Another LIfe Story
A moving story of life, love, grief, and gratitude told in three chapters through physical theatre, puppetry, and music.
a DOTS Ensemble collaboration featuring Aubrey Smith, Moe Callahan, Kirstin Hildebrand, Jonah Drake, Keilei Downer, Elizabeth Jerome, and Gretchen Teague
Original workshop: March 2024
DOTS Fringe Festival: July 2024
Another Life Story was a beautiful representation of loss and hope. I loved the puppetry and the music!
JUDY LUXTON
Featured Music
Chapter One: Reacting
Vocalise, Op.34 No.14
by Sergei Rachmaninoff
chapter Two: Remembering
Haley, Fly
This Heart of Mine
Prayer for an Absent Friend
There But For Grace Go I
by Quinton Patterson Briggs
Chapter Three: Releasing
I’ll Be Seeing You
music by Sammy Fain
lyrics by Irving Kahal
The retelling of grief through physical movement and song rather than words was so breathtaking and so heartbreaking. It was the best depiction of grief I’ve ever seen.
KEVYN MARSHALL
About Our Process
Another Life Story began with a conversation between Gretchen and Aubrey. The question, “If you could create anything you wanted, what would it be?” Aubrey was inspired by the Vocalese and said it sounded like grief felt. Gretchen was interested in telling a story without dialogue and using puppetry.
Initially with our DOTS ensemble, we collaboratively created three separate chapters as vignettes. The DOTS ensemble presented the workshoped material and received valuable feedback from the invited audience. The biggest take away the ensemble took from the feedback was that all three vignettes could be one story.
So, back to the storyboard the DOTS ensemble went to connect all the stories together. Through a variety of physical theatre explorations, our final Another Life Story began to take shape.
Throughout the whole process, we recorded our rehearsals so we had something to review and improve, we invited guests to rehearsals to find what elements were hitting with the audience, and we documented all of our rehearsals and changes.
Finally, we were ready to present Another Life Story during the 2024 DOTS Fringe Festival!
The incredible amount of talent from the actors to directors to the musicians it was all mesmerizing.
Kyle Aug
About the DOTS Ensemble
The DOTS Ensemble is created of performers with a variety of skills and experiences. We believe that what makes us different enhances our collaboration and creates diverse ideas and solutions.
Opportunities to join the DOTS Ensemble are available through workshops of original projects in the fall and auditions for Fringe projects in the spring. Our DOTS Ensemble also serve as teaching artists for classes and school workshops. Contact Gretchen at exec@dotheatre.org for more information.
Aubrey Smith
Vocalist
& collaborator
Aubrey comes from Springfield, Missouri. She has a Bachelor of Music Education in Voice from Drury University in Springfield, MO (2016). She completed a teaching assistantship in Choral Conducting with Dr. R. Paul Crabb at the University of Missouri (MU) in 2019 and a teaching assistantship in Vocal Performance with Prof. Steven Tharp (MU) in 2022. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Ozarks Technical Community College since 2019 and teaches music history, choir, and voice. In addition to her work at OTC, Aubrey teaches a private voice studio at Palen Music Center and is music director for the Springfield Catholic Schools theater department. She studies voice with professional soprano Jennifer Forni and most recently sang the role Sandra Bloom in Springfield Contemporary Theatre’s production of Big Fish, the role of Mrs. Potts in Springfield Little Theatre’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and also covered the role of Donna Elvira in Ozarks Lyric Opera’s production of Don Giovanni.
Aubrey is excited to work with Devising Original Theatre Springfield to create new works and innovate existing material for modern audiences.
Moe Callahan
Performer
& collaborator
I am a maker in Springfield who loves out-of-the-box theater. Creating original art in my small hometown has been a necessary part of my creative journey. It’s through the artists in this community that I find my own beauty and humanity. DOTS (Devising Original Theater Springfield) represents passion in manageable doses. With the tension of everyday life, I get worn out and feel defeated by the constant grinding of the gears. But on the stage with my friends, I can be fully present and devoted to the energy of creativity and love. I am not just a piece in a large system. I can think critically about the struggles and victories in every story that we tell. I am not alone in this rigamarole.
During the fringe festival, I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on the personalities that put this event together. These are your people and it’s where I belong too.
Jonah Drake
Performer
& collaborator
Jonah joins DOTS as a performer in multiple Fringe projects.
I played the big bad wolf in high school. Ever since I’ve had trouble prying myself from the stage. I’ve had the privilege to be in iconic plays from Arsenic and Old Lace to The Great Gatsby and A Few Good Men.
I returned to my hometown of Springfield to perform in SCT’s Treasure Island and following that, I’m very pleased to be making my Necrobroth debut with I Hate Her and reprising my performance with the DOTS Ensemble in Another Life Story.
Kirstin Hildebrand
Performer
& collaborator
Kirstin Hildebrand, 24, is a Drury University ’22 and Central High ’18 graduate that is pursuing her career as a Theatre Educator. She was most recently seen in SCT’s production of Treasure Island as Anne Bonney. She has designed lights and set, as well as organized costumes in her career for a number of SPS, SCT, and Drury productions, but creating original works is her favorite process. She’s been involved in theatre for 12 years and is excited by the devising process of our organization.
“I hope everyone can make it out to watch the beauty that comes from devising original theatre. My fellow actors and I have worked hard, so don’t miss out!!”
Keilei Downer
Performer
& collaborator
A senior at Central High School, Keilei joined the DOTS ensemble for the workshop performance of Another Life Story. She is passionate about dance and physical theatre
She was recently seen in The Old Man and the Old Moon and How to Succeed in Business at Central High School as well as in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with Springfield Little Theatre and Big Fish with Springfield Contemporary Theatre.
Keilei also serves as a DOTS Social Media manager.
Gretchen Teague
Performer, Collaborator,
& Director
Gretchen is passionate about telling stories. She likes to explore all the ways the story can be told: physical theatre, movement, music, puppetry, and text.
Collaborating with the DOTS ensemble on Another Life Story has been at all times full of challenges to solve, community to build, stories to tell, and discovery of the best in us all.
Elizabeth Jerome
Performer, collaborator,
& Costume Designer
Elizabeth joined the DOTS ensemble as a costume designer. She was quickly pushed out of her comfort zone as she became incorporated into all the DOTS projects as a performer as well.
“I’m Liz, a creative collaborator and costume designer with The DOTS, where I am deeply involved in shaping the vision of our original productions. While designing costumes is my main passion, I equally love being part of the whole creative process, from the very early stages of idea brainstorming, closely working with a cast to develop character profiles, to contributing to the overall visual and thematic direction of the show. For me, it’s all about storytelling, and costumes are a part. I love the creative energy trickling through every level of this company’s work, one way or another.”
Bennett Derossett
Collaborator & Assistant Director
Bennett Derossett is excited to be helping out with Another Life Story. Bennett is a freshman at Central High School and was recently seen in The Old Man and The Old Moon and How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying as a part of the Central High Theatre Department.
