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181 WHITE STREET, DANBURY, CONN. WCSU. EDU/ SVPA WCSU DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS PRESENTS Hedda Freeman a contemporary adaptation of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler Directed by Justin P. Cowan Adapted by Kamilah Bush and Dr. Justin P. Cowan Video Editor Lead Video Editor Production Stage Manager Jakob Kelsey Kimille Howard Isabel Salazar Theresia Young Sound & Video Composer/Original Music Scenic Design/Visual Art Elias Levy Amanda D’Archangelis Clifton Chadick Head Costumer Hair & Makeup Props Master Sammi Rosen Julia Bussel Reagan Smith Production Manager Assistant Production Manager Assistant Production Manager Frank Herbert Jenna Atherton Abbey Murray Producer Associate Producer Pam McDaniel Dr. Justin P. Cowan Please join us for a talkback session on Monday, May 10th from 7:00 – 8:00 PM EST, featuring director & adaptor Justin P. Cowan, adaptor Kamilah Bush, and members of the cast. https://zoom.us/j/92222188026?pwd=d1ZqdjhRaGtwOTR1UGgzNzlSaCtydz09 In recognition of truth, history, and the enduring relationship between Indigenous Peoples and their sacred lands, we acknowledge that western Connecticut is the traditional homelands of the Schaghticoke, Weantinock, and other Native Peoples. The WCSU community seeks to foster greater knowledge of Connecticut’s tribal nations, other Indigenous residents, and those forcibly removed. VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, WCSU WESTSIDE CAMPUS, 43 LAKE AVE. EXTENSION, DANBURY, CONN. 06811 WCSU.EDU/SVPA DIRECTOR’S NOTE Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler has always been one of those plays that’s haunted me. Not haunting in a ghost story kind of way, but haunting in the many ways in which it seems impossible to fully understand. From the first time I read the play in grad school to the first time I saw a staged production, I always empathized with Hedda. For me, her longing for a different and more fulfilling life stood at the forefront. Yes, the problematic decisions that she makes throughout the play and the ways in which she manipulates people in search of power are there, but I recognized all of that as merely a result of her larger state of being. Imagine my surprise when many of my classmates didn’t read or see the same Hedda that I read and saw. Imagine my further surprise years later when a female student said to me, “Ugh, I hate Hedda. She’s such a b*tch. Why should I care about her?” After picking my jaw up off the floor and really thinking about her statement, I realized that she might be right. Not about all of it, but about that last question: “Why should I care about her?” The answer, of course, is centered in context. The original play was written and first performed in 1891 Norway, a time and place in which women existed for marriage and motherhood with little to no autonomy of their own. What was Hedda to do? This modern and contemporary woman that’s resigned to a future, a marriage, a life, and maybe even a child that she never imagined for herself. It is very difficult with our contemporary and American lens to fully understand Hedda as she was originally written and performed, as that time and audience are both very distant and foreign to us. Once I made the decision to direct Hedda Gabler, I started reading various adaptations of the play in an effort to find one that might help me contemporize this particular story for a modern audience. Through all of this reading, I found only one adaptation that I liked. But the more I read it, and the more I began to imagine how I might cast it, the more questions that started to arise. I knew almost immediately that I wanted to cast a woman of color in the role of Hedda. I told myself, “It’s 2021; there’s absolutely no reason why a woman of color shouldn’t have the opportunity to tackle one of the most complex and challenging roles ever written for the stage.” But the more I imagined this contemporary production coming to life, the more I realized that by casting a woman of color in this particular role I was actually telling an even more complex story. A story that deserved further thought, nuance, and a voice other than my own. I immediately called one of the most talented playwrights I know, Kamilah Bush, and I said, “Hey! I have an idea. What do you think?” I will be forever grateful that she shared this vision for a newly imagined piece. Through a lot of conversation, a lot of long hours over Zoom, a lengthy shared Google doc, and the joy that comes from reconnecting and collaborating with a friend, Kamilah and I developed our own adaptation: a contemporary retelling that we believe honors Ibsen’s original intent for the play. “It was not my desire to deal in this play with so-called problems. What I principally wanted to do was to depict human beings, human emotions, and human destinies, upon a groundwork of certain of the social conditions and principles of the present day." -Henrik Ibsen So, what are the social conditions and principles of the present day? How do those conditions and principles inform our actions? Our emotions? Our destinies? Like Ibsen, Kamilah and I didn’t seek to definitively answer any of these questions for you, or to solve any “so-called problems.” We merely sought to start, or rather continue, a conversation. And as the centerpiece of that conversation, Kamilah and I offer you a Hedda for the 21st century. A strong black woman aware of the power of her blackness. Aware of the danger of her blackness. Surrounded by whiteness. Carrying the expectations of those who’ve come before her. Struggling with depression and suicidal ideation. Burdened by the stigma surrounding blackness and mental health. A strong black woman with nothing to lose. It should be stated that Kamilah and I view Hedda Gabler at its core, as a suicide play. If you search for any one thing that causes Hedda to do what she inevitably does, you’ll come up empty-handed. It’s an avalanche. A rolling tide. Her depression, combined with her propensity for suicidal thought, provides her with an everlasting escape route. And if you’re unafraid of such an escape, how much more willing would you be to flirt with danger? To push that envelope right to the edge? Perhaps even over it. You’ll notice that the artwork for this production boasts a black American flag waving boldly in the wind. For centuries, black flags have been flown by opposing forces in battle to announce that “no quarter will be given.” In other words, they’d rather be killed than taken prisoner. Enjoy the play. -Justin P. Cowan DRAMATURG NOTE A Note From the Dramaturgs: Hello, and welcome to the official dramaturgical page for WCSU’s Hedda Freeman. Hours of research have been put into the resources of this website, from both the cast and the creative team. Included in this website, you will find links to historical information, set design, original music, and more extensive information on this groundbreaking adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler—a play that challenged sociocultural beliefs about women and power in Norway, starting with its premier in 1891. However, adapters Justin Cowan and Kamilah Bush show that it has a lot to say about the world of 2021 as well. The goal of this site is to provide important information and context so that you, the audience, can get the most of your viewing experience via your own navigation—which seems appropriate for a play about people who are making choices to serve their own interests and concerns. This show has several motifs at its core, one of those being power and control. As you watch, try to identify who has the power in each scene, and how these characters react to and interact with each other in their attempts to secure greater power. How far are they willing to go for what they want? What are they willing to sacrifice? Are they willing to risk their lives for their motivations? Perhaps most of all, how does it reflect contemporary political and personal struggles that we find ourselves negotiating in an attempt to secure some control over our futures? For even more insights, please join the cast, directors, and other members of our creative team for a talkback on May 10th, from 7-8 p.m. We hope to see you there. Best, Bella Bosco, Student Dramaturg Prof. Donald P. Gagnon, Faculty Dramaturg https://wcsutheatre.wixsite.com/wcsuheddafreeman CAST Liam McGrath Rachel Faria Sean Gorman Zachary Brown Alexis Reda Bella Bosco Raissatou Karim Cast Hedda Thompson….………………..…………………………...……………………….……………..…….……RACHEL FARIA George Thompson.……………………………………………………….…………………………………………LIAM MCGRATH Elliott Lewis…….………………….…………….………………………………………………..……………………SEAN GORMAN Jack.…………………………….…………………………………………………………………..…………….….ZACHARY BROWN Thea Everett..……………………………………..………………………..……………..…….………..……….……ALEXIS REDA Julie Thompson..………………………………….………….…………………………………...…..……….…..…BELLA BOSCO Briona Pittman.…..……………………………………………………………….……….……….……………RAISSATOU KARIM PRODUCTION TEAM WCSU THEATRE Director…….………….…………JUSTIN P. COWAN FACULTY Adaptor………………………….……KAMILAH BUSH Adaptor………………..…………JUSTIN P. COWAN Dean, School of Visual and Performing Arts….. Producer……………………..………PAM MCDANIEL ………………………………………BRIAN T. VERNON Associate Producer…..……….JUSTIN P. COWAN Chair/Professor……………..……. PAM MCDANIEL Production Manager…………...FRANK HERBERT Assoc. Chair/Assistant Professor………………….. Asst. Production Manager…JENNA ATHERTON ……………………………….DR. JUSTIN P. COWAN Asst. Production Manager……..ABBEY MURRAY Professor……………………DR. DONALD GAGNON Production Stage Manager….ISABEL SALAZAR Professor……………………..……FRANK HERBERT Asst. Stage Manager……..……....IZIAH BARNES Professor……………………....ELIZABETH POPIEL Asst. Stage Manager……..REBECCA DONAGHY Professor……………………..………...SAL TRAPANI Faculty Dramaturg………DR. DONALD GAGNON Associate Professor/Coordinator of Musical Student Dramaturg……….……..…BELLA BOSCO Theatre………………………..………. TIM HOWARD Lead Video Editor………..……KIMILLE HOWARD Assistant Professor………..JONI JOHNS LERNER Video Editor…………………………..JAKOB KELSEY Adjunct Professors…………..PHILLIP BALDWIN, Video Editor…………….....……THERESIA YOUNG MICHAEL BARTOLI, CHRISTOPHER BOLAN, Sound & Video….…………..……………ELIAS LEVY MEGAN BOLAN, LOUISA BURNS-BISOGNO, Sound Liaison…………….…..ARIELLE EDWARDS ANTHONY DEPOTO, ARIELLE EDWARDS, Composer/Original Music…………………………….