Arsenic and Old Lace Program Detail

COCKPIT IN COURT SUMMER THEATRE
presents

By Joseph Kesselring

Set Designer
Michael Rasinski

Lighting Designer
Thomas Gardner

Costume Designer
Sharon Byrd

Sound Designer
Rachel Hawkins

Technical Director
Jason Randolph

Stage Managers
Diane M. Smith
Eric J. Potter

Directed By
F. Scott Black

Arsenic and Old Lace is Produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

CAST

(in order of appearance)

Setting: The living room of the Brewster home in Brooklyn, New York. 1941

Act I, Scene 1 – Late afternoon. September.
Act I, Scene 2 – Later that night.

There will be one fifteen-minute intermission.

Act II, Scene 1 – Continuation of previous scene.
Act II, Scene 2 – Still later that night.
Act II, Scene 3 – Early the next morning.

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Thank you, Cockpit, for welcoming me back with such an outstanding cast, artistic staff and crew. It is both a pleasure and an honor to be working with some of my favorite colleagues of many years – and also some very talented new friends.

Arsenic and Old Lace is a play by the American playwright Joseph Kesselring, written in 1939. It has become best known through the film adaptation starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra. The play was directed by Bretaigne Windust, and opened on January 10, 1941. On September 25, 1943, the play moved to the Hudson Theatre. It closed there on June 17, 1944, having played 1,444 performances.

When Kesselring taught at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, he lived in a boarding house called the Goerz House, and many of the features of its living room are reflected in the Brewster sisters’ living room, where the action of the play is set. The Goerz House is now the home of the college president. Bethel College was a school of the pacifist Mennonite church. The play appeared at a time of strong isolationist sentiment regarding European affairs, and if the play strikes a contemporary note at all – it asks – “Is what Abby and Martha are doing harder to believe than what Hitler was doing in Europe that year.”

But mostly Arsenic and Old Lace is just great fun — I hope you’ll agree. To quote J. R. Lyston’s notes in his 1980 Essex Community College production, “Happily, murder as entertainment has been a long established theatrical genre. It takes the sting out of an ugly reality. Hopefully, you will relish what you see tonight with as much glee as those dear Brewsters show while they merrily fill the cellar with their ‘needy cases.’”

My special thanks to CCBC Performing Arts and the School of Liberal Arts for supporting me for many years and two of my most cherished friends and fellow theatre artists who assisted me of this production: Eric Potter and Diane Smith.

Scott Black
Director

Who’s Who

CAROL CONLEY EVANS (Abby Brewster) is delighted to appear on the Cockpit Mainstage for the first time. She has appeared at the Cockpit Cabaret as Ouiser (Steel Magnolias), Aida (Over the River…), Elizabeth (Angel Street), as well as Doris (Same Time Next Year), Beverly (Shadow Box), and Mrs. Webb (Our Town) back in the 1980’s. Other roles in her recent “old ladies phase” include: Miss Daisy (Driving Miss Daisy – DCT), Fanny Cavendish (The Royal Family – Salem Players), and Kate Keller (All My Sons), Ethel (Moon Over Buffalo), Betty (The Foreigner), Lucille (Cemetery Club) and Aunt Abby, all at the Vagabond Players. This is the first time in 60 years of acting she has repeated a role and she is elated to be doing it at Cockpit with F. Scott Black and this wonderful cast and production team.

JOAN CROOKS (Martha Brewster) is thrilled to be back on the Main Stage at CCBC, with Cockpit, directed by Scott, and working with so many “old” friends. Without Scott and CCBC Essex I wouldn’t have been able to reach so many of my theater goals. I wouldn’t have been able to play so many of my dream roles. So, F. Scott Black, my performance is dedicated to you!!!!

DARREN MCDONNELL (Mortimer Brewster) is no stranger to Cockpit, Darren did his first show in 1980 and was last seen in Sunset Boulevard and The King and I. He received a 2015 Helen Hayes Best Supporting Actor in a Musical nomination as Sir Robin in Spamalot at Toby’s Dinner Theatre. Recent Baltimore appearances: Dan in Next to Normal and Victor in Private Lives both at Vagabonds Theatre, Gordon Schwinn in A New Brain and Songs for a New World at Spotlighters Theatre, Brian in The Shadow Box with Teatro 101, Georges in La Cage Aux Folles, Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, Zoser in Aida all at Toby’s Baltimore. This one is for you, John “Loretta” Doty, miss you!!

KRISTIN MILLER (Elaine Harper) began performing as a teenager in Milwaukee, WI where she danced and taught in a local modern dance company. At 18 she moved to New York to train at The Ailey School and the Joffrey Ballet, and was later hired as a dancer for a children’s theatre company, where she transitioned from her dance career into acting. Some of her favorite roles were Catherine in The Foreigner, Little Sally in Urinetown, and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. This summer, Kristin is thrilled to be returning to her very first Baltimore theatre home at Cockpit in Court, where last summer she played Kaye Strange in Towards Zero. She would like to thank her friend Mike for his help with running lines and general awesomeness, Ryan for being supportive as always, and Scott and Diane for giving her the opportunity to be a part of Arsenic and Old Lace!

B. THOMAS RINALDI (Teddy Brewster) is pleased to return to Cockpit in Court where his credits include: 1776 and Daddy’s Dying, Who’s Got the Will? Mr. Rinaldi would like to thank Mr. Black for this “BULLY” opportunity and is “Dee-lighted” to be re-united with: Joan Crooks, who he played siblings with twice before in ‘Daddy’s Dying…’ and Lil Foxes at Dundalk Community Theater AND especially; his boyhood hero J.R. Lyston, whom with he did his first play at Spotlighters Theater 43 years ago. Recently seen as Major Bouvier/Norman Vincent Peale in Grey Gardens with StillPoint Theatre AND Constable Jones in Mary Poppins with Charm City Players; Mr Rinaldi has been tapped to direct Scrooge with Synergy Theater in Rosedale this coming winter.

GREG GUYTON (Jonathan Brewster) is delighted to return the Cockpit stage, having previously played McPherson in Laura and David in Social Security. Other recent favorites include Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins and Lancelot in Spamalot at Milburn Stone Theater, George in Moon over Buffalo and Jekyll in Jekyll and Hyde at the Vagabonds, and Beau in Mame at Spotlighters. When not on stage he fixes all those theatrical broken legs as an orthopedic surgeon at Union Memorial Hospital. Many thanks to this superbly talented cast for another special experience at Cockpit! As always, he relies upon the constant love and support of his real-life leading lady Michele.

DALE TROTT (Dr. Einstein) is a veteran of over 70 shows, having first appeared on stage at the age of five in his native Ohio. Some of his favorite performances here in Baltimore area dinner theatres and community theatres include It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, The Mousetrap, And Then There Were None, Monky Business, Guys and Dolls, Beauty and the Beast, and Barefoot in the Park. He is thrilled to be making his first appearance here at Cockpit in Court with so many seasoned performers, old friends, and new.

RICHARD AHLSTROM (Mr. Gibbs) performed with Cockpit for the first time last year playing the role of Louie in The Gazebo. He has worked with a number of theatre groups, mostly in Maryland. Favorite roles were Arsenic and Old Lace (Jonathan Brewster) and The Mousetrap (Detective Sergeant Trotter) at St. Augustine’s Dinner Theatre. Comedies include The Girl in the. Freudian Slip” (Peter Wellman) at The Spotlighters Theatre and Good Night, Caroline (The Burglar) at St. Augustine’s. Richard spent four years (2010 – 2013) performing in each annual production of The Friendship Players Dinner Theatre. His last role there was in Harvey (Duane Wilson). His most dramatic role was Peter in The Zoo Story at Victor Valley College, California. Richard has performed in at least four musicals, enjoying the part of Huckleberry the most in The Fantastiks at Harbour Theatre. He was a member of SAG-AFTRA from 1983 through 2016.

RICK ARNOLD (Officer Brophy) is very pleased to be returning to Cockpit. Previous appearances include, Hairspray, Gypsy, and High Society, among others. Many thanks to Scott, Diane, and all the cast & crew. Retired after a long career in the court system, Rick now wages a quixotic struggle to keep his ball in the fairway. Love to Rick and Denise. Enjoy the show!

JOHN DIGNAM (Lieutenant Rooney) makes his Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre debut in Arsenic and Old Lace. John returned to his community theatre roots in late 2015 after a long, long hiatus. Previously, he has appeared with the Salem Players as Tony Cavendish in The Royal Family and Willy Wonka in Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, with How Do You Like Me Now productions as Dr. Scott in The Rocky Horror Show, with the Memorial Players as Otto Rupf in Romulus, with the Laurel Mill Playhouse as Tom Houghton/Roger in Loves and Hours, as Milt Fields in Laughter on the 23rd Floor, and as Officer O’Hara in the LMP’s production of Arsenic and Old Lace earlier this year. His most recent appearance was as Captain Hook in the Salem Players’ May 2017 production of Peter Pan. He would like to thank Scott, Diane and the entire cast and crew for allowing him this latest turn in Arsenic and Old Lace.

LEONARD GILBERT (Officer Klein) last played at Cockpit in Court in The Wizard of Oz, and is delighted to be a part of this show with F. Scott Black and his outstanding cast. Leonard was most recently seen as Firmin in the Opera Anne Arundel Community College special performance rights production of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Phantom of the Opera. Other Opera AACC credits include the Pirates of Penzance, Elexir of Love, and The Merry Widow. Leonard regularly performs with the traveling troupe of mystery players known as WhoDunnitForHire. Some of his favorite roles include Herr Schultz in Cabaret, Horace Giddens in The Little Foxes , Moonface Martin in Anything Goes, Mike in Wait Until Dark, and Oscar in The Odd Couple. A few of his highlights include Never to Late, Mame, Sweeny Todd, Forum, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, and the first season of House of Cards. Thanks go to his Patricia Rose.

DAVE GUY (Mr. Witherspoon) returns to Cockpit for the first time since 2013 (Gypsy). He first performed at Cockpit in 1979 in Bye Bye Birdie and The Lion In Winter. Over the past 38 years, he has appeared here as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls and Amos Hart in Chicago. Other favorite appearances at Cockpit over these many years include Sugar Babies, 1776, Lend Me A Tenor, Applause, Most Happy Fella, Deathtrap, Crazy For You, Singing In The Rain, and Sunset Boulevard. He has appeared in 23 shows here. Other area productions include Moon Over Buffalo, Camelot, Rumors, Big River, Little Shop…, Evita, Cabaret, South Pacific, Sound of Music, …Forum, Annie, Inherit the Wind, Ragtime, Here’s Love, Music Man, Sunshine Boys, The Odd Couple, and Barefoot in the Park. Dave retired in late 2015 as a Customer Service Rep for Crown Cork & Seal.

J.R. LYSTON (Rev. Dr. Harper) professor Emeritus of Essex Community College, is glad to see Cockpit In Court still going strong since 1972, when he helped start it. After a lifetime of acting, directing, and teaching, Cockpit gives him the chance to “tread the boards” once more.

NATHAN ROSEN (Officer O’Hara) is a resident of Pikesville delighted to be making his debut with Cockpit in Court. Favorite roles include Maurice in Beauty and The Beast, Brannigan in Guys and Dolls, and Mayor Shinn in The Music Man (in which his late wife Robbie played his wife) with Howard County Summer Theatre. He will appear in Macbeth next month. He has been directing, designing, and teaching theatre for many years, at Atholton High School since 1997. He thanks his children and parents for their support, and apologizes to the dog.

F. SCOTT BLACK (Director) is Dean Emeritus of the School of Liberal Arts at the Community College of Baltimore County where he also served as Professor of Speech and Theatre and Chair of the Performing Arts. He retired in 2013 after serving the college for forty-two years. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the College of William and Mary and holds his MFA from the Catholic University of America. After serving with the United States Marine Corps, he traveled for the U. S. State Department as a cultural ambassador. While at CCBC Mr. Black took performing groups to the Ukraine, France, Germany, Japan and China. Mr. Black was also owner and Artistic Director of F. Scott Black’s Dinner Theatres and was a founder and Artistic Director of the Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre. He has directed or acted in over 200 productions in the U.S. and abroad.

DIANE M. SMITH (Assistant Director/Co-Stage Manager) is absolutely thrilled to be working once again with her mentor and best friend, F. Scott Black. Diane is a 1982 graduate from CCBC Essex and has been working for Cockpit since 1978 in many capacities both technical and artistic. From 1982 to 2001, Diane worked for F. Scott Black’s Towson and Harborlights Dinner Theatres where she served as General Manager as well as directing many of the shows. She was one of the co-founders (along with F. Scott Black) of ‘The Young People’s Players’ which has now evolved into and operates as the Award Winning ‘Children’s Playhouse of Maryland’ and is in residence at CCBC Essex. Diane proudly serves as the Artistic Director for this organization. In 2008 Diane received the Most Distinguished Alumni Award from CCBC for her contributions to the Baltimore Theatre Community and her work with young people in the Arts. By day, Diane is the Theatre Instructor and Artistic Director for the Award Winning Theatre Arts Program at Beth Tfiloh High School in Owings Mills, where she was awarded “Teacher of the Year” honors for 2011. She currently resides in Timonium with her 20 year old daughter, Nicole and husband, Jerry Smith. Diane would like to dedicate her work on this Cockpit show in loving memory of Ellie Goldenberg.

ERIC J. POTTER (Co-Stage Manager) is thrilled to be able to help out with “Arsenic and Old Lace” and to be working with Scott and Diane again. It feels like old times again!

MICHAEL RASINSKI (Set Designer) is happy to be returning to Cockpit in Court for his 11th season. He is an alumnus of Towson University and has a Bachelors degree in Theatrical Design and Production. Michael also works as a carpenter for various theatre companies downtown as well as CCBC’s academic program.

SHARON BYRD (Costume Designer) is in her 4th season working with Cockpit In Court, having had the privilege of costuming the Jesters productions for the last 3 years. Arsenic and old Lace will be her second production that she has had the opportunity to costume on the main stage. Sharon looks forward to working with the adults and later this season working with the children in Madagascar Jr. “Thank you so much for the chance to work with such amazing casts and crews.”

THOMAS GARDNER (Lighting Designer)

RACHEL HAWKINS (Sound Designer) is an Audio Engineer with over 3 years of experience. She is a Sheffield Institute for the Recording Arts alumni after completing the Audio Works program in 2014, and is now studying at Harford Community College for an A.A.S. in Mass Communications. She is currently working as a technician for Harford Community College’s cultural events organization called LIVE! at Harford Community College.
She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa national honors society, Rho Beta Chapter, Middle States Region, with a cumulative GPA of 3.79. She was the Sound Designer for Phoenix Festival Theatre’s Wizard of Oz production, and has worked on various productions with Harford Dance Theatre. She has also recently received a Screech Award, awarded by Harford Community College’s Mass Communications Dept., for a short film she worked on as a semester project.

JASON RANDOLPH (Technical Director)
BS Math, College of William and Mary
MFA Rinehart School of Sculpture, MICA
MFA Technical Theatre and Design, UVA
TD/Resident Scenic Designer Single Carrot Theatre 2014-2017
TD CCBC Essex 2015-present
TD Cockpit in Court Summer Theater 2016-present

PRODUCTION STAFF

Director | F. Scott Black
Scenic Designer | Michael Rasinski
Lighting Designer | Thomas Gardner
Technical Director | Jason Randolph
Light Board Operator | Diane M. Smith
Sound Designer/Operator | Rachel Hawkins
Costume Designer | Sharon Byrd
Co-Stage Manager | Diane M. Smith
Co-Stage Manager | Eric. J. Potter
Stage Crew | Tate Erickson, Paul Saar
Set Construction | Michael Rasinski, Hayden Miller
David Sunderland, Anna Steuerman, Miles Lawlor
Joe Martin & Trevor Wilhelms
Paint Charge | Michael Rasinski
Scenic Artists | Jess Rassp & Sam Callanta
Master Electrician | Thomas Gardner
Production Photographer | Amy Jones
Production Liaisons | Estelle Harris, Louise Higgins

COCKPIT IN COURT 2017 STAFF

COCKPIT IN COURT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Kacey Conn | President
Patty DeLisle | Vice-President
H. Ray Lawson | Recording Secretary
Terry Walter | Corresponding Secretary

Special Thanks

Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, President, CCBC
Dr. Mark McColloch, Vice President of Instruction
Dr. William Watson, Dean of Liberal Arts
Patti Crossman, Chair, Performing Arts and Humanities
Dr. Anne Lefter, Director, Performing Arts
Jacqueline Lucy, Media Relations Coordinator
Michael Elspas, Assistant Director, Creative Services
Kim Bleakley, Graphic Designer
The CCBC Essex Foundation for the donation of Wine
PepsiCo for the donation of Water and Soda
Children’s Playhouse of MD
Beth Tfiloh Creative Arts Department
Louise Higgins & Aunt Kitty

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