For Immediate Release: April 24, 2006
Media Contact: Ted Taylor, Act II Playhouse, 215.576.7212

Closer Than Ever, the final offering of the 2005-06 season at Act II Playhouse, is a musical by renowned lyricist Richard Maltby (Miss Saigon) composer David Shire (Big-The Musical). The musical opens with preview performances May 12-18 (opening night is May 19) and runs through June 11.

The time is anytime; the music is glorious and includes 24 funny, wise and witty “songs of experience” as the play opens endless doors with looks at mid life crisis, unrequited love, working couples, second marriages, Muzak, exercise and about anything else that people find themselves being preoccupied with. Each song is an intimate story of relationships in a complex world.

This production stars Scott Boulware, Christopher Sapienza, Lynette Knapp and Therese Walden. Music director is Jim Ryan and the show is directed by William Roudebush.

All weekday performances (except opening night, which begins at 7 PM) will begin at 8 PM; the Sunday performances are at 2 PM. There will be Wednesday matinees on May 24 and June 7 at 2 PM. There will be Tuesday performances on May 16 and 30 (normally the theatre is dark on Mondays and Tuesdays). For tickets call the playhouse at 215 654 0200 or you may purchase them at the box office at 56 East Butler Avenue in Ambler, PA. Prices range from $20-to-$32, depending on the performance.

For more information 215-654-0200 or go to www.act2.org.

The Cast & Director

Scott Boulware (Man 1) returns to Act II Playhouse, having previously been seen in Personals and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. Regional credits include Indiana Repertory Theatre, Playhouse Square Center (Cleveland), Boarshead Theatre (Michigan) and Drury Lane Oakbrook (Chicago). Here in Philly, Scott has appeared at People's Light, the Wilma and others. New York "credits" are small and range anywhere from quite fun to extremely embarrassing. Scott is a graduate of Northwestern University and a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Therese Walden (Woman 1) is making her Act II Playhouse debut. Favorite roles played: National Tour: Phantom of the Opera (Mme. Giry). Off Broadway: As You Like It (Celia), and Twelfth Night (Olivia). Regional Theatre: Here on the Flight Path (Faye/Angel/Gwen, Walnut Street Theatre), the Student Prince (Duchess Anastasia, Media Theatre), Romeo and Julie! The Musical (Lady Capulet, The Ordway), Love's Labour's Lost and The Lady's Not For Burning (Princess of France and Margaret, The Old Globe Theatre), Will Rogers Follies (Betty Blake, A.M.T. of San Jose), Ruthless! The Musical (Judy/Giner, Saddleback CLO), Annie (Grace, Fullerton CLO, Drama Logue Award), Brigadoon (Fiona, Santa Barbara CLO, Robby Award Nom.), Cyrano de Bergerac (Roxanne, Santa Susanna Rep). TV And Film: The Guiding Light, As the World Turns, Another World, Renegade, When I Was a Boy, National Treasure, and Joe Versus the Volcano.

Christopher Sapienza (Man 2) returns to Act II to recreate one of his favorite roles. He appeared at Act II last season in Personals and most recently at the Arden Theatre Company's World Premier of The Dinosaur Musical. Proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Other theatre credits include: The Prince Music Theatre, Fulton Opera House, Walnut Street Theatre, Bristol Riverside Theatre. Back-up vocals for Linda Eder's Christmas Concert at the Keswick Theatre. American Premiere cast of Children of Eden at The Mill Mountain Theatre, Disney Cruise Line and Jekyll and Hyde at The Gateway Playhouse. TV: Law and Order SVU. Chris can be heard at times singing the National Anthem for the Phillies.

Lynette Knapp (Woman 2) is making her Act II debut with this play. She was most recently seen as Philia in “A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum” at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and the St. Louis Repertory Theatre, where she was nominated for a Kevin Kline Award as best supporting actress in a musical. Favorite credits include Christine (Phantom of the Opera, U. S. National Tour and Basel, Switzerland), The Music of A. L.Webber (in Ireland), Anne (A Little Night Music), Julia (Holiday) and Alcmeme (Olympus on my Mind) all at Bristol Riverside, Emma (Jekyll and Hyde), Kim (Bye Bye Birdie) and Dainty June (Gypsy) all at Theatre By Sea in Rhode Island), Eliza (My Fair Lady), Luisa (Fantastiks), and Josephine (HMS Pinafore) at the Arizona Theatre Company, Belle (A Christmas Carol) at Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Annie Warbucks at the Walnut Street Theatre. She has also been a soloist at Lincoln Center’s Library Series honoring John Gieguld and in the cast of Chess (In Concert at the New Amsterdam) in New York City. She has a BFA in musical theatre from the University of Michigan.

William Roudebush (Director) has been directing for over 30 years at such theatres as: Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Cleveland Play House, Syracuse Stage Company, Theatre Virginia, The GeVa Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Mum Puppettheatre, The Miami and Palm Beach Opera Guild, and many others. In New York, he was Artistic Director for the Ten More By Noonan series at the John Houseman Theatre as well as directing for Ensemble Studio Theatre, The American Folk Theatre, The Mint Theatre Company, The Actors Outlet, Pulse Ensemble Theatre, The Samuel Beckett Theatre and the Village Gate, where he researched his soon-to-be produced new musical Village Gate Follies. Bill has been based in Philadelphia for the past eight years, where he works as a freelance director/writer. His revival of Equus was nominated for eight Barrymore Awards and won five, including Best Overall Production of a Play, Best Ensemble and Best Director. Bill is also an educator, having taught at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, Temple University, The University of Memphis, the University of the Arts, and Virginia Commonwealth University, along with being Theatre School Director for the Walnut Street Theatre for four years. His book ACTING BY MISTAKE is available by logging onto xlibris.com.

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