Hillcrest High School Theatre Department presents RICHARDby William Shakespeare II in a new adaptation created specifically for Hillcrest High School The play occurs in a prison tower in the year 1399. Richard II is no longer king. His cousin Henry Bolingbroke has taken over the British throne by force. The action of the play happens in Richard’s brain as he reviews and relives the actions and choices that led to where he is now. The play will be performed without an intermission. CAST KING RICHARD II of England .................................................................... Coleson Eldredge QUEEN, his wife ..........................................................................................................Ella Willhite JOHN OF GAUNT, Richard’s uncle .............................................................Carson McFarland HENRY BOLINGBROKE, Gaunt’s son ...........................................................Karlie Dowding DUKE OF YORK, Richard’s uncle .............................................................................Joseph Tew DUCHESS OF YORK, his wife .................................................................................. Emma Cox DUKE OF AUMERLE, their son and Richard’s best friend ...............................Jared Guertler EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND, a nobleman opposing Richard ................ Caroline Ciet BUSHY, Richard’s crony ..............................................................................................Frankie Otis BAGOT, Richard’s crony .....................................................................................Elizabeth Martin GREEN, Richard’s crony ......................................................................................... Jacob Winegar BISHOP OF CARLISLE, a clergyman supporting Richard ............................... Rachel Swain THOMAS MOWBRAY,a nobleman accused of murder by Bolingbroke .......... Zach Harvey GARDENER ...............................................................................................................Megan Oaks GARDENER’S ASSISTANT .............................................................................Porter Eldredge WELSH CAPTAIN ............................................................................................. Maxwell Abbott RICHARD’S VOICES / BRITISH ARMY & NOBLEMEN Joseph Abbott Theresa Fassler Braxton Little Jaren Ruff Ashlee Andrews Drew Fellows Zoe Liu Jacob Ruplinger Celine Bovey Josiah Hall Amelia Miller Kyler Sperry Kenneth Chen Emily Haslam Alden Parks Emma Thomas Michael Chudy Cameron Jessop Spencer Robins Emmerance Uwase Aven Elder Zachary Jessop Janell Rogers Andrew Walker Ariel Elegante Rachel Johnson Serena Rogers Ruth Woodland WELSH ARMY / BRITISH COMMONERS Tanner Abbott Hope Ferguson Jackson Metzger Mary Sorenson Claire Ames Grace Harvey Judah Mismash Ayana Srivastava Karoleena Andrews Allie Jones Dylan Newberry Anthony Tai Lana Benner Cameron Kelly Robyn Otteson Jessica Tew Lizzy Campbell Zakia Kirby Cole Saxey Allison Williams Jocelyn Casasola Max Lepore Kayden Saxey Emma Willis Emily Doak Ethan Loflin Lorenzo Silva Grace Zito Landon Evans Eliza Luker Zachary Skinner STAGE CREW STAGE MANAGER .....................................................................................................Ian Abbott ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS ..............................................Alex Rees and Bella Potter LIGHTING DESIGNER.................................................................................... Ruth McMullin LIGHTING ENGINEER .....................................................................................................Fisher LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR ......................................................................... Riker Schneider SOUND ENGINEER ..............................................................................................Dylan Jerman SOUND DESIGNER ...............................................................................................Riley Meyers SET DESIGNER ..........................................................................................................Lucas Harle MICROPHONE TECHNICIAN .................................................................Orlando Elegante RUNNING CREW .................Lucas Harle, Rachel Campbell, Sarah Weaver, Luke Parker PROPS MASTER ................................................................................................. Ruth McMullin STUDENT COSTUME LEADS .............................Aliyah Kaluza-Walkes, Ruth McMullin PRODUCTION TEAM DIRECTOR ..........................................................................................................Mr. Joshua Long TECHNICAL DIRECTOR ................................................................. Mrs. Giselle Gremmert COSTUME DESIGN ................................................................................Mrs. Michelle Abbott COSTUME TEAM ............................................ Jodi Johnson, Mindy Zito, Rebecca Martin, Liz Guertler, Heather Fellows, Andrea Luker, Suzanne Walker ORIGINAL MUSIC ...........................................................................................Nathan Guertler FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY ...........................................................................Elizabeth Martin HAIR & MAKE-UP TEAM ......................................................Michelle Abbott, Mindy Zito, Caroline Ciet, Heather Fellows GRAPHIC DESIGN ................................................................................................ Caroline Ciet ADVERTISING CREW ...........................................Zakia Kirby, Drew Fellows, Jade Rogers SPECIAL THANKS Chase Grant Brooke Grant Julie Ahlander Jack Ahlander Nathanael Abbott Parent volunteers who helped with costumes and meals HILLCREST HIGH ADMINISTRATION Principal ..................................................................................................................Gregory Leavitt Assistant Principals ..................................................................Dr. Jan Hansen, Quentin Linde, Brenda McCann, Matthew Schelble SOME THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE WATCHING THIS PRODUCTION: • The king preceding Richard was his grandfather Edward III. Richard was 10 years old when he was crowned king. He was the next in line because his father (the natural heir) had already died. There was a reasonable argument at the time of Edward III’s death that the crown should be passed through the family of John of Gaunt (and thereafter his son Henry Bolingbroke) since he was the next son of Edward. But the nobles voted on giving the crown to young Richard instead of Gaunt. Richard’s 3 uncles (the Duke of York, John of Gaunt, and the Duke of Gloucester) oversaw the country’s affairs while he was young, but Richard basically grew up getting whatever he wanted and not experiencing very many consequences for his actions. • As he grew up, Richard made many unpopular decisions including bestowing money and power on any who flattered him, even if they had no experience or wisdom. Three of these: Bushy. Bagot and Green were especially hated by the British public. By the time the play starts, although many nobles fear Richard and his impulsive decisions, the only people that seem to have a genuine relationship with Richard are his wife the queen and his cousin the Duke of Aumerle (son of the Duke of York). • In 1398, a few months before the action of the play begins, the Duke of Gloucester was mysteriously murdered. It was highly suspected that Richard was behind the death since his uncle Gloucester had started to vocally oppose some of his decisions. It is highly likely that Richard hired out Sir Thomas Mowbray to assassinate Gloucester. No one knows for sure. But when Henry Bolingbroke (Gloucester’s other nephew, and Richard’s cousin) suspects Mowbray was involved, he informs the king and challenges Mowbray to combat. In an unexpected move, King Richard banishes both Bolingbroke and Mowbray in order to keep his own name clear and unassociated with his uncle’s death. • After Bolingbroke is banished, his father John of Gaunt gets ill and dies. Richard decides to go against all counsel by taking over all Gaunt’s family’s riches and lands. This causes Bolingbroke to return from banishment in order to retrieve what rightfully belongs to his family. As the conflict between Richard and Bolingbroke escalates, Northumberland (who is against Richard), riles up public opinion against Richard reminding them that Bolingbroke’s family line has just as much claim to the throne as Richard’s does (see the first bullet point above). And here is where it gets interesting…so sit back and watch. • A NOTE ON GENDER: We did not pay very much attention at all to gender when we cast this production. Because most of this particular production happens inside Richard’s thoughts, we have created a world that is purposefully abstract in look and feel. We decided to address the genders in a non-literal way as well. We also chose not to change any of the pronouns or gender references written into Shakespeare’s script so as to preserve the rhythm and language that is at the heart of Shakespeare’s genius. Is Bolingbroke Gaunt’s son? Yes. Is Bolingbroke a woman? In our production, yes. Is that gonna be OK? Ya, it’ll be fine. You’ll get used to it. DIRECTOR’S NOTES I have a strong belief in the power of Shakespeare’s works to improve our lives significantly. Both individually and as a society. I also believe strongly that Shakespeare can be understood by everyone. And not by dumbing it down to “normal