2024-2025 Season
Echoes of Truth: The 29th Annual First Show
October 3-5 | Hepburn Zoo Theatre
The devised theater production embarks on a profound exploration of the intricate relationship between truth and humanity. Through a series of interconnected scenes, the performance weaves together diverse narratives that challenge perceptions and provoke introspection. Each vignette presents a unique lens on truth—be it personal, societal, or existential—inviting the audience to witness the conflicting realities of its characters. From intimate confessions that reveal hidden vulnerabilities to dramatic confrontations that lay bare societal hypocrisies, “Echoes of Truth” immerses viewers in a visceral journey. As the scenes unfold, the production raises essential questions about the nature of truth: Is it absolute, or is it shaped by our experiences? Ultimately, the performance seeks to illuminate the shared human struggle for understanding and connection in a world where truth often feels elusive.
Directed by Ashley Nicole Baptiste
King Lear by William Shakespeare
November 14-16 | Wright Memorial Theatre
An aging monarch plans to divide his kingdom between his three daughters. But when he asks them first to prove how much they love him, he sets off a series of events which turn the daughters into enemies, the state into a maelstrom. One of the greatest tragedies ever written, in a new adaptation featuring music by Clint Bierman ’97 and Professor of Theatre Alex Draper in the title role.
Directed by Michole Biancosino
Rooftop Garden by Urian Vasquez ‘25
December 11 | Mahaney Arts Center 232
A reading of Urian Vasquez’s playwriting thesis. In a once-thriving apartment complex, a rooftop garden—once a symbol of growth and community—has withered, mirroring the struggles of its residents. When a vibrant newcomer moves into the building, she brings with her a determination to revive the neglected garden. In doing so, she forces the residents to confront their fears, rediscover their connections, and cultivate both the garden and their fractured lives.
Senior 700 work in Playwriting of Urian Vasquez ‘25
Athena by Gracie Gardner
December 12 | Hepburn Zoo Theatre
Mary Wallace and Athena are brave, and seventeen, and fencers, and training for the Junior Olympics. They practice together, they compete against each other, they spend their lives together. They wish they were friends.
Independent 500 work in Directing of Norah Santoni de Castro ‘26
The Virtuous Fall of the Girls from Our Lady of Sorrows by Gina Femia
April 3-5 | Wright Memorial Theatre
The Virtuous Fall of the Girls from Our Lady of Sorrows is an exploration of teenage revolution in the face of petty authoritarianism. Set in a Catholic girls’ school, the play recounts the ripple effects caused by one student’s decision to produce M4M2, a controversial sequel to Measure for Measure.
Directed by Sheila Bandyopadhyay
Never Swim Alone by Daniel MacIvor
April 10-12 | Hepburn Zoo Theatre
Never Swim Alone by Daniel MacIvor is a story of male one-upmanship in which the characters Frank and Bill boast their alpha male personalities in a series of highly competitive “Rounds”, as one would see in a boxing match. The judge of the match is a girl in a blue bathing suit, who at the top of the show, lies dead under a sheet. MacIvor comments on toxic masculinity and how its implications harm everyone, especially women, and this production explores what this looks like when portrayed solely by actresses.
Senior 700 work in Directing of Elsa Marrian ‘25 and Stage Management of August Siegel ‘25
Independent 500 work in Scenic Design of Dallas Enemark ‘28
Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph
April 24-26 | Hepburn Zoo Theatre
Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph tells the story of Kayleen and Doug, two people who find themselves at age eight, coming in and out of each other’s lives just when they need the other the most. Join in for this non-chronological whirlwind of a love story, starring Mandy Berghela and Aidan Armstrong.
Senior 700 work in Directing of Sophie Butler-Rahman ‘25
Independent 500 work in Lighting Design of Alex Garcia ‘26 and Costume Design of Juli Valle ‘26