The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht
Directed by Michael Costello

Based on an ancient Chinese story,  this play is an epic tale of sacrifice and justice.  When war begins, Grusha, a kitchen maid, risks her own life to save the life of a noble child.  Escaping the city, where the child would certainly be murdered, she takes the infant with her on a perilous journey.  Her story and the story of Azdak, a drunken, irreverent judge who rules with judicial anarchy, merge in a trial that will determine the child’s true mother by the test of the chalk circle. In this play, Brecht uses eccentric characters to reveal the depths of human emotions and to craft scenes of uproarious humor.

Cast and Production Team

                                                 Grusha                        Jullian Krametbauer

                                                 Singer/The Bandit         Steve Kelley

                                                 Azdak/Ensemble          Rob Novak

                                                 Simon/Ensemble          Micha Joseph Lyons

                                                 Natella/Ensemble         Jenny Joslin

                                                 Shauva/Ensemble         Michael Amendola

                                                 Fat Prince/Ensemble    John Cheuvront

                                                 Yussup/Ensemble        Jeff Dorman

                                                 Ensemble                    English Hinojosa

                                                 Ensemble                    Macey Mayfield

                                                 Ensemble                    Alejandro McDonald-Villarreal

                                                 Ensemble                    Ashlie Sustaita

                                                 Ensemble                    Catlin Uhlig

                                                 Ensemble                    Juliana Vera

                                                 Understudy                  Ashley Rountree

                                                 Understudy                  Jack DiBlasi

Musicians

                                                 Bandoneon                  Megan Clark

                                                 Charango                     Juan Martinez

                                                 Oboe                           Karen Zientek

Production

                                                 Stage Manager             Erin Dodd

                                                 Scene Design               Vanessa Velasquez

                                                 Costume Design           Sheila Hargett

                                                 Lighting Design             David Gibson

                                                 Sound Design               Robert Peterson

                                                 Musical Director            Gordon Jones

                                                 Voice & Dialect Coach   Melissa Grogan

                                                 Dramaturg                     John Iverson