Yerma

FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA
ADAPTED BY PAM GEMS


Directed by Alexandru Mihail

 

CMFT Performance Studio (CMFT 2043)

Fri, 10/11 @ 7:30pm
Sat, 10/12 @ 1:30pm
Thurs, 10/17 @ 7:30pm
Sat, 10/19 @ 7:30pm

Cast

Yerma | Em Rose Stern
Juan | Myles Windbush-Soules
Maria/Juanita/Conchita/Dolores/Female Masker | Nora O’Donnell
Pagan Woman/Rosaria/First Sister/First Enchantress | Oona Gladding
Victor/Male Masker | Issa-Malik Bernard
Luisa/Second Sister/Second Enchantress/Heckler | Leah Bloom

Production & Creative

Production Stage Manager | Ellie McIntyre
Assistant Stage Manager | Chelsey Harvey
Assistant Stage Manager | Grace Kehoe

Run Crew | Landri Elkins

Run Crew | Sara DeOliveira-Scappati

Choreographer | Jael Griffin
Choreographer | Destin Morisset

Props Designer | Jeison Lenis Lopez

Props Assistant | Zachary Epprecht

Costume Designer | Laura Sternbach

Wardrobe Crew | Mayo Bernal

Wardrobe Crew | Joseph DaRin

Wardrobe Crew | Thaiann Boone-Majors

Assistant Costume Designer | Annalise Taylor

Lighting Designer | John Hoag
Assistant Lighting Designer | Andy Moreta
Production Electrician | Sofia Sotelo
Programmer | Ian Pivovar

Deck Electrician | Isabella Vega

Sound Designer | Tim Nivison

A1 | Jerry Wirick

Voice & Speech Coach | Maggie Surovell

Poster Designer | Abraham Chaljub

Content Advisory

Please be advised that this production of Yerma contains a violent murder,
themes of pregnancy and fertility issues, and references to suicide.

Director’s Note

At its most bare, Yerma questions what it takes to achieve true freedom of
self. “True” is an important word here, because Yerma does not compromise,
for her any half measure is a denial of freedom, a denial of self. Like any true
revolutionary, Yerma is an absolutist. In her quest, Yerma takes on traditions,
society norms, morals, reason and God: everything that is known to be true
becomes an obstacle in the true pursuit of self. Yerma is born a woman,
defines herself as a woman in a world were women are assigned rigid roles
and denied any freedom of self. This is the world that Yerma challenges by
being “more woman” than any other woman, and by listening to nothing
and nobody, but herself.

Creative Team Profiles

Cast

Em Rose Stern is a fourth year BFA actress from Brooklyn, NY. Purchase credits include Yerma (Yerma), Intimate Apparel (Mrs. Van Buren), Socrates (Crito), and Gint (Oldie Mama). She would like to share her gratitude for her director, Alex, as well as the cast and crew for their love and guidance throughout this journey of Yerma. Additionally, she’d like to share her gratitude for her friends, family, and the rest of Company 49 for their love and guidance throughout this journey of life.

Issa-Malik Bernard


Leah Bloom is excited to be in Yerma with her good talented friends. Her favorite Purchase credits were Gint (Hog Woman) and Luna Gale (Cindy). She is so grateful for her teachers and her classes and to be a senior actor.


Myles Windbush- Soules

Nora O’Donnell is a fourth year BFA actor from Brooklyn, New York. Purchase Rep credits include: Luna Gale (Caroline), Socrates (Diokles, Archon, Meletus), Gint (Sally Vicks), and Back County Crimes (Multiple characters).
Outside credits include As You Like It (Rosalind) and Oedipus (Chorus). A million thank you’s to her awesome amazing parents!

Oona Gladding is a fourth year BFA actor from NYC. Previous purchase credits include Orpheus Descending (Sister Temple) Back County Crimes (Mrs Scott/Mrs JP Simpson) Gint (Runaway Bride/Devil Woman) Socrates (The Boy) and Luna Gale (Karlie/Lourdes). She would like to thank her wonderful company and her family for their support!

Production & Creative

Destin Morisset was born and raised in Queens, New York. Destin is a graduate of LaGuardia Arts High School, and now currently attends SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance on scholarship. He has performed works by choreographers such as Chanel DaSilva, Greg Lau, Yue Yin, Jie-hung Connie Shiau, and Doug Varone. Destin is now currently a dancer for The Dash Ensemble founded by Gregory Dolbashian located in Dallas, Texas.

Ellie McIntyre is a current fourth-year BFA stage manager from Noblesville, IN. Their Purchase credits include, ‘Yerma’ (PSM),‘Titus Andronicus’ (SM), ‘Machinal’ (SM), ‘Good Goods’ (ASM), and ‘Senior Showcase’ (ASM). Other credits include Cape Playhouse 2023 Season (PA). They would like to thank their Nana and Grandpop for supporting every show they’ve done at Purchase.

Jael Griffin

Jeison Lenis Lopez is a fourth year BFA scenic designer. His past credits are Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus (Assistant scenic designer), Heroes of the fourth turning, Fucking A (Scenic charge) and The Attic (Props charge.) Special thanks to all his friends and families support!

John Hoag is thrilled to share his work as the lighting designer on both fall festivals this year! Other purchase designs Heroes of the Fourth Turning sound design and lighting for 4 dance pieces in Act a Fool. Special thanks to the fall fest 2024 lighting team and everyone’s hard work!

Laura is a fourth year BFA costume designer from Brooklyn, NY.Past work includes: Costume designer for Intimate Apparel, Assistant Designer for Fucking A, Good Goods, and Conduct of life. She would like to thank the amazing production team for their collaboration on the show.

Tim Nivison

Director Profile

Alexandru Mihail is a NY based director, originally from Bucharest,
Romania. His work, both in Romania and the US, varied in style and genre,
is always fueled by the dialogue with the community and unabashedly
challenging its fears. Selected theatre credits include: the European Premiere
of Doll’s House Part 2 by Lucas Hnath, (Metropolis Theatre, Bucharest),
the World Premiere’s of Jen Shyu’s works Nine Doors and Zero Grasses
(National Sawdust, NYC), Aliens with Extraordinary Skills* by Saviana
Stanescu (Odeon Theatre, Bucharest – European Premiere); The
Underpants* by Carl Sternheim (National Theatre, Bucharest); Zoyka’s
Apartment by Mikhail Bulgakov and Sophocle’s Elektra (Princeton
University); The Last Days of Mankind by Karl Kraus (Bard Center for
Performing Arts – American Premiere); The Stronger by August Strindberg
(TBG Theatre/ Drama League NY); Master Harlod and the Boys by Athol
Fugard and Enemy of the People by H. Ibsen (NYU/Atlantic Acting
School); Tlicked* by Gabriel Pintilei (Odeon Theatre, Bucharest
–Premiere); Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (The New School); Chekhov’s
The Seagull (Yale School of Drama); the friendship of her thighs by Martyna
Majok (Yale School of Drama); The Bachelors by Caroline McGraw (Yale,
Carlotta Festival). Alex has won the prestigious UNITER Prize for his
direction of Peter Shaffer’s Black Comedy. For MediaPro Pictures,
Romania, he directed the television series Poor Man, Rich Man. 2016 New
York Theatre Workshop Directing Fellow; Drama League Directing Fellow;
Fulbright Fellow; MFA, Yale School of Drama.

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.