MARISOL
By José Rivera
Directed by Tatyana-Marie Carlo
Original New York production by
The New York Shakespeare Festival.
Originally commissioned and developed by
INTAR Hispanic American Arts Center
through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation.
World Premiere in the 1992 Humana Festival
of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
Subsequently produced by
La Jolla Playhouse and Hartford Stage Company.
With the apocalypse well under way, the angels have traded in their wings for Uzis and Marisol Perez, a young Latinx woman, finds herself in the middle of a nightmare journey into this new war zone taking place on the streets of New York.
Content Advisory: This production contains gunshot sounds, moments of intense/strobe lighting effects, and references to hate groups.
FEBRUARY 18–21, 2021
Marisol is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service Inc., New York.
On this page you'll find detailed programmatic information
as well as notes from directors, designers, and the cast
about how our production of MARISOL
took shape over the past few months.
A message from the
Director
ABOUT TATYANA-MARIE CARLO
Tatyana-Marie Carlo (ella/she) is a proud Puerto Rican director from Miami, Florida who received her MFA in Directing from Brown University. Former Artistic Director of Micro Theater Miami and former Associate Director of Seminole Theatre in Homestead, Florida, she has directed a diverse body of work including: Fade by Tanya Saracho, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis, She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen, Real Women Have Curves by Josefina Lopez, References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot by Jose Rivera, Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris, and several bilingual adaptations of Shakespeare by Kufa Castro and Orlando Hernandez. Most recently, she directed the virtual play Subliminal by Ren Dara Santiago. She has directed plays for Brown University, SUNY Purchase, UNC Chapel Hill, New World School of the Arts, Emerson College, and coming soon, Rutgers University. 2019 Matt Harris Directing Fellow at Williamstown Theater Festival. 2021 Drama League Public Works Fellow. tatyanamariecarlo.com SDC
Notes from the
Dramaturg
A BEAUTIFUL DYSTOPIA
a dramaturg's note
With a play that explores an extensive range of topical issues ranging from economic disparities to community, homelessness, fear, death, and sexism, writing a single note is not enough to give sociopolitical context to this phenomenal play. I think that is what gives Marisol its power. It is not limited to one issue nor one way it could be explored. It is one of those stories you have to watch for yourself to put the pieces together.
"Why did the Plague kill half my friends? AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MOON?"
a blog post
Marisol - Spanish, derived from “María de la Soledad” (Mary of solitude). Marisol can be directly broken down to "Mar y sol," which means sea and sun.
"Why did the Plague kill half my friends? AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MOON?"
José Rivera's writing creatively employs magical realism, a narrative form seen in influential literature from Latin America that combines the supernatural with social and political realities. A prominent figure who implemented magical realism in his stories was Gabriel García Márquez, who later became Rivera’s mentor at the Sundance Theatre Institution. Márquez’s influence is present in Marisol; in the play, such symbols as the moon and guardian angels manifest both the imagined and lived experiences of 2021.
ABOUT McKENNEN CAMPBELL, BFA '23, Theatre & Performance
Emerson Stage credit: Squeaky Fromme Love Song (Deck Crew). Emerson College credits: Mercutio Troupe's The Trial of Errors (Playwright/Director) and The Painted Handgun (Co-Dramaturg/Music Composer) and Musical Theatre Society's Cabaret of Color (Performer). McKennen would like to thank the wonderful artists he was able to collaborate with on this production.
Meet the
Scenic Designer
EMILY GELDERMANN, BFA '22, Theatre Design/Technology
Emerson Stage credits: Amanuensis (Co-Costume Designer). Emerson College credits: EVVY40 (Co-Scenic Designer) and EVVY39 (Stylist); Emerson Shakespeare Society’s Helen (Costume Designer); Musical Theatre Society’s Children of Eden (Costume Designer); and Kidding Around’s Mermaid Tales (Costume Designer). Shoutout to Molly for being virtual theatre’s biggest fan, to Tea Club for keeping me caffeinated, and to Julia and Siena for being the best assistants.
Meet the
Costume Designer
CATRIONA MORRIS, BFA '21, Theatre Design/Technology
Emerson Stage credits: Stupid Fucking Bird (Costume Designer), Measure for Measure (Costume Assistant), Urinetown (Hair and Makeup Assistant), and Lucky Stiff (Hair and Makeup Assistant). Emerson College credits: Emerson Shakespeare Society’s Eurydice (Costume Designer) and Musical Theatre Society’s Bonnie & Clyde (Hair and Makeup Designer). Thanks to everyone who made this show possible.
Meet the
Lighting Designer
JORDAN BARNETT, BFA '21, Theater Design/Technology
Emerson Stage credits: 10 Out of 12 (Assistant Lighting Designer), Good Breeding (Assistant Scenic Designer) and Corduroy (Assistant Scenic Designer). Other credits: Hysteria (Lighting Designer). Thanks to: Scott Pinkney, Mikayla Brown, Narissa Kelliher, Miri Henerson, Joe Morales, Taylor Ness, Stacey and Phil Barnett.
Meet the
Sound Designer
ELIZABETH CAHILL
Elizabeth Cahill is returning to Emerson Stage after designing 13 productions, including The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Squeaky Fromme Love Song, and New Play Workshop: Amanuensis. Elizabeth has designed for The Lyric Stage Company, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, New Repertory Theatre, 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. Sound Area Head and Resident Sound Designer for Emerson Stage.
Meet the
Props Lead
SARABETH SPECTOR, BFA '22, Theatre Design/Technology
Emerson Stage credits: Men on Boats (Scenic Designer), Flora, the Red Menace (Assistant Scenic Designer), New Play Workshop: Mad Moon (Assistant Scenic Designer), and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Props Lead). Emerson College credits: Rareworks Theatre Company’s What Every Girl Should Know (Scenic Designer) and EVVY38 (Props Lead). sarabethspector.com.
Meet the
Stage Manager
ANTHONY FEOLA, BFA '22, Stage and Production Management
Emerson Stage credits: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Production Supervisor), Stupid F##king Bird (2nd Assistant Stage Manager), Measure for Measure (Production Assistant), and 10 Out of 12 (Assistant Prop Lead). Emerson College credits: Kidding Around’s 13! The Musical (Stage Manager) and Mercutio Troupe’s I Hate You (Assistant Stage Manager). Thank you to the amazing stage management team, directing team and Deb for supporting me. Thank you to the Elite 4 for your continued support and letting me use our room for rehearsal and to my Mom and Dad for letting me chase my dreams.
Meet the
Cast
ALIEYAH BROWN (Angel), BFA '23, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage credit: Men on Boats (Sumner). Emerson College credits: Stop Kiss (Ms. Winsley/Nurse) and LOUD (Performer). Thank you to everybody who is still supporting theatre artists and their work in this crazy time.
ANAÏS CRESPIN (Lady With Furs), BFA '23, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage debut! Thank you to all of my theatre educators in Singapore for believing in me. Gracias a mama y papa, los amo.
KAREN ESKENAZI (Scar Tissue), BS '21, Communication Studies and Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage debut! Emerson College credits: Home: Unknown (Ensemble) and She Kills Monsters (Assistant Director). Thanks to Tatyana for being la sal to our papa and to the cast and crew for all the laughs.
ARIANNA MORA (Lenny/ Man with Golf Club), BFA '22, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage debut! I would like to thank my family, friends and community for loving and supporting me and my dreams always.
ROCÍO PÉREZ (Marisol), BFA '22, Theatre Education and Performance. Emerson Stage credits: Mad Moon (Meredith) and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Dramaturg). Emerson College credits: Flawless Brown Stage's Valid (Ensemble) and Loud (Ensemble) and Full Fathom's Almost, Maine (Dramaturg). Thank you to my mother and all the women that guide me. Con mucho amor, siempre.
TIANA PÉREZ (June), BFA '22, Theatre Education. Emerson stage debut! Emerson College credits: Raíz Latinoamericana Productions' Home: Unknown (Ensemble) and Mercutio Troupe's Stalling (Assistant Director). Thank you to Elena Ivana, my sister and the greatest human to walk this earth.
ELIANA ULLOA (Man with Ice Cream/Radio Announcer/Voices), BFA '21, Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage credits: Augusta and Noble (Dolores), Mad Moon (Tania Borealis), and Bulrusher (Madame). Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Society’s Fun Home (Joan) and Raíz Latinoamericana/Kidding Around’s Maggie Magalita (Elena). Other credits: Actors Workshop Ensemble’s The Skriker (Josie) and the New York Renaissance Faire (Village Ensemble). Thanks to everyone who made this possible and my family for their support.
Meet the
Artistic and Production Staff
Transmedia Consultant DEREK CHRISTIANSEN
Acting Advisor TIMOTHY DOUGLAS
Dramaturgy Advisor ALYSSA SCHMIDT
Lead Electrician Advisor TAYLOR NESS
Assistant Director MEGHAN DRESDNER
Assistant Director ELIZABETH JANSSEN
Assistant Scenic Designer JULIA WONKKA
Assistant Scenic Designer SIENA TONA
Assistant Costume Designer RYAN HOLT
Assistant Lighting Designer MIKAYLA BROWN
Assistant Lighting Designer NARISSA KELLIHER
Assistant Sound Designer SARAH MILLER
Props Assistant EVY BURCH
Props Assistant MOLLY REEVES
Production Electrician JOE MORALES
Lead Electrician MILLER KOPPANG
Production Sound Engineer KAITLYN BOHLMAN
VMix Technician AMANDA RYAN
VMix Technician KAILEY PELLETIER
VMix Technician MICHAEL MENOR
Video Developer LUCY YUNQING MA
Video Creator ELIZABETH JANSSEN
Vocal Coach VAL MADDEN
Paint Charge MARIA LAIRD
Makeup/Hair JOLISA OSBORNE-POLAKOFF
Wardrobe Supervisor TRIXIE WARD
Assistant Stage Manager KIRSTEN DAVIS
2nd Assistant Stage Manager ALEX TAWID
Production Assistant GRACE DINATALE
Production Assistant MINA PAZ-LE DRAOULEC
Company Manager RACHEL TABIN
Assistant Company Manager JINGWEN ZHANG
Production Supervisor CARTER WHITE
Assistant Production Supervisor CARLEIGH ALLEN
Run Crew
Elly Bryant, Grace Cameron, Isabel DeGrandi, Jake Epstein, Alden Gagnon, Tes Goldman, Zoe Halperin, Katie Kendrick, Beyoncé Martinez, Sarah Munson, Alexa Poplawsky, Sarah Schmidt
Meet the
Emerson Stage Staff
STAFF
Artistic Director—Annie G. Levy
General Manager—David Colfer
Production Manager—Timothey Sullivan
Props Director—Ryan Bates
Costume Shop Supervisor—Richelle Devereaux-Murray
Resident Sound Designer—Arshan Gailus
Scenic Painter—Joe Keener
Sound Technician—Steven Deptula
Assistant General Manager—Alix Bigley
Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor—Brian Choinski
Draper/Cutter—Laurie Bramhall
Assistant Properties Manager—Lauren Corcuera
Assistant Production Manager: Curricular 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, Casper Apodaca, Shannon Horsey, Kaitlin Phelan, Alex Tawid, Jacob Tolentino
Production Management Assistants—Anthony Feola and Caitlin Hudecheck
Videographer—Benjamin Bernard and Jacqueline Thom
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— Sam Golub
Stitchers— Lorence Jones-Perpich, Tayla Dixon, Catriona Morris, Caitlin Johnson, Madeline Boschen, Molly Shaughnessy, Beatrice Ward, Dominic Letteri
Scene Shop Assistants— Matthew Baynes and Noelle DeConzo
Scenic Painters— Emily Curtis, Leah Heath, Garrett Traer, Serino Nakayama, Isabella Kochakian, and Kimberly Ndegwa