Elephant’s Graveyard

By George Brant

Director Sonoko Kawahara

Music Director/Composer Joe Jung

Scenic Designers Michael Brinskele, Frank Scarnaty Jr.

Costume Designer Lillian Schweikert

Lighting Designer Samuel Bloch

Sound Designer Kimberly S. O’Loughlin

Hair/Makeup Designer Rachel Sandbeck

Fight/Intimacy Director Rick Sordelet

Vocal Coach Becca Landis McLarty

Dramaturg Lana Kurimoto

Production Stage Manager Karly Amato

Cast

THE CIRCUS

Ringmaster........................................................................................................Louis Bose

Trainer ...................................................................................................... Trent Greenwell

Ballet Girl ...............................................................................................

Tour Manager ......................................................................................

Strongman

Time and Place

Present/Tennessee railroad 1916

Program Notes

If you search the internet for the history of Mary the elephant, you will immediately find out about it, along with a shocking photo of Mary hanging from a crane. It’s one of the saddest and ugliest parts of human history. The beginning of this project was the question of why we should tackle this fact.

Even though everyone feels disgusted, sad, and angry at how others were treated in the past, the same thing continues today in a different form. Believing the younger generation, which will change the future, we had many conversations during the process. It was a complex subject and at times everyone was exhausted during rehearsals. At the same time, it was dense and rich.

I commend all the students involved, and I am genuinely grateful to have been able to spend time with them and to be involved in this production.

—Sonoko Kawahara, Director

Heather Alzapiedi

Jessica Sconfienza

Anthony Piccininni

Clown .................................................................................................... Diana Maldonado

Drummer ....................................................................................................... Jake Declan

THE TOWN

Hungry Townsperson

Desmond Jackson

Marshal......................................................................................................... Donovan Lee

Muddy Townsperson

Preacher ...................................................................................................

The 1916 incident that is Mary’s death is one that I was not familiar with in the beginning of this production. However, upon reading Elephant’s Graveyard and researching Mary’s history, it is clear that this is a dilemma that haunts till this day. Many questions come into the spotlight when considering the facts: Who is in the wrong? Did they handle the situation the best they could? Who are they to decide the fate of Mary?

Natalie Yost

Khalil Louigene

Steam Shovel Operator .................................................................................

Young Townsperson

THE RAILROAD

But the real elephant in the room is how incidents like these are sensationalized for onlookers and then eventually dissipate as if they never happened. What stories are we ogling today that will become yesterday’s news? Or are we breaking this habit and reporting stories yet untold? This is a generation that is aware of its faults—socially, economically, and politically—and it is a generation that can take the proper steps to find solutions we’ve been searching for all this time.

Sofia Pastena

Julia Ciesielski

Engineer........................................................................................................

Mary Joey Anderson, Cassee Commoreto, Noga

................................................

Jace Pastras

Danai, Elijah Davis, Ja’ Vonni Gibson, Samantha Morales, Dennis J Velasco

Understudies Cassee Commoreto, Elijah Davis, Stone Russell, Ava Walsh

Elephant’s Graveyard (Full Length Version) is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Duration: One hour and 30 minutes, no intermission.

In consideration of both audiences and performers, please turn off all electronic devices. The taking of photographs or videos and the use of recording equipment are not permitted. No food or drink is permitted in the theater.

Lana Kurimoto, Dramaturg