2003-2004 SEASON Department of Theatre BAR & GRILLE Sea/ood l&lrlil Cocklails TRL\NGLE P.ARK ....Al1 "'TER DAilK'' \V()RTII LO{)KING FOil 1/2 l\lilc Enst of IPF\V IPFW DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE presents Arms and the Man BY GEORGE BERNARD SHAW Director JANE PURSE-WIEDENHOEFT Scenic Designer Sound Designer MARK RIDGEWAY ToMTEMPEL Costume Designer Dramarurg CRAIG A. HUMPHREY SHARI TROY Lighting Designer Stage Manager MARK RIDGEWAY MATT PEDERSEN Properties Designer MARTY KERCHEVAL WILLIAMS THEATRE February 2004 WARNING The photographing or sound recording of any performance or the possession of any device for such photographing or sound recording inside this theatre, without the written permission of the management, is prohibited by law. Violators may be punished by ejection, and violations may render the offender liable formonetary damages. This play was selected for its artistic and academic value. The selection and performance of the play do not constitute an endorsement by Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne or Purdue University of the viewpoints conveyed by the play. Out of respect for the actors, we ask that you remain in your seat until the curtain call is finished. Please turn offall cell phones and pagers. DIRECTOR'S NOTES In approaching our production of Arms and the Man, I was struck by the timeliness of its war setting forour contemporary audience members. The backdrop forthe story is the Serbo Bulgarian War of 1885. But the war itself isn't the main focus of the play. In the play, war serves as the backdrop for Shaw's attempt at pointing out what he perceives as "crimes of society." The main focus of Arms and the Man is the exaggerated exploration of society's tendency to embrace blind idealism as can be associated with war and love. Shaw saw the idealistic or romantic imagination as an obstacle to society's ability to evolve. The romantic imagination, he said, "begins in silly and selfish expectations of the impossible, and ends in spiteful disappointment, sour grievance, cynicism, and misanthropic resistance to any attempt to better a hopeless world." As a 19th-century drama critic, Shaw felt that theatre productions of that time were "a hell on earth" because they ignored a realistic way of viewing life and embraced the idealistic way of viewing life through the romantic imagination - what Shaw called "the higher love." Shaw's criticism was that drama and theatre should abandon their trivial pursuit of escapist pleasure and revisit the seriousness of purpose of the ancient Greek theatre. As a playwright, Shaw attempted to move his audiences to take notice of this problematic social structure. Shaw used comedy as a vehicle to translate his observations about societal problems into a format that audiences of his time were willing to accept. A common theme in Shaw's plays was that all persons should be treated with equal respect. This view included a person's ethnicity, social class, as well as religious preferences. He felt that everyone had a right to better himself or herself no matter what position he or she held in society. In this timeless and classic comedy, Shaw successfully blends farce, drawing room comedy, and the contrast between the human elements of realism with the heroic elements of idealism. In Arms and the Man, each of Shaw's extravagant characters commence a journey of self-awareness and self-discovery. All in all, the play is an optimistic view of the haven of life and love in the face of war's desolation. The characters embrace life with confidence, and somehow their basic human values always find a way to prevail - in spite of themselves. rG<{L,-� Jane E. Purse-Wiedenhoeft ABOUT THE CAST Greg Boyles (Major Petkoff) is a first-year theatre major. He recently appeared in Love, Passion, and Redemption. He has also appeared in The Oresteia, Visionsof the Messiah, and On the Town. Boyles lists his most recent and favoriterole as Lou in Arena Dinner Theatre's production of BreakingL egs. Boyles has also worked backstage on such shows as Where's Charley? and She Loves Me. He is currently a sales associate forToys 'R Us. In Boyles' spare time he enjoys playing Hero Clicks. John Crewdson (Nicola), community guest artist, is an IPFW Department of Theatre graduate. He is also an associate faculty member. He was last seen in Sex 7 and was a director of the 24-hour Playhouse in the Studio Theatre. He has also appeared as Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey, Matthew in Corpus Christi, in the Adult Chorus of Bye Bye Birdie, as Nat Miller in Ah, Wilderness', and Capt. Brackett in South Pacificat IPFW. He was also seen in Spike Heelsand Arcadia at IPFW, Babesin Arms at Arena Dinner Theatre, and The Good Doctorat First Presbyterian Theater. Crewdson is known as a "jack of all trades" as he is also employed by Club Soda and Canal Place Apartments. Aaron Danusis (Officer) is making his debut performance on the IPFW stage as The Officer. Danusis is a first-year theatre major. He worked backstage for Suddenly Last Summer and is a sales representative at Bodine & A�sociates. Danusis was married last fall. Eve Escandon (Louka) was last seen on the IPFW stage as Miss Foxhill in Suddenly Last Summer. She also portrayed Millie in The Mai. Escandon is a transfer student from Lorain County Community College where she was quite active. Her acting credits there include Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Wife in Roshomon, Estelle in No Exit, and her favorite role as of yet, Raja in I Never Saw Another Butterfly. She performed several roles backstage, such as stage manager, painter, sound and lightboard operator, and carpenter. She was the assistant director for Sueno and was awarded fortwo years of theatre service at Lorain. Other awards include an ACTF stage performance of Roshomon and the Chancellor's Merit Award from IPFW. Escandon is also an award-winning playwright for Standing Lost and hopes to further pursue playwrighting as well as acting, directing, and every other possible option at IPFW Patrick Fruchey (Bluntschli) is a senior theatre major at IPFW. Fruchey was most recently seen in Suddenly Last Summer as Dr. Sugar. He has also appeared in All in the Timing; Flora the Red Menace; Love, Passion, and Redemption;Macbeth (a role for which he received an Irene Ryan Nomination); The Omteia; and She LovesMe, all at IPFW Fruchey has also performed in Little Shop of Horrorsand California Suite at the Arena Dinner Theatre. He lists his favorite role as Paul in Barefoot in the Park for the Gaslight Theatre in Kendallville. Fruchey is the godfather to Samson and Delilah, the latter of whom appeared in last season's production of The Heiress at IPFW. Jenn Nickell (Catherine Petkoff) is an almost-senior theatre major at IPFW. She was most recently seen in Allin the Timing;Loue, Passion, and Redemption; Flom the Red Menace; The Heiress;She LouesMe; Macbeth;and On the Town, all at IPFW, and The VaginaMonologues for the Fort WayneWomen's Bureau. Nickell is a coffee connoisseur and surrounds herself with the irresistible aromas of a coffee house by working in one called the Firefly Coffeehouse. Lori Leigh Platt (Raina) is originally from Decatur. She is a senior theatre major at IPFW She has recently returned from a year in Ireland doing missionary work, traveling, and performing dramas. Plan's most recent acting experience includes Sister Felicity in SuddenlyLast Summe,; The Mai in TheMai, Fannie in On the Verge, Servant in Blood Wedding, Mildred in Ah, Wilderness!, and Ruth in Edith Stein at the Williams Theatre. Platt also worked backstage for IPFW's Macbeth and Visions of the Messiah. Jacob Stackhouse (Sergius) is a senior theatre major and dance minor at IPFW. Stackhouse was most recently seen as George Holly in Suddenly, Last Summe,: Stackhouse also appeared in Loue, Passion, and Redemption; Flora the Red Menace; Where's Charley?; She Loues Me; the IPFW Dance Showcase; and Macbeth. He has also appeared in the Civic's productions of Sound ofMusic and SmokeyJoe's Cafe, a role for which he won an Anthony Award for Outstanding Male Dancer. Stackhouse has also choreographed several high school musicals and show choirs in the area ABOUT THE ARTISTIC STAFF Jane Purse-Wiedenhoeft (Director) is head of the acting and voice program for the IPFW Department of Theatre. She holds a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in acting from Purdue University, a B.A. in theatre performance from Gustavus Adolphus College, is an SAFD stage combatant, and a professional actress. While in Milwaukee, she acted with Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Broadway Baby Dinner Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Theatre X, Bialystock and Bloom, and Playwrights StudioTh eatre, to name a few. Purse-Wiedenhoeft served as coproducer, host, and moderator of Inside/Outside Milwaukee, a public affairs program on WVTV Channel 18. For three seasons, she was the artistic coordinator at Milwaukee Repertory Theater assisting the artistic director and working closely with the associate artistic director in overseeing the intern company of actors, directors, and dramaturgs as well as being a visiting artist with Milwaukee Rep's Community Education Department. Purse-Wiedenhoeft also served as the general manager and producer of Renaissance Theaterworks in Milwaukee for two years. Previously, she was a member of the Acting Company of the Minnesota Shakespeare Company in Minneapolis where she also performed with The Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall, Theatre in the Round, and Park Square Theatre. IPFW directing credits include Allin the Timing, The Mai, Macbeth, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Harvey, On the Verge, and Miss Julie.