Dead Man Walking Visual Guide by Madison Opera

Dead Man alking Jake Heggie

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Libretto by Terrence McNally Based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean Sung in English

Visual companion to Wisconsin Public Radio’s broadcast of Madison Opera’s production May 24, 2014 at 1pm Production photography by James Gill

Dead Man Walking Music by Jake Heggie Libretto by Terrence McNally | Based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean, csj Commissioned by San Francisco Opera Premiered October 7, 2000, San Francisco Opera Madison Opera Premiere Sung in English

Characters in order of vocal appearance A Girl

Kate Mann*

A Boy

Aaron Heaps*

Joseph De Rocher

Michael Mayes

Anthony De Rocher

Erik Sherpe

Sister Helen Prejean

Daniela Mack

Sister Rose

Karen Slack*

Sister Lillianne

Gillian Hollis*+

Sister Catherine

Jessie Lyons*+

A Mother

Megan Gloss*

Jimmy Charlton

Simon Johnson*

Mrs. Charlton

Jennifer DeMain

Motorcycle Cop Father Grenville Warden George Benton Prison Guards Solo Prison Inmates

Erik E. Larson* Clay Hilley* Jeffrey Beruan Nikolas Wenzel, Anthony Cao George Abbott III*, Andy Ball*, Scott Brunscheen+, Josh Sanders, Glen Siferd

A Paralegal Mrs. Patrick De Rocher, Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother

Gail Becker* Susanne Mentzer*

Her 19 year-old son

Kenny Lyons*

Her 14 year-old son

Jeremiah Eenigenburg*

Owen Hart, father of the girl

Alan Dunbar

Kitty Hart, mother of the girl

Saira Frank

Jade Boucher, mother of the boy

Jamie Van Eyck

Howard Boucher, father of the boy

J. Adam Shelton

Conductor

John DeMain

Stage Director

Kristine McIntyre

Chorus Master

Anthony Cao

Scenic Designer

Harry Frehner

Costume Designer Lighting Designer Hair and Make-up Designer Sound Designer Fight Director

Harry Frehner and Scott Reid Marcus Dilliard Jan Ross Buzz Kemper* Jeff Skubal

* Madison Opera debut Madison Opera Studio Artist

The performance will last approximately 3 hours, including one intermission. This production of Dead Man Walking is owned by Fort Worth Opera.

“Watching You” Music and Lyrics by Jake Heggie (BMI) Produced and arranged by Brian Culbertson* Jimmy Demers, vocals; Tolak Ollestad, harmonica; Mike Thompason, acoustic and electric guitars; Larry Kimpel, bass; Todd Sucherman, drums and percussion Recorded at Megatrax by Eddie King, North Hollywood, CA Mixed by Craig Bauer at Hinge, Chicago, IL

“A Kiss in the Dark” Music by Jake Heggie (BMI) Performed by Dave Koz**, soprano and alto saxophones Produced by Brian Culbertson, keyboards and arrangement Recorded at BCM by Doug Rider and Brian Culbertson Mixed by Criag Bauer at Hinge, Chicago, IL *Brian Culbertson appears courtesy of GRP Records **Dave Koz appears courtesy of Capitol Records

THE STORY OF THE OPERA Louisiana, 1980s Prologue A teenage boy and girl have been skinny-dipping at a secluded lake. They have the radio on in their car and are making out to its music. Anthony and Joseph De Rocher emerge from the shadows and turn off the radio. They attack the teens, raping the girl and shooting the boy. When the girl screams, Joseph stabs her until she is silent. Act I Scene 1: Hope House, run by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Medaille Sister Helen, with some of the other sisters, is teaching the children a hymn. After the children leave, Sister Helen tells Sister Rose that she has heard from Joseph De Rocher, the Death Row inmate with whom she has been corresponding. He has asked her to visit him and she has decided to go. Scene 2: The drive to Angola Helen drives to the Louisiana State Penitentiary and muses on her acceptance of De Rocher’s request. She is stopped by a motorcycle cop for speeding, but he lets her off with a warning. Scene 3: Louisiana State Penitentiary Helen is met at the prison by Father Grenville, the prison chaplain. Scene 4: Father Grenville’s office Father Grenville criticizes Sister Helen’s choice to work with De Rocher, claiming that the man is unreachable. Helen responds that it is her duty to help him. She meets with the prison warden, George Benton, who warns her that De Rocher may ask her to be his spiritual advisor, to be with him all the way until the end. Scene 5: Death Row The warden and Sister Helen walk through Death Row to the visiting room. Along the corridors, inmates call out, some shouting obscentities at Sister Helen, others asking her to pray for them. Scene 6: Death Row visiting room Sister Helen and Joseph De Rocher meet. They get off to a rough start. He admits that he’s frightened, but says his brother killed the two kids, and he is innocent. He asks Sister Helen to be with his mother at the pardon board hearing and to be his spiritual advisor. Scene 7: The pardon board hearing At the pardon board hearing, Mrs. Patrick De Rocher, Joseph’s mother, pleads for her son’s life. Owen Hart, father of the murdered girl, lashes out in anger. Mrs. De Rocher admits that she would hate her son, too. Scene 8: The courthouse corridor The four parents of De Rocher’s victims speak angrily to Sister Helen, accusing her of not understanding their pain and sorrow, and in fact siding with their children’s murderer. A paralegal announces that the pardon board has denied De Rocher’s appeal. Scene 9: Death Row visiting room De Rocher and Helen meet again. He is angry about the pardon board and rejects her suggestions to confess and make peace with his actions. Scene 10: The prison waiting room Helen attempts to find change to get something to eat from a vending machine. She begins to hear voices in her head – of the children at Hope House, the motorcycle cop, De Rocher, his mother, the parents of the victims, and her fellow nuns. The warden tells her that the governor has refused to intervene, and Joseph De Rocher is a dead man. She faints.

Act II Scene 1: Joseph De Rocher’s cell A guard tells De Rocher, who is doing pushups, that his execution date has been set for August 4, midnight. Joseph angrily contemplates his fate. Scene 2: Sister Helen’s bedroom Helen wakes up in terror from a nightmare, alarming Sister Rose, who begs her to stop working with De Rocher. Helen says she cannot; the two women pray for the strength to forgive De Rocher. Scene 3: Joseph De Rocher’s cell It is the evening of the execution. Joseph and Sister Helen talk, discovering a shared love for Elvis Presley. Joseph admits that he is afraid. Sister Helen again urges him to confess and make peace with what he has done; again he refuses. A guard informs them that Joseph’s family is there to see him. Scene 4: The visiting room Mrs. De Rocher and her two younger sons visit with Joseph. She asks Helen to take a last picture of her family together. Joseph attempts to apologize, but his mother will have none of it, preferring to believe to the end that he is innocent. As the guards lead Joseph away, she looks after him, losing control. Sister Helen attempts to comfort her. Scene 5: Outside the Death House Helen encounters the victims’ parents, there to witness Joseph’s execution. They want to know if she has a confession or apology for them. When she says she does not, they are angry. But Owen Hart takes her aside and confesses that he is less sure of what he wants now than he was; he tells her that he and his wife have separated due to the stress. Helen attempts to console him; he suggests they part as “fellow victims of Joseph De Rocher.” Scenes 6/7: Joseph’s holding cell As the hours tick down, Helen and De Rocher converse one last time. Once again she attempts to get him to confess to the murders. This time, he breaks down and tells her the entire story. He expects Helen to hate him. Instead, she forgives him and tells him that he must look at her when he is in the execution chamber, as she will be “the face of love” for him. The warden and guards enter; the final preparations for the execution begin. Scene 8: March to the execution chamber / The execution chamber Guards, inmates, the warden, the chaplain, and protesters assembled outside the prison sing the Lord’s Prayer as Sister Helen recites a passage from the book of Isaiah. Helen is separated from Joseph at the door of the execution chamber. The warden asks if Joseph has any last words; he says he does, and asks forgiveness from the parents of the murdered teenagers. The warden gives the nod, and the execution proceeds. De Rocher dies telling Helen he loves her. The opera ends as Sister Helen repeats her hymn.

PRODUCTION PERSONNEL Production Manager.........................................................................................................................................................................................................Kenneth Ferencek Technical Director............................................................................................................................................................................................................................Billy Larimore Production Stage Manager............................................................................................................................................................................................................Jill Krynicki Assistant Stage Managers............................................................................................................................................................Sean Corcoran, Kate Goodall Assistant Conductor...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................Kyle Knox Rehearsal Pianist..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................Scott Gendel Chorus Pianist............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Kirstin Ihde Costume Supervisor..................................................................................................................................................................................................Karen Brown-Larimore Costume Crew.......................................................................Virginia Bessert, Brenna Farmer, Laurie Everitt, Janine Wardale, Sharon White Wig and Make-up Designer................................................................................................................................................................................................................Jan Ross Wig and Make-up Crew.......................................................Leslie Frank-Taylor, Fran Nahabedian, Nicole Nilson, Liz Rathke, Bob Ross Properties Master.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................Jennifer Childers Properties Coordinator...............................................................................................................................................................................................................Susan Rathke Properties Crew.......................................................Benjamin Bakunovich, Katherine Dutcher, Paolo Desiati, Elaine Staley, Jane Taves Supertitles Cue Master....................................................................................................................................................................................................................Aileen Wall Scenic Decorator....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Liz Rathke Preview Artists.....................................................................................................................Scott Brunscheen, Jamie Van Eyck, Kirstin Ihde, Joseph Ross Master Carpenter..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Greg Silver Assistant Lighting Designer...................................................................................................................................................................................................Spencer Lyons Overture Hall Technical Director...............................................................................................................................................................................Steve Schroeder House Carpenter...............................................................................................................................................................................................................David Gerschbach Head Electrician................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Gary Cleven Theater Technicians..................................................................................................................................Davin Pickell, Jim Schaefer, Frank Schneeberger Production Stage Crew....................................................................................................................................................................Members of IATSE 251

251

Photographer.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................James Gil Videographer............................................................................................................................................................................................Jim Hoffmann, Video Memories Production Therapy Dog.............................................................................................................................................................................................................Peter Barker

MADISON OPERA CHORUS Anthony Cao, Chorus Master SOPRANO

Kristen Bond Katie Davis Megan Gloss Wendy Jones Hill Gillian Hollis+ Jessie Lyons+ Julie Ottum

MEZZO-SOPRANO

TENOR

BASS/BARITONE

Gail Becker Jennifer DeMain Dale Kaufman Laura Muller Erin Selbee

George Abbott III Scott Brunscheen+ Patrick Chounet Robert Goderich Michael Hoke Matthew Lea Kenny Lyons Josh Sanders Tom Stone

Andy Ball Robert Dinndorf James Enzler David Flanders Stan Hill John Itson Erik Larson Brian Schultz Glen Siferd

Madison Opera Studio Artist

MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

John DeMain, Music Director VIOLIN I Suzanne Beia Concertmaster Naha Greenholtz Olga Pomolova Alice Bartsch Eleanor Bartsch Beth Larson Jon Vriesacker Tim Kamps Mary Theodore Olga Draguieva VIOLIN II Leanne Kelso League Wendy Buehl Rachel Hauser Erica Cross Rolf Wulfsberg Ka Ming Tan Valerie Sanders Geri Nolden VIOLA Christopher Dozoryst Katrin Talbot Diedre Buckley Renata Hornik Elisabeth Ellenwood Sharon Tenhundfeld

CELLO Karl Lavine Madeleine Kabat Karen Cornelius Lindsey Crabb BASS Carl Davick Steve Kasprzak

BASS CLARINET Greg Smith

KEYBOARD Scott Gendel

BASSOON Cynthia Cameron-Fix Amanda Szczys

TIMPANI John Jutsum

CONTRABASSOON Carol Rosing

FLUTE Stephanie Jutt Elizabeth Marshall Scott Metlicka

PERCUSSION Tim Patterson Geoff Brady

HORN Linda Kimball Ricardo Almeida Michael Szczys William Muir

PICCOLO/ALTO Scott Metlicka

TRUMPET John Aley Dave Cooper Rob Rohlfing

OBOE Marc Fink Jennifer Morgan Andrea Gross Hixon

TROMBONE Joyce Messer Adam Houk Michael Allsen

ENGLISH HORN Jennifer Morgan CLARINET Joseph Morris Nancy Mackenzie

HARP Karen Beth Atz

MADISON YOUTH CHOIRS Michael Ross, Artistic and Executive Director Nicole Sparacino, Managing Director Ben Auby Emma Auby Elizabeth Everitt Emma Everitt Nathaniel Johnson

Simon Johnson Jack Kjentvet Zoe Kjos Logan Mosling Kylie Peters

Lynn Hembel, Margaret Jenks, Lisa Kjentvet, Lisa Shimon, Marcia Russell, Margaret Stansfield, Randal Swiggum, Conductors Haddie Ryan Nathaniel Ryan Emily Schmidt Stuart Thomason Jessica Wang

Julia White Hannah Wollack

SUPERNUMERARIES Keith Ahlvin

Michael Bickel

Jeffrey Jensen

Joshua K. Paffel

Bryan Royston

Madison Opera | Dead Man Walking | Act I

Interm

The intermissions for the WP discussions hosted by WPR Dead Man Walking discus composer Jake Heggie.

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PR broadcasts include Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lori Skelton. The ssion features the operaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Madison Opera | Dead Man Walking | Act II

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