42nd Street Moon - Flora the Red Menace

FLORA THE RED MENACE (1965)

Music by JOHN KANDER
Lyrics by FRED EBB
Book by DAVID THOMPSON
Based on the novel “Love Is Just Around the Corner” by Lester Atwell
Originally adapted by George Abbott

Directed by DIANNA SHUSTER
Musical Director DAVE DOBRUSKY
Choreographed by JAYNE ZABAN

The first Broadway musical from the Chicago/Cabaret team of Kander and Ebb! Set against the Bohemian world of artists and activists in Depression-era New York, Flora tells of an optimistic and high-spirited young woman whose love life is complicated by the Communist Party.

Songs include A Quiet Thing, Sing Happy, All I Need Is One Good Break, Express Yourself, and Dear Love.

WHERE:
Eureka Theatre
215 Jackson (between Battery and Front), San Francisco, CA

WHEN:
November 16th – December 3rd!
No performance on Thanksgiving night
Early Curtain Wednesday: November 29th @ 7pm
Holiday Matinée: Friday, Nov. 24th @ 2pm
Discussion with Director & Cast: Sunday November 19th & 26th
Low-Priced Previews: Thur-Fri, November 16th-17th @ 8pm
Regular Performances: Thur & Fri at 8pm; Sat at 6pm; Sun at 3pm

BIOGRAPHIES

		TAMI DAHBURA (Charlotte) recently sang the role of Carrie Pipperidge in the Sacramento Philharmonic’s Carousel in Concert. She played Electra in American Musical Theatre of San Jose’s Gypsy. Bay Area credits: Tune the Grand Up, The World Goes ‘Round (DramaLogue Award), world premiere of Heartland; Company; Children of Eden; Sunday in the Park with George; U.S. premiere The 3hree Musketeers at AMTSJ; Songs for a New World at the Plush Room. Off Broadway: The Pajama Game. National/International Tour: A Chorus Line. B.A. Mount Holyoke College.

		DARRIN GLESSER (Willy) was last seen portraying Jonathan Larson, in Tick, Tick…Boom! at Bus Barn Stage Company. He also performed a year and a half run in Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon. Other regional theater credits include Urinetown with San Jose Stage Company playing Mr. McQueen, On the Twentieth Century with American Musical Theatre of San Jose, where he won a Ginny Award, Memphis with TheatreWorks playing Buck Wiley, and Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at the Post Street Theatre, playing lead trumpet. More info at: www.darringlesser.com

		MATTHEW BRANDON HUTCHENS (Kenny) was most recently seen as Jimmy Smith in Diablo Light Opera's Thoroughly Modern Millie. He understudied the role of Phil Davis in the 2004 World Premiere and 2005 production of White Christmas in San Francisco. Other credits: Moon's Li'l Abner and 2006 Spring Gala, A Little Brains-A Little Talent, Brigadoon (Foothill Musical Theatre, Dean Goodman Award), Gypsy (American Musical Theatre of San Jose), On the Twentieth Century (Ginny Award: AMTSJ), Memphis (West Coast Premier, TheatreWorks). Matthew is a Graduate of Theatre Arts Institute (AMTSJ) and Summer Training Congress (ACT). Proud member of Actor’s Equity. www.matthewbrandonhutchens.com

		KIM LARSEN (Mr. Weiss/Galka) is on leave from the long-running hit musical revue, Shopping! The Musical to join the cast of Flora. A veteran of many 42nd Street Moon productions he includes playing Merlin in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court and Chuckles in Hooray for What! as highlights. He’s been on many Bay Area stages including Theatre Rhinoceros, Shelton Theater, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Thillpeddlers, Exit Theatre, and Center Repertory. He is the publisher of GayPocket San Francisco guide and also serves on the Board of Theatre Rhinoceros.

		MAGGIE ELIZABETH MAY (Maggie) is making her debut at 42nd Street Moon. A Sacramento native, she currently attends UC Davis, majoring in theatre, with a minor in music. Favorite roles: Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Rizzo in Grease, Cindy in Suds, Maggie in A Chorus Line, Ariel and Rusty in Footloose, Thomasina in Arcadia, and the title roles in Cinderella and Peter Pan.

		CARRIE MADSEN (Elsa) is making her 42nd Street Moon and San Francisco debuts! She currently studies at Studio ACT and has recently enjoyed some extended trips to both London and New York to study with additional inspirational teachers. Ms. Madsen has been featured in performances with American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Broadway By the Bay, and Foothill Conservatory Theatre. Her most recent Bay Area performances were Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime and Millie in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, both with BBB.

		DYAN McBRIDE (Flora) is home again at Moon. Leading roles with Napa Rep, Sideshow, Broadway By the Bay, 42nd Street Moon, Willows, New Conservatory, Pacific Alliance, California Theatre Center, Performance Riverside and Utah Musical Theatre to name a few. Some of her directing projects include Mack and Mabel, Suds, Bye Bye Birdie, Me and My Girl, A Grand Night for Singing, Do Re Mi and Annie Get Your Gun. Artistic staff of NCTC, UC Davis and Solano College. Ms. Mc Bride received her Bachelor’s in musical theatre from California State University at Fullerton and her Master’s in Acting from UC Davis. She is a proud member of SAG, AFTRA and AEA. Represented by BOOM in San Francisco

		KALON THIBODEAUX (Harry) is making his fifth appearance at 42nd Street Moon and, fittingly, his first appearance as a union actor. A native of the New Orleans area, Mr. Thibodeaux has worked as an actor, director, stage manager, radio personality and part-time philosopher for 19 years. He holds a degree in Drama and Communication from the University of New Orleans. Most recently, he was seen as Versati, the elegant gentleman in Steve Martin's The Underpants at Dragon Productions in Palo Alto. Other recent roles include: Policy Pinkle in Red Hot and Blue!, Andrew Rally in I Hate Hamlet and Adolf "Harpo" Marx in Minnie's Boys, for which he received a Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award nomination.

		GREG ZEMA (Mr. Stanley) makes his debut with 42nd Street Moon. Past roles include: Footloose for Crossroads Theatre (Chuck Cranston), Sweeney Todd for Solano College (Tobias), Camelot for Pleasanton Playhouse (Mordred), a featured soloist for Bernstein's Mass with the Oakland East Bay Symphony, New Girl in Town (Matt) for the Eugene O' Neill Foundation, and Assassins (Balladeer) for San Francisco State University. Greg is also active behind the proscenium as a music director, having been at the helm of such shows as: Forever Plaid, My Fair Lady, Urinetown, and Cabaret.

•••

DIANNA SHUSTER (Director) is the Executive Director of Pocket Opera, former Artistic Director of American Musical Theatre of San Jose and Music Theatre of Oregon, has served on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for the National Alliance of Musical Theatres and as an on-site evaluator for the National Endowment for the Arts. Her productions have received over 170 nominations and 80 awards for San Francisco Bay Area Critics Circle, Robby, Drammy, Los Angeles Ovation and DramaLogue Awards.

DAVE DOBRUSKY (Music Director) has had the honor of being 42nd Street Moon’s Music Director for 11 years. Favorite productions include Mack & Mabel, The Golden Apple, Red Hot and Blue!, Minnie’s Boys, Can-Can, Finian’s Rainbow, Paint Your Wagon, By Jupiter, Leave It To Me! (recorded), Dear World, Call Me Madam, Out of This World, Girl Crazy, and Louisiana Purchase. Other Bay Area credits include: Putting It Together (San Francisco Playhouse); The Fantasticks (Shakespeare at Stinson); The Boyfriend, Whispers on the Wind (Playhouse West); Passion, Chess (New Conservatory Theatre); Violet, Side Show (TheatreWorks); and youth productions of Titanic and Les Miserables (Musical Theatre Works).

JAYNE ZABAN (Choreographer) begins her 10th season with 42nd Street Moon. She started her career with the Atlanta Ballet. As co-owner and Director of Ballet for Dance Arts Center, she has instructed many students who now have professional careers in theater and dance. Ms. Zaban has choreographed for many regional and community theaters throughout the Bay Area including productions with Diablo Light Opera Company, Contra Costa Musical Theatre, The Lamplighters and Hillbarn. Awards and nominations: Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, Garland, Dean Goodman and Shellie.

LOUISE JARMILOWICZ (Costumer) is costuming her fourth show for 42nd Street Moon, having just completed costumes for Pardon My English. Ms. Jarmilowicz has been costuming around San Francisco for many years. Previous groups with whom she has worked, designing and constructing costumes, include the African-American Shakespeare Co., Children's Fairyland, Stage Door Conservatory, The Lamplighters, the Dark Room Theater, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and many other local artists.

RUDY GUERRERO (Stage Manager) previously stage managed 42nd Street Moon's production of Li'l Abner, and appeared in their productions of Can-Can, Once Upon a Mattress, and The Golden Apple. Other regional credits include performances at American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Magic Theater, Marin Shakespeare Company, Marin Theater Company, Pacific Alliance Stage Company, TheatreWorks, Willows Theater Company, and Word for Word. He has a BFA in Musical Theater from the Boston Conservatory and a MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater.

ELLEN BROOKS (Lighting Director) has designed 20 musicals for 42nd Street Moon including our productions at the Herbst and Alcazar Theatres. She also designs for The Lamplighters/Opera West at Yerba Buena Center, Napa Valley Opera House, the Herbst, Dean Lesher Center and Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. As designer-in-residence for Marin Shakespeare Company, this year she designed King Lear, A Comedy of Errors and Alice in Wonderland; and at 142 Throckmorton, she was LD for Maria Muldaur's new video, The Love Songs of Bob Dylan.

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