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a new musical

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

“We Can Save the World Today”

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT We take this moment to acknowledge that we gather on the traditional lands of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla and the Nisenan people, who have cared for this place since time immemorial and continue to do so today. We honor their enduring connection to the land, waters, and community. We express our gratitude for the opportunity to share in this space and invite you to join us in learning more about the history of this land and supporting the sovereignty and cultural vitality of Indigenous peoples. ABOUT THE SHOW We believe theater can change the way a community sees itself. This production tells the story of Casper, a young man with autism who becomes the key to challenging a leader who demands silence and obedience. As Casper’s world becomes harder to navigate, the people who love him: his friends, his family, his neighbors, refuse to let him face it alone. It’s a story about: finding courage in unexpected places, the power of neurodivergent authenticity, a community rediscovering its voice, ordinary people doing extraordinary things when they stand together *THIS STORY IS FICTIONAL. NO ACTUAL PERSONS OR EVENTS ARE DEPICTED.

THROUGHOUT THIS PROGRAM, YOU’LL FIND SKETCHES, RENDERINGS, AND NOTES THAT OFFER A GLIMPSE INTO HOW THIS PRODUCTION CAME TO LIFE. ENJOY!

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

Casper and the Disaster Master is a community collaborated piece by Christopher Castles, Amaya Levels, Denver V, and John, Megan & Emrick Evans, and Kristen DeweyGreen

COMPOSER Christopher Castles

DIRECTOR Denver Skye Vaughn

PRODUCER Megan & John Evans

THE CAST Alex Fork Cyliax Elizabeth Frank Jeffrey Machado Stuart Eldridge Jacob Renard Cory Maddern Alison Smith Emrick Evans Maddy Levels Kyle Schmitt Patty Lewis Amaya Levels Duke Fields Alex Frank Elijah Harmon Jinx Green David Garrison Kathleen Poe Alexander Dierdorff

Casper Davies Sian Becker Arthur “Big R” Becker Xander Zimmerman Victor / STUPID-Whomper Neil Davies / BRUTAL-Whomper Sophie Davies Lou Mia Cahill Roland Dr. Mason / Advisor Vivi / Ensemble Thiago / GREEDY-Whomper / Ensemble Golf Caddy / Ensemble SPICY-Whomper / Ensemble Feminist / Ensemble ENUF-O/NT News Anchor The Dailyboy News Anchor Stage Directions / DICEY-Whomper

ADDITIONAL PERFORMERS Pheonix, Jason, Elias and Lotus Stevens BAND

Christopher Castles, Keyboards • Matthew Joslin, Guitar • Andy Sullivan, Drums

THANK YOU TO THE ROSEVILLE THEATRE ARTS ACADEMY CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

CREATIVE TEAM & PRODUCTION Producer, Technical Director & Lyricist Assistant Director & Lyricist Producer, Communications Director & Lyricist Lyricist Art Arrangements Photography & Design Stage Management Lighting Design Spotlight Operator House Management Concessions ASL Interpretation, Sunday

John Evans Kristen DeweyGreen Megan Evans Amaya Levels Emrick Evans Jeffrey Grexton David Garrison Alexander Dierdorff Kim Dierdorff Corbin Flamik Jacob Lynch Alisha Metcalf Michelle Spurlock

NOTES FROM THE CREATIVE TEAM

I’m really grateful to have reached a point in my life where I can climb my highest mountain yet. I wanted to write a play not only for my own sake, but also Set rendering of the to remind myself and “Political Rally” all of you that if you are feeling isolated, which can make it difficult to meet new people or be social at all, you CAN strengthen your heart and win against your fear. Even today, I still have to work through that myself. No matter how cowardly some of the people you encounter may be, you cannot let their actions defeat you. If your goal is to find the support you need, it is nearby, just waiting for you. This is a musical I conceived and composed to express a bigger part of myself. I like nearly all music but this is the type of music I like to play and listen to the most; progressive rock. I’ve loved it since I was 9 years old. Well, just Supertramp for the first few years then bands like Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Yes, Genesis, Emerson Lake & Palmer etc. They all tied familiar with my style, rock pairing up with classical music. - Christopher Castles, Composer 6

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

Casper and the Disaster Master began with the remarkable vision and music of Christopher Castles, first shared with Denver Vaughn. It soon grew to include John, Emrick, and me, alongside an incredible community of artists, performers, and collaborators. I am deeply grateful to everyone who gave their time, talent, and heart to this project, and especially to Denver for believing in us, making room for our voices, and inviting us into this extraordinary journey. This staged reading is just one step in Casper’s story, and I hope it continues to grow from here. Above all, I hope you leave tonight laughing, thinking, and talking. If you carry with you a little more compassion and a little more hope than you came in with, then I believe we have created something truly worthwhile. We may not always feel brave, and we may not always feel hopeful, but we can still choose to do brave and hopeful things. Thank you for being here, for supporting new work, and for becoming part of Casper’s journey. - Megan Evans, Producer To me, theater is about creating something entirely new every time you perform it. I was drawn to Casper and the Disaster Master because its entire concept is original, with music from a first-time composer paired with a script shaped through an extraordinary collaborative process. My goal for this production is to celebrate and encourage what it means to use your unique creative gifts for the community at large. I hope the audience is not only entertained by this original story, but inspired to uncover and share their own creative voices. Thank you for supporting the next generation of original art. - John Evans, Producer

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

SONGS ACT ONE • Prologue • Rights in the Sky (lyrics by John Evans) • I Know Best (lyrics by John Evans) • Whose Am I (lyrics by Amaya Levels) • Don’t Worry Casper (lyrics by Kristen DeweyGreen) • *What Happened in Dorivalland (no lyrics yet) • Let Me In (lyrics by Kristen DeweyGreen) • We Can Save the World Today (lyrics by Kristen DeweyGreen) • Big R’s Sunscreen (lyrics by Pheonix Vaughn) • Escape (lyrics by Amaya Levels) ACT TWO • Big R and the Wolf (lyrics by Denver Vaughn) • Just Like Ancient Tiber (lyrics by John Evans) • *We Are Stronger Than You Think (no lyrics yet) • A Sea of Minor Fossils (lyrics by Megan Evans) • The Rescue/Sian’s Sacrifice (underscoring) • Corrupt Minds (lyrics by Amaya Levels) • The People’s March (lyrics by John Evans) • Spaghetti Song (lyrics by Kristen DeweyGreen) • Reconstruction (underscoring) • The People‘s March (Reprise) 10

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

PRESHOW PLAYLIST

INSTAGRAM

(local artists) No Light On The Surface

@2jaida

Pumpup @amayalevels Rot @say_hello_sam Woobird @amayalevels Big Dumb Object @calamity_range Nothing Bur Distance: Bad Autonomy

@calamity_range

Passengering: There’s No Money in Fun

@calamity_range

Scarce Sentiments: Song and Dance Number

@calamity_range

To No End: Forever and Then What

@calamity_range

Eyes Wide Open @aeyzhia Costume design of “Casper”

Costume design of “Sian” CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

Brennen Milton is an award-winning clarinetist and the bespoke clothier behind BjoVon Designs LLC. Our sincere thanks to Brennen for bringing their artistry to Casper and the Disaster Master by constructing a garment worn in this production.

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

WAYS TO TAKE ACTION IN OUR COMMUNITY • Connect with NorCal Resist: Follow @norcal_resist or visit norcalresist.org to find current volunteer opportunities, events, resources, and ways to support families affected by immigration enforcement. • Support people facing detention or deportation: Write letters, contribute to mutual-aid efforts, or volunteer with a verified local organization. • Make your voice heard: Attend a Sacramento City Council meeting, participate in public comment, or join a peaceful community action. Check official calendars before attending. • Stay informed: Follow NorCal Resist, Camp4Justice, Indivisible Elk Grove-Laguna, and Sunrise Solidarity for current actions and gathering information. • Vote: California’s General Election is November 3, 2026. Register, confirm your information, and explore your voting options at vote.ca.gov.

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

POETRY THAT INSPIRED THE SHOW WHERE THE WILD THINGS STAY Jesse Weaver Larrosa-Colombo Some people look upon a hillside and see a blueprint. They trace invisible lines through oak and river, through nests and neighborhoods, through places already humming with life, asking only, “What else can this become?” As though a meadow were waiting to be corrected. But the meadow has never doubted itself. It knows the language of monarch wings, the patience of old trees, the way a creek remembers every stone by name. It has always been enough. In the streets, people gather like wildflowers after rain. Some carry rainbow flags, bright as promises kept. Some lift signs painted with hope, with urgency, with the simple belief that every person deserves

to belong, and every place deserves to breathe. Their voices rise together, not to drown one another out, but to make room for every note. The loudest song is not a solo. It is a chorus. Some call it protest. The birds might call it morning. The rivers might call it coming home. The trees, who have watched generations learn and forget the same lessons, simply sway a little closer, as if to listen. Even the wind slows down to carry the words farther. There will always be those who mistake growth for more buildings, more wires, more humming machines. But there are other kinds of power. The power of neighbors learning each other’s names.

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

Of children planting seeds whose shade they may never sit beneath. Of queer joy, bright and unapologetic, refusing to shrink so that someone else might feel taller. Of choosing community when isolation seems easier to sell. These are the quiet miracles that cannot be manufactured. Hope has never arrived wearing polished shoes. It comes with muddy hands. With handmade signs. With shared meals. With laughter echoing through parks someone once tried to pave over. It comes whenever people decide that love is worth protecting, that belonging is worth defending, that the living world is not an obstacle, but a relative. So let us be

less like walls and more like forests. Different trees. Shared roots. Making room for light to reach every leaf. Let us become the kind of people who leave behind more birdsong than noise, more welcome than warning, more gardens than gravel. Because the future has always belonged to those who could imagine a kinder world, and then, hand in hand, begin planting it.

Costume design of “Casper” CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

POETRY THAT INSPIRED THE SHOW

NO CROWNS

MILES OF COURAGE

meganbe_poetry today we remember we were never meant to kneel forever the sky holds no crown the river bows to no name the smallest leaf belongs only to itself we gather in the open finding worth not in titles but in the shared light of ordinary hands no kings just the chorus of many hearts unbeholden to any throne but hope today we stand together unruled and unafraid

meganbe_poetry your journey is not measured in miles walked but in the courage it takes to keep going when the world asks for more than you have to give AFTER THE CLOUDS meganbe_poetry not all of us make it through the storm with our hands unbroken some of us become the sky’s soft echo the hope that lingers after the clouds begin to part

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

Costume design of “Roland” THANK YOU Alex Fork Cyliax Alex Frank Alexander Dierdorff Alisha Metcalf Alison Smith Amaya Levels Andy Sullivan Brennen Milton Christopher Castles Corbin Flamik Cory Maddern David Garrison Denver Skye Vaughn Duke Fields Elias Stevens Elijah Harmon Elizabeth Frank Emrick Evans Fatemeh Mehraban Jacob Lynch Jacob Renard Jade Darte Jason Stevens Jeffrey Grexton

Jeffrey Machado Jennifer Vaugn Jesse Weaver Larrosa-Colombo Jinx Green John Evans Kathleen Poe Kim Dierdorff Kristen DeweyGreen Kyle Schmitt Lotus Stevens Nancy Flores Maddy Levels Matthew Joslin Megan Evans Michelle Spurlock Oscar Quezada Patrick Burns Patty Lewis Isabella Vega Pheonix Vaughn Rob Hayes Stuart Eldridge Trent Vartebedian

CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER

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CASPER AND THE DISASTER MASTER