After being discharged from the army, Simon returned to New York and took a job as a mailroom clerk for Warner Brother's East Coast office. He and his brother Danny began writing comedy revues and eventually found their way into radio, then television where they toiled alongside the likes of Woody Allen, Mel Brooks and Larry Gelbart writing for The Phil Silvers Show and Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows. Simon received several Emmy Award nominations for his television writing, then moved on to the stage where he quickly established himself as America's most successful commercial playwright by creating an unparalleled string of Broadway hits beginning with Come Blow Your Horn. During the 1966-67 season, Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Sweet Charity and The Star Spangled Girl were all running simultaneously. During the 1970-71 season, Broadway theatregoers had their choice of Plaza Suite, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, and Promises, Promises. Still, critical acclaim came slowly for Simon. In spite of the fact that he had had more smash hits than any other American playwright, critics continued to take pleasure in dismissing him as a mere "writer of gags."
In 1973, following the death of his wife, Simon reached a low point in his career with two failures The Good Doctor (1973) and God's Favorite (1976). A move to California, however, reinvigorated him and he produced a much more successful play later that year in California Suite. After marrying actress Marsha Mason, Simon went on to write Chapter Two (1977) which was considered by many critics to be his finest play to that date. His fourth musical, They're Playing Our Song, proved fairly successful in 1979, but his next three plays (I Ought to Be in Pictures, Fools and a revised version of Little Me) all proved unsuccessful at the box office.
Then, in 1983, Simon began to win over many of his critics with the introduction of his autobiographical trilogy--Brighton Beach Memoirs (1983), Biloxi Blues (1985) and Broadway Bound (1986)--which chronicled his stormy childhood, his brief Army time, and the beginning of his career in television. Suddenly the critics began taking him seriously. He followed up in 1991 with Lost in Yonkers for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
During the course of his career, Simon has won three Tony Awards for Best Play (The Odd Couple, Biloxi Blues and Lost in Yonkers.) He has had more plays adapted to film than any other American playwright and, in addition, has written nearly a dozen original screenplays himself. He received Academy Award nominations for his screenplays The Odd Couple (1968), The Sunshine Boys (1975) and California Suite (1978). He has also been the recipient of the Antoinette Perry Award, the Writers Guild Award, the Evening Standard Award, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Shubert Award, the Outer Circle Award, and a 1978 Golden Globe Award for his screenplay, The Goodbye Girl.
Ross has directed, acted, and produced theatre in the Bay Area for the last 25 years. A graduate of San Jose State University, Ross held the position of Artistic Director of City Lights Theater in San Jose until 2001. Among his favorite shows are: Fat Men in Skirts, by Nicky Silver, The Monogomist, by Christopher Kyle, Italian/American Reconciliation, by John Patrick Shanley, and The Norman Conquests by Sir Alan Ayckbourn. In 1995, Mr. Nelson was a Dramalogue recipient for his production of Praying Mantis, by Alejandro Sieveking. This is Ross' first involvement with Dreamweavers. He is proud to be joining his great friend and colleague, June Alane Reif in this production.
June has directed Ross; Ross has directed June. For the first time, they are both on the same side of the proscenium! This is June’s directorial debut at Dreamweavers, though you may remember her as Juliet in last summer’s Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet). Previous directing credits include Definitely Not a Christmas Carol for City Lights Theater Company and Talk Show for Tangelo Productions both in San Jose and The Astronomer’s Wife for The Reader’s Theater in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She would like to thank the cast and crew for their wonderful energy, enthusiasm and talent and her husband, Bob, for his patience.
Janet is delighted to be making her debut backstage performance with Dreamweavers. A second year board member and actor, you may have seen her in Not Now Darling, harkening back to her British roots! Janet has appeared on stage for almost 20 years in the Bay Area performing in dramas, comedies, musicals and even opera! Janet is especially excited to work behind the scenes with such a wonderful crew and fun cast! During the day she works as a litigation legal assistant for a busy law firm and enjoys the diversity of working in the theatre at night. Janet resides in American Canyon with Phil, her husband of 26 years, dog Chelsea and cat Willow. Love to you all for your patience. Oh yes and their two grown adult children living in Berkeley for making us proud!
Adrian has recently come to the acting arena. He has been on active duty in Napa doing such plays as A Musical Midsummer Nights Dream as half of Starvling, then on to Snow Queen, as the 'artist formally known as' Prince. He is making his first appearance with Dreamweavers Theater as Donald Carney in Biloxi Blues. He hopes to continue his progression in the Art as he looks to the future.
This is Phil's second production with Dreamweavers. He is excited to be back after doing last summer's Picnic. He just finished his first semester of college where he is studying acting and hopes to further his skills through this show. He would like to thank his family and friends for their understanding and support.
Abbigail is making her debut with Dreamweavers Theater. A native to the stage, Abbigail moved to Napa from Des Moines, Iowa. She spent several years with the Des Moines production of The Nutcracker. Abbigail has also done various one-act and improvisational groups, including an awarded performance of The Cagebirds. More recently she has been involved with several midwest independant films, The Revenge and, most notably, Vamoose. Vamoose is slated to premier at the Sundance Film Festival in spring of 2005.
David is seventeen and a junior at Napa High School and an active member of their drama department. Though he has been in several performances in Napa High’s production including Twelfth Night, Jungle Book, Cinderella, and James and the Giant Peach, this is his first Dreamweavers production. When he isn’t acting, marching in the Napa High Marching Band, or doing the countless hours of homework he receives from the AP and honors classes he takes, he enjoys bike riding with his brother and scuba diving with his father.
This is Jakeˆs first production with Dreamweavers Theatre. Previous roles include Steve in Babes in Arms and Mayor Dawgmeat in Liˆl Abner. Born in Santa Monica, California, Jake moved to North Carolina at age 8 where he studied theater in high school. As a recent arrival here in Napa, he plans to attend Napa Valley Community College and eventually get a degree in theater. He hopes to be a big star in Hollywood some day.
Thom is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, where he was, úbitten by the bug.î His first stage performance was in Jesus Christ Superstar. Returning to Napa, he had the wonderful opportunity to play the Captain in Dames at Sea and has been in the musicals at Napa Valley College since. Always wanting to be a better performer, Thom started stage acting where once again he fell in love with the craft of acting. Thom hopes to some day make it on the silver screen but enjoys living in The Valley for now. He sends his love and admiration to his physical and spiritual family.
Mark can't get enough Napa community theater at Dreamweavers. This is Mark's third production in a year, having the privilege to play Hal Carter in Inge's Picnic, and the drunken Dr. Lyman in Bus stop. Mark currently is a drug and alcohol counselor with teenagers at the Wolfe Center in Napa. At the end of a long day, Mark often asks himself a question of resounding social importance, "Does anyone have an Alka-Seltzer tablet?"
Robert Silva is a native Napan with an intense love of the arts. He first began acting at the age of 15 in a Children's Theater production of Annie. Later, he would study drama at Napa High, as well as perform in The Music Man. His first introduction with Dreamweaver's was in the recent production of Bus Stop as Carl the bus driver. In addition to his work in the theater, he is also an active local musician. Occasionally, he may be found wondering the streets pondering his existence, but mainly he's a laid back guy.
A native of Pierre, SD, Lindsey is excited to be appearing in her first performance with Dreamweavers. A recent graduate of Illinois State University with a double major in Vocal Performance (opera emphasis) and Music Therapy, Lindsey was last seen in Mozartˆs Impresario as Miss Silverpeal. An avid performer both musically and theatrically she has appeared in The Miracle Worker as Kate Keller, Harvey as Veta Louise Simmons, and as a soprano soloist in Mozartˆs Requiem. Lindsey is currently a Music Therapist at Napa State Hospital. She wishes to thank her family and friends spread throughout the U.S. for their unending support and encouragement in achieving her wildest dreams! Toy, Toy!
