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Lark Bunting and Flora by Stephanie Moon
by Jen Silverman
Directed by
Gleason Bauer
Costume Design
Amaya Egusquiza
Lighting Design
Scenic Design Christopher L. Sheley
Holly Anne Rawls
Production Stage Manager Kristen Wickersheim*
Sound Design
Jason Ducat
Assistant Stage Manager Liz Lee*
Producing Artistic Director Christopher L. Sheley
THE ROOMMATE was produced by Williamstown Theatre Festival in July 2017 Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director
World premiere in the 2015 Humana Festival of New American Plays at ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE THE ROOMMATE was developed in part with assistance from SPACE on Ryder Farm (www.spaceonryderfarm.com)
“The Roommate” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
We are living through an epidemic of loneliness. In his book Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World, former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy names loneliness as a public health crisis—one as harmful to our well-being as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day. Twenty-two percent of American adults report feeling lonely. Transcending age, gender, culture, and politics, loneliness touches everyone from fishing villages in Alaska to the halls of Congress. Yet this is a crisis we rarely speak about directly. Instead, as Murthy discovered while listening to people across the country, it often appears as a quieter ache: the feeling of being invisible, of carrying life’s weight alone, of wondering whether anyone would notice if we disappeared.
This is the ache that sits at the heart of The Roommate
At the center of the play are two desperately lonely women at a crossroads. Sharon has lived a careful, unexamined life in the same Iowa home since college. Her ticky-tacky house is stuffed with the unremarkable objects she buys to hide longings she feels but cannot name. Robyn’s life has been full, but somehow similarly empty. She arrives from New York, seeking change, lugging boxes that hold secrets of her own.
What begins as a practical financial arrangement becomes a charged encounter between two hungry ghosts trying to fill the maw. Each offers the other something to fill the emptiness—a sense of purpose and meaning, the possibility of being known, of not being alone. But that desperate need for connection—a feeling so many of us know all too well—makes them both susceptible to change. Who will they each become?
The Roommate asks us to consider the seductive power of connection in a lonely world and what it means to truly let someone in. It›s a story about temptation, transformation, and the desperate human need to be known and valued by another person—whatever the cost.
Thank you for gathering with us for this performance. In a world that can leave us feeling invisible, theatre reminds us that we are seen—that our stories, our struggles, and our need for connection matter. May we leave this room a little more grounded in our humanity and a little less alone than when we entered.
Warmly,
Gleason Bauer, Director
THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR(S)’S RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW
WHO’S WHO
THE ACTING COMPANY
Susan Dawn Carson (Sharon) has enjoyed an eclectic career in theatre and music, performing on the most intimate of stages to the largest of venues. She was born singing, started dancing at 3, and honed her performance skills fronting rock bands, folk trios, and acoustic groups. Later on, her main theatre training was at the NC School of the Arts which included everything from Shakespeare to Circus. On Broadway she starred as Fantine in Les Misérables, was in the Choir of the (mostly)
black gospel musical Don’t Get God Started with Vanessa Bell Armstrong and BeBe & CeCe Winans, and performed the infamous role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (original company and u/s). She also portrayed Grizabella “der katzen star ” in the Vienna production of Cats, auf Deutsch . Between Touring Productions and Regional Theaters, she has been a Navy Nurse, a Conflicted Nun, a Circus Wife and a Juggler, a 50’s Singing Sister, a Puppeteer, an abducted Pioneer, a Sharpshooter (3 times) and several French Peasants. She was awarded Philadelphia’s Barrymore Award for her portrayal of Mrs. Johnstone in Blood Brothers. One of her most fun gigs was playing Henny in Don’t Stop the Carnival - working with the late greats Herman Wouk and Jimmy Buffett who she also got to sing with at Madison Square Garden. After moving to CO, SDC found theatre homes in Aspen, and at the Arvada Center, TheatreWorks, and Country Dinner Playhouse where she took on Mama Rose in Gypsy. Another favorite role was Cathy in The Last Five Years at The Buntport for Modern Muse’s Denver area premiere. FAC audiences have seen Susan Dawn in a number of shows, including Anything Goes (Reno Sweeney), The Full Monty (Vicki), The Bridges of Madison County (Marge) and the beautiful production of Into the Woods as the Baker’s Wife opposite multi-talented husband Kelly Walters as The Baker with a stellar cast, crew & orchestra. She also loved playing Diana in Next to Normal as a fundraiser for the Youth Rep Program which she helped to develop and ran for several summers. She has directed several shows and even wielded the Conductor’s baton for …Forum, but that is another story! It is a joy to be back, to work with this Team and to share the stage with Elise. Susan Dawn, Kelly and border collie Brody now happily call Salida home. Special shout out to “the pack.”
200 members across the US and aborad Supporting collaboration between musical theatre writers and producers, and among theatres nationally Nurturing the creation, development and production of new and classic musicals www.namt.org
The FAC is a Constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American Theatre
WHO’S WHO THE ACTING COMPANY
Elise Santora* (Robyn) is delighted to return to the CSFAC stage She opened the CSFAC Fall/2024 season as the Henrynominated director of Dial M for Murder. Other CSFAC directing ventures include Water by The Spoonful and In The Heights. In prior CSFAC seasons, she starred in ELF: The Musical as Deb/ Ms. Greenspan, in Guadalupe in the Guest Room as Guadalupe (Henry Award - Outstanding Actress), in Curious Incident of the Dog...(Henry Award Supporting Actress nominee), and in Anna in the Tropics as Ofelia ( Henry Award – Outstanding Actress) Her first stage appearance at age 12 was in the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz directed by the renowned actor, José Ferrer. Her first television appearance was as one of the first Latina dancers on the syndicated TV show, Soul Train. She traveled globally as background vocalist/dancer for Bowie, Jermaine Jackson, Julio Iglesias and for Unicef/Africa with ambassador, Danny Kaye. Her regional and touring credits span from principal roles in West Side Story, Man of La Mancha (with John Collum), A Chorus Line (with Bebe Neuwirth) to co-starring with Puerto Rican legend, Danny Rivera in the off-Broadway production, The Red Rose. Broadway: In the Heights (Abuela, Daniela) ), The Capeman (Paul Simon), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Man of La Mancha (with Raul Julia). She starred as Abuela Claudia on the First National US/Japan tour of In the Heights. Off-Broadway: Yo Soy Latina (Lincoln Center), 365 Days...(The Public Theatre), Ghost Dance Woman (John Houseman) to name a few. TV credits include For Life (ABC), Bull, Tommy, The Code (CBS), NBC’s The Manifest, New Amsterdam, Shades of Blue, Netflix’s Iron Fist, Orange is the New Black and nominated for the Indie Series Best Comedy Actress Award for her role in FabuLess (webseries). Recent film credits include The Artist’s Wife (starring Lena Olin/Bruce Dern), Swallow and The White Alligator. Other directing credits in New York include the hip-hop production of The Minotaur (Abrons Arts Center), ‘Fever ’ (New Perspective Theatre), ‘The Life of Me’ (NY Latino Theatre Festival), and Hopefulness (The Lark Theatre) and resident choreographer for the Stargate Company, a social justice company founded by Manhattan Theatre Club. She was a teaching artist in playwriting for MTC, Theatre Development Fund, and the NYC Board of Ed for two decades, a Ford Foundation grant recipient for her one woman show “A Woman and Her Cigar”, a published poet, and a life-long activist.
*The Actor and Stage Manager appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
WHO’S WHO
PRODUCTION TEAM
Gleason Bauer (Director) began as a student artist with the Bemis School’s Young Actors Theatre Company. Now, several decades later, they are returning to the Fine Arts Center to complete a remarkable full circle. Serving as an Artistic Associate, Gleason is working alongside Producing Artistic Director Chris Sheley to envision next season’s programming. This leadership role builds on Gleason’s recent multifaceted contributions, including directing The Roommate and designing sets and costumes for Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed. Between then and now, Gleason has served as the Associate Artistic Director of Boulder’s Square Product Theatre, where they won the True West Award for their direction and design of the ensembledevised piece Slab, as well as a Colorado Theatre Guild nomination for Best New Play. As co-founder and Artistic Director of Los Angeles’s Zoo District, they also helped build an internationally recognized ensemble that earned 44 nominations and 26 Ovation, Garland, and LA Weekly Awards. Gleason brings this award-winning artistry into the classroom, having taught at Colorado College, Pomona, Marlborough, and the North Carolina Governor’s School, among others. They currently teach at Naropa University’s School of the Arts, where they earned their MFA in Contemporary Performance. www.gleasonbauer.com
Christopher L. Sheley (Scenic Design) See Performing Arts Staff for bio.
Amaya Egusquiza (Costume Design) is originally from Nampa, Idaho and received her Bachelor of Science in Theater Arts from University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. After graduation she relocated to Corvallis, Oregon where she honed her skills as a theater professional through her work as Education Director for the Majestic Theatre, as a company member at Willamette
Stage Company, and as a co-founder of Pipe Dream Theater. You may have seen her design work at the Fine Arts Center in shows such as Hadestown: Teen Edition, and Balloonacy!. She is honored to be included as a member of the creative team for The Roommate.
Holly Anne Rawls (Lighting Design) See Performing Arts Staff for bio.
Jason Ducat (Sound Design) is designing for the first time for the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Jason has designed for many theatres across Colorado including, The Arvada Center, The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Curious Theatre Company (where he is an Artistic Company member), Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, Creede Repertory Theatre, Local Theatre Company, and TheatreWorks. Regional theatre credits include, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, and Montana Shakespeare in the Park. International credits include The Prague Quadrennial, Vienna English Theatre, Prague Shakespeare Company, and The Royal Exchange Theatre. Jason currently teaches sound design and technology at The Denver School of the Arts. Jessica Mathews (Props Supervisor) is excited to be continuing her work with the FAC this season. Recent/Favorite credits include Disney’s The Little Mermaid, In Her Bones, Sister Act, and Mary Poppins. She completed her degree in Theatre Technology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has worked across the industry for companies like - Busch Gardens, Adirondack Scenic, Universal Studios, and the Alabama Ballet.
Kristen Wickersheim* (Production Stage Manager) had an accidental love affair with theatre that turned into a full-time gig. With a knack for organized chaos and a sharp sense
PRODUCTION TEAM
of humor, she’s called cues for everything from mermaids under the sea to mistaken identities in 18th-century France. Locally, she’s lent her talents to Theatreworks, Springs Ensemble Theatre, and the Millibo Art Theatre—often while wondering how she got here (and secretly loving every minute of it). Career highlights include wrangling the underwater magic of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, navigating the comedic maze of The Game of Love and Chance, and keeping the drama (onstage only except for that bear) in Measure for Measure, Wild Honey, and WTF: Women’s Theatre Festival. She may have stumbled into theatre by accident, but she’s made a career of making things run smoothly—on time, on cue, and with a smile. Liz Lee* (Assistant Stage Manager) is delighted to be working on this production alongside many talented designers, technicians & performers. Throughout her
career, she has worked in Theatre, Dance, Opera, Virtual Productions, Music Recitals & Live Events. She received her M.F.A. in Design & Technology - Stage Management at UMKC (24) & B.A. in Theatre & English Writing at Hastings College (21). Recent credits include: CS Fine Arts Center - Mary Poppins (ASM), Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson Apt. 2B (ASM), Hadestown: The Teen Edition (PSM), Sister Act (Deck Crew), In Her Bones [World Premiere] (ASM), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Flyer & Deck Crew), The City Dog & The Prairie Dog (Sub. Calling SM). UMKC - Big Love (ASM & Deck Chief), Die Zauberflöte (PSM), Proving Up (PSM). Endstation Theatre Company - T-Room: The Musical [World Premiere] (PSM), Treasure Island (ASM), Homegrown Talent (ASM). The Lyric Opera of Kansas-City - Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci (PA). KCRep - Twelfth Night (PA).
WHO’S WHO
PERFORMING ARTS STAFF
Christopher L. Sheley (Producing Artistic Director) is thrilled to be in his third year as PAD, and his 21st as a company member. Trained as a scenic designer, his favorite credits at the FAC include In Her Bones, Misery, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Barnum, Man of La Mancha, 4000 Miles, Agnes of God, Other Desert Cities, and Gypsy. Area credits: The Arvada Center’s Damn Yankees, Colorado College’s 23:59 and All in the Timing, The University of Denver’s Urinetown & THEATREWORKS’
The Servant of Two Masters. Regionalawards: the Henry’s Best Set Design- Misery and Man of La Mancha, The Gazette’s “Best of”- Sunday in the Park, the Denver Post’s Ovation Award’s Best Set Design- Pirates of Penzance and Sweeney Todd, the PPAC’s best set design- 4000 Miles, Into the Woods, & Sunday in the Park, and the True West awards Best Set Design.
Holly Anne Rawls (Resident Lighting Designer/Lighting Director) graduated from CU Boulder with a lucrative pair of degrees – Technical Theatre and Anthropology. For the last twenty years at the FAC she has been master electrician, Lighting Director/ Resident Lighting Designer, Interim Director of Production, and helped build the technical side of the Youth Rep program. In addition, she designed many FAC productions including Misery, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (for which she won the 2020 Henry Award for Lighting Design), Intimate Apparel, Fun Home (2017 Henry Award for Lighting Design), Barnum, Man of La Mancha (2016 Henry Award for Lighting Design), 4000 Miles, The Wizard of Oz (joint PPAC award), Gypsy, Other Desert Cities, and Sweeney Todd (Denver Post Ovation award). Holly enjoys spending her time in the woods with her wonderful husband, amazing
stepdaughter, and equally impressive dogs. She would like to thank Chris for everything. https://hrawls.wixsite.com/website
Tim Muldrew (Company Manager) has worked in Art’s Administration for both the Fine Arts Center and TheatreWorks since arriving in Colorado Springs in 2006. He’s toured the world as Equity Stage Manager and has directed Crazy for You, Knuffle Bunny and 1776 on the FAC Stage. Tim is currently on the board at Springs Ensemble Theatre. Tim and his husband, Craig, enjoy traveling and when not at his desk, you’ll probably find him on a cruise ship enjoying a piña colada!
David A. Cook (Director of Production) received his education through theatrical apprenticeships before attending college in Tampa FL as well as Golden CO. Dave has held the roles of Technical Director, Asst. Technical Director, Stage Manager, and Lead Electrician during his career. He has worked for theme parks, museums and zoos as well as corporate scenery companies like Adirondack Scenic Studios and Nasal Scenic. His regional theatre experience includes The Florida Studio Theatre, Ruth Eckard Hall, The Birmingham Children’s Theatre, American Stage St. Petersburg, Terrific New Theatre, and the Red Mountain Theatre Company in Birmingham Alabama. Dave loves to collaborate with others in making art and telling stories, especially at the FAC! He is grateful for life, living the tiny house life together with his wife Jessica, their dalmatian Russel, and Tabby Terror Peter. Living right next to the mountains, they enjoy the outdoors as avid campers, hikers, and rockhounds.
Ben Porter (Technical Director) is grateful and excited to be collaborating with the team
WHO’S WHO
PERFORMING ARTS STAFF
of creatives at the FAC. He started here as an over hire & crew member for Disney’s The Little Mermaid during the FAC’s ’24-’25 season. Before that he toured with several national & international shows such as The Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Once: The Musical, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and most recently Hairspray. Ben loves the arts as a way to express creativity, and his favorite part of any show is the applause from the audience. Welcome to the FAC!
Hossein Forouzandeh (Scene Shop Supervisor) is thrilled to bring his theatrical expertise to the FAC Theatre team. As a local Equity actor, he came on board as over-hire after performing in Water By The Spoonful in '24 and has settled in to help create our amazing sets as a Carpenter lead. Hoss has been on the build team from Rent, to Dial M For Murder, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, and the handful of children's shows produced upstairs. He is grateful for the FAC's dedication to creating masterful art and to be part of it all.
Eryn Miller (Costume Shop Supervisor) is ecstatic to be joining the team here at the FAC. After Costume Coordinating touring shows such as Chicago, Hairspray, and Pricilla Queen of the Desert, she is happy to find her sparkly shoes landing in Colorado Springs. She is looking forward to her first full season in this role, offering her skills to the FAC theatre team as they produce high quality shows for you all to enjoy. Thank you always to Ben for his love and support.
Alexander Palmer (Head of Sound) has been working in Theater as an Audio Engineer for over a decade. First starting out with local black box theaters, Alex has cultivated a wealth of knowledge on everything from Sound Design to Mixing. His other work includes being a Recording Engineer at CCM Recording Studios where he records, edits, mixes and masters work for Music Production, Audiobooks and Voiceover. Previous clients include NPR, 20th Century Fox and Adult Swim. Alex has also taught at the Colorado Film School, one of the top ten in the US for Film Production. His education includes Shenandoah University and the University of Colorado Denver. Alex brings all of these skills to bear in every production and loves every part of the process.
Bekah Irwin (Theatre Administrative Assistant) is a big nerd with a deep love of the performing arts, so organizing information in spreadsheets for a theatre company is living the dream! This is her second season in this role at the FAC and she’s enjoying every second of it. Before she started slinging spreadsheets for the stage, she was Wardrobe Supervisor for the FAC’s 2023-2024 season and enjoyed working on wardrobe crew before that for The Legend of Georgia McBride and In the Heights. Bekah is a jack-of-all-trades who loves to learn and has an arsenal of skills and knowledge she loves to use to help people. She wants to thank her husband Kiffin for his constant love & support and hopes you enjoy the show!
FAC WHO’S WHO
FAC LEADERSHIP
Marketing & Communications Director: Jessi Burns
Director of Operations & Divisional Effectiveness: Maria Capp
Director of Visual Arts and Museum: Michael Christiano
Director of Development: Cristina Gonzales
Patron Experience Director: Rebecca Rounds
Producing Artistic Director: Christopher L. Sheley
Director Bemis School of Art: Tara Sevanne Thomas
PRODUCTION STAFF
Director: Gleason Bauer
Scenic Design: Christopher L. Sheley
Costume Design: Amaya Egusquiza
Lighting Design: Holly Anne Rawls
Sound Design: Jason Ducat
Production Stage Manager: Kristen Wickersheim*
Assistant Stage Manager: Liz Lee*
Prop Supervisors: Jessica Mathews, Rebecca Savage
Carpenters: Hossein Forouzandeh, Ben Kilanowski, Robert Longo, Matt Phillips
Painters: Craig Crowder, Clinton Crowder
Stitchers: Lauren Asselin, Mary Jo Farr, Marissa Forrest, Kanik Pace
Electricians: Ben Campbell, Juyoung Koh, Alex Sanford, Jessi Squires, Matt Phillips
Audio Engineer & Sound Board Operator: Alex Palmer
Sound A2: Chandler Disch
FAC THEATRE COMPANY
Producing Artistic Director: Christopher L. Sheley
Company Manager: Tim Muldrew
Theatre Administrative Assistant: Bekah Irwin
Director of Production: David Cook
Technical Director: Ben Porter
Scene Shop Supervisor: Hossein Forouzandeh
Costume Shop Supervisor: Eryn Miller
Resident Lighting Designer/Lighting Director: Holly Anne Rawls
Head of Sound: Alex Palmer
House Manager: Jude Talaba
FINE ARTS CENTER STAFF
Patron Services Manager: Frances Huntington
Patron Services Staff: Jon Adams, Kari Bell
Administrative Staff: Ashley LaCuesta
Development Staff: Laura Hines, Kim Sweeney, Jean Truty
Engagement Staff: Blair Huff, Sammie Joe Kinnett
Communications Staff: Sarah Waddell
Lead Operations Associate: Mark Cannon
Operations Associates: Ross Bowdon, Tiffany Scott, Darla Slee, Ian Stewart
Operations Team: Melanie Audet, Megan Brockriede, Rob Estes, Alexandra Martinez, Ken Monefino, Harriette Saide
Museum Staff: Alana Adams, Natalie Brescia, Jonathan Dankenbring, Kerstin Fay, Sara Hodge, Katja Rivera, JD Sell, Christian Valvano
Bemis School of Art Assistant Director: Jeremiah Houck
Bemis School of Art Staff: James Howard, Kazzandra Medellin
Our Mission
We celebrate and challenge our understanding of place, uplift artists from the past, present, and future, and amplify art's capacity to shape our work and inspire new possibilities.
Our Vision
We aim to foster connections among communities through integrated multi-disciplinary art experiences.
We believe in Engagement – increases visibility, access and understanding and empowers communites to have input over decisions that affect their lives and their community
Making – a process that generates ideas and brings them into being Cultural Stewardship – employs practices that take responsibility for preserving the value of cultural works, objects and experiences
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Colorado College occupies the ancestral homelands and traditional territory of the Ute People, as well as Apache, Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa, and Pawnee Nations. All were forcibly removed to reservations in Southwest Colorado, Utah, and Oklahoma. We affirm that early United States national policy was designed to breakdown Indigenous communities, destroy cultural identities, and outlaw traditional religious practices to clear a path for non-Indigenous settlement. Despite that, Indigenous Peoples are still here today, resilient, thriving, and vibrant citizens or descendants of 574 US federally-recognized sovereign tribal nations plus those from north and south of the US borders and beyond. We encourage all people to learn the names and the complex histories of original people of the land you are on and continuously seek ways to act in solidarity with them today and always.
INSPIRE
THEATRETOMORROW’SLOVERS
At the Fine Arts Center, we believe every child should experience the wonder of live theatre. Through our Send a Student program, a $25 donation helps cover the cost for one student's ticket and transportation to a matinee—an experience that can spark a lifelong love for the arts.
Donate today at fac.coloradocollege.edu/donate
Questions or interested in sponsoring a classroom? Contact Jean Truty at jtruty@coloradocollege.edu.
