PRESENTS The Hunchback of Notre Dame Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz Book by Peter Parnell
Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney film
JENNIFER BOESING DIRECTOR
MUSIC DIRECTORS DAVID MÖSCHLER & PHILLIP HARRIS
LIGHTING DESIGNER SAYLOR CHOREOGRAPHER PAM CRANE
PROPERTIES DESIGNER DAWN NAKASHIMA SCENIC DESIGNER KATHY ROGERS
COSTUME DESIGNER RACHAEL HEIMAN HAIR & MAKEUP DESIGNER LUCRETIA FROKE
July 14–23, 2023 El Cerrito Performing Arts Theater El Cerrito, California Originally developed by Disney Theatrical Productions Orchestrations by Michael Starobin Incidental music and vocal arrangements by Michael Karosin Dance arrangements by Rob Berman
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. This performance lasts approximately two hours and forty minutes which includes one intermission. The performance features haze, strobe lighting, discriminatory language, and sexual violence. We acknowledge that this production rehearses and performs on the traditional land of the Huchian group of the Ohlone Peoples. To learn about making a donation to the Shuumi Land Tax, please visit www.sogoreate-landtrust.org.
NOTES ON THE ROMANI PEOPLE
“Truly … it’s a salamander, a nymph, a goddess, a bacchante from Mount Menelaus!” At that moment, one of the ‘salamander’s’ plaits of hair came down and a yellow copper coin … rolled to the ground. ‘Ha! No it’s not,’ he said, ‘It’s a gypsy girl!’ All illusion had vanished.” This is the exoticizing portrait that Victor Hugo paints when introducing Esmeralda, a Romani woman, for the first time in his 1831 novel, Notre-
Dame de Paris. Romani people have been present in Europe for centuries and are the continent’s largest racial minority. Roma are deeply woven into the tapestry of Europe both in historical and fictional ways. The plethora of novels, paintings, operas that portray Romani people as an exotic “other” to European whiteness are a testament both to the ways in which the white gaze has misrepresented Roma – as hypersexualized women or wandering vagabonds – but also to the fact that Roma have been a constant presence in Europe since the 12th century. Victor Hugo’s Esmeralda is one such example. As scholar Allison Craven posits, “Esmeralda’s role is formed in a lineage of fictional [G]ypsies that stems from the Orientalism of Hugo’s own time.” The Romani people are a diasporic community who left Northern India starting in the 10th century, migrating west through Persia, the Middle East, and Anatolia. Linguistic analysis has helped scholars determine the migration path of the Roma. As a person of Romani descent myself, I join the majority of my community in rejecting the term țigan (“Gypsy”) as it is a pejorative and racial slur. Roma (noun) and Romani (adjective) are ethnonyms used to refer to members of Roma and Sinti diaspora more broadly. The term “Roma” was adopted at the First Romani World Congress in 1971. The terminology Roma or Romani as opposed to Gypsy in all its variations is generally considered to be more widely accepted by Roma as an ethnonym. The term is derived from the word for “man” or “husband” in Romanes, the Romani language. The term Gypsy—an exonym first coined from the false ascription of Roma as originating from Egypt —has progressively acquired pejorative connotation in many countries in Europe. Țigan, its equivalent counterpart in other European countries – Zigeurner, czigany, etc. – has etymological roots in the Greek term tsingános, “untouchables.” In the context of the Romania in particular, the word țigan accrued a negative and dehumanizing connotation during the 500 years of enslavement of Roma in Romania. From the moment they set foot on ‘European’ territory, Roma people have been Orientalized, exoticized, and misrepresented. Romani peoples have long been racialized, demonized, or romanticized in the social imaginary. For centuries the Western imaginary conceived of Roma as dirty and disease-ridden creatures that could blacken you with a single touch, or as over-
sexualized, nameless objects of the Western male gaze in artistic representation. The consistent othering of Roma, which hinges on perceived difference, xenophobia, and fear, led to their ceaseless persecution. From laws in the Middle Ages that expelled Roma from English territory (“Egyptians Act” of 1530) to restrictions on their movement during the Hapsburg Empire to their enslavement in
“ Gypsy Fortune Teller ,” Caravaggio Romania and the Romani Holocaust, false notions of Roma as lawless criminals and thieves, as wayward and nomadic, inherently violent, overly sexual, primitive, and uncivilized, pervade majority society’s treatment of Roma. These stereotypes in some cases stem from behaviors that were in fact provoked by legal and societal conditions, as is the case of nomadism, which nonetheless remains a grossly overblown generalization. The Nazi and their allies murdered upwards of 1.5 million Roma people during World War II. Yet the Romani Holocaust is often treated secondarily in museums and academic work. Unlike many other survivors, the Roma Holocaust survivors of Romania have long been denied their rights. Many of them died before receiving restitution, reparations, or witnessing recognition of the Romani Holocaust. For decades after the war, the survivors were not recognized as victims of the Nazi persecution and received little or no compensation or restitution for their lost property. Struggle for recognition is ongoing as Roma continue to be left out of commemorations and lack respectful representation in museums and Holocaust curricula globally. State violence against Roma, enslavement, genocide, forced sterilization, mass incarceration, pogroms, and ongoing police brutality trace a throughline of anti-Roma racism across hundreds of years. The tendrils of white supremacy that underpin these assaults on Romani life extend even beyond Europe. Exoticizing portraits of Romani people, like those found in the The Hunchback of Notre Dame, trade in damaging stereotypes about Romani people. As Black feminist bell hooks states: “Stereotypes abound when there is distance. They are an invention, a pretense that one knows when the steps that would make real knowing possible cannot be taken or are not allowed.” But if we use these cultural productions as entry points to education about Romani history, we may succeed in repairing the fissures therefore making “real knowing possible” by amplifying Roma voices and histories – as the team has striven to do in this production. Thank you for doing your part by reading. – Ioanida Costache, Roma Cultural Consultant
CAST Quasimodo ……………...…………………………………………………….……..……………. Brian Doolittle Claude Frollo ………………………………….…….……………..…………………………….… William Lewis Esmeralda …………..….……………….…..………….……..……..……………..……..…….. Dahlia Saffouri Phoebus de Martin …….………………………………………..…………..…..….….…... Aaron Zemelman Clopin Trouillefou ………….…….……………….…….….…..………………………..…..… Damarcus Gray Jehan Frollo ….…….…………….…..….…….…………………………………………...…. Henry Vanhouten Florika ………………………………….………………….………..……………………….……..……. Yamini Jain Father Dupin, King Louis XI …..…….………….………………..…..……….….…………..… Arthur Renoe Lieutenant Frederic Charlus ….………………………..………………………..…………… Matthew Meier Saint Aphrodisius ……..……….……………………….…..………….….….…….…………..….. Ernst Wang Madame ………..…………………………………………………..……………….…….…………… Ruby Carter Ensemble (Congregation, Parisians, Roma, Soldiers, Priests, Gargoyles, Statues):
Sarah Andrews* Hannah Bardeen Sunny Bevis-Lipton Sarai Brown Ratner Ruby Carter* Sophia Carter Claire Connallon*
Ginger Dreicer Ryland Garza Camden Greathouse*
Lourdes Lombardo Matthew Maier* Arthur Renoe Nava Richmond* Vivian Roston
Henry Vanhouten* Valentina Vazquez Ernst Wang* Rowen Weeramantry* Naomi Wood Bella Yee*
Kira Hannigan Miriam Isaacs Eva Issen Yamini Jain*
Keli’i Salvador* Maggie Tanios
*Featured Soloist
UNDERSTUDIES Quasimodo ……………...…………………………………………………….…………. Rowen Weeramantry Esmeralda …………..….……………….…………………..…………..…………..………….……... Yamini Jain Phoebus de Martin ……………..….….……..……..…………..…………..…..………... Henry Vanhouten Clopin Trouillefou ………………………………..…….….…..………..…………….…..…..… Keli’i Salvador Jehan Frollo ….…….………….…..………….………………………………….………………...…. Ernst Wang Florika …………….……………………………….………..……………….….……...……. Sarai Brown Ratner Featured Soloists, Gargoyles ……………………………………………………………..…… Maggie Tanios
Production Manager ………………………………………………………………………….…..…… Molly Bell Assistant Director …………………….………………………………………….….….……… Isabella Campos Assistant Music Directors ………………………………….………..….. Abigail Canafe*, Irene Westfall* Violence & Intimacy Coordinator ……………………………………………….…………..….. Bessie Zolno Roma Cultural Consultant, Dramaturg …………………………………..……..……… Ioanida Costache Technical Director, Master Builder ………………………………...….…….……..……….... Daniel Neely Scenic Painter …………………………………………………………………………………….… Adeline Smith Scenic Artists ………………………………………………….……..…… Lucretia Froke, Dawn Nakashima Build Assist …………………………………………………………..…….………….………....…….. Bill Brewer Rigger ………………………………………….………………………………………….….…….. Glen Epperson Scenic Assistant / Run Crew …………………….……………………….……..……..….…... Gabi Rochon* Lighting Assistants ………………………………………..……..… Andrew Lim*, Delilah Sophia-Siegel* Wardrobe Manager …………………………………………….…………………..….……….... Chiara Mapp Costume Assistant …………………………………………………….….………….……….…….… Lila Vance* Sound Designer / Mixer …………………..…………………....….….…………..………….... Thomas Soto Sound Engineer ………………………………………………………………………..………… Bertrand Blank Stage Manager .…………………………………………………………….……….…….. Gabe Wilkie-Rogers Assistant Stage Manager, Head of Run Crew ………..……………..………………….. David Van Riper Box Office Managers …………………………………….……………………. Rosa Luevano, Jessica Wilan Volunteer Coordinator / Front of House Manager ………………….……………..…… Whitney Moss ASL Interpreters ……………………………………………………..……… Stephanie Foisy, Kelly Wilmeth Photographer ………………………………….…….………..…………..……..……….…….. Cheshire Isaacs Publicity Photographer ………………………………………………………………….………. Dave Weiland Videographer ………………………………………………………….………….………………………. Ilja Sarro * Member of the Theater Arts Apprenticeship Program PRODUCTION TEAM
The cast of Sunday in the Park with George 2023 Photo by Dave Weiland
MUSICIANS Conductor ……………...…………………………………………………………….…..………. David Möschler Reed I (clarinet, flute, piccolo, soprano saxophone) ……..……………….…….…… Audrey Jackson Reed II (alto saxophone, clarinet, oboe, English horn) ………………………….….…..….. Sue Crum Reed III (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, bassoon, clarinet) …………………… Carolyn Walter Horn ………….………………………………………………………....……….…….….………… Julia Winegar* Trumpet I (piccolo trumpet) ……….………………….….………………………..…..……… Sonja Lindsay Trumpet II (flugelhorn) …………….……………………….…………………………………... Mike McCann Trombone (tenor and bass trombone, euphonium) ………..………………..…….. Bonnie Maddox Percussion (concert and drum set) ………..……………….……………….…………….… Brietta Greger Keyboard I ….…………………………………………………………..…….……..………………...…. Jon Gallo Keyboard II …….…….… Jessica Igarashi (7/14, 7/15, 7/16), Abigail Canafe* (7/21, 7/22, 7/23) Violin I ……………………….…………………….………..………………..……..………….… Wakeford Gong Violin II …….……….….………………….………………………………………………..….………. Mary Tanios Viola ….………………..……………………………………………………....……..………….… Laura Douglass Cello ……..………………..………………….……..………………………………………………….…. Diana Lee *Member of the Pit Orchestra Apprenticeship Program
VOLUNTEERS and SPECIAL THANKS
Postering …………….…. Bardeen family, Brown Ratner family, Carter family, Connallon family, Doolittle family, Dreicer family, Jain family, Lombardo family, Rochon family, Roston family, Saffouri family, Salvador family, Tanios family, Vazquez family, Weeramantry family Box Office ………..……………………………………………..………..………………… Stephanie Lawrence Concessions ….…………………..……. Ryan Currier (Manager), Chris Carter and Michelle Carter, Cara Greathouse, Brandie Maier, Ed Maier, Hetal Weeramantry Ushers ..………..………………………….. Tamara Corduck, Miren Doolittle, Amy Garlin, Valerie Le, . Evie Mitchell, Tabitha Reid, Lindsay Saffouri, Alec Westland-Hurwitz Bakers …………………………………………... Tamara Corduck, Miren Doolittle, Ananda Richmond, Hetal Weeramantry, Jennifer Winch Tech Week Meals ………………….….…. Sarah Bardeen, Sarah Bevis, Chris and Michelle Carter, . Miren Doolittle, Stephanie Lawrence, Hetal Weeramantry
MUSICAL NUMBERS Time and place: Paris, France. 1482. Act One
The Bells of Notre Dame …………………………………..………………………………...….…… Company Sanctuary …………………………………………………………….…....……..….…….… Frollo, Quasimodo Out There ……………………………………….………..…….………………..…….….…….....… Quasimodo Topsy Turvy Part I …………………..………………….…..………………. Clopin, Quasimodo, Ensemble Rest and Recreation ………..……………..………..…………….….……..… Phoebus, Frollo, Ensemble Rhythm of the Tambourine ..…………..…..….. Clopin, Esmeralda, Phoebus, Frollo, Quasimodo Topsy Turvy Part II ..………...…………………………………………….…..…….………. Clopin, Ensemble Into Notre Dame ……………...……………………………….……………..….….…….… Featured Soloists God Help the Outcasts ..…....…….…………….……………...…………...…...… Esmeralda, Ensemble Top of the World ……………………………………..……..….….… Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Gargoyles Tavern Song (Thai Mol Piyas) ……………………………..….…………………….………....….. Ensemble Heaven’s Light ……………………..….…………………………………………….……………...… Quasimodo Hellfire ………………………………………………………………….………………..…...… Frollo, Ensemble Esmeralda ………………………………………………………..…………………………..………...… Company INTERMISSION Flight into Egypt …………………………………….…..…… Saint Aphrodisius, Quasimodo, Ensemble The Court of Miracles ……..………………………………………………..……...………. Clopin, Ensemble In a Place of Miracles ………..………………………… Phoebus, Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Ensemble Justice in Paris ..…………………..……………………………………….….……...…..….. Featured Soloists Someday …………………..……………………………………..….…………………….. Esmeralda, Phoebus While the City Slumbered …….….………………………..……………………….…...… Featured Soloists Made of Stone ……………………..….…………………………..……..………...… Quasimodo, Gargoyles Finale ……………………..….……………………………..………………………….……..………...… Company Act Two
BIOGRAPHIES Cast
BRIAN DOOLITTLE 1st | Boston Conservatory Quasimodo
Brian (he/they) is thrilled to be back for their 3rd YMTC show, one of his favorites of all time! Favorite roles include George ( Sunday in the Park with George ), Seymour ( Little Shop of Horrors ), Georg ( She Loves Me ), Barfée ( Spelling Bee ), and Pugsley (The Addams Family ). This fall, Brian will attend Boston Conservatory at Berklee (BFA Musical Theatre). He thanks his family, friends, and vocal coach, Chad, for their endless support. He hopes you enjoy this powerful tale of self-acceptance and what it means to be ‘the other.’ WILLIAM LEWIS 1st year | El Cerrito High School Claude Frollo Will (he/him) is thrilled to appear in his 1st YMTC show. He made his operatic debut in Gordon Getty’s 2022 opera-film Goodbye Mr. Chips , and has appeared as The Wolf ( Into the Woods ), Melchior ( Spring Awakening /OSA) and Larry in ( The Cradle Will Rock /OSA). A composer & pianist, he recently had a score commissioned for the SF Silent Film Festival. In his free time, he enjoys watching Poirot and yelling at cars who turn without signaling. DAHLIA SAFFOURI 11 | Piedmont High School Esmeralda Dahlia (she/her) is thrilled to return for her 3rd YMTC production. Favorite roles include Dragon in ( Shrek /YMTC) and Mary Beth ( A Christmas Story /Berkeley Playhouse). Dahlia is part of the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir and has been dancing with The Big Open Space theater dance program for five years. Dahlia would like to thank her friends and family for their endless love and support, especially her Tata, who has always encouraged her to pursue her love for the arts. Dahlia’s hopes that the audience enjoys watching Hunchback as much as she loves performing it! AARON ZEMELMAN 1st year | Occidental College Phoebus de Martin Aaron (he/him) is honored to be returning to his 4th YMTC production, where he last appeared as Soldier in Sunday in the Park with George . His favorite past roles include Harry in Mamma Mia! and Sid in The Pajama Game . Aaron studies opera with his vocal coach, where he has competed in the Schmidt Vocal Arts Competition and won 2nd place in both the junior and senior category of the CCPAS Vocal Competition; he also loves to compete in mock trial and participate in nerdy Latin stuff, which he has found to come in very handy throughout this show! Aaron would love to give a shout out to the wonderful cast and crew and he hopes you enjoy this awesome production!
DAMARCUS GRAY 11 | Oakland School for the Arts Clopin Trouillifeu
HENRY VANHOUTEN 11 | Campolindo High School Jehan Frollo, Featured Soloist, Ensemble, u/s Phoebus Henry (he/him) has loved performing since he was young, starring in a multitude of Peter Pan Foundation musicals, along with his recent performance in Campolindo High School’s Cinderella . In his journey through these rapidly changing times, he has stayed vigilant in his passion for musical theater. He would like to thank his family, and everyone who worked on Hunchback for making this possible. YAMINI JAIN 4th year | Northeastern University Featured Soloist, Ensemble, u/s Esmeralda Yamini (she/her) is honored to be performing her 1st show with YMTC. Hunchback is her favorite musical and being a part of this production is a dream come true. Born and raised in Dubai, Yamini moved to the US to pursue acting. She recently toured and conducted workshops across the Bay Area with SF Shakespeare Festival’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hermia/Titania/Peter Quince). She would is grateful to the cast and crew for this opportunity and to her family and friends for the unconditional support. ARTHUR RENOE Gap year Father Dupin, King Louis XI, Ensemble Arthur (he/him) is thrilled to return for his second YMTC production after performing in Ragtime last summer. A recent graduate of Berkeley High School, he enjoys creative writing as well as performing in his free time. He is honored to be a part of this production and hopes you enjoy! Damarcus (he/him) feels excited to be back at YMTC after appearing in Sunday in the Park with George (Boatman), Matilda (Doctor), Ragtime , and the Don’t Stop Me workshop (Samson). Other credits: Every 28 Hours , Candace is Connie (Rodney), both at OSA.. Damarcus performs around the Bay and has recently joined a band as the lead vocalist. He plans on taking a little break from theater to pursue music and screen acting. He is over the moon for people to see this groundbreaking show and hopes you enjoy it as much as he likes being in it.
MATTHEW MAIER 9 | California High School
Lieutenant Frederic Charlus, Featured Soloist, Ensemble Matthew (he/him) is so happy to be in his first show with YMTC! Matthew’s favorite roles have been Joe Hardy ( Damn Yankees ) and Marcellus ( The Music Man ), both at ICDT! He hopes you enjoy the show!
ERNST WANG 9 | Berkeley High School
Saint Aphrodisius, Featured Soloist, Ensemble, u/s Jehan Ernst (he/him) is delighted to join YMTC once again, where you may have seen him as Nigel in Matilda or Ragtime and Sweeney Todd (Ensemble). Ernst last worked as assistant music director/keyboardist for Sunday in the Park.. . In his spare time, Ernst tells jokes that are funny about 6% of the time, eats authentic Asian food, makes fun of/hangs out with his friends, gets lost listening to Sondheim, and arm wrestles Aaron Zemelman. You can see him in Little Shop of Horrors this fall. He is immensely grateful to all of his friends and family who have supported him throughout his life of music and theater.
RUBY CARTER 2nd year | Cornish College of the Arts Madam, Featured Soloist, Ensemble
Ruby (she/her) is very proud to be in her second show with YMTC after appearing in the Ensemble of Ragtime ! Some of her favorite past credits include Gigi in A Chorus Line and Paulette in Legally Blonde at Berkeley Playhouse. She currently majors in Performance Production and this past spring was assistant costume designer for Head Over Heels. In her free time she likes to sew, collect odd kickknacks, and play outside with her friends.
SARAH ANDREWS 1st year | Chico State University Ensemble, Featured Soloist
Sarah (she/her) is excited to put on her first show with YMTC. She is going to be studying Musical Theater in the fall at Chico State University. Her favorite past role is Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors . She is so happy to be a part of such an amazing production, and can’t wait to continue performing.
HANNAH BARDEEN 9 | Berkeley High School Ensemble
Hannah Bardeen is thrilled to be a part of her 1st YMTC show! Previous shows include co-writing/assistant directing Snow White and Rose Red and co-writing/acting in another egg-filled original, Valentina of Venice (King Middle School). Hannah thanks her amazing friends, family, 2 adorable dogs, and her teachers for always supporting her. In her free time you can find her obsessing over all things remotely theater-related, rewatching a comfort show, or hanging out with her friends. She hopes you enjoy the show!
SUNNY BEVIS-LIPTON 10 | Berkeley High School Ensemble
Sunny (she/her), a film and theater enthusiast, is so excited to be in her 1st show with YMTC! Some past roles include Rapunzel ( Into the Woods Jr. ), Lavender ( Matilda Jr .), Piggie ( Elephant and Piggie: We Are in a Play ), and the Metal Shop Theater’s original musical Tulip Town . She’d like to thank the friends, family, and mentors for inspiring and encouraging her, and hopes you enjoy this incredible, thought-provoking production!
SARAI BROWN RATNER 12 | The College Preparatory School Ensemble, u/s Florika
Sarai (she/her) is both excited and honored to be in her first show with YMTC! Some of her past roles include Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream , Tanya (the favorite drunk aunt) in Mamma Mia! , and Ensemble in The Pirates of Penzance . Sarai would like to thank her high school drama teacher, her parents, and her friends for all their encouragement. She hopes you enjoy this moving and relevant production!
SOPHIA CARTER 11 | Albany High School Ensemble
Sophia (she/they) is so excited to be back at YMTC, last seen executing “The Burning Woman Hurling Through the Air with Dynamite in Her Hair” as the Acrobat in Matilda . Past credits include Little Becky Two Shoes in Urinetown , Musidorus in Head Over Heels , and Theo in School of Rock (Berkeley Playhouse). Sophia wants to thank the entire cast for creating such a welcoming and talented community. Sophia hopes you enjoy the show. Come see her puppeteer the man-eating plant in Little Shop of Horrors this fall!
CLAIRE CONNALLON 9 | El Cerrito High School Featured Soloist, Ensemble
Claire (she/her) is honored and thrilled to be a part of her first YMTC show. Favorite roles of hers include Winthrop Paroo in The Music Man and Sidekick in The Christmas Revels. Claire would like to thank her sister Grace for her endless support. She hopes you enjoy the show as much as she does!
GINGER DREICER 8 | Willard Middle School Ensemble
Ginger (she/her) is elated to be making her YMTC debut! Past credits include: Becoming Robin Hood , Matilda (Lavender), School of Rock at Berkeley Playhouse, Ruthless (Tina) at Altarena Playhouse, See in the Dark , You Have to Promise , Out of Balance (National Women’s Theatre Festival), Alice Through the Looking Glass (Alice, Fairyland’s Children’s Theatre), various projects with Juno-award winning singer-songwriter Will Stroet. Thanks to YMTC for this opportunity. IG:@gingerdreicer
RYLAND GARZA 9 | Monte Vista High School Ensemble
Ryland (he/him) is amazed to be back for his third show at YMTC after his roles in Matilda (Tommy) and Shrek (Baby Bear, Young Shrek, Grumpy). In his free time he enjoys writing songs and playing jazz guitar, for which he has recently become a full time member of The Rossmoor Big Band. He would like to thank his friends and family, and especially his mom.
CAMDEN GREATHOUSE 9 | San Ramon Valley High School Ensemble, Featured Soloist
Camden (he/him) is grateful to be returning for his third production with YMTC after previously being in Sweeney Todd and 13. Favorite past credits: Joe Hardy (Damn Yankees /ICDT!), Michael ( Matilda /Berkeley Playhouse), Ralphie ( A Christmas Story /Poison Apple Productions), Mark ( A Chorus Line /Berkeley Playhouse Youth Spotlight). In his free time he likes to play volleyball, umpire baseball, and play the piano. He’s so thankful for his family and friends who support him and hopes you enjoy the show!
KIRA HANNIGAN 9 | Encinal High School Ensemble
Kira (she/her) is thrilled and honored to be performing in her first YMTC production! Recent roles include Silena ( The Lighting Thief /Encinal Drama Club), Laura ( The Glass Menagerie ), Electra ( Electra ), both at ACT, and Billie Gale ( The Magical World of Oz /TYR). When not acting, Kira enjoys many forms of dance, swimming, and cheer. She is so grateful for her friends, family, and teachers for all their support, and hopes you enjoy this amazing, powerful production!
MIRIAM ISSAACS 7 | Oakand School for the Arts Ensemble
Miriam (they/she) is ecstatic to be in her first show at YMTC! She was most recently seen onstage as Hortensia in Matilda at OSA and in OSA’s March Theatre Festival. She would like to thank her parents, her friends, and her cat, Ari, for supporting her throughout the entire process. When not onstage, she enjoys building LEGO sets and rewatching her favorite TV shows.
EVA ISSEN 11 | Maybeck High School Ensemble
Eva (they/them) is excited to be a part of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This is their third show with YMTC since Sweeney Todd last year. When they are not performing, they love sewing, baking and working on their drawing skills.
LOURDES VERDE LOMBARDO 9 | Acalanes High School Ensemble
Lourdes (she/her) is thrilled to be in her first show with YMTC! Prior, she has participated in several shows with Town Hall Theater Education including as Pearl in Spongebob Squarepants , Bert in Mary Poppins , and Donkey in Shrek ; she was also featured in their Main Stage production of Cinderella: A Fairytale . Lourdes is grateful for the opportunity to perform with such an amazing cast and hopes you enjoy the show!
NAVA RICHMOND 12 | Berkeley High School Featured Soloist, Ensemble
Nava (she/her) is overjoyed to return for her second YMTC production after being in the ensemble of Ragtime last summer. Her favorite past roles include Philoclea in Head Over Heels and Ethel in Footloose (Berkeley Playhouse). Apart from theater, Nava is also very involved with the dance programs at her school. She hopes you enjoy the show!
VIVIAN ROSTON 9 | Berkeley High School Ensemble
Vivian (she/her) is so excited to be appearing in her second show with YMTC. You may have previously seen her this fall in Matilda. She hopes you enjoy this lovely show!
KELI’I SALVADOR 12 | Berkeley High School Featured Soloist, Ensemble, u/s Clopin
Keli’i (he/they) is proud to be returning for his 2nd show with YMTC. You last saw him onstage as Booker T. Washington ( Ragtime /YMTC), Ricky ( Skyrise /Crowded Fire Theatre), and Justin ( Blood at the Root /Custom Made Theatre). This past year, they have taken a small break from theater to pursue film and modeling. Stay tuned to see them appear in the upcoming feature film, Freaky Tales , and walking at LA Fashion Week. He hopes that this powerhouse show will make you laugh, cry, and think as much as he did!
MAGGIE TANIOS 10 | Bishop O’Dowd Ensemble, u/s Gargoyle
Maggie (she/her) is over the moon to be in her first YMTC production! Maggies has been in Peter Pan , 101 Dalmatians , and Annie with Bay Area Children's Theater. Maggie found her love for performing through working with the Conservatory of Classical Ballet in San Leandro. When not performing, Maggie loves to play rugby and spend time with her friends and family. Maggie would like to thank her family, friends, and the cast and crew for the endless support. She hopes you enjoy the show as much as she does.
VALENTINA ESPERANZA SABINE VAZQUEZ 8 | Montera Middle School Ensemble
Valentina is ecstatic to be back at YMTC, where she was last seen as Louise in Sunday . She danced in A Greater Expectation with Shiloh Church where she is now an assistant choreographer. She performed and trained with the San Francisco Girls Chorus and studies under Gabriela Linares. She would like to thank her loving, supporting family and friends, especially Ryan and Chachi, her grandparents, and Nathalia! Valentina hopes you enjoy this show as much as she does!
ROWEN WEERAMANTRY 9 | Head Royce Ensemble, Featured Soloist, u/s Quasimodo
Rowen (he/him) is thrilled to share the stage with this amazing cast! Past roles with the company include Bruce ( Matilda ), Straw Pig ( Shrek ), Letter Quintet ( Sweeney Todd ) and Malcolm ( 13 ). Recently, Rowen played Peewee in Becoming Robinhood and Christian in Fun Home at Berkeley Playhouse and Dick in ACT's 2022 A Christmas Carol . He is grateful to his family and friends for their unconditional love, to his vocal coach Meghan, and to YMTC for the support and warmth. Rowen hopes all the outcasts enjoy the show!
NAOMI WOOD 9 | Encinal High School Ensemble
Naomi (she/her) is honored and ecstatic to be part of this production. In addition to performing, she enjoys swimming and reading. Naomi has performed in Heathers (Stoner Chick/Veronica’s Dad) and The Lightning Thief (Thalia/Katie). She hopes that this is the 1st of many shows with YMTC, and she cannot wait to perform with her castmates.
BELLA YEE 9 | San Ramon Valley High School Ensemble, Featured Soloist
Bella (she/her) is excited to join the cast of The Hunchback of Notre Dame . Her recent credits include Eulalie Shinn in The Music Man , Fiona in Shrek the Musical , Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress , A.C.T. 's Middle School Cabaret, and A.C.T’s Young Conservatory’s world premiere of The Code . She studies voice with Chad Runyon and piano & music theory with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She enjoys spending time with friends, camping, and binging Marvel movies. Bella hopes everyone enjoys the show as much as she enjoyed being a part of this wonderful cast!
The cast of Matilda the Musical 2022 Photo by Dave Weiland
Theater Arts Apprenticeship Students
ABIGAIL CANAFE 4th year | University of California, Berkeley Assistant Music Director
Abigail (she/her) is honored to be making her YMTC debut! Currently, she is finishing up bachelor’s degrees in music and cognitive science at the University of California, Berkeley. As a Sondheim enthusiast, Abigail also is excited to soon-to-be working as a rehearsal pianist for both Contra Costa Civic Theatre’s production of Sondheim on Sondheim and Stage 1 Theatre's production of Into the Woods Jr . Some of her most recent productions include Cabaret (accordion & synthesizer), Mean Girls (substitute keyboards 2 & 3), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (synthesizer & rehearsal pianist), Legally Blonde (keyboard 3), and American Idiot (accordion). Abigail would like to thank Dave, Phillip, and Irene for being such a welcoming and supportive team of people to work alongside.
ANDREW LIM 3rd year | Grinnell College Lighting Assistant
Andrew Lim (they/them) is excited to be working with YMTC for the first time. They are currently studying technical theatre for their 3rd year at Grinnell College in Iowa. They have been practicing lighting design since their first year of high school and have had the opportunities to design lights for 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee , Into the Woods , and an original musical, I Dig You , written by Grinnell Alum Sophia Schott, among others. They will be programming lights for this production.
GABI ROCHON 9 | Saint Mary’s College High School Scenic Assistant
Gabi (she/her) is so excited to be back for her second YMTC show, her past shows include: 1001 Nights , Twelfth Night , The Odyssey , A Midsummer Night's Dream , Sita’s Gift , and Ragtime . She loves to be back stage helping the show run smoothly and is thrilled to get to help build and paint the set. Big thanks to Molly, who is the one who roped her into this in the first place. She hopes you enjoy the show as much as she did!
DELILAH SOPHIA-SIEGEL 11 | Berkeley High School Lighting Assistant
Delilah (she/they) is delighted to be part of her first YMTC show. She has previousl y been in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Titania/Hippolyta. When she has free time, she can be found frolicking happily in (metaphorical) meadows. She hopes that you enjoy the show!
LILA VANCE 11 | Albany High School Costume Assistant
Lila (she/her) is thrilled to be a part of her first YMTC show! She loves taking part in all things theater, film, and fashion, and has worked on numerous productions at her high school as part of the costumes crew, including Beauty and the Beast and Mean Girls . She thanks her family for their endless support and would like to give a big applause to the cast and all the crew members who made this show truly magical. She hopes you all enjoy this wonderful production!
IRENE WESTFALL Graduate | Wesleyan University Assistant Music Director
Irene (she/her) is thrilled to be a part of her first YMTC production. Irene is a freelance keyboardist and music director in the NJ/NYC area. Past credits include music directing The Prom at Stevens Institute of Technology in March 2023; assistant music directing Spring Awakening at Bryn Mawr College in November 2022; and playing in pits for shows like Newsies , Rent , The Addams Family , and A Christmas Carol throughout New Jersey. Irene is excited and grateful to be able to apply what she’s learning at YMTC to an upcoming production of Finding Nemo, Jr. , at the New London Barn Playhouse later this summer, and beyond! She’d like to thank Dave, Phillip, and Abigail for being such a supportive and skilled music team, and the entire cast and crew for their energy and dedication to this show.
The costume team and TAAP students take measurements of the cast
The scenic team presents to the cast on the first day of rehearsal
Creative Team
JENNIFER BOESING Director, Founding Artistic Director
Jennifer (she/her) worked professionally as a singer and actor in Minneapolis from the age of nine. Before graduation from high school, she had performed with At the Foot of the Mountain Theater Company, Mabou Mines Theater, Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Minnesota Opera. Jennifer studied acting at the Northwestern Summer Theater Institute, with Wesley Balk at the New Music Theater Institute in Minneapolis, and with Sanford Meisner and Richard Pinter at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater in New York City. In 2002, she earned a master’s in music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she received the award for Outstanding Achievement in Operatic Performance. Locally, Jennifer has performed opera, oratorio, and musical theater. Professional credits include work with San Francisco Opera Center, San Francisco Lyric Opera, Pocket Opera, Berkeley Opera, Oakland Opera Theater, Festival Opera, North Bay Opera, 42nd St. Moon, and Mountain Play. Jennifer began working as a director and educator with YMTC in 2000, when it was called Youth Musical Theater Commons. She has served as founding artistic director for YMTC since the company became a nonprofit organization in 2004.
DAVID MÖSCHLER Co-Music Director
David (he/him) is a freelance conductor and musical director based in the Bay Area. He was named the first resident music director for YMTC in 2011 and received The American Prize in Conducting for the first YMTC production of Ragtime . He has music-directed 30 productions at YMTC and over 100 at other places such as Berkeley Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, Mountain Play, West Edge Opera, Lamplighters, Shotgun Players, and Ray of Light Theatre among many others. When not involved in theater, he’s been guest music director for the wildly popular tribute series UnderCover Presents: Sly and the Family Stone's Stand! and toured North America with Pop Up Magazine and the rock band The Dear Hunter after recording on several of their albums, and recently made his Off-Broadway debut playing accordion for Stephen Schwartz’s The Baker’s Wife . David also works during the summers in Cape Cod at College Light Opera Company where he has been on music staff since 2005. In 2013, he founded the Awesöme Orchestra Collective in the Bay Area, which he conducts every month. Visit davidmoschler.com for more info.
PHILLIP HARRIS Co-Music Director
Phillip (he/him) is a performer and educator who has previous or current affiliations with Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, Reno Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, West Valley College, Aspen Music Festival, Opera Las Vegas, San Mateo Masterworks Chorale and Orchestra, Island City Opera, Mountain Play Chanticleers Theatre, and The National Association of Teachers of Singing. He holds degrees from the University of California Irvine, the University of Michigan, and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. More info is at philliplnharris.com. PAM CRANE Choreographer Pam (she/her) was a founding YMTC board member, and the company’s first managing director, and production manager. She has choreographed many of YMTC’s productions, including Anything Goes , Guys & Dolls , Once Upon a Mattress , Cabaret , Fiddler on the Roof , Jesus Christ Superstar , West Side Story , Urinetown , The Most Happy Fella , and The Music Man . Many thanks to everyone who makes YMTC and live theater possible!
KATHY ROGERS Scenic Designer
Kathy is honored to collaborate with such a talented group of fellow artists on this show! Some of her favorite past designs for YMTC include Matilda , RENT , The Light in the Piazza , Sweeney Todd , and Shrek . She is the principal architect of Sogno Design Group, a residential architecture and interior design firm in Albany.
RACHAEL HEIMAN Costume Designer
Rachael (they/she/he) graduated from the California College of the Arts in 2018 and has spent the last decade as a Bay Area Production Designer and Fabricator specializing in historical recreation costume for opera and musicals. This is their 9th time costume designing for YMTC, following Les Misérables , The Music Man , The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee , The Light in the Piazza , Sweeney Todd, Shrek, Ragtime, Matilda, and Sunday in the Park with George . Besides design and fabrication, Rachael has worked as an actor, model, and props artist. Previous companies they’ve worked with include: The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, African-American Shakespeare Company, The Speakeasy, San Francisco Playhouse. @Rachaelheimanproductions
SAYLOR Lighting Designer
Saylor (she/they) graduated in 2022 from Wagner College in Staten Island, NY, where she received her BA in Theatre Production. Now back home in the Bay, she has been so lucky to do what she is passionate about. Thank you to everyone at YMTC for letting me come back to design again! Past credits include: Chinglish at San Francisco Playhouse (Assistant Lighting Designer) Kinky Boots at The Throckmorton Theater (Lighting Designer), and Camp, a New Musical Off-Broadway at Theater Five (Lighting Designer). Enjoy the show! DAWN NAKASHIMA Properties Designer, Scenic Artist Dawn is so pleased to have found a niche in theater stagecraft (props, set dressing, paint & build). One of her favorite pastimes is to “make things” and as the property master she gets to flex her creative, problem solving and resourceful-ness muscles. Turns out Dawn is well suited for this type of work with a BS in Industrial Design (SJSU) and an MFA in Studio Arts (Mills College). Some of Dawn’s favorite YMTC shows to work on for their unique challenges - Light in the Piazza, Shrek the Musical & Matilda. Check out Dawn's website for her latest creations: www.nakfinearts.com LUCRETIA FROKE Hair + Makeup Designer, Scenic Artist Lucretia (she/her) is a bay area maker based in Marin who has done makeup for a number of films big and small. She has done scenic painting for the Hilbarn Theater, running crew for a variety of theaters, and done painting, set dressing, lighting, fly runner and running crew for Cabrillo Stage for 6 years. This is her third time working for YMTC and is looking forward to many more seasons here.
ISABELLA CAMPOS Assistant Director
Isabella (she/her) is a recent graduate from Carnegie Mellon University, and just obtained her BFA in Music Theatre. She will be starring in the new musical, Somewhere Over the Border , in the fall, but since this is her first summer out of school, she thought there would be no better job than to help younger artists grow into themselves as performers. She wants to thank Jennifer for giving her this opportunity and everyone who is watching for supporting these incredible artists!
BESSIE ZOLNO Violence + Intimacy Coordinator
IOANIDA COSTACHE Romani Cultural Consultant, Dramaturg Dr. Ioanida Costache is a Romani violinist, video artist, and scholar. She is an assistant professor of Ethnomusicology at Stanford University. Her research traces the legacies of Romani historical trauma – as well as the feminist and de-colonial critiques of the present – inscribed in Romani music, sound, and art. Her writing has been published in EuropeNow, RevistaARTA, Critical Romani Studies, and European History Quarterly. Her work as a video and sound artist has been exhibited in New York City, Bucharest and at the 2022 Roma Exhibition Collateral Event at the 59th la Biennale di Venezia. She is a two-time Fulbright grantee, and has held visiting fellowships at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the USC Shoah Foundation. Bessie Zolno (she/her) is excited to be working with YMTC for the first time. She currently splits her time between Tel Aviv and the Bay Area and is passionate about helping performers safely navigate heightened moments on stage. She has worked on over 40 productions and is an associate faculty member with the Association of Mental Health Coordinators. Some favorite credits include: Alexander Penn (Niko Nitai Theater/Tel Aviv), Clytemnestra (CoCoSPA/Bay Area), and Newsies (Berkeley Playhouse/Bay Area). bessiezolno.com
DANIEL NEELY Technical Director, Master Builder
Daniel (he/him) is from the Bay Area and has roots in the community of Hayward and Oakland. His experience in theater ranges from lighting designer, audio engineer, video production and stage design. You may catch him on stage singing or behind the scenes helping to assist the technical staff or front of house. He is ecstatic to be working another show with YMTC as TD/Master Carpenter, and gets to use all of his years of experience and expertise gained from previous work with other organizations in the Bay Area. This includes, but not limited to Dean Lesher Theater, The Strand (ACT) and Le Ferve Theater (Saint Mary’s College), Berkeley Community Media Television Studio. “If you dream it, you can do it.” - Walt Disney
ADELINE SMITH Scenic Painter
Adeline (she/her) is a Bay Area based scenic painter, freelancing across the area since 2014. Recent productions include the Road to Mecca at ZBelow, Musical Theater Workshop’s Beauty and the Beast, and Let The Right Ine In with Berkeley Repertory Theater. This is her first production with YMTC.
CHIARA MAPP Wardrobe Manager
Chiara (she/her) works in the costume shop at Wesleyan University. She is interested in historical clothing, especially original methods of construction. Previously she has designed costumes for Frankenstein and The Wolves , in addition to assistant costume work on other productions. This is her first YMTC production.
BERTRAND BLANK Sound Engineer
Bert (he/him) is a sound engineer, DJ, and event producer in the Bay Area. He is the founder of By the Bay Productions, an innovative entertainment production company that specializes in sound design, lighting, and audio-visual effects. Bert has designed the sound for productions of Little Shop of Horrors, Be More Chill, and Heathers: The Musical. He is thrilled to be working with YMTC, and very excited to be part of the team bringing Matilda to the stage. Visit bythebayproductions.com for more info.
GABE WILKIE-ROGERS Stage Manager
Gabe (he/him) continues to ascend. His previous credits as a stage manager include Ragtime , Matilda , and Sunday in the Park with George (YMTC), The Saint Plays (Reed College), War of the Worlds (JP Radio Plays), and The Night The Aliens Came To A Musical Theatre Revue (RIPP). His apotheosis will continue this fall with YMTC’s Little Shop of Horrors.
DAVID VAN RIPER Assistant Stage Manager
David (he/him) is excited to work with YMTC for the first time! He is is a rising sophomore at Tufts University. He has previously worked on high school and college productions including Legally Blonde and Falsettos . He also enjoys working in the shop to build theatre sets. When he isn’t handing you a prop backstage, you might find David backpacking or playing Tetris.
The cast of Ragtime 2022 Photo by Dave Weiland
The cast of Shrek 2022 Photo by Dave Weiland
Musicians
AUDREY JACKSON Reed I (clarinet, flute, piccolo, soprano saxophone)
Multi-instrumentalist Audrey Jackson (she, her, hers) has played for musical theater productions from Napa down to Monterey. Past credits include Sunday in the Park with George , A Christmas Story , Cabaret , and Groundhog Day the Musical at SF Playhouse as well as Sunday in the Park with George , Shrek the Musical , A Chorus Line and Into the Woods with YMTC. She is now a proud part owner of Forrests Music in Berkeley. Her hobbies include cooking and hiking. When not engaged in musical activities, discovering the intricacies of Quickbooks or quarantining, she can be found in New York attending Broadway musicals and Mets games, or relaxing in the Napa Valley with her dearest friends.
SUE CRUM Reed II (alto saxophone, clarinet, oboe, English horn)
Sue (she/her) is originally from the midwest and moved to California in 2004. Sue has taught instrumental music in Ohio, Idaho, and California. She has an active private music studio where she teaches flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, horn and trombone. In addition to playing with the Youth Music Theater Company, Sue is the Music Director for the Oakland Community Orchestra, plays with West County Winds and the Community Women’s Orchestra. Sue has also been a guest conductor with the Awesome Orchestra Collective.
CAROLYN WALTER Reed III (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, bassoon, clarinet)
Carolyn (she/her) played her first show with YMTC, Parade , back in 2010 - she hasn’t looked back since! Carolyn received her Bachelor of Music degree from San Francisco State, and continues to play as a freelancer and band member in a variety of styles, on a variety of woodwind instruments. She maintains a full teaching schedule, and deeply appreciates the importance of arts education.
SONJA LINDSAY Trumpet I (piccolo trumpet)
Sonja (she/her) is thrilled to be back at YMTC after a long hiatus. Sonja has played with various theater companies across the bay area including Berkeley Playhouse, San Francisco Playhouse and Bay Area Musicals.
MIKE MCCANN Trumpet II (flugelhorn)
Mike McCann (he/him) is a trumpeter and educator residing in Oakland, CA. He moved to the Bay in 2019 after touring across the US, Canada, and Europe with Busty and the Bass, a band he co-founded while living in Montreal. As a freelancer, he is comfortable in a number of different musical settings including pop and rock bands, ballets, cover bands, orchestras, and big bands. Most notably, he had recent performances with the Vallejo Symphony, the New Ballet in San Jose and Mountain Play’s production of Into The Woods. As an educator, he runs a private teaching studio out of his home in Oakland, where he helps students of all ages and levels develop their personal connection to music.
BONNIE MADDOX Trombone (tenor and bass trombone, euphonium)
Bonnie (she/her) earned her BM in trombone performance from University of the Pacific and continued her studies at Die Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Trossingen, Germany with Abbie Conant. Bonnie teaches privately on numerous instruments and freelances around the Bay Area. Bonnie’s theatrical credits include Nunsense with Altarena Playhouse, Chicago and A Chorus Line with Pinole Community Players, T he Most Happy Fella, Guys and Dolls, Parade, Les Misérables, The Music Man, and Sweeney Todd with Youth Musical Theater Company, Ragtime with Throckmorton Theatre, Thoroughly Modern Millie with Contra Costa Musical Theatre, Hello Dolly with Mountain Play, and In the Heights with Berkeley Playhouse. Bonnie and her husband Jay are low brass ambassadors for the adventure-seeking Awesöme Orchestra Collective: awesomeorchestra.org
BRIETTA GREGER Percussion (concert and drum set)
Brietta Greger (sh/her) is a Bay Area percussionist with an MFA from CalArts. She specializes in avant-garde chamber music, North Indian classical tabla, and Latin hand drums. A composer, improviser, recording artist, and teacher, Brietta can be found performing with local bands, including Thunderhug and Will Rees Band, and in musical theaters all across the Bay Area. Recent theater credits include Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Shotgun Players), In the Heights (Berkeley Playhouse), Sweeney Todd (YMTC), Becoming Robin Hood (Berkeley Playhouse), and Something Rotten (CMTSJ). Visit briettagreger.com for more information.
JESSICA IGARISHI Keyboard II
Jessica Igarashi (she/her) is a pianist, music director, and educator based in the East Bay. She teaches private lessons and performs regularly as a collaborative pianist and keyboardist/conductor for musical theater productions. Recent theater credits include Matilda (Berkeley Playhouse), Xanadu (Las Positas College), and In the Heights (Center Repertory Company).
WAKEFORD GONG Violin I
Wakeford Gong (he/him) has played in numerous productions with YMTC and is thrilled to be part of this production. Other companies he has worked with include 42nd Street Moon, Berkeley Playhouse, Woodminster, and Mountain Play. Wakeford also enjoys teaching violin to students of all ages, helping them to express themselves through their instrument. In his spare time, he likes to practice calligraphy and photography.
MARY TANIOS Violin II
Mary (she/her) is thrilled to play violin in her daughter’s (Maggie Tanios) debut performance with YMTC! Mary is a freelance violinist in the Bay Area with extensive experience performing in string ensemble groups and community orchestras. Her favorite activity is going to musicals (including YMTC productions!) and singing along to musical recordings with her two daughters. She hopes you enjoy the show as much as she enjoys playing the music!
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