THT Rep presents Who Is Eartha Mae? | April 8-19, 2026
THE BRICKBOX THEATER
Jade Wheeler, appearing courtesy of AEA. Photo by Andrew Brilliant
Board of Directors
Elissa Boisvert, Esq. | Chair
Ken Rapp | Vice Chair
Bill Finn | Treasurer
Tracy V. Wells | Clerk
Abigail M. Childs, MD
Curtis A. Feldman, CPA
Ivan R. Green, MD
Steven G. Joseph
Erica Kidder
John Lauring
Lisa McDonough
Sathi Mitra
Marc D. Montalvo
Jason D. Muise
Kimberly A. Rozak, Esq.
Alan Seiffert
Sanjay Shah, Ph.D.
Michael D. Sleeper
Dr. Charles Steinberg
Carolyn Stempler
John Stimpson
Kimberly Stone, Esq.
John “JT” Tanacea
Marina Taylor
Kellie Thibodeau
Rachel K. Tosches
Ancy Verdier, DMD
Founders
Paul J. Demoga, Esq.
Edward P. Madaus
Honorary Director
Mary C. DeFeudis
Mission
Land acknowledgement
We acknowledge the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Nipmuc Nation on which we are working and performing this season. Find more information at native-land.ca.
To ignite and nurture a passion for the performing arts in audiences and artists of today and tomorrow.
Vision
To be Greater Worcester’s bold, inclusive, and innovative performing arts destination where creativity flourishes, diverse voices thrive, and transformative experiences connect and uplift our community.
Jade Wheeler, appearing courtesy of AEA. Photo by Andrew Brilliant
ALAN SEIFFERT
President and CEO of The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts
Photo by UnityMike
Welcome to the BrickBox Theater and this performance of Who Is Eartha Mae?. I am so glad you have joined us. You are in for a treat – Jade Wheeler has found an incredible way to reintroduce us to a legend. I can almost hear Eartha Kitt purring from the catwalks behind us.
I am also incredibly excited for the new 26/27 THT Rep season that has just been announced! Artistic Director Livy Scanlon will bring us to Verona this fall with Romeo + Juliet; a tortured chanteuse from East Berlin lands in Worcester with her band in Hedwig and the Angry Inch; and Hamlet gets a modern remix at a Southern backyard BBQ in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fat Ham.
I invite you to join us for the full season by becoming a subscriber at TheHanoverTheatre.org.
Thank you for being here – enjoy the show!
With gratitude,
Alan Seiffert
Welcome home! Find your seats for Broadway, dance, music, and more at TheHanoverTheatre.org/Events.
Photo by Unity Mike. Kyle Hargrove, Alyssa Morales, and Ginny Hilli in A Midsummer Night's Dream (2026)
LIVY SCANLON
Director of Who is Eartha Mae? and Artistic Director of THT Rep
Dear friends,
Welcome home to the BrickBox Theater for the final show of the season!
Tonight, we meet Eartha Kitt: resilient, singular, intrepid. On stage and screen, she dazzled. Off stage, she overcame tremendous adversity and spoke truth to power. Blacklisted and surveilled, she refused to be silenced, confronting racism, censorship, and political abuse with clarity and courage. She was a citizen of humanity, curious about the world, its people, and their cultures.
Her life reminds us that artistry, authenticity and advocacy are not separate callings, but intertwined imperatives. To me — and perhaps after tonight, to you, too — her example feels less like history and more like instruction. Thank you for joining us!
C'est si bon,
Livy Scanlon
PS. So excited for next season! See you in September.
Photo by UnityMike
2026⁄2027
THT Rep Series
FAT HAM
a Box,” and “Wicked Little Town,” she’s here to share her story of radical self-acceptance and tortured international love. This Tony Award®-winning musical takes up residence in the BrickBox, so put on your makeup, turn up the eight-track, and pull the wig down from the shelf.
March 31-April 11, 2027
A PULITZER. 5 TONY® NOMS.
A WHOLE LOTTA HAM.
Dad dies - shady. Mom’s marrying his brother - cringe. Son’s gotta avenge dad’s death - huh? Sounds like Hamlet? Remix! Juicy and his family are in the middle of a backyard BBQ when a ghost arrives asking for revenge. Will Juicy continue the cycle of family trauma or forge a new path seeking joy?
With 2026⁄2027 Series Tickets
FIRST ACCESS TO SEASONAL FAVORITES:
Subscribers have first access to tickets for THT Rep’s Edgar Allan Poe Double Header, The Nutcracker, The Holiday Pops, and A Christmas Carol
SPECIAL DISCOUNTS:
Save 10% and enjoy early access to tickets for other popular shows. Plus, enjoy free admission to historic tours of the theatre and Wurlitzer concerts.
AUTOMATIC RENEWAL:
Effortlessly secure your seats for next season.
Photo by Unity Mike. Stella Chinchilla and Giselle in A Midsummer Night's Dream (2026)
Celebrated dancers return to Worcester
Dance Theatre of Harlem, a company celebrated for its vibrant artistry and global impact, returns to The Hanover Theatre on May 9. Its repertoire spans beloved classics, striking neoclassical works, and bold contemporary creations, all rooted in founder Arthur Mitchell’s vision that ballet should be accessible to everyone. Inspired by the work of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mr. Mitchell established a school that provided Harlem’s youth with the opportunity to explore dance and the allied arts, laying the foundation for what would become one of the world’s most influential ballet institutions.
Through inspiring performances, meaningful community connections, and a deep commitment to arts education, Dance Theatre of Harlem continues to shape the future of ballet. Now celebrating more than fifty-five years of excellence, the company stands as a globally recognized leader in the field. Its legacy continues to expand the possibilities of the performing arts and foster new avenues of creative expression.
The Hanover Theatre's most recent production of The Nutcracker featured critically acclaimed principal dancers Delaney Washington as the Snow Queen and Micah Bullard as the Snow King, both in their fifth season with Dance Theatre of Harlem. Their return in May promises an unforgettable experience that honors their remarkable history while showcasing the bold innovation that defines the company's work today.
Dance Theatre of Harlem Company Artists Kouadio Davis, Alexandra Hutchinson, Elias Re and Carly Greene.
Photo by Nir Arieli
Dance Theatre of Harlem Company Artists Kouadio Davis and Alexandra Hutchinson. Photo by Nir Arieli.
CREATIVE TEAM
Eartha Mae Kitt/Creator ....................................................................... Jade Wheeler**
Director .......................................................................................................... Livy Scanlon
Music Director/Pianist .....................................................................Catherine Stornetta
Scenic Designer.......................................................................................... Peter M. Rule
** Appearing Courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association
^ Member, United Scenic Artists, Local 829
REMINDER
Videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Please turn off all cell phones and electronic devices during the performance.
SPECIAL THANKS
Martin Gordon (Stage Manager Voiceover), Thom Jones (Emcee Voiceover), Cailin Doran (Director Consultation), Seulah Noh (Music Consultation), and Kan Yanabe (Percussion).
CREATIVE TEAM
Jade Wheeler** (Eartha Mae Kitt, Creator)
Jade is an award-winning theatre artist, audiobook narrator, Smurf and mom based in Belgium. Belgian credits include: Dear Winnie (ensemble) – Koninklijke Vlaamse Schouwburg; The Promised Boom: An Immigrant & Assimilation Story (creator). Selected US regional credits: Lost in the Stars (Kennedy Center), An Octoroon (Woolly Mammoth Theatre), Dark Room (Bridge Rep), Race (GableStage), Ruined (Everyman Theatre), Arcadia (Nora Theatre). Upcoming: Who is Eartha Mae? (Urbanite Theatre). TV & Film: "The Pod Generation" (Anna), Netflix's "Rough Diamonds" (School Mom). @jadewheeleractor. jadewheeler.net
Livy Scanlon (Director)
Livy serves as Artistic Director of The Hanover Theatre Repertory (THT Rep). Prior to her arrival in Worcester, Livy founded and helmed Bridge Repertory Theater, where she received an Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director and an IRNE Award for Outstanding Actress. Other regional credits include Urbanite Theatre, The Prague Shakespeare Company, Trinity Rep, Asolo Rep, Hartford Stage, and Paper Mill Playhouse. Livy teaches acting at WPI and in THT Rep’s Worc at Play program. She has been featured in Worcester Magazine’s Women to Watch and Worcester Business Journal’s Power 50. MFA, Acting, Brown University / Trinity Rep. BA, Theatre and Dance, Amherst College (summa cum laude). Love always to P and R. @_worcplaymaker__ worcplaymaker.com
Catherine Stornetta (Music Director/Pianist)
Catherine has performed in all but three states, in five different countries, on cruise ships circumnavigating the globe, and once, after being bitten by a dog, with only her right hand and left thumb. She orchestrated Forbidden Broadway and Forbidden Christmas for symphony orchestra and has therefore conducted the Detroit, Hartford, Winnipeg, North Carolina, Rochester, Syracuse, Ft. Wayne, UNLV, and Adelaide (Australia) Symphonies. She composed the score for the Cable ACE-award winning documentary for A&E’s “Biography” series: "Christa McAuliffe, Teacher in Space," and she has written and arranged music for several shows: "Intriguing People" (for People Magazine), "12 Angry Reindeer," "All-of-a-Kind Family," "Reindeer Games," and "Seasons." She has worked at most of the theaters in Boston, and in 2020 was a recipient of the Elliot Norton Award for her work on Parade with Moonbox Productions. She was most recently the arranger for David Hyde Pierce’s performance as the Child twins on HBO’s "Julia." In her salad days, she was an occasional soloist with the Boston Pops and a student of Darius Milhaud and Claude Frank.
Peter M. Rule (Scenic Designer)
Peter is a theatrical scenographer & technician, and an assistant teaching professor of theatre design at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Earlier in this THT Rep season, he designed scenery for Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley, and Scenery and Costumes for A Midsummer Night's Dream. Peter holds an MFA in scenic design from the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. rulescenography.com
CREATIVE TEAM
Kathleen Doyle (Costume Designer)
Kathleen is a designer whose work has been seen all across the country, from New York to California, from Alaska to Hawai’i and from Montana to Virginia. Kathleen's designs have been seen throughout New York City, at Jazz at Lincoln Center, La MaMa, H.E.R.E., New York City Center, The New Ohio, The American Museum of Natural History, and The New Victory Theater. Her crafted builds have been seen at Walt Disney World, The Santa Fe Opera, Broadway, and the West End. Doyle’s designs have been exhibited in galleries from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Daegu, South Korea to New York City, and hang in private and public art collections. Kathleen was a Fulbright Scholar to Japan, and again to China and Hong Kong, as well as a Goodwill Ambassador to Peru. She's a collaborative artist at the Thang Long National Water Puppetry Theater in Hanoi, Vietnam and is supported by The Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. She is a member of USA-Local 829, a recipient of the Theater Communications Global Initiatives Grant, The Puffin Foundation Public Arts in Environmental Activism Grant, and a Labworks artist for New 42nd St. Studios/New Victory Theater. M.A. in Dramaturgy,Villanova. M.F.A. in Theater Design, N.Y.U.
Lisa Hackman (Production Manager)
Lisa is excited to be back with The Hanover Theatre Repertory for this production. Lisa is currently the Vice President of Production at The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory. Since January 1999, Lisa has been with Blue Man Group as a Stage Manager in Chicago & Boston, the Production Stage Manager with the Boston production from 2006-2022 and the PSM representative for the entire company from 2015-2020. Thank you for coming and please enjoy the show!
Stephen Petrilli^ (Lighting Designer)
Stephen is working with The Hanover Theatre Rep for the third time, having previously designed Julius Caesar and Much Ado About Nothing. He has also designed for Theatre Workshop of Nantucket, The Provincetown Theater, Bridge Rep of Boston, Arlekin Players’ Theatre, New York’s Pearl Theatre Company, and The Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival in his hometown of Pittsburgh. In the dance community he has worked with Newport Contemporary Ballet, Anikaya Dance Theatre, Prometheus Dance, Zoe Dance, Pilobolus Dance Theatre, and Ailey II. He has a twenty three year old son, Liam. stephen-petrilli-lighting.com
Joanne Caidor (Choreographer), Joanne, also known as Mrs. JoJo, received her education and training at Dean College and the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she studied Dance and Business Management, with a Master's in progress at Montclair State University. Throughout her life, she has appeared in movies and performed at major venues, including the Embassy in Washington, DC, the Haitian Movie Awards, New Balance, World of Dance, and more. She currently teaches in the Dance Programs at the Boston Conservatory, Holy Cross, and Salem State University, where she also serves as Director of the Hip Hop Ensemble. Joanne is the Founder and Executive Artistic Director of Afmohip, a company rooted in Hip Hop, African Diasporic forms, and Modern dance. She is also a lead performer with the Haitian folkloric troupe Arc-en-ciel, grounded in Afro-Haitian and West African dance, Hip Hop, Modern, Tap, and Jazz.
CREATIVE TEAM
“I can tease as 'Eartha Kitt', but as Eartha Mae? I never have that kind of security within Eartha Mae, which makes me feel that she will never be accepted."
(Eartha Kitt, 1989)
Upcoming Events
Main Stage
My Best Girl, Silent Film accompanied by Clark Wilson on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ
Friday, April 10
The Naked Magicians
Saturday, April 11
An Evening of Alton Brown
Saturday, April 18
Dog Man: The Musical
Wednesday, April 22
Bat Out of Hell: The Musical
Thursday, April 23
Shen Yun April 25-26
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Saturday, May 9
Bored Teachers: “Is It Friday Yet?!” Comedy Tour
Thursday, May 14
Meredith Willson’s The Music Man
Friday, May 15 - 17
Be Like Blippi Tour
Thursday, Jun 4
Theresa Caputo Live: The Experience
Thursday, June 11
Mrs. Doubtfire
June 26-28
View all upcoming events and get tickets at TheHanoverTheatre.org or call 877.571.7469.
BrickBox Theater (JMAC)
The Fools
Saturday, May 2
Gina Brillon
Friday, May 8
Big Richard
Friday, Jul 24
View all upcoming events and get tickets at JMACWorcester.org or call 877.571.7469.
Plan Your Next Visit
We present shows and events at multiple venues throughout Worcester. Visit each one to enjoy the full range of performances and experiences we have to offer.
The Hanover Theatre
2 Southbridge Street, Worcester
Conservatory
551 Main Street, Worcester
Where to Buy Tickets
BrickBox Theater at the JMAC 20 Franklin Street, Worcester
Tuckerman Hall 10 Tuckerman Street, Worcester
The quickest way to find a great seat at the best price is at TheHanoverTheatre.org. While browsing events on our site, narrow your search by using our venue and/or genre filters or using the search bar. When it comes to spotting unauthorized ticket resellers, double-check the web address and use your best judgment: if the ticket price seems absurdly high, it probably is. To browse upcoming events and exhibits at the JMAC, visit JMACWorcester.org.
Group Tickets
Planning to attend a show with friends, family, neighbors, or colleagues? Groups of ten or more can enjoy exclusive savings and early access to seating! Save at least 10% on each ticket and make planning simple with our GroupTools platform, where individuals can pay directly online for their own tickets. Plus, groups benefit from reduced handling fees. To learn more and lock in your group reservation, call 877-571-7469 x1689.
Accessibility Services
We are committed to making the arts accessible and welcoming for all patrons. Accessible seating is available at each of our venues, and assistive listening devices are available upon request at The Hanover Theatre and the BrickBox Theater. Additionally, our website offers accessibility tool support through accessiBe. Learn more about performances with audio description and ASL interpretation at TheHanoverTheatre.org/Accessibility.
