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Home , Fred Ebb, Jason Robert Brown, Jeanine Tesori, John Kander, William Finn, Zina Goldrich

THEATRE AT NORMANDALE AFA SHOWCASE

A VIRTUAL PRODUCTION PERFORMED & DESIGNED BY AFA THEATRE STUDENTS

MAY 14, 6:00 PM @ WWW.NORMANDALE.EDU theatre at normandale presents AFA MUSICAL THEATRE SHOWCASE DIRECTED BY AMANDA WHITE

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Sean Byrd MUSICAL DIRECTOR & ACCOMPANIST Bradley Beahen TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Tom Burgess STAGE MANAGER Shelby Lengyel SCENIC DESIGN Vicky Erickson† COSTUME DESIGN Michael Chabot†, Miles Davis, Taelyn Gore*, Shelby Lengyel

LIGHTING DESIGN Sofía Campbell Gandía†, Erika Ellis†, Vicky Erickson†, Brennan Flynn Higby, Taelyn Gore*, Bennett Klingman*, Melissa Knapik†, Shelby Lengyel, Lane Oberg, Drew Ryan‡, Allison Skinner*, Bill Stevens‡, Emma Stringer‡, Vonny Wilborn‡

SCENIC & LIGHTING MENTOR Tom Burgess COSTUME MENTOR Cady ADDITIONAL LIGHTING DESIGN Jim Eischen

* AFA in Theatre Performance Candidate / † AFA in Theatre Production & Design Candidate ‡ Normandale-SMSU BA in Theatre Arts Partnership Student CAST

ELIZABETH BELFIORI* BENNETT KLINGMAN* ANDREW SCHEIBER* ALLISON SKINNER*

* AFA in Theatre Performance Candidate / † AFA in Theatre Production & Design Candidate ‡ Normandale-SMSU BA in Theatre Arts Partnership Student

PROGRAM

“MISTER CELLOPHANE" & from Performed by: Andrew Scheiber Lighting Design: Lane Oberg Costume Design: Michael Chabot

“OUT THERE” & STEPHEN SCHWARTZ from The Hunchback of Notre Dame Performed by: Elizabeth Belfiori Lighting Design: Emma Stringer Costume Design: Michael Chabot

“OUT OF THE DARKNESS” & from Performed by: Bennett Klingman and Allison Skinner Lighting Design: Bennett Klingman Costume Design: Taelyn Gore

PROGRAM

“BEING ALIVE” from Performed by: Allison Skinner Lighting Design: Bill Stevens Costume Design: Shelby Lengyel

“WORDS FAIL” BENJ PASEK & from Performed by: Bennett Klingman Lighting Design: Taelyn Gore Costume Design: Shelby Lengyel

“WHO I’D BE” & DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE from the Musical Performed by: Elizabeth Belfiori, Bennett Klingman, and Andrew Scheiber Lighting Design: Sofía Campbell Gandía Costume Design: Miles Davis

“DANCE WITH YOU” MATTHEW SKLA & CHAD BEGUELIN from The Prom Performed by: Elizabeth Belfiori and Allison Skinner Lighting Design: Melissa Knapik Costume Design: Miles Davis

“IT ALL FADES AWAY” from The Bridges of Madison County Performed by: Andrew Scheiber Lighting Design: Drew Ryan Costume Design: Michael Chabot PROGRAM

“AGONY” STEPHEN SONDHEIM from Performed by: Bennett Klingman and Andrew Scheiber Lighting Design: Erika Ellis Costume Design: Taelyn Gore

“MORNING PERSON” JEANINE TESORI & DAVID LINDSAY-ABAIRE from Performed by: Elizabeth Belfiori Lighting Design: Allison Skinner Costume Design: Michael Chabot

“I CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT” JASON ROBERT BROWN from The Last 5 Years Performed by: Allison Skinner Lighting Design: Vonny Wilborn Costume Design: Shelby Lengyel

“SONNET 29” from "Sonnet 29" by William Shakespeare Performed by: Bennett Klingman Lighting Design: Brennan Flynn Higby Costume Design: Shelby Lengyel

UNLIKELY LOVERS” from Performed by: Elizabeth Belfiori, Bennett Klingman, Andrew Scheiber, and Allison Skinner Lighting Design: Vicky Erickson and Shelby Lengyel Costume Design: Michael Chabot PRODUCTION CREW

VIDEO PRODUCTION Pavel Ignatenkov COVID SAFETY DEPUTY Shelby Lengyel SCENE SHOP FOREMAN Ray Heath SCENIC BUILD CREW Sofía Campbell Gandía†, Michael Chabot†, Vicky Erickson† COSTUME CONSTRUCTION CREW Michael Chabot†, Miles Davis, Taelyn Gore*, Melissa Knapik†, Shelby Lengyel, Emma Stringer ‡ PUBLICITY Terri Barr, Steven Geller, Mary Solverson PROGRAM Terri Barr CLOSED CAPTIONING Geri Wilson

* AFA in Theatre Performance Candidate / † AFA in Theatre Production & Design Candidate ‡ Normandale-SMSU BA in Theatre Arts Partnership Student

SPECIAL THANKS

The Normandale COVID Planning Team

DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Dr. Jeff Judge, Dean of Humanities Tom Burgess, Chair, Department of Theatre Theatre Faculty: Tom Burgess, Anne Byrd, Sean Byrd, Annie Cady, Kathleen Bagby Coate, and Amanda White DIRECTORS' NOTE

What a lovely end to what has been a challenging year for all of us-- for Theatre at Normandale and for our beloved audience alike. We will confess to sorting through some strong emotions while watching these students at work, a. There’s nothing like a musical theatre number, done with feeling, to make the world outside the theatre fall away.

What you’re about to see was brought into being by Theatre at Normandale students: this is a of songs chosen by these students, out of love, or curiosity, or the blend they make when they sing with someone else. The set was designed by an AFA candidate in Production & Design, and every musical number is lit by students in this semester’s Lighting Design class. The costumes (some of them handcrafted, painted, and constructed), are designed and built by Costume Design students.

These 4 actors were a true quartet from the first moment--some of them met each other in person for the first time at our first rehearsal in the space, and they already seemed like old pals. You will see that dynamic at play in tonight’s Showcase. These artists love each other, and they look out for each other in the work. No Theatre faculty could ask for more than that.

We are proud of all of these students, and of who they are as artists facing the world. We hope that you will allow their work to transport you for an hour to a space outside your life, and into a darkened theatre surrounded by music and color and joy. We hope, too, that you feel the power of live theatre as you watch--we are counting the days until we can greet you in the Theatre for that experience again.

Wishing you a wonderful summer, and we’ll see you next season!

Warmly, Amanda and Sean CAST & CREW BIOGRAPHIES

BRADLEY BEAHEN (Musical Director), a native to Minnesota, ventured out east to study musical theater at Carnegie Mellon University. Bradley returned to the Twin Cities after college and found a home on the Mcknight Stage at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Chanhassen Dinner Theater, and St. Paul's History Theatre. After a wonderful run in MN, Bradley ventured out to NYC and has worked regionally for the last 15 years. Favorite theaters include American Heartland Theatre (Kansas City) Gem Theatre (Detroit) Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Maltz Jupiter (FLA) Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Mountain Playhouse (PA), and Theatre Aspen (CO). Bradley made his return to Minneapolis four years ago and has been working primarily as a Musical Director throughout the Twin Cities as well as Resident Music Director at Normandale Community College. Recent credits include Plaid Tidings and Winter Wonderettes at Lyric Arts, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at Old Log Theatre, Mamma Mia at the Channhassen Dinner Theatre, at Normandale Community College and the world premiere workshop of Pansy Craze (written by Max Wojtanowicz and Michael Gruber) for the NEXT Festival at Theatre Latte Da.

ELIZABETH BELFIORI (Cast) is new to Normandale. She has previously enjoyed playing the roles of Anna Maria in and Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins at Eagan High School, as well as playing Cathy Seldon in Eagan Summer Community Theatre’s production of Singin’ in the Rain. She is currently working towards her AFA. Major thanks to the cast and crew of this fast-paced production. You rock. Hi to my family!

TOM BURGESS (Technical Director/Scenic & Lighting Mentor) has worked as a set designer and technical director for the Guthrie Theater’s Guthrie/BFA program and the Guthrie Experience programs. While at the Guthrie, he worked as a properties artisan on productions such as His Girl Friday, The Great Gatsby, and The Real Thing. Additionally, Tom has worked as a properties master and assistant scenic designer for a number of Penumbra Theatre's productions. He has stage managed for A Prairie Home Companion’s cruises traveling to the Baltic States, the Caribbean, and Scotland. Most recently, Tom has designed scenery for the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s production of Nat Turner in Jerusalem as well as designing and building the set for the conceptual dance film, Kitchen Dance Project. CAST & CREW BIOGRAPHIES

SEAN BYRD (Assistant Director) has been a member of the Theatre faculty since 2002. In addition to his work at NCC, he is an active actor/director in the Twin Cities. He has appeared on stage with such companies as 15 Head: A Theatre Lab, The Minnesota Shakespeare Project, Fifty Foot Penguin Theatre, Pig’s Eye Theatre, Sandbox Theatre, Hardcover Theatre, Yellow Tree Theatre, DalekoArts, and Walking Shadow Theatre Company. Sean recently directed String (Yellow Tree Theatre), Sam’s Son (Bucket Brigade Theatre), Plaid Tidings (Lyric Arts), and (Duluth Playhouse).

ANNIE CADY (Costume Mentor) has designed costumes for several area theatre and dance companies including Ananya Dance Theatre, Artistry, The Children's Theatre Company, Commonweal Theatre, History Theatre, Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company, Mixed Blood, Park Square Theatre, Ten Thousand Things, Threads Dance Project, Workhaus Collective and Zenon Dance.

MICHAEL CHABOT (Costume Designer) is very grateful to be a part of another production at Normandale as he pursues his AFA in Theatre Production & Design. Being part of the Scenic Crew in productions of In This Together to John Huges Wrote My Diary has taught him a newfound knowledge of design and the unconditional warmth of taking care of the theatre. He would love to thank his family, mentors, and theatre family for their endless encouragement and support as he pursues his degree.

MILES DAVIS (Costume Designer) This is Miles’ first time designing costumes for a production here at Normandale. He has had experience designing and making costumes for fun with his friends. In addition to costume design, he has also participated as an actor in The Normandale Play Project and Hamlet (RIP Ramplet) here at Normandale. Miles will be continuing on to Hamline University in the Fall. He would like to thank his dear friends for supporting him and his dreams.

JIM EISCHEN (Lighting Designer) earned his BFA in Theater Design/Technical from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Based out of Minneapolis, he has designed lights for Seventh House Theater Collective, Troupe America, Plymouth Playhouse, Savage Umbrella, Soar Arts, Lyric Arts, Old Log, Duluth Playhouse, Lyric Opera of the North, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Mayples Rep, and national tours of Jekyll and Hyde and Ring of Fire. Jim has been the Master Electrician at the Medora Musical in Medora, ND since the 2016 season. CAST & CREW BIOGRAPHIES

VICKY ERICKSON (Scenic Designer) is really excited to show off one of her designs here at Normandale for her final show. She wanted to create a set that can be changed within each moment of this piece. She has built a variety of Normandale’s shows these past years, and has been making appearances through the Twins Cities by working with the Ballet Company, Fairbault Theatre, and the Hudson Ballet Company. With props and designs, she is very excited to bring forward the creativity she has gained through High School and Middle School. She would like to thank her teachers, friends, and classmates on helping make her dream come true.

BENNETT KLINGMAN (Cast) is excited to be a part of the showcase. He has previously been a part of the show In This Together as a singer and as a singer in The Normandale Play Project. He is studying for his AFA in Theatre Performance at Normandale and is looking to continue on through the Normandale/SMSU Theatre Partnership Program. Bennett would like to thank his family and friends for always supporting him throughout this show and he hopes everybody enjoys everyone's hard work!

SHELBY LENGYEL (Costume Designer/Stage Manager) graduated from Normandale's theatre program last spring and is thrilled to be assisting behind the scenes. Shelby is soaking up all she can from the brilliant team around her before graduating with her second Associate's this spring and heading to Hamline University in the fall. She'd like to thank this amazing cast and crew for their wonderful insights and collaboration, and she hopes you enjoy the show!

ANDREW SCHEIBER (Cast) is ecstatic to be making his return to the Normandale stage. He previously appeared as a football player in Normandale's production of Colossal. He has also appeared as the Beast in his hometown's community theatre company production of Beauty and the Beast. He would like to thank his friends and family for supporting him in his theatrical endeavors.

ALLISON SKINNER (Cast) is very pleased to be a one of the performers in Normandale’s AFA Showcase. This will be Allison’s last show at Normandale before she graduates with her AFA in Theatre Performance this May. She has been previously involved in Normandale’s productions of The Wolves as #46 and Hamlet as Ophelia. She would like to thank her family for all their support in her pursuit of what she loves and the Normandale Theatre Department for the skills they have taught her and the new friends they have provided her. Students all across the department put a lot of hard work into this show and she hopes you enjoy! CAST & CREW BIOGRAPHIES

AMANDA WHITE (Director) is honored to be the newest member of the team at Normandale, where she is teaching in the Performance track and directing in the 2020-21 Season. In addition to teaching at NCC, Amanda is an actor, director, and Founding Artistic Director at DalekoArts in New Prague, MN. Amanda also has a background in theatre management; she has worked in Strategy and Development for for the Performing Arts, as Associate Artistic Director at the William Inge Center for the Arts, and most recently, as the Managing Director at Mixed Blood Theatre Company in Minneapolis. She is a new seminarian, having started work toward a Doctorate of Ministry in Theology & the Arts at United Theological Seminary in St Paul.

The Department of Theatre at Normandale Community College is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre. DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE 9700 France Ave. South, Bloomington, MN 55431 www.normandale.edu/theatre