RUMORS VIRTUAL PLAYBILL

Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Department of Theatre and Dance Presents

Rumors Poster

Rumors

By: Neil Simon

FAU Department of Theatre and Dance
June 13th - 28th, 2025
Marleen Forkas Studio One Theatre
FAU Boca Raton

*This production contains the sound of gunfire. Audience discretion is advised.*

Rumors is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Any video and/or recording of this production is strictly prohibited

Artistic Team

Title	Name
Director	Lee Soroko
Scenic Designer	Natalia Burmeister+
Costume Designer	Dawn C. Shamburger
Lighting Designer	Thomas M. Shorrock
Sound Designer	Joel Rodriguez
Hair and Makeup Designer	Dawn C. Shamburger
Production Stage Manager	Brandy DeMil
Technical Director	Rebecca Lucatero
Asst. Technical Directors	Harmon Casey+, Jason Goetz-Stern+
Stage Manager	Gianella Yanez
Asst. Stage Manager	Christian Ramos
Fight Captain	R. Owen Alonso

Director's Note

Neil Simon’s successes as a master humorist and gifted comic writer had been well-established since the 1950s with his four Emmy nominations for his work in Television, most notedly in the Show of Shows and the Caesar Hour. However, he left TV behind and throughout the 1960’s and 70’s wrote one Broadway hit after another starting with Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple (Tony), Sweet Charity, and The Star-Spangled Gir l to name just a few of his many crowd-pleasing plays. At one point in his career, Simon had FOUR plays running simultaneously on Broadway, and given his sustained productivity earned a special Tony Award for his contribution to Broadway in 1978. Over the course of his writing career, he has earned a total of 14 Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize for Lost in Yonkers and the coveted Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2006. In 1983, the Alvin Theatre changed its name to the Neil Simon Theatre, making him the only living playwright to have had a Broadway theatre named in his honor.

Rumors, opened on Broadway in 1988 and ran for two years before it closed at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, on February 24, 1990. Of note with the play itself, Christine Baranski earned her second Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Chris in the original production. The play is more farce than comedy and a working definition of the two might be farce is about people while comedy is about life. In either event, it is broad, slap sticky and a peek into the past lives of the extremely affluent and influential in 1988. Clive Barnes, of the New York Post called the play “as significant as a cream puff and just about as nourishing. But it is beautifully baked and cunningly filled” and that is what I wish to share with you.

I find Rumors a delicious diversion in these “interesting times”. Yes, I do know that that is a Chinese apocrypha. The play is full of laughter, and I feel that laughter allows the human spirit to not only cope with difficulty but to thrive. It is my offer that we as a community take this time to come together and share our humanity in the dark theatre for a couple of hours and laugh. Through the shared catharsis perhaps we will learn to continue to accept each other, the world and strive for better.

Lee Soroko

Meet The Cast

rumors-cast

Cast Bios

Casey Venema+ (Chris Gorman) is a graduate student in the MFA-Performance program. She hails from Cleveland, Ohio, where she worked as a freelance actor, director, and intimacy director after graduating with a Theatre/Film and Media Studies degree from Bucknell University. FAU credits: 1776 (Abigail Adams), Radium Girls (Mrs. Roeder/Madame Curie). Other acting credits: Anything Goes (Reno Sweeney); Sweeney Todd (Pirelli); Jesus Christ Superstar (Pilate); Twelfth Night (Sebastian); White Christmas (Betty Haynes). Follow Casey on Instagram @caseyvenem8!

Jakari Dozié+ (Ken Gorman) is a first-year MFA candidate from Miami, Florida. In the spring of 2024, he graduated from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance. During his time at FAMU, he starred in several notable productions, including Calming The Man, Sweet Mama Stringbean, The Waiting Room, Romeo & Juliet: A Miami Love Story, Two Trains Running, and Pipeline.

Paige Rogers+ (Claire Ganz) holds a B.A. in Arts Administration & Theatre and trained at The Actors Conservatory. FAU credits: Ben Franklin in 1776, Kathryn/Others in Radium Girls. Previous Credits: Crimes of the Heart (Lenny), Me...Jane (Maisie), The Journal of Ben Uchida (Miss Kroll), Girl in the Red Corner (Brinn/MMA Fighter).

Jonathan Leslie Palmer+ (Lenny Ganz) is an MFA Acting student with a BA in Drama from Morehouse College. Recent stage credits include Radium Girls (Raymond) and 1776 (Josiah Bartlett) at Florida Atlantic University. He is grateful for the love and support of his parents and dedicates this performance to them—and to his beloved dog, Shabooski.

Robert Koutras+* (Ernie Cusack) FAU- 1776 (John Adams) & Radium Girls (Roeder). Off-Broadway- Sessions, Tours- Full Monty, Grease. Regional- Daniel’s Husband (Daniel) POW. Cabaret (Ludwig) & Next To Normal (Madden) (Carbonell nom.) Zoetic, Bonnie & Clyde (Clyde), & Camelot (King Arthur) TheatreZone. Love! Valour! Compassion! (Gregory) Island City Stage. Head Over Heels (Basilius) Slow Burn. Parade (Leo Frank) (Carbonell nom.) Broward Stage Door.

Karen Cohen+ (Cookie Cusack) is excited to be taking part in her third FAU production. Previous FAU credits: Radium Girls and 1776. Regional credits: Memphis, 42nd Street, and The Full Monty (LPAC); Sister Act (MNM); Cabaret (PPTOPA). Outside of the theater, Karen enjoys traveling with her husband and three children.

Carson Carter + (Glenn Cooper) is a graduate theater performance student. He was recently seen here at FAU in The Frankenstein Project (Pete Harrison), 1776 (John Dickinson), and Radium Girls (Lee). He looks forward to sharing the work that he and his colleagues have done this summer. Enjoy the show!

Sadie Corley+ (Cassie Cooper) is going into her second year of the MFA program at FAU. Recent FAU productions include Frankenstein Project (Ann Lattimore), 1776 (Martha Jefferson), and Radium Girls (Grace Fryer). She recently graduated from Wagner College with her BA in Theater Performance. You can find her on Instagram @sadiecorley

Gustavo Garcia+ (Officer Welch) New York-born and Florida-raised, Gustavo is proud to return to and pursue his MFA here at FAU. He has been performing for the last 10 years, and worn every hat in the theatre.
Keep watching live theatre.
Credits: Violet, Radium Girls, 1776, The Frankenstein Project (FAU); Promises Promises, Sunshine Boys (WBTC); Christmas Carol (NCP); Fool For Love (TNT Co.)

Hannabelle Horace (Officer Pudney) is a rising junior BFA in Performance. She is ecstatic to be a part of her first show at FAU. As an aspiring artist, she would like to thank all of the people who have supported her journey in music and theatre. Previous Credits: Lady of the Lake in Spamalot Jr, Chorn in Firebringer, and Queen Aggravain in Once Upon A Mattress.

Marissa Spurr (Female U/S) is an upcoming Junior getting her BFA in Musical Theatre. She is very excited to be challenged by the role of the female understudy for this production. She was also seen in The Frankenstein Project (Mary Shelley), as well as Firebringer (Jemilla). She hopes you enjoy the show!

R. Owen Alonso (Male U/S) is a Senior at FAU, double-majoring in Theater Studies and Film, Video & New Media. He performed in FAU’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, One Man, Two Guvnors, Peter and the Starcatcher, Xanadu, and Firebringer. He would like to thank his family and friends for their continuous love and support throughout his life.

The Production Team

Title	Name
Costume Shop Manager	Tim Bowman
Scene Shop Manager	Matt McCord
Lighting/Sound Technician	Vontrel Joseph
Asst. to the Costume Designer	Lin Assunção
Light Board Operator	Sophia Kleinman
Sound Board Operator	Raymond E. Adderly III
Scenic Artist	Natalia Burmeister+
Scenic Painter	Alexys Fenning
Carpenters	Jesa Hutson, Aisha Ewald, Nick Russo, Carson Carter+, Harmon Casey+, Jakari Dozié+, Aurora Colamonici+, Jason Goetz-Stern+, Natalia Burmeister+, Jonathan Leslie Palmer+, Josh Wilde+
Crew	Carly Cuoco, ShaNasia Gerald, Gabe Ferdinand
Wardrobe Head	Devyn Llewellyn
First Hand	Micah Vitale
Costume Stitchers	Lin Assunção, Karen Cohen+, Sadie Corley+, Casey Venema+
Dressers	Mack Moore, Anna Fox, Ashley Garnar
Hair and Makeup Crew	Casline Saint-Hilaire
Props Head	Aubrey Kestell
Props Assistants	Gustavo Garcia+, Robert Koutras+*
Props Crew	Roselene Dufresne
Shop Assistant	Christian Ramos
Publicity	Paige Rogers+
Program Assistant	Elvira Figueras
Office Assistant	Emprisse Walker
Photography	Morgan Sophia Photography

Front Of House

Title	Name
Theatre Customer Service Manager	Darius Rivera
Box Office Coordinator	Arianna Aquino
Box Office Attendants	Paige Tibbetts, Melyssa Mitchell, Julianna Pontoriero, Ariadna Encarnacion
Ushers	Lukah Meirellies, Sky Thomas , Elizabeth Shelby Davis, Mikaylah O'Brien, Cate Gonzalez, Damian Richter, Cesar Rodriguez, Monique Abrams

Meet the Crew

rumors-crew

Crew Bios

Gianella Yanez (Stage Manager) is a Senior BA in Theatre with a minor in Dance and Acting for the Camera. This is her last semester!. She is very grateful for the opportunities she has been given in the school and all the wonderful and talented people she has meet over the years. She thanks her family for always believing in her and supporting her dreams!

Christian Ramos (Assistant Stage Manager) is a Rising Sophomore BFA Design and Technology major and is thrilled to be a part of his second main-stage production at FAU. He has previously worked on 1776: The Musical (Prop Crew). Outside of the department, he has worked on The Last Queen of San Domino Stage Reading (Stage Manager) at the FAU Theatre Lab, and Ride the Cyclone (Assistant Stage Manager) for The Collective Student Organization. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Jason Goetz-Stern (Asst.TD, Carpenter) (he/him) is a second-year MFA candidate in Design and Technology concentrating in Technical Direction. He has been Technical Director for FAU's production of Twelfth Night and Radium Girls. He graduated from FAU in History. He recently accepted a job at Illinois Wesleyan University for after these summer productions! www.jasonwgs.com

Josh Wilde (Carpenter) is from Buffalo, NY and graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College in 2019. Select theater credits include Beauty and the Beast (Lefou), for which he won an Artie for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical," The Importance of Being Earnest (Jack), Angels in America (Louis), and Ragtime (Henry Ford/Ensemble). Josh recently served as Secretary for the "Association of Regional Theatre Artists of Western New York" (ARTA).

Roselene Dufresne (Props Crew) is a freshman BA Theatre major from Lauderhill and is thrilled to be a part of another production at FAU. She’s worked on crew for some shows before coming here, but her first production at FAU was The Frankenstein Project (Run Crew). She is excited for you to see the show and hopes you enjoy!

Micah Vitale (First Hand) is a BFA Theatrical Technology major with a focus in Costume at FAU. They has served as Wardrobe Head for The Frankenstein Project, Assistant Wardrobe Head for Radium Girls, and a Dresser for Peter and the Starcatcher. Micah is excited to continue growing her skills in costume construction and is thrilled to be a part of Rumors. She hopes you enjoy the show!!

Mikaylah O’Brien (Usher) is ecstatic to be the usher for this production of Rumors. She attends FAU and is pursuing her BFA in Musical Theater. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Elizabeth Shelby-Davis (Usher) is a senior BFA musical theater major and is so excited to usher this amazing show. Her previous credits include: Constance Blackwood (Ride the Cyclone), Firebringer (Kid 2/Molag Understudy). She hopes you always support live theatre and hopes you enjoy the show.

Ashley Garnar (Dresser) is excited to be a dresser for her 3rd production at FAU. She previously worked on Firebringer and The Frankenstein Project. She hopes you enjoy this incredible show!

Mack Moore (Dresser) is a rising junior at FAU in the musical theatre program, and is so excited to be teching this hilarious show! Mack's previous tech credits at FAU include Radium Girls and Dances We Dance. You may have also seen Mack recently in Firebringer and 1776. Enjoy the show!

Gabriel Ferdinand (Crew) is a senior in the Multimedia and Communication major and is focused on Film Production. He is minoring in both Theatre and TV acting. He was seen in Shoot Happens (Glen). He is excited to be part of the process of building these sets and the team that helped assemble them.

Nick Russo (Deck Supervisor) is a Junior BFA in Theatre Design and Technology. Last semester he was seen in FAU’s production of 1776 (Stephen Hopkins). He has previously worked for Universal Parks and Resorts on the creative team. After graduating, he plans to work in scenic automation aboard cruise ships, as well as teach theatre in the future.

Casline Saint Hilaire (Hair and Makeup Crew) is a senior BA in Theatre major. She is honored to crew Rumors. She was seen in Repertory Dance Theatre Ensemble and Dances We Dance. She hopes you are as excited as she is and hopes you enjoy the show.

Devyn Llewellyn (Wardrobe Head) from St. Augustine, is a senior BFA Performance major and is elated to be a part of her second production at FAU. Her last production was 1776 (wardrobe assistant), and you can catch her in the coming production for Freaky Friday (dresser). She's counting on a fun and exciting show and can't wait to see everyone there!

Lin Assunção ( Assistant to the Costume Designer ) is a Senior BFA in Theatre Design and Tech major from Deerfield Beach, excited to work in their sixth production at FAU! Credits including One Man, Two Guvnors, Xanadu as Dressers, and 1776 as Wardrobe Head. They hope you enjoy the show.

Raymond E. Adderly III (Sound Board Operator) is a junior at FAU who is recently a BFA in Musical Theatre student. He is very excited to be in this show. His recent credits include: 1776 (Andrew McNair) , Firebringer (Ducker), Ride the Cyclone (Ricky Potts). He would like to thank his friends and family for their unwavering support.

Anna Fox (Dresser) is a rising senior BFA in Musical Theatre. She is very excited to be working on this amazing production.

Sky Thomas (Usher) is going into their junior year in the Theatre BA program. Sky is excited to usher for another show that they helped build and make come to life. They hope you enjoy the show!

Alexys Fenning (Scenic Painter) is a junior in BFA in Theatre Design and Technology with a minor in Film. She is focusing on scenic design and costume design. Currently, she is a painter for the shows and also works on constructing the costumes. She is proud to be working on her designs for future FAU productions.

Cesar Rodríguez Blandon (Crew) is a junior BA Theater major from Lake Worth, FL. While new to theater productions, Cesar has acted in commercials and is excited to contribute behind the scenes for his first show at FAU. He hopes you enjoy the show!

+Denotes MFA Graduate Student
*Appears with permission of Actors' Equity Association