Upper School Fall Production "Cradle to Grave" Brings Comedy, Thought-Provoking Drama to Community

 

 Authors include giants of drama Anton Chekhov, William Shakespeare, Samuel Beckett and Thornton Wilder. Also featured are newer plays by Christopher Durang, David Ives, Tina Howe and August Wilson.  The evening begins with “Deliver us Not” (by Greg Gamble and Lee Howard), a hilarious debate between three unborn babies, pondering the issue of  life after birth. Representing adolescence is “Heritage, Her-i-tage, and Hair-i-tage,” by Adrienne Dawes, which takes a satirical look at how European ideals of beauty influence the hairstyles of African American girls. Ending the evening is Thornton Wilder’s “Mozart and the Grey Steward,” a meditation about the dying Mozart, commissioned by a mysterious visitor to write his own requiem. Director Ritchie Porter has penned a new comedy for the occasion, “Permanent Record.” Assistant Director, Maki Yordán, and Porter have fashioned the title piece, Cradle to Grave” based on the contributions of the ensemble of twenty actors. Under the direction of Rachel Turner, the Fall Dance Company will perform a newly created piece about childhood. The Symphonic Rock Orchestra, assisted by Dr. Amy Wooley, will contribute recorded transition music. Anthony Harvey is the technical director.  Mr. Harvey is also serving as the director and fight choreographer for a scene from“Macbeth,” which features a sword battle between the title character and his nemesis, Macduff.

  

In the cast: Lily Beuker, Jennifer Clogg, Chris Currie, Cayla Dious, Stephanie Flocks, Zöe  Gray, Zein Haidar,  Justin Harmon, LJ Jackson, Aidan Lucas, Devin Lucas,

Will McLearn, Max Mento, Ross Munk, Lauren Nicholson, Louis Poirot,

Cameron Reeder, Megan Reilly, Claire vanStolk and Ashley Webb.

 

The Seven Ages of Man by William Shakespeare

Deliver Us Not (or Birth, Where is Thy Sting?) by Greg Gamble and Lee Howard

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Dance featuring the Upper School Fall Dance Company

Heritage, Her-i-tage and Hair-i-tage by Adrienne Dawes

The Blueberry Hill Accord by Daryl Watson

Sure Thing by David Ives

The Marriage Proposal by Anton Chekhov

Excerpt from Macbeth

Teeth by Tina Howe

DMV Tyrant by Christopher Durang

 

Permanent Record by Ritchie Porter

The Janitor, a monologue by August Wilson

Ohio Impromptu by Samuel Beckett

Cradle to Grave developed by the cast and the directors

Mozart and the Grey Steward by Thornton Wilder