King James Program

FEBRUARY 26 MARCH 16

king james

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Br a v o t o Sy r a c u s e St a g e

for entertaining and enlighting our community w i t h o u t s t a n d i n g t h e a t e r, Ca t h e d r a l Ca n d l e Co m p a n y i s h o n o re d t o s u p p o r t your work.

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S 7 | Letter from the Artistic Director 9 | Title 11 | Credits 14 | Dramaturgical Notes 20 | Cast & Creative Team Bios 25 | Who We Are Our Mission Our Vision Our Core Values Anti-Racism Pledge 27 | About Syracuse Stage Land Acknowledgement In the Community 30 | Board of Trustees 31 | Emeritus Trustees Education Advocacy Board Young Adult Council 32 | Corporate, Foundation, & Government Sponsors 33 | Sponsor Statements 34 | 50th Anniversary Campaign Gifts 35 | Individual, Corporate, Foundation, & Government Gifts 36 | In Honor of 41 | Planned Giving Matching Gift Program 42 | Syracuse Stage Staff

PROGRAM BOOK Editor: Matthew Nerber Advertising: Joanna Penalva Cover Artwork: Brenna Merritt Layout: Jonathan Hudak

King James | February 26 - March 16, 2025 The Syracuse Stage program is produced seven times a year.

For advertising rates and information contact Joanna Penalva at 315-443-2636. Printed by QMC Group.

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The Slutzker Family Foundation is proud to be a Season Sponsor of the Syracuse Stage 24/25 season, full of stories that engage, entertain, and inspire us to see life beyond our own experience.

Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1917, Lillian Slutzker was a survivor. After fleeing Nazi control for England, she met her husband at a USO dance and later returned to his hometown of Rome, New York.

She dedicated her life to bettering her community. The Foundation’s purpose is to carry on her incredible legacy and fulfill her passion for Judaism, education, the arts, and enriching the community.

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LET TER FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

DEAR FRIENDS,

 ROBERT HUPP. PHOTO: BRENNA MERRITT.

Welcome to Syracuse Stage and King James! We’re very glad you’re here.

We’re excited to launch the second half of our 24/25 season with Rajiv Joseph’s powerful drama.

Paired with our recent production of Primary Trust, you’ll note that we’re focusing this winter on plays about friendship and community. Although our seasons are selected over a year in advance, we believe the themes brought to life by King James are exceedingly timely and relevant to our world right now. We hope you agree.

And speaking of friendships, we are glad to partner on this production with our friends and colleagues at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. Regular Stage-goers will note this partnership has been fruitful; past co-productions include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, 12 Angry Men, and Clue. This partnership allows us to combine resources and create the best possible theatrical experience for patrons in Indianapolis and Syracuse. Stay tuned for more news about how we’ll continue this partnership in the seasons ahead.

For now, thank you for joining us for King James. Welcome to season 51 part two. Enjoy the show!

With warm regards,

Robert Hupp Artistic Director

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. .

E E G G A A T T S S R R U YYOOU . .

S S E I E I R R O O T T S S YYOOUURR CITIZEN JAMES, OR THE YOUNG MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY

PRIMARY TRUST

AUGUST 2-3, 2024

Poignant drama about embracing new beginnings.

FREE TICKETED EVENT

By Kyle Bass | Directed by Joann Yarrow | Produced in partnership with 100 Black Men of Syracuse

Witness a young James Baldwin find his voice in this powerful one-man show about the author and Civil Rights activist.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

THE SECOND CITY 65TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW

JANUARY 22 – FEBRUARY 9, 2025

By Eboni Booth | Directed by Melissa Crespo

••••••••••••••••••••••••

KING JAMES FEBRUARY 26 – MARCH 16, 2025

By Rajiv Joseph | Directed by Jamil Jude Co-Produced with Indiana Repertory Theatre

A slam dunk of a show about unlikely friends, basketball, and LeBron James.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

SEPTEMBER 18 - 29, 2024

APRIL 23 – MAY 11, 2025

Presented by Syracuse Stage

By Kate Hamill | Based on the novel by Jane Austen Directed by Jason O’Connell

A hysterical touring production.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

Love triumphs over tradition in this playful adaptation.

DIAL M FOR MURDER

••••••••••••••••••••••••

OCTOBER 16 – NOVEMBER 3, 2024 Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher | From the original by Frederick Knott | Directed by Robert Hupp

THE NATIONAL PASTIME

An old-school, edge of-your-seat mystery.

JUNE 11 – 29, 2025

••••••••••••••••••••••••

A Julie Lutz Cold Read World Premiere Written by Rogelio Martinez | Directed

by Johanna McKeon

RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA

Baseball meets espionage meets psychological intrigue.

FOR MORE INFO

NOVEMBER 22 – JANUARY 5, 2025 Music by Richard Rodgers | Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II | Adapted for the stage by Tom Briggs from the Teleplay by Robert L. Freedman | Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson | Music Direction by Brian Cimmet | Choreographed by Jessica Chen | Co-Produced with the Syracuse University Department of Drama

Glass slippers, pumpkins, and dreams-come-true.

315.443.3275 SYRACUSESTAGE.ORG

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PRESENTS

king james BY

Rajiv Joseph D I R E C T E D BY

Jamil Jude SCENIC DESIGNER

COSTUME DESIGNER

LIGHTING DESIGNER

SOUND DESIGNER

Czerton Lim

Ari Fulton

Dawn Chiang

Mikaela Fraser

DRAMATURG

STAGE MANAGER

Richard J Roberts

Miriam Hyfler

Robert Hupp

Carly DiFulvio Allen

Melissa Crespo

Kyle Bass

Artistic Director

Managing Director

Associate Artistic Director

Resident Playwright

CO-PRODUCING PARTNER

Indiana Repertory Theatre Benjamin Hanna, Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director Suzanne Sweeney, Managing Director SEASON SPONSORS

MEDIA SPONSOR

PAY-WHAT-YOU-WILL SPONSOR

COMMUNITY PARTNER

King James is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service imprint. (www.dramatists.com) King James was co-commissioned by Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Anna D. Shapiro, Artistic Director, David Schmitz, Executive Director, and Center Theatre Group, Michael Ritchie, Artistic Director, Douglas C Baker, Producing Director, and received its world premiere in 2022 in co-productions at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago and Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles.

February 26 - March 16, 2025 9

Join the ensemble with an Annual Fund donation to help us make a difference through live theatre.

Your gift supports educational, artistic, accessibility, and community engagement programming which provides the city of Syracuse and the Central New York Region a platform to connect and build community.

Garrett Turner and Eunice Woods in the 2024 Pulitzer Prize winner Primary Trust by Eboni Booth at Syracuse Stage. Directed by Melissa Crespo. Scenic design by Ann Beyersdorfer. Costume design by Carmen Martinez. Lighting design by Alejandro Fajardo. Sound design by Jacqueline R Herter. Original music by Armando Gutierrez. Photo by Brenna Merritt.

GIVE NOW AT SYRACUSESTAGE.ORG/SUPPORT

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CAST (in order of speaking)

Quinn M. Johnson............................................Matt Enoch King....................................................Shawn

SETTING Cleveland Heights, Ohio 2004, 2010, 2014, 2016

ADDITIONAL CREDITS Associate Scenic Designer: Donnie Woodard First Stage Management Production Assistant: Erin C Brett Second Stage Management Production Assistant: Katie Barnes Stage Management Intern: Katrina Barrett†

TA K I N G P H O T O S I N T H E T H E AT R E Audience members may take photos in the theatre before and after the performance and during intermission. If you post photos on social media or elsewhere, you must credit the production's director and designers by including the names below. Please note: Photos are strictly prohibited during the performance. Photos of the stage are not permitted if an actor is present. Video and audio recording is not permitted at any time in the theatre.

Photo credit: The Syracuse Stage production of King James | By Rajiv Joseph | Directed

by Jamil Jude | Scenic Design by Czerton Lim | Costume Design by Ari Fulton | Lighting Design by Dawn Chiang | Sound Design by Mikaela Fraser

The actors and stage manager in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The Scenic, Costume, Lighting, and Sound Designers in LORT theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829, IATSE. The Director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union. King James is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. †Student, Syracuse University Department of Drama.

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Save the Date!

SYRACUSE STAGE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER

CAST PARTY SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2025 SYRACUSE STAGE 820 82 0 E. GENESEE ST.

MARISSA MULDER

Presenting award winning and Syracuse native cabaret artist Marissa Mulder.

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Rajiv Joseph was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1974, and came of age in a household that celebrated his hometown teams. “We were a Cleveland family,” he told Sarah Bahr of The New York Times, while in rehearsal for the Chicago premiere of King James in 2022. “We watched the Cavs, we watched the Indians, we watched the Browns. And all our moods fluctuated accordingly.”

The following are excerpts from that same interview, in which Joseph describes his relationship to sports, Cleveland, and LeBron “King” James—and how his personal history helped shape the world of the play.

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 RAJIV JOSEPH. PHOTO: LYNN LANE.

RAJIV JOSEPH: ON KING JAMES

ON GROWING UP IN A SPORTS-CENTRIC CITY:

At least in the sort of heteronormative world in which I grew up, it was a struggle for young American men to communicate emotion. Sometimes a love of the game is the only way people who have difficulty expressing their feelings are able to articulate them.

...

ON THE PROCESS OF WRITING KING JAMES:

I thought this would be an interesting way of exploring my own relationship with LeBron. This play is a sort of alchemy of stories I’ve heard, conversations I’ve had with people and the general sense of being a young person in Cleveland Heights and those heightened emotions that come out when you start arguing about sports.

...

ON LEBRON’S INFAMOUS THE DECISION TELEVISION SPECIAL, IN WHICH HE ANNOUNCED HE WAS LEAVING CLEVELAND FOR MIAMI:

It was traumatic. But when you watch LeBron from then, you realize he was such a different person than he is now—like we all are. If any of us look back at when we were 25, I bet we’d kind of wince at some of the things we did and said.

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His Majesty Lebron James

BY RICHARD J ROBERTS RESIDENT DRAMATURG, INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE

LEBRON JAMES IS WIDELY considered to be one of the greatest-if not the greatest-basketball players of all time, earning him the nickname "King James."

Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1984, he began playing basketball at the age of nine. As a freshman at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, he averaged 21 points per game in an undefeated season, and his team won the state’s Division III title. The next year, he was the first sophomore ever to be selected as Ohio’s Mr. Basketball, and the first sophomore ever selected for the USA Today All-USA First 16

Team. The following season, he was the first junior ever named as the Gatorade National Player of the Year. During his senior year, he averaged 31 points per game, had a high game of 52 points, and led his team to their third state championship.

Upon graduating from high school in 2003, James was chosen by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first pick of the NBA draft. He ended the season with a 20-point average, was the first Cleveland player ever named Rookie of the Year, and helped the team to win 18 more games than the previous

In LeBron's absence, the Cavaliers had been the lowest ranked team in the NBA. In his first season back, Cleveland made it to the finals, and in 2016 the Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the city’s first professional sports title in 52 years. season. In his second year, he set a new Cleveland single-game record with 56 points, and was named to the All-NBA Team. In 2006, the Cavaliers qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1998. In 2007, they won their first-ever Eastern Conference championship, but lost in the Finals in a four-game sweep. The following season, James averaged 30 points a game, becoming Cleveland’s all-time leading scorer and the NBA’s top scorer for the year. In 2009 he was the first Cavalier ever chosen as the NBA’s MVP. 17

 LEBRON JAMES

FOLLOWING THE CAVALIERS' 2016 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP. PHOTO: JESSE D. GARRABRANT/ GETTY IMAGES.

In 2022 James became the highest-paid athlete in NBA history. In 2023 he became the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. He played in his fourth Olympics in 2024, winning his third gold medal. At 40, he is currently the oldest player in the NBA. The next year he received the same award, but James (and the team) did poorly in the playoffs.

In July 2010, on a live ESPN special titled The Decision, James announced that he was leaving the Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat. This move, as well as the manner of the announcement itself, was met with widespread criticism from basketball professionals, analysts, and fans alike. Almost overnight, James went from being one of America’s most popular athletes to one of the most disliked, while the Heat came to be seen as the villains of the NBA. Nonetheless, after struggling in the early season, the Heat ended up in the 2011 Finals. James himself played poorly in the Finals, and the team lost in the sixth game. The following two seasons the team won back-to-back championships, and James was named MVP for the third and fourth time.

After one more season with Miami, James returned to Cleveland, a move that was widely praised. In his absence, the Cavaliers had been the lowest ranked team in the NBA. In his first season back, Cleveland made it to the finals, and in 2016 the Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the city’s first professional sports title in 52 years.

The team made it to the finals the next

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two years as well, but lost both series.

In 2018 James left Cleveland to join the Los Angeles Lakers. His agent, Rich Paul, told Sports Illustrated, “In 2010, when he went to Miami, it was about championships. In 2014, when he went back to Cleveland, it was about delivering on a promise. In 2018, it was just about doing what he wants to do.” In his first LA season, James was plagued with injuries, but the following year he won his fourth NBA championship, and his fourth Finals MVP award. In 2022 James became the highest-paid athlete in NBA history. In 2023 he became the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. He played in his fourth Olympics in 2024, winning his third gold medal. At 40, he is currently the oldest player in the NBA. James married his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, in 2013, and they have three children. Their eldest son, Bronny, was selected by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA draft, creating the first active father-son player duo in NBA history.

Standing 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 250 pounds, James has played the majority of his career as a forward. An athletic and versatile player, he has been compared to Basketball Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Magic John-

 MIAMI HEAT FORWARD LEBRON JAMES TAKES ON ATLANTA HAWKS' JOSH SMITH. PHOTO: AP.

son, and Michael Jordan. Throughout most of the 2010s, James was annually ranked as the best player in the NBA

by ESPN and Sports Illustrated.

James is widely recognized for empowering players in the NBA corporate structure. Ben Golliver of the Washington Post has said that when James moved from the Cavaliers to the Heat in 2010, he “fundamentally flipped the power balance between stars and their organizations,” spurring a decade of player movement.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has said, “We’ve taken control of our destiny. And I think a lot of people hate that.... I think the

doors that he’s opened for athletes and especially basketball players is his biggest accomplishment.”

James is seen by many of his fellow NBA players, the media, and the general public as “the face of the NBA.” He has four times been listed by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, more than any other professional athlete. He has been awarded 2 NAACP Image Awards.

NBA analyst Brian Windhorst has said, “No one has ever had as much hype as James has had to live up to, and James has delivered on every last drop.”

-Richard J Roberts

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CAST Quinn M. Johnson (Matt) Off-Broadway: Jordans (The Public), Black Mother Lost Daughter (Atlantic Theater Company). Regional: Clyde’s, Godspeed (Denver Center of Performing Arts); Clyde’s (Studio Theatre); Much Ado about Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Our Town (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train (Short North Stage). International: The Bacchae (International Festival of Greek Drama); Mother Courage and Her Children, The Changeling, and The Revenger’s Tragedy (RADA). Quinn was recently featured in FBI and is an alumnus of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the Shakespeare Theater Academy.

Enoch King (Shawn) Enoch was previously seen at the IRT in Flyin’ West. An Atlanta native, his recent credits include Wild with Happy and The Light (Horizon Theatre), Hold On! (St. Louis Black Rep), Toni Stone (Alliance Theatre, Suzi Bass Award for Outstanding Featured Performer), Hands of Color (Synchronicity Theatre, Suzi Bass Award for Best World Premiere), The Christians (Actors Express, Suzi Bass Award for Best Supporting Actor). TV and film credits include Bad Boys 4, Atlanta, Till, and The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. Enoch is represented by Houghton Talent and Ross Stephens Arts and Entertainment. “Love to my family and friends. King Vibration!”

C R E AT I V E T E A M Czerton Lim (he/him) (Scenic Designer) At Syracuse Stage, Czerton designed last year’s Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, a co-production of Clue with Indiana Repertory Theatre, The Play That Goes Wrong, Matilda the Musical, and Talley’s Folly, to name a few. His work has been seen regionally in New York at the Rev Theatre Company, Hangar Theatre Company; around the country in NYC, D.C., Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, and California, to name a few; and internationally in Melbourne, Australia, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. He teaches design and other related topics for the Department of Theatre & Dance at the State University of New York at Fredonia. A proud member of USA local 829, Czerton is originally from the Philippines. www.czlimdesign.com Ari Fulton (Costume Designer) At the IRT, Ari has designed costumes for Fannie and Pipeline. Off-Broadway: Covenant (Roundabout Theatre), Nova (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Confederates (Signature Theatre Company, Lortel nomination), The School for Wives (Molière in the Park), Little Girl Blue (LDK Productions). Regional: Rocky 20

C R E AT I V E T E A M Horror Show (Dallas Theatre Center), Rent (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), L’Amant Anonyme (Atlanta Opera and Minnesota Opera), A Wonderful World (Miami New Drama, Broadway World winner). Film: Incomplete (20th Century Digital and Hulu, NAACP Image Award Nominee), Disney Discovers (Disney Television, ABC), Cupids (Tribeca Film Festival and P&G). Nigerian Prince (AT&T, Netflix, Executive produced by Spike Lee).

Dawn Chiang (Lighting Designer) designed Little Shop of Horrors, Shakespeare’s Will, and Sense and Sensibility at the IRT. For Syracuse Stage, she has designed numerous productions, including Dial M for Murder, Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, and Amadeus. Broadway: Zoot Suit and co-designer for Tango Pasión. Off Broadway: Manhattan Theatre Club, Roundabout Theatre; Encores! Concert Musicals, co-designer. Opera: resident lighting designer, New York City Opera. Regional: Guthrie Theater, Mark Taper Forum, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Repertory, Denver Center Theatre Company, and many more. Awards: One Broadway World award, two Syracuse Area Live Theatre Awards, two Drama-Logue Awards, and the USITT Distinguished Achievement Award.

Mikaela Fraser (Sound Designer) is an Atlanta-based sound designer and engineer and a graduate of Kennesaw State University. Her notable work includes The Play That Goes Wrong, Sister Act, and The Color Purple at Aurora Theatre; Blues for an Alabama Sky, Red Speedo, and Lizzie at Actor’s Express; Once at Horizon Theatre; The Drowsy Chaperone at Atlanta Lyric Theatre; Ella Enchanted at Synchronicity Theatre; and Stew at Theatrical Outfit. Additional credits include Shutter Sisters at the Old Globe, The Factotum at Lyric Opera Theatre, Trouble in Mind at the Warehouse Theatre, and Wrong River at Flint Repertory Theatre.

Richard J Roberts (Dramaturg) This is Richard’s 35th season with the IRT, and his 27th 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, Bridge & Tunnel, The Night Watcher, Neat, Pretty Fire, The Cay, The Giver, The Power of One, and Twelfth Night. This season at Actors Theatre of Indiana he directed She Loves Me. Richard studied music at DePauw University and theatre at Indiana University and was awarded a Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis.

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C R E AT I V E T E A M Miriam Hyfler (Stage Manager) Miriam’s select credits include Sumpn like Wings, Partnership, Becomes a Woman, The Rat Trap, Chains (Mint Theater); In the Heights, Rock of Ages, Beautiful (the Gateway Playhouse); hang, Time Stands Still (Shakespeare & Company); Shanghai Sonatas (Master Players Concert Series); On Blueberry Hill, Maz and Bricks (Origin Theatre/ Fishamble); Three Small Irish Masterpieces, It’s a Wonderful Life, Woman and Scarecrow (Irish Rep); author Directing author (La Mama); How to Break (HERE); Richard III, Henry V (New York Classical Theatre); Cymbeline, Capsule 33 (Barrow Street Theater); and several seasons with the Play Company, Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, Pan Asian Rep, and New Century Theatre.

DIRECTOR Jamil Jude is a highly accomplished director/producer/ playwright/dramaturg focusing on bringing socially relevant art to the community. He is the Artistic Director at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta, GA. He is the Co-Founder of the New Griots Festival, which is dedicated to celebrating, advocating, and advancing the careers of emerging Black artists in Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota.

Jamil has had the privilege of directing across the country at venues like the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the American Conservatory Theatre, RoundHouse Theatre, the Alliance Theatre, Curious Theatre, A Contemporary Theatre, and many others.

P L AY W R I G H T Rajiv Joseph. Rajiv Joseph’s play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo was a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Drama, was awarded a grant for Outstanding New American Play by the National Endowment for the Arts, and was produced on Broadway in 2011 with Robin Williams. Joseph has twice won the Obie Award for Best New American Play, first in 2016 with Guards at the Taj (also a 2016 Lortel Winner for Best Play) and again in 2018 for Describe the Night. Other plays include Archduke, Gruesome Playground Injuries, Animals out of Paper, The Lake Effect, The North Pool, and Mr. Wolf. King James premiered at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago in 2022.

Joseph has been awarded artistic grants from the Whiting Foundation, United States Artists and the Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust. He is a board member of the Lark Play Development Center in New York City. He served for three years in the Peace Corps in Senegal and now lives in Brooklyn.

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ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Robert Hupp is in his ninth season as artistic director of Syracuse Stage. He recently directed Dial M for Murder, Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Our Town, The Play That Goes Wrong, Eureka Day, Annapurna, Talley’s Folly, Amadeus, Noises Off, Next to Normal, and The Three Musketeers for Stage. Prior to coming to Central New York, Robert spent seventeen seasons as the producing artistic director of Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock. He directed over 30 productions for Arkansas Rep ranging from Hamlet to Les Miserables to The Grapes of Wrath. In New York City, Robert directed the American premieres of Glyn Maxwell’s The Lifeblood and Wolfpit for the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble. He also served for nine seasons as the artistic director of the Obie Award-winning Jean Cocteau Repertory. At the Cocteau, Robert’s directing credits include works by Buchner, Wilder, Cocteau, Shaw, Wedekind and the premieres of the Bentley/Milhaud version of Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children, Seamus Heaney’s The Cure at Troy, and Eduardo de Filippo’s Napoli Millionaria. He has held faculty positions at Pennsylvania’s Dickinson College and, in Arkansas, at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Hendrix College. Robert served as vice president of the Board of Directors of the Theatre Communications Group and has served on funding panels for the New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, the Theatre Communications Group, the New Jersey State Council of the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. While in Arkansas, Robert was named both Non-Profit Executive of the Year by the Arkansas Business Publishing Group, and Individual Artist of the Year by the Arkansas Arts Council. He and his wife Clea ride herd over a blended family of five children, one dog, and two cats.

MANAGING DIRECTOR Carly DiFulvio Allen is thrilled to be joining Syracuse Stage this season. Originally from Rochester, NY, she is returning to the region after a twenty-year career on Broadway. Most recently at Disney Theatrical Group, she was the Associate General Manager for the worldwide productions of Aladdin (Broadway, First and Second North American Tours, West End, UK Tour, Australia, Germany, Japan, Mexico City, the Netherlands, and South Korea) and Beauty and the Beast (upcoming North American Tour, UK Tour, Australia, Japan and China at the Shanghai Disney Resort). Prior to her time at Disney, she was the Company Manager for Roundabout Theatre Company at the Todd Haimes Theatre (formerly the American Airlines Theatre) for twenty-five Broadway productions. Favorites include Violet with Sutton Foster, On the Twentieth Century with Kristin Chenoweth and Peter Gallagher, Noises Off with Andrea Martin, and the original Broadway production of The

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MANAGING DIRECTOR 39 Steps. She has a Theatre Arts Management and Integrated Marketing Communications degree from Ithaca College and has taught theatre management at Pace University. While at Disney, she served on the advisory committee for ENSEMBLE, an employee-led network with the goal of fostering and celebrating an inclusive culture, and was the founding member and co-chair for a parents and caregivers sub-committee. She is forever grateful for the support of her parents, Jeff and Triscilla, and her husband Mike Allen. Carly’s most important role is mom to 5-year-old Arthur and 2-year-old Eloise.

A S S O C I AT E A R T I S T I C D I R E C T O R Melissa Crespo (she/her) has made a career of developing new plays, musicals, and opera around the country and abroad. Most recently she directed the world premiere of Reggie Hoops by Kristoffer Diaz at Profile Theatre and the musical El Otro Oz by Tommy Newman, Mando Alvarez, and Jaime Lozano at Atlantic Theatre Company which was a NYTimes Critics Pick. Next spring, she will direct the world premiere of Christin Eve Cato’s O.K.! off-Broadway at INTAR Theatre. As a playwright, her play Egress, co-written with Sarah Saltwick, had a world premiere at Amphibian Stage and won the Roe Green Award for Outstanding Achievement in Playwriting at Cleveland Play House. She is one of the Founding Editors of 3Views on Theater, an online publication conceived by The Lillys. Fellowships and residencies include: Time Warner Fellow (WP Theatre), Usual Suspect (NYTW), The Director’s Project (Drama League), Van Lier Directing Fellow (Second Stage Theatre), and the Allen Lee Hughes Directing Fellow (Arena Stage). Melissa received her M.F.A. in directing from The New School for Drama. https://www.melissacrespo.com R E S I D E N T P L AY W R I G H T Kyle Bass, Resident Playwright at Syracuse Stage and curator of Poetry & Play, is the author of Toliver & Wakeman, which premiered at Franklin Stage Company, Tender Rain, which premiered at Syracuse Stage, Salt City Blues, which received its first production at Syracuse Stage, and Possessing Harriet, published and licensed by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, which premiered at Syracuse Stage, and has been produced at Franklin Stage Company, East Lynne Theater Company, and HartBeat Ensemble. Citizen James, or The Young Man Without a Country, about a young James Baldwin, streamed nationally and has been optioned for a featurelength film. With Ping Chong, he is the co-author of Cry for Peace: Voices 24

R E S I D E N T P L AY W R I G H T from the Congo, which premiered at Syracuse Stage and was produced at La MaMa Experimental Theatre. A descendant of African people enslaved in colonial New England and in the American South, Kyle lives and writes in central upstate New York where his family has lived free and owned land for 226 years. Kyle is Associate Professor of Theater at Colgate University.

WHO WE ARE Syracuse Stage is the non-profit professional theatre company in residence at Syracuse University. We are nationally recognized for creating stimulating theatrical work that engages Central New York, and for our significant contribution to the artistic life of Syracuse University, where we are a vital partner in achieving the educational mission of the University’s Department of Drama.

OUR MISSION Syracuse Stage tells stories that engage, entertain, and inspire us to see life beyond our own experience.

OUR VISION Reimagining what's possible for regional theatre-through active inclusion, innovative outreach, and bold productions-Syracuse Stage shapes the culture and social vitality of Central New York, enriches the Syracuse University student experience, and fosters change in ourselves, our communities, and our world.

O U R C O R E VA L U E S People - Actively including diverse individuals, communities, ideas, and perspectives.

Passion - Commitment to integrity, excellence, and enthusiasm in our work.

Curiosity - Fostering an innovative and adaptive environment that elicits wonder.

ANTI-RACISM PLEDGE Syracuse Stage stands firmly against racism and discrimination. We pledge to stand with under-represented and oppressed communities and to advance antiracism in all aspects of our work, including the outward facing, public dimension of our creative endeavors and the less visible internal practices of the organization.

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A B O U T S Y R A C U S E S TA G E Originally constructed as the Regent Movie House in 1914, the physical space of Syracuse Stage has seen many films, musicians, actors, and artists pass through its doors over the course of the past century. The Syracuse Stage that exists today is a non-for-profit professional theatre company founded in 1974, and a longstanding League of Resident Theatres (LORT) member. Since its inception, Stage has produced over 350 shows, both plays and musicals, within its walls. Now, Stage produces six to seven shows per season, while also offering educational programs to students, various pre- and post-show offerings, and fundraising events each year. Stage is Central New York’s only LORT theatre and one of the largest performing arts organizations in the area. Stage has a strong commitment to giving the community access to a range of high-quality productions; it is equally committed to bringing in actors, designers, and directors who are among the leading theatre professionals, both locally and across the nation.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Syracuse Stage respectfully acknowledges the Onondaga Nation, Firekeepers of the Haudenosaunee, the Indigenous people on whose ancestral lands we now stand.

IN THE COMMUNITY Stage has collaborated with a myriad of institutions in the Syracuse area. Community partners include 100 Black Men of Syracuse, AccessCNY, ACR Health, ARC of Onondaga, ARISE, BOCES, CNY Reads, Ed 21, FOCL, Food Bank of Central New York, Interfaith Works of Central New York, La Casita, McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center, Onondaga Historical Association, Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park, SUNY Upstate Medical University, and Syracuse International Film Festival.

Additionally, the educational department collaborates with many CNY schools.

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S Y R A C U S E S TA G E B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S CHAIR

Richard Driscoll Senior Vice President Commercial Banking Division NBT Bank PRESIDENT

Colleen A. Gaetano Retired- Vice President Global Education & Artistry Estée Lauder Companies, NYC Helene Gold Private Voice & Piano Instructor

Herman R. Frazier* Senior Deputy Athletics Director Syracuse University

Jacki Goldberg Community Volunteer

PAST CHAIR/VICE CHAIR

Nancy Green Managing Member Edward S. Green & Associates

Rocco Mangano Partner Mangano Law Office, PLLC TREASURER

Brett Padgett* Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Syracuse University SECRETARY

Maria Lesinski Attorney Newman and Lickstein AT-LARGE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER

Phil Turner Pastor Bethany Baptist Church Janet Audunson Assistant General Counsel National Grid George S. Bain Freelance Editor and Writer

Larry Harris Retired - EVP and CFO Saab, Inc. Robert Hupp** Artistic Director Syracuse Stage Eric Jackson Co-Founder and CEO Black Cub Productions Ken Jackson Publisher and Editor Urban CNY (The Constitution) Cydney Johnson Deputy County Executive for Physical Services Onondaga County Rebecca Karpoff* Professor of Practice, Musical Theater/Coordinator of Vocal Instruction, Musical Theater Syracuse University Department of Drama

Barbara Beckos Retired - Syracuse Stage

Kathy Kelly Retired - Health Educator, PNP

Nancy Byrne Community Volunteer

Larry Leatherman Retired - Bristol-Myers Squibb, MOST

Jessica Cain Reporter WRVO Dr. Ruth Chen* Professor of Practice Syracuse University College of Engineering and Computer Science Robin Curtis NYS Lic. RE Asso. Broker Hunt Real Estate ERA Denise Dyce* Associate Vice President of Labor and Employee Relations Syracuse University

Dan Lent Commercial Loan Officer AmeriCU Credit Union Rob Lentz EVP of Enterprise Operations Zeta Global Anthony Malavenda Retired - Duke’s Root Control

Michael McCurdy** Interim Managing Director Syracuse Stage Rod McDonald Bond, Schoeneck & King Molly Mulvihill Sr. Relationship Manager Global Commercial Banking Bank of America Fran Nichols Retired - Mower, Inc. Mona Paradis Stadium International Trucks YiWei Qi Co-Founder and CEO AccuGPS LLC Dr. Henry Roane Executive Director and Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry Upstate Golisano Center for Special Needs Molly Ryan Partner, Goldberg Segalla LLP Robert Sarason Retired - Lawyer, Organizer, Fundraiser Cora Thomas Radio Host and Office Manager, WAER Michael S. Tick* Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts Syracuse University Dr. Amy Tucker Chief Medical Officer SUNY Upstate Medical University Andrea Waldman Operations and Development Coordinator Make A Wish Foundation of Central New York Maryam Wasmund Chief Financial Officer Filtertech Inc.

Julia Martin Partner Bousquet Holstein

Ralph Zito** Chair Syracuse University Department of Drama

Suzanne McAuliffe Retired - Educator

*University Trustee **Ex-Officio

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S Y R A C U S E S TA G E E M E R I T U S T R U S T E E S We are grateful to the following individuals who have served as Members of the Stage Board of Trustees and continue to provide significant support to Syracuse Stage.

Jim Breuer Sandra Brown Mary Beth Carmen Bea González

Joan Green Elizabeth Hartnett John Huhtala Margaret Martin

Kevin McAuliffe Eric Mower Judy Mower Michael Shende

Richard Shirtz Sharon Sullivan Jack Webb Michael Zoanetti

SYRACUSE STAGE EDUCATION ADVOCACY BOARD Sara Bambino Cicero-North Syracuse High School

Jordan Berger Jamesville-DeWitt High School

Todd Benware Christian Brothers Academy

Rhiannon Berry Liverpool High School

David Fisselbrand Auburn High School

Linda Ponza Solvay High School

Melissa Morgan Baker High School

Jennifer Sabatino Cato-Meridian Middle School

Matthew Phillips Jamesville-DeWitt High School

Elizabeth Defurio Nottingham High School

Y O U N G A D U LT C O U N C I L Kayden Blair Cazenovia High School Silas Crawford Notthingham High School Ella Culligan Liverpool High School Joclyn Dallas Cicero-North Syracuse High School

Hayden Frisbie Fayetteville-Manlius High School

Madison Macomber East Syracuse Minoa Central High School

Caleb Smith Manlius Pebble Hill School

Anqi Geng Manlius Pebble Hill School

Zoie Markowski Solvay High School

Abbie Sundet Paul V. Moore High School

Ethan Meives Cicero-North Syracuse High School

Brooklynn Gilbert North Syracuse Junior High School

Leo True-Frost Jamesville-DeWitt High School

Zinira Izmir Manlius Pebble Hill School

Octavia Miller Fayetteville-Manlius High School

Beatrix Karn Cazenovia High School

Jacelyn Peña Corcoran High School

Rebecca Wheeler Homeschooled

Kate Fennessy Auburn High School

Rei Korthas Homeschooled

Jackson Finn Christian Brothers Academy

Molly Linzer Manlius Pebble Hill School

Briar Raymond North Syracuse Junior High School

Mika Zolberg-Steiger Manlius Pebble Hill School

Claire Foran East Syracuse Minoa Central High School

Cecilia Lombardi Christian Brothers Academy

Josie Feck Fayetteville-Manlius High School

Taeyang Reid Manlius Pebble Hill School Harper Shute Fayetteville-Manlius High School

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Thomas Warne Nottingham High School

SYRACUSE STAGE ANNUAL FUND GIFTS Syracuse Stage depends on the generosity of contributions from individuals, corporations, businesses, foundations, and government agencies. It is with much gratitude that we recognize the following donors to our annual campaign. For information regarding levels of contribution and benefits of each please contact the Development office at 315-443-3931 or visit syracusestage.org.

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT SPONSORS

Richard Mather Fund

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CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT SPONSORS

Contributions listed above are current as of February 6, 2025, and reflect operating support of $5,000+ and in-kind donations of $10,000+.

The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation is proud to be a sponsor of the arts in Central New York. We recognize the deep importance live theatre plays in shaping the cultural and social vitality of our community. In these challenging times, theatre brings us together to be inspired and celebrate the richness of the human experience. We are delighted to continue to support Syracuse Stage and this very special production of King James.

King James is made possible with funds from the General Operating Support program a regrant program of the County of Onondaga with the support of County Executive, J. Ryan McMahon II, and the Onondaga County Legislature, administered by CNY Arts.

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50 TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN GIFTS Syracuse Stage's 50th Anniversary Season is presented by Slutzker Family Foundation Sarah Alden Jackie Anderson Robert & Jeanne Anderson Frank Badagnani George S. Bain Rosemary Baker & Stuart Spiegel Keith Batman & Barbara Post Helen Beale Barbara Beckos & Arthur McDonald Jean Beers Carrie Berse & Chris Skeval Michael & Jennifer Blowers Leslee Boissy Thomas & Carol Boll Jon & Patricia Booth Dennis & Mary Anne Brady Mary Brady Marion Brillati Angel Broadnax Pamela Brown-Benjamin Marlene Brown Paul Brown & Susan Loevenguth Gary & Kathleen Bruno Lia & Dean Burrows Kathleen Burt Patricia Bush Nancy & William Byrne Mark & Lori Campitello Rich & Mary Cappelli Cazenovia Jewelry Anthony & Carolyn Cimino Patricia & Sandy Colabufo Nicholas & Louanne Colaneri Elaine Coppola Raymond W. Cummings, Jr. Kevin & Kristin Curtis Therese & Walter Dancks Anthony & Deborah D'Angelo Bill & Terry Delavan Roger & Naomi DeMuth Robert Desimone Mary DiSanto James & Leona Dowd Dick & Therese Driscoll Richard Ellison & Margaret Ksander Carole Farfaglia Carol Fedrizzi Alan Fischler & Karen McDonold David & Karen Fitch

Molly Carole Fitzpatrick Robert & Terry Flower Peter Frantzis Nancy Freeborough George & Halina Gagne Jim & Carol Galvin Barbara Genton Neil & Helene Gold Jacki & Michael Goldberg Douglas Goldschmidt & David Jacobs Linda Fabian & Dennis Goodrich William Goodwin Nancy Green & Tony Marschall Muffy & Herbert Baird Hansen Tom & Cynthia Helmer Kenneth Hendel Steven Herwood Michele Hickman Judy Huckle Robert & Clea Hupp Norma Huxter Linda Imboden Emily Johnson & Vijay Ramachandran Deborah Joiner Laura & Ed Jordan Gwenn & John Judge Michael & Audrey Kane Brian Kane & Phyllis Perrotti James & Jan Kaplan Dana Keefer Kathy Kelly & Len Weiner John & Gloria Kennedy Stewart Koenig & Judy Schmid Dean Kolts Jill Ladd Lorraine LaDuke Andrea Latchem Skip Lentz & Anne Russ Stephen Lessie Linda Loomis Tony Malavenda & Martine Burat Rocco & Roberta Mangano Wade Manning Nicholas Martin Richard Mather Fund Kevin & Suzanne McAuliffe Donyce & Kenneth McCluskey Andreas & Margaret Meier

As of February 6, 2025.

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Carl Mellor Michael & Claudia Miceli Gail Mitchell Bruce Moseley & Leigh Yardley Molly & Kevin Mulvihill Janet Munro Claire Myers NBT Bank Corp. Inc. Richard & Barbara Natoli Marty & Millie Newshan Becky Nicandri Sally Lou & Fran Nichols Leslie Noble & Bill Morris Sally O'Herin Marjorie Ostrander Brett & Jeannie Padgett Cindy Paikin Ricky & Whitney Pak David & Susan Palen Cathy Palm Nolan & Phyllis Palsma Peter & Constance Palumb Robert & Teresa Parke Susan Perriello Debra Petzold Jane Pickett Duane & Karleen Preske Nancy Radoff David Rankert Jean Reilly The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation Ross & Melanie Relyea Todd Relyea Patrick & Kuni Riccardi Terry & Monica Richmond Ron Ehrenreich & Sondra Roth James & Tricia Sadowski Robert Sarason & Jane Burkhead Mike & Marilyn Sees Barry & Jenny Shulman Theresa Slosek & Ronald Wilson Slutzker Family Foundation Joseph & Carolyn Smith Vinodhini Subramanian Sharon Sullivan & Paul Phillips John & Jamie Sutphen Amy Sweeney Delia & Sandy Temes Angi Tipton John Toomey

Hon. Karen M. Uplinger Joseph & Carole Valesky Nancy Wadopian Marc & Marcy Waldauer The Estate of George Wallerstein & Julie Lutz

Maryam Wasmund Mark Watkins & Brenda Silverman Liz & David Wei Lynda Wheat Dr. Kelvin White

Tom & Desiree Wight Evelyn B Williams Diana Wolpert Leslie & Jerry Zaborsky Joyce Zadzilka

INDIVIDUAL, CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, & GOVERNMENT GIFTS New and increased gifts this season will be matched by The Richard Mather Fund.

It is our goal to provide a complete list of all donors $100+. Nevertheless, if your gift is not listed or is listed incorrectly, please accept our apologies, and contact the Development Office at 315-443-9848.

$100,000+ CNY Arts, Inc Onondaga County Syracuse University The Estate of George Wallerstein & Julie Lutz $50,000 - $99,999 Advance Media NY Tom Kirdahy The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation The Shubert Foundation Slutzker Family Foundation Barry & Fran Weissler $20,000 - $49,999 George S. Bain New York State Council on the Arts Richard Mather Fund National Endowment for the Arts $10,000 - $19,999 Nancy & William Byrne Cathedral Candle Company Jacki & Michael Goldberg Nancy Green & Tony Marschall Elizabeth Hartnett M&T Bank The Estate of Deborah O'Shea The John Ben Snow Foundation & Memorial Trust Sharon Sullivan & Paul Phillips

Douglas Sutherland & Nancy Kramer Urban CNY WAER $5,000 - $9,999 Ryan & Leigh Ann Benz Jim & Juli Boeheim Foundation Jessica Cain & Kevin Kopko JP Morgan Chase Dr. Ruth Chen & Chancellor Kent Syverud Cumulus Radio Peggy & Dana Dudarchik The Estate of Mary Louise Dunn Maggie & Jake Feldmeier Colleen Gaetano Neil & Helene Gold Larry & Ann Harris Robert & Clea Hupp Kathy Kelly & Len Weiner Larry & Mary Leatherman Skip Lentz & Anne Russ Rocco & Roberta Mangano Mangano Law Office, PLLC Kevin & Suzanne McAuliffe J.M. McDonald Foundation Sally Lou & Fran Nichols Eric & Judy Mower National Grid Joel Potash & Sandra Hurd Selma Radin Theatre Development Fund Joshua & Andrea Waldman Wegmans WRVO

$3,500 - $4,999 Janet Audunson & David Youlen Barbara Beckos & Arthur McDonald Kathleen Bice Bond, Schoeneck & King Attorneys John & Kimberly Huhtala Steven & Elaine Jacobs Maria Lesinski & Benjamin Hicks Claire Myers Molly Ryan & Tim Byrnes Maryam Wasmund $1,800 - $3,499 Bank of America Francine Boutet Constance Bull Bousquet Holstein PLLC Craig & Kathy Byrum James Clark & Sharon Gordon The Estate of William Clark Jr. Robin Curtis Barbara Sheklin Davis Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation Edward & Susan Downing Dick & Therese Driscoll Melvin & Mildred Eggers Family Charitable Foundation Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Michael & Barbara Flintrop

The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between February 6, 2024 and February 6, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.

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Herman Frazier & Caroline Beal Dorothy & Lawrence Gordon Dennis & Judi Hebert Heritage Masonry Restoration, Inc. David & Sally Hootnick Cydney Johnson & Jeff Comanici Randy & Elizabeth Kalish Leslie Kohman Tony Malavenda & Martine Burat Rod & Jana McDonald Walter & Elizabeth Merriam Anne Morford Molly & Kevin Mulvihill Brett & Jeannie Padgett YiWei Qi & Julie Yu Michael & Rissa Ratner Robert Sarason & Jane Burkhead Gracia Sears Sharye Skinner Sam & Carolyn Spalding Deirdre Stam Raymond & Linda Straub Dr. Amy Tucker Michael & Cathy Tick Jack & Linda Webb $1,200 - $1,799 James & Nancy Asher Debbie & Candido Bermudez Donald Blair & Nancy Dock Brenda & Wendy Bousfield & David Marcus Jim & Cathy Breuer Ana Díaz-Diez & Javier Maymi-Perez Paul & Carolyn Frymoyer Andrea Graham Thomas Greenwood Deborah & Samuel Haines Richard G. Jaeger Rebecca Karpoff Julia & Lee Martin Newman & Lickstein, LLP David Rankert David Redding Frank and Frances Revoir Foundation Henry Roane & Heather Kadey Nancy & Walter Shepard Richard & Margaret Shirtz James Shults John Steigerwald IV

Rob & Christine Stoltz Larry & Glenda Wetzel $600 - $1,199 Edward & Angela Bernat Susan Brett Cazenovia Jewelry Amy & Tom Clark Mark Cywilko & Marianne Moosbrugger Denise Dyce Mark & Marci Erlebacher Allen & Anita Frank Kenneth & Kathleen Freer Judith Hand Muffy & Herbert Baird Hansen Daniel & Julia Harris David Heisig & Donna Mahar Joyce Day Homan Richard & Margaret Ingraham John & Maren King Donna & Kenneth Kirsch Victor & Linda Lebedovych Bob & Pat Lebel James MacKillop Susan Martineau James & Elizabeth Megna John & Jill Melvin John & Joan Nicholson Sally O'Herin David & Janice Panasci Mona & John Paradis Charles & Sharon Primerano Edward & Lois Schroeder Geraldine & John Sheehan Brenda Silverman Cynthia Sutton Thomas & Carole Taylor Phil & Janice Turner Joseph & Carole Valesky Lynda Wheat John & Mitzi Wolf Gabriella Yonkers $300 - $599 Robert & Jeanne Anderson Chris Arnold Timothy Atseff & Margaret Ogden Nancy Barnum Paul Barron & Leah Weinberg Jackie Bays & Joseph McCaffrey Mary Brady Dennis & Mary Anne Brady Angel Broadnax Marlene Brown

In Honor of Contributions have been made to Syracuse Stage to honor someone, celebrate a special occasion, or offer an expression of sympathy in memory of a loved one.

George S. Bain, in memory of Ginny Parker.

Ronnie & Melinda Bell, in memory of Barbara Toman, SSITP's costume designer for nineteen seasons.

Debbie & Candido Bermudez, with pride for Candice's work at Stage.

Brenda & Wendy Bousfield & David Marcus, in memory of Mary Walsh.

Susan Brett, in memory of Thomas Brett.

Carol Bryant, in memory of Ginny Parker., Gwendalyn Rose Díaz, small dedication to my grandmother "TITA", my mom @ musicaltheatre_mom "Rosy" & the Syracuse Stage Company Bob Hupp, Melissa Crespo & the board of directors and for believing in me the last few years while performing at Syracuse Stage! Memories of a lifetime! THANK YOU! #goorange Ana Díaz-Diez & Javier Maymi-Perez, in loving memory of Pedro DíazMolina.

Farfaglia Family, in memory of Edward J Farfaglia.

Debbie Feinstein, to Eli Golding, Happy Graduation!

The Hennessy Family, in

The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between February 6, 2024 and February 6, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.

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Gary & Kathleen Bruno Joe & Nancy Clayton Paul & Linda Cohen Jerilyn Costich Anita Cottrell Demetrius & Erin Cunia George W. Curry Jennifer Davidson Christian & Ann Marie Day Stephen & Emily DiMarco Judith & William Dowling Rebecca Downing Richard Ernst Linda Fabian & Dennis Goodrich Gasparini Sales, Inc. Edward & Debbie Genalo Ellen Golden & Brian Walton Bea Gonzalez & Michael Leonard Michael & Whitney Hadley Harvey's Garden Karl & Mary Herba Joseph & Paula Himmelsbach Jeffrey Hollman Emily Johnson & Vijay Ramachandran Laura & Ed Jordan Noel Keith John & Gloria Kennedy Tim & Susan Kennedy Sheldon & Karen Kruth Lorraine LaDuke Robert & Lauren Lalley Andrea Latchem Mary Lombardo George & Roseann Lorefice Eugene & Christine Lozner Donald & Patricia MacLaughlin John & Candace Marsellus Charles Martin & Johanna Keller Holly Mathis Laura McCord Mary Ellen McDonald Lauren Melnikow James & Kathleen Muldoon Doren Norfleet Richard & Kimberly O'Brien Cathy Palm Robert & Teresa Parke Paolo & Nicole Pastore Jane Pickett Mickey & Pat Piscitelli Eileen Ponto Howard & Ann Port Terry & Monica Richmond Mariangela Risucci

Jennifer Roberts Linda & Bob Ryan William Schuyler Jon Selzer Robert & Cheryl Shallish Beth & Tobias Sienel Dr Craig A Simmons Joseph & Carolyn Smith H. Paul Steiner Cora Thomas Victor & Diane Tice Susan Wadley Mary Ward Derick White John & Judy Winslow Ralph Zito & Rob Bundy $150 - $299 Jerrold & Harriet Abraham James Aiello Edwin & Kathleen Allen Beatrice Angus Michelle Arora Holmes & Sarah M Bailey Rosemary Baker & Stuart Spiegel William A Billingham Diana Biro & Eric Rogers Nicolina Bisson Susan Boettger Jon & Patricia Booth Eric & Carol Boyer Carmelita Britton & Richard Probert Paul Brown & Susan Loevenguth Brian & Sharon Bush B.L. Bush & Sons, Inc Stephen Butler Mallika & Gildas Cadin Larry & Fran Campbell Ronald Capone Lexi Carlson & Sebastian Karcher Lou & Rosa Clark Karen Clarke Allison Clifford Martha Cole John & Deloris Coleman Donna Coloton Raymond Colton Elizabeth Cowan Stephanie Cross Karl Crossman & John Steinburg Raymond W. Cummings, Jr. James & Suzanne Cusack CVS Linda Czerkies Carol Decker Paula Dendis Diane Dimond

In Honor of (Continued

loving memory of Cat Hennessy Jane Hopeman, in loving memory of Virginia Barnes Parker and her love of life, friendships, and theatre.

Robert Humphrey, in memory of Mary Anne Wilson.

Donna Inglima, in honor of Arthur Storch.

Daniel & Janet Jones, dedicated to Uncle John White for instilling a lifelong love of live theater.

Eileen Ponto, in honor of Emily Ponto Jeff & Wendy Purdy, in honor of Enoch Purdy.

Marvin & Jo Ann Reed, we enjoyed Cinderella so much we want to give a little more to support your continued success.

Lillian Shine, we love what you do and bring to the stage!

H. Paul Steiner, in memory of Ginny and Fritz Parker.

Rob & Christine Stoltz, in recognition of Bob Hupp, Melissa Crespo, and the entire Syracuse Stage team's efforts to bring arts to the community.

Elizabeth Thorley, remembering Virginia "Ginny" Parker on this first anniversary of her passing.

Francis & Elaine Walter, in memory of Dr. Louis Fisher and Edith Fisher Gabriella Yonkers, in honor of my sister, Katelyn Yonkers, whose incredible

The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between February 6, 2024 and February 6, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.

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Audrey Dolata Linda & Alan Dolmatch Beth Drew & Joe Marusa Philip Dunham James & Susan Edmonds William & Elizabeth Elkins Carole Farfaglia David & Karen Fitch Molly Carole Fitzpatrick Ben Franklin Jeffrey & Teresa Freedman Stacy French Allen & Nirelle Galson Mary Beth Gannon Claudia & Adam Gasiorowski Robert Geiger Karen Goldman Douglas Goldschmidt & David Jacobs Bernice Gottschalk William Gray Roger & Vicki Greenberg Joseph & Fran Greenman Jerome & Debbie Grigonos Charlotte Haas & Gary Quirk Patricia Haggerty Teresa Haigney Mark & Carole Hansen Tom & Cynthia Helmer Michael & Elizabeth Hennessy Mary Hershberger Donna & Joseph Hipius Barbara & Ronald Hoffman Jane Hopeman Ziad Hussein Marie & James Jewson Marjorie Julian James & Jan Kaplan Philip & Judith Kaplan Robert & Christina Keim Norma Kelley Amy Kemp Russell & Joan King Diane King Trudy & Earl Kletsky Barry & Kathy Kogut Dean Kolts Dr. Sylvia Betcher & Martin Korn Tod Leggat & Shannon Magari-Leggat Daniel & Ann Lent Mark & Jeannette Levinsohn Bonnie Levy & Steven Faigen Edward & Carol Lipson John & Marian Loosmann Janet Mallan

Robert & Nancy Mandry Frederick & Virginia Marty Elizabeth Mascia Douglas & Randi Matousek Donyce & Kenneth McCluskey Margot McCormick Linda McKeown Daniel & Terry Miller Michael Miller & Katharine O'Connell David & Beth Mitchell Danielle Montagne & Mark Zlotnick Janet Moore Alan & Rosalind Napier Richard & Barbara Natoli Louis & Jane Neuburger Cathryn Newton Margaret O'Brien Vickie Olcott Omega, Inc. Patricia Orr Joan & Lawrence Page Thomas & Eleanor Pendergast Michael & Susan Petrosillo Susan Pieczonka Hugh & Jane & Katerina Pinchin Kevin & Rachael Porter Duane & Karleen Preske Steve Reiter & Annegret Schubert Michael Riecke & Anthony McEachern Judith Robertson Amanda Root Elaine Rubenstein Elizabeth Sanders Roberta Savage Susan Scharoun & Susan Hynds George & Sharon Schmit Richard & Elizabeth Severance Steven & Robin Sisskind Ryan & Carol Smith Judith Smith Jeffrey Sneider & Gwen Kay Paul & Jean Soper George & Helene Starr Susan Stred & Harold Husovsky Bonnie Stroup Kathleen & Mark Sunheimer David & Eileen Thompson Amy & Anthony Tibolla James & Deborah Tifft John & Jean Tromans Peter Vanable & Anne Jamison

In Honor of (Continued

talent and dedication as a seamstress bring every performance to life. Her artistry and hard work ensure that every actor looks truly amazing, enhancing the magic of the theater for us all.

The Yonkers family, in honor of our talented daughter.

TJ & Meghan Vitale Robert & Anita Wagner Judith Waite Marc & Marcy Waldauer Francis & Elaine Walter Donald & Martha Washburn Connie Webster Fred & Karen Whitney Robert & Pauline Williamson Tina Winter Mary Yurco Joyce Zadzilka Loretta Zolkowski $100 - $149 George & Beverley Adams Sarah Alden Jill Anderson John Andrake Dianne Apter Robert Attridge Rosanne Barbaglia Marjory Baruch Jean Beers Janine Bernard Carrie Berse & Chris Skeval Carol Biesemeyer David Blair Leslee Boissy Alice Borning Lisa Braddock Bernard & Ona Cohn Bregman Dawn Broderick Robert & Helene Brophy Bob & Kathy Brown Patricia Bush Joseph & Patricia Cambareri John & Cynthia Cambareri

The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between February 6, 2024 and February 6, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.

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Richard & Nina Cantor Delores Carney Joseph Cerroni & Linda Tassa Douglas & Diane Chilson Anthony & Carolyn Cimino Gregory Cohen Nicholas & Louanne Colaneri Cheryl Cole Joseph Constantino Terri Cook Elaine Coppola Tracy Cromp Joyce Crossley Paul & Cynthia Curtin Timothy & Christine Curtis Angela & Gregory Cwikla Donna Dallal-Ferne Christine Dascher Kate DiDonato James & Leona Dowd Elizabeth & Evan Dreyfuss Joyce Duncan Kathleen Effler Wynn Egginton Ron Ehrenreich & Sondra Roth Sue Ellen Deion Margaret Elliot Clay & Dora Elliott Pamela Ellis Stanley & Penny Emerick Laurie Fabian Carol Fedrizzi Robert & Terry Flower Tim Fox Karin Franklin-King John Friedman & Polly Ann Heavenrich William & Jean Gamble Norma Gawlowicz Gregory Gazda Rosamond Gifford Foundation Susan Gilbert Peggy Gillard Kathryn Glynn Stephen Graziano Paula & Louis Green Linda & James Green Mark & Cynthia Greene Seth & Lisa Greenky Chip & Kate Grosso Carol Guido James Hahn Beth Hansen Ann & Richard Harris Elizabeth Hayes Barbara Heitzman Pamela & James Helmer

William & Phyllis Highland Jennifer Hobler Howard & Linda Hollander Kathleen Howard Robert Humphrey Diana Ingraham Milkovic Festa Italiana Roberta Jones Daniel & Janet Jones Gwenn & John Judge Randy Karcher Marlene Kelly Jean Kimber Alan Kinney Janice Kophen Steven Kulick Briana Kuneman Neil & Marie LaBrake Sandra Ledda Amanda Lee Kathleen Lemos David & Cindy Lewis Michael & Jean Loftus Linda Loomis Susan Lotierzo Nancy Machles Rothschild Jon Maloff Paul Manfredo Paul Marshall Roberta Matthews Philip & Martha McDowell Timothy McLaughlin & Diane Cass Howard McLaughlin & Mary O'Hara Kathleen McLeod Marcia & Dave Mele Ben & Julie Merchant David Michel & Peggy Liuzzi Dr. Merrill L. Miller Thomas Miller & Mary MacBlane Gail Mitchell Julian & Jennifer Modesti Joseph Moorman & Catherine Gerard Susan Moskal Janet Munro Marty & Millie Newshan Leslie Noble & Bill Morris L & Mary Pat Oliker Jane Ondich Bryan O'Quinn Marjorie Ostrander John & Elizabeth O'Sullivan Ricky & Whitney Pak Nolan & Phyllis Palsma John & Linda Parsons Dorothy & Harvey Pearl Anita Pisano

John Poirier William & Merriette Pollard Roni Ponto Charles & Patricia Prutzman Steve & Kate Pynn Marvin & Jo Ann Reed Scott Reinhart Lynn Richer Mary Roberts Bailey Mary Rose Ranieri Ann Rothschild Rocco Rufo Richard & Maria Russell Margaret Ryniker John & Judy Sabene Richard & Jill Sargent Jennifer Scalione Jeffrey & Abby Scheer Susan Scheuerman Edwina Schleider Julia Scialla Ruth Seaman Scott & Nancy Sellers Sally Senecal Margaret Shackell Roger & Nancy Sharp David & Chole Smith William & Marianne Smith Michael Stanton Mark & Beth Steigerwald Milton & Mary Stevenson Martha Sutter & David Ross Sharon Sutter Kristin & Steve Swift Brady Systems Martin & Jackie Talcik Elizabeth Thorley Theresa Thoryk James Traver & Marguerite Conan Aaron Tussing Anthony & Martha Viglietta Bob & Claudia Visalli Timothy & Nancy Volk Virginia Watson Ardyth Watson Howard Weinstein Roger & Carolyn Williams Deborah Wood Samuel & Robin Young Stephen & Patricia Zalewski Steven & Judith Zdep

The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between February 6, 2024 and February 6, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.

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PLANNED GIVING A planned gift is a way to make a significant and lasting gift to Syracuse Stage. By making a bequest to the theatre, you are assuring that Syracuse Stage will continue to inspire, stimulate, and entertain Central New York audiences for generations to come, as well as maintain its high artistic standards that are recognized locally, and nationally.

For more information about planned gifts contact: Ana Díaz-Diez, Director of Development 315-443-3931 or ajdiazdi@syr.edu Dr. William J. Clark, Jr. Fund The Estate of Rosemary Curtis Mary Louise Dunn Fund Deborah O'Shea

In Honor and Memory of Sheldon P. Peterfreund and Josephine A Peterfreund

Michael and Rissa Ratner The J. Zimmeister-Yarwood Estate

MATCHING GIFT PROGRAM Many companies will match gifts of their employees, retirees, and spouses with a gift of their own to Syracuse Stage. Ask your personnel office for a matching gift form, send the completed form with your gift – and we’ll do the rest!

SUMMER@STAGE Make friends. Build confidence.

Express yourself.

GRADES 3 – 5: July 7 – July 18 • • •

GRADES 6 – 8: July 21 – August 1

Learn from professional artists Get a behind-the-scenes look at the theatre-making process Feel the thrill of performing in a musical showcase

REGISTRATION OPEN NOW! All sessions run M – F, 9 AM – 3 PM. Showcase performed on the final Friday at 3 PM. $600 per session 41

S Y R A C U S E S TA G E S TA F F Artistic Director.............................................................................................................Robert Hupp Managing Director.............................................................................................Carly DiFulvio Allen Associate Artistic Director............................................................................................Melissa Crespo Resident Playwright..............................................................................................................Kyle Bass

P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F

Director of Production Operations...........................................................................Don Buschmann Associate Director of Production Operations.......................................................Stuart Plymesser Production Management Intern.............................................................................Kit Verweij† Company Manager and Production Management Associate......................................Brian Crotty Assistant Company Manager.....................................................................................Sarai Ford Technical Director..................................................................................................Randall Steffen Assistant Technical Director............................................................................Rebecca Schuetz Scene Shop Foreman...........................................................................................Michael King Technical Assistant...................................................................................................Liz Daurio Carpenters...............................................................................John Gamble, Brian McBurney Student Employee..............................................................................................Emma Thoms† Work Study Employee........................................................................................Chase Brown†

Scenic Charge Artist...................................................................................................Emily Holm Lead Scenic Artist................................................................................................Laurel Arnold Scenic Painter....................................................................................................Jessica Culligan Props Supervisor............................................................................................................Mara Rich Associate Props Supervisor...................................................................................Andrew Babb Craftpersons....................................................................................Alexis Frizzell, Nora Galley Student Employees................................................................Maddy Clark†, Natalie Steinberg† Costume Shop Manager..........................................................................Gretchen Darrow-Crotty Assistant Costume Shop Manager.....................................................................Amanda Moore Cutter-Drapers..............................................................................Emily King, Kathryn Rauch First Hand.......................................................................................................Katelyn Yonkers Stitchers.................................................................................Sidney Barmoha, Sophie Shahan Craftsperson/Shopper.........................................................................................Sandra Knapp Wardrobe Supervisor.........................................................................................Dylinn Andrew Electrics and Projection Supervisor...............................................................................Jed Daniels Associate Electrics and Projection Supervisor......................................................Andy LiDestri Electricians/Board Operators..............................................................Kat Larrabee, Alex Malli Resident Sound Designer/Audio Engineer.....................................................Jacqueline R. Herter Audio Engineer...............................................................................................Kevin O’Connor Sound Engineer/Board Operator..........................................................................Garrett Frink Stage Management Production Assistants.............................................Katie Barnes, Erin C Brett

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A D M I N I S T R AT I V E S TA F F

General Manager....................................................................................................Michael McCurdy Comptroller..............................................................................................Mary Kennett Morreale Associate General Manager...................................................................................Jacob G. Ellison Director of Information Management & Technology...................................Garrett Diaz-Wheeler Director of Development.............................................................................................Ana Díaz-Diez Development Associate.....................................................................................Candice Bermudez Development Assistant/Executive Assistant..................................................................Julia Rakus Development Interns......................................................................Yushan Deng†, Polly Gilmore† Director of Community Engagement..................................................................Joann Maria Yarrow Director of Education.......................................................................................................Kate Laissle Community Engagement and Education Coordinator.....................................................Zizi Majid Education Interns.........................................................................Phineas Roy†, Lauren Schweers† Director of Marketing and Communications..............................................................Joanna Penalva Audience Development Manager..............................................................................Tracey White Creative Director, Marketing..................................................................................Brenna Merritt Marketing Content and Publications Manager.....................................................Matthew Nerber Graphic Designer.................................................................................................Jonathan Hudak Marketing Associate...............................................................................Talia Gabriel-Shenandoah Marketing Intern....................................................................................................Amelia Brown† Box Office Manager.....................................................................................Courtney Richardson Box Office Show Supervisor.................................................................................Trevor Miller Box Office Assistants......................................Clari Atherlay, Nathan Ayotte†, Gracie Whaley† Audience Services Manager............................................................................Meghan Rose Dillon House Managers.................Pat Condello, Gabrielle Moran, Alyssa Otoski-Keim, Adam Secor Front of House Associate.........................Khayman Clancy, Bianca Stevenson, Donna Stuccio Assistant House Manager.......................................................................................Kevin Sene† Bartenders.................................................................................Michelle Cannizzo, Meg Pusey Audience Services Interns.....................................................................Ginger Bai†, Youran Li†

Front of House Work Study Staff...........................Hope Allen†, Emilee Asa†, GB Bellamy†, Lilly Colter Berget†, Carolyn Burch†, Olivia Busche†, Josie Diodato†, Sami English†, Skye Faison†, Violet Lanciloti†, Nathaly Juarez Meza†, Annabelle Mistretta†, Lily Nelson†, Reyna Sanchez†, Esme Schaus†, Isbella Tokarz†, Gracie Whaley†, Logan Wilbanks-Davidson†, Maya Zepeda†

Sign Language Interpreters.....................................................................Brenda Brown, Sue Freeman Open Captioning........................................................................Jacob G. Ellison, Michael McCurdy Audio Description........................................Kate Laissle, Talia Gabriel-Shenandoah, Joseph Whelan Community Services Officers...........................................................Stacey Emmons, Martha Farmer Custodians........................................................................Tony Rogers, Ron Taylor, Candace Velario Student, Syracuse University Department of Drama.

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