MainstagePlaybill

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

MURDER FOR TWO

Directed byBruce Jordan

Stage ManagerRoy Johns*

Season UnderwritersDennis & Graci McGillicuddy, Anne H.S. Nethercott,

and Arnold Simonsen & Ronda Montminyand

Book and Lyrics by Kellen Blair Book and Music by Joe Kinosian

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

Scenic DesignerKen Goldstein

Sound DesignerThom Korp

Lighting DesignerMicheal Foster

Costume DesignerSusan Angermann

This Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

CASTMarcus Moscowicz ............................................................ Paul Helm*The Suspects ................................................................. Kyle Branzel*

Music DirectorJoshua Zecher-Ross

Co-ProducersCarol Gilbert & Matty Matheson

Murder For Two was originally produced in New York by Jayson Raitt, Barbara Whitman, Steven Chaikelson, and Second Stage Theatre. Murder For Two World Premiere was presented on May 12, 2011 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago, IL.; Barbara Gaines, Artistic Director, Criss Henderson, Executive Director. Murder For Two was developed for Chicago Shakespeare Theater by Rick Boynton, Creative Producer. “Steppin’ Out” Track by Ethan Deppe. Murder For Two Artwork by AKA. Murder For Two is presented through special arrangement

with Murder For Two Musical LLC. For more information, please visit www.MurderForTwoMusical.com. For licensing inquiries, please call (212) 354.6510 or email MurderForTwoMusical@gmail.com.

“Steppin’ Out” choreographed by Savannah Holds

PAUL HELM (Marcus Moscowicz) has performed, directed, and music directed with the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Auburn Public Theater, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Fireside Theatre, First

Stage Children’s Theater, Skylight Music Theatre, Florentine Opera Company, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Circa ‘21 Dinner Playhouse, Bucknell University, and the UW-Platteville Heartland Festival. Paul was also a vocalist for Disney on Classic, a three-month symphony concert tour of Japan with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Paul resides in New York City. www.paulhelm.net

KYLE BRANZEL (The Suspects) National Tour: Murder for Two (1st National), Henry and Mudge. Regional: Buyer & Cellar (Weston Playhouse), The History Boys (Palm Beach Dramaworks), Murder for Two (Weston Playhouse). Off

Broadway: Piggy Nation. As Music Director: Dragons Love Tacos (Theatreworks U.S.A.), Godspell (Gallery Players), Broadway Sessions (Laurie Beechman Theatre), The Fabulous Lipitones (Penguin Rep). Kyle is also a vocal and acting coach in N.Y.C. and has a B.F.A. from Roosevelt University. www.kylebranzel.com

BRUCE JORDAN (Director) This is the sixth show Bruce has directed at FST, having previously guided Shear Madness (twice), as well as Steve Martin’s The Underpants, Perfect Wedding, and Spamalot. He has also directed a host of other plays and musicals across the country including Private Lives, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Stop the World – I Want to Get Off, and The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds. Most recently he directed Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the Cleveland Play House, Rochester’s Geva Theatre and The Cape Playhouse

in Dennis, MA. Also an actor, Jordan has appeared in over 40 roles across the country. He made his film debut opposite Barbra Striesand in The Way We Were, acted in three commercials made for the Super Bowl, and has appeared on the front pages of both New York Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. He is the Director of the three longest-running plays in the history of the United States: Shear Madness Boston, now in it’s 39th year at the Charles Playhouse; Shear Madness DC, now in its 31st year at the Kennedy Center; and Shear Madness Chicago, which ran for 17 years at the Mayfair Theatre. He also directed the off-Broadway production of Shear Madness at the New World Stages and then again when it moved to the Davenport. Born in Pittsfield, MA, and raised on the south shore of Long Island, Jordan is a graduate of SUNY Geneseo and currently resides in Manhattan.

ROY JOHNS (Stage Manager) is pleased to be back for another season at FST. He has had an exciting and varied career both on stage and behind the scenes from Tokyo Disneyland to the White House. Past credits at FST include: Always...Patsy Cline; Honor Killing; Native Gardens; Once; The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey; Burt & Me; Rich Girl; brownsville song (b-side for tray); Million Dollar Quartet; The God of Isaac; The Roommate; The Fabulous Lipitones; Alabama Story; Outside Mullingar; One Man, Two Guvnors; The Hound of the Baskervilles; Chapatti; Hairspray; and Taking Shakespeare.

JOSHUA ZECHER-ROSS (Music Director) has worked on over 100 productions in New York and around the country as a Music Director, Conductor, Arranger, and Orchestrator. NY credits include work on Avenue Q and A Night with Janis Joplin, Sweetee directed by Patricia Birch (The Signature Theatre, Off-Broadway), songs in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and many shows at clubs around NYC. Regional credits include Barrington Stage Company, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, George Street Playhouse, and others. Joshua is a Musical Theatre Instructor at the New York Film Academy, and holds a Bachelor’s of Music in vocal

ARTIST PROFILES

ARTIST PROFILESperformance from the Steinhardt School at NYU. www.JoshuaZR.com

KEN GOLDSTEIN (Scenic Designer) is pleased to be at Florida Studio Theatre. Ken has designed at numerous regional theatres including: Baystreet Theatre, Northern Stage, CapRep, Gulfshore Playhouse, Barrington Stage Company, The Hangar Theatre, The Skylight Music Theatre, Arkansas Rep, and The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Ken designed for Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train Live! and Sid the Science Kid Live! National tours and productions for Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Ken is the Chair and Professor of Set Design at SUNY at New Paltz.

SUSAN ANGERMANN (Costume Designer) began designing for Florida Studio Theatre in 1993 for the WRITE A PLAY production of The Emperor’s New Clothes. She has designed for the Mainstage, Stage III, Cabaret, and other WRITE A PLAY productions. Among recent productions are Honor Killing; Once; The Exonerated; Stalking the Bogeyman; Yesterday; Older Than Dirt; Piano Men; Chapatti; and Robin Hood. MICHEAL FOSTER (Lighting Designer) This production marks Micheal’s twenty first with FST. He is the Lighting Design Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alabama, a Master of Fine Arts degree from Ohio University, and interned at Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design in London, England. Micheal is a proud member of United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE, the labor union and professional association for theatrical designers, artists, and crafts people.

THOM KORP (Sound Designer) a former FST intern, Thom is excited to be in his second season as staff. Previous projection work includes Grounded and The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey. Sound design credits include: Honor Killing, Native Gardens, How to Use a Knife, Once, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, The Columnist, Talley’s Folley, A Chorus Line,

Spamalot, and The West Side Waltz. Mixing Credits: Next to Normal, Das Barbecü, Smokey Joe’s Café, The World Goes Round, Tango: Buenos Aires, We Will Rock You. Sound engineer with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines 2014 – 2016.

JOE KINOSIAN (Book and Music). Joe is the co-recipient of Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award recognizing Murder for Two as Best New Musical following its record-breaking run at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Joe was also nominated for Best Actor as The Suspects. Murder for Two had its Off-Broadway premiere at Second Stage Uptown, going on to a year-long run at New World Stages. Joe’s work with Kellen Blair has been showcased at The Kennedy Center, The York Theater, and on Broadway at the Theatre World Awards. Joe received the ASCAP Foundation Mary Rodgers/Lorenz Hart Award and the Harrington Award from the BMI Workshop. Joe also appeared in Dirty Blonde with Emily Skinner (Hangar Theater) and the NYC premiere of Dear Edwina Off-Broadway. kinosianandblair.com

KELLEN BLAIR (Book and Lyrics) is the Drama Desk nominated co-creator of Murder For Two (Off-Broadway: Second Stage Theatre and New World Stages. World Premiere: Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). The show is currently touring internationally (with productions in Tokyo, Shanghai, Buenos Aires, and the UK). Kellen and co-writer Joe Kinosian are the recipients of the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Musical Work in Chicago (2011) and the ASCAP Foundation Mary Rodgers / Lorenz Hart Award (2013). Their work has been showcased on Broadway, the Kennedy Center, and theaters across the country; they’re currently developing an original musical farce with Second Stage Theatre in NYC. Kellen is also the lyricist of Scrooge in Love (42nd Street Moon, 2015 and 2016), for which he and composer Larry Grossman won the 2015 Bay Area Critics Award for Best Score. Updates, videos, song demos, and sheet music can be found at www.kinosianandblair.com.

RICHARD HOPKINS is the Producing Artistic Director of Florida Studio Theatre. Mr. Hopkins has fostered the development of FST’s Mainstage and Cabaret productions. His many directing Mainstage credits include: Honor Killing, Inspired Lunacy, The Best of Enemies, Next to Normal, Race, Ruined, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Boleros for the Disenchanted, Permanent Collection, and Metamorphoses, among numerous other plays. Mr. Hopkins led the development of FST’s Cabaret productions of Blue Suede Shoes, Mack the Knife: The Bobby Darin Songbook, Older Than Dirt, Piano Men, and The Prima Donnettes. Mr. Hopkins also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Florida Studio Theatre. This includes overseeing the creation and implementation of all FST programming, including Mainstage, Cabaret, Stage III, New Play Development, Education, and Touring. Since his arrival at FST in 1980, Mr. Hopkins has guided the theatre from a small touring company to a nationally-recognized regional theatre, which impacts over 200,000 adults and children annually. He created the New Play Development Program, the Cabaret Series, FST’s award-winning WRITE A PLAY Program, and he has directed the design and renovation of all FST’s theatres. Mr. Hopkins is the recipient of numerous awards including the Arts Leadership Award from the Sarasota Arts Council, the Richard G. Fallon Award for Artistic Excellence from the Florida Professional Theatres Association, and the 2012 Cultural Champion Award from the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. In 2016, Mr. Hopkins was awarded the Luminaire Award honoring excellence in creativity, philanthropy, advocacy, and all elements that are keys to future growth of the Arts in Sarasota. In 2017, Mr. Hopkins was awarded the Florida Theatre Conference Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing to the rich cultural fabric of the Sarasota community and the state of Florida, and his dedication to developing future artists, educators, and advocates.

REBECCA HOPKINS serves as Managing Director for Florida Studio Theatre, and as such, is the Chief Operations Officer. Mrs. Hopkins is responsible for the oversight of FST’s Administration, including the Business Office, Development, Marketing, Box Office, Front of House, Restaurant, budgeting, and maintaining the overall quality of FST’s internal management. Nationally, Mrs. Hopkins is President of the National New Play Network and serves on the Board of Directors for the League of Resident Theatres and the Theatre Communications Group. She has been actively involved in development of FST’s Cabaret productions since her arrival in 1998. This season, she is the lead developer on Blue Suede Shoes, and is on the development team for Mack the Knife: The Bobby Darin Songbook and Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits. Previously, she was the lead developer on Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves; Older Than Dirt; Yesterday; American Pie; and Poems, Prayers, and Promises, and co-developer of Piano Men. She has been the head writer on all five Laughing Matters shows. Some of her favorite shows she helped develop include: The Prima Donnettes; That’s Life; The Wanderers; My One and Only Gershwin; Hot and Cole; Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits; The British Invasion; The Flip Side; and Outlaws and Angels. In addition, she is the founder and producer of FST Improv and the Sarasota Improv Festival. In 2012, the Arts & Cultural Alliance awarded Mrs. Hopkins the Cultural Champion Award in recognition of her many years of accomplishment and growth with Florida Studio Theatre. In 2016, Mrs. Hopkins was awarded the Luminaire Award honoring excellence in creativity, philanthropy, advocacy, and all elements that are key to future growth of the arts in Sarasota.

EXECUTIVE STAFF

@FloridaStudioTheatre #MurderForTwo

SEASON UNDERWRITERSDENNIS & GRACI MCGILLICUDDY FST is important to us because we believe so strongly in the transformative power of the arts. For close to 30 years now, we have been so fortunate to experience first-hand how that transformative power works its magic in the hands of an organization that is not only experienced and dedicated but so highly skilled in their craft. The values of the theater and its leadership, as reflected in its mission, and as manifested in its work, whether it be on the Mainstage, in the Cabaret, in its Education and community Outreach Programs – these are values that we so strongly believe in. As a consequence, it is a privilege for us to be a part of, and supportive of this great theater.

ANNE H.S. NETHERCOTT When asked to define giving, Anne said: “My mother used to say the best way to find you is to lose yourself, by focusing on the needs of others rather than on oneself.” So, giving has always been an important family value, which in childhood was reinforced by the community experience of surviving The Great Depression. Anne is proud to be a supporter of FST.

ARNOLD SIMONSEN & RONDA MONTMINY Florida Studio Theatre is far ahead of any theatre in Sarasota. We try to see every play as the actors are truly professional. Richard Hopkins deserves much credit for the success of FST.

CO-PRODUCERSCAROL GILBERT & MATTY MATHESON Florida Studio Theatre has been a Sarasota diamond for us since attending performances from the mid-1990s, and the FST diamond keeps getting brighter and brighter every year. To say “We love FST” is not quite enough, and to be able to join the ranks of the many generous FST patrons is an honor for us. Enjoy the show!

FST FORUMS

Just like every detective needs a great partner, Murder For Two creators Joe Kinosian and Kellan Blair found that their collaboration could make musical theatre magic. Both film school alums, the pair happened upon each other when they both attended the famed BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop in New York City in 2008. Known for producing such successful writing partnerships as Ahrens & Flaherty (Once on This Island, Ragtime) and Kitt & Yorkey (Next to Normal, If/Then), Kinosian and Blair were paired up to write a “charm song” for a hypothetical stage version of It’s a Wonderful Life. They failed the assignment, but the pair found that they made a pretty great team nonetheless.

With Kinosian composing the music, Blair writing lyrics, and both collaborating on the book, the duo set to creating a fast, funny piece that could be produced on a shoestring. Inspired by a mutual love of the Marx Brothers

and Agatha Christie, they blended the two to create the madcap musical mystery, Murder For Two, that premiered at the Chicago Shakespeare Festival in 2011 (in which Kinosian himself appeared as The Suspects). The production, originally slated to run a mere five weeks, was a runaway hit that stretched out into a seven-month tenure at the theatre. Two years later, the show burst onto the Off-Broadway scene, where it earned both of them nominations for a Drama Desk and an Outer Critics Circle Award.

Since finding success with Murder For Two, Kinosian and Blair haven’t been slowing down. In 2013, they received the ASCAP Foundation Mary Rodgers/Lorenz Hart Award, and a night of the duo’s music was presented last year at Feinstein’s/54 Below in New York. Currently, the pair is working on several new projects, including a new musical comedy called The More Things Change.

Spotlight on Kinosian and Blair by Rebecca Leap

Photo credit: Eli Schmidt. Pictured: Joe Kinosian (music and book) and Kellen Blair (lyrics and book)

941.366.90001241 North Palm Avenue • Downtown Sarasota, FL 34236

www.floridastudiotheatre.org • info@floridastudiotheatre.org

FST COMPANYBOARD OF TRUSTEES

President ............................................... Dennis McGillicuddyVice-President ............................................. Richard HopkinsSecretary/Treasurer .......................................Jennifer MichellTrustee ..............................................................Gaele BartholdTrustee ...............................................................Georgia CourtTrustee .......................................................... Patricia CourtoisTrustee ................................................................Jeff HotchkissTrustee .............................................................Robert IsraeloffTrustee ..............................................................Barbara LupoffTrustee ................................Chief Judge Charles E. Williams

EXECUTIVE STAFFProducing Artistic Director ....................... Richard HopkinsManaging Director ......................................Rebecca Hopkins

ARTISTIC STAFFAssociate Director At-Large .........................Kate AlexanderCasting/Hiring Coordinator .......................... James AshfordResident Pianist ..................................................... Jim ProsserAssociate Artist ................................................. Jason CannonAssociate Artist .......................................Catherine RandazzoDirector of Improvisation ......................................Will LueraAssistant to the Artistic Director .....................Doris Iemolo

PRODUCTION STAFFProduction Manager ............................................. Bruce PriceMainstage Stage Manager ...................................... Roy JohnsTechnical Director ...........................................Mike SchwentCostume Shop Manager ...........................Adrienne WebberSound Supervisor .................................................Thom KorpProps/Paint Supervisor .............................. Kristine KreutzerLead Carpenter ................................................. Marco Acosta

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFGeneral Manager .............................................Jill ZakrzewskiDirector of IT .................................................... Clarke WeigleBusiness Manager .......................................Carmen GonzalezBusiness Office Associate. ...........................Reanna BourqueBusiness Office Associate. ......................................Bart Dolce Business Office Associate ................................David WallaceAsst. to the Managing Dir ..........................Phyllis SilvermanFacilities Manager .......................................Joseph Goepfrich Facilities Technician .............................. Mark Quackenbush Company Manager ...........................................Luke JohnsonDirector of Marketing .....................................Becca JenningsPublic Relations Associate ................................. Lydia BaxterDigital Marketing Associate. ............................ Emily Blazek Marketing Assistant. ............................................ Sarah HaleyDirector of Indiv. Giving ................ Melody Mora-ShihadehDevelopment Associate .................................Samus HaddadDevelopment Associate ..................................Melanie SlusarPatron Services Manager ................................. Kelsey Wehde Box Office Manager ......................................... Ryan SimpsonAsst. Box Office Manager ...................................Gigi DelperoAsst. Box Office Manager ..........................Katelyn McKelleyAsst. Box Office Manager ...........................Noah ScheibmeirEvents Coordinator ........................................Matthew QuickRestaurant Manager .............................................. Tom CurryRestaurant Manager ..........................................Karen KrasterRestaurant Manager ........................................... Josh RodoskiAsst. Restaurant Manager .................................. Kristy PlumReceptionist/ Volunteer Coord ....................... Joan O’Dowd

EDUCATION & TOURSDirector of Children’s Theatre .....................Caroline KaiserDirector of Education ...............................Christine HopkinsEducation Administrator .................................Pamela SmithTeaching Artist/YPF Coordinator ...................Adam Ratner Education Group Sales Assoc ......................Hannah BagnallTeaching Artist .....................................................Denee LortzTeaching Artist ....................................................Sam MosslerTeaching Artist .................................................Terrence Pride

COMMUNITY RESOURCE GROUP

AUDIENCE ENRICHMENT GROUP

OUTSIDE ASSISTANCEHouse Counsel ................................................. John PattersonFacility Custodian .....................................Carlos De Oliveira...............................................Confidence Cleaning CompanyCaretaker ................................................................ Doctor Nik

INTERN PROGRAMActing Apprentice ...............................................Kayla FainerActing Apprentice ............................................. Jabri JohnsonActing Apprentice ................................................Erin PaxtonActing Apprentice .............................................. Liam TannerCostume Intern ............................................. Emily GoldsteinDevelopment Intern ......................................... Jordan FaddisDirecting Intern ................................................... Meg GilbertLiterary Intern .................................................Mary DonofrioLiterary Intern ..............................................Thomas GalloglyLiterary Intern ................................................ Jordan OrlandoLiterary & Playwriting Intern ........................Sarah DurhamMarketing Intern ............................................. Emma RhynerProd/Lighting Intern ....................................Caleb WoodringProd/Scenic Intern .............................................Justen ZhangProduction Management Intern .............Kelsey PeavyhouseSummer Camp Intern ................................... Emma DensonSummer Camp Intern ....................................... Laura GuerraSummer Camp Intern ....................................Austin HowethSummer Camp Intern .....................................Priscilla PorterSummer Camp Intern .................................. Abigail TrageserSummer Camp Intern ................................Madeline WillardStage Management Intern ...................................... Meg GreyStage Management Intern ............................. Elliott KarlinerStage Management Intern ................................... Tanner LiasStage Management Intern ....................... Maddie LugenbeelStage Management/Sound Intern ................. David Sabbagh

Jan ColemanLarry ColemanShirley FeinMaddy FreshwaterCarol GilbertSy Goldblatt Jim GoldmanSandy GoldmanRobert GradyWendy GradyBonny Israeloff

Valerie JoelsMarie Kropp

Frank MalicksonMatty Matheson

Graci McGillicuddyIna Schnell

Alan SchottensteinLois Schottenstein

Lois StulbergCharlie Ann Syprett

Martin Taffel

Hon. Larry L. EgerTrevor HarveyThe Jewish Federation of Sarasota-ManateeGilbert KingMichéle D. RedwineDr. Eddy Regnier

Ina SchnellCommisioner Willie

Charles ShawHoward Tevlowitz

Chief Judge Charles E.Williams