A NOTE FROM THE SCHOOL OF THEATRE DIRECTOR
The School of Theatre is overjoyed to welcome you to our 2025-2026 season. This year all of our work explores the themes of Renew and Reuse, an invitation for all of our resident theatre practitioners here at SOT to present work that takes a story or theme that may seem somewhat familiar, use the storytelling power of theatre to examine those themes anew. For some of our projects such as Dream this entails adapting a play that has been mounted perpetually since its first incarnations and re-shaping it to push the boundaries of live performance through its exploration of technology on stage, or, not so perpetual, such as Islander and its exploration of sound. For our many instances of new work–The Eleanors, Thumbprint, Calf Scramble, Flowers for Mrs. Harris, Flight, and our Next Stage Workshops and Springboards– this re-envisioning takes the form of new and emerging artists re-considering essential queries of what it means to be human during our brief period of time on this earth together. For pieces such as Top Girls, Fefu and Her Friends, 12 Angry Jurors, and contemporary adaptations of Roméo and Juliette, Medea and The Oresteia, this can mean rediscovering work by playwrights who have demanded audiences contemplate the forces that bind, or otherwise threaten to tear us apart. We are also delighted to revisit offerings that appear each year in our season–namely our collaboration with Boston University's Dance Theatre Group Aurora Borealis and Director’s Project. We hope, however, that you will experience all of our pieces as a celebration of community and collaboration, forces that have proven time again, to instill meaning not only in our work, but the processes that we share to bring that work to life.
Kirsten Greenidge Director of the School of Theatre, Boston University
2025 DIRECTORS’ PROJECT
DECEMBER 6-10, 2025
Boston University College of Fine Arts
855 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA
Runtime
This show runs 90 minutes with one 10 minute intermission.
Caution
This production contains contains a non-firing prop weapon, strobing lights, and themes/descriptions of murder, domestic abuse, violence, and familial passing
MEET THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Liv Kelly (PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER) (they/her) is a Theater Arts Performance Major in the class of 2026 Her previous credits at BU School of Theater include Top Girls by Caryl Churchill (Angie) and One Penny Down by Kirstin Greenidge (Jade); and they also recently completed an artistic administration internship at the Australian Theater for Young People while they were abroad in Sydney, Australia. After graduation, Liv hopes to pursue a career in artistic administration and production management in the Boston area.
Clay Hopper (FACULTY PROJECT ADVISOR) Senior Lecturer in Directing at BU College of Fine Arts School of Theatre. Associate Artistic Director Olney Theatre Center 2019-12 Director of the National Players, Summer Shakespeare Festival at OTC 2006-12 Selected Directing credits: Two Gentlemen of Verona, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Othello, The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Ceaser, Romeo and Juliet, and Amadeus. Farragut North, Triumph of Love, The 39 Steps, Call of the Wild by Jon Lipsky Director of Classic Repertory Company New Rep Theatre from 2012 – 2016: Great Expectations, 1984, Animal Farm, Juilius Ceasar, Midsummer, Of Mice and Men. On the Verge or The Geography of Yearning: CATF Actor’s Lab, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot: Emerson Stage, Much Ado: CSC Stage II, King Lear : College of Wooster. Off-off-Broadway: A Home Without Clarke Studio Theatre Different Zen Third Eye Rep, Earthworms The Working Group, Triage, The Interrogation The Miranda Theatre Member SDC
Nathan McWilliams (LIGHTING DESIGNER) is a sophomore Lighting Design major from the Pittsburgh area. Notable BU experiences include Boston Playwrights’ Theatre’s 2024 fall rep (Assistant Lighting Designer) and Molly Beall’s BFA Lighting Thesis: "Illuminate! An Electric Cabaret Showcase" (Production Electrician). Additional past experiences include "Seussical", "Young Frankenstein", and "The Music Man" (Lighting Apprentice) at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. He would like to thank the rest of the lighting team for their hard work and dedication! nathanmcwilliams.myportfolio.com
Gus Kim (SOUND DESIGNER) (He/him) is a Theatre Arts major from Chicago, enthusiastically studying directing and sound in the class of 2028. Previous highlights with the School of Theatre include mix engineering Desdemona/Emilia and assistant directing DREAM.
E. Harris (ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER (they/them) is a Theatre Arts student studying Scenic and Lighting Design in the class of 2028. They’d like to thank their family and friends for providing them with the opportunity to grow as a theatre maker!
CAST
Jaxon Ackerman
Frané Cebalo
Merrik Daniel Giesen
Hannah Johnson
Nathaniel Ryan-Kern
Erin Sweeney Scheier
Hope Spann
PRODUCTION TEAM
LIGHTING DESIGNER
LIGHT BOARD OP./LIGHTING
ASSISTANT
LIGHTING CREW
Nathan McWilliams
Liam Corey
PRODUCTION CREW
Griffin Nedelka
Jordyn Raville
Elizabeth Niesen
Leanne Parks
Miranda Souki
WATCHING PEOPLE WATCHING ART BY DYLAN GUERRA
Hannah Johnson (DIRECTOR)
Director bio... Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
153
BY STEVEN G. MARTIN
Jaxon Ackerman (DIRECTOR)
Jaxon Ackerman (he/him/his) is from New York City and is an acting major within the class of 2027 at Boston University. His previous roles within BU's School of Theater include: Mauritius (Dennis), Two Gentleman of Verona (Valentine), and The Seagull (Sorin/Trigorin/Dorn). Before going to LAMDA next semester, Jaxon is ecstatic to be part of this incredible production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. He wants to thank this incredible cast and his mom for endlessly inspiring him. Now... Hold... Or cut bowstrings! @jaxon_actorman
CAST
DEAD BOY BY CRAIG WRIGHT
Hope Spann (DIRECTOR)
Hope Spann is an acting major from Wayland, Massachusetts. She thanks you very much for coming to see this show! Her past performances in the School of Theatre include Much Ado About Nothing (Beatrice) and Mauritius (Mary.) On the rare occasion that Hope is not in the CFA building, you can find her hosting game nights, calling her mother, or watching The Great British Baking Show.
BRIGHT. APPLE. CRUSH. BY STEVE YOCKEY
Merrik Daniel Giesen (DIRECTOR)
Merrik Daniel Giesen (he/him) is a performer, director, designer, and human from Belle Plaine, Minnesota, currently pursuing a BFA in Theatre Arts Performance and a dance minor. He is simultaneously studying and practicing theatrical design through the opportunities he has created for himself, and delving further into redefining boundaries that surround collaboration. Recent production credits at BU include The Homecoming (Max), Significant Other (Jordan), American Buffalo (Stage Manager & Costume Designer), and The Sweet Science of Bruising (Costume Designer). www.merrikgiesen.com
CAST
SHOTGUN BY ROMULUS LINNEY
Frané Cebalo (DIRECTOR)
Frané Cebalo is a Junior Acting major and he is very excited to perform in the Director's Project! His previous BU roles were Will/Conrad in Significant Other and Don Jon/Balthasar in Much Ado About Nothing. He would like to thank his family and friends for their endless support. He would also like to thank his teachers for their continued help on his acting journey to be the best he can be.
FOREVER EVER BY IKE HOLTER
Nathaniel Ryan-Kern (DIRECTOR)
Nathaniel Ryan-Kern is a Theater Arts Major from Honolulu, Hawaii. Previous Credits include Dream (Lysander/Flute/Mustardseed), Much Ado About Nothing (Benedick), Two Gentlemen of Verona (Proteus) and Significant Other (Jordan Berman) at Boston Univeristy as well as several productions with The Diamond Head Theater. He wishes you live and peace, special thanks to his mom dad brother and sister. @nathanielryankern
SURE THING BY DAVID IVES
Erin Sweeney Scheier (DIRECTOR)
Erin Sweeney Scheier is a junior Acting major from New Jersey. You may recognize her bright and shiny face from the Quarter Zero production of A Number, her directorial debut. Other roles at SOT include Hero in Much Ado About Nothing and Jackie in Mauritius. Love to her family, roommates, friends, the DirsPro team, and Oma, her fellow Scorpio baddie.
ABOUTBOSTONUNIVERSITYCOLLEGEOFFINEARTSSCHOOLOFTHEATRE
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