UNW Theatre: "Nine Girls"

THEATRE PLAYS A VITAL ROLE

in the Christian liberal arts education offered at University of Northwestern – St. Paul. It presents truths about the complexities of the human condition and of living in a fallen creation that groans for redemption.

But just as the truth concerning life in this world is not always pleasant, so it follows that theatrical productions at Northwestern, in shining a light on those realities, may contain some characters and situations that conflict with the norms of godliness expressed in biblical narrative.

Performers are called to play these roles and situations faithfully, convincingly, and artistically. In this way, the audience and performers alike are challenged to better understand truths about themselves, others, and our creator.

By Wilfrid H. Pettitt

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director .................................................... Jennifer Hunter

Associate Director ................................. Jaylin Hustedde

Stage Combat.................................................... Iris Dodge

Production Manager...........................Tommy McCarthy

Stage Manager ......................................... Carter Lambert

Asst. Stage Managers ............................ Savanah Hunter

Lauren Hill

Eva Manrodt

Costume Designer ................................. Jennifer Hunter

Asst. Costumer Katherine Lawrence

Amber Hayton

Hair/Makeup Designer .........................Abigail Marshall

Kaila Fremling

Hair/Makeup Asst./Crew .......................... Eloise Feuser

Jane Dalida

Scenic Designer ...................................... Alita Robertson

Asst. Scenic Designer ................................ Derek Penner

Lighting Designer ....................................... Joshua Fisher

Asst. Lighting/Board Op ...................... Cassidy Ritzema

Sound Designer ............................................. Krister Kahl

Props Designer Alaina Posavad

Sophia Danielson

Asst. Props Crew .................................. Finley Gustafson

Sabina Thomassen

Fight Captains ............................................ Kaila Fremling

Abigail Marshall

Dramaturg .................................................... Mikayla Price

Graphic Designer ................................Tommy McCarthy

House Manager ........................................ Amber Hayton

Mikayla Price

Costume Shop Manager ...................Sarah Christenson

CAST GOLD

Jane ................................................................ Kaylee Selin

Freida ............................................................ Ella Kjelshus

Alice ........................................................... Kaila Fremling

Mary ..................................................... Sophia Danielson

Eve ....................................................................Ava Hunter

Sharon............................................................... Kylie Clark

Shotput ................................................. Sheila Gregerson

Shirley ..................................................... Rebekah Dobbs

Tennessee ......................................... Sabina Thomassen

CAST PURPLE

Jane .................................................

Katherine Lawrence

Freida ............................................................. Katie Simon

Alice .................................................... Elizabeth Krumrie

Mary ........................................................ Abigail Marshall

Eve ............................................................ Alaina Posavad

Sharon..................................................... Olivia Lundberg

Shotput ......................................................... Olivia Haack

Shirley ................................................... Finley Gustafson

Tennessee ........................................................Trinia Kroll

Runtime: 80 Minutes 10 Minute Intermission

We ask that all cell phones and noise-makers be turned off or silenced for this performance. We also request that no video recording, still, digital, or flash photography, or audio recording take place during the performance as they are strictly prohibited by copyright laws.

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Setting a murder mystery in a secluded cabin in the 1940s sounds like the kind of show I want to direct. The fact that the nine girls are sorority sisters, and one of them is the murderer? TO DIE FOR!

Because this play is set in the 40s, the dialogue is nuanced and audiences will need to listen carefully. The playwright gives clues along the way and because the pace is quick, you could miss key elements if you’re not paying attention. And as the play unfolds, at what point do we know who the murderer is?

This play is an excellent device for the actresses in our program, it gives them great characters to inhabit. They are also mastering pace, the use of silence or pause, psychological depth in acting choices, a quick turn around with a short rehearsal period, and partnering with another actress as they double the characters. I’m astonished at what they’ve accomplished.

I hope you are able to guess “whodunit”, but also relish the choices the murderer makes after “she” is revealed.

Jennifer Hunter Director of Nine Girls

Artistic Director and Professor of Theatre

NOTES FROM THE DRAMATURG

• Nine Girls is set in 1943, right after the Great Depression and during WWII.

• This play takes place in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains during the springtime.

• Women had two options in the 1940s, be a housewife or go to college.

• Sorority rush was a highly controlled prioritizing outward looks and how you present yourself. The actual act of pledging and initiations were kept secret.

• The 1940s was the golden age of radio, people would listen to radio like they would listen to podcasts today

• If a girl was going to college during this time, it was usually because their family had money

• Blue blood meant being a member of a prominent family

• Taking care of self was a big deal, doing hair would take a long time, and a lot of thought was put into their modest fashion

• Hiking clothes featured rolled jeans, belts, short socks and loafer type shoes. Women didn’t think it was odd to wear heels to go hiking.

• Nine Girls was adapted into a movie in 1944 and the tagline for the movie poster read: “MEN BEWARE! These girls have LOVE in their hearts and MURDER on their minds!”

Mikayla Price, Student Dramaturg

CREW

Light Board Op

Sound Board Op ....................

Cassidy Ritzema

Adebelle Anderson

House Manager ..............................Amber Hayton

............................................................. Mikayla Price

Crew ....................................................

Samuel Blank

Maddison Lambert

Finley Gustafson

Sabina Thomassen

Eloise Feuser

Jane Dalida

Ushers .............................................

Avigail Kapsner

Isaiah Chiclana

Sydney Foss

Zoey Wierdsma

Serenna Hartsock

Caleb Hight

Janae Krueger

Noah Carlson

SPECIAL THANKS

The Posavad Family | The Fremling Family | The Danielson Family

Kylie Clark | Happy McKay | Cassidy Ritzema | Derek Penner | Jane Dalida

The Schumacher Family & Lettermen Sports

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Thurs., Sept. 4

(7:30p.m. & 10p.m.) Fri., Sept. 5

matinee Sat., Sept. 6

evening Sat., Sept. 6

WEEK ONE Cast Gold

Cast Gold

Cast Purple

Cast Purple

Cast Gold

Wed., Sept. 10

Thurs., Sept. 11

Fri., Sept. 12

matinee Sat., Sept. 13

evening Sat., Sept. 13

TWO

Cast Gold

Cast Purple

Cast Gold

Cast Gold

Cast Purple

Purple

MEET THE CAST CAST GOLD

MEET THE CAST CAST PURPLE

CAST GOLD BIOS

KAYLEE SELIN

2025–2026 Season: Jane, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Bob Cratchit, So Many Scrooges; Announcer, Holiday Inn; Zoya, The Night Witches; Jane Toller, Sherlock Holmes; Prince Escalus, Romeo and Juliet; Mother, Smiling Cat Candy Heart (One Act Festival). Elsewhere: Agatha Christie Lover, All I Really Need to Know I Learned by Being in a Bad Murder Mystery; Court Clerk, The Remarkable Susan; Jo March, Little Women; Margaret Maloney, Check Under the Bed. Romans 12:1-2 Senior, Theatre & English Literature and Writing Double Major, Intercultural Studies Minor

ELLA KJELSHUS

2025–2026 Season: Freida, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Daughter, On The Porch One Crisp Spring Morning; Ladybug, James And The Giant Peach; Ensemble/Louise US, Holiday Inn; Svetlana/Tatyana US/Vera US, The Night Witches. “You can do whatever you want, you just have to know what that is.” — Abed Nadir. Junior, Theatre & Marketing Double Major, English Minor

KAILA FREMLING

2025–2026 Season: Alice, Hair/Makeup Designer, Fight Captain, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Wool and Aran, A Stitch Here or There; Bunny McKenzie/ CoDance Captain, James and the Giant Peach; Brenda/CoDance Captain, Holiday Inn; Natalya, The Night Witches; Woodstock, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown; Emily, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas; Ensemble/ Co-Dance Captain, Anastasia; Marigold, Romeo and Juliet; Melany, Hanging On; Chastity, Anything Goes.

“Do all for the Glory of God” 1 Corinthians 10:31 Senior, Theatre Major, Dance concentration, Children and Family Ministry & Bible Minors

SOPHIA DANIELSON

2025–2026 Season: Mary, Co-Props Designer, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Rain, Stop Rain; Stage Manager, UNWDT’s Washed by the Water; Ensemble, Co-Props Designer, James and the Giant Peach; Clara, Mistletoe; Production Assistant, Holiday Inn; Helene, Dramaturg, The Night Witches; Props Assistant, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Elsewhere: Jo March, Little Women; Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins. “When I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

Junior, Theatre & English Double Major

AVA HUNTER

2025–2026 Season: Eve, Nine Girls; Cotton, A Stitch Here Or There; Stage Manager, James and The Giant Peach; Hair and Makeup Design, Cat in the Hat; Assistant Stage Manager, Holiday Inn; Valentina, The Night Witches. UNW Theatre: Assistant Stage Manager

& Assistant Hair and Makeup Design, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Calliope/Britannia Sneed & Assistant Costume Designer, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas; Assistant Stage Manager, Anastasia. “I want to be great, or nothing.” - Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

Junior, Theatre & English Double Major

KYLIE CLARK

2025–2026 Season: Sharon, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Director, The Same Thing; Costume Designer, The Critic; Spider, James and the Giant Peach; Linda Mason, Holiday Inn; Nina, The Night Witches; Woodstock, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Assistant Stage Manager, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas; Ensemble, Anastasia

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Junior, Theatre & Marketing Double Major

SHEILA GREGERSON

2025–2026 Season: Shotput, Nine Girls. Elsewhere: Brooke Wyndham, Legally Blonde; Sarah, Paper or Plastic?; Morticia Addams, The Addams Family; Casting Director, Bad Auditions for Bad Actors; Vaudeville Actress, Its Vaudeville; Laker Girl, Monty Python’s Spamalot. “Thank you to my parents and my family and friends for their support and love through my journey! To God be the Glory!”

Junior, Theatre & Elementary Education Double Major, Music & Special Education Minors

REBEKAH DOBBS

2025–2026 Season: Shirley, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Soundboard Op., One Act Festival; Ensemble, Washed by the Water; Mrs. Trotter/Co-dance Captain, James and the Giant Peach; Joy, Merry Grinchmas Eve; Stella/Codance Captain, Holiday Inn; Ensemble, Out of Darkness; Swan Lake Soloist, Anastasia. Colossians 3:17.

Junior, Theatre & Kinesiology Double Major, Dance Concentration

SABINA THOMASSEN

2025–2026 Season: Tennessee/Asst. Props, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Svea, Some Assembly Required; Ensemble, James and the Giant Peach; Co-Props Mistress, The Cat and the Hat; Projection Design, Holiday Inn; Run Crew, The Night Witches; Asst. to Hair and Makeup, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Asst. Props, Anastasia; Run Crew, Romeo and Juliet. Elsewhere: Elsa, Frozen; Props/ Hair and Makeup Designer, The Lion King; Gertrude McFuzz, Seussical; Mrs. Paroo, The Music Man; Mrs. Potts, Beauty and the Beast. “Who would you be if you weren’t afraid?”

Junior, Theatre & Graphic Design Double Major, Studio Arts Minor

CAST PURPLE BIOS

KATHERINE LAWRENCE

2025–2026 Season: Jane, Assistant Costume Designer, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Emily, Worst Date Ever; Mrs. Dangle, The Critic; Ensemble/Student Choreographer, Washed by the Water; Assistant Stage Manager, The Cat in the Hat; Dance Ensemble, Holiday Inn; Assistant Props Designer, The Night Witches; Dance Ensemble, Anything Goes. Elsewhere: Nurse, Romeo, You Idiot!; Eurydice, Antigone; Alice, Alice in Wonderland; Stage Manager, The Students’ Nightmare; Tiresias, The Odyssey. “To thine own self be true.” Junior, Theatre & Kinesiology Double Major, Dance Concentration, Pre-Athletic Training Minor

KATIE SIMON

2025–2026 Season: Freida, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Director, Midnight Bandits; Hair & Makeup Designer, The Critic; Ensemble/Asst. Costume Design, James and the Giant Peach; Scrooge ’84/Asst. Costume Design, The Bathrobe Festival/Cat in the Hat; Crew, Holiday Inn; Asst. Hair & Makeup, The Night Witches; Crew, Sherlock Holmes; Crew, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Crew, Anastasia; Crew, Romeo and Juliet. “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Senior, Theatre Major

ELIZABETH KRUMRIE

2025–2026 Season: Alice, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Gingerbuttons, The Lost Clause; Thing 1, The Cat in the Hat; Person 1, What’s in the Box. Junior, Theatre Major, Business Minor

ABIGAIL MARSHALL

2025–2026 Season: Mary, Hair/Makeup Designer, Fight Captain, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Marla, Stop Rain; The Servant/Prompter, The Critic; Assist. Director, James and the Giant Peach; Susie, u/s Lila Dixon, Holiday Inn; Irina, The Night Witches; Theresa Wright, Sherlock Holmes; The Apothecary/Freya, Romeo and Juliet; Jennifer, Measuring Matthew; Child Director, Little Women. Film: Emery, One More Day (Belle Waggoner); Quinn, Expresso (Hannah Bauer). “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” - Thomas Merton Senior, Theatre Major, Psychology Minor

ALAINA POSAVAD

2025–2026 Season: Eve/Co-Props Designer; Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: James, James and the Giant Peach; Everyone Else, So Many Scrooges; Charlotte Winslow, Holiday Inn; Alexandra/Props Mistress, The Night Witches; Marcie, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Little Anastasia/Alexei Romanov, Anastasia; Lady Montague,

Romeo & Juliet; Bifur, The Hobbit. Elsewhere: Little Red Riding Hood, Into the Woods; Clarence, It’s a Wonderful Life; Microwave, The Dance. “Strength doesn’t come from success. It comes from getting back up when you fail.”

Senior, Theatre Major, Public Relations & Communications Minors

OLIVIA LUNDBERG

2025–2026 Season: Sharon, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Director, Superhero; Actress Two, The Critic; Sponge/ Hair & Makeup Des, James and the Giant Peach; Sally, Cat in the Hat; Ensemble, Holiday Inn, Marta, Night Witches. Costume Des, Sherlock Holmes; Elf/Hair & Makeup Co-Des, ‘Twas the Night; Ori/Asst. Costume Des, The Hobbit. Elsewhere: Chiffon, Little Shop of Horrors; The Witch, Into the Woods; Violet, It’s a Wonderful Life; Fletcher, Freaky Friday; Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins. (Numbers 6:24-26).

Senior, Theatre Major

OLIVIA HAACK

2025–2026 Season: Shotput, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Assistant Stage Manager, The Critic; Production Assistant, James and The Giant Peach; Costume Crew, Cat in the Hat; Costume Crew, Holiday Inn; Deck Crew, Night Witches. Elsewhere: Eulalie Shinn, The Music Man; Alice, Bye Bye Birdie; Nigel, Matilda. Sophomore, Theatre & Music Double Major, Vocal Concentration

FINLEY GUSTAFSON

2025–2026 Season: Shirley, Asst. Props Design, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Director; Some Assembly Required; Ensemble/James u.s, James and the Giant Peach; Director/Playwright, Merry Grinchmas Eve; Mariya/Irina & Raisa u.s, Night Witches; Props ASM, Sherlock Holmes; Dramaturg, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas; Elsewhere: Audrey, Little Shop of Horrors; Flapper Ancestor, Addams Family. “Realize that your faults are not faults. They are what make you who you are!” - Unknown Senior, Theatre Major, English Minor

TRINIA KROLL

2025–2026 Season: Tennessee, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: One Acts; ASM, The Cat in The Hat. Elsewhere: Bright Star, Newsies, The Music Man, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast. “Trust in King Jesus and lean not on your own understanding. Thank you to all the wonderful individuals in my life who love me and inspire me with this truth.”

Sophomore, Theatre, Biblical Studies, & Pastoral Ministry Triple Major

PRODUCTION TEAM BIOS

JENNIFER HUNTER

2025–2026 Season: Artistic Director and Professor of Theatre, Nine Girls, The Prince of Egypt, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. UNW Theatre: Director, The Night Witches (KCACTF Invited Production), Holiday Inn, James & the Giant Peach, Anastasia, Romeo & Juliet, (KCACTF Invited Scene, Costume Parade), You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, These Shining Lives, Little Women, Anything Goes, The Lightning Thief, Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure, The Marvelous Wonderettes (KCACTF Invited Scene), Be Marvelous (Web Series), Bright Star, Emma, Beauty and the Beast, Much Ado About Nothing, Alice in Wonderland, (KCACTF Invited Production), The 1940s Radio Hour, Newsies, Anne of Green Gables, Singin’ in the Rain, Sleeping Beauty (KCACTF Costume Parade), Mary Poppins, Into the Woods, The Sugar Bean Sisters, The Phantom of the Opera, Little Red Riding Hood (KCACTF Invited Scene), Oliver!, and Is He Dead?. Training: Jennifer Hunter is the Artistic Director and Professor of Theatre at University of Northwestern – St Paul. (MFA, Baylor University 2000). She was a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, (NY ’09), the Directors Lab North, (Toronto ’11), Julliard Directing Fellow (NY ’12) and studied under Richard Rose at the Tarragon Theatre (Toronto ’18). Jennifer was recognized by the KCACTF national awards committee for UNW Theatre’s production of Alice in Wonderland, a play she adapted and directed. National awards for Alice include a Special Commendation for Directing, Distinguished Production of a New Work, and Distinguished Performance and Production ensemble. (2019) The KCACTF National Playwright Program awarded Jennifer’s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet: Outstanding Innovative Musical Theatre Adaptation. (2024) She has opera, directing, solo performance, and acting credits in Iowa, Minnesota, Texas, Missouri, Michigan, and Florida. Et cetera: She and her husband, Jason, have four daughters: Madeline, 23; Savanah, 22; Ava, 20; and Emerson, 17. JenniferKHunter.com.

JAYLIN HUSTEDDE

Jaylin is thrilled and grateful to be returning to her alma mater for a second time as associate director for Nine Girls following Holiday Inn last season. Some of Jaylin’s favorite roles at Northwestern included Anya in Anastasia, Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, Harriet in Emma, and Alice Murphy in Bright Star. Jaylin also appeared in Little Women, Twelfth Night, The Lightning Thief, Peter Pan, The Marvelous Wonderettes, and Much Ado About Nothing. Jaylin is an actor, director, and theater educator in the Twin Cities. She has enjoyed directing and choreographing many student productions since 2022 with Locally Grown Theatre, Blue Water Theatre, and Twin Cities Homeschoolers for the Arts. She is grateful to God for this opportunity to be back at UNW, her husband Caleb, her family, and her friends for always supporting her dreams. Next Jaylin is directing Tuck Everlasting for TCHA!

IRIS DODGE

2025–2026 Season: Stage Combat, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Technical Director, The Night Witches, Holiday Inn, Cat in the Hat, James & the Giant Peach, The Critic, Romeo and Juliet, Anastasia, Twas the Night, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Sherlock Holmes, The Hobbit, Anything Goes, A Christmas Carol, Little Women, These Shining Lives, Twelfth Night; The Lightning Thief; Ramona Quimby; Peter Pan, A Musical Adventure; The Marvelous Wonderettes ‘58; Emma; Bright Star; Much Ado About Nothing; The Real Inspector Hound; The Seagull; Newsies; The 1940’s Radio Hour; Singin’ in the Rain; Sleeping Beauty; Scenic Designer, Alice in Wonderland; Technical Director/Fight Choreography, Julius Caesar; Lighting and Set Designer, Dancing at Lughnasa; Stage Manager, Mary Poppins. Iris received her theatrical training from University of Wisconsin River Falls and holds an MFA in Theatre-Stage Management from Yale University. As an Equity stage manager, she has spent most of her theatrical career on the east coast working in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. Her most recent credits around the Twin Cities include: That Lovin Feeling: A story of the Righteous Brothers; Don’t Hug Me, I’m Pregnant; Mary, Mary; Oliver Twist; Twelfth Night; The Tempest; A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

TOMMY McCARTHY

2025–2026 Season: Production Manager, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Director, Ramona Quimby; Production Manager 2019–Present, Choreographer/Production Manager, The Marvelous Wonderettes ‘58. Various roles in UNW Theatre productions such as Newsies, The 1940’s Radio Hour, Julius Caesar, Anne of Green Gables, Singin’ in the Rain, Mary Poppins, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), and Into the Woods. Tommy has also appeared in various theatres around Minnesota in productions including The Last Five Years, A Chorus Line, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Wedding Singer, White Christmas, Singin’ in the Rain, Once Upon a Mattress, Puffs, Footloose, and Hairspray!. You can see Tommy currently performing in Chanhassen Dinner Theatre’s Grease and upcoming productions of White Christmas and Guys & Dolls thetommymccarthy.com

CARTER LAMBERT

2025–2026 Season: Stage Manager, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Mr. Puff/Props Master, The Critic; Centipede/Co-Props Master, James and the Giant Peach; Director, A Lost Claus; Dance Ensemble/ Director, Holiday Inn; Assistant Director, The Night Witches; ASM, 10 Year Celebration; Inspector Hopkins/ Dramaturg, Sherlock Holmes; Pig-Pen, Charlie Brown; Ensemble, Anastasia; Mercutio/Props Master, Romeo and Juliet; Bofur/Dramaturg, The Hobbit; Sailor, Anything Goes. Elsewhere: Assistant Director, Little Huxley & the Devil; The Ensemble, Soup 3. Senior, Theatre Major, Songwriting & Media Minors

SAVANAH HUNTER

2025–2026 Season: Assistant Stage Manager, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Director, 2025 One Act Play Festival; Assistant Stage Manager, James and the Giant Peach; Director, Mistletoe; Assistant Stage Manager, Holiday Inn; Assistant Stage Manager, The Night Witches; Assistant Stage Manager, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Stage Manager, Twas the Night Before Christmas; Assistant Director, Sound Design, Intimacy Coach, Romeo and Juliet; Director, 2023 One Act Play Festival. Elsewhere: Run crew, Last Train to Nibroc with Create Together Theatre. Senior, Theatre & Art Double Major

LAUREN HILL

2025–2026 Season: Scenic Assistant Stage Manager, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Sound board operator, The Critic; Costume and Deck crew, James and the Giant Peach; Costume Crew, Cat in the Hat & Bathrobes; Deck Crew, Holiday Inn. Sophomore, Graphic Design & Studio Art Double Major

EVA MANRODT

2025–2026 Season: Assistant Stage Manager, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Bones, The Midnight Bandits; Bitsy Bontana, James and the Giant Peach; Thing 2, Cat in the Hat. Elsewhere: Cinderella, Cinderella; Audrey, Little Shop of Horrors; Fairy May, The Curious Savage; Gynecia, Head Over Heels. Exodus 20:13 Sophomore, Theatre, Music Theatre Concentration, Dance Minor

AMBER HAYTON

2025–2026 Season: Asst. Costumer/House Manager, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Argy and Gyle, A Stitch Here or There; u/s Mrs. Dangle/ ensemble, The Critic; Santa Claus, A Lost Claus Elsewhere: Macduff, Macbeth; Queen Aggravain, Once Upon a Mattress; Molly, Peter and the Starcatcher Sophomore, Theatre & Communication Studies Double Major

JANE DALIDA

2025–2026 Season: Assistant Hair and Makeup Design, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Assistant Stage Manager, The Critic; Ensemble/Spider u/s, James and the Giant Peach; Cat/Boy/Fish u/s, The Cat in the Hat Elsewhere: Ms. Lark/Mary Poppins u/s, Mary Poppins (BPA); Dolly Levi, Hello Dolly; Lucy Grant, Bright Star (TCHA). Psalm 34:1 Sophomore, Theatre Major, Music & Psychology Minors

ALITA ROBERTSON

2025–2026 Season: Scenic Designer, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Lighting Designer, The Critic, The Night Witches, Romeo & Juliet; Elsewhere: Theatre in the Round: Lighting Designer, Pride & Prejudice, Reunion (After the End of the World); Totino-Grace: Lighting Designer, Frog and Toad, Mary Poppins; North Ballet Academy: Peter Pan. More at alitarob.com

DEREK PENNER

2025–2026 Season: Assistant Scenic Designer, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Dangle, The Critic; Mr Trotter/ Buzz/Ensemble, James and the Giant Peach; Byron/Nightly Dancer/US Ted, Holiday Inn. Elsewhere: The Jimmy Awards; Ren McCormack, Footloose; Will Bloom, Big Fish; Sky, Mamma Mia. Acts 20:24 Sophomore, Theatre & Graphic Design Double Major, Musical Theatre Concentration

JOSHUA FISHER

2025–2026 Season: Lighting Designer, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Director, One Act Festival; SM, The Critic; Bobby Bobby Cop, James and the Giant Peach; Lighting Designer, The Cat in the Hat; Unnamed Couple 1, Mistletoe; ASM, Holiday Inn; ASM, The Night Witches; Toller (U/S Jack Crocker), Sherlock Holmes; ASM, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Deck Crew, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas; Props Runner, Anastasia; Deck Crew, Romeo and Juliet.

Junior, Theatre Major

CASSIDY RITZEMA

2025–2026 Season: Asst. Lighting Designer, Nine Girls. UNW Theater: Crew, The Night Witches; Crew, Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn; Stage Manager, A Lost Claus; Crew, Cat in the Hat; Crew, James and the Giant Peach; Ensemble, The Critic; Assistant Stage Manager, One Act Festival. Elsewhere: Ensemble, Anastasia; Assistant Director, School of Rock

“Thank you to my friends and family for supporting me. Hope everyone enjoys this “killer” show!”

Sophomore, Theater Major, Communications Minor

KRISTER KAHL

2025–2026 Season: Sound Designer, Nine Girls. UNW Theatre: Sir Fretful Plagiary/Assistant Props, The Critic; Ensemble, James and the Giant Peach; The Grinch, Merry Grinchmas Eve; Dramaturg, The Cat in the Hat; Danny, Holiday Inn; Sound Designer, The Night Witches, Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes; Ensemble, Anastasia; Montague, Romeo & Juliet; Bert, The Hobbit; Dippy/John, Anything Goes. Elsewhere: Peanut Joe, Soup 3; Greedo, A Newith Hopeth; Amos Hart, Chicago; Dogberry, Much Ado About Nothing. “No man is a failure who has friends.”

Senior, Theatre & Film Double Major

MIKAYLA PRICE

2025–2026 Season: Dramaturg/House Manager, Nine Girls UNW Theatre: Ensemble, James and the Giant Peach, One Acts, Crew for Holiday Inn, The Critic Elsewhere: Tanya, Mamma Mia; Ensemble, Beauty and the Beast. Grateful for this opportunity!

Sophomore, Theatre & Music Double Major, Ministry Minor

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival , part of the Rubenstein Arts Access Program, is generously funded by D Dav id M. Rubenstein .

Special thanks to The Harol d and Mimi Steinberg Charitable T rust for supporting the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

Additional support is provided by The Honorable Stuart Bernstein and Wilma E. Bernstein; and the Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation .

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts .

This production is entered in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF). The aims of this national theater education program are to identify and promote quality in college -level theater production. To this end, each production entered is eligible for a response by a regional KCACTF representative, and selected students and faculty are invited to participate in KCACTF programs involving scholarships, internships, grants and awards for actors, directors, dramaturgs, playwrights, designers, stage managers and critics at both the regional and national levels.

Productions entered on the Participating level are eligible for invitation to the KCACTF regional festival and may also be considered for national awards recognizing outstanding achievement in production, design, direction and performance.

Last year more than 1,500 productions were entered in the KCACTF involving more than 200,000 students nationwide. By entering this production, our theater department is sharing in the KCACTF goals to recognize, reward, and ce lebrate the exemplary work produced in college and university theaters across the nation.

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Theatre Program Faculty and Staff

Jennifer Hunter....................................................... Artistic Director and Professor of Theatre

Tommy McCarthy ................................ Theatre Communications & Production Coordinator

Sarah Pieper ......................................................................................... Adjunct Instructor, Dance

Alan Bach ............................................................................................ Adjunct Instructor, Theatre

Tim Miller .......................................................................... Adjunct Instructor, Technical Theatre

Corey Mills .......................................................................................... Adjunct Instructor, Theatre

Sarah Christenson .................................................................................. Costume Shop Manager

Olivia von Edeskuty ......................................................................................................... Carpenter

Ava Hunter .............................................................................................. Office Student Assistant

Savanah Hunter ...................................................................................... Office Student Assistant

Derek Penner......................................................................... ................. Office Student Assistant

Kylie Clark......................................................................... ....................... Office Student Assistant

Kirk Moss, Ph.D. ......................... Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty & Academic Programs

Kristen Bugos, Ph.D. .................................................... Chair, Department of Music & Theatre

Brittany Quinn. ........................................... Assistant Chair, Department of Music & Theatre

Carla Meineke ......................................................................................................... Office Manager

September 4–13, 2025

Patsy Miller Studio Theater Coming to UNW Theatre:

The Prince Of Egypt

Knight Performance Hall

Oct. 31–Nov. 15, 2025

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Knight Performance Hall

The Bathrobe Drama Christmas Festival featuring

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Patsy Miller Studio Theater Dec. 9–13, 2025

Feb. 20–28, 2026 UNW Dance Theatre Concert

Knight Performance Hall Apr. 9, 2026

Twelve Angry Men/Twelve Angry Women

Patsy Miller Studio Theater

Apr. 23–May 2, 2026

Music Theatre Cabaret

Knight Performance Hall May 7, 2026