California State University Northridge Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication Department of Theatre Presents Idiot’s Delight
By Robert E. Sherwood
Directed by Shad Willingham
Scenic Design Costume Design Taylor Suzanne Scott Anderson Wakefield
Lighting Design Sound Design Kevin Vasquez Steven Burkholder
Choreography Stage Manager Lulu Mack Armine Tadevosyan
Dialect Coach Shad Willingham
Little Theatre Nordhoff Hall Oct 9-11, 14-18, 2015 7:30pm, except Sundays at 2:00pm Tickets (818) 677-2488
Idiot’s Delight is presented by special arrangement with Dramatist Play Service, Inc. NY, NY 10016 The videotaping or other visual or audio recording of this production is prohibited by federal law.
ADVISORY: Parking on campus is by permit only. Permit machines available in parking lot G-3, B-1, and others. DIRECTOR’S NOTES Sam Shepard won a Pulitzer Prize. Tennessee Williams won two of them. Robert E. Sherwood is one of only three American playwrights to win three Pulitzer Prizes for drama - plus one for literature. Add that to the fact that he also took home an Academy Award for the screenplay for The Best Years of Our Lives and I think you will agree that Robert E. Sherwood is the greatest dramatist you’ve never heard of. For that reason, and many others, we are happy and proud to present for you, this production of Idiot’s Delight.
This play was written at a very exciting time in America, as well as the world. Internationally, a few small countries in Europe were jockeying for power over and control of smaller, weaker provinces. At the same time, in the United States, a new kind of acting had recently been introduced. A “method” of approach to the craft of acting conceived by Constantin Stanislavski and rooted in principles of human psychology, the purpose of which was to show the audience “real life” on the stage. Or as the poet, Alexander Pushkin, so eloquently coined it: “to be fully alive under imaginary circumstances.” How exciting it must have been to witness Sherwood’s dramatic new play as though it had been ripped from the headlines. Couple that with a bold, new style of acting and you can understand what all the hubbub was about. Today, of course, we only need to watch Law & Order. But back then, before television was introduced, it was like a powder keg going off every night on the Great White Way.
This play is an artifact of a time when theatre was in the midst of a major shift and America was about to experience an even bigger one. Influenced by the work of Anton Chekhov, Idiot’s Delight concerns itself with the lives of those trapped, whether literally or in their minds, by unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances. As the actors endeavor to live fully under these extreme circumstances, we hope that you find their uniquely drawn characters compelling and their journey worth the price of the fare. S W
UPCOMING THEATRE DEPT. PRODUCTIONS: Urinetown: The Musical ...... Oct 30 – Nov 8 Cloud 9 ...... Nov 13 – 22 Antigone ...... Feb 19 – 28 CAST Dumpsty ...... Rhett Gamlin Paletta ...... Israel Valdivia Maid ...... Jennifer Hernandez Donald Navadel ...... Stephen Torrey Pittaluga ...... Darlene Ramos Captain Locicero ...... Sarkis Bakalyan Dr. Waldersee ...... Eric White Mr. Cherry ...... Ben Birmingham Mrs. Cherry ...... Veronica Craighead Harry Van ...... Dustin Emery Shirley ...... Lulu Mack Beulah...... Stella Lee Francine ...... Madeline Rubenstein Edna ...... Natalie Morales Quillery ...... Chelsea DiBlasi Major ...... Andrew Tooley Officers ...... Mihran Ogaryan, Edgar Ortiz Irene ...... Shayla Tharp Achille Weber ...... Diego Arias ...... Setting: The Cocktail Lounge in the Hotel Monte Gabrielle in the Italian Alps, near the borders of Switzerland and Austria. 1937 Scene 1: 4:00pm The Next Day Scene 2: 7:30pm Scene 4: 3:00am Scene 3: 11:00pm Scene 5: 4:00pm
There will be one ten-minute intermission.
SPECIAL THANKS: We gratefully acknowledge the support of our audiences, our dean of the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication, and CSUN’s Instructionally Related Activities Board, whose co-funding help make these productions possible. Thank you to Donald “Avi” Stewart for playing and recording the piano melodies and to the CSUN Arts Council for their volunteer ushers. PRODUCTION STAFF Department Chair/Producer ...... Ah-Jeong Kim Technical Director ...... Scott McKim Production Manager ...... Meg Imamoto Assistant Costume Designer ...... Christiana Mitchell Faculty Mentor for Stage Management ... Matthew Jackson Assistant Stage Managers ...... Manny Martinez, ...... Kola Obileye Scene Shop Supervisor ...... Bree Marks Scene Shop Assistant ………………………………..Karol Alcaraz Stage Crew ...... Aubrie Alexander, Tay’Laur Paige Faculty Mentor for Property Design ...... Paula Higgins Prop Masters ...... Jason Small, Heather Smith Prop Crew ...... Angel Rojas, Alonzo Tavarez Costume Shop Supervisor ...... James DeWitt Costume Shop Assistants ...... Matthew Kesner, Christiana Mitchell Costume Crew ...... Esmerelda Diaz, Shelby Lowrance, ...... Alexandria Schliem, Allison Sharpe, Giselle Vega, Haley White Faculty Mentor for Makeup Design ...... Elizabeth Cox Makeup Crew ...... Dzenita Bijavica, Nicholas Bruno, ...... Samantha Corn, Harim Sanchez Lighting/Sound Supervisor ...... Mike Zeigler Lighting/Sound Shop Assistant ...... Glen Howes Master Electrician ...... Sierra McDuffee Light Board Programmer ...... Brett Copeland Light Board Operator ...... Brandy Marton Light Crew ...... John Ledley ...... Sound Crew ...... Sarah Boose House Manager ...... Beth Kalish We’re a proud participant in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. For more information visit www.csun.edu/theatre.