Sweet Charity Program

DRAMA

PRESENTS

SCENIC DESIGNER Jason Zong

VOICE AND DIALECT COACH

Blake Segal

BOOK BY Neil Simon

MUSIC BY

Cy Coleman

LYRICS BY Dorothy Fields

DIRECTED BY David Lowenstein

MUSIC DIRECTOR

Brian Cimmet CHOREOGRAPHER Kiira Schmidt-Carper

COSTUME DESIGNER

Adeline Santello

FIGHT/STUNT CHOREOGRAPHER

Alec Barbour

LIGHTING DESIGNER Ben Wolfe INTIMACY CHOREOGRAPHER

Hannah “Rock” Roccisano

CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA Ralph Zito

SOUND DESIGNER Jacqueline R. Herter

DRAMATURG Carrie DeGraw

STAGE MANAGER Emma Yehle

Produced for the Broadway stage by: Fryer, Carr and Harris. Conceived, Staged and Choreographed by Bob Fosse. Sweet Charity is presented by arrangement with Con cord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC. www.concordtheatricals.com

SEASON SPONSOR

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BASED ON AN ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY BY Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli, & Ennio Flaiano

CAST

Katarina

SWINGS

Ethan Clark Davis, McKay Marshall, Axel Vera UNDERSTUDIES

For Helene–Jess

SETTING

New York City, 1966

There will be one fifteen-minute intermission.

ADDITIONAL CREDITS

Dance Captain: Rachel Langetieg Assistant Director: Ethan Harpole Assistant Choreographer: Emma Sucato Assistant Scenic Designer: Luke Blumencranz Assistant Costume Designer: Lillian Benge Assistant Lighting Designers: Brooklyn Green, Mabel McPhee Assistant Stage Managers: Mia Font-Lorie, Emily Kellner Casting Associates: Carrie DeGraw, Anthony Islam Casting Assistant: Ellen Kingman Wigs provided by Wigboys

The Department of Drama is honored to have welcomed Lloyd Culbreath as a guest artist, and to have had him reconstruct the original Bob Fosse choreography for The Rich Man’s Frug for our production.

SONGS

ORCHESTRA

Barry

SPECIAL THANKS

Special thanks to Holly Thuma and The Verdon Fosse Legacy

PRODUCTION STAFF & RUN CREW

Faculty Advisors to Student Designers: Robert Andrusko

Faculty Advisor to Stage Managers: Stuart Plymesser (he/him)

Light Board Operator: Henry Killbourn (he/him)

Sound Board Operator: James Klemmer

Spotlight Operators: Samantha Croco (she/her), Emma Mills (she/her)

Deck: Cameron Chamberlain (he/him), Amelie Faucon (they/them), Isa Mooney (she/her), Sophie Snider (she/her)

Dressers: Annabelle Abramov (she/her/hers), Michaiah Barrett (she/her), Carolyn Burch (she/her), Elizabeth Hughes (she/her), Salma Mahmoud (she/her), Rachel Mondschein (she/her)

Costume Maintenance: Amanda Moore (she/her/hers) Hang and Focus Crew: Amelie Faucon (they/them), Henry Killbourn, James Klemmer, Dylan Lee, Gray Westbrook (they/he) A1: Alvenia Gardiner (they/them) Programmer: Connor Beattie (he/him)

The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings of this production and distributing recordings or streams in any medium, including the internet, is strictly prohibited, a violation of the author(s)’s rights and actionable under United States copyright law. For more information, please visit:

Olivia Lacie Andrews (she/her) (Helene) is a senior musical theater major from Bucks County, PA. Recent credits include: Kinky Boots (Ensemble, u/s Trish), Matilda The Musical (Ensemble, u/s Mrs. Phelps), Chicago (Annie, Ensemble), Rock of Ages (Constance). Recent Department of Drama credits include: the musical adaptation of As You Like It (Phoebe, mainstage), The Matchmaker (Ermen garde, mainstage), and Songs for a New World (Featured Soloist, student proj ect). Additionally, Olivia made her cho reography debut working on salt/city/ blues at Syracuse Stage. Olivia could not thank the Department of Drama enough for creating a wonderful space to grow as an artist. All the love to facul ty, family, and friends. Insta: @livdrews

Sarah Bottino (they/ she) ( Herman ) is a sophomore acting ma jor from Newton, MA, and is so excited to make their Department of Drama debut with the amazing team of Sweet Charity. Sarah would like to thank their family and friends for their constant love and support.

Charlotte Bush (she/ her) (Ursula, Ensemble) is a senior musical the ater major from Pitts burgh, PA. Charlotte has most recently been

seen as Cassandra in Sender (De partment of Drama mainstage), Scary Big Kid/Miss Trunchbull understudy in Matilda The Musi cal (Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production), and as Ensemble/Emily understudy in The Bridge (a new musical workshop).

Jess Cerreta (she/her) ( Ensemble, u/s Helene ) is a junior musical theater major from Hopewell Junction, NY. You may have seen her most recently at Syracuse Stage in The Play That Goes Wrong (Annie under study) or in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Redhouse Arts Center. She also spent her summer as a performer at Lego Land New York! Department of Drama: I.D. (film) and staged reading of Miss Havisham’s Wedding (studio project). Upcoming: Syracuse Stage/ Department of Drama co-production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. She thanks her friends and family (includ ing the ones across the pond) for their countless love and support.

Shaun Collins (he/him) ( Ensemble ) is a senior musical theater major from Hingham, MA. He is thrilled to be in part of this wonderful produc tion! Recent credits include Hair and Kiss Me, Kate at Cortland Repertory Theatre, Matilda The Musical as Ni gel (Syracuse Stage/Department of

@_shauncollins_

Drama co-production), As You Like It (Department of Drama mainstage), Miss Havisham’s Wedding (New Works, New Voices Initiative), Lonely Planet as Jody u/s (Black Box Play ers), and The Aliens as Evan (sopho more project). He would like to thank all of his teachers at the Department of Drama for helping him grow as an art ist, all of his pals for their kindness, and most importantly his parents for their unwavering support.

Ethan Clark Davis (he/him) ( Swing ) is a sophomore musical theater major from Decatur (Atlanta), GA. This is his first production at the Department of Drama and he is honored to have worked with this incredible company. He is very grate ful for the love and support from his peers, instructors, friends, and family.

Michael Di Leo (he/ him/his) (Ensemble, u/s Herman ) is a sopho more B.F.A. musical theater major who is ec static to be making his Department of Drama debut as an ensemble member in the cast of Sweet Charity. He would like to thank his family, friends, and professors for their endless support throughout his artistic journey. Recent credits in clude Reagle Music Theatre of Great er Boston’s West Side Story, Syra cuse City Ballet’s The Nutcracker,

and SU Danceworks Walk of Fame.

Upcoming projects include the Syra cuse Stage/Department of Drama coproduction Disney’s The Little Mer maid as a swing/understudy. Michael is eternally grateful for this opportu nity to work with such a wonderful cast and crew and hopes you enjoy the production!

Eve Dillingham (she/ her) (Ensemble) is a se nior musical theater ma jor in the Department of Drama. Eve made her mainstage debut last spring as Tess in Sender and is very ex cited to be back onstage for her final per formance at Syracuse. Eve would like to thank the cast and crew for putting up with her jokes and a special thanks to DLo, Brian, and Kiira for putting togeth er this wonderful production!

Sammy Haines (he/ him) (Oscar) is a senior musical theater major from Belmont MA. In the Department of Drama he previously played Lynx in Sender (mainstage) and was the understudy for Carl in Lonely Planet with Black Box Players.

Katarina Kelly (she/ her) (Charity) is a senior musical theater major from Los Gatos, CA. She is elated to be in her first mainstage and in

her favorite show in the whole world! Recently she has been seen as Éadao in O’Conghalaigh in the New Works New Voices workshop of Miss Hav isham’s Wedding (studio project), Kayleen in Gruesome Playground Injuries (student project), and as a part of the cast of I.D. (devised studio project). This winter she can be seen as a Mersister in the Syracuse Stage/ Department of Drama co-production Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Kata rina recently created and organized an event as a part of her honors thesis called Performing with Pain, where she presented research and personal accounts of performers to promote better health practices in this depart ment and in the industry as a whole. Katarina is overwhelmed with love and gratitude for this company, this musical, and the Department of Dra ma. To the fickle finger of fate!

Rachel Langetieg (she/her) (Dance Cap tain, Ensemble, u/s Nickie) is a senior musi cal theater major from Hermosa Beach, CA. She was most recently the female principal swing for the Department of Drama’s musical adaptation of As You Like It (in which she went on as Jaques), but you may also remember her as a Scary Big Kid/The Acrobat from the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production Matilda The Musical last winter. After Sweet Charity, she can be seen in co-pro

duction of Disney’s The Little Mer maid. Rachel is so pumped to be finishing out her last Department of Drama production surrounded by such a fun-loving and talented cast, production team, and orchestra. Big thanks to Kiira, Brian, DLo, and Lloyd Culbreath for whipping her into shape. Extra special thanks to her iconic best friends and family for all of their love and support. Enjoy the show! @racheltieg

McKay Marshall (she/her) (Swing) is thrilled to be making her swing debut in Sweet Charity. Last year, she was seen as Hisperia in As You Like It (mainstage) after spending her first semester studying at The Globe in London. Some of McKay’s favorite past roles include Millie in Thoroughly Modern Mil lie and several productions at The Muny including Kinky Boots, Fiddler on the Roof, and Mary Poppins. Love and thanks to the entire cast and crew!

Gabriela Moncivais (she/her) (Ensemble, u/s Charity) is a junior mu sical theater major from Grosse Pointe, MI, and is so excited to be mak ing her Storch Theater performing debut! Recently, she spent the sum mer at Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven, NJ and was seen in Escape to Margaritaville (Rachel), Legally

Blonde (Leilani/Chutney/Ensem ble), The Addams Family (Saloon Girl Ancestor), and An American in Paris (Ensemble). She can be seen in A Christmas Story at The Red house Arts Center this December. She would like to thank her family and friends for their constant love and support. www.gabrielamoncivais. com IG:@gabi.moncivais

Jay Owens (he/him) (Vittorio Vidal, Daddy Brubeck) is a senior mu sical theater major from Chicago, IL. Recent credits include Catch Me If You Can, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and State Fair. At the Depart ment of Drama, Jay has been seen as 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, espe cially the class of 2023, for being his inspiration and strength over the past few years. IG: @jaykowens web site: www.jaykowens.com

Rachel Revellese (she/ her) is a junior musi cal theater major in the Department of Drama. She entered the world of showbiz through tap dancing and has won numerous re gional and national titles in the style. She is currently a tap ambassador for the global dance brand SoDanca. Ra

chel was recently seen at Interlakes Theatre in Grease (Patty, u/s Sandy) and Cats (Jennyanydots) and is look ing forward to swinging in the upcom ing Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production Disney's The Little Mermaid.

Tobias Rytting (he/ him) ( Ensemble, u/s Vittorio Vidal, Daddy Brubeck ) is a sopho more musical theater major from Houston, TX. He is really excited to be in his first Department of Drama show!

Stella Schwartz (she/ her) (Nickie) is a senior musical theater major from Jersey. This win ter she will be working as the associate chore ographer for A Christmas Story at Redhouse Arts Center. Most re cently she was seen in the ensemble/ dance captain of the Syracuse Stage/ Department of Drama co-production Matilda The Musical and spent her summer at Dance Lab NY, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting young choreographers by gifting vital re sources to dance makers. So much thanks to the cast/crew/creatives, the Verdon Fosse Legacy and Ms. Greta Schwartz. Dedicated to Reinking, Verdon, Rivera and to womxn who dream. @stellaschwartz__

Sofia Swensen (she/ her) (Ensemble) is a se nior musical theatre ma jor and is thrilled to be finishing out her time at the Department of Drama with Sweet Charity! Sofia was last seen as Silvia in As You Like It and Minnie Fay in The Matchmaker. She will be making her professional de but this December with Redhouse Art Center’s Christmas Story. She would like to thank her loving family, Bond Photos, and her kitties for their support and encouragement.

Truman Tinius (he/ him) ( Ensemble ) is a sophomore B.F.A. mu sical theater major and is thrilled to be making his Department of Drama debut in Sweet Charity. He was most recently seen at The Glim merglass Festival in the 2022 sea son’s productions of The Sound of Music and Carmen, Syracuse City Ballet’s The Nutcracker, SU Dance works Walk of Fame, and Ara besque (Short Film). See him next in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Truman would like to thank his family, friends, and pro fessors for their unwavering support and guidance.

@TrumanTinius

Isaiah Tucker ( En semble) is a sophomore musical theater major from Philadelphia, PA. Isaiah was recently in the ensemble of Bucks County Playhouse’s production of Kinky Boots and will be seen in the ensemble of the upcoming Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama coproduction of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Isaiah would like to thank his family and friends that have sup ported him up to this point.

Axel Vera (he/him) (Swing) is a first genera tion Venezuelan Ameri can actor from Miami, FL. A junior musical theater major, he is ex tremely excited to be a part of one of his favorite shows of all time. This production will also be his first time swinging a musical. His recent cred its include the Syracuse Stage Bank of America Children’s Tour: The Girl Who Swallowed A Cactus and Mov ie Night (studio project). He would like to thank his family for always sup porting him in his journey. Love you mom, dad, and broski! @axel_vera__

CAST

Dylan Knight Weaver (he/him)(Charlie, Ensemble, u/s Oscar) is a senior musical theater major from Boulder, CO. Dylan’s most recent Department of Drama credits include the musical adaptation of As You Like It (mainstage) as Duke Senior, Send

er (mainstage) as Jordan, Working (mainstage), and Spring Awaken ing (Black Box Players) as Moritz. Other recent credits include Dog fight , Violet, Hunchback of Notre Dame. Dylan is so excited to be back onstage in this wonderful production and would like to thank all those who have supported him up to this point!

ARTISTIC STAFF

Jason Zong (he/him) (Scenic De signer) is a senior theater design and technology major with a concentra tion of scenic design and technical direction from Wilmington, DE. At the Department of Drama Jason has assisted on Matchmaker and Sender and is currently working as the assis tant technical director of the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-pro duction Disney’s The Little Mermaid He worked on Carmen, Tristan und Isolde, The Barber of Seville, Falstaff, and the world premiere of M. Butter fly at Santa Fe Opera this past summer. He’s thankful for all the love and sup port he received in his theater journey.

Adeline Santello (she/her/hers) (Costume Designer) is a senior the ater design and technology major with a concentration in costume de sign from Arlington, MA. Recent cos tume design credits include: North Star… (Williamstown Theatre Fes tival Directing Studio), Sender (De partment of Drama mainstage),

and Lonely Planet (Blackbox Play ers). Selected assistant design credits include, Most Happy in Concert (Wil liamstown Theatre Festival), Matilda the Musical (Syracuse Stage/De partment of Drama co-production), and The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus (Bank of America Children’s Tour). Adelinesantello.com . She would like to thank the costume fac ulty and shop. For Cat with love.

Ben Wolfe (he/him) (Lighting De signer) is a senior theater design and technology major from Westport, CT. Other Syracuse lighting design credits include Cymbeline (Depart ment of Drama mainstage) and Lone ly Planet (Black Box Players).

Jacqueline R. Herter (she/her) ( Sound Designer ) has served as resident sound designer at Syracuse Stage and Syracuse University’s De partment of Drama since 1997. She shifted and combined theatrical design with video/film design for the 2020-

ARTISTIC STAFF

2021 season. Herter has designed for Indiana Repertory Theatre, Stu dio Arena, the Wilma, Geva, Round House, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Vir ginia Stage, and the Hangar Theater as well as other theaters across the na tion. Some favorite designs have been: Annapurna, Beauty and the Beast, Next to Normal, Mary Poppins, Nine, Hairspray, The Overwhelming, Caro line, or Change, The Miracle Worker, The Wolves, The Day Room, The Christians, Radio Golf, Parade, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Lieuten ant of Inishmore, Red Noses, The Real Thing, Hedwig and the Angry 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.

Blake Segal (he/him) (Voice and Dialect Coach) is an actor and dia lect coach, and he is delighted to return to Syracuse University’s De partment of Drama. Dialect coach ing credits include NYC: Ensemble Studio Theatre, New Georges, The Araca Project, Fault Line Theatre; Re gional: Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre Center, Berkshire Theatre Group, Two River Theater, PlayMakers Rep, Cleveland Musical Theatre, Luna Stage, Passages Theatre, and Walker space at SoHo Rep; Educational: Yale School of Drama, Fordham, Colum bia, Syracuse, Kean, and Stella Adler. Blake currently serves on the voice/ verse faculty of Syracuse University’s Department of Drama. As an actor,

he has performed on film and televi sion, off-Broadway, in major regional theaters across the country, and on the national tour of Mary Poppins. M.F.A. in acting: Yale School of Drama. www. blakesegal.com

Alec Barbour (he/him) (Fight/Stunt Choreographer) is a Rochester, NY, based actor, fight choreographer, and playwright. He has been study ing stage combat since 2005, and is a certified teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. He re ceived his M.F.A. in acting at the Hil berry Repertory Theatre at Wayne State University in Detroit, where his roles included Iago in Othello, Car son in Gross Indecency, and Charles Lomax in Major Barbara. Regional acting credits include Sir Castor (and fight captain) in Camelot at Drury Lane Theatre and Horner in The Country Wife at Franklin Stage. In timacy Direction: (for Syracuse Stage) Amadeus; (for Syracuse Uni versity Department of Drama) Ro meo and Juliet, Everybody, Wild Par ty; (for Wallbyrd Theatre Co.) Bard Bending: Fight Club Edition, Two Gentlemen of Verona; (for Utica College) Dracula. Fight Direction: (for Syracuse Stage) Amadeus, Su zette who Set to Sea, Deathtrap, Disgraced; (for Syracuse University Department of Drama) Wild Party, Kiss Me, Kate; (for University of Rochester) Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (with J. David Brimmer); (for Nazareth College) Spring Awaken

ARTISTIC STAFF

ing, Hayfever, Vinegar Tom; (for Le Moyne College) She Kills Monsters, Macbeth in Concert, Romeo & Juliet in Concert, The Liar; (for Hilberry Repertory Theatre) The Cripple of Inishmaan, Macbeth, The Mouse trap, Moon Over Buffalo; (for Wayne State University) Arabian Nights, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, SubUr bia; (for Wallbyrd Theatre Co) Two Gentlemen of Verona, Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Dracula. Alec teaches stage combat courses at Le Moyne College, Naza reth College, and Utica College. He is an apprentice with Intimacy Di rectors International, and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Associa tion and SAG/AFTRA.

Hannah “Rock” Roccisano (she/ her) (Intimacy Director) is a New York City based director, fight direc tor, intimacy director, educator, and Shakespeare nerd. Recent fight di rection credits: Wolf Play and Mon tag (Soho Rep, Off- Broadway), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Co lumbia University), Once on Rum springa (Columbia University and Fresh Fruits Festival). Upcoming credits include Wolf Play (MCC Theatre), Stormé (True Colors Project), Our Dear Dead Drug Lord and Lungs (Black Box Play ers). She has taught at PACE Univer sity, NYU Tisch, The Knickerbocker Studio, The Atlantic Acting Studio, The Eugene O’Neill National The atre Institute, and University of West

Florida. Hannah is the founder of Ex pand, Educate, Empower, an initiative bringing free stage combat training to students in underserved communities across the U.S. For more information, please visit safd.org Training: certi fied teacher and chair of development, Society of American Fight Directors; M.F.A. directing and Master of Letters in Shakespeare, Mary Baldwin Uni versity. hannahroccisano@gmail.com

Carrie DeGraw (she/her) (Dramaturg, Casting Associate) is a senior the ater management major from Union Springs, NY. While new to dramatur gy, Carrie is the Department of Drama’s casting associate and has previously worked as the development apprentice at Theatre Aspen in Aspen, CO, and as an administrative intern at Jermyn Street Theatre in London, England.

Emma Yehle (she/her) (Stage Manager) is a senior stage management ma jor from Houston, TX. Department of Drama stage management credits include Shaina Taub’s As You Like It, Working: The Musical , and On the Lake. This summer Emma had the opportunity to intern for Syra cuse Stage’s production of salt/city/ blues and work on the hair and make up team for The REV Theatre Com pany’s Catch Me If You Can. She’d like to express immense gratitude to her beautiful friends who have sup ported her throughout the past four years and thank her parents and fam ily for all of their love, always.

Lillian Benge (she/her/hers) (As sistant Costume Designer) is a soph omore majoring in theater design and technology with a focus in scenic and costume design from Seattle, WA.

Mia Font-Lorie (she/her) (Assis tant Stage Manager) is a freshman theater management major from Boca Raton, FL.

Brooklyn Green (she/her) (Assis tant Lighting Designer) is a sophomore theater design and technology major with a concentration in lighting and costume design from San Diego, CA.

Ethan Harpole (he/him) (Assistant Director) is a senior theater manage ment major from Los Angeles, CA.

Anthony Islam (Casting Associ ate) is a junior theater management major from Georgetown, Guyana.

Emily Kellner (she/her) (Assistant Stage Manager) is a sophomore stage management major from Miami, FL.

Ellen Kingman (Casting Assis tant) is a senior theater management major from Attleboro, MA.

Mabel McPhee (Assistant Light ing Designer) is a sophomore theater design and technology major with a concentration in lighting design from Plantsville, CT.

Emma Sucato (she/her) (Assistant Choreographer) is a sophomore mu sical theater major from Dallas, TX.

DIRECTOR

David Lowenstein is the co-cre ator/choreographer of Shout!, The Mod Musical, which ran in London, Off-Broadway, on the Norwegian Cruise Lines, and plays in regional theaters across the country. OffBroadway, David’s choreography has been featured in the Drama Desk award-winning Howard Crabtree’s Whoop-Dee-Doo!, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Anything Cole, and Sing for Your Supper. Region ally, David directed Damn Yankees, directed/choreographed The Great American Trailer Park Musical, and

My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wic can Wedding for The Rev Theater Company, (formerly FLMTF/MerryGo-Round Playhouse). He staged The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Gateway Playhouse, The Mer chant of Venice at Syracuse Stage, as well as numerous productions in sum mer stock. On television, he staged Vanessa Williams’ Christmas Spe cial for ABC. David directed Into the Woods, Berlin to Broadway, Sueussi cal!, Kiss Me, Kate, and Oklahoma! for the Department of Drama and choreographed Lucky Stiff and I Love

DIRECTOR

You Because. David is Artist in Resi dence at Cazenovia College where he directed/choreographed The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Rocky Horror Show, Cabaret, RENT, Sweet Charity, Once Upon a Mattress, Oliver!, Seussical, A Christ mas Carol, Bye Bye Birdie, Grease, The Laramie Project, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Sound of

Music (SALT Award – Director of the Year), Dead Man Walking, Chi cago, Godspell, and Our Town. As a performer he has been part of seven original Broadway casts and several off-Broadway, national touring, and regional productions. He graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater from Syracuse University.

MUSIC DIRECTOR

Brian Cimmet has been the music director for both the Department of Drama and Syracuse Stage since 2010, including recent productions of Matilda the Musical, Working, Beauty and the Beast, and A Chorus Line. He is also a member of the fulltime faculty and serves as program coordinator for musical theater. Outside of Syracuse, Brian’s credits include the Broadway companies of The Drowsy Chaperone , Mary Poppins , and Grease ; the Off-

Broadway companies of I Love You Because (also the cast album), The Tin Pan Alley Rag, Do You Want to Be Screen Buddies, and Newsical; and a lifetime of summer stock and regional theater. In an unrelated but parallel universe centered on cross word puzzles, Brian hosts a weekly podcast (Fill Me In) and an annual tournament (Lollapuzzoola), and if that sort of thing interests you, you can visit www.bemoresmarter.com to learn more.

CHOREOGRAPHER

Kiira Schmidt Carper is a Depart ment of Drama assistant professor of musical theater dance. Kiira’s Broad way performance credits include the Grammy and Tony Award-win ning Anything Goes, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Mystery of Ed win Drood, No, No, Nanette (NYCC), Stairway to Paradise (NYCC), and Fol

lies. Kiira was fortunate to represent Fol lies in the 2012 Tony Awards, perform ing “Buddy’s Blues” alongside Tony nominee Danny Burstein. National tours: Fame, Crazy for You, and A Cho rus Line. Selected regional credits: Cats, Oklahoma!, West Side Story, Sweet Charity, Mame, Show Boat, Chicago, Damn Yankees, Gypsy, Grease, White

CHOREOGRAPHER

Christmas. Globally, Kiira played the iconic Cyd Charisse at the Edin burgh Fringe Festival in Broadway Asia’s groundbreaking original musi cal Real to Reel. Selected choreogra phy credits include Guys and Dolls, Ragtime, Legally Blonde, Cabaret, 25th Annual Putnam County Spell ing Bee, Anything Goes, Spamalot, Xanadu, and HAIR. She has also been associate choreographer to Tony nomi nated and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse, having worked with him on NBC’s hit TV show SMASH, as well as

the theatrical productions of Its a Bird... Its a Plane...Its Superman, West Side Story, Warner Brother’s Secondhand Lions, Little Me, and the Fred Astaire Awards. Upcoming choreographic projects include A Christmas Story at The Redhouse and West Side Story at Teatro Lirico in Sardinia, Italy. Kiira is also a certified yoga instructor and cham pion of artist wellness and self-care. She recently presented on “The Importance of Self-Care and Mindfulness in Postpandemic Academia” at the Musical Theater Educator Alliance Conference.

CREATIVE TEAM

Neil Simon (Book). American playwright and screenwriter Neil Si mon (1927-2018) is widely regarded as one of the most successful, prolific and performed playwrights in theater history. In addition to Lost In Yon kers, which won a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize, his plays and musicals include Come Blow Your Horn, Little Me, Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Sweet Charity, The StarSpangled Girl, Plaza Suite, Prom ises, Promises, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, The Gingerbread Lady, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, The Sun shine Boys, The Good Doctor, God’s Favorite, California Suite, Chapter Two, They’re Playing Our Song, I Ought to be in Pictures, Fools, Brigh ton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, The Odd Couple (female version), Broad way Bound, Rumors, Jake’s Women,

The Goodbye Girl, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, London Suite, Proposals, Hotel Suite, The Dinner Party, 45 Seconds from Broadway, Oscar and Felix, and Rose’s Dilemma. In addi tion to the film adaptations he wrote of many of his plays, his screenplay credits include After the Fox, The Out-Of-Towners, The Heartbreak Kid (original 1973 version), Mur der by Death, The Cheap Detec tive, Seems Like Old Times, Only When I Laugh, Max Dugan Returns, The Slugger’s Wife, The Marrying Man and The Odd Couple II. Other motion pictures based on stage plays include Come Blow Your Horn, Sweet Charity, and The Star-Spangled Girl. For television, Mr. Simon wrote series, teleplays, and motion pictures, including The Tallulah Bankhead Show, The Sid Caesar Show, The

Phil Silvers Arrow Show, The Phil Silvers Show, The Garry Moore Show, The Trouble with People, ABC’s Broadway Bound, and Jake’ s Women. Books by Neil Simon in clude Rewrites, A Memoir, The Play Goes On, four omnibus collections of Neil Simon’s plays (The Comedy Of Neil Simon, The Collected Plays Of Neil Simon, Vol. II, The Collected Plays Of Neil Simon, Vol. 3, The Col lected Plays Of Neil Simon, Vol. 4) and Lost In Yonkers (screenplay). Mr. Simon received more Academy and Tony nominations than any other writer. Awards he received include the Pulitzer Prize for Lost In Yonkers, Emmy Awards for The Sid Caesar Show and The Phil Silvers Show, Tony Awards for The Odd Couple, Biloxi Blues, Lost In Yonkers and a special Tony Award For Overall Contribu tion To The Theatre. His nominations include Tony Award Nominations for Little Me, Barefoot in the Park, Plaza Suite, Promises, Promises, The Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Broadway Bound, Lost in Yonkers, and The Goodbye Girl (musical). Other nominations in clude a Writers Guild Screen Award for The Odd Couple and The OutOf-Towners, a Writers Guild Laurel Award, an American Comedy Award for Lifetime Achievement and a Writ ers Guild Screen Award Nomination for Barefoot in the Park, as well as an Oscar Nomination for The Odd Couple, an Evening Standard Award, a Sam S. Shubert Foundation Award,

Kennedy Center Honors, a UCLA Medal, a Peggy V. Helmerich Distin guished Author Award, and a Wil liam Inge Theater Festival Award for Distinguished Achievement in the American Theater.

Cy Coleman (Music) (1929–2004) was born Seymour Kaufman in New York City to Eastern European Jew ish parents and was raised in the Bronx. A child prodigy, Coleman gave piano recitals at Steinway Hall, Town Hall, and Carnegie Hall be tween the ages of six and nine. His ed ucational background included clas sical training in piano composition and orchestration at New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts and NY College of Music. Despite early success in the classical and jazz genres, Coleman decided to build a career in popular music. He changed his name at age 16 in time to use it on his first composition with lyricist Joe A. McCarthy. The two collaborated on the classics “Why Try to Change Me Now,” “The Riviera,” and “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out of My Life.” He also penned “Playboy’s Theme,” which became the signature music of the regular TV shows and specials presented by Playboy. Cole man’s most successful early partner ship was with Carolyn Leigh. The pair wrote many pop hits, including “Witchcraft” for Frank Sinatra and “The Best Is Yet To Come,” originally for Tony Bennett. Coleman’s win ning streak as a Broadway composer

CREATIVE TEAM

began when the team of Coleman/ Leigh collaborated on the musi cal Wildcat (1960), which marked the Broadway debut of comedienne Lucille Ball. The score included the hit tune “Hey, Look Me Over.” Up next for the two was Little Me, with a book by Neil Simon based on the novel by Patrick Dennis. The show introduced “Real Live Girl” and “I’ve Got Your Number,” which became popular standards. In 1965, Cole man began collaborating with Doro thy Fields. Their first project was the Broadway smash Sweet Charity, again with a book by Neil Simon, and starring Gwen Verdon. The show was a major success and spawned the showstoppers “Big Spender” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now.” The Peggy Lee pop recording of the song “Big Spender” also created ad ditional buzz for the Broadway play after it became a mammoth hit and spent several weeks at the top of the charts in tandem with the play’s Broadway run. Sweet Charity also went on to grace the silver screen in a film starring Shirley MacLaine that was directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. After Sweet Charity, the team of Coleman/Fields worked on the Broadway show Seesaw, which reached Broadway in 1973, and their partnership was cut short by Fields’ death in 1974. Coleman remained prolific throughout the 1970s and ‘80s. He composed the score for I Love My Wife (1977) with lyrics by Michael Stewart, and then On The

Twentieth Century (1978) with Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 1980, Coleman served as producer and composer for the circus-themed Bar num, which introduced theatergoers to Jim Dale and Glenn Close. Later in the decade, he collaborated on Wel come To The Club (1988) with A.E. Hotchner and City of Angels (1989) with David Zippel, with a book by Larry Gelbart. In the latter, inspired by the hard-boiled detective film noir of the 1930s and ‘40s, he returned to his jazz roots, and the show was a huge critical and commercial success. The 1990s brought two more new hit Cy Coleman musicals to Broadway: The Will Rogers Follies (1991), again with Comden and Green, and The Life (1997) with lyricist Ira Gas man. A hit revival followed in 1999 with Little Me (Roundabout), starring Martin Short. Shortly before his death in 2003, Coleman returned to his jazz roots, re-forming the popular Cy Coleman Trio performing to sold-out audiences throughout New York City. Coleman’s film scores include Father Goose, The Art of Love, Garbo Talks and Family Business. In addition, he composed scores for memorable tele vision specials for Shirley MacLaine, Bob Hope, and Peggy Lee. Cy Cole man has received numerous awards, including: three Grammy Awards (a total of 13 nominations), three Tony Awards (11 nominations), three Emmy Awards (five nominations), an Oscar nomination for Sweet Charity, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee,

CREATIVE TEAM

the Johnny Mercer Award, and the Richard Rodgers Award for Lifetime Achievement in American Musical Theatre (ASCAP).

Dorothy Fields (Lyrics) (1904–1974) was an award-winning Ameri can librettist and lyricist. The brother and sister team of Herbert and Doro thy Fields was part of a vibrant New York theatrical family that also in cluded their brother, Joseph, a prolific librettist and playwright, and their father, Lew, the famous producer, ac tor, and director. Together, Herbert and Dorothy Fields wrote the books for eight Broadway musicals, includ ing three with scores by Cole Porter (Something For the Boys starring Ethel Merman, Let’s Face It! starring Danny Kaye, and Mexican Hay ride); By The Beautiful Sea with mu sic by Arthur Schwartz; Up in Central Park with music by Sigmund Rom berg; Arms and the Girl with music by Morton Gould; Redhead with music by Albert Hague; and the clas sic Annie Get Your Gun with a score by Irving Berlin. In a career spanning more than 45 years, Dorothy Fields wrote the lyrics to such standards

as “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,”(a timeless classic featured in the film A League of Their Own), the Academy Award-winning “The Way You Look Tonight” with mu sic by Jerome Kern, “On The Sunny Side Of The Street,” “Exactly Like You,” “Don’t Blame Me,” “I’m In The Mood For Love,” “I Won’t Dance,” “A Fine Romance,” “I Feel A Song Coming On,” “Lovely To Look At,” “I’ll Buy You A Star,” “Pick Yourself Up,” “Remind Me,” “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “Where Am I Going?,” “There’s Got To Be Something Better Than This,” “It’s Not Where You Start,” “Nobody Does It Like Me,” and “Seesaw.” In ad dition to Kern, her great collaborating composers included Harold Arlen, Cy Coleman, Morton Gould, Albert Hague, Burton Lane, Oscar Levant, Jimmy McHugh, Arthur Schwartz (with whom she wrote the score for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), Sigmund Romberg and Harry Warren. Her final Broadway scores, written with Cole man, were Sweet Charity and See saw. In March 1971 Dorothy Fields became an inaugural inductee of the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.

THE VERDON FOSSE LEGACY

The Verdon Fosse Legacy LLC mission is to promote, preserve, and protect the artistic and intel lectual property of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, including the copy rights in the dances and the trade mark rights in the names BOB FOSSE® and FOSSE®. Through the Bob Fosse® Master Class Series, Fosse® Jazz, The Professional Train ing Program, Legacy-sanctioned re constructeurs teach style, technique, and work ethic to students at dance schools and colleges globally. The Legacy wishes to foster and educate

performers, directors, and choreogra phers, as well as scholars and students interested in American film and musi cal theater. We partner with universi ties, dance studios, museums, libraries, publishing companies, film screen ings, and non-profit organizations to honor the work of Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse. Legacy-sanctioned recon structeurs and guest artists work with an elite group of professional dancers to notate, reconstruct, and archive Fosse repertoire from both stage and screen. Our goal is to reconstruct Bob Fosse’s choreography with the origi nal intent and integrity. The Verdon Fosse Legacy oversees the licensing of Bob Fosse’s work for non-profit and for-profit commercial use. The Legacy protects the image and work of Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse and owns the trademarks for FOSSE® and BOB FOSSE®.

THE VERDON FOSSE LEGACY

Lloyd Culbreath is one of the founding reconstructeurs at The Verdon Fosse Legacy. Recent projects have in cluded FX’s Fosse/Ver don limited series, The American Dance Machine for the 21st Century, The Ra dio City Rockettes’ Fosse tribute, Lin coln Center Out of Doors, the Career Transition for Dancers annual jubilee gala, and teaching at the Lucia Marthas Institute of the Performing Arts in Am

sterdam. Broadway/national tour credits include Dancin’, Sophisticated Ladies, The Tap Dance Kid, Big Deal, Sweet Charity, Honky Tonk Nights, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Guys and Dolls, Anything Goes, On the Town, Chicago (‘96 revival; dance captain) and Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life. Addition ally, Lloyd currently teaches at the June Claire Dance Center of Long Island.

Bob Fosse became, in 1973, the first director in history to win the Oscar,

THE VERDON FOSSE LEGACY

the Antoinette Perry (Tony Award), and Emmy awards in a single year for his spectacular triumphs in the film version of Cabaret, the Broadway mu sical Pippin and the NBC television special “Liza with a Z.” Fosse’s first of eight Tony Awards was for his cho reography in Pajama Game (1954, which features his unforgettable num ber Steam Heat). Mr. Fosse’s fame as a choreographer continued to grow with his achievements in Damn Yan kees (1955, Tony Award), where he met his life-long partner and col laborator Gwen Verdon. Fosse went on to choreograph Bells Are Ringing (1956, Tony nomination) and New Girl In Town (1958, Tony nomina tion). He directed and choreographed Redhead (1959, Tony Award), star ring Gwen Verdon: staged the musi cal numbers for the Pulitzer Prizewinning How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961); and co-directed and staged the musical numbers for Little Me (1962, Tony Award). During rehearsals for Little Me, Mr. Fosse withheld his services in support of the SSD&C (now known as the SDC: Stage Directors and Cho reographers Society) until Broadway producers agreed to recognize SDC as his collective bargaining agent. Additionally, he conceived, directed and choreographed Sweet Chari ty (1966, Tony Award) starring Gwen Verdon in her signature role: Char ity Hope Valentine; Chicago (1975, Tony nomination) starring Gwen Verdon; and Dancin’ (1978, Tony

Award). Fosse also conceived, direct ed and choreographed the film ver sion of the Broadway musical Sweet Charity (1969), starring Shirley MacLaine. He choreographed and appeared in the motion picture ver sion of My Sister Eileen (1955); for the screen he also choreographed The Pajama Game (1957) and Damn Yankees (1958), in which he danced with Miss Verdon. In addi tion, Fosse’s “Manson Trio” from the Tony-Award winning hit Pippin (1973) was the first television com mercial for a Broadway show, which he also directed. Bob Fosse was nomi nated for an Academy Award as Best Director for Lenny (1974) and All That Jazz (1979, Cannes Film Fes tival Palme d’Or), and directed Star 80 (1983) for the screen as well. Mr. Fosse’s writing credits include the book for Chicago with Fred Ebb (1975, Tony nomination), the screen play for All That Jazz with Rob ert Alan Arthur (1979, Academy Award nomination) and the screen play for Star 80 (1983). Mr. Fosse di rected and choreographed the revival of Sweet Charity starring Debbie Al len, which joined Big Deal (1986, Tony Award) on Broadway in April 1986. Born in Chicago, Fosse be gan dancing at nine, and made his first professional appearance at 13 with his childhood friend Charles Grass under the name “The Riff Brothers” (1940). The United States Navy then claimed his talents and he served in the Pacific Islands. Fol

THE VERDON FOSSE LEGACY

lowing Fosse’s discharge, he toured in Call Me Mister (1947) with Mary Ann Niles. As a team they were the hit dancers who sparked Make Mine Manhattan (1948) and Dance Me a Song (1950). After appear ing in the MGM films Give a Girl a Break (1953), The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953) and Kiss Me, Kate (1953), Mr. Fosse departed Hollywood for the musical stage. His last performing engagements were with the New York City Center, danc ing the title role in their revival of Pal Joey (1963), as well as on the screen dancing the role of The Serpent in Stanley Donen’s musical fantasy, The Little Prince (1974) On opening

night of the national tour of Sweet Charity in Washington, D.C. (Sep tember 23, 1987), Bob Fosse passed away. Fosse’s imprint exists long af ter his death, such as in the revival of Chicago (1996), FOSSE (1999), the Emmy Award-winning FX se ries Fosse/Verdon (2019), and the trio of dances “Sweet Gwen Suite” (2021). Mr. Fosse’s work continues today with the creation of The Verdon Fosse Leg acy, founded by his daughter, Nicole Providence Fosse. The Legacy’s mis sion is to promote, preserve, and pro tect the artistic and intellectual prop erty of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, whose indelible influences can be seen across pop culture today.

CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

Ralph Zito (he, him) is in his thirteenth year as chair of the Department of Dra ma. He came to Syracuse University from the Juil liard 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 di rector and adjunct lecturer in the Bar nard College Theater Department from 2006 until 2010 and has been a guest artist at training programs across the country, including the Old Globe in San Diego, The University of Texas at Austin, and the Academy for Classical Acting in Washington,

DC. Directing credits for the Depart ment of Drama include: The Spitfire Grill, As You Like It, Gruesome Play ground Injuries, and The Aliens. He has served as a voice, text or dialect consultant for numerous professional productions both on and off-Broad way, including: The Light in the Pi azza; Awake and Sing!; The Herbal Bed; Mrs. Klein; The Fiery Furnace; The Time of the Cuckoo (Lincoln Center Theatre); Tongue of a Bird; The Merchant of Venice (New York Shakespeare Festival); The Pitchfork Disney (Blue Light Theatre Com pany); Birdy (The Women’s Proj ect); The Model Apartment (Primary Stages); the New York premiere of

CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

Tony Kushner’s SLAVS! (New York Theatre Workshop); and The Afri can Company Presents Richard III (The Acting Company). His regional theater credits include numerous productions at The Shakespeare Theatre and Arena Stage in Washing ton, DC; Syracuse Stage; Baltimore CENTERSTAGE; 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 (Am SAT) for six years. He is a graduate of Harvard University, The Juilliard School, and the American Center for the Alexander Technique. He was recently awarded the prestigious Juil liard President’s Medal in recognition of his contributions to both Juilliard and to the broader performing arts community.

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, theater design and technology, stage management, and theater management utilizing conservatory-style training in a university setting and in collaboration with Syracuse Stage. With much appre

ciation, 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 con tribution by the professional staff of the Syracuse Stage production department.

Christine Albright-Tufts Robert Andrusko Rufus Bonds, Jr. Kiira Schmidt Carper Brian Cimmet James A. Clark Stephen Cross Danyon Davis

Zito

Tucci

Santella

Jensen

Stebly

S. Tick

FACULTY

Izmir Ickbal Rebecca Karpoff Andrea Leigh-Smith David Lowenstein

Celia Madeoy Carmen Martinez Katherine McGerr Thom Miller

Ricky Pak Felipe Panamá Holly Thuma Kathleen Wrinn Ralph Zito

Jill Anderson

Dianna Angell Alec Barbour Kathleen Baum Bradley Beckman Kerry Bereza Dave Bowman Don Buschmann Diane Coloton Gretchen Darrow-Crotty Marina de Ratmiroff Danita Emma Kathryn Fathers

Marcus Herndon Jacqueline R. Herter Emily Holm Robert Hupp Sandra Knapp Richard Koons Nicholas Kowerko Zizi Majid Michael McCurdy Kathryn Miranda Amanda Moore Leslie Noble Whitney Pak

Stuart Plymesser Rebecca Schuetz Hanni Schwarzlander Abel Searor Blake Segal SEVAN Jacob Stebly Randy Steffen Bradley Stone Joseph Whelan Matthew Winning

22/23

SEASON

SWEET CHARITY

BOOK BY NEIL SIMON | MUSIC BY CY COLEMAN | LYRICS BY DOROTHY FIELDS | BASED ON AN ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY BY FEDERICO FELLINI, TULLIO PINELLI, AND ENNIO FLAIANO | PRO DUCED FOR THE BROADWAY STAGE BY FRYER, CARR, AND HARRIS CONCEIVED, STAGED, AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY BOB FOSSE DIRECTED BY DAVID LOWENSTEIN | CHOREOGRAPHED BY KIIRA SCHMIDT-CARPER | 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 MELISSA RAIN ANDERSON | MUSIC DIRECTION BY BRIAN CIMMET | CHOREOGRAPHY BY ADAM CATES CO-PRODUCED WITH SYRACUSE STAGE NOVEMBER 25 – JANUARY 8 | OPENING NIGHT: DECEMBER 2

*DRAMA SUBSCRIBERS WILL RECEIVE VOUCHERS REDEEMABLE 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

MELANCHOLY PLAY: A CHAMBER MUSICAL

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