Download Who`s Who in the Company - Beck Center for the Arts

Who’s Who in the Company
Scott Spence (Artistic
Director/Director)
This marks Scott’s 24th
season at Beck Center!
Since 1990, he has
produced well over 200
productions, directing
over 75 himself. The list
of favorites grows every
season, and includes
Parade, A Man of No Importance, Sweeney Todd,
Hair, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Farnsworth
Invention, Reefer Madness, The Fix, Zombie
Prom, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Evil Dead
The Musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee, and the box office smash hits The
Producers and Altar Boyz. Last season Scott
added to those favorites with productions of
Annie and the very, very silly Monty Python’s
SPAMALOT. He is very proud of the awards
and acclamations Beck Center has received
over the past decade, and is especially grateful
for having won the Northern Ohio Live Award
for Achievement in Theatre in 2006. Outside of
these walls, Scott’s directorial assignments have
included a remounting of Beck Center’s hit
production of Altar Boyz at PlayhouseSquare’s
beautiful Hanna Theatre, Das Barbecü at
Opera Cleveland, The Last Night of Ballyhoo
at Case Western Reserve University’s Eldred
Theatre, Oh Dad Poor Dad....at Cleveland State
University Summer Stages and Noises Off at
both Weathervane Playhouse in Akron and
Berea Summer Theatre. An adjunct faculty
member at Cleveland State University, Scott has
also had the privilege to direct Satre’s No Exit
and Strindberg’s Miss Julie. Occasionally on the
other side of the footlights, Scott has appeared
in Dick Deadeye (Berea Summer Theatre), Man
of La Mancha (Jewish Community Center), The
Secret Rapture (Dobama) and closer to home at
Beck Center in Big River, The Boys Next Door
and Laughter on the 23rd Floor. He also had the
privilege of joining the cast of Passion, directed
by Victoria Bussert, in his only onstage stint
in the Studio Theater. Scott holds an MFA in
Directing from Western Illinois University and
is a trained stage fight choreographer, having
studied extensively with the SAFD. As always,
he dedicates all the work he does to his two
extraordinarily talented leading ladies, Rachel
and Carleigh. You both amaze me every day.
Larry Goodpaster d
(Musical Director) is
pleased to be musically
directing The New Mel
Brook Musical Young
Frankenstein this summer.
This is Larry’s 67th
production and his 16th
year at Beck Center. An
award-winning pianist
in high school, Larry followed quite a different
path and obtained degrees in biology,
chemistry, veterinary medicine, and business
over the next 20 years. Upon receiving his
MBA in 1997, Larry decided to return to
musical theater in his recreational time. Larry’s
love and passion for the arts soon became
an obsession. Beginning in January 2008, he
spent his days at Beck Center as a volunteer
business consultant with Cindy Einhouse,
President and CEO. In the fall 2009, Larry was
hired as the director of business operations.
Last year, he became the Director of Finance
and Administration at Beck Center. Sharing
both his artistic talent and business acumen
with Beck Center has finally allowed his
circuitous career path to come together. Larry
would like to thank our audiences and donors
for supporting our theater and education
programming so generously.
**Martín Céspedes
(Choreographer)is
thrilled to return to
Beck Center after having
just choreographed As
You like It for Great
Lakes Theater, Idaho
Shakespeare, and Lake
Tahoe
Shakespeare
Festival, directed by
Edward Morgan. Previous Beck Center
choreography credits include Hairspray, Annie,
and Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson. Performance
credits include Broadway National Tours
of Man of La Mancha with Jack Jones and
Ron Holgate; The King and I with Hayley
Mills, Marie Osmond, Maureen McGovern
and Faith Prince; South Pacific with Robert
Goulet; West Side Story with Bebe Neuwirth,
and the lavish PBS production of Le Cid
with Placido Domingo and the Washington
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National Opera, broadcast live from Kennedy
Center. An alumnus of the Jacque d’Amboise
National Dance Institute, Martín has won
numerous awards and was nominated for
the prestigious Zelda Fichandler Award,
which recognizes an outstanding director or
choreographer who is making a unique and
exceptional contribution through his or her
work in regional theatre. Upcoming shows
include: The Frogs at Cain Park, Forever Plaid at
Beck Center, and Street Scene at Oberlin Opera
Conservatory. Support the Arts, any Arts.
Libby White (Stage
Manager) is excited to
be a part of yet another
fantastic Beck Center
show. She has been a
part of Beck Center’s
professional
theater
program for over a
decade and the 20132014 season marks her
fourth as Stage Manager. When she’s not
corralling actors and keeping things under
control, she’s spending her time helping
preschoolers learn to communicate as a speech/
language pathologist for North Ridgeville City
Schools. As always, a big thanks to the amazing
cast, crew, and production staff that makes each
show a unique and fabulous experience. She
would also like to thank her family, friends,
and especially Chris for all the support, love,
and patience.
Hayley Baran (Assistant Stage Manager)
is thrilled to be participating once again in
another production here at Beck Center.
Over the past several years she has been
found backstage or up on the catwalk during
many of Beck Center’s shows. Some of her
favorites include: She Loves Me, Monty Python’s
SPAMALOT, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat, Altar Boyz, and Parade. Thanks to
both the Annie cast and crew for making this
such an enjoyable experience.
Cameron Cerny (Assistant Stage Manager) is
thrilled to be working on his fifth production
at Beck Center for the Arts. Coming off
of Seminar, CARRIE the musical, Annie, 33
Variations and Monty Python’s SPAMALOT
(Assistant Stage Manager), Cameron is glad
to return. Past credits from Berea High School
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include Into the Woods, The Crucible, and Bye Bye
Birdie (Stage Manager). He’d like to thank his
family for their overwhelming support.
Jenna Fink (Assistant to
the Director) is proud
to be a part of her first
production at Beck
Center for the Arts!
She is honored to have
had the opportunity to
learn from and work
with everyone in this
remarkable cast and
crew. She would like to thank Scott and Libby
for the incredible experience, as well as Dan
and P.J. for the opportunity to work with
and learn from them. Jenna is grateful to all
of her incredible friends and family for the
support, love, and understanding along the
way, especially Madi, Cate, Faith, Annie, AJ,
Dan, Amiee, and her parents Jo Ann and Jeff.
Once again thanks to Rory O’Malley for the
consistent inspiration. Never turn it off!
(Cast in alphabetical order)
Christopher Aldrich (The
Monster) is thrilled to
appear in Beck Center’s
production of Young
Frankenstein. Recent credits
include
Li’l
Abner
(Earthquake McGoon)
and The Scarlet Pimpernel
(Farleigh) at Mercury
Summer Stock. He has
also performed around Northeast Ohio in
such shows as Man of La Mancha (Innkeeper)
and Street Scene (Mr. Olsen) among others.
Chris holds a BA in Music Performance from
the University of Akron.
Leslie Andrews (Inga)
grew up watching Young
Frankenstein and is super
excited to be Puttin’ on
the Ritz! Past appearances
at Beck Center include
Jerry Springer: The Opera
(Zandra/Irene/Mary),
and Xanadu (Caliope).
She has also appeared at
Blank Canvas Theatre, Mansfield Renaissance
Theatre, and PlayhouseSquare. Favorite roles
include The Texas Chainsaw Musical! (Nun/
Parisioner/Ensemble), Debbie Does Dallas:
The Musical (Debbie), The Great American
Trailer Park Musical (Pippi), and Legally Blonde
The Musical (Paulette). Ms. Andrews holds a
Bachelors of Music in Voice from Cleveland
State University where she studied under
Elizabeth Unis Chesko. Leslie would like to
thank Scott, Larry, and Martín for trusting
her with such an iconic character. Love and
thanks to the cast and crew for not judging
an accordion playing yodeler. Leslie is forever
grateful for the love and support of her family.
Hugs to the guy with the messed up face –
break a stick! Obeebum ebee bababoo
Megan Brautigam
(Female Ensemble) has
appeared locally in
Left In Ink (Emily)
at
Cleveland Public
Theater, Monty Python’s
SPAMALOT (Ensemble)
at Beck Center for the
Arts, and My Mother’s
Lesbian Jewish Wiccan
Wedding (Michelle/Becki/Penny) at Actors
Summit Theater. Other credits include Grease,
Sweeney Todd, and Fiorello at Youngstown
Playhouse and The Wizard of Oz, You Can’t Take It
With You, and Scrooge at Jesters Dinner Theater.
John Busser (Inspector
Kemp) was last seen
in the Studio Theater
at Beck Center for
the Arts in The Pitmen
Painters (Harry Wilson).
For the past five
years, John has been
a regular member of
Flanagan’s Wake (Father
Damon Fitzgerald) at Kennedy’s Theatre in
PlayhouseSquare. He will return for a sixth this
coming January! (What are you waiting for?)
A local actor and writer, John also helps run
Cleveland Public Theatre’s writers workshop,
the Dark Room, and has had some of his
pieces performed at Fine Arts Association,
Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, Cleveland
Public Theatre, and Madlab in Columbus. He
also teaches cartooning for the Akron afterschool enrichment program. One last thing:
even the dog is looking at him funny over this
mustache…
Patrick Carroll (Male
Ensemble) is ecstatic to
spend another summer
at Beck Center. He has
previously appeared in
Annie,
Wings,
The
Producers, A Man of No
Importance, Seussical the
Musical, 1776, Urinetown,
Parade, The Full Monty
and You Can’t Take It With You and the recordbreaking production of The Pitmen Painters
in the Studio Theater. Patrick has appeared
at Carousel Dinner Theater, Great Lakes
Theater, PlayhouseSquare and in productions
throughout Northeast Ohio over the past
35 years. He is a graduate of the American
Musical & Dramatic Academy in New York
City. In real life, his latest leading role is that
of “Licensed Massage Therapist” at Tomorrows
Salon located in Rocky River. Thanks to Scott,
Larry, Martín, Diana, Libby, Hayley, Cameron
and Jenna for all their hard work and support!
Amiee Collier (Frau
Blucher) is performing
in her 18th show at Beck
Center for the Arts, but
she hasn’t been seen in
a summer Mackey Main
Stage musical since Jekyll
and Hyde (Lucy) in 2007!
Favorite roles include
Next to Normal (Diana),
She Loves Me (Ilona), Evil Dead: The Musical
(Cheryl), Xanadu (Melpomene), The Marvelous
Wonderettes (Betty Jean), Sweeney Todd (The
Beggar Woman), Sunday in the Park with George
(Dot/Marie), Into the Woods (The Baker’s Wife)
and The Last Five Years (Cathy). Thank you for
supporting local live theater! #8795
Barb Dragony (Female
Ensemble) is always
happy to be on stage
at Beck Center! She
was most recently seen
here in She Loves Me
and Annie. A veteran of
many shows, some of
her favorites include
Nunsense (Mother Superior),
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The
Forum (Domina), Whodunit…the Musical (Carrie
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Innes), Smokey Joe’s Café (Company), Lucky Stiff
(Rita), The Cardigans & Taffeta’s (Peggy) and A
Chorus Line (Bebe/Judy). This January, she will
be performing in Flanagan’s Wake (Fiona) at
the Kennedy’s Theatre in PlayhouseSquare, a
role she will be reprising for the 6th year. Barb
is a designer/illustrator with several published
children’s books. Thanks to Scott, Larry and
Martín for the opportunity. And as always…Mr. B.
Joe Fornadel (Male
Ensemble) is happy to
return to Beck Center
in Young Frankenstein after
most recently appearing
here in The Producers.
Other Beck Center
productions include Beauty
and the Beast, On the
Town, Eating Raoul, Dames
at Sea, and The Full Monty. His other theater
credits include The Scarlet Pimpernel, Grease,
West Side Story, Pippin, Jekyll and Hyde, Chicago,
Mary Poppins, Little Shop of Horrors, The Pajama
Game, and BIG. During the day Joe works at
Parker Hannifin and in the evenings teaches
salsa dancing for Latin Soul Ballroom and for
Tropical Rhythms. Joe sends his thanks to his
friends and family for their support. Thanks to
the cast and crew for all their hard work and
camaraderie.
Becca Frick (Female
Ensemble) is an alumnus
of the youth theater
program at Beck Center
and she is thrilled to be
performing here once
again. Some of her
favorite credits include
Debbie Does Dallas:
The Musical (Roberta)
at Blank Canvas Theatre, Miss Julie (Julie) at
Cleveland State University, Chicago (Velma
Kelly) at Lorain Music Theatre, Hairspray
(Velma Von Tussle) at Near West Theater,
Destroying the Light (Kora) at Ensemble Theatre
and This is Not the Play (“Indigo”) at Cleveland
Public Theatre. Becca is a Cleveland State
University graduate with a BA in Nonprofit
Administration and is a proud two-term
AmeriCorps alumni. Up next, Becca is
thrilled to be performing in HAIR at Blank
Canvas Theatre. She would like to thank her
family and her “Deep Love” Patrick for always
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supporting
her.
Llenelle Gibson (Female
Ensemble) is thrilled to
be back at Beck Center
after recently appearing
in Annie and Legally
Blonde The Musical. She
recently appeared in
Kent State University’s
A Midsummer Night’s
Dream (Mustardseed).
Llenelle has trained in acting, voice, ballet, tap,
jazz, and musical theater at the Pittsburgh Civic
Light Opera. A few of her favorite roles include
Hello Dolly! (Featured Tumbler) at Porthouse
Theatre, and Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie
Dillmount) and Beauty and the Beast (Babette)
at Charleroi Area Theatre. Llenelle would like
to thank her mother, family, friends, and Cody,
for their love and support! She would also like
to thank the entire company for their support,
hard work and unbelievable talent!
Stephanie Harden (Female
Ensemble) is thrilled
to be a part of Young
Frankenstein in her first
production at Beck Center!
Stephanie is a 2012
graduate of the Capital
University Conservatory
of Music where she
earned her BM in Music
Education. Favorite credits include The Sound of
Music (Liesl von Trapp) at Rabbit Run Theater,
and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Christine Colgate)
and Company (April) at Capital University.
Stephanie is the vocal music director for
Mentor Theatre at Mentor High School having
worked on Legally Blonde The Musical and Crazy
for You. Full-time, she is a middle school choir
director and general music teacher and just
finished her first year teaching. Thank you to
Scott, Larry, and Martín for this opportunity!
Holly Kay Harris (Female
Ensemble / Dance Captain)
is delighted to be spend
another summer on the
Mackey Main Stage,
which marks her 10th
show at the Beck Center.
She was mostly recently
seen in the holiday
production of Annie
(Ensemble/Dance Captain) and Monty Python’s
(Ensemble/Dance Captain). Other Beck Center
productions include Legally Blonde The Musical
(Delta Nu), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat (Potiphar’s Wife), Hairspray (Brenda),
The Producers, and Peter Pan. Holly has also been
the dance captain for Beck Center’s Xanadu
and Annie. Holly has performed in several
productions at The Cassidy Theatre including
West Side Story (Anybodys), Dreamgirls, and
Cabaret. Holly is part of Beck Center’s Theater
Education staff as a dance instructor and is a
guest choreographer for The Singing Angels.
Many thanks to Scott, Martín, Larry and the
company for another wonderful experience.
Mark Heffernan (Victor/
Hermit) is excited and
honored to be spending
the summer of 2014 on
Beck Center’s stage in
yet another Mel Brooks
musical. Mark made his
Beck Center debut in in
the The Producers (Max).
Other Beck Center
credits include Hairspray (Wilbur Turnblad)
and Monty Python’s SPAMALOT (Sir Bedevere).
Through the years Mark has appeared locally
at Cleveland Play House, Cain Park, Canton
Players Guild and Berea Summer Theatre with
some of his favorite shows and roles being One
Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (RP McMurphy),
EVITA (Che), The Music Man (Harold Hill)
and of course The Producers (Max). Mark is
the Director of Game Day Operations for the
Walsh University Cavaliers…GO CAVS! Mark
would like to thank his incredible wife Amy for
her love and encouragement along with the
best “Supporting Cast” a dad could ask for, his
(triple-threat) daughter Hallie and the funniest
person he has ever known, his son, Spencer.
Jamie Koeth* (Frederick)
has been a professional
actor, teacher, director
and musician for over
twenty years and is a
proud member of AEA
and SAG/AFTRA. At
Stagecrafters Theatre he
directed Les Misérables,
Sweeney Todd, Urinetown,
Bat Boy: The Musical, RENT and The Who’s
Tommy among others. Favorite acting credits
include She Loves Me (Georg) and Legally Blonde
The Musical (Emmett) at Beck Center, Godspell
(Jesus) at Porthouse Theatre, The Spoon River
Anthology at Actors Summit Theater, I Love You,
You’re Perfect, Now Change at PlayhouseSquare
and the National Tour of Jekyll & Hyde. Jamie
teaches acting and guitar at his private studio
in Orange. He recently completed his MFA
in Acting at Kent State University. Huge
thanks to all Beck Family: Scott, Larry, Martín,
and company. Love to Wendy and Liam!
Andrew Kotzen (Male
Ensemble) was most
recently seen at Beck
Center in last summer’s
production of Monty
Python’s
SPAMALOT.
Andrew is a rising senior
Music Theatre major
at Baldwin Wallace
University. His other
favorite credits include Titanic (Fleet), Carousel
(Sailor), Spring Awakening (Melchior), Avenue
Q (Princeton), and 42nd Street (Billy Lawlor).
He would like to thank Scott Spence, Martín,
Vicky, the company, and most importantly
his family for this wonderful opportunity.
David Lenahan (Male
Ensemble) is currently
double majoring in
Theatre and Music at
the University of Mount
Union, where he sings
with the Concert Choir,
and has appeared in
Edges (Ensemble) and
Oceans Apart (Ensemble).
He also performed in Happy Days - A New Musical
(Ensemble) at TrueNorth Cultural Arts.
At Rocky River High School, David was
also in many shows including Pippin (Lewis)
and Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Freddy) and
served as Co-President and Dance Captain
of the Show Choir, River’s Edge.
Kate Leigh Michalski
(Female Ensemble) is
excited to make her
Beck Center debut!
Recent favorites have
include Guys and Dolls
(Sarah Brown) at The
Cassidy Theatre, The
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Texas Chainsaw Musical!
(Lucretia) at Blank Canvas Theatre, and Sunday
in the Park with George (Frieda) at TrueNorth
Cultural Arts. She wishes to thank Scott,
Martín and Larry for the opportunity to be
a part of this production and extend her
frightened villager skills to the masses. All the
love to her gaggle of amazing friends. Love you
Mom! Love you Dad.
Callee Miles (Female
Ensemble) is ecstatic to
appear in her second
Beck Center production
of the year! A rising
sophomore Music Theatre
major at Baldwin Wallace
University, she was most
recently seen in Carrie
the musical (Ensemble) at
Beck Center and in Carousel (Ribbon Twirler/
Ensemble) at BW. Other favorite credits include
Gypsy (Louise) and The Drowsy Chaperone (Janet).
Special thanks to her incredible teachers at BW
and a huge thank you to Scott, Martín, Larry
and this phenomenal company!
Lindsey Mitchell*
(Elizabeth) is honored
to make her Beck Center
for the Arts debut with
this company! Recent
Cleveland credits include
performances with the
Cleveland POPS Orchestra
at Severance Hall, The
Musical Theatre Project’s
The Song is You Series – Rodgers without Hart
or Hammerstein (Featured Soloist), a cabaret
benefit for Dobama Theatre at Night Town,
and My Mother’s Lesbian, Jewish Wiccan Wedding
(Claire) at Actors Summit Theater for which
she was recognized with a 2012 Times Theatre
Tribute nomination for Best Performance in
a Musical. A working actor since her teens,
Lindsey has performed at Lincoln Center, Off
Broadway and Broadway Tours in Chicago,
Toronto & New York. Highlights include the
Off Broadway revival of Two by Two (Goldie)
opposite Bryan Batt, Sunset Boulevard (Betty
Schafer) with Diahann Carroll, and Aspects of
Love (Young Jenny). Lindsey will be seen in the
fall release of the film Madtown (Mom). Love
and thanks to her family, peeps, Benjamin,
Brian, Scott P, Scott S, Larry and Martín. She
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is a member of SAG/AFTRA, and AEA.
Elise Pakiela (Female
Ensemble) is thrilled
to perform in Young
Frankenstein after appearing
in Annie (Kate) and The
Children’s Hour (Rosalie
Wells) at Beck Center.
Recent credits include
Jim Brickman’s Yesterday
Once
More
(Young
Debbie) and Shrek The Musical (Young Fiona) at
Mercury Summer Stock, Les Misérables: School
Edition (Young Eponine) at Walsh Jesuit High
School, Seussical Jr. (Jojo) and Mary Poppins
(Jane Banks) at Young Actors Studio. She also
performed in the Songs for Story Shifters Cabaret
at New York City’s Stage 72. Elise trains in
voice, acting, and dance at Broadway Artists
Alliance in NYC. Many thanks to Scott, Larry,
and Martín for this opportunity and to her
parents and younger brother Sean for all of
their continuous support!
Robert Pierce (Male
Ensemble) is pleased to
return to Beck Center for
the Arts after appearing
in the ensembles of
She Loves Me and Monty
Python’s SPAMALOT, and
Jerry Springer: The Opera
(Chucky/Adam). He is
experienced in both
musical theatre and opera. Musical theatre
credits include Sunday in the Park with George
(Boatman/Redmond) at TrueNorth Cultural
Arts, and Kiss Me, Kate (Gremio/Ralph) at
Solon Center for the Arts. Opera credits
include La Bohème (Benoit/Alcindoro) and The
Barber of Seville (Fiorello) with Opera Western
Reserve, and The Apothecary (title role) and
Ariadne auf Naxos (Major Domo/Truffaldin)
at Cleveland Institute of Music. Robert holds
degrees in vocal performance from Otterbein
University and Cleveland Institute of Music.
Adam Rawlings (Male
Ensemble) is excited to
make his Beck Center
debut in Young Frankenstein.
Adam has recently
graduated from St.
Edward High School
where he was busy
snapping his fingers in
West Side Story (Riff). His other credits include
Parade (Leo Frank), Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph), and The Drowsy
Chaperone (Underling) at St. Edward High
School. Adam also knows how to play the
trumpet, euphonium, and tuba. He plans on
continuing his education at Bowling Green
State University majoring in Musical Theatre.
Adam wants to thank his friends and family, but
most importantly his dad, who shares with him
a love for Mel Brooks’ movies and each other.
Adam Shimko (Male
Ensemble) is thrilled to
return to Beck Center for
the Arts after previously
appearing in Beauty and
the Beast (Young Prince).
Some of his favorite
past roles include The
Magic Flute (Sarastro),
Jesus Christ Superstar
(Caiaphas) and Camelot (Lancelot). Adam
thanks his friends and family for their support.
Alex Smith (Igor) is
excited to make his
official Cleveland debut
at Beck Center for the
Arts. Alex is currently
a Music Theatre major
at Baldwin Wallace
University and has
since performed in their
production of Carousel
(David Bascombe). When not in shows, Alex
enjoys making bad puns, playing guitar, and
desperately attempting to survive dance classes.
A thank you must be given to Victoria Bussert,
Scott Plate, Gregory Daniels, Sara Whale, and
Nanette Canfield. Also, thank you to Alex’s
parents for getting him here and for constantly
pushing him to be the best that he can be. Now
sit back and relax - Alex has a hunch that you’ll
enjoy the show.
Carleigh Spence (Female
Ensemble) is honored
to be a part of this
wonderful cast! Carleigh
was last seen at Beck
Center in both the 2012
and 2013 productions
of Annie (Annette, Starto-Be, Bonnie Boylan).
Some other favorite credits include The
Wizard of Oz (Dorothy Gale), Avenue Q (Kate
Monster), Into the Woods (The Witch), Annie
Get Your Gun (Winnie Tate), Swingin’ on a Star
- The Johnny Burke Musical (Dorothy Lamour),
and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
(Cinderella). Carleigh is also a teaching artist
for Beck Center’s early childhood education
programming, which is her pride and joy. She
sends love to her parents, teachers, friends, the
Barnstormers, and the company. Thank you for
supporting the arts!
Cody
Zak
(Male
Ensemble) is back at
Beck Center for the
Arts after appearing in
Annie (Ensemble) and
Hairspray (Link Larkin).
He is a recent Kent State
University graduate with a
BFA in Musical Theatre.
He would like to
thank his parents for their unwavering
financial and emotional support, as well
as his brothers, sister and best friends.
*Actor appears courtesy of the Actors’ Equity Association
(AEA), the union of actors and stage managers.
** Member of the Society of Stage Directors and
Choreographers
Trad A Burns (Lighting Designer) is a
lighting and scenic designer based once again
in Cleveland, Ohio. Designing over 500
productions during the last two decades, his
varied work has been seen around the world.
His extensive credits include designs in Boston
for North Shore Music Theatre, in New York
City for New York Theatre Workshop, La Mama
ETC, HERE, Classic Stage Company, The
Public Theatre, as well as The Cleveland Play
House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Indiana
Repertory Theatre, Beck Center, Boston Ballet,
Cincinnati Ballet, National Ballet of Canada,
New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre,
Atlanta Ballet, Houston Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet
Theatre, Ballet British Columbia, Washington
Ballet, Spectrum Dance, Verb Ballets, Inlet
Dance Theatre, Knott’s Berry Farm, Walt Disney
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World, Disneyland, Disneyland Japan, Disney
Sea, Woodstock Ice Productions, and The
Family of Charles M. Schulz.
Joseph Carmola (Technical Director) is in his
eighth year as Technical Director at Beck
Center. In the past Joe has served as Technical
Director for the Canton Players Guild, Magical
Theatre Company and Paul Green’s Trumpet in
the Land. His freelance credits include lighting
design, scenic artist, and a set design for Les
Misérables: School Edition, which has been seen
in many student programs in Northeast Ohio.
He is the proud father of Clayton.
Benjamin Gantose (Associate Lighting Designer)
has recently worked on Beck Center designs for
She Loves Me, Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, Annie,
and Xanadu. Benjamin is Resident Lighting
Designer at Cleveland Public Theatre. His
recent designs include Rusted Heart Broadcast,
There is a Happiness that Morning Is, Earth
Plays, Water Ways, and Standing on Ceremony at
Cleveland Public Theatre, Coppelia at Lafayette
Ballet Theatre, Marble Cities for Theater Ninjas,
TEDxCLE 2012 Conference, and Verb Ballets. As
an Associate Designer: Next to Normal, Anyone
Can Whistle, Assassins, and Death Of A Salesman
at Lakeland Civic Theatre, and several works
with Inlet Dance Theatre and Cincinnati Ballet.
Carlton Guc (Sound Designer) is enjoying
designing another wacky fun musical at
Beck Center. Recently his sound designs
have been heard at Cleveland Public Theatre
(Titus: A Grand and Gory Rock Musical) and
Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute (Sweeney
Todd). Additional works include Beck Center
(Monty Python’s SPAMALOT; The House of
Blue Leaves), TrueNorth Cultural Arts (The
Sound of Music; West Side Story), and in touring
exhibits (Titanic; Dialog in the Dark). When not
designing sound for theatre, Carlton works on
theatrical related software which is used on
Broadway, the West End, academy and theatres
all over the world. You can also find him
playing guitar or teaching skiing on the slopes.
Ian Hinz (Video Designer) is grateful for the
opportunity to return to Beck Center after
working on The Pitman Painters, 33 Variations,
Carrie the musical, and The Wizard fo Oz. Ian
currently runs Ensemble Theatre with his
beautiful partner of 15 years Celeste Cosentino.
A graduate of Ohio University holding a BA in
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Theater with an emphasis in playwriting, Ian
most recently directed The Iceman Cometh and
Miracle and Wonder at Ensemble. He currently
serves as Operations Manager at Cain Park
in Cleveland Heights. Past projection designs
include The Normal Heart, The Gospel According
to James, Waiting for Lefty, and A Song for Coretta.
Aimee Kluiber (Costume Designer) is a costume
designer from Lakewood. She studied theatre
and music at Wittenberg University and The
Cleveland Institute of Music and fashion and
millinery design at The Virginia Marti College
of Art and Design. Her theatrical associations
include Lyric Opera Cleveland, Cleveland Play
House, Cleveland Institute of Music, Cain
Park, Case Western Reserve University, Cesear’s
Forum, Red Hen Productions, Dobama Theatre,
Ensemble Theatre, Beck Center, Willoughby
Fine Arts Association, and the Cleveland Jewish
Community Center.
Cameron Caley Michalak (Scenic Designer)
is the Technical Director for Cleveland Play
House. He has also designed sets for their
productions of Venus In Fur, Every Good Boy
Deserves Favor; and A Soldier’s Tale with Catch
and Release. Cameron has designed for Case
Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play
House MFA Acting Program’s The Misanthrope
and The Winter’s Tale, and many Cleveland
Play House Theatre for Children productions.
Recent local credits include Seminar at Beck
Center, Sunday in the Park with George at
TrueNorth Cultural Arts, Les Misérables: School
Edition at Fairmount Performing Arts Center, Ten
More Minutes from Cleveland at Dobama Theatre,
and Shrek The Musical and Into the Woods for the
Music, Arts and Drama (M.A.D.) Factory.
P.J. Toomey (Special Effects Designer – The
Monster) has worked as a special effects designer
and artist on Evil Dead The Musical and Beauty
and the Beast (Beck Center), The Texas Chainsaw
Musical! (Blank Canvas Theatre), and Titus: A
Grand and Gory Rock Musical (Cleveland Public
Theater). He has also appeared onstage in the
annual ATFGC/CAN benefit productions
of Lucky Stiff (Uncle Tony), Valley of the Dolls
(Miriam Polar), and Gilligan’s Island (half an
alien), and served as Breast Technician for The
Great American Trailer Park Musical. He is also
the co-founder of Out of the Dark Studio. He
thanks his family and friends for putting up
with him. Special thanks to Dan Folino and
Jenniver Sparano for being awesome. YOLOAIA