Epicenter Theatre Group proudly presents an evening of hilarious theatre with ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION.

Epicenter Theatre Group is a collection of like minded individuals formed with the specific purpose of providing a quality live theatre experience not only for the theatre connoisseur, but also for the individual that has yet to experience a live theatrical performance. To attain this goal, we will provide a professional quality theatrical experience that will resonate and range from the Classics to America’s growing canon, and from New Works to all else in between. Our group is comprised of multi-faceted individuals that studied performing arts at Oakland University’s prestigious Department of Music, Theatre and Dance.

Epicenter Theatre Group shares a vision of creating theatre that stages powerful and enjoyable entertainment by simultaneously providing Michigan’s top theatrical talent from all walks of life with the opportunity to create moving theatrical experiences for the viewers and performers alike. The diverse and exceptionally talented Epicenter Theatre Group is living up to its po-tential by having showcased a variety of plays such as: Glengarry Glen Ross, The Man Who Lost His Sundays and Picasso at the Lapin Agile. The audience can expect staged readings, improvisation, sketch comedy, various theatre workshops, festivals of plays, children’s and reader’s theatre.

Thank you for joining us. We look forward to having you back for our upcoming shows.

Epicenter Theatre Group Board of Directors & Staff

501c3 Non-Profit Professional Theatre Company

Marco Zaccagnini - President - Executive Managing DirectorTonino Zaccagnini - Vice President - TreasurerBill Premin - Vice President - Artistic DirectorPaul Jagoda - Board Member - Scenic Design DirectorSteven O’Brien - Board Member - General ManagerStefan Mantyk - Board Member - Technical DirectorJoel Trumble - Board Member - Director at LargeCol. Neil J. Patterson - Production ProducerTraci Jo Rizzo - Properties DirectorShane Fekete - Set Construction DirectorKara Joy Reed - Director of PersonnelErin Edgerton - Recording SecretaryChrista Koerner - Costume Designer

Director’s Note

When I was invited to direct a production for Epicenter Theatre Group, I was being invited to spend time with some of my favorite theatre people—alums. Started by a core group of Oakland University grads, Epicenter had done three productions in their first year. I looked at the makeup of the group and saw men, men and more men. Their inaugural production was Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross followed by a double bill of Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile and Marius Iliescu’s poignant The Man Who Lost His Sundays. It seemed like the company’s voice wanted to be clever, fun and edgy. It led me directly to John Patrick Shanley and finally to tonight’s play. The first play I ever directed was his Shanley’s Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. As a playwright, he takes our com-mon human yearnings and butts them up against what seem to be impenetrable odds. He dresses our dreams in poetic, deep and true language and surprising humor. The company dug deep and laughed hard in rehearsals. Big feelings and profound crossroads are part of Shanley’s landscape. Dive into it with us tonight.

KFS

ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATIONWritten by John Patrick Shanley

Showdates: May 31, June 1-2 & 7-10, 2012 Performance times: Thurs, Fri & Sat 8:00 pm; Sun 2:00 pmTicket Prices: $ 15.00 adults / $ 10.00 students

To purchase tickets or make a donation please visit www.epicentertheatregroup.org. You can also find Epicenter Theatre Group on Facebook and Twitter.

Location: Varner Hall Studio Theatre (On the campus of) Oakland University 139 Varner Hall, Rochester, MI 48309. Varner Hall, located at the southeast corner of the main campus, is the center of performing arts at Oakland University’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance.

Handicap Accessibility: Varner Hall’s performance facilities can accommodate special needs on a limited basis. There is plenty of handicapped accessible parking around Varner Hall. Handi-capped accessible restrooms are located on the second floor, easily accessed from the first floor and Studio Theatre, via the elevators at the Varner Recital Hall entrance to Varner Hall. Parking: Free parking is available in several lots adjacent to Varner Hall, including Lot 36, 26 and 24. For more information on parking on OU’s campus, see the Parking page.

House Rules: Portable paging devices and telephones may be checked with the House Manager. If one must accompany you into the theatre, please switch it to silent mode so as not to disturb the performance. Cameras, tape recorders and video cameras are not permitted in the theatre during the performance. They should be checked with the House Manager and picked up following the perfor-mance. Please remove or turn off watches that beep or buzz. Children under 13 years old are not al-lowed into the theatre during performances. Thank You.

Special Thanks to:

Setting: Huey’s Apartment, Pop’s Soup House and Janice’s backyard in Little Italy, New York City

There will be one 12-minute intermission.

Technical Personnel:

Set Design and Poster Art: Paul JagodaLighting Design: Kerro Knox 3Costume Design: Christa KoernerStage Manager: Col. Neil J. PattersonBoard Operator: Justin ColbySet Construction Staff: Col. Neil J. Patterson & Shane Fekete Properties: Traci Jo Rizzo & Col. Neil J. PattersonRunning Crew: Col. Neil J. Patterson, Traci Jo Rizzo & Shane Fekete

Produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION

(Cast in order of appearance)

Aldo Scalicki Marco Zaccagnini Huey Maximilian Bonfigliano Michael Lopetrone Teresa Lauren Knox Aunt May Elizabeth DeWulf Janice Erin Edgerton

Elizabeth DeWulf Erin Edgerton Lauren Knox

Michael Lopetrone Marco Zaccagnini

Artistic Director’s Letter

When Marco decided to form his own theatre company, Epicenter Theatre Group, and asked if I would be interested in becoming a part of the company, I jumped at the chance. His ideas, goals and passion for the project sold me. As we now present our fourth production, I’m struck by how far we have come and the endless possibilities for growth. I am extremely happy that for ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION, Karen Sheridan and Kerro Knox 3 are working with us and are helping take us to another level by displaying

their professionalism, attitude and willingness to help. We hope that as you watch and feel this production you will find that Epicenter Theatre Group can be counted on for an excellent day/night at the theatre.

Thank you very much for being here and for your continued support.

Bill PreminArtistic Director

Special Thanks to Terry Herald at Oakland University, Sam Pollak, Karen Sheridan, and Kerro Knox 3 for all their support towards this production. We also thank our advertisers. Please support them as they support local theatre.

WHO’S WHO in the CAST

ERIN EDGERTON (Janice)Erin (Janice) is an Oakland University alumna with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. She was previously on stage with Epicenter Theatre Group as Suzanne in Picasso at the Lapin Agile. In the summer of 2011, Erin toured the Midwest as the Evil Queen in Prairie Fire Children’s Theater Company’s production of Snow White. In July 2012, she will be heading to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to portray Rosie in The Confession Musical. Other roles include Jo March (Little Women: the Musical), Mother Victoria (Eclipsed), Viola (Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night), Annie Bailey (Bloody Bess), and Cordelia (Falsettos).

LAUREN KNOX (Teresa)Lauren is so excited to be playing the role of Teresa tonight! This is Lauren’s first production with Epicenter Theatre Group and is so grateful for the laughs, but will forever blame the company for her pizza and gelato cravings. (I kid with you!) Lauren is a recent graduate of the Honors College at Oakland University where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and an English minor. She had the opportunity to play many roles at Oakland, but most recently played Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and will play Katherine in Water Works’

Shakespeare in the Park production of Henry V later this summer. Thank you to Karen, the cast and crew for truly making this journey a delight. And to my grandmother, the head of my crazy, huge Italian family who told me, “Well… sometimes…when you love…you gotta walk.” Mille Grazie!

ELIZABETH DEWULF (Aunt May)Betty recently retired after 35 years of teaching Theatre Arts and Speech at Utica Community Schools. At Eisenhower High School she was the director, producer and technical director for more than 55 main stage plays and musicals. During her tenure there, she was named Theatre Educator of the Year by the Michigan Youth Arts Festival and inducted into the Michigan Educational Theatre Hall of Fame. Elizabeth is a proud alum of Michigan State and Wayne State Universities. “Thanks to Epicenter for the opportunity to play on the stage again. And special

thanks to my husband for his support and my daughter for encouraging me to audition.”

MICHAEL LOPETRONE (Huey Maximilian Bonfigliano) Michael is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a BA in Theatre Per-formance. During his time at WMU, he was fortunate enough to have the op-portunity to direct and act in a wide range of productions. His credits at WMU include Orpheus in Eurydice, Takeshi Kawabata in Take Me Out and was in his first feature-length movie, The Day Job, with the Western Filmmakers Association. Moreover, he directed productions of A Body of Water by Lee Blessing and SubUrbia by Eric Bogosian. Michael has thoroughly enjoyed the passionate, often hilarious rehearsals for ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION! Between Karen Sheridan’s commitment to the script and the cast’s willingness to be open and create as we go, it’s been an inspiring run. Also, the Epicenter Theatre Group offers an unmatched rehearsal space complete with pizza, a sofa that literally engulfs you and a charming “ding” that sounds every time someone enters the space.

MARCO ZACCAGNINI (Aldo Scalicki)Founder of Epicenter Theatre Group, Marco is extremely excited to return to the Varner Hall Studio Theatre for Epicenter Theatre Group’s production of ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION. Marco graduated from Oakland University’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance in 2006 with a degree in Theatre Performance. Marco appeared on stage in October 2011 as Nicholas in Marius Iliescu’s The Man Who Lost His Sundays, as Pablo Picasso in Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile and as Richard Roma in Epicenter’s inaugural

production of Glengarry Glen Ross in June 2011. Marco made his Oakland University debut as Roy in Laundry & Bourbon and Lonestar in 2005 directed by his dear friend and fellow actor Steven O’Brien. He played Guy, Steve, and Pierre in the successful series of one act plays Life, Death, Etc. in 2005, Griever in Blue Window in 2006 and Johnnypateenmike in The Cripple of Inishmaan in 2006. Marco would like to thank all of his friends, including his wonderful team at Epicenter, and his family for their continued love and support. “It’s been extremely rewarding working with my dear teacher, mentor, and friend Karen Sheridan, with such a wonderful cast on stage to create theatre in its most purest and powerful form. I’m glad to be able to share this moment with you so that I may take you to another place through the eyes of the character. Enjoy the show!”

WHO’S WHO in the CAST

WHO’S WHO behind the scenesKAREN SHERIDANDirector

Karen is delighted to be working with this great young company. She is a professional actress and director who has been for-tunate to work at a number of local theatres. Karen was last seen onstage as Melissa

in Love Letters at Two Muses Theatre and as Berthe, the ornery French maid in Meadow Brook Theatre’s Boeing, Boeing. Offstage as a dialect and a movement coach she’s helped out at a number of theatres, most recently at Planet Ant and with Meadow Brook’s Mary Stuart. Karen is a Paul and Doris Travis Professor of Theatre at Oakland University. Last summer her adaptation of Medea traveled with Oakland’s Classical Theatre Study in Greece program to perform on the islands of Hydra and Spetses. In October, she will direct David Rush’s Police Deaf Near Far for a Terptheatre/Oakland University co-production with two professional Deaf actors joining her student cast. The play which runs October 4-14 is based on real events.

COL. NEIL J. PATTERSON Production Producer

Life & world adventurer, the Colonel began his professional entertainment career in 1981 at Meadow Brook Theatre. Since then, wherever he may find him-self, whether it’s in another part of this world, off stage,

behind the camera or in front of it, he has been very fortunate to meet, and in many cases, forge lasting friendships with so many talented and amazing humans!! It is a distinct pleasure for him to be part of the Epicenter Theatre Group. He considers himself the luckiest man around. The Colonel was last seen on stage as The Informant and The Agent in The Man Who Lost His Sundays and as Sagot in Picasso at the Lapin Agile.“Let’s not complain that roses have thorns, but rejoice that thorn bushes have roses!”

BILL PREMIN Artistic Director

Bill Premin has performed and directed in the metro Detroit area for many years. As aseasoned actor/director he has directed Carousel, Mame, Barefoot in the Park and Steel Magnolias for the Windsor Light Opera Association. He

was featured as Billis in South Pacific, Jeff in Briga-doon, Pellinore in Camelot, Cap’t Andy in Showboat, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman as well as many other roles. He has also worked with the Jewish Ensemble Theatre appearing as the Ambassador in Bitter Friends, Abe in Beau Jest, as a rabbi in Nobody’s Gilgul, the Rabbi and Lazar Wolf in Fiddler on the Roof and many staged readings. Bill also performed with the Riverwalk Theater in Lansing, the Theater Festival in Windsor and numerous other theater venues performing many roles including Ben in Follies, Cauchon in The Lark and Waldo Lydecker in Laura. While managing his own theater company, Performing Artists Unlimited, he directed and acted in Fiddler on the Roof, Camelot, Brigadoon, Barefoot in the Park and An Evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein. In 2003, Bill directed Side by Side by Sondheim followed by Our Town and You Can’t Take it With You for the Ford Performing Arts Center in Dearborn. Recently he performed for Barefoot Productions in The Elephant Man, followed by The Real Inspector Hound and then Later Life. Bill has also directed Steel Magnolias for the Ford Performing Arts Center. Bill has worked with J. Lauri Filmworks working as a coach as well as doing voice overs. Bill worked as the Artistic Director for Frankenmuth Center Stage for two seasons and was able to bring to the Bronner Performing Arts Center nationally known artists like The Four Freshmen and the Glenn Miller Band as well as directing productions of The Christmas Carol and The Guys. Bill worked for 25 years as a professional musician, 20 years plus as a choral conductor in Detroit and Livonia. Bill was also a classical music/jazz DJ, and a talk show host in Ann Arbor, Cleveland and Detroit. Since joining Epicenter Theatre Group, he has acted as Artistic Director for the first four productions: Glengarry Glen Ross, The Man Who Lost His Sundays (play-ing the older Michael), directed and played the part of Gaston in Picasso at the Lapin Agile and ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION.

WHO’S WHO behind the scenes

KERRO KNOX 3 Lighting Designer

Kerro Knox 3 is the director of the theatre program at Oakland University. He designs lighting (as well as scenery and occasionally costumes) for numerous plays, musicals, dance and music events there. He

has done the lighting for Eisenhower Dance Ensemble all over the country, including New York City last summer. His numerous collaborations with Karen Sheridan have included several shows in Greece. He received his degrees from Yale College and Yale School of Drama.

PAUL JAGODA Scenic Design Director

After a little 17 year break from acting and standup comedy, Paul was cast, as James Lingk in Epicenter Theatre Group’s inaugural production of Glengarry Glen Ross, as Kostya in The Man Who Lost His

Sundays and as The Visitor in Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Some of his stage and film credits include: Showtime Movie’s Neon Empire, 1988, Night of the Kickboxers in 1988 and the Phoenix Arizona stage play Moments, written and directed by Jeffrey Hartgrave. He also has performed standup comedy in Scottsdale, AZ. He is a graduate of Arizona State University and Phoenix College with degrees in graphic design and computer graphic design. Paul has over 30 years experience as an art director, graphic artist and technical illustrator. He has designed the sets and poster artwork for Glengarry Glen Ross, The Man Who Lost His Sundays, Picasso at the Lapin Agile and ITALIAN AMERICAN RECONCILIATION. “It’s a pleasure to work with such a talented group of actors and friends. I’m looking forward to our next production!”

WHO’S WHO behind the scenes

TRACI JO RIZZO Properties Director

Miss Traci Jo Rizzo has been involved in the production of many different kinds of performances, for a wide range of audiences and for multiple causes. She specializes in prop and set construction, but her

production talents stretch so far as make-up art, special effects and video/film. She has gained a wealth of production knowledge and experience, and her passion for such has only grown. In 2002, she formed her own haunted house group, named the “Chiller’s Guild.” Through her harvest season experiences, Traci Jo gained many skills, such as acting, make-up, latex and prosthesis work, mask-making, prop building, special effects, etc. But paired with that, she has also always been very active in various theatre productions, working on multiple shows as crew in professional theatre.Not only is she skilled in the practical aspects of production, but she is also involved in many interactive theatre performances, such as Renaissance Festival, The Haunted Forest, & Theater Bizarre. She has taught multiple workshops on makeup, prosthesis and prop building. Still, she strives to learn more every day. She has recently taken up an apprentice-ship learning airbrush body painting and is also currently studying theatre production and sketch writing. Traci Jo is now the President, Coordinator and CEO of the Chiller’s Guild - and at 22 years old, she has raised thousands of dollars in charity donations for multiple causes. Her company, MeHi Media, consists of ‘Horror-Art’ in all forms. As the Properties Director of Epicenter Theatre Group, she hopes to bring her experience and unique outlook to the table which will only enrich the growth of the company.

CHRISTA KOERNER Costume Designer

A graduate of Wayne State’s Hilberry Theatre program with an MFA in costume design, Christa also holds a BA in Theatre Production from Oakland University and a BS in Mathematics from Michigan Techno-

logical University. She has worked as an in-dependent designer for the Jewish Ensemble Theatre, Performance Network Theatre, Oakland University, Wayne State University, and the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition. Christa last worked with Epi-center Theatre Group during the fall of 2011 designing costumes for Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Christa is a designer and collaborator who owns Designs for Stage, a company that designs and provides theatrical and dance costumes.