BOP Presents On The Town

Note from Director Sierra Riley

We are so excited to bring you On The Town! This classic musical was written in 1944 by Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story), Adolph Green and Betty Comden (Singing In The Rain), and is based on the Jerome Robbins ballet Fancy Free. It follows three WWII sailors on a 24 hour shore leave in New York City. Before long they each fall in love and the new couples are determined to make the most of their short time together in the City of Dreams. This show is both progressive for its time, and a product of its time. While contending with the content that no longer resonated, I asked, “Despite this, why am I so excited to bring On The Town back to life?” I kept coming back to the show’s theme of ADVENTURE. Dance-heavy shows aren’t usually done at Brown because it’s the world that many theatremakers are least familiar with. I was thrilled that actors would have the opportunity to make a foray into dancing, and visa-versa. For my own part, the scale of this production was beyond anything I had directed before, and I couldn’t wait to see what I was capable of. I didn’t expect folks to be great so much as to grow, and I am happy to report that my expectations were constantly exceeded. Everyone involved made astounding progress in their own talents, and a hell of a show to boot!

With this in mind, On The Town was a challenging process. Having only six weeks of rehearsal, two weeks to create set and costumes, and less than a week in the performance space, we often found ourselves racing against the clock just like our sailors. I cannot be more grateful for and proud of how enthusiastically these challenges were met. Everyone worked extra hard not only to do their best, but to help their colleagues do their best too. They took on tasks they’d never tried before, practiced endlessly together, and always offered a smile or a hug in a stressful situation. I have learned a lot through this process as a director, but most of all I have learned about the astonishing power of a cast and crew that truly cares. I could not ask for a better, bolder group of people to work alongside this semester. I’ll miss really you all. Oh well, we’ll catch up some other time.

Jones of the Rites and

Theater of the Africana

Department

Cast Bios

I am a senior from Rhode Island studying Music and Theatre Arts at Brown. I have acted in musical theatre throughout high school and college; my most notable roles include Jean Valjean from Les Miserables, Mr. Cladwell from Urinetown, and Judge Turpin from Sweeney Todd. After college I hope to pursue a career as an actor or freelance composer. I'm so excited to be able to perform with this amazing cast and crew!

I am a sophomore from Dallas concentrating in computer science and cognitive science. If you would like to give me an internship for the summer or know anyone who would, I would be so excited to talk to you after the show about my resume and amazing skills.

Tim DeSimone (he/him) - Ozzie Mikai Spencer (he/him) - Chip

My name is Mikai Spencer and I am a freshman this year! I am beyond excited to premiere in my first show at Brown and hope to continue performing in the future. I am from Brooklyn, N.Y and enjoy running and cooking my time. Thanks so much for coming and enjoy the show!

Cooper Cardone (he/him) - Gabey

Emma Giventer-Braff - Claire

I'm Emma, a senior from New York City, studying Music and East Asian Studies! Previous credits are chorus girl in "Company," Governor/Vanderdendur in "Candide," Horace in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," and countless opera scenes and recitals. When I'm not acting and singing, I'm working on the BOP Board behind the scenes, as well as applying for jobs and being a good student and working on my thesis. Special thanks to my family and friends for understanding that I could see them a lot less because of rehearsals <3 hope you enjoy. Also shout out to my thesis advisor Ivan, who deemed OTT an extracurricular worth pursuing in spite of said looming thesis.

Lizzy Steeves (she/her) - Hildy

My name is Lizzy and I am from Central Maine. I am a second-year concentrating in Music and Political Science, and I am a member of the Technology House. When I am not on the stage you may find me on the production side of things. My past credits include Godspell, Man of La Mancha, Big Fish, and light designing for Company, Sweeney Todd, and Do You Feel Anger. I also sing in a jazz combo and an a cappella group, the Chattertocks. I am currently working on a show call The Living Ones which goes up in December. I want to thank my cast mates for making this process so enjoyable, break legs!

Katie Dudley (she/her) - Ivy

My name is Katie Dudley and I am Junior from Wethersfield, CT. I am currently double concentrating in Applied Mathematics and Music. My recent credits include Something Rotten (Portia) with the West Hartford Summer Arts Festival and Godspell (Learn Your Lessons Well Soloist) with Ensemble Theatre @ Brown. I am a Business Manager for the Chattertocks, a member of the Ensemble Theatre Board, and a member of Delta Gamma. I would like to thank the entire cast and crew for their hard work and dedication in helping to make this show happen. I am excited to put on this show and can't wait to see some of my family and friends this weekend!

Julia Gallent (she/her) - Madame Dilly and Bill Poster

Hi! I'm Julia and I am from NYC. I am a first year planning on concentrating in Psychology. In the past, I have done musicals at my high school including Bye Bye Birdie and Godspell among others. I would like to thank the cast, crew, pit, and directors for their amazing work in making this show.

Ethan Mirman (he/him) - Pitkin

Hi! I'm a senior from Minnesota studying International Development. A mostly-retired classical singer by trade, this is my first show at Brown since my freshman year, when I was in Pangloss in Candide and Henry Ford in Ragtime. Outside of theater, I'm a community coordinator, involved with the preprofessional scene, and very into weightlifting.

Abby Schindell (she/her) - Waldo

Figment/ensemble, and build crew

I am a sophomore from a small town in Ohio, and I plan on concentrating in mathematics. I’ve done a lot of theater at Brown, including Godspell, Julius Caesar, Revolt, MFMMF, scenesfest, and 24 hour play festivals. I’m so excited to be performing in this show, and I hope to continue doing theater throughout my time here!

Kevin Zhu (he/him) - MC & Sailor

Hi! I'm Kevin, a freshman from Missouri! This is my 1st musical since my freshman year in high school, and I'm excited to do sing, dance, and act on stage again. Hope you all enjoy the show!

Abigail Aronson (she/her) - Sailor's Girl and Dance Troupe

I’m a senior from NYC concentrating in Neurobiology and I plan to apply to medical school after graduation. I was a pre-professional ballet dancer at the School of American Ballet for nine years and danced in more than a hundred performances with New York City Ballet in Lincoln Center! I gave up ballet to attend high school and eventually Brown and I’ve absolutely loved my experience here. I’m super excited to take the stage again and perform in On the Town, one of my favorite musicals!

Haley Sandlow (she/her) - Flossie, ensemble

I'm a sophomore from the Chicagoland area studying English and French, and I'm so excited to be in this show! I've previously worked on productions of "Julius Caesar," "The Laramie Project," and "The Good Doctor," although my favorite will forever be my sixth-grade production of "Aladdin " When I'm not dancing in long skirts in 1950s New York, I love to work out whether it be lifting weights, doing gymnastics (I was a gymnast for 10 years), or taking ballet classes. I also love to read, and hope to publish my own writing someday!

Jordan Roller (she/her) - Ensemble, Little Old Lady, Paint Crew

Hi my name's Jordan and I'm a Junior concentrating in History (though if Brown had minors I'd also be minoring in Environmental Science and Literary Arts). I've been doing theater since I was 12, but some of my recent highlights include directing a one act play about the magic of Popcorners for 3c2c and playing a gullible roommate who got sacrificed in hell during MFMMF. I also do a weird amount of Shakespeare. I was part of the ensemble for Much Ado About Nothing and Julius Caesar at Brown and I played Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream in HS. Hobbies include biking, painting, and reading YA novels,

Percy Unger (she/her) - Workman, Uperman, Dancing Girl, New Sailor

I am a first-year from Oakland, California considering majoring in English. I've done musical theater all through high school, not well but with a lot of enthusiasm. I'm so happy to be part of On the Town.

Vasilisa Tsareva (she/her) - Diana Dream/Dolores Dolores/Ensemble

I a freshman from Moscow. This will be my first show in Brown and my first musical. But I did dabble in writing, staging, producing, directing, and acting for my highschool theatre studio. Sometimes all at the same time. And sometimes it got experimental...

Claudia Spelman (she/her)Dancer, Shawl Seller, Ensemble

Hi, I’m a junior from Maine, and I’m concentrating in English and Political Science. I’ve been dancing for a long time and have also been doing theatre since high school— both choreographing and performing! This is my second theatre performance at Brown: my first was Godspell last fall. Thanks for coming to the show!!

Camden Berry (she/her) - Flossie's Friend/Ensemble

Hi! I am a junior from Las Vegas, Nevada, double-concentrating in Chemistry and History of Medicine. This is my first time ever doing a musical (or just theater in general), so wish me luck! Outside of this production, I am an EMT for Brown EMS, an Immunology tutor, a member of the American Medical Women's Association, and a huge running enthusiast. Thank you for coming to the show!!

Maya Laur (she/her) - Lucy Schmeeler

I’m a junior from Wendell, Massachusetts studying Artist-Activism and Modern Culture and Media! When I’m not busy getting everyone in the cast sick I enjoy skiing across Wriston quad, stealing uncrustables from Jo’s, and jumping in the ocean with all my clothes on. Previously at Brown, I’ve played Ursula in Much Ado About Nothing, Tessa in “Who’s Afraid of An Empowered Woman?,” and Sarah Palin and Angela Merkel in a workshop production of “Unpresidented.” My other hobbies include “working on my novel,” waking my friends up at 5am to hike a mountain, and spreading the Keeney cough. Huge thank you to the directors, production team, and cast, (and mom and dad!) for an amazing show!

Crew Bios

Sierra Riley (he/him) - Director

I'm a junior from Kalispell, Montana, and I'm studying history and theatre arts. I've been lucky enough to act in, manage, tech, produce, and direct nearly fifty shows at Jacob's Pillow, Glacier High School, and Brown University. My previous work as a director includes "The Rocky Horror Show", "Poe's Midnight Dreary", and "bathhouse.ppt". When I'm not in the theatre, you can find me in an antique store, singing to old vinyls, tooling around on my skateboard, or trying to learn to play harmonica.

Calvin Ware (he/him)- Stage Manager

I'm a first-year from New York City and so excited to have stage managed On The Town for my first production here at Brown! I've acted in and staged managed over a dozen shows, including Twelfth Night (Malvolio), Little Shop of Horrors (SM), The Trial (Inspector), Macbeth (Macbeth), and Pippin (SM). When I'm not on stage or in the booth, I'm either flooding someone's inbox or watching a murder mystery movie.

Rafael Ash (he/they) - Technical Director

I am a first-year from Amherst, MA. This is my first show at Brown! I am an Urban Studies and Math concentrator. I have previously tech directed shows including Hair, Life Sucks, The Trail to Oregon, and Bing Bong: An Immersive Experience for an Audience of One. Besides theater tech, I love music, cooking, and long walks on the beach :)

Camille Donoho (she/her) - Choreographer

I am a Junior from the Greater Philadelphia Area studying Neuroscience and Music. On The Town is my fourth and largest-scale choreographic project since coming to Brown, with my other works including Musical Forum’s The Rocky Horror Show, “Mini Musical Festival”, and Production Workshop’s Vibrations. My choreographic style is largely informed by my neoclassical ballet background, but also includes influences from classic jazz, tap, and contemporary dance styles. Outside of theater, I spend my time in a Neuroscience lab on campus and play Double Bass in the Brown University Orchestra.

Miriam Arden (she/her) - Choreographer

I am a 23.5er studying Cognitive Science and Economics. I hail from Tucson, Arizona, where I spent years preparing for this role by making up dances to my favorite Broadway songs in my bedroom. Some past Brown theatre credits include Bottom in "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," Malvolio in "Twelfth Night," and choreographer for "Company." A huge thank you to the amazing director team, cast, crew, and pit for making this such a wonderful experience.

Carmen Johnson (she/her) - Audio Engineer

I'm a junior from Chicago, IL concentrating in Economics and East Asian Studies. I've been running sound for over 5 years now, but this is my second show at Brown (first one being "The Rocky Horror Show" Musical---Fall 2021).

Miranda Cancelosi (she/her) - Costumer

I’m thrilled to have costumed this show, it was wonderful to see it all come together! I’m a RISD junior in illustration from Detroit, Michigan, and have worked in stage crew / production roles for 17+ shows from highschool onwards, and most recently costumed SOTG’s production of “Julius Ceaser”!

Nico Wu (they/them) - Costumer

I’m Nico and I’m from Taiwan. I am a sophomore at RISD majoring in apparel design and it’s my first time doing theatre in college. It’s been a pleasure to work with all the talented people around me for making this experience wonderful. Special thanks to Miranda for being the best person to work with <3

Abbey Alderman (she/her) - Production Manager

Hello! My name is Abbey and I am a junior from Tulsa, Oklahoma studying sociology. I have stage and production managed a number of shows at Brown including Company, Barb, 3C2C, and 7 methods of killing kylie jenner. Outside of Theater, I am the co-president of Brown Aerial Acrobatics (come see our show Nov 4th and 5th!), a board member of production workshop, and a co-coordinator for Natives@Brown

Orchestra Bios

Dana Lee (she/they) - Pit Conductor

hello HELLO I am dana LEE and I'm back for one last college pit conducting hurrah with On the Town! :) I'm a senior concentrating in Music and CS and I've previously music directed A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and helped with Sweeney Todd. I'm from San Jose California, and love to sleep, drink boba, and play some fun jazz clarinet with the jazz funk band Em's Femmes in my free time.

Khalil Desai (he/him) - Flute

Although I am generally a very sad man, I am genuinely so excited to play in the pit for On The Town! Hailing from San Diego, I have played the flute in a couple of pits for different productions before (Les Miserables, Once Upon a Mattress), and it is wonderful to get this opportunity again in college. Outside of playing the flute, I am an *aspiring* computational biology major who loves to cook and hang out with friends. One special final shoutout to Dana who has done an amazing job in leading the orchestra throughout this production! And please enjoy our slutty little sailor hats :).

Valentin Garcia (he/him) - Clarinet

HIIIII!!!! I’m a first year and I come from a wayyyyyyy too south city in Texas named Edinburg! I’m thinking of concentrating in physics because I want to feel smart (but it never does). HUGE plushie fanatic btw—favorite plushie is my avocado and toast one ❤

Susan Tang (them/them) - French Horn

Hi! I’m Susan (they/them) and I’m a senior from Boston, MA studying Environmental Science and Urban Studies. My hobbies include roller skating, cooking, and lying on the floor (floor time – I require it). Fun fact: I always carry around both Lactaid and a Tide Pen in case of emergencies

Jillian Belluck (she/her) - Oboe

I am a sophomore from CT studying Computational Biology with a focus on genetics. I'm involved in various music groups on campus, including the Wind Symphony and Brown University Band, and I've loved playing in the pit for past BOP shows! In my free time, I enjoy roller skating and doing needlework.

Levi Neuwirth (he/him) - Trombone

I am a first year coming from a small town in upstate New York. I might concentrate in physics, computer science, music, or likely some combination of them. My main hobbies are composing and playing music, and this is just one of many productions for which I've been in the pit as an instrumentalist.

Meg Lorraine (she/her) - Violin

I am so thrilled to be a part of Brown's production of On the Town! I am a first year from Syracuse, New York concentrating in International and Public Affairs and German Studies. Throughout high school, I played violin in several pit orchestras including Newsies, Les Misérables, Jekyll and Hyde, and SpongeBob the Musical. I was also a member of the Symphoria Youth Orchestra and several All County, Area All-State and All-State Orchestras. In my free time, I enjoy exploring Providence, running, reading, and debating. Enjoy the show!

Jude Adelman - Drum set/Percussion

I'm a senior from NYC studying Biomedical Engineering. This is the 4th musical I've done at Brown! I've previously played drum set for A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Company.

Brendan McMahon (he/him) -French Horn

I'm a junior from Wisconsin studying biomedical engineering, I've played in the pit for three shows so far at Brown, and I'm excited to share the final product of all the hard work this group has put in.

Tom Gotsch (they/them) - Bass

I'm a first-year from Chicago, IL, planning to concentrate in bio (ecology/evolutionary bio track). In my free time, I make tea and eat soup :)

Derrick Pennix (he/him) Trumpet

Hello! I am a trumpet player from Granger, Indiana and I’m studying Applied Math and Music. I love performing in groups around campus, including the Jazz Band, Brown University Band, Brown University Orchestra, amongst others. I also love to write poems and short stories in my free time, and am currently working on a movie script as well.

David Kamper - Trombone

Uri Dickman (he/him) - Violin

Hi! I'm a junior from California studying physics, and I'm really excited to be playing violin in the pit for On the Town! I love playing chamber music too, and I'm currently playing in a clarinet quintet. I also produce electronic music and co-run a pop-up restaurant.

Fern Tantivess (she/her) - Flute

I'm a sophomore from Bangkok who enjoys food, water, and sleep

Zoë Schwartz (she/her) - Viola

I’m a freshman from Atlanta, GA! Alongside pit orchestra, I’m also in the Brown University Orchestra, chamber program, applied music program, and Klezmer band. I’m hoping to concentrate in music, but I’m not sure yet. I enjoy listening to music, reading, and painting.

Eric Ma (he/him) - Violin

I am a sophomore concentrating in Computer Science - Economics from Connecticut. In my free time, I enjoy songwriting, studying linguistics, and producing music.

Ayushman Choudhury (he/him) Piano

I'm a sophomore from Ellington, CT concentrating in APMA-CS and Music. I enjoy classical, jazz, and Indian music, and have performed with Brown Opera Productions, the Wind Symphony, Chamber Music, Music101, and Brown Bhairavi. In my free time, I make multitrack covers of Indian songs on piano and clarinet for my YouTube channel, Ayushman Piano. Grace Leclerc (she/her)Alto/soprano saxophone

My name is Grace Leclerc, Class of 2026. I'm from Topsham, Maine, and I'm concentrating in political science. My previous pit experience consists of my high school's production of Newsies, in which I played percussion. My hobbies include trying new instruments and foods, and I'm a strong Wordle and Oxford comma enthusiast.

Gordon Sherman (he/him) - B flat/E flat clarinet

I am a senior from Tenafly, New Jersey studying geochemistry and engineering. I previously played clarinet in BOPs production of Candide back in spring 2020. I also play in Brown University's wind symphony and Brown's Yarmulkazi klezmer group. You also might catch me singing from time to time at Hillel's Shabbat services.

Jace Damon (they/them) - Percussion

Hi, I’m Jace! I’m from Quincy, Illinois and I’m in the graduating class of 2025. I love paleontology, BJJ, herbal tea, and making music with good friends!

Ian Hajra (he/him) - Clarinet

Hello! My name is Ian Hajra, and I’m a first year here at Brown. I’m from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and have loved getting away from home! I’m not really sure what I’m going to concentrate, but I’ll figure it out. In my free time, I love playing music, hanging with friends, and honestly doing whatever!

Christina Kim (she/her) - Violin

Hi! I’m a senior from Long Island NY, and I’m concentrating in Neuroscience and English. I love being part of pit orchestras, and I’ve been in Ragtime, Candide, and Sweeney Todd.

Alice Cannon (she/her) - Trumpet

Hi! I'm Alice, a first year from New York. I'm thinking of concentrating in Engineering and in the pit, I'm playing trumpet. I'd really like to thank Dana for being such and amazing musical director and always keeping it together even during times of stress.