The Thing They Love by Parker Goodreau

The Thing They Love

By Parker Goodreau, BFA ‘21

Directed by Esme Allen

The Thing They Love

by Parker Goodreau

March 3 – 6, 2022 Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts

THEATRE

The Salem State University Theatre and Speech Communication department presents

THE THING THEY LOVE

by Parker Goodreau Director Esme Allen Scenic Designer Isaac Goldbaum Costume Designer Jane Hillier-Walkowiak Lighting Designer Jasmine De Leon Sound Designer Topher Morris Props Master Bella Perez Stage Manager Lily Barnes

Presented in conjunction with Salem State University’s Center for Creative and Performing Arts.

CHAIRPERSON LETTER Dear Theatre Patrons, The past two years have been very challenging for everyone. Through it all, our department flourished by reimagining the sphere of performance in our 2020-2021 season.

The faculty, staff, and students of the Theatre and Speech Communication Department are elated to welcome you back to our seats for live theatre at Salem State University.

We are opening the 2021-2022 mainstage season with Sarah Ruhl’s adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, directed by Julie Kiernan. The play is a magical and poetic dance between gender and through time, a fantastical world in which courtly movement and biographical narration combine to tell the story of a being who lives outside of human expectations and enjoys twice the experience that humanity has to offer.

Our next production is Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, under the direction of Peter Sampieri. This Pulitzer Prize winner combines farce, burlesque, and satire, depicting the Antrobus family of Excelsior, New Jersey who narrowly escape one cataclysmic disaster after another. Whether he’s inventing the alphabet or saving the world from apocalypse, George Antrobus and his formidable family somehow manage to persevere.

We are continuing our season with the world premiere of Parker Goodreau’s The Thing They Love directed by Esme Allen. Set in 1933, New York City during the Great Depression, The Thing They Love depicts down-and-out rumrunner Rabbit and his sibling Maggs befriend a wealthy queer couple in a lavender marriage.

We close our 2021/2022 mainstage season with Into the Woods, a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by James Lapine, directed by Bill Cunningham. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests.

In addition to our mainstage offerings, we are also producing the third annual Veteran’s 10-Minute Play Festival, BFA directing thesis projects, a staged reading, and Acting Recital 2022 this season.

Again, welcome back to live theatre at Salem State University. Sit back in your socially distanced seat and enjoy the show.

Graciously, Jerry L. Johnson Chair, Theatre and Speech Communication Salem State University

PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTE The title of this play comes from The Ballad of Reading Gaol, written by Oscar Wilde in 1898 after his release from prison. He served two years for a charge of “gross indecency.” His relationships with other men, as well as his literary works, were used as evidence against him.

Years ago, before I had ever seriously written a play, I visited the RISD museum’s special exhibit on dandy fashion. Dandyism, like drag, has always fascinated me: that intersection of history, performance, aesthetics, gender, sexuality, nonconformity. Included in the exhibit was a relatively plain white shirt, once belonging to Wilde. This was very nearly the only remaining item from his wardrobe. Estranged from his family after his imprisonment, he lived the last three of his forty-six years in exile in France. Those who would have thought to save his clothing did not arrive in time to do so. Everything was disposed of. The shirt survived only because it had been at the cleaners. I stood and stared at it for a long time, trying not to cry.

Oscar Wilde was one of the first queer figures with whom I had any real familiarity. He was a symbol, to me, of our history, our creativity, and our suffering. He gave me my earliest glimpse of a community, not only in the present, but stretching back into the past. People who lived openly, and people who were forced into privacy and shame. People we have forgotten. People who died alone. People who fought, quietly and loudly, for the things they loved. This legacy is why I write queer history. Maybe, in the future, no one will have to weep over our shirts.

This play wouldn’t exist without the support of my families: my blood family, my SSU family, and my queer family. Thank you all so much. Take care of yourselves for me.

Parker Goodreau, BFA ‘21

DIRECTOR’S NOTE As I sit writing these director notes for the playbill, I am interrupted by the sound of my wife hammering away at a kitchen cabinet downstairs…we just moved into a new house, and we are doing lots of renovations. I also hear my fifteen-month-old daughter squealing with joy at one of her favorite songs in Moana. This is the sound of my home. It is the thing I love. Ninety years ago (when our play takes place) I could not have had this home. Being gay/queer in 1933 was a challenge to say the least. The lifestyle was deemed “indecent”, queer people were harassed daily and often arrested for being themselves.

However, for a period of time, there was an openly gay culture that thrived in NYC...ironically this emerged in a time of Prohibition.

To me, this play is about people figuring out how to be themselves and find that family and community amidst a world of fear, uncertainty, and condemnation. In addition to these outward obstacles, the play is also about how we grapple with our own inner hang ups and demons. The play addresses themes of gender identity, sexuality and socio-economic disparity. It also casts a spotlight (not a searchlight) on a rich time in NYC history where a queer community was thriving...even amidst a scary world.

Esme Allen

DRAMATURG NOTE The Thing They Love follows the story of Leon, Delphi, Blue, Maggs, and Rabbit as they find their way around 1930’s New York. Half of them are struggling through the Depression while the rest are sitting pretty on some family money.

This “family” of sorts finds each other by chance, with their hidden queer identities bringing them together and creating a deep bond. The group hopes to avoid the tightening regulations surrounding queer individuals as they attempt to find “the thing they love” in an era of uncertainty. In this debut of The Thing They Love, we too find ourselves in a time of uncertainty as we search for connection amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though we are finally sitting together in a theatre again, we are unable to sit next to each other and truly connect.

The Thing They Love was written by Parker Goodreau after they read Murder Most Queer by Jordan Schildcrout. Schildcrout’s work dissects Mae West’s The Drag, a play about queer individuals and murder. West’s play was so controversial that it wasn’t staged, and West was arrested because of it.

Censoring a story about queer individuals is not something unfamiliar to today’s society. The Drag was described in Murder Most Queer as “the perfect play with which to begin an exploration of the amalgamation of homosexuality and homicide, especially in terms of medical, psychological and legal discourses” (16), and this inspired the course of The Thing They Love. The Drag was ahead of its time in 1927 and indicates that despite popular opinion, queer study has been ongoing for a while. Queerness is not a new identity, but the world is safer now for individuals to come out and own their identity. The world has advanced since the 1930s, but there are still many changes to be made.

“We’re just one big happy family,” Blue utters in scene four. Being queer in any age can be an incredibly lonely experience. Not being accepted by those closest to you or friends and family, and not always having people facing similar conditions is an isolating life. In the 1930’s, being queer was incredibly taboo, but that doesn’t mean that queer people didn’t exist. They existed but were forced to hide their true selves to protect themselves from harm. Queer individuals would band together in order to create their own chosen family, a family they could be themselves in.

This is the story of Leon and Delphi. The two pursued a lavender marriage, saving face and being true to themselves. A lavender marriage is the marriage of a man and women to conceal their sexual orientation of one or both members of the partnership. For queer couples, a lavender marriage was used to avoid the social stigmatization against queer people. Similar to many couples in lavender marriages, Leon and Delphi pursue a lavender marriage to appease their families and keep their identities as queer individuals from society.

1930’s New York was a time of struggle for many during the Depression, yet the city was filled with queerness and the queer community had been flourishing. Massive drag balls were held with queer individuals dressing up as the opposite gender for a night. Thousands upon thousands of people could be in attendance in one night. Society quickly began to fear the growing queer community, and the government enacted a slew of regulations in the 30’s, restricting them. Queer people were forced into hiding as they desperately tried to avoid interactions with the law, knowing it would never go well. Much like Delphi, members of the queer community found themselves hiding and fearing the very people who vowed to protect them. With queer individuals in hiding, how would they find one another? Quietly. Queer individuals found each other quietly. They didn’t have to announce themselves; many would just know. As Leon says, “It’s sort of a ‘takes one to know one’ situation.” Even in hiding, queer people surrounded themselves with like-minded individuals.

Against all odds, the queer community continuously found a way to flourish, finding solace in each other despite the inhospitable outside world.

Exploring the need for the queer community to band together reminds us that in 2022, we still have communities in which queer individuals can go to in order to be seen and to be safe. Salem State has the SSU Alliance, and the North Shore has NAGLY and the North Shore Alliance for LGBTQ Youth.

These organizations allow members of the LGBTQ+ to find company in their queerness by knowing that they are not alone. They also serve to educate anyone who seeks it.

For many, the theatre too is a safe space to feel, connect and be an authentic version of ourselves. For us, the feelings of insecurity and vulnerability are washed away in the theatre. We can finally be the person we want to be.

There is no hiding, there is no fear. Only love. Every day, the theatre gives us a chance to find something new, something exciting. The theatre allows us to find the thing we love.

Welcome to our theatre, our chosen family, and we hope you enjoy The Thing They Love.

Sincerely, Hannah Bradley and Sam Kiff, Dramaturges For more information on local LGBTQ+ friendly communities: NAGLY: https://www.nagly.org The SSU Alliance: ssualliance@gmail.com and on Facebook @ The Salem State University Alliance Citation: Schildcrout, Jordan. Murder Most Queer: The Homicidal Homosexual in the American Theater. Univ. of Michigan Press, 2014.

CAST Delphi................................................................................................Alyssa Fluet Leon........................................................................................... Michael Poliquin Maggs......................................................................................... Juan Sepulveda Rabbit............................................................................................. Kenny Bonilla Blue.......................................................................................... Julia McDonough Lesbian/Woman/Partygoer...................................................... Margaret Gould Lesbian/Pregnant Woman/Partygoer...................................Bridget Saunders Boyfriend/Partygoer.................................................................... Marc Fournier Midwife........................................................................................................Holly Rust Bartender/Partygoer.......................................................................... Gianna Guthrie Musician 1/Man in Scene 2/Partygoer................................................Djessy Kungu Musician 2/Pool Player 1/Partygoer.................................................Ryan McCarthy Musician 3/Partygoer/Midwife Swing.............................................. Sophie Collins Understudy........................................................................................Carmen Serrato Understudy...................................................................................................Evan Carr

***Please note that this play contains sexual themes and images and is not suitable for young children. This production also includes simulated violence, prop guns (which are never fired, but are accompanied by gunfire sounds), flashing lights, and dated language rooted in stereotypes.

TIME AND PLACE 1933, New York City

SCENES ACT I Scene 1 - Midwinter, A dark apartment bedroom Scene 2 - Late Fall, A speakeasy Scene 3 - Same night. Leon’s bedroom Scene 4 - Next morning. A parlor in Leon and Delphi’s brownstone Scene 5 - A few weeks later. Parlor in Leon and Delphi’s brownstone Scene 6 - Afternoon. Delphi and Blue’s bedroom Scene 7 - A few months later. Midwife’s apartment

ACT II Scene 8 - Several weeks later. Leon’s bedroom Scene 9 - Day of the Ball. Delphi’s bedroom Scene 10 - Same day. Leon and Delphi’s parlor Scene 11 - That evening. Williamsburg Bridge Scene 12 - That evening. Delphi’s bedroom

The play runs approximately one and a half hours. There will be one fifteenminute intermission after Act I.

SPECIAL THANKS Evan Carr, Carmen Serrato, Lily Barnes, Felix Horelick, Parker Goodreau, Karen Gahagan, Kati Nalbandian, Hannah Bradley, Sam Kiff, Jerry Johnson, Ashley O’Toole, Brianne Beatrice, Alex Jacobs, Stuart Grieve, Adam Sorel, Tim O’Toole, William Cunningham, Becca Jewett, Stacey Horne Harper, Jane Hillier-Walkowiak, Michael Harvey, Christopher Morris, Sara Conlon, Alli Berkey, Charlie and Christine Allen, and Scott and Pattie Berkey.

Salem State is grateful for the support provided by the Dembowski Family Theatre Endowment in making this production possible.

COVID-19 Safety A reminder that masks must be worn during the performance over the nose and mouth. Venue capacity is reduced, and we ask that you sit in designated open seats no matter the size of your party. All guests are expected to follow Salem State health and safety guidelines as posted or stated by house management staff.

Out of courtesy to your fellow audience members and the actors onstage, please turn off any cell phones and pagers, and do not text during the performance. The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings of this production or distributing recordings on any medium, including the internet, is strictly prohibited, a violation of the author’s rights and actionable under United States copyright law.

No food or beverages are allowed in the theatre. Salem State is a tobacco free campus. Thank you.

PRODUCTION PERSONNEL Assistant Director.............................................................................Hannah Bradley Assistant Stage Managers.............................. Felix Horelick and Amanda Clifford Dramaturges.............................................................. Hannah Bradley and Sam Kiff Company Deputy................................................................................. Kenny Bonilla Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor.................................................... Sen Barone Costume Build Crew....................................................THE201/202 Workshop class Hair & Makeup Crew....................................Abigail Durham and Samantha Gibbs Wardrobe Run Crew................................................ Michael Celestin and Sam Kiff Technical Director....................................................................................Adam Sorel Staff Technical Director............................................................................. Stu Grieve Staff Assistant Technical Director......................................................... Tim O’Toole Master Carpenter............................................................................... Connor Stamm Overhire Carpenter..............................................................................Jacob Crosbie Scenic Build Crew................................ J’Von Allen, Juaquin Cruz, Gianna Fiorillo, Remani Lizana, AJ Metherall, Andrew Reynolds, Bethany Russell, and the THE201/202 Workshop class Scenic Artist..................................................................................... Isaac Goldbaum Scenic Painting Crew.................... Gianna Fiorillo, Nicole Kenney, Marv Worrick, ...................................................................................................... and Rachael Young Scenic Run Crew..................................................... J’Von Allen and Maxwell West Faculty Props Master...............................................................Stacey Horne-Harper Props Build Crew..............Rachael Schuster, Ian Tomarakos, and Rachael Young Props Run Crew.................. Davianna Cora, Zachary Graves, and Paige Marshall Master Electrician............................................................................... Maddie Dustin Electrics Crew........................................Lily Barnes, Alecia DiCicco, Djessy Kungu, Michael Poliquin, and Connor Stamm Light Board Operator.........................................................................Nadia Okuliczki Sound Computer Operator.............................................................Christian Kinney Audio Engineer.......................................................................................Chris Charlot Microphone Technician..................................................................... Kenny St. Fleur

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Center for Creative and Performing Arts..................Karen Gahagan, director and Kati Nalbandian, project manager House Manager and Production Coordinator..................Ashley Preston O’Toole Assistant House Manager....................................................... Stephanie Rossmeisl Box Office Manager......................................................................................... Vi Thai Assistant Box Office Manager............................................................... Taylor Willis Ushers...................................................Wes Crowley, Hannah Cunniff, Brock Hoey, Nicole Kinney, Bethany Russell, and Marv Worrick

CAST Kenny Bonilla (Rabbit Flanagan) is a senior pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance. Previous credits include Count Claudio (Much Ado About Nothing) Guy Montag (Fahrenheit 451) Son/General Custer (Gunplay: A Play about America), Bailiff/Priest (Machinal), Japeth (Children of Eden), and Narrator (Into the Woods).

Evan Carr (Leon/Rabbit Understudy) is a junior pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance and Bachelor of Arts degree in music. This is his fifth role at Salem State University. Previous credits include Telegraph Boy/Refugee/Conveener/Musician (The Skin of Our Teeth), Boy/Girl (Much Ado About Nothing), Flute/Thisbe (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Puppeteer (The Long Christmas Ride Home), and Paris (Romeo and Juliet).

Sophie Collins (Ensemble, u/s Midwife) is a junior pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance. This is Sophie’s fifth production at Salem State University. Previous roles include Telegraph Girl (The Skin of Our Teeth), Ana (The Volunteer), Mrs. Loomis (O Beautiful), Neighbor (Women in Parliament), Debbie Wilkinson (Billy Elliot), Rosie (Mamma Mia), and Granny (Into the Woods). Sophie has also participated in internships with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and Actors’ Shakespeare Project.

Alyssa Fluet (Delphine Duras) is a sophomore pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance. This is her fourth role at Salem State University. Previous credits include Sabina (The Skin of Our Teeth), Ensemble (The Laramie Project), MaryPat (A Sunday), Rebecca (A More Perfect Union), Donna Sheridan (Mamma Mia), and Baker’s Wife (Into the Woods). Awards: Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 1 Irene Ryan Finalist (2022).

Marc Fournier (Boyfriend, Partygoer) is a senior pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater performance. He previously played the Announcer in The Skin of Our Teeth. This is his third mainstage production. Other credits include Second Man/Reporter (Machinal), Lysander (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), John/Fountainhead (Water by the Spoonful), and Captain Black Stache (Peter and the Starcatcher).

Margaret Gould (Lesbian 1/Partygoer) is a sophomore pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance at Salem State University with a minor in criminology. She is grateful for her prior credits in theater including The Queen (Epic Proportions), Paulette (Legally Blonde), and Meg (The Workshop).

Gianna Guthrie (Bartender/Partygoer) is a junior pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance. Gianna has often helped backstage on past shows, such as Hair and Makeup Crew (The Skin of our Teeth) and Electrics Crew (Top Girls and Bedroom Farce); this is her first role in a Salem State University production. Her previous roles at Boston Arts Academy’s theatre department were Sarah Good/Martha Corey (The Crucible), Henrietta Iscariot (The Last Days of Judas Iscariot), and Mother (Memphis).

Djessy Kungu (Musician 1/Man in Scene 2/Partygoer) is a sophomore pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in performance. This is his second role at Salem State University. Previous credits include Judge Moses/Theater Usher/ Stage Carpenter (The Skin of Our Teeth).

Ryan McCarthy (Pool Player/Musician) is a sophomore pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance. Recent Salem State performance credits include Conveener (The Skin of Our Teeth), Joe Sycarczek (Student Theatre Ensemble’s Hail Mary!), and Cody/Jacob/John (Veterans Play Festival).

Recent outside credits include Pinocchio (Shrek the Musical) and Bertram Cates (Inherit the Wind).

Julia McDonough (Blue Ling) is a senior pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance. Previous Salem State credits include Catherine Connolly/Sherry Johnson (The Laramie Project), V/Officer Edwards (Veterans Play Festival), Jesus (O Beautiful), Angie/Dull Gret (Top Girls), Alice (Vinegar Tom), and Samantha Stewart (Uncommon Women and Others). Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 1 Irene Ryan nominee Catherine Connolly (The Laramie Project) 2021, and Angie/Dull Gret (Top Girls) 2020. METG Acting Awards: 2016 for Dr. Waller/Rita in Distracted, 2017 for Martha Dobie in The Children’s Hour, and 2018 for Rebekah Muldoon in Anatomy of Gray.

Michael Poliquin (Leon) is a junior pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance at Salem State University. Previous credits include Henry (The Skin of Our Teeth), Bobby Strong (Urinetown), Gomez Adams (The Addams Family), and Father Roger Schmitt (The Laramie Project).

Holly Rust (Midwife) is a junior pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance. Performance credits include Chorus (Orlando), Various roles (The Laramie Project), Bunny Flingus (The House of Blue Leaves), and Second Woman/Conductor (The Visit). Awards: Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 1 Irene Ryan nominee (2021).

Bridget Saunders (Lesbian #2/Pregnant Woman/Partygoer) is a third-year student pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance.

Previous SSU credits include Man (Women in Parliament), Linda (O Beautiful), and Emcee/Mrs. Cleo Brown/Woman 2 (Gunplay: A Play About America).

Juan Sepulveda (Magnus Flanagan) is a sophomore pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance. This is his fourth role at Salem State University. Previous credits include Captain Hoffman (Deuces Wild), Marmaduke (Orlando), Jedediah Shultz/Jonas Slonaker/Moises Kaufman (The Laramie Project), Dr. Rank (A Doll’s House), Fayette (Waiting for Lefty), Mr. Collins (Memphis the Musical), and Government Soldier (Ruined). Awards: Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 1 Irene Ryan Finalist (2022).

Carmen Serrato (Understudy) is in her second year pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre performance. Previous credits include Gladys (The Skin of Our Teeth), Beatrice Schachter (Up the Down Staircase), Mrs. Shears (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), and General Cartwright (Guys and Dolls).

CREATIVE TEAM AND PRODUCTION STAFF Esme Allen is a Boston-based actor, educator and designer. Boston-area acting credits include Hurricane Diane (Huntington Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing, The Cherry Orchard, Middletown and The Merry Wives of Windsor (Actors’ Shakespeare Project); Muckrakers, Elephant Man and Amadeus (New Repertory Theatre), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Greater Boston Stage Co.); Gloucester Blue, North Shore Fish (Gloucester Stage Company); Dog Paddle (Bridge Repertory Theater) and Coriolanus (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company). Television credits include The Good Wife (CBS). Scenic design credits include Bridge Repertory Theater’s production of Who is Eartha Mae?, Mud Blue Sky, Julius Caesar, and Gidion’s Knot. She earned her MFA in Acting from The California Institute of the Arts. She is a Resident Acting Company Member with the Actors’ Shakespeare Project and teaches at Salem State University.

Lily Barnes (Stage Manager) is a sophomore pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in stage management. Recent stage management credits include The Skin of Our Teeth, Orlando, Machinal, and The Long Christmas Ride Home (Salem State University), and I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream (Student Theatre Ensemble). Awards: Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 1 Stage Management Nominee (2022).

Hannah Bradley (Assistant Director/Dramaturg) is a senior pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in directing with a minor in dramatic literature.

Previous acting credits include Susie Friend (Uncommon Women and Others) and Betty (Vinegar Tom). Previous production credits include Stage Management (Rabbit Hole), Assistant Directing and Dramaturgy (Machinal) and Dramaturgy (Gunplay: A Play About America). Hannah was a finalist in the SDC Directing Initiative at the 2022 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

Jasmine De Leon (Lighting Designer) is a senior pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in lighting design. Previous credits: Hail Mary! (Salem State Student Ensemble) and The Skin of our Teeth and O Beautiful (Salem State University).

Isaac Goldbaum (Scenic Designer & Scenic Artist) is a senior pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in scenic design. Recent design credits include Orlando, Rabbit Hole, Psycho Beach Party, Machinal, Much Ado About Nothing, The Visit, Top Girls, and Ragtime (Salem State University) and 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, Hail Mary!, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Student Theatre Ensemble). Awards: Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 1 scenic design nominee (2020, 2021, and 2022). Upcoming projects include Going to Adultown (World Premiere), The Heidi Chronicles, and Into the Woods.

Jane Hillier-Walkowiak (Costume Designer) received her degree from Trent University in Nottingham England and has been designing in both the U.K. and the U.S.A. since the early 1980’s. In the Boston area, Jane has designed for the Publick Theatre and the Lyric Stage Company and has also worked as a designer/sculptor and painter for VDA Productions and The Costume Works as well as stitching for The Boston Ballet and A.R.T. Jane also has a custom corsetry business called Jane’s Corsets her work has been featured in many magazines both in the U.S.A. and worldwide. Jane’s recently designed shows include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Twelfth Night, Cabaret, The Grapes of Wrath, The Seagull, Drowsy Chaperone, The Cripple of Inishmaan, and Orlando.

Felix Horelick (Assistant Stage Manager) is a sophomore pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in stage management. Recent stage management credits include The Skin of Our Teeth, First-Year Lab, Machinal, and The Long Christmas Ride Home (Salem State University).

Stacey Horne-Harper (Faculty Props Master) is a graduate of the University of Delaware Professional Theatre Training Program. She spent seven years as the properties carpenter at the American Repertory Theater. She would like to thank her family for all of their incredible support.

Christopher Morris (Sound Designer) is an Associate Professor at Salem State University in the theatre & speech communication department. During his time at Salem State, he has served as a technical director, sound designer and scenic designer. He has worked for American players Theatre, Santa Fe Opera and Tibbits Opera House. He earned his MFA in Technical Production for Theatre from the Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) at The University of Delaware. He is an ETCP certified theatrical rigger and a proud veteran of the Armed Services.

Isabella Perez (Props Master) is a sophomore pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in technical theatre. Prop construction credits include Orlando and Psycho Beach Party (Salem State University). Props Master credits include Rabbit Hole (Salem State University) and Going to Adultown (Student Theatre Ensemble).

THEATRE AND SPEECH COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT Celena Sky April Esme Allen Brianne Beatrice Bryn Boice William Cunningham Sara Conlon James J. Fallon, Professor Emeritus Myrna Finn, Professor Emerita Stuart Grieve Thomas J. Hallahan, Professor Emeritus Michael M. Harvey Elizabeth Hart, Professor Emerita Jane Hillier-Walkowiak Stacey Horne-Harper Alex Jacobs Becca Jewett Jerry L. Johnson, Chairperson Julie Kiernan Christopher Morris Janet Neely Tim O’Toole Ashley Preston O’Toole Jill Rogati Peter Sampieri Vera Sheppard, Professor Emerita Richard Snee Allen Vietzke Whitney L. White, Professor Emeritus Patricia Zaido, Professor Emerita

The Kennedy Center The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, part of the Rubenstein Arts Access Program, is generously funded by David M. Rubenstein.

Special Thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting the John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts’ Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

Additional support is provided by The Honorable Stuart Bernstein and Wilma E. Bernstein; and the Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

This production is entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF). The aims of this national theater education program are to identify and promote quality in college-level theater production. To this end, each production entered is eligible for a response by a regional KCACTF representative, and selected students and faculty are invited to participate in KCACTF programs involving scholarships, internships, grants and awards for actors, directors, dramaturgs, playwrights, designers, stage managers and critics at both the regional and national levels.

Productions entered on the Participating level are eligible for invitation to the KCACTF regional festival and may also be considered for national awards recognizing outstanding achievement in production, design, direction and performance.

Last year more than 1,500 productions were entered in the KCACTF involving more than 200,000 students nationwide. By entering this production, our theater department is sharing in the KCACTF goals to recognize, reward, and celebrate the exemplary work produced in college and university theaters across the nation.

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