A special acknowledgment from the director to the incredible staff of the Waukee Theatre Arts program. I am not being hyperbolic when I say there is absolutely no way this production could have happened without the guidance and mentorship from Chelsea Haaland, Nate Jorgensen, and Shelley Leiser. From the millions of emails and questions to the scheduling of facilities and shuttle buses, this (pirate) ship would have never been able to sail. I'm struggling to find a way to express how much they meant to this show, and I am in great gratitude to these people. This program is truly a special one, and I am humbled to be able to step into their world, even for such a short amount of time. I cannot thank you enough.
A great thank you to Wayne Kischer for maintaining a world-class facility. Professional theatre companies from around the country would be jealous to have such a theatre to work in. Wayne's vision and passion for such a facility is a wonderful gift to Waukee Theatre Arts.
A theatre program cannot thrive without advocates in leadership. Juley Murphy-Tiernan and Mark Stallman at Prairieview, and Brady Fleming and Nate Zittergruen at Timberline are the administrators that theatre directors dream of. It is because of them that the students at Waukee continue to grow and become passionate artists. Thank you from everyone in Waukee Theatre Arts!
Producing theatre is a beautifully messy profession. Paint, lumber, tape, makeup, fabric, rope, and power chords are just a few of the materials that are needed to put up a show. The custodial staff at Prairieview (especially Chris!) have been wonderful teammates with Waukee Theatre Arts throughout this process. The students and staff thank you!
To the parents and guardians of all the students involved: THANK YOU! The unending rides to and from rehearsal make it possible for these students to create something great. It was a pleasure to work with your incredible students!
And to the heartbeat of Prairieview, Hope Johnson. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared and intimidated to take this position at a program like this. Yet, you made me feel like another member of the family from the moment I walked in the door. Thank you for your patience with the unending questions, and thank you for fighting for our program when we needed things. Prairieview is a special place because of you!
Ken Ludwig (Playwright) is a two-time Olivier Award-winning playwright whose work is performed every night of the year throughout the world in more than 30 countries and over 20 languages. He has written 24 plays and musicals, with six Broadway productions and seven in London’s West End. His Tony Award-winning play Lend Me a Tenor was called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century” by The Washington Post. His other plays and musicals include Crazy for You (five years on Broadway, Tony Award for Best Musical), Moon Over Buffalo (Broadway and West End), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Broadway), Treasure Island (West End), Twentieth Century (Broadway), Leading Ladies, Shakespeare in Hollywood, The Three Musketeers, The Game’s Afoot, The Fox on the Fairway, The Beaux’ Stratagem, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, and A Comedy of Tenors. His critically acclaimed adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, written at the request of the Christie Estate, premiered this season to sold-out houses at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, and his world-premiere adaptation of Robin Hood! opens at The Old Globe this summer. Mr. Ludwig has received commissions from The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Bristol Old Vic and The Old Globe, and he is a Sallie B. Goodman Fellow of McCarter Theatre. His many awards and honors include the Charles MacArthur Award, two Helen Hayes Awards, the Southeastern Theatre Conference Distinguished Career Award, the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of the Year, and the Edwin Forrest Award for Contributions to the American Theatre. His book How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare (Random House) won the Falstaff Award for Best Shakespeare Book of 2014, and his essays are published by The Yale Review. He holds degrees from Harvard and Cambridge University.
