FEATURED PRODUCTION December 2019 -...
Transcript of FEATURED PRODUCTION December 2019 -...
FLOODLIGHT Page 1
December 2019
Book and lyrics by
Robert L. Freedman
Music and lyrics by
Steven Lutvak
Based on the novel by
Roy Horniman
Produced by
Mary Beth Smith-Toomey
Directed by
Frank D. Shutts II
Musical Direction by
Christopher Tomasino
Choreographed by
Stefan Sittig
Order Your
Tickets Now!
Call the Box Office
703-683-0496
FEATURED PRODUCTION
Producer Mary Beth Smith-Toomey, Director Frank D. Shutts II, Music
Director Christopher A. Tomasino, and Choreographer Stefan Sittig invite
you to join them for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder! This is a
delightful British romp where a distant heir to a family fortune sets out to
speed up the line of succession by using a great deal of charm … and a dash
of murder.
Our story will come to life via the talents of our marvelous cast: Drew Goins
as the distant heir Monty Navarro, Chuck Dluhy as all the members of the
D’Ysquith family, Katie Weigl as Sibella Hallward, Alexandra Chace as
Phoebe D’Ysquith, Kristen Jepperson as Miss Shingle, Audrey Baker,
Allison Meyer, and Margie Remmers as the Female Ensemble, and Devin
Dietrich, Derek Marsh, and Jordan Peyer as the Male Ensemble. Some
familiar faces and a number of new ones join us for this exciting journey
through British aristocracy!
The production staff joining us for the hilarity includes Co-Stage Managers
Rob Cork and Nick Friedlander, Associate Music Director Steve
McBride, Set Designer and Photographer Matt Liptak, Co-Set Builders
Jim Hutzler and Jeff Nesmeyer, Co-Set Painters Mary Hutzler and Stacey
Becker, Co-Costume Designers Kit Sibley and Jean Schlichting,
Co-Lighting Designers Ken and Patti Crowley, Master Electrician Pam
Leonowich, Sound Designer David Correia, Hair/Wig and Makeup
Designer Susan Boyd, Properties Designer Kirstin Apker, Set Decorator
MYKE, Wardrobe Coordinator Cheryl Bolt, Dialogue Coach Cheryl
Sinsabaugh, and Rigging Technician Russ Wyland.
If you want to be on a crew for the running of the show, we would love to
have you join our team! You can contact our Producer, Mary Beth, at
[email protected]. Please put “GG Volunteer” in the subject line.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Russell Wyland, President
Brendan Quinn, Governor for
Membership
Kirstin Apker, Floodlight Coordinator
Linda Wells, Floodlight Editor
Next Floodlight January 27th
Inside This Issue
President’s Column Page 2
New Members Page 2
LTA Award Winners Page 3
Governors at Work Page 4
Thank You Page 4
Governor’s Message Page 5
Scottish Walk Page 5
Council Corner Page 6
FLOODLIGHT Page 2
President’s
Column
Russell
Wyland
The Safe Place of Our Home Theatre
Why do so many call LTA their “home” theatre? For many of us, I think, LTA feels like home because it is a safe
place. It is a place where – regardless of our quirks, beliefs, orientations, genders, talents, or interests – one can take
creative risks and always feel welcome doing so. It is a place where one is treated with respect and which brings joy
to one’s life.
When I was a teenager, I found theater (or theater found me) because I was different and awkward and desperately
wanted to escape my shyness. I found what I needed. Especially in these crazy times, we must always strive to keep
LTA that safe space that allows people to pursue their theatrical passions and interests onstage, in the wings, or in
the box office and the lobby. In short, creating “home” is something we need to work on all the time.
What does this mean in practical terms? First and foremost, it means using common sense to consider whether one’s
thoughts and actions might make someone else feel uncomfortable. For instance, if a joke that may potentially
distress or offend another person is about to trip off your tongue, it is better left unsaid. Second, it means that when
you see or hear something inappropriate, or something inappropriate happens to you, you say something. Bad
behavior should never be allowed to pass. Third, it means acknowledging good actions. If a volunteer has done a
good job, say so. Our home should be a positive place. Finally, it means that the theatre’s management must always
be on the lookout for practices or routines that might be inadvertently reinforcing or creating uncomfortable
environments. On this front, some changes have already happened backstage.
The dressing rooms – places where actors are often vulnerable – must be thought of first and foremost as safe
spaces. For this reason, each person visiting the dressing rooms will enter through his/her door; the women’s
dressing room will no longer be the primary entrance. Those without production-related business are no longer
allowed in the dressing rooms, and ushers will no longer bring pitchers of water to the dressing rooms. This is a
small step, but a necessary one, to make sure all actors – male and female alike – feel that they are safe in the areas
designated for them.
The goal is not to make LTA a place of restrictions, but to implement common sense changes that will make
everyone feel safe within our walls. Safe = home, and it is good for us all when people consider LTA their home
theatre.
Russell Wyland, President
New Members
Poonam Bansal Drew Goins Sherwood Gray
Katie Weigl Joanna Wong
FLOODLIGHT Page 3
LTA Award Winners 2018 – 2019
Excellence in Sound Design
Janice Rivera for Dracula
Excellence in Props Design
Helen Bard-Sobola and Margaret Chapman for You
Can't Take It With You
Excellence in Costume Design
Ashley Amidon for The Savannah Disputation
Excellence in Lighting Design
Jeffrey Scott Auerbach and Kimberly Crago for Dracula
Excellence in Set Design
Matt Liptak for Dracula
Excellence in Set Painting
Stacey Becker, Matt Liptak, and Mona Wargo for
Dracula
Excellence in Set Construction
Jim Hutzler and Jeff Nesmeyer for Dracula
Excellence in Set Decoration
Charles Dragonette for August: Osage County
Excellence in Makeup Design
Susan Boyd for You Can't Take It With You
Excellence in Hair Design
Susan Boyd for You Can't Take It With You
Best Bit Role
Andy Izquierdo as King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar
Best Performance in a Minor Role
Larry Grey as Mr. Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol
Best Junior Performance
Camille Neumann as Jean Fordham in August: Osage
County
Best Supporting Role in a Musical
Thea Simpson as Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ
Superstar
Best Supporting Role in a Play
Michael J. Fisher as Father Murphy in The Savannah
Disputation
Best Lead Role in a Musical
Luis "Matty" Montes as Matt in The Fantasticks
Best Lead Role in a Play
Nicky McDonnell as Barbara Fordham in August:
Osage County
Best Musical Director
Paige Rammelkamp for The Fantasticks
Best Choreography
Jason A. Ellis for The Fantasticks
Best Director
Susan Devine for August: Osage County
Overall Production
August: Osage County
Lloyd Bittinger, Producer
Susan Devine, Director
Junior Technical Excellence
Lanae Sterrett
Outstanding New Member
Kathleen Barth and Robin Worthington
Long and Exceptional Service in a Single Department
Pam Leonowich
Outstanding Service to LTA
Jennifer Lyman
LTA Community Partner Award
The Campagna Center
MVP Awards
Jesus Christ Superstar - Kelsey Yudice
August: Osage County - Fred Lash
Dracula - Chanel Lancaster
A Christmas Carol - Melissa Dunlap and Samantha
Jensen
The Fantasticks - Charles Dragonette and Jim Hutzler
You Can't Take It With You - Melissa Dunlap, Samantha
Jensen, and Shannon Starcher
The Savannah Disputation - Charles Dragonette
A Fox on the Fairway - Sherry Clark and Brittany
Huffman
A special thank-you goes to all the volunteers who made
the 2019 LTA Awards Night so special: Hilary Adams,
Monty Montgomery, Juli Tarabek Blacker, Robert Kraus,
Katie Kellenberger, Griffin Voltmann, Brendan Quinn,
Elizabeth Holtzclaw, Larry Grey, Jeffrey Scott Auerbach,
Kimberly Crago, David Correia, Russell Wyland,
Matthew Randall, James Woods, Lenard Dove, and
Ashley Amidon.
FLOODLIGHT Page 4
Thinking Strategically
Since the last meeting of the Board of Governors, the Board’s
main thrust has been to begin considering a strategic planning
initiative. Why a strategic plan? LTA, like many organizations
of our age, has evolved inconsistently. Programs are added and
subtracted based on what is expedient at the time. To make
matters more challenging, the Board experiences yearly
turnover, and therefore directions can and do change regularly.
The Board has decided to develop a clearer road map to help this and future boards better grasp the scope and
ambition of LTA. To kickstart the process, the current Board members met in the Board room of Goodwin House
with facilitator Bryce Benson to begin thinking about what such a process might entail.
Several things became clear:
1) There was remarkable agreement about the components that might go into a statement of the theatre’s mission
or purpose. Board members found far more common ground than differences.
2) The process will take time. Thoughtful and long-lasting plans don’t happen overnight or even over several
months. This is complicated by the fact that we are all volunteers and have limited time to devote to such
intensive efforts.
3) The process is not undertaken by the Board alone. It requires participation by many kinds of people
(“stakeholders”) who have differing views of LTA. The Board will be seeking out a wide group of participants
over the next month or so.
4) Even though the process is daunting, an attempt that may fail is better than no attempt at all.
The Board will provide regular updates on this process.
Russell Wyland, President
Your Board
of Governors
at Work
Thank You from The Haunting of Hill House
As we say goodbye to Hill House and to Eleanore, we hope you enjoyed the scares, the comedy,
and the drama. Thank you to everyone who had the opportunity to come to see the production,
and we look forward to seeing you in the future. On behalf of Director Maggie Mumford, we’d
like to thank our dedicated cast, designers, and backstage crew for their hard work in bringing
this haunting world to life. A big thank-you to all the people who supported the show in the box
office, in the front of the house, and in any other way to make The Haunting of Hill House a
success.
Stacey Becker and Alan Wray, Co-Producers
Planning Your Gift
Have you considered including The Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA) as a beneficiary of your estate? LTA can
suggest tools that will assist you in making plans that will support the artistic and education programs of the theatre
in the future, as well as provide your estate with tax benefits. Supporters of LTA who make planned gifts are invited
to be members of The LTA Legacy Society. The LTA Legacy Society recognizes those who have demonstrated their
concern for the long-term well-being of LTA by notifying us of their bequest or other planned gift. For additional
information, please call Tina McCrea at 703-683-5778 ext. 2 or email [email protected].
FLOODLIGHT Page 5
Governor’s Message
Development
LTA’s annual Partners in Art Nights lottery is happening earlier this year due to a temporary shift in the seasonal
schedule. We’ll be back in our usual May slot for the 2021 - 2022 season.
This means that the 2020 - 2021 season is up for grabs on Saturday, January 25, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. at LTA. So if
your organization, group, or company would like the chance to buy out the entire house for a just-for-you night at the
theatre, join us!
First, a little background: every season, LTA offers all 213 seats at three specific performances per production to any
group at a discounted price. Tickets can be used to raise funds, thank employees, nurture client relationships – you
name it. The lottery allows every interested group to have a fair shot at the show of its choice.
As always, LTA’s 2020 - 2021 season offers something for everyone: the delightful musical Sister Act, the classic
drama Fences by August Wilson, the spine-tingling Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott in our Halloween slot, that
perennial favorite A Christmas Carol, a musical using the songs of a famous Swedish group (we can’t use the name
for now, but we’ll give you one guess!) as our winter musical, the romantic fantasy Prelude to a Kiss by Craig Lucas,
the historically inspired tragic showdown between two great queens, Mary Stuart by Friedrich Schiller, and finally
the classic Neil Simon comedy Rumors.
For more information about Partners in Art Nights (sometimes also referred to as “Sponsor Nights”), please visit
LTA’s website or contact Business Manager Tina McCrea at 703-683-5778 ext. 2 or email [email protected].
Sarah Holt
Governor for Development
Scottish Walk 2019
On December 7th, students of Kathy
Dillaber, Ashley Hammond, Heather
Sanderson, Linda Wells, and John
Waldron joined with cast members from A
Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder to
represent The Little Theatre of Alexandria in
the 49th annual Scottish Christmas Walk
through Old Town. Sarah Holt, Governor
for Development, coordinated their
participation in the parade. Thanks to all
marchers for their enthusiasm!
Photos by Becky Dines
FLOODLIGHT Page 6
Not long after you read this, the holidays will be over and the Council elves will
have returned to the theatre to take down the holiday decorations. Many thanks to
all our volunteers – we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you to Lloyd
Bittinger, Art and Margaret Snow, Jim and Mary Hutzler, Mary Beth Smith-
Toomey, Mike Salmon, and Lindsey Gattuso and Katya Lawhead from LTA’s
Student Ambassador program. Also, thank-yous go to Genie and Geoff Baskir,
Donna Hauprich, Robin Worthington, Margaret Evans-Joyce, Luana
Bossolo, Kacie Greenwood, Nick Friedlander, and Heather Sanderson.
We are all looking forward to A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Vice
Director Mary Beth Smith-Toomey is producing the show and I am sure it will
be fabulous.
You know what else will be fabulous? The new ladies’ restroom! Deposits have
been made to Premier (which is the contractor), and demolition starts after A
Christmas Carol closes. Many thanks to Council members Mary Hutzler and
Luana Bossolo for the hours they have worked and will continue to work at LTA
supervising this project. Kudos, ladies!
The Board of Governors approved the artwork that the Council has proposed for
the courtyard. Financial Officer Lloyd Bittinger has been in charge of this
project, working with Shakespeare Garden Committee members Heather Sanderson and Robert Kraus.
This is a beautiful addition to our courtyard.
Our next meeting is Sunday, February 16th, at 3:30 p.m. at Tempo Restaurant. We will be approving the
election of our new Director and Financial Officer!
Carolyn Winters
LTA Council Director
The Arts Build Communities
Council
Corner
Did you know that in case of an emergency, LTA has three AEDs
(automated external defibrillators)?
They are located as follows:
1) in the lobby, near the Council (Green) Room
2) in the cast entrance hallway, near the backstage door
3) in the Alexandria Academy, on the first floor
In Case of Emergency
FLOODLIGHT Page 7
The Little Theatre of Alexandria
600 Wolfe Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Box Office: 703-683-0496
Business Office: 703-683-5778 x2
Fax: 703-683-1378
www.thelittletheatre.com
Mark Your Calendars
1/18 A Gentleman’s Guide
to Love and Murder
opens
1/25 Partners in Art Night
lottery
2/16 LTA Council meeting
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
The Board of Governors, under the direction of the President, is
responsible for managing the affairs and operations of The Little
Theatre of Alexandria.
The Governors for the 2019 – 2020 season are:
President.................................................................................Russell Wyland Governor for Artistic Support......................................................Susan Boyd Governor for Box Office..............................................................Ira Forstater Governor for Building........................................................Frank D. Shutts II Governor for Development.............................................................Sarah Holt Governor for Education...................................................Michael J. Baker, Jr. Governor for Front of House......................................................Robert Kraus Governor for Membership.......................................................Brendan Quinn Governor for Production................................................................Alan Wray Governor for Public Relations.................................................Rachel Alberts Governor for Seasonal Planning..............................................Ashley Amidon Governor for Technical Support.................................................Ken Crowley
Additional officers are:
President Pro-Tem....................................................................Rachel Alberts Treasurer........................................................................................David Hale Board Secretary.....................................................................Carolyn Winters Executive Secretary……………………………………………Jamie Blake LTA Council Director……………………………………...Carolyn Winters