New York University Tisch School of the Arts
Allyson Green, Dean

Institute of Performing Arts
Sarah Schlesinger, Associate Dean

Department of Drama
Rubén Polendo, Chair

TISCH DRAMA STAGE Presents:

dæmon

WRITTEN BY:
THE ENSEMBLE CAST

LEAD CREATION & DIRECTION BY
ATTILIO RIGOTTI

A Message From the Chair

Tisch Drama is a community devoted to creation and collaboration. At the core of the program is a combination of rigorous conservatory training across ten professional training studios and a robust academic curriculum in Theatre Studies. A dynamic production process—exploring live and now virtual formats—sits at the heart of our curriculum as a place to reconcile theory, training, and creation. It is this interjection of studies and practice that makes Tisch Drama so unique!

For the past five years it’s been a great privilege to develop and grow our TISCH DRAMA STAGE programming. In this time of change, our goal continues to be programming a range of important artists in the field that present a wide spectrum of views and processes—theatre artists committed to investigation, interrogation, and innovation.

This season we’ve hosted our fall artist residency with Javier Antonio González, artistic director of Caborca, a bilingual theatre ensemble that, as its mission states, occupies a unique space at the intersection of Latinx and experimental arts communities. In the spring we will welcome Stephanie Weeks to direct the musical Fun Home. We’ll also present TD STAGE’s Festival of Voices, curated by Arts Professor Catherine Coray. The festival will present productions featuring Arab and Arab-American playwrights. Each program and residency provides students with insights on developing creative work across various formats, and a view into the artistic and career trajectory of remarkable artists—offering inspiring models for building sustainable lives in the performing arts.

Another goal of each season is to celebrate the creative work and research going on every day at Tisch Drama—both in our training studios and Theatre Studies classrooms. Our All Department Festival does exactly that. Curated by Tisch Drama Associate Arts Professor Nathan Flower, this year’s festival brings together renowned alums and faculty with student performers, managers, and designers on a series of exciting productions.

The first is The Bacchae, by Euripides, as translated by Aaron Poochigian. Directed by Emily Mendelsohn, The Bacchae is a 2,500 years-old play that offers a timely exploration of grieving and the dire consequences of avoiding it. This is being presented in repertory with dæmon, a devised work with lead creation and direction by NYUAD Theater Program alumnus Attilio Rigotti. It in turn examines and interrogates The Bacchae through a contemporary lens. I am thrilled that we are presenting this festival as part of the season’s critical dialogue on our world, our communities, and our lives during challenging times.

The daily efforts in our studios and classrooms are the impulse for the meaningful work presented in the All Department Festival. I hope you will continue to join us during this season. Watch for more information about Studio, Student Works, and TISCH DRAMA STAGE productions. Thank you for joining us for this year’s All-Department Festival and for participating in this community.

— Rubén Polendo

A Note From the Director

“Arrogance, daring to go beyond the limits imposed upon us,
that is exactly what makes us human beings.”

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2001)

Anne Carson, in her introduction to her 2015 translation of the Bacchae, states that Dionysus is the god of beginnings before beginnings. Of desires before desires. Of a state of previousness unknown, but felt by all of us. Dionysus is a daemon, neither divine nor mortal, but somewhere in between.

The Bacchae continues to be staged, restaged, and de-staged because it asks what’s in-between the many tensions that seem to govern our lives: between gods and humans, nature and civilization, masculine and feminine, instinct and knowledge, rational and irrational. It challenges us to transcend these flawed dualities in search of a third space, a liminal one. And to do that, sometimes we must tear apart what we know – or thought we knew. Rend ourselves of old habits. Become Pentheus, and shed our old body to give space for the new.

dæmon is a meditation on in-between spaces. It is a response to the Bacchae, and a response to our current condition. Written, choreographed, and designed in collaboration with a remarkable team of actors and designers, it takes a singular event in the original text, the tearing apart of Pentheus by his mother, and refracts it like a kaleidoscope. The result is a series of images, movements, and texts that ask questions about love, death, gender, dreams, technology, transcendence, consciousness, the body, and the limits of our human experience. It speaks about our innate desire to be more than we are, and the terrible consequences of our uncontrolled ambition.

We invite you not to try to understand it all. Rather, let yourself feel, be moved, and be confused. React, both to what you like and what you don’t like. As creators, instead of providing answers, we like to ask new questions. We invite you to do the same.

With big corporations beginning to explore ideas of digital metaverses and virtual realities, we as a species are in a liminal state: in between what we are and what we could become.

In a moment of transcendence.

But whether we become gods or demons…well, guess we’ll have to wait and see.

The Cast

Adelynn Anderson
Paige Baake
Zoey Burger
Stella Ferra
Marisa Gonzales
Charles Hsu
Vivian Hunt
Véro Matheny
Dedrick Kendis McAlmont
Theron Vilijoen

Who’s Who – The Creative Team

Attilio Rigotti (Director) is a Chilean performer, technology artist, video-game designer, and teacher. His work explores the intersection between game design, interactive technologies, and live performance. As a director, his work includes collaborations with City Lyric Opera, Kaki King, Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, theatreC, Theater Mitu, Toronto Fringe, and more. Along with Orsolya Szánthó, he founded the company GLITCH, which strives to create work that seamlessly combines digital and physical mediums with new forms of storytelling and design. Their creative and design work has been recognized by the New York Times, Vulture, and American Theatre Magazine. http://www.glitchworks.org

Phi Le (Scenic Designer) is a third-year student, studying Costume and Scenic design in the Tisch School of the Arts, Production & Design Program. Her previous productions include, Tisch New Theatre’s Offstage, Playwrights Horizon’s Baby Powder, TISCH DRAMA STAGE’s All Department Festival Forgive Us – You’re Dying, and TD Stage’s Promenade. Phi would like to thank her wonderful family, friends, peers, and NYU for the fantastic opportunity to take part in such an inspiring production. Thank you, may art continue to inspire, amaze, and challenge you. Cheers, to dæmon.

Daniela Goytizolo (Costume Designer) is a Peruvian multidisciplinary artist pursuing a B.F.A in Drama at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and a minor in Producing. She is a senior training at the Production & Design Studio, concentrating in Costume and Scenic Design. Some of her past credits include costume designing the StudentWorks production of Wheeling and Dealing and assisting the TISCH DRAMA STAGE production of Urinetown. This is Daniela’s first time designing a TD Stage show, and she couldn’t be more excited. She is highly thankful to the fantastic group of people that have been part of this process! https://danielagoytizolo.squarespace.com/

Jessica Wall (Lighting Designer) is a visual artist and theatrical collaborator from Vancouver, Canada, currently studying Lighting Design as a fourth-year student in the Tisch Drama Production & Design studio. Select lighting design credits include Or Festival (The Cultch), Redacted; Daisy; The Wolves (Tisch Drama Stage All Studio Festival), Elaine, Strips, At Liberty (The Tank), Speech and Debate; Party Worth Crashing (Our Time Players). Jessica is a current 2021 ETC Fred Foster Mentee. https://www.jessicawalldesign.com/

Ellery Pierce (Sound Designer) is a senior focusing in Set and Sound Design at the Production & Design Studio. Past credits include: Assistant Sound Design for Urinetown, Production Audio for The Lower Depths, and various design work at Playwrights Horizons Theater School. She’d like to thank her mentors, Mark Bennett and John Kemp, as well as her assistant, Jada Richardson, for all of their support! www.ellerypierce.com

Jack Ford (Production Stage Manager) is a fourth year within the Production & Design studio. They minor in Psychology (CAS) and Social Work (Silver) to inform the integration of anti-oppression into their work. Jack is a General Management intern at Bespoke Theatricals and represents Tisch Drama as Chair of the Drama Student Council. Jack thanks Sofie & Julia for being the dream team and Evelin at Fresh & Co for the late-night cold brews. Cheers! Previous productions: Urinetown (TISCH DRAMA STAGE), Love is the Message! Joy is the Revival (National Black Theatre), Life on Earth (This is Not a Theatre Company) JackFordSM.com

Who’s Who – The Cast

	Adelynn Anderson (Ensemble) is a third-year student in Tisch Drama, currently studying at the Strasberg Institute, but her heart will always be with her primary studio, Playwrights Horizons Theater School, where she plans to return next semester. This is her TISCH DRAMA STAGE debut! (especially exciting considering the last productions she was in were cut off by COVID the week before tech). Adelynn is primarily an actor and collaborator, but is also passionate about directing, writing (theatrical and otherwise), curating Pinterest boards, and creating playlists for every piece of media she has ever had even a passing interest in (100+). https://www.backstage.com/u/adelynn-anderson/s
	Paige Bakke (Ensemble) is a second-year student at Tisch Drama, training at Playwrights Horizons Theatre School. Paige is thrilled to be a part of dæmon for the TISCH DRAMA STAGE’s All Department Festival. This is Paige’s first show with TD Stage. Her last credits include Vera in Harvey (CCHS Mainstage), Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (CCHS Mainstage), and Maureen O’Rourke/ Wendy in The Lost Boy (CCHS Mainstage). Paige is so honored and grateful to have worked with such a talented group.
	Zoey Burger (Ensemble) is incredibly excited to bring this story to life! Zoey is a fourth-year student currently training in the Experimental Theater Wing. Past NYU Tisch School of the Arts credits include: Nina in LSTFI’s Stupid F##king Bird, Kitty in LSTFI’s The Drowsy Chaperone, and PHTS’s A Giving Tree. Other credits include Wednesday in The Addams Family, and her work on Nickelodeon’s Every Witch Way. She is so grateful to be part of this cast and can’t thank them enough. Love and gratitude to the entire production & creative team, her teachers, and her friends and family who support her endlessly. http://zoeyburger.com
	Stella Ferra (Ensemble) is an actor/playwright/dramaturg in her final year at Tisch Drama. She has trained at Playwrights Horizons Theatre School, Stonestreet Studios, and Stella Adler Studio of Acting. She was last seen in Stella Adler’s production of Much Ado About Nothing. Favorite past roles include Child in Rema + Nin, Glory in Almost, Maine, and Bridget in Bring it On. Her play, Brushing Her Hair, was featured in Naked Angels’ Young Writers Festival. Stella hopes to thrive in all aspects of the arts and to have a long, successful, and impactful career in theatre.
	Marisa (Mari) Gonzales (Ensemble) is ecstatic to be a part of this production for the Tisch Drama Stage All Department Festival! She is in the Stella Adler Studio pursuing her BFA-Drama as well as, a BA in English at NYU. Some of her work in theatre has included roles in Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), Almost Maine, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and 12 Angry Men. Mari would like to thank her cast mates and director for all their hard work and collaboration on this production. Mari also wants to acknowledge her love and appreciation for her mom and dad for supporting her in all her endeavors. https://www.backstage.com/u/marisa-gonzales/
	Charles Hsu (Ensemble) is a second-year at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts Playwrights Horizons studio in the performance track. This is Charles’ first show at TISCH DRAMA STAGE but some of his past credits include Ariel in The Tempest (SITS), Tartuffe in Tartuffe (DF Blackbox), Harry in Mamma Mia! (DF Main Stage), and Orcus in She Kills Monsters (DF Blackbox). He is also the 2020 POL Illinois Champion. He is super grateful to have been able to work with such an amazing group and crew and for his amazing friends and fam. Check him out on IG @charlesahsu, @charleshsuart.
	Vivian Hunt (Ensemble) is thrilled to be part of TISCH DRAMA STAGE’s dæmon. She is an actor, writer, and director training at Tisch Drama’s Playwrights Horizons Studio. In her practice, she strives to recreate classic stories with an eye for marginalized communities. She discovered devised theater at the Bryn Mawr-Haverford Theater Program, and her love of theater and film led her to transfer to NYU Tisch School of the Arts this fall. She would like to thank Attilio Rigotti and the cast and crew of dæmon for making her first TD STAGE production so fantastic.
	Véro Matheny (Ensemble) is a second-year student at Playwrights Horizons Theater School, she is thrilled to be making her TISCH DRAMA STAGE debut. Much love and thanks to the cast and crew, every moment together was an inspiration. Thank you Attilio for bringing us all together and trusting us to create.
	Dedrick Kendis McAlmont (Ensemble) is a third year in Tisch Drama, training at the Meisner Studio, and has previously completed a semester at the Stonestreet Studio. He is immensely excited to be taking part in his first TISCH DRAMA STAGE production. Past favorite roles include the Count Axel de Fersen in Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes and Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of Horrors. Dedrick looks forward to being a part of the Meisner Studio’s production of Romeo and Juliet in December. Finally, he would like to thank his family for always supporting him unconditionally.
	Theron Viljoen (Ensemble) is ecstatic to be a part of dæmon in the TISCH DRAMA STAGE’s All-Department Festival. This is his first TD STAGE production. Theron is a second-year student in Tisch Drama, training at the Experimental Theatre Wing. Past productions include Jean Shepherd in A Christmas Story: The Musical (John W. Engeman Theater), Francis Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Friends Academy Theater), and Reverend Crisparkle in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Stagedoor Manor). He would like to thank his mom, grandma, and Mac along with Attilio, Jack and the rest of the cast and crew for helping make his dreams come true!

dæmon Crew

Despina Netchev – Assistant Set Designer
Katie Adams – Scenic Charge
Jennifer Cao – Assistant Props Supervisor
Connor Gallerani – Assistant Technical Director
Nico Yu – Assistant Costume Designer
Izzie Cava – Assistant Lighting Designer
Fiona Selep – Assistant Lighting Designer
Bryce Harnick – Assistant Production Electrician
Jada Richardson – Sound Assistant
Orsolya Szánthó and Attilio Rigotti – Projection Design
Sofie Daley – Assistant Stage Manager
Julia Gangemi – Assistant Stage Manager

dæmon ITP/P&D Crew & Run Crew

Scenery Build – Sophie Jacobs, Jade Lo, Jesse Youngstein, Topaz Gao, Dashiell Rucka, Laurynn Starkey
Lighting and Sound Install – Gabriela DuPont, Blaise Hewlett, Cahal Perry, Benjamin Smith, Justin Stangenes
Box Office – Wyatt Baker, Sang Hun Kim, Lilianna Kincs, Eric Easter, Alexis Papaleo, Casey Keefe
Sound Board Operator – Jacob Armstrong
Wardrobe Crew – Victoria Papadopoulos, Jolimar Pérez Neris, Marco Quesada, Mya Rosado-Tran, Zoe Suslensky, Lauren Updyke, Brant Zheng
Video Operator – Paloma Avila

dæmon Production Mentors

Dan Soule – Scenic Design Mentor
Erin S. Black – Costume Design Mentor
Jeanette Yew – Lighting Design Mentor
Mark Bennett – Sound Design Mentor
Christopher Munnell – Stage Management Mentor

Department of Drama Administration

Chair – Rubén Polendo
Associate Chair – Shanga Parker
Director of Theatre Studies – Gwendolyn Alker
Director of Professional Training – Andy Arden-Reese (Fall 2021); Dawn-Elin Fraser (Spring 2021)
Director of Strategic Planning – Chris. P. Jaehnig
Director of Applied Theatre – Mauricio Salgado
Program Manager for the Office of Diversity Initiatives – Mauricio Salgado
Director of Production – Jeanette Yew
Director, Finance and Administration – Anita Daniels
Student Services Director – Scott Loane
Director of Admissions & Recruitment – Robert Hoyt
Associate Director, Special Projects – Joe McGowan
Manager of Faculty Services – John Dietrich
Manager, Technology & Media Services  – Greg Chan
Marketing and Communications Administrator – Holly Gaddy
Admissions Administrator – Molly Horan
Program Administrator, Admissions – Isabella Willeboordse
Academic Advisors – Neema Atri, John Dietrich, Josh P. Jackson, Rachel Johnson, Jessica-Brittany (J.B.) Smith
Budget Administrator – Azena Louis
Administrative Aides – Lisa Joseph, Sara Kuntz, Christine Phelan, Jesael Rios, Oliver Prose
Studio Administrators – Nanc Allen (ETW), Samantha Jackson (Meisner), Daniel Spector (Classical), Hilary Tanabe (NSB)

Department of Drama Production Staff

Production Manager – Scott Mancha
Associate Production Manager – Sloane Spencer
Operations Manager – Ryan Parow 
Technical Director – Kat Tharp
Scene Shop Supervisor – Patrick Brennan
Prop Master – Rachel Schneider
Costume Director – Therese Bruck
Costume Shop Supervisor – Kimberly Parkman
Costume Technical Fabricator – Claire Zhang
Lighting Supervisor – Josh McConchie
Lighting Director – Lea Bosilovich
Director of Sound & Media – John Kemp

Department of Drama Production Assistants & Work Study

Master Carpenters/Paint Charges – Nadja Antic, Josh Barilla, Marianne Gould, Jacob Middleton, Colleen Murray
Props Charge – Erica Zhang
Master Electricians – Shane Hennesy, Xiangfu Xiao
Costume Shop Assistants – Zoë Allen, Lauren Carmen, Camille Charara, Orla Long, Maria Armstrong, Kaeylarae Buntin, Mia Dooley, Megan Hayward, Bryce Harnick, Alexa Infante, Maia Kahn, MJ Stone, Sienna Terry
Carpenters and Prop Assistants – Thomas Atseff, Hanif Bhatti, Sofie Daley, Connor Gallerani, Alexander Kellarakos-Yepez, Phi Le, Justin Mossa, Elijah Oshinnaiye, Tara Podias, Christian Regan, Sofia Sangiorgio, Jesse Youngstein, Stella Diji
Electricians – Jade Chew, Sam De Alfaro, Bryson Ezell, River Knight, Dereck Marmolejoes, Katie Rief, Alice Zelenko
Production Resource Office Assistants – Callie Holley, José Hurtado, David Rhea

TISCH DRAMA STAGE productions can include subjects and content that may not be appropriate for young audiences. Discretion is advised. The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.