The Steerman New Play Festival
Powerhouse Theater
Two weeks of productions of new plays written by Drama Department students. Reservations required. Campus community only, please. For reservations, contact the Box Office at boxoffice@vassar.edu at least two weeks prior to the performance date.
Welcome to the 2nd Annual Steerman Festival! Though this is our second year, it feels very much like our first since it is the first time our Department has fully produced four brand new full-length plays by our Senior Playwrights. These playwrights have worked tirelessly in the last two school years to develop their plays as well as their larger body of work.
Faculty Advisor: Peter Gil-Sheridan
*Senior Project Members: Hileena Channell ’22, Gabriella Kimbrough ’22, Charles Mangan ’22, Eric Murphy ’22
View The Steerman New Play Festival Program
Week One
Thursday, March 24 at 8 p.m.
THE GOD DAMN RAPTURE
by Gabriella Kimbrough ’22*
Directed by Ethan Balfour Clark '22
Friday, March 25 at 8 p.m.
DRAGONESS
by Charlie Mangan ’22*
Directed by Mila Fox ’22
Saturday, March 26 at 8 p.m.
THE GOD DAMN RAPTURE
by Gabriella Kimbrough ’22*
Directed by Ethan Balfour Clark ’22
Sunday, March 27 at 2 p.m.
DRAGONESS
by Charlie Mangan ’22*
Directed by Mila Fox
Week Two
Thursday, March 31 at 8 p.m.
BLUE SKIES
by Hileena Channell ’22*
Directed by Shona Tucker
Friday, April 1 at 8 p.m.
THE MOON IN OUR HOME
by Eric Murphy ’22*,
Directed by Tom Pacio
Saturday, April 2 at 2 p.m.
THE MOON IN OUR HOME
by Eric Murphy ’22*,
Directed by Tom Pacio
Saturday, April 2 at 8 p.m.
BLUE SKIES
by Hileena Channell ’22*
Directed by Shona Tucker
Sunday, April 3 at 4 p.m.
THE SHORTS
Readings of Outstanding 10-minute plays and excerpts written this year.
Playwrights include Callum Ashley ’23, Mattie Drucker ’22, Eric Feeney ’22, Arshia Iqbal ’23, Dominic Matos ’25, Foster Schrader ’25, and Ella Talerico ’25
Synopses
BLUE SKIES
When one of them is facing a deadly fate from supernatural forces, two friends, Rebekah and Naomi, flee their home, only to face further obstacles on the road. Unsure of their next move, they turn to someone from Rebekah’s past. They must face this threat together or risk losing each other forever.
DRAGONESS
Dragoness deals with the brewing jealousy between two young Asian-American female artists as the deadline for an arts festival quickly approaches, all while they grapple with their relationship with a dorky journalist with an interesting dating history and their over-extensive boss. The play deals with themes of Asian Identity, the white gaze, and how mixed relationships collide with fetishization.
THE GOD DAMN RAPTURE
Childhood best friends Luna and Zach make shelter out of a family home left vacant after it’s occupants were raptured along with other heavenly bound mortals. After meeting the also left behind neighbors, husband and wife, Ralph and Tracey, Zach and Luna settle into a post-rapture suburban life. They befriend the neighbors, have tea time, engage in suburban scandals all while coming to terms with the reality of eternal damnation.
THE MOON IN OUR HOME
A girl’s family life is turned upside down when she flies a toy rocket ship to the moon, where she meets her father’s mistress.
Photos: Parker Fairfield ’24