FLORA, THE RED MENACE
Music by JOHN KANDER
Lyrics by FRED EBB
Book by DAVID THOMPSON
This first Broadway collaboration of John Kander & Fred
Ebb (of "Chicago and "Cabaret fame) is a rollicking
romance of charming simplicity set amidst American
communist agitation in the1930's. It features some of
Kander & Ebb's most charming tunes.
8 PM Saturday, January 14, 2006
2 PM Sunday, January 15, 2006
Directed
by Scot Charles Anderson |
Casting
Announcements:
 Jessica
Skerritt
(Flora Meszaros)
Jessica Skerritt (Flora Meszaros) is delighted to be making her
Showtunes debut! Favorite roles include Cathy in The Last 5 Years,
Eve in Children of Eden, Kathy Seldon in Singin' in the Rain, Miss
Turnstiles in On The Town, Anna in Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens,
Judy Denmark in Ruthless, Jenny in Quilters, and Laurey in
Oklahoma!. Her work has been seen locally at Village Theatre, Civic
Light Opera, ReAct, Harlequin, Empty Space, and with BS Productions.
Jessica recently made her on screen debut as Kate in the short
comedy Driver's Ed at SIFF and can also be seen in the upcoming
romantic comedy Expiration Date. She thanks her loving family,
gorgeous friends, and supportive teachers for giving her wings to
fly. |
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 Craig Doescher*
(Harry Toukarian)
recently appeared in Seattle Public Theatre’s THE SANTALAND
DIARIES and as Barnette Lloyd in Bellevue Civic Theatre’s CRIMES
OF THE HEART. Regional credits include Kokol in MARAT/SADE,
Arialdo in ENRICO IV, The Spartan Delegate in LYSISTRATA
(American Repertory Theatre); Prior in ANGELS IN AMERICA PTS I &
II (Stage West); Schmendiman in PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE
(Merrimack Repertory Theatre); and Charlie in STONES IN HIS
POCKETS (South Carolina Repertory Company). Favorite fringe
roles in NYC: Drew in EASTERN STANDARD, The Beggar Woman in
BLOOD WEDDING, and Cupid in THE EIGHT: REINDEER MONOLOGUES. He
received his MFA from American Repertory Theatre's Institute for
Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. |
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 Angie
Louise*
(Charolette)
Showtunes! audiences just saw Angie as cop-loving Dora in this
season's Fiorello! Mainstage credits: The 5th Avenue Theatre
(Electra, Gypsy), Village Theatre (Sally, Cabaret; Molly, Molly
Brown; Rosalie, Carnival; Billie, Babes In Arms; Gloria, Damn
Yankees). Original cast: Maoli, Bucket of Blood: The Beatnik
Musical (Seattle Rep); Elsie, Bootlegger (Village). Cabaret
credits include frequent singer-pianist appearances at Crepe de
Paris. Recordings: Kitten In Manville: Behind The Tool-Shed
(2004), available online at CDBaby and Tower Records. In 2005
Louise was seen onscreen at SIFF as Eve in Circus of Infinity,
co-starring with Richard Sanders; she is also the
screenwriter/star of cult comedy Gory Gory Hallelujah, just
released nationally on DVD. She is currently working to complete
a first novel, Baby. |
|
 Charissa
Bertels
(Maggie)
is delighted to make her Showtunes! debut in Flora the Red
Menace. Charissa hails from Manhattan, KS where she received a
musical theatre degree from Kansas State University. She has
also participated in musical theatre intensive programs at
Roosevelt University, NYU’s CAP 21, and the Kennedy Center.
Recent show credits include Mata Hari, The Fabulist, Pirates of
Penzance, Red, Hot & Cole, South Pacific, Joe!, On the Town,
Fiddler on the Roof and Annie Get Your Gun. Charissa’s day job
consists of working for Village Theatre’s Youth Education
Department as Pied Piper Manager, KIDSTAGE Instructor, and stage
manager for multiple KIDSTAGE productions. Many thanks to God
and James, my amazing husband. |
|
 Marcus Wolland
(Mr.
Weiss)
Previous Showtunes! credits include Do I Hear A Waltz? and
Fiorello! Marcus has lived in the Seattle area for 5 years
producing and performing in classical, contemporary and musical
theatre, as well as cabarets, mostly under his own company,
Straight-Edge Theatrics. He will next be directing and acting in
Oscar Wilde’s Salome at the Chamber Theatre in March. The DVD
release of his one man show, The Magnificent Welles (available
through Netflix, Amazon, and the
Public Broadcasting System), has been shown at international film festivals
in Germany and Switzerland, and his script for the show is
currently being translated into Portuguese to be included as a
dramatic reading at the International Documentary Film Festival
in Brazil this year. Thanks to Scot, Mark, David and Maggie! |
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 Kristen
Hurst
(Elsa)
Kristen is thrilled to be joining the fabulous and fun Showtunes
team! Favorite past shows include 1776 (Renton Civic), Mystery
of Edwin Drood (Driftwood Players), A Little Night Music (SecondStory
Rep), Macabaret (StraightEdge Theatrics) and Into the Woods (ReAct).
Her favorite roles are being wife to Mitch and step-mom to Shae
and James. Away from the stage, Kristen enjoys teaching
Performing Arts, exploring new wineries, and travel.
Many thanks to Maggie, David, Mark, and Scot! Enjoy the show! |
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 Ryan
Childers
(Mr.
Stanley)
This is Ryan’s second show with Showtunes and he is glad to be
back. Ryan is relatively new to Seattle and has been acting all
his life. Ryan is also a teacher with KIDSTAGE. His past roles
include Floyd Mcduff in Fiorello, Sir Anthony Absolute in The
Rivals, Boris Kolenkov in You can’t take it With You, Cliff in
Cabaret, Major Robbie Ross/ Ketch Freeman in Our Country’s Good,
and The Major General in The Pirates of Penzance. His love goes
out to his wife Julie for putting up with his acting habit.
|
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 Jason
Kappus
(Kenny)
Jason is excited to be doing another show with Showtunes!, after
his debut with the company in Fiorello, and again he is happy to
be working with a very talented group of people. Since moving to
Seattle just over a year ago, he has been performing with
Harlequin Productions, ReAct, Taproot Theatre, Eastside Musical
Theatre, and Village Theatre among others, including a summer
with Leavenworth Summer Theatre. Most recently, he spent the
holidays reprising his role of Calvin Brody in A Stardust
Christmas Carol at Harlequin in Olympia. Credits include: Jamie
(The Last Five Years), Joseph (Joseph...), Curly (Oklahoma),
and, a bit further out of the mainstream, Sammy Sacks (Saucy
Jack & the Space Vixens). Special thanks and all my love to Loni
– always. And Jess, good luck, and bon voyage! |
|
 Eric
Ankrim
(Willy)
Eric relishes the opportunity to perform in such a beautiful yet
seldom-produced gem, and thanks Showtunes for the chance. Eric
recently returned from New York, after reprising his title role
in the off-off Broadway production of Maryrose Wood and Andrew
Gerle's The Tutor. Local credits: Rejoice! directed by Kenny
Leon and The Time of Your Life directed by Tina Landau (Seattle
Rep); Rocky Horror Show and Miss Saigon (5th Avenue Theatre);
Annie and The Secret Garden (Village Theatre); Forbidden Xmas
(The Empty Space); Forever Plaid (Bellevue Civic Theatre). This
spring, Eric will reprise his performance as Freddy Gillette in
Girl of My Dreams at the Village Theatre. |
|
 Scot
Charles Anderson
(Director/Choreographer)
For Showtunes! Theatre Company “110 in the Shade” and “Out of
This World” (choreographer) “Do I Hear a Waltz?” (Eddie). As a
director local credits include ‘Lend Me a Tenor’, ‘Can-Can’,
‘Things You Shouldn’t Say Past Midnight’, ‘A Chorus Line’,
‘Oliver’ and ‘You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown’. In New York the
East Coast premieres of ‘The Ketchup Commercial’ at the
Independent Theatre and ‘Zombie Temps from Outer Space’ at the
Actor’s Playground Theater, ‘Flying...or Falling’ at HERE, Mark
LeBlanc’s solo cabaret ‘First You Dream’, and Waiting for the
5,6,7,8 The Words and Music of David Austin, starring David
Austin, Michael Mendiola, Anna Lauris and Charlie Parker. Scot
also choreographed ‘Ruthless! The Musical’ for SpeakEasy Stage
Company in Boston directed by Larry Coen, and ‘A Grand Night for
Singing’ at Connecticut College. |
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Mark Rabe
(Musical Director)
Previously for Showtunes!, Mark served as music director on "Do
I Hear A Waltz?", "Out Of This World" and "Anyone Can Whistle".
Last year he music-directed "Ragtime" for Civic Light Opera,
Andrew Lippa's "john & jen" for by Emerging Artists and White
Raven Productions at Theatre Schmeatre, "The Last 5 Years" for
REACT Theatre, and the new musical "Four Christmases" at
Centerstage Theatre. Other music direction credits include "Oh,
Coward!" at Seattle Repertory Theatre, "Goblin Market" at ACT
Theatre, two productions of Rich Gray's "Forbidden Xmas" at
Tacoma Actor's Guild; and "Red, Hot & Cole", "On The Town",
"Rags", "How To Succeed..." at Civic Light Opera. Upcoming
engagements: Mark's directing debut with "Closer Than Ever" at
Civic Light Opera, and music direction on "Junie B. Jones & A
Little Monkey Business" at Seattle Children's Theatre. |
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* denotes a member of Actors Equity Assn, the Union for stage
professionals.
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 Facts and Synopsis:
FLORA, THE RED MENACE
Facts and Synopsis
Fans of the Broadway musical will remember this 1965 show as the
first Broadway collaboration of John Kander and Fred Ebb, who went
on to write such hits as Chicago, Cabaret, Woman of the Year and
Zorba. It was also the vehicle which made 19 year old Liza Minelli a
star. It was resurrected in 1987, off-Broadway, by the Vineyard
Theatre with a new, updated book that presents a romance of charming
simplicity set amidst the American communist agitation of the
1930's. Is Flora a "red menace"-- or is she just that good old
Broadway stand by: a Girl in Love? "A highly entertaining
evening."-- N.Y. Newsday. "Covers familiar territory with a
refreshing lightness of touch."-- N.Y. Magazine. "The score is
consistently winning-- and often quite funny."--- WQXR Radio. "Flora
has been reclaimed from the dust heap of forgotten musicals and is
now viable for performance by any number of theatres."-- Drama
Logue.
ACT ONE
We enter a small meeting hall in New York in 1935. Outside, the
Depression rages, but inside, a play is about to begin. The WPA has
given a troop of young actors just enough money to pull together
some scenery and costumes for their production of Flora the Red
Menace. They have taken a few crates, some wooden chairs, a trunk of
old clothes and an upright piano and transformed the space into a
theater brimming with hope and optimism that defies the economic
forecast.
Even though prosperity is just around the corner, bread lines form
down the block. The bleak outlook doesn't daunt Flora Meszaros, a
young fashion illustrator, who has just graduated from high school
determined to change the world. While filling out a job application
to be a fashion illustrator at Garrett and Mellick's, a leading
department store in New York, Flora spots an intense, oddly handsome
young artist who speaks with a slight stammer named Harry Toukarian
When he fails to respond to her attempts at conversation, she takes
matters into her own hands. Flora tells Harry she has a 'studio' -
an old ballroom in the Hotel Sedgewick - where she rents space to
other artists. Flora invites Harry to share space at the studio and
counters his plea of poverty by telling him to pay her in apples.
A short time later while eating lunch in the park, Harry reveals to
Flora he is a Communist and persuasively asks her to join the party.
When Flora returns to the studio, she finds she has a job interview
with Mr. Stanley, the art director at Garrett and Mellick's. Short
on money, but long on pride, she swears she won't accept any offer
less than $15 a week. She arrives at Mr. Stanley's office and he
tells her the job is hers - for $30 a week.
That evening, Harry and a group of comrades meet to discuss the
week's activities, Comrade Charlotte, the party zealot who has her
own designs on Harry, tells everyone that her week has been
unexciting. Flora announces she has obtained a job at Garrett and
Mellick's, but Charlotte puts a damper on the excitement, pointing
out that Garrett and Mellick's is not a union shop. Rising to the
occasion, Flora promises to collect names within the store of people
interested in forming a union. Charlotte goes one step further,
calls for a rally in front of the store and declares that Harry
shall speak. She personally offers to work with him on his stammer.
Despite the nearly impossible demands of the party and the deadlines
at the store, Flora and Harry find they are falling in love. On the
eve of the rally Flora plans a Valentine's Day celebration with
Harry. When Harry tells Flora that Comrade Charlotte has suggested
Harry spend that evening working on his speech, Flora is furious,
Harry apologizes and leaves. Left alone in the studio, Flora decides
to surprise Harry at his apartment with a real Valentine neither of
them will forget.
ACT TWO
That evening, Kenny and Maggie perform the dance routine they have
been preparing for their audition at the Rainbow Room - an audition
Flora arranged for them by pretending to be an agent. They are
accompanied by Willy on the clarinet.
At the some time, on the other side of town, Harry practices his
speech in his apartment by speaking with marbles in his mouth, a
technique the Greek Demosthenes used to cure a stammer. Unannounced,
Charlotte storms Harry's apartment and gives him a few of her own
pointers on public speaking. Flora arrives a short time later and
all the best laid plans end in disaster: the evening ends abruptly
for everyone.
On the day of the rally Flora finds Charlotte has changed the simple
rally at Garrett and Mellick's into a picket-line in an act of
spite. Knowing there is no way to turn in her artwork without
crossing the picket-line - an act which would immediately expel her
from the party - Flora gives the artwork to Willy to take to the
store. Mr. Weiss and Elsa are not pleased with Flora's actions.
Flora agrees. The first test of her newfound determination comes,
however, when she realizes she has sent Willy to Garrett and
Mellick's with the wrong envelope and has accidentally turned in the
list of names of people interested in forming a union.
Outside the store, Harry tries to speak, only to be heckled by the
crowd. He tosses aside his prepared remarks, speaks from the heart
and for the first time the crowd listens. When Flora arrives at the
store, Harry realizes she plans to cross the picket-line in order to
retrieve the list of names. He becomes angry, pointing out that
crossing a picket-line is an act of disloyalty and tells Flora she
is either with them, or against them . . . "and if you're against
us, you're against me.' Flora argues she has put other people's jobs
on the line and refuses to look of the world in the black and white
terms of the Party. Fully aware of the consequences, Flora crosses
the line. Once inside Mr. Stanleys office, Flora pleads her case and
sacrifices her own job in order to save the jobs of the other people
on the list. As Flora reads her letter of dismissal, we see a
montage of the strikers on the street and hear Willy sing.
Flora returns to the studio just as the artists are leaving to
celebrate Kenny and Maggie's new job at the Rainbow Room. Harry
enters and tells Flora that things aren't going to work out between
them. He tells her she'd never be committed to the party the way he
is and despite their shared ambition to change the world, they go
about their mission in two very different ways. Reluctantly Harry
kisses Flora good-bye. Flora is left alone in the studio,
momentarily defeated, but determined to pick up the pieces and start
again.
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