Masterworks: Graduate Musical Theater Thesis

Written and directed by Kat O’Connor

Audience Advisory: Please be aware that this piece mentions and alludes to the topics of body image, depression, eating disorders, and other mental health issues.

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Throughout my career, I have observed and been subject to unrealistic expectations of my body. I am not alone in this experience. This piece is for anyone who has felt the pressure to fit into a certain type of character, dictated purely on their outward appearance.

ABOUT THIS PIECE 

Every event, word, and experience spoken about within this piece is true. This performance is an assembly of real life experiences of actors in the performance industry. All information was obtained and shared with consent. All characters (with the exception of Kat) are fictitious, and are not representative of any single true person.

CAST

KAT, KIM, AMELIA – Kat O’Connor
MONITOR – Darren Wilson

ORCHESTRA 

Gina Fiore, Piano

ABOUT KAT O’CONNOR

Kat O’Connor is a multifaceted artist and performer, having earned her undergraduate degree from American University, and now her Master’s degree from Boston Conservatory at Berklee. She has taken her training and performance around the world, including the University of Oxford, England, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She is ecstatic to finally finish her graduate education from the incredible Boston Conservatory. Learn more about O’Connor at katmurphyoconnor.com.

SPECIAL THANKS

A special and deep thank you to the amazing Andrea, and fantastic Gina for all of their help and guidance in the creation of this piece. Thank you to my parents, Jeannie and Mikey, for their unrelenting love and support, and letting me live with them while in grad school. Finally thank you to Darren, and the rest of my friends and family for putting up with my shenanigans in the name of art. I could not have survived without them.

Written and Directed by Layne Alexandra Lueckert

Audience Advisory: This piece depicts stories of abuses of power and mentions bodily harm on stage. 

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Several times in my career and my life I, along with many others, have observed men abusing their power and taking advantage of everyone and everything in their sight—primarily, women’s bodies, whether it’s making decisions for them, telling them their pain is arbitrary, or causing unforgettable trauma to their bodies and to their soul. Now more than ever, they need to be held accountable. 

ABOUT THIS PIECE

In this piece, Layne is sharing the true stories of Sierra Boggess, Lesli Margherita, Karen Olivo, and Laura Benanti. Layne recognizes that her, Sierra, Lesli, and Laura all identify as cisgendered white women. She would like to acknowledge that Karen Olivo is a non-white, non-binary person. Instead of focusing on the differences between them, Layne wants to focus on what they have in common—being female-socialized people who have had to fight against abuses of power in the industry. 

CAST

LAYNE, ET AL – Layne Alexandra Lueckert
MR. MISOGYNY – EJ Christopher, David Lee Weakland, Luke Lueckert, Craig Soich, Stephen Eclock

ORCHESTRA

Gina Fiore, Piano

ABOUT LAYNE ALEXANDRA LUECKERT

Layne Alexandra Lueckert is a feminist actor, director, comedian, apple ripper extraordinaire who wants to create theater that not only speaks, but roars. She earned her undergraduate degree from Seton Hill University and she is beyond excited to obtain her M.F.A. in musical theater from Boston Conservatory at Berklee! Some notable theater credits include: Betsy/Lindsey in Clybourne Park, Lydia Languish in The Rivals, Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain, Logainne Schwartzy in The 25th Annual…Spelling Bee, being a cast member at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival, directing Paul’s Ghost, and co-creating Mental Health: a Story told through Movement. Learn more about Lueckert at laynealexandra.com.

SPECIAL THANKS

Thank you to Alyssa and Gina for their continued support throughout this process. A huge thank you to everyone else who gave me assistance, advice, and support when I needed it most. Many thanks to my mom who raised me to be the feminist I am today—without her, I wouldn’t know how to advocate for myself, especially when the going gets rough. Much love to my cohort; I am endlessly thankful to have shared these past two inexplicably insane years with you. I’m so proud of what you all have created! <3

Written and directed by Steven Sawan

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Set off by an unforeseen casting decision and a lifetime of putting others before himself, a distraught actor is sent spiraling into a series of dreams where he becomes the very sidekicks that he is so used to playing. Can these dreams uncover a depth that has always existed within these long overlooked characters? And through these discoveries, can the actor gain control over his subservient nature and discover a healthier way to live?

ABOUT THIS PIECE

Sidekicked serves a dual purpose. The first is an exploration of the sidekick archetype in musical theater. It looks specifically at sidekicks in Disney musicals, as they are often seen as the most firmly archetypal sidekicks: comic, but two-dimensional and subservient. This piece intends to reveal these characteristics as surface level, and view these characters as more than how they may appear on the outside. 

Sidekicked’s second purpose is to explore the ways in which those who are eager to please others allow themselves to fall into a cycle that makes them nearly indistinguishable from these aforementioned sidekicks. By accentuating the protagonist’s sidekick-esque nature and placing him in the shoes of these tried and true Disney sidekicks, it reveals the often cartoonish ways in which we allow ourselves to succumb to the will of others. This piece aims to look at how one can liberate oneself from the unhealthy burdens of this behavior.

Sidekicked is entirely a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons (aside from Steven), or actual events is purely coincidental.

CAST

STEVEN, ET AL – Steven Sawan

ORCHESTRA

Gina Fiore, piano

ABOUT STEVEN SAWAN

Steven Sawan is an actor, singer, writer, and recording artist who creates art from a place of joy, love for his craft, and individuality. He graduated from the honors program at Providence College with a B.A. in theater arts, concentrating in musical theater, and is thrilled to be completing his M.F.A. in musical theater at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Some all-time favorite credits include Shakespeare in Something Rotten!, Pierre in Daughters with Daggers, a Phantom in The Rocky Horror Show, Tinman in The Wizard of Oz, and Eddie Birdlace in Dogfight. Learn more about Sawan at stevensawan.com.

SPECIAL THANKS

A huge thanks to Alyssa and Gina, my brilliant advisor and illustrious music director, for helping shape this project and guide a process that would have been impossible without their help. Thank you to my fight consultant, Jim Beauregard, for his sage help, ensuring I stay as safe as possible. Thank you to my family for their never ending support and for letting me pursue my dreams not once, but twice. Thank you to all of my past and present mentors, from the Boston Conservatory, to Providence College, to everywhere else I’ve been. Last, but certainly not least, thank you to my cohort. Without all of you, I wouldn’t even have been registered for classes, let alone performing my thesis.

Written, directed, and choreographed by Holly Bourdon

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Throughout my life as an artist, I have always been made to feel like I must choose between dance or theater, as if I must permanently live in one camp or the other. In learning about Agnes de Mille, I was so inspired by how she expertly wove dance and theater together in her career, but I was baffled by how historians consistently discredited her massive achievements in both fields, calling her “difficult,” or passing off her incredible triumph over stroke and paralysis as just “stubborn will.” With this piece, I hope to honor Agnes de Mille’s illustrious career, from one “stubborn” woman to another. 

ABOUT THIS PIECE

Spoken word selections that begin each scene are sourced from a conversation between Agnes de Mille and Martha Graham, as noted in Martha: the Life and Work of Martha Graham (de Mille, 1991). This piece features original choreography by Holly Bourdon, inspired by the work of Agnes de Mille. 

Research texts: Dance to the Piper (de Mille, 1951), Lizzie Borden: Dance of Death (de Mille, 1968), Speak to Me, Dance with Me (de Mille, 1973), Reprieve: a Memoir, (de Mille, 1981), Martha: the Life and Work of Martha Graham (de Mille, 1991).

CAST

AGNES DE MILLE – Holly Bourdon 
MARTHA GRAHAM (voice) – Kira Sirai Helper, M.F.A.’21
JOHN (voice) – Ted Faust 

ORCHESTRA

Ted Faust, Guitar
Gina Fiore, Piano

ABOUT HOLLY BOURDON

Holly Bourdon is an actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer who believes that being a jack of all trades does not make you a master of none. Holly has a dual degree in theater and dance performance studies from Roger Williams University and is ecstatic to finally be completing her M.F.A. after a gap year due to the pandemic. In recent years, Bourdon has performed in The Donkey Show at American Repertory Theatre and A Chorus Line at Reagle Music Theatre, and has been a company member and choreographer for ParadiseMoves, a movement theater company. Bourdon also sings in local bands and has even released a single with her partner Ted and their acoustic duo, Holly & Faust. Learn more about Bourdon at hollybourdon.com.

SPECIAL THANKS

Big thanks to Fran and Gina for all the accountability, patience, and tough love that helped me organize all my crazy thoughts into one coherent piece. Thanks to Ted for his collaboration and willingness to join me onstage, and thanks to my family and my grad cohort for getting me through this exhausting journey called grad school!

Written and directed by Sydney Roslin

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Jewish legacy in American musical theater has long been a subject of conversation. To quote the Broadway musical Spamalot: “You can’t succeed on Broadway if you don’t have any Jews!” And yet, although there was an abundance of first-generation American Jewish composers and lyricists in New York during the early 20th century, very few of them embraced the texts or themes of their European Jewish backgrounds. Composer and lyricist Irving Berlin is no exception; although Berlin was himself an immigrant and a cantor’s son, he is largely known for his distinctly American music, along with hit secular songs such as “White Christmas” and “Easter Parade.” Berlin was able to fully assimilate into his adopted homeland, just as many Jewish immigrants in the early 20th century did, but in doing so, did he keep part of his heritage and himself hidden? 

ABOUT THIS PIECE

Zing Shtil is a Yiddish song composed by Sholom Secunda with text by Wolf Younin, both Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants who were born in Ukraine and Poland, respectively, and settled in New York City. Both Secunda and Younin were Yiddish scholars and artists, and were known as proponents of the Yiddish language throughout their careers.

The Hebrew text for “L’dor vador” comes from Jewish liturgical texts and can be found in the Kiddusha (holiness) section of the prayer service. The prayer translates to: “From generation to generation we will declare your greatness, And for ever and ever we will make sacred your holiness. Your praise, our God, shall never depart from our lips.”

CAST

ZIPPORAH KAHN, LENA BALINE, COLE PORTER, IRVING BERLIN – Sydney Roslin

ORCHESTRA

Gina Fiore and Sydney Roslin, Piano

ABOUT SYDNEY ROSLIN

Sydney Roslin is a performer, director, and writer who enjoys crossing musical genres and tackling themes of identity through her theatrical work. She feels equally at home performing theater, opera, and new works, and can also be seen performing in the Boston area as both a professional church chorister and as a synagogue cantorial soloist. Roslin is excited to complete her M.F.A. in musical theater and is also a proud graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where she received a dual degree in vocal performance and creative writing. Learn more about Roslin at sydneyroslin.com.

SPECIAL THANKS

Sydney would like to thank Fran and Gina for their artistic guidance and immense patience in helping her craft this piece. She would also like to thank her professors and her classmates at the Boston Conservatory for helping her grow as an artist and as a human over the past (...two? Three? She’s lost count) years. Finally, she would like to thank her parents for their love and support, and her Grandma Rita for introducing her at a young age to both her family’s immigration history and the music of Irving Berlin.

CREATIVE TEAM
Music Director – Gina Fiore
Thesis Advisors – Fran Charnas, Andrea Southwick, Alyssa Schmidt
Lighting Design – Andrea Sala

PRODUCTION STAFF
Producer – Helen Deborah Lewis
Stage Manager – Anna Richardson, Emily Hanson
Technical Director – Audrey Kimball
Lighting Supervisor – Matt Martino
Production Assistants – Evelyn Dumeer, Emily Hanson, Meghan Hoey, Julia Grace Kelley, Carly Nadeau, Brogan Nelson, Kalika Reece, Cooper Sheehy, Olivia Monarch
Run Crew – Claire May, Madison Margaret Clark