Shaker Theatre Arts Presents SENSE & SENSIBILITY By Kate Hamill Based On The Novel By Jane Austen

Shaker Theatre Arts Department proudly presents the fall play, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, by Kate Hamill, based on the novel by Jane Austen, playing November 16-18 at 7 pm, in the Large Auditorium at 15911 Aldersyde Drive, Shaker Heights, OH 44120.

This year, a company of 57 (and growing) students and adults is coming together to create SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, a rollicking new adaptation by Kate Hamill of Jane Austen's beloved novel that follows the fortunes (and misfortunes) of the Dashwood sisters-sensible Elinor and hypersensitive Marianne-after their father's sudden death leaves them financially destitute and socially vulnerable. Set in gossipy late 18th-century England, with a fresh female voice, the play is full of humor, emotional depth, and bold theatricality. SENSE AND SENSIBILITY examines our reactions, both reasonable and ridiculous, to societal pressures. When reputation is everything, how do you follow your heart?

Directed by Christine McBurney, the co-curricular production engages students enrolled in all six areas of the Shaker Heights High School Theatre Arts Department course curriculum: 1) the ensemble actor training program; 2) the writing program; 3) the guest artist, alumni, and community engagement program; 4) the Shakespeare/classical learning program; 5) the production training program; and 6) the technical studies program, as well as students not enrolled in classes, in a variety of roles: performers, musicians, managers, dramaturges, designers, and technicians.

"You will surely be taken by the story about family love and romantic love, the color-blind and gender-neutral casting, Austen's sharp social satire, and English country dancing. This is not your grandmother's Jane Austen. On the 200th anniversary of Austen's death, we are thrilled to produce this relevant play by living female playwright, Kate Hamill, whom American Theatre Magazine identified as the 14th most produced playwright and whose play is the 10th most produced in the country's 2017-2018 theatrical season," says director, Christine McBurney.

The adult team includes Scott J. Sumerak (Co-Producer), Chuck Tisdale (Scenic & Lighting Designer), Laurie Brem (Box Office Manager), Kevin Parker '13 of Inlet Dance Theatre (Movement Specialist), Cathleen O'Malley (Movement Specialist), Janet Larsen (Choreographer), and Harold Crawford (Costume Designer). The Shaker students and staff wish to extend their gratitude to its Patrons who funded guest artist residencies for Mr. Parker and Ms. O'Malley.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and senior adults and are on sale now at www.shaker.tix.com. Tickets may also be purchased in person from the Box Office one hour prior to curtain (6:00 pm) on performance nights.

Please note if you are a Patron at the Associate level, your two complimentary tickets can only be redeemed by calling the Box Office at 295.4287 and leaving a voice mail for our Box Office Manager, Mrs. Laurie Brem.

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY is presented by special arrangement with Dramatics Play Service, Inc., New York. The world premiere of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY was produced by Bedlam (Eric Tucker, Artistic Director; Andrus Nichols, Producing Director).

THE SENSE & SENSIBILITY FULL COMPANY

THE CAST
(in order of appearance)

GOSSIP 1 Kiera Demian
GOSSIP 2 Azalea Webster
GOSSIP 3 Phillip Kalafatis
GOSSIP 4 Alicia Kaffen
GOSSIP 5 Ima Umosen
JOHN DASHWOOD Logan Lownes
FANNY DASHWOOD Toni Watterson
EDWARD FERRARS Duncan Bayless-Marr
ELINOR DASHWOOD Allison Osborne-Nurse
Marianne Dashwood Skylar Biggerman
MRS. DASHWOOD Greyson Thorman
MARGARET DASHWOOD Leah Albers
SERVANT (BETSY) Delaney Fedewa
SIR JOHN MIDDLETON Brian Ford
MRS. JENNINGS Antonio Fulton
LADY MIDDLETON Hallie Dial
COLONEL BRANDON Gabriel Sekeres
SERVANT (THOMAS)/DOCTOR Phillip Kalafatis
JOHN WILLOUGHBY Harlan Friedman-Romell
LUCY STEELE Samira Smith
Anne Steele Sara Dina
ROBERT FERRARS Samira Colbert

THE CREW
Stage Manager Caitlyn Shelley
Assistant Stage Manager Sydney Blunt, Marjorie Shaw
Assistant to the Director Katherine Fridlund
Dance Captain Gabe Sekeres
Costume Assistant Jennifer Rincon
Makeup/Hair Angela Raymondo, Katie Zernick
Sound Designer Katherine Fridlund
Construction Eliza Katz, Morgan Neeson, Brianna Perham,
Sam Smolsky, Netania Stewart, Victoria Watts
Props 3rd° Stagecraft Students
House Manager Constance Smith
Flower Cart Isabella Calamita, Sophia Gershinson
Display Case Mikayla Rogers, Anjali Sharma
Graphic Designer Abigail Walicke
Poster Designer Aniyah Weaver
Playbill Shemiah Hooper
Proofreader Ruby Gibson
Dramaturge Julie Larick
2nd° Theatre Management Students: Hallie Dial, Shemiah Hooper,
Mikayla Rogers, Anjali Sharma
3rd° Stagecraft Students Leah Albers, Ian Anderson, Nakeem Booker,
Autumn Bouyer, Tracy Collier, Arwa Elmashae,
Jack Miller, Dominic Orazi, Angela Raymondo,
Olivia Rood, Mark Sauerland

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