January 25 – 27
Welcome to Colchester, a small town where everybody knows each other and the pace of life allows the pursuit of love to take up as much space as it needs. Our tour guide is Suzanne, the town photographer, who lets us peek into her neighbors’ lives to catch glimpses of romance in all its stages of development. A play about love, nostalgia, the seasons and how we learn to say goodbye.
Cast
Cast
Photographer
Kaia Olberg is a junior at BHS. She has been in theater her whole life and this will be her 5th show at Batavia! She is so grateful for this wonderful learning opportunity, and would like to thank everyone that made it possible! She hopes you enjoy the show!
Cast
Perfume Maker
After four years of high school theater at BHS, Matthew is clocking out. He thanks you all for being apart of his theater journey.
Cast
Young Man
Quentin Ruffo is a sophomore in the BHS drama program, he has performed in Pride and Prejudice in the spring last year, and was in both of the recent musicals in the pit, he’s very excited to perform for you in Kodachrome.
Cast
Young Woman
Lucy is a junior and is thrilled to be a part of this amazing and unique production. She would like to thank the wonderful cast, crew, pit and production team for working so hard to make this show a reality. Enjoy!
Cast
Librarian
Charlotte is a junior and this is her third musical at BHS! She is so excited for you to see all the hard work everyone has put in and she hopes you love it!
Cast
Hardware Store Owner
Ryan Anderson (he/him)
Ryan is a senior at BHS. He would like to thank all you who took time out of your day to watch this amazing show. Without Cast, Crew, and Production teams this show wouldn’t be possible. He would like to thank all who worked to make this show a success! He hopes you enjoy and fall in love with Kodachrome!
Cast
Gravedigger
Drew is thrilled to be ending his senior year with the self-proclaimed highlight of his career! He hopes you enjoy the insanity, and thanks everyone involved for the opportunity, including his director!
Cast
Waitress
Cast
History Professor
This show will be Mitchell Moss’ eighth show done for the Batavia Fine Arts Centre, along with having his biggest role yet. Before Frankenstein Mitchell has really only had a couple named characters, and none of them being big story critical characters with emotion and passion. Mitchell has been performing since middle school with some roles in shows like Beauty and the Beast. Mitchell is astronomically excited to have the opportunity to share his passion by providing entertainment for members of his community, along with having the opportunity to see the profound effect that a fantastic theater program can have and offer.
Cast
Mystery Novelist
Erin is senior performing in her seventh show here at BHS. She is thrilled to be playing Elizabeth Frankenstein and can’t wait for everyone to see this show come to life! Erin would like to thank her family for their endless support as well as the amazing cast and crew who have worked so hard on this show!
Cast
Florist
Kate Streepey is a senior at Batavia High School, and Songs for a New World is her 9th show at BHS. She can’t wait for everyone to hear all the beautiful music in this show and experience the uniqueness of a black box musical. She also would like to thank all the parent volunteers who made this show possible. Enjoy the show!
Cast
Marjory
Sama Taha (Ensemble)
Sama Taha is in the tenth grade and attends Batavia High School. This is her thirteenth musical of all time. She is elated to be in Batavia’s production of Songs for a New World. She is also in Swingsingers and But Seriously Folks. She would like to thank the stupendous cast and team for making this show possible, along with her family and friends for being so supportive.
Cast
EMT 1
Mimi is a sophomore at BHS and is very excited for this year’s spring production. She’s been in 42nd Street and Mean Girls as a crew member, as well as Pride and Prejudice and Kodachrome as an actor. She is very proud of all the work that goes into this show, on and off stage! In her second year with the BHS Drama Program she hopes that she will keep making great memories with her fellow students. She would also like to thank all the adults that are part of the production taking time out their day to help the students make a great show. She hopes you enjoy Frankenstein as much as she does despite it being a little scary!
Cast
EMT 2
Mac is a senior and she is very excited to be doing her 9th show with BHS. She would like to thank everyone who has helped to give her the opportunity to perform. She would also like to thank the audience for coming. She hopes that you enjoy the performance!
Cast
Policeman
Cast
Friend
Beth is thrilled to be a part of her fifth and final show at BHS! Beth is a senior and has been dancing for eleven years. She is so happy to be a part of The Monster: A Frankenstein Tale and has made so many great memories along the way. She would like to thank her family and friends who have encouraged her along the way. She hopes you enjoy Frankenstein!
Assistant Music Director
DogWalker
Jayden is a Senior and very excited to be the Student Music Director for this show! He thanks Mr. Barsch for allowing him help, and hopes you enjoy the show!
Cast
Floral Assistant
Lia Woods (Just One Step/Surabaya-Santa) Lia is a sophomore at Batavia High School and is very excited to part of this year’s musical. Her favorite past show has been Heathers (Heather McNamara). She is also a member of the drama club, Swingsingers and Chromatics. Her other hobbies include drawing, reading, and hanging out with her friends. She would like to thank her family for coming to every show and always supporting her, as well as the amazing directors and cast of Songs for a New World.
Cast
Hardware Store Assistant
Charlie is so grateful and excited to participate in yet another incredible BHS theater production! They have participated in four shows previously, playing Mrs. Reynolds in Pride and Prejudice, and being in the ensemble for Nevermore, Spongebob, and Kodachrome. They hope you enjoy the show!
Cast
Harry
Lane Is a Junior and Is glad to be a part of Songs For A New World. His past shows include The Monster: A Frankenstein Tale, And Mean Girls. This is his Fifth show with the BHS Drama Program, and is happy to make an Impact on Drama Program and BHS. He’d like to dedicate his performance to his supporters and hope you enjoy the show!
Assistant Director
Kite Flyer
Cast
Jonathan
Peter Angelini (John Polidori) – Peter is a freshman, this is his 3rd show at Batavia High School. Peter has been in theater since he was 8. He has been in Pan Jr, Under the Big Top Jr, Beauty and the Beast Jr, Kodachrome, and Mean Girls. He is very excited to be able to, once again, fulfill his passion of performing on the big stage. He is very grateful to be able to experience what our great theater program can offer. And he is very excited to see what comes in the future.
Cast
Hardware Store Assistant
Crew
Stage Manager
Stage Manager
Lexie is so excited for the show! She is a senior at BHS and is heavily involved in the drama department. Songs for a New World is her 9th production at BHS and 6th as a member of the stage management team. She would like to thank her fellow Stage Managers, Senithi and Lauren, for all of their time and dedication over the rehearsal process. She would also like to thank her family for all of their support. Break a leg everyone!
Crew
Assistant Stage Manager
Tatj is a senior and is glad to be involved in her 11th and final show her at BHS. She would like to thank Mr Casburn, Mr Cattero, Joe, Mike, Heather, and Adam for all they’ve taught her. She would also like to thank her friends, family, and all those involved with the shows for the constant support they’ve shown to her and this program. She hopes you enjoy the show with its amazing set and talented cast and hopes you continue to come see the amazing productions that BHS theater creates. Good luck next year guys!
Assistant Stage Manager
Props master
Senithi Hewamanage is a junior and this is her 5th show at the high school, but 6th show overall. She is so excited to be stage managing for a musical for the first time, and can’t wait to for you all to see the hard work everyone has put into these performances. Enjoy the show!
Crew Leader
This is Lily’s 9th and final show at Batavia High School. Since moving here in sophomore year, she has been an active member of BHS’s Drama Program. She would like to thank all of the people who work behind the scenes to help bring the show to stage, as well as the cast. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Crew
Toby is very excited for his first play experience. He is a junior but it’s only his second year at BHS, he moved to Batavia towards the start of his sophomore year. Toby doesn’t have much stage crew experience other than a middle school play where he changed sets between scenes. Toby has always had an interest in sound and music and grew up in a very active family. While he may be socially awkward to new faces, Toby is very flexible and makes sure he can help anyone who may need it. He looks forward to everything that will come with being a crew member! :3
Artistic Team
Joshua Casburn is honored to be the director of such an amazing cast. Joshua attended Wheaton College and earned a BA in Communications: Theater, and a BA in English. At Wheaton, he was proud to be part of the“Workout” theatre troupe, as it had a profound influence on him artistically. After college, he and other “Workout” alums developed their own theater, Spendrift Theater Company, based out of Glen Ellyn, IL. Mr. Casburn has directed many plays at BHS. Some of his recent directing credits at BHS include productions of Animal Farm, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Casburn also has experience producing films. He won “Best Picture” and “Best Screenplay” at the Wheaton College Class Film Festival. He spent some time in Hollywood at the Act One Screenwriting program and has also studied screenwriting in Chicago. He also has a Masters of Arts in Teaching from National Louis University, and teaches Creative Writing, Theater Arts, and Film as Literature at BHS. His teaching and artistic endeavors are extensions of his most important, most fulfilling job: being a husband to his AMAZING wife Heidi, and a father to four wonderful kids: Hailey, Logan, Elise, and Brendan. “I’m so proud and blessed to have worked with all of these talented young students.
Assistant Director
Assistant Director
Hailey Adams cannot believe this is her last show! After joining the program in her junior year, she has been overjoyed with all the opportunities given to her. She has loved not only being a part of Frankenstein as cast, but has loved assistant directing her second show. She has loved being a part of the process of the show and can not wait to perform it. Hailey wants to give a big thank you to everyone that is a part of the show, and especially a big thank you to Casburn for allowing her to be his assistant director for two shows!
Joseph Andersen
Technical Director
Mike Baglieri
Lighting Designer