BEES & HONEY

DIRECTED BY KARINA GUTIÉRREZ

FEBRUARY 15 - MARCH 10, 2024

MARIN THEATRE COMPANY NATIVE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT Marin Theatre Company acknowledges our theatre and administrative offices are located on the ancestral, occupied, and unceded land of the Coast Miwok peoples. We recognize we currently benefit from living and working on their traditional homelands, and affirm their sovereign rights as first peoples. We are committed to learning and to strengthening our relationships with members of our local community, and to work toward dismantling the harmful effects of white supremacy and colonization. We acknowledge the Coast Miwok as the original caretakers of this land. We pay our respects to the Coast Miwok community and their elders both past and present, as well as future generations.

The Coast Miwok, from the areas of Novato, Marshall, Tomales, San Rafael, Petaluma and Bodega, are members of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, a community which includes the Southern Pomo peoples from the Sebastopol area.

We pledge to build relationships with sovereign tribal nations and to never cease ongoing learning, to ensure Marin Theatre Company becomes a more inclusive and welcoming space.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COAST MIWOK AND THE FEDERATED INDIANS OF GRATON RANCHERIA: Coast Miwok: Facebook.com/SouthernCoastMiwok coastmiwokofmarin.org marinmiwok.com Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria: GratonRancheria.com Support indigenous rights organizations on a national or global level: IllumiNative Native American Rights Fund Cultural Survival Indigenous Environmental Network

LABOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We acknowledge that the country we live in today has been made possible by the labor of enslaved Africans and their descendants. We are indebted to their labor and their sacrifice, and we acknowledge the tremors of anti-Black violence throughout the generations and the resulting impact that can still be felt and witnessed today. (Language developed by Dr. TJ Stewart)

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Marin Theatre Company presents The West Coast Premiere of

DIRECTED BY KARINA GUTIÉRREZ°

CAST Manuel

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.*

Johaira

Katherine George

CREATIVE TEAM Scenic Design

Carlos Antonio Aceves

Costume Design

Alice Ruiz

Lighting Design

Kate Boyd

Sound Design

Michael Kelly

Stage Manager

Nick Carvalho*

World Premiere at the MCC Theater, May-June 2023 Artistic Directors: Bernard Telsey & William Cantler Executive Director: Blake West in collaboration with The Sol Project Jacob G Padrón, Artistic Director BEES & HONEY was developed by Labyrinth Theater Company ° The Director is a member of the STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, a national theatrical labor union.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

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SHOW STAFF Intimacy Coordinator

Jeunée Simon

Fight Choreographer

Kristen Matia

Fight Captain

Nick Carvalho

Vocal Coach

Michael Mohammed

Dance Consultant

Mark Ellis

Assistant Stage Manager

Alijah Carter

Props Lead

Liam Rudisill

Sound Engineer Lighting Programmer Board Operator

Camille Rassweiler Krys Swan Mary Blake-Booth

Wardrobe Supervisor

Daria Perkova

Scenic Charge Artist

Stephanie P. Jucker

Painter Electricians

Josh Patterson Gabriel Dumapias, Ash M.B., Olivia Prink, Taylor Ryan Rivers

MARIN THEATRE COMPANY STAFF

Artistic Director

Managing Director Artistic Producer

Meredith Suttles Richard A. Mosqueda

General Manager

Nichole Gantshar

Director of Development

Anne Clark

Director of Production

Jessica Marchesi

Special Events & Engagement Manager

Zphyna Caldwell

Education Programs Manager

Euan Ashley

Box Office Manager

Jules Simons

Patron Experience Manger Technical Director

Laura Odeh Steele Jeff Klein

Costume Shop Manager

Daria Perkova

ATD/Props Lead

Liam Rudisill

Lighting and A/V Supervisor

Krys Swan

Grant Writer

Nina O’Keefe

Marketing Partner

RachelMedia.org

Communications Partner

Prismatic Communications

Development Partner

Donorly

Concessions Manager

Maxwell Bond

Front of House Leads

Victoria Davis, Casey Hermann, Bridget Novak, Perry Parsons

Front of House Associates

Sunny Orleans, Susan Urquhart

Administrative Intern

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Lance Gardner

Arantza Monge

FROM MTC’S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Relationships are hard.

I met my wife 20 years ago when she came to audition for the theatre program that I was in. It took us 10 years, two children, and countless disagreements before we decided to get married.

After one more child, waves of successes and failures, and a sea of troubles that conspired to pull us apart, on December 30th, against all odds, we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary having learned for the first time in these 20 years how to work at loving each other, a simple task that is very hard.

Ease has never been an element of simplicity, not for the characters of Manuel and Johaira, and not for you or me or the people that we love. Let this play be a reminder (or a lesson for those who have never learned the hard way) that simply loving another person is one of the hardest things we can learn to do.

Lance Gardner | MTC Artistic Director

MARIN THEATRE COMPANY BOARD OF DIRECTORS Matthew Purdon President Josh Rafner Vice President Barbara Roberts Treasurer Wendy Feng Secretary

Peter Bardwick Naima Dean Kipp Delbyck Doug Frazier Denmo Ibrahim

Jennifer McEvoy Vera Meislin Stacy Scott Tara Sullivan Penny Wright

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FROM PLAYWRIGHT GUADALÍS DEL CARMEN This is a love letter.

To Bachata. To Washington Heights. To the Dominican Diaspora. To theater. To all the Johairas and Manuels doing the best they can.

This is an offering.

To laugh. To cry. To facilitate connections. To foster commitments to ourselves and each other, however that may look.

To love.

The day I decided to give in to the fact that I’m a hopeless romantic, was the day I started writing this play. I had been fighting it for years. But whenever I’m asked to name some of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride and Brown Sugar are always top of the list. So I started ruminating on what my love story could look like. It was 2017. #metoo and #grabherbythepussy were trending hashtags with pink pussyhats selling out. I was experiencing my own heartbreak and trying to figure out how to put it all on something that would help me make sense of it all. Johaira and Manuel appeared and I couldn’t get them out of my mind. They nagged and begged to come out. I listened to Juan Luis Guerra’s Como Abeja Al Panal on loop and I wrote. By the time I finished, I was emotionally and physically exhausted.

SPECIAL THANKS Chef Nelson & May German, alaMar Dominican Kitchen Kimberly Hughes & Steve Moazed Mark Ellis & Teri Xavier, Salsa Marin David Mendizábal Karina Fox

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I cried once I typed END OF PLAY. It felt like a purge. But it also felt like a manifestation. A desire to spark conversations around relationships and how we treat each other, how we show up for each other. I hope watching Johaira and Manuel’s journey has you reflect on all things love. But also reflecting on the radical power of love. Not just for ourselves and our partners, but for the world as a whole.

A meditation from bell hooks from her book, All About Love: “True love is unconditional, but to truly flourish it requires an ongoing commitment to constructive struggle and change. The heartbeat of true love is the willingness to reflect on one’s actions, and to process and communicate this reflection.”

I would like to thank The Sol Project, LAByrinth Theater, MCC Theater, everyone that poured love into the journey of this play, Mami, and my ancestors.

Guadalís Del Carmen | Playwright Bees & Honey

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IN CONVERSATION WITH BEES & HONEY PLAYWRIGHT GUADALÍS DEL CARMEN Playwright Guadalis Del Carmen sat down with MTC Artistic Producer Richard Mosqueda for an interview at alaMar Dominican Kitchen in Oakland to discuss Bachata, masculinity, love, and the inspirations behind Bees & Honey. The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

RICHARD: What is Bees & Honey about? Give me your elevator pitch!

GUADALIS: Bees & Honey is a love story set in Washington Heights in Manhattan. It follows the story of two people falling in love and also dealing with what it means to be in love and to be married. I’m very excited for folks to come see this show and to see these two amazing actors bring to life the characters of Johaira and Manuel.

R: You have written these two beautifully realized people named Johaira and Manuel, the central couple that we follow in the play.

Let’s talk a little bit about them. Who is Johaira?

G: Johaira is a young and incredibly ambitious Black Dominicana from the lower East Side in Manhattan, New York. She is a lawyer.

She’s also idealistic and headstrong, sometimes to a fault. But she believes deeply in doing what is right and moving conversations forward and what it looks like for women to have more agency in their lives. She loves deeply. I’ve based a lot of Johaira’s personality and quirks on myself. (laughs) She is also very flawed– she has a tendency to take care of others before she takes care of herself and that’s part of the journey that I’m excited for folks to watch. A lot of times Black Women, particularly Black Latinas, are used to doing everything ourselves. It can be really difficult when we need help and we’re not sure how to ask for it. I hope that folks can walk away seeing and acknowledging each other’s humanity 10

and understanding what it means for some of us to dig deep and find those vulnerable spots in ourselves.

R: Now tell me about Manuel.

G: Manuel is what I like to call a “hood mensch”. (laughs) He’s part of the hood intelligentsia! He is someone who fought through a lot of the obstacles that life threw at him and was able to rise above it all. He’s an entrepreneur. He also loves deeply. He can also be an idealist to a fault. He grew up watching romance films with his mom and is now hoping to have that ideal, happily ever after with Johaira. Lord help him! (laughs) R: This is a new play. Prior to this production, the play has only been produced once before. Can you elaborate on the development process that allowed your play to come to life?

G: Bees & Honey has gone through quite the development journey.

I first started toying with the idea of what it would look like to write a two-hander which was really challenging for me. I started writing it in 2017, then, in 2018 the play received its first public reading through The Sol Project, a national theater initiative dedicated to amplifying the voices of Latiné playwrights in NYC and beyond. From there it was developed by the Off-Broadway theater company, Labyrinth Theatre, where it was scheduled for production before it was canceled due to the pandemic. It was recently picked up by MCC Theater in New York City where it had its World Premiere Off-Broadway production in Spring 2023, and now we are here in the Bay Area at Marin Theatre Company for the West Coast Premiere!

R: This play draws huge inspiration from Bachata, a genre of Spanish music and specifically from a Bachata song. How would you describe Bachata, for those who are unfamiliar with it? And how did it inspire you to write this play?

G: Bees & Honey is inspired by a song by Juan Luis Guerra, the Beethoven of Latin America, called “Como Abeja Al Panal” which translates to “Like a bee to the honeycomb”. The song tells the story of two star-crossed lovers and from that song, I was able to write an entire play about two people trying to navigate what it 11

means to be in love today.

Bachata is a genre of music that comes from the Dominican Republic. It was born during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo during the 1950s. It was a genre of music that was banned and looked down upon and once the dictatorship was no longer, it began to thrive. It came from very poor black communities and the outskirts of the rural areas of Dominican Republic. Learning that history was exciting for me and inspired me to use Bachata as a metaphor of love. If you listen to older Bachata songs, they’re very similar to the blues–there’s a lot of heartache, a lot of pain.

Bachata used to be called bitter music before the name was changed. Bachata is a very beautiful and also sensual genre of music when you dance it. There’s a very specific language that the two dancers have to be in sync with and that felt like a love story that needed to be told. Using that as a framework for telling a love story to me felt so right. On top of the play being inspired by the album “Bachata Rosa” by Juan Luis Guerra, I wanted this play to be a love letter to Washington Heights but also to Bachata.

R: Can you tell me about some of your personal writing inspirations?

G: My writing inspirations run the gamut. I was introduced to Nikki Giovanni when I was in the 4th grade and she has always been a source of inspiration for me. As a playwright, I have been inspired

by Lynn Nottage, Suzan Lori-Parks, Arthur Miller, Migdalia Cruz–a lot of really bold and exciting work that speaks to not only the time we’re living in but also allows the artist to have freedom of expression within their work to make really bold choices. That’s a huge reason why these writers inspire me. Along with poetry and films.

R: Another big theme explored in this play is machismo and the impact it has on this couple. How would you define machismo?

G: Machismo can sometimes be difficult to define. In simple terms, it’s another word for the patriarchy. A more complex definition of machismo is attached to culture. It can sometimes feel like when we are trying to talk about ways to dismantle machismo, we are also talking about dismantling culture. I’m interested in having 12

conversations around machismo within this play, but really having conversations around masculinity–healthy and toxic masculinity and what that means, and having that within the conversation of what that means for a couple. Johaira and Manuel are two people that are very tied to their culture but they also live in the US and are having conversations about feminism and what it means for women to have agency over our careers, over our bodies, over how we move through the patriarchal world.

R: What can audiences expect when they come to see this play?

What would you like audiences to take away?

G: One of the things I would love for audiences to walk away with is a desire to have deeper conversations with their partners and with their family members. Audiences can expect to find joy, to be entertained, to laugh, to cry, maybe experience a little heartbreak.

But overall to be given a snapshot of love.

R: Is there anything else you would like to say?

G: One of the huge reasons why I love writing plays is because I also love to watch first-time theatergoers experience my work.

If you’ve been to the theater before and are coming to see Bees & Honey, please find a friend or family member that has never been to the theater before and bring them with you to watch and enjoy their first theater experience.

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BIOGRAPHIES Guadalís Del Carmen (Playwright – she/her) is an award winning Black Dominican playwright, screenwriter, and performer. She’s an Ars Nova PlayGroup Alum and a founding member of the Dominican Artist Collective. Guadalís received a Steinberg Playwriting Award in 2020, a Helen Merrill Playwriting Award in 2023, and the 2023 HOLA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Playwriting. Her plays include Bees & Honey (World Premier MCC Theater/The Sol Project, 2023 HOLA Award for Outstanding Production), Not For Sale (UrbanTheater Company, Joseph Jefferson Award New Play Nominee 2019), My Father’s Keeper (The Kilroys Honorable Mention 2019), Daughters of the Rebellion (Montclair State University 2019, The Kilroys Honorable Mention 2017), A Shero’s Journey or What Anacaona and Yemayá Taught Me (Atlantic Theater MixFest 2021, Yale Magazine 2019, The Parsnip Ship Podcast Season 4), Blowout (Aguijón Theater 2013). She’s also one of the writers of the first season of HBOMax’s series adaptation of Stephen King’s It, Welcome to Derry, and has worked on development projects for FX Networks, Plan B Entertainment, and Amazon Studios. She’s the Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of the Latinx Playwrights 14

Circle (LPC), an organization dedicated to developing and nurturing Latinx(e) and Caribbean playwrights. Guadalís has performed in community and regional theaters across the country, with her Off Broadway debut performance taking place in Spring 2024. She also really really loves miniature houses.

Karina Gutiérrez° (Director – she/her) is a Bay Area-based director, dramaturg, and scholar. She is passionate about supporting new play development, fostering local artists, and creating welcoming, equitable, and accessible theatre spaces and classrooms. As a director and dramaturg, Karina has had the pleasure of working with Bay Area Children’s Theatre, BRAVA, Magic Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, Crowded Fire, Huntington Theatre, Magic Theatre, PlayGround, Playwright’s Foundation, Shotgun Players, Stanford University, TheatreFirst, Town Hall Theatre, UC Berkeley, West Edge Opera, and Word for Word. She is additionally a member of the Latinx Theatre Commons Steering Committee, Theatre Bay Area Board Member, Crowded Fire Board Member, and a founding member of the Bay Area Latinx Theatre Alliance Network (BALTAN). Karina received her Ph.D. in Theatre and Performance Studies from Stanford University, where she was awarded the Carl Weber

Prize for integration of Creative Practice and Scholarly Research.

Her scholarship concentrates on the intersection of politics and performance, specifically how digital interventions, institutionalization efforts, and historical narrative affect the development and sustainability of social and politically engaged performance companies and collectives in the Americas. She is currently a professor of Theatre History and Performance Studies in the Department of Theatre and Dance and Santa Clara University.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.* (Manuel – he/ him) is a Dominicanborn actor known for starring opposite Hailee Steinfeld in the Transformers spinoff, Bumblebee. Jorge is also widely recognized for his role ‘Greg’ in the feature Love, Simon opposite Nick Robinson and Jennifer Garner. He can currently be seen in Adam Randall’s thriller Night Teeth for Netflix, as well as the Amazon feature Bliss directed

by Mike Cahill and Eddie Huang’s directorial debut Boogie opposite Taylour Paige and Pop Smoke.

In 2016, Jorge broke out in a starring role in Stephen Caple Jr.’s debut feature The Land, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, earning him rave reviews for his performance. Additionally, Jorge can be seen in Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel, produced by James Cameron,

as well as Dave McCary’s Brigsby Bear opposite Claire Danes and Kyle Mooney. In Television, Jorge starred as the infamous ‘Jah Son’ in the Hulu Original Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Additional credits include Jon Watt’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home and the independent feature Shot. In 2018, Jorge was named to The Hollywood Reporter’s ‘Next Generation 2018’ list and in 2017 to Variety’s Young Hollywood Impact Report.

Katherine George (Johaira – she/her) is an Afro-Latina multi-hyphenate artist and educator from the Bronx, NY by way of the Dominican Republic. Recent acting credits include: Clyde’s (Denver Center for Performing Arts), Halfway B*tches Go Straight to Heaven (Lenfest Center for the Performing Arts), The Cooking Project (NYTW), Locked Up B*tches (Flea Theater). She co-stars in the film CRABS IN BARREL which was the winner of HBO’s 2021 Latinx Short Film competition.

As a spoken word poet, she represented New York in national and international competitions on the youth, collegiate, and professional adult levels. She was a proud member of the first-ever all-female slam team representing the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. As a vocalist, she has traveled around the country and most recently served as a background vocalist for Jennifer Lopez at her NBC 15

Fourth of July performance and Live Spotify Studio Session. She is a proud member of the Dominican Artist Collective. MFA: Columbia University.

Carlos Aceves (Scenic Designer – he/him) has lived and worked in the Bay Area for the past 12 years as a designer and theatre maker. Past Design Credits include: The Displaced, Crowded Fire; Walls, San Francisco Mime troupe; Prep Play or Blue Parachute, New Conservatory Theatre Center; Long Day’s Journey into Night, Eugene O’Neill Festival of Theatre, Ireland; Dream Hou$e, Shotgun Players. Carlos would like to thank MTC and the creative team of Bees & Honey for all their hard work and dedication.

Alice Ruiz (Costume Designer – She/ Her/Hers) has been a freelance Costume Designer, Assistant Costume Designer, Costume Mentor, and Theatrical Dresser throughout the SF Bay Area for the past decade. She’s happy to be returning to MTC after Costume Designing Pass Over and Two Trains Running in recent seasons.

Other recent credits include Clue at San Francisco Playhouse, Dream Hou$e at Shotgun Players (Berkeley) and Book of Sand at Oakland Theater Project. You can view her other work at www.aliceruizdesign.com 16

Kate Boyd (Lighting Designer – she/her) designs scenery and lighting in the Bay Area. She recently designed the lights for Justice at Marin Theatre Company and scenery for The Language of Wild Berries for Golden Thread. Recent Aurora shows include Father/Daughter and Everything is Illuminated. She has also designed at Center Rep, Magic Theater, New Conservatory Theater, Merola Opera, the SF Conservatory of Music, Company C Ballet and Theaterworks. Kate is a resident artist with Golden Thread Productions and a recipient of the Gerbode Design Fellowship. Kate teaches stagecraft and design at Lick-Wilmerding High School.

Michael Kelly (Sound Designer – he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist with works featured in spaces around the Bay and internationally. Recently: Shotgun Players Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (SFBATCC nomination 2023), Town Hall Turn Of The Screw, Cutting Ball Rossum’s Universal Robots, Cal Shakes The Winter’s Tale, Zellerbach Playhouse House Of The Spirits, St. Mary’s College Cabaret, Bay Area Children’s Theatre Beautiful Oops (TBA winner 2018), Ferocious Lotus, PlayGround, Quantum Dragon, Youth Musical Theater Company, and more. Upcoming: Masquers Clybourne Park, Shotgun

Players Choir Boy. Ongoing: vinyl DJ around The Bay and online at twitch.tv/spy_hapa Nick Carvalho* (Stage Manager, Fight Captain – he/ him) Recent credits with MTC include Sara Porkalob’s Dragon Lady, Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, the continued-world premiere of Justice: A New Musical, August Wilson’s Two Trains Running, and Dunsinane; the world premiere of Monument, or Four Sisters (a sloth play) (Magic Theatre); Twelfth Night (Marin Shakespeare Company); The Cherry Orchard and Cinderella: A Fairytale (2019) (Town Hall Theatre). Nick is also the Production Manager for El Campanil Theatre. Nick is an alumni of Diablo Valley College where he advises student stage managers and serves on the Technical Theatre Advisory Board.

During his time at DVC, he earned three certificates of merit in stage management from KCACTF for his work on Our Lady of 121st Street, Seussical: The Musical, and The Book of Will. Proud AEA member.

He would like to thank his partner, Emma for her constant love!

Jeunée Simon (Intimacy Coordinator – she/ her) is an actor, director, and consent educator in the Bay Area.

She is dedicated to creating

braver spaces where artists can be vulnerable and play. Recent intimacy direction credits include: Lear (California Shakespeare Theater), The Code (A.C.T.’s Young Conservatory), Coming Soon (Z Space), Boys Go to Jupiter (Word for Word), Circle Mirror Transformation (Custom Made Theatre Co.), Little Shop of Horrors (Berkeley Playhouse), and more.

Simon is a proud recipient of the 2017 RHE Artistic Fellowship for acting and was a 2019 Directing Apprentice with PlayGround.

Kristen Matia (Fight Choreographer – she/her) is an Asian American, TBA nominated, Bay Area fight director, committed to creating safe and inclusive spaces for artists of all backgrounds to tell important stories. Her recent credits include A Soldier’s Play at Altarena Playhouse, Locusts Have No King and A Picture of Two Boys at NCTC, and Julius Caesar at Stanford TAPS. She is honored to work with the cast and crew at Marin Theatre Company, and wishes everyone a safe and impactful show!

Mark Ellis (Dance Consultant) is the founder of Salsa Marin Dance Academy. He has been a part of the Salsa scene since its inception. For over 10 years he has committed himself to helping students reach their personal dance goals and is constantly reworking his teaching 17

methods to accommodate the way his students learn best. His clever analogies, friendly disposition and good-natured humor keep his private and group classes lively and enjoyable!

LEADERSHIP & STAFF

Lance Gardner Artistic Director A familiar face in the San Francisco Bay Area theatre scene, Lance Gardner is an actor and producer born and raised in the Bay Area.

He has earned dozens of theatre credits over the last 20 years, including six mainstage shows and a school tour at Marin Theatre Company. He has also performed in multiple shows at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, California Shakespeare Theater, Magic

Theatre, TheatreWorks, and more.

He recently served as the President of the Board of Aurora Theatre.

He comes to Marin from KQED, where, as a live event producer, he helped launch KQED Live, a yearround, in-person and virtual events program where he crafted unique experiences marrying journalism, arts, and entertainment. Harnessing the power of public media, he created bespoke concerts, game shows, performances, food and dining events, interviews, and more.

His work has been featured on KQED TV and on the radio at KQED and KALW. Meredith Suttles Managing Director (she/her) is an arts leader with an extensive background in

creative and performing arts in the areas of development, management, strategic planning, fundraising, and performance.

She has held senior leadership roles at TheaterWorksUSA, Soho Repertory Theatre, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), and the New York City Opera.

Meredith is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and former EmcArts: Arts Leaders as Cultural Innovators (ALACI) Fellow. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a Steering Committee Member of the Black Theatre Commons, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of viBe Theater Experience.

Richard A. Mosqueda Artistic Producer (He/She/They) is the Artistic Producer for Marin Theatre Company. They are a queer, Mexican-American theatrical producer and director who is committed to telling queer stories for the stage. As a director, Richard has worked with such companies as TheatreFIRST, Shotgun Players, New Conseratory Theatre Center, Theatre Rhinoceros, Portland Center Stage, Custom Made Theatre, among others. They hold a BFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Nichole Gantshar General Manager is a former dramaturg turned arts administrator. She spent five years as Executive Director of Rochester City Ballet and also worked for Tulsa Ballet and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.

Prior to her administrative career, she worked for Richmond Ballet, Syracuse Stage, Hangar Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, and Milwaukee Ballet. Among her awards, she was twice nominated as an Outstanding Young Woman of America and received a LMDA residency grant to serve as the production dramaturg for the Atlanta Ballet’s production of The Great Gatsby.

Anne Clark Director of Development Anne Clark, a seasoned Bay Area non-profit professional, is thrilled to assume the role of Director of Development at Marin Theatre Company. Dedicated to inspiring philanthropy that fuels creativity across generations, she is committed to embodying MTC’s core values. As the former Managing Director of 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, Anne adeptly navigated the challenges of the pandemic, establishing a flourishing educational program and overseeing a vibrant annual season of 17 productions. Her leadership played a pivotal role in securing the Playhouse’s permanent residence in historic Railroad Square. Anne’s extensive experience includes serving as the Director of Education at the Bay Area Children’s Theatre, where she orchestrated operations and strategy across 19 cities. A nationally recognized, award-winning director, she has directed, music directed, and choreographed over 40 19

productions, showcasing her dedication to theater arts for diverse age groups. With a BA in Musical Theater from UCLA and a rich history in regional and Broadway productions, Anne brings a wealth of expertise and passion to her new role at MTC. Jessica Marchesi Director of Production (she/her) is a native San Franciscan who has been working in production management for nearly 30 years, and she is overjoyed to return to the Bay Area and rejoin the staff at MTC after 20 years away. After starting her PM career at the San Francisco Fringe Festival and the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Jessica served as MTC’s PM from 2001-2005 under then Artistic Director Lee Sankowitz.

Since leaving the Bay Area, her career has taken her all over the country to manage production and operations for a wide variety of companies, including Studio Theatre in Washington, DC, Arkansas Repertory Theatre and the Walton Arts Center in Arkansas, and Horizon Theatre in Atlanta, GA, but the bulk of her career was spent at South Coast Repertory Theatre in Southern California. SCR specializes in new play development, and while she was there she helped launch over 50 world premieres, including A Doll’s House, Part 2 (Lucas Hnath), Vietgone (Qui Nguyen), Cambodian Rock Band (Lauren Yee), Silent Sky and Emelie (Lauren Gunderson), Office Hour and The Language Archive (Julia Cho), and many 20

more. Jessica’s journey has been personal as well as geographical, and she is proud to have recently come out as Trans and is excited to continue her new life among old friends.

Zphyna Caldwell Special Events & Engagement Manager (she/ her) first began working with Marin Theatre Company in 2011 as a Resident Teaching Artist and Community Engagement Coordinator. She is thrilled to have returned in 2022 as MTC’s Special Events Coordinator.

Zphyna has also worked as a Resident Teaching Artist with the Performing Arts Academy of Marin, the GATE Academy, and St. Hilary’s School. Beyond being a Teaching Artist, Ms. Caldwell has developed fully comprehensive Theatre Programs for the Cities of Mill Valley and Sausalito.

In 2016 Zphyna founded her own youth performing arts company, Interactive Enrichment.

Based in Sausalito, Interactive Enrichment has a primary focus on Musical Theatre, Ensemble Skills, and Improvisation. www.

InteractiveEnrichment.com Euan Ashley Education Programs Manager (He/Him/His) is excited to be joining the MTC staff as an Educator Coordinator! He is an actor and San Francisco native with a strong belief that the best theatre comes from a place of passion and that arts education is crucial for people of all ages.

Even though his training is primarily as an actor he is happy

to do anything theatre related, having started at MTC as a box office associate before moving to his current position. He recently graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts and Dance from Sonoma State.

Jules Simons Box Office Manager (she/her/hers) is elated to be a part of the MTC team. With a background in playwriting and production management, she is excited to gain new experiences as the Box Office Manager. She is a New Orleans native, though she spent the last five years at Ohio University, from which she holds a BA in Theater and and a Master of Art Administration with an area specialization in Theater and Production Management. She found a new passion for disability advocacy within the performing arts after serving with AmeriCorps at Easter Seals Wisconsin Respite Camp in 2021. When not petting her cat, she is working toward a world in which including people with disabilities is the standard.

Laura Odeh Steele Patron Experience Manager (she/her/hers) is excited to expand her love for theatre career in an administrative capacity at MTC. As a professional actor, Laura was first seen at MTC in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. In addition, she has work on Broadway, off-Broadway and regionally at theaters including Lincoln Center Theatre, Irish Repertory Theatre, The Public Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre, and Berkeley Rep. She has worked with directors including James Lapine, Moisés Kaufman, Mark Lamos, Meredith McDonough, Bill Rauch, Don Roos and Charlie Kaufman. In addition to her acting career, Laura has taught in the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance at Sonoma State University since 2019.

She received her MFA from the Graduate Acting Program at New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Jeff Klein Technical Director started first working at MTC as an overhire carpenter in January 2006, was hired full time as the Assistant Technical Director in October 2006. With 17 seasons and nearly 7 dozen productions to his name here, he was promoted to Technical Director in June of 2015. A native Texan originally from San Antonio, Jeff has worked in all aspects of theatre. Getting the theatre itch in high school with some minor acting roles, he attended college graduating with a B.A. in Humanities with a Theatre minor. Eventually moving into a full time technical/behind in the scenes career in his mid 20s, Jeff has a storied history working from theme park venues in Texas to a magic show in Branson, MO and then landing in the San Francisco Bay Area which he has been proud to call home since 2005. While Jeff misses the time acting on stage, he considers himself a character of life and does his best undertaking the roles of comedy (and drama, of course) that seemingly come at him everyday.

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Daria Perkova Costume Shop Manager (she/they) is a Bay Area native costume designer. She first took an interest in costuming when she was just 4 years old, watching Sailor Moon at her grandparents house and making props out of cardboard. She first stepped into theatre at her high school and fell in love with the magic of backstage production ever since. She has a BFA in Theatrical Costume Design from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri and returned here to the Bay to pursue a full time career in costuming. She is the current Costume Shop Manager and Wardrobe Lead here at MTC, as well as the Assistant Costume Designer for the current 2022-23 season. She has recently costume designed How Black Mothers Say I Love You at Theatre Rhinoceros in SF and, Anton Chekov’s Uncle Vanya at Chabot College.

Liam Rudisill Assistant Technical Director (he/him) is a carpenter and props maker who has been working with Marin Theatre Company since moving to the Bay Area in 2014. He’s excited to be back at full capacity as Assistant Technical Director. Recent design credits include Boys Go to Jupiter (Word for Word at Z Space); The Sound Inside, Pass Over, Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley, Dunsinane, August Wilson’s Two Trains Running, and Justice: A New Musical (MTC).

ABOUT MARIN THEATRE COMPANY

Marin Theatre Company is the Bay Area’s premier mid-sized theatre and the leading professional theatre in the North Bay. MTC is committed to the development and production of new plays, with a comprehensive New Play Program that includes productions of world premieres, readings, and workshops by the nation’s diverse emerging and established playwrights. MTC’s numerous education programs serve more than 4,500 students from over 40 Bay Area schools each year. MTC envisions theatre as a vital space for sharing diverse stories to build a more just and equitable world. MTC is dedicated to inspiring conversation, learning and action to build more inclusive communities.

We do this by providing a sustainable home for developing the work of diverse American playwrights and producing innovative theatrical experiences. MTC was founded in 1966 and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

MTC BOX OFFICE 415.388.5208 | boxoffice@marintheatre.org Visit our website to join our mailing list, learn about our plays, and purchase tickets marintheatre.org All images and/or content provided by Marin Theatre Company staff, contractors, and/or creatives unless otherwise credited. Opinions expressed by contractors, contributors, and/or creative artists do not necessarily reflect the views of Marin Theatre Company. photo credits are included as provided.

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MARIN THEATRE COMPANY DONORS Marin Theatre Company acknowledges the generous support of the following individuals, foundations and corporations whose contributions make our extraordinary theatre productions and education programs possible. To join our family of contributors, receive sponsorship information or if you have questions about your gift, please contact the Development Director Anne Clark at development@marintheatre.org or 415.322.6035.

The following gifts were received between July 1, 2023-February 1, 2024.

EXECUTIVE PARTNER CIRCLE $25,000+ Christopher B. & Jeannie Meg Smith PARTNER CIRCLE $10,000-$24,999 Anonymous Gerald Cahill & Kathleen King Kenneth and Vera Meislin Betty & Jack Schafer Fred and Kathleen Taylor Charitable Fund PRODUCER CIRCLE $5,000-$9,999 Lynne Carmichael Thomas W. Edwards & Rebecca Parlette-Edwards Melanie Maier Kathy Roberts and Aaron Loeb Vickie Soulier Michael Wall and Wendy Feng ASSOCIATE PRODUCER CIRCLE $1,000-$4,999 Anonymous Helen & Thomas Anawalt Lois Kelly Ashley Mary Jane Baird Josh Brier & Grace Alexander Bromley Carson Fund The Brown Ortiz-Aragon Family Fund David Catania & Diana Gay-Catania Ron Clyman & Francoise Mauray Kipp Delbyck Stephanie A. Douglass Theresa W. and Richard A. Ellis, MD Judith + Philip Erdberg Jeff Freedman & Marie Boylan David Gelfand and Ellen Daniell Gatian’s Fund Ms. Margot Golding Gerry Goldsholle Michelle and Normand Groleau Hilary Honore Kelley Family Charitable Fund Harriet and Tom Kostic, Kostic Family Fund Paulette Lueke Scott MacLeod and Linda Kislingbury Stephanie Moulton-Peters + Roger Peters Robert and Donys Powell Matthew Purdon & Liz Sklar Gordon Radley

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Richard + Nancy Robbins Barbara and Eric Roberts Gary Robinson + Danny Field Laura Scher and Ian Altman and the Barn Road Foundation Kurt Schindler Diana & Richard Shore John Simpson and Suzanne Cross Susan and Joel Sklar Steven Sockolov & Susan Snyder Nina Madrid Stricker Will & Leslie Thompson Underwood Family Charitable Foundation Diane and Bob Wagner Penny Wright Irene Yen FRIENDS OF MTC CIRCLE Contributor $500-$999 Anonymous Janet Bamberger Joan Beavin Carl & Fumiko Bielefeldt Jan O’Brien Kim Bromley Noel Butler, In memory of Phil Kurjan Dr. Paula Campbell Stephanie Douglass Stephen and Sharon Edelman Steve Gensler Linda Groah Karen Gottlieb Karen Haydock Larry and Rebekah Helzel Brian and Jocelyn Herndon Karen Hirsch & Jim Condit Elisabeth & Howard Jaffe Karen Kieckhefer Susan Kolb Purple Lady/Barbara Meislin Fund Theresa McDonald Mary & Stephen Mizroch Carol Mimura & Jeremy Thorner John S. Osterweis Philanthropic Fund Paul Gelburd and Diane Parish Suzanna G. Pollak Marianne and Steven Porter Hector Richards Mark & Tobi Rubin Marsha Silberstein

Valerie Sopher Richard & Jean Stenquist Sherri Tull Elizabeth Werter and Henry Trevor Susan York Charitable Fund Friend $100-$499 Anonymous (13) Joe Angiulo Joanne Appel Stacy Hering Astor Geraldine Barsotti Robert and Barbara Baum Joan Basore Robert Belknap David and Michele Benjamin Robert and Wendy Bergman Gail V. Bernstein Linden Berry Louis Bialy Daniel Bikle Steve Bischoff Amy & Mark Brokering Holly Brown-Williams Gabriella Calicchio & Michael Janes Robert Camm Diane Clarke Cheryl Coles Robert Crowell Betsey & John Cutler Larry and Margaret Davis Ralph Deadwyler James T. Diamond Jr. Joe Faimali & Dorita Decker Jolie Feng Paula Fracchia Lynne-Marie Frame Wendy Friefeld Lilly Fu & Manolo Espinosa David Gast Helene + Lewis Gibbs Carey Gister Bruce and Linda Goldman Jason Griesbach Lauren Gunderson & Nathan Wolfe Charles Hanes Paul Heineken Cheryl and Jeffrey Hylton

Jennifer Hochschild Mim Hodge William Hoehler Mark & Roberta Hoffman Teri & Patricia Hollowell Karen Houston Kip + Sara Howard Janet Johns Will Johnson Susan Keener Barbara Kerr Robert Knox David Lakes Monica Lange Kate Lauer Jon Larson Kay Law Douglas Lawrence Andrew Lazarus Gretchen Leavitt Judy and Robert Leet David Lesnini Jacqueline Lopez-Wyman Dr. Laurence & Mrs. Samantha Lyons Lynn MacDonald Ms. Margaret Mason Carole Mauss Consuelo McHugh Margaret McHugh Kay and Steve McNamara Dr. Kurt Menning Richard Meux David Miller Don + Barbara Miller Kimberley Milstead Everett and Julia Moore Margaret Moster Chris & Bonnie Mumford Laura S. Murra Ruth and Steve Nash Victoria H. Newton & Cheryl Longinotti Molly Noble K. O’Mohundro + N. Handelman Judith O’Rourke Tony Origlio Marta A. Osterloh Barbara Paschke Ms. Rebecca Pauling Sara Pearson

James and Joy Phoenix Stephen Piatek Jack & Jessica Powell Joan and Russell Pratt The Laurence Pulgram and Kelli Murray Charitable Fund Mary Lou Ragghianti Dr. and Mrs. Joel Renbaum Susan Reynolds Helen Rogers Julianne Z. Rohmaller Ellen Rothman April H. Rox Sandra S. Ruliffson Diane & Ed Ryken Bunnie and Jerome Sachs Family Foundation Alan and Wendy Schaevitz Ruth Schoenbach Laura & Michael Scott Carol and Randolph Selig Family Philanthropic Fund Carole & Douglas Sheft Robert Sicular Sabrina Sinton Dr. Dorothy Slattery Andrew Smith Barbara Smith, Joveena Alleyne and Halifu Prince Shelagh Smith Carol Solomon Deborah Spanier and Ronald Fishman Kate Stacy Lynnette Stallworth Drs. Shayna & Elliott Stein Ken & Dana Stokes Donald & Edith Suttles Svetcov Family Fund Candace Swimmer and Phil Rosenthal Susan Terris Cynthia Lynn Thomas Kathryn Thyret Beatrice Tocher Gilda Turitz Anne Wang Andrea Waters Meredith J. Watts Paul Werner Cynthia White Janet & William Whitmer Delene Wolf

MEMORIAL GIFTS In memory of Carl G. Berry Linden Berry In memory of Vivienn Fosman Purple Lady/Barbara J. Meislin Fund In memory of Phil Kurjan Noel Butler In memory of Myra Levenson Gerry Goldsholle In memory of Peter Maier Terry & Larry Hill In memory of Herman and Dorothy Smith Barbara Smith, Joveena Alleyne and Halifu Prince TRIBUTE GIFTS In honor of Zphyna Caldwell Hon. Molly Noble In honor of Jasson Minadakis David Catania & Diana Gay-Catania In honor of Jasson Minadakis Jack & Jessica Powell In honor of our son, David Everett Moore Everett and Julia Moore In honor of Matthew Purdon Cynthia White In honor of Meredith Suttles Donald & Edith Suttles In honor of Carla Zilbersmith Hon. Molly Noble

BECOME A DONOR TODAY!

If you share our vision that theatre is a vital space for sharing diverse stories to build a more just and equitable world, then please show your support with a financial donation to Marin Theatre Company today by visiting MarinTheatre.org/Donate

THE LEGACY GIVING SOCIETY OF MARIN THEATRE COMPANY Linden & Carl Berry‡ Jack Bissinger‡ Dave & Bobbie Chapman John & Shelley Chesley Sheldon Doing & Steve DeHart Fred Drexler‡ Thomas W. Edwards & Rebecca Parlette Edwards Joseph & Antonia Friedman Brian & Tracy Haughton Sandra Hess Shirley Loube‡

Melanie Maier Gladys Perez-Mendez‡ Ivan & Lochiel Poutiatine‡ Leigh & Ivy Robinson‡ Gage Schubert‡ Beverly Tanner Fred & Kathleen Taylor Nancy Thomson‡ Phil Woodward & Connie Majoyy ‡ Deceased

CORPORATIONS • FOUNDATIONS • GOVERNMENT MTC PARTNER | $50,000+ Californians For The Arts Clay Foundation West Marin Community Foundation Melody Wireless Infrastructure The Shubert Foundation William and Flora Hewlett Foundation VIP PRODUCER | $15,000-$49,999 Kimball Foundation National Endowment for the Arts The Bernard Osher Foundation California Arts Council Haughton Family Charitable Fund Stacy Scott Fine Cateringº EXECUTIVE PRODUCER | $10,000-$14,999 Koret Foundation The Tournesol Project

PREMIERE PRODUCER | $5,000-$9,999 3 Badge Beveragesº | August Sebastiani Acqua Hotelº Brooks Note Wineryº | Garry & Joanne Brooks Marin Cultural Association ASSOCIATE PRODUCER | $3,000& Carol Selig, Selig Floral Designº County of Marin PRODUCER | $1,000–$4,999 Body Kineticsº Clyman Family Foundation Compass Marin Charitable Association Mill Valley Market National Philanthropic Trust The Rock Foundation The Tow Foundation Whistlestopº

º In-Kind Donation

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UP NEXT AT MTC!

DIRECTED BY RICHARD A. MOSQUEDA

MAY 9 – JUNE 2, 2024

SECURE YOUR SEATS TODAY! MARINTHEATRE.ORG