WI Lutheran-Lady Windemere's Fan

Wisconsin Lutheran College Theatre Department Presents

Lady Windermer’s Fan A Musical Adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Play

Script Adaptation by David Eggebrecht and Jan (Nelson Gompper Arrangement by Deb Tetzlaff Orchestration by Kevin Becker

November 5­–7 & 11–13

Wisconsin Lutheran 1

SET TING London, 1892.

The play occurs within two days, beginning the morning of one day, and ending the afternoon of the next.

SCENES Act I Scene 1: Scene 2: Scene 3: Scene 4: Scene 5: Scene 6: Scene 7:

Lady Windermere’s morning room & various places around London Drawing room of Lord Windermere’s house The Same The Same Various places around London Parlor off the ballroom of Lord Windermere’s house Terrace off the ballroom

INTERMISSION Act II Scene 1: A room in Lord Darlington’s house Scene 2: Drawing room of Lord Windermere’s house Scene 3: The Same

CAST Lady Windermere....................................................................................... Anna Biedenbender Mrs. Erlynne......................................................................................................... Chelsea Nillissen Lord Windermere...........................................................................................................Jon Bartos Lord Darlington........................................................................................................ Ezekiel Drews Duchess of Berwick..............................................................................................Kristen Kraklow Lady Agatha...........................................................................................................Hannah Stellick Lady Jedburgh.................................................................................................... Meghan Folkerts Lady Plymdale...............................................................................................MaryFran Stefanich Mr. Dumby.....................................................................................................................Jared Kuehn Mr. Cecil Graham......................................................................................................... Cole Heeren Lord Augustus Lorton................................................................................................. Bryce Clark Mr. Hopper......................................................................................................... Benjamin Adickes Parker (The Windermere’s butler)..........................................................................Josh Kneser Beatrice (The Windermere’s housekeeper)...................................................Renee Pottorff Rosalie (Lady Windermere’s maid)..........................................................................Ella Bethke Franz (Windermere’s manservant)/Mr. Arthur Bowden.............................Daniel Poppie Duchess’ Maid/Ballroom Guest............................................................. Lachrisa Grandberry Mrs. Stutfield..........................................................................................................Deanna Strasse Mrs. Arthur Bowden/Maid...................................................................................Anastasia Wild Mrs. Cowper-Cowper/Maid.......................................................................... Rebekah Van Lare

2 Wisconsin Lutheran

ARTISTIC PERSONNEL Director......................................................................................................Jan (Nelson) Gompper Script Adaptation......................................................................................Dr. David Eggebrecht Piano Arrangement....................................................................................................Deb Tetzlaff Orchestral Arrangement.........................................................................................Kevin Becker Music Director................................................................................................................... Le Albers WaltzChoreography......................................................................................................Kathy Foss Dramaturgy Adviso.................................................................................... Christine Thompson Scene Design................................................................................................................Jay Sierszyn Lighting Design................................................................ Kristen Kraklow/Andrew Sierszyn Costume Design...................................................................................................Vince Pelligrino Makeup/Wig/Hair Design................................................................................. Erica Ortenblad Sound Design..............................................................................................................Sean Floeter Technical Director...................................................................................................... Dana Fralick CREW Sound Technician/Board Operator........................................................ Katie Meisenhelder Stage Manager..................................................................................................... Octavia Morton Assistant Stage Manager.................................................................................... Sarah Johnson Props .............................................................................................................................. Tobi Sieglaff Costume Assistant #1.............................................................................................. Brenda Kolell Costume Crew/Dressers......................................................................................Jasmine Young Lighting Assistant.......................................................................Kirsten Funk & Raenell Engel Light Board Operator .................................................................................... Lindsay Woelbing Additional Crew........................................................ Theatre Shop Staff and THR 101 Class Marketing Coordinator...............................................................................Jacqueline Gardner ORCHESTR A Piano..................................................................................................................................... Le Albers Violin 1........................................................................................................................Hannah Braun Violin 2.............................................................................................................. Annemarie Steeves Viola..............................................................................................................................Katrina Smith Cello................................................................................................................................Jennifer Falk Rehearsal Accompanist...................................................................................Madelyn Herbert MUSICAL NUMBERS Keeping up Appearances.............................................................................................. Ensemble Is Everything so Black and White?.............................Lady Windermere/Lord Darlington We all Begin With Love................................................................................Duchess of Berwick Forbidden Fruit................................................................................................. Lady Windermere Rumor Mill #1..............................................................................Beatrice, Rosalie, Franz, Parker Before our Faith in Love is Lost................................................. Lady and Lord Windermere Rumor Mill #2..................................................................................................................... Ensemble Rumor Mill #3..................................................................................................................... Ensemble You Can be Courageous Now.....................................Lady Windermere, Lord Darlington Agatha’s Release.................................................................................................................... Agatha You Can be Courageous (Reprise).............................................................. Lady Windermere Sins of the Mothers......................................................................................................Mrs. Erlynne Why Do We Make Gods of Men................................................................... Lady Windermere All That He’s Done for Me.....................................................Mrs. Erlynne, Lady Windermere A Woman Who Does Not Love Me........................................................Cecil, Dumby, Lorton Rumor Mill #4: It’s a bit Peculiar................................................................................... Ensemble I Do Know You..........................................................................Lord Windermere, Mrs. Erlynne The Things a Mother’s Love could Only Know...................................................Mrs. Erlynne Keeping Up Appearances (Reprise)........................................................................... Ensemble Wisconsin Lutheran 3

ABOUT THE PL AY WRIGHT Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish writer, poet and classicist who electrified and inflamed Victorian London with his intellect, wit, unconventionality, and decadence. A proponent of the Aesthetic Movement, Wilde championed “art for art’s sake,” arguing that art’s aim was not to moralize but to evoke a mood. Nevertheless, his dramatic success sprang from his satires on the morals, manners, and follies of elegant society. Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892) was the first of a series of such gaily scathing works, culminating in his most famous play The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). In Lady Windermere’s Fan, Wilde comments on the hypocrisy of conventional Victorian morality, with its multitude of double standards and dares his audience to consider the duplicity in their own lives and their desires to “keep up appearances.”

D I R E C TO R ’ S N O T E : J O U R N E Y TO A M U S I C A L A musical based on an Oscar Wilde play??? What on earth would prompt someone to think this was plausible? Actually, there were several contributing factors: 1) I believed that the play’s themes of societal judgementalness and superficiality still had something to say to a modern audience. 2) The original script was very dated with lots of stilted monologues that seemed to cry out “Sing me!,” and 3) The two leading roles were females—rather a rarity in theatre land. With these aspects in mind, I approached Concordia theatre colleague, Dr. David Eggebrecht, about the idea of turning Oscar Wilde’s original into a musical. He began adapting the script before I had the chance to change my mind. I then bribed my old college friend/music cohort, Deb Tetzlaff, to begin working on piano arrangements for my melodies and lyrics. After presenting a staged reading in the spring of 2009 to test the waters, we received enough positive feedback to continue the journey. With a generous grant from Wisconsin Lutheran College, I was next able to hire WLC music alum, Kevin Becker, to create a full orchestration for the show. With this WLC production, our journey is completed here, but we hope that the journey for Lady Windermere’s Fan – The Musical, has only just begun…

Special thanks to the following: • My wonderful collaborators for sticking with me on this journey.

• My colleague, Jay, for helping me figure out a way to stage this beast.

• Dana, our awesome and ever-patient Technical Director.

• The hard-workingstudents who have breathed new life into Wilde’s characters.

• The WLC Faculty Development Committee for their generosity and encouragement.

• Our gracious God for blessing all involved with such a wide array of artistic talent Special Thanks to: Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, In Tandem Theatre, and Alchemist Theatre

P I U S X I HIGH SCHOOL PROUDLY PRESENTS

The

Special Benefit Reception and Performance November 13 • 6 PM Reception, 8 PM Performance Minimum Benefit Donation - $25

Black Box Theater Nov. 11–12, 2010 • 7 PM Nov. 13–14, 2010 • 2 PM

By Arthur Miller • Directed by Kevin Schwartz All seats reserved $12/Adult, $6/Student and Senior

For more information or to order tickets call 414-290-8151 4 Wisconsin Lutheran

BIOS Ben Adickes (Mr. Hopper) jumped straight into Lady Windermere’s Fan without so much as a breath of hesitation after closing Last Train to Nibroc. For your enjoyment this time, however, he’ll be performing with an Aussie accent instead of a Kentucky one.

Le Albers (Music Director) is originally from Kansas where she received a Bachelor of Music Education with a Piano Minor from the University of Kansas. She received her Master’s in Education from Aurora University in Chicago. For the past 40 years, she has taught choral music in public or parochial schools, music directed many musicals (17 at PPMS in Brookfield), directed church choirs, given private piano lessons and performed as a performance and rehearsal accompanist, including seven years with the Milwaukee Players. Now retired, she is able to follow her passions of accompanying and musical theater as well as continue to enjoy her four children and seven grandchildren.

Kevin Becker (Orchestral Arrangement) is excited to have finished orchestrating Lady Windermere’s Fan, his first musical.

Kevin graduated from WLC with a degree in piano performance and music theory and later earned his master’s degree in music composition. He is an active freelance classical pianist, a staff accompanist with the Milwaukee Ballet School, teaches privately, and is a keen church musician.

Freshman art major, Anna Biedenbender (Lady Windermere) is in her first musical ever!

She’s super excited that WLC has given her this opportunity. She extends a huge thank you to family and friends (old and new) and especially to God for all his blessings.

Ella Bethke (Rosalie) is excited to appear in her fifth production on the Raabe stage at WLC. Participating in this unique production has provided new avenues of exploration for her,

and she hopes to continue to grow in this wonderful program.

Hannah Braun (Violin) has been very involved in playing for various events and organizations throughout Milwaukee. In high school, Hannah played for Fiddler on the Roof, Bye Bye Birdie, The Sound of Music, and was in Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Senior Symphony and Chamber Orchestra.

This past May, Hannah graduated from Butler University with her Master of Physician Assistant Studies.

As an incoming freshman, Bryce Clark (Lord Augustus Lorton) was very excited to be thrown into the chaotic world of theatre. He is no stranger to theatre, as he has been performing in plays since he was in first grade. He would like to thank Jan, his family, and God for this experience.

Ezekiel N. Drews (Lord Darlington) Player 2 has entered the game, and he is thrilled to be back at his temple among the elms, The Raabe. He thanks his family for love and support.

Dr. David W. Eggebrecht (Script Adaptation), recently retired after fifty years of teaching, 45 of which were at Concordia University, where he remains chair of the Concordia Theatre Department. He is a member of the Boards of both The Cedarburg Players and Acacia Theatre Company, and is a respondent for the Kennedy American College Theatre Festival. (KACTF). He has directed more than 130 plays and musicals; has written, published, and produced several plays; and spent five years as an adjudicator for the Milwaukee County High School Theatre Festival. He lives in a cave in the bowels of the Concordia Theatre.

Jennifer Falk (Cello) is a recent graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran College, where she earned a Bachelor’s in Music Education. She has been playing the cello since elementary school, and continued her study of her favorite instruWisconsin Lutheran 5

B I O S ( c o n t .) ment while at WLC. Jennifer has assisted with several high school musical productions in the southeastern Wisconsin area, and for the past two years, she has had the opportunity to work with Acacia Theatre Company on their productions of Little Women and The Secret Garden.

Jennifer is very excited to be back again at WLC and working with the theatre department once more in their production of Lady Windermere’s Fan. She wishes the cast, crew, and her fellow musicians the best of luck.

Meghan Folkerts (Lady Jedburgh) is a junior vocal performance major. She is thrilled to be a part of this production, and hopes to “make it” someday as a performer in the predecessor to the musical -- opera! She thanks her Arizona and Midwest families for their support!

Sean Floeter (Sound Design) has been the concert hall head tech at WLC for the last 4 years.

Kathy Foss (Waltz Choreography) comes from an extensive performing background that includes theatres across the country, such as The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Muny in St. Louis, Maine State Music Theatre, Skylight Under the Stars in Atlanta, Chicago’s Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, Indianapolis Starlight Theatre, The Fireside Theatre in Fort Atkinson and Boston’s North Shore Theatre, to name a few. Kathy has also performed in two National Broadway Tours of Showboat and Brigadoon. Some of Kathy’s favorite roles include Carlotta in Phantom, Sister Mary Amnesia in Nunsense, Mabel in Mack and Mabel, and Anita in West Side Story. She has also performed on cruise ships around the world and recorded under the WORD recording label. Kathy is a graduate of Indiana University with a B.A. in Musical Theatre, and has recently relocated to the Milwaukee area with her new husband, Bob Knoop.

It’s Lachrisa Grandberry (Gertrude) in not only her very first musical, but her very first performance at Wisconsin Lutheran College! She is very excited, and looks forward to being part of many more productions with the theatre department!

6 Wisconsin Lutheran

Jan (Nelson) Gompper (Director/ Music and Lyrics) has been the Director of Theatre at Wisconsin Lutheran College for the past 15 years. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting at Mankato State University. Lady Windermere’s Fan is Jan’s fourth musical collaboration. The others include: King David The Greatest Show of All and Danny and the Dinosaur.

Recent acting credits include: Journey to Paradise (Salty Earth Pictures), Gold Digger (Get-Off-the Couch Productions), and Honey Colored Boy (Getting’ Grown Productions). She is taking a sabbatical this spring to work on an original screenplay. She thanks her husband, Jeff, for his love and support, her ever-gracious Lord, “and her little dog too.”

Cole Heeren (Cecil Graham) is a freshman and is thrilled to take part in his first production at WLC. He acted in many shows in high school, playing the title character in The Foreigner and Uncle Max in The Sound of Music. He is a co-founder of The Off-Book Players, a theatre troupe in his hometown.

Cole is also active in the WLC choral program.

Sarah Johnson (Assistant Stage Manager) is glad to be a part of this WLC production trying her hand at assistant stage managing. She’d like to thank Jan and Octavia for being patient with her and family and friends for their support.

Josh Kneser (Parker) is glad to be a part of WLC theatre. He is excited to take part in the debut of this musical. He would like to thank his family and friends for supporting him.

B I O S ( c o n t .)

Kristen Kraklow (Duchess/Lighting Designer) is donning another wig and crescent wrench for her final musical at WLC. Thanks go to the Big Guy upstairs, her WI family and her WA family for their undying support.

Kristen will also be making her directing debut this March for Gulf View Drive.

Jared Kuehn (Dumby) Seventeen shows were not enough. He had to come back for one more. Alum style! – haiku. Anonymous thanks go to his family, friends, and his wonderful fiancée.

Christine Marmor-Thompson (Dramaturgy Advisor) is a WLC theatre alumna (2003) who received her Master’s in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota, Mankato (2009). Besides having a love for dramaturgy, Christine is also a writer, and her stage adaptation of G. K. Chesterton’s The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare will be getting workshopped at WLC in the spring of this year.

Katie Meisnehelder (Sound Technician/ Board Operator) is a Junior and this is her third show at WLC. She has worked on the sound production of Anything Goes, American Clock and now Lady Windmere. She has been involved with sound tech and designing for five years now. She is currently an English/ Writing major who hopes to combine her love and writing and sound for a creative future.

Octavia Morton (Stage Manager) is excited to be stepping behind the scenes for Lady Windermere’s Fan and trying her hand at stage managing. She would like to thank her family for their love and support.

Chelsea Nillissen (Mrs. Erlynne) was last seen as Dianna in The American Clock, as Battle Axe Annie in The Curse of an Aching Heart, and as Hope Harcourt in Anything Goes. She is honored and

excited to have the opportunity to participate in another WLC performance.“Thank you friends and family for all your encouragement, especially Mom, Dad, and Olivia for being there for me in my most dramatic moments.”

After spending the summer in China, Erica Ortenblad (Makeup/ Wig/Hair Design) is happy to be home in Milwaukee working as an alumni designer on Lady Windermere.

Although she’s pretty talented at styling wigs, she plans to go out to Los Angeles during the early months of 2011 to audition for television, commercial, and print work. Erica is thrilled to be teaming up with fellow alumni, Vince Pelligrino, as well as the entire cast and crew of Lady Windermere. Have a great show!

Vince Pelligrino (Costume Designer) is in transition. After graduation last May, he was a performer at Santa’s Village in New Hampshire. Now he is happy to switch hats and become a designer again. He recently won first place in Milwaukee’s Project InterCon design challenge. Vincent loves costuming and styling along with acting, and is relocating to Los Angeles in late November to work with alongside stylist Marlayna Cherisse while still auditioning for commercials and theatre. Follow his adventures in costume and style: www.ghostofbanquo.blogspot.com Daniel Poppie (Franz/ Mr. Bowden), a freshman, is excited to be in Lady Windermere’s Fan. He is hoping to have enough time and energy later in the school year and in his collegiate career to do more acting. This is his first performance at WLC. Renee Pottorff (Beatrice), a junior theatre major, is delighted to be participating in her seventh Raabe Theatre production. She most recently played the Wisconsin Lutheran 7

B I O S ( c o n t .) villainess in The Curse of the Aching Heart.

She ‘opes you ‘ave a loverly toime at tonoight’s puhfomince!

Andrew Sierszyn (Lighting Design) Andrew Sierszyn is a senior Theatre and Art double major. His most recent scene design was showcased in the 2010 WLC Theatre production of Last Train to Nibroc. This past summer, he interned with Alley Stage Theatre in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. When not scene designing, he considers himself a carpenter at heart. He is looking forward to going to grad school next fall and following wherever God guides him.

Jay Sierszyn (Scene Design) is in his ninth year at WLC serving as associate professor of theatre. While directing once a year, his designs (scenery and/or lighting) have been present for every show in the Raabe since How to Succeed… He takes much pleasure in the creative and expressive growth of students.

Jay would like to acknowledge the support of his wife of 30 years, Sue. Exodus 35:10-19 Katrina Smith (Viola) is a junior art major from Owatonna, Minnesota.

She has been playing the viola for twelve years and currently plays with the Chamber Strings of WLC. This is Katrina’s third WLC production, having worked behind the scenes for The Curse of an Aching Heart and The American Clock. Thank you friends and family for all of your support!

A Junior Theatre Major, MaryFran Stefanich (Lady Plymdale) is excited to be performing in another musical.

Previously she was seen as Mrs. Harcourt in Anything Goes. Thanks to all the people who love and support her dream of being an actress.

8 Wisconsin Lutheran

Hannah Stellick (Lady Agnes) is a freshman at WLC and is ecstatic to be on the Raabe stage this fall. She would like to thank God for giving her the strength and ability to perform.

(Thanks for the prayers!)

Deanna Strasse (Mrs. Stutfield/Dramaturg) graces the Raabe stage once more after previously being seen in Anything Goes, Curse of an Aching Heart, Hecuba and Seagull. She’s also worked with MHS Drama and Off-Book Players. Big love goes out to her family for dealing with her.

Deb Tetzlaff (Piano Arrangement) thanks her Creator for throwing her and Prof. Gompper into the same dorm room at Martin Luther College. She vividly remembers Jan saying,“I like to write songs but can’t play piano.” Deb replied,“I like to arrange songs; let me hear one.”

That first song was performed and recorded in MLC’s college’s Christmas concert. They later won third place in a songwriting contest, have collaborated on three other musicals, and continue to dream they’ll hit the big time Deb is grateful for Jan’s patience through the years.

She thanks WLC for the opportunity to debut another show and for not throwing computer users out of the music lab when the doors lock at night. She sends kudos to Kevin for his outstanding orchestration and much love to her family for their never-ending support.

Rebekah Van Lare (Mrs. Cowper/Maid) is a freshman and is so excited to take the stage for the first time in the Raabe Theatre.

She can’t wait to make her debut as a British socialite! Rebekah would like to thank her supportive family and, of course, God. Anastasia Wild (Mrs. Bowden/Maid) is a sophomore and is looking forward to her first time in a WLC production. She would like to thank her family and friends for their love and encouragement.