Growing Through Hardship | gundlachtheatre

Growing Through Hardship: A Selection from We Have Apples

A Note From the Director:

I stumbled upon We Have Apples in 2022 when I was looking for material for my senior theatre project. I was immediately struck by the way that it portrayed Jane and her Depression and what it was like for her in a mental health facility. Having had a recent experience in a psychiatric ward, I felt very connected to Jane’s story and was deeply affected by how it portrayed patients, mental illness and the health system as a whole. As I dug further into We Have Apples I became determined to bring the whole show to Heidelberg. I feel that more people should experience the pain, sadness, silliness and power of the characters and their stories. Though Growing Through Hardship is only a fraction of We Have Apples, being able to direct and perform this work has truly changed me and made me believe that I can make a difference.

I would never have been able to complete my senior show or Growing Through Hardship without the help of Rachel Griffin and Aron Accurso, the creators of We Have Apples. Thank you so much for your support of Growing Through Hardship and being involved in the creative process. Thank you to all of my wonderful actors and production crew, it has been a pleasure working with all of you on a project that is so important to me. Thank you also to all those who were there for me during this process to help me along as a first time director as well as offering emotional support.

Break a leg Cast and Crew!

Lizzie Bowman

Cast List

Amelia Hammond

Taylor Yunker

Gavin Buurma

Sarah Jewell

Jack Mills

CJ Davis

Bri Clark

Ben Pollizi

Lizzie Bowman

Production/Creative Team

Director, Lizzie Bowman

Pianist, Kim Ridge

Lighting Designer, Lexy Saxon

Projection Operator, Jackson Helmholtz

Scenic Charge, Bri Clark

Sound Board Operator, Solana Petrone

Meet the Cast

Gavin Buurma he/him is a graduate student currently working towards his MBA here at Heidelberg from Willard, Ohio. He has performed in various productions at Heidelberg including The Addams Family, Elf, 9 to 5, & Cabaret. He would like to thank his friends and family, especially his mom, for all of their support over the last 5 years. The cast and crew have worked incredibly hard on this production, and Gavin is very excited for everyone to see this show!

Bri Clark is a senior Musical Theater major and is on track to get her MBA. She has loved theater her whole life. Bri has been in multiple shows here at Heidelberg including Pride and Prejudice, She Kills Monsters, Addams Family, Wendy and Peter Pan and many more. She also participates as the Scenic Charge and Graphic designer for the theater department. Bri is excited for her future here at Heidelberg as well as what will follow once she graduates!

CJ Davis he/him is very excited to continue his career on stage at Heidelberg University with his second show this semester just coming off of closing his first-ever show at the Berg in Les Liaisons Dangereuses where he played Azolan. He is a Psychology and Musical Theater double major with an Athletic Coaching minor and also plays football here at Heidelberg. Throughout high school, CJ was in the pit playing bass guitar, behind the scenes with his parents who gave him his love for theater, and has recently shifted to performing on stage in shows like Monty Python’s Spamalot (Sir Lancelot) and The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later (Aaron McKinney). CJ is beyond excited to be a part of the theater family and can’t wait to see where it takes him.

Amelia Hammond she/her is so happy to perform in this fabulous production of Growing Through Hardship: A Selection from We Have Apples! She is a first year Theatre major with a musical theater concentration. Amelia has previously performed in Wendy & Peter Pan (Crocodile), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Cecile Volanges), and will be rounding out her freshman year with performances in The Spongebob Musical. She would like to thank the director, Lizzie Bowman, for the amazing experience and shining a light on these hard topics and mental health awareness.

Sarah Jewell she/her is a freshman musical theatre major and Spanish and theatre education minor. She is so excited to be a part of We Have Apples because she believes awareness of mental illness is so important, and some of these topics hit close to home. Sarah has previously performed in Cinderella (Marie), Chicago (Hunyak) and Top Girls (Dull Gret/Angie), among other shows. She would like to dedicate this show to her best friend, Ainsley, who has always supported her through her mental highs and lows.

Taylor Yunker she/her is a sophomore musical theater major here at Heidelberg. She made her debut last fall as an ensemble member of The Addams Family. Taylor was an actress in My First Time, played a Shadow/ u/s Wendy in Wendy and Peter Pan, and most recently was Marlene in Top Girls. She is so grateful for all of her friends and family that support her.

Meet the Production/Creative Team

Lizzie Bowman is a graduate student at Heidelberg University, who majored in Musical Theatre. In the past while attending Heidelberg Lizzie has appeared in Pride and Prejudice (Jane), She Kills Monsters (Agnes) and Cinderella (Cinderella), Elf (Emily), and Dance Nation (Sofia). Previously she has been a production member in My First Time (Stage Manager), The Addams Family (Assistant Stage Manager), as well as dance captain for Freaky Friday and 9 to 5. Lizzie is very excited to be back on stage at Heidelberg and working with new students. This is Lizzie’s first time directing and is excited to be able to work with such amazing people on an amazing project. She would like to thank everyone who has supported and continues to support her.

Lexy Saxon she/her (Master Electrician/Lighting Designer) is a sophomore theater production major with a writing minor. She is no stranger to the production team, but this is her first show on the mainstage she is designing completely by herself and she is super excited! She was the assistant stage manager and the assistant lighting designer of Les Liasons Dangerous. She will also be the stage manager for Porch in March, and the assistant director of Spongebob in April. She would like to thank her friends and family for being so supportive through everything she has done!