IAMA Theatre CompanyArtistic Directors: Stefanie Black, Christian Durso & Katie Lowes

PresentsThe Los Angeles Premiere of

AMERICAN HEROby Bess Wohl

directed by James Eckhouse

Produced by Jay MarcusAssociate Producer: Lexi Sloan

Stage Manager: Kay FosterSet Designer: Justin Huen

Lighting Designer: Josh EpsteinSound Designer: Peter Bayne

Costume Designer: Melissa Trn Properties Designer: Michael O’HaraFight Choreographer: Edgar Landa

Assistant Director: Rachel Berney Needleman

American Hero was developed by the Cape Code Theatre Project.

The world Premiere of American Hero was produced by the Williamstown Theatre Festival (Jenny Gersten, Artistic Director) during its 2013 Season.

New York Premiere produced by Second Stage Theatre, New York, 2014

(Carole Rothman, Artistic Director, Christopher Burney, Curator / Associate Artistic Director)

Enjoy the show? Let us know!#AmericanHeroIAMA @iamatheatre

 

         

  

 

@ iamatheatre IAMA Theatre Company

Artistic Directors: Stefanie Black, Christian Durso & Katie Lowes Presents

The Los Angeles Premiere of

AMERICAN HERO 

by Bess Wohl directed by James Eckhouse

Produced by Jay Marcus

Associate Producer: Lexi Sloan Stage Manager: Kay Foster Set Designer: Justin Huen

Lighting Designer: Josh Epstein Sound Designer: Peter Bayne

Costume Designer: Melissa Trn Properties Designer: Michael O’Hara Fight Choreographer: Edgar Landa

Assistant Director: Rachel Berney Needleman Assistant Stage Manager : Tammy Babich

American Hero was developed by the Cape Code Theatre Project.

The world Premiere of American Hero was produced by the Williamstown Theatre Festival (Jenny Gersten,

Artistic Director) during its 2013 Season.

New York Premiere produced by Second Stage Theatre, New York, 2014 (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director, Christopher Burney, Curator / Associate Artistic Director)

Enjoy the show? Let us know! 

#AmericanHeroIAMA @iamatheatre 

 

A LETTER FROM OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

As we look towards the next ten years of IAMA and beyond, we are excited about the future. Not only the future of our ensemble, but the future of LA theater. We believe in the strength of this theater community and are dedicated to ensuring it's vitality through new works. At the core of IAMA is our love of collaboration. For LA theater to really strive we must all come together and that is why we have built our 2018/2019 season around partnerships with other theaters in LA. Our season begins as guests of the Pasadena Playhouse with the LA premiere of American Hero by Bess Wohl. We have been developing new work by Bess since IAMA was created and to finally have the chance to produce her work in LA is so thrilling for us. She is a strong voice which has been gaining attention across the country for over a decade and we couldn't be prouder to bring this comedy to the IAMA stage. We continue to partner this winter with the world premiere of IAMA company member, Jon Caren's Canyon with the Latino Theater Company. We are so lucky to continue our relationship with Jon, after winning the Ovation Award for Best Production for his play The Recommendation and we couldn't be more thrilled to begin a new relationship with LTC. LTC shares the same ensemble values that IAMA was built on, we couldn't ask for a better collaboration for LA Theater. We conclude our season with our commitment to produce LA playwright, Sigrid Gilmer's Mamatallica. This play began as a collaboration with the Humanitas Play LA festival in 2017 and will now move on to a world premiere production. In a time when the arts need all the help they can get, we believe it is our duty as theater artists to reach out and hold the hands of those around us. We are all LA Theater!

Stefanie Black, Katie Lowes, and Christian DursoIAMA Co-Artistic Directors

Cast

Anna LaMadrid* JAMIELaura Mann*,** SHERIGraham Outerbridge TED Rodney To** BOBNick Bonanno BOB (u/s)Bailey Humiston* SHERI (u/s)Andria Kozica JAMIE (u/s)Charlie Farrell TED (u/s)

*Indicates Member of IAMA �eatre Company**Indicates member of Actors Equity Association

DIRECTOR’S NOTES

One of the most rewarding aspects of delving into this play was uncovering the many threads of meaning that the playwright has woven into the piece. Like a great sandwich, there were hidden layers of tasty delights. At first it seems to be about the plight of the American worker. But deeper into the work we discover currents running through that reflect many of the challenges we face in our modern world: How do we maintain our individuality in a soul-less corporate work space? Does religion have a place in a ‘Waiting For Godot’ universe? How can the feminine thrive in male-centric capitalistic society? How do we nourish our inner artist in the cauldron of empty-caloried mass-produced culture? Bess Wohl has written a chilling and wickedly funny tale that is ever more relevant to our corporation powered world. Hope you enjoy journeying with us into the home of the Tasty Torpedo!

James EckhouseDirector

 

DIRECTOR’S NOTES One of the most rewarding aspects of delving into this play was uncovering the many threads of meaning that the playwright has woven into the piece. Like a great sandwich, there were hidden layers of tasty delights. At first it seems to be about the plight of the American worker. But deeper into the work we discover currents running through that reflect many of the challenges we face in our modern world: How do we maintain our individuality in a soul-less corporate work space? Does religion have a place in a ‘Waiting For Godot’ universe? How can the feminine thrive in male-centric capitalistic society? How do we nourish our inner artist in the cauldron of empty-caloried mass-produced culture? Bess Wohl has written a chilling and wickedly funny tale that is ever more relevant to our corporation powered world. Hope you enjoy journeying with us into the home of the Tasty Torpedo!  James Eckhouse Director  

ANNA LAMADRID* (Jamie) Anna is a proud IAMA member and excited to make her main stage company debut with American Hero . She recently received a Stage Raw Award for Best Comedy Performance for her role in the West Coast Premiere of Jen Silverman’s Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Boops at Boston Court Theatre. Thanks boo! <3 www.anna-lamadrid.com LAURA MANN*,** (Sheri) Iama: IAMAFest , Accidental Blonde

(Reading Series), Species Native to California (Producer). Theatre: Cameron Mackintosh’s The Phantom of the Opera (National Tour), In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play (The Lounge Theatre), Macbeth (Tennessee Shakespeare Company), Fleet Week: The Musical (Lucille Lortel), Hail Satan (Bleecker Street Theatre). Film: 1982 (TIFF), Neil LaBute’s Some Girl(s) (SXSW). TV: Fringe, True Jackson, As the World Turns . Commercials with Justin Timberlake, Peyton

Manning, Justin Long, and Neil Patrick Harris. BFA- Syracuse University. All my love to Chris and Hugo for making this possible xo @thelauramann

 GRAHAM OUTERBRIDGE** (Ted) Graham is thrilled to be making his IAMA debut in American Hero . He has recently been seen on HBO’s Ballers, Fox’s LA -> Vegas, ABC’s Agents of SHIELD , and CBS’ The Inspectors . Graham hails from Bermuda and is a graduate of the MFA program at the American Conservatory Theater.  RODNEY TO** (Bob) TV: Parks and Recreation, Redliners, Corporate, You’re the Worst, NCIS, Modern Family, New Girl, Rosewood, Wilfred, Vice Principals. THEATRE: CTG, Echo Theater Company, Playwrights Arena, The Public Theater, South Coast Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Victory Gardens, Steppenwolf, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, Northlight. AWARDS: LA Ovation Award Nomination, Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson, Nomination, Stage

Raw Nomination, Chicago Filipino-American Hall of Fame Inductee. Faculty: USC. 

 

ANNA LAMADRID (Jamie) Anna is a proud IAMA member and excited to make her main stage company debut with American Hero. She recently received a Stage Raw Award for Best Comedy Performance for her role in the West Coast Premiere of Jen Silverman’s Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Boops at Boston Court Theatre. Thanks boo! <3 www.anna-lamadrid.com

LAURA MANN (Sheri) Iama: IAMAFest, Accidental Blonde (Reading Series), Species Native to California (Producer). Theatre: Cameron Mackintosh’s The Phantom of the Opera (National Tour), In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play (The Lounge Theatre), Macbeth (Tennessee Shakespeare Company), Fleet Week: The Musical (Lucille Lortel), Hail Satan (Bleecker Street Theatre). Film: 1982 (TIFF), Neil LaBute’s Some Girl(s) (SXSW).

TV: Fringe, True Jackson, As the World Turns. Commercials with Justin Timberlake, Peyton Manning, Justin Long, and Neil Patrick Harris. BFA- Syracuse University. All my love to Chris and Hugo for making this possible xo @thelauramann

GRAHAM OUTERBRIDGE (Ted) Graham is thrilled to be making his IAMA debut in American Hero. He has recently been seen on HBO’s Ballers, Fox’s LA -> Vegas, ABC’s Agents of SHIELD, and CBS’ The Inspectors. Graham hails from Bermuda and is a graduate of the MFA program at the American Conservatory Theater.

RODNEY TO (Bob) TV: Parks and Recreation, Redliners, Corporate, You’re the Worst, NCIS, Modern Family, New Girl, Rosewood, Wilfred, Vice Principals. THEATRE: CTG, Echo Theater Company, Playwrights Arena, The Public Theater, South Coast Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Victory Gardens, Steppenwolf, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, Northlight. AWARDS: LA Ovation Award Nomination, Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson,

Nomination, Stage Raw Nomination, Chicago Filipino-American Hall of Fame Inductee. Faculty: USC.

NICK BONANNO (Bob u/s) An alumni of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting (New York) and a member of the National Youth Theatre (London), Nick is thrilled to be joining IAMA Theatre Company as an understudy. Past roles include Kulygin (The Three Sisters), Al (Road to Nirvana), Flan (Six Degrees of Separation). Nick would like to thank his family, friends, colleagues at Art of Acting Studio & Margaux!

BAILEY HUMISTON (Sheri u/s) Bailey is THRILLED to be a part of the American Hero team! LA theatre credits include: Bad Jews (Melody), Orange Is The New Musical: The Unauthorized Parody (Piper Chapman), Songs For A New World (Woman One), and IAMA's One Day Plays, Holiday Cabaret and Reading Series.

ANDRIA KOZICA (Jamie u/s) Andria is a native of Chicago and graduate of NYU Tisch/Stella Adler Studio. Recent theatre credits: Roxanne in The Understudy (Bull & Bearer Theatre), Gabriella in Boeing Boeing (Little Fish Theatre), Queen in Cymbeline (Shakespeare by the Sea), and Actor #3 in Lebensraum (HCLAB, Ovation Nomination). Film/TV credits at andriakozica.com.

CHARLIE FARRELL (Ted u/s) Charlie is known for appearances on "The Tonight Show" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live", "American Horror Story", "Swedish Dicks", "Henry Danger" and more. Film credits include Roger Corman's Death Race 2050 and others. He is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory in Chicago and played Bodhi in the national, stage production of "Point Break Live" for 9 years. He is also a spokesman

for Moet & Chandon.

JAMES ECKHOUSE, (Director) James directed IAMA company member Jamie Wollrab in Tryptich Theatre’s production of Nocturne, and the world premiere of IAMA member Keliher Walsh’s The Year of the Rabbit. He has directed productions at Atwater Village Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, the Matrix, the Odyssey, The Lost Studio and the Electric Lodge. Television directing credits include episodes of ABC’s award winning series, Once and Again and Beverly Hills 90210. James won a CINE Golden Eagle award for his documentary, Protecting the Possibilities. His 35-year career as an actor includes performances on and off-Broadway, and at many of the country's regional theaters as well as starring roles in over 50 television series and films.

Recently he starred in IAMA Theatre Company’s critically acclaimed production of Redline and opposite Bryan Cranston in the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit, All The Way. He stars in the upcoming HBO web series High and Mighty as arch villain Doctor Knotts. James is best known to TV audiences as “Jim Walsh” on FOX's original series, Beverly Hills 90210. He is a proud member of IAMA Theatre Company.

BESS WOHL (Playwright) Bess Wohl’s plays include Small Mouth Sounds (Top ten of 2015 in The New York Times, The Guardian, New York Post and others); Barcelona; Touched; In; Cats Talk Back; the original musical Pretty Filthy, in collaboration with Michael Friedman and The Civilians (Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Musical). Her work has been produced or developed at Second Stage, Ars Nova, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Geffen Playhouse, People’s Light and Theatre Company, the Contemporary American Theater Festival, Vineyard Arts Project, the Pioneer Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Northlight Theater, TheaterWorks New Works Festival, Ojai Playwright’s Conference, Cape Cod Theatre Project, PlayPenn and the New York International Fringe Festival (Award for Best Overall Production). In 2015, Bess won the Sam Norkin special Drama Desk Award for”establishing herself as an important voice in New York Theater, and having a breakthrough year.” Other awards and honors include the Athena Award for her screenplay, Virginia; a MacDowell Fellowship; and inclusion on Hollywood’s Black List of Best Screenplays. She is an associate artist with The Civilians, an alumna of Ars Nova’s Play Group, and the recipient of new play commissions from Manhattan Theatre Club, Hartford Stage and Lincoln Center. Bess also writes for film and television, and has developed projects for HBO, ABC, USA, Disney, Paramount and others. She is a graduate of Harvard and the Yale School of Drama.

JUSTIN HUEN (Set Designer) Justin has graced the IAMA company with his designs for this layered production. Justin's claim to fame happened during his 4th grade production of Rent when the elementary school designer was stumped on what to do to make it look multi-level and warehouse-like. Justin was a shy kid up until that point but with so many ideas flowing through his brain, he couldn't help but shout out "ADD SOME STAIRS". With that genius idea, Justin's career path was set. Justin would like to thank IAMA for the outlet needed to continue to live out his passion.

JOSH EPSTEIN (Lighting Designer) Josh is thrilled to have recently become an IAMA ensemble member. This will be his 6th IAMA production. Josh has designed at many great theaters across the country including the Geffen, Mark Taper, Kirk Douglas, Pasadena Playhouse, South Coast Rep, Guthrie, Goodman, Baltimore Center Stage, Trinity Rep and LongWharf. Josh received his MFA from NYU and currently teaches at UCLA. He is an Ovation Award Winner, a recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Designers and currently serves on the O'Neill Playwrights Conference Artistic Council. Josh lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three daughters. www.joshepsteindesign.com

PETER BAYNE (Original Music and Sound Designer) Previous credits with IAMA: Redline, and Sinners Laundry. Selected theatre credits include Center Theatre Group, Pasadena Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, Boston Court, A Noise Within, The Antaeus Company, The Fountain Theatre, Rogue Machine Theatre, The Colony Theatre, The Actors' Gang, Skylight Theatre Company, and the Elephant Theatre Company. Other regional credits include with American Repertory Theatre, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, and Shakespeare and Company. Bayne is active as a composer in film and television, he produces leftfield dance music and performs as a multi-instrumentalist.

MELISSA TRN (Costume Designer) Melissa is thrilled to be joining IAMA again after designing Cult of Love, Redline, Sinner's Laundry, Species Native to California, Jon Caren's The House That Jake Built and The Recommendation. Other Credits include: Our Country (The Wilderness, Getty Villa/Broken Flowers/ Under the Radar/Edinburgh Fringe),The Trojan Women: After Euripedes (BAM/SITI Company, NYC/Getty Villa) Antigone (SITI Company, NYC), The Roommate (San Francisco Playhouse), Future Thinking (South Coast Rep), Friends in Transient Places and Reunions! (Fresh Produce'd LA), Twelfth Night (Asolo Rep), 39 Steps (Triad Stage), Roller Disco (ART's Oberon), From The Fire (composed by Elizabeth Swados), Richard II (Yale Rep), The Me Nobody Knows (Black Rep, St. Louis), as well as over ten productions for Telluride Theater in Telluride, CO where Melissa is an Associate Artist. Melissa has a MFA from The Yale School of Drama.

MICHAEL O’HARA (Props Designer) Michael is happy to be working on American Hero and to be working with IAMA once again. Besides IAMA, his work has appeared on stage at Celebration Theatre, Circle X, East West Players, the Blank, Theatre of NOTE, Coeurage Theatre, The KDT, The Road Theatre, the Garry Marshall, and Skylight to name a few. He was the original Props Designer for Failure: A Love Story for Coeurage which was in the first Block Party at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and his original design for Die, Mommie, Die was part of Block Party this year in May. Thank you for supporting Los Angeles theatre.

KAY FOSTER (Stage Manager) Kay moved to LA from New York where she stage managed in many venues: Joe Papp's Public Theatre, Roundabout Theatre, Pearl Theatre, NYU Graduate Acting Program, taught at Weist-Baron Acteen and was Company Manager/Production Stage Manager for DearKnows theatre company—with James Eckhouse. In Los Angeles, Kay has worked at The Mark Taper New Works Festival, The Geffen Playhouse (Production Stage Manager for All in the Timing) and EST-LA Project (Stage Manager for Mutual Philanthropy by Karen Rizzo). She was also Marketing Operations Manager, NBCUniversal Television Distribution, Domestic and International.

EDGAR LANDA (Fight Choreographer) Edgar creates fights and violence for theatres large and small. Recent mayhem: Water by the Spoonful (CTG/Mark Taper Forum); El Henry (San Diego Rep/La Jolla Playhouse), The Reunion

(South Coast Repertory); The Steward of Christendom (CTG/Mark Taper Forum); Parfumerie (Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts); The Nether (CTG/Kirk Douglas Theatre). Edgar serves on the faculty of the USC School of Dramatic Arts and is a proud member of Son of Semele Ensemble and an advocate for intimate theatre in Los Angeles. #pro99

RACHEL BERNEY NEEDLEMAN (Assistant Director) Rachel recently directed pieces at EST/LA and Pacific Resident Theatre Co-op. She has directed Cabaret Noel with Gigi Bermingham for the last two years, as well as new play readings and workshops at The Blank, Skylight and Theatricum Botanicum. She has assistant directed and dramaturged at many area theaters, including South Coast Rep and Antaeus, and is thrilled for her first with IAMA.

JORDAN BASS (Casting Director) Jordan is thrilled to be working with IAMA again! Select Film: Wind River, Annabelle, The Leisure Class (HBO Project Greenlight), The Pretenders, Izzy Gets the F*&% Across Town, A Violent Separation, Mine, Martyrs, Hard Sell, Summer of 8, The Last Exorcism. Select TV: Hyperlinked (YouTube Red), The 5th Quarter (Verizon Go90), Beerfest (CW Seed), Suit Up, Svetlana, Big Time Rush, Spartacus. www.basscasting.com

JAY MARCUS (Producer) Jay is thrilled to be producing his first show at the incredible IAMA Theatre Company! He is the Producing Director at Celebration Theatre in Hollywood, the oldest LGBT theatre company in the country. Shows include Cabaret, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The View UpStairs, Tilda Swinton Answers An Ad on Craigslist, and So Long Boulder City. Jay is also the VP of film/tv development at director George Tillman, Jr. and producer Bob Teitel’s production company, State Street Pictures. He Executive Produced their movie, The Hate U Give, which had its premiere at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival and opens in theatres nationwide on October 19th, 2018. Thanks to this amazing cast and production team, our amazing associate producer Lexi, and Stef for bringing me into the fold.

LEXI SLOAN (Associate Producer) This is Lexi’s 3rd production working with IAMA, starting with producing the 2018 One Day Plays, ASMing for Cult of Love and currently associate producing for American Hero. When she isn’t with IAMA, she works for a VFX company, takes acting and Groundlings classes, writes comedic shorts, and is currently producing Toyer with Polymath Theater Company. Working with this talented cast and crew has been a delight and she hopes to continue working with IAMA on future productions!

This production is presented under the auspices of the Actors’ Equity Los Angeles Membership Company Rule.

IAMA LeadershipCo-Artistic Directors: Stefanie Black, Christian Durso, Katie Lowes

Managing Director: Lara MyreneAssociate Artistic Director/Social Media Manager: Margaux Susi

Marketing Director: Adam ShapiroAssociate Literary Manager: Emily Rowan

HUNTER SMITH ERIKA ROSE

Directed By Colleen LaBella

30% of proceeds donated to

Creative Ambitions. Altruistic Intentions.Polymath Theatre Company