Digital Program: Someone Will Remember U
The Footlight Club’s 7A Black Box Program Presents
Someone Will Remember Us
by Jenna Schlags
The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited
October 16, 17, 23, and 24 at 7:30pm
October 18 and 24 matinees at 2:00pm
The Footlight Club, Parker Room, 7A Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Someone Will Remember Us runs for approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
It's the fall of 1911 when Jo Levitt dies, throwing strained family relationships into chaos: an estranged sister outraged, a lover grieving alone, a quiet brother trying to keep the peace. A nephew thrust into a journey of self-discovery he isn't ready for, leaving his best friend to pick up the pieces. With both humor and sincerity, “Someone will remember us” is a play about love, grief, and family that resonates across the decades.
Eliot Hall, 7A Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Information: 617-524-3200
The Footlight Club is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, a program of the state of Massachusetts administered through a collaborative arrangement between MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The Footlight Club is also supported in part by a grant from the Boston Cultural Council, a local agency which is funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events.
Our newly accessible Eliot Hall, completed in February 2021, is supported by grants from
the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural Facilities Fund, the Community Preservation Fund, and the George B. Henderson Foundation.
Cast
Jo Levitt: Jaryn Wilcox
Catherine Johnson: Rachel Renton
Andrew Levitt: Patrick Cornacchio
David Levitt: Nico Sloan
Edith Raffenberg: Jacqueline Goveas
Fred Morris: Robert Thorpe II
Production Team
Directors: Lenny Somervell & Texaco Texeira-Ramos
Producers: Jenna Schlags & Brittany Kamson
Stage Manager: Alana Corrigan
Set Designer: Texaco Texeira-Ramos
Lighting Designer: Alayo Oloko
Sound Designer: Rebecca Maxfield
Costume Designer: Jay Regalado
Props Designer: Julia Parham
Dramaturgs: Chinyere Obasi & Collin Smith
Stagehand: Guilherme Ovalle
Playwright’s Note
This summer I went to see the revival of a new musical. I was feeling the way many authors do in the middle of rewrites: unsure about the direction I was taking the work, wondering whether it was even a story worth telling. The curtain rose, the characters danced and sang their way through the introduction, and then the antagonist entered the stage. A rich, pushy producer trying to shoot down our hero’s dreams - a caricature of a Hollywood Jew, a character to deride, to make fun of. I kept waiting for something that would justify the decision to tie the character’s villainy to his Jewish identity. Didn’t the creators realize how offensive it was? I left feeling disappointed in the show, but it renewed my confidence in my decision to write Jewish characters who weren’t walking stereotypes.
David, Andrew, Jo, and Edith didn’t start out being Jewish. They were Christian by default the way many characters are written as white or straight by default. My wife was the one to point out that it wasn’t necessary to censor myself; surely there were Jews living in Boston in the early 1900s. I didn’t know much about American Jewish history pre-Holocaust, and I found it fascinating to learn about the Reform movement of the late 19th/early 20th centuries. Their desire to be known as Americans and not just Jews, their debates over which traditions were worth keeping and which worth modernizing, their worries over how to engage young people in the community, felt like they were taken from just a year ago instead of over a hundred. I’ve been asked a few times why Someone Will Remember Us takes place in 1911 instead of today, and part of the reason is that I wanted an audience to see what I did, that a century ago wasn’t so far from our own experiences. Another part is that I think it’s important to see ourselves in history, simply existing, without our identity being the cause for tragedy.
Someone Will Remember Us is perhaps more personal than anything else I’ve written for the stage, and much of that is due to the freedom of writing authentically, as a Jewish playwright as well as a queer one. I’m incredibly grateful to The Footlight Club, to my wife Lenny and her co-director Texaco, and to the cast and crew for bringing this script to the stage for the very first time. Thank you for coming, and I hope you enjoy the show. -- Jenna Schlags
Director’s Note
Anna Karenina opens with “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” But the Levitts’ unhappiness is common. “Common” stories are rarely about Queer people, Jews, immigrants, or people of color, such experiences are understood to be niche and particular. This story challenges that notion. A story of grief and self-discovery, unbelonging, damaging secrets and unaddressed hurts, and the steep cost that comes with living the life you want – it is quite common.
Someone Will Remember Us uses grief as a magnifying glass for how systems of oppression permeate strained relationships. Such hate has been pervasive for hundreds of years but, in this production, we had the opportunity to look closer at how it colors not just our relationships but our own self-perception. Motivated by fear, these characters compromise themselves and hurt those around them. Even Jo, the deceased sister who finds herself between ghost and memory, is forced to play particular roles by those who survive her.
As a new work, the creative journey allowed for incredibly unique collaboration with our playwright and cast, augmented by the work of our dramaturgy team. Boston in 1911 was wildly different from how it is now, and yet it’s much the same: still home to families just like the Levitts, still chipped harshly by dysfunctional institutions and societal boxes.
We invite you to find the universal in their particulars, and appreciate the particulars of these oh-so common experiences. -- Lenny Somervell and Texaco Texeira-Ramos
Cast and Crew Biographies
Patrick Cornacchio (he/him, Andrew Levitt) is honored to be making his Footlight Club debut with Someone Will Remember Us. Recent acting credits include Marblehead Little Theater's Pirates of Penzance (Pirate Ensemble) and Witch City Community Theater's staged reading of It's a Wonderful Life (Uncle Billy, others). Offstage, Patrick is a playwright and producer. He serves on the board for Witch City Community Theatre in Salem, MA. Instagram: @corn_maestro; @witchcitycommunitytheatre
Alana Corrigan (she/her, Stage Manager) is thrilled to be part of the Someone Will Remember Us team! Her past Boston productions include Our Lord and Savior for the Boston Fringe Festival (writer/director/"Emma", also with Jenna!), Henry V (director), and Bloomsday (assistant director). She will be directing The Importance of Being Earnest this spring and is co-writing The Myth of Saint Patrick with Jill Tokac. She thanks her incredible Footlight team, her beloved fiancé Kyle Erickson, and Jenna for bringing her on board! Enjoy the show!
Jacqueline Goveas (any, Edith) is making her debut at the Footlight Club playing Edith. She would like to thank the cast and crew for their dedication to bringing this story to life. Recent credits include Now is Still Here (Artists' Theater of Boston), 2nd Idle Hands Fest (Idle Hands Collective) and Boeing, Boeing (Belmont Dramatic Club). She was previously a member of a noncomedic improv company (True Story Theater) and performed in 13 shows across Greater Boston.
Brittany Kamson (she/her, Producer) is excited to be producing Someone Will Remember Us at the Footlight Club. She has loved being a part of the development of new works and is honored to work alongside this talented creative team to bring this show to the stage. Recent credits include Trix (The Drowsy Chaperone), Viola Swing/Ensemble (Twelfth Night: The Musical), Catherine (Pippin), Juliet (Verona Falls), and Judine (Hairspray). She’s grateful to her friends and family who continue to support her involvement in theater and hopes you enjoy the show! Instagram: @bkalibunga
Rebecca Maxfield (Sound Designer) is the artistic director of Providence's Head Trick Theatre and, in that capacity, has directed a whole bunch of plays, including last season's Agnes de Castro and Dr. Korczak and the Children, as well as sound designing them. Other directing work includes Macbeth with Rhode Island College Theatre (as guest director) and assistant directing positions with Trinity Rep, The Wilbury Group, and Burbage Theatre Company. Non-HTT sound design: The Awakening of Spring (Reverie Theatre Group), The Wickhams (Barker Playhouse), The Diary of Anne Frank, The Hatmaker's Wife (Arctic Playhouse). Recent acting: Court Physician in Obscura: Murder at the Fantasy Ball with The Harpies. Stay tuned for the Head Trick season announcement in Providence and for Rebecca's further theatre adventures in NYC!
Chinyere Obasi (he/him, Dramaturg) is so grateful to be on the dramaturgical team for Someone Will Remember Us at the Footlight Club. A composer and playwright in addition to his dramaturgical work, Obasi's credits include three hares running (Foundry Festival, 2026), Ad Sense (Strip Mall Mag 2026), and under control/utter chaos (Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club 2023, Black Playwrights' Festival 2022). His work has been developed with Fresh Ink Theatre, the Cambridge Foundry, and the Hyperion Shakespeare Company. Originally from Nebraska, and recently living in Boston, he is currently based in Ghent, Belgium, on a 2026-2027 Fulbright U.S. Student Award. IG: @thelastblackmaninnebraska
Alayo Oloko (she/her, Lighting Designer) is ecstatic to be designing this beautiful show! Alayo is a Boston and New York-based lighting designer with a passion for storytelling through light. Recent credits include The Sorcerer, 1776, Frozen, The Secret Garden, The Student Prince, Pippin, The Light in the Piazza, The Drowsy Chaperone and My Fair Lady (College Light Opera Company) The Lost Boys (Broadway: DMC Assistant); Daughter of the Regiment (Boston Lyric Opera: Assistant); and Mary Magdelene, Daughter, Boatperson (Fresh Ink Theatre and Chuang Stage). Portfolio: alayooloko.com.
Guilherme Ovalle (he/him, Stagehand) is excited to join Someone Will Remember Us at the Footlight Club as a stagehand. He is a Boston-based actor honored to learn from this talented creative team and help bring the show to the stage.
Julia Parham (she/her, Props Manager) is thrilled to shape the world of Someone Will Remember Us through its props. A longtime theater maker, Julia has dabbled in production, stage management, scenic carpentry, acting, and design. It has been such a joy to watch this new work come to life and she is excited for its debut!
Rachel Renton (she/her, Catherine Johnson) is a Boston-based actor and arts educator working across film, television, commercial, and stage. This is Rachel’s second show at The Footlight Club this year, having made her FTC debut in February as Celeste in Into the Breeches! Rachel is honored to be part of the creative process bringing this new work to its first audience. When not on stage, she likes to figure skate, ski, hike, and kayak—though usually not all at once. Rachel would like to thank Mark, Cate, and Claire for their unwavering love and support. Enjoy the show! Instagram: @rentonrachel
Jenna Schlags (she/her, Playwright & Producer) is excited to return to The Footlight Club as a 7A playwright and producer, after playing Fiona in Out of Sight... Out of Murder! As a playwright, her work is inspired by fairy tales, Jewish folklore, and queer history. A staged reading of More than Need was produced through a grant from the Gumroad Creator’s Fund, and her one-act play Man is but an Ass was selected as a finalist for Gadfly Theater's Final Frontier Festival. Her 10-minute plays have been performed in both New York and Boston. Jenna earned her MBA from the University of Rochester and is a graduate of Brandeis University, and she is a member of the Alliance for Jewish Theatre and The Dramatists Guild. She is so grateful to the cast and crew for helping her bring this show to life! You can read more of her work at https://newplayexchange.org/users/39530/jenna-schlags; www.jennaschlags.com; IG @queerlittlebirddesigns
Nico Sloan (he/him, David Levitt) is eager to portray the role of David in Someone Will Remember Us. This is his first show at the Footlight Club, and he's excited to perform in such a historic venue. A Brandeis University student, recent credits include: Robert Ferrars (Sense and Sensibility), Noel (Ride the Cyclone), Bruce (Fun Home). He'd like to especially thank his roommates, who never fail to distract him from running lines.
Collin Smith (they/them, Dramaturg) is a director, dramaturg, & playwright based in Allston, Massachusetts. They are currently working as a freelance theatre artist while also holding a position in higher education. They look to merge their two fields of interest, utilizing their research skills as they create new work. Recent credits include: Dramaturg for Woodfern (Suffolk University), Playwright for Portland to Portland (no notes theatre co.), Cast in 48-Hour Play Festival (Queer Artists & Players)
Lenny Somervell (she/her, Director) is excited to bring Someone Will Remember Us to the stage. It has been wonderful to get back into directing, and to work with all of the fantastic and talented artists involved in this production. She has previously directed a staged reading of Jenna's play More Than Need and productions of Macbeth, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Ghostshow with Chameleon's Dish.
Texaco Texeira-Ramos (they/she, Director & Set Designer) is thrilled to be part of the team for Someone Will Remember Us. As a director and designer, they love bringing intimate and personal stories to the stage, especially in the form of new work. Recent work includes The Mystery of Irma Vep (Assistant Director, Dramaturg) at Central Square Theater and The Glass Menagerie (Director, Sound/Scenic Designer) for the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club. As a recent graduate, she's excited to share her first post-grad project with you all and is very grateful for how accommodating this team has been with her many months of long distance directing.
Robert Thorpe II (he/they, Fred Morris) is delighted to be here with Footlight’s 7A series. If Robert had a nickel for every world premiere of a queer period piece he's worked on this year, he'd have two nickels. Recent credits: The Aria of Julie d’Aubigny, The Tempest (Theatre@First); Medea (Deadword Theatre); Horseplay (Played by Medusa the Horse) (Fork&Shoe Theatre Co-op); Macbeth, Othello, Twelfth Night (Dream Role Players); Much Ado About Nothing (THT Repertory); Tartuffe, The Book of Will (Hub Theatre). Other credits include work with Apollinaire Theatre, Central Square Theatre, Bridge Repertory Theater, Praxis Stage, and the Post-Meridian Radio Players. When not on stage you can find Robert writing code, playing DnD, or chilling with his cats Nox and Dora. Look out for him performing as Romeo next June in Romeo and Juliet with Dream Role Players!
Jaryn Wilcox (she/her, Jo Levitt ) is so excited to return to the Footlight Club’s 7A Series! Previous shows at The Footlight Club include Cut (Collette), Sweat (Tracy), and A Doll's House (Mary Ann). Additional credits include Dream Role Players: Julius Caesar (Brutus), Macbeth (Lady Macbeth). Treehouse Collective: Mariette in Ecstasy (Sister Agnes). Hovey Players: Eurydice (Loud Stone), Witch (Winnifred). Theatre@First: Anton in Show Business (Casey), Burning (Cy Burns), None Escape (Ensemble). @jarynwilcox
Special Thanks
Matt McKee, Character Headshot Photographer
Val Tracy, Production Photos
The Israel Bookshop
Elyse Winick
Catherine Giorgetti, Amanda Tafeen, and the Queer Theatre Collaborative team
Board of Directors
Michael Colford, David Alger, Chris Stuck-Girard, Jim Ansart, Jerry Wheelock, Rachel Veto, Val Tracy, Meredith Weaver, Elizabeth Curran, Courtney Breslin, Juliette McClendon, Zach Best, Ryder Nguyen
Board of Trustees
Paul Campbell, Shannon Daly, Shelly Norton Icaza, Stephen Lussier, Lorie Komlyn, Jerry Wheelock, Jason Sheehan, Bill Shamlian, Matt McKee
Promotions and Publicity
Elizabeth Curran, Promotions Director
Chris Stern
Kristin MacDougall
Michael Colford
David Alger
Matt McKee, Photographer
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Juliette (Jules) McClendon, Michael Colford, Kara Chu Nelson, Ally Rzesa,
Amanda Bedford, Melissa Paz, Mordecai Choi, Steven Key
Special thanks to all our dedicated volunteers who continue to help keep the Footlight Club running day in and day out, from front of house, to club clean-outs, we appreciate you!
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact us at volunteers@footlight.org
And to our loyal members and patrons, thank you for continuing to support the Footlight Club!
Thank You to Our Footlight Family
We Are So Grateful for Your Support
As you walked in this evening, you no doubt noticed the beautiful new accessible entrance to the Footlight. This project – a new exterior ADA-compliant ramp and interior elevator to all four floors of Eliot Hall – ensures that all our guests can fully access all our spaces. Along the way, extensive repairs needed to be made to the foundation and existing chimneys. New spaces in our basement and on the third floor will provide essential props storage, and we’re already feeling warmer with an upgraded furnace system.
These upgrades were only possible through the generous financial support of our community partners. We extend our thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural Facilities Fund, the Community Preservation Fund, and the George B. Henderson Foundation. Most of our funding came from donations large and small from our Footlight Family. Thank you to everyone who donated.
We are kicking off our 150th season and we hope to make this season a major year-long fund-raising event! We are still working on the restoration of our exterior façade, [carpentry, building envelope repairs, and more] to ensure the historic character of Eliot Hall is preserved and to keep our building strong and safe. This work will improve energy efficiency, safety and security; present the building as a welcoming neighborhood landmark; and ensure future generations enjoy the benefit of this important community resource.
Nurturing Tomorrow's Artists
Even as we celebrate our and maintain our storied history, we're turning our attention to the future — and to the next generation of artists, storytellers, and creative technicians we can help shape. That starts at home. Eliot Hall should be a comfortable, safe, and welcoming place to learn, and we have the talent within our walls to make it happen.
We envision
Apprenticeships
Workshops
Classes
demonstrations for all ages
children's dance classes
acting workshops for BIPOC communities
creative leadership training
design internships
We are a microcosm of the theater world, and we want to open our doors to anyone who wants to be part of it. But we need your help to get there.
The Footlight Club is ready to train the next generation of theater-makers — and make those opportunities accessible to everyone.
That only happens with the support of our Footlight Community. Your investment funds the programs that keep us at the forefront of community theater nationwide — and ensures that the future of this art form has a home right here.
We have made it as easy as possible for you to help support our vision. Visit our donations page at www.footlight.org/donate to make a tax deductible donation.
The continued revitalization and restoration of Eliot Hall will always be one of Footlight’s top priorities, and we are also looking carefully at our future progra offerings. Your contributions will continue to make it possible to take on large-and-small-scale restoration projects, as well as maintaining the day-to-day operations of the building.
Every Gift Counts
If you are thinking about making your first gift, now is the time to make a gift in any amount.
Please give now at: www.footlight.org/donate
Or mail a check payable to The Footlight Club to:
Treasurer, The Footlight Club, 7A Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Other Ways to Give
Email Treasurer@Footlight.org to make a gift of stock.
Become a Footlight Club Monthly Sustainer. For gifts of over $500, your donation will renew, and your credit or debit card will automatically be billed each month. Details on our donation page.