written and directed by Peter Wing Healey

music by Linda Dowdell

The spirit of a centuries-old oak tree on a ridge outside a small town falls in love with a poetic young man from the town.  She comes out of her tree and marries him when his first marriage falls apart.  They move to the big city where he will pursue his dream of becoming an architect.  His ex-wife, taking custody of their son, marries again, this time to a local developer.  When, years later, the developer decides to build a mall outside the now growing town it becomes clear that he plans to cut down the old tree.  The town is instantly polarized and the son joins with a band of tree-sitters to protest the construction.  The architect and the tree spirit watch helplessly as the situation deteriorates.  When the tree is finally felled she dies but in the process he receives the gift of a vision that will enable him to transform the world.

An exciting, contemporary re-telling of an ancient Shinto myth combined with the story of today’s struggle to save our old-growth forests and stop the sprawl.   Tying together themes being addressed by a broad world movement chrystalising around such organizations as Smart Growth and Congress for a New Urbanism, The Tree attempts to sing about the unthinkable – is there life without cars?

March 30 to April 16, 2006

The Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock; The Eagle Rock Community Cultural Association

and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

in association with The Mesopotamian Opera Company

present

The Tree

written and directed by Peter Wing Healey  music by Linda Dowdell

costumes Karolyn Kiisel         lighting David Kelting  

decors  Tanya Kovaleski, Max Hendler, Claire Keith

pianist/conductor David O

executive producer  Jenny Krusoe

consultant to Mr. Wing Healey  Kevin Malony

assistants to Ms. Kiisel  Priscilla  Ellen

assistant to the producer  Kate Solow

assistants to Mr. O Paul Peglar, Benjamin Coria, Dan Bridston, Twyla Meyer

assistant to Mr. Wing Healey  Natalie Stephens

house manager  Melody Moore  technical director Doug Smith    

The Tree is support in part by grants from The James Irvine Foundation and The Noah Wyle Foundation

Special Thanks To:

Joan Zajac,  Don Blasius, Jon 9,  Jim Boutin,  Sasha and Bill Anawalt,  Adrianne Lobel,

The Latino Theater Company and the Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture

Doug Smith, John Ryan of Cartell New York,  Patricia Faure, Diana Castle, Nancy Campeau, Scott Demian, John Fleck, Karen Hogle Brown,

Grant Gershon, Laurie Hendricks, Stacey Frederick, Vidala, Chris Knobloch,  Tonoccus McClain, Bonnie Oda Homsey

Christina Sterner, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Huong

Hoang at the Baryshnikov Arts Center; John Capes, Ross Crolius, Susan

Derry, Craig Fols, Evangelia Kingsley, Kristin Maloney, Russ Salmon,

Dorothy Stanley, A.J. Stevenson, Gillian Berkowitz, Diana Herold.

Donors

Benefactors: to $250 Pauline Annon, Selma Holo and Fred Croton, Hope Arthur, Kristin Rey, Hermine Fuerst Garcia and Richard Kahlenberg

Patrons: to $500:  Harry Hall, Dr. Michael Pearl, Mark Morris,  Hunt Cole, Emma Lew Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Healey, Dominic and Hem Young DeFazio,  Russell Ellison, Jonathan Lubin, Adrianne Lobel and Mark Linn Baker

Angels: $1000 and up:  Pat Carlton and Dinikar Ramakrishnan, Dave Brisbin and Laura Innes, Cynthia Sanders and Jim Russell, Don Blasius, The Noah Wyle Foundation

Cast in order of Appearance:

Narrator:                                                      Drew Lavey

Frank LaTalle                                                 Mathew Edwardsen

Accacia/Chorale/Serena/Movie Star           Elender Wall

Jessica Marie de Sappler Castlegrove, III                                                                      Khorshed Dastoor 3/ 30, 4/ 1, 8, 9, 14, 15

                                                                   Lucia Lynn 3/ 31, 4/  2, 6, 7, 13, 16     

Tolorosa Dellaroyo                                   Mayra Bassaraba     

Eucalyptus/Eyce Kublick/Park Worker               Trader Selkirk

Patty Grandy/Pine/Movie Star                    Catherine Ireland

Jim Grandy, Mayor of Edgeville                    Eric Greenlee

Bramble                                                      Clint Steinhauser

Orange/Rhude Frahthaus/Chorale                    Cynthia Sanders

Red, Sequoia Chief/Hank Spraoul               Mathew Accuff

Dancer                                                       Marlon Pelayo

Robert/Ivy                                                      John Rael

Sparrow/Willow                                        Lisa Boyd

Vine/Movie Star/Chorale                              Bruce Anderson

Walnut/Movie Star/Chorale                         Bruce Wright

Maple/Movie Star/Chorale                         Robert Long

Palm/Movie Star/Chorale                         Lauren Lee

Linda Dowdell and Peter Wing Healey (left)

Clint Steinhauser as Bramble (above)

Elender Wall and Lauren Lee  (far left)

Matthew Acuff and Trader Selkirk (below)