MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY’S J. WILLIAM AND MARY DIEDERICH COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION DIGITAL MEDIA AND PERFORMING ARTS MARQUETTE THEATRE DEBRA KRAJEC, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PRESENTS
By John Cariani February 13 – 23, 2014 Directed by Debra Krajec Scenic Design by Stephen Hudson-Mairet Costume Design by Connie Petersen Lighting Design by Chester Loeffler-Bell Sound Design by Dylan Elhai, ‘15 ALMOST, MAINE was developed by The Cape Cod Theatre Project. Professional Premiere Production: Portland Stage Company Anita Stewart, Artistic Director; Tami Ramaker, Managing Director. Originally produced in New York by Jack Thomas/Bulldog Theatrical and Bruce Payne. The Theatre Arts Program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).
Almost, Maine
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CAST Prologue Pete...........................................................................................................................................Daniel Callahan Ginette........................................................................................................................................ Kaitlyn Martin Her Heart East......................................................................................................................................Armando Ronconi Glory........................................................................................................................................... Molly Edwards Sad and Glad Jimmy................................................................................................................................................ Peter Sisto Sandrine.......................................................................................................... Hannah Klapperich-Mueller Waitress...................................................................................................................................... Kaitlyn Martin This Hurts Marvalyn................................................................................................................................... Molly Edwards Steve...................................................................................................................................Armando Ronconi Getting It Back Gayle........................................................................................................................................... Kaitlyn Martin Lendall.....................................................................................................................................Daniel Callahan Interlogue Pete...........................................................................................................................................Daniel Callahan They Fell Randy..................................................................................................................................Armando Ronconi Chad................................................................................................................................................... Peter Sisto Where It Went Phil............................................................................................................................................Daniel Callahan Marci.......................................................................................................................................... Molly Edwards Story of Hope Hope............................................................................................................................................ Kaitlyn Martin Man..................................................................................................................................................... Peter Sisto Seeing the Thing Rhonda............................................................................................................ Hannah Klapperich-Mueller Dave....................................................................................................................................Armando Ronconi Epilogue Pete...........................................................................................................................................Daniel Callahan Ginette........................................................................................................................................ Kaitlyn Martin The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
SET TING Place: Various locales in Almost, Maine, a small town in northern Maine that doesn’t quite exist. Time: The present. Everything takes place at nine o’clock on a cold, clear, moonless, slightly surreal Friday night in the middle of the deepest part of a northern Maine winter. 2
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D I R E C TO R ’ S N O T E S In the dead of winter, what is better than a quirky love story to keep us warm? John Cariani’s Almost, Maine has been referred to as “a midwinter night’s dream”. An apt description. For not everything is normal on this particular Friday night in January in the small Maine town called “Almost”. It is the night the northern lights come out, and when they do, there just might be something odd happening. John Cariani based his comedy on folks he knew growing up in Presque Isle, Maine, in Aroostook County, which is about as far north as you can get in Maine before you’re in Québec. (Presque, by the way is French for “almost” or “nearly” – cute, eh?). And there are a lot of things about these folks that are common to any small town, especially one that experiences the brutal cold of winter in the north. All the scenes take place at the exact same time on this winter night, to people who know each other well, all across town. And while the people we meet seem typical and real enough, the things that happen to them on this night are, well, strange. Sometimes wonderful, but definitely not normal. This play has nine scenes about people as they fall in, and sometimes out, of love. It’s about first kisses, and it’s about having to let go. Love sometimes doesn’t have a happy ending, and Cariani shows us that as well. But Almost, Maine gives us more hope than heartbreak. And doesn’t give us the answers either, on what will come, or how to keep love burning strong. What we are given is a sense of hope that love can survive, even in the bitter winter cold. And right now, in a Wisconsin February, that hope just might help keep us going. Please enjoy the work of these talented students. Thanks for supporting the work of Marquette Theatre. Debra Krajec
CAST BIOGR APHIES Daniel Callahan Daniel is a junior theatre arts major. This is his fifth main stage show. He appeared in The Boys Next Door earlier this year. Daniel is very excited to be performing again and would like to thank his director Deb Krajec for this opportunity as well as the cast and crew for the amazing work they have put into this show. Molly Edwards A senior at Marquette, Molly is thrilled to be a part of Almost Maine! Past roles include Teacher in Defying Gravity, Nora in A Dollhouse, and Christine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Big thanks to Deb, the designers, management, cast and crew for making this experience truly a joy. Molly would also like to thank her wonderful friends, parents, Danny and Nick, Andy, and
Mary for putting up with her, and, always, PR. Thank you for coming, and enjoy the show! Hannah Klapperich-Mueller Hannah, a junior studying Theatre Arts and Writing-Intensive English, is honored to be a part of this inspiring and supportive ensemble. She has been seen previously on the Helfaer stage in Gathering Blue, A Dollhouse, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, If You Take a Mouse to School, and Defying Gravity. She would like to thank Deb for this opportunity, and her parents for their continued love and support. Kaitlyn Martin Kaitlyn is a junior in the Marquette Theatre persuing a BA in Theatre Arts. She is enjoying her brief reprieve from Almost, Maine
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stage management to share the stage with her closest friends and colleagues. Her previous credits include stage management for Cudahy Caroler’s Christmas (In Tandem), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (MU), and Marat/Sade (U. of Wyoming). Kaitlyn wants to thank and give many hugs to her lovely roommate, friends, and family (Hi Mom! Hi Dad! Hi Andrew!) for their unconditional love and support. Armando Ronconi Armando is a junior Theatre Arts major and Dance minor and is so excited to perform with such wonderful and talented people in Marquette University’s Almost, Maine. He wishes to thank: the Marquette Theatre faculty for the training, support, and opportunities he’s received; his fellow cast and crew for making this creative SCENIC DESIGN
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experience so special; and last, but not least, his friends and family who come to see him perform and continue to provide their love and unconditional support from afar. Thank you! Peter Sisto This is Peter’s fifth production here at Marquette University. He is majoring in Secondary Education and Mathematics with a minor in Theatre Arts. You might have seen him in Marquette’s productions of Urinetown (Bobby Strong) or Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Freddy Benson) in the past. Peter is very grateful to have worked with his director, Deb Krajec, and the wonderful cast and crew of Almost, Maine. Peter sends all his love and thanks to his supportive family. Enjoy the show!
NOTE FROM THE CHAIR 40 years ago, a group of loyal theatre supporters began the final fundraising efforts to complete the construction on a brand new theatre on Marquette’s campus. Thankfully, 39 years ago, February 13, 1975, the Association of Marquette University Women (AMUW) was able hold their opening night celebration in the Helfaer Theatre. As we open Almost, Maine on that very date, Feburary 13, 2014, we would like to pay homage to the dedication to the arts by the many individual, corporate and foundational supporters, especially the AMUW and the Evan P. and Marion Helfaer Foundation, who helped bring the Helfaer Theatre to life. Through the 2014-15 school year, we will take the time to reflect and celebrate the past 40 years of amazing theatre that has been produced in this great facility. In doing so, we also celebrate the many students that performed, designed, built and attended the nearly 200 shows in the Helfaer Theatre. Those students have gone on to perform on Broadway, Off- Broadway, Las Vegas, national tours, Regional theatre, feature films, television, and many other performance venues. Those students design, build, direct, and manage for theatres across the globe. They win awards; including a recent Oscar nominee – Adam Stockhausen for the design of 12 Years a Slave. Those students are also lawyers, teachers, financial analysts, retailers, parents, etc. They are making their mark in the world. And your support of this program has helped make it possible. As we move towards the future, it will be even more critical to raise financial support in order to keep Marquette Theatre possible. If you are a regular subscriber or first time ticket holder, a donor to the scholarship fund, the Theatre Contribution Fund, or the Phylis Ravel Theatre and Social Justice Fund, I want to thank you for your ongoing support. If you would like to find out how to add your support to these programs, ask one of our ushers for more information. Additionally, if you have any questions, or want to tell me what you appreciate about Marquette Theatre, I encourage you to call me directly at 414-288-3391. I thank you for your ongoing support of Marquette Theatre. Stephen Hudson-Mairet Department Chair, and a proud contributor to the Helfaer Theatre since 2000. P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Alexander Coddington (Stage Manager) Alex is a junior Theatre Arts and English Literature double major hailing from the Great Pacific Northwest. This is Alex’s seventh show on the Helfaer stage and feels incredibly lucky to have been able to spread his time amongst acting, assistant directing, and stage managing. He’s also directed three productions for the Marquette University Players Society. He would like to thank Deb, Jake, Kristi, the ensemble, and designers for all of their brilliant work and his family for their support. Love to PR. Jacob Daggett (Assistant Stage Manager) Jake is a junior in the College of Education. He has thoroughly enjoyed his second
experience as an Assistant Stage Manager and is feeling blessed to be a part of such a hard-working family. Previous acting credits include The Foreigner and Urinetown, and he will next be seen in the Helfaer’s production of Hamlet in the spring. A million thank yous to Deb, Alex, Kristi, Chester, Connie, and Stephen for their guidance and support. Enjoy the show! #TeamBraverman Dylan Elhai (Sound Designer) Dylan Elhai is a junior, majoring in Theatre Arts and minoring in Graphic Design. She is honored to have the opportunity to sound design Almost, Maine. Dylan would like to thank Aja Luckett-Smiles for her assistantship. Dylan will be the Almost, Maine
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Stage Management Intern for Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s Lend Me a Tenor in the spring. Dylan has most recently worked as the Lighting Designer for The Quiltmaker’s Gift and Stage Manager for The Boys Next Door. Dylan’s other credits include: Starmites (Sound Designer & Audio Engineer), West Side Story (Audio Engineer), Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS (Audio Engineer), Disney’s Aladdin, Jr. (Sound Designer), and A Doll’s House (Asst. Sound Designer). Stephen Hudson-Mairet (Scenic Designer/Chair) 2013-14 marks Stephen’s fourteenth season at Marquette. As chair of the Department of Digital Media and Performing Arts, Stephen is blessed to be working with a great faculty, staff, and student body, and he is happy to share their great work with you. Stephen has completed numerous scenic or lighting designs on the Helfaer stage. This season Stephen will complete the scenic designs for The Boys Next Door and Almost, Maine. Stephen lives quite happily in a very old house in Wauwatosa with his wife Heidi, and daughters Emma and Grace. Kristi Keiser (Assistant Stage Manager) Kristi is a junior majoring in Theatre Arts and English. This is her second time as Assistant Stage Manager, and she has had a blast working on Almost, Maine! Previously she worked on the crews of Holy Days, A Comedy of Errors, The Foreigner, A Dollhouse, and The Boys Next Door. Next, she will be directing Proof for the Marquette University Players Society, as well as stage managing This is Our Youth. She would like to thank the cast and crew of Almost, Maine for making this show fantastic! Debra Krajec (Director/Artistic Director) This season marks Deb’s thirtieth on the faculty at Marquette, serving as a Director as well as a Costume Designer on MU’s mainstage. She received her MFA from Texas Christian University, and has worked professionally as a costume designer, a director, and an actress. In Milwaukee, Deb has designed costumes for Milwaukee Repertory
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Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, and Next Act Theatre and directed for In Tandem Productions and Playwrights’ Studio of Milwaukee. She is very active in the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, where she is a Fellow of the Institute. Deb is a member of Actors Equity Association. Chester Loeffler-Bell (Lighting Designer/Technical Director) Chester is pleased to work again with the Marquette faculty, staff, and students on another exciting season of fine work. Other experience include three seasons as Production Manager for the Chamber Theatre, two years as a faculty member at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, one year as a Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Deputy, and four seasons as Lighting Supervisor with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. He holds a BA in Theatre from Carroll College and a MFA in Lighting Design from the University of South Carolina. Chester lives in Mukwonago, Wisconsin with his wife Susan and sons Harry, Sam and Joe. Connie Petersen (Costume Designer/ Costume Shop Manager) Connie is so proud of this artistic staff for such an endearing project. She received her B.S. degree in theatre from Northwest Missouri State University and M.F.A. degree in Costume and Scenic Design from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. She has worked professionally for Central City Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Denver Center Theatre Company, and Playmakers Repertory Company at University of North CarolinaChapel Hill. Her recent designs at Marquette include The Quiltmaker’s Gift, Urinetown. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Laramie Project, A Year with Frog and Toad, and Putnam County Spelling Bee. Connie is enjoying whatever free time possible with her husband, Heath and Emma & Olivia.
P R O D U C T I O N S TA F F Technical Director......................................................................................................Chester Loeffler-Bell Stage Action Coordinator....................................................................................................... David Krajec Stage Manager.................................................................................................................. Alex Coddington Assistant Stage Managers............................................................................Jake Daggett, Kristi Keiser Lighting Designer.......................................................................................................Chester Loeffler-Bell Light Board Operators............................................................................................................... Tishna Lodi Scenic Designer.................................................................................................. Stephen Hudson-Mairet Assistant Scenic Designer....................................................................................................... Kyle Conner Scene Shop Assistants..............................................Kyle Conner, Dylan Elhai, Patrick Hasselbeck, Rory Higgins, Larry Lajewski, Aja Luckett-Smiles, Kaitlyn Martin, Katie Shanahan, Nic Trapani, Madelyn Yee Scenic Shop Build.................................................................................. Oumari Abdulahi, Kate O’Neill, Hannah Risse, Terry Lee Watkins, Susan Wirtz Deck Crew................................................................. Catherine Audette, Ashlee Elder, Jordan Feger, Amanda Grossmayer, Veronica Mickley, Aileen O’Carroll Props Masters...................................................................................................Kyle Conner, Madelyn Yee Costume Designer.............................................................................................................Connie Petersen Assistant Costume Designers.................................. Hanna Klapperich-Mueller, Jessica Trznadel Costume Shop Manager..................................................................................................Connie Petersen Costume Shop Assistants..............................................Michael Cienfuegos-Baca, Jacob Daggett, Chelsea Drenning, Tyler Frost, Alexis Hamburg, Bridget Rzymski, Peter Sisto, Jessica Trznadel, Shannon Twohy Costume Shop Build...........................................Oumaru Abdulahi, Julie Ahlgrim, Rayna Chucka, Jordan Feger, Melia Gonzalez, Katherine Hauger, Valerie Jandl, Kathleen Keller, Rachel Mulloy, Anna Otto, Mackenzie Possage, Mykiliah Thompson, Gilberto Vaquero, Adam Waerzeggers Wardrobe Supervisor..........................................................................................................Melia Gonzalez Wardrobe Crew.........................................................................................Julie Ahlgrim, Jaclyn Godwin, Kathleen Keller Sound Designer............................................................................................................................Dylan Elhai Assistant Sound Designer.......................................................................................... Aja Luckett-Smiles Sound Board Operator......................................................................................................Alexis Dahlberg Assistant to the Chair..................................................................................................................Kelly Dillon Assistant to the Artistic Director........................................................................................Ava Thomann Box Office Assistant........................................................................... Hannah Henkel, Mallory Lukasik House Manager.................................................................................................................... Terrence Morris Ushers................................................................................................................Theatre Appreciation Class SPECIAL THANKS Jim Guy Milwaukee Repertory Theater Costume Department Milwaukee Repertory Theatre Props Department
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M ARQUET TE UNIVERSIT Y College of Communication Lori Bergen, Dean Joyce Wolburg, Associate Dean Steve Goldzwig, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies & Research
Digital Media and Performing Arts Stephen Hudson-Mairet, Chairperson
Full - Time Faculty Chester Loeffler-Bell Stephen Hudson-Mairet Debra Krajec Connie Petersen
Part - Time Faculty Amy Brinkman-Sustache Deborah Cecsarini Todd Denning Fr. Grant Garinger, S.J. Roxanne Kess Maureen Kilmurry John Schneider Catey Ott Thompson Mark Weinberg
Box Office Coordinator Kevin Wleklinski
Marquette Theatre Debra Krajec, Artistic Director
DONORS Digital Media and Performing Arts wishes to thank the following Donors for their 2013 – 2014 contributions: Theatre Contribution Fund Anonymous Margaret Blodgett & Ken Miller Terry & Diane Duffey Grace Goodwin Jim & Joan Hagner Matthew D. Jaeger Ronald & Patricia Jodat Kathy Kemen W. Andrew Kienzle Jay Kirk Gary & Sarah Krenz Matthew Mitchell Northwestern Mutual Foundation Norma A. Schmidt Gernon Richard J. March John & Suzanne McArdle James & JoAnne McGillis Paul Milakovich John & Mary Ricci James & Jean Richie Massimo & Alice Ronconi Adriana Saia Carissa Saia Ronald & Patricia Santilli David & Sandy Schrock Rosemary Selep Timothy & Julie Simmons 8
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Kathleen Smith Ling Tang Donald & Mary Pat Utech Paul & Mary Utschig Craig C. Wiroll Brian & Sue Yee Cecelia Zettel Theatre & Social Justice Fund Helen Boomsma John & Lindsey Pauly Brian & Sue Yee Phylis Ravel Theatre & Social Justice Fund Biogen Idec Kyle & Jenny Burman Carole Burns Dan & Margaret Callahan Susan Clinton David Denomie Patrick & Julia Fennelly Douglas & Kristen Fischer Alexis C. Genya Stephen & Anne Hasselbeck Sara & Bud Hudson Stephen & Heidi HudsonMairet Matthew D. Jaeger
David & Debra Krajec Chester & Susan LoefflerBell Mary K. Marzano Gary & Anne Meyer Michael A. Miro Susan Mountin April Newton Northwestern Mutual Foundation John & Lindsey Pauly Heath & Connie Petersen Daniel & Bridget Pudi Steven & Emily Schultz Karen Slattery Mathew & Sarah Van Hoven Megan J. Walker William & Janice Welburn Jacob A. White Wisconsin Presenters Network Kevin & Ashlea Wleklinski WME Foundation Joyce Wolburg Allan & Susan Young Endowed Drama Fund Stephen & Heidi HudsonMairet