1984 Program

Director’s Note

George Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, maintains its place as a significant dystopian tale because, in reality, the tale is not so far-fetched. Everything that occurs in the novel, and this play adaptation, is conceivable. The constant monitoring of citizens, the rewriting of texts and history, the encouragement of hate through propaganda—all are conceivable. And that’s what makes 1984 frightening. While some will dislike the artistic choice, I have chosen to dispense with expected British accents, so that those of us living in the United States can better envision the terrors of Orwell’s society(the governmental control of action, thought, friendship, and love) happening right here, in our home. Some argue these events are happening in our countryright now; some believe such a stance is an overreaction. Unlike Big Brother, I will leave you to your own thoughts.

Several years ago, one of mytheatrical mentors offered a piece of advice that I strive toward in all mywork: never end a work of art without hope. On one hand, I would be hard pressed to saythat Orwell’s novel ends happily. Indeed, there seems to be no hope at all. On the other hand, the novel exists as a warning to be ever vigilant against the horrors presented within its pages. The story’s existence IS hope. Maywe see that in this production. May it remind us that we are not alone. Mayit embolden us to see dehumanizing horrors clearlyand to stand against them. WE are the hope and must continue to be.

Shawn Knight, Director

ArtisticandManagementTeam

Director:ShawnKnight

AssistantDirector:GraceKlimczyk*

Producer:BrentMaddox

Stage Manger

Julia Orr

Technical Director

Jerry Stratton

Assisant Scenic Design

Emily Aesbach*

Assistant Sound Design

Jack Freedman

Assitant Costume Design

Carolina Wood*

Props Design

Rachel Phinney*

IntimacyDirector

Traci Ledford

Projection Design

AndyDavis

Assistant Stage Manger

Grace Cuda

Scenic Design

Laura Gracey*

Sound Design

AmySyverson

Costume Design

SydneyTripp

Lighting Design

Josilyn Seftchick

Assitant Props Design

LandryLuscher

Fight Choreography

Eric D. Pasto-Crosby

Assitant Projection Design

BillyBerryman

Vocal Artists

Ceirra Burdyck

Zebee Carnahan

Summer Clark

Kalyn Dickey

Thor Firetower

Jack Freedman

Nick Galenkamp

Gentry Anne Hollis

Clay Jackson

Grace Klimczyk

Xander Kline

Landry Luscher

Josiah Martinez

Riley McConnell

Tessa Melton

Sarah Memmo

Berkeley Moore

Melody Brooke Myers

Eric D. Pasto-Crosby

Gus Wissemeier

UnderstudyPerformances

Saturday, February14, 2 PM SHOW

(Kamaria McGinn appears as Parsons)

Saturday, February14, 7:30 PM SHOW

(ClayJackson appears as O'Brien & Zach Ligason appears as Martin)

Sunday, February15, 2 PM SHOW

(Sarah Memmo appears as Julia)

Thursday, February19, 7:30 PM SHOW

(Alayna Wilburn appears as Landlady)

Saturday, February21, 2 PM SHOW

(MollyRyan appears as Syme & Kyle Sumner appears as LITTLE GIRL)

Cast

Production Team

Production Team

Cast Bios

JOHNWALTERSBURKHART(Winston)isasenioratBelmontUniversityinNashville,

TennesseepursuingaBFAinTheatrePerformance.Throughouthiseducation,hiswork hasspannedstage,screen,andvoiceactingmediums.Someofhisfavoriteroleshave includedCoventryinJackAbsoluteFliesAgain(RoyalWelshCollegeofMusicand Drama);JamesAllisoninDownthePipeline(RoyalWelshCollegeofMusicandDrama); Mr.Collins,Mr.Wickham,andMissBingleyinPrideandPrejudice(Nashville ShakespeareFestival);PartridgeinTomJones(BelmontUniversity);andTed,Anthony, andMaxBrewerinTheBookstore(BelmontUniversity).

GENTRYANNEHOLLIS(Julia)isajuniorpursuingherBFAwithanemphasisinTheatre

Performance.SomeofherpastBelmontcreditsincludeKim/JaneinTheBookstore, Peters/SisterAnne/NurseUnderstudyinRomeoandJuliet,HenriettainSuppressed Desires,LadyAlineinAMarriageHasBeenArranged,KristinUnderstudyinMissJulie, Mrs.Lindley/MinnieUnderstudyinBlueStockings,andReader#13/FemaleSwinginA WrinkleinTime.

NICKGALENKAMP(O’Brien)isaJunioratBelmontUniversity.SomeofNick’sfavorite

roleshaveincludedRalphMayhewinBluestockings,u/sforMisterWestern,Squire Allworthy,andFitzpatrickinTomJones,ColonelMustardinClue,andLord Montague/LordCapuletu.s.inRomeoandJuliet.WhilecurrentlypursuinghisBFAin TheatrePerformance,NickhasstudiedabroadattheRoyalWelshCollegeofMusicand Dramawherehewrote,directed,andstarredinhisownshortplay.nickgalenkamp.com

SOPHIEEASTONE(Parsons)isajunioratBelmontUniversitypursuingadoublemajor

inTheatrePerformanceandTheatreDirecting.OriginallyfromBarboursville,West Virginia,sheworksasbothaperformeranddirector.AtBelmont,shewasamemberof theensembleinRomeoandJulietandappearedinAYearwithFrogandToadasthe understudyforFrog.ShehasrecentlyworkedasanassistantdirectorwithCarpe ArtistaChildren’sTheatreandiscurrentlyinterningwithBacklightProduction.Sophie isalsoawriter;herdebutpoetrycollection,me+poetry,publishedunderthepenname SophieKay,isavailabletoday.

Cast Bios

JAY ROBINSON (Syme) a Sophomore theatre major, is excited to be a part of Belmont’s production of 1984. It’s his third showat Belmont and he is excited to learn all he can from his castmates and elevate this showto be the best it can be. Jaywants to thank Shawn Knight for guiding us and helping to craft such a difficult piece, our stage management Julia Orr and Grace Cuda, for keeping things running smoothly, and our backstage crewfor bringing the magic of theatre to life. 1984 is a showthat will always be relevant, enjoythe showand make sure you stayaware: Big Brother is watching.

GENEVIVE BEVELL (Landlady) is a junior Theatre Performance major at Belmont. Outside of the theatre, Genevive has a fervent focus on activism and political action, and finds 1984 to be a palpablyrelevant and apposite playfor her debut role at Belmont. She has most recentlyshifted into the film environment, most recentlyhaving starred in and directed–respectively–two short films: Stuck with You (2023) & Leave a Message (2024). She aspires to continue delving into all facets of both stage and screen throughout her career and discover innovative ways to use performance in changing the world.

KYLIE SUMNER (Gladys) is a Senior BFA Theatre Performance major. Kylie has been seen on the Belmont Stage as Turtle in A Year with Frog and Toad, Trevor in The PlayThat Goes Wrong, Rita La Porta in LuckyStiff, Ensemble in Hamlet Devised, and understudyfor the role of LucyAttkins in The Good Times Are Killing Me. Other credits include a chorus member in off-broadwayshowAnne Of Green Gables: Finding A Home and Marilla with Royal FamilyProductions. Charlotte in Belmont University’s collaboration with Royal FamilyProductions in Charlotte’s Ladies.

SARAH MEMMO (Ensemble, u/s Julia) is a sophomore Theatre Performance major. Her recent credits include Ocean (Ride The Cyclone) and Ensemble/Lady Capulet US (Romeo and Juliet). She would like to thank her friends and familyfor their support and hopes you all enjoythe show!

Cast Bios

CLAY JACKSON (Martin, u/s O’Brien) is a senior theatre performance major, and he is so excited to have this opportunityto take the stage. Some of Clay’s previous roles have included Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet, Joseph Garcin in No Exit (Belmont University), and Sir Nathaniel in Love’s Labour’s Lost (Nashville Shakespeare Festival). He has loved theatre since he first took the stage in his middle school production of Midsummer Night’s Dream, and he is excited to be pursuing it as his career. A Nashville native, he hopes to keep performing and working here when he graduates. Thank you for being here!

KAMARIA MCGINN (Ensemble, u/s Parsons) is currentlya Junior BFA theatre performance major from Madison, Wisconsin. She is so honored to be making her main stage debut especiallyin such an important and thought-provoking storylike 1984. Her past credits include Assistant Stage Manager for The Bookstore (Belmont University), Stage Manager for Alice In Wonderland Jr (Children’s Theatre of Madison), Gwendoline Fairfax in The Importance Of Being Earnest (The Groundling's Theater), Parakeet in Belmont’s 2025 RepertoryCompany, and Stella in Blood On Canvas (Belmont University). Kamaria would like to thank Shawn as well as the cast and crewfor such an amazing experience!

MOLLY RYAN (Ensemble, u/s Syme) is a junior theatre performance major from Arlington Heights, IL and is so excited to be a part of this production! She has previously appeared in Belmont’s production of Blue Stockings (Celia u/s) and Miss Julie (Christine). She would like to thank her communityhere at Belmont for being wonderfullysupportive, as well as her family, and of course Shawn Knight for this opportunity!

ALAYNA WILBURN (Ensemble, u/s Landlady) is a senior at Belmont University, where she is getting her BFA in Theatre Performance. Last semester, Alayna played Sadie/Mac Rogers/Married Friend in The Bookstore, directed byPaul Gatrell. Alayna has also recentlyparticipated in a newwork, playing various characters in A Small Part of the Interesting Story, co-written and directed byAbigail McCurdy. Also at Belmont, Alayna played the landladyin LuckyStiff, directed byShawn Knight, and Mackenzie in Crying on Television, directed byTamiko Robinson-Steele. This is her last mainstage performance at Belmont, where Alayna has formed relationships and learned lessons that will last her a lifetime.

Production Team Bios

SHAWN KNIGHT (Director) is an Equityactor and the head of the Performance track of Belmont's Theatre BFA. A proud Belmont alumnus, Shawn has worked at his alma mater since 2005, where he has directed A Year with Frog and Toad, LuckyStiff, Peter Pan, and The Miss Firecracker Contest, among others. He has written and performs ten one-man shows about famous American Golden Age composers, the playHenson about African American explorer MatthewHenson, and 36 (produced at Belmont in 2020) about the fight for women’s suffrage, culminating in Nashville, TN.

GRACE KLIMCZYK (Assistant Director) is a junior BFA Theatre Directing student from Valparaiso, Indiana. Her most recent production credits include directing He Said and She Said (Belmont Junior Short Play), dramaturg for Romeo and Juliet (Belmont University), and stage manager for The Game's Afoot (Belmont University). She recentlystudied abroad in Wales at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where she assistant directed the opera Don Giovanni and the newmusical Private Jones.

JULIA ORR (Stage Manager) is a double major at Belmont Universitystudying Theatre Directing + Public Advocacy. She’s worn manyhats at theatres back home including South Carolina Children’s Theatre, Warehouse Theatre, and Greenville Theatre. Her favorite credit was directing Godspell at SCCT a production born from the Student AdvisoryCouncil she founded and served as inaugural president of. While at Belmont, she has stage managed three productions and worked at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts as an Artist Relations Intern this past summer. Huge thanks to Hattie and Katie… the mentors everyyoung woman in the arts hopes for, but almost never gets luckyenough to find. And thanks to Shawn…for turning existential dread into a fun rehearsal process!

GRACE CUDA (Assistant Stage Manager) is happyto serve as the Assistant Stage Manager of 1984. She is a sophomore BFA Theater Performance and Directing major from Louisville, Kentucky. She most recentlywas the Stage Manager for Are You Watching Me? as a part of Belmont’s Junior Short Plays. Over the past two summers she worked as the Stage Manager for Sacred Heart School for the Arts communitytheater programs. She is excited for her future in theater.

Production Team Bios

LAURAGRACEY(ScenicDesigner)Creditsinclude:StageManager,TheMaids,MovingStories,

TheAttic(BelmontUniversity),TheProm(CurtainsUp!BelmontUniversity);ScenicDesign,The GuyWhoDidn’tLikeMusicals(CurtainsUp!BelmontUniversity);LightingDesign,Moving Stories(BelmontUniversity),SomethingRotten!(TheWestminsterSchools).Lauraisa sophomorewhoispursuingherBFAinTheatreProductionDesign.

EMILYAESCHBACH(AssistantSetDesigner)Creditsinclude:FoleyArtist,TheGame'sAfoot

(BelmontUniversity);Soundengineer,FreakyFriday(StPetersburgCityTheatre);Lights& SoundOperator,LittleWomen(StPetersburgCityTheatre);Playwright&Director,Elevator Problems(StPetersburgCityTheatre).Emilyisasophomoreinthehonorscollegewhois pursuingaBFAinTheatrePerformanceandaBSinComputerSciencewithaminorin Mathematics.

AMYSYVERSON(SoundDesigner)isaSeniorBFATheatreProductionDesignmajor.Selected

collegiatecreditsinclude:1984(SoundDesigner),TheBookstore(SetDresser),AYearWithFrog andToad(SoundDesigner),TomJones(PropertiesDesigner),NoExit(SoundDesigner),Only Fam(AssistantTechnicalDirector/BoardOp),Hamlet:HoldOfftheEarthAwhile(Stage Manager), TheAviator(StageManager)andLove’sLabour’sLost(AssistantDirector,Ensemble, Swing).Amyhassounddesigned,stagemanaged,acted,anddirectedformultiplecompanies, includingOzArtsNashville,BelmontUniversity,theNashvilleShakespeareFestival,Emerald CoastTheatreCompany,andFutureStarsTheatreCompany.IntheFall,Amywillbepursuinga Master’sdegreeinAudioEngineering.

JACKFREEDMAN(Asst.SoundDesign)isanAETandTheatremajoratBelmontUniversity.His

previoussounddesigncreditsincludeTheBookstore,TheGame’sAfoot,andHamlet:HoldOff theEarthAwhile.

SYDNEYTRIPP(CostumeDesigner)isasophomoreTheatreProduction&Designmajorat BelmontUniversityandisthecostumedesignerforthisplay.Shehasbeenactingsincethe4th gradeanddoingtechnicaltheatresincehersophomoreyearofhighschool.Someofhernotable workincludescostumedesignforRomeo&Juliet(BelmontUniversity),sounddesignforProof and39Steps(BelmontUniversity),andstagemanagementforLittleShopofHorrors(McKinney NorthHighSchool).Sydneyhasalsoactedinover40productionsandassistant-directedafew showsaswell.

CAROLINAWOOD(Asst.CostumeDesigner)CarolinaWoodisasophomoreBFATheatre

Performancemajorwithaneducationminor,andsheissogratefultobeapartof1984!Her creditsatBelmontUniversityincludeHeSaidandSheSaid,DirectingIIScenes:TheBald Soprano,SPARK:DevisedMovement,andtheSpring'25StagedReadings.Shealsoworksinthe BelmontTheatreandDanceCostumeShop.Shewouldliketothankthecast,crew,and productionteamforalltheirhardwork!

Production Team Bios

XANDER KLINE (Dramaturg) Credits include: Sampson, Romeo and Juliet (Belmont University) Darcy/Mr. Bingley/MarySwing, Pride and Prejudice (Belmont University/Nashville Shakespeare Festival); U/S for Gillette, The Game's Afoot (Belmont University); William, As You Like It (Nashville Shakespeare Festival). Xander is in his second year at Belmont University, and he is working toward a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance and Directing, and is incrediblyexcited to be working on a showthat deals with such timelyissues.

RACHEL PHINNEY (Props Designer) Credits include: Costume Designer, Proof, The 39 Steps, Billythe Kid Makes it Big (Belmont University); Lighting Designer, A Small Part of the Interesting Story, SPARK: of Love, Moving Stories 2023 (Belmont University); Props Master, Guess the Musical Showcase, A Charlie Brown Christmas (CUBU); Sound Designer, Heathers the Musical (NHTI); DollyU Fellowship Participant, Dolly: A True Original Musical (2025). Rachel is a senior BFA Theatre Production Design major.

LANDRY LUSCHER (Asst. Props Design) Landryis a sophomore Theatre Performance major at Belmont University. She is so grateful to be involved in a timeless storythat is so important to be told. She hopes you enjoythe show!

JOSILYN SEFTCHICK (Lighting Designer) Credits include: Student Technical Director, Lead Pin Rail, and Deck Chief, All in the Timing, Seussical, Grease, Lost in Yonkers, On the 20th Century, Little Shop of Horrors, (Upper St. Clair Theater); Lighting Design, Moving Stories 2023, Moving Stories 2024, Moving Stories 2025, Hamlet: Hold Off the Earth Awhile, (Belmont University); Set Design, Trust, No Exit, Proof, 39 Steps, A Year With Frog and Toad, Romeo and Juliet, (Belmont University). Josilyn is a junior pursuing her B.F.A. in Production Design.

ANDY DAVIS (Projection Designer) is a sophomore Audio Engineering Technologystudent, minoring in Theater, Media Production, and Creative Writing. Employed bythe Belmont UniversitySchool of Music Production Crew and the Fisher Center, Andyhas worked events such as Christmas at Belmont and Sounds of Belmont, as well as Belmont Musical Theater productions, in the roles of FOH and RF tech. She was recentlythe audio engineer for Belmont's Romeo and Juliet, and works on video for the Belmont Showcase Series (recent roles include Assistant Engineer and Technical Director).

Crew

Pre Production Crew

Scenic

Luke Bowman

Joshua Boyd

Kiley Hetzel

Caroline Morris

Carter Stammel

Elizabeth Thompson

Sophie Buchmeier

Zariya Foster Amy Holloran Morgan Hatfield

Devin Hendricks Tessa Melton*

Vhian Murphy Thatcher Palsley

Sophia Tang Alexander Templeton

Addison Tingle Emma Vega

Lighting

Luke Adamson

Dakotah Berk

Blake Gatlin

Jesse McIntyre

Spencer Altman Sylvia Ardon

Shiloh Branson Tucker Eskew

Molly Haggerty Anil Kumar

Jeremiah McPherson Kuzey Palmer

Anna Peters Bankhou

*Indicates member of APO, National Theatre Honor Society

Pre Production Crew

Alaylah Akins Nick Galenkamp Genevive Bevelle

Gentry Anne Hollis* Zachary Ligason* Kamaria McGinn*

Sarah Memmo Jay Robinson Molly Ryan*

John Walters Bukhart* Alayna Wilburn*

Costumes

Teagan Dye

Emery Crowder

Kaitlyn Rech

Tanner Richardson

Rylee Taylor

*Indicates member of APO, National Theatre Honor Society Props

Paris Garrett

Evelyn Rizzo

The eye and related imagery were designed by Sydney Tripp.

Special Thanks

A MONSTER CALLS

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY PATRICK NESS

DIRECTED BY: BRENT MADDOX

APRIL 10-12, 16-18

BLACK BOX THEATRE

MIXED BILL

XXII: PIECES OF LIGHT

DIRECTED BY: DEBBIE BELUE

APRIL 17 - 19

TROUTT THEATRE