“Based on a True
Story…”
This play was originally written in response to the Steubenville High School Rape Case that took place in Steubenville, OH in the late summer of 2012. Although Good Kids takes much of its plot from that specific event, the point that we want to present is that this really could happen anywhere. We do not want to make this show about one specific instance in time because the same events are occurring all over the world (and specifically the US) and to generalize the problem is to make it more accessible and less likely to be understood as one isolated situation.
For a full timeline of the Steubenville case and for a history of sexual assault from 2012 to now, check out the downloadable links on the Study Guides tab.
This play was originally written in response to the Steubenville High School Rape Case that took place in Steubenville, OH in the late summer of 2012. Although Good Kids takes much of its plot from that specific event, the point that we want to present is that this really could happen anywhere. We do not want to make this show about one specific instance in time because the same events are occurring all over the world (and specifically the US) and to generalize the problem is to make it more accessible and less likely to be understood as one isolated situation.
For a full timeline of the Steubenville case and for a history of sexual assault from 2012 to now, check out the downloadable links on the Study Guides tab.
About the Author:
Naomi Iizuka is an award-winning playwright and educator whose call for a more diverse and integrated theatre is being heard across the nation. When the 2014-2015 Big Ten Theatre Consortium’s New Play Initiative was launched, Iizuka was the first playwright commissioned for the task. As head of the M.F.A. in playwriting at University of California, San Diego, Iizuka has created many opportunities for the sole purpose of bringing more underrepresented and underserved artists in contact with theatre.
Iizuka’s works often have a non-linear storyline and are influenced by her multicultural background. Her mother is an American Latina and her father is a Japanese banker. Born in Tokyo, Iizuka grew up in Japan, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and Washington, D.C. She has lived in Iowa and currently lives in Los Angeles, California.
Good Kids, as well as many of her previous plays, addresses the good, the bad, and the ugly in our modern world. She creates in this piece a number of provocative roles for actors of all sexes and ethnicities. This particular play will be performed in a few other Big Ten universities this year, but all productions this season are considered to be “rolling world premieres.”
Although Naomi Iizuka may not be a household name yet, her plays are gaining more recognition and praise nationally and internationally. A list of her works and an abbreviated list of her achievements is on the following page. If you want to know more about Naomi, check out her UCSD faculty profile here: http://www-theatre.ucsd.edu/people/faculty/Naomilizuka/.
Naomi Iizuka is an award-winning playwright and educator whose call for a more diverse and integrated theatre is being heard across the nation. When the 2014-2015 Big Ten Theatre Consortium’s New Play Initiative was launched, Iizuka was the first playwright commissioned for the task. As head of the M.F.A. in playwriting at University of California, San Diego, Iizuka has created many opportunities for the sole purpose of bringing more underrepresented and underserved artists in contact with theatre.
Iizuka’s works often have a non-linear storyline and are influenced by her multicultural background. Her mother is an American Latina and her father is a Japanese banker. Born in Tokyo, Iizuka grew up in Japan, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and Washington, D.C. She has lived in Iowa and currently lives in Los Angeles, California.
Good Kids, as well as many of her previous plays, addresses the good, the bad, and the ugly in our modern world. She creates in this piece a number of provocative roles for actors of all sexes and ethnicities. This particular play will be performed in a few other Big Ten universities this year, but all productions this season are considered to be “rolling world premieres.”
Although Naomi Iizuka may not be a household name yet, her plays are gaining more recognition and praise nationally and internationally. A list of her works and an abbreviated list of her achievements is on the following page. If you want to know more about Naomi, check out her UCSD faculty profile here: http://www-theatre.ucsd.edu/people/faculty/Naomilizuka/.
About the Director:
Seret Scott is an Associate Artist at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre where she has directed a dozen productions. Off-Broadway credits: New Victory, Second Stage, PanAsian Rep. Regional credits: Court Theatre-Chicago where she just premiered NATIVE SON, Actors Theatre-Louisville, South Coast Rep, ACT-San Francisco, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Denver Center, Two River Theatre-NJ, PlayMakers Rep-NC, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth, Tribute Productions-DC, Studio Theatre, Long Wharf, Yale Rep, National Black Theatre, L.A -Theatre Works, ViVo Flamenco. Ms Scott authored Second Line, produced by NJ’s Passage Theatre and DC’s Atlas Theatre. She is an Executive Board member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union.
Seret Scott is an Associate Artist at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre where she has directed a dozen productions. Off-Broadway credits: New Victory, Second Stage, PanAsian Rep. Regional credits: Court Theatre-Chicago where she just premiered NATIVE SON, Actors Theatre-Louisville, South Coast Rep, ACT-San Francisco, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Denver Center, Two River Theatre-NJ, PlayMakers Rep-NC, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth, Tribute Productions-DC, Studio Theatre, Long Wharf, Yale Rep, National Black Theatre, L.A -Theatre Works, ViVo Flamenco. Ms Scott authored Second Line, produced by NJ’s Passage Theatre and DC’s Atlas Theatre. She is an Executive Board member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union.
Cast and Production Team Bios:
Monica Albizo (Brianna), first-year theatre performance major. Creative and Performing Arts Scholar, Banneker/Key Scholar. UMD productions: The Me Nobody Knows (Lillian u/s). Outside productions: The Addams Family (Wednesday), Children of Eden (Yonah).
Caren Bermudez (Madison), third-year transfer Student in the School of Letters and Sciences. This is Caren's first production at UMD.
Jocelyn Brocato (Kylie), first-year theatre and journalism major. UMD productions: Tone of Silence (Samantha Bradley), Outside productions: Spamalot (ensemble), Damn Yankees! (ensemble), Biloxi Blues (Rowena), The Government Inspector (Bobchinsky), Museum (Gilda Norris).
Avery Collins (Ty), third-year theatre major. Creative and Performing Arts Scholar. UMD productions: The Me Nobody Knows (Donald), Twilight: Lost Angeles, 1992 (various roles u/s), For Colored Folks (Brother #8). Outside productions: Chupucabra (Vetala), Rocky Horror Picture Show (Riff Raff).
Marina di Marzo (Deirdre), third-year double major in broadcast journalism and theatre. UMD productions: Collidescope (u/s), Seagirl (Weekday Players), Safe as Houses (Weekday Players). Outside productions: You Can’t Take it With You (Penny Sycamore), Urinetown (Little Sally).
Tom Frances (Connor), senior biology and kinesiology double major. UMD Productions: Collidescope: Adventures in Pre and Post racial America (u/s ensemble), The Matchmaker (Ambrose Kemper). Past productions: The Music Man (Charlie Cowell), Guys and Dolls (gangster).
Lara Fu (Skyler), second-year government and politics major. Banneker/Key Scholar. Kay Theatre: The Ashgirl (Girlmouse). Kogod Theatre: The Waiting Room (Forgiveness From Heaven u/s). Outside Productions: A Comedy of Errors (Adriana), The Tempest (Prospero), Mulan (Mulan).
Emily Jacobs (u/s Deirdre, Kylie, Skyler), first-year marketing major. Outside productions: Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hammond High School (Millie), Picnic, Hammond High School (Rosemary Sydney), Mousetrap, Hammond High School (Mrs. Boyle).
William Jeffreys (Ensemble, u/s Tanner, Ty), senior theatre performance major. UMD productions: The Me Nobody Knows (Lloyd u/s). Outside productions: Into The Woods Wildwood Summer Theatre (Wolf).
Philip Kershaw (Tanner), senior theatre performance and history double major. UMD Productions: Collidescope: Adventures in Pre and Post Racial America (Prince/Sam/Clement), Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Cornel West/Twilight Bey/Charles Duke/Walter Park u/s), Moliere Impromptu (Leandre u/s).
Sarah Kinney (u/s Chloe, Daphne, Madison), second-year pre-nursing major. This is her first TDPS production. Outside productions include Ragtime (Mother) and The 39 Steps (Pamela).
Ben Kleymeyer (assistant director), third-year theatre performance major. Good Kids marks Ben’s first production with the Clarice. Outside Productions: Macbeth (director) with the Maryland Shakespeare Players.
Jocelyn Knazik (stage manager), senior theatre and biology major. Banneker/Key Scholar. UMD productions: Collidescope (stage manager), Dead Man’s Cell Phone (assistant director), Postcard from Morocco (assistant stage manager). Student groups: UTAS (president), The Weekday Players (executive producer).
Weilong Li (Landon), third-year theatre and cell biology double degree. Presidential Scholar. UMD productions: Collidescope (Draper, Manning, ensemble).
Neil MacFadden (sound designer), Neil’s sound and lighting designs have been experienced in many theatres, including Arena Stage, Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, Olney Theatre, Adventure Theatre, the Washington Savoyards, Rep Stage, Everyman Theatre, Flying V current company member), and Round House Theatre (where he was the Resident Sound Designer for eleven years). A ten-time nominee, Neil received the Helen Hayes Award for his design of Round House’s Heathen Valley. Neil is also a musician and composer: he has played in many area shows; he also performs regularly with his rock/blues band Mike’s Garage (www.MikesGarageRocks.com), and as a solo acoustic performer. Love to Elizabeth.
Ian McCLain (projections designer), second-year theatre design major. UMD projection designer: Collidescope, Good Kids, The Lost World, and the NextNOW Festival. UMD lighting designer: UMoves, 2014. Member of Kreativity Diversity and Weekday Players. Outside productions: assistant video designer Healing Wars (Arena Stage).
Rebecca Mount (assistant stage manager), third-year theatre and communication major. Creative and Performing Arts Scholar. UMD Productions: The Me Nobody Knows (Rhoda), The Matchmaker (Mrs. Molloy u/s, Minnie Fay u/s, ensemble), UMoves (assistant stage manager), Dance Rhythm/Sound and Space (assistant stage manager).
Antonella Pérez Fererro (Chloe), third-year theatre performance major. Mulitz-Gudelsky Family Scholarship in Theatre recipient (2014). UMD production: Tone of Silence (Camila Ortiz).
Brittany Proudfoot-Ginder (dramaturg), first-year PhD theatre and performance studies. MFA in Theatre Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University and BA in English from Stevenson University. Recent credits: Wittenberg (Richmond Shakespeare/Henley Street Theatre), Green Square (world premiere at Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre), and Grania: A Night of Irish Plays (SALT).
Samantha Reilly (assistant stage manager), third-year theatre major. Production manager of Terrapin Theatre Troupe. UMD productions: Fall 2014 Dance Thesis (assistant stage manager). Weekday Players: Stop Kiss (stage manager), Safe as Houses (assistant stage manager).
Marci Rodgers (costume designer), second-year MFA in costume design. UMD productions: Wake Up! Outside productions: (costume designer) Rapunzel, Rapunzel Let Down Your Locks at Camden Repertory Theater. (Assistant costume designer) Two Trains Running at Round House Theatre. (Assistant to costume designer) Fish in the Dark at Cort Theatre, It’s Only a Play at The Schoenfeld Theatre, Holler if Ya Hear Me, Broadway Musical - The Palace Theatre, Marie Antoinette at Woolly Mammoth, Theatre Company, Driving Miss Daisy at Ford’s Theatre, Broke-ology at Theatre Alliance, Four Little Girls at the Kennedy Center, Fabulation or, The Re-Education of Undine at Howard University, Hurt Village at Howard University, Djembe at The Ensemble Theatre, Black Nativity at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and The Piano Lesson at Olney Theatre Center.
Alberto Segarra (lighting designer), third year MFA candidate in Lighting Design. For TDPS, he has done lighting designs the following productions: Insert [ ] Here, My Tempest, Twilight Los Angeles: 1992 , Wrestling with the WIP. For the Maryland Opera Studio: Magic Flute; and the upcoming opera L’ ocassione fa il ladro directed by Nick Olcott. Off-campus designs include: Hair; Cabaret; Dangerous Liaisons; Glass Menagerie; Evita; Oedipus; the opera Carmen.
Rob Siler (assistant lighting designer), first-year MFA in lighting design. UMD Credits: Variation on Residue, Collidescope (assistant lighting designer). Not Leading Lady Material, The Human Capacity (lighting designer). Special thanks and love to his wife, Colleen, and his parents.
Katie Sullivan (scenic designer), second-year MFA candidate. UMD productions: Good Kids, Fall 2014 Dance Thesis (scenic designer), Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (assistant scenic designer). Outside productions: Washington National Opera, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Olney Theatre, Studio Theatre, Roundhouse Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Adventure Theatre, The Muny, and Milwaukee Rep. (scenic assistant). She would like to thank her mentors and fellow collaborators for this experience. 3730 – “L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.”
Hannah Syverson (Daphne), third-year theatre transfer from the University of Minnesota. This is her first UMD production. Other productions include the role as Abby in the student film Welcome to Central Market at Minnesota State University-Moorehead.
Tyasia Velines (Ensemble, u/s Amber, Brianna), third-year theatre performance major. College Park Arts Scholar, Incentive Awards Program Scholar. UMD productions: The Me Nobody Knows (Nell), for colored folks... (Lady in Brown).
Kara Waala (assistant costume designer), third-year MFA in costume design.Costume design for TDPS: The Human Capacity (2015), Collidescope, Spring Awakening (2014), While Waiting (2013). Assistant costume design: Folger Theatre, Wolf Trap Opera, Ford’s Theatre, Wooly Mammoth Theatre.
Korinn Walfall (Amber), third-year theatre performance major. Creative and Performing Arts Scholar. UMD Productions: Dead Man's Cellphone (Hermia), Moliere Impromptu (Mlle DeBrie u/s), Spring Awakening (Thea), Collidescope (Fannie Lou Hamer & ensemble).
Christopher Walkup (u/s Connor, Langdon), second-year theatre/ government and politics double major. Kogod: The Waiting Room (Ken u/s, Oliver u/s), Collidescope (Ensemble). Maryland Shakespeare Players: MacBeth (Malcolm), Cymbeline (Cymbeline).
Caren Bermudez (Madison), third-year transfer Student in the School of Letters and Sciences. This is Caren's first production at UMD.
Jocelyn Brocato (Kylie), first-year theatre and journalism major. UMD productions: Tone of Silence (Samantha Bradley), Outside productions: Spamalot (ensemble), Damn Yankees! (ensemble), Biloxi Blues (Rowena), The Government Inspector (Bobchinsky), Museum (Gilda Norris).
Avery Collins (Ty), third-year theatre major. Creative and Performing Arts Scholar. UMD productions: The Me Nobody Knows (Donald), Twilight: Lost Angeles, 1992 (various roles u/s), For Colored Folks (Brother #8). Outside productions: Chupucabra (Vetala), Rocky Horror Picture Show (Riff Raff).
Marina di Marzo (Deirdre), third-year double major in broadcast journalism and theatre. UMD productions: Collidescope (u/s), Seagirl (Weekday Players), Safe as Houses (Weekday Players). Outside productions: You Can’t Take it With You (Penny Sycamore), Urinetown (Little Sally).
Tom Frances (Connor), senior biology and kinesiology double major. UMD Productions: Collidescope: Adventures in Pre and Post racial America (u/s ensemble), The Matchmaker (Ambrose Kemper). Past productions: The Music Man (Charlie Cowell), Guys and Dolls (gangster).
Lara Fu (Skyler), second-year government and politics major. Banneker/Key Scholar. Kay Theatre: The Ashgirl (Girlmouse). Kogod Theatre: The Waiting Room (Forgiveness From Heaven u/s). Outside Productions: A Comedy of Errors (Adriana), The Tempest (Prospero), Mulan (Mulan).
Emily Jacobs (u/s Deirdre, Kylie, Skyler), first-year marketing major. Outside productions: Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hammond High School (Millie), Picnic, Hammond High School (Rosemary Sydney), Mousetrap, Hammond High School (Mrs. Boyle).
William Jeffreys (Ensemble, u/s Tanner, Ty), senior theatre performance major. UMD productions: The Me Nobody Knows (Lloyd u/s). Outside productions: Into The Woods Wildwood Summer Theatre (Wolf).
Philip Kershaw (Tanner), senior theatre performance and history double major. UMD Productions: Collidescope: Adventures in Pre and Post Racial America (Prince/Sam/Clement), Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Cornel West/Twilight Bey/Charles Duke/Walter Park u/s), Moliere Impromptu (Leandre u/s).
Sarah Kinney (u/s Chloe, Daphne, Madison), second-year pre-nursing major. This is her first TDPS production. Outside productions include Ragtime (Mother) and The 39 Steps (Pamela).
Ben Kleymeyer (assistant director), third-year theatre performance major. Good Kids marks Ben’s first production with the Clarice. Outside Productions: Macbeth (director) with the Maryland Shakespeare Players.
Jocelyn Knazik (stage manager), senior theatre and biology major. Banneker/Key Scholar. UMD productions: Collidescope (stage manager), Dead Man’s Cell Phone (assistant director), Postcard from Morocco (assistant stage manager). Student groups: UTAS (president), The Weekday Players (executive producer).
Weilong Li (Landon), third-year theatre and cell biology double degree. Presidential Scholar. UMD productions: Collidescope (Draper, Manning, ensemble).
Neil MacFadden (sound designer), Neil’s sound and lighting designs have been experienced in many theatres, including Arena Stage, Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, Olney Theatre, Adventure Theatre, the Washington Savoyards, Rep Stage, Everyman Theatre, Flying V current company member), and Round House Theatre (where he was the Resident Sound Designer for eleven years). A ten-time nominee, Neil received the Helen Hayes Award for his design of Round House’s Heathen Valley. Neil is also a musician and composer: he has played in many area shows; he also performs regularly with his rock/blues band Mike’s Garage (www.MikesGarageRocks.com), and as a solo acoustic performer. Love to Elizabeth.
Ian McCLain (projections designer), second-year theatre design major. UMD projection designer: Collidescope, Good Kids, The Lost World, and the NextNOW Festival. UMD lighting designer: UMoves, 2014. Member of Kreativity Diversity and Weekday Players. Outside productions: assistant video designer Healing Wars (Arena Stage).
Rebecca Mount (assistant stage manager), third-year theatre and communication major. Creative and Performing Arts Scholar. UMD Productions: The Me Nobody Knows (Rhoda), The Matchmaker (Mrs. Molloy u/s, Minnie Fay u/s, ensemble), UMoves (assistant stage manager), Dance Rhythm/Sound and Space (assistant stage manager).
Antonella Pérez Fererro (Chloe), third-year theatre performance major. Mulitz-Gudelsky Family Scholarship in Theatre recipient (2014). UMD production: Tone of Silence (Camila Ortiz).
Brittany Proudfoot-Ginder (dramaturg), first-year PhD theatre and performance studies. MFA in Theatre Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University and BA in English from Stevenson University. Recent credits: Wittenberg (Richmond Shakespeare/Henley Street Theatre), Green Square (world premiere at Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre), and Grania: A Night of Irish Plays (SALT).
Samantha Reilly (assistant stage manager), third-year theatre major. Production manager of Terrapin Theatre Troupe. UMD productions: Fall 2014 Dance Thesis (assistant stage manager). Weekday Players: Stop Kiss (stage manager), Safe as Houses (assistant stage manager).
Marci Rodgers (costume designer), second-year MFA in costume design. UMD productions: Wake Up! Outside productions: (costume designer) Rapunzel, Rapunzel Let Down Your Locks at Camden Repertory Theater. (Assistant costume designer) Two Trains Running at Round House Theatre. (Assistant to costume designer) Fish in the Dark at Cort Theatre, It’s Only a Play at The Schoenfeld Theatre, Holler if Ya Hear Me, Broadway Musical - The Palace Theatre, Marie Antoinette at Woolly Mammoth, Theatre Company, Driving Miss Daisy at Ford’s Theatre, Broke-ology at Theatre Alliance, Four Little Girls at the Kennedy Center, Fabulation or, The Re-Education of Undine at Howard University, Hurt Village at Howard University, Djembe at The Ensemble Theatre, Black Nativity at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and The Piano Lesson at Olney Theatre Center.
Alberto Segarra (lighting designer), third year MFA candidate in Lighting Design. For TDPS, he has done lighting designs the following productions: Insert [ ] Here, My Tempest, Twilight Los Angeles: 1992 , Wrestling with the WIP. For the Maryland Opera Studio: Magic Flute; and the upcoming opera L’ ocassione fa il ladro directed by Nick Olcott. Off-campus designs include: Hair; Cabaret; Dangerous Liaisons; Glass Menagerie; Evita; Oedipus; the opera Carmen.
Rob Siler (assistant lighting designer), first-year MFA in lighting design. UMD Credits: Variation on Residue, Collidescope (assistant lighting designer). Not Leading Lady Material, The Human Capacity (lighting designer). Special thanks and love to his wife, Colleen, and his parents.
Katie Sullivan (scenic designer), second-year MFA candidate. UMD productions: Good Kids, Fall 2014 Dance Thesis (scenic designer), Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (assistant scenic designer). Outside productions: Washington National Opera, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Olney Theatre, Studio Theatre, Roundhouse Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Adventure Theatre, The Muny, and Milwaukee Rep. (scenic assistant). She would like to thank her mentors and fellow collaborators for this experience. 3730 – “L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.”
Hannah Syverson (Daphne), third-year theatre transfer from the University of Minnesota. This is her first UMD production. Other productions include the role as Abby in the student film Welcome to Central Market at Minnesota State University-Moorehead.
Tyasia Velines (Ensemble, u/s Amber, Brianna), third-year theatre performance major. College Park Arts Scholar, Incentive Awards Program Scholar. UMD productions: The Me Nobody Knows (Nell), for colored folks... (Lady in Brown).
Kara Waala (assistant costume designer), third-year MFA in costume design.Costume design for TDPS: The Human Capacity (2015), Collidescope, Spring Awakening (2014), While Waiting (2013). Assistant costume design: Folger Theatre, Wolf Trap Opera, Ford’s Theatre, Wooly Mammoth Theatre.
Korinn Walfall (Amber), third-year theatre performance major. Creative and Performing Arts Scholar. UMD Productions: Dead Man's Cellphone (Hermia), Moliere Impromptu (Mlle DeBrie u/s), Spring Awakening (Thea), Collidescope (Fannie Lou Hamer & ensemble).
Christopher Walkup (u/s Connor, Langdon), second-year theatre/ government and politics double major. Kogod: The Waiting Room (Ken u/s, Oliver u/s), Collidescope (Ensemble). Maryland Shakespeare Players: MacBeth (Malcolm), Cymbeline (Cymbeline).
Website created by Brittany Proudfoot Ginder, Production Dramaturg UMD