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May 1 - 31, 2015 , Outcalt Theatre

Fairfield

written by Eric Coble
directed by Laura Kepley

Run time: 2 hours including one 15-minute intermission
Advisory: Recommended for ages 16+. Play contains strong language including profanity and derogatory terms, mild violence, innuendo, and frank conversations on race.

“Peace. Love. Respect for all.” So goes the motto of Fairfield Elementary, a public school located in a diverse, liberal district. But when a young teacher’s misguided attempts at celebrating Black History Month take a hilariously dark turn, chaos erupts and it seems it may be impossible to safely reach the ‘CelebrEthnic Potluck.’ Fairfield is a razor-sharp, insightful comedy from Cleveland playwright Eric Coble that examines how we each determine what’s appropriate and inappropriate, and whether “We Shall Overcome.”

Photos & Videos Download Hi Res Photos

From left to right: Marinda Anderson (Vanessa Stubbs), Nedra McClyde (Angela Wadley), Brian Sills (Scott Flemmingsen), and Crystal Finn (Laurie Kaminski). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Marinda Anderson (Vanessa Stubbs), Crystal Finn (Laurie Kaminski), and Leenya Rideout (Molly Flemmingsen). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Marinda Anderson (Vanessa Stubbs) and Crystal Finn (Laurie Kaminski). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Brian Sills (Mr. Snyder) and Nedra McClyde (Angela Wadley). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Bjorn DuPaty (Charles Clark) and Nedra McClyde (Angela Wadley). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Bjorn DuPaty (Charles Clark) and Nedra McClyde (Angela Wadley). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Marinda Anderson (Vanessa Stubbs) and Crystal Finn (Laurie Kaminski). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Crystal Finn (Laurie Kaminski) and Leenya Rideout (Molly Flemmingsen). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Brian Sills (Mr. Snyder) and Nedra McClyde (Angela Wadley). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

Foreground, left to right: Brian Sills (Scott Flemmingsen) and Leenya Rideout (Molly Flemmingsen). Background, left to right: Bjorn DuPaty (Daniel Stubbs) and Marinda Anderson (Vanessa Stubbs). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

Foreground, left to right: Bjorn DuPaty (Daniel Stubbs) and Marinda Anderson (Vanessa Stubbs). Background, left to right: Leenya Rideout (Molly Flemmingsen) and Brian Sills (Scott Flemmingsen). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Brian Sills (Scott Flemmingsen) and Leenya Rideout (Molly Flemmingsen). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Bjorn DuPaty (Daniel Stubbs), Marinda Anderson (Vanessa Stubbs), and Nedra McClyde (Angela Wadley). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Brian Sills (Scott Flemmingsen) and Leenya Rideout (Molly Flemmingsen). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

Crystal Finn (Laurie Kaminski). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

Crystal Finn (Laurie Kaminski). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

From left to right: Nedra McClyde (Angela Wadley) and Crystal Finn (Laurie Kaminski). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

Nedra McClyde (Angela Wadley). Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni

Artists

Marinda Anderson

Marinda Anderson

(Vanessa Stubbs) was most recently seen at Cleveland Play House in the reading of Fairfield for New Ground Theatre Festival and also in A Carol for Cleveland by Eric Coble. New York credits include Macbeth, Lincoln Center Theatre; Far From Heaven, Playwrights Horizons; Obamaology, Juilliard School; and The Devine more(Vanessa Stubbs) was most recently seen at Cleveland Play House in the reading of Fairfield for New Ground Theatre Festival and also in A Carol for Cleveland by Eric Coble. New York credits include Macbeth, Lincoln Center Theatre; Far From Heaven, Playwrights Horizons; Obamaology, Juilliard School; and The Devine One: Sassy Swings Tokyo, her show about Sarah Vaughan, La MaMa E.T.C. Regionally, she has performed at Theatreworks, Chautauqua Theatre, Perseverance Theatre and Playhouse on the Square. Marinda also has a web series, Homegirls, she co-writes and stars in. Marinda is a graduate of Howard University where she received a B.F.A. in musical theatre and NYU’s Graduate Acting Program where she received her M.F.A. in Acting.

Bjorn DuPaty

Bjorn DuPaty

(Daniel Stubbs/Charles Clark) New York credits include Mlima in Mlima’s Tale at the Public Theater, Two Mile Hollow with Women's Project Theater, Carnival with the National Black Theater. National Tour: Julius Caesar, Comedy of Errors with The Acting Company. Regional: Pipeline at Studio Theater (DC), Mud Row with the more(Daniel Stubbs/Charles Clark) New York credits include Mlima in Mlima’s Tale at the Public Theater, Two Mile Hollow with Women's Project Theater, Carnival with the National Black Theater. National Tour: Julius Caesar, Comedy of Errors with The Acting Company. Regional: Pipeline at Studio Theater (DC), Mud Row with the People's Light Theater, Fairfield & Pipeline at Cleveland Play House, Do You Feel Anger in the Humana Festival at the Actors Theater of Louisville, A Raisin in the Sun at the Crossroads Theater, Clybourne Park at the Pittsburgh Public Theater. Film: Demolition. TV: Alpha House, Sleepy Hollow, The Blacklist, Person of Interest, Zero Hour, All My Children. MFA from Rutgers’ University, Mason Gross School of the Arts. www.bjorndupaty.com

Crystal Finn

Crystal Finn

(Laurie Kaminski) is an actor and writer. She was last seen at Cleveland Playhouse in Fairfield by Eric Coble, directed by Laura Kepley, and before that in Rich Girl by Tory Stewart. She also performed her one woman show Becoming Liv Ullmann at the Cleveland Playhouse New more(Laurie Kaminski) is an actor and writer. She was last seen at Cleveland Playhouse in Fairfield by Eric Coble, directed by Laura Kepley, and before that in Rich Girl by Tory Stewart. She also performed her one woman show Becoming Liv Ullmann at the Cleveland Playhouse New Ground Theater Festival where it was chosen as one of the top ten performances of the year by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Crystal’s play The Faire was produced off-Broadway with Fault Line Theater company in 2014. She recently was a semi-finalist for the biennial play commission from Clubbed Thumb, where she is an affiliated artist. As an actor Crystal has originated roles in over twenty world premiere plays, including most recently Plano by Will Arbery, also with Clubbed Thumb. Before the pandemic she was set to make her Broadway debut in Noah Haidle’s play Birthday Candles. She looks forward to acting and writing again for lots of people packed together in uncomfortable chairs. Until then, there is no place she would rather virtually be on Valentine’s day than Cleveland!

Nedra McClyde

Nedra McClyde

(Angela Wadley) recently went on as an understudy opposite John Hawkes at Manhattan Theatre Club in David Auburn’s two-person play, Lost Lake. Other New York credits include Mr. Burns, Playwrights Horizons; Headstrong, Ensemble Studio Theatre; and Macbeth, Classical Theatre of Harlem. Nedra is a recipient of New Dramatists’ Charles more(Angela Wadley) recently went on as an understudy opposite John Hawkes at Manhattan Theatre Club in David Auburn’s two-person play, Lost Lake. Other New York credits include Mr. Burns, Playwrights Horizons; Headstrong, Ensemble Studio Theatre; and Macbeth, Classical Theatre of Harlem. Nedra is a recipient of New Dramatists’ Charles Bowden Award and is a two-time AUDELCO Award nominee and NYIT Best Leading Actress nominee, a member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre, an Associate Artist with The Civilians and M.F.A. graduate of The Actors Studio Drama School. Favorite regional theatre includes Good People at The Old Globe. Nedra has made television appearances on new Netflix Marvel series, Jessica Jones, Blue Bloods, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, 30 Rock, As the World Turns and One Life to Live. Please visit nedramcclyde.com.

Leenya Rideout

Leenya Rideout

(Molly Flemmingsen) is thrilled to be back at Cleveland Play House where she appeared in Woody Sez. Broadway credits include War Horse, Cyrano de Bergerac (with Kevin Kline), Company and Cabaret. Off-Broadway credits include Yiddle with a Fiddle, American Jewish Theatre; The Portable Pioneer and Prairie Show, Melting Pot more(Molly Flemmingsen) is thrilled to be back at Cleveland Play House where she appeared in Woody Sez. Broadway credits include War Horse, Cyrano de Bergerac (with Kevin Kline), Company and Cabaret. Off-Broadway credits include Yiddle with a Fiddle, American Jewish Theatre; The Portable Pioneer and Prairie Show, Melting Pot Theatre Company; and Cowgirls, Minetta Lane Theatre. Regional credits include The Secret Garden, Capital Repertory Theater; Woody Sez, Theaterworks and Milwaukee Repertory Theater; The Last of the Red Hot Lovers and Gypsy, Hangar Theatre; Holidays with the Chalks, Alliance Theater; Merrily We Roll Along, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Cardenio, American Repertory Theater; Summer of 42, Mill Mountain Theater; The Canterbury Tales, Guthrie Theater; Guys and Dolls, North Carolina Theatre; and Avenue X, Cincinnati Playhouse. International tours include My Fair Lady. Film credits include Mona Lisa Smile, Loser and Bittersweet. Television and radio credits include Company, Cyrano de Bergerac and My Favorite Broadway, PBS; Nashville Star, USA Network; Jerry Lewis Telethon and Selected Shorts, NPR. Original songs available at leenya.com.

Brian Sills

Brian Sills

(Scott Flemmingsen/Mr. Snyder) previous Cleveland Play House credits include Eric Coble’s Fairfield and Around The World In 80 Days. Brian also hosted the Copacabana, the annual CPH gala this year. Off-Broadway credits include: The Machine (Park Avenue Armory), Prurience (The Guggenheim), The First Annual Trump Family Special (Triad Theatre). more(Scott Flemmingsen/Mr. Snyder) previous Cleveland Play House credits include Eric Coble’s Fairfield and Around The World In 80 Days. Brian also hosted the Copacabana, the annual CPH gala this year. Off-Broadway credits include: The Machine (Park Avenue Armory), Prurience (The Guggenheim), The First Annual Trump Family Special (Triad Theatre). London: The Machine (Donmar Warehouse). National US Tour: The Lion King (original cast). Select Regional Theatre credits include: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Bay Street Theatre, Chautauqua Theatre Company, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Clarence Brown Theatre. Television credits include: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Elementary, Blue Bloods, Crashing, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Mr. Robot, and the upcoming Lifetime holiday TV movie Twinkle All The Way. Film credits include: Bikini Moon, Baby On Board, Nothing Like The Holidays, Rocky Marciano. A graduate of The Ryerson Theatre School at Ryerson University in Toronto, Brian currently resides in New York City.

Jen Caprio

(Costume Designer) is pleased to return to Cleveland Play House where she previously designed Steel Magnolias, Rich Girl, Fairfield, and Well. On Broadway she designed Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. National/International Tours include Falsettos, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Lion (West End/ US Tour), more(Costume Designer) is pleased to return to Cleveland Play House where she previously designed Steel Magnolias, Rich Girl, Fairfield, and Well. On Broadway she designed Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. National/International Tours include Falsettos, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Lion (West End/ US Tour), …Spelling Bee, and Rockumentary and Kaleidoscope on Celebrity Cruises. Her selected New York credits include City Center Encores!, Audible/Minetta Lane, Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, Roundabout Theatre Company, Primary Stages, Cherry Lane, LaMama, ETC and Ensemble Studio Theatre. Regional: Over 150 LORT productions at theatres including the Kennedy Center, Guthrie Theater, Goodspeed, Center Theatre Group, La Jolla Playhouse, Alley Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. TV: Sesame Street (seasons 47-51), The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo. 2019 Daytime Emmy Nomination for Sesame Street. Instagram @jencapriocostumedesign

Broken Chord

(Sound Design) has Cleveland Play House credits that include Fairfield and How I Learned to Drive. Broadway credits are The Parisian Woman and Eclipsed. Selected off- Broadway credits include Toni Stone at Roundabout Theatre Company; The Lying Lesson, The Great Leap, The Jammer, and These Paper Bullets! at the more(Sound Design) has Cleveland Play House credits that include Fairfield and How I Learned to Drive. Broadway credits are The Parisian Woman and Eclipsed. Selected off- Broadway credits include Toni Stone at Roundabout Theatre Company; The Lying Lesson, The Great Leap, The Jammer, and These Paper Bullets! at the Atlantic; The Four of Us and When We Were Young and Unafraid at MTC; Bull in a China Shop at LCT3; Party People and Eclipsed at The Public; and The Winter’s Tale at TFANA. Selected regional credits are The Amen Corner, Hamlet, and Macbeth at Shakespeare Theater, D.C.; Angels in America at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; Enemy of the People and As You Like It at the Guthrie Theatre; Ruined and Party People at Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Top Girls, A Raisin in the Sun, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Ruined at the Huntington Theatre; UniSon at OSF. Film credits include Fall to Rise. www.brokenchord.us

Eric Coble

Eric Coble

(Playwright) plays include The Velocity of Autumn (Tony- and Pulitzer-nominated), Fairfield, These Mortal Hosts, Bright Ideas, and The Giver. Eric’s plays have been produced Off-Broadway, in all fifty states of the U.S., and on several continents, including productions at Cleveland Play House, Manhattan Class Company, The Kennedy Center, Actors more(Playwright) plays include The Velocity of Autumn (Tony- and Pulitzer-nominated), Fairfield, These Mortal Hosts, Bright Ideas, and The Giver. Eric’s plays have been produced Off-Broadway, in all fifty states of the U.S., and on several continents, including productions at Cleveland Play House, Manhattan Class Company, The Kennedy Center, Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival, Denver Center Theatre Company, Arena Stage, South Coast Rep, Dobama Theatre, Cleveland Public Theatre, Alliance Theatre, New York and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, Habima Theatre (Israel), Pentacion Productions (Spain), Teatr Polski (Poland), Orange Row (Mexico), and the Contemporary American Theatre Festival (U.S.) Awards include two AATE Distinguished Play Awards for Best Adaptation, an Emmy nomination, the Chorpenning Playwriting Award for Body of Work, the AT&T Onstage Award, National Theatre Conference Playwriting Award, an NEA Playwright in Residence Grant, a TCG Extended Collaboration Grant, the Cleveland Arts Prize, two Cuyahoga Arts and Culture Fellowships, and four Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Grants. Twenty-seven of Mr. Coble’s scripts have been published by Dramatists Play Service, Samuel French, Dramatic Publishing, Smith & Krause and others.

Jennifer Matheson Collins

(Stage Manager) stage managed Cleveland Play House productions of The Good Peaches, Luna Gale, Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors, Fairfield, Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life, Informed Consent, Breath and Imagination, A Christmas Story, Woody Sez, Rich Girl, The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith, more(Stage Manager) stage managed Cleveland Play House productions of The Good Peaches, Luna Gale, Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors, Fairfield, Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life, Informed Consent, Breath and Imagination, A Christmas Story, Woody Sez, Rich Girl, The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith, A Carol for Cleveland, A Night With Janis Joplin (at both CPH and Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.), The Trip to Bountiful and This Wonderful Life. Other recent credits include: Angels in America (Millennium Approaches and Perestroika), A Christmas Carol, The Santaland Diaries, and The Who and the What (Kansas City Repertory Theatre). Previously, she was a full-time faculty member at Northwestern University, overseeing the stage management program. From 2000 to 2007, she was a resident stage manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, where selected credits include Passion, Marionette Macbeth, Hamlet, Seussical the Musical, A Flea in Her Ear, Kabuki Lady Macbeth, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George and Pacific Overtures. Other Chicago credits include Death of a Salesman, Waiting for Godot, Floyd Collins, Jitney, The Odyssey and A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre). She earned a Bachelor of Science, Theatre and a Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology from Kansas State University and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Laura Kepley

Laura Kepley

(Director) (she/her) became Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House in 2013, and has directed numerous CPH mainstage productions, including The Crucible; Sweat; The Diary of Anne Frank; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play; Into the Breeches!; Every Brilliant Thing; and the world premieres of Tiny Houses, The more(Director) (she/her) became Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House in 2013, and has directed numerous CPH mainstage productions, including The Crucible; Sweat; The Diary of Anne Frank; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play; Into the Breeches!; Every Brilliant Thing; and the world premieres of Tiny Houses, The Good Peaches, Fairfield, and A Carol for Cleveland. She joined CPH in 2010, having arrived from Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island, where she was Resident Director and Artistic Associate for four seasons and Interim Director of the Brown/Trinity Rep M.F.A. in Directing Program for one. She has also at Playhouse Square clevelandplayhouse.com 25 directed for The Alliance Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Chautauqua Theater Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Syracuse Stage, Trinity Rep, and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, among others. A native Ohioan, Laura received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and her Master of Fine Arts from Brown University/Trinity Rep. She is a Drama League Fellow, a recipient of the 2009– 2011 National Endowment for the Arts/Theatre Communications Group Career Development Program for Directors, and a member of Leadership Cleveland’s Class of 2021. Locally, she has been recognized with multiple Outstanding Director commendations from The Cleveland Critics Circle, a Cuyahoga Community College Smart Business Smart Women Award, and a Crain’s Cleveland Woman of Note designation.

Brian J. Lilienthal

(Lighting Designer) designed The Kite Runner and Informed Consent for Cleveland Play House. New York credits include La MaMa E.T.C., Cherry Lane Theatre and 29th Street Repertory. Regional theatre credits include Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, Pasadena Playhouse, Capital Repertory Theater, more(Lighting Designer) designed The Kite Runner and Informed Consent for Cleveland Play House. New York credits include La MaMa E.T.C., Cherry Lane Theatre and 29th Street Repertory. Regional theatre credits include Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, Pasadena Playhouse, Capital Repertory Theater, Geva Theatre Center, Arden Theatre Company, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Trinity Repertory Theatre, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Theatre at Boston Court, Perishable Theatre, Pig Iron, New Paradise Laboratories and more than 60 productions as Resident Designer at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Brian also designed lighting for Bard SummerScape,Long Beach Opera and Portland Opera Repertory Theater. He spent eight summers at the National Playwrights Conference at the O’Neill Theater Center as a Resident Lighting Designer. He is recipient of the 2005 Los Angeles Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Lighting Design. Brian holds a Master of Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts and teaches lighting design at Tufts University.

Timothy R. Mackabee

(Scenic Designer) Cleveland Play House: Mr. Wolf and Fairfield. Broadway: The Elephant Man and Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth. Off-Broadway: Heathers, Gigantic (Vineyard Theatre), Luce (Lincoln Center Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (The Public Theater), Guards at the Taj, Our New Girl (Atlantic Theater Company), and Important Hats of the more(Scenic Designer) Cleveland Play House: Mr. Wolf and Fairfield. Broadway: The Elephant Man and Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth. Off-Broadway: Heathers, Gigantic (Vineyard Theatre), Luce (Lincoln Center Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (The Public Theater), Guards at the Taj, Our New Girl (Atlantic Theater Company), and Important Hats of the Twentieth Century (Manhattan Theatre Club). Regional: American Conservatory Theater San Francisco, Center Stage Baltimore, Ford’s Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Dallas Theatre Center, Syracuse Stage, Yale Repertory Theatre, Philadelphia Theater Company, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Studio Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Geva Theatre Center, The Old Globe, South Coast Repertory and Williamstown Theatre Festival. Film/TV: Gotham, Smash, The Today Show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth andMargot at the Wedding. Education: North Carolina School of the Arts and Yale School of Drama. timothymackabeedesign.com

Giving to CPH: Why it Matters

Giving to CPH: Why it Matters

Every year, Cleveland Play House welcomes actors, production designers, and other professional artists from all over the country. These artists, many ...

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