MainstagePlaybill

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

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

American SonBy Christopher Demos-Brown

UnderwritersGaele Barthold, Cookie Boudreaux & Dennis Hassell, Joan & Larry Castellani, Ed & Judy Christian,

Georgia Court, Shirley Fein, Sydney Goldstein, Wendy & Bob Grady, Gulf Coast Community Foundation,Robert & Bonny Israeloff, Dennis & Graci McGillicuddy, Patrick & Mary Mulva, Anne H.S. Nethercott,

Muriel O’Neil Fund for the Performing Arts of Community Foundation of Sarasota County,Gail & Skip Sack, Dorothy Waldron

Co-ProducersLes & Carol Brualdi, Ruth Gorton, Ben & Judith Handelman, Elaine M. Keating, Barbara Lupoff, Ina Schnell,

Alan & Lois Schottenstein, Lois Stulberg, Sallie Carter Tyler, SCENE Magazine, FST Artistic Endowment

Costume Designer Mari Taylor

CAST

Directed by: Kate Alexander

The video or audio recording of this performance by any means is strictly prohibited.

Stage Manager: Roy Johns*

Scott Connor ......................................................................... Rod Brogan*Kendra Ellis-Connor ......................................................Almeria Campbell*Lt. John Stokes ................................................................Lawrence Evans* Officer Paul Larkin ............................................................. Daniel Petzold*

Lighting Designer Thom Beaulieu

Sound Designer Thomas Korp

Scenic Designers Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay

American Son will be performed with no intermssion.

“American Son” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

The world premiere of American Son was presented at Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield, MA in 2016, Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director and Tristan Wilson, Managing Director.

Original Broadway Production produced by Jeffrey Richards; Simpson Street; Rebecca Gold; Will Trice; Stephen C. Byrd; Alia Jones-Harvey; Nnamdi Asomugha; Dominick LaRuffa, Jr. & Co.; Greenleaf Productions; Van Kaplan; Willette & Manuel Klausner; Jada Pinkett Smith; The Miami Group; Lu-Shawn M. Thompson; Act 4 Entertainment; Gabrielle Palitz; Carl & Robin Washington; Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman; Shonda Rhimes; Bellanca Smigel Rutter; Salmira & Son; Jayne Baron Sherman; Steve

Stoute for United Masters; Steven Toll; Dwyane Wade; Gabrielle Union-Wade; and The Shubert Organization.

Fight DirectorDan Granke

Casting DirectorPat McCorkle, CSA

McCorkle Casting Ltd.

FIGHT CAPTAIN: Daniel Petzold

ROD BROGAN (Scott Connor) Broadway: Mauritius (Manhattan Theatre Club). Off-Broadway: Beyond The Horizon, The Burial At Thebes (Irish Rep); Mary Broome (Mint); Treasure Island (Irondale). Select Regional:

The Cocktail Hour (Guthrie); Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, King Lear (Baltimore Center Stage); The Night Alive, Ironbound (City Theatre); Engaging Shaw, Pentecost, Antony and Cleopatra, The Two Noble Kinsmen, Pericles, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing (Old Globe); Other Desert Cities, Outside Mullingar (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley); Scott and Hem (CATF); Doubt (Syracuse Stage); Judgment Day (Bard Summerscape). Tour: Doubt. Film/TV: The Winning Season; Major Dad (series regular), Homeland, Manifest, Unforgettable, American Odyssey, Oz, Third Watch, One Life To Live, Law & Order, GirlTalk. Video Game: Grand Theft Auto V. MFA: The Old Globe/University of San Diego.

ALMERIA CAMPBELL (Kendra Ellis-Connor) is from Tyler, Texas. She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in acting from Texas Christian University and her Masters of Fine Arts in acting from Mason Gross School of the Arts,

Rutgers University. Almeria has done numerous commercials both on camera and voice over, as well as video games. Her most recent TV work is Madam Secretary and The Good Fight. To check out her work, you can go to IMDB.com.

LAWRENCE EVANS (Lt. John Stokes) Florida Studio Theatre: The Exonerated, One Man, Two Guvnors, Ruined. Other regional: Triad Stage, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Caldwell Theatre

Company, Charlotte Repertory Theatre, freeFall Theatre, Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, North Carolina Black Repertory Company, Short North Stage. National tours: And Still I Rise, Camp Logan, The Sweet Spot. Television: New Amsterdam, All My Children, Another World, Ryan’s Hope, As the World Turns, One Life to Live, The Good Wife, Law & Order. Film: State Property II, The Devil Wears Prada. He studied theatre at Jackson State University and the University of Michigan.

DANIEL PETZOLD (Officer Paul Larkin) is delighted to be making his Florida Studio Theatre debut. His New York credits include Switzerland (59e59), Pushkin (american vicarious) and In the Line (Project Y). Regionally

he’s been seen in A Christmas Carol (Cincinnati Playhouse), Measure for Measure, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night (The Old Globe), Tom Stoppard’s trilogy The Coast of Utopia (Shotgun Players), Three Sisters (Berkeley Rep), A Bright New Boise (Aurora), Any Given Day and Another Way Home (The Magic), as well as performances with the San Francisco, Marin, and Livermore Shakespeare Festivals. He holds an M.F.A. from The Old Globe/University of San Diego. danielpetzoldactor.com @_danielpetzoldKATE ALEXANDER (Director) is the Associate Director At-Large of FST and the Founder of the FST Theatre School with its acting method of training. Ms. Alexander is directing the 2020 Suffragist Project and has also directed numerous productions and premieres on the FST stages including Bright Star; Ethel Waters: His Eye is on the Sparrow; Wednesday’s Child; Cherry Docs; Straight White Men; Always...Patsy Cline; The Things They Carried; Native Gardens; Heisenberg; The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey; brownsville song (b-side for tray); Clever Little Lies; Alabama Story; Outside Mullingar; Over the River and Through the Woods; Chapatti; Dancing Lessons; Becoming Dr. Ruth; Freud’s Last Session; Thurgood; South Beach Babylon; The Columnist; Talley’s Folly; Jericho; Next Fall; The

ARTIST PROFILES

Walk into a War...; I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; Sylvia; Shotgun; The Miamians; Brooklyn Boy; The Exonerated; Wit; Proof; Lobby Hero; and Ten Unknowns. Ms. Alexander has also been a resident actress for over 25 years. Some of her leading roles were in the plays: Edward Albee’s The Goat; Filumena; Master Class; Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women; The Occupant; The Play About the Baby; Golda’s Balcony; and Taking Shakespeare. Ms. Alexander is the recipient of numerous acting, directing, and public service awards, including FAER, She Knows Where She’s Going Award (Girls, Inc.), The Woman of Light Award, National Council of Jewish Women Award, The Woman of Power Award, the Sarasota County Arts Leadership Award, Education Award, Sarasota Manatee Jewish Federation, The Unity Award, and most recently, the One World Award. Ms. Alexander leads the FST Forums Series and developed the Blue Butterfly Theatre Program, a program for teens suffering from grief through loss. She created the Art of The Gesture program at Ringling College of Animation and is the co-author of The Animated Short, with Karen Sullivan, now in its 2nd edition.ISABEL & MORIAH CURLEY-CLAY (Scenic Designers) are award-winning scenic designers whose theatrical work can be seen on regional stages across the U.S. Recent credits include: The Magic Negro and other Blackity Blackness as told by an African American Man who also happens to be Black (Alliance Theatre); Two Trains Running (Triad Stage); Dot (Kenny Leon True Colors, Billie Holliday Theatre NYC); The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Alabama Shakespeare); Lumberjacks in Love (Penobscott Theatre); Native Gardens (Aurora Theatre); Book Of Will, I Love To Eat (Theatrical Outfit); The Cake, Pipeline, How to Use A Knife (Horizon Theatre); Detroit ’67, Skeleton Crew, Paradise Blue, Proof (Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre). Past designs at FST include, Handle with Care; Bright Star; Ethel Waters: His Eye is On The Sparrow; The Marvelous Wonderettes; Wednesday’s Child; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder; Other People’s Money; Honor Killing; Always...Patsy

Cline; Native Gardens; Doublewide; Rich Girl; Clever Little Lies; The God of Isaac; The Fabulous Lipitones; Alabama Story; Outside Mullingar; Butler; Taking Shakespeare; Chapatti; Inspired Lunacy; Dancing Lessons; Hairspray; and One Man, Two Guvnors. Isabel and Moriah’s designs were featured in American Theater Magazine’s Inaugural Roll Call, 7 Theatrical People To Watch, and are both members of USA 829. axisstudiosdesign.comMARI TAYLOR (Costume Designer) Recent costume design credits include: Everything Is Super Great (New Light Theatre Project), Twelfth Night (Dallas Theater Center), For Colored Girls... (Muhlenberg College) and A Winter’s Tale (Dallas Public Works). Current design projects include: A Raisin in the Sun (Muhlenberg College) and The Curious Incident of the Dog in The Night-Time (Cape Fear Regional Theatre). Mari is a NYC based 829 USA Costume Designer. Mari holds a MFA in Stage Design from Southern Methodist University, and was Chautauqua Theater Company’s 2017 Costume Design Fellow. Mari began her NYC career as a Costume Production Assistant at Hamilton: An American Musical. MariTaylorDesigns.com.THOM BEAULIEU (Lighting Designer) is an award-winning lighting and sound designer. His work has been experienced throughout the eastern US including Handle with Care, The Cottage, The Marvelous Wonderettes, Wednesday’s Child, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Unchained Melodies, Always...Patsy Cline, Honor Killing, Once, Blue Suede Shoes, Mack the Knife: The Bobby Darin Songbook, Native Gardens, and Burt & Me (Florida Studio Theatre); The Waltz, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, Carrie: the Musical, and The Lord of the Flies (The Winnipesaukee Playhouse); A Chorus Line, Floyd Collins, Sweet Charity, and Singin’ in the Rain (Aurora Theatre). He holds a BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama, and a MS in Physics.THOMAS KORP (Sound Designer) As FST’s Sound Supervisor, Thom does more than wrangle rogue microphones. Sound design credits include: Handle with Care, Outlaws and

ARTIST PROFILES

Angels, Bright Star, Pinocchio, That’s Amoré!, Who Loves You, The Swingaroos: Hollywood Serenade, The Cottage, Ethel Waters: His Eye is on the Sparrow, Come Together: When the 60s Met the 70s, The Marvelous Wonderettes, Wednesday’s Child, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Wonder Years: The Music of the Baby Boomers, Straight White Men, Guitar Girls, Unchained Melodies, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and Once. Mixing Credits: Next to Normal, Smokey Joe’s Café, The World Goes Round, Tango: Buenos Aires, and We Will Rock You. DAN GRANKE (Fight Director) is a Fight and Intimacy Director based in Tampa, Florida. FST credits: Fly and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. New York credits: Joe’s Pub, Write-Act Rep, and Cena/Cenari. Regional credits: Asolo Rep, American Stage, Urbanite Theatre, West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, St. Petersburg Opera, Stageworks, and Unto These Hills outdoor drama. Dan is a Certified Fight Director and Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors.ROY JOHNS (Stage Manager) is pleased to be back for another season at FST. He has had an exciting and varied career both on stage and behind the scenes from Tokyo Disneyland to the White House. Past credits at FST include: Bright Star; The Cottage; Ethel Waters: His Eye is on the Sparrow; The Marvelous Wonderettes; Wednesday’s Child; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder; Other People’s Mondey; Murder For Two; Always...Patsy Cline; Honor Killing; Native Gardens; Once; Doublewide; The Absolute

Brightness of Leonard Pelkey; Burt & Me; Rich Girl; brownsville song (b-side for tray); Million Dollar Quartet; The God of Isaac; The Roommate; The Fabulous Lipitones; Alabama Story; Outside Mullingar; One Man, Two Guvnors; The Hound of the Baskervilles; Chapatti; Hairspray; and Taking Shakespeare. MCCORKLE CASTING LTD Broadway: Over 50 productions including; On The Town, Amazing Grace, End of the Rainbow, A Few Good Men, etc. Off-Broadway Over 60 productions: Highlights; Our Town (Barrow Street), Freud’s Last Session, Toxic Avenger, Almost Maine, Driving Miss Daisy. Regional Theatre: Guthrie, Barrington Stage, St. Louis Rep, George Street Playhouse, Pittsburgh Public, Connecticut Rep, and multiple hundreds of individual productions. Feature films: Senior Moment, Year by the Sea, Premium Rush, Ghost Town, The Thomas Crown Affair, Die Hard with a Vengeance, School Ties, etc. Television: Twisted, Humans for Sesame Street, Hack (CBS), Californication (Emmy Nomination), Max Bickford (CBS), Chappelle’s Show, Strangers with Candy etc. mccorklecasting.com.SPECIAL THANKS TO: Officer D

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings on any medium, including the internet, is strictly prohibitied, a violation of the author’s rights, and actionable under United States Copyright Law. For more information, please visit: https://shop.samuelfrench.com/content/files/pdf/piracy-whitepaper.pdf

RICHARD HOPKINS is the Producing Artistic Director of Florida Studio Theatre. Mr. Hopkins has fostered the development of FST’s Mainstage and Cabaret productions. His many directing Mainstage credits include: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Honor Killing, Inspired Lunacy, The Best of Enemies, Next to Normal, Race, Ruined, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Boleros for the Disenchanted,

Permanent Collection, and Metamorphoses, among numerous other plays. Mr. Hopkins led the development of FST’s Cabaret productions Outlaws and Angels, Guitar Girls, Mack the Knife, Older than Dirt, Piano Men, and The Prima Donnettes. Mr. Hopkins also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Florida Studio Theatre. This includes overseeing the creation and implementation of all FST

EXECUTIVE STAFF

ARTIST PROFILES

EXECUTIVE STAFFprogramming, including Mainstage, Cabaret, Stage III, New Play Development, Education, and Touring. Since his arrival at FST in 1980, Mr. Hopkins has guided the theatre from a small touring company to a nationally-recognized regional theatre, which impacts over 225,000 adults and children annually. He created the New Play Development Program, the Cabaret Series, FST’s award-winning WRITE A PLAY Program, and he has directed the design and renovation of all FST’s theatres. Mr. Hopkins is the recipient of numerous awards including the Arts Leadership Award from the Sarasota Arts Council, the Richard G. Fallon Award for Artistic Excellence from the Florida Professional Theatres Association, and the 2012 Cultural Champion Award from the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. In 2016, Mr. Hopkins was awarded the Luminaire Award, honoring excellence in creativity, philanthropy, advocacy, and all elements that are keys to future growth of the arts in Sarasota. In 2017, Mr. Hopkins was awarded the Florida Theatre Conference Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing to the rich cultural fabric of the Sarasota community and the state of Florida, and his dedication to developing future artists, educators, and advocates.

REBECCA HOPKINS serves as Managing Director for Florida Studio Theatre, and as such, is the Chief Operations Officer. Mrs. Hopkins is responsible for oversight of FST’s Administration, including the Business Office, Development, Marketing, Box Office,

Front of House, Restaurant, Budgeting, and maintaining the overall quality of FST’s internal management. Mrs. Hopkins serves on the Board of Directors for the League of Resident Theatres and for the Theatre Communications Group. She is the former President of the National New Play Network. Mrs. Hopkins has been actively involved in development of FST’s Cabaret productions since her arrival in 1998. In addition to being Lead Developer for That’s Amoré!, this season she is also part of the development teams for Outlaws & Angels and Light My Fire. Previously she was the Lead Developer on The Wonder Years: The Music of the Baby Boomers; Unchained Melodies; Blue Suede Shoes; Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves; Yesterday; American Pie; and Poems, Prayers, and Promises. She has been the head writer on all five Laughing Matters shows. Some of her favorite shows she helped develop include: Mack the Knife: The Bobby Darin Songbook; The Prima Donnettes; That’s Life; The Wanderers; My One and Only Gershwin; Hot and Cole; The British Invasion; The Flip Side; and Outlaws and Angels. In addition, she is the Founder and Producer of FST Improv and the Sarasota Improv Festival. In 2012, the Arts & Cultural Alliance awarded Mrs. Hopkins the Cultural Champion Award in recognition of her many years of accomplishment and growth with Florida Studio Theatre. In 2016, Mrs. Hopkins was awarded the Luminaire Award, honoring excellence in creativity, philanthropy, advocacy, and all elements that are keys to future growth of the arts in Sarasota.

GAELE BARTHOLD FST is family and an integral part of my life. Its community contributions are myriad and a model of theatrical excellence. Quality and diverse stage productions at affordable prices are but one component of FST’s offerings. Other contributions include extensive contact with local schools to foster student creativity and theatre appreciation, structured and wide-ranging educational programs for adults and children, community forums and

UNDERWRITERSother community outreach programs, and a strong commitment to New Play Development and excellence in the arts. FST is a gem that warrants our widespread financial and artistic support. I am proud to serve on FST’s board and to support it financially and otherwise.COOKIE BOUDREAUX & DENNIS HASSELL In today’s hustle and bustle world, FST refreshingly reminds us of what it means to be

UNDERWRITERSexceptional management, a friendly and caring staff, and performers extraordinaire! It is my sincere pleasure to be a sponsor of the 2019-20 Winter Mainstage Season, full of new and exciting productions for us all to enjoy. See you there!SYDNEY GOLDSTEIN FST is important to me because I have always enjoyed the theatre and it provides a good, thought-provoking play. Its productions are unique to our community. My favorite show was Master Class in 1998 with Kate Alexander. I generally like the dramas, which make us think and touch our emotions. FST has many facets, all of them worthwhile. It is my pleasure to support these efforts!WENDY & BOB GRADY We were so impressed when we first visited FST, that we immediately wanted to become involved. Whenever you come across a theatre program as unique as FST’s, where the key to getting art into the hearts of so many has been found – in a comfortable and easily accessible way – you know you’ve spotted a winner. We are proud to be Underwriters – associated with the finest staff and talent anywhere – and hope that others will join us in supporting FST’s important work.GULF COAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION For 25 years, together with our donors, Gulf Coast Community Foundation has transformed our region through bold and proactive philanthropy. Gulf Coast is a public charity that was created in 1995 through the sale of the Venice Hospital. Since then, we have become the philanthropic home of nearly 1,000 families, individuals, organizations, and businesses that have established charitable funds here, and we have invested over $320 million in grants in the areas of health and human services, civic and economic development, education, arts and culture, and the environment. Learn more at GulfCoastCF.org.

human. These basic truths can sometimes be easy to overlook in a world consumed by busyness. After leaving an FST performance, each audience member is filled with a renewed sense of life–as awakened human beings. JOAN & LARRY CASTELLANI We have been attending Florida Studio Theatre for many years, and we have found so much to enjoy. We love the diversity of the art FST offers, and are consistently impressed at the talent showcased on their many stages. We appreciate that Richard, Rebecca, and the rest of the FST staff show a true dedication to their craft. And most importantly, we are grateful that a theatre of this caliber exists in our city. We are proud to be supporters of this Sarasota treasure. ED & JUDY CHRISTIAN Sarasota is continually voted as an area that has an exceptionally high quality of life and the arts. A very big part of this is Florida Studio Theatre. FST sets the mark and excels in invariably producing a high-level quality theatre experience. No doubt about it, FST is a strong part of the fabric that makes Sarasota the stand-out community that it is. Please join with us and other donors to ensure that FST will grow and continually challenge us with great theatre and entertainment on all levels. GEORGIA COURT I love great theatre and FST delivers that. FST is among the best theatre companies I have seen, but it is more than a theatre company. It is an organization that recognizes it is part of the greater community– and it reaches out to that community in positive, productive ways. As the owner of Bookstore1 Sarasota, I have been proud to partner with FST in the creation and celebration of contemporary literary works. Having FST so accessible adds to the joy of living in the fabulous arts community that is Sarasota.

SHIRLEY FEIN My support of FST was immediate. I felt a comfortable intimacy and a grandeur regarding their intellectually stimulating and entertaining performances. I salute FST for having

ROBERT & BONNY ISRAELOFF Our favorite FST story happened while attending a performance for the first time many years ago and saying, “This is theatre! Do they have a season subscription?!” FST is thought-provoking, Broadway-worthy theatre. We believe FST is important because it enriches our community; it helps make Sarasota what it is. This is why we have proudly contributed to past expansions – especially the new Gompertz Theatre complex – to aid FST’s mission in being even more accessible to the public.DENNIS & GRACI MCGILLICUDDY FST is important to us because we believe so strongly in the transformative power of the arts. For close to 30 years now, we have been so fortunate to experience first-hand how that transformative power works its magic in the hands of an organization that is not only experienced and dedicated, but so highly skilled in their craft. The values of the theater and its leadership, as reflected in its mission, and as manifested in its work, whether it be on the Mainstage, in the Cabaret, in its Education and community outreach programs – these are values that we so strongly believe in. As a consequence, it is a privilege for us to be a part of, and supportive of this great theater. PATRICK & MARY MULVA We discovered FST after moving to Sarasota in July 2018, and were so impressed with the diversity and quality of the performances. The breadth of entertainment offerings delight, challenge, and provide thought provoking subjects for a broad range of audiences. In addition, their work in bringing theatre experiences into the schools provides an exposure to the arts that open new doors to young people. FST is a cultural pillar of the Sarasota arts community. We are proud to be a part of its continuing success as supporters and by serving on the Board of Directors.

ANNE H.S. NETHERCOTT (1926-2019) When asked to define giving, Anne said: “My mother used to say the best way to find you is to lose yourself, by focusing on the needs of others rather than on oneself.” So giving has always been an important family value, which in childhood was reinforced by the community experience of surviving The Depression. Anne was proud to be a supporter of FST. MURIEL O’NEIL FUND FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS OF COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY With a gift from The Muriel O’Neil Fund For The Performing Arts of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, an endowed fund was established to help underwrite FST’s winter Mainstage Series for many years to come. Muriel’s sister, Dr. Gertrude Hight, established this gift with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to ensure Muriel’s legacy would live on and support an area of the community she deeply cherished.GAIL & SKIP SACK Extraordinary, creative, and thought provoking productions, each with an incredible cast of talented professionals, make Florida Studio Theatre an absolute jewel in Sarasota. Additionally, the Cabaret shows are expertly crafted, and provide entertainment that is worth many times their bargain pricing. Sarasota is fortunate to have the FST at the epicenter of the area’s performing venues.DOROTHY WALDRON I support FST for its diversity of programming: Mainstage, Cabaret, Improv, WRITE A PLAY children’s program, summer camp, adult education classes, and the VIP program for special needs children. It is truly a wonderful community asset.

UNDERWRITERS

Recognizes our Legacy Underwriters & Legacy Co-Producers for their commitment to the Art of FST, establishing an endowed fund to support cherished programs for many years to come.

CO-PRODUCERSLES & CAROL BRUALDI We are happy to be part of the FST community. We believe that this venue brings new and edgy productions to the theater scene along with fine acting and direction. The wonderful pricing of all of the productions make it affordable so that many people can enjoy this fine company.RUTH GORTON FST is truly a great regional theatre that professionally produces the work of the playwright, including children through its WRITE A PLAY program. It is a joy to see school children try their hands at playwriting and then to see their plays produced on the FST stage. It is equally exciting to see plays produced by contemporary artists and it is a thrill for me to sponsor these productions.BEN & JUDITH HANDELMAN We support FST because we like many of the shows they produce. We appreciate that they are different from the usual run of the mill productions you might see in other theatres.ELAINE M. KEATING Ed Keating retired to Sarasota about the same time that Richard Hopkins and Kate Alexander started the tiny theatre group that eventually grew into the exquisite five theatre complex we have here today. He was so impressed with Richard and with the wonderful plays being produced on “a shoestring.” I remember how surprised Ed was to learn that the Mainstage was to be called the Keating Theatre. Ed is gone now. I’m certain he would be so proud of how you have evolved. Great theatre! Accessible to everyone! BARBARA LUPOFF FST has been a passion of mine for many years. The reason is very simple: it is an organization that is creative, has a social conscience and stimulates my brain. On a personal level, watching the development of the first play I co-produced from the first read-through to rehearsals to opening night was both an adventure and an education. It is live professional theatre at its best!INA SCHNELL I have been an avid supporter of FST for over 20 years for three major reasons: First, FST’s entertaining plays emphasizing the human condition offer us a special insight and

connection to the world, where our opinions may change, through freeing us and challenging us to consider our assumptions. Secondly, the inspiring WRITE A PLAY program which reaches 50,000 children yearly. And third, FST’s low ticket prices that make it possible for so many to be able to afford to attend.ALAN & LOIS SCHOTTENSTEIN We are proud to support FST and lucky to have such great theater in Sarasota. FST reaches out to the community and provides wonderful affordable productions at the Broadway level.SALLIE CARTER TYLER I moved to Sarasota in 2016 because of the thriving arts community here. Having invested in shows on Broadway and in London, I know the work, effort, and artistry required to make a successful production. I fell in love with FST because of the quality and variety of shows they produce, and I’m proud to support the work that they do. SCENE MAGAZINE For sixty years, SCENE Magazine has proudly served as Sarasota–Bradenton’s longest running community magazine. Each issue celebrates the people, businesses and organizations that make our community thrive. SCENE is also a proud longtime supporter of Florida Studio Theatre – a community treasure and one of our brightest stars. From its quality productions to its community outreach programs, and its top notch artistic and executive staff, FST’s community impact is huge and vitally important. I hope you will join SCENE to ensure FST’s continued growth and success. We encourage you to help in any way you can. - Julie Milton, Publisher FST ARTISTIC ENDOWMENT Fiscal responsibility is a hallmark of Florida Studio Theatre. Every year the Endowment Fund makes a contribution to the Theater that consists of some portion of the interest generated by the fund. Our Endowment for general operating provides a stream of funding for the many artistic needs of the theatre. This year’s funds will provide support for actor salaries and designer positions needed for this production.

FST FORUMS

Whether helping save lives, catch criminals, or record the truth, modern technology has changed the way agencies do their work. The march of progress has made law enforcment more accessible and responsive than ever to the communities they protect and serve. Here are some of the most important developments in law enforcement technology, from the call box to the body-cam.

Radio & Telephone: Call boxes were the first form of law enforcement telecommunications. Initially outfitted with a telegraph, telephones were introduced around 1880. 1928 saw the deployment of the first radio-equipped squad cars. However, it was not until 1960 that personal radios became available. In 1968, concerns about rising crime rates led AT&T to create a national 9-1-1 Emergency number. Why 9-1-1? It was believed to be the simplest number to dial on a rotary phone, even in darkness.

Forensics: Modern police forensics emerged in 1907, when the Berkeley Police Department became the first U.S. law enforcement agency to integrate blood, fiber, and soil analysis into their investigations. The Fingerprint Classification System’s development precipitated the inauguration of the FBI Laboratory in 1932. DNA profiling has become a common forensic tool since 1987, when Tommie Lee Andrews became the first American convicted on the basis of DNA evidence.

Body-Cam: In 2014, the U.S. Federal Government instituted a program to expand body-cams across the U.S. by reimbursing local police departments half the costs of the cameras. Now, 47% of police departments across the U.S. use body cameras. Major hindrances to body-cam usage include monetary costs, weak data infrastructure, and general lack of personal activation. Technologies are in development to make body-cam usage more automatic, such as having cameras—body-cams and dash-cams—activate when an officer turns on their emergency sirens.

Dash-Cam: Police vehicles have long been equipped with video cameras. Most dash-cams, however, were merely personal camcorders installed by individual officers. In the 1980s and 1990s, Mothers Against Drunk Driving launched a campaign to fund dash-cam installations in police departments across the country. Dash-cams have since become commonplace, with technological improvements allowing for smaller cameras with greater picture quality.

THE EVOLUTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EQUIPMENT by Benedict Burgess

FST FORUMS:The Most Important Conversations of Our Time

American Son is part of this year’s forum series, The Most Important Conversations of Our Time. This call to conscience includes panel discussions, online discussions, community events, and more. This year’s forum series includes four shows: The Nether, Handle With Care, American Son, and The Legend of Georgia McBride. A schedule of upcoming panel discussions is listed below. For more information, visit floridastudiotheatre.org/2019-2020-fst-forums.

Panel Discussion ScheduleHandle With Care Forum Topic | Meet the Playwright, Jason Odell Williams Monday, January 27, 5-6PM, FST’s Bowne’s Lab Theatre

American Son Forum Topic | Regaining the Public Trust: Law Enforcement and Citizen Encounters Monday, February 10, 5-6PM, FST’s Bowne’s Lab Theatre

The Legend of Georgia McBride Forum Topic | Walk a Mile in My Heels - Meet the Cast Tuesday, April 14, 5-6PM, FST’s Bowne’s Lab Theatre

Events are free to attend, but reservations are required. Reservations can be made at 941.366.9000 or floridastudiotheatre.org.

TALKBACKSTalkbacks for American Son will be held select Tuesdays and Thursdays

through March 19, 2020. For the full talkback schedule visit floridastudiotheatre.org/american-son

EDUCATION & TOURSDirector of Children’s Theatre .....................Caroline KaiserEducation Administrator .................................Pamela SmithTeaching Artist/YPF Coordinator ...................Adam Ratner Education Group Sales Assoc ......................Hannah BagnallTeaching Artist .....................................................Denee Lortz

COMMUNITY RESOURCE GROUP

AUDIENCE ENRICHMENT GROUP

OUTSIDE ASSISTANCEHouse Counsel ..............................................Michael E. Siegel.................................................................. Shutts & Bowen LLPFacility Custodian ..............Confidence Cleaning CompanyCaretaker ................................................................ Doctor Nik

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMActing Apprentice ...................................Samantha DempseyActing Apprentice ......................................Brooke EmmerichActing Apprentice ............................................. Tim HiemstraActing Apprentice ............................................. Marc JohnsonActing Apprentice .................................................. Pedro LeosActing Apprentice .......................................... De’Ja McKnabbActing Apprentice .........................................Reilly O’ConnellActing Apprentice ............................................ Megan PiggottActing Apprentice .............................................Will StapletonActing Apprentice ...........................................Kyle Van FrankActing/Improv Fellow ............................... Anna WeatherwaxArtistic/Directing Fellow .....................................Drew NorrisCompany Management Intern .............Chelsea WhittemoreCostume Intern ...............................................Chelsea BannanCostume Intern .........................................David Wesley PriceDevelopment Intern .....................................Camryn MacIverEducation Fellow ............................................. Austin HowethLighting Fellow ....................................................Justen ZhangLiterary Intern ...............................................Benedict BurgessLiterary Intern .....................................................Alex DrinnenLiterary Intern ......................................... Madison McAllisterLiterary Intern ...............................................Hannah ZwernerMarketing Intern ...............................................Alyssa ParrishProduction Intern .......................................... Joshua WilliamsProduction Management Intern ................. Chase KnapsteinScenic Production Intern ..................................... Justin AllanSound Fellow .................................................... David SabbaghStage Management Intern ........................... Elizabeth AdamsStage Management Intern .............................. Amanda BalterStage Management Intern ...............................Henry HansonStage Management Intern .............................. Shira LebovichStage Management Intern .................................... Emily MickStage Management Intern ...............................Helena Rankin

Jan ColemanLarry ColemanShirley FeinMaddy FreshwaterCarol GilbertSy Goldblatt Jim GoldmanSandy GoldmanRobert GradyWendy GradyBonny IsraeloffValerie JoelsPatricia Kordis

Marie KroppSusan Landau

Frank MalicksonMatty Matheson

Graci McGillicuddyJill Ross

Ina SchnellAlan SchottensteinLois Schottenstein

Lois StulbergCharlie Ann Syprett

Martin Taffel

941.366.9000 | floridastudiotheatre.org

FST COMPANY

Ina SchnellCommissioner Willie

Charles ShawHoward Tevlowitz

Honorable Charles E.WilliamsRose Chapman

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

BOARD OF TRUSTEES President ............................................... Dennis McGillicuddyVice-President ............................................. Richard HopkinsSecretary/Treasurer ......................................Patricia Courtois Trustee ..............................................................Gaele BartholdTrustee ...............................................................Georgia CourtTrustee ................................................................Jeff HotchkissTrustee .............................................................Robert IsraeloffTrustee ..............................................................Barbara LupoffTrustee ................................................................Patrick MulvaTrustee ..................................Honorable Charles E. Williams

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

ARTISTIC STAFFAssociate Director At-Large .........................Kate AlexanderCasting/Hiring Coordinator ........................... Alexa Doggett Casting Associate/Artistic Assistant ............. James Ashford Resident Pianist ..................................................... Jim ProsserAssociate Artist ................................................. Jason CannonAssociate Artist ...................................................Ellie MooneyAssociate Artist .............................................. Rachel MoultonAssociate Artist .......................................Catherine RandazzoDirector of Improvisation ......................................Will LueraAssistant to the Artistic Director .....................Doris IemoloLiterary Associate ................................................. Meg Gilbert

PRODUCTION STAFFProduction Manager ............................................. Bruce PriceProduction Manager ..............................................Lizzi NehlsAssistant Production Manager.............................Louis VetterMainstage Stage Manager ...................................... Roy JohnsCostume Shop Manager ...........................Adrienne WebberSound Supervisor .................................................Thom KorpLighting Supervisor .................................Michael CummingsProps/Paint Supervisor .............................. Kristine KreutzerLead Carpenter .................................................. Marco Acosta

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFGeneral Manager .............................................Jill ZakrzewskiDirector of IT .................................................... Clarke Weigle Business Manager .......................................Carmen GonzalezAssociate Business Manager ........................ Orville CorderoBusiness Office Associate ................................David WallaceAsst. to the Managing Dir .............................. Sarah DurhamAdministrative Assistant ............................Phyllis SilvermanFacilities Manager .......................................Joseph Goepfrich Facilities Technician .............................. Mark Quackenbush Company Manager ...........................................Luke JohnsonDirector of Marketing .....................................Becca JenningsPublic Relations Associate ................................. Lydia Baxter Marketing Associate............................................. Sarah HaleyMarketing Assistant ..............................................Justin JonesDirector of Indiv. Giving ................ Melody Mora-ShihadehDevelopment Associate ................................Rachel MoultonDevelopment Associate .................................Matthew QuickEvents Coord./Gen. Mgmt. Asst.................................JT Priar Patron Services Manager ...................Kelsey Wehde WilsonBox Office Manager ............................................Gigi DelperoAsst. Box Office Manager ...............................Andie AntonikAsst. Box Office Manager ...........................Noah ScheibmeirRestaurant Manager .............................................. Tom CurryRestaurant Manager ..........................................Karen KrasterAsst. Restaurant Manager .................................... Sara MillerAsst. Restaurant Manager .................................. Kristy PlumReceptionist/ Volunteer Coord ....................... Joan O’Dowd