Commencement
Educational Tour Information Packet
Description of Show Commencement centers around three women drawn together in the grim aftermath of a high school shooting. The mother of the shooter (staph infection), one of the shooter’s victims (early release), and the mother of that victim (keynote speaker), each performed by Hanna Cheek.

Description of Purpose to Students Inspire open communication on the subjects of school shootings. Including, but not limited to the specific ideas of preventing total teen isolation/alienation through peer support; and the effects such events have on outside parties (i.e. parents, friends).

Nicole Gehring, Tour Manager
nicoleg@horsetrade.info
(212) 777-6088

CLAY McLEOD CHAPMAN is the creator of the rigorous storytelling session The Pumpkin Pie Show. He is the author of rest area, a collection of short stories, and miss corpus, a novel. Currently, he is writing a trilogy of children's novels titled The Tribe—book one, Homeroom Headhunters, is slated for publication in 2013. He is writing the book for a new musical with Grammy-winner Bruce Hornsby called SCKBSTD, directed by John Rando. He wrote the book for the musical Hostage Song with Obie-winner Kyle Jarrow. He also writes for Marvel Comics, Fangoria Magazine, and teaches writing at The Actors Studio MFA Program at Pace University.

“[There is] a new generation of theater artists reared on a diet of vampires, zombies and charming serial killers… At the forefront is Clay McLeod Chapman, whose “Pumpkin Pie Show” channels the spirit of H. P. Lovecraft.” Jason Zinoman, The New York Times

HANNA CHEEK with Waterwell, has devised and performed in Goodbar, Chill & Serve, Sweetness & Light, The Persians…a comedy about war with five songs, Marco Millions (based on lies) and The|King|Operetta. With The Pumpkin Pie Show: Hostage Song (The Kraine Theater), Junta High (PS122), Cardiac Shadow (PS122), Saint Hanna... (The Kraine Theater), Ringside Seats (Belt Theatre), Rise Perverts Rise (Red Room), Big Top (Red Room) and The Birds and the Bees (Red Room). Other NYC Credits: The Amulet (78th Street Lab), First You're Born (Playwrights Horizon), Broken Boughs (Blue Heron Arts Center), Judith, a comedy troupe (The Kitchen). LA credits: Bad Touch: A Sketchy Show (Masquerade Theatre) and improv at IO West. At Sarah Lawrence College: The Seagull and Kindertransport. London credits: Lady Macbeth (Bridge Lane Theatre). TV credits: The West Wing, Titus and MTV’s Undressed.

“Hanna Cheek is an actor of rare gifts, and someday Hollywood will steal her, so you have to snatch at every chance to see her onstage.” Helen Shaw, Time Out NY