Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect co-director Daniel Ricken’s correct
student designation. 
Youthful exuberance bounces along the catchy tunes of modern rock in a classic love story musical taking
place at the Eva Marie Saint Theatre on the campus of Bowling Green State University this weekend.
“Jimmy & Sally” is based on a book by BGSU senior Heather Hill and features the music of the
band, I Fight Dragons.
The musical is a “love story that explores grief and depression in friendships and romantic
relationships,” said Hill, who co-directs the production with Daniel Ricken. Ricken is a doctoral
student in the BGSU Department of Theatre and Film.  
Don’t think of this as a downer, however. Hill balances this story of the ups and downs of freshman
college life with the quirky and upbeat sounds of I Fight Dragons.
“I wrote the script around the songs,” Hill said. “The lyrics are the bands’.”
I Fight Dragons is a Chicago-based band, whose Facebook page notes it is “a band made up of robots
disguised as people. Or is it people disguised as robots?” The band’s self-described goofiness is
actually appropriate for their sound. They write “chiptunes,” a sound with equal parts electronic 8-bit
music and guitar-driven pop-punk. If you’re not hip to what the 8-bit music scene is, then abandon the
idea of ’70s-era Krautrock and think of classic Nintendo NES video games and their bouncy background
music. Mario Brothers should come to mind.
“The singing is all live, with pre-recorded backing tracks,” said Music Director Nicholas Taylor. “Most
of the cast are early undergrads.”
In fact, Audrey Marie Craddick, the lead playing Sally Rouge, is a freshman transfer from Kent State
University.
“Jimmy & Sally” is a personal project that Hill has been independently working on since her
sophomore year. This is a talented young cast doing something that they love, not for money or a grade,
but for the joy of performing. The cast and crew are all BGSU student volunteers in the free production.

“I’m incredibly proud and thankful to the cast and production team for helping get it this far,” Hill
said.
Hill is riding high into this performance. She found out last week that she has been accepted to the
Guildford School of Acting in London, England.
Upcoming BGSU Department of Theater and Film productions include Dying City and Twelfth Night.
“Jimmy & Sally” is playing at 8 p.m. tonight, Saturday and Sunday at the Eva Marie Saint Theatre
in BGSU’s Wolfe Center For The Arts. Admission is free.