Pippi Longstocking
Oct. 7-23, 2005 |
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PIPPI LONGSTOCKING
By Astrid Lindgren
Translation by Thomas W. Olson &
Truda Stockenstrom
Music by Roberta Carlson
Lyrics by Roberta Carlson & Thomas W. Olson
Click on a name to read that person's bio.
Artistic Staff
Director: Kathy Pingel
Music Director: Robin Heldt Spahr
Costume Designer: Angela Lampe
Scenic Designers: Caitlin Powell & Kevin Shelby
Lighting Designer: Craig Kaufman
Sound Designers: Curt Powell & Craig Kaufman
Stage Manager: Alex Snodgrass
Cast in Order of Appearance
Pippi Longstocking: Jozie Hanson
Annika Settergren: Kersten Tipping
Tommy Settergren: Kyle Frank
Mrs. Prysselius: Etta Berkowitz
Klang: Vicente Vasquez
Larsson: Robert Poché
Thunder: Joseph Spiess
Bloom: Joe Struss
Teacher: Jason Crowley
Captain Longstocking: Eric Bench
Mrs. Settergren: Amanda Arthur
Carnival Manager: Eric Bench
Angel Mother: Nancy Darsee
Children of the Village:
Amanda Bartlett, Alexis Joy Frank, Sebastian Gillespie, Jim Gulbranson,
Madeline Palmer-Chase
Production Crews
Horse & Mr. Nilsson Puppets: Garth Dunbar
Mighty Adolf Puppet: Morgan Beary
Props Chair: Keith Ryan
Shift Crew: Stephanie Hahn, Edgar Rosa
Light Board Operator: David Van Cleave
Sound Board Operator: Jeff Beaird
Audition Crew: Cheryl Critelli-O'Donnell, Sue Dittmer, Bonnie Hodson
Playhouse Ambassadors: Judy Blessington, Mary Bricker, Annette Duffy, Mary Whisenand
Daytime Office Volunteers: Gloria Filean, Cheryl Hamilton, Carol Larson
House Managers: Theresa Bradfield, Al Downey, Charlene Green, Bonnie Hodson, Mary Marshall, Ruth Miller, Marcella Phillips, Eric Rohe, Linda Sowers, Gail Stelmacher, Bill Strate
Front of House Crew: Mara Abolins, Pat Allison, John Anderson, Pam Anderson, Linda Bartlett, Mary Lu Baumbach, Bruce Beals, Golda Beals, Shirley Benskin, Diedre Blin, Theresa Bradfield, Jene Breiten, Mary Bricker, Sue Buehler, Josiah Burton, DeAnn Carlson, Coralie Cherry, Carol Clow, Jean Corbin, Cheryl Critelli-O'Donnell, Jenna Darsee, Kent Darsee, Nancy Darsee, Michael Delaney, Nettie DeWit, Sue Dittmer, Al Downey, Ruth Downey, JoAnn Erpelding, Pam Falkstrom, Jean Fargo, Mark Ferguson, Susan Ferguson, Rosemary Fitzjunker, Betty Forst, Fred Gee, Sharon Gee, Roy Gollnick, Shelley Graber, Charlene Green, Tiffany Haltom, Curt Heidt, Sharon Heidt, Bonnie Hodson, Isabelle Holland, Dick Kern, Dottie Kern, Jack Kesling, June Kesling, Mona Knutson, Jean Leibold, Lincoln High School Drama Department, Cathy Lindsey, Sunny Liston, Kathy Loveridge, Doris Lutyens, Andrea Markowski, Dwight Marshall, Mary Marshall, Sharon Mitchell, Tom O'Donnell, Jean Patrick, Phyllis Pechman, Sharon Peterson, Marcella Phillips, Tom Phillips, Helen Pille, Linda Poil, Dell Radclife, Shirlee Reding, Sandy Ridgeway, Eric Rohe, Heather Rohe, Amy Skarin, Jake Skarin, Anita Smith, Joe Smith, Vickie Smith, Kathleen Stark, Carole Stevens, Phyllis Stevens, Beth Tingle, Gladys Van Sickle, Vicente Vasquez, Bob Vipond, Fran Watson, Susan Weaver, Eva Williams, Dodie Wilson, Kathleen Zimmerman
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Amanda Arthur (Mrs. Settergren) was unrecognizable in her last Playhouse role: Meatdripper/Gizzardgulper, a two-headed giant, in The BFG. She is a member of the Trans-Iowa Canal Company acting troupe and Azeem Bellydance Ensemble, and a licensed massage therapist.
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Amanda Bartlett (Schoolgirl) spent her summer playing Chip in The Playhouse's production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. A fifth grader at Delaware Elemen-tary, Des Moines, Mandy plays saxophone; and likes reading, writing and singing.
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Eric Bench (Captain Longstocking) made his Playhouse debut in High School Reunion. He was assistant director/stage manager for Biloxi Blues and production coordinator/stage manager for Eliot Ness: An Untouchable Life, both at The Playhouse. Eric works for First American.
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Etta Berkowitz (Mrs. Prysselius) is visiting a favorite show: She made her Playhouse debut as a girl in the title role in Pippi Longstocking. Retired from Des Moines Public Schools, she spends her time cooking, singing with New Anarchy String Band, and prowling garage sales and thrift stores for treasures.
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Jason Crowley (Teacher) counts among his favorite roles Crybaby William in Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business. A messaging specialist at Marsh, Jason and wife Laura say their hobbies are "anything daughters Katherine (9) and Elizabeth (7) are doing."
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Nancy Darsee (Angel Mother) has been onstage at The Playhouse in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and worked backstage as assistant director, stage manager or props chair on many shows. Her favorite role is Mom to Jenna (13) and twins Cohen and Ella (2).
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Alexis Joy Frank (Schoolgirl) is just in third grade (Oviatt Elementary, Norwalk, and Shining Stars home school), but has appeared on many Des Moines area stages. She also attends solo competitions, and has held concerts statewide with brother Kyle.
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Kyle Frank (Tommy) loves being onstage, acting, singing, dancing, performing gospel magic and ventriloquism, or playing keyboards in the band Soulfire. Kyle is a sixth grader at Norwalk Middle School and Shining Stars home school.
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Sebastian Gillespie (Schoolboy) is making his Playhouse debut, but has been involved in school plays at Van Meter School, where he is a fifth grader. When not on stage, you can find him on the soccer field.
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Jim Gulbranson (Schoolboy) is a seventh grader at West Central Valley Middle School, Redfield, who made his Playhouse debut in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. He is a member of the school football team who also enjoys basketball and creating with Legos.
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Jozie Hanson (Pippi Longstocking) has been in several Playhouse shows, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. In addition to singing and acting, this Indian Hills (West Des Moines) eighth grader likes hanging with friends, talking on the phone and IM-ing.
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Madeline Palmer-Chase (Schoolgirl) is in fifth grade at the Downtown School (Des Moines). She has appeared onstage at The Playhouse (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) and Drama Workshop (Song of Survival). Her goals include becoming a police officer and getting bigger roles in plays.
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Robert Poché (Larsson) made his Playhouse debut as Yertle the Turtle in Seussical the Musical. A native of Louisiana, Robert was active in the Lake Charles Little Theatre, performing such roles as Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird) and King Philip of France (The Lion in Winter). Robert is a production manager at Aramark.
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Joseph Spiess (Thunder) is a math teacher at Lincoln High School, Des Moines, and directs the school's Infinity show choir. He has numerous stage credits at Drake University (Des Moines) and Mounds View (MN) Community Theatre including his favorite, Fiddler on the Roof.
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Joe Struss (Bloom) is a Playhouse favorite, having appeared in several family shows including Alice in Wonderland, Seussical the Musical and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. By day, Joe is the director of the computer survival school, creative services unit of ITS, at Iowa State University, Ames.
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Kersten Tipping (Annika) has been a Munchkin (The Wizard of Oz), Ribsy the dog (Henry and Ramona) and Dotty (Come Back, Amelia Bedelia), all at The Playhouse. Kerstie is a sixth grader at Holy Trinity Catholic School, Des Moines, who plays piano and saxophone, and likes hanging out with friends.
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Vicente Vasquez (Klang) is a sophomore at Lincoln High School, Des Moines, where he is active in Varsity Show Choir and Drama Club. His Playhouse credits include Hello, Dolly!, The Wizard of Oz and Seussical the Musical. Vicente is a talented visual artist as well.
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Kathy Pingel (Director) has an MA in performance studies and MAT from North-western University, IL. She taught at Southern Illinois University and New Trier (IL) High School before taking an extended sabbatical to raise Caitlin, Carin and Chris. Kathy has directed several Playhouse productions including Annie, Seussical the Musical and Biloxi Blues. She spent 2003-04 as education outreach coordinator at Orlando (FL) Repertory Theatre and, since returning to Iowa in 2004, joined The Playhouse staff as youth programming coordinator.
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Robin Heldt Spahr (Music Director) served as music director for Charlotte's Web and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, both at The Playhouse. She has numerous onstage Playhouse credits including The Secret Garden (Martha), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey) and Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (Mrs.). Robin is education registrar/administrative assistant at The Playhouse. She and husband Brett are expecting their first child at the close of Pippi Longstocking.
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Angela Lampe (Costume Designer) is in her 13th season at The Playhouse, where her costuming credits include Ragtime, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Honk!, Children of Eden, Chicago and Shear Madness. She has created costumes for Iowa Lottery commercials and Terrace Hill (period costumes for tour guides and Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack).
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Caitlin Powell (Scenic Designer) is currently a graduate student studying social psychology at the University of Kentucky, Lexington. As a self-proclaimed "Playhouse Brat," she has had the opportunity to act (Oliver!), stage manage (Annie), design (Pippi Longstocking) and play in the pit (The Secret Garden).
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Kevin Shelby (Scenic Designer) has designed countless sets for Des Moines area theatres over the years, and counts among his Playhouse favorites State Fair, Charlotte's Web and Sabrina Fair.
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Craig Kaufman (Lighting/Sound Designer) is technical director at the Temple Theatre in downtown Des Moines, where he designed lights and sound for the Temple/Playhouse productions of Forever Plaid and Shear Madness. His most recent Playhouse credits include Chicago and Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
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Curt Powell (Sound Designer) has composed original music for many Playhouse productions, including Harriet the Spy and The Hobbit, and served as musical director, conductor, keyboardist and sound designer. Curt currently lives in Chicago, IL.
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Alex Snodgrass (Stage Manager) says theatre is his life and passion. A Des Moines Roosevelt High School senior, he is planning on studying scenic and lighting design and stage management in college. At The Playhouse, Alex has served as shift captain for Seussical the Musical, master electrician for Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and on set crew for virtually every show last season, all of which earned Alex the Playhouse's 2004 Volunteer of the Year award.
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