My Sons Standard Program - Montana Repertory Theatre

MONTANA
REPERTORY
THEATRE professional theatre from the heart of the rockies
Photo: terry j. cyr
umarts | College of Visual and Performing Arts
School of Theatre & Dance
Montana Rep Established in 1967
Montana Rep, an Equity company based
at the University of Montana in Missoula,
has been touring for over 45 years. In
recent years the company has toured its
productions of A Streetcar Named Desire;
Steel Magnolias; The Trip to Bountiful; Lost
in Yonkers; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; To Kill a
Mockingbird; Leading Ladies; Bus Stop; Doubt,
a parable; Biloxi Blues; The Miracle Worker;
and The Great Gatsby, presenting more
than 500 performances in 200 communities
from California to New York.
The Professional Ensemble
Principal roles are played by actors whose
past credits have included Broadway runs
and national tours of A Chorus Line, Crimes
of the Heart, Into the Woods, Biloxi Blues,
Steel Magnolias, Pump Boys and Dinettes,
Cabaret, The Will Rogers Follies, George M!,
and Execution of Justice, as well as major
motion pictures.
University of Montana
The University of Montana, with a student
population of over 13,000, is located
in the Rocky Mountains in Missoula
(population 70,000), less than a day’s
drive from Glacier and Yellowstone
national parks.
Montana Rep is in residence at the College
of Visual and Performing Arts, which
includes art, media arts, music, and theatre
& dance. BA, BFA, MA, and MFA
degrees are offered.
As the professional theatre-in-residence at
the University of Montana, Montana Rep
offers theatre students unique educational
opportunities. UM is one of very few
universities in the nation to house a
professional touring company, and the only
one that incorporates students and faculty
into that company. Students who tour with
Montana Rep work alongside seasoned
actors, directors, designers, and technical
crew members, gaining experience that
other academic programs cannot offer.
To learn more about our performance
seasons and academic programs, please
visit these websites:
montana repertory theatre
MONTANA REPERTORY THEATRE
Professional Theatre-in-Residence
Montana Rep operates under an agreement
with Actors’ Equity Association and the
University/Resident Theatre Association.
www.montanarep.org
[email protected]
school of theatre & dance
www.umt.edu/theatredance
[email protected]
college of visual and performing arts
exclusive booking management
Rena Shagan Associates, Inc.
16A West 88th Street / New York, NY 10024
(212) 873-9700 / www.shaganarts.com
www.umt.edu/umarts
the university of montana
www.umt.edu
umarts
College of Visual and Performing Arts
School of Theatre & Dance
MONTANA REP is funded in part by grants from the Montana Arts Council (an agency of state government),
The Dramatists Guild, and The Shubert Foundation, with support from the Montana State Legislature, the
University of Montana, the Montana Cultural Trust, NorthWestern Energy, Dr. Cathy Capps, Dr. Sandy Sheppard,
Jay Kettering & Gwen McKenna, and Jean Morrison.
From the Director
I am grateful to be part of
Montana Rep’s revival of All
My Sons, the award-winning
play that helped launch
the successful and critically
acclaimed career of one of
America’s greatest twentiethcentury playwrights. A uniquely
American play, All My Sons established Arthur
Miller as a powerful storyteller with keen insight
into the struggles of everyday men and women.
Miller’s intense psychological probing and honest
portrayals reveal the depth of his understanding
and compassion.
All My Sons, written about the post-World
War II experiences of my father’s generation,
continues to resonate with today’s audiences.
I first encountered this play in the years after
the Vietnam conflict and recently saw the hit
Broadway revival as news reports were flooded
with moving stories of veterans returning from
Iraq and Afghanistan. The power of Miller’s
story about war’s consequences for both veterans
and civilians––of honor and sacrifice, of guilt,
honesty, hope, and love––is as relevant today as
when the play premiered in 1947.
All My Sons teaches us that as we struggle in the
aftermath of war and conflict, compassion and
forgiveness provide the only means by which we
will heal.
Jere Lee Hodgin
Director
Actors’ Equity Association was
formed in New York City on May 26,
1913. For many years exploitation had
been a permanent condition of actors’
employment. Theatrical producers
set their own work conditions, and
there was no required minimum level
of compensation. There were no
payments for rehearsal, and rehearsals
were unlimited. Actors in a failed
company were often stranded in a
town miles from home, costumes
were furnished by the actors, holiday
matinees were numerous and
performed without pay, productions
closed during lean weeks, and dismissal
took place without any notice to the
actors. Previous attempts by individual
actors to organize in order to rectify
these abuses had been unsuccessful.
However, by May 1913, a committee
of actors drafted a constitution for
what was to become Actors’ Equity
Association.
On July 18, 1919, the American
Federation of Labor (later to be the
AFL-CIO) granted a charter to the
newly formed union. In the ensuing
years, with each successive negotiation,
Equity has secured provisions that
further protect the actor, including
bonding of productions, minimum
salaries, payment for rehearsal, pension
and health trust funds, and principal
and chorus auditions, providing an
opportunity for actors without agents
to be seen by producers before the
final casting of a show.
Adopted almost a century ago, Equity’s
constitution states that the goal of the
association is “to advance, promote,
foster, and benefit all those connected
with the art of theatre.” This
straightforward directive still remains
the finest statement of Equity’s mission.
MONTANA REPERTORY THEATRE
Professional Theatre from the heart of the rockies
Directed by Jere
lee hodgin**
Scenic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Fink
Costume Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine L. Milodragovich
Lighting Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Monsos
Audio Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zach Hamersley
Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hope Rose Kelly*
Cast
Joe Keller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Boland*
Kate Keller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laurie Dawn*
Chris Keller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Colton Swibold
Ann Deever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meg Kiley Smith*
George Deever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mason Wagner
Dr. Jim Bayliss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scoob Decker
Sue Bayliss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cahilan Shine
Frank Lubey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Williamson
Lydia Lubey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Bennett
Bert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heidi Williamson
Setting
The back yard of the Keller home in the outskirts
of an American town. August of 1947.
Act I: An early Sunday morning in late August.
There will be one fifteen-minute intermission.
Act II: The same evening as twilight begins.
Act III: Two o’clock the following morning.
ALL MY SONS is presented by special arrangement with
Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association
** Member of SDC
The Rep’s Crew
Company Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heidi Williamson
Assistant Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joel Shura
Production Dramaturg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cohen Ambrose
Assistant Stage Manager/Props . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cahilan Shine
Tour Technical Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Luwe
Master Electrician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spencer Perry
Electrician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Colton Swibold
Audio Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Staninger
Wardrobe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Bennett
Costume Shop Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paula Niccum
Draper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Fulford
Costume Construction Staff . . . . . . . . . Jessica Lang, Lynn Martyn,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bayne Tilton, Eliza Visscher, Liz Updyke
Construction Technical Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Gregoire
Scene Shop Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Gregiore
Scenic Construction Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . Zack Aschim, Shay Fiegi,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zach Hamersley, Karl Mitchell,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brett Powell, Dani Warmuth
Charge Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Fink
Scenic Painters . . . . . . . . . . Adryan Miller-Gorder, Dani Warmuth
Light Shop Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zach Hamersley
Assistant Light Shop Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark Andrews
Prop Shop Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dani Warmuth
The Rep’s Staff
Artistic Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg Johnson
Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason McDaniel
Assistant to the Artistic Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Salina Chatlain
Publicity/Educational Outreach Coordinator . . . . . Teresa Waldorf
Audience Education Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cohen Ambrose
Development Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ellie Hill
Media Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leland Buck
Office Assistants . . . . . . . . . . . Genevieve Barlow, Morgan Solonar
Photographs and recordings are not permitted at any time.
The Rep’s Equity Company
Mike Boland* (Joe Keller) is a New York-based actor. He is honored
to be portraying one of the American theater’s most conflicted men. He has
performed on Broadway in An Enemy of the People, and in Broadway national
tours of Twelve Angry Men and West Side Story. Other credits include
The Orphans’ Home Cycle (Signature Theater—Off-Broadway), To Kill a
Mockingbird (Hartford Stage), She Stoops to Conquer, W;t, Mystery School,
and A Question of Mercy (Long Wharf), The Exonerated (Theaterworks—
Hartford), Lend Me A Tenor (Fulton/Playhouse on Park), I Ought to Be in
Pictures (Ivoryton Playhouse), Driving Miss Daisy (Music Theatre of Connecticut) and many
others. TV credits include Person of Interest, Rubicon, and Zero Hour. Film: Bobby Dogs. Mike
is also writer/co-director and co-star of his own web series, Frank and Ernie. Mike dedicates
his performance to his father, George Boland, who would have loved this show.
Laurie Dawn* (Kate Keller) Off-Broadway: Strictly Personal; Mountain
Song. Regional highlights: Sonia in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
(Engeman Theatre); Good People (Public Theatre); Last of the Red Hot Lovers
(New Harmony); The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Nevada Conservatory); God
of Carnage, Crumbs from the Table of Joy, The Quality of Life (New Century
Theatre); Moon over Buffalo, Always ... Patsy Cline (Ivoryton Playhouse—
Broadway World Nomination); Faith Healer (Riverside Theatre—Broadway
World Nomination); several productions of Steel Magnolias. Television:
Boardwalk Empire; Law & Order: SVU; Broad City. Film: Bridge of Spies (with Tom Hanks);
Good Kids; Good Ol’ Boy; The Adjustment Bureau; Revolutionary Road; 8:46: A 9/11 Tribute Film.
Meg Kiley Smith* (Ann Deever) is a Northern California native
based in New York City. Credits include three seasons with the Shakespeare
Theatre of New Jersey (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Julius Caesar,
Pericles, Oliver Twist, A Most Dangerous Woman), Twelfth Night and Love’s
Labour’s Lost (Shakespeare in the Valley), Sleep No More (Off-Broadway),
The Berenstain Bears LIVE! (Off-Broadway and National Tour), The Turn
of the Screw (Everyday Inferno), Money: A Musical Play for Cabaret (Theatre
Row), and works at the Brick, BAX, and the Duplex. Meg co-founded and
worked as an actor/Educational Director with MaineStage Shakespeare in Kennebunk, ME
(As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello, Romeo and Juliet). Meg studied at Trinity
College (Connecticut) and the National Theater Institute, and has trained with the SITI
Company and Fiasco Theater. Meg thanks her family and Alex for their constant love
and support.
HOPE ROSE KELLY* (Stage Manager) is excited to return to Montana
Rep for another production. Last year she stage managed The Great Gatsby.
Most recently, Hope stage managed Catherine Trieschmann’s new play
Holy Laughter at WAM Theatre. Other companies include Shakespeare &
Company, Long Wharf Theatre, Wilma Theatre, New Repertory Theatre,
Public Theatre in Maine, Stonington Opera House, Hangar Theatre,
McCarter Theatre, and George Street Playhouse. A graduate of Ithaca
College and the University of Toronto, Hope serves as second Vice Chair
on the board of the Stage Managers’ Association. She is also the General Manager for WAM
Theatre, Department Head of Stage Management at Shakespeare & Company, and is a proud
member of Actors’ Equity Association.
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association
The Rep’s Company
Colton Swibold (Chris Keller) is ecstatic to be back at home with
Montana Repertory Theatre for his third tour. A recent graduate of the
University of Montana and a Missoula, MT, native, Colton performed in the
Rep’s 2013 national tour of Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues and went out with the
Rep’s 2015 theatrical adaptation of The Great Gatsby as projection engineer
and electrician. He now lives in New York City, trying to make a dent in
a bigger market, but always appreciates coming home to the Rep where he
can reach so many more people across the nation. He hopes you enjoy this
powerful story and continue to support live theatre wherever you may be. Cheers!
Mason Wagner (George Deever) is honored to be a member of
this cast of All My Sons. Originally from upstate New York, his passion for
adventure and storytelling eventually led him to Missoula, where he has
been fortunate enough to find another home with the Rep. This is his last
year at the University of Montana, where he will graduate with his BFA in
acting. Stage credits include Nick Carraway in the Rep’s The Great Gatsby
(National Tour), Silvio in PVT. Wars, Reverend Groves in Book of Days,
Banquo in Macbeth, Christian in Cyrano de Bergerac, and the Man in Talk
to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen. He extends his unending gratitude to his family, his
mentors, and the brave storytellers that serve to remind us of the things we are told to forget.
Scoob Decker (Dr. Jim Bayliss), originally from Kalispell, MT, has
lived and studied in the Missoula area for five years. As a theatre major at
the University of Montana, he has appeared in several productions as well
as assistant stage managed. He has also performed in musicals at Missoula
Community Theatre and been featured at the Stensrud Playhouse. He will
graduate in Spring 2016 with a degree in theatre education.
CAHILAN Shine (Sue Bayliss) makes her Montana Repertory Theatre
debut in All My Sons. A recent graduate of the University of Montana’s
School of Theatre & Dance, Ms. Shine was the School’s 2014-2015 Talent
Scholarship recipient. Her performances there included Anya in The Cherry
Orchard, Yasmin in Pentecost, Mrs. Cratchit in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas
Carol, and Bridget in Translations. She has had the pleasure of working with
companies like Seattle Shakespeare Company, Book-It Repertory Theatre,
and Idaho Repertory Theatre.
Sam Williamson (Frank Lubey) is ecstatic to be touring for a second
excursion with Montana Repertory Theatre. Sam was born in Great Falls,
MT. While cutting his teeth and learning the ropes at the University of
Montana, he quickly became obsessed with the performative arts. Some of
his most cherished productions include Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Lion in
Winter, Montana Rep’s National Tour of Biloxi Blues; Angels in America, Part
One: Millennium Approaches; and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Sam spends
his summers acting in Virginia City, MT, at the Brewery Follies. He has
directed several one acts and three full-length plays: Macbeth, Circle Mirror Transformation,
and Holocene, a new work written by Montana Rep alum Hugh Bickley. Above all else, Sam
loves collaboration, storytelling, and connecting with diverse audiences.
The Rep’s Company continued
Elizabeth Bennett
(Lydia Lubey) is from McCall, ID, and is currently studying to earn a BFA
in acting from the University of Montana. Some of her recent roles include
Natalie in Distracted, Lauren in Circle Mirror Transformation, and Lysandra
in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and multiple characters in the Rep’s 2015
national tour of The Great Gatsby. She was a 2015 cast member with
Virginia City’s Brewery Follies. She is proud to have worked with many
artists representing a range of experiences, from fellow undergraduates to
graduate students to professionals; it has taught her that inspiration does not have an age
limit or expiration date. She is grateful to be part of the Rep family through Montana Rep
Missoula, the Missoula Colony, and again the National Tour. She thanks her parents, friends,
and teachers for their endless love and support.
Heidi Williamson (Bert/Company Manager) is a recent BA
graduate of the University of Montana School of Theatre & Dance. Some
of her favorite roles include Alais in The Lion in Winter and Louann in Book
of Days. She has had the opportunity to work with Montana Repertory
Theatre once before, on the 2012 National Tour of Biloxi Blues, where
she played Daisy and served as assistant stage manager/props crew. She
has stage managed with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks as well as the
University. Heidi grew up in rural Montana and owes her interest in theatre
to traveling groups just like Montana Rep, without whom she would not have had the chance
to experience theatre.
Cohen Ambrose (Dramaturg) is a recent graduate of the University of Montana’s
MFA Theatre Directing and MA Performance Theory & Criticism programs. He has worked
as a production and new-play dramaturg for Montana Rep, Salt Lake Acting Company, and
Subsequent Productions in New York City; presented research at national and international
theatre and literature conferences; and directed and acted in numerous professional and
college productions around the US and Europe. More of his writing on All My Sons can be
read online at www.montanarep.org/category/blog.
The Designers
Mike Fink (Scenic Designer), originally from Fairview, MT, lives in Missoula with
his loving partner, Chad, and their wily terrier, Treble. He is very pleased to be working
with Montana Rep again. Some of the more notable productions with which he has been
involved include three world premieres: Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room, Green Day’s rock
opera American Idiot (both at Berkeley Repertory Theatre), and (as assistant scenic designer
to Annie Smart) Tony Kushner’s Tiny Kushners at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis,
Minnesota. A Berkeley Repertory Fellow, Eric Landisman Fellow, and all-around great guy,
Mike sincerely hopes that you enjoy the show.
Christine L. Milodragovich (Costume Designer) is a freelance costume designer
for theatre and dance based in Missoula. She is also a Professor Emeritus in the School of
Theatre & Dance at the University of Montana. Her teaching focused on costume design,
costume history, costume construction and crafts, pattern development, and textiles. When
designing costumes and quilt elements for the play Quilters, she was seriously bitten by the
quilting bug. In the intervening years she has explored quilting as an art form, venturing
beyond traditional patterns and fabrics. Her work as a quilt artist serves to inform her costume
designs, particularly in regard to color, texture, and scale. Her costume designs include Biloxi
Blues, Bus Stop, Leading Ladies, The Trip to Bountiful, A Streetcar Named Desire, Death of a
Salesman, and To Kill a Mockingbird for Montana Repertory Theatre national tours, as well
as A Christmas Carol, Amadeus, The Heiress, and many other plays and dance pieces for the
School of Theatre & Dance.
MiKe Monsos (Lighting Designer) is a professor of Scenic Design/Technology and
currently the Director of the School of Theatre & Dance at the University of Montana.
He holds a BFA and an MFA in scenery and lighting design from UM as well as an MS
in Architectural Studies from The University of Utah. He has worked and designed for
many regional theatres including the Idaho Repertory Theatre, Arizona Broadway Theatre,
Missoula Children’s Theatre, and the Bigfork Summer Playhouse. In addition, Mike has been
a contributing author for the books Late & Great: American Designers 1960-2010, published
by Broadway Press and the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT), and
World Scenography 1990-2005 Vol. 2, published by OISTAT. Mike just completed writing the
third edition of the book Stock Scenery Construction, originally authored by his mentor Bill
Raoul. He has also had several articles published in the journal Theatre Design & Technology
(TD&T). Beyond writing, designing and teaching, Mike is the chair of the Missoula Historic
Preservation Commission and is active in USITT, where he has served on their Board of
Directors and on the Publications, International and Conference committees for many years.
Mike served as the Project Manager in charge of construction for the exhibits from the
United States in the 2011 Prague Quadrennial. Mike and his wife, Darci (a Bigfork Summer
Playhouse alum), have two boys: Trevor and Nick.
Zach Hamersley (Audio Designer) is a lighting and sound designer from Missoula.
He is currently in his final year as a MFA candidate in lighting and sound with the University
of Montana School of Theatre & Dance. His most recent lighting and audio designs were
for Montana Rep’s 2015 Educational Outreach Tour of Growing Up in Wonderland and he
designed the sound for Montana Rep’s 2015 National Tour of The Great Gatsby. He recently
provided the lighting design for UM’s Treasure Island. Zach loves working for the Rep because
it has giving him a chance to work for a professional theatre company while continuing his
education. He would like to thank his family and friends, including the Rep, for making all of
his designs possible and believing in his work.
The Director
The Artistic Director
Jere Lee Hodgin
is an MFA graduate in
Acting and Directing from
the University of Georgia
with over thirty years of
experience in academic
and professional theatre.
He has produced over 200
productions, many of which were new and
premiere works; his directing career includes
more than 175 plays, operas, and musicals.
Greg Johnson has
served as artistic director
of Montana Repertory
Theatre since 1990.
He brought with him a
commitment to excellence
developed during nineteen
years of experience gained
in the New York theatre, where he worked
with the best directors, choreographers,
actors, designers, and playwrights in the
country. Greg was an actor, stage manager,
and director before coming to Montana to
head Montana Rep. He brings energy and
expertise to every aspect of his involvement
with the Rep.
For twenty years, Jere was the Producing
Artistic Director of Mill Mountain Theatre,
where he founded the nationally recognized
Norfolk Southern New Play Festival. He
served as Artistic Director and Co-Producer
of Highlands Playhouse in North Carolina
for six years and has directed at numerous
theatres including Walnut Street Theatre,
Barter Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Fulton
Theatre, Idaho Repertory Theatre, and
Wayside Theatre. He has directed new
works at Native Voices at the Autry,
Shenandoah Playwright’s Retreat, the
Missoula Colony, Northwest Playwright’s
Alliance/Seattle Rep, Theatre Works’
WESTival, and the Phoenix Theatre New
Play Festival.
Jere is an arts consultant to non-profit
boards and has served as a National
Endowment for the Arts site visitor
and has been a member of the NEA
Creativity Panels for multiple years. He
has also been a regional panelist for the
Virginia Commission for the Arts, as
well as a theatre panelist for the Idaho,
South Carolina, and North Carolina Arts
Commissions. Jere is a past president of the
Southeastern Theatre Conference, where
he also chaired the Playwriting Committee.
He served as Vice President of the Board of
the National Alliance for Musical Theatre,
for which he has been co-chair of New
Works and a member of the Festival of New
Works committee. He has been a reader
and judge for numerous national new-play
contests and competitions. He is a member
of the Society of Stage Directors and
Choreographers, Actors’ Equity Association,
Theatre Communications Group, and the
National Theatre Conference.
Greg’s Broadway credits include Biloxi Blues;
Crimes of the Heart; Is There Life After High
School?; Da; and Hide and Seek. National
tours include the Broadway productions
of Steel Magnolias, Crimes of the Heart, and
Biloxi Blues.
Since joining Montana Rep, Greg has
directed and produced over 100 theatre
events from national tours to university
productions, to workshops and readings,
In addition, he is responsible for the
development and growth of the Missoula
Colony: A Gathering of Artists in Support
of the Writer’s Craft; Montana Rep’s
educational outreach programs; and Visions
and Voices, bringing cutting-edge theatre
to downtown audiences. Greg has served as
a panelist for the National Endowment for
the Arts and, with the Rep, is a member of
Theatre Communications Group, a national
network of regional theatres. He serves on
the faculty of the University of Montana
College of Visual and Performing Arts.
The Playwright / Arthur miller
Born in Manhattan to an
Austrian immigrant and a
New Yorker, Arthur Miller
spent his childhood living
on the Upper West Side
in relative wealth until his
father’s business collapsed
in the stock market crash
of 1929. Miller spent his teens and early
twenties living in Brooklyn, working odd
jobs to help his family and pay his tuition
at the University of Michigan, where he
graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in
English in 1938.
Miller’s early professional playwriting career
began and ended quickly with the Federal
Theatre Project, an agency of Roosevelt’s
controversial New Deal, which congress
shut down in 1939 due to suspicions of
a Communist infiltration. 1940 saw the
first Broadway production of a Miller play,
The Man Who Had All the Luck, which
won the Theatre Guild’s National Award,
but was panned by the critics and closed
after only four performances. At just 30
years old, Miller decided that if his next
play did not succeed, he would abandon
the form and focus solely on fiction and
journalism. That play, All My Sons, opened
on Broadway in January, 1947 and ran for
328 performances.
Despite being “a very depressing play in a
time of great optimism” (Rifkin 1994), as
Miller once called All My Sons, The New
York Times’ Brooks Atkinson wrote two
Sunday pieces and a glowing review, helping
the play gain traction and go on to win
New York Drama Critics’ Circle and Tony
Awards for best author.
In 1948, Miller wrote what is often
cited as the most studied and important
American play ever written. Death of a
Salesman opened on Broadway in 1949,
ran for 742 performances, won New York
Drama Critics’ Circle and Tony Awards
for best author, and the Pulitzer Prize for
Drama. Riding the momentum of this
success, Miller began researching the Salem
witch trials of 1692 and wrote The Crucible
(1953), a period piece that serves as an
allegory of the House Un-american
Activities Committee (HUAC) search for
Communist sympathizers within American
arts industries. Miller himself was called on
to testify before HUAC in 1956, refused to
name names, and was acquitted. Today, The
Crucible is Miller’s most frequently produced
work both nationally and internationally.
All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, and his
1955 tragedy chronicling the downfall of
a Brooklyn Navy Yard dock worker, A View
From the Bridge, comprise Miller’s next most
frequently produced works.
Aside from his plays, Miller is perhaps
most famous for his very public marriage
to Hollywood actress and public figure
Marilyn Monroe, a relationship he
chronicles in some detail in his most
overtly autobiographical play After the Fall
(1964). The two were married on June
29, 1956 and divorced in 1961 shortly
before the premier of the film adaptation
of Miller’s novella The Misfits (1957), in
which Monroe starred.
Miller’s later career was also incredibly
prolific, producing film adaptations of
his plays and novels, including Death of
a Salesman, starring Dustin Hoffman and
John Malkovich in 1984, and a highly
successful version of The Crucible in 1996,
starring Paul Scofield, Winona Ryder, and
Miller’s son-in-law Daniel Day-Lewis. In
1987, Miller published his autobiography,
Timebends: a life, in which he perhaps best
summarizes his own life and work:
And so the coyotes are out there earnestly
trying to arrange their lives to make more
coyotes possible, not knowing that it is
my forest, of course. And I am in this
room...making myself possible and those
who come after me. I am a mystery to
them until they tire of it and move on,
but the truth, the first truth, probably, is
that we are all connected, watching one
another. Even the trees.
Miller died in 2005 after battles with
cancer, pneumonia, and heart disease at
the age of 89.
Messages
Jon Tester
U.S. Senator, State of Montana
Welcome to today’s performance of All My Sons.
For more than four decades, Montana Repertory Theatre has brought
exciting and meaningful theatre drama, comedy, tragedy and romance to
communities in Montana and across the country.
Hailed as one of the great works in American theatre, this year the Rep
is performing Arthur Miller’s award-winning tragedy All My Sons. By the end of this tour,
thousands of folks will have experienced Montana’s top-notch talent, proving once again that
the Rep is one of the most vibrant and admired touring companies around.
As a former music teacher, I’m proud to support the arts through legislation that helps
fund the National Endowment for the Arts and the Montana Arts Council. The arts and arts
education bring us together, enrich our souls, and broaden our perspective on life.
Please enjoy tonight’s performance and thank you for supporting live theatre
Steve Bullock
Governor, State of Montana
Montana’s universities are doing some exciting things. At our institutions
of higher learning, we’re training the next generation of entrepreneurs,
innovating next-generation technologies, and as you’ll see tonight,
enriching our communities through the arts.
Montana Repertory Theatre is a shining example of how our universities
are making our state a great place to live and work. For over 40 years, the Rep has brought
outstanding theater to Montana and given young people an unparalleled opportunity to
explore the arts.
Montanans have a proud history of telling our story to the world. Our state has been
featured in film, songs, and much more. The work the Rep is doing gives back to that
tradition, and I’m grateful to the faculty, students, and staff who are carrying it on.
We should all be proud that Montana has world-class universities that put our
performing artists on display for the entire country.
Dr. ROYCE C. ENGSTROM
President, University of Montana
Our goal at the University of Montana is to provide students with the
most comprehensive and engaging learning environment possible. For
students in the dramatic arts, working with Montana Repertory Theatre
is an unparalleled opportunity to learn from the best actors, directors,
production designers, lighting experts, and wardrobe stylists in the business.
As for most students, their learning environment is greatly enriched by experiences beyond
the classroom door.
The University of Montana is known for, among other things, the nurturing of the arts,
through outstanding programs in the visual arts, media arts, creative writing, music, dance,
and theatre. The Rep is integral to our reputation in the arts, serving as a major vehicle
through which the University contributes to the quality of life in Montana and beyond.
For over 45 years, Montana Repertory Theatre has brought world-class performance to
Missoula, and we are honored and delighted with our continued partnership. I look forward
to many more stimulating and thought-provoking shows in years to come.
Stephen Kalm
Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts
Greed and guilt, sin and redemption, denial and its consequences, family
loyalties pitted against universal values—these constitute some of the great
ethical dilemmas of any era. In an age where we poison the future to justify
our present comforts, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons eloquently outlines and
exposes our modern predicament. I am excited to support this wonderful
production, which I hope will transform and inspire the hearts and minds of audiences.
On behalf of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the University of Montana, I
welcome you to tonight’s performance and thank you for your presence and support.
Mike monsos
Director, School of Theatre & Dance
I would like to welcome you to tonight’s performance of All My Sons.
Each and every year the theatrical world can expect another incredible
performance from this amazing company. The School of Theatre & Dance
at the University of Montana is so very proud to be in this incredible
partnership with the Montana Rep for over four decades!
We would like you to know that to the School of Theatre & Dance, the Rep is so much
more than the show you are enjoying tonight. It is a professional company in residence at
our School that brings an exciting and dynamic energy to our program. This exhilarating
partnership offers profound opportunities for our students during their educational careers. It
opens the door to the professional world and challenges them to reach to a higher level. Our
students are given the incredible chance to be performers, technicians, and artists, learning
from and working alongside professional actors, designers, and directors each and every year,
showing their talents to a wide audience. Traveling “on the road” is a unique and powerful
experience that can help prepare our students for the professional world and give them an
advantage that few programs can match.
We are all very honored and proud to have Montana Repertory Theatre as part of our
program. It is truly part of the tradition of excellence in the arts at the University of Montana
and the School of Theatre & Dance. Thank you for your support of live theatre in general,
and this theatre in particular!
MONTANA REPERTORY THEATRE
Professional Theatre from the heart of the rockies
Montana Rep is one of the most
dynamic and respected touring
companies in the country!
Montana Repertory Theatre was established as a
professional touring company in 1968, providing
professional theatre to our own and neighboring Western
states at an affordable cost. In recent years we have presented
more than 500 performances in over 200 communities from
California to New York.
The Rep’s Staff
Faculty & Staff
Jason McDaniel (Production
Manager) serves as production manager
for both Montana Rep and the University
of Montana School of Theatre & Dance.
He has worked as a scenic designer,
technical director, scene shop manager,
automation technician, scene shop
foreman, carpenter, and instructor. His
experience includes work with community theatre groups,
local and regional professional theatre, Broadway, and
national theatrical tours. Jason received his BFA from the
University of Memphis and his MFA from North Carolina
School of the Arts. Before joining the Rep in 2010, he was
a member of the automation team for Le Rêve, the aqua
theatre-in-the-round production at Wynn Las Vegas.
College of Visual
and Performing arts
Salina Chatlain (Assistant
to the Artistic Director) has been with
Montana Rep since 2007. All My Sons is
the ninth national tour on which she has
collaborated as a member of the Rep staff.
She also acts as coordinator and producer
for the Missoula Colony: A Gathering of
Artists in Support of the Writer’s Craft.
She earned her BFA in acting from UM in 2000. Salina
played Eve in the 2001 world premiere and Montana Rep’s
subsequent Educational Outreach Tour of Mark Twain’s
Diaries of Adam and Eve by Ron Fitzgerald. She also played
The Witch in the Rep’s 2014 production of Broomstick (a
National New Play Network rolling world premiere) and
has appeared in numerous productions with Montana Rep
Missoula and Visions and Voices.
Teresa Waldorf (Educational
Outreach Coordinator) In addition to her
work with Montana Rep, Teresa serves
as publicity coordinator and adjunct
professor in the School of Theatre &
Dance at the University of Montana. She
earned her MFA in acting and directing
from UM in 1991 and is an actress,
director, wife, and mother. She has acted in Missoula for
more than fifteen years and is currently the director and
lead teacher for the UM School of Theatre & Dance’s
BRAVO! After-School Acting Classes for Kids.
Dean
Stephen Kalm
School of
Theatre & Dance
Director
Mike Monsos
Faculty
Michele Antonioli, Randy Bolton,
Kelly Bouma, Nicole Bradley
Browning, Jillian Campana, Alessia
Carpoca, John Kenneth DeBoer,
Mark Dean, Sarah Donnelly,
Heidi Jones Eggert, Joy French,
Sarah Fulford, Jere Hodgin,
Greg Johnson, Karen Kaufmann,
Kathryn Kelly, Mike Monsos,
Linda Parker, Laurel Sears,
Bernadette Sweeney,
Teresa Waldorf
Staff
Bob Athearn, Karen Carreno,
Salina Chatlain, Teresa Clark,
Sharon Collins, Brian Gregoire,
Erin McDaniel, Jason McDaniel,
Paula Niccum
Production
administration staff
Production Manager
Jason McDaniel
GRAPHIC DESIGN
AND ILLUSTRATION
Kirk Johnson
House Manager
AJ Feffer
umarts Box Office
Manager
Abby Wyatt
umarts Box Office
Personnel
Brandon Bowden, Frances De
Gregorio-Forkin, Jessica Partain,
Mattie Scott, Shae Warren
In Memory
Golden Halo Award
This year’s Golden Halo Award and Gala
Celebration will be dedicated to the memory of
Don and Pat Simmons, who gave so much to this
community. Don and Pat’s lives were a reflection
of all that is finest in the American character,
and we are pleased to honor them as we present
another great American classic.
Each year this award is given to an
outstanding individual whose hard work and
devotion to the theatre literally keeps the
lights lit and the halls filled.
MONTANA REP
WISHES TO ESPECIALLY
THANK THE FOLLOWING:
2015 Greg Johnson
Benefit Gala Sponsors:
Missoulian
Office of the President, University of Montana
Tom Copley, Wipfli LLP
Golden Halo Award Recipients:
2016 Don & Pat Simmons
2014 Susan Hay Patrick
2013 Dr. Sandy Sheppard
2012 Dr. Cathy Capps
2011 Salina Chatlain
2010 Teresa Waldorf
Friends of the Rep:
Dean Stephen Kalm,
College of Visual and Performing Arts
Faculty and Staff, School of Theatre & Dance
Eamon Fahey, Jon Aliri,
and The Bookstore at UM
Debra Pollard and the College of Visual
and Performing Arts Advisory Council
Ken Price and UM Printing & Graphic Services
Campus Inn
Missoulian
Dr. Cathy Capps
2009 UM President George Dennison
Terry Cyr
2001 Susan Estep
Jere Hodgin
Erin McDaniel
Gwen McKenna
Gus Miller
J. Nelson
Paula Niccum
Kathy Ogren
2008 Dr. Firman H. “Bo” Brown
2007 Kirk & Becki Johnson
2006Lindy Coon
2005 Jean Morrison
2004 Bob Zingmark
2003 The Rotary Club,
Michael Duffield, Liaison
2002 David Aronofsky
2000 John Keegan & Tony Cesare
1999 Mary Ann Riddle
1998 A. Thomas Alfrey & USWEST
Foundation
1997 Bryan Thornton
1996 Mickey Hawkins
Dr. Sandy Sheppard
1995 Anne Guest
Kim Visser
1994 Steve Wing
Thank you for your support!
Benefit Gala Committee:
Rosie Ayers, Cathy Capps, Shay Fiegi,
Anne Guest, Susan Hay Patrick, Ellie Hill,
Bob Homer, Shelley Howard, Megan Nishida
1993 Sue Talbot & Helen Guthrie Miller
Congratulations and thank you
from Montana Rep.
montana Repertory theatre
Professional Theatre-in-Residence | university of montana
Fifty years ago Montana Rep began. Just over fifty
years ago, Barefoot in the Park was produced on
Broadway, jumpstarting a career unmatched in
modern times. We feel it is fitting in this auspicious
season to honor and produce one of the true giants
of the American theatre. Please join us as we
celebrate a half-century of great theatre!
photo: terry J. cyr
th
50
A nniversary
2017 national tour
learn more about this tour at:
www.montanarep.org
umarts | College of Visual and Performing Arts
School of Theatre & Dance