CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AT PENN STATE ONSTAGE Jeremy Daniel Jeremy Today’s performance is sponsored by

Eileen Leibowitz

Originally Directed by Stephen Brackett

Community Advisory Council The Community Advisory Council is dedicated to strengthening the relationship between the Center for the Performing Arts and the community. Council members participate in a range of activities in support of this objective.

Nancy VanLandingham, chair Bonnie Marshall Lam Hood, vice chair Pieter Ouwehand Melinda Stearns Judy Albrecht Lillian Upcraft William Asbury Pat Williams Lynn Sidehamer Brown Nina Woskob Philip Burlingame Deb Latta student representatives Eileen Leibowitz Brittany Banik Ellie Lewis Stephanie Corcino Christine Lichtig Jesse Scott Mary Ellen Litzinger CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AT PENN STATE and THEATREWORKS USA Barbara Pasternack Ken Arthur Artistic Director Producing Director present THE LIGHTNING THIEF Book by Music, Lyrics, and Orchestrations Joe Tracz by Rob Rokicki

Adapted from the Book by Rick Riordan Scenic Design by Costume Design by Lee Savage Sydney Maresca

Music Director Stage Manager Rob Rokicki Joshua Quinn Originally Directed by Originally Choreographed by Fight Direction by Stephen Brackett Sam Pinkleton Turner Smith

Choreographer Chloe Treat

Director Nick Saldivar CAST (alphabetical by role) Annabeth ...... Rebecca Duckworth Mr. Brunner and Others ...... Dean Linnard Grover ...... Jon Friestedt Luke and Others ...... Max Demers Percy Jackson ...... Luke Minx Sally and Others ...... Allison Hunt

2 p.m. Sunday, April 12, 2015 Eisenhower Auditorium

sponsor Eileen Leibowitz

support provided by McQuaide Blasko Endowment

media sponsor MAJIC 99

The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. MUSICAL NUMBERS

“The Day I Got Expelled” ...... Company “Strong” ...... Sally “The Weirdest Dream” ...... Percy Jackson “Their Sign” ...... Chiron, Luke, Percy Jackson “Put You in Your Place” ...... Clarisse, Annabeth, Ensemble “The Oracle” ...... The Oracle, Ensemble “Killer Quest” ...... Percy Jackson, Grover, Luke, Annabeth “The Tree on the Hill” ...... Grover, Ensemble “In the Same Boat” ...... Percy Jackson, Annabeth, Grover, Chiron “Put You in Your Place (Reprise)” .. Ares, Percy Jackson, Annabeth, Grover “The Last Day of Summer (Part 1)” ...... Company “Good Weird” ...... Percy Jackson, Annabeth “The Last Day of Summer (Part 2)” ...... Company “The Day I Got Expelled (Finale)” ...... Company

The taking of pictures and/or making of visual or sound recording is expressly forbidden. Please check the houseboard for program changes. This program from Theatreworks USA is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

The actors and stage manager employed in The Director/Choreographer is a this production are members of Actors’ Equity member of the STAGE DIRECTORS Association, the union of professional actors AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, and stage managers in the United States. a national theatrical labor union.

WHO’S WHO (alphabetical by role)

REBECCA DUCKWORTH DEAN LINNARD (Mr. Brunner (Annabeth) has spent time recently and Others) is truly tickled to be with the cool people at Childsplay working with Theatreworks USA and Phoenix Theatre. Past favorites: on The Lightning Thief. NY credits Wrinkle in Time (Meg), If You Give a include Sleep No More, Hamlet: A Mouse a Cookie (Mouse), Cat in the One Man Show, and the Guggen- Hat (Thing 2), Alice in Wonderland heim Museum’s Time Temple. (Alice), Last Five Years (Cathy). Regional: The Shakespeare Thanks JVD for the coat! Joshua 1:9. Theatre of New Jersey, Vermont Shakespeare Company, Portland Shook Up; and Rumors. “I would Playhouse, and the New Orleans like to thank my family for always Fringe Festival. BFA NYU Tisch. supporting me and Theatreworks USA for this amazing opportu- JON FRIESTEDT (Grover) is nity!” psyched to be back with The- atreworks USA on his first tour! JOE TRACZ (Book) is a play- Graduate of NYU Steinhardt, wright and a screenwriter whose Music Theatre. Credits include The work has been developed with Lightning Thief (Grover/Brunner Manhattan Theatre Club, Round- understudy), See What I Wanna about, and Second Stage, and See (Thief/Reporter), Sweet Smell published in Best American Short of Success (Otis), City of Angels Plays. Film/TV credits include (Mandril), Reefer Madness (Lec- Epic (20th Century Fox) and turer). Love to friends and family! Lights Out (FX). His musical Be More Chill (with composer Joe MAX DEMERS (Luke and Others) Iconis) will premiere at Two River Most recently, Demers could be Theatre in 2015. He is also devel- found performing in Portland, oping an original musical with Oregon, as George Bailey in Craig Carnelia. Tracz is a former Stumptown Stages’ production Playwrights Realm writing fellow of It’s a Wonderful Life. Other and an Ars Nova Play Group alum. favorite roles include Big River He has a BA from Kalamazoo (Huck) and You’re A Good Man, College and an MFA from NYU’s Charlie Brown (Schroeder). Tisch School of the Arts. Thanks to the Theatreworks USA team, a loving family, and his ROB ROKICKI (Music/Lyrics/ beautiful fiancé Darcy. Orchestrations/Music Director) www.maxdemers.com is a songwriter, performer, and music director in New York City. LUKE MINX (Percy Jackson) is ex- He is a member of the Drama- tremely excited to be on his first tists Guild, Actors’ Equity, and an national tour, especially in a show alum of the Tony Award-winning as fun as The Lightning Thief! Re- BMI workshop. Rokicki is the co- cently, he was seen on American author (with Michael Ruby) of two Idol season eleven, as a finalist, award-winning musicals: Love, NY and has recorded three albums and Strange Tails and is hard at since! He is a proud graduate of work on others, including Rela- Point Park University’s Conserva- tivity and the multimedia Mon- tory of the Arts. Sending love to stersongs. Other credits include my family, friends, and fans! Martha & Me (NY Fringe), Sam- son’s Fire (The Cell), Ginger- ALLISON HUNT (Sally and Oth- bread House (NYFA). Rokicki has ers) is originally from Indianapolis, performed in national tours, at Indiana. Hunt just graduated from Carnegie Hall, and is a frequent Western Michigan University with performer with Joe Iconis and a BFA in Musical Theatre Perfor- Family. Music Directing: Departure mance. Favorite regional credits: Lounge (Public); ReWrite (Good- I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now speed); Hairspray (Engeman). He Change; Young Frankenstein; All recently released his first stu- dio album, featuring wonderful stunt techniques, weapon styles, Broadway friends, available on and martial arts. He has provided iTunes. Camp Half-Blood! fight choreography for dozens www.robertrokicki.com of theatrical productions in New York City on and off Broadway. He NICK SALDIVAR (Director) has teaches frequently at workshops been recognized by the Ken- and master classes throughout nedy Center’s American College the New York City area and re- Theatre Festival, where he was mains a frequent assistant teacher awarded a SDC Student Directing at Combat, Inc., and Fights 4, the Fellowship. He has worked for the two most respected stage com- Hangar Theatre, National Alliance bat training programs in New York for Musical Theatre Festival, RWS City. & Associates, Holland America Lines, Orlando International JOSHUA QUINN (Stage Manager) Fringe Festival, Orlando Shake- is excited to join this amazing speare Theater, and Theatreworks team to bring you The Lightning USA. Most recently, he was the Thief! You can usually find him recipient of a SDCF Observership stage managing in New York City, on Randy Newman’s Faust: The hanging out at the Empire State Concert directed by Thomas Kail. Building, or watching Broadway He has also served as the literary shows! Proud member of Actors’ associate for the Hangar Theatre Equity and a graduate of Univer- and is a proud SDC associate. sity at Albany. www.Nick-Saldivar.com THEATREWORKS USA (Produc- CHLOE TREAT (Choreographer) er), founded in 1961, is America’s is a director and choreogra- foremost professional theatre for pher who graduated from Tisch young and family audiences. Its School of the Arts. Recently, she’s mission is to create imaginative worked on productions of Buyer shows that are educational, enter- and Cellar at the Barrow Street taining, and thought-provoking. Theatre, The Fairy Tale Lives of Its 2014–2015 touring repertoire Russian Girls at Yale Repertory includes Charlotte’s Web; A Theatre, as well as two previous Christmas Carol; Click, Clack, Moo; workshops of The Lightning Thief. Curious George; Fly Guy & Other Additionally, at Joira Productions Stories; Freedom Train; Junie she teaches a dance class, osten- B. Jones; Skippyjon Jones; The sibly called “how to fake extensive Lightning Thief; The Teacher from dance training,” which teaches the Black Lagoon & Other Story actors physical precision, stamina, Books; and We the People. The- and commitment. atreworks USA’s honors include a Drama Desk Award, Off-Broad- TURNER SMITH (Fight Director) is way’s Lucille Lortel Award, the a stunt performer and fight chore- Jonathan Larson Performing Arts ographer working in both film and Foundation Award, the William M. theatre. He is a graduate of NYU/ Dawson Award for Programmatic Tisch Drama where he focused on Excellence given by the Associa- acting and fight direction, and has tion of Performing Arts Present- extensive training in a variety of ers, and the Medal of Honor from the Actors’ Fund of America. ers, and protects professional www.TWUSA.org stage directors and choreog- raphers throughout the United ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION, States. The society’s mission is to founded in 1913, represents more foster a national community of than 45,000 actors and stage professional stage directors and managers in the United States. choreographers by protecting the Equity negotiates wages and rights, health, and livelihoods of working conditions, providing a all of its members. The society wide range of benefits, including seeks to facilitate the exchange of health and pension plans. Equity ideas, information, and opportuni- seeks to foster the art of live the- ties while educating current and atre as an essential component of future generations about the role our society. www.actorsequity.org of directors and choreographers and providing effective adminis- THE STAGE DIRECTORS AND tration, negotiations, and contrac- CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, tual support for more than 2,000 founded in 1959, is the theatrical full members and more than 800 labor union that unites, empow- associates.

The Nile Project conjures music and promotes cooperation along iconic river

BY JOHN MARK RAFACZ

The Nile Project uses music to raise awareness of the cultural and environmental challenges along Africa’s mighty river. The project unites artists from each country in the Nile basin to learn from one another and compose music together.

The Nile forms a complex system wrought with political, environmental, economic, and social challenges. The project seeks to educate and empower Nile citizens to work cooperatively to boost the sustainability of their ecosystem.

The project’s Penn State performance—at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, in Eisenhower Auditorium—is part of a weeklong residency by the musicians. The Center for the Performing Arts has scheduled an array of free engagement activities. Details are available at cpa.psu.edu/events/nile-project.

“To a traditionalist, the Nile Project might look like an ungainly mélange: a gather- ing of musicians from eleven countries of the Nile basin, playing instruments that weren’t made to share a stage or a song,” writes Jon Pareles of The New York Times. “They included an Egyptian wooden flute, an oud, African harps, a thumb piano, a saxophone. But at Globalfest, the annual world-music showcase … , the Nile Project was a committed, euphoric international coalition. The musicians had worked out the nuances of modes and rhythms to join one another’s songs, no longer separated by geography or politics. Some of the music showed roots in Arabic culture, some in East African polyrhythms; the words were in various languages, the voices gentle or declamatory or cutting.” The orchestra features percussion from Kenya, Uganda, and Egypt plus other instru- ments such as the masenko (single-stringed bowed lute), ney (end-blown flute), simsimiyya (plucked lyre), tanbura (long-necked stringed instrument), and adungu (arched harp).

Mina Girgis, who co-founded the project in 2011, was born in Paris and raised in Egypt. At 22, he enrolled at Florida State University, where he studied hospitality and ethno- musicology before going on to graduate school in California.

“We were interested in bringing musicians together from the eleven Nile countries to collaborate on creating music that would both help expand people’s cultural curiosity and musical curiosity in the Nile basin—about their river neighbors—and also facilitate conversation beyond music to get people to start talking more about the water conflict that we face and the water issues that we have to overcome together,” Girgis says.

WANT TICKETS FOR THE APRIL 23 CONCERT? © Peter Stanley © Peter cpa.psu.edu 814-863-0255

The project unites instruments and musical traditions that weren’t historically connected.

“We’re certainly creating music that hasn’t been created before. This is a first in terms of bringing musicians from those eleven countries together,” Girgis says.

“Most of the world-music fusion projects … have given little attention to the process and more attention to the product. You bring musicians together that are masters in their own traditions, and they come together and they quickly cook up some fusion. You can still see the different styles,” he says. “Most people don’t spend weeks educat- ing the musicians in their respective styles so that you have a Ugandan who can play Egyptian maqam and an Egyptian who can play Ugandan polyrhythms on every song.”

Each year, the project musicians get together for a two-week residency. They also compose music when they’re on tour. In between, they meet online.

“Every week we have a musician from the collective that develops a lesson, with the support of our musical director, and shares with everyone musical examples from their country and musical exercises that allow everybody else to be able to take that and absorb the music before we come to the residency,” Girgis says.

NPR named Aswan, the project’s first recording, one of the “five must-hear interna- tional albums” of 2013. A second album, Jinga, is slated for release this year.

Days Inn Penn State sponsors the performance. The Sidney and Helen S. Friedman Endowment provides support. John Mark Rafacz is the editorial manager at the Center for the Performing Arts. Bold listings represent members who Members increased their donations by 10 percent The Center for the Performing Arts recognizes the following members or more this season. Be Bold! Contact for their support. For information on the membership program or Dave Shaffer, assistant director for how you may contribute to the Center for the Performing Arts, please special programs, at 814-863-1167. contact Dave Shaffer at 814-863-1167 or [email protected].

Leadership Encore Nancy L. Herron Circle Circle Lam and Lina Hood Cindy and Al Jones Chick King $3,000 and more $1,000 to $1,999 James and Bonnie Knapp James and Barbara Korner Lynn Sidehamer Brown Pamela M. Aikey John and Michelle Mason Mimi U. Barash Coppersmith Grace M. Bardine Patrick W. and Susan N. Morse Marty and Joan Duff Mary and Hu Barnes Marcia and Bill Newton Blake and Linda Gall Philip and Susan Burlingame Robert and Helen Harvey Edda and Francis G. Gentry Steve and Anne Pfeiffenberger Bob and Sonia Hufnagel Richard B. Gidez Jack and Sue Poremba Patricia Hawbaker Quinlivan Richard and Sally Kalin Judith Albrecht and Denny Gioia Andy and Kelly Renfrew Dan and Peggy Hall LeKander David and Margaret Gray Shirley Sacks Barbara Palmer Michael P. Johnson and Dotty and Paul Rigby Maureen Mulderig Sally L. Schaadt Louis P. Silverman and Stan and Debra Latta Russell and Jeanne Schleiden Veronica A. Samborsky Benson and Christine Lichtig Paul and K. C. Sheeler Vaughn and Kay Shirk George and Nina Woskob Kenneth and Irene Mcllvried Karen and Scott Shearer Susan and Lewis Steinberg Jackson and Diane Spielvogel Marilynne W. Stout Director’s Kenton Stuck Circle Carol and Rex Warland Terry and Pat Williams Mark and Anne Toniatti David and Diane Wisniewski Elizabeth Trudeau $2,000 to $2,999 George and Debbie Trudeau Mark and JoAnne Westerhaus Patricia Best and Thomas Ray advocate Mary Jane and William Wild Lynn Donald Breon Charlotte Zmyslo Janet Fowler Dargitz and $500 to $999 Karl George Stoedefalke P arTNER Rod and Shari Erickson Ned and Inga Book Edward R. Galus Jack and Diana Brenizer $250 to $499 Arnold and Marty Gasche Sandra Zaremba and Richard Brown Donald W. Hamer and Marie Bednar Richard Carlson and Lori Forlizzi Steve and Chris Adams Beverly Hickey Joseph and Annie Doncsecz William W. Asbury Honey and Bill Jaffe Michael T. and Ann F. Dotsey Dr. Deborah F. Atwater Kay F. Kustanbauter Steve and Sandy Elbin Sven and Carmen Bilén Eileen W. Leibowitz Mark A. Falvo Alan Brown Tom and Mary Ellen Litzinger Nancy S. Gamble Roger and Corinne Coplan Pieter W. and Lida Ouwehand John and Carol Graham Lee and Joan Coraor William Rabinowitz Bill and Connie Hayes Stephanie Corcino Robert Schmalz Steven L. Herb and Sara Willoughby-Herb partner (cONT’D) friend Tom Caldwell Memorial Fund $250 to $499 $150 to $249 Don Miller June Miller Jo Dixon Lynn and Ellis Abramson Gary and Judy Mitchell Margaret Duda Shirley Allan Betty and John Moore Heather F. Fleck Anne and Art Anderson Scott and Sandy Balboni Chris and Bobbie Muscarella Pamela Francis Robert F. and Donna C. Nicely Peg and Joe French Dr. Henry and Elaine Brzycki Claire M. Paquin Catherine Greenham John Collins and Mary Brown John M. Carroll and Mary Beth Rosson Guy and Grace Pilato Andrea Harrington Proforma LLH Promos, LLC Sue Haug George and Bunny Dohn Andrew and Jean Landa Pytel Dawn E. Hawkins Steven P. Draskoczy, M.D. Ed and Georgia Reutzel Dale T. Hoffman Terry and Janice Engelder Phil and Judy Roberts Anne Hummer Barry and Patti Fisher Frank and Vicki Forni Susan J. Scheetz Christopher and Gail Hurley The Shondeck Family John and Gina Ikenberry Bob and Ellen Frederick Donald Smith and Merrill Budlong Allen and Nancy Jacobson Andris and Dace Freivalds Allan and Sherrill Sonsteby Laurene Keck and Dave Sweetland David and Kay Green Carol Sosnowski and John and Gretchen Leathers Bethlyn and Scott Griffin Rosemary Weber Debra Leithauser Charlie and Laura Hackett Barry and Ellen Stein Fran E. Levin Elizabeth Hanley and JoLaine Teyssier Jack and Ellie Lewis Patrick Kolivoski James and Deena Ultman Dorothy and Kenneth Lutz John Lloyd Hanson Stephen and Jennifer Van Hook Richard and Juanita Lysle Betty Harper and Scott Sheeder Nancy and Wade VanLandingham Jodi Hakes McWhirter In Memory of Bob Harvey Alice Wilson and Friends Susan and Brian McWhirter Ann and Tom Hettmansperger David L. and Connie Yocum Jim and Sharon Mortensen Jackie and John Hook Joe and Sandy Niebel Jim and Susan Houser Eva and Ira Pell Steven and Shirley Hsi the jazz train Martena Rogers Daniel and Kathleen Jones Mike and Joan Roseberry Ed and Deb Klevans $250 and more John F. Knepp Robert and Peggy Schlegel Help us continue to present world-class Tom and Carolyn Schwartz Harry B. Kropp and Edward J. Legutko jazz artists by becoming a member of Dave Shaffer and Eve Evans The Jazz Train. For details, contact Dave Thomas Kurtz and John and Sherry Symons Shaffer at [email protected] or Grace Mullingan-Kurtz Shawn and Amy Vashaw 814-863-1167. Gary and Tammy Vratarich Mark and Theresa Lafer Barbara R. and Joel A. Weiss Fred and Louise Leoniak William W. Asbury Sue Whitehead Sharon and David Lieb Patricia Best and Thomas Ray David and Betsy Will Bob and Janice Lindsay David and Susan Beyerle Sharon and Carl Winter Herb and Trudy Lipowsky Lynn Donald Breon Craig and Diane Zabel Jane and Edward Liszka Philip and Susan Burlingame Dr. Theodore Ziff Nancy and John Lowe David and Lisa Coggins Cal and Pam Zimmerman Sandy and Betty Macdonald Gordon and Caroline DeJong Helen Manfull Jim and Polly Dunn Deborah Marron Edward R. Galus Betty McBride-Thuering Arnold and Marty Gasche Sherren and Harold McKenzie Charlene and Frank Gaus John and Michelle Groenveld Lee Grover and Anita Bear Steven L. Herb and Sara Willoughby-Herb Endowment Anne and Lynn Hutcheson Honey and Bill Jaffe Contributors Brian and Christina Johnson Michael P. Johnson and $150 and more Maureen Mulderig We recognize the following donors who have contributed to endow- Cindy and Al Jones Robert Martin and Kathy Weaver ments at the Center for the Performing Arts in the past year. For more Kathleen D. Matason and information about how to contribute to existing endowments, contact Richard M. Smith Dave Shaffer at 814-863-1167 or [email protected]. Randi and Peter Menard Dr. Marla L. Moon John L. Brown Jr. and Marlynn Steele Sidehamer Wilson and Maureen Moses Endowment William and Annemarie Mountz The Sturtz-Davis Family Larry and Kelly Mroz Nina C. Brown Endowment Jack and Sue Poremba Pamela M. Aikey Sally L. Schaadt David and Ann Shallcross-Wolfgang Richard Robert Brown Program Endowment Dan and Melinda Stearns Richard Brown and Sandra Zaremba Dennis W. and Joan S. Thomson Norma and Ralph Condee Chamber Music Endowment Dan and Linda Treviño Robert and Dorothy Cecil Barbara R. and Joel A. Weiss William F. and Kathleen Dierkes Condee Charlotte Zmyslo Honey and Bill Jaffe Endowment Honey and Bill Jaffe McQuaide Blasko Endowment Mr. and Mrs. James Horne Penn State International Dance Ensemble Endowment Elizabeth Hanley and Patrick Kolivoski

vision Enriching lives through inspiring experiences

mission The Center for the Performing Arts provides a context, through artistic connections, to the human experience. By bringing artists and audiences together we spark discovery of passion, inspira- tion, and inner truths. We are a motivator for creative thinking and examination of our relationship with the world. CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AT PENN STATE

“Four classical musicians performing cpa.psu.edu I 814-863-0255 with the energy of young rock stars.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Brooklyn Rider 7:30 P.M. TUESDAY, APRIL 14 SCHWAB AUDITORIUM

Sarah Small Sarah

Center for the Performing Arts Staff

George Trudeau, director Medora Ebersole, education and community Lea Asbell-Swanger, assistant director programs manager Annie Doncsecz, finance director Lisa Faust, audience services manager Tracy Noll, sales and development services director Deanna Heichel, assistant finance director Laura Sullivan, marketing and communications Tom Hesketh, events manager director Wanda Hockenberry, assistant to the director Amy Dupain Vashaw, audience and program Christine Igoe, ticket manager development director Urszula Kulakowski, art director Shannon Arney, assistant ticket manager Heather Mannion, advertising associate Erik Baxter, multimedia specialist Sherren McKenzie, group sales coordinator Shannon Bishop, downtown ticket center manager John Mark Rafacz, editorial manager Len Codispot, sales and development accounting , assistant director for special programs coordinator Dave Shaffer Chad Swires, production supervisor Gary Collins, production supervisor Mark Tinik, production supervisor Aimee Crihfield, contracts/logistics coordinator

1 2 3 Front cover photos: 1. Diavolo Kenneth Mucke 2. Antibalas Marina Abadjieff 3.Imago Theatre’s Frogz Jerry Mouawad 4 5 6 4. SISTER ACT © 2014 Joan Marcus 5. Cyrille Aimée 6. The King’s Singers Axel Nickolaus 7. Time for Three Sherry Ferrante 8. THE CHIEFTAINS Kevin Kelly 9. Brussels Jazz 7 8 9 Orchestra’s Graphicology Philip Paquet 10. eighth blackbird Luke Ratray 11. Rosanne Cash © Clay Patrick McBride 10 11 12 12. Theatreworks USA’s The Lightning Thief Jeremy Daniel 13. Brooklyn Rider Sarah Small 14. CAMELOT 15. The Nile 13 14 15 Project Matjaz Kacicnik