harmony Project. Current projects include his new plays The Cratchits (in America) commissioned by the IRT, his adaptation of the classic Black Beauty, (A) New World, Dinosaur(s), and new play commissions with Prison Performing Arts (St. Louis) and American Blues (Chicago). He has recently written dozens of short new plays that are being performed on digital platforms across the country.

James also works in television and film and has been nominated for five Emmys and a Television Critics Association Award; he has twice been a finalist for the Humanitas Prize. He was a producer and head writer for the TLC series PAZ, the head writer for Maurice Sendak’s Little Bear, and writer for the Bill Cosby series Little Bill. He wrote The Little Bear Movie and The Miffy Movie as well as the feature film The Velocity of Gary. James grew up in Kansas and lives in Los Angeles.

James is a member of the National Theatre Conference in New York, and a Kennedy Center inductee of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre. Other honors include the Todd McNerney New Play Prize from the Spoleto Festival, William Inge Festival’s Otis Guernsey New Voices Award, and the Orlin Corey Medallion from the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America. His plays have been nominated four times for the Pulitzer Prize, and have been developed at Robert Redford’s Sundance, the New Harmony Project, Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Conference, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, Colorado New Play Summit, the Lark, Launch Pad at UC–Santa Barbara, Telluride Playwright’s Festival, New Visions/ New Voices, and Fresh Ink. Three of his plays have received the 8

The cast of the IRT’s 2021 production of The House That Jack Built. Photo by Zach Rosing.

organization in addressing historical inequities and ensuring that the company’s work reflected the diversity of the local community.

Prior to his role at CTC, Ben spent five years in California’s Bay Area, dividing his time between Berkeley Repertory Theatre and the Bay Area Children’s Theatre.

In his native Minnesota, Ben was honored to serve on the education staff of Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation’s leading African American theatre, where he helped to expand their education and outreach offerings. His proudest accomplishments during his four years with the company include growing the nationally recognized Summer Institute for Activist Artists into a threeyear multidisciplinary social justice theatre training program, developing a multigenerational quilting circle, and helping to create and facilitate a racial equity training program through the company’s RACE workshop series.

LEADERSHIP: BENJAMIN HANNA Associate Artistic Director

Ben holds a degree in theatre arts from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He grew up on a small rural farm and fell in love with theatre at the age of eleven. He continues to create for his favorite audience: his five nieces and nephews.

Ben is a director, educator, and community engagement specialist whose passion for multigenerational theatre has influenced his work across the country. In all of his myriad roles, Ben is guided by the belief that access to high-quality theatre helps build creative, empathetic people and healthy communities.

Ben is thrilled to be in his fifth season at Indiana Repertory Theatre, where he has directed Tuesdays with Morrie, This Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol (twice), The Little Choo-Choo That Thinks She Can, Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play!,” and The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. This season he directs The Book Club Play and Fahrenheit 451. As associate artistic director, Ben manages casting both locally and nationally, helps guide education and community programming, and connects IRT to new artists and ideas. Dedicated to eradicating systems of oppression, he is an advocate for creating and maintaining an anti-racist culture that breaks down historical barriers of access to the theatre. Along with Sarah Bellamy, IRT’s Equity Consultant, he guides IRT’s work to develop thoughtful, sustainable Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access initiatives.

Ben is the recipient of a Theatre Communications Group Leadership University Award funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The award supported his artistic mentorship at the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, the nation’s largest theatre for young audiences. During his tenure at CTC, Ben directed in-house productions and took shows across the globe, as far afield as South Africa; he played a key role in fundraising, management, education, and strategic planning processes; and he helped guide the Henry Woronicz in the IRT’s 2021 production of Tuesdays with Morrie. Photo by Zach Rosing.

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INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE STAFF EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director​ Janet Allen Managing Director Suzanne Sweeney ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

SCENE SHOP

Controller Danette Alles Director of Finance Jeffrey Bledsoe Payroll & Benefits Specialist Jennifer Carpenter

Carpenters Nick Chamberlain Nick Kilgore Technical Director Chris Fretts Master Carpenter David Sherrill Automation Carpenter Hal Wenk

MARKETING

Office Administrator Ariana Fisher ARTISTIC

Production Manager Malia Argüello Associate Artistic Director Benjamin Hanna Company Manager Hillary Martin Resident Dramaturg Richard J Roberts General Manager Jane Robison Playwright-in-Residence James Still COSTUME SHOP

Draper Erica Anderson

Costume Shop Manager Guy Clark

First Hand

Rachel Meiser Wardrobe Supervisor Rebecca Reyes

Marketing Communications Manager Kerry Barmann Director of Marketing & Sales Danielle M. Dove Graphic Designer Noelani Langille Associate Director of Marketing Elizabeth Petermann PAINT SHOP

Charge Scenic Artist Claire Dana Scenic Artist Jim Schumacher PATRON SERVICES

Building Services Eric Argyelan Housekeeping Dave Dunaway

Development Systems Brady Clark Institutional Giving Manager Eric J. Olson Individual Giving Manager Kay Swank-Herzog Director of Development Jennifer Turner ELECTRICS

SOUND & VIDEO

Audio/Video Engineer John Chung Audio Engineer Brittany Hath Resident Sound Designer Todd Mack Reischman

STAGE MANAGEMENT

A Christmas Carol Stage Manager Erin-Robson Smith Resident Stage Manager Nathan Garrison Assistant Stage Manager Becky Roeber

Production Assistant

Jalen Jones TELESERVICES

Leila Spicklemire

DEVELOPMENT

Assistant Master Electrician Kayla Brown Electrician Kathryn Burke Master Electrician Beth A. Nuzum

FINANCE

Manager of Public Operations Group Sales & Teleservices Manager Margaret Lehtinen Doug Sims House Manager Marissa Klingler PART-TIME STAFF Ticket Office Manager AND ASSOCIATES Kim Reeves Assistant Ticket Office Manager ARTISTIC Eric Wilburn Teaching Artists Customer Service Representatives Milicent Wright Geneva Denney-Moore Courtney Plummer PATRON SERVICES Jessie Streeval

Bartenders Tessitura Administrator Jade Perry Molly Wible Sweets Cheryl Statzer Tina Weaver PROPERTIES SHOP

Properties Manager Geoffrey Ehrendreich Properties Carpenter Madelaine Foster Properties Artisan Abigail Stuckey

ASL INTERPRETERS

Tara Parchman Robin Reid

AUDIO DESCRIBER

Paul Drew PRODUCTION Lee Edmundson FINANCE ASSOCIATES

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External Auditors Crowe Horwath LLP Legal Counsel Heather Moore

STUDENTS FROM ACROSS INDIANA WILL EXPERIENCE LIVE THEATRE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, BRINGING THEIR CLASSROOMS TO LIFE. Thanks to the Alan and Linda Cohen Education Fund, students are able to attend IRT performances.

Help us continue to give students the experiences they deserve by donating to the Cohen Education Fund today.

“Without the assistance, our students would not have been able to have this experience. We read this book in class.

Students loved the story and learning about the characters. However, the play brought these characters to life.”

-An Indiana Teacher and her students regarding The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963

Xavier Adams in the IRT’s 2020 production of The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963. Photo by Zach Rosing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SUPPORTING STUDENT MATINEES, CONTACT: 11 KAY SWANK-HERZOG: KSWANKHERZOG@IRTLIVE.COM | 317.916.4830

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS CHAIR

TREASURER

VICE CHAIR & CHAIR ELECT

SECRETARY

Mark Shaffer KPMG LLP

After one of the most challenging years in our history, we are very excited to welcome you in person to the Indiana Repertory Theatre!

Great theatre sparks conversations, thoughtful questions, and ideas that reflect on and enlighten our lives, workplaces, and communities. Whether you’ve been part of the IRT family for years or are a first-time visitor, we are glad you are with us!

I am very grateful for the hard work, dedication, and adaptability of our staff, bringing theatre to our audience in these extraordinary times. We are blessed with amazing leadership and talent. I also want to give a special thank you to all our patrons and partners for their loyal and tireless support, ensuring the IRT’s future for generations to come.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I thank you for joining us this season—one which will inspire and entertain.

– Mark E. Shaffer, IRT Board Chair

Andrew Michie OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc.

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IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

Nadine Givens* PNC Wealth Management

Detra Mills The Basement

MEMBERS Tammara D. Avant American Electric Power Allison Barkel LifeOmic IRT Offscript Advisory Council Liaison Keith A. Bice Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP Amy Burke Lacy School of Business Butler University Michael P. Dinius Noble Consulting Services, Inc. Laurie Dippold KAR Auction Services, Inc. Dan Emerson* Indianapolis Colts Troy D. Farmer BKD CPAs & Advisors Ron Gifford RDG Strategies LLC Bruce Glor J.P. Morgan

Julian Harrell Faegre Drinker Mike Harrington Eli Lilly & Company, Retired Michael N. Heaton Katz Sapper & Miller Holt Hedrick Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. Brenda Horn Ice Miller LLP, Retired Rebecca Hutton Leadership Indianapolis Elisha Modisett Kemp Corteva Agriscience Jill Lacy The Lacy Foundation Alan Mills Barnes & Thornburg LLP Michael Moriarty Frost Brown Todd Brian Payne Central Indiana Community Foundation

Lauren Petersen TechPoint Peter Racher Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP Susan O. Ringo Community Volunteer Myra C. Selby Ice Miller LLP Mike Simmons Jupiter Peak, LLC Shelly Smith Ernst & Young LLP Sue Smith Community Volunteer Amy Waggoner Salesforce L. Alan Whaley Ice Miller LLP, Retired Heather Wilson Frost Brown Todd LLC

BOARD EMERITUS Robert Anker* Rollin Dick Berkley Duck* Dale Duncan* James W. Freeman Michael Lee Gradison* (in memoriam) Margie Herald David Klapper David Kleinman*

* Past Board Chairs * Past Board Chairs

Joy Kleinmaier American Specialty Health

Sarah Lechleiter E. Kirk McKinney Jr. (in memoriam) Richard O. Morris* (in memoriam) Jane Schlegel* Wayne Schmidt Jerry Semler* Jack Shaw* William E. Smith III* Eugene R. Tempel*

THEATER DANCE VISUAL LITERARY MUSIC FILM POETRY/ SPOKEN WORD

crafting a

CREATIVE COMEBACK Reconnect with your favorite Indy arts & culture experiences and discover new ones.

Everything’s happening at

IndyArtsGuide.org

Kay Bae, Algae & Wildflowers, 2020 Banner artwork at Meridian and Washington streets

ENJOY MORE OF OUR 2021-2022 SEASON WITH A SEASON PACKAGE! BUILD YOUR OWN 3 (BYO3) PACKAGE Choose any three productions you want to see live at the Theatre this season.

3 PLAY VIRTUAL PACKAGE Select this package and receive a digital ticket to stream Fahrenheit 451, The Reclamation of Madison Hemings, and The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin.

Part of IRT’s INclusion Series: Celebrating Diverse Storytelling

BUY NOW! I IRTLIVE.COM/PACKAGES I 317.635.5252

Corteva Agriscience is on a mission to help nourish the world.

KEEP GROWING.

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™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. © 2021 Corteva.

ANSWERING THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: WHAT’S FOR DINNER?

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Support in the Wings At Faegre Drinker, community takes center stage.

We’re proud to stand with the IRT in honoring the resiliency of our city and reimagining the way forward.

faegredrinker.com © 2021 Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. All Rights Reserved.

FITNESS FOR ALL AGES NIFS 65,000 square-foot facility

and degreed staff make us stand out from all the rest!

• Indoor running track • Lifting platforms • NBA Basketball Court • Weight room

Try 7 days FREE!

Group Fitness Classes

Choose from over 40 weekly, high energy classes to keep your workouts fun and effective!

• Aging Athelete

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Personal Nutrition Coaching

NIFS Registered Dietitian will walk you through nutrition, meal planning and other areas that will help you meet your goals.

Located in White River State Park Next to the NCAA and Natatorium

250 University Blvd. Indianapolis • Phone: (317) 274-3432 • nifs.org

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THE REPERTORY SOCIETY Exclusive Access and Support

Theatre is about community, coming together to share stories, allowing us to laugh together, cry together, and experience perspectives both familiar and new.

CONTINUING OUR MISSION WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR DONORS.

YOUR GENEROSITY TRANSFORMS THE COMMUNITY BY: Providing an evening of laughter and entertainment with friends Illuminating bold new perspectives Enlightening young minds Bringing our community together, one story at a time Become a member of our Repertory Society and be part of what makes our city a great artistic community.

Donors giving $1,500 or more each season will join this exclusive group and gain access to a slate of benefits created to extend your access to our art and enhance your theatergoing experience.

REPERTORY SOCIETY BENEFITS INCLUDE: Exclusive Special Events, Discounts on single tickets purchased, VIP Ticket Concierge, and much more!

Jennifer Johansen, Aaron Kirby, Constance Macy and David Shih in the IRT’s 2021 production of The House That Jack Built. Photo by Zach Rosing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO JOIN THE REPERTORY SOCIETY

Contact Kay Swank-Herzog, Individual Giving Manager: kswankherzog@irtlive.com | 317.916.483017

THE CITY’S MOST HILARIOUS FUNDRAISING EVENT

SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022

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Cast members of the IRT 2020 Celebrity Show. Photo by Porch Marketing.

EQUITY IS JUSTICE. EQUITY IS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. EQUITY BENEFITS US ALL.

OUR MISSION:

to mobilize people, ideas and investments to make this a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential—no matter place, race or identity.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY FOR ALL BECOME AN EQUITY PARTNER

Learn more at CICF.org/equity

317.634.2423 CICF.org

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INDIA N A

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arts4u

CELEBRATE THE ARTS

Arts and creativity make us stronger – as individuals, families, communities, and as a state.

Make your license plate purchase count.

Purchasing an Arts Trust License Plate contributes to an established endowment and, along with funds from the Indiana General Assembly, supports arts projects across the state.

www.arts.in.gov 20

Pictured Arts Trust License Plate Project: Early Learning Indiana, Marion County

the arts enrich our entire community.

The largest locally-owned national bank is proud to be a major supporter of the Arts.

317-261-9000 ©2021 The National Bank of Indianapolis

www.nbofi.com

Member FDIC

REVIEWS!

Share your review on social media by tagging us at @IRTLIVE, using #IRTLIVE or by emailing REVIEWS@IRTLIVE.COM PHOTO CREDIT (SET ONLY):

SCENIC DESIGNER: Russell Methany ONEAMERICA MAINSTAGE NOVEMBER 23 – DECEMBER 26

ARTISTIC

LIGHTING DESIGNER: Michael Lincoln SEASON SPONSOR

Director_________________________ JAMES STILL Scenic Designer________________________ RUSSELL METHENY Costume Designer________________________ LINDA PISANO Lighting Designer______________________ MICHAEL LINCOLN Composer_____________________________ MICHAEL KECK Dramaturg__________________________ RICHARD J ROBERTS Stage Manager______________________ ERIN ROBSON-SMITH* Assistant Stage Manager___________________ BECKY ROEBER*

SEASON PARTNER

SEASON SUPPORT

ARTS PARTNERS m a k i n g t h e a rt s h a p p e n

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JANETJANET ALLENALLEN

Lacy Eccles Margot Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Artistic DirectorDirector

SUZANNE SWEENEY SUZANNE SWEENEY Managing Managing DirectorDirector

THE CAST CHRISTMAS EVE Storytellers____________THE COMPANY Ebenezer Scrooge______ ROB JOHANSEN* Bob Cratchit________ RYAN ARTZBERGER* Fred________________ WILL MOBLEY* Felicity___________NINA JAYASHANKAR Marley’s Ghost______ RYAN ARTZBERGER*

CHRISTMAS PRESENT Ghost_________ DAVID ALAN ANDERSON* Mrs. Cratchit___ MARIA ARGENTINA SOUZA* Tiny Tim____________ QUINTIN GILDON Penelope_____ MARIA ARGENTINA SOUZA* Prudence_________ JENNIFER JOHANSEN* Topper___________ RYAN ARTZBERGER*

CHRISTMAS PAST Ghost_______ MARIA ARGENTINA SOUZA* Child Scrooge_________ QUINTIN GILDON Fezziwig_______ DAVID ALAN ANDERSON* Young Scrooge_________ WILL MOBLEY* Mrs. Fezziwig______ JENNIFER JOHANSEN* Belle____________NINA JAYASHANKAR

CHRISTMAS FUTURE Ghost_______________ WILL MOBLEY* Pawnbroker_____ DAVID ALAN ANDERSON* Charwoman_______ JENNIFER JOHANSEN* Laundress_________NINA JAYASHANKAR CHRISTMAS DAY Poulterer’s Son________ QUINTIN GILDON

SETTING England. The Eve of the Industrial Revolution.

APPROXIMATE RUN TIME: 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Choreographer: Nicholas A. Owens Special Thanks: Katie Schuman, Karaline Feller, Matt Branic, Darrin Gowan Understudy for Scrooge: Ryan Artzberger Dance Captain: Maria Argentina Souza

Choral Captain: Will Mobley Swings: Daniel Martin, Devan Mathias, & Marnie Moore Lighting Design Assistants: Madeleine Hebert & Bentley Heydt

* Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union. The scenic, costume, and lighting designers are represented by United Scenic Artists Local 829, IATSE. Photography and recording are forbidden in the Theatre. The videotaping of this production is a violation of United States Copyright Law and an actionable Federal Offense.

Original artwork by Tasha Beckwith

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COMMUNITY After a monumental year without it, A Christmas Carol seems more vital than ever: more necessary, more comforting, more chilling, more hopeful. If you had told me two years ago that we would take an 18-month break from producing live theatre due to a world-wide pandemic, I would have thought you’d been reading far too much dystopian fiction; yet that’s exactly what happened. Our relationship to A Christmas Carol did not go away easily: until the bitter end of our season reconfiguring a year ago, we hoped against hope that we could manage some kind of stripped down Carol even in the midst of the pandemic.

That’s how strongly we feel about the redemptive power of this story. But as union issues mounted, and the CDC and our local health authorities kept our city shut down, we realized that we were hoping in vain; and a virtual production of this piece simply didn’t seem worthwhile. You just need to be in the room with it. So instead, we pivoted to make what became our joyous holiday offering, This Wonderful Life: a one-man retelling of the Capra film, magnificently created by this year’s new Scrooge, Rob Johansen. Mercifully, that show allowed our audiences to

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celebrate the holiday season with theatre art—on a screen, but powerful nonetheless. Still we vowed that we’d find our way back to our beloved Dickens as quickly as we could.

Among the gifts of that first COVID summer of 2020 (who ever thought there would be a second?) was a few weeks in which our artistic staff worked on rethinking the Carol script.

First, we focused principally on reducing the cast size: 16 actors in a rehearsal room or even onstage felt utterly unsafe. Soon, however, we began to rediscover how many hidden gifts lurk below the surface of Dickens’s wonderful novella. There were bits of language, unused in the past, that seemed utterly prescient to our particular time; little shifts that we had made through the years that no longer seemed worthy; things we had interpolated over the years that now seemed unnecessary; gorgeous chunks of Dickens that we’ve never spoken on stage that we wanted to hear. When we put the novella itself under the microscope of our scrutiny, we saw how we could scrape the barnacles off a beloved text and begin to see it anew. We could

BY JANET ALLEN, MARGOT LACY ECCLES ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

see that the story was like a banked flame, springing back to life.

It held, and holds, much power to move us, to shake us; to make us examine ourselves, our commitment to community, and our ability to truly see each other.

What does living in community mean? What are our obligations to one another? These questions lie at the core of the journey the ghosts take with Scrooge in an attempt to redeem him from his narrow-minded, isolated, solitary lifestyle. And these same questions are eerily prescient in our own time. We have certainly endured an unprecedented dose of isolation in the past 20 months. How has this experience made us more narrow-minded, more afraid of people unlike us, less generous to those whose needs are even greater than ours? These are the things we are deeply considering and discussing as we make a new/old A Christmas Carol.

I am more delighted than I can say that James Still, our playwright-in-residence, has agreed to direct this year’s production. He begins this new journey with a new Scrooge, Rob Johansen. Both men have a good deal of experience with this Top: The cast of the IRT’s 2015 production of A Christmas Carol. Photo by Zach Rosing.

story. James has seen every production during his 24 years with us, and has been a wise and welcome counsel. Rob has played every male role in the show except Scrooge, and probably knows all the female roles just in case! But it’s Rob’s spirit, his love of the story, and his immense skills that will be what we all gather to see this year. He’ll be supported by a former Scrooge, Ryan Artzberger, and several other actors who have played in our Carol many times, as well as some exciting newcomers. The village of actors for the Carol has never been more important, as we return to the essence of Dickens’s language and purpose.

So welcome back to A Christmas Carol. I imagine that you real diehards watched one of the many movie versions last year (maybe more than one); but there is no substitution for sitting in a room together listening raptly to live actors speak these words and take this journey toward a healed community. Let’s all take that journey seriously and emulate it in our lives, even in our times of apparently deep divisions. We all share a humanity, so let’s find that common ground of good!

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CHANGE

BY JAMES STILL, DIRECTOR

“Everything changes, nothing is lost.…” That phrase (roughly translated from Latin) is from Ovid’s ancient poem known as Metamorphoses. Ovid’s acknowledgment about the inevitably of change and the possibility of transformation is at once wise and complex—and during these past many months of working on our new production of A Christmas Carol, I’ve repeated that phrase over and over. As an artist, part of my job is to keep my eyes open, to not turn away, to greet every day as an anthropologist, fortune teller, and change-maker.

For many years I’ve been a grateful audience member to the IRT’s beloved version of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. And while I’ve had opportunities to direct the play, I’ve never felt drawn to it as an interpreter because I was never convinced I had anything significant to bring to a production. This year is different. This year I said 26

yes because of an intuitive desire to spend time with the story and its characters, to make meaning out of Dickens’s words and images, to contribute something hopeful even when everything feels dark. So here I am, finally, directing A Christmas Carol.

There are many givens that come with the IRT’s exquisite version of A Christmas Carol. The concept comes with the production. We are in a snowfield. We are witnesses to a story being generously shared by a company of actors.

It’s a ritual and a tradition. What does tradition mean in times of uncertainty? Answers to that question have been part of what we’re exploring (again) in this year’s Carol. It took Charles Dickens a mere six weeks to write his novella—much less time than it takes us to make this production every year.

Even with the known givens handed to any director of the IRT’s Carol, there are a surprising number of unknowns that require months of meditation and inquiry. I’ve taken many long walks while in lively (imaginary) conversations with Charles Dickens. He’s been patient with me, generous with some of his responses, yet also playfully mysterious and withholding. His answers have often been questions, such as “What’s urgent about it now? What does the story mean to YOU???” And “You say you’re the director—but what’s your relationship with the collaborators and audience that will be your partners in storytelling?” I found a clue in the preface of his published novella, where Dickens refers to himself as “faithful friend and servant.” That’s not so different from how I think of myself as the director tasked with sharing this story as theatre. It’s in that humble spirit that I come to our production this year.

We are in a snowfield. We’re also very much in a theatre.

Designer Russell Metheny once described his scenic design as “a theatre with a hole in the roof, and the stage has filled with snow.” It’s a beautiful image beautifully rendered by the IRT artisans who make our production possible every year. For the actors it means there is literally no place to hide. They are always on stage, often speaking directly to the audience, and always inviting us to collaborate in the unfolding of the Carol as a parable about the hard work of kindness and generosity.

At its heart, A Christmas Carol is a story about redemption. Dickens subtitled his novella “A Ghost Story of Christmas,” and as a writer, I understand that choice as subtle instruction: a ghost story can go wherever it needs to go in an instant; it is in constant motion, a story that easily moves both back and forward in time.

There is something bold in the idea that it’s possible for a broken man, disconnected from his community, to CHANGE, to reset his moral compass and priorities, and to vow to start again fresh and new. The question that the story wrestles with from the beginning is whether

or not Scrooge will actually have the courage to engage with his life in a meaningful way to make those difficult changes possible. It’s the ultimate story of being given a second chance.

So here I am, standing on the shoulders of all of the artists who have made meaningful versions of Dickens’s story in the past. For you, dear audience, there will be much that seems familiar: some of your favorite moments will show up right on cue. And simultaneously, there will be much that seems new—some of which I hope might become new favorite moments. “Everything changes, nothing is lost.” For the first time, Rob Johansen steps into the iconic role of Scrooge, which is a treat just waiting to happen. Rob will be joined by seven other brilliant actors who will gather in our snowfield as your neighbors, carolers, storytellers, and fellow humans sharing the same air. Never has that seemed so poignant to me. There are big and subtle changes in all of the designs (I’ll let you discover or guess), and designers, cast, and crew bursting with rich relationships to the IRT’s Carol—as well as those who are coming to it for the first time. I suspect that those circumstances will reflect the audience as well: many of you have embraced our production as part of your own family traditions; others are coming to it for the first time.

We gather to watch this story every year because we want to believe in redemption. We want to believe that if a broken man like Scrooge can experience a profound change of heart, then maybe we can too. We gather around this story because we believe there are some stories worth experiencing again and again. I need this story this year more than ever. Everything changes, nothing is lost.

Top: The cast of the IRT’s 1981 production of A Christmas Carol. Photo from the IRT archives.

Bottom: The cast of the IRT’s 2019 production of A Christmas Carol. Photo by Zach Rosing.

—James Still, a faithful friend and servant

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“OF ALL THE GOOD DAYS IN THE YEAR, ON CHRISTMAS EVE”

It’s ironic, but as a scenic designer the thing I love most is great performances. I love creating an empty space in which great performances happen. That’s what this set is all about: an empty

field of snow in which wonderful actors tell a wonderful story.

When I see something on stage that is not what it is and looks like something else—that to me is great theatre.

Well of course, the first thing is the snow. That enormous field of white offers a technical challenge to a lighting designer. It’s harder to create isolated lighting effects; everything just bounces all over the place. But I also have unique opportunities, such as creating silhouettes against the snow. In terms of design, the snow functions very much like a sky drop—it’s a blank canvas on which I can paint any color. This production does not rely on theatrical “effects.” It’s all about the magic created between the actors and the audience.

There are always new discoveries to make in the snow. It’s an unnerving yet exhilarating process.

Above: Preliminary sketch by scenic designer Russell Metheny for IRT’s 2021 production of A Christmas Carol.

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This is a story that audiences know well. I re-read the novel to focus on character descriptions. Dickens’s work sheds light on issues of poverty, family, loneliness, and compassion. He writes about the industrial grime and soot of London in his day. The distressing of the costumes and the overall feel of the Cratchit family reflect these conditions. Class division is clear. Mrs. Cratchit is poor, getting fabric from the rag pickers of the streets. She is probably quite skilled in sewing and may even use pin tucks, embroidery, and other surprising details to liven up her family’s

meager clothes. Our ghosts align closely with the descriptions in the novel. I also found great influence in John Leech’s original illustrations. The story presents a series of emotional experiences for Scrooge: Fezziwig’s party is a warm, jovial memory of the country, while Fred’s more urban and sophisticated party is something Scrooge has never attended. Both occasions hit home, demonstrating that for Scrooge to have a happier future, he must first deal with the issues and problems of his past and present.

During the holiday season, bells of every size find their rightful place in the soundtrack of our lives. Bells are everywhere, summoning and gathering people together, ringing out for donations, jingling at the end of a stocking cap, and announcing rituals and celebrations. I am fascinated by the magic and weight bells add to our experiences. Meanwhile, the holiday season also announces its arrival with familiar melodies of traditional hymns and carols. So when I was asked to join the Dickens creative team,

two ideas emerged: the musicality of bells and the intimate sound of carolers. Together these themes might offer a positive counter-narrative for Ebenezer Scrooge in some instances, while highlighting Dickens’s timeless darker themes in others. All nicely packaged in a holiday ghost story. The musicality of bells and community voices quickly became the foundation for the music I am presenting with this season’s production of A Christmas Carol.

Above: Renderings by costume designer Linda Pisano for Christmas Past, Marley’s Ghost, and Ebenezer Scrooge.

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CHARLES DICKENS AUTHOR

TOM HAAS PLAYWRIGHT

The works of the great English novelist Charles Dickens are not only great literature, they are also cracking good reads, with oneof-a-kind characters and stories that both tug at the heartstrings and leave readers breathless with excitement. But the author’s purpose went beyond mere entertainment; his books were almost always designed to alert his readers to the wretched conditions of England’s poor and destitute. Born in 1812, Dickens suffered an impoverished childhood that provided plenty of grist for tales of debtors’ prison and rat-infested factories. Yet despite this poverty and his lack of formal education, he rose from legal clerk to newspaper columnist to best-selling author by the age of 24. During his lifetime, his books—Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, and many more—were wildly popular, not only in England but also around the world; most are still in print.

When A Christmas Carol was published in 1843, the holiday was not widely celebrated in England; the book inspired such a revival that the author became known as Father Christmas. In his later years, Dickens made almost a second career of public readings of this beloved novella. Long before he died in 1870, he was hailed everywhere as the greatest writer of his age.

Tom Haas was artistic director of the IRT from 1980 until his untimely death in 1991. Prior to his association with the IRT, he was artistic director of PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He was associate director at Yale Repertory Theatre and head of the Acting-Directing Program at Yale University, where his students included Henry Winkler, Sigourney Weaver, and Meryl Streep. At the IRT, Tom directed 40 productions, including memorable renditions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream,

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Mourning Becomes Electra, The Skin of Our Teeth, The Cocktail Party, Six Characters in Search of an Author, and, of course, A Christmas Carol. IRT audiences also saw his stage adaptations of Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Three Musketeers, as well as the musical Operetta, My Dear Watson and dozens of Cabaret shows.

Tom’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol was produced at the IRT

annually from 1980 through 1984. The play returned in 1996 and has been a welcome holiday tradition ever since.

THE COMPANY DAVID ALAN ANDERSON | FEZZIWIG, CHRISTMAS PRESENT, PAWNBROKER, & ENSEMBLE IRT audiences have seen David in Looking Over the President’s Shoulder, Fences, What I Learned in Paris, Julius Caesar, The Whipping Man, Radio Golf, The Mountaintop, A Christmas Carol, and many others.

His most recent work includes two seasons with the Shaw Festival in Canada, where he appeared in The Devil’s Disciple and Trouble in Mind. In Chicago, he has been seen in West Side Story at Lyric Opera; Stick Fly, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Witch at Writers Theatre; and Gem of the Ocean (Black Theatre Alliance Award winner) and The Mountaintop (Jeff Award nominee) at Court Theatre. Other regional credits include the Guthrie Theater; CenterStage; Denver Theatre Center; Actors Theatre of Louisville; Asolo Repertory; the Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare festivals; Penumbra Theatre, where he is a company member; and many more. Directing credits include The Color of Justice and Most Valuable Player on the IRT Upperstage and Two Trains Running and Topdog/Underdog at the Phoenix Theatre. Recent television credits include two seasons on The Chi, Shameless (both on Showtime), and Chicago PD (NBC). He is a recipient of the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship, sponsored by the Ten Chimneys Foundation, where he worked with Alan Alda. He received a Creative Renewal Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis, and was honored by the Circle City Links and the Center for Leadership Development for his achievements in the arts.

RYAN ARTZBERGER | BOB CRATCHIT, MARLEY, TOPPER, & ENSEMBLE Ryan’s IRT credits include Cyrano, Tuesdays with Morrie, Murder on the Orient Express, A Christmas Carol, The Diary of Anne Frank, Holmes and Watson, Noises Off, Romeo and Juliet, The Three Musketeers, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Crucible, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, God of Carnage, Julius Caesar, Fire in the Garden, Rabbit Hole, Iron Kisses, Death of a Salesman, and Macbeth. Ryan is a member of Indianapolis Shakespeare Company, where he has directed Hamlet and As You Like It and appeared in Coriolanus, The Winter’s Tale, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew, and Othello. At the Phoenix Theatre he performed in Reasons to Be Pretty. Regional credits include the Seattle Children’s Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre and the Studio Theatre in Washington DC, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, the Goodman Theatre, Berkeley Rep, Kansas City Rep, Lookingglass, and Great Lakes Theater Festival. Ryan is a graduate of Ohio University and the Juilliard School.

QUINTIN GILDON | CHILD SCROOGE, TINY TIM, POULTERER’S SON, & ENSEMBLE Quintin is 13 years old and is in the 8th grade at Chapel Hill Middle school in Wayne Township. He is an aspiring young actor and has a passion for acting as he believes it is a talent God has given him. His previous school teacher from Bridgeport Elementary encouraged him to pursue theatre after a project he did in her class. He performed at the IRT in A Christmas Carol in 2019 as Henry Cratchit, and he has participated in various local plays at school and at Lakeview Church, where he attends youth group regularly; additionally, he was an extra in a movie. He loves singing and works with vocal coach Kim Kenny. Off stage, Quintin plays catcher with his traveling baseball team.

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THE COMPANY NINA JAYASHANKAR | FELICITY, BELLE, LAUNDRESS, & ENSEMBLE Nina is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with the Music Theatre Certificate, as well as another major in Mathematics. Based in Chicago, Nina has worked at a number of companies including the Goodman Theatre, TimeLine Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, CPA Theatricals, and Music Theatre Works. Favorite credits include Shakuntala (the Goodman Theatre), Sohni Mahiwal (the Blank Theater), and Peter Pan (Music Theatre Works). Most recently, she performed as an understudy in Mr. Burns at Theater Wit. She is proud to be represented by Gray Talent Group. When she is not acting, she works as a social media manager for Token Theatre and project manager for Essie Justice Group. ninajayashankar.com

JENNIFER JOHANSEN | MRS. FEZZIWIG, PRUDENCE, CHARWOMAN, & ENSEMBLE Jen gratefully returns to live indoor theatre and to her 11th IRT Carol. Select IRT appearances include The House That Jack Built, Holmes and Watson, The Mousetrap, The Game’s Afoot, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Syringa Tree, Julius Caesar, The Ladies Man, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night. Phoenix Theatre favorites include The Pill; The Christians; Hir; On Clover Road; Mr. Burns, a post-electric play; and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. At the Human Race Theatre Company she has played Gloria Steinem in Gloria: A Life, and has also appeared in God of Carnage, Sex with Strangers, and Romeo and Juliet. Jen is a proud member of Indianapolis Shakespeare Company with whom she recently appeared as Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the newly restored Taggart Memorial in Riverside Park. Proud board member of both American Lives Theatre and Summer Stock Stage. Proud spouse of Rob Johansen.

“Dedicated to Robert Neal. Love to family near and far, here and gone.”

ROB JOHANSEN | SCROOGE This is Rob’s 14th Carol and his 50th show at the IRT. Among his other IRT favorites are three one-person shows—This Wonderful Life, Underneath the Lintel, and After Paul McCartney—as well as The Grapes of Wrath, The Game’s Afoot, The 39 Steps, Cyrano (2002), and The Mystery of Irma Vep. “There is no better way to celebrate 50 shows at IRT than playing Scrooge, and getting to do it with my sweet wife, Jen! And directed by James, who was so brilliant in bringing Irma Vep a gorgeous shape.” Rob is a passionate worker at the Humane Society of Indianapolis, and asks people to consider getting their fur babies there. Shelter pups make the best pets! “I dedicate this Carol to my best friend in the Indy theatre scene: actor, novelist, and all around super human Robert Neal.”

WILL MOBLEY | FRED, YOUNG SCROOGE, CHRISTMAS FUTURE, & ENSEMBLE

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Will is delighted to make his third appearance in A Christmas Carol at the IRT, where he has also been seen in The Book Club Play, Other Desert Cities, and The Hound of the Baskervilles. Chicago credits include The Lady from the Sea at the Court; The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley at Northlight; The Winter’s Tale at the Goodman; Ragtime at the Marriott; My Fair Lady at Lyric Opera; SS! Twelfth Night at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; and Days like Today and Antony and Cleopatra at Writers Theatre.

Regional credits include Miss Bennett: Christmas at Pemberley at TheatreSquared; The Legend of Georgia McBride at Cardinal Stage Company; and A View from the Bridge, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Hamlet, Antony and Cleopatra, Twelfth Night, Richard III, The Admirable Crichton, The Taming of the Shrew, The Critic, and Of Mice and Men at American Players Theatre. Will is also a member of the Chicago band the Winchesters. thewinchestersband.com

MARIA ARGENTINA SOUZA | CHRISTMAS PAST, MRS. CRATCHIT, PENELOPE, & ENSEMBLE Maria is delighted to make her IRT debut with A Christmas Carol alongside this marvelous team. She was most recently seen as June in Alabaster at the Phoenix Theatre. Off-Broadway she has been seen as Miranda in The Tempest, Mel in Does This Woman Have a Name, and Woman in HAK. Regional credits include Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Lucinda in The History of Cardenio, Lily Booker in Current Economic Conditions: A Comedy, Antigone in The Theban Plays, Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion, Liz in ReEntry, Adriana in The Comedy of Errors, Ophelia in Hamlet, and Libby in Blue Window. Maria received her MFA from the Actors Studio Drama School. “Thank you for supporting the arts. May your holidays be filled with joy, peace, and wonder!”

JAMES STILL | DIRECTOR This is James’s 24th season as the IRT’s playwright-in-residence; the company most recently produced his play The House That Jack Built. James has directed many productions at the IRT, including Twelve Angry Men, A Doll’s House Part 2, The Originalist, Dial “M” for Murder, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Red, Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, Mary’s Wedding, Becky’s New Car, Rabbit Hole, Doubt, Bad Dates, Old Wicked Songs, Plaza Suite, The Immigrant, and Dinner with Friends, as well as his own I Love to Eat, Amber Waves (2000), and Looking Over the President’s Shoulder (2001). (complete bio on page 8)

RUSSELL METHENY | SCENIC DESIGNER Russell has designed more than 50 IRT productions, including The House That Jack Built, Cyrano, A Christmas Carol, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Game’s Afoot, Who Am I This Time?, A Little Night Music, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, God of Carnage, The Heavens Are Hung in Black, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Iron Kisses, The Unexpected Guest, The Gentleman from Indiana, Old Wicked Songs, Searching for Eden, Plaza Suite, Arcadia, The Immigrant, Ah, Wilderness!, and Looking Over the President’s Shoulder (2001). He has also designed for the Studio Theatre, the Great Lakes and Idaho Shakespeare festivals, Asolo Theatre, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Weston Playhouse, Dallas Theatre Center, the Old Globe Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, Missouri Rep, Actors Theatre of Kansas City, the Goodman Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Buffalo Studio Arena, Portland Stage, and Goodspeed Musicals.

LINDA PISANO | COSTUME DESIGNER Linda designs for theatre, dance, musical theatre, ballet, and opera throughout the United States; her ballet designs have toured the UK and Canada. This is her 17th design collaboration with IRT, including most recently Cyrano. Her work has been selected twice to represent the United States in the Quadrennial World Design Expo in Prague and twice for the World Stage Design exhibition. She is a three-time winner in performance design at the National Stage Expo, and a four-time recipient of the Peggy Ezekiel Award for Excellence in Design. Her work was selected from top designers in the United States to be featured in a world design exhibition with the Bakhrushin Museum in Moscow and the China Institute of Stage Design in Beijing. She serves as chair of the Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance at Indiana University in Bloomington, where she is professor of costume design and directs the Theatre and Drama study abroad program in London. Recent opera includes Candide for the Des Moines Metro Opera, Florencia en el Amazonas at the San Diego Opera, and Salome at Opera San Antonio. For the IU Jacobs School of Music she recently designed Wagner’s Parsifal and will design a new Nutcracker in 2022.

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THE COMPANY MICHAEL LINCOLN | LIGHTING DESIGNER Michael has designed more than 40 productions at the IRT, including You Can’t Take It With You; Noises Off; Finding Home; April 4, 1968; Who Am I This Time?; A Little Night Music; The House That Jack Built; The 39 Steps; This Wonderful Life; Old Wicked Songs; The Immigrant; Ah, Wilderness!; and The Glass Menagerie. Highlights of his career include the Broadway productions of Copenhagen and Skylight, as well as off-Broadway designs including Mr. Goldwyn, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, Defying Gravity, Bunny Bunny, and Swingtime Canteen. In addition to the IRT, Michael has had long associations with the Alley Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Studio Theatre DC, Santa Fe Opera, and Los Angeles Ballet. He is artistic director of Tantrum Theater, the professional company of Ohio University. michaellincoln.net

MICHAEL KECK | COMPOSER At the IRT, Michael has composed music for Cyrano; Murder on the Orient Express; all three productions of Looking Over the President’s Shoulder; Holmes and Watson; A Raisin in the Sun; April 4, 1968 (in which he also acted); Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Rabbit Hole; Gem of the Ocean; Searching for Eden; and As You Like It. His music has accompanied productions at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Rep, Mark Taper Forum, Arena Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, and many others. His international credits include the Market Theatre Johannesburg South Africa, National Theater of Croatia–Zagreb, the Barbican Theatre Center, and Bristol Old Vic. Excerpts from his solo performance piece Voices in the Rain are published by Temple University Press and Alta Mira Press. Michael received the Theatre Bay Area Award in San Francisco and three Barrymore Award nominations for his work in Philadelphia. He has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Arts Council, and Meet the Composer. He is a member of AEA, SAG–AFTRA, ASCAP, PEN, and the Dramatists Guild.

NICHOLAS A. OWENS | CHOREOGRAPHER Nicholas is a freelance choreographer and director with nearly 20 years of dance experience. He is cofounder and associate artistic director of Kenyettá Dance Company. His goal is to create, encourage, and provide training/performance opportunities to aspiring dancers seeking professional dance experience.

Credits for direction and choreography include Excerpts of Dreams, Signs of the Times, Out of the Box, Speaking without Words, Groundwork Suites, Breaking the Silence, Black Dance Matters, Black Box Theory, Sincerely Love, Summer Solstice, and Black Box Theory II for Kenyettá Dance Company; The Color Purple and Ragtime at Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre; The Color Purple, Shrek the Musical, The Wiz, and In the Heights at Pike High School; America the Modern, Love Is, Mad for Musicals, Super Soul, Ray & Ella, Voices of a Generation, Divas, and Divos for Dance Kaleidoscope; The Color Purple for the Cupboard; Memphis for KaidyDid; and Genius to the Beat of Soul for Asante Children’s Theatre. This is his fourth year teaching at Shortridge High School as co-director of the MYP/CP/DP Dance Program.

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RICHARD J ROBERTS | DRAMATURG This is Richard’s 32nd season with the IRT, and his 24th as resident dramaturg. He has also been a dramaturg for the New Harmony Project, Write Now, and the Hotchner Playwriting Festival. He has directed IRT productions of A Christmas Carol (four times), Bridge & Tunnel, The Night Watcher, Neat, Pretty Fire, The Cay, The Giver, The Power of One, and Twelfth Night. Other directing credits include Actors Theatre of Indiana, the Phoenix Theatre, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Edyvean Repertory Theatre, Indianapolis Civic Theatre, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Butler University, University of Indianapolis, and Anderson University. This season he directs Pippin at Marian University. Richard studied music at DePauw University and theatre at Indiana University and has been awarded a Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis.

ERIN ROBSON-SMITH | STAGE MANAGER Since moving to Indianapolis in 2013, Erin has had the pleasure of working with IRT and its incredible staff. Favorite productions include Mrs. Harrison, Pipeline, Romeo and Juliet, Finding Home, and And Then They Came for Me at IRT; The Hotel Nepenthe and Vino Veritas at the Phoenix Theatre; Sometimes a Great Notion and Frost/Nixon at Portland Center Stage; and Metamorphoses and The Drawer Boy at Artists Repertory Theatre. Erin spent the summers of 2008 and 2009 working with the JAW Festival at Portland Center Stage.

BECKY ROEBER | ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Becky hails from the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania where they attended East Stroudsburg University for musical theatre and technical theatre. This is their fifth season at Indiana Repertory Theatre and they are happy to be joining Actor’s Equity Association with this production. They also serve as production manager for Summer Stock Stage and as production stage manager for Eclipse productions. “I am so grateful to be producing beautiful productions with this talented company during these trying times.”

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OVATION SOCIETY: BRINGING JOY TO THE NEXT GENERATION! The IRT has produced professional, world-class theatre in Indianapolis for nearly 50 years.

You can play a vital role in supporting the next 50 years by making a legacy gift to the Theatre.

From a simple bequest to charitable trusts, there are a variety of ways you can include the IRT in your estate plans.

Our staff will work with you and your financial advisor, tax professional or family attorney to determine how a planned gift can assist you in meeting your financial and charitable goals.

Include the IRT in your estate plans, and help bring joy to the next generation, through our continued world-class stories that invite our community to reflect on our collective history and journeys that make up this vibrant place we call home.

Please let us know if you have already included the IRT in your plan so that we can recognize you for your generosity in the Ovation Society!

LEARN MORE: IRTLIVE.COM/LEGACY | jturner@irtlive.com | 317.916.4835 36

Robert Elliott, Janyce Caraballo, and Milicent Wright in the IRT’s 2019 production of You Can’t Take It With You. Photo by Zach Rosing.

ROB JOHANSEN ON SCROOGE

Rob Johansen as Mr. Potter in the IRT’s 2020 production of This Wonderful Life. Photo by Zach Rosing.

THIS IS ROB JOHANSEN’S 14TH YEAR IN A CHRISTMAS CAROL AND HIS 50TH PRODUCTION AT THE IRT. THIS SEASON, FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE PLAYS SCROOGE.

OVER THE YEARS YOU’VE PLAYED ALMOST EVERY MALE ROLE IN THE CAROL. WHAT DOES THE PLAY MEAN TO YOU? Growing up in upstate New York, my family huddled around the TV every Christmas to watch the various filmed versions of the Carol. My brother Rich and I had a holiday tradition that we would string popcorn and cranberries for his Christmas tree while we watched the George C. Scott version, which was our favorite.

I love that one. (I also love that there are people that hate that one—it’s subjective.) My brother and I would watch it every year, and then we would have a really deep talk about the story. And every year our conversation would change based on our lives, our growing perceptions of the world. At that time I had no idea that eventually I’d live 700 miles from home. In 1998, when I did my first Carol at the IRT, I hadn’t made up my mind that I was going to make Indiana my forever home. But over the course of that Carol, celebrating Christmas with the city every day for six weeks, I fell in love with Indianapolis. I felt like I was gaining a new family out here, in addition to my family back home. A Christmas Carol helped me to form roots in this city that have now lasted 23 years.

IN THE PAST YOU’VE PLAYED BOB CRATCHIT A NUMBER OF TIMES, OFTEN WITH RYAN ARTZBERGER AS SCROOGE. NOW THOSE ROLES ARE REVERSED: RYAN IS BOB, AND YOU ARE SCROOGE. HOW DOES THAT PAST EXPERIENCE INFORM THIS YEAR’S MANAGEMENTEMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP? We’ve had a couple laughs in rehearsal about how we feel like we are in a house of mirrors, where everywhere you look is this deep, deep, deep reflection. But there is a great mutual respect that we both have; a reverence for the time we played the roles we did, and a mutual excitement that we get to explore something new. So far, we’re having a ball! We’re giving each other space to explore things on our own, to each discover these roles anew. We’ve also asked each other questions about certain moments, and we both feel free to either accept that advice or discard it. We’ve had a lively discussion about why Scrooge gives Bob the day off. My answer is different from Ryan’s. They’re both wonderful answers, but my answer is really important to who my Scrooge is. So I’m holding on to that.

YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PLAY SCROOGE LAST YEAR, BUT WE DIDN’T PRODUCE THE CAROL. INSTEAD, YOU DID THE ONE-PERSON THIS WONDERFUL LIFE. DID YOU THINK ABOUT SCROOGE WHILE YOU WERE DEVELOPING MR. POTTER?

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I sure did! Actually, one day in rehearsal last year, I asked the room: What’s the difference between Potter and Scrooge? One of the biggest differences we came up with is, I don’t know that Potter is a redeemable man. He may be more of a Marley than a Scrooge, unable to see the error of his ways until after he’s died.

Potter steals George’s money. Scrooge is a shrewd businessman, and he will drive the hardest bargain he can get, but I don’t think he would rob someone. Wouldn’t it be interesting to have Christmas Past visit Potter and learn what his back story is?

Somebody should write that play!

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES YOU ARE USING TO CREATE YOUR SCROOGE? I’ll put it this way. You know I love dogs. I work very closely with dogs at the Humane Society. In this year’s new revised script, we now have that scene from the book where boy Scrooge is reading, and the characters on the pages spring to life. And adult Scrooge remembers the joy and magic of that. Then in the next scene, as young Scrooge is still stuck in that schoolhouse years later, he’s not reading, he’s pacing up and down: he’s losing hope. Unfortunately, when a dog at the shelter has been there way too long, the things that we do to bring them joy begin to fade. It becomes harder to reach them as a being, and their personality makes a really bad shift. When I first read that new scene in this revised script, my heart and mind went right to that situation. I’ve seen dogs go from joyful beings to ones that question every other being’s intent; they get stiff, they lose the ability to make eye contact, they get mean. So that’s one way I’m approaching Scrooge.

WE HAVE ALL LIVED IN ISOLATION FOR THE LAST 20 MONTHS, AND NOW YOU ARE PLAYING ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST ISOLATED CHARACTERS. HOW IS THAT EXPERIENCE AFFECTING YOUR WORK ON THE ROLE? So often, people want to see this show because they say, there’s a little bit of Scrooge in me. There’s a little bit of Scrooge in everybody. It’s a really great thing to be able to play Scrooge as we are, hopefully, beginning to come out of this pandemic, at least far enough that we can stick our heads out of the house and put them in a theatre. There is a strong chance that we’ve all increased our Scrooginess because of the pandemic. So I am extraordinarily lucky to be able to tap into that isolation, and play Scrooge for an audience that is hungry to remove themselves from that isolation. I’m sticking myself deep into that isolation so that at the end of the play I can rocket out of it, and help other people to do the same.

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AS WE ARE TALKING TODAY, YOU’VE HAD ONE WEEK OF REHEARSAL. WHAT DO YOU KNOW NOW THAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW A WEEK AGO, BEFORE YOU STARTED? Halfway through the first day of rehearsal, I thought, somebody has made a huge mistake. I suck. I have had these lines in my head for a long time. There was a time when I thought I wanted to play Scrooge someday, and then a lot of years when I thought nope, nope. Then a couple of years ago I started to think, you know, maybe I do. But when I was in the driver’s seat that first day, I was so in my head, I freaked out. Now I’ve relaxed, I’m not thinking so bloody hard. Whether it’s Hamlet or a walk-on, approach it the same way: with the same questions you would ask to create any other role. So maybe that’s what I’m learning: don’t worry that you’re playing an icon. Scrooge is just a man.

Rob Johansen as Marley’s Ghost in the IRT’s 2019 production of A Christmas Carol. Photo by Zach Rosing.

THANK YOU 2021-2022 SEASON ARTIST ENGAGEMENT SUPPORTERS THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE USING THEIR GIFTS NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT THE IRT, BUT ALSO TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE FOLLOWING ARTISTS WHO MAKE THE STORIES WE TELL POSSIBLE.

BOB & TONI BADER

GARY DENNEY & LOUISE BAKKER

SEASON SUPPORTERS OF JANET ALLEN

LEAD INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION SUPPORT, FAHRENHEIT 451

MICHAEL DINIUS & JEANNIE REGAN-DINIUS

MIKE & JUDY HARRINGTON

MIKE & LIZ SIMMONS

DAVID P. WHITMAN & DONNA L. REYNOLDS

SEASON SUPPORTERS OF SUZANNE SWEENEY

SEASON SUPPORTERS OF INCLUSION SERIES

SEASON SUPPORTERS OF BEN HANNA

SEASON SUPPORTERS OF COSTUME & PROP SHOPS

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AT THE HEART OF THE ARTS Barnes & Thornburg is proud to support the talent and vitality that is the Indiana Repertory Theatre.

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THE SUPPORTING CAST

INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE DONORS WHAT IF YOU SAW ONLY HALF THE PLAY? Ticket revenue covers just half of what it costs to produce world-class professional theatre at the Indiana Repertory Theatre.

The IRT gratefully acknowledges the remarkable support we receive from our generous and committed donors whose contributions ensure that the show does go on!

REPERTORY SOCIETY ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $1,500+ | JULY 1, 2021 - SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 PLAYWRIGHT CIRCLE $10,000+ Bob & Toni Bader David & Jackie Barrett AJ & Erin Bir Scott & Lorraine Davison Gary Denney & Louise Bakker Michael Dinius & Jeannie Regan-Dinius Nancy & Berkley Duck Dan & Ginny Emerson David & Ann Frick Tom & Jenny Froehle Susan & Charlie Golden Mike & Judy Harrington David & Betty Klapper Jill & Peter Lacy Sarah & John Lechleiter Bill & Susie Macias David & Leslie Morgan Jackie Nytes & Patrick O’Brien Mel & Joan Perelman Sue & Bill Ringo Mary Frances Rubly & Jerry Hummer Wayne & Susan Schmidt Simmons Family Foundation, a fund of CICF Cheryl Gruber Waldman David P. Whitman & Donna L. Reynolds

DIRECTOR CIRCLE $5,000 - $9,999

A.J. Allen Susie & Joel Blum Darcy K. Burthay Charitable Fund, a DonorAdvised Fund of the U.S. Charitable Gift Trust Drs. Cherryl & Shelly Friedman Rollie & Cheri Dick Dr. Gregory Gaich & Ms. Erin Fulton Nadine & Alvin Givens Derek & Elizabeth Hammond Ann Hinson Bill & Nancy Hunt Phil & Colleen Kenney Steve & Bev Koepper

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John & Laura Ludwig Kathryn Maeglin Dod & Laura Michael David & Robin Miner Mr. & Mrs. Kimball Morris Carl Nelson & Loui Lord Nelson Mr. Stephen Owen Sr. & Dr. Cheryl Torok Owen Jill Panetta & Leo Bianchi Ben Pecar & Leslie Thompson Noel & Mary Phillips* Ken Qualls Drs. Eric Schultze & Marcia Kolvitz Marguerite K. Shepard, M.D. Cynthia & William Smith III The Michael L. Smith and Susan L. Smith Family Fund, a fund of Hamilton County Community Foundation Ambassador Randall & Deborah Tobias John & Kathy Vahle Lainie Veenstra James & Linda Wesley Dr. Christian Wolf & Elaine Holden-Wolf

ARTIST CIRCLE $3,000 - $4,999 Don Anderson Dan Bradburn & Jane Robison Mary Findling & John Hurt Dick & Brenda Freije Charles Goad & James Kincannon Christopher & Sheila Gramling Jeffrey Harrison Donald & Teri Hecht Tom & Nora Hiatt Brenda S. Horn Rebecca Hutton David Kleiman & Susan Jacobs John & Susan Kline Kevin Krulewitch & Rosanne Ammirati* Douglas & Detra Mills Bob & Dale Nagy N. Clay & Amy McConkey Robbins Jerry & Rosie Semler Mark & Gerri Shaffer

Joe & Jill Tanner Gene & Mary Tempel Jeff & Benita Thomasson Carol Weiss Bob & Dana Wilson The Winner Family

PATRON CIRCLE $1,500 - $2,999 Janet Allen & Joel Grynheim Anonymous Trudy W. Banta Sarah C. Barney Frank & Katrina Basile Thomas & Victoria Broadie Amy Burke Sherry A. Butler Steve & Kim Chatham Alan & Linda Cohen Don & Dolly Craft Daniel & Catherine Cunningham Dr. Gregory Dedinsky & Dr. Cherri Hobgood Ann & Kenneth Dee Dr. Brian Dillman & Erin Hedges* Laurie Dippold* Paul & Glenda Drew Craig & Marsha Dunkin Troy Farmer Drs. Richard & Rebecca Feldman Barrie & Gary R. Fisch Joan M. FitzGibbon Mary L. Forster, M.D. Jim & Julie Freeman Brian & Lorene Furrer Future Keys Foundation Mr. Jim Gawne* Dorothea & Philip Genetos Kathy & Gene Gentili Robert Giannini Ron & Kathy Gifford Bruce Glor Walter & Janet Gross Bill & Phyllis Groth

REPERTORY SOCIETY CONT. ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $1,500+ | JULY 1, 2021 - SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 Chad & Kelli Grothen Ricardo & Beatriz Guimarães Mary & Gary Gustafson Michael N. Heaton Holt Hedrick William & Patricia Hirsch Randy & Becky Horton Drs. Meredith & Kathleen Hull Patrick & Barbara James Tom & Kathy Jenkins Daniel T. Jensen & Steven Follis Mrs. Janet Johnson Elisha & Reed Kemp Max Kime Kurt & Judy Kroenke Dr. & Mrs. Alan Ladd Ed & Ann Ledford Dan & Martha Lehman Joe & Deborah Loughrey Barbara MacDougall

Donald & Ruth Ann MacPherson Mike & Pat McCrory Sharon R. Merriman Dr. Ayesha Nichols & Troy Nichols Rob & Sara Norris Steve & Debbie Oldham Larry & Louise Paxton The Payne Family Foundation, a fund of CICF Lauren Petersen Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth A. Peterson Dr. & Mrs. Lee Phipps Gail & William Plater Bob & Kathi Postlethwait Phil & Joyce Probst Scott & Susan Putney Peter Racher & Sarah Binford Michael & Melissa Rawlings Ken & Debra Renkens Chip & Jane Rutledge Tim & Karen Seiler

Jack & Karen Shaw Michael Skehan Linda & Carl Smith Edward & Susann Stahl Kathryn Godwin Stuart, DDS Kay Swank-Herzog & Robert Herzog Suzanne Sweeney & Todd Wiencek Jonathan T. Tempel John & Deborah Thornburgh Jennifer C. Turner Bill & Jana Varanka Jennifer & Gary Vigran Amy Waggoner Dr. Rosalind Webb Alan & Elizabeth Whaley Cliff Williams Frederick & Jacquelyn Winters John & Linda Zimmermann

DONOR GUILDS ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $300 - $1,499 | JULY 1, 2021 - SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 DRAMA GUILD $750 - $1,499 Anonymous Andrea Best Charlie & Cary Boswell Paul & Renee Cacchillo Brady Clark Daniel P. Corrigan Priscilla Gerde Phylis & Paul Gesellchen Emily F. (Cramer) Hancock* Andrea Hatch & Rich Dionne David H. Moore, M.D. & M. Kristine Beckwith, M.D. Roger & Anna Radue Peter & Karen Reist Aleatha Romig, NY Times Bestselling Author Sallie Rowland Richard & Christine Scales Lee Shevitz Spence Family Vision Fund Dorothy Webb

THEATRE GUILD $300-$749

John & Eileen Ahrens* The Todd A. Andritsch Family Fund Anonymous Constance C. Beardsley* Donald & Carla Bennett Dan & Barb Bickel Jesse L. & Carolynne Bobbitt Barbara & Christopher Bodem* Karry K. Book & John P. Hansberry III Charles W. Brown & Louise Tetrick David & Beverly Butler Vince & Robyn Caponi Clarence & Carol Casazza Jeff & Jeni Christoffersen Shane and Andrea Crouch* Karen Dace* Fr. Clem Davis* Paul & Carol DeCoursey* Nikki Eller Drs. Eric Farmer & Tate Trujillo & Christopher Scott*

Margie Ferguson* Roger & Susan Frick Peter Furno & Pamela Steed Phyllis & Ed Gabovitch Thecla Gossett Howard & Linnea Green Greg Grossart Ron & Ellie Hackler Don & Carolyn Hardman Don & Elizabeth Harmon Sandra Hester-Steele Greg & Pat Jacoby Dave & Donna Kaiser Sunah C Kim Dorantes* Betsy & Ted Kleinmaier Rachel Barrett Knight & Jacob Knight* Steven & Mary Koch* Michelle Korin* Mary & Rick Kortokrax Shirley M. & Heather Kulwin Katie Lenz Andra Liepa Charitable Fund, a fund of The Indianapolis Foundation Linda Lough*

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THE SUPPORTING CAST

INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE DONORS DONOR GUILDS ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $300 - $1,499 | JULY 1, 2021 - SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 Mark Magee* Michael R. & Sue Maine Lyle & Deborah Mannweiler Dr. & Mrs. Peter Marcus* R. Keith & Marion Michael Rev. Mary Ann Moman* Jay & Tammy Morris Jim & Judi Mowry John & Beth Murphy Sharon & Dan Murphy* Susan & Jim Naus Dr. LeeAnne M. Nazer Merrell & Barbara Owen Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. & Kelli DeMott Park

Davie & Dorian Poole Flora Reichanadter Richard & Diane Rhodes Richard & Ann Riegner Rev. Robert & Dr. Rita Schilling John Shearin* Dr. Jill Shedd* Vicky Sherman, M.D. Randy & Linda Shields Lillian Smith* Kimberly Sorg-Graves Luke Stark* SunWarrior Solar Nela Swinehart*

Steve & Barb Tegarden* Garrett & Elaine Thiel The Lori Thompson & Ben Downing Charitable Fund Dr. James & Linda Trippi Robert & Barbetta True* Barbara S. Tully* Reba Boyd Wooden* Robina Zink Family Charitable Fund Zionsville Physical Therapy* Chuck & Ruth Ann Zwolle *Denotes sustaining members

TRIBUTE GIFTS IN HONOR OF OUR FRIEND JANET ALLEN | Shirley M. & Heather Kulwin IN HONOR OF BOB STEELE | Sandra Hester-Steele IN MEMORY OF JEAN WIBLE | With our love – Molly & Christopher Sweets

OVATION SOCIETY The Ovation Society is an exclusive program that recognizes donors that have made a legacy gift to the IRT. The IRT truly appreciates those individuals whose gift will ensure that the Theatre can continue to provide meaningful and inspirational experiences for future generations of Hoosiers.

Gary Addison Janet Allen & Joel Grynheim Pat & Bob Anker Frank & Katrina Basile Charlie & Cary Boswell Ron & Julia Carpenter John R. Carr (in memoriam) John & Mary Challman Sergej R. Cotton Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Dapp Nancy Davis & Robert Robinson Rollie & Cheri Dick Nancy & Berkley Duck Dale & Karen Duncan Jim & Julie Freeman Meg Gammage-Tucker

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David A. & Dee Garrett (in memoriam) Michael Gradison (in memoriam) Emily F. (Cramer) Hancock Bruce Hetrick & Cheri O’Neill Tom & Nora Hiatt Bill & Nancy Hunt David Kleiman & Susan Jacobs Frank & Jacqueline La Vista Andra Liepa Charitable Fund, a fund of The Indianapolis Foundation Barbara MacDougall Donald & Ruth Ann MacPherson Stuart L. Main (in memoriam) Michael R. & Sue Maine Megan McKinney Sharon R. Merriman

David & Leslie Morgan Michael D. Moriarty Richard & Lila Morris Mutter Marines--Jim & Carol Deena J. Nystrom Marcia O’Brien (in memoriam) George & Olive Rhodes (in memoriam) Jane W. Schlegel Michael Skehan Michael Suit (in memoriam) Gene & Mary Tempel Jeff & Benita Thomasson Christopher J. Tolzmann Alan & Elizabeth Whaley John & Margaret Wilson

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $300+ | JULY 1, 2021 - SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 CORPORATE

FOUNDATION

GOVERNMENT

Barnes & Thornburg LLP Corteva Agriscience Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Frost Brown Todd Navient Community Fund OneAmerica Financial Partners Oxford Financial Group, Ltd. Printing Partners

Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation Christel DeHaan Family Foundation The Margot L. Eccles Arts & Culture Fund, a fund of CICF The Glick Family Foundation Lacy Foundation Lilly Endowment, Inc. Nicholas H. Noyes Jr. Memorial Foundation, Inc. The Penrod Society The Shubert Foundation

Arts Council of Indianapolis Indiana Arts Commission

IN-KIND/TRADE GIFTS ANNUAL CAMPAIGN GIFTS $300+ | JULY 1, 2021 - SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 National Institute of Fitness & Sport

THAT OLD CAR GETTING YOU DOWN? Then donate it to the IRT

Yes, we will sell it at auction and proceeds will benefit the Theatre. You can qualify for a tax deduction for your generous gift!

We also accept donations for: Boats | Farm Equipment | Lawn Mowers | Motorcycles | Motor Homes | And More!

MORE INFORMATION: KSWANKHERZOG@IRTLIVE.COM | 317.916.4830 The cast of the IRT’s 2020 production of The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963. Photo by Zach Rosing.

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More information about Oxford’s investment advisory services and fees can be found in its Form ADV Part 2, which is available upon request. OFG-2109-4

OUR SUPPORTING DONORS

Each season we have donors who use their gift to the theatre to celebrate the amazing artists who bring to life our stories.

It is an exclusive benefit for Repertory Society members in the Artist, Director and Playwright Circles.

Thank you to the donors below for recognizing and celebrating these artists!

To learn more, contact Kay Swank-Herzog, Individual Giving Manager | 317.916.4830 | kswankherzog@irtlive.com

JILL PANETTA & LEO BIANCHI

SUSIE & JOEL BLUM

NANCY & BERKLEY DUCK

SUPPORTERS OF WILL MOBLEY AS FRED, YOUNG SCROOGE, CHRISTMAS FUTURE, & ENSEMBLE

SUPPORTERS OF THE DESIGN TEAM

SARAH & JOHN LECHLEITER

CARL NELSON & LOUI LORD NELSON

SEASON SUPPORTERS OF JAMES STILL DIRECTOR

SUPPORTERS OF RYAN ARTZBERGER AS BOB CRATCHIT, MARLEY, TOPPER, & ENSEMBLE

MR. STEPHEN OWEN SR. & DR. CHERYL TOROK OWEN

MARGUERITE K. SHEPARD, M.D.

SUE & MIKE SMITH

SUPPORTERS OF JENNIFER JOHANSEN AS MRS. FEZZIWIG, PRUDENCE, CHARWOMAN, & ENSEMBLE

SUPPORTER OF NINA JAYASHANKAR AS FELICITY, BELLE, LAUNDRESS, & ENSEMBLE

SUPPORTERS OF DAVID ALAN ANDERSON AS FEZZIWIG, CHRISTMAS PRESENT, PAWNBROKER, & ENSEMBLE

SUSAN & CHARLIE GOLDEN SEASON SUPPORTERS OF ROB JOHANSEN AS SCROOGE

SUPPORTERS OF MARIA ARGENTINA SOUZA AS CHRISTMAS PAST, MRS. CRATCHIT, PENELOPE, & ENSEMBLE