Roe
Written by Lisa Loomer
February 22nd-26th
Director: David Kaye
Assistant Director: Michelle Levine '23
Costume Designer: Victoria Carot
Lighting Designer: Bruce Morriss
Set and Projection Designer: David Kaye
Dramaturg: David Richman
Voice and Dialect Coach: Aimee Blesing
Stage Manager: Natalya Salvati `23
Assistant Stage Managers: Edward Centanni '24 and Jaren Unzen '26
Performance Notes
RUNNING TIME:
Act I: Approximately 70 minutes
10 minute Intermission
Act II: Approximately 60 minutes
All of the dialogue in the supreme court scenes are taken directly from the court transcripts.
Special Thanks:
UNH Department of Nursing
Our post-performance panelists:
Kirk Trombley, Susan Siggelakis, Josie Pinto, Jinelle M. Hobson, Robin Hackett and David Richman
Please Join us immediately after the performances on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night for a panel discussion with the audience focusing on the play’s subject matter.
In Order of Appearance
CAST
Sarah Weddington: Krista Farrell ’24
Justice Blackman/Fred Friendly/Abortion Doctor/Ensemble: Niko McPherson '24
Linda Coffee/Mary Gilmore/Ensemble: Sydni Furtado '23
Henry McClusky/Robert Flowers/Michael Manheim/TV Reporter (Act II)/Ensemble: Tobias Laber-Smith '24
Flip Benham/Ron Weddington/Justice Berger: Joe Solari '23
Mary Sandefur Nelson/Marshall of the Court/Gloria Allred/Ensemble: Madailein Demler '25
Aileen Jenks/Barbara/Uma/Justice Marshall/Ensemble: Abigail Chambass '25
Connie Gonzales/Ofellia: Olivia Ketler '25
Ronda Mackey/Molly/Ensemble: Mia Cosco '24
Norma McCorvey: Maddie London '25
Judy/Justice Douglass/Eleanor Smeal/Pregnant Woman 3/Ensemble: Lauren Rose '24
Helen/Justice Stewart/Pregnant Woman 2/Holly Hunter/Peggy/Ensemble: Kaci Kneeland '24
Jay Floyd/Norma's Doctor/News Reporter (Act I)/Ensemble: Shea Flanagan '25
Waitress/Justice White/Pregnant Woman 1/Ensemble: Samantha Rizzo '24
Melissa/Emily: Violet Burns '36
Roxy: Liah Solei Dominguez '26
Understudies:
Sarah Weddington: Kaci Kneeland ’24
Norma McCorvey: Madailein Demler '25
Flip Benham: Shea Flanagan '25
Connie Gonzalez: Liah Solei Dominguez '26
About the Playwright
Lisa Loomer
Lisa Loomer’s play ROE, was originally commissioned through the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s American Revolutions program. It was first produced at OSF in a production that traveled to Arena Stage and Berkeley Rep. It received the Jane Chambers Playwriting Award, the PEN Award, and is currently under option for Broadway. Ms. Loomer is an alumna of New Dramatists and the recipient of two grants from the NEA and a grant from the NYFA. Awards include the Jane Chambers Playwriting Award (twice), the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays Award, a Garland Award, a Lurie Foundation Award, an Ovation Award, and the American Theatre Critics Association Award (twice). She has also received an Imagen Award for positive portrayals of Latinos in all media. Her plays appear in “The Best Plays of 1998-1999,” “The Best Plays of 1994-1995,” and “The Best Plays of 2003-2004,” and are published by Dramatists Play Service, TCG, Dramatic Publishing, and Arte Público Press. Lisa also writes for film and television, both comedy and drama. Currently she is a supervising producer for Season Two of “Love Is…” on OWN. Films include: “Girl, Interrupted” and “Nappily Ever After” for Netflix. Lisa has written TV pilots for HBO, CBS, Fox, and Showtime.
Director's Notes
I first came across the play ROE at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education national conference in 2015. The play was given a reading at the conference as the winner of the prestigious Jane Chambers Award. The play’s gripping subject matter was given such a dynamic and ingenious approach that I knew immediately that I wanted to make it part of our UNH Theatre and Dance Department season. The play’s success, however, meant we had to wait as ROE made its way across the country, at some of the nation’s most renowned regional theatres. As each year that passed, the outcome of the landmark 1973 decision, Roe V Wade became more and more precarious, and each year, the permission to produce the play remained out of reach. Finally, during the fall semester of 2021, as we were assembling our season for the following year, the rights were finally made available. At that time, I had the published version of the play that ends with Sarah Weddington proclaiming “At least for now, Roe V Wade remains the law of the land.” As we all know, last summer that line became obsolete. The playwright sent rewrites to us just before we had our first rehearsal, with several updated lines and a new ending to the play. ROE does not try to give answers. It does not provide a simple retelling of the turbulent history of the abortion rights issue. But its new ending is reflective of the sudden urgency of the moment and the far-reaching ramifications of the Dobbs V Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. Perhaps this is not the last time Lisa Loomer will make changes to her play.
--David Kaye
Production Staff & Crew
Director of Design & Theatre Technology
Szu-Feng Chen
Technical Director
CJ Sneath
Costume Shop Manager
Victoria Carot
Lighting Supervisor
Lih-Hwa Yu
Events Manager
Catie Sneath
Marketing Assistants
Kaci Kneeland '24
Brayden Danforth '23
Master Carpenter
Emily Casko '24
Assistant Master Carpenter
Kevin McDonough '24
Properties Head
Eli McKenna '25
Scenic Paint Charge
Nicholas Heinrich '24
Master Electrician
Lauren Rose '24
2nd Master Electrician
Sam Flurey '24
Assistant Sound Designer/A1
MaryAnn Lozowski '26
Sound/Projection Run Crew
Emily Casko '24, Kaylee Correnti '23
Lighting Board Operator
Brendon Kelley '24
Camera Operator
Emily Baldwin '24
House Manager
Abby Kaye '23
Stage Hands
Julianna Giordano '26, Taylor Lahaise '24
Wardrobe Supervisor
Lizzie Schwarze '24
Wardrobe Assistants
Lela Jones '23, Hannah Proulx '23
Child Wrangler
Greta Swartz '23
Acknowledgements
This season would not be possible without their generosity and community spirit.
Donations were received July, 2022 – September 2022
Friend up to $50: Ms. Cynthia Diamantis, Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Taube, Ms. Barbara Barrett Daly, Mr. & Mrs. John Theriault, Ms. Lydea R. Irwin, Mr. Douglas B. Decker, Mr. & Mrs. Brian T. Harris, Mr & Mrs. Scott Wilson
Supporter $50-$99: Mr. Yves Louis Zornio, Mr. James G. & Dr. Carol Anne Fritz, Mr. & Mrs. David H. Grebe, Ms. Anne T. Vinsel, Mr. & Mrs. Sean Wasacz, Mr. Francis Fonseca, Mr. Jean Calderwood, Mr. Richard W. Whitney, Ms. Mallory E. Triest, Mr. Robert Bizzotto & Mrs. Julia Tristan, Ms. Sheryl Derderian, Ms. Wraye P. Dugundji, Mr. & Mrs. Philip Sapienza, Mr. & Mrs. Christian Swenson, Ms. Megan K. Ward
Sponsor $100-$249: Mr. & Mrs. Thomas M. Lewry, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Harvell (In Memory of Maxine Morse),
Captain Michael J. Donahue & Diane Landry Donahue, Mr. John W. Cutler, Mr. Donald Boisvert, Mrs. Dorothy Donovan Peterson, Mr. Joseph D. Small, Mr. Alexander S.C. Rower, Mr. Edwin Joseph & Capt. Colette E. Kokron, Mr. Nathaniel H. Sawyer, Mr. & Mrs. Alan A. Reihl, Mr. & Mrs. Justin C. Miller, Mr. & Mrs. Peter L. White, Mr. & Mrs. Bradford E. Cook, Mr. & Mrs. Craig Babcock, Dr. Elizabeth A. Fairchild & Mr. Glenn C. Walker, Mr. James R. Bednard, Ms. Sarah R. Bizzotto, Sr. Susan W. Mangam, Mrs. Christianne B. Sinclair, Mr. Trevor B. Cone, Mr. Joseph D. Small, Ms. Gay Nardone, Ms. Paige J. Amick, Mrs. Janet A. Diamantis, Ms. Amanda Jean Grossi, Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Russell A. Miles
Producer $250+: Mrs. Sarah W. Loy, Mr. & Mrs. Michael O. Pettee, Mr. Edward W. Fagan, Mr. & Mrs. Peter T. Ames
Star $500+: Ms. Susan Linda Goodman, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation c/o NHCF, Ms. Lynne S. Randall and
Mr. Thomas Malone, Mr. & Mrs. Paul Holloway, Mr. Bruce T. Barnard, Mr. Trevor B. Cone & Ms. Malinda Beckham, Mrs. Sarah Whitney Loy, Mr. & Mrs. David Kaye
Congratulations, 2022-2023 award recipients!
Scholarships
These students were chosen because of their ambition, hard work, positive attitude, grade point average, and desire to develop their talent in theatre and dance. Each award recipient would like to thank those who contributed to their education through donations to these scholarship funds.
Gilbert B. Davenport Theatre Scholarship: John Campbell, Lily Neher, Ashley Tsimtsos
Joseph D. Batcheller Memorial Scholarship: Diana Gibson, Braedon Meattey, Kate O'Keeffe, Sydney O'Toole, Elisabeth Schwarze, Joseph Solari, Bryanna Toohey, Siena Vitone, Sarah Whittier
Raymond J. Bernier Scenic Arts Scholarship: Kaylee Correnti
John C. Edwards Theatre Scholarship: Kaylee Correnti, Diana Gibson, Abigail Kaye, Kaci Kneeland, Lily Neher, Elisabeth Schwarze, Gabrielle Suleiman, Ashley Tsimtsos, Sarah Whittier
William G. Hennessy Scholarship: Kaitlyn Beauchemin, Kate O'Keeffe, Sydney O'Toole, Siena Vitone, Sarah Whittier
Elizabeth Jones Class of 1922, Scholarship: Bryson Badeau, Kaitlyn Beauchemin, Madeleine Blakemore, Erin Boodey, Gabrielle Suleiman, Ashley Tsimtsos , Sarah Whittier
Jean Mattox Memorial Scholarship in Dance: Lily Neher, Gabrielle Suleiman, Rhi Watkins
Gary R. O’Neal Musical Theatre Scholarship: Madeleine Blakemore, Abigail Kaye, Kaci Kneeland
Undergraduate Fellowship in the Arts Award: Kaitlyn Beauchemin, Madeleine Blakemore, John Campbell, Kaylee Correnti, Abigail Kaye, Kaci Kneeland, Lily Neher, Elisabeth Schwarze, Gabrielle Suleiman, Ashley Tsimtsos, Siena Vitone
Theatre Education Endowment Award: Bryson Badeau, Kaye O'Keeffe, Sydney O'Toole
Mask & Dagger Achievement & Scholarship Award: Bryson Badeau, Diana Gibson, Elisabeth Schwarze, Sarah Whittier
Richard A. Morse Scholarship: John Campbell, Diana Gibson, Braedon Meattey, Joseph Solari, Gabrielle Suleiman, Bryanna Toohey, Siena Vitone
Make a Gift that Lasts Forever
Scholarships & Endowments
Make a contribution to the education of UNH theatre and dance students. Please indicate the fund you would like to support in the special instructions field. (Link to scholarship list)