Directed by Andrew Borba
“They loved it after the last plague, you’ll love it during this one!”
Half scripted, half improvisation and playing like a Shakespeare improv with modern day language, Commedia dell’arte was created in the Middle Ages as theater troops traveled from town to town, performing outdoors and entertaining people of all ages. These stock characters of young lovers, old misers, and clowns who’ll do anything for a bite to eat are the basis for nearly every comedy we see today. You’ll be gleefully surprised at the familiar, yet ridiculous storylines and the references ripped from today’s headlines.
Commedia (75 minutes)
Cast
Isabella/Dottore – Jada Owens
Flavio/Zanni – Christopher Portley
Madame Pantalone/Tartaglia – Daphne Kinard
Pantalone – Malachi Beasley
Brighella – Walker Borba
Capitano – Justin Von Stein
Arlecchino – Rachael Fox
Creative Team
Director – Andrew Borba
Movement Coach – Jed Diamond
Scenic Designer – Efren Delgadillo Jr.
Costume Designer – Erin Barnett
Lighting Designer – Annie Garrett-Larsen
Sound Designer – Meghan Roche
Production Stage Manager – Emily Glinick*
Assistant Stage Manager – Jean E. Compton*
Properties Director – Cooper Nickels
Production Team
Technical Director – John P. Woodley
Head Carpenter – John Oberg
Head Electrician – Jeff Emory
Head Audio – Colin Braeger
Head Audio & Video – Graham Riggle
Head of Properties – Kevin Kyser
Wardrobe Supervisor – Jaylene Ogle
Cutter, Drapper, and Stitcher – Sophie Millar
Audio Engineer for the Performance Pavilion- E.M. Gimenez
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*The noted Actors & Stage Manager are members of the Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
**The noted designers are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE.
*Actors’ Equity Association, founded in 1913, is more than 49,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote, and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org.
Artistic Director – Andrew Borba
Managing Director – Sarah Clare Corporandy
Associate Artistic Director – Stori Ayers
Arts Marketing Specialist – Makayla Santiago-Froebel
Co-Company Manager – Sam Wong
Co-Company Manager – Logan McDonald
Production & Facilities Manager – Sarah Penland
Associate Production & Facilities Manager – Wayne Ogle
Arts Marketing Associate – Gabrielle Ghaderi
Costume Supervisor – Cece Hill
Covid Safety Specialist – Stacy McQueen
Business Manager – Liz Ellis
Founded in 1994, Friends of Chautauqua Theater is dedicated to ensuring that theater remains a powerful pillar of the arts community at Chautauqua by working to enhance appreciation and engagement with the theater and the institution. Your membership supports new theater initiatives and helps us to enhance the experience of our company members through various events connections. Benefits include invitations to members-only live and virtual programming to enhance your theater experience prior to performances, and our annual “Meet the Company” event.
Chautauqua Institution acknowledges the generous support provided by the following contributors in support of theater through significant annual giving and sustained endowment funds:
Nan and Brett Altman
Penny Bank
Arnold and Jill Bellowe
The Arnold and Jill Bellowe Fund for Theater
The Jill W. Bellowe Chautauqua Conservatory Theater Scholarship
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Bestor Scholarship Fund
The Frances Black Scholarship Fund
Bratton Theater Endowment Fund
The Nancy E. Brewer Fund for Theater
The Charles and Ethel Brody Theater Scholarship
The Andrew L. and Gayle Shaw Camden Fund for Theater Arts
CHQ - Honoring Pierre Levefre
Chautauqua Theater Fund
The Chautauqua Theater Scholarship
Bill and Chloe Cornell Scholarship
Court Family Endowment
Irene Cramer and Steven Goldberg
The Crockett Family Fund for Theater
Crowder Family Theater Award
The Agnes H. and Hal A. Fausnaugh Fund for Theater Programming
The Agnes H. and Hal A. Fausnaugh Chautauqua Conservatory Theater Scholarship
Glendorn Foundation Scholarship Fund
The Roe Green Foundation
Terrie Vaile Hauck Theater Endowment
Elke Kieserling Hoppe Scholarship
Barbara and Joel Jacob Theater Scholarship
The Joel and Barbara Jacob and M. Jacob and Sons Fund for Theater
The Kuhn Family Theater Scholarship
The Robert McClure Scholarship
The William E. Miller, Jr. Theater Scholarship
Helen Moe Fund for Theater
The Florence and Cynthia Norton Fund for Theater
The I. Hale and Judy Oliver Fund for Bratton Theater
The Phoebe Wagner Ott Theater Fund
Susie and Rick Rieser
The Susan and John Turben Fund for Bratton Theater
Tustin Memorial Fund
The Sybil and Stuart Willen Fund for Bratton Theater