The Royal Family

By George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber
Directed by Jonathan Silverstein

Monday, April 24, 2023

The Royal Family by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber is a classic comedy about the eccentric and glamorous Cavendish family, who are the most famous theatrical family on Broadway. While matriarch Fanny Cavendish (Marsha Mason) plans a farewell tour, her leading lady daughter, Julie (Kate Baldwin), has to choose between a date and a first rehearsal—and just when matinee idol brother Tony (Max von Essen) is on the lam for slugging a Hollywood director. Meanwhile, Fanny’s granddaughter, Gwen (Ali Ewoldt), is thinking the unthinkable: chucking the whole thing to marry a stockbroker (Allan K. Washington)! With humor and heart, The Royal Family takes audiences on a wild ride through the highs and lows of show business and family life.

Run Time: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including two 10-minute intermissions. Masks are encouraged for all patrons. “The Royal Family” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com 

We wish to express our gratitude to the Performers’ Unions: ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS, AMERICAN GUILD OF VARIETY ARTISTS, SAG-AFTRA through Theatre Authority, Inc. for their cooperation in permitting the Artists to appear in this program.

Your ticket to this special fundraising event underwrites Keen Company’s 23rd Season, including two Off-Broadway productions, the Keen Playwrights Lab fostering mid-career writers, and our Keen Teens program providing free theater education to students in all five boroughs of New York City.

Performance Venue

Theater Three in Theatre Row
410 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

Between 9th & 10th Ave

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Meet the Artists

Kate Baldwin (Julie Cavendish) is a two-time Tony Award nominee and four-time Drama Desk nominee, having starred on Broadway as Irene Molloy in the revival of Hello, Dolly! and the 2009 revival of Finian's Rainbow as Sharon McLonergan. She originated the roles of Sandra Bloom in Big Fish on Broadway and Leslie Lynnton Benedict in Giant at The Public Theatre. She starred as Jen in Keen Company's revival of John & Jen and garnered a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Superhero at Second Stage. Other Broadway credits: The Full Monty, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Wonderful Town. She starred in The King and I at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Women at The Old Globe, Henry V at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, She Loves Me at Williamstown Theatre Festival, and The Music Man and South Pacific at Arena Stage (Helen Hayes Award nomination). At Berkshire Theatre Group, she was seen in A Little Night Music, Bells Are Ringing and Constellations. On television, her work includes a guest star on NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU” and a featured role in the PBS filming of Stephen Sondheim’s "Passion" and the Disney + series “Just Beyond.” She is a graduate of Northwestern University and lives with her husband and son in Maplewood, NJ.

Arnie Burton (Herbert Dean) Broadway: Machinal, Peter and The Starcatcher, The 39 Steps, A Free Man Of Color, Amadeus. Off-Bway Highlights: Lewiston/Clarkston (Drama Desk Nom. Featured Actor), The Government Inspector (Callaway Award), The Mystery Of Irma Vep (Drama League Nom), The Temperamentals (Drama Desk Award Ensemble), The New Yorkers (Encores), The Explorers Club (MTC), Lives Of The Saints, Mere Mortals (Primary Stages), Timon Of Athens, The Winter's Tale, The Jew Of Malta, The Merchant Of Venice (TFANA) ,Tail! Spin!, The Last Sunday In June. International: The Merchant Of Venice (RSC). Regional Highlights: Before The Meeting (Williamstown), All In The Timing, Big Sky (Geffen Theater, LA), Confederacy Of Dunces (Huntington Theater), William Finn's The Royal Family Off-Broadway (Barrington St), Strange and Separate People (Penguin), Perfect Nonsense (Hartford Stage) Also: A.R.T., The Old Globe, Berkeley Rep, Philadelphia Theater Co, Shakespeare Theater of DC. Film: The Greatest Showman, The Invention Of Lying, Igby Goes Down, Game 6, The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee. TV includes: “The Other Two” (recurring), “WeCrashed”, “Jessica Jones”, “Search Party”, “New Murphy Brown”, “Elementary”, “The Good Fight”, “Blacklist”, “White Collar”, “Flesh & Bone” (recurring), “Blue Bloods”, “Frasier”, “Law & Order”, “L&O Criminal Intent”, “Caroline In The City”, “Sister Sister”.

Demosthenes Chrysan (Gilbert Marshall) BROADWAY: Golden Boy, Junk, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Kite Runner; LONDON: Blood and Gifts (The National Theatre), Aftermath (The Old Vic); OFF-BROADWAY: Incident at Vichy & Queens Boulevard (Signature Theatre) Urge for Going (The Public Theater), Aftermath (NYTW). FILM: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, A Case of You, Zoo; TV: “Pose”, “Little America”, “Bull”, “Blindspot”, “Gotham”, “Blacklist”, “Feed the Beast”, “Sneaky Pete”, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”, “Orange is the New Black”, “L&O”, “Flesh and Bone”, “Killing Kennedy”, “Blue Bloods”, “Boardwalk Empire”, “Damages”, “Louie”, “30 Rock”

Andrew Dawson (Jo) has appeared Off-Broadway in Gorey, High Noon, Strangers in the World and Acts of Love. Other New York stage credits include The Blue Flower, Noir, Goodbye New York Goodbye Heart, Aunt Jack and Box Office Poison. Regional and touring include My Heart in a Suitcase, Diary of Anne Frank, Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, Fuddy Meers, Uncle Vanya, Arcadia, The Normal Heart, The Only Thing Worse… Television/Film include “The Onion Network,” The Ten, Resemblance, The Interpreter. AEA SAG-AFTRA www.andrewdawson.net 

Ali Ewoldt (Gwen Cavedish) has appeared as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, Cosette in Les Miserables (Broadway, National Tour), in The King and I (Lincoln Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago), and as Luisa in The Fantasticks (Off-Broadway). Regionally, she has played Amalia in She Loves Me (Signature Theatre, Helen Hayes nomination), Yook Mei in Gold Mountain (Utah Shakes), Rose in The Secret Garden (CTG), Philia in A Funny Thing…(The Muny), Fan/Mrs. Bonds in A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theatre), and Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls (Sacramento Music Circus). Concert/symphony work includes: Alice Tully Hall, The Town Hall, NY Pops at Carnegie Hall, APO, Houston Symphony, Kaohsiung Symphony and The Boston Pops. TV/Film credits include "The Michael J. Fox Show," Yield, and the short films Mia and The Cactus. Ali has a BA in psychology from Yale University and is a proud Filipina American. @aliewoldt 

Mike Labbadia (McDermott) Off-Broadway: Winter's Tale, Hedda Gabler (Bedlam), Strictly Dishonorable (Attic Theater Company) Regional Theater: Saint Joan (Gulfshore Playhouse, Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Hamlet (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), The 39 Steps (Gulfshore Playhouse), Higher (Gulfshore Playhouse), Saturday Sunday Monday (Virgina Reperetory Theater). As a producer and filmmaker his work has been screened on Short of the Week and at festivals like Bushwick Film Festival, Women in Horror, Oaxaca Film Festival and Picture Farm Film Festival, Big Apple Film Festival and Miami Web Fest.

Marsha Mason (Fanny Cavendish) has received four Academy Award nominations for her roles in the films The Goodbye Girl, Cinderella Liberty, Only When I Laugh and Chapter Two. She has been the recipient of Golden Globe Awards for her film roles and Emmy Award nomination for “Frasier.” TV credits include “The Middle, and “Grace & Frankie.” Broadway roles: Impressionism, Steel Magnolias, The Night of the Iguana, The Good Doctor, King Richard III, and Cactus Flower. Off-Broadway she co-starred in Terrence McNally’s Fire and Air at Classic Stage and Little Gem at Irish Rep Theatre (Outer Critic's Circle Award winner for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play). As a director, Marsha has helmed productions of Neil Simon’s Chapter Two and Steel Magnolias at Bucks County Playhouse, Chapter Two and An Act of God at Arizona Theatre Company. Last year, Marsha starred and co-directed Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers at Hartford Stage and is currently in the newly released Audible Theatre production of Dirty Laundry.

Melody Munitz (Miss Peake and others) is a recent graduate of Penn State (BFA Musical Theatre ‘22) and a Keen Company enthusiast for many years, having gotten her start with them in 2016 when she starred in their premiere production of 30 Million. NYC credits include productions at Signature Theater, Theatre Row, and Pearl Theatre, and various concert performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and 54 Below. Favorite regional credits include Fiona (Brigadoon), Luisa (The Fantasticks), Cinderella (Into the Woods), and Maggie (A Chorus Line). Upcoming projects include the regional premiere of Paul Gordon’s new musical adaptation of Pride & Prejudice (Elizabeth; Coeur d’Alene Theatre), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Phoebe; Ozark Actors Theatre), and the premiere of her cabaret show The Science of Love: A Night of Songs and Psychology this June. melodymunitz.com @melody_munitz   

Brenda Pressley (Kitty LeMoyne Dean) Broadway: The Lyons, The American Play, Cats, Dreamgirls, The Mooney Shapiro Songbook. Off-Broadway: Proof of Love, Surely, Goodness and Mercy, The First Breeze of Summer, Mom How Did You Meet the Beatles?, Seven Guitars, Fran’s Bed, Goodwill, Marvin's Room, And The World Goes ‘Round-The Songs of Kander and Ebb (Outer Critics Circle Award), Blues In The Night. Regional: we are continuous.. (Williamstown), Trouble in Mind, The Skeleton Crew, The Old Settler (Freedom Theatre/ McCarter Barrymore Award – Best Actress) Intimate Apparel (Baltimore Centerstage/South Coast Rep), Blues For An Alabama Sky (Cincinnati Playhouse/The Old Globe), Jar The Floor (Syracuse), A Raisin In The Sun (Ford), To Be Young Gifted and Black (The Kennedy Center). Film: Detachment ,16 Blocks, Cradle Will Rock, Twisted, It Could Happen To You. Television: “The Path”, “The Good Wife”, “Almost Family”, “Body of Proof”, “Law and Order”, “Deadline”, “Law and Order: SVU”, “New York Undercover”, “Daddy’s Girl”, “Harambee!”, “Lifestories”, “Brewster Place” (with Oprah Winfrey).

Angela Reed (Della) currently plays Ginny Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. Her previous Broadway credits include covering Laurie Metcalf in A Doll’s House, Part 2, and Frances McDormand in The Country Girl. She toured the country with Spring Awakening and War Horse and has worked Off-Broadway at Keen Company, Mint Theater, TACT and Classic Stage Company. She has worked regionally at The Old Globe, The Goodman, ART, The Denver Center, Baltimore Center Stage, Two River Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cleveland Play House, Syracuse Stage, and Pasadena Playhouse, among many others. Angela’s television credits include “FBI: Most Wanted”, “House of Cards”, “Girls”, “Daredevil”, “The Blacklist”, “Blue Bloods”, “Law and Order”, “Law and Order: Criminal Intent”, “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”. 

Max von Essen (Tony Cavendish) is a Tony, Drama Desk and Grammy nominated singer and actor best known for his role as Henri Baurel in An American in Paris on Broadway. Other Broadway credits include Anastasia, Evita, the revivals of Les Misérables and Jesus Christ Superstar, Dance of the Vampires, and the closing company of the original Les Misérables. Tours include Falsettos, Xanadu, West Side Story and Chicago. TV & Film include “Family Guy”, “The Blacklist”, “Law & Order: SVU”, “Elementary”, “Boardwalk Empire”, “The Good Wife”, “Royal Pains”, “Gossip Girl”, Sex and the City 2, and the web series “Submissions Only”. Recordings include An American in Paris, Evita, Death Takes a Holiday, Finian's Rainbow, and his solo album, Call Me Old Fashioned, now available on iTunes. Socials: @maxizpad

Allan K. Washington (Perry Stuart) Television: Survival of the Thickest” (Netflix), “The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage” (Nickelodeon), “The Deuce” (HBO), “High Fidelity” (Hulu), Additional Television: “SpongeBob SquarePants Birthday Special” (Nickelodeon), “2019 Kids’ Choice Awards” (Nickelodeon) and the 2018 “Tony Awards” (CBS). Broadway: SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical (Original Broadway Cast) and Once on This Island (2017 revival). Off-Broadway: In the Southern Breeze (Rattlestick Theatre), A Man’s A Man (Classic Stage Company). Regional: SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical (Oriental Theatre in Chicago), Paint Your Wagon (The Muny), ...Beautiful Room... (Long Wharf Theatre). Training: University of North Carolina School of the Arts (B.F.A. acting). For more information, follow @allankwashington on Instagram.

Lance Coadie Williams (Oscar Wolfe) has performed on Broadway in the Pulitzer Prize Play Sweat and Kiss Me Kate. His Off-Broadway credits include Black Odyssey, CSC; War, Shows for Days/ Lincoln Center Theatre; Sweat/The Public Theater; BootyCandy/ Playwright’s Horizon (Obie Award Winner). His Regional Theatre credits include Our Town /Center Stage The Convert/Wilma Theatre; Sucker Punch, Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet/ Studio Theatre; The Oedipus Plays/Shakespeare Theatre Company; Blues for an Alabama Sky, Fences, My Children! My Africa!, The Children’s Hour/Everyman Theatre; BootyCandy/Woolly Mammoth; Fences/ Round House Theatre; Love’s Fire, Shoot the Piano Player/ Berkshire Theatre Festival, and title role Hamlet with The Baltimore Shakespeare Festival. Lance has appeared on CBS’s The Good Fight and Elementary, HBO’s High Maintenance and The Wire. He received his BFA from SUNY Purchase.

Sloane Fischer (Production Stage Manager) is a NY based Stage Manager with a BA in Stage Management from PACE University. She has worked on countless productions all over New York, and has traveled with productions to Los Angeles and Scotland! Some notable off Broadway credits include; Future Fest (PSM) at 54 Below, The Keen Teens Festival 2022 (ASM) and The Keen Teens Festival 2023 (PSM) at Theater Row, The Year of Magical Thinking (ASM) with Keen Company, War Dreamer (ASM) at the Wild Project, and Grief, A One-Man Shit-Show (PSM) at Theater Row. She is so thankful to be Stage Managing The Royal Family and thrilled to be working with Keen Company again! She is very grateful to have the opportunity to collaborate with all the lovely people involved in this production and hopes you enjoy the show!