the irc’s mission is to bring classic absurdist theatre to ......gallery in fairmount, a converted...

The IRC’s Mission is to bring classic absurdist theatre to an international audience in the Philadelphia region. These rarely-produced, renowned plays explore and illuminate the human purpose and meaning, promoting reflection about the human condition in a contemporary world.

The IRC experience is an exciting and challenging journey for seekers from all walks of life on multiple platforms: philosophical, psychological, physical and spiritual. Our dedicated group of artists invites you to explore with us these questions and share the word with friends; since 2006, a loyal IRC audience has been built largely through word of mouth.

PRODUCTIONS 2006

Three One Acts: Albee, Beckett & Ionesco 2007

Victims of Duty by Eugène Ionesco Four of a Kind: Pinter, Durang, Beckett & Ionesco

2008 Oh! For the Love of Love!: Durang, Beckett & Ionesco

A Streetcar Named Durang: The Parodies of Christopher Durang 2009

The Lesson by Eugène Ionesco The Chairs by Eugène Ionesco

2010 The Gnädiges Fraulien by Tennessee Willliams The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux

2011 The Empire Builders by Boris Vian

The Arsonists (The Firebugs) by Max Frisch 2012

Marriage: An Utterly Improbable Occurrence by Nikolai Gogol Ivona, Princess of Burgundia by Witold Gombrowicz

2013 Paradise Park by Charles L. Mee

The Castle by Franz Kafka 2014

Ondine by Jean Giraudoux Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco

A Streetcar Named Durang by Christopher Durang 2015

Misalliance by George Bernard Shaw Exit the King by Eugène Ionesco All in the Timing by David Ives

2016 The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol

The Chairs by Eugène Ionesco 2017

The Enchanted by Jean Giraudoux Fit to Be Tried or Stepbrothers in Crime by Georges Feydeau

2018 Léocadia by Jean Anouilh

April 2017 Welcome! 2017 marks the 8th year the IRC has gathered to celebrate the comedy of the esteemed purveyor of fake news: The Onion: America’s Finest News Source. The political climate and the nature of what resonates as humorous has altered significantly over the past 8 years, pointing to the need to come together and find solace in our laughter together. So thank you for spending your evening with us. We gather for these special events here, at L’Etage Cabaret, the site of the IRC’s first show, where for over a decade we have celebrated the unique experience of small, independent theater and raise the flag for the IRC’s particular form of specialness, celebrating the work of playwrights from the loosely-defined Theatre of the Absurd. Proceeds from this evening’s festivities will help fund the IRC’s upcoming FringeArts 2017 production of Georges Feydeau’s wonderful, early career (1883) drawing-room farce, Fit to Be Tried, or, Stepbrothers in Crime. A master of the form, Feydeau’s craftsmanship, wit, and intuitive flair for the comic are without peer. A comedy for the eye and the ear, this complex collaboration of meaning and motion will be performed at the Bethany Mission Gallery in Fairmount, a converted 1869 Quaker meeting house, now serving as home to over two hundred works of outsider art and an extensive collection of object art. www.bethanymissiongallery.com. The IRC celebrates 10 years in 2017 because of the devotion of unique and dedicated artists, a committed board of directors, and you, our loyal and growing audience who appreciate the IRC’s special brand of humor and existential inquiry. Here’s to curiosity, nourishing your eyes and ears, and having a place where we can all be reminded why community, comedy and the big questions are vital. We thank you for helping this little IRC oasis to survive and thrive in this uncertain and challenging political and financial climate. Art matters and you keep it alive. Warmly,

Tina Brock Producing Artistic Director

Raw Onion: Bumper Crop

If You're Ever in Florence You Have to Visit this Mediocre Trattoria I Know

David Stanger as Mark Gimbel

There's No Greater Bond Between a Mother and Her Child's Accomplishments Bonnie Grant as Cindy Metcalf

I’ll Be Able to Get this Big Pot of Chili Over to My Friends House

a Lot Quicker If I Put on My Roller Skates Tomas Dura as Rudy Lavelle

FAKE NEWS BREAK #1

I Didn't Spend a Week in a Medical Reinstatment Class to

Have You Call Me Mister Jack Hoffman as Dr. Trent Berstyn

This Would Be the Best Mental Hospital Ever If Elliot Gould

Weren't Hiding in the Toilet Sharon Geller as Greta Clayton

FAKE NEWS BREAK #2

Life is Too Precious to Be Enjoyed

Susan Moses as Margaret Matthews

We Should Get That Guy Who Does A Half Assed Job to Fix Our Roof

Tina Brock as Sheila Bethke

Your Offer of Gum Seems Rather Disingenuous Bob Schmidt as Roger Barney

FAKE NEWS BREAK #3

Come On, Lighten Up, I'm Just Being a Total Asshole

David Pica as Jeffrey Studges

You Must Romance The Music Out Of The Tambourine Daniel Barland as Pierre Henry

The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium Board of Directors

Larry Wilkins - President

Michael LeWitt - Secretary Melissa Feliciani - Treasurer

Bill Brock Erica Hoelscher

Bob Schmidt Tina Brock (Ex Officio)

Advisory Committee

Gail Furman Robin Rodriguez

Lee Pucklis

Educational Outreach Committee Erica Hoelscher Kirsten Quinn

Susan Zawislak

Strategic Planning Consultant Ben Doranz

PO Box 63872 Philadelphia, PA 19147

www.IdiopathicRidiculopathyConsortium.org



Bonnie as Grant as Cindy Metcalf

Tomas Dura as Rudy Lavelle

NEWS BREAK #1 Tina Brock & David Stanger

Jack Hoffman as Dr. Trent Berstyn

Sharon Geller as Greta Clayton

NEWS BREAK #2

Tina Brock & David Stanger



Bob Schmidt as Roger Barney



Daniel Barland as Pierre Henry

Directed by

Tina Brock

Light and Sound Operator Bill Brock

Running time is approximately 65 minutes.

Produced with special permission from

The Onion, America's Finest News Source

WHO’S WHO

Daniel Barland (Pierre Henry) is extremely excited to be working with the IRC for the third time this season in The Raw Onion. Daniel graduated from Temple University with a BA in Theater concentrating in Acting where he performed in a number of main stage shows such as The Matchmaker (Ambrose Kemper) and The Odyssey (Antinous). Most recently, Daniel was seen with the IRC in their recent production of The Enchanted (The Ghost & Gilberte) and in The Witnesses (Third). This past summer, Daniel was in Chillicothe, OH performing in the famous outdoor drama Tecumseh! as well as Macbeth as

a principle fighter. Off stage, he appeared on screen in History Making Productions’ documentary series, Philadelphia: The Great Experiment, as part of the stunt team. Daniel is a recognized Advanced Actor Combatant in the Society of American Fight Directors, with whom he has been training for 4 years. This summer, Daniel will be heading to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA to perform in their Three Musketeers stunt show, All for One. To the dream!

Tina Brock (Sheila Bethke, Director) is the co-founder and Producing Artistic Director of the IRC since its formation in 2006. Over the past 15 years, she has directed absurdist works by Jean Giraudoux, Eugène Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Christopher Durang, Edward Albee, Franz Kafka, Tennessee Williams, Boris Vian, George Bernard Shaw, Charles Mee. As a freelance actress in Philadelphia and New York, she has appeared in theater, regional and national commercials, television and film. Tina studied

Journalism and Theater at University of Maryland; Speech Communication at West Chester University. She has worked at PBS affiliate WHYY-TV12 in development, on-air fundraising and public relations. Tina currently develops cases for the National Board of Medical Examiners in Philadelphia, in addition to her ongoing responsibilities with the IRC. Special kudos to IRC board president Larry Wilkins and the entire IRC board for guidance. Hearty congratulations to son Liam, graduating college this May, for his theatrical assistance and patience as the IRC was formed and grew throughout his preteen and teen years, enabling the IRC (and his mom) to survive. Thank you to this evening's talented performers, who have donated significant time and talent to aid the IRC, and to you, our loyal audience, who keeps the IRC lifeboat afloat!

Ronald Kaiserman Colin Wolfe & Debbie Aguruso Dr. Cornelia Kurischko Judith Wooldridge Denise Lamarra & Mark Wilhelm Askold Zagars & Marie Feehan Michael Lynch Susan Zawislak

Mediators Herman and Madeline Axelrod Pat Lewis David Brandt Michael Lynch Joan O. Cahan Bob and Nancy Megley Donald Carter Mark Mendenhall John D’Alonzo Jane Moore Cynthia D’Ambrosio & John Ianacone David Penkower John and Lois Durso Claire Pisapia Alyson Filippone David and Lisa Roger Mary Frantz Marc Scheiner Anna Goldstein Bertram and Lynne Strieb Sondra Greenberg Albert Them & Jane Rutledge Fred Jackes & Judy Adamson Stephen and Mrs. Johnne Tint Robert C. Jones David Wierz Jaan & Roberta Kangilaski

Stabilizers Charles & Donna Barksdale Robert C. Jones Sylvia Beck & Jay Federman Fred & Carol Kueppers Alan Bronstein Moe & Sandy Lebo Oleg Brovender Margaret Lonzetta Timothy P. Carey Brett Mapp John and Alberta Chiaravalloti Carla Mariani Jesse Delaney Antonio Merenda Gertrude D. Furman Robert Muse Aida Galarza James Perretta Harvey and Mary Goldstein Paula Roberts Robert Gorchov Lee Saldinger Barbara Grabias Lois Shestack Kimberly Haas & Derek VanderTak Rolf Swoboda Jean R. Haskell Renee Weisband Thomas & Maureen Herninko Michael Zuckerman

SPECIAL THANKS

The Onion: America's Finest News Source (www.theonion.com) Leslie and the staff at L’Etage Victor Keen & Jeanne Ruddy

2017 SEASON CONTRIBUTORS

Harmonizers Wyncote Foundation

Tina Brock Lehigh University

The Samuel S. Fels Fund The Philadelphia Cultural Fund

The Charlotte Cushman Foundation Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia Erica Hoelscher

Anonymous

Beautifiers Anonymous Andy Lamas & Ginny Vanderslice Susan Feagin Larry Wilkins Melissa Feliciani The William Penn Foundation Michael & Lynne LeWitt Christa Williford Dr. Steven Peitzman

Equalizers Mary Ashley Robin and Joseph Rodriguez Pat and Stacey Bishop Beverly Stover Benjamin Doranz Edward & Anne Koper Wagner Clifford Pearlman & Lynn Marks Christa Williford Stephen Platt & Robin Schaufler Askold Zagars & Marie Feehan

Enchanted Philip Alperson & Mary Hawkesworth Bill & Vikki Monaghan Mary Ashley Steven Peitzman Fred Allen Barfoot James Pritchett & Frances White Noel Carroll Sally Banes Lee Pucklis Pat and Stacey Bishop Kirsten Quinn & Ari Bank Louis Bluver Eliud Alvarado Rodriguez Robert and Donna Castle Robin and Joseph Rodriguez Elizabeth Denton Christopher and Jennifer Rule Joseph DeVitis & Katie Price Carla Sarett Donald & Geraldine Duclow Bob and Pat Schmidt Patricia Durante Steve, Brad & Dakota Schmidt Neil and Mercedez Durkin Anita Schmukler Stephen Duskin & Jennifer Berke Levin Shawn & Elizabeth Sweeney

Norman and Carolyn Ellman Albert Them & Jane Rutledge James Frazier Dr. Stephen & Mrs. Johnne Tint Gail Furman Namrata Tognatta Jeanne George Ed and Anne Koper Wagner Marguerite Hawkins Robert J. Wallner A. Ron Hunter Peter and Ondria Wasem

Tomas Dura (Rudy Lavelle) has toured Europe, Canada and the U.S. and has appeared in film, video and television. He is best known as a flamenco dancer in addition to being an actor, musician and fire eater. He worked with the great flamenco dancer, Jose Greco, for 8 years, frequently serving as assistant during Mr. Greco's last years. He dances in the movie, Cafe, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, and has worked in the films Smoke and Mirrors (director K. Hardy), Loneliness (director M. Zubarev) and About Angels

(Zubarev). In 2007 Tomas performed solo with the Philadelphia Orchestra to a sold out house at the Kimmel Center in his own choreography of the Spanish Dance from Swan Lake. Tomas has collaborated with artists like Flamenco Ole, Kei Takei's Moving Earth and the Wilma Theater. He is the director and lead male dancer of Fiesta Flamenco Dancers and is choreographer in residence with the Amici Opera Co. He teaches flamenco dance classes in grade schools, high schools, colleges and public community centers. Tomas has previously appeared with the IRC in several Raw Onion fundraisers, Ohio Impromptu, The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Empire Builders, The Arsonists, Marriage, Ivona - Princess of Burgundia, Paradise Park, The Castle, Rhinoceros, The Government Inspector, The Chairs and, most recently, The Enchanted.

Jack Hoffman (Dr. Trent Berstyn) has been a professional actor since 1989. He has appeared in more than 20 movies, several television shows, and hundreds of stage productions — all as a union performer. Screen credits include Another Happy Day (Sam Levinson director) The Lovely Bones (Peter Jackson director), The Runaway Bride (Gary Marshall director), and The Village (M. Night Shyamalan director). TV credits include Hack and Sex in the City. Theater credits include The Last of the Boys (InterAct

Theatre), King Lear (Lantern Theater), and Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll (Wilma Theater).

Follow The IRC on Facebook and Twitter

Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium

IRCTheaterCo

Sharon Geller (Greta Clayton) has appeared on Saturday Night Live 4 times as well as the Today Show with Al Roker as "Lucy". For the last three years, she has been performing in the national touring company of the off-Broadway hit, Old Jews Telling Jokes. After winning the Manhattan Monologue Slam for presenting the best monologue in NYC in 2007, Sharon's musical improv troupe, MC Hammerstein, became the first house team to perform at New York's People's Improv Theatre. Her many voices can be

heard on FOX-TV's, The Centsables, a children’s cartoon series and her commercials have won the National Telly and Addy Awards. In addition to being a spokesperson on QVC, Sharon teaches comedy improv at the Walnut Street Theatre and Improv for Lawyers at Drexel Law School. She creates corporate programs on how to communicate more effectively and CLE workshops for the ABA, PBI and numerous law firms around the country. Sharon is thrilled to be working with Tina again and performing for the IRC. www.sharongeller.com

Bonnie Grant (Cindy Metcalf) is happy to be back in the company of old and talented friends Tina Brock and Bob Schmidt from the days of original works at Random Acts of Theater! She most recently performed in Clybourne Park and other favorites include local performances in Mrs. Warren’s Profession, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Side Man, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune, and As Bees in Honey Drown. Bonnie credits the late great master teacher George DiCenzo for her

love of acting, whose influence often changed the course of his students’ lives.

David Pica (Jeffrey Studges) has most recently been seen in Azuka's Shitheads, Revolution Shakespeare's King John, Commonwealth Classic's The Lion in Winter, Greenfield Collective's The Magnus Effect, Lantern Theater's 36 Views, and Inis Nua's The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning. He trained at Millikin University, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and in London with The Factory. He is currently in rehearsal for PAC's The White Devil, opening in May and is excited to be working with The

IRC again

“The Pataphysics Times,” James E. Brewton (1964), blueprint. The James E. Brewton Foundation.

The Philadelphia Avant-Garde Studies Consortium (PASC)

The Philadelphia Avant-Garde Studies Consortium (PASC) is a network of educational and cultural institutions and associated scholars, artists, curators, and collectors who combine expertise and resources to foster the advanced study of avant-garde movements and promote related special collections, exhibitions, and performances in the Philadelphia area and Delaware Valley region. Artists of all types who have strong local connections and whose works or archives are in collections in the region are, of course, important elements of PASC’s focus. These include, among others, Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, Morton Schamberg, Charles Sheeler, Thomas Chimes, James Brewton, David Lynch, William Carlos Williams, H.D., Ezra Pound, and Harry Mathews. Likewise, certain fields such as literature, the visual arts, theater, film, music, and architecture are central, as are movements or groups such as Dadaism, Surrealism, Futurism, Fluxus, Oulipo, and the L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E poets. But given the deeply interdisciplinary nature of so many avant-garde movements, other fields not usually considered are quite pertinent, such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and the history and sociology of science, to name a few. Similarly, although PASC’s main focus is on avant-gardes in Europe and North America, it is not limited to them; the increasingly global nature of avant-garde art and culture requires a global perspective. We believe PASC is a timely initiative that will be a source of inquiry and collaboration among like-minded scholars, curators, artists, and collectors and will generate new research, exhibitions, and performances relating to local and global avant-gardes, as well as Philadelphia’s unique role in them. If you are interested in participating in PASC or would like to recommend individuals or institutions to be included, please email [email protected] or visit www.pasc-arts.org.

Playwrights Welcome Program

The IRC is happy to be the first theater company in Pennsylvania

to join the Dramatists Guild Playwrights Welcome Program.

A free ticket for any Wednesday or Thursday show (exclusive of openings) will be available to playwrights upon day-of-

performance requests.

A valid Dramatists Guild card will be required to claim your ticket.

Welcome, playwrights!

“Every theatre piece begins with an idea, a spark of imagination in a playwright’s mind. They stare down the blank page, writing,

mulling and fiddling until it has been shaped into a real, impactful piece of art. Without their creativity and devotion, this art form

that we love so dearly would simply not exist.”

Follow the Ridiculopathy!


Join Our Mailing List

Susan Moses (Margaret Matthews) has appeared Off-Broadway, in regional theaters and Film and TV. Some favorite credits include: Off-Broadway: Yentl (36th St. Theatre); Shore Points (Irish Arts Center); From Door To Door (Westside Theatre). Regional: I Hate Hamlet (Deertrees Theatre, Maine); Last of the Boys (InterAct Theatre Company, Philadelphia); After-Play (Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia); Sleeping Arrangements (Theatre J, D.C.); Moon Over Buffalo (Bristol Riverside Theatre). Film: Invincible, Killer

Instinct, Mafioso...The Father the Son and TV: Hack and Forensic Files. Ωz

Bob Schmidt (Roger Barney) is a co-founder and Ways and Means Coordinator of The IRC, and has appeared in most productions since the company's inception in 2006. Favorite IRC roles and productions: The Old Man in Eugène Ionesco’s The Chairs, The Guard in Ionesco’s Exit the King and Botard in Ionesco’s Rhinoceros. Many thanks to the cast for their time and talent and to you for coming out and supporting The IRC! Hope to see you in September for our Fringe Arts Festival production of Fit to Be Tried or

Stepbrothers in Crime by Georges Feydeau.

David Stanger (Mark Gimbel) is always happy to be back with the IRC, having last been seen as The Inspector in The Enchanted. Also with the IRC: The Castle (K), Rhinoceros (Jean), Marriage (Kochkaryov), Ivona, Princess of Burgundia (Prince Philip) and Misalliance (Johnny) as well as countless productions at L'Etage. Elsewhere in Philadelphia: The Walnut, The Arden and The Wilma to name a few. Thanks to Tina. Love to Kristen.

AMERICA'S FINEST NEWS SOURCE

TheOnion.com

The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium

Fit to Be Tried or

Stepbrothers in Crime (Gibier de potence)

by Georges Feydeau

2017 FringeArts Festival

September 5 – 24

The Bethany Mission Gallery 1527 Brandywine Street Philadelphia, PA 19130

NEW LOCATION!

Parrot Talk: A metaphysical thriller about dying

on the way to the grocery store

An original play by Julius Ferraro Directed by Jack Tamburri

WHEN: March 31-April 2, April 28-30 WHERE: Da Vinci Art Alliance, 704 Catharine Street

TICKETS and INFO: parrottalk.bpt.me

The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium

Léocadia by

Jean Anouilh

February 6 - March 4, 2018

Walnut Street Theatre Studio 5

Playwrights Welcome Program

The IRC is happy to be the first theater company in Pennsylvania

to join the Dramatists Guild Playwrights Welcome Program.

A free ticket for any Wednesday or Thursday show (exclusive of openings) will be available to playwrights upon day-of-

performance requests.

A valid Dramatists Guild card will be required to claim your ticket.

Welcome, playwrights!

“Every theatre piece begins with an idea, a spark of imagination in a playwright’s mind. They stare down the blank page, writing,

mulling and fiddling until it has been shaped into a real, impactful piece of art. Without their creativity and devotion, this art form

that we love so dearly would simply not exist.”

Follow the Ridiculopathy!


Join Our Mailing List

Susan Moses (Margaret Matthews) has appeared Off-Broadway, in regional theaters and Film and TV. Some favorite credits include: Off-Broadway: Yentl (36th St. Theatre); Shore Points (Irish Arts Center); From Door To Door (Westside Theatre). Regional: I Hate Hamlet (Deertrees Theatre, Maine); Last of the Boys (InterAct Theatre Company, Philadelphia); After-Play (Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia); Sleeping Arrangements (Theatre J, D.C.); Moon Over Buffalo (Bristol Riverside Theatre). Film: Invincible, Killer

Instinct, Mafioso...The Father the Son and TV: Hack and Forensic Files. Ωz

Bob Schmidt (Roger Barney) is a co-founder and Ways and Means Coordinator of The IRC, and has appeared in most productions since the company's inception in 2006. Favorite IRC roles and productions: The Old Man in Eugène Ionesco’s The Chairs, The Guard in Ionesco’s Exit the King and Botard in Ionesco’s Rhinoceros. Many thanks to the cast for their time and talent and to you for coming out and supporting The IRC! Hope to see you in September for our Fringe Arts Festival production of Fit to Be Tried or

Stepbrothers in Crime by Georges Feydeau.

David Stanger (Mark Gimbel) is always happy to be back with the IRC, having last been seen as The Inspector in The Enchanted. Also with the IRC: The Castle (K), Rhinoceros (Jean), Marriage (Kochkaryov), Ivona, Princess of Burgundia (Prince Philip) and Misalliance (Johnny) as well as countless productions at L'Etage. Elsewhere in Philadelphia: The Walnut, The Arden and The Wilma to name a few. Thanks to Tina. Love to Kristen.

AMERICA'S FINEST NEWS SOURCE

TheOnion.com

Sharon Geller (Greta Clayton) has appeared on Saturday Night Live 4 times as well as the Today Show with Al Roker as "Lucy". For the last three years, she has been performing in the national touring company of the off-Broadway hit, Old Jews Telling Jokes. After winning the Manhattan Monologue Slam for presenting the best monologue in NYC in 2007, Sharon's musical improv troupe, MC Hammerstein, became the first house team to perform at New York's People's Improv Theatre. Her many voices can be

heard on FOX-TV's, The Centsables, a children’s cartoon series and her commercials have won the National Telly and Addy Awards. In addition to being a spokesperson on QVC, Sharon teaches comedy improv at the Walnut Street Theatre and Improv for Lawyers at Drexel Law School. She creates corporate programs on how to communicate more effectively and CLE workshops for the ABA, PBI and numerous law firms around the country. Sharon is thrilled to be working with Tina again and performing for the IRC. www.sharongeller.com

Bonnie Grant (Cindy Metcalf) is happy to be back in the company of old and talented friends Tina Brock and Bob Schmidt from the days of original works at Random Acts of Theater! She most recently performed in Clybourne Park and other favorites include local performances in Mrs. Warren’s Profession, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Side Man, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune, and As Bees in Honey Drown. Bonnie credits the late great master teacher George DiCenzo for her

love of acting, whose influence often changed the course of his students’ lives.

David Pica (Jeffrey Studges) has most recently been seen in Azuka's Shitheads, Revolution Shakespeare's King John, Commonwealth Classic's The Lion in Winter, Greenfield Collective's The Magnus Effect, Lantern Theater's 36 Views, and Inis Nua's The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning. He trained at Millikin University, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and in London with The Factory. He is currently in rehearsal for PAC's The White Devil, opening in May and is excited to be working with The

IRC again

“The Pataphysics Times,” James E. Brewton (1964), blueprint. The James E. Brewton Foundation.

The Philadelphia Avant-Garde Studies Consortium (PASC)

The Philadelphia Avant-Garde Studies Consortium (PASC) is a network of educational and cultural institutions and associated scholars, artists, curators, and collectors who combine expertise and resources to foster the advanced study of avant-garde movements and promote related special collections, exhibitions, and performances in the Philadelphia area and Delaware Valley region. Artists of all types who have strong local connections and whose works or archives are in collections in the region are, of course, important elements of PASC’s focus. These include, among others, Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, Morton Schamberg, Charles Sheeler, Thomas Chimes, James Brewton, David Lynch, William Carlos Williams, H.D., Ezra Pound, and Harry Mathews. Likewise, certain fields such as literature, the visual arts, theater, film, music, and architecture are central, as are movements or groups such as Dadaism, Surrealism, Futurism, Fluxus, Oulipo, and the L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E poets. But given the deeply interdisciplinary nature of so many avant-garde movements, other fields not usually considered are quite pertinent, such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and the history and sociology of science, to name a few. Similarly, although PASC’s main focus is on avant-gardes in Europe and North America, it is not limited to them; the increasingly global nature of avant-garde art and culture requires a global perspective. We believe PASC is a timely initiative that will be a source of inquiry and collaboration among like-minded scholars, curators, artists, and collectors and will generate new research, exhibitions, and performances relating to local and global avant-gardes, as well as Philadelphia’s unique role in them. If you are interested in participating in PASC or would like to recommend individuals or institutions to be included, please email [email protected] or visit www.pasc-arts.org.

2017 SEASON CONTRIBUTORS

Harmonizers Wyncote Foundation

Tina Brock Lehigh University

The Samuel S. Fels Fund The Philadelphia Cultural Fund

The Charlotte Cushman Foundation Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia Erica Hoelscher

Anonymous

Beautifiers Anonymous Andy Lamas & Ginny Vanderslice Susan Feagin Larry Wilkins Melissa Feliciani The William Penn Foundation Michael & Lynne LeWitt Christa Williford Dr. Steven Peitzman

Equalizers Mary Ashley Robin and Joseph Rodriguez Pat and Stacey Bishop Beverly Stover Benjamin Doranz Edward & Anne Koper Wagner Clifford Pearlman & Lynn Marks Christa Williford Stephen Platt & Robin Schaufler Askold Zagars & Marie Feehan

Enchanted Philip Alperson & Mary Hawkesworth Bill & Vikki Monaghan Mary Ashley Steven Peitzman Fred Allen Barfoot James Pritchett & Frances White Noel Carroll Sally Banes Lee Pucklis Pat and Stacey Bishop Kirsten Quinn & Ari Bank Louis Bluver Eliud Alvarado Rodriguez Robert and Donna Castle Robin and Joseph Rodriguez Elizabeth Denton Christopher and Jennifer Rule Joseph DeVitis & Katie Price Carla Sarett Donald & Geraldine Duclow Bob and Pat Schmidt Patricia Durante Steve, Brad & Dakota Schmidt Neil and Mercedez Durkin Anita Schmukler Stephen Duskin & Jennifer Berke Levin Shawn & Elizabeth Sweeney

Norman and Carolyn Ellman Albert Them & Jane Rutledge James Frazier Dr. Stephen & Mrs. Johnne Tint Gail Furman Namrata Tognatta Jeanne George Ed and Anne Koper Wagner Marguerite Hawkins Robert J. Wallner A. Ron Hunter Peter and Ondria Wasem

Tomas Dura (Rudy Lavelle) has toured Europe, Canada and the U.S. and has appeared in film, video and television. He is best known as a flamenco dancer in addition to being an actor, musician and fire eater. He worked with the great flamenco dancer, Jose Greco, for 8 years, frequently serving as assistant during Mr. Greco's last years. He dances in the movie, Cafe, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, and has worked in the films Smoke and Mirrors (director K. Hardy), Loneliness (director M. Zubarev) and About Angels

(Zubarev). In 2007 Tomas performed solo with the Philadelphia Orchestra to a sold out house at the Kimmel Center in his own choreography of the Spanish Dance from Swan Lake. Tomas has collaborated with artists like Flamenco Ole, Kei Takei's Moving Earth and the Wilma Theater. He is the director and lead male dancer of Fiesta Flamenco Dancers and is choreographer in residence with the Amici Opera Co. He teaches flamenco dance classes in grade schools, high schools, colleges and public community centers. Tomas has previously appeared with the IRC in several Raw Onion fundraisers, Ohio Impromptu, The Madwoman of Chaillot, The Empire Builders, The Arsonists, Marriage, Ivona - Princess of Burgundia, Paradise Park, The Castle, Rhinoceros, The Government Inspector, The Chairs and, most recently, The Enchanted.

Jack Hoffman (Dr. Trent Berstyn) has been a professional actor since 1989. He has appeared in more than 20 movies, several television shows, and hundreds of stage productions — all as a union performer. Screen credits include Another Happy Day (Sam Levinson director) The Lovely Bones (Peter Jackson director), The Runaway Bride (Gary Marshall director), and The Village (M. Night Shyamalan director). TV credits include Hack and Sex in the City. Theater credits include The Last of the Boys (InterAct

Theatre), King Lear (Lantern Theater), and Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll (Wilma Theater).

Follow The IRC on Facebook and Twitter

Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium

IRCTheaterCo

WHO’S WHO

Daniel Barland (Pierre Henry) is extremely excited to be working with the IRC for the third time this season in The Raw Onion. Daniel graduated from Temple University with a BA in Theater concentrating in Acting where he performed in a number of main stage shows such as The Matchmaker (Ambrose Kemper) and The Odyssey (Antinous). Most recently, Daniel was seen with the IRC in their recent production of The Enchanted (The Ghost & Gilberte) and in The Witnesses (Third). This past summer, Daniel was in Chillicothe, OH performing in the famous outdoor drama Tecumseh! as well as Macbeth as

a principle fighter. Off stage, he appeared on screen in History Making Productions’ documentary series, Philadelphia: The Great Experiment, as part of the stunt team. Daniel is a recognized Advanced Actor Combatant in the Society of American Fight Directors, with whom he has been training for 4 years. This summer, Daniel will be heading to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA to perform in their Three Musketeers stunt show, All for One. To the dream!

Tina Brock (Sheila Bethke, Director) is the co-founder and Producing Artistic Director of the IRC since its formation in 2006. Over the past 15 years, she has directed absurdist works by Jean Giraudoux, Eugène Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Christopher Durang, Edward Albee, Franz Kafka, Tennessee Williams, Boris Vian, George Bernard Shaw, Charles Mee. As a freelance actress in Philadelphia and New York, she has appeared in theater, regional and national commercials, television and film. Tina studied

Journalism and Theater at University of Maryland; Speech Communication at West Chester University. She has worked at PBS affiliate WHYY-TV12 in development, on-air fundraising and public relations. Tina currently develops cases for the National Board of Medical Examiners in Philadelphia, in addition to her ongoing responsibilities with the IRC. Special kudos to IRC board president Larry Wilkins and the entire IRC board for guidance. Hearty congratulations to son Liam, graduating college this May, for his theatrical assistance and patience as the IRC was formed and grew throughout his preteen and teen years, enabling the IRC (and his mom) to survive. Thank you to this evening's talented performers, who have donated significant time and talent to aid the IRC, and to you, our loyal audience, who keeps the IRC lifeboat afloat!

Ronald Kaiserman Colin Wolfe & Debbie Aguruso Dr. Cornelia Kurischko Judith Wooldridge Denise Lamarra & Mark Wilhelm Askold Zagars & Marie Feehan Michael Lynch Susan Zawislak

Mediators Herman and Madeline Axelrod Pat Lewis David Brandt Michael Lynch Joan O. Cahan Bob and Nancy Megley Donald Carter Mark Mendenhall John D’Alonzo Jane Moore Cynthia D’Ambrosio & John Ianacone David Penkower John and Lois Durso Claire Pisapia Alyson Filippone David and Lisa Roger Mary Frantz Marc Scheiner Anna Goldstein Bertram and Lynne Strieb Sondra Greenberg Albert Them & Jane Rutledge Fred Jackes & Judy Adamson Stephen and Mrs. Johnne Tint Robert C. Jones David Wierz Jaan & Roberta Kangilaski

Stabilizers Charles & Donna Barksdale Robert C. Jones Sylvia Beck & Jay Federman Fred & Carol Kueppers Alan Bronstein Moe & Sandy Lebo Oleg Brovender Margaret Lonzetta Timothy P. Carey Brett Mapp John and Alberta Chiaravalloti Carla Mariani Jesse Delaney Antonio Merenda Gertrude D. Furman Robert Muse Aida Galarza James Perretta Harvey and Mary Goldstein Paula Roberts Robert Gorchov Lee Saldinger Barbara Grabias Lois Shestack Kimberly Haas & Derek VanderTak Rolf Swoboda Jean R. Haskell Renee Weisband Thomas & Maureen Herninko Michael Zuckerman

SPECIAL THANKS

The Onion: America's Finest News Source (www.theonion.com) Leslie and the staff at L’Etage Victor Keen & Jeanne Ruddy

The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium Board of Directors

Larry Wilkins - President

Michael LeWitt - Secretary Melissa Feliciani - Treasurer

Bill Brock Erica Hoelscher

Bob Schmidt Tina Brock (Ex Officio)

Advisory Committee

Gail Furman Robin Rodriguez

Lee Pucklis

Educational Outreach Committee Erica Hoelscher Kirsten Quinn

Susan Zawislak

Strategic Planning Consultant Ben Doranz

PO Box 63872 Philadelphia, PA 19147




Bonnie as Grant as Cindy Metcalf

Tomas Dura as Rudy Lavelle


Jack Hoffman as Dr. Trent Berstyn

Sharon Geller as Greta Clayton

NEWS BREAK #2

Tina Brock & David Stanger



Bob Schmidt as Roger Barney



Daniel Barland as Pierre Henry

Directed by

Tina Brock

Light and Sound Operator Bill Brock

Running time is approximately 65 minutes.

Produced with special permission from

The Onion, America's Finest News Source

April 2017 Welcome! 2017 marks the 8th year the IRC has gathered to celebrate the comedy of the esteemed purveyor of fake news: The Onion: America’s Finest News Source. The political climate and the nature of what resonates as humorous has altered significantly over the past 8 years, pointing to the need to come together and find solace in our laughter together. So thank you for spending your evening with us. We gather for these special events here, at L’Etage Cabaret, the site of the IRC’s first show, where for over a decade we have celebrated the unique experience of small, independent theater and raise the flag for the IRC’s particular form of specialness, celebrating the work of playwrights from the loosely-defined Theatre of the Absurd. Proceeds from this evening’s festivities will help fund the IRC’s upcoming FringeArts 2017 production of Georges Feydeau’s wonderful, early career (1883) drawing-room farce, Fit to Be Tried, or, Stepbrothers in Crime. A master of the form, Feydeau’s craftsmanship, wit, and intuitive flair for the comic are without peer. A comedy for the eye and the ear, this complex collaboration of meaning and motion will be performed at the Bethany Mission Gallery in Fairmount, a converted 1869 Quaker meeting house, now serving as home to over two hundred works of outsider art and an extensive collection of object art. www.bethanymissiongallery.com. The IRC celebrates 10 years in 2017 because of the devotion of unique and dedicated artists, a committed board of directors, and you, our loyal and growing audience who appreciate the IRC’s special brand of humor and existential inquiry. Here’s to curiosity, nourishing your eyes and ears, and having a place where we can all be reminded why community, comedy and the big questions are vital. We thank you for helping this little IRC oasis to survive and thrive in this uncertain and challenging political and financial climate. Art matters and you keep it alive. Warmly,

Tina Brock Producing Artistic Director


If You're Ever in Florence You Have to Visit this Mediocre Trattoria I Know


There's No Greater Bond Between a Mother and Her Child's Accomplishments Bonnie Grant as Cindy Metcalf

I’ll Be Able to Get this Big Pot of Chili Over to My Friends House

a Lot Quicker If I Put on My Roller Skates Tomas Dura as Rudy Lavelle

FAKE NEWS BREAK #1

I Didn't Spend a Week in a Medical Reinstatment Class to

Have You Call Me Mister Jack Hoffman as Dr. Trent Berstyn

This Would Be the Best Mental Hospital Ever If Elliot Gould

Weren't Hiding in the Toilet Sharon Geller as Greta Clayton

FAKE NEWS BREAK #2

Life is Too Precious to Be Enjoyed


We Should Get That Guy Who Does A Half Assed Job to Fix Our Roof


Your Offer of Gum Seems Rather Disingenuous Bob Schmidt as Roger Barney

FAKE NEWS BREAK #3

Come On, Lighten Up, I'm Just Being a Total Asshole


You Must Romance The Music Out Of The Tambourine Daniel Barland as Pierre Henry

The IRC’s Mission is to bring classic absurdist theatre to an international audience in the Philadelphia region. These rarely-produced, renowned plays explore and illuminate the human purpose and meaning, promoting reflection about the human condition in a contemporary world.

The IRC experience is an exciting and challenging journey for seekers from all walks of life on multiple platforms: philosophical, psychological, physical and spiritual. Our dedicated group of artists invites you to explore with us these questions and share the word with friends; since 2006, a loyal IRC audience has been built largely through word of mouth.

PRODUCTIONS 2006

Three One Acts: Albee, Beckett & Ionesco 2007

Victims of Duty by Eugène Ionesco Four of a Kind: Pinter, Durang, Beckett & Ionesco

2008 Oh! For the Love of Love!: Durang, Beckett & Ionesco

A Streetcar Named Durang: The Parodies of Christopher Durang 2009

The Lesson by Eugène Ionesco The Chairs by Eugène Ionesco

2010 The Gnädiges Fraulien by Tennessee Willliams The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux

2011 The Empire Builders by Boris Vian

The Arsonists (The Firebugs) by Max Frisch 2012

Marriage: An Utterly Improbable Occurrence by Nikolai Gogol Ivona, Princess of Burgundia by Witold Gombrowicz

2013 Paradise Park by Charles L. Mee

The Castle by Franz Kafka 2014

Ondine by Jean Giraudoux Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco

A Streetcar Named Durang by Christopher Durang 2015

Misalliance by George Bernard Shaw Exit the King by Eugène Ionesco All in the Timing by David Ives

2016 The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol

The Chairs by Eugène Ionesco 2017

The Enchanted by Jean Giraudoux Fit to Be Tried or Stepbrothers in Crime by Georges Feydeau

2018 Léocadia by Jean Anouilh

the irc’s mission is to bring classic absurdist theatre to ......gallery in fairmount, a converted...

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