Boy Detective Fails - May 6-7, 2022

present

George Mason University's School of Theater and The Mason Players

present

THE BOY DETECTIVE FAILS by Joe Meno Music by Adam Gwon Lyrics by Adam Gwon and Joe Meno Based on the novel 'THE BOY DETECTIVE FAILS' by Joe Meno Directed by Erin Gardiner Musical direction by Joe Walsh Assistant direction by Lila Gordon Choreography by Ariel Kraje Photographing, videotaping, or making any other audio or visual recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

All outside food and beverages are prohibited inside the performance space.

Please keep a face mask on at all times inside the building. Our COVID-19 safety measures and policies are parallel with those of George Mason University's Safe Return to Campus Initiative.

May 6-7, 2022

presented in

Center for the Arts Concert Hall George Mason University

DIRECTOR'S NOTE DRAMATURG'S NOTE We are so thrilled to bring this unique show to George Mason! Based on the novel by Joe Meno, The Boy Detective Fails is a contemporary musical that lives in a magical world full of mystery and heartbreak.

This play questions everything. Are people evil? Why do they do terrible things? Will we ever understand the motivation of people’s actions? As we get older, it is hard to grasp the world changing from black and white to numerous shades of gray.

Joe Meno wrote his novel in response to the events of September 11th. Struggling to find meaning behind those acts of terror, he created Billy Argo, a former child detective, an echo of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. After suffering a traumatic childhood event, Billy lives away from his hometown for 10 years, only to return now grown to try and solve his last unsolvable mystery.

Book writer Joe Meno and composer Adam Gwon have created a new version of the show specifically for Mason and our cast. We are so honored to be a part of the on-going work on this beautiful piece.

In these uncertain times, we hope The Boy Detective Fails helps bring comfort in the unknown. “Solving little mysteries is good, instead of letting bigger mysteries take hold.”

Erin Gardiner Director, The Boy Detective Fails

DRAMATURG NOTE DRAMATURG'S NOTE The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno is a portrait of a character who is still learning that it is okay not to know everything. As a child detective Billy Argo could solve any case with help from his sister, Caroline, and best friend, Fenton. But as he grows up alone, Billy struggles to come to terms with the natural ways of life and accepting that things are not always in one's control. The story explores the dilemma between “things happen for a reason” and “things just happen,” teaching us that life’s mysteries cannot always be solved.

The musical has taken on many revisions and adaptations based on Joe Meno’s original novel. All revisions follow the heartbreaking story of Daisy Hollis & Caroline Argo. Notice the list of medications at the start of the play. What are they?

Ativan [a tuh Van] - Used to treat anxiety & insomnia, status epilepticus [severe seizures]. Anafranil [uh na fruh nil] - an antidepressant used to treat OCD Seroquel - [seh ruh kwil] - psychotropic medication, used to treat schizophrenia, major depression & bipolar disorders, initially an antipsychotic.

The medications listed imply behavioral and emotional disorders that Billy could have developed as a trauma response after Caroline’s death.

Whether or not they were diagnosed before or after is not important, but the way they inform Billy’s everyday life is relevant to understanding Billy’s motivations and reality. A great starting point for understanding the musical’s timeline is Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’s Seven Stages of Grief (listed below). It’s important to note that these stages are not linear, so get familiar with them and see if you can identify the different stages the characters go through during your time with the piece.

As you enter Billy Argo’s world and mind, allow yourself to be vulnerable with him.

Connect with your younger, more curious self. Make believe, connect the dots and discover. Be a detective yourself but remember, you don’t have to be the hero.

“THAT’S THE ANSWER THAT’S THE KEY; WE LET IT GO; WE HAVE TO SEE”

Jessica Singley & Deema Turkomani Co-Dramaturgs, The Boy Detective Fails

SCENE BREAKDOWN DRAMATURG'S NOTE Act I Scene 1: Prologue & Billy Argo, Boy Detective - Company Scene 2: Caroline - Billy, Caroline, Fenton, Ensemble Scene 3: Amazing - Larry, Billy Scene 4: Out of My Mind - Professor Von Golum, Billy Scene 5: Old Library - Billy, Caroline, Fenton, Ensemble Scene 6: As Long As You are Here - Penny Scene 7: Haunted Mansion - Billy, Caroline, Fenton, Ensemble Scene 8: Evil - Professor Von Golum, Ensemble Scene 9: I Like (The Secret Song) - Billy, Penny Scene 10: After Secrets/Haunted - Billy, Caroline, Fenton, Ensemble

INTERMISSION (15 MINUTES) Act II Scene 1: That's All - Dale, Violet, Billy, Ensemble Scene 2: Little Mysteries - Penny, Billy Scene 3: Under the Porch Scene 4: Amazing (reprise) - Larry, Billy Scene 5: Billy Argo, Boy Detective (reprise) - Ensemble Scene 6: Always - Professor Von Golum Scene 7: Fenton's Room Scene 8: Let Me Save You - Billy, Caroline, Ensemble Scene 9: Finale - Billy, Penny

DRAMATURG'S CAST NOTE Billy Argo......................................................................Darren Badley Penny Maple.............................................................Natalie Cumming Larry ..............................................................................Tony Lemus Daisy Hollis ...............................................................Grace McNamee Dale Hardy .................................................................Brandon Morris Detective Brown .............................................................Gill Rydholm Caroline Argo ..................................................................Bianca Peña Violet Dew.................................................................Kamy Satterfield Fenton Mills..................................................................Walker Vlahos Professor Von Golum .......................................................Arielle Ward Ensemble .................................................................Taylor Alexander Lexi Carter Kendall Huheey Julia Leipertz Alana Lyons Sarah Stewart Ryan Von Slomski

DRAMATURG'S MUSICIANSNOTE Piano/Conductor.................................................................Joe Walsh Drum Set..........................................................................TJ Maistros Upright Bass.....................................................................Cyndy Elliot Flute......................................................................Eunice Richardson Clarinet.....................................................................Lindsay Williams

DRAMATURG'S PRODUCTION TEAM NOTE

Director................................................................................Erin Gardiner Musical Director.........................................................................Joe Walsh Assistant Director.....................................................................Lila Gordon Choreography............................................................................Ariel Kraje Stage Manager......................................................................Samba Pathak Assistant Stage Managers..................................................Addison Picardat Elisabeth Dupuy Dramaturg(s)...................................................................... Jessica Singley Deema Turkomani Lighting Designer.................................................................Merin Lemoine Deck Audio...............................................................Shyloh-Symone Bailey Audio Mixer..............................................................................Ben Counts Costume Coordinator........................................................Kamy Satterfield Lila Gordon Intimacy Coach........................................................................Mimsi Janis Deema Turkomani Shop Artisan......................................................................Caleb McMurtry Anna Jungkeit Light Board Operator......................................................Jaylen "Jay" Dews Percie Sylvester Production Manager...........................................................Ruth Yamamoto Technical Director......................................................................Carrie Cox Lead Carpenter.................................................................Stephan Starling Costume Shop Supervisor....................................................Laurel Dunayer Faculty Mentors..................................Kristin Johnsen-Neshati (Dramaturgy) Ruth Yamamoto (Stage Management) Sherrice Mojgani (Lighting) Carrie Cox (Props) Kevin Dunayer (Sound)

DEPARTMENT SUPPORT DRAMATURG'S NOTE arts support umbrella CVPA Production Manager CFA Production Manager Program & Production Coordinator Technical Director

Dan Hobson Jessica D’Angelo Megan Webb Carrie Cox

Audio Supervisor

Billy Kessinger

Audio Technician

Reid May

Master Electrician Assistant Master Electrician

Bethany Thompson Will Gautney

Costume Shop Supervisor

Laurel Dunayer

Costume Shop First Hand

Vicki Burroughs & Sarah Alspach

Sound Intern Lighting Interns Management Interns Production Interns Paint Intern Costume Shop Student Interns

Sloan Martin Merin Lemoine & Caleb McMurtry Sarah Strunk & Samba Pathak Vika Hearne & Mike Sarisky Susan Lane Jaime Ericson, Charlotte Langford & Luisa Romero

Props Intern Shop Artisans

Marty Bernier Caleb McMurtry & Anna Jungkeit

Construction Practicum Students

Darren Badley, Dulci Russell, Alex Berrios, Xavier Howard, Ben Counts, David Poach, Eli Nguyen, Jay Martinez, Sarah Stewart, Miles Tison, Bianca Peña, Addison Picardat, Macayla Smith, Lexi Carter, Konstantin Langenberg

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS DRAMATURG'S NOTE the mason players staff Company Manager

Deema Turkomani (they/them/theirs)

Associate Company Manager

Megan Lederman (she/her/hers)

Company Secretary

Addison Picardat (she/her/hers)

Sales Coordinator

Nathan Tilley (he/him/his)

Company Historian

Annie Graninger (she/her/hers)

Marketing Manager

Samba Pathak (he/him/his)

Development Manager

Luke Rahman (he/him/his)

players4change staff Co-Creator

Deema Turkomani (they/them/theirs)

Co-Creator

Steven Franco (he/him/él)

Equity and Empowerment Manager

Darren Badley (he/him/his)

Equity and Empowerment Manager

Natalie Cumming (she/her/hers)

Equity and Empowerment Manager

Kenya Gary (she/they)

alpha psi omega officers President

Marty Bernier (he/him/his)

Vice President

Addison Picardat (she/her/hers)

Secretary

Elisabeth Dupuy (she/her/hers)

Treasurer

Ariel Kraje (she/her/hers)

Associate Member Coordinators

Jeremy Pritchard (he/she/they) Zoe Winter (she/her/hers)

Historian Community Service Chair Education Deputy

Bella Panciocco (she/her/hers) Darren Badley (he/him/his) Kendall Huheey (she/her/hers)

DRAMATURG'S DONOR SUPPORT NOTE

The School of Theater wishes to thank the following donors for their generous support Professional Artist Residency in Theater (PART) Legacy Donors Kenneth and Carol Adelman

Marilyn Jones

Anonymous

Eileen Mandell

John and Deborah Blacksten

Dr. Alan Merten and

Doris Bloch and Bill Hunt

Mrs. Sally Merten

Boeing Company

Mack and Paulette Miller

Rev. Dr. Elizabeth P. Braxton

Merle L. Mulvaney

Mary Brescia

Diane and Tim Naughton

Jane and Chris Brewster Ms. Lois Brown Byrd International, L.L.C. Gordon and Judy Canyock Ms. Grace Chae Chevy Chase Trust Council on American-Islamic Relations Ms. Chris Downey Charles and Eileen Duggan Ken and Molly Elston and The Greater Manassas Christmas Parade Committee

Warner and Cheryl North Mr. Ronald Page Robert and Ida Portland Mrs. Lauren W. Rabb Diane and Robert Rafuse Captain Marsha and Robert Rease Ted and Anne K. Rosenblum Ms. Ann Steers Daniel and Ann Toohey Mikki Van Wyk Verizon Foundation Edward and Wava Vigen

Linda Evans

1,001 Plays Supporters

Dr. and Mrs. William H. Gilcher

Anonymous

Irwin and Fay Gold

Ms. Kristin Johnsen-Neshati and

Vernon W. Gras, Ph.D.

Mr. Amin Neshati

Mr. Carl Hemmer

Literary Managers and

Emmett L. Holman, Ph.D.

Dramaturgs of America

IBM International Foundation

Mrs. Phyllis Krochmal

Ms. Kristin Johnsen-Neshati

Vafa Mostaghim

and Mr. Amin Neshati

Nicholas Kfoury Horner

SCHOOL OF DRAMATURG'S THEATER FACULTY NOTE & STAFF Director of the School of Theater

Djola Branner

Production Manager

Ruth Yamamoto

Program Manager

Nicholas Kfoury Horner

Academic Adviser

Sara Simanski

Office Manager

Mary Burgess

Romanticism to Present

Elizabeth Alman

Technical Direction Fundamentals of Production

Carrie Cox Jonathan Dahm Robertson

Directing

Rick Davis

Event Technology, Sound, Fund. of Production

Kevin Dunayer

Costume Technology

Laurel Dunayer

Acting for the Camera, Audition Techniques

Amr El-Bayoumi

Acting I, Advanced Movement for Actors

David Gaines

Musical Theater Ensemble, Voice and Speech

Erin Gardiner

Acting Shakespeare, Great Film Performances

Edward Gero

Screenplay Workshop Theater Education, Acting II Advanced Study of Directing/Dramaturgy Advanced Sound Engineering Artists in the Real World, Finding Your Voice

David Goldstein Mimsi Janis Kristin Johnsen-Neshati Billy Kessinger Kaiulani Lee

Acting I

Bryce Lennon

Acting I

Ahmad Maaty

Lighting Design, Intro to Theatrical Design

Sherrice Mojgani

Theatrical Medium, Adv. Voice, Adv. Dramaturgy

Theresa Ohanian

Script Analysis Contemporary Playwrights of Color Stage Combat, Movement for Musical Theater Stage Management, Acting, Improvisation

Franklin Robinson, Jr. Shaila Schmidt Stefan Sittig Ruth Yamamoto

FRIENDS DRAMATURG'S OF THEATER NOTE SUPPORT from July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021

angel ($5,000+)

performer ($200 - $499)

Anonymous Judy Canyock Norma Jean Reck

John and Toni Acton Susan J. Aitel and Jonathan Goldman Mr. Clayton M. Austin Doris Bloch and Bill Hunt Dorsey and Catherine Drummond Roland and Victoria Fabia Edward and Marjike Gero Catie and Mark Hubbard Ms. Kristin Johnsen-Neshati and Mr. Amin Neshati Mr. Edward Jones David and Barbara Kilpatrick Dr. Michael and Mrs. Linda Kostrzewa Mitre Corporation Don and Sonja Palomaki Dr. Victoria N. Salmon and Mr. John J. Salmon Joseph Walsh Bob and Pat Warakomsky Christopher M. Ward Dr. and Mrs. George Whipple Rachel S. Winograd

sponsor ($2,500-$4,999)

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Foundation

patron ($1,000 - $2,499) Helen and Bill Ackerman Dianne and Gerard Blais Harry and Pamela Bookey Dr. Rick Davis and Ms. Julie Thompson Charles and Eileen Duggan Art and Linda Hamerschlag Dr. Joy Hughes and Mr. Kenneth Lee The Jacquemin Family Foundation, Inc. John and Tracie Jacquemin Henry Linsert Timothy McEvoy Mack and Paulette Miller David Ottaway Robert and Ida Portland Dr. Peter N. Stearns and Ms. Donna L. Kidd Steve Tipton Van Metre Companies Foundation, Inc. Sherry Watkins

producer ($500 - $999) Anonymous Hugh and Sandra Hill William Schneider Mr. and Mrs. Kosmo Tatalias Verizon Foundation

friend (up to $199) Helen Albanese Anonymous Donald Ball Jasmine Barnes Michelle and Steve Barraclough Claudia Borke and Erik Pohlmann Brassard Family Anne Buzalski Timothy B. Cooke and Megan Fowler Cooke Barry and Margaret Fink

FRIENDS DRAMATURG'S OF THEATER NOTE SUPPORT from July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021

friend (up to $199) cont.

Arielle Flax Mary Fuson Beverly George Linda and Shelly Gersten Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Gholz Dr. Thalia R. Goldstein Joseph Gutierrez Linda and Harlan Harber Ian Hastings H. Keith and Joyce Hellems Kyle Imperatore William Inserra Barbara Jacksier and Everett Chasen Shirley Joyce Harriet Kaplan Ms. Diane Kiser Mrs. Phyllis Krochmal Robert Langelier Ms. Mary Lechter and Mr. Kevin Murray Nancy Lewis Paulette Lichtman-Panzer

Brian and Laurie Lindberg Karen and Nick Lygizos Alice and Matt Magelssen-Green Eileen Mandell Lene Mcvoy Mr. R. Wesley Meekins Robert Merrill Marianne and Seymour Metz Kim and Ralph Moden Jill Norris Linda and Mike Renzi Emily Roudebush May E. Roy Terry Sarley Willa and David Siegel James Slawski Kathleen Trainor Roy and Margaret Wagner Rebecca P. Wahls Frank T. Watrous Dean and Andrea Westman Joan R. White Zachary Wilcox

Theater at Mason would like to thank the Friends of Theater for their ongoing support of our programs, especially their support of scholarships for our students. Please consider becoming a Friend.

Please consider giving by logging onto our website https://theater.gmu.edu/give Special thanks to Chris Youstra, JC Cantrell, Adam Gwon, & Joe Meno

SCHOLARSHIP DRAMATURG'S RECIPIENTS NOTE School of Theater Scholarships (continuing awards): Dezire Duverglas, Steven Franco, Abigail Hastings, Bianca Peña, Julia Rudgers, and Nathan Tilley The Howard Vincent Kurtz Endowed Scholarship in Design: Jaime Ericson The Mack & Paulette Miller Theater Scholarship Endowment (2021): Darren Badley The Brower “BC” Spransy Memorial Scholarship Endowment (2021): Tony Lemus The Chris Parsons Memorial Scholarship: Marty Bernier The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Theater Scholarship: Alexandria Hardin The School of Theater congratulates our 2020 scholarship recipients:

Arts by George Scholarships (awarded Spring 2020): Kat Amato, Darren Badley, Jessica Barraclough, Alex Berrios, Erin Cleary, Garvey Dobbins, Samuel Dunn III, Em German, Ariel Kraje, Lenny Mendez, Bianca Peña, Julia Rudgers, Austin Shores, Tyler Shores, Jacqueline Smith, Shanell Stukes, and Alex Weimeyer Friends of Theater at Mason Scholarships (awarded Spring 2022): Alexandra Berrios, Hasan Crawford, Khue Duong, Steven Franco, Annie Graninger, Megan Lederman, Merin Lemoine, Tony Lemus, Alana Lyons, Shannon Rodgers.

THE MASON PLAYERS Spring 2022 Performance Season

EVERYBODY

MASON CABARET

by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Created by Erin and James Gardiner

March 31-April 9, 2022

April 15-16, 2022

JUST LIKE US

THE BOY DETECTIVE FAILS

by Karen Zacarias

April 29-May 1, 2022

@THEMASONPLAYERS

by Joe Meno | Music by Adam Gwon

May 6-7, 2022

theater.gmu.edu TheMasonPlayers.com