For Immediate Release
Contact: Freddie McInerney, Director of Marketing and Communications
Phone: (860) 986.7466
Email: freddie@theaterworkshartford.org
Website: www.theaterworkshartford.org
Photos by LANNY NAGLER available 12.02.15 at www.theaterworkshartford.org/press
Hartford’s Smash Holiday Hit
Christmas on the Rocks
returns to TheaterWorks
November 27 through December 23, 2015
What: CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS
An offbeat collection of twisted holiday tales by John Cariani, Jeffrey Hatcher, Jacques Lamarre,
Matthew Lombardo, Theresa Rebeck, Edwin Sanchez and Jonathan Tolins.
Fresh, funny and smart – it’s back! Remember watching holiday specials as a kid? Fast-forward to this
Christmas Eve. In a rundown local bar chance brings us face to face with a parade of beloved characters
from Christmas past - only now they’ve all grown up! Tiny Tim, Charlie Brown, Cindy Lou Who and a
host of other favorites pour out their Christmas woes in this delightful parody. Inspired by our collective
holiday memories, CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS is back.
Conceived and directed by Producing Artistic Director, Rob Ruggiero,
Hartford’s newest holiday tradition premiered at TheaterWorks 2 years ago and features 7 well
known playwrights each adding their own spin to the canon of holiday traditions past.
Last year Jenn Harris (the woman) and Broadway veteran, Ronn Carroll (the bartender) charmed
TheaterWorks’ audiences. This year they are joined by Matt Wilkas (the man). Matt, a highly regarded
stage actor (Broadway Spiderman), is also well known for his work in the hit indie film GAYBY starring
opposite Jenn Harris.
Rob said "I’m so excited to revisit CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS. Hartford audiences love this
production so much we knew we had to bring it back for a third year. This year we'll add some great
new energy with the addition of Matt Wilkas. Matt and Jenn are just terrific together. I’m thrilled to have
them here in Hartford.”
CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS runs November 27 through December 23, 2015.
The production design team includes Michael Schweikardt (Sets), Alejo Vieti (Costumes), John
Lasiter (Lights), Michael Miceli (Sound) and Mark Adam Rampeyer (Wigs). Production Manager is C
Nikki Mills.
Press:
“Shiny, New and Dangerously Irreverent” - The New York Times
“Raise your glass to a new holiday tradition. The concept is brilliant” - Broadway World
“You’ll love the versatility, inventiveness and comic dare… a sassy, funny parody... It
all adds up to a tasty punch. - The Hartford Courant
When: November 27 through December 23, 2015
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
7:30 pm
Friday
8:00 pm
Saturday
Sunday
No performance Sunday Nov. 29 at 6:30
4:00 pm and 8:00 pm
2:30 pm and 6:30 pm
PRESS / OPENING Night is Wednesday, December 2 at 7:30 pm.
The lobby and the gallery sponsored by The Hartford Financial Services Group, opens 90 minutes prior
to curtain; seating starts 60 minutes prior.
Where:
TheaterWorks City Arts on Pearl - 233 Pearl Street in Downtown Hartford
Admission:
All seats are reserved.
Center Section
Side Sections
Subscribers
Student Rush
Group Rates
$55
$40
$10 off
$15 (subject to availability)
Call for details
For seats call 860.527.7838.
CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS is NOT a part of the subscription season, but you can still subscribe.
See 4 Plays for as low as $100. Call for details.
2015- 2016 SEASON
BUYER & CELLAR
by Jonathan Tolins
January 8 through February 14, 2016
Opening/Press: Friday, January 15, 2016 @ 8pm
SEX WITH STRANGERS
by Laura Eason
directed Rob Ruggiero
March 11 through April 17, 2016
Opening/Press: Friday, March 18, 2016 @ 8pm
THE CALL
by Tanya Barfield
May 13 through June 19, 2016
Opening/Press: Friday, May 20, 2016 @ 8pm
MIDSUMMER (a play with songs)
by David Greig and Gordon McIntyre
July 15 through August 21, 2016
Opening/Press: Friday, July 22, 2016 @ 8pm
For more information, please visit www.theaterworkshartford.org
TheaterWorks receives program support from Travelers, The Hartford Financial Services Group, J
Walton Bissell Foundation, NewAlliance Foundation, George A. and Grace L. Long Foundation and
United Technologies Corporation, as well as general support from the Greater Hartford Arts Council,
Connecticut Office of the Arts, and Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
BIOS
RONN CARROLL (the bartender) is delighted to return to TheaterWorks as the bartender in
CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS. Recent New York appearances: Trevor Nunn’s revival of Oklahoma!
and the Lincoln Center premier of A Man of No Importance. Among his 20 Broadway credits: How to
Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Gypsy, The Rink, Bad Habits, On Golden Pond, Steel Pier,
Man of La Mancha, Crazy For You, Peter Pan, Promises, Promises! (London & New York) Carousel,
Wonderful Town, Front Page, and Annie Get Your Gun, (Ethel Merman in ’66 and Bernadette Peters
‘99.) Off Broadway: Love’s Labors Lost, The Knife and Greater Tuna. Film: The Producers (musical),
84 Charing Cross Road, numerous television films and some 500 commercials. He began his career in
Washington DC at the famed Arena Stage. Ronn has appeared as a soloist with the National Symphony
and The New York Philharmonic. Among his regional productions are King Lear, Front Page, 1776,
Camelot, Dark Of The Moon.
JENN HARRIS (the woman) is excited to return to TheaterWorks. Off Broadway: Silence! The Musical,
Modern Orthodox (Lucille Lortel Award & Theatre World Award), All in the Timing, The Understudy,
New Jerusalem. Berkshire Theatre Festival: Pageant Play, The Heidi Chronicles. New York Stage &
Film: In Your Arms. The Wilma Theatre: The Understudy. Williamstown: Blithe Spirit, God of Vengeance,
The Winter’s tale, Street Scene. The MUNY: Hairspray. NY: The Plank Project, Our Hit Parade at Joe’s
Pub, QWAN Company’s SWAN!!! and NOTES! Film: Gayby (Official Selection SXSW 2012), 5 Doctors,
Better Living through Chemistry, A Case of You, Confessions of a Shopaholic. TV: High
Maintenance, Alpha House, 30 Rock, Eastsiders, Bored to Death, Law & Order, Law & Order C.I.,
Guiding Light. Boston University School for the Arts, L.A.M.D.A., The Second City (Chicago). Meet
The Agents web series on youtube. Jenn's solo show The Moment You Been Waiting Four premiered at
The Duplex this year, and her web series New York is Dead which she co-wrote, produced and stars
with Matt Wilkas will be out in 2016! www.Bucketofcuddles.com
MATTHEW WILKAS (the man) is making his TheaterWorks debut. Matthew is a New York City-based
actor and writer who most recently appeared in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway where he
played the role of “Flash Thompson” and then “Peter Parker/Spider-man”. He is also the star of the
award-winning indie film hit Gayby. Matthew has acted at The Williamstown Theatre Festival, The
Huntington Theatre Company, The Berkshire Theatre Festival, The Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, and
The Sundance Theatre Institute, under the direction of Michael Greif, Anna D. Shapiro, Will Frears,
Carolyn Cantor, Mark Brokaw, Nicholas Martin, and Trip Cullman. His television credits include guest
appearances on Looking, Ugly Betty, Hope and Faith, All My Children, As the World Turns and Law and
Order. He also appeared in Chris Rock's film Top Five.
JOHN CARIANI (Playwright) is an actor and a playwright. As an actor, he has appeared on and off
Broadway, at regional theaters across the country, and in several films and television shows. He is
currently starring in Something Rotten! on Broadway. As a playwright, he is best known for his first
play, Almost, Maine (TheaterWorks, 2013). His new plays, Love/Sick (TheaterWorks, 2014) and Last
Gas, are being published by Dramatists Play Service. Thank you, Rob, for inviting me to be a part of
CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS. It’s an honor to be featured alongside such an amazing group of
playwrights.
JEFFREY HATCHER (Playwright) Broadway: Never Gonna Dance (book). Off-Broadway / Regional:
Three Viewings, A Picasso, Scotland Road, Turn of the Screw, Tuesdays with Morrie (with Mitch Albom),
Murder by Poe, Neddy, Ten Chimneys, Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Mrs. Mannerly, Murderers, Ella,
Korczak’s Children, Cousin Bette and others at TheaterWorks, Manhattan Theatre Club, Guthrie, Old
Globe, Yale Rep, Geffen, Seattle Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse and dozens more in the U.S. and abroad.
Film/ TV: Stage Beauty, Casanova, The Duchess, episodes of Columbo, and the upcoming MR
HOLMES starring Ian McKellan. Grants/Awards: NEA, TCG, 2013 IVEY Lifetime Achievement Award,
Rosenthal New Play Prize, Charles MacArthur Fellowship Award, Barrymore Award Best New Play (A
Picasso), and L.A. Critics Circle Award Best Adaptation (Cousin Bette).
JACQUES LAMARRE (Playwright) is the playwright behind TheaterWorks’ 2012 production of I Loved, I
Lost, I Made Spaghetti, which toured this year to the Culinary Institute of America, Florida Rep, and
exotic Waterbury. Rob Ruggiero directed Jacques’ Ned & Sunny – A Hartford Love Story (starring
Jill Eikenberry, Michael Tucker, and Colin McEnroe) for the Roberts Foundation’s
50th Anniversary. The Emerson Theatre Collaborative produced his play Gray Matters for the
Midtown International Theatre Festival. Jacques has written twelve shows for drag performer Varla Jean
Merman including such favorites as Twice Upon a Mattress, The Book of Merman and Varla Jean and
the Mushroomheads. His newest play Born Fat was work shopped at the Philly Fringe Festival and
premieres at Seven Angels in Waterbury in January.
MATTHEW LOMBARDO (Playwright) Broadway: High with Kathleen Turner at the Booth Theatre
and Looped starring Valerie Harper in a Tony nominated performance at The Lyceum Theatre. OffBroadway: Tea at Five (w/ Kate Mulgrew) at the Promenade Theatre; Mother and Child (w/ Ann
Wedgeworth) at Second Stage and Guilty Innocence at The Actors’ Playhouse. His plays have broken
box office records at several regional theatres across the country, and his work has been produced at
such prestigious venues as Seattle Rep, The Shubert Theatre(Boston), Hartford Stage, Pasadena
Playhouse, Arena Stage (DC), The Hippodrome Theatre (Baltimore), The Broward Center for Performing
Arts, The Orphuem Theatre (Phoenix), The Curran Theatre (San Francisco) American Repertory Theatre
and many others. #grinchyclaus
THERESA REBECK (Playwright) New York productions: Poor Behavior, Dead Accounts, Seminar, The
Understudy, Mauritius, The Scene, The Water’s Edge, Bad Dates, The Butterfly Collection, Spike Heels,
Loose Knit, The Family of Mann, View of the Dome, and Omnium Gatherum (co-written, Pulitzer finalist).
Publications: Collected Plays Volumes I, II and III, Free Fire Zone and two novels, Three Girls and Their
Brother and Twelve Rooms With a View. Film: Harriet the Spy, Gossip, and the independent features
Sunday on the Rocks and Seducing Charlie Barker (adapted from her play The Scene). Awards include
the Writer’s Guild of America Award for Episodic Drama, a Peabody Award for work on NYPD Blue, the
National Theatre Conference Award, the William Inge New Voices Playwriting Award, the PEN/Laura
Pels Foundation Award, the Athena Film Festival Award, an Alex Award, a Lilly Award. She is the creator
of the NBC drama, Smash.
E D W IN S A N CH E Z (Playwright) is the winner of National Latino Playwriting Award for La Bella
Familia. Other plays include Trafficking in Broken Hearts. I’ll Take Romance, Diosa, Unmerciful Good
Fortune, Icarus and Barefoot Boy With Shoes On. His work has been produced regionally throughout the
United States as well as in Brazil, Russia and Switzerland. Awards include the Kennedy Center Fund for
New American Plays (Clean), three New York Foundation for the Arts Playwriting/Screenwriting
Fellowships, the Princess Grace Playwriting Fellowship, the Daryl Roth Creative Spirit Award and the
AT&T On Stage New Play Award. He is also the proud author of his first novel, Diary of a Puerto Rican
Demigod, available on Amazon, The Drama Book Shop, La Casa Azul Bookstore and The Golden
Notebook in Woodstock. Edwin lives in upstate New York where he continues to write as well as teach
and mentor playwrights
JONATHAN TOLINS (Playwright) was most recently represented on Broadway by additional material he
contributed with his husband, Robert Cary, to the revival of On the Town. He is best known as the author
of Buyer & Cellar, which won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show off-Broadway and was
recently named one of the top ten most produced plays in America. Other plays include The Twilight of
the Golds, If Memory Serves, The Last Sunday in June, and Secrets of the Trade. Film/TV work includes
The Twilight of the Golds, Martian Child, Queer as Folk, The Academy Awards, The Tony Awards,
Partners, and the upcoming BrainDead. He and Robert Cary have written the adaptation of the classic
musical Grease, to be telecast live in January on Fox TV. He has written articles for Opera News, Opera
Monthly, TheaterWeek, Time Magazine, and The Huffington Post, and is a regular panelist on the
Metropolitan Opera Radio Quiz. He lives in Fairfield, Connecticut with his husband and their children,
Selina and Henry.
RO B RU G G IE RO (Director/Producing Artistic Director) has been a part of TheaterWorks artistic
leadership for 23 years. He has directed over 50 shows, including THIRD, Good People, Christmas on
the Rocks, Annapurna, The Other Place and Time Stands Still. Rob has earned national recognition for
his work on plays and musicals. His Broadway credits include Looped (starring Valerie Harper in a Tonynominated performance) and High (starring Kathleen Turner). Off-Broadway, he conceived and directed
the original musical revue entitled Make Me a Song: The Music of William Finn (Nominated for the
Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle Awards). Rob conceived and directed the world premiere
musical portrait of Ella Fitzgerald entitled Ella, which was seen on more than 24 regional theater stages
from 2005-2010 before beginning a National Tour. His work has received multiple awards and
recognition here in Connecticut, as well as in other cities around the United States. Rob most recently
directed La Cage aux Folles, his ninth collaboration with Goodspeed Musicals where he also directed
highly successful productions of Fiddler on the Roof (Connecticut Critic’s Circle Award for Best Direction),
The Most Happy Fella (Connecticut Critic’s Circle Award for Best Direction), Carousel (Broadway World
Award), Annie Get Your Gun, Camelot, Big River, 1776 and a new adaptation of Show Boat
(Connecticut Critic’s Circle Award for Best Direction). This new version is now being licensed by the
Rogers & Hammerstein Organization and will be produced this winter at the Sheffield Theater in
Sheffield, England. www.robruggiero.com
MICHAEL SCHWEIKARDT (Set Designer) Nineteen seasons at TheaterWorks. Productions include:
THIRD, Love/Sick, Christmas On The Rocks, Almost, Maine, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Ella, Kimberly
Akimbo, The SantaLand Diaries, Tuesdays With Morrie, Fully Committed, Snakebit, Southern Comfort,
Master Class, The Beauty Queen Of Leenane, Three Tall Women, Eleemosynary, How I Learned To
Drive, Full Gallop, Paul Robeson, Love Letters, Cloud Tectonics, Last Lists of My Mad Mother, Molly
Sweeney, The Size of The World, Spic-O-Rama, The Dragon And The Pearl, The Golden Age, Goblin
Market and Uncle Bob. Michael is proud to be a part of TheaterWorks 30th Anniversary Season and
wishes to thank his constant collaborators Rob Ruggiero and John Lasiter, as well as the many
TheaterWorks artists and artisans who have given generously of their talents for so many years.
www.mspostfolio.com
ALEJO VIETTI (Costume Design) TheaterWorks: Venus in Fur, Ella, Woman Before a Glass, and
Make Me a Song. New York: Broadway's Allegiance, and Beautiful -The Carole King musical- (also
West End - Olivier Nomination – and national tour), Manhattan Theatre Club, Primary Stages, MCC,
Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, Irish Rep, The New Group, Cherry Lane, Rattlestick, Soho Rep, and
Ensemble Studio Theatre among others. Selected Regional: Hartford Stage, Alley Theatre, Longwharf,
Old Globe, Guthrie, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Goodspeed, La Jolla Playhouse, Arena Stage,
Repertory Theatre of Saint Louis, Paper Mill, Pittsburgh Public, Cleveland Playhouse, Cincinnati Play
House, Colorado Ballet, Wolf Trap Opera and Minnesota Opera. Others: Ringling Brothers, Edinburgh
Fringe, Donetsk Opera (Ukraine). TDF Irene Sharaff Young Master Award Recipient.
JOHN LASITER (Lighting Design) CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS marks John’s 38th show at
TheaterWorks and his 22nd year of association with the theater. Broadway: HIGH starring Kathleen
Turner. Regional: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, Arizona Repertory Theatre, Asolo Repertory
Theatre, Center Stage, Cincinnati Play House, Cleveland PlayHouse, Dallas Theater Center, Florida
Stage, George Street Playhouse, Geva Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, The Guthrie Theater, Hartford
Stage Company, Long Wharf Theater, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, The Muny in St. Louis, New
Mexico Repertory Theatre, Pioneer Theater Company, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pittsburgh Public
Theater, South Coast Repertory, Syracuse Stage, Virginia Stage Company and Repertory Theatre of St.
Louis. Off-Broadway: Alarm Dog Repertory Company, Blue Light Theater Company, Music Theater.
www.johnlasiter.com
MICHAEL MICELI (Sound Design) Michael’s TheaterWorks credits include: THIRD, Annapura, Freud’s
Last Session, Christmas on the Rocks, The Mountaintop, The SantaLand Diaries, and Speech & Debate.
South Pacific at Asolo Rep; Resurrection, Mahalia: A Gospel Musical, The Devil’s Music, Crowns, Ain’t
Misbehavin’, and Floyd & Clea Under the Western Sky at Hartford Stage; Resurrection at Philadelphia
Theatre Company; Daddy Long Legs and Emma at Cincinnati Playhouse; Emma at Repertory Theatre of
St. Louis; and As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night, and Macbeth at ArtFarm. He
sound designed ELLA: The Musical, which ran at numerous regional theaters and as a national tour.
Michael is partner at Miceli Productions, a photo and video production boutique.
www.MiceliProductions.com
MARK ADAM RAMPMEYER (Wig Design) is thrilled to be working on CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS
with Rob and the TheaterWorks family, again. Mark’s work has been seen on Broadway in West Side
Story, Lysistrata Jones and The Farnsworth Invention to name a few. Mark has designed A Song at
Twilight, The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore and To Kill a Mocking Bird for Hartford Stage
Company. He is the recipient of a special Drama Desk award for his contributions to the creative team
for Horton Foote’s The Orphans’ Home Cycle. Mark makes his home in East Haddam CT and is the
Costume Rental Manager for the Goodspeed Opera House. He wishes everyone a very happy holiday
season! *peep*
C. NIKKI MILLS (Production Manager) is looking forward to this third iteration of Christmas on the Rocks
and is excited to watch this project evolve and grow. She has immensely valued her time at
TheaterWorks overseeing the Production department, propping the shows, working on many special
events and community outreach projects, but mostly getting to know this team and family at
TheaterWorks. Nikki will be moving on to begin a new phase of her career as Associate Head of
Production at her Alma Mater, Yale School of Drama/Yale Repertory Theater.
K A T E J. CU D W O RT H (Production Stage Manager) TheaterWorks: THIRD, I’ll Eat You Last, Good
People, Playing the Assassin, Dancing Lessons, Christmas on the Rocks ’14, Annapurna, Woody Sez,
LOVE/SICK, The Other Place, Freud’s Last Session, Christmas on the Rocks ‘13, Mrs. Mannerly, Time
Stands Still, Becoming Dr. Ruth. Off-Broadway: Freud’s Last Session, [title of show]. NY/Regional:
Barrington Stage Company (8 seasons including Freud’s Last Session; Dr. Ruth, All The Way; Joe
Iconis’ The Black Suits), Atlantic Stage Company, Hartford Stage, Manhattan School of Music (4
seasons including Cosi fan tutte; Thais; Mahagonny), Yale Opera, York Theatre Company, Bronx Opera
Company, Fringe NYC, NYMF.
###
Now in its 30th season, TheaterWorks produces high quality, contemporary theater that is relevant to
our audiences, engages a diverse community, and provides insight into the human experience.
Founded in 1985 by Steve Campo, TheaterWorks has produced over 130 plays and
presents approximately 225 performances per season.
TheaterWorks also owns and manages the historic 1927-built property at 233 Pearl Street, known as
City Arts on Pearl. City Arts provides an affordable home and services to a diverse family of non-profit
arts organizations.
TheaterWorks 233 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103