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Directed by Greg Gay

Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
 

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The Cast
(in order of appearance)

Henry II, King of England	Don Allen
Alais, a French Princess	Karen Jadlos
John, the youngest son	Sun King Davis
Geoffrey, the middle son	James Heisel
Richard Lionheart, the oldest son	Gary Cole
Eleanor, Henry's wife	Mary Anne Peterson
Philip, King of France	James Votel

The Time:  Christmas 1183
The Place:  Henry's Castle at Chinon, France

Act I
Scene one:  Alais' Chamber
Scene two:  The Reception Hall
Scene three:  Eleanor's Chamber
Scene four:  The Reception Hall
Scene five:  Eleanor's Chamber
Scene six:  Philip's Chamber

Act II
Scene one:  Henry's Chamber
Scene two:  Alais' Chamber
Scene three:  The Wine Cellar

There will be one intermission between the acts.

Production Staff

Director	Greg Gay
Assistant Director	Fairfield Butt
Stage Manager	Jean Frane
Set Design	Andy Wenchel
Lighting Design	John Hutson
Sound	Bill Repsher, Greg Gay
Lighting Execution	Jean Frane
Sound Execution	Fairfield Butt
Stage Properties	Sandy Harrelson
Publicity	Susanne Bostick
Programs	Mary Lou Coffman
Costumes	Gene's Costumes, Kenskington, MD
Our special thanks to the many people who assisted during the last week of the production, but whom we have been unable to list in the program because of printing deadlines

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Director's Notes

In 1183, Henry II has consolidated under the English crown a good half of what is now France. At age 50, by the standards of the day, he is an old man, although he remains fit and vigorous. The principle of primogeniture is not clearly established, and his three surviving sons, Richard Lionheart, Geoffrey, and John, all have designs on the crown.

Henry's queen, Eleanor of Aquitane, has for the past ten years been a virtual prisoner in a castle in England where he has confined her after she led unsuccessful uprisings against him. In his loneliness, Henry has been consorting with the young French princess, Calais Cape who, some fourteen years ago, at age 7, had been betrothed to his successor and sent to the English court to be raised.

Two provinces in France figure prominently in the play - the Aquitane and the Vexin. The Aquitane is a large, rich, state which came to the English crown when Henry married Eleanor; the Vexin is a small state, but strategically located near Paris. It came with Alais as a dowry when she was betrothed to Henry's successor.

The action takes place at Henry's castle at Chinon, France. Eleanor has been permitted to travel there to join the family for Christmas Court.

This play is a work of fiction. No Christmas Court is known to have occurred at Chinon in 1183, and the actions of the characters are the creation of the playwright. However, the relationships and outcomes for the characters are consistent with what we know from the history of the period.

Don Allen (Henry) has portrayed, on various stages in the area, Tom in Glass Menagerie, Horace in The Little Foxes, and Creon in Antigone, among many others. At Silver Spring Stage he has directed A Streetcar Named Desire, All My Sons, A Taste of Honey, and Slow Dance on the Killing Ground.

Fairfield Butt (Assistant Director) has played principal roles in all of the St. Mark's Players' productions since its inception. This is his first production as assistant director, which has become a valuable experience for him, although part of him misses being on stage as an actor.

Gary Cole (Richard), a Capitol Hill resident, has appeared in numerous productions at Williams College, Stanford University, and in the Washington, DC, area. Favorite roles include Gratiano in The Merchant of Venice, Morse in The Hot L Baltimore, and The Old One in Ondine.

Sun King Davis (John) is sixteen years old and attends Georgetown Day High School. He has done several plays in community theater, as well as at school, among which were the title role in Tom Sawyer, Snug the Joiner in Midsummer Night's Dream, and a triple part of circus owner, ringmaster, and villain, in Toby Tyler: Ten Weeks with the Circus.

Greg Gay (Director) has been active in theater in the Washington area most of his adult life, primarily with the K-G Players, Montgomery Playhouse, Silver Spring Stage, and, in recent years, St. Mark's Players. He directed last year's production of The Crucible. While assigned overseas with the Foreign Service, he participated in civic and university theater at his posts of assignment. Greg is now a qualitative research consultant and a parishioner at St. Mark's.

James Heisel (Geoffrey) has played George in All My Sons, Clifford Anderson in Deathtrap, Happy Loman in Death of a Salesman, and Jerry in Zoo Story, among many other area productions. This is James' first appearance with the St. Mark's Players.

Karen Jadlos (Alais) is a newcomer to St. Mark's, but not to theater. She has been Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, Babe in Crimes of the Heart, Joanne in Vanities, Betty in The Golden Fleece, Agnes in Agnes of God, and Claudia in Nuts.

Mary Anne Peterson (Eleanor) performs her second role with the St. Mark's Players, after playing Tiger Lily in Peter Pan.  She has been active in local theater for several years, playing leads in Plaza Suite, You Can't Take It With You, Our Town, and Southern Gothic, as well as dancing and singing with Hexagon Revue and in musical comedies. She has studied acting in New York and at the Folger and currently studies voice and dance. She is a member of St. Mark's.

James Votel (Philip) has been in the theater in DC for the past four years, including Assistant Director and Stage Manager for Company, Special Effects creator for Deathtrap, Blythe Spirit, and Something's Afoot. His on stage credits include the Preacher Rev. Sinsaver in The Rubber Bridegroom, a student in Baby, and Ching in Anything Goes. His favorite roles include the Barber/Anselmo in  Man of LaMancha and Major McGinnis in Bell.

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