An online adaptation of
Alexander, read by author
Judith Viorst with the
original illustrations

Click here to play

Behind the Scenes:
The Company

The Cast | The Playwright/Composer/Director | The Production Staff

The Cast:

Jeremy Goldman (Alexander) is very excited to join this cast on his first national tour. Since age nine, he has been performing for stage, television, and movies. As of this past May, Jeremy is a graduate of the University of Maryland’s Theatre Program. Recent shows include The Fantasticks (Matt), Once On This Island (Daniel), Anything Goes (Billy), and Dangerous Liaisons (Dancey). He wishes to thank all of his family, friends and loved ones for their endless support and constant encouragement. You are all helping me achieve my dreams.

Ask Jeremy:
What makes a day horrible? Describe one of your most horrible days.
When things that you expect to happen don't happen, it's a horrible
day. When people who you think are your friends do something to hurt your feelings, it's a horrible day. And when you want something really bad but don't get it, it can be a horrible day. A horrible day that I had as a kid was when me and my younger sister weren't getting along. She kept picking on me saying the phrase "Blah, blah, blah." My family thought it was funny too, which made me even more upset. I sulked the entire day and didn't let anything ruin my bad mood. I cried to my mother saying, "She won't stop saying blah, blah, blah!!" But they all thought it was funny. But ya know what, it WAS funny. And a few days later, my sister apologized to me, and I realized that it was funny how upset I got over something so silly. And sometimes it takes things like that to make people even closer. Sometimes you have to have a horrible day before you can have a bunch of wonderful days.

What makes a wonderful day? Describe one of your best days.
I think wonderful days occur when things exceed your expectations. Things that you hope for and wish not only come true, but even better things happen. One wonderful day happened to me that influenced my whole life. When I was younger, my parents got me my first pair of Michael Jordan basketball shoes. I was way too short to play
basketball, and I wasn't that good at it, but I really wanted those
shoes. When I got them, I wore them to school the next day. Not only did my friends comment on them, but even people that I didn't really know were mentioning how cool my new Jordans were. I was so happy. Not only did I get the new shoes, but I got lots of great compliments from people which made me feel really good. Since then, I have run through about 5 pairs of Michael Jordan shoes (even the Olympic Team collector shoes). Ever since my wonderful day, I've always liked getting new shoes. But as I grew up, I realized that shoes get dirty and wear down...my friends were my friends because of me, not because of my shoes. And when I realized that, it made another wonderful day.

Were you familiar with this book before you were cast in this show?
Yes, I remember having this book read to me even before I could read. My middle name being Alexander, I could really relate to this book as a
child. Even though Alexander has a bad day, there is always tomorrow...which is a great lesson to learn as a kid.

How do you feel about playing a child on stage? What experiences will you draw on and/or what tricks do you plan to use to become a child on stage?
I love to be a kid. I wish I could never grow up. And this is the
perfect opportunity to be a kid again! It's so much fun being a kid, that
I am always excited to go back and play one. Children are very honest and open with their emotions and that is fun to play with. If they are upset, you will know; if they have something to say, they will say it; and if they want to do something, they'll do it. It is fun to play a character with that freedom. Unfortunately, you usually get caught by your parents. I don't think I am going to use any tricks to become a child. Kids are the smartest audience members of all and they can spot a fake. So, I am just going to be a kid as best I know how. I remember how I was when I was 6 so that is what you will see onstage. No
tricks. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to represent a kid onstage; even on such a horrible day!

R. Scott Thompson (Anthony/Becky/Ensemble) Recent credits include: Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar at the St. Mark's Summer Theatre. Over & Over and Sweeney Todd at the Signature. Shakespeare's R & J at the Folger Theatre. Company with the Huntington Theatre Company, and State Fair and West Side Story at Toby's. He will be heard as the voice of Daniel in the PNS cartoon The Mill, and will be seen as Mordecai Carew in the independent film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. R Scott received his BFA in Acting from Boston University's School For the Arts. He would like to thank God, his family, and friends, for all of their love and support.

Ask Scott:
What makes a day horrible? Describe one of your most horrible days (as a child and/or in the theater)
A day is horrible to me when I hurt someone else, either physically, emotionally, or spiritually. One of my most horrible days as a child was when I had to tell my father that a project that he had helped me work on for school was late and I wasn't going to get any credit for it. He did everything he could to help me and I didn't keep up my end of the bargain by turning it in on time. Be thankful for parents because they can forgive you for your mistakes

What makes a day wonderful? Describe one of your best days (as a child and/or in the theater)
A best day is one in which I make someone else's day easier or better or as simple as making them smile. Once when I was doing a show I was in the ensemble and one of the lead actors got sick before opening night. They didn't have anyone to go on for her. Much to my surprise, they asked me. Despite being more nervous than I've ever been because I learned the part in such a short time, I was extremely happy because I had been able to help the writers and the director and the rest of the cast to keep the show going. I was happy to do anything I could.

Were you familiar with this book before you were cast in this show?
No I was not. But almost all my friends that I mentioned it to knew the book from when they were kids.

How do you feel about playing a child (or a parent) on stage? What experiences will you draw on and/or what tricks do you plan to use to become a child on stage?
I am so looking forward to playing a child because of the freeness of being a young person. It allows you to think and feel in a way that as adults we don't take the time to do. We make our lives very complicated as we get older. I will just try and remember some feelings that I had as a child. I will also watch children that I'm around in everyday life. Watch and remember.

Pebble Kranz (Mom/Mrs. Dickens) lives in Baltimore, MD where she has been seen on both professional and community stages. Recent credits in the Washington/Baltimore area include Happy End (Center Stage), La Clemenza di Tito (The In Series), Bed and Sofa (Fells Point Corner Theatre), Rags: Children of the Wind (Maryland Arts Festival), and several world and regional premieres at Baltimore's Theatre Project. She is a graduate of Brown University. Before she delightedly took this opportunity to run off and join the Alexander circus, Pebble was Director of Volunteer Services at Center Stage in Baltimore and has been a professional theater administrator and manager for the past 10 years. In addition to her work at Center Stage, Pebble serves on the Maryland State Arts Council's professional advisory panel for theater and on the board of Baltimore's Theatre Project.

Ask Pebble:
What makes a day horrible?
A horrible day happens when I feel like I am trying really, really hard and nothing turns out the way I want it to. Sometimes, auditions feel like horrible days. I try to leave for the audition on time and something holds me up, or I get stuck in traffic, or I get lost (especially every time I try to get to The Kennedy Center)! Then I realize that I've forgotten to staple my headshot (a photo of me) to my resume (a list of my skills and jobs I have had) and when I get up for the actual audition I don't remember to do all the neat things I had thought about doing when I was rehearsing. My throat gets all tight because I'm nervous and it sounds in my head like I'm singing off-key. Then I forget to say thank you to everybody or I forget to pick up my music from the accompanist and I get stuck in traffic again on my way home! Then if I get the part and I find out later that it was all just fine, I realize that my expectations for myself were distorted -- I thought everything needed to be perfect!-- and I realize that just being my regular old self in the regular old world is good enough!

What makes a day wonderful?
When someone tells me that I've helped them. Or when I figure something out for the first time or I do something that's difficult to do and I do it well. Or when I really let my imagination run wild. One day when I was about six, my very best friend Kenneth Callicott and I were pretending we were cats. We were having a really good time and we decided that we wanted to become cats. So we spent a long time talking about what it would feel like to turn into a cat and wishing really, really hard that we would be turned into cats. There was one moment where I was convinced that I was growing ears. It wasn't true, sadly, but that day was wonderful because we were working so hard at playing, we believed in the power of wishing, and I had such a great best friend. Hmmm.... I wonder what this wonderful day has to do with my career in acting??!

Were you familiar with this book before you were cast in the show?
Yes! I read it as a child, and over the years I have read it to many friends who are children (and some who are adults), but I know the book best because a really good friend gave me a special copy of the book during a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad theater day I was having some time ago-- and it made me feel much, much better. Her inscription said, "For Pebble: Because it has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad time for you and you need to smile and know that we love you and that you were incredible as Ophelia regardless of whether the audience caught on to the production's nuances. Remember that we are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep. Love, Laura" It still helps.

How do you feel about playing a parent on stage? What experiences will you draw on and/or what tricks do you plan to use to become your character on stage?
I plan to draw on my extensive experiences as a child to play the role of Mom! As a kid I knew how important it was for my Mom to listen and understand when I had a tough day. And how it was even more important to hear her say that it was all going to turn out all right. Actually, my Dad was really good at that part. When my Dad said it was all going to be okay, I really believed him. As a child (and even as an adult!), it can be hard to know what the real problem is when all you know is that you are upset. I don't have children now, but when I do, I hope I can be the kind of a parent who listens thoroughly, understands, and can truly reassure. I guess I'm excited about playing this part because I get to rehearse for that role!

Sean MacLaughlin (Paul/Ensemble) Sean last performed at The Kennedy Center at age 9 and is thrilled to be doing their National tour. Sean recently appeared as "Young Scrooge" in A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theatre. Other favorite recent theater roles include: Floyd Collins (Homer), Violet (Monty), Hair (Claude), The Diviners (Buddy), The Boys Next Door (Buddy). He has numerous national and regional TV, print, movie, and commercial credits. A graduate of VA Tech University with a B.A. in Mass Communications, Sean is the Company Director and Photographer for Limelight Talent Performing Arts School in Petersburg, Virginia. Sean dedicates his performances to his family, Una Harrison, Jane Bryant, Saint Genesius, and especially, God.

Ask Sean:
What makes a day horrible? Describe on of your most horrible days (as a child and/or in the theater)
Well, in my opinion, a day is what you make of it. A day is never truly horrible. People can be mean and horrible toward you, which in essence can make your day horrible. I have always found that a day is so much better when you look at the brighter things in life, instead of focusing on the small negativity of things. One of my most horrible days was in the 5th grade when I went to a Halloween party. Things were wonderful until we all went to play hide and seek. Well, I found the "G.I. Joe" dressed character hiding in the bushes. Well, after all was said and done I ended up with 4 stitches in my right eyebrow. A bit of advice: Don't play hide and seek with a kid wielding a toy gun! :)

What makes a day wonderful?
A wonderful day is when everything feels right: like walking out into a beautiful sunny day and your mind is clear and free to do whatever you can imagine. My most wonderful day was when I was a resident at the Governor's School For the Performing Arts. My family came to visit. We all went to the park and had a little picnic. All we did all day was walk, talk and enjoy each other's company. No problems or concerns arose that day. All we did was enjoy the time we had together. Ever since that day I thank God for my family and know that I am truly blessed to have a family that is so supporting, loving and that will always be there for me.

Were you familiar with this book before you were cast in the show?
I was a little familiar with this book before I was cast. It was in a lot of textbooks when I was in grade school.

How do you feel about playing a child (or a parent) on stage? What experiences will you draw on and/or what tricks do you plan to use to become a child on stage?
I am really, really excited about playing a child on stage! I really don't feel as though I have grown up much -- that is why I am an actor; it is a way to hold onto my childhood. As it is I am a Cartoon Network addict. As a method actor, I plan on drawing on all of my memories of things that I did when I was around six. I will also be studying children in preparation for the role also. I am really going to have a great time playing Paul!

Jefferson A. Russell (Dad/Dentist/Shoe Salesman/Ensemble) ) is a returning cast member of the first national touring company of "Alexander...". A native of Baltimore, Md., he is a veteran company member of Arena Players, Inc., the nation's oldest continuously operating African-American theatre company, where he has appeared in such productions as Before It Hits Home, An Enemy of the People, Home, and The Meeting, in which he portrayed Malcolm X. For the past three years Jefferson has participated in Young Playwrights' Theatre's spring tour, traveling the DC metro area performing plays written by local students. Other credits include NBC's Homicide, Hecuba (African Continuum Theatre Co.), Life In Refusal (Theatre J), Fences (Encore Theatre), and Heathen Valley (Everyman Theatre). Jeff proudly holds a B.A. in Sociology/Criminal Justice from Hampton University. "I want to reach a little closer to the world...and see if we can share some illuminations together about each other."-Lorraine Hansbury
For Alice and Bruce Sr., as always.

Ask Jefferson:
What makes a day horrible? Describe one of your most horrible days (as a child and/or in the theater)
As a child, any day I had a BIG test was a horrible day. Usually for a subject like math I would get very uptight when test time would come around. Don't get me wrong, I would always study for my tests, well, usually always, but I would just get so nervous about them. That pretty much went away by the time I got to the 9th grade. It's funny because auditioning for a role is a lot like a test because you have to be prepared to show what you know and what you can do. But as an actor, an audition day is a good day because it could lead to your next job.

What makes a day wonderful?
I remember playing little league baseball and before each game my mom would have me drink a glass of milk for luck. And of course, we sometimes would win and sometimes we'd lose but for every game, either she or my dad would be watching me play. The milk thing doesn't have much to do with anything, but win or lose that sure was a good feeling having my family supporting me like that. That makes for a good day. And as an Actor, a good day is any in which you get a call inviting you to take a gig [a job]!!!

Were you familiar with this book before you were cast in this show?
I only vaguely remember the book but I've told friends about the tour and many of them remember "Alexander . . ." well and have said it was their favorite book as a child.

Even though rehearsals have not begun, what experiences from your own past do you think you will be drawing on to create your characters?
As an actor I like to observe real people in real situations because I may want to draw from those things to help me create a character. As Alexander's father I will, no doubt, consider some idiosyncrasies and nuances that I've seen in my own father. The same can be said for the dentist but I will make each character unique and special with his own personality with the help of our director, Nick. I'll consider my father's reactions when I got into some crazy mischief when I was a kid. And I'll remember how unsettlingly calm my dentist was when I was a nervous wreck sitting in his chair. For the shoe sales man I immediately thought of a used car dealer I met a while back who was determined to make sure that I knew I ABSOLUTELY needed what he was selling.

Sherri Linton (Nick/Albert/Ensemble) is thrilled to appear in her first Kennedy Center production. She is a native of Asheville, NC and a graduate of North Carolina State University where she appeared in such productions as Miss Evers Boys, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Flyin' West, The Colored Museum, and Black Medea. She dedicates her performance in Alexander to her family and friends for their love and support, and her acting coach, Michael Howell, who is always on call. She would like to give special thanks to Dr. Patricia Caple for her continued guidance and faith.

Ask Sherri:
What makes a day horrible? Describe one of your most horrible days (as a child and/or in the theater).
An unexpected injury can truly make a day horrible. When I was about 8 years old my sister, Kim, and I decided we were going to learn to play golf in our front yard. I guess I just didn't realize how incredibly long that golf club was, or how close I was standing to my sister when she was swinging it. The golf club struck me right in the nose, just missing my eye. It bruised the right side of my face and my nose swelled horribly!

What makes a day wonderful? Describe one of your best days (as a child and/or in the theater).
The electricity that comes from bringing a character to life on stage makes for a wonderful day. The romantic thrill of walking through the doors to the theatre, down the hall and onto the stage never fails. Something wonderful happens when the audience is fully engaged in your craft, and the butterflies in your stomach have flown away allowing you to assume the attitude, dialect, posture, and beliefs of your character. It is a wonderful energy that, at the end of the day, you can reflect on…and smile.

Were you familiar with this book before you were cast in the show?
Yes, when I heard the name Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, I remembered thinking, "I am sure I read this story book when I was a kid". So I went to the bookstore and purchased a copy, brought it home, and read through it again.

How do you feel about playing a child on stage? What experiences will you draw on and/or what tricks do you plan to use to become a child on stage?
I am very excited about playing a child on stage. Performing, the very idea of acting, is inherently childlike. Children act in the truest sense of the word. They are masters of acting. They can suddenly become overcome with humility to get their favorite cookie, or burst into tears in hopes of decreasing inevitable punishment, or they can be overcome with laughter to keep you playing their favorite game with them. When performing on stage I will definitely draw upon my own childhood experiences.

Sapphira Schatar (Audrey/Phillip Parker/Ensemble) a seasoned stage performer, starred in the hit, Another Saturday Night, with productions in New York and Boston. Sapphira has also been seen as Loretta in Debbie Allen’s Soul Possessed and in Regional productions of Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Children of Eden. Her movie appearances include, Amistad, In the Line of Fire and The Pelican Brief. She may also be seen as show host and producer of DCTV’s Schatar’s Startime, an educational children’s program. An award winning vocalist, Sapphira earned her BA degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed graduate studies at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. She thanks God for making all possible and her family and friends for their kinship and love.

Ask Sapphira:
What makes a day horrible? Describe one of your most horrible days (as a child and/or in the theater).
Having to wait for the bus in the rain. Yuck!

What makes a day wonderful? Describe one of your best days (as a child and/or in the theater.
Going to the playground with the coolest twisty slides

Were you familiar with this book before you were cast in this show?
Yes.

How do you feel about playing a child (or a parent) on the stage? What experiences will you draw on and/or what tricks do you plan to use to become a child on stage?
It's fun to walk on my hands. I haven't done that in a long, long time.

 

Judith Viorst (Playwright) is the author of several works of fiction and non-fiction for children as well as adults. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, her most famous children's book, was first published in 1972 and has since sold over two million copies. Ms. Viorst received a B.A. in History from Rutgers University, and she is also a graduate of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute where she is a research affiliate. She began her career as a poet and has since completed six collections of poems for adults. Her first novel for adults, Murdering Mr. Monti, was published in 1994 and her most recent work of non-fiction, Imperfect Control, was published in January 1998 by Simon and Schuster. Her book Necessary Losses, published in 1986, appeared for almost two years on The New York Times best-seller list in hardcover and paperback. Ms. Viorst's children's books include The Tenth Good Thing About Barney, The Alphabet From Z to A, and the "Alexander" stories: Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday, Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move and, of course, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Ms. Viorst lectures widely on a variety of topics, ranging from the subjects of loss and control to children's literature. She resides in Washington, DC with her husband Milton, a political writer. They have three sons, Anthony, Nicholas and Alexander, and two perfect grandchildren, Miranda and Brandeis.

Ask Judith:
We know that Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is based on the experiences of your son. What was it that influenced your decision to write a children's book about Alexander?
Alexander, the youngest of my three sons, seemed to be having A LOT of bad days. He fell out of trees, fell off of chairs, broke his wrist, knocked out his front teeth, and, in addition to these breaks and bruises, was involved in a variety of non-physical disasters and disappointments. I thought that the notion of "a bad day," could serve for him, and for all kids, as it does for adults, a "container" function, suggesting that this day—this bad news—would (honest and truly!) come to an end. I was also tacitly suggesting in the book that everyone, just not our hapless hero, sometimes has bad days and that neither the fictional nor the real-life Alexander has been singled out for a unique fate. Furthermore, these bad days happen everywhere, even in Australia, and since we can't escape them we might as well muddle through them and maybe even try (at some point) to laugh about them.

Explain the process you used to adapt Alexander the book into Alexander the play.
I went through the book episode by episode as the narrator told his sad story. I wanted to keep that narration virtually word for word, which I did, while fleshing out the events Alexander describes. And so I gave dialogue to his brothers, parents, friends, etc., and put in a lot of dramatic action, showing as well as telling Alexander's story.

When did you know that Alexander should not be a play, but a musical?
As long as I was opening up Alexander's story, I decided it would be fun to also have his story told through songs. And since I love writing lyrics, the thought of making this a musical was irresistible.

How did you team up with Shelly Markham? How did the two of you work together on the music? Did you write the music and the lyrics together, or was one part written before the other?
At first—because Shelly lives in L.A. and I live in Washington, D.C.—we worked over the phone (he played the piano and sang to me) and with tapes. Later he came to D.C. and we finished our work in a room at the Kennedy Center. Shelly indulges me by letting me, in most instances, write the lyrics first, after which he composes the music to fit my words. But there are exceptions. With one song THE SWEETEST OF NIGHTS AND FINEST OF DAYS, he added a musical "bridge" between the second and third verses, after which I needed to write lyrics to fit that music. I also changed lyrics when we found that though they were easy to read they were hard to sing. For instance, in SHOES, I changed Won't fall off when you cough shoes to Stay on when you cough shoes, and Won't get soaked when you wade shoes to Stay dry when you wade shoes. The first versions were a real mouthful—too hard to sing and to understand.

Shelly Markham (Composer) This show marks a welcome second collaboration with Judith Viorst. Their contemporary musical, Love and Shrimp, enjoyed a successful run at the Pasadena Playhouse, the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills and The Ballroom in New York City, and is now published by Samuel French. As a composer, Mr. Markham has been a long-standing member of the BMI Composer's Workshop. He wrote material for Captain Kangaroo on CBS and adapted and wrote six new songs for a popular touring version of Babes in Toyland for producers Fran and Barry Weissler. He scored the PBS production of Charley's Hunt starring Charles Grodin and composed the score to Flavia and the Dream Maker, which opened to critical acclaim in Santa Barbara. Last spring, he completed the arrangements for Lanie Kazan's newest CD In The Groove with David Benoit released on Sony's Music Masters label, and is currently producing several recording projects for cabaret singers in Los Angeles. Mr. Markham's work has ranged from doing dance arrangements for major television specials to creating and conducting cabaret acts and writing both television and live arrangements for a most diverse roster of performers, including, Nell Carter, Ann Jillian, Gogi Grant, Margaret Whiting and Bonnie Franklin. He recently appeared with Andrea Marcovicci at New York City's famed Algonquin Hotel.

Ask Shelly:
How were you approached to write the music for Alexander?
Judith was approached by the Kennedy Center to adapt her book into a play for children. She had always wanted to do it as a musical, and she suggested me as a composer she'd like to work with on the project.

Before you became involved in the project, had you read the book yourself?
Yes, I was very familiar with it as with most of her writing. I've always been a big fan of her children's books.

Explain the process of composing music in collaboration with a lyricist.
It's important that we trust one another completely… if a lyric is awkward or a melody seems inappropriate or just not exciting enough the other partner should be able to say so freely. We both understood the intentions of the scene and then wrote it out. Sometimes we do our best work separately, but it's very helpful to work in the same room.

How did working with Judith Viorst on Alexander compare to previously working with her on Love and Shrimp, a show for adults?
In Love and Shrimp we were working with a producer who selected material from Judith's best collections of poetry. In this case, instead of a revue format, Judith fashioned a workable plot based on her successful book, and took the role of a dramatist. We wrote songs for characters this time, and songs that we felt children would respond to. It was actually much more fun.

How did you decide where a song should be added into the script?
Working with an accomplished writer usually meant that she had definite ideas on what songs should go into the script and where. She had fleshed them out as to which characters sing what lines in the chorus numbers.

How do you go about thinking of new tunes to use in songs?
This is a topic as wide as the earth. A composer is a product of everything he's ever heard or been influenced by. Tempered with musical influences he thinks his characters would be singing and hearing in their respective lives. Also, there is the target audience that you're aiming at, in this case children as young as 1st or 2nd grade. So, the trick is to first make it interesting to me as a writer, but above all, score the script and the characters. Some tunes come very easily ("Sweetest of Nights" and "Australia") and some require lots of thought as to the structure, and demand many rewrites before they're finished ("If I Were In Charge of the World" and "Shoes.") But luckily, I always look forward to the challenge of writing a musical score so I never think of it as problematic. Sometimes you'll write three or four versions before you get it, and other times I find that my first idea is just it.

Nick Olcott (Director) has been acting, directing and writing for the theatre for over fifteen years. His adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Pearl was produced by the Kennedy Center and toured nationally in 1995. Mr. Olcott will direct Arena Stage's revival of The Miracle Worker this season. Recent directing credits include Uncle Vanya for the Round House Theatre and Sylvia for the Philadelphia Theatre Company. For radio broadcast, he directed Julie Harris in All My Sons for Arena Stage and Amy Irving in The Heiress for the Shakespeare Theatre. Mr. Olcott recently received the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play for his musical Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Purloined Patience produced by Interact Theatre Company at the Folger Elizabethan Theatre. He has been nominated for Helen Hayes Awards once for his directorial work, twice for his acting and twice for his writing. Mr. Olcott holds a degree in Germanic Languages and Literature from Yale University and currently teaches in the Maryland Opera Studio at the University of Maryland. He is the Associate Artistic Director of the Round House Theatre, where he will direct Communicating Doors this fall.

The Production Staff:

George Fulginiti-Shakar (Music Director) was Music Director for productions including Animal Crackers and Candide at Arena Stage, The 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Children's Defense Fund at the Kennedy Center, Three Penny Opera at the Corcoran Gallery, Midsummer Night's Dream at The Acting Company (New York), and Goblin Market at Studio Theatre. He received a Helen Hayes nomination for Mad About the Bard at the Folger Theatre. He was Conductor for It's A Wonderful Life at Arena Stage, and H.M.S. Pinafore at Center Stage (Baltimore). As Pianist he performed in Of Thee I Sing at Arena Stage, and Bye, Bye Birdie and Grand Hotel at the Kennedy Center. He regularly performs as Music Director and pianist for cabaret artists in Washington and New York. He was chosen by TCG to appear in its National Artists Bulletin of Music Directors, Composers and Arrangers. He is a faculty member with the Studio Acting Conservatory and the Theatre Lab. Mr. Fulginiti-Shakar is also a founding member of the Alliance for New Music-Theatre and on the board of Washington's Cabaret Network.

Dreama J. Greaves (Properties Artisan) has served as Properties Artisan for many Youth and Family Programs productions including her favorite The Snow Queen, as well as Alice in Wonderland, The Red Badge of Courage, Little Women, and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Her properties credits also include Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, Dr. Faustus, and John Gabriel Borkman for Theatre of the First Amendment and The Artificial Jungle for Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.

Sandra L. Holloway (Choreographer) studied dance at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and received her BFA at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Ms. Holloway choreographed Seven Guitars at Studio Theatre, the premiere performance of Tiger, Tiger, Tiger at the Theatre of the First Amendment at George Mason University as well as A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Guys and Dolls for the GMU Players. She also worked on Blue's Room and I Could Stop On a Dime . . . as assistant to Diane McIntyre and Olu Dara. Ms. Holloway is currently Resident Choreographer and Artistic Director for City At Peace.

Lynn Joslin (Lighting Designer) recently designed the lighting for The Nightingale and Sundiata for The Kennedy Center's Youth and Family Programs and served as associate designer for Debbie Allen's Brothers of the Knight production. She has also designed lighting for Pericles and Street Car Named Desire for the Washington Shakespeare Company, Blue Monday Blues for the Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia, Jules and Jim for Le Neon Theatre, Once On This Island and Ain't Misbehavin' for the Theater Alliance, and Julie Johnson and Kindertransport for Horizons Theater. She designed the lighting for the 14th Street Playhouse events for the 1996 Cultural Olympiad in Atlanta.

Stephen Dest (Stage Manager) is pleased to be working with the Kennedy Center. Credits include: Stage Management -- Noises Off (PaperMill Playhouse, Mame (PaperMill Playhouse), King Island Christmas (PaperMill Playhouse), Little Princess (ArtsPower), Anne of Green Gables (ArtsPower), Barber of Seville (National Theater), and Hamlet (New Haven Shakespeare). Director -- Bye Bye Birdie (Long Wharf Theater), Noises Off (PaperMill Playhouse), Rachael Barracuda (Vital Theater), Final Express (Producers Club), and Loot (Artspace Theater). Stephen has numerous acting credits and is the recipienct of the New England Film and Video Fellowship Award for his 1995 documentary "The Forgotten Elm." He recently wrote and sold his first screenplay "Scream of the Butterfly". Stephen is currently the Drama Director for the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, CT. This production is dedicated to the memory of his father, Robert A. Dest.

Joseph B. Musumeci, Jr. (Set Designer) is pleased to return to the Theatre Lab where he designed The Best Christmas Pageant Ever two years ago, and doubly pleased to be working with one of his favorite directors, the ineffable Mr. Olcott. Until very recently the Production Manager and Resident Scenic and Lighting Designer for the Round House Theatre (which remains his artistic home), Mr. Musumeci has decided to try the free-lance waters again (help! hire me!) and spend some vacation time getting his recently renovated home up to snuff. Past designs for Round House and elsewhere include the scenery for Pantomime, Uncle Vanya, One Shoe Off and The Man with a Load of Mischief and the lighting for Criminal Genius, Why We Have a Body, An Almost Holy Picture and the scenery and lighting for The Swan and Nora.

Rosemary Pardee (Costume Designer) has long been regarded as this city's busiest costume designer. Her career has spanned twenty-seven years, almost five-hundred productions, dozens of theatre and film companies and little sleep. Her work has been seen at The Kennedy Center, the National Theatre, the Folger Theatre and the Smithsonian Institute. She holds resident design positions at the Olney Theatre, the Round House Theatre, Interact Theatre Company, Everyman Theatre, National Players and Galludet University's Theatre Department. Rosemary also adjudicates the Maryland State Theatre Scholarship Program. She has designed costumes for national tours of The Importance of Being Earnest, The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, Frankenstein and The Taming of the Shrew. Rosemary is a winner (and seven-time nominee) of the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Costume Design.