USM Theatre: Hedda Gabbler
USM Theatre: Hedda Gabbler
Producer's Note Hedda Gabler CAST Director's Note
Production Faculty and Staff Partners for the Arts
Producer’s Note
Welcome back to live theatre!
We’ve waited a long time to be back in a room together, with actors on a stage, patrons in seats, the hum of the lighting instruments overhead. If you’re like me, you won’t realize just how much you missed it until that moment when the play begins and you find you’re back home again.
All of us have talked a lot about the past year, about what it took from us. What it’s still taking from us. Who knows what we’ll say when we have enough distance to write the history of that strange period of time? Here at USM Theatre, we persisted, innovated, adapted, and kept going in the only ways we could. And while that was vital and powerful in its own way, it doesn’t come close to the real thing. Now we move forward, back home.
We’re here again in a place where bodies move in spaces. Some tell us stories from the past, but those stories are happening now, right in front of us. The visions of a collective of artists work in sync to create moments in time. And around us, our fellow audience members are there to help each other make sense of it all, to give it breath and meaning. There’s truly nothing like the theatre.
We’ve missed you. Welcome home!
- Dr. David Coley
Hedda Gabler By Henrik Ibsen
Translated by Christopher Hampton
- Director- Joann Shaver
- Scenic Designer- Jennifer Glass
- Costume Designer- Taylor Busch
- Hair and Makeup Designer- Bethany Hartfield
- Lighting Designer- Tristan King
- Sound Designer- Allison Bucher
- Production Stage Manager- Reed Jackson
Hedda Gabler (Hampton)” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf
of Samuel French, Inc. concordtheatricals.com.
THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF
THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE
INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR(S)’S RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE
UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW.
FIND MORE INFORMATION
Cast
- Hedda Gabler- Ellie Boykin
- George Tesman- Kevin Rains
- Miss Julia Tesman- Taylor Alleman
- Eilert Lovborg- Everett Brown
- Judge Brack- Cody Alexander
- Mrs. Thea Elvsted- Abby Anderson
- Berte- Laney Birchfield
The action takes place in 1963, in New Haven, Connecticut.
Understudies
- Izzy Christensen
- Easton Peacock
Please note: Understudies do not perform unless an announcement is made at the time of the performance.
Director’s Notes
Hedda Gabler was written by the father of modern drama, Henrik Ibsen. This play was born in direct response to ongoings in Ibsen’s life and in Norway at the time. Like so many other artists, Ibsen responded to what was going on in his life and from it this play was born. So, here we are in the midst of a pandemic in a politically divided country where the rights of women are still being threatened. The themes and struggles explored in this play, written in 1890, are still relevant in America today.
Our production of Hedda Gabler does not take place in 1890’s Norway, but in Connecticut in 1963. This play explores the struggle of what it means to be a woman in a patriarchal society in America during the early 1960’s. I encourage you to pay attention to the parallels between this play and what is currently at stake for women today in this country. Women’s rights have come a long way, but there is still work to be done. As the cast and I have spoken frequently about, this play is about seizing freedom. We hope that this play encourages you to seize your own kind of freedom, whatever that may be.
After over a year of empty audience seats, we are thrilled to have you back in the theater. So please sit back (or on the edge of your seat) and enjoy this lovely production of Hedda Gabler.
This show is dedicated to my beautiful cast and design team. Thank you for all that you do. #GablerGang
-Joann Shaver
Production Credits
- Production Manager and Technical Director- Jay Morris
- Vocal Coach- Robin Aronson
- Stage Movement and Combat Consultant- Caitlyn Herzlinger
- Producer- David Coley
- Costume Shop Supervisor- Kelly James-Penot
- Scene Shop Supervisor- Wes Hanson
Production Staff and Preparation Crews
- Assistant Stage Managers- Taylor Perry
- Vocal Captain – Kevin Rains
- Assistant Costume Designer- Mason Baria, Fir Yule
- Assistant Lighting Designer- Abby Johnson
- Props Supervisor- Aline Toloto
- Props Crew- Ashton Chaney
- Deck Crew- Harley Armstrong
- Live Stream Operators- Harrison Lange
- Light Board Operator- Evan Cochran
- Sound Board Operator- Taylor Stringfellow
- Wardrobe Supervisor- Lydia Hare
- Wardrobe Crew- Erica Dickens
- Costume Maintenance- Faith Rolfes, Gregory Weathersby
Preparation Crews
Scene Shop
- Supervisors: Wes Hanson, Jennifer Glass, Aline Toloto
- Staff: De’Cayla Day, Zoi Hales, Taylor Stringfellow, Sequoia Whitfield, Samantha Endsley,
Raegan Cantrelle, Rachel Boudreaux, Georgia Leming, Chris Russell, Chance Beck, Caroline
Macon, Ananda Lee, Logan Maxwell
Prop Shop
- Supervisor: Aline Toloto
- Staff: Emily Rutland, Natalie Bowers, Kenneth Baker, Stephen Carpenter, Sarah Guidroz,
Aarion Johnson, Marley Monahan, Kaisa Twilight, Bailey Graves, Ashton Chaney
Paint
- Staff: R’Kedra Cummings, Vista Su, Bryana Jones, Aarion Johnson, Ashton Chaney, De’Cayla
Day, Sequoia Whitfield, Caroline Macon, Marley Monahan, Jadalynne Riedel, Bailey Graves
Costumes
- Supervisors: Kelly James-Penot, Taylor Busch, Rebecca Earehart, Madison Queen
- Staff: Renee LaCourse, Gregory Weathersby, Haley Thibodeaux, Sarah Haddon, McKenna
Fussell, Seth Rodivich, Taylor Carpenter, Rashad Crosby
Electrics/Sound
- Supervisors: Shelby Ashley, Andrew Bledsoe, Tristan King
- Staff: Anna Pierce, D’Shea Sheriff, Kenneth Baker, Noah Brown, Max Marsh, Ariana Sanders, Samantha Endsley, Bau Tran
Box Office/Front of House
- Supervisors: Petron Brown, Detalion Dixon, Camila Salas, Mark Swift
- Staff: Sarah Guidroz, Ananda Lee, Natalie Bowers, Noah Brown, R’Kedra Cummings, Jadalynne Riedel, Erica Dickens
Publicity
- Supervisors: Mia Taylor, Blake Waters
- Staff: Jessica Bradford, Stephen Carpenter, Emma Goodgion, Zoi Hales, Bryana Jones, Logan Maxwell, Faith Rolfes
Faculty and Staff
Theatre Program
- Robin Aronson- Professor of Voice and Acting
- Theresa Bush- Assistant Professor of Costume Design
- David Coley- Assistant Professor of Theatre, Producer
- Craig Dettman- Associate Professor of Lighting and Sound Design
- Wes Hanson- Scene Shop Supervisor
- Monica Hayes- Professor of Acting, Head of Performance
- Caitlyn Herzlinger- Assistant Professor of Movement and Acting
- Leketha Hughes- Administrative Specialist
- Kelly James-Penot- Costume Shop Supervisor; Adjunct Faculty, Costumes
- Jay Morris- Assistant Professor, Production Manager, and Technical Director
- Bryan Moses- Visiting Assistant Professor of Scenic Design
- Louis Rackoff- Professor of Directing, Head of Directing
- Sandra Whittington- Administrative Specialist
School of Performing and Visual Arts
- Stacy Reischman Fletcher- Director
Partners for the Arts
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This production was made possible in part by the generous support of PFTA! Now, more than ever before, THANK YOU to our partners who are leveling up or bringing on a new member to sustain the tradition of excellence in the Arts at Southern Miss and ensure it continues beyond this unprecedented time. |