The Players’ Society presents original musical: ‘Dis-topia’

Nat Pendergraft (left), director of The Players’ Society’s “Dis-topia,” guides cast and crew in a rehearsal. DANIEL PEARSON, Staff Photographer

Ellery Beck Hall scoured the internet trying to find the perfect monologue and song to perform at her audition the next day for The Players’ Society’s (TPS) next musical titled “Dis-topia.” The sophomore screenwriting major first heard about the opportunity the day before auditions, and scrambled to perfect her song, “Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid,” in just one night.

The next day, Hall awaited her turn to perform, fighting back extreme nerves.

Hall said she fully expected to be cast as a part of the ensemble, since she was fairly new to the club. Her prior experience with TPS consisted of doing art design for a previous show titled “The Person You Are Trying to Reach is No Longer in Service.” 

But after callbacks, chemistry readings and choreography lessons, an email with the cast list was sent: Hall opened the email and found her name at the top of the list, cast as Vera Nelson. Overcome with emotions, Hall cried and sent screenshots of the cast list to her friends and called her parents. 

“It was the first ever leading role that I’d gotten,” Hall said. “I’d been featured in stuff before, but never anything close to the amount of weight that Vera’s role holds. (It was) very exciting as somebody … in the theater community who has been (performing) for several years and knows the value and honor of being asked to play a leading part.” 

TPS is known for putting on shows like the annual “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “The Princess Bride” and “High in the Sky.” “Dis-tiopia” is an original musical that explores what life would be like if Walt Disney’s plans for the futuristic city known as Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT) were a reality. Much like “Dis-topia,” a majority of TPS’ work is created by Chapman students. 

“We are fully student run; most of our shows aim to have them be student-written,” said TPS president Bella Hermelin, a junior television writing and production major. “By encouraging student writers and giving them opportunities to (write), it really allows us to have full creative control and not have to worry about copyright. When we do that, it allows us to have Chapman directors, Chapman actors (and) Chapman stage crew.” 

Matthew Deegan, who graduated from Chapman in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in screenwriting, wrote “Dis-topia” and had always been interested in theme parks and their history. Deegan first read about EPCOT on a Wikipedia deep dive. It remained a footnote in Deegan’s mind until YouTube channel Defunctland made a video explaining Walt Disney’s plans to build the futuristic city. Deegan told The Panther when the script finally came together and it was time for auditions, he was truly able to see his characters come to life. 

“For me, when I’m writing, I’m reading every voice in my head,” Deegan said. “Seeing someone else take those lines and interpret them in their own way — just as a cold reading in an audition — is fascinating. It’s a really enlightening process to see how it works. There were some people, and they took on the role, and (you could tell) this role was made for (them). It was wonderful to see the cast come together. I am really happy with the decisions we made”. 

Everett Kagan, a junior creative writing major, joined TPS in 2019 when he was looking to fill his free time over interterm. He saw a poster for the group’s “Dungeons and Dragons” play and decided to audition. 

Kagan has been with TPS ever since and is continuing his theatrical career with the portrayal of  Walt Disney in “Dis-topia.” While Walt Disney is depicted as villainous in this musical, Kagan said he feels like he can still relate to the character at his core.  

The Players’ Society performs a dress rehearsal before the Nov. 5 debut of “Dis-topia.” DANIEL PEARSON, Staff Photographer

“All (Disney) wants is to make (the residents of EPCOT) happy in this kind of wholesome way, but he has this very troubling idea that the ends justify the means,” Kagan said. “He feels like this perfect, clean society he’s going to create is worth what it’s going to cost to get there. I don’t know if I relate to that. I think the general idea of (Disney) wanting (people to like him) that badly … is something relatable.” 

Nat Pendergraft, a senior history and TV writing and production double major, has come a long way since their freshman year, which included starring in “Spy Kids” the musical to now directing “Dis-topia.”Directing “Dis-topia” has been a one-of-a-kind experience for Pendergraft because of the ability to collaborate with actors. 

“To me, directing is a conversation,” Pendergraft said. “I find asking questions is a very good way to direct people. … You (get to) start a dialogue, and your actor feels like the character and they get to decide what the character wants. Oftentimes (while I’m giving feedback), I’m like, ‘Yes, that’s good. Go with that.’ And if maybe we disagree, I can nudge (the actor) onto my path, or maybe we try it their way and I like it more.”

Having full creative control of projects is what sets TPS apart from other theater troupes. This is something students like Pendergraft are grateful for. 

“We’re going to make a show that we want to see,” Pendergraft said. “We’re going to make original content. We’re going to make stuff that’s funny and crazy and off the wall, but also grounded, meaningful and well written. That’s the lightning in a bottle that makes TPS so special.”

Tickets can be found at the Chapman Events website or bought at the door for “Dis-topia” first-hand for the performances on Nov. 5-6 at 6:30 p.m. in Irvine Lecture Hall.