Bright Star presented by Theatre Guild of Rockingham County

Theatre Guild of Rockingham County Production of

Inspired By A True Story Music, Book & Story by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell

November 30-December 3, 2023 Rockingham Community College Wentworth, North Carolina

Please be advised.

This production uses strobe lighting effects, theatrical fog, and deals with the loss of a child.

May not be appropriate for very young children.

Produced by Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson Zebulon LLC, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Len Blavatnik, James L. Nederlander, Carson & Joseph Gleberman, Balboa Park Productions The Shubert Organization, Jamie deRoy/Catherine Adler/Cricket Jiranek

In Association With Rodger Hess, A.C. Orange International, Broadway Across America, Sally Jacobs & Warren Baker Diana DiMenna, Exeter Capital, Agnes Gund, True Love Productions And The Old Globe

IF YOU KNEW MY STORY, you would know I was raised in a house of love and laughter. I knew a childhood of playing outside until the streetlights came on, camping with my cousins and fishing the pond at my grandparent’s house. Never a care in the world.

As I grew, I was supported by loving parents, siblings, and extended family. I followed my own path and was encouraged to find my passion and live my dreams.

Finding theatre at a young age allowed me to explore my artistic passion and use my God-given gifts to entertain and inspire others to do the same.

When I was asked to direct Bright Star, I HAD A VISION of how I wanted to share this story. It comes from a place of love. Love can be the healer of so many things. Forgiveness, acceptance, peace, connection, communication, passion….

I hope you view this story as an example of how love can conquer the greatest fear, enemy, distraction, worry…

The audio or video recording of this production is prohibited.

All we need is love.

Love is all we need.

Jean-Marie Buckley

Cast List

Alice Murphy . . . . , , , . . . . . . . Lillian North Billy Cane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Josh Barham Daddy Cane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Bulla Margo Crawford. . . . . . . . Maddie Williams Max . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Garrett Law Florence . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shaunna Overman Edna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Jones Daryl Ames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danny Tanner Lucy Grant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sophie Wood Mama Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily Duckett Daddy Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jesse Morris Mayor Josiah Dobbs . . . . . . . . Jordan Jones Jimmy Ray Dobbs . . . . . . . . . . Evan Tanner Stanford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Bulla Dr. Norquist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tara Monday Government Clerk . . . Chandler Poindexter Well-Dressed Woman . . . . Tabatha Carsus Ensemble Tabatha Carsus, Dontrell Covington, Rebekah Dowdle, Doug Duckett, Elizabeth Jones, Garrett Law, Tara Monday, Shaunna Overman, Chandler Poindexter, Braeden Seacat, Colton Seacat

Cast Bios Josh Barham: This is Josh’s second ever show with the Theatre Guild. He began acting his freshman year of high school and has since participated in many productions. He currently attends RCC and plans to transfer out in the pursuit of a degree in psychology.

Tabatha Carsus is so happy to be joining TGRC again. She portrayed Ethel Toffelmier last season. No stranger to the stage, some of her favorite roles were Nancy in Oliver, Mdm. Thenardier in Les Misérables and Val in A Chorus Line. When she’s not on stage she’s busy making all natural bath products that she sells in her boutique Hippy Chick’n.

Rebekah Dowdle is 14 years old and a freshman at Rockingham Early College High School. This is her 14th production with TGRC. Her favorite role was Penny in RHS's production of Hairspray. Rebekah enjoys playing tennis, singing with Inspiro, and spending time with friends. She wants to thank her family and friends for their support.

Doug Duckett will be making his musical theater debut in this production of Bright Star. Doug currently works as a physical therapist assistant in Greensboro. He loves his wife almost as much as he loves sports, athletics and good food. In his free time he enjoys listening to music, spending time with his family and making memories. He would like to dedicate this performance to Pops and Grandma Duckett.

Emily Duckett has been a part of the TGRC family for almost 20 years. This will be her first time in a show with her husband Doug! She is currently an ELA teacher at RCHS and is enrolled in grad school! She couldn’t pursue these things without the love and support from her wonderful husband Doug and her two fur kids, Ellie and Lanie! She would like to dedicate this performance to her Grandmama, Martha Blackwell.

Cast Bios Elizabeth Jones is excited to be a part of Bright Star as Edna. This is her second show with TGRC. She was previously seen as Robby Stockfish in Urinetown with Community Theatre of Greensboro and has also participated in various roles on and offstage in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

Jordan Jones: This is Jordan's 2nd performance with TGRC and he is very excited to be a part of this wonderful group once again. His previous role was Jacey Squires in The Music Man. His favorite role he has ever played was Shrek in Shrek the Musical with Duncan Little Theatre.

Tara Monday is no stranger to the stage. This will be her 6th performance with TGRC. When she’s not living her best life under a spotlight you can most likely find her scrubbed in for surgery or on a soccer field. Big thanks to her family for always being her biggest fans!

Lillian North is so excited to be in her first TGRC show. She currently teaches high school theatre and is a cancan girl at Tweetsie Railroad. She would like to thank everyone at TGRC for the opportunity.

Shaunna Overman is excited to make her TGRC debut! McMichael High School credits include Bye Bye Birdie and Death of a Salesman. Shaunna is a graduate of Elon University where she received vocal training. Special thanks to her husband Bryan and daughter Mo for their love and support.

Chandler Poindexter is a senior at Rockingham County High School. She enjoys singing, dancing, and making props for RCHS. She has done many shows with the Guild and hopes to do many more. She hopes you enjoy this one.

Cast Bios Jesse Morris graduated from Lees-McRae College with a BS in Theatre Arts.

He is currently teaching Theatre Arts at Morehead High School in Eden. He has recently retired from being a Tweetsie Railroad Cowboy Performer and is excited to be back home working with new and old friends. He hopes his performance here will inspire his students to pursue Theatre beyond school.

Braeden Seacat is in 10th grade at RCHS. He has been performing with TGRC since he was in the 1st grade. His favorite things include marching band, theater, and hanging out with his friends.

Colton Seacat says to read Braeden's bio for more information about him as they are pretty much the same. They both hope you enjoy the show.

Evan Tanner is excited to be back on stage after taking a hiatus to build sets and run sound. Evan co- owns The Collective Coffee and Bakery with his wife Katie and has his own DJ business, Effortless Entertainment (shameless plug). Outside of work and theater Evan soaks up every minute he can with his wife and 4 month old son, Tennessee. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Danny has been part of the TGRC family for almost 7 years. Portraying roles such as Lumiere (Beauty and the Beast), Brick (Escape to Margaritaville), and many more! Whether on stage or off, Danny has found a second family and enjoys bringing these stories to life!

Maddie Williams is no stranger to the TGRC stage though it has been a few years. She’s excited to be back! Outside of theater Maddie enjoys spending time with her son, Myers. She loves spending time with family, being a barista at The Collective, and is in school to pursue a job in the beauty industry. She loves church and worshipping the Lord. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Production Staff Director . . . . . . . . . Jean-Marie Buckley Musical Director . . . . . . . Marcy Pyrtle Choreographer . . . . . . . . . . Justin Bulla Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . Katie Tanner Assistant Stage Manager. . . Caiti Apple Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz Cervantes Lights . . . . . . . . . Justin Bulla, Brandyn Myers, Evan Tanner Costumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ashley Ward Props . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Wood Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brandyn Myers Producer. Adrianne Hensley-Robinson Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura Williams

Production Staff Bios Jean-Marie Buckley, Director, was thrilled to direct Bright Star and work with such an extremely talented cast. She has been seen on the TGRC stage as Alice Beineke in The Addams Family (2016) and Aunt Em/Glinda in The Wizard of Oz (2017). When not at the theatre, Jean-Marie is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She thanks her family for their never-ending support.

Marcy Pyrtle, Musical Director, is primarily a vocalist and enjoys being onstage, backstage, or in the orchestra pit. A native of Hendersonville, NC, she married Reidsville native Gary Pyrtle and began teaching music for Rockingham County Schools. She currently teaches chorus and piano class at Morehead High. Marcy and Gary attend Reidsville Christian Church. They are proud to be the parents of three grown children and a 10-year-old German Shepherd mix.

Katie Tanner, Stage Manager, is happy to be stage managing for TGRC again. She is a local hairstylist and co-owns The Collective Coffee & Bakery with her husband. Katie is so excited to watch her husband portray the role of Jimmy Ray. Outside of rehearsals Katie finds most joy in spending time with her baby boy, her husband, and their fur babies. She hopes you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

Caiti Apple, Assistant Stage Manager, is super excited to be apart of another show with TGRC. Some of the previous shows she has worked on include Escape to Margaritaville, Moana Jr., where she was an assistant stage manager. She looks forward to doing many more.

Production Staff Bios Justin Bulla is currently the assistant principal at Holmes Middle School where "There's no place like Holmes!" He is no stranger to TGRC as he currently serves as the Artistic Director. He regularly directs for community theatres around the Triad and is excited to perform in this show.

Ashley Ward, Costume Designer, has been a costume designer for 15 years.

She has costumed many productions of youth theatre, community theatre, commercials, college theatre, operas, and films. Ashley has been nominated for two Blumenthal Costume Awards for her work in “The Producers” and “Ragtime.” She also has a film credit for “Lizzie Borden.” She loves the challenges of costume construction! She loves watching the magic of actors become their characters, when they slip on their costumes. This year, Ashley opened her own costume shop, Green Apple Costumes and continues to remain busy on theatre productions. Ashley is a resident of Greensboro NC, where she lives with her husband Clyde of 27 years and the baby of their 5 children, Penny.

Liz Cervantes, Sound Engineer, has almost 20 years of theatrical experience both on and backstage. Liz has graced the stage with many community theatres for productions such as Clue, Bell, Book, and Candle, & I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. She is also a cast member of Smokestack Improv. Liz has been in charge of sound and/or lighting for productions like Wizard of Oz and Dixie Swim Club. By day, Liz is the Research Analyst and Assessment Coordinator for Danville Community College and holds a Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics. Liz recently married the love of her life, Mat in April of 2023. You can also catch Liz & Mat in their band, This Forsaken Epoch.

35th Season Sponsors Please support those who support the arts!

Producers ($1000)

Directors ($750)

Playwrights ($500)

City of Eden Dr Paul R. Barrett DDS, PA City of Reidsville

Farm Bureau (Carla Holt) Reidsville Family Dental (Dr Wooden) VisitRoCoNC.com

Actors ($250) Academy of Dance Century 21/Knowles Team Chez Lindsey Cynthia Bolton DDW The Drippy Bartender Eden Chamber of Commerce Edward Jones Elise Jonell First Piedmont Waste

Harvest Ridge Corntacular Adventure Lee Electric of Reidsville M&H Body Shop Price and Associates Reidsville Orthodontics Rockingham County YMCAs Roger Ward Insurance TRAX North Carolina

Evan, Danny, & Maddie… …Or should we say Larry, Moe, and Curly?!

You three bring so much joy and laughter into the coffee shop we can’t wait to see you guys bring that same joy and laughter to each person who comes to see this show! We love you guys!!!

- The Collective Crew

Daddy (Evan), Break a leg - not an arm because I have plenty of diapers that will need changing! I love you to the moon and back!

-Tennessee

Emily Duckett (Mama Murphy) & Doug Duckett (Ensemble) Katie Tanner (Stage Manager) & Evan Tanner (Jimmy Ray Dobbs) When this family does a show together, they DO A SHOW TOGETHER!!!

Emily on stage again first time as Mrs. Duckett!

Doug’s acting debut! - first time EVER! Evan – on stage after a brief hiatus (and becoming the BEST dad)!

And Katie – the BEST stage manager (and the BEST mom)!

You are all our Bright Stars and we cannot wait to see you bring this powerful, emotional story to life.

We love you!

Mom & Dad & Tennessee

ACT 1 SCENE 1 – 1945, LIMBO “If You Knew My Story” SCENE 2 – 1945, BILLY’S HOME, OUTSIDE HAYES CREEK “She’s Gone” SCENE 3 – 1945, MARGO’S BOOKSTORE, HAYES CREEK "Bright Star" SCENE 4 – 1945, LOBBY OF THE ASHEVILLE SOUTHERN JOURNAL “Way Back in the Day” SCENE 5 – 1923, ZEBULON “Whoa, Mama” SCENE 6 – 1923, A CABIN IN THE WOODS, ZEBULON “Firmer Hand/Do Right” SCENE 7 – 1923, MAYOR’S OFFICE, ZEBULON “A Man’s Gotta Do” SCENE 8 – 1945, ALICE’S OFFICE, ASHEVILLE “Bright Star Underscore” SCENE 9 – 1945, MARGO’S BOOKSTORE, HAYES CREEK “Asheville” SCENE 10 – 1923, A PARK IN ZEBULON “What Could Be Better” SCENE 11 – 1923, A DOCTOR’S OFFICE, ZEBULON SCENE 12 – 1923, MAYOR’S HOUSE, ZEBULON SCENE 13 – 1923, ZEBULON “I Can’t Wait”

SCENE 14 – 1945, ALICE’S OFFICE, ASHEVILLE “Bright Star Scene Change” SCENE 15 – 1924, A SHACK IN THE WOODS, ZEBULON “Please, Don’t Take Him” SCENE 16 – 1924, INTERIOR OF A TRAIN CAR “A Man’s Gotta Do (Reprise)” Intermission ACT 2 SCENE 0 – 1924, TRAIN DEPOT OUTSIDE OF ZEBULON “Sun’s Gonna Shine” SCENE 1 – 1924, MAYOR’S OFFICE, ZEBULON “Heartbreaker” SCENE 2 – 1946, SHINY PENNY CAFÉ AND BAR, ASHEVILLE “Another Round” SCENE 3 – 1946, ALICE’S OFFICE, ASHEVILLE SCENE 4 – 1946, A GOVERNMENT OFFICE, RALEIGH SCENE 5 – 1946, A WELL-MANICURED STREET, RALEIGH “I Had A Vision” SCENE 6 – 1946, MARGO’S BOOKSTORE, HAYES CREEK “Always Will” SCENE 7 – 1946, ALICE’S CHILDHOOD CABIN, ZEBULON “Sun’s Gonna Shine (Reprise)” SCENE 8 – 1946, BILLY’S HOME, OUTSIDE HAYES CREEK “So Familiar/At Long Last" SCENE 9 – 1946, LOBBY OF THE ASHEVILLE SOUTHERN JOURNAL “Finale”

TGRC and the cast and crew of Bright Star would like to thank the following: Rockingham Community College Dan and Amy Dowdle Kelly Cole Wanda Mitchell Claire, Harper, & Tom Murphy Jeff Mericle

This project received support from the Rockingham County Arts Council, the NC Arts Council an agency of the Department of Cultural Resources, and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.