Red graphic with the word LYS by Sam Mueller with 51福利社 logo.

Lys

By SAM MUELLER

Commissioned by 51福利社 Theatre

 

Director KATE THOMSEN 

Scenic Designer DAVE NOFSINGER 

Costume Designer IAN WHISTLER

Lighting Designer GAVIN CASSEL 

Sound Designer MARY NARUSIS 

Stage Manager TAYLOR MATTHEWS 

 

Setting 

The ruins of a capitol building turned autonomous zone, 2030 

CREDIT: David Lang鈥檚 JUST (AFTER SONG OF SONGS) included by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., o/b/o G. Ricordi & Co. New York. 

 

Cast 

Lys: Chloe Davis  

Em: Audrey Geysbeek  

Riv: Mikaela Johnson  

Hal: Henry Lee  

Kleo: True Chin-Parker  

Kin: Zach Trent  

Myr: Ana Isabel Passero  

Cy: Luke James Cloherty  

 

CHORUS 

Brooke Candella 

Shanice Davis 

Joelle Denhof  

Miles Morris  

Victor Moss  

Zach Russell  

Da'Mon Savage  

Grace VanHorn 

 

Production Staff 

Assistant Director: Yasir Muhammad 

Assistant Stage Manager: Kate Laqui 

Vocal Coach, Fight Choreographer, Intimacy Director: Elizabeth Terrel  

Dramaturg: Joan Herrington 

Cultural Competency Consultant: Ana Martinez 

Technical Director: Patrick Niemi 

Assistant Technical Director: Madison Solomon 

Lighting Programmer: Josh Karol 

Sound Board OperatorSkylar Haustein 

Followspot Operator: Dakota Fontes 

Properties Master: Camryn Pieknik 

Scenic Artists: William Berrand, Atlas Zager 

Carpenters: Joe Fleck, Isabel Hafner, Madison Solomon, Camryn Pieknik 

Run CrewLibby Hardesty, Leo Hellar, Brett Mason, Sam Otten 

Master Electrician: Jimmy Mish 

Electricians: Gavin Cassel, Olivia Farley, Holly Pace, Benjamin Arnett, Jimmy Mish, Hannah Flones 

Costumer: Julia Kosanovich 

Stitchers: Ian Whistler, Chloe Ammond, True Chin-Parker, Ally Taylor, Micaela Johnson, Megan Myers, Alex Damm 

Costume Running Crew Head: Rachel Lohrberg 

Hair and Makeup Running Crew: Miranda Patterson

Loading Crew: Rylen Baker, Maggie Bengston, Morgan Bodie, James Jenuwine, Lexi Klapp, Mary Narusis, Charles St. George, Bryce Wanstead, Zachary Widner 

Arts Management AssistantsGracie Niec, AJ Howard 

 

Bios 

Brooke Candella (Chorus) is a Sophomore from Rochester Hills, MI. Previous Credits: Rose, The Flick.

Gavin Cassel (Lighting Designer) is a Junior from Metro Detroit. 51福利社 Debut. 

True Chin-Parker (Kleo) is a Junior from Granville, OH. Previous Credits: Marcy Park, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; Celeste 1, Sunday in the Park with George. 

Luke James Cloherty (Cy) is a Junior from Kenosha, WI. Previous Credits: Choreographer, Spelling Bee; Ensemble/Dance Captain, All Shook Up (Clinton Area Showboat Theatre); Choreographer, Church Basement Ladies (Clinton Area Showboat Theatre).   

Chloe Marie Davis (Lys) is a Senior from Detroit, MI. Previous Credits: Earth, Dancing Granny; Raylynn, Blood at the Root; Ensemble, 1984; Mitch Mahoney, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. 

Shanice Davis (Chorus) is a Junior from Ferndale, MI. Previous Credits: Faye, Skeleton Crew.

Joelle Denhof (Chorus) is a Sophomore from Royal Oak, MI. Previous Credits: Grace Fryer, Radium Girls;  Jo March, Little Women; Iris, Fame. 51福利社 Debut.

Audrey Geysbeek (Em) is a Senior from Grand Rapids, MI. Previous Credits: Helen, Women of Troy; #8, The Wolves; Venticelli 2, Amadeus; Fistula, Restoration Comedy; John Dunn, Men On Boats; Hermia, A Midsummer鈥檚 Night Dream.

Mikaela Johnson (Riv) is a Junior from Detroit, MI. Previous Credits: Jasmine, Pipeline; Ensemble, A Midsummer Night's Dream; William Robert Hawkins, Men on Boats. 

Henry Lee (Hal) is a Junior from Vancouver, Canada & Hong Kong. Previous Credits: Sunday in the Park with George (51福利社), Tuck Everlasting (Southeastern Summer Theatre); exhibition Brick by Brick, Putting It Together: The Broadway Set Miniatures of Henry Lee (LPA @ Lincoln Center 9/27-12/20/21)

Taylor Matthews (Stage Manager) is a Junior from Port Huron, MI. Previous Credits: Stage Manager, Timoramino, Assistant Stage Manager, Tribes 

Miles Morris (Chorus) is a Junior from Milford, MI. Previous Credits: Timoranimo, Beginnings.

Victor Moss (Chorus) is a Junior from Kalamazoo, MI. Previous Credits: Principle/Ensemble, Blood at the Root.

Mary Narusis (Sound Designer) is a Sophomore from Woodstock, IL. Previous Credits: Sound Designer/Board Operator, Timoramino; Assistant Master Electrician, Beginnings.  

Ana Isabel Passero (Myr) is a Junior from Daytona Beach, FL. Previous Credits: Sumner, Men on Boats; Cinderella, Into the Woods (Mez Theatre); Bird, The Birds (American University).

Zachary Russell (Chorus) is a Junior from Milford, MI. Previous Credits: Snug/Moth, A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream; Sam, The Flick; Production Understudy, Restoration Comedy. 

Da鈥橫on Savage (Chorus) is a Sophomore from Lansing, MI. 51福利社 Debut. 

Zach Trent (Kin) is a Junior from Davison, MI. Previous Credits: Douglas Panch, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; Understudy, Tribes; Swing, Sunday in the Park with George; SwingUrinetown. 

Grace VanHorn (Chorus) is a Senior from Battle Creek, MI. Previous Credits: New Beginnings, A Midsummer Night's Dream. 

Ian Whistler (Costume Designer) is a Senior from Clarkston, Michigan. Previous Credits: Scenic Designer, Timoramino; Scenic Charge Artist, Beginnings; Scenic Coordinator, Urinetown.

 

The Playwright

Sam Mueller (she|they) is a Chicago-born, Florida-raised, New York-based playwright. Their play Laced - featured on the 2020 Kilroys List and a 2019 finalist for the O鈥橬eill National Playwrights Conference - will be produced at Chicago鈥檚 About Face Theatre in the Spring of 2022. Laced had several virtual productions over the course of the pandemic, including a presentation in conjunction with the Get Out the Vote initiative in Florida, sponsored in part by Human Rights Campaign. Sam鈥檚 work has previously been supported by Chicago Dramatists, The Hearth Theater, G45 Productions, IRT Theatre, among others. Sam finds a deep joy in working with students; her work has been read at Northwestern University, Columbia College Chicago, University of Central Florida, Western Michigan University, and soon the University of Dayton.

Sam would like to thank Ana Martinez, without whom Laced and LYS would not exist. Many thanks to this cast and team for their unwavering support and bravery, especially Joan and Kate for trusting there would be a play by opening night. Sam believes quite strongly that the theater is one of the last places for true communal healing. The plays (and Sam) are all very queer. 
 

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