 Though USUALLY presented in the UAF Lab Theatre, the Spring 2001 Shorts were presented on the Lee H. Salisbury Auditorium's main stage, Friday & Saturday March 23 & 24 at 8:15pm, and Sunday the 25th at 2pm. The Spring '01 Shorts were:
Any text that is underlined and blue is a link to a photo from the show. |
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| General Shorts Crew: |
Stage Manager: Becky Olson
Assistant Stage Manager:
Charlie Pierce
Sound Design &
Board Operator: Kate Lewis |
Light Design: Tamar Geist
Light Board Operator: Gregggg Christopher |
Costumes: Jess Pinnow
Stage Crew: Steve, Kat, Elaine, Amy Taylor |
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| "The Rising of the Moon" |
By Lady Gregory
Directed by Jennifer Garcia |
 A poignant piece of Irish nationlist theatre, "Rising of the Moon" is the story of a police officer staked out on a wharf, hoping to catch an escaped criminal. Though nearly a century old, this tale easily reflects the troubles of Ireland today. Says Jennifer, directing for SDA for her first time:
"On the outside, "Rising Of The Moon" looks like a play stuck in a certain place, at a certain time, dealing with certain problems. However if you scratch just below the surface, you find the story of an officer of the law and a common man that could take place almost any time in history, anywhere that people are being oppressed. Lady Gregory wrote it in such a way that the words transcend the problems of Ireland nearly a century ago and reflect the problems of the world. Look closely and you'll see not only modern Ireland but one of any of a number of third world countries, Russia in mid-revolution, even our own country seen through the eyes of those who fear and mistrust our government. It's a simple tale of simple men, with some nice comic bits, a musical interlude, and I, as the director, hope you enjoy it." |
| Cast | Crew | Photos |
| The Sargent: Jack Cote
The Ragged Man: Micah Borer
Policeman B: Chris Sanchez
Policeman X: Theron Lunney |
Set Design: Fletcher Hirom
Costume Design: Amber McKinney & Jess Pinnow
Music Director: Erika Johnson |
The Sargent's lonely vigil.
Enter the Ragged Man!
The Sargent & the Ragged Man watch the quay.
The Sargent ponders the Ragged Man's words.
The unwanted back-up. |
|
| "The Sandbox" |
By Edward Albee
Directed by Fletcher Hirom |
In the tradition of the Theatre of the Absurd, "The Sandbox" is Albee's comment on the treatment of death and dying in america, and the ridiculousness of waiting to expire. A woman's advanced age signals her imminent death, and her daughter and son-in-law deposit her on a beach and impatiently wait for her to die. She suffers through their affectations of affection, tells her life story, and starts to get acquainted with the Angel of Death...
Though originally scheduled to be directed by Kyle W. Erck, whose vision of Beckett's "Catastrophe" met with such a strong mix of approval and discomfort from its audiences last fall, his overwhelming course load neccesitated his replacement by SDA President Fletcher Hirom. Fletcher has previously directed two other plays, "The Problem" for SDA two years ago, and his directing thesis "The Stronger" by August Stringberg last spring. |
| Cast | Crew | Photos |
| Grandma: Mellisa Luecke
Mommy: Kate Koehler-Platten
Daddy: Chris Sanchez
Young Man: Phil Evans
Musician: Brandon Seifert |
Set Design: Fletcher Hirom
Music: Brandon Seifert & Fletcher Hirom |
Daddy drops Grandma.
Waiting for the inevitable.
Grandma & the Young Man chat, the Musician waits.
"Brave Mommy!" "Brave Daddy!"
Death comes for Grandma.
The Musician, Grandma and Death.
Grandma's funeral. |
|
| "The Dumb Waiter" |
By Harold Pinter
Directed by Tracy Campbell |
 | "One of Harold Pinter's earliest plays, "The Dumb Waiter" is a comedy of menace. Two not-so-bright hit men sit in the basement waiting for their orders, but all of that waiting can put a lot of pressure on a man. The incessant raffling of a newspaper, or the humming of one song over and over strains the nerves and can eat away at the harmony of any relationship, much less one that is already filled with distrust and paranoia.
"I am very pleased to be part of this production and especially proud to have the honor of working with two amazingly talented actors. This is most likely my last show here at UAF, and I cannot think of a better note to end on." -- Director Tracy Campbell |
| Cast | Photos |
| Ben: Shannon Luster
Gus: Mike Karoly
Crew
Set Design: Mike Karoly
Dumbwaiter Operator: Phil Evans
|
Gus, Ben, and the Dumbwaiter.
Ben and Gus sit down to talk.
The food situation.
Gus looms over Ben.
Standoff across the room.
Standoff face-to-face.
Ben draws on Gus. |
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| Spring 2001 Shorts Bios |
| "Rising of the Moon" |
 | MICAH BORER (Ragged Man) has been involved with theatre for over a decade. He obviously likes to have good, dirty fun! Micah agreed to join the cast as a favor to the Director, thus furthering his belief that he is a god. Who? Micah? Delusional? |
| JACK L COTE II (Sargent) has this to say: "Hi I am a Bussiness major at UAF. I am starting to search for someone to spend the rest of my life with. I figure 24-25 is a good age for me to get married and if I want to do that I need to start working on a relationship here in the next year or so. I am in great shape I am a little soft around the middle I use to play Football and Box in highschool in Buffalo NY. I am a large guy but I am very gental I love poetry, music, and the theater. I keep myself clean and in descent shape because no matter what people say looks dose matter you can't spend the rest of your life with someone you'er not attracted to. but anyways drop me a line maybe we can get together I am looking for someone between the ages of 18 and 23 and for someone who likes themself because if you can't like yourself how are you going to love someone else" |  |
 | JENNIFER GARCIA (Director) is a sophomore at UAF. She is a Theatre major originally from Richmond, California, and was recently talked into emphasizing in Directing. This is her first college directing gig, and her third-and-a-half in general. She hopes to go on and do great things, bringing prestige and honor to SDA and Theatre UAF. |
| THERON LUNNEY (Policeman B) was born in Fairbanks. He was in some other plays and stuff. He has a dog, lives in a house, and thinks drama is just terrific. Bread is good. Theron's family rocks, and his friends are super. Spirals, dude, spirals. |  |
 | CHRIS 'Styrofoam Man' SANCHEZ (Policeman X) is the only person in the Shorts with his own theme song:
"Styrofoam Man, Styrofoam Man,
Cuts Styrofoam parts wherever he can.
If somewhere in the world, styro needs to be cut,
You can bet that Styrofoam Man is on the spot!
If styrofoam causes trouble for you,
Call Styrofoam Man, he'll cut it in two!
If styrofoam comes up with an attitude,
You'll see Styro Man's actions in magnitude.
Styrofoam sucks, styrofoam stinks,
That's why Styrofoam Man neither bothers nor thinks.
He'll take out his saw, his scissors and wires, and cuts
The crap out of styrofoam's... uh... guts.
So don't mess with Styrofoam Man!" Apparently Chris found the construction of "Rising of the Moon's" crate more traumatizing than the others who worked on it... |
"The Sandbox" |
| PHLIP EVANS (The Young Man) is in his third semester at UAF and has appeared in three shows prior to "The Sandbox." His past roles include Miss Prism in "The Importance of Being Earnest" and both John Deere and Bob Randolph in "Yahoo Nation." |  |
 | FLETCHER HIROM (Director) is making his third appearance with SDA's Winter Shorts. The first time we saw him, he was a blind man in "On Baile's Strand." Then he came in as a director for the much talked-about "The Problem" in 1999. Currently, Fletcher is a Senior Theatre major, SDA's President, and substitute director for "The Sandbox." Fletcher would like to especially thank his cast and crew for being able to do all this in two and a half weeks; Kade Mendelowitz; Tom Riccio; Shannon McGee; Jess Pinnow; and of course, "thank Heaven for little girls." |
| KATE KOEHLER-PLATTEN (Mother, "The Sandbox"): "Whatever I say of course! And I say that I am graduating and going to the Neighborhood Playhouse in the Fall. May my dreams come true, and all yours too." |  |
 | Currently a UAF alumni with a B. Ed in elementary education, MELLISA LUECKE (Grandma) is also a student seeking a BA in Art. She can be found in the basement of the Fine Arts Complex, in the Costume Shop, if you are looking. |
| CHRISTOPHER SANCHEZ (Daddy) is a native of Worms... no, not the animal, the city. (It is located in Germany.) Even as an exchange student to Alaska, he didn't want to neglect his hobby, which is English-speaking theatre. This is the reason why he's on stage now. As a member of the University of Mannheim's student drama group, he took part in several plays, such as Agatha Christie's "The Hollow," Thornton Wilder's "The Matchmaker," Ben Elton's sarcastic satire "Silly Cow," as well as Norman Robbins' grotesque whodunnit farce "A Tomb With A View," which he also directed (ARRG!). Chris is the proud owner of a 14-year-old cat, Joschi. | |
 | BRANDON SEIFERT emerges like the fog (on size 13&1/2 cat feet) for his sixth role on the UAF stage. Previously you must have seen him in "Yahoo Nation," "The Importance of Being Earnest," "Catastrophe," and "Twelfth Night" (only five? No, you aren't counting right!). Though technically a non-degree-seeking student, Brandon feels the call of the Theatre major where it counts: In his pants. |
"The Dumbwaiter"
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| An Aries dragon, this is TRACY CAMPBELL's (Director) fifth Winter Shorts experience, her third as a director. She directed last semester's "Little Red Ridinghood," and before that, "Prelude and Liebestod." Outside of SDA, she has mounted a number of productions including "Executive Dance" with the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, and last spring's Theatre UAF production of "Miss Julie." Coming up, she is directing "Universal Language" as part of an evening of one-act plays for the Fairbanks Drama Association. And most importantly, Tracy will be graduating this May. |  |
 | MIKE KAROLY (Gus) is THE undercover agent for the UAF PD. If you do something illegal in front of him, he will first pretend to enjoy it, and then will proceed to snitch all over you. This is what is called 'acting.' |
| SHANNON LUSTER (Ben, "The Dumbwaiter") is a graduating Theatre major here at UAF. You may have seen him recently in "Yahoo Nation," "The Importance of Being Earnest," and "The Devil & Billy Markham". He would like you to know that he doesn't actually kill his best friends, no matter how much he is tempted. |  |
Crew Bios |
 | JESS PINNOW (Costumer) has been a costumer since he was a child, but only recently became professionally involved with the field. He spent this year working as First Hand/Assistant Designer in the UAF Costumer Shop. His work in the community includes this year's KDQ Christmas drag show, which he designed and built. He is leaving to continue his studies in the "real world" at the end of the semester. |
| This is KATE LEWIS's first SDA show, and her first time as a Sound Designer and Board Operator. Though her emphasis is Stagecraft, she has enjoyed this experience very much. |  |
Though USUALLY presented in the UAF Lab Theatre, the Spring 2001 Shorts were presented on the Lee H. Salisbury Auditorium's main stage, Friday & Saturday March 23 & 24 at 8:15pm, and Sunday the 25th at 2pm. The Spring '01 Shorts were:
A poignant piece of Irish nationlist theatre, "Rising of the Moon" is the story of a police officer staked out on a wharf, hoping to catch an escaped criminal. Though nearly a century old, this tale easily reflects the troubles of Ireland today. Says Jennifer, directing for SDA for her first time:
In the tradition of the Theatre of the Absurd, "The Sandbox" is Albee's comment on the treatment of death and dying in america, and the ridiculousness of waiting to expire. A woman's advanced age signals her imminent death, and her daughter and son-in-law deposit her on a beach and impatiently wait for her to die. She suffers through their affectations of affection, tells her life story, and starts to get acquainted with the Angel of Death...
