FLOODLIGHT Page 1

December 2019

Book and lyrics by

Robert L. Freedman

Music and lyrics by

Steven Lutvak

Based on the novel by

Roy Horniman

Produced by

Mary Beth Smith-Toomey

Directed by

Frank D. Shutts II

Musical Direction by

Christopher Tomasino

Choreographed by

Stefan Sittig

Order Your

Tickets Now!

Call the Box Office

703-683-0496

FEATURED PRODUCTION

Producer Mary Beth Smith-Toomey, Director Frank D. Shutts II, Music

Director Christopher A. Tomasino, and Choreographer Stefan Sittig invite

you to join them for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder! This is a

delightful British romp where a distant heir to a family fortune sets out to

speed up the line of succession by using a great deal of charm … and a dash

of murder.

Our story will come to life via the talents of our marvelous cast: Drew Goins

as the distant heir Monty Navarro, Chuck Dluhy as all the members of the

D’Ysquith family, Katie Weigl as Sibella Hallward, Alexandra Chace as

Phoebe D’Ysquith, Kristen Jepperson as Miss Shingle, Audrey Baker,

Allison Meyer, and Margie Remmers as the Female Ensemble, and Devin

Dietrich, Derek Marsh, and Jordan Peyer as the Male Ensemble. Some

familiar faces and a number of new ones join us for this exciting journey

through British aristocracy!

The production staff joining us for the hilarity includes Co-Stage Managers

Rob Cork and Nick Friedlander, Associate Music Director Steve

McBride, Set Designer and Photographer Matt Liptak, Co-Set Builders

Jim Hutzler and Jeff Nesmeyer, Co-Set Painters Mary Hutzler and Stacey

Becker, Co-Costume Designers Kit Sibley and Jean Schlichting,

Co-Lighting Designers Ken and Patti Crowley, Master Electrician Pam

Leonowich, Sound Designer David Correia, Hair/Wig and Makeup

Designer Susan Boyd, Properties Designer Kirstin Apker, Set Decorator

MYKE, Wardrobe Coordinator Cheryl Bolt, Dialogue Coach Cheryl

Sinsabaugh, and Rigging Technician Russ Wyland.

If you want to be on a crew for the running of the show, we would love to

have you join our team! You can contact our Producer, Mary Beth, at

mbstoomey@yahoo.com. Please put “GG Volunteer” in the subject line.

The Little Theatre of Alexandria

Russell Wyland, President

Brendan Quinn, Governor for

Membership

Kirstin Apker, Floodlight Coordinator

Linda Wells, Floodlight Editor

Next Floodlight January 27th

Inside This Issue

President’s Column Page 2

New Members Page 2

LTA Award Winners Page 3

Governors at Work Page 4

Thank You Page 4

Governor’s Message Page 5

Scottish Walk Page 5

Council Corner Page 6

FLOODLIGHT Page 2

President’s

Column

Russell

Wyland

The Safe Place of Our Home Theatre

Why do so many call LTA their “home” theatre? For many of us, I think, LTA feels like home because it is a safe

place. It is a place where – regardless of our quirks, beliefs, orientations, genders, talents, or interests – one can take

creative risks and always feel welcome doing so. It is a place where one is treated with respect and which brings joy

to one’s life.

When I was a teenager, I found theater (or theater found me) because I was different and awkward and desperately

wanted to escape my shyness. I found what I needed. Especially in these crazy times, we must always strive to keep

LTA that safe space that allows people to pursue their theatrical passions and interests onstage, in the wings, or in

the box office and the lobby. In short, creating “home” is something we need to work on all the time.

What does this mean in practical terms? First and foremost, it means using common sense to consider whether one’s

thoughts and actions might make someone else feel uncomfortable. For instance, if a joke that may potentially

distress or offend another person is about to trip off your tongue, it is better left unsaid. Second, it means that when

you see or hear something inappropriate, or something inappropriate happens to you, you say something. Bad

behavior should never be allowed to pass. Third, it means acknowledging good actions. If a volunteer has done a

good job, say so. Our home should be a positive place. Finally, it means that the theatre’s management must always

be on the lookout for practices or routines that might be inadvertently reinforcing or creating uncomfortable

environments. On this front, some changes have already happened backstage.

The dressing rooms – places where actors are often vulnerable – must be thought of first and foremost as safe

spaces. For this reason, each person visiting the dressing rooms will enter through his/her door; the women’s

dressing room will no longer be the primary entrance. Those without production-related business are no longer

allowed in the dressing rooms, and ushers will no longer bring pitchers of water to the dressing rooms. This is a

small step, but a necessary one, to make sure all actors – male and female alike – feel that they are safe in the areas

designated for them.

The goal is not to make LTA a place of restrictions, but to implement common sense changes that will make

everyone feel safe within our walls. Safe = home, and it is good for us all when people consider LTA their home

theatre.

Russell Wyland, President

New Members

Poonam Bansal Drew Goins Sherwood Gray

Katie Weigl Joanna Wong

FLOODLIGHT Page 3

LTA Award Winners 2018 – 2019

Excellence in Sound Design

Janice Rivera for Dracula

Excellence in Props Design

Helen Bard-Sobola and Margaret Chapman for You

Can't Take It With You

Excellence in Costume Design

Ashley Amidon for The Savannah Disputation

Excellence in Lighting Design

Jeffrey Scott Auerbach and Kimberly Crago for Dracula

Excellence in Set Design

Matt Liptak for Dracula

Excellence in Set Painting

Stacey Becker, Matt Liptak, and Mona Wargo for

Dracula

Excellence in Set Construction

Jim Hutzler and Jeff Nesmeyer for Dracula

Excellence in Set Decoration

Charles Dragonette for August: Osage County

Excellence in Makeup Design

Susan Boyd for You Can't Take It With You

Excellence in Hair Design

Susan Boyd for You Can't Take It With You

Best Bit Role

Andy Izquierdo as King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar

Best Performance in a Minor Role

Larry Grey as Mr. Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol

Best Junior Performance

Camille Neumann as Jean Fordham in August: Osage

County

Best Supporting Role in a Musical

Thea Simpson as Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ

Superstar

Best Supporting Role in a Play

Michael J. Fisher as Father Murphy in The Savannah

Disputation

Best Lead Role in a Musical

Luis "Matty" Montes as Matt in The Fantasticks

Best Lead Role in a Play

Nicky McDonnell as Barbara Fordham in August:

Osage County

Best Musical Director

Paige Rammelkamp for The Fantasticks

Best Choreography

Jason A. Ellis for The Fantasticks

Best Director

Susan Devine for August: Osage County

Overall Production

August: Osage County

Lloyd Bittinger, Producer

Susan Devine, Director

Junior Technical Excellence

Lanae Sterrett

Outstanding New Member

Kathleen Barth and Robin Worthington

Long and Exceptional Service in a Single Department

Pam Leonowich

Outstanding Service to LTA

Jennifer Lyman

LTA Community Partner Award

The Campagna Center

MVP Awards

Jesus Christ Superstar - Kelsey Yudice

August: Osage County - Fred Lash

Dracula - Chanel Lancaster

A Christmas Carol - Melissa Dunlap and Samantha

Jensen

The Fantasticks - Charles Dragonette and Jim Hutzler

You Can't Take It With You - Melissa Dunlap, Samantha

Jensen, and Shannon Starcher

The Savannah Disputation - Charles Dragonette

A Fox on the Fairway - Sherry Clark and Brittany

Huffman

A special thank-you goes to all the volunteers who made

the 2019 LTA Awards Night so special: Hilary Adams,

Monty Montgomery, Juli Tarabek Blacker, Robert Kraus,

Katie Kellenberger, Griffin Voltmann, Brendan Quinn,

Elizabeth Holtzclaw, Larry Grey, Jeffrey Scott Auerbach,

Kimberly Crago, David Correia, Russell Wyland,

Matthew Randall, James Woods, Lenard Dove, and

Ashley Amidon.

FLOODLIGHT Page 4

Thinking Strategically

Since the last meeting of the Board of Governors, the Board’s

main thrust has been to begin considering a strategic planning

initiative. Why a strategic plan? LTA, like many organizations

of our age, has evolved inconsistently. Programs are added and

subtracted based on what is expedient at the time. To make

matters more challenging, the Board experiences yearly

turnover, and therefore directions can and do change regularly.

The Board has decided to develop a clearer road map to help this and future boards better grasp the scope and

ambition of LTA. To kickstart the process, the current Board members met in the Board room of Goodwin House

with facilitator Bryce Benson to begin thinking about what such a process might entail.

Several things became clear:

1) There was remarkable agreement about the components that might go into a statement of the theatre’s mission

or purpose. Board members found far more common ground than differences.

2) The process will take time. Thoughtful and long-lasting plans don’t happen overnight or even over several

months. This is complicated by the fact that we are all volunteers and have limited time to devote to such

intensive efforts.

3) The process is not undertaken by the Board alone. It requires participation by many kinds of people

(“stakeholders”) who have differing views of LTA. The Board will be seeking out a wide group of participants

over the next month or so.

4) Even though the process is daunting, an attempt that may fail is better than no attempt at all.

The Board will provide regular updates on this process.

Russell Wyland, President

Your Board

of Governors

at Work

Thank You from The Haunting of Hill House

As we say goodbye to Hill House and to Eleanore, we hope you enjoyed the scares, the comedy,

and the drama. Thank you to everyone who had the opportunity to come to see the production,

and we look forward to seeing you in the future. On behalf of Director Maggie Mumford, we’d

like to thank our dedicated cast, designers, and backstage crew for their hard work in bringing

this haunting world to life. A big thank-you to all the people who supported the show in the box

office, in the front of the house, and in any other way to make The Haunting of Hill House a

success.

Stacey Becker and Alan Wray, Co-Producers

Planning Your Gift

Have you considered including The Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA) as a beneficiary of your estate? LTA can

suggest tools that will assist you in making plans that will support the artistic and education programs of the theatre

in the future, as well as provide your estate with tax benefits. Supporters of LTA who make planned gifts are invited

to be members of The LTA Legacy Society. The LTA Legacy Society recognizes those who have demonstrated their

concern for the long-term well-being of LTA by notifying us of their bequest or other planned gift. For additional

information, please call Tina McCrea at 703-683-5778 ext. 2 or email Tina@thelittletheatre.com.

FLOODLIGHT Page 5

Governor’s Message

Development

LTA’s annual Partners in Art Nights lottery is happening earlier this year due to a temporary shift in the seasonal

schedule. We’ll be back in our usual May slot for the 2021 - 2022 season.

This means that the 2020 - 2021 season is up for grabs on Saturday, January 25, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. at LTA. So if

your organization, group, or company would like the chance to buy out the entire house for a just-for-you night at the

theatre, join us!

First, a little background: every season, LTA offers all 213 seats at three specific performances per production to any

group at a discounted price. Tickets can be used to raise funds, thank employees, nurture client relationships – you

name it. The lottery allows every interested group to have a fair shot at the show of its choice.

As always, LTA’s 2020 - 2021 season offers something for everyone: the delightful musical Sister Act, the classic

drama Fences by August Wilson, the spine-tingling Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott in our Halloween slot, that

perennial favorite A Christmas Carol, a musical using the songs of a famous Swedish group (we can’t use the name

for now, but we’ll give you one guess!) as our winter musical, the romantic fantasy Prelude to a Kiss by Craig Lucas,

the historically inspired tragic showdown between two great queens, Mary Stuart by Friedrich Schiller, and finally

the classic Neil Simon comedy Rumors.

For more information about Partners in Art Nights (sometimes also referred to as “Sponsor Nights”), please visit

LTA’s website or contact Business Manager Tina McCrea at 703-683-5778 ext. 2 or email Tina@thelittletheatre.com.

Sarah Holt

Governor for Development

Scottish Walk 2019

On December 7th, students of Kathy

Dillaber, Ashley Hammond, Heather

Sanderson, Linda Wells, and John

Waldron joined with cast members from A

Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder to

represent The Little Theatre of Alexandria in

the 49th annual Scottish Christmas Walk

through Old Town. Sarah Holt, Governor

for Development, coordinated their

participation in the parade. Thanks to all

marchers for their enthusiasm!

Photos by Becky Dines

FLOODLIGHT Page 6

Not long after you read this, the holidays will be over and the Council elves will

have returned to the theatre to take down the holiday decorations. Many thanks to

all our volunteers – we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you to Lloyd

Bittinger, Art and Margaret Snow, Jim and Mary Hutzler, Mary Beth Smith-

Toomey, Mike Salmon, and Lindsey Gattuso and Katya Lawhead from LTA’s

Student Ambassador program. Also, thank-yous go to Genie and Geoff Baskir,

Donna Hauprich, Robin Worthington, Margaret Evans-Joyce, Luana

Bossolo, Kacie Greenwood, Nick Friedlander, and Heather Sanderson.

We are all looking forward to A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Vice

Director Mary Beth Smith-Toomey is producing the show and I am sure it will

be fabulous.

You know what else will be fabulous? The new ladies’ restroom! Deposits have

been made to Premier (which is the contractor), and demolition starts after A

Christmas Carol closes. Many thanks to Council members Mary Hutzler and

Luana Bossolo for the hours they have worked and will continue to work at LTA

supervising this project. Kudos, ladies!

The Board of Governors approved the artwork that the Council has proposed for

the courtyard. Financial Officer Lloyd Bittinger has been in charge of this

project, working with Shakespeare Garden Committee members Heather Sanderson and Robert Kraus.

This is a beautiful addition to our courtyard.

Our next meeting is Sunday, February 16th, at 3:30 p.m. at Tempo Restaurant. We will be approving the

election of our new Director and Financial Officer!

Carolyn Winters

LTA Council Director

The Arts Build Communities

Council

Corner

Did you know that in case of an emergency, LTA has three AEDs

(automated external defibrillators)?

They are located as follows:

1) in the lobby, near the Council (Green) Room

2) in the cast entrance hallway, near the backstage door

3) in the Alexandria Academy, on the first floor

In Case of Emergency

FLOODLIGHT Page 7

The Little Theatre of Alexandria

600 Wolfe Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

Box Office: 703-683-0496

Business Office: 703-683-5778 x2

Fax: 703-683-1378

www.thelittletheatre.com

Mark Your Calendars

1/18 A Gentleman’s Guide

to Love and Murder

opens

1/25 Partners in Art Night

lottery

2/16 LTA Council meeting

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

The Board of Governors, under the direction of the President, is

responsible for managing the affairs and operations of The Little

Theatre of Alexandria.

The Governors for the 2019 – 2020 season are:

President.................................................................................Russell Wyland Governor for Artistic Support......................................................Susan Boyd Governor for Box Office..............................................................Ira Forstater Governor for Building........................................................Frank D. Shutts II Governor for Development.............................................................Sarah Holt Governor for Education...................................................Michael J. Baker, Jr. Governor for Front of House......................................................Robert Kraus Governor for Membership.......................................................Brendan Quinn Governor for Production................................................................Alan Wray Governor for Public Relations.................................................Rachel Alberts Governor for Seasonal Planning..............................................Ashley Amidon Governor for Technical Support.................................................Ken Crowley

Additional officers are:

President Pro-Tem....................................................................Rachel Alberts Treasurer........................................................................................David Hale Board Secretary.....................................................................Carolyn Winters Executive Secretary……………………………………………Jamie Blake LTA Council Director……………………………………...Carolyn Winters

membershipgovlta@gmail.com