Smithfield Little Theatre
presents
OF
MICE
AND
MEN
BASED ON JOHN STEINBECK’S NOVEL
February 16-March 5, 2017
2016-17 Corporate Underwriters
We offer sincere thanks to these businesses supporting the
arts with their gifts to Smithfield Little Theatre. As a
non-profit entity, we rely on such generosity in order to
continue offering quality entertainment.
PLATINUM
Beale & Curan, PC
Home Sweet Home Care
Smithfield Family Dentistry
Laura & Lucy's
Dalis Foundation
Cockeyed Rooster Cafe
Smithfield Ice Cream Parlor
Smithfield Foods
Decorating Den Interiors
First Colony Engraving
Hallwood Business Group
Smithfield Inn
Family Medical Care of Smithfield
Smithfield Eye/Suffolk Eye Physicians & Surgeons
GOLD
Colonial Funeral Home
D. B. Bowles Jewelers
Parr Funeral Home & Crematory
Starr Motors
The Oaks Veterinary Clinic & Equine Farm Services
SILVER
Enochs Eye Care PLLC
BRONZE
Harris Chiropractic Clinic
SMITHFIELD LITTLE THEATRE WOULD LIKE TO
EXPRESS SPECIAL THANKS TO THE DALIS
FOUNDATION OF NORFOLK FOR A GENEROUS GRANT
THAT HAS PROVIDED NEW LIGHTING EQUIPMENT.
Smithfield Little Theatre
presents
OF MICE AND MEN
by John Steinbeck
DIRECTED AND
PRODUCED
BY ROBERT COX
Presented through special
arrangement with
Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
John Steinbeck’s story, “Of Mice and Men” was published as a novella in 1937 and produced as a play on Broadway in the same year. It is
probably one of the most often read books in American schools, and
one of the most criticized for its content.
This is a story of outsiders and their dreams. We find discrimination
based on age, sex, race, mentality and social status. And, if we examine the characters, we find that each has a dream of their own which
will take them away from their reality and into that fantasy.
I, loving a good drama, have wanted for some time to bring this play
to our stage. The author presents us with a picture of reality which
existed in our nation during the Great Depression. It was a time of
despondency and searching. And yes, the story is dated, harsh, and
can make you wince a bit. It is to be experienced as commentary on
the time and not as a judgment.
Our cast and crew have worked hard to present you with our interpretation of this great American novel. We thank you for your interest and support of this and all of our productions here at SLT.
Robert Cox
CAST
George ………………………………….……………John Cauthen
Lennie………………………………………………..Collin Norman
Candy…………………………………………………...Joe Petrolia
The Boss…………………………………………Howard Marchant
Curley……………………………………………………...Joe Tapia
Curley’s Wife…………………………………………...Noel Jordan
Slim………………………………………………….Skylar Norman
Carlson……………………………………………………Tim Jones
Whit…………………………………………………...…Dan Steiger
Crooks………………………………………………… Earvin Myers
PRODUCTION CREW
Director/Producer………………………………………Robert Cox
Assistant Director………………………………..Kristen Marchant
Associate Director…………………………………….Roy Chesson
Stage Manager………………………………………...Kristin Wilda
Stage Crew………………………Amanda Norman, Marc Proctor,
Emily Wilda, Deborah Duncan, Lizzy Altizer
Set Design……………………………………………….Robert Cox
Set Construction……………………Mike Hildreth, Arnold Taplin,
James Langford, Marc Proctor, Elton Lane, Deborah Duncan
Lighting Design…………………………………………Dan Steiger
Lighting Tech……………………………...Anne Katherine George
Sound Design and Operation……………………….Don Cornutte
MARQUEE & PROGRAM COVER ARTWORK BY MEGAN PUGH
SYNOPSIS OF SCENES
Setting: An agricultural valley in northern California, 1937
ACT I
Scene 1: A sandy bank of the Salinas River. Thursday night.
Scene 2: The interior of a bunkhouse. Late Friday morning.
ACT II
Scene 1: Inside the bunkhouse. About 7:30 Friday evening.
Scene 2: The room of the stable buck. 10:00 Saturday evening.
ACT III
Scene 1: One end of a great barn. Mid-afternoon, Sunday.
Scene 2: By the Salinas River. Sunday night.
THERE WILL BE 10-MINUTE INTERMISSIONS
AFTER ACT I AND ACT II
GREETINGS FROM THE SLT PRESIDENT
As a common subject matter in many high schools, and with so
many well-known movies having been made, it’s hard to say something new - much less enlightening - about Of Mice and Men. The
work’s themes and motifs are well known: the predatory nature of
human existence, fraternity and the idealized male friendship, the
impossibility of the American dream, the corrupting power of women, loneliness and companionship, and strength and weakness. Perhaps with the current political climate in today’s American society,
these may be even closer to home. Regardless, seeing the work in
our intimate theater setting will certainly bring the work to you in a
more personal and poignant way.
SLT closes our 55th season with the much-loved musical Grease
which opens April 27. We hope to see you for this fun filled nostalgic
look at the ‘50’s.
Thank you for coming, and enjoy the show!
Roy Chesson
CREATIVE STAFF
ROBERT COX (Director & Producer) is one of
SLT's mainstays. From acting and directing and
producing to building more sets than you can
imagine, he has contributed heart, soul, and
sweat to our organization. Some favorite
directing credits include Driving Miss Daisy
(SLT), The Sting (SLT), and The Cripple of
Inishmaan (Norfolk Little Theatre). Robert is on
SLT’s board of directors, keeps our building and grounds in order,
and also finds time to work as a docent for the Visitor’s Center. He’s
happiest, though, when fishing on the James River!
KRISTEN MARCHANT (Assistant Director), a Smithfield native, joined the SLT family over ten years
ago for her first show, Wizard of Oz. Since then
she has both acted on stage and worked tirelessly
behind the scenes for numerous productions.
Acting credits include The Sting, Hairspray, and
One for the Pot, and she has performed just about
every backstage and technical role here at SLT.
Kristen works at Historic St. Luke’s and at D.B. Bowles Jewelers, and
her favorite pastimes include black-and-white films, cooking, and
playing the piano.
ROY CHESSON (Associate Director) lives in Smithfield with his wife Erika and their six furry children -- dogs Andy, Annie, and Sophie, and cats
Liam, Gunnie, and Orlando. Roy retired from the
Navy and works for the City of Newport News as a
Recovery Operations Manager. Our current theatre president, Roy’s acting credits include Peter
Pan, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, City of Angels, and No
Exit. He was assistant director at Norfolk Little Theatre for The Cripple of Inishmaan last year, and has worked backstage for a number
of SLT productions, too.
OUR CAST
John Cauthen (George) is a retired high school
English teacher from Williamsburg. He is new to
the SLT stage but has performed at area theatres
from Richmond to the Peninsula. Some favorite
roles include Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls,
Harold Hill in The Music Man, and Petruchio in The
Taming of the Shrew. John enjoys reading and performing Shakespeare as well as spending time with his wife, Dana,
and their teenage son, Jack.
Collin Norman (Lennie) is the assistant director at
Historic St. Luke’s, and he enjoys spending time
working on his own historic home on Main Street in
Smithfield, where he lives with his wife, Amanda,
and their Newfoundland , Niles. Collin’s favorite
roles include Fagan in Oliver! , Edna in Hairspray,
and Tin Man in Wizard of Oz. Most recently he appeared in One for the Pot as all four of the Hickory
Woods brothers, a frenzied and amazing acting feat!
Noel Jordan (Curley’s Wife) is from Smithfield, and
boasts the most pets of anyone in our cast or crew:
eight chickens, eight dogs, seven horses, five cats,
two pigs, and one hedgehog….wow! Noel appeared on SLT’s stage in The Sting in 2013 and
Junie B. Jones in 2016. She is a medical waste contractor for Sentara, and in her spare time likes
writing, reading, and binge-watching Netflix.
Earvin Myers (Crooks) is originally from Jamestown, SC, but calls Carrollton home now. He is a
deputy with the Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office, and in
hi spare time enjoys playing various board games.
Earvin last appeared at SLT in Hairspray (along
with wife Patricia and daughter Rosa), and he
played the role of Judas Iscariot at his church at
Easter. He also wrote and directed an anti-bullying
skit at Smithfield High School.
Dan Steiger (Whit) is an invaluable fixture in the
SLT lighting booth, where he has spent countless
hours designing and running lights for umpteen
shows. He’s taking a break to appear on stage -- Of
Mice and Men is one of several he’s appeared in
since he joined SLT in Guys and Dolls. Dan is a test
technician at Newport News Shipbuilding, and he
and his wife Debbie are happiest spending their
time with their two grandchildren, Alex and Jocelyn.
Skylar Norman (Slim) is a third generation SLT performer and is excited to be making his return to our
stage after a three-year hiatus during which he received a degree in Chemistry from The College of
William and Mary. Skylar would like to thank his fiancé, Nina, for putting up with boring nights while
he was busy at rehearsal!
Bobby (Candy’s dog) is retired and likes to spend
time riding in his dad Robert’s truck or sleeping. He
was once the winner of the Best Dog Award in SLT’s
One-Act Play Festival, and he’s supervised set construction at SLT for years. Bobby enjoys having
“Old Yeller” read aloud (but skip the ending,
please) and watching “Dog Day Afternoon.” And
he’s always ready for that extra nap, too. It’s a dog’s life, isn’t it?
Joe Tapia (Curley) lives in Suffolk and is the marketing coordinator at Historic St. Luke’s. He has
been performing at SLT for the past six years. In
addition to stage work, Joe enjoys film acting. He
appeared in Fox News’ series Legends and Lies as
well as AMC’s TURN: Washington Spies.
KEEPING SMITHFIELD GREEN
If you’d like to recycle your
program at the end of the show, please
deposit it in the basket by the lobby
doors. Thank you!
Howard Marchant (The Boss) hails from Richmond,
but has long made Smithfield home with his wife
Meredith and their three kids, Kristen, Christopher,
and Kimberly. All the Marchants are faithful volunteers at SLT, giving their time and talent both on
stage and off in numerous shows. Among Howard’s
favorite performances are Spamalot, The Producers, and Hairspray. He is also known for his talent at
open mic comedy venues, and he likes golf and bowling as well.
their son Stephen.
Tim Jones (Carlson) has performed in area community theatres with a resume too lengthy to fit here.
Favorite shows include Lion in Winter, Rumors,
1776, and There Goes the Bride. Tim keeps fit by
teaching yoga, lifting weights, outrigger and marathon canoe racing, and stand-up paddle boarding.
He and his wife April have a daughter Ashley and
three grandkids, as well as very special memories of
Joe Petrolia (Candy) is a retired social studies and
drama teacher, having spent his career in Florida
and Ohio. He’s now settled in Yorktown and continues to add to an extensive list of theatre credits.
Favorite roles include Daddy Warbucks in Annie,
Marvin in California Suite, and Norman in On Golden Pond. Among Joe’s directing credits are Arsenic
and Old Lace and Picnic . His debut on the SLT stage marks his second
time playing the poignant role of Candy, and we welcome him!
Our cast and crew offer
SPECIAL THANKS
to
ROB FORTNER
VALERIE JOHNSON
SESROH TACK SHOPPE
Our spring musical will run
April 27 th - May 21 st
for 16 performances!
Tickets are online or at the box
office at 757-357-7338.
Reserve your seats now!
HATS OFF TO THE “OF MICE AND MEN” STAGE CREW!
Kristin, Amanda, Deborah, Marc, Emily and Liz
Smithfield Little Theatre Board
and Committee Chairs
Officers
President:
Vice President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Roy Chesson
Jeff Johnson
Lynn Briggs
Kathy Strozak
(2014-2017)
(2016-2019)
(2015-2018)
(2014-2017)
Board Members
Amanda Norman
Jim Abicht
Connie Chapman
Robert Cox
Sharon Suttle
(2014-2017)
(2015-2018)
(2015-2018)
(2016-2019)
(2016-2019)
Board members can be contacted by email at:
[email protected]
Committee Chairs
Building & Grounds:
Concessions:
Fundraising:
Lighting Technical:
Marketing:
Season Development:
Scholarship:
Smithfield Music:
Sound Technical:
Network System Admin:
Theatre Liaison:
Tickets:
Ushers:
Volunteer Coordinator:
Wardrobe:
Website:
Robert Cox
Gary Parsons
Mark Hall
Dan Steiger
Mark Hall
James Clarke
Elaine Dairo
Jim Abicht
Don Curnutte
Don Curnutte
Elaine Dairo
Jenn Melms
June Hurst, Debbie Steiger
Kathy Strozak
Linda Gwaltney
Don Curnutte
Smithfield Little Theatre
Membership Campaign 2016-2017
Benefactors
Herb & Renee Bevan
Andrea & Bobby Clontz
Robert & Verne Edwards
John & Gail Hamilton
Dr. & Mrs. B.F. Jamison
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Modlin
Charles & Juanita Pond
Jeffrey & Margaret Rosner
Bob & Betty Woods
Helene & Michael Biondi
Catherine Barlow Duncan
Mark & JoAnn Hall
John & Louise Harrup
Dr. & Mrs. Phil Jepson
The Parron Firm
Joseph W. Riley, Jr.
Ed & Peggy Thal
Chris & Dede Yoko
Angels
Beth Aberth & David Garner
Mr. & Mrs. John R. Ashburn, Jr.
Capt. Fred Barrett
Sallie Belle Benedetti
Sue S. Bloxom
Lucy & Bob Clay
Rich & Susan Corey
HW & ME DeGroft
Jerry & Nancy Franklin
Brian Gruber, M.D.
Roger & Linda Heer
Anne & Colen Hodgson
Hinton D. Hurff
Chris & Karen Jones
Jane & Greg Kilduff
William E. Laine, Jr.
Jean & Gaylord Lockett
Dr. & Mrs. Bart LoPresti
Decorating Den Interiors
Joseph & Laura Arango
Fred & Pearl Austin
Denson & Jennifer Bell
Larry & Marie Biermann
Andy & Del Brooks
Bob & Paula Cole
Dr. William R. Cornette
Times Publishing Co.
David & Eva Goodrich
Mr. & Mrs. Franklin E. Hall
Dr. & Mrs. L.C. Hinson
Richard & Linda Hollis
Bobby Jones & Jennie House
Mr. & Mrs. Allyn Julien
Gary & Evelyn Kirts
Lewis & Sandy Little
Dr. & Mrs. D.J. Longford
Don & Candee Lovett
Dan & Linda Lytton
Angels (Continued)
Dave & Susan Maltby
Albert Nash
Sue Parr
Dr. & Mrs. Robert Rack
Andrew & Tracey Reutt
John & Donna Rynasko
Mack & Ruth Saunders
Sue & Rick Schwarting
Mary B. Seward
John & Brenda Stallings
Shirley & Cal Warfield
Judge & Mrs. Randolph T. West
Marion Wilson
John & Karen Kise in memory of Jim Hurst
Mr. & Mrs. Wm. R. Moore, Jr.
Wayne & Ruth Nast
Vic & Connie Patton
Gloria Ray
Mr. & Mrs. Donald Russell
Brenda & Joe Saunders
Mrs. Estelle C. Schlipf
Wayne & Julie Scott
Wayne & Earlene Sprouse
Mickey & Carolyn Stallings
Richard & Sandra Waters
Wayne & Joanne Willis
Jack Dashiell & Marilyn
Sponsors
Jimmy & Jean Babb
Bill & Taylor Barlow
Donna & Dale Baugh
Beth & Lynwood Butner
Ron & Joyce Cates
Becky Dashiell
Pamela & Frank DeLar
Jim Dyer
David & Jane Faulkner
Eagle Hobby Shop
Bob & Muffin Hickman
Anonymous
Betty & Aaron Lilley
Walt & Mary Mehaffey
Jean & Johnny Moody
Mr. & Mrs. Collin Norman
The Pugh Family
Gary & Cathy Robertson
Everette & Luann Scott
Karen & Stanley Barlow
John & Demere Bates
Emma Jean Brady
Betty Caldwell
John & Germaine Curry
Tom & Shyla-Lea Dawson
Dorien & Cheryl de Lusignan
Mr. & Mrs. Walter Ewell
Ann & Tim Fisher
Jim & Terry Harrison
Fran Hurd
Harold & Lorena Lawrence
Martha W McLean
Vincent Mollura
Joan & Darrell Nagy
John & Cecile Petrone
Don & Carol Rhoton
Durwood & Carolyn Scott
Janice Scott
Sponsors (Continued)
Frank & Helen Wozniak
Mr. & Mrs. James E. Yoder
Bill & Betsy Egan
Tommy & DeeDee Darden
In Memory of Estelle Schlipf from Ann & Larry Henry
Marvin & Betty Pulley in memory of Jack Bloxom
In Honor of Taylor Stuck
Patrons
Johnnie & Frances Adams
Chuck & Nancy Alberghine
Gilbert & Shirley Alexander
Sindee Austin
Bachman Family
Shelley & Joseph Barlow, Jr.
Mrs. Barbara T. Bonney
Robb & Lynn Briggs
Amy & William Britt
Bill, Sandra, & Lyn Bunting
Richard Byrd
Mr. & Mrs. Billie R. Cook
Delilah J. Doggett
A. Frank Drewery
Leslie & Felix Dunaway
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Faleski
Peter & Robin Grosso
Donald & Lois Gwaltney
Betty & Dick Harrell
R. Keith & Phyllis P. Harrell
Hank & Regina Harris
Tom & Ellen Hassler
Bob & Caroline Hurt
Bernie & Carolyn Hyman
Herbert & Ellen Jones
Ginny & Dale Kelley
Danny & Betty McKee
William & Kristen Milholen
Brita Mizelle
Carolyn Motley
Roselyn E. Moxley
Gus & Rose Nurney
Irie & David Palagyi
Lori & Will Palagyi
George & Becky Parker
Melinda & Lee Poe
Peggy & Sonny Richardson
Yank & Marsha Rutherford
Mark & Mary Nancy Saunders
Dick & Bette Slayton
Loyd & Gloria Smith
James & Dianne Sonneborn
David & Veronique Tucker
Ann Vance
Ws of the WILPs
Brian & Romelle Webber
C. Wright
Bobby & Linda Wright
Sarah B. Wright
In Memory of My Husband, Bill, by Frances Weaver
Donations received as of February 1, 2017
SLT PERFORMING ARTS
AND EDUCATION
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
SLT AWARDS A $1000 SCHOLARSHIP EACH YEAR TO A
STUDENT WHO HAS SHOWN AN INTEREST IN THE
PERFORMING ARTS AND IS PURSUING HIGHER
EDUCATION AT AN ACCREDITED TWO- OR
FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
DONATE! 100% OF YOUR DONATION GOES TO THE
SCHOLARSHIP FUND. THERE ARE NO
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS DEDUCTED.
SUPPORT OUR CONCESSIONS! 100% OF THE
NET PROFITS GO TO THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
PAST RECIPIENTS
2012:Taryn Johnson
2013: Skylar Norman
2014: Lauren Peters
2015: Bradley Fielding, Lindsey Ball, Hannah Dewing
2016: Dustyn Bain
FOR INFORMATION ON MAKING A DONATION
OR TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP, GO TO OUR
WEBSITE AT SmithfieldLittleTheatre.org
or contact Elaine Dairo at (757)365-0387
THE SLT FAMILY THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!