Nov 18, 2021 | Theatre and Dance, Theatre and Dance News, xCVPA, xFeatured
A celebration of Broadway musicals is the theme of this year’s NIU School of Theatre and Dance annual Fall Dance Concert.
The Best of Broadway opens with a performance Thursday, October 18 at 7 p.m. with subsequent performances Friday, October 19 at 7 p.m., Saturday October 20 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, October 21 at 2 p.m. All performances are held in the O’Connell Theatre in the Stevens Building on the main NIU Campus.
Tickets are available through the Annette Johns School of Theatre and Dance Box Office at $17 for adults, $15 for seniors, $9 for students and NIU students are free with a pre-reserved ticket.
Performance Pieces
Opening and Audition from 42nd Street
Dream Ballet from Oklahoma!
Mambo! from West Side Story
Intermission
Can-Can from The Merry Widow
Goodbye My Lady Love from Showboat
Duet from An American in Paris
Nowadays and Hot Honey Rag from Fosse
Costume Design: Christina Leinicke
Scenic Design: Eric Brockmeier
Lighting Design: Aidan Murphy and Alexa Wiljanen
Properties Design: David Doherty
Assistant Properties Design: Joshua Smith
Stage Manager: Jordan Clifton
Technical Director: Elizabeth Ahles
Assistant Technical Director: Adam Rager
Dance Notes
Opening and Audition from 42nd Street
Book: Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble
Lyrics: Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer
Music: Harry Warren
Choreography: Paula Frasz, Ensemble, Gower Champion
Lighting Design: Aidan Murphy
Dancers: Andy Lee: Mathew Skorupski, Oscar (rehearsal pianist): Beverly Kearns
Chorus: Athei Chagai, Millicent Collins, Kate Drury, Darya Ellickson, Antonio Houston, Gwenlyn Jones, Abigail Kresno, Maya Paletta, Tianna Stubbs, Kendall Woodberry
Tap dancing is an American dance form, resulting from African rhythms and movements combining with Irish hard-shoe step dancing. As a native dance, tap is passed down by example and by copying. The choreography in this number is a combination of my favorite steps, steps devised by the dancers and us stealing steps from the original production. Special thanks to Bev Kearns who not only accompanies us for this performance, but accompanies ballet, pointe and tap classes in our department throughout the year. She’s a real pro!
Dream Ballet from Oklahoma!
Book and Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Music: Richard Rodgers
Orchestration and Arrangement: Daniel Kluger
Choreography: Marc Macaranas
Lighting Design: Aidan Murphy Dancers: Taneya Ball, George Curtis, Rachel Day, Victoria Herrera, Toby Thomas
This work is a reimagining of a reimagining. Originally choreographed by Agnes de Mille in 1943, the “Dream Ballet” from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! represented a pivotal moment for narrative choreography in American musical theatre. In it, the character Laurey dances through her own fears and anxieties surrounding her relationship with two men, Curly and Jud. For 2019’s Broadway revival, “Dream Ballet” was reimagined by choreographer John Heginbotham as a powerful, intimate solo about dreams and awakening. Inspired by both de Mille and Heginbotham’s versions, this original choreography asks the question: “What is the American Dream and who gets to have it?”
Mambo! from West Side Story
Book: Arthur Laurents
Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Music: Leonard Bernstein
Choreography: Jerome Robbins (1957)
Adapted by Rich Grund
Lighting Design: Alexa Wiljanen
Dancers: Alyssa Altadonna, Taneya Ball, Anna Lindstrom, Franki Mastrone, Darius Murray, Maya Paletta, Kai Poe, Michael Rojas, Taryn Sarto, Mat Skorupski, Ariana Williams
Mambo! is one of the treasured dances from Laurent, Robbins, Bernstein, and Sondheim’s 1957 Tony Award winning West Side Story. The musical, set in the upper west side of New York City, is a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The central theme of love versus hate is played with in this classic high school dance.
Can-Can from The Merry Widow
Librettists: Viktor Leon and Leo Stein
Composer: Franz Lehar
Restaged: Judith Chitwood
Lighting Design: Alexa Wiljanen
Dancers: Alyssa Altadonna, Athei Chagai, Millie Collins, Rachel Day, Darya Ellickson (Thursday evening, Saturday matinee, Sunday Matinee), Renae Frank, Gwen Jones, Abigail Kresno, Anna Lindstrom (Friday evening, Saturday evening), Ansley Pierce, Taryn Sarto
The Merry Widow was originally an operetta with a delightful score by Austro-Hungarian composer, Franz Lehar. The “Can-Can” was a high energy and physically demanding dance that first appeared in the working ballrooms in Paris around 1830. The dance featured the use and manipulation of the skirts with high energy kicking and suggestive body movements. The “Can-Can” was a way of fighting against Victorian values, particularly for women. Women were not to be out of breath, show their ankles or lift their legs. The dance challenged political conventions at the time and was a call for change.
Goodbye My Lady Love from Showboat
Book and Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Music: Jerome Kern
Choreography: Paula Frasz
Lighting Design: Aidan Murphy
Scenic Design: Eric Brockmeier
Dancers: George Curtis and Kai Poe
“The cakewalk was a pre-Civil War dance originally performed by slaves on plantation grounds. The uniquely American dance was first known as the “prize walk”; the prize was an elaborately decorated cake. Hence, “prize walk” is the original source for the phrases “takes the cake” and “cakewalk.”
Here’s how the dance worked: Couples would stand in a square formation with men on the inside perimeter and then dance around the ballroom “as if in mimicry of the white man’s attitudes and manners,” according to Richard Kislan. The steps included “a high-leg prance with a backward tilt of the head, shoulders and upper torso.”
Plantation owners served as judges for these contests — and the slave owners might not have fully caught on that their slaves might just have been mocking them during these highly elaborate dances.” — Lakshmi Ghandi
The dance was so popular that it was absorbed into white American culture and performed on Broadway, in Vaudeville, television and movies. The irony is for many years the Black performers whose ancestors originated the dance were banned from performing on Broadway, in Vaudeville, television and movies because of their race.
In the musical Showboat, the characters seen here, Frank and Ellie, would never have been portrayed by a Black couple. We are happy to put the cakewalk back into most capable and talented hands.
Pas de deux from An American in Paris
Script: Alan Jay Lerner
Lyrics: Ira Gershwin
Music: George Gershwin
Original Concept and Choreography: Gene Kelly (1951)
Rechoreographed for Broadway: Christopher Wheeldon (2014)
Adapted by Rich Grund
Lighting Design: Alexa Wiljanen
Scenic Design: Eric Brockmeier
Dancers: Ansley Pierce and Michael Rojas
The An American in Paris duet comes from Minnelli and Lerner’s 1951 musical film, which was inspired by George Gershwin’s 1928 orchestral composition. Gene Kelly choreographed the dancing for most of the film, receiving an honorary Academy Award. The dancing has been replicated and rechoreographed numerous times, perhaps most famously by Christopher Wheeldon for the 2014 Broadway revival.
Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag from Fosse
Conceived by: Richard Maltby Jr., Chet Walker and Ann Reinking
Original lyrics from Chicago: Fred Ebb
Original book from Chicago: Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse
Original music from Chicago: John Kander
Choreography: Bob Fosse
Restaged by: Paula Frasz
Lighting Design: Aidan Murphy
Dancers: Rachel Day and Lizzie Moore (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday Matinee); Renae Frank and Victoria Herrera (Thursday, Saturday Evening, Sunday)
When you see a Fosse dance move, you know it’s a Fosse move. Think curved shoulders, turned-in knees, bowler hats, punctuated hand movements, finger snaps, sideways shuffling — and, yes, jazz hands.
Cast
Alyssa Altadonna is BFA major in dance performing arts. She has been dancing for about 15 years and is a freshman at NIU this year. Prior to NIU she lived in England where she trained at Cygnets and Hazelwood dance studios. Before moving to England she lived in Germany where she would train in the Netherlands every day expanding her different types of techniques. Alyssa hopes to move back to Europe and join a company particularly hopes to gain a place at The Dutch National Ballet.
Taneya Ball is a sophomore dance performance major at Northern Illinois University, she started dancing at the age of three. She continued to dance her way through life by taking a few dance classes and training at the Chicago High School for the Arts. So far, Taneya has enjoyed her at NIU. She feels like she’s learning how to be more comfortable as a dancer and being comfortable being a part of the dance conservatory at NIU. She would like to give a special thank-you to her teachers for always pushing her at all times and she appreciates them for not giving up on her but always believing she can do anything.
Athei Chagai is a freshman at NIU from Clinton, Iowa. Athei is a BFA dance major and has been dancing for the past 16 years. Before NIU, Athei received most of her dance training at the Carousel School of Dance in Clinton, where she was also a member of the Gateway Contemporary Ballet Company. Athei has also attended summer dance workshops such as CNADM (Chicago National Association of Dance Masters) from 2016- 2019. This will be Athei’s first NIU faculty performance.
Millicent Collins is a freshman BFA dance major, and plans to earn a minor in non-profit/non-governmental studies. Before Attending NIU, Millicent trained with Turning Pointe Academy of Dance, in Maryville, Ill., and was a member of TourDance pre-professional dance company. She performed in the Student Elevate Project with The Big Muddy Dance Company in Saint Louis, Mo., 2018-2021. Millicent participated in summer intensives with The Big Muddy Dance Company, COCA Saint Louis, Nashville Ballet, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. In 2018 and 2019, she performed in Dance For Food, an outreach performance to benefit the St. Louis Area Food Bank. Post-graduation from NIU, Millicent hopes to combine her love of social justice, community outreach, and the performing arts, to help others and inspire them through dance.
George Curtis is a senior dance major at NIU. He had little to no experience in technical training starting his freshman year in college but now is proud to call himself a technically trained dancer. From performing “Opus Jazz” by Joel Hall to performing live on stage at Lyrical Lemonade he has gained versatility and the ability to flow easily in and out of dance styles, which is one of his most notable qualities.
Rachel Day, a Victoria Young Scholarship recipient, has spent her career training in ballet and modern techniques. While at NIU, she has worked with DanceLoop Chicago, featured in a dance film titled “Maybe We Don’t Know Love”, and The Pas de Cheval Dancers in Lake City, Fla. “Best of Broadway” is Rachel’s debut performance on the O’Connell Theatre stage.
Kate Drury is a junior BFA acting candidate and dance minor. Originally from Nashville, Tenn., this is her third dance concert at NIU. She was also previously seen in the plays “Bird in the Hand” and “Edward II.” As a musical theatre kid through and through, this semester›s show is very dear to her, and she hopes you enjoy!
Darya Ellickson is a sophomore dance BFA major making her first main stage debut in this Broadway themed dance concert. While this may be her first stage concert, she did participate in the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 online dance concerts. Darya is from DeForest, Wis., danced at Ultimate Leap Dance Center for nine years, and has also performed with DeFortes, a show choir, for four years. This past summer, Darya attended the Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre Summer Intensive program in Chicago. Darya holds the role of Northern Dance Theatre Secretary. Darya plans to graduate in Fall of 2024 and hopes to work on Broadway or dance with Disney.
Renae Frank is a senior double major (BFA dance, BS psychology) from DePere, Wisc. Prior to attending NIU, she was a competition dancer for ten years at All That Dance, Inc. Renae also trained at Skorzewski School of Ballet in Green Bay, Wisc., from 2014 until 2017. Renae has previously attended summer dance intensives at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts during the summers of 2018 and 2019. This is Renae’s eighth faculty concert here at NIU. Beyond dance, Renae also directed the student-run concerts for Fall of 2019, Spring of 2019, and Fall of 2020. Renae also held the role of Northern Dance Theatre Vice President from 2018 until 2020. She plans to graduate this coming December and aspires to join a dance company until eventually returning to school to get a masters in movement therapy.
Victoria Herrera from Chicago, started taking dance classes at Curie Metropolitan High School. Herrera is a senior at NIU graduating in December 2021 with a bachelor’s in fine arts. She has performed at Dance Chicago, Harris Theatre, and Livorno in Danza in Italy. As well as performing with Northern Dance Theatre in “ENUF” at the Kennedy Center for the American College Dance Association Festival. She is currently dancing with the company DanceLoop Chicago. She is currently a choreographer for Art for Life at Northern Illinois University. This is Victoria’s Third Season with DanceLoop Chicago.
Antonio Houston is a freshman BFA dance major currently attending Northern Illinois University. Antonio has been dancing since the age of five and his favorite style is tap. Before coming to NIU, Antonio’s youth was very busy as he was a competition dancer for multiple dance studios. Antonio then danced for a ballet company called ballet Chicago and a professional tap company, Madd Rhythms. Unfortunately, COVID-19 put a stop to both, but he is very happy to be dancing on a stage with a live audience again! He is very grateful to be allowed to train at NIU and can’t wait to learn more about himself through dance!
Gwen Jones is a Junior BFA Dance major at NIU with a minor in special education. A Victoria Young Scholarship recipient, she has had the opportunity to appear in pieces such as “Shirtwaist Factory”, “Roxanne”, and “Spirit of the Horse” in Lake City, Fla. with the Pas de Cheval dancers. Alongside performing, Gwen is also assistant choreographer for Penguin Players, a musical theatre organization starring a cast of adults with disabilities. After graduation, and a professional performance career, she plans to teach classes for individuals with disabilities.
Abigail Kresno is a third-year dance major. She had repertoire choreographed on her from Joel Hall, a wildly acclaimed choreographer. Abigail studied under Richard Smith at the Inside summer intensive. She also had the opportunity to collaborate with Richard Grund on her solo for “Dancing Forward Together.”
Elizabeth Moore is a senior at NIU this year pursuing her pre-physical therapy major and dance performance minor. She has trained at her home studio in Bettendorf, Iowa, but has also studied at other locations including Oklahoma City University, Broadway Dance Center, and the American Rhythm Center. She would like to thank her family for being her biggest cheerleaders and her dance teacher, Paula, for always encouraging her. She is so excited to be a part of such a fun, high energy show and hopes that the audience will leave smiling!
Kai Poe is a senior dance major at NIU. Starting her technical training three years ago, she has since had the opportunity to work with choreographers such as Joel Hall, Nicole Clarke-Spriger, and Kevin Iega Jeff. One of her most exciting performances being with the Deeply Rooted Dance Theater company. As Vice President of the Northern Dance Theater Board and student director she is not only dedicated to having a dance career but having a leadership role within the community.
Ansley Pierce is senior at NIU. This is her second year here, after studying at a conservatory in Kansas City for two years under the direction of Paula Weber. Training in Kansas City with notable names such as, Deeply Rooted founder Garry Abbott, renowned former dancer Ronald Tice, and former Ailey dancer DeeAnna Hiett, amongst others. After her first year at NIU she was awarded the Jerry Tulk Choreography Scholarship. This past year she has also modeled for and represented Russian Pointe, along with being a Ballet Rosa soloist.
Michael Rojas is a senior. He has been training for three years, has performed in three on stage and two virtual performances. Michael was voted president of Northern Dance Theatre. While Michael is pursuing his training career at Northern Illinois University, he is also a program assistant for Upward Bound.
Taryn Sarto is a senior BFA dance major with a minor in rehabilitation counseling. She is a recipient of both the Talented Student Tuition Waiver and the René LeBeau Memorial Endowed Scholarship from the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. She trained at Beth Fowler School of Dance prior to attending NIU and has been training for sixteen years in various styles, with a special interest in ballet and contemporary. Taryn is the current choreographer for Penguin Players – a musical theater organization comprised of a creative team of NIU students and starring a cast of adults with disabilities. She is also student directing, choreographing, and performing for NDT’s upcoming Art for Life production.
Tianna Stubbs was born and raised in Chicago. She is now a sophomore dance major and will minor in sports management in the upcoming semester. Tianna started dancing when she was four years old, her dance career began at Mayfair Dance Academy. She made her transition when she attended Walter H. Dyett High School for the Arts for four years. She was trained under one of the best, Stephaine Kawesch, all while being a majorette captain for three years. Because of this training and experience, Tianna was more than prepared for her college career. Although this is Tianna’s second year, this is her very first live performance (because of Covid, it was virtual solos) and she is extremely excited to showcase her talent!
Ariana Williams began dancing when she was four years old. Since then, she has participated in many genres of dance such as ballet, hip hop, liturgical dancing, and poms. Ariana is currently a sophomore here at Northern Illinois University studying dance performance. After college
she plans on residing in Texas to further her career as a professional dance choreographer with plans on owning her own dance studio. Ariana would like to give thanks to her mother, grandmother, teachers, family and friends and most importantly God for supporting her through her journey.
Production Team
Eric Brockmeier is a first-year MFA scenic design graduate student. His previous works include charge artist for “Twelfth Night” (NIU 2021), scenic designer for the University of Northern Colorado’s production of “The Heiress” (2020), assistant scenic designer for “The Cherry Orchard” (2019 UNCO), and assistant charge artist for “The Imaginary Invalid” (2018 UNCO). He would like to thank his friends, family, and professors for the support to get to this point. Enjoy the show! Joshua 1:9
Jordan Clifton is an alumna from the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. She is currently a full time EMT, which was definitely not something she thought she’d be doing, but now cannot imagine doing anything else. She does still stage manage whenever she has the opportunity, and will always come back for the dance programs, they hold a special place in her heart. Some of her past show credits at NIU include stage manager for “Wonderfully Alice” (’19), the “Spring 2018 Dance Concert”, “The Glass Menagerie” (’18), “The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek” (’17), “Spring 2016 Dance Concert”, “Out of the Blue” (’16), and “The Balcony Scene” (’16). She was also the lighting designer for “Art for Life” (’15), “Student Choreographic Showcase” (’16), “Art for Life” (’16), and the “Fall 2017 Dance Concert” She is currently also the stage manager for the Elise Flagg Academy of Dance. She’s thankful for all the support she has received being back in the SoTD, and hopes you enjoy the show!
Alexa Wiljanen (Lighting Designer) is a second year MFA lighting design student. Alexa holds a BFA in theatre: design and technology from Western Michigan University. Previous design credits include: “Kernel of Sanity” (NIU), “Twelfth Night” (NIU), Collide: Deos Contemporary Ballet (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Amadeus (WMU), and Mostly Medieval Theatre Festival (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
Faculty
Judith Chitwood is a professor and coordinator of dance at Northern Illinois University. Ms. Chitwood began her training at the Academy of Movement and Music in Oak Park, Ill., and continued to study in Chicago at the Ruth Page Center and Evanston School of Ballet. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music. She continued her training in classical ballet and became a member of the Cincinnati Ballet Company. She also performed with MOMEMTA Dance Company in reconstructions of modern dance pioneer, Doris Humphrey. Ms. Chitwood is also a certified Pilates instructor since 2003 in Romana’s Pilates of New York and continues to study the highly specialized work of Joseph Pilates with Master Teacher Trainer, Juanita Lopez.
Rich Grund’s performing career includes principal and soloist roles in over forty ballets in the Dayton Ballet repertoire, and tours throughout the U.S. and Canada. Other international credits include dancing by invitation with the Finnish National Ballet, and performing a residency in Cuba commissioned through the Harkness Foundation. His credits include director and répétiteur for Hong Kong Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre’s productions of “Romeo and Juliet”, “The Wizard of Oz”, “Peter Pan”, and “Carmen” ballets, for the Colorado Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Royal Winnipeg Ballet companies. Rich’s research in learner centered ballet teaching practices awarded him the MA degree in education from the Royal Academy of Dance, and the University of Bath, and he is an ABT® Certified Teacher in pre-primary through level 7 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. He is an associate professor of dance at Northern Illinois University, and is on faculty at the Joffrey Academy of Dance, Chicago.
Paula Frasz “has the talent and vision made infinitely clear in the sharpest and best-designed work” announced Sid Smith in the Chicago Tribune. Tribune critic Lucia Mauro calls her, “…a standout”. Her many achievements include: Mordine & Company featured dancer and featured dancer at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She has been named resident choreographer of the Bosphorus Dance Company in Istanbul, Turkey and at the Tennessee Williams Festival in Provincetown, Mass.. Her choreography has been commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra. She is one of the founding choreographers of Chicago’s Next Dance Festival, whose work has been called “powerfully modern” by Lynne Voedisch of the Chicago Sun Times. She received the 1999 Ruth Page Award for Artistic Achievement in Choreography from the Chicago Dance Coalition, and the 2002 Artists Fellowship Award in Choreography from the Illinois Arts Council. From 2002 to 2015, Frasz was the artistic director of DanszLoop Chicago, a professional dance company which the Chicago Tribune calls “…a driving force on the Chicago dance scene.”
Ms. Frasz was a faculty member at the Dance Center of Columbia College for eight years. She is currently professor of dance at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and has also been in residence at many colleges and universities, including St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Ind., the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, Southern Illinois University, Winona State University and St. Mary’s College in Minnesota, Harper College and College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Ill. In 2002, she started DanszLoop Chicago (nfp), a theatrical modern dance company performing in Chicago and the surrounding metropolitan area. They performed at nearly 50 venues in their first year. The company made its New York debut in September of 2012, where critics said “Frasz’s powerful choreography brought an intriguing twist to this, and left me wanting more.”
In 2013 Frasz made her acting debut in “The Chorus Girl Plays” at the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival. Frasz also received the 2002 Illinois Arts Council Fellowship for Excellence in Choreography. After a broken leg sidelined her in 2015, she taught dance for three months on a scooter, recorded her learning experiences as a handicapped dancer and then presented the findings at the International Fine Arts Conference in Athens, Greece. Her article “How Injury Changed the Way I Teach” appeared in the March 2017 edition of Dance Teacher Magazine.
In 2018 Frasz brought her dance ENUF to the American College Dance Regional Festival. It was selected as best in the Midwest and will be performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC at the National American College Dance Festival. The adjudicators described the work in the following way:
ENUF reflects on the present and imagines a future rooted in the long Civil Rights movement, from the abolishment of slavery to Black Lives Matter. Through urgent athleticism, it creates collective and individual bodies of protest and power.
For her work with the BIPOC community, Frasz was awarded the 2021 Deacon Davis Diversity Award at Northern Illinois University, and was named a Presidential Engagement Partnership Professor.
Ms. Frasz holds a B.A. and an M.A. from Butler University. She graduated from the University of Illinois with an M.F.A. She is also a member of Actor’s Equity Association and has served several terms on the Illinois Arts Council Dance Panel. Ms. Frasz is an active and vital member of Chicago’s dance community. She has performed, choreographed and taught internationally in Brisbane, Australia, Istanbul, Turkey, Cannes, France, several locations in Austria, and other destinations. “A tongue-in-cheek choreographer with a spunky stage presence” as Lucia Mauro of the Sun Times insists, Paula Frasz continues to produce her work around the United States and abroad. As one critic wrote: “This review is full of superlatives, but she deserves them. Thank you, Paula Frasz!”
Marc Macaranas is a dance artist and movement media maker. In 2008 he joined DanceWorks Chicago as a founding dancer under the direction of Julie Nakagawa. Since then, he has performed widely across North America and Europe with companies that include Lucky Plush Productions, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Luna Negra Dance Theater, RUBBERBANDANCEGroup, and others.
As a movement media maker and choreographer, his creative practice collides dancing bodies and digital interfaces. He makes choreography for proscenium stages, non-traditional spaces, and cell phone screens. He constructs media installations and creates interactive projection design for dance and theatre. His dance and media work has been performed in Chicago, St. Louis, Iowa City, and at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. His most recent installation was made in collaboration with The Big Muddy Dance Company in St. Louis and Animal Feelings of Brooklyn, NY.
Marc has conducted workshops, master classes, and teaching residencies for dance studios, circus schools, university dance programs and professional dance companies across the country. He holds a BA in dance from UC Irvine, an MFA in dance from the University of Iowa. He is an ensemble member of Lucky Plush Productions and is an assistant professor at Northern Illinois University.
Production Staff
Scenic Coordinator: Sahin Sahinoglu
Technical Director: Elizabeth Ahles
Scene Shop Supervisor: Kallen Eckert
Scenery Shop Graduate Assistants: Eric Brockheimer, Adam Rager, Rachel Seabaugh
Assistant Technical Director Scenic Charge: Adam Rager
Scenic Construction: THEA 395 Students
Run Crew: Gagbby Gozdecki, Alex Kozak, Reanna Tremethick, Carrie Szostak, Garin Wilks, Heba Haklif
Costume Director: Lori Hartenhoff
Costume Shop Supervisor: Clare Richey Kaplan
Graduate Assistants: Elias Dennis, Aryn Carr
Drapers/First Hands/Stichers: Katheryn Medic, Elias Dennis, Aryn Carr, Ali Westendorf, Alix Burkhardt, Erin Grace, Jordan Boyd, Rebecca Formeller, Rayan Gilchrist, Maya Paletta, Riley Scifo, Kristen Serbia
Properties Director: Dave Doherty
Properties Shop Assistants: Savannah-Lee Mumford, Rachel Seabaugh, Brennan Olson, Rylan Johnson
Properties Shop Employees: Sarah Blickem, Lauren Krelle, Jack Gordon, Alfonso Tucker, Rylan Johnson
Sound Board Operator: Jordan Clifton
Technical Director Advisor: Ethan Rosing
Production Manager: Ethan Rosing
House Managers: Samantha Bliss, Oliva Echeverria, Colton Loeb, Naava Ofri-Akman, Hailey Stark
House Management Coordinator: Tomás Adriano Dakan
Photographers: Wade Duerkes, Brandon Wardell
Cover and Poster Art Design: Vincent J. Augustine
