The T h e s p i a n Volume XIII Issue 3 The Horace Mann Theatre Company's tri-annual publication April 2010 The HMTC Presents... Photo by Megan Lu Oliver! April 22nd @ 3:30 PM April 23rd and 24th @ 7:30 PM I n t h i s i s s u e . What the dickens? - Rachel Buissereth gives some background on the celebrated author of the novel Oliver Twist We'd dO anYthinG FOR hiM - Dan Froot talks to director Woody Howard about all things Oliver! iF OnlY all the WORld WeRe this staGe! - Suman Gidwani features the mainstage Gross Theater it's back! - After a brief hiatus, a Finn Vigeland-created crossword puzzle graces our back cover once again 2 THE HORACE MANN THEATRE COMPANY THE THESPIAN OFFICERS Editor-in-Chief Junior Editor Presidents Sarah Sanders Maia Salholz-Hillel Zoë Maltby Jessica Chi THEATRE & DANCE FACULTY & STAFF Woody Howard Publicity Student Technical Directors Denise DiRenzo Ethan Levine-Weinberg Nathalie Antoine Alison Kolinski Anna Meredith Caroline Marin Emma Laurence Ken Zhang Jonathan Nye Joel Sherry Lower Division Outreach Joseph Timkó Amelia Ross Officer Goodbyes The HMTC has been so much a part of my life at HM that, two My first experiences with the HMTC took place before I months shy of graduation, I still can’t believe that this time next was 10 years old, when my brother, Adam ’03, was involved. I year I won’t still be messaging the other seniors about cast gifts recall being in awe of the Van Alstyne Theatre, and especially and doing epic shakedowns with the rest of the cast. But all good— of the HMTC itself. The majority of the productions that I saw, make that great—things must come to an end, and it’s finally time however, were staged during the Gross Theater construction for me to graduate and, yes, say goodbye to the HMTC. years. But not sitting in an actual theater didn’t shake my Woody, Emma, Mr. Timkó, Alison, Joel, Jonathan, I have enthusiasm. Believe it or not, being part of the HMTC seemed learned so much from all of you and I honestly can’t thank you like a distant dream then, equivalent in my mind to playing enough for everything you’ve done to make this company as professional baseball (my very first dream). I wished to know supportive and consistently amazing as it is. “the big bald guy with the booming, God-like voice”. And you Jessica, you’ve been absolutely incredible this year, and I know, not much has changed. I am still in awe of the HMTC; know next year is going to be one of the best the HMTC has ever except now I have lived a dream-come-true, and I have been had. You’re one of the most talented people I know and you have very fortunate to have gotten to know that “big bald guy” the sickest kitty cat dance probably ever. You are going to do some (Woody, to clarify) very well over the last four years, as well as seriously amazing things with this company. the rest of the theatre faculty. To the HMTC, past and present: To the casts of Hotel Paradiso, the Dance Concert, King Lear, You all are so very talented, and I love each and every one of Damn Yankees, Double Plays & Triple Plays, 42nd Street, Wealth, you more than you can imagine. Here’s to Oliver! And, finally, Add As Friend, Oliver, and the entire Acting Seminar Class—I to the school, with regard to the HMTC: You have something love you guys more than I can say. Thank you for always making remarkable here, something unique, something truly special. rehearsal the place to be. Celebrate it as much as you can. Everyone: Thanks for the ride! In the last episode of the BBC Office, a character realizes Ethan Levine-Weinberg that “Life isn’t about endings, is it? It’s a series of moments.” My HMTC moment might be going through some changes at the end Trying to imagine my life in the future without the Theatre of this year, but I definitely wouldn’t call it an ending. Company and the spectacular people that make it up is bizarre. Trying to imagine the past three years of my life without the Exit Zoë Maltby Theatre Company is impossible. Between my first experience, as a nervous assistant director for the One-Acts, and what is my last, Theatre at Horace Mann has shaped my passion for acting as a prepubescent boy—I’ve found a home, and maybe my first as well as my own sense of identity. In the theatre I found strong sense of self. The HMTC is actually the best thing that’s creativity, responsibility, contemplation and friendship, and it ever happened to me. And that could not be more corny, but I like all began when I was encouraged to audition for Fiddler on the corny; and it’s true. Roof in the sixth grade. I was hooked, and each year since then To all the faculty, you are incredible, and the mentors theatre at Horace Mann has given me more friends and taught of a lifetime. Hedgehogs, you are the most supportive and me more about myself than I had ever hoped. I want to stress compassionate people I’ve met. I have made the closest friends the importance of a creative, intellectual group process like that of my life here, and I’ve enjoyed feeling a part of something even of putting on a show in a very young person’s life: I would have with those I don’t know well. Thank you all. been quite lost without theatre in middle school, and even before I’ve worked harder, loved harder, and laughed harder than I I came to Horace Mann, participating in plays empowered me knew I could here; and also I’ve lip-synched Portuguese into a for the better. The community that we’ve created is special in cucumber. While I really want to say, “Please, sir, I want some its warm and ambitious nature, but we must make it very clear- more,” I’m going to try and have a bit of grace and say instead— especially to the very young- that we are open to all. Amelia Ross it’s been grand, grand, GRAND. All my love. Sarah Sanders 3 Oliver! CAST CREW Old Sally...................................................Ambika Acharya Stage Manager.................................Sam Zuckerman Charlotte......................................................Nicole Albstein Deck Manager....................................Helen Feldman Noah Claypoole........................................Asher Baumrin Assistant Stage Manager..........................Ken Zhang Milkmaid..................................................Katie Birenboim Light Board Operator...............................Sam Torres Londoner................................................................Aly Blue Sound Board Operators....................Sara Nishimura, Mr. Brownlow..............................................Tucker Caploe Rebecca Segall, Pak Shen Mrs. Bedwin......................................................Jessica Chi Rigging.................................................Hannah Mark Charlie Bates.......................................................Dan Froot Follow Spot Operators.................Johnny Robertson, The Artful Dodger.........................................Eliza Harkins Josh Kwak Bill Sykes...................................................Antonio Irizarry Props Master.........................................Jean Mariano Knife Grinder..............................................Ethan Karetsky Running Crew.....................................Andrew Sklar, Mr. Bumble, the Beadle...............Mark Levine-Weinberg Brandon Sosa-Lederhouse, Tiffany Wang, Fagin.............................................Ethan Levine-Weinberg Winta Zaid Mrs. Sowerberry...............................................Zoë Maltby After School Crew Greg Miller Mr. Sowerberry...........................................Noah Margulis Nathalie Antoine Sara Nishimura Old Lady......................................................Anna Meredith Jessica Azerad Aramael Pena-Alcatara Rose Seller......................................................Maddie Penn Katie Bartel Gabrielle Rivkin Widow Corney................................................Amelia Ross Zach Bretton-Granatoor Johnny Robertson Nancy..............................................................Gabby Rubin Asher Baumrin Rebecca Segall Oliver Twist..................................................Sarah Sanders Cindy Chen Andrew Sklar Bet.........................................................................Sofi Selig Lee Ehudin Brandon Sosa- Londoner.............................................................Will Shore Greg Fabry Lederhouse Dr. Grimwig......................................................Willie Stern Miles Frankel Natasha Stolovitzky- Wilfredo Gomez Brunner Orphans, Pick-Pockets, Londoners..................................... Helen Feldman Sam Torres Samantha Albstein, Carolyn Applebaum, Maddie Josh Kwak Tiffany Wang Bender, Daniel Brereton, Elliot Bromberg, Jaylah Liana Mack Spencer Whitehead Degout, Philip Deutsch, Alexis Freed, Maxwell Kagan, Jasmine Mariano Ryan Yeh Mahika Kapoor, Caroline Kuritzkes, Andrew Levin, Jean Mariano Winta Zaid Emma Maltby, Izzie Rivera, Dorothy Ruan, James Caroline Marin Kenneth Zhang Savodelli, Marit Shuman Will Marro Sixing Zhao Hannah Mark Sam Zuckerman THE 2010-2011 SEASON Annual Alumni Show: Proof! The Fantasticks October 21-23 June 4-6 In the fourth annual alumni show, former Breaking the Code HMTC members will return to the Black November 11-13 Box to present David Auburn's Proof. When The Grapes of Wrath Catherine's mathematical-genius father passes February 10-12 on, his ex-graduate student Hal comes across Middle Division Play (TBD) a breakthrough proof about prime numbers in March 10-12 his office. Catherine must struggle to prove the Dance Concert proof's authorship while finding herself in a April 28-30