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Marie Antoinette

Three women in bright colored dresses and feathered headdresses
 

By David Adjmi

Showdates: November 20 - 29, 2015

If you ask someone if they know the name Marie Antoinette they respond, “Of course!” Follow that question with, “Tell me about her,” and there is a long pause in the conversation. Historians can rave for hours, but many will reply, “She said ‘Let them eat cake,’ right?” or “She lost her head on the guillotine, I think.”   Marie Antoinette is an iconic figure in history known for her haute couture, her extravagances, and her reputation as a teen queen who had it all and lost it all. She was a confection created by society that valued extravagance and artifice. Then came the French Revolution.

In this tale of Marie Antoinette, playwright, David Adjmi, juxtaposes vernacular of 18th century France with modern day dialogue, allowing a contemporary view of this iconic time in history. He modernizes her story to parallel an ageless commentary on rise and fall of fame. There are no historical surprises in this production. If you are like me, a brief review of the time line is essential. Marie’s life is presented in small segments that give us a glimpse to moments in her world and introduce characters that fill the chapters of her own personal storybook. The show begins at the height of her reign in Versailles and progresses until her clothes and power are literally stripped away. We view this doomed protagonist through her own journey. She doesn’t know how she got there and she doesn’t quite know who she is. As Marie states, “I was not raised, I was built.”

Performance run time: 2 hours with a 15-minute intermission

Performances held at the UAA Mainstage Theatre, 3700 Alumni Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508

 

  • Cast

    Emily Pratt as Marie Antoinette
    Matthew Meyer as Louis XVI 
    Kevin Lee as Joseph/Mr. Sauce 
    Jacob Mayforth as Axel Fersen 
    Lisa-Marie Castro as The Dauphin 
    Becca Padrick as Yolande de Polignac/Mrs. Sauce/Guard 
    Alexandra McCall as Therese de Lamballe/Royalist 
    Adi Davis as Sheep 
    Marcel Drayton as Revolutionary 


    Katie Bailey Nixon (Lighting Designer) is a senior technical theatre and history major at UAA. She staged managed M Butterfly, was the master electrician for Big River, and lit one of the pieces in New Dances 2015. She’s also designed lights for Pulse Dance Company, and served as stage manager for Alaska Theatre of Youth’s Summer Conservatory. After graduation, she wants to pursue both theatre and history, and is interested in hat making, wig making, and non-western history and theatre.

    Lisa-Marie Castro (The Dauphin) is a senior theatre major and German minor at UAA and is a two-time recipient of the Dayle Skore Memorial Scholarship. She previously designed the costumes for Twelfth Night and 44 Plays for 44 Presidents and appeared as Suzuki and Comrade Chin in M Butterfly and Clarisse in When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder? at UAA. This past summer, she worked as the costume designer for Footloose at Bigfork Summer Playhouse in Montana. She hasn’t decided on her future plans yet, but she’s interested in continuing acting and costume designing. She’s interested in the German language and culture, traveling, and helping out with the local Senshi-Con group. And cats.

     Adi Davis (Sheep/Props Designer) is a junior theatre and economics major. She has been involved in various productions at UAA, both on and off the stage. Her most recent acting credits include Maria in UAA’s production of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, and backstage as the stage manager for UAA’s recent production of 44 Plays for 44 Presidents. Her current career aspirations include graduate school for scenic design and traveling the world doing theatre.

    Marcel Drayton (Revolutionary) is a first-year theatre major, and this is his first UAA production. He’s previously performed as Frank Gilbreth in Cheaper by the Dozen, Leroy in Fame, and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. He hopes to become an acting teacher and theatre producer, and is an excellent listener. He can lift spirits when spirit-lifting is needed.

    Kevin Lee (Joseph/Mr. Sauce) is a senior theatre major at UAA. He’s previously been seen in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Big River, Spamalot, Twelve Angry Jurors, and Singin’ in the Rain. He’s written a play for Short Attention Span Theatre, performed as Wolverine in Winter Bear, and worked as a technician at the Bigfork Summer Playhouse. In his spare time, he enjoys writing plays and stories.

    Jacob Mayforth (Axel Fersen) is a theatre major at UAA. He was most recently seen in last year’s productions as Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and as Feste in Twelfth Night. His goal is to one day get paid to do what he loves, building and creating on the stage, and he can waste an afternoon faster than anyone when he has spare time.

    Alexandra McCall (Therese de Lamballe/Royalist) is a theatre student at UAA in her third year. Past work at UAA includes roles in Big River, Sister James in Wolfpack Theatre Club’s production of Doubt: A Parable, Viola in Twelfth Night, and most recently Presidents Eisenhower, Taft, and many others in 44 Plays for 44 Presidents this past October. She has also worked with the Seawolf Student Film Club, having acted in two films and helped to create one for the 24 Hour Film Royal last spring. Outside of the limelight, Alexandra likes to cook, sing, and hang out with animals.

    Matthew Meyer (Louis XVI) is in his second year as a theatre major here at UAA. His most memorable roles are Tina from a scene in Operation Redneck for UAA’s directing class, and John Rice in UAA’s production of Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead. He’s honored to be working with such a talented cast and crew, and is overjoyed to be wearing pants.

    Becca Padrick (Yolande de Polignac/Mrs. Sauce/Guard) is a first year theatre and sculpture major at UAA. Marie Antoinette is her first UAA production. She previously performed at South High School, and went to the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival with Rockin Red the Musical. Her ultimate theatre goal is to perform in the Globe Theatre in London, and she “can do that Chinese circus act where someone is lying in their stomach and then they flip their feet over their heads to the ground at the same time.”

    Emily Pratt (Marie Antoinette) is a junior theatre major at UAA. She’s previously been seen as Kate in William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead, Ophelia in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Antonio in Twelfth Night, Renee/Pin Up Girl in M Butterfly, and Strange Woman in Big River. She’s been an assistant in the costume shop for 2 years, and has previously been the makeup designer for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and ran wardrobe for 44 Plays for 44 Presidents. She enjoys Christopher Moore books, crocheting, camping, and dog watching. 

  • Creative

    Director, Nova Cunningham
    Scenic Designer, Chris Evans
    Costume Designer, Colleen Alexis Metzger
    Lighting Designer, Katie Bailey Nixon
    Sound Designer, Devin Frey
    Projections Designer & Technical Director, Daniel Glen Carlgren
    Production Manager, Daniel J. Anteau
    Props Designer, Adi Davis
    Assistant Director/Dramaturg, Ray Leonard
    Fight Choreography, Ty Hewitt
    Choreography, Kathryn O’Loughlin


    Nova Cunningham (Director) holds a Bachelor of Music degree (with an emphasis in Music Education and Vocal Performance) from Ohio Northern University, and a MFA degree in Theatre (with an emphasis in Musical Theatre) from San Diego State University. She is currently a Term Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, teaching classes in Acting, Script Analysis, and Community Engagement in the Arts. Nova’s theatre career has taken her from New York to the West Coast, performing year-round for over 25 years. She most recently was Producing Artistic Director on the central coast of California. For the past 15 years, Nova has been a seasonal resident of Alaska, managing Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theatre at Denali National Park.

    Chris Evans (Scenic Designer/Scene Shop Assistant) is a senior theatre major at UAA and recipient of the Dayle Skore Memorial Scholarship. He was previously the technical director for William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead, assistant technical director for Twelfth Night, and scenic designer for The Fantasticks at UAA. He plans to attend graduate school and to work professionally in technical theatre.

    Devin Frey (Sound Designer) is a senior on the verge of graduating with a BA in theater with a performance emphasis. His previous UAA acting credits include Lincoln, Johnson, and others in 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, Henry in The Fantasticks and God in Spamalot, among others. Outside of UAA, Devin can either be found onstage or backstage at Cyrano’s, A.C.T., or the Performing Arts Center. He can be found running live sound around Anchorage in his off time.

    Adi Davis (Props Designer) is a junior theatre and economics major. She has been involved in various productions at UAA, both on and off the stage. Her most recent acting credits include Maria in UAA’s production of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, and backstage as the stage manager for UAA’s recent production of 44 Plays for 44 Presidents. Her current career aspirations include graduate school for scenic design and traveling the world doing theatre.

    Raymond Leonard (Assistant Director/Dramaturg) is a senior theatre major with a concentration in technical theatre at UAA. Recent properties designs include 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and The Fantasticks. He has also successfully been a costume designer and technician, an assistant scenic designer and carpenter, lighting designer and master electrician for various productions at UAA. He is very excited to hone his craft even further in more professional environments after his graduation.

    Daniel J. Anteau (Production Manager) received a B.A. from the University of Alaska Anchorage and his MFA from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in Lighting Design. He now serves as department chair, professor in design and technical director for the dance program. Professionally, Daniel’s lighting designs have been seen across Alaska & Hawaii, to New York City, and internationally to Africa. For the past 5 summers Daniel served as technical director for Trollwood Performing Arts School in Moorhead, MN. In Hawaii, Daniel continues to stay active as lighting designer working with Manoa Valley Theatre on their January production.

    Daniel Glen Carlgren (Projection Designer and Technical Director) is currently the faculty scenic designer, projection designer, and technical director at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He received his BFA from Southern Oregon University in 2001 and his MFA from University of Oregon in 2012. Daniel’s recent credits include scenic and projection design, and technical direction for 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, Night of the Iguana, SPAMalot, Twelfth Night, and many others. Daniel has also worked on the automation for Julie Taymor’s Grendal and Wagner’s Ring Cycle for the Los Angeles Opera and Disney’s Aladdin at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Washington. Daniel has worked as a scenery, staging and rigging specialist in the entertainment industry for many years.

    Ty Hewitt (Fight Choreography) was born and raised in Ketchikan, Alaska, and has worked as an actor, director, teacher and fight choreographer for productions in the Pacific Northwest and around the country. Theatre credits include Profile Theatre’s (Portland, OR) Sam Shepard season, playing Vince in Buried Child, the Speaker in Tongues and as a guest lecturer on the nature of violence in Shepard’s plays. Other Portland theatre credits include The Scene at Portland Playhouse and On The Table with the Sojourn Theatre. Ty performed in deCOMPOSITION, a theatre piece which he co-wrote, in Seattle and NYC. New York credits include Opus D’Amour at Theatre Lab, Babel Tower with Round Table Ensemble and Orsino in Aquila Theatre’s Twelfth Night at Lincoln Center. Ty has a BFA from Southern Oregon University and an MFA from UMKC.

    Colleen Metzger (Costume Designer) has worked all across the country. She has designed for the Barter Theatre in Virginia, Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, The New London Barn Playhouse in New Hampshire, CATco and The Human Race Theatre Company in Ohio, Riverside Theatre in Iowa, and the Mad Horse Theatre Company in Maine. Colleen has also run wardrobe at the Glimmerglass Opera, worked as costume technician at the Hangar Theatre, Portland Stage Company, and the Chautauqua Opera, and has worked as a crafts artisan for the Santa Fe Opera.

  • Crew

    Stage Manager: Mike Vanni
    Assistant Stage Manager: Jordan Crenshaw
    Scene Shop Supervisor: Henry Coleman
    Scenic Artist: Nikki Adams
    Scene Shop Assistants: Chris Evans, Josh Evans
    Scenic Carpentry: THR 141, 295, 495
    Props: Casey Eichorn
    Paint Crew: Zoe Ellis, Becca Padrick
    Costume Shop Manager: Denice Jewell
    Costume Shop Assistants: Lisa-Marie Castro, Emily Pratt, Jane Lee
    Costume Construction Crew: THR 131, Matthew Meyer, Meredith Mapes, Aurora Hoefferle, Katie O’Loughlin, Pierre Bernard
    Costume Crafts Artisans: Katie Bailey Nixon, Lisa-Marie Castro, Savanna Wilson, Emily Pratt
    Wardrobe: Michael Noble, Taylor Hicks
    Light Board Operator: Joshuah Rutten
    Lighting Crew: Jordan Crenshaw, Kyle Campbell, THR 131, Arlo Davis, Sarah Evenson
    Sound Board Operator: Arlo Davis
    Sound Crew: Lily Wertz
    Assistant Projections Designer: Ryan Anderson
    Projections Operator: Richard Fulton

    HOUSE
    Publicist/Media: Brian Cook
    Additional Publicity: Nova Cunningham
    Videographer: Cedar Cussins
    Event Support Assistants: Aleksander Altukhov, Katie Bailey Nixon, Jonathan Heynen, Luda Steadman

  • Production Photos
     
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
    Marie Antoinette, UAA Theatre and Dance, 2015
  • News, Reviews, and Buzz

 

Marie Antoinette is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
Marie Antoinette was commissioned by Yale Repertory Theatre.
James Bundy, Artistic Director & Victoria Nolan, Managing Director
and received its first public performance on September 1, 2012.
Marie Antoinette had its New York Premiere at Soho Rep.
Sarah Benson, Artistic Director & Cynthia Flowers, Executive Director