SWEETWATER
April 19 at 8:00pm
Book & Lyrics by Patricia Noonan
Music by Liz Filios and Sean Mahoney
Directed by Megan Nicole O'Brien
Choreographed by Kat Borrelli
Music Direction by Garrick Vaughan
As World War II shakes the nation, sisters Beth and Frankie journey to Sweetwater, Texas, where they join with women from across the country to fly for the US Army Air Forces. Though they master 77 types of planes and become among the first to test the new B-29 bomber, these pilots know all too well they risk their lives every day without the benefit of military status. Frankie, Beth, and the others must decide how to serve a country that needs their skills but refuses to fully acknowledge their sacrifice – and how to honor the sisters they have found in the process.
From the fringes of the history books, Sweetwater brings the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) center stage in a story of duty, love, sisterhood, and the joys and costs that come with being pioneers.
Sweetwater was developed as a part of the Goodspeed Writers' Grove and Festival of New Musicals presented by Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT.
CONTENT DISCLOSURES
Contains allusions to war, combat, violence, and the atrocities of WWII and the Holocaust as well as references to death, grief, physical risk, and danger.
The piece engages with and honors the struggles this group of pilots faced in the 1940s, including covert and overt forms of racism and misogyny.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For more information on the WASP or to plan a trip to Sweetwater yourself, visit:
https://www.waspmuseum.org
For more information on how you can support female pilots:
https://www.ninety-nines.org
If you'd like to talk to us more about Sweetwater, please email us at sweetwatermusical@gmail.com
CREATORS
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Liz Filios
Creator
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Patricia Noonan
Creator
PRODUCTION TEAM
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Megan Nicole O'Brien
Director
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Kat Borrelli
Associate Director
Choreographer -
Garrick Vaughan
Music Director
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Christa Jones
Assistant Music Director
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Fern Morehouse
Stage Manager
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Gabriella Breza
Assistant Stage Manager
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Michael Pogudin
Copyist
THE CAST
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Lussi Salmela
Frankie
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Hazel Foley
Beth
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Lizeth Lopez
Eva
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Zoe Hollander
Vivian
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Megan Kimiko Derbick
Lu
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Giavanna Marino
Bea
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Abbie Jacobson
Leah
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Giovanna Johns
Bernice
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Brenna Patzer
Cochran
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Delaney Ford
Thornburn
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Cassidy Summerville
O'Malleys
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Cate Goddard
O'Malleys
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Guin Bortnicker Kiniry
O'Malleys
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Winnie Milisavljevic
O’Malleys
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Gio Coppola
Spokesman
Ensemble -
Brooke Dusseau
Ensemble
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Alex Farb
Hap Arnold
Ensemble -
Quintin Frey
Dickie Lawrence
Ensemble -
Carter Harvey
Mr. Hayes
Ensemble -
Rocco Pugliese
Sgt. James Ashe
Ensemble -
Mark Simons
Ronan
Ensemble -
Ella MacLaren
Ensemble
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Lainie Moniz
Ensemble
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Emma Price
Ensemble
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Meredith Trzaskawka
Ensemble
FESTIVAL PRODUCTION TEAM
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Maggie-Kate Coleman
Artistic Director
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Finn Powers
Assistant to the Artistic Director
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Pam White
Assistant to the Artistic Director
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Thom Weaver
Lighting Designer
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Ethan Paone
Assistant Lighting Designer
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Troy Martin-O'Shia
Production Electrician
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Manny Garcia
Programmer
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Taylor Jedlinski
Sound Designer
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Joey Rice
Music Supervisor
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Clare Devlin
A1
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Alice Poznyak
Set Designer
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Olivia Tuno
Assistant Prop Head
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Holly Fasciano
Scenic Artist
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Cybele Moon
Costume Designer
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Fletcher Rabin
Assistant Costume Designer
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Anna Sorrentino
Costume Shop Manager
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V Perlah-Hard
Wardrobe Supervisor
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Zoe Nebraska Feldman
Intimacy Director
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Joe Fasciano
Technical Director
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Anna Ryabova
Assistant Technical Director