Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill
In the Pinkerton Theatre Jan. 21-Feb. 20, 2022
Credits
Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill
By Lanie Robertson
"Lady Day" Sponsor
Carolyn & Ed Boudreaux
Meet the Cast
From the playwright
Lanie Robertson writes about iconic artists and the societal issues they faced in Nasty Little Secrets, The Insanity of Mary Girard, Back County Crimes, and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, which was produced on Broadway in 2014. His plays are widely produced nationally and internationally. He’s a member of the Dramatists Guild, Writers Guild, East; and the Societe des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques.
(From Playbill.com/vault)
Read more - Playwright Lanie Robertson on Finding the Voice to Make "Lady Day" Sing
(From Portland Center Stage)
"Lady Day" Production Team
Kristofer Geddie (Director)
Kristofer Geddie, a North Carolina native, came to Venice Theatre via New York city to play “Coalhouse Walker” in Ragtime, and never left. He is currently the Director of Diversity and General Manager. Kris holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Mars Hill University, is currently enrolled in the last semester of graduate school at Goucher College for a Masters in Arts Administration and been seen numerous times on stage at Venice Theatre. Kris has also had the privilege of directing The Jungle Book, Crowns, Once On This Island, Fences, and Ain’t Misbehavin’. Prior to coming to Venice, Kris had been seen performing on stages around the world. Some other favorite theatrical experiences include: cruising the world as a 5-year Company Manager and Principle Singer for Jean Ann Ryan Productions on Norwegian Cruise Line; Twelfth Night; The Secret Garden; the premiere of the one-man show Bert Williams, Broadway Star; Angels in America; Dreamgirls; and hanging quite a few times as “Judas” in Jesus Christ Superstar (including the European Tour with Director and Tony Winner Baayork Lee). In addition to Kris’ duties at Venice Theatre, he serves on the Ambassador Circle for Embracing our Differences, is the treasurer of the Florida Theatre Conference, the Florida State community theatre representative and is thrilled to serve as a Board Member of the Friends of the Venice Public Library and American Association of Community Theatre. When that stuff is done for the day, Kris likes to cook, collect cookbooks and African American Memorabilia.
William Coleman (Music Director)
William is an award-winning Music Director who has provided local music direction for Little Shop of Horrors, Mame, Jekyll and Hyde, Assassins, Nine, Baby, Annie Jr., Seussical Jr., My Way, The Andrews Brothers, and the World Premiere productions of Boynton Beach Club and Practically Perfect. He earned a BS in Environmental Sciences from Purdue University, and did undergraduate work in piano performance at the University of Tennessee. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in piano performance from Middle Tennessee State University and did post graduate study in Pedagogy and Performance at the University of Oklahoma.
Madeline McGrail (Stage Manager)
Madeline holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Florida and Masters degrees in Education from National-Louis University and in Theatre for Personal and Social Change from Goddard College. She has worked as a professional theatre educator, director, stage manager and actor. Her most recent credits with Venice Theatre have been directing Heidi and stage managing Good People, Disenchanted, Peter and the Starcatcher, and The Santaland Diaries.
John R. Hawk IV (Sound Designer)
Formerly a volunteer, John joined the VT production team in December and is excited for his first season as Associate Sound Designer. He holds a ME in Mechanical and Computer Engineering from The Cooper Union, and formerly served as Lighting Designer and Master Electrician for their historic Great Hall. Other credits at VT include 2021’s She Kills Monsters; Assisted Living The Musical®: The Home for the Holidays; and The Mystery of Irma Vep.
Tim Wisgerhof (Scenic Designer)
Hailing from Des Moines, Iowa, Tim is Venice Theatre’s Resident Scenic Designer. In Des Moines, he has designed for Stage West, Des Moines Onstage, The Des Moines Metro Opera and was previously the Resident Designer for The Des Moines Playhouse. Prior to returning to his home town of Des Moines, Tim worked in New York City. While there he served as the Window and Creative Director for Saks Fifth Avenue for 12 years, in addition to designing numerous theatre and television projects. He is a graduate of Drake University.
John Michael Andzulis (Lighting Designer)
In his 13th season at VT, John is glad to be a part of the VT family. He has a B.A. in Technical Theatre from Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA, and has continued his technical career with lighting and scenic designs for productions such as: Handy Award winning Metamorphoses; The Jungle Book; Urinetown; Inherit the Wind; Peter Pan; Ragtime; Sweeney Todd; Godspell; Boeing Boeing; Avenue Q; Hello, Dolly!; Smokey Joe’s Cafe; Radio Gals; Dreamgirls and A Christmas Carol. John thanks Harper for her continuous constructive criticism.
Maureen S. Demers (Costume Designer)
Originally from New England, “Molly” is the VT Costume Shop Manager. Her 30 years’ experience has taken her around the country to work for Colorado Shakespeare Company, the Tony Award winning Denver Center Theater Company, professional Broadway touring shows as well as many professional and amateur smaller theaters. Molly holds an MFA degree in Costume Design and Technology from the University of Florida.
"Lady Day" Crew
Light Board Operator
Madeline McGrail
Sound Engineer/Board Operator
John R. Hawk IV
Dog Wranglers
Karen Campbell, Sue Pavlat
MUSICAL NUMBERS/SETTING
I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone
When a Woman Loves a Man
What a Little Moonlight Can Do
Crazy He Calls Me
Pig Foot (And a Bottle of Beer)
Baby Doll
God Bless the Child
Foolin’ Myself
Somebody’s on My Mind
Easy Livin’
Strange Fruit
Blues Break
T’aint Nobody’s Business If I Do
Don’t Explain/What a Little Moonlight Can Do (Reprise)
Deep Song
Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill will be performed without an intermission.
SETTING
PLACE: A small bar in South Philadelphia. Although the bar is presently closed and abandoned, the building still stands on the corner of Fifthteenth and Brainbridge Streets. Billie Holiday appeared here in the 1950s.
TIME: About midnight of a night in March, 1959. It is obviously late in the evening, and is equally late in Billie Holiday’s life. Four months from now she will die of cirrhosis and heart failure in a hospital in Harlem on Friday, July 17, 1959.
'21-'22 Season Production Team
Production Manager/Technical Director
John Andzulis
Assistant Production Manager
Alyssa Goudy
Assistant Technical Director
Brian Freeman
Assistant Technical Director/Master Electrician
Cindy Carruth
Resident Scenic Designer
Tim Wisgerhof
Resident Sound Designer
Nate Blaweiss
Associate Sound Designer
John R. Hawk IV
Production Stage Manager/Props Mistress
Lisa Million
Resident Music Director
Michelle Kasanofsky
Costume Shop Manager
Maureen S. Demers
Costume Shop First Hand/Volunteer Liaison
Brittany Hardison
Electrics Crew
Jake Murphy, Deke Short
Scenery Crew
Bob Barone, Tullio Coccia, Walter Cohrs
Brent Donaldson, Ron Fettig, Roger Hayes
Dale Jermyn, Bill Johnson, Kevin Kenny
Nick Lacava, Ray Leahy, David Lynn-Jones
David Mason, Paul Mason, Charles Myers
Bob Olson, John Palaitis, Bill Risen
Pete Sayer, Karl Schmitz, Jim Sherry
Ken Strom, Barry Sullivan, Mike Sullivan
Bud Teagarden, Mel Van Dyke
Paint Crew
Phyllis Andella, Cathleen Baustian
Geri Becker, Bonnie Burkhalter
Ivana Carli, Sonja Carr, LaVerne Christopher
Liz Floridio, Deborah Gregory, Lisa Hamilton
Jill Hartman, Jeanne Johnston, Kevin Kenny
Jennifer Mainey, Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan
Debbie Mizel, Emily Morris, Katrina Neilen
Liz O’Hagen, Pat Ouelette, Shelley Pulte
Eve Rabbiner, Pete Sayer, Francine Smetts
Props Volunteers
Paula Auth, Judy Cipra, Ann Dellevigne
Costume Shop Volunteers
Ruell Bean, Nancy Bent, Marni Brown
Kathy Finan, Melissa Houghton
Jeanne Johnston, Mary Lulik
Jane McCormick, Susan McPeck
Paula Numeier, Kathy Provost, Eve Rabbiner
Sandy Sapatka, Pinky Stewart
Gretchen Weger, Cindy Wood
Audition Volunteers
Melody Actouka, Bonnie Burkhalter,
Karen Campbell, Anna Croteau
Linna Croteau, Laurel Jones
Itala Landers, Judy Livingston
Mary Rau-Foster, Anne Smith
Judith Toscano
Technical Theatre Apprentice
Alex LaBonte
Dramaturg
Mike Sullivan
Front of House and Bar Manager
Jeff Hyde
Front of House Volunteers
Melody Actouka, Cheryl Anderson
Donna Astorino, Mark Basett, Ruth Bauers
Bella Belilovskaya, Joseph Bifaro
Jill Billinger, Carolyn Boudreaux
Susan Boudreaux, Rosmary Burzinski
Richard Carling, Ginger Carpenter
Joseph Colonnese, Patricia Colonnese
Margaret Combs, Shanette Crume
Donna Danielson, Judy Davanzo
Michael Davanzo, Harriet Davidson
Carole Dicker, Lois Dobkin, Rick Dobkin
Donna Donovan, Patrick Eaton, Valerie Echavarria
Cheryl Escott, Lee Esteve, Peggy Falk
Shelly Fedder, Margaret Frerk
Arsie Fusco, Ken Gerecke, Peggy Gerecke
Ann Getty, Mary Gibson, Joan Gilomen
William Gloffke, Ed Gooltz, Karen Gregory
Jackie Griesi, Lucille Grover, Diane Hale
Stephen Hale, Helene Horrell
Laura Johnston, Kathleen Kelly
John Kollar, Bonnie Konzelman
Joan Kosta, Carol Kulaga, Itala Landers
Joyce Laurence, Maria Leonardo
Mary Ellen Lipnitz, Judy Livingston
Carolyn Lockett, Carol Lovely
Barbara Magstadt, Maura McCann
Barbara McLauchlin, Jennifer Mechling
Nancy Mendelson, Susan Mergens
Susannah Miller, Janet Mills-Knudsen
Tilly Mooyman, Sally Mowduk
Sandra Neahusan, Diane DiStefano Nist
Frank Nist, Fran O’Donnell, Liz O’Hagen
Sue Pavlat, Barbara Petrie, Harold Petrie
Barbara Puccia, Nora Rainone, Robin Reed
Nancy Reynolds, Becky Riffle
Sandra Robinson, Marti Runnels
Noran Satkowski, Diane Scala, Judy Scher
Margaret Schneeloch, Donna Scudder
Faya Scudder, John Shwed
Edrise Sievers, Verna Silk
Charlotte Skaggs, Margriet Slinkard
Karin Spencer, Helena Sutherland
Diane Tolliver, William Troetel
Marcia Valentine, Jacqueline Wides
Barbara Willis, Dee Wright
Bonnie Zukerman, Robert Zukerman
