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Springtime

by María Irene Fornés
directed by Milan Castro

a senior project produced by
Megan Siepak

Siobhan Kiernan
Ash Visker
Emily J Webb
Quinland Thompson

Cast
Siobhan Kiernan / Greta
Megan Siepak / Rainbow
Sean Gordon / Ray

Creative Team
Carly Friedman / Production Stage Manager
Ash Visker / Dramaturg & Assistant Lighting Designer
Emily J Webb / Technical Director & Sound Designer
Adam Hamdy / Lighting Designer
Dixie O’Connell / Assistant Director & Costume Designer
Jess Marr / Scenic Designer
Quinland Thompson / Set Conceptualist
George Tsambis / Light Board Op & Photographer
Romey Drabek / Run Crew
Magaret Giles / Projections Designer
Ezekiel Clarke / Videographer

Director’s Note

“And on a more deeply political level, she [Fornés] works to ‘defamiliarize’ privileged possessions and points of view too easily taken for granted, such as access to nourishing food and medical treatment or the belief that one’s opinions express universally accepted ‘truths’” —Assunta Kent on Introducing Springtime by María Irene Fornés

What does it mean to love? What does it mean to remember love, and to keep the memories of when you had it?

When I was asked to direct this show, I often wondered how love worked in the capacities it did, even if it wasn’t in the present time. Our production of Springtime explores the love between Greta and Rainbow in the form of memory. The play takes place in Greta’s mind and through that, we inspect the parameters of emotion when influenced by outside forces. Springtime acts as a ghost play, and the progression of their relationship through these scenes is hauntingly beautiful.

While we did not cast an actor of color, we hope to uphold Fornés’ values by highlighting the powers that avidly work against Greta and Rainbow socioeconomically: lack of medical care and nourishment, poverty, homophobia, and sexism.

This project has been a labor of love, adoration, and collaboration and it is to María Irene Fornés that we dedicate our production. I will forever be grateful to have been a part of Springtime because not only did we want to comment on the human condition but desired to embody the passion and reflection necessary to love one another, as well as ourselves.

Dedicated To: María Irene Fornés

Creative Team Profiles

Siobhan Kiernan is a fourth year BA Theatre and Performance major—Acting Concentration—from Cazenovia, New York. Past regional theatre credits include: 13 The Musical (Kendra), Shrek the Musical (Young Fiona), Carousel (Louise), SLUT: The Play. Past television credits: Monsters Inside Me, A Crime To Remember, The Hunt With John Walsh. Past Purchase credits include: Sonnet Project, A Robot Wrote This (Chad Nobot), Macbeth (Witch 2), Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (W), Dance Nation (Sofia). She would like to thank her cast and crew for taking a chance on this project, and seeing this dream come to fruition. Many thanks to those who donated to Springtime, and to her beloved family and loving partner who offer endless support.

Megan Siepak is a fourth year BA Theatre and Performance major—Acting Concentration. This is her last year at Purchase College, and she couldn’t be more grateful to have Springtime as her senior project. She was last seen on campus in A Robot Wrote This as a deviser and company member. Her other credits include Macbeth (Witch 1), Beautiful Misanthrope Illusion (Josephine), 2019 Spring Main Stage (Deviser), No Strings (Mollie Plummer), Stop Kiss (Mrs. Wallace), and finally Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (Company Member). She would like to thank her Springtime crew for putting so much dedication and love into this project and for making it their own. She would also like to thank every one of her friends in the state of New York, who have allowed her to build a support system over the last four years that she surely would have died without. Finally, she would like to thank Siobhan for being her ultimate scene partner and artistic soulmate. Our idea has come to fruition and Meg couldn’t feel more blessed. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Sean Gordon is a third year BA Theatre and Performance major—Acting Concentration—from Albany, New York. Purchase stage credits include: Dance Nation (Dance Teacher Pat), A Robot Wrote This (Cast member), Always Plenty of Light at the Starlight All Night Diner (Dr. Moxie), and Short Eyes (Clark). Short film credits include The Best Man’s Privilege (Groomsman ) and City Limits (Asshole). Thanks so much to his friends for their consistent support, his parents, and Meg and Siobhan for asking him to be a part of this beautiful show.

Carly Friedman is a second year BA Theatre & Performance major from New York City. Previous credits at Purchase include Henry IV Part I (ASM) and Sam (SM). She got her start stage managing shows such as In The Heights, Stop Kiss, Pippin, Dog Sees God, and Little Shop Of Horrors. She’d like to thank everyone on this project for fostering a welcoming space to create beautiful art.

Ash Visker is a fourth year BA Theatre & Performance major—Dramaturgy Concentration—who has been in several on-campus productions in many different ways. She has generally worked as an actor, a lighting designer, a fight choreographer, and a dramaturg these past four years and deeply loves exploring new facets of theatre-making and collaboration in new and unimaginable ways. Dramaturgy has given her a platform to explore visual art, historiography, and collaboration in new and unimaginable ways. She is incredibly grateful for her friends and family members and their endless support in pursuing artistic pathways (new and old!) In order to continue building and growing. She hopes you enjoy our labor of love, our tight and efficient piece of theatre, our SENIOR PROJECT—who knew we’d make it this far?

Emily J Webb is a fourth year BA Theatre and Performance major—Design/Production Concentration—from Centereach, New York (Long Island). This is her first and last show as a student at Purchase College, and her debut as a Sound Designer! Her past productions include Wizard of Oz (Building Supervisor & Sound Operator), Urinetown! The Musical (Sound Operator). She has also been a student producer/editor on Purchase Presents her Fall Semester of 2019. Emily would like to thank her family, friends, and Springtime team for all the love and support that has helped her grow throughout her time at Purchase. She would also like to dedicate all her work on this piece to her mother, Lori, who has shown her the true meanings of hard work, sacrifice, and—most importantly—love!

Jess Marr is a third year in the BFA Design/Technology program with a Scenic Design Concentration. Her past credits include Dance Nation (Assistant Scenic Designer) and Blood Wedding (Props Charge). She is also props charge for the upcoming BFA show As You Like It going up later this spring. Jess would love to congratulate all the seniors involved in this process!

Dixie O’Connell is a third year BA Theatre and Performance major—Acting Concentration—hailing from The Jersey Shore. This is Dixie’s first time assistant directing! Past acting credits include The Wolves (#13), A Robot Wrote This (Margueritte Spangler), and Dance Nation (Maeve). She would like to thank the beautiful cast and crew for their hard work. We made live theater in a Pandemic wooooo!

Adam Hamdy is a New York and New Jersey based Lighting Designer and is a recent graduate of Purchase College (BA Theatre and Performance major). His most recent theater work at purchase includes The SONNETs Project, Vessel and Beautiful Misanthropic Illusion. Outside Purchase College he has worked on Cinderella, We Need A Little Christmas and The Hitchcock Radio Plays for Surflight Theatre. He has also designed for bands including The Rave-Ons, Promised Land and Spot operated for Randy Rainbow and The Oak Ridge Boys.

Director Profile

Milan Castro is a third year BA Theatre and Performance major—Directing Concentration—at SUNY Purchase. Springtime is her directorial debut. Her past credits on campus include Dance Nation (assistant director). Her acting credits off campus include Into The Woods (Baker’s Wife), Once On This Island (Andrea), and Almost Maine (Marvalyn). Her’s upcoming project is Disgusting Is My Middle Name (director) in the Unspoken Word Collection opening on April 29th. Milan would like to thank her family, friends, and God for their endless love, support, and encouragement on her journey into directing. I owe it all to you, I love you all!

About the Conservatory of Theatre Arts

In our teaching and art, the Conservatory values inclusiveness, equality, and excellence. Upholding all of our training is our aim to train and graduate citizen artists: multifaceted people with a strong sense of purpose in approaching an arts education.

What is a citizen artist? Citizen artists seek to discover how their unique voices can contribute to our world. They understand what it means to be an artist, and what they are here on earth to say and do and make.

The Conservatory trains future citizen artists in three degree programs:

+ BFA Actor Training. The BFA is an intensive professional training program offered to a highly select and diverse group of students. The professional training is anchored in four years of study in acting, voice, speech, and movement, complemented by offerings in dramatic literature and analysis, history of the theatre, stage combat, improvisation, mask work, acting for the camera, and the business of acting. As one of five schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs, Purchase is one of a handful of colleges in the world capable of training artists at this level—and of drawing a faculty from the ranks of professional theatre.

+ BFA in Theatre Design/Technology. Emphasizing studio and classroom training, our professional training program in theatre design/technology gives students the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many of our alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors. Quite literally, Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all tristate venues, and with countless touring productions.

+ BA program in Theatre and Performance. From traditional theatre to cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, the theatre and performance major encourages creativity, intellectual curiosity, social engagement, and critical thinking. The core requirements combine scholarship and practice to provide students with a strong foundation in theatre history and dramatic literature, with mandatory stagecraft/production courses. Theatre and Performance majors are encouraged to expand the scope of their education by studying abroad, as well as pursuing coursework in other programs of study within the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Purchase College.