| The
Company
The Cast | The
Production Staff
 Silinea
Hilliard (Lilly)
is a proud graduate of Howard University's Theatre Arts Department
with a BFA in Musical Theatre. She has also studied Shakespeare
in Oxford, England. Her stage credits include The House of Bernarda
Alba, Flyin' West, They're Playing Our Song, and Once on
This Island, all at Howard University. The Shakespeare Theatre's
Timon of Athens, under the direction of Michael Kahn, marked
her professional debut. As always, she thanks God for everything
he has blessed her with and her family and friends for their constant
love and support.
Ask
Silinea:
What experiences of your own have
you drawn from to create your character?
I'm
using the birth of my younger sister as one experience I can use
to relate to Lilly. I, too, was excited before she was born only
to be jealous afterwards due to all the attention she was getting.
Before that, I was an only child. It's hard to adjust, especially
when you're used to things being one way. Also, I remember one
time when I was disciplined by a former ballet teacher of mine
for talking in class. I just remember being embarrassed, then
angry at him, as if he caused all the trouble! Later, I think
I apologized.
Do
you feel you have anything in common with the character you will
be playing on stage?
Yes,
my childhood experiences. I know what it felt like to get in trouble,
to be excited one day and down in the dumps the next as a kid.
Because I am the oldest sibling, I can relate to Lilly's feelings
of euphoria before the birth of Julius and the resentment felt
afterwards.
When
you were young, was there anything you were so excited about and
just wanted to share with everyone?
When
I was younger, I was always excited about what I had learned in
ballet class. I couldn't wait to show my parents, grandparents,
or even my friends(if they were willing to watch) all the new
things I learned.
What
are the joys and challenges of performing for young audiences
and families?
One
of the joys of performing for young people is the genuine response
you get from them. They either love it or hate it. There is no
in between, no trying to be polite. Another joy is the fact that
this is an activity the whole family can enjoy. Too often, events
advertised are geared towards adults. This is an opportunity for
the entire family to spent quality time together doing something
positive. I'm sure there are challenges involved, but I haven't
experienced any.
What
do you love about acting?
I
love everything about acting. If I had to pick one or two things
as my favorite aspect of acting, they would be the creative process
and the audience connection. I love the creative process because
it really gets your juices flowing, it challenges you to learn
more about who you were, who you are, and who you hope to be.
It also gives you an opportunity to experiment and try new ideas.
As for the audience connection, there is no other feeling in the
world as great as knowing you have touched a life, possibly changing
it forever.
 Robb
Bauer (Wilson/FBI
Agent) is a founding member of Action Theater in Baltimore,
Maryland. With Action, he has performed in Europe and the throughout
the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. He has appeared with
Center Stage, the Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, Pussycat Theatre
Company, Shakespeare on Wheels, Children's Theatre Association and
others. Favorite productions include: Much Ado About Nothing,
Bad Beans, BeckettLand, The Madman and the Nun, The Artificial Jungle,
Cloud Nine, The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet and A
Midsummer Night's Dream. For the past five years he has toured
to schools throughout the Mid Atlantic region with Mondo Shakespeare,
Jr. and his own play Tales from the Bros. Grimm.
Ask
Robb:
What experiences of your own
have you drawn from to create your character?
Like
Wilson, I am lucky enough to have friends who are like Lilly and
Chester. People who enjoy doing the same things I do - going to
the same places, movies, museums and plays - people whose excitement
and love of life (like Lilly's) is infectious, who can make you
feel good about everything just by being there.
Do
you feel you have anything in common with the character you will
be playing on stage?
There
are things about Wilson that I hope we have in common. In certain
ways I would like to be more like him: his enthusiasm and curiosity
for new things; his ability to identify and really enjoy the things
he loves (they never leave his mind); and most of all his unflagging
loyalty to his friends - he would do anything for them but at
the same time he has a mind and a personality of his own.
When
you were young was there anything that you were so excited about
and just wanted to share with everyone (like Lilly and her plastic
purse)?
Young
people are just about the best audience you can have. Sometimes
adults can be embarrassed or reserved when it comes to responding
to what's happening on stage. But when young people think something
is funny, they just laugh, they don't think about anything else.
They understand the kind of playing we are very often putting
up on the stage and they are eager to join in. Usually we hope
"joining in" means listening, watching, responding and
believing along with us.
Where
are the joys and challenges of performing for young audiences
and families?
One
of the things I love about acting is that it gives me the opportunity
to investigate why people do what they do. When you create a character,
you're always looking at what the script says they do and say;
part of the actor's job is to figure out the reasons why. Sometimes
the script tells you and sometimes you just have to use your imagination.
Another thing I love is that theater lets us bring to life anything
we can imagine as long as we have an audience who is willing to
believe.
 Ian
Le Valley
(Chester/Salesman/FBI
Agent) was most recently seen as Nick Potter in Holiday
at Olney Theatre Center for the Arts. Other Washington, DC credits
include: Jaques and Le Beau in The Shakespeare Project's production
of As You Like It; Pat Farley in Hotel Universe at
American Century Theatre; Steve in Source Theatre's Most Fabulous
Story Ever Told; The Great White Hope at Arena Stage;
Heather MacDonald's Available Light at Signature; Stop
Kiss at Woolly Mammoth Theatre; Notebook of Trigorin
and A Streetcar Named Desire (locally and in Ireland) with
the Keegan Theatre; My Night with Reg at Actors' Theatre
of Washington; Present Laughter and To Kill a Mockingbird
at Olney Theatre Center for the Arts; Three Sisters and Muzeeka
at Studio Theatre; and STEAK! The Musical with Consenting
Adults. Ian has been a company member at Washington Shakespeare
Company for five years; shows there include The Winter's Tale,
Pericles, Triumph of Love, Bent, Twelfth Night, Chips, and Curse
of the Starving Class. In the 1991-92 season, Ian was on tour
with the National Players' production of Twelfth Night and
The Miracle Worker.
Ask
Ian:
What
experiences of your own have you drawn from to create your character?
I
was an excitable kid so I could draw from that. However, I had
to do some major pretending where the ears were concerned.
Do
you feel you have anything in common with the character you will
be playing on stage?
I
breathe with my mouth open, just like Chester. Also, I love to
spend time with my friends.
When
you were young was there anything that you were so excited about
and just wanted to share with everyone (like Lilly and her plastic
purse)?
Yes,
my grandmother made a colonial soldier's costume that I couldn't
wait to wear to show and tell at school.
Where
are the joys and challenges of performing for young audiences
and families?
Seeing
people enjoy themselves.
What
do you love about acting?
Creating
new characters every time, and working with people I like.
 Scott
Hampton Cooke
(Mr. Slinger/Father/Bully) is ecstatic to be part of the
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse tour, after having appeared
in the original production at the Kennedy Center. New York credits
include Still Life with Daniel at Other Eyeland Productions
and The Sacred Spot at Dixon Place. Regional credits include
1776 and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at Seacoast
Repertory Theatre, Assassins at The Great American History
Theatre and Pirates of Penzance at Nebraska Repertory. He
appeared in the feature film Street Gun. Scott is a graduate
of the University of Utah (BFA 1989) and University of Nebraska-Lincoln
(MFA 1992). He wishes to thank his family for their support, and
Jerry for this opportunity. Mitakuye Oyasin.
Ask
Scott:
What
experiences of your own, have you drawn from to create your character?
Having
been a teacher, I know how important it is to find a creative
way to reach your students…and how strong a teacher's influence
can be. Mr. Slinger is very good at finding what brings out the
best in his students.
Do
you feel you have anything in common with the character you will
be playing on stage?
I
love the classroom environment. School doesn't need to be boring.
Solving problems and finding answers can be a game. I share Mr.
Slinger's love for learning, and I try to bring this to the students
I interact with.
When
you were young, was there anything that you were so excited about
and just wanted to share with everyone (like Lilly and her plastic
purse)?
I
used to love to do magic tricks, and would always show them off
to other kids and parents.
What
are the joys and challenges of performing for young audiences
and families?
Children
have so much energy - they can really feel when you are moving
slowly or are not "into" the play. But their energy
really feeds the performance and makes you excited to be on stage.
What
do you love about acting?
The
chance to be able to be many different things, and not just stuck
in one type of job, or way of thinking. Each character lives in
a whole new world, and to be able to explore this new world is
magical.
 Lynn
Blackburn Lush (Mother/Raphael/Bully)
is so excited to be making her Kennedy Center debut and thrilled
to be seeing so much of the country! Her most recent productions
include Hamlet & Midsummer Night's Dream at the Genesis
Shakespeare Festival (IL); Twelfth Night at Cape Fear Regional
Theatre (NC); Tempest at Upstart Crow (VA); Stonewall
Country & Macbeth at Theatre at Lime Kiln (VA). Originally
from Dallas, TX, Lynn is a graduate of the University of Mississippi
with bachelor's degrees in both Theatre and English. Her heartfelt
thanks to her husband Gregory (also an actor!) who always gives
her such amazing support, encouragement and love. Thanks, also,
to the Blackburn and Lush families for their enthusiastic support
and prayers!
Ask Lynn:
What
experiences of your own have you drawn from to create your character?
It's
going to be interesting playing the Mother … I am not a mom
yet - but I do have lots of experience with moms. I have a great
relationship with my own mom (who is also one of my best friends!)
and also had really great relationships with both of my grandmothers
while they were living. My older sister is a mother to three terrific
kids - and some of my childhood friends are now becoming mothers
for the first time. I will use what I've learned from all of these
moms to help me create a mother for Lilly. It will require some
imagination and creativity - but that's what is so much fun about
acting! Plus, I used to play with dolls when I was a kid and was
always imagining relationships for them - and there was always
one doll that was the mommy!
Do
you feel you have anything in common with the character you will
be playing on stage?
When
I was young, I wasn't very nice to my little brother - I, like
Lilly, was slightly jealous of him. At the time I didn't know
that's what I was feeling - but I know my parents could tell.
I can remember my parents having to talk to me about my behavior
… I think the thing I have in common with Lilly's mom is
that I can understand what she's trying to teach Lilly about growing
up. I've also had plenty of experience working with kids - from
babysitting to working at summer camp - and I think that will
help me as I create my character.
When
you were young was there anything that you were so excited about
and just wanted to share with everyone (like Lilly and her plastic
purse)?
I
can't think of one thing in particular … but as a kid (and
still sometimes today!) I could be a real "know-it-all."
I always wanted to tell everyone about everything that I was doing
- what I was interested in, what I knew, etc. I definitely get
a laugh out of Lilly calling herself "Queen of the World"
- because I would've liked being Queen when I was little, too!
I liked to make up stories like Lilly and certainly had a vivid
imagination like she does. (Maybe that's why I love acting!) And
I remember having to apologize to some of my elementary school
teachers, too.
Where
are the joys and challenges of performing for young audiences
and families?
This
is my first experience with performing for young audiences, so
I am not sure that I will know what the challenges are until it's
over! The joy of this tour is being a part of a show that is wholesome
and educational but also really funny - kids and adults will appreciate
the humor! It's also such a great opportunity to expose kids to
theater at an early age …
What
do you love about acting?
This
isn't an easy question to answer because there are so many things
that are great about acting! But here's a few … I love that
I get to meet new people all the time. I love that I get to create
characters - I love to read books, and acting is like creating
a "live" book, bringing life to my imagination. When
I was little - I loved dressing up in costumes … now I get
to do it for a living! And I love hearing the audience respond,
whether in be in laughter or stillness - knowing that we're connecting
and that the story is coming to life for them …
 Kerri
Rambow
(Garland/Grammy/Bully/Pregnant
Mouse) was last seen as Lady MacBeth and First Witch in Dogg's
Hamlet, Cahoot's MacBeth. Other recent credits include White
Woman in The Invisible City with Woolly Mammoth, Amiens/Phoebe
in As You Like It with The Shakespeare Project, Ann Field
in Hotel Universe at American Century Theatre, the intensely
pregnant Jane in Source Theatre's The Most Fabulous Story Ever
Told (Helen Hayes nomination), Holly in Charter Theatre's world
premiere of A House in the Country (Helen Hayes nomination),
Marge in Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's Say You Love Satan, Karla
in Wonder of the World at Woolly Mammoth, Rhoda in Floating
Rhoda and the Glue Man with Theatre Conspiracy, and Masha in
Notebook of Trigorin at the Keegan Theatre. Kerri appeared
in numerous shows at Washington Shakespeare Theatre including as
Hermione in The Winter's Tale and Fabian in Twelfth Night.
Television credits include Homicide: Life on the Streets.
Ask
Kerri:
What
experiences of your own have you drawn from to create your character?
I
love cheese! When I worked in an elementary school, first grade
was my favorite to teach. It's fun to get to play a first grader
on stage.
Do
you feel you have anything in common with the character you will
be playing on stage?
No,
I'm much different from Garland and much too young to be a Grammy.
What
are the joys and challenges of performing for young audiences
and families?
Theatre
is so vital, it's important for people of all ages to experience
living, breathing art.
What
do you love about acting?
It's
hard work, but what a cool job: paid to pretend!
Jerry
Manning
(Original Director) has directed four productions with the
Kennedy Center's Youth and Family Programs. He has also directed
for Studio Theater, Signature Theatre, Small Beer Theatre, Washington
Stage Guild, Source Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, New Dramatists
and Dixon Place. He has served as a casting consultant for the Mark
Taper Forum, La Jolla Playhouse, Court Theatre, the Goodman Theatre
and Arizona Theatre Company. He was a staff member at Arena Stage
for 12 seasons, including two years as resident Casting Director.
Mr. Manning was Artistic Associate at New York Theatre Workshop
for five seasons, and currently is Associate Artistic Director of
Seattle Repertory Theatre.
Elizabeth
Pringle (2001-02
Tour Remount Director) is a director,
actress, teacher, and playwright. She has performed in numerous
productions at the Kennedy Center as well as teaching young actors
and teachers through the Education Department. Recently, she directed
the cult hit, Night of the Chihuahua in Washington, DC. Her
critically acclaimed adaptation of the opera The Marriage of
Figaro: the Las Vegas Version will open the 20th anniversary
season of the In Series. She was on faculty at The Duke Ellington
School of the Arts, where she also directed and adapted plays. Ms.
Pringle is the author of plays, musicals, and operas. As a lyricist
she has written songs for The Kennedy Center,
The Alliance for New Music Theatre, The Ellington Company, WNVT,
and her rock band: The Thought Criminals. She has written
computer game reviews for the Washington Post and is involved in
media education and the impact of the digital age on learning and
development. Currently, she teaches acting and writing for The Theatre
Lab and Young Playwright's Theatre.
Tony
Angelini (Composer/Sound
Designer) is happy to be back at
The Kennedy Center after just designing The Great Quillow in
the fall of 2000. Recent credits include: Much Ado About Nothing
with the Hamptons Shakespeare Festival on Long Island, NY; The world
premier of The Rhythm Club at Signature Theater in Arlington,
VA; SLAM! at The San Diego Repertory Theatre; Gross Indecency
at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; Fool For Love
with the Keegan Theatre/ Town Hall Theatre, Galway, Ireland;
A Streetcar Named Desire with the Keegan Theatre/ Town Hall
Theatre, Galway, Ireland; Available Light and Tell Me
On A Sunday, at Signature Theatre; Quintuplets for Gala
Hispanic Theatre/National Theatre of Cuba; Comic Briefs,
Master Harold and the Boys and SLAM! at The Studio
Theatre; The Fantasticks and Three Days Of Rain at
The Round House Theatre; Translations, The Field and
On The Verge! for the Keegan Theatre. Other Credits include
Ruthless at the Source Theatre, Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde
at Galludet University, and Brady Of Broadway! for The National
Portrait Gallery. At The Washington Stage Guild he has designed
sound for Anna Karinina, The Late Edwina Black, and
others. Mr. Angelini is a manager at RCI Sounds Systems in Rockville,
MD.
Tony
Cisek (Set Designer) recently
worked with the Kennedy Center's Youth and Family Programs in the
fall of 2000, designing the set for The Great Quillow. Tony
received a 1999 Helen Hayes Award for his designs for Much Ado
About Nothing at the Folger Elizabethan Theatre. Other recent
designs include Hamlet at the Folger; Communicating Doors
at Round House Theatre; Three Tall Women at Rep Stage; the
1999 VSA Arts Playwright Discovery Program at the Kennedy Center;
A Raisin in the Sun at City Theatre in Pittsburgh; Edmond
at the Source; La Grenada at Gala Hispanic Theatre; and Oak
& Ivy at Arena Stage. His work has also been seen at Theatre
of the First Amendment, Olney Theatre Center, Woolly Mammoth Theatre
Company, Washington Shakespeare Company, Baltimore's Peabody Opera,
and Florida State Opera, among others. Tony holds a Master of Fine
Arts in design from NYU.
Ayun
Fedorcha (Lighting Designer)
is delighted to be back at the Kennedy Center after last designing
lights for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Most recently
she designed Communicating Doors at the Round House Theatre,
where she has designed many shows, including Mere Mortals,
Turn of the Screw, The Lion in Winter, Godspell,
and The Fantastiks. At Washington Shakespeare she has recently
designed Entertaining Mr. Sloan, Measure for Measure,
Metamorphosis, Miss Julie, Richard III, Twelfth
Night, and Cymbeline. At the Folger Shakespeare Elizabethan
Theatre she has designed The Dresser, Joe Banno's production
of Romeo and Juliet, and Merchant of Venice, and at
Gala Hispanic Theatre she is the resident lighting designer, where
her work on Abel Lopez's production of La Chunga received
a Helen Hayes Award Nomination. Her work on Turn of the Screw,
The Lion in Winter, and Metamorphosis received the Mary
Goldwater Award from the Theatre Lobby.
Dreama
Greaves (Properties Artisan)
has served as properties artisan for many Kennedy Center Youth and
Family Programs shows. Her credits include such diverse productions
as The Show Queen, Little Women, Alice in Wonderland,
The Nightingale, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible,
No Good, Very Bad Day, and others; many of which have toured
nationally. She has a Master of Fine Arts from Northwestern University
and freelances throughout the metro area.
Howard
Vincent Kurtz (Costume
Designer) is pleased to be working
on this production through the Kennedy Center. His other shows for
the Kennedy Center have included Angel Voices and Little
Women. Mr. Kurtz is assistant professor of theater for the Institute
of Art at George Mason University, and is an adjunct professor for
the Department of Performing Arts at The American University and
Marymount University. His designs have been featured at the Theater
of the First Amendment, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Source Theatre,
Fredericksburg Theater Company, and the Shakespeare Theatre Workshop.
Howard has been nominated for three Helen Hayes Awards, receiving
the 1995 Award for Outstanding Costume Design. Mr. Kurtz is a member
of United Scenic Artists.
Becca
Cardo (Stage
Manager) is thrilled to rejoin
the world of spoken word as the stage manager with Lilly's Purple
Plastic Purse for The Kennedy Center. Ms. Cardo spent the last
four years with ballerinas as resident stage manager with The Joffrey
Ballet of Chicago. Recent stage management credits also include
TriArts' Desdemona, and seasons with Charlotte Repertory
Theatre, The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Charlotte,
Opera Roanoke and others throughout the southeast. Ms. Cardo also
serves on the Board of Directors for the fabulous Strawdog Theatre
Company in Chicago. She wishes to thank everyone she ever met for
their support, but especially her family, Julie, and Scott.
Elizabeth
Billings
(Assistant
Technical Director/Wardrobe) is
a Nebraska native. She recently graduated with her M.A. in Theatre
from Purdue University. She is happy to be returning to the Kennedy
Center family after a whirlwind summer at the Williamstown Theatre
Festival in Massachusetts.
Annemarie
Mountjoy (Lighting
Director) is originally from Quartz Hill, California. She received
her B.F.A. in Theatre from the University of South Dakota. Most
recently, she was working as an electrician at the Alliance Theatre
in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Mountjoy has also spent time with the Virginia
Opera Company, the Lancaster Performing Arts Center in Lancaster,
California, and the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. She
is pleased to join the Kennedy Center for this production.
Sara
Jane Schmeltzer
(Technical Director, Sound Director)
before joining the Kennedy Center, shared her talents with such
theatres as The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Utah Shakespearean
Festival, The Guthrie Theatre, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, and The
B Street Theatre as a sound designer and as the production sound
engineer on the "Best of Broadway" tour of Greater
Tuna and A Tuna Christmas. Ms. Schmeltzer also founded
Outta My Head Sound Designs where she keeps busy as a sound
system consultant and as an artistic collaborator with dancers and
fellow musicians. She holds a bachelors degree in Recording Arts
from California State University, Chico. When not spending time
in dark theatres, Ms. Schmeltzer can be found producing radio programs,
drumming, and touring the world.
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