Travels With My Aunt
by
Graham Greene
Adapted for the stage by Giles Havergal

Director Scenic Design Costume Design Lighting Design Sound Design Properties Design & Set Dressing Production Stage Manager Public Relations Technical Director Set Construction Scenic Artist Production Crew Sound Board Operator Follow Spot Operator Stage Crew Key Art Production Photography

David Dean Bottrell Michael C. Smith Sherry Linnell Jarel A. Sayeg Cricket S. Myers MacAndME Rebecca Cohn David Elzer/Demand PR Robert T. Kyle Red Colgrove Stephen Gifford Watson Bradshaw, Justin Kief, Christopher Rivera, Vanessa Velez Boswell Kathryn Horan Heather L. Waters Travis Moscinski, Amanda Ragan Doirean Heldt Michael Lamont

Henry, Young Visconti Aunt Augusta, Sparrow Vicar, Wordsworth, The Dog, Hakim's Assistant Miss Patterson, O'toole, Yolanda Miss Keane, Sparrow's Assistant, Hatty, Tooley, Italian Girl, Frau General, Hakim, Spanish Gentleman, Older Visconti

Thomas James O'Leary Mark Capri Larry Cedar Sybyl Walker

When Barbara Beckley called and asked if I would be interested in directing a stage adaptation of Graham Greene’s comic novel, Travels With My Aunt, I wasn’t certain I wanted the job. I was already up to my neck with my own writing and performing projects and was uncertain I could make the time.

I had other concerns as well. Most of Greene’s novels were spy thrillers packed with political intrigue and cold war suspense. They usually had large casts and wildly intricate plots. I knew he was a very cinematic writer. His original screenplay for Carol Reed’s 1949 film noir classic, The Third Man, is nothing short of a masterpiece. According to the Internet Movie Database, 66 film and television projects based on his novels were produced between the years 1934 and 2010, but I’d never heard of a "stage" adaptation of any of his stories. As far as I knew, Travels With My Aunt had only been adapted once - into a mediocre movie in 1972 directed by George Cukor and starring Alec McCowen as "Henry" and a far too young Maggie Smith (in terrible old age make up) as "Aunt Augusta."

Then Barbara sent me Giles Havergal’s 1989 stage version of Travels and my interest was piqued. Havergal’s inspired adaptation had stripped the story down to its most basic elements, relying on the talents of only four actors to bring the story’s large and colorful cast of characters to hilarious life, and wisely utilizing the single most transcendent element that live theatre has to offer: human imagination. Soon I was utterly charmed by poor innocent Henry; so alone in the world with little more than his dahlias for company. And who could say no to Aunt Augusta, the eccentric "black sheep" of the Bertram family who is only happy when she is in motion, traveling to her next adventure, fearlessly in search of every experience life has to offer her?

So began my journey with this remarkable show. And let’s face it - no trip is much fun without good traveling companions. Luckily, I have been blessed with the best: A remarkably gifted cast, an inspired design team, plus the tireless support offered by the Colony Theatre’s leadership and staff. My advice? Buckle your seat belts before Act One begins and hang on tight as Henry and Augusta take you on the ride of your life.

Bon Voyage!

~ David Dean Bottrell

I SUBSCRIBE! 

I am not a person who wants to say "Oh, I wish I had seen that." I am a subscription member at a number of organizations, including the LA Opera, the LA Master Chorale, the LA Phil, Music Center Dance, The Gay Men’s Chorus, East West Players, and YES, The Colony! I subscribe to them because I care deeply about their mission, but I also care about my own personal wellbeing. Nothing makes me feel better than to witness some of the wonderful productions I have seen in Los Angeles. I see around three events per week… I am a "culture vulture." Some of what I see is not good, some is fair…but then some of it is transformational, and I often wonder if I would have gone to see that performance if I was not a subscriber. Would I have chosen to see Grupo Corpo dance at the Music Center a few months ago? Probably not, but having seen it, I can say that it was one of the most exhilarating performances I have ever seen – and I would not have seen it if I were not a subscriber! 

There is no question that I could have tickets to The Colony at no charge. But I believe in the work we do, and want to support it by being a part of our subscription family. During Moonlight and Magnolias, I sat in the lobby taking subscription renewal orders, and I got to chat with a number of you about your experiences at The Colony, and what this organization means to you. You understand that by being a part of The Colony, you get to see the likes of our Ovation Award-winning Beth Grant in Grace and Glorie, Hal Linden in our beautiful production of On Golden Pond, the amusingly touching Shooting Star, and our provoking Year Zero. 

For those of you who are subscribers, I would like to invite you to share some of your favorite Colony memories. Over the course of the next season, and as we get closer to our 40th anniversary, we will be featuring several letters from our subscribers in the pages of our program, and we welcome your thoughts and comments. You may email me directly at trentsteelman@colonytheatre.org. 

In January, we will announce our 38th season, and I know you will want to renew, or become a new subscriber, because I don’t want you to say "Oh, I wish I had seen that."
 
Trent Steelman
Executive Director