“Pippin,” the Tony Award-winning musical, runs Oct. 11-20 in the Storch Theatre at the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex.��

Heir to the Frankish throne, the young prince Pippin is in search of the secret to true happiness and fulfillment. He seeks it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh and the intrigues of political power (after disposing of his father, King Charlemagne the Great). In the end, though, Pippin finds that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the unextraordinary moments that happen every day.

“We have assembled an extraordinary artistic team–composed of award-winning creators, distinguished faculty, and accomplished alumni–to help us re-imagine and re-invigorate this timeless story of the search for purpose,” says Ralph Zito, professor and chair of the department of drama. “As always, our students have embraced the task with distinction, and we look forward to sharing the results of their creative work.”

Originally premiering on Broadway in 1972, “P����辱��” takes audiences on a magical and miraculous journey, while encouraging us all to find our own “Corner of the Sky.”

DETAILS

‘P����辱��’

• Book by Roger O. Hirson
• Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
• Directed by Torya Beard
• Choreography and associate direction by Kevin Boseman
• Music direction by Brian Cimmet
• Additional choreography by Adesola Osakalumi
• Scenic design by Ningning Yang
• Costume design by Jessica Crawford
• Lighting design by Andy LiDestri
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Wig design by Dylinn Andrew
• Dramaturgy by Molly Evert
• Stage managed by Maya Rose Zepeda

Cast

• Pippin: Connor English
• Leading Player: Kendall Stewart and Gwendalyn Rose Díaz
• Fastrada: Lili Williams
• Catherine: Emily Pellecchia
• Charles: Nyobi Boddie
• Bertha: Izzy Scampoli

Ensemble

• Samantha Jade Berman
• Emily Castillo-Langley
• Michael DiLeo
• Malvina Lucchini
• Caroline Marchetti
• Justin Roach
• Tobias Rytting
• Bridgette Sanders (Theo)
• Nicolette Smith
• Gillian Stoltz
• Truman Tinius (Lewis)

Swings

• Mallika Jain Cadin
• Cate Gould
• Evan Leone
• Declan Paul McMahon
• Katie Wood

Additional Credits

• Co-Dance Captains: Mallika Jain Cadin, Nicolette Smith
• Assistant Director: Ella Claudine Femino
• Associate Choreographer: Nicolette Smith
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Luke Daniel Blumencranz
• Assistant Lighting Designer: Harry Mullin, Reyna Sanchez
• Assistant Stage Managers: Katrina Barrett, Fotini Lambridis
• Rehearsal Pianist: Dan Williams

Margot Wendice is happily married to Tony, and the couple share a charming life and a modest flat in 1950s London. But not all is as it seems—Margot has been involved with the famous American crime writer Maxine Hadley and is being blackmailed by a mysterious stranger who threatens to expose the affair to her husband. But Tony already knows, and he has just hatched a plot of deadly revenge.

“I’m thrilled to direct our season opening production of ‘Dial M for Murder,’” says Robert Hupp, artistic director. “I am a huge fan of this genre, and we had so much fun creating last season’s ‘Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express’ that I couldn’t wait to kill off more characters on our stage.”

Written by Frederick Knott in 1952, “Dial M for Murder” was adapted into a 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film starring Grace Kelly, and again in 1998 as the loose remake “A Perfect Murder” with Gwenyth Paltrow as the unsuspecting wife. Hatcher’s adaptation, which premiered at San Diego’s Old Globe in 2022, gives Knott’s clever original a fresh coat of paint, notably infusing the script with a touch of light comedy and a swifter pace for modern audiences.

Says Hupp, “‘Dial M’ is less of a murder mystery and more of a psychological thriller. While the setting, 1950s London, remains the same as the Knott play and the Hitchcock film, our playwright, Jeffrey Hatcher, updates the storyline to raise the stakes and create even more tension in this powerful, suspenseful story. I think our audience will love the cast we’ve assembled for ‘Dial M,’ and I can’t wait to share this deliciously dangerous play with everyone in Central New York.”

“Dial M for Murder” features (assistant professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Drama) as Margot Wendice, Avery Clark as her scheming husband Tony and Krystel Lucas as Maxine Hadley. The ensemble rounds out with J.D. Webster as Inspector Hubbard and John Long as the killer-for-hire Lesgate. The design team includes sets by Stanley Meyer, costumes by Lux Haac, lighting design by Dawn Chiang, sound design by Tony Award nominee John Gromada (“The Trip to Bountiful”) and hair and wigs by Brittany Hartman, with fight choreography by D.C. Wright. Blake Segal serves as the production’s dialect coach and Yvonne Perry as the intimacy coordinator.

Born in China to missionary parents in 1916, Knott studied law at Cambridge University and achieved the rank of major in the British Army before finding fame with 1952’s “Dial ‘M’ for Murder.” The play aired on the BBC before critically acclaimed productions in London’s West End and on Broadway. Called “notoriously unprolific” in a 2002 obituary, Knott only wrote three other plays during his lifetime—“Mr. Fox of Venice” (1959), “Write Me a Murder (1961) and “Wait Until Dark” (1966)—but made enough from his work to live comfortably in Manhattan with his wife, actress Ann Hillary. Knott’s intricately plotted mystery plays continue to entertain audiences throughout the world with revival productions and new adaptations, including American playwright Hatcher’s stylish updates of “Wait Until Dark” and “Dial M for Murder”.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $25 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-what-you-will performances for “Dial M for Murder” are Oct. 16-20 inclusive; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions, take place one hour before curtain on Oct. 20, 26 and 31; the post-show Talkback will take place on Sunday, Oct. 20, after the 7:30 p.m. performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for Oct. 23 and Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. and Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. The performance on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 2 p.m. is an audio described performance with Spanish language open captioning. The sensory friendly/relaxed performance of “Dial M for Murder” is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m.

Support for the 2024/25 season includes season sponsors the Slutzker Family Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. The community partner for “Dial M for Murder” is the ���ϲ����� International Film Festival.

The is pleased to announce the 2024/25 season, consisting of six productions: “P����辱��” (Oct. 11 – 20), “Twelfth Night” (Nov. 15 – 23), “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” (Nov. 22 – Jan. 5 and co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage), “A Walrus in the Body of the Crocodile” (Feb. 21 – March 9), “What the Moon Saw, or I Only Appear to Be Dead” (March 28 – April 6) and “Little Women” (May 2 – 10). All productions will run in the Storch Theatre, with the exception of “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” which will be held in the Archbold Theatre. Tickets are available through the by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage / SU Drama Complex, 820 East Genesee St.

“Each of these plays explores the fundamental question of how we become the person we are meant to become,” says Department of Drama Chair Ralph Zito. “Over the course of the season, an exciting combination of student, faculty and guest artists will bring their considerable talents to bear on a collection of stories both familiar and unfamiliar, examining them in fresh and exciting ways.”

Featuring music and lyrics by Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Stephen Schwartz with a book by Roger O. Hirson, “Pippin” opens the Department of Drama season this fall. Originally premiering on Broadway in 1972, “P����辱��” introduces audiences to a mysterious troupe of actors as they tell the story of a young prince setting off on a magical and miraculous journey to find his own “Corner of the Sky.” Directed by Torya Beard, who describes the production as an examination of “the ways young people interact with the tools they have” to “learn more about themselves,” this Tony Award-winning musical runs Oct. 11 to 20.

Up next is Shakespeare’s delicious comedy “Twelfth Night.” Set on the island paradise of Illyria, the play follows shipwrecked Viola as she befriends a duke, a lady and a parade of rascals while searching for her twin brother Sebastian, who was lost at sea. Disguised as the dashing Cesario, Viola becomes entwined in the island’s drama, discovering the power (and lunacy) of love in its many forms. Directed by Will Pomerantz, “Twelfth Night” runs Nov. 15 to 23.

Celebrate the holidays with this season’s annual co-production with ���ϲ����� Stage, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” with music by Richard Rodgers, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and adapted for the stage by Tom Briggs from the teleplay by Robert L. Freedman. Forced to satisfy the whims of her cruel stepmother and stepsisters while dreaming of a better life, Cinderella is given a chance at happiness when a Fairy Godmother transforms her into a princess and whisks her to the Royal Ball. Featuring additional music from the 1997 television film starring Brandy and Whitney Houston, this “enchanted” production of the classic musical is directed by Melissa Rain Anderson, with music direction by Brian Cimmet and choreography by Jessica Chen, and will run Nov. 22 to Jan. 5.

The spring semester begins with “A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile,” a zany, constantly evolving exploration of language, gender, and identity by MJ Kaufman. A lonely subway car, a crowded support group, a stifling writers’ workshop and a raucous frat house serve as the ever-changing backdrop in this nesting doll of a play about the identities we choose to share and the ones we’re forced to hide, even from ourselves. Directed by Daniella Caggiano, “A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile” runs Feb. 21 to Mar. 1.

Next is “What the Moon Saw, or I Only Appear to Be Dead,” a fantastical collage of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales told through a post-9/11 lens, by Stephanie Fleishman. Traveling to Shanghai to celebrate his 200th birthday, Andersen encounters mermaids, a street urchin, a supermodel, teenagers in love, a cabdriver, firemen and husks of humans who appear as ghouls in this “kaleidoscopic meditation on how we move through calamity” inspired by Andersen’s fragile, timeless tales. Directed by Danyon Davis, “What the Moon Saw” runs Mar. 28 to Apr. 6.

The season concludes with “Little Woman,” with a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and music by Jason Howland. Following the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth, Amy and their beloved mother Marmee, this Tony Award-winning musical tells of the March sisters’ adventures during the American Civil War as they discover their passions, endure heartache, and find the courage to persevere in this ultimate coming of age story. Based on the celebrated novel by Louisa May Alcott and directed by David Lowenstein, “Little Women” runs May 2 to 10.

Five-play subscriptions are or by calling ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at 315.443.3275. Subscribers have access to discounted tickets for “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” which is not part of 5-play subscription packages. Single tickets for all shows are also available.

DETAILS

“P����辱��”
Based on original story and characters by Damon Runyon
Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Roger O. Hirson
Directed Torya Beard
Oct. 11-20

“Twelfth Night”
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Will Pomerantz
Nov. 15-23

“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella”
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Adapted for the stage by Tom Briggs
From the teleplay by Robert L. Freedman
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage
Nov. 22 through Jan. 5

“A Walrus in the Body of the Crocodile”
By MJ Kaufman
Directed by Daniella Caggiano
Feb. 21 through March 1

“What the Moon Saw, or I Only Appear to Be Dead”
By Stephanie Fleishman
Directed by Danyon Davis
March 28 through April 6

“Little Women”
Book by Allan Knee
Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein
Music by Jason Howland
Directed by David Lowenstein
May 2-10

���ϲ����� Stage, in partnership with 100 Black Men of ���ϲ�����, announced that the company’s 2024/25 season will officially begin with “Citizen James, or the Young Man Without a Country”—a powerful and illuminating live world premiere production from resident playwright Kyle Bass on Aug. 2-3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Archbold Theatre, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����.

Directed by Joann Maria Yarrow, the live world premiere of “Citizen James” will be presented as a two-night-only free celebration beginning on Aug. 2 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Baldwin’s birth—coincidentally, it is also the birthday of actor James Alton, who portrays Baldwin in the play.

Originally incubated as part of the Stage’s Backstory program and presented as a streaming-only event in the 2020/2021 season, this one-man show about a young James Baldwin follows the Paris-bound aspiring author and activist as he is seeking refuge from the racist violence of America in the 1940s, on his way to becoming a towering literary figure and a still-relevant voice of the Civil Rights movement.

“In his novels, essays, stage plays, speeches and interviews, James Baldwin was and remains a singular observer and chronicler not only of the Black American experience but of the American experience—a nation in conflict with itself,” says Bass. “Long one of my literary heroes, in ‘Citizen James’ I was interested in creating a portrait of Baldwin as a young, gifted, Black and unknown artist already possessed of the deep feeling, trenchant intellect, urgent concern and piercing insight that would become the hallmarks of his writing, his social activism and his international persona.”

“100 Black Men of ���ϲ����� is thrilled to grow its partnership with ���ϲ����� Stage this summer in celebrating James Baldwin’s Centennial,” says Claude Greene, president, 100 Black Men of ���ϲ�����. “We are grateful to CNY Arts and to New York State for providing the funding that allows us to further our mission to rebuild a sense of community in our backyards, and it is a privilege work alongside Kyle Bass as he shares Baldwin’s still-relevant genius with ���ϲ�����.”

“Kyle Bass’ text is a brilliant homage to the genius of James Baldwin, his conflicts and struggles as an artist, and how they reflect our own contemporary times,” says Yarrow, who also serves as the ���ϲ����� Stage director of community engagement. “It is uncompromising, inspiring and a celebration of 100 years of creative activism and social change.”

���ϲ����� Stage will also host a pre-show event on Aug. 2 beginning at 6 p.m. to celebrate Baldwin’s indelible contribution to American culture. Featuring a showcase of books, fashion, records and art from community partners 100 Black Men of ���ϲ�����, Black Citizens Brigade, Black Cub Productions, Community Folk Art Center and ���ϲ����� Libraries, the event will be catered by Our Vegan Corner and Hope Café with music by DJ Bella J from One the One DJ Center in ���ϲ�����.

The Friday, Aug. 2, performance will conclude with a post-show panel discussion, featuring playwright Kyle Bass, Joan Bryant, associate professor of African American studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Cjala Surratt, owner of Black Citizens Brigade. The panel will be moderated by Community Folk Art Center executive director Tanisha Jackson. The Saturday, Aug. 3, performance will also feature a post-show talkback with Bass, Alton and Yarrow.

“Citizen James” is made possible through the CNY Arts Grants for Regional Arts and Cultural Engagement regrant program thanks to a New York State Senate Initiative supported by the State Legislature, the Office of the Governor and administered by the New York State Council on the Arts.

The Friday, Aug. 2, performance for “Citizen James” is sold-out. Tickets for the Saturday, Aug. 3, performance can be purchased by visiting and following the ticketing link.

Salma Mahmoud ’26 (left) and Chloe Mendoza Smith ’26 perform in the Department of Drama production of “Touch(ed),” April 2024. (Photo by Michael Davis)

The Hollywood Reporter (THR) has ranked the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ among the for the second consecutive year.

Ranked No. 23 in THR’s June 19 issue, the department was noted for such outstanding alumni as Aaron Sorkin ’83, H’12 and Vanessa Williams ’85, as well as the opportunities afforded by its relationship with , a professional theater company, and the immersive Tepper Semester in New York City.

The department offers four bachelor of fine arts degree programs in acting, musical theater, stage management, and theater design and technology, as well as a bachelor of science degree program in drama that features a theater management track. The department’s culture of rigorous conservatory-style training at a major research university with a direct connection to the working professionals at ���ϲ����� Stage is of great benefit to students in all of its programs, including the non-performance areas.

Drama students also benefit from the support of the department’s extensive alumni network and additional study abroad/study away opportunities in Los Angeles, London (with classes at Shakespeare’s Globe and Rose Bruford College) and Florence, Italy.

It is one year after the End of Theatre and 12-year-old Nim Dullyn has just witnessed his first droll—an underground performance of comedic excerpts from famous plays. Seduced by the magic of the stage, Nim joins an illegal theatre troupe and sets out for the city, with the beastly Roundheads—a group of fundamentalists who deem theatre an abomination—hot on their trail.

“Meg Miroshnik is an exciting young American playwright, and this is only the second fully-staged production of this inventive play that imagines a place and time without theatre,” says Madeoy. “It has everything: danger, deception, revolt, romance, comedy, cosplay, poetry, punk rock, fights, songs and spectacle. I’m thrilled for ���ϲ����� audiences to experience it.”

Inspired by the 17th-century theatre closures of Puritan England, “The Droll” is a daring and darkly funny play that celebrates our need to come together in the act of collective storytelling.

Details

‘The Droll (Or, a Stage-Play about the END of Theatre)’

• By Meg Miroshnik
• Directed by Celia Madeoy
• Scenic design by Alexis Wilner
• Costume design by Sofia Pizer
• Lighting design by Mairead Cummins
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Music composition by Eleni Stavros
• Fight and intimacy choreography by Alec Barbour
• Clown and movement direction by Richard Dent
• Dialect coaching by Blake Segal
• Dramaturgy by Antonia Portales
• Stage managed by Kit Verweij

Cast

• Roundhead……………………………………………………..Jim McMahon James
• Killingworth…………………………………………………………….Anthony Tibolla
• William Rifel……………………………………………………………………Will Nissen
• Margaret Killingworth…………………………………………………….Micaiah John
• Nim Dullyn………………………………………………………………Hazel Kinnersley
• Thomas Dread Rosey………………………………………………….Nathan Ayotte
• Doll Cutpurse………………………………………………………….Sarah Cummings
• Roundhead Spy, Ensemble, Swing……………………………………..Kyle Hejlik
• Roundhead Spy, Ensemble, Swing……………………………………Jamie Mack

Additional Credits

• Fight Captain: Kit Verweij
• Consultants: Meegs Longacre, Tatiyyanah Queen-Asia Hope Nelums
• Assistant Director: Zach Asnis
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Evan Hoover
• Assistant Lighting Designer: James Klemmer
• Assistant Stage Managers: Sami Renea English, Grace Mineiro

Directed by Christine Albright-Tufts, performances of “Touch(ed)” will be held April 5-14 in the Loft Theatre at the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex, located at 820 East Genesee St. Tickets are available through the or by calling 315.443.3275.

Performances of “Touch(ed)” run April 5-14 in the Loft Theatre at the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex.

Set in a remote cabin in the woods, “Touch(ed)” follows Kay, a middle school science teacher from New York City, as she cares for her sister, who has just been released from a psychiatric facility after years of treatment. Desperate to reconnect and help heal what modern medicine has failed to, Kay and her novelist boyfriend, Billy, begin to coax her sister back to normalcy with home-cooked meals, board games and good, old-fashioned rest and relaxation. But when Billy starts taking her sister’s recovery into his own hands, Kay is forced to confront a terrifying prospect: Finally taking care of herself.

“I’m so excited that our students have the opportunity to bring to life a play that deftly explores themes of mental health and suicide with thoughtfulness and care,” Albright-Tufts says. “The play manages to find joy in the darkness while honoring the struggles of those who face these illnesses.”

Savagely funny, unapologetically modern and surprisingly tender, Wohl’s “Touch(ed)” is a skillfully observed drama about navigating life, love and loss in an age of endless anxieties.

Adapted from “The Arcadia,” Philip Sidney’s 16^th century pastoral romance, “Head Over Heels” tells the story of a royal family embarking on an extravagant journey set to the iconic music of the 1980s all-female band The Go-Go’s, featuring such hit songs as “We Got the Beat,” “Vacation” and Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth.”

“It has been such a pleasure collaborating with the students to bring this vibrant, joyous piece to life,” say co-directors Carper and Wrinn. “’Head Over Heels’ is a timely story that explores the complexities and confusions of life and love and ultimately reminds us all of the importance of embracing and revealing our authentic selves.”

“Head Over Heels” is a bold and fierce modern musical comedy from the visionary minds behind “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Avenue Q, and “Spring Awakening” that will bring the beat to the Storch Theatre.

The ribbon cutting for the new pop-up library will take place on Jan. 17 at 5 p.m. in the Storch Theater, with a small reception and open hours held afterward in the lobby. The pop-up library is a specially selected, circulating collection of materials curated for drama students and faculty that will be accessible throughout the Spring 2024 semester on Mondays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m.

Materials in the pop-up will be updated monthly and will also serve as a Library-to-Go location for drama faculty. The movable, lockable shelves that display the books, scores and other library materials was funded by two innovation grants, Central New York Library Resources Council (CLRC) and the Staff Innovation Fund, made possible through a generous donation by Libraries Advisory Board member Laurence G. Bousquet G’80.

“The drama department students and faculty find it difficult to get to the library on campus due to long rehearsals and their class schedule,” says Amanda DuBose. “This pop-up library is a point of service for this part of our campus population that may underutilize the resources available to them. We’re super excited to have this opportunity to provide drama students, faculty and staff with the physical resources and librarian expertise in a location that is convenient for them.”

Climb aboard the haunted vessel the Mary Whalen with 15 other passengers and embark on a fully immersive, multisensory theatrical journey to uncover the truth behind the tragic murder of a young girl. But beware: beyond the distant sound of crashing waves and the wail of a foghorn lies a world of frightful visions that will linger long after you return to port.

For director Ricky Pak, “Ghost Ship” provides a rare opportunity to craft a theatrical horror experience that not only frightens, but also invites audience members to ponder the meaning behind the tragedies in our everyday lives: “Our job as storytellers is to reflect more deeply on the story, the circumstances, our characters, and figure out: How did we end up here?” Pak says. “Whenever you look at any sort of real horror story, at the root of that is tragedy.”

Pak also aims to highlight the classic nature of the play, emphasizing that “Ghost Ship” is, although nontraditional in a theatrical sense, storytelling in its most basic form. He says, “What are the tragic elements of the story, of the characters, of the situation, and how do we focus on that, making it no different than any Shakespearean or Greek tragedy?”

“Ghost Ship” will engage all five senses, enhancing the atmosphere and bringing the chilling tale of the Mary Whalen to life in the Storch Theatre. “In this show, we’re going to see things. We’re going to hear things. We’re going to feel things—actually physically feel things,” Pak says.

The level of multi-sensory experience will be determined by each participant, and audience members who do not wish to be engaged with physically during the performances can express their preference before showtime, while still enjoying “Ghost Ship” and its spine-tingling delights.

“Ghost Ship” sets sail multiple times per day Nov. 10-18.

“Is it wrong to gamble, or only to lose?” asks librettist, composer, and lyricist Frank Loesser through the charming yet impulsive Sky Masterson. The scene is 1950s New York City: Gangsters run loose, showgirls perform at nightclubs and missionaries work to convert the city’s lost souls. Nathan Detroit, purveyor of a high-stakes craps game, makes a devious bet with Sky Masterson, and it’s not just money that’s on the line. If Nathan wins, he’s $1,000 richer and Sky must convince the innocent Sarah Brown to run off with him to Havana, Cuba. And the stakes are even higher for Nathan’s unwitting fiancé, Adelaide; it’s hard to plan a trip to the altar when the man of your dreams is constantly gambling away your wedding funds.

Director Banji Aborisade adds a new layer to the timeless musical with the addition of a Reader. “I thought, what better way to do it than to bring in the lens of someone from today because it only adds to the material and doesn’t take away from it,” says Aborisade. “I think it is super exciting, which makes me double down on the fact that I think the show is timeless—every generation can bring a different understanding to it. And we can deepen, and honor, what the writers originally wrote with today’s knowledge and push it forward.”

For Aborisade and his team, “Guys and Dolls” is both a celebration of how the world has progressed since the 1950s and the people who may not have been recognized in that time but directly affected and inspired the world we live in today. It is also an opportunity to explore how some things have not progressed at all. “The show is so deeply about relationships, and about change,” he said. Can relationships old and new sustain the trials and tribulations that come with differing morals and lifestyles? Can Nathan run the illegal craps game without getting caught by the police or his fiancée? Can Sky and Sarah have a genuine relationship when their romance is based on a bet?

Details

‘Guys and Dolls’

• Based on the original story and characters by Damon Runyon
• Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser
• Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
• Directed and Choreographed by Banji Aborisade
• Music direction by Brian Cimmet
• Scenic design by Robert John Andrusko
• Costume design by Katharine Tarkulich
• Lighting design by Ethan Newman
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Fight and intimacy choreography by Alec Barbour
• Dialect coaching by Blake Segal
• Dramaturgy by Alethea Shirilan-Howlett
• Stage managed by Tess Vocalina

Cast

• Zach Simpson Sky Masterson
• Jessica Cerreta Sarah Brown
• Diego Echeverria De Cordova Nathan Detroit
• Sydney Kamel Miss Adelaide
• Ethan Shavelson Nicely-Nicely Johnson
• Ian Purcell Benny Southstreet
• Jaemon Crosby Arvide Abernathy
• Mackenzie Furlett General Cartwright
• Morgan Perry Lt. Brannigan
• Alice Meyer The Reader
• Thomas Locke Harry the Horse, Ensemble
• Justin Zimmerman Rusty Charlie, Ensemble
• Adam Forward Big Jule, Ensemble
• Ally Ebert Ensemble
• Connor English Ensemble
• Samantha Harnick Ensemble
• Morgan Lewis Ensemble
• Madison Marie Manning Ensemble
• Jaelynn Ricks Ensemble
• Blaise Rossmann Ensemble
• Emma Sucato Ensemble
• Axel Vera Ensemble
• Rileigh Very Ensemble

Swings

• Lauren Grace Holland
• Caroline Marchetti
• Hayden Poe
• Austin Rose
• Alex Russ
• Lili Williams

Understudies

• Thomas Locke (Sky Masterson)
• Rileigh Very (Sarah Brown)
• Adam Forward (Nathan Detroit)
• Mackenzie Furlett (Miss Adelaide, Big Jule)
• Connor English (Nicely-Nicely Johnson)
• Hayden Poe (Benny Southstreet)
• Austin Rose (Arvide Abernathy, Rusty Charlie)
• Ally Ebert (General Cartwright)
• Caroline Marchetti (Lt. Brannigan)
• Morgan Lewis (Harry the Horse)

Additional Credits

• Assistant Director: Samantha Croco
• Assistant Choreographer: Samantha Harnick
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Alexis Wilner
• Assistant Costume Designer: Sofia Pizer
• Assistant Lighting Designers: Maddy Clark, James Klemmer
• Assistant Stage Manager: Rachel Mondschein
• Dance Captain: Ally Ebert
• Fight Captain: Jaemon Crosby
• Intimacy Captain: Tess Vocalina

The is pleased to announce the 2023/2024 season, consisting of six productions: “Guys and Dolls” (Oct. 6 – 15), “Ghost Ship” (Nov. 10 – 18), “A Christmas Carol” (Nov. 24 – Dec. 31 and co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage), “Head Over Heels” (March 1 – 9), “Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle” (March 29 – April 14) and “The Droll (Or, a Stage-Play About The End of Theatre)” (April 19 – 28).

This season offers several unique opportunities for audiences, providing a more immediate experience of the characters and action. “Ghost Ship” is a fully immersive, multi-sensory theatrical experience with a limited audience of only 16 ‘passengers’ per performance and a 45-minute runtime. Due to the length of the show, multiple performances will be held each evening. “Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle” gives the audience the feel of being part of the employee’s breakroom and will be performed in the Loft Theatre instead of the Storch Theatre, where most Department of Drama productions are held.

To accommodate the unique theater experiences and seating of this season, the Department of Drama is offering a three-play subscription for 2023/2024. This subscription includes tickets for “Guys and Dolls,” “Head Over Heels” and “The Droll (Or a Stage-Play About the End of Theatre).” Single tickets will be available for “Ghost Ship,” “A Christmas Carol” and “Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle” with discounts available for subscribers.

“I am excited for the opportunities the upcoming season provides–not only for our audiences but also for our student performers and designers,” says Drama Department Chair Ralph Zito. “Not only are we presenting our usual wide range of stories, but we are also digging deeply into the way those stories are told as we explore immersive theater, intimate storytelling and new ways to incorporate music and dance.”

“Guys and Dolls,” is based on the story and characters of Damon Runyon, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, directed and choreographed by Banji Aborisade with musical direction by Brian Cimmet. Topping Entertainment Weekly’s list of the ‘Greatest Musicals of All Time,’ “Guys and Dolls” is everything we love about musical theater. Nathan Detriot needs serious dough to keep his craps game afloat and his marriage-minded girlfriend, Adelaide, happy. When Nathan makes a bet with high-roller Sky Masterson, his problems appear to be solved. Featuring unforgettable show tunes like “Luck Be a Lady” and the irrepressible “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” “Guys and Dolls” will put a spring in your step and a smile on your face.

Up next, “Ghost Ship” by Philip Valle and directed by Ricky Pak is referred to as a tragedy without explanation and a mystery without escape by its playwright. Calling on its audience to climb aboard the ghastly Mary Whelan as they re-live a 19th-century murder trail, “Ghost Ship” is a 45-minute sensory voyage not for the timid of heart. Based on true events–and a mysteriously incomplete record–it was honored by the Kennedy Center in 2019 with ten national awards, including Outstanding Theatrical Creation.

The co-production with ���ϲ����� Stage is the iconic “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens, adapted by Richard Hellesen and David Deberry, with musical orchestration by Gregg Coffin. Located in the Archbold Theatre, this holiday season brings a tried-and-true family favorite to ���ϲ����� with the greatest ghost story ever told. Melissa Rain Anderson directs the treasured production, which runs from Nov. 24 to Dec. 31. Featuring the awe-inspiring 2-Ring Circus from New York City, this beautiful and timeless message of generosity’s triumphing over greed is sure to warm your heart and fill your soul when the weather turns cold.

The spring semester begins with “Head Over Heels,” by Jeff Whitty, adapted by James Magruder and directed by Kiira Schmidt-Carper and Kathleen Wrinn, with musical direction by Brian Cimmet. A hilarious and sexy celebration of love in all its infinite varieties, this bold and fierce modern musical comedy comes from the visionary minds that rocked Broadway with “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Avenue Q” and “Spring Awakening.” Told through the story of a royal family embarking on an extravagant journey and set to the iconic music of the 1980s all-female band The Go-Go’s, it includes the hit songs “We Got the Beat,” “Vacation” and Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth.”

Following “Head Over Heels” is “Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle,” by Alexander Perez and directed by Adam Coy in the Loft Theatre. It’s always a great day at Randy’s–unless you work there! “Randy’s Dandy” is a darkly comedic play following the lives of five co-workers at a small, run-down amusement park in the Florida Panhandle. The highs and lows of working at “Randy’s” are no joke, but it’s also too funny and too relatable not to break your heart and leave you laughing throughout. “Randy’s Dandy” explores class, capitalism and the American dream through the colorful lens of a deeply flawed and human group of people.

The season concludes with “The Droll (Or, a Stage-Play About the End of Theatre),” directed by Celia Madeoy. In 2011, playwright Meg Miroshnik pondered the question, “What would it have been like to discover a passion for acting during the 18 years in which theater was illegal and considered an abomination in 17th-century Puritan England?” She also posed the question: “What is it like to fall in love with theater today in the face of anxieties about its future and future audiences?” This daring and darkly funny play celebrates our need to come together in the act of collective storytelling.

A three-play subscription for “Guys and Dolls,” “Head Over Heels” and “The Droll (Or a Stage-Play About the End of Theatre)” is through the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office, or by calling 315.443.3275. Single tickets for all shows are also on sale.

DETAILS

“Guys and Dolls”
Based on original story and characters by Damon Runyon
Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Directed and Choreographed by Banji Aborisade
Music direction by Brian Cimmet
Oct. 6 – 15

“Ghost Ship”
By Philip Vale
Directed by Ricky Pak
Nov. 10 – 18

“A Christmas Carol”
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Richard Hellesen and David Deberry
Music by Gregg Coffin
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage
Featuring 2 Ring Circus
Nov. 24 – Dec. 31

“Head Over Heels”
By Jeff Whitty
Adapted by James Magruder
Directed Kiira Schmidt-Carper and Kathleen Wrinn
Music direction by Brian Cimmet
March 1 – 9

“Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle”
By Alexander Perez
Directed by Adam Coy
March 29 – April 14

“The Droll (Or, a Stage-Play About the End of Theatre)”
By Meg Miroshnik
Directed by Celia Madeoy
April 19 – 28

In 2016 ���ϲ����� Stage offered its first Sensory Friendly performance with “Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins,” which was met with overwhelmingly positive patron response. The community enthusiasm for this inclusive event prompted ���ϲ����� Stage to include Sensory Friendly performances of the ever-popular holiday musical in each season that followed. This year, because of the continued success of these Sensory Friendly performances, ���ϲ����� Stage’s leadership is honored to expand this programming, giving community members of all ages opportunities to engage with each production of the 50th anniversary season in safe, inviting and meaningful ways.

“���ϲ����� Stage aims to cultivate an inclusive space for all who attend our performances. There are a number of people who are able to enjoy a production better when it is presented in the relaxed, accommodated environment of a Sensory Friendly show. The joy and communal experience of live theatre is something that we want everyone to be able to participate in,” says Robert Hupp, artistic director.

Sensory Friendly performances are designed with unique considerations for autistic adults and children, patrons with anxiety, cognitive or physical disabilities and other sensory processing needs. Sensory Friendly performances operate differently from other traditional performances in several key ways. House lights will be dimmed at curtain though will remain on throughout the show’s runtime, the sound levels in the theater will be lowered significantly, guests will not be discouraged from vocalizing in response to the performance and patrons are invited to come and go as they please at any time during the show. By creating a nonjudgmental, “shush-free” atmosphere, Sensory Friendly performances are part of ���ϲ����� Stage’s commitment to make the theater a more accessible and inclusive live experience.

To prepare for Sensory Friendly performances, ���ϲ����� Stage has engaged with community members and professional consultants to identify elements and content that may prove distracting or irritating to those in the neurodivergent community. For each show, ���ϲ����� Stage has developed a Sensory Friendly Guide that outlines such moments and themes in the production in order to prepare audiences for the experience. For example, if there is a loud sound effect or slamming door, the guide will give an approximate time the event will occur, and small lights on either side of the theatre will illuminate prior to the event.

During Sensory Friendly+ shows—family-friendly offerings, like this season’s “A Christmas Carol”—moments or scenes may be altered to facilitate a more enjoyable experience. Performance modifications will vary depending on the show, and every consideration is made to uphold the artistic integrity of the production.

In addition to accommodations within the theater, trained staff will be on hand to assist patrons, and quiet spaces will be available for use any time before or during the Sensory Friendly performance. During Sensory Friendly+ shows, full Sensory Rooms will be available­ and outfitted with sensory objects, gym mats and activity stations. Although Sensory Friendly shows are specifically designed for children and adults with sensory sensitivity needs, families of these individuals—as well as any member of the community—can also enjoy these performances.

���ϲ����� Stage remains committed to making each and every performance accessible to all patrons, which is why Sensory Friendly safety kits are available at all non-Sensory Friendly performances. These kits include fidget toys, sunglasses and ear plugs for patrons to use throughout the show. More information about Sensory Friendly performances and sensory accommodations can be found on .

All tickets for Sensory Friendly performances for the 2023-24 are $35 and may be exchanged or returned for a 100% refund up until show time. Tickets and subscriptions may be purchased through the Box Office (315.443.3275) or at .

2023-24 Productions

“What the Constitution Means to Me”
By Heidi Schreck
Directed by Melissa Crespo
Sept. 13-Oct. 1
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.

“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill”
By Laine Robertson
Musical Arrangements by Danny Holgate
Directed by Jade King Carroll
Oct.18-Nov. 5
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.

“A Christmas Carol”
Written by Charles Dickens
Adapted by Richard Hellesen and David deBerry
Music orchestrations by Gregg Coffin
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Featuring 2 Ring Circus
Co-produced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama
Nov. 24-Dec. 31
Sensory Friendly+ performance: Saturday, Dec. 30, 2:00 p.m.

“�������’s”
Written by Lynn Nottage
Directed by Chip Miller
Co-produced with Portland Center Stage.
Jan. 31-Feb. 18
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.

“Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express”
Written by Agatha Christie
Adapted by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Robert Hupp
March 12-April 7
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, March 26, 7:30 p.m.

“Once”
Book by Enda Walsh
Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
Based on the motion picture written and directed by John Carney
Directed by Melissa Crespo
May 1-19
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, May 14, 7:30 p.m.

The Department of Drama closes its 2022/2023 season with Ruhl’s “Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical,” directed by Daniella Caggiano, April 28 through May 7. Performances will be held in the Storch Theater at the ���ϲ����� Stage/���ϲ����� Drama Complex, 820 E. Genesee St. Tickets are available through the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at or by phone at 315.443.3275.

In the absurd, sensual and heartfelt play, Ruhl endows melancholy with aphrodisiac power in the person of Tilly, a bank teller whose lingering sadness attracts everyone around her. So acute is the attraction that when Tilly suddenly finds happiness, she throws the others into despair. With characteristic whimsy and nuanced seriousness, Ruhl considers the many different ways to find joy and how sadness is a necessary component of happiness.

The play’s lyrical nature and musicality underscore the depth of feeling and the ways those feelings can create ripples—“Melancholy is looking out of an open window full of longing. Depressed is behind a thick pane of glass,” wrote Ruhl.

Director Caggiano explores the tensions between the play’s absurdity and serious undertones. This version of the piece is set in 2002, a time when mental health was a subversive subject, doomed to be tucked under beds and shut behind closed doors.

“Our show emphasizes how important community is, to have a community that cares, for a space to have community with other people,” says Caggiano. This atmosphere of community permeates the rehearsal room which emphasizes equal collaboration and fun. “It’s called a play, if we’re not having fun, what are we doing.”

Auditioners should note that the production schedule for “A Christmas Carol” includes morning student matinees in addition to regularly scheduled matinee and evening performances. The production runs Nov. 24-Dec. 31 and cast members must be available for rehearsals beginning Oct. 24 at ���ϲ����� Stage. Rehearsals are not held on Mondays. Young actors will not be required to be at all rehearsals. Rehearsals for youth actors will generally be held weekdays after 4 p.m. and during the day on weekends.

The opportunity:

“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens
Adapted for the stage by Richard Hellesen and David deBerry
Music orchestration by Gregg Coffin
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Music direction by Brian Cimmet
Choreography by Andrea Leigh-Smith
Aerial design by 2 Ring Circus
Co-produced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama

Seeking casting for:

• Beggar child/school boy: Any ethnicity, young boy aged 8-12. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.
• Fan/Belinda Cratchit: Any ethnicity, young girl aged 9-12. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.
• Boy Scrooge/Edward Cratchit: Any ethnicity, young boy aged 8-10. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.
• Tiny Tim/school boy: Any ethnicity, young boy or girl aged 5-8. Actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty. Says: “God bless us everyone.”
• Turkey boy/school boy: Any ethnicity, young boy or girl aged 8-10. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.
• Chestnut seller/school boy: Any ethnicity, young boy or girl aged 10-12. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.

Auditions will be held in-person on April 28 and 29. All audition submission instructions will be updated on the .

Notes:

• Actors are required to bring a picture and resume.
• Actors will be emailed a few pages of the script in advance to prepare for auditions.
• Actors should prepare up to 32 bars of a song or Christmas carol and bring the sheet music for that song to the audition.
• Actors of all ethnicities are strongly encouraged to audition.
• Please note that proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required to work at ���ϲ����� Stage.
• Interested actors must .

Any questions about the auditioning process should be directed to Cynthia Reid.

The greatest ghost story ever told, Charles Dickens’ beloved “A Christmas Carol” is a tried-and-true family favorite. It shines a light on the power of kindness and love in an uplifting tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his journey to redemption. “A Christmas Carol” is “a beautiful, timeless message of generosity’s triumph over greed,” according to the Chicago Tribune.

Subscriptions for the 2023-24 season are on sale now at or by calling the Box Office at 315.443.3275. Single tickets go on sale in July.

“This is a play about 13-year-old girls. It’s also a play about women, ambition and desire,” says Barron. Set in the pressure cooker milieu of an impending competition, Barron uses the comedic drama of a Liverpool, Ohio dance team to expose their rivalries, competitiveness, support and joy, and to reveal not only their sensitivities and insecurities but their fierce undeniable power. “Dance Nation” has been called a refreshingly unorthodox play that conveys the joy and abandon of dancing, while addressing the changes to the body and mind of its characters as they peer over the precipice toward adulthood.

McGerr, alongside the production team and various consultants, wanted to channel the energy and spirit of the play into the rehearsal room and cultivated a space that encouraged collaboration and throws a “yay party!” whenever a mistake is made — a mistake that will inevitably lead to growth. Much like this play whose enemy is self-judgment, those in the rehearsal room are encouraged to grow, play and embrace their individuality.

Above all else, “Dance Nation” poses the question, “What am I going to do with all this power?” encouraging adolescents and adults alike to take the stage and use their microphones as conduits for the cosmos.��

“Dance Nation”��By Clare Barron

• Directed by Katherine McGerr
• Choreographed by Felipe Panamá
• Scenic design by Angel Lam
• Costume design by Sofia Pizer
• Lighting design by Mairead Cummins
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Fight choreography by Alec Barbour
• Intimacy choreography by Yvonne Perry
• Voice/Verse coaching by Holly Thuma
• Dramaturgy by Wesley Tipton
• Stage manager: Jess DeLucia

Cast

• Kailee Brandt Amina
• Olivia Busche Zuzu
• Emily Castillo-Langley Vanessa/Moms
• Avaana Harvey Connie
• Sofia Leche Ashlee
• Adelaide Lobenthal Sofia
• Rachel Mondschein Minda
• Kobi Oliver God Mic
• Alex Russ Luke
• Isaiah Tucker Dance Teacher Pat
• Emma Waterhouse Maeve

Understudies

• For Ashlee – Gwendalyn Rose Diaz
• For Maeve – Paide Kenneally
• For Connie – Lizzie Khan
• For Vanessa / Moms – Julia Kolinski
• For Sofia – Malvi Lucchini
• For Zuzu – Gillian Stoltz
• For Dance Teacher Pat – Truman Tinius
• For Luke – Axel Vera
• For Amina – Bella Zonderman

Performances

• Friday, March 24, 8 p.m. (Preview)
• Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m. (Opening)
• Sunday, March 26, 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 29, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, March 30, 8 p.m.
• Friday, March 31, 8 p.m.
• Saturday, April 1, 2 p.m. (Open captioned)
• Saturday, April 1, 8 p.m.
• Sunday, April 2, 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted)

Additional Credits

• Dance/Fight/Intimacy Captain: Truman Tinius
• Assistant Directors: Stella Bunch, Anthony Islam
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Evan Hoover
• Assistant Costume Designer: Adeline Livingston
• Assistant Lighting Designer: Maddy Clark
• Assistant Sound Designer: Jay Korter
• Assistant Stage Managers: Rachel Mondschein, Kobi Oliver
• Casting Associate: Carrie DeGraw
• Intimacy Shadow: Willow Funkhouser
• Consultants: Kadesha Adelakun, L.C.S.W.; Adriana Galaván, Ph.D.; Emily K. Harrison, Ph.D.

Based in the Department of Drama, the Tepper Semester offers undergraduate students��in advanced levels of acting, directing, musical theater, playwriting, casting, design, dramaturgy, producing, stage��management and theater management the opportunity to immerse themselves in a rigorous artistic training program in the culturally rich setting of New York City.

The program is open to ���ϲ����� drama students as well as drama students from other colleges and universities.

Students participating in the Tepper Semester program in New York City.

Taught by Tepper Semester faculty, the workshops offer a glimpse into typical topics found in the curriculum and are intended to expand the program’s existing network of affiliated students. Included are “Musical Theatre Audition” with Daisy Prince (in person and virtual), “Camera Acting Audition” with Paul Davis (virtual), “Directing” with Bixby Elliot (in-person and virtual) and “Casting” with Erica Jensen and Stephanie Klapper (virtual). In-person sessions will be held at the University’s .

Interested students must fill out the by Saturday, March 4 at noon ET. Applicants will be notified of acceptance by Friday, March 10. Members of the University community are encouraged to share this opportunity with colleagues at other institutions.

For more information, contact Casey O’Neil, Tepper Semester academic operations manager.

The play tells of two women of vastly different backgrounds who meet by chance at a wedding in Cancún when a torrential downpour forces each woman to consider their personal storms and the potential for change. The work is part of the ���ϲ����� Drama Department presentations at ���ϲ����� Stage.

These events are scheduled:

Thursday, Feb. 16

• A of the playwright’s newest work, “El Terremoto,” at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 19

• 1 p.m. – A pre-show discussion about cultural representation and cross-collaboration will be moderated by the play’s director and Associate Artistic Director for ���ϲ����� Stage Melisa Crespo. Participants will include playwright and author of “Espejos: Clean” Christine Quintana; La Casita’s Community Engagement Coordinator Catalina Niño Cordero G’21; and Rita Paniagua, who is a City of ���ϲ����� councilor-at-large and board president of CNY Arts. The event takes place at ���ϲ����� Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����.
• 2-4 p.m. – Matinee performance, “Espejos: Clean” at ���ϲ����� Stage
• 4-6 p.m. – La Casita Cultural Center co-hosts an after-show reception at its 109 Otisco St., ���ϲ�����, headquarters. Guests are expected to include the play’s director, Melissa Crespo, its playwright, Christine Quintana, and some cast members. The reception is sponsored by the . Admission is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

Put the “sea” in the holiday season with the family favorite musical “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” at Nov. 25-Jan. 8. Tickets are available now at or through the Box Office (315.443.3275). All ticket purchases are protected by ���ϲ����� Stage’s “Worry Free Guarantee,” which provides automatic refunds to patrons if performances are canceled.

Based on the phenomenally popular 1989 animated motion picture (Academy Award winner for Best Score and Best Song “Under the Sea”), “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” tells the story of Ariel, a young mermaid determined to explore life beyond the depths of her watery home. A trip above the surface of the sea sets her on a romantic adventure filled with possibility and fraught with peril, as she enters into a dangerous bargain with the sea witch Ursula.

As the first princess released in the Disney Renaissance era, Ariel made a splash in 1989 for being the first modern heroine. The New York Times referred to her as “a spunky daredevil,” and Roger Ebert praised the character, “Ariel is a fully realized female character who thinks and acts independently, even rebelliously.”

In addition to “Under the Sea,” the vibrant score includes “Part of Your World,” “Kiss the Girl,” “The World Above,” “Sweet Child,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and many more sung by a beloved cast of characters including Flounder, Sebastian, Chef Louis, Scuttle and, of course, Prince Eric.

Co-produced with the , “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” features a cast of 35 led by the accomplished performer Katie Emerson as Ariel. Emerson has performed the role previously under the direction of Melissa Rain Anderson, who returns to ���ϲ����� Stage to guide this production.

Anderson says she believes this is a great tale to tell at the holidays because it offers an opportunity to “get behind a real hero” who gives up her home and much more in order to fulfill her life.

“It shows just how strong you have to be to become who you are destined to be,” she says.

Assisting Anderson in bringing the show to the stage is a creative team of talented designers and artists. ���ϲ����� Stage veteran Brian Cimmet returns as music director and conducts an 11-piece orchestra. Choreography is by Adam Cates. Kimberly V. Powers is the scenic designer with fantastical costumes by Rafael Castanera and wigs by Jason Estrada. Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz is the lighting designer and ���ϲ����� Stage veteran Jacqueline R. Herter is the sound designer.

The return of “2 Ring Circus” to ���ϲ����� Stage (“The Wizard of Oz,” 2017) adds high-flying aerial excitement to the production. 2 Ring’s special circus skills and acrobatics make this production a version of the musical “not done by anyone before,” says Anderson. “The characters will dance in the air.”

“The holiday time is a great time for families at ���ϲ����� Stage,” says Bob Hupp, artistic director, ���ϲ����� Stage. “This season is especially exciting as we welcome back ‘2 Ring Circus’ to help us create a truly magical production of ‘Disney’s The Little Mermaid.’ Watching this cast light up the rehearsal room, I can’t wait for our community to see them on stage in this stunning production.”

With music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and book by Doug Wright, “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” ran for 50 previews and 685 performances on Broadway from 2008-09. It received a Tony nomination for Best Original Score. It has had numerous productions around the world.

Special Events

• Nov. 30-Dec. 4: M&T Bank Pay-What-You-Will Performances
  There will be 76 tickets available for whatever price patrons wish to pay over the course of five days. Pay-what-you-will tickets must be claimed in person at the Box Office or by phone on the day of the performance wished to be seen, subject to availability. The Box Office opens at 10 a.m. Monday-Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday and will remain open until the start of the show. There is a limit of four tickets per person.
• Dec. 4 at 1 p.m.: Prologue (free for ticket holders at 2 p.m. performance)
  A pre-show discussion with ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp, who will share behind-the-scenes information about “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” one hour prior to curtain. The prologue will be held in the Sutton Pavilion.
• Dec. 7 at 1 p.m.: Wednesday @ 1 Lecture (free for ticket holders at 2 p.m. performance)
  Join Leo Rode, education coordinator at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, for a talk about the real-life under the sea creatures found in “Disney’s The Little Mermaid.” The lecture will be held in the Archbold Theatre.
• Dec. 7: Open Captioning at 2 p.m. Performance for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Dec. 8: Happy Hour
  Join us before the 7:30 p.m. performance for drink specials, complimentary appetizers and live entertainment, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Sutton Pavilion.
• Dec. 10 at 1 p.m.: Prologue (free for ticket holders)
  A pre-show discussion with ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp who will share behind-the-scenes information about “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” one hour prior to curtain. The prologue will be held in the Sutton Pavilion.
• Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.: American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreted Performance at 2 p.m. for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Dec. 11: Actor Talkback (free for ticket holders at 7:30 p.m. performance)
  A Q&A session with the actors following the 7:30 p.m. performance. The talkback will be held in the Archbold Theatre.
• Dec. 15 at 6:30 p.m.: Prologue (free for ticket holders)
  A pre-show discussion with ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp who will share behind-the-scenes information about “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” one hour prior to curtain. The prologue will be held in the Sutton Pavilion.
• Dec. 17: Audio Described Performance at 2 p.m. for patrons who are blind or visually impaired
• Dec. 17: Open Captioning at 7:30 p.m. performance for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Dec. 18: Open Captioning at 2 p.m. performance for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Jan. 7 at 2 p.m.: Sensory Friendly Performance
  The sensory friendly performance provides a welcoming environment that lets all patrons express themselves freely without judgment or inhibition. This live theatre experience invites and encourages individuals with autism, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dementia and sensory sensitivities to enjoy the performance in a “shush-free” zone. All tickets for the sensory friendly performance are $30 and include a 100% refund right up to the start of the show.

The begins the 2022/2023 season on Oct. 15 with the popular musical “Sweet Charity” directed by David Lowenstein and choreographed by Kira Schmidt-Carper, with musical direction by Brian Cimmet. Performances will be held Oct. 15-23 in the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex at 820 East Genesee St. Tickets are available through the or by phone at 315.443.3275.

Written by Neil Simon with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, “Sweet Charity” is an integral part of the musical theater lore of Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse, filled with great songs and plenty of humor. Some of the original show’s dazzling choreography is incorporated in the Department of Drama’s current production with “Rich Man’s Frug” guest-choreographed by Verdon Fosse Legacy Dancer Lloyd Culbreath. And featuring such famous tunes as “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “I’m a Brass Band” and “Baby, Dream Your Dream,” this treasure from the ’60s is packed with heart, energy and genuine affection for the art of musical theater.

Self-acceptance and self-discovery are major themes throughout this season’s productions according to Department Chair Ralph Zito, and “Sweet Charity” is no exception. At the heart of “Sweet Charity” is Charity Hope Valentine, romantic and optimistic, who is trying to make a life for herself in the big, bad city. In moments of intense dance and song, audiences will see Charity on a quest for transformative self-love. Lowenstein wants audiences to remember that the Fosse-filled energy, glitz and glam of this hit musical come with a deeper message: “The search for love is always a worthwhile goal.”

The message of self-love extends beyond the stage, however, as Schmidt-Carper, alongside Lowenstein and the production team, worked to create a rehearsal atmosphere packed with dance wellness and joy. “This show is a celebration of self,” says Schmidt-Carper. “And this company’s work on and off stage is no different.”

Show Details for ‘Sweet Charity’

• Book by Neil Simon
• Music by Cy Coleman
• Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
• Based on an original screenplay by Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano
• Directed by David Lowenstein
• Music directed by Brian Cimmet
• Choreographed by Kiira Schmidt-Carper
• Scenic design by Jason Zong (he/him)
• Costume design by Adeline Santello (she/her)
• Lighting design by Ben Wolfe (he/him)
• Sound design by Jacqueline R. Herter (she/her)
• Dialect coaching by Blake Segal (he/him)
• Fight/stunt choreography by Alec Barbour (he/him)
• Intimacy choreography by Hannah Roccisano
• Dramaturg: Carrie DeGraw (she/her)
• Stage manager: Emma Yehle (she/her)

Cast

• Katarina Kelly (she/her) as Charity
• Stella Schwartz (she/her) as Nickie
• Olivia Lacie Andrews (she/her) as Helene
• Sarah Bottino (they/she) as Herman
• Jay Owens (he/him) as Vittorio Vidal, Daddy Brubeck
• Sammy Haines (he/him) as Oscar
• Charlotte Bush (she/her) as Ursula, ensemble
• Jess Ceretta (she/her)—ensemble
• Eve Dillingham (she/her)—ensemble
• Rachel Langetieg (she/her)—ensemble
• Gabriela Moncivais (she/her)—ensemble
• Sofia Swensen (she/her)—ensemble
• Shaun Collins (he/him)—ensemble
• Michael Di Leo (he/him)—ensemble
• Tobias Rytting (he/him)—ensemble
• Truman Tinius (he/him)—ensemble
• Isaiah Tucker (he/they)—ensemble
• Dylan Knight Weaver (he/him) as Charlie, ensemble

Swings

Ethan Clark Davis (he/him), McKay Marshall (she/her), Axel Vera (he/him)

Understudies

• Jess Cerretta (Helene)
• Rachel Langetieg (Nickie)
• Gabriela Moncivais (Charity)
• Michael Di Leo (Herman)
• Tobias Rytting (Vittorio Vidal, Daddy Brubeck)
• Dylan Knight Weaver (Oscar)

Performances

• Friday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m. (preview)
• Saturday, Oct. 15, 8 p.m. (opening)
• Sunday, Oct. 16, 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 19, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 20, 8 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 21, 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 22, 2 p.m. (Open captioned)
• Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 23, 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted)

Additional Credits

• Dance captain: Rachel Langetieg
• Assistant director: Ethan Harpole (he/him)
• Assistant choreographer: Emma Sucato (she/her)
• Assistant scenic designer: Luke Blumencranz (he/him)
• Assistant costume designer: Lillian Benge (she/her)
• Assistant lighting designers: Brooklyn Green (she/her), Mabel McPhee
• Assistant sound designer: Jay Korter
• Assistant stage managers: Mia Font-Lorie (she/her), Emily Kellner (she/her)
• Casting associates: Carrie DeGraw, Anthony Islam
• Casting assistant: Ellen Kingman
• Wigs provided by Wigboys

���ϲ����� Stage will contact all ticketholders directly about the cancelation. Automatic refunds will be issued for the full value of tickets. Ticketholders will receive an email when the refund is processed. There is no need to contact the Box Office to receive a refund. If patrons have questions, they can contact the Box Office at 315.443.3275, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Even with understudies and continual attempts by the production team to find a way forward, we have run out of viable options to proceed,” says Jill Anderson, managing director. “We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this news brings to the ‘Ohio’ team and patrons.”

Robert Hupp, artistic director, says that Stage intends to continue with live theater throughout the remainder of the season beginning this month with the Cold Read Festival of New Plays, Oct. 18-23.

“We are heartbroken by this turn of events that prevents us from welcoming patrons to our last week of performances for ‘How to Dance in Ohio,’” says Hupp. “We thank everyone who joined us for this world premiere, and we look forward to seeing what’s in store for this exceptional production that started right here in ���ϲ�����.”

In addition to “Sweet Charity,” the shows that make up the six-play subscription season include “Failure: A Love Story” (Nov. 12-19), “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” (Nov. 25-Jan. 8 and co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage), “Barbecue” (Feb. 18-26), “Dance Nation” (March 25-April 2) and “Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical” (April 28-May 7).

Six-play subscriptions and flexible four packs are on sale now online through the , or by calling 315.443.3275.

Ralph Zito is chair of ���ϲ�����’s Department of Drama.

“I am delighted to bring our audiences a season of live theater filled with a wide array of love stories – stories that look beyond and behind romance to explore the transformational power of many kinds of love: familial love, self-love, self-acceptance and self-discovery,” says Ralph Zito, Department of Drama chair.

“Sweet Charity,”��directed by David Lowenstein with choreography by Kira Schmidt-Carper and musical direction by Brian Cimmet, was written by Neil Simon with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields. “Sweet Charity” is an integral part of the musical theater lore of Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse, filled with great songs, dazzling choreography and plenty of humor. At its heart is Charity Hope Valentine, romantic and optimistic, who is trying to make a life for herself in the big, bad city. Featuring such famous tunes as “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “I’m a Brass Band” and “Baby, Dream Your Dream,” this treasure from the 60s is packed with heart, energy and genuine affection for the art of musical theater.

Up next is “Failure: A Love Story,” directed by Thom Miller. In one scene, a character asks, “If you knew how long you had, would you be able to live your life?” Written by playwright Philip Dawkins, this bittersweet consideration is at the center of this whimsical and profound, simple and elegant play. In Chicago in 1928, the three Fail sisters—Nelly, Jenny June and Gerty—meet untimely ends, but their unfortunate fates are tempered by the richness of life and love. With echoes of Thornton Wilder and tinged with the nostalgia of popular songs from a bygone era, this delicately romantic and funny play reminds us that “just because something ends, doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great success.” Dawkins is a Chicago-based playwright and educator currently working on an American English translation of Michel Tremblay’s “Messe Solennelle Pour Une Pleine Lune D’été” and an audio play for Audible.com

The holiday co-production with ���ϲ����� Stage is the beloved family musical “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” directed by Melissa Rain Anderson, choreographed by Adam Cates, with musical direction by Brian Cimmet.��“Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” written by Doug Wright, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, is a deep dive into musical family fun with Ariel, Sebastian, and all the watery gang from this beloved tale. With spectacular aerial acrobatics provided by 2 Ring Circus (“The Wizard of Oz,” 2017), this production promises enough thrills and delights for landlubbers of all ages.

The spring semester begins with “Barbecue,” a satirical and insightful play from the pen of Robert O’Hara, the no-holds-barred playwright, and is directed by Gilbert McCauley. It features the O’Mallery family: five siblings—four sisters, one brother—all with various addictions, dependencies and issues, one with perhaps more than the others. Is a surprise intervention at a family picnic on behalf of the “troubled” one a good idea? If so, why does the brother arrive with a taser? Starting with the O’Mallerys themselves, this is a play full of surprises and very good theatrical ideas from the most appropriately inappropriate satirist in American theater today. In addition to his playwriting, O’Hara has achieved success as a director. He was nominated for the 2020 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for “Slave Play” and recently helmed “A Long Day’s Journey into Night” off-Broadway.

The 2017 Susan Blackburn Prize-winner Clare Barron says her play “‘Dance Nation’ is a play about 13-year-old girls. It’s also a play about women, ambition and desire.” Directed by Katherine McGerr, “Dance Nation is set in the pressure cooker milieu of an impending national dance competition. Barron takes us into the insular world of a team from Liverpool, Ohio, to expose their rivalries, competitiveness, support and joy, and to reveal not only their sensitivities and insecurities but their fierce undeniable power. A refreshingly unorthodox play that conveys the joy and abandon of dancing, while addressing the changes to body and mind of its characters as they peer over the precipice toward adulthood. Barron is a playwright and actor from Wenatchee, Washington. In addition to being a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Dance Nation,” she also won the 2015 Obie Award for Playwriting for “You Got Older.”

The season concludes with Sarah Ruhl’s “Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical,” directed by Rebecca Aparicio.��Who says sadness isn’t fun? Certainly not Ruhl, an award-winning playwright. In her absurd, sensual and heartfelt “Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical,” Ruhl endows melancholy with aphrodisiac power in the person of Tilly, a bank teller whose lingering sadness attracts everyone around her. So acute is the attraction that when Tilly suddenly finds happiness, she throws the others into despair. One even transforms into an almond. Yes, the nut. It will be up to Tilly to restore her. With characteristic whimsy and nuanced seriousness, Ruhl considers the many different ways to find joy and how sadness is a necessary component of happiness. Ruhl is a playwright and essayist. Her most popular works include “Eurydice,” “The Clean House” and “In the Next Room.” She received a MacArthur Fellowship and the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award for being a distinguished American playwright.

“As always, our young artists continue to entertain and inspire us as they work with their mentors—both from within the faculty and from the wider professional field—to deepen their understanding of the art of storytelling. They are eager to share what they’ve learned, and we are eager to have you join us,” Zito says.

Named as one of the best shows by The New York Times in 2017, “As You Like It” is an immersive fairytale experience that touches upon feuding families and lovers in disguise. Forced from their homes, Orlando, Duke Senior, his daughter Rosalind and niece Celia, escape to the Forest of Arden, a fantastical place of transformation, where all are welcomed and embraced. Lost amidst the trees, the refugees find community and acceptance under the stars. This show is a celebration of community, togetherness and diversity.

“This production of ‘As You Like It’ is a declaration of love,” says Rodney Hudson, director. “While it seems that American society has become more accepting and inclusive of the LGBTQI+ community, governmental policies have shown that the country needs more growth than some are willing to accept.”

Hudson is passionate about issues of equality in the LGBTQI+ community and relates this story to the current and unjust Parental Rights in Education bill. He adds, “As a declaration of love, this production of ‘As You Like It’ investigates how we, as humans, accept the love around us and showcases the various forms love can have. We ask you the question, ‘Who can love?’ and invite you to join us on the journey as we find the answer.”

The original story of “As You Like It” is believed to be written in 1599 and published in the First Folio in 1623. In the summer of 2017, with collaborators Taub and Sonya Tayeh, Woolery directed this new musical adaptation of “As You Like It” at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater with 200 New Yorkers as part of the The Public Theater’s Public Works Program. Founded by Woolery in 2015, the Public Works at The Public Theater is an initiative that seeks to engage the people of New York by making them creators and not just spectators. Working with partner organizations in all five boroughs, Public Works invites members of diverse communities to join in the creation of ambitious works of participatory theater.

COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

Masks are required at all times by everyone regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking in designated areas. Food and drink will not be permitted in the auditorium.

“As You Like It”��

A musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”

• Adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery
• Music and lyrics by Shaina Taub
• Orchestrations and band arrangements by Mike Brun
• Directed by Rodney Hudson
• Music directed by Brian Cimmet
• Choreography by Felipe Panamá
• Scenic design by Kristina Fosmire
• Costume design by Amaan Khan
• Lighting design by Em Stripling
• Sound design by Jacqueline R. Herter
• Wig design by Michael A. King
• Fight choreography by Alec Barbour
• Assistant music director: Jacob Stebly
• Dramaturg: Puaseisei Patu-Tanielu
• Stage manager: Emma Yehle

Cast

• Malaika Wanjiku Jaques
• Alexandra Kafrissen Rosalind
• Thomas Riggleman Orlando
• Samantha Harnick Celia
• Kevin Ilardi Oliver
• Dylan Knight Weaver Duke Senior
• Ian Purcell Duke Frederick
• Will Foohey Touchstone
• Hayden Poe Andy
• Olivia Lacie Andrews Phoebe
• Sofia Swensen Silvia
• Rileigh Very Mama Corin, Ensemble
• Blaise Rossman Papa Corin, Ensemble
• McKay Marshall Miss Amiens, Hisperia
• Shaun Collins William, Frankie Flow, Ensemble
• Adam Forward Bronco, Ensemble
• Zach Simpson Adam, Caveman
• Elana Babbitt Announcer, Ensemble
• Corinne Ferrer Agent, Ensemble
• Alice Meyer Little Jaques, Ensemble

Swings

Rachel Langetieg, Austin Rose

Performances

• Friday, April 29, 8 p.m. (Preview)
• Saturday, April 30, 8 p.m. (Opening)
• Sunday, May 1, 2 p.m. (ASL Interpreted)
• Wednesday, May 4, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, May 5, 8 p.m.
• Friday, May 6, 8 p.m.
• Saturday, May 7, 2 p.m. (Open captioned)
• Saturday, May 7, 8 p.m.
• Sunday, May 8, 2 p.m.

Additional Credits

• Puppeteers: Elana Babbitt, Shaun Collins, Kevin Ilardi, Blaise Rossmann
• Dance Captain: Blaise Rossmann
• Fight Captains: Adam Forward, Austin Rose
• Assistant to the Director: Puaseisei Patu-Tanielu
• Assistant Choreographer: Olivia Lacie Andrews
• Additional Staging and Choreography: Olivia Lacie Andrews, Blaise Rossmann
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Angel Wai Yan Lam
• Associate Costume Designer: Rosario Appleton Figueira
• Assistant Costume Designer: Ryn Gross
• Assistant Lighting Designer: Mairead Cummins
• Assistant Sound Designer: Malena Logan
• Assistant Stage Managers: Emily Kellner, Maya Royston
• Casting Assistant: Liam Bierley

The six show subscription season runs Sept. 21, 2022-June 25, 2023 and includes the world premiere musical “How to Dance in Ohio,” Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” the East Coast premiere of “Clean/Espejos,” “Our Town,” the world premiere of Kyle Bass’ “Tender Rain,” and “Clue.” Subscription packages are on sale now at or at the Box Office, 315.443.3275.

“This season is about connection. It’s what I’ve missed most these past two years: connecting with friends, connecting with family, connecting with one another,” says Artistic Director Robert Hupp. “At ���ϲ����� Stage, we’ve selected a new season that celebrates our need to connect. It celebrates the fun, the mystery and yes, sometimes the heartbreak of connections made and missed. We’ve all been through a lot, often in isolation, and we believe coming to ���ϲ����� Stage to share experiences you can only enjoy through live performance is the perfect way to connect, and reconnect, with each other.”

First up is “How to Dance in Ohio,” a heart-filled new musical, based on the Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name that explores what it means to belong, the courage it takes to put yourself out in the world and the universal need to connect. Set at a counseling center in Columbus, “How to Dance in Ohio” follows seven autistic young adults as they come of age and find their ways in the world.

Created by Jacob Yandura (music) and Rebekah Greer Melocik (book and lyrics) and directed by Sammi Cannold, this musical adaptation adheres closely to the documentary in narrative and spirit, and the cast will include autistic actors in the seven principal roles. The musical is dedicated in loving memory to Broadway legend Harold Prince, who was instrumental in its inception. Filmmaker Alexandra Shiva said in an interview that she chose this age group—late teens to early twenties—because while autistic children get attention, those on the brink of becoming adults are often overlooked. The musical, like the film, illuminates this crucial time in the lives of these young people. ���ϲ����� Stage will produce this world premiere musical in association with Ben Holtzman, Sammy Lopez and Fiona Howe Rudin. Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt serves as the autism spectrum disorder creative consultant with Becky Leifman as the director of community engagement. Holtzman, Lopez and Leifman are alumni of the Department of Drama.

For the holidays, the grand tradition of a family musical co-produced with the Department of Drama takes a deep dive under the sea with “Disney’s The Little Mermaid.” The 2 Ring Circus (“The Wizard of Oz,” 2017) returns to add spectacular high-flying acrobatics to this beloved tale of Ariel’s adventures up “where the people are.” Melissa Rain Anderson directs, with choreography by Adam Cates and musical direction by Brian Cimmet.

In the new year, associate artistic director Melissa Crespo guides the exceptional bi-lingual drama “Clean/Espejos,” written by playwright Christine Quintana, with Spanish translation and adaptation by Paula Zelaya Cervantes. At a destination wedding in Cancún, two women with very different life experiences meet by chance and become catalysts for change in each other. Adriana is local and works at the resort and speaks only Spanish. Sarah is Canadian, sister of the bride, and speaks only English. The audience follows their journey together in both languages aided by supertitles in English and Spanish.

“‘Clean/Espejos’ is a thrilling theatrical experience layered with complexity and magical realism unlike anything ever seen at ���ϲ����� Stage,” says Crespo.�� “I am so grateful to share this beautiful play with our audience.”

Of special note in the spring is the opportunity for Artistic Director Robert Hupp to direct one of his favorite plays, Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” which has been long postponed due the pandemic. Wilder, who would have turned 125 this year, is enjoying a revival around the country from the Dallas Theatre Center to Lincoln Center. “Our Town” is by far his best known play, a poetic and graceful reminder to cherish every unimportant moment and to embrace the true wonder and brevity of being alive. Set in the small New Hampshire town of Grover’s Corners, the play, Wilder said, places “the life of a village against the life of the stars.” A true American masterpiece.

“It’s been well over 20 years since ���ϲ����� Stage produced ‘Our Town,’ and longer since I’ve directed it,” says Hupp. “I am eager to return to Grover’s Corners. I believe Wilder’s timeless play speaks powerfully to us today; its soaring simplicity is a necessary antidote to the cacophony of our lives.”

A second world premiere follows in the season, resident playwright Kyle Bass’ “Tender Rain.” Set in a small Southern city in the 1950s, this elegiac drama uses the strained relationship of a middle-aged white couple to explore the complexities of race relations and how an oppressive society’s pain, violence and suffering leaches insidiously into domestic lives and intimate relationships. Rodney Hudson is set to direct. Bass, who is represented in the current season with “s������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��” (June 8-26), scored a hit for ���ϲ����� Stage with “Possessing Harriet” in 2018.

“Dramas of diverse, complex and fully-drawn characters situated in emotion-bringing circumstances; plays that give voice to the poetry of human desires, struggles and perseverance are the plays I like best,” says Bass. “‘Tender Rain’ is my offering to the theater of poetic realism. Rodney Hudson’s theatrical vocabulary is, I think, wonderfully suited for the play.”

Closing out the season is the board game turned feature film turned theatrical comedy/mystery, “Clue.” Mixing the usual suspects from the popular game with the red scare politics of the 1950s, “C���ܱ�” is a farce meets murder mystery delight that hits all the right notes. On a dark and stormy night, a cast of familiar characters gathers at a remote mansion for dinner and murder. Who done it? Where? And with what? It is pure theatrical fun to conclude the exciting season.

The Cold Read Festival of New Plays returns live and gets a new time slot in the fall of 2022. (In previous seasons it was in the spring.) Associate Artistic Director Crespo takes over curatorial responsibility for this compact and intense celebration of new work. Details and schedule to be announced.

In addition, Stage will offer a strong line-up of educational and community outreach programs throughout the season. In the fall (Sept. 20-Dec. 16), the Bank of America Children’s Tour resumes performances live in elementary schools with “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” by Dwayne Hartford and based on the book by Kate DiCamillo. Directed by Katherine McGerr, this fantastical play tells the tale of a vain china rabbit who gets lost at sea and embarks on a long journey, during which he learns the importance of love.

Of special note is the commission of an original play by Ojibwe and Oneida performance artist, activist and writer Ty Defoe for Stage’s Backstory program. Working with students and community members of the Onondaga Nation, Defoe will create an original work based on the story of the Sky Woman. Defoe is a Grammy award-winning composer and a 2021 Helen Merrill award-winning playwright.

Returning, too, is “Theatre for the Very Young,” a program for children five and under. In the 2022/2023 season, this program will be performed in partnership with and at the Everson Museum.

“Our new season centers great stories, many told on our stage for the first time, brought to life by amazing actors, directors and designers,” says Hupp. “This is what you expect when you come to ���ϲ����� Stage. Enriching activities that give you deeper understanding of the work, created in an environment that makes for a special and fun night out, makes ���ϲ����� Stage the kind of experience you can’t get anywhere else in Central New York.”

Show Details

World Premiere Musical
“How to Dance in Ohio”

Book and Lyrics by Rebekah Greer Melocik
Music by Jacob Yandura
Based on Alexandra Shiva’s documentary film “How to Dance in Ohio”
Directed by Sammi Cannold
Produced in association with Ben Holtzman, Sammy Lopez and Fiona Howe Rudin
Sept. 21-Oct. 9, 2022

“How to Dance in Ohio” is a heart-filed new musical based on the Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name that explores what it means to belong, the courage it takes to put yourself out in the world and the universal need to connect. Set at a counseling center on Columbus, “How to Dance in Ohio” follows seven autistic young adults as they come of age and find their ways in the world.

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”

Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater
Book by Doug Wright
Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film that was produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written and directed by John Musker & Ron Clements
Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Musical Direction by Brian Cimmet
Choreography by Adam Cates
Co-produced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama
Nov. 25, 2022-Jan. 8, 2023

Dive into musical family fun with Ariel, Sebastian and all the watery gang from this beloved tale. With spectacular aerial (what?) acrobatics provided by 2 Ring Circus (“The Wizard of Oz,” 2017), this production promises enough thrills and delights for landlubbers of all ages. Nothing fishy about this holiday treat.

East Coast Premiere
“C���𲹲�/���������Dz�”

By Christine Quintana
Spanish translation and adaptation by Paula Zelaya Cervantes
Directed by Melissa Crespo
Feb. 15-March 5, 2023

The lives of two women with vastly different life experiences intersect at a destination wedding in Cancún. Adriana is from a small town not far from the resort where she has worked her way up from maid to floor manager. Sarah, from Vancouver, is the sister of the bride and maid of honor and the self-acknowledged family screw up. A chance encounter during a torrential downpour leads each woman to confront her personal storm and to consider the possibility that, though isolated, she may not be as alone as she believes. Change is hard but possible and hope may be closer than it sometimes seems. An engaging and poignant bi-lingual theatrical experience, “C���𲹲�/���������Dz�” is performed in English and Spanish with supertitles in both languages.

��“Our Town”

By Thornton Wilder
Directed by Robert Hupp
March 29-April 16, 2022

“The life of a village against the life of the stars” is how Thornton Wilder described his heralded masterpiece “Our Town.” “It is an attempt,” he wrote, “to find a value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.” He succeeded with this graceful and poetic play—a heartfelt call to cherish every unimportant moment we’re together and to embrace the true wonder and brevity of being alive. Do any human beings
ever realize life while they live it? Whether in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, at the turn of the 20^th century, or ���ϲ�����, New York, in 2023, Wilder’s enduring classic asks us to stop and ponder what truly matters, and to consider that for a great many of us the answers will be the same. Bob Hupp directs one of his favorite plays.

��World Premiere
“Tender Rain”

By Kyle Bass
Directed by Rodney Hudson
May 3-21, 2023

“Rain is like sorrow. It exposes our roots.” In this elegiac drama, playwright Kyle Bass introduces Milton Millard, a white banker who lives in a small Southern city with Delores, his wife whom he can hardly see anymore and who endures a vague but nagging trepidation. They are a late-middle-aged childless couple lost in a fog of what cannot be undone. Is there a way forward for either of them? Can Ruthie Mimms, the Black woman who raised and protected Milton in childhood and beyond, rescue him once more? The momentary escape Milton finds in the arms of a younger woman will not spare him the reckoning he must face. Set in the 1950s, “Tender Rain” explores the complexities of race relations and how oppressive society’s pain, violence and suffering leaches insidiously into domestic lives and intimate relationships. A journey through a richly layered emotional landscape from the author of “Possessing Harriet.

��“C���ܱ�”

Based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn
Written by Sandy Rustin
Additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price
Based on the Paramount Pictures motion picture
Based on the Hasbro board game CLUE
Original music by Michael Holland
Directed by Ben Hanna
June 7-25, 2023

Farce meets murder mystery in this hilarious theatrical adaptation of the famed board game and 1985 motion picture. In a remote mansion not far from Washington, D.C., a mysterious and familiar cast of characters—Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum and Miss Scarlet—gather for a dinner party and an evening of murder. Does the sudden demise of their host, Mr. Boddy, have any connection to the ongoing hearings conducted by Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House of Un-American Activities Committee? It’s all fun and games until someone gets clobbered by a candlestick in the library. After that, it’s even more fun.

Cold Read Festival of New Plays

Curated by Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo
Oct. 18-22, 2022
Events to be announced.

Premiering in 2016, “Sender” is the third play in Holter’s seven-play Rightlynd Saga, a fictional town in Chicago’s 51st ward. “Sender” thrives on the contrast between order and chaos and the tensions that emerge as we leave childhood and adolescence behind to contend with the demands of “adulting.” Holter presents us with four millennial friends wrestling with these issues. While each is at a different stage of “growing up,” one of these friends has disappeared and is presumed dead. Yet, at the beginning of the play, he returns and completely upends the balance established in his absence.

On a deep level, “Sender” is about a group of millennials aging into their 30s, struggling with growing up and moving beyond childhood into adulthood. There are scenes that engage with the sappy drunk nights of dreaming what could be, and fear of who you will become in the future. Yet, the power of the play is in its ability to generate different feelings and reactions depending on the age of the audience member.��This witty, razor-sharp play explores hipster culture, chasing down the truth and asks the question of what it means to be an adult in a world that refuses to grow up. It may be part of a series, but “Sender” truly stands on its own.

Holter is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a recipient of the 2017 Windham–Campbell Literature Prize and is an alumni resident playwright at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago. In addition, he has been commissioned by The Kennedy Center, South Coast Rep and The Playwrights’ Center. Holter’s first play, “Hit the Wall,” received an Off-Broadway run and successfully made the Chicago Tribune’s Top Ten Plays of 2012 list. He is a staff writer for the FX series “Fosse/Verdon” produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda and is developing a TV miniseries that centers around the 1983 election and the reign of the first African American mayor to hold the office in Chicago.

“Sender” will be performed with two casts.

COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

At the door, audience members 5 and older will be required to show proof of full vaccination, or for those not vaccinated, a negative COVID-19 test result. For children under 5, proof of negative test is strongly encouraged but not required for entry to the theatre.

A valid negative COVID-19 test must meet the following conditions: A negative PCR test from a health care provider within 72 hours of entry for the event you are attending or a negative Antigen test from a healthcare provider within six hours of entry for the event you are attending.

Vaccination verification is accepted in any of the following forms: physical vaccination card, New York State Excelsior Pass, digital vaccination cards through your home health department or photo of vaccination card. Full vaccination means that either 14 days have passed since receiving the second dose of FDA or WHO authorized double-dose vaccines or that 14 days have passed since receiving the sole dose of FDA or WHO authorized single-dose vaccines.��Without vaccination proof or a negative Covid-19 test, patrons will not be allowed into the building.

Masks are required at all times by everyone regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking in designated areas. Food and drink will not be permitted in the auditorium.

“Sender” Credits

• By Ike Holter
• Directed by Terrence I. Mosley
• Scenic design by Malena Logan
• Costume design by Adeline Santello
• Lighting design by Sarah Schultz
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Fight choreography by Alec Barbour
• Intimacy choreography by Yvonne Perry
• Dialect coach: Blake Segal
• Acting coach: Sonita L. Surratt
• Consultant: Chuck Morris
• Dramaturg: Megan Cooper
• Stage manager: Kiara Brown

Cast (Arbor Mist)

• Suhail Kumar Lynx
• Eve Dillingham Tess
• Charlotte Bush Cassandra
• Dylan Knight Weaver Jordan

Cast (Peach Schnapps)

• Sammy Haines Lynx
• Mary Underwood Tess
• Morgan Perry Cassandra
• Adam Forward Jordan

Performances

• Friday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m. (Preview)
• Saturday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m. (Opening)
• Sunday, Feb. 20, 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 23, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 24, 8 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 26, 2 p.m. (Open captioned)
• Saturday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 27, 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted)

Additional Credits

• Assistant Director: Ethan Harpole
• Assistant Scenic Designers: Miranda Barrick, Yuchau Zong
• Assistant Costume Designer: Marshall Breaux
• Assistant Lighting Designers: Eli Golding, Sophia O’Connor
• Casting Associate: Anthony Islam
• Casting Assistant: Kate Grover
• Assistant Stage Managers: Hope Allen, Maya Zepeda

With music and lyrics by Australian comedian and songwriter Tim Minchin and based on the book by Roald Dahl, “Matilda The Musical” tells the story of a remarkable little girl named Matilda Wormwood and her gallant struggle to create a better life for herself, despite the best efforts of the maliciously misguided adults determined to thwart her. Telekinesis and a caring friend prove valuable assets in her effort. Tickets on sale now at and at the Box Office: 315.443.3275.

Since its development and world premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Company, “Matilda The Musical” has become a worldwide hit, winning six Olivier Awards in London and four Tony Awards on Broadway.

Veteran director Donna Drake (���ϲ����� Stage’s “The Wizard of Oz,” “Elf The Musical,” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”) leads a cast of 30 performers in stage’s production, with choreographer Andrea Leigh-Smith, music director Brian Cimmet, scenic designer Czerton Lim, costume designer Ryan J Moller, lighting designer Thomas C. Hase, sound designer Jacqueline R. Herter, projection designer Brian McMullen and wig designer Jason Kyle Estrada.

For Drake, the return to ���ϲ����� Stage for the holiday musical is particularly significant this season.

“In this world turned upside down by a pandemic for the past 18 months, I now find myself back at ���ϲ����� Stage directing ‘Matilda.’ It’s like coming home to a place where I am surrounded by friends, amazing talents and the brilliance of design,” she says. “‘Matilda’ is a child’s journey out of darkness into light, enduring adversity and finding happiness. Like Matilda, we have all been through a lot. May we all reach for light and happiness.”

Composer and lyricist Minchin believes the musical is as relevant today as it was in 2010 when it premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In an interview with Bristol Magazine, he said: “‘Matilda’��is a love letter to the power of stories, imagination and kindness in the face of cruelty, greed and superficiality. I think it’s become even more relevant in recent years. On top of that, it tells kids that reading is cool, and that changing your story and standing up to bullies is possible. That’s a timeless message.”

“Matilda The Musical” follows “Eureka Day” in Stage’s 2021-2022 season, which marks the return of live and in-person performance at the theater. The remaining shows are “Yoga Play” (Jan. 19-Feb. 6), “Somewhere Over the Border” (Feb. 23 – March 13), “The Play that Goes Wrong” (April 13-May 1) and “s������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��” (June 8-26).

Patrons ages 12 and older will be required to show proof of COVID vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test in order to enter the theater, and properly worn masks will be required for everyone regardless of vaccination status. While vaccination or proof of a negative test is strongly encouraged for children under 12, it is not a requirement for entry into the theater.

Stage’s current COVID policy can be found on and provides the following: at the door, audience members, 12 and older, will be required to show proof of full vaccination, or for those not vaccinated, a negative test result from either an antigen-type test within six hours prior to entry or a PCR-type test within 72 hours prior to entry at the theatre. For children under 12, proof of vaccination or negative test is strongly encouraged but not required for entry to the theatre. Masks will be required at all times��by everyone regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking in designated areas.

In addition to “In Love and Warcraft,” the shows that make up the five-play subscription season include “Matilda the Musical” (Nov. 19-Jan. 2 and co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage), “Sender” (Feb. 19-27), “Cymbeline” (March 26-April 3) and a musical adaptation of “As You Like It” (April 29-May 7).

Five play subscriptions, flexible four packs and single tickets are on sale now on the on the ���ϲ����� Stage website. or through the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office, 315.443.3275. The Department of Drama will offer full refunds to patrons should it become necessary to cancel performances or productions.

For the health and safety of all patrons and performers, the Department of Drama will follow COVID safety guidelines. Current guidelines require that all attendees regardless of vaccine status must be masked and provide proof of vaccination or negative COVID test (PCR test six hours prior to arrival at theater or antigen test 72 hours prior to arrival). These guidelines will be reassessed and are subject to change as the season progresses.

Additional projects off the mainstage feature original work. In the fall, faculty member Ricky Pak leads an ensemble in a devised piece called “Id” that will be videoed and distributed in a series of installments. In the spring, faculty member Kathleen Wrinn leads a new initiative, “New Voices, New Work,” to support the development of new musicals by writers and composers whose perspectives have been historically underrepresented in the musical theater canon. Performance dates for the musical are March 1-6.

“Our plays this season all deal in one way or another with separation and a struggle to connect and reunite,” says Holly Thuma, Department of Drama interim chair. “For many of us the pandemic has meant a separation from friends, from loved ones, and at times banishment from community. There is something magical about a live performance with a live audience in the room, about our coming together for the telling of stories, and the ritual of our communal experience.”

Directed by faculty member Matthew Winning, “In Love and Warcraft” is the work of playwright Madhuri Shekar, an alumna of the Ma-Yi writers lab and the Center Theatre Group Writers Workshop and a co-creator of the Shakespearean web series “Titus and Dronicus.” The play was developed at The National New Play Network MFA Playwrights Workshop and premiered at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta in 2014, the same year it won the Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Award.

“In Madhuri Shekar’s delightful ‘In Love and Warcraft,’ we follow a young woman’s isolation, her journey into the virtual world of gaming and her struggle to connect with real-life love,” Thuma says. With a script that is light, fast, youthful and spiked with goofy jargon, “In Love and Warcraft” offers an insightful look into the struggles of intimacy in the digital age.

Veteran director Donna Drake (“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “Elf The Musical” and “The Wizard of Oz”) returns for “Matilda The Musical,” the holiday presentation co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage. With a cast of 30 and filled with high energy song and dance, “Matilda The Musical” is a treat for the whole family.

Chicago-based playwright Ike Holter has written seven plays set in a fictional fifty-first ward. In “Sender” he zeroes in on a group of millennials whose lives are disrupted by the mysterious disappearance and equally strange reappearance of one of their friends. With sharp wit, Holter examines what it means to become an adult today. Department of Drama alumnus Terrence Mosely directs.

The season continues with two lively and exciting contemporary takes on Shakespeare. One of the four romances Shakespeare wrote late in his career, “Cymbeline” blends the fantastical with comedy, adventure and a moving love story. The Department of Drama production features a modern verse translation by playwright Andrea Thome. Thome’s version of “Cymbeline” was originally commissioned by the famed Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) as part of the company’s “Play On Shakespeare” project,��an ambitious undertaking that enlisted the talents of a diverse group of contemporary playwrights, screenwriters and dramaturges from diverse backgrounds to re-envision Shakespeare for the 21st century. The goal of the project was to translate 39 Shakespeare plays into language accessible to modern audiences while never losing the beauty of the verse. “Cymbeline” will be directed by faculty member Christine Albright-Tufts, who spent more than a decade as a company member at OSF.

“With this version of ‘Cymbeline,’ translated by Andrea Thome, ���ϲ����� becomes one of a growing list of universities and theaters who are partnering with ‘Play On! Shakespeare’ to produce new modern English translations of Shakespeare’s beloved plays,” says Albright-Tufts. “The company’s mission is to connect contemporary playwrights with the classical texts, in order to enhance audience understanding of Shakespeare.”

Following “Cymbeline” and closing the season is a musical adaptation of the comedy favorite “As You Like It.” Adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery with music and lyrics by Taub, this delightful trip to the Forest of Arden was created for the Public Theater’s Public Works Program, an initiative that aims to restore and build community by connecting people through the creation of extraordinary works of art. Named by the New York Times as one of the best shows of 2017, “As You Like It” casts a musical and magical spell. Rodney Hudson directs.

A gift from Dr. Jason Soifer ’51 creates new endowments in Soifer’s name in the Department of Drama to support scholarships and in the Setnor School of Music to support international study and experiences, both in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Soifer, who passed away on July 14, 2021, at the age of 91, named ���ϲ����� the beneficiary of his $2.7 million . As part of the Forever Orange Campaign, the gift creates new endowments in Soifer’s name in the Department of Drama to support scholarships and in the Setnor School of Music to support international study and experiences, both in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA).

“I had always been stage-struck, gifted with a booming voice, backed up with a lack of talent, but I persevered and ended up in the box office during my four years at ���ϲ�����,” said Soifer in describing the inspiration behind the endowments, during an interview earlier this year. “I trained at Medical School in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and realized how important an international education was, especially in language and to broaden one’s view of life. It can be quite educational to people—watch from a sidewalk cafe in Paris!” Soifer served abroad in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Paris for NATO as its medical head. The endowment to the Setnor School to support international study is intended to give students the same opportunities to absorb new cultures and expand their worldviews.

“This gift is very personal to me,” says Milton Rubén Laufer, director of the Setnor School of Music. Even though Laufer never met the man behind the gift, he appreciates deeply the potential impact of Soifer’s endowment funds to support music and drama students in VPA. “Though I was a promising student, my family couldn’t afford the tuition for me to go to my top choices. It was a scholarship like this one, earmarked for under-represented students, that gave me the opportunity to attend the best schools and travel internationally. I would not be where I am today without those experiences or support.”

Echoing Laufer’s sentiments, Holly Thuma, interim chair of the Department of Drama, also describes the Soifer gift as one of opportunity that “helps us to overcome the inequities many students face.” The Jason Soifer Endowed Scholarship for Drama is intended to provide scholarship and financial assistance to students who will bring diverse perspectives to the dramatic arts. “We are one of the top-rated drama programs in the country,” says Thuma, “but many gifted students can’t afford to come here. We are so grateful for Dr. Soifer’s gift, which offers a real chance to change things.”

Thuma points out that exposure to diverse perspectives and voices is vital to the developing artist. “To become better actors requires empathy, to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes,” says Thuma. “That’s what actors do. We step into someone else’s shoes and walk that life experience. Part of our job is to help students expand their worldview—in acting, directing, designing, all aspects of the performance arts. Diverse voices are part of our art form and we need to expand the stories we tell. The Department of Drama has a strong vision for the future, one in which stories that have long been excluded will be given their due and brought center stage.”

“Cost is the biggest barrier for anyone of talent to come here,” says Laufer. “Scholarship support that brings diverse voices and perspectives to the stage will strengthen the whole college.” Laufer also serves as co-chair of VPA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. “These students could be the next Fulbright Scholar or Grammy winner or Tony Winner, or the next professor or dean. I’m the first person of color to lead Setnor in its 140-year history. It’s not my intention to be the last.”

The Jason Soifer Endowed Fund for International Music Opportunities offers students expanded world views through cultural music exchange and immersion programs, international competitions, concerts, performance tools, student stipends, student research and internship opportunities.

“I think every Setnor student should have a chance to be on foreign soil,” says Laufer. “It increases our abilities as artists to immerse ourselves, transcend language in many ways and break down barriers. It helps our students develop as human beings and as global citizens. There’s a certain aspect of fearlessness that accompanies international travel and that, too, is an important gift to give our students. In addition, the more our students interact with students from other nations, the more likely we are to get international students here.”

VPA Dean Michael Tick calls the Soifer gift transformational. “Jason Soifer has provided opportunities for current drama and music students and invested in the future of ���ϲ�����. I am deeply grateful for the ways in which the Soifer endowments will lift up VPA for years to come.”

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

reopens its doors for public performances with a fully staged professional reading of “,” a “theatricalization” by Stage’s resident playwright Kyle Bass of the 1965 debate between writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin and conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. The debate took place at Cambridge University and was broadcast by the BBC.

Performances are scheduled for Sept. 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free but tickets are required and may be obtained at . Seating is general admission and COVID safety protocols will be in place. At the door, audience members will be required to show proof of full vaccination, or for those not vaccinated, a negative test result from either an antigen-type test prior to six hours of entry or a PCR-type test prior to 72 hours of entry at the theatre. Masks will be required at all times by everyone regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking in designated areas. (More information about COVID-19 safety guidelines are available on the .)

The presentation of “Baldwin vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers” at ���ϲ����� Stage is part of ���ϲ�����’s Artist in Residency program with Carrie Mae Weems and the First-Year Seminar for incoming students. A special matinee performance is scheduled exclusively for students.

The “intellectual prizefight,” as it has been called, between Baldwin and Buckley took place in the Cambridge Union on Feb. 18, 1965. The motion before the overflow assembly: “the American Dream has been achieved at the expense of the American Negro.” Two Cambridge University students squared off over the topic before the main event, which lasted approximately 45 minutes. Baldwin and Buckley spoke in turn, with Baldwin earning a rare standing ovation.

Starting with a verbatim transcription of the BBC broadcast, Bass reimagined the debate as a piece of live theatre. In addition to the transcription, “Baldwin vs. Buckley” incorporates other writings, speeches and interviews by Baldwin and Buckley to create a compelling tapestry of powerful and still-relevant ideas.

“I wanted contemporary audiences to experience the debate as a live event and through a contemporary lens,” Bass says. “I was extremely interested to see how the debate might live in the mouths and bodies of actors today, nearly 60 years after the historic event. What might the actors bring of themselves and identities to the roles of Baldwin and Buckley? Finally, I had to ask myself: ‘Why this? Why now?’ Performances of ‘Baldwin vs. Buckley’ at the University of Delaware, Colgate University and by Civic Ensemble in partnership with Cornell University provided a resounding answer: it’s still relevant; the impassioned discussions following the performances made that vividly clear.”

The impressive cast includes several actors who have appeared previously at ���ϲ����� Stage. Taking on the role of Baldwin is L. Peter Callendar, who was most recently seen online in the 2020/2021 season closer “‘Master Harold’ . . . and the Boys.” Wynn Harmon (“Possessing Harriet,” “Sylvia” and “Travels with My Aunt”) plays Buckley. The student debaters are Reynaldo Piniella (“Thoughts of a Colored Man”) and Robbie Simpson (“Great Expectations” and the Cold Read Festival of New Plays). Simon Moody, also a Cold Read veteran, plays the announcer and ���ϲ����� drama student Emily Hernandez completes the cast as the Cambridge Union President.

Director Godfrey L. Simmons,Jr., too, has a history with ���ϲ����� Stage having appeared in “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Two Trains Running” and “Blues for an Alabama Sky.” He is a co-founder of Ithaca’s Civic Ensemble and the current artistic director of HartBeat Ensemble in Hartford, Connecticut. Like Bass, he finds the Baldwin/Buckley debate to be very relevant today.

“When Kyle sent [the script to me], I felt I was reading something from a town hall during the last election cycle,” he says. “The arguments by both Baldwin and Buckley are still happening today in our schools, our workplaces, our communities. These arguments can be exhausting, but this debate, especially Baldwin’s arguments, enliven the eternal ‘race question’ that has carried over from the 20th century as the most important question facing our society.”

Beginning the season with “Baldwin vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers” signals a heightened interest in offering programming that addresses current events and concerns and reflects ���ϲ����� Stage’s desire to engage with the Central New York community throughout the season.

“It’s entirely fitting that we’re returning to live performance after an 18 month absence with a work crafted by Kyle Bass,” says Bob Hupp, ���ϲ����� Stage artistic director. “Kyle is Stage’s first-ever resident playwright and we wanted to showcase this new relationship. It is a great opportunity to welcome our community back to Stage. Kyle’s theatricalization makes it abundantly clear that the Baldwin/Buckley debate of 1965 resonates powerfully in 2021.”

Details

“Baldwin vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers”
A “theatricalization” by Kyle Bass
Directed by Godfrey L. Simmons Jr.
Projections by Dehanza Rogers
Lighting design by David M. Bowman
Sound design by Jacqueline R Herter

Performances

Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. (Open Captioning)

Cast

L Peter Callender* James Baldwin
Wynn Harmon* William F. Buckley Jr.
Reynaldo Piniella* Heycock/Ensemble
Robbie Simpson* Burford/Ensemble
Simon Moody Announcer/Ensemble
Emily Hernandez Union President

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Six-play subscriptions will be on sale in July. Single tickets will go on sale closer to the opening of the season.

Artistic director Robert Hupp says, “This is more than a return to ‘normal.’ Over the past year, we’ve engaged in a field-wide conversation about the work we create and produce. We’ve looked at how the work is created, who creates the work and who the work is created for. We emerge from the pandemic with a renewed passion for our craft and a new commitment to making a positive and sustained contribution to the cultural and civic life of Central New York.”

In reopening, the theater management pledges strict adherence to the most up-to-date COVID-19 safety protocols in order to protect patrons, artists and staff.

The scheduled season offers a variety of theatrical experiences with a world premiere by ���ϲ����� Stage associate artistic director Kyle Bass, a new musical by Brian Quijada, a celebrated family holiday musical and three contemporary comedies. From backstage hijinks to events unfolding literally down the street from ���ϲ����� Stage to the trials and triumphs of a very remarkable little girl, the season celebrates reuniting to enjoy engaging stories, fascinating characters, exciting performances and great entertainment.

The season includes: “Eureka Day” (Oct. 13-31, 2021), “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical” (Nov. 19, 2021-Jan. 2, 2022), “Yoga Play” (Jan. 19-Feb. 6, 2022), “Somewhere Over the Border” (Feb. 23-March 13, 2022), “The Play that Goes Wrong” (April 13-May 1, 2022) and “s������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��” (June 8-26, 2022).

“Our new season is uplifting. We wanted to craft a season that celebrated our return to live performance,” Hupp says. “We also wanted to explore the world as it emerges from this unprecedented time. We do so with humor and with music. We also celebrate new voices on our stage—voices that we believe have relevance for right here and right now. We’re creating new ways to connect with ���ϲ����� Stage and we invite everyone to share this journey with us.”

Hupp is slated to direct two plays in the season including the season opener “Eureka Day.” A private day school in Berkeley, California, becomes a microcosm of our larger society as Jonathon Spector’s comedy plunges headlong into the knotty issues of vaccines and how we measure private preference against public health and how we decide who gets to decide. Though written pre-COVID, “Eureka Day” could not be more timely or more needed as Spector mines laughter from our foibles while eliciting empathy for our sometimes valiant and sometimes valiantly misguided efforts. Spector clearly has sympathy for our struggles.

Later in the season, Hupp takes on a comic cautionary tale of what can happen to a theatre company’s best laid plans with “The Play That Goes Wrong.” In this award-winning comedy, the Cornley Drama Society attempts to mount a 1920s murder mystery and falls prey to a variation of the old adage: everything that can go wrong will go wrong and in the most humorous way. Laughter for the sake of laughter and theater just for the fun of it.

“Personally, I can’t wait to get back in the rehearsal room,” Hupp says. “I’ve enjoyed directing online, and I’ve learned a lot in this process. But nothing can replace the joy of making a production with actors and a creative team that will be experienced by a live audience in a shared space. This shared experience is something we all need—it’s something we crave. I don’t think we’ll realize how much we’ve missed it until we’re back together again in the Archbold Theatre.”

The return to live and in-person performance also signals the return of a holiday tradition at ���ϲ����� Stage: the big family musical coproduced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama. For 2021/2022 Hupp has selected “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical,” and entrusted it to the same director, Donna Drake, and musical director, Brian Cimmet, as previous holiday shows “The Wizard of Oz,” “Elf The Musical” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” This season Drake and Cimmet will be joined by choreographer Andrea Leigh-Smith.

Two premieres and the continuation of the Cold Read Festival of New Plays keep vibrant new work at the forefront of ���ϲ����� Stage’s artistic programming. In 2018, Bass scored a hit with his mainstage debut production “Possessing Harriet,” a play rooted in a chapter of local history. With “salt/city/blues,’” he turns his gaze just down the block to consider how the construction of an elevated highway adversely impacted a once vibrant neighborhood while specifically focusing on the strains experienced by one family closely connected to the project. Resemblances to ���ϲ�����’s 15th ward and I-81 are intentional, if not literal. Gilbert McCauley, who directed the 2020/2021 closer “’Master Harold’…and the Boys,” returns for the world premiere of “salt/city/blues.”

“The heart of��‘salt/city/blues’ beats with the character, spirit, challenges, history and hopes of the city which has inspired me in its writing,” says Bass. “I’m thrilled that its world premiere at my artistic home is part of ���ϲ����� Stage’s season of enriched focus on our communities and the meanings of home.”

In the new musical “Somewhere Over the Border,” drawing creative inspiration from a beloved Central New York story, Brian Quijada recounts the journey his mother made from El Salvador to the United States in the 1970s. With fantastical elements suggested by L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” Quijada transforms his mother’s 2,700 mile journey into a musical adventure using songs in a range of musical styles including American rock, hip-hop and Mariachi. Part fable and part family history, “Somewhere Over the Border” is a testament to a mother’s determination and love.

Rounding out the season is the wry comedy “Yoga Play” by Dipika Guha, a piece that ponders such questions as: is there room for authenticity in a $10 billion industry, or can lavender scented yoga pants enhance spiritual well-being? Melissa Crespo who directed this past season’s “I and You” and the 2019 hit “Native Gardens” will be back at ���ϲ����� Stage for this comedic gem.

Ongoing through the season there will be many opportunities to engage in conversations important to the community and to enjoy family oriented programming.

Los Angeles based artists and activists Mark-n-Sparks (Mark Valdez and ashley sparks) bring their innovative devised performance piece “The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe” to ���ϲ����� Stage as part of their four-city initiative to examine housing insecurity across the country. Free performances of “The Faith of Our Fathers,” adapted by Bass from the 1965 televised debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley, will be offered when the theater reopens in the fall. These special presentations augment the regularly scheduled talkbacks, prologues and lectures that accompany each mainstage production.

In addition, writer, interdisciplinary artist and Grammy Award-winner Ty Defoe joins the Cold Read Festival of New Plays in March 2022. Defoe is from the Oneida and Ojibwe nations and has written plays, poetry and lyrics. A full schedule of Cold Read events will be announced at a later date.

The season promises an array of theater experiences for families and students. In the fall the Bank of America Children’s tour production of “The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus” will perform outdoors at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Two Backstory productions, “Commanding Space” and “Citizen James,” resume live performances after the new year, and in the spring the sensational Doodle Pop from South Korea arrives for four performances in the Archbold Theatre. Continuing in 2021/2022 are theatre for the very young and the ever popular Young Playwrights Festival.

“After more than a year of creating innovative online work, we are thrilled to return to producing live theatre this fall,” Hupp says. “While many theaters across our country were forced to shut down during the pandemic, ���ϲ����� Stage was fortunate to stay artistically active. The knowledge and experience we gained puts us in a strong position to hit the ground running with a season of dynamic and meaningful theatrical experiences.”

SHOW DETAILS

“Eureka Day”
By Jonathan Spector
Directed by Robert Hupp
Oct. 13-31, 2021

With a mumps outbreak, a private school in Berkeley, California, called Eureka Day, becomes a microcosm of our larger society as Jonathan Spector’s comedy plunges headlong into the knotty issues of vaccines and how we measure private preference against public health and how we decide who gets to decide. Though written pre-COVID, “Eureka Day” could hardly be more timely or more needed as Spector mines laughter from our foibles while eliciting empathy for our sometimes valiant and sometimes valiantly misguided efforts.

��“Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical”
Book by Dennis Kelly
Music and Lyrics by Tim Minchin
Based on the book “Matilda” by Roald Dahl
Directed by Donna Drake
Musical Direction by Brian Cimmet
Choreography by Andrea Leigh-Smith
Nov. 19, 2021-Jan. 2, 2022

Children (and grown-ups) of the world rejoice. “Matilda” is here at last. Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, this Tony Award-winning musical is a captivating treat that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. (There’s also a gloriously vile villain, Miss Trunchbull.) Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and featuring an unforgettable little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic power, “Matilda” is a joyous girl power romp.

“Yoga Play” (East coast premiere)
By Dipika Guha
Directed by Melissa Crespo
Jan. 19-Feb. 6, 2022

Joan has a big problem. Recently named CEO of athletic-wear giant Jojomon—think high-end brand that’s part 60s one-hit wonder and part citrus fruit—she even more recently learned that a BBC investigative team is about to expose her Bangladeshi manufacturer of lavender-scented yoga pants as an exploiter of child labor. Suddenly, Jojomon’s family of customers is all atwitter with accusations of inauthenticity. Only one solution will do—find a reclusive and revered yogi to serve as a spokesman and restore the company’s all-important claim to authenticity. They find him all right. The rest is 90 minutes of side-splitting laughter. A fun-filled new comedy by Dipika Guha, a talent to watch and recipient of a Venturous Playwright Fellowship by The Lark.

“Somewhere Over the Border” (new musical)
By Brian Quijada
Feb. 23-March 13, 2022

Inspired by the real life journey of the author’s mother (Reina Quijada) from El Salvador to the U.S. and by L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” “Somewhere Over the Border” embraces the factual and the fantastical in its depiction of one young girl’s pursuit of the American dream. As Reina travels north to the Mexican border, she gathers friends, faces down dangers and holds tight to the memory of the little boy she left behind. Set in the 1970s and propelled by cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, American rock and hip-hop, this new musical is both fable and family history—and a testament to the determination born of love.

“The Play That Goes Wrong”
By Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields
Directed by Robert Hupp
April 13-May 1, 2022

Winner of London’s Olivier Award for Best Comedy and a New York Times best pick for comedies, “The Play That Goes Wrong” follows in the grand tradition of plays that go farcically awry. As the Cornley Drama Society attempts to perform a 1920s murder mystery, sets malfunction, lines are dropped and corpses won’t stay still. Such fun. Laughter for the sheer joy of laughter.

“s������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��” (world premiere)
By Kyle Bass
Directed by Gilbert McCauley
June 8-26, 2022

How does a fractured family heal when unresolved emotions of the past color the present? Can a city reshape itself if it means tearing open old, still-tender wounds? And where in a diverse but segregated can communities find common ground, mutual dignity and a true sense of home? These questions collide into Yolonda Mourning, an independent consultant on a vast project to take down a span of highway that has long divided Salt City. When she leaves her husband and teenage son and moves to the heart of trendy downtown, a diverse cast of characters forces Yolonda to confront the Salt City’s complicated history around race, class and urban renewal, and to reckon with her role as architect of the broken bridges in her own family. Moving, funny, poignant and current, “s������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��” is a fresh, contemporary new play set in a fictionalized ���ϲ����� and to the music of the blues. A Cold Read world premiere production.

Cold Read Festival of New Plays
March 14 – 20
Events to be announced

The digital showcase is produced by department alumni Ben Holtzman and Sammy Lopez (“Be More Chill” and the upcoming “Gun & Powder”), with direction by faculty member Katherine McGerr (“Birthday Candles” at Roundabout Theatre Company) and song preparation by alumnus and faculty member David Lowenstein (“Jerome Robbins Broadway,” “Seussical”).

The virtual platform designed by alumnus Joe Tannenbaum features scenes, songs, monologues and dance numbers performed by the Class of 2021. The videos were filmed and edited by Daylight Blue Media and captured onstage in spaces shared by the department and –all under strict COVID-19 protocol.

“As a response to the pandemic and industry shutdown, it was a challenge to shift the showcase digitally, but we were determined to offer the graduating actors the opportunity to present their work to the industry,” say Holtzman and Lopez.�� “Transitioning to a virtual platform allows us to create equitable exposure by expanding the number of students featured and providing access to industry members beyond New York City.”

Recently named by , the Department of Drama offers conservatory-style training in a university setting shared with a resident, professional theater (���ϲ����� Stage), presenting an unparalleled combination of teaching professionals and diverse performance and production opportunities. The department offers four conservatory-style bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) degree programs in acting, musical theater, stage management and theater design and technology, as well as a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree program in drama that features a theater management track.

The department is proud to have trained an impressive array of actors, writers, producers, designers, stage managers, casting directors, agents, managers and countless other professionals in the entertainment industry. The list includes such notable alumni figures as Vanessa Williams, Jessie Mueller, Aaron Sorkin, Taye Diggs, Reid Scott, Vera Farmiga, Frank Langella, Julia Murney, Will Pullen, Hannah Corneau, Matt Britten and Arielle Tepper to name a few.

For more alumni information and updates, follow Orange In The Apple & Beyond, an alumni-run organization devoted to uplifting and connecting ���ϲ����� drama graduates: @orangeintheapple.

All plays were once new plays. That’s the idea behind ���ϲ����� Stage’s Now in its fourth season, the Cold Read Festival has seven different events featuring some of the freshest voices writing for theater today, nationally and locally, scheduled for Tuesday, March 23, through Sunday, March 28. Due to COVID-19, all events will be virtual with a mix of pre-recorded readings and live discussions with festival artists.

Curated by ���ϲ����� Stage Associate Artistic Director Kyle Bass, each festival event takes patrons through a different stage of a play’s development process from the writer’s imagination to the stage. A full festival pass that includes all events is $15. Visit or call its box office at 315.443.3275 for tickets and additional information.

Two of the live discussion events, “On the Future of New Plays” on March 23 and “Craft Q&A: The Art of Playwriting with Kate Hamill” on March 28 are free and do not require a festival pass, but participants must register in advance to receive a Zoom link.

“I am proud of how ���ϲ����� Stage has continued to make theatre during this very challenging time,” says Bass. “While presented virtually, the return of the Cold Read Festival of new plays speaks to Stage’s commitment to supporting and celebrating new work. And I see this year’s festival as a reminder of how new work can refresh our passion for theatre.”

Cold Read kicks off on Tuesday, March 23, at 6 p.m. ET with the free event On the Future of New Plays, part of the ���ϲ����� Humanities Center’s series. This virtual panel of Cold Read artists includes Kyle Bass, ���ϲ����� Stage associate artistic director and Cold Read Festival curator; Kate Hamill, festival playwright-in-residence; Chesney Snow, festival solo-artist-in-residence; Evan Starling-Davis, Write Here featured local playwright; and Robert Hupp, ���ϲ����� Stage artistic director. Discussions will surround the current state of the arts, what it means to be an artist in post-COVID-19 America and how their work can impact the future of playwriting.

The festival continues Wednesday, March 24, with Cold Open, a conversation with festival artists about their plans and goals for their work featured in the festival. A live discussion will be held at 7 p.m. ET.

Thursday’s event, Under Consideration, will feature a cast of professional actors in a reading of “Queen,” a new play by Madhuri Shekar that is under consideration for production in a future ���ϲ����� Stage season. “Queen” premiered in 2017 and won the Outstanding Original Full-Length Script at the 2019 New York Innovative Theatre Awards. It explores truth, relationships and bees. The reading will be directed by Kareem Fahmy and will be available to stream from midnight to 11:59 p.m. There will be a live virtual discussion with Bass, Hupp and Fahmy about the play at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Next up on Friday, March 26, is Write Here, highlighting the work of a local playwright. A new play, “Madness, In The Clearing of Blue,” by Evan Starling-Davis will be read by a cast of local actors and directed by ���ϲ����� Department of Drama faculty Rufus Bonds Jr. Starling-Davis is a digital-age, Black interdisciplinary artist whose work has been featured in numerous galleries, museums and theaters internationally. The reading will be available to stream from midnight to 11:59 p.m. There will be a live virtual discussion with Bass, Starling-Davis and Bonds at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Saturday presents Solo Act with a work-in-progress performance of “Aquaplane” (working title) by renowned performing solo artist, actor and musician Chesney Snow, co-created with Faye Chiao. Snow is a Drama Desk winner, three-time artist-in-residence at Harvard University and teaching artist. He has performed numerous roles on Broadway, headlined Carnegie Hall and produced and starred in the music documentary “American Beatboxer,” which was placed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Snow’s performance will be available to stream from midnight to 11:59 p.m. There will be a live virtual discussion with Bass and Snow at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The closing day of Cold Read will feature multiple events with one of the most produced playwrights in the country, Kate Hamill. Craft Q&A: The Art of Playwriting with Kate Hamill, a live discussion moderated by Bass, will take place at 2 p.m. ET. This is a free event that does not require a festival pass to participate, but requires advance registration.

Cold Read’s final event, Draft/Pages, is a reading of Hamill’s brand-new play-in-progress “The Piper” directed the Meredith McDonough. “The Piper” was developed with the support of PlayPenn with the author as a Haas Fellow. The reading will be available to stream from midnight to 11:59 p.m. There will be a live virtual discussion with Bass, Hamill and McDonough at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Available throughout the week will be a video reading of a new play by Bass called “The Cutaneous Rabbit Illusion.” Directed by Hupp, the 30-minute one-act play stars Hamill and her husband Jason O’Connell (“Amadeus” and “Talley’s Folly”) as estranged lifelong friends who reunite at a wedding and confront the wounds, losses and resentments of the past, testing the resilience, dependability and adult emotional complexities of friendships forged in childhood. This special event is a fundraiser for the Cold Read Festival. It may be accessed free of charge with a donation suggested.

A still from Thornton Wilder’s “The Matchmaker,” a recent production the department filmed and offered as video on demand (March 4-9).

According to OnStage Blog’s post, the list was “researched and compiled by a committee that consisted of students, educators, parents and alums. All degrees within these programs were adjudicated including both performance, design and technology as well as direction, writing and any other areas of training. Factors taken into consideration were quality of faculty, variety of curriculum, facilities, career support, performance opportunities and scholarships, among others.”

The Department of Drama offers conservatory-style training at a major university, combined with a level of integration with a professional theater company––that is unparalleled among undergraduate programs. Programs include bachelor of fine arts degrees in acting, musical theater, stage management, and theater design and technology, as well as bachelor of science degree in drama.

continues the 2020/2021 online on-demand season with the stunning documentary drama “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Anna Deavere Smith. “Twilight” will be available as video on demand Feb. 3-14 at .

Smith created “Twilight” as an interrogation of the events surrounding the brutal beating of a 26-year-old Black man, Rodney King, by officers of the Los Angeles police department on March 3, 1991. The assault was captured on tape—the first of a long line of similarly disturbing videos—and depicted four officers striking King more than 50 times with batons as he lay on the ground. Though charged with assault, the officers were acquitted by a mostly white jury in a trial that had been moved from Los Angeles to the nearby suburb of Simi Valley. News of the acquittal sparked widespread unrest in South Central Los Angeles that left 63 dead and 2,000 injured and caused more than $1 billion in damage.

Based on more than 300 interviews conducted by Smith, the play presents a panoply of 37 characters from the high and mighty to the obscure, from those directly involved to those who were distant observers, from opera star Jessye Norman and former Senator Bill Bradley to liquor store owner Jay Woong Yahng to Rodney King’s aunt Angela King. Each shares perspectives and insights revelatory not only about the events of 1991 and 1992, but strikingly pertinent today. ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Robert Hupp and Associate Artistic Director Kyle Bass selected “Twilight” for inclusion in the reimagined 2020/2021 because of its power to speak to recent events, such as the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

“Although written more than 25 years ago, ‘Twilight’ is a play for right now,” Hupp said. “It is both highly theatrical and anchored in the truth of the moment. It confronts the racial injustice that engulfs our country, and��like all good theatre, the performance is a springboard to further engagement, understanding and awareness. By looking back, we look ahead.”

Hupp further explained that to produce “Twilight” for online distribution Stage employed a high degree of technological sophistication, including a three-camera capture and dual green screens to create a visual world close in style to documentary.

Smith conceived of the show as a solo piece. She starred in the world premiere at Los Angeles’s Mark Taper Forum in 1993 and earned Tony Award nominations for Best Play and Best Actress for the 1994 Broadway production, a performance that garnered her a Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performance. Most people will be familiar with Smith’s acting work from her recurring roles on the popular television series “The West Wing” (National Security Adviser Dr. Nancy McNally) and “Nurse Jackie” (Gloria Akalitus).

Delivering what Hupp calls an “inspiring tour de force performance” for ���ϲ����� Stage is Chicago-based actor Patrese D. McClain. A veteran of multiple Chicago theater productions, McClain has also appeared in the national tour of August Wilson’s “Jitney” and the film “Widows” directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Steve McQueen. Her television work includes “Fargo” and “Chicago Fire.”

McClain said she feels “Twilight” is important now. “There are a lot of lessons we didn’t learn in the ’90s. With this play, we can mine some of those lessons and pass them down to the future.”

Steve H. Broadnax III directs. Broadnax directed the Broadway bound production of “Thoughts of a Colored Man” for ���ϲ����� Stage in the fall of 2019. He will stay on as director when “Thoughts” transfers to Broadway once theaters reopen. His job in delivering “Twilight” to ���ϲ����� Stage audiences involves navigating some very stringent safety guidelines and coordinating some complex technology.

Currently, ���ϲ����� Stage cannot bring actors to the theater to rehearse or perform. The only alternative is to work remotely, through technology, with the actors in their homes. For rehearsal, this meant using Zoom technology with McClain in Chicago, Broadnax in Pennsylvania and designers and support staff tuning in from mostly New York City and ���ϲ�����. The capture of the performance was much more involved.

Stage delivered three cameras, dual green screens, lighting and audio equipment, costumes, wigs and props to McClain’s home. Once in place, McClain performed “Twilight” while the designers and technicians manipulated the equipment remotely. Video designer Kate Freer used the green screens to add images and videos that in the theater would have appeared as projections on the set. Together, the experience for the viewer online will be akin to a documentary or news broadcast. As Freer pointed out, the video capture of the assault on Rodney King was one of the first instances of a citizen journalist impacting the news and in effect becoming the news. A documentary-style approach matches well with the play, she says.

In the end, though, it is the play the matters most for the creative team. Broadnax says that what Smith achieves so well with “Twilight” is empathy, “the act of stepping into the shoes of another person and that can illuminate something about our humanity.”

Stage will partner with various community organizations to present events related to the production of “Twilight.” Among these are a live virtual panel discussion with , “How Do We Heal?,” on Feb. 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET. Other community partnerships include United Way of Central New York’s and Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Xi Chapter.

To access “Twilight,” patrons need only a valid email address and a device for viewing, such as a desktop, laptop, smart TV or tablet. “Tickets” start at $30 and are available at and through the Box Office (315.443.3275; Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. ET).

Directed by Ricky Pak, assistant professor of acting, “Impact: Past, Present, Future” is an exploration of the history of ���ϲ����� and an examination of our values as an institution with a focus on diversity and inclusion.

Each episode spans 40 years of University history: 1870-1910, 1911-1950, 1951-1990 and 1991-2020 plus 10. The creative team, which includes drama students and alumni, spent the past year exploring archival documents to uncover a rich history filled with high points and low points, triumph and tragedy, humor and pathos. The result is a work that both celebrates the University and compels us to do better.

The series, which is free and open to the public, will be presented on Zoom with captioning provided. Registration is required at to receive the Zoom link. Participants will have an opportunity to take part in a dialogue with the artists.

Pak hopes that “Impact: Past, Present, Future” will inspire 150 donations to the newly established Felix E. Cochren Jr. Memorial Scholarship fund, which intends to promote a more diverse student body in the drama department by providing scholarship and financial assistance to current students who are underrepresented in the program. Cochren was a beloved associate professor of theater design and technology in the department from 2002 to 2019, when he passed away at age 68.

Donations may be made while registering for the event at or by contacting Mike Grannis, assistant director of development and alumni relations in VPA’s Office of Advancement, at 315.708.2377 or mjgranni@syr.edu.

For more information about the performances, contact Pak at rpak02@syr.edu.

Felix E. Cochren Jr.

The Felix E. Cochren Jr. Memorial Scholarship intends to promote a more diverse student body in the drama department by providing scholarship and financial assistance to current students who are underrepresented in the program. Cochren was a beloved associate professor of theater design and technology in the department from 2002 to 2019, when he at age 68.

“Felix was an award-winning and ground-breaking designer, a distinguished member of the Department of Drama faculty for 17 years and a gracious colleague,” says Ralph Zito, professor and chair of the department. “Most importantly, he was a dedicated and caring mentor, not only to his design students, but to students in all programs of study—particularly to students of color. I can think of no better way to honor his memory—especially at this moment in the life of our nation and our institution—than through the establishment and expansion of this fund.”

The fund, which will begin awarding scholarships to students in Fall 2021, was established with a generous gift from the Gerald & Daphna Cramer Foundation Inc., facilitated by Lauren B. Cramer L’94, chair of the VPA Council and a member of the ���ϲ����� Board of Trustees. The gift is the latest in support of Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����’s $1.5 billion goal.

Cramer learned that Ricky Pak, an assistant professor of acting, was working with a creative team of drama students and alumni on a new theatrical project in conjunction with ���ϲ�����’s 150th anniversary that aimed to inspire 150 donors to give $150 to support underrepresented drama students. The piece, “Impact: Past, Present, Future,” explores the University’s history and examines its values as an institution with a specific focus on diversity and inclusion.

“Diversity and inclusion in the student population is a cornerstone value not only within the drama department but throughout the greater ���ϲ����� community as a whole,” says Pak. “However, a unique challenge for drama is that if we do not have a diverse population of students, it directly impacts our day-to-day curriculum. We lose the ability to tell stories that are not traditionally told to the rest of the greater ���ϲ����� community because we don’t have the appropriate student population from which to cast. The University has a richly diverse history that traces all the way back to its founding—a history that our project seeks to highlight while also creating opportunities for underrepresented students to be able to tell those stories on our stages one day.”

To encourage 150 donations to the Felix E. Cochren, Jr. Memorial Scholarship fund, the department will present “Impact: Past, Present, Future” as a series of four live staged readings directed by Pak on Jan. 25, Feb. 22, March 8 and March 22. The performances are free and open to the public. Registration is required. To register and make a donation to the fund, visit .

For more information or to make a gift to the fund, contact��Mike Grannis, assistant director of development and alumni relations in VPA’s Office of Advancement, at 315-708-2377 or mjgranni@syr.edu.

About Forever Orange

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� is poised to do just that. Fueled by 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit to learn more.

The show is directed and devised by Ricky Pak, who this year joined the faculty of the Department of Drama. Experienced as a teaching artist with the New York-based Tectonic Theatre Project, Pak is well versed in devising original theater works using personal stories and other material. He will call on his experience to create “Home for the Holidays.”

Pak describes “Home for the Holidays” as: “An evening of holiday songs and storytelling all inspired by real-life interviews gathered from ���ϲ����� Stage cast members, past and present; ���ϲ����� Drama students who were originally cast in ‘Miss Bennet;’ and several longtime ���ϲ����� Stage patrons. This show will be a mix of storytelling and musical performances exploring the theme of what ‘Home for the Holidays’ means to all of us.”

“Home for the Holidays” replaces the previously announced “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” which was removed from the season line-up due to recently heightened rehearsal and performance restrictions implemented by the union for professional actors and stage managers (Actors’ Equity Association) in response to the steady increase of COVID-19 cases in Central New York. “Home for the Holidays” will be produced in an innovative way so that the cast can rehearse and perform without having to be together in the same space.

“This past year has certainly been a roller coaster of ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns, but through it all we’ve been committed to finding innovative and engaging ways to continue our work as ���ϲ�����’s storytellers,” says Artistic Director Bob Hupp. “‘Home for the Holidays’ highlights what this special time of year means to us now. For the past several years, we’ve created holiday experiences for you to share with the entire family. We’re continuing that tradition now with a unique and personal theatrical celebration that I know you’ll enjoy.”

Helping Pak with the musical numbers and also appearing in the show ensconced behind a baby grand piano is music director Brian Cimmet. Cimmet is very familiar to ���ϲ����� Stage audiences having served as musical director for the holiday shows for many seasons, including most recently “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “Elf the Musical,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins” and many more.

The cast, too, includes some familiar faces. David Lowenstein has appeared in many ���ϲ����� Stage holiday productions, including “A Christmas Carol,” “Hairspray” (Edna), “The Wizard of Oz,” “Elf the Musical,” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” (Cogsworth).�� Joining Lowenstein are “Beauty and the Beast” castmate Cicily Daniels (Mrs. Potts) and Lisa Helmi Johanson, who appeared in “Amadeus” as Mozart’s wife, Constanze. Daniels has appeared in four Broadway shows: “Once on this Island,” “The Little Mermaid” (original understudy for Ursula), “All Shook Up,” and “Rent.” Among Johanson’s credits are the off-Broadway and National Tour of “Avenue Q” and the National Tour of “Into the Woods.”

New to ���ϲ����� Stage is Rufus Bonds Jr., who is also a newly appointed member of the Department of Drama faculty. Bonds’ considerable career includes Broadway productions of “Rent,” “Once on This Island,” and “Parade,” for which he earned a Drama Desk Nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His national tours include “The Color Purple” as Mister, “The Lion King” as Mufasa and “Miss Saigon” as John.

Pak said he has found the process of creating the show to be rewarding.

“We have been having conversations with various members of the ���ϲ����� Stage community, getting to know their holiday traditions and memories,” he says. “We’ve laughed and cried with them, sharing in their memories and learning about what is truly important to each of them as we enter the holiday season. The students and I then met, along with our musical director Brian Cimmet, to talk about what parts of the interviews resonate with us and how we can craft a story from what we have learned. We see the commonalities and differences we have in our stories and find the thread that links us all together.”

Finding unity and togetherness is the spirit Pak hopes carries through to the audience.

“We are hoping to quite literally open our homes to the audience with the stories and music we are sharing and that we can only share in this way because of the pandemic,” he says. “It will be a uniquely intimate show full of laughter and tears that connects us during these historically challenging times.”

To access “Home for the Holidays,” patrons need only a valid e-mail address and a device for viewing, such as a desktop, laptop, smart TV or tablet. “Tickets” are $30 and are available at and through the Box Office (315.443.3275; Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

On Sept. 29, the first four “100 Conversations for Change” interviews will become available to the public to stream for free at . This is the first program in ���ϲ����� Stage’s re-imagined 2020/2021 season. Each interview is approximately 30 minutes long.

The conversation continues on Oct. 8 from 6 to 7 p.m. ET in an online Zoom discussion with Harrison and participants in interviews one through four, moderated by Joann Yarrow, director of community engagement and education at ���ϲ����� Stage.

All “100 Conversations for Change” interviews and the Oct. 8 event may be accessed free of charge. They are part of ���ϲ����� Stage’s a locally-focused series of free online performances, discussions and events that constitute a significant part of the theater’s 2020-21 season. Those interested in joining the Oct. 8 conversation must register in advance through or by calling the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at 315.443.3275.

“100 Conversations for Change” interviews feature community leaders and officials from various organizations who are asked to address ways to affect positive change in Central New York communities. Follow-up interviews will be conducted after six months to assess any measurable impact of the ideas and plans discussed in the initial conversations.

In addition to the first four interviews with Walsh, Frank, May and Buckner, guests for interviews five through eight are Dr. Casey Crabill, president, Onondaga Community College; Fanny Villarreal, executive director, YWCA ���ϲ����� and Onondaga County; Errol Bedford, president, and Reggie Stephens, vice president, Higher Learning Network; and Rev. Frederick D. Daley, pastor, All Saints Parish.

Harrison explained that “100 Conversations for Change” was inspired by the commitment that 100 Black Men of ���ϲ����� have to the young people that it mentors.

“We felt compelled to seize the moment by launching intentional conversations that are actionable and accountable, designed to respond to the issues of our day—Black Lives Matter, policing, education and health disparities and civic participation,” said Harrison. “We have to hold leaders accountable. We invited respected leaders and influencers who have the authority to be change agents in industry, technology, health care, education, finance and politics to explore ideas in making systemic change and to ask the tough questions about how change can��happen in our community.��Each invited leader is requested to��work with the 100 to develop plans for positive change.��Watch��where they are now and see where we are in six months as we follow up with each of them.”

As part of its re-imagined 2020-21 season, ���ϲ����� Stage has heightened its focus on the local community. Several shows included in the mainstage season address concerns pertinent to the current political and social moment in the country and the region. These include a world premiere, “salt/city/blues,” by ���ϲ����� Stage Associate Artistic Director Kyle Bass, which sets a domestic drama in a fictional depiction of ���ϲ�����. Anna Deavere Smith’s “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992,” based on the Rodney King assault, presents a relevant and dramatic examination of racial strife in the nation, while the American classic “Our Town” offers a timely call to consider the humanity that unites us at a time when we are most divided.

The “���ϲ����� Stories” series at times will reflect topics and concerns similar to the shows in the season. Among the upcoming events in “���ϲ����� Stories” are a performance of “A Gatherin’ Place,” an original play created and performed by the women of the Harriet Tubman Troupe, directed by Dr. Juhanna Rogers and produced in association with Auburn Public Theater. “A Gatherin’ Place” will also be available free of charge at Oct. 15-25 and includes an open Zoom conversation with the Harriet Tubman Troupe on Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. ET.

“It is an honor to partner with Drake Harrison and the 100 Black Men of ���ϲ����� and support their vision behind the ‘100 Conversations for Change,’” said Yarrow. “It is what engagement is all about—to foster a relationship with our ���ϲ����� community where we share each other’s stories and make a difference.”

About ���ϲ����� Stage

Founded in 1974, ���ϲ����� Stage is the non-profit, professional theatre company in residence at ���ϲ�����. It is nationally recognized for creating stimulating theatrical work that engages Central New York and significantly contributes to the artistic life of ���ϲ�����, where it is a vital partner in achieving the educational mission of the University’s Department of Drama. ���ϲ����� Stage’s mission is to tell stories that engage, entertain and inspire people to see life beyond their own experience.��Each season 70,000 patrons enjoy an adventurous mix of new plays, and bold interpretations of classics and musicals, featuring the finest theatre artists. In addition, Stage maintains a vital educational outreach program that annually serves more than 15,000 students from 14 counties. ���ϲ����� Stage is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, and a member of the Arts and Cultural Leadership Alliance (ACLA), the University Hill Corporation and the East Genesee Regent Association. ���ϲ����� Stage is a member of The League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the largest professional theatre association in the country.

About the 100 Black Men of ���ϲ�����, Inc.

100 Black Men of ���ϲ����� Inc. initially began as an idea conceived by Jerome Walker and Walter Eiland. Their plan was to build a grassroots organization that would foster the ideals of building community by nurturing young people. In 2006, they convened about 25 to 30 black men who shared their common concerns about the state of the ���ϲ����� community. The group recognized the necessity for a stronger presence of African American males working to halt the deterioration of their neighborhoods and acting on a strong desire to rebuild a sense of community from within. They looked at the national organization 100 Black Men of America as a feasible model that could help them begin this process. Hence the 100 Black Men of ���ϲ����� Interest Group was formed. Beginning in 2007, members of the group adopted bylaws, opened an office at the South Side Innovation Center and held its first elections. At the same time, the organization launched a range of initiatives and activities consistent with its mission and center around four core program areas. The group also incorporated as 100 Black Men of ���ϲ����� Inc., secured support from The Gifford Foundation and others and secured federal tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The cast of “Thoughts of a Colored Man” in the world premiere at ���ϲ����� Stage, part of the 2019-20 season.

announced today plans for adjustments to the 2020-21 season in order to address the continuing impact of the COVID-19 virus.

Three previously announced plays will be replaced in the six-show season. The Cold Read Festival of New Plays returns with additional enhanced experiences. A series of community-focused performances and conversations will be added and subscribers will be given access to a series of special interviews and behind-the-scenes looks guided by ���ϲ����� Stage artistic leadership.

All plays and events will be available to subscribers and patrons through online access. Currently, any decisions concerning reopening the theater for live, in-person performance are contingent on guidelines and protocols not yet established by professional unions and state and local officials.

New to the season are “Talley’s Folly,” “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” and “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992.” No longer part of the season are “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,” “Matilda The Musical” and “Once on this Island.” Stage plans to present these shows in future seasons, possibly as soon as 2021-22.

The new season line-up is as follows: “Talley’s Folly,” “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992,” “Yoga Play,” “Our Town” and “salt/city/blues.” The season will run from late October 2020 through June 2021. The plays will be available in a video on demand format similar to the theater’s production of “Amadeus” last March. Exact dates for the virtual access of each show will be announced in early October.

An integral part of the reimagined season is a focus on the Central New York community. A new series of free (online) conversations and performances called “���ϲ����� Stories” will complement plays in the season in an exploration of issues particular to Central New York as well as addressing broader concerns that impact the region.

In announcing the changes to the season, artistic director Robert Hupp explained that offering the plays online is not intended as a simple substitute for the live experience. Rather, by enhancing the plays with additional performances, community conversations and additional related content, the season offers an opportunity to engage with ideas and artists in ways not always available in a more traditional season.

“While we’re saddened by the fact that we can’t create the season we had planned, we are thrilled to announce our ideas for a newly reimagined ���ϲ����� Stage season,” says Hupp. “Especially now, in this time of national reckoning, we need the transformative power of theatre more than ever. We’ll create fully realized virtual work, and with ‘���ϲ����� Stories’ we’ll put our community front and center through a series of exciting multi-discipline projects.”

The scheduled programming for “���ϲ����� Stories” is varied. Included are a production of “A Gatherin’ Place” written and performed by members of the Harriet Tubman Troupe, directed by Dr. Juhanna Rogers, and presented in association with the Auburn Public Theater; a series of videoed interviews with local leaders (including ���ϲ����� Mayor Ben Walsh and ���ϲ����� Police Chief Kenton T. Buckner) conducted in partnership with 100 Black Men of ���ϲ�����; and a virtual reunion with Ping Chong and the cast of Stage’s production of “Tales from the Salt City.”

As the season progresses, plays such as “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992,” “Our Town” and “s������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��” will consider comparable topics through a theatrical lens.

Written and first performed in 1993, “Twilight” is Anna Deveare Smith’s artistic response to the brutal beating of Rodney King and the unrest that unfolded in South Central following the acquittal of four Los Angeles police officers charged in his assault. Using more than 300 interviews, Smith wove a mosaic of four dozen characters into a stunning and insightful work of documentary theater. Steve H. Broadnax III (“Thoughts of a Colored Man”) returns to ���ϲ����� Stage to direct.

The universal perspective offered in Thornton Wilder’s classic “Our Town” resonates deeply today as a reminder of life’s fragility and wonder. Wilder calls out to cherish every unimportant moment we’re together and wonders if any human beings ever realize life while they live it. With deceptive simplicity, Wilder speaks to today with distinct clarity and poetic grace. Hupp directs a play he counts as one of his favorites.

In “salt/city/blues,” playwright and Stage’s associate artistic director Kyle Bass sets a domestic drama against the backdrop of a fictional ���ϲ����� grappling with the impact of a highway development project that has long divided the city and destroyed a once flourishing neighborhood. Stage’s former artistic director Tazewell Thompson, who directed Bass’ “Possessing Harriet,” returns to direct this moving, funny, poignant and fresh, contemporary new play.

Broadening the range of the season and providing some theatrical counterpoint with romance and comedy are “Talley’s Folly,” “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” and “Yoga Play.”

Lanford Wilson won a Pulitzer Prize in 1980 for “Talley’s Folly,” a warm tale of unlikely romance between Sally, a thirtysomething woman from the Bible Belt, and Matt, a St. Louis accountant ten years her senior and in love for the first time. Playwright and actor Kate Hamill (“Pride and Prejudice”) and real-life husband Jason O’Connell (Salieri in “Amadeus”) return to ���ϲ����� Stage to star in this intimate valentine of a play.

Fans of Jane Austen will delight in “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” a tribute and sequel to Austen’s great “Pride and Prejudice” that places bookish Bennet sister Mary front and center and quite possibly falling in love. Holiday cheer, romance and England’s first Christmas tree (maybe?) come wrapped in this celebratory production by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, directed by Hupp and co-produced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama.

The pursuit of authenticity and the perfect lavender-scented yoga pants makes for a bit of comic mayhem in Dipika Guha’s “Yoga Play.” As the new CEO of Jojomon—makers of high-end athletic wear—struggles to contain a public relations disaster, she pins her hopes on convincing a revered and reclusive yogi to serve as the company’s spokesperson. Unfortunately for her, but wonderfully for audiences, he turns out to be not quite as she had expected. Melissa Crespo (“Native Gardens”) returns as director.

“We’ve been at full employment throughout this pandemic pause so we have capacity to create fully realized productions and bring them directly into patrons’ homes,” said Hupp.

The Cold Read Festival of New Plays returns in March 2021 with Kate Hamill as playwright in residence. Award-winning theater artist, poet, songwriter and educator Chesney Snow will be the featured solo performer, and playwright and ���ϲ����� City School District’s Nottingham High School alumnus Evan Starling-Davis will be the “Write Here” author. Expanded online programming from Cold Read will continue throughout the season in the form of Cold Read Shorts, which has already featured work by Stage’s associate artistic director Kyle Bass, New York-based mime artist Bill Bowers, and renowned visual artist and MacArthur Fellow Carrie Mae Weems.

Two planned residencies focused on developing new work are scheduled to go forward. In the fall, actor and writer Stephan Wolfert will perform his adaptation of “Macbeth” and develop a new piece, “The Head of Richard” based on “Richard III.” Wolfert appeared as Mrs. Darcy in last season’s “Pride and Prejudice.” He is best known for his one-man show “Cry Havoc,” which draws on his personal experience in the military and as a veteran contending with post-traumatic stress. He is also the creator of DE-CRUIT®–a program to reintegrate military veterans using Shakespeare, psychology and classical actor training.

In the spring, Los Angeles based writer, director and producer Mark Valdez arrives with his production of “Exiled in America,” based on the book “Exiled in America: Life on the Margins in a Residential Motel” by sociologist Christopher P. Dum. Originating at Mixed Blood Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota, “Exiled in America” is a multi-year, multi-city project that aims to impact housing policy utilizing performance, cultural organizing and creative community development strategies. In addition to ���ϲ����� Stage, the production will travel to theaters in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

Subscribers will be invited to take a deep dive into the season with “Engage with Stage,” a series of special conversations, interviews and behind the scenes looks hosted by Hupp and Bass. Each “Engage with Stage” segment offers insight into specific productions while providing perspective on the season as a whole. Subscriptions are $184 and on sale now at and through the Box Office at 315.443.3275. Single tickets for “Talley’s Folly” will be available beginning Oct. 12.

Lead support for programs in the ���ϲ����� Stage 2020-21 season generously provided by ���ϲ�����, The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation, M&T Bank, The Shubert Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, the County of Onondaga administered by CNY Arts and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Additional support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Wegmans, Bank of America, The Jon Ben Snow Foundation, Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, ���ϲ����� Humanities Center and The William and Eva Fox Foundation.

Show Details

• ��“Talley’s Folly” by Lanford Wilson
  Directed by Robert Hupp
  NovemberKate Hamill (playwright and actor “Pride and Prejudice”) and Jason O’Connell (Salieri in “Amadeus”) star in Lanford Wilson’s 1980 Pulitzer Prize-winning Valentine of a play. On July 4, 1944, Matt Friedman, a 40+ accountant and in love for the first time in his life, drives 200 miles to the heart of Missouri Christian farm country to propose to Sally Talley, ten years younger and seemingly not interested. Having been met at the door by Sally’s shotgun toting brother—Jews not welcome here—Matt takes refuge in a Victorian folly of a boathouse on the nearby river, where Sally finds him. Cue moonlight and music (waltz, please), willows and woods. Can one enchanted evening change the course of two lives? Once upon a time—there was hope in the land.
• “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon
  Directed by Robert Hupp
  DecemberLizzy and Darcy. Jane and Bingley. Lydia and Wickham. But whither poor Mary, the bookish, oft-neglected middle sister of the Bennet clan? In this delightful sequel to Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” Mary takes her turn at center stage and possibly even love as a Christmas celebration at Pemberley brings together beloved characters in a droll and delicious new holiday story. There are some new faces (one in particular) and a confounding new tradition that involves dragging an evergreen tree from out of doors and standing it in the middle of a room. How jolly.
• “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” by Anna Deavere Smith
  Directed by Steve H. Broadnax III
  January/FebruaryCreated and originally performed in 1993 by Anna Deveare Smith, “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” is a stunning and insightful work of documentary theatre and a tour de force experience. On March 3, 1991, a 26-year-old Black man named Rodney King was brutally beaten by officers of the Los Angeles police department. The incident was caught on tape, the first of long line of disturbingly similar videos to go viral. The four officers involved were charged with assault and excessive use of force. A year later they were acquitted by a mostly white jury in the nearby suburb of Simi Valley where the trial had been moved. News of the acquittal set off five days of unrest in South Central Los Angeles, which left 63 dead, 2,000 injured, 9,500 arrested and $1 billion in property damages. “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” is Smith’s artistic response to these traumatic events. Using more than 300 interviews, Smith creates a mosaic of four dozen characters to ruthlessly probe issues of race and class that set Los Angeles ablaze almost 30 years ago and continue to plague our nation today.
• “Yoga Play” by Dipika Guha
  Directed by Melissa Crespo
  MarchJoan has a big problem. Recently named CEO of athletic-wear giant Jojomon—think high-end brand that’s part 60s one-hit wonder and part citrus fruit—she even more recently learned that a BBC investigative team is about to expose her Bangladeshi manufacturer of lavender-scented yoga pants as an exploiter of child labor. Suddenly, Jojomon’s family of customers is all atwitter with accusations of inauthenticity. Only one solution will do—find a reclusive and revered yogi to serve as a spokesman and restore the company’s all-important claim to authenticity. They find him all right. The rest is 90 minutes of side-splitting comedy. The East Coast premiere of a timely new comedy by Dipika Guha, a talent to watch who was recently awarded a Venturous Playwright Fellowship by The Lark.
• “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder
  Directed by Robert Hupp
  April/May“The life of a village against the life of the stars” is how Thornton Wilder described his heralded masterpiece “Our Town.” “It is an attempt,” he wrote, “to find a value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.” He succeeded with this graceful and poetic play—a heartfelt call to cherish every unimportant moment we’re together and to embrace the true wonder and brevity of being alive. Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Whether in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire at the turn of the 20th century, or ���ϲ����� in 2021, Wilder’s enduring classic asks us to stop and ponder what truly matters, and to consider that for a great many of us the answers will be the same. Bob Hupp directs one of his favorite plays.
• WORLD PREMIERE
  “s������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��” by Kyle Bass
  Directed by Tazewell Thompson
  JuneHow does a fractured family heal when unresolved emotions of the past color the present? How can a city reshape itself if it means tearing open old, still-tender wounds? And where in a diverse but segregated city can communities find common ground, mutual dignity, and a true sense of home? These questions collide into Yolonda Mourning, an independent consultant on a vast project to take down a span of highway that has long divided Salt City. When she leaves her husband and teenage son and moves to the heart of trendy downtown, a diverse cast of characters forces Yolonda to confront Salt City’s complicated history around race, class and urban renewal, and to reckon with her role as architect of the broken bridges in her own family. Moving, funny, poignant and current, “��������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��” is a fresh, contemporary new play set in a fictionalized ���ϲ����� and to the music of the blues.

That summer, Shirilan-Howlett spent time immersing herself in the music of and documentaries on the iconic 1960s folk rock group The Mamas and the Papas. “I was completely enthralled with the band story and decided I wanted to write a play about a band,” she says. On Sept. 1, 2018, she put pen to paper.

Nearly two years later, her first full-length play, “No Exodus,” will come to life for the public. Performed by the J-D High School Drama Club and directed by Shirilan-Howlett, the play’s premiere will stream on on Sunday, June 7, at 7 p.m. (and will be available in the days following). Originally intended for a May unveiling on stage, the play has been transformed into a virtual performance due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the physical closure of public schools. Shirilan-Howlett and her colleagues have designated the play as a fundraiser for the .

Kai Gesek as David

Set in ���ϲ����� in the 1990s with flashbacks to the 1970s, the story takes place during a Passover Seder. It explores the relationship between a daughter, Ruth, and her mother, Wendy (a member of a band in the 1970s), and “examines the personal and cultural stakes of holding onto and letting go of the past and the stories we tell about it.”

Writing the play was a labor of love for Shirilan-Howlett, who went through about 20 drafts before she declared it complete. Often when writing, she would step away for a walk and find herself typing ideas into her phone. “When I look at the final version, I see threads from that first draft,” she says. “The draft process is all about layering in more threads.”

She completed the play in November 2019 and worked with J-D Drama Club Director Jordan Berger to plan for a spring 2020 production. The nine-member cast was chosen and stage crew formed in early March. Shirilan-Howlett held the first read-through on March 11, and shortly thereafter, a friend in college called her to say that her school was moving online for the rest of the semester. By March 16, local schools had also moved online.

Then started the biggest challenge of all—moving from a stage to a virtual production. The play had been cast before school closed, so that critical element was taken care of. But now came the task of bringing it all together in an unfamiliar way. Shirilan-Howlett researched how other schools, colleges and theaters were delivering virtual performances, and she decided on Zoom as the platform and the highlighting feature to record student scenes.

Abby Morgan as older Wendy

“The experience of having to change formats unexpectedly has been eye-opening and frustrating at times, says Berger. “They’ve had to adjust to life at home recording these parts with audio, video, costumes, props, virtual backgrounds—even just worrying about which direction they are facing and the blocking is all so much removed from their comfort of being on a stage and performing.”

Even though she would much rather be directing a stage production, Shirilan-Howlett found silver linings in preparing the virtual performance. Many of the cast members are experienced performers and are used to projecting out into the audience. The Zoom format has required them to transform big-stage energy into a small screen, resulting in nuanced facial expressions and acting choices that give the virtual performance its own unique flavor.

Quarantine also helped everyone to lean on each other. “We supported each other and gained so much as a cast,” Shirilan-Howlett says. “It has been a true lesson in how art and connection transcend physical space.”

Berger says it has all come together in a spectacular way. “The cast has put so much love and passion into this show, and it’s been such a pleasure to work with talented and hardworking young people in this capacity with so many changes and uncertainty along the way,” he says. “This is a student-run production through and through. I’ve been mostly on the sidelines, and it’s so cool to see students taking on this project, embracing the process and taking charge.”

Kai Gesek, a J-D senior and a seasoned performer, plays the role of David, Wendy’s boyfriend and band mate, in the production. He says he enjoyed the experience of bringing the show to life: “Being able to experiment with formats along with my fellow actors and actresses has been unforgettable, to say the least. I would much prefer to have rounded out my senior year by performing this play live on stage, but I’m very happy with the final result.”

Alethea Shirilan-Howlett

Gesek says the show would not be anything without Shirilan-Howlett. “When we all sat down for our first read-through of this show, I was in awe of how impactful the script was,” he says. “It seemed to connect differently with every person in that room, and all of us were impressed with the sheer caliber of impact carried in the pages of the script. Alethea is a phenomenal writer and an amazing director. I cannot express how talented she is, simply because I can’t figure out what words to use.”

Meghan Culligan, a J-D freshman, plays a young Wendy. She has been in multiple musical productions, but this is her first play. “This whole experience has been really fun and a great way to keep my mind off of what’s going on in the world right now,” she says. “It was upsetting when we found out that we wouldn’t be performing on stage, and I was unsure of how we would virtually perform, but it’s been a lot of fun. And I think it looks great. It’s really interesting to see how you can build a character and interact with other actors over a virtual platform.”

Culligan says working with Shirilan-Howlett has been a great experience. “She is really good at having us understand our character’s intentions and helping develop our characters,” she says. “Alethea has definitely helped me improve my skills as an actress, and coming out of this I will have gained so many new acting skills from that I can use in the future.”

Berger says he is grateful to be working with Shirilan-Howlett on her production. “Alethea didn’t fret, complain or get down about our��inability to get this in front of a live audience. She has stayed so positive throughout this entire process and worked hard from day one to ensure success,” he says.

Shirilan-Howlett’s skills in casting, directing, editing, publicity and leadership have impressed and inspired Berger along the way. “Alethea is a professional first and foremost and a leader of her peers the same age and younger—she’s a superstar,” Berger says. “I am so ecstatic that we’ve been able to bring her passion and work to life and that I could support her growth as a director.”

This is not the first time that Shirilan-Howlett has found success with her work in the broader community. She was a finalist in ���ϲ����� Stage’s 2019 Young Playwrights Festival for her play “Viewer Discretion Advised.” The play won first place in Princeton University’s 10-Minute Play contest and was a winner in this year’s The Blank Theatre Young Playwrights Festival in Los Angeles, where the winning plays are performed in weekend-long runs in professional theaters across the city and student playwrights are part of the production process. Shirilan-Howlett is currently working with a mentor, Hollywood screenwriter Robert L. Freedman, on preparing her play for production at a time to be determined.

And she is really looking forward to embarking on her new journey as a ���ϲ����� student in August. “I’m really excited about joining VPA,” she says. “I felt so welcomed by the program and the faculty I met when I sat in on a theater management class. It seems like the theater community is really tight-knit, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

In addition, three nationally acclaimed artists will participate in residencies at the theater throughout the season. Kate Hamill will be the playwright in residence at ���ϲ����� Stage’s annual Cold Read Festival of New Plays. Activist and artist Mark Valdez will develop his new work “Exiled in America” at ���ϲ����� Stage as part of a four city project that also includes St. Paul, Minnesota, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Actor and writer Stephan Wolfert will perform his adaption of “Macbeth” and create a new work based on “Richard III” called “The Head of Richard.”

The season is scheduled to begin Oct. 14, 2020, and continue through June 20, 2021. Subscriptions are on sale now. Single tickets will be available beginning July 25.

The shows in chronological order are “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,” Oct. 14-Nov. 1, 2020; “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical,” Nov. 20, 2020-Jan. 3, 2021; “Once on this Island,” Jan. 20-Feb. 7, 2021; “Eureka Day,” March 3-21, 2021; “Our Town,” April 21-May 9, 2021; and “salt/city/blues,” June 2-20, 2021. In addition, the Cold Read Festival of New Plays returns for its fourth season, and two residencies will bring new original work to the theater.

“It’s a season that speaks to me because it’s full of heartfelt and heartwarming stories that transport us beyond the everyday,” Hupp said. “These plays and musicals give our artists and actors a rich canvas to create something special for our audience, the kind of unforgettable theatre experience you can’t get anywhere except at ���ϲ����� Stage.”

With its final performances falling on Halloween weekend, “Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein” offers the perfect spooky autumn treat. In this new version by David Catlin of Chicago’s renowned Lookingglass Theatre, audiences experience the full-blown power of the famous tale while encountering the sensitive human heart behind the story’s creation.

Catlin sets his play on a stormy night in 1816 where in a villa on Lake Geneva five young friends gather to tell ghost stories. Among them are the famous Romantic poets George Gordon Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, as well as Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (later Mary Shelley). Challenged by Byron to devise the scariest of horrors, 18-year-old Mary unspools her tale of Victor Frankenstein and his unholy experiment. As the friends eagerly enact her characters, the story strikes closer to home than any might have imagined. Risa Brainin who directed the much acclaimed “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” returns for this eerie, original retelling of “Frankenstein.”

The holiday presentation celebrates the deliciously twisted sense of fun and the singular genius of the great Roald Dahl with “Matilda The Musical,” co-produced with the Department of Drama. Originally produced by Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company, this Tony Award-winner is a captivating treat that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. (Not to mention there’s a gloriously vile villain, Miss Trunchbull.) Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and featuring an unforgettable little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers, “Matilda”��is a delightfully thrilling musical for children and adults alike. Donna Drake (“The Wizard of Oz,” “Elf The Musical” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”) and an outstanding team of designers return to ���ϲ����� Stage to delight audiences of all ages.

In January, ���ϲ����� Stage offers the perfect counterpunch to cold weather and post-holiday blues with the rousing, Caribbean inflected musical “Once on This Island.” Written by ���ϲ����� alumna Lynn Ahrens, the warm-hearted, Tony Award-winning fairy tale tells the moving story of young Ti Moune and her love for Daniel, a wealthy boy from the “other side of the island.” Spirited choreography and colorful (albeit temperamental) gods make “Once on This Island” a celebration of the extraordinary way love can tear down walls and transform our lives. Steve H. Broadnax III (“Thoughts of a Colored Man”) directs.

An extremely funny and thoughtful new comedy, Jonathan Spector’s “Eureka Day,” is the fourth show in the season. A recent hit off-Broadway, the play premiered at the Aurora Theater Company in Berkley, California, in 2018. The Eureka Day of the title is a progressive school in Berkley. It is a place where all decisions are made by consensus, diversity and inclusion are valued and vaccinations are a personal matter. When a mumps outbreak hits the school, it turns out that not everyone in the community has the same definition of social justice. Now the board of directors must confront the central question: how do you find consensus when you can’t agree on the facts? Melissa Crespo, who directed the comic hit “Native Gardens,” returns to ���ϲ����� Stage to helm this contemporary satire.

Artistic director Hupp has long been a fan of Thornton Wilder’s classic “Our Town,” and he has chosen it to be the show he directs in the 48th season. Heralded as “…one of the finest achievements of the current stage” when it opened in 1938, “Our Town” has endured as a poetic and graceful masterpiece, a heartfelt call to cherish every unimportant moment we’re together and to embrace the true wonder and brevity of being alive. Whether in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, at the turn of the 20th century, or ���ϲ����� in 2021, Wilder’s enduring classic asks us to stop and ponder what truly matters, and to consider that for a great many of us the answers will be the same.

The season concludes with a world premiere, “salt/city/blues,” by ���ϲ����� Stage associate artistic director Kyle Bass. Yolonda Mourning is an independent consultant on a vast project to take down a span of highway that has long divided Salt City. When she leaves her husband and teenage son and moves to the heart of trendy downtown, a diverse cast of characters forces Yolonda to confront Salt City’s complicated history around race, class and urban renewal, and to reckon with her role as architect of the broken bridges in her own family. Moving, funny, poignant and current, “salt/city/blues” is a fresh, contemporary new play set in a fictionalized ���ϲ����� and to the music of the blues. Produced under the Cold Read umbrella of new work, “s������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��” is the second world premiere for Bass at ���ϲ����� Stage. The company produced “Possessing Harriet” in 2018 directed by former artistic director Tazewell Thompson. Thompson returns to direct “salt/city/blues.”

“We’ve invited the directors of some of our most popular productions to craft the storytelling in our new season,” Hupp said. “It’s an entertaining, thought-provoking and engaging line up of new and classic plays and musicals that I’m excited to share with Central New York.”

Off the mainstage, the Cold Read Festival of New Plays (March 24-28, 2021) returns for its fourth year, curated by associate artistic director Bass. Kate Hamill will be the playwright in residence. An acclaimed playwright and accomplished performer, Hamill wrote and appeared in 2018-19 season’s “Pride and Prejudice” and also appeared in “Noises Off.” She has been one of the most produced playwrights in the country for the past three years. This year she has productions at The Old Globe, Dallas Theater Center, Cygnet Theatre, the Guthrie and South Coast Rep among others. Her adaptation of “Dracula” recently opened at off-Broadway’s Classic Stage Company. Her plays have been produced internationally, including productions in Canada, Israel and Australia. Music and theater performer Chesney Snow will be the Festival’s Solo Performer and Evan Starling-Davis will be the featured local writer.

The company also plans two residencies in the season that will bring new original work to the theater. In the fall, actor and writer Stephan Wolfert will perform his adaptation of “Macbeth” and develop a new piece, “The Head of Richard” based on “Richard III.” Wolfert appeared as Mrs. Darcy in 2018-19 season’s “Pride and Prejudice.” He is best known for his one-man show “Cry Havoc,” which draws on his personal experience in the military and as a veteran contending with post-traumatic stress. He is also the creator of DE-CRUIT–a program to reintegrate military veterans using Shakespeare, psychology and classical actor training.

In the spring, Los Angeles based writer, director and producer Mark Valdez arrives with his production of “Exiled in America,” based on the book “Exiled in America: Life on the Margins in a Residential Motel” by sociologist Christopher P. Dum. Originating at Mixed Blood Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota, “Exiled in America” is a multi-year, multi-city project that aims to impact housing policy utilizing performance, cultural organizing and creative community development strategies. In addition to ���ϲ����� Stage, the production will travel to Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

���ϲ����� Stage’s education department will offer multiple in-school and public performances beginning with the Bank of America Children’s tour in the fall. “Danny, King of the Basement” by David S. Craig and directed by Ricky Pak will tour to area elementary schools. Other education programs include student matinees of mainstage productions, the living history program “Backstory,” Theater for the Very Young and summer classes for middle school students.

SHOW DETAILS

“Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein”
Written by David Catlin
From the book by Mary Shelley
Directed by Risa Brainin
Oct. 14-Nov. 1, 2020
“Bone-chilling, visceral, emotionally gripping, visually stunning and strikingly elegant… It is a Halloween treasure that should not be ignored!”–“The Star-Ledger”

“Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical”
Book by Dennis Kelly
Music and Lyrics by Tim Minchin
Based on the book “Matilda” by Roald Dahl
Directed by Donna Drake
Choreography by Andrea Leigh-Smith
Musical Direction by Brian Cimmet
Co-produced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama
Nov. 20, 2020-Jan. 3, 2021
“An explosion of joy, the most exhilarating and flat-out best musical…”–“Variety”

“Once on this Island”
Book and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Directed by Steve H. Broadnax III
Jan. 20-Feb. 7, 2021
“Just what the world needs now—inspired and uplifting.”–“Variety”

“Eureka Day”
By Jonathan Spector
Directed by Melissa Crespo
March 3-21, 2021
“Prepare to be triggered into fits of laughter by ‘Eureka Day,’ an extremely funny and ultimately thoughtful new comedy.”–“New York Stage Review”

Cold Read Festival of New Plays
Playwright-in-Residence Kate Hamill
Solo Artist Chesney Snow
Write Here Featured Author Evan Starling-Davis
Curated by Kyle Bass
March 24-28, 2021

“Our Town”
By Thornton Wilder
Directed by Robert Hupp
April 21 – May 9, 2021
“…one of the finest achievements of the current stage.”–Brooks Atkinson, The New York Times, 1938

“s������/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��”
World Premiere
By Kyle Bass
Directed by Tazewell Thompson
June 2-20, 2021

Set on an indoor soccer field somewhere in suburban America, “The Wolves” unfolds over six wintry Saturdays as the players warm up for each successive match. Working their way through drills and stretches, the 16- and 17-year-old teammates speak openly about what is on their minds: Cambodian history, weekend plans, boyfriends and much more. Their conversations are frank, raw, uncensored and, as director Anderson points out, absolutely true.

“It’s a voice we haven’t heard. The teenage girl. It’s basically a locker room of 16- and 17-year-old women. And that’s a voice that I don’t think we’ve ever had the opportunity to peer in on,” Anderson says. “I don’t know any other play like it. It’s rare, and it’s raw, and sometimes relentless, and sometimes uncomfortable, like maybe we shouldn’t be listening to this talk.”

The sometimes-surprising frankness of the dialogue is intentional and purposeful. In writing “The Wolves,” DeLappe was determined to create “young women as full-blooded athletes and complex characters, not reduced to types: daughters, sex objects, girlfriends.”

She explains: “I wasn’t interested in recreating any stereotypical version of female adolescents in the suburbs of America. I was interested in trying to treat them as complicated, multidimensional people. They’re just figuring out who they are and what the world is and what their place in the world is. I think a lot of the play is actually tracking these shifts in identity and this struggle to find out who they are within the peer group.”

A significant part of the success of DeLappe’s writing is the way the characters reveal themselves to each other through fast-paced overlapping dialogue that exposes their individual strengths and vulnerabilities as they seemingly banter about the quotidian matters of their lives.

“Young women love it; it rings really true to them. I’ve heard over and over, ‘that’s exactly how it is,’” says Anderson, who successfully directed a production at St. Louis Repertory last year. “We’re not used to seeing younger women talk like that. But I think there is power in it. They own their bodies. They own their words. They own everything about it. It can be shocking and jolting, but it’s absolutely the truth. You know that this is how they’re speaking to each other. Maybe not to their parents or their teachers, but yes, to each other.”

With multiple conversations often occurring simultaneously, “The Wolves” presents exciting challenges for the cast and director. “It’s very much like conducting a nine-piece orchestra,” Anderson says. It also makes for a particularly engaging experience for the audience.

“You never sit back,” she explains. “You’re like a detective. You’re leaning in trying to figure out what they are saying, what the relationships are.”

In addition, much of the time the players are warming up or practicing soccer drills as they verbally spar with each other. Anderson says DeLappe has written the play as if it were a soccer match. “They pass the ball, they grab the ball, they play as a team, and they play very aggressively with their words. The form is completely fascinating to me.”

DeLappe says the physicality has been important to her since she started writing “The Wolves.” She likens the team to women warriors preparing for battle. The play, she says, is a story filled with young women in which they aren’t girlfriends or daughters or love interests or sexual objects, but athletes—where it was about their bodies, but about their ownership of their own bodies, and the strength of their own bodies.

“When I started writing ‘The Wolves,’ I knew I wanted it to be my version of the WWII movie, only on a soccer field rather than a battlefield,” DeLappe says. “As a kid, I would see so many superhero movies, Westerns, sci-fi movies, all, of course, with almost all-male casts, except maybe for the obligatory girlfriend, the mother back home or the prostitute with the heart of gold. All of these films depict how these disparate men became one organism. They had to in order to survive. I wanted women to have access to the same material, with no limitations.”

Throughout the run of “The Wolves,” ���ϲ����� Stage will partner with the YWCA of ���ϲ����� & Onondaga County’s “Soccer for Success” program, offered nationally by the U.S. Soccer Foundation.��Soccer for Success, like “The Wolves,” is less about soccer than it is about something much deeper—teaching critical life skills and healthy habits through trained coach-mentors,��building��confidence and collaboration��and sharing��new skills that may even provide a pathway to college.��The program provides no-cost soccer instruction and uniforms to area children each year, focused on those for whom the costs and location of private soccer development programs��would be a barrier.����As part of ���ϲ����� Stage’s commitment to community partnerships, a cleat drive for Soccer for Success��will be held at the theatre throughout the production. Please consider donating new or gently used soccer cleats, which can be placed in the collection bins in the lobby.

Recognized today as a mid-20th-century American classic, “The Crucible” is set in Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, in 1692 amid a whirl of paranoia and hysteria fed by the winds of unfounded accusations of witchcraft. Miller fictionalized the historic record of the Salem witch trials to explore how fear warps judgment and extremism eradicates truth. In doing so, he created a theatrical world where innocence and guilt are indistinguishable and only fanatics speak with impunity.

Miller wrote “The Crucible” in 1953, prompted by the investigations of U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy and the House Committee on Un-American Activities in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The so-called Red hunt, ostensibly initiated to root out communists in the U.S. government, cast a wide net and eventually ensnared many private citizens, including many academics and artists. Careers and lives were recklessly ruined.

Miller found parallels to the country’s experience of the McCarthy hearings in the record of the Salem witch trials, especially in the way its “terribly serious insanity” obliterated “all nuance, all the shadings that a realistic judgment of reality requires.” This holds true today for director Clark, who finds the play especially relevant in a time where false information can spread like wildfire and information must be tempered with care and caution. Clark’s vision for the production is “a response to the dishonesty and lack of honor that has come to light within our political system.”

The dramatic core of “The Crucible” coalesced in Miller’s mind when he read notes on the testimony of Abigail Williams in the historic record of a trial. He understood immediately that Abigail and John Proctor, husband to Elizabeth, had had an affair. This triangle became the human heart of his play and the catalyst for the unfolding drama. As Abigail’s accusations overwhelm the town, John and Elizabeth and others are swept up in a kind of communal madness from which there seems no escape. They are sane people in a world gone mad. Surely, therein lies relevance to the world beyond the stage

Director Clark adds, “It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to produce one of our greatest playwright’s most important plays in a time when the message will resonate in such a different way.”

In selecting “The Crucible” for the season, Department Chair Ralph Zito points out that there is “no correlation between the age of a play and its timeliness.” The play’s issues of “moral choice, integrity and justice” have stayed relevant throughout history and remain so today, he says.

The Crucible

By Arthur Miller

Directed by Gerardine Clark
Scenic Design: Maria E. Marrero
Costume Design: Garvin “Vinny” Hastings
Lighting Design: Jonathan Hayes
Sound Design: Kevin O’Connor
Dialect Coach: Blake Segal
Stage Manager: Brian Beighle

Cast

Andrea Baker (Martha Corey)
Michael Cagnetta (Francis Nurse)
Tori Dedo (Rebecca Nurse)
Hannah Dolan (Mercy Lewis)
August Kiss Fegley (Betty Parris)
Jack Fortin (John Proctor)
Gabriel Girson (Judge Hathorne)
Trevor Hart (Marshall Herrick)
Veronica Hersey (Susanna Walcott)
Madeleine Ince (Elizabeth Proctor)
Connor Johnson (Hopkins)
Melanie Johnson (Tituba)
Calvin Keener (Ezekiel Cheever)
Catie Kobland (Abigail Williams)
Elizabeth O’Malley (Mary Warren)
Francesca Panzara (Sarah Good)
Zach Person Deputy (Governor Danforth)
Jacob Rosen (Reverend Parris)
Lily Schmidt (Mrs. Ann Putnam)
William Schuyler (Mr. Thomas Putnam)
Justin Slepicoff (Reverend John Hale)
Ian Soares (Giles Corey)

Understudies

Andrea Baker (Abigail Williams, Elizabeth Proctor)
Michael Cagnetta (Deputy Governor Danforth)
Gabriel Girson (Ezekiel Cheever)
Trevor Hart (Mr. Thomas Putnam)
Veronica Hersey (Mary Warren)
Connor Johnson (Reverend John Hale, Judge Hathorne)
Calvin Keener (Reverend Parris)
Francesca Panzara (Rebecca Nurse, Mrs. Ann Putnam)
Maria Victoria Polanco (Betty Parris, Susanna Walcott, Mercy Lewis, Tituba)
Eli Schwartz (John Proctor, Hopkins, Marshall Herrick, Francis Nurse, Giles Corey)

Additional Credits

Assistant Scenic Designers: Samantha Olszewski, Allison Turlo, Jason Zong
Assistant Costume Designers: Brandon Eridan, Addie Livingston
Assistant Lighting Designer: Lily Meaker
Assistant Stage Manager: Rebecca Malamud
Casting Associate: Wallis Dean
Casting Assistant: Emilia Smart-Denson

Performance Dates

Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. (preview)
Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. (opening)
Nov. 10 at 2 p.m.
Nov. 13 at 8 p.m.
Nov. 14 at 8 p.m.
Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.
Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. (open captioning)
Nov. 16 at 8 p.m.
Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted)

“A Chorus Line” debuted Off-Broadway in 1975 at New York’s Public Theater and moved to Broadway that same year. The original production won the Pulitzer Prize and nine out of the 12 Tony Awards for which it was nominated, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Score and Best Choreography. The 2006 revival received a nomination for Best Revival of a Musical.

Set in an empty theater during auditions for a Broadway musical, “A Chorus Line” takes a look at the lives of chorus dancers in varying stages of their careers. Overseen by the director, Zach, the auditioning dancers learn that only four men and four women will be cast in the show. In the course of the audition process, Zach asks the dancers to tell him about themselves. In turn, the dancers reveal how they got into show business, why they became dancers and share their dreams for the future. These stories weave together to give audiences an honest glimpse into the lives of Broadway dancers and the passion they all share for theater.

“A Chorus Line” unfolds in close to real time, capturing the intensity, competitiveness and judgments faced by performers regularly. Marcum worked as a dancer on Broadway before teaching at the Department of Drama, and his experience infuses the production with authenticity. Marcum believes this is a story for “anyone who has struggled and worked and has a passion for anything,” while also allowing people to see the reality of what it is like to be a dancer and the sacrifices necessary for a successful career.

“‘A Chorus Line’ challenges the assumptions we make about people in the theater industry,” says Department Chair Ralph Zito. “It fundamentally changed our understanding of what a musical might be and it continues to surprise, delight and entertain us.”

The line-up for this exceptional season includes “A Chorus Line” (Oct. 4 to 13), “The Crucible” (Nov. 8 to 17), “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” (Nov. 22 to Jan. 5), “Romeo and Juliet” (Feb. 14 to 22), “A Grand Night for Singing” (March 27 to April 5) and “On the Lake” (May 1 to 9).

“I am excited by the many opportunities this season presents for us to explore the art of storytelling,” says department chair Ralph Zito. “Each of these plays is a classic example of its genre, or is directly linked to a classic. All of them invite us to explore and critique the values, themes and underlying assumptions of the eras in which they were written and the eras that they depict. Further, they demand that we share these stories in ways that speak to our current cultural condition.”

The singular sensation that is “A Chorus Line” kicks off the season directed and choreographed by Brian J. Marcum with musical direction by Brian Cimmet. Winner of nine Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “A Chorus Line” dates to 1974 when choreographer Michael Bennet gathered a group of his friends in a studio in New York to talk about their lives as dancers. For 12 hours, with a reel-to-reel tape recorder running, they shared their personal stories. From there Bennet invited composer Marvin Hamlisch and writers James Kirkwood, Nicholas Dante and Edward Kleban into workshops with the dancers. Their work together became “A Chorus Line”—a passionate tribute to Broadway’s chorus dancers: those valiant and highly trained performers who back up the star or stars—and often make them look even more talented than they are.

“As with most humans, panic sleeps in one unlighted corner of my soul,” Arthur Miller once wrote about his inspiration for “The Crucible,” the second show in the season. “When I walked at night along the empty, wet streets of Salem . . . I could easily work myself into imagining my terror before a gaggle of young girls flying down the road screaming that somebody’s ‘familiar spirit’ was chasing them.” Miller based “The Crucible” on the Salem witch trials of 1692. He wrote it in 1953 during the hearings of the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Comparison was inevitable, deliberate, revelatory and frightening as Miller zeroed in on how fear easily turns to hysteria, and accusation supplants truth. “The thought that the state has lost its mind and is punishing so many innocent people is intolerable,” the playwright noted. With longtime faculty member Gerardine Clark directing, “The Crucible” serves as a potent reminder that irrational and unfounded fear of the “other” knows no boundary or time.

Donna Drake has scored great success as director of the last two ���ϲ����� Stage/Department of Drama holiday co-productions, “The Wizard of Oz” and “Elf The Musical.” She returns in the new season to direct the family favorite “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” with choreography by Anthony Salatino and flying effects by ZFX. This enchanting Disney classic tells the story of a young prince transformed into a horrid beast by a wicked spell, and of a young woman, Belle, who helps restore him through the power of love. As with previous co-productions, the cast will feature a mix of professional actors and ���ϲ����� Drama students.

“The unique partnership between the Department of Drama and ���ϲ����� Stage—and the myriad ways it benefits not only our students but also ���ϲ����� theater-goers and their families—is nowhere more evident than in the annual holiday co-production. We cannot wait to share this ‘tale as old as time’ with young and old alike,” Zito says.

“Romeo and Juliet” may be the greatest expression of romantic love in the English language, as some have called it, but it is a depiction of love amid the tumult of brutal violence. In Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio and the Nurse, Shakespeare created four of his most engaging characters and tour de force opportunities for actors. He wrote the play on his way to creating the five great tragedies, and the connection can be seen in the five corpses that define the ancient feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. Four hundred years ago Shakespeare understood how intolerance begets violence and violence victimizes an entire society: “See what a scourge is laid upon your hate . . . All are punish’d.” Thom Miller directs the fourth show in the season.

It is only fitting that in a season filled with classics that the great Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II find representation. “A Grand Night For Singing” is a musical review that collects over 30 treasured works from Rodgers and Hammerstein hits such as “Oklahoma!,” “South Pacific,” “The Sound of Music,” “Carousel,” “The King and I” and “Cinderella,” as well as lesser-known shows like “Allegro,” “Flower Drum Song” and “Pipe Dream.” Conceived by , “A Grand Night for Singing” contains many of the most beloved, uplifting and romantic songs in musical theater history.

The season concludes with a magic-comic take on the modern classic The Seagull: Reza De Wet’s “On the Lake,” directed by Stephen Cross. De Wet, who died in 2012, was a South African writer, director and actor, who wrote in English and Afrikaans. Her twelve plays won numerous literary awards in South Africa. In “On the Lake,” de Wet revisits “The Seagull,” with an eye on exposing the tensions beneath the surface of the Chekhovian world. Zooming in on Constantine’s symbolist play-within-the-play, de Wet imagines the experience from Nina’s perspective: a dreamlike vision of the future, where the hope of escape is linked directly to the potential for the theater itself to rise up and fly away.

“I am immensely proud of the consistently high-quality work produced by our students, faculty and guest artists—working side-by-side with the ���ϲ����� Stage production staff to create season after season of entertaining, thought-provoking and moving theatrical experiences. Next year will be another exceptional season of theater,” Zito says.

The Department of Drama season begins Oct. 4 and runs through May 9, 2020. Performances for all productions except “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” and “Romeo and Juliet” are in the Arthur Storch Theater in the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex, 820 E. Genesee St. ���ϲ�����. “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” and “Romeo and Juliet” will perform in the Archbold Theatre at the same address. Subscriptions and Flex Packs are available now through the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office (315-443-3275).

Inspired by the 2012 Steubenville, Ohio, rape case, “Good Kids” takes a dive into a haunting and disturbing incident that occurs during a high school party, including a difficult aftermath. The play focuses on a group of college-bound football players, soccer stars, popular girls and an “outsider” as they attempt to piece together the events of a night they can barely remember. The play confronts the layers of complexity introduced by social media as private stories become public and inaccurate recollections obfuscate the truth.

Department of Drama Chair Ralph Zito hopes that “each of us might take a look into seemingly small decisions that we make and understand how they can contribute to a larger evil.”

Thuma explains that the play “paints a picture of how we as a culture view issues of rape and sexual assault.” These topics and the circumstances in which they occur are not new and “the difficulty in prosecuting crimes of this nature, the tendency to cover them up, and the cultural inclination to blame the victim are not new either.”

Thuma and Zito acknowledge the challenging nature of the material and encourage the audience to be empathetic and to see that there are steps everyone can take to address problems in our society. It is important to “join in the cultural discussion, conversation by conversation,” Zito says.

The Steubenville High School rape occurred on the night of Aug. 11, 2012, when a high school girl, incapacitated by alcohol, was publicly and repeatedly sexually assaulted by her peers, several of whom documented the acts on social media.

The crime and ensuing legal proceedings generated considerable controversy and galvanized a national conversation about rape and rape culture.

Appearing as a guest artist, Carey Cox portrays the character Deirdre. Deirdre serves as a kind of narrator to action in “Good Kids.” Cox made her Broadway debut as Laura’s understudy in Sam Gold’s production of “The Glass Menagerie,” which starred Sally Field. Cox has also been a company member at PlayMakers Repertory Company where her credits include “Three Sisters,” “We Are Proud to Present a Presentation…,” “Seminar,” “Trouble in Mind,” “Mary’s Wedding” and “Into the Woods.” She participated in Queens Theatre’s inaugural Theatre for All training program for actors with disabilities and was an actor and playwright for the Theatre for All short play readings. She serves on the board of directors for Born Dancing, an inclusive dance company.

Iizuka’s “Good Kids” started off the Big Ten Theatre Consortium’s New Play Initative in 2014, which commissioned work from women writers that featured strong female roles. “Good Kids” rose to prominence upon its release in 2015 and has been especially popular on college campuses. Iiuzuka’s other plays include “36 Views,” “Polaroid Stories,” “Language of Angels” and “Skin.” Iizuka is currently being commissioned by the Guthrie Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and the Kennedy Center to produce new work.

Performances of “Good Kids” with open captioning or American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation are scheduled. For more information and tickets, visit the College of Visual and Performing Arts .

Based on the 1929 poem of the same name by Joseph Moncure March, “The Wild Party” follows Queenie and Burrs, a once fiery and passionate couple, who throw a lavish party for their friends as a last ditch effort to restore the excitement they once had for each other. As excessive amounts of alcohol flow, a parade of eclectic characters join the festivities. The fun turns to danger, however, as jealousy and rage threaten to erupt in violence.

Throughout the course of the musical, Queenie finds herself caught between two very different men, both of whom are passionate about making her their life partner. Queenie’s struggle to break free of the confines of the love triangle and choose the man she wants carries serious consequences.

Director McGerr says that “The Wild Party” features “lush music, tons of dancing, gorgeous visual opportunities [and] delicious intrigue.” Despite these flashy elements, she hopes that the audience will “think a little bit about party culture and what happens when addiction and relationship violence get mixed up into that.”

“I wanted to work on ‘The Wild Party’ because of the opportunity it affords to examine party culture. University life–and the intense work that goes along with it–gives rise to a work-hard-play-hard mentality,” she adds. “We all need to unwind, especially in today’s culture of overworking. We all need occasional escape from the day-to-day. But how far is too far–for ourselves and for the people around us? Where is the line between excitement and endangerment? ‘The Wild Party’ is relentlessly fun and theatrical–and it also asks us to consider our responsibility as bystanders to the drama.”

Composer and writer Lippa is also well known for his lyrics and composition for “The Addams Family,” “Big Fish,” and a revised version of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” He developed “The Wild Party” at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center in 1997 and it premiered at Manhattan Theatre Club in 2000. The original cast included Idina Menzel and ���ϲ����� drama alumnus Taye Diggs. The production earned a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music and an Obie for Best Choreography.

Tony-nominated actress and dancer Charlotte d’Amboise taught content from her array of Broadway shows to Department of Drama students during a four-day guest residency.

Tony-nominated actress and dancer Charlotte d’Amboise visited the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Drama in early March for a four-day guest residency in the musical theater program.

A legendary triple-threat performer, d’Amboise was invited to teach content from her array of Broadway shows, which include “A Chorus Line,” “Chicago” and “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway.” She worked with students in several tap, jazz and ballet classes as well as in Robbins’ Repertoire, an upper-level course focused on Robbins’ choreography.

d’Amboise also answered questions from the students regarding the “show-biz” industry and enlightened them with stories about directors and choreographers with whom she had the opportunity to work.

“I loved working with the students at ���ϲ�����,” says d’Amboise. “This is an incredible musical theater program—such dedication and talent!”

“Charlotte d’Amboise is the real deal when it comes to extraordinary talent and longevity in the theater business,” says Andrea Leigh-Smith, professor of practice and program coordinator of musical theater. “Charlotte’s family, beginning with her father, Jacques d’Amboise, and brother, Christopher d’Amboise, have both significantly impacted the world of dance. Charlotte carries on this legacy with joy and enthusiasm. Our musical theater students left each class charged, proud and inspired to work toward the dream of one day living the life of a musical theater artist.”

d’Amboise’s residency is part of the drama department’s ongoing commitment to bringing a distinguished roster of industry professionals—including department alumni—to campus to work with students. The workshops, master classes and discussions that these artists lead provide experiences that both broaden and deepen the classroom and experiential learning provided by department faculty and the working professionals of , the outstanding Equity theater company with which the department has a synergistic relationship.

d’Amboise has been gracing Broadway stages for decades. Since making her Broadway debut in “Cats,” she has been nominated for two Tony Awards for her performances in the Broadway revival of “A Chorus Line” (Cassie) and “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway” (multiple roles). She has also been nominated for numerous Fred Astaire Awards for her roles in “P����辱��” (Fastrada), “Sweet Charity” (Charity) and “Damn Yankees” (Lola). Most recently, she has been seen in the role of Roxie in “Chicago,” which has earned her the LA Ovation Award, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award. She has also appeared in the Broadway casts of “Company,” “Contact,” “Carrie” and “Song and Dance.”

Throughout her career onstage, d’Amboise has worked alongside several legendary directors, including Bob Fosse, Robbins, Michael Bennett, Peter Martins, Rob Marshall, Ann Reinking, Debbie Allen, Gillian Lynn, Rob Ashford, Diane Paulus, Walter Bobby, Scott Ellis and George Balanchine.

d’Amboise’s film credits include “The In Crowd” (1988), “American Blue Note” (1989), “Just Off the Coast” (1992) and “The Preacher’s Wife” (1996). She appears as herself in “Every Little Step” (2008), a documentary about the Broadway revival of “A Chorus Line.” In 2012, she co-starred in “Frances Ha” directed by Noah Baumbach. On television she has appeared in “Law & Order” (2001), “One Life to Live” (2009), a recorded performance of the Broadway musical “Contact” (2002) and the “Kennedy Center Honors” (1989, 1995, 2009). Of all her experiences on stage, one of the most special moments for d’Amboise was her performance in the “Kennedy Center Honors” (2009), performing with her brother, Christopher d’Amboise, in an evening honoring her father, Jacques d’Amboise, which also aired on television.

d’Amboise is the co-artistic director, with her husband, Terrence Mann, of Triple Arts, a musical theater summer intensive for young artists.

In “We are Proud to Present a Presentation . . .” a company of six actors gathers in a rehearsal room to create a theater piece based on the little-known story of the first genocide of the 20th century—the extinction of the Herero tribe at the hands of their German colonizers. Throughout the process, the actors are forced into difficult conversations as their personal histories, assumptions and prejudices collide with the demands of their storytelling.

McCauley, a visiting director from the University of Massachusetts, calls the play “a hybrid between devised theater and a straight play” that investigates the sensitivities and difficulties inherent in the act of storytelling itself. The form and structure give the actors the freedom to dig deeply into their characters. It is a play, he said, that “pushes people to think about things they have never thought about before.”

“We are Proud to Present a Presentation . . .” premiered at New York’s Soho Rep in 2012 and brought playwright Drury to national attention for creating a piece that “impressively navigates the tricky boundaries that separate art and life, the haunted present and the haunting historical past.” The haunted past in question is a particularly ugly though mostly forgotten chapter in German colonial activity in Africa.

During the years in the late 19th century when Namibia was a German colony, the Germans alternately favored one tribe, the Herero, over another, the Nama. But when the territory’s resources were drained by the building of a railroad into the interior, the Germans essentially began confiscating all the land from both tribes. When the Herero rebelled, an “extermination order” was issued and the remaining tribesmen were used as unpaid laborers.

In the play, the primary historical source upon which the actors draw for their material comes from letters written by German soldiers—those who caused the damage. The gap in the historical record greatly complicates the actors’ task, and therein lies the initial source of their friction, which escalates in the course of creating the story. How can they dramatize history when only half the participants have left behind a record? Along the way, Drury relieves the tension by including lighter moments that poke teasing fun at the impromptu games and exploratory exercises the actors employ to work their way into their material.

Drury squarely addresses the difficulties inherent in exploring and discussing difficult and uncomfortable topics. Part of the play’s success, as one critic noted, is that “in recalling a traumatic chapter of African history, it magnifies the biases and conflicts that are inextricably part of the act of remembrance itself.”

Stephen Cross

“My role is the guy who brings the arts into the science room,” says Stephen Cross, associate professor of acting in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Drama, of his collaborative efforts with Upstate Medical University and the ���ϲ����� VA Medical Center. As artistic director of Building Company Theater, Cross has created original theater works that address the difficulties medical residents endure in their training. The company administers Cross’ research project, Education Through Theater Arts (ETTA), a program he began in the early 1990s in his native Nova Scotia, Canada.

“The company I founded there, the Irondale Ensemble Project, was a group of artists who created theater exercises that could be transferred to non-theater social service organizations,” he says.

Cross brought that concept with him when he came to ���ϲ����� a dozen years ago and has since worked with numerous local organizations, including the Onondaga County Justice Center, Oasis Senior Center, city and rural school districts, and refugee and migrant worker advocacy centers.

News of the ETTA program spread, catching the attention of Dr. Stephen Knohl, director of resident training at Upstate Medical University.

“Dr. Knohl contacted me because he was interested in using the arts in his program as a way to improve the medical residents’ communication skills,” Cross says. “It was a perfect, ready-made fit.”

Two cast members from “Prognosis Poor.”

Twice a month, medical residents from Upstate participate in role-playing exercises, building their talking and listening skills, non-verbal communication, physical relaxation, team work, confidence and self-esteem.

“While it’s challenging to solve problems in a game format, the residents find it refreshing—they relax, breathe, tap into their creative personality,” Cross says. “They have a genuine, empathetic desire to save lives, reduce pain, extend life.”

Collaborating with Cross are Kay Frank, Upstate’s program researcher, and Sue Henderson-Kendrick, the medical center’s director of graduate medical education. The ETTA program will garner national visibility when featured in a poster presentation given by Frank at the Innovations in Medical Education Conference in Los Angeles and at the American Council for Graduate Medical Education Conference in Orlando, Florida.

The latest Building Company Theater play, “Prognosis: Poor,” which depicts the sometimes difficult realities faced by medical residents, is a direct result of the ETTA/Upstate collaboration. Two years ago, the outreach expanded to include resident doctors serving at the VA Medical Center. One of the developments there has been the “Military Monday Radio Hour,” a 45-minute theater work designed to sensitize medical residents to the specific needs of those who have served or are serving in the military.

For all of the productions, Cross writes the scripts and drama department students play various roles. As many as nine students participate in ETTA during the academic year, and for some, the experience has led to changed career aspirations.

“First-year students come into the performance program with their eyes set on Broadway, film, video or television,” Cross says. “Some find that competitive world is not necessarily in their nature and are drawn to work that has to do with community outreach. They see the possibility of a different career direction, like drama therapy or community engagement, because of their ETTA experience.”

Making the arts more accessible has always been Cross’s own career goal.

“My foundational belief is that the arts belong to everybody, not just in a certain space or venue,” he says. “The arts are a very human thing and belong everywhere.”

Sam Arencibia working at an SCPS light board.

Behind the scenes of every production is a team making it all happen. An organized chaos of choreographed disarray moves to give the audience the experience and “wow” moments for which they attend the theater. Samuel Arencibia, a senior in the B.F.A. program in stage management in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), graduates this December to begin orchestrating the chaos full-time as a stage manager. Not until, however, he wraps up “,” a show currently being co-produced by ���ϲ����� Stage and the Department of Drama through Jan. 6.

Technical “tech” week is an exciting and stressful week in theater productions. It’s the first time all of the technical elements—including costumes, lights, sound, set and makeup—are brought together to rehearse on stage. Tech week is an opportunity to witness everything coming together and fine-tune the power of the performances. When production entered tech week for “Elf the Musical,” there was a, well, technical problem: the production team was unexpectedly down a deck crew member.

Arencibia had been shadowing the production process as part of his six-credit internship with ���ϲ����� Stage’s production management department. Two hours into the first day of tech week, something clicked in his mind. “I was thinking, I graduate college on Dec.��6 and don’t start work until the 23rd of January. Being the deck crew member would allow me to fill this gap and still have time to move. It was perfect,” says Arencibia. “I knew this was my moment to ask. If I couldn’t��ask for this opportunity��here—in a place where I knew everyone—how was I going to survive in New York City?”

Mustering up the courage, Arencibia approached the production stage manager and proposed that he fill the vacant role. After checking dates and determining there would be no adverse effect on Arencibia’s internship, the production stage manager agreed and told Arencibia he’d start in 20 minutes. One quick trip home to grab the proper clothing, and Arencibia was ready for his “Elf the Musical” adventure.

At the start of “Elf the Musical,” Arencibia had not been behind the stage since his first year at ���ϲ����� and had not worked such a large production since his junior year of high school. With nervousness and excitement fueling his tenacity, he was ready to be a part of the production as a deck crew member. In this role, Arencibia and five other deck crew members make scene changes and prop handoffs happen.

The first 30 minutes of the show run on a constant rush of adrenaline back stage. In that relatively brief amount of time, the stage transforms from Santa’s workshop to New York City to Macy’s, which leads to a giant number, “Sparklejollytwinklejingley,” where the stage, performers and props all sparkle. Arencibia says learning from the assistant stage managers during tech week on how to create the traffic patterns for all of these stage, prop and costume changes was an incredible learning experience. What took two to three hours to map out, takes two to three minutes during the performances. Arencibia executes those quick-turnaround processes, following the patterns and playing his part in the choreographed chaos.

Sam Arencibia with the stage management team at a musical theater camp he helps run.

At one point in the show, Arencibia is responsible for a “hippity hop,” which is a blow-up exercise ball with handles. In his dress blacks and headset, he discreetly stands in a small corner of the stage while holding the hippity hop. Performers run on stage, and Arencibia listens for a loud “BANG!” When the bang sounds, the actors have put something down on the stage, signaling Arencibia to run up the wing with the hippity hop and put it in the correct location. As Arencibia places one hippity hop, an assistant stage manager runs across the stage with another hippity hop to bring it to its end location.

While Arencibia enjoys this adrenaline rush and the experience he is gaining from “Elf the Musical,” he looks forward to the full-time job he starts as a stage manager for Arts Power, a theater company for young audiences, after production wraps up. He will be the principal person who organizes and supervises the production. Being the bridge between creative and technical, Arencibia will be based in New York City and tour the country with “Madeline and the Bad Hat” for five months starting Jan. 23. And so he will begin his career journey as a freelance stage manager.

The preparation for this journey started with an early passion found during his upbringing in Colonia, New Jersey. As a child, Arencibia loved the theater, originally as a performer. Then when given the opportunity to stage manage “The 25th Annual County Spelling Bee” in high school, he knew he had found his path. “I fell in love with working with both the technical and performance sides,” he says. “It was a way to still be in the rehearsal room but also do what I enjoy most: problem-solving and the technical side of theater. I knew then that I wanted to do this the rest of my life!”

But first he was determined to obtain his B.F.A. Given that a limited number of universities offer B.F.A. programs, ���ϲ����� was automatically a finalist on his dream-school list. After learning about VPA’s special relationship with ���ϲ����� Stage, Arencibia knew it was where he wanted to be.

Don Buschmann, instructor and program coordinator in stage management, has taught Arencibia and currently supervises his production management internship. “I liken the program’s education to a teaching hospital because students are working side-by-side with you,” Buschmann says. “There’s a really good balance of production work and classroom work. It’s not just do, do, do or talk about it, talk about it, talk about it. It’s both.”

Sam Arencibia working a Juice Jam concert.

As part of his educational experience, Arencibia last May was the stage manager for the Department of Drama’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” Learning by doing, he took full advantage of the opportunity. While only nine actors appeared in the performance, 12 different people were on headsets behind the scenes and 16 more were crew. And while the director may be in charge of the ship, Arencibia says the stage manager is the one who holds the navigation chart.

When Buschmann walked into a meeting for “Little Shop” last year, he watched Sam steering the ship with confidence. “Sam really demonstrated the initiative, leadership and ability to work with and manage his peers,” says Buschmann. “Showing that kind of maturity as a junior to do those things is really kind of remarkable.”

For the show, the production team had only five weeks instead of six for rehearsal. Arencibia was accustomed to tight deadlines thanks to his on-campus job with the Student Centers and Programming Services’ (SCPS) event and technical services team. It’s common to meet an event organizer not long before an event and have to come up with lighting, sound and staging on the fly.

“Sam is very dedicated,” says Scott Casanova, associate director of SCPS. “Sam has always been one of the first people to volunteer his time to help SCPS staff and improve events. He will often take time ahead of performances to meet with the directors and the students running the performances.”

During his time with SCPS, which he began on the first day of his first year on campus, Arencibia has had the opportunity to work with then-Vice President Joe Biden in the Schine Student Center and with major artists at Juice Jam. This experience had enabled him to broaden his scope of expertise and open up a world of post-graduation possibilities.

“I have spent a lot more time in a lot of different scenarios than many others [in my field] might have. I have done so many events now that when something goes wrong I don’t freak out,” he says. “When something goes wrong, when you’re sliding down a hill, you’re supposed to just release the gas. During my time at SCPS, I have learned to just release the gas.”

This lesson in patience has guided Arencibia during his stage management experience. Throughout a production, if something goes wrong, the stage manager must stay calm and be a problem solver. And he must be patient and supportive. From this blossoms trust between the stage manager and the production staff, and the choreographed disarray of backstage takes form to provide the audience with a seamless display of art on stage.

Presented��in conjunction with the department’s production of��“,” this installment of the Sunday Salon Series will take place on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 4:30 p.m. in the Arthur Storch Theatre, 820 E. Genesee St. The discussion is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.

Panelists will be:

• khristian kemp-delisser, director, LGBT Resource Center at ���ϲ�����
• William Robert, associate professor, Department of Religion, College of Arts and Sciences
• Ralph Zito, professor and chair, Department of Drama, College of Visual and Performing Arts

The Sunday Salon Series accompanies each of the drama department’s mainstage productions. The salons provide an opportunity for the University and larger community to take a closer look at the creative process and explore themes presented in each production by engaging in conversation with members of the creative team and faculty experts from a wide range of fields. The salons also increase awareness of drama productions as a curricular and co-curricular resource.

For an accommodations request, contact Zito at rzito@syr.edu or 315-443-2669.

The play runs Nov. 9-Nov. 17 in the Storch Theatre at the ���ϲ����� Stage/Department of Drama Complex. Opening night is Nov. 10.

“Next Fall” unfolds at an intersection of faith, family and sexuality. The love between two gay men, Luke and Adam, frames the story. Theirs is a complex and layered relationship—one is a devout Evangelical Christian and the other a firm atheist. When a car accident places Luke in critical condition and he lies comatose, suspended between life and death, his loved ones and friends begin reckoning with the conflicting stories of his life, the silences and secrets that have kept this vibrant young man from integrating his present and his past.

“Next Fall” takes the measure of a painful passage and shapes a drama that speaks in a quiet voice of momentous things. With surprising humor and genuine compassion, Nauffts challenges the audience to reconsider conceptions and assumptions about the people depicted in the play and those residing beyond the theater walls. It is, first and foremost, a story of regular people, flawed but appealing, caught up in the disorienting chaos of sudden tragedy.

Zito says that in selecting this play he looked for a piece that placed gay characters at the forefront of the story in a way that was not simply a celebration of being gay. Rather, he sought a story about gay people grappling with a wide variety of issues, including the additional obstacles their sexuality adds. Within a season he refers to as “a season of storytelling,” “Next Fall” invites consideration of the power and limits of beliefs, love and identity.

A successful off-Broadway run brought “Next Fall” and its original cast to Broadway where it premiered on March 11, 2010. Positive reception from audience members and critics alike preceded nominations for Tony and Drama Desk Awards. New York Times critic Ben Brantley called “Next Fall” an “artful, thoughtful and very moving story.”

Zito adds that he is “surprised by how personally affected [he has] been by the events and themes in the play.” He says it takes him back to the New York City he lived in during his early adult years, which has infused his direction of the show with an urban edge perfectly suited to the play’s contemporary voice and snappy humor.

Special Event: Sunday Salon Series

Faith and Sexuality: Resolving and Living with the Conflicts
A panel discussion and Q&A
Sunday, Nov. 11
4:30 p.m.

Panelists:

• khristian kemp-delisser, director, LGBT Resource Center at ���ϲ�����
• William Robert, associate professor, Department of Religion, College of Arts and Sciences
• Ralph Zito, professor and chair, Department of Drama, College of Visual and Performing Arts

The discussion is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.

For an accommodations request, contact Zito at��rzito@syr.edu��or 315.443.2669 one week prior to the event.

Presented��in conjunction with the department’s production of��“Into the Woods,” this first installment of the Sunday Salon Series will take place on Sunday, Oct. 14, at 4:30 p.m. in the Arthur Storch Theatre, 820 E. Genesee St. The discussion is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.

Panelists will be:

• Kal Alston, professor, cultural foundations of education and associate dean for academic affairs, School of Education
• Whitney Phillips, assistant professor, Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, VPA
• David Lowenstein, professor of practice, Department of Drama, VPA

Department of Drama Chair Ralph Zito hopes that the Sunday Salon Series, which will accompany each of the department’s mainstage productions, will provide an opportunity for the University and larger community to take a closer look at the creative process, to explore themes presented in each production by engaging in conversation with members of the creative team and faculty experts from a wide range of fields, and increase awareness of drama productions as a curricular and co-curricular resource.

If you require accommodations to fully participate in this event, contact Zito at rzito@syr.edu.

Anju Cloud, Alice Jungling, Brittany Adebumola, Jack Fortin, and Amber Gatlin in the Department of Drama’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” Photo by Michael Davis

OnStage included the drama department’s B.F.A. acting program on its list of the “.” The program takes full advantage of the resources provided by the drama department faculty and the department’s relationship with ���ϲ����� Stage, a professional theater, to offer emerging theater artists with rigorous training in performance technique, text analysis, creative improvisation, voice, speech and movement.

The drama department’s B.F.A. program in musical theater was listed on OnStage’s “.” This rigorous program requires coursework in three areas of performance—singing, dancing, and acting—as well as foundations in liberal arts and theater history to help students discover their uniqueness as musical theater artists.

For the second year in a row, the drama department’s B.F.A. program in theater design and technology was listed on OnStage’s “.” The program combines classroom and hands-on learning experiences. Students interested primarily in design can specialize in such areas as set design, costume design and lighting design, while students interested in the technical aspects of theater can explore scene construction or painting, lighting, properties, costumes or sound design.

According to OnStage Blog, ���ϲ�����’s programs ranked high because of the department’s facilities, which are shared with ���ϲ����� Stage. For the acting and musical theater rankings, the blog also cited the various production opportunities that students may audition for after their first year, including department main stage productions, ���ϲ����� Stage co-productions (for which students may earn Equity points) and numerous student- and faculty-sponsored productions.

Joann Maria Yarrow

Joann Maria Yarrow has been appointed to the newly created position of director of community engagement and education at ���ϲ����� Stage. Yarrow is scheduled to begin shortly before the start of the 2018/2019 season.

With more than 30 years’ experience as a director and producer, Yarrow most recently served as the executive artistic director of in Miami, the only Spanish language theater conservatory in the country.�� She has also produced and hosted the International Hispanic Theatre Festival of Miami and Play Time! An International Theatre Festival for Children. She spent three years working with Harold Prince on the Broadway productions of “Parade,” “Whistle down the Wind,” “Candide,” “Show Boat,” “Kiss of the Spiderwoman” and “Phantom of the Opera.”

“Jill Anderson (managing director) and I are thrilled that Joann Yarrow has accepted our newly created position of director of community engagement and education,” says Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp. “Joann is doing exciting work in Miami with her company Teatro Prometeo. We know Joann will bring dynamic ideas to ���ϲ����� Stage as we expand educational opportunities and seek to engage more people in the life of our theater.”

Yarrow joins ���ϲ����� Stage at a time when the theater’s education programs are serving more students than ever. Her appointment to this newly created position is part of a strategic initiative that includes promoting Kate Laissle, formerly assistant director of education, to associate director of education.

“The new position is the centerpiece of a restructuring of our community outreach activities,” Hupp explains. “Emerging as a priority of Stage’s yearlong strategic planning initiative, the theater is committed to making its work accessible to citizens of all ages and backgrounds. The work is about expanding our audience base, taking the work beyond our home on East Genesee Street, and learning how we can make our community a better place to call home.”

Stage has already begun to explore and implement such outreach initiatives. Last month, students from Indian River High School in Jefferson County, close to Fort Drum, home of the 10^th��Mountain Division, presented an original performance piece devised by the students under the guidance of ���ϲ����� Stage teaching artists. The project, , explored the complexity and reality of the students’ lives. The average class at Indian River comprises 30 percent local students and 70 percent children of veterans and active duty military personnel. Performances took place at Indian River High and ���ϲ����� Stage and were live-streamed to reach deployed family members of the students.

Currently, ���ϲ����� Stage’s educational offerings serve upwards of 20,000 area students each year. With special morning matinee performances of main-stage plays, an educational for elementary schools, an in-class program for middle schools, , plus a and more, Stage maintains a variety of ways for students to explore the art of theater and to develop their own talents and interests.

In the 17/18 season, more than 9,000 students attended special matinees, while 8,000 saw performances of the children’s tour “Metamorphan” and more than 3,000 saw the middle school program presentations of “Anne Frank: My Secret Life” and “Airborn.”�� More than 300 students contributed original scripts to the annual Young Playwrights Festival.

The popularity and success of these programs gives Yarrow a firm foundation on which to build and expand Stage’s community and educational outreach.

“I’m really excited about coming to ���ϲ����� because the community is so rich and so diverse,” Yarrow says. “The ground is so fertile, and people are very excited about what can happen here. There are amazing people in ���ϲ�����.”

Yarrow has extensive experience in community engagement as well as education. Currently, she produces and directs the ARTrepreneur Program in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a collaboration with ArtServe that offers young artists business and marketing tools. She also created the Miami Hispanic Showcase, a networking event for bilingual performers to meet agents and casting directors.�� She has created programming for the Miami Book Fair International for 10 seasons and through her company Distinctive Voices works with entrepreneurs on creativity and team building.

���ϲ����� Stage begins the 18/19 season on Sept. 12 with the rollicking backstage farce “Noises Off.” The season continues with the world premiere of “Possessing Harriet” by ���ϲ����� Stage Associate Artistic Director Kyle Bass, “Elf the Musical” in a co-production with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama, “Native Gardens,” “Pride and Prejudice” and “The Humans.”�� There are 10:30 a.m. student matinees scheduled for each production.

The Bank of America Children’s Tour to elementary schools begins performances Sept. 13 and performs Tuesdays and Thursdays through Dec. 13. This season’s production is “Miss Electricity” by Kathryn Walat.�� Already, 16 schools have booked “Miss Electricity” for the fall.

Created by composer Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman (the creative team behind Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” and “Beauty and The Beast”), “Little Shop of Horrors” opened at Off-Off-Broadway’s WPA Theatre in 1982. It was an instant hit and soon transferred to the larger Off-Broadway Orpheum Theatre with the backing of high-profile producers David Geffen, Cameron Mackintosh and the Shubert Organization. The Orpheum run lasted five years and eventually led to national and international tours, a star-studded movie musical, a Broadway production and, as most know, countless high school and community theater productions.

“Little Shop of Horrors” is a quirky amalgam of unlikely love story and ’50s-era science fiction set to an infectious 60s-inspired pop score. In addition to a handful of off-beat characters, it stars a ravenous man-eating plant from outer space named Audrey II. The design for the original Audrey II was by Martin P. Robinson who, among other significant credits, spent 34 years as Mr. Snuffelupagus on “Sesame Street.”

Faculty member Brian Cimmet directs this Department of Drama production. Cimmet praises what he terms the “absurdity of the universe” contained in “Little Shop of Horrors” and notes the effectiveness of the simple storytelling and pure characters.

“I love an awkward, goofy comedy in which the characters take their situations quite seriously and sincerely,” he said. “I love the exploration of a human psyche struggling to balance what he thinks is good in the world against what he wants most.”

Through its various iterations, the original “Little Shop of Horrors” has undergone some pruning and embellishment. Some criticized the Broadway production for its glitzy production values. Cimmet says he prefers the look and feel of Menken and Ashman’s original Off-Off-Broadway production.

“It shouldn’t be clean. It should be dark and grimy and rough and difficult,” he says. “The characters live and work in the poorest part of town.” As in the original production, the Drama Department’s version will feature a nine-person cast and a five-person band.

Although the musical dates from the 1980s, Cimmet contends that it “speaks volumes” in 2018. “It addresses the power of greed and corruption. Right now, there’s a tremendous amount of greed influencing America, greed that pushes people to do corrupt, immoral and unethical things,” he explains. “Perhaps the message of ‘Little Shop’ will serve to remind people to reject the evils of the world.”

Pulse offers a limited number of discounted tickets to performances, exhibitions and events in the performing and visual arts throughout the surrounding ���ϲ����� area. Discounted tickets are still available to select performances for the following shows:

�����ϲ����� Stage

“Next to Normal”

“A Raisin in the Sun”

“The Magic Play”

SU Drama

“The Seagull”

“The Baltimore Waltz”

Famous Artists Broadway Theatre

“A Chorus Line”

“Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles”

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Tickets for ���ϲ����� Stage and SU Drama performances are $3 for students and $8 for faculty/staff with a valid SU ID. There is a limit of two tickets per person, per show. Tickets for Famous Artists Broadway Theatre are available to students with valid SU ID and are $10. There is also a limit of two tickets per person, per show.

For questions or more information, contact the Schine Student Box Office at 315.443.4517.

Svich is the author of the stage adaptation of the Allende novel, which is being presented by the Department of Drama Nov. 10-18 as part of its 2017-18 . Her visit to ���ϲ����� has been made possible by the and will include a playwriting workshop with Department of Drama students.

is an associate professor of acting in the Department of Drama, part of the ; is an assistant professor of Spanish in the ’ Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics; and is an associate professor of history in the .

The panel will discuss the novel’s literary and historical context, as well as the process of adapting and producing it for the stage. The department is currently planning similar discussions in conjunction with each of the remaining productions in its season.

“We are excited to partner with the Dramatists Guild Foundation to bring Caridad to campus and to provide students with the opportunity to directly engage with an artist of her caliber,” says Drama Department Chair Ralph Zito. “The participation of our colleagues from Arts and Sciences and Maxwell underscores the extent to which drama productions can serve as a significant enhancement to curricular endeavors across campus. I look forward to engaging our audiences in this and future discussions.”

Allende’s debut novel “The House of the Spirits” was published in 1982. The national bestseller has captivated readers around the world and has been translated into over 20 languages. A 1993 film adaptation of the novel starred Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Winona Ryder, Glenn Close and Antonio Banderas. Svich’s stage adaptation was originally written and performed in Spanish and was produced in countries such as Chile and Costa Rica. In 2011, Svich won the Francesca Primus Prize, awarded by the American Theatre Critics Association, for the English translation of her “The House of the Spirits” adaptation.

The OBIE Award-winning playwright will be in ���ϲ����� on Sunday, Nov. 12, to participate in a panel discussion following the 2 p.m. performance of “The House of the Spirits” in the Archbold Theatre at the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama complex. In addition to Svich, the panelists include Stephanie Fetta, assistant professor, Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics in the ; Gladys McCormick, associate professor, Department of History, College of Arts and Sciences; and Celia Madeoy, associate professor, Department of Drama, , who directed the production. The panel discussion is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Svich’s play charts the rise and fall of the Trueba family from the 1920s through the 1970s in an unnamed South American country much like Allende’s native Chile. The story is told from the point of view of Alba, who opens the play as a political prisoner held in a room and being tortured by a government interrogator. Her swirling memories illuminate the stage. Through those frightening, amusing and fantastic memories of the two generations of women before her, Alba finds the strength to confront her past and tell her own story. The play itself, Svich says, offers an opportunity to look at the past, both good and bad, and learn from it. As emotional as it is political, the play, Svich says, “is an elegant ghost story.”

��“Alba, who is always on stage, is a witness to history,” Svich said in a 2013 interview with DC Theatre Scene. “She is living it and at the same time trying to retrieve the past through memories recorded in her grandmother Clara’s notebook about their close family life and her happy childhood in the country. Alba’s memories of who she is help her survive.”

Director Madeoy sees her actors becoming part of history by working on this piece. Madeoy notes that there is still violence and violence against women in political events in this world. “To this day, it is still a mystery what became of these people who are called ‘the disappeared,’” Madeoy says, referring to those who went missing in Chile under the rule of Augusto Pinochet and during the “Dirty War” in Argentina—a war that Svich’s own family lived through. “I think Caridad is choosing to open our minds to the political nature of this work.”

To do this, Svich created a theatrical representation of the novel’s themes rather than a direct retelling. Svich calls it “a meditation on Isabel Allende’s landmark novel.” In a phone interview with Larry Rohter of the New York Times, Allende said, “You cannot translate the novel into a play, but you can take the ideas, the spirit of the novel and create something new.” Svich, who describes the novel as “funny and grotesque, dark and caustic,” wanted to tap into the sharp wit of the book. In doing this, she wrote songs into the play to capture a bit of Bertolt Brecht’s theatrical style.

In addition to using some of Svich’s original music, Madeoy worked with her designers to bring magical realism into the play by drawing from Allende’s novel. In order to span 50 years during the play, Madeoy says, she saw a way to use projections in a new, innovative design. It was a quote from Svich on magical realism that ended up being Madeoy’s primary inspiration. “For me, magical realism is where the real and the fantastical are together, coexisting,” Madeoy says, quoting Svich. “In magical realism, the elements of fantasy are not questioned.”

“The House of the Spirits” runs Nov. 10-18. A panel discussion will be held on Nov. 12 and will include playwright Svich. Tickets are available at via.syr.edu/dramatickets, by phone at 315.443.3275 and in person at the box office.