Meet the Cast " The Lady of Phillimore Walk" 2007

Allan Warren is the brother of a local actress and dancer, Shirley Anne Ashcroft. He is a renowned British Celebrity Photographer who began his career at seventeen when a friend asked him to cover his wedding – to Judy Garland. Allan has published several books of celebrity photographs and about his adventures as a photographer. He travels frequently between London and Los Angeles. You can read about his interesting career (photographing celebrities like Roger Moore, Sophie Loren, Bob Hope, all the Dukes of England, HRH Prince of Wales and even the inimitable Mae West!) on his website, www.allanwarren.com.

Director’s Notes

This is quite an opportunity for me even though presenting the USA premier of a play could be pretty daunting. Luckily for me, the author, Allan Warren, has generously given us permission to adapt it, slightly, according to our own vision. The play had its World Premier in Perth, Scotland in 1992 and was a great success. We are fortunate to have had it given to us and to be able to present it to you.

The play is a creative mystery with many twists and turns. There are too few of this type written today. The twists, turns and surprises can really sneak up on you. You will probably want to even see this again in order to catch all of the subtle “fast turns”. Sorry, I can’t give you more details or I will spoil the show.

The cast, crew and I have had a lot of fun and the cast certainly got right into character. I’d like to thank the cast and our stage manager for all their great ideas and Dianna Hanger, our Producer, for all her hard work. It has been a real pleasure directing this show.

Michael Nangle, Director

Setting:
The home of Lady P, an older mansion in Philadelphia

Time:
The Present

Prologue:
In the morning

ACT I

Scene 1: Same day, a few hours later in the afternoon

Scene 2: A few months later, in the morning

Scene 3: That night

ACT II

Scene 1: The next day in the morning

Cast of Characters

Lady P.........................................................................Ginger King
Barratt....................................................................Michael Grubin

Meet the Cast

(in alphabetical order)

MEET THE DIRECTOR

MICHAEL NANGLE (Director) – Mike is a member of the Board of Directors of FWP. As a director, actor and teacher of theatre Mike has worked on over 40 productions in Tampa Bay, Boston, Los Angeles and New York City. He has recently returned to our area after teaching at an international university in Ecuador. Locally, he co-directed Godspell at Oak Grove Middle School.

MEET THE CAST

MICHAEL GRUBIN (Barratt) – Mike loves the theatre and has been performing off and on for twenty years. Up north, after some training at Worth Tyrell Studios, he ventured out to do Mystery Dinner Theatre work in the role of Sam Spillane in Murder at Midnight. Mike must be crazy because he has been cast twice as Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace. (Poor Teddy thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt.) Other roles have included Mr. Beaurevers in a Shot In the Dark with the Passage Players and Mr. Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank. Here in Florida, Mike toured various retirement homes playing Uncle Sol in the spoof, Zodiac and he also enjoyed a string of three back to back plays at the Bill Irle Dinner Theatre. These included playing Abe Dreyfus in Squabbles and Sam Katz in The Cemetery Club. Recently, he has been volunteering at assisted living and nursing homes as a story-teller in one of the 22 dialects he can butcher at will. Mike lives in Dunedin with his lovely wife, Marie, whose continued support he deeply appreciates.

GINGER KING (Lady P) – Ginger is delighted to be back in lights of FWP. She has been absent since putting on her tap shoes to play the role of Vera in Stepping Out. Ginger has performed on Bay Area Stages in such favorites as Auntie Mame, as Mame; The Glass Menagerie, as Amanda; Steel Magnolias, as M’Lynn and Truvy; High Society as Mother Lord; and On Golden Pond as Chelsea. Ginger is a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild and has been featured in numerous commercials and can be seen in the feature films Palmetto and Olive Juice.

TIFFANY WRIGHT (Stage Manager) – Tiffany is 15 years old and attending the 2007-2008 school year at Clearwater High School. She attended Oak Grove Middle School where she gained experience as stage manager for Guys and Dolls, Jr and Godspell, Jr. Doing these plays has developed her talent and given her skills in an area that she enjoys.

AUDITIONS

Auditions are open to the community and volunteers are welcome in all areas of theater production.

About Francis Wilson Playhouse