THE SWEET SCIENCE OF BRUISING

The Department of Theatre Presents

A NOTE FROM THE CHAIR

Welcome to the Babcock Theatre and our fourth mainstage production of the 2022/2023 season!

We opened our season in September with a rollicking musical adventure on the high seas: The Old Man and The Old Moon. The journey continued in Studio 115 with Somewhere: A Primer for the End of Days, a timely fable about our impact on the environment and its impact on us. In November, the song cycle In Pieces explored the trials and triumphs of people seeking connection in modern-day New York.

Tonight we’re thrilled to present The Sweet Science of Bruising by Joy Wilkinson, a tale of pugilism, politics, and personal identity in Victorian England. Inspired by photographs, records, and recollections of nineteenth-century women's boxing, this play presents an imagined account of an obscure, fascinating moment in time.

In 1869, an eccentric promoter recruits four very different women to fight for the invented title of “Lady Boxing Champion of the World.” As they train and compete in underground bouts, all four find unexpected freedom and solidarity in the “sweet science” of boxing. The championship soon becomes a prize with life-changing potential, but in nineteenth-century London the most fearsome opponents lie outside the ring—and they play by a different set of rules.

Our next production, Shakespeare’s As You Like It, comes to Studio 115 in March, offering an alternate vision of this beloved comedy about the roles we play in life and love. We close our season in the Babcock with the 1998 revival edition of Cabaret. Based on the critically acclaimed West End production by Sam Mendes, this adaptation is a lean, ferocious reimagining of the Kander and Ebb classic.

Thank you once again for joining us. We are truly proud to present this remarkable season of plays and musicals, and we hope you share our enthusiasm. Next season promises even more excitement when we begin performing in the new Meldrum Theatre at the Einar Nielsen Fieldhouse!

Meanwhile, please visit us online at our website, theatre.utah.edu, or email us at info@theatre.utah.edu with any feedback or questions. We’ll see you at the theatre!

Sydney Cheek-O’Donnell, PhD Chair, Department of Theatre

THE S WEET SC IE N C E O F B R UI S IN G

by Joy Wilkinson

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Professor Charlie Sharp ................................................................................. Tristian Osborne

Violet Hunter CoCo Berwald

Matty Blackwell Dorothy Mayer

Anna Lamb ......................................................................................................... Hannah Ekstrom

Polly Stokes ........................................................................................................... Taryn McClure

Aunt George ................................................................................................................. Lina Boyer

Emily .......................................................................................................................... Maggie Goble

Nancy Aly Carter

Gabriel Lamb Brandon Ernst

Lord Cavendish/Ensemble ................................................................................... James Barton

Paul Stokes .............................................................................................................Michael Tirrell

Captain Danby/Ensemble ..................................................................................... Luke Morton

Dr. James Bell Grayson Kamel

Referee/Dr. Forster/Ensemble True Leavitt

UNDERSTUDIES

Professor Charlie Sharp .......................................................................................... True Leavitt

Violet Hunter ............................................................................................................... Tessa Jones

Matty Blackwell ..................................................................................................... Maggie Goble

Anna Lamb Aly Carter

Polly Stokes Macey Shackelford

Emily/Nancy ...................................................................................................... Laura Herscovici

Gabriel Lamb ........................................................................................................ Grayson Kamel

Paul Stokes .............................................................................................................. James Barton

Dr. James Bell Luke Morton

Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of performance.

SETTING

London, England • 1869

A variety of locations in the boroughs of Westminster, Southwark, and Islington, including private homes, public streets, a doctor's office, a rented room, and the Angel Amphitheatre.

CONTENT ADVISORY

This production contains instances of "adult language" (profanity/innuendo), as well as depictions of/references to the following: fighting for sport, sex work, death and dying, intimate partner violence, termination of pregnancy, reproductive coercion, and administering medical treatment without consent.

American Sign Language interpretation will be provided during the 2nd Friday evening performance and talkback for every show.

THE OLD MAN & THE OLD MOON

Friday, October 7, 2022

SOMEWHERE: A PRIMER FOR THE END OF DAYS

Friday, November 4, 2022

IN PIECES: A NEW MUSICAL

Friday, November 18, 2022

THE SWEET SCIENCE OF BRUISING

Friday, February 24, 2023

AS YOU LIKE IT

Friday, March 24, 2023

CABARET

Friday, April 14, 2023

The Sweet Science of Bruising transports us to Victorian London, 1869, only a decade after Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution in On the Origin of Species. The paradigm shift of Darwin’s revolutionary theory courses through the play as Professor Charlie Sharp lures us and our unexpected pugilists into the ring with the promise of progress and independence.

While some held “the Angel in the House” as the Victorian ideal of womanhood, the women’s movement was fighting for equality — the right to higher education, the right to own their own property and money, and the enfranchisement of the vote. In 1867, the Liberal Philosopher John Stuart Mill MP had gone before the House of Commons to argue that British Women should be given the right to vote; he proposed to amend the Second Reform Act, replacing instances of the word “man” with “person.”

In 1871, Darwin countered these notions in The Descent of Man, where he wrote, “The chief distinction in the intellectual powers of the two sexes is [shown] by man attaining to a higher eminence, in whatever he takes up, than woman can attain — whether requiring deep thought, reason or imagination, or merely the use of the senses and hands. . . Man is more courageous, pugnacious and energetic than woman, and has a more inventive genius.”

Laws, customs, and ways of thinking continue to evolve (in spite of Darwin’s objections), but the fight is far from over. Today, more than a century and a half later, The Sweet Science of Bruising puts on gloves and steps into the ring.

Near the end of the play, Lady Boxing Champion Matilda Blackwell christens the boxing ring her “looking glass through time, showing all her daughters, coming out of the back streets, the brothels, the sweatshops and sweating their way up on to the world’s stage...” Matty’s looking glass through time isn’t reflecting the past, mothers and grandmothers; it’s reflecting daughters, the next generations. I can’t help feeling she’s seeing us in that ring, and I wonder, what is she reflecting back to us? What future are we fighting for for those who follow us?

— Alexandra Harbold

The Sweet Science of Bruising begins in 1869 London at the start of the United Kingdom's Women’s Suffrage movement. In the Victorian Era, married women lived under the regulations of coverture, which gave men legal and financial control over their wives.

Women had been seen as a lesser party to men for centuries leading up to this, but what made the push for women’s suffrage was the Reform Act of 1832. This legislation acted as the first explicit statutory bar to the women’s vote, defining a voter as a male property owner. This reform was meant to “correct abuses'' by granting the individual the vote as opposed to having representative voters for boroughs. Although it also served as the first public acknowledgment barring women, even those who owned property, from voting.

This bill was followed immediately by the first of many petitions pleading for women’s suffrage. The call to action had been heard across the country after this petition for women’s suffrage was seen in court In 1832. It wasn’t until 1866, three years before the start of our play, that a petition made noise in parliament. This petition held 1,499 signatures that had been collected in less than a month. Although this petition did not successfully grant women’s suffrage, it is often considered the beginning of the organized campaign to vote. This caused the formation of women’s societies across Britain that focused on the suffrage movement, notably the Manchester National Society for Women’s Suffrage.

Women’s occupational opportunities were sparse when compared to the opportunities of their male counterparts. Socially acceptable jobs for women were limited to low positions, often in domestic service, which fell in line with the “homemaker” attitude of the time. Despite the minimal job opportunities for women in the nineteenth century, many had to find work in order to support their families. Women from lower social classes would take opportunities wherever they could, working as typesetters for The Times, in coal mines as "Pit Brow Lasses," or as prostitutes in the Haymarket. The attitude from the women’s suffrage movement began to bleed over into women in the workforce. Though prospects looked bleak, many women pushed for equal job opportunities in respected fields like law or medicine.

Some unique women even went as far as to aspire to vocations in sports, such as fencing or boxing. This begs the question: can women work together in the pursuit of equality by day while throwing punches by night? The sociopolitical events of the nineteenth century may still lead us as we find our way through current legislation. Sometimes we may find more reflections from the past in our current society than we expect, so how can we let the struggles of those before us illuminate our path?

— Laurel Morgan, Dramaturg

For more info about THE SWEET SCIENCE OF BRUISING, please visit our dramaturgical website at https://sweetscienceofbruising.wordpress.com/

“We won’t get anywhere if we’re not unified”

COMPANY & CREATIVE TEAM

COMPANY

JAMES BARTON (Lord Cavendish, Ensemble, u/s Paul Stokes, Fight Co-Captain) is a junior in the ATP from SLC. Previous credits include Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, John Proctor in The Crucible, and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Highland High; he also recently played Heathcliff in You on the Moors Now (Studio 115). James is thrilled to call Utah his home, where he can pursue his love for learning and adventure in the great outdoors as well as onstage. He would like to thank his family and friends for their support.

COCO BERWALD (Violet Hunter) is a sophomore in the ATP at the University of Utah. Most recently, CoCo appeared as Calla in Sympathizer (Open Door Productions). She would like to thank her family, professors, and friends for continuing to support her every day. CoCo is a proud recipient of the Marian D. Harrison Scholarship.

LINA BOYER (Aunt George) is a senior in the ATP originally from Salt Lake City. She was most recently seen as Nerine in Pioneer Theatre Company’s production of Scapin Previous credits with the University of Utah Department of Theatre include Logan in The Thanksgiving Play (Studio 115) and Vera in The Night Witches (U of U Virtual). Lina is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful show and would like to thank her family and friends for all their support.

ALY CARTER (Nancy, u/s Anna) is a junior in the ATP. Her credits include Studio 115's You on the Moors Now (Beth/Jane/Nelly Dean). Aly was named to the Fall 2021 Dean's List. She would like to thank her family and friends for their continued support.

HANNAH EKSTROM (Anna Lamb) is a junior in the ATP. Her acting credits include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Viola in Twelfth Night, and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (Logan Youth Shakespeare Company); and Stephanie Dumotel in the new play The Duel (Stanford

University). In 2017 Hannah completed a Shakespeare course at the prestigious school London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She has also codirected and coached children in productions of Shakespeare plays.

BRANDON ERNST (Gabriel Lamb) is an upcoming senior in the ATP. Originally from Colorado—just south of Denver—Brandon began acting nine years ago and has never looked back. Brandon was most recently seen at The Box in Sympathizer by Serena Collins playing Rodney Parker; prior to the pandemic, Brandon played Antinous in the University’s production of The Odyssey in the Babcock Theatre. He is excited for his last show at the U, and for what will come after.

MAGGIE GOBLE (Emily, u/s Matty) was born and raised in Salt Lake City and is currently a sophomore in the ATP. Last year Maggie performed the role of Georgie in Open Door’s production of Sympathizer (The Box). Maggie would like to thank her family and friends for all of their incredible support and her wonderful professors for all of their encouragement and guidance.

LAURA HERSCOVICI (2nd Asst. Director, u/s Emily & Nancy) is a sophomore in the MTP with a double major in educational psychology. Originally from Connecticut, she attended Miss Porter’s School where she played Rona in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Sarah in Guys and Dolls, Val in A Chorus Line, Viola in Twelfth Night, Annette in God of Carnage, and Heidi in The Heidi Chronicles. Last season, Laura played The Acrobat in Matilda Jr. at Kingsbury Hall. Laura would like to thank her family and friends for their endless support, and Andra for this amazing opportunity.

TESSA JONES (u/s Violet) is from Los Angeles, California and is currently a sophomore in the ATP. Recent roles include Pem in Aaron Sorkin’s Farnsworth Invention (Caroline’s Loft Theatre), Marshall in 7 Stories (Cinder Block Theatre Company), and Elsie in After the Fall (LACHSA). Tessa is very excited

COMPANY & CREATIVE TEAM

to be part of this production, and has had a wonderful time working with this cast and crew.

GRAYSON KAMEL (Dr. James Bell) is a junior in the ATP from Castle Rock, Colorado. U Theatre audiences may have seen him as Hermes in The Odyssey (Babcock). After taking a brief hiatus to finish his minor in game design, Grayson is back and excited to work in theatre again. When not in school or onstage, he can be found hosting trivia games and having the time of his life. Grayson would like to thank the wonderful faculty of the ATP who imparted the skills that have gotten him to where he is now, and which he will use for the rest of his life.

TRUE LEAVITT (Referee, Dr. Foster, Ensemble, u/s Prof. Sharp) is a sophomore in the ATP from Twin Falls, Idaho. He is excited to be acting in his second show at the University of Utah. Other Utah credits include Alexander/Corin Understudy and Puppeteer in Somewhere: A Primer for the End of Days (Studio 115), Kid Sister’s production of Everything is About Something, and Props/Deck Crew for The Book Club Play (Babcock). Libby Hunter Scholarship Recipient.

DOROTHY MAYER (Matty Blackwell) is a senior in the ATP. Dorothy spent her childhood in Istanbul, Turkey, then graduated from high school in Bozeman, Montana before becoming a self-proclaimed Utahn. Previous credits include Hailey in a reading of macbitches (PTC), Gillian in The Proxy Marriage (Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, dir. Marc Bruni), and Ensemble in Human: A New Musical (Open Door Productions). Dorothy is a certified Pilates instructor and mother to her darling 18-month-old girl. She’d like to thank her husband for his dedication to her creative pursuits. Marian D. Harrison Scholarship recipient.

TARYN MCCLURE (Polly Stokes) is a senior in the ATP at the University of Utah. Past

credits include Ensemble in The Night Witches (U of U Virtual), Principal Cast Understudy for Storm Still (Babcock), and Jo March in You on the Moors Now (Studio 115). She is excited to enter her senior year in the Actor Training Program.

LUKE MORTON (Captain Danby, Ensemble, u/s Dr. James Bell) is a junior in the ATP from Gilbert, Arizona with fifteen years of acting experience. This is his third show at the U, and his first mainstage production. Luke is an International Honor Thespian and a high school recipient of the ASU Gammage Leadership Award. He would like to thank God and his family for everything, as well as Andra for this amazing show.

TRISTIAN OSBORNE (Professor Charlie Sharp) is currently studying in the ATP at the University of Utah. Previous credits in the Department of Theatre include Will in The Book Club Play (Babcock) and Valère in Tartuffe (Studio 115, U of U Virtual). Tristian has also appeared as Captain Stanhope in Journey’s End (Wasatch Theatre Company) and as Christopher in With You (Play Is the Thing), which received the “Outstanding Ensemble” award at the 2022 Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival. Tristian is a recipient of the Victor Jory Scholarship.

MACEY J. SHACKELFORD (u/s Polly, Fight CoCaptain) was born and raised in Henderson, Nevada and is a sophomore in the ATP. Recent roles include Old/Young Woman and Mabelu in U Theatre’s The Old Man and the Old Moon (Babcock) and Mia in How Flowers Bloom by Olivia C. Smith (Alliance Theater). She will also appear as Lauren in the upcoming feature film Life Almost Gone (Olympian Productions), which is set for a 2023 release. Macey is a proud recipient of the Utahna B. Meilstrup Scholarship.

MICHAEL TIRRELL (Paul Stokes, u/s Gabriel) is a sophomore in the ATP from West Valley City. Past credits include Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls and Perchik in Fiddler on The Roof (Hunter High School). He has also

COMPANY & CREATIVE TEAM

worked in film projects at The University of Utah. In 2018 Michael received his Scarlet and Gold letters in Theatre from Granite School District, where he was recognized as Best Supporting Actor. Michael would like to thank his family and friends, and is excited to continue his education in the ATP.

CREATIVE TEAM

ALEXANDRA HARBOLD (Director) is CoFounder and Co-Artistic Director of Flying Bobcat Theatrical Laboratory and Assistant Professor with the Department of Theatre. Recent directing projects include To Saints and Stars (Good Company Theatre), The Wreck of Queen Thomasina (Footpath Theatre/spit&vigor, NY), Liminal (with Robert Scott Smith, Studio 115), Storm Still (Babcock), the online premiere of The Night Witches (U of U), and Ronald and Edith (The Fairy Story Society & Flying Bobcat, Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival). Upcoming: directing To See Beyond Our Time with Daniel Charon (Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company) and The Tempest (U of U), and serving as dramaturg for What the Constitution Means to Me (PTC) and Can I Say Yes To That Dress? (SLAC). alexandraharbold.com

CONSTANCE ANDERSON (Choreographer) is a current MFA Modern Dance candidate and Teaching Assistant at the University of Utah. She creates choreography with heavy consideration for a performance’s location and movement that emphasizes the venue’s architecture. She founded her company, Sock Opera Dance, in 2019 to experiment with these choreographic systems. Anderson formerly created work in central Wisconsin, forming an artist’s collective and choreographing for the Wisconsin University system’s theatre and dance departments. She has continued to set work in Utah, completing the short film Stalled and being selected for the 2023 Repertory Dance Theatre Regalia

ANNA BLAES (Props Designer) is in her senior year in the PADP, with a minor in music. Recent credits include A Year With Frog and Toad (Props) at Salt Lake Acting Company, A Night To Dismember (Props/ Set) at The Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival, Sympathizer (Props) at The Box Gateway, as well as Illyria and Storm Still (Assistant Props) at the U’s Babcock Theatre. She would like to thank the U Theatre faculty for their support, guidance, and enthusiasm in mentorship.

BELLA DIXON (1st Asst. Stage Manager): is a sophomore in the Stage Management program. Previous credits at the U include 2nd ASM for The Old Man and the Old Moon (Babcock) and Production Assistant for Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience (Babcock). Additional credits include Stage Manager for Something Rotten! and Lighting Designer for Sister Act (Mercer Hall), as well as Stage Manager/Executive Producer of The Silver Line (PCHS Original Film). Bella would like to thank everyone for supporting her throughout this theatrical journey.

JAYDEN DUDLEY (Asst. Production Manager) is a junior in the Stage Management program. She recently finished working on La Boheme, her first opera in Italy (SM, Traveling venues). Previous U Theatre credits include Somewhere: A Primer for the End of Days (SM, Studio 115), Liminal (1st ASM, Studio 115), Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience (ASM, Babcock), and Henry V (PA, U of U Virtual). Additional credits include Fate? (SM, Alliance Theatre); Sweeney Todd (ASM, Kingsbury Hall); and Hello Dolly, Something Rotten, Elf, Shucked, and A Christmas Story: The Musical (Dresser, PTC). She would like to thank everyone for supporting her on her journey thus far.

SAVANNAH GERSDORF (Stage Manager) is a junior in the Stage Management Program. She has enjoyed working on shows at the university including The Old Man and the Old Moon (APM), Matilda Jr. the Musical (SM), and

COMPANY & CREATIVE TEAM

Storm Still (ASM). Savannah has also worked with Pioneer Theatre Company as a dresser for Hello Dolly, Shucked, and A Christmas Story: The Musical, and she looks forward to an internship with Ballet West in the spring. She would like to thank her family and friends for supporting her, and her stage management team for all of their hard work and dedication.

MEGHAN GIBSON (Lighting Designer) is a senior in the PADP. Previous lighting design credits include Illyria (Babcock), Macbeth (Studio 115), and Mamma Mia! (The Elsinore Theater). Meghan was also the Assistant Lighting Designer for She Kills Monsters (Kingsbury Hall.) She would like to thank the wonderful theatre faculty at the U for sharing their knowledge, time, and laughs with her over the last few years. Meghan would also like to thank her family for their constant support and for traveling to Utah to see her final show at the U.

AUTUMN HENDRICKSON (Production Assistant) is a freshman in the BFA Stage Management Program. During her high school theatre career, Autumn enjoyed working on A Wrinkle In Time (Stage Manager), The Most Massive Woman Wins (Stage Manager), Space Girl (Stage Manager, Virtual Performance), Catholic School Girls (ASM), and Peter and the Starcatcher (ASM) at Durham School of the Arts. She is excited to be a part of this wonderful company!

MAE HINTON-GODFREY (Costume Designer) is a senior in the PADP (costume design emphasis) who was born and raised in San Diego. Previous design credits include Liminal (Studio 115), Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience (Babcock), The Night Witches (U of U Virtual), and Macbeth (Studio 115) at the University of Utah; Grease, Tarzan, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Annie, and Aladdin Jr. at Draper Historic Theatre; and Broadway Family Favorites with Draper Arts Council.

CALEB HUNT (1st Assistant Director) is a senior in the MTP. Last season, Caleb appeared as Shadow/Friend Counterpart in U Theatre's production of Liminal (Studio 115). Other favorite credits include Announcer in Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: the Rock Experience (Babcock) Sky in Mamma Mia! (Luminaire Theatre Co.) and Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Greaseball in Starlight Express at Uintah High. Caleb is a recipient of the Keith and Amy Engar Scholarship.

LEE KEDEM (Intimacy and Fight Asst. Director, Asst. Dramaturg) is originally from Foster City, California and is currently a senior in the MTP. Earlier this season, Lee played Jael in U Theatre’s production of In Pieces: a New Musical (Babcock). Previous credits also include multiple roles in Illyria (Babcock), Jane Eyre in You on the Moors Now (Studio 115), and Lavinia in The Emily Dickinson Musical (Studio 115, Open Door). Lee would like to thank her teachers, family, and everyone involved in this production.

ADRIANA LEMKE (Intimacy & Fight Director) is a SLC-based theatre artist, movement professional, and alum of the ATP. Previous fight direction credits at the U include Hamlet: All Female (in collaboration with Flying Bobcat Productions), Self Defense, or death of some salesmen (Studio 115), and Julius Caesar (Studio 115). Other fight direction credits include At the Bottom (Pinnacle), The Wolves (SLAC), Ion (The Classical Greek Theatre Festival), and Twelfth Night (Salt Lake Shakespeare). Most recently, she was Intimacy Director for SLACabaret: Down the Rabbit Hole (SLAC), Head Over Heels (The Grand Theatre), and Man and Moon (Good Company).

ADRIANNE MOORE (Dialect Coach) provides text, voice, and dialect coaching for national and local theatre companies, film, and television. Theatre credits include Stones in His Pockets, An Improbable Fiction, A Doll’s House and Our Country’s Good (American Players Theatre); Two Gentlemen of Verona,

COMPANY & CREATIVE TEAM

Sherlock Holmes, Boeing Boeing, and Dracula (Utah Shakespeare Festival); Charles III, The Heiress, and The Importance of Being Earnest (Pioneer Theatre Company); The Cake, Hand to God, Tribes, and Good People (Salt Lake Acting Company); and multiple productions for the Tuacahn Center for the Arts and the Old Lyric Repertory Company. Film and TV credits include Galyntine (AMC pilot) and The Saving of Sarah Cain. Adrianne is a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA)

LAUREL MORGAN (Dramaturg) is a sophomore in the ATP. Laurel recently appeared in her first mainstage production at the U, playing multiple roles in this season’s The Old Man and the Old Moon (Babcock). She has also appeared in theatrical productions throughout the Salt Lake Valley; previous credits include Poppy in Empress’s New Phone (Parker Theatre), Ursula in Much Ado About Nothing (Parker Theatre), and Kent in King Lear (SLSPA). Laurel would like to thank her professors and mentors for their continued investment in her growth as a theatre artist.

NIKAYLA STARR NIELSON (Scenic Designer) is a junior in the PADP with an emphasis in lighting design. She recently designed lights for The Book Club Play (Babcock), and will be designing the lights for U Theatre’s upcoming production of Cabaret (Babcock). Nikayla is also a freelance lighting designer for Fatfish Media and Clear Lamp AV. For Utah Scholarship recipient.

SUMMER STEVENS (Sound Designer) is happy to be using her music technology minor in her first show behind the scenes. She was most recently in The Old Man and the Old Moon (Babcock) as the Violinist and the Assistant Music Director. After graduating in Civil Engineering this semester, Summer hopes to design theater spaces and eventually pursue a PhD in Engineering Education. She thanks her family and husband Jesse for their support. Summer is the proud recipient of the 2022 Daniel W.

Mead Prize for Students from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

JOEL THOMPSON (2nd Asst. Stage Manager) is thrilled to be part of The Sweet Science of Bruising, and is currently a junior in the Stage Management Program. His most recent theatre credits include Sound Design/ Additional Compositions for The Old Man and The Old Moon (Babcock) and Stage Manager for a student production of The Mermaid in Lock No. 7 (Studio 115). He remains grateful for his incredibly supportive family, and gives special thanks for the love and support he receives from his wife Emma, who continually encourages him to pursue his dreams.

SAMANTHA WOOTTEN (Wig and Makeup Designer) is the Faculty Advisor for Hair and Makeup Design and the Wig Master for Pioneer Theatre Company. Previous career highlights include Wig Master for the Washington National Opera in D.C., Wig and Makeup Designer for Glimmerglass Opera in N.Y., Associate Wig Master for the Los Angeles Opera in CA, and Wig Master for the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

SYDNEY CHEEK-O’DONNELL (Producer) is the chair of the Department of Theatre and associate dean for research in the College of Fine Arts. In the Department of Theatre, Dr. Cheek-O’Donnell has taught History of Theatre, New Plays Workshop, Dramaturgy, and a variety of dramatic literature courses; she was also the head of Theatre Studies from 2005 to 2016. Recent projects include the creation of a video series intended to support families of children with Down Syndrome, as well as writing the handbook Arts for Health: Theatre (Emerald Publishing). Dr. Cheek-O’Donnell earned a PhD in Theatre History and Dramatic Criticism from the University of Washington’s School of Drama and received her undergraduate degree from Carleton College in Minnesota.

PRODUCTION STAFF & ADVISORS

Technical Director Kyle Becker

Assistant Technical Director and Scenic Charge Artist ..................................... Halee Rasmussen

1st Assistant Director ............................................................................................................. Caleb Hunt

2nd Assistant Director ................................................................................................. Laura Herscovici

1st Assistant Stage Manager ................................................................................................ Bella Dixon

2nd Assistant Stage Manager Joel Thompson

Fight Co-Captain James Barton

Fight Co-Captain Macey J. Shackelford

Costume Shop Manager ................................................................................................ Wendy Massine

Assistant Production Manager....................................................................................... Jayden Dudley

Production Assistant............................................................................................ Autumn Hendrickson

Dramaturgy Mentor ............................................................................................................. Mark Fossen

Sound and Lighting Lead Aaron Hoenig

Scene Shop Supervisor Heather Poulsen

Stage Management Area Head/Faculty Advisor .................................................... Amber Bielinski

Faculty Advisor for Lighting and Media Design................................................... Michael J. Horejsi

Faculty Advisor for Sound Design ............................................................................. Jennifer Jackson

Faculty Advisor for Properties Design ..................................................................... Arika Schockmel

PADP Area Head and Faculty Advisor for Costume Design Brenda Van der Wiel

Faculty Advisor for Scenic Design Gage Williams

Faculty Advisor for Hair and Makeup Design Samantha Wootten

Light Board Operator Abriel Tuckness

Sound Board Operator .............................................................................................. Emily Williamson

Props/Deck ........................................... Wesley Cao, Zach Harvey, Skyler Lemelle, Janell Rogers

Costumes ......................................................................... Issa Buckland, Olivia Hellin, Azalea Teuton

Hair/Makeup Michaela Blades, Ella Scheer, Adrian Young, Samanta Cuallo

DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE FACULTY & STAFF

Department Chair

Sydney Cheek-O’Donnell Chair, Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Research

Full-Time Faculty

Margo Andrews Associate Professor Lecturer

Kyle Becker Professor Clinical

Amber Bielinski Associate Professor Clinical, Head of Stage Management

Christopher DuVal Professor

David Eggers Assistant Professor

Jerry Gardner Associate Professor

Hugh Hanson Associate Professor Lecturer

Alexandra Harbold Assistant Professor

Michael J. Horejsi Associate Professor Clinical, Director of Lighting/Media Design

Jennifer Jackson Associate Professor Clinical, Director of Sound Design

Kimberly Jew Associate Professor, Head of Theatre Teaching

Xan Johnson Professor

Brian Manternach Associate Professor Clinical

David Schmidt Associate Professor Clinical, Head of Musical Theatre

Eric Sciotto Visiting Assistant Professor

Sarah Shippobotham Professor

Tim Slover Professor, Head of Theatre Studies

Barbara Smith Associate Professor Lecturer

Robert Scott Smith Assistant Professor,

Head of Actor Training, Associate Chair

Brenda Van der Wiel Associate Professor, Head of Performing Arts Design

Gage Williams Professor

Part-Time Faculty

Jamie Rocha Allan Adjunct Assistant Professor

Karen Azenberg Adjunct Instructor, Artistic

Director: Pioneer Theatre Company

Jacque Bell Adjunct Associate Professor

Nathan Brian Adjunct Instructor

Ty Burrell Adjunct Assistant Professor

Emily Castleton Associate Instructor

Lynn Deboeck Adjunct Associate Professor

Nicholas Dunn Adjunct Assistant Professor

Jane England Adjunct Assistant Professor

Jennifer Erickson Adjunct Assistant Professor

Stephen Faulk Adjunct Instructor

Mark Fossen Adjunct Assistant Professor

Ellie Hanagarne Adjunct Assistant Professor

Greg Hatch Adjunct Associate Professor, Director of Creativity and Innovation Services

Stacey Jenson Adjunct Assistant Professor

Carolyn Leone Adjunct Instructor

Penelope Marantz-Caywood Adjunct Assistant

Professor, Artistic Director: Youth Theatre

Kelby McIntyre-Martinez Adjunct Associate

Professor, Associate Dean for Arts Education and Community Engagement

Christine Moore Adjunct Assistant Professor

Michelle Pedersen Associate Instructor

Jamie Baer Peterson Adjunct Assistant Professor

Megan Richards Adjunct Assistant Professor

Jonas Sappington Adjunct Instructor

Arika Schockmel Adjunct Instructor, Director of Props Design

Matthew Whittaker Adjunct Assistant Professor

Marilee Wilson Adjunct Assistant Professor

Emeritus Faculty

Robert Nelson Professor Emeritus

Richard Scharine Professor Emeritus Staff

Jessica Dudley-Rodriguez Program Manager

Colleen Hirst Accountant

Aaron Hoenig Sound/Lighting Lead Technician

Alex Marshall Music Director

Heather Poulsen Scene Shop Supervisor

Halee Rasmussen Assistant Technical Director

Arika Schockmel Properties Manager

Wendy Schow-Massine Costume Shop Manager

Aaron Swenson Marketing and Communications Coordinator

OUR DONORS

SCHOLARSHIPS

The Department of Theatre is grateful to our donors for making the following scholarships available to our students:

Equity in Theatre Arts

Robert Hyde Wilson Scholarship

Etta Keith Eskridge Scholarship

Victor Jory Scholarship

Utahna Meilstrup Theatrical Scholarship

Keith M. and Amy L. Engar Scholarship

Frank M. Whiting Scholarship

Ralph E. and Winnifred S. Margetts Scholarship

Marian D. Harrison Scholarship

Lee & Audrey Hollaar Technical Scholarship

The Barbara M. Bannon Endowed Fund

The Richard T. and Lonna Brown Scholarship

Sandi Behnken Scholarship

The Christine Macken Memorial Scholarship

The John Ballard and Karen Miller Scholarship

Libby S. Hunter ATP Scholarship

Promising Playwright Award Scholarship

Meggie DeSpain Memorial Scholarship

Lady Bracknell Scholarship

Zellie Pforzheimer Scholarship

David E. Jones Memorial Scholarship

The Department of Theatre acknowledges and thanks the following donors for their generous support during the fiscal year July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022.

INVESTORS

$2,500 and up

Arizona Community Foundation

Barbara Bannon*

D Squared Foundation

Susan Stoddard Heiner and Blake T. Heiner

Elizabeth Hunter

James Macken

Rowena Merrill

Dr. Karen Miller and John Ballard

Princeton Area Community Foundation

Salty Pictures

BENEFACTORS

$1,000-$2,499

Kenneth and Kristina Burton

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund

Rod and Janice Klassovity

Andy and Zelie Pforzheimer

Sarah Shippobotham

PATRONS

$500-$999

Ashby Decker and Anne Cullimore Decker

Michele Dornan

Jennifer and Stephen Jackson

Alexis Lilley

Dylan McCullough

Mightycause Charitable Foundation

Michael and Marianne Seare

Robert Scott Smith

Stephen and Elizabeth Warner

SPONSORED IN PART BY FINE ARTS FEES

FRIENDS

$200-$499

Joe Bouley and Sara Bouley, JD

Nicholas Cheek-O'Donnell and Sydney Cheek-O'Donnell, PhD

Michael Evans

FANS

up to $199

Sara Adams

Ed and Janice Andersen

David Baida

Stephanie Ballantyne

Marcy Beatty

Todd Bulloch

John Caywood and Penelope Marantz Caywood

Laurisa Cope

Linda Corley

Jenny Costello

Maria Delongy

Kimberly Deneris Tanja Easson

Darci Engen

Christian Erben

Tracy Evans

Karen Ferguson

Mark and Abby Green

Christopher Gurr

Barbara Hayman

Richard and Ashley Hayman

Patrick Holmes

Jeffrey and Renae Hoskins

Jack Hoskins

Xan Johnson, PhD

TK and Wendy Kelly

Sheila Kelly

Justin and Bridget Lee

Michael Lisonbee and Helen Nichols

Glen and Judy Loveland

Alacia Loveland

David Magidson, PhD*

Mara Magistad

Rachel Malaga

Tyler Maring

Kimberly Marsden

Christopher S. and Amy Mautz

Sydney May

Rodney and Mary Handy, PhD

Hugh Hanson

Matthew Hobson-Rohrer and Wendy Hobson-Rohrer, MD

Jacquie Wehby

Maynard and Ann McLaughlin

Tevan McPeak

Shawna Melton

Marthe Coker Merrill

Darwin Millet III

Russ Montague and Jeanine Davis

Wendy Morris

Laura Mosley

Craig Nelson and Stephen Greene

Kenneth* and Wilma Odell

Timothy and Holly Parrish

Tom Pepper and Patricia Comitini

Bill and Gayle Pepper

Brianne Reed

Natalie Regan

Robert and Suzanne Rieter

Mike and Brenda Schultz

Patricia Schultz

Camille Sheridan

Robert and Suzanne Smart

Ryan Southwick

Lesli Spencer

Sydney Stephan

Jan Sweeney

Breean Taylor

Abirami Tharmarajah

Sivakumaran and Rajani Tharmarajah

Brittany Timpson

Sue Tredennick

Julianne Turner

Josephine Vandenburg

Nicole Vernon

David Senior Visbal

Katya Wagstaff

Rollie Wagstaff

Chris and Grace Winston

James Wong

Christopher Zawislak

An asterisk (*) denotes a donor who is deceased. Our intent is to recognize and thank all of our donors for their support. If, however, there is an error, please notify the Department of Theatre at 801-581-6448.

For more information on supporting the Department of Theatre, please call 801-581-5773.