ClariCe Smith Performing artS Centernovember 13 – 23, 2008

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DIrECTor’S AND plAYWrIGhT’S NoTES

DIrECTor’S NoTES

Between Trains is a journey. It has been a privilege for me to have travelled with everyone who generously participated in bringing this production to life. I chose this play because of my deep respect for Juanita’s work and how the subject matter resonated with my beliefs. I thought Between Trains would provide an excellent vehicle for our MFA designers and our BA actors.

Between the time that the play was selected for our season and rehearsals began, people involved in the production experienced lifetimes of change. As we were exploring the metaphoric spaces between life and death, several people were experiencing life transitions of friends and family members.

Two of my closest friends were diagnosed with fatal illnesses. One friend with stage 4 cancer is fighting for her life. I fight with her. Another friend, a gifted artist, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou gehrig’s disease), and is progressively letting go of her life. In the reality of losing my friend, metaphors provide me no comfort. The relief that comes arrives in still moments. Stillness allows me to move with ease through life’s transitions. The stillness of death invites new life. We all travel in different directions and sometimes we cross paths. Our exchanges are our teachers. I dedicate this production to my friend Carla who through the conscious journey of her dying is teaching me how to live.

Namaste — Leslie Felbain, Director

plAYWrIGhT’S NoTES

I offer my heartfelt thanks to geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, a master of Tibet’s indigenous Bön Dzogchen tradition, for his commitment to making these precious teachings available to Western students. May his life be long and free from obstacles.

I am personally grateful for his suggesting to me the initial idea for this play and for his extensive and accessible teachings on the six realms of Samsara as aspects of consciousness, invaluable resources for the creation of Wendell’s journey and the beings she meets along the way. Any errors or misunderstandings of these teachings are entirely my own.

I also want to thank Teatro Abya yala (San José, Costa Rica), MadShag Performance group (Ny), Ligmincha Institute (VA) and Towson University’s Faculty Development and Research Committee for their valuable contributions to the play’s development.

— Juanita Rockwell, Playwright

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proGrAM NoTES

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To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.

— Lao Tzu

People travel by train for many reasons. Some of us have an intended destination, some are trying to get away and others travel because we are searching for something. Nonetheless, a train station is a place of departures, arrivals and, most of all, a place of waiting. It may appear to be a fast-paced location, but for those of us who are waiting our turn, the hustle and bustle of everyday life slows down. Perhaps that is why Juanita Rockwell chose such a significant location to set her play, Between Trains.

As a practicing Buddhist, Rockwell uses the story of Wendell as an allusion to the Buddhist ideas regarding life and rebirth into the Six Realms of Samsara. essentially, we are born into the world on a journey where we all have the opportunity to reach inner peace through learning from our encounters with other beings. In traditional Buddhist societies, these realms were viewed as separate worlds of their own into which each being is born and then dies, only to be reborn into another realm: one determined by the merit of past actions. However, the ancient texts also show these realms to be states of mind, emotions we go through in reaction to our experiences. More often than not, our actions are driven by our emotions, causing us to jump from one realm to the next. Whether it is an emotional reaction of anger, depression, happiness, greed, sexual desire or so on, our actions are triggered by our particular surroundings and our awareness of the physical world and its effects. However, what most of us neglect to be conscious of is how our actions, which are triggered by our own thoughts and emotions, affect others.

What does all this mean? In Buddhism, people spend their lives searching for what is essential and relevant to enter into the state of liberation, which results from accepting the world as it is. It is thought that humans feel constrained by the physical world, always wanting what they don’t have and rejecting what they do, and thus their journey is a hopeless search for satisfaction and release. A Buddhist’s sole purpose is to discover the “true nature of mind,” otherwise known as consciousness. This discovery is often referred to as “the clear white light,” or for the purpose of this play we will say “the light at the end of the tunnel.” Finding this light is only one step in the course of the journey, but being completely satisfied with whatever life offers creates a path to true self-awareness and inner peace.

between trains

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proGrAM NoTES

For Wendell, her state of being is continually shifting between these six realms. She is stuck in this phase of the journey and has no choice but to wait; just like waiting for a train. To Wendell, the train seems to offer something, although she isn’t sure what. Waiting may be a tedious task but it is also an opportunity for progression. She may not fully know where the train is going or where it will take her, but in a world where reality seems like an illusion, it is a chance she may be willing to take. The people she encounters during her time at the station are phasing in and out of each of these realms as well. And for Wendell, they serve as opportunities to realize what is necessary and what is not.

Buddhist traditions teach that one should learn from each individual that is encountered on the journey. In order to find a true sense of self, it is up to that person to untangle the pieces of advice which have been presented by these individuals. And much akin to this tradition, it is ultimately up to Wendell to decide when she will board her train. She has found there are valuable lessons in waiting, and she has time to determine what she really wants, and more importantly, what she really needs out of life. In the words of director Leslie Felbain, this play raises the question, “What is absolutely necessary?”

All of us, Buddhist or not, have a dream of what we believe to be necessary in our own lives and the path we anticipate taking. But do we ever slow down and wait to see what life has to offer us? We are constantly searching for instant gratification of the true meaning in life. We all desire to be fulfilled and to feel needed and appreciated, but it is up to us to find it within ourselves. We live in a society where people are overwhelmed by busy schedules, the desire for material gain and a feeling that no matter how hard we try we always need something more. But Rockwell uses Between Trains to show us that maybe reality isn’t always what it seems. By waiting and taking in the true sense of the world, we can decide for ourselves what is vitally important and truly worth experiencing.

— Sarah Shook, Dramaturg

Crisp, Tony. Dream Dictionary: Understanding Your Unconscious Mind. New york: Barnes and Noble, 2002.

Harada, Sekkei. The Essence of Zen. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd., 1998.

Photo by Leonard, Pete. Corbis. Available from www.pro.corbis.com. Internet; accessed 11 May 2008.

11

Daniel Maclean Wagner, Producing Director

byJuanita rockwell

november13–232008robert&arlenekogoDtheatre

Director leslie FelbainSoundDesigner/Composer Chas Marsh

ScenicDesigner Daniel pinhalightingDesignerSonya DowhalukCostumeDesigner Kristy leigh hall

PerformanceCoaches Anna Moore, Jay randall musicalDirector Colleen harris

Dramaturg Sarah Shook

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CAST AND SETTING

CAST Dawkes Aaron Bliden

Ticker Buyer Kyra Corradin

Hot Dog Seller, Ticket Seller, Professor Zachary Fernebok

Madame A, Dr. Doctor Alice gibson

Momo, Waiting One, Smoker, Street Musician Mark Halpern

Mimi, Waiting Three Judith Ingber

Wendell Kelly Mcguigan

Kris (selected performances), Street Musician Sam McMenamin

Waiting Two, Official, Ms. Biz Sarah Shook

Kris (selected performances), Ticket Buyer greg Twomey

uNDErSTuDIES Kyra Corradin, greg Twomey

SETTINGA train station. An in-between place. An empty place. To use the Tibetan word, a Bardo.

This play is performed without an intermission.

proDuCTIoN STAFF

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ASSISTANT DIrECTorS AND DESIGNErSAssistant Directors John Barkmeyer, Liz Brown Assistant Lighting Designer Jonathan DillardAssistant Costume Designer Franklin Labovitz

proDuCTIoN AND STAGE MANAGEMENTProduction Coordinator Cary gillettStage Management Advisor David KriebsStage Manager Becki WegandAssistant Stage Managers Madison Bahr, Patti Kalil

CoSTuMESCostume Shop Manager Stephanie ShawCostume Shop Supervisor Susan ChiangDrapers Lisa Burgess, Susan Chiang, emily HoemStitchers Liz Brown, Jessica Cruise, Shana Ferguson, Maeve Kelly, Jackie Littman, Peter Park, Chelsey Schuller, Courtney Wood, students of THeT 284, THeT 479 and THeT 114

Dressers Katie Brown, Ann Freistat, Katie Jeffries, Valerie Jonkoff, Bridget Woodbury

ElECTrICSAssistant Manager of electrics Laura MacAdamelectrics Coordinator Jeff ReckewegMaster electrician Devon Murrayelectricians gary Fletcher and students of THeT 114Light Board Operator Brooke Shoemaker propErTIESProperties Master Tim JonesOverhire Properties Crew Andrea MooreProperties Construction Crew Madison Bahr, Devorah gabai, Beverly ginley, Colin McIlvaine, Jose Nunez, Taylor Osborne-Smith, students of THeT 479 and THeT 114

pAINTSScenic Charge Artist Ann ChismarPaint Crew Mayumi Baker, Trevor Cerbini, Luis gimenez, Talia Henderson, Jes Johnstone, Mariana Fernandez, Amina Mohamed, David Olson, Stephanie Phoebus, Matt Reckeweg, Kate Wolfe and students of THeT 114

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proDuCTIoN STAFF AND DIrECTorS AND DESIGNErS

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SCENE ShopTechnical Director Rick WeinardAssistant Technical Director Andrew WallaceScene Shop Supervisor Steve CosbySet Construction Crew Marin Bauman, Jayme Bell, Claire Burson, Michael Davis, Ali grussell, Aaron Holmes, Heather Izzard, Lydia Johnson, Kevin Maresca, Matthew Norman, Sarah Wilby and students of THeT 114

SouNDAudio Shop Manager Kristine eckermanAudio Coordinator James O’ConnellSound Board Operator elias SchutzmanAudio Technician Laura HaiduckSound Crew Students of THeT 114

ruN CrEWStage Operations Manager Bill BrandweinRun Crew Kari Schumann

DIrECTorS AND DESIGNErSSonya Dowhaluk (Lighting Designer), fourth-year MFA candidate in lighting design. Designs at UM include: Don Giovanni, Werther, The Colored Museum and Urinetown. Sonya has also worked as an assistant lighting designer at Round House Theatre, Olney Theatre, Imagination Stage and The Santa Fe Opera.

leslie Felbain (Director) is an Assistant Professor of Theatre. As a director and performer she creates and adapts works for dance, circus and theatre. She trained with Jacques Lecoq and Serge Martin and was a core member of Le dal Theatre in Paris. As a solo performer she toured throughout Canada, the United States and europe, featured at The Oval House Theatre in London. Leslie is a certified teacher of the FM Alexander Technique and Cranio-Sacral Therapist, Barry Humphries (Dame edna) Movement Coach, Artistic Associate at The American Conservatory Theatre, Artistic Director of Infinite Stage and a Founding Member of 3 Hands Clapping. grant recipient: Ohio Arts Council, Vermont governor’s Institute on the Arts, Creative and Performing Arts, UM College Park: CTe Lilly Teaching Fellowship.

Kristy leigh hall (Costume Designer), first-year MFA candidate in costume design. Kay Theatre: To Be Young, Gifted and Black (Assistant Costume Designer). Kogod Theatre: Marisol (Assistant Costume Designer). Outside designs include: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Reluctant Dragon. Assistant Design: Arcadia (Court Theatre), A Year with Frog and Toad (Chicago Children’s Theatre) and Argonautika (Lookingglass). Upcoming designs: The Illusion (Costume Designer).

DIrECTorS AND DESIGNErS

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Colleen harris (Musical Director) has worked as an actor, musical director, composer and teacher in theaters across the country. Previous musical directing credits include The Ash Girl and The Green Bird at the University of Maryland, Site-Seeing at the New york Fringe Festival, What’s A Little Death at The Baltimore Theater Project, The Green Bird at The College of Marin and Godspell at Sequoyah Theater.

Chas Marsh (Sound Designer/Composer) is a musician, composer and a sound and video designer. As resident company member at everyman Theatre in Baltimore, he has created more than fifty sound designs. His work at RepStage earned a Helen Hayes nomination for The Dazzle in 2004. The following year he designed sound for six of Baltimore City Paper’s top ten shows. Most recently Chas wrote music for What’s a Little Death, a play with songs by Juanita Rockwell and directed by Leslie Felbain. He plays bass and sings with neo-cabaret sextet Anne Watts and Boister, and rock trio The Brass Uncle Band.

Anna Moore (Performance Coach) is a New york-based actor, writer and producer. She recently returned from the 2008 edinburgh Festival Fringe where she performed in The Americans, a political satire that she co-wrote and produced. She has performed throughout the country with companies such as The gallery Players, engine37, The Culture Project, ACT and The guthrie Lab. She holds an MFA from American Conservatory Theater and is a founding member of Infinite Stage.

Daniel pinha (Scenic Designer), second-year MFA candidate in scenic design. He graduated from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. He has been in the United States since April 2006 and he has worked as Assistant Scenic Designer on productions including Speed-the-Plow at the Theater J, Macbeth at Folger Theatre, Stunning at Woolly Mammoth Theatre and The Lieutenant of Inishmore at Signature Theater.

Jay randall (Performance Coach) is thrilled to return to the University of Maryland as a Performance Coach for Between Trains having worked on The Green Bird and The Ash Girl. Jay lives in New york where he is an actor and audition coach. He was seen last spring as Freddie in the Off-Broadway production of Missives at 59e59. Jay is also a founding member of Infinite Stage with which he has developed and performed Chez Moi, Site-Seeing and Hamlet: That is the Question. Training: MFA, A.C.T.

Juanita rockwell (Playwright/Lyricist) is a writer and director of projects in such cities as Baltimore, Washington DC, New york City, Pittsburgh, São Paolo, Budapest and San José (CR), and on NPR. Produced writing includes What’s a Little Death (music: Chas Marsh, director: Leslie Felbain), The World is Round (opera), Cave in the Sky (multimedia), Waterwalk (site-specific opera), Lunar Pantoum (dance-theatre) and Upstream (radio). Juanita directed Company One Theater (Hartford, CT) for six years, founded Towson University’s Theatre MFA (where she teaches), recently received Fulbright and Maryland State Arts Council playwriting awards and is a member of the Dramatists guild and Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

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ACTorS AND proDuCTIoN STAFF

Madison bahr (Assistant Stage Manager), junior theatre production major. Outside production: Rep Stage’s In the Heart of America (Production Assistant).

John barkmeyer (Assistant Director), senior psychology, english and theatre performance major. Kay Theatre: Urinetown (Bobby Strong), The Green Bird (Brighella), The Crucible (Parris). Kogod Theatre: Machinal (ensemble). Other UM productions: Picasso at the Lapin Agile (gaston), God of Vengeance (Jack Chapman).

Aaron bliden (Dawkes), senior theatre performance major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (Angerbird). Kogod Theatre: The Physicists (Adolf-Friedrich), The Distance From Here (Boy). Other UM productions: The Weir (Brendan), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Visitor) and erasable Inc. Outside productions: Rabbit Hole (Jason), Empties (grub).

liz brown (Assistant Director), senior theatre performance major, Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (Ashgirl), The Green Bird (Apple). Other UM productions: Lab Theatre: Alice in Wonderland (King), La Dispute (Églé), Twelfth Night (Olivia).

Kyra Corradin (Ticket Buyer), junior theatre major. Kogod Theatre: Filthy Rich (Anne understudy). Kogod Theatre: The Distance From Here (Board Operator). Other UM productions: Alice in Wonderland (Queen of Hearts), Maryland Shakespeare Players.

Jonathan Dillard (Assistant Lighting Designer), first-year MFA candidate in lighting design. Jonathan will be designing Anton in Show Business this spring semester as well as assisting on The Winter’s Tale.

Zachary Fernebok (Hot Dog Seller, Ticket Seller, Professor), senior theatre performance major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (Pridefly), Urinetown (pit singer). Kogod Theatre: The Physicists (guhl understudy), The Distance From Here (Darrell understudy). Other UM productions: Keepers of Shoppe (writer, co-director). Outside Productions: What’s a Little Death (Sonny understudy), Mad Breed (John Wilkes Booth).

Alice Gibson (Madame A, Dr. Doctor), senior theatre performance major, Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship. Kogod Theatre: Filthy Rich (Anne Scott), The Physicists (Doktor Von Zahnd), The Distance From Here (Jenn). Outside productions: Letters to S.A.N.T.A (Lolli).

Mark David halpern (Momo, Waiting One, Smoker, Street Musician), senior theatre performance major, Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship. Kay Theatre: The Green Bird (Renzo). Kogod Theatre: Filthy Rich (Jamie Mclean), The Physicists (Mobius), Machinal (The Lover). Mark is the co-creative director of UM’s sketch comedy group, Sketchup.

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Judith Ingber (Mimi, Waiting Three), senior theatre performance major and voice minor, Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (envysnake), Urinetown (Pennywise), The Green Bird (Smeraldina). Kogod: Machinal (young Woman understudy). Outside productions: Through the Looking Glass (ensemble), What’s a Little Death (Lady/gravedigger understudy). Upcoming: Anton in Show Business.

patti Kalil (Assistant Stage Manager), sophomore theatre production and design major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (Light Board Operator). Kogod Theatre: The Physicists (Run/Props Crew). Outside productions: Capital Fringe Festival: Through the Looking Glass (Stage Manager).

Franklin labovitz (Assistant Costume Designer) is a second-year MFA candidate in costume design. Area credits include designs for The Olney Theatre Center, Imagination Stage, Studio Theatre Second Stage. Upcoming shows: UM: Anton in Show Business, The Winter’s Tale; Theatre J: Sholom Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears; Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Fever/Dream.

Kelly McGuigan (Wendell) BA in theatre from the University of Maryland. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (Ruth), Urinetown (Little Sally), The Green Bird (Pantalona) and Machinal (Telephone girl).

Sam McMenamin (Kris, Street Musician) senior theatre and vocal performance double major, Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (gluttontoad), Urinetown (Mr. Cladwell), The Green Bird (King Tartaglia), The Crucible (Willard), The Piano Lesson (Assistant Director). Outside productions: Williamstown Theatre Festival (Acting Apprentice).

Sarah Shook (Waiting Two, Official, Ms. Biz; Dramaturg), senior theatre performance and english double major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (Stepmother). Other UM productions: La Dispute (Adine). Outside productions: Lebensraum (Actor 3) at Studio Theatre as part of Capitol Fringe Festival, Hair (emmaretta), Fuddy Meers (Heidi), Dead Men Don’ t Slow Dance (Kathleen McArthur) and The Things They Carried (Mary Anne). This is Sarah’s first time as a dramaturg.

becki Wegand (Stage Manager), senior theatre production and design major. Kay Theatre: The Green Bird (Stage Manager), The Piano Lesson (Assistant Stage Manager), Jane Eyre (Assistant to the Director). Kogod Theatre: Savage in Limbo (Assistant Stage Manager). Other UM productions: Alice in Wonderland (Assistant Director), Home Free (Assistant Director).

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www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

ACKNoWlEDGEMENTS

Towson University MFA in Theatre, Wilkes University MA/MFA in Creative Writing, The Word Works, Café Muse, Karren Lalonde Alenier, Roxana Avila, Bonnie Culver, Lee Hartline, Jay Herzog, ellen Katzman, David Korish, Shannon Maddox, Mary and Ted Rockwell, Nancy Romita, gabriel Shanks, Adam Havsky, David Havsky, Marianne Kumpke, Karen Schaffer, Carla Zilbersmith, Jeff Crockett, Robin Nicholson, Serge Martin, Norah Neale, Michael Diamond, Jane grissmer, the Shook family, Zach Hinton, Bobby Petrini, Rob Reahl, Faedra Carpenter, Scott Davis and Shannon Wilson

The lighting design for this production, under the supervision of Harold Burgess, is in partial fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre.

The videotaping or other video or audio recording of the production is strictly prohibited.

The productions of the Department of Theatre offer training opportunities for all students. Casting is decided on the basis of ability, not race, ethnicity or gender, except in those instances where these elements are essential to the play or the character’s development.