The Good Doctor

PERFORMING ARTS CLUB AT POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

presents

The Good Doctor

by Neil Simon

starring (in alphabetical order)

Elizabeth Barabas, Ilya Brutman, Jason Cheung, Alastair Forde, Dmitry Gayduk, Sharon Gershi, Ashutosh Gupta, Aaron A. Ishmael, Justin King, Pizza Li, Christopher LoBello, Uma Mageswari, Nathifa Perez, Nikkisha Persad, Dianne Ramkishun, Amber Samalot, Jonathan Sorocki, and Nick Spagnolo

Set Designer/Props

Gary Tunak

Playbill Design

John Mahlman IV (jmahlm01@students.poly.edu)

Ticket Design

TicketAlternative.com

Directed by Mikhail Sapozhnikov

Faculty Advisor Richard Toth

NEIL SIMON - Born in the Bronx on July 4, 1927, and grew up in Washington Heights at the northern tip of Manhattan. He attended New York University briefly (1944-45) and the University of Denver (1945-46) before joining the United States Army where he began his writing career working for the Army camp newspaper.

After being discharged from the army he and his brother Danny began writing comedy revues and eventually found their way into radio, then television where they toiled alongside the likes of Woody Allen, Mel Brooks and Larry Gelbart writing for The Phil Silvers Show and Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows. Simon received several Emmy Award nominations for his television writing, then moved on to the stage where he quickly established himself as America’s most successful commercial playwright by creating an unparalleled string of Broadway hits beginning with Come Blow Your Horn.

During the course of his career, Simon has won three Tony Awards for Best Play (The Odd Couple, Biloxi Blues and Lost in Yonkers.) He has had more plays adapted to film than any other American playwright and, in addition, has written nearly a dozen original screenplays himself. He received Academy Award nominations for his screenplays The Odd Couple (1968), The Sunshine Boys (1975) and California Suite (1978). He has also been the recipient of the Antoinette Perry Award, the Writers Guild Award, the Evening Standard Award, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Shubert Award, the Outer Circle Award, and a 1978 Golden Globe Award for his screenplay, The Goodbye Girl.

Source: http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc43.html

Mikhail Sapozhnikov is a computer science major in his fourth year here at Poly. A member of PAC since his sophomore year, Mikhail has participated in a number of PAC events including three music showcases and two annual spring plays. Assuming the role of president of PAC this year, Mikhail coordinated the 2007 annual music showcase as well as directing and producing this year’s performance.

Gary Tunak is a digital media graduate student who impressively played the lead role in last year’s PAC drama production. Having retired from the stage, he continues his work behind the sets, or rather, in designing them.

Richard Toth was Artistic Director of Misery Loves Company, an international theatre company he co-founded in Prague, Czech Republic. While there, he directed or produced over 30 productions including the Eastern European premiere of Angles in America. He has recently directed his own adaptation of King Stag at the Perserverance Theatre in Juneau, Alaska. As a performer, Richard has worked as an actor, circus clown and puppeteer in the United States and Europe. He has appeared in the films Les Miserables, Dead Fire, Hostage Train and The Buttoners. TV appearances include Sex and the City, Law and Order and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He works at Poly as a freshman Advisor.

The Narrator: Nick Spagnolo

Nick Spagnolo is a freshman math major playing The Narrator in tonight’s performance. Although this is his first performance in a PAC production, Nick has acting experience from high school productions of “Cabaret,” “Shel’s Shorts” and “RENT.” He is having a blast acting alongside Poly’s crew!

Cherdyakov: Ilya Brutman

Tonight will be Ilya’s second ever performance on stage. When not acting, Ilya builds robots in PolyBOTS and works as an EG TA. He is a fourth year computer engineering major with a minor in psychology.

Wife (The Sneeze): Amber Samalot

When she’s not intellectually procrastinating or making delicious treats in the kitchen, sophomore Amber J. Samalot, a civil engineering major, likes to spend time with friends, reading, watching movies, making jewelry and taking photographs. This is her first PAC performance. Last year, she was the artistic director for “You Can’t Take it With You.” Her previous performances include “The Three Little Pigs”, and “The Odyssey”. Around campus, she participates on various committees in addition to being a peer counselor and a member of NSBE, ASCE, SHPE, SWE and PAB.

General (The Sneeze), Antosha (The Arrangement): Justin King

Justin King is a sophomore technical communications major with a minor in psychology here at Poly and is the secretary of the performing arts club. This is his second performance for PAC and he enjoys playing the guitar in order to deal with the “stressful” lifestyle of acting.

Madame Brassilhov (The Sneeze), Girl (The Audition): Sharon Gershi

Sharon Gershi is currently a freshman at Poly majoring in computer engineering. She is now 17 years old and has participated in more than 17 plays. Don’t let her size fool you; she’s got a lot packed into that little frame. When she’s not performing as a musician or programming, she’s busy acting. She’s a proud member of PAC and took part in the latest music showcase. Remember her name, and her curly locks, ‘cause you’ll be seeing a lot more of her here at Poly!

Mistress (The Governess): Uma Mageswari

Uma is a graduate student from India who can often be found helping undergrads in their studies as a tutor in the ECE department. In her free time, Uma enjoys painting and wandering to new places. This is her first theatre appearance.

Julia (The Governess): Nikkisha Persad

Nikkisha Persad, also known as Nikki, is one of the newest faces at Poly. She is a freshman majoring in digital media. She hopes go into companies such as PIXAR Animations, DreamWorks Productions, or Jerry Bruckheimer Productions where she will be able to create memorable characters found in movies such as “Finding Nemo,” “Monsters Inc,” “Toy Story,” and more. Unlike her character “Julia” in tonight’s performance, Nikki is very ambitious, dedicated and a perfectionist at heart. Look out for this up and coming name in Poly and the animation industry!

Woman (Too Late for Happiness): Dianne Ramkishun

Dianne Ramkishun is a senior chemistry major. She has been a member of PAC for the past four years. She has performed in PAC’s previous productions “Rumors”, “Abducting Diana” (where she played the lead role), and “You Can’t Take it With You.” She is also Student Council President and a member of various clubs and organization on campus. It sounds like there’s a lot on her plate, but her love for being on stage pulls her back to performing. She just can’t stay away from PAC! She considers it one of the best things she’s done at Poly.

Man (Too Late for Happiness), Peter Semyonych (The Seduction): Aaron A. Ishmael

Aaron is an electrical engineering alumnus and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in management. He is also an aspiring writer. With previous plays and short films under his belt, Aaron will be working twice as hard this evening in his third Poly performance. Tonight, Aaron will be playing the roles of ‘Singing Old Man’ in one sketch and ‘The Seducer’ in another.

Kuryatin: Ashutosh Gupta

This is Ashutosh’s first performance in Poly and he is returning to the stage after six years. Being a graduate student and an RA in the electrical engineering department was not enough to hold him back and here he is! In his free time he could be found playing billiards downstairs in Poly’s basement.

Sexton (The Surgery), Policeman (The Drowned Man): Alastair Forde

Alastair is a fourth year computer science major who moonlights as a peer counselor by day and a costumed crime-fighter at night, or he does homework; both are as likely. He’s glad to be back for his third performance and hopes you enjoy the show.

Husband (The Seduction): Jason Cheung

Jason Cheung is a freshman at Poly currently majoring in electrical engineering. He was born 19 years ago in the quiet town of Venice, Florida, and came to New York to walk into the spotlight of east coast’s Hollywood. He enjoys the theater and cinematography, often watching movies and performances on Broadway. In Poly, he is also involved with PAS. He enjoys singing karaoke and reading “manga.” In the past, he has performed improv and ad-libs, as well as dabbling in acting classes in junior high and high school, but tonight will mark his first performance here at Poly.

Wife (The Seduction), Woman (The Defenseless Creature): Nathifa Perez

Nathifa Perez is no stranger to the stage, both directing and starring in a high school production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” At Poly, Nathifa has performed in PAC’s 2005 production of “Rumors” as well as last year’s production of “You Can’t Take it With You.” Aside from acting and directing, Nathifa has also written a play of her own. She is a fourth year technical communications major.

Sailor (The Drowned Man), Kistunov (The Defenseless Creature): Jonathan Sorocki

Jonathan Sorocki is a second year mechanical engineering student performing in his second production. Along with being Vice President of PAC, he runs for Poly’s cross country and track teams. You can spot him in the gymnasium announcing the basketball games or in the EG labs where he works as a TA. On a side note, he is a highly proficient and professional rescue swimmer, despite playing a character who cannot swim in this performance.

Voice (The Audition): Dmitriy Gayduk

Dmitriy Gayduk, a freshman with an undeclared major at Poly, has never been in a play before. That said, plays fascinate him, and he always dreamed of being in one. He came to poly to be an engineer, but he’s not sure what kind yet. His hobbies include doing stuff, procrastinating, browsing the internet, and occasionally playing bass. He also starts or joins bands every couple of months and occasionally learns random instruments.

Pochatkin (The Defenseless Creature): Pizza Li

The stage is not unfamiliar territory for Pizza Li. In high school, he was part of several performances in his senior year. Hailing from Brooklyn Technical High School, he continues his career as a computer science major at Poly. Aside from acting, Pizza is an EG TA, heading the Research & Development Committee. Outside of Poly, Pizza has been proudly representing Primerica Financial Services for the past three and a half years. Since this is his final year at Poly, he hopes that tonight’s performance will fill everyone’s hearts with laughter.

Father (The Arrangement): Christopher LoBello

Christopher LoBello is a physics major in his senior year. His interests include fixing and modifying his motorcycle, hiking, and traveling and exploring unknown places. He is doing research into carbon nanotubes and hopes to one day turn it into a weapon of indescribable destructive power. He enjoys being honest with people and gets amused when they freak out about it.

Girl (The Arrangement): Elizabeth Barabas

Having graduated Poly with a major in civil engineering in June 2007, Elizabeth returns as a special guest in tonight’s performance. An ardent supporter of PAC since its 2004 inception, she held the title of “Madame Presidente” for two years before her graduation. Elizabeth acted in all of PAC’s productions, as well as directed “Abducting Diana” and last year’s “You Can’t Take It With You.” She is pleased to see PAC and its members carrying on the tradition of bringing the performing arts to Poly, and she wishes the best to everyone! Elizabeth now works as a structural engineer designing bridges.