CAINE COLLEGE O

F THE ARTS DEPARTM

ENT OF THEATRE ARTS

DRAMA ADAPTED BY DW

AYNE HARTFORD

FROM

THE BOO

K BY KATE DICAMILLO

THE MIRACULO

US JOURNEY

OF EDW

ARD TULANE

Utah State UniversityDepartment of Theatre Arts

Welcome to Utah State Theatre and the Department of Theatre Arts. We have an astonishingly varied season for you this year, something for every age and all tastes. How we choose the season is something our audiences ask, and the faculty agonize over. In fact, we are currently in the process of determining next year’s season. There are thousands of plays out there – how do we choose? Clearly, meeting the educational needs of our performance, education and design students is paramount, and this involves offering range in terms of period, genre and style. With most of our actors in the 19-24-year-old age group, it also behooves us to choose plays with mostly younger characters. Primarily, we are looking for plays that speak to the students (in terms of their lived experience) or that contribute to their understanding of the range of human behaviors, passions and aspirations. We are looking for well-crafted inspiring plays. A piece worth our joint efforts to produce and you, the audience’s, joint effort to attend.

It is important to keep up with the new, and we produce a contemporary play every year. First up this season is a new play, Civics and Humanities for Non-Majors, written in 2017 and a finalist for the National Playwrights Conference at the O’Neill Theater Center. In Jeff Talbott’s comedic drama about finding your voice in times of political turmoil, Yasmine and Nick are organizing political groups on campus; one in 1976 and one in 2016 just days before the presidential election. This is followed by the charming and tender Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) play, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Every second year we present a play for children and bring in children from schools all over Cache Valley to experience live theatre. If you have never watched a play with 700 kids in the audience, you’re missing out! There are public performances too so there’s an opportunity for your whole family to attend. Our Shakespeare this year is Pericles, Prince of Tyre. Prince of who? A great opportunity to see one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known adventurous romances. In the spring, we bring you the musical [title of show]. Yes, this is the actual title. It’s a one-act musical which tells the story of its own creation as an entry in the New York Musical Theatre Festival, writer/stars Bowen and Bell, as well as director Michael Berresse all won Obie Awards for their work on this off-Broadway production. She Kills Monsters is a comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games. It is a high-octane, dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture by the acclaimed young playwright Qui Nguyen. The final show in the season is Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. A play that still feels relevant 65 years after its creation, by one of the most important playwrights of the 20th century. Enjoy our season – we chose it specially.

With warm regards,

Adrianne MooreArtistic Director, Utah State TheatreDepartment Head, Department of Theatre Arts

THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANEADAPTED BY DWAYNE HARTFORD FROM THE BOOK BY KATE DICAMILLO

THERE WILL NOT BE AN INTERMISSION.

THE ENSEMBLE

Cameron Eastland

Cat Evangelho

Nicole Frederick

Anne-Marie Kate

Cameron S. Neeley

Hanna Speer

Rebecca Swan

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Director: Matt Omasta

Stage Manager: Court Johnson

Set Design: Dennis Hassan

Costume Design: Jordan Draper

Light Design: Katelyn Westergard

Sound Design: Gary Kemp

Props Design: Sera Shearer

Movement Coaches: Stephanie White, Matt Koenig

Vocal Coach: Adrianne Moore

Technical Director: Dylan Rice

Master Carpenter: Maya Bowers

Wardrobe Head: Callie Lythgoe

Asst. Director: Aubrey Felty

Asst. Stage Managers: Emma Woodbury, Alisha Grant

Asst. Set Design: Alex Heder

Asst. Costume Designers: Sarah Madany, Rebecca Ashby

Edward Tailor: Jess Wallace

Asst. Props Design: Alex Heder, Hannah Whorton

CREW:

Light Board Op: Brian Garrick

Spot Light Op: Scotty Fletcher

Sound Board Op: Tanner Sase

Stage Hands: Daniel Sykes, Elizabeth Bohannon, Scotty Fletcher and Cosette Hansen

Costume Assistants: Weslee Pierson, Stacey Shorthill

Cameron Neeley @cameron.s.neeley

Cameron Neeley is a senior in the BFA Acting program. Previous roles include: Nikolai in Anna Karenina and Carleton in Light up the Sky. Stay hydrated!

Cat Evangelho @ladycattitude

Cat Evangelho is a graduate of the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts. She is currently in her final year at USU, where she was recently seen as Kitty in Anna Karenina. Previous credits include Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella (PCPA) and The Whale (Fresno City College).

Rebecca Swan @rebecca.swan03

This is Becca Swan’s sixth production here at Utah State University, and her first time getting to work on a TYA show! She is very excited to tell this

wonderful story to children from age 2 to age 102. She is in her last year of the BFA Acting program, and upon graduation hopes to begin doing professional work and spend some time back in Texas with her family. Thanks for the love and the support xx

Nicole Frederick @nik_freddi

Nicole Frederick is a freshman in the BFA- Acting program. She has been participating in shows since her sophomore year of high school and is so excited to con-tinue doing shows at USU. Some of her favorite roles have been in The Little Mermaid, Cinderella and Singing in the Rain.

Hanna Speer @karleighgirl

Hanna is in her junior year of the BFA acting program and is thrilled to be a part of her first TYA show. Her past credits at USU include Shockheaded Peter (Puppeteer), Xanadu (Euterpe), and Once Upon a Mattress (Lady Beatrice). You’ll be able to see her as both Lychordia and Diana in the upcoming show Pericles this winter. She is very excited to share the story of Edward Tulane

and hopes it touches the hearts of those watching. “This is love. This must be love.”

Anne-Marie Kate @annemariekate_

Anne-Marie Kate is a second year BFA Acting student at Utah State University. She has recently been seen as Erato in Xanadu (USU), Lady Mabelle in Once Upon a Mattress (USU), and many other pre-collegiate productions back home in Arizona. With Edward Tulane having been one of the books her mother read to her as a child, she has loved being able to work on this production and sends her thanks to all involved!

Cameron Eastland @priv._cjames

Cameron is happy to be a mem-ber of the Edward Tulane cast, and he hopes that the story they are telling reaches the hearts of all ages. PCPA 2017. USU 2020. Please buy snacks at the Camtina.

Cast Bios

Photography by Andrew M

cAllister

PLEASE DONATEThe Caine College of the Arts and its outstanding students are thankful for the generous gifts of alumni and friends. Through your support, the college is able to:

• Provide scholarship support for outstanding students• Purchase state-of-the-art equipment• Invite renowned speakers, artists and guests• Present theater productions, concerts and exhibits

Invest in the Caine College of the Arts to help continue to advocate for the arts in communities everywhere. To learn more about CCA Development opportunities or to make a donation, please contact the Advancement Assistant for the Caine College of Arts at 435.797.1324 or email Dane.Graham@usu.edu.

CAINE COLLEGE OF THE ARTSEXCELLENCE WITH INTEGRITYMISSION STATEMENTThe Caine College of the Arts serves the people of the State of Utah and supports the mission of Utah State University by cultivating artistic and academic excellence, by preparing our students to realize their full creative potential as artist and citizens, by increasing the visibility of the college and university, and by fostering professionalism and collegial relationships in all aspects of our operations.

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITYDEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS FACULTY & STAFF

LUANN BAKER, , LESLIE BROTT, RICHIE CALL, BRUCE DUERDEN, SHAWN FISHER, DENNIS HASSAN, NANCY HILLS, MATT OMASTA, LYDIA SEMLER, MICHAEL SHIPLEY, KELLY SIMMONS, JASON SPELBRING, STEPHANIE WHITE, AND BECKY WINSTEAD

Director’s NotesThe Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Most plays for young people feature a child or adolescent as the protagonist, or main character.

As these characters embark on fictional journeys through dramatic worlds, they often face very real challenges that actual young people encounter in their own lives. These plays can foster hope and inspire the young people in their audiences by modeling how the young characters harness their knowledge and skills to overcome the difficulties they face.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, however, is not primarily about a child. While young characters appear in the play, the show is ultimately about a toy china doll rabbit who cannot speak or move. While I do not generally associate hope and inspiration with inanimate objects, this play tells one of the most moving stories I have ever had the privilege of helping to share.

This is a story of learning to love, to build friendships with all those we meet, and to respect the value every individual brings to the world. It is a story that reminds us what is important, and why.

Matt Omasta, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Associate Department Head, and Theatre Education Program Director

FALL 2019 PRODUCTIONS

THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANEBY DWAYNE HARTFORD FROM THE BOOK BY KATE DICAMILLO

OCTOBER 4 & 11 / MORGAN THEATRE / 7:30 PM OCTOBER 5 & 12 / 2 PM MATINEE

PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

NOVEMBER 22 – 23 / DECEMBER 3 – 6 / MORGAN THEATRE / 7:30 PM DECEMBER 7 / 2 PM MATINEE

SPRING 2020 PRODUCTIONS

SHE KILLS MONSTERSBY QUI NGUYEN

FEBRUARY 4 – 8 / CAINE LYRIC THEATRE / 7:30 PM FEBRUARY 8 / 2 PM MATINEE

[TITLE OF SHOW]BY HUNTER BELL AND JEFF BOWEN

MARCH 10 – 14 / CAINE LYRIC THEATRE / 7:30 PM

THE CRUCIBLEBY ARTHUR MILLER

APRIL 10 – 11 & 14 – 17 / MORGAN THEATRE / 7:30 PM APRIL 18 / 2 PM MATINEE