Lex-Ham Community Theater and Sweet Charities Theatre Company Present Directed by John Townsend June 20, 21, 22 & June 26, 27, 28, 2008 at the Paul & Sheila Wellstone Center 179 Robie Street East, St. Paul, Minnesota Proceeds benefit the Minnesota Chapter of the National Organization for Women.
WE DON T EXPECT NOW, EVERYONE TO JOIN NOW JUST THE MILLIONS WHO BELIEVE IN WOMEN S RIGHTS Minnesota NOW 550 Rice Street, #102 St. Paul, MN 55103 mnnow@mnnow.org www.mnnow.org June 2008 Thank you for joining us for this performance of State of the Union. I hope that your interest was piqued by the fact that proceeds from the show s run will benefit the Minnesota chapter of the National Organization for Women. If you re simply a fan of excellent community theater here for an entertaining and thought-provoking show, here s a short primer on who we are and what we do. This state s NOW chapter was formed in 1971. Our mission is to take action to bring women into full equality with men. Our members are women and men across the state who support the following core values: 1. ratification of an unamended Equal Rights Amendment 2. repeal of all laws restricting safe, legal abortion 3. protection of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender civil rights 4. eliminating racism 5. freedom from violence 6. opposition to punitive welfare reform In 2008 alone, we were proud co-sponsors of the 35 th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade event that brought former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders to Minneapolis. Our Minnesota Valley chapter organized V-Day Prior Lake featuring two performances of The Vagina Monologues which raised thousands of dollars for a local women s shelter. Our State Conference in April was sponsored by the Fergus Falls Area NOW chapter and brought together activists and historians to discuss the immigration issues that affect small communities. Two of our state board members were re-elected to represent our region in Washington DC on NOW s National Board. This fall will be even more exciting as our Political Action Committee vets candidates for our endorsement, and our members get involved supporting our endorsees campaigns. We welcome you to learn more about us tonight Minnesota NOW volunteers are available to tell you more about membership. In addition, our website has detailed information about our mission, our leadership, and features a calendar of upcoming events. Please give it a visit: www.mnnow.org. We appreciate your support! For equality, Shannon Drury Minnesota NOW President
When we revive a play from decades past, we benefit from what has surfaced since then. Ironically, regarding a play about political underhandedness, today's theater can draw from all kinds of ugly recent examples to get creative juices flowing. On a brighter note, we can also draw from what we've learned about gender. When State of the Union was first produced in late 1945, it was four years before such seminal feminist works as Simone De Beauvoir's The Second Sex, 17 years before Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook, and 18 before Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. Though State of the Union was written by two men, it was with a definite sympathetic eye to protagonist, Mary Matthews. Remember that feminist icon Katherine Hepburn played Mary in the 1948 film version. Indeed, Mary exemplifies a socio-political consciousness that runs wider and deeper than any of the other characters in this predominantly male play. Spike McManus comes close and her husband Grant struggles toward the light, so to speak. But then, so does Mary. However, she does so with deliberate intentionality. She's imperfect but fiercely ethical. She seems to be semiconsciously tempering her tendency toward self-righteousness. Though she has not articulated it as a realized philosophy, Mary's extraordinary depth of understanding is right there in the 1946 Pulitzer Prize-winning text by Russel Crouse and Howard Lindsay. State of the Union is set is 1945, when divorce was rare and stigmatized and courts were prone to rule against women. So it's easy to see why Mary is so outraged and trapped by Grant's infidelity. The notion of an open, non-monogamous marriage was unthinkable or obscene then. Hence, Mary soldiers on in a hailstorm of white male privilege run amok, political ambition, and self-doubt. (The notion of a black or female President would have been laughed at.) It's also the year of troops returning from World War II and women from the factory. It's the dawn of modern Suburbia. Youthful hope, idealism, and exuberance are palpable. The Best Years of Our Lives would become the movie of 1946. The old liberal guard was waning, as is reflected in the play's harsh look at ruthless union boss, John Lewis. The beloved President Franklin Roosevelt had died that spring in his unprecedented fourth term. And but four months later, Harry Truman dropped A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Democrats had ruled for a generation. So there was anxiety in the air as well, if not some guilt and fear for the future. State of the Union also relates to now. Grant dares to ask that both unions and business open their books, just as today there are cries for private government-funded contractors like Blackwater and Halliburton to open their books. Not to mention foreign governments that have perennially received nontransparent U.S. military aid, like Israel and Egypt. When you hear Sam Parrish's lines, consider such contemporary parallels. One of the play's most salient moments is when Mary calls the voting public itself on the carpet. Sure, you can legitimately blame politicians and media, but it's individual voters who must take government into their own hands, no matter how tired or discouraged they may be. They must learn how government works and make time and effort to educate themselves about not just a few, but many complex issues. And reach out to others openly, even if it's outside one's comfort zone. Mary calls us to transcend our mediocrity, to be bigger people than we think we are. -John Townsend DIRECTOR S NOTES SUPPORT MINNESOTA NOW! Name: Address: Email: Phone: City/State/Zip: Please sign me up for Email Action Alerts *Your annual dues include membership in National NOW, Minnesota NOW, and a local chapter if you choose one. Dues: $35 regular annual dues $15-$34 sliding scale is available to any person for any reason. If you cannot afford the minimum requested dues, please contact Minnesota NOW to ask about opportunities to $1000 lifetime membership earn a "Membership by Volunteering" for 10 hours of service. I would like to add an additional contribution of $ at this time. $ Total amount enclosed (make check payable to Minnesota NOW) or authorized to charge (continue below). With my signature below I am authorizing a charge for the total amount indicated above: Visa Exp. Date: Card #: Mastercard Authorized Signature: Please mail this form with your payment to Minnesota NOW, 550 Rice St., #102, St. Paul, MN 55103. STATE OF THE UNION PAGE 3 JUNE 2008
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AMERICAN POLITICS IN THE 1940s The play, State of the Union, opened in New York in November 1945 at a time of great excitement and change in the United States. The wars in Europe and the Pacific had ended earlier that year. Franklin Roosevelt, who had been President since 1933, died in April 1945 raising the very untested and folksy Harry Truman to the Presidency. Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse wrote State of the Union knowing that the audience members of the day would easily understand the references, jokes, and allusions made by the political insiders and activists in the play. To help audiences of 2008 understand a few of those many references, here are a few quick summaries: William Jennings Bryan Bryan was a lawyer, congressman, and the Democratic Party candidate for President in 1896, 1900, and 1904, but lost each time. He was famous during his lifetime as a gifted speaker especially when speaking against alcohol, imperialism, and Darwinism. His Cross of Gold speech during the 1896 Democratic National Convention is often included in the list of great American speeches. Bill Green Green was president of the American Federation of Labor from 1924 to 1952. Frank Hague Hague was the Democratic mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from 1917 to 1947. His administration had a reputation for strong political organization, but also corruption and bribery. John L. Lewis Lewis was the president of the United Mine Workers of America from 1920 to 1960. He was one of the leaders in starting the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Lewis was considered a powerful speaker and was offered (though he declined the offer) the position of Secretary of Labor in the Calvin Coolidge administration. Walter Lippmann Lippmann was a writer, columnist, and presidential advisor for much of the 20th century until his death in 1974. He helped found the New Republic Magazine and wrote the nationally syndicated newspaper column, Today and Tomorrow for the New York Herald-Tribune for decades often on political themes and opposition to Communism. His column eventually won for him two Pulitzer prizes. Phil Murray Murray was the first president of the United Steelworkers of America and the longestserving president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations. He was especially active during World War II with business and government leaders to ensure that unions helped with the increased production demands due to the war. After the war, Murray took the lead on several high profile strikes. Drew Pearson Pearson was a Washington-based investigative reporting columnist whose column Washington Merry-Go-Round" was nationally syndicated. His column took on many of the country s most powerful individuals, including General George Patton and Senator Joseph McCarthy. Westbrook Pegler Pegler was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist for much of the first half of the 20th century. Born in Minneapolis, he moved to Chicago writing for the Tribune. In 1941, he won a Pulitzer Prize for exposing corruption in the Hollywood labor unions. Walter Reuther Reuther was a labor union leader for the United Auto Workers and later for the Congress of Industrial Organizations. He led major successful strikes for union recognition against General Motors in 1940 and Ford in 1941. (Continued on next page) STATE OF THE UNION PAGE 6 JUNE 2008
Harold Stassen Stassen was Governor of Minnesota from 1939 to 1943. In 1940, being viewed as a rising star in the Republican Party, he delivered the keynote address at the 1940 Republican National Convention. Stassen remained active in the Republican party for decades and ran for many political offices, including the Presidency nine times. Herbert Bayard Swope Swope was a reporter during World War I and later editor of the New York World. He was the first recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Reporting in 1917. Wendell Wilkie Wilkie was the Republican s truly dark-horse candidate for President in 1940. Going into the June convention Robert Taft, Arthur Vandenberg, and Thomas E. Dewey were the three front runners, but none of them had enough delegates to get the nomination. Wilkie was an industrialist who had never before run for public office, but had gained national attention by his opposition to some of Roosevelt s New Deal programs which he felt were unfairly competing against private companies. At the Philadelphia convention, there erupted a sudden ground-swell of support including from Minnesota s Harold Stassen for Wilkie, who got the nomination. Wilkie, despite getting the most votes up to that time for a Republican, lost the Presidential election as Roosevelt got his third term. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations The American Federation of Labor (AFL), founded in 1886, was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) started as some unions within the AFL in 1935 as the Committee for Industrial Organization whose mission was to encourage the AFL, which focused on craft-based unions, to organize unions in mass production industries. In 1938, these unions split acrimoniously from the AFL to form a separate rival organization, the CIO. The two organizations fought bitterly until they decided to come together again in 1955 as the combined AFL-CIO. America First Committee The America First Committee was an organization formed in 1940 promoting defending America and opposing entering into World War II. It was a loosely run and highly decentralized organization whose goals attracted a number of businessmen, political figures, and celebrities most notably Charles Lindberg. People active in the organization were often referred to as Isolationists or America Firsters. Book-Cadillac Hotel The Book-Cadillac Hotel, designed by architect Louis Kamper, has long been cited as one of the architectural gems in Detroit. When it opened in 1924, it was the tallest hotel in the world. The hotel fell victim to the Great Depression, changed ownership in the 1930s, and underwent several remodeling projects in hopes of keeping it profitable. Foreign Policy Association The Foreign Policy Association (FPA) is an organization founded in 1923 and is dedicated to inspiring the American public to learn more about the world.. In the 1940s, the FPA begin a series of talks and speeches broadcast over the radio on topics of international affairs. Hatch Act of 1939 The Hatch Act, named for its chief sponsor Senator Carl Hatch of New Mexico, primarily focused on restricting the political activities of Federal employees. The Act was passed to address allegations that Federal employees had misused Works Progress Administration funds during election seasons during the 1930s. An 1940 amendment to the Act set an annual ceiling of $3 million for political parties' campaign expenditures and $5,000 for individual campaign contributions. Information Please Information Please was a radio quiz show that was broadcast from 1938 to 1948. On the show listeners would submit questions to be answered by a panel of celebrities. If the panel was stumped, the listener would win money. One frequent panelist was John Kieran, a sports writer for the New York Times, who was noted for his wit and extensive knowledge in many subject areas. Taft-Hartley Act The legislative act, named for its sponsors, Senator Robert Taft and Representative Fred A. Hartley, Jr., and passed in 1947, greatly restricted the activities of labor unions. The act restricted union strikes and added a list of unfair labor practices on the part of unions. The bill was passed in the environment of a large number of long labor strikes in the 1940s. SPECIAL THANKS Kathy Super St. Paul Public Library Lyngblomsten Center Macalester-Plymouth United Church Saint Paul Academy and Summit School This production has been made through special arrangements with Dramatists Play Service. STATE OF THE UNION PAGE 7 JUNE 2008
Act I Scene 1: The study in James Conover s home in Washington, D.C., 1945. Scene 2: A bedroom in the Conover home. The following evening. Act II The living room of a suite in the Book-Cadillac Hotel, Detroit. Several weeks later. 10-minute intermission Act III Scene 1: The living room of the Matthews apartment in New York. Two weeks later. Scene 2: The same. An hour later. S t a t e o f t h e U n i o n b y R u s s e l C r o u s e a n d H o w a r d L i n d s a y Cast Members Character in play... Actor James Conover... Frank Blomgren Spike McManus... Mark Margolis Katherine Thorndike... Lynne Vannelli Grant Matthews...Stuart Alger Norah...Natalie Westreich Mary Matthews...Sasha Wallach Stevens...Richard Daly Bellman...Dan Dyke Waitress...Shelley Eichenlaub Sam Parrish...Paul McGlynn Swenson...Brian Casey Judge Jefferson Davis Alexander...David Schliep Lulubelle Alexander...Lana Rosario Jenny... Tara Nielson Grace Draper...Natalie Westreich William Hardy...Michael Freier Senator Lauterback...John Eichenlaub Labor Representatives...Tom Kelly, Bob McDonald, Aaron Wlaschlin Reporters...Jeremy Stahl, Dionne King Production Team Director... John Townsend Stage Manager... Tara Nielson Assistant Director/Movement Coach... Jennifer Amaya Set Designer... Dutton Foster Costume Designers... Wendi Johnson, Terri Winter Costumer...Patricia Eaves Props Coordinator...Jennifer Nagel Technical Crew... James Malek, Lindsey Olsen Stage Crew... Kate Willard Producer... Urban Landreman STATE OF THE UNION PAGE 8 JUNE 2008
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CAST AND CREW Stuart Alger (Grant Matthews) Stuart grew up in community theater and, as a Lex-Ham resident, was overjoyed when the Lex-Ham Community Theater was launched. Stuart performed in the Lex-Ham Community Theater's 2000 production of Bullets and Beauties, and the one-acts A Woman Without a Name, Through a Glass Darkly, and Rise and Shine. In 2001, Stuart was a whaler and a sailor in the Como Lakeside Community Theatre's production of Carousel. Most recently, he and his son Jack performed together in the IHM-St. Luke's production of Beauty and the Beast. Stuart is chair of the St. Paul DFL, which has made the role of Grant Matthews particularly challenging. Jennifer Amaya (Movement Coach and Assistant Director) Jennifer returns to Lex-Ham Community Theater in a new role. Previously, she has appeared in three Lex-Ham productions, as a narrator in Beakers, as Maria in The Memorandum and as Anna Paulanski in There's Talk in Town. Jennifer has also recently appeared in Leili Pritchett's show Hidden Yearning at Intermedia Arts and St. Anthony Village Community Theater's production of Fiddler on the Roof. Jennifer would like to thank John Munger for sharing his wisdom in dance, director John Townsend for his generous spirit, infinite knowledge and patience, and her husband for helping her conduct hands-on research on the many drinks mentioned in State of the Union. Frank Blomgren (James Conover) This is the fourth time around at Lex-Ham for Frank, as he circles the bases. He has also appeared with Lakeshore Players, Heritage, Corcoran Park, The Chameleon Theatre Circle, and Sweet Charities. Special thanks to the ever gracious Jen for putting up with his back-to-back shows, and to his daughter, Vanessa, the die hard Democrat for putting up with his Republican characters of late. Brian Casey (Swenson) This is Brian's second production with the Lex-Ham Community Theater. His previous role was that of Gross in The Memorandum. Special thanks to his parents for all the support and for teaching him to think for myself. Richard Daly (Stevens) Richard began acting for and on his 60th birthday. Since then he has appeared in Fools and The Madwoman of Chaillot at Theatre in the Round, There's Talk in Town at Lex-Ham Theater, Next for Wide Variety Theatre and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at Heritage Theater Company. Dan Dyke (Bellman) State of the Union marks Dan's return to the theatre after a two year absence while serving our country in Iraq. Some of his favorite roles include Paul in The Marriage of Bette & Boo, Lucas in The Physician In Spite of Himself, Inspector Craddock in A Murder is Announced, and Sidney Lipton in God's Favorite. State of the Union is Dan's first production with Lex-Ham and he hopes to work with the company again. Dan is getting married in the fall to Candace Lafontaine! John Eichenlaub (Senator Lauterback) John recently moved back to Minnesota after a seven-year stint in the Badger State, where he was involved in the community theatre scene. He is pleased to join Lex-Ham for this production and would like to thank his wife, Shelley, for her unending love and support. Shelley Eichenlaub (Waitress) This is Shelley's Minnesota stage debut. Having moved to St. Paul with her husband John a year ago, Shelley could previously be seen in several community theater productions in Madison, Wisconsin. Her favorite rolls include Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, the role of the Mother in The Bad Seed, and a warrior princess in Michelangelo Renaissance P.I. Shelley is delighted to begin her Twin Cities theater adventures with Lex-Ham. Dutton Foster (Set Designer) As a child of twelve or so, Dutton Foster built an elaborate puppet theater complete with footlights and a fancy act curtain, intended for puppet shows he never actually produced. After a sporadic acting career that began by playing Lady Macbeth in grade nine at St. Paul Academy and ended after graduate school, Dutton has directed, designed, and built well over a hundred high-school and middle school shows since 1961. Since retirement from teaching English and drama at SPA, he has continued to design and build sets for five school shows a year as well as several Lex-Ham productions. Dutton has several melodramas (including a musical) in publication, as well as a one-act entitled Our Rotten Town, which imports Shakespearean characters into a small American town. Dutton and his wife enjoy birding and other gentle outdoor pursuits; he is also hooked on trains, model building, landscape painting, and bluegrass. He volunteers for Habitat for Humanity one day a week with the St. Paul Regulars. Michael Freier (William Hardy) This is Michael's first role with Lex-Ham. He has appeared in two productions with Theatre in the Round in Minneapolis, most recently in The Madwoman of Chaillot in 2007. He has also appeared in some of his own comic sketches and has written several full length plays, including The Jimmy Swagger Hour, The Net, and The Husband from Outer Space. Wendi Johnson (Costume Designer) Wendi is working on her first Lex-Ham Theater production with State of the Union. She is excited to be able to work with so many costumes from the 1940s - one of the golden ages of fashion design. Wendi would like to give a special thanks to her mother for teaching her how to sew on her first button. Tom Kelly (Labor Representative) Tom has enjoyed taking many Lex-Ham sponsored acting classes from John Townsend. This marks his second appearance in a Lex-Ham production. His debut in the spotlight was as Froggy in There's Talk In Town. This role of labor leader is a particularly natural fit. Tom is a registered nurse at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. Each election cycle, as chair of the Minnesota Nurses Association's PAC, he is busy scrutinizing candidates seeking the union's endorsement. He says it's important work but always he'd rather be in a theatre somewhere watching our great local talent making magic. (Continued on next page) STATE OF THE UNION PAGE 10 JUNE 2008
CAST AND CREW (continued) (Continued from previous page) Mark Margolis (Spike McManus) Mark has appeared in many different community theatre productions over the years, and this marks his third such with Lex Ham. Mark is also founder and artistic director of Sweet Charities Theatre Company, and usually avoids anything political!!! Bob McDonald (Labor Representative) Bob is in his first Lex-Ham production. His previous theater performances have been as one of the 'Keystone Kops' in the Children's Theater Production, Reeling, and as 'Mr. Prescott' in the Como Community Theater Production of The Love Boat. Bob has gotten involved in the Lex-Ham play readings series and has also appeared in several Independent Films through Walden Entertainment, as well as its affiliate, 'Wazoo TV'. Bob is a volunteer at KFAI - Fresh Air Community Radio. Paul McGlynn (Sam Parrish) Paul McGlynn has acted with Lakeshore Players, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Theatre in the Round, Minnesota Fringe Festival, Starting Gate and Mound Theater. This is his second show with Lex-Ham. Paul lives in Minneapolis and teaches at Sobriety High School. Tara Nielson (Stage Manager and Jenny) Tara has stage managed several of Lex-Ham's shows in the past few years. She has enjoyed the experience of working with so many talented people. Tara wishes to thank the amazing cast and crew, and of course John, for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful production. Lana Rosario (Lulubelle Alexander) State of the Union is Lana's first show with the Lex-Ham Community Theater. She has also appeared in other area community shows, such as Lucy in Dracula and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance. When not performing or working, you will usually find Lana reading, cooking, or overhauling her garden. David Schliep (Judge Jefferson Davis Alexander) David is back on the Lex-Ham Community Theater stage having appeared in The Philadelphia Story, I Never Sang For My Father, and The Solid Gold Cadillac. He has performed with many other Twin Cities theaters and the Red Wing Summer Theater. A few roles included Constable Warren in Theater in the Round's Our Town and Charlie in Starting Gate's Death Of A Salesman. When he's not on stage, David can often be found in the tech booth doing sound design. Jeremy Stahl (Reporter) Jeremy is a veteran of countless classes offered through the Lex-Ham program and is pleased to join some of his fellow students on stage (for the first time in quite a number of years). During his free time he can be found on a tennis court or at the Chianti Grill. Jeremy lives in St. Paul with his wife and three feline friends. John Townsend (Director) John has directed productions of Sylvia, There's Talk in Town, Rise and Shine, and his adaptation of The Trojan Women for Lex-Ham. He served for over a dozen years on the Minnesota Association of Community Theaters (MACT) Board and for two terms as its President. He currently serves on the Lex-Ham Community Arts Boards and teaches some of their acting classes in conjunction with St. Paul Public Schools Community Education. John has written on theater extensively and his by line has been seen in the Star Tribune and Lavender Magazine, among other publications. He holds a BA from the University of Minnesota in English and Theater Arts and a Postgraduate Certificate in Drama from the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, London. John also directed the Paul Wellstone Street Theater in Wellstone's 1990 campaign. Lynne Vannelli (Kay Thorndyke) Lynne is excited to be playing a 1940's character, Kay Thorndyke. This is Lynne's second Lex-Ham production having performed as Liz in Waterbabies in 2002. Thanks to her family and friends for their support as she embarks on yet another journey. Yum! Sazaracs!! Natalie Westreich (Norah and Grace Draper) Natalie is delighted to return working with Lex-Ham since appearing as Lottie in Tally and Son. She has been seen on various community theater stages in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area including Minnesota Singer's Theater, Park Players, Morris Park Players, Center Stage, First Covenant Community Theater, and the RCTC Theater Company. Natalie greatly appreciates the support and cooperation of her husband, Gil. Terri Winter (Costume Design) Terri is back for her second Lex-Ham show. She has been sewing since before she could drive (she's not telling us how many years that is!) and has made custom outfits for weddings, graduations, and proms. Terri has also run a business making sails for ships if you're planning a production of Moby Dick, Treasure Island, or Mutiny on the Bounty. Sasha Walloch (Mary Matthews) Sasha is very happy to be working with John Townsend and the talented cast and crew here at Lex-Ham. She specialized in physical theatre performance for her BA in Theatre Arts at the University of Minnesota. Recent roles include Isabella in Measure for Measure with Nightpath Theatre Co., Personal Effects performance at Pangea World Theater, and Simone in Been So Long with The Brink. Future projects include The Chasm for the 2008 Fringe Festival and Commedia Beauregard's second annual, original work, The Klingon Christmas Carol, coming this December to the Wellstone Center. Aaron Wlaschin (Labor Representative) This is Aaron s third show with the Lex-Ham Theater. He previously appeared as Buster Winslow in 2007 s There s Talk In Town, and earlier this year as Otto Stroll in The Memorandum. Between his daily work of fermenting yogurt and nightly community theatre he is a very cultured guy. STATE OF THE UNION PAGE 11 JUNE 2008
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