Opera Theatre of Saint Louis presents

An Opera for Young People

Music by Cary John Franklin

Libretto by Michael Patrick Albano

Originally Commissioned by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, 1992

The Very Last Green Thing is made possible with generous underwriting from PNC Arts Alive and Monsanto Fund and with support from AT&T and Pi Beta Phi/Sign of the Arrow and in-

kind support from HEC-TV.

AMY BOBBY ZACHARY ASIA LILA ANDROID CHILDREN OF THE PAST (2013)

CHILDREN OF THE FUTURE (2413)

Marissa Pineda Grand Center Arts Academy

Caden Self Homeschool

Ifabunmi Muhammad-Ojedele Crossroads College Preparatory School

Esther Davis Francis Howell Central High School

Fiona Scott Mary Queen of Peace School

Daniel Brevik✤

Libby Hillermann Our Lady of Lourdes School

Jordan Jones Brittany Woods Middle School

Ally Kalishman MICDS

Lauren Lundy* Notre Dame High School

Ellie McAvin Edgar Road Elementary School

Alexander Pompian Meramec School Abigail Powers*

Mehlville High School Ellie Schwartz

Community School Michelle Springer

Wydown Middle School

Evan Adams Brentwood High School

Sydney Jones Nipher Middle School

Lilly Kanterman Wydown Middle School

The Cast

✤ Former Gerdine Young Artist * Artists-in-Training Participant

Acknowledgments:

Opera Theatre gratefully acknowledges season presenting sponsor

Wells Fargo Advisors.

Opera Theatre is a sustaining member of the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis and receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Missouri Arts Council, and

the Regional Arts Commission.

Special Thanks to:

Composer Cary John Franklin, the staff of the Touhill Performing Arts Center, the Docent and Transportation Committee of the

Opera Theatre Guild, Marjorie and Ken Smith, Mary Anne Rudloff, Kay Wunder, Peter Merideth, Robert Nordman and the E.

Desmond Lee Fine Arts Collaborative, James Henry and James Richards of UM-St. Louis, Jean Ponzi of the EarthWays Center, Colleen Duhart and Mike Walsh of Forest ReLeaf of Missouri,

Diane Stirling of Character Plus, Ruth Block, Martha Bogart, Jan Keenoy and Stephanie Madlinger of Cooperating School Districts,

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Kim Shelley of Clayton High School, Barbara Berner of the St. Louis Children’s Choirs, and the

dedicated music teachers, parents and families of The Very Last Green Thing cast and orchestra

Going “Green”

These programs are printed on recycled paper. Please

return programs you do not wish to keep to an usher.

Elements of the set were created with recycled materials.

Cast members provided more than one-third of the water bottles you see on set.

Trees used in the production are courtesy of Forest ReLeaf of Missouri and will be planted in schoolyards and area neighborhoods.

Please put away all electronic devices during the performance.

Synopsis (continued)

Scene 3 Amy is in her bedroom preparing for bed. The Android makes sure she has conducted her evening ritual of brushing her teeth and washing her face. Afterwards, she retrieves the plant that she has been hiding under her bed and begins to question its existence. It is unlike anything she has ever known.

Scene 4 Back in the classroom, the children are inspecting the objects they brought back from the time capsule. The Android notices that Amy has brought the plant inside and begins to reprimand her. During his interrogation, the students band together to find out why he is so angry about the plant. During their barrage of questions, the Android begins to break down and short-circuit. Afterwards, the children from 2013 and the children from 2413 unite to sing of the plant’s meaning and importance as the conclusion of the opera points to a hopeful future.

Daniel Dickson University of Missouri-St. Louis Jeremy Glik Clayton High School Alice Nelson

Cello

Percussion

Piano

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Timothy O’Leary, General Director James Robinson, Artistic Director

Stephen Lord, Music Director

Stage Director Music Director and Conductor Associate Music Director Set Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager

Doug Scholz-Carlson

Vince Lee

Alice Nelson

Scott C. Neale

Stacy Harris

Joe Clapper

Amy Soll

Sarah Johnson

Orchestra

Cary John Franklin (Composer) is a conductor of broad experience, having worked extensively in the fields of orchestral music and opera. Mr. Franklin is the Music Director of the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis and has taught at Minnesota State University and at Macalester College, where he conducted the Macalester Orchestra. He is a former Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. He has guest conducted the Minnesota Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Kansas City Symphony and the Washington National Opera. Cary John Franklin is also a nationally recognized composer with commissions and performances from the Minnesota Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Cedar Rapids Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Washington National Opera, VocalEssence, Chanticleer and the Dale Warland Singers. Michael Patrick Albano (Librettist) collaborated with composer Cary John Franklin to create three original children’s operas: The Very Last Green Thing, The Thunder of Horses, and The Enchantment of Dreams. Mr. Albano and Mr. Franklin also collaborated on the opera Loss of Eden which premiered on Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ mainstage in 2002. Mr. Albano’s interest in the development of original opera libretti has led to his involvement for the past ten seasons as resident dramaturge for the Tapestry New Opera Works annual composer/librettist laboratory. Mr. Albano is also a proficient stage director, currently serving as the resident stage director of the Opera training programme at the University of Toronto where he has staged more than twenty-five operas. His guest directorial credits include venues such as New York City Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Manhattan School of Music, Yale School of Music, Opera Kentucky and Hansel and Gretel at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Doug Scholz-Carlson (Stage Director) is Artistic Director of the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, Minnesota where he directed Macbeth and played roles including Henry in King Henry V, Edgar in King Lear, and El Gallo in The Fantasticks. In St. Louis, Doug directed Brundibár for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and played Dromio in The Comedy of Errors at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis which won a Louie Award as Outstanding Comedy of 2012. Mr. Scholz-Carlson has appeared on stages including The Guthrie Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Children's Theatre Company, Minnesota Opera, and Seattle Children's Theatre. Directing credits include Pittsburgh Opera, Park Square Theater, Austin Lyric Opera, Madison Opera, and Palm Beach Opera. His fight choreography was featured in world premiere productions of The Grapes of Wrath and Silent Night and has been seen at theaters including The Guthrie Theater, New York City Opera, the Minnesota Opera, Philadelphia Opera, Park Square Theater, the Children’s Theater Company and the Seattle Police Department.

Synopsis

Prologue

Children from the Past (2013) carefully place items in a time capsule to be found by a future generation.

Scene 1 Students in a classroom in the year 2413 await the arrival of their teacher. There is a complete free-for-all which abruptly stops with the entrance of their teacher, who is an Android. All students fall silent as he scans the classroom to take attendance. The Android announces the day’s lesson which is “People who have influenced our lives.” After the lesson the Android takes the students on a very rare field trip “outside.” The students express concern about leaving the classroom’s controlled environment, but the Android assures them that with their protective gear they will be fine.

Scene 2

As they begin their journey, the students identify important landmarks in the landscape. Suddenly, they discover the time capsule. The Android identifies it as being from the early 21st century. As the children of 2413 begin to remove objects from the capsule for inspection, the children from 2013 assist with the action of the scene. The first item to be removed is a pair of Converse high top tennis shoes. Lila puts them on and immediately begins to move, strutting in a sort of 2010’s fashion. She is held down while the shoes are removed. As each object is removed from the time capsule, it comes “alive” for the child handling it. Once it appears the capsule is empty, Amy remarks that there is still something left. The children are intrigued and mystified as she removes a small pathetic, withered plant. The Android insists that they leave it behind. As the children leave triumphantly carrying the objects they discovered, Amy runs back to retrieve the plant and secretly carries it back.

Director of Education and Community Engagement Director of Production Director of Artistic Administration Manager of Artistic Operations Artistic Coordinator Technical Director Manager of Education and Community Engagement Costume Shop Manager Production Manager Production and Operations Clerk Operations Manager Scenic Charge Scenery Construction Crew Scenery Crew Master Electrician Electrics Crew Draper Head of Wardrobe Make-Up and Hair Artisan

Allison Felter

Steve Ryan

Paul Kilmer

Stephanie Nigus

Tara Campbell

Dan Giedeman

Dan Mayo

Stacy Harris

Vonetta Flowers

Kendra Henry-Keysacker

Eric Woolsey

Allison Larkins

Todd Moore

Stefan Azizi, Ethan Brown, Roger Chapman, Jake Greene,

Anna Kann

Anthony Boyajian

Shelby Loera

Jennifer (JC) Krajicek

Kevin Reed

Leo William Vicari

Vince Lee (Music Director and Conductor), an American conductor described by the New York Times as “powerful,” spent three seasons with the Cincinnati Symphony in the role of Assistant Conductor. Mr. Lee studied at the Juilliard School where he was appointed Musical Director for the MAP orchestra (a Juilliard faculty position) and served as principal pianist for the Juilliard orchestras. He toured with Juilliard’s AXIOM ensemble, making his European debut at the Tonhalle in Zurich, Switzerland. Other New York conducting engagements include appearances at the Manhattan School of Music, NYU, Bargemusic, Symphony Space, and Alice Tully Hall. Mr. Lee began his conducting studies at Indiana University, conducting more than 70 concerts during that time. He is currently on the cover conducting staff of both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Dallas Symphony. Most recently, Mr. Lee appeared in concert with violinist Gil Shaham at the Aspen Music Festival, and at Carnegie Hall with the AZLO Orchestra. Alice Nelson (Associate Music Director) has been Associate Music Director for 12 seasons of young people’s operas at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, including four world premieres. She is also a vocal coach/accompanist in OTSL’s nationally recognized Monsanto Artists-in-Training program; and has prepared children’s choruses for OTSL’s mainstage productions of Carmen, Gloriana, Tosca, La bohème, Street Scene, and Alice in Wonderland. She is in her 22nd year as Artistic Director of Opera at Webster University; and was previously vocal coach-accompanist at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music, working with voice teachers Edward Zambara and W. Stephen Smith. She maintains a schedule of private coaching and accompanying, and has prepared singers for roles and concerts subsequently performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Royal Opera at Covent Garden, among others. Scott C. Neale (Set Designer) is a freelance scenic designer and theming consultant operating out of St. Louis. Mr. Neale holds an MFA in Scenic Design from Northwestern University and a BFA in Scenic Design and Scenic Painting from Webster University. In theatre, he has designed for the Chicago Children’s Choir, Steppenwolf Theatre Company (in Chicago, Off Broadway, and the Galway Theatre Festival), Lookingglass Theatre Company, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Great River Shakespeare Festival, Albany Park Theatre Project, Upstream Theater, New Jewish Theater, Metro Theater Company and many others. In the theme park industry, he has designed for Busch Gardens Tampa and Williamsburg, SeaWorld Orlando and San Diego, Aquatica, Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, and the St. Louis Zoo. He is an adjunct professor at Webster University.

Production Staff

Stacy Harris (Costume Designer) returns as costume designer for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ young people’s operas having made her debut in Brundibár (2009). She also serves as Costume Designer, Musical Director and Choreographer for all theatrical productions at Fort Zumwalt North School. She will earn her MFA from Lindenwood University, which is pending thesis approval. She has designed for Lindenwood University, HotCity, Clayton High School, Union Avenue Opera, Saint Charles Community Theatre and St. Peters Act II. Upcoming projects include Musical Director for Making Magic Defying Gravity – St. Louis, in partnership with EdTA, opening November 11 at Parkway Central High School, and costume designing The Triangle Factory Fire Project for Fort Zumwalt North High School opening November 21. Joe Clapper (Lighting Designer) returns to OTSL with this dynamic production of The Very Last Green Thing. Past designs for OTSL include The Black Spider and world premiere productions of The Very Last Green Thing (1992), Joshua’s Boots, and The Thunder of Horses. Mr. Clapper has been a freelance lighting designer and consultant for more than three decades, receiving his BFA in Technical Theater from Webster University and his MFA from UMKC as the Hallmark Foundation Scholar in Lighting Design. He serves as the assistant stage manager and lighting director for the St. Louis Symphony, and is the stage manager for the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. He is also the proud father of four children. Daniel Brevik (Android), bass-baritone, grew up in Holliston Massachusetts where he developed his love for music. At Plymouth State University he began to study singing with Dr. Dan Perkins, Dr. Kathleen Arecchi and Dr. Allan DiBiasi, performing arias and recitals throughout New Hampshire and Western Massachusetts. Mr. Brevik received his Masters degree at New England Conservatory where he studied voice with baritone Michael Meraw and worked with renowned coaches, directors and conductors such as Stephen Lord, James Robinson, Josh Major, and Michael Strauss. Mr. Brevik was a 2013 Gerdine Young Artist with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and will return in 2014 as a festival artist, singing alongside opera superstar Stephanie Blythe in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's Twenty-Seven. He will play the roles of Ernest Hemingway and Henri Matisse.

Opera Theatre gratefully acknowledges the following donors for their leadership support of

The Very Last Green Thing

Special thanks to production underwriters

Pi Beta Phi/Sign of the Arrow

And to media sponsor

Stacy Harris (Costume Designer) returns as costume designer for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ young people’s operas having made her debut in Brundibár (2009). She also serves as Costume Designer, Musical Director and Choreographer for all theatrical productions at Fort Zumwalt North School. She will earn her MFA from Lindenwood University, which is pending thesis approval. She has designed for Lindenwood University, HotCity, Clayton High School, Union Avenue Opera, Saint Charles Community Theatre and St. Peters Act II. Upcoming projects include Musical Director for Making Magic Defying Gravity – St. Louis, in partnership with EdTA, opening November 11 at Parkway Central High School, and costume designing The Triangle Factory Fire Project for Fort Zumwalt North High School opening November 21. Joe Clapper (Lighting Designer) returns to OTSL with this dynamic production of The Very Last Green Thing. Past designs for OTSL include The Black Spider and world premiere productions of The Very Last Green Thing (1992), Joshua’s Boots, and The Thunder of Horses. Mr. Clapper has been a freelance lighting designer and consultant for more than three decades, receiving his BFA in Technical Theater from Webster University and his MFA from UMKC as the Hallmark Foundation Scholar in Lighting Design. He serves as the assistant stage manager and lighting director for the St. Louis Symphony, and is the stage manager for the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. He is also the proud father of four children. Daniel Brevik (Android), bass-baritone, grew up in Holliston Massachusetts where he developed his love for music. At Plymouth State University he began to study singing with Dr. Dan Perkins, Dr. Kathleen Arecchi and Dr. Allan DiBiasi, performing arias and recitals throughout New Hampshire and Western Massachusetts. Mr. Brevik received his Masters degree at New England Conservatory where he studied voice with baritone Michael Meraw and worked with renowned coaches, directors and conductors such as Stephen Lord, James Robinson, Josh Major, and Michael Strauss. Mr. Brevik was a 2013 Gerdine Young Artist with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and will return in 2014 as a festival artist, singing alongside opera superstar Stephanie Blythe in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's Twenty-Seven. He will play the roles of Ernest Hemingway and Henri Matisse.

Opera Theatre gratefully acknowledges the following donors for their leadership support of

The Very Last Green Thing

Special thanks to production underwriters

Pi Beta Phi/Sign of the Arrow

And to media sponsor

Director of Education and Community Engagement Director of Production Director of Artistic Administration Manager of Artistic Operations Artistic Coordinator Technical Director Manager of Education and Community Engagement Costume Shop Manager Production Manager Production and Operations Clerk Operations Manager Scenic Charge Scenery Construction Crew Scenery Crew Master Electrician Electrics Crew Draper Head of Wardrobe Make-Up and Hair Artisan

Allison Felter

Steve Ryan

Paul Kilmer

Stephanie Nigus

Tara Campbell

Dan Giedeman

Dan Mayo

Stacy Harris

Vonetta Flowers

Kendra Henry-Keysacker

Eric Woolsey

Allison Larkins

Todd Moore

Stefan Azizi, Ethan Brown, Roger Chapman, Jake Greene,

Anna Kann

Anthony Boyajian

Shelby Loera

Jennifer (JC) Krajicek

Kevin Reed

Leo William Vicari

Vince Lee (Music Director and Conductor), an American conductor described by the New York Times as “powerful,” spent three seasons with the Cincinnati Symphony in the role of Assistant Conductor. Mr. Lee studied at the Juilliard School where he was appointed Musical Director for the MAP orchestra (a Juilliard faculty position) and served as principal pianist for the Juilliard orchestras. He toured with Juilliard’s AXIOM ensemble, making his European debut at the Tonhalle in Zurich, Switzerland. Other New York conducting engagements include appearances at the Manhattan School of Music, NYU, Bargemusic, Symphony Space, and Alice Tully Hall. Mr. Lee began his conducting studies at Indiana University, conducting more than 70 concerts during that time. He is currently on the cover conducting staff of both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Dallas Symphony. Most recently, Mr. Lee appeared in concert with violinist Gil Shaham at the Aspen Music Festival, and at Carnegie Hall with the AZLO Orchestra. Alice Nelson (Associate Music Director) has been Associate Music Director for 12 seasons of young people’s operas at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, including four world premieres. She is also a vocal coach/accompanist in OTSL’s nationally recognized Monsanto Artists-in-Training program; and has prepared children’s choruses for OTSL’s mainstage productions of Carmen, Gloriana, Tosca, La bohème, Street Scene, and Alice in Wonderland. She is in her 22nd year as Artistic Director of Opera at Webster University; and was previously vocal coach-accompanist at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music, working with voice teachers Edward Zambara and W. Stephen Smith. She maintains a schedule of private coaching and accompanying, and has prepared singers for roles and concerts subsequently performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Royal Opera at Covent Garden, among others. Scott C. Neale (Set Designer) is a freelance scenic designer and theming consultant operating out of St. Louis. Mr. Neale holds an MFA in Scenic Design from Northwestern University and a BFA in Scenic Design and Scenic Painting from Webster University. In theatre, he has designed for the Chicago Children’s Choir, Steppenwolf Theatre Company (in Chicago, Off Broadway, and the Galway Theatre Festival), Lookingglass Theatre Company, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Great River Shakespeare Festival, Albany Park Theatre Project, Upstream Theater, New Jewish Theater, Metro Theater Company and many others. In the theme park industry, he has designed for Busch Gardens Tampa and Williamsburg, SeaWorld Orlando and San Diego, Aquatica, Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, and the St. Louis Zoo. He is an adjunct professor at Webster University.

Production Staff

Cary John Franklin (Composer) is a conductor of broad experience, having worked extensively in the fields of orchestral music and opera. Mr. Franklin is the Music Director of the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis and has taught at Minnesota State University and at Macalester College, where he conducted the Macalester Orchestra. He is a former Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. He has guest conducted the Minnesota Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Kansas City Symphony and the Washington National Opera. Cary John Franklin is also a nationally recognized composer with commissions and performances from the Minnesota Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Cedar Rapids Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Washington National Opera, VocalEssence, Chanticleer and the Dale Warland Singers. Michael Patrick Albano (Librettist) collaborated with composer Cary John Franklin to create three original children’s operas: The Very Last Green Thing, The Thunder of Horses, and The Enchantment of Dreams. Mr. Albano and Mr. Franklin also collaborated on the opera Loss of Eden which premiered on Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ mainstage in 2002. Mr. Albano’s interest in the development of original opera libretti has led to his involvement for the past ten seasons as resident dramaturge for the Tapestry New Opera Works annual composer/librettist laboratory. Mr. Albano is also a proficient stage director, currently serving as the resident stage director of the Opera training programme at the University of Toronto where he has staged more than twenty-five operas. His guest directorial credits include venues such as New York City Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Manhattan School of Music, Yale School of Music, Opera Kentucky and Hansel and Gretel at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Doug Scholz-Carlson (Stage Director) is Artistic Director of the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, Minnesota where he directed Macbeth and played roles including Henry in King Henry V, Edgar in King Lear, and El Gallo in The Fantasticks. In St. Louis, Doug directed Brundibár for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and played Dromio in The Comedy of Errors at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis which won a Louie Award as Outstanding Comedy of 2012. Mr. Scholz-Carlson has appeared on stages including The Guthrie Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Children's Theatre Company, Minnesota Opera, and Seattle Children's Theatre. Directing credits include Pittsburgh Opera, Park Square Theater, Austin Lyric Opera, Madison Opera, and Palm Beach Opera. His fight choreography was featured in world premiere productions of The Grapes of Wrath and Silent Night and has been seen at theaters including The Guthrie Theater, New York City Opera, the Minnesota Opera, Philadelphia Opera, Park Square Theater, the Children’s Theater Company and the Seattle Police Department.

Synopsis

Prologue

Children from the Past (2013) carefully place items in a time capsule to be found by a future generation.

Scene 1 Students in a classroom in the year 2413 await the arrival of their teacher. There is a complete free-for-all which abruptly stops with the entrance of their teacher, who is an Android. All students fall silent as he scans the classroom to take attendance. The Android announces the day’s lesson which is “People who have influenced our lives.” After the lesson the Android takes the students on a very rare field trip “outside.” The students express concern about leaving the classroom’s controlled environment, but the Android assures them that with their protective gear they will be fine.

Scene 2

As they begin their journey, the students identify important landmarks in the landscape. Suddenly, they discover the time capsule. The Android identifies it as being from the early 21st century. As the children of 2413 begin to remove objects from the capsule for inspection, the children from 2013 assist with the action of the scene. The first item to be removed is a pair of Converse high top tennis shoes. Lila puts them on and immediately begins to move, strutting in a sort of 2010’s fashion. She is held down while the shoes are removed. As each object is removed from the time capsule, it comes “alive” for the child handling it. Once it appears the capsule is empty, Amy remarks that there is still something left. The children are intrigued and mystified as she removes a small pathetic, withered plant. The Android insists that they leave it behind. As the children leave triumphantly carrying the objects they discovered, Amy runs back to retrieve the plant and secretly carries it back.

Synopsis (continued)

Scene 3 Amy is in her bedroom preparing for bed. The Android makes sure she has conducted her evening ritual of brushing her teeth and washing her face. Afterwards, she retrieves the plant that she has been hiding under her bed and begins to question its existence. It is unlike anything she has ever known.

Scene 4 Back in the classroom, the children are inspecting the objects they brought back from the time capsule. The Android notices that Amy has brought the plant inside and begins to reprimand her. During his interrogation, the students band together to find out why he is so angry about the plant. During their barrage of questions, the Android begins to break down and short-circuit. Afterwards, the children from 2013 and the children from 2413 unite to sing of the plant’s meaning and importance as the conclusion of the opera points to a hopeful future.

Daniel Dickson University of Missouri-St. Louis Jeremy Glik Clayton High School Alice Nelson

Cello

Percussion

Piano

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Timothy O’Leary, General Director James Robinson, Artistic Director

Stephen Lord, Music Director

Stage Director Music Director and Conductor Associate Music Director Set Designer Costume Designer Lighting Designer Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager

Doug Scholz-Carlson

Vince Lee

Alice Nelson

Scott C. Neale

Stacy Harris

Joe Clapper

Amy Soll

Sarah Johnson

Orchestra

AMY BOBBY ZACHARY ASIA LILA ANDROID CHILDREN OF THE PAST (2013)

CHILDREN OF THE FUTURE (2413)

Marissa Pineda Grand Center Arts Academy

Caden Self Homeschool

Ifabunmi Muhammad-Ojedele Crossroads College Preparatory School

Esther Davis Francis Howell Central High School

Fiona Scott Mary Queen of Peace School

Daniel Brevik✤

Libby Hillermann Our Lady of Lourdes School

Jordan Jones Brittany Woods Middle School

Ally Kalishman MICDS

Lauren Lundy* Notre Dame High School

Ellie McAvin Edgar Road Elementary School

Alexander Pompian Meramec School Abigail Powers*

Mehlville High School Ellie Schwartz

Community School Michelle Springer

Wydown Middle School

Evan Adams Brentwood High School

Sydney Jones Nipher Middle School

Lilly Kanterman Wydown Middle School

The Cast

✤ Former Gerdine Young Artist * Artists-in-Training Participant

Acknowledgments:

Opera Theatre gratefully acknowledges season presenting sponsor

Wells Fargo Advisors.

Opera Theatre is a sustaining member of the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis and receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Missouri Arts Council, and

the Regional Arts Commission.

Special Thanks to:

Composer Cary John Franklin, the staff of the Touhill Performing Arts Center, the Docent and Transportation Committee of the

Opera Theatre Guild, Marjorie and Ken Smith, Mary Anne Rudloff, Kay Wunder, Peter Merideth, Robert Nordman and the E.

Desmond Lee Fine Arts Collaborative, James Henry and James Richards of UM-St. Louis, Jean Ponzi of the EarthWays Center, Colleen Duhart and Mike Walsh of Forest ReLeaf of Missouri,

Diane Stirling of Character Plus, Ruth Block, Martha Bogart, Jan Keenoy and Stephanie Madlinger of Cooperating School Districts,

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Kim Shelley of Clayton High School, Barbara Berner of the St. Louis Children’s Choirs, and the

dedicated music teachers, parents and families of The Very Last Green Thing cast and orchestra

Going “Green”

These programs are printed on recycled paper. Please

return programs you do not wish to keep to an usher.

Elements of the set were created with recycled materials.

Cast members provided more than one-third of the water bottles you see on set.

Trees used in the production are courtesy of Forest ReLeaf of Missouri and will be planted in schoolyards and area neighborhoods.

Please put away all electronic devices during the performance.

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis presents

An Opera for Young People

Music by Cary John Franklin

Libretto by Michael Patrick Albano

Originally Commissioned by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, 1992

The Very Last Green Thing is made possible with generous underwriting from PNC Arts Alive and Monsanto Fund and with support from AT&T and Pi Beta Phi/Sign of the Arrow and in-

kind support from HEC-TV.