presents

Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PMSundays at 2:00 PM

A Nice FamilyChristmas

By Phil OlsonDirected by Doug Engalla

November 4, 2016 - December 18, 2016

The Lonny Chapman Theatre10900 Burbank Boulevard

North Hollywood, CA 91601818-763-5990

www.thegrouprep.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORSBert Emmett, President

Marc Singer, 1st Vice-presidentLloyd Pedersen, 2nd Vice-president

Alternate: Jack CsengerCommunity Liaison: Kevin Dobson

CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Larry Eisenberg

CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Chris Winfield

F. Murray AbrahamEd AsnerBruce DavisonSalome JensMark Rydell

ARTISTIC ADVISORY BOARDLou Antonio

Barbara BainFlorence Henderson

Martin Landau

HOUSE STAFF

Treasurer/Bookkeeper.....................................................................................Lloyd PedersenDues Coordinator.................................................................................................Lareen FayeSocial Secretary................................................................................................Renee GorseyNew Member Coordinators.................................................................................Patrick BurkeNew Projects.........................................................................................................Alyson York Host Coordinator.................................................................................................Katelyn ClarkMaintenance Coordinator....................................................................................Edgar MastinHospitality....................................................................................................Sandra CusimanoElectrician.....................................................................................................Robert McCollumMaster Carpenter...............................................................................................Chris WinfieldTicketing & Reservations..................................................................Julie Davis, Cathy TomlinPhotographers.............................................................................Drina Durazo, Doug EngallaProduction Assistant Coordinator........................................................................Drina Durazo

CONSULTANT STAFF

Graphics.............................................................................................................Doug HavertySocial Networks..................................................................................................Drina DurazoPublic Relations.................................................................................................Nora FeldmanWeb Design....................................................................................................Larry Eisenberg

ARTISTIC COUNCIL

Doug Haverty Drina Durazo Gwen Van Dam Lloyd Pedersen

presents

A Nice Family Christmas

By Phil Olson

DIRECTORDoug Engalla

PRODUCER FOR THE GROUP REPAlyson York

ASSISTANT DIRECTORNatalia Santamaria

SET DESIGNChris Winfield

LIGHT DESIGNJ. Kent Inasy

SOUND DESIGNSteve Shaw

MARKETING Cynthia Howe

PUBLIC RELATIONSNora Feldman

GRAPHIC DESIGNDoug Haverty +

Art & Soul DesignPROGRAMAlyson York

presentsA Nice Family Christmas

By Phil Olson

CAST

Carl………........…….……..…..Greg D. BarnettMichael……….........…….…….…Patrick BurkeStacey…………..….…….…..Truett jean ButlerUncle Bob………............………….Fox CarneyJill………....…......…………….Rebekah Dunn*Mom………..…........…………..Belinda HowellGrandma……….......……….......Marcia Rodd*

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the Union of Professional Actors and

Stage Managers in the United States of America.

Time and Place:Christmas Eve in the living room of Mom’s condominium

in a suburb of Minneapolis

ACT IEarly evening.

15-minute Intermission

ACT IIThirty seconds later.

The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited!

PLAYERS DIRECTORY

GREG D. BARNETT (Carl): Originally from Salt Lake City, Greg has been living and working in LA for the last six years. He has been seen on TV in “Raising Hope,” “Pretty Little Liars,” and “Jennifer Falls,” along with numerous commer-cials. Stage credits include Man In the Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone, Algernon in The Impor-tance of Being Earnest and Aarvid in the world pre-miere of Phil Olson’s Don’t Hug Me, I’m Pregnant.

PATRICK BURKE (Michael): Patrick trained at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. On stage at the Group Rep: Miscon-ceptions, A Christmas Carol, Inspecting Carol, Sherlock’s Last Case, Hotel Para-diso, Awake And Sing, Boeing Boeing, Don’t Dress For Dinner and most recently That Lovin’ Feelin’. Other favorite theatre credits at other venues in-clude The Nerd, Annie, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, J.C. Superstar, Grease,

and Godspell. Patrick serves as the Group’s New Members Coordinator.

TRUETT JEAN BUTLER (Stacy): Truett first ap-peared on GRT’s main stage in the world premiere of Don’t Hug Me, We’re Married as Bernice. Some other favorite roles include Claire in Fuddy Meers, Phantom in The Rocky Horror Show, The Dom-inatrix in The Vagina Monologues and Elaine in Arsenic and Old Lace. Truett enjoys improv, drink-ing wine and making people laugh, preferably at the same time. Thanks to her family and friends

for their endless support. www.TruettJeanButler.com IG: @Punny_Girls

FOX CARNEY (Uncle Bob): Following a bul-ly performance as Teddy Brewster in the GRT’s production of Arsenic and Old Lace, Fox has performed in their productions of Comic Poten-tial, The Sound of Murder, Inspecting Carol, Mis-conceptions, And Then There Were None, and their critically acclaimed presentation of A Walk in the Woods. Fox has also performed in produc-tions of Me Too, Then and The Real Thing. He

dedicates his performances to his parents and to his family.

PLAYERS DIRECTORY, cont’d

REBEKAH DUNN (Jill): Rebekah was in all the original “Hug”s except the 3rd. She’s worked with many companies including Festival Stratford! at the American Shakespeare Theatre and Thea-tricum. Favorite Shakespeare roles: Rosalind, Ophelia, Titania, Helena, Olivia, Ariel, Rosaline and The Shrew. Her company Much Ado About Shakespeare, LLC is now in its 16th year. Training: NCSA and IOWest (alumn). SAG and AEA since

2001. She dedicates this premiere to her dad Norman Alan Brown~RIP.

BELINDA HOWELL (Mom): Belinda played Ma-rie in GRT’s 42nd season-finale, Calendar Girls. Other favorite roles include Phyllis Riggs, a high-strung Manhattan therapist in Woody Allen’s Central Park West, Betty Meeks in The Foreigner, Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn in The Music Man, and Helen, a well-intentioned social worker buried alive in Prob-lem Child. Originally from LA, Belinda has lived on both West and East Coasts, and co-founded

a theatre group on each. She received her MFA in Acting from CalArts.

MARCIA RODD (Grandma): Broadway de-but in Oh What A lovely War!, created role of Olivia in “Your Own Thing,” originated role of Bobbi Michelle in Neil Simon’s Last of The Red Hot Lovers, received a Tony nomination for her starring role in the Cryer/Ford musical Shelter. In LA: Golde in Fiddler On The Roof at the Dorothy Chandler and in both its 25th and 30th Anniversary Tours. Spent the last 35

years working in theaters and on TV throughout the LA area.

PRODUCTION TEAM

PHIL OLSON (Playwright) has written 14 published plays that have had over 350 productions around the world. A Nice Family Christmas will be Phil’s 9th play published by Samuel French. The others include A Nice Family Gathering, Mom’s Gift, Don’t Hug Me, A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol, A Don’t Hug Me County Fair, Don’t Hug Me I’m Pregnant, Don’t Hug Me We’re Married, and Polyester The Musical. Phil has also sold two screenplays and script doctored three screenplays that were pro-duced. www.PhilOlson.com

DOUG ENGALLA (Director) began his association with Playwright Phil Olson in 1997. Since then, Doug co-produced Phil's A Nice Family Gath-ering in 2000, and has been involved in most of the Don't Hug Me World Premiere productions.This year, he directed the Group Rep's second re-vival of A Nice Family Gathering, with an African-American cast. Doug's other directorial projects included Arsenic and Old Lace, Harvey, Caller I.D., and Can I Give You A Lift? During the day, Doug is a "gate keeper" of 90+ years of the Walt Disney Studio's animation art legacy. This show is dedicated, as always, to akin mahal.

ALYSON YORK (Producer) directed Edward Albee’s play The Ameri-can Dream at The Group Rep last year. In addition to directing Alyson is also an actress; some of her favorite productions include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Uncle Vanya. Alyson received the prestigious Audience Performance Award for the play Little Comedy, and was in the staged reading of Nobody's Home (winner of the summer playwright’s festival at The Road Theatre). Recently she fin-ished the run of The Nine Winning One Acts upstairs at The Group Rep.

NATALIA SANTAMARIA (Assistant Director) is excited to be the as-sistant director for A Nice Family Christmas. She’s appeared in various commercials, independent films, and was previously in The Group Rep’s main stage production of A Streetcar Named Desire, as well as the first show produced Upstairs at The Group Rep, Another Antigone. Other theater credits include Anita in West Side Story where she won an Abby Award for Best Actress, Dolores in Working, and Jackie in Hay Fever.

STEVE SHAW (Sound Design): Steve’s sound design work has been heard from LA to New York to Idaho. He is a GRT member and most recently designed Calendar Girls, Bach at Leipzig, That Lovin’ Feelin’, Lombardi, and Tiger by the Tail. Also an actor and a writer, he was most recently Reverend Tooker in the GRT’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and his short play, Caller ID, was part of our 2015 Putting on Your Shorts! festi-val.

PRODUCTION TEAM, cont’d

CHRIS WINFIELD (Set Design) has been a member of GRT for 30 years, and has appeared in over 30 productions, most recently as Fasch in Bach at Leipzig, Dad in Phil Olson’s Mom’s Gift, various roles in Hotel Paradiso, as Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock’s Last Case, and as George Hay in Moon Over Buffalo. Film and TV credits include “Firefox,” “MASH,” “Baywatch,” “The Nanny,” and “Eli Stone.” He designs and builds most of the GRT sets and is the Co-Artistic Director of the company.

J KENT INASY (Light Design) is a multi-award recipient for his work in LA theater. Recent GRT credits include Calendar Girls, The Armadillo Necktie, Bach at Leipzig, That Lovin’ Feelin’, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Love Again, The Ghost of Gershwin, and The Paris Letter, to name a few. J. Kent has designed major productions in theaters across the U.S. and Canada.

JORDAN HOXSIE (Stage Manager) previously worked as Stage Man-ager for Calendar Girls (GRT), Sound Board Operator for Moonchildren (NoHo Arts Center), and Light Board Operator for The Shoplifters (Victory Theatre Center). Jordan is the founder of the independent press Varsity Goth, the Social Media Editor for the literary magazine “Reality Beach,” and a poet, with numerous work published online and in print.

ALYSON YORK (Costume Consultant) See above.

NORA FELDMAN (Public Relations) is on staff at The Group Rep and Actors Forum Theatre. She has publicized numerous theatre productions, and events such as World Championships of the Performing Arts and Experience NoHo 2011. Nora has also served as producer of the theatre component for the NoHo Theatre & Arts Festival, NoHo Scene, and Expe-rience NoHo. Nora is married to actor Steve Peterson.

The Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre is a “members-only” equity-waiver company of Actors, Playwrights and Directors. It has been in continuous operation for 37 years and has produced more than 180 productions, including 44 World Premieres. The Group Rep provides three rehearsal spacesand, in addition to a full season of mainstage productions, encouencourages its members to develop workshops projects forpublic presentation.

The Group Repertory Theatre10900 Burbank BoulevardNorth Hollywood, CA 91601Attn: Membership Committee

We are looking to expand our Acting Company and invite submissions to:

DIRECTOR’S NOTES

I’m grateful and pleased to be directing my sixth full-length production here at The Group Rep, and to work once again with playwright and colleague, Phil Olson. Many thanks to Phil, Co-Artistic Directors Larry Eisenberg and Chris Winfield, the Board of Directors at The Group Rep, the Cast, Aly, Natalia, Jordan, and members of the Company for their unconditional love and support.

This play came along at an interesting time for me personally, because this year, my Mom celebrated a milestone birthday. And, like Mom in A Nice Family Christmas, my own Mom has faced her share of challenges, and who also ultimately wants our family to be happy together, which would give Mom a sense of serenity in an uncertain future, especially as we advance in our age. When I recently asked my Mom if there were anything she wanted our family to remember, she simply said, “Just be good to each other, take care of each other, and love each other, always.”

In addition to finding the play entertaining, I hope you’ll come away knowing that in this sometimes fractured and fraught holiday season, we all have a kind of family to which we belong, whether they’re related directly or who feel like family in our hearts. And, after the show, when you return to your loved ones, give them a hug, and tell them how much they’re loved and appreciated.

A Nice Family Christmas is dedicated to my mom, Cordelia Bautista; whom I love and appreciate daily. Thank you for my life, Mom.

And, lest I forget, I hope you and yours have a wonderful and memo-rable Holiday Season, in every diverse and joyful manner in which it is celebrated.

Peace!

ADDITIONAL CREDITS & SPECIAL THANKSSamuel French Publishers, Shira Dubrovner and the Mammoth Lakes

Repertory Theatre, Theatre 29, the St. Croix Off Broadway Dinner The-atre, The Webster City Community Theatre, the Pequot Lakes Com-

munity Theatre, BUMPS, the Friendly Valley Little Theatre, Playmakers Theatre, Vista’s Broadway Theatre, Pell City Players, the Midland

Community Theatre, the Henry Players, Doug Haverty, Ross Young, Nancy Howland, Angela Engalla, Jane Glicksman, Tracy Ann Leach,

Arye Gross.

AUTHOR’S NOTESI’m a big fan of quirky, small cast musicals, especially those that have a regional flavor to them, and that is why I write my Don’t Hug Me musical comedies with my brother, Paul.

Once in awhile, however, I take a break from the Don’t Hug Me musicals and write something from the heart. I tend to write what I know, and I know about growing up in an emotionally reserved Scandinavian house-hold in Minnesota. The closest we came to hugging was that awkward, arm’s length, pat on the shoulders hug. My father would tell us he was the Norwegian who loved his wife so much, he almost told her.

I wrote the play, A Nice Family Gathering, after my dad passed away. It was a very personal story for me. Since its world premiere in 2000, A Nice Family Gathering has played in over 120 cities around the world and has been optioned to be made into a movie. I had no idea that the play would resonate with so many people.

Because of its success, I wrote A Nice Family Christmas. It’s the same family as A Nice Family Gathering, but two years later at Christmas. I’m not sure I would call it a sequel because it’s a stand alone story. You don’t have to see the first one to enjoy the second one. I did 11 readings of A Nice Family Christmas around the country, which is more readings and rewrites than I usually do. It paid off because the play came in First Place in the McLaren Comedy Festival, and came in second place (out of 125 plays) in the Robert J. Pickering Award for Playwriting Excel-lence. Another first for me, A Nice Family Christmas will open in eight cities this year, with the Group Rep Theatre being the world premiere.

I don’t want to say that A Nice Family Christmas is about my family, because that would just get me in trouble. I will say that those who know my family can tell you the real names of all the characters.

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THE VISIT

byFriedrich Durrenmatt

starringSALOME JENS

ABOUT THE COMPANY

The acting company began in May 1973 with a rag-tag group of 12 ac-tors performing scenes for audienc-es in a Laundromat--turned 36-seat theatre on Van Ness Boulevard. When Lonny Chapman first entered that theatre, the magic began. Here was an Artistic Direc-tor searching for a theatre and a theatre company searching for an artistic direc-tor. The match was perfect and The Group Repertory Theatre was born with Lonny Chapman at the helm. The first show, Round Dance, an adaptation of Schnitzler’s La Ronde, was an immediate hit, and The Group Rep was on its way. By 1974, with the growth in the number of produc-tions and additional company mem-bers, as well as having acquired its professional status with Equity, Chap-man suggested that a bigger space was needed. A new 58-seat venue was rented on Magnolia Blvd., which began play-ing to sold-out houses. The Group Rep’s growth and success required yet a larger venue. In 1980, Chap-man se-cured the current Burbank and Vineland location, which was renovated into its present 90-seat configuration. The Company honored Mr. Chap-man in 1999 with a naming cere-mony, mak-ing the theatre officially The Lonny Chapman Theatre. He continued to serve as the Compa-ny’s Artistic Director until his death in 2007. Lonny Chapman’s artistic vi-sion for the Company spanned more than three decades. The Group Rep is a permanent Com-pany of actors, directors, writers and technicians. The Company has

produced over 300 shows, including dozens of World Premieres. We now have over 80 active Company members, from those with notable careers to those building new careers. The Company has been home to un-told numbers - many of whom con-tinue to enjoy successful careers in the entertainment industry today. The Group Rep looks forward to welcoming new, passionate artists to its distinguished roster. In addition to professional stage productions, The Group Rep gives back to the community with its Annual Foster/Cancer Children’s Holiday Party. Its Par-ticipating Actor and Technical Associates (PATA) program provides internship opportunities for aspiring artists in the creative and technical fields. Past gradu-ates of The Group Rep’s PATA program include such notables as Sean Penn and Jennifer Tilly. In June of 2010, Larry Eisenberg and Chris Winfield were appointed Co-Ar-tistic Directors of the theatre. Both men are long-time members of The Group Rep. They have the experience, passion and creativity to maintain the Company’s exceptional reputation within the Los Angeles Community and to guide it to even greater heights. With you, our audience, we contin-ue to strive to fulfill the vision of Lonny Chapman. His Vision? “Frst to entertain, then to illuminate the human condition, and to never be bor-ing.” The audience, play and actor have equal parts in this exciting venture.

We Welcome You To The Lonny Chapman Theatre

For Many Years To Come!

Anny Linda Alznauer Mannette Antill Mark Atha Robert Axelrod Todd Andrew Ball Robert Benedict Michele Bernath Van Boudreaux Andrew BrennanBarbara Brownell Cynthia Bryant Patrick Burke Kent Butler Truett Jean Butler Paul Cady Christina Carson Katelyn Clark Roslyn Cohn Stephanie Colet Jack Csenger Sandra Cusimano Antonia CzingerJulie DavisKevin Dobson Drina Durazo Larry Eisenberg Bert Emmett Doug Engalla Lareen Faye Diane Frank Rich Fullman Robert Gallo Pascale Gigon Renee Gorsey Doug Haverty Cynthia HoweBelinda HowellJenny Sue Johnson Devin Juleff

Jennifer Laks Morgan LauffSuzy London Brenden MacDonald Larry MargoEdgar Mastin Hisato MasuyamaStan Mazin Robert McCollum Lisa McGee-Mann Bruce Nehlsen Sheila OaksPhil Olson Mikel Parraga-WillsLloyd Pedersen Lauren Peterson Tom Regan Michael Robb Colette Rosario Sean RoseJudy Rosenfeld Mike SabatinoKyra Schwartz Loraine Shields Art Shulman Marc Singer Phoebe SingerPatrick Skelton J. Christopher SloanSuzan SolomonSilke SorensonIan Stanley Charlotte TaschenDebi Tinsley Vesna Tolomanoska Cathy TomlinGwen Van DamJustine VisoneSteven West Troy Whitaker

Chris Winfield Janet Wood Marcia Woodridge Alyson York John William Young

Technical AssistantsChristian Ackerman Irene ChapmanCheryl CroslandShira Dubrovner Judith E. Nora FeldmanElliott GoldwagDiana MartinLiz Nankin Steve Shaw Richard Woody

PA Program MembersCeirra BurtonTimm DamianoJames Guinn LizAnne KeigleyJennifer Ross Ted RyanNatalia SantamariaMakena TaylorSteve TerrellElijah Tomlinson

Honorary MembersWilliam ArrigonNora MeerbaumLillian Robinson

Current Group rep MeMbers

 

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Friends Daniel and Roberta Brown, Kent Butler, Victoria Deggs, Luke Euzarraga, Lisa Greenberg, Barbara and Stan Haberman, Linda Hatfield, Doug Hileman, Stephanie Jones, Marjorie and Ellis Katz, Cordell and Janet Krabbenhoft,  Nora Meerbaum, Sheila Oaks (In Memory of William Chapman), Alexandra Orona, Linda Quinn, Gil & Elaine Skopp, Neil Thompson, C. James Wood, Gina Yates