Farewell – But Not Good Bye! (Thank Goodness!)
Gonzaga Players
THEATRE
April 9th —12th
Celebrating 12
Years of Gonzaga
Players Theatre
The Gonzaga Players have been in business for seven years and
there’s only one reason they’ve looked immaculate and stunning.
That reason is Janice Gomes. Every play put up on our humble
stage has been diverse and has stretched the imagination – and every
challenge has been met head on by one woman in her extra time.
Janice means the world to us and our productions would pale without
her patient and thoughtful expertise of clothing and dressing the ac
tors. If she isn’t designing and sewing the articles, she’s running
about with her keen eyes tearing through stores to find just the right
piece. Sometimes for a cast of twelve or (in some cases) a cast of
forty, Janice Gomes has never turned down a challenge and takes
such pride in her work.
It is a shock to discover that Janice Gomes is soon to retire at the end
of this year. After many years of teaching at the Elementary School
level and then joining St. Aloysius Gonzaga as Department Head of
Academic Resource – we can only imagine adventure and relaxation
awaits after such a rewarding and influential career.
Fortunately, Janice will continue to work with the Gonzaga Players (as
we all exhale a breath of relief!) and we can’t wait what we’ll look like
in our next production.
So, it’s a sweet farewell from the everyday interactions and joys but
not a good bye from the magnificent and inspiring creations.
The Gonzaga Players wish you the very best!
Our Town
By: Thornton Wilder
Directed by Matthew Burnham
Thornton Wilder
Wilder was born in Madison, Wisconsin, the son of Amos Parker Wilder, a US
newspaper editor[4] and diplomat, and Isabella Niven Wilder. All of the Wilder
children spent part of their childhood in China because of their father's work.
Wilder began writing plays while at The Thacher School in Ojai, California,
where he did not fit in and was teased by classmates as overly intellectual. According to a classmate, "We left him alone, just left him alone. And he would
retire at the library, his hideaway, learning to distance himself from humiliation and indifference." His family lived for a time in China, where his sister
Janet was born in 1910. He attended the English China Inland Mission Chefoo
School at Yantai but returned with his mother and siblings to California in
1912 because of the unstable political conditions in China at the time. Thornton also attended Creekside Middle School in Berkeley, and graduated from
Berkeley High School in 1915. He earned his Master of Arts degree in French
from Princeton University in 1926.
After graduating, Wilder studied in Rome, Italy, and then taught French at the
Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. In 1926 Wilder's first novel,
The Cabala, was published. In 1927, The Bridge of San Luis Rey brought him
commercial success and his first Pulitzer Prize in 1928. He resigned from the
Lawrenceville School in 1928. From 1930 to 1937 he taught at the University
of Chicago, during which time he published his translation of André Obey's
own adaptation of the tale, "Le Viol de Lucrece" (1931) under the title
"Lucrece" (Longmans Green, 1933).[5] In 1938 he won the Pulitzer Prize for
Drama for his play Our Town, and he won the prize again in 1942 for his play
The Skin of Our Teeth.
World War II saw him rise to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Air
Force Intelligence, first in Africa, then in Italy until 1945. He received several
awards. He went on to be a visiting professor at Harvard, where he served for
a year as the Charles Eliot Norton professor. Though he considered himself a
teacher first and a writer second, he continued to write all his life, receiving
the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 1957 and the Presidential Medal
of Freedom in 1963. In 1968 he won the National Book Award for his novel
The Eighth Day.[3]
.
Congratulations to the members of the Gonzaga
Players who competed in the 2013 Sears Drama
Festival at St. Marcellinus S.S.
Sears Drama
Festival
My Narrator
Norm Foster
Lacey
Miles
Barb
Bob
Student Director
Staff Supervisor
Cast
Alanna Avila
Steven Griffin
Shenique Rochester
Kenis Arauz
Bradley Mendes
Mrs. N. Gabriele
Mrs. J. Gomes
Biography
Wilder was the author of Our Town, a popular play (and later film) set in fictional Grover's Corners, New Hampshire. It was inspired by his friend Gertrude
Stein's novel The Making of Americans, and many elements of Stein's modernist style can be found throughout the work. Wilder suffered from severe
writer's block while writing the final act. Our Town employs a choric narrator
called the "Stage Manager" and a minimalist set to underscore the human experience. Wilder himself played the Stage Manager on Broadway for two weeks
and later in summer stock productions. Following the daily lives of the Gibbs
and Webb families, as well as the other inhabitants of Grover's Corners, Wilder
illustrates the importance of the universality of the simple, yet meaningful
lives of all people in the world in order to demonstrate the value of appreciating life. The play won the 1938 Pulitzer Prize.
In 1938, Max Reinhardt directed a Broadway production of The Merchant of
Yonkers, which Wilder had adapted from Austrian playwright Johann Nestroy's
Einen Jux will er sich machen (1842). It was a failure, closing after just 39 performances
In 1955, Tyrone Guthrie encouraged Wilder to rework The Merchant of
Yonkers into The Matchmaker. This time the play enjoyed a healthy Broadway
run of 486 performances with Ruth Gordon in the title role, winning a Tony
Award for Guthrie, its director. It later became the basis for the hit 1964 musical Hello, Dolly!, with a book by Michael Stewart and score by Jerry Herman.
In 1962 and 1963, Wilder lived twenty months in the small town of Douglas,
Arizona, apart from family and friends. There he started his longest novel, The
Eighth Day, which went on to win the National Book Award. His last novel,
Theophilus North, was published in 1973, and made into the film Mr. North in
1988.
Wilder Biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornton_Wilder
The Cast
Stage Manager
Dr. Gibbs
Mrs. Gibbs/ The Dead
George Gibbs
Mr. Webb
Mrs. Webb
Emily Webb/The Dead
Rebecca Gibbs
Wally Webb/The Dead
Joe Crowell/The Dead
Si Crowell
Ms. Soames/The Dead
Simon Stimson/The Dead
Mr. Newsome
Lady in a Box
Constable Warren
Sam Craig
Woman in the balcony
Joe Stoddard
Professor Willard/The Dead
Baseball Players
The Dead
Belligerent Man
Sarah Bavaro
Alain Croteau
Laura Fusca
Brendan Walker
Dimos Siagoulis
Micaela Cali
Sarah Aranha
Monica Kulik
Matthew Costa
Mike Brijeski
Samantha Petrovic
Carolyn Blakely
Bradley Mendes
Devon Mundreon
Michell Silva
Cameron Smith
Steven Griffin
Patrycja Wilczewski
Carlo Pagcanlungan
Jomar Quilatan
Justin Nahhas
Kenis Arauz
Cole Bisson
Ayesha Awuni
Julia Raftery
Kenis Arauz
Mr. J. Eagles
Graduating
Gonzaga Players
Lyla Abbas
Kenis Arauz
Alanna Avila
Cole Bisson
Carolyn Blakely
Micaela Cali
Maria Christopoulos
Alain Croteau
Zara Diab
Laura Fusca
Steven Griffen
Bradley Mendes
Devon Mundreon
Justin Nahhas
Cameron Smith
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely
players”
William Shakespeare
Gonzaga Players Past
Productions
The Crucible
Biloxi Blues
The Effects of Gamma Rays
2005-2006
2006-2007
2006-2007
Death at the Mansion
Bloody Reunion
Halloween Havoc
Death at Dark Lake
Death Metal Mayhem
2006-2007
2006-2007
2007-2008
2007-2008
2007-2008
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2007-2008
Curse of the Burmese Idol
2008-2009
A Streetcar Named Desire
2008-2009
Antigone (Sophocles & Jean Anouilh) 2009-2010
Whiskey Stop
Real World: Gone’Zaga
2009-2010
2009-2010
Harvey
2010-2011
It’s not a rash...I’m a Zombie!
2010-2011
Macbeth
2011-2012
Well I'll be Gotterdammerunged...
A Tale of Vikings and Monsters
A Doll’s House
2011-2012
2012-2013
Join the Gonzaga Players!
Your life will change forever.
Stage Crew
Director
Mr. M. Burnham
Costume Designer
Mrs. J. Gomes
Stage/Prop Manager
Mr. J. Eagles
Construction
Mr. P. Daley
Mr. D. Daley
Mr. L. Daley
Programme Design
Programme Front Cover Artwork
Mr. J. Eagles
Reine Tejares
Audio Crew
Jason Francone
Rohan Sandeep-Sanzgiri
Make-Up
Nancy Jona
A special thanks to the Gonzaga Prefects as our Theatre Ushers for this
week’s performances. We would also like to thank JAG for being our
intermission concession providers.
Choir
Sydney Blackwell
Giulia Buso
Sara Cristiano
Natasja Diab
Bridget Lewis
Cindy Lewis
Su Min Suh
Lina Ye
Scotiabank:
Proud Supporter of the Gonzaga Players
Scene Membership Card
Scene Membership Card
and Scene Scotiabank
Card
Name: Julia Raftery
Grade: 11
I can’t think of a better way I could have spent my third
year here at Gonzaga than to be a part of this amazing
group of people known as the Gonzaga Players. This is
my first year being on stage in a Gonzaga Player production. I have had the chance to work with the Gonzaga
Players as a member of the stage crew last year. A huge thanks goes to Mr.
Burnham and Mr. Eagles for all of their time and effort they’ve put into this
production. Finally, I like to thank and congratulate Mrs. Gomes for helping
us look the part and for all of her hard work over the years. Enjoy!
Name: Kenis Arauz, Justin
Nahhas, Cole Bisson
Grade: 12
We love acting! Smiles to everyone.
Scene Membership Card
and Scene Visa Card
Name: Carlo Pagcanlungan
Grade: 10
This is my first year being a Gonzaga Player. I was
quite nervous before I auditioned. I didn’t really know
what to expect if I was selected to become a member.
I kept thinking of all the line memorization and controlling my nerves on stage. When we held our first
meeting, I realized that I had nothing to worry about. Everyone was very open
and kind. This experience hasn’t been anything I expected, and the rehearsals
have been so fun. The Gonzaga Players has been a great experience for me.
With the guidance of Mr. Burnham, Mr. Eagles and Mrs. Gomes, I believe we
have been able to create a play for everyone to enjoy.
Name: Jomar Quilatan
Grade: 10
This being my first year at Gonzaga, it is also my first
year as a Gonzaga Player. I must say that I have enjoyed this experience—particularly the endless humor
of the cast—that made this play possible. I would like
to thank Mrs. Gomes for our attire; Mr. Eagles for his
contribution to the betterment of this play, and last but absolutely not the
least, our director - Mr. Burnham, for his amazing direction and support. I
look forward to continuing drama and I hope everyone will enjoy this play as
much as we have enjoyed preparing it.
Name: Ayesha Awuni
Grade: 11
This was my first year being a member of the Gonzaga
Players. I didn’t really know what to expect, but all the
time and hard-work has definitely made this experience
worth every minute. Our Town was a really good experience for me to see what happens behind the scenes and
what it takes to make such a wonderful play. Without Mr. Burnham, Mr. Eagles,
Mrs. Gomes, and this amazing/talented cast, this play really wouldn’t have
come to life. I have been able to learn so many new skills that will help me in
the future. I am grateful that I had this opportunity to be a part of Our Town
and I hope to have many more Gonzaga Players opportunities.
http://www.scotiabank.ca
YOU ARE RICHER
THAN YOU THINK
Attention all Gonzaga Students
Bring your Scotiabank Scene card to any
of the Gonzaga Player
Performances and receive 10 House
Points.
YOU ARE RICHER
THAN YOU THINK
Name: Sarah Bavaro
Grade: 10
This is my second year as a Gonzaga Player. I am fortunate enough to have participated in such a phenomenal play, with an incredibly dedicated, and committed cast. I would like to thank everyone who has
contributed to making Grover’s Corners come to life. Thank you to Mrs. Gomes for outstanding costumes, Mr. Eagles for all his encouragement, and of
course our talented director—Mr. Burnham for all of his hard work and support throughout the development of our play. Gonzaga Players has taught me
so much, and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything else in the world!
Name: Alain Croteau
Grade: 12
I am honored to say that this is my fourth and final
year as a Gonzaga Player. It has been such an unique
and amazing experience meeting so many young and
talented actors with such great potential. The Gonzaga Players are like my family, and like my character, I look after them like
they are my own. I would like to extend a big thank you to Mr. Burnham for
getting me involved in such an amazing group. Special thanks also goes to
Mr. Eagles for always supporting and leading us and Mrs. Gomes for making
us look so good.
Name: Laura Fusca
Grade: 12
This is my second year as a Gonzaga Player. Last season, I
played the role of Lady Macduff in Gonzaga’s production of
Shakespeare’s Macbeth. This year, I am honoured to take on
the role of Mrs. Gibbs. Not only has being a Gonzaga Player
helped me grow as a performer, but it has also helped me
grow as a person. I have met so many wonderful people and made so many unforgettable memories. A special thanks to Mr. Burnham for putting up with my sassiness, to Mr. Eagles for his endless support, and to Mrs. Gomes for the beautiful costumes. I would also like to thank and congratulate my fellow Gonzaga Players for
putting on an incredible performance. It’s been a great run!
Name: Cameron Smith
Grade: 12
This is my second production this year with the Gonzaga
Players and has been so much fun. I really have enjoyed
the past two years and the friends and memories I have
made. Luckily this isn’t my last performance as a player!
It’s too much fun being a Gonzaga Player and I really
have enjoyed being part of the larger cast of Our Town. I like to thank the entire cast who have been so wonderful to work with. I also want to thank Mr.
Burnham and Mr. Eagles for giving me this opportunity. Finally, I like to thank
Mrs. Gomes for making us look so good! Enjoy the show.
Name: Steven Griffin
Grade: 12
I am so happy to be in this production of Our Town. I
was in the play last year and had such a good experience I couldn’t wait until I had the chance to audition
again for this year’s production. We have had such a
great time rehearsing and preparing for the play and I
hope that you enjoy the show. This is my final year at Gonzaga and it has
been a great four years and my involvement with the Gonzaga Players has
really enhance my high school experience. I hope everyone has great as a
time watching Our Town as we did putting it on for you.
Name: Patrycja Wilczewski
Grade: 11
Our Town is my first experience as a Gonzaga Player and
I definitely hope it is not my last. Ever since I started taking drama in grade 10 it has become my favorite course
by far. Drama is a great way to get close to others and
has allowed me to make so many new friends. Taking
drama and being a Gonzaga Player has given me the confidence to try more
things and I like to thank Mr. Burnham for that. I also want to thank him for
encouraging me to audition and supporting me throughout this experience. I
would also like to thank Mrs. Gomes for the wonderful costumes. Finally, I
like to congratulate the entire cast on bringing everyone to Our Town.
Name: Bradley Mendes
Grade: 12
It is an honor to be a Gonzaga Player. It even means
a little more as this is my final year at Gonzaga. It has
been an awesome but also a draining experience. Although the rehearsals were a little tough, I know we
will remember all the laughs and great memories we
have made this year. I know all the hard work that this cast has put into this
performance has been worth it. It will be hard ending the run of this play,
knowing that I won’t be back in another Burnham production. Thank you and
enjoy the show!
Name: Devon Mundreon
Grade: 12
Wow, this year has been an amazing experience as
a Gonzaga Player. This is my second year in the
school play, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
I’ve met some really great people who have beomce
like my second family. I’m so thankful fto be given
this opportunity and having had the chance to work alongside great students,
Mr. Burnham, and everyone else who has been involved in making this production. It has been such a great experience.
Name: Michell Silva
Grade: 11
Our Town, is my first experience as a Gonzaga Player
and has definitely lived up to all my expectations. I have
always enjoyed the dramatic arts and this has been an
unforgettable experience. It was amazing to see the
cast’s talent unfold throughout the rehearsals and the
amount of hard work and determination that was put into this performance. A
big thanks goes out to Mr. Burnham, Mr. Eagles, and Mrs. Gomes for their
dedication and support to the Gonzaga Players. I truly hope that the audience
enjoys this amazing performance.
Name: Brendan Walker
Grade: 11
This is my third year at Gonzaga and my first year as a
Gonzaga Player. If I had known it was this much fun, I
would have definitely auditioned much earlier. Hopefully
this year the Gonzaga Players can put on a show that the
audience really enjoys and remembers. I would like to
thank Mr. Eagles, Mrs. Gomes, and all the cast and crew. A special thanks to
Mr. Burnham for helping create “Our Town” and making my first experience
with the Gonzaga Players so enjoyable. Sit back and enjoy the show.
Name: Dimos Siagoulis
Grade: 12
This is my first year as a Gonzaga Player, but I have
been in drama for the past three years. All the techniques I have learned in drama over the years have
helped me in this production of Our Town. The Gonzaga Players is giving me the closure I need before I
leave high school this June. I will remember the laughs, and fun that comes
with drama and wish I had joined Gonzaga Players earlier. I would definitely
recommend getting involved with the Gonzaga Players to everyone. Thank you
Mr. Burnham, (Burnabank) Mr. Eagles and Mrs. Gomes for this amazing opportunity.
Name: Micaela Cali
Grade: 12
This is my third year being a member of the Gonzaga
Players and I can’t believe this will be my last production. I couldn’t be happier that I decided to join in grade
9 and I feel like I have grown so much as an actress and
person. This has been such a great experience and has
been worth every rehearsal. I know that I will look back at my memories as a
Gonzaga Players fondly. A great big thanks goes to Mr. Burnham for giving me
this awesome opportunity and to Mr. Eagles, Mrs. Gomes and the whole cast
for putting so much effort and time into this production. Enjoy!
Name: Sarah Aranha
Grade: 9
This is my first year as a student at Gonzaga and as a
Gonzaga Player. At our first rehearsal, I wasn’t really
sure what to expect, but the entire cast was extremely
welcoming and a lot of fun to work with! Thanks to Mrs.
Gomes for our stunning costumes, Mr. Eagles for all his
charisma and support, and of course to Mr. Burnham for giving all of us this
amazing opportunity to develop our acting skills and constantly guiding us
along the way. This experience has been extremely rewarding and I know that
our audience will appreciate all the hard work that has gone into this production. We hope you enjoy the show.
Name: Monica Kulik
Grade: 9
My first year of high school at St. Aloysius Gonzaga
has been amazing and being a Gonzaga Player has
made it even better! I didn’t know what was to come
when I decided to audition this year, but everyone was
very welcoming. A big thank you has to go to Mrs.
Gomes for the outstanding costumes, Mr. Eagles for all of his hard work and
support, and to our amazing director. Mr. Burnham has done so much from
giving up so much of his own time and guiding us throughout our journey. I
have enjoyed this great experience and I hope everyone appreciates all the
hard work everyone put into this production.
Name: Matthew Costa
Grade: 9
This is my first experience with the Gonzaga Players
and it has been amazing to say the least. There’s been
a huge amount of support from Mr. Burnham and the
rest of the cast. During rehearsals there have been so
many laughs. I am looking forward to next year already and having the opportunity of taking grade 10
Drama. I only wished I could have taken Drama in grade 9. On the first day of
rehearsal no one actually knew my name so they just started calling me by my
character’s name— “Wally”. What happened is something that I did not expect—I just became known as Wally. I want to thank my friends and family for
their support and I hope that everyone enjoys this production.
Name: Michael Brijeski
Grade: 10
This is my first year as a Gonzaga Player. This has been
such a wonderful experience and everyone has been so
helpful and nice. I really have enjoyed the opportunity
of making new friends and playing the role of Joe Crowell. He is an upbeat, young, kid much like myself,
which really helped me identify with this character. I like thank Mr. Burnham
and Mr. Eagles for putting on this production. Also a very special thank you
goes to Mrs. Gomes for making all these wonderful costumes for us. I am
looking forward for everyone seeing this wonderful production and what Mr.
Burnham has in store for us down the road.
Name: Samantha Petrovic
Grade: 10
This is my first year as a member of the Gonzaga Players. We have had lots of laughs throughout our rehearsals. It has been great experience for me and I have
made lots of new friends. I would like to thank Mr.
Burnham and Mr. Eagles for all of the great laughs during rehearsals and to Mrs. Gomes for making these
amazing costumes. I love being a Gonzaga Player and it really has become my
second family. Enjoy the show!
Name: Carolyn Blakely
Grade: 12
Our Town will be both my first and my last experience
of being a Gonzaga Player, as I am finishing my fourth
year at Gonzaga. Being a part of the Gonzaga Players
has taught me so much more about myself than I could
have ever imagined. I want to thank Mr. Burnham for
encouraging me to audition and for the support he has provided me throughout this year and also during the past two as my drama teacher. Finally, a
huge thank you goes out to Mr. Eagles, Mrs. Gomes and to my fellow Gonzaga
Players for making this year so amazing. Enjoy the show.