HB Ensemble Production

An HB Ensemble Holiday Production

Playwright: Marjorie Sigley

Directors: Lake Simmons and Trudy Steibl

Cast: Allison Abrams, Selcuk Karabag, Molly Carden, Kathleen McKee, Harold Lehmann, Laurence Levy, Hal Hunsinger, Chris Sutherland, David Adams, David Fulford, Robert Glen Dioguardi, Sarah Sommers, Ethan Hova, Alexandra Cohen Spiegler, Kurt Fitzpatrick, Hailley Schwartz, Casey Kimura, Bill Dealy, Lisa Johnson, Dainya Anderson, Elizabeth Roese, Stephanie Laskin, Dillon Mohammed, Elizabeth Alspelter, Emma Therese Biegacki, Shlomi Elkabetz, Jeanne Henry, Delia Kelly, Evan Schwartz, Suzanne Wasik, Mariaj Widman, Alison Bristow, Alyse Ebru Eldek, James Henry, Miho Inoue, Diane Merkel, Maxford Pieters

Director: Lake Simmons Choreography: Mary Anthony, Paul Friedman Fight: Ian Marshall Lighting: Josh Allen Sound: Robert Auld Sound Engineer: Mark Brigante Original Costumes: Kathy Berle Costume Coordinator & Additional Designs: Diane Simons Production Stage Manger: Kimberly I. Kefgen Stage Manager: Gro Engelstoft Assistant Stage Manager: Mary Lucia Hanover

St. George and the Dragon at Christmas Tide was performed December 18th – 19th, 21st-23rd, 26th-29th 

An HB Ensemble Production

Playwrights: William Styron and John Phillips

Director: Herbert Berghof

Cast: Madeleine Potter, Maggie Pisacane, Lois Wheeler, Kris Andersen, Alexandra Cittes, Edith Meeks, Lisa Sinclair, Kelly Wolf, Jeanne Kaplan, Carol Rosenfeld, Sheryl White, Trudy Steibl, Nancy Reed, Alexander Bernstein, Gareth Williams, Frank Latimore, Al Belfiglio, Frank Geraci, Jayce Bartok, David Louden, Robert Gunarc, Carsch Miles, Brett Fadem, Craig Bacon, Michael Garr, Chuck Presar, Mark Tenore, Mike Devincent, Greg Houston, Carl Hansen, Roger Rignack, James Carruthers, Ed Kershen, Robert Fass, James Lemonedes.

Set Designer: Mina Albergo Costume Designer: Anna Hill Johnstone Lighting Designer: Terry Wuthrich Design Assistants: John Boyt, Lydia Hamz Production Manager: Marlene Mancini Technical Director: Thomas Honeck Stage Managers: Heidi Brennan, Timothy M. Gallagher Assistant Stage Managers: Kimberly Ryan, Pamela Shamir Production Electrician: Scott Kurchak Sound Technician: Dan Wesson Assistant Lighting Designer: Stephen Cowles Slide Operator: Susan M. Fowles Production Assistants: Tanya Viger, Katherine Kullerson

Dead: A Love Story was performed December 7th – 20th of the year 1985.

An HB Ensemble Production

Playwright: Justin Fleming

Director: William Carden

Cast: Karen Idlewild, Pete Idlewild, Jonah Idlewild, Sam Beckett, Laila Robins, Grege Mullavey, Dennis Michael Hall, Fritz Weaver, Anna Minot.

 Set: Ray Recht Costume Design: Amela Baksic Lighting: Chris Dallos Sound: Robert Auld Casting: Stephanie Klapper CSA* Production Stage Manager: David Apichell Assistant Director: Catherine Siracusa Dramaturg: Maxine Kern Pianist: Steven Lubin Technical Director: Carlo Adinolfi Master Electrician: Joshua C. Allen

Burnt Piano was performed March 3rd – 18th, 2001

Synopsis: Karen Idlewild goes on a trip to Paris with her father, Peter and her son, Jonah to see an author named Sam Beckett, whom she loves. She struggles to get a hold of Beckett as he believes all of his fans are dangerous, so he won’t respond to her letters. Beckett’s wife and other people in his life are also an obstacle keeping Karen from seeing Beckett.

An HB Ensemble Production

Playwright: Nagle Jackson

Director: Karen Ludwig

Cast: George Bartenieff, Georgina Bates, Felipe Bonilla, Fabio Costaprado, Beth Dzuricky, Lisa Ingrisano, Amanda Plant, Carol Rosenfeld, Sean St. John, Tom Tagliente

The Quick-Change Room was performed July 13th-29th

Synopsis: Set against the crumbling of the Soviet Union, as observed backstage at the Kuzlov Theater in St. Petersburg, THE QUICK- CHANGE ROOM is the comedic metaphor for the too-rapid transformation of Russia from communism to free-market capitalism. Nina, the daughter of the wardrobe mistress, has been cast as Irina in a revival of Chekhov’s The Three Sisters. Using her considerable talents—theatrical and otherwise—she persuades management that what Chekhov’s play needs in the New Russia is “music…some songs…maybe even some dances.” Chekhov’s masterpiece becomes, for marketing purposes, an American style musical titled O My Sister! The venerable artistic director is kicked upstairs—after all, “Russia doesn’t need great men now; it needs clever men”—and the long-reigning prima donna ends up working in wardrobe. A funny-sad commentary on current events, the metaphor of the quick-change room is not lost on the audience as the world around the acting troupe changes as drastically and as quickly as the world outside.

An HB Ensemble Performance

Playwright: Susan Sandler 

Director: Gus Kaikkonen

Cast: Scotty Bloch, Cynthia Harris, Joel Rooks, Marilyn Sokol, Joyce Van Patten

Set: Ray Recht Lighting: William Armstrong Costume: Suzanne Chesney Sound: Robert Auld Choreographer: Liz Curtis Associate Choreographer: Tony Scheppler Production Stage Manner: Shiraz Biggie Technical Director: Christopher Hoyt Casting Consultant: Stephanie Klapper Running Crew: Takumi Mitobe, Jorge Esguiera, Matthew Tischler, Julio Pena, Koichiro Scenic Charge Artist: Adris Krumkalns Scenic Artist: Chelsea Clarke, Amanda Raglevsky Technical Director: Christopher Hoyt Master Carpenter: Michael Merunka, Jr. Electrics Crew: Matthew D. Britt, Andrew Kerr-Thompson, Benjamin C. Tevelow, Krista Kujat Build Crew: Noelle Neglia, Tadhg O’Mordha, David Sih, Matthew Tischler, Luchia Dragosh, Marissa Vila, Ryen Herrman, Mary Willis White, Kathleen Peirce.

Appearing Courtesy of Actor’s Equity Association

Under the Bed was performed April 20th – May 5th, 2005

HB Studio’s  2004 Founders Memorial

 Playwright: Horton Foote 

Director: William Carden

Cast: David Adams*, Carol Goodheart*, Pearce Green, Tim Hopper*, Kahan James*, John Juback*, Richard Mawe*, Jim McGurn, Rochelle Oliver*, Jess Osuna*, Kathleen Peirce, Amanda Plant, Lorca Simons*, Victor Slezak*, Adam Stern, Mark Thornton*.

Scene: Michael Schweikardt Lighting: Greg MacPherson Costume: Suzanne Chesney Sound: Sten Sevrson Fight: Ian Marshall Production Stage Manager: Shiraz Biggie Production Manager: Matthew D. Britt Technical Director: Paul Bradley

*Appearing Courtesy of Actor’s Equity Association

The Habitation of Dragons was performed December 4th – 5th, 7th – 11th, 14th – 19th, 2004

Synopsis: It’s 1935 in Harrison, Texas. George Tolliver has decided to run for county attorney general, but his older, and more successful, brother Leonard tries to dissuade him because the family’s backing has already gone to another local lawyer, his brother-in-law, Billy. George runs, though, after lashing out at the more successful Leonard for less than moral support in the past. At the same time, their late father’s brother Virgil appears on the Tolliver family’s doorstep, asking for shelter now that he’s old and broke. It’s a hard decision for the widowed Mrs. Tolliver since Virgil once abandoned them years ago when they needed money; still, they take him in. Within days, Leonard’s wife Margaret is found out to be having an affair with Wally Smith, her husband’s handyman. On the very same afternoon, both of Margaret and Leonard’s young boys drown while swimming in the river with Wally. Believing this to be a punishment for her adultery, Margaret has a breakdown and is institutionalized. In his grief, Leonard lets his law practice crumble and in despair reveals to his mother that he’s always known his father committed suicide and did not die accidentally. Things aren’t made any easier when Margaret’s brother, Billy, murders his sister’s lover and now a neighbor wants to blackmail the Tollivers with a packet of love letters sent from Margaret to Wally Smith. Eventually, Margaret returns home to beg her husband’s forgiveness. At first Leonard refuses, but he realizes he does want to start over again and he forgives Margaret before she shoots herself with the gun Leonard was going to use on himself. George, having had to make up for Leonard’s absence, has rediscovered his calling as a lawyerand has finally risen to the responsibilities of his own new marriage, impending fatherhood and leading the sorrowful Tolliver household.

An HB Ensemble Production

Playwrights: Eugene Ionesco, Tennessee Williams, Fernando Arrabal, Don Nigro, Horton Foote, Christopher Durang, Harold Pinter,

Directors: Aleksey Burago, Kate Bushmann+, Rasa Allan Kazlas+, Ian Marshall, Amy Wright.

Cast: Georgina Bates, Stephanie Braxton*, Jim Boerlin*, Emily Cain, Snezhana Chernova, Daniela Dakic, AC Davidson, Toni Ann DeNoble, Nick DeSimone, Pascal Escriout, Koichiro Goto, Elizabeth Grey*, Hanna Hayes, Cordis Heard*, Ryen Herrmann, Gregory Higgins, Genc Jakupi, James LaChere, Philip Kushner, Barry McBrien, David McElfresh*, Rachel Murdy, Etienne Navarre, Noelle Neglia, Dara O’Brien, Marci Occhino, Tadhg O’Mordha, Kathleen Peirce, Marilyn Porayko, Paul Pryce, Anil Ramani, Sophia Remolde, Judy Rosenblatt*, Tony Siniscalchi, David Shih*, Catherine Siracusa, David B. Sochet*, Michael Spence, Ying Yu Tan, Thomas Tinelli, Matthew Tischler, Sharon Wajswol, Derek Wong, Marius Zilberstein.

Stage Manager: Alan Bluestone Production Manager: Shiraz Biggie Assistant Directors: Alan Bluestone & Sharon Wajswol Production Assistant & Set Design: Emily Chain Costume Design: Kanlaya Phoutinane Costumes and Projection Sketches: Catherine Siracusa Props: Elizabeth Grey Sound Editor: Kenneth Feldman Choreography: Georgina Bates Original Music & Lyrics: Nick DeSimone.

*Appearing Courtesy of Actor’s Equity Association, +Member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers

Two Evenings of One-Act Plays were performed in 2006

EVENING A

The Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco:

The Long Goodbye by Tennessee Williams:

Picnic on the Battlefield by Fernando Arrabal:

EVENING B

The Daughters of Edward D. Boit by Don Nigro:

The Dancers by Horton Foote:

The Actor’s Nightmare by Christopher Durang:

Mountain Language by Harold Pinter:

An HB Ensemble Production

Playwright: Don DeLillo 

Director: Rasa Allan Kazlas

Cast: Chris Chinn*, Jen Danby*, Elizabeth Grey*, Guenevere Donohue, David Khouri, Philip Kushner*, Daniela Mastropietro*, Marci Occhino, David Smilow, Karen Song, L.B Williams*, Julia Wolfermann, Catherine Zubkow.

*Member of the Actor’s Equity Association

Lighting: John Burkland Managing Director: Marlene Mancini Technical Director: Corrie Beth Shotwell Stage Manager: Sarah Nochenson Costumes: Catherine Siracusa Administrative Support: Shaun Bennet Wilson Office Manager: Tara Webb

Valparaiso was performed June 11th – 28th, 2008

Synopsis: In this play, Michael Majeski boards a plane for Valparaiso, Indiana on a routine business trip, but somehow winds up in Valparaiso, Chile! As coverage of this human interest news byte compounds, Michael is catapulted into celebrity status. He is interviewed endlessly by the media but there are problems with his story – what is Michael really hiding? All is finally revealed during the climactic daytime talk show in which Michael, at the mercy of the TV host Delfina, is caught in the light rays of the TV screen.

An HB Studio Ensemble Production

Playwrights: Mikhail Bulgakov, Adapted by Aleksey Burago

Director: Aleksey Burago

Cast: Georgina Bates, George Bartenieff*, Snezhana Chernova, Pascal Escriout, Jack Gillespie*, Hanna Hayes, David Khouri, Vadim Krol, Andy McCutcheon*, Danusia Roberts*, Tom Shubert, Nick DeSimonne, David Sochet*, Lana Stimmler, Kenneth Thompson, Thomas Tinelli, Marius Zilberstein*.

*Appearing courtesy of Actor’s Equity Association

Assistant Director: Pamela Wilkinson Dance and Choreography: Gus Solomons, Jr Lighting Design: Shiraz Biggie Production Crew: Mindy Luce, Sandra Roque, Rob Freedman

Master and Margarita was performed July 11th – 15th, 2007

Synopsis: This play is a darkly comedic takedown of Soviet society, an audacious revision of the stories of Faust and Pontius Pilate, and a thrilling love story. The novel begins with the Devil’s arrival in 1930’s Moscow disguised as the distinguished Professor Woland. Together with his retinue of odd associates, including a talking, vodka-swilling black cat, Woland wreaks havoc on the societal elite. Meanwhile, the Master (an author of an unpublished novel about Jesus and Pontius Pilate who has been hounded by Soviet censors), languishes in despair in a psychiatric hospital, unable to share his story. His devoted lover, Margarita, agrees to sell her soul to the Devil in an effort to rescue the Master from his fate. The story weaves back and forth between current day Moscow and ancient Jerusalem, studded with sparkling scenes ranging from a dizzying Satanic Ball to the crucifixion of Jesus on Bald Mountain, with the enduring love between the Master and Margarita joining the strands of plot across space and time.