Return to flip book view

GOOD COMPANY THEATRE PRESENTSA play byPaul Michael ThomsonWORLD PREMIERESeptember 16 - October 3, 2021Sponsored with the generous support of the following:

SYNOPSISFourteen-year-old queer boy Chrysanthemum is the endearing know-it-all serving as president of the Drama Club Council and is based on no playwright in particular. His best friend is Vice President Phylicia, a coloratura soprano in every way. (If you’ve ever done musical theatre, you know what I’m talking about!!) They are best best friends, okay?They comment on each other’s posts out of desire, not obligation.But when FJHS announces the spring musical will be Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, our protagonists rift. Shoot! Now one of them is the antagonist. But which one?!NO INTERMISSIONRuntime: 100 minutesPLAYWRIGHTPaul Michael ThomsonPRODUCERSAlicia Washington and Camille WashingtonDIRECTORPenelope CaywoodSTARRINGJoseph Branca (he/him) as ChrysanthemumAlvaro Cortez (he/him) as TravisScotty Fletcher (he/they) as ZacTalia Heiss (she/her) as PhyliciaAlec Kalled (he/him) as JackZaza Vandyke (they/them/hers) as AlexyTECHNICAL DIRECTOR Austin HullSTAGE MANAGER Estephani CerrosLIGHTING DESIGNER Marley KeithSET DESIGNER Alina CannonSOUND DESIGNER Kyle LawrenceCOSTUME DESIGNER Citlali UrquizaPROPS DESIGNER Alicia WashingtonMAKEUP AND HAIR DESIGNER AND ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER Kyah GreenFremont Junior High is NOT Doing Oklahoma is presented with the permission of the playwright.Kindly silence your mobile devices. Recording of any kind is prohibited. Wear your mask (covering your nose and mouth) throughout the show.

CAST BIOSJoseph Branca (Chrysanthemum) Recent performances include: Satur-day’s Voyeur, Pete the Cat, and Diary of a Worm with Salt Lake Acting Company; Guys and Dolls, Mary Poppins, and Matilda with Hale Cen-tre Theatre; Newsies, Peter Pan, and Winnie-the-Pooh with Hale Center Theater Orem; Man of La Mancha with Utah Opera; and several produc-tions with Universal Studios Japan. Among other roles on screen, Joseph starred in the lms Dog Valley, and the Emmy Award Winning Resistance Movement. @josephbranca | www.josephbranca.comAlvaro Cortez (Travis) is a local actor both in lm and theatre, based in Salt Lake City. A 2020 pandemic graduate from Westminster College in the B.F.A program. Alvaro has been participating in theatre since his Junior year at Hillcrest High in Midvale, Utah. Where he was rst able to learn and work on his craft with dedicated faculty.Scotty Fletcher (Zac) is a recent Graduate from Utah State University’s Acting BFA program, Scotty also performs as a drag queen in Salt Lake City and around the valley. You can nd them weekly at the Metro Music Hall or the new Twist Exchange!Talia Heiss (Phylicia) is a senior in the Musical Theatre Program at the University of Utah. She was most recently seen in the original production of The Night Witches at the University of Utah. Favorite credits include Ray in PRESENTING: SUPER CAT AND REPTILE ROBOT (Plan-b Theatre), Gary Coleman in Avenue Q (MMST), and Mina Harker in Dracula: The Musical. She aspires to be a voice actor, jazz singer, and one day hopes to sing with Seth MacFarlane! Zaza Vandyke (Alexy) is a trans-non-binary performing musician, glass artist and parent. Zaza is known around the state for spreading self love and their loud progressive voice about civil rights issues.CREATIVE BIOSPaul Michael Thomson (Playwright) is a Chicago-based theatre artist and interdisciplinary scholar, currently pursuing his PhD in Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Playwriting credits include: Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man (Avalanche Theatre, Live Theatre Workshop); The G.O.A.T., or Who Is Ximone? (The Story Theatre); Same Sects! (Other Theatre Company, North Central College); Hold Me Closer, Briny Dancer (Chicago Children’s Theatre); What a Time to Be Alive (You Say That Every Time) (Denition Theatre). Paul Michael is a founding member of The Story Theatre, where currently he serves on the Governing Ensemble. He holds a BFA in Acting, a BA in Africana Studies, and minors in Spanish and Art History from the University of Arizona. His gratitude for Alicia, Camille, Penny, Good Company, and his incredible support system knows no bounds! paulmichaelthomson.com

Penelope (Penny) Marantz Caywood (Director) is known and respect-ed throughout the Salt Lake Valley as an actor, teacher, choreographer, and as the Artistic Director of University of Utah Youth Theatre. As an in-school drama specialist, Penny works with teachers and their students to write, revise, rehearse, and perform a curriculum-based theatre script that will reinforce comprehension and motivate student learners. As a director and choreographer, Penny has been involved with over thirty productions along the Wasatch Front. The art of theater is an excellent method of teaching non-theatrical subjects in a creative interactive and stimulating way. Penny is dedicated to creating programs that make use of the full educational potential of theater as a subject of study, an instru-ment for the development of life skills, and as a means of making other subjects more accessible to students.Austin Hull (Technical Director) is ecstatic to work at Good Company Theatre. He Has been fortunate to work at Centerpoint Legacy Theater, The Utah Symphony, Ballet West, and spent 10 years working in technical theater at Weber State University. Love to my husband Brenden, and our fur babies Penny, Jasmine, Spud, Tip, Rose, and Harvey.Estephani Cerros (Stage Manager) Is incredibly excited to be working with Good Company Theatre for the rst time. As a recent graduate from Weber State University, she is grateful to put her Bachelor in Theatre Arts degree to good use. She has previously stage managed dance productions at Weber State, and is eager to add Fremont Jr. High Is Not Doing Okla-homa to her resume.Marley Keith (Lighting Designer) is in her Junior Year at Weber State University. She’s a Design and Tech Management major at Weber State with an emphasis in lighting and sound. She started getting into the light-ing world after high school, where she found a huge passion for the arts but was unable to draw or paint. She’s bad at that. She’s recently been involved with productions at Weber State, Peery’s Egyptian, Salt Lake Acting Company, The Eccles Center, and more. The production experience for this show has been awesome, and she’s incredibly appreciative to the cast, crew, and entire production team for Fremont Junior High Is Not Doing Oklahoma!Alina Cannon (Set Designer) is excited to make her Good Company The-atre designing debut. Alina holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Weber State University, and just started her rst year at Kent State University, pur-suing an MFA in Scenic Design. Her most notable and recent work was for The House of Edgar Allan Poe at Weber State, for which she received a number of awards including: The Kennedy Center American College The-atre Festival (KCACTF) Region 8 Theatrical Design Excellence in Scenic Design Award, and The National Partners of the American Theatre Design Award. Please enjoy the show!

Kyle Lawrence (Sound Designer) has over 15 years of experience in mu-sical theatre as a performer, designer, composer, and director. He studied musical theatre at Weber State University and has a Level 1 Certica-tion in Evidence Based Voicework from Maddie Tarbox Vocal Studio. He currently teaches musical theatre acting and private voice for Backstage Performing Arts in Centerville, Utah. Sound design credits include Ripped (Good Company Theatre), The Jungle (Good Company Theatre), The Chil-dren (Good Company Theatre), The Addams Family (The Ziegfeld The-atre), and Footloose (Backstage Performing Arts).Citlali Urquiza (Costume Designer) is delighted to be costume designing Fremont Junior High is NOT doing Oklahoma! in her rst production with Good Company Theatre. She is a student at Weber State University. She has previously designed Women of Troy and various other productions.Alicia Washington (Props Designer, Producer) is the Founder and Co-Di-rector of Good Company Theatre. She has been working in Utah theatre since she was a child. While student at North Layton Junior High she played Aunt Eller in the school production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Imagine the chaos that ensued.Kyah Green (Hair and Makeup Designer, Assistant Costume Designer) and assisting costumes for GCT’s world premiere of Fremont Jr. High is NOT doing Oklahoma! Just graduated after an entire year of theater can-celed. I’ve had a blast working, and ultimately enjoying the space with the team and cast alike.Camille Washington (Producer) is the Co-Director of Good Company The-atre. She is glad to be back at GCT but mourns the loss of the many who continue to be taken by COVID-19. It doesn’t have to be this way.BOARD OF DIRECTORSYolanda StangeAlicia Washington, CHAIRCamille Washington, VICE CHAIRColleen Washington, TREASURERJohn WorthingtonADVISORY BOARDMiriam AllredPedro Flores (non-voting)Brien JonesTeresa MartinezKathleen ReesSpecial thanks to Quinn Coons, and to everyone who made donations over the last year. Your continued support is the reason why GCT is still here.