A Little Mix of Everything in an Apocalypse

“This show has everything!” an audience member exclaimed as the curtains drew closed to mark the intermission of Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play – a pretty apt way to describe the genre-hopping play set in the post-apocalyptic period. Mr. Burns is dark comedy that also acts as a study of how the stories we tell can take on a life of their own and how they transform across time and adaptations. 

Following the survivors of an unknown apocalyptic event, Mr. Burns is split into three distinct time periods. The play first opens a few months after the apocalypse as a small group of survivors try to remember the Cape Feare episode of the Simpsons to pass the time and bring levity and joy to their situation. The setting looks bleak as the group huddles around a trash-can fire for warmth, but the ragtag bunch is reinvigorated by reenacting parts of the episode.

Cut to seven years later, when that same group of survivors have now formed a travelling theatre company and are trying to determine which lines are correct and what order the scenes should be in for the episode. The group also debates on what product placement to incorporate into their act and how to add effects into the show. The world is still definitely cutthroat with limited supplies, rival theatre companies and burglars posing a constant threat to the group’s survival. After a robbery gone wrong, the status of the group is unknown as the play’s intermission begins.

Another 75 years later, the legend of the episode has now transformed into near mythic status. Half-remembered lines from long ago are now treated with reverence and delivered with dramatic gravitas. Character personalities have morphed and shifted until they are nearly unrecognizable from the original TV show. The episode itself has also changed, with 82-year-old misremembered details being ingrained into the act. 

The cast of the show spent many months perfecting their line delivery, which is evident in the natural flow of dialogue through the scenes. Behind the scenes, the production team and crew work together to assemble the sets and prepare costumes. Marge Simpson’s wig is an example of the costume team’s ingenuity. “We layered many foam discs before wrapping it in a blue yoga mat and then glueing blue pom poms to it,” explained Sarah Ewen, one of the heads of costume design. 

The show and rehearsal days are quite long and busy with many of the cast and crew bouncing directly from a day of classes to grab a quick bite before heading to dressing rooms to get their hair and makeup done. The level of dedication and commitment is commendable. Thank you for bringing such an inventive and fun play to the Greenwood Theatre!

Matt: Finley Burke ‘24

Jenny: Claire Sparling ‘26

Maria: Amelie Rigny ‘24

Sam: Evan Edgell ‘24

Colleen: Sam Jaskolka ‘26

Gibson: Jonathan Preston ‘24

Quincy: Gigi Macdonald ‘24

Mr. Burns: Owen Polley ‘24

Bart: Carter Murphy ‘26

Homer: Carson Blackwell ‘24

Marge: Charlotte Polley ‘26

Lisa: Lauren Baillie ‘24

Itchy: Griffin Carter ‘25

Scratchy: Matthew Scrivens ‘25

Edna Krabapple: Sloane Basch ‘26

Troy McClure: Andy Li ‘26

Apu: Abby Weston ‘26

Willy: Emma Rocco ‘26

Nelson: Charlotte Hounsome ‘25

Flanders: Diana Borlase ‘26

Bumblebee Man: Emilio Melardi ‘24

Barney: Phoebe Gregson ‘25

Directors: Doug Brown and Hailey Scott

Costume Design: Sarah Ewen, Adelaide Leo and Hailey Scott

Costumes: Irmak Aydeniz ‘28, Paige Emery ‘26, Ezmay Ireland ‘25, Jessica Li ‘25, Mae Loftsgard ‘28, Amelia Massey ‘26, Ayla O’Brien ‘29, Cate Pooley ‘29 and Katie Romanelli ‘24

Set Crew: Sloane Basch ‘26, Sam Jaskolka ‘26, Astrid Kim ‘26, Charlotte Logan ‘26, Elle Macrae ‘26, Rachel Scobie ‘26, Oliver Tanenbaum ‘26 and Ella Tong ‘26 

Head of Props: Zoe Sedlak

Props: Delphine Bryce ‘29, Bryce Purves Mitchell ‘29 and Grace Rivard ‘29

Head of Hair and Makeup: Kate Konstantinova

Hair and Makeup: Daisy Capombassis ‘26, Sadie Chapman ‘26, Maia Connell ‘24, Chloe Di Girolamo ‘26, Ava Jones ‘26, Molly Marshall ‘26, Mackenzie Reid ‘27, Autumn Schelter ‘27 and Jo Thompson ‘26

Backstage Manager: Allie Gottlieb

Stage Managers: Sienna Loh ‘24 and Georgia Robinson ‘24

Backstage Crew: Cameron Barry ‘25, Kobi Cheng ‘25, Max Follett ‘27, Carter Goldblatt ‘26, Annie Kay ‘25, Violet MacMillan ‘26, Allegra Mariani ‘25 and Sophia Stieber ‘25

Photography: Marcio Sargento

AV Technician: Albert Bui

Video Segments: Doug Brown

Head of Technology: Kalina Mehta ‘25 and Danielle Tylman ‘25

Graphic Designer: Kalina Mehta ‘25