The Cherry Orchard Program (pdf) - The Pear Avenue Theatre

The Pear Avenue Theatre proudly presentsThe Cherry Orchardby Anton ChekhovNew Translation byMarina BrodskayaDirectorJeanie K. SmithProducerDiane TascaStage ManagerSet DesignJoan Swanson Ron GasparinettiLighting DesignerBrendan AanesSound DesignGordon Smith

Lucinda Dobinson (Dunyasha) is thrilled to be making her Pear AvenueTheatre debut in this wonderful production. She recently wrapped up asummer rep season with Shady Shakespeare Theatre Company, where sheplayed Goneril in King Lear and Diana in Pericles. Favorite roles include Cecilyin The Importance of Being Earnest with Northside Theatre, Lise in Cyrano with City LightsTheatre, and Kate in The Taming of the Shrew, also with Shady Shakespeare. She holds aB.A. in radio, television, film, and theatre and a Master of Arts in media and theatre arts,both from San Jose State University.Ronald Feichtmeir (Epikhodov) is very pleased to be a part of The CherryOrchard. He graduated from UC Santa Cruz and stayed an extra year forpost-undergraduate study in acting in a Theatre Arts Certificate program.Recently he played Hank in Marvin’s Room at the Dragon and Osip (anotherRussian of the serving class) in Gogol’s Government Inspector (Bus Barn).Kevin Hsieh (u/s Trofimov) is excited to be making his third appearance withthe Pear; he was previously seen here in CTRL+ALT+DELETE andMetamorphoses. Some of his recent productions include Yellowjackets atBerkeley Rep and Romeo and Juliet at Palo Alto Players. He has also appearedin productions with theatre Q, Filbert Steps Productions, Dragon, Northside, SiliconValley Moon Festival, Jon Sims Center for the Arts, and Theatre Rice.Jim Johnson (Fiers) has appeared with many Bay Area theatre groupsincluding City Lights, Bus Barn, Renegade Theater Experiment, andDragon Productions. He has appeared at the Pear in Misalliance, Three Sisters,The Way of the World, The Illusion, and Bach at Leipzig.Keith C. Marshall (Yasha/Passer-by) This is Keith’s third trip here to the Pear,as he appeared in Slices 2012 and A Raisin in the Sun. He was recently seen inStanford Summer Theater’s staging of Curse of the Starving Class by Sam Shepardand Renegade Theatre’s Eat the Runt, 9 Circles, and Green Whales. He would liketo thank his family and friends for their support, and milk for giving us a reason toenjoy cereal.Celia Maurice (Charlotta), making her debut at the Pear, is very happy tobe working with Jeanie Smith again (after A Perfect Wedding at Palo AltoPlayers). She trained at the A.C.T. Young Conservatory and at StanfordUniversity and with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse inNew York. She worked off-off Broadway and at Lincoln Center with the New YorkCity Opera. In the Bay Area, Celia has been seen onstage at Berkeley Rep, EastendersRepertory Theatre, San Jose Stage, TheatreFirst, TheatreWorks, Theatre Rhino, andUpon These Boards, among others.Diane Tasca (Liubov) feels a special connection this play about love of homebecause she’s about to move back into her own beloved house, rebuilt from afire. Diane has appeared in numerous other plays at the Pear, including Mrs.Warren’s Profession, No Good Deed, Long Day’s Journey, Night of the Iguana, andBelle of Amherst. Her other recent local appearances have been in Doubt at Bus Barn andWho’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Palo Alto Players. A big thank you to Jeanie and to thecast and production team. And, as always, love to Norm and John.Todd Wright (Pischik) is excited to be back at the Pear, where he waspreviously seen in Bach at Leipzig and Pear Slices 2011. Todd has workedextensively in other South Bay theatres such as Broadway West, Los GatosShakespeare Festival, and Foothill Music Theatre. Some favorite roles includeJuror #3 (12 Angry Men), Long John Silver (Treasure Island), and AlfieDoolittle (My Fair Lady).Brendan Aanes (Lighting Designer) has designed lights and sound for a variety of localproductions at venues including SF Playhouse, Marin Shakespeare, Berkeley Playhouse,Pear Avenue Theatre, Mills College, and more.John Baldwin (Assistant Director) made his directorial debut this summer with Run forYour Wife at Broadway West, so it’s been a great learning experience assisting Jeanie withthis Chekhov classic. He has worked with Jeanie many times as an actor, including thetwo previous Chekhov productions at the Pear (The Seagull and Three Sisters). But thistime around he had the advantage of seeing the entire production from her vantagepoint and not just as an actor doing a single role. He wants to offer his thanks toeveryone involved with this production, but especially the amazing cast, for thisopportunity.Marina Brodskaya (Translator) is a translator, interpreter, and teacher who was bornand raised in Leningrad/St. Petersburg. She now lives in Northern California.Ron Gasparinetti (Scenic Designer) hails from Newark, NJ, but has lived in the Bay Areafor the past 15 years. Currently Ron is the production manager, technical director, andresident scenic designer at City Lights (SJ).. He has been a part of nearly 500productions in his 32-year-long devotion to theatre but is happiest when designingscenery. Some favorite creations: Humble Boy (Dragon), Proof (City Lights) The CleanHouse (Bus Barn) and Metamorphosis (Pear). His work has also been seen at Los AltosYouth Theatre, Shady Shakespeare, 42nd St Moon, and New Conservatory. To checkout more of his work, visit his website at www.TheSetGuy.com.Gordon Smith (Sound Design) has done sound design for several shows at the Pear(Metamorphoses, Hay Fever, Raisin in the Sun, Fifth of July, Angels in America: Part One), as wellas A Streetcar Named Desire for the Dragon. He continues to enjoy learning more aboutthe process of theatre, from casting to opening, and thanks his lovely wife forintroducing him to this world.Jeanie Smith (Director) has directed locally for over ten years, including award-winningproductions of The Seagull, Belle of Amherst, Long Day's Journey into Night, and Metamorphosesat the Pear Avenue Theatre. She is a member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle;writes reviews for Palo Alto Weekly, SJ Metro, and SF Bay Times; holds a PhD. in Drama;and occasionally designs sound. She's thrilled to be directing her third Chekhov play atthe Pear, and thanks the marvelous cast and crew for a fabulous journey.

Donors to the PearRoot$ : $1000 +Anonymous * Arts Council Silicon Valley * Evelyn BeamerNorman Beamer & Diane Tasca * The BootStrap FoundationRobyn & Paul Braverman * The Carter Family Foundation *Catherine Garber * Kathleen Hall & Leslie MurdockSharmon Hilfinger & Luis Trabb Pardo * Richard & Anita InzAnn Kuchins * Roberta Morris & Phil BuchsbaumValerie Pagendarm * Mark & Theresa RowlandJan & Don Schmidek * Silicon Valley Community FoundationAbe & Marian Sofaer * Theatre Bay AreaLloyd Watts * Dr. Thomasyne Lightfoote WilsonBranche$ : $200 - $999Connie Allen & Doug Grieg * Beverley & Lee Altschuler * AnonymousCarol & Ray Bacchetti * Rhoda Bergen * Martin Billik * Robyn &Paul Braverman * Sandy Cademartori * Jean Colby * Jo Ellen EllisDiane Ellsworth * Carol & Ken Emmons * Rebecca Ennals * NancyEnzminger * Genevieve FirestoneOscar & Theda Firschein * Ryan Fong * Tom & Charlene GiannettiSharon Graham * Kurt Gravenhorst * Florence & Franklin HowardBarbara Ingram * Robin Jeffs * Margy KahnTerry & Mauri Kearney * William & Peg Kenney * Coralia KuchinsThe Phil Kurjian Fund * Joan Little & Marty RagnoElizabeth Lowenstein * The Lowney Family FundMargaret Lynch * Rina & Tom Mandey * Elyce Melmon * Robert &Eloise Morgan * Carole & Edward Mullowney * Mary MurphyRoss Nelson * Alan Phinney * Boaz & Aliza Porat Lindi PressBob Purvy * Jo Ann & Doug Rees * Ray & Katherine RenatiVivian Schatz * Martha Seaver * Edna & Dan ShochatJohn D. Stephens * Dana St. George & Gerry GrasPatti & Wally Summers * Gloria Symon * Time-Warner, IncMary Lou Torre * Onnolee & Orlin Trapp * Don & Sylvie WayBarlow Westcott * Mike Wilber * Renee Winick * Adam WisnewskiPear$: $100 - $199Creighton Asato * Anne & Greg Avis * Candice Basham * Roslyn &Arthur Bienenstock * Judith Bishop * Tom & Polly Bredt * Lawrence BreedLouise & Robert Burton * Ariel & Pat Calonne * Louis CaputoMary Carter & Mark Roberts * Harve & Sandra Citrin * Joseph CollettiSusan & Harry Dennis * Charlotte Dickson * Walt Doucett & Sally HayseDave & Ruth Eakin * Emily & Par Edsell * Sharon & Grant Elliot * Kathy &Bruce Fitzgerald * Frank Friedlander * Victor & Beverly Fuchs * Bennett &Joan Gates * Dr. & Mrs. B.D. Gaynor * Adrienne Gillespie * Lynn Gordon &David Simon * Martha & Bob Helseth * Gabrielle Higgins & Bill SteinmetzJeffrey Hungerford * Charlotte Jacobs * Kevin & Melinda Johnson * Christina& Deepak Kamra * Pat Kapowich * Kay Mahon * Terrence McCarthyBrenda Miller * Mary & Thomas Nee * Jim & Barbara Newton * Laura NuhnJill O’Nan * Judy Ousterhout * Natalie & Peter Panfili * Boaz Porat * Alex &Laura Praszker * Frances & Donald Ragno * Jennifer & Donald RagnoBetty & Joe Renati * Tracy & Cynthia Rogers * Gary Rohloff * Antoinette &Dey Rose * Susan Rosenberg * Bill & Sherrean Rundberg * Thomas & NoelRyan * Elaine Sausotte & Michael Keys Hall * Amy Schenone * RebeccaSchenone * Norma Schleunes * Steve Schumann * Christina & MauriceSciammas * Lewis Silver * Laura Stefanski * Maggie Streets * Carol &Douglas Tanner * David & Ondrea Tricaso * Elizabeth Truro & James QuinnLynne Weber * Robert Wenzlau & Julie Jomo * Caryn Huberman YacowitzBlossom$: To $99Josephine Abel * Marlene Anderson * Midori Aogaichi * Shawna BatemanJane Benson * Mitchell Bolen * Gordon & Sharon Bower * Marina BrodskayaMr. & Mrs. Frank Carney * Daryl Carr * Harold Chapman * Judy ChiassonFrank & Lorraine Collins * Dorothy Comstock * Caroline Cooper * David & Anne-Ly Crump-Garay * Jean Cudlip * Nancy Davidson * Allison Davis * Martie DeGutis * Monica Devens * BillDodd * Joseph Durand * Deborah Dutton * Doris Dyen * Nicole & Donald Ellis * Liz ElmsJames & Dorothy Fadiman * Jewel Seehaus Fisher * Ronald Gentile * Jo Gilbert * AdrienneGillespie * Elaine Goldman * Dean GoodmanIrene Grenier * Frances Hancock * Toni Heren * Byron Hubbel * Patricia Hughes * ChristyJerkovich * Jim Johnson * Earl Karn * Siobhan Kenney * Phyllis Koch * Hilda Korner * LisaLaRocca * Ernest Lieberman * Dena McFarland * Kathleen McGeary * Cheryl McNamaraRichard Medugno * Tekla & Eric Nee * Clare NovakDavid Payne * Patricia Peterson * Susan Petit * Jack & Susan Pines * Christine Wills PriceToby Reitman * Lester Roberts * Steven Rock * Diana Roome * Elaine Rossignol * RobertRothrock * Jean Scandlyn * Janine Schenone * Matt Schenone * Ray Schenone * GerrySchoennauer * Allegra Seale * Julia Seiff * Barbara & Skip Shapiro * Myrna Soper * Verna &Robert Spinrad * Nancy Ginsburg Stern * Burton Sukhov * Kevin & Barbara Susco * BeverleyTaylor * Patricia Tyler & Ben Marks * Hava & Oskar Vierny * Sherry Waki * Kristin WalterMarilyn Walter * JoAnn & Bob Will * Lisa Wiseman * Vivie Zau * Irene Zubeck

Pear 2012-13 SeasonThe Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov 9/ 21 – 10/14In Chekhov’s final masterpiece, Mme. Ranevskaya returns home to find herbeloved estate up for auction. Pride, squabbles, and love (always love) intervene.Chekhov called it a comedy—but who’s doing the laughing?The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard 11/2 - 18Meet Henry, a cerebral playwright who adores trashy pop music. When he fallshard for Annie, he discovers that he has no idea who wrote the book of love.Stoppard’s most personal play, witty and heartfelt.Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage 1/11 - 27This prize-winning play was inspired by Nottage’s grandmother, an African-American seamstress who, stitch by stitch, sewed her way out of grindingpoverty. A powerful portrayal of determination and resilience.The Apple Never Falls by Paul Braverman 2/22 – 3/10World PremiereIt’s 1964, and a Strangler stalks a terrified Boston. Frankie Payne, the gin-soakedbut not quite burned-out detective, struggles with toxic family ties and learnsthe hard way that the apple never falls far from the tree.Pear Slices 2013 by The Pear Playwrights Guild 4/5 – 28We congratulate our Pear Playwrights Guild on their tenth Slices. Whatwonderful new confections will they serve up this time? Always a treat, always asurprise—don’t miss the next batch of these short new plays!NEXT UP AT THE PEARThe Real ThingbyTom Stoppard11/2 – 18Meet Henry, a cerebral playwright who adorestrashy pop music. When he falls hard for Annie,Henry discovers that, for all his brilliance(and Top 40 expertise), he never really knewWho Wrote The Book of Love(or Why Fools Fall in Love).Stoppard’s most personal play—witty and heartfelt.Hanging Georgia by Sharmon Hilfinger 5/24 – 6/9Music by Joan McMillenLegendary painter Georgia O’Keeffe and photographer Alfred Stieglitz joinforces in a combustible love story. Created by the BootStrap Theater ensemble(originators of Tell It Slant), this new play marks the Pear’s 75 th production!Superior Donuts by Tracy Letts 6/28 – 7/14Arthur’s a Polish-American former draft resister, as run down as his UptownChicago donut shop. Enter Franco, a young African-American man whodreams of being a writer and making the shop a happening place. Endearingcomedy about the redemptive power of friendship.