A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM ILLINOIS THEATRE Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart J.W. Morrissette, director Michael Tilley and Justin M. Brauer, music directors Thursday-Saturday, October 18-20, 2018, at 7:30pm Thursday-Saturday, October 25-27, 2018, at 7:30pm Sunday, October 28, 2018, at 3pm Colwell Playhouse three overlapping audiences, and that our departmental mission of inclusion is enacted on and behind our stages. We have to serve our own students, the people who’ve come to receive the education to make a career as professional theatre makers. We have an obligation to train them to become working designers, actors, technicians, playwrights, stage managers, directors, scholars, and teachers. We also serve the other 44,000+ students on the campus, many of whom take our classes and enjoy our productions. POWER + PLEASURE We have to serve the University of Illinois I think a lot about the enormous privilege at Urbana-Champaign. As part of a I have as Head of Illinois Theatre. I have Research I university, we are obligated the very great pleasure of working with to create new knowledge and to pass it incredibly talented and committed faculty, on. Our productions must take part in students, and staff in the Department broad conversations and reflect the goals of Theatre, the College of Fine and and strategic plan of the university as a Applied Arts, and Krannert Center for the whole. We must make connections across Performing Arts. I have the power to shape disciplines and across campus. what we show you on our stages through We have to serve the community. We collaboration with those colleagues. are a part of this vibrant, micro-urban, I’ve spent this past year meeting many Midwestern space and place. We must of you. I am very grateful to those of you return the passion, time, and money you who’ve taken the time to talk to me in the offer with a balanced season that reflects lobby, to send an email or make a phone our shared values and interests. We have call, to connect with me at other events. a responsibility to question power and We have an audience who is passionate authority as well as an equal responsibility to about our productions, our students, and entertain and please you. our role as a university theatre. Please You—our audiences from the community, continue to make those connections. Theatre 101 classes, campus partners, or Those conversations are opportunities our own classrooms and shops—are our to talk about my understanding of the privilege to serve. Thank you for being here. relationship between our production season Dr. Kirsten Pullen and the world around us. I believe we serve Professor and Head, Department of Theatre

2 3 PROGRAM A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM ILLINOIS THEATRE Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart J.W. Morrissette, director Michael Tilley and Justin M. Brauer, music directors

Thursday-Saturday, October 18-20, 2018, at 7:30pm Thursday-Saturday, October 25-27, 2018, at 7:30pm Sunday, October 28, 2018, at 3pm Colwell Playhouse

ACT I 20-minute intermission ACT II

4 DIRECTOR’S NOTE An ancient Roman walks into a bar, holds up two at one time but are now offensive? Is offense fingers, and says “I’ll take five beers.” an innate risk of comedy? How does comedy change when traditional representations of stock Go ahead. Hold up two fingers. You’ve probably characters are challenged with the diversity just made a “V” and a “V” shape is the Roman available to modern theatre making? These numeral for—wait for it—five. I’ll pause here for questions, and a great many more, emerged as laughter. we developed our concept for this particular Unless you hold an affectionate place in your work. What also developed was an understanding heart for jokes about Roman numerals, it is quite of how we, a contemporary group of artists, likely you found this joke lacking comedic effect. might perform this work for you, a present-day Maybe it made you chuckle or maybe it frustrated audience. We, again, discovered that comedy you or maybe it simply confused you. You may involves risks. question why a director begins in such an informal This is not to say we limited ourselves to a cold, and seemingly unscholarly way. clinical investigation of this piece of comedic Such are the risks of comedy. theatre—quite the contrary. We embraced silliness, we laughed ourselves into oblivion, we Our production of A Funny Thing Happened found joy in the absurdity and inconsistencies of on the Way to the Forum is filled with comedic so many parts of human existence. The work of risks—the best comedy usually is. We did not training our professional skills disguised itself in embark on this production lightly or without the spirit of abandon and freedom. We learned consideration of how an American musical based so very, very much, and now you, the audience, on the works of an ancient Roman playwright has arrived to join us on our journey. We hope premiering on Broadway in 1962 would resonate you’ll find the joy, discovery, and celebration ofA with an audience in 2018. We knew there Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum were inherent risks in our exploration, and we in much the same way we did by embracing risk. embraced those risks as an opportunity to As Prologus is about to tell you in just a few examine how comedy has changed over the past moments, “We shall employ every device we 2200 years. know in our desire to divert you.”

What do we find funny? Are there jokes that are —J.W. Morrissette eternally funny? Are there things that were funny

5 A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM MUSIC AND LYRICS COSTUME DESIGNER Stephen Sondheim Melissa Hall

BOOK LIGHTING DESIGNER Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart Stuart Wilson

DIRECTOR SOUND DESIGNER J.W. Morrissette Brandon Reed

CO-MUSIC DIRECTOR PROPERTIES MASTER Michael Tilley Haley Borodine

CO-MUSIC DIRECTOR HAIR/MAKEUP COORDINATOR Justin M. Brauer Melissa Hall

CHOREOGRAPHER WIG MASTER Philip Johnston Lisa Lillig

FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER STAGE MANAGER Zev Steinrock Kayla Uribe

CO-SCENIC DESIGNER TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Regina García Bobby Reynolds

CO-SCENIC DESIGNER DRAMATURG Villale Song Alison Stake

6 CAST PSEUDOLUS GEMINAE Lisa Gaye Dixon* Dane Brandon

DOMINA VIBRATA Katie Feeley Zoe Repllingerˆ

HERO GYMNASIA Brian Kim Sky Arend

HYSTERIUM PHILIA Kevin Woodrow Tafadzwa Diener

ERRONIUS PROTEAN Alejandro Mata† Zoe Branch

MILES PROTEAN Kyle Norbut Charlee Amacher

LYCUS PROTEAN Robert Bradley Emma L. Anderson

SENEX PROTEAN Fabian Guerrero Stasia Kasimos

TINTINABULA PROTEAN Jacklyn Ovassapian Emily Naud

PANACEA STATUE Melody Contreras Brittney McHugh

*Appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

ˆDance Captain

†Fight Captain

7 ORCHESTRA KEYBOARD/CONDUCTOR TROMBONE Michael Tilley Michael Beltran

KEYBOARD VIOLIN Justin M. Brauer Noah Larson

REEDS CELLO Kavi Naidu Kutasha Silva Nate Bishop Laura Bauer BASS Andrey Junca Goncalves TRUMPETS Donny Albrecht DRUMS Will Schmalbeck Jackson Barnett

8 DRAMATURG’S NOTE In staging A Funny Thing Happened on the Oscar Hammerstein II had mentored Sondheim Way to the Forum (1962), we have challenged to believe a song should function like a scene, ourselves to take an old play, adapt it for a moving the plot forward while the character modern audience, remain true to the original experiences an emotional change. With this work, and amplify its hilarity. In 1958, Burt perspective, Rodgers and Hammerstein rejected Shevelove and Larry Gelbart faced a similar earlier traditions of songs “savoring the moment,” challenge: to create a musical comedy based on mostly dwelling on action that had just happened. the works of Roman playwright Titus Maccius However, Shevelove and Gelbart’s script is a true Plautus (c. 250-185 BCE). The show took multiple farce: the stock characters leave little room for revisions and four years to write. Shevelove and complicated emotions and plot development Gelbart meticulously wove their comedy inspired through song. Songs, then, give the audience by Plautus’ 20 surviving plays, capitalizing on his a respite from frenetic action. Importantly, time-proven farcical foundations: stock characters Shevelove and Gelbart’s view mirrors the way like “the braggart-warrior” and the “cunning musical interludes functioned in Plautus’ day. slave;” disguise and mistaken identity; and broad Ultimately, to keep things fast-paced, Sondheim physical comedy. These coalesced with a 1960s placed most of the songs in the first act, before touch of music, vaudeville, and burlesque. While the plot really starts to tangle. To justify the use Shevelove and Gelbart didn’t intend for Forum of music, he rewrote many songs to make them to be political, emerging societal freedoms in the especially clever. 1950s and 1960s conceptually relate to the show, specifically in the presentation of the courtesans Forum’s tryout in New Haven opened to mixed and Pseudolus’ quest for freedom. reviews and reserved audiences. The artistic team thought the show was utterly comical, so Stephen Sondheim joined the team, in his debut as how did it miss the mark? They consulted Jerome both composer and lyricist. Although he thought Robbins, celebrated director and choreographer, the script hilarious, he wasn’t initially convinced it who suggested rethinking the original opening should be a musical. He believed that the rising number, “Love is in the Air,” which implied a tension of farce is undercut by musical interruptions. charming romance rather than a farce. Robbins Shevelove thought otherwise, believing the convinced Sondheim to write instead a “baggy- audience would need a break from laughing. pants” number—“Comedy Tonight”—and staged it himself. The new number aptly set the stage for something more outlandish, and invited the audience to laugh. Forum opened on Broadway on May 8, 1962, and earned a Tony Award for Best Musical.

9 Our production aims to adjust 1962 material While 2018 audiences may be too far removed to 2018 sensibilities. In the midst of #MeToo, from the 1950s to readily accept Forum as parody, Forum’s sexist representations of female our production magnifies parody and emphasizes characters present a challenge. There are only absurdity with exaggeration and fun. Through two main roles written for women, Philia and humor, we critique harmful presentations of Domina, and, remaining accurate to Plautine marginalized groups. This production makes representations of women, neither character is choices to adapt to a modern sensibility, to reflect particularly sympathetic. Even so, from a historical awareness and a sense of responsibility to those (1960s) perspective, the female characters are groups—moving the plot forward, savoring presented somewhat progressively. Though Philia a moment past, and still inviting an audience is presented as only “lovely” and dim-witted, to laugh. Our adjustments, like Shevelove’s, she is more significantly a parody of ingénues Gelbart’s, and Sondheim’s, are meant to make of traditional musical theatre—preposterous this ancient story more relevant and resonant, representations of women and standards and above all, to present an opportunity for of beauty. The courtesans are objectified uproarious laughter—a “Comedy Tonight.” throughout, and only one courtesan speaks a single line, yet they are liberated characters who —Alison Stake are not judged or punished for their sexuality (a concept unheard of in Golden Age musicals of the 1950s). In fact, they hold some power over the men in their lives.

10 PROFILES Charlee Amacher (Protean) is Sky Arend (Gymnasia) is a a sophomore BFA acting sophomore in the BFA acting student, making her Illinois program, making his debut Theatre debut in A Funny with Illinois Theatre. He Thing Happened on the Way attended Downers Grove to the Forum. She has North High School. Past previously performed in credits include Mal Beineke in Metamorphoses (Ensemble) North High’s production of and The Princess Play The Addams Family and (Cinderella) at the Armory Free Theatre, and has Duane Wilson in Harvey. Sky has also been active worked on an episode of Chicago P.D. in student theatre at the University of Illinois, (Housekeeper). Charlee attended Interlochen Arts performing in Songs for a New World with Allen Camp and graduated high school from Hall’s Theatre Bums. Interlochen Arts Academy; her credits there include A Little Princess (Becky), Henry V Robert Bradley (Marcus Lycus) (Canterbury/Fluellen), Failure: A Love Story is a junior pursuing his BFA in (Grandfather Clock/Ensemble), Barefoot in acting at the University of Nightgown by Candlelight (Alicia), The Light in Illinois. This is his second the Piazza (Signora Naccarelli), and Cardenio (The production with Illinois Theatre. Widow Camilla). His most recent work includes roles in The Aliens directed by Emma L. Anderson (Protean) Jace Jamison at Station is a junior in the BFA acting Theatre, Twelfth Night directed program. She has been in by Matthew Arbour with Illinois Theatre, Trifles many productions in the directed by Sofia Fey, andMetamorphoses directed Champaign-Urbana area, by Luke Worland at the Armory Free Theatre. He including Silent Sky (Margaret) was also involved with a workshopping of He at the Station Theatre, Follows by Sofia Fey at Station Theatre. Metamorphoses and St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Zoe Branch (Protean), a Wolves at the Armory Free Theatre, and staged second-year political science readings of Dusty and the Big Bad World and The major, is making her Krannert Wolves. Emma spent this past summer creating new Center debut and also remains works as a member of the Theatermakers ensemble involved in local theatre in the at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. She is a Champaign Urbana area. Most member of Odd Request Improv on campus. recently, she appeared as Felicia Farrell in Parkland Theatre’s Memphis, and as a Showgirl in Illini Student Musicals’ Pippin.

11 Dane Brandon (Geminae) is a Dreamcoat (Narrator) at the Virginia Theatre, junior acting major from Party (Mel) at Station Theatre, and Dreamgirls Morton, Illinois. This is his (Effie) at Krannert Center in association with second production with Illinois Banks Bridgewater Lewis Fine Arts Academy. Theatre; he previously appeared in Twelfth Night Lisa Gaye Dixon (Pseudolus) (Second Officer/Ensemble). has worked professionally Other recent credits include across the country and around Spuds in Newsies, Young the globe. She began her Soldier in Parade, Wickersham 1 in Seussical (Corn professional career with the Stock Theatre), Lewis in Pippin, Otto in Spring Steppenwolf Theatre Company Awakening (Illini Student Musicals), Cover for Jeff/ of Chicago in a revival of For Hunter in [title of show], and Tourist Father/ Colored Girls Who Have Servant in The Light in the Piazza (Lyric Theatre @ Considered Suicide When The Illinois). Outside of acting, Dane also serves as a Rainbow is Enuf, and has performed on the stages camp counselor at the Corn Stock for Kids of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the New Theatre Camp, and he is a former member of the Globe Theatre in London, and regionally in the US Illini Student Musicals Board of Directors. at the Attic Theatre (Detroit, Michigan), Performance Network (Ann Arbor, Michigan), Lost Melody Contreras (Panacea) Nation Theatre (Vermont), The Kitchen Theatre is a sophomore in the BFA (Ithaca, New York), GEVA Center (Rochester, New acting program. This is York), the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and Melody’s first production at Milwaukee Shakespeare, among others. In October Krannert Center. At the 2015, she premiered her one-woman show (which Armory Free Theatre, she has she co-wrote and performed) entitled My Case Is performed in Metamorphoses, Altered: Tales of a 21st Century Roaring Girl at The Captain is Dead (series), Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. This past and The Princess Play. July she directed King Lear for Shakespeare in the Park, and in spring 2019 will direct Detroit ’67 for Tafadzwa Diener (Philia) is a Clarence Brown Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee. junior BFA student in acting. Film credits include The Trouble with Men and This is her third time Women (BBC/IFC), Leading Ladies, and USING. performing with Illinois Theatre. She most recently Katie Feeley (Domina) is appeared in the Illinois making her Krannert Center Theatre production of debut. Her past work at the Barbecue (Lillie Anne). As a University of Illinois includes Champaign-Urbana native, she Anastasia, the ugly stepsister, has been involved in theatre around the in Ellen Magee’s The Princess community for many years. Selected credits Play, and performances with include All The King’s Men (Slade) with Illinois Penny Dreadful Players. She is Theatre, Metamorphoses at the Armory Free a member of the James Scholar Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Program on campus and is also on the Dean’s List. 12 Fabian Guerrero (Senex) is a Conduct (director Robert Quinlan) with the sophomore from Aurora, Crossroads Project at Illinois State University. He Illinois, pursuing a BFA in has also portrayed Mr. Henderson in Trifles acting and a minor in musical (director Sofia Fey) and Prince Charming inThe theatre. He is making his Princess Play (director Kara Hynes) with the debut performance with University of Illinois Armory Free Theatre. Illinois Theatre. Other recent performances include Alejandro Mata (Erronius) is a Clarence in It’s a Wonderful senior in the BFA acting Life (New Revel Players), St. Aphrodisius in the program. He is from the Midwest premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Northwest side of Chicago, Dame (BAM Theatre), and singing Verdi’s where he took an interest in Requiem with the University of Illinois Varsity acting while attending Lane Men’s Glee Club. Selected theatre credits include Tech High School. This will be To Kill a Mockingbird, Guys and Dolls, Jekyll and Alejandro’s third production Hyde, and Shrek, and commercial credits with with Illinois Theatre; his Kellogg’s “Plant a Seed.” previous credits include Romeo and Juliet as the County Paris and Assassins as Samuel Byck. Other Stasia Kasimos (Protean) is theatre work includes a collaboration with The currently a sophomore in the Brown Theatre Collective, as He in a staged BFA acting program. This is her reading of The Successful Life of 3. first production with Illinois Theatre. Last semester, she Brittney McHugh (Statue) is a was in the cast of The Syringa senior in the BFA acting Tree and Heathers by Illini program. This will be her third Student Musicals. show at Krannert Center; she has previously appeared in All the King’s Men as Sugar Boy Brian Kim (Hero) is a junior in and Romeo and Juliet as the the BFA acting program. His Apothecary Girl. Other credits recent roles include include The Tempest (What Spittleshnazz in the world You Will Shakespeare Company), After Juliet premiere of Dragon Pack (Penny Dreadful Players), and Call Me Woman Snack Attack at Hope Summer (Armory Free Theatre). She has also stage Repertory Theatre (director managed a reading of Hate Mail (Armory Free Michael J. Barnes), Ensemble Theatre) and written/performed in her own work for Illinois Theatre’s Assassins (The Scene) for the Illinois Theatre 50th- (director J.W. Morrissette), Theo in Pippin Anniversary Student Cabaret. (director Katie Burke) with Illini Student Musicals, and Burka Boy in the new play reading of Code of

13 Emily Naud (Protean) is a staged reading of The Wolves (#14) and student sophomore in the Lyric Theatre presentations of Things We Want (Stella) and program at the University of Circle Mirror Transformation (Theresa). Illinois and studies with Dawn Harris. Last year, she performed Zoe Replinger (Vibrata/Dance two shows with Illini Student Captain) is a sophomore in the Musicals: The Rocky Horror acting program, making her Picture Show (Janet) and Illinois Theatre stage debut. Heathers (Ensemble). In high Last spring, she served as the school, some of her favorite roles included Iola dance captain for the Illinois Stover in Parade, Lefou in Beauty and the Beast Theatre production of and Ensemble in Fiddler on the Roof. She received Assassins, and she spent this a superior rating for solo monologue at the past summer as a member of Michigan State Thespian Festival in the winter of the professional acting company of the Clinton 2015 and was also invited to compete at the Area Showboat Theatre. There, she performed Classical Singer convention/competition in Boston, featured dance roles in Disney’s The Little Massachusetts, this past May. Mermaid, Oliver!, and Cabaret, and she also served as the choreographer for two Theatre for Kyle Norbut (Miles) has Young Audiences musicals. Other favorite roles performed in high school include Veronica Sawyer in Heathers, Velma Kelly productions and with Chicago- in Chicago, and Fastrada in Pippin. In addition to based theatre companies prior her acting training, Zoe is also pursuing a degree to arriving at the University of in advertising. Illinois. Selected roles include The Beast in the Nazareth Kevin Woodrow (Hysterium) Academy production of is currently a senior in the Beauty and the Beast, Gomez Bachelor of Fine Arts acting in The Addams Family, and cast member in the program at the University of Illinois High School Theatre Festival All State Illinois. Past credits with Illinois production of Rent. Theatre include Assassins (Charles Guiteau) and Romeo Jacklyn Ovassapian and Juliet (Friar John). In (Tintinabula) is a junior addition to acting, Woodrow pursuing a BFA in acting with has also directed a production of We Are Proud a dual degree in psychology. to Present a Presentation About the Herero of At the University of Illinois, Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, Jacklyn has appeared in From the German Südwestafrika, Between the Assassins (Sara Jane Moore) Years 1884-1915 at the Armory Free Theatre and and In the Next Room, or the a staged reading of The Wolves. vibrator play (Annie) with Illinois Theatre, in addition to Spring Awakening (Ilse) on campus. She has also appeared in a

14 J.W. Morrissette (Director) Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, R&B has served in the Department artist Kvn Tajzea, and roots rock band Whiskey of Theatre for 23 years, Shadows. From 2012-2014, Justin founded and currently serving as the served on the inaugural board of Illini Student Associate Head. His directing Musicals, and he currently serves on the Board of spans over 65 productions Directors of the D.O.S.E. Foundation. Justin holds throughout the country and an MM in musicology and a BME in choral music community. He has directed education from the University of Illinois at the Repertory Theatre Urbana-Champaign, and is a member of the Program for 21 years with the Summer Theatre American Federation of Musicians Local 301. Department at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Twitter: @JMBrauer www.JustinMBrauer.com For the University of Illinois, he teaches acting, directing, and campus-wide introductory courses. Philip Johnston He has been integral in developing online course (Choreographer) trained as a offerings in the department as well as supervising dancer with Helen Lewis in all senior theatre studies thesis projects. He has Belfast, Ireland, where he also spent several summers acting with the Utah acted in productions for the Shakespeare Festival and the Interlochen Arts and Lyric Theaters as a Shakespeare Festival. In 2016, he was selected as member of British Actors a recipient of the Provost’s Campus Award for Equity. Johnston is a graduate Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. of The London School of Contemporary Dance. He performed and Justin M. Brauer (Music choreographed in Europe and across the globe Director) marks his third for 15 years before relocating to the United collaboration with Illinois States. He was the artistic director for the Theatre, following Failure: A Norwegian Modern Dance Company in Oslo and Love Story and last season’s has appeared in film and television for the BBC, Assassins; he also served as Channel Four, and NRK Norway. He has received music director of the junior- numerous choreographic and dance fellowships level acting studio from and was the recipient of the Charles and Harriet 2016-2017. His career as a Luckman Distinguished Teaching Award at the director, musician, educator, and clinician includes University of Illinois. Johnston has been the work with Parkland College (Anything Goes, A movement director for many productions of the Charlie Brown Christmas), Krannert Center/Banks Illinois Department of Theatre and has Bridgewater Lewis Fine Arts Academy choreographed original works for Dance at Illinois. (Dreamgirls), Station Theatre (Floyd Collins), and He continues to work in Ireland as well and is a high schools across the country. As a keyboard certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. player, recent appearances include the

15 Michael Tilley (Music Director/ Melissa Hall (Costume Design) is in her second Conductor) spent six years as year of the MFA costume design program. Most Musical Director for Franc recently, she worked at The Royal National D’Ambrosio’s national tours Theatre in London as an assistant costume before joining the faculty of designer for Extraordinary Bodies: What am i Lyric Theatre @ Illinois. As a worth? Her past design and assistant design conductor, he has led works include The Syringa Tree (Illinois Theatre), ensembles from Central City In the Fullness Thereof (Dance at Illinois), Opera, Opera Colorado, Assassins (Illinois Theatre) and Hansel and Gretel Emerald City Opera, and Boulder Opera. He has (Lyric Theatre @ Illinois). Melissa graduated with been a featured performer with the Colorado her BA honors degree at The City of Glasgow Symphony Orchestra and other regional College in association with The West of Scotland orchestras, as well as with the Martha Graham University in the United Kingdom. Dance Company at the Vail International Dance Festival. His orchestrations and arrangements, Brandon Reed (Sound Designer) is a third-year from solo piano to full symphony to rock opera, MFA student in sound design and technology. have been heard across the country and abroad. Previous credits at the University of Illinois He has also composed music for the stage and a include sound design for Twelfth Night; In The feature-length soundtrack. He plays, sings, and Next Room, or the vibrator play; The Light in the writes for the Argentine Tango groups Extasis Piazza; Poppea; Kindred; and St. Lucy’s Home and Orquesta Tipica di Natural Tango. In addition for Girls Raised by Wolves. Regional design to his duties at Illinois, he is currently Assistant credits include Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, Musical Director for The Four Phantoms. Bristol Valley Theatre (New York), Chautauqua Theater Company (New York), and Cardinal Regina García (Co-Scenic Designer), a Chicago- Stage Company (Indiana). Chicago credits based scenic designer, has long-standing include Congo Square (2016 Joseph Jefferson relationships with renowned Latino theatres Nomination for A Small Oak Tree Runs Red), including Repertorio Español, the Puerto Rican The Hypocrites, Windy City Playhouse, Teatro Traveling Theater, INTAR, Teatro Vista, and Vista, Underscore, About Face Theatre, Bluebird Pregones Theater. Regina is a Fellow of the Arts, and much more. He is an alumnus of the NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Steppenwolf Theatre Company apprenticeship Designers and the Princess Grace Awards, USA. program. He received his bachelor’s degree from She is an ensemble member with Rivendell Ball State University. Theatre Company, Advisory Board member of the Latinx Theatre Commons, and a Regional Stuart Wilson (Lighting Designer) is a third- Associate Member of the League of Professional year MFA student studying lighting design and Theatre Women. Recently completed projects technology. Originally from Fishers, Indiana, he include Steppenwolf Theatre Company, GALA received his undergraduate degree in theatre Hispanic Theatre (Helen Hayes Nomination), and design technology with a focus in lighting Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Part of from Ball State University. Stuart has designed the University of Illinois Level 21 design faculty a number of shows locally at the Station and from 2008-2018, she joined the Design Faculty at Virginia theatres and is looking forward to DePaul this fall. designing at Parkland College this fall. His most recent credits at Krannert Center include All Zev Steinrock (Fight Director) is an assistant the King’s Men and Studio Dance II as Lighting teaching professor of Stage Combat, Movement, Designer and Assassins and Hansel and Gretel as and Acting at the University of Illinois. He has Master Electrician. acted and choreographed violence in theatres all over the country and has been recognized 11 Bobby Reynolds (Technical Director) is a third- times for his artistic achievements. Steinrock is year MFA candidate in the scenic technology a Certified Teacher and recipient of the Paddy program. He hails from the flat lands of Ohio Crean Award with the Society of American Fight where he received his BA from Wittenberg Directors. He is also a certified yoga teacher University. Prior to his arrival at the University of and an apprentice with Intimacy Directors Illinois, he worked at Playhouse on the Square International. He holds his Master of Fine Arts for productions such as Mary Poppins, Memphis, in acting from Michigan State University after American Idiot, and Kiss Me, Kate. graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Villale Song (Co-Scenic Designer) is a junior Department of Theatre at the University of Illinois. studying scenic design at the University of Illinois. Kayla Uribe (Stage Manager) is a second-year A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the MFA stage management candidate originally Forum is the first show she is designing for Illinois from El Paso, Texas. Her recent Krannert Center Theatre. She was previously a scenic assistant for credits include Travesties and She Loves Me, both Twelfth Night and the Armory Free Theatre’s Mr. as an Assistant Stage Manager. She spent this Marmalade. past summer at the Glimmerglass Festival, where Alison Stake (Dramaturg) a second-year MA she was on the stage management teams for theatre studies student, interested in dramaturgy, The Cunning Little Vixen, The Barber of Seville, directing, playwriting, and theatre education. and Odyssey, a youth opera originally performed She has a BA in theatre from Lewis and Clark in 2015. Other credits at the Glimmerglass College. Last year, she worked on dramaturgy for Festival include Margaret Atwood: Lecture and a the Illinois Theatre production of Twelfth Night. workshop for a new opera entitled Blue, written Before coming to the U of I, she performed in the by Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson, that Chicago area and worked with Citadel Theatre will premiere at the Glimmerglass Festival in 2019. and Chicago Opera Theatre, among others, even playing a courtesan in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. She previously spent a summer as an acting apprentice with the Berkshire Theatre Group, where she studied the Suzuki Method of Actor Training, and performed in two of the season’s shows. In Chicago, she also co-taught classes in musical theatre and dance for children.

17 PRODUCTION STAFF ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS CO-ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR Devin Richard MacKenzie Sinta Monique Arabie DECK CREW PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Sarah Clement Tay Roylance Connor Kamradt Greg Mueller PROPS CREW ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Aidra Crawley Naomie Winch Brandon Whitehead

ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER WARDROBE CREW HEAD Rae Melnik Rae Melnik

COSTUME TECHNICIANS COSTUME RUNNING CREW Megan Cudd Franklin Goodman Miriam Jurgensen Carissa O’Kasick

ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER MAKEUP RUNNING CREW Megan Coffel Destin Sorin Hannah Yonan SCENIC ARTIST Christina Rainwater LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR/PROGRAMMER Omri Schwartz MASTER ELECTRICIAN Konrad Ciolkosz FOLLOW SPOT OPERATOR Ryan Prendergast ASSISTANT MASTER ELECTRICIAN Cameron Koniarski SOUND BOARD OPERATOR Abbie Nettleton AUDIO ENGINEERS Lorna Chavez DECK AUDIO/A2 Norah Simonson Miykel Hutchins

CO-ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR MIXER/A1 Charlotte Elfenbaum Lorna Chavez

CO-ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR Maranda Jenkins

18