The Last Night of Ballyhoo - City Theatre of Independence

20
Next Productions
City Theatre of
Independence
Enchanted April
AUDITIONS: Jan. 11 - 12, 2015
Directed by Shari Wassergord
Performance dates—April 2-4 and 10-12, 2015
Seussical
AUDITIONS: April 6 - 7, 2015
Directed by LeAnn Burris
Performance dates—June 4-7 & 11-14, 2015
Next CTI Business Meeting: Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. 12 p.m.
at the Sermon Center .
The Last Night
of Ballyhoo
By Alfred Uhry
January 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 2015
www.CityTheatreofIndependence.org
816-325-7367
Directed by Nancy Eppert
Find us on facebook.com/City.Theatre.of.Independence
Produced by special arrangement with Dramatist Play Services, Inc., New York. Originally produced on
Broadway by Jane Harmon, Nina Keneally, Liz Oliver. Commissioned by the Alliance Theatre Co., presented
by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, Cultural Olympiad for the 1996 Olympic Arts Fest.
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19
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
Forty Carats, The RainSomething’s Afoot, The
Lost In Yonkers,
maker, Night Watch, Lit- Lion In Winter, Heaven Darkside, Greetings, Antle Shop Of Horrors, I
Can Wait, Mame, Corpse nie Get Your Gun, Cat’s
Hate Hamlet
Cradle
Joyce Stone- President
Michael Masterson - Vice President of Production
Jackie Coomes - Vice President of Operations
Steve Kennedy - Treasurer
Mary Morris - Secretary
R.J. Parish - Season Production Manager
Patti Shockley - Box Office Chair
Marcia Brownlee- Membership
Norita Taylor- Marketing and Public Relations
Erin Brown- Hospitality
Wanda Dunlap- Historian
Mike Brown- Charter
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Mind, The Importance Of Talley’s Folly/Talley & Dream, My Three Angels,
Being Earnest, Camelot, Son, A Little Night Music, Nunsense, An Ideal HusThe Crucifer Of Blood
Amadeus
band, The Marriage Of
Figaro
2001-02
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2003-04
Catch Me If You Can, The Squabbles, Dracula, Hed- You Can’t Take It With
Diary Of Anne Frank, da Gabler, The Wizard Of You, A Murder Is AnMurder At The Howard
Oz, The Company Of
nounced, The Man Of La
Johnson’s, The Sound Of
Wayward Saints
Mancha, All My Sons,
Music, The Sunshine Boys
The School For Scandal
2004-05
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The Musical Comedy
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ing But The Truth, The
Dolly, Picnic
Pirates of Penzance, DearMusic Man
ly Departed
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King & I
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2010-11
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St.Casimir’s
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Almost, Maine
2011-12
The Foreigner
Suburb
A Streetcar
Named
Desire
Working
2012-13
Little Women
Miss Firecracker Contest
The Nerd
The Mousetrap
Proof
The Complete Works of
Wm Shakespeare –
Abridged
A Nice Family Gathering
On Golden
Pond
Once Upon
A Mattress
2013-14
Little Shop Of Horrors
Pride and Prejudice
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35 Seasons! 1980 - 2014
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1982-83
Plaza Suite, Curious Sav- Arsenic & Old Lace, Mu- Harvey, 6 Rms Riv Vu,
age, Uncertain Samaritan, sic Revue 2, A Thousand The Other Side, The Lion
Music Revue 1, The Four Clowns, The Fantasticks, In Winter, A Christmas
Poster, The Odd Couple
Dracula, Spirit of the
Carol, Winnie The Pooh,
Christmas Ornament,
House of Blue Leaves,
The Hobbit, Ten Little
Once Upon A Mattress
Indians, Little Women
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1984-85
1985-86
You’re A Good Man,
On Golden Pond, 1776, Barefoot In The Park, The
Charlie Brown, The
The Emperor’s New
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Clothes, Our Town, The ella, Two By Two, Wait
Wonderland, J.B., Life
Mousetrap, You Can’t
Until Dark, Shadowbox
With Father, The ImTake It With You
portance of Being Earnest
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of Edwin Drood
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Sondheim, Enemy Of
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The People
Stops Here, Bus Stop
1989-90
1990-91
1991-92
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Play It Again Sam, Winnie
Of Sleepy Hollow, CraBeauty & The Beast,
The Pooh, Blithe Spirit,
dle Song, Pippin, The
Guy’s & Dolls, Crimes
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1992-93
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(female version), Fiddler
On The Roof
Rehearsal For Murder,
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Your Horn, The Royal
Family
Born Yesterday, The
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A Funny Thing Happened
On The Way To The Forum, Witness For The
Prosecution
AUDITIONS
Enchanted April
January 11, 12, 2015, 7-9 p.m.
At the Sermon Center
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PowerPalooza
February 7, 2015
10 a.m. — 3 p.m.
City Theatre of Independence is a proud member of the American Association of
Community Theatres (AACT) and the Independence Parks and Recreation Dept.
www.aact.org
www.ci.independence.mo.us/parksandrec
CTI is also a member of the Independence Attractions Coalition.
E
lla’s
mbroidery
www.ellasembroidery.com
The Examiner
Independence—Blue Springs—Grain Valley
www.examiner.net
City Theatre of Independence
Food Booth
Powerpalooza is a power-packed day of fun for kids of all ages. Take a turn in a giant
inflatable, try your luck at the roulette wheel, test your skills at the ring toss! Everyone wins a prize. Or maybe just sit back and enjoy a hot dog and old-fashioned cotton
candy. Tickets are 25¢ each, sold at the door. Most activities cost only 1-2 tickets. All
proceeds go to the Powerhouse Theatre Foundation.
Powerhouse Theatre Foundation is an umbrella organization which includes
and benefits the three community theatre organizations which operate out
of the Roger T. Sermon Center; City Theatre of Independence, Children’s
Performing Theatre and Encore (for 50 and older).
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Contact Erin Brown at [email protected]
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Playwright Festival
The eighth annual City Theatre of Independence Playwright Festival
will be held July 9, 10, 11, and 12, 2015.
Please refer to the following guidelines for submitting play(s):
FAST SIGNS
3801 S. Noland Road
Independence, MO 64055
816-252-0909
• The theme for 2015 is: “Reunion.”
• Each play submitted must have no more than 4 characters,
and a minimal set. Must run 10-15 minutes in length.
• Plays with an excess of offensive language will not be accepted; if
you have to ask, assume it's excessive. Plays will be accepted beginning January 1, 2015. Only the first 85 plays received will
be accepted.
• Please email two copies of each play submitted: one with your full
contact information, one without any identification. Plays cannot be
published or produced prior to June 1, 2015, nor be subject to any
royalties. No entry fee required.
Plays that do not meet these guidelines will not be considered.
Please note that plays will not be returned.
Thank you for your interest! We look forward to another successful festival!
Send to [email protected]
The Rheinland Restaurant
208 North Main Street • Independence, MO 64050
Telephone: 816-461-5383
City Nights Formal Wear
816-795-5500
4621 S Shrank Dr.
Independence, Mo.
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Jack McCord - Adolf Freitag
Powerhouse
Theatre Foundation
Powerhouse Theatre Foundation is an umbrella organization which includes
and benefits three community theatre organizations which operate out of the
Roger T. Sermon Community Center: City Theatre of Independence, Children’s Performing Theatre and Encore Theatre.
City Theatre of Independence
www.CityTheatreofIndependence.org
ENCORE
www.EncoreTheatreIndepMo.org
Jack began acting on stage 47 years ago and
has been performing at CTI since 1998,
where he played Mickey/Lusious in Greetings. Since then, he has done a bazillion
shows here either on stage or as director or
in the lighting/sound booth. Jack, is thrilled
to be back on the stage here in a CTI main
production, having taken a 4-year leave of
absence from the theatre world. He hopes
you enjoy the performance.
Alex C. Phillips - Peachy Weil
Alex Phillips has loved the stage and the
theatre from a very young age. He started
acting with CTI in Children’s Performing
Theatre at the age of 5. He was in many
casts that included current cast members
Melissa Anderson and Jackie Coomes. He
did many theatre productions at Truman
High School, and he is more than excited to
join this phenomenal cast as Sylvan “Peachy”
Weil in The Last Night of Ballyhoo.
Children’s Performing Theatre
Patti Shockley - Reba Freitag
Facebook: Childrens-Performing-Theatre-of-Independence-Mo
Patti is grateful to have been a part of the
CTI family for the past 14 years. She has
acted in 20 roles, some of her favorites being Mrs. Shinn in The Music Man and Betty in
The Foreigner. Last year she directed The Miss
Firecracker Contest, then was “murdered” in
The Mousetrap. She wishes to thank so many
past directors who have helped her improve
and grow with each role, especially her
longtime friend, Nancy.
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Patrick Lee Davis - Joe Farkas
Patrick is pleased to be performing with City
Theatre of Independence. He was previously
seen in Wizard of Oz at CTI. Patrick began acting at a young age, after watching his parents at
the Meistersingers Community Opera. After
working in several community and professional
theatre shows, he started working in film, but
is happy to be back at his “roots.” He would
like to thank his parents for introducing him to
performing and allowing him to use his talent.
Stephanie N. Flanagan - Beulah “Boo” Levy
Stephanie is thrilled to return to the City Theatre of Independence stage as Boo Levy in The
Last Night of Ballyhoo. She appeared as Chiffon
in last season's production of Little Shop of Horrors. Some of her favorite roles include Vernadette in Dixie Swim Club, Miss Adelaide in Guys
& Dolls, Truvy in Steel Magnolias, and Rita in
Educating Rita. Stephanie would like to thank
her wonderful family: Anastasia, Maximus,
Cordelia, and Carl for all their love & support.
Enjoy the show!
Serendipity Bed & Breakfast
http://serendipitybedandbreakfast.com/
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Visit our website:
CAST - in alphabetical order
www.CityTheatreofIndependence.org
Melissa Blair Anderson - Lala Levy
Become a donor to CTI
Donation Levels:
Stage Hand-$50
Designer-$100
Stage Manager-$200
Director-$500
Producer-$1000
Executive Producer-$1500
Special Thanks to Designer Sponsor
Elizabeth Scott
Melissa is grateful to return to the stage in this
extraordinary production of The Last Night of Ballyhoo. As an alumni of the American Musical and
Dramatic Academy, New York City, her credits
include Off-Off Broadway: A Musical Revue and
The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told as Cheryl Mindle.
Melissa has most recently been seen in Little Shop
of Horrors as Ronette, The Miss Firecracker Contest as
Carnelle, Working as Kate (Just a Housewife) Almost Maine as Marcie & Marvalyn, Into The Woods
as The Baker’s Wife, Nine as Sarraghina, Noises Off
as Poppy and The Full Monty. She would like to
thank Nancy for this extraordinary experience,
who made all her "hoop" dreams come true! To
her fellow castmates, you are AH-MAH-ZING
and she loves you guys! To her most supportive
family, thank you for your unconditional love
and support. Hey Mom, the dress passes
the twirl test!
Jackie Coomes - Sunny Freitag
Join CTI
If you enjoy seeing our performances, you might also enjoy being a member of
CTI . There are many opportunities to be part of the organization. In addition
to acting, there are crew members on each production to run lights or sound, to
help with properties and set changes, or costume design and set construction.
CTI is a member-run organization, where you can be part of the decision making process. Questions? Contact [email protected].
Jackie Coomes is very excited to be performing
Sunny in Last Night of Ballyhoo. She has recently
been seen at City Theatre of Independence as
“Elizabeth” in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Elaine in
The Miss Firecracker Contest and Claire in Proof.
Jackie has also performed in productions at Summit Theatre Group, Bell Road Barn Players, The
Barn Players, River City Players in Lexington,
OCTA, and at UMKC.
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DIRECTOR’S NOTES and BIO
DRAMATURGY - The Last Night of Ballyhoo
There are so many things on my theatre “bucket list” that I will need to live
two or three more lifetimes! I can now check two items off at the same time:
to direct a wonderful script and work with a dream cast in my hometown theatre! First, this fantastic script has so many challenging layers: family, faith,
hard work, sacrifice, selflessness, discovery and renewal, comedy and drama
to name but a few. Secondly, a hardworking and dedicated cast and crew
who bring this very special story to life. We have maneuvered around the
year’s end holidays, illnesses, vacations and work schedules, but the dedication for a professional-quality show has been upmost on everyone’s agenda. I
am grateful to the CTI board for allowing me this opportunity to direct this
show. I am so very thankful for the hardworking hands who built the beautiful Freitag home. The crew, who are generally invisible to the audience, have
done so very much to make magic: Thank you. Finally, the fabulous actors…
words fail to describe my respect and love for each of you. To the audienc,
without whom we would just have rehearsal, thank you for supporting live
theatre in Independence. Mazel tov!
The Last Night of Ballyhoo is about assimilation, perception of “others”, and the meaning of family. It was originally a series of vignettes, each featuring a different member of the city's exclusive Standard Club. The play was inspired by the playwright's
childhood memories and was commissioned by the Olympic Arts Festival for the
1996 Summer Olympics and was staged at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre. In revising the
play for a New York City opening, Uhry opted to focus solely on the Freitags and
expanded their storyline into two acts. After twenty-four previews, the Broadway
production, directed by Ron Lagomarsino, opened on February 27, 1997 at the Helen Hayes Theatre, where it ran for 556 performances.
Nancy
Ben Brantley of the New York Times observed, “Much of the gently barbed, idiosyncratic Southern humor recalls a vintage episode of the television sitcom Designing
Women… Mr. Uhry's one previous play, Driving Miss Daisy, was a modest masterpiece
of obliquely rendered sentimentality and social commentary. Here the author employs much more direct and conventional means that work more blatantly to elicit
laughs and tears. Ballyhoo isn't a clumsy work; on its own terms, it's a model of oldfashioned tailoring. And Mr. Uhry has a fascinating and incendiary subject in the selfhatred implicit in the social stratifications among Southern Jews, particularly given
that the play is set on the eve of World War II. But the context in which he couches it
can feel very treacly... There's no doubting that Ballyhoo is a sincere, good-hearted
work, but it almost never feels spontaneous. Despite its provocative subject, its form
is the theatrical equivalent of comfort food, something for those who like their nostalgia repackaged in the guise of something new.”
Nancy Eppert - This is Nancy’s 13th production
with CTI. She was awarded Best Actress in a lead
role for Funny Money and Best Director for the
2003 Missouri Association of Community Theatres (MoACT) first place entry, Taking Sides: In
2005 the director of the #1 non-professional
production in Kansas City, Hello, Dolly! She also
directed MoACT’s first place entry Fat in 2009. She serves on the
board of the American Association of Community Theatre as the Region V Representative and as an AACT Adjudicator. She is a Past President of MoACT and CTI. Nancy currently works for the National
Frontier Trails Museum as the Theatrical Performance Specialist. She
and her husband, John, live in the Historic Truman District.
The Last Night of Ballyhoo focuses on two psychological elements: prejudice and personal inadequacy. The obvious prejudice theme throughout the play demonstrating
bigotry uses an underlying sentiment of personal inadequacy. Ballyhoo proves that
racial and other forms of prejudice are a fabrication created and driven by society.
The characters project their own undesirable qualities in others and feelings of inadequacy. Throughout The Last Night of Ballyhoo, characters who display the most bigotry
are the ones who are concerned the most about their public status.
A NOTE ABOUT THE SET DESIGN
During the 1920s and 1930s, the rich and famous of the United States escaped the
constraints of prohibition, the ban on gambling and suppressive taxation to the countries south of the border: Mexico and Cuba. As the opulent upper crust settled in
back home, they wanted reminders of their holidays in their daily lives, thus the
“Southwestern” style became quite fashionable in interior design. The feel of sun
baked brick, glazed tiling and wrought iron, created a feel of the fiesta.
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CAST in order of appearance
Lala Levy – Melissa Blair Anderson
:
SETTING
December 1939 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Reba Freitag – Patti Shockley
ACT ONE
Boo Levy – Stephanie N. Flanagan
Scene 1
Freitag home, mid-December
Adolph Freitag – Jack McCord
Scene 2
Same, one hour later
Joe Farkas – Patrick Lee Davis
Scene 3
Compartment of the Crescent Limited, five days later
Sunny Freitag – Jackie Coomes
Scene 4
Freitag home, morning the next day
Peachy Weil – Alex C. Phillips
Scene 5
Same, 11:00 that night
15 minute intermission between acts
Crew
Director – Nancy K. Eppert
ACT TWO
Stage Manager – John Eppert
Scene 1
Freitag home, the next day
Light Design – Krystal Roush
Scene 2
Same, later that night
Light Operator – Ben Morris
Scene 3
Same, Christmas morning
Sound Design/Operator – Larry Morris
Scene 4
Same, the next night
Properties – Mary Morris
Scene 5
The Standard Club
Costume Design – Nancy Eppert
Scene 6
Freitag home, several hours later
Set Design – John and Nancy Eppert
Scene 7
Compartment of the Crescent Limited, two weeks later
Prompter – Allie Dunlop
Scene 8
Freitag home, Sabbath evening
SET BUILDERS
Jamie Boyle, Jeremiah Boyle, Matthew Boyle, David Calkins, John Dempsey,
John Eppert, Nancy Eppert, Mike Masterson, Ron Miller, R.J. Parish, Alex C.
Phillips, Will Steffy, Bradford Taylor, Norita Taylor, R.J. Taylor, Andy Williams
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Show Artwork for Internet and Social Media: Melissa Blair
Anderson. Tuxedo: Bill Horne of City Nights Formal Wear .
City Nights Formal Wear
Phone-816-795-5500
4621 S Shrank Dr., Independence, MO