United Stages May 5, 2011; vol. 851
UnitedStages.com
The Shelter
rk o Y New ater The
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presents
Night Windows Producers: Meghan E. Jones and Kitty Lindsay Technical Director: Jonathan Ashley Scenic Designer: Brandon Hardy Lighting Designer: Jake Fine Sound Designer: Andy Cohen Stage Manager: Michael Denis
Perfume and Maple Playwright: Melinda Smart Director: Beth Jastroch Assistant Director: Michael Kingsbaker Dottie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily Robin Fink Whistle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paco Lozano
Freak Closet Playwright: Beth Jastroch Director: Meghan E. Jones Assistant Director: Jonathan Ashley Megan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ginger Kearns Zack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Kingsbaker
Night of the Living Playwright: Dave Lankford Director: Olivia Killingsworth Assistant Director: Michael Bernstein Mia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Belle Caplis Marshall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dave Lankford* *appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association
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About The Shelter & Night Windows
wo years ago, The Shelter Sunday workshop was formed. It began as a handful of New York City actors, writers and directors meeting every Sunday to present each other with scripts in progress, monologues, scene studies and any other work related to the craft of theater; and to exchange insight, critique and support. This safe, yet challenging, atmosphere of mutual instruction instantly attracted new members, and quickly grew to include a revolving roster of over thirty participants.
With this pool of talent, enthusiasm and camaraderie, it seemed a natural next step to collaborate on an original theatrical production. The result was 3:56am, an evening of short plays set in a single apartment building at 3:56 in the morning written, directed and acted by The Shelter. 3:56am demonstrated The Shelter’s ability to deliver a unique and memorable theatrical production, and led to the official formation of The Shelter Theatre Company to compliment the ongoing Shelter Sunday Workshop. 3:56am was followed by Motel, F***ing Christmas and our continuing Reading Series, a live presentation of scripts in progress. With each project, The Shelter strives to improve on past accomplishments, challenging itself with fresh subject matter, more technically complex staging and an ever deepening commitment to authentic storytelling. So when the time came to select the theme for their spring 2011 production, the writers of The Shelter took a field trip to the Whitney Museum, where they encountered Edward Hopper’s painting Night Windows, showing three windows into the private world of a feminine figure in a pink slip. The writers of The Shelter set to work interpreting this image for the stage, resulting in an assortment of oneact plays ranging from hilarious farce to bitter tragedy, from gritty realism to supernatural fantasy. From these submissions—each one a worthy achievement—three were selected to form a cohesive theatrical experience. And so, The Shelter proudly invites you to enjoy their latest production, Edward Hopper’s Night Windows.
W h o’ s W h o Jonathan Ashley (technical director; assistant director, Freak Closet), writer, director and visual artist, grew up in Arizona, then moved to the East Coast to study fine art at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and filmmaking at New York University. He recently illustrated the children’s book Bella Goes Bump in the Night and his graphic designs can be seen in television commercials for AT&T and NASDAQ. Through his participation with The Shelter, he has discovered an enthusiasm for live theater and a deeper love for the craft of storytelling. Michael Bernstein (assistant director, Night of the Living), last seen in F***ing Christmas, is
delighted to work again with The Shelter. Recent: Celebration (Ugly Rhino), Two Gentlemen of Verona (Extant Arts). Coming soon: You Can’t Kill Stephen King (Loco Dawn Films). Belle Caplis (Mia, Night of the Living), originally from Louisiana, is excited to be in her first Shelter production. Belle received her B.A. in theater from Louisiana State University and has also trained at The Upright Citizens Brigade and T. Schreiber Studio. Previous credits
W h o’ s W h o Beth Jastroch (director, Perfume and Maple; playwright, Freak Closet) is a graduate of NYU and Stella Adler. She has been writing, directing and preforming with The Shelter for two years. Jake Fine (lighting designer) is a New-York based Previous shows include Merry Christmas Kathy lighting designer. Recent work includes Peter and and Best Idea in the World, Ever. She would like the Wolf for Marc Arthur and Top Girls at the to thank Roger and all her friends for putting up Stella Adler Studio. Other work includes Win- with the crazy. You too, Mom. dows and This Tastes Funny … The Cannibal Play Festival for St. Fortune Productions, and The Irish Meghan E. Jones (producer; director, Freak ClosPlay for Tony Award-winning director Theodore et) came to New York City from St. Louis, MisMann. Upcoming work includes Hope for the souri, to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she earned a scholarship Flowers for the Shark Mother Arts Collective. from the American Theatre Wing and an invitaEmily Robin Fink (Dot- tion to join the school’s acclaimed company for a tie, Perfume and Maple) is post-graduate year. Now, she continues her studthrilled to be working ies under the tutelage of Terry Schreiber. Meghan again with The Shelter! has tackled a wide range of roles in New York and Favorite roles include the regional productions (including Annie in T. SchWidow Quinn in Playboy reiber Studio’s The Real Thing and Jesse in Nylon of the Western World Fusion’s Paper Dragon), as well as various films (Hangar Theater), Portia (including the internationally screened short Notes in Merchant of Venice from the Acrid Plain). As a member and co-founder (York Shakespeare Co), Anna in Ivanov (Miscre- of The Shelter, Meghan not only continues to chalant Theater) and Elspeth in Gin-Jazz-Love-Dra- lenge herself as an actor, but has added directing ma (Lake George Theater Lab). Thanks to Beth and playwriting to her theatrical repertoire. and Mike for helping me add new wheels to my wheelhouse! Ginger Kearns (Megan, Freak Closet), born and Brandon Hardy (scenic designer). Recent producraised in western Canada, tions in sets, props or puppets: A Streetcar Named is a multi-talented actor, Desire for the Comedie Francaise in Paris (associdancer and comedian. ate scenic designer), The Addams Family Musical, The Manitoba native has The Pee-wee Herman Show, Enron, Beauty and starred in roles on awardthe Beast (tour), Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, winning television series Things We Want and Naked Angel’s This Wide The Sopranos and the Night. www.BrandonHardy-Art.com. highly successful Chapelle’s Show. Ginger studied include Balm in Gilead, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, View of the Dome and Two Rooms. She is a SAG/AFTRA member. www.bellecaplis.com.
W h o’ s W h o at the prestigious American Musical and Dramat- Michael will appear as Bobby in On an Average ic Academy and obtained her B.F.A. in theater Day at The Curious Theater Company in Denver. from The New School University. She can be seen making jokes in online videos with her sketch Dave Lankford* (Margroup White Cotton Panties. For more info: shall/playwright, Night of www.gingerkearns.com. Much thanks to The the Living) first hit the Shelter for helping me prep for many auditions! stage as member of the Washington, DC, NationOlivia Killingsworth (director, Night of the al Poetry Slam Team and Living) is an actor, but moonlights occasionally soon after with the nationas a director, designer, technician and blogger. al tour of his one-man She recently assisted Terry Schreiber in directshow, 40 Cents a Minute. ing T. Schreiber Studio’s sold-out production of An actor, writer and director, he now calls The The Changing Room. Acting credits in New York Shelter his creative home. Training includes T. include Alien Child (T. Schreiber Studio) and Hey Schreiber Studio, Stella Adler and The Studio TheGod (Times Square Arts Center). Training: T. atre (DC). On the web: www.davelankford.com. Schreiber Studio, Larry Moss Studio, Occidental College. www.oliviakillingsworth.com. Kitty Lindsay (producer) is an actor, writer and stand-up comic in New York City. She is also coMichael Kingsbak- founder and administrator of two Manhattaner (Zack, Freak Clos- based theater companies, Iron Jaw Company et; assistant director, and The Shelter. For more information about Perfume and Maple) Kitty and her upcoming projects, please visit is extremely excited www.KittyLindsay.com! to be a part of the Night Windows tripPaco Lozano (Whistych. Co-founding member of The Shelter, tle, Perfume and Michael has been working professionally for over Maple) was last seen twenty-five years. In Los Angeles, Michael was a in F***ing Christmas member of Academy Award-winner Bobby with The Shelter and Moresco’s Actor’s Gym. Recent credits include before that, Mother NBC’s The Black Donnellys, Brotherhood and The Courage with the Subject Was Roses at the Arvada Center. Next Public’s Shakespeare in the Park production in 2006,
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W h o’ s W h o after which he stepped away from acting for four shows have been presented at a variety of festivals years. He would like to thank Mike for helping guide and venues across the US, including The Slipper him back where he belongs; Emily for listening with Room, Galapagos Art Space, Public Assembly, her beauty, blood and bones; and Beth, for helping The Boulder Fringe Festival, Apogaea Festival and Burning Man. Melinda is also a seasoned him find his true Whistle. This is for Beatty. actress of both stage and screen, as well as a vocal Melinda Smart (playwright, Perfume and recording artist. She wishes to thank the wonderMaple), poet, song writer and performance art- ful community at The Shelter for their support ist, has long aspired to tackle playwriting and is and collaboration on Perfume and Maple. A spethrilled to have her work included in The Shel- cial thank you to Beth and Mike for their help ter’s Night Windows. Her original one-woman editing this piece.
Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) was founded in 1913 as the first of the American actor unions. Equity’s mission is to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Today, Equity represents more than 40,000 actors, singers, dancers, and stage managers working in hundreds of theatres across the United States. Equity members are dedicated to working in the theatre as a profession, upholding the highest artistic standards. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions and provides a wide range of benefits including health and pension plans for its members. Through its agreement with Equity, this theatre has committed to the fair treatment of the actors and stage managers employed in this production. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. For more information, visit www.actorsequity.org.
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Individual Donors Angel ($1000+) Brian Dietzen
Rebecca Peters Steve Bussell Oscar Torres Evan Caplis Leif Ulstrup Jerry Claiborne Benefactor ($500-999) Paul & Patricia Donakowski T. D. White Joseph Caplis Tony White Mary Lynne & Don Dozier Virginia Caplis Emily Williams Mitchell Fink Yolanda Gonzalez Mark & Suzanne Fleming Friend ($50 – 99) Mark & Pam Jones Beth Jastroch Michael Black Janet Jastroch Sponsor ($250 – 499) Joshua & Nicole Cheshire Douglas Kalish Janis Fink Matt & Rebecca Green Millie Kalish George Gutman Peter Judd Robbie Kaller Sean Murphy James Lawler William Kingsbaker Kelly Roberts Kitty Lindsay Evan Korth James Rodriguez Manuel Lozano Maureen Lankford Richard Saunders Dave Mallen Gary Lennon Ethan & Gretchen Salter Concepcion Lozano Patron ($100 – 249) Andrew Samonsky David Maloney Anonymous (1) Cynthia Shaw James McKnight Cameron Bender John & Amanda Zimmerman Anton Nieroda Darpan & Jaime Biswas Brian Patton
Thank You Ben Gabriel (fight choreography) Matthew Groff (Shetler Studios) Sarah Manton (Shetler Studios) David Mead (The WorkShop Theater Company) Richard Kent Green (The WorkShop Theater Company) Steve Genna (Weapons Specialists Ltd.) Kenneth Naanep (Actors’ Equity Association) Quinto Ott (costumes) Fractured Atlas Black Bear Lodge The Gene Frankel Theatre The Orange Hats New York Innovative Theatre Awards Matthew Vargo Terry Schreiber and Sally Dunn for providing the inspiration for Night Windows with their “painting exercise”
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