Harper Joy Theatre
2020 Drama banquet
FACULTY & STAFF
APPRECIATION
dedicated to the professors, mentors, bosses, and friends who made an impact.
Written by The class of 2020
Annaliese Baker
Annaliese, your mentorship over these last two years has significantly influenced how I engage with theatre as a designer and costume technician. You’ve helped me rediscover my creativity, curiosity, and confidence, and created opportunities I wouldn’t have otherwise had at Whitman. You invest so very much in your students. Thank you for always keeping an open door and a warm kettle for tea, and for understanding that sometimes, you just need to lower the blinds, break out the disco ball, and take a dance break.
-Haley King
Annaliese, thank you for teaching me so many interesting and valuable skills I never thought I would study in college, like costume design and construction. Your assignments always stimulated my creativity and I'm so grateful for all I've learned from you and the fun times getting fit into costumes with you :)
-Rose Heising
When I wallowed in self-doubt on that gloomy stage for the first time you bestowed upon me an opportunity to present myself in the best light. When the piercing gaze of the audience hit the corner of my eyes you shepherded me across that slanted landscape to where I needed to be. When I waded through that treacherous swamp of self-discovery, groggily searching for that character, you reassured me I'd find him and, in a way, I have. I'm not coming across clearly am I. Oh dear, oh man. I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you. Thank you for everything.
-Andrew Yeon
Barb DeLauter
Barb, thank you so much for your mentorship over the past two years. I really appreciate how you go above and beyond to give us important job skills and training, and create such a fun work environment. You create such a warm atmosphere from when you first enter the building. I’ve loved our chats during slow hours in the box office, and the treats you stashed around the office helped me power through my days. You are damn good at your job and a wonderful, caring person to boot <3 Thanks for everything.
-Rose Heising
The theater department was gifted with such a wonderful addition last year—it was you!! I cannot begin to thank you enough for your professional mentorship throughout the last two years. I feel like I’ve grown so much and your guidance was so helpful. Thanks for always listening and for the support. I can promise you this won’t be the last you hear from me! Please take care and only best.
-Ashlyn Quintus
I almost don’t remember what the box office was like before you came. I have had the honor of working closely with you and have greatly benefitted from your mentorship. I have gained skills that I know will go a long way in my career after Whitman but most importantly I have grown as an individual and am more confident in what I have to offer to the world. Thank you for nurturing me and for being more than a boss- a friend. I will miss you terribly.
-Buyaki Nyatichi
Barb, you are the crown jewel of Harper Joy and the force that keeps our world turning. Thank you for absolutely everything!
-Haley King
Chris Petit
Chris, I will always treasure the time I got to work with you on Mr. Kolpert and King Lear. I so admire the intentionality that you put into your craft and relationships. Thank you for pushing me out of my comfort zone because you knew I could do better, but always doing so with kindness. It is truly the mark of a great teacher. Here’s to more dead bodies in trunks in years to come!
-Grant Gallaher
Chris, you were one of the first people I ever met at Whitman and I knew from the beginning that I wanted to study with you. You bring such a sense of precision and humor to everything you do. I’ll never forget how you hoisted Grant onto your shoulder and ran around the room with him during Kolpert rehearsal :) Your classes and the shows I’ve worked on with you have challenged me, given me a ton of tools and techniques to take with me, and been an absolute delight. Thank you for your compassion, your somehow infinite energy, and your commitment to craft. I’ve really learned a lot from you and it’s been a blast :)) Thank youuuuu
-Rose Heising
Chris! You’ve taught me so much during my time here, and I am so lucky to have had the opportunities you provided me along the way. From helping me sign up for classes on day one, to seeing through the whimsy and humor of the farces, and everything in between, thank you for your patience, kindness when it counted, and willingness to push me as a practitioner. I will miss hearing about the chickens and the goofy banter during breaks. Fart jokes will always be funny. Please take care! Till next time.
-Ashlyn Quintus
Chris, from the minute I auditioned for you for the first time as a high schooler to our last class together, I have been learning from your example and instruction. Thanks for teaching me to let go and find joy in my work while always asking for a standard that we could both be proud of. You helped me hone my work ethic as an actor and have an incredible time while I was doing it. Thanks for always checking in and helping me figure out how to own who I am onstage and off. I’ll always hold on tightly & let go lightly. It’s been the best ride.
-Ruby Daniel
Dan: I had just done sound design for the One
Acts and was planning on going abroad for the next spring semester, but you convinced me to stay so I could assistant design three shows and fully design one show in just one year. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to have that experience, as I learned a lot in that year. It has been a lot of fun taking a class with you this semester as well-I think the foley assignment we did in February was one of the most rewarding challenges I had that month. Thank you for that and everything else you do in the department from organizing KCACTF stuff to managing the season.
-Evan Marks
Thank you for everything! You create such a loving and caring environment in all of your classes. I really enjoy going through huge piles of your past designs as they are all fascinating. Also, thank you for always being honest and upfront with me. I've learned so much by admitting and facing my own mistakes. Thank you for always being ready and available to help me with my work! Best,
-Nick Xiang
Dan Schindler
Thank you for your dedication to this department! Taking Foundations of Design with you as a sophomore opened my eyes to the possibilities of so many different elements of theatrical production. Thank you for encouraging both myself and other students to submit work to KCACTF and lending your enthusiasm to us on that journey.
-Miranda LaFond
Eliza Van De Rostyne
Thanks for taking a hopeless, needle-fearing sophomore goof and turning me into someone who could stitch for hours while chatting with you about kids, cooking, books, tunes, or whatever crossed our minds. I miss you so much and I’m so grateful for the times I got to learn from you, laugh at my (fixable) sewing mistakes, and revel in the beautiful lighting of our costume shop windows. May your machine always pleasantly whir and your alterations snap into perfect harmony. I hope to never forget what you have taught me.
-Ruby Daniel
Eliza, you just rock. You’re one of the hardest workers and kindest souls I know. You go above and beyond, practically working magic sometimes to find creative solutions and finish last-minute alterations – you were my hero when it came to putting lights in the costumes for Red! Thank you for your patience and guidance over these last few years. I’m going to miss your smiles, stories, and songs – whenever I hear "Llama in my Living Room," I’ll think of you.
-Haley King
Emily! I just want to say thank you so much for your wit, your expertise, your professionalism, and the spirit of fun you brought to Harper Joy over the past two years. I heard great things about you from other students and faculty before choosing to work under your direction for my senior project. Suffice it to say that I could not be more grateful to have gotten that opportunity to learn from you. Your encouragement of students is inspiring, and you’re also so adept at cultivating enjoyable, inclusive classroom environments. Please keep us in the loop about your future theatrical endeavors—peace and joy to Yoshimi and ye!
-Miranda LaFond
You haven't seen the last of me... but considering this is my only chance to publicly call you out on being awesome in a drama banquet, here goes: I had such an amazing time working with you on Ripe Frenzy, watching Sir Yoshimi while you were job hunting, learning from you in discussions, and generally being in your presence. Your famous, straight-faced humor went completely over my head for a solid semester, but gone are the days of answering rhetorical questions in class! You have consistently proven to be someone we can all go to for constructive criticism and unfiltered opinions, and I will miss feeling like I'm in therapy while chatting with you from the chair in your office. You're a good egg. Come back soon.
-Jay Tyson
You know what you did. :)
-Piper Olsen
Emily, thanks for exposing me to work that has truly helped define how I want to spend my career. Thanks equally for the dry wit, the viewpointing tunes, and the plastic folding dance. This goes out to all the cats in the house. Can’t wait to see you in the next phase, wherever it is. Lots of love!!!
-Ruby Daniel
Emily K. Harrison
Emily, not many people can work their cat into conversation as often as you can, and I really hope to emulate that in my life. I love your sense of humor and you managed to brighten some dark days this year. Working with you has always felt like a collaboration, and I so appreciate the respect and empathy you treat all us tiny kittens with. I look up to you a lot and I will miss you a bunch!! PS you da real brighteyes.
-Rose Heising
(Opened up to Non-seniors)
Emily, you are a bright light! A ghost light, but not scary. HJT will be dimmer without your witty demeanor and fresh outlook on how theater oughta be. I wish we had a chance to work together even more and do look forward to a point where we cross paths again. Keep doing what you do--inspiring students and audience members alike, being funny as hell, among other things (only if you like). You're an inspiration to me! Only best.
-Ashlyn Quintus
Emily is an extremely cool person and honestly there are too many moments with her that make me smile a lot to remember, but one of my favorite memories with Emily would probably have to be from Ripe Frenzy when Jay, Alyx, Emily, and I were huddled in the booth trying to figure out why QLab kept lagging and everyone was pretty stressed, but she was still able to slide in a “your mom” joke that I think only I heard. Not gonna lie, I felt pretty honored to have heard that and I think about it a lot.
-Julia Etrusco
Kevin Walker
Kevin, thank you so much for all you’ve taught me over the past four years, and for giving me a chance to develop confidence and leadership skills working in the shop. I always had fun during focus days and strikes, and your confidence in me as when I acted as Master Electrician last year and as I learned how to program was invaluable. I wish you the best this summer and onward (even though I’m technically not leaving yet…oops).
-Riley Gavigan
Kevin, thank you for making sure every light, speaker, cable, and any other electric work runs well in HJT! Without you there would be nothing to see or hear. I've enjoyed working in the electronics department in my 3.5 semesters of work, and am thankful to learn so much about sound and lights in my time here. I am sad I won't be focusing lights or taping cables with you anymore!
-Evan Marks
Kevin, I am grateful to have picked up bits and pieces of your infinite electrics wisdom here and there. I once (circa 2018ish?) had a dream in which your facial hair kept changing every time you looked away. It was strange, but I’ve thought of that ever since. Thank you for being such a solid presence around HJT; throughout four up-and-down years of college, you have always been a constant.
-Grant Gallaher
Nate Tomsheck
Tomsheck, I am beyond thankful for all that I learned from you during my time in HJT! You and Kevin have cultivated a really special working environment that is always a pleasure to show up to. Thank you for letting me make many mistakes, crack a few bad jokes, drive stuff to the dump, and cut pianos up with the sawzall. Sorry for ruining more than a few drill bits. I know I will fondly carry these memories, skills, and so much more, into my next endeavors.
-Grant Gallaher
I just wanted to take a second to thank you for your support when I was figuring out how to stage manage my first couple years and well, on from there. I know sometimes I’m super stressed, but I’ve always felt like if I was having problems you would be there to listen, even if those problems were mostly in my head. I appreciate your honesty and straightforwardness, and I’m really going to miss your guidance when I leave. Also thanks for making sure that I still have to use a saw or build some stud walls now and again so I don’t get out of practice doing electrics all the time.
-Riley Gavigan
You were the first person that I met in the department, as I had you as my pre-acedemic advisor. I enjoyed it so much that I kept you as my major advisor. I always felt like I could come to those meetings and come out with a plan for the next semester. Without you, I wouldn't be comfortable operating any type of power tool. Thanks for being my advisor, teaching me in class, and letting me experience the scenic side of work!
-Evan Marks
Peter de Grasse
I first walked into the dance studio during one of the most vulnerable times of my life. It was hard for me to open up, especially in such an expressive form like dance. Peter instantly made me feel safe and showed me strength in my vulnerability. His willingness to share his insight and his own personal experiences really made me feel safe in the dance studio. He’s one of the most genuine people I know. Peter was always there for me in more ways than one. It was deeper than dance, and Peter really made the studio feel like a safe space whenever I was feeling unstable. Being known as the “Dance Dad” is an incredibly fitting nickname for someone who puts his heart and soul into everything he does and is invested in everyone that enters the studio.
-Sal Goldblatt
Peter, working with you has been one of the most exciting and challenging aspects of my college experience. Thank you for investing your time and incredible care into each of your students. I have learned so much about what it means to create a meaningful and honest performance. You are a real inspiration to me and so many others, thank you again for sharing your passion with us!
-Sophia Strabo
Renee Archibald
While I never took any classes with you, Renee, every time I saw you around HJT you made me feel welcome. You’re such a kind person. Over the last couple of years, when my name and pronouns were changing, you went out of your way to check with me. I always felt like you really cared, even though we never actually worked together, and I will always be so grateful for that.
-Riley Gavigan
Renee, I deeply wish I could have been more involved with dance at Whitman. Your presence brings a light and a joyful air to the theatre - thank you for sharing your engaging work and caring spirit with us!
-Haley King
Additional thanks to NANCY SIMON
for bringing humor in the early mornings, continuing to introduce students to the art of acting, lifting the spirits by forwarding updates from the theatre world during these crazy times, and generally being a Harper Joy legend. We loved having you around more often in the fall and hugely appreciate the support you show for the theatre each and every chance you get.