Digital Program: A Man of No Importance
The Footlight Club Presents
A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE
Book by Terence McNally
Lyrics by Lynne Ahrens
Music by Stephen Flaherty
The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited
Eliot Hall, 7A Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Information: 617-524-3200
The Footlight Club is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, a program of the state of Massachusetts administered through a collaborative arrangement between MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The Footlight Club is also supported in part by a grant from the Boston Cultural Council, a local agency which is funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events.
Our newly accessible Eliot Hall, completed in February 2022, is supported by grants from
the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural Facilities Fund, the Community Preservation Fund, and the George B. Henderson Foundation.
Director’s Note
Welcome to our theater in the social hall of Saint Imelda’s church located in Dublin, Ireland. It’s spring of 1964. 95% of the country’s population identifies as Catholic, The Beatles hold the top 5 spots on the Billboard 100, the Profumo affair and other political sex scandals in the British Parliament are making international news, Vatican II is happening and the still-on-the-books 1861 Offences Against the Person Act making same-sex sexual activity illegal will not be repealed for 29 more years. In other news closer to home, the Boston Strangler is still on the loose, the Civil Rights Act is soon to be signed and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were married for the first time on March 15.
Oscar Wilde wrote: “I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” We are grateful to have you fellow humans here as we come together as a community to share this ancient art form of storytelling. Our show covers many themes; among them people making theatre simply for the love of it, and how art and the expression of it can bring people together while certain interpretations of it can be exploited to create a divide; something still happening today. It also reflects on individuality and being true to oneself, conjuring another quote of Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
I have imagined many times throughout our process that Mr. Wilde was watching over us theatre lovers rehearse this play with characters who identify as theatre lovers.
And now, to help complete the process we members of the company turn to you members of the audience and wholeheartedly invite you to join us on this journey; together. To quote a lyric from the show, “Who knows where we may go…”
Cast
Alfie Byrne: Adam Sell
Adele Rice: Georgia Bowder-Newton
Robbie: Ben Oehlkers
William Carney: Ian Flynn
Lily Byrne: Emma Walker
Mrs. Grace: Carolyn Cafarelli
Baldy: Brian Bakofen
Father Kenny: Stephen Peters
Mrs. Patrick: Kelsey Tidball
Miss Crowe: Juliette McClendon
Mrs. Curtin: Anna Poplawski
Peter/Breton Beret: Michael Moses
Ernie Lally: Kieran Kelly
Production Team
Producer: Benn Salter
Director: Vito Abate
Music Director: Bethany Aiken
Stage Manager: Coco Coviello
Assistant Stage Manager: Chris Nadeau
Technical Director: Paul O'Shaughnessy
Set Decorator: Sam Moon
Assistant Set Builder: Ryder Nguyen
Lighting Designer: Olivia Sederlund
Sound Designer: Mike McHugh
Assistant Sound Designer: Rylan Gonzalez
Props Designer: Clifton Golz
Costume Designers: David Alger & Liza Ulrich
Dialect Coach: Jill Bloede
Photography: Matt McKee & Deborah Karson
Orchestra
Keyboard/Conductor - Bethany Aiken
Violin - Caroline Leguía/Marnen Laibow-Koser
Cello - Paul Alperin
Bass - Rusty Chandler
Guitars - Millisa Henderson
Reeds - Joe LaRocca
Synthesizer Programming - Bethany Aiken
Special Thanks
Brian Crete, Val Tracy, Michael Colford, Jonathan Drapinski, Jason Sheehan, Sam Dean, Mary Gatter
This production is performed in memory of
Lucas Brooks
Lucas Brooks, also occasionally known by his stage name Lucky Charming, was a Boston-area actor, director, educator, artist, and performer whose perpetual optimism and enthusiasm were the best possible contagion for those around him. Lucas performed in The Footlight Club's 2019 production of Cabaret, and was frequently involved in shows at Somerville’s Theater@First. He’s best remembered locally as half of the burlesque duo Viscous and Tingle, who staged shows at the former Oberon theater and club in Cambridge and elsewhere. Off the stage, Lucas was a sex educator, artist, and enjoyer of all dogs of all sizes. Lucas died suddenly earlier this month, leaving a gap in the lives of his many area friends, colleagues, and castmates. If the spirit moves you to remember Lucas in a tangible way, please consider making a donation to The Trevor Project, a cause that was particularly close to Lucas’ heart.
Cast and Crew Biographies
Vito Abate (stage director): Vito is an actor, producer, director and sometimes writer originally from Queens, New York. He studied acting and performed in NYC, where he created and produced several seasons of just do it - a themed reading and performance series which he would later mount in two more cities. For ten consecutive years Vito produced and directed Christmas Theatre, a fundraiser for NY area AIDS organizations. In Denver, CO he spent four seasons with the Tony-winning Denver Center Theatre Company before relocating to Charlotte, NC working in area theatre and winning several regional theatre awards including the Metrolina Theatre Association (MTA) Theatre Person of the Year. Favorite roles include playing children and adults in numerous children’s theatre shows like Bridge to Terabithia, Fezziwig in Scrooge! The Musical, Billis in South Pacific (MTA award), Mitch in "Streetcar", Fester in The Addams Family Musical, Froggy in The Foreigner and most recently on this stage as Vanya in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Directing highlights include Same Time, Next Year, “A Funny Thing…”, Steel Magnolias, Children of Eden (Rosie Award), The Woman in Black, three adaptations of A Christmas Carol, Sordid Lives (starring the movie's original LaVonda, Ann Walker) and most recently Sylvia with Walpole Footlighters. Vito has served on several theatre organization boards and still serves as a middle and high school play adjudicator in NC and is currently one for the musical division of The Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild (METG). He is also a videographer specializing in dollmation and an ICF certified life and mental health coach. Special thanks to Ron, J.J., O.W. and Coco. www.vitoabate.com
Bethany Aiken (music director): A Boston-based music director, pianist, composer, and teaching artist, Bethany returns to the Footlight for the fourth time, having previously served as MD for Willy Wonka, Seussical, and The Sound of Music. Other music direction credits include Jonah and the Whale, Lucky Stiff, and Lobster Girl (original orchestrations), all with Greater Boston Stage Company; Something Rotten!, The SpongeBob Musical, and Spring Awakening (Weston Drama Workshop); Murder for Two (Lyric Stage Company); Songs for a New World (Gloucester Stage Company); Head Over Heels (Boston Conservatory at Berklee); Working (UMass Boston); Peter and the Starcatcher (Hub Theatre Company); and four seasons at the Weathervane Theatre (N.H.), where she created original scores for three TYA musicals. Bethany played keyboard for the A.R.T.'s world premiere production of The Black Clown as well as for the Big Apple Circus during its 2019 stay in Boston. She has been a staff collaborative pianist at Boston Conservatory since 2013.
David Alger (Costume designer): David is excited to be once again designing costumes with his friends in Jamaica Plain. Drawn to the stage since elementary school, his other FLC costume design credits include: Ravenscroft, Promises, Promises (DASH nominee), Moon Over Buffalo (DASH nominee), The Cat’s Meow (DASH nominee), Parade (DASH winner), Ragtime (DASH winner), Hair (DASH and IRNE nominee), Gypsy and Bye Bye Birdie. Other costume design credits include: Olympus on My Mind, Bad Seed, Ruthless! The Musical, The Paisley Sisters’ Christmas Special, Guys and Dolls, Our Town, Two by Two, Chicago, Lend Me a Tenor, The Secret Garden, Assassins (DASH nominee), Pride and Prejudice (DASH nominee). David’s recent focus has been on scenic design, dressing sets for FLC’s productions of Miss Holmes, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, The Doll’s House and The Importance of Being Earnest (DASH winner). Many thanks to Jamie and Lily for all their support. “Theater is a verb before it is a noun, an act before it is a place.” - Martha Graham.
Brian Bakofen (Baldy/Oscar Wilde): Brian returns to the Footlight stage after too many years away, and is VERY happy to be back. His many performances on our stage include The Wild Party (Eddie), Peter and the Starcatcher (Slank), Seussical (Bass Wickersham), and The Music Man (Quartet), to name a few. He has also co-produced a somewhat-annual 7A show (Cabar7A), including a virtual show during the pandemic, and works at the Footlight behind the scenes to help keep our little theater running. He has performed with other companies around Boston as well, including Curtain Call (Forever Plaid), Fiddlehead (JCS and The Wiz), Moonbox (Company), and Concord Players (Secret Garden, The Scarlet Pimpernel). Brian dedicates his performance as Baldy to the old men in his family, now long gone, who he got to visit with again in this character, and to his Great Aunt Nasta, who Baldy’s wife Mary just might have been based on!
Jill Bloede (dialect coach): Jill is a working actor, director and dialect coach based in Charlotte, NC. Her dialect work ranges from coaching for area theatre companies to working for television and film productions in the Carolinas. She is also a tenured theatre professor and director at Belmont Abbey College.
Georgia Bowder-Newton (Adele Rice): is making her Footlight Debut with A Man of No Importance. Despite doing copious amounts of theater all through her childhood, this is her first musical theater production in six years, since she starred in her high school production of Pippin as the Leading Player. It feels like coming home, and she can’t imagine a more welcoming or warm cast and crew for the occasion. Thank you to Kerstin Templeton, for telling her about the Footlight Club; to Jules Talbot, for helping her remember how to prepare for an audition; and to all her friends and family for their unending support and patience.
Carolyn Cafarelli (Mrs. Grace): Carolyn is thrilled to join Footlight Club for the first time. Born and bred in Boston, she has performed in community theatre in MA for the last 14 years. Favorite roles include Florence Unger in The Odd Couple - female version (FCT), Ousier in Steel Magnolias (Winthrop Players), Marmee – Little Women, the Musical (Longwood Players), Gay Wellington in You Can’t Take It With You (Milton Players), and Mrs. Luckenbill (and others) in Freaky Friday the Musical (Mass Arts Center). She dedicates this show to P&J.
Coco Coviello (stage manager) is super excited to be part of this production! Previous FLC credits include Stage Manager for Heathers: The Musical (DASH nominee) and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike; Assistant Stage Manager for Wait Until Dark, Reckless, Boeing Boeing, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Promises, Promises, The Music Man; and Xanadu, co-producer for The Cat’s Meow; lighting tech/op/design for Seussical, The Wild Party, and Three Sisters; and props for Absurd Person Singular, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Spamalot! (DASH nominee), and Parade. Other theater credits include props for City of Angels, The Secret Garden, Lend Me a Tenor, and Chess, all with The Longwood Players. She would like to thank her husband, Pacey, for his patience and unwavering love and support.
Ian Flynn (William Carney): is pleased to be returning to the Footlight Club, where he was previously seen in Peter and the Starcatcher, Fiddler on the Roof, Spamalot, The Full Monty, Violet, and Ragtime. Other area credits include Pirates of Penzance, Urinetown, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, She Loves Me, and A New Brain (Longwood Players) and Assassins and Into the Woods (F.U.D.G.E Theatre). Ian dedicates this performance to the memory of his late husband, Josh.
Clifton Golz (props designer): Clifton is new to the Footlight Club, but having worked on other productions in his home state of WI, he jumped at the chance to handle props for A Man of No Importance. After nearly a decade since creating the insects for a production of James and the Giant Peach, Clifton is happy to be working with actors and crew again, as well as exploring the depths of the Footlight props room and basement. Thank you to Shelley Coughlin, Clifton’s wonderful partner, for leading him back to the theater.
Rylan Gonzalez (assistant sound designer) has some production experience, voicing Harrison in Chicago, guest hosting on WRBB radio, and hosting The Roots of Sustainability podcast, after all, his mother always told him he had a face for radio. Rylan is ecstatic to progress to live productions and join the sound team of A Man of No Importance.
Kieran Kelly (Ernie Lally) appears onstage after spending the last several years in the Navy, an organization that featured far less singing and dancing than South Pacific and Pirates of Penzance had led him to believe! Kieran’s other projects include performing with his brother, Bee, as the indie pop duo @StreamersTheBand and graduate studies alongside a cast of wonderful pals at MIT. He would like to thank his family and friends that have encouraged him to get involved in Boston musical theater, especially his sister, Rosemary, and his girlfriend, Ingrid - the latter of whom has had to listen to Kieran refine his Irish accent for many selfless weeks. Enjoy the show!
Juliette McClendon (Miss Crowe) is thrilled to be a part of this production. This is their first time on stage in many years. Juliette is a Boston-based psychologist and a parent to two rambunctious boys. When they are not basking in the joys of the theater, they enjoy spending time with family, traveling, writing and making tik toks. They would like to send so much love to their partner, Lizet, who is the most supportive partner anyone could ask for, and their boys Dominic and Desmond for reminding them how important it is to play.
Mike McHugh (sound designer): This is Mike's second show at the Footlight Club after designing sound for Miss Holmes. Mike is new to the world of theater, but has a background as a performing musician, a 10 year audio industry professional, and an occasional mobile DJ. A big thanks to the staff at FLC for being so welcoming, to Mike's spouse Lauren for her support, and to Chris Brousseau for his tutelage.
Sam Moon (scenic painter): this is Sam’s first production working on the set for the FLC though she is no stranger to set dressing and set design. She has worked as a production designer, set and props stylist for the past 6 years for online video, commercial and tv work though her background of theater runs back to since she was quite young. However, Sam has appeared in 3 of the past productions at FLC: Nora Helmer in The Doll’s House, Mantel in A Just Conclusion (7A series) and recently Dr. Dorothy Watson in Miss Holmes. Sam is very thankful to the fellow staff and crew at the FLC for all their kindness, her co-set builder, Ryder, her family and friends, her supportive partner, Ethan, as well as her loving cat, Michie.
Michael Moses (Peter/Breton Beret): Mikey is pumped to make his Footlight Club debut. He's been in other shows, but they were a long time ago, and it's been super fun to get back into the theater with this very cool cast. Thanks to the Keuthens and Normans and Mosi and Schwebsters and Kerrigans and Curtins for their love and support, to Davy for building the set, and especially, to Allie and Jazz - he knows they've had to put up with a lot of singing around the house, among other things, and he's very grateful for their patience (and a lot else besides!).
Chris Nadeau (assistant stage manager): Chris is excited to return from a 3-year theatre hiatus after earning a doctoral degree. Past credits include stage managing Legally Blonde, The Rocky Horror Show, and assistant stage managing Pippin at the Footlight Club. He hopes you enjoy our production of A Man of No Importance.
Ryder Nguyen (assistant set builder): Ryder Nguyen, who recently made his Footlight debut as a muse in Xanadu, decided to be a busy bee behind the scene this time around. The show has a special place in his heart and he is more than happy to help make it come to life.
Paul O’Shaughnessy (technical director) wandered into the Footlight Club 34 years ago and is a longtime member of the technical team. At the Footlight Club, he has designed lighting for Pippin, Our Town (DASH nominee), Spamalot, Wait Until Dark, Hair (DASH nominee), Psycho Beach Party, The Wild Party and others. He has appeared onstage at Footlight in Big, The Sound of Music, The Lion in Winter, The Rocky Horror Show, Lend Me a Tenor, No Exit, Cabaret and others. Paul also appears in each December’s Boston Tea Party re-enactment, and as a British officer in his hometown of Lexington on Patriot’s Day each April.
Ben Oehlkers (Robbie) is making his acting debut with the Footlight Club, after previously working behind the curtain as Music Director of Pippin and pianist for Peter and the Starcatcher. Other acting credits include: Allegiance - Ensemble (Speakeasy Stage Co.), Henry - Next to Normal (Boston Theater Dance Co.), Zangara - Assassins (FUDGE Theater Co.), Marius - Les Misérables (Woodland Theater Co.), Adam - Children of Eden (Wellesley Players). Ben pinch-hits between acting and Music Directing, having most recently won the 2022 DASH award for Best Music Direction on Titanic: The Musical with Concord Players. During the day, Ben works as a Software Architect with healthcare software company athenahealth in Watertown. Love to Caleb and especially Agatha, who has been picking up the slack at home while Daddy is out rehearsing.
Stephen Peters (Father Kenny/Carson): Stephen returns to the Footlight Club after previously appearing in productions of Noises Off, Absurd Person Singular, and Moon Over Buffalo. His other work in the area includes Martin in Neighbourhood Watch, Cladwell in Urinetown, Henry in The Real Thing, and the Narrator in Into the Woods. When not onstage, Stephen occasionally acts as a music director, most notably for Longwood’s IRNE-nominated production of Chess.
Anna Poplawski (Mrs. Curtin): has now been on the Footlight Club stage for five productions, starting with an ensemble role in Hello Dolly! in 2009, where she wore a green wig. She’s glad to be back again and has enjoyed working with this extremely talented and supportive cast and production team. A couple of her favorite roles over the last 15 years have been Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense II: The Second Coming and Snoopy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Anna also enjoys performing with the Back Bay Ringers, an advanced, community handbell ensemble in Boston. She lives in Framingham and works as a software engineer.
Benn Salter (producer) is excited and grateful to be producing his first show with the Footlight Club. Prior to this, Benn was a producer and stage manager, with perhaps a bit of pardonable swagger, for many productions over the years for the MIT Gilbert & Sullivan society including The Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe, 1776, The Mikado and Chess. Benn also worked with the Lilac Players to produce Cabaret, a show that was unfortunately canceled by COVID-19. Outside of the theater Benn enjoys dancing to swing and blues music and trying to soothe his feisty tabby cat.
Adam Sell (Alfie Byrne): A Man of No Importance marks Adam's sixth show with The Footlight Club, including four 7A productions (Mr. Marmalade, Ravenscroft, The Great God Pan, and Three Viewings) and the mainstage production of Promises Promises. Adam is a prolific actor in the area, having appeared on the stages of more than 20 different companies, several of which (sadly) don't even exist anymore. In his offstage life, Adam is a cybersecurity researcher and writer for a company called HUMAN, and is an avid day-hiker. He's working on a project to hike in all of Massachusetts' 351 cities and towns (46 down, 305 to go!), which you can follow on Instagram at @hikemass. Shoutout to his husband Conor and his dogs Nina and Arnold, but no shoutout to his cat Miles ‘cause he can be a jerk.
Kelsey Tidball (Mrs. Patrick): is a Pacific Northwest born and raised actor, writer and educator who is thrilled to now call Boston her home. She holds an MFA in Applied Theater and Performance from Emerson College, and has performed across the country in roles such as Princess Fiona (Shrek the Musical), Gretta Conroy (James Joyce’s The Dead), Jenny (Mr. Burns), Millie Dillmount (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Kala (Disney’s Tarzan), and Janet van de Graff (The Drowsy Chaperone). She is thrilled to join the cast of A Man of No Importance in her second production at The Footlight, after having performed in Xanadu this summer. She is so grateful for this opportunity to be back onstage and grateful to the cast, creative team, crew and her ever-encouraging partner for all of the support.
Liza Ulrich (Assistant Costume Designer): A self-described theater nerd, Liza has developed her dream career of teaching costume and theatrical design over the last fifteen years, mostly within the Brookline Public School system. Recent and FLC credits include: Mama Mia (Brookline High School, 2023), Xanadu (Footlight Club, 2022); 25 for 25 (Footlight Club, 2021); Peter and the Starcatcher (Footlight Club, 2017); The Sound of Music (Footlight Club, 2014) [DASH nominated]; Steel Magnolias (Footlight Club, 2013). This spring Liza is excitedly designing Urinetown (Mansfield Arts Center, April 2023) and the annual sixth grade musical (Frozen) at BB&N in Cambridge. Liza would like to thank her family, cat, and chosen "Footlight Club family" for always supporting her crazy designer habits!
Emma Walker (Lily Byrne): Emma is beyond excited to be making her Footlight Club debut! She grew up in Vermont and has been living and performing in Boston for 10 years. Some favorite Boston roles include Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theatre@First), Ensemble in And Your Little Dog Too (Apollianaire), and Jeanine/Mrs. Kitt in Top Girls (Bad Habit Productions). Emma also had the good fortune to Zoom into her local hometown theater to play Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion and Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Ernest in two virtual productions with the Valley Players Theatre - directed by her mom! She would like to thank the entire cast and crew for this incredibly fun and fulfilling experience, as well as her mom, fiancé Dan, and all of her friends for always supporting her!
Board of Directors
Elizabeth Bean, Michael Colford, Chris Nadeau, Rob Guptill, Eleza Kort, Gabrielle Jaques, Sara Schonour, Shantel Schonour, Jude Torres, Jen Ryan Gelzleichter, Val Tracy, Meredith Weaver, Lorie Komlyn, Paul O’Shaughnessy, Melissa Paz
Board of Trustees
Brian Bakofen, Zach Best, Paul Campbell, Shannon Daly, Alicia Powell, Katie Taylor, Katie Swimm
Promotions and Publicity
Michael Colford, Promotions Director
Jonathan Drapinski, Social Media Coordinator
Matt McKee, Photographer
Deborah Karson Photography, Production Photography
Special thanks to all our dedicated volunteers who continue to help keep the Footlight Club running day in and day out, from front of house, to club clean-outs, we appreciate you!
If you are interesting in becoming a volunteer, please contact us at volunteers@footlight.org
And to our loyal members and patrons, thank you for continuing to support the Footlight Club!
Thank You to Our Footlight Family
We Are So Grateful for Your Support
As you walked in this evening, you no doubt noticed the beautiful new accessible entrance to the Footlight. This project – a new exterior ADA-compliant ramp and interior elevator to all four floors of Eliot Hall – ensures that all our guests can fully access all our spaces. Along the way, extensive repairs needed to be made to the foundation and existing chimneys. New spaces in our basement and on the third floor will provide essential props storage, and we’re already feeling warmer with an upgraded furnace system.
These upgrades were only possible through the generous financial support of our community partners. We extend our thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural Facilitates Fund, the Community Preservation Fund, and the George B. Henderson Foundation. Most of our funding came from donations large and small from our Footlight Family. Thank you to everyone who donated.
The continued revitalization and restoration of Eliot Hall will always be one of Footlight’s top priorities. Your contributions will continue to make it possible to take on large-and-small-scale restoration projects, as well as maintaining the day-to-day operations of the building.
Every Gift Counts
If you are thinking about making your first gift, now is the time to make a gift in any amount.
Please give now at: www.footlight.org/donate
Or mail a check payable to The Footlight Club to:
Treasurer, The Footlight Club, 7A Eliot Street , Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Other Ways to Give
Email Treasurer@Footlight.org to make a gift of stock.
Become a Footlight Club Monthly Sustainer. For gift of over $500, your donation will renew, and your credit or debit card will automatically be billed each month. Please email Development@Footlight.org for more details
