Juanita Drama Presents Christopher Durang's The Actor's Nightmare
Directed by Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk
Student Assistants: Chelsea McMillen, Katie Simmons                   
November, 2006

Photos by emhauk

The Actor's Nightmare POSTER                                                                              

In the Trashcans! A link to Endgame (the play by Samuel Beckett that The Actor's Nightmare scene is based on), a review of a London production of Endgame, and some thoughts on Beckett and Oscar the Grouch!

Language in our play: 'He wore his beaver up' is a line that Horatio says in Hamlet, and Henry says in the Actor's Nightmare while playing Horatio. Odd line. It is a funny enough just to hear it said, but the reference will make more sense if you remember that Horatio is talking about the ghost of King Hamlet, Hamlet's father. The beaver is the lower part of a knight's helmet that hinges up and away. You put it up when you need to breathe, or let someone see your face. When Horatio saw the King he saw him barefaced, the beaver was up, with a 'countenance more in sorrow than in anger'.  The 'countenance' is the facial expression. Thus when Horatio saw the ghost of the King he was wearing a helmet, but had unmasked his face so that his expression of sorrow could be read. Horatio is saddened and honored that the King has revealed his thoughts to him. Terminology

THE STORY: Having wandered onstage, George is informed that one of the actors, Eddie, has been in an auto accident and he must replace him immediately. Apparently no one is sure of what play is being performed but George (costumed as Hamlet) seems to find himself in the middle of a scene from Noel Coward’s Private Lives, surrounded by such luminaries as Sarah Siddons, Dame Ellen Terry and Henry Irving. He fumbles through one missed cue after another as the other actors shift to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, then Endgame by Samuel Beckett, and finally a climactic scene from what might well be A Man for All Seasons. George searches for an escape from the never-ending cycle of the actor’s life, and finds one in a most unexpected way. Don’t miss this hilarious, smart comedy! It’s a dream come true!

Want to know how this all plays out? Come join Juanita Drama for a night of funny, smart Theatre!

With special permission from Dramatists Play Service

Directed by: Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk  Tech Assistant: Gary Hauk

Assistant to the Director: Chelsea McMillen, Katie Simmons

Stage Managers: Cynthia Hiatt, Paulina Pryzstupa

Costume Directors: Dani Dodge, Aiden Prell          

Costume Crew: Cyra Bray, Annah Lyon, Nicole Lindquist,

Alyssa Luft, Timmy Pavino, Julia Nixon, Anita Yandle

Publicity/House Directors: Kaitlyn Hylands, Chad Johnson

Publicity/House Crew:

Chase Johnson, Vanessa Kichline, Levi Kleinbeck, Yuina Kobayashi,
Sam Lee, Morgan Mark, Josh Nakroshis, Tyler Rae,
Amy Weatherford,

Sound: George Fisher, Jordan Jackson

Lighting: Steven Cain, Helen Hunt     Show Video: Vanessa Kichline
 Cast: Aaron Boyce, Sarah Faubion, Cynthia Hiatt, Ed Halliday, Megan Hauk

Sam Hunzinger, Stephanie Kayes, Mitul Kazi, Lars Myren, Paulina Przystupa,

Ashlyn Stoddard, Angelina Traylor-Roscoe, Tyler Velte, Danny Wallin

George: Eric Fields

Meg: Teysha Potter

Sarah: Priscilla Christ

Ellen: Elyse Waham

Henry: Sebastian Hulburt

Executioner: Will Pearson