Performances History

Cast of Head Over Heels
Head Over Heels, 2022

2023-24

The Originals!

Written by Mason students

9 to 5 The Musical 

Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton

Directed by Rex Daugherty 



fallen

Text, Lyrics, and Direction by Theresa Marie Ohanian

Music by Brett Womack



Staged Reading: La Belle Indifference 

A Play by April E. Brassard

Directed by Nathan Tilley 



Mason Cabaret – Over the Rainbow: The Music of Judy, Ella, and Barbra

Co-directed by Erin Gardiner and James Gardiner



Twelve Ophelias

Directed by Brett Womack

Antigone, Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine’s

Directed by Deb Sivigny

Thrive, or What You Will (an epic)

Directed by Erin Birchfield



1,001 Plays

Co-directed by Nicholas Kfoury Horner & Kristin Johnsen-Neshati 



A Concert Presentation of: Once Upon a Mattress

​​​​​​​Directed by Erin Gardiner

Musical Direction by Joe Walsh

2022-23

The Mason Players Originals!

Written by Mason students

Head Over Heels

Directed by Erin Gardiner

Musical Direction by Joe Walsh 

Sutta

Directed by Djola Branner

Mason Cabaret 2023

Co-directed by Erin Gardiner and James Gardiner



The Night Knights 

Directed by Mimsi Janis  

1,001 Plays

Co-directed by Nicholas Kfoury Horner & Kristin Johnsen-Neshati 

The Hunchback of Seville

Directed by Carlos Murillo 

The Road to the End

By Bella Panciocco 

Directed by Megan Lederman

MTE presentation: You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown

Directed by Erin Gardiner 

Musical Direction by Joe Walsh 

2021-22

The Mason Players Originals!

Written by Mason students

A concert presentation of Footloose

Stage Adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie

Directed by Erin Gardiner | Musical Direction by Joe Walsh

Love's Labors: Quarrels and Cravings

Conceived and Directed by Nicholas M. Kfoury Horner

Mason Cabaret

Conceived and Directed by Erin Gardiner and James Gardiner

Musical Direction by Joe Walsh

1,001 Plays

Directed by Kristin Johnsen-Neshati and Nicholas M. Kfoury Horner

Eurydice

By Sarah Ruhl

Directed by Martin Bernier

Everybody

By Brandon Jacobs Jenkins

Directed by Kristin Johnsen-Neshati

Just Like Us

By Karen Zacarias

Directed by Esteban Marmojelo-Suarez

A concert presentation of The Boy Detective Fails

Directed by Erin Gardiner 

Musical Direction by Joe Walsh

2020-21

Mason Players Staged Reading of Hookman

By Lauren Yee

Directed by Julia Rudgers

Gaining Ground: A Celebration of Diverse Voices in Musical Theater

Directed by Erin Gardiner and James Gardiner

Musical Direction by Joseph Walsh

The Mason Players Originals!

Written by Mason students

Mason Players Staged Reading of Alabaster

By Audrey Cefaly

Directed by Rachel Sharp

Mason Cabaret : Sing Happy! The Music of Kander and Ebb

Directed by Erin Gardiner and James Gardiner

Musical accompaniment by Joe Walsh

Mason Fringe Chimichangas and Zoloft

By Fernanda Coppel

Directed by Esteban Marmolejo-Saurez

Come My Beloved

By Emma Weinstein

Directed by Jacob Horowitz

Men on Boats

By Jaclyn Backhaus

Directed by Mimsi Janis

Romeo and Juliet

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Nicholas M. Kfoury Horner

1,001 Plays

Directed by Kristin Johnsen-Neshati and Nicholas M. Kfoury Horner

A Concert Presentation of Runaways

By Elizabeth Swados

Directed by Erin Gardiner and James Gardiner

Musical Direction by Joe Walsh

2019-2020

Rags

By Stephen Schwartz, Charles Strouse

Directed by Rick Davis | Musical Direction by Joe Walsh

Twelfth Night

By William Shakespeare | Directed by Kayla Schultz

The Women of Lockerbie

By Deborah Brevoort | Directed by Em German

Men on Boats

By Jaclyn Backhaus | Directed by Mimsi Janis

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

By Stephen Adly Guirgis | Directed by Tyler Shores

Servant of Two Masters

Directed and Adapted by David Gaines

Celebrating the Great American Songbook! The Mason Cabaret in Concert

Directed by Conceived and Directed by | Accompaniment by Joe Walsh

A Concert Presentation of Spring Awakening

Book and Lyrics by Steven Sater | Music by Duncan Sheik

Directed by James Gardiner and Erin Gardiner | Musical Direction by Joe Walsh

2018-19

Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Music & Lyrics by Roger Miller

Book by William Hauptman

Adapted from the novel by Mark Twain

Directed by Thomas W. Jones II, Professional Artist in Residence

Machinal

By Sophie Treadwell Directed by Kayla Schultz

Really, Really

By Paul Downs Colaizzo

Directed By: Miranda Newman

Lysistrata

Adapted By Sarah Ruden

Directed By: Theresa Ohanian

The Wolves

By Sarah DeLappe

Directed By: Jared Pugh

The Mason Cabaret presents The Golden Age of Broadway

Directed by James Gardiner & Erin Gardiner

Musical Accompaniment by Joe Walsh

2017-18

Dead Man's Cell Phone

By Sarah Ruhl | Directed by Mary Burgess

1984

Adapted by Robert Owen, Wilton E. Hall, Jr., and William A. Miles, Jr.

Based on the novel by George Orwell | Directed by Brooke Gorsica 

The Gondoliers

Libretto & Lyrics by Sir William S. Gilbert | Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan

Directed by Ken Elston | Musical Direction by Dennis M. Layendecker | Choreographed by Morgan Taylor

The Pillowman

By Martin McDonagh | Directed by Hollyann Bucci

35MM: A Musical Exhibition

Written by Ryan Scott Oliver, Directed by Angelica Miguel and Maxwell Snyder

The Imaginary Invalid

By Molière. Translated and adapted by Ken Elston | Directed by Nicholas Horner

The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail

By Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee | Directed by Edward Gero

The Mason Players Originals!

Written by Mason students

2016-17

The Laramie Project

Written by Moises Kaufman & members of The tectonic Theater Project / Directed by: Heather Hicks

The Threepenny Opera

Written by: Bertolt Brecht, Music by Kurt Weill | Directed by: Ken Elston

Musical Direction by Dennis M. Layendecker

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Written by: William Shakespeare | Directed by: Mia Amado

No Solemn Silence: A Gilbert & Sullivan Review

Directed by: Rick Davis | Music Director: Joseph Walsh

The Fantasticks

Book & Lyrics by Tom Jones, Music by Harvey Schmidt  / Directed by: Hayley Dandreaux

Gogol's Nose and Other Strange Tales from the City

Adapted from Nikolai Gogol by Kristin Johnsen-Neshati

Movement Direction by: David Gaines | Directed by: Kristin Johnsen-Neshati

The Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival

Written by Mason students

2015-16

Boleros for the Disenchanted

Written by: José Rivera | Directed by Matt Succi

A Bright New Boise

Written by: Samuel D. Hunter | Directed by Nathan Vasquez

The Crucible

Written by: Arthur Miller | Directed by: Howard Vincent Kurtz and Maggie Rodgers

Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers

Written by Michael Lluberes, based on "Peter and Wendy" by J. M. Barrie | Directed by Jessica Dubish

Cloud 9

Written by: Caryl Churchill | Directed by: Madison Landis

Middletown

Written by: Will Eno | Directed by: Heather McDonald

The Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival

Written by Mason students

2014-15

Almost, Maine

Written by: John Cariani | Directed by: Nerissa Hart

The Blue Room

Written by: David Hare | Directed by: Alex Galloway

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Written by: Rupert Holmes | Directed by: Ken Elston | Musical Direction by: Dennis M. Layendecker

Dido, Queen of Carthage

Written by: Christopher Marlowe | Directed by: Rebecca Wahls

In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play

Written by: Sarah Ruhl | Directed by: Ruth Rado

An Experiment with an Air Pump

Written by Shelagh Stephenson / Directed by Mary Lechter

The Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival

Written by Mason students

2013-14

Six Characters in Search of an Author

Written by: Luigi Pirandello | Directed by: Alec Henneberger

The Merchant

Written by: Titus Maccius Plautus | Adapted and Directed by: Edward Gero

An Evening of One-Act Plays:

Women and Wallace

Written by: Jonathan Marc Sherman | Directed by: Casey Bauer

Woyzeck

Written by: Georg Büchner | Translation by: Nicholas Rudall | Directed by: Rebecca Wahls

A Commedia Prelude and Amahl & the Night Visitors

Another School of Music/School of Theater Collaboration!

Hedda Gabler

Written by: Henrik Ibsen | Directed by: Halah Zenhom

The Rover

Written by: Aphra Behn | Directed by: Kristin Johnsen-Neshati

The Annual Ten Minute Play Festival

Written by Mason students

2012-13

Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?

Written by: Terrence McNally | Directed by: Katie Brunberg

Into the Woods

Book by: James Lapine | Music and Lyrics by: Stephen Sondheim / Directed by: Rick Davis

A Bad Year for Tomatoes

Written by: John Patrick | Directed by: Sarah Morrissey

See How They Run

Written by: Philip King | Directed by: Tristan Griffin

Passaggio

Written by: Michael Patrick Smith | Directed by: Stevie Zimmerman

Ten-Minute Play Festival

Artistic Director: Heather McDonald | Original works written & directed by GMU Students

2011-12

Barefoot in the Park

Written by: Neil Simon | Directed by: Emma Hull

Medea

Written by: Euripides; | Directed by: Baron Pugh

Summer Brave

Written by: William Inge | Directed by: Howard Vincent Kurtz

This is Our Youth

Written by: Kenneth Lonergan | Directed by: Bethany Galyen

The Life of Galileo

Written by: Bertolt Brecht | Directed by: Rick Davis

Ten Minute Play Festival

Written & Directed by: Mason Students

2010-11

Live Wire - presented in partnership with Theater of the First Amendment

Taken from the Federal Theatre Archives | Directed by: Rick Davis

Kimberley Akimbo

Written by: David Lindsay-Abaire | Directed by: Maxie Morales

Pericles

Written by: William Shakespeare & George Wilkins | Directed by: Rick Davis

Something to Hide

Written by: Leslie Sands | Directed by: Baron Pugh

EQUUS

Written by: Peter Shaffer | Directed by: Tom Prescott

The Elephant Man

Written by: Bernard Pomerance | Directed by: Heather McDonald

Ten Minute Play Festival

Written & Directed by: Mason Students

2009-2010

Fuddy Meers

Written by: David Lindsay-Abaire | Directed by: Dannie Snyder

Ah Wilderness

Written by: Eugene O'Neill | Directed by: Howard Kurtz

The Exonerated

Written by: Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen | Directed by: Kate Welsh

Room Service

Written by: John Murray and Allen Boretz | Directed by: Ken Elston

TempOdyssey

Written by: Dan Dietz | Directed by: Josh McCreary

Orpheus Descending

Written by: Tennessee Williams | Directed by: Kristin Johnsen-Neshati

The Nerd

Written by: Larry Shue | Directed by: Michel J. Faulkner II

10 Minute Play Festival

Written & Directed by: Mason Students

2008-09

Shakespeare in Hollywood

Written by: Ken Ludwig | Directed by: Mary Lechter

The Pillowman

Written by: Martin McDonagh | Directed by: Phil Dallmann

Hay Fever

Written by: Noel Coward | Directed by: Andrew Hawkins

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

Written by: Stephen Adly Guirgis | Directed by: Heather McDonald

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Written by: Tom Stoppard | Directed by: Rachel Beauregard

Say Goodnight, Gracie

Written by: Ralph Pape | Directed by: Edward Gero

Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead

Written by: Bert V. Royal | Directed by: Patrick Magill

10 Minute Play Festival

Written & Directed by: Mason Students

2007-08

The Boys Next Door

Written by: Tom Griffin | Directed by: Patrick Magill

As Bees in Honey Drown

Written by: Douglas Carter Beane | Directed by: Ken Elston

Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Written by: Christopher Bond | Directed by: Sean Kinslow

After Ashley

Written by: Gina Gionfriddo | Directed by: Jessica Billings

Humble Boy

Written by: Charlotte Jones | Directed by: Kristin Johnsen-Neshati

Ivanov

Written by: Anton Chekhov | Directed by: Jesse Nepivoda

Measure for Measure

Written by: William Shakespeare | Directed by: Rick Davis

10 Minute Play Festival

Written & Directed by: Mason Students

2006-07

Phaedra's Love

Written by: Sarah Kane | Directed by: Chris Walker

The Shape of Things

Written by: Neil Labute | Directed by: Lisa Nanni-Messegee

In the Dead of Summer

Written and Directed by: Junella Carla Gabriel

Reckless

Written by: Craig Lucas | Directed by: Christy Denny

Could Angels Be Blessed

Written by: Nancy Kiefer | Directed by: Howard Vincent Kurtz

Hot 'N' Throbbing

Written by: Paula Vogel | Directed by: Liz Hansen

The Cripple of Inishmaan

Written by: Martin McDonough | Directed by: Heather McDonald

10 Minute Play Festival

Written & Directed by: Mason Students

2005-06

Marat/Sade

Written by: Peter Weiss | Directed by: Stephen Lam

Uncle Vanya

Written by: Anton Chekhov | Directed by: Kristin Johnsen-Neshati

Fefu and Her Friends

Written by: Maria Irene Fornes | Directed by: Melissa Topscher

Eccentricities of a Nightingale

Written by: Tennessee Williams | Directed by: Devon Riley

James Joyce's The Dead

Written by: Richard Nelson | Directed by: Rick Davis

Jesus Hopped the A Train

Written by: Stephen Adly Guirgis | Directed by: Connor Dale

Trojan Woman

Written by: Euripides | Directed by: Ed Gero

2004-05

The Woman in Black

Adapted by: Stephen Mallatratt | Directed by: Jennifer Harris

An Ideal Husband

Written by: Oscar Wilde | Directed by: Lisa Nanni-Messegee

The Measures Taken

Written by: Bertolt Brecht | Directed by: Stephen Lam

Betty's Summer Vacation

Written by: Christopher Durang | Directed by: Meghan Walsh

The Trial

Written by: Franz Kafka | Directed by: Ken Elston

Knocking on Death's Door

Written and Directed by Michael Fernandez

Mephisto

Adapted by: Ariane Mnouchkine | Directed by: Lynnie Raybuck

2003-04

Look Back in Anger

Written by: John Osborne | Directed by: Liz Stock

The Heiress

Written by: Ruth and Augustus Goetz | Directed by: Howard Vincent Kurtz

Pizza Man

Written by: Darlene Craviotto | Directed by: Kelly Thomas

Abstract Expression

Written by: Theresa Rebeck | Directed by: Sarah Bever

Venus

Written by: Suzan-Lori Parks | Directed by: Kristin Johnsen-Neshati

Moo

Directed By: Megan Kelleher

Love's Labor's Lost

Written by: William Shakespeare | Directed by: Rick Davis

2002-03

The Lady's Not for Burning

Written by: Christopher Fry | Directed by: Ed Gero

Lion in the Streets

Written by: Judith Thompson | Directed by: Lynnie Raybuck

Look Homeward Angel

Written by: Ketti Frings based on the novel by Thomas Wolfe | Directed by: Ken Elston

2001-02

Noises Off

Written by: Michael Frayn | Directed by: Michael Russotto  

The Great Theater of the World

Written by: Calderon de la Barca | Directed by: Rick Davis

Musical Direction by: Willis Rosenfeld

Runaways

Written by: Elizabeth Swados | Directed by: Sharon Wimmer

A Night with Woody

Two one acts by Woody Allen | Directed by: Jeremy Frank & Julia Wiedeman

The Dining Room

Written by: A.R. Gurney | Directed by: Howard Kurtz

Once Upon A Mattress

Written by: Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer, & Dean Fuller

Music by: Mary Rogers | Lyrics by: Marshall Barer

Directed by: David Paglin, Musical Direction by: Willis Rosenfeld

Tartuffe

Written by: Moliere | Translation by: Richard Wilbur | Directed by: Kevin Murray

1999-2000

The Good Person of Szechwan

Written by: Bertolt Brecht | Directed by: Kristin Johnsen- Neshati

1998-99

Beyond Therapy

Written by: | Directed by:

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Written by Burt Shrevelove & Larry Gelbart, Composed by Stephen Sondheim | Directed by Kevin Murray

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Written by Tom Stoppard | Directed by:

Dining Death

Written by: | Directed by:

The Rivers and Ravines

Written by Heather McDonald | Directed by Heather McDonald

A Doll House

Written by Henrik Ibsen | Directed by Rick Davis

Agamemnon

Written by: Aeschylus | Directed by:

1996-97

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Written by: Rupert Holmes | Directed by: Sandra Holloway & Harry Winter

Musical Direction by: Shana Rebekah Barr

The Two Character Play

Written by: Tennessee Williams

The Verge

Written by: Susan Glaspell / Directed by Lee Mikeska Gardiner