Anne of Green Gables

Chance Theater proudly presents
Anne of Green Gables
Book by Joseph
Robinette
D. Swensson
Music and Lyrics by Evelyn
Directed by Casey
Long*
K. Donnelly
Musical Direction by Bill Strongin*
Scenic and Lighting Design by Masako Tobaru*
Costume Design by Erika C. Miller*
Production Stage Manager Bebe Herrera
Dialect Coach Bailey Castle
Asst to Associate Director Michael DH Phillips
Associate Director Travis
Cast:
Anne Shirley ............................................................. Angela Griswold
Marilla Cuthbert ........................................................ Marina Coffee
Matthew Cuthbert ..................................................... Corky Loupe
Diana Barry............................................................... Nicole Schlitt*
Gilbert Blythe ............................................................ Xavier J. Watson
Josie Pye .................................................................. Emma Nossal
Priscilla Andrews ...................................................... Maddie Bourgeois
Charlie Sloane .......................................................... Brian Wiegel
Moody MacPherson.................................................. Will Anderson
Minnie May Barry...................................................... Abby Lutes
Woman 1 .................................................................. Sherry Domerego*
Woman 2 .................................................................. Rachel Oliveros Catalano
Man 1........................................................................ Brandon Kallen
Man 2........................................................................ James Gittelson
Stationmaster ........................................................... Alan Corcoran
Time:
The turn of the 20th Century
Places:
Act 1 - The Town of Avonlea
Act 2 - The Town of Avonlea and Queens Academy
Running Time: 2 hours 10 minutes with intermission.
* Chance Resident Artist
2015 Season v
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MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT ONE
Where and Why -- Rachel, Marilla
Green Gables -- Anne
Jesus Loves Me/Have You Heard -- Sunday School Students
The Pledge/Amazing Grace -- Anne, Diana, Students
Kindred Spirits -- Anne, Diana
School Days -- Students
Farewell -- Anne, Diana
Anne of Green Gables -- Gilbert
God’s in His Heaven -- Anne, Diana, Company
ACT TWO
Deck the Halls -- Company
Kindred Spirits (reprise) -- Anne, Diana, Aunt Josephine
I Dare You -- Gilbert, Charlie, Moody, Josie, Prissy, Anne, Diana, Minnie May
The Charlottetown Rag -- Miss Stacy, Professor Engerrand, Students
Pomp and Circumstance March -- Students
Shall We Gather at the River -- Company
My Little Girl -- Marilla
MUSICIAN
Piano
Alan Corcoran
Additional Production Credits
Booth Operator
Master Carpenter
Casting Associate
Load-In Crew
Costume Crew
Production Photographer
Bebe Herrera
Teodora Ramos*
Crystal Phillips
Michelle Brescia, Josh Cardenas, Jeff Hellebrand*,
Kayla Pajarito, Elena Lucia Perez, Marc Sanford*, Yui Suzuki,
Jessica Terris, Heather Young
Terry Burns, Breana Chew, Theresa Corcoran, Mary Kay Fyda-Mar,
Barbara Phillips, Sarah Figoten Wilson
Doug Catiller, True Image Studio
Special Thanks
Frome Enterprises, The City of Anaheim, Mary Kay Fyda-Mar, Alan Corcoran, CSUF Theatre &
Dance Department and Costume Shop, Laguna Beach High School and Angela Irish, UC Irvine
Costume Shop, Donna Fritsche at Long Beach Playhouse, Pat Cavins at Chapman University and,
of course, Jim Book.
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES is produced by special arrangement with DRAMATIC PUBLISHING, Woodstock, Illinois.
The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited.
* Chance Resident Artist
A genius for getting
into trouble
The birth and legacy of a red-haired orphan...
Anne of Green Gables, written by Canadian
author Lucy Maud Montgomery, was first
published in 1908. Originally written as a work of
fiction for readers of all ages, it has recently been
considered a work of children’s literature. The first
in a series of eight books featuring Anne Shirley,
Anne of Green Gables is Montgomery’s most
famous work.
Montgomery found her inspiration for the book
in a newspaper article describing a couple that
was mistakenly sent an orphan girl instead of a
boy, yet decided to keep her. Having grown up
in Prince Edward Island, Montgomery used her
early childhood as a background for the story and
the setting of the book. A photograph of Evelyn
Nesbit, clipped from an American magazine and
pasted on the wall above Montgomery’s writing
desk, served as the model for the beloved orphan,
Anne Shirley.
having been adapted into a popular mini-series
featuring Megan Follows and Richard Farnsworth,
made into several different stage adaptations, a
television series, and a Japanese anime cartoon.
The popularity of Anne’s story has not lessened
in the century since it was first put to paper,
Anne Shirley’s feminine yet independent spirit has
given generations of girls a strong female role
model, while offering a taste of another, milder
time in history. This humble story has not left
the hands of children (young and old) because it
reminds us that imagination is not something to
suppress, but to celebrate and pass on to future
generations.
Evelyn D. Swensson
Joseph Robinette
has conducted over 80 productions. As Director
of Opera Delaware’s Family Theater, she has
commissioned and conducted many new works
including The Boy Who Grew Too Fast by
Gian Carlo Menotti, A Wrinkle in Time by Libby
Larsen, and The Phantom Tollbooth by Harnick/
Black/Juster. Her career as a composer began
in 1993 with The Enormous Egg for which she
wrote the play, lyrics and music, followed by
three with Joseph Robinette: The Adventures
of Beatrix Potter, The Jungle Book, and Anne
of Green Gables. Other collaborations include:
The Wind in the Willows (music by John Rutter),
The Homecoming, Redwall , All Through the
Night (Mary Higgins Clark), Trumpet of the Swan,
and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E.
Frankweiler (Konigsburg).
is the author of 51 published plays and musicals,
including The Fabulous Fable Factory, written with
composer Thomas Tierney, and Charlotte’s Web,
two of the most widely produced children’s plays
in the United States. He has also dramatized the
authorized stage versions of The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe, The Paper Chase, and A Rose
for Emily. The recipient of numerous playwrighting
awards, Robinette was presented the 1976
Charlotte Chorpenning Cup, given annually by
the Children’s Theatre Association of America
to “an outstanding writer of children’s plays who
has achieved national recognition.” In 2004, he
received the American Association for Theatre and
Education’s best play award for his adaptation
of Sarah, Plain and Tall, and in 2006, he was
awarded the Children’s Theatre Foundation of
America Medallion.
2015 Season v
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Artist Biographies
Angela Griswold (Anne) is so
unbelievably excited to (finally!)
be joining the Chance Theater
family. She has performed/starred
in straight plays and musicals
across Orange County. Regional:
Little Sally (Urinetown, The Barn Stage Company).
Some other favorite past credits include Wendla
(Spring Awakening), Kate Monster (Avenue Q), Elle
Woods (Legally Blonde the Musical), and Hermia (A
Midsummer Night’s “Gay” Dream). She can also be
found on Youtube in projects with MyDamnChannel,
DailyYou, and PeggleBlast (from EA Games). She
gives all her love and thanks to her amazing family,
friends, this incredible cast, and Octobers.
Marina Coffee (Marilla) is delighted to
again join the talented folks at Chance
Theater in this charming retelling of
the beloved classic Anne of Green
Gables. She was also seen as
Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret, Pam
in The Boy in the Bathroom, and multiple characters
in the Chance’s “staged radio” outreach production of
Murder by the Book, conceived and written by Chance
actor Beach Vickers. Marina has performed leading
and featured roles in plays and musicals around
southern California, including productions at Laguna
Playhouse, Alternative Repertory Theater, Long
Beach Playhouse, Breath of Fire Theater, Camino
Real Playhouse, and South Coast Repertory. She has
had piles of fun appearing in nine staged readings,
ten student and independent films, two music videos,
many revues and original musicals, and performed
voiceover work in a PBS television documentary
and in Penn Jillette’s upcoming film Director’s Cut.
Profuse thanks, as always, to family and friends
for endless patience and support, and to the entire
Chance family.
Corky Loupe (Matthew) was last
seen in Chance Theater’s celebrated
production of Hairspray and is really
excited to be spending the Holidays
at the Chance for the second year.
This production marks Corky’s one
year anniversary performing at the Chance which
began with She Loves Me, then the world premiere
of Loch Ness, a new musical as The Oiler and After
the Revolution. Some of Corky’s favorite roles have
been Rasher Flynn in A Man of No Importance,
Father in Ragtime and The Baker in Into the Woods.
Corky would like to thank Casey and Travis for this
opportunity and Bill for his patience, the Board, the
entire Chance Theater creative team for their talent
and support for which these amazing productions
wouldn’t be possible, and finally sincerest thanks and
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v 17th Anniversary Season
congratulations to Larry and Sophie Cripe for this
wonderful stage that he gets to play and live on.
Nicole Schlitt (Diana) is a proud
resident artist of the Chance and is
excited to be returning to the stage.
She holds a BA in Theater Arts:
Acting and Directing from Concordia
University, Irvine. She is thrilled to
put these skills to use again to bring joy and laughter
to the Chance audience. Some of her favorite roles
include The Drowsy Chaperone (Drowsy), Till We
Have Faces (Young Orual), and The Cover of Life
(Tood). Nicole would like to thank Chance Theater
for giving her the opportunity to perform again as
well as thanks to her family, friends, mentors and her
wonderful husband for all of their love and support.
Xavier J. Watson (Gilbert) is
delightfully returning to the Chance
after playing Seaweed J. Stubbs
this past summer in Hairspray! He
graduated with honors from the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts,
receiving the Charles Jehlinger Award for Excellence
in Acting, the institution’s highest honor. He then
received a full scholarship to attend South Coast
Repertory’s world-renowned Acting Intensive Program.
Professional credits include the world premiere of High
School Musical 2: On Stage (Fox Theatre Atlanta),
A Christmas Carol (South Coast Repertory) and
When Stars Align (The Odyssey Theatre). Aside from
singing and dancing, Xavier is also an accomplished
Shakespearean actor having played roles such as
Othello and Prince Paris in Romeo and Juliet. Other
performances include Ruined and A Raisin in the Sun.
He has also appeared in commercials, short films and
TV shows. Xavier is grateful for his family’s loving
support, and wishes you all Happy Holidays!
Emma Nossal (Josie) is so grateful to
be back at the Chance! She is a junior
at Cal State Fullerton majoring in
Theatre Arts with a minor in English.
Credits include: Young Frankenstein,
Performance Riverside; The Music
Man (Zaneeta Shinn), All Shook Up, Mary Poppins,
Moonlight Stage Productions; Dogfight (Marcy), The
Vagina Monologues, CSUF; Loch Ness staged reading
(Haley Westerbrook), Chance Theater; A Christmas
Carol, Rose Center Theatre. A big thank you to the
entire Chance team for the opportunity! Lots of love to
family and friends! Enjoy the show!
Maddie Bourgeois (Priscilla) is a
15 year-old freshman at Foothill
High School, and has been singing,
dancing, and dreaming of Broadway
since the age of 3. She has performed
in numerous musicals such as Grease
(Rizzo), and Kiss Me, Kate (Lois/Bianca). She has
been trained in ballet, jazz, lyrical and tap dancing,
along with classical and Broadway style voice. Maddie
also competes in her high school’s award-winning
Advanced Women’s Ensemble Choir, and runs a
princess party business in her spare time. She hopes
to one day star in Broadway musicals. She would like
to thank her parents, brother, instructors and best
friends for their endless support of her dreams and
unconditional love.
Women - The Broadway Musical. Previous Chance
roles include Grandma Bertha (an older woman with a
flirtatious taste for young men!) - Pippin, Old lady aka
George’s mother & Harriet Pawling - Sunday in the
Park with George, and Jack’s Mother & Cinderella’s
Stepmother - Into the Woods. Additional favorite
roles include the irrepressible Mama Rose - Gypsy,
Matron Mama Morton - Chicago, Reverend Mother Nunsense, Mrs. Tottendale - Drowsy Chaperone, and
Fraulein Schneider - Cabaret. Sherry is also an avid
tap dancer and proved so as the toe tappin’ Sue Smith
- No, No. Nanette. Most beloved role is Grandma to
(almost) 11-year-old Lindsey who shares her love of
performing. Sherry is extremely proud to be a resident
artist of the Chance Theater. Thanks for sharing this
holiday tradition! Happy Holiday season to all!!
Brian Wiegel (Charlie) is very excited
to be performing at the Chance. Past
credits include All Shook Up (Dean),
Hairspray (Link), and Les Misérables
(Marius). Brian would like to thank his
friends and family for all their love and
Rachel Oliveros Catalano (Woman
2) is thrilled and honored to return to
Chance Theater, having previously
appeared as Camila in the 2014
Ovation recommended production
of In The Heights. Devoted lovers
of the Chance may have also seen Rachel in her
fundraising Cabaret for the 24hr Chance-a-thon as
well as a soloist and actress in this year’s Chance
Noir. An actress, singer and songwriter, Rachel
received her MFA in Musical Theater Performance
from the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at
Roosevelt University and her B.A. from California
Lutheran University. Favorite Chicago theater credits
include a 6-month run in Rick Najera’s Latinologues,
Jeanie in Hair, Martirio in The House of Bernarda Alba,
Lead/Soloist in Ziegfeld Follies and the Narrator in
The Bacchae. California credits include Anita in West
Side Story and Smeraldina in Servant of Two Masters.
Rachel would like to thank her family, husband and
children for their unwavering love and support.
support.
Will Anderson (Moody) is thrilled
to be a part of the Chance’s fourth
go-round of Anne of Green Gables.
Previous theater credits include: 13
the Musical (Evan Goldman), The
Sound of Music (Captain von Trapp),
Kiss Me, Kate, The Realm, and Snow Angel. He is
also a multiinstrumentalist, songwriter, and writer. He
would like to thank his super cool mom and family for
putting up with him, and his trusted advisor Chatom
Arkin for making him smart. He would also like to
thank the cast, crew, and everyone at the Chance for
putting on this great show.
Abby Lutes (Minnie May) has been
doing theatre for about 5 years. She
has been in multiple plays, such
as Peter Pan, The Jungle Book, A
Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland,
and The Lion King. She is very
enthusiastic about acting and hopes to pursue it one
day as a professional career. This wonderful play
is a step in the right direction. She has trained at
Huston School of Music and Theater with Kris Huston
and Gary Krinke. Abby lives in Yorba Linda with her
parents, brother, sister and dog.
Sherry Domerego (Woman 1) This
production marks Sherry’s 6th holiday
season as part of the Chance Literary
Series. She reprises her roles first
visited in our 2011 production of Anne
of Green Gables. In past holiday
shows she appeared as Mrs. Medlock in Secret
Garden as well as Aunt March & Mrs. Kirk in Little
Brandon Kallen (Man 1) You may
have seen Brandon most recently
in Chess at the Ernest Borgnine
Theatre, the Southern California
regional tour of Les Miserables with
Theatre Royal and Ragtime with
Performance Riverside. Brandon graduated with a
degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in music from
California Lutheran University and would like to thank
his family and friends for all of their support.
James Gittelson (Man 2) This is
Jim’s first appearance at Chance
Theater, having just performed Kiss
Me Kate at Tustin’s Broadway in the
Park. Last year, he was in Whittier
Community Theater’s productions
of Pajama Game and Charly’s Aunt and in The
Importance of Being Earnest at Mysterium. Earlier
last year, he starred in the short film Donny that
premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival. Past
2015 Season v
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shows include Damn Yankees, Fiddler on the Roof,
Joseph … Dreamcoat, The Odd Couple, The Owl
and the Pussycat, Pygmalion, and Plaza Suite. In a
parallel universe, Jim works for the State of California
and resides in North Tustin with two kids and a
cantankerous cockatiel.
Alan Corcoran (Stationmaster,
Accompanist), previously at the
Chance in Hair and Anne of Green
Gables, is grateful to Oanh Nguyen,
Casey Long, Bill Strongin and the
rest of the cast and crew for the
opportunity to once again be a part of this holiday
tradition.
Casey Long (Director/Managing
Director) is a Chance Founding
Artist, and has appeared in numerous
shows, including A Bright New Boise,
Passion Play, the SoCal premiere of
Reborning, the West Coast premiere
of Nerve, and the SoCal premiere of Welcome Home,
Jenny Sutter, among others. Casey has also directed
all three shows featured in Chance’s Holiday Literature
Series -- Anne of Green Gables, Little Women - The
Broadway Musical, and The Secret Garden - The
Musical. He would like to thank his cast and creative
team for doing such a great job bringing this classic
story to life… again! “For Camryn, who makes my
holiday wish come true every day.”
Travis K. Donnelly (Associate
Director) is happy to be back at
Chance and excited to be working
with such a talented group of
people. Other projects at Chance
include the recent workshop of
Adam Szymkowicz’s new play Where You Can’t
Follow, assistant director on Maple and Vine, and the
Producing Director of Serial Killers. With assistant
directing credits on two world premiere’s at South
Coast Repertory, Rest by Samuel D. Hunter and
Zealot by Theresa Rebeck, Travis most recently
assistant directed Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s
production of Long Day’s Journey into Night. Favorite
directing credits include Rough Magic, Dog Sees
God, Proof, and Sexual Perversity in Chicago. Alum
of the Los Angeles Theatre Academy, Travis received
his baccalaureate from UCLA’s school of Theatre,
Film, and Television and his Master of Fine Arts from
California State University, Fullerton. To keep up with
what is next for Travis, and to view photos, checkout
travisdonnelly.com.
Bill Strongin (Musical Director)
A native of Omaha, Bill graduated
from the University of Nebraska Lincoln with his Masters in music.
He has subsequently music directed
numerous theater productions,
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including Sweeney Todd, And the World Goes Round,
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and The Mystery
of Edwin Drood. Also an actor, some of his favorite
onstage roles include Jack Worthing (Ernest in Love),
Axel Hammond (The Nerd), LM (Pump Boys and
Dinettes), and Evelyn/Rupert Farrant (Corpse!). Bill
teaches piano privately, and he is, of course, proud
to be returning to Chance Theater, after musically
directing HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock
Musical (LADCC Award Nomination: Best Music
Direction), Sunday in the Park with George, Into The
Woods, appearing in Anaheim Home Companion,
and leading the band in Cabaret. Thanks to his wife,
Rosalynn for all her love and support.
Masako Tobaru (Scenic & Lighting
Designer/Technical Director) has
been with the Chance since 2003,
and also serves as a resident stage
manager and lighting designer. Her
Chance Theater credits include Little
Women, Anne of Green Gables, Edward Albee’s
The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, The Eight: Reindeer
Monologues, and Evita, among others. Her credits
outside the Chance include Ganga...Life as a River,
Much Ado About Nothing, Cabaret, Medea, Patient A
and The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Masako received her
BA in Theater and Communications from Concordia
University, Irvine.
Erika C. Miller (Costume Designer/
Development Director) is a proud
Founding Artist of the Chance
alongside her husband, Artistic
Director Oanh Nguyen. Aside from
costuming such productions as The
Laramie Project, The Laramie Project: Ten Years
Later, Little Women - The Broadway Musical, Anne
of Green Gables (‘11, ’08, ‘07), The Who’s Tommy
(Ovation Award Nomination), Evita, The Secret
Garden - The Musical and Hair (Ovation Award
nomination), among many others, she is also a singer
and an actress. She was most recently seen in Fancy
Nancy the Musical earlier this year and She Loves
Me last December. Erika would like to thank Casey,
Travis, our talented cast, and our entire production
team for their work on this show. As one of her favorite
stories growing up, it is such a pleasure for her to
revisit Avonlea! Before you leave, she hopes you’ll
consider joining our family as a subscriber, donor,
chair sponsor, or getting involved as a volunteer. It’s a
lot of fun! “Thank you for joining us at the performance
today and supporting live theater. Happy Holidays and
we hope to see you at the Chance in 2016.”
Bebe Herrera (Production Stage
Manager/Production Manager) is
delighted to be working with Chance
Theater. A member of Theatre of
NOTE in Los Angeles, some previous
stage management credits include
Chance’s Maple and Vine, the world premiere of Pat
McGowan’s FILM, regional premiere Holy Ghost by
Jon Tuttle, B. Walker Sampson’s Alceste, and The
Pity of Things, an evening of one-act plays. Hailing
from the South Bay, she has worked with theatre
companies from Hollywood to Anaheim and back
including Rangeview Productions, the University
Players, Movimiento Estudiantil de Teatro y Artes and
Moveable Piece. She would like to thank Chance
Theater for making every time working with them such
memorable experiences.
Bailey Castle (Dialect Coach)
graduated from California State
University, Fullerton in May of 2015
with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in the
university’s Acting Program. During
her time at CSUF, she received
dialect training through the wonderful David Nevell.
Versed in the International Phonetic Alphabet, Bailey
is certified in French, Australian, Irish, New York,
Standard American, and British RP. She has worked
alongside Travis Donnelley in previous productions at
CSUF (Much Ado About Nothing and The Altruists),
as well as the Chance Theater’s staged reading of
Where You Can’t Follow seen this past summer. You
can also catch Bailey as Vixen in The Eight: Reindeer
Monologues happening at the Chance! Bailey would
like to give a shout out to the extremely talented cast
of Anne of Green Gables: Merci pour tout ! Bonne
chance !
Michael DH Phillips (Assistant to
Associate Director) is honored to have
the opportunity to work at the Chance.
Some of his previous directing credits
include Time and Space as well as
assistant directing Spring Awakening
at CSUF. He also recently assistant directed The
Baker’s Wife at The Actor’s Co-op in Hollywood. He
is currently pursuing his BA in Theatre Arts with an
emphasis in Directing from CSUF. Recent acting
credits include Student 1/Romeo in Shakespeare’s
R&J and Hanschen in Spring Awakening at The
Long Beach Playhouse. Many thanks to Travis,
Mark Ramont, and everyone at the Chance for this
opportunity.
Oanh Nguyen (Artistic Director) has
been serving as Chance Theater’s
founding Artistic Director since 1999.
Oanh is a recipient of TCG’s New
Generations Grant and the TCG
Nathan Cummings Young Leaders of
Color Fellowship. He was awarded the Outstanding
Artist Award by Arts Orange County, profiled in
Orange County Register’s “Most Influential People”
2014 series and OC Weekly’s 2014 People Issue,
inducted into Anaheim High School’s Hall of Fame
and recently was the commencement speaker to
the 2014 graduation class of Chapman University
College of Performing Arts. Oanh was Producing
Associate at South Coast Repertory for four years.
He also served on the advisory board of the Anaheim
High School Performing Arts Conservatory, the board
of Network of Ensemble Theatres, LA’s 99-seat
Transitional Committee, multiple SDC committees
and grant panels for the National Endowment for the
Arts and Theatre Communications Group. Oanh is a
proud member of SDC and SAG-AFTRA. His directing
credits include productions at Chance Theater, East
West Players, the J. Paul Getty Museum, Segerstrom
Center for the Arts, and South Coast Repertory, and
served as the Associate Director for the international
tour of David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish (Berkeley
Repertory, South Coast Repertory, Hong Kong
Arts Festival). His selected film credits include Two
Brothers directed by Jean-Jacques Annaude, Rush
Hour 3 directed by Brett Ratner, and Lonely Boy
directed by Dale Fabrigar (Best First Feature Grand
Jury Prize at the 2013 Louisiana International Film
Festival and Audience Award Winner at the 2013
BolderLife Festival).
Teodora Ramos (Master Carpenter)
is a proud Chance Resident Artist.
She earned her BA in Theater Technical Production and Design
from Cal State Fullerton. Recent
credits include Anne of Green Gables
(Stage Manager), world premiere of The Boy in the
Bathroom (Master Carpenter), The Secret Garden
(Stage Manager), Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who
is Sylvia? (Master Carpenter, Back Stage Critic’s Pick
and LA Times Critic’s Choice), The Who’s Tommy
(Master Carpenter), Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter
(Master Carpenter), Merrily We Roll Along (Assistant
Stage Manager), Little Women - The Broadway
Musical (Assistant Stage Manager), The Seagull
(Master Carpenter), Hair (crew), Guys and Dolls
(Assistant Technical Director), and Noises Off (Stage
Manager). She would like to thank Calvin for his
constant love and support.
Jeff Hellebrand (Box Office
Associate) co-founded Chance
Theater in 1999 in his native Orange
County. He received his degree from
Cal State Fullerton and additional
training at Cal State Chico and The
Professional Actors Conservatory. He has worked
on both sides of the curtain in venues throughout
California. He currently sits on the Stagecraft
Technology advisory committee for North Orange
County Regional Occupational Program. Chance
Theater acting credits include Anne of Green Gables,
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol (Back Stage Critic’s
Pick), The Stroop Report, Therese Raquin, The Diary
of Anne Frank (O.C. Register Best Ensembles),
Memories on the Wind and the O.C. entry in 365
2015 Season v
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Days/365 Plays by Suzan Lori-Parks. Script writing
credits dear to his heart are Is Pepperoni a Vegetable?
And Other Mysteries of Love, But I Don’t FEEL Grown
Up, and The Beach... Without Leo.
Jocelyn A. Brown (Associate Artistic
Director) Chance directing highlights
include The Artist as a part of the
Chance’s “On The Radar” Series,
Evita, Never In My Lifetime (Back
Stage Critic’s Pick), Big Love, and
The Cherry Orchard (OC Weekly Best Direction
nomination). Chance acting highlights include Blitzen
in The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, the Witch in Into
The Woods (Back Stage Critic’s Pick), Cathy in The
Last 5 Years (Back Stage Garland nomination for
Best Actor), Nancy in Closer Than Ever (LA Times
Critic’s Choice), and Ann in Goodnight Children
Everywhere (OC Weekly Award for Best Female Lead
Performance). Outside of the Chance, Jocelyn teaches
at Laguna Hills High School, is earning her Masters in
Education, runs around after two toddlers, Kyden and
Torin, and on occasion sees her loving husband, Kirk.
Jennifer Ruckman (Literary
Manager) is endlessly proud
to be a Resident Artist here at
the Chance. Since joining this
amazing group of artists, she has
appeared in the Southern California
premiere of Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter (Ovation
Recommended), the West Coast Premiere of Jesus
Hates Me (Chancie Award - Best Supporting Actress),
Rabbit Hole (Back Stage Critic’s Pick), and Frozen
(Garland Award Honorable Mention: Performance).
You may also have seen her deflecting bullets as
Wonder Woman in the West Coast Premiere of The
Superheroine Monolgoues. Additionally, Jennifer
has performed at The Oval Theatre in London and
in the remounting of Jesus Hates Me at South Coast
Repertory. She studied at USC and the British
American Drama Academy and has lent her face to
Smallville and her voice to the Bratz Babyz.
Courtny Greenough (Company
Manager) is a Chance Resident
Artist and the Company Manager.
Previous shows with the Chance: In
the Heights, Lysistrata Jones, Bloody
Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Laramie
Project & The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, West
Side Story, Reborning (Back Stage Critic’s Pick), Jerry
Springer: The Opera (Ovation Award- Best Musical,
Intimate Theater), Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter
(Southern California Premiere), Hair: The American
Tribal Love Rock Musical (Stage Manager; five
Ovation Award nominations, including Best Musical,
and six LADCC Award nominations), the West Coast
premiere of The Girl, The Grouch and The Goat
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(Rehearsal Stage Manager). Graduate of Concordia
University, Irvine.
Darryl B. Hovis (Co-Education
Director) earned his MA in Theatre
Production at Central Washington
University and studied acting at the
Professional Conservatory at UCSD
under Anna Shapiro (Steppenwolf) as
well as South Coast Repertory under Karen Hensel.
He is the co-founder and artistic director of the Culver
City Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, where
he developed an intensive arts program for high
school students in theatre, film, music, and art, and
has gone on to develop theatre programs at other
Southern California high schools, as well as Theatre
International at Leysin American School in Leysin,
Switzerland. Some of his favorite shows that he has
directed include Therese Raquin (Chance Theater),
Rent and The Threepenny Opera (Samohi Theatre),
Machinal and Resurrecting Antigone (UniTheatre),
and The Miracle Worker and Treehouses (AVPA). He
dedicates his work to God and his wife, Angela, and
three children, Dylan, Andrew, and Julia.
Karen O’Hanlon (Co-Education
Director) received her B.A. in Theatre
from East Stroudsburg University.
She has worked as a teaching artist,
actress and director throughout
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware
and New York, including and most notably at the
McCarter Theatre at Princeton University. Previous
performances include Cinderella Waltz, Are the Lights
Still on in Paris, Great Western Wanderlust, Coyote
Ugly, Slaughter City and Tony and Tina’s Wedding.
She would like to thank her family and friends for their
ongoing support, especially her loving and patient
husband Nick for being her rock.
Marc Sanford (Associate House
Manager) is very happy to be a
Chance Theater Resident Artist. In
1994, Marc did a production of Little
Shop of Horrors at Rancho Santiago
College (now known as Santa Ana
College), where he met future Chance founders Oanh
Nguyen and Jeff Hellebrand. Marc first performed
at the Chance in A History of the American Film as
Mickey (plus 4 other characters) and soon became a
resident artist. In 2004, Marc had to drop out of the
company due to the discovery of a tumor about the
size of a ping-pong ball on his optic nerve. His surgery
was successful, but he moved up to the Seattle area
to stay with family to recuperate. While he was up
there, he attended the Seattle Film Institute where he
received a Filmmaking Certificate. Marc has been a
resident artist since June 2008.
Robin “George” Shorter (Associate
House Manager) is very excited
to be working with the Chance.
She has been very involved since
2012’s 24hr Chance-a-thon, where
she stayed up all night with some
Chance staff members. Since then, she has built
sets, ushered people, but you’ll recognize her most
as the person who’s usually behind LindaBAR. When
not volunteering her time at the Chance, “George”
(as she’s lovingly known at the Chance) hands
out caffeine drinks at Starbucks in Disneyland and
California Adventure. Come by and say “hi” the next
time you visit the happiest place on earth.
Crystal Phillips (Casting Associate)
stays quite busy at the Chance in
a variety of ways: Chance-a-thon,
the Gala, community outreach,
auditions, On The Radar, and more inbetween… She is always interested in
finding ways to increase engagement. You may even
catch her doing the curtain speech before the show.
What she loves more than just about anything else is
to engage in conversations about how theater honestly
relates to our own lives and how we’re affected by our
experiences. She is grateful for her husband: Steve
and mom: Melody, who ceaselessly stand by her with
love and support. :)
Chance Theater is proud to be one of the leading
ensemble-driven theatre companies in Southern
California. We have won five Ovation Awards
(including two for Best Production of a Musical for
Triassic Parq -- The Musical and Jerry Springer: The
Opera). The Chance also received an LADCC Award
for our reimagined revival of West Side Story. Anaheim
City Council named us “the official resident theater
company of Anaheim”. Twice named “Outstanding Arts
Organization” by Arts Orange County, Chance Theater
is also a recipient of the LADCC’s Polly Warfield Award
for Excellence. Founded in 1999, we are focused on
the goal of being Orange County’s premiere mid-size
contemporary theater by contributing to a more
compassionate, connected, and creative community.
As a constituent member of Theatre Communications
Group, Network of Ensemble Theaters, and the LA
Stage Alliance, Chance Theater continues to bring
national attention to the Southern California and
Orange County theater scenes.
Official Chance Catering Partner since 2013
Visit us at www.SallyAnnCatering.com
801 S. Lakeview Ave, Ste B, Placentia 92870
Phone 714.779.1260
FAX 714.779.7629
[email protected]
2015 Season v
9
Thank you to all our
Capital Campaign Donors
Naming Donor ($285,000)
Bette & Wylie Aitken
Naming Donor ($100,000)
Naming Donor ($87,500)
Sophie & Larry Cripe
Tod & Linda White
Naming Donor ($70,000)
Naming Donor ($25,000)
Mary Kay Fyda-Mar
Yvonne & Damien Jordan
Naming Donor ($20,000)
Scott & Sandra Graham
Naming Donors ($10,000-$19,999)
Founding Artists
Chance Resident Artists
Dr. Michael & Jean Abdalla
Robert Berman & Robin Preiss Glasser
Lily M. Fan
FoundationAC
Argyros Family Foundation
Martin & Wendy Benson
Victor & Marnie Ceporius
David Emmes & Paula Tomei
Lynn Gold & Karen “Jade” Martner
Camille Goulet
Bradley Kaye
David & Danice Limberg
Sammy Pierce
Eddie Schuller & Rachelle Menaker
Scott & Georgia Well
Premium Chair Donors ($5,000)
Gail & Ernie Doe
Fred Kinney
Pamela J. Lorenz, CFP
Manny & Betsy Porto
Frances Riggs
Eddie Schuller & Rachelle Menaker
Laurie Smits Staude
Zeinab H. Dabbah &
Daniel Temianka
Priority Chair Donors ($2,500)
AJIS Lamb
Chapman University
Susan Carol Carpenter
Susie Dittmar
Kathy & Bahram Esfahani
Stephen & Susan Faessel
Michael Garcia & Burt Vosburgh
The Hamman Family
Jeffrey Hellebrand
Patti Howard & Carol Hellebrand
Nancy Johnson
Elizabeth Jones
Dan Kee & Judy Todd
Joanne & Dennis Keith
In Honor of
Don Laffoon & Grace Songolo
James & Marsha Lindsey (2)
Casey Long
Tommy & Madeleine Long (2)
Jolynn & Pat Mahoney
Christina Mar
In Memory of Judy Martin
Marc Masterson
Bryan McCormick & Gary Kuwahara (2)
In memory of David McCormick
Bill & Jane McDonald
Drs. Pauline Merry & John Goodman
Dr. and Mrs. Eberhard S. Neutz
Oanh Nguyen & Erika C. Miller (2)
Pacific Western Bank (2)
Muriel Pollia Foundation (2)
Ron & Marilyn Rice
Michelle & Terry Schomburg
Leonard & Susan Silberman (2)
Karen Smits
Tom & Julie Tait
The Well Family
Tod & Linda White (2)
Lisa C. & Thomas E. Zaradich
Contributors ($150-$2,499)
Anonymous
AT&T Pioneers
The Boeing Company
Alan & Theresa Corcoran
John Lane
Guy W. Marr
Irina Morris
John & Margi Murray
Rey O’Day
Marshall Pailet & Kellie Spill
Herb & Jan Parks
Fran & Leonard Rich
In-Kind Donors
City of Anaheim
John Dominguez
Roger Parkman
Ken & Kristi Wilcox
KC Wilkerson
nd her
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Fancy Nancy
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Young A
February 25 - March 6
The Stinky Cheese Man
and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
adapted by John Glore
from the book by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith
Directed by Darryl B. Hovis
May 6 - 22
Fancy Nancy - The Musical
Book & Lyrics by Susan DiLallo
Music by Sam Viverito
Directed by Kelly Todd
Musical Direction by Robyn Manion
Executive Producer: Robert Berman
October 13 - 23
The Boy at the Edge of
Everything
by Finegan Kruckmeyer
Directed by Darryl B. Hovis
Subscribe
Today
3-Show Passes start at $45
Call (714) 777-3033 or
visit ChanceTheater.com
See the box office for more details.
BECOME A
sustaining member
Ultimate flexibility... Free return visits... Exclusive events
Only $20 per month (or a little more than one movie ticket) gets you admission to
all of Season 18, the TYA series, the Holiday Series, the OTR New Works line-up,
and much more!
We want
you to
join our
family!
Stop at the Box Office
before you leave!
Donate Today
Any amount helps us do more, and be more,
in our community
Our focus is to create a more compassionate, connected and creative
community. In the last year, we:
• BecamethefirstOCtheatertoproduceaRelaxedPerformanceseries,
making theater accessible to people on the Autism spectrum or with
sensory disabilities. Because theater should be for everyone.
• Producedour10thannualSpeakUp-Takea‘Chance’summeryouth
program, where junior high and high school students create their own
original piece of theater, completely free of charge.
• Putourveteranscenterstagetotelltheirstories
with the inaugural Veterans Initiative in the Arts,
which included a public performance on Veterans Day.
‘Tis the season to make an End of Year gift!
Your support impacts more than the shows on our stages.
To make a contribution, visit ChanceTheater.com/donate
or stop at the box office before you leave
Ghost Light Vocal Jam
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
Broadway Inspired Open-Mic Night
Come hear some of the best new voices
in Southern California or share your talent
at one of the hottest venues.
Mondays, November 30 and December 21
Sign-up starts at 7pm / Music starts at 7:30pm
$10 pre-sale or $15 at-the-door
Official Chance Photographer since 2005
ENDOWMENT FUND DONORS
The endowment fund ensures the future of the Chance for years to come.
MAJOR INDIVIDUAL GIFTS
Tod & Linda White
DEFERRED ESTATE GIFTS
Diane & Chimo Arnold
Robert E. Campbell
Sophie & Larry Cripe
Camille Goulet
To find out more
or to make a donation
Call Erika at
(714) 970-0592
Thanks to our Annual Fund Donors
The following provide outstanding support to the Chance, and enjoy a host of special benefits, including meet-theartists receptions, behind-the-scenes access, and much more. For information, call Erika C. Miller at (714) 970-0592.
VISIONARY CIRCLE
Sapphire ($8,000+)
Wylie & Bette Aitken
City of Anaheim
Annenberg Foundation
The Argyros Family Foundation
Martin & Wendy Benson
The Boeing Company
Steve Brown
Sophie & Larry Cripe
Mary Kay Fyda-Mar
GFS, Inc.
Robin Glasser & Robert Berman
Google, Inc.
Scott & Sandra Graham
Eddie Schuller & Rachelle Menaker
Laurie Smits Staude
Scott & Georgia Well
Tod & Linda White
Diamond ($5,000-$7,999)
The Allergan Foundation
The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation
Elizabeth George Foundation
Nexgen Pharma
Sarah Pierce
Jennifer Ruckman
Sally Ann Catering
Lee Seymour
Angel ($2,500-$4,999)
Dr. Michael & Jean Abdalla
Disney EARS to YOU
Community Fund
Wendy Hooper
Nancy Johnson
Bradley Kaye
Guy W. Marr
Robin “George” Shorter
Orange County Community
Foundation, Robert J. &
Doreen D. Marshall Fund for
Dramatic Arts & Classical Music
Wendy Tobiska
Dan Kee & Judy Todd
True Image Studio
List as of November 16, 2015
PATRON CIRCLE ($1,200-$2,499)
Anaheim Arts Council
Anaheim Community Foundation
Broadway Knights
Rachel Oliveros Catalano
Marnie & Victor Ceporius
Craic in the Stone
Dramatists Guild Fund
Roger Friedman
Bruce Goodrich
Carol Hellebrand & Patti Howard
Huston School of Music & Theatre, Yorba Linda
Elizabeth Jones & Dennis O’Connell
Shannon C. Lamb, APC
David & Danice Limberg
Tommy & Maddy Long
Robyn Manion
Bill & Jane McDonald
Marshall Pailet
Xanet Pailet
Tom & Amy Prenovost
Fran & Leonard Rich
Terry & Michelle Schomburg
Sunwest Bank
Kelly Todd & John Robinson
Heather M. Young
BENEFACTOR CIRCLE ($600 - $1,199)
Ashleigh Aitken & Michael Penn
Chimo & Diane Arnold
Anaheim Council Member
Jordan Brandman
Nyle Brenner Management
Marshall Bull
Joe Dale & Judy Flindt
Disneyland Resort
Susie Dittmar
Alisa & Jason Duffey
Sarah DuVal
Clown College
Robert & Jennifer Foran
Chelle Friedman
Margaret Gates
ADVOCATES ($300 - $599)
Joyce M. Givens
Lynn Gold & Jade Martner
Gregory Heiertz & Carollyn Lobell
David & Gail Hirstein
Interior Office Solutions, Inc
Yvonne & Damien Jordan
Sam Joslin & Max Espinoza
Dierdre Kelly & Howard Privette
Kiwanis Club of Greater Anaheim
Andy & Judith Lamb
Lorin E. Liesy
Jim & Betsy Little
Pamela Lorenz
Carole Markee, PRP Wine International
David Merrell & Charlie Harfouch
Keith & Elizabeth McDonald
Mayor Pro Tem Kris Murray
Oanh Nguyen & Erika C. Miller
Rey O’Day
Orange County Symphony
Ted Pailet
Jolene Perez
Crystal & Steve Phillips
MJ Poptanich
Fran Riggs
South Coast Repertory
Amanda Spencer
Steve & Linda Sundvold
Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait & Julie Tait
Anaheim Council Member
James Vanderbilt
Karen Webster
Stephen & Susan Faessel
Mary Jane Foster
June Glenn
Nathan & Elaine Gochman
Camille Goulet
Laura M Hathaway, Rachel
McLaughlan, Stanton Kane
Morales, Robert Parkison, &
Matt Takahashi
Leslie Hayman
Jeff Hellebrand
David & Judy Joss
Jared Kaitz
Bernard & Marcia Kamine
Patrick Kelly
Laura La Ferr
Lorin Liesy
Casey Long
Michael Mcgowen
Men Alive - Orange County
Gay Men’s Chorus
Angeline Mirenda
Rachel Mount
Michael & Carol Penn
Kristine Proctor
PRP Wine Interntational, Inc.
Reynolds Family Foundation
Doyle Smiens
Kathy Coyle Smith &
Stephen Smith
Stephen Tomassi
Total Wine and More, Brea
James Vaughn
Sam U. Well
Nancy & Scott Witlin
Howard & Sumi Yata
Laura & Will Young
Sherry & John Louis Domerego
Sheryl Donchey
Kerry Drake
Michele & Peter Duncan
Hoa Nguyen & John Campbell
Jay & Sharon DuVal
Al Enderle
Yoga Sol, Rozanne Englehart
Louis Euzarraga
Valerie & Geoff Fearns
June Glenn
Trish Goff
Irwin Goldberg
The Gourmet Detective
Emily & Niles Guichet
Terri & Eric Guichet
Courtny Greenough
Greg Hammer and Louis Pardo
Jon Hyrkas
Peggy Ann Immerman
Nora Jacob
Sonia Jekums
Craig & Cathy Johnson
Olivia A. Johnson
Traci Kaas
Lisa Keating
Bonnie Kent
Rachel Knapp
Susan Konier
Cathy & Tom Kroopf
Eric Kuchel
Sunjay Kumar
April Kurtyka
Keith & Pat Kusunis
Vincent La Barbera
Mike & Cheryl Laven
Robin Ligerman
Doris Longmead
Corky Loupe
Jerry Luedke & Joan Merritt
Robyn Mack
Molly Mahoney &
John Dominguez
Pat & JoLynn Mahoney
John & Regina Mangum
Chris Merritt
Richard Messenger
Frank Mickadeit
Lindy & Mike Michaelis
Jennifer Mirenda
John & Deborah Montevideo
Irina Morris
Margi & John Murray
Karen O’Hanlon
Art Partridge
Paige Payne
Maureen Peltzer
The Pierce Family
Charlie & Kristi Proctor
Irmagaard & Bill Waltz
Rick Reiff & Mary Ann Brown
Jim & Becky Riddit
Maria Rigatti
Ronda & Rolf Rolnicki
Joan Rowe & David Brown
Marc Sanford
Nicole & Jeremy Schlitt
Mary & Mark See
Lori Shapiro
Lisa Silbar
Rick & Cheri Smetanka
Dee Dee & Donald Sodaro
Rick & Alison Stein
Wendell Stephenson
Rosalynn Nguyen &
Bill Strongin
Peter H. Tanner &
Charlotte Hemme
Masako Tobaru
Julie Ann & Jim Ulcickas
Kathy & Frank Vargas
Barbara Venezia
Michael Vu
Eleanor & Sig Wacker
Chris & Danielle Weiler
Kathy Whelan &
Susan Saunders, In memory of
David McCormick
Maureen Wilcut
Peter Wilson
Kay & John Yamasaki
Susan & Thomas Alexander
Nicholas C. Avila
Joni & Miles Benickes
Barbara & Don Barkemeyer
Ana Bomgaars
Capital One Card Lab
Connect
Joe & Helen Carter
Sue & Bob Crowson
Lewis & Marty Crouse
Sharon Edlin
David Emmes & Paula Tomei
Kathy & Bahram Esfahani
SUPPORTERS ($150 - $299)
3-D Theatricals
Darren & Laurie Aitken
Sherry & Terry Aitken
Anaheim Fall Festival
Sally Anderson & Tom Rogers
Matthew Arkin
Shelly Aronson
Lisa Bethune
Rob Blaney
Thomas Borchard
Frederick M. Borges
Fred Boucher
Kelsey Buck
Alex Bueno
Sylvia Burnett
Angela Burton
Josh Cable
Center Club Orange County
Joseph Chairez
Chemers Gallery
Glenn Chitjian
Sally Chumbley
Karen & Bruce Clark
Loise Clark
Nancy Clark & John Burton
Peggy Grover-Courtney
Mary Dessecker
Deutsche Bank Americas
Foundation
Donna & James Di Cesare
Christina Dixon
MISSION
Chance Theater seeks to create exciting theatrical experiences that will engage, surprise and unite our audiences, our
artists, and our community.
The mission of the Chance is to contribute to a more compassionate, connected and creative Orange County.
We do this by:
•
•
•
•
producing powerful, socially-conscious, provocative, intimate theater experiences
generating participation and dialogue between our diverse communities
nurturing and supporting local artists
inspiring and empowering creative young minds
RECENT HONORS / AWARDS
Named official “Resident Theater of Anaheim”
Winner of 6 Ovation Awards, including 2 for Best Musical (Triassic Parq and Jerry Springer: The Opera)
Winner of 5 LADCC Awards, including the Polly Warfield Award for Excellence for Outstanding Season
OC Weekly’s Best of OC 2015 - Best Musical (Loch Ness, a new musical) and Best Play (Maple and Vine)
29 Ovation Award nominations
15 LADCC Award nominations
Winner of Robby Award for Best Choreography (Lysistrata Jones), plus 5 more nominations
Recipient of National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) Grant
Two “Outstanding Arts Organization” Awards from Arts Orange County
STAFF
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Oanh Nguyen, Artistic Director
Casey Long, Managing Director
Erika C. Miller, Development Director
Masako Tobaru, Technical Director
Teodora Ramos, Master Carpenter
Bebe Herrera, Production Manager
Jeff Hellebrand, Box Office Associate
Jocelyn A. Brown, Associate Artistic Director
Jennifer Ruckman, Literary Manager
Courtny Greenough, Company Manager
Darryl B. Hovis, Co-Education Director
Karen O’Hanlon, Co-Education Director
Marc Sanford, Assoc. House Manager
Robin “George” Shorter, Assoc. House Manager
Scott B. Well, Chair
Larry Cripe, Vice-Chair
Andy Lamb, Treasurer
Mary Kay Fyda-Mar, Immediate Past Chair
Mary Beth Adderley
Bette Aitken
Martin Benson
Robert Berman
Susie Dittmar
Bruce Goodrich
Wendy Hooper
Casey Long
Guy W. Marr
RESIDENT ARTISTS
Jocelyn A. Brown, council
Alex Bueno, council
Courtny Greenough, council
Laura M. Hathaway, council
Jeff Hellebrand, council
Casey Long, council
Erika C. Miller, council
Oanh Nguyen, council
Teodora Ramos, council
Jennifer Ruckman, council
Marc Sanford, council
Bill Strongin, council
Masako Tobaru, council
Kelly Todd, council
16
Karen Webster, council
Sherry Domerego
Robert Foran
Robyn Manion
James McHale
Karen O’Hanlon
Sarah Pierce
Nicole Schlitt
David McCormick, member emeritus
Myrna Niles, member emeritus
v 17th Anniversary Season
Rachelle Menaker
Oanh Nguyen
Terry Schomburg
Laurie Smits Staude
Georgia Well