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THE
PLAY
 Imagine this: You go to a cocktail party and run into someone with whom you flirted away an evening 30 years ago. Now the old flirtation sparks. This time, what will you do? Fan the flames or dash water over them? Is it better to lead a life of summits and valleys, or one that is regular, safe and predictable?
Austin has spent his entire life convinced that something terrible is bound to happen to him. One night, at a party, overlooking Boston harbor, he has the pleasure of rekindling a romance begun almost thirty years ago with Ruth. Now a multiple divorcee, Ruth's personal life is in such turmoil that mutual friends look to Austin as Ruth's last shot at normalcy. At the same time, these friends are hoping the wildly unpredictable Ruth will help loosen Austin from the grip of years of depression and lifelessness. Comically, and sometimes painfully, these two people rediscover each other and themselves while a bevy of free-spirited other guests rally behind them and remind them of the infinite possibilities that life holds, should one only choose to pursue them
| THE CAST |
 CHARLIE SWEIGART (Austin)
Teaches English at Grant High School where every day is an Odyssey. An elder at First Christian Church often seen singing in the Chancel Choir in sync with all the other tenors. Has thrilled Advent Theater audiences in tweeds, knits, and black-face. Your refund for the show is in the mail. Three sons: Ryan, June graduate of UC Santa Cruz with a double major in Business Management and surfing . Andrew, studying acting at Playhouse West and Patrick who is focused and centered because he is the center on West Ranch High School’s football team. Mr. Sweigart is married to Mrs. Sweigart, the former and lovely Cindy Rae Carroll who shares all of Mr. Sweigart’s initials and then some.
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 SUSAN BOYD JOYCE
(Ruth)
Susan is proud to be a "veteran" of the Advent Theatre stage, having performed in Greetings, Rumors, Money and Friends, The Dining Room, and every one of the legendary "That's Entertainment" musical revues. A longtime member of AFTRA, AEA, and SAG, Susan's professional career began just after the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, in the chorus of the original touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar and the national tour of Grease. Grateful to get off the bus and truck circuit, she spent the rest of her career in LA recording studios as a soloist and background singer for commercials, TV and radio, and films. At FCC on Sunday mornings one can find her in the choir pews, where she sings with her husband and cellist Jon Joyce.
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 CHRISTINA GRAY (Sally)
The daughter of two actor parents, Christina grew up onstage and backstage at the local little theater in her hometown of Baytown, Texas. After numerous chorus, supporting and lead roles while growing up, as well as working in sets, props and makeup, she took a break from the theater to devote her time to school and other activities. She graduated from the University of Houston with a Computer Science degree and took a fulltime job at a telecommunications company in Dallas where she also discovered the fascinating world of on-camera acting. She spent the next six years studying at the renowned Film Actors Lab and working in various commercials, industrials and independent films.
In 2001, Christina heard the call of Hollywood, packed up everything she owned and moved west to explore the movie business wholeheartedly. A member of SAG and AFTRA, Christina is also a writer, script consultant (www.thescriptconsultant.com) and member of the FCCNH choir. She currently lives in Sherman Oaks with her beautiful and talented daughter, Madison, who is also an actor.
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 MICHAEL SANDELS (Jim)
A native of Chicago, Michael came to Los Angeles 15 years ago with the Broadway Tour of The Heidi Chronicles and apparently just won't leave. He's had numerous TV and film appearances, done stand-up comedy around the country and has performed in well over 100 plays including 3 seasons at the Williamstown Theater Festival. He received a BA in English from Carleton College and an MFA in Acting from Temple University.
This is Mike's second time doing A.R. Gurney, the first being 2 stints at The Laguna Playhouse in their all-time best selling production.
Most recently, Mike wrote, directed and starred in the full-length feature film The Making Of A Show Business Empire co-starring George Wendt.
Michael is honored to be appearing in his first play with FCCNH and dedicates his performance to Jordan.
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 DEAN
SCOFIELD (Walt)
Dean, a native of Los Angeles, USC Theatre Alumn and Acting Coach, has
just returned from Edinburgh, Scotland where he starred in the U. K.
premiere of last year's New York hit: Johnny Guitar - The Musical.
Dean has also starred in the world premiere and award winning productions
of Luminarias, Cheatin', Jellyroll Shoes and The Black Duck. His many
other Theatre credits include the musicals: Grease, The Rocky Horror Show, Follies, and Godspell. Last year, Dean starred in
the play The Fantasticks and produced An Inspector
Calls for the Advent Theatre. Dean is very pleased to be with the
Advent Theatre again, particularly to perform this show.
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 JOHN CURRIN (Ted)
John is by no means an actor. He has "prepared" for his role as "Ted McAlister - a Southern Gentleman" by way of his heritage. John is a descendant of a good number of Southerners, some of which may have been regarded as "Gentlemen" to one degree or another. His father John C. Currin is a native of Douglas Georgia, a retired commercial pilot and U.S. Navy veteran of WWII. His grandfather, worked as a tobacco buyer throughout the Carolina and Georgia auction houses. John's uncle Willard C. Byrd was a renowned championship golf course architect practicing from Atlanta. John dedicates his efforts on the Advent Theater stage to his beloved wife Deborah and his cherished daughters, and to Susan Joyce who insisted that he was right for the part. Any inaccuracies in his portrayal as a "Gentleman" should be directed to Ms. Joyce.
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 CINDY SWEIGART (Esther)
Cindy is very excited to be in her first speaking role in a theater production. She had three walk-on roles in the Advent Theater production of “Shadowlands” and has also done props for three Advent plays. The first of these was Lend Me A Tenor where she met her husband, Charlie, who is playing the part of Austin in this present production. Cindy also sings in the First Christian Church choir. She would like to thank her husband, Charlie, for his loving support and encouragement and also sends a special thank you to Gilmer Reinhardt for introducing her to the First Christian Church and the Advent Theater.
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 R. M. JOHNSON (Roy)
Richard
has appeared in many plays throughout California. Some of his favorite roles he has performed are: Henry in The Fantasticks; Aloysius in Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You; Charlie in Charlie's Aunt; Kinesias in Lysistrada; Harry Houdini in Adventures of the Clouded Crystal; Will Parker in Oklahoma; Arnall in Line; Bernardine in
Measure For Measure and John/Judas in Godspell. He is a produced and published writer, with his play Holiday Suite finishing a five week run at the ARK Theatre this last Christmas. His newest short story, The Eight Ball Never Lies will be published in The Story Salon Big Book of Stories this spring. He has been the lighting designer for several theaters in the Los Angeles area, including three shows for the Advent Theater.
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 KATE DONOVAN (Marion)
Kate is a native of Boston and studied Drama at Syracuse University. She has been a part of many productions, including Godspell, West Side Story, Carousel, Anything Goes and Exit the King. Her favorite roles include Lady Windermere in Lady Windermere’s Fan and Adelaide in Guys & Dolls. This is her first Advent Theatre production and she is excited to be a part of the show.
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 DEBORAH DIETRICH (Judith)
Deborah
is happy to be making her debut at the Advent Theatre and is honored to be sharing the stage with such wonderful actors. She has worked both on- and off-camera in film and television as both actor and singer and has had the thrill of being directed by Steven Spielberg while working with John Williams on the score of Minority Report. Most of her stage experience has come through her participation in the women's vocal ensemble Kitka, with whom, among other theatrical ventures, she played a Trojan slave woman in the American Conservatory Theater's production of Hecuba with Olympia Dukakis. She performed both in San Francisco and at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and it was in the first run of Hecuba that she met her husband, Stephen. It is to him and their daughter, Alexandra, that she gratefully dedicates this performance.
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 TODD BURGESS (Duane)
Later Life is Todd's third production with the Advent Theatre, the second being The Fantasticks.
His debut was Shadowlands. "Playing the role of Duane has been such a fun experience. It has been such a pleasure to be able
to work with such a wonderful and talented cast, crew and director."
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 KATHARINE BOYD (Nancy)
Katharine has been an active member of First Christian Church since 1990, and Later Life is her second production with the Advent Theater. (Her first was Hansel and Gretel, in 1992.) Most of her past theater experience can be traced to Chaminade College Preparatory, where she attended both middle school and high school. Katharine earned her Bachelor's degree in English from California Lutheran University in the spring of 2004. She is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Creative Writing at California State University, Northridge.
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 GLENDA
MORGAN BROWN (Director/Artistic Director)
(”Ruth” Understudy) -- Glenda has been directing theatre for more than a quarter of a century (she started as a toddler). While living in the Akron, Ohio, area, she shared season directing duties with her husband, David Colwell, at the Coach House Theatre. Some of her favorite projects include The Constant Wife, Dial ‘M’ for Murder, Pump Boys and Dinettes, and of course, the Advent Theatre’s Greater Tuna, Lend Me A Tenor, Shadowlands, Greetings!, An Inspector Calls and The Fantasticks. In addition to directing, Glenda enjoys acting: recently, she’s been murdered on Close to Home, played the Vice President’s wife on Commander in Chief, served up caramel apples on The West Wing, and shot an episode of Boston Legal in late March, playing the jury foreperson. Glenda would like to thank everyone involved in making Later Life come together, and you, the audience, for your support.
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DINO SCHOFIELD (Producer/Producing Director)
Dino began producing 20 years ago under his Emerson Entertainment banner. He has produced and starred in the world premiere and award-winning stage productions of Jellyroll Shoes, Quisisana, The Black Duck, as well as plays and theatrical readings in Los Angeles, Santa Fe NM. and New York. Dino and Emerson Entertainment have gone on to produce television-pilots, short films, Infomercials and a film and television editing company. Dino believes in the "Little Rascal" philosophy regarding the excitement of Theatre: the "You've got a barn," "They'll make the costumes," "We'll build the set" and "LET'S PUT ON A SHOW!
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 JACQUI DIXON (Stage Manager)
A few months after Jacqui began attending FCCNH, there was an announcement in the Sunday Morning Service that The Advent Theatre needed help in creating sets for the production of “TEN LITTLE INDIANS.” Jacqui had such a great meeting people and painting that she has been a part of the Theatre ever since. She began working with Props moved onto Lighting and Sound and this is the second production of The Advent Theatre that she is Stage Managing. This is a great and busy job for Jacqui. Her regular weekday hours are spent working at an insurance brokerage – GNW- Evergreen Insurance Services in Encino.
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PRODUCTION STAFF
Artistic Director
Producing Director
Stage Manager
Publicity/Advertising
Graphic/Web Design/Marketing
Program Design
Program Production
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Set Design/Construction
Lighting Design
Box Office
Photography/Videography
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Glenda Morgan Brown
Dino Schofield
Jacqui Dixon
Christina Nayve
Jerry L. Jackson/Water's Edge Communications
Jerry L. Jackson
Dino Schofield, Janet McComb, Jerry L. Jackson, Christina
Nayve
Dino Schofield
Aliza Ramos, Karl Wm. Klein
Christina Nayve, Craig & Shirley Prince, Claudia
Rudolf
Jerry L. Jackson
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