theater.gmu.edu
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THEATER presents
Co-directed by Djola Branner & Jennifer Hopkins
September 12 @ 7:30 pm
September 13 @ 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm
in TheatreSpace
*ASL interpreted
Recordings and photography of any kind are strictly prohibited.
Content Advisory
The seven pieces in this year’s Originals! are filled with a rollercoaster of emotions and a staggering range of genres. Several pieces tackle difficult themes such as death and the afterlife, gaslighting and emotional abuse, and paranormal and supernatural entities. Rehearsals have been conducted to respect the gravity of these themes in our scripts, while also keeping a jovial and lighthearted approach to draw a necessary boundary between life and art.
CAST AND CREATIVES
10 Minutes To Kill Me
Isabella Koontz
Kajwan Alavi
Ennis Shabab
Anna Higley
Preschool Hamlet
Matteo Hope
Eva Shifflett
Katie Murchison
Kai Yoffe
Liam Sutphin
CJ Erwin
Katie Hindin
Owen Potts
Shakir Lee-kwekwe
Adam Oubrahim
Zachary Kim
Cyris Herrera
Jamil Thompson
Ayden Shimek
Director
Playwright/Asst Director
Charming
Megan
Playwright
Playwright
Playwright
Director
Ham
Gogurt
Leah
Claude
Larry
Paul
Theo
Rosie
Gil
Loner Kid
CAST AND CREATIVES
Stuck on a Subway
Paris Devlin
Matteo Hope
Finn O’Connell
Lily Robisch
Gianna Battaglia
Myles Earley
Brayden Diehl
Elysium by the Thread
Brianna Sullivan
Sasha Sands
Dakari Calloway
Dara Kearney
Keira Bizub
Unlike Me, Unlike You
Katie Rowe
Jax Berg
Ava Peach
Gabriel Holsinger
Bella Ragona
Playwright
Director
Business Man
Kid
Cheetah Print Lady
Wizard
Headphone Guy
Playwright
Director
Ephemera
Cassandra
Modern Cassandra
Playwright
Director
Queenie
Todd
Myra
CAST AND CREATIVES
Self-Help
Palika (DC) Rae Sridurongrit
Keeley Allen
Katie Murchison
Kaitlyn Brittenham
Ally Martins
A Rose and Its Thorns
Thomas Maxson
Lake Rusch
Ethan Hayes
Adia Spezza
Playwright
Director
Pal Ika
Denise
Playwright
Director
Pierce
Rose
Production Team
Djola Branner
Jennifer Hopkins
Isabel Nemati
Justin Valentine
Anna Crowley
Grae Horner
Kyle Crowne
Alexis Meadows
Dae’Quan Shines
Paris Devlin
Lena Salins
Co-Director
Co-Director
Co-Dramaturg
Co-Dramaturg
Properties Coordinator
Lighting Designer
Sound Designer
Sound Designer
Stage Manager
Production Management Intern
Production Manager
Arts Support Umbrella
Micah Stormberg
Carrie Cox
Ezekiel Ajibade
Ethan Osborne
Vika Hearne
Tom Terlecki
Laurel Dunayer
Billy Kessinger
ASU Production Manager
ASU Technical Director
Assistant Technical Director
Scene Shop Supervisor
Props Artisan
Venue Technical Director
Costume Shop Supervisor
Audio Supervisor
Crew
Mya Darnell
Tess Tsolis Light Board Operator
Assistant Stage Manager
Co-Dramaturgs’ Notes
The seven plays presented this evening for the 2025 The Originals, written, directed, designed and acted by George Mason School of Theater students, can be viewed as a reflection of the concerns and tensions of our current moment. How to deal with heartbreak, conflict, violence and complicated relationships. Each original work showcases individuals responding to complex situations, surprises that lead characters into turmoil and turmoil that lead people to unanticipated situations. Emotional turmoil is abundant in the offerings this evening. In these plays, someone deals with the ramifications of a complicated relationship that ranges from family to friendship, or a romantic relationship. A curious thread that runs through many of these plays is death, appearing in forms both lighthearted and weighty. At times it is absurd or innocent, playful and offhanded. At others, it’s imagined as an escape from boredom, from confrontation, from life itself. Each story presented showcases how the characters respond to their unique situation, how relationships can fracture and how they cope with or develop their thinking about unfolding events. These differing portrayals can be tied to our current moment, when the world seems uncertain and rapidly changing. For many young adults, this creates a sense of fragility but also an urgency and a willingness to take risks and live boldly. Live theatre gives us space to confront what unsettles us, to share in laughter and catharsis, and to witness the visions of these artists - how they are shaping the world as they see it.
Isabel Nemati + Justin Valentine Co-Dramaturgs – The Originals
Faculty Co-Directors’ Notes
It is our pleasure to present these fresh voices to our George Mason University audience. As always, The Originals! boasts an incredible ensemble of talented student actors, playwrights, directors, designers, dramaturgs, stage managers, and board ops, and this year is no exception. A dedicated group of faculty and staK have guided and supported students through the production process, but undergraduates provide the creative engine. As codirectors of The Originals! we have mentored student playwrights since the spring semester and through the summer, working with them to bring the best versions of these plays to the stage. Student directors––some chosen by the playwrights and others selected by the two of us––have played a major role in development as well. The tone and timbre of this new work ranges from somber to outrageous. You will witness characters grappling with personal loss and trauma, flirting with and ultimately extricating themselves from double-edged fantasies, resolving misunderstandings with family and friends, and indulging in irreverent play. We invite audiences to lean into these seven amazing new plays––to laugh, cry, and see themselves reflected in the imaginary circumstances of the characters on stage. You provide the last ingredient to the stew, and we truly hope that you enjoy the menu.
Professor Djola Branner + Professor Jennifer Hopkins
DRAMATURG'S NOTE
SCHOOL OF THEATER FACULTY & STAFF
Staff
Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts
Interim Director
Production Manager
Academic Advisor
Administrative Specialist
Marketing Assistant
Faculty
Elizabeth Alman
Kelly Armstrong
Djola Branner
Carrie Cox
Jonathan Dahm Robertson
Rick Davis
Kevin Dunayer
Laurel Dunayer
David Gaines
Erin Gardiner
James Gardiner
David Goldstein
Nicholas Kfoury Horner
Mimsi Janis
Kristin Johnsen-Neshati
Rick Davis
Nicholas Kfoury Horner
Lena Salins
Sara Simanski
Mary Burgess
Hunter Muirheid
Mary Lechter
Billy Kessinger
Minjoo Kim
Kaiulani Lee
Bryce Lenon
Ahmad Maaty
Heather McDonald
Ian McEuen
Yaritza Pacheco
Taylor Payne
Franklin Robinson Jr.
Joseph Walsh
Laura Wayth
Edrie Weekly
DRAMATURG'S NOTE DONOR SUPPORT
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
Anonymous
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Boeing Company
Rev. Dr. Elizabeth P. Braxton
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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 DugganKen and Molly Elston and
The Greater Manassas
Christmas Parade Committee
Linda Evans
Dr. and Mrs. William H. Gilcher
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Vernon W. Gras, Ph.D.
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IBM International Foundation
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Mikki Van Wyk
Verizon Foundation
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1,001 Plays Supporters
Ms. Kristin Johnsen-Neshati & Mr. Amin Neshati
Nicholas Kfoury Horner
Phyllis Krochmal
Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas
Vafa Mostaghim
Virginia Humanities
FRIENDS OF THEATER SUPPORT
Patron ($1,000-$4,999)
Anonymous
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Judy Canyock
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Mr. Edward Jones
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Producer ($500-$999)
Rick Davis and Julie Thompson
Don and Sonja Palomaki
Robert and Ida Portland
Performer ($200-$499)
Susan J. Aitel and Jonathan Goldman
Jacqueline and Clayton Austin
Country Club of Fairfax Charity Foundation
Ms. Kristin Johnsen-Neshati and Mr. Amin Neshati
Mr. and Mrs. Kosmo Tatalias
Verizon Foundation
Rachel and Theodore Winograd
Friend (up to $199)
Alice and Matt Magelssen-Green
Paula Powell
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Emily Roudebush
Joan R. White
Sheila Woods
School of Theater 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 and giving by logging onto our website https://theater.gmu.edu/give