The Lion in Winter
December 9, 2001

by James Goldman

Directed by Brian Smiar

HENRY II:
John Michalski*
ELEANOR of AQUITAINE:
Nicola Sheara*
RICHARD LIONHEART:
Thomas Bolster*
ALAIS CAPET:
Pascale Roger-McKeever
GEOFFREY:
Wallace Norman*
PHILLIP, KING OF FRANCE:
Jonathan Van Gieson
JOHN:
Dov Weinstein
CAST & CREW

THOMAS BOLSTER (Richard Lionheart) His credits include for TV: LIVE ON TAPE, LAW & ORDER, and LAW & ORDER: SVU, all for NBC. Currently running on a cable box near you HBO’s SKETCH PAD. Film: Coming this March for Fox Searchlight Films KISSING JESSICA STEIN. GAME DAY for Mercury Films. LIE NO. 1, The Wooster Group. Theater credits include: his three one man shows LUNCH, VARIORUM, and STRABISMUS. Also ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR, The Depot Theatre. IN THE PARLANCE, The Pulse Theater. LIPSCHTICK, Archlight Theater. Alternative Comedy: Luna Lounge, Here, The Duplex, Largo, LA’s Laugh Factory.

JOHN MICHALSKI (Henry II) is a graduate of the Juilliard School Drama Division, where he studied under the late John Houseman and a veteran of Mr. Houseman's The Acting Company where he toured in MEASURE FOR MEASURE, U.S.A., BEGGAR'S OPERA, ROMEO AND JULIET and TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. Handel in JOYFUL NOISE for Seven Angels Theatre, Owen in LIGHT UP THE SKY for Two River Theatre Co., Dussel in THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK with Queen City Stage and Theseus/Oberon in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM in Woodstock NY are four of John's most recent roles. Just prior, he finished a near two year association with the hit play, GROSS INDECENCY: THE THREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE, by Moises Kaufman, both Off-Broadway and at The Repertory Theatre, St. Louis. B'way: HERZL opposite Paul Hecht and GOREY STORIES directed by Tony Tanner. Off-B'way: A. R. Gurney's LATER LIFE directed by Don Scardino and John Guare's LYDIE BREEZE. Regional: GREETINGS at StageWest; OLEANA, LOST IN YONKERS and Scrooge in A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Wayside Theatre; for Shakespeare and Company, roles in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, COMEDY OF ERRORS and MACBETH. TV: OFF-SHORE TV, UNSOLVED MYSTERIES and the soaps AS THE WORLD TURNS, YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, DAYS OF OUR LIVES and GENERAL HOSPITAL. John resides in Cottekill NY with his wife actress Jillian Lindig.

WALLACE NORMAN (Geoffrey) is a versatile actor, singer and playwright and has performed in more than sixty productions in Off-Broadway, Regional and Stock theaters. To his theatrical wardrobe he recent added a producer's fedora. With co-director Deborah Savage he founded the Woodstock Theatre Company last year and produced Theater Festival 2001 at the Byrdcliffe Barn. His play CRANE COTTAGE was read as part of the Festival. He is developing a new cabaret show of theatre songs with Victoria Devany.

Currently directing a play at the New Actors Studio, PASCALE ROGER-MCKEEVER is primarily an actor and writer. Independent producers are considering her screenplay, GINGER SNAP. She will be starring in BRILLIANT TRACES next Spring.

NICOLA SHEARA (Eleanor) has performed on Broadway (GRAPES OF WRATH: Tony Award - Best Production,) Off Broadway, and in regional theaters across the country. Hudson Valley audiences have seen her in LOVE LETTERS and COLLECTED STORIES with Performing Arts of Woodstock, and in three productions at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany. She is currently appearing in two Horton Foote plays at Horton by the Stream in Elka Park, N.Y. and, in August, with the Woodstock Theater Company at the Byrdcliffe Barn. Ms. Sheara's work as a director has been seen in the area at PAW, Shadowlands, and at the Bardavon (THE THREEPENNY OPERA). Daytime serials include LOVING and LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING. Ms. Sheara records books on tape, several of which can be found on the shelves of the West Hurley Library.

BRIAN SMIAR (Director) has directed at Bucks County Playhouse, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Theatre West of Los Angeles, East Coast Arts of New Rochelle, and the Lyric Stage, Boston, to name a few. As an actor, Mr. Smiar appeared on Broadway in MIXED EMOTIONS. He has also performed at Playwrights Horizons, The Provincetown Playhouse, Fulton Opera House, Cincinnati Playhouse and The Charles Playhouse, Boston. His films include REGARDING HENRY, BOSS OF BOSSES, SHADOWS AND FOG, 13 CONVERSATIONS (soon to be released), and THE NEXT KARATE KID, and he was a regular on THE SLAP MAXWELL SHOW and L.A. FIREFIGHTERS. In addition he has been on LAW & ORDER, THIRD WATCH, ED, HOOP LIFE, CHINA BEACH, thirysomething and THE COMMISH, and recently on, THE EDUCATION OF MAX BICKFORD.

JONATHAN VAN GIESON (Phillip) was most recently seen in the 5-month run of The Quorum's FORMAT at Gotham City Improv. As a producer, credits include TINY NINJA THEATER PRESENTS MACBETH, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, KUNDALINI KOMEDY SELLS OUT (tickets still available), and web-based reality game HIDE/SEEK/NYC. His play WILK & GAYLE: a nasty little play, was read by TheaterSounds earlier this year.

DOV WEINSTEIN (John) is the founder and director of Tiny Ninja Theater. The company's first mainstage production, TINY NINJA THEATER PRESENTS MACBETH appeared in the 2000 New York International Fringe Festival, at which it won an Excellence Award for Innovation & Originality, and in the 2001 Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, S.C. In 2002, it will travel to Germany. The company's short pieces, A BRIEF HISTORY OF DUMBO, and TINY NINJA THEATER PRESENTS ELECTION 2000, have been featured as part of The DUMBO Arts Festival and the Great Small Works Toy Theater Festival, and the most recent, THE EFFECTS OF NUCLEAR WAR, appeared Saturdays in July 2001 as part of The Quorum's FORMAT at Gotham City Improv. For more information, visit the website at www.tinyninjatheater.com.

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