Cuckoo

Cuckoo
November 20th – 22nd
Written by Troy Loftin
Directed by Dr. Rob Shimko
Wortham Theatre
Cast List
In alphabetical order
Josh Eguia |
Brock |
Will Inman |
Patrick |
Bonnie Langthorn |
Jenna |
Casey Magin |
Joan |
Merritt Weirick |
Anne |
Alex Zuniga |
Ryan |
Production
Dr. Rob Shimko |
Director |
Hudson Davis |
Scenic Designer/Props Master |
Erika Reyes |
Lighting Designer |
Laura Moreno |
Costume Designer |
Juan Saracay |
Costume Assistant |
Jason Cochran |
Sound Designer |
Connor Woods |
Dramaturg |
Rachel Bush* |
Production Stage Manager |
Chandler Harvey |
Stage Manager |
Benjamin Gallegos |
Assistant Stage Manager |
Tabitha Bounds |
Assistant Stage Manager |
There will be two brief 10-minute intermissions.
Any taping, filming, recording or broadcast of this play is strictly prohibited. Please turn off all phones and other electronic devices as a courtesy to other patrons and to the actors.
Program Note/Dramaturgy
Artist Bios
Joshua Eguia (Brock) is a junior BFA actor. His most recent credits include: Emerging Choreographers Showcase (2013, 2014), ¡Bocon!, and Texas! The Outdoor Musical Drama. When not studying and performing with the theatre department, he studies with the BA dance program where he is working towards a dance minor.
Will Inman (Patrick) is a sophomore BFA playwright. He has directed several original plays in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, most recently The Lesbian Exhibit. He also starred as Picasso alongside his castmate Bonnie Langthorn in the student-directed: A Picasso. This is his first farce (not counting his day-to-day life) and in his spare time he likes to write about dead bodies and strong women.
Bonnie Langthorn (Jenna) is a sophomore BFA actor. This is her first production at UH. Most recently, Bonnie appeared in a student-directed production of A Picasso. Over the summer, she was Rapunzel in Into the Woods (Temple Civic Theatre). Other credits include: Romeo and Juliet, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Secret Garden, and Amadeus. In her free time, Bonnie likes singing showtunes with her roommate and watching Downton Abbey.
Casey Magin (Joan) is a sophomore BFA actor. Previous credits include: Evelyn in The Shape of Things, Shen-Te/Shui-Ta in The Good Woman of Szechuan, Lenny in Crimes of the Heart, and Grace in Tigers Be Still. She is also a new member of Comedy Sportz Houston. In her free time, Casey likes to eat pizza and make up silly characters that mostly only she thinks are funny. She has recently made up a song called Peanut Butter and Apple Sauce.
Merritt Weirick (Anne) is a junior BFA actor. Previous UH credits include: The Ten Minute Play Festival and Beverly/ Mrs. Clark in the The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Other past credits include: Bella Kurnitz in Lost in Yonkers, Hedy La Rue in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Ursula in The Little Mermaid. In her free time, Merritt enjoys dabbling in astral projection, naturopathy and hands on healing in the form of Reiki.
Alex Zuniga (Ryan) is a junior BFA performance major at The University of Houston. Previous credits at the University of Houston include: Blood Wedding (ensemble) and Boćon (Boćon). In his free time, Alex loves to work out, practice the ukulele and socialize with his friends.
Dr. Rob Shimko (Director) is Associate Professor of Theatre History & Dramaturgy at UH and serves as head of the BFA degree track in Playwriting/Dramaturgy. In 2012, he won the University of Houston’s Teaching Excellence Award. In addition to his position as Literary Director of the Houston Shakespeare Festival, Dr. Shimko’s professional dramaturgy credits include productions at the Alley Theatre, the Guthrie Theater, Stages Repertory Theatre, Classical Theatre Company, and Harlem Stage. He is also the company dramaturg for The Catastrophic Theatre. In 2013, he was the invited Dramaturgy Respondent for Region V of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Dr. Shimko’s scholarly writing has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. He is co-editor of the book Public Theatres and Theatre Publics, the book review editor for the journal Theatre History Studies, and a recipient of the Robert A. Schanke Theatre History Research Award. Favorite productions as a director include: The Rehearsal, Henry VI Part 2, The Government Inspector, and On the Verge, as well as the premieres of UH student-written plays The Narrator, Brick Wall, and The End of Side A. His own play Specks is available through Samuel French, Inc.
Troy Loftin (Playwright) is a senior BFA playwright/dramaturg. Additionally, Troy is obtaining a minor in classical studies. He has had three of his original plays staged at UH, with Cuckoo being the first full-length staged. Troy is also a freelance dramaturg for the Houston area and has worked on shows for the University of Houston, Stages Repertory Theatre, and Main Street Theatre. He is the Literary Associate for Landing Theatre Company, responsible for dramaturging main stage shows as well as organizing the New American Voices Play Reading Series. He also serves as Senior Partner for UH’s annual Ten Minute Play Festival and is the Young Ambassador for the Dramatists Guild – Houston region.
Hudson Davis (Set Designer/Props Master) is a junior BFA production major. In addition to his work at UH, Hudson is a freelance lighting and scenic designer. He predominately makes his living as a stagehand.
Erike Reyes (Lighting Designer) is a senior BFA production major.
Laura Moreno (Costume Designer) is a senior BFA actor. She previously coordinated costumes for Lions, and has styled hair, makeup, and wigs for numerous shows at UH and for the Houston Shakespeare Festival. She is grateful for her time and opportunities with the university and looks forward to the many adventures ahead.
Juan Saracay (Assistant Costume Designer) is a senior BFA production major with a focus in lighting and costume design. Previously, Juan worked on Three Sisters and Fuenteovejuna here at UH.
Jason Cochran (Sound Designer) is a sophomore BFA production major.
Connor Woods is a junior BFA playwriting/dramaturgy major. This is his first lead dramaturg credit at UH. He has been assistant dramaturg on UH’s production of Our Country’s Good and Stark Naked Theatre Company’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His play, Free Spirits, has been selected for UH’s Ten Minute Play Festival and was a participant in the Young Playwright’s Inc. Urban Retreat program. His directorial credits include: A Picasso in 208 and assistant director for UH’s production of Fuenteovejuna.
Chandler Harvey (Stage Manager) is a sophomore BFA Stage Manager. Previous UH credits include: The Liar and the Ten Minute Play Festival 2015. She is a current arts administrative intern with the Houston Ballet. She has loved working with the new play process again this semester and hopes to continue working on new plays in the future.
Ben Gallegos (Assistant Stage Manger) is a sophomore BFA stage manager. This is Ben’s first production at UH. Previous stage management credits include: Bells Are Rining (Bayou City Musicals).
* Proud member of the AEA
Faculty | Staff | Crew
Facutly
Director of the School of Theatre & Dance | Jim Johnson |
Assistant Professor, Voice & Shakespeare | Sara Becker |
Associate Professor, Acting & Directing | Carolyn Houston Boone |
Assistant Professor, Stage Management | Rachel R. Bush |
Associate Professor, Dance | Teresa Lynn Chapman |
Assistant Professor, Theatre Education | Jackie deMontmollin |
Assistant Professor, Performance Studies | Dr. Keith Byron Kirk |
Associate Professor, Design &Technology | Jonathan Middents |
Assistant Professor, Costume Technology | Barbara Niederer |
Associate Professor, Acting & Movement | Adam Noble |
Distinguished Professor, Theatre, Musical Theatre | Stuart Ostrow |
Assistant Professor, Technical Director | Ken Poston |
Professor, Scenic & Lighting Design | Kevin Rigdon |
Associate Professor, Theatre History & Dramaturgy | Dr. Robert Shimko |
Professor, Head of Dance Program | Karen Stokes |
Assistant Professor, Dance | Rebecca B. Valls |
Associate Professor, Makeup & Costume History | Claremarie Verheyen |
Professor, Scenic & Lighting Design | Steven W. Wallace |
Assistant Professor, Costume Design & Technology | Paige A. Willson |
Associate Professor, Graduate Acting | Jack Young |
Adjunt Facult
Shelly Calene-Black
Elizabeth Bunch
Lauren Cohen
Ruddy Cravens
Jeanne Doornbos
Jon L. Egging
Chris Hutchison
Geni Lanfear
Jacqueline Anne Nalett
Firat Kazbek Ozsoy
Leslie Scates
Jennifer Sommers
Jon R. Stonks
Sophia L. Torres
Toni Valle
Lisa Villegas
Courtney Young
Professional Staff
Draper/Costume Supervisor | Margaret Crowley |
Scenic Artist/Prop Supervisor | Lauren Davis |
Asst. Director Business Operations | Isaac Davis |
Assistant Technical Director | Michael Debose |
Academic Advisor | Erika Jimenez |
Box Office Manager | Joyce Murray |
Lecturer, Theatre & Dance | Melissa Noble |
Marketing & Communications Manager | Michelle Robinson |
Office Coordinator | Julian Waneck |
Box Office Assistant | Monnika Young |
Production Team
Board Operator | Michael Wert |
Costume Running Crew | Ian Lewis, Jeana Magallon |
Scenic Running Crew | Daniel Regojo, Aerron Ellisor |
About SOTD
The UH School of Theatre & Dance produces pre-professional plays, dance concerts, studio productions, and Theatre for Young Audiences. Performances are delivered in in the Wortham and Quintero Theatres. The UH School of Theatre & Dance offers bachelor’s degrees in playwriting and dramaturgy, acting, design and technology, stage management and theatre education. Its graduate programs consist of a Master of Arts in theatre studies, a summer Master of Arts in theatre education, and Master of Fine Arts degrees in acting, and design and technology. Noted alums include actors Jim Parsons, Dennis Quaid, Brett Cullen and Robert Wuhl. Faculty includes award-winning playwright, television writer, and novelist, Theresa Rebeck, Tony Award-winning producer Stuart Ostrow and Tony-nominated designer Kevin Rigdon. Past-distinguished faculty are Edward Albee, Lanford Wilson, Sir Peter Hall, Jose Quintero, Patsy Swayze and Cecil Pickett. In 2012 and 2013, the school was named “Best College Theater” in the Houston Press Theater Awards. For details on UH's School of Theatre & Dance, visit www.theatredance.uh.edu
Special Thanks
Alley Theatre
University of Houston – Downtown
Adam and Eve Adult Store
Bob Dawn