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

*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.

Visit our website to learn more!

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