Photos from the January 18, 2024 Dress Rehearsal, Hillside Club, Berkeley.
Photos courtesy of Primetime Production
Moisés Kaufman
Moisés Kaufman is a Tony and Emmy nominated director and playwright. His play 33 VARIATIONS, starring Jane Fonda, was nominated for five Tony awards (including one for Ms. Fonda). Previous to that, Mr. Kaufman directed the Pulitzer and Tony award-winning play I AM MY OWN WIFE, earning him an Obie award for his direction as well as Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Lucille Lortel nominations. His plays GROSS INDECENCY: THE THREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE and THE LARAMIE PROJECT have been among the most performed plays in America over the last decade. Mr. Kaufman also directed the film adaptation of THE LARAMIE PROJECT for HBO, which was the opening night selection at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and won the National Board of Review Award, the Humanitas Prize, and a Special Mention for Best First Film at the Berlin Film Festival. The film also earned Mr. Kaufman two Emmy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Writer. He is the Artistic Director of Tectonic Theater Project and a Guggenheim Fellow in Playwriting. Other credits include BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO (Mark Taper Forum); MACBETH with Liev Schreiber (Public Theater); THIS IS HOW IT GOES (Donmar Warehouse); ONE ARM by Tennessee Williams (Steppenwolf Theater Company); MASTER CLASS with Rita Moreno (Berkeley Repertory Theater); and LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN (Williamstown Theater Festival).
Click here for a full list of Moisés Kaufman’s work.
MEET THE CAST
Gloria Sue Anderson (Eileen Engen, Shadow, Narrator, Newsperson 3, Zubaida Ula, Andrew Gomez) was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi and moved to Pittsburg at age 8. She studied in both the ACT Adult Program and at Stagebridge. She has appeared in films (Under One Sun and Strings Attached, both A.J. Productions) and in training videos for Alta Bates and Stanford Hospitals and Santa Clara Medical Center. Onstage, she was in Permanent Collection: the story of the Barnes Collection (Piedmont Center for the Arts) and Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters (prod. by Judith Offer).
Geert Botzen (Moisés Kaufman, Stephen Mead Johnson, Phil Labrie, Governor Geringer). Geert is excited to be participating in his first Stagebridge activity and his first acting role since appearing in The Matchmaker in the early eighties at SFSU. He moved here from the Netherlands in 1980 and became a Marriage and Children’s Therapist and Drama Therapist, now retired. He thanks his partner/husband of 45 years, Mel Terry, for his ever present support.
Nancy Forbord (Trish Steger, Sherry Johnson, Judge, Foreperson, Narrator) started acting and singing at the age of 3 in Palo Alto Children’s Theatre. She was smitten and acted in many productions including Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of OZ, and HMS Pinafore. After living overseas for 30 years, she moved to Oakland and happily found Stagebridge, subsequently appearing in many musical theater shows and, most recently, as Ann Eliot in Jennifer LeBlanc’s adaption of Persuasion.
Denise Hingle (Alison Mears, Romaine Patterson, Stephen Belber, Narrator) is “totally stoked” to be playing Romaine Patterson, with whose activism she feels a strong kinship. Denise has appeared as the Queen in the Devized Theater show Wonder, developed by Bruce Bierman and the students, and as Charles Musgrove and Mr. Eliot in Stagebridge’s Persuasion. “A HUGE thank you to all Stagebridge Staff!”
Charmaine Hitchcox (Rebecca Hilliker, Jonas Slonaker, Sherry Aaneson, Lucy Thompson) has had principal roles in four past Stagebridge productions, including August: Osage County and FSM: the musical and in four community theater plays. Her favorite character is “Deb” in Sex Tapes for Seniors, which reintroduced her to singing and acting after retirement. She remains deeply grateful to her amazingly talented and encouraging teachers and enthusiastically supportive fellow players at Stagebridge and is inspired by this production experience.
Lynne Hollander (Rev. Fred Phelps & Assistant Director/Rehearsal Stage Manager) returned to what she loved in her school and undergraduate years after retiring as a children’s librarian. She has performed in major roles in the community, including the premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s By and By, (Shotgun Players), Over the River and Through the Woods (CCCT), Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Masquers), and Falstaff (Actor’s Ensemble), in addition to plays with Stagebridge, Generation Theater, Encore Actors and SFCC. She is grateful for this opportunity to have her first directing experience .
Judy Kennedy (Reporter, Narrator, Minister’s wife, Judge, Newsperson 1) is excited to be performing in her first full length play. She has taken many storytelling classes and appeared in numerous musical theater productions at Stagebridge over the years. She also sings with the S.F. Jewish Folk Chorus. Judy thanks all the teachers, staff, and fellow students at Stagebridge for the amazing opportunities they have provided. “A special shoutout to my daughter, Sarena Kennedy, who majored in theater at UCLA and is my inspiration”
Sandra Lasky (Sgt Hing, Dr. Cantway, Father Roger Smith, Murdock Cooper & Costume Coordinator) minored in theater in college and was a ballet dancer locally before entering the business world. She believes Stagebridge is a wonderful avenue for exploring theater again, discovering an affinity for portraying male characters after playing one of Hamlet’s gravediggers. She thanks her many new friends at Stagebridge for their encouragement.
Suzanne Latham (Zackie Salmon, Leigh Fondakowski, Jon Peacock, Reggie Fluty, Rulon Stacey & Assistant to the Assistant Director) is happy to be participating once more in a Stagebridge production. Previous roles at Stagebridge include Karen (August Osage County); Mama (I Remember Mama); Juror in Twelve Angry Jurors; Don (The Universal Language), and Louise Nevelson (Occupant). She has appeared locally in productions with Piedmont Players, Town and Gown and Encore Actors. In her spare time, Suzanne enjoys adapting novels into plays and leads water aerobics classes.
Vivian Pisano (Catherine Connolly, Baptist Minister, Matt Mickelson, Bill McKinney, Anonymous, Bailiff) came to acting after a long career in librarianship. She has taken numerous scene study classes at Stagebridge and elsewhere and has performed in Stagebridge-produced plays and scenes and in locally produced plays, most recently Hostages (Encore Actor) and Persuasion (Stagebridge). Vivian’s memoir, Living in Two Worlds, was published in 2022.
Jane Schoenfeld (Philip DuBois, Amanda Gronich, Narrator, Newsperson 2, Jen, Kerry Drake) first joined Stagebridge in 2009. She helped create Cabaret Crème, which was loosely affiliated with Stagebridge, and which performed French scenes at a number of retirement homes. She has also worked with Actors’ Ensemble of Berkeley in The Marriage of Figaro and Roe and was in Stagebridge’s Persuasion. She is both excited and grateful to be performing in The Laramie Project.
Jill Shugart (April Silva, Waitress, Barbara Pitts, Kristen Price, Marge Murray, Narrator) took a long hiatus from acting after childhood, high school and college when she raised a family and built careers both as a Preschool Director/Educator and a Psychotherapist. She joined Stagebridge in 2013 and has appeared in many scene study performances and in Vagina Monologues, Twelve Angry Jurors (both Stagebridge) and Hostages (Encore Actors). She thanks her husband, family and loyal fan base of friends for all their love and support
Emily Stoper (Matt Galloway, Conrad Miller, Andy Paris, Narrator) started classes at Stagebridge in 2007, shortly after retiring as Professor of Political Science at Cal State U. Hayward (now CSU East Bay). She has taken many scene acting and playwriting classes and played Henry Fonda’s role in a Stagebridge production of Twelve Angry Jurors (formerly 12 Angry Men). She also performed for 3 years in a Stagebridge Improv Troupe and for 8 years in Playback Theater.
Barbara Szudy (Greg Pierotti, Aaron Kreifels, Jeffrey Lockwood, Shannon, Russell Henderson) has been taking acting classes with Stagebridge for over 12 years. She has performed in Adam’s Rib (Town & Gown), August Osage County, Twelve Angry Jurors and Vagina Monologues (all at Stagebridge), and in productions of Hostages, Crimes of the Heart, and Stormy Ladies (Encore Actors). Barbara also sings with the Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra. Thanks to family and friends for all their support.
Jeff Weik (Doug Laws, Gil Engen, Rob DeBree, Harry Woods, Dennis Shepard) The Laramie Project is Jeff’s first theatrical acting experience since college. At the suggestion of his husband Eric, Jeff started taking performance classes at Stagebridge in 2018. He has studied improvisation and scene study, where he has worked with several of the actors in this production. Previously Jeff produced video programs, exhibitions and public events in Washington D.C. and San Francisco. He enjoys painting (playing?) with watercolors, traveling and the joy of living with a rescue dog.
Ken Woolfe (Doc, Jedadiah Schulz, Aaron McKinney) has been acting and singing around the East Bay for several decades, including public school performances with East Bay Children’s Theater, Hayward Little Theater (1776, Oklahoma, Urinetown), Encore Players, the lead in last season’s Adam’s Rib (Town and Gown) and 27 years with the Christmas/Winter Revels. “Thanks to my wife, Bobbe Klezmer, for her tolerance & support.”