1. Coming September 2016
Be Awesome—A Theatrical Mix Tape of the 90’s
Conceived and Directed by Producing Artistic Director Jason Schlafstein
by
Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers
Flying V Proudly Presents

2. Flying V is supported in part by funding from
the Montgomery County government and
the Arts and Humanities Council of Mont-
gomery County.
RECOMMENDS
READING:
Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore
Toupydoops by Kevin McShane
Formerly Known as the Justice League
by Keith Griffen, JM Dematteis, and
Kevin McGuire
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life by
Bryan Lee O’Malley
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
By Mindy Kaling
Buried Child by Sam Shepard
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
LISTENING:
You’re my Best Friend - Queen
Happy Together - The Turtles
Why do I Lie? - Remix Luscious Jackson
The Boys are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy
Fisherman’s Blues - The Water Boys
No Name #3 - Elliot Smith
Between the Bars - Elliot Smith
What a Beautiful Day - Levellers
With a Little Help from My Friends - the Beatles
You’ve Got a Friend in Me - Randi Newman
Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Middler
My Best Friend - Weezer
Listen on Spotify
You can now Become Awesome with an annual donation of as little as $25.00!
Flying V is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, all donations are
tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Check out our levels of support, get inspired, and make your donation online
to Become Awesome today!
Best Theatre Company to Watch

3. WITHOUT FEAR ($5,000+)
Arts & Humanities Council of
Montgomery County
Bill Caldwell
Pete Miller & Sara Cormeny
Trawick Foundation
Jonathan Zucker
Scott & Evelyn Schreiber
INVINCIBLE ($2,500-$4,999)
John Barkmeyer
Lisa Carr
MIGHTY ($1,000-$2,499)
Judy Gilbert Levey & Jeffrey Levey
Maryland State Arts Council
Amy Oliver
Melissa Wiley
SPECTACULAR ($500-$999)
Dr. Katherine N. Bent & Hilary B. Miller
Cathy Bernard
The Community Foundation for
The National Capital Region
Kevin Faragher
Montgomery County Executive’s Ball
Ryan Moore
Max Novakowski
Jerry & Jean Whiddon
SENSATIONAL ($250-$499)
&pizza
Ellys Abrams
Boeing
Holly Hasset
Daniel Mori
Cain Norris
Marguerite Tumulty
Nadra Wass
UNCANNY ($100-$249)
Anonymous
Stephanie Coppula
Janet Hitchens
Thomas Holzman & Alison Drucker
Katia Lind
Tina Martinez
Daniel McLean
Katherine Offutt
Elizabeth Ralston
Jenn Robinson
Jillian Rubino
David Tannous
AMAZING ($50-$99)
Mary Bass
William Behrmann
Katie Bucher
Davia Craumer
Nisha Desai
Kelly Garvis
Michael Gittleson
Martha Henderson
David Kessler
Judy Lebet
Colin MacDonald
Agnes Mallard
Irene Moore
John Ozkirbas
Xavid Pretzer
Jerome Przybylski
Stepjhen Rourke
Peter Schecter
Sandy Swift
Tim Torre
Lorraine Treanor
Doug Wilder
AWESOME ($25-$49)
Michael Beder
Amanda Bradley
Angie Bridell
Jessica Bylander
Katie Childress
Deborah Gabai
James Finley
Koleen Hall
Allie Heiman
Lee Liebeskind
Cathy McGinnis
Todd McGinnis
Marcia Miller
Steve & Nancy Monaghan
Joseph Musumeci
Lawrence Naughton
Gordon Nimmo-Smith
Ben Owen
Daniel Riker
Stephen Spotswood
Ashley Sutherland
Deb Sivigny
Heather Whitpan
Become Awesome Donors
Created &Written by
Mindy Kaling and BrendaWithers
Directed by Matt Bassett
Starring
Matt Tia Shearer* ^
Ben Katie Jeffries*
Creative Team
Technical Director
Jason Tamborini
Stage Manager
Tess Wagner
Sound Designer
Neil McFadden*
Assistant Director
Kelsey Hall
Assistant Stage Manager
Dawn Marie Kelley
Costume Designer
Kat Fleshman
Lighting Designer
Kristin A. Thompson*
Fight Director
Jonathan Ezra Rubin*
Props Designer
Andrea ‘Dre’ Moore*
Set Designer
Jos. B. Musumeci, Jr. *
Scenic Charge
Pamula Twyman
Audience Designer
Davia Craumer
Front of House Assoc.
Devon Ross
Carpenter
Maxwell Carpenter
Carpenter
Luke Tudball
* Denotes company member
^ Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, ap-
pearing under a Special Appearance Contract.
MATT & BEN
“Matt & Ben” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
Production Credits: “Matt & Ben” Originally produced Off-Broadway by Victoria Lang & Pier
Paolo Piccoli, Stephen Pevner & Jason Hsiao.

4. Flying V Staff
Producing Artistic Director Jason Schlafstein
Managing Director Jonathan Ezra Rubin
General Manager Ellys Abrams
Marketing & Communications Director Tracey E. Dorfmann
Chief Brand Officer Clare Shaffer
Grants Manager Kim Goldberg
Production Manager Philip da Costa
Company Manager /Asst. Production Manager Will Pommerening
Literary Manager Susanna Pretzer
Flying V Company
Aaron Bliden, Andrew Berry, Augie Praley, Blair Bowers, Britney Mongold, Brittany Graham, Colin Grube, Daniel
Mori, Doug Wilder, Andrea ‘Dre’ Moore, Jon Jon Johnson, Jos. B. Musumeci,, Jr., Julie Roedersheimer, Katie
Jeffries, Katie Nigsch, Kristin A. Thompson, Lee Liebeskind, Madeline Key, Maggie Erwin, Matthew Pauli, Megan
Reichelt, Michael Saltzman, Neil McFadden, Paul Reisman, RobertBowen Smith, Ryan Maxwell, Ryan Tumulty,
Board of Directors
President Melissa Wiley
Vice President Jonathan Zucker
Secretary Kevin Faragher
Treasurer William Caldwell
At-Large Amy Oliver
At-Large John Barkmeyer
At-Large Stephanie Coppula
At-Large Evelyn Schreiber
At-Large Jonathan Ezra Rubin
At-Large Jason Schlafstein
Advisory Board
Michael Bobbitt
Lee Liebeskind
Pete Miller
Hunter Styles
Jerry Whiddon

5. SPECIALTHANKS
 &Pizza
 Adventure Theatre-MTC
 The Flying V Company
 Jason Tamborini & the George C. Marshall High School
 Jos. B Musumeci, Jr. and the
Jewish Community Center
of Greater Washington
 Kristin Cardinal
 Andrew Berry & X-Laser
 Dan Mori and the Fitzgerald Theatre
 University of Maryland College Park, Theater Department
 Young Playwright’s Theatre
 Gordon Nimmo-Smith & Shakespeare Theatre Company
 Mary Dalto & the AFI Silver
 And our incredible TEAM CHARLIE:
Emma Hebert, Ashley Milligan, Kaylynn Creighton, Christian
Sullivan, Allison O’Donnell, Kristin Cardinal, Gretchen
Midgley, Ashley Lyles, Nahm Darr, Lorraine Peterson,
Emmy Masarik, and the Hairston Family
Ellys Abrams* (General Manager) is a proud new
member of the Flying V family. Formerly, she
worked for dog & pony dc as the Ring Leader for
Organizational Advancement and as the assistant
to the Managing Director at Woolly Mammoth The-
atre Company, the assistant to the Producing Artis-
tic Director of MetroStage in Alexandria, VA, and
the Assistant Company Manager for Directors for
Emerging Artists Theatre in New York. She has
previously worked for Emerging Artists Theatre in
NYC, New Century Theatre in Northampton, MA,
and the New York International Fringe Festival.
She is a graduate of Smith College.
Matt Bassett (Director) is thrilled to be back work-
ing with Flying V on this bigger project, Matt & Ben.
He is Associate Artistic Director of The Hub Thea-
tre, where he directed the multiple-Helen-Hayes-
Award-nominated Failure: A Love Story among
others. Fun Fact: Matt has directed this show once
before, with then-almost-girlfriend, now-wife Tia
Shearer in the role of Matt Damon. Ten years and
one child between the two productions!!
Davia Craumer (Audience Designer) is thrilled to
be making the transition from being a Flying V
groupie to being a part of the production team for
Matt & Ben. Most of Davia’s theater
endeavors in the DMV area have been with her law
school theater group, the Georgetown Gilbert
& Sullivan Society. In the daylight, Davia can
be found practicing civil rights law in Arlington.
Philip da Costa* (Production Manager) (Stage
Manager & Production Manager) has been with
Flying V since summer 2015, and FVs production
of Flying V Fights Heroes & Monsters. FV credits
include The Oregon Trail (CM), Grandfather Frost
and the Snow Maiden (SM), Justice League: The
New Frontier (SM), and the most recent mounting
of You or Whatever I Can Get (SM). Philip is a
proud member of the judging panel for Theatre
Washington’s Helen Hayes Awards, and will be
serving as a Helen Musical Judge for the 2016
season. Philip is a performer/ technician and a
recent graduate of The Catholic University of Amer-
ica. Philip's credits and upcoming performances
can be found online. www.philipdc.com
Tracey E. Dorfmann* (Marketing & Communica-
tions Director) has been working in the Montgom-
ery County arts scene since 2002. In addition to
her work with Flying V, Tracey is a Special Projects
Consultant for Ideal Adventures LLC . Prior to
opening her own consulting practice she was the
Chief Program Officer at The JCC of Greater
Washington for 9 years. Much love to her sup-
portive and wonderful husband Mitch.
Kat Fleshman (Costume Designer) Kat Flesh-
man is so excited about her premire show with
Flying V! Even though she is a full time teacher at
Carver Center for Arts and Technology, she is so
happy to be able to collaborate with such a talent-
ed group of artists. Recent credits include Its A
Circus Out There (DC Fringe), Dogfight, Sweeney
Todd (Red Branch Theatre), Promised Land
(Mosaic),Henri IV (Brave Spirits) and The Merry
Death of Robin Hood (LiveArtDC). She would like
to thank Matt, Tess, Phil, Jason and her husband,
Joe. Enjoy!
Kelsey Hall (Assistant Director) is thrilled to be
working with Flying V for the first time! She has
been seen in the office, in classrooms, and on
stage with Young Playwrights' Theater where she
is the Program Associate, and is also a freelance
Teaching Artist with Imagination Stage and
Round House Theatre. Kelsey has a BA in Thea-
tre and Educational Studies from St. Olaf College.
Thanks to Matt and this awesome team!
Katie Jeffries* (Ben) is a Flying V company
member, having previously appeared as Janet
Joplin/Tamara in Unplugged, Jill in Tough, and
The Traveler in Science Fiction: Double Feature.
Recent credits include Wish List and Leto Legend
with The Hub, Raw with Venus Theatre, and The
Margins with Molotov Theatre. By day, Katie
owns Wag Your Tail Dog Walking with her best
friend. Much love to the Matt and Ben team,
especially her stellar scene partner, Tia.
Dawn Marie Kelley (Assistant Stage Manager)
is a graduate of Towson University’s Theatre
Program. She began Stage Managing in 2012
and recently completed an apprenticeship in
technical theatre with Atlas Performing Arts Cen-
ter. In the past she’s worked with Baltimore
Shakespeare Factory, Single Carrot Theatre, Iron
Crow Theatre, Happenstance Theatre, and Mosa-
ic Theatre of DC. She is beyond excited to be a
part of the Flying V team for the first time.
Neil McFadden (Sound Designer) Neil’s sound
and lighting designs have been heard (or seen) in
many area theatres, including Arena Stage, Stu-
dio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, Olney Theatre,
Creative Team

6. Adventure Theatre, the Washington Savoyards,
Rep Stage, Everyman Theatre, Flying V (where he
is a company member), and Round House Theatre
(where he was the Resident Sound Designer and
for eleven years). A ten-time nominee, Neil re-
ceived the Helen Hayes Award for his design of
Round House’s Heathen Valley. Neil is also a
musician and composer: he has played in many
area shows; he also performs regularly with his
rock/blues band Mike’s Garage, and as a solo
acoustic performer. Love to Elizabeth.
Andrea “Dre” Moore* (Props Design) Dre has
been creating theatrical properties in the DC
area for 13 years. Previous Flying V Properties
Design credits include Flying V Fights: Love Is A
Battlefield (set and props design), The Best of
Craigslist, The Pirate Laureate of Port Town,
and Incurable. Her work has graced the stages
of Round House (Fool For Love, Ordinary Days,
The Lyons, This), Adventure Theatre (Oliver!,
Caps For Sale, A Lump of Coal for Christmas,
James and the Giant Peach, The Emperor’s
Nightingale), Rep Stage (The Whale), Olney
Theatre (puppet design - The Little Mermaid),
Theatre J (Falling Out Of Time, The History of
Invulnerability), Rorschach Theatre Never-
where), Imagination Stage, and The Kennedy
Center. She also assists in the education of our
future theatre designers and craftspeople at the
University of Maryland College Park, at the
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.
Jos. B. Musumeci, Jr.* (Set Designer) Previous
designs with Flying V include the settings for You
or Whatever..., The Pirate Laureate and the King of
the Sea, Lobster Alice, The Pirate Laureate of Port
Town, Science Fiction Double Feature, and lighting
for Unplugged and the Fringe production of Me and
the Devil Blues. Other recent work includes Floyd
Collins at 1st Stage, Three Little Birds (original
production, Off-Broadway transfer, and National
Tour), Lily's Purple Plastic Purse,and Rankin and
Bass's Rudolph the Red-nosed
Reideer with Adventure Theatre/MTC , King John,
Nero/Pseudoand Othello with WSC/Avant
Bard,Shining City with Scena, and numerous one-
off and architectural projects with his firm, ProSce-
nia Design. Next up: One Mutual Happiness with
Uncle Fuzzy Productions at Capital Fringe. By day,
Joseph is Theatre, Media, and Events Director for
the Kreeger Auditorium at the JCC of Greater
Washington.
Will Pommerening* (Company Manager/Asst.
Production Manager) works as a stage manager in
the DC area, recently stage managing Pinocchio!
with Faction of Fools, He was the touring stage
manager for two National Tours with Adventure
Theatre MTC. Will is also a Company Member with
Hub Theatre, where he has stage managed since
2013. He is happy to have joined the Flying V Team
last year. Be Awesome!
Susanna Pretzer* (Literary Manager) was recently
the Dramaturgy Associate at Olney Theatre Center
and has also dramaturged shows at Premiere Stag-
es, Florida Studio Theatre, and Random Access
Theatre, as well as Flying V’s The Oregon Trail.
She has done script coverage for Manhattan Thea-
tre Club, WSC Avant Bard’s Scripts in Play Festival,
the Inkwell, Premiere Stages, Florida Studio Thea-
tre, City Theatre, the Short+Sweet Festival, and
Dobama Theatre.
Devon Richard Ross (Front of House Associate)
is thrilled to be back working for his Flying V after
being part of the Ensemble for You, or Whatever I
Can Get earlier this season. You may have just seen
him make his professional debut this past December
in WSC Avant Bard's Holiday Memories where he
played Odd Henderson as well as many supporting
roles. He also participated in the 2015 Source Thea-
tre Festival portraying a Bear and a Surgeon in two
10 minute plays. Devon is a proud alumni of NCDA
where he studied acting for 3 years under many
talented actors, writers and directors including Doug
Wilder, Vaughn Irving and Jason Schlafstein. It is an
honor for him to work on a piece that holds such
deep personal meaning to everyone involved and he
hopes that the audience will connect with the music
in the way that he and the rest of the cast have.
Jonathan Ezra Rubin* (Managing Director,) has
been with Flying V since September 2011 and the
company's growth over that time, and especially in
the past couple of years, have been among the
highlights of his career. Under his direction Flying V
became a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, has exponentially
grown its annual budget for the second year in a
row, and was the recipient of the 2015 John Aniello
Award for Outstanding Emerging Theater Company
at the Helen Hayes Awards. Jonathan is also a
member of the Steering Committee for the Mont-
gomery County Executive's Ball for the Arts & Hu-
manities. A Recognized Advanced Actor/Combatant
with the SAFD, and a Helen Hayes Award Nominee
Creative Team
for Outstanding Choreography (Flying V Fights:
Heroes & Monsters), Jonathan freelances as a
fight director and has choreographed for most of
Flying V's shows, as well as at The Studio Thea-
tre, GALA Hispanic Theatre, LiveArtDC,
Georgetown Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Marshall
High School, Single Carrot Theatre, Maryland
Shakespeare Company, Lumina Studio Theatre,
and more. His fights can be seen on stage cur-
rently in: El Paso Blue (GALA),
and Neverwhere (Cohesion Theatre Company).
When not co-leading Flying V or choreographing
fights, Jonathan is the Theatre Manager for the
Silver Spring Black Box. Much love to Jillian for
her continuous support. Expect Awesome. Be
Awesome.
Jason Schlafstein* (Producing Artistic Direc-
tor) is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of
Flying V with whom he has Directed or Co-
Directed You, or Whatever I Can Get (Winner -
Best Musical, 2014 Capital Fringe Festi-
val); Flying V Fights: Heroes and Monsters (Two
Helen Hayes Awards Nominations); The Pirate
Laureate and the King of the Sea; Flying V
Fights: Love is a Battlefield; Unplugged!; The
Best of Craigslist; The Pirate Laureate of Port
Town; Staring at the Sun; Me and the Devil
Blues; Tough!; Become What You Are; and nu-
merous readings and workshops. Under his lead-
ership Flying V was the recipient of the 2015
John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging
Theater Company at the Helen Hayes Awards.
Other recent directing credits include The Merry
Death of Robin Hood with LiveArtDC; Information
Once Thought Useless at the National Conserva-
tory of Dramatic Arts; Featuring Loretta and The
Hunchback Variations at 1st Stage, and many
more. He is a three time Best Director winner at
the annual Bethesda Play in a Day Competition,
a member of the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment
District Board, and a member of the Board of
Governors of the Helen Hayes Awards. This fall
he will create and direct Be Awesome: A Theatri-
cal Mixtape of the 90s with Flying V. Be Better.
Be Awesome.
Clare Shaffer* (Chief Brand Officer) is a multi-
hatted theatre artist based in DC. In addition to
being Chief Branding Officer for Flying V, she is
the Associate Producer and Casting Director for
Nu Sass Productions, and a freelance director
who has had the pleasure of working with compa-
nies including Olney Theatre Center, Theater J,
Mosaic Theater Company, Unexpected Stage, &
Monumental Theatre Company. She works
across genres and specializes in new
play/musical development.
Tia Shearer * †(Matt) is psyched to make her
Flying V debut after doing audience design for
the past 6 (7?) shows! She is a member of Ac-
tors' Equity, a faculty member at the National
Conservatory, and a bit of a theatrical Jill-of-
trades. She has a cool kid and a talented hus-
band, and she actually played Matt Damon in the
Tennessee premiere of this play, uh...more than
5 but less than 11 years ago.
Jason Tamborini* (Technical Director) is
happy to return to Flying V after making his
Flying V debut with The Bleeding Heart
Show. Jason run the Theatre dept. at George
Marshall HS in Fairfax County. BFA Theatre
Performance - Niagara University, MA Theatre
Education - Emerson College.
Kristin A. Thompson* (Lighting Designer) is
happy to return to Flying V, having previously
designed You , or Whatever I Can Get, Oregon
Trail, Flying V Fights: Heroes and Monsters, The
Pirate Laureate and the King of the Sea, Lobster
Alice, Flying V Fights: Love is a Battlefield, The
Best of Craigslist, and The Pirate Laureate of
Port Town. She is a company member of Flying
V, Resident Lighting Designer for Venus Thea-
tre, and Lighting Design Mentor for Round
House Theatre's Sarah Play Project. Kristin has
also designed for: Round House Theatre, 1st
Stage, Happenstance Theatre, Imagination
Stage, Contradiction Dance, among others.
When not sitting in the dark shining light on other
people, she spends her time with her two favorite
people: her husband Paul, and her daughter
Grey!
Pamula Twyman (Scenic Change)
Creative Team