Sunday Night by Stephen Gregg - Program Booklet
Cast
WHIT - sixteen year old girl    Jamie Lee McNary
ORRIN - her father  Connor Johnson
LACY - her sister    Samantha Davignon
911 OPERATOR                            Keegan Christopher

There:
SIX - perpetually 16 year old boy    Trevor Foehl
PIPH - girl - sixteen at present         Maggie Dente
THE WIDOW - 600, more or less     Lindsey Keating
UMBRELLA MAN                            David Carrier
PEASANT                                      Luke Sisto
FISHER 1                                      Steve Gaffey
FISHER 2                                      Jesse Poirier
FISHER 3                                       Luke Sisto
CARDIOVOCIAN 1                          Amber Arnold
CARDIOVOCIAN 2                          Joe Luczynski
CARDIOVOCIAN 3                          Maggie Dente
TRAVELER 1                                  Connor Johnson
TRAVELER 2                                  Luke Sisto
PLEASANT                     Samantha Davignon
FUTURE WHIT                               Jacqueline Kelly
STERLING 
  Whit's brother,deceased              Joseph Luczynski
VOICE - Rasinettes                Luke Sisto

Staff
Director             Dr. Len Radin
Set Designer     Ron and Tiger Waterman
Producer           Annie Yenolevich
Stage Manager  Jessie Poirier
Rigging             Keith Davis
Lights               Trevor Flagg
Aliens               David Lane
Makeup artist    Lauren Skiffington
set asst.            Connor Johnson
stage safety      Keegan Christopher
house safety      Lindsey Keating
chef                 Amber Arnold
Costumes   Linda Neville
costumes          Jamie Lee McNary
lights                 Joe Luczynski
Makeup asst.      Samantha Davignon
props                 Maggie Dente
sound Joe Plotz
Who Knew?
Who would have thought that directing a short play about drug abuse on a casual, volunteer basis could have morphed into a nationally known department of theatre?  I remember asking Principal Roger Cirone if I could direct an after-school one-act play. I could not have imagined that the question was the genesis of a twenty year journey that resulted in a three person academic department of theatre.

This year Drury Drama Team alumni Liz Urban and Mike Grogan join me in expanding the Drama Team concept to all grades and schools in the North Adams School District. I could not think of more talented actors, competent teachers and finer people than my two new partners on the stage!
Superintendent Montepare was awarded the 2008 Educational Theatre Association’s National Administrators Award at the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska before 3000 theatre students and their teachers. The Drama Team has become a model theatre department under his encouragement and vision.
For a complete history of our twenty-year journey, see
www.drurydrama.com


From Stephen Gregg

These program notes are being written relatively quickly.
That’s because I procrastinated.  I procrastinated not because it’s my nature to do so (though it is) but because when he asked me to write them, Doc Radin also forwarded me Jamie Lee’s notes, and they were so articulate and so smart that I wasn’t sure what else I could say.
The only thing that prevents me from seeing this production of Sunday Night is that I’m out of the country. (I’m in India, on my honeymoon.)
And I do deeply regret that I’m missing it.
I regret it for a number of reasons, first and foremost that it’s a Drury High School production and – having known Len Radin for more than ten years – I know that means I’m missing something special.  Doc Radin is exactly what a playwright wants in a director: he reads the script and then funnels it through his own extraordinary vision.
Just as important, I got to talk to the cast and the crew a few weeks ago, and it was easy to tell from their comments and questions that this will be a production full of intelligence and humanity (and spectacle!)
So sit back and enjoy the show. I wish I could be there with you.
And read Jamie Lee’s notes. (please see next page)
Stephen Gregg



Jamie Lee McNary, our senior drama student who plays the lead character of Whit, wrote the following observation about one of this play’s intriguing questions. In the play, everyone on Earth hears a voice at the same moment saying, “I love you. I want you to know that.” The voice you hear is a person that loves you but you never knew that. - Doc


A Moment to the Audience by Jamie Lee McNary

While in the production of a play the actors sometimes find themselves lost. After the memory overload on lines, the tenuous hours on stage, and the strain on our voices and our bodies, we just want to yell “Why would I ever do such a thing as a play!” At this point we lose our focus. We lose the meaning behind all of the hard work. Fortunately we then experience another moment, the moment of meaning.

I would like to share mine with you.

It was another Saturday rehearsal, about two thirty in the afternoon. We were working on the last scene of the play. I felt walking in that day that I was being stretched too thin, among other things. I had decided that I would work extremely hard that day to keep my mind focused. And it worked, for the most part.

As we continued on I started to actually take in, maybe for the first time, what my fellow actors were saying. They were lines I had heard before, in a setting that had been determined, with the blocking (motion) that had been set. There was nothing different, except for me, and what I had actually thought about.

“That’s an interesting concept, if you really think about it,” I said.
“What?” asked Doc.
I didn’t realize I had said that out loud.
“I was just thinking, what if this had actually happened? If everyone heard that voice? And then I was thinking in terms of my character, but I wouldn‘t have been able to hear someone else, considering. But if I had been me, and this part had happened, who’s voice would I hear?”
“That is interesting,” said Doc.

I still haven’t found my answer, maybe we’re not suppose to, but I did find my meaning for this play.

And so I would like to pass that question to you. I would like you to think about the ending of the play, and everything that happened. Then I would like you to step back, and ask…

“Who’s voice would I hear?”

Sincerely yours,
Jamie Lee McNary
 

Dr. Len Radin - Director
We all know that Doc is the reason we are here, presenting this amazing production. Doc is a graduate of The University of Massachusetts and received his doctorate degree from Tufts University. Doc has many mentionable things to be proud of, but some of the important ones include being inducted into the Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame in Washington DC in 2000. In 1998 he was awarded the Sir Clark Theatre Teacher of the Year. Two years ago, he was presented the Points of Lights Award by the governor of Massachusetts. Because of Doc, a lot of us have found our place in the world.

Trevor Flagg - Lighting Engineer
This is Trevor Flagg’s 3rd year working tech with the team. He started with The Crucible.   He’s very excited to get his hands on all the new toys this play needs, and as always he enjoys working with the team to light up the productions.

Lauren Skiffington - Makeup
Lauren is an Alumna of the drama team, working on plays like Our Town, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Crucible.  Even after graduation Lauren has come back to work with the team.  She’s working on makeup this time around, as she did in last year’s Wizard of Oz.

Trevor Foehl - Six
Trevor Foehl is a senior, and for his last hoorah he’ll be playing Six. Trevor plans to continue on with theatre through college, and with any luck for the rest of his life.  He has had a wonderful time with the Team thus far, with such performances as John Hale in The Crucible, and the Scarecrow last year. He is enjoying this year with the team to its fullest, and would like to thank his friends and family for supporting him through what has been quite the adventure.

Ron and Tiger Waterman - Stage Designers Ron and Tiger have been members of the Drury Drama Team family for a number of years starting with the 1999 production of the Children’s Hour and have helped the team with props, back drops and sets ever since. They created the outstanding  Audrey II puppet for the Drury Drama Team’s, Little Shop of Horrors.      
Both were 1971 Graduates of Rhode Island School of Design and are artists with their own art services company -  Waterman Studios in Readsboro, VT. Ron worked as a contract photographer/videographer for the decommissioning Yankee Power plant in Rowe Mass. Tiger has recently retired from a 34 year career as the art teacher at Hoosac Valley High School in Adams Mass.  Both live with their two cats in Readsboro, Vermont.

Mike Davignon - Baby Cardiovocian
Mike is a veteran of the Drama Team, having appeared in The Wizard of Oz. He is a member and Stage Manager of the Elementary Drama Team and is in the third Grade at Brayton Elementary School.

Amber Arnold - Cardiovocian, Lacey
Amber is returning to the Drama Team after arriving with a bang as Dorothy in the Wizard of OZ last November.  She’s a freshman and enjoys it a lot.  She worked with the Conte Drama Team on several productions in the past and is now excited for future productions with the drama team.

Dave Carrier - Umbrella Man
Dave Carrier is an energetic senior here at Drury High. Last year he played the very wise and all-knowing Oz. Dave acted with the Team at Drury, MCLA and the University of Nebraska. He and Trevor choreographed their impressive stage fight in Sunday Night.


Connor Johnson - Orrin, Whit’s father
Conner likes to describe himself as an eccentric youth. Aside from acting he is an aspiring musician dabbling in both piano and guitar.  He’s also a member of his band, Zero Deficite.  He loves to make people smile and hopes his performance will do that for you.

Maggie Dente - Piph, the temporodactyl
Maggie is a junior at Drury. She joined the team and fell in love with theatre. She has been singing at church since she was very young and has been training with Marie McMarrow and Keith Kibler for two years. Maggie would really enjoy attending college in a few years and is stuck between devoting her life to theatre or medicine. (note from Doc: Fortunately, they are not mutually exclusive.) Past roles include Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Giles Corey in The Crucible and Meg in Little Women. She is Team president.

Jamie Lee McNary - Whit
Jamie Lee would like to thank her friends and family for all of their support over the years. Jamie Lee McNary is an eighteen year old senior at Drury High School, who has been a member of the Drury Drama Team for all of her high school career. But other than spending hour after hour under the name “Billy” in the Drury auditorium [her second home], she also enjoys expanding her photography, working at her job, sleeping and just exploring all that life has to offer. While she is off to college next year working on her double major of Chemistry and Theatre, she admits that she will be missing the team. “Thank you for having me.”  

Joe Plotz – Stage Hand, Lighting, Sound
We’re very glad Joe joined the Team. He’s talented, resourceful and always willing to help.

Joe Luczynski - Sterling, Whit’s deceased brother and Cardiovocian
Joe is a senior. This will be his first production with the Drama Team.  He really enjoys the experience.

Lindsey Keating - Widow
Lindsey transferred to Drury in her sophomore year in part to join the Drama Team. She acted with us five years ago in the Team’s production of The Wizard of Oz. Her leadership qualities soon became apparent and she assumed the position of Asst. Director.

Steven Gaffey - Fisher and Cardiovocian
Steve Gaffey is a senior here at Drury High School.  Though this is his first year with the team, it has quickly become his favorite class, and activity. He enjoys the atmosphere created by the easy going spirit of the team.  We know you will enjoy his first ever performance with the team.

Samantha Davignon - the Pleasant
Sam is a Junior. She has been in The Crucible, The Wizard of Oz and Booby Trap and has attended the International Thespian Festival for the last two years. She has been acting almost her whole life. Her bubbly personality is well suited to the Pleasant.

Luke Sisto - Rasinette, Traveler
Luke is a freshman but is already an accomplished actor, working with the Conte Drama Team on several performances prior to this.  This is his first production with the team and is looking forward to future plays.

Jackie Kelly - Future Whit
Jackie is a novice on the stage. Although she is very busy with Sunday Night and the Drury soccer team, she still finds time to spend with friends and family. She enjoys the Team and everyone connected with it.

Ann Davignon - Head Drama Mama
Ann Davignon is the mother of Samantha and Michael Davignon.  She became involved in the Drama Team last year with The Wizard of Oz.  She is now Head Drama Mama and helps us by supporting the cast and crew not to mention giving support to Doc.  She helps out with the costumes, providing ideas for the play's characters and helping in many other ways.

Annie Yenolevich - Producer - This is Annie’s fifth year as producer for the Drury Drama Team.  She enjoys this job because it reminds her of the good times on the Drury stage.  Annie is a 6th grade English teacher at Conte Middle School.  She loves to dance and read.  She would like to thank her husband, Scott for his constant love and support. Annie will teach playwriting to the Drama Team in December.

Jesse Poirier - Stage Manager
Jesse is a junior currently attending MCLA.  This will be his fourth year working with the Drama Team.  Jesse Has the esteemed pleasure of stage managing this premiere production and is absolutely confident in the quality of this year’s performance.

Anna Sebastino - Co-president
Anna traveled with us last summer to the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska. She attended the student leadership program and was elected as one of only six International Thespian Officers. She is now representing the northeast quarter of the country in the International Thespian Festival and will help organize the 3,000 participant festival next June. We are all looking forward to attending the festival where Anna will be honored as an International Officer.

Keegan Christopher - 911 Operator
This is Keegan’s second year with the team and first major production.  He’s happy to be on the team and proud to be a part of the family.  He looks forward to more years with the Team.


Names in bold are members of the International Thespian Society/Educational Theatre Association.

Names in Blue are honor members of Thespians.
This project has been supported by grants from the James and Robert Hardman Fund for North Adams and the Gateway Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. It has also been supported in part by funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council as administered locally by the Arts Lottery Commission of Northern Berkshire.