STREET SCENE - Muhlenberg College

Transcription

The Muhlenberg College
Department of Theatre & Dance
presents
Kurt Weill
STREET SCENE
A M E R I C a N O P E Ra I N T W o AC T s
Book by Elmer
Rice
Based on his play of the same name
Lyrics by
Langston Hughes & Elmer Rice
Director Musical Director
Choreographer
& Conductor
Charles
Karen
MichaelDearborn
Richter Schnack
Scenic Designer
Costume Designer
Curtis Dretsch
Lighting Designer
Lara de BruijnGertjan Houben
Dialect Coach
Jarrod Yuskauskas
Fight Choreographer
Michael Chin
Production Stage Manager
Sarah Stupell Weinflash
March 26-29, 2015
Used by arrangement with European American Music Corporation,
agent for The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., the Rice Estate and the Hughes Estate.
This performance is funded in part by The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., New York, NY
Production Sponsors
Amaranth
Foundation
the charles a. & Leona K.
Gruber Lectureship
in the arts
The
B e s s i e S. G r a h a m
Music Fund
The Cast
Abraham Kaplan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Comey
Greta Fiorentino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Felice Amsellem
Carl Olsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Ofalt
Emma Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Georgie Simon
Olga Olsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karina Fox
Shirley Kaplan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danielle Lichter
Henry Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luke Taylor
Willie Maurrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3/27, 3/29) Aaron Finkle
(3/26, 3/28) Akaash Kapoor
Anna Maurrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Curnow
Sam Kaplan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joe Marx
Daniel Buchanan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aran Abilock Clemmons
Frank Maurrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ed Bara
George Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richie Kormos
Steve Sankey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Forbes
Lippo Fiorentino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan J. Skerchak
Jennie Hildebrand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3/26, 3/27) Juliette Reilly
(3/28, 3/29) Iana Robitaille
2nd Graduate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alison Smith
3rd Graduate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katie Fletcher
Mrs. Hildebrand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nicole Karrs
Charlie Hildebrand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3/26, 3/28) Aaron Finkle
(3/27, 3/29) Akaash Kapoor
Mary Hildebrand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenna Seasholtz
Grace Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tessa Seals
Myrtle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amara Young
Joan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hannah Kurczeski
Joe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Noah Sunday-Lefkowitz
Rose Maurrant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samantha Simon
Harry Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William B. Smith
Mae Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3/27, 3/29) Marie DiNorcia
(3/26, 3/28) Molly Karlin
Dick McGann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3/26, 3/28) Tim Canali
(3/27, 3/29) Zachary Jackson
2
Street Scene March 2015
Vincent Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Dobro
Dr. Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Yurch
Officer Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mac Myles
City Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan McKenna
Fred Cullen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Albert Fusco
First Nursemaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tess Dul
Second Nursemaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gabrielle Hines
Violin Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julia Rock
Queenie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Macy
Special thanks to Lori Sanders, with whose gracious permission Macy will be performing this evening.
Actors who are double-cast will perform twice in their named roles and twice in the ensemble.
Ensemble
Rebecca Bitondo, Zoë Briggs, Jordan Catagnus,
Nicole Esposito, Meghan Garvey, Taylor Hunsberger,
Charlie Kehler, Max Krueger, Drew Maidment,
September McCarthy, Matthew Mininberg, Erica Morreale,
Liam Orly, Maddux Pearson, Julia Rock, Kevin F. Rogers,
Alexandria Rust, Kelly Shannon, Taylor Helene Smith,
Jessica Sperber, Tommy Walters
Understudies
Zoë Briggs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shirley Kaplan
Jordan Catagnus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harry Easter
Nicole Karrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olga Olsen
Charlie Kehler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henry Davis
Noah Sunday Lefkowitz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel Buchanan
Drew Maidment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carl Olsen, Steve Sankey
September McCarthy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greta Fiorentino
Matthew Mininberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Jones
Liam Orly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Kaplan, Lippo Fiorentino
Maddux Pearson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abraham Kaplan
Juliette Reilly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emma Jones
Alison Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rose Maurrant
March 2015
Street Scene 3
M u h l e n b e r g
Musical Numbers
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4
The action takes place on a sidewalk in New York City.
Act 1 — An evening in June, 1929
“Ain’t It Awful, the Heat?” *�� Greta Fiorentino, Emma Jones, Olga Olsen,
Abraham Kaplan & the Ensemble
†
“I Got a Marble and a Star” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henry Davis
“Get a Load of That” * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greta Fiorentino, Olga Olsen Emma Jones
“When a Woman Has a Baby” * . . . . . . . . Daniel Buchanan, Olga Olsen, Emma Jones,
Greta Fiorentino, Anna Maurrant
†
“Somehow I Never Could Believe” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Maurrant
“Ice Cream Sextet” * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greta Fiorentino, Emma Jones,
George Jones, Lippo Fiorentino,
Henry Davis, Carl Olsen, Olga Olsen
“Let Things Be Like They Always Was” † . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Maurrant
“Wrapped in a Ribbon and Tied in a Bow” * . . . . Jennie Hildebrand & the Ensemble
“Lonely House” † . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Kaplan
“Wouldn’t You Like to Be on Broadway” * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harry Easter
“What Good Would the Moon Be?” † . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rose Maurrant
“Moon Faced, Starry Eyed” † . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mae Jones & Dick McGann
“Remember That I Care” † . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Kaplan & Rose Maurrrant
Act 2, Scene 1 — The following morning
“Catch Me if You Can” * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Children’s Ensemble
“There’ll Be Trouble” * . . . . . . . . . . . Rose Maurrant, Anna Maurrant, Frank Maurrant
“A Boy Like You” † . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Maurrant
“We’ll Go Away Together” † . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Kaplan, Rose Maurrant
“The Woman Who Lived Up There” † . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Ensemble
Act 2, Scene 2 — Afternoon of the same day
“Lullaby” ‡ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . First & Second Nursemaid
“I Loved Her Too” * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank Maurrant, Rose Maurrant & the Ensemble
“Don’t Forget the Lilac Bush” * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Kaplan & Rose Maurrant
* Lyrics by Langston Hughes & Elmer Rice
† Lyrics by Langston Hughes
‡ Lyrics by Elmer Rice
March 2015
Street Scene 5
About the Sponsors
Mounting theatrical works on this scale is a tremendous undertaking, which
would not be possible without the generous support of organizations such as
these. Their commitment to nurturing the cultural institutions of the Lehigh
Valley and beyond has made a profound and lasting impact on the quality of
life in the region. We are deeply grateful for their patronage.
T
he Baker Foundation — and, of
course, Dexter and Dorothy Baker
themselves — have, for more than 30
years, been the most generous and most
ardent supporters of the performing arts
at Muhlenberg College. In those years,
the upstart Theatre Program has become
a nationally acclaimed Theatre & Dance
Department, ranked among the very best
T
he Kurt Weill Foundation for
Music, Inc. administers, promotes,
and perpetuates the legacies of Kurt Weill
and Lotte Lenya. It encourages broad
dissemination and appreciation of Weill’s
music through support of performances,
productions, recordings, and scholarship; it
Amaranth
Foundation
in the country; the Muhlenberg Summer
Music Theatre has grown into one of
the Lehigh Valley’s cherished cultural
institutions; and the Baker Artist-inResidence Program has made Muhlenberg a
cultural haven for the performing arts, with
artists of international prominence working
directly alongside our students, faculty and
community to teach, learn, and create art.
fosters understanding of Weill’s and Lenya’s
lives and work within diverse cultural
contexts; and, building upon the legacies of
both, it nurtures talent, particularly in the
creation, performance, and study of musical
theatre in its various manifestations and
media. www.kwg.org.
The
B e s s i e S. G r a h a m
Music Fund
the charles a. & Leona K.
Gruber Lectureship
in the arts
6
March 2015
Street Scene 7
Orchestra
Conductor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Schnack
Violin��Stephani Bell, Connie Trach,
Shealene Peniston, Robert Kuntz,
Bruce Gaston, Debra Reilly, Guy Rauscher
Viola�� Barbara Kautzman, Carol Yale, Lucille Windt
Cello �� Janice Galassi, Ellen Hospador
String Bass�� Michael Evangelista, Thomas Herr
Flute�� Elaine Martin, Anna Turner
Piccolo, Flute�� Morgan Simmons
Oboe, English Horn �� Greg Hulse
Clarinet��John Schwartz, Anthony Simons
Bass Clarinet�� Elizabeth Brodt
Bassoon��Kimberly Seifert
French Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Derek Foster, Mark Syslo
Trumpet��Keith Beyer, Donald Hughes
Trombone �� Ralph Brodt III, Clair Socci
Harp��Andrea Wittchen
Piano, Celeste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adam Lefever Hughes
Percussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Groller, Kevin Karchner
8
March 2015
Street Scene 9
4
4
Production Staff
The Music Department Concert Series Presents:
Join us as three internationally acclaimed classical musicians
collaborate for one day only in the Lehigh Valley
Jointly presented with the
Curtis Institute of Music
Roberto Diaz, Viola
Elissa Lee Koljonen, Violin
Kwan Yi, Piano
Admission is FREE. No ticket required
April 12, 2015, 3 p.m. • Empie Theatre, Baker Center for the Arts
10
General Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Bien
Technical Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Damon Gelb
Theatre Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul E. Theisen, Jr.
Costume Shop Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Caroline Cook
Assistant Technical Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eric Covell
Props Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cheryl Soper Christensen
Assistant Director / Fight Captain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jordan Elman
Assistant Musical Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richie Kormos
Assistant Conductor / Child Wrangler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marianna Giercyk
Assistant to the Scenic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seamus Good
Dramaturg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jillian Mauro
Assistant Stage Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paige Harrington, Brendan O’Hara, Brenna Schaffell
Sound Board Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Devin Domeyer
Light Board Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Womer
Scenic Run Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alissa Liebler, Brandan Skahill
Wardrobe Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Land
Wardrobe Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Desrosiers, Nicole Rich
Staff Stitchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Megan Evans Gartley, Lex Gurst
Work Study Stitchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dylan Ashton, Jane Bertelsen , Rebecca Bitondo, Ann Corrao,
Nicole Esposito, Meghan Garvey, Ally Merrill, Bree Ogaldez,
Samantha Simon, Liz Spilsbury, Nicolette Strobing,
Sarah Jacqueline Wanger, Kate Wetzel
Stagecraft Stitchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Ballasy, Molly Caballero, Allison Conley, Lacey Davies,
Alexander Decoteau-Fredericks, Mellisa Denholtz, Becca Grady,
Anya Ifshin, Anthony de Marte, Ryan Matt, Kelly Shannon,
Patricia Statkiewicz, Emma Peretz, Anna Phillips, Daniela Poppe,
Lillian Pritchard, Ashley Quille, Delaney Wilbur, Alexis Zollo
Scenic Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julie McCoy, Kelly Rowan
Scene Shop Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin Gallagher, Kristen Mayer, Mark Molchany
Carpenters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samantha Bernstein, Andy Burns, Rebecca Canziani, Catherine Clark,
Demetra Demetriades, Michael Dziuba, MJ Hodge, Jordan Horne,
Philip Kaufman, Katie Kooistra, Heather Lash, Lauren MacCready,
Bob Madani, Alexander Michaels, Brenna Schaffell, Brandan Skahill,
Neshama Sonnenschein, Nicole Tetreault, Erin Tiffany,
Sam Thompson, Clay Westman
Properties Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara Rosenman
Programmers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ben Burwell , Ron Gerschel, Zach Heffner
Student Electricians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benjamin Burwell, Hannah Cascio, David Forbes, Sean Fowley,
Brydon Geisler, Ron Gerschel, Connor Gibbons, Zachary Heffner,
Jared Loeb, Brian Pacelli
Box Office Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Beckman, Marie DiNorcia,
Hannah Gross, David Triplett
Box Office Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zoë Briggs; Sarah Mitchler, Lillian Pritchard, Jackie Schweighardt,
Ryan Skerchak, Michelle Taplin, Sydney Watt, Alex Womer
House Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erin Bradford, Lily Fryburg, Carrie Jablansky,
Cody Johnson, Rebecca Grady
Marketing & Development Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott Snyder
Presidential Assistant for Marketing & Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liana Decates
Publicity & Marketing Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Briana Boche, Allison Conley, Natalie Coy,
Taylor Hunsberger, Jason Leonhard, Jillian Mauro
March 2015
Street Scene 11
F R o M T h E M U s I C al D I R E C T o R
A Musical Melting Pot
J
ust as the diversely populated
tenement house in Street Scene
(1947) represents a disparate mix
of ethnicities, Kurt Weill’s score comprises a wide variety of musical styles. If
you listen carefully, you will even catch a
reference to the kitchen sink.
Street Scene opens with a languid, jazzy
ensemble number (“Ain’t it awful, the
heat?”) clearly inspired by the minor-key
curtain-raiser “Summertime” in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (1934). This is
followed by a blues sung by the janitor,
Henry, often played by a black actor. His
“I’ve Got a Marble and a Star” serves as a
framing element very similar to “Ol’ Man
River” in Kern’s Show Boat (1927).
At the core of the play is the tragic and
violent story of the Maurrants’ failed
marriage. Weill gives this plotline full
operatic treatment. Frank’s aria (“Let
Things Be Like They Always Was”) is
characterized by a recurring texture of
threateningly repetitive low chords.
When he loses his temper, this music
becomes agitated, exploding into violent,
hammering offbeat accents. Anna’s music
is despairingly passionate and finely
nuanced. Her show-stopping first aria
(“Somehow I Never Could Believe”)
belongs to the world of late Romantic
Italian opera such as Puccini’s Madame
Butterfly (1904). However, when Anna
remembers her first arrival in New York,
her music bustles with excited, nervous energy, creating a bouyant urban
12
soundscape straight out of Gershwin’s
orchestral tone poem An American in
Paris (1928).
The Maurrants’ daughter, Rose, sings
a tender swing ballad (“What Good
Would the Moon Be”) with distinctive harmonies recalling Weill’s cabaret
work in the Weimar Republic of the
the 1920s. (Note for music theorists:
Weill’s chord of choice is a minor triad
with an added major sixth degree.)
Rose’s song was one of the popular
hits of the show in 1947, along with
“Wouldn’t You Like to Be on Broadway?” a disingenuous come-on sung by
the sleazy office manager Harry Easter.
R
ose’s introverted friend Sam is
given the atmospheric “Lonely
House,” featuring a smooth and
repetitive four-note motive in the cellos
identical to the opening of the James
Bond theme (written in 1961). Weill
combines this with light staccato notes in
the clarinets and a haunting sigh motive
from a solo violin to evoke the muffled
noises of the tenement building at night.
In the duets of this young couple, who
are “so fond of one another that for a
moment they almost believe they are
in love,”1 Weill manages to walk a fine
line between lyricism and sentimentality. In a sequence of great beauty at the
close of the first act (“Remember That I
Care”), their strong connection to one
another finds expression as they recite
lines from Walt Whitman’s 1865 elegy
for Abraham Lincoln, “When lilacs last
in the dooryard bloom’d.” Their secondact duet, “We’ll Go Away Together,” is
more operetta-like in character. Upon
hearing it for the first time, Weill’s wife
Lotte Lenya chided him for imitating
the lilting chromatic melodic style of
Viennese composer Johann Strauss II.
In a stroke of genius, Weill tinges Rose
and Sam’s third and final duet with special poignancy by adding a brand new
sound, one we have not yet heard in the
opera. The couple’s words of farewell are
accompanied by an English horn, the
oboe’s dolorous cousin, which makes its
very first appearance in the score about
seven minutes before the final curtain.
U
nlike most Broadway songwriters, who traditionally
collaborate with one or more
arrangers to transform their basic piano/
vocal compositions into a full score for
the orchestra, Weill approached his work
as does a classical composer, doing all of
this work on his own. This meant that,
as a show approached its opening, Weill
would attend and lead rehearsals during
the day and then stay up late working
on the score, making necessary adjustments in accordance with the needs of
the actors and director. These periods of
extended overwork may have contributed to his early death at the age of 50.
In any case, all of the wonderful colors,
textures and countermelodies emanating
from the pit during this performance are
1
his work and his work alone, with the
exception of two numbers which were
given over to big band and Broadway pro
Ted Royal. The first is Mae and Dick’s
jitterbug, “Moon Faced, Starry Eyed,”
which makes the pianist and clarinet
players work extra hard for their money.
Royal also orchestrated Jenny’s graduation song, “Wrapped in a Ribbon and
Tied with a Bow.” Composed expressly
in the style of Rodgers and Hammerstein
(Oklahoma! appeared in 1943, Carousel
and the film State Fair in 1945), this
facile and tuneful song features regular
phrase structure and predictable key
changes. (Let’s take the next verse up
a half-step!) You should have seen the
faces of our orchestra musicians when we
came to this piece during a first readthrough of the opera. Their reaction:
“What is a number like this doing in this
score?”
The infamously difficult “Ice Cream
Sextet” serves as an prime example of
Weill’s blending of compositional styles.
In it, Weill parodies 19th century Italian
opera from the stratospheric soprano
fireworks of Rossini to the meaty dramatic ensembles of Verdi. He mixes in
a down-and-dirty swing section (on the
text “Baked beans! Chop suey!”) and
tops it all off with a straight-ahead vaudeville chase topped by gospel hallelujahs.
This wonderful number is Weill’s paean
to his favorite American institution,
the neighborhood drugstore, and to his
favorite New World confection.
—Michael Schnack
Ronald Sanders, The Days Grow Short: The Life and Music of Kurt Weill (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1980), p. 356.
March 2015
Street Scene 13
Creator Profiles
Kurt Weill, Composer
Kurt Weill’s musical career started in Germany in the early
1920s. After starting out writing one-act operas, Weill
was commissioned to work with Bertolt Brecht, which
led to Weill’s most famous work, Die Dreigroschenoper, or
The Threepenny Opera. His politically-oriented work with
Brecht and famous stage designer Caspar Neher caught
the attention of the Nazi Party, which caused Weill, a Jew,
to flee the country with his wife Lotte Lenya in 1933 and
travel to Paris and London before settling in the United
States. Upon his arrival, Weill was determined to become a composer for the
American stage. His hits included Lady in the Dark with lyricist Ira Gershwin,
One Touch of Venus with lyricist Ogden Nash, Knickerbocker Holiday with lyricist Maxwell Anderson, and Street Scene with lyricist Langston Hughes and
playwright Elmer Rice. The Threepenny Opera became the longest running
musical in history when it opened in 1956 and played until 1961, enjoying a
run of 2,707 performances. He is the only composer in Broadway history to
orchestrate all of his own works.
“[Kurt Weill was] the most original single workman in the whole musical theater… Every work was a new model, a new shape, a new solution to
dramatic problems.” —Virgil Thomson, composer
this title for over 30 years, until Lorraine Hansbury’s A Raisin in the Sun hit
the Broadway stage in 1958. He was known for incorporating the rhythms
of jazz and blues music into his prose. Throughout his life, he was actively
engaged in the Civil Rights Movement in America, and was an ardent
supporter of letting African-Americans participate in war efforts through
military service. His works and efforts won many prestigious awards, including the Guggenheim Fellowship, and he was granted honorary degrees from
Howard University and Western Reserve University.
Elmer Rice, Librettist
Elmer Rice, born Elmer Leopold Reizenstein to German
Jewish immigrant parents, wrote over 35 plays, as well
as novels, non-fiction books, and screen adaptations
throughout his 50-year career. His most famous works
were 1923’s The Adding Machine, which was considered
one of the most groundbreaking and controversial plays
ever to hit Broadway, and Street Scene, which garnered
the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1929. Some other major
works included On Trial, Counsellor at Law, and For the
Defense, which were inspired by his former education and brief career in law.
Rice’s legal background made him aware of many significant political, social,
and moral issues of his era. He became the first major American dramatist to
incorporate these issues into his plays.
—Jillian Mauro
Langston Hughes, Lyricist
One of the greatest poets of the Harlem Renaissance,
Langston Hughes wished to depict the real lives of
African-Americans and those of lower socioeconomic
classes through his art. His career started in 1921 with
the publication of his poem “The Negro Speaks of
Rivers,” which became his signature poem. Between then
and his death in 1967, at the age of 65, he wrote dozens
of poetry collections, novels, children’s books, nonfiction
books, short stories, and plays. Hughes was recognized
for his writing for the stage in the 1930s, and his 1935 play Mulatto became
the longest running Broadway play written by an African-American. It held
14
March 2015
Street Scene 15
,
Street Scene s History
S
treet Scene, with a score by Kurt
this dialogue throughout the show,
Weill and lyrics by Langston
ensuring that music was a constant presHughes and Elmer Rice, is based
ence, even when no one was singing.
on Rice’s play of the same name. After
Street Scene paved the way for later sigan out-of-town tryout in Philadelphia,
nificant musical works, including West
it opened on Broadway at the Adelphi
Side Story, by addressing cultural and
Theatre in New York on Jan. 9, 1947.
social issues in a straightforward and
Weill’s Street Scene
humanistic manner
score won the Tony
on the stage at a
Award for Best Score
time when post-war
at the first-ever
tension were high
award show in 1947,
and discrimination
beating out such
against immigrants
classics as Brigadoon
was rampant in
and Finian’s Rainbow
America. In this
and setting a high
way, the melting pot
standard for scores
of musical styles
in years to come. The
mirrors the melting
costume designer for
pot of people and
the original producissues found in the
tion also received a
Manhattan tenement
Tony Award for Best
in the show. Those
Costume Design.
residing in the cities
Combining operof the United States
Title page of the playbill for the 1947 production. © 2012 Playbill Inc.
atic arias, influences
after World War II
of jazz and blues, and musical theatrehad to struggle against poverty and loss
style song-and-dance numbers, Street
while navigating the anxiety that came
Scene stands at a crossroads between
along with relations between those of
classical and more contemporary
different races and social classes.
theatre and serves as a melting pot for
Since its original production in 1947,
all of the musical traditions present in
Street Scene has enjoyed worldwide
America at the time. It is one of the only
success, with professional productions
musicals whose songs are consistently
mounted in countries such as England,
found in the canons of both opera and
Germany, and Austria. Today, Street
musical theatre. Weill’s goal was to
Scene still finds success in productions
create a show that incorporated music
put on by opera companies and univerand word equally, with neither element
sities, where it continues to reach new
overpowering the other. To accomaudiences with its poignant story and
plish this, he chose to use dialogue as
revolutionary music.
opposed to just song, but to underscore
— Jillian Mauro
16
March 2015
Street Scene 17
Faculty & Guest Artist Profiles
Ed Bara (Frank Maurrant) is much
sought after as a soloist, and recording artist. He has been heard in 14
countries, and some of the world’s
most beautiful venues including Saint
Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, The
National Cathedral in Washington,
D.C., Carnegie Hall and Radio City
Music Hall, New York, and the Basilica
of Saints Peter and Paul, The Academy
of Music, and The Kimmel Center,
Philadelphia. He has sung under the
batons of Sir Simon Rattle, Valentin
Radu, John Adams, and dozens of
great conductors. In all, he has performed over 100 feature roles of
opera, oratorio, theatre, and musical
theatre. The bass-baritone is a soloist
on live concert recordings of Bach’s
Mass in B-Minor, Mozart’s Requiem,
Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Die Ruinen
von Athen, and Ninth Symphony,
Handel’s Messiah and Judas
Maccabeus, the Dvořák Requiem, and
Mendelssohn’s Elijah, among many
others. Street Scene marks Ed’s tenth
production at Muhlenberg College,
either as a performer or musical director. He was last seen as King Arthur in
last summer’s wildly successful Monty
Python’s Spamalot. This summer he will
serve as musical director and conductor for Muhlenberg Summer Music
Theatre’s production of Avenue Q.
Michael Chin (Fight Choreographer)
is a professional actor who is part of
the AEA, AFTRA, and SAG, as well
18
March 2015
as a sanctioned master instructor
and choreographer with the Society
of American Fighting Directors. He
serves as fight director in residence
for both The White Horse and Pan
Asian Rep in New York City. He has
taught, choreographed, and consulted
on Broadway as well as for The Mint,
Murder To Go, Theatreworks USA,
La MaMa ETC, The National Asian
American Theatre Company, The
Public, The Vineyard Theatre, Juilliard,
New York University, Henry Street
Settlement, The Drama League, The
Classical Theatre of Harlem, and the
New York Renaissance Faire.
Cheryl Soper Christensen (Props
Coordinator) has worked with the
department since Spring 2001.
Mainstage productions began with
The Crucible in spring of 2001 and
work with Muhlenberg Summer
Music Theatre began with You’re
A Good Man, Charlie Brown! in the
summer of 2001. Previously, Cheryl
was prop coordinator, then production manager, for The Whole Theatre
in Montclair, N.J., where, alongside
artistic director Olympia Dukakis, she
worked with renowned talents including director Susan Strohman, playwright Romulus Linney, and many
others. She then served as production
manager at her alma mater, Upsala
College. The productions Cheryl is
most proud of are her sons, Kramer,
Alex, and Ethan.
Street Scene 19
Lauren Curnow (Anna Maurrant)
is one of today’s most exciting vocal
artists, known for her ability to take on
a wide range of dramatic and comedic
characters and a demanding vocal
range. She has performed professionally across the country and around
the world for more than a decade,
with such companies as Wolftrap
Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, the Opera
Theatre of St. Louis, and the Lyric
Opera of Chicago. In spring 2014, Ms.
Curnow performed with Baltimore
Concert Opera, debuting the role of
Azucena in Il Trovatore, and in fall
2013, she debuted at the Dorothy
Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, in
the Azerbaijani operetta Arşin Mal
Alan. She also recently debuted the
role of Amneris in Aida, performed in
concert for the Berks Opera Workshop
2013 season; she will reprise the role
in a fully staged production this fall
with Opera San Luis Obispo. Ms.
Curnow is a graduate of the Lyric
Opera of Chicago’s apprentice program and holds master’s degrees from
The Juilliard School and The Curtis
Institute of Music.
Lara de Bruijn (Costume Designer)
— Recent and upcoming projects
include The Rake’s Progress (Boston
Conservatory), The Fence (The Boston
Center for the Arts), Under My Skin
(Little Shubert Theatre), The TwoCharacter Play (New World Stages),
Don Giovanni (Castleton Opera
Festival), Black Dolphin (Danspace),
Ndebele Funeral (59E59), Slow Dusk
& Markheim (Little Opera Theatre of
20
NY), The Yellow Wallpaper (Boston
Playwrights’), The Circle and Measure
for Meaure (Peterborough Players).
MFA from NYU Tisch School of the
Arts. See more at laradawndesign.com.
Curtis Dretsch (Scenic Designer)
is currently professor of theatre arts
and director of design and technical
theatre for the Department of Theatre
& Dance. In addition to his more
than 100 designs for Muhlenberg
College Theatre and Muhlenberg
Summer Music Theatre over the past
32 years, Mr. Dretsch’s work has been
seen in New York City, Philadelphia,
Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Dallas,
Edinburgh and London. He has
designed for the Dallas Shakespeare
Festival, Terry Beck Dance Troupe,
and Pennsylvania Stage Company
(LORT), where he did scenery and/or
lights 41 times over 12 years. During
the 1990s he served Muhlenberg as
dean of the College for faculty and
vice president for academic affairs. In
April 2002, Curtis received a Lifetime
Achievement Henry Award for his
role in the Muhlenberg community,
and in June of 2009, he received
a Muhlenberg College Alumni
Achievement Award for distinguished
contributions to the College. He
received his Bachelor of Arts degree
from Montana State University and
his Master of Fine Arts degree from
Southern Methodist University.
Karen Dearborn (Choreographer)
has choreographed over 80 works in
concert, theatre, and musical theatre,
including national tours of the Tony
Award-winning National Theatre of
the Deaf and several Equity theatres.
She has provided choreography for
Summer Music Theatre productions of A Chorus Line, Crazy for You,
Hairspray, The Music Man, The Mikado,
The Sound of Music, The Who’s Tommy,
Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel, Annie Get
Your Gun, A Funny Thing Happened on
the Way to the Forum, Guys and Dolls,
and Oliver! as well as Muhlenberg
Mainstage productions of On the
Town, The Pajama Game, The Other
Shore, Oklahoma!, Urinetown, Cabaret,
and West Side Story. She also regularly choreographs dance works for
Master Choreographers. Ms. Dearborn
is the chair and founding director of
Muhlenberg’s Dance Program. Her
scholarly research has been published
in The Journal of Dance Education,
and she contributed an essay to the
book Performing Magic on the Western
Stage. She serves on the executive
board of the American College Dance
Association.
Gertjan Houben (Lighting Designer)
is excited to be back for his seventh
production at Muhlenberg College.
He is grateful he gets to work again
with the wonderful staff and talented
students. Previous productions: Mad
Forest, The Winter’s Tale, Bartholomew
Fair (which received a Kennedy
Center ACTF Outstanding Lighting
Design Award), The Bourgeois Pig,
44 Plays for 44 Presidents and A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. Gertjan
is a New York City-based designer
March 2015
with an international background.
Recent NYC productions include:
The McGowan Trilogy, Hard Times,
An American Musical; The Clearing;
Super Saragossa Sea, a collaboration
with artist Gabriel Lester for Performa
13 (Abrons Art Center Playhouse)
and The Mapmaker’s Opera, Castle
Walk, Legacy Falls and Mother Divine
for the New York Musical Festival.
International credits include Andre
Rieu’s televised spectacles at Radio
City Music Hall and the Toronto
Skydome. Gertjan has a Bachelor of
Arts from the Amsterdam Theater
School and an MFA from New York
University Tisch’s Department of
Design for Stage and Film. For more
info visit www.gertjanhouben.com.
Charles Richter (Director) is the
director of theatre at Muhlenberg
College, where he has taught and
directed for the past 35 years. His
productions of The Good Woman of
Setzuan, The School for Scandal, and
Spring Awakening were selected for
presentation at American College
Theatre Festival regional festivals;
he has also directed, among others,
Life’s a Dream, Cabaret, The Pirates
of Penzance, Wonderful Town, The
Mikado, West Side Story, A Chorus
Line, Hamlet, and On the Town.
He is a founding artistic director
of the Muhlenberg Summer Music
Theatre, former artistic director of
the Pennsylvania Stage Company,
and a member of the Stage Directors
and Choreographers Society. Charles
directed the world premiere of On
Street Scene 21
the Sporatic by Muhlenberg alum Jim
Ryan at the Ensemble Studio Theatre
in New York City in May 2006. His
productions for the summer stage also
include Candide, Annie Get Your Gun,
Hairspray, 42nd Street, Anything Goes,
and Man of La Mancha, among others.
He has also directed for the New York
City Opera Education Department,
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and
Theatre Three in Dallas. He holds
an MFA in directing from Southern
Methodist University, and a Certificate
in Drama from the University of
Bristol, England. Charles is a fellow
of the Society for Values in Higher
Education.
Michael Schnack (Musical Director/
Conductor)– B.A. in music, Yale
University. Studies in choral
conducting at the Gnessin Institute,
Moscow. M.A. degree and doctoral
coursework in choral conducting and
pedagogy, University of Iowa. Since
1990 based in Vienna, Austria: musical director, conductor, collaborative
pianist and singer for productions in
major theatres of Austria, Germany
and Switzerland, industry shows,
European tours. Award-winning
composer of choral works, cabaret
shows, solo songs and three full-length
musicals. From 1994 to 2009 artistic
director of the Performing Arts Studios
Vienna, a professional training academy for musical theatre singers, dancers and actors. Since 2012 Director
of Choral Activities and Voice Area
Coordinator at Muhlenberg, teaching conducting, studio voice and the
cluster course Music of the Danube, as
well as directing the academic College
Choir and the choral jazz Chamber
Singers. Recent Muhlenberg music
and theatre productions include A
Chorus Line, Crazy for You, Every Good
Boy Deserves Favor, Mad Forest, and
the 2013 collaborative production The
Cloth Peddler (Azerbaijani operetta)
for the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion,
Los Angeles.
Jarrod Yuskauskas (Dialect Coach)
currently serves as director of theatre
arts for Moravian Academy, where
he has directed Twelfth Night, The
Mystery of Edwin Drood, and My
Favorite Year (both Freddy Award
winners for Outstanding Production
by a Smaller School), and where he
teaches a variety of theatre courses. As
an actor, he has performed with the
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival,
Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre,
BRAT Productions, Bucks County
Playhouse, Media Theatre, and
the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.
Locally, he has been seen onstage at
Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre
in Spamalot (as Sir Robin) and
HMS Pinafore (as Sir Joseph Porter)
and most recently as Dr. Frederick
Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein
at Civic Theatre. Additionally, he as
served as a combat choreographer
for Civic and dialect coach for both
Civic and Muhlenberg College.
Jarrod is a graduate of the MFA
Professional Actor Training Program
at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival/
University of Alabama and received
his Bachelor of Arts degree from
DeSales University.
WMUH
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muhlenberg.edu/wmuh
22
March 2015
Street Scene 23
Company Profiles
Felice Amsellem (Mrs. Fiorentino) is
a sophomore performing in her second
Mainstage production. She last appeared in
the chorus of Agamemnon. Previous shows
include the Studio Production A Memory,
A Monologue, A Rant, and A Prayer, and Life
Under Water (as Jinx). Felice is a music and
theatre double-major and is a member of
the Muhlenberg Dynamics.
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10% off for all Muhlenberg Students & Staff
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24
Rebecca Bitondo (Ensemble) is a
senior history and theatre double-major
at Muhlenberg. Past Muhlenberg roles
include the chorus of Agamemnon
(Mainstage) and the female swing in Gruff!
(Summer Music Theatre). Rebecca sings
with the Muhlenberg Chamber Singers, the
College Choir and the Women’s Ensemble,
and she is the proud costume designer
for the Muhlenberg Circus Workshop’s
production of Atlas this spring. Much love
and thanks.
Zoë Briggs (Ensemble, u/s Shirley
Kaplan) was last seen as Kristine in A
Chorus Line this past Muhlenberg Summer
Music Theatre season. Other Mainstage
credits: The Learned Ladies (Clitandre),
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Ensemble)
and 44 Plays for 44 Presidents (Hoover).
Zoë just returned from a semester abroad
studying physical theatre in Arezzo, Italy,
at the Accademia dell’Arte. She is the
student tour guide coordinator, a member
of Live In Color, a Muhlenberg Theatre
Association board member, and a sister of
the Delta Zeta sorority.
Tim Canali (Dick McGann, Ensemble) is
a sophomore theatre and media & communications double-major. Most recently at
March 2015
Muhlenberg, he has appeared in Spamalot
(SMT), The Winter’s Tale (Archidamus),
Anyone Can Whistle (Cora’s Boys), and
Venus and Adonis (Muhlenberg Opera
Workshop). On campus, Tim is a member
of the Chamber Singers, MTA and MDA, a
Dana Scholar, and a resident advisor.
Jordan Catagnus (Ensemble, u/s
Harry Easter) is making his Muhlenberg
Mainstage debut. He appeared in 42nd
Street as Billy Lawlor and Beauty and the
Beast as the Prince (Perkiomen Valley
High School), as well as The Sound of Music
as Rolf (Forge Theatre). He is a theatre
major with a concentration in acting.
Jordan is also a member of the Muhlenberg
Dynamics a cappella group and president
of the Muhlenberg Chamber Singers.
Aran Abilock Clemmons (Daniel
Buchanan) is excited to return to the
Mainstage after appearing in Anyone Can
Whistle last semester. Previous Muhlenberg
credits include Scuba Lessons and Spotlight
as part of the Red Door Play Festival,
and The Library. Other credits include
Thénardier in Les Misérables (Wilton High
School) and Vinnie in Lucky Stiff (Wilton
Playshop). Aran is a sophomore theatre
and English double-major and a member
of the Chaimonics a cappella group, The
Rude Mechanicals, and the Chamber
Singers.
Joseph Comey (Abraham Kaplan) has
appeared on the Mainstage in Hrosvitha,
Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, and The
Bourgeois Pig. Other credits include My
Fair Lady as Professor Higgins (Palo Alto
High School), Macbeth as Malcolm, and
Street Scene 25
The Importance of Being Earnest as John
P. Worthing (Concordia International
School Shanghai). Joseph is a theatre
major, a vocal student of Steven Snow,
and a member of the Muhlenberg
Chamber Singers and the Muhlenberg
AcaFellas.
Marie DiNorcia (Mae Jones, Ensemble)
is thrilled to be back on the Muhlenberg
Mainstage after a semester abroad
in London. Past credits include the
productions of A Chorus Line (Judy) and
Crazy for You (Louise), and the Mainstage
productions Dance Emerge ’14, The Learned
Ladies (Lépine), and 44 Plays for 44
Presidents (Garfield, Coolidge). Marie is
a double-major in theatre and media &
communication. She is also a Muhlenberg
Scholar, a Cardinal Key, a tour guide, a box
office manager, and a member of the MTA
(fundraising coordinator), MDA, Live in
Color, Alpha Phi Omega, the Muhlenberg
Fashion Society (social media chair),
the Muhlenberg Ukulele Ensemble, and
Copasetic Rhythms.
Dan Dobro (Vincent Jones) most recently
appeared in Sorry, Wrong Number in the
Red Door Play Festival. Other credits
include As You Like It and A Light in the
26
Piazza (The Beacon School), and The
Complete Works of William Shakespeare
(Abridged) at J-Town Playhouse. He plans
on majoring in theatre, currently sings a
cappella as a member of InAcchord, and
performs poetry at various open mic events
on and off campus. This is Dan’s Mainstage
debut.
Tess Dul (First Nursemaid) is a senior
studying theatre, music, and mathematics. Muhlenberg Mainstage credits: New
Visions ’14: Hrosvitha (Hrosvitha), On the
Town, New Voices ’13: Superhuman, and
A Chorus Line (Summer Music Theatre).
Other credits include Dido and Aeneas
(Muhlenberg Music Department), To Kill
a Mockingbird, The Threepenny Opera, The
Pajama Game, and A Midsummer Night’s
Dream (Philipstown Depot Theatre). Tess
is a Dana Scholar, and she recently studied
vocal performance abroad in Vienna,
Austria.
Jordan Elman (Assistant Director) has
directed and acted in numerous events on
Muhlenberg’s campus, including Summer
Music Theatre’s Spamalot (Patsy) and the
Mainstage productions of The Winter’s
Tale, Still Life With Iris and Bartholomew
Fair. He is a part of the Muhlenberg
Chaimonics, and is their mascot.
Nicole Esposito (Ensemble) has
appeared in The Most Massive Woman
Wins in the Red Door Play Festival, as
well as several staged readings here at
Muhlenberg. Other regional credits
include Lou Ann in Hairspray, ensemble
in Les Misérables (Fulton Theater), and
several shows at the Dutch Apple Dinner
Theatre. Nicole is a theatre major and
dance minor, secretary of the Muhlenberg
Dynamics, and the host for the upcoming
Fundraiser Cabaret.
Aaron Finkle (Willie Maurrant, Charlie
Hildebrand) appeared in Narnia: The
Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Beauty
and the Beast and Robin Hood at Orefield
Middle School. He will also be performing in their spring production of Peter
Pan. Other credits include Jack and the
Beanstalk (The Ogunquit Playhouse).
Aaron loves theatre, singing, and magic. He
also plays the tuba for the Orefield Middle
School Band.
Katie Fletcher (3rd Graduate), a freshman, is excited to be in her second
Mainstage production. She was previously
in Anyone Can Whistle (Velma, Ensemble).
Other credits include: Anything Goes (Mrs.
Harcourt), 9 to 5 (Judy), and Children of
Eden (Eve).
March 2015
David Forbes (Steve Sankey) has
appeared on the Muhlenberg stage in
Agamemnon (Herald), Restroom Rehearsal
(Fritz), The Goodbye (Ub Iwerks), and
God’s Pawn (God). He is a theatre major
and music minor, and an active member of
the Chaimonics.
Karina Fox (Olga Olsen) is a sophomore
with a theatre major and business minor.
Her credits include co-directing The Lover
and acting in Naomi in the Living Room
for the Red Door Play Festival, as well as
directing Mutually Beneficial for the New
Play Reading Series. Karina is a co-coordinator for Muhlenberg Arts Marathon and
a member of the Muhlenberg Chamber
Singers. Most recently, she assistant
directed for the Mainstage production of
Agamemnon.
Albert Fusco (Fred Cullen) appeared
as Carl Dad in The 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee, Herby (“Light of
the World”) in Godspell, and Antonio in
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, all at Hamden
Hall Country Day School. Albert is a math
and theatre double-major, and a member
of FUZiiON dance team and the ultimate
frisbee team here at Muhlenberg. This
is his first appearance in a Muhlenberg
Mainstage.
Street Scene 27
Meghan Garvey (Ensemble) is making
her Mainstage debut. She has appeared in
the Muhlenberg Opera Workshop’s production of Venus and Adonis. Other credits
include A Little Night Music and A Chorus
Line (Concord-Carlisle High School),
as well as Anything Goes (Savoyard Light
Opera Company). Meghan is a music and
theatre double-major, concentrating in
design.
Marianna Giercyk (Assistant Conductor,
Child Wrangler) is making her
Muhlenberg theatre debut after studying conducting under Michael Schnack.
Annie is a sophomore math and music
double-major in the education program,
and serves the college as both a resident
advisor and a tutor. She sings with the
College Choir and the Chamber Singers.
Paige Harrington (Assistant Stage
Manager) – Previous Muhlenberg credits
include assistant stage manager for Moving
Stories ’14, Belle in Support in the Red
Door Play Festival, and wanting to be a
mango in Arts Marathon. Other credits
include Golde in Fiddler on the Roof at the
International Thespian Festival and costumes and running crew at the Minnesota
Fringe Festival. Paige is an RJ Fellow
majoring in theatre, and is a member of
the Muhlenberg Outdoors Club and the
Fencing Club.
Gabrielle Hines (Second Nursemaid) is
a freshman making her Mainstage debut
at Muhlenberg. Other credits include
Hairspray at the Steelriver Playhouse, and
Les Misérables and Cleopatra at Coatesville
High School. Gabrielle was also the
2013-2014 honor soloist at Coatesville.
At Muhlenberg, Gabrielle has performed
in the Red Door Play Festival and is a
28
March 2015
member of the Tintinnabulators and the
Muhlenberg cheerleading team.
Taylor Hunsberger (Ensemble) is a
sophomore theatre and English doublemajor. Most recently she appeared in the
Muhlenberg Mainstage production of
Anyone Can Whistle. She is also a member
of the Women’s Ensemble, Ukulele
Ensemble, and Feminist Collective as well
as a work-study student in the Theatre &
Dance Department marketing office.
Zachary Jackson (Dick McGann,
Ensemble) is a junior double-majoring
in theatre and media & communication.
Zachary most recently appeared in the
ensemble of Anyone Can Whistle. Last
spring, he appeared as Mozart in Still Life
with Iris (New Visions ’14). Zachary has
also appeared in the Mainstage productions of The Mystery of Edwin Drood,
The Marriage of Figaro and 44 Plays for
44 Presidents, as well as the Muhlenberg
Summer Music Theatre production of Jesus
Christ Superstar. Zachary is the president of
the Muhlenberg AcaFellas. Favorite roles
include Bobby Strong in Urinetown and his
first ever role as Jojo in Seussical (Danbury
High School).
Akaash Kapoor (Willie Maurrant, Charlie
Hildebrand) is making his Muhlenberg
debut. He is a seventh grade honor student
at Orefield Middle School and has appeared
in several OMS productions, including
Peter Pan (Fox), currently in production,
Narnia (Mr. Tumnus), Beauty and the Beast
(Lafue), and Robin Hood (Friar Tuck).
Other credits include Jungle Book (Shere
Khan), Stuart Little (George), Aladdin
(Sultan), and Stinky Cheese Man (Old Man)
all at Pennsylvania Youth Theatre. Akaash
plays the cello for his school’s honors
Street Scene 29
orchestra and the Lehigh Valley Junior
String Philharmonic. He also is active in
Reading Olympics and OMS Chorale.
Molly Karlin (Mae Jones, Ensemble) has
appeared in the Muhlenberg Mainstage
productions Sinternet! The Musical and
The Marriage of Figaro. She also appeared
as Maggie in the Muhlenberg Summer
Musical Theatre production of A Chorus
Line. Other credits include Beauty and the
Beast (Belle) and Peter Pan (Peter). Molly,
a theatre major and dance/Spanish doubleminor, is involved in Women’s Ensemble
and DiscipleMakers Christian Fellowship
and is president of the Muhlenberg
Chaimonics.
Nicole Karrs (Mrs. Hildebrand, u/s Olga
Olsen) is a senior, double-majoring in
music and theatre. Last year, she studied
vocal performance abroad in Vienna,
30
Austria. She has also performed in
Muhlenberg’s Opera Workshop, playing
roles including Cherubino (A Night of
Italian Arias) and the Second Witch (Dido
and Aeneas). Nicole is a happy and active
participant of Muhlenberg’s Collegium
Musicum and Women’s Ensemble.
Romance. Other credits include Camp
Rock: The Musical and All Shook Up (Plaza
Theatrical), Sinternet! the Musical (New
Visions ’14) and Agamemnon (Mainstage).
Richie is a junior, a Dana Scholar, a
member of the Muhlenberg AcaFellas,
and a theatre major.
Charlie Kehler (Ensemble, u/s Henry
Davis) is making his Muhlenberg debut
in this production. Other credits include
Fiddler on The Roof (Manhattan School of
Music) and Guys and Dolls (Birch Wathen
Lenox High School). Charlie is a theatre
and business double-major.
Max Krueger (Ensemble) appeared in
Anyone Can Whistle on the Mainstage
in the fall. Other credits include Into the
Woods and Fiorello! (Chicago Academy for
the Arts). Max is a freshman theatre and
math double-major, and he tutors calculus
at Muhlenberg.
Richie Kormos (George Jones, Assistant
Musical Director) has directed Three
Beds (an original play) and The Marriage
Proposal in the Red Door Play Festival, and
performed in the Mainstage On the Town,
and the Studio Production of Romance/
Hannah Kurczeski (Joan, Ensemble) is a
fifth grader at Catasauqua Middle School.
This is her Muhlenberg debut. Other credits include Annie Warbucks, The Wizard of
Oz, and Annie (Catasauqua Area Showcase
Theatre), Broadway Kids (Civic), and
March 2015
Forever Christmas, a youth cabaret at
SteelStacks (Star of the Day Productions).
She is active in her school chorus and her
church choir, and she plays the French
horn in her school band.
Danielle Lichter (Shirley Kaplan) is a
junior theatre major. Muhlenberg credits
include Every Good Boy Deserves Favor
(Mainstage), Comedy Tonight (MTA
Cabaret), Of Voices, of Choices (Red Door
Play Festival) and The Library (IJCU).
Other recent credits include: Rizzo in
Grease (Patriot Players), Bloody Mary in
South Pacific (French Woods), Muriel in
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (French Woods)
and Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street (DPAC).
Danielle is a member of the Muhlenberg
Dynamics, The Jazz Ensemble, and Phi
Sigma Sigma. She recently returned from
studying physical theatre at The Accademia
dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy.
Street Scene 31
Drew Maidment (Ensemble, u/s Carl
Olsen & Steve Sankey) is making his
Mainstage debut with Street Scene.
He recently performed in the Studio
Production of Trifles. Other credits include
Shrek the Musical (Shrek) and The Lion
King (Simba). Drew is a freshman, a theatre and media & communication doublemajor, and a member of the Muhlenberg
AcaFellas.
Joe Marx (Sam Kaplan) is a senior
theatre major and economics minor. He
most recently appeared in this season’s
production of Master Choreographers,
in Shelley Oliver’s “Riptides.” Joe has
previously appeared in the Muhlenberg
Mainstage productions of The Mystery of
Edwin Drood (John Jasper) and On the
Town, as well as the Muhlenberg Summer
Music Theatre productions of Spamalot,
Crazy for You, and HMS Pinafore. Joe
is a member of the Muhlenberg Tap
Ensemble and the performance ensemble
SongSycle. He is also the musical director of the a cappella group NoteWorthy,
and a tutor for Muhlenberg’s Academic
Resource Center.
September McCarthy (Ensemble, u/s
Greta Fiorentino) is grateful to be performing in her first Mainstage production. She
32
recently appeared as Blanche in Desire,
Desire, Desire in the fall’s Red Door Play
Festival. September is a philosophy and
theatre double-major.
Dan McKenna (City Marshall) has
previously appeared in the Mainstage
productions of Anyone Can Whistle and
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, as well as in
the Studio Productions of What Strong
Fences Make and What Heaven Doesn’t
Have to Know. Other recent credits
include West Side Story, Crazy for You,
Young Frankenstein, and Hair (Downtown
Performing Arts Center). On campus,
Dan is a Dana Scholar, a learning assistant,
the president of Muhlenberg’s A Cappella
Council, and the coordinator of the
Muhlenberg Dynamics.
Matthew Mininberg (Ensemble, u/s
George Jones) is a member of the Class
of 2018. His credits include All Shook
Up, Almost Maine, and Brighton Beach
Memoirs (Guilford High School), Romeo
and Juliet (Long Wharf Theatre) and Fame
(Backstage Players). Matt is a theatre and
environmental science double-major. He
performed with the Muhlenberg College
Choir during his first semester, and
recently became a peer tutor in biology and
environmental science.
Erica Morreale (Ensemble) is appearing in her second Mainstage production.
She was recently seen in Anyone Can
Whistle this past fall, after transferring
to Muhlenberg. Erica is a theater and
elementary education double-major, and
is involved in the NoteWorthy a cappella
group on campus. She is a recipient of a
Papermill Playhouse Rising Star Award,
and was recently seen as Laurey in New
Jersey Youth Theatre’s Oklahoma! Other
credits include Smokey Joe’s Café (DeeLee)
and Kiss Me Kate (Lois Lane).
with a concentration in acting and an
avid contributor to the Muhlenberg Film
Association.
Mac Myles (Officer Murphy) is a junior
theatre and media & communication
double-major. He has previously appeared
on the Mainstage in This Is a Chair, The
Mystery of Edwin Drood and The Marriage
of Figaro, and Muhlenberg Summer
Music Theatre’s Jesus Christ Superstar. On
campus, Mac is a member of SongSycle
and a brother of the Alpha Phi Omega
service fraternity.
Liam Orly (Ensemble, u/s Sam Kaplan &
Lippo Fiorentino) most recently appeared
on the Mainstage in Anyone Can Whistle,
A Chorus Line, and Sinternet! The Musical.
Other credits include choreographer for
the Fall Dance Gallery and performer in
Dance On. Liam is a sociology major, a peer
tutor, and secretary of the Muhlenberg
Fashion Society.
James Ofalt (Carl Olsen) has previously
appeared in Mainstage productions of
The Love of Don Perlimplín for Belisa in
the Garden (Don Perlimplín), Every Good
Boy Deserves Favor (Doctor), as well as
the world premieres of Sinternet! The
Musical and Gruff! James is a theatre major
March 2015
Brendan O’Hara (Assistant Stage
Manager) was previously an assistant stage
manager for Hrosvitha at Muhlenberg.
Prior to Muhlenberg, he was an assistant
stage manager and production stage manager at Morris Hills High School. Brendan
is a sophomore theatre and psychology
double-major. He is also a writing tutor, a
peer tutor, and a member of Best Buddies.
Maddux Pearson (Ensemble, u/s
Abraham Kaplan) has previously appeared
in Bad Auditions by Bad Actors (Roger)
in Fall 2014’s Red Door Play Festival.
Prior to Muhlenberg, he starred in his
high school’s productions of Oklahoma!
(Curly) and Fiddler on the Roof (Tevye).
Street Scene will be Maddux’s debut in a
Street Scene 33
Mainstage production at Muhlenberg.
Maddux is a prospective history and
music double-major, and is a part of
Muhlenberg’s Jazz Improv and College
Choir ensembles.
Juliette Reilly (Jennie Hildebrand,
Ensemble, u/s Emma Jones) is a junior
music major and English and creative writing double-minor, making her Mainstage
debut. She appeared in the Muhlenberg
Summer Music Theatre production of Jesus
Christ Superstar and the studio productions
A La Luz del Medio (featured singer) and
Romance, Romance (Barb). Other favorite
roles include Ariel in Footloose and Adriana
in Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors.
Juliette is a singer/songwriter and is the
secretary for the Broadway-based a cappella group, NoteWorthy.
Iana Robitaille (Jennie Hildebrand,
Ensemble) is a senior English and music
double-major. Previous Muhlenberg stage
credits include Mud (Fall 2013) and Speak
(Spring 2012). Iana performs with the
Muhlenberg Women’s Ensemble, Jazz
Improv Ensemble and Jazz Big Band. She
is president of the Muhlenberg Improv
Association and business manager of
NoteWorthy a cappella ensemble, and she
works as a tutor in Muhlenberg’s Writing
34
Center. Iana studied abroad in Senegal last
spring, and she hopes to teach English in
France after graduation.
Julia Rock (Violin Student, Ensemble)
was last seen in Muhlenberg College’s
Opera Workshop and Chamber Orchestra
production of Venus and Adonis. Past
credits include Seussical, Grease and The
Importance of Being Earnest (Pawling High
School). Julia is a junior theatre major and
music minor. She recently returned from a
semester abroad at Goldsmiths, University
of London.
Kevin F. Rogers (Ensemble) is a junior
with a double-major in theatre and business. Last semester, he had the amazing
opportunity to study abroad in London.
Credits include: Spamalot for Muhlenberg
Summer Music Theatre, Urinetown (Mr.
McQueen) at Civic Theatre of Allentown,
and the Muhlenberg Mainstage productions of The Mystery of Edwin Drood and
The Marriage of Figaro.
Alexandria Rust (Ensemble) is an English
and theatre double-major. She was last
seen in This Is a Chair (Deidre/Mother),
The Adventures of Alice and Noah (Annie),
On the Town (Flossie), and Jack and the
Beanstalk (Cow). She also wrote, produced,
and directed her own play 16 Bars and a
Monologue, Please. She is a retired member
and supporter of Damsels In Excess and the
current president of the NoteWorthy a cappella, and she teaches spin classes.
Brenna Schaffell (Assistant Stage
Manager) is working on her second show
here after serving as an assistant stage manager for Agamemnon last semester. She has
stage managed a handful of productions,
including Great Expectations: the Musical
and Little Shop of Horrors. Brenna is a freshman and plans to major in theatre with a
stage management concentration. She also
works in the scene shop and shoots photos
for the school’s yearbook and newspaper.
Tessa Seals (Ensemble) has appeared
in A Christmas Carol (three seasons) as
a Party Kid and a Caroling Urchin at the
Civic Theatre of Allentown and is currently
performing in Civic’s The Sound of Music.
Tessa is in sixth grade at the Arts Academy
Charter School, studying voice and theatre.
She also plays first base and catcher for the
West End Youth Center. She loves to read
and play with her two dogs.
Jenna Seasholtz (Mary Hildebrand) is
thrilled to be making her Muhlenberg
Mainstage debut. Other credits include The
March 2015
Sound of Music at Southern Lehigh High
School. Jenna is in second grade and takes
dance classes at Danceworks.
Kelly Shannon (Ensemble) is a freshman making her Mainstage debut. She last
appeared in the Red Door Play Festival’s
production of Traces of Memory. Other
credits include Meet Me in St. Louis
(Esther), The Diary of Anne Frank (Miep),
and The Laramie Project at Ridgefield High
School. Kelly is an aspiring theatre and
English double-major, a campus delegate, and a member of the Muhlenberg
Dynamics, Chamber Singers, and
Women’s Ensemble.
Georgie Simon (Emma Jones) is thrilled
to be in her final Mainstage production. She was previously in On the Town
(Madame Dilly), The Marriage of Figaro
(Marceline), The Mystery of Edwin Drood,
and The Learned Ladies (Martine), as well
as the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre
productions of Hairspray (u/s Tracy) and
Jesus Christ Superstar. Other credits include
the Institute for Jewish and Christian
Understanding’s Face Forward, as well as
dramaturgy for Hrosvitha, in New Visions,
and Trifles, a Studio Production. Georgie
is a senior majoring in theatre and religion
studies.
Street Scene 35
Samantha Simon (Rose Maurrant) is a
senior theatre and music double-major.
You may have seen her on the Mainstage
last semester as Mayoress Cora Hoover
Hooper in Anyone Can Whistle. In spring
2014 she studied opera in Vienna,
Austria, and last summer she performed
opera in various venues around Italy.
Previous Muhlenberg credits include
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Miss Rosa
Bud), The Cloth Peddler (Telli u/s), and
Dido and Aeneas (Belinda). Other roles
include: La Bohème (Musetta), Wicked
in Concert (Galinda), Aida (Aida),
Titanic: The Musical (Ida Straus), Guys
and Dolls (Miss Adelaide), and Candide
(Cunégonde).
Ryan J. Skerchak (Lippo Fiorentino) has
appeared in the Muhlenberg Summer Music
Theatre productions of A Chorus Line (Al)
and Crazy for You. Other credits include
Beauty and the Beast (The Beast), Singin’ in
the Rain (Don Lockwood), and A Christmas
Revue, directed by Ms. Pat Birch. Ryan will
be participating in the Muhlenberg Theatre
Association’s Fundraiser Cabaret for a
second year in April.
Alison Smith (Second Graduate, u/s
Rose Maurrant) is a sophomore making
her Mainstage debut after appearing in last
spring’s Venus and Adonis workshop. Other
credits include Reno in Anything Goes and
Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
(Lakeridge High School). Alison is a sociology major with minors in women’s and
gender studies and music. She is a member
of the Feminist Collective and is conducting research about Muhlenberg’s Diversity
Strategic Plan.
Taylor Helene Smith (Ensemble) is
making her Mainstage debut in Street
36
March 2015
Scene. Previously, she has performed and
directed for the Red Door Play Festival. A
senior double-major in theatre and business, Taylor spent the fall of 2013 studying
abroad in London. On campus Taylor is
a member of the Gospel Choir, Omicron
Delta Kappa, and the Interfaith Leadership
Council.
William B. Smith (Harry Easter)
appeared in Agamemnon last semester.
He also appeared in The Mystery of Edwin
Drood and the Studio Production Life
Under Water. Other roles include the
Grandfather in You Can’t Take it With
You, Zach in A Chorus Line, and Jud Fry in
Oklahoma!
Jessica Sperber (Ensemble) is a sophomore psychology and religion studies
double-major making her Mainstage
debut. She previously appeared in Venus
and Adonis for the Muhlenberg Opera
Workshop. Other credits include Les
Misérables, The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie,
and Romeo and Juliet. Jessica is a resident
advisor and a member of Muhlenberg’s
Chamber Singers jazz choir. She will be
studying abroad in Barcelona next spring.
Noah Sunday-Lefkowitz (Joe, u/s Daniel
Buchanan) is making his Muhlenberg
debut in Street Scene as a freshman.
Previous stage credits include Pippin
in Pippin and Finch in How to Succeed
in Business Without Really Trying at
Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory
School, and Enjolras in Les Misérables
and Benny in In the Heights at Wyoming
Seminary’s Performing Arts Institute.
Noah is also an active member of both the
College Choir and the Chamber Singers
at Muhlenberg, as well as in his band,
Band-ANA.
Street Scene 37
Luke Taylor (Henry Davis) is a senior
English and theatre double-major with concentrations in acting and performance studies. Other Muhlenberg productions include
Agamemnon (Mainstage), The Sedehi
Diversity Project, Seussical! (Muhlenberg
Summer Music Theatre) and Bartholomew
Fair (Mainstage). Luke is also a member of
the NoteWorthy a cappella group and the
performance ensemble SongSycle. Outside
of the artistic community, Luke is a tour
guide and student worker in the admissions
office, a brother of the Sigma Phi Epsilon
fraternity, and a former vice president of
the Inter-Fraternity Council.
Tommy Walters (Ensemble) appeared
on the Mainstage last semester in This Is
a Chair, and in the Muhlenberg Summer
Music Theatre production of A Chorus
Line. Credits outside of Muhlenberg
include Ernst in Spring Awakening (Civic)
and ensemble roles in All Shook Up and
Footloose (Pines Dinner Theatre.) When
he is not performing, he edits film for
Muhlenberg’s On Camera Acting class as
well as producing his own short film work
for distribution online.
Sarah Stupell Weinflash (Production
Stage Manager) recently returned from
studying in Barcelona. Over the summer,
she stage managed A Chorus Line with
38
March 2015
and 9 to 5 at the Fine Arts Connection in
New Jersey. Other credits include: Bernie
(Jewish Memorial Theatre), Birthday Boy
(NW Studio 18), and Je Ne (Stoneybrook
Playhouse). Sarah is the performance
ensemble coordinator for the Muhlenberg
Theatre Association and a proud member of
the sketch comedy group Fun With Science.
Amara Young (Myrtle) is a sophomore
pursuing a major in business marketing.
This is her second Muhlenberg Mainstage
appearance, previously performing as
Mamillius in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s
Tale. Other credits include Overtones (Red
Door Play Festival), Stepsister in Cinderella
and Maria in Twelfth Night (Waynflete
School), and Ursula in Bye Bye Birdie
(Walnut Hill). Amara is a member of Class
Council and a sister of Delta Zeta sorority.
David Yurch (Dr. Wilson) is elated to be
spending his last semester in this incredible
show. His last Mainstage appearance was
in On the Town as Pitkin. A senior theatre
major, David has participated in multiple
Muhlenberg performances, including Red
Door Play Festivals, opera workshops, the
New Voices Staged Readings, and the IJCU
production of The Library. In the fall of 2013,
David went abroad to study physical theatre
at the Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy.
Street Scene 39
Muhlenberg College
Theatre & Dance Department
Theatre Faculty
Beth Schachter – Department Chair;
Associate Professor: Acting, Directing,
History & Theory
Charles Richter – Director of Theatre;
Professor: Directing, Theatre History,
Theory
Curtis Dretsch – Director of Design and
Technical Theatre; Professor: Scenic,
Costume, and Lighting Design
Timothy Averill – Professor:
Scenography
Dr. Arnab Banerji – ASAINetwork; Luce
Foundation Teaching Fellow
Holly Cate – Associate Professor: Acting
Michael Chin – PT Lecturer: Acting,
Stage Combat
Troy Dwyer – Associate Professor:
Acting, Voice & Speech
Mark McKenna – PT Lecturer: Acting
Matthew Moore – Visiting Asst. Professor:
Theatre History & Theory
James Peck – Professor: Directing,
Performance Studies, Theatre History
Francine Roussel – Professor: Acting
Larry Singer – Visiting Assistant
Professor: Directing, Acting
Dance Faculty
Karen Dearborn – Director of Dance;
Professor: Ballet, Composition,
Dance History
Pattie Bostick – Lecturer: Jazz, Ballet
Lisa Bottitta-Busfield – Lecturer:
Modern, Dance Education
Corrie Franz Cowart – Assistant Professor:
Modern, Ballroom, Composition, Dance
on Camera
Susan Creitz – PT Lecturer: Improvisation,
Movement for Actors and Dancers
Heidi Cruz-Austin – Lecturer: Ballet
Gayanne Grossman – Dance Clinic
Director; Lecturer: Anatomy and
Kinesiology for Dancers
Megan Flynn – Visiting Lecturer: Ballet,
Modern, & Pilates
40
March 2015
Beau Hancock – Lecturer: Modern
Madeline Hoak – Lecturer:
Aerial Acrobatics
Janet M. Peck – Lecturer:
African Dance & Cultures
Ellen Troy Mulcahy – Lecturer:
Pilates, Ballet
Shelley Oliver – Director of the
Muhlenberg Tap Ensemble; Lecturer: Tap
Jeffrey Peterson – Assistant Professor:
Modern, Jazz, Dance Technique &
Performace
Tara Repsher – Director of the Muhlenberg
Community Dance Center youth classes;
Lecturer: Ballet, Jazz
Sammy Reyes – Guest Artist: Hip Hop
Teresa VanDenend Sorge – Director of the
DanceMax Moving Company; Lecturer:
Modern, Dance Education, Dance &
Society
Jessica Warchal-King – Lecturer: Ballet
Lynn Wiener – Lecturer: Ballet, Jazz,
Horton Technique
Dance Musicians
Paul Fejko Rebekah Ruth Michael Schnack
Professional Staff
Jessica Bien – General Manager
Damon Gelb – Technical Director
Caroline Cook – Costume Shop Manager
Scott Snyder – Marketing and Development
Manager
Paul E. Theisen, Jr. – Theatre Technician
Eric Covell – Assistant Technical Director
Megan Evans Gartley – Staff Stitcher
Lex Gurst – Staff Stitcher
Tracy C. Kline – Department Secretary
Liana Decates – Presidential Assistant for
Marketing & Development
Theatre & Dance Department Offices:
Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance
484-664-3335 Box office: 484-664-3333
Street Scene 41
Muhlenberg Theatre Association
- Executive Board -
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carrie Jablansky
Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Becca Grady
Executive Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lacie Davies
Business Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Becky Goodman
Historian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zach Love
- Advisory Board -
Fundraising Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marie DiNorcia
Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emma Steiger
Publicity Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rachel Oshrin
Studio Productions Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Watkins
Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demi Demetriades
Red Door Play Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Bedwell
Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cody Johnson
Student Master Carpenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Pacelli
Student Master Electrician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Gerschel
Performance Ensemble Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Weinflash
Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leah Alfieri
Social Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kate McMorran
Concessions Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zoe Briggs
Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Avalon Esposito
Community Outreach Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Goldberger
MTA/MDA Liaison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz Spilsbury
Muhlenberg Dance Association
- Executive Board -
President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danielle Gumbert
Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Courtney Hunsberger
Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Krysta Parker
Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tyler Holoboski
Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Allison Conley
Community Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dalit Agronin, Nikki Horwitz
MTA/MDA Liaison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz Spilsbury
Class Representative 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Courtney Hunsberger
Class Representative 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meredith Clemons, Emily Lombardo
Class Representative 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vivian Cruz-Rivera
Class Representative 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amanda Capasso
Muhlenberg Theatre Association & Muhlenberg Dance Association
are supported by funds provided by Student Government
and the Department of Theatre and Dance.
42
March 2015
Street Scene 43
The Muhlenberg College experience offers a direct learning partnership among faculty and
students in the classroom, laboratory, and performance studio. Muhlenberg offers students
opportunities to foster the most important goal of the liberal arts education—education of
the whole person.
In Theatre and Dance, faculty and staff have developed a multi-faceted approach to
education that combines exciting creative experience with rigorous professional standards.
The production program reinforces the belief that as academic disciplines, theatre and dance
must be intellectual and practical. Serious training and intense interaction between faculty
and students provide a collaborative rather than competitive atmosphere in the department.
Students are challenged as artists in the studio and classroom, working closely with
distinguished faculty and nationally recognized guest artists to achieve a conceptual
understanding and a practical working knowledge of the arts and the profession. Stage
experience is considered one of the most important elements in the training process for
actors and dancers, directors and choreographers, production stage managers, designers and
technicians. Students provide considerable talent and leadership in the staging of both main
stage and studio projects.
Performing Arts graduates of Muhlenberg College are prepared for study at the graduate
level, pursue lives as professional artists, and contribute creative leadership in many other
careers. The blend of academic work in the liberal arts with a professional level of training
in theatre and dance has prepared them to work as actors, directors, designers and stage
managers, choreographers, dancers, and dance educators, and production assistants and arts
administrators on Broadway, in film and television, and in major regional and educational
theatres across the nation.
Muhlenberg’s production program has been ranked in the top ten in the country for six
years running, according to The Princeton Review, including a No. 1 ranking for 2012. The Fiske
Guide to Colleges ranks Muhlenberg among the top 20 small college programs in the nation in
both theatre and dance—one of only eight schools in the country to appear on both lists.
For more information, visit our website at
www.muhlenberg.edu/theatre&dance
44

STREET SCENE - Muhlenberg College

Transcription

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