May 2-18, 2014
RAPUNZEL
Book & Lyrics by Stan Gill
Music by Laurinda Sager
Martin and Etta Sue are a poor and childless peasant couple living beside the tower of a witch named Miranda. As the years go by the couple makes an unfortunate bargain with Miranda when they think it may be their last chance to have a baby. Miranda will raise the little girl as her own in the isolated tower. As Rapunzel grows, her only contact with the world outside is through her “Witch-mother” who gains access to the tower by climbing Rapunzel’s magnificent golden braids. One day a passing Prince hears Rapunzel’s song and climbs her braids himself. After several of these secret visits, they fall in love. When Miranda learns of this, she cuts off Rapunzel’s golden hair and casts her out. When the Prince returns, the Witch has taken Rapunzel’s place, and the Prince is blinded in his escape. Wandering the countryside, they meet and Rapunzel’s tears fall into her Prince’s eyes, restoring his sight. She is reunited with her real parents and all live happily ever after. Photos by Michael Brunk | NWlens.com
PRODUCTION BIOGRAPHIES
Akilah Williams (Etta Sue) is thrilled to be making her first appearance on the SecondStory stage! NY credits include: Once On This Island (Brooklyn Players), Follow Me Down (Aporia Theatre), Sophisticated Lady: Songs from a Broad (solo cabaret), Stonewall Sensation (Season 4 Winner), All’s Well That Ends Well (Hudson Shakespeare), Little Tales: Africa (Manhattan Children’s Theatre). Regional credits: Moliere’s The Miser (Stone Town Theatre Works, Bellingham), Yeast Nation (World Premiere by Tony winners, Greg Kotis & Mark Hollman; Perseverance Theatre, Juneau), The Who’s Tommy (Perseverance), Requiem: Pro Torpeo Animus, Working, Hydraulics Phat Like Mean, Magic Flute, Hair, Side by Side by Sondheim. Akilah has a B.A. in Musical Theater from Emerson College and is currently based out of Bellingham, WA. Many thanks to her husband, Chris for all the love, support, and back massages! Twitter: @akilahwilliams
Morgan Bader (Prince Daniel) is thrilled to be working with SecondStory Rep for the first time. Recent credits include “Little Women”, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, and “The Sound of Music”. Many thanks to his family and friends for all their support.
Mandy Rose Nichols (Miranda) is thrilled to be working for the first time with SecondStory in Rapunzel! Mandy is new to Seattle and is so grateful and humbled to be surrounded with so much talent. She has had the amazing opportunity to been seen on stages all over Arizona, Oregon and the Southwest. Some favorite roles include Rizzo (Grease), Sister Amnesia (Nunsense), Catherine (Proof), Beth (Little Women) and The Hare (Aesop's Fables). Mandy works as a film and voice over actor as well on stage. Visit her website at mandyrose.com to keep up with her adventures! All her love to husband Bob and family. Enjoy the show, and THANK YOU for supporting the arts.
Audrey Montague (Young Rapunzel) is happy to return to SSR after appearing as Belinda Cratchit in A Christmas Carol. In the last year, she has also appeared as Anne Frank (The Diary of Anne Frank) and Elle Woods (Legally Blonde) at Renton Civic Theatre. In addition to stage performances, Audrey enjoys trips to Disneyland, The Fault in Our Stars, the Divergent Trilogy, and belting out Idina Menzel songs. She is thankful to her parents for driving her to every audition and rehearsal and performance, and to God for letting her have the opportunity to do what she loves most.
MEET THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Patricia Haines-Ainsworth (Director) Although she has authored a few of the plays for SecondStory’s Theater for Young Audiences, this is the first time Pat has directed a production on this stage. It is fitting that Rapunzel is a play that was written by Stan Gill who wrote and directed the first play Pat appeared in on the SecondStory stage. Since then, she has appeared in several productions at SSR including Duck For President, Moon Over Buffalo, and Urinetown. Pat has also performed with ArtsWest, Village Theatre, and Seattle Musical Theatre. It has been a pleasure to work with this amazingly talented cast, the production team at SecondStory, and with music director, Julie Parsons. Thank you to Mark and Jen for this opportunity.
Jocelyne Fowler (Costume Designer) has designed for Book-It Repertory Theatre (Frankenstein, Anna Karenina, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet), Seattle Shakespeare Company (Richard II), Wooden O (Henry V and The Tempest), Seattle Musical Theatre (Young Frankenstein and Legally Blonde), Youth Theatre Northwest (Spring Awakening, Shrek: The Musical, Little Women, and The Sound of Music), Harlequin Productions (Jesus Christ Superstar), and other local theatres. Upcoming work can be seen in Werther at Vashon Opera, Little Shop of Horrors at Youth Theatre Northwest, Two Gentleman of Verona with SSC’s Wooden O, Middletown and Clybourne Park at Harlequin Productions.