IC Theatre Presents ‘The Old Maid and the Thief’ and ‘The Medium’

By Marcus Illingworth ’21, February 18, 2019
Norm Johnson directs a modern staging of two short operas composed by Gian Carlo Menotti.

Black and white image of people with a crystal ball

Ithaca College Theatre will kick off its spring 2019 season with two hour-long, one-act operas by acclaimed Italian-American composer Gian Carlo Menotti. Opening Thursday, Feb. 21, in Clark Theatre, “The Old Maid and the Thief” and “The Medium” unites the artistic talents of the college’s Department of Theatre Arts and School of Music for two impressive productions full of laughs and thrills. These English-language operas are sure to provide a fun evening of theatrical entertainment with a fresh perspective.

Placed in a present day, uber-rich Los Angeles, “The Old Maid and the Thief” tells the story of two women of high stature and a handsome thief who poses as a beggar. All three are eventually pulled into a comic maze of deceit. This tale of twisted morals and tangled lovers leaves the audience wondering who the true thief really is.

The second of the two pieces, “The Medium,” tells the dark story of a fake séance and the chaos that follows. When it is insinuated that what was meant to be trickery might actually be true, accusations fly and what began as innocent illusion becomes true peril.

“Both pieces will give you something completely different,” said director Norm Johnson. “We want people to come and have an enjoyable night in the theatre.”

Ticket Information

Performances of “The Old Maid and the Thief” and “The Medium” will run in Clark Theatre in Dillingham Center from Feb. 21 – March 2 at 8 p.m., with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Feb. 24, as well as a special preview performance on Feb. 19. Tickets are on sale now at tickets.ithaca.edu/events. Tickets may also be purchased over the phone at (607) 274-3224, or at the Ithaca College Theatre Box Office in Dillingham Center. The box office is open noon–5 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, and noon–4 p.m. on Friday.

Johnson retired from the Department of Theatre Arts in spring 2018 after 28 years dedicated to the growth of its students. Johnson previously founded the Pan-Twilight Circus and served as the second artistic director for the Kitchen Theatre Company in Ithaca. He is currently a lecturer in the Department of Performance Studies at IC’s School of Music.

Musical accompaniment for the two operas will be provided by students in the School of Music, conducted by assistant professor Christopher Zemliauskas.

The School of Music and the Department of Theatre Arts at IC have a long history of collaboration. Music faculty provide vocal coaching for musical theatre and acting students, and frequently serve as musical directors and lead conductors for musicals throughout the year. Students also perform in the pit orchestras for all of the mainstage musicals and operas. The theatre arts department’s annual opera selection, which typically opens the spring season, gives vocal performance majors from the School of Music the chance to perform on IC’s mainstage and collaborate with theatre directors and professors.

Cast and Design/Artistic Team

The cast of “The Old Maid and the Thief” features:

  • Margot Wegman ’20 and Virginia Douglas ’19 as “Ms. Todd”
  • Megan Jones ’19 and Monica Ramich ’19 as “Laetitia”
  • Elias Husiak ’19 and Andrew Sprague ’20 as “Bob”
  • Kristy Shuck ’19 and Melodia Rinaldi ’20 as “Ms. Pinkerton”

The cast of “The Medium” features:

  • Lindsey Weissman ’20 and Emily Dimitriou ’20 as “Madame Flora”
  • Syona Ayyankeril ’21 and Stella Rivera ’19 as “Monica”
  • Danger-James McKinny ’19 and Sarah Aliperti ’20 as “Nolan”
  • Erin O’Rourke ’19 and Elizabeth Stamerra ’19 as “Mrs. Gobineau”
  • Tristan Tierney ’22 and William DeVary ’22 as “Toby”
  • Nicholas Duffin ’19 as “Mr. Gobineau”

The senior design/artistic team includes:

  • Rachel Steiner ’19 – Assistant Director
  • Evan Morrison ’19 – Lighting Designer
  • Alexandra Nowicki ’19 – Costume Designer
  • Indigo Shea ’19 – Scenic Designer