Ordinary Days

New York City, 2004

cast and crew

cast

Warren ....................................................................................... Jonathan Rasmussen

Deb Marielle Shiring

Claire ...............................................................................................Hannah Czaplicki

Jason ........................................................................................................... Tanner Lee

production and design team

Director.................................................................................................. Caitlin Preuss

Music Director/Accompanist ............................................................... Yu-Mei Chang

Stage Manager........................................................................................... Chloe Hilby

Technical Director .............................................................................. Kurt Meinhardt

Assistant Techincal Director ............................................................ Matthew Corgiat

Costume Designer Lane Breimhorst

Costume Crew ................................................................................ Brecka Michelson

Costume Crew .................................................................................. Carly Flemming

Ordinary Days tells the story of 4 simple people living in New York City: Deb, Warren, Claire and Jason. Each character struggles with familiar aspects of their lives: school, love, the meaning of life, and growing up included. Deb works her way through grad school, Warren strives to find true inspiration in a city so wild, and Claire and Jason navigate the ups and downs of commitment in their relationship. Each one of them struggles to connect. The pieces of this story however, fit together in ways we never could imagine. Ordinary Days addresses the ever-familiar question:

“When on

will

of this start to add up?” By the end of this story, each audience member will be reminded of the ordinary moments in life, and how every day can lead us closer to who we truly are.

earth

all

directors’ note

When I was in high school, I fell in love with this show. My mom will remember car rides obsessing over the cast recording, videos of performances by the original cast, and my own renditions of these songs sung in voice lessons for years. When it came time to select a musical to fulfill my Music Theater and Directing majors, none other than Ordinary Days came to mind. No matter how nasty the obstacles in front of you, every moment of this life is beautiful. Not only this, but dreams are beautiful. Without facing the difficulties in front of us, by always running away from the challenge, our true wants may never be fully realized. And isn’t the true beauty of life within the realization of our dreams? “On the road of life, let no obstacle, great or small, stand in your way.”

Creating this production has been full of laughter, tears, obstacles, and dreams. The past 3 weeks spent with this incredible group of young artists has been a gift I feel so lucky to have received. I hope by the end of this simple story, every one of you leaves a little more open to beauty in its smallest form.

cast biographies

Marielle Shiring (Deb): Marielle is a senior double major in Arts Administration and Theatre with a minor in English and is ecstatic to be a part of this production of ORDINARY DAYS playing a dream role of hers! Favorite roles at Carthage include Beth in LITTLE WOMEN and Marianne in CONSTELLATIONS. Professional credits: Ensemble in A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER (Hope Repertory Theatre) and Chorus in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Capital City Theatre). Marielle also served as an Administrative Intern at Hope Repertory Theatre this past summer and as the Administrative Assistant for the Kennedy Center College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in 2021 and 2022. Upcoming: Directing LUNGS by Duncan MacMillan. Marielle would like to thank her family, mentors, friends, and partner who all help her see the beautiful in everyday life and achieve her big picture. IG: marielle.shiring

Hannah Czaplicki (Claire): Hannah is a senior Music Theatre major. Carthage Mainstage Credits: SOMETHING ROTTEN! (Peter Quince/US Bea) and ROMEO AND JULIET WALK INTO A BAR (Meghan/Department Chair). Music Theatre Workshop Credits: HAIR (Sheila); LITTLE WOMEN (Amy March/Troll); SHE LOVES ME (Ilona Ritter); SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD. Upcoming: Serena in LEGALLY BLONDE as well as her senior recital. She would like to thank her mom, grandpa, friends and family, and her incredible castmates and crew for their endless love and support.

Tanner Lee (Jason): Tanner is a sophomore Political Science major with minors in Communications and History. He is very excited for the opportunity to perform in his first production at Carthage. Previous theater credits include MAMMA MIA! (Sky); MY FAIR LADY (Alfred P. Doolittle); BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Lefou). Tanner thanks his family, friends, and especially the cast and production team for all their patience and support throughout the production.

Jonathan Rasmussen (Warren): Jon loves this show!

production team biographies

Caitlin Preuss (Director) is a senior Music Theatre and Directing double major. Carthage mainstage credits: Marie Antoinette in THE REVOLUTIONISTS, William Shakespeare in SOMETHING ROTTEN, Marine Intel in FIGHTING FOR HOME. Workshop credits: Amalia Balash in SHE LOVES ME, Laurie in LITTLE WOMEN, and SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD. Carthage directing credits: co-director of BETRAYAL, director of THE YELLOW BOAT. Upcoming: Vivienne Kensington in LEGALLY BLONDE. Caitlin thanks her mentors, professors, friends, and family for being by her side through every season of life. “It is a glory and a privilege to love what death doesn’t touch…” - Donna Tartt

Yu-Mei Chang (Music Director/ Pianist) is a graduate student at Carthage College majoring in Music Theatre Vocal Pedagogy. She is a music director and pianist active on theater stages both in Taiwan and China. Her previous theater credits include MAMMA MIA! (MD Assistant, Keyboard 2), AVENUE Q (MD Assistant, Keyboard-conduct), HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (MD Assistant, Keyboard-conduct), DADDY LONG LEGS (Music Director, Keyboard-conduct), MURDER BALLAD (Music Director, Keyboard-conduct), I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE (Music Director, Keyboard-conduct), LAUNDRY (Music Director), MIDNIGHT DINER (Music Director), THRILL ME (Pianist), JEKYLL AND HYDE (Keyboard 2), and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA international tour (Keyboard sub). Workshop credits: SHE LOVES ME, THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

She would like to thank her family for all the support and love. It’s amazing to join Ordinary Days. Ig @maysmusica

Lane Breimhorst (Costume Designer) is a senior Music Theatre Major and Costume Design Minor. Professional Credits: LULU AND THE LONG WALK (Steve), MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Boy/Watch 1), A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER (Man 2 u/s) at Hope Repertory Theatre. Carthage Mainstage Credits: SOMETHING ROTTEN (Snug/Bottom Troupe), PATIENCE AND FORTITUDE (Oro). Music Theatre Workshop Credits: HAIR (Tribe/Berger u/s), SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD (Man 1). Costume Design Credits: ANTIGONE (Assistant Costume Designer) Upcoming: LEGALLY BLONDE (Igor/Nikos/Ensemble) and Senior Recital in April. Lane would like to thank Caitlin for trusting him with this project and allowing him to be a part of her thesis as well as Kim Instenes for her mentorship and guidance in the costume department. IG: @musical.lane

song list

ORDINARY DAYS music and lyrics by Adam Gwon. ORDINARY DAYS is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com Originally Produced in New York City by Roundabout Theatre Company Todd Haimes, Artistic Director; Harold Wolpert, Managing Director; Julia C. Levy, Executive Director as part of Roundabout Underground at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre ORDINARY DAYS was presented at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals in 2008. www.namt.org. ORDINARY DAYS was originally produced and performed by Pennsylvania Centre Stage at Penn State University. ORDINARY DAYS was first developed by New York Theatre Barn in New York City in 2007.

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

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

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

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

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

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

upcoming events

Constitutional Opening Reception

Thursday, Feb. 9 • 3:30 p.m.

H.F. Johnson Gallery

Constitutiona: Artist Talk

Wednesday, Feb. 15 • 6:15 p.m.

H.F. Johnson Gallery

Student Recital: Katiann Nelson

Sunday, Feb. 19 ∙ 2 p.m.

A. F. Siebert Chapel

Performing Arts Series: New York Voices

Thursday, Feb. 23 • 7:30 p.m.

A. F. Siebert Chapel

*Tickets Required. Visit www.carthage/edu.tickets for ticket information

fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life

Friday, Feb. 24 • 7:30 p.m.

Wartburg Theatre

*Tickets Required. Visit www.carthage/edu.tickets for ticket information

Student Recital: Yu-Mei Chang

Sunday, Feb. 26 • 7:30 p.m.

CSU

Fine Arts at Carthage acknowledges that the land on which our building stands is part of the traditional Potawatomi, Sioux, Peoria, Kickapoo, and Miami peoples past, present, and future. These homelands reside along the southwest shores of Michigami, North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes. We honor with gratitude the land itself, and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations. Many Indigenous peoples thrive in this place—alive and strong, and this calls us to commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit as well.