Portraiture
A new play written & directed by Margaret Van Sant
Helltown Players is proud to present the world premiere of Portraiture, a sharp, witty, and thought-provoking new play by Margaret Van Sant.
Set in the Rare Reading Room of Yale’s Beinecke Library, Portraiture follows art historian Sylvia Santos as she leads a tour through a striking new exhibit. On display: portraits of three extraordinary women—Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, and Mabel Dodge Luhan—captured by modernist painters at the height of their influence.
But as Sylvia delves into their stories, the room fills with questions. What do these portraits reveal? What do they leave out? And who gets the final say on how a life is remembered?
With humor, intelligence, and a deep curiosity about art and identity, Portraiture invites us to reexamine the lives behind the legends—and the stories we tell about them.
Critical Raves…
“‘Portraiture’ gives contemporary audiences a thoroughly entertaining opportunity to see how the lives of three brilliant, trailblazing women not only changed the course of history, but continue to inform and impact contemporary culture. Exactly what our troubled world needs right now.”
- Boston Spirit Magazine
Venue:
The Art House
214 Commercial Street
Provincetown, Massachusetts 02657
Dates / Times:
October 15 - 18 (Wed. - Sat.) at 7:00pm
October 19 (Sun.) at 2:00pm
Tickets:
Tickets: $20.00 - $40.00
Cast:
Susanna Creel as Sylvia Santos
Lynda Sturner as Alice B. Toklas
Mary Chris Kenney as Gertrude Stein
Kimberly Lajoie as Mabel Dodge Luhan
Creative Team:
Margaret Van Sant - Playwright & Director
Will Oxtoby - Stage Manager / Board Operator
Jim Dalglish - Dramaturge / Producer
John Killwey - Set Design & Construction
Tami Trask - Costume Design
Christopher Racine - Lighting Designer, Technical Director The Art House
Chulani Levenstone- Box Office Manager
Richy Pugh - Owner, Rainbow Event Productions
Producing Partners:
Richy Pugh - Rainbow Event Productions
Women’s Week Provincetown
Supporters:
Dr. Scott A. Allegretti - DDS Provincetown Dental Arts
Creative Team Bios
(Alphabetical by last name:)
Tami Trask Good
Costume Design
Tami has been costuming productions at various local theaters for more than 30 years, including recently Pippin and The Importance of Being Earnest at Eventide Theatre Company and Fiddler on the Roof and Always, Patsy Cline at Cotuit Center for the Arts. When she’s not working in the theater, Tami works with private clients, specializing in creating custom garments, or is planning her latest home renovation project. It’s been a pleasure working with Jim again and for the first time with Margaret, and has enjoyed spending time with this talented and lovely cast!
Bill Jacobs
Design and Construction Assistant
Bill Jacobs is a director, writer, cinematographer and producer living full-time in Wellfleet, MA. Bill worked many years at Columbia, Warner Bros., and Paramount Pictures in Los Angeles before starting his media production company, Shooting Star Creativeworks. Currently, Bill is in the final stages of postproduction on the independent feature film, When the Moon Was Twice as Big, a project that he wrote and directed, and coproduced with his husband, John Killwey.
John G. Killwey
Set Design & Construction
After 23 years in corporate business focusing on claims legal, John transitioned into the entertainment industry, co-producing the independent feature film When the Moon Was Twice as Big with his husband, Bill Jacobs. As co-owner of Shooting Star Creativeworks, a media production company, John has coordinated with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG/AFTRA), scouted locations, and used his expertise in carpentry and design to craft exceptional movie sets and props. Since relocating to Cape Cod, John has expanded his creative pursuits, producing set pieces for critically acclaimed theatrical productions. For him, life is a creative adventure—and he's loving every moment of it!
Chulani Levenstone
Box Office Manager
Chulani has been part of the Rainbow Entertainment Group team for five months. He loves welcoming guests and helping every show start off smoothly. Outside of the theater he enjoys live music, good food and new adventures.
Robin Joyce Miller
Script Consultant
Robin Joyce Miller is a retired educator, artist, author, poet, and public speaker, who taught for 30+ years in the NYC school system. She spent the first half of her career teaching learning disabled students and the next half as an art teacher. Miller was also a NYC Blueprint for the Arts Facilitator, leading workshops at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum.
After retirement she and her husband have maintained two residences in NYC and Cape Cod. After George Floyd’s murder, Robin and her husband, James, began presenting a BLM Series with the Cotuit Center for the Arts. These programs focus on African/African American history and are available to the public on Cotuit on Demand - YouTube. She is on the Bd of Directors at the Cotuit Center. Miller is also a Peace and Racial Harmony advocate. She speaks at churches, schools, universities, and libraries on the subject of race. You can view more of Robin’s work on www.robinjoycemillerart.com.
Will Oxtoby
Stage Manager / Board Operator
Will Oxtoby has worked as a stage manager and stagehand with the Provincetown Theater, the Academy Playhouse, Peregrine Theatre Ensemble, and the O’Neill Festival of New Works. Recent credits include VANYA, SONIA, MASHA & SPIKE; THE SECRET GARDEN and HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. He previously performed onstage for a time before focusing on backstage work, and he is excited to be part of this production.
Richy Pugh
Owner Rainbow Entertainment
Owner of Rainbow Entertainment, which produces shows in Palm Springs, California, as well as in Provincetown, MA. Entertainers Richy has produced for Miss Coco Peru, Kathy Griffin, Ross Matthews, Miss Richfield 1981, Brian Justin Crum, Miss Conception, and more. Richy has been producing entertainment for over 10 years.
Chris Racine
Lighting Designer, Technical Director The Art House
As Technical Director, Chris Racine keeps the magic behind the curtain running smoothly from first cue to final bow. Chris has been doing lighting and sound for over 20 years and is proud to bring his special talents to the Art House this season.
Margaret Van Sant
Playwright / Director
Margaret Van Sant is a playwright, theater director, festival organizer, educator, and the Artistic Director of Provincetown Dramatic Arts (PDA). PDA produces the annual O’Neill Festival of New Works that focuses on the development of scripts by Cape based playwrights. Van Sant also wrote “Goody, the Witch of Eastham”, “Pulse”, presented with the four plays in “Quickies” in Provincetown and Dublin, “The Test”, read at Theater J in Washington, DC, and “The Pennimans”, a historical play about a whaling family developed for radio broadcast on WOMR. Van Sant has directed at Virginia Stage Company, Long Wharf Theater, Arena Stage, Yale University National Conference on Portuguese Theater, Berkshire Theater Festival, Provincetown Theater, and Payomet Center for the Performing Arts. She is a member of the Stage Directors and Chorographers Society and a Trustee of Helltown Players.
Actor Bios…
(By order of appearance:)
Susanna Creel
Sylvia Santos
Susanna Creel is a Performing Arts major at Cape Cod Community College and is thrilled to be working with such wonderful theater people. Some of her favorite roles include The Mistress in Evita (CCftA) Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof (CCftA), Alice Murphy in Bright Star (Tilden Arts), Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family (CDG), Phoebe D’Ysquith in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (APA), and Emily Webb in Our Town (ETC). In 2022 Susanna received an EMACT/DASH nomination for her performance as Emily in Our Town with Eventide Theater Company, and in 2024 received an Irene Ryan Acting Award nomination for her portrayal of Alice in Bright Star. When she’s not onstage, Susanna works as a licensed massage therapist and is passionate about helping others find calm and connection through her work. @ohsusannarose
Lynda Sturner
Alice B. Toklas
Lynda Sturner is an actress, playwright, director and producer. Acting roles include: Broadway 1964 : Oliver, Off Broadway 1970: The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds. In Provincetown: Anna Christie, The Food Chain, A Perfect Ganesh, The Allergist’s Wife, Wit, Ryan Landry’s The Gulls; and GAMMA RAYS. AWARDS: Best Actress : 2009 Gamma Rays; Best Actress the Dublin International Gay Theater Festival for her play Super-Lubricated co-written with Jim Dalglish. Audience choice award at the Edward Albee Last Frontier Festival, Kaplan Prize, and Cape Cod Award A Talented Woman written with Jim Dalglish. She produced The Direct Line Play and previously served as Artistic Director of the Provincetown Rep and Playwright’s Forum NYC. She was past president and founding member of The League of Professional Theater Women, NYC and proud Trustee of Helltown Players. Thank you, Ted Traum.
Mary Chris Kenney
Gertrude Stein
Mary Chris (M.C.) first was seen on PTown stages in 2001 as, "the female Greek chorus" (love multiple roles!) in Truro resident/award winning playwright, Paula Vogel's "How I Learned to Drive" under the direction of Patrick Falco (former Tennessee Williams Festival director) with Stephen Carey (The Wardrobe) as her dresser. Became a member of "The Deviant Women" troupe at Marge Conn's long running theater at PTown Inn: there favorite role , "Typhoid Mary " by Carolyn Gage. Most nostalgic role: " The Female Caller" in Durang's "For Whom the Southern Bell Tolls" staged upstairs from Napi's with "Purlene DuBois" as "the M.C.” and Tony Jackman as set designer. Being in the company of playwrights as a reader for: Jim Dalglish, Candace Perry, Lynda Sturner, Gerry Thompson, Margaret Van Sant, and Meryl Cohn cemented her love for PTown theater. Just continued recently with the "TimeShare " writers/players under the direction of Gary Garrison and Brittany Rolfs — first time at the new theater. Dedicate performance to my chosen family here, especially the beloved Sewell Whittemore, my 1st Stage Manager. Thanks to my family and friends who have been more than supportive to my crazy career, especially K.C., P.C.K., G.B. and S.A.B., H.W. and K.B., and E.K.
Kim Lajoie
Mabel Dodge Luhan
Kim has performed locally and regionally across New England for over 40 years. Favorite recent roles include Kim in Kimberly Akimbo, Lily in 6 Dance Lessons in 6 Weeks, the Art Critic in Bakersfield Mist, Miss Tweed in Somethings Afoot, Sonia in Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike, Chris in Calendar Girls and Bobby in City of Angels. Locally she has been seen in Love, Loss and What I Wore for the Sandwich Arts Alliance and Melissa in Love Letters for Woods Hole Theatre Co. Kim has received NHCTA award nominations for Best Actress in Calendar Girls and Best Supporting Actress for Almost Maine. Kim is a silver level ballroom dancer and lives in Pocasset with her incredibly talented husband Steve, and their rescue dogs Teddy and Ginger.
Portrait Permissions…
Gertrude Stein painted by Francis Picabia, Alice B. Toklas by Dora Maar, and Mabel Dodge Luhan by Mary Foote. Images used with the permission of the Yale University Library.
Produced in partnership with: