Jake Lebowitz
A standing ovation for the arts
An Open Book for Whatever You Need Printed
For unmatched performance, look no further than IRT and Printing Partners.
Printing Partners offers full-service solutions including
printing, targeted mailings, impactful signage, professional publishing, quick-turn copying, branded promotional products, custom puzzles, and tailored packaging — it’s all as open as a book for you.
Great stories don’t just entertain — they inspire!
OneAmerica Financial ® is proud to stand behind the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT), season after season. Our sponsorship is amongst the longest running in community theater nationwide. It’s a legacy rooted in our belief that the arts make our community stronger and better connected.
As the curtain rises on the 2025–2026 season, let’s celebrate IRT’s enduring impact and look forward to another year of imagination and inspiration.
— Scott Davison Chairman, President and CEO
OUR MISSION & VISION
MISSION
Rooted in the heart of Indiana, Indiana Repertory Theatre is committed to building a vital, vibrant, and informed community through the transformational power of live theatre. The Indiana Repertory Theatre produces inclusive, top-quality, professional theatre and community programming to engage, surprise, challenge, and entertain members of the whole community
VISION
The Indiana Repertory Theatre will welcome the whole community, becoming a place of belonging for an ever-expanding audience of all ages and backgrounds seeking meaningful and enjoyable experiences. Using theatre as a springboard for both personal reflection and community discussion, our productions and programs will inspire our neighbors to learn about themselves and others. As the largest non-profit theatre in the state of Indiana, IRT’s goal is to help make Indiana a dynamic home of cultural expression, economic vitality, and a diverse and engaged citizenry.
SUSTAINING A PROFESSIONAL, RESPECTFUL, INCLUSIVE, & CREATIVE ATMOSPHERE
• Producing diverse plays, we strive to provide insight and celebrate human relationships through the unique vision of the playwright.
• Employing professional artists of the highest quality, we nurture an environment that allows them to grow and thrive on our stages and in our communities.
• We foster a creative environment where arts, education, corporate, civic, and cultural organizations collaborate to benefit our community.
INCLUSION & BELONGING
• Our community thrives when diverse voices and peoples gather to make, watch, and support theatre.
• It is our responsibility as a community resource to open our doors wide, welcoming all to our high-quality, relevant art.
• To be an inclusive organization we must seek knowledge and understanding to identify discriminatory practices and increase cultural awareness in collaboration with, and learning directly from historically excluded communities.
PRUDENT STEWARDSHIP OF OUR RESOURCES
• As a public-benefit organization, we focus on community service, artistic integrity, and creating a range of ticket prices that allow all segments of our community to attend.
• Fiscal responsibility and financial security fuel our institutional sustainability.
• To ensure institutional longevity, we continue to grow our endowment fund as a resource for future development.
Due to union agreements, photography, video, and audio recording are not permitted during the performance. The videotaping of productions is a violation of United States Copyright Law and an actionable Federal Offense.
ACKNOWLEDGING THE LAND
Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here or removed from here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Acknowledgment of the land which the IRT now occupies is critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage.
We want to acknowledge that what we now call Indiana is on the ancestral lands of many indigenous peoples including the Miami, Piankashaw, Wea, Potawatomi, Kickapoo, Delaware, and Shawnee. We pay respects to their elders past and present. Please take a moment to consider the many legacies of displacement, migration, violence, and settlement that bring us together here today.
This land acknowledgment was created in collaboration with Scott Shoemaker, PhD (Miami Tribe of Oklahoma). Portions of this acknowledgment come from the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture (usdac.us).
ACKNOWLEDGING OUR BUILDING’S HISTORY
The Indiana Repertory Theatre moved to its current site on Washington Street in 1980, renovating and reopening a building that had been shuttered for nearly a decade.
The historic Indiana Theatre was built in 1927, a time when the shameful practice of racial segregation was the standard in movie theatres and public buildings across the United States. The Indiana Theatre building was originally segregated and at some point in its history this practice ceased. Many Indiana residents and their families’ heritage stories recall being treated as less than equal citizens in this building, with some even being barred from entering. We cannot erase this history.
We honor and respect all those who have faced discrimination and harm in this building. We strive every day to make the IRT a place that welcomes all people.
INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE:
Welcoming the whole community
We strive to celebrate and serve the diverse people and cultures that make up our whole community. The IRT is committed to creating and maintaining a theatre that is inclusive, safe, respectful, and accessible.
Whether you have been coming for years or are here for the first time—welcome to your Theatre!
VALUES
• It is our responsibility as a community resource to open our doors wide, eliminate historical barriers, and welcome all to our high-quality, relevant art.
• To be an inclusive organization, we must increase cultural awareness of different backgrounds and experiences.
• IRT thrives when diverse voices and peoples gather to make, watch, learn from, and support live theatre.
COMMITMENTS
• We will represent and engage the diverse people, experiences, cultures, and communities of central Indiana.
• We will focus on inclusive hiring practices and foster a culture of Belonging for artists, staff, board, and vendors.
• We will continue and deepen our commitment to Belonging through training for all board and staff.
• We will be accessible to all audiences, inviting those who have been unheard or unseen in the past.
If you would like to read more about our Inclusion & Belonging work, scan here:
The 2025-2026 IRT Ambassadors at orientation. Photo by Noelani Langille.
Welcome to the Indiana Repertory Theatre!
We are delighted to have you with us for our 53rd season. This year promises moments of laughter, reflection, and stirring music, and we are thrilled to share it with you.
In a busy world, your choice to spend time with us—and invest in live theatre—means so much. Thank you for purchasing a ticket and supporting the IRT.
If you enjoy today’s performance, bring a friend next time! And if you are not already a season ticket holder, we invite you to join our theatre family. Consider exploring our ticket packages or becoming a member of our Repertory Society to deepen your connection to the IRT.
Great art takes both enthusiastic artists and committed patrons. Thanks to you, it all comes to life.
Enjoy the show!
– Jill Lacy, IRT Board Chair
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
CHAIR
Jill Lacy The Lacy Foundation
VICE CHAIR & CHAIR ELECT
Joy Kleinmaier Healthcare Executive
MEMBERS
Kathy G. Cabello
Cabello Associates
Megan Carrico Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Sujata Chugh Quarles & Brady LLP
F. Brooke Dunn
Faegre Drinker
Biddle & Reath
Tom Froehle*
Faegre Drinker
Biddle & Reath
Ashley Garry
Clarivate PLC
Ron Gifford
RDG Strategies LLC
Julie Goodman
The Cabaret
Robert Anker*^
Rollin Dick
Berkley Duck*
Dale Duncan*
James W. Freeman
Nadine Givens*
Michael Lee Gradison*^
Mike Harrington*
Margie Herald^
SECRETARY
Pat Gamble-Moore PNC
TREASURER
Troy Farmer Forvis Mazars
Ricardo L. Guimarães
Indiana University Kelley School of Business
Carrie Hagovsky Fifth Third Bank
Brenda Horn Ice Miller LLP, Retired
Rebecca Hutton
Leadership Indianapolis
Sarah Jenkins Taft Law
Matt Jones
KPMG LLP
Elisha Modisett Kemp
Corteva Agriscience
Nicholas C. Pappas
Frost Brown Todd
Rita Patel
Jane Pauley Health Center
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
Andrew Michie* The Heritage Group
David Klapper
David Kleiman*
Sarah Lechleiter
E. Kirk McKinney Jr.^
Alan Mills
Michael Moriarty
Richard O. Morris*^
Jane Schlegel*
Wayne Schmidt^
Brian Payne
CARVE: Creative Strategies and Executive Coaching
Mary E. Phillips
Capital Group
Barath Raman
Lewis Wagner, LLP.
Peter N. Reist
Oxford Financial Group, Ltd.
Myra Selby
Ice Miller LLP
Darshan Shah
Central Indiana Corporate Partnership
Shelly Smith
Ernst & Young LLP
Amy Waggoner
Salesforce, Inc.
Jerry Semler*^
Mark Shaffer*
Jack Shaw*
Mike Simmons
William E. Smith III*
Eugene R. Tempel*
L. Alan Whaley
David Whitman*
MARGOT LACY ECCLES WAS A LEADING PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES. THE INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE CHERISHES ITS HISTORY WITH MRS. ECCLES AS A SUBSCRIBER, BOARD MEMBER, DONOR, AND CHAMPION OF OUR ORGANIZATION IN BOTH ITS EDUCATIONAL AND ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP. IN RECOGNITION OF MRS. ECCLES’S LEGACY AS BENEFACTOR AND ADVISOR, THE INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE IS PROUD TO HAVE NAMED ITS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR POSITION THE MARGOT LACY ECCLES ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.
BENJAMIN HANNA
Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director
SUZANNE SWEENEY Managing Director
IRT LEADERSHIP
Ben is in his third season as IRT’s Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director, following six years as the company’s Associate Artistic Director. At IRT he has directed ThePlayThatGoes Wrong,LittleShopofHorrors,Clue,Fahrenheit451,The BookClubPlay,AChristmasCarol, and Elephant&Piggie’s “WeAreinaPlay!,” among others. This season he directed The39Steps.
As a director, educator, and community engagement specialist, Ben is guided by the belief that access to high-quality theatre helps build creative, empathetic people and healthy communities. Across his career, he has focused on building the next generation of artists and audiences by creating and advocating for multigenerational, multi-cultural, and family-oriented programming. Prior to his role at IRT, he spent five years at Berkeley Repertory Theatre and directed shows at the Bay Area Children’s Theatre. In his native Minnesota, he served on the education staff of Penumbra Theatre Company and was an artistic associate at Children’s Theatre Company. He is the recipient of the prestigious Theatre Communications Group Leadership University Award funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and is a graduate of the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Program— Class XLVI.
Ben holds a degree in theatre arts from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He fell in love with telling stories at the age of eleven at the Prairie Wind Players community theatre in rural Minnesota, and he continues to create for his favorite audience: his five nieces and nephews.
Suzanne is a 27-year veteran of the IRT and is excited to work with Benjamin Hanna as co-CEO of the company, where she oversees its administrative functions. During her tenure, the IRT has raised $20 million for its Front and Center campaign and another $5 million for the renaming of the Upperstage Theatre to the Janet Allen Stage, renovated the Upperstage Lobby and restrooms as well as the Artistic Administration offices, and secured a longterm lease for the building with the City of Indianapolis. Suzanne was elected Treasurer of the national League of Resident Theatres, where she serves as a board member. She has been a three-time panelist for Shakespeare in American Communities in cooperation with Arts Midwest. She was the treasurer of Irish Fest for nine years, a member of the board of directors and treasurer of the Day Nursery Association (now Early Learning Indiana) for three years, and treasurer of IndyFringe.
Suzanne is a graduate of the College of William & Mary and Indiana University. She has worked in finance in Washington DC, Texas, Germany, Hawaii, and New Zealand. She is an alum of the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Program (Class XXXI). She lives in Lockerbie with her son, Jackson, and spends some of her downtime in Huntley, Illinois, with her partner, Todd Wiencek.
INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE STAFF & ASSOCIATES
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Benjamin Hanna
Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director
Suzanne Sweeney
Managing Director
ADMINISTRATION
Drew Kowalkowski
Director of General Management and Special Projects
Jacob Lang
Executive & Artistic Assistant
ARTISTIC
cara hinh
Associate Artistic Director
Jessica Huang
Playwright-in-Residence
Hillary Martin
Company Manager
Seavor M Roach
Production Manager
Richard J Roberts
Resident Dramaturg
Becky Roeber
Production Coordinator
ASL INTERPRETERS
Robin Reid
Tara Parchman
Randy Nicolai
Jack London
AUDIO DESCRIBER
Edith McDonnel
Paul Drew
BUILDING SERVICES
Mark Dehn
Building Manager
Building Team
Tonika Miller
Cedric Mitchell
Kendall Thompson
COSTUME SHOP
Bailey Lewis
Wardrobe Assistant
Kimberly Loya-Enriquez
First Hand/Stitcher
Rebecca Reyes
First Hand/Wardrobe Coordinator
Sarah Travis
Draper
Patrice N. Trower
Costume Shop Manager
DEVELOPMENT
Brady Clark
Development Systems
Jennifer Hiatt
Associate Director of Development
Nataly Lowder
Director of Development
Eric J. Olson
Institutional Giving Manager
Haley Paulin
Development Operations Manager
Steven Stolen
Corporate Strategies,
Senior Advisor/Consultant
EDUCATION
Anna E. Barnett
Education Manager
Devan Mathias
Education Assistant
Claire Wilcher
Education Coordinator
ELECTRICS
Aaron Burns
Electrician
Beth A. Nuzum
Lighting Supervisor
Meg Stockreef
Lead Electrician
FINANCE ASSOCIATES
Crowe
External Auditors
Faegre Drinker
Legal Counsel
FINANCE
Jeffrey Bledsoe
Director of Finance
Jen Carpenter
Payroll & Benefits Specialist
Amanda Keen
Business Manager
INCLUSION
Devon Ginn
Director of Inclusion &
Community Partnerships
MARKETING
Kerry Barmann
Associate Director of Marketing
Geneva Denney-Moore
Design & Communications Manager
Danielle M. Dove
Director of Marketing & Sales
Megan Ebbeskotte
Audience Development Manager
Noelani Langille
Multimedia & Design Manager
Doug Sims
Group Sales & Teleservices Manager
PAINT SHOP
Jessica Carlson
Assistant Charge Scenic Artist
Claire Dana
Charge Scenic Artist
Jim Schumacher
Scenic Artist
PATRON SERVICES
Katy Thompson
House Manager
Assistant House Managers
Grace Branam
Stacy Brown
Preston Dildine
Dieter Finn
Marilyn Hatcher
Sarah James
Alicia McClendon
Tina Weaver
Bartender
Courtney Plummer
Madison Pickering
Jeff Pigeon
Phoebe Rodgers
Kathy Sax
Karen Sipes
Sam Stucky
Senior Customer Service Representative
Chelsea Senibaldi
Ticket Office Manager
Molly Wible Sweets
Tessitura Administrator
Eric Wilburn
Senior Customer Service Representative
Customer Service Representatives
Ashlee Lancaster
Cara Wilson
Emily Worrell
PRODUCTION
Lb Crash Clark
Ben Dobler
Lee Edmundson
Brit Hayth
Louie Kaufman
Amanda Keen
Dwayne Lewis
Samantha Lewis
Guy Clark
Cat Fritsch
Amanda Rooksberry
PROPERTIES SHOP
Rachelle Martin
Properties Shop Manager
Dan Tracy
Properties Shop Carpenter
SCENE SHOP
Chris Fretts
Technical Director
Andrew Hastings
Master Carpenter
Nick Kilgore
SceneShop/AutomationSupervisor
Eleanor Koch Carpenter
Samantha-Rae Oliver
Operations Carpenter
Jacob Spencer
Stage Operations Supervisor
SOUND & VIDEO
JT Langdon
Audio & Video Technician
Madilyn O’Neal
AudioEngineer/Technician
STAGE MANAGEMENT
Josh-Andrew Wisdom
Stage Manager
Erin Robson-Smith
Stage Manager
Production Assistants
Isabella Garza
Amanda Rooksberry
Natalie Stigall
Swing Production Assistant
Samantha Lewis
Rob Johansen in the IRT’s 2025 production of The Play That Goes Wrong.
Photo by Zach Rosing.
OCT 28 - NOV 23
Janet Allen Stage the roots of rock ’n’ roll
NOV 15 - DEC 24
OneAmerica Financial Stage Indy’s holiday tradition
JAN 27 - FEB 22
OneAmerica Financial Stage a journey of self-discovery
MAR 10 - APR 4
Janet Allen Stage the power of language
APR 7 - MAY 10
OneAmerica Financial Stage a remarkable true story of resilience
Top:TylerMeredith,MichaelStewartAllen,EmaZivkovic,andJürgenHooper
ThatGoesWrong. Bottom:KaylaCarter,JenJohansen,KennethLa’RonHamilton,
Johansen
Behind every performance is a stage full of unseen costs. From spotlights and sets to costumes and community programs, every detail adds up to create a world-class theatre experience for YOU!
Your general donation—whether a one-time contribution, a monthly pledge, or a planned gift—helps cover the greatest needs of the Theatre and ensures the show goes on for audiences of all ages.
• MAKE YOUR MARK
•
You can also make your mark on the next generation of students, actors, and artists by joining the Ovation Society and creating a legacy gift at the IRT. Ensuring a lasting impact on your community can be as simple as including the IRT in your estate plans. For more information visit irtlive.com/ovation.
Your support powers every performance— today and for years to come! Scan the QR Code to make your gift.
AerielWilliamsintheIRT’s 2025production
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE ARTS!
By enjoying this performance, you’re joining the 90% of Americans who believe that arts and culture programming are important to quality of life.*
Citizens Energy Group is proud to support local artists, new works, and our creative community.
of Nina Simone: Four Women. Photo by Zach Rosing.
CICF is the community foundation for the Central Indiana region. We help people give to the causes they care about, and we support nonprof its so they can do their work more effectively.
your calendar for February 27, 2026, and join us for
This year’s annual fundraiser takes you to the far reaches of the galaxy, where stars aren’t just in the sky, they’re on our stage.
The cast of the IRT’s 2025 Celebrity Radio Show. Photos by Noelani Langille.
JANET ALLEN STAGE
OCTOBER 28NOVEMBER 23
presented by
CREATIVE TEAM
Directed by CRISTINA ANGELES
Musical Director _______
MORGAN E. STEVENSON
Scenic Designer _________
RODRIGO ESCALANTE
Costume Designer _________
YVONNE MIRANDA
Lighting Designer ____________
Sound Designer ____________
Wig Designer _____________
Intimacy Consultant _________
Dramaturg ____________
Stage Manager _______
JASON LYNCH
CARSEN JOENK
ANDREW ELLIOT
CLAIRE WILCHER
RICHARD J ROBERTS
JOSH-ANDREW WISDOM*
Casting ________________
SUJOTTA PACE CSA
REVIEWS
Share your review on social media by tagging us @IRTLIVE, using #IRTLIVE or by emailing REVIEWS@IRTLIVE.COM
SEASON SPONSOR
SEASON PARTNER
PRESENTING SPONSOR
BENJAMIN HANNA
Margot Lacy Eccles
Artistic Director
THE CAST
(in order of appearence)
SUZANNE SWEENEY Managing Director
Sister Rosetta Tharpe _____________________________________________________
Marie Knight _____________________________________________________
JAELA CHEEKS-LOMAX 1946, Mississippi. A showroom in a modest funeral home. SETTING
APPROXIMATE RUN TIME: 1 hour and 45 minutes, with no intermission.
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION STAFF
Production Assistant: Amanda Rooksberry
Associate Sound Designer: Sid Diamond
Acoustic and Electric Guitars: Spencer Bean
The world premiere of Marie and Rosetta was presented by Atlantic Theatre Company, New York City, 2016.
Marie and Rosetta was developed at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley as part of their New Works Festival. Additional development at the Playwright’s Center and the New Harmony Project.
Marie and Rosetta is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
AFFILIATIONS
Photography and recording are forbidden in the Theatre. The videotaping of this production is a violation of United States Copyright Law and an actionable Federal Offense.
Indiana Repertory Theatre is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a nationwide association of
profit theatres.
director is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent national labor union.
Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States The scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers are represented by United Scenic Artists Local 829, IATSE.
SONGS OF THE PLAY
“This Train” by
Thomas A. Dorsey
“Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?” traditional African American spiritual
“Rock Me” by Thomas A. Dorsey
“Sit Down” by Rosetta Tharpe
“Didn’t It Rain?” traditional African American spiritual
“Lord, Search My Heart” by Mosie Lister
“Tall Skinny Papa” by Lucky Millinder & Rosetta Tharpe
“Four or Five Times” by Byron Gay & Marco H. Hellman
“I Looked Down the Line” by Rosetta Tharpe
“Up Above My Head” traditional gospel adapted by Rosetta Tharpe
“Strange Things Happening Every Day” traditional African American spiritual
“There’ll Be Peace in the Valley for Me” by Thomas A. Dorsey
SISTER ROSETTA THARPE
(1915-1973)
Rosetta Nubin was born in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, in 1915. Her parents were cotton pickers and home musicians. By the time she was six, Rosetta was playing the guitar and singing in church. That year, her parents separated, and her mother, Katie Bell Nubin, joined a traveling evangelist group, taking her daughter with her. In the mid-1920s the pair settled in Chicago, and her mother continued her work as a deaconess-missionary and a women’s speaker for the Church of God in Christ. Rosetta came to be known as a musical prodigy, and mother and daughter continued to perform in local gospel concerts and services and at church conventions across the nation.
Rosetta married Thomas Thorpe, a preacher, in 1934, at the age of 19. In 1938, she left her husband and moved to New York City with her mother. It was around this time that she developed the stage name of Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
In 1938, Tharpe recorded four songs for Decca records. They were instant hits, making her
one of the first commercially successful gospel singers. That same year she began performing at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club with Cab Calloway, and she performed in Carnegie Hall with Benny Goodman, County Basie, and others in a concert titled “From Spirituals to Swing.” Her mixture of gospel-based lyrics and secular-sounding music was controversial but popular. Her virtuoso guitar playing wowed audiences, and the fact that she was one of the few women even playing the guitar at that time brought further attention.
Tharpe recorded “Strange Things Happening Every Day” in 1944. It became the first gospel record to cross over and become a hit on Billboard’s Harlem Hit Parade chart (which later became the R&B chart). The recording has been cited as an important precursor of rock ’n’ roll; some consider it to be the first rock ’n’ roll record.
A second marriage to music promoter Foch Allen was also brief. In 1946, Tharpe heard Marie Knight singing back-up for gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, and invited Knight to tour with her. The two performed and recorded together for three years, and after they went their separate ways remained lifelong friends.
Tharpe’s popularity began to wane in the 1950s. She was invited to tour England and Europe in 1957, opening a new phase in her career, including a live televised concert in
1964. She was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1968. In 1970, Tharpe suffered a stroke and subsequently lost a leg due to complications from diabetes. She died of another stroke in Philadelphia in 1973, on the eve of a planned recording session.
Tharpe’s powerful vocals and hard-driving guitar style are now acknowledged as important precursors to rock ’n’ roll. The list of those who have claimed her as an influence on their work includes such diverse artists as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Lee Lewis, Isaac Hayes, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards,
Tina Turner, Meat Loaf, Neil Sedaka, and Karen Carpenter. In 2017 she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In March 2025, Amazon MGM Studios announced that Lizzo will portray her in an upcoming biopic.
According to Marie Knight, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was buried with her white Gibson SG guitar in her hands. Her gravestone—which was not erected until 2009—says, “She would sing until you cried and then she would sing until you danced for joy. She helped to keep the church alive and the saints rejoicing.”
MARIE KNIGHT (1920-2009)
Born in the South in 1920, Marie Roach grew up in Newark, New Jersey. Her father was a construction worker and her family belonged to the Church of God in Christ. She taught herself the piano and sang in the youth choir at church, quickly graduating to soloist. In 1941 she married Albert Knight, a preacher; together, they had two children.
Knight first toured as a singer in 1939 with evangelist Frances Robinson. She was singing with a gospel quartet, the Sunset Four, when they were invited to sing behind gospel star Mahalia Jackson. Sister Rosetta Tharpe saw a performance in 1946 and persuaded Knight to join her on tour as co-star rather than backup singer. Knight’s deep contralto voice and her more traditional gospel piano style provided an effective contrast to Tharpe’s penetrating belt voice and her driving electric guitar. Together, the two proved to be a popular hit on stage and on recordings. After Knight and her husband divorced, her mother kept her two children while Knight toured. In 1949, the two children and their grandmother died in a house fire.
Although Tharpe and Knight only worked together for four years, they became lifelong friends. Knight continued to tour and record, both on her own and with other musical partners. In the late fifties she expanded her repertoire from gospel to include secular rhythm and blues. In 1965 her rendition of “Cry Me a River” reached No. 35 on the Billboard R&B chart.
As her music career waned, Knight took a job with the telephone company and became a minister at the Gates
of Prayer Church in Harlem. But her gospel career was rejuvenated in 2003 when she contributed a song to a Sister Rosetta Tharpe tribute album, and she continued singing up to her death in 2009. One critic wrote, “Her delivery is soulful enough to surely cause some nonbelievers to want to get right with God.”
THE COMPANY
JAELA CHEEKS-LOMAX (she/her) | Marie Knight is a singer and actor from Mount Vernon, New York, and a proud graduate of Sarah Lawrence College. Credits include The Panic of 29 (Off-Broadway), In This Life (Atlantic Theater Company), Dainty (Playwrights Realm), and Miss You like Hell (Baltimore Center Stage). She is thrilled to make her IRT debut and is grateful for the chance to do what she loves. “Endless gratitude to the ‘Original Five’ and the beautiful additions—I am here because of you.”
CHERISH LOVE (she/her) | Sister Rosetta Tharpe a native of Dallas, Texas, is a dynamic artist with more than twenty years of experience in theatre and music. She has starred in acclaimed stage roles including the Witch in Into the Woods, Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act, and Rabby in Fat Ham. As a producer, arranger, composer, and music director, Cherish has collaborated with artists such as Elle King and Paul Cauthen, with credits on hit shows like Big Little Lies and Grey’s Anatomy. She fully wrote and produced her debut holiday album, Love’s Holiday, featuring performances by singers and musicians based in Dallas–Fort Worth. She also teaches voice and is currently writing her first book, The Artist’s Parallel CherishLoveRobinson.com
CRISTINA ANGELES (she/her) | Director is an Afrolatina director, writer, and theatre maker who develops new plays, musicals, and socially conscious adaptations of classics that place women of color at the forefront. Today, Cristina is the associate resident director at Roundabout Theatre Company, and the founding artistic director of Checkmark Productions, an NYC-based company dedicated to developing new work by artists of the global majority. Her recent directing credits include Hilary Bettis’s Queen of Basel at TheaterWorks Hartford and overseeing the North American productions of Six: The Musical. More at cristinaangeles.com
MORGAN E. STEVENSON | Music Director is a Chicago-based music director, musician, and educator whose theatre credits include Fannie: The Life and Music of Fannie Lou Hamer (OSF, SeattleRep, Goodman, True Colors, Actors Theatre of Louisville, City Theatre, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, IRT), Marie and Rosetta (Northlight, Milwaukee Rep), Passing Strange (Theatrical Outfit), Fela! (Lambert-Smith Media), Little Shop of Horrors and Nina Simone: Four Women (IRT). Morgan E. is a 2022 Suzi Bass Award nominee who recently scored the piano/vocal score for the new opera Safronia (Lyric Opera of Chicago, premiering 2026) and leads MEaux Vibes & VIP, an innovative band that connects all genres in vibrant harmony. https://linktr.ee/morganemusicnow
RODRIGO ESCALANTE | Scenic Designer is originally from El Salvador and based in New York City. Rodrigo’s work has recently been seen at Philadelphia Theater Company, Syracuse Stage, Dorset Theater Festival, TheaterWorks Hartford, American Stage, Great River Shakespeare Festival, INTAR, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Repertorio Español, the Public Theater, Atlantic Theater, Cape Fear Regional Theatre, University of Rochester, Muhlenberg College, Opera House Arts, and Billie Holiday Theatre. For more info visit rodrigoescalante.com
YVONNE MIRANDA | Costume Designer is excited to make her debut at Indiana Repertory Theatre. A United States Marine Corps war veteran who hails from the state of Texas and now resides in Chicago, she has been nominated for the 2022 Helen Hayes Award for Best Costume Design for her work on Woolly Mammoth Theatre and Baltimore Center Stage’s co-production of Ain’t No Mo’, and was named American Theatre’s Role Call: People to Watch. yvonnemirandadesigns.com
JASON LYNCH (he/him) | Lighting Designer is a Chicago-based lighting designer and returns to IRT, where he has designed The Play That Goes Wrong and Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer. Regional: Alley Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Geva Theatre Center, Goodman Theatre, The Guthrie Theater, The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, among others. Awards: Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design (International Black Theatre Festival), one Joseph Jefferson, two Black Theater Alliance/Ira Aldridge, Michael Maggio Emerging Designer. Jason is represented by The Gersh Agency. jasondlynch.com, @jasonlynch.design on Instagram.
CARSEN JOENK | Sound Designer is a multidisciplinary artist and the co-artistic director of Rat Queen Theatre Company. She is also a New Georges Jam member and co-founder of the interactive media company, Sour Milk. Select Sound: Off-Broadway: Garside’s Career (The Mint), Made by God (Irish Rep), you don’t have to do anything (HERE). Regional: Off by One (People’s Light, Barrymore Nominee), The Mountaintop (Weston Theater Company), Goldenleaf Ragtime Blues (Shakespeare Theatre Co.), Julius Caesar (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival). Other: Usus (Clubbed Thumb), Bloom Bloom Pow (ART NY and The New Georges), Fiction (600 Highwaymen).
ANDREW ELLIOT | Wig Designer Andrew is a makeup artist, wig designer, and stylist. His work can be seen with IU Opera and Ballet Theatre, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre, Actors Theatre of Indiana, Phoenix Theatre, Zach & Zack Productions, Summer Stock Stage, and more. As a makeup artist and stylist, his work can be seen locally and nationally in various publications, commercials, industrials, and editorials. He spent 2020 recreating icons of film, fashion, and theatre, which gained national attention, with features in The New York Times, NowThis News, The Indianapolis Star, and Indianapolis Monthly Andrewelliotbeauty.com
SPENCER BEAN | Acoustic and Electric Guitars was born and raised in Los Angeles and attended Cal State LA. Theatre performance credits include the August Wilson African American Theatre in Pittsburgh, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre and Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, and the IRT’s production of Fannie. He has played for various movie soundtracks and jingles as well as The Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, and Sesame Street. He has toured worldwide and recorded on multiple gold and platinum recordings for Gladys Knight & the Pips, Marvin Gaye, and Barry White, to mention a few … including a White House Performance with Gladys Knight for PBS. spencerbeanmusic.com
THE COMPANY
CLAIRE WILCHER | Intimacy Consultant earned her Master of Fine Arts in Theatre from Michigan State University, where she specialized in acting, pedagogy, and intimacy direction. Claire is a Certified Intimacy Director with IDC Professionals (Intimacy Directors and Coordinators), advocating for consent-based theatre spaces, bodily autonomy for actors, and safe-yet-creative storytelling. Her intimacy choreography has been seen on the stages of the IRT, Phoenix Theatre, IndyShakes, Summer Stock Stage, Summit Performance, Purdue University, Marian University, Williamston Theatre in Michigan, Three Brothers Theatre in Waukegan, and Redtwist Theatre in Chicago, among others. More at clairewilcher.com
RICHARD J ROBERTS | Dramaturg This is Richard’s 36th season with the IRT and his 28th as resident dramaturg. He has also been a dramaturg for the New Harmony Project, Write Now, and the Hotchner Playwriting Festival. He has directed IRT productions of A Christmas Carol, Bridge & Tunnel, The Night Watcher, Neat, Pretty Fire, The Cay, The Giver, The Power of One, and Twelfth Night. Locally he has directed for Actors Theatre of Indiana, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, the Edyvean, and many more. Richard studied music at DePauw University and theatre at Indiana University and was awarded a Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis.
JOSH-ANDREW WISDOM | Stage Manager a New York City based freelance stage manager who loves creating art. He has recently served as a production assistant at the Wagner Johnson Production office, assisting various shows like Once upon a Mattress, Lempicka, and Stereophonic. This is his first production with Indiana Repertory Theatre, and he is very grateful to be here in Indianapolis! Joshua is an alum of the Stage Management Professional Apprenticeship Program at the Juilliard School as well as an alum of the University of Miami, with a B.F.A. in stage management.
KEEP GROWING.
BETSY DYSKTRA
SEASON SUPPORTER OF SUZANNE SWEENEY
Managing Director
ANDREW & AMY MICHIE SEASON SUPPORTERS OF BENJAMIN HANNA
Margot Lacy Eccles
Artistic Director
SUSAN & CHARLIE GOLDEN SEASON SUPPORTERS OF ROB JOHANSEN
SARAH & JOHN LECHLEITER
SEASON SUPPORTERS OF JESSICA HUANG
Playwright-in-Residence
of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. © 2021 Corteva.
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ARTIST ENGAGEMENT SUPPORT
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For their support of
Being an Artist Engagmenet Supporter is one of the exclusive benefits of select circles in the Repertory Society. For more information about getting to know your Artists or joining, contact:
DR. ALBERT ALLEN
CHARLES GOAD AND JAMES KINCANNON
ANN HINSON
BILL AND NANCY HUNT
ROB AND SARA NORRIS
STEPHEN OWEN SR. AND DR. CHERYL TOROK OWEN
JILL ANN PANETTA PH.D. AND LEO G. BIANCHI
CATHERINE M. TURNER
DAVE WHITMAN AND DONNA REYNOLDS
For their support of
ONEAMERICA FINANCIAL STAGE
presented by NOVEMBER 12DECEMBER 24
CREATIVE TEAM
Directed by cara hinh
Scenic Designer __________
RUSSELL METHENY
Costume Designer ___________
Lighting Designer ___________
Original Lighting Designer ____
LINDA PISANO
BENTLEY HEYDT
MICHAEL LINCOLN
Composer ________________
Wig Designer _____________
Choreographer _________
MICHAEL KECK
ANDREW ELLIOT
NICHOLAS A. OWENS
Musical Director ___________
Dramaturg ____________
Stage Manager _________
GINGER E. STOLTZ
RICHARD J ROBERTS
ERIN ROBSON-SMITH*
Assistant Stage Manager ______
Additional Casting ___
ISABELLA GARZA
ANDREA ZEE / ZEE CASTING
SEASON SPONSOR
SEASON PARTNER
PRESENTING SPONSOR
ASSOCIATE SPONSOR PRODUCTION PARTNER
BENJAMIN HANNA
Margot Lacy Eccles
Artistic Director
THE CAST (in order of appearence)
CHRISTMAS EVE
Narrators ____________________
Ebenezer Scrooge _____________
Bob Cratchit ________________
Fred ______________
THE COMPANY
ROB JOHANSEN*
HERNÁN ANGULO*
KENNETH LA’RON HAMILTON*
Felicity _________________
NATASIA REINHARDT*
Mercy __________________
Grace __________________
JENNIFER JOHANSEN*
ALYSSA NAKA SILVER
Mrs. Cratchit _________________
Tiny Tim _________
Betsy _________
KAYLA CARTER*
SOFIA PERLAZA or CATE THOMAS
KERAH JACKSON or VIVIAN MORTON
Marley’s Ghost _____________
RYAN ARTZBERGER*
CHRISTMAS PAST
Ghost __________________
NATASIA REINHARDT*
Schoolmaster __________________
Child Scrooge ______
Young Fan ______
CLEO BERRY*
SOFIA PERLAZA or CATE THOMAS
KERAH JACKSON or VIVIAN MORTON
Fezziwig _________________
Young Scrooge ________
SUZANNE SWEENEY Managing Director
CHRISTMAS PRESENT
Ghost ________________________
Lamplighter __________________
Penelope ________________
Persephone _______________
CLEO BERRY*
KAYLA CARTER*
ALYSSA NAKA SILVER*
JENNIFER JOHANSEN*
Topper _____________________
Nutley ___________________
CHRISTMAS FUTURE
Ghost ______________
HERNÁN AGULO*
RYAN ARTZBERGER*
KENNETH LA’RON HAMILTON*
Pawnbroker ______________
JENNIFER JOHANSEN*
Charwoman __________________
Laundress ________________
Undertaker ________________
CHRISTMAS DAY
RYAN ARTZBERGER*
KENNETH LA’RON HAMILTON*
Young Marley _______________
Mrs. Fezziwig _____________
Belle __________________
HERNÁN ANGULO*
JENNIFER JOHANSEN*
Millworkers ___________________
ALYSSA NAKA SILVER* THE COMPANY
SETTING
England. The Eve of the Industrial Revolution.
Production Assistant: Natalie Stigall
Assistant Lighting Designer: Emily Morris
REVIEWS
KAYLA CARTER*
NATASIA REINHARDT*
RYAN ARTZBERGER*
Londoners ____________________ THE COMPANY
Photography and recording are forbidden in the Theatre. The videotaping of this production is a violation of United States Copyright Law and an actionable Federal Offense.
APPROXIMATE RUN TIME: 2 hours, with a 20-minute intermission
AFFILIATIONS
Share your review on social media by tagging us @IRTLIVE, using #IRTLIVE or by emailing REVIEWS@IRTLIVE.COM
The director is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent national labor union. * Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
The scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers are represented by United Scenic Artists Local 829, IATSE.
Indiana Repertory Theatre is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a nationwide association of not for profit theatres.
CHANGE
by cara hinh, Director
It seems as if a year has passed in an instant! I can’t believe that it is already time to come back to the tradition of A Christmas Carol at Indiana Repertory Theatre.
I’m incredibly proud of the show that we put on last year and I know that A Christmas Carol will continue to shine and grow this season. It’s a very rare treat that a director gets to return to a show once again and continues to get to shape, change, and most importantly, play! It’s a reminder of the magic of theatre—how every single performance finds a new life, and not one single show will be a replica of the next.
In sitting with this play for a second time, I have continued to think about the themes that guided me last year—community, compassion, and empathy. This past year of living back in the city of Indianapolis, I can’t help but think on how much it has changed since I last lived here. Childhood haunts closed or moved, or a new section of 465 filled with construction—the thing that has been constant in my year back in Indy has been grappling with change.
Change—the thing that allows Ebenezer his eventual redemption—can feel overwhelming and frightening. But what the story reminds me is that in community, compassion, and togetherness we find hope. Hope that will lead us through the long night filled with the ghosts of our past, present, and future moments. Because together, I know that we can look at each other, recognize our shared humanity, and build a new day together.
Thank you for joining us in this celebration of finding togetherness in all of the change. May you leave the theatre uplifted with laughter, inspired by storytelling, and filled with the spirit of the season!
Author CHARLES DICKENS
The works of the great English novelist Charles Dickens are not only great literature, they are also cracking good reads, with one-of-a-kind characters and stories that both tug at the heartstrings and leave readers breathless with excitement. But the author’s purpose went beyond mere entertainment; his books were almost always designed to alert his readers to the wretched conditions of England’s poor and destitute. Born in 1812, Dickens suffered an impoverished childhood that provided plenty of grist for tales of debtors’ prison and rat-infested factories. Yet despite this poverty and his lack of formal education, he rose from legal clerk to newspaper columnist to best-selling author by the age of 24. During his lifetime, his books—Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, and many more—were wildly popular, not only in England but also around the world; most are still in print. When A Christmas Carol was published in 1843, the holiday was not widely celebrated in England; the book inspired such a revival that the author became known as Father Christmas. In his later years, Dickens made almost a second career of public readings of this beloved novel. Long before he died in 1870, he was hailed everywhere as the greatest writer of his age.
Playwright
TOM HAAS
Tom Haas was artistic director of the IRT from 1980 until his untimely death in 1991. Prior to his association with the IRT, he was artistic director of PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He was associate director at Yale Repertory Theatre and head of the ActingDirecting Program at Yale University, where his students included Henry Winkler, Sigourney Weaver, and Meryl Streep. At the IRT, Tom directed 40 productions, including memorable renditions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mourning Becomes Electra, The Skin of Our Teeth, The Cocktail Party, Six Characters in Search of an Author, and, of course, A Christmas Carol IRT audiences also saw his stage adaptations of Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Three Musketeers, as well as the musical Operetta, My Dear Watson and dozens of Cabaret shows. Tom’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol was produced at the IRT annually from 1980 through 1984. The play returned in 1996 and has been a welcome holiday tradition ever since.
THE COMPANY
HERNÁN ANGULO (he/him) | Bob Cratchit, Young Marley, Topper, & Ensemble Hernán is a multihyphenated artist based in Los Angeles and a proud son of immigrant parents from Mexico. He is thrilled to be making his IRT debut! Regional theatre credits: The Lifespan of a Fact (Aurora Theatre Company), Sanctuary City (Berkeley Rep/ Arena Stage), Cymbeline (American Conservatory Theater), In Love and Warcraft (A.C.T./ Perseverance Theatre). Hernán’s work in the short film Gloria was recently featured at Tribeca Festival. He earned his B.A. at UC Berkeley and his M.F.A. in Acting from American Conservatory Theatre.
RYAN ARTZBERGER | Marley, Fezziwig, Nutley, & Ensemble Ryan’s IRT credits include A Christmas Carol, Spelling Bee, Little Shop of Horrors, Clue, Oedipus, Cyrano, Tuesdays with Morrie, The Diary of Anne Frank, Noises Off, Romeo and Juliet, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Crucible, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, God of Carnage, Rabbit Hole, Iron Kisses, and Death of a Salesman. Ryan is executive artistic director of the Indianapolis Shakespeare Company. Regional credits include Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC, Studio Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Goodman Theatre, Berkeley Rep, Lookingglass, and Great Lakes. Graduate of Ohio University and Juilliard. “Love to Marita, Will, and Clara.”
CLEO BERRY | Schoolmaster, Christmas Present, Undertaker, & Ensemble Cleo is an actor, writer, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. He is an alumni of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (NYC). Tours: Seussical the Musical as Horton and Children’s Letters to God. TV credits: House, M.D. (Fox), Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! (Netflix), School of Rock (Nickelodeon), and the voice of Grant on Firebuds (Disney). Film credits: Love Is All You Need and cult fave The Sand. Favorite Campaigns: Best Buy, DirecTV, and Tide. He is thrilled to return to the stage after fifteen years. “Thanks to my team at AWA, manager Susan Calogerakis, and community for their support. Let’s keep dreaming, y’all!”
KAYLA CARTER | Mrs. Cratchit, Lamplighter, Charwoman, & Ensemble Kayla is a singer, actor, and musician who is holly jolly to return for her third IRT Carol. Chicago credits include Roe, How to Catch Creation (Goodman Theatre); The Last Match, Smart People (Writers Theatre); Mansfield Park (Northlight Theatre). Recent regional credits include Riverside (Indy Shakes); Eurydice, As You Like It (American Shakespeare Center); The Moors (American Players Theatre). Film/TV: Knives and Skin (IFC Films), neXt (Fox), Chicago Med (NBC), and SPB (Fox). Graduate of University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Instagram: @ kaylacarter. “For the ancestors, forever.”
KENNETH LA’RON HAMILTON | Fred, Young Scrooge, Christmas Future, & Ensemble Kenny is delighted to return to Indiana Repertory for his second Carol. Originally from Ludlow, Kentucky, he now resides in Chicago. Regional theatre: Romeo and Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); The Lion in Winter (Court Theatre); Eurydice (Writers Theatre); Much Ado about Nothing (Milwaukee Repertory Theater); Superior Donuts (AthensWest Theatre); Much Ado about Nothing (St. Louis Shakespeare); Macbeth, Twelfth Night (American Players Theatre); A Christmas Carol (American Shakespeare Center); Twelfth Night (Nashville Shakespeare Festival); Romeo and Juliet, The Winter’s Tale, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Cincinnati Shakespeare Company). Represented by Stewart Talent.
KERAH JACKSON | Betsy, Young Fan, & Ensemble Kerah has attended IRT Summer Camp for the past three summers. She has worked with REACT theatre as the Narrator in their adaptation of The Wizard of Oz and with Summer Stock Stage where she performed in a musical production of Disney’s Descendants. She has been training in the dance styles of Jazz, Hip Hop, and Ballet since the age of four. She currently attends Mahogany Contemporary dance academy. Kerah loves reading, writing stories, and painting, and spending time with her family and friends. Kerah looks forward to her continuing growth and opportunities in her developing career as a performer.
JENNIFER JOHANSEN (she/her) | Mercy, Mrs. Fezziwig, Persephone, & Ensemble Among Jen’s IRT appearances are The House That Jack Built, The Game’s Afoot, and The Syringa Tree. Phoenix Theatre favorites include Wild Horses, The Pill, Hir, and The Christians. With the Human Race Theatre, favorites include Gloria: A Life and God of Carnage. Jen is a member of Indianapolis Shakespeare Company where she most recently performed in Love’s Labor’s Lost. Jen proudly serves on the boards of American Lives Theatre and Summer Stock Stage. Proud spouse of Rob Johansen. Jen is a Lunt-Fontanne Fellow. “Dedicated to Bob-O, and to our Puds.”
ROB JOHANSEN (he/him) | Scrooge Rob has been in countless Carols at IRT and has been honored to take the role of Scrooge for the past five years. Other IRT favorites include The Grapes of Wrath, Cyrano, The 39 Steps, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Underneath the Lintel, Turn of the Screw, The Game’s Afoot, and the pandemic filming of This Wonderful Life. Rob is a passionate volunteer at both the Humane Society and Indianapolis Animal Care Services. “Please consider getting all your pets from a shelter!!”
VIVIAN MORTON | Betsy, Young Fan, & Ensemble Vivian is thrilled to make her debut on the Mainstage in her first professional theatre role. A passionate performer, she has trained at two of the city’s premier acting camps, where she honed her skills in voice, movement, and character development. Her previous roles include standout performances in school productions such as Fiddler on the Roof Jr., where she brought warmth and energy to the ensemble. With a love for storytelling and a growing stage presence, she’s excited to continue her journey in the performing arts.
SOFIA PERLAZA | Tiny Tim, Child Scrooge, & Ensemble Sofia is delighted to make her IRT debut in A Christmas Carol. A fifth grader at CFI 84, Sofia has attended a series of local camps and classes to grow as a performer. She has also appeared in a wide range of school and community productions, cherishing the memories and lessons each role has given her. Fearless in trying new things, Sofia embraces every opportunity that comes her way. When she isn’t on stage, she can usually be found snowboarding in the winter or chasing adventure. She thanks her teachers, directors, friends, and family for their constant encouragement and support.
adapted by Tom Hass
directed by cara hinh
Charles Dickens’
THE COMPANY
ALYSSA NAKA SILVER (she/they) | Grace, Belle, Penelope, & Ensemble Alyssa is a Japanese-Jewish actress, singer, mover, and writer. They are an NYU Tisch Drama graduate where they studied at the Classical Studio, RADA, ETW, and Atlantic. Some recent credits include Wanda in TWUSA’s Magic School Bus AEA Tour and Jeanie in Study or Die at Flushing Town Hall. Alyssa is honored and excited to be making her IRT debut with this incredible team. “I send all my love to my parents and my best friends for all their support.” IG: alyssa_silver227
NATASIA REINHARDT | Felicity, Christmas Past, Laundress, & Ensemble Natasia returns for their second IRT Carol. They are a low-vision actor and have been seen at the American Shakespeare Center in Romeo and Juliet, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), Pride and Prejudice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and more. They have also been seen at Trustus Theater, Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati, and Richmond Shakespeare Theater. Natasia is also an intimacy choreographer who pioneered the Resident Intimacy Choreographer position at the American Shakespeare Center. “I am forever grateful to my family and partner for their never-ending love and support.”
CATE THOMAS | Tiny Tim, Child Scrooge, & Ensemble Cate is thrilled to be making her IRT debut in A Christmas Carol. She is a 5th grader from Carmel and has been performing on stage since she was 8. Most recently she played Jojo in Seussical Jr. (Civic Theatre) and Marta in The Sound of Music (The Point Theater). She is a proud member of the Jr. Civic Company and loves to sing, dance, and play volleyball. “I would like to thank God, my family, friends, Civic Theatre, and the IRT team. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!”
cara hinh (they/she) | Director is very happy to be the Associate Artistic Director here at IRT. cara is a queer, fat, Viêt theatre maker and proud Hoosier. cara has worked with theatres around the country. Select: Arena Stage, Atlantic Theatre, Ars Nova, Berkeley Rep, Breaking the Binary, Hangar Theatre, Ma-Yi, MCC, The Movement, Perseverance Theatre, The Playwrights Realm, The Sông Collective, Village Theatre, Working Theatre, and more. cara has been a Drama League Fellow, member of the ‘20-22 Roundabout Directors Group, an Apprentice at Actors Theatre of Louisville, SDC Directing Observer on Hadestown, and a Fellow at Baltimore Center Stage. carahinh.com
RUSSELL METHENY | Scenic Designer Russell has designed 75 IRT productions, including A Christmas Carol, The House That Jack Built, Cyrano, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Game’s Afoot, Who Am I This Time?, A Little Night Music, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, God of Carnage, The Heavens Are Hung in Black, Iron Kisses, The Gentleman from Indiana, Arcadia, and Ah, Wilderness. He has also designed for the Studio Theatre, the Great Lakes and Idaho Shakespeare festivals, Asolo Theatre, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Weston Playhouse, Dallas Theatre Center, the Old Globe Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, Missouri Rep, the Goodman Theatre, and Goodspeed Musicals.
THE COMPANY
NICHOLAS A. OWEN | Choreographer Nicholas is co-founder and Associate Artistic Director of Kenyettá Dance Company. Credits include Excerpts of Dreams , Signs of the Times , Speaking without Words , Groundwork Suites , Black Dance Matters , Black Box Theory, and Stories for Kenyettá Dance Company; The Color Purple and Ragtime at Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre; America the Modern, Love Is, Mad for Musicals, Super Soul, and Ray & Ella for Dance Kaleidoscope; and A Christmas Carol (2022-2024) and The Reclamation of Madison Hemings at IRT. Most recently The Color Purple for KaidyDid Productions and Freaky Friday for North Central High school. This is Nicholas’s eighth year teaching at Shortridge High School as the Director of the MYP/CP/DP Dance Program.
GINGER STOLTZ (she/her) | Musical Director Ginger has musically directed and performed with many Indianapolis-based theaters and non-profit organizations. Recent projects include Titanic (ATI); Lizzie: The Musical (Summer Stock Stage); Bright Star (Purdue University); Tick, Tick, BOOM! (Phoenix Theatre); Spelling Bee (Butler University); Twelfth Night (Southbank Theatre Co.); Little Shop of Horrors (Claude McNeal Productions); Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical, and Fun Home (Footlite Musicals). “I would like to thank my friends, family, and APPS for their love and support.”
CLAIRE WILCHER | Intimacy Consultant Claire earned her Master of Fine Arts in Theatre from Michigan State University, where she specialized in acting, pedagogy, and intimacy direction. Claire is a Certified Intimacy Director with IDC Professionals (Intimacy Directors and Coordinators), advocating for consent-based theatre spaces, bodily autonomy for actors, and safe-yet-creative storytelling. Her intimacy choreography has been seen on the stages of the IRT, Phoenix Theatre, IndyShakes, Summer Stock Stage, Summit Performance, Purdue University, Marian University, Williamston Theatre in Michigan, Three Brothers Theatre in Waukegan, and Redtwist Theatre in Chicago, among others. More at clairewilcher.com
RICHARD J ROBERTS | Dramaturg This is Richard’s 36th season with the IRT, and his 28th as resident dramaturg. He has also been a dramaturg for the New Harmony Project, Write Now, and the Hotchner Playwriting Festival. He has directed IRT productions of A Christmas Carol, Bridge & Tunnel, The Night Watcher, Neat, Pretty Fire, The Cay, The Giver, The Power of One, and Twelfth Night. He has also directed for Actors Theatre of Indiana, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and others. Richard studied music at DePauw University and theatre at Indiana University and was awarded a Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis.
ERIN ROBSON-SMITH (she/her) | Stage Manager Since moving to Indianapolis, Erin has had the pleasure of working with IRT and its incredible staff. Favorite productions include A Christmas Carol, The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin, and Pipeline; The Hotel Nepenthe and Love Bird with Phoenix Theatre; The Convent with Summit Performance Indianapolis; Julius Caesar with Indy Shakes; Sometimes a Great Notion with Portland Center Stage; and Metamorphoses with Artists Repertory Theatre. Erin spent the summers of 2008 and 2009 working with the JAW Festival at Portland Center Stage and, most recently, stage managed for New Harmony Project’s inaugural PlayFest Indy.
ISABELLA GARZA | Assistant Stage Manager Isabella is excited to be returning for her fifth IRT Carol. So far, she has worked on 19 shows at IRT! Recent favorites include The Play That Goes Wrong, Clue, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Outside of IRT she can be found working with local theatre companies such as Summer Stock Stage and the Phoenix Theatre.
adapted by Tom Hass
directed by cara hinh
Charles Dickens’
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ARTSGARDEN EVENTS + RENTALS
Iconic event space in the heart of Indy
Owned and operated by the Indy Arts Council, the Indianapolis Artsgarden is a striking, seven-story glass and steel structure located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Since opening in 1996, it has served as an iconic venue offering 360-degree views of the city and hosting unforgettable private events, weddings, and community gatherings.
BOOK YOUR EXPERIENCE AT INDYARTS.ORG WEDDINGS | CORPORATE | SPECIAL EVENTS
Photo Credits: Jessica Strickland, Indy Arts Council
THE SUPPORTING CAST
Anonymous
Bob & Toni Bader
David & Jackie Barrett
Scott & Lorraine Davison
Rollie & Cheri Dick
The Michael Dinius & Jeannie Regan-Dinius Family Fund, a fund of the Indianapolis Foundation
Nancy & Berkley Duck
Betsy Dykstra
Mary A. Findling & John C. Hurt
David & Ann Frick
Tom & Jenny Froehle
Future Keys Foundation
Susan & Charlie Golden
Mike & Judy Harrington
Phil & Colleen Kenney
Sarah & John Lechleiter
John & Laura Ludwig
Bill & Susie Macias
Andrew & Amy Michie
David & Leslie Morgan
Jackie Nytes & Patrick O’Brien
Joel and Mary O’Brien
Dr. Christine Phillips
Marguerite K. Shepard, M.D.
Catherine M. Turner*
John & Kathy Vahle
Cheryl Gruber Waldman
Dave Whitman & Donna Reynolds
Anonymous
A.J. Allen
Don Anderson
Kathryn Beiser & Mick Domagala
Joel Blum
Dave & Nancy Breitweiser
Gary Denney & Louise Bakker
Renate & James Donahue
Dr. Cherryl Friedman
Dr. and Mrs. Gregory & Erin Gaich
Ann Hinson
David & Robin Miner
Kim & Weezie Morris
Mr. Carl Nelson & Dr. Loui Lord Nelson
Mr. Stephen Owen Sr. & Dr. Cheryl Torok Owen
Lora Peloquin Donor Advised Fund, Donor Advised Fund of the Renaissance Charitable Foundation
Joan Perelman
Noel & Mary Phillips*
Carol Phipps & Cliff Williams
Sue & Bill Ringo
Mary Frances Rubly & Jerry Hummer
Drs. A. Eric Schultze & Marcia Kolvitz
Mark & Gerri Shaffer
Jeff & Janet Stroebel
James & Linda Wesley
Dr. Christian Wolf & Elaine Holden
Charitable Fund
John Workman
Katy & Tim Allen
Pat Anker
Sheila Barton Bosron & Bill Bosron
Paul & Renee Cacchillo
Don & Dolly Craft
Julie & Jeff Eggert
Dick & Brenda Freije
Mr. Jim Gawne*
Kathy & Gene Gentili
Charles Goad & James Kincannon
Marta Gross & Richard M. Barnes
Brenda Horn
Drs. Meredith & Kathleen Hull
Daniel T. Jensen & Steven Follis
Pegg & Mike Kennedy
Max Kime
David Kleiman & Susan Jacobs
Joy Kleinmaier
John & Susan Kline
Kevin Krulewitch & Rosanne Ammirati*
Jill & Peter Lacy
Dr. & Mrs. Alan Ladd
Rob & Sara Norris
Jill Ann Panetta Ph.D. & Leo G. Bianchi
Nick & Tracy Pappas
Gail & William Plater
Jean Richcreek
N. Clay & Amy McConkey Robbins
Tim & Karen Seiler
Linda & Carl Smith
Joe & Jill Tanner
Gene & Mary Tempel
Jeff & Benita Thomasson
Lynne & Alex Timmermans
Amy Waggoner*
Carol Weiss
Bob & Dana Wilson
TO VIEW FULL LIST
PATRON CIRCLE
$1,500 - $2,999
Janet Allen & Joel Grynheim
The Todd A. Andritsch Family Fund
Anonymous (3)
Anonymous Fund of Hamilton County Community Foundation
Trudy W. Banta
Daniel & Rita Blay
Dan Bradburn & Jane Robison
Victoria Broadie
Kathy & Eddy Cabello
Steve & Kim Chatham
Shaun Healy Clifford
Alan & Linda Cohen Family Foundation
Daniel & Catherine Cunningham
Mike & Irene Curry
Frank & Norah Deane
Dr. Gregory Dedinsky & Dr. Cherri Hobgood
Fred W. Dennerline
Paul & Glenda Drew
F. Brooke Dunn
Dr. & Mrs. John & Sheryn Ellis*
Troy D. Farmer
Drs. Richard & Rebecca Feldman
Joan M. FitzGibbon
Mary L. Forster, M.D.
Eric & Hayley Frandsen
Peter Furno & Pamela Steed
Brian & Lorene Furrer
Patricia Gamble-Moore
Ashley & Andrea Garry
Robert & Christy Gauss
Dorothea & Philip Genetos
Ron & Kathy Gifford
Nadine & Alvin Givens
Julie & Ed Goodman*
Walter & Janet Gross
Bill & Phyllis Groth*
Ricardo & Beatriz Guimarães
Tom & Susie Hacker
Emily F. (Cramer) Hancock*
Benjamin Hanna & Marcus Calderon
Julian E. Harrell
The Hedges-Dillman Family
Xuyen & Susan Hinh
William & Patricia Hirsch
Randy & Becky Horton
Dr. Ronald & Mrs. Brenda Iacocca
The Indianapolis Fellows Fund, a fund of The Indianapolis Foundation
Colette Irwin-Knott & Gary Knott
Lauren & Luke James
Sarah Jenkins & Jay Bhat
Tom & Kathy Jenkins
Andrew & Brianna Johnson
Mrs. Janet Johnson
Denny & Judi Jones
Elisha Modisett Kemp
Mary & Rick Kortokrax
Dr. Michael & Molly Kraus
Kurt & Judy Kroenke
Edward & Ann M. Ledford
James & Sara Lootens
Nataly & Jonathan Lowder
Barbara MacDougall
Kathryn Maeglin
Bob & Marlene Marchesani
Dr. Esperanza Anueles Martinez Mier & Juan Gudino
Kellie S. McCarthy
Sharon R. Merriman
Lawren Mills & Brad Rateike*
Michael D. Moriarty
Stephen & Deanna Nash
Tammie L Nelson & David McCaskill
Dr. & Mr. Nichols
Dr. Joseph M. Overhage & Dr. Mary R. Brunner
Rita Patel & Suresh Mukherji
Larry & Louise Paxton
The Payne Family Foundation, a fund of CICF
Kenneth A. & Joan C. Peterson
Bob & Kathi Postlethwait
Phil & Joyce Probst
Scott Putney & Susan Sawyer
Roger & Anna Radue
Barath Raman*
Peter & Karen Reist
Ken & Debra Renkens
Karen & Dick Ristine
Diane & Randy Rowland
Chip & Jane Rutledge
Paula F. Santa
Jane W. Schlegel
Tom & Barbara Schoellkopf
Myra C. Selby & Bruce Curry
Darshan & Rebecca Shah
Thomas & Teresa Sharp
Jack & Karen Shaw
George & Mary Slenski
Shelly & Jeremy Smith
The Michael L. Smith and Susan L. Smith
Family Fund, a fund of Hamilton County
Community Foundation
Cheryl & Bob Sparks
Edward & Susann Stahl
Ed & Jane Stephenson
Robert & Barbara Stevens
Jim & Cheryl Strain
Kathryn Godwin Stuart, DDS
Suzanne Sweeney & Todd Wiencek
Jonathan & Katherine Tempel
Diane G. Thompson & Donald Knebel
John & Deborah Thornburgh
Jerry & Linda Toomer
Jennifer C. Turner
Larry & Nancy VanArendonk
Lainie Veenstra
Jennifer & Gary Vigran
Dorothy Webb
Dr. Rosalind Webb
Alan & Elizabeth Whaley
Dave Whitman & Donna Reynolds
John & Margaret Wilson
Frederick & Jacquelyn Winters
William Witchger, II & Kimberly Witchger
THE SUPPORTING CAST
INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE DONORS
CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, & GOVERNMENT
CORPORATE
Elliott Company of Indianapolis, Inc.
F.A. Wilhelm Construction Co., Inc.
Glick Philanthropies
OneAmerica Financial Partners
PNC
Printing Partners
FOUNDATION
Allen Whitehill Clowes
Charitable Foundation
The Arthur Jordan Foundation
Avis Foundation
Capital Group
The Margot L. Eccles Arts & Culture Fund, a fund of CICF
The Glick Family Foundation
The Joyce Foundation
Lacy Foundation
Lilly Endowment Inc.
Nicholas H. Noyes Jr.
Memorial Foundation, Inc.
The Penrod Society
The Shubert Foundation
Women’s Fund of Central Indiana a CICF Fund
GOVERNMENT
Indy Arts Council and the City of Indianapolis
IN KIND DONATION
Delta Faucet
Krannert School of Physical Therapy at University of Indianapolis
National Institute of Fitness & Sport
IRT donors at exclusive Performance in Progress Event for The Play That Goes Wrong. Photo by Noelani Langille.
