MAINSTAGE
Feb. 13–March 2
WRITTEN BY Jessica Kahkoska
A NOTE FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT
A World Premiere Production may be authored by a single playwright, but creating new work takes a village. I hope to give a sense of how many people have shaped and supported the development of In Her Bones over the last six years.
Given the complexity, sensitivity, and intersectional nature of the crypto-Jewish experience, before a single word was written, I worked with collaborators to construct a community-responsive research process to explore the past, present, and future of crypto-Judaism in the San Luis Valley.
The play you will see tonight is informed by over 25 oral history interviews conducted in Denver, Antonito, San Luis, and Taos, with subjects ranging from 24 to 96 years old (academic studies on similar topics had a pool of about 10-16 participants). These interviews took place via phone and in homes, synagogues, churches, Mexican restaurants, community centers, Greek cafes, libraries, and parks. Some of these story contributors include: Cantor Sheri Allen, Jess Vigil, Marcelina Rivera, Nora Jacquez, Edwin Jacquez, Maggie Page, Donna Medina, Yolanda Romero, C. Jacob Dotson, Lorenzo Trujillo, Pat Saiz, Linda O’Donnell, Marie Romero, Bea Trujillo, Jerry Renner, Claudia Rogers, Sarah Romero, and Multiple Anonymous.
Additional Research Support: Eric Carpio + the Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center, Nita Murphy + the University of New Mexico’s Southwest Research Center, Nicole Kirby + the University of New Mexico at Taos Library, Sherry Glickman Knecht, Randy Rubin, Tom Potter + Carnegie Library History Room, Temple Aaron, Dr. David Shneer, Jane Butcher, Dr. Marjorie McIntosh, Lola Farber Grueskin, Debbie Goodman, Elaine Selsberg and Dan Recht, Dr. Jonathan Sciarcon + Denver University, Mike Roque.
This play has been developed and presented at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Southern Colorado Repertory Theatre, and WAM Theatre. I am grateful to my creative collaborators at those institutions, including Anita Rodriguez, Dr. Seth Ward, Jerry Ruiz, James Bruenger-Arreguin, Eli Carpenter, Estefanía Fadul, Talya Kingston, Melissa Cashion, Charlie Miller, Allison Watrous, Chris Coleman, Grady Soapes, Douglas Langworthy, and Lynde Rosario.
A new play cannot exist without actors, whose creativity and insights have shaped every draft: Debra Gallegos, Jesse Ogas, GerRee Hinshaw, Luke Sorge, Iliana L. Barron, Gia Valverde, Mikah Conway, Jorge Luna, Lori Vega, Sandra Seoane-Seri, Christine Anthony, Ross Griffin, Seth Dhonau, Zilah Mendoza, Zeus Mendoza, Valentina Guerra, Elise Santora, Sean Verdu, and Robert Asencio.
Lastly, this production would not be possible without Chris Sheley and the entire staff at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, and this incredible creative team and cast led by Rebecca Martínez.
“This story wants to be told, all we have to do is get out of its way.”
—Anita Rodriguez, Creative Collaborator and Language Consultant
Jessica Kahkoska
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.
Written by Jessica Kahkoska
Directed by Rebecca Martinez
Scenic Design
Christopher L. Sheley
Sound Design
Tosin Olufolabi
Production Stage Manager Kristen Wickersheim*
Music Composed by Julian Mesri
Costume Design Lux Haac
Lighting Design Holly Anne Rawls
Projection Design Katherine Freer
Assistant Stage Manager Liz Lee*
Producing Artistic Director Christopher L. Sheley
*The Actor and Stage Manager appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
†The Designer for this production is represented by United Scenic Artists, the international alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
NOTICE
Assisted listening devices are available at no charge from the ushers by request.
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.
CAST
IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Raquel ..................................................................................................................... Laura Crotte*
Lea ..................................................................................................................... Marlene Montes*
Mia Mayelah Barrera*
Moises Bobby Plasencia*
Outsiders ................................................................................................................. Colton Pratt*
SETTING
The time is now, with echoes of before. A snowy night in rural Southern Colorado.
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
*The Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Alamosa, Antonito, San Antonio, San Acacio, Conejos, Costilla, Los Pinos, Hot Creek, Culebra Creek.
These are all places my Martinez family has lived and worked. One of my great-grandfathers was born in the 1860s, shortly after the family moved from New Mexico to what is now Antonito. One great-grandfather was a sheep herder and a farmer. Another great-grandfather worked as a farm laborer, a salesman in a grocery store, a school teacher, and a railroad worker. My grandparents were married at the Our Lady of Guadalupe church in Conejos. They later moved to Alamosa, where my father, the 4th of eight surviving children, was born. The family of ten lived in a small house on 10th Street and my great-grandparents lived nearby in a converted boxcar. My dad’s older siblings spoke only Spanish until they went to school, where they learned English. My dad remembers going to the railroad depot as a kid, where his father worked as a fireman on the D&RGW Railroad, to ring the bell on New Year’s Eve. Once, when he was around 5, he was sent alone on the train to Denver to be picked up by relatives for his appointment to get glasses.
These folks of the San Luis Valley sought homes where they could live and feed their families. Life wasn’t easy, they had to learn to work with land and share resources, especially water, in a communal way. They brought with them cultures, practices, and beliefs reflecting their mixed Spanish, Mexican, and Native heritages, while carrying in their bones the inherent trauma of being both colonizers and the colonized. It is these legacies that we remember through this work today.
Rebecca Martinez
WHO’S WHO
THE ACTING COMPANY IN
ALPHABETICAL ORDER
Mayelah Barrera* (Mia) is a singer, actress from Monterrey, Mexico. She earned her acting degree from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts NY, and has since debuted in the NY theatre scene in the TheaterWorks production of El Otro Oz in both the summer and national tour. You could have also seen her as Fátima in the limited sold out run of Desaparecidas and singing alongside Jaime Lozano & La Familia at Lincoln Center and other venues. She is thrilled to be back in Colorado Springs for the premiere of In Her Bones. Gracias a mi mamá, hermanas y a John por todo su amor siempre. IG:mayelahbarreram
Laura Crotte* (Raquel) is delighted to make her debut at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center in the premiere of this intriguing piece which she worked on when in development. Ms. Crotte is a bilingual binational actress, hailing from Mexico-Tenochtitlan and 25-year resident of Chicago where she´s worked in numerous full productions, developmental workshops, and staged readings at Goodman, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, 16th Street, Teatrovista, and Chicago Children’s Theaters. Crotte has performed as a union actor with various new and well-known Latine playwrights, directors, designers, and colleagues in a good number of world-premieres and new productions. She was trained in Mexico City at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Laboratory of Theatre Anthropology, and under the supervision of master trainers in Xalapa, Veracruz in Tragedy and Commedia dell’ Arte mask techniques, world folkloric dances, and music. She has performed in CA, CO, WA, OR, PA, WI, IL; and toured internationally with her own theater productions, puppets, and musical pieces to Peru, Argentina, Cuba, Canada, and extensively in Mexico. Her work as a vocal coach, teaching artist, Mexican culture consultant, stage director, translator, bilingual education trainer, and lecturer allows her to visit schools, libraries, community centers in the U.S. and abroad. lauracrotte.org
Marlene Montes* (Lea) is thrilled to be back at CSFAC after playing Odessa/Haikumom in Water by the Spoonful and Camila Rosario in In the Heights! Marlene is a passionate storyteller and journeyman actress who has appeared in one-woman shows, originating characters in various workshops, readings, and world premieres. Recent credits include: Miss Bates in Emma (Denver Center for the Performing Arts), 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: 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. Training: B.F.A., Musical Theatre, University of Arizona. She is grateful to God, for her husband Preston’s love and support, and the IHB team for the opportunity to tell stories that move us in our bones. marlenemontes.com
WHO’S WHO
THE ACTING COMPANY
Bobby Plasencia* (Moises) is excited to be making his FAC debut and sharing the stage with such a talented group of Artists! NY Stage: La Paloma Prisoner (Chelsea Factory), Orchid Receipt Service (MITU580); La Negra (BRIC Brooklyn); La Ruta (Working Theater); American Jornalero (INTAR); Luz (LaMama); Julius Caesar (Drilling Company). Regional Theater: Somewhere Over The Border (Syracuse Stage, Geva Theater, City Theatre, People’s Light), American Mariachi (Goodman Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Denver Center, Old Globe, Alabama Shakes, Cleveland Playhouse, Two River Theater); Recent Alien Abductions (Humana Fest, Actors Theater of Louisville); Water & Power (San Diego Rep, Craig Noel Award); Vesuvius (South Coast Rep); Blood Wedding (La Jolla Playhouse); Down Past Passyunk (Interact Theater); The Tempest, Twelfth Night, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (ISCLA, Los Angeles); Water & Power (Understudy, Mark Taper Forum). Film & TV: House of Cards (Netflix), General Hospital (ABC Television), Fidel (Showtime), Maria Full of Grace (Sundance, HBO Films). MFANYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Colton Pratt* (Outsiders) is so excited to be back with the Fine Arts Center and to stage the world premiere of an important piece of local theatre. He most recently worked with the Fine Arts Center as Fountainhead in Water by the Spoonful. You may have also seen him in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Cinderella, Guadalupe in the Guest Room, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, or in the upstairs space in The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. He has also appeared with Theatreworks recently in Sense and Sensibility (Edward Ferrars/Willoughby/Others), Henry IV & V (Hal/Henry V), Othello (Cassio), and The Little Prince (Fox). He has also done Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Einstein) with the Millibo Art Theatre. He wants to give his endless love to his family and support system, especially Rachel and Finnian, who have stolen his heart.
The Fine Arts Center is a Constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American Theatre
WHO’S WHO
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Rebecca Martinez (Director) (she/her) is a Denver-born theatre director now living in Brooklyn, NY. Rebecca is delighted to be back at the Fine Arts Center after last directing the production of Anna in the Tropics (Henry Award for Directing). Rebecca’s work focuses primarily on new plays and musicals and using adaptation to envision classic plays through a contemporary lens. Recent projects include: Dirty Laundry (WP Theater / Spark Theatricals), Bite Me (WP Theater / Colt Coeur), It Happened in Key West (Fulton Theatre), Sancocho (WP Theater), Living and Breathing (Two River), Songs About Trains (Working Theater and Radical Evolution), Somewhere Over the Border (Syracuse Stage and Geva Theatre). Rebecca co-adapted and directed the 2023 & 2024 touring bilingual musical production of The Comedy of Errors (The Public Theater’s Mobile Unit, Drama Desk Nomination, Outstanding Adaptation, LATA Awards for Outstanding Adaptation and Theatrical Concept) and she will be directing the upcoming Public Theater Mobile Unit touring production of Much Ado About Nothing. She has developed new work with The Public Theater, Amas Musical Theater, the O’Neill, Latinx Playwrights Circle, the Sol Project, NAMT, INTAR, Working Theater, The Playwrights Realm, among others. Affiliations: Member of the Obie Award winning Sol Project Collective, TCG Rising Leaders of Color, Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab, INTAR’s Unit52, New Georges Affiliated Artist, Drama League Directing Fellow, member of SDC. Awards: Four Portland, Oregon Drammy Awards; Lilla Jewel Award for Women Artists. rebeccamartinez.org
Jessica Kahkoska (Playwright) is a writer, producer, and researcher for theatre and TV. Born and raised in Colorado Springs, she has performed in seven YRT and professional productions at the Fine Arts Center since 2003 (most recently Fun Home), received a Colorado College 3x3 Creative Collaborations Grant, and was a writer on the CSFAC’s radio play series Of Spacious Skies. She is proud to have worked across Colorado at Creede Repertory Theatre, the m12 collective, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Theatre Aspen, and Theatre Silco, among others. Her theatre projects include Wildfire (World Premiere: Denver Center for the Performing Arts, upcoming at Z Space), The Vermont Farm Project (Northern Stage, Upcoming World Premiere), Letters to the President (Goodspeed Musicals, The Cooper Union), Agent 355 (New York Stage and Film, Signature Theatre), The Death of Desert Rose (under commercial option), and Wild Home (Notch Theatre Company, NEA ArtWorks Grant). She is currently the archival researcher on the upcoming Broadway production of Good Night, and Good Luck (written by/starring George Clooney), and under new work commissions by Broadway Licensing and the Alley Theatre. In TV, Jessica has worked as a producer, writer, and researcher for CNN, Netflix, Spotify, Discovery, and Max Originals series. She is developing original projects with Lighthouse Pictures, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, HappyBad Bungalow, and Sony Television. Selected Awards: National Archives Foundation’s Cokie Roberts Women’s History Fellowship, Marion International Fellowship in the Performing Arts, Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellowship. BA: Northwestern. jessicakahkoska.com Julian Mesri (Composer) is a New York-based Argentinean-American playwright and composer who makes multilingual plays and musicals in the US and around the world. He is the co-adaptor and composer/lyricist for the Mobile Unit bilingual production of the Drama Desk nominated and LATA award winning Comedy of Errors at the Public Theater. He is currently the Judith Champion Musical Theater Launchpad Resident at Signature Theater and a Core Writer at the Playwrights Center. Other work includes composing the live score of Henry 6 at The Old Globe, directing/arranging Songs About Trains with Radical Evolution, music directing and co-orchestrating Brian Quijada’s Somewhere Over the Border (Syracuse Stage, Geva Theater). He has been a member of the Public Theater Emerging Writer’s Group, a Dramatist Guild Fellow, an Emerging Artist of Color Fellow and Usual Suspect at NYTW, and a Van Lier fellow at Repertorio Español. His play, The Irrepressible Magic of the Tropics (workshopped at The Playwrights Center) is slated to premiere as part of Intar’s 2025 season. He received his MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University. julianmesri.com
WHO’S WHO
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Christopher L. Sheley (Scenic Designer/Producing Artistic Director) recently received his second regional Henry Award for his work on last season’s production of Misery. Originally from St. Louis, he moved 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, other recent credits include Damn Yankees at the Arvada Center and some of his favorite designs at the FAC include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime, 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, and 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, and 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. christopherlsheley.com
Lux Haac (Costume Designer) (she/her) is a New York-based costume designer working in theatre, film, opera, and dance. Broadway: The Thanksgiving Play (Second Stage Hayes Theater). OffBroadway/New York: Dirty Laundry (WP Theater); Manahatta (Lucille Lortel Award winner, Drama Desk nomination), Mobile Unit: The Comedy of Errors (The Public Theater); Between Two Knees (Henry Hewes Nomination), Number Our Days: A Photographic Oratorio (PAC NYC); On That Day in Amsterdam (Primary Stages/59E59); 53% Of (Second Stage Uptown); Songs About Trains (Radical Evolution/ Working Theater/New Ohio Theatre); Eureka Day (Colt Coeur/Walkerspace); Ajijaak on Turtle Island (IBEX Puppetry/New Victory Theater); R + J (Hypokrit NYC/Access Theater); ¡Figaro! (90210) (The Duke on 42nd Street). Regional: Skeleton Canoe (Chicago International Puppet Festival); Dial M for Murder, I and You, Annapurna, Native Gardens (Syracuse Stage); For the People (Guthrie Theater); The Wizard of Oz (Geva Theatre); Between Two Knees (OSF, Yale Rep, McCarter Theatre Center, Seattle Rep); Espejos: Clean (Hartford Stage, Syracuse Stage); LEAR (Cal Shakes); Kim’s Convenience (Westport Country Playhouse, TheatreSquared); Yoga Play, Ragtime (PlayMakers Repertory Company); Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Arizona Theatre Company). Lux is a Core Collaborator with All My Relations Collective and a member of USA 829 and Wingspace Theatrical Design. MFA: NYU/Tisch. luxhaac.com @luxhaac
Holly Anne Rawls (Resident Lighting Designer/Lighting Director) graduated from CU Boulder a long time ago with a lucrative pair of degrees – Technical Theatre and Anthropology. For last nineteen years at the FAC she has held the positions of master electrician, Lighting Director/Resident Lighting Designer, Interim Director of Production, and has helped build the technical side of the Youth Rep program. In addition, she has designed many, many FAC productions including Misery, 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). Holly enjoys spending her off hours in the woods with her wonderful husband, amazing stepdaughter, and equally impressive dogs. She would like to thank Chris for everything. hrawls.wixsite.com/website
Tosin Olufolabi (Sound Designer) (she/her) is excited to be working in Colorado Springs for the first time. Her sound designs include: Off-Broadway: Stargazers (Page 73); Dirty Laundry, Bite Me (WP
WHO’S WHO
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Theater) Regional: The Thanksgiving Play (Steppenwolf Theatre); Gloria (2018 Helen Hayes Nomination for Outstanding Sound Design for a Hayes Production); There’s Always the Hudson, Hi, Are You Single? Incendiary, The Sensational Sea Mink-ettes (Woolly Mammoth); Ain’t No Mo (Woolly Mammoth/ Baltimore Center Stage); Life is a Dream (Baltimore Center Stage); Crying on Television, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, The Sound Inside, The Chinese Lady, Crumbs from the Table of Joy (Everyman Theater); School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, it’s not a trip it’s a journey (Round House Theatre); Sense & Sensibility (The Village); Moses, Fires in the Mirror (Theater J); The Thanksgiving Play (Olney Theatre Center); A Wind in the Door (Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences).
Katherine Freer (Projection Design) is a multimedia artist, filmmaker, organizer, and educator. As a multimedia designer for live performance, she bends light into imagery that was previously unseen. Her generative tools are images, footage, primary documents, motion graphics, text, illustrations, animations, code, sensors, cameras, and archival materials. Previous work includes Lizard Boy (Theatre Row), Macbeth (Richard Rodgers Amphitheater), Bullet for Adolf (New World Stages), Rent (Oregon Shakespeare Festival) Next to Normal (Syracuse Stage), and Lazarus (La Mama). You can find her full body of work at katherinefreer.com
Kristen Wickersheim* (AEA Production Stage Manager) is excited to be working with the Fine Arts Center. She loves working with such creative people. Kristen has worked locally with Theatreworks and the Millibo. Some of her favorite work was on Disney’s The Little Mermaid here at the FAC as well as The Game of Love and Chance, Arcadia, American Prom, Wild Honey, WTF: Women’s Theatre Festival. Kristen would love to thank her daughter, Jules for being so patient with the long, crazy hours. “The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.” -Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Liz Lee* (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to be a part of a world premiere production at the CS Fine Arts Center alongside many talented designers, technicians, and performers. Throughout her career, she has worked in theatre, dance, opera, virtual productions, music recitals, and live events. She received her M.F.A. in Design & Technology - Stage Management at UMKC (24) and B.A. in Theatre & English Writing at Hastings College (21). Recent credits include: CS Fine Arts CenterDisney’s The Little Mermaid (Flyer & Deck Crew), The City Dog & The Prairie Dog (Sub. Calling SM), Mean Girls: High School Version (PSM). UMKC - The Pirates of Penzance (APM & Spot Caller), Big Love (ASM & Deck Chief), Die Zauberflöte (PSM), Spring Dance Concert (PSM), Proving Up (PSM), MotherF***er with a Hat (PSM). Endstation Theatre Company - T-Room: The Musical [World Premiere] (PSM), Treasure Island (ASM), Homegrown Talent (ASM). The Lyric Opera of Kansas-City - Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci (PA). KCRep - Twelfth Night (PA).
PERFORMING ARTS STAFF
Christopher L. Sheley (Producing Artistic Director/Scenic Designer) recently received his second regional Henry Award for his work on last season’s production of Misery. Originally from St. Louis, he moved 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, other recent credits include Damn Yankees at the Arvada
WHO’S WHO
PERFORMING ARTS STAFF
Center and some of his favorite designs at the FAC include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime, 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, and 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, and 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. christopherlsheley.com
Holly Anne Rawls (Resident Lighting Designer/Lighting Director) graduated from CU Boulder a long time ago with a lucrative pair of degrees – Technical Theatre and Anthropology. For last nineteen years at the FAC she has held the positions of master electrician, Lighting Director/Resident Lighting Designer, Interim Director of Production, and has helped build the technical side of the Youth Rep program. In addition, she has designed many, many FAC productions including Misery, 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). Holly enjoys spending her off hours in the woods with her wonderful husband, amazing stepdaughter, and equally impressive dogs. She would like to thank Chris for everything. hrawls.wixsite.com/website
Tim Muldrew (Company Manager) 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. His FAC directing credits include Crazy for You, 1776, and Knuffle Bunny. As a stage manager, Tim has toured the world with the worldfamous 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 and their crazy feline Atticus, who keep him from going into a Nut House.
David A. Cook (Director of Production) has a deep love for the theatrical arts and scenic construction having held the roles of Technical Director, Asst. Technical Director, Stage Manager, and Lead Electrician. He received all of his education through theatrical apprenticeships before attending Pasco-Hernando State College in Florida where he pursued his associate’s degree. He has worked for several theme parks, zoos, and museums including, Burch Gardens Tampa, Universal Studios Orlando, Disney World, Sea World, Legoland, The Lowry Park Zoo, and The Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, FL. David has also worked for several regional theatre companies, The Florida Studio Theatre, Ruth Eckard Hall in Clearwater Florida, and most recently joining us at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center after serving as Technical Director at the Red Mountain Theatre in Birmingham, AL. Dave is grateful for the opportunity to live closer to the mountains together with his wife Jessica, where they get to create theatre magic and enjoy their love of the outdoors as avid campers, hikers, and rockhounds.
WHO’S WHO
PERFORMING ARTS STAFF
Amaya Egusquiza (Interim Costume Shop Supervisor) is a seamstress, vintage ‘treasure hunter’ and creative crafter originally from Nampa, Idaho. Amaya received her Bachelor’s in Theater from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. In Corvallis, Oregon she honed her skills as a theater professional as an active member of the performance and education community and continued to design and direct theater for youth. She is currently the Interim Costume Shop Supervisor and a summer theater instructor at the Fine Arts Center and is honored to be a part of the FAC creative experience.
Colyer Dermody (Technical Director), a general theatre practitioner and former rancher/hunting outfitter originally from Sonora, TX, has gone back to his roots in theatre by joining the Fine Arts Center Theatre Company’s staff as their Technical Director. Colyer graduated with his BFA in Theatre Performance with concentrations in Directing, Scenic Design and Scenic Construction from Baylor University in Waco, TX. Post grad, Colyer worked as the Assistant Technical Director for the Savannah Summer Theatre Institute in Savannah, GA and as a Production Manager at Theatre 3 in Dallas, TX, as well as freelance designing Twelfth Night and The Amish Project for Baylor University and Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus here at the FAC. Colyer is thankful for the opportunity to call Colorado Springs home and to have found his way back into the arts, building the worlds that transport actors and audiences alike. Break a Leg!
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 two 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.
Alexander Palmer (Head of Sound) has been working in theatre as an audio engineer for over a decade. First starting out with local black box theaters, Alex has cultivated a wealth of knowledge on everything from sound design to mixing. His other work includes being a recording engineer at CCM Recording Studios where he records, edits, mixes and masters work for music production, audiobooks, and voiceover. Previous clients include NPR, 20th Century Fox, and Asics. Alex has also taught at the Colorado Film School, one of the top ten in the U.S. for Film Production. His education includes Shenandoah University and the University of Colorado Denver. Alex brings all of these skills to bear in every production and loves every part of the process. Working with creatives to bring their work to the highest level of quality is what keeps him going.
Bekah Irwin (Theatre Administrative Assistant) is a big nerd with a deep love of the performing arts. This is her first season in this role at the FAC and she’s already loving it. Before she acquired this role, she was Wardrobe Supervisor for the FAC’s 2023-2024 season mainstage shows. She has thrived in supporting roles her whole life and has an extensive list of theatre credits including performing in Snowy Tales at the Ent Center, constructing and performing “Milky-White” for Village Arts’ run of Into the Woods, and stage managing Felt Up: An Evening with Sock-sy Puppets at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver. She performed various crew roles for The Legend of Georgia McBride (FAC), In the Heights (FAC), Sister Act (First Company), and Behind the Façade (Village Arts). Bekah feels so grateful to be able to support so many talented people who have put their heart and soul into this show so that you may be entertained, inspired, and find delight in the arts. She wants to thank her husband Kiffin for his constant love & support and hopes you enjoy the show!
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Herman Tiemens II, MBA, CFP® Executive
Firework by Sydni Griffin
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 BIPOC1 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 long-term relationship-building, we will authentically connect to marginalized communities who may not have felt welcomed here in the past.
• BIPOC1 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 BIPOC1 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 colorconscious 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 BIPOC1, feminine- identifying, 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.
1BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous and people of color
*We See You, White American Theater
FINE ARTS CENTER WHO’S WHO
FAC LEADERSHIP
Executive Director: Nicole Herden
Deputy Director: Maria Capp
Marketing & Communications Strategist: Jessi Burns
Director of Visual Arts and Museum: Michael Christiano
Director of Development: Cristina Gonzales
Director of Events: Rebecca Rounds
Producing Artistic Director: Christopher L. Sheley
Director Bemis School of Art: Tara Thomas
PRODUCTION STAFF
Director: Rebecca Martinez
Scenic Design: Christopher L. Sheley
Costume Design: Lux Haac
Lighting Design: Holly Anne Rawls
Sound Design: Tosin Olufolabi
Projection Design: Katherine Freer
Composer: Julian Mesri
Production Stage Manager: Kristen Wickersheim*
Assistant Stage Manager: Liz Lee*
Prop Supervisor: Jessica Mathews
Spanish Language Consultant: Anita Rodriguez
Cultural Consultant: Chuck Martinez
Carpenters: Hossein Forouzandeh, Matt Phillips, Ben Porter, Maia Rychlik, Rebecca Savage
Charge Scenic Artist: Sarah Talaba
Scenic Artist Assistants: Maia Rychlik, Rebecca Savage, Alyssa Talaba
Stitchers: Mary Jo Farr, Marissa Forrest, Eryn Miller, Ginny Treu
RUN CREW
Deck Chief: Rebecca Savage
Deck Crew: Maia Rychlik, Micah Speirs, Ben Porter
Wardrobe Supervisor: Lauren Asselin
Wardrobe Crew: Annika Lopez, Maggie Stephens, Marissa Forrest
Wig Supervisor: Eryn Miller
Light Board Operator: Hossein Forouzandeh
Audio Engineer & Sound Board Operator: Alex Palmer
Sound A2: Eamon Weber
FAC THEATRE COMPANY
Producing Artistic Director: Christopher L. Sheley
Company Manager: Tim Muldrew
Theatre Administrative Assistant: Bekah Irwin
Director of Production: David Cook
Technical Director/Scene Shop Supervisor: Colyer Dermody
Charge Scenic Artist: Sarah Talaba
Costume Shop Supervisor: Amaya Egusquiza
Resident Lighting Designer/Lighting Director: Holly Anne Rawls
Head of Sound: Alex Palmer
House Manager: Jude Talaba
Assistant House Manager: Nina Koch
FINE ARTS CENTER STAFF
Patron Services Manager: Frances Huntington
Patron Services Assistant Manager: Matthew Driftmier
Patron Services Staff: Jon Adams, Kari Bell
Administrative Staff: Ashley LaCuesta, Amanda Nusbaum
Development Staff: Laura Hines, Kim Sweeney, Jean Truty
Engagement Staff: Blair Huff, Sammie Joe Kinnett
Communications Staff: Sarah Waddell
Lead Operations Associate: Mark Cannon
Operations Associates: Ross Bowdon, Tiffany Scott, Darla Slee, Ian Stewart
Operations Team: Melanie Audet, Megan Brockriede, Rob Estes, Alexandra Martinez, Ken Monefino, Harriette Saide, Danielle Sanchez, Angie Schwickerath
Museum Staff: Alana Adams, Stormy Burns, Jonathan Dankenbring, Kerstin Fay, Sara Hodge, Katja Rivera, JD Sell, Christian Valvano
Bemis School of Art Assistant Director: Jeremiah Houck
Bemis School of Art Staff: James Howard, Kazzandra Medellin
REQUEST FOR STORIES WANT TO SHARE YOUR STORY?
From Playwright Jessica Kahkoska:
Given the historical and ongoing nature of the crypto-Jewish experience in Colorado, a goal of In Her Bones has always been to construct a community-responsive research process. While many of the interviews that informed this play were not documented or recorded per the wishes of participants, our production is honored to partner with the Center for Southwest Studies at Colorado College to invite our audience community to share their oral histories, stories, and experiences with us.
After the performance, you will notice oral history “booths” in the lobby. If you are interested in participating in this process, you can donate your story to a new archive at Colorado College that will be preserved for research purposes in the future. We are interested in anything you might want to share about your family, identity, spirituality, history, or experiences in the San Luis Valley and Southern Colorado. We deeply appreciate your stories and your time in sharing them.
Curtain Call members are the super fans of the FAC Theatre Company. Their contributions allow us to keep up with the artistic risks and technological needs of modern theatre. With the invitation to gather for dinner before every opening night, members can get behind-the-scenes information about the performance, meet the artists who made it, and are the first to hear about new projects and upcoming seasons. Join online at fac.coloradocollege.edu/curtain-call
2024–2025 MEMBERS
(As of Jan 15, 2025)
Tim and Tracy Alderson
Lucas Schiff and Nicole Anthony
Ron Brasch and Una Ng-Brasch
Susan Burghart and Rich Tosches
Mike Edmonds
Harley and Joan Ferguson
Erin Hannan
Lyne Hannan
Bart and Cathy Holaday
Daniel League and Joan Donner
Mike and Robin McGrath
Leann Nitschke
Eric and Jane Ridings
Robert Swanson
Alice Thomas
Herman and Tang-Lin Teo-Tiemens
Ms. Eve Tilley-Chavez and Mr. Sol Chavez
Mark and Jean Truty
Todd and Nancy Whitford
Nathan and Melissa Willers