IN THE PALM OF A GIANT, Yale School of Drama, 2017.

IN THE PALM OF A GIANT

Thursday, November 2 at 8PM Friday, November 3 at 4PM and 8PM Saturday, November 4 at 4PM Iseman Theater, 1156 Chapel Street

2 0 1 7– 1 8 S E A S O N

NOVEMBER 2–4, 2017

YALE SCHOOL OF DRAMA James Bundy, Dean Victoria Nolan, Deputy Dean Chantal Rodriguez, Associate Dean Kelvin Dinkins, Jr., Assistant Dean PRESENTS

IN THE PALM OF A GIANT

BY CHRISTOPHER GABRIEL NÚÑEZ DIRECTED BY JECAMIAH YBAÑEZ

CREATIVE TEAM

CAST in alphabetical order

Sound Designer MEGUMI KATAYAMA Production Dramaturg PATRICK YOUNG Stage Manager ABIGAIL GANDY Music JAN PAUL CRUZ (A.K.A. THE BRAINIUS) Poetry Editor SAFIA ELHILLO

Shinez Wanjiku AMANDLA JAHAVA Zendejas Asuncíon Gaviria JAKE RYAN LOZANO Time ANONYMOUS (AND.ON.I.MUST)

PRODUCTION STAFF

ADMINISTRATION

Associate Production Manager SAYANTEE SAHOO

Associate Managing Director MELISSA ROSE

Production Stage Manager SHELBY NORTH

Assistant Managing Director and House Manager LAURA CORNWALL

Crew ZACHRY J. BAILEY VALERIE TU BEATRICE VENA

Management Assistants LUCIA BACQUÉ DANI BARLOW

Yale School of Drama productions are supported by the work of more than 200 faculty and staff members throughout the year.

SETTING

The Liberty Inn Hotel, New York, New York In The Palm of A Giant is performed without an intermission.

SPECIAL THANKS TK

Front: Black Suprematic Square by Kazimir Malevich, 1915

SPARKS In Christopher Nuñez’s In the Palm of a Giant, Zendejas and Shinez one-up each other in a flirtatious battle of wits as the world lurches toward apocalypse. Following these references leads to the lyric works that illuminate the poetic consciousness of the twosome. Here are a few of those citations:

As we live we hardly realize that we are alive…. To relive what we’ve seen by the lucid light of memory would be unbearable and, as far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t be brave enough.

—CAMEN BOULLOSA, BEFORE

“[…]

You do not hear the remarkable music— ‘A Death Song For You Before You Die.’ If you could hear it you would make music too. […]”

—GWENDOLYN BROOKS, FROM RIOT

The worst thing about dying alone, he used to say, is not being able to say good-bye. And why would you want to say good-bye when you’re dying, Rookie?

—ROBERTO BOLAÑO, THE SKATING RINK

Lay curlicued words directly upon the death, silk side down. Grind wildflowers until they have misted and become much closer to air, then rub the bursted smell into the harm. ...

—PATRICIA SMITH, BLOOD DAZZLER

& the airplanes start falling like 1 scene from a silent movie where the arms of the dying spin like propeller blades without explaining why the horizon is slobbered with fire —MARIO SANTIAGO PAPASQUIARO, ADVICE FROM 1 DISCIPLE OF MARX TO 1 HEIDEGGER FANATIC

There was death nearby. I knew that. The smell was unmistakable.

—OCTAVIA BUTLER, PARABLE OF THE TALENTS —PATRICK YOUNG, PRODUCTION DRAMATURG

The Studio Series productions are designed to be learning experiences that complement classroom work, providing a medium for students at Yale School of Drama to combine their individual talents and energies toward the staging of collaboratively created works.