The University of Charleston

Department of Mass Comm & Drama

And Theatre Aside Presents

 

Whose Spouse Is It Anyway?

 

Based on the 15th Century Commedia dell'Arte scenario The Three Cuckolds

 

 

November 9-11, 2000 at 8:00 PM

Geary Auditorium

 

Whose Spouse Is It Anyway?

 

Dramatis Personae

 

Brian Roller..............Arlecchino, the servant and trickster

Erin Bolyard.............Olivetta, a servant, in love with Arlecchino

Stephen Beasley........Pantalone de Bisognosi, a Venetian businessman

Allison Brownlee.......Flaminia, wife of Pantalone, in love with Gratiano

Eric  Holmes..............Gratiano Forbisone, a Bolognese doctor

Shannon Dale Williams...Cintia, wife of Gratiano, in love with Burattino

Jared Robertson.........Burattino Canaglia, a shop owner

Heather Gill...............Isabella, wife of Burattino, in love with Pantalone

Todd Gillispie............Capitano Spavento, a braggart Spanish soldier

Jen Adams.................Bigolo, really Laura, disguised as a man

Joe Varney................The Doge (Prince of the Town)

April Beckett.............A Madwoman

 

THE SCENE:

 

The Street of Love in Venice, during the Italian Renaissance.

 

 

Production Staff

 

Director............................Stephen A. Schrum

Costume Designer............ Dianna L. Bourke

Assistant Director............ Morgan A. Elliott

Stage Manager................. LaToya Wills

Set Painting Crew..............Jennifer Adams, Heather Gill, Brian Roller, Briana Ballard

Running Crew:..................Rebecca Donahoe, Elizabeth Hazlett, Amy Robinson, Christina Wills

Light Board Operator.......Amanda Ballard

Sound Board Operator.....Nathan Portz

Costume Running Crew....Andrea Perry, Angela Wallace

Makeup Crew...................Kristy Balser

 

 

Some students working on this show earned credits for

SPCH 314, Play Production or SPCH 350 Special Topics: Theatre.

 

Acknowledgments:

The Director, Cast and Crew

would like to thank:

 

Dave Cottrell           Kim Fetty

Stacie High              Mike Taylor

April Noble              Barbara Yeager

Lisa Jennings

Tony Rutherford of Graffiti

 

 

 

Audience members are requested to refrain from taking flash photographs during the performance.

Please turn off all alarm watches, cell phones, beepers and pagers during the performance.

 

 

ABOUT THE CAST

 

Jennifer Adams (Bigolo/Laura) is a sophomore Nursing (BSN) major from Frankford, WV. Her past theatre experience includes being an actor and stage crew person in the Greenbrier Valley Theater Teen Drama Club. Last year she worked backstage on Peer Gynt and I Hate Hamlet.

 

Stephen Beasley (Pantalone de Bisognosi) has appeared in I Hate Hamlet as Gary Peter Lefkowitz, in Peer Gynt as Mads Moen, a sailor, and M. Ballon, in Little Shop of Horrors as Mushnik, and in All in the Timing  twice (as the Baker in Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread and as Mark in The Philadelphia). A Vocal Performance/Music Administration junior from Louisville, KY, Stephen is Vice-President of the Minority Involvement Support Council (MISC), the VP of Special Projects in SGA, the Social Issues chair of the Student Activities Board (SAB), and is a member of the UC Concert Choir.

 

April Christina Beckett (Madwoman) is a freshman from Chapmanville, WV, examining her options for a major. Previous stage appearances include a Townsperson in Cinderella  (1998) by TAS Productions in Logan, WV. April is also Vice-President of Theatre Aside.

 

Erin L. Bolyard (Olivetta) is a freshman from Rowlesburg, WV, majoring in Mass Communications and minoring in Theatre. Erin's previous theatrical experiences include, The Wiz, Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

 

Allison Brownlee (Flaminia) is from Glen Dale, WV. A graduating senior English major, Allison performed in high school and summer stock plays before coming to UC. She appeared as a monkey in Words, Words Words  in All in the Timing,  and served as Assistant Director for Peer Gynt  until sidelined by mono. She offers a special thanks to Dr. Schrum for everything these past three years.

 

Eric holmes(Gratiano Forbisone).

 

Heather Gill (Isabella), a freshman from Richville, NY, has been onstage since the age of 5 in various ballet and stage productions. A Musicology major here at UC, Heather holds a Distinguished Vocal Scholarship, and has performed previously in the Area All State Soloist and Choir (NY), and three times in the All County Show Choir Chorus (NY). She includes Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz  and Mother Abess in The Sound of Music  among her favorite stage roles.

Todd William Gillispie (Spavento) hails originally from Irving, TX. A freshman History Education major, he is making his theatre debut with this show.

 

Jared T. Robertson (Burratino Canaglia) appeared in several shows in Milwaukee, WI, including Robin Hood(as Friar Tuck) and, at the First Stage Theater Academy, Arsenic and Old Lace  and Cinderella.  Jared is a freshman majoring in Music Administration, and is the Secretary of Theatre Aside.

 

Brian Roller (Arlecchino) is a Psychology and Information Technology double-major. Past roles onstage include Andrew Rally in I Hate Hamlet, the title role in Peer Gynt, Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors  and Don in All in the Timing (The Universal Language) here at UC, as well as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes,  Cord Elam in Oklahoma,  and Edmund in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, all at Capital High. He also co-directed The Philadelphia, for which he received the 1998-99 Tom Murphy Award for Directing. Last summer he worked as the Technical Director for The Aracoma Story in Logan, and is currently President of Theatre Aside.

 

Joe Varney (The Doge)is making his stage debut with this show (though we hear he occasionally does improvisation with props in the residence halls...). From Ravenswood, WV, Joe is an Interior Design major.

 

Shannon Dale Williams (Cintia) is a senior Psychology major from Spencer, WV. In previous theatrical performances, Shannon has played the roles of Dolly in The Grass Harp  and Shelby in Steel Magnolias. Shannon's major life achievements include singing with Reba McEntire, instructing at The University of Charleston's Camp William and performing at the Piccolo Spoleto Music Festival in Charleston, SC, with Cantori di Montani. A Vocal Performance minor, she is also a member of the WV Symphony Chorus.

 

ABOUT THE MUSICIANS: MILE 41

 

Jason Duff (Bass) is a freshman Turf Management major from Sissonville, WV.

 

John Verryt (Guitar) previously played in UC's productions Little Shop of Horrors and Peer Gynt. From Auburn, NH, John is a Junior Music Administration major. He is also Recording Tech Engineer for the Music Department and a Communications Consultant for the Communication Resource Center.

 

Mitch Pauley (Drums), a Junior Elementary Ed. Major from Boston, MA, was last seen playing for Peer Gynt.

 

Together, Jason, Mitch and John (and sometimes Brittany Fisher) comprise Mile41, a local band. For more information, see: http://mile_41.tripod.com.

 

ABOUT THE CREW

 

Amanda Ballard (Crew) is a senior English major from Peytona, WV. Her last theatre experience was recurring follow spot operator on the UC production of Little Shop of Horrors.  Amanda can often be found on call at the campus Communication Resource Center.

 

Briana Ballard (Crew) again swoops in at the last minute to provide props, follow-spot operation, and box office help. A sophomore, Briana also writes for the Eagle.

 

Kristy Balser (Make-up Crew) is a sophomore Music Education major from Shrewsbury, WV. Last year, Kristy served as makeup crew for Peer Gynt and I Hate Hamlet.  Previously, Kristy sang in a junior high school drama production entitled, You Can Be an Astronaut.

 

Rebecca Donahoe (Crew) is a freshman Accounting major from Rainelle, WV. In the past Rebecca has worked as a pharmacy technician, but has never done anything more theatrical than that.

 

Morgan A. Elliott (Assistant Director), a Junior Respiratory Care major from Wellsville, NY, appeared as the Sheriff, a Goth, and the rapping doctor in Peer Gynt,  the Baglady in Little Shop  and the waitress in All in the Timing  (The Philadelphia ), and prior to UC, played Anybodys in West Side Story.  Morgan is a member of the tennis team and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, and is Treasurer of the Respiratory Care Student Association.

 

Elizabeth Hazlett (Stage Crew) is a sophomore Music Education major from Pittsburgh, PA.  Prior to this, her first year in UC's drama program, Elizabeth played in her high school orchestra for Lil Abner.

 

Nathan Portz (Sound Board Operator) is a sophomore Nursing major from Charleston, WV. At Capital High School, he worked on all of the productions when he was a student there; highlights include Anything Goes, The Music Man,  and The Wizard of Oz. Last year he ran sound for both Peer Gynt  and I Hate Hamlet  here on campus and The Best Man at Kanawha Players.

 

Amy Robinson (Crew) is a junior Mass Communications major from St. Albans, WV. Amy served as stage/running crew in last semester's theatrical performance, I Hate Hamlet.

 

Sherry Moore (Crew) is freshman Music Administration from Lizemores, WV. Other than a drama class her senior year, this is her first theatre production.

 

Angela Wallace (Costume Running Crew) is a freshman Mass Communication major from Parkersburg, WV. A member of the track team, Angela has not worked with UC Theatre before this production.

 

Christina Wills (Crew) Christina Wills (Crew) is a Music Administration Freshman from Quinwood, WV. This is her first experience with a theatre production.

*          *          *

Stephen A. Schrum (Director) earned his Ph.D. from Univ. of California, Berkeley and, over the past twenty-two years, has worked in every aspect of the theatre. To date he has had several of his own plays produced, including four one-acts and his adaptation of Euripides' Iphigenia in Aulis  and Iphigenia in Tauris  at the Penn State Hazleton Campus. (Also, for some reasons, people in Australia keep inquiring about his one-acts.) Last year, he directed The Best Man  for the Kanawha Players, in addition to Peer Gynt and I Hate Hamlet  here at UC. Steve is UC's Assistant Professor of Communications and Drama, and is co-ordinator of the Mass Comm.

 

Dr. Dianna L. Bourke (Costume Designer) teaches Human Anatomy & Physiology and other upper-division courses in the UC Department of Natural Sciences. Dianna received her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and did Postdoctoral work at the University of California, Davis. While at Penn State University as an undergrad, Dianna completed 15 credits in theatre, with a concentration in costume design, and served as costume designer (and set dressing/costume co-ordinator for The Best Man  at KP) for Dr. Schrum's productions over the last ten years. Dianna has found production meetings much easier since she lives with the director. Incidentally, they are married, but neither changed their last names.

 

 

Coming Next!

We are tentatively planning William Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor  for the Spring. Auditions will be held early in the semester—watch the campus bulletin boards for dates and times

 

Director's Notes

 

In the 15th Century, companies of actors, known as Commedia dell'Arte troupes, toured England and Europe. These professional actors played everywhere, from a traveling wagon set up in a town square, to the hall in a king's castle. (Remember those players in Hamlet? ) Because of its wide exposure, Commedia influenced many playwrights of later periods, including Shakespeare and Moliere.

 

Commedia originated in Renaissance Italy and began with the stock characters (types that are always the same) of Roman Comedy. The lecherous father, the innocent young lover, the cunning servant, and the braggart captain again take the stage.

 

The actors of Commedia did not use scripts as we do today when preparing a theatre production. Instead, they worked from a scenario, or outline of action. The scenario, placed backstage, cued the actors for entrances, exits, and onstage action. However, when an actor walked onstage, he did not necessarily have any set lines. Actors relied on improvisation, inventing the dialogue as the play progressed, often including local and contemporary political references.

 

The performances were not completely unrehearsed, however. Actors might have a set speech cribbed from a famous contemporary poem, or a piece of dialogue they lifted from a popular play. The performers also rehearsed the lazzi, or bits of comic business. These often very physically-oriented actions (like professional wrestling moves) were worked out in detail so that they would work smoothly every time. Lazzi have been with us since Commedia flourished, and have been preserved in plays and vaudeville. By watching Bugs Bunny cartoons, you have a direct link to the theatre of the distant past. (Remember that time when Bugs put the gangster in the trunk, then impaled the trunk with swords, and finally tossed a bomb into it? It's a variation on "The Lazzo of the Sack," right out of a Commedia scenario.)

 

Today, shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway, TheatreSports, and Comedy Sportz preserve this legacy. May you find our version of the Commedia scenario, The Three Cuckolds,  a worthy descendant of the comic tradition.

 

Enjoy the show!

—Steve Schrum