JESSICA SPIVEY

Jessica Spivey recently graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth where she studied Theatre and English. Besides spending time with the wonderful NNW cast and production team, she spends a lot of time with her cats, reading, playing Sushi Cat, and making general merriment. Sometimes she goes to work.

A Gamer's Guide to the Five Stages of Grief
A must-see for any gamer out there. Unfortunately, I was never allowed to play video games when I was a child, so if someone would like to teach me, I would appreciate it.

STOP!
Christina Lein choreographed a beautiful and moving piece about the struggles that sometimes come hand-in-hand when teaching at a public school.

The Golden Carp.
A new opera is combined with puppetry. There's even shadow puppets. SHADOW PUPPETS.

AUDREY THAYER


This fall, Audrey Thayer is going to be a sophomore at Chapman University, located in Southern California, where she is double majoring in Theater and English. Audrey has acted in shows her whole life and recently became interested in not only being onstage, but being part of the backstage process as well. She is thankful for the endless support of her family, and the opportunity to be surrounded by the talented people of Savage Umbrella. Audrey hopes to take the knowledge she has learned from this summer and apply it in the Fall where she will hopefully be Assistant Stage Manager for several shows at her University.

A Gamer's Guide to the Five Stages of Grief.
If "gaming" was actually like how it is in Gamer, I would game. Who doesn't want an "orb of kick-assery" around them? Also, I was the true director of this show.

STOP!
The ending of STOP makes me tear up every time. And I've seen it about a million times.

The Golden Carp
The Golden Carp is stuck in my head constantly - and Jessica and I attempt to sing all the parts backstage. Jessica has a lovely baritone voice.

When in doubt, trust the interns. Join us at the Bryant-Lake Bowl on July  27th, and 28th for A Gamer’s Guide to the Five Stage of Grief, STOP! and The Golden Carp. Two remaining performances, three shows, and lots of fun! Don’t miss the final two performances. Get your tickets now!

NEAL BECKMAN (ANDY)

Were you allowed to play video games when you were little?
Yes, but my mom would hide the controllers during the school season...and then forget where she hid them in the summer. An 8-year drought ensued. Social services did nothing.

Do you consider yourself a "gamer"?
I have the soul of a gamer without the equipment.

Why should people check out GAMER at Night of New Works?
It's imaginative and charming and geeky down to its very core and it still has substance. Those don't often go together.

BLAKE E. BOLAN (CHELE)

Were you allowed to play video games when you were little?
While there were some computer games in my childhood, I didn't play a proper video game until I was in high school. Needless to say, I've never gotten good at any games. Except at Puzzle Fighter. NOW I WANT TO PLAY PUZZLE FIGHTER.

What's one video game you could play for hours when you were a kid? Why?
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. WHY DID MY TOWEL ALWAYS FALL IN THE HOLE?

Why should people check out GAMER at Night of New Works?
We will sweat for you.

TANNER CURL (DIRECTOR)

Tell us your first video game memory as a child.
When I was roundabout 7-years-old, my family bought a used computer, a Tandy 100 that operated in DOS. One of the games we had was called Test Drive. I watched my older siblings play it for hours, and every so often, they’d get bored, so I’d get to play...and crash...a lot.

Do you consider yourself a "gamer?"
Uh, no.

Favorite rehearsal moment so far?
I came into the process knowing everyone kinda generally, and the best part has been how well the cast and production team clicked and how much fun we have.

RUSS DUGGER (PLAYWRIGHT)

Were you allowed to play video games when you were little?
A little more than I probably should have. It didn't do too much irreparable damage, right? Right?

Tell us your first video game memory as a child.
Playing Tetris on the old grey Game Boy that we got my dad for Father's Day!

In your opinion, who's the best video game character (villain also accepted!)?
Robo from Chrono Trigger. I mean c'mon. A robot from the future who is left in the past to help re-plant an entire forest? Someone needs to get James Cameron on that story line.

Do you consider yourself a "gamer?"
Once upon a time I would have. Now, I just don't have the time to really play for hours on end.

HEIDI JEDLICKA (KELI)

Were you allowed to play video games when you were little?
I didn't know what a video game was until I was 13. So...no?

Tell us your first video game memory as a child.
Watching my BFF play Donkey Kong in the 6th grade. It was cool for, like, 34 seconds.

Have you heard that Lana Del Rey song, Video Game?
Love it. It's my jam.

If you could be any video game character in REAL LIFE who would it be?
The one with the best shoes?

CLAIRE NADEAU (STAGE MANAGER)

Were you allowed to play video games when you were little?
Well, it's hard to play video games if we weren't allowed to even own a PlayStation thing or whatever...but really, my siblings and I didn't mind.

In your opinion, who's the best video game character (villain also accepted!)?
The queen of clubs from solitaire...because in my mind that makes her Irish!

Have you heard that Lana Del Rey song, Video Game?
For sure! It's pretty good!

If you could be any video game character in REAL LIFE who would it be?
Hmmm...is it rude to say none?

Why should people check out GAMER at Night of New Works?
People should check out GAMER because it's a great comedy, done by some talented artists, and because I say so.  So there.

ADAM SCARPELLO (THE GAME)

Tell us your first video game memory as a child.
Played Super Mario Bros. for the first time at the age of 5. Thought it was the coolest thing.

What's one video game you could play for hours when you were a kid? Why?
Dragon Warrior. Was better then Legend of Zelda!

In your opinion, who's the best video game character (villain also accepted!)?
Marcus Fenix from Gears of War. Tough SOB that cared.

Favorite rehearsal moment so far?
Oh! The spells!

Why should people check out GAMER at Night of New Works?
For the fake game boobs, of course! And probably for the comedy.


Wanna see more? Join us at the Bryant-Lake Bowl on July 20th, 21st, 27th, and 28th for three new works: A Gamer’s Guide to the Five Stage of Grief, STOP!, and The Golden Carp. Four performances, three shows, and lots of fun! Did we mention tickets are on sale now?

Our Night of New Works opens at the Bryant-Lake Bowl so soon - Friday July 20, to be exact. To help pump you up for NNW, here's a glimpse of the creators and performers of STOP! (Oh, and tickets are on sale now!)

(Yes…we think sundae toppings are deep…what?)

Often times, writing is a lonely, depressing experience that makes it easy to understand why so many great writers also happen to be suicidal or drunkards or suicidal drunkards. (See: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tennessee Williams, Sylvia Plath, Charlie Sheen*, et al.)

We don’t want that to happen to you, so we’re trying something different.

Taking a note from our screenwriter friends in television, Savage Umbrella is putting together a team of 4-6 writers to develop a brand spanking new script that will explore themes of art, creativity, and self-identity.

All the past we leave behind,

We debouch upon a newer mightier world, varied world,

Fresh and strong the world we seize, world of labor and the march,

Pioneers! O pioneers!

We detachments steady throwing,

Down the edges, through the passes, up the mountains steep,

Conquering, holding, daring, venturing as we go the unknown ways,

Pioneers! O pioneers!

We primeval forests felling,

We the rivers stemming, vexing we and piercing deep the mines

within,

We the surface board surveying, we the virgin soil upheaving,

Pioneers! O pioneers!