DIRECTED BY
FRANCOIS BATTISTE
____________________________________ SEPT 12– OCT 4/2026 ___________________________________ SEASON SPONSOR:
PRODUCTION SPONSORS:
BEST WISHES Hackensack Meridian Health and Hackensack Meridian Riverview Medical Center are proud to support Two River Theater. ■■■
With gratitude for many years of entertainment and inspiration!
HackensackMeridianHealth.org
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LEADERSHIP ________ JUSTIN WALDMAN ARTISTIC DIRECTOR NORA DEVEAU-ROSEN MANAGING DIRECTOR ROBERT M. RECHNITZ* JOAN H. RECHNITZ FOUNDERS
BOARD OF TRUSTEES ________ HON. EDWARD J. MCKENNA, JR PRESIDENT MARILYN BROEGE VICE PRESIDENT GEOFFREY SADWITH SECRETARY ANNE MARIE SCHULTZ TREASURER DR. ANN BAGCHI ELIZABETH COLUMBO JOANNA CONNELLY CRYSTAL A. DICKINSON SUSAN DROMSKY-REED ADRIANA MEDINA GOMEZ DELISHA GRANT KANESHA JONES KENNY KING JOHN KLEIN BRIAN LEDDIN COURTNEY MCCORMICK TONY MENESES MAGDA MUKA LAUREN NICOSIA SEAN O’CONNELL CHRISTINE PRONEK CATHY PUGLIESE-SIVO ADAM RECHNITZ JOAN H. RECHNITZ JOANNE SPEARS MARY CAROL STUNKEL SUSAN WHYMAN RICHARD B. WORLEY
EMERITUS TRUSTEES ________ HOWARD ARONSON* CAROLINE HUBER* KATHRYNE SINGLETON WEBSTER TRAMMELL* * we remember
TWO RIVER THEATER
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creates great American theater by developing and __________________that producing new works and world _masterpieces most richly direct our gaze to the life of the human spirit. We cultivate an audience that cherishes the intimate joy of theater, enriched when shared by a community of others.
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Two River produces American and world classics, new plays and musicals, programs for young people, and a Latiné new works festival. Each year, we serve over 20,000 students, families and community members through ______our ___diverse ________community __ our 4-show season, and 50+ events that reflect of Monmouth County. We produce work on two stages—the 343-seat Joan and Robert Rechnitz Theater, and the flexible 110-seat Marion Huber Theater. In 2020, we expanded our campus to 80,000 square feet with the opening of the Center for New Work, Education and Design. Two River has commissioned and premiered original projects including Be More Chill by Tony Award® nominee Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz (the theater’s first Broadway production) and Hurricane Diane by former Playwright-inResidence Madeleine George (which won an Obie Award for its OffBroadway run). In June 2019, Two River was nationally recognized by USA TODAY as one of “10 great places to see a play.”
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Land Acknowledgement ............................................................................................................ 4 A Note from Artistic Director Justin Waldman �������������������������������������������������������7 Title Page................................................................................................................................................. 9 Cast of Characters.......................................................................................................................... 11 Company Bios......................................................................................................................................12 Leadership Bios..................................................................................................................................17 The Crossroads of The Piano Lesson by Fiona Kyle ��������������������������������������� 19 Individual Donors.............................................................................................................................30 Staff Listing..........................................................................................................................................34
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WELCOME TO TWO RIVER THEATER
It is our honor to be creating and experiencing this art with you.
THE LAND UPON WHICH WE GATHER IS PART OF THE TRADITIONAL TERRITORY OF THE LENNI-LENAPE, CALLED “LENAPEHOKING.” Two River wishes to acknowledge the Lenni-Lenape as the original people of this unceded land where we proudly present our work and strive to be a vital cultural resource for our community.
COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESS (IDEA) We believe the essence of theater is democratic: it invites us to encounter, consider, and perhaps adopt other points of view, if only for a brief time in a darkened theater. We aspire to build an environment in which artists, audiences, employees, and Board members from different backgrounds and experiences together form an institution that is equitable, diverse, and inclusive.
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Break a leg! WilkinGuttenplan is a proud supporter of the Two River Theater. Thank you for the entertainment, education and joy you bring to the community.
N e w J e r s e y • N e w Yo r k 732.846.3000 wgcpas.com
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A Note from the Artistic Director
JUSTIN WALDMAN TWO RIVER THEATER Dear friends, Fourteen years ago, Two River made a commitment to produce all ten plays in August Wilson’s American Century Cycle. The Piano Lesson marks the eighth production in that journey. Centrally, The Piano Lesson ponders the strained duality of honoring the past while striving for a better future. And yet, I can think of no better symbiosis of those two forces than the literal process of bringing one of Wilson’s plays to life. Along the path of retelling these important stories, a cadre of phenomenal artists have come together to pass down this historical document. For those of you lucky enough to have followed the American Century Cycle at Two River, I’m sure you’ll recognize some familiar, and beloved, faces on- and off-stage today. They do exactly what Wilson set out to do in penning these records: keep the past vital and alive. And each opportunity to tell these stories does something else, too. It creates new generations of storytellers and fires them in a crucible of knowledge. For at its core, the theater is an apprenticeship trade—like blacksmithing or glass blowing. One learns by watching and observing at the side of a learned craftsperson, who imbues gifts almost as if by osmosis. The idea is not to bestow or pass a baton, but to grow the circle. For the wider the truth is spoken, the louder it shall resound. After years of honing his craft as an actor in many of Wilson’s shows and beyond, Francois Battiste takes the helm as a Wilson director for the first time, marking the emergence of a bold new shepherd of this oeuvre. To join him, he’s gathered a group of artists that embody the very soul of what Wilson sought to create. From veterans, to first timers, to one extremely special individual—Francois’s own 11-year-old daughter, Elaán. Myriad generations converge. Families, both chosen and of blood, grow. The past and the future at once inhabit the present. And we have the privilege to commune with history.
TO OUR PATRONS, In alignment with our mission of showcasing stories that direct our gaze to the life of the human spirit and cherish the joy of theater, we celebrate this story in its fullness and ask that you allow yourself and others to do the same. As we tell stories that center on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, all of which are among our core values, and share a multicultural perspective, we ask that you join us in creating safe spaces for everyone to bear witness to this story. We invite you to laugh, cry, question, consider, engage, and find joy or discomfort. With this in mind, we hope that you cherish and value everyone’s individual experience as we all journey through these narratives together. Enjoy the show! SCAN FOR MORE ABOUT TWO RIVER’S MISSION AND VALUES
Stories, and storytellers, live on. With gratitude,
Justin Waldman 7
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C reating our future, together.
artscouncil.nj.gov 8
(609) 292-6130
1814 - Playbill Ads - Full Page - 2018 - 8.5x11.indd 1
2/16/18 6:10 PM
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TWO RIVER THEATER PRESENTs
Justin Waldman Artistic Director Nora DeVeau-Rosen Managing Director Robert M. Rechnitz Joan H. Rechnitz Founders
DIRECTED BY
FRANCOIS BATTISTE
SCENIC DESIGNER............................................................................. JUNGHYUN GEORGIA LEE COSTUME DESIGNER......................................................................... KAREN PERRY LIGHTING DESIGNER.......................................................................... YUKI NAKASE LINK SOUND DESIGNER............................................................................... MEGUMI KATAYAMA MUSIC SUPERVISOR & COMPOSER................................................. ULYSSES OWENS JR. MUSIC DIRECTOR............................................................................... MATT FUKUI GRANDY HAIR, WIG & MAKEUP DESIGNER.................................................. CICI CAMPBELL FIGHT, INTIMACY, & MOVEMENT COORDINATOR........................ TENIECE DIVYA JOHNSON CASTING ............................................................................................. DAVID CAPARELLIOTIS, CSA AND KELLY GILLESPIE, CSA OPENING NIGHT: SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 JOAN AND ROBERT RECHNITZ THEATER
Originally Produced on Broadway by Yale Repertory Theatre (Lloyd Richards, Artistic Director; Benjamin Mordecai, Managing Director), Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre (Gordon Davidson, Artistic/Producing Director), Gordon Davidson and Jujamcyn Theaters (James H. Binger, Chairman; Rocco Landesman, President); produced in association with the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, Huntington Theatre Company (Peter Altman, Producing Director; Michael Maso, Managing Director), Goodman Theatre, Old Globe Theatre (Jack O’Brien, Artistic Director; Thomas Hall, Managing Director) and Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Managing Director); associate producer, Stephen J. Albert. Originally mounted in 1987 by Yale Repertory Theatre (Lloyd Richards, Artistic Director; Benjamin Mordecai, Managing Director) and Huntington Theatre Company (Peter Altman, Producing Director; Michael Maso, Managing Director) Originally presented at National Playwright’s Conference of The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. AUGUST WILSON’S THE PIANO LESSON is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com SEASON SPONSOR:
PRODUCTION SPONSOR:
ASL interpreter performances and Sensory Friendly performances are made possible through support from Nancy Karpf. SEASON SUPPORTERS:
Two River Theater is supported in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
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a tt o G u o Y e r e H Be
PRESENTED BY
Co-founded by, and currently supported by funds from, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
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CAST OF CHARACTERS
LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
MARETHA................................................................................................... Elaán Battiste WINING BOY.............................................................................................. J. Bernard Calloway* GRACE......................................................................................................... Arden Carethers* AVERY......................................................................................................... Brian D. Coats* LYMON........................................................................................................ Joshua Echebiri* BOY WILLIE............................................................................................... Brandon Micheal Hall* DOAKER...................................................................................................... Keith Randolph Smith* BERNIECE................................................................................................... Danielle Moné Truitt* PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER.............................................................. Kevin Jinghong Zhu* ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER................................................................ Matthew Rohan*
SETTING
1936 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
PERFORMANCE INFO 2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission
PRODUCTION CREDITS ASSOCIATE SCENIC DESIGNER..................Ant Ma Associate Lighting designer..............Rae Mccreary Associate Sound designer...................kaileykielle hoga ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.................................Camille Pugliese Vocal Coach...............................................Quentin Moore Child Actor Supervisor........................Alycya Thomas THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR(S)’S RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: HTTPS://CONCORDTHEATRICALS.COM/RESOURCES/PROTECTING-ARTISTS
Starred cast and stage management team are members of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
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The Designers at this Theatre are Represented by
United Scenic Artists • Local USA 829 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes
The scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers in LORT theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE
Two River Theater Company is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), Professional Non-Profit Theatre Coalition, the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, and ArtPride New Jersey.
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MEET THE ARTISTS!
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BIOS
ELAÁN NOELLE BATTISTE (MARETHA) (she/her) is 11 years old and hails from Sacramento, California. She is thrilled to be making her Two River Theater debut under the direction of her father. While she has performed leading roles in other Sacramento-based community theater productions, this is her second professional theatrical role. Previously, she appeared in When We Were Colored (Young Ginger/Lil’ Eva, The Guild Theater). She also performed the leading roles in two separate church plays: Finding Wisdom (Clarity), God’s Plan for a Little Star (Little Star), as well as her school’s Spring 2026 musical, Disney Jr.’s 101 Dalmatians (Perdita). She is a young lady of many interests, talents, and curiosities; she’s a voracious reader and loves creative writing, drawing, music, singing, dancing, performing with her two brothers, creating and directing her own home videos, arts and crafts, playing ukulele and piano, cooking, traveling, and spending time with family. She excels at Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai, as well as playing shortstop and center field on her little league baseball team. Elaán is homeschooled and beginning her 7th grade year this Fall. In addition to continuing her acting journey, she aspires to be a filmmaker, a New York Times best-selling author, and a civil rights attorney one day. She would like to thank God, her parents and family for all that she is and all that she is to become! J. BERNARD CALLOWAY (WINING BOY) is a New York– based actor. Broadway: Memphis, All the Way, Oklahoma! (Revival). Off-Broadway: Head of Passes, The Harder They Come, The Good Negro (The Public Theater), Fabulation (Signature Theatre Company). Regional: Jitney (Two River Theater), How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Guys and Dolls (The Old Globe). Film/TV: “The Ms Pat Show” (Terry, Paramount Plus), “The Equalizer” (CBS). — @jbernardcalloway 12
Arden Carethers (Grace) (she/her) is a New York–based actor. She is thrilled and grateful to be making her regional theater debut at Two River Theater! Recent theater credits include Measure for Measure (The Makers’ Ensemble), Is God Is (Lenfest Center for the Arts), By The Way, Meet Vera Stark (Fordham Theatre). She is a recent graduate of Fordham College at Lincoln Center, now holding a BA in Theatre. — ardencarethers.wixsite.com/actor | @ardenisabella
BRIAN D. COATS (Avery) New York credits include: Dog Day Afternoon (Broadway), August Wilson’s Jitney, (OffBroadway) The Best We Could (A Family Tragedy) (Manhattan Theatre Club), On the Levee (Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3), La Ruta (Working Theater), The Bacchae, The First Noel (Classical Theatre of Harlem), The Merry Wives of Windsor, Two Gentlemen of Verona (The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival/Delacorte Theater). Regional credits include: August Wilson’s Seven Guitars, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, King Hedley II, and Gem of the Ocean (Two River Theater), Pudd’nhead Wilson, The Comedy of Errors (The Acting Company), Jitney (Broadway Tour; Arena Stage, Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, The Old Globe, Mark Taper Forum, Seattle Rep), August Wilson’s Fences (Shakespeare & Company), August Wilson’s Two Trains Running (Pittsburgh Public Theater), Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, The Bluest Eye (The Huntington), The West End (Cincinnati Playhouse), The Nest (Denver Center Theater), Celebrating the Black Radical Imagination: Nine Solo Plays (Williamstown Theatre Festival), A Christmas Carol (Actors Theatre of Louisville), A Raisin in the Sun (Geva Theatre Center). Television: “Queens,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Luke Cage,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “JAG,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Sopranos.” Graduate University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Joshua echebiri (lymon) is a New York–based actor. Recent theater credits include A Doll’s House (Two River Theater), The Comedy of Errors (The Old Globe), The Swamp Dwellers (Theatre for a New Audience), King James (The Old Globe), Partnership (Mint Theater Company), We Swim, We Talk, We Go to War (Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse), Henry V (The Old Globe: Globe for All), Lizardly (Media Art Exploration/New York Live Arts), Merry Wives (Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, World Premiere; Jocelyn Bioh adaptation), Romeo N Juliet (Pittsburgh Public Theater, virtual), A Raisin in the Sun (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Something Happens for Joe (Williamstown Theatre Festival), and Soft (Williamstown Theatre Festival). Television and film credits include “Elsbeth” (CBS), “Brilliant Minds” (NBC), “Bob Hearts Abishola” (CBS), “Dear Edward” (Apple TV+), and “The Good Fight” (Paramount+). Joshua holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MFA in Acting from the Graduate Acting Program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. — JoshuaEchebiri.com | @joshuaechebiri Brandon Micheal Hall (Boy willie) (he/him) made his Broadway debut originating the role of John Nevins in Alice Childress’s Trouble in Mind at Roundabout Theatre Company. His theater credits also include Suzan-Lori Parks’s Topdog/ Underdog (Lincoln, Pasadena Playhouse), for which he and the company received the NAACP Theatre Award for Best Ensemble, the World Premiere of Transfers, and The Comedy of Errors (Antipholus of Syracuse, The Old Globe). His Broadway role and principal theater credits are reflected in industry and theater records. On television, Brandon starred as Miles Finer in the CBS drama “God Friended Me” and as Courtney Rose in ABC’s “The Mayor.” His additional television credits include “Search Party,” “Poker Face,” “Chloe,” “Power,” “Broad City,” “The Characters,” “Unforgettable,” and “I Love LA.” His film credits include The Surrogate, The Young Wife, Girl Haunts Boy, Audrey’s Children, Micro Budget, Always a Bridesmaid, Monster Party, and Lez Bomb. He also voiced Cyborg in the animated feature Injustice and has performed in scripted podcast productions including The Burned Photo and The Courtship of Mona Mae. Originally from Anderson, South Carolina, Brandon trained at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, the British American Drama Academy, and The Juilliard School. While still a Juilliard student, he landed a leading role in the CBS pilot “LFE,” opposite Melissa Leo. Across stage and screen, he is drawn to ambitious, character-driven stories that combine
humor, humanity, and social insight. He is grateful to the artists, audiences, family, friends, and collaborators who continue to support his journey.
Keith Randolph Smith (Doaker) (he/him) is a New York–based actor, writer, and director. Two River Theater credits include Wine in the Wilderness (Oldtimer) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon/Theseus). Broadway credits include Fences, Jitney, King Hedley II, The Piano Lesson, Come Back, Little Sheba, American Psycho, and Salome. Off-Broadway credits include …What the End Will Be (Roundabout Theatre Company), Paradise Blue (Signature Theatre Company, nominated for The Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance), The Night of the Iguana (Signature Theatre Company), and Tamburlaine, Parts I and II (Theatre for a New Audience). World Premieres include Bust (Alliance Theatre, Goodman Theatre) and Holiday Heart (Syracuse Stage, Cleveland Playhouse, Seattle Rep, and Manhattan Theatre Club). He is the recipient of the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship in Acting and the Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship. He is a graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and a company member of Quick Silver Theater Company in New York City. Danielle MonÉ truitt (berniece) is an actor, writer, director, and singer best known for starring as Sgt. Ayanna Bell in NBC’s “Law & Order: Organized Crime” for five seasons. She also starred as the lead in John Singleton’s “Rebel” (BET), with additional television credits including “Deputy” (FOX) and “Snowfall” (FX). In addition to her on-screen work, Danielle served as the video reference performer for Princess Tiana and voiced Georgia in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. Her theater work includes an NAACP Theatre Award nomination for Best Actress for The Mountaintop at Matrix Theatre Company, as well as an NAACP Theatre Award-nominated production of Dreamgirls at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Danielle also wrote and performed her acclaimed one-woman show, 3: Black Girl Blues. Most recently, she directed Douglas Lyons’ Don’t Touch My Hair at Celebration Arts. Beyond her work as a performer, Danielle is the creator of MONA, a comingof-age film inspired by her childhood growing up in South Sacramento. She is passionate about telling stories that celebrate the beauty, resilience, joy, and complexity of Black life. She is the proud Mother of two incredible Sons. She dedicates her performance to them. 13
AUGUST WILSON (playwright) (April 27, 1945-October 2, 2005) authored Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Fences, Two Trains Running, Jitney, King Hedley II, and Radio Golf. These works explore the heritage and experience of African-Americans, decade-by-decade, over the course of the twentieth century. His plays have been produced at regional theaters across the country and all over the world, as well as on Broadway. In 2003, Mr. Wilson made his professional stage debut in his one-man show, How I Learned What I Learned. Mr. Wilson’s works garnered many awards including Pulitzer Prizes for Fences (1987); and for The Piano Lesson (1990); a Tony Award for Fences; Great Britain’s Olivier Award for Jitney; as well as eight New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains Running, Seven Guitars, Jitney, and Radio Golf. Additionally, the cast recording of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom received a 1985 Grammy Award, and Mr. Wilson received a 1995 Emmy Award nomination for his screenplay adaptation of The Piano Lesson. Mr. Wilson’s early works included the one-act plays The Janitor, Recycle, The Coldest Day of the Year, Malcolm X, The Homecoming and the musical satire Black Bart and the Sacred Hills. Mr. Wilson received many fellowships and awards, including Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships in Playwrighting, the Whiting Writers Award, 2003 Heinz Award, was awarded a 1999 National Humanities Medal by the President of the United States, and received numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities, as well as the only high school diploma ever issued by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He was an alumnus of New Dramatists, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a 1995 inductee into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and on October 16, 2005, Broadway renamed the theater located at 245 West 52nd Street – The August Wilson Theatre. Additionally, Mr. Wilson was posthumously inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2007. Mr. Wilson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and lived in Seattle, Washington at the time of his death. He is immediately survived by his two daughters, Sakina Ansari and Azula Carmen Wilson, and his wife, costume designer Constanza Romero. Francois Battiste (director) is thrilled to be making his Two River Theater debut! He is a Chicago-raised, New York–trained, California-based actor, director, and teaching artist. Recent directing credits include Broke-ology at Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Between Riverside and Crazy at Celebration Arts Theatre, Broke-ology at B-Street Theatre, and Hospice at Illinois State University. As an actor he has performed in London, on the Broadway stage and off, as well as regionally. Most recently he was seen in the World Premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Here We Are (directed by Joe Mantello). Other Broadway: Bronx Bombers, Prelude to a Kiss, and Magic/Bird, as well as the Broadway National Tour of August Wilson’s Jitney. In London he played Malcolm X in One Night in Miami at The Donmar Warehouse 14
(Olivier nomination). Off-Broadway he has created roles and garnered recognition in The Good Negro (Obie Award), Detroit ’67 (Audelco nomination), Broke-ology (Audelco nomination), and A Raisin in the Sun (Audelco Award winner for Best Leading Actor). He starred as Scrooge in Jack Thorne’s five-time Tony Award-winning adaptation of A Christmas Carol at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco. He has recurred on “Law & Order: SVU” and “Law & Order: Organized Crime.” A series regular on “10 Days in the Valley,” other TV includes “Godfather of Harlem,” “New Amsterdam,” “Station 19,” “Are We There Yet?,” “EVIL,” “The Family,” “Person of Interest,” and “The Good Wife.” Upcoming: “The Savant” (Apple TV) and Season 3 of “Paradise” (Hulu). He is a graduate of The Juilliard School (Houseman Prize recipient) and the British American Drama Academy at Oxford. He received his undergraduate degree from Illinois State University (Hall of Fame inductee). Francois couldn’t be more honored to share this experience with his beautifully precocious daughter Elaán Noelle Battiste, making her August Wilson debut as Maretha.
junghyun georgia lee (scenic designer) Two River Theater: Romeo and Juliet. Theater: Guthrie Theater, Seattle Rep, The Public Theater, New York Theatre Workshop, Atlantic Theater Company, Audible Theater, The Play Company, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Children’s Theatre Company, The Huntington, PlayMakers Repertory Company, The Juilliard School, Indiana Repertory Theatre. Teaching: Faculty at Amherst College, Massachusetts. Award nominations: Drama Desk, Henry Hewes, Elliot Norton, Connecticut Critics Circle. Training: MFA, Yale School of Drama. — @jgldesigncompany karen perry (costume designer) is enjoying another wonderful season at Two River Theater, where she last designed Arthur Miller’s The Price. She brings over 40 years of design experience in film, television, and theater across the country. She is currently working on Broadway’s The Imaginary Invalid by Bill Irwin, directed by Brandon Dirden, and is also designing Lincoln Center Theater’s Seven Guitars by August Wilson, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Karen and Ruben Santiago-Hudson last worked together on Broadway on Lackawanna Blues, which they also staged at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. Her work includes Wine in the Wilderness, Trouble in Mind, Third, Guadalupe in the Guest Room, Your Blues Ain’t Sweet Like Mine, My Lord, What a Night, Kunene and the King, Rosie Is Red, Everyone Else Is Blue, STEW, Clyde’s (Peter Norton Award), Intimate Apparel, Death on the Nile, A Raisin in the Sun (five times), The Lion in Winter, Wild with Happy, and School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play. Her musicals include Destiny of Desire (A Telenovela), Love in Hate Nation, OoBla-Dee, Fun Home, Crowns, Cabin in the Sky, Oklahoma!, Hair, Dreamgirls, and Personality, The Lloyd Price Musical. Karen has designed nine of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle. Her awards and accolades include an Emmy
nomination, the Peter Norton Award, the Cable Ace Award, the Lucille Lortel Award, the NAACP Award, the Craig Noel Award, BTAA Awards, the CDG Award, the Irma P. Hall Award, and nine Audelco Awards.
Yuki Nakase LInk (lighting designer) is an accomplished lighting designer for the performing arts, with a career spanning opera, theater, dance, art, and fashion. She has and continues to design lighting for notable companies, including Alley Theatre, Atlantic Theater Company, Canadian Opera Company, Detroit Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Opera, Playwrights Horizons, San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Two River Theater. — 8m20s.link Megumi katayama (sound designer) is a New York– based sound designer. Two River Theater: Murder on the Links, Romeo and Juliet, Living and Breathing. OffBroadway/NYC: La Cage aux Folles, High Spirits, Wonderful Town, Titanic, Jelly’s Last Jam, The Light in the Piazza, The Life (New York City Center Encores!), The Last Bimbo of the Apocalypse (The New Group, World Premiere), Reunions (New York City Center Stage2, World Premiere), All the World’s a Stage (Keen Company, World Premiere), For Colored Girls… (The Public Theater), Playwrights Horizons, Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3, Signature Theatre, Second Stage Theater, Target Margin/NYU Skirball, Primary Stages, Minetta Lane Theater, Rattlestick Theater, Little Island. US Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Alliance Theatre, Trinity Repertory Company, The Old Globe, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The Huntington, Geva Theatre Center, Alley Theatre, Studio Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, and more. International: A Chorus Line, Into the Woods (Theater Group Asia, Manila), The Nosebleed (Tokyo). Tour: Cambodian Rock Band, The Nosebleed. Originally from Japan, she holds an MFA from Yale School of Drama. Ulysses Owens jr. (music supervisor & Composer) (he/him) is a three-time Grammy™ Award-winning drummer, producer, author, educator, and composer. Named a rhythmic force who “shines with innovation” by The New York Times, his prolific career spans over ten albums as a leader alongside performances on multiple Grammy-winning and nominated records. His acclaimed band, Generation Y, topped the JazzWeek Radio Charts at #1 for eight consecutive weeks with their 2024 album A New Beat, followed by their 2026 release Around The World With U. Their highly anticipated third album, Kind Of Grunge, was released globally on August 14, 2026, on the Cellar Live label. Owens has served on the jazz faculty at The Juilliard School for over a decade and teaches at The
New School. As the head of UOJ Productions for over 15 years, he has produced more than 70 albums globally. In late 2024, Owens made his Broadway debut as the drummer for A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical at Studio 54. He is deeply honored to make his regional theater debut as the Music Supervisor and Composer for this incredible production of The Piano Lesson at Two River Theater. He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree (Jazz Studies) from The Juilliard School. —UlyssesOwensjr.com | @ulyssesowensjr_
Matt fukui grandy (music director) (he/him) is a Brooklyn-based keyboardist, composer, and arranger. Theater: Just Me (Music Director, Anthony Wayne, Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater), The Day The Sky Turned Orange (Music Director, San Francisco Bay Area Theater Company), Wild Fire (Associate Music Director, co-orchestrator, Z Space), and Tinderella: The Modern Musical (Associate Music Director, co-orchestrator, World Premiere, Custom Made Theatre Company). Composing: The Red Shades: A Trans Superhero Rock Opera (co-composer, co-Music Director, World Premiere, Z Space), Shoshana in December (composer, Custom Made Theatre Company, San Francisco Chronicle top theater pick), and Totally Normal: A CoDependent Queer Friendship Musical (co-composer). He has written and arranged for Ezra Furman, Mark G. Meadows, Olivia Donalson, and Danny Sinoff. Keyboards, Californicorns (Outside Lands 2024 and 2025). Diploma in Performance, Arranging, and Songwriting, Berklee College of Music; BA in Economics and Psychology, University of California, Berkeley. cici campbell (hair, wig & Makeup designer) (she/her) is an accomplished hair stylist and wig designer for film, television, and theater with more than 35 years of professional experience in the entertainment industry. Her theatrical career began as a swing wig stylist on Bob Fosse’s acclaimed musical Dancin’. From there, she developed a passion for period productions, working on celebrated Broadway shows including 42nd Street, Les Misérables, and Sophisticated Ladies, starring Phyllis Hyman at the LuntFontanne Theatre. CiCi also assisted with the wig design for the Broadway musical Hot Feet, featuring the music of Earth, Wind & Fire. She collaborated with renowned costume designer Karen Perry on several theater productions, including Breath, Boom at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston. Her extensive theater credits also include Gem of the Ocean by August Wilson at the McCarter Theatre, featuring Phylicia Rashad and John Amos, as well as Gem of the Ocean at Two River Theater. Additional theater credits include Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years at Long Wharf Theatre, My Lord, What a Night by Deborah Brevoort at the George Street Playhouse, and The Price by Arthur Miller at Two River Theater. 15
teniece divya johnson (fight, intimacy, & Movement coordinator) is an Intimacy Director, Fight Director, Stunt Performer, and Movement Storyteller working across television, film and stage. The first Black and first non-binary intimacy director on Broadway with Slave Play and first Black intimacy coordinator working on TV/Film, Teniece serves as a resolute advocate for a decolonized collaborative approach to art, Black intimacy, Kink and Queer representation. They are also the founder of the Black Intimacy Consent Collective, a community-based educational organization around intimacy, consent and wellness. Off stage they share consent-based advocacy with colleges, universities, corporations and other organizations to promote healthy community practices. Collaborating with artists is a lifelong dream come true. Additional credits: “Succession,” “Pose,” “Paradise,” “Reacher,” “She Hulk,” “Star Trek: Picard,” BlacKkKlansman, West Side Story, MJ the Musical, Bowl EP, and Raqi on “Power Book II: Ghost.” — BlackIntimacyConsentCollective.org @teniecedivyajohnson Caparelliotis Casting (casting) David Caparelliotis, CSA and Kelly Gillespie, CSA. Two River Theater: A Doll’s House, ¡VOS!, American Mariachi, Gem of the Ocean, A Thousand Maids, The Scarlet Letter. Select Broadway: Mary Jane, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, Grey House, Ohio State Murders, Cost of Living, Macbeth, The Minutes, Skeleton Crew, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, King Lear, The Waverly Gallery, The Boys in the Band, A Doll’s House, Part 2, Jitney, The Glass Menagerie. Additional theater includes: Manhattan Theatre Club, The Old Globe, Atlantic Theater Company. TV/Film: “New Amsterdam” (NBC), The Boys in the Band for Netflix (Original Casting).
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Kevin jinghong zhu (production stage manager) is a New York–based stage manager. He is excited to make his Two River Theater debut. NYC credits include Broadway: To Kill a Mockingbird. Selected Off-Broadway: Ma-Yi Theater Company, Classic Stage Company, Transport Group, National Asian American Theatre Company, Yangtze Repertory Theatre, Heartbeat Opera, Perelman Performing Arts Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, Soho Rep, Noor Theatre, Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, and National Queer Theater. Other selected regional credits include Westport Country Playhouse, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Seattle Rep, McCarter Theatre Center, Yale Repertory Theatre, and Long Wharf Theatre. MFA: Yale School of Drama. — bit.ly/kevinjzhu Matthew Rohan (assistant stage manager) (he/him) is excited to be making his Two River Theater debut. OffBroadway: Ai Yah Goy Vey (Pan Asian Repertory Theatre). Regional (selected): Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, Primary Trust, Chicken & Biscuits (Asolo Repertory Theatre), Deceived, Scrooge (Arizona Theatre Company), King Lear, Our Town, The Virgin Queen Entertains Her Fool (American Players Theatre), Highway Patrol (Goodman Theatre), The Turning (the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center), Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Westport Country Playhouse). Education: BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. — @rohan.matthew
LEADERSHIP BIOS
JUSTIN WALDMAN (ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) (he/him) is a theatrical producer and director who has brought over 250 productions to life during his over 20-year career. As Associate Artistic Director at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, CA, one of America’s flagship regional theatres, he has developed new musicals and plays, American and world classics, holiday programming, and overseen one of the country’s preeminent Shakespeare festivals. During his tenure, the Globe transferred six productions to Broadway, including A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Tony Award® for Best Musical), Bright Star (Tony® Nomination for Best Musical), and Almost Famous, had seven productions remounted in venerable New York theatres including Lincoln Center Theater and Roundabout Theatre Company, and presented 35 world premiere productions. Justin was instrumental in the creation of the Old Globe’s Social Justice Roadmap, which charts a path toward making the Globe a more just, equitable, representative, accessible, and anti-racist institution. At Williamstown Theatre Festival, where, as Artistic Associate, he led the Literary Department and new play development initiatives for three seasons, six of the 11 new plays produced were subsequently presented at New York theatres including Lincoln Center Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons, The Culture Project, and more. Other prior staff positions include Artistic Associate of the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, MA and Producing Artistic Director of Next Stages, which he founded. Justin is a graduate of Tufts University. NORA DEVEAU-ROSEN (MANAGING DIRECTOR) (she/her), originally from Brooklyn, NY, is a dynamic arts leader with a deep commitment to championing new voices and new stories. She currently serves as Managing Director of Two River Theater, a nonprofit producing theater in Red Bank, New Jersey. Before joining Two River, DeVeauRosen was a key member of the development team at Pasadena Playhouse in California, where she secured the largest general operating gift in the company’s 105-year history. Previously, she was appointed by Cirque du Soleil to serve as General Manager of The Works Entertainment, producer of the world’s largest magic shows. In that role, she managed multiple global productions while leading the integration of both companies. From 2016–2019, she served as General Manager of East West Players, the nation’s longest-running theater of color and largest producer of Asian American Pacific Islander work. Under her leadership, the organization doubled its operating budget, expanded its Board of Directors, successfully navigated a major artistic transition, and co-produced Allegiance starring George Takei. Earlier in her career, she was the Managing Director of Clubbed Thumb, the acclaimed New York company known for producing “funny, strange, and provocative new works by living American playwrights.” DeVeau-Rosen has also worked with Imaginer, The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Heidi Duckler Dance, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Theatre Workshop, and The Bushwick Starr, among others. She has served as a grant panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, New Jersey Council for the Humanities, New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund, Impact100, California Arts Council, Center Theatre Group, and ART/ New York. She currently serves as a Trustee of RiverCenter in Red Bank and the Boys & Girls Club of Monmouth County, is a nominating committee member for the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, and serves on ArtPride New Jersey’s Membership and Audit Committees. Her additional community involvement includes work with Planned Parenthood’s Shore Access Committee, Executive Women of New Jersey, Monmouth University’s Business Council, the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign of Red Bank, and the Monmouth County Collective. ROBERT AND JOAN RECHNITZ (CO-FOUNDERS) founded Two River Theater in 1994—when Monmouth County was the only major population center in the state without a professional regional theater. After producing seasons at Monmouth University and the Algonquin Theater in Manasquan, Joan and Bob led a community effort to build a new, permanent home for the theater in Red Bank. In 2005, they opened a state-of-the-art, two-theater complex which was designed by the renowned architectural firm Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates. Bob directed many shows for the theater including the opening production in the new building, the classic American comedy You Can’t Take It with You. Bob served as the theater’s Executive Producer until his death in 2019. Since moving to Red Bank more than 50 years ago when Bob began his teaching career at Monmouth University, Bob and Joan participated in—and generously supported—arts and culture, health, education and environmental stewardship. They have been recognized for their roles as community leaders. 17
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Artistic Feature
THE CROSSROADS OF THE PIANO LESSON
By
FIONA KYLE
Literary Manager
Fullerton Street, looking west on Wylie Avenue. (Credit: Pittsburgh (Pa.), City Photographer, 1937.)
The country intersects the city in 1930s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Wilson introduces Boy Willie Charles, a man recently released from the notorious Mississippi State Penitentiary– better known as Parchman Farm – who has the opportunity to buy land from the Sutter family, where the Charles family had been enslaved in Sunflower, Mississippi. Wilson introduces us to his sister, Berniece, a widowed mother living with her uncle, a Pullman Porter, in Pittsburgh. These siblings represent the crossroads of the Great Migration and what better place to consider different paths than the Hill District, near to the intersection of Wylie and Fullerton Avenue, which leading poet of the Harlem Renaissance, Claude McKay considered, the “Crossroads of the World.”
The boll weevil invaded Texas in 1898 and devastated crops across the South, resulting in the unemployment of many agricultural workers. The start of World War I halted European immigration to the United States that caused a labor shortage in war-related industries industries, which significantly encouraged people to move North.
Pullman Porters were Black men who worked on sleeper train cars from the 1860s until the late 1960s. (Credit: Jack Delano, Library of Congress)
The Great Migration brought approximately six million Black Americans to the North, West, and Midwest from 1916 to 1970 with emphasis on major cities in America including New York City, Chicago, Detroit, and Pittsburgh. Many factors contributed to this exodus.
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history over St. Patrick’s Day. In the summer, people may have gathered in the Hill to cheer on Jesse Owens as he won four Gold Medals during the Berlin Olympics. The world beyond Pittsburgh was at a crossroads as World War II approached. It’s not surprising that the Charles family find themselves at a crossroads, with one part wanting to establish roots in the land that bore them and the other part wanting to start fresh far from the South.
Jacob Lawrence, The migrants arrived in great numbers. 1940–41
Finally, Jim Crow, a system of laws that targeted America’s Black population, was alive and well in the South: poverty, lynchings, denial of the right to vote, and poor educational systems drove Southerners North in search of a better quality of life. Yet, as one man said to Abraham Epstein for the 1918 survey, The Negro Migrant in Pittsburgh,
If I were half as well treated home as here, I would rather stay there.” The journey north during the Great Migration was made by train, boat, bus, and even horse-drawn carts. August Wilson’s grandmother walked from Spear, North Carolina, where her family worked as sharecroppers, to get to Pittsburgh and lay down Southern roots in the city’s soil. Pittsburgh harbored runaway enslaved people and attracted freedmen prior to the Civil War; between 1870 and 1900, the Black community grew exponentially and became the sixth largest in the United States. Yet the more established Black community were not always welcoming to the new arrivals during the Northward Migration. Often, rather than marrying a Northerner, people would bring a spouse from back home to Pittsburgh or would marry someone from the same geographic location they had met in the city. Tensions were sometimes felt in the church. The older, well-established Methodist and Baptist churches were sometimes unwelcoming, and small “storefront” churches catering to the migrants from the South sprang up around the city. In the Pittsburgh of 1936, a ham hock to add flavor to your stockpot would have cost approximately ten cents per pound and a pawn shop suit would go for $55 ($2.41 and $1,326.24, respectively, in 2026 currency); parts of the city were still recovering from its largest flood in its
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Wilson wrote in one of the first stage directions of the play, “The dawn is beginning to announce itself but there is something in the air that belongs to the night.” What is night giving way to dawn but a crossing? Boy Willie and Berniece meet at that crossroads, and on the sacred ground of their ancestral carved piano, where they’re forced to contend with how their past is also their present. Right now, in the world of The Piano Lesson, Boy Willie and Berniece battle each other and the ghosts of their past not knowing how their actions will reverberate, each only sure that their way is the best way forward. Director Francois Battiste said at the beginning of rehearsal, “History isn’t just an exploration of the past, it’s an explanation of the present.” For these characters, and for us, it’s exploration and explanation: we look to August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson to show us the impact of history and to consider how history lives within us today.
Jesse Owens on the podium for winning the gold medal in the 100-meter sprint, with bronze and silver winners, Martinus Osendarp and Ralph Metcalf. (Credit: Fox Photos / Getty Images)
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INDIVIDUAL DONORS ___________ Two River Theater is a vital cultural resource for our community because of the generous support of individuals with a shared love of the intimate joy of theater. Donations of any size sustain Two River and our mission to create great American theater. Listed below are supporters who made contributions to Two River, including Events, between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. Thank you.
$25,000+
Anonymous (2) Elizabeth, Kevin & Myles Columbo Dann Fink Samuel Huber & Catherine Weiss The Leslie Miller & Richard Worley Foundation Cathy Pugliese-Sivo & Tom Sivo Emily J. Rechnitz Joan Rechnitz Anne Marie Schultz
$10,000-$24,999
Cynthia Bajorek & Robert Evanson Heather Burke & Colin Day Joanna & Tim Connelly Juliet Cozzi & Ronald Gumbaz Deborah Eisenstein Delisha Grant Leon & Nancy Jamie Nancy Karpf The Kroon Family Brian & Joanna Leddin Courtney McCormick Winters & Jamie Winters The Honorable Edward J. McKenna Lauren Nicosia Sean L. O’Connell Becca Rothschild The Tenenbaum Family Dr. Susan E. Whyman
$5,000-$9,999 Anonymous (1) 30
Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Barrett, Jr. Marilyn & Robert Broege Eileen Bustillo Robert Cordrey & W. Bruce Sherril Michael Cumpsty & John Dias Nora DeVeau-Rosen & Kevin Service Beth Fitzgerald & Vinnie Mazza Margean V. Gladysz Jeremy & Sabrina Grunin Paul & Joan Hamelberg Jim & Susan Harbison Joseph Hollander & Barbara Levy-Hollander Jim & Barbara Hrebek Kenny & Nora King Phyllis Kinsler The Hon. Joe & Susan Kyrillos Cathy Larson Karen Leitner Charles & Theresa Mattina Magda & James Muka John Paul Nicolaides & The Honorable Ed Zipprich Michael Parent Michelle Piazza Stina Ross Kevin & Clare Ryan Lori & Geoffrey Sadwith Caryl Sills Donna & Thomas Snider Mary Carol Stunkel Kathy Suplee Judy Torcivia Jennifer K. Travers
Dr. & Mrs. Leonard Waldman Chryssa Yaccarino Charitable Trust, in loving memory of Robert Rechnitz
$2,500-$4,999
Dr. Ann Bagchi John & Isabella Chiappinelli The Cleary Family George V. DiStefano Vincent Gifford Thomas K. Hessman Michael Hurst John & Robin Klein Curtis & Trish Krietzberg Charles & Kathy McQuillan Robert & Shirley Neff Victoria Perry David Roush & Julia Chien Stephanie Skiptunis Joanne & Darwin Spears Lynn & Billy Spector Justin Waldman & TaraTraeder
$1,000-$2,499
Ira Artman Michael Callari & Megan Powers Thomas Carroll Dr. and Mrs. E. F. Cheslock Drs. Robbie & Harvey Cohen Grace & Michael Conte Anna Cruz Carla Culver
Farah del Pilar & Tony Lau Crystal Dickinson & Brandon Dirden Stacylyn & Michael Doore Susan & John Dromsky-Reed Gail Duffy Carol Edelson Richard & Margaret Eittreim Kevin & Kim Faulcon Mr. & Mrs. David Fowler Laura Gilbert David Golland & Svetlana Rogachevskaya Barbara & Stephen Hecht Daniel J. Helmick & Eric R. Fox Joyce Hendricks Christina Hewitt Dr. Linda & Mr. Alan Hill Kanesha Jones Marilyn Kelsey Bob & Bobbi Krantz May Louie & Walter Graczyk Tony MacDonald Christopher & Maria Maher Wendy & Jerry Marks Tom McCormack & Bruce Meltzer, Resources Real Estate Larry & Paula Metz Aida & Brian Murphy The Nobles Family Sen. & Mrs. Declan O’Scanlon Alma & Adam Philipson
Ivan Polonsky & Elizabeth Tortorella Kim Powers & Jess Goldstein Christine Pronek Barry V. Qualls Adam & Elizabeth Rechnitz Maggie Riker Dr. Jeffrey Roffman Peggy Sansone Todd & Nicole Shellenberger Maureen Silliman & William Parry Scott Singer & Rochelle Itzen Matthew Sivo Jon & Sandra Skiptunis Susan Stamler Wendie & Stephen Weinstein Carolyn Williams & Michael McKeon Jennifer Young Albert & Robin Zager
$500-$999
Anonymous (3) Ann Aronson Arthur Bassani Christine Baugh Sandra Benedict Maura & Charles Beyer Tom & Nancy Blaney Jennifer & Robbie Brown Ray & Pam Brunt Ed & Nancy Butler Cheryl Cassie Jim & Barbara Columbo Joseph & Karen D’Amore Dr. Margaret Donlon Rex & Suzy Dyer Drs. Amy & Eric Eschinger Kenneth Esser Jeff & Trish Ferretti Marianne Ficarra Brian & Kate Fitzgerald Holly Fullam Elizabeth Graham Dennis & Mary Hagan Alexandra Huber-Weiss Natalia Kachala Karen Keene Claire & Heywood Knopf
Jason Krane Justin Longo Ann McCarthy-Egan & Tom Egan John McEwen Mindy & Daniel Minerva Daphne & Steve Mishkin Charles Moran Robert L. Mortenson Julie & Jeffrey Mullen David & Diana Muller Philip Paley Patricia Perfect Heidi Riley Barbara Sager Martha Schubert Dr. Mark & Judy Copeland Schulman
Cherie Diament Virginia & Ken East Bob & Linda Ensor Jody Falco & Jeffrey Steinman Kathy Findon & Lori Yeager Gustav Friedrich Dick & Judy Fuller Susan Gelber Mary Ann Green & Douglas McGuirk Grace Hanlon Kevin Harty & Rick Tempone Steve Heisman Lance Henrickson William & Patricia Jaeger
June & Mort Seligman Viola E. Smith Lynne Toye Dee & Fred Williamson Alex Wittenberg Barbara & Maurice Zagha Patricia Zilinski
Martin Judd Angela Kluwin & Jim Noll Charles & Jill Leone G. Love Stan Lumish & Ann Roseman Brian & Virginia MacGeorge Paul Nicholson Michael & Marion Portnoy William Presutti Shirley Rathemacher Donald & Judith Richards Pat Richter & Don Crocker Christopher Romney Kirsten Schanck Karen Scott Elaine Steelman Dick & Pat Stenson
THANK YOU! $250-$499
Anonymous (1) Irwyn & Lily Applebaum Lisa Ardolina Kim Brockway Peter Bruguiere Amanda Butterbaugh & Michael Mulheren Dr. Joseph J. Calabro Marjorie & Peter Cavalier Samuel & Linda Chororos Juanita Wendy Coggins James Cunningham
Patrice Sullivan Elena Tomkowich Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Young Marjorie & Zeke Zaccaro
$100-$249
Anonymous (12) Jennifer Allen Robert & Marie Arbour Carmen Vasilio Balentine Jackie Bartley-Oxley Judge William Bassler Melvin & Maria Bellamy Jeffrey & Christine Berg Dr. Dianne Berger Jane Bernheim Robin Blair Marilyn & J. Gordon Boak Bill Braden Dr. Janice Breen Lydia & John Brenner Martin & Nancy Brilliant Amy & John Brogan Lance & Brigette Bryant Dr. Carl Calendar Dr. Dave Carroll Finn Cashman Ivy Charmatz Paul Ciko Jay & Rhea Cohen Kathy & Mark Cohen Carolyn Conover Robin Cook Emily Cotton Dyese Davis Linda De Angelis Nancy & Michael Del Priore Eileen DeVeau Maureen DeVoe Matthew Doyle Toni Evangelista Brescia Deborah Yvonne Evans & Hamlet M. Bey David Field Theresa Fiorelli Anne & Daniel M. Ford Leslie Fornino Christopher Frangione William & Judy Fraser Robert Gannon Judith G. Gill Donna Ginsberg Suzan Globus & Mark Rothenberg 31
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Maxine & Robert Guenther Fran Goldfarb Dr. Mary Ann Haggerty & Thomas Curran Deborah Halbfoster Andrew D. Hamingson & Sarah McLellan Mary Harrigan Steve & Ginnie Heller David & Harriet Hinton John & Coralie Hoffman Margaret Hopkins Kathy Horgan Karen Hyatt John Imperio Lysa Israel Bob & Florence Jennes Eileen Jones Elaine Katz Helen Benham Kim Margo Kramer Nancy Krosner Janine Krzyzkowski Etta Lamberti Kelly Dr. Yvette Lane Ruth & Charles Larsson Juanita Lewis Anne Leyh William & Maryrose Little Bertha & John Livingston Phyllis Long Suzanne Longley & Guy Gsell Melissa MacDonald Linda J. Mack B. Carr Mahon Mary Marino Dominick Martella Kim & Erin Mason Patty Mazzone Dawn McAvoy & Jeff Egan Michael Mccauley Cynthia & Craig McKeown Chris & Belisha McMillan Marisa Medina Adriana Medina Gomez Tony Meneses & Mark Soriano Barbara Mendel Catherine Merker Stuart & Colleen Minis Madhuri Mittal Thomas Mooney Mary & Kevin Morrall Shane Mullery
Jennifer & Thomas Mullins Monisha Nag Maureen O’Connor & David E. Leach Judith O’Keefe & Peter Bellincampi Gary Olivero & Sue Gronbeck Rosemarie Owens Mr. & Mrs. Robert Parry Mara Pellish-Mangan Jeff Perri Lloyd Peterson Judy & Larry Platkin Susan Quinn David & Karen Rajala Joanne Redmond Jim & Jeanmarie Rice Andres & Anna Roda Linda Roma Edward & Barbara Rosen Michelle Rosenberg Woodrow Ross Julia Rubin & Gregory Stankiewicz Lois Salerno Bill Schreiber* Steve Schroeder & Kate Nitti Michele Senko Phyllis Shafer Audrey & John Sheehan Deanna Shoemaker Willa & David Siegel Betsy B. Smith Pam Sokoloer Dr. David Stout Adrienne & Frederick Straus* Peter & Claire Stumpf Jacqueline & Barbara Sturdivant Ken & Joan Suhr Reon & Diane Swaim Peter Thompson Rachel Tischler Gary Tishler John & Carol Toolan Tate & Sarah Tullier Carol Van Kirk Maury Viola Lynne Whitman & Dan Solender Diane Wilkerson Beth Williams Jeff Williams Elizabeth Wulfhorst For questions about the donor listing or to update your name, please email
donate@trtc.org.
Tributes Ann Aronson, in honor of Howard P. Aronson Ira Artman, in memory of Amy Artman Judge William Bassler, in memory of Eileen Schilling Bassler Tom & Nancy Blaney, in honor of Joan Rechnitz Marilyn & Robert Broege, in honor of Jess Goldstein Dr. & Mrs. Eugene Cheslock, in memory of Mr. & Mrs. E. Cheslock Elizabeth, Kevin & Myles Columbo, in memory of Susan Beck Michael Cumpsty & John Dias, in memory of Karen Cordaro Michael Cumpsty & John Dias, in memory of Willie Dirden Michael Cumpsty & John Dias, in memory of Charles P. Dickinson Deborah Eisenstein, in honor of Adrienne & Frederick Straus Beth Fitzgerald & Vinnie Mazza, in memory of Sam Mazza Gustav Friedrich, in honor of Betty Turock & Gustav Friedrich Helen Benham Kim, in memory of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Benham Michael Kroon, in memory of Mary Jane Kroon Barbara Mendel, in honor of Geoffrey Sadwith Philip Paley, in memory of the Honorable Sheree Velita Pitchford Cathy Pugliese-Sivo & Tom Sivo, in memory of Susan Ellen Beck Joan Rechnitz, in memory of Karen Cordaro
*We Remember
_
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT _______________ The Merrill G. & Emita E. Hastings Foundation
FOUNDATION
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STAFF
ARTISTIC
Associate Artistic Director Dennis Chambers Literary Manager Fiona Kyle Artistic Assistant Camille Pugliese Commissioned Artists Christopher Anselmo & Jared Corak Jaclyn Backhaus Jessica Hagedorn Joe Iconis Joe Iconis & Joe Tracz James Ijames Alex Lin Mayte Natalio Eliana Pipes Christina Pumariega Iraisa Ann Reilly Events Producer Cortney Blue
ADMINISTRATION General Manager Sam De La Riva Director of Finance Maya George Business Manager Tara Werner HR Manager Judy Villa
AUDIENCE SERVICES, PR & MARKETING Director of Marketing & Audience Engagement Mo Brady Assistant Director of Marketing & Campaigns Jennifer Pisano Marketing Strategist Sarah Soliman Groups & Analytics Specialist Alisha Sheth Content Producer Tim Ziegler Box Office Manager Michele Klinsky Box Office Supervisor Maria Del Mar Cortés Box Officers John Barrera Tiffany Crosby Claudia Hastings Anne Lucyk Auslin Williams Matt Yee 34
Front of House Manager Angela White Radeschi Front of House Staff Janet Pepsin John Knodel Ruth Christensen Bobby DiGenova Deisy Aguilar Patricia Chapponi Madeline Ortiz-Morales Francesca Trerotola Kenneth Grant Michael Buck Liz Carlin Joseph Grisanzio Jean Evertsen Angel Velasco Rosa T. Juarez Mar Luisa Mejia-Tizatl Isabella Como Matthew Sivo Zuri Mondesir Daniel Pino Layla Kuya Alexander Flores Cami Wilk Michelle Aponte-Huera Alexa Wessel Kat Belfer Yaneliss Gutierrez Perez Sasha Harris Cosmo Degennaro Benjaemin Hess- Sallach Evelynn Knox Cameron Catalano Daria Dobrin Mya Belmonte Julia Mooney Trinity Richard Concessions Staff Abigail Brown Marlon Jauregui Keaton DiBenedetto John DeSilvestri Marion McDonald Kerrin O ‘Connell Shyasia Banks
DEVELOPMENT
Director of Development Megan Powers Associate Director of Individual Giving Carmen Balentine Institutional Giving Manager Amalea Vidas Individual Giving Manager Michael Kalage Development Assistant Catherine Hill
EDUCATION
Director of Education Kate Cordaro Education Manager Brie Butler Community Engagement & Access Coordinator Ariana Montoya Teaching Artists Olivia Buonsante Amanda Butterbaugh Jacqueline Carnahan Kelly O’Donnell Lucas Pinner Elliot Roth Emma Schwartz Adaptor/Director for A Little Shakespeare Illana Stein
OPERATIONS Director of Operations Brandon Thomas Operations Supervisor Melissa Javorek Maintenance Technician Adam Hill Xavier Ferguson Calvin Johnson Jr. Ryan Stanley
PRODUCTION Producing Director Lauren Kurinskas Associate Production Manager, Rentals Erica Leigh Associate Production Manager, Artist Care Robbie Armstrong Company Manager Raen See Production Management Assistant Luka Netzel Technical Director Nils Emerson Assistant Technical Director Dori Lichter Scenic Charge Artist Colleen Dolan Lead Carpenter Duane Noch Staff Carpenter Christian Dilks Stage Supervisor Jamie Norris
Properties Supervisor Cedric Wright Lead Properties Artisan Ford Rowe Properties Assistant Angelica Froio Costume Shop Supervisor Lesley Sorenson Draper Jill DiGiuseppe Wardrobe Supervisor Jaclyn Vela-Olsen Costume Assistant Sebastian Newell Lighting Supervisor Olga “Sue” Patiño Lighting Assistant Tyler Motlasz Sound Supervisor Dan Montano Sound Assistant Jasmine Diaz Production Assistant River Baugh Overhires Victoria Akinsanmi Ashley Basile Paula Ciko Isabella Mingino Caity Mulkearns Erin O’Brien Kristen Pedersen Caitlin Scarpa Brian Snyder Justin Stuart Daisy Torralba Ryan Weadon Pauline Luo Ye
SPECIAL SERVICES
Community Relations Gilda Rogers Production Photography Curtis Brown Videographers Shayla Benoit Michael Boylan Auditors Mercadien Bookkeeper Broadway Bookkeeping
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