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The St. Mark's Players Proudly Present

STEEL MAGNOLIAS
 

by Robert Harling

Directed by Jessie Marshall

Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French

The Players

All action takes place in Truvy's Salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana.

Act I

Act II

The Crew

The Cast

Kate Blackburn (M'Lynn) is glad to be “home again” at St Mark’s. She has been seen here in Dancing at Lughnasa and Driving Miss Daisy. Her theater adventures have taken her to about a dozen other local and regional companies, most recently in The Heiress at the Bowie Playhouse. Kate is about to retire from the Quality Assurance group at Marriot and is looking forward to more time for theater and grandchildren.

Kathy Keating (Ouiser) has spent much of her life in some phase of theater or another since she graduated with a BFA in Drama from Ithaca College. While raising her family and living in many different states, she has kept her hand in as a performer, director, acting coach, and jack of all trades. Semi-retired now, she enjoys just auditioning and dabbling in films as an extra and serving as a companion to her Aunt Diane, who made her education possible. "No one had to ask what role I was playing!" laughs Kathy.

Jo Klein~Duke (Truvy Jones) is delighted to be working with such a wonderful cast and production staff. She was last seen in DC as Ginger Snapp at the International Spy Museum production of Spy Game in December, and she portrayed Lettice in A Murder at the Vicarage with the Mt. Vernon Players in 1993. In between she married and moved to the suburbs of Maryland, where she performs regularly with Montgomery Playhouse, the Damascus Theatre Company, and Sandy Spring Theatre Group. Favorite characters in her past include Diana of All’s Well that Ends Well, Kate Hardcastle of She Stoops to Conquer, Catherine of The Foreigner, and Rose in Dancing at Lughnasa. Prior to her own production of two wild and wonderful children, she worked professionally in theater companies from Germany, along the Eastern Seaboard, to California. She is now employed as an arts programmer for the Gaithersburg Arts Barn, a 99-seat theater. Her heartfelt thanks to husband Andy for encouraging her to pursue her passion. This performance is dedicated to Jo’s own Aunt Bettie, a true Steel Magnolia.

S. Lee Knorr (Clairee) has performed previously with the St. Mark’s Players in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever as Helen Armstrong and in Albertine in Five Times as Albertine at 70. During 2003 Lee also enjoyed reprising her role as Ethel P. Savage in The Curious Savage with the Serenity Players and acting as Lillian in the independent film In Search of Glory. She also appeared as Renee Kemp in Yes, Mamet at the Silver Spring Stage and as Euryclea in The Comeback with the Barnstormers Theatre Company. A big thank you goes to Jessie for this wonderful chance to “be” Clairee with this talented cast of Magnolias. As always, love to Cliff for his encouragement and support.

Cassie Lee (Shelby) is very pleased to be making her St. Marks Players debut. Most recently she was seen as Elizabeth Proctor in the Hard Bargain Players’ production of The Crucible. Other favorite roles include Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (TCP), Madame de Tourvel in Dangerous Liaisons (VTC), and Rita Boyle in Prelude to a Kiss (SSS). Cassie would like to thank Jessie and the rest of the cast and crew for a great run and, as always, thanks to her wonderful sisters and favorite CL.

Kathryn Wanschura (Annelle) last traipsed about the stage as Celia in As You Like It with Shakespeare in the Parque. Prior to that she had been heard, but not seen, as a voice interpreter for Gallaudet University’s production of The Boys Next Door. Other local acting credits include Museum with Cedar Lane Stage, The Art of Abundance with Laurel Mill Playhouse, Dinosaur with Adventure Theatre, and Hair (many moons ago) with the Elden Street Players. In her non-theater spare time, she performs with Bread & Roses Feminist Singers, paints pottery, and takes a class here and there. Many thanks to my family and friends who have come out to see the show, and my sincerest admiration for every hairstylist out there.

The Crew

Jeffrey Scott Auerbach (Lighting Designer) is happy to be working with Jessie and SMP again. This is his second show with Jessie, first was Driving Miss Daisy also produced here at St. Mark’s. Hmmm, there seems to be a southern theme here. Jeff has a BFA in Theater Tech and Design with an emphasis in lighting from George Mason University. He has been designing for local community theater groups for the last few years and has received nominations for outstanding lighting design from the ACT and WATCH award organizations. Jeff would like to thank Jerry for all his hard work as well as for all his help. He would also like to thank his Mom and Dad, Dave, and David for all of their support over the years. Jeff hopes that you enjoy the show.

Robert C. Bates (Sound) has done just about everything now at St. Mark’s Players: house managing, stage managing, box office, producing, and sound; he even had walk-on parts in Runaways last November. After Steel Magnolias, RC will be stage managing Rebecca at Colonial Players in Annapolis.

R. Cary Blackwelder-Plair (Set Design) is a recent transplant to Washington, D.C., from Arkansas, where he completed his degrees in Architecture and Stage Set Design. He currently works for an architecture firm in DC. Currently his design work can be seen in the Actors’ Theatre of Washington’s production of The F-Word, a premiere play by Jordan Beswick. He designed/built the sets for Driving Miss Daisy and the cow, Milky White for Into The Woods, both for SMP. Before moving to DC he worked on Grease, How I Learned to Drive, Noises Off, and The 1940’s Radio Hour at the University of Arkansas. This design is for STP.

Molly Blumgart (Stage Hand) is serving as a stage hand for the first time. She has performed in a number of SMP productions—Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the St Mark’s Anniversary Gala, and The Sound of Music—as well as several high school shows. She hopes to take part in future St Mark’s productions.

Beth Hall (Producer) began her stage career with the St Mark’s Players as stage mom and costume finder for Madeline in Lord of the Flies, and has since served as a kid wrangler and prop finder for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a singing nun and Baroness dresser in The Sound of Music, and house manager and tech feeder for Runaways. Her day job is with U.S. EPA in the Office of Ground and Drinking Water. Her other jobs include serving on the exec board of the Hardy Middle School PTA. Beth dedicates her efforts on this show to her late aunt, Vivian Wagner, a Midwestern magnolia!

Madeline Hall (Stage Hand) has appeared on stage in several SMP productions, including Runaways, The Sound of Music, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the Anniversary Gala, and Lord of the Flies. She is in 8th grade at Hardy Middle School. Concurrent with her stage hand and set construction efforts for Magnolias, she is appearing in her school play in March.

Rachel Lane (Stage Hand, Light Board Operator) is working backstage with SMP for the second time, having served as a stage hand during The Sound of Music last spring. She’s been involved in many more shows here, performing in Miracle on 34^th Street, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz, Lord of the Flies, and the St. Mark’s Players 20^th Anniversary Gala. Rachel looks forward to continued work with SMP.

Jessie Marshall (Director) has an MFA degree in Acting from Brandeis University and has performed in a number of productions in New York City. She has directed for the Temple Rodef Shalom Players (TRSP) in Falls Church, including the annual Purim musical, Neil Simon’s Fools and Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Her acting credits include Ruth in the Springfield Community Theatre’s production of Later Life, Ida in the TRSP production of The Cemetery Club, and Lady Montague in the Elden Street Players’ Romeo & Juliet. Jessie directed Driving Miss Daisy for St. Mark’s Players and Dearly Departed and The Fantastiks for Dominion Stage. Endless love and thanks to Jon for his love, help, and support.

Johana McCarthy (Co-Producer) has always been attracted to the artistic dynamic of theater. In this opportunity to be a producer, she has found her background as a lawyer and social worker a useful dimension for working with a wonderful group of dedicated theater people and the community. Johana enjoys taking courses in English, acting, playwriting, theater management, and graphic design at the University of the District of Columbia.

Jan Mooneyham (Stage Hand) is an attorney and patent examiner at the Patent & Trademark Office. This is her second experience with the St. Mark’s Players, following her stint as a stage manager for Driving Miss Daisy in November 2003. She has also worked on Romeo & Juliet (Elden Street Players) and Dearly Departed, which Jessie Marshall also directed.

Edwin Morman (Sound Designer), a California native, served 10 years in the Air Force as an audiovisual director for the President of the United States. He has since settled down into civilian life in D.C. and is now an audiovisual consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton in McLean, Virginia. Ed is in his third year with SMP. Originally brought to St. Mark’s by pianist (now wife) Laurie Smith Morman to do last-minute sound design for Pippin, he stayed on for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, You Can’t Take it With You, Into The Woods, Driving Miss Daisy, Albertine in Five Times, The Sound of Music, and Runaways. For other theaters in the area he has done sound design for Sweet Charity (FP); The Scarlet Pimpernel (TCP); The 1940’s Radio Hour (SCT); I Do, I Do (Alden Theater); and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and The Ritz (LTA). Favorite sayings include, “If you can’t control your own singing voice, you may as well control everyone else’s.”

Jo Rake (Costume Design) Steel Magnolias is the fourth show Jo has costumed for SMP (You Can’t Take It With You, Albertine in Five Times, The Sound of Music), soon to be followed by a fifth (1776). Jo first became involved with costumes by being the only cast member with a sewing kit during a repair emergency crisis for Oliver; she then found there was a use for her history degrees and sewing skills after all. Jo’s local theater credits include You Can’t Take It With You (Mrs. Kirby) and The Sound of Music (Frau Schmidt) for SMP; A USO Christmas, Great Dames (Marie Antoinette), The Scarlet Pimpernel and Jekyll & Hyde with TCP; and Me and My Girl (Lady Battersby) and The Music Man with 2^nd Star Productions. Jo’s next stage appearance will be as Kathleen in TCP’s May production of Ragtime.

Ben Roberts (Light Board Operator) is returning to the theater after starring as the attorney in The Westing Game in the fourth grade at the Churchhill Road School and as a member of the chorus in the Megillah According to Broadway by TRSP. This time he is operating the lights. Ben is in the eighth grade at the new school of Northern Virginia.

Jon Roberts (Hydroengineer) is returning to the theater after playing Kevtcho in the Megillah Movie Madness, the father in the Megillah According to Mickey, and Mordecai in the Megillah According to Broadway, all with TRSP. Jon also sang with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Paul Hill Chorale for 11 years and served four years on the board of directors of the National Choral Foundation. He is an avid guitar player. Tonight, when you see running water, that's Jon at work. He also wants to sincerely thank Jessie for his thespian re-awakening.

Erin Steenson (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be working with the St. Mark's Players for the first time. Usually on stage rather than behind stage, she has enjoyed playing such roles as Hero in Much Ado about Nothing and 7014 in Here Comes Mr. Jordan. Her most recent role was in Vienna Theater Company's production of Our Town, which earned her a WATCH nomination for Outstanding Cameo in a Play. She thanks Jessie, Beth, and Johana for the opportunity to gain new perspective as a stage manager, and she thanks John for his tremendous love and support.

Jeff Stevenson (SMP Board Liaison) recently got out of the Navy and landed here in the DC area. He worked as a stage hand on the SMP production of The Sound of Music; after that, he was hooked. He was the stage manager and set designer for the SMP production of Runaways last fall. Currently Jeff is serving as assistant stage manager for The Ritz at the Little Theater of Alexandria as well as SMP board liaison to this production. Also this spring, Jeff is stage managing the Mt Vernon Community Children's Theater production of Anne of Green Gables.

Taylor Walters (Properties Mistress) joins the crew of SMP after a lengthy hiatus from the theater. Last seen on stage in the opera Dido and Aeneas at American University, she is a member of the Alexandria Singers and a diehard swing dancer. Taylor spends her work days at Friendship Edison Junior Academy and splits her Sundays between St. Mark’s and Dumbarton UMC, where she is a mentor for the confirmation class and youth program. Thanks to Beth Hall for the invitation to get involved!

Theater Abbreviations

The 2003-04 Sponsors Circle

Sponsors’ Circle contributors are a major source of support for the St. Mark’s Players.  We sincerely thank each of them for their generous contributions.

 Archangels

Robert C. Bates

The Jordan Family

Bill and Kay Pommerening

The Rutherford Family

Chad M. Wilmer and Michael A. Pemberton

Angels

The Blumgart Family

Patrons

Margaret Crenshaw

Greg Gay and Marlane Liddell

Inez and Robert Lester and family

Jim and Marilyn Meek

Walton Moody

Brent Stone and Family

Joseph Tarantolo and Elissa Feldman

Sponsors

Betsey Athey and Frank Lloyd

Kate Blackburn

Lisa Anne Kerwin

Buzz March

The Soble Family

Friends

Nikki Felix

Ted Piccone

Judy Ross

St. Mark’s Players’ Board of Directors

Nancy Van Scoyoc, Vestry Liaison

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

The Rev. Paul R. Abernathy, Rector

The Rev. Shearon Sykes Williams, Assistant Rector

Keith S. Reas, Director of Music

St. Mark's Players Production Archive