by Obie Award recipient Adam Bock
Starring two-time Tony and Emmy Award winner Bebe Neuwirth
Directed by Joanie Schultz
Scenic Design by Chelsea M. Warren
Costume Design by Mark Mariani
Lighting Design by Rachael Cady
Sound Design by Christopher Colucci
Assistant Director Neal Gupta
October 18 – November 10, 2019
90 minutes, no intermission
Adam Bock’s meticulously crafted A Small Fire follows Emily Bridges, a woman used to running all the things – from her construction business to her family – until she suddenly and mysteriously starts losing her physical senses. As her world changes, her relationships shift in poignant and revelatory ways. A Small Fire was featured in PTC’s first See and Be Scene in 2017.
Joanie is a director of theatre and opera from Chicago. She has directed at theatres that include Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Studio Theatre, The Cleveland Play House, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, and Victory Gardens Theater. In 2017-18, Joanie was Artistic Director of WaterTower Theatre in the Dallas, Texas area. Prior to that, Joanie served as Associate Artistic Producer at Victory Gardens Theater, as part of the Leadership U One-on-One Fellowship funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation administered through TCG. She was also a Drama League Fellow; The Goodman Theatre Michael Maggio Director Fellow; the SDSF Denham Fellow; and member of the Lincoln Center Theatre Directors Lab. She is an ensemble member at Steep Theatre, artistic associate at Victory Gardens Theater, and artistic cabinet member at Studio Theatre in Washington, DC. She received her B.A. in Theatre/Directing from Columbia College Chicago and her M.F.A. in Theatre Directing from Northwestern University.
Bebe Neuwirth (Emily Bridges) Over the course of her distinguished career, Bebe has achieved extraordinary success in the theater, television and film. She first made her New York stage debut in the 1980 Broadway production of A Chorus Line. She then appeared in Little Me, Dancin’, Sweet Charity, for which she won her first Tony, Damn Yankees and Fosse. Bebe won her second Tony, as well as Drama Desk, Astaire, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Awards for her performance as ‘Velma’ in the hit musical Chicago, and then later starred as Morticia Addams in the Broadway musical of The Addams Family. Bebe is equally known for her work in television and film. She won two Emmys for playing ‘Dr. Lilith Sternin-Crane’ on the TV sitcom “Cheers,” and was nominated for Emmys for her work on the Cheers spin-off “Frasier” and again for her portrayal of ‘Dorothy Parker’ in the TV movie “Dash and Lilly.” She has had guest arcs in The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, and Bored to Death. She has appeared in numerous films, including Say Anything, Green Card, Bugsy, Jumanji, Summer of Sam, Liberty Heights, and Tadpole. Currently, Bebe stars as Nadine Tolliver in “Madam Secretary.”
John Dossett (John Bridges) How I Learned To Drive, PTC 1998. Recent credits; A Number at People’s Light, Heart of Rock & Roll at Old Globe, Grand Hotel at Encores!, War Paint on Broadway. On Broadway 17 times and thrice that Off and Off-Off Broadway, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Gypsy, and a Drama Desk for Giant (Public Theatre). He was a member of Circle Rep and a founding member of Ridge Theatre.
Chelsea M. Warren (Scenic Designer) Chelsea is a Twin Cities based multidisciplinary theatre artist with a focus on scenic and puppet design. Scenic design work includes: The Children, fml: how Carson McCuller’s sml (Steppenwolf Theatre), Cry It Out (Studio Theatre), The Children, Kate Hamill’s Little Women, Hand to God (Jungle Theater), A Doll’s House, Kate Hamill’s Pride & Prejudice (WaterTower Theatre), Sex with Strangers (Cleveland Playhouse), The Whale (Victory Gardens Theatre), Stranded on Earth (Geva Theatre), A Small Fire, Martyr (Steep Theatre). Ms. Warren received her MFA from Northwestern University and is an Assistant Professor of Scenic Design at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. www.chelseamwarren.com
Rachael Cady (Lighting Designer) Rachael is a freelance lighting and projection designer living in Kansas City. A Small Fire is her debut design for the Philadelphia Theatre Company and she couldn’t be happier for the opportunity. Rachael’s designs have been seen all over the country in theatres like the KCRep, Arizona Theatre Company, Crossroads, Arena Stage, Center Stage, Portland Rep, and Seattle Rep to name a few. Internationally Rachael has designed shows in Seoul, New Delhi, Edmonton, and Barcelona.
Christopher Colucci (Sound Designer) Christopher is a Philadelphia-based sound designer and composer. Recent work: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (Walnut Street); Betrayal(Lantern Theater Company); Charlotte’s Web (Arden Theater); and Sweat, here at PTC. Upcoming: The Night Alive (Inis Nua); The Snow Queen (Arden) and Describe the Night (Wilma Theater). Christopher has received a Pew Fellowship in the Arts, 8 Barrymore Awards and an Independence Foundation Fellowship that sent him to the 2019 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space. MA, Philosophy; Western Kentucky University. Soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/cmsound) YouTube (https://tinyurl.com/yd89tm64) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/cmcolucci/?hl=en)
Calleri Casting (James Calleri, Paul Davis, Erica Jensen) Broadway: Fool for Love, Hughie, The Elephant Man (also West End), Hedwig and The Angry Inch, The Visit, Of Mice and Men, Venus in Fur, Living on Love, 33 Variations, A Raisin in the Sun, Chicago, James Joyce’s The Dead. National Tour: Hedwig and The Angry Inch, Bright Star (NY Casting). Select Theatre: Alliance, Berkeley Rep, Classic Stage Company, CTG, The Flea, Keen Company, Long Wharf, McCarter, OSF, Playwrights Horizon, Playwrights Realm, Williamstown. TV: “The Path” (Hulu), “Army Wives,” “Lipstick Jungle,” “Monk,” “Hope & Faith,” “Ed.” Awards: 14 Artios Awards for Outstanding Casting Achievement. Members of the Casting Society of America. www.callericasting.com