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PROFESSIONAL THEATRE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD SETTING
SEP 20 - OCT 21DIRECTED BYSCOTT NOLTE
2017 JEWELL MAINSTAGE SEASON: PURSUE
ROOM SERVICE FEB 1 – MAR 4
EVIDENCE OF THINGS UNSEEN MAR 29 – APR 29
BUSMAN’S HONEYMOON MAY 17 – JUN 24
PERSUASION JUL 12 – AUG 19
RELATIVITY SEP 20 – OCT 21
BY MARK ST. GERMAIN
SEPTEMBER 2017
Encore Stages is an Encore Arts Program that features stories about our local arts community side-by-side with information about performances. Encore Arts Programs are publications of Encore Media Group. We also publish City Arts, the monthly arts & culture magazine, and specialty publications, including the Offical Seattle Pride Guide and the SIFF Guide and Catalog. Learn more at encoremediagroup.com
Contents3 Asian Americans in Seattle Theatre
Kathy Hsieh revisits her 2012 survey and assesses the work still to be done.
Dialogue
13 The Only Sensible Thing to Do
Encore Stages in conversation with Jared Michael Brown
Intermission Brain Transmission
15 Test yourself with our trivia quiz
Encore Stages features the following organizations:
FALL 2017
September 2017Volume 14, No.1
Paul Heppner Publisher
Sara Keats Encore Stages Editor
Susan Peterson Design & Production Director
Ana Alvira, Robin Kessler, Shaun Swick, Stevie VanBronkhorst Production Artists and Graphic Design
Mike Hathaway Sales Director
Brieanna Bright, Joey Chapman, Ann Manning Seattle Area Account Executives
Amelia Heppner, Marilyn Kallins, Terri Reed San Francisco/Bay Area Account Executives
Carol Yip Sales Coordinator
Leah Baltus Editor-in-Chief
Andy Fife Publisher
Dan Paulus Art Director
Gemma Wilson, Jonathan Zwickel Senior Editors
Amanda Manitach Visual Arts Editor
Barry Johnson Associate Digital Editor
Paul Heppner President
Mike Hathaway Vice President
Genay Genereux Accounting & Office Manager
Sara Keats Marketing Manager
Corporate Office425 North 85th Street Seattle, WA 98103p 206.443.0445 f [email protected] x105 www.encoremediagroup.com
Encore Arts Programs is published monthly by Encore Media Group to serve musical and theatrical events in the Puget Sound and San Franc isco Bay Areas. All rights reserved. ©2017 Encore Media Group. Reproduction without written permission is prohibited.
TIX: 206.216.0833 | BOOK-IT.ORG
BY MAYA ANGELOUSEPT 13 - OCT 15
CENTER THEATRE AT THE ARMORY
FROM THE POWERFUL MEMOIR
Encore+CityArts_CBS_1-6pgvert_081417.indd 1 8/14/2017 3:34:43 PM
310 Terry Avenue. Seattle, WA 98109
206-971-0717www.bravehorsetavern.com
2 ENCORE STAGES2 ENCORE STAGES2 ENCORE STAGES
Kathy Hsieh revisits her 2012 survey of the space for Asian Americans in Seattle theatre, and looks ahead to work still to be done.
In 2012, I wrote a piece featured on the online dramaturgical commons Howlround about the importance of Asian American representation on Seattle stages and how invisible we were in the local theatre scene. If it weren’t for Asian American theatre companies like SIS Productions, Pork Filled Players, Repertory Actors Theatre (ReAct) and Pratidhwani, Asian American actors telling Asian and Asian American stories by Asian American playwrights would be almost non-existent in Seattle. In the intervening five years, the Seattle theatre ecosystem has
harbored both monumental failures and unprecedented successes when it comes to the representations of Asians and Asian Americans on stage. The artists that work here—especially white arts administrators—still have a lot of work to do.
I grew up in Seattle, and our theatre scene has always been incredibly white. In the 1990s, a guide for actors wanting to work in towns like New York; Chicago; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C. and Seattle stated plainly that of all the cities covered in the book, Seattle was by
Josh Kenji and Mi Kang in Nadeshiko by Keiko Green, Sound Theatre Company, Spring 2017. Photo by Ken Holmes.
Asian Americans in Seattle Theatre
encoreartsseattle.com 3
© P
hilip
New
ton
COLORFUL FUNYoung love carries the day in Rossini’s hilarious prequel to The Marriage of Figaro. Featuring familiar, toe-tapping music from the iconic overture to a joyous finale, this vivacious, new-to-Seattle production dazzles with vibrant sets and costumes celebrating the sunny spirit of Spain.
A New Seattle Opera Co-Production In Italian with English subtitles. Evenings 7:30 PM Sundays 2:00 PM
Featuring the Seattle Opera Chorusand members of Seattle Symphony Orchestra.
MCCAW HALL206.389.7676SEATTLEOPERA.ORG/BARBER
rossini THE BARBER OF SEVILLE OCT 14-28
FAMILY DAY MATINEE: SUNDAY, OCT 22: STUDENT TICKETS JUST $15!Visit seattleopera.org/familyday for details
PRODUCTION SPONSOR: KREIELSHEIMER ENDOWMENT FUNDFAMILY DAY GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY CLASSICAL KING FM 98.1
far the most white on stage. The guide warned that it would be incredibly challenging for any actor of color to work here. It was a reality that actors of color in Seattle already knew, but most theatres remained unaware. Twenty years later, a series of events cracked the Seattle theatre scene wide open, uncovering a long-overdue conversation about race and lack of representation.
In 2014, the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society mounted a production of The Mikado. The Mikado is a Gilbert and Sullivan “comic operetta” from 1885. Even though the operetta is set in Japan, in the summer 2014 production, not a single actor was of Asian ancestry. Sharon Pian Chan of The Seattle Times called out the production's use of "yellow face," a term for having non-Asian actors made up to look stereotypically Asian, and incited a controversy. The local Asian American
The cast of Do It for Umma by Seayoung Yim. Photo by Dangerpants Photography.
These conversations made it apparent how divided Seattle was about race.
4 ENCORE STAGES
community protested, audience members told protestors to “Go back to where you came from,” and the conflict attracted national media attention. Locally, the controversy was contained primarily within the performing arts realm, but via social media and local radio, the conversation grew. These conversations made it apparent how divided Seattle was about race.
I felt an open conversation about race was vital for our community to create understanding and to move forward. I requested and was granted permission to quickly organize a community forum through my office, the City of Seattle’s Office of Arts & Culture, which we called “Artistic Freedom and Artistic Responsibility.” The evening featured a panel of theater artists, educators and activists and was done in partnership with the City’s Office for Civil Rights, 4Culture, and the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Through the discussion, it became clear that within Seattle’s theatre community two very different populations existed: people of color whose lived experience had long demonstrated to us that things were not equal and that the lack of representation and inclusion in the local theatre scene was palpably real, and many open-minded, progressive, white liberals who were shocked to discover that any of this was true.
Upcoming Productions Featuring Asian American Artists and Stories
• Intiman’s “Dragon Lady” by Sara Porkalob, September 5 – October 1
• Seattle Opera’s “An American Dream” with music by Jack Perla and libretto by Jessica Murphy Moo, September 7 – 17
• ACT’s “King of the Yees” by Lauren Yee, September 8 – October 1
• Kultura Arts’ “Mabuhay Majesty” by Robert Francis Flor, September 29 – 30
• Seattle Public Theater & SIS Productions’ “The World of Extreme Happiness” by Frances Ya-chu Cowhig, October 13 – November 5
• Seattle Public Theater’s “The Flight Before Xmas” by Maggie Lee, December 1 – 24
This page: The cast of Do It for Umma by Seayoung Yim. Photo by Dangerpants Photography.
Five years ago, the only production featuring Asian American protagonists not being produced by an Asian American theatre company was Annie Lareau’s adaptation of Jamie Ford’s novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet for Book-It Repertory Theatre. Between 2013 through early 2016, there were a handful of local productions that, while written by Asian American playwrights, did not feature any Asian Americans in the casting. But a study of the most recent theatre season and the one coming up reveals a distinctly hopeful trend.
In 2016, 16 productions in Seattle were either written by and/or featured Asian Americans as the leading protagonists, and of those almost 2/3 of them were produced by non-Asian American theatres. That’s a 400% increase in the number of Asian American productions since 2012. That count doesn’t include another hopeful trend: that many more Asian American actors were being cast in non-Asian specific roles. By the looks of the 2017 season, the upward trend is set to continue.
So what spurred this incredible growth? Several factors might be in play. After that 2014 convening, many local arts administrators realized that if they wanted to be perceived as truly inclusive, they needed to start
encoreartsseattle.com 5
making changes from the inside out. Many started participating in racial equity learning cohorts and trainings offered by the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Others joined a diversity and inclusion cohort through Theatre Puget Sound and led by Carmen Morgan, a much-respected activist and teacher, who helped the Oregon Shakespeare Festival transform itself towards becoming more of an anti-racist organization. Andrew Russell, soon-to-be Artistic Director Emeritus of Intiman, and Matthew Wright, Artistic Director at ArtsWest, credit color conscious casting workshops offered in early 2015 as opening their awareness about the lack of equity for actors of color. They both made a commitment and told the directors they hired to cast more diversely.
In fact, many theatres and directors started proactively seeking a greater diversity of actors and scripts and were surprised when the productions thrived at the box office. ArtsWest in association with SIS Productions produced Chinglish by David Henry Hwang in 2015 and sold out much of its run. Chinglish was the first Asian American play the company had produced and it ended up breaking their box office attendance for a non-musical show. Annex Theatre produced the world premiere of Seayoung Yim’s Do It for Umma in 2016 as an off-night production and had so many sold-out crowds that Yim and director Sara Porkalob ended up remounting it in partnership with the Theatre Off Jackson to accommodate everyone who wanted to see it. Yim went on to receive the 2016 Gregory Award for People’s Choice for Outstanding Play for her script.
What Seattle theatre companies discovered was that people were hungry for new stories and a greater diversity of representation on stage. When Chinglish was running, I was in line at a local deli in West Seattle, just down the street from ArtsWest, and the woman in front of me told the cashier all about
30 BREWERIESFOOD MUSIC10 CIDERIES
Located in the Historic Port of Anacortes Event Center
at 100 Commercial Avenue
Tickets available online at:anacortes.org/beer
OCTOBER 6 & 7
October13-29
Tickets: 206.842.8569 bainbridgeperformingarts.orgProduced by special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide.
Book by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott | Based on the Latent Image/Specific Films Motion Picture | Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Direction and Choreography by Jessica Low | Musical Direction by Brandon Peck | Costume Design by Barbara Klingberg
Suitable for mature audiences.
200 MADISON AVENUE NORTH
Take a journey to the heart of FABULOUS at Bainbridge Performing Arts on Bainbridge Island.
INTO THE WOODSNEWSIES
THE GIN GAMESTRING
HAIRSPRAY
VILLAGE THEATRE
2017-2018 SEASON
SPONSORED IN PART BY
SEP 14 – OCT 22ISSAQUAH
OCT 27 – NOV 19 EVERETT
(425) 392-2202 ISSAQUAH I (425) 257-8600 EVERETT I VILLAGETHEATRE.ORG
6 ENCORE STAGES
PRODUCTION
Scott Nolte, Producing Artistic
Director
Karen Lund, Associate Artistic
Director
Place: Princeton, New Jersey Time: December 9, 1949
SETTING
(In Order of Appearance)
CAST
DirectorScenic & Sound Design
Costume Design Lighting DesignStage Manager
DramaturgDialect Coach
Scott Nolte**Mark LundSarah Burch GordonBrian EngelShane UngerTina PolzinMarianna de Fazio
Relativity was commissioned by the Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota, FL.
**Member of the Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
*
Albert Einstein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dennis BatemanMargaret Harding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Candace VanceMiss Dukas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pam Nolte
*
Relativity is approximately 80 minutes with no intermission.
PLAYING IN THE JEWELL MAINSTAGE THEATRE
The National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of
By Mark St. Germain
Relativity is produced at Taproot Theatre Company as a part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Other partnering theaters are Florida Studio Theatre (Sarasota, FL), Riverside Theatre (Iowa City, IA), and Northlight Theatre
(Skokie, IL). For more information please visit www.nnpn.org.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2017 SEASON SUPPORTERS
DAVID ALLAIS,PRODUCING ARTISTIC
SPONSOR
RELATIVITY IS SPONSORED IN PART BY:
OPENING NIGHT SPONSOR:
THE UPPER CRUST
CHRISTOPHER & PATRICIA CRAIG,
SUPPORTING ARTISTIC SPONSOR
encoreartsprograms.com A-1
closed doors and imagining the discussions had by historical characters.
Relativity transports us to Albert Einstein’s office as a reporter digs into his secretive past. Einstein’s brilliance, elusiveness, humor and vanity are on full display. And while elements of the story are true, there’s room for conjecture, leaving us to discern the possibilities and motives behind real events.
Personally, I’m drawn to the question: can a great person also be a good person? Is it a dichotomy? If you justify the motivation to make great achievements, is it at the cost of your relationships? If you strive to be a good parent, spouse, partner or friend, are you restrained from greatness? What are you willing to sacrifice to excel at one or the other?
All of us at Taproot Theatre Company hope you enjoy the play. We’re grateful for your trust, attendance and support as we pursue stories that resonate with these times and your hearts. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Scott Producing Artistic Director
Welcome to the final production of our 2017 Jewell Mainstage Season! It’s been a great year to pursue stories of hope, truth and forgiveness through comedy, mystery and three world premieres.
Relativity, one of four Rolling World Premiere productions, came to us two years ago from our friend Mark St. Germain, the playwright of many scripts that we have produced including Freud’s Last Session, Best of Enemies and co-writer of The Fabulous Lipitones. Mark’s a prolific playwright with a special knack for exploring what might’ve happened behind
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
A-2 TAPROOT THEATRE COMPANY
THEUPPERCRUSTCATERING.COM
206-783-1826
Serving the greater Puget Sound area
Full-service catering available for corporate functions, weddings,
fundraisers, memorials, celebrations, and private parties of all sizes.
You have the power to help kids solve the mystery of bullying prevention.
In elementary, middle and high schools across the country, students face exclusion and harassment from their peers every day. With the rise of social media, bullying looks different than it did ten years ago – but it’s just as prevalent. Victims of bullying behavior often suffer lower self-confidence and have a harder time succeeding in school. Many kids want to make their schools a safer place, but they don’t always know how.
Thankfully, you can take the mystery out of bullying prevention by partnering with Taproot’s Road Company.Your investment in the Road Company gives students the tools to stand up for themselves and for each other. Every day, the Road Company partners with local schools to bring fun, educational plays about bullying prevention to students using the Committee for Children’s Second Step curriculum. They teach students how to shine the light on bullying behavior, making school a safer and more respectful place.
But they can only do it with your help.
Last school year, donors like you sent the Road Company to more than 116,000 students. Will you make a gift today to reach even more this year?
VISIT | taproottheatre.org/donate CALL | 206.529.3672 EMAIL | [email protected]
Taproot Theatre’s Road Company in The Case of the Missing Friends.
encoreartsprograms.com A-3
MARK LUND (Scenic & Sound Design) has designed over 100 TTC shows, including Persuasion, Busman’s Honeymoon, Room Service and many, many others. Other design work includes Seattle Shakes, Book-It and award-winning short films. Mark is also a voice over actor for Radio/TV, industrials and gaming clients including Nintendo, The North Face and T-Mobile. Love to Karen, Hannah & Jake.
SCOTT NOLTE (Producing Artistic Director) is a co-founder and the Producing Artistic Director of TTC. Over the course of 41 years, he’s directed plays ranging from The Odyssey to Smoke on the Mountain and more recently Evidence of Things Unseen, The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge, Joyful Noise, Big Fish, Dracula, Best of Enemies, Appalachian Christmas Homecoming and The Whipping Man for TTC. He has participated in several new-play development projects, is past president of Theatre Puget Sound and is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
TINA POLZIN (Dramaturg) has her MFA in directing from UW. She’s received grants from the city of Seattle and SPU to direct bilingual multidisciplinary interpretations of plays that encourage communication as a means of problem solving. She is currently working on a television series, fingers crossed. She is happy to be back at Taproot and working on this new play. Thanks to Mike for all his support.
MARK ST. GERMAIN (Playwright) has written the plays Freud’s Last Session (Off Broadway Alliance Award), Camping with Henry and Tom (Outer Critics Circle Award & Lucille Lortel Award), Forgiving Typhoid Mary, Dancing Lessons, Becoming Dr. Ruth, Best of Enemies, Ears on a Beatle, Scott and Hem and Out of Gas on Lover’s Leap. He is an alumnus of New Dramatists, where he was given the Joe A. Callaway Award, a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Writer’s Guild East and an Associate Artist at the Barrington Stage Company. He was awarded the “New Voices In American Theatre” award at the William Inge Theatre Festival.
SHANE UNGER (Stage Manager) is happy to be spending his fall with Taproot after working as the Production Manager for Summer Studio camps this past summer. Last season, he was the stage manager for The Realization of Emily Linder. He has worked with various companies around Seattle including Seattle Shakespeare Company, The 5th Avenue Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre Festival and Seattle Public Theater. Shane received his BFA in Stage Management from Syracuse University.
NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK (NNPN) is the country’s alliance of non-profit professional theaters dedicated to the development, production, and continued life of new plays. Since its founding in 1998, NNPN has supported more than 250 productions nationwide through its innovative National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere program, which provides playwright and production support for new works at its Member theaters. Additional programs - its annual National Conference, National Showcase of New Plays, and MFA Playwrights Workshop; the NNPN Annual and Smith Prize commissions; its residencies for playwrights, producers and directors; and the organization’s member accessed Collaboration, Festival, and Travel banks
DENNIS BATEMAN (Albert Einstein) is thrilled to make his TTC debut. Among many roles nationwide, he’s been a singing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Fairy Stories; Matthew in Anne of Green Gables (Village); and Harry Truman in Whispering Ghosts (Bathhouse). Guest-star on TNT’s LEVERAGE; featured in Northern Exposure, The Fugitive, and films
Men of Honor, and Take My Advice as legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow. Love to Carol, Casey & Liam.
PAM NOLTE (Miss Dukas) is delighted to return to Taproot’s stage where she last appeared in Busman’s Honeymoon. Favorite TTC shows of the recent past include featured roles in Joyful Noise, The Matchmaker, Dracula, Jane Eyre, Doubt, The Odyssey, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol
and The Importance of Being Earnest. Favorites on other stages include A lesson from Aloes with Thalia’s Umbrella, Persuasion and Cry the Beloved Country at Book-It Rep, and Amadeus and A Wedding Story at Seattle Public Theatre. Pam leads Taproot’s work utilizing theatre skills to benefit individuals experiencing Early Stage Memory Loss.
CANDACE VANCE (Margaret Harding) has been seen on many of Seattle’s professional stages: Taproot Theatre Company (Lady Chiltern in An Ideal Husband, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, among many others), Seattle Public Theater (Footlight awards for The Language Archive and The 13th of Paris), Seattle Shakespeare
Company, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre and Repertory Actors Theatre, among others. Ms. Vance has also enjoyed working internationally, particularly as Julieta in the National Tour/Spain of Romeo y Julieta, and most recently in The Quality of Mercy: A Tour of Love through Shakespeare’s Words in Paris, France. Bisous à Sam, Max, Echo et Zoe.
BRIAN ENGEL (Lighting Design) Some of his recent designs for TTC include: Evidence of Things Unseen, Joyful Noise and Dracula. Brian received his MFA in Lighting Design from the University of Maryland. He currently works as the Lighting Supervisor for Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington.
MARIANNA DE FAZIO (Dialect Coach) coaches presentations and accent modification for professionals and dialect at theaters around Seattle, including SPU, Book-it Rep, Seattle Public Theatre and over 10 productions here at Taproot. Trained as an actor, you can see her onstage in A Civil War Christmas. MFA: UW. www.mariannadefazio.com
SARAH BURCH GORDON (Costume Design) is the Costume Shop Manager at Seattle Children’s Theatre. She has designed 75+ shows for Taproot in the past twelve years. Regionally, Sarah has also designed for TAG, SART, Stage West Theatre, Brick Playhouse and Venture Theatre. She was nominated for a 2016 Gregory Award. Her MFA is from Temple University. Petunias and Parsnips to Puppy.
THE COMPANY OF RELATIVITYand online information sessions - have helped cement the Network’s position as a vital force in the new play landscape. NNPN also strives to pioneer, implement, and disseminate ideas and programs that revolutionize the way theaters collaborate to support new plays and playwrights. Its most recent project, the New Play Exchange, is changing the way playwrights share their work and others discover it by providing immediate access to information on more than 13,500 new plays by living writers. NNPN’s 30 Core and 80 Associate Members - along with the more than 250 affiliated artists who are its alumni, the thousands of artists and artisans employed annually by its member theaters, and the hundreds of thousands of audience members who see its supported works each year - are creating the new American theater. nnpn.org
THE COMPANY
REL ATIVIT Y STAFFPRODUCTION STAFF
AidanFinn Poteet - Assistant Stage Manager Kyna Shilling - Props Master Emily Dobbs - Props Intern
COSTUME STAFF
AidanFinn Poteet - Dresser Kaidi Williams - Stitcher
SCENIC, LIGHTING & SOUND STAFF
Kyna Shilling - Master ElectricianKathryn Louise - Light Board Operator Shane Unger - Sound Board Operator
Tim Samland - Scenic CarpenterDaniel Cole, Alex Grennan, Baylie Heims,
Alex LeConte, Nick McCulloch - Electrics Crew
NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE OCT 3
2018 SEASON
2018 Jewell Mainstage season brochures are available in the lobby.
“As the founder and chairman of a technology based business, I have experienced the intensity of work taking precedence over family. Thus, I am intrigued by this play’s portrayal of this classic conflict in the life of Albert Einstein.”
David Allais, PhD Founder & Chairman, PathGuide
3 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE:1. Online - Visit taproottheatre.org/subscribe2. By Mail - Send your form by mail3. In Person - Drop your form at the Box Office
BENEFITS OF SUBSCRIBING:• Save 40% over Single Tickets• Free Exchanges• Discounts on additional tickets and
select Isaac Studio productions• Discounts at local businesses
A NOTE FROM RELATIVITY’S PRODUCING ARTISTIC SPONSOR
MARK LUND (Scenic & Sound Design) has designed over 100 TTC shows, including Persuasion, Busman’s Honeymoon, Room Service and many, many others. Other design work includes Seattle Shakes, Book-It and award-winning short films. Mark is also a voice over actor for Radio/TV, industrials and gaming clients including Nintendo, The North Face and T-Mobile. Love to Karen, Hannah & Jake.
SCOTT NOLTE (Producing Artistic Director) is a co-founder and the Producing Artistic Director of TTC. Over the course of 41 years, he’s directed plays ranging from The Odyssey to Smoke on the Mountain and more recently Evidence of Things Unseen, The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge, Joyful Noise, Big Fish, Dracula, Best of Enemies, Appalachian Christmas Homecoming and The Whipping Man for TTC. He has participated in several new-play development projects, is past president of Theatre Puget Sound and is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
TINA POLZIN (Dramaturg) has her MFA in directing from UW. She’s received grants from the city of Seattle and SPU to direct bilingual multidisciplinary interpretations of plays that encourage communication as a means of problem solving. She is currently working on a television series, fingers crossed. She is happy to be back at Taproot and working on this new play. Thanks to Mike for all his support.
MARK ST. GERMAIN (Playwright) has written the plays Freud’s Last Session (Off Broadway Alliance Award), Camping with Henry and Tom (Outer Critics Circle Award & Lucille Lortel Award), Forgiving Typhoid Mary, Dancing Lessons, Becoming Dr. Ruth, Best of Enemies, Ears on a Beatle, Scott and Hem and Out of Gas on Lover’s Leap. He is an alumnus of New Dramatists, where he was given the Joe A. Callaway Award, a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Writer’s Guild East and an Associate Artist at the Barrington Stage Company. He was awarded the “New Voices In American Theatre” award at the William Inge Theatre Festival.
SHANE UNGER (Stage Manager) is happy to be spending his fall with Taproot after working as the Production Manager for Summer Studio camps this past summer. Last season, he was the stage manager for The Realization of Emily Linder. He has worked with various companies around Seattle including Seattle Shakespeare Company, The 5th Avenue Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre Festival and Seattle Public Theater. Shane received his BFA in Stage Management from Syracuse University.
NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK (NNPN) is the country’s alliance of non-profit professional theaters dedicated to the development, production, and continued life of new plays. Since its founding in 1998, NNPN has supported more than 250 productions nationwide through its innovative National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere program, which provides playwright and production support for new works at its Member theaters. Additional programs - its annual National Conference, National Showcase of New Plays, and MFA Playwrights Workshop; the NNPN Annual and Smith Prize commissions; its residencies for playwrights, producers and directors; and the organization’s member accessed Collaboration, Festival, and Travel banks
DENNIS BATEMAN (Albert Einstein) is thrilled to make his TTC debut. Among many roles nationwide, he’s been a singing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Fairy Stories; Matthew in Anne of Green Gables (Village); and Harry Truman in Whispering Ghosts (Bathhouse). Guest-star on TNT’s LEVERAGE; featured in Northern Exposure, The Fugitive, and films
Men of Honor, and Take My Advice as legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow. Love to Carol, Casey & Liam.
PAM NOLTE (Miss Dukas) is delighted to return to Taproot’s stage where she last appeared in Busman’s Honeymoon. Favorite TTC shows of the recent past include featured roles in Joyful Noise, The Matchmaker, Dracula, Jane Eyre, Doubt, The Odyssey, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol
and The Importance of Being Earnest. Favorites on other stages include A lesson from Aloes with Thalia’s Umbrella, Persuasion and Cry the Beloved Country at Book-It Rep, and Amadeus and A Wedding Story at Seattle Public Theatre. Pam leads Taproot’s work utilizing theatre skills to benefit individuals experiencing Early Stage Memory Loss.
CANDACE VANCE (Margaret Harding) has been seen on many of Seattle’s professional stages: Taproot Theatre Company (Lady Chiltern in An Ideal Husband, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, among many others), Seattle Public Theater (Footlight awards for The Language Archive and The 13th of Paris), Seattle Shakespeare
Company, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre and Repertory Actors Theatre, among others. Ms. Vance has also enjoyed working internationally, particularly as Julieta in the National Tour/Spain of Romeo y Julieta, and most recently in The Quality of Mercy: A Tour of Love through Shakespeare’s Words in Paris, France. Bisous à Sam, Max, Echo et Zoe.
BRIAN ENGEL (Lighting Design) Some of his recent designs for TTC include: Evidence of Things Unseen, Joyful Noise and Dracula. Brian received his MFA in Lighting Design from the University of Maryland. He currently works as the Lighting Supervisor for Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington.
MARIANNA DE FAZIO (Dialect Coach) coaches presentations and accent modification for professionals and dialect at theaters around Seattle, including SPU, Book-it Rep, Seattle Public Theatre and over 10 productions here at Taproot. Trained as an actor, you can see her onstage in A Civil War Christmas. MFA: UW. www.mariannadefazio.com
SARAH BURCH GORDON (Costume Design) is the Costume Shop Manager at Seattle Children’s Theatre. She has designed 75+ shows for Taproot in the past twelve years. Regionally, Sarah has also designed for TAG, SART, Stage West Theatre, Brick Playhouse and Venture Theatre. She was nominated for a 2016 Gregory Award. Her MFA is from Temple University. Petunias and Parsnips to Puppy.
THE COMPANY OF RELATIVITYand online information sessions - have helped cement the Network’s position as a vital force in the new play landscape. NNPN also strives to pioneer, implement, and disseminate ideas and programs that revolutionize the way theaters collaborate to support new plays and playwrights. Its most recent project, the New Play Exchange, is changing the way playwrights share their work and others discover it by providing immediate access to information on more than 13,500 new plays by living writers. NNPN’s 30 Core and 80 Associate Members - along with the more than 250 affiliated artists who are its alumni, the thousands of artists and artisans employed annually by its member theaters, and the hundreds of thousands of audience members who see its supported works each year - are creating the new American theater. nnpn.org
THE COMPANY
REL ATIVIT Y STAFFPRODUCTION STAFF
AidanFinn Poteet - Assistant Stage Manager Kyna Shilling - Props Master Emily Dobbs - Props Intern
COSTUME STAFF
AidanFinn Poteet - Dresser Kaidi Williams - Stitcher
SCENIC, LIGHTING & SOUND STAFF
Kyna Shilling - Master ElectricianKathryn Louise - Light Board Operator Shane Unger - Sound Board Operator
Tim Samland - Scenic CarpenterDaniel Cole, Alex Grennan, Baylie Heims,
Alex LeConte, Nick McCulloch - Electrics Crew
NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE OCT 3
2018 SEASON
2018 Jewell Mainstage season brochures are available in the lobby.
“As the founder and chairman of a technology based business, I have experienced the intensity of work taking precedence over family. Thus, I am intrigued by this play’s portrayal of this classic conflict in the life of Albert Einstein.”
David Allais, PhD Founder & Chairman, PathGuide
3 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE:1. Online - Visit taproottheatre.org/subscribe2. By Mail - Send your form by mail3. In Person - Drop your form at the Box Office
BENEFITS OF SUBSCRIBING:• Save 40% over Single Tickets• Free Exchanges• Discounts on additional tickets and
select Isaac Studio productions• Discounts at local businesses
A NOTE FROM RELATIVITY’S PRODUCING ARTISTIC SPONSOR
encoreartsprograms.com A-5
FROM THE PLAYWRIGHTIn 1902, Albert and Mileva Einstein had a baby daughter.
After 1904, she was never seen or spoken of again.
Immediately after reading this I knew I’d be attempting to write a play to ask, “Why?”
The existence of Lieserl Einstein only became public knowledge after Einstein’s death with the discovery of letters between him and his first wife, Mileva. Their daughter was born, their daughter contracted scarlet fever, and her parents worried about what would become of her.
After that, mystery.
In her book, “EINSTEIN’S DAUGHTER,” Artist and Author Michelle Zackheim tried to find the definitive answer to this question without success. Instead, she found many theories Einstein scholars developed after learning of Lieserl’s existence. She was adopted by the Savic family, friends of the Einsteins. She entered a convent. She lived a long life in California never knowing who her birth parents were. She died of scarlet fever.
The last possibility I discounted.
When learning from London colleagues that a young woman was introducing herself as his daughter, Einstein didn’t dismiss her as he would a child who had died. Instead, he hired a Private Investigator. The only reason to employ the detective, I thought, had to be that Einstein was unsure if it was Lieserl. That she lived.
With that thought, I began developing my own scenario of events which were the foundation of my play relativity and researching the genius whose dark sides were never seen by those who held him in awe.
Is relativity conclusive? Only dramatically. Will we ever have a definitive answer? Albert Einstein answers that in his own words:
Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.
But I keep in mind one more Einstein quote, even as I write this:
Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.
~ Mark St. Germain
BOARD OF DIRECTORSOFFICERS
Steve Thomas, ChairPeter Morrill, Vice Chair
Anne Ball, SecretaryDenise Daniels, Treasurer
MEMBERS
Larry BjorkMark BullardAmanda Woodward DavisJude HubbellDr. George ScrantonDan VoetmannRob ZawoyskyScott Nolte (non-voting)
www.systemsixbookkeeping.com 206-851-4330
Providing business owners peace of mind through strategic bookkeeping and accounting solutions.
Pleased to be partnering with Taproot Theatre
ARTISTIC/PRODUCTION
Scott Nolte - Producing Artistic Director Karen Lund - Associate Artistic Director Mark Lund - Design Director Abigail Pishaw - Production Stage ManagerLauren Karbowski - Wardrobe SupervisorKyna Shilling - Production Associate
PATRON SERVICES
Jenny Cross - Patron Services Manager Alex Holliday, Lindsay Long, Zeapoe Matalda, Cathie Rohrig, Dave Selvig, Kyna Shilling, Anne Tobin, Danny Walter - House ManagersKristi Matthews - Box Office ManagerTiffany Bailey - Box Office Lead Lori Hunt - Subscription LeadLori Hunt, Hannah Lund, Charis Tobias, JD Walker - Box Office Representatives Marty Gordon - Custodian
DEVELOPMENT
Bonita Hagbom - Director of DevelopmentSonja Lowe - Grant Writer & Resident Dramaturg
ADMINISTRATIVE
Pam Nolte - Community LiaisonD. Lee Grooms - Finance & Operations DirectorNikki Visel - Marketing DirectorTanya Barber Dugas - Creative Design ManagerIsaiah Custer - Communications & Group Sales ManagerJosh Krupke - Marketing Assistant
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Shelby Parsons - Director of Education & Outreach Sam Vance - Touring DirectorLindsey Long - Education & Outreach AssociateJenny Cross - Resident Teaching Artist
TAPROOT THEATRE STAFF
GIVE WHILE
YOU SHOP!
DID YOU KNOW THAT CERTAIN RETAILERS WILL DONATE A PORTION OF THEIR PROFITS TO THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE?
The next time you’re on Amazon.com, try using Amazon Smile, and select Taproot Theatre as your preferred charity.
Prefer to shop locally? Use your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to benefit Taproot. Our non-profit number is 93568.
Taproot Theatre Company is a professional, non-profit theatre with a multifaceted production
program. Founded in 1976, TTC serves the Pacific Northwest with touring productions, Jewell
Mainstage and Isaac Studio Theatre productions and the Acting Studio. Taproot is a member of Theatre
Communications Group (TCG), Theatre Puget Sound (TPS) and the Phinney Neighborhood Association.
Taproot Theatre Company creates theatre experiences to brighten the spirit, engage the mind and deepen the understanding of the world around us while inspiring imagination,
conversation and hope.
Mailing Address: PO Box 30946
Seattle, Washington 98113-0946
Administrative Offices: 206.781.9705
Fax: 206.297.6882
Box Office: 206.781.9707
taproottheatre.orgfacebook.com/taproottheatre
@taproottheatre
@taproottheatre
A-6 TAPROOT THEATRE COMPANY
FROM THE PLAYWRIGHTIn 1902, Albert and Mileva Einstein had a baby daughter.
After 1904, she was never seen or spoken of again.
Immediately after reading this I knew I’d be attempting to write a play to ask, “Why?”
The existence of Lieserl Einstein only became public knowledge after Einstein’s death with the discovery of letters between him and his first wife, Mileva. Their daughter was born, their daughter contracted scarlet fever, and her parents worried about what would become of her.
After that, mystery.
In her book, “EINSTEIN’S DAUGHTER,” Artist and Author Michelle Zackheim tried to find the definitive answer to this question without success. Instead, she found many theories Einstein scholars developed after learning of Lieserl’s existence. She was adopted by the Savic family, friends of the Einsteins. She entered a convent. She lived a long life in California never knowing who her birth parents were. She died of scarlet fever.
The last possibility I discounted.
When learning from London colleagues that a young woman was introducing herself as his daughter, Einstein didn’t dismiss her as he would a child who had died. Instead, he hired a Private Investigator. The only reason to employ the detective, I thought, had to be that Einstein was unsure if it was Lieserl. That she lived.
With that thought, I began developing my own scenario of events which were the foundation of my play relativity and researching the genius whose dark sides were never seen by those who held him in awe.
Is relativity conclusive? Only dramatically. Will we ever have a definitive answer? Albert Einstein answers that in his own words:
Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.
But I keep in mind one more Einstein quote, even as I write this:
Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.
~ Mark St. Germain
BOARD OF DIRECTORSOFFICERS
Steve Thomas, ChairPeter Morrill, Vice Chair
Anne Ball, SecretaryDenise Daniels, Treasurer
MEMBERS
Larry BjorkMark BullardAmanda Woodward DavisJude HubbellDr. George ScrantonDan VoetmannRob ZawoyskyScott Nolte (non-voting)
www.systemsixbookkeeping.com 206-851-4330
Providing business owners peace of mind through strategic bookkeeping and accounting solutions.
Pleased to be partnering with Taproot Theatre
ARTISTIC/PRODUCTION
Scott Nolte - Producing Artistic Director Karen Lund - Associate Artistic Director Mark Lund - Design Director Abigail Pishaw - Production Stage ManagerLauren Karbowski - Wardrobe SupervisorKyna Shilling - Production Associate
PATRON SERVICES
Jenny Cross - Patron Services Manager Alex Holliday, Lindsay Long, Zeapoe Matalda, Cathie Rohrig, Dave Selvig, Kyna Shilling, Anne Tobin, Danny Walter - House ManagersKristi Matthews - Box Office ManagerTiffany Bailey - Box Office Lead Lori Hunt - Subscription LeadLori Hunt, Hannah Lund, Charis Tobias, JD Walker - Box Office Representatives Marty Gordon - Custodian
DEVELOPMENT
Bonita Hagbom - Director of DevelopmentSonja Lowe - Grant Writer & Resident Dramaturg
ADMINISTRATIVE
Pam Nolte - Community LiaisonD. Lee Grooms - Finance & Operations DirectorNikki Visel - Marketing DirectorTanya Barber Dugas - Creative Design ManagerIsaiah Custer - Communications & Group Sales ManagerJosh Krupke - Marketing Assistant
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Shelby Parsons - Director of Education & Outreach Sam Vance - Touring DirectorLindsey Long - Education & Outreach AssociateJenny Cross - Resident Teaching Artist
TAPROOT THEATRE STAFF
GIVE WHILE
YOU SHOP!
DID YOU KNOW THAT CERTAIN RETAILERS WILL DONATE A PORTION OF THEIR PROFITS TO THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE?
The next time you’re on Amazon.com, try using Amazon Smile, and select Taproot Theatre as your preferred charity.
Prefer to shop locally? Use your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to benefit Taproot. Our non-profit number is 93568.
Taproot Theatre Company is a professional, non-profit theatre with a multifaceted production
program. Founded in 1976, TTC serves the Pacific Northwest with touring productions, Jewell
Mainstage and Isaac Studio Theatre productions and the Acting Studio. Taproot is a member of Theatre
Communications Group (TCG), Theatre Puget Sound (TPS) and the Phinney Neighborhood Association.
Taproot Theatre Company creates theatre experiences to brighten the spirit, engage the mind and deepen the understanding of the world around us while inspiring imagination,
conversation and hope.
Mailing Address: PO Box 30946
Seattle, Washington 98113-0946
Administrative Offices: 206.781.9705
Fax: 206.297.6882
Box Office: 206.781.9707
taproottheatre.orgfacebook.com/taproottheatre
@taproottheatre
@taproottheatre
encoreartsprograms.com A-7
THANK YOU
INDIVIDUAL DONORS
Angels ($10,000 +) John & Ann Collier ∙ Alan & Carol Gibson ∙ Hoots & Thomas ∙ Glenna Kendall ∙ Mark & Karen Lund ∙ George & Alyssa Petrie ∙ Richal & Karen Smith ∙ Anonymous
Marquee ($5,000 - $9,999) David Allais ∙ David & Anne Ball ∙ Larry & Lorann Bjork ∙ Fay & Russell Cheetham ∙ Amanda & Ben Davis ∙ Gary & Deborah Ferguson ∙ Kraig & Pam Kennedy ∙ Peter & Megumi Morrill ∙ Patrick & Mary Mulva ∙ Erik & Tamara Nelson ∙ G.M. & Holly Roe ∙ George A. & Claire E. Scranton ∙ Robert L. Smith ∙ Daniel & Margret Voetmann ∙ Daniel & Joann Wilson
Producers ($2,500 - $4,999) Fil & Holly Alleva ∙ Russell & Janice Ashleman ∙ Craig & Denise Daniels Barwell ∙ Gary Brunt ∙ Tom & Linda Burley ∙ Cliff & Char Burns ∙ Paul & Phyllis Davis ∙ Juan & Kristine Espinoza ∙ Carolyn Hanson ∙ Dorothy Herley ∙ Wayne & Naomi Holmes ∙ Karen Koon ∙ Fred & Carolyn Marcinek ∙ George & Joy Myers ∙ Scott & Pam Nolte ∙ Bruce & Cynthia Parks ∙ Brian & Christa Poel ∙ Ralph & Joan Prins ∙ Nicholas Roberts ∙ Dr. Sarah Roskam ∙ Susan Rutherford, MD ∙ Kathryn Sand ∙ James & Joan White ∙ Wyman Youth Trust
Directors ($1,000 - $2,499) Mr. Daniel Adent ∙ Timothy Bean ∙ Jeff & Anjie Berryman ∙ Inez Noble Black ∙ Melvin & Cordelia Brady ∙ Mary Anne Braund & Steve Pellegrin ∙ Mark Bullard ∙ Cline Jewelers ∙ Alan & Gail Coburn ∙ James & Kay Coghlan ∙ Blaine & Susan Coppin ∙ Stephen & Susanne Daley ∙ Paul & Jean DeGroot ∙ Brendan Dixon ∙ David & Caroline Dufault ∙ Gary & Juelle Edwards ∙ Marion Fisher ∙ Lee Fitchett ∙ Flora A Coghlan Family Trust ∙ Leona Foley ∙ Michael & Karen Frazier ∙ Sean & Catherine Gaffney ∙ Paul & Ruth Goddard ∙ William Gowen ∙ Mr. William Hall, Jr. ∙ Charles Hartung ∙ Mark & Susan Hornor ∙ Loren & Isobel Hostek ∙ John & Judith Hubbell ∙ Mike & Barb Jewell ∙ Bill Johns ∙ Jeffrey & Sue Anne Johnson ∙ Eric & Julie Johnson ∙ Sandy Johnson ∙ Ann Kalas ∙ Mark & Mary Kelly ∙ Robert & Lisa Kutter ∙ Susan LaMar ∙ Frank Lawler & Ann McCurdy ∙ Ben & Donna Lipsky ∙ Harry & Linda Macrae ∙ Gary & Nancy Massingill ∙ Scott & Mary Matthews ∙ Robert & Roberta McBride ∙ Tom & Jean Mohrweis ∙ Kim & Dana Moore ∙ Dr. Les & Carol Nelson ∙ Lloyd & Jackie Nolte ∙ Craig & Deanna Norsen ∙ Gordon & Mary Nygard ∙ Mary Pagels ∙ Thom Parham ∙ Jeff & Joann Parrish ∙ Kathryn Pearson ∙ Roy & Janice Petersen ∙ Greg & Megan Pursell ∙ Tom & Claudia Rengstorf ∙ Vic & Kristine Rennie ∙ Arnold Rollins ∙ Lawrence & Nancy Rudolph ∙ Ron & Susan Runyon ∙ Dion & Gregory Rurik ∙ Ron & Virginia Sather ∙ Edward & Bonnie Schein ∙ Norman & Eden Sellers ∙ Todd & Teresa Silver ∙ Ronald & Dorita Smith ∙ Charles & Marilyn Snow ∙ Loren & Carol Steinhauer ∙ Edwin & Kathy Sterner ∙ Katie Hong & Harold Taw ∙ Beverly Taylor & Jack Stevenson ∙ Thalia`s Umbrella ∙ Jeff & Margie Van Duzer ∙ Jewely Van Valin ∙ Daryl & Claudia Vander Pol ∙ Fred & Judy Volkers ∙ Larry & Linda Williams ∙ Jean Winfield ∙ Gary Woods ∙ Robert & Maree Zawoysky ∙ Anonymous (6)
Playwrights ($500 - $999) Thomas & Linda Ackerman ∙ Allan & Anne Affleck ∙ Mike & Shirley Allert ∙ Jim Angerer ∙ Carol A. Beard ∙ Geraldine Beatty ∙ Margaret Blau ∙ James & Melinda Bohrer ∙ David R. Bunting ∙ Chris & Amanda Chin ∙ Wayne & Greta Clousing ∙ James & Janis Cobb ∙ Todd Currie ∙ Bob Quick & Judy Cushman ∙ Sue Daley ∙ Bruce & Glyn Devereaux ∙ Dennis & Deborah Deyoung ∙ Dale & Vicki Dvorak ∙ Kristine Engels ∙ A Etter ∙ Rick & Marla Evans ∙ Gary & Aleta Franks ∙ Charles Gardner ∙ Carl & Pat Giurgevich ∙ John & Sally Glancy ∙ Linda Glenicki ∙ ‘Rick Gray ∙ Robert Greco ∙ Kirsten Gunning ∙ Susan Haugen ∙ Peter & Anne Haverhals ∙ Henry & Lauren Heerschap ∙ Jonathan Henke ∙ David & Mary Kay Hilmoe ∙ Giulia Johnson ∙ Mora Johnson ∙ David & Kristine Jung ∙ Paul Kassen ∙ James & Cristie Kearny ∙ Richard Klingele ∙ Edward & Mary Lou Knappe ∙ John & Jean Krueger ∙ Cody & Beth Lillstrom ∙ Laura Markley ∙ Charles & Carol Maurer ∙ Bob & Karolyn McDaniel ∙ Lee & Janet McElvaine ∙ Christe & Bruce McMenomy ∙ Don & Kim Morris ∙ Linda & Tom Morris ∙ Kim Namba ∙ Bryce & Bonnie Nelson ∙ Craig & Linda Nolte ∙ Tom & Sue North ∙ John & Lucy Nylander ∙ Joseph & Linda Peritore ∙ Mark & Camille Peterson ∙ William & Jodie Purcell ∙ Patricia Putnam ∙ Frederick & Caroline Scheetz ∙ David & Joan Selvig ∙ Kitty Slagle ∙ Nancy Rutherford Sleight ∙ Angela & Dave Smith ∙ BJ Smyth & Monica Herley ∙ Victoria Sutter ∙ Larry & Mary Ruth Thomas ∙ Curtis Urben ∙ Dale Voth ∙ Janet G. West ∙ Linda Whittlesey ∙ David & Ann Woodward ∙ Cpt Ryan & Leah Yoke ∙ Anonymous (2)
Taproot Theatre gratefully acknowledges the following for their generous support of our Annual Fund and Capital Campaign. This list reflects gifts made to both funds between July 20, 2016 and August 21, 2017. While space limitations prevent us from including every donor, we are pleased to present a more extensive list on the front wall of our lower lobby. If you have any questions or would like more information about making a tax-deductible gift to Taproot Theatre Company (a 501c3 organization), please contact Sonja Lowe at 206.529.3672 or [email protected].
INSTITUTIONAL DONORS$10,000 +
$5,000 - $9,999
Moccasin Lake Foundation
University-Ballard Lions Club
The Norcliffe Foundation
M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Fredric Sjoholm,Trustee, Margery M. Jones Trust
Anonymous
$2,500 - $4,999Horizons Foundation ∙ Puyallup Tribe of Indians ∙ Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund ∙ Verity Credit Union ∙ Washington State
Arts Commission
$1,000 - $2,499D.V. & Ida J. McEachern Charitable
Trust ∙ Kelly Foundation of Washington ∙ Magnolia United Church of Christ ∙ Puget
Sound Energy ∙ St. John’s Lodge #9
$500 -$999Dupar Foundation
HELPFUL INFORMATIONFOOD & DRINK
Non-Alcoholic Beverages from One Cup Coffee Co. at the Stage Door Café are allowed in the theatre in disposable paper or plastic cups with lids.
Alcoholic Beverages: Beer and wine from One Cup Coffee Co. at the Stage Door Café are allowed in the theatre ONLY in reusable Taproot acrylic tumblers which can be purchased from the Café. In compliance with state liquor laws only alcoholic beverages may be served in these tumblers. Food is not permitted in either theatre.
DRAMATURG DISPLAY
Visit the Jewell Mainstage upper lobby to view a display with additional information relating to the current production on the Jewell Mainstage.
ASSISTED LISTENING DEVICES
Patrons desiring an assisted listening device may request one from the House Manager. The Hearing Loop is available in the Jewell Mainstage Theatre.
LOST & FOUND
If you have lost an item, check with the Box Office in person or by phone at 206.781.9707. If you find a lost item, please give it to the House Manager or Box Office staff. Unclaimed lost & found items may be donated to a thrift store at the discretion of management.
PROP/SET/COSTUME DONATIONS
Sorry, no prop, set or costume donations are being accepted at this time.
VIDEO AND/OR AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS PERFORMANCE BY ANY MEANS WHATSOEVER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
A-8 TAPROOT THEATRE COMPANY
the production, saying, “I’ve been to a number of shows there, but this was the first time I saw so many people of all nationalities and languages there. It was so cool! We were all laughing at the same things!”
Theatre has the power to bring people together, in one place, so we can experience our common humanity together. A greater diversity of stories gives people the opportunity to learn about other people, not only what makes us each unique, but also what is universal and connects us. Local actor Josh Kenji, recently seen in Sound Theatre’s Nadeshiko explains, “Theatre helps to cultivate compassion. If we only see stories of white people, we only cultivate compassion for white people.”
When people of color see other people of color on stage, it signals that we are
included, that our lives matter, too. I remember seeing my first stage play when I was 14. I was enthralled. It was pure magic, and from that moment, I knew theatre would always be a part of my life. But it wasn’t until I saw a production of a Japanese folktale at the Seattle Children’s Theatre, where all the
actors looked like me, that I actually believed in the possibility that I, too, could be on that stage and not simply sit in the dark and watch others do what I wanted to do.
Khanh Doan, who can be seen in ACT’s upcoming King of the Yees, knows what it feels like to be on the other side of that equation. “When I’m performing at the Children’s Theatre, and I look out at the audience and see young Asian American kids looking up at me, seeing someone who looks like them, that’s worth everything.”
If we want to create true equity in this country, then we need to start by letting all people see themselves fully and regularly in these spaces. “Theatre is innately a democratic practice, and Democracy finds its roots in theatre,” elaborates Kenji. “Both are not being fully realized in the civic realm if they are excluding
When people of color see other people of color on stage, it signals that we are included, that our lives matter, too.
Malie Wong and Greg Lyle in Nadeshiko by Keiko Green. Sound Theatre Company. Photo by Ken Holmes.
encoreartsseattle.com 7
entire populations.” We need a constant stream of diverse stories; single stories lead to stereotypes. Many stories, with multi-faceted characters, leads to greater cross-cultural understanding of each other and of ourselves. Diverse representation on our stages is one important part of creating a more equitable civic culture.
We’ve come a long way from having only a single David Henry Hwang play or Madame Butterfly opera once every decade on Seattle’s largest stages. But even with the recent upward trend, Asian American productions still only represented 8% of all the productions in Seattle in 2016. That doesn’t reflect the demographic of our city: 17.1% of Seattle’s population is Asian American/Pacific Islander, so we still have much further to go before our worlds on-stage reflect our city beyond the theatre walls. It’s vital for larger companies with greater resources to partner with the smaller people of color led theatre companies, not only to ensure greater cultural authenticity, but as a way of disrupting the inequitable systems in place, so that we can create a more vibrant theatre ecosystem.
Theatre is the art form that lays bare the human soul so that we might understand that we are not alone—
not only in our connection with the characters on stage, but also in the experiencing of the story communally with others. Imagine how truly powerful theatre might be if we did indeed consistently have people of all races sitting side-by-side, laughing and reacting, feeling and sharing the many stories of all of us together. And when we begin to see and experience the full spectrum of who we are as human beings together, think of how much more might be possible in every aspect of our lives. If all the world’s a stage, then it’s time we started seeing more of the world on our stages. <
Kathy Hsieh is an award-winning actor, writer and director. She has worked in film, audio and theatre including the Seattle Rep, Book-It, ACT, INTIMAN, Seattle Public Theatre, ReAct, Living Voices, Theater Schmeater, Freehold, Live Girls!, 14/48 Productions, ArtsWest and more. As the Cultural Partnerships & Grants Manager for the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, she’s working to transform the City’s arts funding program through a racial equity lens and helped the agency earn the Seattle Management Association’s first Race & Social Justice Management Award. She is also a Co-Executive Producer for SIS Productions, a local Asian American theatre company run by women to provide them with opportunities for developing leadership skills.
Evan Whitfield & Kathy Hsieh in Chinglish by David Henry Hwang, presented by ArtsWest & SIS Productions. Photo by Michael Brunk.
www.townhallseattle.org
Tickets are on sale now. Join us in a
neighborhood near you. (9/10) Dar Williams
‘A Thousand Small Towns’Rainier Arts Center, Columbia City
(9/11) John Nichols‘Horsemen of the Trumpocalypse’
The Summit on Pike, Capitol Hill
(9/12) Jonathan White‘The Science and Spirit
of the Ocean’University Lutheran Church, U District
(9/13) Vanessa Grigoriadis‘Sex, Power and Consent
on Campus’University Lutheran Church, U District
(9/23) Global Rhythms Concert: Brooklyn Raga Massive
‘An homage to John Coltrane’Plymouth Church, Downtown
(9/25) Town Hall Seattle and Seattle University present:
Halee Fischer-Wright‘The Art, Science and Business of Medicine’
Pigott Auditorium, Seattle U, Capitol Hill
(9/26) Town Hall Seattle and the Museum of Flight present:
Major Margaret Witt‘The Military Trial at
a Gay Rights Tipping Point’Museum of Flight, South Seattle
(10/2) Town Hall Seattle and Seattle University present:
Stephen Greenblatt‘What Adam and Eve Can Teach Us’Pigott Auditorium, Seattle U, Capitol Hill
(10/5) Global Rhythms Concert: Trio da Kali
‘The traditional music of Western Africa’s Mande people’
Washington Hall, Central District
8 ENCORE STAGES
Paul Flanagan and Jared Michael Brown. Photos courtesy of A Sensible Theatre Company.
The Only Sensible Thing to Do
Dialogue
For this issue, we talked to Jared Michael Brown, co-founder of A Sensible Theatre Company. Brown is an actor who has appeared on stage at The 5th Avenue Theatre, Village Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, ACT, Showtunes Theatre Company, Contemporary Classics, Stumptown Stages, and The Endangered Species Project. He currently splits his time between Seattle and New York City.
Tell us a little about who you and your co-founder are.
Paul [Flanagan, the other co-founder of A Sensible Theatre Company] and I are two respectable gay gentlemen who moseyed into Seattle years ago and decided that we wanted to produce high-caliber queer entertainment. We’re two professional musical theatre artists that wanted to sprinkle a little glitter onto the gray and misty Pacific Northwest.
Why did you start A Sensible Theatre Company?
A city with the 5th largest population of self-identified LGBTQIA+ individuals deserves a company that will focus solely on furthering the conversation of inclusivity and equality [for that population].
A Sensible Theatre Company exists to present fabulous musical theatre productions that focus on furthering the LGBTQIA+ conversation of inclusivity. We will do that by producing full-out, no-
encoreartsseattle.com 9
marking productions that place a diverse range of LGBTQIA+ human beings at the forefront of our stories—because that's the only #sensible thing to do at this moment in time.
How long has the company existed?
We’re fresh! We officially released our company onto the world in July, though it has been in the works for over a year. At the moment, we’re working on fundraising, and making connections with those we feel will represent our mission and help us to reach the communities we want to impact.
So, you’re still in the founding phase. Any projects on the docket yet?
Yes, we have several projects in the works: A series of gatherings and parties leading up to our inaugural project at ACT in the summer of 2018, PAGEANT: The Musical; a couple commissioned works in the pipeline; and maybe a surprise pop-up event in the near future as well.
What is your vision for the future of the company?
We plan to continue to curate productions and experiences that further our mission, on this continent, and on every continent. We also look forward to working with At-Risk Queer Youth, International Queer Artists, and actors of all colors and creeds.
Who inspires you?
Both of Paul and I are inspired by the local theatre community here in Seattle. It’s chock full of individual artists that aren’t afraid to express themselves in bold new ways. We draw inspiration from those who have paved the path before us: Seattle’s Sarah Rudinoff, RuPaul, Tony Kushner, Ellen, Stephen Fry, Lily Tomlin, Bette Midler… the list goes on and on.
How can interested folks learn more or get involved in A Sensible Theatre Company?
Anyone interested in learning more about our company and our work should visit our website (sensibletheatre.co), find us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@ASensibleTC). We’ve got a lot of exciting things in store. <
Enjoy artistically inspired dishes crafted from local ingredients, and see the personal story of Dale Chihuly through his collections.
LUNCH / HAPPY HOUR / WEEKEND BRUNCH
C O L L E C T I O N S C A F E . C O MLO C AT E D AT C H I H U LY G A R D E N A N D G L A S S
305 HARRISON ST / SEATTLE WA206.753.4935
SEASONAL EXHIBITS FOR YOUR PALETTE
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BETTER BUILDING THROUGH SERVICE, CRAFT, AND SCIENCE
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REMODELS | NEW HOMES | COMMERCIAL
10 ENCORE STAGES
1. Book-it Repertory is producing I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, based on the autobiography of Dr. Maya Angelou. The title of the book is a line from a poem by whom of the following poets?
a) Paul Laurence Dunbar
b) Phyllis Wheatley
c) Langston Hughes
d) Gwendolyn Brooks
2. In ACT Theatre’s King of the Yees, playwright Lauren Yee explores themes of family, solidarity, insularity, and alienation. The play is set in Chinatown in San Francisco. In what year did Seattle’s Chinatown/ International District open its own Chinatown gate?
a) 2011
b) 2008
c) 1994
d)1974
3. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is running at Seattle Shakespeare Company. During the play, Caesar is killed. Who was his successor as emperor?
a) Octavian
b) Crassusc) Mark Antony
d) Nero
4. Taproot Theatre Company is producing Relativity, a play about Albert Einstein’s family life. In what year did Albert Einstein publish his theory of general relativity?
a) 1923
b) 1905
c) 1915
d) 1934
ANSWERS 1) A – Paul Laurence Dunbar. Dunbar (1872-1906), an accomplished author and poet, was also the lyricist for the first all African-American-produced musical on Broadway. 2) B – 2008. Construction was completed in 2007 and cost $500,000. 3) A – Octavian. Later known as Augustus, he is considered the first Roman emperor. 4) C – 1915. Einstein first hit upon the theory in 1905, but it took a decade to refine, defend, and publish.
Marble head from a statue, probably of Julius Caesar, about AD50 from Rome at the British Museum. Photo by William Warby.
Intermission Brain TransmissionAre you waiting the curtain to rise? Or, perhaps, you’ve just returned your seat before the second act and have a few minutes to spare? Treat your brain to this scintillating trivia quiz!
Email us the answer to the last question and have a chance to win tickets to a show!
Bonus Question
What was the last arts performance you attended that you liked best and why?Email your response to [email protected] with Trivia Quiz in the subject line.
encoreartsseattle.com 11
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