Tag Archives: Xavier University Theatre

Bruce Cromer & Regina Pugh.

(CINCINNATI, Feb. 6, 2018) — Xavier University Theatre continues its main stage season with Sam Shepard’s acclaimed, Pulitzer-Prize winning play BURIED CHILD. The show — which is directed by former Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Producing Artistic Director Ed Stern and stars two of the region’s most prolific actors, Bruce Cromer and Regina Pugh — runs Feb. 15 through Feb. 18 in Xavier’s Gallagher Student Center Theatre.

BURIED CHILD shines a surreal spotlight on the disintegration of an American family. Aging patriarch Dodge and his wayward wife Halie are suddenly confronted with the homecoming of their troubled son Tilden, as well as the unexpected visit of their grandson Vince, who has been gone so long no one quite remembers him. As the family tries to make sense of their deteriorating relationships, a murky secret emerges that challenges their beliefs, heritage and memories. With BURIED CHILD, Shepard weaves a compelling Southern Gothic that balances the miracle of renewal with the inevitability of decay.

No one has quite approached the idea of the American family with such imaginative perversion as Sam Shepard. According to Stern, “Shepard is a master storyteller; he has drama, comedy. BURIED CHILD deals with roots, and it deals with finding direction in your life. As an actor himself, Shepard knew how to write for other actors perfectly.”

The relative ambiguity in the script presented Bruce Cromer and Regina Pugh, who portray Dodge and Halie, the opportunity to explore two characters that defy typical logic. Cromer says, “There’s a quote from Shepard that said when he was rewriting BURIED CHILD he didn’t want anything to be unintentionally ambiguous. So there’s intentional ambiguity that makes actors, as well as the audience, scratch their heads and think, ‘What the hell is going on?’ It’s great to work with someone like Ed who excels with details and specifics. He’s not afraid of the weird, irrational aspects of the writing or the world of the story.”

Pugh agrees, stating, “For Halie, in particular, there is a surreal change. There are a lot of unanswered questions with zero explanation. The challenge has been to find the way to make all of that seem right rather than making it seem like anything other than the truth of the play.”

The student actors have found their own challenges within Shepard’s labyrinthine plot. Junior Sam Martini, who plays Tilden, says, “I love the complete reversal of the family dynamic and the way it’s portrayed over time. It’s been a very fun experience, and I’ve learned so much. The play may be difficult, but in this supportive environment it’s easy to go all in.”

The entire cast for BURIED CHILD includes Bruce Cromer (Dodge), Regina Pugh (Halie), Henry Eden (Vince), Holland Taylor (Shelly), Sam Martini (Tilden), Aiden Dalton (Bradley) and Stephen Skiles (Father Dewis). Thomas Wehby understudies the role of Father Dewis. Cromer, Pugh and Skiles all appear courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association.

In addition to Stern, other members of the creative team include Joe Beumer (set design/lighting design); Kevin Semancik (sound design); Maggie Dick (costume design); Andrew Leonard, Cat Sholtis and Micah Price (props design); Hannah Sgambellone (assistant direction); and Bruce Cromer (fight choreography). The stage manager is Emi Suarez. Assistant stage managers are Abby Bricking and Taylor Maas.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 15, 16 and 17 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 17 and 18. Tickets for BURIED CHILD are available now through the Xavier University Theatre Box Office. They are $17 each for adults and $12 each for students, as well as Xavier faculty and staff. Limited seating is available. To purchase tickets, visit www.xavier.edu/theatretickets or call 513-745-3939.

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Josh Carandang as Andrew Jackson. Photo by Stephen Skiles.

Friday night is SOLD OUT. Only a few tickets remain for the other three performances.

(CINCINNATI, Jan. 26, 2018) — Xavier University Theatre kicks off 2018 with the politically fueled emo rock musical BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON. The show, which features music and lyrics by Michael Friedman and a book by Alex Timbers, takes place Feb. 2 through Feb. 4 in Xavier’s Gallagher Student Center Studio Theatre.

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON follows the life of our seventh president in a new form. With the country divided into rich and poor, Andrew Jackson begins his steady climb from a child on the wild frontier to military strategist and populist rabblerouser, then, ultimately, president of the United States. Along the way, he meets his wife, Rachel, takes on the Founding Fathers — and rocks like no political figure has ever rocked before. With a raucous blend of outrageous comedy, anarchic theatricality and infectious music, this wildly entertaining 90-minute show asks the question: Is wanting to have a beer with someone reason enough to elect him? What if he’s really, really hot?

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON will be Xavier’s first musical in its studio space. Choreographer and junior theatre major Annie Mayer believes the show is “one of the biggest technical challenges the department has taken on to date.” In addition to the difficulty of incorporating 17 cast members and a live band into the small black box theatre, Mayer says, “It’s physically impossible to hide anything in the space on both an artistic and technical level, which makes the musical even more raw and in-your-face. BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON is a show that demands to be heard and experienced in an intimate way because its message is so relevant and necessary in 2018.”

The narrative of BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON proved eerily timely for the cast. Donald Burns, a senior theatre and English major, believes that the show “is a great example and reminder that our perfect nation has experienced failure.”

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON shows both the positive and negative sides of Jackson’s political legacy, highlighting the importance of choosing carefully those we vote into power. According to Stephen Skiles, Xavier University’s director of theatre as well as the show’s director, “In 2006, when this production premiered, the message was ‘Beware.’ Thirteen years later, we think it’s closer to ‘Be Aware.’ The story serves as both a cautionary tale and a call to action for audiences.”

The cast for BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON features Joshua Carandang (Andrew Jackson), Sara Ringenbach (Storyteller), Max Carlson (Male Soloist/Citizen/Phil), Dylan Van Camp (Calhoun/Andrew Sr.), Annie Mayer (Red Eagle/University President), Steven Lindner (John Quincy Adams/Cobbler/Messenger/Tour Guide/Florida Man), Michael Rowlett (Van Buren/Keokuk), Hyehyun Hwang (Lyncoya), Donald Burns (Clay/Black Fox), Amara Shroba (Ensemble/Toula), Gigi Relic (Rachel/Florida Woman), Christine Gallagher (Elizabeth/Erica), Christian Hall (Monroe), Ellie Conniff (Female Soloist/Announcer/Naomi), Seth Mobley (Bandleader), Carly Mulert (Ensemble) and Andrew Leonard (Ensemble).

In addition to Skiles, other members of the creative team include Scot Buzza (music director); Joe Beumer (set design/lighting design); Kevin Semancik (sound design); Maggie Dick (costume design); Ellie Deutsch and Caroline Conard (props design); and Annie Mayer (choreography). The stage manager is Katherine Ivins. Assistant stage managers are Emmy Rice and Emily Jorgenson.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 and 3 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 3 and 4. Tickets for BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON are available now through the Xavier University Theatre Box Office. They are $17 each for adults and $12 each for students, as well as Xavier faculty and staff. The show is recommended for mature audiences. To purchase tickets, visit www.xavier.edu/theatretickets or call 513-745-3939.

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