Designated the Center
for Excellence in the Fine
and Performing Arts by the
Oregon University System
BY TOM STOPPARD
CENTER STAGE THEATRE
Nov. 8-18, 2007
BY EURIPIDES
Adapted by Hilary Tate
and James Edmondson
CENTER SQUARE THEATRE
Nov. 1-11, 2007
SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS
FALL 2007 PLAYBILL
“Creating Space at the Center
– Where We Stand”
Welcome to another example of the
excellent quality of our work.
The current season is one of our most
dynamic to date. This fall we offer Tom
Stoppard’s “Arcadia,” which is arguably one
of the finest late twentieth-century plays
written. Faculty director Dennis Smith
is ably guiding us through the realization
and unique view of the time and space
continuum we call home.
Guest artist James Edmondson has given us the opportunity,
with “Women of War,” to explore the classic work of Euripides in
a dynamic new context that is vibrant with relevance to our current
world.
SOU Theatre Arts has continued to grow and is currently the
largest exclusively undergraduate theatre arts program in the western
United States. The quality of the program attracts students from an
expanding radius to our campus. We need more space to deliver the
quality of program we are capable of delivering.
Last year the portion of the governor’s budget that included
funding for a portion of the amount needed to expand and remodel
our Theatre Arts facility was not supported by the legislature. At
this point we are at the beginning of a fundraising process that will
need to show support from our patrons, our alumni, and friends to
stimulate support from private and public funding sources.
At the end of this Playbill, you will find a contribution form. I
hope you will consider being a part of our fundraising efforts at the
earliest stages. Your support will help us realize our dream for our
students and our community. Please contact me if you would like to
be involved in exploring the means to raise the funds that will help
us to realize our potential as one of the most dynamic and creative
undergraduate theatre programs in the country.
We have a vital program, with strong faculty, talented students
and a tremendous spirit. On behalf of Theatre Arts at SOU, I thank
you for being a part of our growth and our students’ success. Your
continued patronage makes our work possible.
– Chris Sackett
1
TEMPLE EMEK SHALOM
A spiritual and social
home to a wide spectrum of
Jews and their families who
seek a caring, participatory
community that integrates
contemporary Jewish life
with traditional
Jewish values.
1800 E Main St, Ashland
between Walker & Tolman Creek
Everyone is welcome!
Tuesday – Friday: 488.2909
[email protected]
www.emekshalom.org
Facility available for rentals
2
Department of Theatre Arts
Faculty and Staff
Chris Sackett .........................................................Department Chair
Jim Giancarlo ..............................................Musical Theatre Faculty
Michael J. Hume ......................................................Adjunct Faculty
David Kelly ..............................................................Adjunct Faculty
Laurie Kurutz ....................................Costume Construction Faculty
Eric Levin...........................................Director of Theatre Education
Dale Luciano ......................................................... Directing Faculty
Maggie McClellan ............................. Voice and Movement Faculty
Sean O’Skea ...................................................Scenic Design Faculty
Deborah Rosenberg .................................... Costume Design Faculty
Ezra Severin .......................................... Technical Direction Faculty
Dennis Smith..............................................................Acting Faculty
Christi Courian ........................................... Administrative Assistant
Su Grossmann ............................................ Administrative Assistant
Jane Hickinbotham..................................... Staff Technical Manager
2007-2008 Season
Center Stage Theatre
Arcadia by Tom Stoppard
November 8-18, 2007
Urinetown by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis
February 21-March 9, 2008
Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman
May 22-June 1, 2008
Center Square Theatre
Women of War, an adaptation of Iphigenia at Aulis and The Trojan
Women by Euripides – adapted by Hilary Tate and James Edmondson
November 1-11, 2007
Many Moons from the book by James Thurber – adapted by
Charlotte Chorpenning
February 15-March 2, 2008
Hunting Cockroaches
by Janusz Glowacki – translated by Jadwiga Kosicka
May 15-25, 2008
3
by Tom Stoppard
Directed by Dennis Smith
Scenic Design by Jennifer Ward*
Costume Design by Lauren Lind
Lighting Design by Chris Sackett
Sound Design by Amadon Jaeger
Barry Kraft, Dramaturg
Choreography by Jim Giancarlo
Scene:
A room on the garden front of Sidley Park Manor,
Derbyshire, England. The action of the play shuttles back
and forth between the early 19th century and the present day.
Length:
Two hours and forty-five minutes
with one fifteen minute intermission.
4
Cast
Thomasina Coverly ........................................ Ashley Scallon*
Septimus Hodge ............................................. Michael Fallon*
Jellaby .................................................................Alex Yochim
Ezra Chater ............................................................ Ryan West
Richard Noakes .......................................Brandon Simpliciano
Lady Croom ................................................. Juliana Slemenda
Capt. Brice, RN ............................................ Samuel Ashdown
Hannah Jarvis ..................................................Deborah Jensen
Chloe Coverly ............................................................Erin Pike
Bernard Nightingale ...................................Samuel Dinkowitz*
Valentine Coverly ............................................ Jonathan Dyrud
Gus/Augustus .................................................Blaine Johnston
*These students have undertaken these assignments as the culminating
creative projects to satisfy the thesis requirement for their Bachelor of
Fine Arts Degrees.
Special thanks to College of the Siskiyous Theatre Department
and University of Washington School of Drama
Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
5
Arcadia Production Crew
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR .........................................................John Lewis
STAGE MANAGER .......................................................... Shauna Duryea
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER .........................................Stephen Abts
ASSISTANT SCENIC DESIGNER ....................................Erin Dickinson
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR ................................................James Chandler
ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR ...........................Dorian Robison
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT ..............................................Krysteen Bush
DIALECT COACH ...............................................................Carlyn Blount
MASTER CARPENTER......................................................Stephen Purdy
CARPENTERS ....................... Micaela Batson, Tim Homsley, Zach Myers,
................................................................................. Jon Oles, Cole Sutera,
......................................................................................... Graham Tordoff,
PROP MASTER.....................................................................Chad Alberts
PROP ARTISANS ............... Robert Chikar, Brandon Crouch, Noah Jacobs,
......................Isaac Kosydar, Holly Nunn, Kira Wightman, Jessica Williams
PAINT CHARGE ARTIST..................................................... Ryan Nicolai
PAINT CREW .....................Pen Corbin, Tiffany DeMoss, Amber DePerro,
...................... Ariel Jackson, Adrian Munguia, Carly Palmer, Hannah Wold
ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER ................................ Penelope Sinor
DRAPER ............................................................................. Laurie Kurutz
WARDROBE SUPERVISOR.......................................... Freya H. Williams
ASSISTANT WARDROBE SUPERVISOR..............................Heidi Stoner
WARDROBE CREW .............................................. Julia Box, Josh Bowen,
...........................................................Lauryn Hochberg, Mayson Sheppard
MAKEUP SUPERVISOR...................................................... Amy Baldwin
MAKEUP CREW ..................................... Kristine Purcell, Russel Rivinius
ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER ................................... Laura Wiley
MASTER ELECTRICIAN ...................................................Andy Zehrung
PROJECTION ..........................................................................Tim Brown
LIGHT CREW ..................... Justin Campanoli, Robbie Erickson, Ian King,
..................................... Meryn MacDougall, Aaron Postma, Ben Sheppard,
................................................ Don Skaggs, Jonathan Stinson, Nick Walker
SOUND DESIGNER ......................................................... Amadon Jaeger
SOUND ENGINEER ........................................................Amazing Jaeger
SOUND RUN ..................................................................... Patrick Buxton
PIANO COMPOSITIONS ..................................... Michael Allen Harrison
RECORDING ENGINEER ....................................Tahlia Rachel Harrison
RUN CREW ............................................................ Head: Monica Keaton
........................................Zachary Centers, Stephanie Krause, Kayla Loisel,
.................................................................Victoria Spero, Mallory Wedding
6
About Tom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard (born as Tomáš Straussler on July 3, 1937) and his
family moved to Singapore in 1939 to escape the Nazis. Then, shortly before
the Japanese invasion of Singapore in 1941, young Tom fled to Darjeeling,
India with his mother and brother. However, his father, Eugene Straussler,
remained behind and was killed during the invasion. In 1946, the family
emigrated to England after Tom’s mother married Kenneth Stoppard, a
major in the British army.
Years later, Tom Stoppard burst on the international theatre scene with
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Since then he has become one of the
most acclaimed playwrights in the English-speaking world, moving between
plays, screenplays, essays, and plays for radio and television. His work
frequently revolves – most often in comic terms – around the difficulties of
moral and political choices in a baffling world. Some of his other works
include Jumpers, Travesties, Night and Day, The Real Inspector Hound, The Real
Thing, The Invention of Love, and The Coast of Utopia. For Arcadia, he was
awarded the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards for the Best New Play in 1993
and the Laurence Olivier/BBC Theatre Award in 1994 for Best New Play.
Tom Stoppard’s work has continued to grow in popularity and
influence. To date, he has written 22 books, 41 plays (many of which are
simply his books coming to life on the stage), and eleven screenplays. In
recognition of his work, he has been honored with twelve different awards.
Many of those awards were received multiple times, though. All in all,
Stoppard has twenty awards to show for his efforts and was knighted in
1997.
7
Director’s Notes
When considering Director’s Notes for this production of Arcadia,
I confess, rather sheepishly, to being struck by a surprising feeling
of resentment. Was it not punishment enough to have to direct this
astonishingly complicated romantic mystery about mathematics and physics,
free will and determinism, the Chaos Theory and Newton’s Second Law of
Thermodynamics, nineteenth century English poetry with accompanying
perspectives of the Romantic versus the Classical views of English landscape
gardening? But then, to have to explain why I love this play so much; to have
to explain why it is my favorite contemporary play…Well, it just seemed like
cruel and unusual punishment. Oh yes, and did I mention that it’s set in two
time periods? And it’s a comedy.
Some time back I came across a 1995 review of the Lincoln Center
production of Arcadia in, of all places, The Journal of the American
Mathematics Society. The reviewer, Allyn Jackson, wondered, “How far
can science and mathematics take us in explaining what life is all about?
The ominous implications of the second law of thermodynamics – that
disorder will increase until all energy is dissipated and all light and life are
extinguished – hang heavy over the play. But this bleak prognosis is in the
end contravened as…the struggles to understand life begin to mesh as the
unquestioning joy of the young points to a more hopeful path…” I like that.
Does it seem to you that, with certain questions of existence, the
stridency and intolerance levels have risen incrementally? I often feel
surrounded these days by so many polarizing polemics that demand a
commitment to some absolute – as if one political party was more a part
of the natural universe than another, or that science and the divine were
mutually exclusive. And the more we allow the “narrow view” to drive us
apart, the more often rational, much less respectful, debate is lost. Stoppard
once said that he liked writing plays because dialogue was the easiest way for
him to contradict himself (something I think we should all be encouraged to
do). Arcadia is a fine example of this principle.
And a final thought from Arcadia itself. As two characters, voices from a
few hundred years ago, observe near the end of the play:
Septimus: When we have found all the mysteries and lost all the
meaning, we will be alone on an empty shore.
Thomisina: Then we will dance. Is this a waltz?
Septimus: It will serve.
– Dennis Smith
8
Arcadia Student Bios
Juliana R. Slemenda (Lady Croom) is a junior from Silverton, Ore., and
is pursuing her BFA. Previous SOU credits include Sophie in Entertaining
Strangers, Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story, and Karen in Speed the Plow.
Other credits include Hermia in Midsummer’s Night Dream, Jennie Mae
Layman in The Diviners, and Mina Harker in Dracula.
Samuel Ashdown (Captain Brice) is a junior from Newberg, Ore., and is
pursuing his BFA. Previous SOU credits include The Mathemagician in The
Phantom Tollbooth, C.K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story, Oswald in
Ghosts, Mowgli in Jungle Book, and Chorus in Big Love.
Alex Yochim (Jellaby) is a junior from Clackamas, Ore., pursuing a BA.
Previous SOU credits include roles in Romeo and Juliet, The White Plague,
and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Other credits include
roles in Beauty and the Beast, A Company of Wayward Saints, Pirates of Penzance,
Wizard of Oz, and Kiss Me Kate.
John R. Lewis (Assistant Director), from Orinda, Calif., is in his senior year
pursuing a BA. John directed Speed the Plow in The Directing Projects (Fall
2006). His SOU acting credits include King Azaz The Unabridged in The
Phantom Tollbooth, Marcus Lycus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the
Forum, Lucien P. Smith in The Boys Next Door, and Baloo in Jungle Book.
Deborah Jensen (Hannah Jarvis), a senior from Vernonia, Ore., is pursuing
a BA. Previous SOU credits include Ann Henning in Entertaining Strangers,
Mr. Martin’s daughter in Hotel Paradiso, Persephone in Metamorphosis,
and Amy Joy in Life Under Water. Deborah has also participated in The
10 Minute Play Festival and other play readings at Ashland Community
Theater.
Lauren Lind (Costume Designer), from Portland, Ore., is pursuing a BA.
Lauren was also the Costume Designer for The Phantom Tollbooth. Other
SOU credits include working on crafts/costumes for Big Love, Entertaining
Strangers, and Swimming in the Shallows. Last spring, Lauren enjoyed an
internship in Crafts at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and she will be
returning to OSF to work as a stitcher under contract.
continued on page 10
9
Arcadia Student Bios (Continued)
Amadon Jaeger (Sound Designer), from the Big Island of Hawaii, has also
sound engineered for Big Love. Other credits at SOU include Assistant Sound
Designer for Romeo and Juliet and Entertaining Strangers. Last spring, Amadon
enjoyed a Sound Internship at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Jennifer Ward (Set Designer) is a senior from Liverpool, England. Previous
SOU credits include Costume/Scenic Design for The White Plague, Assistant
Scenic Designer for Romeo and Juliet, Entertaining Strangers, and Assistant
Costume Design for Who’s Happy Now? Jennifer has also worked at the
Oregon Shakespeare Festival as a Wig Assistant for Taming of the Shrew and
On the Razzle. She worked in Wardrobe for OSF’s production of The Diary of
Anne Frank.
Mike Fallon (Septimus Hodge) is a senior from Walnut Creek, Calif. Mike
is pursuing his BFA. Previous SOU roles include Shark in Swimming in the
Shallows, and First Assistant/Pavel in The White Plague. Other credits include
the U.S. premiere of Dangerous at the New Conservatory Theatre in San
Francisco, Elvis in Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Center Repertory Theater, and
Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
Ashley Scallon (Thomasina Coverly) is a senior from the Bay Area pursuing
her BFA. Previous SOU credits include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Victoire
in Hotel Paradiso, Regina in Ghosts, Wolf Cub in Jungle Book, and Olympia in
Big Love.
Shauna Duryea (Stage Manager) is a senior from Spokane, Wash., pursuing
a BS in Theater and a BS in Math. Previous SOU credits include Assistant
Stage Manager for The Phantom Tollbooth, Assistant Director for Romeo and
Juliet, and Light Designer in Icarus’ Mother. She has also worked on various
shows on paint, light, and stitching crews.
Samuel D. Dinkowitz (Bernard) is a senior from Grants Pass, Ore.,
pursuing a BFA. Previous SOU credits include Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet,
Tock in The Phantom Tollbooth, Mike in The Philadelphia Story, Miles in A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Father Wolf/Monkey in
Jungle Book, and Nikos in Big Love. Other credits include Merrick in The
Elephant Man, El Gallo in The Fantasticks, and Kennickie in Grease.
Jonathan Dyrud (Valentine), a sophomore from Klamath Falls, Ore., is
pursuing a BFA. Other SOU credits include Sandy in The Philadelphia Story,
Georges in Hotel Paradiso, and Orestes in Iphigenia and Other Daughters. Other
credits include Benny in Epic Proportion and Hortensio in Taming of the
Shrew.
10
Production Crew - Both Shows
PRODUCTION MANAGER ..................................................Sean O’Skea
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR .....................................................Ezra Severin
HOUSE MANAGER ...........................................................Mitch Harvick
ASSISTANT HOUSE MANAGER .........................................Riley Arthur
BOx OFFICE .......... Holly Edwards, Kaitlin Humphreys, James O’Hanlon,
....................................Ashley Reverman, Jackie Williams, Jason Woodland
USHERS ........ Elsa Bishop, Chris Carwithen, Billy Cowell, Jessica Gorman,
....................................... Jenna Johnson, Jorge Paniagua, Alyssa Rosenthal,
.....................................Chelsie Thomas, David Evan Wark, Kristin Wilkins
CONCESSIONS ................................................. Erin Claxton, Maya Fein,
............................................................. Kaitlin Humphreys, Maire Murphy,
PUBLICITY ASSISTANTS ................ Ty Boice, Clinton Clark, Maya Lake,
...................................... Gregg Land, Jenny Rader, Alice Reid, Victor Rojo,
.......................................Suzanne Rose, Lisa-Marie Taylor, Chelsie Thomas
LOBBY DISPLAY ............... Libby Barnard, Caleb Brumley, Nick Ferrucci,
..................................................... Nik Horaites, James Larson, Olivia Todd
ASSISTANT COSTUME SHOP SUPERVISORS .......................................
.....................................................................Brittany Bigalke, Tara Watkins
FITTERS ...............................Caitlin Bedford, Michelle Coon, Chris Kelley
STITCHERS ................................. Karen Rose Anderson, Danielle Chaves,
..........Winter Pearl Downing, Jacob Feller, Nikki Fenton, Michaela Herbert,
........... Karen Hopkins, Gretchen Hutterli, Teresa LaScala, Kelle McFarland
........... Meaghan McGlasson, Chelsea Rayman, Amy Rogers, Brad Sosinski,
...................Bunny Spady, Morgana Spake, Sasha Vincent, Irene Vipperman
HAIR CUTTER (in training) .................................................... Jacob Feller
PREVIEW GALA .................................................Head: Ryan Celeste Holt
..................... Kanaan Amoncio, Riyo Iwasaki, Evan Jennings, Joanna Ortiz
HOUSE MANAGER - PROJECTS ............................................................
TECH COORDINATOR - PROJECTS.......................................................
LIGHTING SHOP MANAGER................................................ Jason Burg
PLAYBILL COORDINATOR .............................................. Jimmy Garcia
ORGANIZATION & MANAGEMENT ........... Garrett Alden, Tyler Below,
................. Megan Iverson, Rachael Jones, Derek Mesford, Nathan Schaller,
...............................Rollyn Stafford, Talyssa Viela-Crandall, Anneke Wisner
11
OMAR’S
The local’s
favorite
and a must for Theatre Goers
Voted Ashland’s
BEST STEAK &
FRESH SEAFOOD
in the Annual
Sneak Preview Poll
18 years in a row
Dependable
Excellence
Since 1946
within easy walking distance
of SOU Theatres
252 E. Main St.
(541) 482-7383
www.travelessentials.com
1380 Siskiyou Blvd.
at Ashland Street
482-1281
www.omarsrestaurant.com
Camelot
Livia Genise
Artistic
Director
THEATRE COMP
ANY
6 Performances Only!
Fri & Sat 8pm
Nov. 9 & 10,
16 & 17
Sun. Mat. 2pm
Nov. 11 & 18
Our Holiday musical for the entire family!
Mainstage 2008 Season
Starring: Gayle Wilson
Doris Day
on
SPOTLIGHT
Let live theatre make a difference in your life...
Sockdology
Feb 6 – Mar 2
by Jeffrey Hatcher
Do I Hear A Waltz
Mar 12 – Apr 13
Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim,
Book by Arthur Laurents
Dancing at Lughnasa
Apr 30 – May 25
by Brian Friel
Promises, Promises
June 25 – July 27
Book by Neil Simon, Music by Burt Bachrach, Lyrics by Hal David
Summer Conservatory Production
Seussical
Aug 8 – 10
Oh, the thinks you can think!
Co-Conceived by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Eric Idle
Lend Me a Tenor
by Ken Ludwig
1984
Aug 20 – Sept 14
Oct 8 – Nov 9
Based on the book by George Orwell
Brigadoon
Dec 3 – Dec 31 (New Year’s Gala!)
Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe
Spotlights on...
Nov 28
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Songs by Hugh Martin
and Ralph Blane
Dec 31
Join us for our
New Year’s Eve Gala!
thru
Mel Torme
Tony Bennett
The Blues
Girl Singers
Jan 10 – 27
May 29 – June 15
Sept 18 – 28
of the Big Band Era
535-5250
Ta le n t & Ma i n i n T a l e n t
W W W . C A M E LO T T H E A T R E . O R G
12
SOU Theatre Arts -
Nov 13 – 23
FREE DELIVERY
IN ASHLAND
482-5559
1469 Siskiyou Blvd.
In the Market of Choice
Shopping Center
13
by Euripides
Adapted from “Iphigenia at Aulis”
and “The Trojan Women”
by Hilary Tate and James Edmondson
Directed by James Edmondson
Scenic Design by Sean O’Skea
Costume Design by Linnaea Boone Wilson*
Lighting Design by Allen G. Adams
Sound Design by Mike Douglas
Scene:
Somewhere in El Salvador in the mid-1980s
Length:
Two hours and fifteen minutes with one fifteen minute intermission
14
Women of War Cast
“Iphigenia at Aulis”
Agamemnon ........................................................................ Krystal Brewer
Old Man/Messenger ..........................................................Kim Freimoeller
Menelaus .................................................................................. Mya Ewing
Klytemnestra .........................................................................Joanna Tyler*
Iphigenia .................................................................................. Emi Becker
Orestes/Astyanax ..........................................................Tal Shalom Halevy
Achilles ............................................................................... Jennifer Brown
“The Trojan Women”
Hecuba .................................................................................. Tai Sammons
Talthybius .......................................................................... Linnea Jefferson
Kassandra ...............................................................Jordan Leigh Wakefield
Andromache ......................................................................Monique Barbee
Helen ......................................................................................... Ana Byers
*These students have undertaken these assignments as the culminating
creative projects to satisfy the thesis requirement for their Bachelor of
Fine Arts Degrees.
Special acknowledgements to Michael O’Rourke and Vanessa Nowitzky
15
Women of War Production Crew
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ................................................. Katherine Lewis
STAGE MANAGER ............................................................Jamie Thomas
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER ..................................... Bridget Carlson
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT ...................................Pam Merten-Hindorff
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR .................................................. Richard Weiss
ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR/RIGGER .............. Karla Badeau
ASSISTANT SCENIC DESIGNER ........................................Amanda Patt
MASTER CARPENTER......................................................... Colin Green
ASSISTANT MASTER CARPENTER............................Christopher Cook
CARPENTER ...............................Winston Biscof, Tesla O’Connell-Barger,
................................................................... Daniel Plafcan, Trevor Robison
PROP MASTER......................................................................Kristen Mun
PROP ARTISANS .............. Justin Cowan, Felicia Falasco, Robert Hastings,
...................Brennen Johnson, Bobbi Kupfner, Karen Kuran, Brittney Spady
PAINT CHARGE.................................................................. Sarah Greene
PAINTERS ...............Amy Mazzaferro, Madeline Nutting, Sereena Ojakian
ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER ................................ Katie Nowacki
WARDROBE/HAIR/MAKE UP SUPERVISOR .......... Anna-Lisa Chacon
WARDROBE/HAIR/MAKE UP CREW.............................. Caitlin Baird,
................................. Adrienne Browning, Isabella Buckner, Emily Caldwell
ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER ................................ Max Bowman
MASTER ELECTRICIAN ...................................................... Kristin Lake
LIGHT CREW ......................Sarah Allen, Maria Buzard, Hannah Grenfell,
...................................Kaylyn Kilkuskie, Catherine Ridenour, Corey Stacey,
SOUND RUN .................................................................. Brandynn Boyles
RUN CREW ...................................................................Head: Savel Sabol
............................................. Lea Gillette, Kendal Lenton, Kelsey Wambold
16
About Euripides
Euripides was born on the island of Salamis; his parents had fled
for refuge at the time of the Persian invasion. Tradition has persistently
claimed that he was born in 480 B.C., on the very day of the naval battle
of Salamis, fought between the Greeks and the Persians. If the tradition be
true, then three of the greatest Greek poets were linked together by an odd
circumstance: the eldest, Aeschylus, helped to win the victory, the second,
Sophocles, was chosen to lead the triumphal procession, and the third,
Euripides, was born on the day the fight occurred. He lived the life of a
student and studied philosophy, as a youth, under Anaxagoras; and, in later
life, with Socrates.
Euripides is arguably the darkest and most disturbing of the Greek
playwrights. He questions authority, and he is fascinated by the oppressed:
women, barbarians, and slaves are more than just background on the
Euripidean stage. He allows them to speak, and speak well. For his complex
representations of “bad women,” he earned the censure of critics and
judges. He depicts the position of the oppressed without romanticizing
them, and his plays make war against the gods of Olympus. The universe in
which Euripides believed was not benevolent, or just. Hardship falls on all,
the wicked and the good, and the gods are powerful but often capricious and
cruel. He questioned social structures and hollow or hypocritical ideals.
Needless to say, these positions made Euripides unpopular. He was the
unwanted voice of conscience in his age, a man unafraid to point out the
lies with which a civilization comforts itself. Sophocles gives us heroes, and
Aeschylus gives us a vision of history and teleology; Euripides gives us real
men with all-too-human weaknesses, and his visions are often nightmares.
In the end, the frenzied descent into chaos so often imagined by Euripides
was truest to Athens’ fate. Infighting and dirty politics compromised Athens’
good name, and Athens fell to her hated enemy, Sparta, just a few years after
Euripides’ death.
More of his plays have survived than those written by Aeschylus
and Sophocles combined. He died in 406 B.C., the same year as his
senior Sophocles, just before the close of the Peloponnesian war. As with
many brilliant men whose vision is less than comforting, it was only after
Euripides’ death that his genius was appreciated.
17
Director’s Notes
There are two plays in “Women of War:” the telling of “Iphigenia at
Aulis” and the telling of “The Trojan Women,” one of the greatest antiwar stories written. Throughout the history of war, two elements have been
primary. The rapid and continual advance of the technology of war is new.
And the victims of war have always been women and children – that is
constant. Soldiers die in battle and this is a generally accepted practice when
entering war, but the innocents, the civilians, have always paid a heavy price.
In war, there is always the fact that people disappear, through killings in mass
graves, being thrown from aircraft over the world’s oceans, and other acts of
barbarity; it is the women and children who must survive these acts quietly,
without protest, else they too are disappeared.
“Women of War” deals with a group of women in Latin America, who
will be silent no longer. These women, who live in poverty, are united in
their loss and organize themselves to speak for the dead, the disappeared,
and those forgotten by society. Risking life and limb, they find an action and
a voice. They say the names of those lost out loud, they carry their pictures,
and they protest. Using only what is available to them in their povertystricken communities, they cleverly disguise themselves in plain clothing in
order to quickly dissipate into a crowd and avoid those who would silence
them.
“Women of War” began its journey to the stage some seventeen years
ago above the old Rexall building in Ashland when my friend and colleague,
Hilary Tate, and I adapted works by the Greek playwright Euripides. There
are some differences in the SOU production. For example, the play was
originally adapted for seven women who were double cast in the male roles.
Today’s production includes eleven women who play single roles: some as
women, some as men. It is a women’s story that transcends time and gender.
It is a story of those who will accept being silenced no more. “Women of
War” speaks to all women and men, questions the true losses in wartime,
and focuses on the victims of war who are generally not spoken about and
forgotten.
– James Edmondson
18
Women of War Student Bios
Tai Sammons (Hecuba) is a senior from Ashland, Ore. Previous SOU
credits include Dr. Sigelius in White Plague, Domina/Vibrata in A Funny
Thing Happened on the Way to The Forum, Mother in Who’s Happy Now, and
Bun in Love Talker. Previous credits outside of SOU include Brighton Beach
Memoirs, I’m Not Rappaport, The Sisters Rosensweig, What about Eve, Zorba! and
Carnival.
Jamie Thomas (Stage Manager) is a junior from Coos Bay, Ore. Previous
SOU credits include Production Assistant for The Phantom Tollbooth and
Assistant Stage Manager for Swimming in the Shallows. Previous credits
outside of SOU include Stage Manager for Shakespeare in Hollywood.
Ana Byers (Helen of Troy) is a senior transfer student from Wapato, Wash.
Previous SOU credits include Karen in Dinner with Friends, Helena in
Helena’s Husband, and Curio in Twelfth Night.
Jennifer Brown (Achilles), a senior from Brookings, Ore., is pursuing a BA.
Previous SOU credits include Clytemnestra in Iphigenia and Other Daughters,
Balthasar in Romeo and Juliet, and Celeste in Where’s My Money. Previous
credits outside of SOU include Germaine in Picasso at the Lapin Agile at
Ashland Community Theater.
Linnea Jefferson (Talthybius/Chorus), a junior from Mt. Shasta, Calif., is
pursuing a BA. Previous SOU credits include A Geminae in A Funny Thing
Happened on the Way to the Forum, Pat in Icarus’ Mother, and Anna in Closer.
Previous credits outside of SOU include Macbeth in Macbeth at Mt. Shasta
High School.
Tal Shalom Halevy (Orestes/Astyanax) Tal, age seven, is in second grade
and hails from Israel. This is Tal’s second appearance in a SOU production.
His first appearance was as Orestes in Iphigenia and Other Daughters.
Krystal Brewer (Agamemnon) Born and raised in Medford, Krystal is a
senior transfer from Rogue Community College and is pursuing a BA. This
is her first appearance in an SOU production. Previous credits outside of
SOU include The Good Person of Szechuan, Adriana in The Comedy of Errors,
multiple roles in The Spoon River Anthology, Captain in Twelfth Night, Nurse
in Romeo and Juliet, and Mrs. Jones in How to Succeed in Business.
continued on page 20
19
Women of War Student Bios (Continued)
Linnaea Boone Wilson (Costume Design) is a senior from Santa Cruz,
Calif. Women of War is her thesis project. Previous SOU credits include
work as a draper on Romeo and Juliet and Hotel Paradiso, and work as a
fitter on The Philadelphia Story. Other credits outside of SOU include
costume design for A Catch of Shadows Youth Theater Co and A
Midsummer’s Night Dream at Ghost Light Theater.
Allen G. Adams (Lighting Designer) is a senior from Springfield,
Ore., and he is pursuing a dual emphasis BS in Lighting Design and
Performance. Allen has also been an assistant Lighting Designer for
Swimming in the Shallows. Previous credits as Master Electrician include A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and A Perfect Ganesh. Acting
credits include Mr. Martin in Hotel Paradiso, Father in White Plague, and
Pop in Who’s Happy Now.
Jordan Leigh Wakefield (Kassandra) is a junior from Seattle, Wash.
Previous SOU credits include Chorus in Big Love, Maxiene in Tongue of a
Bird, and Lanie in Two Rooms.
Mya Brynn Ewing (Menelaus/Flautist) is a junior transfer student from
Pleasant Hill, Calif. Previous SOU credits include wardrobe crew for
Hotel Paradiso and Swimming in the Shallows. Previous credits outside of
SOU include Catherine in Proof, Beverly in Shadow Box, Flora Humble in
Humble Boy, and Beth in Dinner with Friends.
Monique Bernadette Barbee (Chorus/Andromache) is a sophomore from
Grants Pass, Ore. Previous SOU credits include The White Plague.
Kim Freimoeller (Old Man/Messenger/Chorus) is a sophomore from
Portland, Ore. Previous SOU credits include Iphigenia and Other Daughters.
Previous credits outside of SOU include Mary in Virgin, J.P. in Every
Seventeen Minutes the Crowd Goes Crazy, Sister Mary Florence in This is a
Test, Lenny in Crimes of the Heart, and Medea in Medea, and Sarah Siddins
in An Actor’s Nightmare.
Emi Becker (Iphigenia) is a freshman from Portland, Ore. This is Emi’s
first appearance in a SOU production. Other credits include Anne in The
Diary of Anne Frank, Kolenkhov in You Can’t Take It With You, Paravicini in
The Mousetrap, and Mrs. Patty in The Curious Savage.
20
Thank You!
The faculty, staff, and students of the Department of Theatre Arts
acknowledge the generosity of the following individuals, who have made
donations to the Theatre Arts Building Fund, Scholarship and Operating
funds since 2004.
Building Fund Donors
Anonymous
Ed and Maureen Battistella
Jan Craigie
Anne F. Decker
John and Diane Engelhardt
Bettie Henry
Dr. Charles Holloway
and Dr. Barbara Gabert
Craig Hudson and Jorge Silva
Jed and Celia Meese Foundation
Alberta Lee
Richard Moeschl
Herb and Frances Petschek
James Plummer
Chris Sackett
and Brooke Friendly
Joan T. Spear
Treasa Sprague
Robert and Janice Staver
Carl and Jean Strand
Steve and Penelope Thorpe
Allan Weisbard
Theatre Department Donors
Platinum
Judith Bartell
Anne F. Decker
Richard L. Hay
Victoria Hexter
Jennifer and Paul Hohenlohe
Charles and Betty Howe
Jewish Communal Fund
(Recommended by Robert
and Gerry Hodes Family)
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Lefkowitz, Jr.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Herb and Frances Petschek
Shirley Pollock
Joan T. Spear
Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Staver
Robert and Janice Staver
Western Medical Consultants
Gold
Ashland Lions Club
Jim and Lucille Burke
Dr. Charles Holloway
and Dr. Barbara Gabert
Frank and Eleanor Marzocco
James McConville
Robert H. Miller
Kathleen Oyler
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Quirk
Kathryn Cleland-Sipfle
and William Sipfle
Treasa Sprague
Silver
Dr. John I. Alexander
Alan Armstrong
and Victoria Sturtevant
Fran Aversa
Dr. and Mrs. John Burns
continued on page 23
21
22
Theatre Department Donors, cont.
Silver, continued
Diane Cowan
Jan Craigie
Jim and Helen Dean
Judith Faulkner
Ellen Heiman
Jack and Marlene Henselman
Robert Hilliard
Ed and Sheila Hungerford
Saundra and Edward Kice
Philip Lang and Ruth Miller
Robert Pollock
Marie and Bill Radke
Jim and Sandi Risser
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Snider
Willis and Daghner Stanfill
Robert and Joyce Stevens
Randall Stothers
Georgia F. Strauss
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Thomas
Rudolf Vest
Ronald and J. Brantley Waitt
Jillian and Kevin Ward
Patty and Vince Wixon
Betty and Arthur Wolverton
Bronze
Rhoda B. and S.C. Abrahams
Dona Affolter
William and Janet Anderson
Linda Barnett
Raina and Roger Bradshaw
Robert and Patricia Butler
Keith Campbell
Nancy Carter
Ken and Lyn Clarke
Christi Courian
Pam Curl
Clark Custodio
Judith Drais
Jean Eisenberg
Lue Douthit and Dee Anne Everson
Cindy Faubion
23
Bronze, continued
Margery Goodman
The Hamazons
James and Jane Hibbert
Marjorie and Robert Hoeft
Mary E. Holland
Carole Horobin
IBM Matching Grants Program
Carol Ingelson
Albert and Leatrice Isaacson
Hal and Marjorie Jamison
Mary Ann Jones
Sally Jones and Ben Benjamin
Miriam and Frederick Kolm
Vivian Korn
M.J. and Howard Levine
Tonette Long
Doris Mannion
Mr. and Mrs. David Medeiros
Nan and Ron Miller
Edith Montgomery
Dr. and Mrs. Frank Moore
Sharon L. Nelson
Dorothy Ormes
Bill and Shirley Patton
Mack Purcell
Barbara and Harvey Roth
Susan Rust
Mary Santee
Robert Scheppler
Sallie Shippen
Jenifer Skiles
Lloyd and Joanne Sorenson
Douglas and Diana Spence
Joan Steele
Gerald and Ann Stein
James and Gwynn Sullivan
Elizabeth Tachella
Sue Thomas
Liz Vesecky and Herschel King
Jane Wetzel
Shirley and Barry Vitcov
24