SMALLER FLOODS

SYNOPSIS

Against the arid backdrop of the Dust Bowl, Abital digs in the farmland soil for a hidden lake prophesied to her in a dream—her last-ditch effort to reclaim water after growing concerns that the nearby river basin is soon to run dry. Meanwhile, her brother Gabriel charts weather patterns in hopes to predict the next rainfall. Inside their generations-old house, the children’s sheltered and skeptical mother—a frontierswoman and a barkeep—washes away the myths spun to her at the saloon as she searches for her missing acquaintance. Over one long night, at the arrival of a Western outlaw, the children are forced to reckon with the deadly potential of the dust that their mother has kept hidden from them, as they decide whether to leave their land or if they’re too indebted, owing too much to ever leave.

A play about the American frontier myth and what it means to be forgotten by history.

Read this play on New Play Exchange

PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

Smaller Floods received its workshop premiere the National Theater Institute (Eugene O'Neill Theater Center) on July 9, 2018.

The production was directed by Abbey Burgess. The creative team was as follows:

Antoinette Ramsey as Abital
Tameka Bennett as Suranne
Isaac Lunt as Gabriel
Talia Frank-Stempel as Lise
Nathan Sorscher as The Harbinger

Sound Design by Owen Meadows
Puppetry Design by Nathan Sorscher

Smaller Floods also received developmental support via an independent workshop with Ludmila de Brito (NTI TM ‘18), as well as a course with Jessica Huang.

Smaller Floods was produced at Susquehanna University in April 2022. The production was directed by Bruce Gomez. The creative team was as follows:

Morgan Magdalinski as Abital
Alexis Jefferson as Suranne
Joseph Peachey as Gabriel
Logan Andres as Lise

Scenic Design by Jacob Bubeck
Costume Design by Anna Moran
Lighting Design by Aaron Kurland
Sound Design by Ethan Hommel
Dramaturgy by Diana Arroyo & Ethan Hommel

Photography by Caleb Stroman

MERKUR
AND VENERA

Five astronauts are trapped inside a spaceship en route to terraform a distant planet, unable to let go of the memories they're leaving behind. When a technical misstep results in death in one of their own, the remaining astronauts start to reconsider the nature of the mission and what it means to exist in the throws of loss.

Read this play on New Play Exchange.

PRODUCTION HISTORY

Merkur and Venera received its first reading at Augsburg University in November 2015 under the facilitation of Christina Ham. The cast was as follows:

Eve Taft as A
Leah Otto as M
Jayce Hanson as Q
Mitch Ross as X
Amy Van Blaricum as Z

Stage Directions by Aaron Boger

Merkur and Venera received a workshop production at the Minnesota Fringe Festival in August 2016. The production was stage managed by Shanna Frasier and directed by Emily Wrolson. The cast was as follows:

Brighid Burkhalter as A
Christine Walth as M
Nick Saxton as Q
Steven Kreager as X
Megan Guidry as Z

Merkur and Venera received a subsequent reading at Augsburg University in April 2018, under advisement of Sarah Myers in partial fulfillment of departmental honours in Playwriting for Evan Peterson. The reading was directed by Ash Kaun; the cast was as follows: 

Ava Fojtik as A
Del Logeais as M
John DeWitt as Q
Mitch Ross as X
Lauren Syme as Z

Voice-Overs by Emma Gustafson
Stage Directions by Gabriel Benson

SNOW OVER ATLANTIS

It snowed so much that the city shut down. It snowed so much that nightmares crept out of their respective crawlspaces on the coldest of December nights. On two nights separated three years apart, Genevieve and Matthew have to come to terms with their hesitations, regrets and fears for the security of their daughter. That word "security" has shifted so much that neither of them really know what it means anymore. But soon they will, as their fears become manifest in impossible ways. Is it nothing but a fever dream? Maybe. But it will all be over by morning.

Snow Over Atlantis received a workshop production at Augsburg University in April 2018. The production was directed by Shanna Frasier.

The creative team was as follows:

Jayce Hanson as Matthew
Nikki Whittaker as Genevieve
Julia Charron as the Shadow

Sound design by Malick Ceesay

THE LIARS CLUB

In 1897 in a small Kansas town, Alexander Hamilton (no, not THAT Alexander Hamilton) witnessed one of his cows being abducted by aliens. Because Hamilton is a member of the local Liars Club, no one is inclined to believe him. But he knows what he saw and can feel it in the air what whatever took his cow is coming back. A short musical minimally influenced by historical events.

The Liars Club had its workshop premiere at the National Theater Institute (Eugene O'Neill Theater Center) on July 22, 2018. The production was directed by Ella Chen and co-composed by Christopher Sferra, Gilberto Saenz, Savannah Ritz, and Emily Erickson.

The creative team was as follows:
Gilberto Saenz as Alexander Hamilton
Savannah Ritz as Elizabeth Schuyler
Christopher Sferra as Dusty Jefferson
SMJ as Sailor Sailor Washington
Emily Erickson as Blake Burr

Vocal Direction by Emily Erickson and Scott Murphy
Sound Design by Owen Meadows

ICING BURNS

 COMING SOON