Disney's The Little Mermaid Program

LETTER FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

DEAR FRIENDS,

Welcome to Disney’s The Little Mer maid. We’re so glad you’re here.

I had the good fortune to work with di rector Melissa Rain Anderson and the amazing folks at 2 Ring Circus seven years ago on our first Mermaid collabo ration. Since coming to Syracuse in 2016, it has been my desire to offer this production with these fine folks here at Syracuse Stage. This year, the stars aligned: Melissa was available, Josh and Ben from 2 Ring were available, the rights for the musical were avail able, and our partners in the Syracuse University Department of Drama were up for the challenge of creating musical theatre that soars not just horizontally across the stage floor but also vertically to the very ceiling of the stage house.

This spectacular holiday musical was made possible by our collaboration with the amazing theatre program here at Syracuse University. Depart ment chair Ralph Zito leads a partner ship that includes faculty and student artists collaborating at every level of the production. Our relationship with the Department of Drama is unique among our professional theatre peers across the country, and we in Central New York are the richer for it.

On behalf of everyone at Stage and the Syracuse University Department of Drama, we hope you enjoy this performance of Disney’s The Little Mermaid !

With warmest regards,

Bob Hupp Artistic Director



ROBERT HUPP.

PHOTO: BRENNA MERRITT.

Editor: Joseph Whelan

Advertising: Joanna Penalva

Layout: Jonathan Hudak Cover Artwork: Brenna Merritt

TABLE OF CONTENTS

9 | Letter from the Artistic Director 13 | Title 14 | Taking Photos in the Theatre 15 | Cast & Credits 20 | Dramaturgical 28 | Cast & Artistic Staff Bios 48 | Who We Are Our Mission Our Vision Our Core Values Anti-Racism Pledge Land Acknowledgement 49 | In the Community About Syracuse Stage About the Department of Drama 56 | Board of Trustees 57 | Emeritus Circle Education Advocacy Board Young Adult Council 58 | Corporate, Foundation & Government Sponsors 60 | Sponsors 61 | Individual, Corporate, Foundation, & Government Gifts 62 | In Honor of 67 | Planned Giving Matching Gift Program 68 | Staff

PROGRAM BOOK

Disney's The Little Mermaid | November 25, 2022 - January 8, 2023 The Syracuse Stage program is produced six times a year. For advertising rates and information contact Joanna Penalva at 315-443-2636. Printed by QMC Group.

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Join the ensemble with a yearly donation to help us make a difference through live theatre.

Your gift supports educational, artistic, accessibility, and community engage ment programming which provides the Syracuse and Central New York Community a platform for connectivity and cohesiveness.

The advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion is pro moted through programs such as Sensory Friendly perfor mances, Young Playwrights Festival, open captioning, Cold Read Festival of New Plays, and much more.

Photographer: Candice A Bermudez.

Photo: The 2022 Young Playwright's Festival

Disney's The Little Mermaid is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com. Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. This program is made possible by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the City of Syracuse Arts & Culture Recovery Fund Pro gram, a regrant program of the City of Syracuse administered by CNY Arts.

TAKING PHOTOS IN THE THEATRE

Audience members may take photos in the theatre before and after the performance and during intermission. If you post photos on social media or elsewhere, you must credit the pro duction's designers by including the names below.

Please note: Photos are strictly prohibited during the performance. Photos of the stage are not permitted if an actor is present. Video and audio recording is not permitted at any time in the theatre.

SCENIC DESIGN

Kimberly Powers

COSTUME DESIGN

Rafael Colón Castanera

SOUND DESIGN

Jacqueline R. Herter

LIGHTING DESIGN

Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz

WIG DESIGN

Jason Kyle Estrada

CAST

(in alphabetical order)

Olivia Lacie Andrews†.................................Arista, Showgirl, Gull, Lily Pad, Maid, Princess Zach Asnis†................................................................................................................Jetsam Sean Bell*..................................................................................................................Scuttle Kailee Brandt†................................Atina, Showgirl, Gull, Circus Flamingo, Maid, Princess Jessica Cerreta†............................................................................................Aquata, Princess Shaun Collins†.........................................................................................................Flotsam Joshua Dean*........................................Sailor, Leeward, Swan, Courtier, Seahorse, Tentacle Katie Emerson*............................................................................................................Ariel Ben Franklin*.....................................................................................................Chef Louis Alexandra Kafrissen†..........................................................................Adella, Maid, Princess Katarina Kelly†...........................................................Andrina, Showgirl, Lily Pad, Princess Rachel Langetieg†................................................Water Specialty, Showgirl, Lily Pad, Maid Maddie Lentz†.............................................................................................Allana, Princess David Lowenstein*.................................................................................................Grimsby Ayana Momoki*...........................................................................................Swan, Showgirl Jay Owens†............................................................................................................Sebastian Erick Pinnick*...................................................................................................King Triton Jackson Poulin†...............................................................................Pilot, Lily Pad, Merman Tom Riggleman†....................................................................................................Flounder Crystal Sha’nae*.........................................................................................................Ursula Anna Stanley†.......................................................................Water Specialty, Gull, Lily Pad Sissa Strain*............................................................................................................Showgirl Truman Tinius†.................Sailor, Under the Sea Silks, Circus Flamingo, Courtier, Tentacle Isaiah Tucker†..............................................Sailor, Merman, Windward, Lily Pad, Courtier Axel Vera†.....................................Sailor, Merman, Under The Sea Silks, Lily Pad, Courtier Dylan Knight Weaver†........................................................................................Prince Eric

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The director of this production is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union. The scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers are represented by United Scenic Artists Local 829, IATSE. Disney's The Little Mermaid is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. †Student, Syracuse University Department of Drama.

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UNDERSTUDIES

Understudies never substitute for the listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of performance.

For Ursula – Charli Bush†; For Scuttle, Gulls, Male Circus, Male Dancers, Tentacles – Michael Di Leo†; For Mersister, Princesses, Flounder – Gwendalyn Rose Díaz†; For Grimsby, Chef Louis, Pilot – Will Foohey†; For Flounder, Eels, Jellyfish, Sting Ray, Ensemble – Samuel Haines†; For Ariel – Alexandra Kafrissen†; For King Triton – David Lowenstein*; For Sebastian, Prince Eric, Sailor, Leeward, Courtier, Tentacle – Kirk Lydell*; For Seahorse, Swan – Ayana Momoki*; For Prince Eric – Jackson Poulin†; For Scuttle, Mersisters, Showgirls, Gulls, Maids, Princesses, Water Specialty – Rachel Revellese†; For Gulls, Swan, Flamingos, Seahorse – Sissa Strain*; For Sebastian, Swing – Isaiah Tucker†; For Windward, Leeward – Axel Vera†; For Mersisters, Showgirl, Princesses, Maids, Water Feature, Female Circus, Eels, Flamingo, Seahorse – Rileigh Very†; For Water Feature, Mersisters, Showgirls, Maids, Eels – Bella Zonderman†

SWINGS

Gwendalyn Rose Díaz†, Will Foohey†, Rachel Langetieg†, Jackson Poulin†, Anna Stanley†, Axel Vera†, Rileigh Very†, Bella Zonderman†

ADDITIO NAL CREDITS

Circus Rigging: Bill Auld Entertainment Intimacy Consultant: Melissa Crespo Dialect Coach: Yusef Seevers

Dance Captains: Joshua Dean*, Rachel Langetieg† Student Assistant Director: Samuel Haines†

1st Production Assistant: Erin C Brett 2nd Production Assistant: Em Piraino Stage Management Intern: Maya Zepeda† Assistant Lighting Designer: Diana Herrera Electrician/Board Op: Brian Jordan Electrician/Spotlight Operator: Connor Beattie Spotlight Operator: Chris Green Assistant Audio Engineer/A1: Kevin O’Connor Sound Assistant/A2: Shane Wright Wardrobe and Wig Supervisor: Dylinn Andrew

Wardrobe: Megan Berner, Elissa Martin, Leah Moore, Chloe Schnell

Deck Crew: Joseph Carter, Khayman Clancy, Matthew Mahunik, AnnaRae Martin, Caitlin Radziewski, Jakob Sanchez

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 SYRACUSE STAGE GALA. PHOTO: JERRY KLINEBERG.

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SONG LIST

ACT I

Overture...............................................................................Orchestra The World Above.........................................................................Ariel Fathoms Below.....................................Eric, Grimsby, Pilot, Ensemble Daughters of Triton..............................................................Mersisters If Only (Triton's Lament)..........................................................Triton Daddy's Little Angel.......................................Ursula, Flotsam, Jetsam Part of Your World.......................................................................Ariel The Storm............................................................................Ensemble Part of Your World (Reprise)........................................................Ariel She's In Love........................................................Flounder, Mersisters Her Voice......................................................................................Eric Under the Sea.......................................................Sebastian, Ensemble If Only (Ariel's Lament)...............................................................Ariel Sweet Child.................................................................Flotsam, Jetsam Poor Unfortunate Souls.............................................................Ursula

ACT II

Positoovity................................................................Scuttle, Ensemble Beyond My Wildest Dreams.......................................Ariel, Ensemble Les Poissons.......................................................Chef Louis, Ensemble One Step Closer............................................................................Eric Daddy's Little Angel (Reprise)........................Ursula, Flotsam, Jetsam Kiss the Girl.........................................................Sebastian, Ensemble If Only (Quartet).....................................Ariel, Eric, Triton, Sebastian The Contest..........................................................Grimsby, Ensemble Poor Unfortunate Souls (Reprise)..............................................Ursula Finale...................................................................................Company

ORCHESTRA

Joe Carello............................................................Clarinet, Saxophone Pat Carney..............................................................................Trumpet Brian Cimmet....................................................Conductor, Keyboard Kelly Covert...................................................................Flute, Piccolo Josh Dekaney..........................................................Drums, Percussion Heidi Hoffman............................................................................Cello Josef Lorenz...................................................................................Bass Claire McKenney.........................................................................Horn Robbie Padilla.......................................................................Keyboard Jacob Stebly.........................................Associate Conductor, Keyboard Jake Gunnar Walsh..............................................Oboe, English Horn Sonya Stith Williams..................................................................Violin

Disney's The Little Mermaid is performed with a live orchestra.

Disney's The Little Mermaid

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

WELCOME TO OUR ADVENTURE

under the sea! We are thrilled to share our brave Little Mermaid’s courageous tale as she endeavors to become who she knows she is truly meant to be. Ariel gives up her home, her family, and even her own bodily form for a chance at true love and living a fully real ized life where she knows she belongs. As the first princess released in the Disney Renaissance era, Ar iel made a splash in 1989 for be ing the first modern heroine. The New York Times referred to her as “a spunky daredevil.” And Roger Ebert praised the character, “Ariel is a fully realized female character who thinks and acts independent ly, even rebelliously.” Our hero

has friends who help her along the way, and we see friendship tested and affirmed throughout. I wanted to focus on Ariel’s gener ous bravery, her huge heart, her loyalty to her friends and how she teaches us all to strive for genuine love, as well as an acceptance of all creatures large and small that we share our world with.

We have created a very special ver sion of this show using circus el ements to establish the world for this incredible journey. We have characters in the air to compose a vertical space for the underwater scenes; also watch out for a sailor on a rope, swans, and flamingos on hoops “flying” in the air, mer

men on silks “swimming” in the water, and several other surprises! We use dancers as “water” and “waves” and extensions of Ursula’s tentacles. We have created a fluid dance like piece with motion on the ground as well as in the air,

set to the lush familiar score we all love from the movie. We invite you to join us on this magi cal, moving expedition for all ages! Life is The Bubbles!

MELISSA RAIN ANDERSON

MELISSA RAIN ANDERSON.

We have created a very special version of this show using circus elements to establish the world for this incredible journey.

Disney's The Little Mermaid

A HOME RUN WAITING TO HAPPEN

IN 1986, JEFFREY KATZENberg, then head of Walt Dis ney’s studios, wrote a letter to a rising musical theatre star named Howard Ashman. Ashman was well known in New York as the founder of the off-Broadway theatre Workshop of Players Art Foundation (WPA) and for his successes with composer Alan Menken on adaptations of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater and Roger Corman’ s 1960 film Little Shop of Horrors.

At the time, Katzenberg and Ashman were both in a kind of funk. Katzenberg wanted to restore Disney’s record of success in producing animated feature films after a long se ries of disappointments in the 1970s and ‘80s. Ashman was reeling from the harsh critical reception of his most recent project, the Broadway musical Smile, which closed after only a month of performances.

It was a bad time for Ashman but good timing for Katzen

berg who wrote: “The combination of Howard Ash man’s talent and the Walt Disney name is a home run waiting to happen.”

Whether to seize a new opportunity or to tem porarily escape—“I think [he] felt maybe ashamed, and he needed to get away and be out of town and not see anybody,” recalled Don Hahn, a filmmaker and director of the 2018 doc umentary about Ashman’s

Ashman was well known for his successes with composer Alan Menken on adaptations of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater and Roger Corman’s 1960 film Little Shop of Horrors.

 HOWARD ASHMAN, ON THE SET OF HIS MUSICAL LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. PHOTO: DISNEY.

life and work Howard Ashman accepted the offer and with Menken set to work on his first Disney project, The Little Mer maid. It would be Dis ney’s first animated fairy tale since Sleeping Beauty in 1959.

In Howard , Hahn in cludes footage of Ashman speaking of the joy he felt

returning to the stories of his childhood and the boost working in a new medium gave to his cre ativity. “I grew up on Pi nocchio and Peter Pan, and ... to make something that fits comfortably on the shelf with those, I mean, ... what a difficult thing to do, but what a great thing to try to do. The last great place to do Broadway mu

 ALAN MENKEN (FAR LEFT) AND HOWARD ASHMAN (CENTERLEFT) REVIEW A SCORE WITH PRODUCER DON HAHN (FAR RIGHT). PHOTO: WALT DISNEY ARCHIVE.

sicals is in animation. It’s a whole other world.”

Katzenberg entrusted Ash man with creative input beyond writing lyrics. Of a selection of design pos sibilities for the character Ursula, Ashman chose one based on fellow Baltimore native and drag queen Di vine, who was the original Edna Turnblad in John Waters’ 1988 film Hair spray. Ashman also pro posed the idea to make the character Sebastian Jamaican, which inspired Menken to include ca

lypso sounds and rhythms throughout the score. Plus, it was Ashman who rec ommended casting Jodi Benson to voice Ariel.

Ashman, too, held fast when Katzenberg suggest ed cutting the ballad “Part of Your World” from the film because he believed it was too slow and would not hold the interest of young viewers. Ashman countered that similar songs had been part of previous Disney musicals and were vital to the story line of most musicals.

almost every musi cal ever written, there’s a place, it’s usually about the third song of the evening, sometimes it’s the second, sometimes it’s the fourth, but it’s quite early, and the leading lady usually sits down on something and sings about what she wants in life,” Ashman once told an interviewer. “And the audience falls in love with her and then roots for her to get it for the rest of the night.”

“In

Katzenberg never had reason to regret serving

“I grew up on Pinocchio and Peter Pan, and ... to make something that fits comfortably on the shelf with those, I mean, ... what a difficult thing to do, but what a great thing to try to do. The last great place to do Broadway musicals is in animation. It’s a whole other world.” – Howard Ashman

the home run pitch to Ashman. Re leased in 1989, The Little Mermaid was a Box Office and critical suc cess and set Disney on a course for a long series of successful animated musicals, and in time, a long list of Broadway hits. Ashman and Men ken won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Under the Sea” and Menken took the Oscar for Best Original Score. The pair worked on Disney’s next musical

Beauty and the Beast and then Alad din before Ashman, like too many young talents, lost his life to com plications from AIDS in March 1991 at the age of 40.

Ashman never saw either film com pleted. The end credits of Beauty and the Beast contain this tribute: “To our friend, Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful.”



ALAN MENKEN AND HOWARD ASHMAN AT THE 62ND ACADEMY AWARDS

“To our friend, Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful.”

WHO WAS KAY NIELSEN?

MORE THEN THREE DECADES

before Disney released the animated film The Little Mermaid, an artist named Kay Nielsen contributed conceptual artwork for a film adaptation that would be much closer in spirit and narrative to Hans Christian Andersen’s original tale.

Nielsen was born in Copenhagen at the end of the 19th century. Like many artists of the “Golden Age of Illustration,” he worked illustrating expensive gift books of fairy tales. He supplemented his income in the 1920s and 30s by designing sets and costumes for theatrical productions.

His interest in theatre led him to seek work in Hollywood, where in 1940 he began working for Disney, most notably contributing the “Night on Bald Mountain” sequence to the film Fantasia After that, he started to work on an adaptation of The Little Mermaid. The project was shelved during World War II and never revived, post-war preferences tending toward the bright and cheerful and away from the kind of edgy nuanced work created by Nielsen.

A reissued collection of fairytales illustrated by Nielsen, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, affords an opportunity to experience his work and imagine a very different Little Mermaid.

CONCEPT DRAWINGS BY KAY NIELSEN FOR THE LITTLE MERMAID

Disney's The Little Mermaid

CAST

Olivia Lacie Andrews (she/her) (Arista, Showgirl, Gull, Lily Pad, Maid, Prin cess ) is a senior musical theater major from Bucks County, PA. Re cent regional credits include: Kinky Boots (Ensemble, u/s Trish), Matil da The Musical (Ensemble, u/s Mrs. Phelps), Chicago (Annie, Ensemble), Rock of Ages (Constance) Recent Department of Drama credits in clude: Sweet Charity (Helene, mainstage) the musical adaptation of As You Like It (Phoebe, mainstage), and The Matchmaker (Ermengarde, main stage) Additionally, Olivia made her choreography debut working on salt/ city/blues at Syracuse Stage. All the love to Syracuse Stage, Department of Drama faculty, family, and friends. Insta: @livdrews

Zach Asnis (Jetsam) is so excited and honored to be making his Syra cuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production debut in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Zach wants to thank his im mediate and distant family (love you Mom, Dad, and Danny), friends, and his adorable cat Nala for the continu ous support and love.

Sean Bell (he/him) (Scuttle). Sean is very grate ful to be at Syracuse Stage for the first time. Most recently he played Bobby, one of the six Comedian Harmonists in Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman’s new Broad

way-bound musical Harmony. In ad dition to touring the country with A Bronx Tale: The Musical, Sean has performed in plays and musicals in NYC and regionally at: The Kennedy Center, The MUNY, Signature The atre, Pennsylvania Shakespeare, North Shore Music Theater, Northern Stage, Walnut Street, The Fulton Opera House, Maine State, Ogunquit, Ar row Rock Lyceum, and more. He has been seen on television in Succession (HBO), Z (Amazon), Boardwalk Em pire (HBO), and Red Oaks (Amazon). Much love and thanks to his eversupportive family and friends, his man ager Rochel Saks, and to everyone on the "Mermaid" team! @seanbell13 on Instagram, www.SeanWBell.com

Kailee Brandt (she/her) ( Atina, Showgirl, Gull, Circus Flamingo, Maid, Princess) is thrilled to be making her Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production debut! She is from Honolulu, HI, and is a current sophomore musical theater major at Syracuse University. She is so grate ful to be part of this production and would like to thank her friends, fam ily, and Department of Drama profes sors for their constant love and sup port. @kaileerbrandt

Charli Bush (u/s Ursu la ) is thrilled to be a part of the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Originally from Pitts

burgh, PA, Charli is a senior musical theater major at Syracuse University. Some of her previous credits include Ursula in Sweet Charity (Depart ment of Drama mainstage), Cas sandra in Sender (Department of Drama mainstage), and Ensemble/ Miss Trunchbull understudy in Ma tilda The Musical (Syracuse Stage/ Department of Drama co-produc tion). A huge thanks to Melissa Rain Anderson, the entire creative team, Syracuse Stage, and the cast for all their wonderful work on this pro duction. Finally, she sends love to her friends and family for all their love and support. IG: charlibush

Jessica Cerreta (she/ her) ( Aquata , Princess ) is a junior musical theater major from Hopewell Junction, NY and is thrilled to be in her first Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production. Recent cred its: Annie u/s in The Play That Goes Wrong (Syracuse Stage), Ensemble/ Helene u/s in Sweet Charity (Depart ment of Drama mainstage), and Ensemble/Dance Captain in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Redhouse Arts Cen ter). She thanks her friends, family, and the creative team for their count less support. @jessica.rose.cerreta

Shaun Collins (he/him) (Flotsam) is a senior musical theater major from Hingham, MA. He is thrilled to be part of this amazing production! Recent credits include

Matilda The Musical as Nigel (Syra cuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production), Hair and Kiss Me, Kate at Cortland Repertory Theatre, Sweet Charity (Department of Dra ma mainstage), the musical adapta tion of As You Like It (Department of Drama mainstage), and Miss Hav isham’s Wedding (New Works New Voices Initiative). He would like to thank all of his teachers at the Department of Drama for helping him grow as an artist, Melissa and Adam for this amazing opportunity, all of his pals for their kindness, and most importantly his parents for their un wavering support. @_shauncollins_

Joshua Dean ( Sailor, Leeward, Swan, Court ier, Seahorse, Tentacle ) is an aerialist and cir cus performer who has performed around the world and across the seas. His the atrical credits include productions at Syracuse Stage, Hartford Stage, LA Opera, Geva Theatre, The Fulton Theatre, Old Globe, and Arkansas Repertory Theatre, to name a few. He is a huge fan of cinnamon candy.

Gwendalyn Rose Díaz (Swing, u/s Mersisters, Princesses, Flounder ) is ex tremely honored to be making her debut in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid! This particular show holds a special place in her heart because it was the first musical she ever performed in as a 6th grad

CAST

er and is the reason she is following her dreams! Originally from Hous ton, TX, she is now a sophomore B.F.A. musical theatre major in the Syracuse University Department of Drama. She was recently seen as Pipe in Our Dear Dead Drug Lord (studio project). Some of her other favorite credits include Belle in Disney’s Beauty in the Beast, Winnie Foster in Tuck Everlasting, and Cinderella in Into the Woods. Gwendalyn would like to thank everyone at Syracuse Stage and the Department of Drama for believ ing in her to uphold this opportunity, send lots of love to her friends and family for their endless support, and extends a warm hug to her #swingna tion family for being her rock. Enjoy the show! Keep up with her on Insta gram: @gwendalynrosediaz

Michael Di Leo (he/ him/his) (u/s Scuttle, Gulls, Male Circus, Male Dancers,Tentacles ) is a sophomore musical theater major who is ecstatic to be making his Syracuse Stage/ Department of Drama co-production debut as a Swing in the cast of Disney’s The Little Mermaid this season! He would like to thank his family, friends, and professors for their endless support throughout his artistic journey. He would also like to thank Melissa Rain Ander son, Adam Cates, Andrea LeighSmith, Brian Cimmet, and the rest of the creative team for entrusting him with this opportunity. Recent credits include Syracuse Depart ment of Drama’s Sweet Charity

(mainstage), Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s West Side Story, Syracuse City Ballet’s The Nutcracker , and SU Danceworks: Walk of Fame. Michael is eternally grateful for this opportunity to work with such a wonderful cast, crew, and cre ative team and hopes you enjoy the production! (@michaeldileo_)

Katie Emerson (she/ her) ( Ariel ) is a NYC based actor, singer, and artist. She is so grate ful to be under the sea again for the third time with this amazing team! Most recently, she covered half of The Marvelous Wonderettes at Alabama Shakespeare Festival and starred as Kira/Clio in Xanadu at Wolfbane Productions. Favorite credits: Peter Pan (Peter Pan), Penny Pingleton (Hairspray), Punky Who (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, North Amer ican Tour), and the countless new musicals she has helped to develop in NYC. Katie has performed OffBroadway, all over the world, and for President Bill Clinton. She would like to thank her family, friends, Me lissa, Adam, and 2 Ring Circus for all their support. AEA. B.F.A. Elon University. Insta: @itskatieemerson www.katieemerson.org

Will Foohey (Swing, u/s Grimsby, Chef Louis, Pilot) is so grateful to make his professional debut in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production of Disney’s The

Little Mermaid. Will is a senior act ing major from Baltimore, MD. He would like to thank his friends and family for their support and con gratulate everyone involved in The Little Mermaid for their work on this beautiful production! @will.foohey

Ben Franklin ( Chef Louis) is thrilled to re turn to Syracuse Stage after co-creating and appearing in The Wiz ard of Oz a few years ago! Founding member of 2 Ring Circus. Favorite productions and roles in clude: Seussical (The Cat In The Hat at CFRT), Godspell (Arkansas Rep), The Ghosts of Versailles (LA Opera), My Fair Lady w/ Kelsey Grammar and Brian Dennehy (Lincoln Center/NY Philharmonic), The Music Man w/ Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy (Bushnell Theatre), and the film version of The Producers, among many others. Spe cial thanks to Bob Hupp and Michael McCurdy for the incredible oppor tunities and collaborations over the years. www.iambenfranklin.com

Sammy Haines ( u/s Flounder, Eels, Jellyfish, Sting Ray, Ensemble) is a senior musical theater major in the Depart ment of Drama and is thrilled to be making his Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama coproduction debut. In the Depart ment of Drama, he has played Lynx in Sender and Oscar in Sweet Charity.

Alexandra Kafrissen (Adella, Maid, Princess, u/s Ariel) is excited to make her professional debut in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production Disney’s The Little Mermaid! Alexandra is a junior musical theater major from Philadel phia, PA, who began performing at the age of nine. She was previously seen in the Syracuse University De partment of Drama production of the musical adaptation of As You Like It in the role of Rosalind, directed by Rodney Hudson. Alexandra is grate ful to her family and friends for their love and support and would like to thank all those involved in Disney’s The Little Mermaid for making it such an incredible experience.

Katarina Kelly (she/ her) (Andrina, Showgirl, Lily Pad, Princess ) is a senior musical theater major from Los Gatos, CA. In the Department of Drama, she has been seen as Char ity Valentine in Sweet Charity (main stage), Éadaoin O’Conghalaigh in the New Works New Voices workshop of Miss Havisham’s Wedding (studio project), Kayleen in Gruesome Play ground Injuries (student project), as a part of the cast of I.D. (devised stu dio project), as Jessie in ’night, Moth er (student project), and as Yellow Girl in Shout! The Mod Musical (studio project). Katarina also recently created and organized an event as a part of her honors thesis called Performing with Pain, where she presented research

CAST

and personal accounts of perform ers to promote better health practices both in this Department and in the industry as a whole.

Rachel Langetieg (Water Specialty, Showgirl, Lily Pad, Maid, Dance Captain, Swing) is a senior musical theater major at Syracuse Univer sity from Hermosa Beach, CA. This is her second show at Syracuse Stage and she is loving every second of it! Recent credits include Department of Drama’s Sweet Charity (Ponytail Girl / u/s Nickie / Dance Captain), the musical adaptation of As You Like It (Principal Swing, Perf: Jaques), and Syracuse Stage’s Matilda The Musical (Scary Big Kid / The Acrobat). Rachel is so pumped to be finishing out her last production in college sur rounded by such a hardworking and talented cast, production team, and orchestra. Huge thanks to her beauti ful family and iconic best friends for all their love and support. Enjoy the show! @racheltieg

Maddie Lentz (she/her) (Allana, Princess) is so happy to be returning to Syracuse Stage after being a swing in last season’s co-production of Matilda The Musical and is known by her peers to be the biggest Little Mermaid fan you will ever meet. She is currently a senior musical theater major at the Syracuse University Department of Drama and is look ing forward to making the move to

NYC in the new year. Most recently, Maddie worked at the Weathervane Theatre performing in Jesus Christ Superstar, Blood Brothers, A Cho rus Line (Judy Turner), and lastly A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Mur der (Phoebe Dy’Squith), which was directed by Bob Hupp. Big thanks to all friends and family who made this possible. Instagram: @_maddielentz

David Lowenstein (Grimsby, u/s King Tri ton ) was last seen as Miss Agatha Trunch bull in Matilda the Musical, Cogsworth in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Mr. Greenway in Elf The Musical (SALT Award Best Supporting Actor in a Musical). Other Syracuse Stage credits include Professor Marvel and The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz, Admiral Boom, Bank Chair man, and Policeman in Mary Pop pins, and his SALT Award-winning turn as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. Lowenstein’s Broadway credits in clude: The Frogs (original cast) at Lincoln Center, Seussical (original cast), On the Town, 1776 (original cast, Joseph Hewes), King David, A Christmas Carol (original cast) at Madison Square Garden, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (original cast). He performed as Major Duomo in Fanfare for New York City Ballet. Concerts include: South Pa cific, Anyone Can Whistle, and Jubilee! at Carnegie Hall. Lowenstein’s Off-Broadway credits include: Howard Crabtree’s Whoop-DeeDoo!, The Truth about Ruth (all the

men), Anything Cole, Lady Be Good (Birdie). National Tours include: Company (Paul), 42nd Street (Andy Lee), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, On Your Toes (Hank J. Smith/Louis Ca pataletti). Regional credits include: The Threepenny Opera (Tiger Brown) at The Connecticut Grand Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita at Papermill Playhouse, The Merchant of Venice and A Christmas Carol at Syracuse Stage. David’s voice is fea tured on the original cast recordings of the above Broadway credits, con certs, Whoop-Dee-Doo!, and in the animated films Anastasia, Bartok the Magnificent, and Buster and Chaunc ey’s Silent Night. David is professor of practice in the Syracuse University Department of Drama, as well as an alumnus, and artist in residence at Cazenovia College.

Kirk Lydell (he/him) (u/s Sebastian, Prince Eric, Sailor, Leeward, Court ier, Tentacle ) is so excited to be a member of this company. This is his first time at Syracuse Stage and he’s very thankful for the opportunity. Other credits: 1st National Tour of A Bronx Tale (Ensemble/Swing), Kinky Boots (Ensemble/ Swing), Rock of Ages (Dance Captain), and Mamma Mia (Pepper). He wants to give thanks to God, his fiancé Ronnie, and his fam ily and friends for their support. And huge thanks to Melissa for thinking of him for this role, getting to work with you again has been a dream!

Ayana Momoki (Swan, Showgirl, u/s Seahorse, Swan ), a native of Ja pan, began her classical ballet training at an early age with Vaganova Method. After continuing her ballet training throughout high school, she moved to the U.S. and studied theatre jazz, lyrical jazz, modern, contemporary, Hip-Hop, and aerial. She has worked with cho reographers such as Richard Pierlon, Derek Mitchell, Peter Gregus, Amit Shah, and many more. She has per formed in Mystic India – The World Tour, seasons 2016-2020, including South Africa tour and U.S. national tours; NBA: Philadelphia 76ers halftime show; The Wendy Williams Show; “Can You Feel It?” (Dance Remix); Red Bucket Follies; Broad way Bares; and the short film “Time Difference” (choreographer).

Jay Owens (Sebastian) is a senior musical theater major from Chicago, Il. Recent credits include Catch Me If You Can, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and State Fair. At the De partment of Drama, Jay has been seen as Vittorio Vidal/Daddy Brubeck in Sweet Charity (mainstage), Man 2 in Working: The Musical (mainstage) and John Smith/Mr. Burlybust in Movie Night (studio project). Many thanks to his entire Department of Drama family, especially the class of 2023, for being his inspiration and strength over the past few years. IG: @jaykowens website: www.jaykowens.com

CAST

Erick Pinnick (King Triton) is excited to be at Syracuse Stage among so many talented young and up and coming artists. He returns to the role of King Triton after previously performing the role at Cape Fear Regional Theatre. Mr. Pinnick has ap peared in NYC in Susan Stroman’s A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden starring Frank Langella and in Roundabout’s The Tin Pan Alley Rag. He recently toured the country in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and has also toured the US in Sunset Boulevard starring Petula Clark. He’s also toured Europe as Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar and in On the Town. Other past credits include Curtis in Dreamgirls (Prince The ater), Doc Gibbs in Our Town (Pe terborough Players), Tin Man in The Wiz (Hangar Theatre), Mitch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Pioneer Theatre & FST), and three seasons as Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol (Denver Cen ter). He can also be seen on the cur rent season of The Good Fight and the upcoming season of The Blacklist. Mr. Pinnick is a graduate of James Madi son University and a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Jackson Poulin (he/ him) ( Pilot, Lily Pad, Merman, Swing, u/s Prince Eric), proud Rocklandite, is finishing his se nior year at Syracuse University pursuing a B.F.A. in act ing. Department of Drama: Dane

in The Dream of the Burning Boy (sophomore projects), Pitchfork Cavalier in The Pitchfork Disney independent student show), Wash ington Roebling in The Bridge (New Works, New Voices), Ensemble #26 in Love and Information (mainstage), Iachimo in Cymbeline (mainstage), and wrote, produced, and direct ed Kykeon (honors thesis project). Jackson is thankful to be in his first co-production with Syracuse Stage. Best wishes for the whole team on Disney’s The Little Mermaid! Instagram: @j.b.poulin

Tom Riggleman (Flounder) is a senior actor/ singer major from Las Vegas, NV, and is hon ored to be working in this Syracuse Stage/ Department of Drama co-produc tion. Recent Department of Drama credits include Orlando in the mu sical adaptation of As You Like It (mainstage), and Melchior in Spring Awakening (Black Box Players). Tom wants to thank his family, friends, and mentors for their continued love and support. Enjoy the show! Instagram: @tom.r

Rachel Revellese ( u/s Scuttle, Mersisters, Showgirls, Gulls, Maids, Prin cesses, Water Specialty ) is thrilled to be danc ing under the sea this winter! She is a singer/dancer/actor and a current junior musical theater major in the Syracuse Univer sity Department of Drama. You’ve

seen Rachel last winter as a swing in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production Matilda The Musical. Rachel was recently seen at Interlakes Theatre in Grease (Patty, u/s Sandy) and Cats (Jennyanydots). Originating from the world of tap dance, Rachel has multiple regional and national titles in the style and is a brand ambassador for the global dance brand SoDanca. All the love to her family. Follow her on Insta gram: @rachel.rev.

Crystal Sha’nae (Ursula) is excited to be Under the Sea with you! Broadway: Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Diva Donna u/s, Adult Dara; 1st National Tour). Off-Broadway: Dogman The Musical (Flippy, Lucille Lortel). Select Regional: Nina Simone: Four Women (Nina Simone, Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Marlena, The Rev) Parade (Minnie, Angela; The Rev), The Call (Rebecca, Arkan sas Rep). TV: The Blacklist (NBC), Flatbush Misdemeanors (Showtime), Unforgettable (A&E). Graduate of Syracuse University. Glory to God! Thanks to Melissa, Adam, and Bri an for bringing me along on the ride. Sending love and gratitude to my Wolf Talent crew, my family, my beautiful niece Ariel, and my Nehemiah for always supporting me. I shine because of you. This is dedicated to you. Too Blessed to Be Stressed. Jeremiah 29:11

Anna Stanley (she/her) ( Water Specialty, Gull, Lily Pad, Swing ) is be yond thrilled to be performing in her first show as a Syracuse Uni versity Department of Drama stu dent. She wants to thank her family, her professors, her beloved class mates, and Syracuse Stage for this wonderful opportunity. She invites the audience to soak up every ounce of magic within this timeless story.

Sissa Strain (she/her) (Showgirl, u/s Gulls, Swan, Flamingos, Seahorse) is a commercial theatre creative based in NYC. Originally from south ern Louisiana, she trained from a young age in many styles of dance, theatre, acrobatics, and circus arts. She furthered her training at Indiana University and The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance graduat ing with a Bachelor of Science in Dance and Kinesiology. Performing has afforded Sissa the opportunity to travel the world! Some of her fa vorite credits include: In The Heights movie (2021), Amazon’s The Marvel ous Mrs. Maisel, Guys & Dolls at The Fireside Theatre, Porsche Shanghai, MGM, RWS, Choice Hotels, South west Airlines, FX’s American Hor ror Story: Freakshow, AMC’s Roots, and HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones. Sissa is the director of operations for the Commercial Dance Intensive, a 10-year member of Dance Masters of America, and is proud to be rep resented by Lucille DiCampli Artist

Representation. Sissa would like to thank to Adam Cates for his years of mentorship and her husband George Skrapits for his love and support. Fol low her @sissa.strain

Truman Tinius (Sailor, Under the Sea Silks, Cir cus Flamingo, Courtier, Tentacle) is a sophomore B.F.A. musical theatre major and is thrilled to be making his Syracuse Stage/De partment of Drama co-production debut in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. He was most recently seen in the Department of Drama’s Sweet Char ity (mainstage), The Glimmerglass Festival 2022 Season’s productions of The Sound of Music and Carmen, Syracuse City Ballet’s The Nutcrack er, SU Danceworks Walk of Fame, and Arabesque (Short Film). Tru man would like to thank his fam ily, friends, and professors for their unwavering support and guidance. @TrumanTinius

Isaiah Tucker ( Sailor, Merman, Windward, Lily Pad, Courtier, Swing, u/s Sebastian ) is from Philadelphia, PA, and he’s currently a sopho more B.F.A. musical theater major at Syracuse University. He recently per formed in Bucks County Playhouse’s production of Kinky Boots as a mem ber of the ensemble. Other shows include Sweet Charity, Mamma Mia, and A Chorus Line. Isaiah is excited to make his Syracuse Stage debut in the Syracuse Stage/Department of

Drama co-production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. He wants to thank the family and friends that have supported him up to this point.

Axel Vera (Sailor, Mer man, Under The Sea Silks, Lily Pad, Courtier, Swing, u/s Windward, Leeward) is a first-generation Venezuelan American actor from Miami, FL. A junior musical theater major who is extremely excit ed to be working again with Syracuse Stage but this time in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama coproduction of Disney’s The Little Mer maid. His recent credits include the Syracuse Stage Bank of America Chil dren’s Tour: The Girl Who Swallowed A Cactus, Movie Night, and most recently seen as an onstage swing in Syracuse University’s Department of Drama production of Sweet Charity (mainstage). He would like to thank his family for always supporting him in his journey and the amazing talent in this cast. Love you mom, dad, and broski! @axel_vera__

Rileigh Very (she/her) ( Swing, u/s Mersisters, Showgirl, Princesses, Maids, Water Feature, Female Circus, Eels, Flamingo, Seahorse ) is a junior musical theater major from Pittsburgh, PA! At the Syracuse University Department of Drama, Rileigh was previously in “ID” as a writer, actress, and choreographer of the devised film piece. She also played Mama Corin/ Ensemble in the Department of Dra-

CAST

ma’s production of the musical adap tation of As You Like It. She is so excited to be cast in her first professional production as a swing in Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama’s co-pro duction of Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

Dylan Knight Weaver (Prince Eric) is thrilled to be making his pro fessional debut in this Syracuse Stage/Depart ment of Drama co-production. Dylan is a senior musical the ater major from Boulder, CO. Dylan’s most recent Department of Drama credits include Sweet Charity (main stage), the musical adaptation of As You Like It (mainstage) as Duke Senior, and Sender (mainstage) as Jordan. Dylan is so excited to be back on stage in this wonderful production and would like

to thank everyone who has supported him up to this point! @d.k.weaver

Bella Zonderman (she/ her) ( Swing, u/s Water Feature, Mersisters, Showgirls, Maids, Eels ) is a sophomore musical theater major. She is thrilled to be making her swing debut in this Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production. Some favorite credits include West Side Story at Glimmerglass Opera Festival, Meg March in Little Women, and Cinder ella in Cinderella. Bella’s first love is classical ballet, and she has spent summers training pre-professionally at Philadelphia Ballet and The Rock School for Dance Education. Huge thanks to her family, the cast, and the crew of this beautiful production!

ARTISTIC STAFF

Kimberly Powers ( Scenic Design ) is an Arkansas-based set designer and artist who is thrilled to be a part of the Mermaid team at Syracuse Stage. Regionally, her work has been seen at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma (OK), Skylight Music Theater (WI), Arkansas Repertory Theatre (AR), Florida Repertory Theatre (FL), The atreSquared (AR), Virginia Repertory Theatre (VA), Cape Fear Regional Theatre (NC), Charleston Stage (SC), Stages (TX), Southern Rep (LA), Casa Mañana (TX), and Northern Stage (VT), Stages (TX), Orlando Rep (FL), among other venues. She was the resi dent set designer and props manager

for Ocean State Theatre Company’s inaugural season and resident set designer for five years at Ohio Light Opera, as well as the first design assistant at The Denver Center Theatre Company. Kimberly has also been a freelance scenic artist since 2000 and has also worked professionally as a muralist, props master, event designer and coordinator, graphic designer, and exhibit designer. She occasion ally teaches in the theatre department at The University of Arkansas and is a proud member of United Scenic Art ists, Local 829. Her work is available to view at kvpowersdesign.com and on Instagram @kvpowersdesign.

ARTISTIC STAFF

Rafael Colón Castanera ( Costume Design) is delighted to be making his Syracuse Stage costume design debut with Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Rafael’s designs have been seen on stages in Arkansas, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, Utah, New York and Ari zona where he received the Arizoni Awards for Best Costume Design in 2009 and Best Makeup and Wig Design in 2009 and 2014 for his cos tume designs for Les Miserables directed by Bob Hupp. Rafael holds a B.A. in theatre from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and holds an M.F.A. from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Rafael is the director of production for Children’s Theater of Madison.

Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz (he, him) (Lighting Design) is a professor at the University of California, Irvine, where he is the head of the lighting program. He has designed Peter Pan, Death trap, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, and The Miracle Worker previously at Syracuse Stage and is delighted to be back for Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Recent designs include Million Dollar Quartet for South Coast Repertory; Curie Curie for Transversal Theatre Company in Irvine, CA and War saw, Poland; A Christmas Carol at the Denver Center; American Mariachi and A Shot Rang Out at South Coast Repertory; All is Calm at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival; Mojada at Or egon Shakespeare Festival and Portland Center Stage. He is an associate artist at South Coast Repertory and Cornerstone Theater Company and is

the resident lighting designer at South Coast Repertory, Great River Shake speare Festival, and Ballet Repertory Theatre. He is also an associate artis tic director at the Great River Shake speare Festival. He is a member of the United Scenic Artists, Local 829/ International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. His complete de sign portfolio can be found at www. lradesigns.com

Jacqueline R. Herter (Sound Design) has served as resident sound designer at Syracuse Stage and Syracuse University’s Department of Drama since 1997. She shifted and combined theatrical design with video/film de sign for the 20/21 season. Herter has designed for Indiana Repertory The atre, Studio Arena, the Wilma, Geva, Round House, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Virginia Stage, and the Han gar Theater as well as other theatres across the nation. Some favorite de signs have been: Annapurna, Beauty and the Beast, Next to Normal, Mary Poppins, Nine, Hairspray, The Over whelming, Caroline, or Change, The Miracle Worker, The Wolves, The Day Room, The Christians, Radio Golf, Pa rade, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Red Noses, The Real Thing, Hedwig and the An gry Inch, M. Butterfly, A Raisin in the Sun, A Lesson Before Dying, Copenha gen, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Inherit the Wind, and Big River

Jason Kyle Estrada (he/him/his) (Wig Design) is a hair and makeup artist and costume designer currently based out of Winston-Salem,

ARTISTIC STAFF

NC. He is a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts with an M.F.A. in wig and makeup design. Jason has worked in many arenas of the enter tainment industry from the stage to the screen. He builds custom wigs from his studio and loves to garden. He is also a proud member of IATSE local 322. Previously, Jason designed wigs for Matilda The Musical here at Syracuse Stage and is happy to be back for this journey under the sea.

Jacob Stebly (Associate Music Direc tor) is a Syracuse-based pianist and a graduate of The Eastman School of Music. He is the assistant music director and a voice teacher for the Department of Drama at Syracuse University. While at Syracuse University, he has music directed A Grand Night for Singing, Little Shop of Horrors, A Little Night Music, and workshops of the new musicals The Bridge and Miss Havisham’s Wedding. He has assistant music directed A Chorus Line, The Wild Party, Into the Woods, and Crazy For You. At Syra cuse Stage he has been heard playing piano and occasionally conducting for How to Dance in Ohio, Matilda The Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Elf The Musical, and The Wiz ard of Oz. Outside of Syracuse he has recently music directed The Last Five Years for Southern Colorado Reper tory Theatre and served as music di rector at Stagedoor Manor. Some of his compositions and arrangements have been heard as incidental music for theatrical productions, pod cast theme songs, and music videos. www.jacobstebly.com.

Andrea Leigh-Smith (Associate Choreographer) is a professor of dance in the Department of Drama’s musi cal theater program. Department of Drama choreographic credits in clude Arabian Nights, Lysistrata, A New Brain, The Cradle Will Rock, Merrily We Roll Along, Violet, Seus sical, Spring Awakening, Parade, Av enue Q, Kiss Me, Kate, The Spitfire Grill, Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill: A Musical Voyage, The Balti more Waltz, The Wild Party, and On The Lake. Andrea choreographed The Underpants with Syracuse Stage as well as last season’s holiday coproduction Matilda The Musical She has worked at The Hangar The ater choreographing Louis Braille: The World at Your Fingertips and Into the Woods. Andrea has worked as a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher in the U.S. and Canada. Broadway credits include Jerome Robbins Broadway and SMILE. She also has numerous credits with na tional tours, Radio City Music Hall, and major regional theatres in the U.S. and Canada. Andrea is cofounder and resident choreographer for The Irondale Ensemble Project Canada. Her choreographic works include contemporary concert, jazz, and musical theatre repertoire. An drea is also a company member of The Building Company. She dedi cates this production to Howard Ash man with whom she had the great pleasure to work with in SMILE.

William Ian Auld (he/him) has traveled the world flying people for circus, theatre, live events, and film

ARTISTIC STAFF

for decades and he still enjoys it. He owns and runs his own company dedicated to rigging and special ef fects [Auld Entertainment] and ran the School of Theater and Dance at Kent State University Tuscarawas for a decade, before stepping down in 2019. Prior to all that he jumped out of perfectly good airplanes with the US Army Airborne Corps Spe cial Operations.

2 Ring Circus is excited to be back at Syracuse Stage to literally take Disney’s The Little Mermaid to new heights. Founded in 2011, 2RC was created by a team of versatile and multifaceted artists. Starting off as musical theatre performers, 2RC set out to create storytelling circus that seamlessly can fit in to theatre and dance. The company has toured across China with its original show Cirque le Jazz and created works for theatres across the states. The atrical works include The Wizard of Oz (Syracuse Stage), Godspell (Ark Rep), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Geva Theatre), Ghost of Versailles (LA Opera), and Seussical (Cape Fear Regional The atre). www.2ringcircus.com

Stuart Plymesser (Production Stage Manager) is in his 26th season at Syracuse Stage where he has stage managed over 100 plays, musicals, and special events, working with such talents as Jason Alexander, Olympia Dukakis, Frank Langella, Elizabeth Franz, and Phylicia Ra shad. Stuart has worked at numerous regional theatres around the

country and in Cape Town, South Africa, and has toured nationally. Locally, he has also stage managed events for Syracuse Fashion Week. In addition, Stuart is adjunct faculty for Syracuse University ’ s Depart ment of Drama and has been a guest speaker/lecturer for Ithaca College, Wells College, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Fredonia, and the Zabalaza Festival in Cape Town. Outside of theatre, Stuart holds the rank of Nidan (second degree black belt) in Aikido and the title of Fukoshidoin (assistant instructor) at Aikido of Central New York. Stuart is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.

Bass/Valle Casting (Casting) formerly Harriet Bass Casting, is a leading NYC boutique casting office. To know more about their upcoming projects and casting philosophy please visit www.bassvallecasting.com. Har riet Bass has cast for ABC/TV, Fox Television Studios, The Public The atre: NEW WORK NOW, The Mi netta Lane Theatre, The Women ’ s Project, La MaMa E.T.C., New York Women in Film and Television, and The Jewish Repertory Theatre. She has cast the last three of the late Au gust Wilson’s ten part play series: the original Radio Golf, Broadway Gem of the Ocean, and Off-Broadway Jit ney. Harriet is also a leading educator in audition technique, side and monologue coaching, and the business of acting. She has taught at the nation’s top universities and professional training programs. Gama Valle

ARTISTIC STAFF

is a director, playwright, screenwriter, children’s book author, and casting director. His casting credits include: The American Tradition, The Great Novel, Split Second, I Wanna Fuck Like Romeo and Juliet, among others. He is a proud member of New Light The atre Ensemble and the recipient of the Van Lier Directing Fellowship at Rep ertorio Español. Gama received the First Prize in playwriting from Puer to Rico’s Institute of Culture for his play Queishd&Dilit. Their regional casting credits include: Mark Taper Forum, Hartford Stage, Arena Stage,

Trinity Rep, San Jose Rep, Geva, Syracuse Stage, Pittsburgh Public, Merri mack Rep, Longwharf Theatre, Alliance Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, Kansas City Rep, Baltimore Center Stage, Huntington Theatre Com pany, Virginia Stage Company, Dal las Theatre Company, Berkeley Rep, Portland Center Stage, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. Feature films credits include: Pushing Hands direct ed by Ang Lee, Underheat, starring Lee Grant, First We Take Manhattan, pro duced by Golden Harvest Inc., and Graves End, directed by Sal Stabile.

Melissa Rain Anderson (she/her) is thrilled to be back at Syracuse Stage after directing The Wolves in 2020. Melissa first directed Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Ar kansas Repertory Theatre under Bob Hupp’s artistic direction and is so hap py to be recreating this version with her collaborators Adam Cates and 2 Ring Circus here in Syracuse. Melissa most recently directed The Book of Will at Phoenix Theatre Company. Selected directing work includes the regional premiere of The Play that Goes Wrong, The Wolves, and The Marvelous Wonderettes at The Repertory Theater of St. Louis; Macbeth, Big River, and The Cocoanuts at Utah Shakespeare Festival; A Christmas Carol at Denver Center Theatre Company 2016-2021, All is Calm- The Christmas Truce of

1914 at Alabama Shakespeare Festival; RII at Santa Cruz Shakespeare and Ro meo and Juliet at Rehouse Arts Center. As an affiliate artist at Geva Theatre Center, she directed In the Heights, HAIR, La Cage Aux Folles, A Funny Thing…Forum, Spamalot, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee among others. Melissa’s acting cred its include co- stars on Law & Order: SVU and Lipstick Jungle, Head Nurse in the national tour of South Pacific Off-Broadway credits include Bessie in Time and Again at Manhattan Theater Company, Baby Rose in Babes in Arms, and Jessica in Tenderloin at City Center. Melissa can be heard on sev eral cast recordings including Babes in Arms Encores, Tenderloin Encores, and Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His Music. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, actor Jim Poulos, please visit Melissarainanderson.com

DIRECTOR

MUSIC DIRECTOR

Brian Cimmet has previously served as music director for Syracuse Stage’s productions of Matilda The Musi cal, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Last Five Years, Elf the Musical, Next to Normal, The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, and Hairspray. He also is a member of the Depart ment of Drama’s full-time faculty and serves as program coordinator for Musical Theater. Outside of Syracuse, Brian’s credits include the Broadway companies of The Drowsy Chaper

one, Mary Poppins, and Grease; the Off-Broadway companies of I Love You Because (also the cast album), The Tin Pan Alley Rag, That’s Not His Name, and Newsical, and a lifetime of summer stock and regional theatre. In an unrelated but parallel universe cen tered on crossword puzzles, Brian hosts a weekly podcast (Fill Me In) and an annual tournament (Lollapuzzoola), and if that sort of thing interests you, please visit www.bemoresmarter.com to learn more.

CHOREOGRAPHER

Adam Cates currently heads the education and development departments of the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts (Reno, NV) where he also produces performance events and outreach tours. Choreographer credits include productions for Hart ford Stage, Santa Fe Opera (also associate director), Juilliard Opera, The atre Under the Stars, Arkansas Rep, Gulfshore Playhouse, Music Theatre Wichita, Memphis Playhouse on the Square (also director), Pacific Con servatory Theatre, Anchorage Opera (also director), Theatre Aspen, Bard Music Festival, New London Barn Playhouse. Creative Consultant/Di rector: Celebrity Cruises. Author: The Business of Show, The World According to Snoopy. Associate/Assistant direc

tor and choreographer credits include Broadway: Anastasia, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, Anything Goes with Sutton Foster and Joel Grey. National Tours: Tommy Tune’s Dr. Dolittle, The Wizard of Oz, Gentleman’s Guide. Lincoln Center: Hansel & Gretel, Babes in Toyland, Prokofiev’s Cinderella. TV: 90210, Live from Lincoln Center. Regional: Good speed, Paper Mill Playhouse, The Old Globe, Seattle Opera. Adam holds an M.F.A. in interdisciplinary Arts and previously taught on the facul ties of Pace University, Marymount Manhattan College, Broadway Dance Center, and Steps. Thank you to Me lissa, Bob, Michael, J. Dean, Benji, Andrea, Dennyse. For Steve. Proud SDC member. @adamcnyc

CREATIVE TEAM

Alan Menken (Music) Theatre: God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Little Shop of Horrors, Real Life Funnies, Atina:

Evil Queen Of The Galaxy, Kicks, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Dis ney’s Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas

CREATIVE TEAM

Carol, Weird Romance, King David, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame, Dis ney’s The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Leap Of Faith, Aladdin, and News ies. Film: Little Shop of Horrors, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Hercules, Life With Mikey, Lincoln, Home On The Range, Noel, Enchanted, Shaggy Dog, Tan gled, and Mirror Mirror. Songs: Rocky V, Home Alone 2, and Captain Ameri ca. Awards: eight Oscars (19 nomina tions), 11 Grammys (including Song of the Year), seven Golden Globes, Tony® (plus four nominations), Dra ma Desk, Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics, Olivier, and London’s Evening Standard Award, Drama League. Honors: Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, Doctorates from New York University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Howard Ashman (Lyrics). Best known as a pivotal creative mind behind the renaissance of Disney animation and his work on The Little Mermaid, Alad din, and Beauty and the Beast (which is dedicated to, “Our friend, Howard Ashman, who gave a Mermaid her voice and a Beast his soul...”), Ash man’s first love was theatre. Ashman was a founder of off-off-Broadway’s renowned WPA Theater, where he conceived, wrote and directed God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, as well as the classic musical, Little Shop of Hor rors (both music by Alan Menken). In 1986, he wrote and directed the Broadway musical Smile (music by Marvin Hamlisch). Lamented as a lost treasure of the 1980’s theatre

scene, Smile remains popular on high school and college campuses throughout the country. Howard Ashman died in 1991 from compli cations of AIDS. For more information, please visit howardashman.com.

Glenn Slater ( Lyrics ) co-created Disney’s 2010 worldwide smash Tangled (2011 Grammy winner, 2010 Oscar and Golden Globe nominee), as well as the Broadway and internation al hit musicals Sister Act (2011 Tony nominee - Best Score) and Disney’s The Little Mermaid (2008 Tony nomi nee - Best Score, Grammy nominee - Best Cast Album), and most recent ly, School of Rock (2015). With long time collaborator Alan Menken, he is executive producer and lyricist for the ABC-TV musical comedy series Ga lavant and has also written songs for the Disney animated film Home on The Range (2004) and the Broadway musical Leap of Faith (Tony nominee - Best Musical, 2012). In the West End, Glenn provided both book and lyrics for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies (2010 Olivier nomineeBest Musical), the sequel to Phantom of the Opera. Other work includes an Emmy-nominated song for the ABCTV comedy The Neighbors (2013) and the stage revue Newyorkers at The Manhattan Theatre Club (Lucille Lor tel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations). Glenn is the recipient of the prestigious Kleban Award for Lyrics, the ASCAP/Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award, and the Jona than Larson Award. He is an alumnus of the BMI Musical Theatre Work shop, and a member of both ASCAP and the Dramatists’ Guild.

CREATIVE TEAM

Doug Wright (Book). GLAAD Me dia Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Drama League Award and a Lucille Lortel Award for I Am My Own Wife. His screen ad aptation of Quills was named Best Picture by the National Board of Review and nominated for three Academy Awards. Doug was cited by the American Academy of Arts and Letters and awarded the Toler-

ance Prize from the Kulturforum Europa. Currently, he serves on the board of the New York Theatre Workshop and serves as secretary on the Dramatists Guild Council. Works include: Interrogating the Nude (1988), Quills (1995), Unwrap Your Candy (2001), I Am My Own Wife (2003), Grey Gardens (book) (2006), The Little Mermaid (book) (2007), The Pavilion (2009).

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Robert Hupp is in his seventh season as artistic director of Syracuse Stage. He recently directed The Play That Goes Wrong , Eureka Day, Annapurna, Talley’s Folly , Amadeus , Noises Off , Next to Normal, and The Three Mus keteers for Stage. Prior to coming to central New York, Robert spent seventeen seasons as the producing artistic director of Arkansas Rep ertory Theatre in Little Rock. He directed over 30 productions for Arkansas Rep ranging from Hamlet to Les Miserables to The Grapes of Wrath . In New York City, Robert directed the American premieres of Glyn Maxwell’s The Lifeblood and Wolfpit for the Phoenix The atre Ensemble. He also served for nine seasons as the artistic direc tor of the Obie Award-winning Jean Cocteau Repertory. At the Cocteau, Robert’s directing credits include works by Buchner, Wilder, Cocteau, Shaw, Wedekind and the

premieres of the Bentley/Milhaud version of Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children, Seamus Heaney’s The Cure at Troy, and Eduardo de Filippo’s Napoli Millionaria. He has held faculty positions at Pennsylva nia’s Dickinson College and, in Ar kansas, at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Hendrix College. Robert served as vice president of the Board of Directors of the The atre Communications Group and has served on funding panels for the New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, the Theatre Communications Group, the New Jersey State Coun cil of the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. While in Arkansas, Robert was named both Non-Profit Executive of the Year by the Arkansas Business Publishing Group, and Individual Artist of the Year by the Arkansas Arts Council. He and his wife Clea ride herd over a blended family of five children, one dog, and two cats.

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Jill A. Anderson has served as managing director of Syracuse Stage since 2016. Jill is re sponsible for Stage’s $7.5 million operating budget and has oversight of fund raising, marketing, and operational matters within the organization. Prior to joining Stage, Jill spent a decade as general manager at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. During her tenure, the O’Neill completed a $7 million capital cam paign and campus expansion, doubled its operating budget, and was honored with a 2015 National Medal of Arts and the 2010 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Under the O’Neill’s aegis, Jill also developed the Baltic Playwrights Conference, an annual international new play development retreat held

in Hiiumaa, Estonia. Previously, Jill spent five years in the production office at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage, after working as a stage man ager in Minnesota, New Mexico, and Massachusetts. In addition to her work at Stage, Jill is an instructor in the theater management program of the Syracuse University Depart ment of Drama, building on her work with high school and college students elsewhere, including at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Jill was recognized as part of the Central New York Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” awards in 2017 and has served on numerous municipal and non-profit boards. Jill is delighted to call Central New York home, but will always be a proud cheesehead, originally hailing from Marshfield, Wisconsin.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Melissa Crespo is a director of new plays, musicals, and opera. She can’t wait to direct this season’s co-production with Hartford Stage of Espejos: Clean by Christine Quintana, followed by the Off-Broadway world premiere of Bees and Honey by Gua dalís del Carmen at MCC Theater. As a playwright, her play Egress, cowritten with Sarah Saltwick, received the Roe Green Award at Cleveland Playhouse and has since been pro duced by Amphibian Stage, Salt

Lake Acting Company, and The atreworks Hartford. Fellowships and residencies include: Time War ner Fellow (WP Theatre), Usual Suspect (NYTW), The Director’s Project (Drama League), Van Lier Directing Fellow (Second Stage Theatre), and the Allen Lee Hughes Directing Fellow (Arena Stage). Me lissa received her M.F.A. in directing from The New School for Drama. She is a founding editor of 3Views on Theater and was featured in the 2020 Broadway Women’ s Fund “Women to Watch on Broadway”.

ASSOCIATE

RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT

Kyle Bass is the author of Possessing Harriet , which premiered at Syracuse Stage, was subse quently produced at Franklin Stage Com pany, at the East Lynn Theater Com pany, and was published by Standing Stone Books in 2022. His play salt/ city/blues was produced at Syracuse Stage in the 21/22 season, and Citi zen James, or The Young Man Without a Country, about a young James Baldwin, was commissioned by Syracuse Stage and has streamed nationally since 2021. His play Tender Rain will premiere at Syracuse Stage later this season. Franklin Stage Company commissioned his new play Toliver & Wakeman through a Support for Artist Grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. Kyle wrote the libretto for Libba Cotten: Here This Day, an opera based on the life of American folk music legend Libba Cotten, commissioned by The Society for New Music. With Na tional Medal of Arts recipient Ping Chong, Kyle is the co-author of Cry for Peace: Voices from the Congo , which premiered at Syracuse Stage and was subsequently produced at La MaMa Experimental Theatre in New York. His other full-length plays include Bleecker Street, Bald win vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers, which has been presented at Cornell University, Colgate University, the University of Delaware, and Syracuse University, and Separated, a documentary theatre piece about student military veterans at Syracuse University, which was presented at

Syracuse Stage and the Paley Center in New York. He has also written for Noh theatre under commission by Theatre Nohgaku. Kyle is the co-au thor of the original screenplay for the film Day of Days (Broad Green Pic tures, 2017) and is a three-time re cipient of the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (for fiction in 1998, for playwriting in 2010, and for screenwriting in 2022), a finalist for the Princess Grace Playwriting Award, and a Pushcart Prize nominee. As dramaturg, Kyle worked with acclaimed visual artist and MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Carrie Mae Weems on her theatre piece Grace Notes: Reflections for Now, which pre miered at the 2016 Spoleto Festival USA, and he was the script consul tant on Thoughts of a Colored Man, which premiered at Syracuse Stage in 2019 and opened on Broadway in 2021. His plays and other writings have appeared in the journals Callaloo and Stone Canoe, among oth ers, and in the anthology Alchemy of the Word: Writers Talk about Writing. Kyle is an assistant professor in the Department of Theater at Colgate University, where he was the 2019 Burke Endowed Chair for Regional Studies. Previously, he was faculty in the M.F.A. creative writing program at Goddard College, taught playwrit ing in the Department of Drama and theatre and dramatic literature courses in the Department of African American Studies at Syracuse University, and playwriting at Hobart & William Smith Colleges. Kyle was the 2019/2020 Susan P. Stroman Visiting Playwright at the Uni

RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT

versity of Delaware and will be the 2023 Flournoy Visiting Playwright at Washington & Lee University. Kyle holds an M.F.A. in playwriting

from Goddard College, is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, and is represented by the Barbara Hogenson Agency.

CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

Ralph Zito (he, him) is in his thirteenth year as chair of the Depart ment of Drama. He came to Syracuse Uni versity from the Juilliard School Drama Division, where he had been a teacher and director from 1992 to 2010 and chair of the Voice and Speech Department since 1999. He was a director and adjunct lecturer in the Barnard College The ater Department from 2006 until 2010 and has been a guest artist at training programs across the coun try, including the Old Globe in San Diego, The University of Texas at Austin, and the Academy for Classi cal Acting in Washington, DC. Di recting credits for the Department of Drama include: The Spitfire Grill, As You Like It, Gruesome Playground In juries, and The Aliens. He has served as a voice, text or dialect consultant for numerous professional productions both on and off-Broadway, includ ing: The Light in the Piazza; Awake and Sing!; The Herbal Bed; Mrs. Klein; The Fiery Furnace; The Time of the Cuckoo (Lincoln Center The atre); Tongue of a Bird; The Merchant

of Venice (New York Shakespeare Festival); The Pitchfork Disney (Blue Light Theatre Company); Birdy (The Women’s Project); The Model Apartment (Primary Stages); the New York premiere of Tony Kushner’s SLAVS! (New York Theatre Workshop); and The African Company Presents Richard III (The Acting Company). His regional theatre credits include numerous productions at The Shake speare Theatre and Arena Stage in Washington, DC; Syracuse Stage; Baltimore Center Stage; Hartford Stage; and the McCarter Theatre, among others. A former touring member of The Acting Company, he served as artistic associate of The Chautauqua Theatre Company for seven years and was a member of the Board of Directors of The American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT) for six years. He is a gradu ate of Harvard University, The Juil liard School, and the American Cen ter for the Alexander Technique. He was recently awarded the prestigious Juilliard President’s Medal in recog nition of his contributions to both Juilliard and to the broader perform ing arts community.

WHO WE ARE

Syracuse Stage is the non-profit, professional theatre company in residence at Syracuse University. We are nationally recognized for creating stimulating the atrical work that engages Central New York, and for our significant contribution to the artistic life of Syracuse University, where we are a vital partner in achieving the educational mission of the University’s Department of Drama.

OUR MISSION

Syracuse Stage tells stories that engage, entertain, and inspire us to see life beyond our own experience.

OUR VISION

Reimagining what's possible for regional theatre–through active inclusion, innova tive outreach, and bold productions–Syracuse Stage shapes the culture and social vitality of Central New York, enriches the Syracuse University student experience, and fosters change in ourselves, our communities, and our world.

OUR CORE VALUES

People - Actively including diverse individuals, communities, ideas, and perspectives. Passion - Commitment to integrity, excellence, and enthusiasm in our work. Curiosity - Fostering an innovative and adaptive environment that elicits wonder.

ANTI-RACISM PLEDGE

Syracuse Stage stands firmly against racism and discrimination. We pledge to stand with under-represented and oppressed communities and to advance antiracism in all aspects of our work, including the outward facing, public dimension of our creative endeavors and the less visible internal practices of the organization.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Syracuse Stage respectfully acknowledges the Onondaga Nation, Firekeepers of the Haudenosaunee, the Indigenous people on whose ancestral lands we now stand.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Stage has collaborated with a myriad of institutions in the Syracuse area. Community partners include 100 Black Men of Syracuse, AccessCNY, ARC of Onondaga, ARISE, ArtRage, CNY Reads, Interfaith Works of Central New York, La Casita, McMahon / Ryan Child Advocacy Center, Onondaga Historical Association, Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park, SUNY Upstate Medical University, the VA Medical Center, and Vera House. Additionally, the educational department collaborates with many CNY schools.

ABOUT SYRACUSE STAGE

Originally constructed as the Regent Movie House in 1914, the physical space of Syracuse Stage has seen many films, musicians, actors, and artists pass through its doors over the course of the past century. The Syracuse Stage that exists today is a nonfor-profit professional theatre company founded in 1974, and a longstanding League of Resident Theatres (LORT) member. Since its inception, Stage has produced over 300 shows, both plays and musicals, within its walls. Now, Stage produces six to seven shows per season, while also offering educational programs to students, various pre- and post-show events, and fundraising events each year. Stage is Central New York’s only LORT theatre and one of the largest performing arts organizations in the area. Stage has a strong commitment to giving the community access to a range of high-quality productions; it is equally committed to bringing in actors, designers, and directors who are among the leading theatre professionals, both locally and across the nation.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

Part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Syracuse University Department of Drama offers degree programs in acting, musical theater, the ater design and technology, stage management, and theater management uti lizing conservatory-style training in a university setting and in collaboration with Syracuse Stage. With much appreciation, the Department of Drama wishes to acknowledge the valuable contribution of the Syracuse Stage staff. While students are responsible for designing the technical elements of most Drama productions, implementing these designs requires a significant contri bution by the professional staff of the Syracuse Stage production department.

The Syracuse Stage program is published six times a year. For advertising rates and information con tact Joanna Penalva at 315.443.2636, or jlpenalv@syr.edu

SYRACUSE STAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

CHAIR

Rocco Mangano Partner Mangano Law Office, PLLC

PRESIDENT Herman R. Frazier* Senior Deputy Athletics Director Syracuse University

PAST CHAIR/VICE CHAIR

Nancy Green Managing Member Edward S. Green & Associates

TREASURER

Brett Padgett*

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Syracuse University

SECRETARY Sharon Sullivan Community Volunteer

AT-LARGE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER Phil Turner Pastor Bethany Baptist Church

Jill A. Anderson** Managing Director Syracuse Stage

Janet Audunson Assistant General Counsel National Grid

George S. Bain Freelance Editor and Writer

Barbara Beckos Retired - Syracuse Stage

Nancy Byrne Community Volunteer

Dr. Ruth Chen* Professor of Practice Syracuse University College of En gineering and Computer Science

Robin Curtis NYS Lic. RE Asso. Broker Hunt Real Estate ERA Zellar Homes Rep.

Richard Driscoll

Sr. Commercial Banking Relationship Manager Commercial Banking Division NBT Bank

Denise Dyce* Director of Labor Relations Syracuse University

Helene Gold Private Voice & Piano Instructor

Jacki Goldberg Community Volunteer

Bea González Retired - Vice President for Community Engagement Syracuse University

Larry Harris EVP and CFO Saab, Inc.

John Huhtala Relationship Manager Middle Market Commercial Banking Chase

Robert Hupp** Artistic Director Syracuse Stage

Cydney Johnson* Vice President for Community Engagement and Government Relations Syracuse University

Rebecca Karpoff*

Professor of Practice, Musical Theater/Coordinator of Vocal Instruction, Musical Theater Syracuse University Department of Drama

Kathy Kelly Retired - Health Educator, PNP

Larry Leatherman Retired - Bristol-Myers Squibb, MOST

Dan Lent Vice President Citizens Bank Anthony Malavenda Retired - Duke’s Root Control

Julia Martin Partner Bousquet Holstein

Kevin R. McAuliffe Partner Barclay Damon

Suzanne McAuliffe Retired - Educator

Rod McDonald Bond, Schoeneck & King

Molly Mulvihill Sr. Relationship Manager Global Commercial Banking Bank of America

Fran Nichols Retired - Mower, Inc. Mona Paradis Stadium International Trucks

Virginia Parker Retired - Educator

Molly Ryan Partner, Goldberg Segalla LLP

Robert Sarason Retired - Lawyer, Organizer, Fundraiser

L. John Steigerwald IV Marketing and Sales Representative Cathedral Candle Company

Melvin T. Stith Dean Emeritus, Whitman School of Management Syracuse University

Cora Thomas Radio Host and Office Manager, WAER

Michael S. Tick* Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts Syracuse University

Dr. Amy Tucker Chief Medical Officer SUNY Upstate Medical University

Ralph Zito** Chair

Syracuse University Department of Drama

Michael Zoanetti VP Senior Wealth Advisor Tompkins Financial Advisors

*University Trustee **Ex-Officio

SYRACUSE STAGE EMERITUS CIRCLE

We are grateful to the following individuals who have served as Members of the Stage Board of Trustees and continue to support Syracuse Stage at the Circle level.

Jim Breuer Mary Beth Carmen Joan Green

Elizabeth Hartnett Margaret Martin Eric Mower

Judy Mower Michael Shende Jack Webb

SYRACUSE STAGE EDUCATION ADVOCACY BOARD

Sara Bambino

CICERO-NORTH SYRACUSE HIGH SCHOOL

Todd Benware CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ACADEMY

Jordan Berger

JAMESVILLE-DEWITT HIGH SCHOOL

Rhiannon Berry LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL

Elizabeth Defurio NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL

David Fisselbrand AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL

Melissa Morgan BAKER HIGH SCHOOL

Matthew Phillips

JAMESVILLE-DEWITT HIGH SCHOOL

Linda Ponza SOLVAY HIGH SCHOOL

Jennifer Sabatino

CATO-MERIDIAN MIDDLE SCHOOL

YOUNG ADULT COUNCIL

Christian Almeida

DURGEE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Lily Beckman

EAST SYRACUSE MINOA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Sadi Broderick

EAST SYRACUSE MINOA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Ella Culligan

LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL

Erin DeGraw

UNION SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL

Luke DeLorenzo CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ACADEMY

Luiza Gripp

EAST SYRACUSE MINOA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Gracie Henning

LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL

Stephanie Kelly CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ACADEMY

Margot Klein

CHARLES W. BAKER HIGH SCHOOL

Tessa Komar

FAYETTEVILLE–MANLIUS HIGH SCHOOL

Joey Lake

LIVERPOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL

Madison Macomber

EAST-SYRACUSE MINOA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Zoie Markowski

SOLVAY HIGH SCHOOL

Nicole Meskos

JAMESVILLE-DEWITT HIGH SCHOOL

Zinat Mohammadi

EAST SYRACUSE MINOA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Stella Nesci

EAST SYRACUSE MINOA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Mabel Roane

MARCELLUS HIGH SCHOOL

Sylus Roane MARCELLUS HIGH SCHOOL

Rachael Rowe

NORTH SYRACUSE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Ava Schneider LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL

Syd Shaw

EAST SYRACUSE MINOA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Francesca Smith BISHOP GRIMES JR./SR. HIGH SCHOOL

Abbie Sundet PAUL V. MOORE HIGH SCHOOL

SYRACUSE STAGE ANNUAL GIFTS

Syracuse Stage depends on the generosity of contributions from individuals, corpora tions, businesses, foundations, and government agencies. It is with much gratitude that we recognize the following donors to our annual campaign. For information regarding levels of contribution and benefits of each please contact the Development office at 315-443-3931 or visit syracusestage.org.

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT SPONSORS

Richard Mather Fund

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT SPONSORS

Contributions listed above are current as of November 8, 2022 and reflect operating support of $5,000+ and in-kind donations of $10,000+.

SPONSOR

The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation is proud to be a sponsor of the arts in Central New York. We recognize the deep importance live theatre plays in shaping the cultural and social vital ity of our community. In these challenging times, theatre brings us together to be inspired and cel ebrate the richness of the human experience. We are delighted to continue to support Syracuse Stage and this very special production of Disney's The Little Mermaid

INDIVIDUAL, CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, & GOVERNMENT GIFTS

New and increased gifts this season will be matched by The Richard Mather Fund.

$100,000+

Nancy & William Byrne

Syracuse University The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation

$50,000 - $99,999 Advance Media New York CNY Arts, Inc. Steven & Marianne Mills NYSCA

Onondaga County City of Syracuse Arts & Culture Recovery Fund Program

The Shubert Foundation

$20,000 - $49,999 George Bain iHeart Radio National Endowment for the Arts Richard Mather Fund

$10,000 - $19,999 Bank of America Equitable Jacki & Michael Goldberg Elizabeth Hartnett M&T Bank

NBT Bancorp Inc. News Channel 9 Sharon Sullivan & Paul Phillips

John & Jamie Sutphen

The John Ben Snow Foundation & Memorial Trust WRVO

$5,000 - $9,999 Dan Bingham & Gail Hamner

Jim & Juli Boeheim Foundation

Bousquet Holstein PLLC

Richard Bunce Cathedral Candle Company Cumulus Radio

Lisa Desnoyers Charitable Fund

Peggy & Dana Dudarchik

The Estate of Mary Louise Dunn

Neil & Helene Gold

The Hayner Hoyt Corporation

Larry & Mary Leatherman Rocco & Roberta Mangano

Lockheed Martin Employees' Federated Fund

Kevin & Suzanne McAuliffe

Eric & Judy Mower National Grid

Fran & Sally Lou Nichols Virginia Parker Joel Potash & Sandra Hurd Raymour & Flanigan Furniture

Theatre Development Fund, Inc. Tompkins Trust Company Urban CNY WAER Wegmans

$3,500 - $4,999 Anheuser-Busch Ashley McGraw Architects, DPC Ryan & Leigh Ann Benz Bond, Schoeneck, & King Attorneys

Sandra Brown Pete & Mary Beth Carmen Desnoyers Family Charitable Fund

Ernst & Young, LLP The Gifford Foundation Daniel & Ann Lent Nancy Green & Tony Marschall

Julia & Lee Martin

Melvin & Patricia Stith Syracuse Children's Chorus Inc.

Michael & Cathy Tick Darvin Varon & Elinor Spring-Mills

$1,800 - $3,499

Janet Audunson & David Youlen Barbara Beckos & Art McDonald

Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation

Constance Bull

Craig & Kathy Byrum Peter Cannavo & Helen Jacoby James Clark & Sharon Gordon

The Estate of William Clark Jr. CNY Latino Bob & Bobbie Constable

Robin Curtis

The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation

Roger & Naomi DeMuth Edward & Susan Downing Dick & Therese Driscoll Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

Exelon Employee Engagement Program

Michael & Barbara Flintrop

Herman Frazier & Caroline Beal Bea Gonzalez & Michael Leonard Edward S. Green & Associates, LLC

Joan Green Peterson Guadagnolo Consulting Engineers PC Deborah & Samuel Haines

Larry & Ann Harris David & Sally Hootnick

John & Kimberly Huhtala Robert & Clea Hupp Steven & Elaine Jacobs Cydney M. Johnson

JP Morgan Chase & Co. Kathy Kelly & Len Weiner Klepper, Hahn, & Hyatt Leslie Kohman & Jeffrey Smith

Tony Malavenda & Martine Burat

J.M. McDonald Foundation

Walter & Elizabeth Merriam Molly & Kevin Mulvihill Claire Myers-Usiatynski

Mona & John Paradis

Michael & Rissa Ratner

Molly Ryan & Tim Byrnes

Robert Sarason & Jane Burkhead

Richard & Margaret Shirtz Joe Silberlicht & Sandra Fenske

Sharye Skinner

Sam & Carolyn Spalding David & Deirdre Stam Raymond & Linda Straub Douglas Sutherland & Nancy Kramer

Cynthia Sutton Dr. Amy Tucker Vanguard Charitable Joshua & Andrea Waldman Jack & Linda Webb

$1,200 - $1,799 James & Nancy Asher Donald Blair & Nancy Dock

Jim & Cathy Breuer Joan Christy Barbara Davis

Ana Diaz-Diez & Javier Maymi-Perez

HUNT Mortgage Fox 68 Dorothy & Lawrence Gordon

Heritage Masonry Restoration, Inc. Brigitte Herzog Kevin & Jessica Kopko Rod & Jana McDonald National Philanthropic Trust

YiWei Qi & Julie Yu David Rankert

Frank and Frances Revoir Foundation

Michael & Elaine Shende James Shults

John Steigerwald IV Larry & Glenda Wetzel Michael & Laurie Zoanetti

$600 - $1,199

Marlene Blumin Francine Boutet Thomas & Susan Brett Kevin & Jackie Bryans Citizens Charitable Foundation

Amy & Tom Clark

Patricia Arcana & Thomas Dorr

Ed & Carole Farfaglia

Allen & Anita Frank

Andrea Graham

Dennis & Judi Hebert

Joyce Day Homan

Richard & Margaret Ingraham

John & Maren King Douglas Kinnetz & Laura Livingston

James MacKillop John & Elizabeth McKinnell

John & Joan Nicholson

Sally O'Herin

David & Janice Panasci Kathy & Dan Rabuzzi Edward & Lois Schroeder Jon Selzer & Thelma

Trotty-Selzer

Rita Soufleris Cora Thomas Joseph & Carole Valesky Angela Winfield & Lance Lyons John & Mitzi Wolf

$300 - $599 David & Cheryl Abrams Karen & Kal Alston Timothy Atseff & Margaret Ogden Jackie Bays Angela Bernat William & Beatrice Blake Eric & Carol Boyer Mary Brady

Jovita Casanova Craig & Susan Cobb Paul & Linda Cohen Robert & Joan Conine Jerilyn Costich

Bruce & Kathy Coville Sharon & James Crosier Linda Czerkies

Barbara DiPasquale David & Robin Drucker Denise Dyce Clay & Dora Elliott Richard Ernst Linda Fabian & Dennis Goodrich

Molly Carole Fitzpatrick Jeffrey & Teresa Freedman Elijah Gebers

In Honor of

Contributions have been made to Syra cuse Stage to honor someone, celebrate a special occasion, or offer an expression of sympathy in memory of a loved one.

Anonymous, In memory of Cat Hennessy. Anonymous, In memory of Cat Hennessy.

Anonymous, We want to support our niece Rebecca Schuetz and her vital employer.

Anonymous, In loving memory of Cat Hennessy, may we all remember her joy.

Anonymous, In memory of Cat Hennessy.

George Bain, In memory of Cat Hennessy.

Rachel Bass, Dedicated to Syracuse Stage staff and the cast and crew of Matilda the Musical, whose 2021 performances were cut short by the Omicron variant.

Debbie & Candido Bermudez, In memory of my mother Mary Tolassi Watson.

Carrie Berse & Chris Skeval, In memory of Terry D. Wheat. Chris Carbone, In memory of Cat Hennessy.

Chris Chin, In loving memory of Cat Hennessy.

James Clark & Sharon Gordon, In loving memory of Cat Hennessy.

Karen Goldman

Golub Foundation

Travis Graham & Patrick Riley

Ben & Renee Hagadorn

Daniel & Julia Harris Peter & Mary Huntington

Marjorie T. Julian Allan & Rita Kanter

David & Noel Keith Norma Kelley

Jeffrey Knox & Susan Maxwell

Claudia Kosty Brett Kurowski Robert & Lauren Lalley Carrie Lantzy Mark & Jeannette Levinsohn Rashonda Lewis George & Roseann Lorefice

Donald & Patricia MacLaughlin

John & Candace Marsellus Albert Marshall Dr. Charles Frederick Martin & Johanna Keller Susan Martineau Mary Ellen McDonald Michael & Patricia McGrath

James & Elizabeth Megna Metis Consulting Group

Gail Mitchell

David & Beth Mitchell TeNesha Murphy

Bart Natoli & Janet Scully Network for Good Doren Norfleet Cathy Palm Marilyn Pinsky

Mickey & Pat Piscitelli Howard & Ann Port Anne Russ Peter Scheibe & Margaret Gelfuso

Robert & Cheryl Shallish H. Paul Steiner

Women's Project Theatre

Charles Tremper Ann Tussing

Laurence Volan & Sara Warner

Robert & Anita Wagner Steven Wall & Wendy Burton

JoAnn Wallace

Mark Watkins & Brenda Silverman

Tina Winter

$150 - $299 Ellen Agnew James Aiello Robert & Jeanne Anderson

Dianne Apter Chris Arnold

Marina Artuso Holmes & Sarah M Bailey Rosemary Baker & Stuart Spiegel

Nancy Barnum Debbie & Candido Bermudez

Sylvia Betcher

Melody Blake Thomas & Susan Blanchard

Dennis & Mary Anne Brady

Carmelita Britton & Richard Probert Gary & Kathleen Bruno

Ellen Butler

Andrea Calarco Ronald Capone Pamela Caraccioli Lexi Carlson & Sebastian Karcher Delores Carney Dannielle Carr Joseph Cerroni & Linda Tassa Maureen Clark Sam & Carolyn Clemence George Alan Clugston Raymond Colton Shelley Conture Anita Cottrell Elizabeth Cowan

Richard Cross & Kathryn Davis

James Cusack

Peter & Margaret Darby Christine Dascher Matthew & Elizabeth Daurio

Amy Doyle

Charley & Kim Driscoll Forrest & Sara Earl Wynn Egginton Ron Ehrenreich & Sondra Roth

Greg & Linda Ellstrom

In Honor of (Continued)

Sharon & James Crosier, In memory of our talented cousin Cathy "Cat" Hennessy.

Barbara DiPasquale, In honor of board member Molly Ryan. William & Sarah Fergerson, In memory of Terry Wheat.

Adam Ganderson, In memory of Catherine Mary "Cat" Hennessy.

Erica Girouard, In memory of Catherine "Cat" Hennessy.

Carmen Giunta, In memory of Cat Hennessy.

Bernice Gottschalk, In memory of Michael J Sarette.

Andrea Graham, In honor of Ana Díaz and her new adventure with Syracuse Stage.

Donald Hughes, In memory Cat Hennessy. Shane & Cheryl Kurowski, In memory of Cat Hennessy. Marcia Locke, In memory of Cat Hennessy.

Lily Lok & David Nocilly, In honor of Joseph Whelan. Leonard Lu, In memory of Catherine "Cat" Hennessy.

Kevin & Suzanne McAuliffe, In honor of my mother, Anna Head.

In memory of Drs. Lawrence & Betty Jane Myers from their family.

Rose Ann & Gerlad Napierski, In memory of Cat Hennessy.

Stanley & Penny Emerick

John & Margaret Feldmeier

William & Sarah Fergerson

Gerard Flynn

Leonard Fonte

Judith Fox

Kenneth & Kathleen Freer

Dan Gaffney

William & Jean Gamble

Gasparini Sales, Inc.

Norma Gawlowicz

Kathryn Glynn Neil Gold

Ellen Golden Bernice Gottschalk

Rosanna Grassi William Gray Roger & Vicki Greenberg John & Patty Grossmann Charlotte Haas & Gary Quirk

Harold Hackney & Janine Bernard Beth Hansen Mary Haven & John Zasada

Lionel Lee Hector Alan & Dorothy Heller Pamela & James Helmer

Christopher Henke & Carolyn Hsu

Donna & Joseph Hipius Kathleen J. Howard Marie & James Jewson Emily Johnson & Vijay Ramachandran

Gwenn Judge Philip & Judith Kaplan James & Jan Kaplan Amy Kaufmann Sweeney

Pieter & Sandra Keese

Mary Kelly

Marlene Kelly

Amy Kemp John & Gloria Kennedy Tim & Susan Kennedy Diane King Russell & Joan King Richard & Sally Kinsey

Marieke Kuiper

Eric & Susan Lambert Bruce & Marilyn Laubacher

Melinda Leising

David & Cindy Lewis

John Limbeson Edward & Carol Lipson

Martha Holly Loew

Linda Loomis

John & Marian Loosmann

Christopher Vecsey & Carol Ann Lorenz

John & Janet Mallan

Julie March

Frederick & Virginia Marty

Elizabeth Mascia Douglas & Randi Matousek

John McAllister & Laurel Moranz

Donald & Norene McCrimmon

John & Mary McCulley

Philip & Martha McDowell

Andreas & Margaret Meier Clifford & Marjorie Mellor

Lois Meyer

David Michel & Peggy Liuzzi

Dr. Merrill L Miller

Daniel & Terry Miller Jeffrey Minnerly Andrew H. Moore Janet Moore Susan Moskal

Nancy Mudrick David & Janet Muir Charles & Judith Muniak Janet Munro

Alan & Rosalind Napier William & Jane Neer Martin & Mildred Newshan

Aaron & Cosmina Nolan Margaret O'Brien Loraine Odonnell

Jane Ondich

Marjorie Ostrander

John & Elizabeth O'Sullivan

Mary & Richard Owen

Joan & Lawrence Page

Robert & Teresa Parke

Richard & Ann Pearson Sam & Cynthia Pendergrast

Edith Pennington & Lawrence Lardy James Perry Michael & Susan Petrosillo Meghan Pils

In Honor of (Continued)

Judy Oplinger, In honor of Tracey White.

Patty Pack, In memory of Cat Hennessy.

Patricia A Parker, In honor of Virginia Parker.

Kristina Starowitz, In memory of Cat Hennessy. H. Paul Steiner, In honor and memory of Fritz Parker.

Philip Syphrit, In memory of Cat Hennessy.

Holly Thuma, In memory of Genevieve & Theodore Thuma. Orelí Uzdavinis & Juan De Leon, In honor of Ana Díaz. Mark & Gay Yonkers, In honor of our daughter Kate who works her wonderful magic in the costume shop each day. We are so proud of you Kate!

Hugh & Jane Pinchin Anita Pisano Eileen Ponto John Przepiora Elizabeth Quilter Scott Reinhart

Steve Reiter & Annegret Schubert

Jacqueline Rich Gerald & Monica Richmond

Maryann Roefaro & Tom Carranti

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Elaine Rubenstein

Robert & Linda Ryan Richard & Jill Sargent George & Sharon Schmit Vito & Janet Sciscioli Ruth Seaman

Katherine Sgarlata

Roger & Nancy Sharp

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Martha Sichta

Dr Craig A Simmons

Judith Smith

Jeffrey Sneider & Gwen Kay

George & Helene Starr

John Steinburg

Philip Syphrit

Saul & Roselyn Teukolsky

Holly Thuma

Victor & Diane Tice

James & Deborah Tifft

Peter Vanable & Anne

Jamison

Celesia Ventura Anthony & Martha Viglietta

TJ & Meghan Vitale

Nancy Wadopian

Judith Waite

Marc & Marcy Waldauer

Francis & Elaine Walter

Donald & Mrs Washburn

Diane D Webb

Lynda Wheat

David & Daryll Wheeler

George & Mrs Whitton

Christopher & Renee Wiles

Thomas & Carol Wolff

Deborah Wood Steve & Denise Wrinn Mark & Gay Yonkers Loretta Zolkowski

$100 - $149

Jerrold & Harriet Abraham

Kirill Abramov

Arlon & Judith Adams

Sarah Alden

Peter & Sherry Allen

Eric Allyn & Meg O'Connell

Maxine & Keyhan

Arjomand

Al & Jane Arras

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Mary Roberts Bailey

Rosanne Barbaglia

Michael & Susan Barbour

Julie Bauer

Marianna Baum

Jean Beers

Peter & Kathy Belyea

Carrie Berse & Chris Skeval

Peter & Elizabeth Bilinski

Susan Boettger

Jeffrey & Kris Bogart

Leslee Boissy-Weatherup

Jon & Patricia Booth

Carl & Alice Borning

John & Lynn Branagan

Bernard & Ona Cohn

Bregman

James & Joyce Bresnahan

Robert & Helene Brophy

Donna L. Johnson Brown C Howard Brown

Paul Brown & Susan

Loevenguth

Sheera Buckley

Patricia Bush

Stephen Butler Joseph & Patricia Cambareri

John & Cynthia Cambareri

Larry & Fran Campbell Chris Carbone

Susan Carney Judith Carr Gary & Alexa Carter

Emanuel & Cynthia Carter

Susan Chappuis

Joseph & Janice Charles David & Judy Chesney Chris Chin Karen Clarke

Barbara Clary Martha Cole

Donna Coloton

Pamela A Cook

Crawford Advertising, Inc.

Tim & Margaret Creamer

Stephanie Cross

Raymond Cummings Cathy Darrow

Paula Dendis

Peggy & Paul Dennis

Lance Denno

Robert Desimone

Eileen Deuell

Kate DiDonato

Dario DiMare

Elizabeth Drew & Joe Marusa

Elizabeth & Evan Dreyfuss

Jeffrey & Linda Drimer

Philip Dunham

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William & Elizabeth Elkins

Brian G Fay

Ronald Ferguson

Asa & Catherine Forbes

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Georgia Frank Cyril & Elinor Freeman Judy Friedman

Dave Frizzell

Adam Ganderson

Jennifer & Carols Gavilondo David & Sharon Gerber Iraina Gerchman

Deborah Gersony Erica Girouard

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Michael & Wendy Gordon

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Greene Seth & Lisa Greenky

Richard & Mary Greninger Chip & Kate Grosso Patricia Haggerty James Hahn Dana Hall

Gregory & Elaine Hallett Peggy K Harper Ann & Richard Harris David & Elizabeth Hayes John Friedman & Polly Ann Heavenrich Elizabeth Hebert Mary Hershberger

Kathleen Hinchman Barbara & Ronald Hoffman

Jeffrey Hollman Susan Hoover

David Hopper

Jacqueline Hudgston Donald Hughes Marilyn Husted Matthew & Bridgett Jacob Roger & June Jesmain Jewish Community Foundation of Central New York

Randy Karcher

Mara Kaszubinski

Robert & Christina Keim Marie Kemp

Paul Kessler

Jean & Michael Kimber Sheldon & Karen Kruth Shane & Cheryl Kurowski

Michael Labulis Lorraine LaDuke

Sylvia & George Langford

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Patricia Lehmann

James Light

Peter Lindabury

Kristen Link-Logan Michael & Jean Loftus

Lily Lok & David Nocilly Susan & Gerald Lotierzo

Leonard Lu

Gerald Mager

Jon Maloff Mimi Mark Michael & Marilyn McCabe

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Wil Murtaugh & Bill Louer

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Mary O'Hara

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Gordon & Judy Prosser Charles & Patricia Prutzman

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Lynn Richer William & Gretchen Roberts Nancy Rothschild Robert & Suzanne Rubino Sally Ruby John & Judy Sabene Meara Sabin

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Alberta & Thomas Shouldice Michael & Dotty Sills Gale Smith William Smith

Carol Solomon

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Mark & Beth Steigerwald Lawrence Stewart & Pamela Sunshine

Jill Stratton

Susan Stred & Harold Husovsky

Jennifer, Bridget & Audrey Stromer-Galley

Calixto & Joyce Suarez

Sharon Sutter

Martha Sutter & David Ross

Brady Systems

Lawrence & Alexandra Tavlarides Mary Thompson Andrew & Kathleen Tompkins Dennis & Debbie Trepanier

John & Jean Tromans Gregory & Carolyn Trombly

Earl & Karen Turner Bob & Claudia Visalli Susan Wadley Mark & Karen Waelder Howard Weinstein Susan Williams Christopher Wratney

Samuel & Robin Young Steven & Judith Zdep

PLANNED GIVING

A planned gift is a way to make a significant and lasting gift to Syracuse Stage. By making a bequest to the theatre, you are assuring that Syracuse Stage will continue to inspire, stimulate, and entertain Central New York audiences for generations to come, as well as maintain its high artistic standards that are recognized locally, and nationally. For more information about planned gifts contact: Ana Díaz-Diez, Director of Development 315-443-3931 or ajdiazdi@syr.edu

Mary Louise Dunn Fund

Dr. William J. Clark, Jr. Fund The Estate of Rosemary Curtis

In Honor and Memory of Sheldon P. Peterfreund and Josephine A Peterfreund

Matching Gift Program

The J. Zimmeister-Yarwood Estate

Many companies will match gifts of their employees, retirees, and spouses with a gift of their own to Syracuse Stage. Ask your personnel office for a matching gift form, send the com pleted form with your gift – and we’ll do the rest!

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

General Manager....................................................................................................Michael McCurdy

Comptroller..............................................................................................Mary Kennett Morreale

Human Resources Manager/Business Associate.......................................................Kathy Zappala Director of Information Management & Technology...................................Garrett Diaz-Wheeler Business Office Intern......................................................................................AnaBella Kalish Box Office Manager.....................................................................................Courtney Richardson

Assistant Box Office Manager.....................................................................Ahmanee Simmons Associate General Manager/Covid-19 Safety Officer.............................................Jacob G. Ellison House Managers......................................................Pat Condello, Ella Lafontant, Adam Secor Bartenders.................................................................................Michelle Cannizzo, Meg Pusey Audience Services Interns....................................................................Jack Lin, Maya Royston

Front of House Associates..............Hope Allen, Nathan Ayotte, Olivia Busche, Weller Dorff, Seamus Doyle, Candaycea Edwards, Jade Fernandez, Ethan Harpole, Henry Herbert, Sally Jewell, Yaneeka Nichols, Alyssa Otoski-Keim, Alyeska Reimer, Magdaliz Rivera, Sarah Schultz, Kevin Sene, Julia Snoonian, Eva Spaid, Wesley Tipton, Malaika Wanjiku, Ada Wennstrom, Gracie Whaley, Maya Zepeda

Director of Development.............................................................................................Ana Díaz-Diez

Assistant Director of Development.....................................................................Stefania Ianno Development Assistant................................................................................Candice Bermudez Development Interns.................................................Donghwan Lee, Lauren Kelly Witkowski Director of Community Engagement and Education.....................................................Joann Yarrow Associate Director of Education.............................................................................Kate Laissle Community Engagement and Education Coordinator....................................Theorri London Community Engagement and Education Interns..........................Erin Keith, Ada Wennstrom

Director of Marketing and Communications.....................................................................Amy Lebo Audience Development Manager.........................................................................Tracey White Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications......................................Joanna Penalva Marketing Campaign Specialist...................................................................Nori Gartner-Baca Senior Designer, Creative Content....................................................................Brenna Merritt Graphic Designer............................................................................................Jonathan Hudak Audience Development Assistant...................................................................Talia Shenandoah Marketing Interns..........................................................Jeremy Michael Lynch, Wesley Tipton Patron Services Intern....................................................................................Soumya Tadepalli Executive Assistant.........................................................................................................Cynthia Reid Sign Language Interpreters.....................................................................Brenda Brown, Sue Freeman Open Captioning............................................................................Michael McCurdy, Cynthia Reid Audio Description...................................................................................Kate Laissle, Joseph Whelan Community Services Officers.......................................................Stacey Emmons, Joseph O'Connor Custodians.........................................................................Dave Hall, Tony Rogers, Candace Velario

DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA 22/23 SEASON

SWEET CHARITY

BOOK BY NEIL SIMON | MUSIC BY CY COLEMAN | LYRICS BY DOROTHY FIELDS | BASED ON AN ORIGINAL SCREEN PLAY BY FEDERICO FELLINI, TULLIO PINELLI, AND ENNIO FLAIANO | PRODUCED FOR THE BROADWAY STAGE BY FRYER, CARR, AND HARRIS CONCEIVED, STAGED, AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY BOB FOSSE DIRECTED BY DAVID LOWENSTEIN | CHOREOGRAPHED BY KIIRA SCHMIDTCARPER | MUSIC DIRECTION BY BRIAN CIMMET OCTOBER 14 - 23 | OPENING NIGHT: OCTOBER 15

FAILURE: A LOVE STORY

BY PHILIP DAWKINS | DIRECTED BY THOM MILLER NOVEMBER 11 - 19 | OPENING NIGHT: NOVEMBER 12

DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID *

MUSIC BY ALAN MENKEN | LYRICS BY HOWARD ASHMAN AND GLENN SLATER | BOOK BY DOUG WRIGHT | BASED ON THE HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN STORY AND THE DISNEY FILM THAT WAS PRODUCED BY HOWARD ASHMAN AND JOHN MUSKER AND WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY JOHN MUSKER AND RON CLEMENTS | ORIGINALLY PRODUCED BY DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS | DIRECTED BY ME LISSA RAIN ANDERSON | MUSIC DIRECTION BY BRIAN CIM MET | CHOREOGRAPHY BY ADAM CATES | CO-PRODUCED WITH SYRACUSE STAGE | NOVEMBER 25 – JANUARY 8 | OPENING NIGHT: DECEMBER 2

*DRAMA SUBSCRIBERS WILL RECEIVE VOUCHERS REDEEM ABLE FOR TICKETS TO DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID

BARBECUE

BY ROBERT O’HARA | DIRECTED BY GILBERT M c CAULEY FEBRUARY 17 - 26 | OPENING NIGHT: FEBRUARY 18

DANCE NATION

BY CLARE BARRON | DIRECTED BY KATHERINE McGERR MARCH 24 – APRIL 2 | OPENING NIGHT: MARCH 25

TICKETS

BOOK AND LYRICS BY SARAH RUHL | MUSIC BY TODD AL MOND | DIRECTED BY REBECCA APARICIO APRIL 28 – MAY 7 | OPENING NIGHT: APRIL 29

Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1917, Lillian Slutzker was a survivor. After fleeing Nazi control for England, she met her husband at a USO dance and later returned to his hometown of Rome, New York.

She dedicated her life to bettering her community. The foundation’s purpose is to carry on her incred ible legacy and fulfill her passion for Judaism, education, the arts, and enriching the community.

The Slutzker Family Foundation is thrilled to be part nering with Syracuse Stage as a season sponsor.

WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL SEPT 21 – OCT 9

HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO

A new musical based on Alexandra Shiva’s documentary film | Book & Lyrics by Rebekah Greer Melocik | Music & Co-Arrangements by Jacob Yandura | Music Direction by Lily Ling Music Supervision, Co-Arrangements, Orchestration by Matt Gallagher | Choreographed by Mayte Natalio | Directed by Sammi Cannold | Produced in association with Ben Holtzman, Sammy Lopez, and Fiona Howe Rudin

A heart-filled new musical, based on the Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name, that explores what it means to belong, the courage it takes to put yourself out in the world, and the universal need to connect. Follow seven Autistic young adults as they come of age and find their ways in the world.

MAR 29 – APR 16

OUR TOWN

By Thornton Wilder

Directed by Robert Hupp

The American classic that reminds us to cherish every unimportant moment.

Music by Alan Menken | Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater Book by Doug Wright | Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film that was produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written & directed by John Musker & Ron Clements | Originally Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson Co-produced with the Syracuse University Department of Drama Splashy family fun for the holiday season with added thrills courtesy of the high flying 2 Ring Circus.

TENDER RAIN

By Kyle Bass

Directed by Rodney Hudson

A man must confront the secrets of his past in order to move forward in this world premiere of Kyle Bass’ haunting play.

By Christine Quintana | Spanish translation and adaptation by Paula Zelaya Cervantes Directed by Melissa Crespo

In this engaging new drama, two women with very different experiences meet by accident and change each other in unexpected ways. Performed in Spanish and English with supertitles. JUNE 7 - 25

Based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn | Written by Sandy Rustin Additional Material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price | Based on the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Based on the Hasbro board game CLUE Original Music by Michael Holland Directed by Ben Hanna

Famous board game turned popular motion picture turned fabulously fun theatrical experience. Who did it? Where? And with what?

Curated by Melissa Crespo | Free for subscribers, tickets required, available through the Box Office.

Yusef Seevers (he/they) ( Dialect Coach ) is a queer Detroit native working professionally as an actor and teacher in arts and wellness education. He is so thrilled to be working with Syracuse Stage on such a marvelous production like Disney’s The Little Mermaid . He is currently a resident artist at Pacific Conservatory Theatre on the central coast of California where he teaches voice and movement to second year students. He holds an M.F.A. in acting from Southern Methodist University and a B.F.A. in musical theatre from Santa Fe University. While in Detroit, Santa Fe, and Dallas, he has worked on numerous plays and musicals, some of his favorites include: Will

Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love, Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, Fredrick Douglass in The Agitators, Sebastian in Disney’s The Little Mermaid , Belize in Angels in America , Orestes in Electra & Iphigenia in Aulis , and Tarus, Orgon in Tartuffe , Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Audrey II Little Shop of Horrors, and Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. He’s worked professionally in West African Dance for the last 20 years and truly enjoys teaching and inspiring. He teaches movement and acting at youth shelters and to at-risk communities all over the country, especially in this virtual teaching revolution. Find more on @BlackBassClef or Yusefseevers.com