At the Rita: Rita Tallent Picken Regional Center for Arts and Humanities

Setting 

The show runs approximately 2 hours 15 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director
Petr William*

Costume Designer
Percy Reed* 

Stage Manager
Mykah Melone*

Scenic & Prop Designer
J Lofty*

Lighting Designers
THEA 363 – Lighting & Projection Design Students*

Dramaturg
J Lofty*

Sound Designer
John Batory* 

(*) indicates undergraduate BA student

DIRECTOR'S NOTES

Petr William

What do you think of when you hear Waiting for Godot? You might think of Spock and Gandalf hamming it up for a few hours. You might think of Robin Williams or Nathan Lane or Rainn Wilson or any of the other brilliant comics who have graced the stage with their presence. When I first learned about Waiting for Godot, I discovered that playwrights like Beckett were not deconstructing language and writing characters without consistency or objective just to be avant-garde. Historians agree that absurdism developed over time in response to the aftermath of World War II. Soldiers returned home to their families disfigured or in a casket. News was finally spreading about Auschwitz and other hidden horrors during the war. Is there a correct response to cope with such terrors? The writers of the time seemed to all gravitate toward the same philosophy: suffering is imminent, and the human experience cannot be understood. Any meaning we hope to find in our existence is readily squashed by the reality that our lives are full of contradictions and may never be understood. 

As I considered how to present this story to a modern audience I was drawn to the meaning behind clothing and fashion. The aesthetic of the 40’s hobos were certainly a reference to Charlie Chaplin and other clowns of the time, but the rags and hats ultimately reflect loss and poverty. I sought to affect our audience in a similar way with an aesthetic that modern audiences are more familiar with. It might seem uncanny at first, but I hope by leaning into the apocalyptic wasteland that Beckett has already written into the story you might experience this a little closer to home. 

So, what do we do in the meantime? We wait. We tell jokes. We mess around and tease each other and talk of religion and sex and pee and turnips. We wait for a Godot – a hope – that may never come. In retrospect, we learn that time can heal wounds and perhaps even whole nations. However, Beckett urges audiences to stay in the moment and experience the frustration, joy, and reward (or lack thereof) alongside these characters while waiting for Godot. 

I would like to thank UW-Parkside for the opportunity to direct such a monumental piece of theatre. I would like to thank Mary Kerr and all of the theatre faculty, staff, and students for supporting and celebrating the cast, crew, and myself throughout this process. I would like to thank Amy Bates and Octavio Hernandez for always being an ear to bounce my ridiculous directing choices off of. Finally, I would like to thank Krista Hansing for keeping me sane, fed, and being my cheerleader and friend to call in lieu of a parent. 

DRAMATURG'S NOTES

lofty_j4

Taking on Samuel Beckett’s abstract masterpiece Waiting For Godot is no easy task for anyone involved. Originally premiered in 1953, the play has become the premier example of theatre of the absurd, a label given to mid-20th century plays steeped in existentialism, influenced by the rapid changes of the post-modern world. Plays considered absurd are often circular, working on a logic different from that of our conscious minds, which repeats itself, addressing the inherent meaninglessness of life. Despite this seeming hopelessness, Waiting For Godot features a timeless style of nihilistic optimism, so while audiences may find themselves scratching their heads at points, it is okay to feel confused and silly. Absurdity is an intrinsic part of being alive. 

CAST LIST

Vladimir 
Mark Warden 

Estragon
Virgil Kornuth

Pozzo
Alistair Weime 

Lucky
Walker Beaman 

Boy / Swing 
Hugo Dums

U/S Lucky 
Sean Fookes 

CAST BIOS

Mark Warden

MARK WARDEN (Vladimir) is a Junior Theatre Arts Major with concentrations in Acting and Design/Technology, and Management who transferred to UW-Parkside from the College of Lake County. Previous credits include True West (Austin / Co-Scenic & Props Designer) and Hand to God (Lead Carpenter) at UW-Parkside, and Evil Dead: the Musical (Ash), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Picasso), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged (revised) (Adam / Actor 3), Into the Woods (Wolf / Cinderella’s Prince), The Squirrels (Scenic Designer), The Chairs (Scenic Designer), and Assistant Scenic Designer for Picasso at the Lapin Agile and Evil Dead: the Musical at the College of Lake County. 

Virgil Kornuth

VIRGIL KORNUTH (Estragon) is a first-year Theatre Arts major with a concentration in Musical Theatre. Previously at UW-Parkside, he performed in Carrie: the Musical (Freddy).

Alistair Weime

ALISTAIR WEIME (Pozzo) is a senior Theatre Arts major with a concentration in Acting. Previous credits include Carrie: the Musical (Reverend Bliss), Peter & the Starcatcher (Grempkin/Fighting Prawn/Mack), Burn: The Musical (Gerry), As You Like It (Duke Frederick/Corin), She Kills Monsters (U/S Chuck, U/S Vera), Circle Mirror Transformation (James), The Penelopiad (Swing) and Spring Awakening (Hanschen/Rupert) at UW-Parkside, and Romeo and Juliet (Gregory) at Fleeing Artists

Walker Beaman

WALKER BEAMAN (Lucky) is a Junior year Theatre Arts Major who came to us from State Fair Community College. Prior credits include Heathers: the Musical (Ram Sweeney), The Tempest  (Sebastian), Not Now Darling (Mr. Frencham), Henry V (Bardolph / Captain Fluellen), Junie B. Jones: the Musical (Daddy / Mr. Scary), The 39 Steps (Richard Hanney), and The Lightning Thief: the Percy Jackson Musical (Chiron) at State Fair Community College. Most recently, Walker performed in Hand to God (Timmy) at UW-Parkside. 

Hugo Dums

HUGO DUMS (Boy / Swing) is a second-year Theatre Arts major with a concentration in Acting. Previous credits include Hand to God (U/S Jason/Tyrone), Carrie: the Musical (Head Electrician), True West (Saul), Peter & the Starcatcher (Boy/Peter) and The Laramie Project (Ensemble) at UW-Parkside. 

Sean Fookes

SEAN FOOKES (U/S Lucky) is a senior Theatre Arts minor. This is his first production at UW-Parkside. He has worked as a haunt actor for The Abandoned Haunted House complex and for The Dungeon of Doom. 

THEA 363 Lighting Students / Electrics Crew 
Hannah Allie, Walker Beaman, John Batory, Anne Plummer, Lumi Shaelev, April Sersen, Sean Fookes, Christian Luvianos, Hadley Ruetten, Juju Campos-Taylor, Hugo Dums, Sam Carlson, Valen Underhill, Jade Moeller-Jordan, Moss May, Percy Reed, Lexi Rogers 

Directing Faculty Advisor 
Mary Kerr

Lighting Faculty Advisor 
Noele Stollmack

Sound Design Faculty Advisor 
Kevin Gray

Costume Design Faculty Advisor 
Leslie Vaglica 

Head Electrician
Jessica Baker 

Scenic & Props Faculty Advisor 
Jody Sekas 

House Manager 
Forge Dwyer * 

Marketing 
Aahlaysia Gentry, Jody Sekas, Janet Jurado *, Petr William * 

Program Layout 
Aahlaysia Gentry

Poster Design 
Kim Sekas 

Production Photographer 
Petr William *

Department Administrative Assistants 
Joe Lambin, Edson Melendez 

Theatre Arts Production Manager 
Jessica Baker

Theatre Arts Department Chair 
Brian Gill

PRODUCTION TEAM BIOS

William_PetrF24

PETR WILLIAM (Director) is a senior Theatre Arts major with a concentration in Design and Technology. His previous credits include Hand to God (Lighting Design), Carrie: the Musical (Projection Design), The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Assistant Lighting Design), When We Dead Awaken (Lighting Design), Meteor Shower (Projection Design), The Laramie Project (Associate Lighting Design) and Spring Awakening (Head Electrician). His upcoming work includes Circle Mirror Transformation (Associate Lighting Design) and Macbeth (Projection Design). More of his work can be found at petrwilliamcreative.com 

Mykah Melone

MYKAH MELONE (Stage Manager) is a junior with a double major in Theatre Arts and English. Recently they attended the Open Jar Intensive in NYC and performed in the RenQuest cast at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Other credits include Hand to God (Assistant Stage Manager), True West (Fight Choreographer), Peter & the Starcatcher (Ensemble, U/S Smee/Captain Robert Falcon Scott), When We Dead Awaken (Light Board Operator), The Laramie Project (Props Lead) and Burn: The Musical (U/S Gerry & Walt) at UW-Parkside, Legally Blonde (Props Designer), Betrayal (Asst. Stage Manager), and Hair (Paul / Woof) at Carthage College, Shakespeare in Love (Asst. Fight Director) at Harper College, She Kills Monsters (Farrah the Faerie) at Elgin Community College, Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Ensemble) at Lake Zurich Players, and Macbeth (U/S Angus & Witch) at Theatre Lab. 

lofty_j4

J LOFTY (Dramaturg/Scenic & Prop Designer) is a senior Theatre Arts major with a minor in International Studies. Previous credits at UW-Parkside include Dead Man’s Cell Phone (Charge Artist), Hand to God (Props & Puppet Designer), True West (U/S Mom), Hir (U/S Isaac), Collective Rage (Betty 5), Peter & the Starcatcher (Props Lead), The Altruists (Dramaturg), Meteor Shower (Props Lead), The Laramie Project (Dramaturg), As You Like It (Assistant Props Lead) and She Kills Monsters (Assistant Props Lead).

John Batory

JOHN BATORY (Sound Designer) is a first-year Music Major with a concentration in Contemporary and Commercial Music. Previous credits at UW-Parkside are Hand to God (U/S Timmy / Pastor Greg) and Carrie: the Musical (Sound Board Operator).

Percy Reed

PERCY REED (Costume Designer) is a senior Theatre Arts with concentrations in Acting and Directing. Recent credits include The Altruists (Director), Gruesome Playground Injuries (Doug), Indecent (U/S Lemml and The Ingenue), The Penelopiad (Suitor/Maid), The Aliens (Assistant Director), Spring Awakening (Ensemble, Adult Man Cover) and Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties (Director) at UW-Parkside. 

SPECIAL THANKS
Donald Cress
Casa Capri for ongoing support

THEATRE ARTS SUPPORTERS


The College of Arts and Humanities with the UW-Parkside Foundation gratefully acknowledges the following individuals for their investment in the Theatre Arts Department and students.

$1,000+
Susan M. Cable, D.D.S. '81 *
Dr. Donald A. Cress *
William Dienhart *
Marie Kohler & Brian Mani *
Patricia Petretti *
Shirley Warter *

$500-$999
Keith Harris

$250-$499
David R. Koss, '06
Dr. Lesley Heins Walker

$100-249
Darleen Chiappetta
Edwin & Flora Doody
Calvin Kaplan '71
Debra Karp & Stephen Smiley
Frances M. Kavenik
Heather McGee '90


You can enhance Theatre Arts Education.

In the same way that mounting a play requires a team, funding it is likewise a team effort. To produce our amazing shows, we rely on a combination of sources—ticket sales, the University, and private funding.

Play a part in advancing the student experience through your one-time or recurring contribution to the Dr. Donald A. Cress Theatre Production Enhancement Fund.

Donate today

 
 
Donations listed were received Jul 1, 2022-Aug 30, 2023. For omissions or changes to this donor list, please contact development@uwp.edu

*Denotes members of the UW-Parkside Chancellor’s Society.

About UW-Parkside

Since 1968, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside has continued to build a reputation as an outstanding liberal arts institution with particularly strong fine arts programs. With The Rita Tallent Picken Center for Arts & Humanities, our state-of-the-art instructional facilities and stunning performance venues match our award-winning academic programs and provide even greater community access. UW-Parkside offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as specialized online programs. Each year, more than 100 College of Lake County graduates transfer to UW-Parkside to pursue a four-year degree. The award-winning Theatre Arts program is a popular destination for transfer students.

Theatre Arts Major  |  Theatre Arts Department  |  The Rita

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