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Pacific Overtures

May 17 – Jul 3, 2005
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In the way only Signature can, we bring you Sondheim's journey into the Far East. Spanning 120 years of Japan's fascinating history, Pacific Overtures begins in 1853 with America's first contact and tells the story of Japan's emergence from an isolated country rooted in tradition to its current position at the forefront of international politics. The story is told through the eyes of Kayama and Manjiro - two friends turned bitter enemies as they struggle with traditional and Western influences. With a musical style based on the ancient form of Kabuki theatre, a chamber version of Pacific Overtures will be thrilling in Signature's intimate space.

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by John Weidman
Additional material by Hugh Wheeler
Directed by Eric Schaeffer

The Cast

Michael Bunce

Shogun's Mother, Merchant, Officer, British Admiral, Sailor

SIGNATURE: Beaches, Urinetown, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd. NATIONAL TOURS: The Scarlet Pimpernel, Victor/Victoria (with Toni Tennille). INTERNATIONAL: 42nd Street (Troika Moscow). DC AREA: Ford’s Theatre: 110 In the Shade, Our Town, A Christmas Carol, 1776, Liberty Smith, Meet John Doe, One Destiny; Olney Theatre Center: 1776, Anything Goes; Kennedy Center: Regina (with Patti LuPone); Rep Stage: The Fantasticks, Cumberland: Dirty Blonde, The Full Monty, Camping with Henry and Tom.  REGIONAL: Geva: Camelot; Barrington: South Pacific.

Matt Conner

Tomate, Son, Kanagawa Girl, Commodore Perry, Lord Daughter

SIGNATURE: The Fix (Frankie/Ensemble), Elmer Gantry (Art Nichols), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Rufus/Senator Wingwoah), Hairspray (Male Authority Figure), Sunset Boulevard (Manfred), Sweeney Todd (Bird Seller/Jonas Fogg), Show Boat (Windy), Les Miserables (Thenardier, Pimp), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Aurelio), Merrily We Roll Along (Scottie), The Witches of Eastwick (Toby), Into the Woods (Steward), My Fair Lady (Cockney), Assassins (Hinckley), Pacific Overtures (Tamate, Lion Dancer), A Funny Thing…Forum (Protean). DC AREA: Olney Theatre Center: West Side Story (Riff); Synetic Theatre: Oscar Wilde’s Salome (Page of Herodias); ATW: Naked Boys Singing; Open Circle Theatre: Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas). COMPOSITIONS: Signature: Silver Belles, Crossing, The Hollow, Nevermore, Partial Eclipse; Regional: Night of the Living Dead, Turn of the Screw, Monsters of the Villa Diodati.

Will Gartshore

Kayama

SIGNATURE: A Little Night Music, The Fix, Show Boat, Merrily We Roll Along, My Fair Lady, Assassins, Sex Habits of American Women, Urinetown, Pacific Overtures, Elegies, Allegro, Twentieth Century, Follies, Grand Hotel, Side Show, Floyd Collins, Anyone Can Whistle in Concert. BROADWAY: Parade. OFF-BROADWAY: The Last Session, Encores!: Ziegfield Follies of 1936. DC AREA: Round House: Caroline, or Change; Ordinary Days; This; %(underline)Becky Shaw%; Orson’s Shadow; A Year with Frog and Toad; The World Goes ‘Round; Kennedy Center: The Great Gatsby, Passion; Theatre J: The Religion Thing; Woolly Mammoth: The Velvet Sky; Olney: Monster; Studio: Privates on Parade, A New Brain. Library of Congress: West Side Story 50th Anniversary, Stephen Sondheim's 70th Birthday. REGIONAL: Philadelphia Theatre Co: Elegies; Prince: Myths + Hymns, 3hree; Ahmanson: 3hree; Goodspeed: Fanny Hill, Lucky in the Rain. AWARDS: Three Helen Hayes Awards, nine nominations.

Channez McQuay

Councilor, Grandmother, Wife, Madam, Officer, Noble, Lord

SIGNATURE: See What I Wanna See (The Medium and Aunt Monica), Les Misérables (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Ensemble), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Molina’s Mother), Into the Woods (Stepmother), My Fair Lady (Mrs. Eynsford-Hill), Nevermore (Muddy), Pacific Overtures (Ensemble). DC AREA: Ford’s Theatre: Meet John Doe (Betty); Studio Theatre: The Adding Machine (Quartet), The Gifts of the Magi (City Her), Reefer Madness (Mae), Oil City Symphony (Ginger); Olney: Jacques Brel..., Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Joy), The Doll Makers Dilemma (Gertrude); Rep Stage: Falsettos (Charlotte); Toby’s: Ragtime (Emma, Helen Hayes nomination), Gypsy (Rose), Funny Girl (Fanny), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), Fiddler on the Roof (Golde), Pippin (Berthe), Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts).
Donna Migliaccio

Donna Migliaccio

Reciter

SIGNATURE: Co-founder; Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Gypsy, The Highest Yellow, Urinetown, Assassins, The Threepenny Opera, Sunday in the Park with George, Girlstar, Kid Victory, Silver Belles. BROADWAY: War Paint, Ragtime (2009 revival). NATIONAL TOUR: Guys & Dolls (50th anniversary production). REGIONAL: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: Sunday in the Park with George, Oliverio: A Brazilian Twist, Katie Couric’s The Brand New Kid; Ford’s Theatre: Liberty Smith, Sabrina Fair; Olney Theatre Center: Cabaret, Bakersfield Mist, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, The Sound of Music; Arena Stage: Guys & Dolls, The Music Man; Alabama Shakespeare Festival: The Little Mermaid. AUTHOR: The Gemeta Stone series. AWARDS: Two-time Helen Hayes Award winner, twelve additional nominations. www.donnamigliaccio.com
Thomas Adrian Simpson

Thomas Adrian Simpson

Councilor, Companion, Priest, Russian Admiral, Sailor, Assassin

SIGNATURE: Jesus Christ Superstar, Three Penny Opera, Company, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Boy Detective Fails, The Hollow, Les Misérables, The Witches of Eastwick, My Fair Lady, Pacific Overtures, Urinetown, Twentieth Century, 110 in the Shade (2004 Helen Hayes nomination), Floyd Collins, Grand Hotel, Over and Over, Vera. DC AREA: Arena Stage: A Raisin in the Sun, Mary T. & Lizzy K., My Fair Lady, The Light in the Piazza; Ford’s Theatre: 1776, Liberty Smith, Meet John Doe, A Christmas Carol; Shakespeare Theatre: Candide, The Boys From Syracuse; Kennedy Center: Orphie and the Book of Heroes; Olney Theatre Center: Sweeney Todd, Oh, Coward!, 1776, Oliver. TV: House of Cards, America’s Most Wanted. EDUCATION: UNC School of the Arts.
Stephen Gregory Smith

Stephen Gregory Smith

Samurai, Observer, Officer, Priest, Kanagawa Girl, Boy, French Admiral, Sailor

SIGNATURE: Midwestern Gothic, Titanic, The Fix, Elmer Gantry, Miss Saigon, Whorehouse, Brother Russia (Prince Felix), Hairspray (Corny Collins), The Boy Detective Fails (Billy Argo), Sunset Boulevard, Les Misérables, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Into the Woods (Jack), My Fair Lady, Assassins (Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald), Pacific Overtures, The Highest Yellow, One Red Flower (Billy), Allegro (Charlie), 110 in the Shade (Jimmy, 2004 Helen Hayes Award). DC AREA: DCAC: High Fidelity (Rob); Studio Theatre: Adding Machine: A Musical (SHRDLU), MetroStage: tick, tick…BOOM! (Jon); Ford’s Theatre: 110 in the Shade, Freedom's Song, Violet, The Civil War, Meet John Doe; Arena Stage: Oliver!, Damn Yankees; Kennedy Center: First You Dream, Regina; Olney Theatre Center: Avenue Q (Nicky/Trekkie).  

Harry A. Winter

Samurai, Thief, Physician, Kanagawa Girl, Old Man, Dutch Admiral, Storyteller

SIGNATURE: Allegro, 110 in the Shade, Hairspray (18 more). NATIONAL TOURS: Gigi, Jolson: the Musical. DC AREA: Kiss Me, Kate; Racing Demon; Come From Away (US); The Magic Play; Pins and Needles; Bringing Up Amy.

Design & Direction