Tall Tales of the Unnatural Frontier
Curated by Scotto Moore
Written by Kelleen Conway Blanchard, Morgan Ludlow, Scotto Moore & Jennifer Lynne Roberts
Directed by Jen Moon
Staged Managed by Maren Comendant
Sandra Bobman
Assistant Stage Manager
__________
Staged Managed by Maren Comendant
Sandra Bobman
Assistant Stage Manager
__________
Please note: there are two times listed for all performances. This is a separation of sections in the theatre. If you want to pay regular and discount price select the "8:00pm" option. If you want to sit on the front row in the first two rows please hit the "8:15pm" Pacific Play Plus button. It is the SAME performance which starts at 8pm.
Brandon Estrella
Set Design
Heather Bernadette
Costumes & Props
Carolina Johnson
Lighting Design
Set Design
Heather Bernadette
Costumes & Props
Carolina Johnson
Lighting Design
Featuring
Michael Blackwood, Marquicia Dominguez, Tom Fraser
Tim Gagne, Lori Lee Haener, Drew Hobson & Sydney Tucker
Michael Blackwood, Marquicia Dominguez, Tom Fraser
Tim Gagne, Lori Lee Haener, Drew Hobson & Sydney Tucker
December 4, 10, 18 | 8PM
December 12 | 3PM
Annex Theatre
1100 E Pike Street | Seattle
December 12 | 3PM
Annex Theatre
1100 E Pike Street | Seattle
What made the lone gunslinger so lonely? Once upon a time in the west, you could dream of settling down with your family and a plot of land, where maybe you could find respite from the demons of the past. But strange things howl in the moonlight out on the wide open plain... and few of them are friendly. Meanwhile, connecting east coast to west, the Transcontinental Railroad offers unwary travelers the chance to journey into parts unknown... very unknown to be sure, if you chance to get off at the wrong stop. Some travelers band their carts and wagons together for safety and companionship and even a bit of magic, bringing a wild circus to the small towns that pepper the trail a perfect place to hide from the trouble that’s chasing you, if you can find a costume that fits.
Tall Tales of the Unnatural Frontier is a shadowy slice of dark Americana, exploring a time when the country’s founding ideals were still waiting for their time to truly flower and a time when the sway of the rational intellect had yet to reach all parts of a land steeped in folklore and legend. Civilization would someday tame the unnatural frontier and the wanderers who made it their home but not before a few extremely tall tales seared their way into our nation’s collective subconscious memory, whispered around the dying campfire of an elusive moment in history.
Tall Tales of the Unnatural Frontier is a shadowy slice of dark Americana, exploring a time when the country’s founding ideals were still waiting for their time to truly flower and a time when the sway of the rational intellect had yet to reach all parts of a land steeped in folklore and legend. Civilization would someday tame the unnatural frontier and the wanderers who made it their home but not before a few extremely tall tales seared their way into our nation’s collective subconscious memory, whispered around the dying campfire of an elusive moment in history.
ABOUT OUR ARTISTS!
Heather Bernadette(COSTUME DESIGN & PROPS) As a performer, she has taken various roles in Last Leaf Production's touring Shakespeare in the Park and shook her stuff in the Temple of Love as an Acolyte in The Rite of Venus. Backstage, she has most recently exerted her divine abilities in such capacities as Music Director for Wonderful World of Oz with Stone Soup Theatre & Alki Elementary. She served as a stage manager for Seattle Musical Theatre, Broadway Bound, a costume designer for Centerstage and Village Theatre’s Kidstage. When Heather is not at the theatre she is busy in her studio creating amazing works of wearable art. This is Heather's second show with Pacific Play Company, and she is simply delighted to have the opportunity to work with this amazing cast and crew.
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Michael Ryan Blackwood (ENSEMBLE ACTOR) Like so many Seattleites, Michael is a transplant. He relocated last year to intern with The Intiman Theatre Festival, where he performed in Tiny Kushner. Recent credits include Six Characters in Search of an Author directed by Dan Tarker and The Flu Season directed by Stephanie Haire. Catch him in Jaryl Allen Draper's Four Beers and a Fat Guy here at Annex's Spin the Bottle or at B-sides and Rarities at West of Lenin. Also a musician and educator, Michael is a graduate of Whitman College.
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Kelleen Conway Blanchard(PLAYWRIGHT) Kelleen Conway Blanchard's work has been seen/produced at Annex Theatre, Pony World Theater, Bumbershoot with the Project Room, Weird and Awesome, Macha Monkey, Balagan Theatre, Seattle Playwright's Collective, 12 Minutes Max , 14/48, Spin the Bottle and as part of FringeACT. Outside of Seattle, her plays have been part of Eight Tens at Eight in Santa Cruz, the 2nd Annual Festival of New Short Plays in Belfast, Maine and Perishable Theatre’s Women’s Playwriting Festival. Look for her upcoming collaboration with Keira McDonald in Blonde with the Wind and for Kittens in a Cage, the web series, produced by Stoic Entertainment (based on her Gregory Award nominated play!) http://www.kittensinacage.com/
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Maren Commendant(STAGE MANAGER) Maren is an actor/musician-turned-stage-manager making her Pacific Play Company debut. Since transplanting to Seattle she has been been privileged to work on and off the stage with Civic Rep, STAGEright, Eclectic, and Seattle Theater Works, among others. She is a founding member of Studio4Seattle. Collaborating on these projects has been a exceptional growing experience. Thanks to her stellar artistic team for their patience and vision.
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Marquicia Dominguez(ENSEMBLE ACTOR) Marquicia Dominguez is thrilled to be a part of Tall Tales! She always enjoys her work with Pacific Play Company, and is excited to be back on the Annex Stage. As an actor in the greater Seattle area, she has worked with such companies as ACT, Annex, Theatre Battery, and Book-it. She is also a freelance teaching artist and yoga teacher in the greater Seattle area. She would like to thank all the people who have been supportive throughout this process.
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Brandon Estrella(SCENIC DESIGN) Brandon is extremely excited to be working with Pacific Play Company once again (Everybody Here Says Hello, Crime & Rockets) and this fabulously talented team. He is a founding member of The New Alchemists and over the past few years, his designs have been featured throughout the greater Seattle Area. You may have seen some of his recent work with Ghost Light Theatricals (As You Like It), MAP Productions (The Are of Bad Men), SIS Productions (Paper Angels), and the Intiman’s Emerging Artists Showcase. You can check out some of his upcoming projects with Ghost Light Theatricals, WET, Northern Belles Webseries, STAGEright and The New Alchemists.
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Sandra Bobman(ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER) Sandra is a student at the University of Washington studying theater production. Her most recent credits include stage managing Winter Bird at the Eclectic Theater and assistant stage managing 6 Characters in Search of An Author with Seattle Theater Works, as well as assisting with props at Village Theater's Peter Pan. She's very glad to be working on this show and to work with Maren Comendant once again.
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Tom Fraser(ENSEMBLE ACTOR) Tom is happy to be a part of Tall Tales in his first full scale production with Pacific Play Company Theater after having performed in several staged readings with the company earlier this year. Favorite past stage roles include Joe Moore in Kim Rosenstock's "Tigers Be Still" (Catapult Theater), Dt. Ross in "Winter Harvest "(Eclectic Theater) , Ozzie in the Gregory Award winning "UNDO" (Annex Theater), and last but not least Captain Lon McQuigg in "The Racket" (Theater Under the Influence) He recently completed filming a principal role in the independent short film "Ted Bundy: King of Hearts" which will hit the festival circuit in 2016.
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Tim Gagne(ENSEMBLE ACTOR) Tim Gagne is a native of St. Paul Minnesota, where he graduated with a theater acting degree from Minnesota State University. Since moving to Seattle, Tim has had the pleasure of working with some excellent companies including Pacific Play Company, Fantastic Z, Theater Battery, and Spirit Theater. In addition to stage work Tim has worked as a voice over artist, a radio personality, and he was recently seen on the television show "Evil In-Law."
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Lori Lee Haener(ENSEMBLE ACTOR) Lori Lee studied improvisation at the Groundlings Theatre in L.A., Second City L.A. and Unexpected Productions. Most recently she played Sarah in Seascape at Theater Schmeater which won a Footlight Award for best ensemble. Lori Lee has co-written and co-produced Haener vs. Haener with her Husband which premiered at the NW Actor's Studio. Lori Lee has also written a short play, Dream Vacation, which will be featured at Macha Monkey's Distillary in their 2015-2016 season. Lori Lee Has worked with Seattle Shakespeare Co in As you Like it., Theatre Schmeater's Reservoir Dolls as Ms. Orange, 14/48 The World's Quickest Theatre Festival, Election Show and Twisted Flicks with Wing It Productions. She sure loves her Hubby Jerr Bear and her super awesome family and friends!!
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Drew Hobson(ENSEMBLE ACTOR) Drew is incredibly excited to be part of such an awesome show, to work with an amazing cast and is very thankful to Jen and Pacific Play Company for having him on. Drew is a local Actor, DJ, Teacher, Karaoke Host and Playwright. Some of his stage work includes 16 Wounded (Ashraf) at Open Circle Theatre, Zooman and The Sign (Reuben Tate) with Brown Box Theatre, 5 summer seasons with Greenstage Shakespeare in the Park (Caliban, Antonio, Hubert, Talbot, Cominius) and multiple Children’s plays from touring for 10 years with Last Leaf Touring Childrens Theatre. In film Drew can be seen on the NBC TV show GRIMM season 3 episode 9 “The Red Menace”, the upcoming feature film Better Than Love and several upcoming short films, Color TV No Vacancy and Closing Time. He Karaoke hosts Thursday Nights at the Mandarin Gate and DJs twice a month at El Norte Lounge in North Lake City. Drew would like to thank his friends and family especially his wife Kendra who has been so wonderful and encouraging him in doing what he loves.
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Carolina Johnson(LIGHTING DESIGNER) Carolina Johnson has designed drama and dance in both New and Olde Englands, and now, when she gets a chance, in Seattle. Recent highlights include lighting for Mad Scientist Cabaret and Balconies at Annex Theater, Seattle Immersive Theater's Dump Site, and the entertainingly ensemble Alice in Wonderland. When not in theaters she's either staring at a computer in pursuit of a PhD or somewhere on the side of a mountain. This is her first time working with Pacific Play Company and she's delighted to be involved in putting together this eclectic two (or 13?) for one package!
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Scotto Moore(PLAYWRIGHT | HEAD WRITER) Scotto Moore is most frequently produced at Annex Theatre in Seattle. He wrote & directed "Balconies," "interlace [falling star]" and "Duel of the Linguist Mages" (the latter was nominated for the American Theatre Critics Association’s Steinberg New Play Award, and a Gregory Award for outstanding playwright); wrote book & lyrics for the musical "A Mouse Who Knows Me" with Robertson Witmer (composer); wrote "When I Come To My Senses, I'm Alive!" (also nominated for a Gregory Award for outstanding playwright, and produced by Cayuga Community College in New York); wrote & performed in “H.P. Lovecraft: Stand-Up Comedian!” which was selected for a remount at Bumbershoot; wrote & co-directed the short play collection "Star Crossed, and other tales from a devious universe"; and adapted & directed "The Principia Discordia LIVE!" - all produced by Annex Theatre. He has written 19 short plays for the 14/48 Festival; 6 short plays for Pacific Play Company; 2 very short plays for the One Minute Play Festival; and 1 short play for Seattle Theatre Works. His next one-act play, "Dimension Force," will be produced as part of Seattle Public Theatre's Youth Program.
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Morgan Ludlow(PLAYWRIGHT | ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) Morgan’s plays have been presented in San Francisco, Salt Lake, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. Morgan is the recipient of the 2013 San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Original Script for his play GORGEOUS HUSSY: An Interview with Joan Crawford. In 2008 he founded Wily West Productions in San Francisco where he remains the Artistic Director. Since then Wily West received the Theatre Bay Area Award for Outstanding World Premiere, and Outstanding Featured Female Performer as well as two Theatre Bay Area Award nominations for Best Anthology. In 2013 the company received its first Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best New Play and a BATCCA nomination for Best Featured Male Actor among numerous Broadway World Award nominations. Morgan is thrilled to be working with Erin Ison and Shunpike to develop Pacific Play Company. He has served as the Producing Director for the Playwrights Center of San Francisco. In Salt Lake City, Morgan was a full-time staff member for the Salt Lake Acting Company (a fully professional Equity theatre devoted to producing new American plays), and he also served as the Producing Director for Plan-B Theatre Company, a cutting-edge theatre troupe that was recently voted Best Theatre Company by Salt Lake City audiences. He is a member of Theatre Bay Area, Theatre Puget Sound and the Dramatists Guild of America.
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Jen Moon(DIRECTOR) Jen Moon is delighted to be working with Pacific Play Company. Jen brings to this production an extensive acting and directing background. She has acted and directed with several theatre troupes in the Seattle area. Jen Moon has long been associated with Annex Theatre as a production and event manager and also as an actor and director. She directed the critically acclaimed Natural, The Luxuria Cycle, and will be directing the world premiere of Unexpected Wilderness. She has directed several one-acts in productions with 14/48, Seattle Theatre Works and Seattle Playwrights Collective. Jen Moon holds a B.S. in Theatre and Public Health. As always she sends much love to Scotto.
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Juliet Waller Pruzan(PLAYWRIGHT) Juliet is a playwright, choreographer, teaching artist, and dancer who doesn’t dance much right now. Her work was seen earlier this year with Pacific Play Company in CRIME AND ROCKETS! This year’s theatrical highlights include having four short plays performed by 4th and 5th graders at TOPS K-8, a piece co-written with her son in 14/48’s Saturday morning cartoons, a reading produced by Macha Monkey of her new one-act play, “Gulch”, beaming with pride watching her Monkey Works’ students perform the plays they wrote, and working on Tall Tales!
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Jennifer Lynne Roberts(PLAYWRIGHT) Jennifer Lynne Roberts is a playwright, producer, and essayist. She's earned her MFA in Creative Writing from California College of Arts and is the current President of the Playwrights' Center of San Francisco. Her first full length play, BEEKEEPER premiered at Virago Theatre Company in 2011. Her short plays include: TWELVE POLE CREEK, produced by Wily West Productions’ Spooky Cabaret, and PCSF's 24-Hour fest; CHYROSOMELIDAE HIDE NO MORE, co-produced by Wily West Productions for PCSF’s Sherherezade 13; FREEZE TAG, produced at the Playwrights' Center of San Francisco's 24-Hour Play Fest; FACTORY FARM: A DOCUMENTARY, staged readings as part of both Repro Rights! a benefit for Planned Parenthood in San Francisco, and The Disreputables Theatre Company's SLUT Festival in Washington, D.C. In 2014 Jennifer headed Wily West's first collaborative multi-authored show, SUPERHEROES which received a TBA Award nomination for Best Anthology.
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Sydney Tucker(ENSEMBLE) Past credits include Slaughterhouse-Five (Book-It Repertory Theatre), Zig Zag Festival (Annex Theatre), and 14/48:The World's Quickest Theater Festival. She can also be seen performing as her burlesque alter ego, Daisy O'Day. Her troupe, A Little Burlesque, will be premiering their newest narrative burlesque show at the Seattle Fringe Festival in 2016. She is a graduate from Cornish College of the Arts (TH' 12). www.sydneytuckerperformer.com
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