PROLOGUE
Volume 79 Issue 4
June 2015
Quartet Opens in June
Come Cheer This Wonderful Comedy! Performances June 12–21
Quartet first opened in London in 1999. It is a story
of self-discovery, of aging and loss of ability, and of
life-long friendships. The play is set in a retirement
home for musicians and singers in Kent, England. The
lives of Wilfred, Reginald, and Cecily, three opera stars
who worked together in their glory days, are turned
upside down by the arrival of a fourth former opera
star, Jean. Plans are under way for the annual
concert to celebrate Verdi’s birthday, and Cecily,
Reginald, and Wilfred want Jean to join them to
reprise their famous Act III quartet from Rigoletto.
Past and present collide as these four characters
grapple with their current plight and their desire to
revisit the days when music was all that mattered.
The talented (and sometimes devious!) cast
comprises Lis Adams as Cecily, Susan Scannell
Gilbert as Jean, Will Dalley as Reginald, and Paul
D’Onofrio as Wilfred. We welcome back Dayle
Ballentine as our director. Co-producers Evelyn
Corsini Alcorn and Marian Desilets have assembled
an outstanding crew including Monica Bruno as
stage manager, John Pease as set designer, Charlie
Carr as set tech chief, Cheryl Carter Miller as
costume designer, Charlotte Kelly on props and set
dressing, and Brian Rehrig as sound designer.
And if that isn’t enough, we welcome back to
AFD with open arms Michael Patterson as lighting
designer. Michael is the son of longtime members
Bob and Maureen Patterson. Michael “grew up” at
AFD, learning the ropes when in middle school,
then caught the bug and went on to become a
professional lighting designer. He has worked on the
highly acclaimed national and international tours of
Blast!, the Tony Award-winning Broadway premiere
of Wicked, and several productions with the New
York City Ballet. Locally, Michael has worked
extensively with Blue Man Group and has served as
production manager at Boston Lyric Opera. He tells
us that with this show he is especially excited to
return to where it all began.
All in all, the coming together of cast and
crew of Quartet is in keeping with this production’s
theme and AFD’s mission—the importance of valued
life-long friendships!
Rehearsal photos inside!
Get a sneak peek at the talented foursome
making up the cast of Quartet!
President’s Corner: A Note from Incoming President David Warnock
Summer has arrived, and with it, our time to relax and recharge, and also, to look
ahead. What inspires and excites you about AFD? What keeps you coming back
season after season? If you are a new member, what inspired you to join? And, oh
yes, what can we do better or differently? Along with hearing your responses, here
are several things that excite me as incoming president:
• Working with this Board of Directors. Joining me are new House Director Mark
Bastoni and new Treasurer Joe Stallone. Thank you, Wilda and Iain, for remaining on
the board in different positions. I’m told that an excellent board makes the president’s job easy, and looking
over this team, I’m inclined to believe it.
• Our 2015–2016 Season. A Chorus Line, the iconic musical about dancers and dreams; Clybourne Park,
a smart and relevant play; The Boy from Oz, a spectacular musical about entertainer Peter Allen (who’s
Peter Allen? OK, right now, go to You Tube and search “I Go to Rio Peter Allen” and “The Boy from Oz: I
Go to Rio Hugh Jackman and cast”—if these videos don’t get you up shaking your maracas—well, I
don’t know what to say); and, finally, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, a hilarious Chekhovian
mashup.
• The Privilege of Having Our Own Theater. For the benefits it brings to our members, theater artists,
and audiences, the ability to function in our own space is priceless. And, we gladly take on the
responsibilities that come with ownership.
• Our Future. AFD’s 100th anniversary approaches. How best to commemorate this milestone? With
long-term goals in mind, Dick Rubenstein oversaw a feasibility study aimed at enhancing the audience
experience. Proposals include: a new heating/air conditioning system, new theater seats, sound system
upgrades, and improvements to theater auditorium architectural details and color scheme. The Board
has committed to carefully considering these proposals, prioritizing, and discussing them with the
membership.
• YOU, our membership, without whom none of this is possible. We on the Board serve you and this
theater.
The words “we” and “our” appear often in this piece, as they should. We are a special community of
friends at the heart of the organization our predecessors named “Arlington Friends of the Drama” the better
part of a hundred years ago. Let’s join together as often as we can to celebrate what we have. I hope many of
us will find the time in this season of weddings, graduations, and vacations to gather at our final production,
Quartet. I look forward to seeing you!
David Warnock, Incoming President
AFD Season-End Business Meeting Is June 28 at 7 PM at the Theater
Mark your calendars! AFD’s closing Business Meeting is set for Sunday, June 28 at 7 PM. The entertainment
that evening will be a presentation of all of the directors for the 2015–2016 season. Each in their own style will
talk about their show and describe their vision and interpretation of the production and discuss the volunteers
that they may need. The presentation will include a question and answer period that will be a back-and-forth
conversation with the members of the audience. Program Director Jim Grana plans to unveil the season poster
at the end of the evening. We have a fabulous production team lined up for each show. With talent like this,
the 2015–2016 season promises to be an outstanding one.
A Chorus Line
Stage Director:
Nicholas Meunier
Choreographer: Todd Rinehart
Music Director: David Lien
Producers: Steve Atwater,
Susan Harrington
Clybourne Park
Stage Director: Celia Couture
Producer: Marlene Mandel
The Boy from Oz
Stage Director: Jim Grana
Music Director: Mario Cruz
Choreographer: Rachel Leigh
Roccoberton
Producer: Ginger Webb
Vanya and Sonia and Masha
and Spike
Stage Director: John Fogle
Producer: Evelyn Corsini
Alcorn
The Cast of Quartet in Rehearsal
Susan Scannell Gilbert, Paul D’Onofrio, Will Dalley, and Lis Adams
Susan Scannell Gilbert, Lis Adams, Paul D’Onofrio, and Will Dalley
Photography by Leslie Maiocco
Performance Dates: June 12, 13, 19, and 20 at 8 PM
and June 14 and 21 at 4 PM.
Talk-back after the June 14 matinee performance.
Purchase tickets online at www.afdtheatre.org
Friendly
Our deepest sympathies are with Susan Harrington
and her family on the death of her father, John
Harrington. We are thinking of you, Susan. Please
send your friendly news to Maureen Patterson at
[email protected].
Next Season’s Scripts in Green Room
Need to brush up on your Chorus Line or The Boy
From Oz? Scripts for all shows for next season are
available in the Green Room for your perusing
pleasure! They cannot be removed, but come on
down to have a coffee and a read-through. It’s a
great way to get to know the season’s offerings.
If you’d like a PDF copy of Oz, contact James Grana at
[email protected].
BOX OFFICE CORNER
Order your tickets for Quartet online at
www.afdtheatre.org or by mail using the form in this
edition of the Prologue. All ticket exchanges must be
made through the box office. The easiest way to
contact the box office is by email at
[email protected], or you may call
781-646-5922. All phone messages will be checked
and returned by a volunteer.
Information on how to order your tickets
online was emailed to all members and subscribers,
including your password. Make sure to add Mary
Babic ([email protected]) to your list of
safe senders in order to receive all AFD email.
Join AFD before July 1 and Save!
Renew your membership before July 1! Take advantage of our $60 full-season membership
before July 1, 2015, a $30 savings over purchasing four individual tickets. After July 1, the fullseason membership price will increase to $70. So renew your membership now!
There’s Still Time to Make a Donation to the Scholarship Fund!
In memory of long-time member and Belmont High School teacher Denis Fitzpatrick, Arlington
Friends of the Drama awards an annual scholarship to a deserving area student. The Denis M.
Fitzpatrick Scholarship is open to any graduating high school senior going on to higher education.
Donations may be made by check to the Denis M. Fitzpatrick Scholarship and mailed to AFD
Theatre, 22 Academy St., Arlington, MA, 02476. NOTE: The deadline for applicants has been
extended to June 10.
The Fine Print
The Prologue is a publication of Arlington Friends of the Drama,
published four to five times a year. Submissions of articles,
information, ideas, and feedback are welcome from members, and
may be submitted to Nancy Rogier, Prologue Editor, at
[email protected] or by calling 781-863-1186. Annual
membership/subscription to AFD is $60 through June 2015, and
increases to $70 after July 1, 2015. Membership includes a ticket to
each show, opportunities to get involved in all aspects of the
theater, The Prologue, and various social activities.
Prologue Staff
Nancy Rogier, Editor
Tom Lawrence, Phyllis Uloth, Proofreaders
Thank You ONCE AGAIN to
SHATTUCK ACE HARDWARE STORE
for paying for the printing of tickets
for our 92nd season!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel! Like us on Facebook!
AFD YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/AFDTheatre
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/36812824184/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AFDTheatre?ref=hl
Smiling Faces: Scenes from
the AFD May Business Meeting
Wilda Ward
Iain Bason
Evelyn Corsini Alcorn
Cynthia Marsden
Marian Desliets
Dick Rubenstein
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!
Quartet
A Comedy by Ronald Harwood
Directed by Dayle Ballentine
Produced by Marian Desilets
and Evelyn Corsini Alcorn
Set design by John Pease
Set tech by Charlie Carr
Props/Set dressing by Charlotte Kelley
Sound design by Brian Rehrig
Costumes by Cheryl Carter Miller
Lighting by Mike Patterson
CAST
Cecily: Lis Adams
Reginald: Will Dalley
Wilfred: Paul D’Onofrio
Jean: Susan Scannell Gilbert
Performance dates: June 12, 13, 19, 20 at 8 PM and June 14 and 21 at 4 PM.
A talk-back session will follow the June 14 matinee.
Purchase tickets online at
www.afdtheatre.org
TO ORDER BY MAIL: Send this form, along with payment for guest tickets, to:
Box Office, ARLINGTON FRIENDS OF THE DRAMA, 22 Academy Street, Arlington, MA 02476
AFD Exchange Policy: All ticket exchanges MUST be conducted through the AFD Box Office.
Please call 781-646-5922 or email [email protected]
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- CUT ALONG LINE --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Name(s)_____________________________________________________________________________________
Phone Number __________________________ Email________________________________________________
Performance Date & Time _______________________________________________________________________
____ # of member tickets @ no cost
____ # of guest tickets @ $25 each
____ Total # of tickets
= $ 00
= $_____ Total Due
Announcing the 2015–2016 AFD Season
AFD Theatre’s 2015–2016 slate has something for everyone, from classic show-stopping musicals to incisive
contemporary drama to a rollicking slap-happy farce. All are award winners and crowd pleasers. We hope you
join us for every production! DON’T KNOW CHORUS LINE FROM OZ? SCRIPTS AVAILABLE IN GREEN ROOM!
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015
A CHORUS LINE
Music, Book, and Lyrics by Marvin Hamlisch, Ed Kleban, James Kirkwood
Tony Award for Best Musical
Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical
Recently revived on Broadway and hitting its 40th birthday, this great musical is centered on seventeen
Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. A Chorus Line provides a glimpse into the personalities
of the performers and the choreographer as they describe the events that have shaped their lives and their
decisions to become dancers.
JANUARY 2016
CLYBOURNE PARK
By Bruce Norris
2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
2012 Tony Award for Best Play
Clybourne Park is a sharp-edged drama about race and community. The play walks a dangerous tightrope
between social commentary and comedy, exploring and exploding cultural myths about race, community, and
the pursuit of the American Dream. The story builds on events depicted in Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 drama A
Raisin in the Sun, in which a black family decides to buy a home in an all-white Chicago neighborhood. Norris
sets his play in the house the family hopes to buy, and the audience watches the conflicts unfold: first, in 1959
when the white couple agrees to sell the house, and then again in the second act, when a new couple seeks to
buy and renovate the house 50 years later.
APRIL 2016
THE BOY FROM OZ
Music and Lyrics by Peter Allen, Book by Nick Enright
Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical
Tony Award Nomination for Best Musical
The Boy from Oz tells the dazzling, funny, and heart-breaking story of the great entertainer Peter Allen, from his
humble beginnings growing up in the Australian outback through a meteoric rise to fame as an international star
who would break all box office records at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Singing in pubs from age 11, Peter
survived family tragedy to become a local TV star at 16. Discovered by Judy Garland, he married her daughter
Liza Minnelli and went on to become a beloved performer and an Oscar-winning songwriter. The New York
Times reviewer noted: “Peter Allen brought entertainment and joy in his life and in his work. This show and the
people involved deliver that spirit honestly.”
MAY/JUNE 2016
VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE
By Christopher Durang
2013 Tony Award for Best Play
In this hilarious comedy of ill manners, Vanya and his adopted sister Sonia are living a quiet life in the
Pennsylvania farmhouse where they grew up, while their sister Masha travels the world as a movie star. Just as
their cleaning woman issues a warning about terrible events in their future, Masha returns for an unannounced
visit with her 20-something boy toy Spike in tow—and so begins an unforgettable weekend building to a fever
pitch of rivalry, regret, and racket. Mixing Chekhov sensibilities with modern cringe-worthy flair, Vanya and
Sonia and Masha and Spike is a delightfully off-kilter summer romp that critics have hailed “a sublime state of
hilarity” and “a zany joy.”
A Company of Friends
22 Academy Street
Arlington MA 02476
Phone: 781-646-9337
Ticket line: 781-646-5922
Web Address: www.afdtheatre.org