
Return to Our Shows
Overbridge High
And The Club For Aspiring Magicians With Limited Experience And A Flair For The Dramatic
October 4th & 5th
The Judee Wales-Watson Theatre
SYNOPSIS: Come one, come all! To witness a show unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
Evan Alexander Benjamin has big dreams and bigger problems. His magic club at OverBridge High desperately needs members, his tricks desperately need work, and he desperately needs to avoid law school. When he recruits a ragtag group of teenagers to join his cause, including his his best friend and roommate, Finn, his prospective goth girlfriend, Dara, his trusty assistant, Cockatoo, and to complete their fearsome fivesome: Goldie, they discover that the real magic happens when you’re around the right people.
What happens when you put five kids with limited magical experience and maximum dramatic flair on a stage? Pure wonder. The kind worth watching.
CONTENT WARNINGS
Please be advised that this show has the following content warnings:
- Homophobia
- Transphobia
- Strobe Lights
- Bullying
- Non-explicit sexual content and references
- Drug and Alcohol use
- Illness references
- Loud Sound Effects
Directed By J.J. Moore & Lulu Royce
Written By J.J. Moore & Lulu Royce
A note from the Directors & Playwrights
Our first fight was over who liked unicorns more than the other. A fight over magic! We were destined to make something full of just that. As best friends and partners in our art making we founded BlueJay Theater Collective our freshman year here with the intention of making theater for us by us. To put a mirror to the audiences here, made up of fellow creatives and aspiring art makers like all of you. And gosh has it been rewarding. Our little org has grown so much in just three years. We can’t wait to watch it flourish when we leave. With that, we knew from the beginning that we had to write a show of our own as a final farewell to what we had begun. Overbridge fell into our laps and our hearts. Neither of us can remember the exact moment that it clicked but we’ve spent the last two years making vision boards, watching magic documentaries, laughing our faces off, and thinking we’re geniuses all to make this show come to life. Surreal can’t even begin to articulate how it now feels to see it physicalized in front of us. Let alone with such a devoted and passionate cast and crew. Each and every person involved in this show has brought our magic to life and entirely embodied the joy that we felt writing it. It was important from the beginning to both of us but especially JJ that we write a trans character. A character who exists within their identity and beyond it. And making that character our Ingenue. A human being who gets to experience joy and romance and feelings. A position that rarely does a trans person get to play. From JJ’s perspective: “Being a trans actor is so hard. And scarcely do you get to play one that was written for you by you.” The best way to tell stories that are often untold is to tell them unabashedly. This show is a story of people. It’s story of adolescence and growth. But we hope our message reigns true for everyone. No matter how old we get, we promise. There’s nothing more real than magic.
Love,
JJ and Lulu
(P. S. There are signs posted outside with a go fund me for a trans student looking to affirm their transition medically. It would mean the world if you could take a look on your way out.)
– J.J. Moore & Lulu Royce ’26, Co-Directors & Writers
A note from the Dramaturg
The 90s was a time of ultimate individuality.
It was considered “cool” to listen to alternative music like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Smashing Pumpkins. Adult and raunchy cartoons like South Park and Beeves and Butthead became wildly popular. Even Magic which might have formerly been considered “weird” became sensationalized due to live performances by David Copperfield.
Unfortunately, the same grace was not always given to Trangender people within the 90s. The Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy turned the LGBTQ+ movement towards military rights and moments of Trans violence often became ignored. Therefore Trans Activists became increasingly loud in order to be heard in the larger mass media.
One huge step was when Sylvia Rivera, friend of Marsha P. Johnson, rejoined the movement due to the death of Johnson and the rise of Trans Violence. The story of Brandon Teena became forever captured in Boys Don’t Cry (1999) showcasing the violence that Trans people were experiencing every day.
Most importantly, LGBTQ+ Artists worked to make sure that Trans youth felt comfortable in who they are and the community they were joining. Jennie Livingston released the documentary Paris is Burning in 1990. This captured and cemented the world of ballroom culture from the 1980s, also highlighting the story of Trans Women of Color. The world of Ballroom even entered mass media with Madonna’s V ogue (1990)
The character of Goldie, highlights one such story of Trans Success and Joy that was very much needed during this time. These stories show us that neither then nor now will Trans Stories (Especially stories of Joy) be silence.
– Reed Atherton ’27, Dramaturg
Creative Team
Director & Writer
Lulu Royce
BFA Acting ‘26. Lulu is the proud Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of BlueJay Theater Collective alongside her best friend JJ. She directed the first production through BlueJay, Dog Sees God, In the fall of 2023 (EVVY Award for Outstanding Directing for Stage), and went on to direct Fun Home later that following spring through MTAG. Her Emerson Stage acting credits include, POTUS (Jean) and A Doll’s House (Anne-Marie & U/S Nora). Student theater acting credits include: Hot Dam! (Brody the Boyscout Kaplan), Five Times in One Night (Laura).
Director & Writer
J.J. Moore
BFA Acting ‘26. Emerson Stage Credits: POTUS (Dusty understudy), a Dolls House (Mrs. Linde, Anne-Marie, Helene understudy). Emerson College credits: The Revolutionists (Marie Antoinette) for Emerson Company, Significant Other (Director) for BlueJay Theater Collective, Hot Dam (really reasonable citizen) for MTAG, Marilyn (Jamie and writer ), student film.
Scenic Designer
Lua Azancot Garcia
Theatre Design & Technology ’27.
Emerson Stage Credits: Little Women (Deck Crew), Edward Tulane (Assistant Scenic Designer), Limber (Assistant Props), Other Credits:
How To Make Friends And Kill Them (Scenic Designer)
Costume Designer
Courtner (Coco) Larochelle
Lighting Designer
Sawyer Grabow
Theatre BFA ’26. Emerson Stage Credits: A Doll’s House (Asst. Director), Amour (Asst. Lighting Designer), Head Over Heels (Asst.Director) Emerson College Credits: Dog Sees God (Lighting Designer), In The Waiting Room (Lighting Designer), Romeo and Juliet (Lighting Designer), Chicago (Lighting Designer), Significant Other (Lighting Designer), Hair (Lighting Designer), The Big Meal (Lighting Designer), The Effect (Lighting Designer) Sawyer really likes lights (durr), but more than that, Sawyer loves magic, and working with JJ and Lulu is always the most magical experience !! <3 They would like to thank all of the electricians that helped them on this show, and Spencer for making their plot ☆
Sound Designer
Emmi Leahy
Theatrical Design and Technology ‘28.
Emerson Stage Credits: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Assistant Sound Designer). Emerson College Credits: MTS’ Sweeney Todd (Associate Sound Designer), EmShakes’ Macbitches (Sound Designer).
Multimedia Director
Anna Brody
Visual & Media Arts ‘27. Thanks to Joan Kwon and Ronan Miller.
Projections Designer & Editor
Lew Billings
Emerson College Credits: BlueJay Theater Collective’s SLUT (Multimedia Director), ERAs (Assistant Sound Designer); Kidding Around’s Dear Morgan Le Fay (Sound Board Operator); EmShakes’ No Exit (Sound Board Operator). Thank you to the wonderful directors, cast, and crew of the show!
Props Lead
Harper Pack
Mercutio Troupe’s The Effect (Assistant Props Lead); emShakes’ No Exit (Props Lead); RareWorks’ Five Times In One Night (Props Lead); MTS’ Dogfight (Props Lead). Thanks to: my family, friends, and Luke for always supporting me!
Stage Manager
Noah Yeager
Creative Writing ’28. Emerson College Theatre credits: MTS’ Sunday in the Park with George (Asst. Stage Manager), MTS’ High School Musical: On Stage (Asst. Stage Manager), RareWorks Theater Company’s Wings (Lighting Assistant).
Production Electrician
Kelly Furman
Dramaturg
Reed Atherton
BFA Theatre and Performance ‘27. Emerson Stage Credits: Imogen Says Nothing (u/s Alexander Cooke), NFSW Chekhov’s Gun (Jacob) Emerson College Credits: Musical Theatre Society’s 13 (Richie); Kidding Around’s Almost, Maine (Director). Other Credits: Member of Stroopwaffle. Thanks: All the people that create the community of love around him.
Acting Company

Evan Alexander Benjamin
Theo Zucconi

Goldie
Rory Higgs
BFA Acting 2027. Emerson Stage Credits: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (Pellegrina) and Head Over Heels (Swing). Emerson College Credits: BlueJay Theater Collective’s Slut (Christina), Musical Theater Society’s Chicago (Fogarty), and emShakes Theatre Company’s Metamorphosis (Assistant Director and Movement Coordinator). A special thanks to my family and friends. Thank you for seeing, loving, and supporting me; you’re magic.

Finn
Louis Correro
BFA Acting 2027. Emerson Stage credits: Red Wolf (Red Wolf), Imogen Says Nothing (u/s John Heminges/Leonato/Ned Whiting), and NewFest Short Works “Roadmap” (H). Emerson College credits: Five Times In One Night (Tim) and Cast Thy Bread (Joshua) for RareWorks Theatre Company; The Big Meal (Man #3 Track) for emShakes Theatre Company; Dog Sees God (Van) for BlueJay Theater Collective. Upcoming: emShakes Theatre Company’s Macbeth (Macbeth). Louis would like to thank his friends, girlfriend, and the entire Overbridge High team for letting him constantly bother them with card tricks. @louiscorrero

Cockatoo
Sydney Simenauer
BFA Acting 2026. Emerson Stage: Bat Boy (U/S Meredith and Ron/Maggie), POTUS (Dusty). Emerson College: Falsettos (Trina), Hot Dam (Ms. Garheim), Chicago (Mary Sunshine), Five Times in One Night (Heloise), Not My Fault (Ms. Hayes). Other Credits: Henry IV (Lady Percy) – at the Prague Shakespeare Company.
Squawk!!!!!! Thank you so much for coming!!! Thank you to my parents for their love and support (hi mom!) and to my amazing Lulu and JJ, I am in awe of both of you always and love you the most!

Dara
Daia Jade Johnson
Daia Jade is so happy to be a part of the magic that is Overbridge High! She would like to thank her family, friends, and dazzling cast for all their support and love. She would also like to thank the Directors, Stage Managers, and magical Production Team for all of their help. This is such a special show so enjoy!

Matt
Colin Glowacki

Nicole
Elena Ruiz
Comedic Arts 2026. Significant Other (Vanessa) for BlueJay Theater Collective, Beyond Therapy (Swing) directed by Lulu Royce; How to Make Friends and then Kill Them (Makeup) directed by J.J. Moore ; Jimmy’s Traveling All-Stars (Star) for Whoever Wants It. Elena is a proud member of her family. Shoutout to all of them. She’s also proud to represent the Jimmy’s Traveling All-Stars, an awesome comedy troupe here on campus. Come back to the Judee on October 14th at 8:00pm to see what she’s talking about. Shoutout JJ and Lulu. Shoutout Latinx community. Free Palestine.

Puppeteer
Nel Blinman
IDS 2026. Thanks to: Fuzzy Spice for being such a fun partner, and my roommates for watching me come up with various renditions of a surprised rabbit face.

Swing
Noah Sheasby
Theatre and Performance ‘28. The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals (Orchestra) for Musical Theatre Against the Grain; Upcoming: Macbeth (Swing) for EmShakes; The Thanksgiving Play (u/s Jaxton) for Mercutio Troupe.

Swing
Paige Murray

Swing
Nicola Pepper
Theatre and Performance 2027.
Thanks to Lulu and JJ for being the coolest most awesome directors ever
additional staff
Assistant Stage Manager Isabelle Thompson
Production Assistant Stage Manager Sasha Salins
Tech Assistant Stage Manager Zoë Weill
Props Team Isabelle Thompson
Props Team Jackson Hiltabrand
Lighting Design Consultant Spencer Swetlow
Projection Design Consultant Emery Frost
Scenic Painters
Darrell Mundane
Khushi Upadhyaya
Elena Ruiz
Kate Cianci
Paige Murray
Charlie O’Connor
Ren Lake
Zoë Weill
Lili Shaw
Alyssa Schlaifer
Moira Poepperling
Emily Deich
Rue Merkel
McKayla Do
Lily Hourin
Jennifer and Bryce Moore
Kim Thul
Special thanks
Emma Klick
Maddie Wright
Jennifer Nival
Alyson Bouchard
Danielle Wilson
The Student Theatre Alliance
BlueJay board members
Faculty Advisor Tushar Mathew
Artistic Directors Lulu Royce & JJ Moore
Managing Director Oliver Worner
Marketing Director Angela Keon
Production Manager Elizabeth Tippens
Company Manager Mac Medeiros
Literary Managers Aisha Akorede & Reed Atherton
Treasurer Clementine Vonnegut
Artistic Advisor Savannah Bellon
Assistant Artistic Director Lili Shaw
Associate Managing Director Natalie Dalton
Assistant Managing Director Victoria Romano
Associate Marketing Director Layna Tarbotton
Associate Production Manager Sasha Salins
Assistant Production Manager Benjamin Browder
Associate Company Manager Zoë Weill
Associate Treasurer Pamela White
Aesthetic Advisor/Staff Photographer Sasha Winett
Board Cheerleader Lauren Weidenmann