Play Dedication
This play is dedicated to those kings of Louisiana garbage who lived explosively, with beer, belly laughs, and barbecue, legendary in their own right and etched permanently into the hearts and cypress knees of all who hold their memory. That is, of course, my dad, Greg, my grandfather, Harley Clyde, and my most favorite Uncle Landon.
Long may we reign.
Playwright’s Note
There is an experience with grief, a long lived battle with legacy that lives in my bones. There is often a gaping hole described by the grieving, a tingled opacity that squats like a rock in the stomach. This play comes from a deep seated knowing that I will never know my dad, who died when I was fourteen. I’ll never have anything but a heated and twinging curiosity about when he was like me, young, blonde, strong and foolish. When he met my mother a red headed firecracker. I’ll always wonder about inevitability. I’ll always do everything I can to emulate who through the legend that he left I’ve been led to believe that he is. Sorry, was. I question the weight that that legacy of masculinity, laughter and enormity has left on my female shoulders. In an Arthurian mix of the legends of my growing up, I hope to explore that legacy and the bark which binds it so tightly to my chest. To examine the legend of the Garbage Kings, my forebears, and meet a talking gator along the way.
Process Note
This year, for Louisiana Garbage Kings we decided to split the primary aspects of a usual playwriting project-- script development and production development-- into two separate processes, a developmental workshop and production rehearsals. For two weeks the cast and production team devised and played off of a preliminary draft of the script, working to develop both the world of the play and the characters that inhabit it. The following two weeks included a detailed rehearsal of the radio play’s performance, as well as the implementation of what design elements we decided to use, culminating in our final radio play performances.
With the ARG Creation and Research team, we took a deep and thorough look into the legend of the Garbage Kings which the play is based on, including archaeological and anthropological evidence gathered by LPCC students. For more information, click HERE.
CAST AND CREW
Cast:
Clyde/Claudette - Chloe Rice
Sarge - Victoria Fanning
Magda/Dagny - Abigail Lo
Marge - Anna Mayo
Written and Directed By: Vivian Brown
Sound Designer: Mellie Way
Dramaturgy: Kiernan Westrick
Production Stage Manager of Development: Janae Beaver
Production Stage Manager of Production: Shannah Harris
Production Manager: Max Breit
Assistant Director: Al Rosenberg
Assistant Stage Manager of Development: Taylor Samuelson
Assistant Stage Manager of Production: Nandini Tandon
Editor: Ryan Shearin
Assistant Stage Manager: Julia Walker
ARG Creative Team: Caeleigh Lillis, Julia Walker, Aurora Winger, Skyler Purvis
BIOS
Clyde/Claudette
Chloe Rice
is THRILLED to actually get to perform some of Vivian Brown’s work finally, despite the world trying so hard to keep that from happening. Mainstage: Men on Boats (Hall), Twelfth Night (Malvolio). Studio: Savonarola, A Pseudohistory in Puppets (Lorenzo) (Not really) (Almost) (We worked so hard) March On! (Ella), The Tower (Storyteller). Off-Broadway: Comfort Women: A New Musical (Jansen) at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre. Other: 12 Angry Jurors (Juror #2) with the Alpha NYC Theatre Company, Houston, We Have a Problem (Theodore, Co-creator) at The Tank, Seven Days to the End of the World (Quinn, Co-creator) at Dixon Place. Many thanks to Vivian for writing a play where no one gets to see my face, Al for doing improv against their will, and the entire cast and crew for generally putting up with my inability to speak or be coherent. Natasha if you’re reading this, send help, Vivian has me here against my will.
Magda/Dagny
Abigail Lo
is a sophomore double majoring in Theatre Performance and Humanitarian Studies. Mainstage: Men on Boats (Props Master). Studio: The Moon & The Wolf (Wolf), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Asst. Stage Manager), Small Mouth Sounds (Asst. Scenic Design). They would like to thank Vivian for finally making Arthurian legends as quirky as they should be, Al & the SM teams for being better actors than the whole cast combined, and the cast for the endless adventures in clee trimbing and Boq.
Assistant Director
Al Rosenberg
is a senior Costume Designer who lives only to serve Vivian Brown. They want to thank her for letting them fulfill their dream of assistant directing over Zoom. Mainstage: Everybody!* (CD), Men on Boats (CD). The Wolves (ACD). Studio: The Most Massive Woman Wins (CD), Cloud Tectonics (CD). Other: Central City Opera Wig/Makeup intern.
Assistant Sound Design
Micah Waid
s a freshman majoring in Sound Design. Before Fordham, Micah was a part of the Ocean City High School Drama Guild, working on eight shows throughout his four years. Micahis also a member of the tech crew at the Ocean City Music Pier and a sound technician at the Ocean City Tabernacle. Micah has worked on shows such as The Wizard of Oz , Little Shop of Horrors , the Ocean City Pops Orchestra , The Duprees , and many more. Micah looks forward to making an impact in the Fordham Theatre community and is very excited for what the future holds.
ARG Researcher
Skyler Purvis
is a freshman stage manager and was grateful for the opportunity to try something new! Studio credits include: Enterprise (ASM). Many thanks to the ARG team.
ARG Creator
Aurora Winger
is a freshman stage manager. She absolutely adored being a part of such a creative and innovative process with incredible artists. Other Fordham University works include Enterprise (SM) and Into Me See (Set Designer). Previous work includes Honk Jr (Director & Choreographer), A Year With Frog and Toad (Touring Production Stage Manager & Set Designer) and Hint! A Masked Murder Mystery (Production Stage Manager).
Production Manager
Max Breit
Mainstage: Men on Boats (PSM); The Wolves (SM). Studio: Up, Up and Away! (PM); The Moon and The Wolf (PM); Small Mouth Sounds (PM); Anne of the Thousand Days (PSM); Savonarola, A Pseudohistory in Puppets (PSM); Off-Broadway: Signature Theatre General Management Intern. Regional: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (PSM). Shoutout to Vivian for being the best and to Janae and Shannah for being stage management icons. Love to the fam.
PSM Production
Shannah Harris
is a Senior Stage Management student who loves new work and Vivian. Studio: Tyler! A Musical Horror (ASM), Ishmael (ASD), The Charlatans (ASM), Dutchman (ALD), DIMES (AD), Where Does the Light Go? (PSM), Up, Up, and Away! (PSM). Mainstage: Orlando (ASM), Macbeth (PA). Big thank you to this trashy team and all her love to 1132PLDW.
ASM Production
Nandini Tandon
is a freshman stage management student. She is thrilled to work on her first Fordham Theatre production! She thanks the cast and production team for their zoom backgrounds and chat messages throughout the process.
Sarge
Victoria Fanning
is currently a Junior Performance major. Mainstage: Men On Boats (Goodman), Airline Highway (Miss Ruby), The Wolves (#46) Studio: The Wallpaper Project (Actor), March On! (Josie), Where Does The Light Go? (ASM/Assistant Producer); Other: Sekhmet Sisterhood Cabaret (The Green Room 42). A huge thank you to Vivian for writing this beautiful play and for cultivating such a special atmosphere. All my love to the entire team, I feel so lucky to have told this story with you all!
Marge
Anna Mayo
is a freshman from Jacksonville, Florida, and she is incredibly excited to make her Fordham Theatre debut! Special thanks to Vivian for taking a chance on her, the entire cast and crew of this wonderful show, and her amazingly supportive parents. She would like to dedicate this performance to her lovely dog, Teddy.
Playwright, Director, Producer
Vivian Brown
the premiere playwright of the junior class and double major in Medieval Studies, is beyond thrilled to finally have her work premiered! Studio credits include (or would have included): Savonarola, A Pseudohistory in Puppets (Playwright), Savonarola, A Pseudohistory in Puppets (Director), Savonarola, A Pseudohistory in Puppets (Producer); Mainstage: Men on Boats (William Dunn) and Mr. Burns (Wardrobe Crew). Thanks to the entire cast and team for all of their patience with the holes in her brain, and much love to Max, Janae, Shannah, and Al for stopping up a few of them!
Sound Designer
Amelia Way
is a senior Sound Designer and interdisciplinary artist. Sound Design: Valor, Agravio y Mujer, Into Me See, The Wallpaper Project, The Most Massive Woman Wins, Up, Up & Away, Dark Play or Stories for Boys, Conversations with Stars/March On!, Dark Play or Stories for Boys (Edinburgh Fringe Festival). Set Design: Cloud Tectonics, Enterprise. Other: Grease (Sandy). @ameliawaydesign
ARG Creator
Caeleigh Lillis
is a freshman Theatre Design major and is super excited to be involved in such a cool show! Studio: Valor, Agravio, y Mujer (costume design). Special thanks to Vivian and Al for having the best ideas.
ARG Creator
Julia Walker
Studio: Valor, Agravio y Mujer (ASM), Into Me See (ASM and Costume Designer), Enterprise (Costume Designer) Other: MC Live (producer, director), Ladies of the Jury (SM and Set Designer), Cinderella (SM), David and Lisa (ASM and Set Designer), Superman (ASM and Props Designer). Thank you to this incredible cast, crew and my fellow ARG squad for being so amazing and making every meeting so much fun!
Dramaturg
Kiernan Westrick
is a senior on the Playwriting track, with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. He has produced two of his own original plays in the studio and has an upcoming production in the Spring Studio Season. Kiernan has also assistant stage managed, designed, and acted in the studio. On the mainstage, Kiernan served as the box office manager and a house manager for two years.
PSM Development
Janae Beaver
Mainstage: Men on Boats (SM) Studio: My Papier Mache Monster (ALD); Up, Up, & Away (ASM); Anne of the Thousand Days (ALD); Cloud Tectonics (APD); Savonarola, A Pseudohistory in Puppets (SM). Regional: Stage Management Intern with the Boston Lyric Opera and the Rebel Shakespeare Company. HUGE thank you to Taylor, Vivian and Al.
ASM Development, ARG Creator
Taylor Samuelson
is a freshman Stage Management major. Before Fordham, she was a stage manager, choreographer, student director, and designer on multiple productions at her high school, such as Noises Off!, Blithe Spirit, Anything Goes, and much more. Studio: The B.R.E.A.D Series (ASM). Taylor would love to thank Vivian Brown and Janae Beaver for allowing her to learn and grow on this incredible team.