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THE EXPLORER'S CLUB

written by Nell Benjamin

directed by Bud Martin

APRIL 27 - MAY 22, 2016

THE STORY: London, 1879. The prestigious Explorers Club is in crisis: their acting president wants to admit a woman, and their bartender is terrible. True, this female candidate is brilliant, beautiful, and has discovered a legendary Lost City, but the decision to let in a woman could shake the very foundation of the British Empire, and how do you make such a decision without a decent drink? Grab your safety goggles for some very mad science involving deadly cobras, irate Irishmen and the occasional airship.

#DTCExplorersClub

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PRESS & REVIEWS

"A perfectly timed and controlled

comic tour-de-force"

- DC Metro Theater Arts

"Unapologetically entertaining with lots of silly gags, physical comedy and spot-on wordplay"

- WHYY Newsworks

"Filled with banter and clever wordplay, a posse of poseurs, wacky physical hijinks and a bag of Monty-Python-style gags and tricks."

- The News Journal

"A delightful farce that kept the audience in stitches"

- Delaware Arts Info Blog

MEDIA

Harry Smith, Daniel Fredrick, and Karen Peakes.

Harry Smith, Daniel Fredrick, Dave Johnson, Dan Kern, Brian McCann, and Matt Tallman. Photo by Matt Urban, NüPOINT Marketing.

Dave Johnson and Karen Peakes. Photo by Matt Urban, NüPOINT Marketing.

Dan Kern, Brian McCann, and Matt Tallman. Photo by Matt Urban, NüPOINT Marketing.

Brian McCann, GriffonStanton-Ameisen, and Matt Tallman. Photo by Matt Urban, NüPOINT Marketing.

The cast of THE EXPLORER'S CLUB. Photo by Matt Urban, NüPOINT Marketing.

Daniel Fredrick, Brian McCann, Matt Tallman, and Dan Kern. Photo by Matt Urban, NüPOINT Marketing.

Daniel Fredrick, Dan Kern, Brian McCann, and Matt Tallman. Photo by Matt Urban, NüPOINT Marketing.

Matt Tallman. Photo by Matt Urban, NüPOINT Marketing.

NELL BENJAMIN (Playwright) co-wrote the score to LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL with composer Laurence O’Keefe, for which they received Tony Award nominations, Drama Desk nominations and the Olivier Award for Best Musical. Her play THE EXPLORERS CLUB was a commercial and critical hit for Manhattan Theatre Club and received an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award, as well as an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant. Nell’s disturbingly free adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, called PIRATES! (OR GILBERT AND SULLIVAN PLUNDER’D) ran at the Goodspeed Opera House, the Paper Mill Playhouse, the Huntington Theater and the St. Louis MUNY. She is currently working on an adaptation of the movie Dave with Thomas Meehan and Tom Kitt, Gotta Dance with Bob Martin, Chad Beguelin and Matt Sklar, and Mean Girls with Jeff Richmond and Tina Fey. Nell’s work for television includes the last and weirdest season of “Unhappily Ever After,” Animal Planet’s “Whoa! Sunday with Mo Rocca,” and the new “Electric Company.” Nell received the 2003 Kleban Foundation Award for lyrics and a 2003 Jonathan Larson Foundation Grant.

BUD MARTIN (Director) is in his fourth season at Delaware Theatre Company as the Executive Director. Last season he directed LOVE LETTERS, with Michael Learned and Daniel Davis, and REST, IN PIECES, with Donna Pescow and Lenny Wolpe, PUTTING IT TOGETHER (with the DSO), and BON APPETIT for Opera Delaware. Prior to DTC, Bud was Producing Artistic Director at Act II Playhouse for four years. Broadway producing credits include: THE STORY OF MY LIFE, 9 TO 5, BURN THE FLOOR, TIME STANDS STILL (Tony nom.) and LA BETE. London and West End: LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL (Olivier Award), LA BETE, and THE THREE MUSKETEERS. Off-Broadway: ANY GIVEN MONDAY and THE OUTGOING TIDE (59E59 Theaters). MA in Theatre from Villanova University. He is also a member of the The Broadway League and The Off-Broadway League.

ALEXIS DISTLER (Scenic Design) Recent credits include NUREYEV’S EYES (George Street Playhouse/ Delaware Theatre Company), TOAST (The Public Theater), THREE SISTERS (Playmakers Theatre), INTIMATE APPAREL (Chautauqua Theater Company), IL TURCO IN ITALIA (Juilliard Opera), TROUBLE IN MIND (Playmakers Theatre), NORA (Delaware Theatre Company), AUTUMN’S HARVEST (Lincoln Center Education), WATER BY THE SPOONFUL (The Arden Theatre Company), YEAR OF THE ROOSTER (Ensemble Studio Theatre), SEVEN GUITARS (People’s Light and Theatre Company), THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (Juilliard Opera), Winner of the Barrymore Award for IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY (The Wilma Theater). MFA:NYU. www.alexisdistler.com

WADE LABOISSONNIERE (Costume Design) Broadway: THE STORY OF MY LIFE. Tours: DISNEY’S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL (US, Australia, Spain, West End); WHITE CHRISTMAS. Off-Broadway: AN OCTOROON, THE OUTGOING TIDE; SIDE EFFECTS; ZANNA, DON’T!; SHAKESPEARE’S R&J. Regional Productions: Ford’s (Associate Artist;) Shakespeare Theatre; The Kennedy Center; Arena Stage; Cincinnati Playhouse; Baltimore CenterStage; Portland Center Stage; Goodspeed; Fifth Avenue Theatre; Berkshire Theatre Group; Delaware Theatre; Hangar Theatre; Dallas Theater Center; Alliance Theatre; Papermill Playhouse; Westport Country Playhouse; Pasadena Playhouse. Published Books: Blueprints of Fashion (2 Volumes.) Yale School of Drama.

ROB DENTON (Lighting Design) is thrilled to be back, last season he designed BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE. Recent regional design credits include ERMA BOMBECK: AT WIT'S END (Arena Stage); MARY STUART (Folger Theatre); DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID (Arkansas Repertory Theatre); HAIRSPRAY, HOLIDAY INN, INTO THE WOODS, PORGY & BESS, and SEUSSICAL (The Muny); THE WINSLOW BOY and ALL THE WAY (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis); DIE FLEDERMAUS (New Orleans Opera); HANSEL & GRETEL and THE MIKADO (Memphis Opera); and MADAME BUTTERFLY (Minnesota Opera). Some of Rob’s upcoming designs include: THE CALL (TheaterWorks) and 42ND STREET, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (The Muny).

MICHAEL HAHN (Sound Design) Delaware Theatre Company sound design credits include MAURICE HINES TAPPIN’ THRU LIFE, AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’, and THE EXONERATED (Barrymore Award nomination). Off-Broadway: MAURICE HINES TAPPIN’ THRU LIFE (New World Stages), Regional: AS YOU LIKE IT (Lantern Theater Company), THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, HAMLET, THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Delaware Shakespeare Festival), THE SHOPLIFTERS, INTIMATE EXCHANGES (1812 Productions), ACCORDING TO GOLDMAN (Act II Playhouse), ARTHUR & THE TALE OF THE RED DRAGON: A MUSICAL PANTO, CINDERELLA: A MUSICAL PANTO, BEAUTIFUL BOY (People's Light & Theatre Company).

LAURENCE O’KEEFE (Original Music) shared the 2011 Olivier Award with Nell Benjamin for co-writing LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL, which also won Australia’s Helpmann Award, was nominated for seven Tony Awards, was broadcast on MTV and has received hundreds of productions worldwide. Off-Broadway: BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL, (Lucille Lortel, Richard Rodgers and Outer Critics Circle Awards, 500+ productions worldwide); HEATHERS (Drama Desk and Lortel nominations), SARAH PLAIN AND TALL, CAM JANSEN. TV: “Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris”, “Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway”, “The Daily Show”, “Defiance”, “Johnny And The Sprites”, PBS, Cirque du Soleil. Love to Nell and Persephone!

AVISTA CUSTOM THEATRICAL SERVICES, LLC (Props Master), owned by Jennifer Burkhart and Amanda Hatch, was founded in 2007 as a properties design and construction firm. Avista specializes in period paper goods and newspapers, custom prop construction, upholstery, soft goods construction, and maintains a 7,000 square foot rental warehouse in Norristown filled with props and lighting equipment. Avista’s work has been seen at Delaware Theatre Co, Inis Nua Theatre, Flashpoint Theatre, Theatre Horizon, Mauckingbird, Theatre Exile, Bristol Riverside Theatre, Temple University, Burlington County College, Act II Playhouse, and Drexel University. Avista is the resident prop team at Azuka Theatre (8th season), 1812 Productions (5th season), and InterAct Theatre (7th season).

ANNE NESMITH (Wig/Hair/Make-up Design) International: Saito Kinen Festival, Matsumoto, Japan, Hyogo Performing Arts Center, Nishinomiya, Japan. Regional: Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Opera Philadelphia, Signature Theatre, Annapolis Opera, Castleton Music Festival, Everyman Theatre, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Fort Worth Opera, Opera Boston, Wolftrap Opera, Woolley Mammoth Theatre, Washington Ballet, Baltimore Opera Company (Resident Wig/Makeup Designer); The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s Cultures in Motion Programs; US Army’s tour SPIREIT OF AMERICA; "Ice Cold Killers" on Investigation Discovery, The Military Channel’s "Great Planes"; MD Public TV "F.S. Key and the Song that Built America"; Wig Construction: SCOOBY DOO LIVE! tour, 42ND STREET (Asian tour)

MICHAEL COSENZA (Fight Director) is happy to make his Delaware Theatre Company debut. As a Fight Director, Michael has choreographed with many local theater companies and universities. Recent credits: TWELFTH NIGHT, and MACBETH at The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, INVISIBLE HAND at Theatre Exile, and ANTI-HERO with Tribe of Fools. Previously, he was nominated for Barrymore Awards for his choreography in FAIR MAID OF THE WEST at the PAC, DON JUAN COMES HOME FROM IRAQ at the Wilma Theater. Thanks to the staff at DTC, the actors for all their hard work, and of course, Natalie for her love and support.

MARGUERITE PRICE (Production Stage Manager) is in her fourth season at DTC. This production marks her fifteenth with Bud Martin. Other recent regional credits include: Peoples’ Light, Asolo Repertory Theatre and PlayPenn New Play Conference. She was privileged to spend ten seasons as the Production Stage Manager at Act II Playhouse. Margie is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and was its Philadelphia Liaison from May 2005 – January 2007. She is also a Past-Chair of the Stage Managers’ Association.

REBECCA LI GRADY (Assistant Stage Manager) served as the assistant stage manager for DTC’s MAURICE HINES IS TAPPIN' THRU LIFE, PLAYING THE ASSASSIN, and NUREYEV’S EYES. She recently graduated from Muhlenberg College with a BA in theatre concentrating on stage management. Stage Manager credits at Muhlenberg include SEUSSICAL, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, and ANYONE CAN WHISTLE. Rebecca spent the summer at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Summer Professional Training Program as a development intern.

CAST & CREATIVE