After the Rain – Digital Program

After the Rain

Artistic Director  Kristin Alexander
Quattlebaum Artist-in-Residence Herman Ramos
Lighting Designer Sara Whitehead	Technical Directors JD Stallings Evie Palmisano	Costume Shop Manager Ellen Swick	Stage Manager Lexi Prioleau

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October 28-29, 2023
Sottile Theatre, 44 George Street

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Jump to: Production Team | Acknowledgements | Cast and Production Team Biographies

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Dance Pieces and Program Notes

CRUST
Choreographer: Charlie Maybee
Costume Designer: Mira Turkewitz
Music: Charlie Maybee
Dancers: Skylar Carroll, Whitney Green, Dylan Horwitz, Emily Monahan*, Abby Percy

After the rain falls
The mud soaks into my skin
A crust I call home

Lost & Found
Choreographer: Emily Falcone
Music: Patrick Watson, edited by Emily Falcone
Dancers: Emily Acome, Amara Alexander*, Eliza Farley, Lindsey Ferguson, Sophia Ford, Sophie Ketchum, Lily Mueller*, Cheyanne Stankiewicz

“There is no growth without change, no change without fear or loss, and no loss without pain.” —Rick Warren

Pas de Square
Choreographer: Gretchen McLaine
Costume Designer: Mira Turkewitz
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven
Dancers: Ella Downs, Emmie Kiser, Maria Stewart*, Mackenzie Walker, Olivia Wilkinson

Alf Leyla Wa Leyla — One Thousand and One Nights
Choreographer: Beena Austin
Costume Design: Stef Amezcua
Music: Baligh Hamdi, edited by Beena Austin
Dancers: Amara Alexander (Sunday), Avé-Ella Blanchette, Alejandra Casco, Mackenzie Cassidy (Saturday), Emily Falcone, Madison Fisher (soloist), Emily Monahan (Sunday), Gabby Perales (Saturday), Sophia Wirta (soloist), Ava Woods (soloist)

This piece is in honor of Egyptian artists, especially the most honored woman of the Arab world, Oum Kalthoum. Much of my career has been working with students of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds to learn and perform Arabic Dance. The students dancing in Alf Leyla Wa Leyla now have an appreciation for this cultural art form that is rooted in feeling the movement. The student costume designer researched to better understand the traditional dress, and the dancers are wearing some of my own costumes. A special thank you to Izdihar and Esabeau for costume inspirations, knowledge, and loans.

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10 MINUTE INTERMISSION

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Broken Crayons Still Color
Choreographer: Kristin Alexander
Costume Design: Lily Lombardi
Music: Greenwood/Greenwood/O’Brien/Selway/Yorke, Wieniawski, Carey; edited by Rob Alexander
Dancers: Hailey Commodore, Leila Crane, Lexi DeBo, Maya Everett-Wilson, Ayushi Gaur, Alyssa Guardino*, Jen Griffaton*, Hayden Horton, Mia Moran*, Irina Moul, Ana Plucar, Tabitha Rapp, Chloe Stankiewicz, Cheyanne Stankiewicz, Lauren Summerville, Madison Vaughan, Katelyn Ventura, Mackenzie Walker, Chloe Whitley

Even at our lowest, we still have gifts to give. Dedicated to LSE and JDC.

Excerpts from Le Corsaire
Choreographer: after Marius Petipa
Restaged by Olga Wise and Pamela O’Briant
Costume Design: Mattison Gaillard
Music: Adolphe Adam
Soloists: Jillian Epstein, Kailee Rafalko and Maria Stewart
Corps de Ballet: Aidan Baumann, Corrina Castillo, Katie Mullins

Originally premiered in 1856, Le Corsaire is a swashbuckling, romantic tale of pirates, beautiful women in distress, and intrigue that is typical of the ballets created during that era. Loosely based on the 1814 poem by Lord Byron, this ballet tells the story of the passionate pirate Conrad who falls in love with the beautiful Medora. Le Corsaire has become one of the most popular ballets in the world, with excerpts performed independently as an essential part of classical ballet training.

Bohemian Rap City
Choreographer: Herman Ramos
Rehearsal Director: Gretchen McLaine
Rehearsal Assistants: Avé-Ella Blanchette, Ally Keschinger
Costume Designer: Ashlyn Denham
Music: F. Mercury, original introduction by text-to-speech AI
Dancers: Avé-Ella Blanchette, Alejandra Casco, Lindsey Ferguson, Madison Fisher*, Sophia Ford*, Lauryn Gadson, Alyssa Guardino, Hayden Horton, Dylan Horwitz*, Ally Keschinger, Libbie Krey, Abby Percy, Gianna Trimboli, Madison Vaughan, Mackenzie Walker, Halle White

*indicates understudies

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Production Team

CofC Stages Artistic Director: Janine McCabe
Director of Dance: Gretchen McLaine
Production Coordinator: Ellen Swick
Stage Management Advisor: Susan Kattwinkel

Costume Design Advisor: Janine McCabe
Sewing & Alterations: Zoe Barber, Ava Woods, and students of Intro to Costume
Wardrobe Crew: Cadence Brown, Maya Everett-Wilson, Lila Knull
Costume Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Brandon Alston, Stef Amezcua, Zoe Barber, Savannah Blake, Ashlyn Denham, Mattison Gaillard

Electric Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Bootsie Baldwin, Alex Jones, Chris Warzynski
Light Board Programmer and Operator: Jacob Reiss
Sound Board Operator: Amelia Tebalt
Fly Rail Operator: Sam Meier

Operations Coordinator: Miles Boinest
Marketing & Communications: Nandini B. McCauley
Graphic Designer: Rob Alexander
Photography: David Mandel, Max Myers, Madison Berry
Publicity: Madison Berry, Bristol Barnes, Kaylee Phillips
Box Office: George Street Box Office

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Special Thanks

The Quattlebaum Family
Robert Ivey Ballet
Beena Austin, Izdihar and Esabeau
SOTA Interim Dean Elizabeth Meyer-Bernstein
Carolyna Ramirez and the George Street Box Office staff

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Thank you to all of our donors!

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
Valerie Morris
Evelynn Putnam
Sam & Nancy Stafford
Chester & Arlene Williams
Laurel and Justin Van Beusecum
Anonymous (3)

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

With its origin dating back to 1985, the College’s Quattlebaum Artists-in-Residence Endowment has helped connect students and the community to renowned artists such as visual artists Christo and Htein Lin, pianist Leon Fleisher, photographer Duane Michaels, former NEA Chariman and actor Jane Alexander, among many others.

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
Anthony Laneve
Chester & Arlene Williams

ADVOCATE $750-999
Tap & Jean Johnson
Susan Kattwinkel
Janine McCabe
Matt & Gretchen McLaine
Valerie Morris
Evelynn Putnam
Mindy Seltzer & Bob Lovinger
Nancy & Sam Stafford
Laurel and Justin Van Beusecum

STAR $500-749
Leslie Dyke
Michael & Susan Master

DIRECTOR $250-499
Sandra Garner
Janice & Jay Messeroff
Laura Turner
Jonathan & Janine Wentz

FAN $100-249
Kristin Alexander
Rebecca Boone
Glenda Byars
Todd McNerney
Elena & Ted Mitchell
Sam Rhodes
Emma Simmons
Jillian & Michael Smallwood

PATRON up to $99
Mary Berry, Laura C. Bayless, Stephen & Allegra Litvin, James Rozier, Bari Perales, Claire Steffens, Laura Turner

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Cast and Production Team Biographies

Quattlebaum Artist-in-Residence: Herman Ramos (Guest Choreographer)

Herman Ramos is a native of Northern Virginia. His initial training came from local Hip Hop crews of the DC metro area where he specialized in breakdance and Hip Hop choreography. He remained active in the culture and battled in the North Florida areas until 2010. Upon beginning his classical training in Florida he simultaneously toured regionally with Apocalypse Dance Crew and worked locally with the Danscompany of Gainesville where he has frequently returned as a guest artist.

Herman received his MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Florida State University in 2016; shifting some focus to improving his pedagogy with various teaching opportunities at the University of Florida, the South Eastern Regional American College Dance Association and the annual American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina. Recently, Herman has worked with dance departments at University of Tampa and Texas A&M to set new works and provide additional lectures in African Diasporic practices of Jazz and Hip Hop. In recent years, his studies in Jazz dance practices has led him on a journey to receive dance certification in Giordano technique.

As of 2023, Herman will hold an intermediate level certification in Giordano dance technique. As a guest teacher, Herman has taught various contemporary styles at many local dance studios and high schools across the state of Florida; appearing as a guest artist for the Volusia County Performance Dance Assessment All-County squad.

As a dance performer/choreographer, he is currently immersed in the Orlando contemporary dance scene and is a contributing artist with Non-Profit Company: Emergence Dance. Other notable choreographic project interactions from Herman’s career include work with members of Florida State University dance faculty, the Red Project (NYC), Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre (Miami), and T Lang Dance (ATL). Herman holds adjunct dance faculty positions at Santa Fe College and the University of Florida.

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Guest Artist: Sara Whitehead (Lighting Designer)

Sara Whitehead is a 2023 graduate of the College of Charleston with a degree in Theatre (Lighting Design and Technology), and she is excited to be back for this concert. Previously she has designed as a student for many dance concerts at the College including Wanderlust, Becoming We, and Shifting Perspectives, as well as for theatre productions Two Gentlemen of Verona and Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. She is happy to be returning as a professional to shed light on the show!

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Emily Acome is a freshman majoring in Elementary Education and minoring in Dance from Richmond, Virginia. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Amara Alexander is a freshman double majoring in Biology and Dance, from Potomac, Maryland. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Kristin Alexander is an Associate Professor of Dance at the College of Charleston. She is the Artistic Director of Annex Dance Company and serves on the City of Charleston’s Commission on the Arts. Last spring Kristin served as the Artistic Director of the student dance concert Becoming We, and looks forward to taking on that role again next semester for Pathways.

Beena Austin is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Dance. She has studied, performed, and presented cultural dances of the Arab world, folkloric and modern dances from Egypt to the Gulf countries, and from the Levant region to North African Maghreb region. She teaches non-Western dance at the College of Charleston as well as private lessons and group classes in Mount Pleasant and West Ashley.

Aidan Baumann is a senior double majoring in Dance and Hospitality & Tourism Management from Philadelphia, PA. This is her seventh mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We. 

Avé-Ella Blanchette is a junior from Nashua, New Hampshire. She is double majoring in Dance and Special Education. This is her fourth mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We.

Skylar Carroll is a sophomore majoring in Dance, from Lexington, SC. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Alejandra Casco is a senior from Summerville, SC. She is majoring in Dance with a concentration in performance and choreography, and minoring in Arts Management. This is her fourth mainstage performance at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Shifting Perspectives.

Mackenzie Cassidy is a freshman from Ardmore, Pennsylvania. She is double-majoring in Psychology and Theatre and minoring in Dance. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Corrina Castillo is a sophomore from East Hampton, NY. She is majoring in Communications with a double minor in Dance and Spanish. This is her second show with the college, and was last seen as an understudy in Becoming We.

Hailey Commodore is a sophomore double majoring in Exercise Science and Dance, from Tinton Falls, New Jersey.  She is also on the CofC dance team, as well as a teacher at Tapio School of Dance in Mt. Pleasant. This is her second show with the college, and she is so excited to continue her dance career with CofC.

Leila Crane is a junior double majoring in Dance and English on the Pre-Law track from Habersham, Georgia. This is her fourth performance with the college, last seen in Becoming We.

Lexi DeBo is a freshman double majoring in Dance and Communication from Greenville,SC. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Ashlyn Denham is a junior majoring in Theatre with a concentration in Costume Design from Morgantown, West Virginia. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston

Ella Downs is a freshman majoring in Dance from Kennett Square, PA. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Jillian Epstein is a freshman double majoring in Dance and History, from Asheville, NC. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston

Maya Everett-Wilson is a senior dance major from Natick, Massachusetts. This is their fifth main stage show at the College of Charleston. They were last seen in Becoming We.

Emily Falcone is a junior double majoring in Psychology and Dance from Smithfield, Rhode Island. This is her fourth main stage show at College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We. 

Eliza Farley is a freshman majoring in Communications from Hingham, MA. This is her 1st mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Lindsey Ferguson is a sophomore double majoring in Psychology and Dance from Greenville, SC. This is her third mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We.

Madison Fisher is a junior majoring in Dance and minoring in Finance from Ocean, New Jersey. This is her fifth mainstage show. She was last seen in Becoming We. 

Sophia Ford is a freshman majoring in Hospitality & Tourism Management from Bedminster NJ. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Lauryn Gadson is a senior majoring in Theatre with a Concentration in Performance from Charleston SC. This is her fifth main-stage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Violet.

Mattison Gaillard is a senior majoring in Theatre with a concentration in Costume Design from Greenville, SC. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Ayushi Gaur is a sophomore double majoring in Marine Biology and Dance from Memphis, Tennessee. This is her third mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We. 

Whitney Green is a senior majoring in Arts Management from Annapolis, Maryland. This is her third MainStage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Shifting Perspectives.

Jen Griffaton is a freshman double majoring in Dance and Music from Columbus, Ohio. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Alyssa Guardino is a senior double majoring in Dance and Elementary Education from Newburgh New York. This is her fifth main stage show at the college of Charleston. She was last seen in Shifting Perspectives.

Hayden Horton is a freshman from Barnwell, South Carolina. She is a double major in Business Administration and Dance. This is also her first mainstage performance with the College of Charleston.

Dylan Horwitz is a junior majoring in Dance with a minor in Jewish Studies, from Fairfield, Connecticut. This is her third mainstage production with the college and she was last seen in Becoming We.

Ally Keschinger is a junior majoring in Dance and Psychology and minoring in Crime, Law, and Society from Irmo, South Carolina. This is her third mainstage production with the college and she was last seen in Becoming We.

Sophie Ketchum is a sophomore majoring in Dance and minoring in Studio Art from Nashville, Tennessee. This is her third mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We.

Libbie Krey is a sophomore currently undecided from Richmond, VA. This is her second mainstage show at the College of Charleston and she was last seen in Becoming We.

Lily Lombardi is a senior majoring in Theatre with a concentration of Costume Design. She is from Greenwich, Connecticut and this is her first time designing for a main stage production. She served as co-costume designer for Center Stage’s Firebringer.

Charlie Maybee is a choreographer, musician, educator, and writer currently based in Charleston, South Carolina where he is adjunct faculty member of dance at the College of Charleston. He holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Illinois with a certificate in Criticism and Interpretive Theory and is an alumnus of the Metropolitan Youth Tap Ensemble (MYTE). He has worked consistently in higher education since 2015, specializing in tap and modern dance technique classes, overseeing dance research projects, and providing musical accompaniment for dance classes on drums, guitar, and piano. In 2014, he founded Polymath Performance Project through which he creates interdisciplinary performances with tap dance as its artistic center. His current research explores hybridity, literary archetypes, punk aesthetics, and techno-cultures through a tap dancer’s perspective and works to make tap dance more pronounced in higher education.

Gretchen McLaine is an Associate Professor and the Dance Program Director at the College of Charleston, where she also researches Labanotation and dance reconstruction. Dr. McLaine is also Assistant Editor for the Journal of Dance Education and Southeast Regional Director for the American College Dance Association.

Emily Monahan is a junior majoring in English and minoring in Dance from Landrum, South Carolina. This is her third mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We.

Irina Moul is a senior majoring in Dance with a performance and choreography concentration and a minor in Russian studies. She is from both Asheville, NC and Columbia, SC. This is her seventh mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen performing in Becoming We.

Lily Mueller is a Freshman from New Hampshire double majoring in Dance and International Business. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Katie Mullins is a sophomore majoring in Public Health and minoring in Healthcare and Medical Services Management from Summerville, SC. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston

Pamela O’Briant is in her twelfth year as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Dance.  In addition to teaching Ballet technique and Dance Appreciation, Pamela is a certified Pilates and Gyrotonic instructor.

Gabby Perales is a junior majoring in Psychology from Sumter, South Carolina. This is her third mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We. 

Abby Percy is a freshman majoring in dance and political science from Madison, AL. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Ana Plucar is a freshman majoring in Dance with a Concentration in Performance/Choreography from Plymouth, Minnesota. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Kailee Rafalko is a junior double majoring in Dance and Communications from Hackettstown, NJ. This is her fifth mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We. 

Tabitha Rapp is a freshman double majoring in Dance and Exercise Science from Wilmington, NC. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Cheyanne Stankiewicz is a junior majoring in Marketing and minoring in Arts Management from Greenville, SC. This is her fourth mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We.

Chloe Stankiewicz is a freshman majoring in Exercise Science from Greenville, SC. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Maria Stewart is a sophomore majoring in Dance with a concentration in performance and choreography from Clemson, SC. This is her third mainstage show and was last seen in Once More.

Lauren Summerville is a sophomore majoring in English and minoring in Dance from Raleigh, North Carolina.  This is her second mainstage performance at the College of Charleston.  She was last seen in Shifting Perspectives.

Gianna Trimboli is a senior double majoring in Theatre and Dance from Rochester, NY. This is her seventh mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in Becoming We.

Mira Turkewitz is a senior majoring in Theatre with  concentration in Costume Design and a minor in Film Studies. This is her third mainstage show at the College of Charleston. She hopes to further do costume design and work in film and television after she graduates in May.

Katelyn Ventura is a freshman majoring in Exercise Science from Aiken, South Carolina. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Mackenzie Walker is a freshman Dance major with a concentration in performance and choreography from Columbia, South Carolina. This is her first performance with the department.

Olivia Wilkinson is a Freshman majoring in dance. She is originally from Austin Texas. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Chloe Whitley is a freshman majoring in Exercise Science from Charleston, SC. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Halle White is a junior double majoring in Arts Management and Dance with a concentration in Performance/Choreography. This will be her fourth dance concert at the College including presenting her own choreography for the previous spring semester dance concert Becoming We. They were last seen onstage in Center Stage’s The Bacchae.

Olga Wise is a graduate of the Bolshoi Choreographic Institute in Moscow, Russia. This is her sixth year as a faculty member at the College of Charleston where she teaches ballet and pointe technique courses. In addition to teaching at the college, Olga and her husband are Co-Artistic Directors of the Robert Ivey Ballet.

Ava Woods is a junior dance major with a concentration in performance and choreography from Parkville, Maryland. This is her fifth performance with the department, and was last seen in the spring production Becoming We.

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