Hickorydickory: From the Director

Time. Time is cherished; the lack of time is precious.

What would you do if you, a friend, or a family member, knew exactly how much time they had left to live? That’s the question the five characters in Hickorydickory have to answer for themselves.

When this play was first presented to me, I do what I normally do, sit at the kitchen table with an oversized cup of coffee, reggae music in the background, and delve in. Sometimes I have to force myself to finish a script. Sometimes a script will speak to me so strongly that I’m am transported to that world with those characters. Hickorydickory was the latter. I could not stop reading Marisa Wegrzyn’s heartfelt, magical and inventive comedy. I could see and hear each character and wanted to learn more about Cari Lee, Jimmy, Kate, Dale and Rowan. I then journeyed back 18 years to understand Richard, Helen, Young Jimmy, Young Kate and experience Cari Lee all over again. I was astonished by the playwright’s use of dialogue, mystery and fantasy to tell a story that is thought-provoking, captivating, relatable and delightfully imaginative.

I did not hesitate to say yes when I was asked to direct this show for Dragon Theatre Production Company. It’s rare to experience a piece of work where, just on paper alone I could see the humor, the thoughtfulness, the supernatural, the nostalgia. Then entering the rehearsal process with five remarkably talented actors whose timing and skillfulness caused us to laugh out loud, showed vulnerability, and made us reminiscence.

Travel with us to 1992, and 1974. Open your mind and your heart to experience the real, and the unreal. I hope your engagement with this play is as entertaining, amusing, and moving as it has been for us to create it for you. 

Kimberly Ridgeway

Director 

Hickorydickory: Artistic DIrector's Note

In the end, it is love that tethers us together. Hickorydickory is a beast of a play. It is full of theatrical magic, immense emotional stakes, and lots of words. But in the end, it is about one simple thing; love. This production has been loved since the beginning when our founder, Meredith, gifted it to us as the new artistic directors. And it was with so much love and generosity that she entrusted us, along with the amazing direction of Kimberly Ridgeway, with bringing the script to life on the Dragon stage. The love is there in every rehearsal we visit, and every production meeting we attend. It is an unconditional sort of love that radiates from everyone working on this show that persists despite all the challenges. It’s that sort of love that makes a room feel like home, and a team feel like family. And we hope you, as part of our Dragon family, feel that love tonight.

Alika and Max Koknar

Hickorydickory: Meet the Cast

Allie Bailey (Kate/Helen) is delighted to be making her Dragon Theatre debut with this thought provoking production. Allie is a local bay area theatre actor, director, production manager, teaching artist, and production stage manager who specializes in classical and musical theatre, opera, ballet, and modern dance. Before moving to California, Allie graduated from the University of Alberta with a BFA in theatre and worked as a CAEA stage manager in Edmonton, Alberta. Favorite theatre credits include Into the Woods (Los Altos Stage Company, Pacifica Spindrift Players), Rent (Cabrillo Stage), Peter and the Starcatcher (Hillbarn Theatre), The Nutcracker (Bay Pointe Ballet), Roots and Wings (sjDANCEco), Pippin, Cabaret (Sunnyvale Community Players), Sir John in Love (Bronx Opera), La bohème, The Magic Flute, Carmen, Idomeneo (Opera San Jose), A Chorus Line, The Marvelous Wonderettes, The Music Man (Broadway by the Bay), The Comedy of Errors (Freewill Players), La Traviata and The Flying Dutchman (Edmonton Opera).

Jonathan Covey (Rowen/Young Jimmy) has been heralded by top Bay Area theatre critics with such breathless praise as “fine” and “colorless” for his portrayal of Malcolm/Son Macduff/Lord #4 in Dragon’s production of Macbeth earlier this year. Recounted in vivid detail as “admirable” and “also in this play, I guess” for his performance of Detective Sgt. Trotter in Crystal Springs’ production of Agatha Christie’s The Mouse Trap back in 2009. Typically, Covey has focused on sound design and music, working on several other Dragon productions, such as Equivocation, Caeneus & Poseidon, Miss Reardon Drinks A Little, The Making of the Star War Holiday Special, and most recently, Shoggoths on the Veldt. He also did sound for Hillbarn’s productions of The Elephant Man and Noises Off, as well as numerous other plays for several other theatre companies around the Bay. But with such rapturous jubilation for his two–count them, TWO–whole swings at acting, how could he not try to top himself with a third?

Sarah Hass (Cari Lee) is thrilled to be making her debut with the Dragon Productions Theatre Company. Recent credits include Stupid F*cking Bird (Nina) with City Lights Theater Company, Seminar (Kate) at San Jose State University, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck) at San Jose State University, The Shape of Things (Evelyn) at San Jose State University, The Great Gatsby (Daisy) at San Jose State University, and Curtains (Ensemble) with South Bay Musical Theater. She graduated with BA in Theatre Arts from San Jose State University and spends her days as a pastry baker. She would like to thank her family and friends for being an overwhelming and constant source of love and support. 

Troy Johnson (Jimmy / Richard) has been acting and directing around the Bay Area for the past 25 years and is excited to be back at Dragon Productions as part of this team of passionate theatre artists. Previous acting credits at Dragon Productions include Porter / Witch / Soldier in this season’s production of Macbeth, Tesman in last season’s The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler, and Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire back when Dragon Productions was located in Palo Alto. Other recent acting credits include Harry Dangle in One Man, Two Guvnors at Palo Alto Players and Tesman in Hedda Gabler at The Pear Theatre. Troy thanks you for continuing to support live local theatre.

Zoey Little (Dale) is thrilled to be making her debut at Dragon Theatre. She is currently pursuing a BFA in dance from San Jose State University with a double major in Communication Studies. Credits include Sophie in Mamma Mia (Stage 1 Theater), Jean in the American Psycho West Coast premiere (Ray of Light Theatre), and Rusty in Footloose (West Valley Light Opera). Most recently, Zoey performed in Billy Elliot at Woodminster Summer Musicals. Favorite film credits include Haley in Metamorphosis: Junior Year (Betsy Franco), and Nicole in Animus (Alexis Williams). She also teaches dance at Dance Connection Palo Alto and occasionally choreographs youth theatre in the bay (Peninsula Youth Theater, Chrysalis Youth Theatre, HEART Academy). She is honored to join the phenomenally talented and inspiring cast of Hickorydickory and hopes you enjoy the show! Love and thanks to Mumma and Papa.

HIckorydickory: The Design Team

Kimberly Ridgeway (director) has been working professionally as an Actor, Director, Writer and Producer in film and theater for over 20 years. Kimberly wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the stage plays Heavy Burdens, No More Secrets, Prospect Place, and The Gigolo Chronicles, and the short film “The Confession”.  Her favorite acting roles include Mrs. Muller, Doubt, Sam Stevens, The Gigolo Chronicles, Coretta Scott King/Fannie Lou Hamer, All The Way, Randa, Savannah Sipping Society, Bernice, The Piano Lesson, Duchess, Wonderland (World Premiere), Tiana in “Hopes Identity” and Camae in The Mountaintop for which she won the 2016 BroadwayWorld San Francisco Award for Best Leading Actress in a Play (Local). Kim has directed projects for several Bay Area Theater Companies including The Playwrights Center of San Francisco, Bay Area Drama Company, and Ubuntu Theater Project. Her upcoming directing projects include Wait Until Dark (Village Theater, Danville), February 2020 and Crowns (Contra Costa Civic Theater, El Cerrito), July 2020. Kim returns to Dragon Productions Theatre Company after directing David Mamet’s Race last season.  

Tom Shamrell (scenic designer) is elated to serve as scenic designer for this unique experience at Dragon Productions. This team is bringing an intriguing story to life and Tom is honored to create the play space you see before you.  Tom is also a bay area as an actor, director, teacher,  property builder and much more. Tom holds a BA in Theatre Arts from San Jose State University and is a graduate of the Foothill Theatre Conservatory.

Nathanael Card (Lighting Designer), Wizard of the Theatre Arts, is proud to take the form of lighting designer, scenic designer, and painter for Dragon. His past scenic designs include: The Revolutionists, Three Days of Rain, and Cirque Exotique du Monde at Dragon; Godspell, Carousel, and A Chorus Line, with Youth Musical Theater Company; and Southern Lights, with 3 Girls Theater at Z Below. He designed lights as well for his last three shows at Dragon, and often crews as an electrician with Smuin Ballet and Berkeley Rep.

Kathleen Qiu (costume designer) is thrilled to return to Dragon for Hickorydickory. Previously, she designed Shoggoths on the Veldt, The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence, Equivocation, and Insignificance. Selected credits include Orfeo ed Euridice (West Edge Opera), Passion, How I Learned to Drive, The House of Yes (Custom Made Theatre) The Fit, You Mean to Do Me Harm (SF Playhouse), 12 Angry Wo/Men, She Kills Monsters, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Foothill College), Two Mile Hollow (Ferocious Lotus), and Universal Robots (Quantum Dragon Theatre). You can see some of her other work right now in The Glass Menagerie (Role Players Ensemble, where she also designed Honky and All My Sons). She is currently working on an MFA in Costume Design from the Academy of Art. www.kathleenq.com

Lana Palmer (Sound Design). Credits: The How and the Why; Race(Dragon Productions), School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play(Kansas City Rep/Regional Premiere),For Colored Girls (African-American Shakespeare Company), The Revolutionists(Town Hall Theatre Company/Bay Area Premiere), and Dracula(Inferno Theatre), for which she was nominated for a TBA Award for Original Music.  Upcoming: The Daughters  (SF Playhouse), Bull in a China Shop (Aurora Theatre). Affiliations: Dramatists Guild, SDC (Associate). www.lanapalmer.com

Kate Martin (Properties Master) designs and creates costumes and props, and performs with Epic Immersive and Hubba Hubba Revue, as well as teaches elementary school science and engineering during the week. In her free time she performs immersive comedy with her girlfriend and creates all sorts of strange things.

Miranda Whipple (Stage Manager) has worked as a stage manager and props designer in the Bay Area for the past four years. Past stage management credits include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (American Conservatory Theater), Girls Kill Nazis and Geeks vs. Zombies (Pear Theatre), La Llorona (Opera Cultura), and The Witches (Los Altos Youth Theatre). She has also designed props for productions of August: Osage County, West Side Story,In the Heights, Making God Laugh, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Cabaret. Miranda graduated from Cal State University, Fullerton with a B.A. in Theatre Arts in 2014. 

Jacob Vorperian (Asst. Technical director) is proud to be joining the creative team of Hickorydickory. He studied computer science at Willamette University before moving on to his current roles as House Technician for Dragon Productions, Head of Technology for Epic Immersive, and Projectionist for Viberation Visuals. Jacob also has over a decade of extensive experience in acting, singing, and dancing, with his most recent role being that of Short John in Epic Immersive's production of The Changeling: a Neverland Story. He would like to thank Marilyn Izdebski for introducing him to the wonderful world of theater and Max and Alika for bringing him to Dragon.

Shoggoths on the Veldt: Meet the Cast

Tasi Alabastro (Famed Explorer Welton Mountcrag) - returns to the Dragon Stage with an elation that can only be described as seeing Elephants fly while surfing! Or something. Having just visited Scotland by way of Shakespeare, he’s excited to be traversing the globe to Deepest Darkest Africa with this merry crew. In addition to working onstage, he is an online content creator and photographer whose work focuses on reflecting his community and culture. He has had the honor of being the 2018 Silicon Valley Creates’ Emerging Artist Laureate as well as being published in CONTENT Magazine and Tayo Magazine. The productions of Macbeth, The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence, Three Days of Rain, and The Libation Bearers are among his recent Dragon Theatre appearances. Other Bay Area credits include productions with CenterRep, City Lights Theatre Company, Pear Theatre, Hillbarn Theatre, and TheatreWork’s New Works Festival. Film/TV includes “Yes We’re Open” and PBS’ “Futurestates.” He is a proud member of the Red Ladder Theatre Company and is currently working with inmates in state prisons as part of the California Art’s Council’s Arts-in-Corrections program: a program which re-engages participants with their creativity and imagination. Catch him live three times a week on twitch.tv/kreenpananas.  

Betsy (The Shoogoth) - Ooodle, oodle oodle oo! Oddle Dragon Theatre, oodle,oo, oodle OODDLE!.

Lisa Burton (Lady Philippa Bickleford-Smith Jones) - is thrilled to be back on the Dragon stage and in the company of such a fun and talented team. She was last seen at Dragon Theatre for that most festive of all shows—The Making of the Star Wars Holiday Special: Live!—in which she appeared as Han Solo and assorted other characters. Other Dragon performances include a turn as Bea Littleton in The Charitable Sisterhood of the Second Trinity Victory Church and Tsarina/Sarrasine in Cirque Exotique du Monde.  Locally, Lisa has also appeared at the Pear Theatre in The Millionth Production of the Christmas Carol (what is it with these long titles?) and at Santa Clara Players in Exit The Body and Rumors.  Favorite roles from the distant past include Dorine in Tartuffe and both Cecily and Gwendolyn in two different productions of The Important of Being Earnest.  Lisa holds a B.F.A. in theatre from New York University and an M.A. in literature from San Francisco State University.  She is grateful to her wonderful family—Drew, Andrew, Zoe and Bolt—for all their love and support.

Ronald Feichtmeir (Lord Melford Pumbleshire) - Ronald has been acting on the peninsula most recently in the Dragon Theatre’s production of The Star Wars Holiday Special: Live! as C3PO and Art Carney. He is a Bay Area native. Recent shows include Waiting for Godotas Estragon, Cirque Exotique Du Monde at the Dragon Theatre and Jim/ Scrooge for A Millionth Production of a Christmas Carol at the Pear Theatre.

Alika U. Spencer-Koknar (Lady Euphonia Riggstone) - has been itching to do a production of Shoggoths on the Veldt ever since she saw the world premiere back in 2015 in Seattle WA. at The Rogues Gallery. She is honored to share this endeavor with such a talented and compassionate group of artists, she couldn’t have pulled this off without every single one of their help. Alika has recently stepped into the role of Co-Artistic Director here at the Dragon along with her director and husband, Max Koknar. Her past credits include; Princess Leia in The Star Wars Holiday Special: Live!, Judith in Equivocation, Boshka/Magda Goebbels in Cirque Exotique Du Monde with Dragon Theatre, with Northside Theater Company as Maureen in The Beauty Queen Of Leenane, with City Lights as Johnna Monevata In August: Osage County with City Lights Theater Company and Alice Bloomfield in Kinan Valdez’s production of Zoot Suit with El Theatro Campesino.

Michael Weiland (Crompit/Steward/The God of the Bloody Tongue/Arnulf) - has previously appeared in Equivocation at the Dragon Theatre. Other appearances include Geeks vs Zombies at the Pear Theater, The Legend of Georgia McBride at Los Altos Stage Company, Boom! at Minilights, andRocky Horror at City Lights Theater Company. Michael is also a company member at Play On Words San Jose, a staged reading company for new works by local authors, playwrights, and poets.

Shoggoths on the Veldt: Meet the Design Team

Bora “Max” Koknar (Director) - Max is a Turkish-born actor, director, writer, educator, producer and the Co-Artistic Director of Dragon Productions. Over a professional career of 15 years, Max has entertained over a half million people as a performer; produced a touring program serving over 100,000 children a year across the west coast; founded an education program designed to increase language fluency and communication skills of at risk youth in partnership with The Ohio State University; created sold-out immersive experiences with Epic Immersive; and collaborated with international tech giants such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Box, Intuit, Genentech, and Paradox Interactive as performer, executive coach, training facilitator and experience designer.

Samantha Ricci (Assistant Director) - is a performer and teaching artist from the Bay Area.  She began her career with the Missoula Children’s Theatre, directing kids across the US, Canada, and Southeast Asia. Sam first went mad for Shoggoths on the Veldt when she saw its premiere while touring with the California Theatre Center; she is thrilled for the chance to be working on the show herself with this amazing team, reunited with fellow California Theatre Center alums director Max Koknar and actor Alika U. Spencer-Koknar.  Sam’s latest directing projects (Hatikvah and Vichy’s Garden) were part of the 2017 Lights Up festival at City Lights Theatre Company in San Jose. When not onstage or backstage, she can be found facilitating improv-based workshops in California state prisons with the Red Ladder Theatre Company.

Austin Barnes (Assistant Stage Manager) - is terribly pleased to be returning to The Dragon Theater. After helping with the previous year’s Star War Holiday Special: Live! and The Revolutionist at the beginning of this season, he is horribly excited to be a part of bringing Shoggoths to life and also to be assisting Betsy in her big debut on The Dragon stage (she has bright future ahead of her)!

Melinda Marks (Stage Manager) - is a longtime Bay Area actor and director, and the editor and casting director of San Jose-based production company Play on Words. This is her first time Stage Managing at Dragon Productions, but she was the dialect coach on last season's Equivocation and will direct Anne of the Thousand Days here later this year. She was last seen onstage in Shakespeare in Love (Palo Alto Players), and in Theatro Visions' world premiere of Departera.

Mike Fatum (Fight Choreographer) - was trained by Eben Young of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and has been choreographing stage combat for more than a decade. Prior to Shoggoths,his work could be seen in the film Star Wars Uncut, and on stage with The Lamplighters and Pacifica Spindrift Players. He hopes to one day be half as good as Bob Anderson, who you know for choreographing every single sword fight you love. Seriously, Google him.

Nathanael Card (Scenic/Lighting Designer) - Nathanael Card, Wizard of the Theatre Arts, is proud to take the form of lighting designer, scenic designer, and painter for Dragon. His past scenic designs include: The Revolutionists, Three Days of Rain, and Cirque Exotique du Monde at Dragon; Godspell, Carousel, and A Chorus Line, with Youth Musical Theater Company; and Southern Lights, with 3 Girls Theater at Z Below. He designed lights as well for his last three shows at Dragon, and often crews as an electrician with Smuin Ballet and Berkeley Rep.

Jonathan Covey (Sound) - has been making noise with Dragon for a few years now. This is his eighth production with the theatre, the other six being Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, Rich & Famous, Caeneus & Poseidon, Insignificance, Three Days Of Rainwith Meredith Hagedorn and this past summer’s Equivocation for Jenny Hollingworth. Covey also did sound for Hillbarn Threatre’s productions of The Elephant Man and Noises Off and even tried his hand at acting, recently playing Malcolm et. al. in Dragon's Macbeth, as well as Detective Sargent Trotter in Crystal Springs Players production of Agatha Christie’s The Mouse Trap. However, he still enjoys being alone in a dark room with a microphone, a guitar, and maybe some celery.

Kate Martin (Puppet Designer/Properties Master) - is extremely honored to join Dragon Productions for the first time for Shoggoths. She also designs and creates costumes and props, and performs with Epic Immersive and Hubba Hubba Revue, as well as teaches elementary school science and engineering during the week. In her free time she performs immersive comedy with her girlfriend and creates all sorts of strange things.

Kathleen Qiu (Costume Designer) - is a Bay Area costume designer returning to Dragon for her third season. Previously, she designed The (Making of the) Star Wars Holiday Special: Live!, The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence, Equivocation, Insignificance, and Cirque Exotique du Monde. Other selected credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (West Valley College), Honky, All My Sons (Role Players Ensemble), All in the Timing (Tomorrow Youth Repertory), She Kills Monsters, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Foothill College), Two Mile Hollow (Ferocious Lotus), Universal Robots (Quantum Dragon Theatre), The House of Yes, How I Learned to Drive(Custom Made Theatre Co), and You Mean to Do Me Harm (SF Playhouse). She graduated from the University of Chicago with BAs in Chemistry and Psychology and is working on an MFA in Costume Design from the Academy of Art. She would like to thank the production team for this opportunity and her family and friends for their continued support.

Jacob Vorperian (Projection and Animation Designer) - is proud to be joining the creative team of Shoggoths on the Veldt as Projection and Animation Designer. He studied computer science at Willamette University before moving on to his current roles as House Technician for Dragon Productions, Head of Technology for Epic Immersive, and Projectionist for Viberation Visuals. Jacob also has over a decade of extensive experience in acting, singing, and dancing, with his most recent role being that of Short John in Epic Immersive's production of The Changeling: a Neverland Story. He would like to thank Marilyn Izdebski for introducing him to the wonderful world of theater and Max and Alika for bringing him to Dragon.

Shoggoths on the Veldt - A Word From the Director

It is not often that one gets to work on their dream project - but that is what the Dragon is all about. Creating opportunities for dreams to come true. But why is this silly little play a dream come true for me?

Well, I thought, when I saw the original production in Seattle, that this was my new dream project because of the script. This beautiful story Cameron McNary weaves for us is not only a hilarious comedy and captivating adventure tale, but also a beautiful romance about embracing who we really are instead behaving in ways required to fit into society. 

But really, the dream has been the incredible team of multi-talented theatre artists who have thrown themselves so wholeheartedly into the process of bringing this silly little play to life with a level of dedication I thought I could not hope for in my wildest dreams. From old friends like Sam, who was with me on the fateful night when I was first introduced to this play, to newer ones like Melinda who will be bringing a dream project of her own (Anne of a Thousand Days) to the Dragon later this year, every single person on this production has gone so far above and beyond the call of duty to bring you this show. They have all taken on responsibilities beyond their titles and put in dozens of hours beyond the usual commitments expected of them. 

All to bring you a wild and wacky, globetrotting adventure, spanning boats and trains and cultist temples. And oh, did we mention the 15 ton amoeboid tentacle monster, Betsy? We hope you enjoy the ride!

 Ooodle oo!

-Max “Bora” Koknar

Three Days of Rain: The Family Trees

Because I think it's a little bit helpful in this story that unwinds in reverse, here's a look at the players in Three Days of Rain

Ned/Walker is played by Tasi Alabastro; Lina/Nan is played by Katie O'Bryon Champlin; Theo/Pip is played by Robert Sean Campbell. And that's all I'm going to say to avoid some spoilers. Enjoy the show!

Insignificance: About the Playwright

Terry Johnson (born in 1955) is a British dramatist and director working for stage, television and film. Educated at Birmingham University, he worked as an actor from 1971 to 1975, and has been active as a playwright since the early 1980s.

Johnson's stage work has been produced around the world. He has won nine British Theatre awards including the Olivier Award for Best Comedy 1994 for his play Hysteria, and in 1999 for his play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick, Playwright of the Year in 1995, the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards for Best New Play in 1995 for Dead Funny, two Evening Standard Theatre Awards, the Writers Guild Award for Best Play in 1995 and 1996, the Meyer-Whitworth Award 1993 and the John Whiting Award 1991.

He has had many West End productions as director and/or writer including: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (director, featuring Alex Kingston and Christian Slater), Hitchcock Blonde (writer/director featuring Rosamund Pike), The Graduate (writer). Johnson won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical for La Cage aux Folles.

He has worked with Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, directing John Malkovich in The Libertine (nominated for five Joseph Jefferson Awards including Best Production) and Lost Land, both plays by Stephen Jeffreys.

He has written and directed television drama that has been broadcast worldwide, most recently Not Only But Always for Channel 4, which won five International Award nominations, Best Film at Banff, and a BAFTA for Rhys Ifans.

The film version of his play Insignificance (directed by Nicolas Roeg) was the official British entry at the Cannes Film Festival in 1985.

On the Verge: Meet the Design Team

Karen Altree Piemme (Director) is an accomplished director, actor, dramaturg, workshop facilitator and acting instructor, specializing in social justice theatre and community access to the arts. Ms. Piemme is the Director of the Red Ladder Theatre Company, a nationally-acclaimed, award-winning company, which empowers marginalized populations in our community by helping them develop positive life-skills through the art form of theatre. Ms. Piemme spent 21 years with San Jose Repertory Theatre, where she was the Director of Outreach and Resident Dramaturg.  As a theatre professional, Ms. Piemme has directed productions for both youth and adults, taught classes and conducted workshops locally, nationally and internationally for nearly thirty years. Ms. Piemme also serves as the Associate Director for 2nd Stages at Dragon Productions Theatre Company, and the Artistic Associate for Playwrights Foundation where she produces the annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival. She teaches in the Department of Television, Radio, Film and Theatre at San Jose State University, and serves on the Theatre Services Committee (the advisory council) for Theatre Bay Area. Ms. Piemme is the recipient of the 2011 Champion of Arts Education Award, awarded by the Mayor/City of San Jose and the San Jose Arts Commission, and in 2012 she was named one of the 35 Faces of Theatre Bay Area. Ms. Piemme is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Chrissie Schwanhausser (Stage Manager) Chrissie is delighted to make her stage management debut at Dragon Productions. She has worked as a theatre professional in the Bay Area for the past two years with California Theatre Center where she has served as a youth educator, backstage manager, and more recently Tour Coordinator for their 2015-2016 school series productions. Previous stage management credits include Crossroads at Cal Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo and Antigone at California Theatre Center’s Advanced/Intermediate Conservatory. She’d like to thank the audience for supporting live theatre.

Maria Costello (Assistant Stage Manager) is delighted to be returning to Dragon Theatre, this time to help backstage! She was recently in Dragon Theatre's 2016 season opener, U. S. Drag. Other credits include Beyond Therapy (Shelton Theater). She is a film actors program graduate from Shelton Studios in San Francisco. Maria is also experienced at doing stage work in French. She has performed at Théâtre du Vide-Poche in Lausanne, Switzerland, where she studied French at the University. 

Jesse Ploog (Scenic Designer & Properties) A year into being a professional theatre artist, Jesse has been able to add quite a bit to her list of accomplishments. After graduating from the University of Arizona in 2015 with a degree in Theatre Production/Scenic Design, she moved out to the Bay and immediately began working with Dragon again after interning with them the summer before. Since moving, Jesse has been able to Stage Manage/ASM, Set Design, and be a props master for many shows with Dragon - and in April of 2016 she had the opportunity to join the amazing team here at Dragon as the Associate Production Manager of 2nd Stages. In her time here she has also had many amazing opportunities at various other South Bay theatres to Stage Manage and work as a Scenic Artist. Jesse is so happy to be able to be a part of the Bay Area theatre community and to be so involved with this wonderful theatre!

Charles McKeithan (Master Carpenter) has been working in Bay Area theater for over ten years now as an actor and a carpenter and is happy to be back with the Dragon for another round of fun. His past works include Voice of the Prarie at the Dragon, Walls of Jericho at the Pear, Collosus at SF Playhouse, and countless productions with Ron Gaspernetti under the guise of Thrust Scenic Design.

William Campbell (Lighting Designer)

Natalie Barshow (Costume Designer) is excited to make her Dragon Productions debut. Recent costume designs include On Clover Road (SF Playhouse), The Tempest (Silicon Valley Shakespeare), Dead Man Walking (San Jose State University), Fuddy Meers (SPOTLITE Stage Co.), and several short films. Her assistant designer credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Cal Shakes), Anne Boleyn (Marin Theatre Company), and The Tempest (Cal Shakes). Natalie is currently the Wardrobe Coordinator for ODC/Dance and the Wardrobe Lead for Cal Shakes. Upcoming projects include The Jungle Book (Marin Theatre Company), Two Sisters and a Piano (Contra Costa College), and various ODC/Dance productions. She is a graduate from San Jose State University, holds her B.A. in Theatre Arts, and is currently a freelance costume designer, assistant, and wardrobe person for theatre and film around the bay area. More information available at nbarshow.wix.com/nataliebarshow

Brittany Mellerson (Sound Designer) is a recent graduate of Point Park University’s conservatory program with a BFA in theatrical lighting and sound design. Some of her recent credits include lighting design for Absolutely Fabulous (Royal British Theatre Company) and The Birthday Club (San Francisco Fringe). Others include Playhouse Jr’s Huck Finn, The Alchemists’ Lab (Sound Design), and Dark of the Moon (Assistant Lighting Design), Chess, Yo! Vikings (Audio Mixer), and Do Me! Date Me! Dumb Me! (Lighting Design) at the Rex Theatre. She’s extremely grateful to be working with such an incredible team of creative minds and helping hands

On the Verge: Meet the Cast

Tom Gough (Man) Tom is tickled to be reprising one of his favorite roles, having previously performed On the Verge at the Bus Barn Stage Co in 2000. Tom's previous Dragon credits include Leon, etc. in last season's Voice of the Prairie, Charlie Conlon, etc. in Stones in his Pockets, Thurston Wheelis, etc. in Greater Tuna and Henry Harry in Brilliant Traces and Anatol, etc. in Rich & Famous. Most recently, Tom has appeared as George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf at Los Altos Stage Company, Chief Swenson in The North Plan at Renegade Theatre Ensemble, Ross in The Elephant Man at City Lights Theatre Company (where he is former Artistic Director) and Orsino in Twelfth Night at Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Tom is also a founding and active member of ComedySportz-San Jose. A graduate of Santa Clara University and UC-Davis, Tom is currently on faculty of the Theatre Arts Department at Foothill College. Thanks for choosing to support live theatre tonight/today.

Meredith Hagedorn* (Fanny) has been acting in the Bay Area and all around the US for over 30 years. As Executive Artistic Director and Founder of Dragon Production Theatre Company, she is committed to finding more amazing stories to tell – especially those where women are the stars.  She is thrilled to be able to join three of her absolute favorite actors in this magical story. She most recently appeared on stage as Allison in RX in 2014 and directed The Voice of the Prairie in 2015. Meredith would like to thank all of you for joining us at the theatre today and James for being the most loving and supportive husband anyone could ask for.

Maria Giere Marquis (Alex) has been acting in the Bay Area since 2008, and is a theatre and voice actor, as well as corporate trainer committed to making work less boring. She most recently appeared as Edna Pontellier in the Breadbox's world premiere adaptation of The Awakening and as Gabrielle in When the Rain Stops Falling right here at Dragon. You may have also seen her at City Lights Theatre Company, The Pear Avenue Theatre, Custom Made Theater, and Impact Theatre where she was a company member specializing in Shakespeare. Learn more about her at www.mariagmarquis.com. You can also find her audiobooks on audible.com.

Doll Piccotto (Mary) is pleased to be making a return to the Dragon after appearing as Maria and Lady Davenant in last year's production of OR. A professed Shakespeare nerd, Doll can usually be found indulging her bardolotry in productions like Silicon Valley Shakespeare's Julius Caesar where she played Cassius. Other favorite roles include Oberon at City Lights Theatre Company and Caliban in the Tempest at Pear Street Theatre. She is incredibly grateful to not only participate in a play that is so unique and lusciously written, but also to be on this adventure with such a daring, talented and uplifting cast. I can honestly say I haven't laughed this much in rehearsal in a long time. Thank you, Fellow Sojourners. It's an honor.