Call Me Madam (1950)

Irving Berlin's Call Me Madam

September 23 – October 18, 2009

Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse

This slam-bang musical comedy hit of 1950 spotlights international cabaret and concert star Klea Blackhurst as Ambassador Sally Adams, the “Hostess With the Mostes’ on the Ball.” Washington’s most vivacious – and unconventional – party-giver is sent to represent the U.S. in the tiny duchy of Lichtenburg, where her down-to-earth and decidedly unorthodox manner surprises and charms the local citizenry. The handsome Foreign Minister, a trio of U.S. congressmen, an errant princess, a devious protocol director, and a young press attaché complicate the new Ambassador’s incumbency. The dynamite Irving Berlin score features You’re Just in Love, It’s a Lovely Day Today, Something to Dance About, The Ocarina, and The Best Thing for You.

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Directed by DYAN MCBRIDE
Musical Director DAVE DOBRUSKY
Choreographer JAYNE ZABAN

BIOGRAPHIES LILLIAN ASKEW (Ensemble) returns for her third show with 42ND Street Moon. Recent credits include Custom Made Theatre's production of Mr. Marmalade (Lucy) and 42ND Street Moon’s productions of Out of This World (Minerva/Marika) and The Student Gypsy (Adelaide Glockenspiel). Regional credits include Putting It Together (The Younger Woman), Cabaret (Lulu), Insignificant Others (Kristen), and Emma (Jane Fairfax). While in New York, Lillian studied at the Deena Levy Theater Studio and the Broadway Dance Center. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a degree in Vocal Performance.     KLEA BLACKHURST (Mrs. Sally Adams) is delighted to return to 42ND Street Moon after appearing as "Nails" O'Reilly Duquesne in 2005’s Red Hot and Blue!  Klea’s concert appearances include Carnegie Hall, the London Palladium, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and London’s Royal Albert Hall. Off Broadway credits:  Bingo, Radio Gals, Oil City Symphony and Everything the Traffic Will Allow, her highly acclaimed tribute to Ethel Merman. Regional:  Anything Goes, Chicago and The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Favorite TV and radio: Sesame Street, and A Prairie Home Companion. Klea’s CDs Everything the Traffic Will Allow, Autumn in New York and her latest, a collaboration with Billy Stritch, Dreaming of a Song: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael, are on the Ghostlight Records label. For more information, please visit www.kleablackhurst.com.     PETER BUDINGER (Sebastian Sebastian) makes a welcome return for his fifth production with 42ND Street Moon. Most recently, Peter portrayed Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl at the Diablo Theatre Company.  A founding member of Dr. Emile’s Theatre Tremendo, Peter has written, directed, produced and acted in original works with his husband, DC Scarpelli. Those pieces include It Came from Beneath the Kilt! (2000 SF Fringe - Best of Fringe) and Where the Sun Don’t Shine (2006 SF Fringe - Best of Fringe).      GIANA DE GEISO (Princess Maria) returns to the 42ND Street Moon stage for her third show with this wonderful, loving company. She has just finished one of her most exciting and challenging roles to-date in Stephen Sondheim's revue, Putting it Together, with Custom Made Theatre. Some of her other favorite roles include: Shelly in Bat Boy: The Musical, Lil in Last Summer at Bluefish Cove and participating in PianoFight Productions’ Short Lived 2.0.     SARAH KATHLEEN FARRELL (Ensemble) is a newcomer to 42ND Street Moon. She most recently appeared as Percy in The Spitfire Grill (Altarena Playhouse). A graduate of San Francisco State University, Sarah spent a year bringing the spunky, redheaded Margaret to life in Jay Kuo’s Insignificant Others and followed it up with roles in Ray of Light Theatre’s Rocky Horror Show (BATCC Best Supporting Performance Nominee) and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change! She has performed classical repertoire across Europe and has appeared in cabarets and galas throughout the Bay Area.     GABRIEL GRILLI (Pemberton Maxwell) is making his third appearance with 42ND Street Moon, following The Student Gypsy (Rudolph von Schlump) and 2008’s Girl Crazy (Sam Mason).  He had a glorious summer playing Captain Hook in Berkeley Playhouse’s Peter Pan. Recent work also includes Mr. Marmalade at Custom Made Theatre. Gabriel romped in New York for over a decade as an actor, director and writer. Training: Penn State (MFA Directing), Hofstra (BFA Acting). Member, Actors’ Equity Association, Lincoln Center Directors Lab and PlayGround.     ROB HATZENBELLER (Cosmo Constantine) returns for his sixth Moon show, having appeared here last spring as Joe Dynamite in Wildcat.  Favorite credits include Bob in Wonderful Town (Marin Theatre Company, *Bay Area Critics Circle Award), Carl in The Opposite of Sex (Magic Theatre), Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls (American Musical Theatre of San Jose), the Baron in Grand Hotel (Circle Rep) and Lenny in the world premiere of Kander and Ebb's The Visit (Goodman Theatre).     SCARLETT HEPWORTH (Congresswoman Wilkins/Grand Duchess Sophie) was last seen at 42ND Street Moon in our 2008 Yip Harburg revue Peddling Rainbows. She has performed at Willows, New Conservatory, Shotgun Players, Berkeley Rep, Woman's Will, Crossroads, and Town Hall Theatre, for whom she won a Shellie Award in 2007 for her performance in Wit.  Beginning in January, she will be playing "Sister Aloysius" (the Meryl Streep role) in Doubt at New Conservatory. Scarlett holds a Master's degree in music composition and is a private vocal music coach with a studio in Oakland.      JOHN-ELLIOTT KIRK (Senator Gallagher/Grand Duke Otto) is pleased to be returning to 42ND Street Moon with Call Me Madam. Past Moon credits: Sitting Pretty (Roper), On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (Sir Hubert Insdale), Dear World (Sewerman), Out of This World (Jupiter), I Married an Angel (Harry). TheatreWorks: Memphis (Ensemble), Ragtime (Willie Conklin), Violet (Bus Driver/Mechanic/Choir)and New Works Festivals; SF Shakespeare Festival: Cinderella (Wicked King/Elf). John-Elliott also sings in the San Francisco Opera Extra Chorus. He is a member of both Actors’ Equity & the American Guild of Musical Artists.     BENJAMIN KNOLL (Henry Gibson, et al) just finished a stint at Woodminster in Oakland.  He was last seen on the 42ND Street Moon stage as Sheriff Sam Gore in Wildcat, and before that, as King Louis XVI in Ben Franklin in Paris and is happy to be back with this great team!  Ben has been seen around the Bay Area at the Willows, North Bay Shakespeare, Marin Shakespeare, Custom Made Theatre Company, and has just finished workshopping a new musical which will be produced in New York in Spring 2010.     CHARLIE LEVY (Kenneth Gibson) makes a welcome return to 42ND Street Moon, where he appeared in Hooray for What! and Once Upon a Mattress with Lea DeLaria. In New York he was most recently heard singing the works of Adam Overett in Scott Alan’s Monday Nights New Voices hosted by Norm Lewis. Charlie has arranged and performed his own cabaret, entitled the $5 Feel Good Show. He was seen in Theatreworks USA’s National Tour of Junie B. Jones. He is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.     ALLISON RICH (Ensemble) is making her 42ND Street Moon debut with Call Me Madam. Recently, she performed the role of Pippi in The Great American Trailer Park Musical with San Jose Stage Company. Originally from Chico, California, she starred as Queenie in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party and Cathy Hiatt in The Last 5 Years. Other Bay Area credits include Lilli Vanessi/Kate in Kiss Me, Kate as well as Ulla in The Producers at Summer Repertory Theatre in Santa Rosa.     DC SCARPELLI (Senator Brockbank) returns to 42ND Street Moon after debuting as the Inspector in last year's Irma la Douce. He was seen this summer as Mrs. Strakosh in Diablo Theatre Company's Funny Girl and as Captain Hook/Mr. Darling in TVRT's Peter Pan. Other recent credits include Carousel, She Loves Me, Into the Woods and Little Mary Sunshine. With his husband and collaborator, Peter Budinger, he has been lucky enough to write, direct, produce and act in original works under the aegis of Doctor Emile's Theatre Tremendo (tremendo.org).     DYAN McBRIDE (Director) has proudly worked with 42ND Street Moon for over 15 years as an actress and director. Other companies include Marin Theatre Company, Laguna Playhouse, Napa Rep, Broadway by the Bay, Willows Theatre, New Conservatory, CTA Crossroads, Mondavi Center, Solano College Theatre, Pacific Alliance Stage Company and Performance Riverside. Upcoming roles are Eva Standing in Moon’s Jubilee and Patsy Cline in Always, Patsy Cline at Sacramento Theatre Company in Spring 2010. She is on the Acting faculty of New Conservatory, UC Davis and Solano College. Bachelor’s: Cal State Fullerton (Musical Theatre); Master’s: UC Davis (Acting). Proud member of Screen Actors’ Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Actors’ Equity Association.       DAVE DOBRUSKY (Musical Director) is celebrating his 14th season with 42ND Street Moon.  Favorite productions include Out of This World, The Student Gypsy, Plain and Fancy, Li’l Abner, Mack & Mabel, Red Hot and Blue!, Minnie’s Boys, Can-Can, Finian’s Rainbow, Paint Your Wagon (Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award), By Jupiter, Leave It to Me! (recorded), Dear World, Call Me Madam, and Louisiana Purchase.  He has also appeared with Nancy Dussault, Susan Watson, Andrea McArdle, Marni Nixon, Rebecca Luker and Leslie Caron.  Other Bay Area credits include:  I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Ray of Light), Man of LaMancha (BATCC Award), Putting It Together(San Francisco Playhouse); The Fantasticks (Shakespeare at Stinson); Passion, Chess(New Conservatory Theatre); and youth productions of Titanicand Les Miserables(Musical Theatre Works).       JAYNE ZABAN (Choreographer) began her career with the Atlanta Ballet Company. As co-owner and Director of Ballet for Dance Arts Center in San Carlos, she has instructed many students who now have professional careers in theatre and dance. She has choreographed for many regional theatres including 13 seasons with 42ND Street Moon, Broadway by the Bay, Lamplighters, Aurora Theatre, Diablo Light Opera Company (now Diablo Theatre Company), Contra Costa Musical Theatre, Bus Barn and staged productions at the Plush Room and Shelton Theatres. Awards and Nominations: Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award, Garland, Dean Goodman and Shellie       RUDY GUERRERO (Stage Manager) has previously served as stage manager for 42ND Street Moon's Wildcat, Ben Franklin in Paris, Coco, Flora the Red Menace, and Li'l Abner. His Moon performances include High Spirits, Irma La Douce, Gay Divorce (Bay Area Critics Circle Nominee for Supporting Actor in a Musical), The Golden Apple, Once Upon a Mattress, and Can-Can. He has a BFA in Musical Theater from the Boston Conservatory and a MFA in Acting from American Conservatory Theater.       ELLEN BROOKS (Lighting Design) has designed many productions for 42ND Street Moon over the past 12 years– including  our Galas atthe Herbst and Alcazar Theatres. For the past nine years she has also designed for Lamplighters Music Theatre at Yerba Buena Center and the Herbst in San Francisco, Napa Valley Opera House, Dean Lesher Center in Walnut Creek and Mountain View Center. Currently the Resident Lighting Director for Marin Shakespeare Company, this summer she designed Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night and The Importance of Being Ernest at its outdoor amphitheatre in Forest Meadows.Her work in 2009 includes Once on This Island for Berkeley Playhouse, Last Night of Ballyhoo, The Miracle Worker and Premiere for Ross Valley Players and Cosi Fan Tutti for North Bay Opera. In October she will design the world premiere of Dogsbody at Yerba Buena Forum.       LOUISE JARMILOWICZ (Costumer) is in her fourth season as costumer for 42ND Street Moon. She has been costuming around San Francisco for many years. Other groups with whom she has worked, designing and constructing costumes, include Crowded Fire, the Thrillpeddlers, Handful Players, 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. www.jarmodesigns.com.       SCOTT A. WILBER (Set Design/Decorator) is a painter, sculptor, designer and teacher living in San Francisco. Scott has been a scenic painter since 2005 at New Conservatory and has contributed to over a dozen shows there, including, most recently, MUNI, Anansi, Alice in Wonderland, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He was also set designer for Theatre District in 2006 (NCTC). He has also contributed to many Live Oak School Drama productions since 2000. Visit scott@338sf.com/scott to see recent pieces and commissioned work.       KEVIN PONG (Prop Master) is working on his first 42ND Street Moon production. Past scenic design credits include Jericho and Use Both Hands at Sleepwalkers Theatre, Twelfth Night at UC Berkeley, The Redwood Book of Luke and Sondheim's Company at BareStage, as well as design partnerships for events with the Mill Valley Film Festival and Pixar Studios. Beyond stage, Kevin is a furniture buyer for corporate retail.       ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org.