THE FRIENDS

OF THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE

present

2016

27TH ANNUAL FRED AWARDS

Friends Recognition of Entertaining Drama

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2015 THE UNIVERSITY CLUB OF PASADENA

175 N. Oakland Avenue • Pasadena, CA 91101

27TH ANNUAL

FRED AWARDS Honon'ng

C(8/fen, ~al/ff Founder of

Friends of The Pasadena Playhouse

Greetings

Opening Remarks

Dedication

LENORE BOND ALMANZAR, President Friends of The Pasadena Playhouse

·SHELDON EPPS, Artistic Director The Pasadena Playhouse

LENORE ALMANZAR & •SHELDON EPPS

Friends' Family Award ·SALLY STRUTHERS, Alumna

Entertainment

Master of Ceremonies

Favorite Show

Entertainment

Entertainment

Special Friend Award

Entertainment

Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts Presented by ·DAVID GALLIGAN & .ELLEN BAILEY

Accepted by · sALLY STRUTHERS

DEVIN KELLY

•FRENCH STEWART

WaterfaU, Director, .TAK VLRAVAN Presented by ·sHELOON EPPS

Accepted by · RANDY JOHNSON

VANESSA CLAIRE STEWART

CARLA RENATA

•ART SILVERI OWner redwhite+bluezz

Presented by .KRLSTEN HAMMACK Accepted by • ART SILVERI

•GENO HENDERSON

Favorite Actor •CHARLIE ROBINSON The Whipping Man

Presented by .FRENCH STEWART Accepted by ·CHARLIE ROBINSON

Entertainment PAULETTE IVORY

Favorite Actress •MERLE DANDRIDGE Kiss Me, Kate

Presented by BECKY LYTHGOE Accepted by ·sHARON LAWRENCE

Entertainment • ADAM WYLIE & RICHARD ALLEN

Entertainment •yVEITE CASON & KACEE CLANTON

Entertainment SHARON CATHERINE BROWN

Closing Remarks SEEMA SUEKO, Associate Artistic Director Pasadena Playhouse

Partner with the Friends EUGENIA AMODEI

Musical Directors RICHARD ALLEN & JOHN RANDALL

Videographer Ross CLARK

·Denotes FRED Award winner

LENORE BOND ALMANZAR

Beginning her Playhouse association as an alumna of the Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts, Lenore went on to become a founding member of the Friends of The Pasadena Playhouse, the theatre's volunteer support group. Today she is the current President of this group, which is made up of 400 dedicated members.

•SHELDON EPPS

Earlier this month, Sheldon Epps completed 18 years as Artistic Director of The Pasadena Playhouse. And what a difference he has made in that time. Today, The Playhouse is a leader among regional theatres in the country, known for productions of artistic excellence, both critical and box office success and highly praised theatrical diversity.

•ELLEN BAILEY

Ellen Bailey, our honoree at today's 27th Annual F.R.E.D. {Friends Recognition of Entertaining Drama) Awards is quite a lady .. . an actress, director, teacher, Founder of the Friends of The Pasadena Playhouse, as well as initiator of the FRED Awards and the Volunteer Recognition Luncheon, she is also a long time archivist and tour coordinator. Ellen graduated from the Pasadena College of Theatre Arts with honors and has had a lifetime love affair with it ever since.

•SALLY STRUTHERS

Sally Struthers, an alumna of the Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts, is the recipient of our first ever "Friends' Family Award". During the years following her graduation from The Playhouse, throughout all of her successes, among them TV's "ALL IN THE F AMILY", "9 TO 5"; films "FIVE EASY PIECES", "THE GETAWAY";

Broadway's in Wal(y's Cqfi, Annie, Mame, at the Ogunquit in Nice Work jf You Can Get It, Sally kept in close touch with a favorite teacher, •Ellen Bailey, to whom this year's FRED Awards are dedicated ... theirs is a mutual admiration society.

"DAVID GALLIGAN

David Galligan, FRED Award winning director of •Lettice & Lovage, recently directed ·sally Struthers in Alwqys . . . Patsy Cline at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. And later this month he will be at Hollywood's Gardenia Lounge, directing ·carole Cook in her one­woman show. Among his many honors, David has received the Los Angeles State Alliance Ovation Lifetime Achievement Award and has produced and directed the SOUTHLAND THEATRE ARTISTS GOODWILL EVENT for the past 31 years, the longest running AIDS benefit in the world.

DEVIN KELLY

Devin is a singer, songwriter and violinist trained at Berklee College of Music. She was most recently seen on The Pasadena Playhouse stage in ONE STARRY NIGHT - A BENEFIT TO FIGHT ALS. She has performed at venues all over Los Angeles, and is thrilled to be back at the FRED Awards this year.

"FRENCH STEWART

In 2010, a script about his idol, Buster Keaton, was given to French Stewart as a surprise birthday gift. Four years later, the play Stoneface, was on the main stage of The Pasadena Playhouse, with French Stewart making his Playhouse debut. His remarkable portrayal of Buster Keaton resulted in French receiving the 2014 Favorite Actor FRED Award. The award-winning playwright, Vanessa Claire Stewart, French's wife is with us today.

"RANDY JOHNSON Randy Johnson, a Creator/Writer/Director, is the driving force behind theatrical stage portraits of such musical icons as Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley, Conway 1\vitty and Louis Prima and Keely Smith. He is the original producer of Always . .. Patsy Cline, which under his aegis became one of the most beloved musicals in this country. At the Universal Amphitheatre, Randy directed "COMMITMENT TO LlFE" which raised over seven million dollars for AIDS Project Los Angeles. In recognition of his work for this group, he was awarded the Crystal Apple Award. Randy was most recently at The Playhouse directing A Night With Janis fop/in, and received the 2013 Favorite Show FRED Award for •one Night With jam's Joplin . He directed both plays, which are original works of his.

VANESSA CLAIRE STEWART

Among Actress/Playwright Vanessa Claire Stewart's many awards are the LA Weekly Theatre Award, a Garland and an Ovation Award for Lead Actress in a Musical for Louis and Kee{y, live at the Sahara, which she also co-wrote. Stoneface, a birthday gift for French Stewart, was given the LA Weekly Award for Best Production, and won French the Favorite Actor FRED Award last year.

CARLA RENATA

Not only is Carla a singer and an actress who has performed both on and off Broadway, as well as on TV, she is also an avid movie fan. This interest began at an early age. when she watched TV's "At the Movies" with Siske! and Ebert. Today, in addition to all of the other things she is involved with, carta also reviews films and is a co-host for uon Air With Tony Sweet", an internet radio talk show. carta made her Playhouse debut in the FRED Award winning show, •Twist.

"ART SILVERI

Art Silveri, the owner of redwhite+bluezz is this year's Special Friend Award winner. He is originally from New York, but now resides with his family in Pasadena, where they are active supporters of The Pasadena Playhouse as well as several other charitable groups. You will often see Art and Liz hosting groups of friends at our theatre, reintroducing those who may not have visited The Playhouse for quite some time, and introducing others who have yet t9 discover our theatre.

•KRISTEN HAMMACK

Kristen Hammack, last year's Special Friend Award winner, is The Pasadena Playhouse Producing Associate/Company Manager, and is in her sixth season at the theatre. She continues her family's connection to The Playhouse, begun by great grandfather, William R. Hammack, Sr., who worked at the theatre for 15 years, and would be the equivalent of today's Technical Director.

*GENO HENDERSON

Geno's talent was apparent at age nine, when he began playing guitar. From that early start, he went on to become a singer and a songwriter who toured and appeared with bands all over the country, not to mention being awarded a Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute Scholarship. The result of his performance in •Baby It's you! was the Favorite Actor FRED Award. Geno later made his Broadway debut in that same show.

*CHARLIE ROBINSON

Charlie Robinson's FRED Award winning performance in The Whipping Man was not the first award he has received for this role. He also won the Best Actor N.A.A.C.P. Theatre Award for his performance at The Old Globe. You will remember Charlie from his Playhouse debut in Jitney, in the role of Becker. That performance earned him a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination.

PAULETTE IVORY Paulette is one of London's most acclaimed singer/actresses, and has appeared regularly on the West End Stage, TV and film. She has performed at The Playhouse in •Baby It's You! and •Purtie.

BECKY LYTHGOE

Becky Lythgoe, a Producer and Casting Director, is part of Lythgoe Family Productions, instrumental in bringing Panto to America. Panto, a mix of slapstick humor and classic fairy tales has become a very popular feature at The Pasadena Playhouse, and a wonderful way to introduce young people to theatre.

"SHARON LAWRENCE

Sharon Lawrence won the 2014 Favorite Actress FRED Award for her performance in A Song at Twilight. This very talented lady is a singer, dancer and a producer as well as an accomplished actress. Sharon has performed on Broadway, TV movies and series, and is a three time Primetime Emmy Award nominee for her performance in "NYPD BLUE".

•AoAM WYLIE

At the age of eight, Adam had already done a toy commercial, four years earlier, and was on a TV series ... "PlcKET FENCES". A year later, voice-over work was added to his resume. Today, Adam is a singer, stage, film and TV actor, as well as an award-winning, magician - two from The Magic Castle. He is the voice of Peter Pan on "JAKE AND THE NEVER LAND PIRATES" , and was recently on TV's "CASTLE". His performance in 110 in the Shade resulted in Adam winning the Favorite Actor FRED Award.

RICHARD ALLEN

Richard Allen, a multi-talented performer, is a composer, arranger and conductor, as well as a magician at The Magic Castle. He most recently orchestrated the music for the world premiere of PAZZAZZ The Musical, with music and lyrics by legendary Disney composer Richard M. Sherman, and just returned from conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studio with Mr. Sherman. They are working on an all new Sherman Brothers recording. Earlier this year, at The Playhouse, Richard was the musical director, conductor and arranger fo r the 2nd annual ALS show, "ONE STARRY N1GHT". Married in July, Richard is here with his beautiful bride Ellie.

•yVEITE CASON

For her performance in ·sfsterella, Yvette Cason won both the Favorite Actress FRED Award and an ·N.A.A.C.P. Theatre Award, but since then, she has been on our stage six more times, most recently in A Night With Janis Joplin. Yvette was also in the Broadway and International Tour of Dreamgirls, as well as the film of the same name. Not long ago, Yvette's reprise performance of Ella the Musical, resulted in sold out shows at Walnut Creek's Center REP Theatre.

KACEE CLANTON

Kacee Clanton recently made her Pasadena Playhouse debut in A Night With Janis fop/in , which she also performed in on Broadway, at The Lyceum Theatre. She has worked in film, and on TV, and Kacee also toured as a vocalist with Joe Cocker, Luis Miguel, and Big Brother and the Holding Company.

SHARON CATHERINE BROWN

Sharon catherine Brown is an actress, singer, dancer and writer. She was on Broadway in Dreamgirls and was also in that show's touring production for which she received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Non-Resident Production. You will remember Sharon from her performance in Crowns, as well as A Night With Janis Joplin. Sharon was the Blues Singer who held a note for what seemed like 15 minutes!

SEEMA SUEKO

Seema Sueko, Pasadena Playhouse Associate Artistic Director since January 2014, is a study in perpetual motion, and certainly would have had Rome built in a day had she been there. Seema was previously the Executive Artistic Director of San Diego's Mo'olelo Performing Arts Company which she also co-founded. Currently, she is directing our main stage production of Real Women Have Curves.

}OHN RANDALL

John Randall, our Musical Director/Pianist was also the pianist and conductor for "AMERICAN looL" Top Ten fmalists, including some of their performances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He is an actor, and a singer, and has performed on Broadway, national tours, at regional theatres, and on TV as a pianist on episodes of "NCIS" and "HousE MD" among others. John was the Assistant/Conductor for the FRED Award winning show ·Mask.

Ross CLARK Ross Clark, today's videographer, is the director of The Pasadena Civic Ballet's Musical Theatre Program and an alumnus of The Pasadena. Playhouse College of Theatre Arts. This December's Christmas program is Coal Miner's Christmas, A Mountaineer's Carol. The young performers in these programs are poised and skilled beyond their years, and together with Ross' lyrical adaptations and direction create an unforgettable theatrical experience. Ross continues to provide invaluable assistance by helping to computerize all of The Playhouse Archives, which is one of Ellen Bailey's goals.

'Denotes FRED Award winner

PJik11<.h !/t?JJ;; ~Jarle11a rf11~Ao11Je Board of Directors

President - Lenore Bond Almanzar 1st Vice President - Sue Haynie-Horn 2nd Vice President - Nancy Ashcraft

Treasurer - Yvonne Lai Recording Secretary - Sharon Zaslaw

Corresponding Secretary - Jayne Thomas Archives - Ellen Bailey Historian - Grace Woo

Hospitality - Eugenia Amodei Membership - Patrick Oliva

Merchandise Table - Beverly Meissner, Betty Parnell Newsletter - Bonnie Davis Office Help - Doris Arima Promotions - Fran Olson

-Public Relations - Jerri Faust Ushers - Shirley Miller, Virginia Browning

Volunteer Hours - Natalya Pashkova Web Site - Patti La Marr

Members-at-Large - Monty Basile & Carolyn Di Pane

Endowment Committee Lenore Almanzar, Nancy Ashcraft,

Sue Haynie-Hom, Yvonne Lai

Advisory Committee (Past Presidents)

Lenore Almanzar, Nancy Ashcraft, Ellen Bailey Sue Haynie-Hom, Betty Jean Morris, Marilyn Stutenroth

?J7F . O,r ,,~,,_,..--,,~ G_i,r G/l1e 27tA LZJuutal Yvi <.;<b0.J .._noarc/J

have been underwn·tten by the generosity ef: Christine Allen

Lenore Almanzar (Remembering Ruthe Kilburn and Frank Borbon) Monty Basile

Ross Clark Carolyn & Tom Di Pane (for Paige Anne)

Carol Bond Fiore Rae Gaeta

Linda Griffey Marcia Hanford

Sue Haynie-Hom (Remembering Ruthe Kilburn and Frank Borbon) Lillias Krezel Patti La Marr

David Lee Jo Ann Lee

Beverly Meissner Kathy Leggitt

Diane Schultheis Sheila Grether-Marion

Patrick Oliva (Remembering Ruthe Kilburn and Frank Borbon) Kathy Arntzen Roat

Jean Shiner & Employees of Sprouts (Remembering Frank Borbon) Art Silveri and Family

Marilynn Steinberg Jayne Thomas

Alan and Barbara Wann Farryl Weitzman

Grace Woo Alisa Yingling Sharon Zaslaw

ch, %l1cl {J)J;;.,natknl6 Karen Bagnard

Cheshire Engineering Tom Di Pane

<if})e.eial Phie11dJ tit l'Ott,jh tlte <fjftal'J 1990 Chip Washabaugh 2003 Brian Colburn

1991 Doug Senior

1992 Peggy Ebright

1993 Mickey Houk

1994 Joel Sheldon

1995 Frank Ferrante

1 996 Lars Hansen

1997 Albert Lowe

1998 Joyce Heiman

1999 Ralph Weeks

2000 I.Jrla White

2001 Abel Ramirez

2002 Steve Vinovich

1997 Gary Wissmann

2000 Beverly Bishop

2005 Sheldon Epps

2004 Jayson Raitt

2005 Lesley Brander

2006 Gay Iris Parker

2007 Dan Healey

2008 Kathy Arntzen Roat

2009 Sheldon Epps

2010-2011 David Galligan

2012 Joe Witt

2013 Sheila Grether-Marion

2014 Kristen Hammack

2015 Art Silveri

Technical Director

Wardrobe Supervisor

Artistic Director

2013 John Iacovelli Scenic Designer

~ % a1'rl {5).f{;11el'J 2012 ·Roger Bart, •Michael O'Keefe & ·Bradley Whitford

P/:endJ '!!J:;;ntifj % a"d ~te~ 2015 ·sally Struthers

~&!Ji;a/rcl ~lerr:J

198 7 - 2 0 15 Year - Favorite Show or Musical/Director

Favorite Actress - Play Favorite Actor - Play

1987-88 - Bom YesterdaylDoN .AMENDOLIA

R EBECCA DEMoRNAY - Born Yesterdcry DAVID SCHRAMM - Born Yesterdcry

1988-89 - Steel Magnolias/PAM B ERLIN

K RISTEN l..oWMAN -Boys Next Door D oN A MENDOLIA - Stepping Out

1989-90 - Groucho, A Lffe in Review/ARTHUR MARx }OD! B ENSON

Flora, the Red Menace FRANK FERRANTE

Groucho, A Ljfe in Review

1990-91 - You Never Know/PAUL LAZARUS

M EGAN MULLALLY - You Never Know KEVIN CONWAY - Other People's Money

1991-92 - Forever Plaid/STUART Ross ANNE DESALVO - L e n d M e a Tenor Stacy K each - Solitary Confinemen t

1992-93 - The 'JWilight of The Golds/TOM ALDERMAN

N ANCY D USSAULT - Alone Together RAPHAEL SBARGE -The 'IWilight qf the Golds

1993-94 - A runa Christmas/ED HowARD CAROLINE M cW1LL1AMS - Special Occasions STEVE V 1NOV1CH - The Foreigner

1994-95 - Radio Gals/ ALAN BAILEY CAROLE CooK - The Lion in Winter T OM T ROUPE - The Lion in Winter

1995-96 - SisterellalLARRY HART

Y VETTE CASON - Sisterella RALPH CoLE, JR - Sisterella

1996-97 - Lettice & LovagelDAVID GALLIGAN

}ANE CARR - Lettice & Lovage DAVID N oRONA - 1fn Pan Alley Rag

1998 - The Old Settler/SHELDON EPPS CCH POUNDER - The Old Settler STAN CHANDLER • On{y a Kingdom

1999 - Pl'fY On/ SHELDON EPPS NATALIE VENETIA B ELCON - Plqy On H AROLD GoutD - Visiting Mr. Green

2000 - The Glass Menagerie/ ANDREW J R O BINSON

SusAN SULLIVAN - The Glass Menagene H ARRY G ROENER - The Good Doctor

2001 - Do I Hear a Waltz?A>AVID L EE M ARE W 1NNtNGHAM - Side Man HAL H OLBROOK - A UJe in the Theaue

2002 - Plaid 1ldings/STUART Ross EVE R OBERTS - The Waver{y Gallery ROBERT PICARDO - A Class Act

2003 - Looking over the President's Shoulder/ }AMES STILL

JANE CARR

Noises Qff )OHN H ENRY R EDWOOD

Looking Over the President's Shoulder

2004 - Enchanted Aprll!M1CHAEL WILSO N

N ANCY B ELL - Enchanted April A DAM W YLIE - 110 in the Shade

2005 - Purlie/SHELDON EPPS L INDA H UNT - Doubt JACQUES C. SMITH - Purlie

2006 - Sister Act, the Musical/PETER S CHNEIDER

OAWNN L EWIS - Sister Act, the Musical LAURENCE F ISHBURNE - Fences

2007 - Can-CanlDAvm L EE

M ICHELLE D UFFY - Can-Can KEVIN EARLEY - Can-Can

2008 - Mask/RICHARD MALTBY, JR VALERIE H ARPER - Looped ALLEN E . READ - Mask

2009 Musical

Baby it's You!IFLOYD MUTRUX

L ESLIE U GGAMS - Stormy Weather GENO HENDERSON - Baby it's You!

Play The Little Foxes/DAMA.so RODRIGUEZ

Jo B ETH WILLIAMS - The Night Is A Child STEVE V1Nov1cH - The Little Foxes

D IANE DELANO - TWist

2010 - 2011 1Wist!DEBBIE ALLEN

HERSHEY FELDER - George Gershwin Alone

2012 The Heiress/DAMA.so RODRIGUEZ

H EATHER ToM - The Heiress RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN - The Heiress

2013 Musical

One Night With Janis fop/in/RANDY }oHNsoN MARY B RIDGET DAVIES

One Night With fan is f oplin }OE WEST

Sleepless in Seattle the Musical

Play Fallen Angels! ART MANKE

KATIE MAcN 1cHOL - Fallen Angels H AL L 1NOEN - Under My Skin

2014 Play

12 Angry Men/SHELDON EPPS SHARON LAWRENCE

A Song at TWilight

M ERLE DANDRIDGE

Kiss Me, Kate

2015 Play

Waterfall/TAK VtRAVAN

FRENCH STEWART

Stoneface

CHARLIE Ro81NSON

The Whipping Man

Co-Chairs:

L ENORE ALMANZAR

CAROLYN 01 PANE

PATRICK OLIVA

Committee:

EUGENIA AMODEI

KAREN 8AGNARD

MONTY BASILE

Ross CLARK

AUDREY DAILEY

B ONNIE 0AV1S

YVONNE LAI

PArn LAMARR

MARIE MANSOLF

BARBARA W ATSON

FRIENDS OF THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE

Cover art by

KAREN BAGNARD