Welcome to the California Repertory Company's 2023-24 Season at the CSULB Department of Theatre Arts! As department Chair, I am honored to introduce a season that promises to capture your imagination and challenge your perspectives. Theatre possesses a remarkable ability to transport us to new realities. It serves as a medium that unites us, fostering a sense of community through a collective live experience. In these complex times, we believe that the arts play an even more significant role in connecting our diverse communities. Throughout this season, you will be treated to narratives spanning the breadth of the human experience. Our productions are designed to stimulate your curiosity, provoke thoughtful reflection, and entertain you. I encourage you to put aside your digital devices, and fully immerse in the magic of live theatre. We extend our sincere gratitude to you for joining us and for championing the arts as one of our most important collaborators: the audience. Your presence serves as the final element in what makes an evening at the theatre special and timeless. So, please, take a moment to settle in, and enjoy your experience at Cal Rep! With warm regards, Ezra LeBank Chair, Department of Theatre Arts
California Repertory Company (CalRep) is the producing arm of the Theatre Arts Department at CSULB. Over the past three decades, Cal Rep has a history of creating new work, devised theatre and adaptations of classics.
CSULB is located on the sacred site of Puvungna. We acknowledge that we are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here. We recognize the Tongva and Acjachemen Nations and their spiritual connection as the first stewards and the traditional caretakers of this land. We thank them for their strength, perserverance, and resistance. We pay our respects to the Ancestors, Elders, and our relatives, past, present, and emerging.
Can you guess the shows we are putting on in Spring 2024 based on the symbols below? Follow us @CalRep on Instagram to find out more about our Spring 2024 season. Check the last page of this program for the answer!
DIRECTORS LINZY NA NAKORN & PAOLO GUIDI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CHLOE STROLIA
Scenic & Props Coordinator Janani Nair Costume Coordinator Lalena Hutton Lighting Coordinator Aaliyah Artry Paola Oros Sound Coordinator Evelyn Pham Rehearsal Captain Nipper Knapp
Stage Manager Evelyn Pham
Jenna Aranda
Christian Blandin
Christina Du Chene
Arlene Duran
Isabella Gamble
Annabelle Kerns
Olivia Ketchel
Victoria Martins
Kyle Matsuda
Celeste Ontiveros
Loïc Planchon
Cole-Dahlia Prekoski
Shallene Rosete
Noelle Smith
Nicolás Arturo
Keiona Chang
Assistant Stage Managers Dante Cimo Abel Kimiko Rock Scenic Crew Eliseo Payan Taryn Wyss Costume Crew Ashley Gabrielle Corachea Ellery Graab Grace Jacobson Jaylene Lopez Ryusei Nakamura Samuel Park Lightboard Operator Hector Guillen Soundboard Operator Erica Stevenson
Jenna Aranda (any pronouns) Ensemble Jenna Aranda is a Theater Arts performance major in her last year at Cal State Long Beach. Jenna loves brightening up the room with her enthusiasm and you can find her hanging out with her best friends, Holly and Vy, around school. Frantic: Long Beach is Jenna’s first MainStage show and she couldn’t be more happy. She hopes you enjoy the show as much as she loves being a part of it! YIPPIEEE!! Keiona Chang Swing Keiona Chang is an undergrad student here at Cal State Long Beach. Keiona very much enjoys performing on stage with her cast members. Whenever she is not on campus, Keiona enjoys spending time with her snake, Maple. Frantic: Long Beach is Keiona's second show she has worked on during her time here at CSULB. She hopes you enjoy the show! Annabelle Kerns Ensemble Annabelle is a third year as a theatre performance major at CSULB. Her most recent performance with the school was in Mr. Burns where she played Itchy and worked as a choreographer for the show. She is so honored to be a part of something unlike anything else she has ever seen. She would like to thank the directors Linzy and Paolo for everything this show has taught her.
Victoria Martins Ensemble Victoria Loren Martins is a third-year theatre performance major, and this will be their fifth show with CalRep. Some credits include Diaz De Los Muertos: “For The Love Of (Or The Roller Derby Play),” Scratchy: “Mr. Burns Post Electric Play,” and Ester: “Dry Land.” Victoria feels incredibly grateful to have studied Frantic Assembly work during this process, and even more grateful to have learned from and worked with Paolo and Linzy. She wants to thank them for creating such an inspiring space. @vvixterr Kyle Matsuda (He/Him) Ensemble Kyle is a second-year undergrad student thrilled to be doing Frantic Assembly here at CSULB. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Kyle can’t wait to show on stage for everyone to see! This is not his first time performing at CSULB however, he has done “Night of Student Work” in “Straight Play” and “Alice in Wonderland.” As well as many student films at CSULB like “Language of Breathing” and “She’s a What.” Celeste Ontiveros (She/Her/Hers) Ensemble Celeste is a third-year CSULB student. After changing her major to Theatre Arts the past two semesters have been incredibly knowledgeable/helpful to her mind and body. When she is not collaborating in class with fellow students and professors she can be found working with clothing, fashion, and character design. Frantic: Long Beach is Celeste’s first show here at CSULB. She’s glad you took the time to come join the audience, and hopes you love it!
Shallene Rosete (She/Her) Ensemble Shallene is in her third year here at CSULB majoring in theater performance. After graduation, she hopes to pursue in voice acting. Shallene enjoys food adventures, playing games, singing, and dancing! Frantic: Long Beach is her first MainStage appearance and hopes you enjoy the show!! Noelle Smith (She/Her/Hers) Ensemble Noelle Smith is a third-year transfer student at CSULB. She transferred from Diablo Valley College to pursue a BA in Theater Arts. This is her first mainstage show and second show overall as a cast member. She’s excited to be part of such a wonderful and talented cast. Evelyn Pham Stage Manager Evelyn is a 4th year general theatre student here at CSULB. If she isn't found in her office as a student ambassador, she is most likely wandering the building working on shows as a stage manager, actor, sound designer, or production manager! Evelyn loves working on all aspects of theatre and film and if she isn't working on a production, she is cozying up at home with her two kittens.
Department Chair Ezra LeBank
Media & Sound Engineer David Goyette
MFA Theatre Management Faculty Megan Wanlass
Box Office Manager Kate Byrne
Managing Director Meg Imamoto
Box Office Student Assistants William Runnels Charli Southall Edward Yi
General Manager, CalRep Naima Orozco-Valdivia Production Manager Ashley Boehne Ehlers Technical Director Robert Waltz Master Carpenter Mitchell Domingo Scenic Student Assistants Colin FitzMaurice Gabriela Santiago Olivia Steele
Administrative Analyst Katie Speer
Trevor Biship Erin Caron Andrea Caban Martha Carter Andrian Centeno
Theatre Arts Graduate Advisor Josh Nathan
Rich Hutchman
Theatre Arts Academic Advisor Adriane Howze
Nipper Knapp
Videographer Nick Neira
Costume Shop Technician & Cutter/Draper Tessa Oberlaurel
Management Graduate Students Perla Barajas Paula Eagleman Nadina Espinosa Jenna Fleming Naima Orozco-Valdivia Claire Pearson Bob Williamson
Lighting Student Assistants Jenna Agredano Dante Cimo Dane Price Kiara Uribe Josh Van Veggel
Jody Berger
Ramy Electreby
Production Photographer Cynthia Price
Master Electrician Jasmine Flores
Gayle Baizer
Safety Technical Supervisor Tony Martinez
Costume Shop Manager Lalena Hutton
Costume Shop Stitchers Taryn Weiss Isabella Borgesse Vivian Mulvihille Emily Boom
Faculty
Jessica Hansen Jeff Janisheki Ezra LeBank Bradley Lock Patricia Loughrey Emily MacDonald Josh Nathan Hugh O'Gorman Jamieson Price Robert Prior Jen Richardson Tyler Seiple Anna Steers Tom Trudgeon Sarah Underwood Megan Wanlass Jessica Woolen
Experience the electrifying kickoff of the season with Frantic: Long Beach, a devised piece crafted by Frantic Assembly. Hailing from the UK, and known globally for their innovative approach to movement and storytelling, Frantic Assembly has brought its expertise to the CSULB campus. For this piece, Frantic artists will collaborate with our talented CSULB undergraduate students to create an entirely original piece that promises to captivate and inspire. This is a rare opportunity to witness the magic of the Frantic Method unfolding right here in Long Beach. Don't miss the chance to be part of this extraordinary theatrical experience! Runs Thursday, February 1st through Saturday, February 10th The season continues with Alexis Scheer’s Our Dear Dead Drug Lord. Directed by Alana Dietze, this play explores themes of friendship, rebellion, and the complexity of adolescence with a fresh and unapologetic voice. Set against the backdrop of an abandoned treehouse, four teenage girls embark on a mystical journey to summon the spirit of notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar. As their intense and unpredictable séance unfolds, the lines between reality and fantasy blur, leading to unexpected revelations and self-discovery. Runs Wednesday, March 13th through Saturday, March 23rd Closing the fall semester is Ride the Cyclone, written by Jacob Richmond & Brooke Maxwell and directed by Kari Hayter with musical direction by Ryan O’Connell. This darkly comedic musical invites you to join a quirky group of students who find themselves in the unexpected position of vying for a second chance at life. Set in the eerie confines of a fairground, Ride the Cyclone introduces us to a diverse ensemble of characters, each with a unique story to tell. As fate spins its unpredictable wheel, these students must prove their worthiness in a quirky, otherworldly competition, blending the macabre with a touch of the fantastical. Runs Wednesday, April 24th through Saturday, May 4th