Board of DirectorsDavid BassFred DeniSusan HaydenDylan McDermottCarole MiddletonRachel PollackJohn RuskinBarbara SchroederLinda SullivanMichael VisbalJR WursterKevin Wyrauch

Artistic DirectorJohn Ruskin

Managing Director Mikey Myers

It's Time

DEVELOPED AND DIRECTED BY EDWARD EDWARDS

PRODUCTION MANAGER

MIKE REILLY

SOUNDDESIGN

CHIP BOLCIK

LIGHTING DESIGNER

MIKE REILLY

WRITTEN BYPAUL LINKE

PRODUCERMIKE MYERS and JOHN RUSKIN

STAGE MANAGER

NICOLE MILLAR

SET BUILDERRYAN WILSON

PHOTOGRAPHERED KRIEGER

GRAPHIC DESIGNALEXIS BOOZER

STERLING

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

KATE KELLY

COSTUMESSARAH FIGOTEN

WILSON

PUBLICITYJUDITH BORNE

Honorary BoardEd Asner

Judi BarkerPatricia Dougherty

Eve EnslerRita FranciosaRobert Myers

In Memorium Karen Landry

Anthony Franciosa Wendy Brenninkmeijer

SPECIAL THANKS TOJustin Yoffe, Miles Playhouse, Robert Jaffe, Ryan Linke,

Phillip Booth (Anniversay Image) and James Storm

EDWARD EDWARDS (DIRECTOR) is happy to return to The Ruskin The-atre. Previous Ruskin productions include THE COLLECTOR, ALL MY SONS and HIGH ROLLERS. Edward has won awards for his direction of ALL MY SONS, THE DREAM OF THE BURNING BOY and for TENDER NAPALM.

As an actor, Edward’s Broadway theatre credits include the Mike Nichols produc-tion of Streamers and playing the title role in The Nerd, directed by Charles Nel-son Reilly. Los Angeles theatre credits include Another Part of the Forest at The Ahmanson, Porgy and Bess at The LA Opera, Baby With The Bathwater at The Coronet Theatre and The Hasty Heart for which he won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor. He has had numerous guest star-ring roles in episodic and made for television movies. And has had supporting roles in ten feature films.

Currently, Edward is an Associate Artist with Global Arts Corps,www.globalartscorps.org

Also he is helping to spread the message of kindness through The Children’s Craniofacial Association, www.ccakids.com For more information, visit edward-edwards.com.

PAUL LINKE (WRITER/PER-FORMER) Best known as Artie Grossman, the comic relief on the NBC-TV show “CHiPs”. He starred in MOTEL HELL and co-starred in the film PARENTHOOD. A former member of the Company Theatre, he co-produced The Garden Theatre Festival and co-founded The Powerhouse Theatre in Santa Monica where he created his celebrated solo show TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE ALIVE which was later produced as an HBO Showcase production and nomi-nated for a Cable Ace Award. Paul’s second show LIFE AFTER TIME

opened upstairs at The Pasadena Playhouse, and he completed his “Time Trilogy” with FATHER TIME, directed by comic legend Charles Nelson

Reilly at Pacific Resident Theatre.

At The Ruskin Group Theatre, he played Joe Keller in the critically acclaimed production of ALL MY SONS and most recently directed Maury Sterling in Gary McNair’s A GAMBLERS GUIDE TO DYING. Mr. Linke, was co-author and director of SAVE IT FOR THE STAGE – The Life of Reilly starring comic legend Charles Nelson Reilly at the Irish Rep, in NYC where it was nominated for a Drama Desk and Outer Critic’s Circle Award. He directed NOBODY DON’T LIKE YOGI star-ring Ben Gazzara, Off-Broadway at the Lamb’s Theatre. Paul has developed and directed many solo shows including THE FOUR MAN PLAN, CATERPILLAR SOUP, CAPTURE NOW, THE BACK ROAD HOME, DIABETTES: MY STRUGGLES WITH JIM TURNER as well as @HEART and the acclaimed THAT MAY WELL BE TRUE. He also staged the world premiere of THE 60’s at Pacific Resident Theatre. Other directing credits include “…and BABY MAKES TWO”, THE LAW OF RETURN (w/ Shelly Berman), SWING’N WILD, IT AIN’T NOTHIN NICE, YOU’RE DADDY’S A FAG AND YOUR OTHER DADDY’S A FAG TOO, WILDE AND WONDERFUL (Two Ovation Nominations), “…BUT FIRST, SAMMY SHORE” for which he won the ADA for best direction of an original play.

Mr. Linke can be reached at Linkelink1948@aol.com

JOHN RUSKIN (ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & PRODUCER) After graduating from the University of Colorado in Boulder, John continued his studies with The Yale School of Drama and The British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England. John then attended The Neighbor-hood Playhouse School of the Theatre and studied with Sanford Meisner and Richard Pinter. John then joined the acting faculty of The Neigh-borhood Playhouse at the request of Sanford Meisner and became his apprentice. Years later, John moved to Los Angeles where he founded his school of acting to continue to teach Meisner’s work and then this professional theatre company.

The Ruskin Group Theatre Company provides outreach programs to children in need with the “Healing Through the Arts" program. Pres-ently, we are taking our actors into Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA to work with and entertain the children. John wants to thank everyone who

volunteers, comes to support this theatre, and keeps the dream of theatre alive. John is honored to work each day with every one of the amazing artists at the school and theatre. He is most grateful to his wife Amy and their sons Bodhi and Cooper for their constant love and support.

MICHAEL MYERS (MANAGING DIRECTOR) has produced more than 70 projects since 2002. He recently directed the world premiere of Digging Up Dad and the critically acclaimed production of Faithful at RGT. Mike is a co-creator of the Ruskin Group Theatre’s well attended CAFÉ PLAYS, the monthly offering of one-acts that are done in 10 1/2 hours from conception to staging. He has served as chair of the Santa Monica Arts Commission since 2010. Mike recently produced the world premiere hit production of Rex Pickett “Sideways, The Play” & “Para-dise” A Blue Grass Musical. Sideways will have its west end premiere in May at the St. James theatre. His developed and directed, “Sneaky Ole Time”, the music of Paul Overstreet” to smash reviews and it is cur-rently in pre-production for a regional run. In May of 2016 “Sideways, The Play” had its West End premiere. He would like to thank his parents for their love and continued support. None of what he has done would be possible without them.

PRODUCTION TEAMNICOLE MILLAR (STAGE MANAGER) Nicole is a graduate of the Meisner two year program at the Ruskin School of Acting and continues her craft in Graduate Master Class. She also studied level one UCB LA (2015) Comedia d’el Arte with Danny Passer (2004). She graduated with a diploma from West London College in “Performing Arts & Media” (1991) England. She then moved to the states to continue her acting career which now, also includes working in Stage Production. Nicole would like to thank her family here at Ruskin John, Mikey and Mike R. for their love and support. There is no place like the theatre.

World Premiere productions at the Ruskin Group Theatre include: US Premiere; A Gambler’s Guide to Dying, by Gary McNair. The World Premiere of; Sneaky Ole Time, By Steve Mazur & Lyrics by Paul Overstreet; The Face In The Reeds, by Robin Russin; Talhotblonde, by

Kathrine Bates; Paradise, a Bluegrass Musical, by Bill Robertson, Tom Sage & Music by Cliff Wagner; Sideway’s, the Play, by Rex Pickett; The Tragedy of the Commons, by Stephen Metcalf; and Come Sundown, by Tony Cronin. The revival of El Grande de Coca-Cola, by Alan Shearman & Ron House; West Coast Premiere productions include: Green Eyes, by Tennessee Williams and The Housing Room, by Conrad Bromberg. Other credits include: A Raisin in The Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry; Leaving Home, by David French; The Lonesome West, by Martin Mc-Donagh; Siddown...Conversation’s with the Mob, by Sam Kass; and Ovation Award recommended A Memory of Two Monday’s, by Arthur Miller.

It has been a pleasure & delight to have be working again with the Paul and Edward …. Enjoy the show!

MIKE REILLY (PRODUCTION MANAGER/LIGHTING DE-SIGNER) has over 20 years of experience as a theatre artist with cred-its in directing, producing and lighting design. For the past few years he has been an integral part of the Ruskin Group Theatre’s producing team. Directorial credits with the noted theatre company have included The Lonesome West, Cowboy Mouth, Lobby hero, and Brilliant Traces. Lighting credits include A Memory of Two Mondays and The Lonesome West. Michael was also the lighting designer for the critically acclaimed show Sideways.

SARAH FIGOTEN WILSON (COSTUME DESIGN) Costume design work includes El Grande de Coca Cola Circus (Colony & Sky-light Theatres), Sneaky Ole Time (Ruskin Group Theatre), Niagara Falls (Theatre of NOTE), El Grande de Coca Cola (RGT- LA Weekly Nomi-nation), Paradise: a Divine Bluegrass Musical, Cyrano De Bergerac and Mutiny at Port Chicago (NAACP nomination). Directing credits include Mary Poppins (MTOC) She Loves Me (Chance Theater- LA Times Critics’ Pick), The Face in the Reeds (RGT), Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well… (Costa Mesa Playhouse). Asst Dir. on Death of a Salesman and The..Hat at South Coast Repertory & as well as assisting on the pre-Broadway work sessions of David Mamet’s China Doll starring Al Pacino. www.sarahfwilson.com

CHIP BOLCIK (SOUND DESIGN) Chip recently designed the sound

for A Raisin In The Sun here at the Ruskin. Before that, he designed Sneaky Ole Time and Leaving Home. Chip regular designs the sound for the LA Cafe Plays, and last year he designed the sound for the Ruskin’s first annual Christmas show. In the film world, Chip recorded sound for John Putch’s feature film, Route 30, as well as for his own film, Daugh-ter Knows Best, as well as several other short features. Chip has done audio work for multiple radio commercials in New York and LA. In a related field, Chip occasionally shoots and edits behind the scenes video for Universal. His work for American Pie and Death Race can be seen on YouTube. When he’s not busy designing sound, Chip also acts in and writes plays. KATE KELLY (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER), graduated from the Ruskin School of Acting’s two year Meisner program and continues her studies in their Graduate Master Class. She has appeared as Mary Mercer in “Leaving Home” and in several L.A. Café Plays at the Ruskin Group Theatre. Appearing in commercials and music videos prepared her for roles in television including “Diagnosis: Dead or Alive” and “Killer Kids.” Ms. Kelly is delighted to return to the Ruskin stage and work with Nicole Millar. She would like to thank husband Phil for his complete support, her family, and the Ruskin Group Theatre.

LETTERS FROM THE KIDS AS WRITTEN

LETTER FROM ROSEMom:

It is one of my great fortunes in life to call you my mother.

There’s a small sign you have in the garden that has always resonated with me. In search of my mother’s garden I found my own.

In some ways, this idea is an ode to your nurturing spirit: Your patience, grace, imagination and fierce dedication to everything you love. Your steadfast curiosity to learn everything you can in order to better under-stand the world around and within you.

I hope you know how much these traits of yours have colored my own perspective toward this wild life on earth. How much you inspire me:to be open of heart and mind, to work hard for the things that bring joy into the world,to live attentively, generously, kindly, and with utter gratitude for it all.

You have given me so many values to cherish. Perhaps most importantly is this: Life may not always be easy, but loving one another is.

RYANS POEM

If god is loveand love is lightthen my mom is the light that shines on my family.the kind of light that shines through, the kind of light that mocks the darkest of clouds.all storms end and all dark clouds pass…and whats left…is always light…love and light.

CALMER WATERS.

We are lucky that my dad found her.a garden of love is tended to.a lily grows next to a rose.a family is reborn.our roots our watered with love.

My mom is LOVE

My mom is LIGHT…

LETTER FROM JASPER

Dearest momma,

It's hard to express my love and gratitude in words because of everything you've done for me and our family.

And I do mean everything.From Halloween costumes to my favorite birthday cakes,to the difficult conversations with no easy answers. I couldn't see it then but when I look back now I see that you were being My mom.Now I see the miracle you were for my brother, my sister,My dad and me.How lucky are we all that the universe brought dad and you together.You also brought lily into this world and I couldn't imagine our family any other way.

when I recall the very beginning,The genesis of our new family I remember thinking:

"Who is she? This pretty lady here with us in our home?Where did she come from? And please....can she stay?"

And as time progressed so did my perception and You went from:

This pretty lady(whom I was mystified by) toChristine(who was kind and did Shakespeare in Ashland)To Mother(who brought change along with bedtimes and rules)To Mom(who's face and heart I think of on mothers day)

When you first entered my world I couldn't comprehend the monumental task you stood before.but I could see your smile and you smiled from the heart.There's a lot I don't remember from that time but I do remember feel-ings. I remember being hesitant to accept your warmth because I was scared it was temporary.The truth is it was anything butAnd I'm so grateful that you've been there for me through it all.

The days of thinking of you as my stepmom are long gone.You taught me that love transcends genetics.

Yours is the face i see and the heart I feel when I hear the word "mother"

LETTER FROM LILLY

On a warm night in Florence, my mother and I are talking about love. I am young and my experiences of love are almost purely of heartbreak, of longing, of failure. I am only now beginning to understand that per-haps this woman who raised me, who has been alive for three times as long as I have (though you’d never guess it from looking at her skin), who spent 40 years living in different cities, taking on different jobs, dif-ferent apartments, different boyfriends, may actually have something to teach me (oh what a thought !). She tells me stories of Alberto, her Ital-ian lover, and how they ran singing through the streets late at night, and how he used to call her his “little artichoke” due to her Bob Dylan circa “Blonde on Blonde” haircut. She tells me lots of stories, some funny, some sad, some frighteningly familiar. She tells me that we accept the love we think we deserve, and a little bit of me scoffs because “it seems so obvious” but in truth I scoff because it’s difficult to hear. Maybe I don’t know how to accept love, or how to recognize it when I see it. And so I scan my mind for memories, for little puzzle pieces I can put togeth-er into something whole, I close my eyes and …

I see my breakfasts every morning as a kid - a face constructed out of apple slices and toast points, a flower built from strawberries and cheeri-os. I see our Christmas trees, year after year - with more presents stuffed under it than we could probably afford, and always the exact same num-ber of presents for each kid. Everything always equal - counting every Hershey’s kiss in the Easter baskets, so no one felt left out. I see all my school plays, dance recitals, and presentations, innumerable and prob-ably awful for the most part - with that head of curls tucked behind that big black video camera, always watching, only filming me. I see all the cinnamon sugar Auntie Em’s pretzels and Mr. Sparky’s frozen yogurts with non-pareils - quiet moments squeezed between school and family dinners. Afternoons with only us, talking not like a parent and a child but like girlfriends. Telling stories from school, always hoping they’d have that damn Irish mint flavor we only managed to get one time. I see our house on Christmas Eve, surrounded by a family built off of our own. I see all the birthday parties with elaborate themes, magical worlds built

THANK YOU RGT SUPPORTERS!SAINTS $15,000 AND UP

CAROLE & FRED MIDDLETON, WENDY & TITUS BRENNINKMEIJER, ROBERT M. MYERS & LINDA SULLIVAN, ANONYMOUS DONOR, PATRICIA

DOUGHERTY, DUDLEY T. DOUGHERTY FOUNDATION, FRED DENI, KEVIN & GERIC FROST, CHEZ & ROSEANNE DI GREGORIO, ROBERT & SUSAN RUSKIN

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NICKLIN, A NEW YORK MINUTE, VALARIE VANAMAN, OLIVIA LUA, JIMMY TANG, MAURICE LAMARCHE, ROBIN RUSSIN, NEWMAN AARONSON & VANAMAN,

out of cardboard and glitter from the 99 cent store and two very crafty hands. I see a house turned into a home. I see late nights working on school projects I procrastinated on. I see not one, not two but four trips across the country to move me from one apartment to another in a city so far from home. I see a big chocolate sheet cake, shipped overnight across the country for my first birthday spent in that city so far away from home, my absolute favorite cake, and my friends gathered all around me to share it.

And the puzzle pieces start to come together, and an image forms in my mind. I open my eyes to see that same image, sitting across from me, with that smile I know like the back of my hand, the crackling one we both have, and now I’m crackling too. “We accept the love we think we deserve”. I don’t deserve all this love I’ve gotten. But I sure am grateful anyways.

DONNA & THOMAS RUSKIN, GRACE SHEN, SHERI LEVY, TONY BILL, AUBREY & AMELIA ANDERSON, ALAN & DIANE CHILDS, DONNA PATRICK, BOEING CORPORATION, ROBERT

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