Director and Choreographer: Hilary Thomas

Scenic Design: Ericalynn Priolo

Script Writers: William Bellaimey and Angie Vaughn

Performing Artists: Brittany Daniels, Donald Riddle, Keila Fisher, Nola Gibson, Elizabeth Gracen, Diana Leon, Molly Mattei, Caterina Mercante, Ericalynn Priolo, Austin Roy, Paul Siemens, Courtney Simpson, Jana Souza, Marco Tacandong, Hilary Thomas, Teya Wolvington, and Meghann Zenor

Pianist: Alan Geier

Guitarist: Mike Testin

Costumes: Caterina Mercante, Ericalynn Priolo and Teya Wolvington

Film Editing: Hilary Thomas and Angie Vaughn

Dance Film Editing: Molly Mattei

Tech Specialists: Randy Brambaugh, Noelia Cortes, Cynthia Crass, John Guth

This performance runs just over two hours with a 10 minute intermission Please note, there are flashing, revolving lights in the 70’s.

Matter of Time is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Pasadena Arts & Culture Commission, and the City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division.

The Origins of Matter of Time

About two years ago, I had a tiny nugget of an idea. What if we created an artistic, immersive experience that took audiences on a walking journey through time? One group would travel forward from the 1950's to the 1990’s. One group would go backwards from the 90’s to the 50’s. Everyone would meet halfway at the disco in the 70’s. If Marty McFly could do it, why couldn’t we? I started sharing this vision out loud as it began to expand and evolve inside my own head. Like most of my wacky artistic schemes, the fantasy started to take on a life of its own. As more Lineage visionaries got involved, a wild adventure took shape. Together with over twenty marvelous minds offering artistic, historic, and logistical input, Matter of Time took shape.

For two completely sold-out runs at Lineage, we had the time of our lives, escorting audiences through some pretty awesome decades. Our friend and collaborator, Sheryl Scott, who also happens to be the rockstar Director of Communications and Operations at the Gamble House, came to see the show; pretty quickly, we decided that it would be incredibly cool to see if we could manage to bring Matter of Time to the Gamble House. The original home of Doc Brown, this magnificent, historic house seemed like the perfectly obvious choice for our next time travel adventure. And here we all are today, doing just that.

As I reflect upon the wild and wonderful beast that is Matter of Time, I repeatedly land on gratitude. I’m eternally thankful for a family of Lineage artists who have courageously, perhaps naively, jumped off the creative cliffs of insanity to join me on this time-traveling journey. We very quickly learned that the daily transformation of a historic house/museum into a theater with six different stages, equipped with some pretty demanding tech needs, is quite the challenge. There are too many of you to name, but you will find each one of them here tonight, pouring their blood, sweat, and awesomeness into this show, both on “stage” and off. I am eternally grateful.

Most people who know me know that I live in a world of nostalgia. I thrive in nostalgia-land. My experience of this show has been like releasing Homer into a donut factory. For months, I’ve been in a dreamy, yet slightly nauseous state. I’ve been reliving every song, movie, commercial, fad, every horrifying moment of breaking news. It’s maddening to try and squeeze an entire decade into a mere 20 minutes. You’ll have to forgive us - we just couldn’t include every homage that we wanted to.

Instead, I’ve followed through with themes that really resonated with the collaborating artists of different generations and backgrounds. I have learned so much about history, relearned moments in history that I thought I knew. From the assassinations of MLK and JFK to the Challenger Explosion to the LA Riots, I’ve watched news clip after news clip, in horror and awe as I relive these poignant moments of the past. So many of these moments are especially disturbing through our current lens, knowing that many of the struggles are just as real today.

My major challenge has been narrowing down songs from each decade. Knowing that I can’t keep audiences here for ten hours straight made for some really painful cuts. So consider this experience a launching point for you. Relish in the music and the moments we’ve chosen, perhaps learn a little about history, or just take time to reflect on your own experience of that history. How have you been shaped by the past? What parts can you bring to your present? Your future? Which parts should we just leave behind? I thank you for choosing Lineage airlines. We wish you all a fantastic journey.

- Hilary Thomas, Artistic Director

The Cast and Crew

Will Bellaimey (he/him) teaches history at Flintridge Prep School and has been involved in many creative projects and shows at Lineage over the years. You can hear him talking excitedly about history on the All The Presidents, Man podcast, which is available on Spotify and Apple podcasts. He lives in Eagle Rock with his partner Jocelyn and their six chickens.

Randy Brumbaugh (he/him) is fascinated by lighting and the power of movement, light, and shadow to connect, transform, and tell stories, so is very excited to be collaborating and creating with Lineage Dance. He has been involved in multiple facets of lighting: designing more than 80 productions, teaching lighting design, and leading workshops and co-founding performance groups. He created media systems for Disney Parks, and designed lighting at multiple venues in LA, including local college and community productions, found spaces, two dance productions at The Kirk Douglas theater, events and concerts. He has co-created several music/movement/media immersive experiences and club takeovers around the area. When not occupied with lighting, he is often designing spacey things for NASA.

Noelia Cortes (she/her) is an artist, arts administrator, and light and sound technician from Burbank, CA. She is the Program Associate at the Lineage Performing Arts Center and holds a Bachelor’s degree in History of Art with a focus in Modern Reception of the Ancient World and a minor in Latinx/Chicanx Studies from UC Berkeley. Noelia is also a graduate of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture internship program and has published work in Dignia Rabia, UC Berkeley’s Chicana/o/x Studies Journal. She is passionate about arts accessibility and emerging arts media. She is delighted to have been part of several Lineage productions, including “A Chorus Lineage” (light and sound technician), “Matter of Time” (light, video, and sound technician), and “Cabaret” (light technician).

At Lineage, Cynthia Crass (she/her) has played Bertha in Pippin, sang and acted in After Roe, and has been in several of their Broadway celebrations. She has appeared as a classical soloist with numerous choral groups in the Los Angeles area. She has a BFA and MFA in Theatre, performing in many productions across the country, including They're Playing Our Song, Talley's Folley, Something's Afoot, The Baker's Wife, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Dames at Sea. She is the Executive Director of Lineage and is always thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the wonderful Lineage family.

Brittany Daniels (she/her) began dancing ballet at the age of eight and later studied hip-hop, jazz, modern, and ballroom at the age of 14. She completed Cecchetti examinations 1-5 and earned international honors for her last examination. Some summer dance intensives she attended are Cecchetti USA (nominated for an award in her division), American Ballet Theater, Ballet Magnificat! (full scholarship), and LINES Ballet (scholarship). She was awarded most promising dancer in her home city Temecula, California by ODC Modern Dance Company, as well as offered a full scholarship to their dance intensive. She was offered an apprenticeship to the modern company PGK Dance Project when she was 18. She traveled and danced in Washington DC, New York, Italy, and Cuba with Dunamix Dance Project. She was honored with many opportunities to perform, serve, and teach dance at places that serve underprivileged children, abused children, individuals with HIV/AIDS, and individuals who are homeless.

Keila Joy Fisher (she/her) is a recent graduate of Scripps College with a BA in Theatre through Pomona College Theatre Department. She has been seen in Lineage original productions "The Curiosity Tales", "A New Day", "After Roe", and "Matter of Time". Previous credits include Lynn Nottage's "Sweat" (Chris), Sartre's "No Exit" (Valet), and Sarah DeLappe's "The Wolves" (#25).

Alan Geier (he/him) After directing Musicals as a teenager at a summer camp, Alan Geier attended Pomona College, where he studied piano, accompanied the Glee Club, and sang in a Barbershop Quartet. A Master's Degree in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College soon followed. For 38 years he taught music at Polytechnic School in Pasadena. His regular summer job was at the Humboldt State Chamber Music Workshop, (Director for 18 years) where he met flutist wife, Barbara! Alan continues to be the regular accompanist for Pasadena Pro Musica and the Donald Brinegar Singers. Upon "retirement" in 2017, he was delighted to 1) become a Staff Accompanist at Occidental College and 2) get more involved with Lineage: recent projects at LPAC include a Sondheim evening, Broadway Kids Show, Anna Christy recital, and musical productions of Pippin, Next to Normal, and Cabaret.

Nola Gibson (she/her), based in Los Angeles, is a dynamic and versatile modern dancer joining Lineage Dance Company this fall for her first season. She trained at City Ballet of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, and UC Irvine, where she earned a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in Political Science in 2021. Nola's professional career includes 3 seasons with Benita Bike's DanceArt, creation processes with renowned choreographers Lar Lubovitch and Charlotte Griffin and freelance work with LAdancemakers. Her dedication and talent have been recognized through various awards, including the Spotlight Awards and scholarships at UC Irvine. In addition to her dance career, Nola is a certified RYT 200 yoga instructor with a specialization in prenatal yoga. She integrates her deep understanding of movement and body mechanics into her yoga practice, providing a holistic approach to fitness and wellness for expectant mothers. Nola continues to captivate audiences with her technical prowess and expressive artistry, bringing passion and excellence to every performance and teaching session.

Elizabeth Gracen (she/her) is an actor, writer, producer and director who has the good fortune to call Hilary Thomas an important, long-time collaboration that has truly changed her life. Owner of Flapper Films, Gracen's award winning films—many of them inspired by Lineage performances and the great work being done through the Dance For Joy programs at LPAC, have found success on the international film festival circuit and multiple streaming platforms. The newly formed nonprofit Flapper House, Inc. will continue to develop and produce informational, educational and inspiring content and promote the arts for all.

John Guth (he/him) A native of Pasadena, John continues to successfully diversify his music portfolio, scoring instrumental compositions and all-electronic soundtracks for film and television, live performance, and the gaming and interactive entertainment industries. His film scoring credits range from full-length indy films to animated and live-action comedy shorts. His ongoing commercial work continuously adds to his growing portfolio of wall-to-wall music in a variety of genres. In addition to composing music for media, he also works as a sound engineer, producing audio for both studio recording and live events.

Diana Leon (she/her) is an actor, singer, and musician from Pasadena, CA. She is a graduate of San Fransisco State University, where she received her B.A. in Drama and was awarded the Clarence Miller Musical Theater Scholarship. Diana is an avid composer and is passionate about Latinx voices in theater. Her acting credits include Tía (Sucía), Ariana (Sofa Sin Casa), and Abuela Claudia (In the Heights). Her recent Lineage productions include Cabaret, Matter of Time, After Roe, and A New Day.

Molly Mattei (she/her) A native of Elgin, IL, graduated with a BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University. She has performed with various contemporary companies in the Los Angeles area and as an aerial artist and dancer for Royal Caribbean International. She currently heads the performing arts department and teaches dance courses at Flintridge Preparatory in La Cañada. Molly joined Lineage Dance in 2010.

Caterina Mercante (she/her) Early training and performing included dancing in Italy with Grupo Stabile Udinese, under the direction of Elisabetta Ceron and Antonella Cumin, where she was introduced to contemporary ballet and modern dance. From 1996-2000, she trained in jazz, modern, tap, and ballet with Fran Atlas-Lara, David Popalisky, and Audrey King. In June 2000, she received a BA in Theater Arts with emphasis in Dance and a BA in Italian Literature from Santa Clara University. Caterina has been teaching at Flintridge Preparatory in La Cañada since 2002, and has been dancing with Lineage Dance since 2000. In 2005, Caterina became the Associate Director of Lineage Performing Arts Center. Since 2007, she has been the coordinator for Pasadena Dance Festival.

Ericalynn Priolo (she/her) was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in South Florida. She received her early training at Dreyfoos School of the Arts and attended various dance programs such as Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive, the Ailey Extension International Dance Exchange, and Dance Makers Choreographic Workshop in Toronto, Canada. Ericalynn received her BFA in Dance from New World School of the Arts, Miami, Florida. Here she was able to perform works choreographed by Peter London, Gerard Ebitz, Darshan Bhuller, and Robert Battle. Priolo was also honored to perform Robert Battle's "Battlefield" in the Czech Republic and Peter London's "Frida" in Puerto Rico. Ericalynn Priolo has been a company member with Lineage Dance for 11 years and teaches at the Buckley School.

Donald Riddle (he/him) is an actor and performer originally from Chicago and a recent LA transplant, thrilled to be joining the Lineage family. Although he studied political science and sociology at Brown University, he is deeply grateful for the extensive theatre training he received along the way. His recent performance credits include "Professor Hidgens" in The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, "Georg" in Spring Awakening, and "Bobby Strong" in Urinetown; he will also be taking on the role of "Tom Collins" in Lineage's upcoming production of RENT. Donald's passion for theatre extends to writing and directing, and he is eagerly anticipating his directorial debut with a production of Glory Days in the summer of 2025. Outside of performing, he enjoys video games, comic books, and spooky movies.

Austin Roy (he/him) has held many titles at Lineage over the past 14 years: intern, dance teacher, dancer, development director, board member, bartender, emcee, etc.

Paul Siemens (he/him) has appeared at Lineage in Cabaret (Herr Schultz), Matter of Time (Mr. Rogers), A New Day (Dr. Thomas), The Curiosity Tales (Mr. Licht), Next to Normal (Dan; Scenie Award for Outstanding Lead Ensemble in a Musical), Pippin (title role), The Last Five Years (Jamie), and It’s Complicated, which he co-wrote and performed with his wife; at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center in Broadway & Beyond (BroadwayWorld Los Angeles Award nomination for Best Cabaret/Concert/Solo Performance) and The Spitfire Grill (Joe); and on the East Coast in A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theatre), the Obie Award-winning kabuki play Benten Kozo (Flea Theater), Lend Me a Tenor (Harvard-Radcliffe Summer Theater; IRNE Award nomination for Best Actor), L’Orfeo (Tanglewood Music Festival), and The White Devil (Brooklyn Academy of Music). The author of three plays produced in NYC, Paul has studied creative writing at UCLA and Stanford, and holds a bachelor's degree in English & American Literature & Language from Harvard, where he won the Jonathan Levy Award for the most promising actor at the university. He currently serves as President of the Lineage Board of Directors.

Courtney Simpson (she/her) is a singer-songwriter, musician, dancer, and actress known for her versatile musical expression. Born and raised in Central California, she fell in love with music at a young age when she began learning Flute and taking her first Ballet classes. Courtney attended college in Santa Barbara and when she graduated she joined two local bands, Alegria Geral and Tropicali, both in which she played drums and sang. Additionally, she performed with the Revels' company as a lead actor and dancer in their Irish Christmas musical production. Courtney's musical style is a blend of Pop, Jazz, R&B, and Indie that is soothing to hear paired with her expansive vocal flexibility. She is also the Operations and Development Coordinator at Lineage.

Jana Souza (she/her) is a Native Hawaiian singer, actress, and dancer born and raised on Oahu, Hawaii. She attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York and Los Angeles where she gained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts. After graduating she spent the next five years performing around the world. From Theme Parks to Cruise Lines, to National Tours, Jana has accomplished a lot. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2016, Jana has performed all over Los Angeles with multiple theatre companies. Currently, she spends most of her time teaching and performing at the Lineage Performing Arts Center as well as with "PHNX" an a capella pop group, "The Holly Belles", and "The Satin Dollz" an international Pinup Performance group.

Marco Tacandong (he/him) is a dancer, choreographer, and educator from Jacksonville, Florida who is trained in modern, contemporary, and hip hop styles. He received his B.A. in Dance from Jacksonville University and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. He is signed to Go 2 Talent Agency and also teaches hip-hop at Top Billing Entertainment Performance Academy in Glendora, CA. He was a part of Snowglobe Perspective's Snowtorious, WreckLess Dance Crew, Nancy Evans Theatre, Florida State College at Jacksonville's danceWORKS repertory company, and was a dance director at a high school in San Gabriel. Marco is glad to be part of the Lineage family.

Mike Testin (he/him) is a cinematographer who has worked on various Film and Television projects since graduating from the Los Angeles Film School in 2005.

Hilary Thomas (she/her) grew up in Pasadena and trained with The Pasadena Dance Theatre. She earned degrees in dance and psychology from Santa Clara University and continued her dance training with the Joffrey Ballet. In 1999 Hilary created Lineage Dance to raise support and awareness for nonprofit organizations and to make the arts accessible to all. Since that time, Lineage has presented over 3000 performances and raised more than $500,000 dollars in support of charitable, educational and nonprofit organizations across the country. In 2010 the company opened the Lineage Performing Arts Center (LPAC) in Pasadena as home for connecting through the arts. As Artistic Director, Hilary works with a company of professional artists to present live music, theatre, and dance concerts. She has created multiple original performances in collaboration with local nonprofits (including Healing Blue with the Living Beauty Cancer Foundation, Ceiling in the Floor with Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, After Roe with Planned Parenthood, and A New Day with the Phil Simon Clinic) which are in repertory at the LPAC. She has also directed Lineage's musical productions which include Tick Tick Boom, The Last Five Years, Pippin, Next to Normal and Cabaret. Hilary helped launch Lineage's Dance for Joy program, which offers free classes in the community to those affected by Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimers, Stroke Recovery, Cancer, and Autism. Through this program, Hilary produces intergenerational performance opportunities for younger students to work with the Dance for Joy participants on storytelling and movement pieces. She also works with a panel of artists and experts to offer regular death education and end-of-life-planning workshops called Staging Your Grand Exit. Hilary has earned various awards for her artistic work in the community: the Beverly Hills Outlook selected her as one of top choreographers of 2004 and 2005, she received the “Gold Crown Award” from the Pasadena Arts Council in 2006, and was nominated by “THE” Magazine as one of Pasadena’s top 50 creative artists in 2011. Hilary has also been on faculty at Flintridge Preparatory School, teaching science and dance since 2001. For more information about Hilary and Lineage, visit www.lineagepac.org.

Angie Vaughn (she/her) is a Pasadena native and a graduate of Pasadena High School, class of 2008. After graduation, she attended Musician's Institute in Hollywood, California, focusing her studies on Recording Engineering and Music Business programs. In 2010, she began working with several dance and theater companies including the Lineage Performing Arts Center, Parson's Nose, and the Nancy Deode Dance Theatre, where she executed a multitude of jobs including sound and light engineering, marketing, and choreography, specializing in Hip Hop dance styles. Since then, Angie has focused her time on several dance programs in PUSD through the Pasadena LEARNs after school program, including teams at Pasadena High School and Muir High School. Dedicating herself to the youth of Pasadena, Angie has empowered students in various aspects of life through the performing arts; modeling self-respect, love, determination, and teamwork.

Teya Wolvington (she/her) began dancing at the age of twelve when she moved from Portland, Oregon to Santa Fe, New Mexico. After training in both ballet and modern for six years, she attended the Modern Dance Department at the University of Utah. Upon receiving a B.F.A. in 2005, she moved to Los Angeles and has been dancing professionally ever since. She was a member of Benita Bike's DanceArt Company for six seasons and has been dancing with Lineage since 2008. She is truly honored to be part of the Lineage family.

Meghann Zenor (she/her) was born and raised in Gleneden Beach, Oregon. She was a company member with Pacific Dance Ensemble in Newport, Oregon for eight years. Meghann graduated with a BFA in Dance and a BS in Communications from Stephens College in Columbia, MO. Upon graduation, Meghann moved to New York City where she worked in commercial production and performed with a variety of modern dance companies. Meghann moved to Los Angeles in 2004. She's currently a full time mom and sneaks off to be an Art Director a few times a year. Meghann has been dancing with Lineage since 2007.