Calaveras Repertory Theatre Presents

Private Lives

Written by Noel Coward
Directed by John Ribovich
October 23rd through November 16th, 2003
 

 Current Season

Featuring
Brian Benston, Melissa Condren,
Jennifer Erdmann, Bill Olson, Sara Trupski

Noel Coward's delightful light-hearted comedy about marriage divorce and remarriage. Fast-paced and witty - full of wicked fun!

Performances
Oct. 23-25 (Th-Sat), Oct. 31 & Nov. 1-2 (Fri-Sun), Nov. 6-8 (Th-Sat), Nov. 14-16 (Fri-Sun)
(Thursdays, Fridays Saturdays at 8:00 PM, Sundays at 2:00 PM).

Performances are at the Samuel Ayer Education Center in Milpitas, 1331 E. Calaveras Blvd. (Calaveras at Highway 680), Milpitas. Fri/Sat tickets are $19.00 general admission, $10.00 for youths/seniors; Thurs/Sun tickets are $14.00 general admission and $8.00 for youths/seniors. Tickets can be reserved in advance by calling (408) 586-8831. To order tickets using a credit card, contact TicketWeb at (510) 601-8932 or www.ticketweb.com. Find out more about Calaveras Repertory Theatre at www.calaverasrep.org.


Program
Cast (in order of appearance)
Melissa Condren Sibyl Chase
Bill Olson Elyot Chase
Brian Benston Victor Prynne
Jennifer Erdmann Amanda Prynne
Sara Trupski Louise

Brian Benston (Victor), in making his Calaveras Rep debut, continues his patented tradition of playing romantic foils, pompous asses, and high-maintenance people. Past assaults on the viewing public have included Sergius in Arms and the Man at the Bus Barn Theatre, Serge in Art at the Palo Alto Players, Niles in Angels Fall at SF City College, and Brian in A Few Gay Men at Venue 9.

Melissa Condren (Sibyl) just returned from London where she played Helena in Midsummer Night's Dream and studied Shakespeare at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her last appearance at Calaveras Rep was as Regan in King Lear. Other performances in the Bay Area include Susannah in Joyful Noise at Bus Barn Stage Company and Sunny in The Last Night of Ballyhoo at California Conservatory Theatre. She will be playing Perdita in The Winter's Tale at Bus Barn in January. Melissa received her BFA in Acting from Brigham Young University.

Jennifer Erdmann (Amanda) was most recently seen as Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Marin Shakespeare Company. Other recent Bay Area credits include: San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Willows Theatre Company, City Lights Theater Company, and the Pear Avenue Theatre. Her favorite roles include Kate in The Taming of the Shrew, Ruth in Table Manners, Corey in Show and Tell, and Andromache in Seneca's Trojan Women. She holds a BA from Cornell University. 

Bill Olson (Elyot) has performed with numerous Bay Area theatres, including TheatreWorks, Marin Shakespeare Company, San Jose Stage Company, Bus Barn Stage Company and City Lights Theatre Company. Some favorite roles include Andrew in I Hate Hamlet, Eugene in Biloxi Blues, Claudio in Much Ado about Nothing, Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Touchstone in As You Like It. Bill also performs regularly with Lunatique Fantastique, the premier Bay Area puppetry troupe, and has written for them, as well. At Calaveras, Bill has played Lucky in Waiting for Godot, and Launcelot Gobbo in Merchant of Venice and particiapted in the Page to Stage school tour. In the coming months Bill will be performing at the Bus Barn Stage Company as Larry in Inspecting Carol, and as Autolycus in The Winter's Tale. Bill is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, and a professional juggler.

Sara Trupski (Louise) was most recently seen playing Beatrice in the California Theatre Center's IIT production of Much Ado About Nothing. Other productions with CTC include: A Little Princess, Jamie 22, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Princess and the Pea, Lost in Hollywood, and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, in which she was also the production assistant. She is thrilled to be making her Calaveras Rep debut in Private Lives.

Production Staff
Assistant Director...................................................... Caela Fujii
Stage Managers......................................................Alan Malloy
Costumes............................................................... Nancy Hills, Rebecca Eagleson
Set Design.............................................................Russ Milligan
Set Construction................................................... R M Productions
Lighting Design.................................................... Nam Nguyen
Sound Design........................................................John Ribovich
House Manager.................................................... Melody Ainsworth
Graphic Design.....................................................Michael Bentley
Props.......................................................................Caela Fujii
Sound Operator................................................... Annie Nguyen
Fight Choreographer..............................................Kit Wilder
Photography.............................................................Linda Svendsen

From the Director
Noel Coward had a remarkable career as a playwright, actor, songwriter, and cabaret singer. Private Lives combines the glamour of a Hollywood movie from the 1930's with the wit and insight of an Oscar Wilde play from the 1890's. Coward's artistic life spanned several generations, and, since his death in 1973, his reputation as the premier comic playwright of the '30's has continued to grow.


John Ribovich (Director) is the founding director of Calaveras Repertory Theatre. He is active in the Bay Area as a director, teacher and writer.

Caela Fujii (Assistant Director/Props Designer) returns for her fourth show at CRT, having stage managed The Merchant of Venice and King Lear and assistant directing True West. She has worked throughout the Bay Area for such companies as San JoseStage, Bus Barn Stage Company, City Lights,TeatroVision, TheatreWorks, California Theatre Center, A.C.T., and most recently stage managed The Countess at Center REPertory Company. Caela is a graduate ofthe University of Southern California.
Produced by Special Arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.


             
                              

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