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300 Paintings

300 Paintings

Digital Program
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Artistic Director’s Welcome

Welcome to 300 Paintings!

Sam Kissajukian’s extraordinary journey from stand-up comic to visual artist was a prolific period of boundless creativity. Exploring the ties between art, mental health, and creativity, his one-man-show is both infused with comedy and deeply personal. It reminds us that theater creates spaces for us to examine our humanity and dare to be vulnerable.

The premiere of 300 Paintings at New York City’s Vineyard Theatre garnered Sam multiple award nominations for his solo performance. He comes to us following an acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and will then take his show to the McCarter at Princeton at the end of October. I’m thrilled he is in residence with us at the A.R.T. this month.

300 Paintings invites us to re-evaluate our relationship with art—to consider how it can offer portals into our lived experiences, change the way we see, and help us to be truly seen by others. I hope you’ll join Sam after the show to view his paintings up close and to continue the conversation.

We are very grateful to be at Farkas Hall for the run of this production, a residency made possible through our ongoing partnership with Harvard University’s undergraduate concentration in Theater, Dance & Media.

Thank you for joining us!

Diane Paulus
Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director

American Repertory Theater
Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director:
Diane Paulus

presents

The Vineyard Theatre Production of

300 PAINTINGS

Created and Performed by Sam Kissajukian

Creative Team

Produced by

Sally Horchow

Matt Ross

Produced by

Sally Horchow

SHIP was founded by producer Sally Horchow in 2010 with the mission of producing high-quality live entertainment. Broadway: Is This A Room/Dana H., Tootsie, Annie, Meteor Shower, The Heidi Chronicles. West End: Crazy For You, Curtains. Off-Broadway/Regional: 300 Paintings, Gloria: A Life, Small Mouth Sounds, Nantucket! The MusACKal. In addition to SHIP’s commercial productions, Sally serves on the Boards of the Vineyard Theatre in NYC, the Nantucket Performing Arts Center (NPAC), Nourish Nantucket, and the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.

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Produced by

Matt Ross

Matt Ross is a theatrical producer and publicist based in New York. His lead producing credits include Is This A Room/Dana H., Pass Over, and the Tony-nominated Broadway engagement of Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me, its national tour, and its live capture film for Amazon. Projects in development include the new musicals The Interestings (with Sara Bareilles and Sarah Ruhl) and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (with Peter Hedges, Adrian Enscoe, Christopher Sears, Sydney Shepherd, and Regina Strayhorn).

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in association with

Octopus Theatricals

in association with

Octopus Theatricals

Founded by Tony® and Grammy® winning producer Mara Isaacs, Octopus Theatricals collaborates with artists and organizations to foster an expansive range of compelling theatrical works for local and global audiences. Projects include: Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell (lead producer Broadway, West End, National Tour; 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical; Grammy Award, Best Musical Theater Album); Gypsy starring Audra McDonald (lead producer Broadway); Goddess conceived and directed by Saheem Ali, music and lyrics by Michael Thurber (The Public Theater); and more.

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Originally produced by

Vineyard Theatre

Originally produced by

Vineyard Theatre

Sarah Stern, Artistic Director; Moogie Brooks, Managing Producer. For more than 40 years, New York City’s Vineyard Theatre has been dedicated to new plays and musicals and to nurturing a community of daring theatermakers whose work has expanded the form, the field, and the larger culture. Notable premieres include the Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q, Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive and Indecent, Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women, Kander and Ebb’s The Scottsboro Boys, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Gloria, Tina Satter’s Is This A Room (now HBO’s Reality), and many more.

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Lighting Consultant

Avery Reagan

Lighting Consultant

Avery Reagan

A.R.T.: Debut. Avery Reagan is a lighting designer currently based in the Los Angeles area. She is looking forward to the opportunity to be a part of the 300 Paintings team. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia (a proud and enthusiastic Braves fan), she has designed and assisted from coast to coast with companies such as South Coast Repertory, City Springs Theatre Company, Great River Shakespeare Festival, Theatre SilCo, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Opera, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

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Production Management Consultant

Stewert Productions

Stage Manager

Lisa McGinn

Stage Manager

Lisa McGinn

A.R.T.: Ocean Filibuster. Recent credits: Shayok Misha Chowdhury’s Rheology, Bushwick Starr; A Knock on the Roof, NYTW; Other projects: Geoff Sobelle’s FOOD, Home, and The Object Lesson; On Beckett: An Evening with Bill Irwin, tour; Elephant Room: Dust from the Stars, CTG; Underground Railroad Game, Ars Nova, tour; Those with 2 Clocks, Wilma Theater; PearlDamour’s How to Build a Forest; Detroit Red, ArtsEmerson; Alexander Zeldin’s Love, Park Ave Armory; Compass and Sleep, Ripe Time; Chimera and The Wholehearted, Stein | Holum Projects.

Actors’ Equity Association member

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Creative Consultant

Sarah Stern

Tour Producer

Bryan Hunt

Executive Producer

Octopus Theatricals

Executive Producer

Octopus Theatricals

Founded by Tony® and Grammy® winning producer Mara Isaacs, Octopus Theatricals collaborates with artists and organizations to foster an expansive range of compelling theatrical works for local and global audiences. Projects include: Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell (lead producer Broadway, West End, National Tour; 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical; Grammy Award, Best Musical Theater Album); Gypsy starring Audra McDonald (lead producer Broadway); Goddess conceived and directed by Saheem Ali, music and lyrics by Michael Thurber (The Public Theater); and more.

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The North America premiere of 300 Paintings was produced by VINEYARD THEATRE, Sarah Stern and Douglas Aibel, Artistic Directors, New York City, 2024.

First performance at Harvard’s Farkas Hall on October 1, 2025.

This production is supported, in part, by The Robert Brustein Endowment Fund for New Works.

A.R.T. Season support is provided by Harvard University, The Barr Foundation, The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund, The Shubert Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Barton & Guestier, and Meyer Sound.

The A.R.T. 2024/25 Season is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which receives support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Runtime: 90 minutes with no intermission

This production contains discussions of mental illness, including bipolar, insomnia, and psychosis.

Company & Staff

Cast

Sam Kissajukian Headshot

Performer

Sam Kissajukian

Sam Kissajukian Headshot

Performer

Sam Kissajukian

Sam Kissajukian, who lives in Sydney, had been working professionally as a stand-up comedian for twelve years until he became disillusioned by his career and quit. In June 2021, in the seclusion of an old cake factory, Sam experienced a six-month manic episode followed by a debilitating five-month depressive episode. In May 2022, he was diagnosed with Bipolar. Since seeking treatment, Sam’s life was transformed by his newfound stability. After a yearlong hiatus, Sam began performing again in September 2022.

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Octopus Theatricals

Executive Artistic Director

Mara Isaacs

Creative Operations Director

Bryan Hunt

Business Operations Director

Ariana Sarfarazi

Resident Producer

Adam Hyndman

Executive Assistant

Kendra Holloway

Creative Operations Associate

Kelly Letourneau

A.R.T. Staff

Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director: Diane Paulus

SENIOR STAFF

Director of Facilities and Capital Projects: Peter Atkinson
Public Relations Director: Rebecca Curtiss
General Manager: Connor Davis
Managing Director: Anna Fitzloff
Executive Administrator: Kathleen Fowkes
Director of Finance: Julia Goldmacher
Senior Theater and Facilities Manager: Tracy Keene
Chief Development Officer: Eileen Kennedy
Director of Production: Krystin Matsumoto
Director of Artistic Programs & Dramaturg: Ryan McKittrick
Associate Artistic Director: Dayron J. Miles
Producer: Evan O’Brient
Chief Marketing Officer: Jennifer Weissman

STAFF

Artistic & Engagement

Artistic Coordinator & Special Assistant to the Artistic Director: Karina Cowperthwaite
Head of Voice & Speech: Erika Bailey
Associate Director, Pedagogical Programs: Marcus Stern
Associate Director, Pedagogical Programs: Julia Smeliansky
Production Manager, Pedagogical Programs: Jeremie Lozier
Assistant Production Supervisor, Pedagogical Programs: Evey Connerty-Marin
Artistic Engagement Associate: Leah Harris
Assistant to the Associate Artistic Director: Madison Baker
Learning Lab Assistant: Ariella Kasmer-Jacobs
Learning Leads: Alex Smith, Vahdat Yeganeh

Producing

Associate Producer: Emma Watt
Associate Production Manager: Taylor Brennan
Company Manager: Shannon Kelley

Marketing & Communications

Associate Director, Creative Services: Joel Zayac
Subscriptions and Group Sales Manager: Kirstin Beal
Web and Digital Communications Manager: David Libbey
Social Media Coordinator: Madison Wolters
Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator: Madeleine Wright
Graphic Design Assistants: Dana Balletta, Lance Shook
Program Coordinator: Lianna Rada-Hung

Development

Associate Director, Institutional Giving: Anna Cline
Associate Director, Stewardship & Major Gifts: Lisa Field-Coleman
Assistant Director, Development Operations: Blair Laurie
Senior Coordinator, Advancement & Development Engagement: Julia Wolfe
Development Coordinator: Nate Sheehan

Facilities

Assistant Project Manager: Alex Giorgetti
Loeb Receptionists: Barbara Lindstrom, Maria Medeiros
Custodial Supervisor: Ana Osorioportillo
Custodial Team: Felipe Barahona, Santos Ruiz Lopez, Marvin Ventura
Facilities Maintenance Service Team: Anthony Radosta, Michael Shaw, Jeremiah Sullivan

Finance

Controller: Toufiq Aitelfqih
Accountant: Nathan Pratt
Senior Payroll Coordinator: Alessandra Panares
Financial Assistant: Tori Loubert

Patron Services

Head of Patron Services: Emma Putnam
Ticket Services Manager: Heather Conroe
Ticket Services Representatives: Rachael Cohen, Jessica Golden, Emma Hunt
Ticket Services Staff: Michelle Hong, Elliot Lazar, Alexia Rowe, Lizzie Schwarze, Amanda Tafeen
Front of House Manager: Matt Spano
Tessitura Database Administrator: Ana Costagliola

Production

Production Manager: Skip Curtiss

Scenic

Assistant Technical Director: Victor Gutierrez
Scenery Assistant/Purchaser: Brian Melcher
Head Scenic Carpenter: Peter Doucette
Lead Scenic Carpenter: York-Andreas Paris
Scenic Carpenters: Bill Hawkins, Dawn Morningstar, Ray Reyes
Term Scenic Carpenters: Diego Farrell, Luke Van Cleve

Paint

Charge Scenic Artist: Gerard Vogt
Assistant Charge Scenic Artist: Heather Morris

Stage Operations

Stage Operations Manager: Kevin Belcher
Assistant Stage Operations Manager/Lead Rigger: Jonathan Strong
Deck Lead: Kate Treadwell
Staff Props Runner: Christina Donovan
Staff Stage Hand: Errick Jersey
Swing Stage Hand: Rosemary Grace Hartunian Alumbaugh

Costumes

Costume Manager: Muriel Mangual-Bennett
Assistant Costume Manager: Madisyn Craig
Crafts Artisan: Jeffrey Scott Burrows
Draper: Bridget Austin-Weiss
First Hand: Duncan Michael Cordell
Stitcher: Becca Cottrell

Wardrobe

Wardrobe Manager: Alycia Marucci
Assistant Wardrobe Manager: Brian Choinski
Wig and Wardrobe Dresser: Emily Damron
Dresser: Michelle Villada

Sound

Sound Manager: Camilo Atehortua
Assistant Sound Manager: Bryan Atterberry
Front of House Sound Engineer (A1): Abe Joyner-Meyers
Sound Technicians (A2): Kai Bohlman, Em Bonnici
Production and Event Sound Engineer (A1/A2 sub): Michael Policare

Lighting

Lighting and Projections Supervisor: Matthew Adelman
Lighting Console Programmer and Operator: Sumner Ellsworth
Staff Electricians: Ryan Lemay, Callie Moos
Swing Followspot Operator/Swing Stage Hand: Hannah Jope

Properties

Properties Manager: Erin Kehr
Assistant Properties Manager: Mariya Sudarska
Properties Carpenter: Patrick Parker
Properties Artisan: Elektra T. Newman

Production Overhire

Electrician: Andy Tran
Properties Artisan: Dylan Reid
Stage Hands: Jack Riter, Cidalia Santos, Julia Wonkka

Actors’ Equity Association 1913The stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.