“The Wolves” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

We would like to begin
by acknowledging that the land
on which we gather is the unceded territory
of the Yuchi and Cherokee People.
We offer our gratitude for the land itself,
and the Indigenous people that
stewarded it for generations.

River & Rail Theatre Co.

About The Play

THE WOLVES

By Sarah DeLappe

World premiere produced by The Playwrights Realm (Katherine Kovner, Artistic Director | Roberta Pereira, Producing Director) on September 8, 2016 and remounted on December 5, 2016 by special arrangement with Scott Rudin and Eli Bush.

Originally presented by New York Stage and Film and Vassar in the Powerhouse Season, Summer 2016.

Playwrights Horizons Theater School produced a workshop of The Wolves in 2015 in association with Clubbed Thumb, where the play had been developed previously.

Winner of the 2016 Sky Cooper New American Play Prize at Marin Theatre Company, Mill Valley, CA

Jasson Minadakis, Artistic Director; Keri Kellerman, Managing Director
Produced by Lincoln Center Theater, New York City, 2017

CHARACTERS

#11

#25

#13

#46

#14

#00

Soccer Mom

NOTE:

THE WOLVES will be performed without an intermission. The show runs approximately 90 minutes.

Note from the Director

Soccer and theatre. The two things in my high school life that gave me a sense of belonging and purpose. And while, theatre ended up being my chosen path, soccer was an integral part of my life for many years.

I played soccer in the 1980s. Girls’ soccer, not to mention women’s soccer, was barely a blip on the map in those days. There were very few teams at a competitive level that existed. I was the only girl on my middle school soccer team. When I started high school, there wasn’t girls’ soccer in our school district. The first girls’ soccer teams began in the spring of 1986. I was on the team for my school and played for the next three years until I graduated. We had one of the most amazing coaches, Howard Labrant. He had been coaching the boys’ team for years and, as an added bonus, had been one of my favorite teachers in elementary school.

Mr. Labrant helped and encouraged me to find a way to balance soccer and theatre — my two favorite things — those two things that gave me a sense of purpose and belonging in high school. I loved playing soccer for Mr. LaBrant. He taught me to be a goalkeeper — even when I wasn’t sure that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to score goals, not stop them. But he saw something I didn’t, I guess.

I’ll never forget the final game of my senior year against — the one team we could never seem to beat — on their home turf. We were the Conference Co-Champs that year. This game determined who went on to State. It was a defensive tour de force. I’d made a big save early in the game, and at half-time Mr. LaBrant hugged me and told me I’d made the save of the game. We ended regulation play, tied 0-0. We went into overtime. Then another. Still 0-0. The game came down to penalty kicks. A goalkeeper’s worst nightmare. Two rounds. Still tied. One last shot. Me. The player from the opposing team. The ball going towards the lower right corner of the goal — my weak side. I leapt for the ball, my arms outstretched as far as they would go, my whole body seemed to lengthen. But, it wasn’t enough. I felt the ball brush past my fingertips — just out of reach. I touched it, but I couldn’t get my hands around it. The ball went into the net behind me — my body hit the ground. We lost. The last game of my high school career.

I almost instantly burst into tears. Much of everything that came immediately afterwards is a blur. I remember people swarming the field, the other team celebrating their win, the noise of the stadium. I must have gotten up at some point, because I do remember sinking to my knees in front of the goal. I remember the goalkeeper for the boys’ team who helped us with keeper conditioning drills, suddenly appearing next to me — giving me a hug, telling me to keep my head up, to be proud of how I’d played. The next thing I remember was seeing Mr. LaBrant. He put his arm around my shoulder. I felt like a little second-grader once again. He told me he was proud of me, that I had played a great game. That I should be proud of my accomplishments in the net. Cue additional waterworks.

I don’t remember much after that. Soccer and high school came to an end. I went to college, played a little bit of intramural soccer, tore my ACL, had reconstructive surgery, and pretty much stopped playing competitive soccer after that. Theatre became my focus.

I first discovered The Wolves a few years ago when a former student recommended it to me. I had found a play that brought my two lives together — my athletic life and my theatrical life. The Wolves rose to the top of my “must-do” plays. It would still be a couple of years before the opportunity to direct it came to be. Unfortunately, Covid put a wrench in that plan and that production was not to be — at least, not for me. In the summer of 2022, we began the process of deciding our productions for the 2022-2023 school year. As a result of renovation plans in our performing space at Pellissippi, the Clayton Performing Arts Center, we were looking at alternative venues. Around the same time River & Rail was looking into potential partnerships with Knox County Schools, UT, and Pellissippi State. Producing The Wolves became a part of that discussion. It was a perfect storm. I was the lucky one slated to direct.

And lucky I was indeed. That “perfect storm” extended into the casting process as we brought in Pellissippi students, UT students, and professional actors in the Knoxville community. One of those Dream Team cast moments. Working with the 10 women of the cast, and the entire production team, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my directing career. Together, they brought this raw, insightful play by Sarah DeLappe about the world of girls’ soccer, the pressures of being an athlete — particularly a female athlete, the pressures of being a teen — particularly a teenage girl, and the pressures of being true to oneself, while also being a part of a whole as we discover who we are, to life so beautifully. I am grateful for their support, guidance, and dedication to this challenging play. Thank you all. You truly have been a Dream Team. Thank you to the folks at River & Rail for this incredible collaboration. What an amazing experience for our students!

And finally, thank you, to Howard LaBrant.

I hadn’t seen him since I graduated from high school. I often thought about him over the years, wondered how he was, recalling memories from elementary school and from high school soccer. I mentioned Mr. LaBrant at the first rehearsal rehearsal for The Wolves and how he had been so influential in my life — a great teacher, a great coach. I brought my memories of him into rehearsal with me that night. His energy and spirit were there to guide me through that first rehearsal, and continued to do so throughout the whole rehearsal process where I was finally able to blend together those two things that gave me purpose and belonging when I needed them.

Thank you, Coach LaBrant, for believing in me, for teaching me how to be a better goalie, and a better person. Thank you for nurturing my love of soccer, while also allowing me to continue pursuing my love of theatre. You will be missed. This production is dedicated to you.

We are The Wolves!

Cast

#11 — Hannah Sloas

#25 — Gracie Belt

#13 — Catherine Belvins

#46 — Celeste Pelletier

#2 — Erin Gillum

#7 — Sid Scarlett

#14 — Linzy Monks

#8 — Maddie Trout

#00 — Emily Helton

Soccer Mom — Amber Collins Crane

Understudies — McKenzie Jordan

Creative Team

Director — Grechen Lynne Wingerter

Assistant Director — Katie Campbell-Dollar

Stage Manager — Jessica Klus

Scenic Designer/Technical Director — Claude Hardy

Lighting Designer — Kaylin Gess

Costume Designer — Amber Williams

Sound Designer — Lucas Swinehart

Projections Designer — Claude Hardy & Lucas Swinehart

Assistant Technical Director — Pierce Torano

Assistant Scenic Designer — Maddie Trout

Assistant Stage Managers — Leo Bannow & Sam McRary

Marketing — Patrick Teasdale

House Manager — Wymon Anderson

Production Manager — Joshua Peterson & Kenneth Herring

PSCC Co-Producer — Charles R. Miller

Videography/Photography — Taryn Ferro and David A. Johnson

Special Thanks

Chelsea, Megan, and Peter Aylward

Tony Cedeño

Dr. Jonathan Fowler

Carol and DeLon Fox

Kathy King

Jennie McBride and Jim Goshorn

Dianne McManus-Atkin

Damon Murrah

Bryan Rivera

Dr. Amy Skinner

Dr. L. Anthony Wise

The 1986-1988 Guilford High School Girls’ Soccer Team (Lady Vikings) and our coach, Howard LaBrant

Additional Special Thanks To

Season Sponsors

Show Sponsors

A Special Note

The Chairs at the Old City PAC were donated to River & Rail by the Angel Capital Group in memory of Sam McCamy.

Who's Who

Hannah Sloas (#11)

Hannah Sloas (#11) is excited to be making her River and Rail debut! She was last seen on stage in PSCC production of Blood At The Root (Asha), where she was nominated for best actress at the KCATF Awards (2020) making top 12 in the region. Other roles include, Elle Woods (Legally Blonde), Belle (Beauty and the Beast) for which she was nominated as top 3 best actress in the TPAC acting awards in Nashville, TN. She currently works as an Optical Assistant at Karns Vision Center. 'Thank you to my family, Collin and this wonderful theatre company!’

Catherine Blevins (#13)

Catherine Blevins (#13) is thrilled to be onstage with River and Rail for the first time. Having recently received an AFA in Theatre Arts from Pellissippi State, Catherine is now a student at the University of Tennessee working on a BFA in Theatre. Over the past couple years, Catherine has been seen in many productions at Pellissippi State, including The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Love and Information, Sappho at the Edge of the Abyss, and Popcorn at the Odessa. Catherine has also acted with many other local theatres, having most recently been seen outside of school in Theatre Knoxville Downtown’s production of Death of a Salesman. Catherine is so grateful for this opportunity and for all of the amazing people that made it happen!

Celeste Pelletier (#46)

Celeste Pelletier (#46) is beyond thrilled about the opportunity to work with the wonderful cast and crew of River and Rail’s production of The Wolves. You may have seen her recently as The Fox in The Little Prince at River and Rail or as Alex in A Kid Like Jake at The Flying Anvil Theater. Long before stepping into the spotlight, Celeste was often found running around on a soccer field playing in her favorite position, defense. She misses soccer dearly and has loved the opportunity to relive her glory days. Celeste would like to thank everyone in the crew, especially the incredible stage manager Jess Klus, her wonderfully supportive friends and family, her bestest friend Bek, and most of all, her cat Dumpster, without whom she would surely go insane. Now, raise your foam fingers to the sky and enjoy the show. Go Wolves.

Madeleine Trout (#8 and Assistant Scenic Designer)

Madeleine Trout (#8 and Assistant Scenic Designer) is a sophomore at Pellissippi State Community College studying Theatre Performance and Design. She most recently appeared as Jessie and Atthis in “Popcorn at the Odessa” and “Sappho at the Edge of the Abyss” in Three by Nigro. Other credits include Adelaide in Our Tempest and Assistant Costume Designer and the understudy for Marjorie Baverstock in Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. She would like to thank her family, friends, and best friend, Kate for all their love and support, and a very big thanks to the cast, crew, and director for being so wonderful to work with. And last but not least, thank you to the audience who came out to see the show. Enjoy!

Emily Helton (#00)

Emily Helton (#00) earned her Bachelors in Theatre from the University of Tennessee in 2019. Currently, she serves as the Academy Director at Knoxville Children's Theatre. Some of her favorite stage credits include Mrs. Daldry in The Vibrator Play (2021), Mary in Mary's Wedding (2019), Joyce in Top Girls (2017), and Yellow Dog in Go, Dog. Go! (2015). She would like to thank her dogs, Dempsey and Duncan, for their unwavering support, and her partner, Kelsi, for making the best soup in town. She dedicates this performance to the young women she works with every day.

Amber Collins Crane (Soccer Mom)

Amber Collins Crane (Soccer Mom) was recently seen as the Snake in "The Little Prince" and Jessie in “Sweat” here at River and Rail. She is honored to be back in this sacred space collaborating with this fierce company of artists. Amber moved to Knoxville from San Francisco where some of her favorite credits include Blanche in "Streetcar Named Desire," May in "Fool for Love," Becca in "Rabbit Hole," Birdie in "Little Foxes," and Moll in "Incidents in the Wicked Life of Moll Flanders." Prior to the Bay Area, Amber worked in theatre, television, and film in NYC and LA. This show is for the one that made her a mother and changed everything in an instant. Thank you, my sweet silvery moon.

Sarah DeLappe (Author)

Sarah DeLappe's play The Wolves premiered Off-Broadway at The Playwrights Realm, following an engagement at New York Stage and Film, and development at Clubbed Thumb and Great Plains Theatre Conference. The Wolves received the American Playwriting Foundation's inaugural Relentless Award, and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and the Yale Drama Series Prize. DeLappe is the Page One Playwright for The Playwrights Realm and has been a resident artist at the Sitka Fellows Program and SPACE on Ryder Farm. Past affiliations: Clubbed Thumb's Early Career Writers' Group, New Georges Audrey Residency. Current: Ars Nova's Play Group, Resident Playwright at LCT3. MFA in process at Brooklyn College.

Grechen Lynne Wingerter (Director) is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Pellissippi State Community College. Pellissippi productions directed include Our Tempest, Love and Information, Blood at the Root, The Seagull, Soft Animals, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, and Which Side are You On: The Florence Reese Story. Grechen has directed and stage managed for such theatres as Sandusky State Repertory Theatre, Idaho Repertory Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, First Stage Milwaukee, Lifeline Theatre, and Circle X Theatre Company. Currently one of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region 4 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship co-coordinators, Grechen has received the KCACTF Gold Medallion Award, and was a recipient of a 2009 KCACTF National Teaching Artist Grant. Grechen is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), and an RYT 200 certified yoga instructor. Grechen received an MFA in Directing from the University of Idaho, an M.S. in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois, and a B.A. in Acting from Illinois State University. Grechen would like to dedicate this production in memory of Howard LaBrant, her high school soccer coach. Vi-king! Pow-er!

Katie Campbell Dollar (Assistant Director) is thrilled to be diving into the directing process for the first time. She is a Theatre major at Pellissippi and before joining this “pack” she was a part of Pellissippi’s new play debut of Our Tempest as Jessica, and portrayed Elsa in Pellissippi’s The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. She is beyond grateful to be a part of this production and to be able to learn from Grechen and the creative team. She would like to thank her husband and family for their love and support, the whole cast and crew for their amazing dedication and talent, and you, the audience, for coming out to support this incredible show! We are the Wolves!

Jessica Klus (Stage Manager) is so incredibly excited and grateful to be working on her second production with River and Rail Theatre Co! As a recent graduate of The University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Theatre department, Jess has had the privilege of working on productions such as A Christmas Carol (2018 & 2021), The Madwoman of Chaillot, the world premiere of People Where They Are, and She Kills Monsters to name a few. She recently had a blast working on The Little Prince this past September with River and Rail. In her free time, Jess enjoys reading, writing, board games, trivia, coffee, and spending time with her adorable orange tabby Kenobi. She would like to thank her parents and friends for supporting her passion for the arts, all of her professors from UTK’s Department of Theatre, and Patrick Lanczki for taking the time and effort to help her grow as a stage manager. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Claude Hardy (Scenic Designer/Technical Director) received his M.F.A. from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. Hardy teaches theatre design at Pellissippi State. He has worked with several theatre companies in the Knoxville area such as: Knoxville Opera, UT Opera, the Carpetbag Theatre, Theatre Downtown Knoxville, and River and Rail Theatre. Design credits include Machinal, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Great American Trailer Park Musical, Voice of the Prairie, Brighton Beach memoirs, A Doll’s House, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Arabian Nights, The Barber of Seville, Antigone, Unnecessary Farce, Tempest, and She Kills Monsters, Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, Stupid Fucking Bird, The Seagull, Soft Animals, These Shining Lives, SWOPERA, and Red Summer.

Kaylin Gess (Lighting Designer) is a 3rd year MFA candidate in Lighting Design at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Gess was previously a Charlotte-based Lighting Designer, Scenic Designer, and Scenic Painter who worked as the Assistant Technical Director at Davidson College, her alma mater from 2017-2020. Professional design credits include: NC Stage Company, Adjusted Realists (NYC), River and Rail Theatre, Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte, Jobsite Theatre, Hat Trick Theatre, Patel Conservatory, M.A.D. Theatre of Tampa, and Davidson College.

Amber Williams (Costume Designer) previously designed Soft Animals, Love and Information, and The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 at Pellissippi Community College. She has stitched, crafted, and design assisted at San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Cleveland Playhouse. She also designed costumes for two productions of Alice in Wonderland at St. Mark’s School and Vector Theater, both in San Rafael, and Twelfth Night at San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. She adapted and directed two masked folktale shows in Japan and Texas. More recently, she designed 4000 Miles at the CBT. Amber holds an MFA in Costume Design from Ohio University and works at the Clarence Brown Theatre.

Lucas Swinehart (Sound Designer) is currently studying Theatre Technology and Design at the University of Tennessee. He has sound designed for and worked with many theatres locally and across the country, and is excited to be working with River and Rail on this incredible production of The Wolves.

Pierce Torano (Assistant Technical Director) is excited to help present The Wolves to the audiences here at the River and Rail theatre. This is the first show he has helped that is being performed at a professional theatre and hopes that you enjoy the show!

Leo Bannow (Assistant Stage Manager)

Samuel R. McRary (Assistant Stage Manager) Sam is very excited to be working with River and Rail on the production of The Wolves. He is currently in his third semester studying Theatre Tech at Pellissippi. He has been seen in productions with other companies including: Godspell, Guys and Dolls, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, and Our Tempest. This experience is a huge step in helping him pursue a career in theater. He is very appreciative of everyone who’s supported him, and is very thankful for all he’s learned through this production of The Wolves.

Patrick Teasdale (Marketing Director) is extremely honored to be joining the team that brings The Wolves to Knoxville. Patrick lives in North Hills with his wife and golden retriever puppy. He is the co-host of the Knox Soccer Podcast, a podcast telling the soccer stories of our favorite big town, little city Knoxville, TN. The Knox Soccer Podcast documented the inaugural season of One Knoxville SC and Knoxville’s dominance in high school soccer. Patrick has been a long-time fan of River & Rail Theatre Co. and the work that the Petersons have done for the arts in the community. Patrick would like to thank his wife, Hillary, for the immense support & encouragement to shout the soccer stories from atop the Sunsphere!

Charles R. Miller (PSCC Co-Producer)

Joshua Peterson (River & Rail Artistic Director) is a Texas transplant via Paris and New York but is now proud to claim Knoxville as his home. Prior to moving to Knoxville, Joshua served as the Artistic Director of Firebone Theatre Company in New York City. Joshua received his MFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He also holds a BA in Theatre from Oklahoma Baptist University. Between pursuing his degrees Joshua spent two years living and working for a humanitarian aid organization outside of Paris, France. He made his Knoxville acting debut in Clarence Brown Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. Other Selected Regional Acting credits include Measure for Measure and Much Ado About Nothing (Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival), Barry Love in House and Garden (Theatre Three), Gail in Our Lady of 121st Street (Kitchen Dog Theatre), and Jon in Tape (Dallas Theatre Center.)

Kenneth Herring (River & Rail Managing Director) Kenneth Herring grew up in Oak Ridge, TN, just 25 miles from downtown Knoxville. Kenneth holds a BA in Communications for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a Masters in Business Administration from Bethel University. Kenneth has a non-traditional theatre background, having spent 10 years working in Information Technology sales. Kenneth is a former member of the Hammer Ensemble, which performed at Knoxville’s Flying Anvil Theatre. River & Rail patrons may have previously seen Kenneth on stage as Dick Daldry in THE VIBRATOR PLAY by Sarah Ruhl. Kenneth is passionate about content creation and creating inclusive environments. Kenneth enjoys basketball and spending time with his son, Rayne.

Scott Baron (River & Rail Techincal Director) … Originally from Nashville, Scott Baron is a recent graduate of Samford University where he graduated with a B.A in theatre. He joined River and Rail as technical director for The Little Prince, and has since come on as technical director full time. He is developing a great love for Knoxville, and the beauty of East Tennessee. He thanks you deeply for your support and welcomes you to this extraordinary theatre.

Tamsin Keh (River & Rail Intern/Production Administrator) is currently in her final term at The University of Tennessee, pursuing a BA in Theatre and minoring in Religious Studies. Previous theatre experiences include Wardrobe Crew at the Clarence Brown Theatre for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Murder on the Orient Express. A special thanks to everyone who has come out to see the show!

WHAT'S NEXT AT RIVER & RAIL THEATRE CO.?

Join us for our Annual Tradition: The Unusual Tale of Mary and Joseph’s Baby.

This year, as a Candlelight Concert Performance.

Join us December 21, 22, and 23 for The Unusual Tale of Mary and Joseph’s Baby!

After five incredible years of producing THE UNUSUAL TALE OF MARY AND JOSEPH’S BABY, the River & Rail team is taking a break and stepping back to just enjoy the music with a concert version of our favorite Christmas musical. We love the community that we’ve built around this show, and we want everyone to join us for this intimate, magical evening to celebrate the beautiful humanity of the nativity story. In this limited run, we will gather in candlelight and simplicity to experience the music that has gone home in our hearts every Christmas season since 2016.

THE UNUSUAL TALE…

An original folk-rock Christmas musical by Don Chaffer (of Waterdeep) and Chris Cragin-Day.

This new musical dares to take the classic story at its word. There really is a pregnant virgin. There really are shepherds and angels and foreign dignitaries (a.k.a. wise men). There’s a ratty extra room/stable at the inn, and a maniacal, bloodthirsty dictator, whose menacing shadow hangs over everything.

And obviously, it’s a comedy.

Seriously. It is.

The Unusual Tale of Mary & Joseph’s Baby surprises both virgin-believing and non-virgin-believing audiences alike bringing a new sense of wonder and imagination to the age-old story.

** Note to Parents: This concert is fun for the whole family! We recommend the show to children ages 7 and up. We are parents ourselves and would rate the show PG: for mild language. Translation: there are 2-3 mildly “adult” words in the show.

TICKETS

A Candlelit Concert Performance: THE UNUSUAL TALE OF MARY & JOSEPH'S BABY

Join us for this intimate Christmas evening. Limited run!

TICKETS

River & Rail Board of Directors

David Brown

Tyler Hays

Logan Mahan

Tommy Nguyen

Joshua Peterson

Deaver Shattuck

Katy Wolfe, President

River & Rail Staff

Founding Artistic Director — Joshua Peterson

Managing Director — Kenneth Herring

Technical Director — Scott Baron

River & Rail Administrative Intern — Tamsin Keh

Support River & Rail

When you look at the demographics of Knoxville, the people that live on the river and the people that live near the railroad experience Knoxville from vastly different perspectives. Our neighborhoods, churches, community groups, and social circles seem deeply divided along various lines. Some are the literal lines of the Tennessee River or the tracks of the railroad, and some are metaphorical, like the lines between races, religions, and ethnic groups or the cultural lines between east, west, north, and south Knoxville. The goal of River & Rail Theatre is to not just create professional theatre accessible to all Knoxvillians, but to create theatre true to the stories of Knoxville, shared collectively by those on every side of every line.

If you share this vision of Knoxville with us, if you can see it too – a packed house at the Old City Performing Arts Center, full of people who don’t look, smell, hear, see, walk, and talk the same way yet who share in the same deep, beautiful humanity; then we invite you to help us make that happen. Your contributions enable us to pay our staff, artists and team members living, professional wages; they allow us to offer pay-what-you-wish tickets, so that people can attend our performances for as little as three dollars; they cover the cost of professional lighting and sound equipment, costumes and sets, because we want to make work that holds itself to a national professional standard, that pushes the limits of what Knoxville can do. Every dollar is tax-deductible, and every penny makes a difference. Consider making your mark on this city with us.

Interested in supporting the work of River & Rail Theatre Company? Click the button below to make a one-time or recurring donation. We are so grateful for your support!

River & Rail Theatre Company is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The Wolves

About The Play