Ada & The Engine presented by MainStage Irving*Las Colinas

by LAUREN GUNDERSON Directed by RAVEN LAWES

Embrace

allworld’s the a stage

the spotlight

Irving • Las Colinas

CAST

A NOTE FROM THE PRODUCTION TEAM:

Ada and the Engine is set in London from 1833-1852. While this play captures essential truths about the life, work, and times of Ada Lovelace, it is a work of imagination. You will hear letters and dialogue quoted verbatim from the historical record, and the timeline is largely accurate. However, the personalities and biographical details incorporate myths and creative license. We encourage you to learn more!

The Difference Engine model in our show is based on Charles Babbage’s own designs. It faithfully reproduces the scale and basic functionality of the “beautiful fragment” he showed off to Ada. 200 years ago, building this small proof-of-concept model required tens of thousands of hours and the equivalent of millions of dollars. Today, 3D printing and a global community of designers, including our own model-builder Steven Merritt, have made it possible to build with a fraction of the money and only a few all-nighters.

Through this production, we sincerely hope your inquisitiveness and wonder will be awakened as you marvel at how far we’ve come. Your computer? Cell phone? The watch on your wrist? The technology surrounding you represents the realized dreams of Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer, and Charles Babbage, the “Father of Computing.”

Mary Sommerville

Melissa Crouch

Ada Byron Lovelace Cheyenne Haynes

Lady Annabella Byron Ivy Opdyke

Charles Babbage Stephen Miller

Lord Lovelace Lionel Gonzalez

Lord Byron Leon Watson II

Stars and Stripes Forever

The Irving-Las Colinas Rotary Club invites you to join your friends and neighbors in displaying the American Flag on the five major holidays of Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Veteran's Day.

The Flags Over Irving program gives Irving residents an opportunity to show their pride and love for our country. It gives our community a great patriotic spirit and at the same time helps so many people.

So how does it work? A PVC plastic sleeve will be placed in the ground, 15 inches from your sidewalk or curb and mark will be made on the curb with a blue star. On the five holidays a 3 foot x 5 foot U.S. flag, mounted on a 10' metal pole, is placed in the plastic sleeve.

The flags and the sleeves remain the property of the Irving-Las Colinas Rotary Club. There are no brackets or fixtures attached to your home and the plastic sleeve will be barely visible.

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

FlagsOverIrving.com

WHO’S WHO

CHEYENNE HAYNES (Ada Byron Lovelace) is thrilled to be making her MainStage debut. Her previous credits include Lydia Wickham/THE WICKHAMS: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY, Lilith/CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT, Somebody:Everybody/EVERYBODY, and Parmalee Flynn/TEXAS!. She would like to thank her parents for their endless support, and her friends for pushing her to find ways to make the impossible possible.

IVY OPDYKE (Lady Annabella Byron) happily returns to MainStage, where previously seen as Mrs. Chandler/THE GAZEBO. Representative roles include Latrell/A VERY SORDID WEDDING, Uptown Players, Sister Mary-Martin-ofTours/SISTER ACT, Anne Marie/A DOLL’S HOUSE, WaterTower Theatre. She has been privileged to appear in productions throughout the area with Theatre Three, Brick Road Theatre, Theatre Britain and Rover Dramawerks. She thanks her wonderfully supportive husband, Bob. RIP Daniel.

MELISSA CROUCH (Mary Sommerville) is thrilled to work with this gifted team in her debut with MainStage. Very active performing in her youth, she returned to the stage in 2022 as Love Your City Theater’s Mary Italia and Aggie/ THE HIDING PLACE and performs with Insights for Living Productions’ as the voice of Mrs. Collins/PAWS AND TALES. Melissa thanks her family for their encouragement.

STEPHEN MILLER (Charles Babbage) is excited to be a part of MainStage,

having last appeared here as Frederick/ ENCHANTED APRIL. He has played several roles at Repertory Company Theatre, including Man in the Chair/ DROWSY CHAPERONE and Fagin/ OLIVER. His last role was with Classics Theatre Project (Doc Baugh/CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF). Shakespeare Dallas roles include Angus, Lennox/MACBETH, and Fennyman/SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE. He also works as a film and voice actor. Many thanks to his wife April and his children Juliet and Brennan.

LEON WATSON II (Lord Byron) recently took the stage with the Stolen Shakespeare Guild. He was also in CHEMICAL IMBALANCE: A JEKYLL AND HYDE PLAY as Xavier with Greater Lewisville Community Theatre and loved playing Orlando in AS YOU LIKE IT with Plague Mask Players. If there’s one thing you should know about Leon it’s that he loves boba and playing piano.

LIONEL GONZALEZ (Lord Lovelace) is an excited young actor performing his first play with MainStage. He has been performing on the stage since middle school and spent a year studying at Nebraska Wesleyan University. After spending a couple of years away from the stage working as a licensed electrician, Lionel is ready to make his performing debut once again.

RAVEN LAWES (Director) is excited to be making her directorial debut at MainStage since performing as Christine/ BAD SEED last season. She graduated from Birmingham City University (Birmingham, England) with her Masters

WHO’S WHO

in Acting and from Sam Houston State University with her BFA in Acting and Directing. Some of her favorite roles include Two/WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN at Stage West, Anna Mae & Afua/BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK at Theatre Three; Evelyn/TOO HEAVY FOR YOUR POCKET at African American Repertory Theater; and Martha & Fan/A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Dallas Theater Center. She won BEST ACTRESS from DFW Black Arts (2020) for her role as Penny/FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS at African American Repertory Theater. She would like to thank her family & friends for their continuous love and support.

DOROTHY JOLLY (Assistant Stage Manager) Dorothy, a Memphis native, is very happy to be doing her first Texas show with MainStage! She has a Bachelor’s in Acting and Dramaturgy from Cornell College and completed a Professional Acting Apprenticeship with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, where she also served as dramaturg for two seasons. Outside of Cincinnati, she has performed with professional theatres in Iowa City, St. Louis, and Memphis—and did a national tour of CALCULUS: THE MUSICAL. Most recently, she worked on THE SPITFIRE GRILL at Phamaly Theatre Company in Denver. She completed an associate’s degree in sustainable horticulture in December.

DUTCHESS GUTIERREZ (Choreographer) is a dance educator and drill team director in Dallas ISD. After seeing many productions at MainStage, she is excited to be working as the dance choreographer on ADA AND THE ENGINE.

Irving • Las Colinas

She would like to thank the director, cast, and crew for this wonderful opportunity.

ELLEN DOYLE MIZENER (Scenic Designer) returns to MainStage after a long hiatus. Mizener designs for theatre, opera, and is a production designer for film. One of her projects was presented at World Stage Design 2022 in Calgary, Canada in August 2022. She also designed the United States National Exhibit for the Prague Quadrennial 2019 (Czech Republic). Mizener holds an MFA in Theatre/Scenic & Costume Design (University of Houston). www. ellenmizenerdesign.com

BRUCE R. COLEMAN (Set Dresser) is delighted to return to MainStage after performing his hit one-man show, TALES FROM LATE NIGHT KROGER, and directing his original drama POPT at MainStage222 last year. Past directorial assignments include BIG RIVER, INHERIT THE WIND, BUS STOP, SHADOWLANDS, THE CURIOUS SAVAGE, INTO THE WOODS, THE SECRET GARDEN, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, THE FULL MONTY, WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, and SUGAR.

RYAN BRAZIL (Sound Designer/A1) This will be Ryan’s fourth show with MainStage, having previously worked on GYPSY. Locally, Ryan has worked with Grand Prairie Arts Council, Six Flags Over Texas, Dallas Children’s Theater, Rover Dramawerks, Theatre Arlington, to mention just a few. Ryan has his BFA in Technical Theatre from Sam Houston State University.

WHO’S WHO

MICHAEL A. ROBINSON (Costume Designer) and his team at the Dallas Costume Shoppe have designed and provided costumes for countless area productions over the years, including: THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, CATS, EVITA, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, BONNIE AND CLYDE, CRAZY FOR YOU, SPRING AWAKENING, SHREK, NINE, THE FULL MONTY and the critically acclaimed AVENUE Q for Theatre Three. Area theaters Michael has costumed for include: Theatre Three, Stage West, Uptown Theatre, Echo Theatre, Rover Dramawerks, MainStage, Second Thought Theatre, Garland Summer Musicals, Contemporary Theatre of Dallas, Teatro Dallas, WaterTower Theatre and Lyric Stage. Michael’s costumes for Mozart’s COSI FAN TUTTI were seen at the famous Goldini Theatre in Venice, Italy, and were also featured in the BBC documentary of BONNIE AND CLYDE. He recently costumed the New York premier of AS WE LIE STILL. Michael is very happy to be back working with his friends at MainStage

MEREDITH WELDON BUTTERFIELD

(Property Designer) played her (punch) cards right and landed in this production of ADA AND THE ENGINE with this very talented cast and crew. Recent productions include SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR (Theatre Frisco under M. Shane Hurst), BAD SEED (MainStage under Bruce R. Coleman), SHERWOOD (MainStage under Andi Allen), and KISS ME, KATE (MainStage under Doug Miller).

RICH FROHLICH (Media Producer)

A three-time Column Award-winner for sound design, Rich is excited to return

to MainStage and create projections for this production. Richard has designed sound and media for more than 70 productions at over a dozen area theaters since 2005. In 2001, he founded the Texas Radio Theatre Company. In addition to video production, Richard is also a sound designer, podcast producer, and a cycling advocate. He makes his home in Arlington, Texas with his wife Bonnie and their family.

LILLIE GALVAN (A2 Body Mic Tech) is currently attending TCC for her Associate Of Arts degree. She intends to pursue her Bachelor’s in Theater Performance and continue working within the theater. Her favorite part of theater is meeting new people and working alongside them. With her background in acting, as well as experience in crew positions such as deck supervisor, acting ASM, and various other roles, Lillie loves learning new aspects of theater and contributing in any way she can because the theater is where she feels the most at home.

by LYNN NOTTAGE Directed by DENNIS RAVENEAU

Set in 1905 in turn-of-the-century New York, INTIMATE APPAREL tells the story of Esther, an African-American woman who makes her living sewing beautiful corsets and ladies’ undergarments. Seeking love and romance, Esther eventually embarks on a letter-writing relationship with a mysterious suitor laboring on the Panama Canal. But when he moves to New York and their marriage begins to take an unhappy turn, Esther realizes that only her self-reliance and certainty of her own worth will see her through life’s challenges. A story of self-discovery stitched together with love!

DONORS CIRCLE 2022-2023

THANK YOU to all our wonderful volunteers, patrons, donors, and artists who make our theater possible. Your gifts are crucial to our success. We gratefully acknowledge the following donors and subscribers to our current season. It is only through your support that we can continue to offer quality, entertaining, and affordable theater to our community. If you would like to support MainStage, go to www.mainstageirving. com, email admin@mainstageirving.com, or call 972-594-6104. Enjoy the show!

STAR ($5,000 or more)

ICT MainStage Guild

Irving Arts Board

Mike Morgan Photography (In-kind)

SoloShoe Communications (In-kind)

ANGEL ($1,000 - $4,999)

Anonymous

Benevity

Diann and Joseph Contestabile Texas Commission on the Arts

PRODUCER ($500 - $999)

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DonationXchange/Global Charitable Funds

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DIRECTOR ($300 - $499)

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PERFORMER ($100 - $299)

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Las Colinas

Courtney Komlosi in honor of Gene Olafsen

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Supporter (Up to $49)

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22/23 SEASON SUBSCRIBERS

Homer Alexander

Kim Andres

Gretchen Armstrong Alexandra Ashenhart

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Mollie Barnes

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Rose Anne Holman

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Christina Keil

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Sherry Kiser

Ray Lavin

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Lewis Parent Ann Piper

Pat & Michael Reimann

Judyann Robinson

Wayne Ruhter

Melanie Sanders

Marilee Schmelzer

Ken & Joyce Schneider

Brooke Sharp Patrick Shields

David Sigel

Dianne Slaight

Roylene Slaughter

Carol Smith

David Smith

Lawrence Snierman

Michael Snively

Wayne Speigel

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Jill & Rob Stephens Joy Stewart

Rick & Melanie Stopfer

Anish Talsania

George Telanyk

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William & Nadine Tichy Rachmad Tjachyadi

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Frank & Rose Valentinetti Duane & Marilyn Vanderwater

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DONATIONS IN MEMORY OF LONG-TIME MAINSTAGE SUPPORTER DON BONGFELDT

Maggie Evans

Laurel & Don Jordan Jill & Rob Stephens

DONATIONS IN MEMORY OF LONG-TIME MAINSTAGE SUPPORTER GENE OLAFSEN

Mary Billingsley Davis Enterprises

Maggie Evans Joseph Kobos

Las Colinas Women’s Association

Clementine Lear Charlotte Lites Carol Huntley Little Karen K. Martin Melanie Sanders Jill & Rob Stephens Christina Winters

Updated as of 1/11/2023

Photo by Mike Morgan Photography, Inc.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Steven Merritt, President

Joan Eppes, Vice President

Alex Lorenz, Treasurer

Alan Fleck, Secretary

Clayton Cunningham

LaDonna Gaut

Debra Green

Evelyn Hall

Tom Ortiz

Judy Pierson

Trevor Smith

Shane Stagg

Debbie Fleck, Guild President ADMINISTRATOR

MainStage Irving-Las Colinas 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. Irving, TX 75062

Dupree Theater, Irving Arts Center 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. Irving, TX 75062 BOX OFFICE: 972.252.2787 ADMINISTRATIVE: 972.594.6104

Visit us online at: www.mainstageirving.com Facebook:facebook.com/MainStageILC Twitter: twitter.com/ICTMainStage Instagram: @mainstageilc Snapchat: mainstageilc

When

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