Small Mouth Sounds
by Bess Wohl
Directed by Argo Thompson
This unique and compassionate new play asks how do we address life’s biggest questions when words fail us.
In the overwhelming quiet of the woods, six runaways from city life embark on a silent retreat. As these strangers confront internal demons both profound and absurd, their vows of silence collide with the achingly human need to connect.
June 5 - 28, 2020
TH FR SA SU
5 6 7
11 12 13 14
18 19 20 21
25 26 27 28
Th, Fr, Sa at 8pm. Su at 2pm.
CAST
Teacher: Lulu Thompson
Joan: Jill Zimmerman
Judy: Mary Gannon
Alicia: Katie Kelley
Ned: Mark Bradbury
Rodney: Ariel Zuckerman*
Jan: David Yen
CREW
Director: Argo Thompson
Set Designer: Argo Thompson
Lighting Designer: April George
Sound Designer: Joe Winkler
Costume Designer: Sandra Ish
Stage Manager: Vicki Martinez
Produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service
* Member of Actors' Equity Association. Left Edge Theatre is an Equity-approved company..
Ariel Zuckerman*
Ariel Zuckerman (Rodney) is thrilled to return to Left Edge Theatre, having been seen last season in the absurdly hilarious, This Random World. Ariel’s off-broadway credits include King Lear and The Killer, both at Theatre for A New Audience. Favorite past roles include Leontes (The Winters Tale), Berowne (Loves Labors Lost) and Hamlet. Since relocating to Sonoma county three years ago, Ariel has played with the Marin Shakespeare Company and 6th Street Playhouse, having been seen as Nathan Detroit (Guys & Dolls), Stanley Kowalski (Streetcar Named Desire), and Happy Loman (Death of A Salesman) for which he was nominated for an MTJA for best supporting performanc. A Drug and Alcohol Counselor by day, Ariel believes in the transformative power of human connection both on and off the stage. He is ever-grateful to his wife, Gillian for her love, friendship and encouragement, and to his daughter, Marlowe for her giggles and smiles.David Yen
Raised in Northern California, David studied at UC Irvine, where he sang in madrigal groups, barbershop quartets, jazz choir, and the University Singers. He also began performing in very interactive forms of theater--standup comedy, emceeing variety shows, and performing in the music department's annual Madrigal dinner fundraiser. His acting career began in earnest in New York City. In addition to continuing to host large-scale talent events, he also played in sketch comedy groups and was part of The Pied Pipers children's theater group for over four years. He sang in groups of all sizes, performing in such venues as the Paramount, Madison Square Garden, and Boston Garden. He dabbled a bit in the technical and production side of theater, as well as film, crewing for feature film locations all over the city. He also adapted, produced, and directed a successful audio drama version of "A Christmas Carol" for the 150th anniversary of the book's publication. He returned to the stage to perform with NYGASP, the fledgling CTP (for which he directed) and other small experimental theater groups.Jill Zimmerman
Jill Zimmerman was last seen in 2014 in Clybourne Park at 6th St Playhouse in which the cast won Outstanding Ensemble performance from the TBA Awards that year. Jill also starred in August Osage County where she won Best Principal Female in a play from the SFBATCC in her role of Barbara Weston. She has also enjoyed playing the roles of Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Claire in the play Proof. She is happy to be back on stage after a 5 year hiatus. Jill thanks Left Edge Theater, Mike and Rowan and Reed for their enthusiastic support.Katie Kelley
Katie was last seen at Left Edge as Trisha in The Naked Truth, and is delighted to be back among artists she admires. Some of her other past credits include: Lotty in Enchanted April at Sonoma Arts Live, Glory in Barbecue Apocalypse, Emily in By the Water, Sally in You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Kenny in Becky’s New Car, Kayleen in Gruesome Playground Injuries, Laura in The Glass Menagerie, Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Elaine in The Graduate, and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. Katie would like to thank her family and village of friends who help make it possible for her to perform, and her wonderful daughter Emmalina for bringing endless joy, adventure and love to my life.Lulu Thompson
Lulu Thompson is delighted to return to Left Edge, following their previous work in the one-person show Fully Committed. They are a theatre-maker, musician, writer and lifelong learner, living and working in Sonoma County. Lulu has developed and performed new plays with The Imaginists, Walking Elephant, Main Stage West, Cinnabar and more. Currently they devise new work as a member of 'Bodies in Space.' Their past roles include Zebulon in Of Time and Darkness, Prince John in The Lion in Winter, Talthybius in an adaptation of Trojan Women, and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.Mark Bradbury
Mark Bradbury was born and raised in Santa Rosa and grew up on Sonoma County theater. Most recently with Left Edge, Mark was Anubis in Drumming with AnOther recent roles include: Bob in Bob, A Life in Five Acts at Main Stage West, Will Bloom in Big Fish at Spreckels Theater Company, and Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Show at Sixth Street Playhouse.Mary Gannon-Graham
The Cast & Crew
Playwright
Bess Wohl’s plays include SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS (John Gassner Outer Critics Circle Award, top ten lists in The New York Times, The New York Post, The Guardian and others), MAKE BELIEVE, AMERICAN HERO, BARCELONA, TOUCHED, IN, CATS TALK BACK and the musical PRETTY FILTHY with composer/lyricist Michael Friedman and The Civilians (Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Musical). Her play, CONTINUITY, will have its world premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club in the spring of 2019.
— Bess Wohl
