Whistler Wednesdays: A Brief History of the Soviet Union

The entire lifespan of the world's largest country!
The mysteries of Lenin's tomb!
The secret of Stalin's death!
The spying techniques of the KGB!
All shall be revealed!**

(**Pretty much nonstop adult situations and language, viewers' discretion advised,
your mileage may vary, not allowed where prohibited, other restrictions may apply.)

the company
	Steven Barkhimer most recently appeared in The Taming of the Shrew with the Actors Shakespeare Project. This season he has directed The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) for Orfeo Group at the Publick Theatre space, and A Christmas Carol at the New Repertory Theatre. He is also a playwright and teacher. A collection of his original music, entitled “Time Was,” is available at www.cdbaby.com
	Douglas J. Cochrane. Recent stage credits include Macbeth (Ross/1st Murderer) with Shakespeare Now!, Love’s Fire (Roland) with Exquisite Corps, Spring Awakening: The Play (Headmaster) at Zeitgeist Stage, Voyeurs De Venus (Bullock/Richards) at Company One. Britaniccus (Pallas), The Seagull (Sorin/understudy) and No Man’s Land (Hirst & Spooner/understudy) with American Repertory Theatre. Doug can be seen as Detective Evans in Spike-TV’s upcoming pilot, Madsos’ War and the feature film, Furry Vengeance. Other television credits include national & regional commercials, Saturday Night Live, Guiding Light and Loving. Love to his wife Gigi and son Keenan.
	Andrew Dufresne is very excited to be working with Whistler in the Dark again after being in their 2008 production of Howard Barker's A Hard Heart. Most recently he's been seen in productions with Watertown's New Repertory Theatre, The Lieutenant of Inishmore and Fool for Love. He's extremely appreciative of the opportunity to help bring life to a new piece of writing and would like to thank Whistler in the Dark for making a commitment to further the development of new plays.
	Stacy Fischer was last seen at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre where she was part of the 2009 Company. Shows included Noises Off, The Littel Dog Laughed, and The Blue Room. A graduate of Emerson College, some of Stacy’s most recent Boston area credits include: Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Fool For Love, and My Name is Rachel Corrie (New Repertory Theatre), Uncle Vanya, Finita La Comedia (Boston Art Theatre), and The Secret Love Life of Ophelia (Nora Theatre Company). Other theatre’s: Huntington Theatre, The Sugan, Boston Playwright’s Theatre, Publick Theatre, Villiage Theatre Project, Stoneham Theatre, Gloucester Stage, Speakeasy Stage, Lyric Stage, North Shore Music Theatre, and CentaStage.
the playwright
	Vladimir Zelevinsky had spent four years as the playwright-in-residence at The Theatre Cooperative (Somerville, MA), where his full-length plays included What Time Is It? (2004), Forget Herostratus! (2005, adapted and directed), and Manifest Destiny (2006). He is a two-time finalist for the Heideman Award (Theme and Variations and Silence). A Brief History of the Soviet Union was commissioned for the New Works series at The Theatre Cooperative and later received an Equity reading at the New Jersey Repertory Company (Long Branch, NJ).
the director
	Bridget Kathleen O’Leary (director) is thrilled to be working with Whistler in the Dark. Bridget is in her second season as the Artistic Associate at New Repertory Theatre. Most recently, she directed New Rep’s production of Fool for Love. Other directing credits include The Boys of Winter (IRNE Nomination, Best New Play, 2008) for BKS productions; The Devil’s Teacup (IRNE Nomination, Best New Play, 2007) at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre; and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The American Clock, Much Ado About Nothing, Curse of the Starving Class, Dancing at Lughnasa, and Sarah Kane’s Crave and 4.48 Psychosis, all at Boston University. In 2007, she assisted Artistic Director Wendy C. Goldberg at the National Playwrights’ Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and worked as an assistant on new plays by Rebecca Gilman and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Before moving to Boston, Bridget worked in Washington, D.C. with the Olney Theatre Center, Theater Alliance, Cherry Red Productions, Charter Theater, Studio Theatre Second Stage, and Phoenix Theatre DC, of which she was a founding member. Selected D.C. directing credits include Independence, Parallel Lives, and the creations of Unwrapped and Lulu Fabulous by area playwrights. In February she will be directing the New England premiere of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb’s boom! Bridget received her MFA in directing at Boston University.