ARCADIA

ARCADIA 
By Tom Stoppard
Directed by David New 

Performances
November 7 | 7:30p - Free Preview
November 8 | 7:30p
November 9 | 2:00p & 7:30p
November 10 | 2:00p 

Location
Logan Center, Theater West 
915 E 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60615 

Step into the world of Sidley Park, where the story alternates between scenes set in the early 19th century and the present day against the backdrop of a grand English estate. This intellectually stimulating play blends rich dialogue, historical intrigue, and sharp wit to explore themes of love, knowledge, and the nature of time. As the ideas of the past and present collide, Stoppard offers a profound and humorous examination of how we seek to understand our place in history and the mysteries that shape our existence

Maya Bond – Thomasina Coverly

• Maya Bond (Thomasina Coverly)is a first year and very excited to be in her FIRST EVER TAPS show! Before arriving at Theater East, she’s acted in many, many productions. Unlike Thomasina, you will not catch her making major mathematical discoveries…but she can be found working on her HUM essays for way too long or munching on Oreos. Oh, phooey to Death! Enjoy the show!

Ryan Moncivais – Septimus Hodge

• Ryan Moncivais (Septimus Hodge) is a fourth-year from Laredo, Texas whose first acting experience you are witnessing today. You can find Ryan waging coffee bets for every game won in Billiards at Hallowed grounds or admiring the picturesque view of UChicago from the 4th floor Reg windows.

Clara Bennett – Jellaby

Harry Franklin – Ezra Chater

• Harry Franklin (Ezra Chater) is thrilled and honored to be playing the brilliant poet Ezra Chater in this production. Harry is a first-year MPP student at Harris and has previously performed at UChicago in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bottom), Falsettos (Mendel), and Trail To Oregon (McDoon). When not performing, Harry enjoys jogging, juggling, and joggling (a combination of the previous two).

Jo Selmeczy – Richard Noakes

• Jo Selmeczy (Richard Noakes) is a third year undergraduate majoring in TAPS/CHDV. They recently directed A Midsummer Night's Dream (Spring 2024) and are currently the President of the Dean's Men. Some of their past UT credits include: Falsettos (Props Designer, Winter 2024), Richard III (Stagehand, Winter 2024), Twelfth Night (Sebastian, Spring 2023), The Laramie Project (Ensemble, Winter 2023), and Romeo and Juliet (Romeo, Fall 2022). Some of their past Pro-Show credits include: The Ballad of Oedipus (A2, Winter 2024) and The Wolves (#8, Fall 2023). Some of their other theater credits include: Theater24 (Writer) and Out Here (Stage Directions). They look forward to representing for the Reggies!

Belle Hart – Lady Croom

Omar Ibrahim – Captain Brice

Gertie Zwick-Schachter – Hannah Jarvis

• Gertie Zwick-Schachter (Hannah Jarvis) is a third year Creative Writing, Fundamentals: Issues and Texts, and Human Rights major. She has previously performed in The Wolves (#25), Let the Right One In (Eli), Stupid F**king Bird (Nina), Cinderella (Dance Ensemble), As You Like It (Rosalind), The Miracle Worker (Helen), Rabbit Hole (Becca), and Leaves (Poppy).

Lucienne Totti – Chloë Coverly

• Hi there! My name is Lucienne Totti and I am very happy to be playing Chloe Coverly in this production of Arcadia. I am a Political Science and Performance Studies double major and a 3rd year at the college. I am originally from the beautiful island of Puerto Rico and miss it everyday. You might have seen me in UT productions such as The play that goes wrong (Taylor), Perfect Match (Jessie) and or as an assistant vocal coach on Strings Attached. I am very excited for everyone to see the show!

Rory McGann – Bernard Nightingale

• Rory McGann (Bernard Nightingale) is a fourth year Molecular Engineering major. At UChicago, he has previous worked on Falsettos (Director), Be More Chill (Rich Goranski), and Romeo and Juliet (Juliet). Huge thanks to his family, his friends, and the company for all their love, support, and hard work.

Ilie Sturhan – Valentine Coverly

• Ilie Sturhan (Valentine Coverly) began acting as a child in Texas, appearing in her first feature length film, Shilo, at the age of ten. She currently is pursuing both her acting career and an undergraduate degree in Statistics. Arcadia is the first theater production she has been a part of in ten years, and she has loved every moment of this experience playing Valentine Coverley and is grateful for all that she has learned.

Wren Vela – Gus Coverly & Augustus Coverly

• Wren Vela (Gus/Lord Augustus) is a second year Linguistics and MADD major. He has not worked on a show in the College before this, but he has theater experience through various TAPS classes and being a performer in an improv troupe for four years in high school.

David New – Director

• David New (Director) graduated from The Goodman School of Drama, DePaul University with a BFA in acting. Since then he has worked in Chicago and regionally as an actor, director, arts educator, and administrator. He has appeared in over 70 productions at theatres such as Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Court Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Northlight, Marriott Lincolnshire, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Victory Gardens, Writer’s Theatre of Chicago, Apple Tree Theatre, Body Politic, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, and Wisdom Bridge. Regionally, he has appeared in productions at the Ontario Stratford Festival, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Huntington Theatre, Madison Repertory Theatre, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, and Peninsula Players. In addition, he has appeared on Broadway in Thou Shalt Not (Lincoln Center) and in the National Tour of Scrooge with Richard Chamberlain. David’s television credits include: Law & Order SVU, All My Children, Walker, Texas Ranger, and the NBC mini-series A Will of Their Own. He was associate artistic director at Steppenwolf Theatre Company from 2004-2009. He is a multiple-time Jeff Award nominee, Sarah Siddons Award recipient, Chicago Stratford Associates Fellow.

Mara Ishihara Zinky – Scenic Design

Austin Winter – Costume Design

Garrett Bell – Lighting Design & TAPS Lighting Manager

• Garrett Bell is a Lighting Designer based in Chicago, working in and around the city and elsewhere. Locally Garrett has designed for Griffin Theatre Company, Refracted Theatre Company, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, First Folio Theatre, Oak Park Festival Theatre, The Loop Players, Bellissima Opera, and several colleges in the area. Garrett has an MFA in Theatre Lighting Design from Purdue University, and a BA in Theatre Lighting & Scenic Design & Technology, as well as Studio Art Photography from the College of Charleston.

Hannah Foerschler – Sound Design & TAPS Audio Manager

• Hannah Foerschler is an all-around audio practitioner and theatre artist based in Chicago. Since moving to the city in 2018, she has been actively sound designing for theaters around the region, including Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Jackalope Theatre Company, Broken Nose Theatre Company, The Factory Theater, The Actors Gymnasium, and Third Avenue PlayWorks (Sturgeon Bay, WI). Hannah holds an MA in Sound Arts and Industries from Northwestern University and a BA in Music from Kenyon College, and she apprenticed at The Purple Rose Theatre Company (Chelsea, MI) in a wide variety of theater skills. Hannah is currently the Audio Manager for TAPS at The University of Chicago as well as the Resident Sound Designer for The Actors Gymnasium, and she is a member of the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association (TSDCA).

Jennifer Pinson – Props Design & TAPS Props Shop Manager

• Jenny Pinson is the Props Manager for TAPS. She has also been a freelance Props Designer in Chicago since 2006, when she graduated from The Theatre School of DePaul University with her BFA in Theatre Technology.  She has had the opportunity to work with a variety of theatre companies in the Chicagoland area including Lifeline Theatre, Steep Theatre, Victory Gardens, and A Red Orchid Theatre among others.

Dave Asher – Original Music

Charlie Baker – Fight and Intimacy Design

Abby West – Scenic Charge

Morgan Laszlo – Scenic Charge

Olivia Ash – Stage Manager

• Olivia Ash (Stage Manager) is a Chicago-based theatre artist and recent graduate of Loyola University Chicago where she studied Theatre. Currently, Olivia is the Development Events Coordinator at The Goodman Theatre. Her most recent credits include The Wolves at University of Chicago (Stage Manager), Miss Holmes Returns at Lifeline Theatre (ASM) Somewhere Over the Border at Teatro Vista (ASM Swing), Radium Girls (Stage Manager). as well as onstage in Into the Woods (Witch), and Violet (Music Hall Singer). Olivia is thankful to the cast and crew for sharing their artistry and passion for live theatre!

Lucy Whitehead – Assistant Director

Eva Schultz – Assistant Scenic Designer

Vivienne Zhang – Assistant Scenic Designer

Belle Nahoom – Assistant Costume Designer

Emily Curran – Assistant Lighting Design

Will Rehmus – Assistant Master Electrician

Kaden Kaden – Lightboard Programmer + Op

Crystina Windham – Assistant Sound Designer

Ruth Witter – Props Assistant

Seth Wang – Props Assistant

Meenakshi Ajit –Dramaturg

Nathalie Lam – Assistant to Director of Performance

Colomba Cubillos Alvarez – Assistant Stage Manager

Linden Martin – Assistant Stage Manager

• Linden Martin (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to be working on their first TAPS show! They are a first year Linguistics and German major. Recent credits include My Favorite Season (Assistant Stage Manager, Script Supervisor) and The Ten Minute Play Festival (Assistant Stage Manager, Script Supervisor) at The Theater Bug in Nashville, TN, along with auxiliary technical work for RC Media Group. Outside of the theater, you can find them on the rugby field!

Ben Caracello – Technical Director
Devon de Mayo – Director of Performance
Rasean Davonté Johnson – Director of Design
Mia Maccarella – Theater Production Coordinator
Neel McNeill – Managing Director 
Brianna Parry – Production Manager
Nathan Rohrer – Costume Shop Manager