Directed by Melissa Lusher
Scenic Design by Rob Johnson
Lighting Design by Matt Hazard
Costume Design by Anna Grywalski
Sound Design by Nicole Hunter
Stage Managed by Allison Gammons
June 7-10 & 16-18, 2022
Fritsche Theatre at Cowan Hall 30 S. Grove St., Westerville
Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
MRS. MANNERLY is presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service.
Jeffrey John Michael McCall
Mrs. Mannerly Grace Guichard
Artistic Director ...................................................................................................... Lenny Leibowitz
Chair, Department of Theatre & Dance / Producer T.J. Gerckens
Managing Director ............................................................................................Elizabeth Saltzgiver
Technical Director Zach Hubler
Costume Shop Supervisor .................................................................................... Anna Grywalski
Administrator/Director of Recruiting ....................................................................... Dawn Horne
Assistant Director Cassie Perlatti
Assistant Stage Manager ............................................................................................ Jordan Simon
Charge Artist
Addison Griffin
Properties Lead.....................................................................................................Olivia McNamara
Carpenter ........................................................................................................................ Claire Lynch
Carpentry Apprentice Claire Vogt
Wardrobe Lead .............................................................................................................. Peggie Dona
Costume Apprentice Aurora Azbill
Lead Electrician ................................................................................................................Ben Remke
Electrics Apprentice .......................................................................................................... Paige Vick
Sound Engineer (A1) Nicole Hunter
Graphic Designer ............................................................................................................. Trevor List
Company Manager/Box Office Manager .................................................................. Anna Walker
Front of House & Special Events Manager Austin Vega
The production will be performed in one act, without an intermission.
Lenny Leibowitz (Artistic Director) is in his eighth year as a member of the Otterbein Theatre faculty. Since his arrival in Westerville, Lenny has directed An Enemy of the People, Guys & Dolls, Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, Into the Woods, Clybourne Park, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Top Girls, Fiddler on the Roof, Radium Girls, and Adding Machine: A Musical. As founding artistic director of Marvell Rep, Off-Broadway, Lenny directed 11 productions, including The Threepenny Opera, which received a Drama Desk nomination for Best Revival of a Musical. Other New York directing credits include the world premiere of Brian Yorkey’s Making Tracks, which ran Off-Broadway at Rockefeller Center’s Taipei Theater. Lenny has directed at some of the nation’s leading regional theatres including the Olney Theatre, the National Players, the Huntington Theatre’s Breaking Ground Festival, and the New Harmony Theatre, where he was artistic director for four years. A Philadelphia native, he made his professional debut as a piano soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He received his B.A. from Columbia University and his M.F.A. from Boston University. Member, SDC and AEA.
T.J. Gerckens (Theatre & Dance Dept. Chair/Producer) is the lighting design faculty member at Otterbein University, a USA829 Union Lighting Designer, and proud Otterbein alumnus. At Otterbein, he has designed the lighting for Gentleman’s Guide, Into a Lamplit Room, Dance Concert 2020: The Wild Within (with John Diver), Chicago, Oklahoma!, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Diary of Anne Frank, Adding Machine: A Musical, Damn Yankees, Dance 2016: The Goddess, The Crucible, Fiddler on the Roof, Dance 2015: Famously Yours...Forever, Dance 2014: Tell-Tale Poe, and Into the Woods. As a freelance lighting designer, T.J. has been part of the design team for the Tony Award winner and MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Mary Zimmerman for the last 27 years. Most recently, he designed lighting for the new opera Eurydice, by Sarah Ruhl and Matthew Aucoin at the Metropolitan Opera and L.A. Opera, The Music Man at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, The world premiere of The Steadfast Tin Soldier at Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre, the recent revival of Metamorphoses at the Guthrie Theatre and Berkeley Rep, and Rusalka at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC. Other notable designs include The Odyssey at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Wonderful Town at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Guys & Dolls in L.A., and Treasure Island at the Lookingglass Theatre and Berkeley Rep. His lighting designs have been seen at regional theatres across the United States, on and off Broadway, and at the Metropolitan Opera. Internationally, he has designed in England, Australia, and at the LaScala Opera House in Milan, Italy. He has received numerous awards for his designs including New York’s Drama Desk Award and Lortel Awards for his lighting of Metamorphoses on and off Broadway, Jefferson Awards for The Odyssey and Metamorphoses in Chicago, and an award for “Exemplifying the Art of Collaboration” given to the Zimmerman design team by Entertainment Design Magazine. You can see his designs for Lucia di Lammermoor and La Sonnambula on DVDs released by the Metropolitan Opera. T.J. holds a BFA from Otterbein University and an MFA from Boston University. He is married to set designer, scenic artist, and Otterbein adjunct instructor Stephanie R. Gerckens.
Melissa Lusher (Director) is a tenured Professor of acting, speech, and dialects in the Otterbein Department of Theatre and Dance, where she also serves as the Director of the B.F.A. Acting Program and the Resident Speech/Dialects Coach. She was deeply honored to receive Otterbein’s 2018 Teacher of the Year award. Melissa holds an M.F.A. in Acting from the combined program of Carnegie Mellon University and the Moscow Art Theatre, and a B.F.A. in Acting from Carnegie Mellon. She is also a certified teacher of the Michael
Chekhov acting technique through the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium. Her directorial debut production of Spring Awakening at Otterbein in 2012 was named one of the Best 10 Shows of the Year by The Columbus Dispatch. The Otterbein production of Chicago that she directed was awarded the same honor in 2019. Other favorite Otterbein directing credits include A Lie of the Mind, “Master Harold”... and the Boys, Rumors, The Crucible, RENT, The Greeks: The Murders, The Invention of Theater, and No Exit. Favorite acting credits include Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Otterbein), Barbara in August: Osage County (Otterbein), Goneril in King Lear (Actors’ Theatre), Clytemnestra in The Greeks (Moscow Art Theatre), Marina in Volodya (LaMaMa E.T.C.), Margaret in Richard III (AST), and the title role in Miss Julie (CMU). Melissa is hugely grateful to the entire company of Mrs. Mannerly for their ensemble spirit and creativity.
Rob Johnson (Scenic Designer) is an Emeritus Professor retired from the Department of Theatre & Dance at Otterbein University. With Otterbein from 1987- 2021, he taught scenic design, scenic rendering, model-making, computer-aided drafting and several specialty courses in computer graphics and video effects. As a scenic and lighting designer for over 35 years he has designed hundreds of productions for academic as well as professional theatres, including musicals, drama, dance concerts, and opera. Rob recently won the Roy Bowen Award for Lifetime Achievement given by the Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle. He has also won numerous Ezekiel Awards given by the regional United States Institute for Theatre Technology for his design work. In addition to an undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University, he holds two graduate degrees: a Master of Arts from West Virginia University and a Master of Fine Arts from the Ohio State University. Rob is thankful for all of the years working with such talented students and professional colleagues, and as always, praises Jesus Christ for a life full of blessings.
Anna Grywalski (Costume Designer & Costume Shop Supervisor) is a costume designer and creator. She grew up in the Columbus area, but her career designing and teaching costumes has taken her all over the country. Most recently, Anna served as Costume Director and Resident Designer at the University of Southern Maine, while also maintaining a healthy freelance career. She recently moved back to her hometown to accept the position of Costume Shop Supervisor and Instructor of Costume Technology here at Otterbein University. Highlights of Anna’s designs include Twelfth Night, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Unlock’d at USM, Million Dollar Quartet at Heritage Theatre Festival, The Last Five Years, The Niceties, and Refuge/Malja at Portland Stage, The Lord of the Flies and Something Rotten at Providence College, Fly Me to the Moon at The Public Theatre, and Mamma Mia! at QCT. Anna’s goal moving forward is to ensure an inclusive, constructive, body-positive costume shop where anyone can feel comfortable and welcome to learn.
Matt Hazard (Lighting Designer) is a freelance lighting designer who works during the day for Vincent Lighting Systems. He has designed lighting around Central Ohio for many organizations including Otterbein University, Otterbein Summer Theatre, Nationwide Butterfly Guild, Harmony Project, Opera Columbus, Opera Project Columbus, The Ohio State Department of Theatre and School of Music, Kenyon College Dance, Mount Vernon Arts, and numerous high school productions. Matt earned his BA in Theatre and his MFA in Design at Ohio State. He is also an ETCP Certified Entertainment Electrician and a member of IATSE Local 12.
Nicole Hunter (Sound Designer & A1) is a senior BA Theatre major at Otterbein University. Recently she was involved with Otterbein’s production of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (A2), as well as both Otterbein’s and the Hilliard Arts Council’s productions of Something Rotten (Assistant Sound Designer/A1).
Allison Gammons (Stage Manager) is proud to present Mrs. Mannerly! Recent Otterbein credits include A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Stage Manager), The Pajama Game (Lead Electrician), and Into a Lamplit Room: The Songs of Kurt Weill (Lead Electrician). In addition to her work at Otterbein, Allison is the Head Electrician at the Lincoln Theatre in downtown Columbus, and has worked on productions like Wicked on Tour and Come From Away. She is a graduate of the BFA Design and Technology Class of 2022, and would like to thank the Department of Theatre and Dance for all the opportunities to grow over the years. Here’s to one last hurrah!
Aurora Azbill (Wardrobe Apprentice) is a BFA Production Design and Technology rising senior at Ohio University. She holds an Associate of the Arts in Technical Theater from Sinclair College. Sinclair Production Credits: Treasure Island (Assistant Costume Designer), Antigone (Costume Designer), Fire Exit (Costume Designer), Puffs! (Costume Designer), Charlie Brown Christmas (Stitcher), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Stitcher/ Wardrobe Run Crew), Silent Sky (Stitcher/Wardrobe Run Crew). Ohio University Credits: ELI Medicaid Training Simulation Project- Lee and Ana Luisa (Head of Wardrobe/Art Department), Zoo Story (Costume Designer), Everybody (First Hand).
Peggie Dona (Wardrobe Lead) This is Peggie’s first summer theatre experience and they are thrilled to be here at Otterbein! They are working towards their BFA in Theatre Design and Production with a focus in Costume Design and Technology at University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. They are excited to continue creating and collaborating!
Addison Griffin (Charge Artist) Born and raised in Arkansas, Addison attended the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University in pursuit of a BA in Theatre and BFA in Studio Art. She’s currently engaging in an exciting and unpredictable career of freelance art and scenic artistry in hopes of sharpening her skills and forming wonderful professional relationships with hosts like Otterbein Summer Theatre. She aspires to build a successful career as a multifaceted, full-time artist in a variety of exciting fields. Keep up with Addison’s artistic endeavors by following @griffpaints on Instagram.
Grace Guichard (Mrs. Mannerly) is a senior BFA Acting major at Otterbein University. Most recently, she was seen in Otterbein’s productions of A Lie of the Mind (Meg) and Something Rotten (Lady Clapham/Ensemble). Other favorite credits include God of Carnage (Veronica) and Into the Woods (Cinderella). Grace would like to thank Melissa and OST for the opportunity, and her friends and family for their love and support.
Dawn Horne (Director of Recruitment/Administrative Assistant) Dawn works with faculty and staff to identify talented students for admission to Theatre and Dance programs. She has a special interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion and initially became involved in student recruitment as an undergraduate admission ambassador.
Zach Hubler (Technical Director) is a recent Otterbein alumnus with a BFA in Theatre Technical Direction. His most recent credits include Technical Director at the Short North Garden Theatre’s production of Spring Awakening, and Master Electrician for their production of Little Shop of Horrors. He has been freelancing since the beginning of this year because of the difficult market, but is excited to start his new position at Mills James following the OST season. He would like to give a special thanks to Stone and Elizabeth for the opportunity and to his parents for always being supportive of him.
John Michael McCall (He/Him/His) (Jeffrey) Previous productions include: Jake in A Lie Of The Mind (Otterbein University), Trinculo in The Tempest (Otterbein University), Ensemble in Land Of Ours (Devised Theatre Project at Otterbein University). John Michael is so honored to be a part of this amazing team. He would like to thank his friends, family and professors for the support and guidance they provide.
Olivia McNamara (Properties Lead) is a recent graduate of Sinclair College’s Theater Technology Program. Previous credits include: The Meeting (Assistant Scenic Designer), The Zoo Story (Graphic Artist), She Kills Monsters (Graphic Artist), Puffs! (Assistant Scenic Designer), and Antigone (Scenic Artist).
Cassie Perlatti (she/her) (Assistant Director) will be a senior BA Theatre major this fall at Otterbein and is from Cleveland, OH. She has a focus in Directing and Hair and Makeup. Her most recent credits include Wig Stylist and Hair and Makeup Lead for Something Rotten! (Otterbein), Hair and Makeup Lead for A Lie of the Mind (Otterbein), and Director of her workshop production of A Tale of Two Spectators (Otterbein). She would like to thank her amazing family, many cats, and beautiful friends for all their love and support as well as Melissa for allowing her to be a part of this crazy, wonderful process. Love to all and TPWK.
Ben Remke (Lead Electrician) is a third-year undergrad at the University of Dayton studying performance technology. He currently works at Townhall theatre and Boll theatre in Dayton, OH, as the lead electrician. He also has worked as a lighting designer on shows including Mary Poppins and Dorothy in Wonderland. He hopes you enjoy the show!
Jordan Simon (Assistant Stage Manager) is very excited to be working with OST this summer! She is currently a junior at the University of Central Florida studying Stage Management. Her previous credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Assistant Stage Manager), The Amphibians (Stage Manager), and Writes of Spring: In My Wildest Dreams… (Stage Manager).
Austin Vega (Front of House/Special Events Manager) is thrilled to be a part of Otterbein Summer Theatre’s Production Team. He is a Senior B.F.A. Acting student whose last project was directing/producing a production of Zoo Story at Ohio University. He has also acted in over 5 productions at Sinclair Community College including a starring role as Linus in A Charlie Brown Christmas. When not acting or directing, you can find Austin playing video games or with his nose deep in a graphic novel. After graduation, he plans on attending graduate school for directing and moving to New York to pursue opportunities in theater and film.
Paige Vick (Electrics Apprentice) is a rising sophomore attending Otterbein University for a BFA in Design and Technology. She is excited for many future opportunities at
Otterbein and a summer filled with theatre. She would like to thank everyone involved in Otterbein Summer Theatre for being so hardworking and passionate!
Claire Vogt (Carpentry Apprentice) is currently a senior at Kent State University where she is studying Scenic and Sound Design for theatre. She is delighted to be working as a Technical Apprentice at Otterbein this summer, where she has been helping to build sets and act as run crew!
Anna Walker (Company Manager & Box Office Manager) is a native of Barrington, IL, and graduated from Otterbein in May with a BA in Theatre. While at Otterbein, she stage managed The Heidi Chronicles, The Tempest, and Sunday on the Rocks, was an assistant stage manager for A Lie of the Mind, An Enemy of the People, and the original 2020 production of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and worked as an associate in the Department of Theatre & Dance box office. Anna is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of OST this summer, and she would like to thank Austin and Elizabeth for a wonderful experience and her family and friends for their support. Anna would also like to congratulate her best friend Allison Gammons on a job well done.
Jeffrey Hatcher’s Broadway credits include: Never Gonna Dance (book). Off-Broadway credits include: Three Viewings and A Picasso at Manhattan Theatre Club; The Government Inspector at Red Bull Theater; Scotland Road and The Turn Of The Screw at Primary Stages; Lucky Duck (book w/ Bill Russell) at the New Victory Theater; Tuesdays With Morrie (w/ Mitch Albom) at the Minetta Lane Theatre; Murder By Poe, The Turn Of The Screw, and A Connecticut Yankee At King Arthur’s Court at the Acting Company; Ten Chimneys at Peccadillo Theater Company; Neddy at American Place; and Fellow Travelers at Manhattan Punchline. Other theatre credits include: Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Mrs. Mannerly, Murderers, Mercy Of A Storm, Smash, Armadale, Korczak’s Children, Work Song (w/ Eric Simonson), To Fool The Eye, Sherlock Holmes And The Suicide Club, Jeffrey Hatcher’s Hamlet, The Scarecrow And His Servant, Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, The Critic, Holmes And Watson, and others at the Guthrie, the Old Globe, Yale Rep, the Geffen, Seattle Rep, Huntington Theatre Company, the Shakespeare Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, South Coast Rep, Arizona Theatre Company, San Jose Rep, the Empty Space, Indiana Rep, Children’s Theatre Company, History Theatre, Madison Rep, Intiman Theatre, Illusion Theater, Denver Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Rep, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Asolo Repertory Theatre, City Theater, Studio Arena, and dozens more in the US and abroad. FILM/TV: Stage Beauty, Casanova, The Duchess, Mr. Holmes, The Good Liar, Columbo, Murder at the Cannes Film Festival, and The Mentalist. GRANTS/ AWARDS: NEA, TCG, Lila Wallace Fund, Rosenthal New Play Prize, Frankel Award, Charles MacArthur Fellowship Award, McKnight Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Barrymore Award (Best New Play), and the 2013 Ivey Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member and/or alumnus of the Playwrights’ Center, the Dramatists Guild, the Writers Guild, and New Dramatists.
The entire company extends special gratitude to those who have donated so generously to the 2022 Otterbein Summer Theatre Season. (This donor list only reflects gifts made to the Summer Theatre Patron Fund in 2022.)
Oakland Nursery
Paul S. & Shelia Reiner
Christine Cox
Al & Louise Minor
Riverside Hearing Services, LTD
Anonymous
David C. & Nancy E. Smith Evans
Douglas R. & Mary Pat Knight
Daniel Bear
Mark Havanec
Gayle Herried
Michael McGrew
Millicent Adams
Alan & Christy Coupland
Pat & Linda Blayney
Chip Bruchac
Mike & Gloria Burns
Len & Sharon Bussard
Candyce Canzoneri
Barbara Clapham
Mike & Debra Collins
Edmund & Diane Daily Cox
John L. & Sharon Davis
Brent & Nancy DeVore
Margaret & Richard Doone
W & ME
Diane Driessen
Margaret English Duffy
Don Eyer
Kay F. Ball
Fred & Patricia Baum
David Binkovitz
Marie Casto
Ted R. Chaney
Deborah Coleman
Susan Collins
Julie Cronk
Keith DuFrane
Ramona & James Edman
James Farmer
Deedee Kret
Brad Ostroff
Maruja & Charles Paule
Barbara M. Rupple
Douglas R. Smeltz
Susan R. Fagan
Peggy Garrison
Mark A. Geary
Philip Graham
Vinny Herwig
Lynda Huey
Ann Jones
Donna L. Kerr
Otto Laster
Polly Lindemann
Pearson McWane
Richard Arndt & Karen Miller
Bonnie Moses
Dennis B. & Marjorie Munger
Dennis & Sue Ann Norton
James & Martha Owens
Jeff & Veronica Reutter
Patricia Ryan
Elizabeth A. Salt
Nancy Schweiger
Don & Carol Shoemaker
Alan E. & Linda Smith
Bonnie Spring
David & Beckey Stamm
Marcia Staub
Jon & Joyce Stonebraker
Madelon Timmons
David B. & Joyce Shannon Warner
Sarah Whybrew
Laura Cean Wilson
Norma F. Worley
Craig & Carol Young
Joanne Swank Gillum
Carmenza Gutierrez
Vivian Harvey
Peggy Henman
Douglas & Joan Hoover
Suzanne Shelley & Ronald W. Jones
J. Thomas & Kathleen Jones
Jerrold Kannel
Richard & Catherine Loveland
Richard & Gail Lyndes
Suzanne Martin
William Ostrander & Jill Schultz
Steve & Carol Polsley
Clay Cormany & Rebecca
Coleman Princehorn
Carol Rich
Albert & Louise Siegel
Jane Sprague
Richard L. & Jeanette
Robinson Thomas
Michele Wilson Toney
Carl & Judith Weaver
David & Susan Arnold
Dr. James & Linda Augspurger
Frank Barone
Sharon & Edward Bernert
Karen Brown
Richard A. & Joyce Brown
Gerald Cable
Marilyn Clark
Kristal Clement
Eloise V. Collier
Kathryn Deringer
Anni Efthimiou
Barbara Franecki
Lawrence Friedman
Edwin A. Geer
James Gieseke
Ralph Graham
Beverly Green
Mary Heubach
Kimberly Fippin Hoessly
Ron & Mary Armstrong Hooker
Donald Houser
David Kandel
Ron & Beth Kenreich
Lawrence Less
Barbara Limbert
Curtis & Mimi Loveland
Deborah Madden
Barbara Glor Martin
Tom & Sandy Masterson
Beth Maxwell
Mary Ann Maxwell
Carl D. & Helen W. Miller
Charles Morrow-Jones
Annette Packer
Robert & Janice Patton
James E. Paxton
Charles Perotti
David Pritchard
Ellen & Gary Schwarzmueller
William Seiler
Nancy Settles
Ronald G. & Linda Simpson
James Tarpoff
Kay Wagner
James E. & Carol Carpenter Waugh
Roger L. Wilson
David L. Woodyard
Sandra Young
Bridget Yurecka
