It was produced for three nights, in blackbox on the Jerry R. Knight Auditorium Stage.
The show was directed by Mr. Schaefer. Stage management was provided by Taylor Johnson and Dru Levels. Scenic design and artistry by Becca Theerman.
Kel-C Johnson and Chris Denton
Setting
A small house in Pittsburg , PA
Time
Over the course of several days in the 1930’s
Boy Willie (played by Chris Denton) drinking up all od Doaker's whiskey...
This show was a true labor of love. We spent over four months in preparation.
SAA had never produced a play before and the script for this play is extremely challenging. The auditions produced around 15 people and we were fortunate to cast our eight from that pool. One actor had to be replaced a month out of opening but it always works out for the best.
The show was truly one the best plays produced on the WG campus. The cast was amazing!
THE SET
This play was produced in blackbox, and because we don't have a formal blackbox space on campus we turned the stage of the auditorium into a blackbox theater and sat the audience on the stage with the set and actors.
It worked out brilliantly! We were able to fit more than 75 on stage each night and it sold very well each night! The audiences loved it. (and now we produce a black history month play at least every other year)
Becca Theerman was the set designer and scenic artist. The set was a two story house and the final set looked amazing. She incorporated some really great details in her design. We also raided our stock for the set dressings.
Jeremy Conrad as Avery
telling Lymon (Charlie Kinnison) and Doaker (Jerome Riley) how it is!
The Piano
We were so fortunate to have Mr. Throm's art class students make our "hand carved" piano facing. They spent many hours on the project and the final result was beautiful and looked completely authentic from the audience. It had the faces and stories of the family.
Piano Design by Alexis Yokely, Alexis Carter and Mr. Throm
Other technical challenges that this play provides are:
GHOSTS* on stage - One of the interesting parts of the story is that Boy Willie is being haunted by a man's ghost. Everytime he tries to take the piano the audience has to feel the presence of the ghost.
- We created a very cool ghost effect by bulding two box fans behind the windows and when the spirit appears the curtains would blow on cue
*(watch the video of the last scene by following the link at the bottom on the page)
MAKE UP
We had to apply old age on several of the actors in the show.
COSTUMES
We mostly assembled from our own department's stock. We had to acquire one nice 20's zoot suit and lots of hats and suspenders for the characters, but mostly we assembled this shows look without having to buy much. Each actor had at least two costumes and most of them had at least one fast change which always adds excitement backstage.
Kapinga (as Berniece) and Chris (as Boy Willie) having a disagreement about the piano
This show had a ton of props!!!
They had to eat, drink, play cards, cook food, make coffee, build a piano dolly, throw holy water, light candles, change clothes, do hair...
THE CAST
Kris Denton……………………………………………Boy Willie
Kapinga Kabongo…………………………………….Berniece
Jerome Riley*…………………………………………Doaker
Charlie Kinnison………………………………………Lymon
Cameron Thurman*…………………………………..Wining Boy
Jeremy Conrad………………………………………..Avery
Leah Sheppard………………………………………..Grace
Kelsie Johnson…...……………………………………Maretha
Production Staff
Todd Schaefer*…………………………………Director
Taylor Johnson…………………………………Assistant Director /
Sound OP / FX OP
Dru Levels..…………………………………… .Stage Manager /
Spec Effects OP
Becca Theerman*………………………………Set design / scenic
artist
Perri Edwards ………………………………….Production Manager
Kaitlyn Drumm.................................................Light OP
Laura Mitchler*…………………………………Master Electrician /
board tech
Crews
Set Construction…….....................................Laura Mitchler, Adam
Dent, Ryan Dietl,
Tommy Jernigan,
Kaitlyn Wiese, Colin
Croy, John Hinkle,
Andrew Holmes, Wil
Boehenke, Jacob
Manes, Lawrence
Esters, Kris Williams,
Wade Shaffner, Scott
McDonald, and Billy
Eberbach.
Painters……………………………………Becca Theerman*, Laura
Mitchler*, Kris Denton,
Scott McDonald*, Anna
Fedde*, Stevie Trembley*,
Alexis Yokley, Taylor
Johnson, Dru Levels,
Sarah Manual* and Mr.
Schaefer
Lighting……………………………………Tommy Jerningan*, Laura
Mitchler*,Colin Croy, John
Hinkle, Ryan Dietl, Adam
Dent, Kaitlyn Wiese, & Mr.
Schaefer
Props……………………………………...Perri Edwards, Dru
Levels, & Mr. Schaefer
Costumes…………………………………Perri Edwards, Mr.
Schaefer & the cast
Make-up…………………………………..JasmineGriffith
Mr.Schaefer
Box Office…………………………………Zachary Martin and Alexis
Yokely
PR Marketing……………………………..Perri Edwards, Mr.
Schaefer, Jessica
Tuckson and Romeo
Thurman
*Denotes members of ITS Thespian Troupe 191
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Special Thanks
This production would like to thank the following:
Maureen Cashel for all her extra help in a crunch, Debbie Genovese for being a great friend support and patron of the theater we love to do, Chris Clark for being our co-sponsor and allie, Dr. Clark for his constant support of our work and letting us in and out when we needed to put in the early extra hours, Sarah Romanowski for all her un-ending support in adding another mainstage show to the schedule and covering our rights to do this piece for three nights, 7th hour tech for all their additional help with things, Alexis Jones for being there when we need her to lend a hand, All the parents of the cast and crew who managed to make it through the crazy rehearsal schedule changes, All the Box Office staff and ushers who came in to help us with our audiences, all the students who may have helped in a small way and didn’t get their name mentioned, and all the Fabulous Ladies in the WGHS main office we love so much and whom we know love us and what we do! Thanks again!
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