Show Info

Title 

HEAD OVER HEELS  

Playwright 

Book by Jeff Whitty 

Music and Lyrics by The Gogo's, Adapted by James Magruder 

Director & Choreographer  

Michael C. Flores 

Music Director 

Mark Bruckner 

Stage Manager 

Reed Davis 

Category 

Mainstage 

First Rehearsal 

Music Rehearsals December 9-12 

Choreography Workshop January 16-17 

Full Shaping Rehearsals begin January 21 

Load In/Tech /Dress 

February 27 – March 5 

Performances 

March 6-8 and 12-14 

Roles to be cast 

Age (Presentation) 

Gender (Presentation) 

 

King Basilius  

20s, 30s 

Masc   

King of Arcadia. Arrogant and flamboyantly prideful. Blindly thinks Arcadia is doing great under his inflexible rule.  

Queen Gynecia 

20s 30s  

Femm 

Queen of Arcadia. Strong-willed, & slightly jaded from her untrustworthy marriage to King Basilius.  

Pamela 

20s  

Femm  

The eldest daughter of Basilius & Gynecia. She is headstrong, confident, & very outspoken. She yearns to become her truest self.  

Philoclea 

20s  

Femm  

Basilius and Gynecia's younger daughter. Shy and a "good girl", she yearns to follow her heart rather than obey her father's orders. 

Mopsa 

20s  

Femm 

Daughter of Dametas & handmaiden to Pamela, Philoclea, & the royal family. Unlike her father Dametas, she is outspoken & direct-especially to Pamela, whom she shares a complex relationship with.  

Musidorus / Cleophila 

20s  

Masc / Femm 

A shepherd boy who, since childhood, has been in love with Philoclea. Under her father King Basilius’ rule, Musidorus & Philoclea are forbidden from one another.  

Musidorus undergoes a transformation into Cleophila. 

Dametas 

20s, 30s, 40s 

Any  

Royal viceroy and father to Mopsa, serving as the loyal advisor and enforcer of Arcadia’s laws. Unlike his outspoken daughter, Dametas values order and tradition, preserving the kingdom’s long-held customs 

Pythio 

20s, 30s  

Gender Nonconforming, Any  

The Oracle; powerful, mysterious. Demanding. Great sense of humor--can see through everyone--they are the Oracle of Delphi, after all. 

ARCADIANS  

Any  

Any  

Unique, charismatic individuals to inhabit the kingdom of Arcadia. Chorus of the play, in addition to singing, acting, they must be strong dancers & movers.  

Synopsis 

Follow along as a royal family receives a threatening prophecy that challenges the king’s rule and throws the kingdom into chaos, leaving the question: who will seize the crown, and what kind of world will emerge? As rigid order gives way to a liberated utopia, HEAD OVER HEELS becomes a glittering celebration of love, identity, and self-discovery. 

Notices 

Content Advisory: Head Over Heels contains themes and imagery exploring gender identity and self-expression. It includes moments of sexual innuendo, intimacy with same sex partners, and violence as well as depictions of rigid social structures being challenged and transformed. 

Music Rehearsals will begin in the fall semester starting December 9th to the 12th  

Additional rehearsal time for choreography is scheduled for January 16th & 17th prior to the spring semester officially beginning.   

Rehearsal will resume on January 21st once the spring semester begins.  

Attendance at these rehearsals is vital to the process.  

Please do not hesitate to reach out to director & choreographer, Michael C. Flores with any questions!

Fight Choreography Breakdown

Page 

Stage Directions/ Planned Action 

Character(s) 

Notes 

40 to 41 

Lion [No Bear]   

  • A sudden roar. A LION emerges from the forest 

  • The LION swipes at BASILIUS, knocking him down. Turning, it stalks toward PHILOCLEA, cornering her. 

  • Suddenly MUSIDORUS [as the Amazon] roars onstage and expertly kills the LION, severing its head. He holds it aloft, accompanied by cheers. 

Basilius, Lion [Arcadian], Philoclea, Musidorus [Cleophila] 

 

89 to 91 

Lust to Love  

  • BASILIUS unsheathes his sword and stalks a confused MUSIDORUS 

  • BASILIUS takes DAMETAS' sword and tosses it to MUSIDORUS 

  • The battle grows in intensity. 

  • BASILIUS plunges his sword through MUSIDORUS' chest. The 

  • music drops out. BASILIUS withdraws the sword. MUSIDORUS crumples to the ground. PHILOCLEA cradles him.  

  • MUSIDORUS looks at PHILOCLEA, then dies.   

Basilius, Dametas, Gynecia, Philoclea 

 

 

Intimacy Choreography Breakdown

Page 

Stage Directions/ Planned Action 

Character(s) 

Notes 

60  

The First Flag  

  • They move together, and kiss. BOOM! Music. The ORACLE appears. 

Philoclea, Cleophila  

 

63 

Our Lips Are Sealed  

  • They kiss! 

Mopsa, Pamela  

 

77 

Turn To You  

  • Together they spot PHILOCLEA and CLEOPHILA kissing in the forest. Shock. 

Philoclea, Cleophila  

 

80  

Heaven Is A Place On Earth  

  • A sexy shadow dance break. 

Full Company  

At this point in the story, this will involve everyone to enhance the liberated space & nature of the transformative state everyone is in. Michael will be working with Cristina to choreograph this effectively.  

83  

Act 2, Scene 5  

  • MOPSA and PAMELA kiss. 

Mopsa & Pamela  

 

99 

Mad About You [Reprise] 

  • They kiss. DAMETAS, surprised, thinks about it. 

Mopsa, Pamela  

 

101  

Mad About You [Reprise] 

  • They kiss. Family reunion. 

Pythio [Oracle], Dametas  

 

102 

Mad About You [Reprise] 

  • She extends her hand; he kisses it gratefully. 

Basilius, Gynecia 

 

Important Dates/Holidays 

2/1 Thaipusam, 2/2 Groundhog Day, 2/3 Lailat al Bara*, 2/8 Superbowl, 2/14 St. Valentine's Day, 2/15 Nirvana Day, 2/16 Presidents’ Day (Fed. Observed), 2/15-2/16 Maha Shivaratri, 2/17 Seol-nal, 2/17 Chinese New Year (Year of the Horse), 2/17 Tet Nguyen Dan, 2/17-3/19 Ramadan*, 2/17 Mardi Gras, 2/18 Ash Wednesday (Beginning of Lent),  2/18 Tsagaan Sar, 2/18-2/20 Losar, 2/23 Beginning of Lent (Orthodox), 3/3 Magha Puja Day, 3/3 Purim*, 3/4 Holi Phagwa*, 3/7 Nuzul Quran*, 3/8 Daylight Savings Begins 

 

* Holidays marked with an asterisk (*) begin at sundown on the previous day. 

Callback List

The callback list will be available following Spring General Auditions on Saturday, November 15.

Cast List

The cast list will be posted following the Casting Meeting at approximately 10:30am Friday, November 21.

Contact

Questions or concerns?

Reed Davis, Stage Manager: reed-davis@uiowa.edu

Isabella Kruser, Assistant Stage Manager: isabella-kruser@uiowa.edu

Ella Crosby, Assistant Stage Manager: ella-crosby@uiowa.edu