Production Company: Wasatch Theatre Company
Playwright: Élise C. Hanson
Director: Hugh Hanson
Dialect Coach: Élise C. Hanson
Makeup and Effects: Élise C. Hanson
Consulting Intimacy Coordinator: Cami Rozanas
Costuming: Mandi Titcomb and Eric Jensen
Managing Producer: Jim Martin
Special Thanks: The Off-Broadway Theatre, Blayne Wiley, Joel Hanson, James Naylor, Zac Swenson, Leslie Hanson
Arthur Craven: Ryan Kinville
Ada Craven: Élise Hanson
Thomas Grey: Nick Mathews
Sidney Craven: Grant Christopherson
Edgar Polk: Austinn Jensen
Father Hobbs: Christopher Thorne
Helen Fallow: Kajsa Nelson
Haunters/Supernumeraries:
George DeLorean
Jesse Bailer
I love words. I love live theatre. It’s the coolest of all the arts. Plays can contain every kind of art: poetry, dance, singing, music, film, paintings, sculpture and more. There are many types of plays. Some rely on spectacle, others on plot or on design or on music or perhaps, concept. My favorite plays depend on language. And this play is one of those. Of course, it has some of each of the above as well, but what grabs you are the words. Listen carefully. Élise is a wordsmith. I know lots of smart people and very few have a wider usable vocabulary than Élise. I learned new words with this play. So will you.
It's a horror play. When I looked up horror ‘film’ the definition was, ‘a movie that scares you.’ Pretty broad. Live horror plays are a challenge and rarely done. So, that’s what Élise decided to tackle. She started writing this play last autumn. When she did finish Craven she went and won an award for it. Now it’s my privilege to help put it on stage for you folks. The actors in this production were specifically in Élise’s mind while she created their characters. A bespoke cast. They all have significant experience in ‘language’ plays, namely those written by the very best at it, Shakespeare. It’s been fun learning from them. You’ll enjoy them as they reveal the plot to you. Pay close attention as they divulge their history and their hopeful plans for the future. Some hope for literal
freedom, others for romantic freedom; some hope for control over their passions while an outsider hopes to compel a reluctant messianic leader to accept his prophesied duties. It’s a great story that might leave you wondering who did what and why they did it. That would be great. We hope you enjoy it and get a bit scared, as well. Happy Halloween!
It's a horror play. When I looked up horror ‘film’ the definition was, ‘a movie that scares you.’ Pretty broad. Live horror plays are a challenge and rarely done. So, that’s what Élise decided to tackle. She started writing this play last autumn. When she did finish Craven she went and won an award for it. Now it’s my privilege to help put it on stage for you folks. The actors in this production were specifically in Élise’s mind while she created their characters. A bespoke cast. They all have significant experience in ‘language’ plays, namely those written by the very best at it, Shakespeare. It’s been fun learning from them. You’ll enjoy them as they reveal the plot to you. Pay close attention as they divulge their history and their hopeful plans for the future. Some hope for literal
freedom, others for romantic freedom; some hope for control over their passions while an outsider hopes to compel a reluctant messianic leader to accept his prophesied duties. It’s a great story that might leave you wondering who did what and why they did it. That would be great. We hope you enjoy it and get a bit scared, as well. Happy Halloween!
Hugh Hanson, Director
Hugh Hanson holds an MFA in Theatre Direction and is a member of the U of Utah Theatre Department faculty. Hugh was Artistic Director of Salt Lake Shakespeare for seven years, directing a show each year. Other credits include The Rainmaker at CenterPoint Legacy Theatre, Sweeney Todd at Heritage Theatre, The Full Monty at Ziegfeld Theater, Herakles for the Greek Theatre Festival, Boeing Boeing for Pinnacle Acting Company, Fiddler on the Roof at Terrace Plaza Playhouse, as well as many shows at the U of U, including All My Sons, The Pillowman, James and the Giant Peach, Hurlyburly and Baby With the Bathwater. He thanks Élise for asking him to direct her play and Leslie for everything.
Hugh Hanson holds an MFA in Theatre Direction and is a member of the U of Utah Theatre Department faculty. Hugh was Artistic Director of Salt Lake Shakespeare for seven years, directing a show each year. Other credits include The Rainmaker at CenterPoint Legacy Theatre, Sweeney Todd at Heritage Theatre, The Full Monty at Ziegfeld Theater, Herakles for the Greek Theatre Festival, Boeing Boeing for Pinnacle Acting Company, Fiddler on the Roof at Terrace Plaza Playhouse, as well as many shows at the U of U, including All My Sons, The Pillowman, James and the Giant Peach, Hurlyburly and Baby With the Bathwater. He thanks Élise for asking him to direct her play and Leslie for everything.
Kajsa E. Nelson as Helen Fallow
Kajsa E. Nelson is so excited to be a part of this premiere production of Craven presented by Wasatch Theatre Company. Kajsa has been recently seen in New World Shakespeare Company's production of All’s Well That Ends Well as the Duke/Widow, MadKing Productions' presentation of Merry Wives of Windsor as Mistress Page, Desert Star Theatre's Phantom of the Opera as Carlotta and Centerpoint Legacy Theatre's A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Snout/The Wall. Thank you to the amazing Élise for this incredible opportunity and to this phenomenal cast and director Hugh. This has been a truly mind-blowing experience! Love you all!
Kajsa E. Nelson is so excited to be a part of this premiere production of Craven presented by Wasatch Theatre Company. Kajsa has been recently seen in New World Shakespeare Company's production of All’s Well That Ends Well as the Duke/Widow, MadKing Productions' presentation of Merry Wives of Windsor as Mistress Page, Desert Star Theatre's Phantom of the Opera as Carlotta and Centerpoint Legacy Theatre's A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Snout/The Wall. Thank you to the amazing Élise for this incredible opportunity and to this phenomenal cast and director Hugh. This has been a truly mind-blowing experience! Love you all!
Élise C. Hanson as Ada Craven, Playwright
Élise has been overwhelmed with gratitude to see this production come to life and witness the care and thought that has gone into the manifestation of this work. Hanson has worked as an actor all over the valley, and favorite roles include Hamlet in Hamlet, Harper Pitt in Angels in America, Nanny in Baby With the Bathwater, Beatrice in Kill Claudio!, and Lucy in Sweeney Todd. She is thrilled to be able to work with her uncle Hugh on this project, who has brought so many wonderful insights and creative ideas to Craven. She has won multiple awards for her plays, which have been produced all over the Salt Lake Valley as well as Michigan, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, and Nevada. For Craven, she is a recipient of the George Plautz Playwright Prize for emerging playwrights.
Élise has been overwhelmed with gratitude to see this production come to life and witness the care and thought that has gone into the manifestation of this work. Hanson has worked as an actor all over the valley, and favorite roles include Hamlet in Hamlet, Harper Pitt in Angels in America, Nanny in Baby With the Bathwater, Beatrice in Kill Claudio!, and Lucy in Sweeney Todd. She is thrilled to be able to work with her uncle Hugh on this project, who has brought so many wonderful insights and creative ideas to Craven. She has won multiple awards for her plays, which have been produced all over the Salt Lake Valley as well as Michigan, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, and Nevada. For Craven, she is a recipient of the George Plautz Playwright Prize for emerging playwrights.
Nick Mathews as Thomas Grey
Nick Mathews most recently appeared in Kitchen Sink with SpeaKeasy Theatre Company. Other credits include Worship with Immigrant's Daughter Theatre, ThreePenny Theatre Company's A Shayna Maidel, SpeaKeasy Theatre Company’s The Advantageous Adventures of Mrs. Meddlesome, as well as TRIP and Othello (Little Man Theater Company).
Nick Mathews most recently appeared in Kitchen Sink with SpeaKeasy Theatre Company. Other credits include Worship with Immigrant's Daughter Theatre, ThreePenny Theatre Company's A Shayna Maidel, SpeaKeasy Theatre Company’s The Advantageous Adventures of Mrs. Meddlesome, as well as TRIP and Othello (Little Man Theater Company).
Ryan Kinville as Arthur Craven
Ryan is grateful to be performing the first-ever role specifically penned for him by his dear friend Élise Hanson. Ryan began acting in college and caught the bug, venturing into all forms of acting from classical to contemporary to improvisational. He last appeared for Wasatch Theatre Company as Oscar Wilde in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. He was also seen as Leontes in A Winter's Tale and Hotspur in Henry IV for New World Shakespeare Company, Ferdinand in The Duchess of Malfi for ThreePenny Theatre Company, and as a performer for The Busking Bus.
Ryan is grateful to be performing the first-ever role specifically penned for him by his dear friend Élise Hanson. Ryan began acting in college and caught the bug, venturing into all forms of acting from classical to contemporary to improvisational. He last appeared for Wasatch Theatre Company as Oscar Wilde in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. He was also seen as Leontes in A Winter's Tale and Hotspur in Henry IV for New World Shakespeare Company, Ferdinand in The Duchess of Malfi for ThreePenny Theatre Company, and as a performer for The Busking Bus.
Austinn Jensen as Edgar Polk
Austinn can most regularly be seen at The Off Broadway Theatre where he works as a resident actor and improv artist for the troupe Laughing Stock. Austinn was most recently seen in ThreePenny Theatre Company's Power Plays and The Scarlet Pimpernel at The Off Broadway Theatre. Along with his father Eric Jensen, he devised and wrote a hit parody of Hamlet and Hamilton called Hamleton, in which Austinn portrayed Hamlet.
Austinn can most regularly be seen at The Off Broadway Theatre where he works as a resident actor and improv artist for the troupe Laughing Stock. Austinn was most recently seen in ThreePenny Theatre Company's Power Plays and The Scarlet Pimpernel at The Off Broadway Theatre. Along with his father Eric Jensen, he devised and wrote a hit parody of Hamlet and Hamilton called Hamleton, in which Austinn portrayed Hamlet.
Grant Christopherson as Sidney Craven
Grant currently works instructing children in theatre arts all over the United States, traveling and directing one show per week. He has acted all over the Salt Lake Valley, appearing as Lawyer in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde for Wasatch Theatre Company, as Florizel in The Winter's Tale for New World Shakespeare Company, Ellard Simms in The Foreigner for Farmington City Arts, and as the titular character Claudio in the world premiere of Kill Claudio! for Kallisti Theatre Company, another role written by Élise Hanson.
Grant currently works instructing children in theatre arts all over the United States, traveling and directing one show per week. He has acted all over the Salt Lake Valley, appearing as Lawyer in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde for Wasatch Theatre Company, as Florizel in The Winter's Tale for New World Shakespeare Company, Ellard Simms in The Foreigner for Farmington City Arts, and as the titular character Claudio in the world premiere of Kill Claudio! for Kallisti Theatre Company, another role written by Élise Hanson.
Christopher Lawrence Thorne as Father Hobbs
Christopher has been acting since 2017, starting with Pirates of the Caribiner at The Off Broadway Theatre. Since then, he has featured in three plays by Élise Hanson, including Craven, The Secret Son of Hitler as Byron Shelley, and Kill Claudio! as Don Pedro. Other roles include Montano in Othello and Angelo in Measure for Measure for New World Shakespeare Company. Christopher studied saxophone performance and vocal arts before venturing into the world of acting.
Christopher has been acting since 2017, starting with Pirates of the Caribiner at The Off Broadway Theatre. Since then, he has featured in three plays by Élise Hanson, including Craven, The Secret Son of Hitler as Byron Shelley, and Kill Claudio! as Don Pedro. Other roles include Montano in Othello and Angelo in Measure for Measure for New World Shakespeare Company. Christopher studied saxophone performance and vocal arts before venturing into the world of acting.
George DeLorean as Haunter/Julian Bailey
George DeLorean is a son of Utah. While new to theater, he's no stranger to performing. George has several hundred voice-over roles under his belt, as well as experience on both sides of the camera. He's also a multidiscipline musician, lyricist, illustrator, and author.
George DeLorean is a son of Utah. While new to theater, he's no stranger to performing. George has several hundred voice-over roles under his belt, as well as experience on both sides of the camera. He's also a multidiscipline musician, lyricist, illustrator, and author.
Jesse Bailer as Haunter/Edmund Abbott
Jesse works in haunting all around Utah, so this is old hat for him!
Jesse works in haunting all around Utah, so this is old hat for him!
WTC Ensemble
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WTC Board of Directors
Sharon Daurelle
Jim Martin
Katie Smith
Phillip Vernon
Sharon Daurelle
Jim Martin
Katie Smith
Phillip Vernon
Coming next
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Tickets now on sale:
And from our friends at New World Shakespeare:
