50 YEARS ON
Cast members in the Syracuse Stage and the Syracuse University Department of Drama presentation of “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” Nov. 25, 2022 through Jan. 8, 2023.
The 2022/2023 season marked an important milestone for Syracuse Stage, the 50th anniversary. Arthur Storch founded the company in 1974 with a half season consisting of three shows that ran from March to June. Storch always insisted this should be considered season number one. Season two started in the fall of 1974 and concluded in the spring of 1975, more or less mirroring the academic calendar and establishing the timeline for future seasons. Clearly, achieving 50 seasons deserved celebration to commemorate the rich history of seasons past and to engender excitement about the possibilities for the future. Unfortunately, the complication of Covid still loomed large. Despite calls from some quarters to declare the pandemic over, statistics urged continued caution. In September of 2022, upwards of 400 to 500 Covid deaths were reported daily in the United States. Globally, to date, there had been 6.5 million reported Covid related deaths. The calendar said it was time to celebrate, but the times compelled restraint. Large gatherings remained risky, and to a very large degree, uncertainty hung over the season. Would patrons feel safe returning to the theatre? Would it be possible to keep casts safe and healthy? The best course of action was to postpone any celebration for another season. Instead of 50 seasons, Syracuse Stage would celebrate 50 years during the 2023/2024 season. Nonetheless, there was much eager anticipation for the season ahead, which included tantalizing glimpses of possibilities for the future direction of Stage: two world premieres (the musical How to Dance in Ohio and Tender Rain), the first Spanish/English bi-lingual production (Espejos: Clean), and commissions for work from two contemporary American playwrights (Rogelio Martinez and Ty Defoe). The commitment to developing and supporting new work was going and growing strong, and with Disney’s The Little Mermaid as the co-production for the holidays, the American classic Our Town, and the farce Clue in the mix, the season held hope for a return to the excitement and momentum so abruptly halted by Covid.
The good news for returning audiences was that wearing masks was no longer required, although for most of the season, still strongly encouraged. All stage staff continued to wear masks and the casts, crews, and musicians followed regiments for regular testing and remained within isolated “bubbles” to reduce the possibility of infection. With fingers crossed and hopes cautiously high, the season opened with an exciting world premiere musical.
The cast of “How to Dance in Ohio” September, 2022. Photo: Curtis Brown
Like Thoughts of a Colored Man in 2019, How to Dance in Ohio was an enhanced project. The commercial production company P3 brought the show to Syracuse Stage with the intent of developing it for Broadway. Having graduated from the Syracuse University Department of Drama, two of P3’s producers, Sammy Lopez and Ben Holtzman, already had strong connections to Syracuse and Syracuse Stage, and they brought a very strong artistic team with them for this remarkable musical.
How to Dance in Ohio was inspired by a Peabody Award winning documentary of the same name directed by Alexandra Shiva. The film followed seven autistic young adults in Columbus, Ohio, as they prepared to meet a challenge posed to them by their group counselor Dr. Emilio Amigo: attend a spring formal dance. In Amigo’s view, the dance represented a rite of passage experienced by many young people their age; therefore, it could be an important step for his clients in facing the stress and excitement of broader socialization, however difficult it could be for them.
The cast of “Thoughts of a Colored Man” September, 2019. Photo: Michael Davis
In the musical adaptation, Amigo’s young clients were played by seven autistic actors—Desmond Edwards, Amelia Fei, Madison Kopec, Liam Pearce, Imani Russell, Conor Tague, and Ashley Wool—an unprecedented commitment to authentic autistic representation. Tony Award-winner Wilson Jermaine Heredia portrayed Dr. Amigo. How to Dance in Ohio was written by Rebekah Greer Melocik (book and lyrics) with music by Jacob Yandura, choreography by Mayte Natalio and was directed by Sammi Cannold with music direction by Lily Ling. The full creative team included scenic designer Robert Brill (Thoughts of a Colored Man) co-costume designers Sarafina Bush and Michael Ryan Andolsek, lighting designer Bradley King (Tony Awards Hadestown and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812) and sound designer Connor Wang.
While an outbreak of Covid in the cast and crew forced the show close early at Syracuse Stage, How to Dance in Ohio fulfilled its Broadway ambition and opened at the Belasco Theatre in December 2023 and ran until February 2024. It was the second Broadway transfer for Syracuse Stage within two years following Thoughts of a Colored Man, which opened in October of 2021.
In October, The Cold Read Festival of New Plays, now curated by Melissa Crespo, presented readings of two commissioned works by noted American playwrights. Ojibwe and Oneida performance artist, activist, and writer Ty Defoe presented the first reading of Our Words Are Seeds, a play rooted in the Onondaga creation myth of Sky Woman. Our Words Are Seeds was commissioned as part of Stage’s education program Backstory. Award-winning playwright Rogelio Martinez, a Syracuse University alumnus, gave a first look at his play The National Pastime, which was commissioned as part of Stage’s 50th anniversary celebration. As of this writing, The National Pastime is scheduled to receive a full production as part of the 2024/2025 season.
Ty Defoe
The Covid outbreak that forced the closing of How to Dance in Ohio served as a reminder that heightened vigilance, precaution, and planning remained of the utmost importance as the season progressed, especially since the next scheduled show was the holiday co-production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, with a lot of singing, dancing, and a cast of 35.
To guide this journey under the sea, Hupp turned to veteran director Melissa Rain Anderson, music director Brian Cimmet, choreographer Adam Cates, and the crew from 2 Ring Circus (Joshua Dean, Ben Franklin and Sissa Strain), whose high-flying acrobatics gave breadth and depth to the world beneath the waves. As a safety measure, costume designer Rafael Colón Castenera designed built in face masks for many of the ensemble costumes. Nonetheless, Covid insisted on making an appearance in the show. Fortunately, among the many veteran stage personnel working on the show was Stuart Plymesser (see sidebar) who had been stage managing Syracuse Stage productions since 1997. Under his steady and experienced guidance, the cast navigated multiple switches as understudies and swings rotated in and out roles, which sometimes for extended stretches changed daily. If the atmosphere backstage was at times tense, the performances proceeded unimpeded delighting the many children and families in the audience. With performances by Kate Emerson (Ariel), Crystal Sha’nae (Ursula), Erick Pinnick (King Triton) and Drama students Jay Ownes (Sebastian) and Tom Riggleman (Flounder), a sense of fun, celebration, and a little magic—on and off stage—returned to the Archbold Theatre.
FROM THE STAGE MANAGER’ BOOTH
International playwrights and voices had long been part of Syracuse Stage seasons, but always, understandably, in translation. The production of Espejos: Clean as the third show in the season introduced Stage’s first truly bi-lingual play. Written by Canadian playwright Christine Quintana, with the Spanish translation and adaptation by Paula Zelaya Cervantes, Espejos: Clean is set in Cancun, Mexico, and centers on the interactions between a local woman (Adriana played by Emma Ramos) who works at a large resort and a Canadian woman (Sarah played by Kate Abbruzzese) visiting for a destination wedding. Each woman tells the story from her point of view and in her own language. Mariana Sanchez’s ingenious scenic design allowed for translations Spanish to English and English to Spanish to be projected throughout as required. Playwright Quintana visited Stage during the run and with director Melissa Crespo participated in a talkback for audience members. Espejos: Clean also represented the first partnership between Syracuse Stage and Hartford Stage.
Thornton Wilder’s American classic, Our Town, had long been one of Bob Hupp’s favorite plays. He had been eager to direct it since his arrival in Syracuse. Postponed in 2020 due to Covid, Hupp included it in the 2022/2023 season with the intention that the portrayal of Our Town on stage would reflect the “our town” better known as Syracuse, NY. To that end, Hupp’s cast of 20 represented multiple ethnicities. Seventeen of the cast were residents of Central New York, including well-known stage, film, and television actor Jim True-Frost, who took on the lead role of the Stage Manager. Drama students Magadaliz Rivera and Deigo Echeverria De Cordova played the young couple Emily Webb and George Gibbs. Composer and sound designer Michael Keck provided original music. In his program note, Hupp addressed the ever-important question of why Wilder’s play was particularly relevant to the moment: “The pandemic has been isolating. We’ve spent the past few years afraid of the present and uncertain about the future. Our Town asks us to transcend isolation and re-engage. It asks us to live bravely in our uncertainty. It asks us to consider: “Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute?” Tough question. But worth exploring.” Audiences and critics agreed.
Cast members in the Syracuse Stage production of "Our Town," March 29 - April 16, 2023. Written by Thornton Wilder, Directed by Robert Hupp. Photo: Michael Davis
Diego Echeverria De Cordova, Jim True-Frost, and Magdaliz Rivera in the Syracuse Stage production of "Our Town," March 29 - April 16, 2023. Written by Thornton Wilder, Directed by Robert Hupp. Photo: Michael Davis
Cast members in the Syracuse Stage production of "Our Town," March 29 - April 16, 2023. Written by Thornton Wilder, Directed by Robert Hupp. Photo: Michael Davis
Kate Abbruzzese and Emma Ramos in "Espejos: Clean" at Syracuse Stage. Feb. 15 - March 5, 2023. By | Escrita por Christine Quintana Spanish translation and adaptation by | Traducción y adaptación al español por Paula Zelaya Cervantes Directed by | Dirigida por Melissa Crespo
Kate Abbruzzese in "Espejos: Clean" at Syracuse Stage. Feb. 15 - March 5, 2023. By | Escrita por Christine Quintana Spanish translation and adaptation by | Traducción y adaptación al español por Paula Zelaya Cervantes Directed by | Dirigida por Melissa Crespo
Emma Ramos and Kate Abbruzzese in "Espejos: Clean" at Syracuse Stage. Feb. 15 - March 5, 2023. By | Escrita por Christine Quintana Spanish translation and adaptation by | Traducción y adaptación al español por Paula Zelaya Cervantes Directed by | Dirigida por Melissa Crespo
Arusi Santi, Robert Ariza, Tanya De León, and Bobby Plasencia in the world premiere of "Somewhere Over the Border," Feb. 23 - March 13, 2022 at Syracuse Stage. By Brian Quijada, Directed by Rebecca Martínez. Photo: Michael Davis.
Robert Ariza, Tanya De León, Bobby Plasencia, and Gloria Vivica Benavides in the world premiere of "Somewhere Over the Border," Feb. 23 - March 13, 2022 at Syracuse Stage. By Brian Quijada, Directed by Rebecca Martínez. Photo: Michael Davis
The next show in the season, Tender Rain, marked another world premiere and the third mainstage production for resident playwright Kyle Bass. An intense and haunting drama about the past’s unrelenting grip on the present as played out in the lives of a struggling middle-aged couple, Tender Rain was directed by Rodney Hudson, a longtime faculty member in the Department of Drama who had also performed and directed at Syracuse Stage. In the early days of the holiday co-production between Stage and Drama, Hudson appeared as Captain Hook in Peter Pan, The Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, and Fagin in Oliver! He directed the co-production of A Christmas Carol in the 2006/2007 season. Sadly, Tender Rain would be Hudson’s last production at Syracuse Stage. He passed away on June 17, 2024. The 2024 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was dedicated to him.
The fiftieth season came to a close with the board game turned cult film turned comedic play Clue, co-produced with Indiana Repertory Theatre. As Hupp noted, “There are times, too, when we do what we do just for the fun of it.” Clue offered plenty of fun for very full houses and plenty of good times for the moment, and quite possibly, a sign of better times to come.
Surely, a palpable manifestation of better times arrived in the guise of the largest individual contribution ever received by Syracuse Stage. In August of 2023, between seasons, Stage announced a $1 million donation from the estate of George Wallerstein in honor of his late wife Julie Haynes Lutz. The contribution established the Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund and launched a $2.5 million campaign to mark Stage’s 50-year anniversary.
At the time of the announcement, managing director Jill Anderson noted, “This gift marks a leap forward in Syracuse Stage’s continuing commitment to foster and develop relationships with the most exciting artists working in the American theatre today, with a particular focus on sharing stories from underrepresented communities. Dr. Lutz’s love of theatre and commitment to social justice is forever memorialized by this remarkably generous gift.”
Even prior to the announcement, the Lutz Fund had supported the world premiere of Bass’s Tender Rain, and as part of the bequest, the Cold Read Festival of New Plays, initiated by Bass in 2018, would be renamed the Julie Lutz Festival of New American Plays. Bass explained, "New plays and new voices are the lifeblood of a relevant theatre. In this regard, Julie Lutz's extraordinary gift to Syracuse Stage and the new play development fund it endows will touch artists and audiences beyond our walls. It allows us to develop, launch, and grow new and exciting works into the world.”
The cast of the Julie Lutz Cold Read World Premiere of "Tender Rain" by Kyle Bass. Directed by Rodney Hudson. May 3 - 21, 2023 at Syracuse Stage. Photo: Michael Davis
Henry Woronicz, Claire Wilcher, Beethovan Oden, Emjoy Gavino, Emily Berman, and Eric Sharp in the Syracuse Stage production of "Clue." June 7 - 25, 2023. Photo: Michael Davis.
With the popular success of Clue at the end of the season and the unprecedented gift in support of new work, there was reason for cautious optimism heading into the official 50th anniversary season, 2023/2024. To open the season, Hupp turned to Melissa Crespo to direct Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me. Though small in scale (Covid still lurked), Shreck’s play was large in scope, addressing from her perspective how the U.S. Constitution has failed to protect the rights of women and others, while favoring especially white men. Schreck uses the story of generations of women in her family to expose the Constitution’s shortcomings and concludes with a serio-comic debate about whether the time has come to consider a new constitution. As structured in the play, the debate invites a younger generation of women to the stage to participate in the discussion. Crespo was well served by her cast, Mel House, Phillip Taratula, and Drama students Emily Castillo-Langley and Malaika Wanjiku alternating performances as the young debate participant. What the Constitution Means to Me proved a fitting opener for the 50th anniversary considering that Arthur Storch’s first production in 1974 was the highly charged political play Waiting for Lefty by Clifford Odets. On a sad note, the program carried an in memoriam for Judge Rosemary Pooler, a longtime supporter and friend of Syracuse Stage.
The musical tribute to the life of Billie Holiday, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, was the season’s second production. Directed by Jade King Carroll and featuring Tracey Conyer Lee, who previously appeared at Stage in Tazewell Thompson’s Constant Star, Lady Day offered a deeply affecting portrait of Holiday’s legendary talent and troubled life. Gary Mitchell, Jr. did double duty as music director off stage and on stage as pianist Jimmy Powers. DeVaughn Jackson rounded out the cast as the onstage bass player. Again, the production was tinged with some sadness as Bob Hupp and Jill Anderson paid tribute to Ginny Parker, one of Stage’s most ardent champions, who had passed away suddenly: “We will miss Ginny Parker. She is woven into the fabric of the company. Ginny was the sort of patron other theatres can only dream about. With this production, we honor how she enriched our lives here at Stage while we celebrate her steadfast belief that the arts make our lives more interesting, meaningful, and hopeful.”
Appropriate to a 50th anniversary, for the holidays Stage presented A Christmas Carol, the most produced play in the company’s history. For Carol number nine, Melissa Rain Anderson returned as director with Brain Cimmet once again providing musical direction and Andrea Leigh-Smith the choreography. Two Ring Circus also made a return appearance to add some high-flying fun to Scrooge’s well-known and much-loved journey toward compassion and redemption. Veteran actor Sam Gregory played Scrooge supported by a company of professionals and Drama students. Like a fine bowl of steaming bishop, A Christmas Carol bestowed warmth and cheer on the holiday season.
Lauren Steele and Andrea Vernae in the Syracuse Stage production of "Clyde's," Jan. 31 - Feb. 18, 2024. Written by Lynn Nottage, Directed by Chip Miller. Photo: Michael Davis
Playwright Lynn Nottage is a force of theatre. A MacArthur Fellow and the first woman to win two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama (Ruined in 2009 and Sweat in 2017), Nottage is much produced at theatres across the country. Her comedy Clyde’s is about formerly incarcerated persons trying to reset their lives by working in a diner owned by an unsympathetic, tough as nails woman named Clyde. It is funny, and at the same time addresses, as Nottage often does, the plight of people who are marginalized. The humor is a deliberate choice, Nottage once explained: “I think that an audience when they are laughing, in some ways, they’re more open, the mouth is open, the body is open and relaxed. I think they’re more ready and willing to engage with complicated ideas.” Stage produced Clyde’s in association with Portland Center Stage, whose associate artistic director Chip Miller served as the show’s director.
The enduring appeal of Agatha Christie mysteries and the appealing popularity of Stage’s forays into theatrical adaptations of mysteries made Ken Ludwig’s Murder on the Orient Express a sure winner for the 50th anniversary season. To squeeze every ounce of humor and mystery out of Ludwig’s play, director Bob Hupp assembled a familiar design team including Czerton Lim (scenic), Tracy Dorman (costumes), and Dawn Chiang (lights). Daniela Hart and Uptown Works provided sound design and original music, Nitsan Scharf handled the projections and Bobbie Zlotnik the wigs. The cast, too, featured some familiar names and faces. Jason O’Connell returned to take on Poirot, joined by John Tufts, Angie Janas, Shabazz Green, and Blake Segal, all of whom had had multiple appearances at Stage. Making their Stage debuts were Tanner Efinger, Sarah Joyce, Barbara Kingsley, and Shannon Lamb. In Hupp’s quite capable hands, it was all aboard for flat out fun.
Of all the shows that had been impacted by Covid, only the charming musical Once had yet to find its way back to Syracuse Stage. Consequently, its place as the closer to the 50th anniversary season contained added import. In one way it signaled the conclusion of the celebratory look back at Stage’s 50 years of providing outstanding theatre to the Central New York Community. In another way it held a certain optimism that the company was at last emerging from Covid’s long shadow, and having come through, could focus on the future. Such a theme is very much at the heart of Once as the main character Guy, with the forceful assistance of Girl, struggles to move beyond the musical and romantic dead end he has been inhabiting in order to find a way forward, not by abandoning his past, but by connecting it to what lies ahead. It was a source of some relief that patrons who had not felt comfortable attending shows since Covid were now expressing interest in returning for the 2024/2025 season: the past connecting to the future through an uncertain present was cause for celebration.
Joe Boover and Ana Marcu in the Syracuse Stage production of "Once," May 1-19, 2024. Book by Enda Walsh. Based on the motion picture written and directed by John Carney. Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. Directed by Melissa Crespo. Photo: Michael Davis
Melissa Crespo directed Once and among the productions many delights was the return of Department of Drama alumna Anna Marcu in the role of Girl. As a student, Marcu appeared in Hairspray (2014/2015) and as Tiger Lily in Peter Pan (2016/2017). Since leaving the Department, she had enjoyed success off-Broadway and in numerous regional theatres. Joining Marcu and playing the role of Guy was Joe Boover, along with a cast of talented actor/singer/musicians, all of whom seemed capable of playing multiple instruments, many of which adorned the walls of Roderigo Escalante’s music store inspired set. Matthew Webb designed the lights and Jacqueline R. Herter the sound. Costumes were by Jerry L. Jonhson and Carmen M. Martinez. The program carried an in memoriam dedication to Johnson who passed away suddenly prior to rehearsals.
The conclusion of the season also marked the conclusion of Jill Anderson’s tenure as Stage’s managing director. Having arrived at Stage concurrent with Hupp’s appointment as artistic director in 2016, Anderson accepted a position as managing director of Minneapolis’s Children’s Theatre Company, the largest and most acclaimed children’s theatre in the country. Hupp noted the mixed emotions of the announcement.
“While we celebrate this next chapter in Jill’s life and career, the news is bittersweet,” Hupp said. “It has been a highlight of my career to work in partnership with Jill these past eight seasons, and everyone at Syracuse Stage will miss Jill’s warm-hearted and thoughtful leadership.”
The move brought Anderson closer to her native Wisconsin and to family and friends. In a letter in the Once program, she reflected on her seasons at Stage: “I am so proud to have played a part at Stage, and in this community, since 2016. As I prepare to leave Stage to begin a new position in Minnesota this summer, I am filled with gratitude for the relationships forged, the hospitality extended, and the unwavering support shown to me personally and to Syracuse Stage through some wonderful - and uniquely challenging - years. Your enthusiasm and commitment have been the driving force behind our success, and I have no doubt that this vibrant community will continue to invest in and champion Stage for years to come. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead!”
Appropriate to the celebration of Stage’s 50th anniversary, the annual gala was a “Cast Party” held at the theatre and featured a look back the highlights of seasons past. Attendees arrived on a red carpet, enjoyed entertainment provided by TeNesha Murphy, Al Annatto, and David Lowenstein, and celebrated 50 years of generous and loyal patrons and supporters.