Life is a Dream
By Pedro Calderón de la Barca | Adapted by Thomas R. Gordon
"An Allegoric Examination of Reality and Illusion"
Flying over the wild riding a hippogriff, a woman named Rosaura comes upon a forbidding tower. As if from a dream Rosaura dismounts the winged beast and overhears a young man, chained to the doorway of the castle, lament the harshness of his life. He is Segismundo, a prince, who has been locked away in this dungeon for fear of a prophecy foretelling that he will be a tyrant who brings disaster to the country and death to the king. Rosaura and Segismundo soon find that their lives and their fate are bound together. But is this all real? Or was it just an illusion? Another dream…
Please join Onomatopoeia as we celebrate the return of theatre in New York City with work that truly comes from our heart.
By Pedro Calderón de la Barca | Adapted by Thomas R. Gordon
"An Allegoric Examination of Reality and Illusion"
Flying over the wild riding a hippogriff, a woman named Rosaura comes upon a forbidding tower. As if from a dream Rosaura dismounts the winged beast and overhears a young man, chained to the doorway of the castle, lament the harshness of his life. He is Segismundo, a prince, who has been locked away in this dungeon for fear of a prophecy foretelling that he will be a tyrant who brings disaster to the country and death to the king. Rosaura and Segismundo soon find that their lives and their fate are bound together. But is this all real? Or was it just an illusion? Another dream…
Please join Onomatopoeia as we celebrate the return of theatre in New York City with work that truly comes from our heart.
Production Length
90 Minutes, No Intermission
90 Minutes, No Intermission
Note for Live Audience
- Audience members must wear a mask in the theatre & lobby at all times.
- We ask that audience members use the restroom before arriving at the Gene Frankel Theatre to encourage social distancing. Restrooms are available if there is an emergency.
- Audience members must wear a mask in the theatre & lobby at all times.
- We ask that audience members use the restroom before arriving at the Gene Frankel Theatre to encourage social distancing. Restrooms are available if there is an emergency.
Cast
SEGISMUNDO (Steven Smith) - Hailing from Reading, Pennsylvania, Steven Smith graduated with a B.A. in Applied Psychology from Penn State University. He began honing his craft first, with The Barrow Group followed by The Thomas G. Waites Acting Studio. Recent credits include the Columbia University production, Dutch Kings as Nazir; Shakespeare’s Love’s, Labour’s, Lost, adapted/directed by Thomas G. Waites, as Berowne, SC Murray’s The Kingdom of Kingston as King Batu and The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World as Ham-- Columbia University. Steven is thrilled to bring life and freedom to Onomatopoeia's Segismundo in their adaption of Life Is A Dream directed by Thomas Gordon. Cheers to the cast and crew.
ROSAURA (Annalisa Noel) - Annalisa grew up traveling overseas and spent the majority of her formative years in Aviano, Italy. She moved to NYC and graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Acting. Her favorite credits include Maria in Back Bog Beast Bait and her role in the film Pretend That You Love Me. When not performing you will find Annalisa studying mycology, making music, or petting moss. www.annalisanoel.com
CLARIN (Chandler Robyn) - Chandler hails from Bedford, Texas. She graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Recent credits include Abigail in The Crucible, Lavinia in Titus Andronicus, and Katherine in Love’s Labour Lost. Chandler would like to thank Avery, Britt, Mother, Pops, Quest, Josh- *Oscar music starts to play* and everyone else who came out to support me! <3
CLOTADO (Jeffery Sam Robert) - J. Sam recently came to NYC to pursue his acting dream full time after many years in regional theater work around the US. Notable roles include Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet, Gutman in Camino Real, and Dr. Jim Bayliss in All My Sons. J. Sam is thrilled to be on stage in NYC, and would like to thank his friends and family for tremendous support.
BASILIO (Albert Taylor) – Albert lives in New York City. He has studied acting at HBO Studios. Life is a Dream marks his return to the stage after a 24-year hiatus. His past credits include stage productions of The Color God, The King & Me, MacBeth, The Raft of the Medusa and Antigone, as well as film credits in Glamour, Moi Vouloir Toi (Me Want You), La Piscine (The Swimming Pool), Black is White, White is Black and Joe’s Story. https://www.abernardtaylor.com
ESTRELLA (Charmien Byrd) - Charmien was born and raised in southwest Ohio and moved to New York after graduating from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Specialized Studies in Musical Theatre Performance and Media Production. This is her second show at the Gene Frankel Theatre after playing Peaseblossom in Let's Play: A Midsummer Night's Dream. Favourite previous credits include Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest, Kate Monster in Avenue Q, and Johanna in Sweeney Todd. Currently, she’s originating the role of Gluttony in Infernal The Musical. Charmien would like to thank her family, friends, and God for all their love and support.
ASTOLFO (Thomas R. Gordon) - Thomas is the leader of the motley crew that is The Onomatopoeia Theatre Company. With each new project he challenges himself to be artistically bold & courageous… to push his limits further than they have been pushed before. If you want to see some action, attraction & passion then just watch! Thomas is a story teller and a master of love, blood & rhetoric and the Gene Frankel Theatre is his home. www.genefrankeltheatre.com
Crew
STAGE MANAGER (Reid Sullivan) - Reid is a recent graduate from the University of North Texas where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a certification in Theatre Technologies. He is currently pursuing a career as a director, choreographer, and light designer. Directing credits: As Is & Spring Awakening with UNT, How 'bout a Dance from the Musical Bonnie and Clyde, well as assistant direction under Brian Bell, with Faith, Hope and Charity by Ödön von Horváth. Light designs include common ground by Lizzy McGoldrick, Lilies: The Revival of a Romantic Drama with The Drama Company NYC.
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER (Madeleine Ash) - Madeleine is a Dallas-born transplant to NYC who is thrilled to be back in a theater space. Recent out-of-town credits include From the Ground Up (PSM – Forklift Danceworks), Oklahoma! (PSM – Seagle Festival), Evita (ASM – Seagle Festival), and The Marriage of Figaro (PSM – Seagle Festival). Thanks to Cheyney, Eric, and Jerry for their mentorship, guidance, and friendship. Love to Mom, Dad, Will, and countless family members and friends for their unwavering support. madeleineash.com
COSTUME DESIGNER (Meghan O’ Beirne) - Meghan graduated with an MFA from SCAD in 2015. She has been working in theatre and film ever since. Her last theatre project was as wardrobe supervisor on Drift - a new play at new world stages - shutdown due to COVID-19 www.costumesbymeghan.com
LIGHTING DESIGNER (Gilbert “Lucky” Pearto) – Lucky is also a freelance producer of live entertainment and events in Manhattan and Brooklyn. www.luckyslightinginc.com
SCENIC DESINGER (Joshua Warner) - NYC: The Dark Star from Harlem (La Mama E.T.C. - AUDELCO Nom.); Between the Sea and Sky (NYMF Outstanding Overall Design); The Boys from Syracuse (Theater Row); SUDS (Lincoln Center Education); Theater for the New City; St. Luke's. Educational: NYFA; Stages on the Sound; CLOC; Leaders By Choice. Virtual Theater: Zoom Fatigue - a 24 Hour Zoom Performance; Black Box New Works Festival (Brooklyn College). Numerous designs for film, tv, events. Assistant: Ford's Theater, Signature Theater NY, Arizona Broadway Theater, Bay Street Theater, HERE Arts Center. Resident Designer & Staff, CUNY York College. BFA: Emerson College. MFA Candidate: Brooklyn College @joshuawarnerdesign | www.joshuawarnerdesign.com
PROJECTION DESIGNER / ANIMATION (Julia Brunner) – Julia Brunner is a New York and Washington D.C. based stage manager and arts administrator. Her most recent work includes the Corkscrew Theatre Festival, A Piece of my Heart and The House of Bernarda Alba. She currently works at the non-profit The League of Professional Theatre Women. She studied theatre at Barnard College.
DIRECTOR / SOUND DESIGN (Thomas R. Gordon) - Thomas is a graduate from Radford University and the NYU Educational Theatre Program. Before moving to New York Thomas worked as a director, actor, light designer, sound designer and theater teacher in both Virginia and California. Directing credits include The Picture of Dorian Grey, The House of Bernada Alba, Of Mice & Men, Medea, Arsene Lupin VS Sherlock Holmes, Let's Play: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and more. Thomas would like to thank all of his family and friends for their love and support. I couldn’t do any of this without all of you! www.genefrankeltheatre.com
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"Life is a Dream" poster art
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, Francisco Goya
"Life is a Dream" poster art
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, Francisco Goya