CAST
Rob Nagle (Senator Charles Whitmore)
Rob Nagle is a proud member of the Antaeus Theatre Company and the Troubadour Theater Company. Recent credits include the world premieres of Jason Odell Williams’ Church & State (Skylight Theatre Company), Meghan Brown’s The Kill-Or-Dies (Electric Footlights and Moving Arts), Melissa Ross’ Of Good Stock and Samuel D. Hunter’s Rest (both at South Coast Repertory), as well as James Still’s Appoggiatura at Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Other recent credits include Samuel D. Hunter’s Pocatello at Rogue Machine, Itamar Moses’ Completeness at Vs. Theatre Company, and James Joyce’s The Dead at Open Fist Theatre Company. Other theaters include Portland Center Stage, Mark Taper Forum, Old Globe Theatre, Centerstage, San Jose Repertory and Shakespeare Theatre Company. Film includes Bad Samaritan, Mother’s Day, Boost, Fishing Naked, New Year’s Eve, Life As We Know It, The Soloist, Fun With Dick and Jane, Cellular, and American Wedding. Television includes recurring roles on “Eli Stone,” “Lincoln Heights” and “Dawson’s Creek,” as well as guest appearances on “The Librarians,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “CSI,” “Criminal Minds,” “Castle,” “Major Crimes,” “NCIS,” “Mad Men,” “Cold Case,” “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” “Without A Trace,” “Everwood,” “The Guardian,” and “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.” Training: Northwestern University. Wife: Heather Allyn. Pug: Roosevelt. Geek: RobNagle.com
Megan Sikora (Sara Whitmore)
Megan Sikora can be seen on the new Netflix series Gypsy starring Naomi Watts and in the film Chuck starring Liev Schreiber. Her Broadway/NYC credits include: Holiday Inn (Lila Dixon), The Nance (Standby), Under My Skin (Nanette), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Encores!/Gloria), How To Succeed… (Miss Krumholtz), Promises, Promises (Turkey Lurkey), Curtains (Bambi), Applause (Encores!/Bonnie), Showboat (Carnegie Hall/Ellie), Wicked (u/s Glinda/Nessarose), Dracula (u/s Lucy/Mina), Wonderful Town, Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ruth), 42nd Street (Lorraine), MTC’s The Wild Party. Regional: Kiss Me Kate (Bianca/The Old Globe/Hartford Stage), Can Can (Claudine/Papermill Playhouse), A Christmas Story (Miss Shields/TUTS), Cabaret (Sally Bowles/Marriott Lincolnshire), Guys and Dolls (Adelaide), White Christmas (Judy). TV/ Film: “Braindead”, “Elementary”, “Boardwalk Empire”, and “The Bleeder”. xoB&E Proud Equity member since 1996.
Christa Scott-Reed (Alex Klein)
Christa Scott-Reed was most recently seen starring opposite Richard Dreyfuss in Mark St. Germain’s Relativity at TheatreWorks. BROADWAY: The Pitmen Painters. NATIONAL TOUR: C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce. OFF-BROADWAY: The Great Divorce (Fellowship for Performing Arts); The Talls (world premiere, Second Stage); The Freedom of the City (Irish Repertory Theatre); Celebration and The Room, The Bald Soprano and the Lesson, (Atlantic Theater Company); Beasley’s Christmas Party, Museum, Pullman Car Hiawatha (Keen Company); Deathbed (world premiere, McGinn-Cazale); Marion Bridge (Urban Stages); The Voysey Inheritance (Mint Theater Company). REGIONAL THEATRE: On Golden Pond (with Keir Dullea, Bucks County Playhouse); Argonautika and Honour (with Kathleen Chalfant, Berkeley Rep); Restoration Comedy and The Food Chain (The Old Globe); The Little Dog Laughed (Intiman Theatre); As You Like It, Crimes of the Heart, and the world premiere of Charles L. Mee's Limonade Tous les Jours (Actors Theatre of Louisville). Other Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Pioneer Theatre, Barrington Stage, Syracuse Stage, Denver Center, Cleveland Playhouse, and more. FILM & TV: “30 Rock,” “The Impossibilities,” “Eden,” “Gossip Girl,” “666 Park Avenue,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Love Life,” “New Amsterdam,” “As the World Turns.” ChristaScottReed.com
Andy Talen (Tom/Marshall/Security Guy/News Anchor)
New York: Blue Man Group (Astor Place Theatre), The Tempest, Iphigenia 2.0 (Classic Stage Company), The Fallen (Abington Theatre), The Two Reds (Classical Theatre of Harlem), Caucasian Chalk Circle (Columbia Stages). Regional: Madison Repertory Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Over ten Productions at Shakespeare & Company in the Berkshires including Love’s Labor’s Lost, Mother Courage (with John Douglas Thompson & Olympia Dukakis), Les Faux Pas, Richard III, Winters’ Tale, Julius Caesar, The Amorous Quarrel, & Venetian Twins to name a few. Television: “A Crime to Remember” Training: MFA Columbia University. Thanks to Charlotte, Jason, Markus & Wojcik/Seay for this opportunity. Biggest love to his family. andytalen.com
Nili Bassman (u/s Sara Whitmore/Alex Klein)
Broadway: Chicago, Curtains (original), Never Gonna Dance (original), The Addams Family (workshop). Regional includes The 39 Steps, Camelot (Guenevere, IRNE Nomination). Film/TV: “Shades of Blue,” “I Love You But I Lied,” The Christmas Tree. For my Ee. NiliBassman.com
Patrick Oliver Jones (u/s Senator Charles Whitmore/Tom/Marshall/Security Guy/News Anchor)
Having toured with The Addams Family and Evita and premiered First Wives Club in Chicago, it’s wonderful to be making my New World Stages debut with such a great cast in Church & State. Other Off-Broadway credits include The Extraordinary Ordinary, Magdalene, Absolution, and Swiss Family Robinson (NYMF). Regional performances include Man of La Mancha (Quixote), Crazy for You (Zangler), and Light in the Piazza (Naccarelli). TV: “Law & Order: CI” and “Blue Bloods.” Thanks to God for His continued blessings and to DPA and Bloc for all their support. @pojones
CREATIVE TEAM
Jason Odell Williams - Playwright
Jason is an Emmy Award nominated writer and producer ("Brain Games") as well as an Ovation Award-nominated playwright. His latest play, Church & State, was produced as a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere at The Skylight Theatre in L.A. and JCC CenterStage in Rochester, NY. His play Handle With Care (published by Dramatists Play Service) was a New York Times Critics’ Pick and ran for over 100 performances Off-Broadway. The play has been produced 21 times in the last five years in the U.S. and Canada. Other plays: Baltimore in Black & White (the cell theatre); Someone Else (NC Stage); The Science of Guilt (The DR2); Going Offline (Fells Point Corner Theatre); The Jungle Gym (American Globe Theatre). Readings: Primary Stages, The Blank Theatre, The Lark and EST. Jason's first novel, Personal Statement, was optioned for a three-picture deal and he is currently adapting it for the screen with his wife and collaborator Charlotte Cohn.
Markus Potter – Director
Markus Potter is a NYC based director, and the producing artistic director of NewYorkRep. Recent directing: Stalking the Bogeyman at London's Southwark Playhouse and Off-Broadway at New World Stages (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination, NY Times Critics' Pick), Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods by Tammy Ryan at The Portland Stage Company, Why You Beasting by David Don Miller (Best of FringeNYC - Time Out NY critic's pick), Someone Else by Jason Odell Williams at NC Stage, as well as directing at Luna Stage and the Weston Playhouse. Potter received his MFA from Columbia University and has taught and guest directed at many MFA/BFA programs around the county including the Guthrie, The Denver Center, AMDA, and Adelphi University. He is currently a mentor to the MFA playwrights at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. MarkusPotter.com
David Goldstein - Scenic Design
Previous Off-Broadway: That Golden Girls Show!; The Very Hungry Caterpillar; I Know What Boys Want; Soul Doctor; Stalk- ing the Bogeyman; Fabulous: The Musical; Sweet, Sweet Spirit. Los Angeles: A Christ-mas Memory; Around the World in 80 Days; Elevator; Playground; The Rocky Horror Show; Boomermania; Its Top Secret! Regional: Des Moines Playhouse, NC Stage Company, West Virginia Public Theatre, Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse. RLY- core4. DavidGoldsteinDesigns.com
Burke Brown - Lighting Design
Recent: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Two River), Imagining the Imaginary Invalid (Mabou Mines), Celestina (The Metropolitan Museum of Art), and Lift (Alvin Ailey). International Design: Abbey Theatre, Golden Mask Festival, English National Ballet, Festival of Two Worlds and Bayerisches Staatsballett (Germany). Wingspace Theatrical Design. wingspace.com/burke
Dianne K. Graebner - Costume Design
Dianne K. Graebner (has designed close to 100 theatre productions, dance and films (nationally and internationally), and has been nominated for many awards. She has originated the costumes for many new works and world premieres. She is a member of United Scenic Artists Local-829. DianneGraebner.com
Erik T. Lawson - Sound Design
New York: Stalking the Bogeyman (New World Stages), The Effect (Barrow Street Theatre), Sotto Voce (Theatre for the New City), On the Other Side of the River (HERE Arts Center). Regionally: Asolo Repertory Theatre, Brown/Trinity Rep, South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. MFA: Carnegie Mellon University. ErikTLawson.com
Roumel Reaux - Production Stage Manager
Broadway credits include Five Guys Named Moe, Bob Fosse’s Big Deal, Porgy and Bess, Crucifer of Blood, and The Wiz. Off-Broadway credits include Fuerza Bruta, Three Mo’ Tenors, Pets, And Struttin’. Touring credits include Blackbirds of Broadway, Harry Belafonte In Concert, Five Guys Named Moe, and Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. Regional credits include Little Ham, Stand Up Tragedy, One Mo’ Time, and Cookin’ At The Cookery.
Katie Kavett - Assistant Stage Manager
Credits include: The Snow Geese (MTC), You Will Remember Me (Hudson Stage), HeadGame (A.R.T. Oberon), Sky-Pony’s The Wildness (Ars Nova), In Bed With Roy Cohn (Theatre Row), Blank! The Musical (New World Stages), Handle With Care (Westside), NYMF, Women’s Work Festival, Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. 2012 NY Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Stage Manager. KatieKavett.com
Wojcik|Seay Casting - Casting
Wojcik|Seay Casting: Is Scott Wojcik & Gayle Seay. Along with Holly Buczek they cast all mediums. Tours: “Motown”, “Vocalosity”, “Flashdance”, “Dreamgirls” (Korean) “Nice Work If You Can Get It”, “Jekyll & Hyde” (National & Korean), “Joseph….Dreamcoat”, “Oklahoma!” and “A Chorus Line”. Off Broadway: “Othello: The Remix”, “The Portal”, Tennessee Williams’ “The Two Character Play” with Amanda Plummer and Brad Dourif, “Handle With Care” with Carol Lawrence, “Triassic Parq”, “National Pastime”, “666” and more. Regional: Multiple seasons/ shows for Riverside Theatre-FL, The Engeman Theatre - NY, Theatre Raleigh-NC, Stages St Louis-MO, Theatre Aspen-CO and Tuacahn PAC-UT. Pilots: “Upstate” & “Stand – In”, Films: “Best Man In The Dark”“Tommy Battles The Silver Sea Dragon“, “My Prologue”, Webseries: “The Fuzz”. Many commercials. Currently: "The Hunt with John Walsh" on CNN. WScasting.com / @WScasting
Charlotte Cohn - Producer
Charlotte Cohn was born in Denmark and raised in Israel where she served in the Israeli Army as a Commanding Officer. She is a founding producer of the New York Music Theatre Festival (NYMF) and MainStreet Musicals. Other producing credits include Baltimore in Black and White (the Cell Theatre, resident artist), Rated P for Parenthood, The New York Times critics’ pick Handle With Care (both Off-Broadway at the Westside Theater), and Church & State. Charlotte has collaborated with her husband Jason Odell Williams on a variety of writing projects including their screenplay Personal Statement and their TV pilot “Birdland,” which was a top ten finalist in the Tracking Board’s 2015 Launch Pad Pilot Competition. Charlotte’s screenplay By the Book was a finalist in the NYWIFT 2015 competition, sponsored by Meryl Streep. Special thanks to Jason for allowing me to take part in this journey and to my daughter Imogen – my greatest production to date!
SCS Innovations, LLC - Co-Producer
SCS Innovations, founded by Sara Crown Star, is excited to back the playwright, producer and cast of this incredibly poignant and witty production. Handle With Care, The New York Times critics’ pick, was also co-produced by SCS Innovations and written by Jason Odell Williams with Charlotte Cohn as a lead producer. SCS Innovations is currently also supporting the traveling and London productions of An American In Paris and Half-Time, soon to premier on Broadway.
Franklin Theatrical Group- Co-Producer
Franklin Theatrical Group includes Jonathan Demar, Kim Vasquez, James Mack, and Gregory Franklin. JONATHAN DEMAR: West End: Gypsy (Seaview Productions). Broadway: Love Letters, The Velocity of Autumn. BA Emory University. KIM VASQUEZ: Broadway: Godspell, People of Godspell. Off-Broadway: Janie Condon: Raw & Unchained, Julius Caesar. BFA University of Minnesota. GrayLadyEntertainment.com. JAMES MACK: Board President for Buffalo United Artists, Buffalo NY. Broadway: Ragtime. GREGORY FRANKLIN: Tony and Drama Desk Nominated. Broadway: Waitress, The Visit, Side Show, The Velocity of Autumn, The Accidental Wolf. FranklinTheatrical.com
Neil Gooding Productions - Co-Producer
Neil Gooding Productions was established in 2002. In the USA, NGP has been a producer of Macbeth starring Alan Cumming on Broadway, as well as the Off-Broadway productions of Handle With Care, and The 39 Steps and a financial investor in It’s Only a Play. In London’s West End, NGP was a producer of a hit Australian play Holding the Man. In Australia NGP produced the critically acclaimed Australian premiere of Dogfight at The Hayes Theatre. The company was also one of the co-producers alongside Luckiest Productions in the sell-out season of Sweet Charity at The Hayes Theatre in February 2014. Sweet Charity went on to receive 3 Helpmann and 3 Sydney Theatre Awards. In May 2014 Neil produced and directed the world premiere of Truth Beauty & A Picture of You at The Hayes Theatre. Other productions include The Hatpin; LoveBites; Thank You For Being A Friend; Desperate Houseboys; Breast Wishes; Gutenberg! The Musical; Love Letter; Sing On Through Tomorrow; and The Divine Miss Bette. GoodingProductions.com
Ralph Meranto / JCC Centerstage - Co-Producer
Ralph Meranto / JCC Centerstage is the theatre company at the Rochester Jewish Community Center. Under Producing Artistic Director Ralph Meranto since 2005, CenterStage been has been involved in the evolution of new works including Kasha Davis’ There’s Always Time for a Cocktail (Off-Broadway premiere 2015), Deb Margolin’s Imaging Madoff, Wendy Kout’s Naked in Encino, David Hein/Irene Sankoff’s My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding, Jason Odell Williams’ Handle with Care, and Oy Vey, It’s the Calamari Sisters.
Brierpatch Productions - Co-Producer / General Management
Brierpatch Productions is the partnership of Laura Janik Cronin and Scott Newsome providing general management services for theatrical productions, tours and events. Current and previous productions include: Cagney the Musical; One Funny Mother; Dan and Phil: The Amazing Tour Is Not On Fire; Phoenix; Handle With Care; Grounded; Tennessee Williams’ The Two Character Play; Inner Voices III & IV; Sleeping Rough; Triassic Parq; 7th Monarch; Rest In Pieces; Wallenberg; Tales From The Tunnel; Glimpses of The Moon; The Actors’ Studio Drama School MFA Repertory Season (2011 - current). Under Development: The Stone Witch (World Premiere at Berkshire Theatre Group summer 2016).
Karen Cohen / Jack Hayflick - Co-Producer
KAREN COHEN: Founder and President Emeritus of the Randall's Island Sports Foundation. Karen is thrilled to put her support behind Church & State. In the past she invested in Smokey Joe's Cafe and is an avid theatre goer. Born in Cincinnatti, she has lived in NYC since 1968. She is an accomplished interior designer and feels strongly about modifying our gun laws. JACK HAYFLICK: A native of NYC. Jack spent 30 years at Goldman Sachs, retiring in 2007. He became a professional actor performing in several Off-Broadway productions, the film - Rolling On The Floor Laughing, TV series – “The History Of The Mob In America,” and several TV commercials. Jack believes strongly that our gun laws must be reinterpreted. He is currently a real estate professional at Sotheby's International Realty.
Bonnie E. Lautenberg - Co-Producer
Bonnie E. Lautenberg, a photographer, has works in five museums including the Library of Congress. Gun safety was of great importance to Bonnie and her late husband, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ). Sadly, only one piece of legislation passed in Congress -- stopping spousal abusers from getting gun permits. No other gun legislation has passed including his background checks and ten bullets on a magazine instead of the current 100. Hoping the message in Church & State will have broad impact around the country. Mrs. Lautenberg is in development and co-producing the musical of Andy Warhol's life with Steve Leber.
NewYorkRep - Co-Producer
NewYorkRep produces new plays and musicals that inspire and compel social change by telling stories that expose the travesty and beauty of our humanity. By illuminating social and ethical questions through art, we strive to create provocative theater that promotes empathy, compassion, and inclusion). NewYorkRep.org