Director’s Note
Grand Night is one of Elon Music Theatre’s most treasured traditions. It creates an energy so palpable that many of our current students have cited this memorable performance as the reason they selected Elon as prospective students. Part of the magic of Grand Night is the student-driven nature of this endeavor – students spend the winter and spring conceptualizing, directing, choreographing, arranging, and music directing classic and re-imagined works from the music theatre cannon.
In 2023, still just a few years out of lockdown, we continue to hold many dualities at once. We ground ourselves in tradition while moving towards change. We celebrate community while acknowledging the challenge and promise of the convergence of diverse viewpoints. We question and grow in our own practices of service, artistry, and leadership.
Grand Night is an evolving tradition to uphold, a learning experience for all involved, and a celebration of community and the creative talents of Elon Music Theatre. Thank you so much for joining us this evening and we hope you enjoy Grand Night!
Courtney Liu & Chris Rayis
Special Thanks
Brian Kremer, Jack Morrill, Kimberly Rippy, Michael Smith, Bill Webb
Song Credits
“Biggest Blame Fool” from Seussical
Music and Lyrics: Stephen Flaherty/Lynn Ahrens
Direction/Music Direction: Sujaya Sunkara
Choreography: Renell Taylor
“Gee Officer Krupke” from West Side Story
Music and Lyrics: Leonard Berstein/Stephen Sondheim
Direction/Choreography: Faythe Kelly
Music Direction: Kaylee Hayden
“Up the Ladder to the Roof” from Everyday Rapture
Music and Lyrics: Frank Wilson/Vincent DiMirco
Direction: Bryant Howard
Music Direction: Sitare Sadeghi
Choreography: Jaron Cole
“Wild Wild Party” from The Wild Party
Music and Lyrics: Andrew Lippa
Direction: Sammy Azua
Music Direction: Gabe Tobierre & Hashini Amarasinghe
Choreography: Gabriella Scarpace & Anya Jones
“I Got You” from Bring It On! The Musical
Music and Lyrics: Tom Kitt & Lin-Manuel Miranda/Amanda Green & Lin-Manuel Miranda
Direction/Chroeography: Renell Taylor
Music Direction: Zion Middleton
“School Song” from Matilda the Musical
Music and Lyrics: Tim Minchin
Direction: Sara LiBrandi and Elsa Keefe
Music Direction: Tristan Altobelli & Kyra Britt
Choreography: Zeth Dixon & Jaid Green
“Soft Place to Land” from Waitress
Music and Lyrics: Sara Bareilles
Direction: Kelly Belarmino
Music Direction: Sujaya Sunkara
“Closer Than Ever Medley” from Closer Than Ever
Music and Lyrics: David Shire/Richard Maltby Jr.
Direction: Mia McManamy
Music Direction: Charlie Castro, Summer Severin, & Collin Flanagan
Choreography: Gabriel Logan & Erik Houck
“Dreaming of You/I Could Fall in Love”
Originally Recorded By: Selena
Music and Lyrics: Franne Golde, Tom Snow, & Keith Thomas
Direction: Campy Rodriguez
Arrangement/Music Direction: Charlie Castro
Choreography/Staging: Derick Donato
“Anything Goes” from Anything Goes
Music and Lyrics: Cole Porter
Direction/Choreography: Renell Taylor
Music Direction: Gabe Tobierre
“Tango de Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge
Music and Lyrics: Ewan McGregor & Jose Feliciano & Jacek Koman
Direction: Sara LiBrandi
Arrangement/Music Direction: Mallorie Sievert
Choreography: Jaid Green & Collin Flanagan
“C’mon Everybody” from All Shook Up
Originally Recorded By: Elvis Presley
Music and Lyrics: Joy Byers
Direction/Choreography: Ella Huestis
Music Direction: Charlie Castro
“I Gotcha” from Fosse
Originally written for the television special Liza with a Z
Music and Lyrics: Joseph Arrington, Jr.
Direction/Choreography: Summer Severin
“Still Hurting” from The Last Five Years
Music and Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown
Direction: Giselle Watts
Arrangement/Music Direction: Kaylee Hayden
“Color Purple Reprise” from The Color Purple
Music and Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray
Direction: Zion Middleton & Giselle Amarisa Watts
Music Direction: Candace Rhodes
“I Will Turn to You”
Music by Dan Gibson Lyrics by Christopher Staskel
Grand Night Team
Faculty Co-Directors: Courtney Liu and Chris Rayis
Student Assistant Director: Zion Middleton
Piano: Tyson Hankins
Drums: Christina Lowder
Sound Board Operator: Chris Rayis
Light Board Operator: Courtney Liu
Seniors
Brooks Andrew |
Kelly Belarmino |
Jaron Cole |
Abby Harnum |
Kaylee Hayden |
Bryant Howard |
Faythe Kelly |
Hannah Kevitt |
Jacqueline Mate |
Nathan Meyer |
Zion Middleton |
Taylor Mitchell |
Candace Rhodes |
Jakov Schwartzberg |
Sujaya Sunkara |
Renell Taylor |
Giselle Watts |
Juniors
Tristan Altobelli |
Jacob Atkins |
Caroline Borio |
Kyra Britt |
Micah Day |
Zeth Dixon |
Camille Fundingsland |
Jaid Green |
Anne Sophie Hill |
Elsa Keefe |
Sara LiBrandi |
Charlie Pelletier |
Mallorie Sievert |
Sophomores
Aubee Billie |
Charlie Castro |
Derick Donato |
Collin Flanagan |
Erik Houck |
Ella Huestis |
Marina Jansen |
Gabriel Logan |
Mia McManamy |
Sitare Sadeghi |
Ellie Schwartz |
Summer Severin |
Emily Stober |
Tara Venkataraman |
First Years
Hashini Amarasinghe |
Sammy Azua |
Andrew France |
Maddie Hewgley |
Malia Horst |
Anya Jones |
Nate Krohmer |
Angelina Mancuso |
Helena Padial |
Campy Rodriguez |
Gabriella Scarpace |
Gabe Tobierre |
Company
Tyson Hankins
Courtney Liu
Chris Rayis
Faythe Kelly
Tristan Altobelli
Brooks Andrew
Jacob Atkins
Caroline Borio
Charlie Castro
Jaron Cole
Kyra Britt
Micah Day
Zeth Dixon
Derick Donato
Collin Flanagan
Camille Fundingsland
Abigayle Harnum
Jaid Green
Kaylee Hayden
Erik Houck
Anne-Sophie Hill
Bryant Howard
Marina Jansen
Hannah Kevitt
Elsa Oates Keefe
Ella Huestis
Sara LiBrandi
Jacqueline Mate
MK McDonald
Mia McManamy
Sayo Oni
Sitare Sadeghi
Ellie Schwartz
Charlie Pelletier
Summer Severin
Mallorie Sievert
Sujaya Sunkara
Emily Stober
Renell Taylor
Tara Venkataraman
Aubee Billie
Giselle Watts
Maddie Hewgley
Helena Padial
Hashini Amarasinghe
Campy Rodriguez
Angelina Mancusco
Anya Jones
Malia Horst
Gabriella Scarpace
Nate Krohmer
Sammy Azua
Gabriel Logan
Gabe Tobierre
Andrew France
Jakov Schwartzberg
Tyson Hankins
Courtney Liu
Chris Rayis
Faythe Kelly
Tristan Altobelli
Brooks Andrew
Jacob Atkins
Caroline Borio
Charlie Castro
Jaron Cole
Kyra Britt
Micah Day
Zeth Dixon
Derick Donato
Collin Flanagan
Camille Fundingsland
Abigayle Harnum
Jaid Green
Kaylee Hayden
Erik Houck
Anne-Sophie Hill
Bryant Howard
Marina Jansen
Hannah Kevitt
Elsa Oates Keefe
Ella Huestis
Ella Huestis is a junior Music Theatre major from Dallas, TX and is over the moon to be performing her dream role, Cassie, on the Elon stage alongside her dad Michael Huestis playing with the orchestra! Previous credits includes Mary Poppins (Ensemble) at the North Carolina Theatre, Deep Water Ballad (Darla Dawson), Head Over Heels (Dance Capt., Ens., Assoc. Choreographer). Ella also performs as a vocalist in Alex Heitlinger's Jazz Combo here on campus. Massive thanks to the incomparable Jane Lanier, Courtney Liu, and Chris Rayis for giving us this incredible gift and to my dad for introducing me to this show all those years ago, it is my dream come true to do it by your side!