WA
T
E
R
by the
S PO O N F By Quiara Alegría Hudes
Directed by Elise Santora
MAINSTAGE Feb. 15–March 3, 2024
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Garden and Peak by Susan Tormoen
Henry J. Bradley, CFP® Vice President, Financial Advisor Portfolio Manager
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THE FINE ARTS CENTER THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS
WA T E R
S PO ON F By
Quiara Alegría Hudes
UL
Directed by
Elise Santora Scenic Design
Lighting & Projection Design
Sound Design
Costume Design
Nita Mendoza
Lex Liang
+
Travis Joseph Wright
Oriana Sophia
Fight Director & Intimacy Consultant
Samantha Egle
Production Stage Manger
Heather M. Brose*
A Love Supreme, Part 1: Acknowledgment and Ascension Written by John Coltrane. Published by Jowcol Music. Water by the Spoonful was originally commissioned by Hartford Stage Michael Wilson, Artistic Director Michael Stotts, Managing Director Through the AETNA New Voices Fellowship Program World Premiere Production Presented by Hartford Stage – October 28, 2011 Darko Tresnjak, Artistic Director Michael Stotts, Managing Director New York Premiere Produced by Second Stage Theatre, New York, 2013 Carole Rothman, Artistic Director
Water by the Spoonful is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. Sponsored by Members of the Fine Arts Center and Purple Mountain Group at Morgan Stanley WATER BY THE SPOONFUL • 2023–2024 SEASON 3
CAST Elliot....................................................................................................................Robert Asencio* Odessa............................................................................................................. Marlene Montes* Yazmin.................................................................................................................. Claire Nolasco Chutes & Ladders....................................................................................Guiesseppe Jones* Fountainhead.........................................................................................................Colton Pratt* Professor Aman/Ghost/Japanese Cop...................................... Hossein Forouzandeh* Orangutan.............................................................................................................. Lilli Hokama*
TIME
2009. Six years after Elliot left for Iraq.
PLACE
Philadelphia, San Diego, Japan, and Puerto Rico
Water by the Spoonful will have one fifteen-minute intermission.
NOTICE Assisted listening devices are available at no charge from the ushers by request. 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. If you leave the theatre for any reason during the performance, it will be left to the discretion of house management as to when you can return to your seat. We reserve the right to ask anyone to leave if their behavior is disruptive to the performance environment.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Colorado College occupies the traditional territories of the Nuchu, known today as the Southern Ute Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and the Northern Ute People. Other tribes have also lived here including the Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Comanche — and notably, continue to do so, along with many other Indigenous Peoples. To actively seek social justice, we acknowledge that the land continues to hold the values and traditions of the original inhabitants and caretakers of this land. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors, elders, and youth – past, present, and future. 4 FINE ARTS CENTER THEATRE COMPANY
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR “Words are things...Someday we’ll be able to measure the power of words. I think they are things. They get on the walls. They get in your wallpaper. They get in your rugs, in your upholstery, and your clothes, and finally into you.” — Maya Angelou This is the quote that came to mind on my first read of Water by the Spoonful. The text in this play is punctuated by bursts and twists of language, both with the limitations of online chatter and confrontations in the real world. Quiara Alegría Hudes wanted to write about recovery and redemption, feature characters of different ethnicities, and set part of the play in an online chat room. “I knew it was going to be big and messy,” she recalls. “As I researched online chat rooms for recovering addicts, I found the language people used thrilling and virtuosic,” she says. “It reminded me of jazz solos.” As the characters’ lives start to intersect, on and offline, Hudes’ finds beauty in dissonance within the words, as she slowly illuminates an intricate network of families of blood and choice, comprised of survivors striving to reinvent themselves. “Within these families, these people are facing many obstacles,” says Hudes, “figuring out what their place in the world is, why they’re punishing themselves, why they can’t forgive other people… And they’re all recovering, in some way or another.” Families are our first support system and community can be an extension of that support. When those systems are absent and/or dysfunctional, the human spirit then instinctively struggles to create their own. The strength of the close-knit tribes within Water by the Spoonful ultimately doesn’t rely on shared geography or genetics but on the power of created community, the necessity for second chances, and the love, pain, and compassion that can spring from the unlikeliest of connections. Community isn’t merely a pleasant afterthought but the source of redemptive possibility. The text of this play hopefully compels one to rethink identity as something larger than one’s family of origin, occupation, or current address. Home, in this quintessential 21st century American tale, is wherever the broken come together to be mended. If you get restless / buy a hydrangea or rose / water it, wait, bloom —Orangutan (Scene 2 paragraph Page 12) —Elise Santora
*The Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
The Scenic Designer for this production is represented by United Scenic Artists, the international alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees +
WATER BY THE SPOONFUL • 2023–2024 SEASON 5
DRAMATURG’S NOTE It is fascinating to delve into the personal and artistic influences that shape Quiara Hudes’s play, Water by the Spoonful. Hudes’s deep connection to Philadelphia (her hometown) and her ability to draw inspiration from the stories of her family contribute to the authenticity and richness of the narrative. Hudes’s commitment to exploring familial and personal themes lead her to create the Eliot Trilogy of plays (which includes Water) and base the central character on her own cousin. As a dramaturg, the study of dramatic structure becomes a compelling aspect, examining the order of events and the unfolding narrative. Hudes’s background as a trained musician heavily influenced by her aunt, Linda Hudes, adds another layer to her approach, using music as a structural element in her plays. Each play in the Elliot trilogy incorporates different genres of music, contributing to the overall thematic resonance. The connection between the play structure and music is particularly intriguing. The first play of the trilogy, Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue draws inspiration from Bach’s fugue, with voices reiterating the theme of the war. In The Happiest Song Plays Last, the third play in this trilogy, traditional Jíbaro music reflects the emotions of the Puerto Rican people. However, in Water by the Spoonful, the second play, the use of John Coltrane’s free jazz album, Ascension, adds a layer of dissonance and improvisation to the narrative. The play structure mirrors the chaotic and imperfect lives of the characters, exploring the collision of seemingly incompatible stories. The analogy to a John Coltrane free jazz song emphasizes the equal and significant place of each character’s journey in the heart of the play. When we as humans experience the very real-life challenges such as addiction, grief, trauma, and belonging, and meld that with the experiences of others, the music our stories sing cannot be merely made of perfect major chords. It clashes, contradicts itself, and sometimes seems one note takes you out of the song altogether. The exploration of dissonance in the play becomes a central theme. Yasmine’s musical insight highlights that the point is not necessarily to reach resolution, but to delve into the noise itself. This approach allows for unexpected paths and surprising developments, mirroring the complexity of the characters’ lives. Water becomes a space to navigate addiction, family turmoil, and the quest for belonging, much like the intricate notes in a free jazz composition. The intersection of personal experiences, musical influences, and thematic exploration makes Water by the Spoonful a captivating and multi-dimensional theatrical work, providing audiences with a profound and authentic narrative experience. —Ty-Gabriel Jones
A dramaturg is someone who researches, interprets, and provides the cast and crew with vital knowledge about the play, musical, or opera on which they are working. They may provide information related to the temporal, geographic, cultural setting of a production, the playwright or librettist’s life, and/or personal and political events that may have influenced the work. Ty-Gabriel Jones was last seen on the Fine Arts Center stage as Buddy in Elf The Musical.
6 FINE ARTS CENTER THEATRE COMPANY
WHO’S WHO THE ACTING COMPANY IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
Robert Asencio (Elliott) is a proud artist from New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre from Kean University. Robert is grateful to have honed his skills performing on New York City and New Jersey stages throughout his career. Most recently, Robert appeared on the Max Original limited series Full Circle from Academy Award-Winning Director Steven Soderbergh. He has also worked on the original television drama Dear Edward, from Emmy Awardwinning creator Jason Katims on Apple TV+ and the feature film These Days which recently won awards at the Hamptons International Film Festival and Chelsea Film Festival. In addition to being an actor, Robert is a dedicated musician, visual artist, photographer, poet, and filmmaker his award-winning film KNIGHT received many festival selections in the tri-state area including an official selection at the Garden State Film Festival and the “New Jersey Honorary Achievement Award in the Art of Filmmaking” at The Brightside Tavern Film Festival in Jersey City. His continued study of the arts has fed his artistic life with an everlasting joy that he is very grateful to have found. Ultimately, he believes that all artists must strive to build a deep personal relationship with their art forms. www.robertasencioartist.com Hossein Forouzandeh (Professor Aman, Ghost, Policeman) is a Persian-
born, Colorado-grown classically trained actor holding a BA in Theatre from the University of Colorado. You may have seen him on the FAC Main Stage many moons ago in Prelude To A Kiss, or upstairs in a very touching production of Make Sure It’s Me as a soldier struggling with PTSD and seizures due to his service for our country. Notable performances include The Happiest Song Plays Last as Ali, Suresh in Letters Of Suresh (Curious Theatre); Carolinensis in The Squirrels, Futurity violinist (Aurora Fox); Sandeep in Ideation (BETC); ensemble story-teller in The Anansi Tales (Bitsy Stage); Ali Hakim in Oklahoma, Cuddy in Witch, Ross in Macbeth, Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, Musketeer in Cyrano de Bergerac, Morocco in The Merchant Of Venice (TheatreWorks CS); Everybody (The Catamounts); White Rabbit/Red Rabbit (Star-Bar Players); and Alcandre in The Illusion (Theatre’d Art). For upcoming film, TV, and stage appearances please visit HosseinF.com.
Lilli Hokama (Orangutan) was most recently seen as Jovie in Elf The Musical and is thrilled to be returning for this production. You may have also caught her at the FAC in Guadalupe in the Guest Room. Lilli works as an actor, voice actor and director. Past highlights include: The Wolves (Understudy #25, #7, #13, #00) Lincoln Center Theater. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Amadeus, at Folger Theater. Little Women, co-produced by Dallas Theater Center and the Old Globe. Now Circa Then, I and You, at Chester Theater. Matt and Ben, at Kitchen Theater Company and Antigone, at Baltimore Center Stage. She also presented an original story for We Hear You - A Climate Archive, presented at The Kennedy Center. TV credits include Prodigal Son, and several short films hitting the film festival circuit including Jellybones, and Chip! Voice acting and motion capture for Khan Tran in the new Telltale game, The Expanse. Directing credits include, Night of the Living Dead presented by Rorschach theater in DC. Red, by John Logan. A zoom play, Henry Makes a Bible by AJ Clauss, presented by Ensemble Studio Theatre, and the world premiere of Rat Jaw, by AJ Clauss, produced by their co-owned theater company, Stomping Ground Theatre. Eternal gratitude to her family, partner and friends for their love and support. You can follow her @_ill_lil_
WATER BY THE SPOONFUL • 2023–2024 SEASON 7
WHO’S WHO THE ACTING COMPANY IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
Guiesseppe Jones (Chutes & Ladders) Guiesseppe’s most recent theater
adventure was playing Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at The Repertory Theater of St. Louis; a transformative experience two years running. He was trained at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and has performed in regional theaters across the country for three decades in plays ranging from Shakespeare, Chekhov, and P.G. Wodehouse to Mamet, Athol Fugard, and August Wilson. He spent the Summer of 1992 in beautiful Boulder, Colorado performing at The Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s Mary Rippon Outdoor Theater; without being mic’d.
Marlene Montes (Odessa/Haikumom) Marlene is thrilled to be back at CSFAC after playing Camila Rosario last season in In the Heights! Marlene is a passionate storyteller and journeyman actress that has appeared in onewoman shows, originating characters in various workshops, readings, and world premieres. Recent credits include Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast (Arvada Center), Ruth in Pirates of Penzance (Utah Shakespeare Festival), Alma in Alma (The Spot), and Mala in Mala (Theatre SilCo). Her creative endeavors have led her to working with some of the most well-known theatre companies across the country, including Denver Center for the Performing Arts, La Jolla Playhouse, Centre Theatre Group, Arizona Theatre Company, South Coast Repertory, North Shore Music Theatre, Moonlight Stage Productions, Performance Riverside, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Cygnet Theatre, Theatre Lab at Florida Atlantic University, among others. You can see Marlene as Miss Bates in Denver Center’s upcoming production of Emma! Training: B.F.A., Musical Theatre, University of Arizona. Representation: KMR Talent. She is grateful to God, her loved ones, Elise, Chris, the CSFAC team! This performance is dedicated to those struggling with addiction and inspired by the hope of a new beginning. “I know you can do this, but I know you can’t do it alone.” – Haikumom. Reach out for help at NA.org. John 8:12. marlenemontes.com Claire Nolasco (Yazmin) Claire is so grateful to be returning to the Fine Arts
Center since last spring where she was seen in In the Heights, as Vanessa. Since then, she has traveled back to New York and was in her fourth concert at Carnegie Hall performing for The New York Pops Holiday Concert, where she’s previously sang behind Tony Award winner Matt Doyle, Tony Award nominees Norm Lewis and Jordan Donica, and folk-pop singer Ingrid Michelson. Education: BM at Manhattan School of Music. Other credits include, Maggie in A Chorus Line, Janet in The Drowsy Chaperone, and Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Claire would like to thank God and her family for all their support. @claireenolasco
Colton Pratt (Fountainhead) is excited to be back at the Fine Arts Center, telling a meaningful story with excellent artists. He has previously worked with the Fine Arts Center in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Cinderella, Guadalupe in the Guestroom, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. He has also appeared on stage with Theatreworks in The Little Prince, Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night, Around the World in 80 Days, Measure for Measure, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and House Arrest; and in Picasso at the Lapin Agile at the Millibo Art Theatre. Catch him next in the TheatreWorks production of Othello. He sends all of his love to his beautiful wife, daughter, and the rest of his family that help make living the dream possible. 8 FINE ARTS CENTER THEATRE COMPANY
SEND A STUDENT Theatre not only entertains, but it challenges and enlightens us regardless of age. We at the Fine Arts Center Theatre Company want to ensure that the next generations have this same life changing experience. That’s why we’ve launched Send a Student to help ensure that every child in our community has the opportunity regardless of the ability to pay. Would you please consider sending a student? $25 is all it takes to transport and ticket one child to a student matinee. Please help us build the path to the next generation of theatre artists and patrons. fac.coloradocollege.edu Send a Student is supported in part by Bee Vradenburg Foundation
CURTAIN CALL We applaud our generous Curtain Call members! This extraordinary group of live performance aficionados brings Fine Arts Center theatre programming to life. From our Theatre Company’s award-winning seasons to original productions and immersive youth camps, Curtain Call members are at the heart of performing arts at the FAC. Your enthusiasm and fierce loyalty are an inspiration and we are grateful. Join online at fac.coloradocollege.edu/curtain-call
2023–2024 MEMBERS (as of Jan. 25, 2024)
Ron Brasch and Una Ng-Brasch
Gina Perenchio
Susan Burghart and Rich Tosches
Eric and Jane Ridings
Harley and Joan Ferguson
Robert Swanson
Morland and Jerlynn Gonsoulin
Alice Thomas
Lyne Hannan
Herman and Tang-Lin Teo Tiemens
Erin Hannan
Ms. Eve Tilley-Chavez and Mr. Sol Chavez
Bart and Cathy Holaday
Tran Family
Leon and Heather Kelly
Todd and Nancy Whitford
Daniel League and Joan Donner Christina McGarry Leann Nitschke WATER BY THE SPOONFUL • 2023–2024 SEASON 9
WHO’S WHO THE CREATIVE TEAM Elise Santora (Director) is delighted to return to CSFAC as director of Water by the Spoonful. Her most recent appearance on the CSFAC stage was in the role of Deb/Greenway in Elf The Musical. She played the title role of Guadalupe in the Guest Room and garnered the Henry Award for Outstanding Actress. In prior CSFAC seasons, Curious Incident of the Dog... (Henry Award nominee) and Ofelia in Anna in the Tropics (Henry Award – Outstanding Actress). Her professional debut at age twelve was the starring role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz directed by renowned actor José Ferrer. Her first television appearance was as one of the first Latina dancers on the syndicated TV show, Soul Train. She traveled globally as background vocalist/ dancer for Bowie, Jermaine Jackson, Julio Iglesias to name a few and for UNICEF for Africa with ambassador, Danny Kaye. Her regional and touring credits span from principal roles in West Side Story, Man of La Mancha (with John Collum), A Chorus Line (with Bebe Neuwirth), Copacabana, Into the Woods to costarring in The Red Rose with legendary singer, Danny Rivera at the N.Y. Latino Festival, and the People Magazine in Español Festival/Central Park. Broadway: In the Heights (Abuela, Daniela), The Capeman (Paul Simon), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Man of La Mancha (with Raul Julia). She starred as Abuela Claudia on the first national US/ Japan tour of In the Heights. Off-Broadway: Yo Soy Latina (Lincoln Center), 365 Days... (The Public Theatre), Betsy (PRTT), Scissoring (Intar), Ghost Dance Woman (John Houseman). TV: For Life (ABC), Bull, Tommy, The Code (CBS), NBC’s The Manifest, New Amsterdam, Shades of Blue, Netflix’s Iron Fist, Orange is the New Black, and nominated for the Indie Series Best Comedy Actress Award for her role in FabuLess (webseries). Recent film credits include The Artist’s Wife (starring Lena Olin/Bruce Dern), Swallow and The White Alligator. Directing highlights include the hip-hop production of The Minotaur (Abrons Arts Center), Fever (New Perspective Theatre), The Life of Me (NY Latino Theatre Festival), and Hopefulness (The Lark Theatre) and resident choreographer for the Stargate Company, a social justice company founded by the Manhattan Theatre Club. She has been a teaching artist for MTC, Lincoln Center, TDF and the NY Board of Ed for over two decades and was awarded the Ultimate Inspiring Latina award at the Nuyorican Poets Café. She is a Ford Foundation grant recipient for her one woman show A Woman and Her Cigar, a published poet and a life-long activist. Quiara Alegría Hudes (Playwright) Quiara Alegría Hudes is the author of a trilogy of plays
including Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue (2006), Water by the Spoonful (2011), and The Happiest Song Plays Last (2012). Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue premiered Off-off Broadway by Page 73 Productions and was a finalist for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Water by the Spoonful premiered at Hartford Stage Company and won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Happiest Song Plays Last premiered at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in April 2013. Hudes wrote the book for the Broadway musical In the Heights, which received the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical, and was a 2009 Pulitzer Prize finalist. Other works include the plays 26 Miles and Yemaya’s Belly and the children’s musical Barrio Grrrl! Hudes grew up in West Philadelphia where she studied music with Don Rappaport, Dolly Kranzapolski, and Linda Hudes. She was later mentored by playwright Paula Vogel at Brown University. Hudes is an alumna of New Dramatists and sits on the board of Philadelphia Young Playwrights, which produced her first play in the tenth grade. She now lives in New York with her husband and daughter. www.quiara.com
Lex Liang (Scenic Designer) Recent: the world premieres of Emma, Tiananmen, Yes, I Can Say
That!, Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty, Shane, Mr. Holland’s Opus, The Tattooed Lady, and May We All. OffBway/NYC: 50+ productions. Regional: Actor’s Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Asolo Rep, Cleveland Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse, Dallas Theatre, Denver Center, Geva Theatre, Goodspeed, Guthrie, La Jolla Playhouse, Long Wharf, Old Globe, Papermill Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Pioneer Theatre, Portland Stage, Portland Center Stage. Lex is the founder/principal of LDC Design
10 FINE ARTS CENTER THEATRE COMPANY
WHO’S WHO THE CREATIVE TEAM Associates, an experiential event design and production company in NYC. Clients include Absolut, Gucci, Invesco, Johnson & Johnson, The Kardashians, The Tony Awards Gala, NYFW, NYWFF, William Hill Wine, and others. www.LexLiang.com www.LDCdesign.com @Lex924
Oriana Sophia (Costume Designer) Oriana Sophia is a Costume Designer and Stylist
based out of New York. Her recent credits include; Aloha Boricua (Pregones PRTT), The Crucible (WCSU), Harlem Hellfighters (Pregones PRTT) 12th Night (Northern Stages), In The Heights (CSFAC), Fires In The Mirror (Lehman College). She worked as an Assistant Designer on the Broadway production of Here Lies Love. As a stylist, she has worked with musicians and had her editorial work published on Harpers Bazaar, OFFtown and Selin magazine. orianasophia.com
Nita Mendoza (Lighting & Projection Design) is a Chicana lighting designer based out
of Los Angeles, CA and is blessed to collaborate again with the CSFAC team. Recent design credits include Winter Lights (Discovery Cube, Orange County), Fourth Planet (Fullerton College, Fullerton), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Perseverance Theatre, Alaska), The Half Life of Marie Curie (Theatre Silco, Colorado), Sanctuary City (Theatre Squared, Arkansas), Keely and Du (Cal State Los Angeles), Pericles (New Swan Shakespeare Festival, California), and Guadalupe in the Guest Room (Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs). She is also the visiting professor of lighting design at Pomona College and is a lighting design supervisor for Octopus Theatricals.
Travis Joseph Wright (Sound Designer / Video Engineer) is a NYC based Sound
Engineer/Composer/Designer primarily working on theatrical audio installations. One of their personal creative projects, The Broken Record and The Oddity, an interactive sonic space with live performers, will be premiering at the Tank NYC this coming June. Some of their recent works include Matilda with Constellation Stage and Screen in Bloomington Indiana (Sound Designer), Rags Parkland Sings The Songs of The Future with Lehigh University (Music Director) and Terce, a new opera for HERE Arts Center's Prototype Festival (Audio Engineer). After Water by the Spoonful, they are headed to Troy, NY, to begin production on a New Works Festival with the Troy Foundry Theatre.
Heather M. Brose* (Production Stage Manager) Thrilled to be back at CSFAC! Recent PSM
credits include: It’s A Wonderful Life, A Live Radio Play, CCFAC, The Little Prince, European Tour, Once On This Island, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Globe For All-Shakespeare Call & Response, The Old Globe Theatre; Bad Hombres/Good Wives, Sweat, Actually, Vietgone, Hand to God, Disgraced, My Manana Comes, RED, In the Heights, The Mountaintop, Clybourne Park, Tortilla Curtain, Doubt, Water & Power, San Diego REP; Million Dollar Quartet, Noises Off, Big Fish, American Rhythm, West Side Story, MIXTAPE, Smoke on the Mountain, Lamb’s Players Theatre; The Little Fellow, The Great Leap, Pageant, A Behanding in Spokane, Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret, It’s a Wonderful Life, Private Lives, Cygnet Theatre; Jin VS The Beach, Alice Chan, La Jolla Playhouse; Salome and The Father, directed by Estelle Parsons for The Actors Studio starring Al Pacino and Dianne Wiest, and Stephen Sondheim’s 70th Birthday Bash at the Hollywood Bowl. Proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and Western At Large council member.
Anna-Marie Monzon* (Assistant Stage Manager) is a live performance manager, designer, and educator based in Denver. She earned her BFA for Theatre Design, Tech, and Management from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2017 and her Master’s with Merit in Indigenous and Nonwestern Theatre forms from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2020. Anna is currently teaching stage management to college students at Red Rocks Community College and working professionally on performances across the country. Production credits include The Little Mermaid, The Laramie Project, Newsies, Heroes of the Fourth Turning, and Into the Woods. WATER BY THE SPOONFUL • 2023–2024 SEASON 11
WHO’S WHO THE CREATIVE TEAM Samantha Egle (Fight Director/Intimacy Consultant) is a Colorado based fight and
intimacy director. Her work has been seen on the stages of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Opera Colorado, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Phamaly Theatre Company, Theatreworks, Colorado Spring Fine Arts Center, Arvada Center, Denver Children’s Theatre, Mizel Center, Athena Project Festival, Lagoon Theme Park, Upstart Crow, New York Fringe Festival, The BiTSY Stage, University of Northern Colorado, University of Denver, among others. She was an apprentice with Intimacy Directors International and Resident Artist at Arena Stage. She is the founder of Humble Warrior Movement Arts and works supporting productions across the front range and facilitating educational experiences. She is a board member of the International Order of the Sword and the Pen, Certified Intimacy Director with Intimacy Directors & Coordinators, and a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors.
Ty-Gabriel Jones (Dramaturg) is thrilled to be dramaturg for the Water by The Spoonful
team. Ty-Gabriel is a theatre artist and educator from NYC and the current casting apprentice to Duncan Stewart and Mark Brandon at Casting by ARC in Midtown Manhattan. They have a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Nazareth University with accredited coursework in Contract Law (Harvard), Theatre business (Nazareth) and Music Business (Berklee). Ty has previously worked at theatres such as The Goodspeed (Christmas in Connecticut), Mark Taper forum (A Transparent Musical), The Arvada Center (Damn Yankees and Beautiful), and Gulfshore Playhouse (Camelot). After completing the ARC Casting Apprenticeship, Ty makes their Broadway debut with A Transparent Musical this fall. Congratulations to the cast, crew and creatives and my gratitude to Elise Santora and Chris Sheley for the opportunity to perform research on this beautiful show.
On Stage May 2–June 2
Book & Music by Jonathan Larson Lyrics by Jonathan Larson & Billy Aronson Directed by Marissa Hebert TICKETS: (719) 634-5581 fac.coloradocollege.edu
12 FINE ARTS CENTER THEATRE COMPANY
WHO’S WHO THEATRE STAFF Christopher L. Sheley (Producing Artistic Director) is grateful for his new role in the
company, which he has been a member of for the last 18 seasons. Originally from St. Louis, he moved first to Chicago to study at The Theatre School at DePaul University. After a decade in Chicago, he moved again to Colorado Springs and shortly thereafter began his tenure with the Fine Arts Center Theatre Company. As a scenic designer, his most recent credit includes the FAC's Misery and Damn Yankees at the Arvada Center. Some of his favorite designs at the FAC include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Barnum, Annie, Man of La Mancha, 4000 Miles, Floyd & Clea Under The Western Sky, Agnes of God, Other Desert Cities, Gypsy, Colorado College’s 23:59 and All in the Timing, The University of Denver›s Urinetown & Theatreworks’ The Servant of Two Masters. He has been nominated for six regional Henry awards and won Best Set Design for his work on Man of La Mancha. Additionally, he received the Gazette’s “Best of” award for Sunday in the Park and he also received the Denver Post’s Ovation Award of Best Set Design for his work on The Pirates of Penzance and Sweeney Todd. Other awards include the PPAC award for his set designs of 4000 Miles, Into the Woods & Sunday in the Park, as well as two True West awards for his designs of 4000 Miles and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. He wishes to thank his family for their love and support. www.christopherlsheley.com
Holly Anne Rawls (Resident Lighting Designer/Lighting Director, Interim Director of Production) graduated from CU Boulder a long time ago with a lucrative pair of degrees
– Technical Theatre and Anthropology. For the past eighteen seasons at the FAC she has held the position of Master Electrician, Lighting Director, and Resident Lighting Designer, and has helped build the technical side of the Youth Rep program. In addition, she has designed many, many FAC productions including The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (for which she won the 2020 Henry Award for Lighting Design), Intimate Apparel, Fun Home (for which she won the 2017 Henry Award for Lighting Design), Barnum, Man of La Mancha (for which she won the 2016 Henry Award for Lighting Design), 4000 Miles, The Wizard of Oz (for which she won a joint PPAC award), Gypsy, Other Desert Cities, and Sweeney Todd (for which she won a Denver Post Ovation award). Before joining the FAC, Holly worked for the Lyric Music Theatre and Macky Auditorium at CU Boulder and taught technical theatre at Lewis Palmer High School. Holly enjoys spending her off hours next to the fire pit with her amazing daughter. She would like to thank Chris for everything. https://hrawls.wixsite.com/website
Tim Muldrew (Company Manager) Tim has worked in Arts Administration for both the
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College and Theatreworks at UCCS. He has been an Equity Stage Manager for over 25 years ‘calling’ such shows as the Henry Award Winning plays Guadalupe in the Guest Room and The Mountaintop. Tim is a member of Springs Ensemble Theatre (SET) and his SET directing credits include The Seafarer and The Boys in the Band. Tim will the directing David Auburn’s Proof opening in April 2024. Tim’s FAC directing credits include Crazy for You, 1776 and Knuffle Bunny. As a stage manager, Tim has toured the world with the world-famous Cirque organization. A love of Theme Parks has allowed him to work at Walt Disney World, Sea World, Circus World, Cypress Gardens and Cedar Point! Much love to his husband Craig, who not only supports Tim’s crazy artistic life, but has helped paint and build many of his sets.
Sarah Beth Parks (Costume Shop Supervisor) has been Costume Shop Supervisor for the Fine Arts Center for 6 years. SB has designed and built costumes all over the country, including Hartford, CT, where she worked on the Tony-winning original productions of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Anastasia. SB holds a BA in Theatre from CU Boulder and an MFA in Dramatic Arts/ Puppet Arts from the University of Connecticut. WATER BY THE SPOONFUL • 2023–2024 SEASON 13
WHO’S WHO THEATRE STAFF Alex Drelich (Head of Sound) joined our theatre company staff in July of 2022 as the Head of Sound. Alex holds a B.A Degree in Theatrical Design/Production from the University of Northern Iowa, class of 2020. He brings experience as a performer, technician, and audio engineer to the team. Sarah Talaba (Scenic Charge Artist; Props Inventory Manager) is a passionate artist,
designer and self-described “mad scientist,” specializing in painting, creature effects, and sculpture for stage and screen. She recently joined the FAC shop staff after years of freelance artist work throughout the Front Range. Sarah holds 2 degrees from CU Boulder, a BFA in Scenic Design and a BA in Studio Arts. A few accolades include a KCACTF Meritorious Achievement Award in Scenic Design for RENT; and Grand Prize Winner of the Jim Henson Foundation’s Dark Crystal fan film competition. Whether she’s in the scene shop or at home in her own shop, Sarah delights in creating weird stuff and making magic. She is forever grateful for the love and support of family and friends who feel like family.
Colyer Dermody (Interim Technical Director/Scene Shop Supervisor) a general theatre practitioner and former rancher/hunting outfitter originally from Sonora, TX. Colyer has come back to his roots in theatre by joining the Fine Arts Center Theatre Company’s staff as the Scene Shop Supervisor. Colyer got his BFA in Theatre Performance with concentrations in Directing, Scenic Design and Scenic Construction from Baylor University in Waco, TX. Then, designed Twelfth Night and The Amish Project as a freelance scenic designer for Baylor. Colyer worked as the Assistant Technical Director for the Savana Summer Theatre Institute in Savana, GA for a season and as a Production Manager at Theatre 3 in Dallas, TX, before changing his career path to ranching and hunting. He is excited to turn his page back to theatre and all the creative opportunities to come, including Scenic Design for the FAC’s production of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!
14 FINE ARTS CENTER THEATRE COMPANY
STAFF FAC LEADERSHIP
FAC THEATRE COMPANY
Executive Director: Nicole Herden Deputy Director: Maria Capp Director of Events: Rebecca Rounds Producing Artistic Director: Christopher L. Sheley Director of Visual Arts and Museum: Michael Christiano Director Bemis School of Art: Tara Thomas
Producing Artistic Director: Christopher L. Sheley Company Manager: Tim Muldrew Resident Lighting Designer/Lighting Director, Interim Director of Production: Holly Anne Rawls Interim Technical Director/Scene Shop Supervisor: Colyer Dermody Costume Shop Supervisor: Sarah Beth Parks Head of Sound: Alex Drelich Charge Scenic Artist: Sarah Talaba House Manager: Karen Anderson
PRODUCTION STAFF Director: Elise Santora Scenic Design: Lex Liang+ Lighting & Projection Design: Nita Mendoza Costume Design: Oriana Sophia Sound Design/Projection Programmer: Travis Joseph Wright Dramaturg: Ty-Gabriel Jones Production Stage Manager: Heather M. Brose* Assistant Stage Manager: Anna Monzon* Fight Director & Intimacy Consultant: Samantha Egle Head Electrician: Madison Dillon Sound A2: Tristan Bowman Prop Supervisors: Rebecca Savage, Maia Rychlik Carpenters: Molly Gillard, Colyer Dermody, Cliff Hamilton, Rio Shattuck, Jacob Hacker, Hossein Forouzandeh, Rio Shattuck Charge Scenic Artist: Sarah Talaba Costume Shop Assistant: Amaya Egusquiza Wardrobe Supervisor: Bekah Irwin
FINE ARTS CENTER STAFF Patron Services Manager: Frances Huntington Patron Services Assistant Manager: Matthew Driftmier Patron Services Staff: Kari Bell Marketing & Communications: Jessi Burns, Sarah Waddell Operations Manager: Luke Cammack Assistant Operations Manager: Mark Cannon Patron Experience Team: Darla Slee, Ian Stewart, Melanie Audet, Megan Brockriede, Cordelia Colt, Rob Estes, Danielle Sanchez, Angie Schwickerath, Tiffany Scott Museum Staff: Stormy Burns, Katja Rivera, Sara Hodge, Blair Huff, Christian Valvano, Jonathan Dankenbring, JD Sell, Brittany Hall, Alana Adams Bemis Assistant Director: Jeremiah Houck Bemis Staff: James Howard, Kazzandra Medellin
RUN CREW Deck Crew: Maia Rychlik, Rebecca Savage, Micah Spiers Wardrobe Crew: Bekka Irwin, Lauren Asselin, Kenzie Connors Light Board Operator: Madison Dillon Audio Engineer & Sound Board Operator: Alex Drelich Sound A2: Tristan Bowman COVID Safety Officer: Janae Lazar 200 members across the US and aborad • Supporting collaboration between musical theatre writers and producers, and among theatres nationally • Nurturing the creation, development and production of new and classic musicals
www.namt.org
Script by Mo Willems and Mr. Warburton Lyrics by Mo Willems Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma
TICKETS: (719) 634-5581 fac.coloradocollege.edu
ON STAGE MARCH
2–24
The Fine Arts Center is a Constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American Theatre WATER BY THE SPOONFUL • 2023–2024 SEASON 15
FAC THEATRE COMPANY EQUITY STATEMENT The power of theatre lies in its ability to bring us together, forge community, and widen our empathic imaginations through stories both within and outside of our own lived experiences. For theatre to truly maximize this potential, it is paramount that everyone feels seen, heard, and represented. Colorado College (CC) is committed to becoming an antiracist institution and inspire action to create a more just world. The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theater Company, therefore, embraces this commitment wholeheartedly taking intentional action to dismantle visible and invisible structures of oppression so all people feel are seen, heard, and welcome at the FAC. We publicly affirm our commitment to anti-oppressive programming and commit to the iterative and lifelong work of creating a brave space for all of our stories: one where we can empathize, grow, learn, and together co-create a more just and compassionate society. • We are aligning our creative and production teams with the shows that we produce. We honor the stories that we tell onstage by centering creative artists whose lived experiences and identities align with the content. • Moreover, we are disrupting the ways in which BIPOC artists can be “cast” only within their race by democratizing artistic opportunities across the board. • By taking our work outside of the building, producing ancillary events, and investing in longterm relationship-building, we will authentically connect to marginalized communities who may not have felt welcomed here in the past. • BIPOC2 voices will be the priority of new play commissions for the foreseeable future. • We have instituted the practice of land acknowledgements to honor the Indigenous Peoples who historically inhabited the lands we currently occupy. Moreover, we are programming Indigenous artists, and supporting new works to build beyond an acknowledgment with tangible action and artistic support. • To reach new communities, we are continually interrogating and expanding our programming with events like Dia de Muertos and Dragstravaganza. • We are overhauling our student outreach practices for the FAC Theatre School, so that we can engage students from systemically excluded communities.
We are also investigating new tuition structures to ensure that our programs are financially accessible for everyone.
THE WORK CONTINUES
We acknowledge that many of our practices in the past perpetuated systemic inequities, including but certainly not limited to the homogeneity of our programming and the distinct lack of BIPOC artists and stories. We recognize these failures and commit to working towards repairing the harm we’ve caused in the past and creating a more equitable and just future. To hold ourselves accountable, and so you may do the same, we are sharing our action plan, which will continually evolve and grow.
To truly welcome artists and audiences in our spaces, we are committed to the following: • The staff of the FAC Theatre Company will continue our work in anti-racism education through ongoing seminars, focus groups, and open dialogue. • We are committed to color-conscious casting. We are dedicated to creating equitable and inclusive theatre that amplifies voices from every culture. We welcome all and encourage people of every race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, economic status or any other identity or lived experience to audition for our productions. • By prioritizing the voices of BIPOC2, feminineidentifying, and LGBTQ+ communities, we commit to curating seasons that more accurately represent and reflect our world. This is just the beginning of our dedication to being an equitable, accessible, and inclusive theatre company. Please know that this is an ever-evolving commitment that will grow and change as we do. Whether you’re a loyal subscriber, a new audience member, or a guest artist, we hope to continue engaging in this dialogue together with open hearts and open minds. We are energized by the work we have done, and continually looking for opportunities to translate it into action. Most importantly, we ask that you hold us accountable. You are an essential component of the work that we do. We look forward to our continued conversations this season. See you at the theatre.
Global Majority is a collective term that encourages those of African, Asian, Latin American, and Arab descent to recognize that together they comprise the vast majority (around 80 per cent) of people in the world. 2 BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous and people of color *We See You, White American Theater 1