DWIGHT-ENGLEWOOD SCHOOL PRESENTS
A heartfelt and imaginative play about friendship, loss, and finding where you belong.
SCHENCK AUDITORIUM KHUBANI PERFORMING ARTS CENTER DWIGHT-ENGLEWOOD SCHOOL presents
NOVEMBER
NOVEMBER
NOVEMBER
4:00 pm
7:00 pm
2:00 pm and 7:00 pm
12 13 14 DIRECTED BY:
JEFFREY HOGAN DEAN OF PERFORMING ARTS: MR. ADAM W. SLEE TECH DIRECTOR: MR. JOHN EHRENBERG ASST DIRECTOR: MS. EMMA TAFE COSTUMER: MS. KRIS CUNNINGHAM LIGHTING DESIGNER: MR. TIMOTHY MEOLA
AN AMATEUR PRODUCTION BY ARRANGEMENT WITH: NICK HERN BOOKS
CAST Ella Gorcie ’30 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Little Krishnaa Mudambi ’32 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Blue Caroline Chu ’27 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Grandmer Jesse Lucy ’27 ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Prince Calliope Russell ’28 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� King Mia Burleson ’28 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Queen Alene Huang ’27 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Sea Witch, Merfolk Melody Pane ’32 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Mermaid 1 Portia Roncati ’30 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Mermaid 2 Caroline Sung ’27 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Mermaid 3 Arielle Noy ’30 ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Merfolk Alexander Chu ’30 ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Merfolk Jack Gitomer ’32 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Merfolk Arin Kim ’32 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Merfolk Austin Chu ’32 ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Merfolk Elizabeth “Lizzy” Yruma ’30 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Merfolk Sadie Larrowe ’32 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Merfolk, Ella Austin Tiemann ’30 ������������������������������������������������������������ Soldier, Reporter, Fisherman Noah Vongerichten ’30 ��������������������������������������������� Soldier, Reporter, Security Guard Conrad Minor ’28 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� Soldier, Reporter, Dad Wes Larrowe ’30 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Soldier, Reporter Shay Dogra ’29 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Soldier, Reporter Nicola Rosales ’30 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Lady-in-Waiting
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO TURN OFF ANY PHONES OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES. WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU KINDLY REFRAIN FROM USING SAID DEVICES DURING THE PERFORMANCE. WARNING: THE USE OF CAMERAS AND AUDIO OR VIDEO EQUIPMENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED; FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO PERFORMERS.
COMPANY CALL
Ella Gorcie ’30 (Little) has been performing since the age of two and appeared in her first musical at age five. Since then, she has performed in more than 30 productions, with favorite roles including Matilda in Matilda, Sophie in Mamma Mia!, Kendra in 13, Gabriella in High School Musical Jr., and Damien in Mean Girls (Los Angeles). She is thrilled to return to the stage as Little in Mermaid and looks forward to sharing this special production with the audience. Outside of acting, Ella is a vocalist in DwightEnglewood’s Jazz Rock Band, a trained ballet dancer, voice actor, songwriter, and budding choreographer. She was a 2025 FOXY Award nominee for Original Composition and Performance and has appeared in national modeling campaigns and commercials, as well as voiced a main character in an international animated series. She has also choreographed performances for D-E’s Cultural Showcase and Hispanic Heritage Assembly. Ella loves singing, dancing, creating music, and, of course, being onstage. She is grateful to her family, friends, and everyone who continues to support her love of the performing arts. Krishnaa Mudambi ’32 (Blue) is excited to play Blue in Mermaid. Her previous credits include Beetlejuice (Girl Scout, Cheerleader,
Mourner), The Little Mermaid, and the 5th Grade Original Musicals, where she made her acting debut as Iris. Offstage, Krishnaa enjoys basketball, rowing, football (LET’S GO GIANTS), and spending time with friends and family. “Thank you to my parents for their support and to my dad for picking me up every day from rehearsal.” Caroline Chu ’27 (Grandmer/Mother) is very sad that this will be her final fall play at Dwight-Englewood. Past credits include A Monster Calls (Mum) and Carrie (Frieda). She would like to thank all of you for coming out to support the theatre program! Enjoy the show! Jesse Lucy ’27 (Prince) is delighted to perform in Mermaid! Previous DwightEnglewood stage credits include Carrie (Tommy), Mean Girls (Principal Duvall), Antigone (Haemon/Polyneices), 6th Night (Malvolio), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Swing), She Kills Monsters (Miles), Willy Wonka Jr. (Grandpa Joe), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Nick Bottom), and Annie Jr. (Rooster). Backstage, he served as spotlight operator for The Wizard of Oz Jr. Offstage, Jesse works as a weekend tutor and enjoys reading books and comic books.
COMPANY CALL
Calliope Russell ’28 (King) Previous Dwight-Englewood stage credits include A Monster Calls (Dad), How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery (Narrator 2), Mean Girls (Glen Coco), Antigone (Bellona, Eteocles, Klemos), The Wizard of Oz Jr. (Scarecrow), She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition (Steve), Willy Wonka Jr. (Grandpa George, Oompa Loompa), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theseus). Earlier performance highlights feature Captain Hook in her fourth-grade musical alongside a grumpy dad role in sixth grade. Offstage, Calliope enjoys Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer, mythology, cosmic horror, history, gaming, and storytelling, as well as spending time with friends and family. Mia Burleson ’28 (Queen) is excited to be a part of Mermaid! Past credits include Annie (Grace) and Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory (Grandma Josephine). She would like to thank her family, more specifically, her parents, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Slee, and the cast and crew.
Melody Pane ’32 (Mermaid One/Jade) is thrilled to be a part of the play Mermaid! Past credits include Beetlejuice Jr (Sky/Ensemble) and The Lightning Thief (Medusa, Hades, and ensemble). She also appeared in the 5th Grade Original Musicals as
Mother and the Nunnbetter Dance Theater’s Nutcracker in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. She would like to thank her family, the directors, and the amazing cast and crew. Enjoy the show! Portia Roncati ’30 (Mermaid 2) is very excited to perform in the first play of her high school career! In addition to Mermaid, she is also currently participating in Beetlejuice (Girl Scout 3/Cheerleader) at Applause New York and is a vocalist in the Jazz Rock Band at DwightEnglewood. Her recent performance credits include Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife), Beetlejuice Jr. (Lydia), Matilda (Ms. Honey), A Monster Calls (Sully), and The Lightning Thief (Annabeth). She was a writer, actor, and co-director of The Wicked Switch (Scarecrow). Big thanks to her family, castmates, and friends for all their support! Caroline Sung ’27 (Mermaid 3) has appeared in the D-E productions of A Monster Calls (Monster), How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery (British Detective, Butler); Antigone (Coryphaeus, Servant); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Leaf’s Mom); She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition (Vera, Evil Gabbi, The Beholder); and Willy Wonka Jr. (Phineas Trout). Previously, they were an electrician for their D-E Fifth Grade Opera. Caroline has taken tap and ballet
COMPANY CALL from the ages of three to ten. They spend their time drawing, writing, listening to music, and doing competitive archery. Caroline is proud of how far they have come, and hopes to do great things in the future. Alene Huang ’27 (Sea Witch, Merfolk) has participated in both the senior-directed plays and the mainstage productions at D-E. Her credits include the clown in 6th Night, Green in How To Get Away with Murder, Grandma in A Monster Calls, and the understudy to an understudy (who somehow still got to go onstage) in Carrie. Hooray! She is really excited to do whatever Caroline makes her do with her so she’s not alone. Her participation in this play is part of her big plan to peer pressure (oh no!) Caroline to be in a boy band with her. Arielle Noy ’30 (Merfolk) is thrilled to be a part of Mermaid. Some of her past show credits include Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife) and Cinderella (Prince). She would like to thank her amazing family and friends. Have a nice show! Alexander Chu ’30 (Joe, Child 1, Merfolk) is excited to be a part of this play and looks forward to future shows. Past credits at Dwight-Englewood include Anton and
ensemble in A Monster Calls. Other past show credits: Trevor in Guys and Dolls and ensemble in Lion King Jr. I, I mean, he means, he loves to perform magic for different people. He would like to thank everyone who has helped me, he means him, everyone who has helped him get better and continues to deal with his magic shenanigans. Oh, I was supposed to keep this entire bio in third person, wasn’t I? Take it away from me, I mean him, he means him. Jack Gitomer ’32 (Merfolk) is thrilled to be performing his first show of his DwightEnglewood career! Out of his numerous past experiences, his highlights include Footloose (Willard), The Drowsy Chaperone (Aldolpho), Into the Woods (Rapunzel’s Prince), and Matilda (Nigel, Michael). Outside of Mermaid, he is playing the role of Brett in 13: The Musical. He wants to give a big thanks to Mr. Hogan and his family for all their love and support. Arin Kim ’32 (Katie Baxter, Child 3, Merfolk) is excited to perform in Mermaid! Past performance credits include Beetlejuice Jr. and the 5th Grade Original Musicals.
COMPANY CALL
Sadie Larrowe ’32 (Ella, Child 2, Merfolk) is thrilled to perform in Mermaid as Ella and a member of the merfolk ensemble! She was previously seen as a featured ensemble member in Beetlejuice Jr. and in the 5th Grade Original Musicals, where she made her acting debut. Enjoy the show!
Austin Tiemann ’30 (Lead News Anchor, Land Ensemble) has been in the D-E productions of High School Musical Jr. (Ryan Evans) and Beetlejuice Jr. Austin plays several instruments and enjoys listening to music. He also enjoys comedy, particularly a dad joke once in a while. Outside of performing arts, Austin loves writing because he believes it is like putting the ideas in your head onto a blank piece of paper. He hopes to be more comfortable on stage and to continuously step outside his comfort zone. Noah Vongerichten ’30 (Security Guard, Land Ensemble) is thrilled to make his theatrical debut in Mermaid as a soldier and Royal Security Guard! He would like to thank his family, the directors, and the cast and crew for all their support. Enjoy the show!
Conrad Minor ’28 (Father, Land Ensemble) has been active in theatre for four years and is excited to join the cast of Mermaid!
Wes Larrowe ’30 (Land Ensemble) runs track and is trying out theatre to step outside his comfort zone. He is thrilled to join the cast for this production of Mermaid! Shay Dogra ’29 (Land Ensemble) is thrilled to be part of Mermaid! Past credits include A Monster Calls (Mr. Marl), Guys and Dolls (Benny Southstreet), Shrek (Peter Piper/Knight/Bishop), and Aladdin (Omar). He would like to thank his family, the directors, and the amazing cast and crew. Enjoy the show! Nicola Rosales ’30 (Lady-in-Waiting, Private Secretary, Ensemble) is thrilled to be part of Mermaid! Past credits include Beetlejuice Jr. (Dead Cheerleader, Beetlejuice Clone, Banana). She would like to thank her family, the directors, and the cast and crew for this amazing experience!
COMPANY CALL
Austin Chu ’32 (Merfolk) has been active in the DwightEnglewood community since fifth grade. Early theatrical experiences include Seussical (Who) and 101 Dalmatians (Jasper), alongside co-authoring and portraying Jordan in the 5th Grade Original Musicals. Recent stage credits feature Beetlejuice Jr. (Beetlejuice) in the Middle School musical last year. He is thrilled to continue participating in future D-E productions!
Elizabeth “Lizzy” Yruma ’30 (Merfolk) is thrilled to be performing in Mermaid! She would like to thank her family, friends, and the cast and crew for all their support. Bennett Sachs ’29 (Sound Engineer) Bennett Sachs (Sound Engineer) is a stage manager, lighting designer, technician, and sound engineer. He recently stage managed D-E’s productions of Carrie and Beetlejuice Jr. He has also worked backstage on other D-E productions, including: A Monster Calls, The Lightning Thief Jr., High School Musical Jr., Into the Woods Jr., and The Wizard of Oz Jr. Bennett’s lighting design has been seen in previous productions of Jazz Rock and The Lightning Thief Jr.
Maleah Liao ’27 (Deck Chief) Brian Gutmann ’31 (Light Board Operator) Eliza Herman ’27 (Light Board Operator) Eva Louro ’28 (Stage Crew) Bond Roncati ’32 (Stage Crew) Adelaide Thompson ’30 (Stage Crew) Kaitlyn Tee ’27 (Hair and Makeup) Gabrielle “Gigi” Nwankpah ’30 (Hair and Makeup) Amelia Carroll ’30 (Hair and Makeup) Jeffrey Hogan (Director, Sound Designer, Choreographer) is the Upper School Theatre Teacher and Director. He holds a B.A. in Communications from Marist College and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from Drew University. Throughout his career, he has helmed
more than fifty theatrical productions, guiding students through the art and craft of storytelling on stage. He continues to return to the stage as a performer when time allows—keeping one foot firmly planted in the world he teaches. Above all, Mr. Hogan believes in the transformative power of storytelling to build empathy, connection, and community. Special thanks to everyone who supports the arts in all its capacities at D-E. The ability to be creative is what keeps us human. John Ehrenberg (Director of Technical Theater, Production and Venues, Scenic Designer) holds a BFA in Design and Technical Theater as well as an MA in Production and Stage Management from Montclair State University. John has previously worked as a Scenic Designer, Lighting Designer, Technical Director, Props Master, Scenic Artist and Director in numerous educational and professional theaters. Previous productions include Julius Caesar, Flipped, A Class Act, Hay Fever, Tartuffe, Crimes of the Heart, Company, Be A Good Little Widow, Forum, South Pacific, Summer and Smoke, The 1940s Radio Hour, The Mousetrap, Other People’s Money, Veronica’s Room, Oklahoma!, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Midsummer, Earnest, The Tempest, Guys and Dolls, Out of Order, The Elephant Man, Moon Over Buffalo, Once Upon a Mattress, Into The Woods, Crazy For You, Legally Blonde, A Doll’s House, Steel Magnolias, Urinetown, The Prom, and many others. John would like to thank everyone for their continued dedication, vision and support for Theatre at D-E.
Timothy Meola (Lighting Design) would like to share this haiku: Timothy Loves Dreams Other Worlds Are Created With Nothing but Light. Kris Cunningham (Costume Design) is thrilled to bring her creative talents to Dwight-Englewood, working alongside Director Jeffrey Hogan. She previously partnered with Mr. Hogan on numerous productions at a regional high school in New Jersey, providing both aesthetic and costume design. A former dancer, Kris particularly enjoys watching the next generation of artists embrace the nuances of storytelling and the personal growth that performing offers. To the cast: Congratulations on bringing Carrie to life on the D-E stage. Your hard work and dedication is admirable. Enjoy the run and break a leg! Emma Tafe (Production Assistant) is an elementary school teacher in Summit, and this musical marks her second production with D-E Theatre. With experience in directing, stage management, costuming, and hair & makeup, she is grateful to support this production in any way she can. Adriana Tomeu and Emma Van Kooy (Movement Consultants) David Viera (Sound Advisor) Kelsey Cunningham (Assistant Costume Designer/ Hair and Makeup Lead) Emily Ortiz (Production Assistant)
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid is known across generations as a story of profound yearning beyond the horizon. Long before Disney brought the tale to the screen in 1989 in its most recognizable form, Andersen’s original 1837 text laid bare an agonizing transaction: an outsider so desperate to enter an unattainable world that she surrenders her voice, endures the sensation of walking on shards of glass, and risks total annihilation for the hope of being loved. Known for her raw, uncompromising theatrical adaptations, playwright Polly Teale approaches this classic with that same unsparing grit. In her retelling of the tale, simply titled Mermaid, Teale strips away decades of sanitized nostalgia and pulls the dark fable directly into the present day—transforming a timeless tragedy into an incisive examination of adolescent self-consciousness, bodily pressure, and the cost of belonging. Infused with a social commentary examining the implications of consumerism, media manipulation, and war, Teale’s adaptation becomes more than just a coming-of-age story in modern times; it unfolds as an urgent psychological reckoning. Teale tells the story from the perspective of Blue, a teenage girl living in a struggling seaside town in England. Beset by personal grief, social isolation, and an environment more preoccupied with power and control than human empathy, Blue reimagines the Little Mermaid’s journey, casting herself as both witness and participant to her own story. Through the mermaid and the prince, she unearths unsettling parallels between the fairy tale and the world around her. The mermaid mutilates her body and silences her voice in the hope of becoming worthy of love. Her transformation is not simply physical; it is an act of self-erasure, a surrender of the very things that make her who she is. The prince, a soldier shattered by the trauma of war and struggling with PTSD, returns to a royal family consumed by public relations, decorum, and political expediency. His suffering is swept aside so that the monarchy can project strength, poise, and unblemished nobility to the press. Both characters are expected to conceal the parts of themselves that threaten the image others wish to preserve: one sacrifices her body and voice to meet an ideal, while the other buries his psychological wounds to maintain an illusion of strength. They are trapped by an establishment obsessed with optics over humanity, appearance over substance, and compliance over truth. In a modern culture that bombards adolescents with curated images of perfection and values expediency over experience, Teale’s Mermaid exposes the devastating toll of sacrificing selfhood on the altar of public perception. It confronts the relentless, unrealistic beauty standards placed on young women— pressures that reduce female worth to physical desirability, reward silent compliance, and cultivate a paralyzing bodily shame. At the same time, it exposes the toxic expectations placed on young men to project stoic invulnerability at the expense of their own mental health. Whether through the digital filters that distort our youth, the commodification of our bodies, or the rigid institutions that ignore trauma and suppress the stories of survivors, we are repeatedly shown the dangers of living in silence. The play serves as a stark reminder that an optics-obsessed world will always demand compliance, but true liberation begins the moment we dare to speak our own names and honor our own wounds. As we dim the lights and invite you into Blue’s ocean, we ask you not merely to watch, but to listen—to the unspoken truths, the hidden wounds, and the voices fighting to be heard. If theatre has a purpose, it is to teach us to see one another with genuine empathy rather than judgment. May this story encourage us to challenge the cultures of silence around us, to dismantle impossible standards of perfection, and to build a world where no one has to erase themselves simply to be valued, seen, and heard. Thank you for your support and for joining us on this voyage. Now please sit back, relax, learn, and enjoy the show.
KHUBANI PERFORMING ARTS CENTER WINTER CONCERT SERIES Orchestra Concert Friday, December 4 @ 7:00pm Schenck Auditorium
Chorus & Handbells Concert Wednesday, December 9 @ 7:00pm Hajjar Auditorium
Stage Band Jazz Brunch Sunday, December 6 @ Noon Hajjar Auditorium
Jazz Rock Friday, December 18 Schenck Auditorium
For more events and information, go to www.d-e.org/school-life/arts
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Orchestra DECEMBER
4
7:00 pm
Schenck Auditorium
J
AZZ BRUNCH DECEMBER
Hajjar Auditorium
6 Noon
Chorus & Handbells DECEMBER
Hajjar Auditorium
9
7:00 pm