Staff

Office of Arts & Cultural Programming College of the Arts

Executive Director Jedediah Wheeler Dean Daniel Gurskis Department of Theatre and Dance

Michigan Murders
Executive Producer Jill Dombrowski Associate Dean Ronald L. Sharps
Business Manager Stephanie Haggerstone Assistant Dean Linda D. Davidson
Production/Facility Manager J. Ryan Graves Director of Administration Marie Sparks
Cultural Engagement Director Carrie Urbanic College Administrator Zacrah S. Battle
Media and Marketing Specialist Amy Estes
 Art and Design Livia Alexander
Director of Audience Services Robert Hermida John J. Cali School of Music Jon Robert Cart
Program Administrator Brett Wellman Messenger School of Communication and Media Merrill Brown
Technical Director Colin Van Horn
Audio Visual Engineer Erik Trester
Theatre and Dance Randy Mugleston
Broadcast and Media Operations Nick Tzanis
Created by Meghan Finn and Julia May Jonas
Cultural Engagement Assistant Hannah Rolfes University Art Galleries Teresa Rodriguez

Media and Marketing Assistant Melissa Bilecky
Film Project Coordinator Natalie Marx
Box Office Manager Jeffrey Wingfield
House Manager Maureen Grimaldi
Graphics Patrick Flood/pfloodesign.com
Press Blake Zidell & Associates
Program Editor Susan R. Case
Program Design Bart&Co., bartandcompany.com
Interns Ava Deutch, Jennifer Motta

Programs in this season are made possible in part by funds from:

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State,

March 23–26, 2017

a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Alison and James T. Cirenza
Holly and Robert Gregory L. Howard Fox Theater
I. Michael Kasser
The Honorable Mary Mochary

To view our complete season and for more information, visit peakperfs.org.
@peakperfs @peakperfs
Dr. Susan A. Cole, President
Daniel Gurskis, Dean, College of the Arts
Jedediah Wheeler, Executive Director, Arts & Cultural Programming
Program Notes
Michigan Murders focuses on a series of murders committed by a serial killer that took place in
Department of Theatre and Dance the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor region of Michigan in the late 1960s. At the time, an additional murder, of
Randy Mugleston, Chair grad student Jane Mixer, was attributed to the “Co-Ed Killer,” as the murderer was nicknamed. Jane
Mixer’s death was anomalous, according to the police, and later, using DNA evidence, a different man

Michigan Murders
was convicted of her murder. Jane Mixer is discussed at length in Maggie Nelson’s masterful books
Jane and The Red Parts (Ms. Nelson was Mixer’s niece). We made a decision to exclude Ms. Mixer’s
murder from our piece. In addition, there is evidence that the convicted murderer of Karen Sue
Beineman was also the perpetrator of murders in California, Iowa, and New York State. We
decided to narrow our focus to Michigan where the murderer was based.

Our research for Michigan Murders came from wide-ranging sources including newspaper accounts,
Created by Meghan Finn and Julia May Jonas The Michigan Murders by Edward Keyes, Terror in Ypsilanti by Gregory A. Fournier, and interviews
with detective Larry Matthewson and others. However, it cannot be understated that the events in
Director Meghan Finn the play are not real-life, and that abstractions have been made and liberties taken.
Text and Lyrics by Julia May Jonas —Meghan Finn and Julia May Jonas
Composer/Music Director Brian Cavanagh-Strong
Scenic Designer Kiefer Handschuh
Costume Designer Deirdre Morgan
Lighting Designer Nick Hawrylko
Sound Designer Ariana Papin-Tarquini
Production Staff
Projection Designer David Pym Production Manager Peter J. Davis
Fight Choreographer Dan Renkin Production Associate Cyndi Kumor
Production Stage Manager Sophia Voglino Literary Manager Andi Stover
Scenic Supervisor Erhard Rom
Interim Scenic Supervisor Shoko Kambara
Cast Technical Director Ben Merrick
Assistant Technical Directors Daniel Graham, Jacqueline Deniz Young
Ellen........................................................................................................ Ellen Lancaster Scenic Charge Kathleen Woodward
Genevieve ................................................................................................... Giuliana Carr Props Supervisor Alison Merrick
Young Ellen.............................................................................................. Elizabeth Sayko Costume Supervisor Debra Otte
Mark......................................................................................................... Jimmy Hooper Costume Shop Supervisor Judith Evans
The Girls...........................................Katherine Hebert, Ashlee Pallay, Jackie McCarthy, Drapers Jeanette Aultz, Melody Brocious, Jillian Coratti, EB McTigue
Caitlin Tarpey, Angelica Ubiera, Emma Wagner Lighting Supervisor Jorge Arroyo
Production Master Electricians David O. Smith, Elaine Wong
Lakeside Lovers................................. Brian Sedita, Myles Fabrizio Yambao, Henri Zerbib Sound Supervisor Scott O’Brien
Swing Mary Grace Sumner Stage Management Supervisor Mysti Stay

Staff for Michigan Murders

Band Assistant Costume Designer Elena Knitel
Assistant Lighting Designer Cameron Filepas
Associate Music Director/Piano Jane Cardona
Assistant Sound Designer Nicole Belinski
Clarinet Tessa Dolce Assistant Hair and Makeup Christen Donlon
Violin Alexandra Dadon Assistant Stage Managers Victoria Darr, Jessica Schedlbauer
Assistant Production Manager Katherine Wainscott
Photographer (Michigan) Kelsey Cavanagh-Strong
Master Electrician Michael Arroyo
Michigan Murders is presented as a part of the New Works Initiative (NWI) and made possible through Assistant Master Electrician Amber Evelyn
the generous support of Holly and Robert Gregory. Board Operator Chris Ferranti
NWI brings together established and emerging playwrights, composers, choreographers, theater-makers, Props Master Zack Horan
and directors with MSU theater students to explore adventurous theatrical works. A1 Laurie Pavero
Wardrobe Head Nicole Ratyosyan
Michigan Murders has received previous developmental support from the New George’s Audrey Residency
and The Flea Theater. Wardrobe Crew Daton Mitchell, Brissae Valdes
Run Crew Kawanne Ferguson, Brooke Garfinkel, Paulina Hill, Kaylah Nash
Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes, including one 10-minute intermission.

In consideration of both audiences and performers, please turn off all electronic devices. The taking of photographs or
videos and the use of recording equipment are not permitted. No food or drink is permitted in the theater. For complete program information, including artist bios, please go to http://tinyurl.com/MichiganMurders.
 Production Biographies
Meghan Finn (Director) directed Doomocracy by Pedro Reyes for Creative Time.
Other recent credits include The Offending Gesture by Mac Wellman (Connelly
Theater, The Tank/3LD Productions), American Power by Mitch Epstein and Erik
Friedlander (V&A London, Wexner Center), Daredevil by Gary Winter (The Brick),
The Downtown Loop by Ben Gassman (3LD/3D+ Productions/Teeth of Tooth Atelier),
Take Me Home by Alexandra Collier set in a taxi cab (Incubator Arts Project/LPR),
The Service Road by Erin Courtney (Adhesive Theater Project), Motel Cherry
by Peggy Stafford (Summerworks Clubbed Thumb/New Georges HERE), and
3 2’s; or AFAR by Mac Wellman (Dixon Place). Finn holds an MFA in Directing
from Brooklyn College and a BA in Theater from the University of Southern California.
She is a 2016 New Georges Audrey Resident and co-founder of the longest lunch
(2002–present).

Julia May Jonas (Text and Lyrics) is the author of plays including Emily Climbs
(Machine Méchant), Raise Your Voice in Medieval Counterpoint, Evelyn, For Artists
Only, BG1987RECEP, Lake Coordination, EMPIRE TODAY, Take Heart, and
All Long True American Stories (A Play Cycle in Progress). Her work has been
presented/developed at venues including The Bushwick Starr, Incubator Arts Center,
the International Revolutions Festival in New Mexico, The Brick, HERE Arts Center,
Dixon Place, PS122 (with TerraNova), and the International Theater Society of
Vietnam. She has held residencies with The Invisible Dog, The Bushwick Starr,
Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Incubator Arts Center, and Chashama, among other
venues, and her writing has been published in The Brooklyn Review. Founder and
artistic director of experimental theater company Nellie Tinder, she has been granted
continued support by The Mental Insight Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation.
Jonas is a 2016 New Georges Audrey Resident and 2016/17 member of The Jam.
She holds an MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University with Chuck Mee and a
BFA in Drama from New York University Tisch School of the Arts. She teaches
playwriting at Skidmore College and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and
daughter. nellietinder.org
Brian Cavanagh-Strong (Composer) is a composer, teacher, musical director, and
pianist living in Brooklyn, NY. He recently composed original music for Sesame Street
on HBO. He is the music director and co-composer of Saints Rest, a full-length
musical film. His vocal arrangements of The Disappearing Man, with music, book,
and lyrics by Jahn Sood, were heard this winter in workshop performances at
Playwrights Downtown as a part of a residency with the Musical Theatre Factory.
His short opera A Gardener (libretto by Ben Bonnema) was performed in conjunction
with American Opera Projects and the Fort Greene Park Conservancy in spring 2016.
He wrote the score for a revival of Jean Anouilh’s Becket at the Gene Frankel Theatre
in spring 2014. His musical Objects of Affection, with book and lyrics by Christie
Baugher, was performed at NYU in April 2012. He has assisted TV/film composer
Pat Irwin on numerous projects, including HBO’s Bored to Death and Showtime’s
Nurse Jackie.

Keifer Handschuh (Scenic Designer) is in his junior year. This is his first scenic
design on the stages at Montclair. His other theatrical credits include student
technical director for Aida and The Drunken City and master carpenter for
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Triumph of Love, and Pride and Prejudice.
He has also worked as a carpenter and stagehand at The MUNY in St. Louis and
as an electrician on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Deirdre Morgan (Costume Designer) is a senior at MSU studying Theatre

Production/Design with a concentration in costume and hair/makeup design.
She is very excited to display her first costume design for MSU as well as her fourth
hair and makeup design in Michigan Murders. Previously she was the costume
designer for Nancy Lushington’s dance piece “Static Friction” and Earl Mosley’s
dance piece “Wild and Free Draft 5” last spring. Her other credits include
Triumph of Love (MSU, wig and makeup design), Iphigenia at Aulis (MSU, hair
and makeup design), The Producers (MSU, wig and makeup design), and the
opera Julius Caesar (Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, hair and makeup design).

Nick Hawrylko (Lighting Designer) is a junior BFA Theatre Production/Design

student with a concentration in lighting. While this is his first theatrical design at
MSU, his other design credits include Jessica DiMauro’s dance piece “Sprinting with
Scissors” and Old Library Theatre’s production of Assassins. He has assisted various
other designers in productions at MSU, most recently in Works-a-Foot 2016 and
Pride and Prejudice. On the technical side, Hawrylko served as the master electrician
for MSU’s production of Aida and will also be the master electrician for Park Play-
house’s upcoming summer season.

Ariana Papin-Tarquini (Sound Designer) is a sophomore Costume and Sound

Design major. In the past, she has been a stitcher in most productions at MSU as
well as a costume and sound designer for Works-a-Foot.

David Pym (Projection Designer) is a filmmaker and video designer for live
performance. Recent video designs include Give Back My Beast, a theatrical
performance/installation by Daniel Allen Nelson, directed by Kara Feely, at
La MaMa Galleria; the future was looking better in the past…, a multimedia dance
performance by Rebecca Patek at The Chocolate Factory Theater; The Recipe,
a live baking performance by Kristin Worrall, directed by Andrew Ondrejcak, at
Sky Gallery; Gentleman’s Choice, a play by Normandy Sherwood, directed by
Shannon Sindelar, at University Settlement; and Some Hero, a devised work based
on the writings of Václav Havel, directed by Shannon Sindelar, at Barnard College.
In 2015, Pym was mentored by performance artist Rebecca Patek and created a
video documentary of this process, which was presented at MoMA PS1 in
October 2015 and is now playing on vimeo.com/davidpym.

Dan Renkin (Fight Choreographer) previously choreographed Romeo and Juliet

and Iphigenia at Aulis for MSU and will be working on MSU’s upcoming production
of Punk Rock. Recent productions include The Night Alive, All My Sons
(with Alec Baldwin and Laurie Metcalf), and The Cripple of Inishmaan, all at Guild
Hall; Would You Still Love Me (dir. Kathleen Turner), R&J&Z, Dex: A Killer Musical,
Premiere Workshop of Douglas Carter Beane’s new musical Hood, and
Jared Reinmuth’s Monte Cristo at Urban Stages. Renkin is on faculty at the American
Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York Film Academy, and Circle in the Square.
Sophia Voglino (Production Stage Manager) is a sophomore BFA Theatre
Production/Design student at MSU. Past Montclair credits include props head for
Pride and Prejudice and production stage manager for The 25th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee, Sing for Your Supper, and The Drunken City. Other production
stage manager credits include Next to Normal and Nunsense for Buzz Theatre
Productions and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for Old Library
Theatre. Upcoming credits include assistant stage manager for Mosé in Egitto for
the Bregenz Festival. Svoglino1996@gmail.com

Cast Biographies
Giuliana Carr (Genevieve) is a junior BFA Acting major. Previous MSU credits include
Pride and Prejudice, The Lost Ones, and Breaking the Cycle. She has also been
spotted via Gossip Girl playing piano on Friday nights for The Dirty 9.

Katherine Hebert (Girl) is a junior Musical Theatre student at MSU. Her

previous credits include Sing for Your Supper and Carrie: The Musical. She would
like to thank her friends and family for their constant support.

Ellen Lancaster (Ellen) is a graduate of Northwestern University and the American

Repertory Theater Graduate Program. She has appeared on and off Broadway and
in lots of theater, TV, and film. She loves being a professor in the Department of
Theater and Dance at MSU and is so happy to be working with Julia May Jonas
and Meghan Finn.

Jackie McCarthy (Girl) is a freshman BFA Acting major at MSU and is ecstatic to be
performing in her first Montclair State production. Born in raised in Hillsborough, NJ,
McCarthy has previous theater credits including The Laramie Project, Urinetown, and
Legally Blonde: The Musical. She is grateful for this amazing opportunity and is
excited to continue her journey at MSU.
Ashlee Pallay (Girl) is a junior BFA Acting major at MSU. Her MSU credits
include Iphigenia at Aulis (Woman of the Court), Pride and Prejudice (Lydia),
and The Tall Girls (Lurlene). Professional theater credits include The New Kid
(Off-Broadway), Free to Be… You and Me and Rabbit on the Run (Paper Mill
Playhouse), and various regional theater credits. Television credits include ABC’s
What Would You Do? Her film credits include The Dinner (dir. Oren Moverman),
Grey Between, Text, and Boys and Girls.

Elizabeth Sayko (Young Ellen) is a sophomore in the BFA Acting program. Her
most recent appearance at MSU was in last semester’s Laboratory Series JON as
Ruth and Nurse Vivian. She would like to applaud and express her love for everyone
who had a part in making this New Works Initative grow into the piece of art that
it is today.

Brian Sedita (Lakeside Lover) is a BFA Acting major and is very thankful for the
opportunity to be a part of this production. For resume and film demo reel visit his
site: briansedita.wix.com/bsedita.

Angelica Ubiera (Girl) is a junior in the MSU BFA Acting program. Her credits at
MSU include Iphigenia at Aulis (Woman of the Court), Tartuffe (Madame Parnelle),
and Tall Girls (Puppy).

Emma Wagner (Girl) is a senior BFA Acting major. Her previous MSU credits include
Iphigenia at Aulis (Iphigenia), 99 Ways to F*%k a Swan (Mary/Mother Nature/Amy),
and Tartuffe (Marianne). She is very excited to be a part of this production and group
of talented people.

Myles Fabrizio Yambao (Lakeside Lover) has been in numerous productions during
his academic years at New Milford High School. He is truly excited to start off his
college career with Michigan Murders and wants to thank everyone who has helped
him in his journey so far.

Henri Zerbib (Lakeside Lover) is a freshman BFA actor at MSU. This is his
is first show at the school.
 Acknowledgments
Special Thanks to: Christina Jonas, Patrick Jonas, Evelyn Finn, Arielle Gonzales,
Megan Ermilio, Clea DeCrane, David Gould, Aron Canter, Ben Schrager, Tessa Slovis,
Spencer Holmes, Susannah Perkins, Michelle Silvani, Audrey Wang, Adam Sternbergh,
Susan Bernfield and the folks at New Georges, Rachel Dean, Jahn Sood,
Sam Chanse, Caroline Prugh, Thomas Connors, Frank Pugliese, Cristina Spina,
Micah Burgess, Jeremy Yaddaw, Joe Wallace, Mary Streeter, Larry Mathewson