by Eugène Ionesco
dir. Katherine Johnson, asst. Elliott Puckette
prod. Michael Rebekah Fleischman – Strollers Theatre Ltd. 2017

Photography by J. Miner Photography

A rhinoceros rampages through a small town, shattering the peace. As the dwindling humans are besieged by the growing tide of beasts, one man struggles with his place in this new reality as his fellows transform, infected by a burgeoning ideology. Savagery is simpler than empathy; in this new world forsaking humanity is noble.

CAST

Berenger – Stacey Garbarski
Jean – Nick Kaprelian
Daisy – Stephanie Drahozal
Dudard – Zachary Shea
Botard/Grocer – Matthew Korda
The Logician – Steven E. Smith
Old Gentleman – Carl Cawthorne
Mrs. Boeuf – Lauren Rusch
Mr. Papillon – Rosy Bayuk
Housewife – Sunny Schomaker
Proprietor/Little Old Woman – Ashley Gordon
Little Old Man/Waitress/Fireman – Arwen Sadler
Grocer’s Wife – Robyn Norton

PRODUCTION TEAM

Stage Manager – Isabella Anastasia Leigh
Choreographer – Loryn Jonelis
Dramaturg – Michael Y. Bennett
Scenic – Coleman
Props – Michelle Dayton
Sound and Composer – Claire Kannapell
Lighting – Tom Littrell
Rhinoceros Heads – Abigail Graf and PaperPetShop

View program here

Isthmus Review by Gwendolyn Rice

​”As the story grows steadily more bizarre, the audience clings to the clear-eyed Berenger, portrayed by Stacey Garbarski in a knock-out performance.”

“Director Katherine Johnson and her team solve the issue of how to portray herds of rhinos with spot-on sound effects by Claire Kannapell and a dozen oversized origami-style animal heads. The masks are more than enough to evince the menacing creatures, frightening in both their numbers and their anonymous uniformity.”

“The clever set, created by Coleman, gives actors several playing areas and helps keep static scenes interesting. It is especially effective in the final moments, when the rhinos line up on the raised, curved platform, leaving Berenger alone in the “pit” below, as if she were a caged animal in a zoo.”

Rhinoceros Trailer

2018 Bartell Theatre Awards

Best Actress in a Comedy – Stacey Garbarski (Berenger)
Best Actor in a Comedy – Nick Kaprelian (Jean)
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy – Matthew Korda (Botard/Grocer)
Best Sound Design – Claire Kannapell
Excellence in Stage Management – Isabella Anastasia Leigh

The MadStage Podcast

Katherine (director), Elliott (assistant director) and Stephanie (Daisy) chat with Suzan and Buzz about Rhinoceros.