File - Friends of The Pasadena Playhouse

THE FRIENDS
OF THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE
present
2016
27TH ANNUAL FRED AWARDS
Friends Recognition of Entertaining Drama
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER
20, 2015
THE UNIVERSITY CLUB OF PASADENA
175 N. Oakland Avenue • Pasadena, CA 91101
27TH ANNUAL
FRED AWARDS
Honon'ng
C(8/fen, ~al/ff
Founder of
Friends of The Pasadena Playhouse
Greetings
LENORE BOND ALMANZAR, President
Friends of The Pasadena Playhouse
Opening Remarks
·SHELDON EPPS, Artistic Director
The Pasadena Playhouse
Dedication
LENORE ALMANZAR & •SHELDON EPPS
Friends' Family Award
·SALLY STRUTHERS, Alumna
Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts
Presented by ·DAVID GALLIGAN & .ELLEN BAILEY
Accepted by · sALLY STRUTHERS
Entertainment
Master of Ceremonies
Favorite Show
DEVIN
KELLY
•FRENCH STEWART
WaterfaU, Director, .TAK VLRAVAN
Presented by ·sHELOON EPPS
Accepted by · RANDY JOHNSON
Entertainment
VANESSA CLAIRE STEWART
Entertainment
CARLA RENATA
Special Friend Award
Entertainment
•ART SILVERI
OWner redwhite+bluezz
Presented by .KRLSTEN HAMMACK
Accepted by •ART SILVERI
•GENO HENDERSON
Favorite Actor
•CHARLIE ROBINSON
The Whipping Man
Presented by .FRENCH STEWART
Accepted by ·CHARLIE ROBINSON
Entertainment
PAULETTE IVORY
Favorite Actress
•MERLE DANDRIDGE
Kiss Me, Kate
Presented by BECKY LYTHGOE
Accepted by ·sHARON LAWRENCE
Entertainment
•ADAM
WYLIE
& RICHARD ALLEN
Entertainment
•yVEITE CASON & KACEE CLANTON
Entertainment
SHARON CATHERINE BROWN
Closing Remarks
SEEMA SUEKO, Associate Artistic Director
Pasadena Playhouse
Partner with the Friends
Musical Directors
EUGENIA AMODEI
RICHARD
ALLEN & JOHN RANDALL
Videographer
Ross CLARK
·Denotes FRED Award winner
LENORE BOND ALMANZAR
Beginning her Playhouse association as an alumna of the Pasadena
Playhouse College of Theatre Arts, Lenore went on to become a
founding member of the Friends of The Pasadena Playhouse, the
theatre's volunteer support group. Today she is the current President
of this group, which is made up of 400 dedicated members.
•SHELDON EPPS
Earlier this month, Sheldon Epps completed 18 years as Artistic
Director of The Pasadena Playhouse. And what a difference he has
made in that time. Today, The Playhouse is a leader among regional
theatres in the country, known for productions of artistic excellence,
both critical and box office success and highly praised theatrical
diversity.
•ELLEN BAILEY
Ellen Bailey, our honoree at today's 27th Annual F.R.E.D. {Friends
Recognition of Entertaining Drama) Awards is quite a lady .. . an
actress, director, teacher, Founder of the Friends of The Pasadena
Playhouse, as well as initiator of the FRED Awards and the Volunteer
Recognition Luncheon, she is also a long time archivist and tour
coordinator. Ellen graduated from the Pasadena College of Theatre
Arts with honors and has had a lifetime love affair with it ever since.
•SALLY STRUTHERS
Sally Struthers, an alumna of the Pasadena Playhouse College of
Theatre Arts, is the recipient of our first ever "Friends' Family
Award". During the years following her graduation from The
Playhouse, throughout all of her successes, among them TV's "ALL
IN THE F AMILY", "9 TO 5"; films "FIVE EASY PIECES", "THE GETAWAY";
Broadway's in Wal(y's Cqfi, Annie, Mame, at the Ogunquit in Nice
Work jf You Can Get It, Sally kept in close touch with a favorite
teacher, •Ellen Bailey, to whom this year's FRED Awards are
dedicated ... theirs is a mutual admiration society.
"DAVID GALLIGAN
David Galligan, FRED Award winning director of •Lettice & Lovage,
recently directed ·sally Struthers in Alwqys . . . Patsy Cline at the
Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. And later this month he will be at
Hollywood's Gardenia Lounge, directing ·carole Cook in her onewoman show. Among his many honors, David has received the Los
Angeles State Alliance Ovation Lifetime Achievement Award and has
produced and directed the SOUTHLAND THEATRE ARTISTS GOODWILL EVENT
for the past 31 years, the longest running AIDS benefit in the world.
DEVIN KELLY
Devin is a singer, songwriter and violinist trained at Berklee College
of Music. She was most recently seen on The Pasadena Playhouse
stage in ONE STARRY NIGHT - A BENEFIT TO FIGHT ALS. She has
performed at venues all over Los Angeles, and is thrilled to be back
at the FRED Awards this year.
"FRENCH STEWART
In 2010, a script about his idol, Buster Keaton, was given to French
Stewart as a surprise birthday gift. Four years later, the play
Stoneface, was on the main stage of The Pasadena Playhouse, with
French Stewart making his Playhouse debut. His remarkable
portrayal of Buster Keaton resulted in French receiving the 2014
Favorite Actor FRED Award. The award-winning playwright,
Vanessa Claire Stewart, French's wife is with us today.
JOHNSON
Randy Johnson, a Creator/Writer/Director, is the driving force behind
theatrical stage portraits of such musical icons as Janis Joplin, Elvis
Presley, Conway 1\vitty and Louis Prima and Keely Smith. He is the
original producer of Always . .. Patsy Cline, which under his aegis
became one of the most beloved musicals in this country. At the
Universal Amphitheatre, Randy directed "COMMITMENTTO LlFE" which
raised over seven million dollars for AIDS Project Los Angeles. In
recognition of his work for this group, he was awarded the Crystal
Apple Award. Randy was most recently at The Playhouse directing
A Night With Janis fop/in, and received the 2013 Favorite Show
FRED Award for •one Night With jam's Joplin . He directed both
plays, which are original works of his.
"RANDY
VANESSA CLAIRE STEWART
Among Actress/Playwright Vanessa Claire Stewart's many awards
are the LA Weekly Theatre Award, a Garland and an Ovation Award
for Lead Actress in a Musical for Louis and Kee{y, live at the Sahara,
which she also co-wrote. Stoneface, a birthday gift for French
Stewart, was given the LA Weekly Award for Best Production, and
won French the Favorite Actor FRED Award last year.
CARLA RENATA
Not only is Carla a singer and an actress who has performed both on
and off Broadway, as well as on TV, she is also an avid movie fan.
This interest began at an early age. when she watched TV's "At the
Movies" with Siske! and Ebert. Today, in addition to all of the other
things she is involved with, carta also reviews films and is a co-host
for uon Air With Tony Sweet", an internet radio talk show. carta
made her Playhouse debut in the FRED Award winning show, •Twist.
"ART SILVERI
Art Silveri, the owner of redwhite+bluezz is this year's Special Friend
Award winner. He is originally from New York, but now resides with
his family in Pasadena, where they are active supporters of The
Pasadena Playhouse as well as several other charitable groups. You
will often see Art and Liz hosting groups of friends at our theatre,
reintroducing those who may not have visited The Playhouse for
quite some time, and introducing others who have yet t9 discover
our theatre.
•KRISTEN HAMMACK
Kristen Hammack, last year's Special Friend Award winner, is The
Pasadena Playhouse Producing Associate/Company Manager, and is
in her sixth season at the theatre. She continues her family's
connection to The Playhouse, begun by great grandfather, William R.
Hammack, Sr., who worked at the theatre for 15 years, and would be
the equivalent of today's Technical Director.
*GENO HENDERSON
Geno's talent was apparent at age nine, when he began playing
guitar. From that early start, he went on to become a singer and a
songwriter who toured and appeared with bands all over the country,
not to mention being awarded a Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute
Scholarship. The result of his performance in •Baby It'syou! was the
Favorite Actor FRED Award. Geno later made his Broadway debut in
that same show.
*CHARLIE ROBINSON
Charlie Robinson's FRED Award winning performance in The
Whipping Man was not the first award he has received for this role.
He also won the Best Actor N.A.A.C.P. Theatre Award for his
performance at The Old Globe. You will remember Charlie from his
Playhouse debut in Jitney, in the role of Becker. That performance
earned him a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination.
PAULETTE IVORY
Paulette is one of London's most acclaimed singer/actresses, and has
appeared regularly on the West End Stage, TV and film. She has
performed at The Playhouse in •Baby It's You! and •Purtie.
BECKY LYTHGOE
Becky Lythgoe, a Producer and Casting Director, is part of Lythgoe
Family Productions, instrumental in bringing Panto to America.
Panto, a mix of slapstick humor and classic fairy tales has become a
very popular feature at The Pasadena Playhouse, and a wonderful
way to introduce young people to theatre.
"SHARON LAWRENCE
Sharon Lawrence won the 2014 Favorite Actress FRED Award for
her performance in A Song at Twilight. This very talented lady is a
singer, dancer and a producer as well as an accomplished actress.
Sharon has performed on Broadway, TV movies and series, and is a
three time Primetime Emmy Award nominee for her performance in
"NYPD BLUE".
•AoAM WYLIE
At the age of eight, Adam had already done a toy commercial, four
years earlier, and was on a TV series ... "PlcKET FENCES". A year
later, voice-over work was added to his resume. Today, Adam is a
singer, stage, film and TV actor, as well as an award-winning,
magician - two from The Magic Castle. He is the voice of Peter Pan
on "JAKE AND THE NEVER LAND PIRATES" , and was recently on TV's
"CASTLE". His performance in 110 in the Shade resulted in Adam
winning the Favorite Actor FRED Award.
RICHARD ALLEN
Richard Allen, a multi-talented performer, is a composer, arranger
and conductor, as well as a magician at The Magic Castle. He most
recently orchestrated the music for the world premiere of PAZZAZZ
The Musical, with music and lyrics by legendary Disney composer
Richard M. Sherman, and just returned from conducting the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studio with Mr. Sherman.
They are working on an all new Sherman Brothers recording. Earlier
this year, at The Playhouse, Richard was the musical director,
conductor and arranger fo r the 2nd annual ALS show, "ONESTARRY
N1GHT". Married in July, Richard is here with his beautiful bride Ellie.
•yVEITE CASON
For her performance in ·sfsterella, Yvette Cason won both the
Favorite Actress FRED Award and an ·N.A.A.C.P. Theatre Award, but
since then, she has been on our stage six more times, most recently
in A Night With Janis Joplin. Yvette was also in the Broadway and
International Tour of Dreamgirls, as well as the film of the same
name. Not long ago, Yvette's reprise performance of Ella the Musical,
resulted in sold out shows at Walnut Creek's Center REP Theatre.
KACEE CLANTON
Kacee Clanton recently made her Pasadena Playhouse debut in A
Night With Janis fop/in , which she also performed in on Broadway,
at The Lyceum Theatre. She has worked in film, and on TV, and
Kacee also toured as a vocalist with Joe Cocker, Luis Miguel, and Big
Brother and the Holding Company.
SHARON CATHERINE BROWN
Sharon catherine Brown is an actress, singer, dancer and writer. She
was on Broadway in Dreamgirls and was also in that show's touring
production for which she received a Helen Hayes Award nomination
for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Non-Resident Production. You will
remember Sharon from her performance in Crowns, as well as A
Night With Janis Joplin. Sharon was the Blues Singer who held a
note for what seemed like 15 minutes!
SEEMA SUEKO
Seema Sueko, Pasadena Playhouse Associate Artistic Director since
January 2014, is a study in perpetual motion, and certainly would
have had Rome built in a day had she been there. Seema was
previously the Executive Artistic Director of San Diego's Mo'olelo
Performing Arts Company which she also co-founded. Currently, she
is directing our main stage production of Real Women Have Curves.
}OHN RANDALL
John Randall, our Musical Director/Pianist was also the pianist and
conductor for "AMERICAN looL" Top Te n fmalists, including some of
their performances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He is an
actor, and a singer, and has performed on Broadway, national tours,
at regional theatres, and on TV as a pianist on episodes of "NCIS"
and "HousE MD" among others. John was the Assistant/Conductor
for the FRED Award winning show ·Mask.
Ross CLARK
Ross Clark, today's videographer, is the director of The Pasadena
Civic Ballet's Musical Theatre Progra m and an alumnus of The
Pasadena . Playhouse College of Theatre Arts. This December's
Christmas program is Coal Miner's Christmas, A Mountaineer's Carol.
The young performers in these programs are poised and skilled
beyond their years, and together with Ross' lyrical adaptations and
direction create an unforgettable theatrical experience. Ross
continues to provide invaluable assistance by helping to computerize
all of The Playhouse Archives, which is one of Ellen Bailey's goals.
'Denotes FRED Award winner
PJik11<.h !/t?JJ;; ~Jarle11a rf11~Ao11Je
Board of Directors
President - Lenore Bond Almanzar
1st Vice President - Sue Haynie-Horn
2nd Vice President - Nancy Ashcraft
Treasurer - Yvonne Lai
Recording Secretary - Sharon Zaslaw
Corresponding Secretary - Jayne Thomas
Archives - Ellen Bailey
Historian - Grace Woo
Hospitality - Eugenia Amodei
Membership - Patrick Oliva
Merchandise Table - Beverly Meissner, Betty Parnell
Newsletter - Bonnie Davis
Office Help - Doris Arima
Promotions - Fran Olson
-Public Relations - Jerri Faust
Ushers - Shirley Miller, Virginia Browning
Volunteer Hours - Natalya Pashkova
Web Site - Patti La Marr
Members-at-Large - Monty Basile & Carolyn Di Pane
Endowment Committee
Lenore Almanzar, Nancy Ashcraft,
Sue Haynie-Hom , Yvonne Lai
Advisory Committee
(Past Presidents)
Lenore Almanzar, Nancy Ashcraft, Ellen Bailey
Sue Haynie-Hom, Betty Jean Morris, Marilyn Stutenroth
?J7F
.
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have been underwn·tten by the generosity ef:
Christine Allen
Lenore Almanzar (Remembering Ruthe Kilburn and Frank Borbon)
Monty Basile
Ross Clark
Carolyn & Tom Di Pane (for Paige Anne)
Carol Bond Fiore
Rae Gaeta
Linda Griffey
Marcia Hanford
Sue Haynie-Hom (Remembering Ruthe Kilburn and Frank Borbon)
Lillias Krezel
Patti La Marr
David Lee
Jo Ann Lee
Beverly Meissner
Kathy Leggitt
Diane Schultheis
Sheila Grether-Marion
Patrick Oliva (Remembering Ruthe Kilburn and Frank Borbon)
Kathy Arntzen Roat
Jean Shiner & Employees of Sprouts (Remembering Frank Borbon)
Art Silveri and Family
Marilynn Steinberg
Jayne Thomas
Alan and Barbara Wann
Farryl Weitzman
Grace Woo
Alisa Yingling
Sharon Zaslaw
ch,%l1cl{J)J;;.,natknl6
Karen Bagnard
Cheshire Engineering
Tom Di Pane
<if})e.eial Phie11dJ tit l'Ott,jh tlte <fjftal'J
1990 Chip Washabaugh
2003 Brian Colburn
1991 Doug Senior
2004 Jayson Raitt
1992 Peggy Ebright
2005 Lesley Brander
1993 Mickey Houk
2006 Gay Iris Parker
1994 Joel Sheldon
2007 Dan Healey
1995 Frank Ferrante
2008 Kathy Arntzen Roat
1996 Lars Hansen
1997 Albert Lowe
1998 Joyce Heiman
1999 Ralph Weeks
2000 I.Jrla White
2001 Abel Ramirez
2002 Steve Vinovich
2009 Sheldon Epps
2010-2011 David Galligan
2012 Joe Witt
2013 Sheila Grether-Marion
2014 Kristen Hammack
2015 Art Silveri
1997 Gary Wissmann
Technical Director
2000 Beverly Bishop
Wardrobe Supervisor
2005 Sheldon Epps
Artistic Director
2013 John Iacovelli
Scenic Designer
~ % a1'rl {5).f{;11el'J
2012 ·Roger Bart, •Michael O'Keefe & ·Bradley Whitford
P/:endJ '!!J:;;ntifj %
a"d ~te~
2015 ·sally Struthers
~&!Ji;a/rcl ~lerr:J
198 7 - 2 0 15
Year - Favorite Show or Musical/Director
Favorite Actress - Play Favorite Actor - Play
1987-88 - Bom YesterdaylDoN
R EBECCA DEMoRNAY -
Born Yesterdcry
.AMENDOLIA
DAVID SCHRAMM -
1988-89 - Steel Magnolias/PAM
K RISTEN l..oWMAN
-Boys Next Door
Born Yesterdcry
B ERLIN
Stepping Out
D oN A MENDOLIA -
1989-90 - Groucho, A Lffe in Review/ARTHUR MARx
F RANK FERRANTE
}OD! B ENSON
Groucho, A Ljfe in Review
Flora, the Red Menace
1990-91 - You Never Know/PAUL
M EGAN MULLALLY -
You Never Know
KEVIN CONWAY -
LAZARUS
Other People's Money
1991-92 - Forever Plaid/STUART Ross
ANNE DESALVO - L e n d M e
a T enor
Stacy K each - Solitary Confinemen t
1992-93 - The 'JWilight of The Golds/TOM ALDERMAN
N ANCY D USSAULT -
Alone Together
RAPHAEL SBARGE
-The 'IWilight qf the Golds
1993-94 - A runa Christmas/ED HowARD
CAROLINE M cW1LL1AMS -
Special Occasions
STEVE V 1NOV1CH -
1994-95 - Radio Gals/ALAN
CAROLE CooK -
The Lion in Winter
The Foreigner
BAILEY
T OM T ROUPE -
The Lion in Winter
1995-96 - SisterellalLARRY HART
Y VETTE CASON -
Sisterella
RALPH CoLE, JR -
Sisterella
1996-97 - Lettice & LovagelDAVID GALLIGAN
}ANE CARR -
Lettice & Lovage
DAVID N oRONA -
1fn Pan Alley Rag
1998 - The Old Settler/SHELDON EPPS
CCH POUNDER - The Old Settler
STAN CHANDLER •
On{y a Kingdom
1999 - Pl'fY On/ SHELDON EPPS
NATALIE VENETIA B ELCON -
Plqy On
H AROLD GoutD -
Visiting Mr. Green
2000 - The Glass Menagerie/ ANDREW J R O BINSON
S usAN SULLIVAN -
The Glass Menagene
The Good Doctor
H ARRY G ROENER -
2001 - Do I Hear a Waltz?A>AVID L EE
M ARE W 1NNtNGHAM -
Side Man
HAL H OLBROOK -
A UJe in the Theaue
2002 - Plaid 1ldings/STUART Ross
EVE R OBERTS -
The Waver{y Gallery
ROBERT PICARDO -
A Class Act
2003 - Looking over the President's Shoulder/
}AMES STILL
JANE CARR
) OHN H ENRY R EDWOOD
Noises Qff
Looking Over the President's Shoulder
2004 - Enchanted Aprll!M1CHAEL WILSO N
N ANCY B ELL -
Enchanted April
L INDA H UNT -
Doubt
A DAM W YLIE -
110 in the Shade
2005 - Purlie/SHELDON EPPS
JACQUES
C.
Purlie
SMITH -
2006 - Sister Act, the Musical/PETER S CH NEIDER
OAWNN L EWIS -
Sister Act, the Musical
LAURENCE F ISHBURNE -
2007 - Can-CanlDAvm
M ICHELLE D UFFY -
Can-Can
Fences
L EE
KEVIN EARLEY - Can-Can
2008 - Mask/RICHARD MALTBY, JR
VALERIE H ARPER -
Looped
ALLEN E . READ -
Mask
2009
Musical
Baby it's You!IFLOYD MUTRUX
L ESLIE U GGAMS - Stormy Weather
GENO H ENDERSON - Baby it's You!
Play
The Little Foxes/DAMA.so
Jo B ETH WILLIAMS -
The Night Is A Child
RODRIGUEZ
STEVE V1Nov1cH -
The Little Foxes
2010 - 2011
1Wist!DEBBIE ALLEN
D IANE DELANO -
TWist
HERSHEY F ELDER -
George Gershwin Alone
2012
The Heiress/DAMA.so
H EATHER
ToM - The Heiress
RODRIGUEZ
RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN -
The Heiress
2013
Musical
One Night With Janis fop/in/RANDY }oHNsoN
MARY B RIDGET DAVIES
} OE WEST
One Night With fan is f oplin
Sleepless in Seattle the Musical
Play
Fallen Angels!ART MANKE
KATIE MAcN 1cHOL -
Fallen Angels
H AL L 1NOEN -
Under My Skin
2014
Play
12 Angry Men/SHELDON
EPPS
SHARON LAWRENCE
F RENCH STEWART
A Song at TWilight
Stoneface
2015
Play
Waterfall/TAK VtRAVAN
M ERLE DANDRIDGE
Kiss Me, Kate
CHARLIE Ro81NSON
The Whipping Man
Co-Chairs:
L ENORE ALMANZAR
CAROLYN 01 PANE
PATRICK OLIVA
Committee:
EUGENIA AMODEI
KAREN 8AGNARD
MONTY BASILE
Ross CLARK
AUDREY DAILEY
B ONNIE 0AV1S
YVONNE LAI
PArn LAMARR
MARIE MANSOLF
BARBARA W ATSON
FRIENDS
OF THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE
Cover art by
KAREN BAGNARD