MARIAN, OR THE TRUE TALE OF ROBIN HOOD

APR 28 - May 13, 2023

WRITTEN by Adam Szymkowicz
DIRECTED by Epic Jones

Robin Hood is really Maid Marian in disguise! A hilarious take on the classic adventure romance!

Robin Hood is (and has always been) Maid Marian in disguise, and leads a motley group of Merry Men (few of whom are actually men) against the greedy Prince John. As the poor get poorer and the rich get richer, who will stand for the vulnerable if not Robin?

Modern concerns and romantic entanglements clash on the battlefield and on the ramparts of Nottingham Castle in this play about selfishness, selflessness, love deferred and the fight— always the fight. The fight must go on!

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Adam Szymkowicz

ADAM SZYMKOWICZ’s plays include Deflowering Waldo, Pretty Theft, Food For Fish, Hearts Like Fists, Incendiary, Clown Bar, The Why Overhead, Adventures of Super Margaret, 7 Ways To Say I Love You, Rare Birds, Marian Or The True Tale of Robin Hood, Kodachrome, Mercy, The Book Store, Old Fashioned Cold Fusion, The Parking Lot, The Night Children, Clown Bar 2, The Wooden Heart, Stockholm Syndrome, 100 Things I Never Said To You, 100 Love Letters I Never Sent and Nerve. 

He was the premiere Resident Playwright at The Chance Theater in Anaheim, CA and the first playwright to participate in Bloomington Playwrights Projects’ Square One Series.  He has been to The Orchard Project, Green Gulch, and to JAW at Portland Center Stage, served twice as Playwright in Residence at the William Inge Center, and twice as a Dramatists Guild Fund’s Traveling Masters.  Szymkowicz received two grants from the CT Commission on Culture & Tourism, and has been commissioned by South Coast Rep, Rising Phoenix Rep, Texas State University, The NOLA Project, Single Carrot Theater, Majestic Rep, The Chance Theater and Flux Theater Ensemble.

Adam received a Playwright’s Diploma from The Juilliard School's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program and an MFA from Columbia University where he was the Dean’s Fellow. Szymkowicz is a two-time Lecomte du Nouy Prize winner, a member of the Dramatists Guild, Writer’s Guild of America, and was a member of Primary Stages’ Dorothy Strelsin New American Writer’s Group, the MCC Playwright’s Coalition and of the very first Ars Nova Play Group.

He has interviewed over 1000 playwrights on his blog.

SHOW TIMES

FRI Apr 28 - 8pm - FREE FRIDAY
SAT Apr 29 - 8pm - Medieval Costume Night
SUN Apr 30 - 4pm - Q&A Talk Back

THU May 4 - 7pm - Q&A Talk Back
FRI May 5 - 8pm
SAT May 6 - 8pm
SUN May 7 - 4pm - Preshow Talk

THU May 11 - 7pm - Q&A Talk Back
FRI May 12 - 8pm
SAT May 13- 8pm

Running Time: 90 Minutes

SPECIAL EVENTS

ROBIN HOOD NIGHT
Apr 29

Come dressed in your favorite Robin Hood or Medieval costume and get a free drink from the bar! Best costume wins a $50 gift card to Maze Books.

Q&A TALK BACKS
Apr 30, May 4 + 11
Free with ticket

Stay after the show for a Q&A Talk Back with the cast and crew of Marian. This is your chance to learn more about the show and get to know the actors.

PRESHOW TALK
May 7 at 3:15pm
Free with ticket

Grab a drink from the bar and join us before the show for a back stage tour and informal discussion about bringing Marian to life! Director Epic Jones and Costume Designer Sarah Renicker will be on hand to answer questions about the theater, the play and their creative process.

FREE FRIDAY

WSSR believes everyone should have access to high quality performing arts, so on Friday, April 28th we are opening our doors to share MARIAN with the people of our community— free of charge.

Free Friday tickets become available WED Apr 28th at 8am. Limit 2 per order

SUPPORT OUR ACTORS!

Even though Free Friday tickets are free, that doesn’t mean the show is free for us to produce. The cost to bring MARIAN to life for you is $7500.

A large part of that goes to the actors, some of whom work for 150 hours+. Each actor receives a $300 stipend to help them cover expenses associated with participation in theater, including transportation and child care.

If you are able to Add A Donation at checkout, you will support our actors and help us make theater accessible to everyone on the West Side of Rockford!

For more information on why we are so passionate about accessibility please visit Free Tickets.

CONTENT INFO

Marian is a romantic adventure comedy and contains adult humor and sexual innuendo. For specific information about the content, please contact us.

COVID SAFETY

AUDIENCE MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO WEAR MASKS

Masks are not required in our space. If you aren’t feeling well or are experiencing symptoms, please stay home.

Any questions? contact@wssr.org

CAST

ELISE CAMPBELL | Marian, Robin Hood

she/her

Elise is excited to perform in her third show in Rockford! Elise has been seen at WSSR as Rochfort in Red Noses, Captain Scott and Hawking Clam in Peter And The Starcatcher. Elise earned a BA in Theatre Arts from Augustana College in 2020. Some of her favorite roles include Tilly (She Kills Monsters), Albert (Newsies), and Young Townsperson (Elephant’s Graveyard). Elise is especially grateful to her partner Naomi for always supporting her.

ZANDER EISELE | Guard

he/him

Zander was last seen at WSSR as Bembo in Red Noses.

EDUARDO GALAVIZ | Prince John

he/him

Eduardo is an actor and aspiring playwright who graduated from Marshall University in West Virginia with a BFA in Theatre with a concentration on acting. He is a Rockford native has been seen at the WSSR as Father Flote in Red Noses, Mrs. Bumbrake/Teacher in Peter and the Starcatcher, and as A Nasty Interesting Man in Eurydice. His credits include Grumio in Taming of the Shrew, Big Jule in Guys and Dolls, Howard in Picnic, and The Preacher in Elephants Graveyard. Eduardo is excited to be a part of this show filled with overwhelming frenetic energy and a lovable cast of talented performers with whom he has the honor of sharing the stage!

SIERRA GODDARD | Guard

she/her

Sierra made her WSSR debut in 2019 as John Wesley Powell in Men On Boats. She has also appeared as Marguerite in Red Noses, Nadya in We Are Pussy Riot, Lord Leonard Aster in Peter and the Starcatcher, and Loud Stone in Eurydice. Sierra has performed in productions at Winneshiek Playhouse, Pec Playhouse, and [usual] Suspects.

ADAM HAGEDORN | Sir Lenny The Observant, Lucy

he/him

Adam Hagedorn is excited to be part of his third show with the West Side Show Room! He was recently seen onstage at WSSR as Father Toulon in Red Noses and as Pyotr in We Are Pussy Riot. He hopes everyone enjoys the show!

CHRISTOPHER HARRIS | Little John

they/them

Marian is Chris' first show with WSSR and they are so excited to be working in such an open, inclusive and supportive space where they are loved, accepted and seen by everyone around them for the person that they truly are! Chris has acted previously at Starlight Theatre in The Rocky Horror Show and at Pec Playhouse in Love, sex, and the I.R.S, and feels fortunate to be in Marian with their boyfriend Kai who they met doing community theater! Chris would like to thank their wonderful and amazing castmates for being so supportive and welcoming them with open arms, as well Epic for giving them the opportunity to be on stage once again! Chris really really hopes you enjoy the show and that the messages and themes resonate in some way with you all!

KAI KORN | Sir Theo The Punctual, Tanner

he/him

This is Kai’s first production at the WSSR and he’s very grateful to be here. Kai was previously seen in The Rocky Horror Show at Starlight Theatre and Love, sex, and the I.R.S at Pec Playhouse. Kai would like to thank his partner Chris for all the support and convincing him to come out and audition. Enjoy the show!

MEREDITH LAUBERT | Sheriff Of Nottingham, Friar Tuck

she/her

Meredith is thrilled to take part in her 6th show at The WSSR! She loves being able to act, stage manage, and more with this amazing team. Meredith is a newcomer to Rockford, but theater as always been part of her life. Originally from New Jersey, she and her wife moved to Rockford from Oregon. Meredith wants to thank this great team and the support from her wife and two dogs!

KEVIN POOLE | Tommy Of No Consequence, Guard

he/him

First observed in 1846, the planet Neptune, a giant ball of various gases that orbits the sun, is so far incapable of sustaining human life. Or at least it was. Had Nepatune been in observation a mere six and a half minutes prior, a very concerned German astronomer would have noticed a human-sized object being launched out of Neptune’s atmosphere and heading straight towards Earth. On the 11th of June 1996, this human-sized object landed in a small town in Northern Illinois where it preceded to take the identity of the first child it met, sending that same child back into space. Oblivious to the fate of the child, who now having grown up runs a successful accounting firm near Alpha Centauri, the former human-sized object spends most of its time involved in community theatre.

Kevin has appeared at WSSR as Brodin in Red Noses, Putin in We Are Pussy Riot, and Smee in Peter And The Starcatcher.

KY RANKIN | Lady Shirley

she/her

Ky has been performing in theater in Chicago and Rockford for decades. Marian is Ky's fourth show at WSSR, having previously appeared as Scarron in Red Noses, Katya in We Are Pussy Riot, Alf in Peter and the Starcatcher and as Dunn in Men on Boats. Ky has her BFA in Classical Theater from Columbia College Chicago and is a Veteran of the US Air Force. She absolutely loves being on stage and loves being part of the WSSR family. With her husband John, Ky recently opened J & K’s Lounge in downtown Rockford.

MAURA RENICKER | Will Scarlett

she/her

Maura was born and raised in Rockford. She's a graduate of Rockford Lutheran high School. Maura has recently been seen at WSSR as Frapper in Red Noses, Prosecutor/Patriarch in We Are Pussy Riot, and as Ted in Peter and the Starcatcher.

AXANDRA SMALLEY | Much The Miller’s Son

they/them

Axandra is excited to be performing in the show that first made them aware of the WSSR. Axandra instantly fell in love with Marian when auditions were announced right before COVID and is excited to finally get the chance to perform in it. Axandra was last seen at WSSR as Max in Hir, and as Peter in Peter And The Starcatcher.

ANA WEICKERT | Alanna Dale

she/her

Ana graduated from Rockford University with a double major in Acting/Directing and Dance and currently teaches acting at Auburn CAPA. She was last seen at the WSSR as Nutlog the Elf in The Elf-O-Matic Vending Machine.

PRODUCTION STAFF

DIRECTOR
Epic Jones

COSTUME DESIGNER
Sarah Renicker

LIGHT + SOUND DESIGNER
Epic Jones

FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER
Ky Rankin

INTIMACY COORDINATOR
Erica Terry

CARPENTERY
Matthew Rip

STAGE MANAGER
Lenae Weichel

ASST STAGE MANAGERS
Sierra Goddard
Zander Eisele

PROPS
Holli Connell

LIGHTING TECHNICIAN
Silas Morales

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Sydney Jason

WEST SIDE SHOW ROOM

ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Lenae Weichel

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Epic Jones

WSSR BOARD
Beth Edgerton
Epic Jones
Marilyn Lamar
Lenae Weichel

SPECIAL THANKS

Christopher Brady