Special Thanks Theatre@First extends our heartfelt thanks to: Betty Walker and all the members of the Unity Church of God for hosting us Stan at Fleming Printing for all his help with program printing Matt Kimmel for his assistance in navigating the light-design mysteries of a new space Deb Cooper, Ben Cordes, John Kraemer, John Olson, Jerry Marty and Bobbi Woodward for their generous loans of props and costumes Laurel and Marc Richman for their presence and patience as T@F's first "stage parents" Laura Baldwin for a last-minute graphics rescue Our dedicated and tenacious team of volunteers, including the members of the cast and crew. Thank you for building our set, working the box office, selling snacks, ushering and generally making this show happen. We also thank our friends, family, and all the members of our audience. Without your support of the arts, we wouldn't be here.
Welcome to Theatre@First Theatre@First is a Somerville-based community theatre project, part of the Massachusetts Community Theatre Corporation, a non-profit organization based in Somerville. Our Mission Statement: The mission of Theatre@First is to work together to provide a fun, friendly, and creative theatre experience for cast, crew, and audience alike. We welcome volunteers at all levels of experience and offer a supportive environment in which to work, play, grow, and explore new areas of the theatre arts. We offer affordable and eclectic entertainment to the community, aiming to surprise, delight, entertain, and educate our audiences. We fill an important niche in the vibrant Davis Square arts scene, drawing upon the talents and contributions of individuals and organizations throughout the community to provide a venue for thought-provoking and entertaining performing arts for all those who love to be on either side of the curtain. Michael J. Veloso (COMPOSER) does his best to write music that doesn't suck. In his spare time he works for Harmonix Music Systems, makers of the Rock Band series of video games. Judge for yourself at www.mjveloso.com. Johanna Winer (PAULINA), a Southwick Studio alum, is very happy to be acting with T@F for the first time and hopes there will be a second time, too. She thanks her friends for their support and attendance at her performances! Judy Yen (REHEARSAL ASSISTANT/STAGE MANAGER) is excited to be working on her first production with T@F, and hopes to be a part of many shows to come. When she's not busy with wrangling the cast and crew, she is happy to play the role of a research scientist. newly expanded! check out our new space! more deli! more dairy! more produce!
Gilly Rosenthol (EMILIA/DORCAS AND GRAPHIC DESIGN) is an ex-carmelite nun who abandoned her order after having a passionate affair with an itinerant falconer. She followed her muse (and his mews) until his tragic death, when he lost control of his falcon trying to capture a pair of peregrines in a bush, foolishly misjudging the value of a bird in the hand. Her nest-egg long since gone, she fell in with a group of traveling players who eventually settled in Somerville, and the rest is history. James Scheffler (POLIXENES) is thrilled that the gracious folks of T@F have been able to put up with him long enough to for him to portray the most famous bear in all of Shakespeare. Erica Schultz (SUZANNE /MOPSA) has previously appeared with T@F as Sophia Hawthorne in The Margaret Ghost (2006), as Sally in Talley's Folly (2005), and in The Merry Wives of Windsor (2005). Erica sings Jewish a cappella with Honorable Menschen (www.honorablemenschen.org) and has also performed with the MIT Gilbert & Sullivan Players and the North Cambridge Family Opera Co., and. By day she is mostly a graphic designer. She thanks Gilly for being a fabulous partner in crime, Pup, Joelll, Jess (by remote), and Tom for moral and logistical support, and especially her husband Justin for being the very first to say, "But where are Flopsy and Cottontail?" This program is supported in part by the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Season Contributors PATRONS Jean & Paul Humez Jan-Willem Maessen Scott & Caroline Meeks Patricia Merrill Betsey and Frank Solensky FRIENDS Aaron Pup Block Laurie Beth Brunner Colleen Campbell & Carl Gruesz Liz and Ben Davenny Regis Donovan Reebee & John Girash Joel Herda Richard and Sara Hunter John Irvine & Shariann Lewitt Tom Kelleher & Mary Lou Volanthe Ellie & Bill Manning Erik Nygren & Ksenia Samokhvalora Jay Sekora Dr. & Mrs. Justin Werfel MEMBERS Amelia Clearwater David Brenner Mare Freed Ari Herzog Matt Major Erin Sullivan Jonathan Venezian Jonathon Weiss Ariela Zonderman Thank you very much for your support! For more information on T@F memberships, please send us a note: Join@TheatreAtFirst.org Doug Miller (ANTIGONUS) was Leonato in last year s T@F production of Much Ado About Nothing. Other community theater Shakespeare: As You Like It (Jaques), Measure For Measure (Escalus), All s Well That Ends Well (King). Other favorites: Bartholomew Fair (Nightingale); Juno and the Paycock (Joxer), Dracula (Van Helsing), The Second Shepherd s Play (First Shepherd), Various One-acts by David Ives (Degas, Phillip Glass, ), The Amorous Ambassador (Ambassador Douglas). Dayjob: Mathematician. James Mobius (GUITAR) is a multi-instrumentalist and a professional portraitist and skilled handyman. He is an apprentice tattooist, has lived in Japan and enjoys purple. Please visit his website Mobiusbandwidth.com if you need home repair or a fine portraitist. This is his first performance on electric guitar. Joshua Nicholson (CAMILLO) is grateful to T@F for allowing him the opportunity to return to Shakespeare after a long hiatus. He spends most of his acting time these days with PMRP, where he portrays faithful friend and mechanic Lumpy in the sci fi serial The Adventures of Red Shift: Interplanetary Do-Gooder, in addition to performing in their annual Halloween show, Tomes of Terror. Outside of acting, he's usually either fixing your computer or playing Fallout. Isaac Richman (MAMILLIUS) is currently a 3rd grader at Keystone Montessori School. This is his first performance with T@F or anywhere else for that matter. His current ambition is to be just like Calvin (not the theologian). Thoroughly hooked, he is already looking forward to his next show. Santiago Rivas (LORD ROBERT) is happy to be back for his sixth show with T@F. He has survived bartending (Merry Wives of Windsor), eccentric families (You Can't Take It With You), Italian revolutions (The Margaret Ghost), eleven other angry jurors, and drunken brawling (Much Ado About Nothing). With all the madness of King Leontes' court, he continues to thank his wife, Laurie, for keeping him sane.
Becoming a Member T@F welcomes your support. As a community theater, our growth depends largely on the patronage of our audience members. Become a T@F member today and your donation will help ensure future productions. Support the arts in your local community! Be one of the First. All donations are held in a fund dedicated to Theatre@First. All contributors receive a membership card and will have their name listed in our programs unless they prefer to remain anonymous. These are the four levels of membership T@F offers: MEMBER ($30): 1 free ticket to every production for a year, 1 free item at the snack bar when you present your membership card FRIEND ($60): 2 free tickets to each production for a year, 2 free items at the snack bar when you present your membership card PATRON ($120): 4 free tickets to each production for a year, premium seating, 4 free items at the snack bar when you present your membership card SPONSOR ($500 or more): 10 free tickets to each production for a year, premium seating center stage in the first 2 rows, 10 free items at the snack bar when you present your membership card, program autographed by the leads, plus free ad VISIT THE BOX OFFICE TO JOIN TODAY! If you wish to pay by check, please make it out to Theatre@First and mail it to: Beckie Hunter, President Theatre@First 89 College Avenue Somerville, MA 02144 Please include your name, email address (if you have one) and phone number. SUPPORT THE ARTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY! BE ONE OF THE FIRST! -5-
Theatre@First Steering Committee President Beckie Hunter Artistic Director Elizabeth Hunter Vice President/Clerk Andrea Humez Treasurer Erika Reinfeld Technical Coordinator Jo Guthrie Publicity Coordinator Heidi Clark Webmaster Jennifer Koerber Nominations Mare Freed Members at Large Jenn Cseh Chris DeKalb Jack Dietz Nellie Farrington Jenny Gutbezahl Andy Lebrun Neil Marsh Jason Merrill John Olson David Policar Erika Reinfeld Matt Ringel Gilly Rosenthol Paulo Ruffino Shelley MacAskill (LIGHT BOARD/REHEARSAL ASSISTANT), goddess of love slaves, lighter of dark corners and Mistress of Mystery has returned once more to bring bubbly, bouncy enlightenment for all in her fifth show with T@F. Neil Marsh (SOUND MAN-AT-LARGE) didn t actually do any sound for this show, but was happy to record the rehearsal music. Most days, Neil is the Artistic Director of the Post-Meridian Radio Players (www.pmrp.org), a Somerville-based theater troupe that performs shows in the style of old-time radio. They are very excited at the prospect of performing The War of the Worlds this October at the Somerville Theatre. Jason Merrill (LEONTES) is pleased to be back for his eleventh show with T@F (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Murder in the Cathedral, The Merry Wives of Windsor, You Can t Take It With You, The Margaret Ghost, Twelve Angry Jurors, Much Ado About Nothing and Festival@First 1, 2, 3). Offstage he is a software engineer for Red Hat and Alice s daddy.
Director s Note Beckie Hunter (ASSISTANT HOUSE MANAGER) is a founder of T@F and its President for 5 years. She has produced six shows for T@F: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Murder in the Cathedral, Talley s Folly, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Margaret Ghost and Much Ado About Nothing. Beckie also helps improve teaching at Harvard University s Derek Bok Center for Teaching & Learning, and dotes on her fabulous niece, Alice. Sue Kirby (GENTLEWOMAN) joins T@F again for her first try at performing Shakespeare. Sue's performance venues have evolved over the last 40 years from street theater, singing in a band, skits and improv to community theater. In her (paid) work life Sue directs an organization of rowdy senior citizens organizing to make the world a better place. Jennifer Koerber (SET DESIGN) is enjoying her favorite part of technical theater making things look pretty in her fourth production with T@F. She's had a ball working with Kamela and Jack to create a simple, yet evocative stage presence for this Winter's Tale. Many congrats to cast and crew, and enjoy! Andy Lebrun (FLORIZEL) is very happy to return to T@F for his fifth show. Wow, fifth? Weird; they must like him or something. Although in one T@F show (Festival@First 4: C est Levine Shakespeare Lives!), Andy did play the role of Zombie Shakespeare this is his first performance in a play that the Bard actually wrote (while still alive)! -18- I first saw The Winter's Tale thirteen years ago and was transfixed by its strangeness and beauty. The language was so original, so masterful; this was Shakespeare late in life, writing surpassing poetry while experimenting with new forms. Many have labeled this hybrid tragicomedy a "romance," grouping it with Cymbeline, Pericles and The Tempest. These plays are more like Greek epics than Elizabethan works, dealing in magic, gods and oracles, deaths and resurrections, and mood swings of Olympic proportions. They are confusing and sometimes disjointed, and it wasn't until The Tempest that old Will got a handle on the form. Yet The Winter's Tale remains my favorite, and has haunted me since that first viewing. When I proposed to direct it at Theatre@First, I knew I wanted to work with Michael Veloso. This young composer s surprising, haunting and beautifully spare style captures the feeling I have about this play. Its essential quality is elusive: a sense of frozenness, of fear, that leads people to do stupid things against their own better judgment and lose everything. And then a thaw, and a softening, and by some grace we are allowed to live again. Shakespeare gives us a clue to this mystery: the prince Mamillius tells us that "a sad tale's best for winter," but the trickster-rogue Autolycus reminds us that "a merry heart goes all the day/ your sad tires in a mile-a." We ve all endured another winter in New England, and so it is with a merry heart that I offer you The Winter's Tale, with the fond hope that you might see what I see, and leave the theatre awakened and perhaps even a little bit reborn. - Kamela Dolinova, April 2009-7-
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on- Avon, in England in 1564. There are few hard facts about his life. What is certain is that Shakespeare was baptized in April 26, 1564, at age 18 married Anne Hathaway, had three children, and died on April 23, 1616 at the age of 52. Shakespeare was one of the first playwrights to retire before he died. About the Playwright Shakespeare was a poet, actor and playwright, known as The Bard of Avon. He never published any of his plays, which has helped fuel endless speculation as to their true authorship. None of the original manuscripts have survived. Eighteen unauthorized versions of his plays were, however, published during his lifetime in quarto editions by unscrupulous publishers (there were no copyright laws protecting Shakespeare and his works during the Elizabethan era). A collection of his works did not appear until 1623 (a full seven years after Shakespeare s death) when two of his fellow actors, John Hemminges and Henry Condell, recorded his work and published 36 of William s plays in the First Folio. The Bard is attributed with writing 38 plays, 154 sonnets and 5 other poems using approximately 21,000 different words. The Oxford English Dictionary credits Shakespeare with the introduction of nearly 3,000 words into the language. It s no wonder that expressions from his works are an anonymous part of the English language and that most people quote him without knowing that the words that they quote were penned by William Shakespeare. About the Play Leslie Drescher (HERMIONE) just pretended to be royalty for the play; she is really a peasant. But a girl can dream... This is her third production with T@F. Thanks to everyone involved in this show for all of their hard work and for making this such an enjoyable experience. Brian Edgar (SHEPHERD) is thrilled to be performing for a third time with T@F, and looks forward to performing twice in the same place someday. Brian is not sure if he d rather be remembered for his dramatic or culinary arts, but hopes he has made at least some impression with both. Jen Giordano (CLOWN) has had a short, but unexpectedly successsful acting career thanks to T@F. She is excited to reprise her role as Brian's son, though she does hope to actually play a girl someday. Jo Guthrie (PROPERTIES MANAGER) has failed once more to take a show off. In addition to serving as Producer, Technical Director, and/or Board Op on thirteen T@F shows, Jo is also the Technical Coordinator for the T@F Steering Committee. In her spare time...nevermind. Ari Herbstman (GAOLER, OFFICER, MARINER, TIME, AUTOLYCUS) is thrilled to be part of such a terrific cast. This is Ari s fifth show with T@F, and his first singing role outside of the shower. He would like to thank his parents for his ongoing love of theatre. Another scar. Jordan Hoffman (PERCUSSION) enjoys playing percussion and drums in between exploratory missions to sundry quadrants of deep space. Thanks to T@F and Michael Veloso for being incredibly chill. The Winter s Tale is one of Shakespeare s later plays, most likely written and first performed around 1610. Based largely on the works of Richard Greene, a late-16 th century writer in London, it is often classified as a romance, tragicomedy, or problem play, because it does not fall neatly into the standard categories of comedy or tragedy. Perhaps this is why it is one of the Bard s less popular plays and has often been significantly edited and adapted, especially during the fad for pastoral plays. The great David Garrick starred in a version re-titled Florizel and Perdita at Drury Lane in 1756. The original text has enjoyed greater popularity in the past sixty years and has been performed by many of the world s premiere companies. It also had a run on Broadway, and has been adapted several times for television and screen. A new film, starring Dougray Scott, is slated for October 2009. Good Food * Cocktails * and the Jukebox! 150 Highland Avenue, Somerville Ma 617-625-1131 http://www.myspace.com/highlandkitchen -17-
Natural Solutions to Fibromyalgia ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM FATIGUE CONTINUED ACHES & PAINS SLEEPLESSNESS Now a new program specifically addresses the causes of fibromyalgia. Call for a FREE consultation on this breakthrough treatment. Find out if a simple solution could end your pain and suffering. Dr. Ronald J. Pellicani, D.C. 617 625 8707 Kasey Collins (PERDITA) is a recent graduate of Tufts University with a B.A. in Theatre and a B.S. in Psychology. She is the 2008 recipient of the Tufts University Goddard Rhetorical Prize for Excellence in Theatrical Performance (formerly awarded to William Hurt). Her performances include: Breathing Corpses (Kate), Fifth of July (Gwen Landis), and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead (Hamlet). She is expressly grateful to T@F and Kamela Dolinova for the chance to play her first Shakespearan character. Chris DeKalb (PRODUCER/HOUSE MANAGER) has been working with T@F ever since their first production. Amazingly they still ask him back. When he s not selling tickets he s a Project Manager at Books24x7.com. Jack Dietz (TECHNICAL DIRECTOR) was on stage in 2008 with T@F for Much Ado About Nothing and with Belmont Dramatic Club for Who Dunit? He is enjoying a change of pace being backstage again. He is enormously grateful for all of the ideas, inspiration, tools, and help that have rained down from the director, the crew, the cast, the T@F Steering Committee and people who didn't even think they were involved in the play. In the daytime he gets obstreperous computers to talk with each other. Kamela Dolinova (DIRECTOR) has directed one other project for T@F: Mark Harvey Levine's short play "In the Jar" as part of Festival @ First: C'est Levine! She has also appeared as an actress in Levine's Surprise during Festival@First 3: Surprise Kisses. Trained in theatre arts at Drew University, she directed several full productions there including David Ives' The Universal Language and Maltby and Shire's musical Baby, and has assisted directors at New Jersey Shakespeare Festival and Shakespeare Santa Cruz. She is thrilled to be returning to directing after a 12- year hiatus. It was almost long enough to forget what an amazingly rewarding, and yet unstoppably insane thing it is to do with one's time. Synopsis King Leontes of Sicilia suspects his childhood friend, King Polixenes of Bohemia, of adultery with his very pregnant wife Hermione. Leontes plots Polixenes death through his advisor Camillo, but Camillo and Polixenes flee. The jailed Hermione gives birth prematurely and in spite of Paulina s advice to the contrary Leontes banishes the baby and tries Hermione in open court. During the trial, their son Mamillius dies of grief, and Hermione swoons into seeming death as well. Only upon their deaths does Leontes realize his folly. The baby, abandoned in Bohemia by Antigonus, is found by a simple Shepherd and his son (Clown), who take her in. The second half opens sixteen years later. The infant Perdita is grown and in love with Florizel, Polixenes son. The king discovers Florizel s intention to wed a commoner by spying on the Shepherd s sheepshearing festival and disowns his son, who takes Camillo s advice and flees to Sicilia with Perdita. The Shepherd and Clown join them driven by the interests of the trickster Autolycus and Polixenes and Camillo follow. Florizel and Perdita present themselves at Leontes court as emissaries from Polixenes. But Polixenes and Camillo soon arrive and reveal the young prince s ruse. Information from the Shepherd reveals Perdita to be Leontes daughter. There is much rejoicing and everyone repairs to Paulina s chapel to see the great statue she has had made of the late queen Hermione. -9-
Act I Scenes Scene 1: Sicilia: A room in Leontes palace Scene 2: Hermione s chambers Scene 3: A prison Scene 4: Leontes chambers Scene 5: An outdoor court Scene 6: Bohemia: A rocky seaside Act II Scene 7: Between the worlds Scene 8: Bohemia: A room in Polixenes palace Scene 9: A road near the Shepherd s cottage Scene 10: Outside the Shepherd s cottage Scene 11: Sicilia: The burial-ground of Hermione Scene 12: The courtyard of the palace Scene 13: Paulina s gallery There will be a fifteen-minute intermission between the acts. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the building. Please turn off all noise-making devices and refrain from texting or taking flash photographs during the performance. The soundtrack for this performance is available for purchase at the concessions table. Biographies Kerri Babish (SERVANT) is proud to uphold the fine Babish family tradition of taking over orphaned roles. She is thrilled to be participating in her lucky 13th T@F production, including both back- and on-stage duties. Kerri is also very excited to be continuing her long-standing traditions of playing male Shakespearean characters and servants. Mr. Bear (BEAR), formerly of Northampton, MA has known Isaac for many years. His lifelong ambition is to not have his arms ripped off. He has been known to cheat at cards. Johanna Bobrow (VIOLIN) plays in just about every genre she can get her hands on, and is most frequently seen performing with the circus extravaganza that is Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band. She's excited by this chance to play with her effects pedal and an opportunity to perform with T@F without having to memorize any lines. Cara Chiaramonte (COSTUME DESIGN) escaped Bennington College's theater program, and was last found costuming Festival@First 4: C'est Levine. Other credits include Company One and the Hudson River Shakespeare Company. Cara is a consummate Shakespeare geek who enjoys strange color schemes, stranger people, and the oxford comma. Heidi Clark (PUBLICITY MANAGER/AD SALES) loves the deftness and energy of everyone associated with this show. She also loves that businesses around Somerville report good sales that mean our neighbors care about supporting local favorites. Also she's thrilled she's performing in Iolanthe with MIT G&SP this May. -15-
Glossary Among Shakespeare s words are many that are unfamiliar to modern audiences, or have so completely changed meaning that following the conversation becomes challenging. Here are a few that may help you to get the most out of the show. bark a ship barne a baby bawcock good fellow bawd a woman who manages a brothel bodkin dagger boot 1. to avail; 2. money callat a scold or gossip; also a prostitute case both the modern legal definition, and a word for skin changeling a creature left in exchange for a child stolen by fairies collop a small piece of meat corse a corpse cuckold a man whose wife commits adultery dam mother distaff a tool used in spinning; associated with women doxy female lover or mistress; sexually promiscuous woman dram a very small unit of mass fardel a pack or bundle; a burden flap-dragoned gobbled up hent to seize hoxes hamstrings; lames i fecks! an exclamation, corruption of in faith jot a tiny amount kiln-hole the mouth of an oven or kiln lozel a worthless person or scoundrel moiety portion neat pure or chaste, also a bovine animal neb nose, snout or bill of an animal pin and web cataracts of the eye pomander a perfumed ball used as an air-freshener prig a thief pugging thieving quoifs a hoodlike cap scape an escape or sally still always stomachers a decorative front for the bodice of a dress three-pile rich velvet tremor cordis heart palpitations turtle a turtledove, a bird that mates for life virginalling fingering as on an organ or other keyed instrument wag a wit, a joker weeds clothing welkin heavens, sky -11-
PRODUCER/HOUSE MANAGER DIRECTOR COMPOSER TECHNICAL DIRECTOR STAGE MANAGER/REHEARSAL ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGN SET DESIGN SOUND MAN-AT-LARGE LIGHTING DESIGN PROPERTIES MANAGER PUBLICITY/AD SALES MANAGER GRAPHIC DESIGN ASSISTANT HOUSE MANAGER LIGHTING BOARD/REHEARSAL ASSISTANT Staff Chris DeKalb Kamela Dolinova Michael J. Veloso Jack Dietz Judy Yen Cara Chiaramonte Jennifer Koerber Neil Marsh Giles Hall Jo Guthrie Heidi Clark Gilly Rosenthol Beckie Hunter Shelley MacAskill HAIR/MAKE-UP Krisann Kiley Cast in order of appearance HERMIONE, queen of Sicilia Leslie Drescher MAMILLIUS, young prince of Sicilia Isaac Richman EMILIA, lady-in-waiting to Hermione Gilly Rosenthol SUZANNE, lady-in-waiting to Hermione Erica Schultz LEONTES, king of Sicilia Jason Merrill POLIXENES, king of Bohemia James Scheffler CAMILLO, royal advisor Joshua Nicholson LORD ROBERT, advisor to Leontes Santiago Rivas ANTIGONUS, Leontes advisor and Paulina s husband Doug Miller SERVANT Kerri Babish PAULINA, a lady of Leontes court Johanna Winer ESTHER, lady-in-waiting to Paulina Sue Kirby GAOLER Ari Herbstman OFFICER OF THE COURT Ari Herbstman MARINER Ari Herbstman SHEPHERD Brian Edgar CLOWN, the Shepherd s son Jen Giordano TIME as Chorus Ari Herbstman FLORIZEL, son of Polixenes Andy Lebrun PERDITA, daughter of Hermione Kasey Collins AUTOLYCUS, a rogue Ari Herbstman MOPSA, a shepherd girl Erica Schultz DORCAS, a shepherd girl Gilly Rosenthol RUSTICS Musicians Sue Kirby Doug Miller Santiago Rivas VIOLIN Johanna Bobrow PERCUSSION Jordan Hoffman GUITAR James Mobius VIOLIN (APRIL 25 ONLY) Betty Widerski -13-