Theatre South Carolina
presents
Bertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill's
Directed by
Illustration by Sydney Hoyt
landmark musical masterpiece
Steven Pearson
musical direction by
MATTHEW MARSH
October 2-10
longstreet theatre
english translation by
ROBERT MACDONALD
Original German text based on
Elizabeth Hauptmann's German
translation of John Gay's
THE BEGGAR'S OPERA
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Special thanks to our
DONORS!
SUPPORTERS OF THEATRE SOUTH CAROLINA
THROUGH OUR DONOR GROUP
THE CIRCLE
AND THROUGH ANNUAL GIVING
TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SC
Rick and Rory Ackerman
Dr. and Mrs. John L. Almeida
Dr. Sally Boyd
Matthew S. Cleary
Roger and Pat Coate
Erik Collins
Dave and Sandy Cowen
James Dawkins
Max Dent, Jr.
Robert and Judith Felix
Sallie J. Guess
John F. Hamilton
John and Lucretia Herr
Janet Hudson
Elizabeth Joiner and Buford Norman
Alice Bee Kasakoff
Jane Lavender
Daniel and Rita Lebish
Robert and Mylla Markland
Bonnie J. Martin
Lawrence Mintz
Hayes Mizell
Dr. Gail M. Morrison
Jeff and Linda Moulton
President Harris Pastides &
Mrs. Patricia Moore-Pastides
Jeff and Brigette Persels
Dr. and Mrs. S. Hunter Rentz
Jean Rhyne
Jim and Jackie Robey
Marcia Rowen
Dr. and Mrs. Jaime L. Sanyer
William Schmidt, Jr.
Elizabeth Simmons and Al Sadowski
Barbara and Wally Strong
Dan and Barbara Vismor
Dick White
THANK YOU!
JOIN THE CIRCLE TODAY!
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
ARTSANDSCIENCES.SC.EDU/THEA
(CLICK ON “DONORS” LINK ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE)
List compiled from donations received at time of printing, September, 2015.
THEATRE SOUTH CAROLINA presents
By BERTOLT BRECHT and KURT WEILL
English Translation by ROBERT MACDONALD
Original German Text based on Elizabeth Hauptmann's German translation
of John Gay's THE BEGGAR'S OPERA
Directed by STEVEN PEARSON
Musical Direction by MATTHEW DEAN MARSH
Scenic Designer..........................................................TAMARA JOKSIMOVIC
Lighting Designer.........................................CHRISTOPHER PATTERSON
Costume Designer.........................................................NEDA SPALAJKOVIC
Hair/Wig/Make-up..............................................................VALERIE PRUETT
Sound Designer..................................................................STEVEN PEARSON
Sound Engineer...................................................................DANIELLE WILSON
Stage Manager/Props Master.......................................................JANE HEARN
Vocal Coach.....................................................................................STAN BROWN
Staging Assistant............................................................................ROBYN HUNT*
CAST
Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum ..................................................................................BENJAMIN ROBERTS
Mrs. Peachum .................................................................................................................RACHEL KUHNLE
Polly Peachum ..........................................................................................................CANDACE THOMAS
Macheath .......................................................................................................................................JOSH JEFFERS
Tiger Brown .......................................................................................................................DIMITRI WOODS*
Lucy Brown ..............................................................................................................................CARIN BENDAS
Matt of the Mint/Smith .................................................................................MATTHEW CAVENDER
Jenny Diver ...........................................................................................................................NICOLE DIETZE
Street Singer/Reverend Kimball/Betty ........................................................................MELISSA REED
Jake/Beggar ....................................................................................................................................MEGH AHIRE
Filch/Walt/Nelly ................................................................................................................JAMIE BOLLER
Ned/Constable/Beggar ................................................................................................JOHN ROMANSKI
Vixen/Bob/Beggar .........................................................................................................KERRI SIMMONS
Jimmy ...............................................................................................................................MATTHEW MARSH
There will be one intermission.
Used by arrangement with European American Music Corporation,
agent for The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., and agent of the Brecht heirs.
*Member of Actor's Equity. This theatre operates under an agreement between the Uni­versity
Resident Theatre management program and Actors Equity, the union of professional actors
and stage managers in the United States.
FROM THE CHAIR/CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Lisa Martin-Stuart
“It is in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough — it’s
technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that
yields us the results that make our heart sing.”
- Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple Computers
As we face another political season, higher education and,
specifically, Liberal Arts programs face serious scrutiny and
greater pressure to justify, and validate, how BA degrees lead
to specific job placement for our graduates. While we all want
our students to succeed in a competitive job market, presenting too narrow a
viewpoint in regard to job placement often results in overlooking the reality of
successful career pathways for the 21st Century.
In a recent Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) survey, over 90,000
creative arts alumni were asked what skills, or competencies, were important in
their current professional careers (in arts and non-arts fields). Ninety percent
of the responses rated creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership,
management, and networking as most important. All of these competencies
are experiential learning skills that our Theatre majors acquire and excel in. As
chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, I am confident our BA in Theatre
program (one of twenty-two BA programs offered in the College of Arts &
Sciences) equips our students with the skills necessary to take full advantage of
market opportunities. Our program develops and nurtures the creative outlets
necessary for building these important competencies. Proficiency in these
areas will give our students a leading edge over others in the job market, and
steer them toward a life-time of career opportunities.
Over the next year I will introduce to you several of our current students, and let
them tell you in their own words what a Liberal Arts degree in Theatre means
to them. Look in this program for our first student spotlight.
For more information on recent Theatre Alumni visit our website: http://
artsandsciences.sc.edu/thea/
For more information about Creative Arts degree programs visit the SNAAP
website: http://snaap.indiana.edu/
Enjoy the show!
Lisa Martin-Stuart
Co-Artistic Director, Theatre South Carolina
Chair, Department of Theatre and Dance
CAST
Megh Ahire
Jake/Beggar
Megh Ahire is currently
a student at Midlands
Technical College. His
previous work at USC
includes Player King, Twelve Angry
Jurors, and August Snow. This is his first
experience acting on the mainstage and
he is excited for the opportunity. Megh
would like to thank his parents for being
the most supportive parents in the
world, and his boy Morgan Dannels for
pushing him to follow his dreams. Megh
would also like to thank his girlfriend
Megan Branham for always being there
for him and encouraging him to audition
for The Threepenny Opera.
Carin Bendas
Lucy Brown
A native of Pittsburgh, PA,
Carin is thrilled to return
to the Longstreet stage,
where she previously
appeared in Our Town (Stage
Manager), Action (Adele), and Oh, What
a Lovely War! Carin has worked as a
professional actor and model for many
national and international companies
including Dolby, Fisher-Price, Big Lots,
Dick's Sporting Goods, Sally Beauty
Supply, Blue Diamond Entertainment
(Pain Within), and ABC Studios (Army
Wives). Cherished roles include Lavinia
(Titus Andronicus), Mary Lane (Reefer
Madness), Lanie (Two Rooms), and
Lucy (Mr. Marmalade). Carin is a proud
member of a select group of actors
employed by Kaufmann Forensic
Acting, through whom she is contracted
to work with several government
agencies. In her favorite role to date,
Carin is the very lucky wife of USC MFA
Acting Graduate Ben Blazer. "The rains
will come to wash us from the clouds."
Jamie Boller
Filch/Walt/Nelly
Jamie Boller is so thrilled to
be back on the Longstreet
stage with such a talented
cast and crew! She is
currently a senior Theatre and English
major at USC. Some of her favorite
roles from her time on USC stages
include Hecuba (The Trojan Women),
Olive (The Women of Lockerbie),
Richard III (Richard III), Richard Roma
(Glengarry Glen Ross), and A.J. (Ajax
in Iraq). After this show, Jamie will be
directing a production of Annie Baker's
Circle Mirror Transformation in the Lab
Theatre, which will open late November.
She wants to thank Steve for giving her
this incredibly challenging opportunity
and, as always, Mom, Dad, and Rae for
their endless support.
Matthew Cavender
Matt of the Mint/Smith
Matthew Cavender is
proud to be returning for
his second semester at
the USC Graduate Acting
Program and is thrilled to be a part of the
wonderful cast of Threepenny Opera. In
May of 2013 Matthew graduated from
Susquehanna University with a major
in Theatre Performance and minors
in Creative Writing and Philosophy.
Some of his favorite performances
for Susquehanna University include: A
Lion in Winter (Richard); A Midsummer
Night’s Dream (Lysander); Funny Girl
(Nick Arnstein); and Amadeus (Mozart).
His credits outside of SU include A
Murder Announced (Gretna Theatre)
and Hippolytus (American Thymele
Theatre) among others. Matthew would
like to thank all those who contributed
their constant support in getting him
this far, especially his mother and father,
Jane and Rob. Enjoy the show!
Nicole Dietze
Jenny Diver
Nicole is a second-year
MFA acting candidate.
She performed with
Pennsylvania Rep Co. in
Of Mice and Men and Romeo and Juliet
and also at The Shawnee Playhouse
in The Importance of Being Earnest,
Beyond Therapy, and Manhattan
Casanova. Nicole originated the roles
of Zoe in Spanakopita and Johanna in
Visions of Johanna through Shawnee
Playhouse’s Original Playwright Series.
Josh Jeffers
Macheath
Josh Jeffers
has
previously been seen
on the Theatre South
Carolina stage in The
Three Musketeers, Translations, and Our
Town. He thanks his teachers, mentors,
and directors.
Rachel Kuhnle
Mrs. Peachum
Rachel Kuhnle is a
second year MFA
Acting Candidate at
the University of South
Carolina. Originally from Honey Creek,
IA, she appeared most recently as Milady
in The Three Musketeers and Bridget in
Translations. She has also worked with
Trustus Theatre (SC), the Commonweal
Theatre (MN), Festival Theatre (WI) and
CLIMB Theatre (MN.) Rachel would like
to thank her classmates and instructors,
cast mates and the production team, as
well as her favorite person ever, Josiah,
for being awesome.
Melissa Reed
Narrator/Reverend
Kimball/Betty
Melissa Reed is a 2015
graduate of the MFA
Acting program, where some of her
favorite roles were Edward Kinston in
Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Gloria
in Boeing-Boeing, Thomasina in Arcadia,
Pamela et al in The 39 Steps, and Olga
in Three Sisters. She has worked for
Virginia Stage Company (A Christmas
Carol) The Warehouse Theatre
(Metamorphoses, A Midsummer Night's
Dream), Pacific Performance Project/
East (Mizo No Eki, A Midsummer Night's
Dream), Opera Carolina (Madama
Butterfly), The Atlanta Opera (Carmina
Burana), Out of Hand Theater, and
Theater Emory. She is a resident
teaching artist at The Warehouse
Theatre in Greenville and has taught
movement in the SC Governor's School
for the Arts and Humanities Summer
Program. This summer Melissa shot her
first feature film, Victims, which will be
released in early 2016.
Benjamin Roberts
Jonathan Jeremiah
Peachum
Benjamin Roberts is
happy to be performing
in Threepenny Opera.
A second year MFA student, he has
recently been seen in Three Musketeers,
Translations, and Our Town. He would
like to thank his wife for her support.
John Romanski
Ned/Constable/Beggar
John Romanski is a
freshman broadcast
journalism major and
theatre minor, born in
Bohemia, New York but currently
residing with his family in Fort Mill, South
Carolina. He attended Fort Mill High
School, where he was involved in several
productions, including roles in The
Outsiders, It’s a Wonderful Life, Legally
Blonde: The Musical, The Addams
Family Musical, To Kill a Mockingbird, and
The Music Man. John is very thankful to
the cast and crew for allowing him to be
a part of this amazing experience and
helping him learn new theatre skills. He
thanks you for coming and hopes you
enjoy the show!
Kerri Simmons
Vixen/Bob/Beggar
Kerri Simmons is a junior
media arts/theater major
from South Carolina and
is so excited to be in her
first main stage production here at USC.
“The Threepenny Opera is one of the
best shows I’ve ever been a part of and I
can’t wait to see the audience's reaction
on opening night. Getting to know the
cast and crew has been a wonderful
experience and I look forward to the
next show I can be a part of.”
Candace Thomas
Polly Peachum
Candace Thomas is a
second year MFA Acting
Candidate. She was seen
on the Theatre South
Carolina stage last year as "Mrs. Gibbs"
in Our Town, and "Maxine" in Tongue
of a Bird (CPE). Favorite credits include
Spring Awakening (Theatre Horizon),
Passing Strange (11th Hour Theatre
Company), and Little Shop of Horrors
(Bristol Riverside Theatre), in which
she received a 2014 Barrymore Award
nomination for Best Supporting Actress
in a Musical. Candace dedicates all of her
performances to the memories of her
grandmothers. To God Be The Glory.
Dimitri Woods
Tiger Brown
Dimitri is a graduate of
Santa Clara University
where he received his B.A.
in Theatre Arts with an
emphasis in Acting and Directing. Since
graduating, he has performed in the Bay
Area for a number of companies, most
recently with Marin Theatre Company’s
West Coast Premier of Choir Boy. He’s
also performed in In The Heights as
Benny, The Color Purple, Follow Me
to Nellie’s, and Cinderella. Some of his
favorite roles he's performed were Paul
in Six Degrees of Separation, Schroeder
in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,
and as Assistant Director for For Colored
Girls. Dimitri is excited to be a part of the
MFA program, here at the University of
South Carolina, and thanks everyone for
their support. Dimitri appears courtesy
of Actors' Equity.
ARTISTIC COMPANY
Steve Pearson
Director/Sound Designer
Steven
Pearson
has
directed
and
acted
professionally in the US,
Canada, Europe and
Japan. In addition to theatre work, he
has performed in New York, Los Angeles
and San Francisco with Malashock
Dance and Company, worked with
performance artist Eleanor Antin on
several tours, and directed a number of
original operas including TRILLIUM by
jazz great Anthony Braxton. In 1982 he
began 12 years of intensive work with
Tadashi Suzuki. In Japan he played in
NIPPON WARS, CLYTEMNESTRA, and
Claudius in HAMLET. Steven is a cofounder of Pacific Performance Project/
East and under that umbrella has
directed DAYS AND NIGHTS WITHIN,
MIZU NO EKI, END OF THE ROPE at
LaMama and in Romania, MYRA’S WAR,
BALANCE, GRAVITY and FLIGHT.
He also conceived, wrote and played
Thomas in OPIUM directed by Kenji
Suzuki and performed in Seattle, Tokyo
and Kanazawa, Japan. He played Hooke
in Peter Kyle’s SKIPPY-O’S DREAM, and
performed in the premiere of Peter Kyle
Dance at the Henry Street Settlement
in New York. Other professional work
includes the premiere of FLAGS by
Jane Martin, produced by the Mixed
Blood Theater and the Guthrie Theater,
playing Firs in THE CHERRY ORCHARD
SEQUEL at LaMama in New York, and
as LJ in Nancy Bannon’s DRINKING INK
at the 92 Street Y in New York. Directing
projects include: VALLEY SONG,
THE SUICIDE, POLAROID STORIES,
BLACK SNOW, EARTH AND SKY, A
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE
THREE SISTERS and FLIGHT. Steve was
Professor of Acting in the Department
of Theatre at the University of California,
San Diego, where he became head
of the graduate acting program, and
subsequently taught in the School of
Drama at the University of Washington,
where he headed the Professional
Actor Training Program for eleven
years. Currently, Steve is Professor and
Head of the Professional Actor Training
Program at the University of South
Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina.
Matthew Dean Marsh
Musical Director/Jimmy
Matthew Dean Marsh
is a Brooklyn based
composer, writer, and
performer focused on the development
of new theater mediums. His
compositions have been performed at
The Michigan Opera House, Madison
Square Garden, Lincoln Center, The
Brooklyn Academy of Music, and The
White House in Washington DC. In
current development is his whimsically
cerebral pop-up musical entitled
"Detroit ReZoning."
Tamara Joksimovic
Scenic Designer
Tamara Joksimovic is
a second-year Scenic
Design MFA candidate,
studying under Professor
Nic Ularu. In 2013, she graduated from
the Faculty of Applied Arts, Belgrade
University of Arts, in the Scenic and
Production
Design
Department.
During her studies in Belgrade, she
participated in a number of student and
professional theatre projects, including
the international production of the play
Hieronymus, written and directed by
Professor Nic Ularu, in Iasi, Romania.
In 2014 as a first-year candidate, she
designed set for the USC production
of The Three Musketeers, directed by
Robert Richmond.
Christopher Patterson
Lighting Designer
Christopher Patterson is a
second year MFA Lighting
Design candidate from
Union, South Carolina.
Chris made his Longstreet Theatre stage
debut designing Translations under the
leadership of Paul Savas. Christopher's
work has also premiered at the Koger
Center for the Arts under the leadership
of Eric Morris. Chris has recently carried
out the role of Master Electrician for the
twenty-eighth season of the Virginia
Shakespeare Festival.
Neda Spalajkovic
Costume Designer
Neda Spalajkovic is a
second year MFA Scenic
Design student at the
University
of
South
Carolina’s Department of Theatre and
Dance. She was born in Belgrade,
Serbia, where she got her BA in TV, Film
and Theater Scenography on Faculty
of Applied Arts, University of Arts.
During her studies she participated in
many theater and movie projects, and
after she graduated she worked as an
assistant in several professional theaters
in Belgrade, as well in Iasi, Romania with
professor Nic Ularu (Scenic Design
professor and head of MFA program
at USC ) on his play Hieronymus, which
he wrote, designed and directed. Neda
was also the designer of many short
movies and exhibitions, and took part
in few performances. In Fall 2014 she
was the scenic designer for Our Town
(USC theatre production) by Thornton
Wilder, directed by Steven Pearson.
Danielle Wilson
Sound Engineer
Danielle is always pleased
to return to Theater South
Carolina. She graduated
from the MFA lighting
design program at USC in 2003. She
worked as the house lighting designer
for the Blumenthal Performing Arts
Center's Spirit Square where she lit
Derek Trucks, The Avett Brothers, Arlo
Guthrie, and Eve Ensler, among others.
She returned to USC and worked for
four years as the Assistant Technical
Director for lighting and sound. In recent
years her focus has become sound
design as she has designed a number of
the mainstage productions at Theater
South Carolina. Danielle is currently a
freelance lighting and sound designer.
She would like to thank her family.
Valerie Pruett
Hair/Wigs/Makeup
Valerie has been working
as a professional hair and
makeup artist for over
fourteen years. Before
returning to the University of South
Carolina ten years ago, she free-lanced
and designed for regional theatres
across the country, including: Milwaukee
Repertory Theatre, Utah Shakespeare
Festival, American Players Theatre,
New American Theatre, Dallas Theatre
Center, American Folklore Theatre and
the Madison Repertory Theatre. Valerie
also worked as a guest lecturer and
adjunct faculty at Lawrence University
in Appleton, WI and the Professional
Theatre Training Program at the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In
addition to teaching and designing at
Theatre SC, Valerie maintains an active
professional career as a Hair and Make-
up artist in the tri-state areas with film
and media productions. She firmly
believes that a successful portrayal
of any character must include the
complete visual transformation of that
character in order to have a true balance
and silhouette.
Jane Hearn
Stage Manager/Props
Master
Jane is a graduate of
the University of South
Carolina Honors College
with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. She
stage managed many productions
throughout college and is excited to
return to the USC (back)stage.
Stan Brown
Vocal Coach
Stan Brown is a Professor
in the Department of
Theatre and Dance at
USC. He’s in his second
year as voice specialist in both the
Graduate Professional Actor Training
Program and the Undergraduate Actor
Training Program. Stan earned his MFA
in Acting from the University of South
Carolina in 1989. While here, Stan was
named a graduate acting fellow at the
Shakespeare theatre in Washington
D.C., where he received the core of his
classical actor training. Stan began
his work in university teaching at the
University of Warwick in Coventry
England where he taught acting
and was a post graduate researcher
in
Contemporary
Shakespearean
Performance (exploring concepts,
interpretation and development in
director Peter Brook’s body of work, with
the Royal Shakespeare Company, as
intentional artistic responses to relevant
social, political, and cultural realities).
Apart from his work as a teacher, voice/
dialect coach and director, Stan has
worked as a professional actor both here
in the US and in the United Kingdom
in theatre, film, television and radio for
30 years. Some of his credits include
featured roles on NBC’s Homicide:
Life on the Streets, and recurring roles
on In the Heat of the Night and the
critically acclaimed I’ll Fly Away. In film,
Stan co-starred in Robby Benson’s
Modern Love and appeared opposite
Calista Flockhart, Matthew Perry, Dave
Chapelle, and Christine Baranski in the
cult film, Getting IN, the directorial debut
of Doug Liman (Director of Swingers,
The Bourne Identity, and Mr & Mrs.
Smith).
Robyn Hunt
Staging Assistant
A member of Actor’s
Equity, Hunt has acted
professionally in the US,
Canada, Europe and
Japan. She worked for over a decade
with Tadashi Suzuki, performed in Tokyo
and Kanazawa in Opium, a joint Pacific
Performance Project/Theatre Group
Tao production under the direction of
Kenji Suzuki, studied and performed
in Kyoto under the direction of Shogo
Ohta, and between 1994 and 2000
performed frequently at the Actor's
Theatre of Louisville, under the direction
of Jon Jory. Hunt was co-founder and
first artistic director of the San Diego
Public Theatre and co-heads the Pacific
Performance Project/east, now based in
Columbia, SC. In 2001, she received the
University of Washington Distinguished
Teaching Award. Most recent acting
roles include Dottie in Noises Off,
the title role in Mother Courage and
Ranevskaya in both Gravity (Connelly
Theatre, NYC) and The Cherry Orchard
Sequel at LaMaMa. Hunt performed
in the New York debut of Peter Kyle
Dance as Miss Haversham in To What
Extent at the Henry Street Settlement/
Abrons Arts Center in Fall 2007, and
in 2000, appeared in another Kyle
dance, Going. She has created several
evening length dance/theatre pieces,
including the trilogy Suite For Strangers,
which had its Seattle debut in 2004.
Other dance/theatre collaborations
(with Peter Kyle and Steven Pearson)
include: Myra's War, Prix Fixe, and
Shogo Ohta's The Water Station (Mizu
No Eki). She appears in the January
2008 article "Shaping the Independent
Actor," in American Theatre Magazine.
Her work can be viewed at the Pacific
Performance Project/east website
(P3east.com).
Michael Castro
Assistant Stage Manager
Born in Augusta, Georgia,
Michael is a native of
Graniteville, South
Carolina. He is in his
second year of Theatre studies here at
the University of South Carolina. Prior
credits include Howie Newsome and Mr.
Foster in Steven Pearson’s production
of Our Town. Prior to beginning his
theatre studies, Michael was an avid
musician, having performed with various
University of South Carolina ensembles
and across South Carolina and Georgia.
He thanks all his teachers for their
mentoring and friends and family for
their support. He also gives special
thanks to his parents Lalo and Shirley
Castro for their continued support
through all his artistic endeavors.
Sam Gross
Assistant Technical
Director
Sam
Gross
is
a
graduate
of
Indiana
University where he earned an MFA
in Theatre Technology. He specializes
in mechanized scenery, computer
controlled systems, electronics, set
construction, and rigging. He has
designed and built motion control
systems for such productions as The
Real Thing, Sweeney Todd, Romeo and
Juliet, Sweet Charity, Dracula, and Pal
Joey. He has overseen the construction
of USC productions since 2005. Mr.
Gross received his Bachelor of Sciences
Degree from the University of North
Alabama where he also worked as
a sound designer, lighting designer,
sound engineer, carpenter, and actor.
In his position as Assistant Technical
Director, Sam supervises graduate
and undergraduate students in the
construction of scenery and props for
USC Theatre and Dance productions.
Spencer Henderson
Costume Studio
Supervisor
M. Spencer Henderson is a
graduate of the University
of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill where he received an MFA
in Costume Shop Management and
Costume Technology. He received
his BA in theatre from Florida State
University. His costuming credits include
Playmakers Repertory Company, The
Utah Shakespearean Festival, and
Glimmerglass Opera.
Recently, he
spent the three summers (‘09-’11) at
the Williamstown Theatre Festival as
the Costume Shop Manager. Spencer
supervises the USC costume shop,
assists with the patternmaking and
construction of costumes, and teaches
costume construction classes.
Jim Hunter
Lighting Design Advisor
Jim’s scene and lighting
designs have been seen
at such theatres as the
Folger Shakespeare
Theatre, Theatre Virginia, Phoenix
Theatre, Florida Repertory Theatre,
Charlotte Repertory Theatre, Florida
Stage, Arkansas Repertory Theatre,
Playhouse on the Square, Drury Lane
Theatre, Heritage Repertory Theatre,
Flat Rock Playhouse, VeggieTales Live
National Tour, Florida Studio Theatre,
World Stage Exposition in Toronto
as well as others. Jim toured with the
modern dance company Wall Street
Danceworks. Recent designs have
been recognized with two consecutive
AriZoni Awards for Excellence in
Scene Design. Jim is a member of the
national designers union, United Scenic
Artist, Local 829 in both scene and
lighting design. He served as Chair for
the Department of Theatre and Dance
here at the University of South Carolina
and Artistic Director of Theatre South
Carolina from 2004 to 2014. During
this period the department produced
63 main stage and 46 second stage
theatre and dance productions. Current
national service activities include Chair
of the Commission on Accreditation/
Member, Board of Directors with
the National Association of Schools
of Theatre and regular assignments
chairing Accreditation Teams for
NAST. Recent local community service
includes board membership on the
Columbia Design League and President
of the Blythewood Middle School
Orchestra Booster Club. Please visit his
online portfolio at www.jimhunterdesigns.
com.
DaSean Jefferson
Assistant Stage Manager
DaSean Jefferson is an
undergraduate
theatre
major at USC. This is
his first main stage
production as an Assistant Stage
Manager. He is excited to be a part of
this production and work with such a
wonderful cast. DaSean would like to
thank his family and friends for their
support and love.
Brittany Kmieciak
Assistant Stage Manager
Brittany is a third year
accounting student
working to achieve her
goal in attaining her CPA. Aside from
being happy, she is not quite sure what
she wants to be when she grows up. Her
current plan is just to “ Rock it” and to try
to experience everything under the sun
until she has found her calling. Brittany is
extremely thankful to have been given
the chance to assistant stage manage
for The Threepenny Opera and to have
worked with such a welcoming cast.
Lisa Martin-Stuart
Chair/Co-Artistic
Director/Costume Design
Advisor
As head of the Costume
Design Program, Lisa has
a strong background in design, historical
research and costume technology.
Over the last 20 years Lisa has designed
costumes for over 50 productions for
Theatre South Carolina, most recently
Ajax in Iraq and The Three Musketeers.
Lisa’s professional design credits
include Film: Ruby in Paradise, winner
of the 1993 Sundance Film Festival and
starring Ashley Judd; Ulee’s Gold (1997)
starring Peter Fonda; Coastlines (2002)
starring Timothy Olyphant. Regional
Theatre costume design credits include:
American Folklore Theatre, Asolo State
Theatre, Aquila Theatre Company of
London, Charlotte Repertory Theatre,
and Hippodrome State Theatre. Her
long-time collaboration with Marilyn
Wall (Emmy Award-winning costume
designer) and Marion Caffey (Three
Mo’ Tenors) on Cookin’ at the Cookery
has brought her design and technical
expertise to the Geva Theatre,
Merrimack Repertory Theatre, and
Huntington Theatre Company.
Andy Mills
Technical Director
Andy
has
designed
professionally
at
Shakespeare
Theatre’s
Young
Company
(Washington, DC), Charlotte Repertory
Theatre, Carolina Opera, USC Opera,
and Trustus. Andy currently teaches
Intro to Theatre Design and Theatre
Laboratory. He specializes in the area of
properties, finding or building the most
obscure of items. Andy is a Member of
USITT.
Robert Richmond
Co-Artistic Director
Robert Richmond is
originally from Hastings,
England, and studied
at the Royal Scottish
Academy of Music and Drama. He is an
Associate Professor in Theatre at the
University of South Carolina, Co-Artistic
Director, and Head of Undergraduate
Studies and Performance in the
Department of Theatre & Dance.
Prior to his academic career Robert
spent thirteen years as the Associate
Artistic Director of the Aquila Theatre
Company, and directed productions
of Shakespeare that toured across the
United States and Europe. Robert’s
directing career continues to take him
all over the nation. Most recently his
credits at the Folger Theatre include:
Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, Henry V,
Othello, Henry VIII, Julius Caesar, and
Richard III. Other companies Robert
has been directed for include Lost
Colony, La Jolla Playhouse, and Denver
Center for the Performing Arts. His
next project A Tale Told By An Idiot,
which was originated at USC in 2008,
will appear this May at the Clark Studio
at Lincoln Center, NYC. Robert will also
be directing Hamlet for the Academy of
Classical Acting at Shakespeare Theatre
in D. C. in June. His work is known for
its ability to reinvigorate theatre with
imagination, innovation, and relevance.
His mission is to create theatre that
will sustain and transform the twentyfirst century, revitalize audiences, and
reward them for their patronage.
Rachel Sheets
Master Electrician
Rachel is a second
year
lighting
design
MFA student.
Last
summer she worked
as an electrician with Southern Illinois
University’s company McLeod Summer
Playhouse where she got to be the
Master Electrician for Legally Blonde.
Rachel has a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Geography from the University of Mary
Washington, VA. There, as part of the
technical staff at Dodd Auditorium, she
designed lights for the UMW Preforming
Arts Club (PAC), Avery Ballet, and
the Christopher Morawetz Memorial
Concert. She served as a production
assistant for the PBS special A Fiddler’s
Holiday with Jim Brown Productions,
and from 2012-2014 she worked with
the lighting crew of the television show
It’s Supernatural! on location in Charlotte,
NC.
Nic Ularu
Scenic Design Advisor
Professor
Ularu
has
extensive design credits
in USA and Europe,
including theatres in
Sweden, Northern Ireland and Romania.
Nic Ularu was the head of scenography
at the National Theatre of Bucharest
- Romania, and served for four years
as a board member of The European
League of the Institutes of the Arts
(ELIA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
He has taught scene and/or costume
design in Romania, Germany, Sweden,
UK, Italy, Denmark and Hong Kong.
Prior to USC, he taught at Smith College,
National Theatre School of Denmark
and The University of Theatre and
Film, Romania. In 2003, Professor Ularu
received an OBIE award for outstanding
achievement in Off-Broadway theater.
Ularu’s designs appeared in the USA
entries at the Prague Quadrennial
International Exhibitions of scenography
in 2007, 2003 and 1998. In 2005, Nic
co-designed the exhibit and designed
the poster for the World Stage Design
Exhibition, Toronto - Canada, and was
appointed by the United States Institute
of Theatre Technology as the leading
designer and curator of the USA National
Exhibit at the Prague Quadrennial
International Exhibition of 2007. Besides
his national and international design
activity Nic Ularu is a playwright and
director. His recent freelance work as
playwright and director includes several
acclaimed productions at LaMaMa ETC
- New York, Sibiu International Theatre
Festival - Romania, Teatrul Foarte Mic,
Bucharest - Romania, “O” Teatret Sweden, National Theatre of Constanta
- Romania, and National Theatre of Cluj
- Romania. Nic recently received the
Grand Prix award for Best Production
for a show he designed and directed
at the Belgrade International Theatre
Featival. of “applied theatre,” the practice of
drama as a medium for education and
social development, is the perfect way
to bridge all of those disciplines.
“I’ve always cared about education
and
theatre
and
psychology,
and working with marginalized
populations, and I never really knew
how to do that until I was introduced
to applied theatre by Peter Duffy
(Associate Professor and Head of
the Theatre MAT Program). Thanks
to him, I was introduced to this ideal
avenue, and I never could have even
imagined that.”
What she’s learned about the field has
influenced her latest project, directing
the provocative social-issue play Stop
Kiss, which runs at the Lab Theatre
October 8-11.
Actor, Director, Filmmaker, Activist…
That’s just the beginning of the list of
accomplishments made by theatre
student Elizabeth Houck since
coming to the University in Fall 2012.
Elizabeth is pursuing a double major
in Theatre and Psychology, with a
minor in Communication Sciences
and Disorders. And, in her time at
the UofSC, she’s found that the area
Stop Kiss is just the latest production
Elizabeth has tackled in her time here.
She’s had roles in the Lab Theatre
shows The Trojan Women, The
Women of Lockerbie, The Taming
of the Shrew, Status Update, Twelve
Angry Jurors, The Rose Tattoo, August
Snow and the short play festival
whose words all ears took captive;
was part of Robert Richmond’s
Finding Richard, an all-female take
on Richard III; and, has appeared on
the main stage in Ajax in Iraq and The
Three Musketeers. She’s also been
active back stage, as an officer in the
student theatre group Green Room
Productions, and a participant in the
play selection committee for the 201516 season.
In addition to her stage work,
Elizabeth has found her way into film,
performing in several shorts (Humans
of Columbia, Elements, Sagitta)
and, most recently, an independent
feature-length shot in Minnesota
called Witch. Last year, Elizabeth
wrote and starred in 50%, a personallyintrospective documentary short
created for Campus Movie Fest,
which bills itself as the world’s largest
student film festival. The short was
selected to represent CMF at the
Cannes Film Festival, and appeared
at San Francisco’s Frameline Festival,
the oldest and largest LGBTQ film
festival.
Elizabeth says her next step will
likely involve putting herself on a
PhD track, focusing on Performance
as a Public Practice, potentially at
the University of Texas at Austin.
“I would love to be a practitioner,
working with communities and even
partnering with different community
organizations wherever i am,” she
says. “And, ultimately, I would love to
come back here and help in any way
I can.”
We have no doubt she’ll make a
difference, whoever she encounters
and wherever she lands!
“Elizabeth is a great example of a
‘no limits’ student,” says Duffy. “ She
marries her creativity, intellect, drive
and ability to connect people and
ideas in all of her work, and it is clear
she is going places.”
For all of her achievements since
freshman year, Elizabeth says the
biggest change she’s seen in herself
is an enhanced sense of confidence.
“I think there was a level where I was
confident in a couple of things, but
I’m in a place now where my selfconfidence and self-love has led me
to other places. It’s like, ‘Well, if I can
do this, maybe I can try this as well.’”
“I have grown a lot as an artist as well,
mostly in my approach to making
art,” she says. “Trying to explore what
art can actually do, and using it to its
fullest potential, is something that’s
really altered how I go about doing
things.”
Elizabeth (right) as Lucentio in The Taming of the Shrew
at the Lab Theatre, April 2014. With Grace Ann Roberts
as Bianca.
Elizabeth spent part of the summer of 2013 in
Amsterdam, where she did research on gender and
culture in Dutch society through the International
Education of Students (IES) Abroad program.
We Run This Show! Our backstage crew, all students in the THEA 121 Production
Lab, are: Front Row, from left: Beck Robertson (Dresser), Jane Hearn (Stage
Manager); Middle Row, from left: Brittany Kmieciak (Assistant. Stage Manager),
Jason Fernandes (Deck Crew/Props), Megan Branham (Light Board Operator);
Back Row, from left: Cayla Washington (Dresser), DaSean Jefferson (Assistant
Stage Manager), Danielle Clemmons (Makeup/Wigs). Not Shown: Bettina Morales
(Deck Crew/Props), Michael Castro (Assistant Stage Manager), Sarah Nellermoe
(Wig Master)
Opera at USC
presents Jacques Offenbach’s
La Périchole
(The Street Singer)
Guest director
award-winning
Garnett Bruce
Fri, Nov 6, 7:30 p.m.
Sat, Nov 7, 7:30 p.m.
Sun, Nov 8, 3:00 p.m.
Longstreet Theater
Tickets: $7-25
sc.edu/music/opera
[email protected]
777-5369
BEHIND THE SCENES
Technical Director
Assistant Technical Director
Assistant Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Master Electrician
Andy Mills
Sam Gross Michael Castro
DaSean Jefferson
Brittany Kmieciak
Rachel Sheets
Scenic Graduate Students Baxter Engle, Neda Spalajkovic,
Tamara Joksimovic
Scenic Studio Undergraduate Leroy Kelly, Drake Dial, Assistants Caroline Catoe, Brandon Owen and students of THEA 121
Lighting Studio Undergraduate Sara Hilton, Megan Branham, Assistants Adam Greathouse, Katrina Koprowicz
Scenic Artists
Tamara Joksimovic,
Neda Spalajkovic, Baxter Engle
Graduate Lighting Students
Christopher Patterson,
Rachel Sheets
Megan Branham
Light Board Operator
Costume Graduate Students
Neda Spalajkovic, Rachel Harmon
Undergraduate Assistants
Molly Burdsall, Kat Marchant,
Kira Neighbors
Staff Drapers
Dressers
Makeup/Wigs
Wig Master
Kelly Renko-Clarkson,
Vera DuBose
Beck Robertson,
Cayla Washington
Danielle Clemmons
Sarah Nellermoe
Deck Crew/Props
Costume Studio Supervisor
Dept. Chair/Co-Artistic Director
Assoc. Chair/Co-Artistic Director
Financial Manager
Administrative Assistants
Student Coordinator
Promotions Assistants
Jason Fernandes, Bettina Morales
Spencer Henderson
Lisa Martin-Stuart
Robert Richmond
Ray Jones
Charlotte Denniston, Leigh Cowart
Lakesha Campbell
Allie Anderson, Sarah Bates,
Sullivan Boykin, Sam Edelson,
Susanna McElveen, Sofia Pavone
USC DANCE COMPANY
presents
ON
POINTE
FEATURING
ACT ONE OF THE
CLASSICAL BALLET SYLVIA
NOVEMBER 12-13 | 7:30PM
KOGER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
TICKETS: 777-5112 OR CAPITOLTICKETS.COM
Written by
Diana Son
Directed by
Elizabeth Houck
October 8-11
Lab Theatre
1400 Wheat St.
All Shows: 8pm
Tickets: $5
Contains language and adult situations
that are not appropriate for children.
at the door
THE CENTER FOR
PERFORMANCE
EXPERIMENT
718 Devine St.
NOVEMBER 15-21
HERCULINE AND LOLA
BY DIPIKA GUHA
DIRECTED BY STEVEN PEARSON
Inspired by the 19th century diary of the first "true hermaphrodite,"
Herculine Barbin, Herculine and Lola is an epic love story about two
people, separated by a century, who are united by the power of their
imagination and by love.
Tickets: $5 | Show Times: 8pm Sat - Thurs 7pm & 10pm Fridays
UP NEXT ON THE MAIN STAGE
Illustration by Sydney Hoyt
NOVEMBER 13-21
DRAYTON HALL THEATRE
One of the last century’s most beloved and frequently performed plays, Noël Coward’s
Blithe Spirit takes comedy to otherworldly heights! Popular writer Charles Condomine
invites the town psychic to his home just so he can cynically study her techniques
for his new book. He gets more than he bargained for, however, when her seance
summons his deceased wife, Elvira. Thrilled to be freed from the spiritual realm, Elvira
begins a campaign to retake possession of her widower, in spite of the protests of his
current wife. Charles finds himself caught up in a romantic rivalry between heaven and
earth that has him stuck squarely in the middle…in hell!
“A comedy that startles and delights.” — The Telegraph
Longstreet Theatre, 1300 Greene St. | Columbia, SC 29208
803.777.5208 | [email protected] | artsandsciences.sc.edu/thea