LIVE ARTS THEATER Season 29 ~ 2019-2020 A NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Persistence. Perseverance. Inspiration. These words come to my mind when I think about the immigrant experience. I think about my great-grandfather who literally walked across Europe, fleeing persecution and death, to come to America in search of safety and a better life. I think about the people who make similar journeys now, with even less chance of being granted that precious moniker of citizen. I think on the roadblocks that we, as a society, have built to prevent people from participating in the American Experiment. And I think on how much we are lessened because of it. A monochromatic society is a society that cannot see itself. For without contrast, what is there to even see? IN THE HEIGHTS tells an important American story. It is a story of family, of sacrifice, and of community. It is a story that is deeply immersed in a particular culture, and one that is also universally American. To me, that is one of the great ideals of theater, to tell a story that is unique, personal, and universal. If we are able to recognize the familiar in the different, it only helps us to come together. These opening words are also what come to mind when I think of this particular team. In the face of a once-in-a-generation hardship and challenge, they have shifted, pivoted, created, and carried on. To put it simply, this entire cast and production team have blown me away. I am so excited that you are joining us for our digital presentation of IN THE HEIGHTS! Jeremy Duncan Pape Interim Artistic Director, LIVE ARTS 1 ELIZABETH & JOE LEVACA PRESENT IN THE HEIGHTS LIVE ARTS AUGUST 13-16, 2020 Music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes Directed by Rebecca Aparicio Musical Direction by Michael Salvatierra There will be one 10 minute intermission. This special online performance is presented using the Zoom webinar platform. Although you will see and hear the actors, no audience members can be seen or heard during the course of the show. IN THE HEIGHTS is presented through special arrangement with R & H Theatricals. Development of IN THE HEIGHTS was supported by the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center during a residency at the Music Theater Conference of 2005. Initially Developed by Back House Productions. Produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller, Jill Furman Willis, Sander Jacobs, Goodman/Grossman, Peter Fine, and Everett/Skipper. Supported in part by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts & The National Endowment for the Arts. ELIZABETH & JOE LEVACA PRESENT CAST USNAVI DE LA VEGA Joshua St. Hill LIVE ARTS NINA ROSARIO Charlotte Caldejon AUGUST 13-16, 2020 BENNY Thaddeus Lane Music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda VANESSA Abi Lainez Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes DANIELA Christina Cooper Directed by Rebecca Aparicio CARLA Chloe Rogers Musical Direction by Michael Salvatierra SONNY Jaylan Garcia KEVIN ROSARIO Jakobh McHone CAMILA ROSARIO Riley Gonzalez ABUELA CLAUDIA Natacha Jacques GRAFFITI PETE Lauren Pierce PIRAGUA GUY Matty Ward ENSEMBLE Dorothy Briggs Aneesa Chandra Marcus Dowd Heaven Fleming-Bryant Anthony Hearn Jenine Jarrar Ezra Smith 3 PRODUCTION TEAM PRODUCER Kristin Wenger DIRECTOR Rebecca Aparicio Shannon Montague ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Jessica Harris Jessica Harris MUSICAL DIRECTOR Michael Salvatierra Rebecca Aparicio ASSOCIATE MUSICAL DIRECTOR Kristin Baltes CHOREOGRAPHER Heaven Fleming-Bryant STAGE MANAGER Denise Folley DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY Shannon Montague ASST. STAGE MANAGER Rosalind Werner Winslow COSTUME DESIGNER Dakota Duncan SET DESIGNER/ LOCATION SCOUT Dan Feigert ASSOCIATE SET DESIGNER/ LOCATION SCOUT Marietta Feigert BAND BAND LEADER Michael Salvatierra KEYS/WOODWINDS Abby Smith DRUMS Thomas Castleman BASS Horace Scruggs GUITAR Solomon Goluboff-Schragger 4 Kristin Wenger VIDEO EDITING MUSIC EDITING Rebecca Aparicio Shannon Montague Michael Salvatierra Jessica Harris Jessica Harris Dorothy Briggs Michael Salvatierra Rebecca Aparicio Jessica Harris Noah Salvatierra Kristin Baltes Heaven Fleming-Bryant Denise Folley Shannon Montague GRATITUDE BOARD Rosalind Werner Winslow Petite Marie Bette Dakota Duncan Joshua Harris Dan Feigert Isaac Wardell Marietta Feigert 5 LIVE ARTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS BARBARA KESSLER ERNEST CHAMBERS President Vice President MOLLY BLOOM ABBY COOK Secretary Treasurer Beverly Colwell Adams Bill LeSueur Deborah Arenstein Shannon Montague Johannah Castleman Cameron Mowat Shilpa Davé Ckalib S. Nelson Lisa Duval Larissa Sneathern Aimee Fagan Ed Stockwell Cristan Keighley Matt Yohe LIVE ARTS STAFF ANNE HUNTER JEREMY DUNCAN PAPE Executive Director Interim Artistic Director KIM BEARD KATIE ROGERS Database Coordinator Marketing Coordinator SHELBY MARIE EDWARDS MILLER MURRAY SUSEN Development Coordinator Education Director LIZ HOWARD DARRYL SMITH Production Coordinator Box Office Manager CHRIS KELLY ANNIE TEMMINK Special Projects Manager Interim Technical Director RAY NEDZEL LINDA ZUBY Fringe Program Director Bookkeeper DESIGN SOCIAL GRAPHIC DESIGN Facebook /livearts Convoy Instagram @livearts PROGRAM DESIGN YouTube /LiveArtsTheater Live Arts Twitter @livearts 6 CAST BIOS DOROTHY BRIGGS CHRISTINA COOPER ENSEMBLE DANIELA Dorothy is thrilled Christina is so excited to be a part of this to perform in her first amazing musical with show at Live Arts. such a talented team. She is grateful for the She has played piano incredibly talented for nine years and cast and crew who loves to sing and edit made this show come music. In her free time to life so beautifully. she writes music and Some of her past zooms with friends. She hopes you enjoy IN credits include Crutchie in NEWSIES, and THE HEIGHTS! Eponine in LES MISERABLES. CHARLOTTE CALDEJON MARCUS DOWD NINA ROSARIO ENSEMBLE Charlotte is honored Marcus is thrilled to to be a part of her first make his Live Arts show with Live Arts. debut! His favorite Recent performances roles include: Malcolm include SEUSSICAL, in 13: THE MUSICAL THESE SHINING (Virginia Rep/Cadence LIVES, FOOTLOOSE Theatre Company), (Covenant Players), Nathan in THE FULL and THE NATIONAL MONTY (Workhouse SHAKESPEARE COMPETITION ‘19 at Black- Arts Center), and Ralphie in A CHRISTMAS friars Playhouse. She dances with Albemarle STORY: THE MUSICAL (Riverside Center Ballet Theatre and is thrilled you’re here! for the Performing Arts). Thanks for the support! ANEESA CHANDRA ENSEMBLE HEAVEN FLEMING- Aneesa is thrilled to BRYANT ENSEMBLE/CHOREOGRAPHER be in the cast of IN THE HEIGHTS! Aneesa Heaven is very is 14 years old and is honored to be starting high school in working on her first the fall. She has previ- Live Arts show with ously performed with this amazing cast DMR and is excited for and crew, and for the the opportunity to be opportunity to be the in her first Live Arts show! Her recent roles lead choreographer. include Little Red in INTO THE WOODS and Heaven has previously ensemble in HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. worked as an assistant choreographer for SOCIAL ONCE ON THIS ISLAND and lead choreog- rapher for CRYBABY at Monticello High School. 7 CAST BIOS (CONT.) JAYLAN GARCIA JOSHUA ST. HILL SONNY USNAVI DE LA VEGA Jaylan is 15 years old Joshua is an actor, and making his Live artist, and teen play- Arts debut. Previous wright returning to credits include THE the Live Arts family. LITTLE MERMAID, Joshua performed HAIRSPRAY, and HIGH in last summer’s SCHOOL MUSICAL. production of RENT He also co-directed a at Live Arts, and is production of PETER now reprising his role PAN GOES WRONG benefiting charity. as Usnavi after performing with the cast of Outside of acting and singing, Jaylan enjoys IN THE HEIGHTS at Monticello High School. swimming, running, and spending time with friends and family. NATACHA JACQUES ABUELA CLAUDIA RILEY GONZALEZ Natacha is thrilled to CAMILA ROSARIO be working on this Riley Gonzalez is beautiful show. IN THE thrilled to join this HEIGHTS is her first amazing cast in such show with Live Arts, a moving production. and she is so excited She is so excited to to be playing Abuela be working once Claudia. Some recent again with Live Arts. performances include You may have seen HAIRSPRAY (Motormouth Maybelle), THE her in previous Live ADDAMS FAMILY, and LES MIS (ensemble/ Arts shows including CRYBABY (featured swing). dancer), FOLLIES (ensemble), and RENT (Mimi Marquez). She hopes you enjoy the JENINE JARRAR show as much as the cast loved working ENSEMBLE on it! Jenine is thrilled to be working on ANTHONY HEARN her first Live Arts ENSEMBLE production alongside Anthony is excited to so many talented be in his second show performers and an at Live Arts! Previous incredible creative performances include team. She has previ- CRYBABY (Live Arts), ously participated THE BEST CHRISTMAS in many VHSL One Act Competitions. She PAGEANT EVER (4CP) currently attends James Madison University and BEAUTY AND studying English and British Communica- THE BEAST (Firehouse tions. Theater). Anthony has attended the Orange School of Performing Arts for the last seven years and is a senior member of their competitive dance company. 8 CAST BIOS (CONT.) ABI LAINEZ JAKOBH MCHONE VANESSA KEVIN ROSARIO Abi is the proud Jakobh is ecstatic daughter of two to be working on IN Salvadoran parents. THE HEIGHTS with She is a rising his fellow actors, and sophomore at VCU he is looking forward studying polit- to sharing this ical science, civil production with all rights, and criminal of you. You may have justice. Abi has seen him last year as loved music and theater for as long as Mark in RENT and soon you will catch him she can remember, and this is her third in future shows at JMU! time performing in IN THE HEIGHTS. She welcomes you to IN THE HEIGHTS: Zoom- LAUREN PIERCE sical version! GRAFFITI PETE Lauren is excited to THADDEUS LANE be a part of a virtual BENNY musical for the first Thaddeus Lane has time. IN THE HEIGHTS been a part of the is her first show with Live Arts family for Live Arts.