The
RESISTIBLE RISE
of ARTURO UI
By Bertolt Brecht
Translated by Tabori/Beaton
Directed by Timothy Douglas
Presented with the cooperation of the Heirs of Bertolt Brecht.
Using a wide range of parody and pastiche—from Al Capone to Shakespeare’s Richard III and Goethe’s Faust—Brecht creates a comic and darkly condemnatory allegory which warns of the persistence of fascism.
OCTOBER 15–18
*Please note: Tickets for these performance can only be purchased within a 50 mile radius of the city of Boston.
VIEW PRODUCTION PHOTOS
On this page you'll find detailed programmatic information
as well as notes from directors, designers, and the cast
about how our production of ARTURO UI
took shape over the past few months.
A message on
how the production took shape:
About the
Playwright
BERTOLT BRECHT
Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956), playwright, poet and director, was born in Augsburg, Germany in February 1898. He established himself as a playwright during the 1920s and early 1930s with plays such as Baal, Man is Man, The Threepenny Opera, and The Mother. In 1933, as Hitler came to power in Germany, Mr. Brecht fled to Scandinavia before eventually settling in the United States where he remained until 1947. During the war years, he wrote many of his best known plays, including, The Life of Galileo, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Mother Courage and Her Children, and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. He returned to Europe in 1947 and shortly after his arrival formed the Berliner Ensemble. He died in Berlin on August 14th, 1956 but remains a hugely influential theatre practitioner.
A message from
Timothy Douglas, Director
ABOUT TIMOTHY DOUGLAS
Distinguished Artist in Residence at Emerson. Directed productions for Actors Theatre of Louisville, American Conservatory Theater, Arena Stage, Berkshire Theatre Group, Folger Shakespeare, The Great Theatre of China, Juilliard School, Kennedy Center, Off-Broadway, Shakespeare & Company, Yale Rep, and many others. timothydouglas.org
Notes from
Rocío Perez, Dramaturg
IN THE SHADOW OF AN ELECTION: the historical context of Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
a dramaturg's note
Written in 1941, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui was created in exile as alarm bells echoed throughout Europe. Playwright Bertolt Brecht had already escaped Germany in 1933, and the fear of his home country descending into the unspeakable was coming to fruition.
THE GREAT HISTORICAL GANGSTER PLAY
a blog post
DesIn the first few lines of Bertolt Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui we hear an announcer: “Ladies and Gentlemen, we present today the great historical gangster play!”
This introduction to the show is a reminder of how we once consumed and experienced spoken word: the radio drama. Radio Drama is a dramatic performance on the radio or published through audio media. Without a visual element, radio drama relies on the voice, dialogue, music, and sound effects to create its fictional world and its characters.
DRAMATURG'S WEBSITE
ABOUT ROCÍO PEREZ, BFA '22, Theatre Education & Performance
Emerson Stage credit: Mad Moon (Meredith), Emerson College credits: Flawless Brown Stage's Valid (Ensemble) and Loud (Ensemble); and Full Fathom's Almost, Maine (Dramaturg). Thank you to my parents and thank you to the amazing people at Flawless, con mucho amor.
Meet the
Scenic Designer
SABAH SHAMS, BFA '20, Design/Technology
Emerson Stage credits: Good Breeding (Scenic Designer), Augusta and Noble (Props Master), Devil On Your Shoulder (Props Master), and Working (Scenic Artist). Emerson College credits: Mercutio Troupe's I Hate You (Scenic Designer), RareWorks Theatre Company's Baby Shower (Scenic Designer), and The 37th Annual EVVY Awards (Assistant Scenic Designer). Regional credit: Harvard Black C.A.S.T.'s God of Carnage (Scenic Designer). Now get out there and vote! sabahshams.com
Meet the
Props Lead
MIA CAPPIELLO, BFA '20, Design/Technology
Emerson Stage credits: The Antigone Project (Assistant Props Master), Love and Information (Props Master), Bulrusher (Props Master), Flora, The Red Menace (Assistant Props Master), and Squeaky Fromme Love Song (Props Master). Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Society's Ordinary Days (Props Master), American Idiot (Props Master), and The 37th Annual EVVY Awards (Assistant Scenic Designer). Thanks to the cast and crew, as well as my family for their support!
Meet the
Costume Designers
MADELINE BOSCHEN, BFA '21, Design/Technology
Emerson Stage credits: Augusta and Noble (Costume Designer), Squeaky Fromme Love Song (Assistant Costume Designer), The Devil on Your Shoulder (Assistant Costume Designer), and Who Donut? (Wardrobe Assistant). Other Emerson credits: The 37th Annual EVVY Awards (Stitcher/Wardrobe) and The 38th Annual EVVY Awards (Assistant Paint Charge). Thank you to the friends and family who have gotten me through the past year, to Joë who I could not have designed this without, and to the cast and crew of Ui: Congratulations! We did it!
JOLISA C OSBORNE-POLAKOFF, BFA '21, Design/Technology
Emerson Stage credits: Squeaky Fromme Love Song (Costume Designer), Lucky Stiff (Assistant Hair and Makeup), and Bulrusher (Assistant Costume Designer). Emerson College credit: Flawless Brown's Milk like Sugar (Costume Designer). Other credit: The Front Porch Arts Collective & Underground Railway Theater's Black Odyssey Boston (Assistant Costume Designer). Thanks to my moms for their never-ending support.
Meet the
Lighting Designer
TALIA LAMBERT, BFA '21, Design/Technology
Emerson Stage credits: Amanuensis, or The Miltons (Lighting Designer), Stupid F##king Bird (Production Electrician), The Devil On Your Shoulder (Assistant Lighting Designer), Flora and Ulysses (Assistant Lighting Designer), Love and Information (Assistant Master Electrician), and Urinetown (Assistant Lighting Designer). Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Society’s American Idiot (Lighting Designer), Rareworks Theatre Company’s GUYS (Lighting Designer), Musicians Wanted: Featuring Lick Neon (Co-Lighting Designer) for the National Broadcasting Society, The 39th Annual EVVY Awards (Lighting Designer), The 38th Annual EVVY Awards (Assistant Lighting Designer), and The 37th Annual EVVY Awards (Assistant Lighting Designer).
Meet the
Sound Designer
ELIZABETH CAHILL
Emerson Stage credits: Squeaky Fromme Love Song, Amanuensis, or The Miltons, Working, and Pride and Prejudice, as well as 8 productions during her time as a student. Elizabeth has designed for The Lyric Stage, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, New Rep, Gloucester Stage, SpeakEasy Stage Company, The A.R.T. Institute, New England Conservatory, Hasty Pudding Theatricals at Harvard University, Fresh Ink Theatre, Bridge Rep, Central Square Theatre, Greater Boston Stage Company, Brownbox Theatre Project, Baldwin Wallace University, Moonbox Productions, and more. A/V Supervisor for operas with New England Conservatory, Boston Early Music Festival, and Boston University. Graduate of Emerson College, BFA Theatre Design/Technology. Elizabeth would like to remind you that the MA deadline to register to vote in the U.S. General Election is October 24, 2020.
Meet the
Stage Manager
TYLER CROW, BFA '21, Stage & Production Management
Emerson Stage credits: Squeaky Fromme Love Song, 10 Out of 12, Lucky Stiff, and Antigone Project. Emerson College credits: RareWorks Theatre Company’s Marty and Tad are LIVING! and Elephant’s Graveyard and Emerson Shakespeare Society’s Ophelia Perennial. Regional: Theatre Aspen’s Guys and Dolls and Little Shop of Horrors; Alliance Theatre’s Winnie-the-Pooh and Slur; and Boston Ballet’s Coppélia. Love to Maddy, my family, and those who have taught me, always.
Meet the
Cast
BERFIN BERBER (Giri) BFA '21, Acting. Emerson Stage debut! Please register and vote! For more information visit vote.org.
TANNER BROWNE (Arturo Ui) BFA ‘21, Acting. Emerson Stage credits: 10 Out of 12 (E3), and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Butch Honeywell). Emerson College credit: Emerson Shakespeare Society’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Hamlet). He is extremely grateful to be a part of this show with this incredible cast and crew.
SAMARA CHAHINE (Crockett/Betty Dullfeet),
BFA '22, Theatre & Performance. Emerson Stage credit: Amanuensis, or The Miltons (Deborah). Emerson College credits: Emerson Shakespeare Society's A Winter's Tale (Perdita); Rareworks Theatre Company's The Clinic (Reyna). Samara would like to thank her friends, family, Zeta, and all of the incredible people in her life who have helped shape her to become the person and artist she is today.
AURORA HANNISIAN (Dogsborough/Defense Attorney),
BFA '22, Theatre Education and Performance. Emerson Stage debut! Emerson College credits: Kidding Around's She Kills Monsters (Farrah, Evil Tina, Narrator), Home: A Playmaking Piece (Ensemble), and The Mermaid's Tale (Grandmother); and Emerson Shakespeare Society's Of Wives and War (Napoleon). Special thanks to the entire cast and production team for all the dedication it took to make this production happen, and to my parents and amazing friends for all the love and support.
JULIANNA EGIDIO (Flake), BFA '21, Acting. Emerson Stage credit: Good Breeding (Clytaemnestra/Helen). Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Society's Heathers (Veronica) and Bonnie and Clyde (Stella); and Rareworks Theatre Company's Phoenix (Clay). Julianna would like to thank this cast and crew for their enthusiasm to explore this rapidly evolving world of theatre.
MAX FELD (Givola) BFA '21, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage credits: Good Breeding (Agamemnon/Menelaus). Emerson College credit: Emerson Shakespeare Society's Eurydice (A Nasty Interesting Man/The Lord of the Underworld). Thanks to my parents, friends, boyfriend, and all the cast, crew, and production team who worked so hard to put this show together in a brand-new manner.
HARRISON EMERLING (Bowl/Judge) BFA '22, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage credits: Newfest Shorts 2019 (State Trooper) and Newfest Shorts 2020 (Jack Fairfield). Emerson College credits: Emerson Shakespeare Society’s 6 Characters... Author, The Haunted Hour (Drew Zabler). He’s a member of Emerson Shakespeare Society.
BEN EYERS (Roma) BFA '22, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage debut! Emerson College credits: Rareworks Theatre Company’s Phoenix (Freddy); Full Fathom’s Vera; or, the Nihilists (Czar/Peter/President); Mercutio Troupe’s Ipseity (Joe). Thank you to my family and thank you to Emerson for giving me this cast and the chance to be here.
THOMAS LAGRANGE (O’Casey/Fish) BFA '23, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage debut! Other credits: ABC’s The Astronaut Wives Club (Scotty Grissom); Top Match’ems candy gummies commercial (Hero Boy), The Nola Project’s The Winter’s Tale, and he writes for the screen and stage.
BETSY OGRINC (Sheet/The Actor) BFA '22, Theatre Education and Performance. Emerson Stage credit: Good Breeding (Furious Leader). An enormous thank you to Timothy and the entire cast and crew for working so hard to make this production happen, and to mom and Matthias, for your endless love and support.
FERNANDO RUEDA (Bodyguard/ Prosecution) BFA '23, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage debut! Emerson College credit: An Infinite Ache (Charles). Other credits: The Man Who Came To Dinner (Sheridan Whiteside) and Grease (Kenickie) at the Mary Lea Johnson Performing Arts Center.
MIA TRUBELJA (Announce/Dockdaisy) BFA '22, Acting.
Emerson Stage debut! Regional credits: Chelsea TheatreWorks’ Burst! (Erin). Thank you to Timothy for helping us to create art in this new normal, her parents, and sisters in AEPhi for their love and support.
ETHAN WILLIAMS (Rag/Dulfeet) BFA '22, Acting. Emerson Stage credits: Stupid F##king Bird (Dev) and Good Breeding (Achilles/Chorus). Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Society’s American Idiot (Will), Children of Eden (Storyteller), and Heathers: The Musical (Man 1). Other credits: Unified Theatre Company’s Red (Ken), Richmond Triangle Players’ Corpus Christi (Thaddeus), and Slipping (Eli). This one's for Josie.
SHAWN ZAPPALA (Clark) BFA '23, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage debut! Thanks to Mom and Dad for the love and support.
Meet the Arturo Ui
Artistic and Production Staff
Transmedia Consultant DEREK CHRISTIANSEN
Acting Advisor TED HEWLETT
Dramaturgy Advisor ROBERT DUFFLEY
Lead Electrician Advisor TAYLOR NESS
VMA Guest Consultants MAURICE METHOT and GABBY SUMNEY
Assistant Director SAM GOLUB
Assistant Scenic Designer JULIA WONKKA
Assistant Costume Designer SIENA TONE
Assistant Lighting Designer MADDIE HANLEY
Assistant Props Master KATE DOHERTY
Production Electrician JORDAN BARNETT
Production Sound Engineer JULIE BEAULIEU
VMix Technician CALLIE MOOS
Wardrobe Supervisor CATRIONA MORRIS
Assistant Lead Electrician JUANMA SUAREZ
Assistant Stage Manager CARTER WHITE
2nd Assistant Stage Manager MOLLY BERCUTT
Production Assistants SOPHIA MCNAMERA & ELISE TUCKWOOD
Company Manager MAIA TIVONY
Assistant Company Manager CARLEIGH ALLEN
Production Supervisor ANTHONY FEOLA
Assistant Production Supervisor KYLIE BERRY
Run Crew
Emma Alvarez-Roth, Mikayla Brown,
Megan Cordes, David Estabrooks,
Tatum Grell, Ariana Dookhran, Oliver Hawke,
Anna Hughson, Lorence Jones-Perpich, Henry Kacik, Joseph Nalieth, Harley Novy, Amalia Sandine, Julia Weinstock, Lillian Whelan, and Nicholas Yakjo
Meet the
Emerson Stage Staff
STAFF
Artistic Director—Annie G. Levy
General Manager—David Colfer
Production Manager—Timothey Sullivan
Technical Director—Keith Cornelius
Props Director—Ryan Bates
Costume Shop Supervisor—Richelle Devereaux-Murray
Resident Sound Designer—Arshan Gailus
Scenic Painter—Joe Keener
Assistant General Manager—Alix Bigley
Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor—Brian Choinski
Draper/Cutter—Laurie Bramhall
Sound Technician—Steven Deptula
Asssistant Properties Manager—Lauren Corcuera
Assistant Production Manager: Curricual Support—Jamie Carty
ADVISORS
Stage and Production Management—Debra A. Acquavella
Scenic Design—Luciana Stecconi
Scenic Painting—Joe Keener
Costume Design—Tyler Kinney
Lighting Design—Scott Pinkney
Sound Design—Arshan Gailus
STUDENT STAFF
Emerson Stage Office Assistants—Carleigh Allen, Shannon Horsey, Kaitlin Phelan
Production Management Assistants—Anthony Feola and Caitlin Hudecheck
Videographer—Benjamin Bernard
Scene Shop Assistants—Talia Colten and Samuel Kisthardt
Scene Shop Staff—Jonah Barricho, Sean Dougherty,
Marco Giacona, and Emerson Hart
Paint Shop Staff—Emily Curtis, Serino Nakayama, Garrett Traer,
Fernando Rueda, Kimberly Ndegwa, Leah Heath, Isabella Kochakian,
Lauren Velentzas, and Noelle DeConzo.
Prop Shop Assistant—Alex Koplos
Prop Technicians—Delene Beauchamp, Dan Bovair, Evy Burch,
Oliver Hawke, and Ryan Rock
Costume Shop Office Assistant—
Stitchers—
Craft Assistants—
Stock Assistants—