A New Brain |
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Music and Lyrics by Book by |
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| A NEW BRAIN is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals www.concordtheatricals.com | ||
Director's Note
A little over 5 months ago, I was presented with an opportunity to direct a musical. I had no idea what I would make of it, trapped in my own fear of not doing justice to this production. I spent months focusing on how I am not equipped for this position. I realized that telling myself all of these lies, I only hindered myself from all the great possibilities of what I can offer. After reading and doing research I realized just how much, still completely unaware of the impact this show would have on me. Based on the composer William Finn’s real medical experience, it was truly an honor to navigate life and all its unexpectedness and continue to tell Finn’s story.
A New Brain composed by William Finn and book by James Lapine, challenges us to think about if today was your last day, would you be satisfied with the life you have lived thus far? This question we have all thought about, but this show takes us through the journey of being
forced to answer that question. We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, focusing on doing what you love is inevitably the best option to enjoy the time you have here. Society made us believe that in order to live a satisfying life, you must live it grandly. We all want to be remembered for something great, but great doesn’t mean grand. What I hope you take out of this show is reminding yourself and those around you that whenever you are, whatever you’re doing, remember to not take life for granted. Take a second and look at what you have, think of everything you have accomplished and be proud. In our day to day lives we often forget what’s really important. We forget to take care of ourselves, and can waste time believing that we aren’t good enough. It is so important to remember that change is possible if it is what you need to heal.
There is always hope.
I am beyond lucky to have shared this experience with the cast and team. They have been so incredibly open hearted and open minded to everything I have thrown at them. Thank you PAC for giving me the platform to begin a professional journey that I never thought I'd get a
chance to do so soon in life. Thank you to the team for all your time and effort, you have made this entire experience so simple and smooth. Everyone's creativity has been so admirable to watch and be part of. Thank you especially to my Assistant Director and intimacy choreographer, Grace Lattanzio, for treating everything with such love and passion and for being such an unbelievably amazing support system. Without your guidance, A New Brain would not be what it
is. I couldn’t have done this with anyone else. There were so many moments of discovery that led to revelations. Seeing the change in everyone and myself through telling this story is a time in my life that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I am beyond thrilled for this story to be shared and I hope you leave with more internal value of change and empathy to chance and life. Thank you to everyone involved and the audience for being here to take it all in.
- Alice Khekht, Director
Dramaturg's Note
A New Brain tells us an emotional story about the unexpectedness of life and change. Musical by William Finn and James Lapine, the story takes us through a journey of time, music, pessimism, joy, and second chances. Described as a comedy, there is humor in the darkness as Finn plays with surrealness. It is written under the autobiographical account of William Finn, after his medical journey of having a rare genetic disease called arteriovenous malformation in 1992. He found himself inspired to write about his experience. Finn told an interviewer back in the 90’s, “Gratitude and getting a second chance and learning to live well with that second chance, that's what the show is about...everything’s changed, but nothing’s changed, the world is different, but it's still the same”. A New Brain covers important messages of the world we live in. Finn’s experience reminds us to make the most of life even in times of tragedy and to have hope when times can be hopeless. There has been so much hatred, death, and violence these past few years due to covid and other global issues/wars, and this show allows us to see outside the box while still being in it. We are not powerless in times where we feel like we are. In the musical, the main character, Gordon Schwinn, longs for remembrance of his life and name which is one of the most human wants. We all want to be remembered for our talents and endeavors, but life can throw difficulty at you in ways you can’t expect or prepare for sometimes. There is never a convenient time for change, you must take it as it comes and adapt as we naturally must. There is beauty in uncertainty and each day is infinitely valuable.
- Alice Khekht, Dramaturg
Song List
Prologue
Frogs Have So Much Spring ("The Spring Song")
Calamari
911 Emergency/I Have So Many Songs
Heart and Music
Trouble in His Brain
Mother's Gonna Make Things Fine
Be Polite To Everyone
I'd Rather Be Sailing
Family History
Gordo's Law of Genetics
And They're Off
Roger Arrives
Just Go
Poor, Unsuccessful, and Dumb
Operation Tomorrow
Sitting Becalmed In The Lee of Cuttyhunk
Craniotomy
An Invitation to Sleep In My Arms
Change
Yes
In the Middle of the Room (Part 1)
Throw it Out
In the Middle of the Room (Part 2)
A Really Lousy Day in the Universe
Brain Dead
Whenever I Dream
Eating Myself Up Alive
The Music Still Plays On
Don't Give In
You Boys Are Gonna Get Me In Such Trouble/ I'd Rather Be Sailing (Reprise)
The Homeless Lady's Revenge
Time
I Feel So Much Spring
Cast
Creative Team
Alice Khekht
Grace Lattanzio
Jess Staiano
Bowie Rivera
Mari Sprague
Harlequinn Selegean
Madilyn Bunzey
Gianna Dobrich
Alex Vendura
Zach Werner
Lucy Pizzicarola
Matt Hurley
Philip Marra III
Zoe Dillinger
Meet the Company
Vincent Canale-Rouse
VINCENT CANALE-ROUSE (Gordon Michael Schwinn) is ecstatic to perform their PAC debut in William Finn’s, A NEW BRAIN. This upcoming Spring, Vincent will graduate at The State University of New York at Fredonia with a BFA major in Musical Theatre and a minor in Dance. Their recent credits include, MYSTIC PIZZA with ADIRONDACK THEATRE FESTIVAL, LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET with ADIRONDACK THEATRE FESTIVAL, MAMMA MIA! with THE ENCORE MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY, HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME with MAIN STREET STUDIOS, and THE WILD PARTY with WALTER GLOOR MAINSTAGE SERIES. Other than performing, they are also the ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER with FREDONIA PERFORMING ARTS COMPANY as well as the STAGE MANAGER with RANDOM ACTS IMPROV TROUPE. www.vincentcanalerouse.com
Luke Brewer
Luke Brewer plays Roger in A New Brain. He is a Junior in the Class of 2024, and is also in the BFA Acting program. He is from Bluepoint NY, and was also in shows such as The Normal Heart (Ben Weeks) The Diary of Anne Frank (Peter Van Daan) and the short film The Cryptid Cast Vs The Goopy Ganker (Jesse).
Alexa Adler
Alexa is absolutely ecstatic to be playing the role of Mimi! Her Fredonia credits include Pipeline (Laurie), The Persians (Navy/Admirable), Songs for a New World (Understudy), New Works Now (Ensemble) and Ordinary Days (Asst. Stage Manager). Alexa would like to thank everyone involved on the production team and the PAC board for this incredible opportunity.
Kayla Chung
Kayla Chung is a Junior BFA Musical Theatre major with a minor in Dance from Bronx, NY. Her Walter Gloor Mainstage credits include: Lillith understudy in She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms and Jasmine in Pipeline. Upcoming credits include Katherine Wiley in Radium Girls. Outside credits include: Ensemble in The Happy Prince. She is beyond grateful for the opportunity to perform alongside such dedicated performers and would like to thank her friends and family for their countless love and support!
Maggie Nagar
Maggie Nagar is in her Sophomore year studying voice in SUNY Fredonia's Music Education program, and she is also pursuing a dance minor. Past credits include Bebe Benzenheimer (A Chorus Line), Roxie (Chicago) Eponine (Les Miserables) and Mimi (Rent). She is the Public Relations Chair for Orchesis Dance Company, and she teaches dance at Infinity Dance Academy in Fredonia. She cannot wait to make her PAC debut alongside an incredible group of performers.
Juliet Pearson
Juliet Pearson is a Junior BFA Musical Theatre Major with a Minor in Dance from Hyde Park, New York. She is excited to make her PAC debut. Previous credits include: Ensemble in the Walter Gloor Mainstage production of The Wild Party. Upcoming credits include: Eurydice in Fredonia PAC’s Eurydice, Juliet in The Walter Gloor Mainstage production of Romeo and Juliet, and Susie Bones and Others in Puffs through Trash Rat Theatre Collective at Main Street Studios.
Syd Sider
Syd is a New York-based actor. They are currently a student at SUNY Fredonia in hopes of receiving their BFA in Musical Theatre. They have been in productions such as Mr. Burns as Colleen, Jesus in Godspell, and Olive in Spelling Bee. They have gotten the chance to perform at venues such as 54 Below and Green Room 42. Syd is so fortunate and proud to say that this is their first PAC show! They are super excited and honored to be able to perform. Syd would like to thank their friends and family for all the constant love and support.
Gabby Medeck
Gabby (She/They) Is a Junior BFA Musical Theater Major from Long Island, NY. They were last seen in PAC’s Production of Dolls of New Albion. Fredonia Mainstage credits include Woman 2 in Songs for a New World, The Soldier in домой//home, and will be the Apothecary in Romeo and Juliet in the Spring. This December you can catch her as Leanne in Puffs with Trash Rats Theatre Collective. They are thrilled to work with such an amazing group of people!
Parker Bandla
This is my first ever PAC show and I'm super excited to be a part of it! This is also the first musical I've been in since junior year of highschool so I am beyond grateful to have the opportunity to perform again. I've been performing since my first Children's Theatre production of Rip Van Winkle at the age of 7. I'm the 6th person in my family to attend Fred and the 4th to go for a degree in theatre. Be warned: I sing at all hours of the day and 90% of the time I don't even notice!
Ryan Okun
Ryan Okun (He/Him)- is a Freshman Theater Arts Major/Communications Minor from Buffalo, NY. This is Ryan’s first show with PAC and SUNY Fredonia! Ryan is thrilled to work with this amazing cast and crew. Some of Ryan’s favorite past credits include Lumiere (Beauty and the Beast), Mark Anthony (A Chorus Line), and Fred (A Christmas Carol) is very excited to make his PAC debut as the role of The Minister!
Stephanie Reed
Stephanie Reed is a Sophomore BFA Musical Theatre major with minors in English and Film Studies from Northern Virginia. Stephanie will make her Fredonia Mainstage debut this spring as Balthasar in Romeo + Juliet directed by Ted Sharon. Stephanie has most recently made her Main Street Theatre debut in the Hunchback of Notre Dame last spring. She would like to thank her friends and family for always supporting her, as well as KC and Jules for being great role models for her to look up to during this rehearsal process.
Molly Herman
Molly is a sophomore BFA Musical Theatre major at SUNY Fredonia and is so honored to make her PAC debut in A New Brain this Fall! On campus, Molly is involved with clubs such as Some Like It Home All-Female Identifying A Cappella Group as their Treasurer. Molly has also recently been cast in upcoming main stage productions of The Hillman Opera: Summer and Smoke and Romeo and Juliet. She is so thankful for these opportunities and thanks her friends and family for their continual love and support!
Alice Khekht
Alice Khekht (She/Her) is a senior BFA musical theatre major at SUNY Fredonia, from Brooklyn, NY. Credits include Our Town, Mr. Burns, A Post Electric Play, and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame. She is beyond excited to be directing A New Brain this fall. This show is a huge inspiration to her and she hopes to spread the beautiful messages about life and gratitude that this show brings!
Grace Lattanzio
Grace Lattanzio is a Senior BFA Acting Major. This is her first PAC production as well as he first Assistant Director credit. Her credits include, Our Town, New Works Now, Mr. Burns and soon to be Radium Girls. She is super excited for this project!
Jess Staiano
Jessica Staiano is incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to work on the production team of A New Brain! Jessica is a senior B.M. Music Education major with a minor in Arts Administration. This is the first production she has ever music directed! Previously, Jessica had served as the music director of The Riveters: All-Female Acapella for four semesters. Additionally, her previous PAC credits include Midway: The Musical (Kristen) and Happily: The Musical (Ensemble). Jessica is honored to have been able to work alongside a group of such hard-working, talented individuals. She dearly admires her cast and crew and hopes that they recognize how proud she is of all of them.
Bowie Rivera
Bowie is a Junior BA Theatre Arts major with a focus in Directing & Acting. They are thrilled to be making their PAC debut as a Stage Manager! Previous PAC credits include: Assistant Stage Manager, Dolls of New Albion and Bernadette, This Random World. This year you can catch them as 'Little Stone' in the PAC Production of "Eurydice" this November & they are currently serving on the PAC Executive Board as the Executive Assistant!
Mari Sprague
Mari is a Sophomore BFA Dance major with a minor in Communications from Buffalo, NY! Her Fredonia performance credits include Fredonia Dance Ensemble and the Spring 2022 Senior BFA Capstone Performance. She is also a part of Orchesis Dance Company and is a performer and choreographer for the company. Later this semester she will be performing in Merrins Fall Chamber Concert with the BFA Dance department. This is her first time helping with a PAC show, and is thankful for the opportunity to be more involved with PAC. Mari is so excited to be a part of this production and for everyone to see A New Brain!
Harlequinn Selegean
Harley is thrilled to have gotten the chance to work on such a wacky and meaningful show. This is their very first time on the production team of a show and it was filled with so many useful challenges and experiences. They are so proud of the cast and give many thanks to the rest of the production team for being patient with them and providing them with a positive environment in which to learn. They are pleasantly surprised by all the doors this experience has opened up to them and only hopes the rest of the team and cast are as proud of themselves as they are. Go team! <3
Madilyn Bunzey
Madilyn Bunzey is a BFA Musical Theatre major with a Dance Minor from Campbell Hall, NY. Madi has been dancing for fifteen years, and is so happy to be choreographing A New Brain! She has previously appeared as Nadine in The Wild Party in the Walter Gloor Mainstage Series, and can be seen as Alf (Swing Molly/Bumbrake) in Main Street Studio’s Peter and the Starcatcher, as well as understudying Grace Fryer in Radium Girls later this year. Previous Choreography Credits Include: The Dolls of New Albion (Asst. Choreographer), Peter and the Starcatcher (Asst. Choreographer). She is a member of the improv comedy team Random Acts, the Riveters A Cappella group, and the Orchesis Dance Company. Madi would love to thank the incredible Gianna Dobrich, Alice and Grace, and the amazing cast and team of A New Brain!
Gianna Dobrich
Gianna Dobrich (she/her) is a sophomore BFA Dance Major from Erie, Pennsylvania. Over the last year, Gianna has performed in New Works Now, Fredonia Dance Ensemble, as well as the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 Senior BFA Dance Capstone Performance. She has had the opportunity to attend ACDA (American College Dance Association) in Athens, Ohio to perform and take master classes. Gianna is involved in various performing arts clubs such as Orchesis Dance Company where she is Vice Treasurer. Prior to her time at Fredonia, she trained at Long’s School of Dance for 15 years. Gianna is very excited to a part of this production and is thankful for this opportunity!
Alex Vendura
Hailing from Orchard Park, NY, I came to Fredonia pursuing music production. Since this, I’ve shifted more towards the worlds of theater, film, field recording, and live productions preferring a dynamic environment. We are exposed to sound and vibration in every moment of our lives, and it is easy to forget how crucial this is to our understanding and interpretation of the environment around us. Through the creation of soundscapes and sonic textures, I hope to enhance your experience of this production.
Zach Werner
Zach Werner is from the Rochester New York. He has been working with lighting, sound, and audio-visual technologies for the past 18 years. He graduated from Monroe Community College with an A.S. in Theatre Arts in 2021 and is currently working on a B.F.A. in Theatrical Production and Design, as well as a B.S. in Computer Science, at SUNY Fredonia. Zach is delighted to be able to bring all this experience to A New Brain to help bring the show alive.
Lucy Pizzicarola
Lucy Pizzicarola is a Theatre Arts and Music major who is happy to be a part of her first PAC show. Previous credits include assistant costume designer for Paul Robeson theatre’s production of A Raisin in the Sun, a stitcher on the Hangar theater's productions of Natasha and Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, The Great Leap, as well wardrobe supervisor of Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans. She is looking forward to her last year at Fredonia, and can not wait to see where theatre takes her next.
Matt Hurley
Matt Hurley (Costume Designer) is enthusiastic to be working with PAC for the first time on this production of A New Brain. They would also like to thank Lucy for being such a great design partner throughout this entire process. Enjoy the show!
Philip Marra III
Philip J. Marra III (he/him) is a sophomore music composition major from Watertown, NY. His primary instrument is voice, currently studying with Professor James Harrington. He is thrilled to be making his PAC debut playing a score by William Finn, one of his favorite composers. Philip is Vice-President of Ethos New Music Society, enjoys being a collaborative pianist, and is a tenor in College Choir.
Zoe Dillinger
Zoe Dillinger (She/They) (Props Supervisor ) is a 3rd year BFA Theatrical Production and Design major with a concentration in both costume and scenic design. She is from Buffalo, NY. She has worked on a variety of SUNY Fredonia TADA productions as a stitcher, scenic artist, assistant charge artist, assistant scenic designer, wardrobe supervisor and was part of wardrobe crew. Furthermore, they previously worked as a props supervisor for PAC's 2022 production of Dolls of New Albion.
Fredonia Performing Arts Company Executive Board 2022-2023
Executive Producer (President): Erin Grace Kelly
Assistant Executive Producer (Vice President): Vinnie Canale-Rouse
Director of Finance (Treasurer): Alexa Adler
Production Manager: Ashley Halm
Assistant Production Manager: Zach Liddick
Director of Performance and Outreach: Matt Neary
Technical Supervisor: Nax Sidoni
Assistant Technical Supervisor: Olivia Kaye
General Manager: Aidan Heaney
Director of Operations: Erin Houghtaling
Executive Assistant: Bowie Rivera
Director of Development (Freshman Representative): Cassie Gillen
Company Manager/DEI Chair: Kayla Chung
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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. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: https://concordtheatricals.com/resources/protecting-artists