The Cradle Will Rock by Mark Blitzstein
Jodi Watson, Hannah Duncan
Original Director's Concept:
The Audience has been invited to a play. This play is Blitzstein’s The Cradle Will Rock. The contemporary company who is producing it (a company that exists in the here and now) has set the play in the 1930’s, BUT is performing an homage to the original WPA versions that was shut down and remounted on the fly in an available theatre. They have set up in the lobby various acts and artifacts that will teach the audience about the play- Dancers offering dances for a nickel, Newspaper plays paralleling the 1930’s and today, and various Brechtian elements including, actors getting hair and make-up done and explanatory placards. The theatre is closed off with caution tape and the Audience is then informed by an over eager Director and Assistant Director that the play is in a new location. The Audience must travel to a new location (Carrington) and along the way there will continue to be artifacts and actor drive spectacle to help educate about the world of the play. The play will be performed in the new location with only a piano. The actors will be in 1930's costume, but like the original opening night of The Cradle Will Rock, they will only have the empty theatre space and existing
The Audience has been invited to a play. This play is Blitzstein’s The Cradle Will Rock. The contemporary company who is producing it (a company that exists in the here and now) has set the play in the 1930’s, BUT is performing an homage to the original WPA versions that was shut down and remounted on the fly in an available theatre. They have set up in the lobby various acts and artifacts that will teach the audience about the play- Dancers offering dances for a nickel, Newspaper plays paralleling the 1930’s and today, and various Brechtian elements including, actors getting hair and make-up done and explanatory placards. The theatre is closed off with caution tape and the Audience is then informed by an over eager Director and Assistant Director that the play is in a new location. The Audience must travel to a new location (Carrington) and along the way there will continue to be artifacts and actor drive spectacle to help educate about the world of the play. The play will be performed in the new location with only a piano. The actors will be in 1930's costume, but like the original opening night of The Cradle Will Rock, they will only have the empty theatre space and existing
Adam Williams and Liberty Committee
Director's Notes:
I had always been interested in directing musicals, but had a limited background in musical theatre. Due to space issues, the spring musical needed to be performed in an alternate theatre space on campus that "primative" to say the very least. There certainly was no room for a full orchestra. Or even a tiny band. The Cradle Will Rock was selected by the production committee with the idea that it would be a scaled down "homage to original production that got shut down". The head of the musical theatre program recommended me to direct this production since the challenges it provided sounded like something up my alley.
When I first read it and listened to it, I was concerned about the accessibility of this piece to a contemporary audience.. However on a second read I became interested in the fun and freedom the simplicity and broad characters provide. Also as I listened more and more to the soundtrack I realized the music, while different from standard stereotypical “musical” fare, is quite catchy, and beautiful. I realized that one of our obstacles will be that most of the audience won’t have the luxury of knowing the music coming in though and won’t have the luxury of hearing it a couple of times to really let it grow on them.
What interested me most about this piece? Honestly, I have always wanted to stage a parade. I tried once in NYC. It failed. I wanted to try again.. I also am always interested in exploring the fine line between catering to an audience vs. making theatre that is accessible to an audience while still challenging them. This seems like a good piece to practice on.
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Musical Direction — Heather Chittenden-Luellen
Choreography — Darryl Kent Clark Scenic Design — Elizabeth Noser Costume Designer — Joseph Blaha Lightning Design — Micheal Foster Marketing Director — Mark Templeton Sound Design — Tyler Nissen Make-up/Hair Designer — Krystal Cutbirth Technical Director — Christopher DePriest Dramaturg — Christopher Herr Stage Manager — Amber C. Hensley Pre-show Photography- Mark Putman Production Photos- Foster Photography 
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Cop/Bugs/"Director"-Samantha Valentine
Clerk/"Assistant Director"-Carly Schneider Moll-Natalie Baughman Mr. Mister-Adam Murphy Larry Foreman-Adam Williams Mrs. Mister-Hannah Duncan Junior Mister-Thomas Hogan Sister Mister-Jodi Watson Sadie-Chelsea Anglemyer Gus-Michael McNulty Reverend Salvation-Sheristen James Editor Daily-Jeffrey Fenoglio Yasha-Frankie Shin Dauber-Anthony Milfelt President Prexy-Whitney Ice Professor Mamie-Richard Forrist Nebel II Professor Trixie-Darian Leatherman Dr. Specialist-Erin Michelle Routh Harry Druggist-Vince Gordon Steve-Harrison Fanter Ella Hammer-Kimberly Smalling Dick- Nick Stephens Gent/Professor Scoot-Levi Hobson Nurses/Reporters/Citizens of Steeltown-Eva Carpenter, Hannah Grigereit, Abby Lind, Sarah McGowan Understudy-Elizabeth Finder 
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