The video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one 15 minute intermission.
SETTING A country home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
THE CAST Vanya ..........................................................................................................................................Philip Nolen* Sonia...........................................................................................................................................Anne Hering* Masha ....................................................................................................................................Carol Halstead* Spike ................................................................................................................................Benjamin Boucvalt Cassandra................................................................................................................ Fredena J. Williams* Nina ..........................................................................................................................................Kathryn Miller *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
UNDERSTUDIES Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the appearance.
Vanya - CHRISTOPHER GRELLA; Sonia - BARBARA BLAKE; Masha - MORGAN PRICE; Spike - JAMES PUTNAM; Nina - CHELSEY PANISCH; Cassandra - SHERYL CARBONELL
SPECIAL THANKS Shakespeare’s Swingin’ Sewin’ Society and Costume Shop Volunteers Quilted Accessories by Deborah Warner Matthew Michael’s Salon and Spa Shannon Green Keith E. Wilson
CREATIVE & PRODUCTION TEAM Director....................................................................................................................Eleanor Holdridge*** Scenic Designer ................................................................................................................Dan Conway** Assistant to Scenic Designer ..................................................................................... Katie Sullivan Costume Designer .................................................................................................... Denise R. Warner Lighting Designer ......................................................................................................Eric T. Haugen** Sound Designer.................................................................................................................Britt Sandusky
Stage Manager ..........................................................................................................Stacy R. Norwood* Production Assistants ................................................................Kaylyn Kriaski, Jenna Sargent Light Board Operators ....................................................................Colleen Doherty, Rob Jones Wardrobe .................................................................................................................. Shayna McLaughlin *Member of Actors’ Equity Association ** Member of United Scenic Artists *** Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
ANTON CHEKHOV 101 Playwright Christopher Durang notes that “My play is not a Chekhov parody. I’ve been saying that I take Chekhov scenes and characters and put them into a blender. It’s my hope you don’t have to know Chekhov super well to enjoy it” (Playbill, 10 March 2013). While it’s true that you don’t need an advanced degree in Russian literature to appreciate Vanya, we’ve provided a little Chekhov trivia to enhance your viewing experience. To begin, Vanya and his siblings all receive their names from Chekhovian works. Vanya’s moniker, for example, is from Chekhov’s play Uncle Vanya. The play examines the mundanity and listlessness associated with provincial life on a country home estate. Similarly, Durang’s play finds siblings Vanya and Sonia agonizing over unfulfilled travels and aspirations outside of their country home. Chekhov was partial to characters plagued by self delusion and self-pity. Histrionic siblings Vanya, Sonia, and Masha thrive on romantic disillusion as they mourn their passing youth, beauty, and intelligence in the face of boyish Spike. In the show, Vanya writes a play based on “the experimental play [Konstantin] writes in The Seagull.” The Seagull is one of Chekhov’s most influential plays about a famous middlebrow writer, a fading actress, a symbolist playwright, and an attractive ingenue. Sound familiar? Vanya toys with the identity of “playwright”, actress Masha clenches her fading celebrity with two fists; and the severely ingenuous pair of Spike and Nina look to Masha for career advice.
CAST BIOS BENJAMIN BOUCVALT (Spike | Debut Season) Benjamin hails from New Orleans and his love for Shakespeare led him to work with Orlando Shakespeare Theater. Previously, he’s had the honor of playing Romeo at the Great River Shakespeare Festival and you can see him there again this summer as Orlando in As You Like It. As a writer, Benjamin recently completed his first novel, The River Road, and narrated the audiobook. He received his MFA from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. www. BenjaminBoucvalt.com
CAROL HALSTEAD* (Masha | Debut Season) Carol has worked On and Off-Broadway and extensively in regional theatre around the country at The Old Globe, The Denver Center, Portland Center Stage, The Shakespeare Theatre DC, Baltimore’s CENTERSTAGE, Chautuaqua Theatre Company, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Barrington Stage Company, Hudson Stage, San Jose Rep, Cleveland Playhouse and others. Most recently played Tamora in Titus Andronicus at The Clarence Brown. Carol lives in New York City and is a Graduate of FSU and ACT San Francisco. carolhalstead.com ANNE HERING* (Sonia | 12th Season) Anne has appeared in many Orlando Shakes productions including Bakersfield Mist, Bad Dog, A Christmas Carol, Les Misérables, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Romeo and Juliet, Sense and Sensibility, Cymbeline, God of Carnage, Pride and Prejudice, All’s Well that Ends Well, Hamlet, and Much Ado About Nothing. Anne is also the Director of Education at Orlando Shakes. KATHRYN MILLER (Nina | Debut Season) Ensemble in SPAMALOT, Harrisburg Shakespeare Company: Ophelia in Hamlet, Mabel Chiltern/Mrs. Cheveley in An Ideal Husband, Isabella in Measure for Measure, Juliet in Romeo & Juliet, Octavia in Antony & Cleopatra, Porter in Macbeth, Rivkeh Lev in My Name Is Asher Lev, Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest; Reduxion Theatre Company: Hero in Much Ado About Nothing. Kathryn is so thankful to be part of Orlando Shakespeare’s 2015-2016 season. PHILIP NOLEN* (Vanya | 11th Season) Philip has been a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the professional union of stage actors and stage managers in the United States, since 1992. He has performed as an actor/singer in dozens of plays and musicals over the last twenty years for Orlando Shakes, Mad Cow Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, CAST BIOS the New York and Orlando International Fringe Theater Festivals, as well as multiple venues at Walt Disney World. FREDENA J. WILLIAMS* (Cassandra | 2nd Season) Fredena is ecstatic to return to the Orlando Shakes after last appearing in Kiss Me Kate. She is a native of Columbia, SC and a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music. Other Credits: Eubie!, Dreamgirls, Intimate Apparel, Showboat, Menopause The Musical, and Ragtime. Notable appearances: Boston POPS, Barry Manilow, Patti LaBelle, Arlo Guthrie, Natalie
Cole, and Phish. Fredena would like to give special thanks to Naima & Shannon, and my therapist (aka Mom) for love, support, friendship, and endless hours of laughter!
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Managing Director………………………………………………………...………………………………………PJ Albert Director of Marketing Communications………………………………Melissa Mason Braillard Audience Development & Group Sales Coordinator…….……………………Skip Alderman Communications Coordinator ........................................................................................ Luke Evans Marketing Coordinator.................................................................................................Sarah Lambert Box Office Manager……………………………………………………………………………………………...Evan Valle Assistant Box Office Manager .......................................................................................Sarah Doerr Guest Services......................................................................................Doug Bowser, Morgan Price House Manager………………………………………………………………………..………………………Colin Worley Assistant House Manager…………………………………………………………………………….Doug Bowser Director of Development……………………………………………………………….……………Dana Nichols Development Coordinator…………………………………………………………..……….Arika Richardson Grants Manager………………………………………………………………………….…..…….....……….Lori Weaver Director of Finance & Operations……………………………….....…………………….Barbara Muzeni Operations Lead…................……………………………………………………………………………...Mike O’Neill Operations.………………………………………………................................….…Richard Elo, Jennifer Snell
PRODUCTION STAFF Artistic Director…………………………………………………………………………..……...............Jim Helsinger Production Manager…………………………………………………………………………………George Hamrah Assistant Production Manager………………………………………………………………….........Lisa Hardt Company Manager………………………………………………………………………………...............Paige Gober Technical Director…………………………………………...…………………………………………....James Erwin Assistant Technical Director…………………………………………………………………Delson L. Junker Properties Master…………………………………………………………………………………………...Kurt Bippert Properties Assistant…………………………………………………………………………………………..Jeff Jordan Scenic Charge Artist……………………………………………………………….…………...Rebecca Pancoast Carpenter & Sculptural Artisan……………………………………………….……………….........Jeff Ferree Scenic Apprentices………………………………………...........Andrew Nunley, Kathryn Blakeslee Head of Lighting and Sound…………………………………………….………………………………Rob Jones Sound Engineer & Resident Designer…………………………..……………………….Britt Sandusky Assistant Master Electrician………………………………………………………………….Colleen Doherty Electrics Apprentices…………………………………………………..Delonte Smith, Kayla Rae Waller Costume Manager & Resident Designer……………………………………………Denise R. Warner Asst. Costume Manager, Lead Draper, & Resident Designer…………………Mel Barger Draper/First Hands…………………...............…Jeannie Marie Haskett, Heidi Jo Schiemer Lead Stitcher/Asst. to First Hands………………………………….....……………………Tabitha Lyons Stitchers……………………………………………..……………………...…………..Sam Cole, Andrea Manning Wardrobe Lead.………………………...…………………………………………............…...Shayna McLaughlin
Costume Apprentices……………………………………Christina M. McCarty, Vanessa Randall AEA Stage Managers……………George Hamrah, Stacy Renee Norwood, Mick O’Neill, Laura Ann Lockner Stage Management Apprentices……………....………Amanda Hankinson, Mike Griggs, Kaylyn Kriaski, Jenna Sargent Director of New Play Development……………………………...……….....................Cynthia White Director of Education…………………………………………………………………………………….Anne Hering Children’s Theater Coordinator……………………………………………………………Jennifer Bonner Acting/Education Interns...........Topher Embrey, Austin Ryan Hunt, Kimmi Johnson, Kathryn Miller, James Putnam, Sarah Summerwell, Jacob Valleroy, Corynne Wagener
CREATIVE TEAM BIOS DAN CONWAY** (Scenic Designer | Debut Season) Recent projects include: Better Gods (premiere) for Washington National Opera; The Tempest for American Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, and South Coast Repertory theaters. Upcoming productions include: Penn and Teller on Broadway, NYC; Soon, a new musical for Signature Theatre; the premiere of Soldier X for Here Arts Center in NYC; and the premiere of Penny for Washington National Opera. Nominated for Washington, D.C’s Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Set Design twelve times, he received the award in 2000, 2009 and most recently for Stunning (Woolly Mammoth Theatre). ELEANOR HOLDRIDGE*** (Director | Debut Season) Off-Broadway productions include world premieres of Selma ’65 (LaMaMa), Steve & Idi (Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre), and Cycling Past The Matterhorn (Clurman Theatre). Regional credits include World Premieres of Caleen Sinnette Jennings’ Queens Girl in the World (Theatre J), Zorro (Constellaton Stage), which she co-wrote, and over 30 productions of Shakespeare’s plays. Eleanor holds an MFA from Yale, has been Founding Artistic Director of Red Heel Theatre and Resident Director at New Dramatists. She is Head of Directing and Producer at Catholic University. ERIC T. HAUGEN** (Lighting Designer | 21st Season) Through his company, Luminous Design Studios, Eric has designed the lighting for numerous theatre, television, architectural, and themed entertainment projects over the past 25 years. Eric has lit many productions at Orlando Shakespeare, beginning in 1995 with Othello and The Taming of the Shrew at Lake Eola up through last season’s production of Julius Caesar. Eric’s lighting has also been seen Off-Broadway in New York in several musicals including The Ark and The Prince and the Pauper, as well as around the country at many regional theatres. Special thanks to Susan, Alexandra, and Connor. LD-Studios.com STACY R. NORWOOD* (Stage Manager | 9th Season) Stacy has stage-managed multiple seasons at Orlando Shakes, the Depot Theater, and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Her credits include Nicholas Nickleby,
Sense and Sensibility, Othello, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, Pippin, Big Bang, Lend Me A Tenor, The Importance of Being Earnest and SPAMALOT. She is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Assosciation. Her dedication to the craft would not be possible without the endless support from her father, mother, and Mike. BRITT SANDUSKY (Sound Designer | 10th Season) Formally trained at Orlando’s Audio Recording Technology Institute, Britt was the Audio Engineer for Les Misérables, and has designed the sound-scapes for many Orlando Shakespeare Theater favorites including The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, Othello, Sense and Sensibility, Race, The Importance Of Being Earnest, The 39 Steps, Shotgun, Schoolhouse Rock Live!, and Robinson Crusoe. His film credits include Foley artist, re-recording engineer, ADR supervisor, dialog mixer, and sound effects supervisor. DENISE R. WARNER (Costume Designer | 15th Season) Denise is the Costume Manager and staff Costume Designer for Orlando Shakes. Previous design credits include The Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Othello, Arms and the Man, and The Island of Dr. Moreau. Her work has also been seen at Center Stage, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Maples Rep, Mad Cow Theatre, Millbrook Playhouse, Orlando Opera, and Orlando REP.
ORLANDO SHAKESPEARE THEATER DONORS Orlando Shakespeare Theater would like to thank all of our donors for their generous contributions. The gifts listed below were received between June 2015 and March 14, 2016 and include United Arts contributions for the 2015-2016 season. We would also like to acknowledge our twenty- seven year partnership with the University of Central Florida. For more information regarding donating and the benefits you can receive, please visit orlandoshakes.org.
PRODUCER - $25,000 and higher Ginsburg Family Foundation Harriett Lake Rita and John Lowndes Ken & Trisha Margeson
DIRECTOR - $24,999 TO $10,000 Gordon and Susan Arkin Jim and Diana Barnes Suzanne E. Gilbert Marilyn S. Goldman and Steve Goldman Charitable Trust Anonymous Lester and Sonia Mandell The Melrose Foundation Mr. A. Brian Phillips, Esq. Mr. and Mrs. Albert & Elisabeth Prast Frank Santos and Dan Dantin Valerie and Jim Shapiro Simon and Ellen Snyder Mrs. Kathryn Chicone Ustler The Bryce L. West Foundation
PLAYWRIGHT - $9,999 TO $5,000 Anonymous The Crouse Charitable Lead Trust Marilyn S. Goldman Stephen Goldman and Melanie Love Jack Lord and Adam Hunter Andrea Massey-Farrell Francille MacFarland, M.D. in Memory of Hilda Wolf Dr. Mary Palmer Alexis C. Pugh SunTrust Foundation Anonymous Tom and Penny Yochum
STAGE MANAGER - $4,999 TO $2,500 Frank and Carol-Lynn Bevc Ford W. Kiene Central Florida Foundation Computer Business Consultants, Inc. - Clinton Pownall Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A. Macy’s Mark and Christine Middlebrook Stephen T. McLin Gallen Miller in Honor of Tiffany Tankersley Mr. & Mrs. Michael and Marian Peters RLF Seaside National Bank Chuck and Margery Steinmetz Cory L. Taylor Deborah and Garritt Toohey in Honor of Althea Rokes Kurry UCF Foundation Leighton & Phyllis Yates
STAR - $2,499 TO $1,000 David and Judy Albertson Ms. Stephanie Allen Maria-Elena Augustin Lyn and David Berelsman Shirley D. Bias Dean and Jill Boscoe Alana and Matt Brenner Stewart H. Brown Tom and Kathy Cardwell Charitable Fund of the Schwab Charitable Fund Teresa and Jay Colling Ingrid & Coleman Cordell Ted B. Edwards Sally Blackmun and Michael Elsberry Dykes and Lisa Everett Anonymous Burr & Forman LLP Carolyn Gentile Shannon Hoagland Mr. Dean Johnson Mr. Al Jordan Jim Helsinger and Suzanne O’Donnell Maureen and Mark Kennedy Col. And Mrs. Robert and Jerilyn Kreps
Mark and Courtney Leggett Bob and Julie Mandell James and Sarah Martin Dr. and Mrs. McClelland Daniel and Elizabeth McIntosh Jim and Cynthia Milligan in Honor of Jacklyn Wright Mr. Joseph Melbourne Robin H. Murphy Orlando Magic Richard and Mary Nunis Leslie King O’Neal Molly O’Neill Orlando Utilities Commission Martin and Ellen Prague John and Rhonda Quigley Mr. Sascha Rizzo and Ms. Shari Bartz James and Judy Russell Michael and Theresa Ryan Mr. and Mrs. Saliba Rick Schell Sidhu Family Drs. David Smuckler and Maxine Tabas
Ronald and Patricia Strasberg Rebecca and Blaine Sweatt Judith Thompson Track Shack Fitness Club Dr. Jessica M. Vaught Dr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Warren
Louise and Dick Weiner in Honor of Harriett Lake Chris E. Whitney John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Bickley C. Wilson Ying Family Foundation
LEAD - $999 TO $500 Anonymous Kim Ashby in Honor of Bob and Katy Ashby Beth Barnes and John Crocitto Kurtis T. Bauerle Susan Fox Beversluis Barbara Caldwell Chepenik Financial Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Christiansen Drs. Jeff Cohen and Luci Belnick Carl and Ann Croft Francie and Wayne Dear Judith Duda and Howard Weber Mr. and Mrs. Jon and Semra Eichelberger Jose and Mimi Fernandez Dr. And Dr. Richard & Terri Finkel Mrs. Katherine L. Fredlake Bro and Dave Garland J. Charles Gray Dr. Stephen and Ruth Ann Heller John and Martha Hitt William and Kathlene Hohns Gil Kemp Genie Lavery Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Lefkowitz in Honor of Joshua Lefkowitz
Meredith E. Level Dr. Mitch and Swantje Levin John and Julie Lowndes James R. Lussier and Nancy C. Jacobson Ted Maines Bill and Becky Manuel Anonymous Orlando Health Harry and Jackie Pappas Anonymous Steve and Valerie Pickert Jean Raffa Phoebe and Eliot Rosewater Justin and Meredith Sand John and Margaret Sanders Dr. Peter and Carol Selassie Robert Smedley Mt. and Mrs. Nicholas J. St. George Warren and Susan Tedder in Honor of Alexis Pugh Leslie J. Temmen John and Nancy-Lee Thompson Joan and Harry Travis Jerry and Barbara Twedt Dale Whittaker Rizwan Zaman
PLAYER - $499 TO $250 Glenn and Stacey Adams Phil and Jennifer Anderson Polly Anderson David and Carla Ausherman David B. Baer Mr. Frank P. Barber Blaise and Elizabeth Benoist Rev. Dr. Benjamin A. Berinti, C.PP.S. Darryl M. Bloodworth Steve and Debbie Cecchetti Mary Anne Ciavatta Duck Stephanie Cohen Paula Collins in Memory of Bruce Collins Donovan and Mary Ann Dean Mr. Darrell DeVaney Jennifer and Bill Dymond Rex and Kathy Elbert George Fender in Honor of American Military Forces Miranda F. Fitzgerald Mr. and Mrs. Richard Fulton Lynn and Terry Gillam Katherine Ho and Joey Sacco John and Beth Isler Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Bette Jore Marc and Henrietta Katzen Kathleen Kershaw Ellen Lang Mark & Noreen Levitt Mr. Russell N. Littlefield Jody Maughan Donna M. Miller Dr. Margaret G. Miller and Mr. Charles E. Miller in Memory of Jennifer C. Miller, Our Daughter
Jeffrey and Mindy Moore Jeff and Erin Myers Ann Murrah Lisa G. Nason William & Ede Nault Steve Peacock D.W. Phineas Perkins David Piatt Eli and Ina Porth Provinsure Enrique Puig Karen Ramberg James and Beverly Rawlings Rebecca and Ryan Rhoden Patricia Rixmann Thomas and Elizabeth Roehlk Howard and Lenore Roland Maria Rubin John D. Ruffier Beth Guba Schaan Diane Sears Jean E. Siegfried David L. Sigalow and Heather Walsh South Lake Montessori School, Inc. in Honor of Children Ron Stricklin Jackie and Rod Sward Dr. Brenda Smith Thompson Mark E. Thompson Uno Restaurant Holdings, LLC Ms. Sterling S. Vestal Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Walker Berni Wasser Stonebridge Financial Planning Group, LLC Neil and Malka Webman Barbara Weinreich Judge and Mrs. George C. Young
Titles and dates are subject to change. Single tickets go on sale June 21.