Two Gentlemen of Verona – Digital Program | Department of Theatre & Dance

CofC Stages proudly presents

Two Gentlemen of Verona

by William Shakespeare

Directed by Michael Smallwood

Scenic Designer Bristol Barnes	Costume Designers Brandon Alston Molly Belle	Lighting Designer Sara Whitehead	Sound Designer Eli Salas
Technical Director JD Stallings	Costume Shop Manager Ellen Swick		Stage Manager Mollie Davis

February 22-March 2, 2023
Chapel Theatre, 66 George Street

Jump to: Production Team | Acknowledgments | Director’s and Dramaturgical Note | Cast and Production Team Biographies

Cast

Production Team

CofC Stages Artistic Director: Janine McCabe
Director of Theatre: Nakeisha Daniel
Production Manager: Miles Boinest
Stage Management Advisor: Susan Kattwinkel
Assistant Director: Madison Berry
Assistant Stage Managers: Allison Jones, Ella More
Intimacy Coordinator: Nakeisha Daniel

Scenic Design Advisor: Jonathan Wentz
Properties Lead: Bristol Barnes
Scenic Charge: Ethan Robey
Assistant Scenic Charge: Jonathan Wentz
Lead Carpenter: AP Hart
Scenic Construction and Painting: Students of Stagecraft, Madelein Hanson, Liz Perkins
Properties Room Manager: Isabella Gardner
Scene Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Bristol Barnes, Madison Berry, Glenna Durbin, Isabella Gardner, Bea Lemaster, Caroline Magee, Max Marshall, Ella Moore, Ethan Robey, Eli Salas

Costume Design Advisor: Janine McCabe, Ellen Swick
Sewing & Alterations: Stef Amezcua Barrientos, Ashlyn Denham, Mattison Gaillard, Sav Griffin, Cameron Gulledge, Samantha Stinner, and students of Intro to Costuming
Wardrobe Crew: Kylie Daisey, Ashlyn Denham, Lexi Prioleau, Amari Woodard
Costume Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Savannah Blake, Zachary Kobylarz, Brandon Alston, Olivia Maness, Molly Belle

Lighting Design Advisor: Lauren Duffie
Head Electrician: Alex Jones
Light Board Programmer/Operator: Bootsie Baldwin
Electric Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Alex Jones, Chris Warzynski
Electricians: Bootsie Baldwin, Mia Bowersox, Bri Fabian, Caroline Magee, Eli Salas, Kate Yarbray

Sound Design Advisor: Caleb Garner
Sound Board Operator: Abby Israel

CofC Stages Operations Coordinator: Miles Boinest
Marketing & Communications: Nandini B. McCauley
Graphic Designer: Rob Alexander
Photography: David Mandel, Madison Berry
Publicity: Madison Berry, Zach Kobylarz
Box Office: George Street Box Office
House Managers: Emme Burleson, Kalyn Jacobs, Reagan Neilson
Office Assistant: Ngaa Magombedze

Special Thanks

Heaven Egan, Jake Cisson, Gillian Huntley, Ambernice Tolliver, Fresh Prince Fits, Ren Mummert, Anja Kelley, Carolyna Ramirez, and the George Street Box Office staff

Thank you to all of our donors!

Become an Impact Sponsor
The Department of Theatre and Dance offers opportunities to become an Impact Sponsor. Impact Sponsors have a direct financial and personal impact on individual students with whom you’ll be connected. You will be honored at special events, receive recognition in the 2022-2023 season programs and other department reports and receive updates from your student. For more information, visit theatre.cofc.edu/support and contact our office at 843.953.6306 to declare your impact.

Impact Sponsor Levels:
BENEFACTOR $2,500+ (for incoming student scholarship)
Add your name here!

GUARDIAN $750 (Clarence Student Award)
Karl & Charlene Bunch
Tap & Jean Johnson
Mindy Seltzer & Bob Lovinger
Evelynn & Bill Putnam
Sam & Nancy Stafford
Charlotte Townsend
Louis & Andrea Weinstein
Chester & Arlene Williams
Anonymous (4)

Special Gifts: (Leave a lasting legacy. Learn more: 843.953.5348 or cofclegacy.org)
Anonymous – legacy gift
Charleston Academy of Music
John Covington & Robert Lukey – legacy gift
Michael & Susan Master – legacy gift

Become a Season Sponsor
As we transitions back to live in-person audiences and mask-free performances last season, we worked hard to keep our students and audiences engaged. We preserved the student experience during these last two years, but we lost essential revenue that plays a huge role in funding our season’s productions. Your donations contribute to funding the essentials needed for scenery, lighting, sound, and costumes, but more importantly, they help support student employees, student research and travel, and other student-focused experiences. We can’t do this without your generosity!

Season Sponsor Levels:
PRODUCER $1000+
Karl & Charlene Bunch
Tap & Jean Johnson
Jenny Hane
Anthony Laneve
Anne & Allen Lyndrup
Sam & Nancy Stafford
Chester & Arlene Williams

ADVOCATE $750-999
Susan Kattwinkel
Janine McCabe
Matt & Gretchen McLaine
Susan Morrison
Evelynn & Bill Putnam
Mindy Seltzer & Bob Lovinger
Nancy & Sam Stafford
Louis & Andrea Weinstein
Jonathan & Janine Wentz

STAR $500-749
Michael & Susan Master
James McKenna
Valerie B. Morris

DIRECTOR $250-499
Kristin Alexander
Sandra N. Bumgarner
Janice and Jay Messeroff

FAN $100-249
Donnetta L. Grays
Todd McNerney
Jillian and Michael Smallwood
Emma Simmons
Justin Van Beusecum

PATRON up to $99
Mary Beth Berry, Laura C. Bayless, Stephen & Allegra Litvin, James Rozier, Laura Turner

Director’s Note

“We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote from Frederick Douglass since I started working on Two Gentlemen of Verona, likely William Shakespeare’s first play.

As we, myself and the incredible student design team, developed our approach to this play, we looked into the past a lot. We dissected the play and found the seeds of much of the rest of Shakespeare’s career. We drew inspiration from the architectural history of Verona and Milan. We mined the 1980s and 1990s for music and fashion.

But there are pieces of that past, and this play’s history, that were not useful to our present or our future, and certainly not our production. Those pieces have fallen away. Other pieces have been shifted to bring them into line with our present. The entire process has been illuminating about the way we engage with classic plays.

It has all proven to be a fertile and exciting learning opportunity for our student designers, crew members, and cast.

—Michael Smallwood
Director

Cast and Production Team Biographies

Guest Artist:
Michael Smallwood (he/him) is an actor, writer, and director. He is an award-winning playwright whose works have been produced in Atlanta, Charleston, DC, and New York City. His award-winning short films How Many Times and What a Beautiful Wedding have played festivals across the US and Europe. Michael is also an accomplished stage and screen actor, with featured roles in The Inspectors, Halloween Kills, and the upcoming Livescreamers. He is a core member at PURE Theatre and teaches Playwriting/Screenwriting at the College of Charleston.

Brandon Alston (he/him) is a junior majoring in Theatre with a concentration in Costume Design and Technology. This is his first mainstage costume design. His work as an assistant costume designer includes A Christmas Carol (Charleston Stage) and Mlima’s Tale (PURE Theatre). Previous acting credits include Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Pipeline, and Living Dead in Denmark.

Noah Anderson (he/him) is a junior double majoring in History and Theatre. This is his 3rd MainStage show at the College of Charleston. He also performed in Cabaret and Violet. He was also featured in Center Stage’s The Swing of the Sea.

Molly Belle (she/her) is a senior majoring in Theatre with a concentration in Costume Design and Technology. This is the second mainstage production she has been a part of here at the College and is delighted to have had the opportunity to co-design such a wonderful show. Her previous assistant costume design work includes Violet (CofC), A Christmas Carol (Charleston Stage), Mlima’s Tale (PURE Theatre), and Don Giovanni (Charleston Opera Theater).

Mia Brady (she/her) is a sophomore at the College. She is very excited to be a part of Two Gentleman of Verona and would like to thank her director, cast, and parents for all their support throughout this production.

Bristol Barnes (she/they) is a junior majoring in Theatre (Scenic Design and Performance) and minoring in Film Studies. She is very excited for her first show as Scenic Designer at the College of Charleston. Their work has previously been seen as Assistant Scenic Designer on Cabaret and their directorial work has been seen in Center Stage’s Proof this January.

Jazmine Brown (any pronouns) is a junior majoring in Theatre. This is the first mainstage production they are a part of and they are really excited to be on the stage again!

Jake Cisson (they/he) is a sophomore at the College of Charleston, majoring in Theatre and Business. This is their first production at the College.

Mollie Davis (she/they) is a junior majoring in Psychology and Theatre. She has been involved in many shows at the College including Violet as Stage Manager, Everybody as co-Stage Manager, and Pipeline as Assistant Stage Manager. She is so happy to have been able to work with such a wonderful cast and also would like to thank her mom for supporting her unconditionally with her adventures in theatre.

Lauren Evans (she/her) is a sophomore Theatre major at the College of Charleston with a performance concentration. This is her second performance at the College, the first being the Fall 2022 Haunted House (The Case of the Missing Students), where she played a tour guide. Lauren is excited to be a part of this cast, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Bri Fabian (she/her) is a senior German and Arts Management major with minors in Theatre and Marketing. This is her first appearance in a main stage production, but she was previously in the Department’s Director’s Showcase as Thea Elvsted in Hedda Gabler.

Kit Fischer (he/they) is a sophomore at the College of Charleston majoring in Foreign Language Education. Previously, he has performed as Dr. Everett Scott in Center Stage’s 2022 production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Kit is delighted to be a member of such an amazing cast and would like to thank everyone for believing in him.

Mekhi Gaither (he/him) is a senior at the College majoring in Theatre (Theatre for Youth). He is beyond grateful for the cast and crew and is excited to be a part of this production. He has previously been seen in Violet, Pipeline, Everybody, and Arts under the Oaks.

Isabella Gardner (she/her) is a sophomore double majoring in Theatre (General) and Arts Management. This is her second mainstage show and she is so excited to get another opportunity to perform! When she’s not performing, she’s the properties room manager and a scene shop assistant.

Madelein Hanson (she/her) is a sophomore majoring in Theatre Studies and French and Francophone Studies. She is very excited to be in her first show at the College of Charleston!

Madelyn LaBarge (she/her) is a freshman at CofC. This is her first show at the College and her first Shakespeare. Madelyn would like to thank Michael Smallwood for helping her break out of her shell during the rehearsal process, her castmates, the crew members for being extremely kind and welcoming, and her parents.

Caroline Magee (she/they) is a senior at the College double-majoring in Theatre (Performance) and English (Creative Writing). She was last seen on the Mainstage as God in Everybody and as Boots for Center Stage’s production of The Swing of the Sea for the Stella di Domani Theatre Series. She is incredibly grateful to the entire Two Gents team, especially Michael Smallwood, for this opportunity. It has been filled with so much vivacity and light. What an honor + joy it is to get to share this space with you. Thank you for being here, and welcome to Shakespeare’s Italy!

Max Marshall (he/him) is a Senior majoring in Theatre (Scenic Design and Technology Concentration). This is his fourth mainstage production with the Department of Theatre and Dance. Max was last seen on stage as Herr Schultz in Cabaret last spring. He also was the scenic designer for Violet this fall.

Arden McNeill (she/her) is a senior majoring in Theatre (performance) and minoring in Arts Management. Her last performance with the college was Arts Under the Oaks, but this is her first official MainStage show and she’s so grateful for this opportunity! Arden has also worked behind the scenes on hair and makeup for Center Stage’s Rocky Horror Picture Show Shadow Cast (2021), and for their upcoming production of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.

Mason Monti (he/him) is a senior majoring in Theatre with a concentration in performance. This is his fourth and final performance as a student actor in a mainstage production. He was last seen as Charles Bingley in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.

Eli Salas (they/he) is a junior at the college studying Theatre with a concentration in scenic and light design and technology. They are the student sound designer for College of Charleston’s 2022-2023 season. He made his sound design debut with Center Stage’s 2021 production of The Swing of the Sea by Molly Hagan. They loved getting to work on this production and with its incredible cast, crew, and director. You can see his work next in CofC’s Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet by Tarell Alvin McCraney. He hopes you thoroughly enjoy the show!

Chris Waryznski (any pronouns) is a sophomore Theatre major with a performance and lighting/scenic double concentration with a minor in Japanese Studies. He has performed with the department of theatre and Dance in Cabaret (Siegfried) and Violet (Leroy). He also was the lighting designer for several pieces of Shifting Perspectives. He would like to thank Bea Lemaster, and his Nana for not evicting him.

Sara Whitehead (she/her) is a senior majoring in Theatre with a concentration in Lighting Design. She has previously designed many dance pieces for the department as well as Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. You can see her work in Becoming We, the student-choreographed dance concert later this semester.

Aidan Wunderley (she/they) is a sophomore Theatre major with a concentration in performance. Her other roles at the College of Charleston include Woman in A Sudden Spontaneous Event and Jess in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised]. She was last seen as Brad in Center Stage’s Rocky Horror Picture Show. Aidan is excited to work with such a talented dog on this production!

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