RUNTIME: 48 hours
(just kidding, 60-70 minutes, no intermission)
BEHIND THE SCENES
BURBANK COURTYARD. Friday, 6pm. There is no musical. No plot, no script, no music, no sets, no concepting. Just a schedule, a booked room, a Discord server, and a cast.
After some brainstorming, the bookwriters and lyricists stay up all night in the Burbasement. By morning the full script and several songs are complete.
Saturday begins with an 8am table read where the cast hears the script and songs for the first time—the rest of the weekend goes by quickly: arranging, blocking, running lines, costume fittings, sound and light design.
Then comes Sunday, the moment of truth: you line up at the door to Pigott Theatre, scan your ticket, and are ushered to your seat. If you’re especially curious (which you are), you scan the QR code on your program, too.
Up until this point, the cast and crew have been working tirelessly–and tiredly–on creating a new and exciting show for you to enjoy. We hope you like watching it as much as we loved making it.
CHARACTERS
Mira (Athena Naylor) -
The anatomical illustrator, ambitious and career-driven. In a relationship with Connor.
Captain North (Henry Cargill) -
The ship’s captain, consumed by grief and an insatiable desire for beautiful things.
Boatswain Blackwood (Emily Mannion) -
The youngest member of the crew, and the sharpest. Conducts the ship’s repairs.
Connor (Sam Cousins) -
The cartographer, an awkward albeit sweet boy who wants to go home.
First Mate Orange (Rachelle Weiss) -
Captain North’s fervently loyal first mate.
Marielle, The Red Lady (Maya Ordas) -
A woman who follows a red gemmed ring.
MUSICAL NUMBERS
- Lovebirds Overture / Lullaby
- True North
- Burning
- Stationary Love
- Burning (Reprise)
- The Ballad of Blackwood and Orange
- Kill the Furnace
- Say What I Mean
- Fame! Wealth! Power!
- Yearning
- The Mutiny
- Finale: Turning
CAST
Henry Cargill (Captain North) is a senior-ish TAPS major from Oklahoma. Some notable Stanford acting credits include John Wilkes Booth in Assassins, Bert in Mary Poppins, Mendel in Falsettos, and the Backpack from Gaieties: Cardinal Sin. You also may have seen him as Bruce Bechdel in Fun Home right here in Pigott last quarter. Henry is kind of weird in person but hopes you enjoy his performance nonetheless.
Rachelle Weiss (First Mate Orange) is a senior studying music and theatre. Professionally, she has appeared in The Sound of Music (International Tour, Johannesburg) and Annie (South African Tour). In SLOCo, she has appeared in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (direction consultant) and Mary Poppins (vocal director). Other credits include Verdict (Stanford Repertory Theater), Come Again (Molly, TheaterLab), Huppet (BeeBee, TheaterLab/AATP) and A Chorus Line (Cassie, RamsHead). She is a recipient of the Rita Taylor Prize for Vocal Performance (Department of Music). Her website is rachelleweiss.com.
Emily Mannion (Boatswain Blackwood) is a junior studying Political Science. At Stanford she has performed as The Witch in Into the Woods (Stanford Music Department) and as Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (SLOCo). Additionally, Emily has sung with the Stanford Fleet Street Singers and music directed the group last year. She also plays trumpet in the Stanford Jazz Orchestra and with the student band Marmalade. She thanks everyone for coming to the show! Enjoy!
Maya Ordas (Marielle, The Red Lady) is a third-year undergraduate student studying Environmental Systems Engineering. She is thrilled to be working with SLOCo on the 48-Hour Musical and is excited to appear in their upcoming production of Cabaret. Her previous SLOCo credits include The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Miscast Cabaret, and she has also appeared in Assassins with the Stanford TAPS department. Outside of theatre, she is the bassist and a background vocalist for the band Marmalade.
Athena Naylor (Mira) is an undergraduate studying Mechanical Engineering and minoring in music. In the past, Athena has worked with Stanford’s Asian American Theatre Project (AATP) as a vocal director, acted in SpongeBob the Musical with Stanford Ramshead, and sang with the Stanford Fleet Street Singers. On campus, you can find her performing in the student band Marmalade or writing music in her free time.
Samuel Cousins (Connor) is a Sophomore in the Linguistics department. In fourth grade, he played Thomas Jefferson in the Revolutionary Day reenactment of the Constitutional Convention.
Zadie Diniz (Ensemble) is appearing in her first SLOCo production. Other Stanford performances include RAMS (Gaieties 2025). Along with this, credits include Riverside Theater (Newsies, Xanadu). Zadie is a TAPS major here at Stanford.
Lyle Dela Luna (Ensemble), Class of ‘29, has appeared as the Lead of Stanford’s Gaieties 114. Prior, he played Ren in Footloose (Palm Desert High School) and Kenickie in Grease (Musical Theater University). Highlights include performing with Kevin Chamberlain, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Daisy Eagan, and many more. Less than a year in, Lyle hopes to continue exploring his passion for musical theater at Stanford.
Varun Shirhatti (Ensemble) has sung in the choir of SLOCo's 2025 production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He has also performed in the Music Department's 2025 production of Into the Woods and will appear in their upcoming winter show, She Loves Me. Varun also sings a cappella with Stanford Talisman.
Amistad Vanegas (Ensemble) appeared as Camila in In The Heights and Magenta in Rocky Horror at the San Diego School for Creative and Performing Arts. At Stanford (TAPS), she has performed as The Proprietor in Assassins and Helen in Fun Home.
COMPOSERS
(of the vision, but also literally composers! They’re also in the orchestra)
Sebastian Blue Hochman (Co-Composer / Keyboard 2 / Guitar) is a composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist working across musical theater, sound design, and live performance. He co-wrote the puppet musical Huppet (O’Neill NMTC Finalist) and created the song cycle Full Fathom Five Live! from his concept album. He’s developing Port-Pourri, an immersive musical inspired by Brazil’s roda de samba, and co-created Stanford’s 48-Hour Musical last year. Credits include work on productions at Berkeley Rep, The Public Theater, and Daryl Roth Theater.
Simon Lee (Co-Composer / Keyboard 1) has composed extensively for Stanford theatrical productions, leading the composition team for Rams' Head's Gaieties 2024: Camp Stanford and co-composing for last year's inaugural 48-Hour Musical. His music direction credits include SLOCo and AATP's Cabaret and AATP's Matilda. Simon also performs with the Stanford Improvisors and the student band Marmalade, 5/6 of which is represented in this production!
DIRECTORIAL TEAM
Ryan Dukes (Director) was too busy running around to write a bio.
Sydney Wang (Assistant Director), Class of 2029, is excited to be part of her first Stanford musical. Other Stanford credits include serving as a tech company member with Stanford Shakespeare. She has previously participated in high school theatre productions, gaining experience in directing, backstage operations, and stage management. Sydney would like to thank her family and friends for their constant support and encouragement.
PRODUCER TEAM
(and conductor)
Andrew Burden (Producer, Music Director, and Conductor) was also too busy running around to write a bio.
J.L. “JMo” Moreland (Creative Producer) is a member of the Stanford Improvisors and the Band, and they edit the Chaparral. This is their first time involved with a show on the production end..
STAGE MANAGEMENT
Flora Zhu (Stage Manager), Class of 2029, is excited to be part of her first Stanford musical! She has previously stage managed for her high school theater. She also performs with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and Stanford Lion Dance. Flora would like to thank her family and friends for their constant support and encouragement. She also copy-pasted her bio from Sydney Wang.
This is Angela Vincent (Assistant Stage Manager)’s first time stage managing and first production with SLOCo. Most recently, she performed in Proportionality (Stanford Theater Laboratory) and produced and directed Here in the Long Now: A Climate Change Theatre Action Production, as part of Stanford Climate Week.
Miranda Li (Assistant Stage Manager, she/her) is excited to serve as Assistant Stage Manager for the 48-Hour Musical. Other Stanford credits include SHAKES (Stanford Shakespeare Acting Company). She has completed Movement for Actors and is taking Audition and Monologues.
LYRICISTS
Max Kelly contributed lyrics this fall to Gaieties (Ram’s Head). This quarter he is co-vocal directing Grease (Ram’s Head) and performing in Cabaret (SLOCo and AATP). As a student director, he directed The Prom and Something Rotten in high school, and vocal directed Curtains. He is passionate about songwriting and the way lyrics contribute to good musical theater storytelling, and hopes to explore this craft deeper over his next four years at Stanford.
Emily Saletan’s only professional appearance to date was in Leviathan (CIRCA Contemporary Circus) as an acrobat and vocalist. Select songwriting credits for the stage include the dark comedy Gut Feeling (5th Avenue Theater) and last year’s 48 Hour Musical. Lyrics are in loving memory of her dad, Tony, who wrote poems in her lunchbox.
Adam Wright was also a lyricist.
ARRANGERS
Emily Chen is a composer, producer, and singer-songwriter fascinated by things that sound weird. She has participated in composition programs with the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and the Juilliard School, composed for video games Time Princess and the upcoming Celeste mod Elemental Synergy, and currently may or may not be working on an album. For better or worse, this is her first time partaking in the musical theater composition process!
Yunqi Lu is excited to be working with the Stanford Light Opera Company for the first time, and this will also be her first theater experience. She has a background in music and film score composition, and studies computer music at Stanford.
MUSIC SUPERVISOR
Caleb Benz was the music supervisor.
BOOKWRITERS
Marina Castilla-Liu has been a part of the lighting team for Matilda: The Musical (AATP), Legally Blonde: The Musical (Ram’s Head), and Three States of Matter (Theater Lab). This is her first production on the writing team, and she hopes you enjoy the show!
Lionel Humphreys is thrilled to be on the writing team for the 48 hour musical! He has twice previously written & directed a play in 24 hours for Gunn's Play in a Day ('24, '25).
Owen Humphreys is a freshman working with SLOCo for the first time as book writer for the 48 Hour Musical. While at Gunn High School, he got some practice working in limited time by writing and directing two (musicless) original plays in 24 hours each. At Stanford, he is also a member of the Stanford Harmonics, and hopes you enjoy the show!
Annabelle Shilling has studied acting and playwriting at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, PeachCraft Studios, and Paper Mill Playhouse. This is her first time co-authoring a musical! She would like to thank her family, her friends, and Kate Kennedy for teaching and inspiring her.
Sophia Zhou has not professionally written for any other productions but she is happy to be here!
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
Magdalena Ohstrom (Production Manager) has produced, directed, and stage managed shows for Stanford Drag Troupe and Stanford Pole Collective.
Audrey Chang (Production Assistant) has previously performed as a pit musician in 7 Sacrilege Street (Harvard First Year Musical). She was left off of the paper program, and we are very sorry and are giving her an extra shoutout here!
Jacob Meyer Cohen (Production Assistant) starred as “Paraphrasing Peter” in The Six-Room Problem (Proof Productions). A roguish character, Jacob was the author, creator, producer, composer, and auteur behind the acclaimed avant-garde multimedia e-theater choose-your-own-adventure biographical dramatic romcom production jacob.show (which is a work in progress). He also wrote a lot of the stuff in the program / this document. If you’re reading this linked from the Stanford Daily, he says hi :)
Ashley Guo (Production Assistant) has appeared in Six and Little Shop of Horrors (Duke Kunshan University). Ashley is also a member of Stanford Harmonics A Capella Group.
J. Li (Production Assistant) helps with lighting for the Stanford Improvisers and is a member of Stanford O-Tone. They’re excited to be here and hope you enjoy the show!!
ORCHESTRA
Andrew Woo-jong Lee (Cello 1) is a coterm studying mathematics and philosophy with a minor in dance. He is trained in classical cello and contemporary/modern dance, and is a current member of the SImps (musical improviser) and Traction Modern Dance. Previous credits: Three States of Matter (Andrey, asst. director, co-choreographer), Ghost Quartet (Theater Lab, musical director), Leviathan (CIRCA, ensemble), Die Fledermaus (SLOCo, cello), Spelling Bee (SLOCo, cello), and the 48 Hour Musical (cello).
Joseph “JoHo” Ho (Cello 2) is a passionate cellist and member of the Stanford Cello Choir. With the Stanford Wind Symphony, he previously performed as a guest feature at Bing Concert Hall (Italian Tour Farewell Concert). He has graced the international stage, performing as a soloist across Germany and Italy. He also enjoys playing instrumental renditions of popular songs he arranges himself, from Coldplay to Castle in the Sky, and sings with Stanford Mixed Company A Cappella.
Hallie Dong (Violin 1)
Ben Graham (Violin 2)
Olivia Roti (Viola 1) has played viola for SLOCo's productions of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Die Fledermaus. She also performs with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and the Stanford Middle East Ensemble.
Grace Zhao (Viola 2)
Eva Ianelli (Flute)
Erin Lin (Oboe)
Suntone Shi (Clarinet) is a senior who plays in the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and the Stanford Philharmonia. It’s their first production!
Hugh Cheng (Alto Sax) is an alto saxophonist in the Stanford Jazz Orchestra.
Jason Corn (French Horn)
Justine Sato (Trumpet)
Brandon Kenery (Trombone) has appeared in the pit for SLOCo productions such as Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mary Poppins, and Sweeney Todd. He also performs regularly with the Stanford Wind Symphony, Stanford Medicine Orchestra, and Stanford Jazz Orchestra, and can be found performing with other Bay Area music groups, including Master Sinfonia.
Elline Harrison (Bass)
Austin Konig (Drums)
Patrick Quiroz (Guitar)
TECHNICAL
Leyth Toubassy (Technical Director) has worked as Technical Director and Executive Producer of the Stanford Shakespeare Company, and has also acted in small roles in Titus Andronicus... and Zombies! and Romeo and Juliet (Shakes). Outside of Shakes he has been a lighting designer for Gaieties 2024 and 2025 (Ram's Head)
Noah Dehli (Scenic Director, he/him) is a sophomore studying theater and music at Stanford University. Stanford credits include SLOCo's Hunchback of Notre Dame, TAPS's Witch, STL's Come Again, Stanford Music Department's Into the Woods, and last year's 48 Hour Musical. He is also a member of the Stanford Improvisers.
Kate Mattox (Scenic Builder)
Audrey Tomlin (Costume Designer)
Serena Young (Costume Designer) was the costume designer for Fading In and a member of the costume team for The Hunchback of Notre Dame, both SLOCo productions. She has taken an Arts Intensive course on Key-Notes: A Piano and Voice Exploration. Serena hopes to explore acting in the next production she is a part of.
Raina Yang (Lighting Designer) is a lighting designer whose recent credits include 찜질방 (Jjim-jil-bang) (TAPS Developmental Stage), bed (TAPS Capstone), Matilda the Musical (AATP), Big Game Gaieties 2025 and Legally Blonde (Rams Head).
Trini Rogando (Lighting Designer) studies lighting design with TAPS. Her most recent lighting credits include Rams’ Head’s 50 Shades of Grayeties (co-lighting), Theater Lab’s Proportionality, and TAPS’ 2025 Graduate Repertory. An ETC Fred Foster mentee, she is incredibly grateful to her mentors Paul, Marcy, and, of course, Christian. Find her work: trinirogando.xyz.
Audrey Hunter (Sound Designer)
Heather Schechter (Sound Designer) is listed on the program as Assistant Sound Designer, but they should be listed as Sound Designer.
Eduardo Moreno (Production Audio)
Jude St John (A1 (Actors)) has previously served in sound-related roles at Stanford for AATP (Matilda), RAMS (Camp Stanford, 50 Shades of Grayeties), and TAPS (Fun Home). A Mechanical Engineering major pursuing a minor in TAPS, Jude is also involved in the themed entertainment space on campus, and supports event technology at The Arbor.
Charlie Lyerly (A1 (Pit)) has never done theatre tech before! Their credits include SloCo’s Mary Poppins and Huppet.
Aliza Kato (A2)
Noah Murase (Propsmaster) has worked on props for Ram's Head (Gaieties 114) and will for the upcoming AATP shows this year (Cabaret, Yakada Yaka). He is also a member of the Stanford Shakespeare Tech Company.
Sam O’Neill has worked backstage in theater for several years, working on several productions at Stanford including Gaieties with RamsHead, Midsummer Night’s Dream with Shakes, and Fun Home with TAPS.
Lindsay McKinley did the cover art.