PARDON MY ENGLISH (1933)

Music by GEORGE GERSHWIN
Lyrics by IRA GERSHWIN
Book by HERBERT FIELDS (adaptation by DAVID IVES)

Directed by BOBBY WEINAPPLE
Musical Director DAVE DOBRUSKY
Choreographed by BRENDAN SIMON

A slap-happy 1933 musical farce – an Englishman has a double identity as the proprietor of a scandalous Dresden nightclub!

The classic Gershwin songs include Isn’t It a Pity?, My Cousin in Milwaukee, The Lorelei, I Want to Be There.

BIOGRAPHIES

		COLEY GRUNDMAN (Katz, et al) is making his second appearance with 42nd Street Moon, having previously appeared in It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman.  He has performed principal roles at American Conservatory Theater, Broadway By the Bay, Altarena Playhouse and The Masquers Playhouse in their productions of Assassins, Joseph…Dreamcoat, The Threepenny Opera, Sweeney Todd, Tintypes, and The Secret Garden, among many others.  Coley has performed his award-winning cabaret act at the Plush Room and North Beach's legendary Purple Onion.  He recently completed a six-month run in Morris Bobrow’s original revue, Shopping! The Musical.
		LUA HADAR (Doctor, Nurse, et al) has sung her way across North America and Europe, both as a soloist and with The Kitchenettes vocal trio.  She trained at New York’s Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre and in master classes at the Metropolitan Opera.  She has sung leading roles in musicals and debuted last spring in an original musical, Viva Concha.  Ms. Hadar has performed and produced shows at The Purple Onion.  Her solo cabaret show, a release for her CD, It’s About Time, wowed Plush Room audiences, and also played at The Gardenia in Hollywood.  November brings her to Anna’s Jazz Island in Berkeley.  www.luahadar.com
		NINA JOSEPHS (Freida Bauer) is making her fourth appearance at 42nd Street Moon, having previously played Appassionata Von Climax in Li'l Abner, Circe in The Golden Apple and the title role in Miss Liberty.  Other recent roles include Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, Yum-Yum in Mikado, Anna Held in Tintypes and Lady Larken in Once Upon a Mattress, for which she won a Dean Goodman Choice Award.  Ms. Josephs has studied extensively at the American Conservatory Theater and will soon graduate from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she studies with Jane Randolph.
		MARY KALITA (Magda) returns to 42nd Street Moon after appearing in Mack & Mabel this past spring.  She recently completed a sold-out run of Jesus Christ Superstar at City Lights Theatre, where she was featured as a dancer.  Previous credits also include A Christmas Carol, Proof, No No Nanette, Twelfth Night, James and the Giant Peach, How to Succeed in Business…, and Grease.  Ms. Kalita holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Millikin University.
		CHRIS MACOMBER (Mrs. Preston, et al) returned to singing and discovered musical theater after a long federal government career.  This is her fifth 42nd Street Moon show, having previously portrayed Madame Roberta in Roberta, Gladys Cooley in Fifty Million Frenchmen (for which she won a Dean Goodman Choice Award), Mrs. McNish in Minnie’s Boys and the Countess in Miss Liberty.  Ms. Macomber also performs regularly with The Lamplighters and just appeared in her first play:  Twelfth Night as Malvolio with Woman’s Will, the all-female Shakespeare company.  She is also a violinist and a member of The Exeter String Quartet.
		JASON D. McCLAIN (Dr. Steiner) is a recent transplant and native of Bakersfield, California.  He recently assisted with Set Design on Footloose (Contra Costa Civic Theatre) and completed his second successful cabaret show: Just When You Thought It Was Safe (Bakersfield Music Theatre/Stars).  Recent roles include Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors andBenjy in My Favorite Year (BMT/Stars).  Jason is delighted to be here on the Moon, literally, and would like to thank all those who embarked on an epic journey to be here for their support.
		MAUREEN McVERRY (Gita) is making her debut with 42nd St. Moon.  She has appeared in over 50 productions in the San Francisco Bay Area, working at theaters such as American Conservatory Theater, TheatreWorks, The Marines Memorial, San Jose Rep and Stage, and many others.  This last September, she appeared in Noises Off at the Redondo Beach Civic Light Opera in Los Angeles.  In December, she will appear in The Learned Ladies of Park Avenue for TheatreWorks.  A graduate of Cal, she has received several Dramalogue and Bay Area Critics Circle Awards for her work onstage.  Offstage, Maureen is married to "Dr. Rom" with whom she has two children:  Flannery and Jack.
		BRANDON MEARS (Doctor, et al) joins the 42nd Street Moon family with this production, where he is happy to be performing a work by one of his favorite composers.  He was most recently seen in Jay Kuo's new musical Insignificant Others at the New Conservatory Theatre Center.  His favorite roles include Brad in The Rocky Horror Show, Freddy in My Fair Lady, and Sir Harry in Once Upon a Mattress, for which he received a Dean Goodman Choice Award.  Brandon will soon appear in the exciting new musical, Homeland, with the SF New Theatre Workshop.
		TOM ORR (Dickie Carter) found "his people" -- this musical comedy tribe -- and joins Production Manager Mike Figueira as a "hat trick" Moonie (i.e. three consecutive Moon shows:  Mack & Mabel, Li'l Abner and, now, Pardon My English)!  He is an award-winning lyricist (Dirty Little Showtunes!) and actor (DLST!; Sweet Parody!; The Last Noel; Naked Boys Singing!; the infamous My Gypsy; Whoop-Dee-Doo!; Shopping! The Musical; Trog!; etc.).  Mr. Orr also co-directed Simply Sondheim: A 75th Birthday Salute (now a two-disc CD:  Kritzerland.com) with Tom Segal.  dirtylittleshowtunes@yahoo.com.
		TONY PANIGHETTI (Golo/Michael) returns to 42nd Street Moon after performing in Li'l Abner last summer.  Recently, he was seen on the high seas of Alaska, Europe, and the Bahamas with Crystal Cruise Line's Repertory Theater At Sea. His favorite roles include: Jerry/Daphne in Cabrillo Stage's Some Like It Hot, Man 1 in Sierra Repertory's I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and as Mozart in PCPA Theaterfest's Amadeus, for which he received a Backstage West Garland acting award.
		ROBIN TAYLOR (Mr. Preston, et al) is making his debut with 42nd Street Moon.  In the early ‘90s, he played the protagonist in Silverlake, a musical written by Kurt Weill for City Summer Opera.  That show also commented on fascism, although in much more somber tones.  Mr. Taylor has been recognized with a Dramologue Award, (And the World Goes ‘Round), Dean Goodman Awards (New Wrinkles, and The Cat in Honk!) and a Bay Area Critics Circle Award for his portrayal of the title character in Where’s Charley?
		STEPHEN VAUGHT (Schultz, et al) is making his first appearance with 42nd Street Moon after moving back to San Francisco from Los Angeles.  Recent stage appearances include Twelve Angry Men, Eastern Standard, A New War, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.  Mr. Vaught also served as photo-double for Nicolas Cage in the hit film, National Treasure, and appeared regularly as a police officer in TNT's The Closer.  Steve believes that the zaniness of Pardon My English suits his personality well.
		RICK WILLIAMS (Bauer) is debuting with 42nd Street Moon.  He is the recipient of three Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Awards -- for his portrayals of John Adams (1776) and Don Quixote/Cervantes (Man of La Mancha) -- both with Willows Theatre, and Koko (Mikado, Lamplighters).  Other roles include Higgins (My Fair Lady), Fredrik (A Little Night Music), Fagin (Oliver), Voltaire/Pangloss (Candide), Captain Andy (Show Boat), Og (Finian’s Rainbow), Horace Vandergelder (Hello Dolly), and both Scrooge and Marley (A Christmas Carol).

BOBBY WEINAPPLE (Director) most recently directed A Perfect Ganesh for Free Range Theatre Company, and for last year's Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight at Theatre Q, he received a Dean Goodman Choice Award for Outstanding Direction. The production was also voted one of the “10 Best Theatre Events of 2005” by the Oakland Tribune.  Other directing credits include Falsettos with Red Dragon Productions, an original adaptation of Chekhov's The Duel at Central Works, Taming of the Shrew and The Tempest at the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and many others.  Additionally, Mr. Weinapple has worked as an actor throughout the Bay Area for Berkeley Repertory Theatre, TheatreWorks, Marin Theatre Company, and of course for 42nd Street Moon, in Silk Stockings and Lady Be Good.  He also teaches at Seydways Acting Studio.

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).

BRENDAN SIMON (Choreographer) is a California native who directs, choreographs, and performs.  As a first-time choreographer for 42nd Street Moon, Mr. Simon has also choreographed for the Altarena Playhouse, Active Arts Theatre Company, Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Programs, and summer programs for both the City of Santa Clara and Contra Costa Civic Theatre.  He's also served as Dance Captain for last summer's offering at the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and is a company member for Dance Unlimited under the direction of Greg Chapkis.  Thanks for supporting live theater!

SHAWN FERREYRA (Stage Manager) returns to 42nd Street Moon for his fifth production.  He has also stage managed for Last Planet Theatre and the ACT Conservatory.  Mr. Ferreyra is the co-founder of El Gato Del Diablo Theatre Company, and the author of the plays The Rise and Fall of the Monkey King and The Legendary and Fabulous Passion Play.

LOUISE JARMILOWICZ (Costumer) is costuming her third show for 42nd Street Moon; her previous shows have included The Golden Apple and Li'l Abner.  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.

ELLEN BROOKS (Lighting Director) has designed 20 musicals for 42nd Street Moon – including ourproductions atthe 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.