POLYPHONE
The Festival of New and Emerging Musicals
Maggie-Kate Coleman, Artistic Director
April 4-8, 2023
The Sweet Hereafter
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Daniel Maté
Directed by Kent Nicholson
Music Directed by Kennedy McAlister
Based upon the novel by Russell Banks
Where:
FringeArts
140 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Dates and Times:
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 - 8 p.m.
Thursday, April 6, 2023 - 8 p.m. (Masks are required for all audience members at this performance.)
Saturday, April 8, 2023 - 5 p.m.
*Note: Ticket reservations will be held until curtain. All unclaimed tickets will be released to the waitlist at 5 p.m., and 8 p.m., accordingly.
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Please Note:
UArts students, faculty, and staff will be required to present an up to date UArts ID.
THE SWEET HEREAFTER
PRODUCTION TEAM
Daniel Mate | Book, Music, and Lyrics
Kent Nicholson | Director
E Quinn | Assistant Director
Kennedy McAlister | Music Director
Rayne Smith | Stage Manager
Fern Morehouse | Assistant Stage Manager
Jaden Gines | Script Supervisor
Anna Sorentino | Costume Designer
Patrick Kelly | Copyist
CAST
Giavanna Marino | Dolores Driscoll
Hayden Eric | Billy Ansel
Gio Coppola | Mitchell Stephens, Esq.
Ella Kahan | Nichole Burnell
Liz Gagnon | Risa Walker
Adam Furgal | Sam Burnell
Lizz Hughes | Zoe Stephens
Alanna Messier | Mary Burnell
Luke Perkins | Wendell Walker
Joe Britt-Simpson | Ensemble, Mitchell Cover
Keara Fernandez | Ensemble, Risa Cover
Delaney Ford | Ensemble, Dolores Cover
Lily Fyfe | Ensemble
Sophia Palese | Ensemble, Zoe Cover
Sophia Rowland | Ensemble, Nichole Cover
Gabriella Santana | Ensemble
Adapted from Russell Banks’ acclaimed novel, The Sweet Hereafter tells the story of a small mountain town grappling with emotional devastation after losing many of its children in a horrible school bus accident. The musical takes place in four acts, each narrated by a different character: Dolores Driscoll, the gregarious bus driver; Billy Ansel, a bereaved father; Mitchell Stephens, a big-city lawyer with a chip on his shoulder; and Nichole Burnell, a 15-year-old girl who is paralyzed in the crash. Through this multi-prismic narrative approach, the show explores the themes of loss, hope, honesty, courage, community, and the possibility of redemption in the face of tragedy.
Author’s note: This presentation is dedicated to Russell Banks (1940–2023), whose compassion and insight birthed these characters, and whose support and encouragement in the making of this musical has meant everything.