Gaslighting Playbill

B-CC Theatre presents

The Insanity of Mary Girard

by Lanie Roberts

Dogg’s Hamlet & Cahoot’s Macbeth

by Tom Stoppard

“

I regard the theatre as the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” ~Oscar Wilde

Gaslighting: “psychological manipulation with the purpose of getting an individual or group to question his/her/their own sanity and/or sense of reality”

T

he Insanity of Mary Girard, Dogg’s Hamlet and Cahoot’s Macbeth take us on three different journeys through gaslighting.

Between Mary, Ophelia, the witches, the ghosts, Easy and Cahoots- it feels

as if every character on stage is either gaslighting, being gaslighted or both.

Then, of course, there is the famous back-and-forth between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth.

Five hundred years on, we are still asking, “Which of these

two is gaslighting the other?”

These plays have something for everyone: suspense comedy, slapstick and social commentary.

Enjoy!

“The Insanity of Mary Girard” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com “Dogg's Hamlet, Cahoot's Macbeth” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Synopses

The Insanity of Mary Girard

by Lanie Roberts

Based on a true story, The Insanity of Mary Girard depicts Mary on her first day in an insane asylum. After she became pregnant by another man, her wealthy husband declared her legally insane and bribed the hospital to keep her in a lunatic cell for the rest of her life. The play begins with Mary sitting in a tranquilizing chair as she’s visited by ghost-like figures called “furies” - figments of her imagination that taunt her and impersonate characters in her own life such as her mother, husband, and her husband’s mistress.

intermission

Dogg’s Hamlet Tom Stoppard

Set in an unclear future, students speak Dogg (a mixed-up version of English) and follow Dogg (a mysterious school headmaster). Against all odds, the students perform a comically-condensed version of “Hamlet.”

Cahoot’s Macbeth Tom Stoppard

Cahoot’s Macbeth is inspired by the “living-room plays” that oppressed Czech artists were forced to perform in the seventies. This living room performance is interrupted by government inspectors. But the show must go on.

Stoppard interweaves this love letter to language, Shakespeare and free expression with plenty of wit and humor.

The Insanity of Mary Girard

Dogg’s Hamlet

Cahoot’s Macbeth

DIRECTOR Jeremy Gee

DIRECTOR Zoe Edwards Josefina Eggleton

DIRECTOR Jeremy Gee

--Mary: Kathryn Batitto Warder/Fury 1 Isaac Osuri Ms. Lum/Fury 2 Louise Brophy Polly/Fury 3 Asha Vatave Mr. Philips/Fury 4 Isabella Jones Ms. Hatcher/Fury 5 Matilda Poulas Mr. Girard Jeremy Gee

--Abel/Francisco/Horatio Megan McCarragher Baker/Bernardo/Marcellus Fortinbras/Laertes Lucas de Chaisemartin Charlie/Ophelia Sofia Kasbergen Paiva Gomide Dogg/Shakespeare Naomi Singer - Delius Easy Jeremy Gee Lady/Gertrude Hannah Howard Mrs. Dogg/Claudius Rosie Robertson* Fox/Hamlet Sara Sarfraz Ghost/Gravedigger Ben Lapin Polonius/Osric Paige Merten *fight captain

THE CAST

--Witch 1/Duncan Kayla Ray Jackson Witch 2/Macduff Wren Boulet-Simon Witch 3/Malcolm Madelyn Zaccari Macbeth Abraham Marshall Banquo Zach Briskin-Watson Ross/ Servant Michele Harwood Cahoot William Borlase Lady Macbeth Dora Lunderquist Messenger Emely Castillo Inspector 1 Isabel Miller Inspector 2 Colette Mrozek Hostess Jamie Levinson Murderer 1 Alexandra Gonzalez Murderer 2 Elene Gorgadze Lennox Paige Merten

COSTUMES Victoria Cichy (Crew Head) Clara Lieppe Carmen Alley-Strocher Caroline Krekel Eliza Murphy Bruno Ferreira

THE CREW

LIGHTING Josefina Eggleton (Crew Head) Alex Kenny Geo Klapow Eve Cintron Rose Slade Adam Manzo Chiara Moran

CONSTRUCTION Rohan Bhattacharyya Carmen Simon (Co-Crew Heads)

PROPS Charlotte Hanssen (Crew Head) Caroline Berkowitz Zora Pryor

Sophia Borlase Margo Kaye Rin Scaduto-Mendola Hadley Poulas Flair Doherty Grayson Aasheim

SOUND Socorro Silker-Diaz (Crew Head) Astor Viles Nick Evans Ali Hellerman Vanessa Muth

Special Thanks to Debora Edwards

Zapsplat.com for sound effects

Jae Gee fight choreographer

Alison Gee for her inexhaustible expertise and vision

Friends & Loved Ones who understand all the long hours

Mynor Herrera and Associates for providing flags B-CC Building Services for helping us in so many ways.

for her giving spirit

Bill Toscano for his professionalism along with his generosity towards students who share his passion for theater David Lopilato for believing in students Michele Harwood for sharing her art

Colette Mrozek & Isabel Miller for help writing the program (quadruple threat?)

The Parents who helped with “The Community Build and Sew.”

Nadya Guyer & Sophia Burke for their creative and organizational input into the entire Gaslighting series

Who was

Mary Girard?

M

ary Lum (17581815) was, arguably, the most famous patient at the Pennsylvania Hospital insanity ward where she lived out the last twenty-five years of her life.

Born Mary Lum, she married Captain Stephen Girard, a successful merchant, in 1776. In 1785,

she started having violent outbursts. Stephen tried to divorce Mary twice, but insanity wasn’t legal grounds.

Stephen committed Mary to the Pennsylvania Hospital in 1790. Mary was pregnant when she was committed, and it is unknown if the child was Stephen’s or the product

of an affair.

While committed, she gave birth to a baby girl, who died in infancy.

Mary lived out the rest of her life in the ward until she died in 1815. She was buried in an unmarked grave on the hospital grounds, at the instruction of her husband.

What was

the tranquilizing chair?

T

he tranquilizing chair was invented by Dr. Benjamin Rush (17451813), who is thought of as “the father of American psychiatry.”

He was the first doctor to believe that mental illness was not a demonic possession, but a condition of the mind.

He thought that insanity was due to brain inflammation and arterial disease.

The tranquilizing chair was meant to treat mental illness by controlling the flow of blood to the brain and lowering a patient’s

heart rate by keeping them still.

Needless to say, the tranquilizing chair treatment was unsuccessful.

Image from Penn Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania

Who is

Tom Stoppard?

A

lthough Rosecrans and Guildenstern Are Dead, arguably Tom Stoppard’s most famous play, was written more than 55 years ago, the 85- year-old, Czechborn British playwright and screenwriter is having quite a moment right now.

His latest play, Leopoldstadt, opened last month at Longacre Theater on Broadway.

In this widely-heralded work, Stoppard takes a deep dive into the theme of gasligthing, in particular, the self-gaslighting that can accompany “comfort” — or what Jesse Green of The New York Times calls “complacency as a kind of hubris. “ Leopoldstadt is an explo-

ration of Stoppard’s recently-discovered Jewish roots through the story of the Merzes, a fictional Austrian Jewish family, as they navigate (or think the can navigate) the rising antisemtism that would come to devastate Europe duirng the first half of the 20th century.

Leopoldstadt, in many ways, marks a new chapter for the playwright; but the topic of gaslighting has long been a staple of Stoppard’s work.

Rosecrans and Guildenstern deals comically with the topic of perspective and how it can change just about everything.

Arcadia deals with the conflict of past and present.

Stoppard’s oscar-win-

ning screenplay for Shakespeare in Love, deals with the fog of identity and gender.

Dogg’s Hamlet and Cahoot’s Macbeth tackle the power of language and its ability to confuse and control.

It’s not all gloom, doom and oppression, however.

Both one-act plays touch upon the power of art (theater in particular) to rally and raise up.

Photo from The Huntington Library (Creative Commons license)

PLANK

What is

BLOCK

Wittgenstein’s philosophy of language?

T

OK alert! Don’t worry.

There won’t be a test. No essay. Just two fascinating questions explored on stage as only Tom Stoppard can.

Question 1: “Are we growing increasingly incapable of understanding one another?”

For one possible answer, pay close attention to the ideas of Ludwig Wittgenstein and Stoppard’s Dogg’s Hamlet.

Wittgenstein argued that a word or sentence only has meaning as a result of the ‘rules’ of the ‘game’ being played at that very moment. Know the rules; understand the game.

But with so many different rules and games being played today, we increasingly feel like confused outsiders in

CUBE

our own backyard..

Wittgenstein provides the following hypothetical scenario.

Builder A calls out “slab!” “block!” “pillar!” or “beam,” and Builder B brings the corresponding objects.

That’s communication, right? Not so fast.

What if, asks Wittgenstein, B already knows what pieces to bring and in what order. B just thinks the words, “slab” “block” and so on are nothing more than grunts and whistles indicating that A is ready for the next piece.

What if that is part of what ails us today?

Group A is asking for building blocks. Group B assumes Group A is just grunting and whistling.

If this is this is the level of disconnect society is grappling with today, can we really get

anything done together?

Watch Dogg’s Hamlet to find out...

Question 2: What happens when we learn all the rules and master the game of communication only to have forces beyond our control want to tear down that progress, change the rules, and silence us?

Curtain up on Cahoot’s Macbeth where people gather in an underground, “living room” performance of Macbeth and use language to share a common love of art under an autocratic regime.

Who will prevail in this conflict of wills?

Watch Cahoot’s Macbeth to find out.

SLAB

Every Dogg has its day.

1

2 Every Dogg has its day.

1

3

2

3

4

5 4

5

6

7

6

7

9

8

9

Across Across 1. _____ in English = "cutlery" in Dogg 3. _____ in English = "plank" in Dogg 1. _____ in English = "cutlery" in Dogg 4. _____ in English = "gymshoe" 3. _____ in English = "plank" in Doggin Dogg 7. _____ in English = "cube"in in Dogg Dogg 4. _____ in English = "gymshoe" 9. _____ in English = "useless" in Dogg

Down 1. _____ in English Down = "pig-faced" in Dogg _____ in = "slab" in Dogg in Dogg 1.2._____ inEnglish English = "pig-faced" _____ in = "block" in in Dogg 2.5._____ inEnglish English = "slab" Dogg 6. _____ in English = "get" in Dogg 5. _____ in English = "block" in Dogg 8. _____ in English = "git" in Dogg

6. _____ in English = "get" in Dogg 8. _____ in English = "git" in Dogg

2nd clues

Across 1. “ahem” 3. all set 4. fabulous, terrific, amazing 7. word used to express gratitude 9. greeting between noon and night (2word answer)

Down 1. polite request 2. alright, fine 5. after 6. girl/woman in formal 8. boy/man in formal

Down 1. please 2. ok 5 next.

7. madam 9.sir

7. _____ in English = "cube" in Dogg 9. _____ in English = "useless" in Dogg

8

Across 1. pardon 3. ready 4. excellent 7. thanks 9.Good Day

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

Three seniors walk into a room...

By David Lopilato

I

’ve been to almost every B-CC theater show since I’ve been teaching here; but that was to support students and friends.

I never craned my neck to see what went on behind the curtain. I preferred the illusion from the seats.

I got involved in B-CC Theatre this year for three simple reasons.

• B-CC was desperate (How desperate? They chose me; nuff said.)

• I have seen first-hand what theater and pit means to the students involved • I could not fathom B-CC without theatre (great schools don’t simply skip life-defining events like theatre) I brought my usual shtick to the first meeting. My sights were on raw, black-boxy scripts about

Stubenville and Sandy Hook.

I wasn’t simply trying to be controversial. We were off to a very late start. I also figured we didn’t have the time or budget to build an elaborate set.

I hear I didn’t fare so well on social media that night.

Some students walked away from theater.

Luckily for me and luckily for B-CC , three students, chose a different path. They walked into my classroom with a plan.

Zoe Edwards, Rohan Bhattacharyya, and Jeremy Gee. Zoe was prepared to step up from stage managing to directing. Rohan was not about to watch the core of B-CC theatre engineers spend his senior year idle.

And, Jeremy? Well, Jeremy was simply willing to take

on any role required to keep theater alive at B-CC. Zoe, Rohan and Jeremy rallied troops. They read hundreds of pages of scripts. They honed their crafts. I watched in awe.

For this show, we decided to tap into B-CC’s student-directed tradition.

And, as you can see, a full village of students answered the call.

We cannot afford to

turn our backs on community-oriented, student-driven efforts like journalism, BCCTV and, yes, theatre.

These efforts may not be competitive by nature.

Instead, they are examples of creative cooperation. That turns out to be a win for all of us.

Support these amazing students.

...and save B-CC Theatre

A Director’s Note This is not what anyone predicted this year’s fall production would look like. For a while, there seemed to be a chaos of information, ideas, or plans all centered on how the performances could go up. Some even went as far as to say the stage will go dark. Everything seemed to spiral in a lack of control.

B-CC Theatre underwent quite a few changes in student and staff involvement in response to the sudden circumstances. Through the hard work of a passionate community and the leadership given by students on and off stage, the cast and crew regained control; something that is well reflected in the scripts presented this year, which all share a theme of what people do when they lose control.

In The Insanity of Mary Girard, we are presented with the dark

tale of what happens to a woman who has her life ripped away from her.

Mary, and the spirits that torment her, force us to confront the treatment of those without power in a time when the system is set up to work against them. We follow the emotional journey she takes to find a way to regain a sense of control.

In Dogg’s Hamlet, we gain an insight into the vital world of communication and miscommunication. The use of English words having two separate, distinct meanings for different characters on stage highlights just how quickly a familiar situation can spiral out of control.

In Cahoot’s Macbeth, we are shown a glimpse into a dystopian world of harsh authoritarianism. With public performances banned, a theatre troupe attempts to perform Macbeth in a living

room, while the meddling inspectors attempt to disrupt the play. The play shows us the struggle of creativity under the censorship of rigid bureaucratic control.

Of course, thanks goes out to every corner of our small theatre world. From our actors who were ready to push ahead into less charted waters, our crew who rose to new design freedoms, Mr. Lopilato whose sponsorship made this all possible, parents who donated time, resources and emotional support, and many others who made sure theatre would have a home at B-CC. These shows are a triumph thanks to everyone on and off stage, and you, for coming to see these shows and supporting the hard work of countless individuals.

One thing is for certain: the lights stayed on.

by Jeremy Gee photo opposite page: (from left to right: Zoe Edwards, Rohan Bhattacharyya, and Jeremy Gee )

By & About the

Cast & Crew

Kathryn Batitto

“

Theater to me means community. It is a rare but meaningful part of being in any production. The close, unbreakable bonds with your cast mates who you’ve been with since the beginning. The ever growing relationships with crew that are developed over small interactions. It is a family you will never forget no matter the separation.”

Sophia Borlase

Grayson Aasheim

“

This is my first B-CC production. So far it has been a great way to meet new people and explore new experiences that could stick with me throughout my whole life.”

Caroline Berkowtiz is excited to be a part of props crew for the first time this year. Encouraged by her theatre-loving family, she has participated in stage crew through camps and in the production of “Shakespeare.” Outside of theatre, Caroline enjoys playing the piano.

William Borlase

Carmen Alley-Strocher

“

Theater is using your talents to express yourself. It is working together in a community it’s to accomplish something. It is fun.”

Rohan Bhattacharyya

first joined theater in his freshman year. He was a member of construction crew for The Little Mermaid, 12 Angry Jurors and Chicago. In his senior year, he co-runs the construction crew.

Wren Boulet-Simon

“

“

“

Louise Brody

Victoria Cichy

Zoe

“Theater is one of the most I find theater interesting beautiful ways for humans because it is the physical to express themselves. The and actual realization of balance of actors, tech peo- literature” ple, and directors all working towards the same goal of art is like nothing else”

is so excited to be part of the fall play here at B-CC. She would like to thank her cast mates, directors and family for their guidance, as well as the audience for coming out to support!

is very excited for everyone to see the plays, she has previously worked on 12 Angry Jurors and Chicago.

She would like to thank her costumes crew, friends, and family!

Theater is art. It’s a way of expressing oneself and of critiquing society. It’s a way to pass on a message, to move an audience, to have them leave the theater changed in some way or another. To have them think; about their lives, about their world, about their place.”

Edwards

is very excited to be a part of her second show! She wants to thank Josefina for being an amazing co-director and all the students whose hard work made these shows happen. She also wants to thank Jeremy for dedicating his time as both an actor and director.

Josefina Eggleton

co-directed Dogg’s Hamlet.

She would like to thank Zoe Edwards (her co-director) and Jeremy Gee for their help. Josefina is also the head of Lighting. She would like to thank her sister for encouraging her.

Jeremy Gee

returns, having been in every BCC Theatre production since fall 2019- Chicago (Amos), 12 Angry Jurors (Juror #3), It’s a Wonderful Life (Ensemble), Robin Hood (Friar Tuck), The Little Mermaid (Scuttle) Other credits include: Imagination Stage- Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio), H2$ (Mr. Bratt) Rorschach Theatre- Forgotten Kingdoms (Jimmy) Thanks, patrons!

Elene Gorgadze

Bruno Ferreira

“

To me, theater is a medium that allows art to flow in a more 3 dimensional way. It tells stories and brings together people with many different interests. It gives freedom for a group of people to show their vision of the story being told.”

Sofia Gomide

was born and raised in Brazil, and moved to the USA in 2022. Her work in Brazil includes shows in restaurants, musicals (one of them being “Grease Jr.”, where she played the lead role of Sandy), and recently a TV show participation in a singing contest, “Canta Comigo Teen”, where Sofia was a finalist.

Charlotte Hanssen “Theater is empowering. When To me, theater means I’m on stage, I feel a special coming together as a kind of confidence, unknown community and creatto me on ordinary days. I’m so ing art that expresses glad we all get experience this something in a way other thrill this season. “ mediums can’t.”

Ali Hellerman

“

Participating in putting on a production for people has always been something I enjoy. Theater is the kind of entertainment that takes real talent and I love having the ability to be a part of that.”

“

Hannah Howard

is really grateful to be a part of B-CC theater.

Hannah has performed in several shows including Chicago from last year.

Hannah would like to thank her parents, her younger sister Heidi, and her grandparents for always being her biggest supporters.

Aitana Gaudenze

“

To me, theater means expression in a variety of ways. It’s admirable to see people with different passions come together with all their skills to create a show.”

Alexa Gonzalez

“

I have always loved the world of theater and being part of this year’s play is fulfilling to my dreams.

I am exceedingly proud of the long way my friends and I have come to put on this show for you all.”

Michele Harwood

“

I was so scared we weren’t going to have theater. I signed up spontaneously without any thought but I’m glad I did so I could be involved.

Kayla Ray Jackson

“

Theater is a safe place to express yourself in someone’s else’s story, it’s an escape.”

Isabelle Jones

Margot Kaye

“

Theater is a way of being who you want to be, without actually being them. Theater is big and extravagant when it wants to be and it can be whatever it wants to be whenever it wants to be it. “

“

Ben Lapin

Jamie Levinson

“

To me, theater means an all encompassing creative outlet.”

Theater means fun cha- “Theater is not only an art, os, trying to reconcile the but a community.” plan that we started with with what we’re actually able to do. Theater means working hard to get everything together. Theater, from my experience, means a bunch of really smart, really cool people trying to make stuff work

Abrham Marshall

“

Theater is a creative outlet for me and gives me a way to be around people who enjoy theater as much as me. It also gives me challenges and a way to work with fashion in a fun way that I’m not able to do every day.”

Paige Merten was in Chicago (ensemble), 12 angry jurors (juror #5). Other credits: Legally blonde with YAA (ensemble) Les mis with Ovations (Madame Thenardier) Urinetown (Mcqueen). She thanks her friends, family, and castmates for being supportive though this process.

Megan McCarragher

Some favorite past credits include: Mamma Mia (Ensemble), Matilda (Mrs. Wormwood), and upcoming performance of Bat Boy (Lorraine). She would like to thank the cast, crew, and student directors for this great experience!

Isabel

Miller

is very excited to be a part of Cahoots Macbeth. She was last seen on the B-CC stage in Chicago. She has student directed for Husky Drama, and during her time at Silver Creek was in all 6 shows.

Isabel would like to thank Mr. Lopilato and Jeremy for saving B-CC theater this fall.

Alex Kenny It is a community of wonderful and creative people.”

“

Dora Lunderquist

“

I believe theater is the opportunity to express and share parts of your imagination. You get to be anyone you want and get to see things from multiple views, which means a lot to me. You build a community and I always have fun.”

Emely Castillo Mejia

“

You can pretend to be someone you’re not for joy of it LOL. “

Chiara Moran

“Theater is a much more present medium than reading or watching a movie, and the only way I’ve been able to feel not just like I was experiencing a story, but that I was a living, breathing part of it” on a play”

Colette Mrozek

Eliza Murphy

“

“Theater is sheer magic. TheTheater to me means comater is stories coming alive munity that comes from before your eyes and inside organizing a show.” your heart. Theater gives me the greatest joy, both seeing shows and being a part of them. Theater is community.

I don’t think it’s possible to find a group of people more loving and supportive than thespians putting on a play.

Matilda Poulas

“Theatre is a place where I can be someone else, somewhere where nothing else matters.”

Sara Sarfraz

“

Why do I love theater?

Well, what’s not to love?

Theater can be whatever you want it to be – escapism, a fun evening out, a (literal) stage for debate. ”

Daniel Simon

“It [theatre] means a place with friends.”

Lois Proeller

“It is the voices galloping through fields of wheat as the sun rises. It is the crack of dawn that shines through my windowsill.”

Rin Scaduto-Mendola The community in stage crew is wonderful. I’ve always enjoyed coming to a club where a supportive environment is guaranteed. I look up to many of the other members in construction.”

“

Naomi Singer

“

Theater is a way to express yourself. It’s a chance to play someone else, to get out of your life for awhile. It’s a chance to be all the things you aren’t in your everyday life. Theater is a try at being someone new.”

Isaac Osuri

“

Theater is a community where we can be who we want and where we can make lots of great friendships with people like us.

Although it was confusing and chaotic at first, this has turned into a show that has greatly exceeded my expectations.”

Zora Pryor

is a 9th grader on the props crew. She did stage crew for 2 plays and learned about set construction, lighting, and sound in 7th and 8th grade.

Her favorite play she has worked on was Lotsa’ Lazzi.

Carmen Simon

“

Theater is a really great community and working toward the same project with other dedicated people is really special.”

Socorro Sliker-Díaz

joined sound crew last year, with the production of Twelve Angry Jurors and Chicago, where she mic’d up actors and analyzed audio quality during rehearsals and performances. She is now Sound Crew Head, in charge of all the microphones and sound effects. Socorro believes theater is a freeing place “where I can experience and learn new things, and help create amazing performances.”

Asha Vatave

“

Theatre means community. It’s a place where people of various interests and backgrounds can come together to create something amazing.”

Astor Viles

“

A fun place to connect with people.”

Madelyn Zaccari

“

Theater means expression, freedom, creativity. You can do almost anything with theater if it doesn’t exceed technical limits. ath to follow for the rest of my life.”

Maya Ziegelbauer

“

Theater is a good way to bond with people through creativity.”

Gaslight Theatre is part of B-CC’s