Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka JR. Playbill

Show Sponsor :

WILLY WONKA JR.

Words and Music by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley

Adapted for the Stage by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy A. McDonald

Based on the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Director’s Note

Roald Dahl’s novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. For sixty years, this iconic cast of characters has been entertaining and inspiring audiences of all ages. Since childhood, I have had a great affinity for Dahl’s classic story and its insistence that imagination is not just a fleeting flight of fancy; it’s a powerful force that shapes the world around us.

Starring (in alphabetical order)

Allie Aulestia

Maddy Benner

Luna Lopez

Galia Lopez

Jacob Radosti

Nicholas Radosti

Sophia Brown

Allie Kirchhoff-Lyon

Olivia Radosti

Fifteen years ago, I performed in my first musical, another production of Willy Wonka (I played Mr. Salt, thank you for asking). That summer marked the beginning of my journey to becoming a theatre educator, and I cannot help but recognize the full-circle nature of returning to this story before transitioning into our new home at the Baker Theatre and Education Center. As the rest of the Gulfshore Playhouse Education team and I stand at the threshold of this next era, we are perhaps most excited at the prospect of the lives we can change by introducing students across Collier County to the wonders of the performing arts.

Cadence Castaneda

Emma Colyer

Noah Curran

Dominic Diaz

Eloise Filner

Hadley Hacker

Mallory Howe

Brooke Hunter

Sullivan Kollmer

Miabella Mambuca

Alexandra McLaughlin

RiLee Muller

Lillian Murphy

Lorna Murphy

Karina Nanavati

Serena Nanavati

Adeline Overman

Ariela Padejka-Savov

Ava Sharma

Samone Sharma

Hailey Solomon

Mia Sturzenegger

Sienna Taylor

Brecken Vishio

Brodhi Vishio

Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR. is a true celebration of the imaginative capacity of theatricality. As a director, I strive to cultivate a spirit of celebration around each collaborator’s unique creativity. Thanks to the brilliant work of Natalie Rose Mabry, scenic designer, Jennifer Bronsted, costume designer, and Elizabeth Knudson, lighting designer, this cast of young artists has had the opportunity to craft a world of “Pure Imagination.”

So, as you journey with us through the wonders of Wonka’s world, I invite you to embrace your inner dreamer, to let your imagination take flight, and to discover the extraordinary adventures that await when you dare to dream.

Vasthy Mompoint

Alyson Snyder

Christy Tarr-McVey

Thank you for supporting live theatre and arts education! Enjoy the show!

John Perine Director

Scenic & Props Designer Natalie Rose Mabry

Designer Elizabeth Knudson

Owen True

Bronsted

Words and Music by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley Adapted

Bricusse

Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR.

Cast List Musical Numbers

Willy Wonka ............................................................. Maddy Benner

Charlie Bucket ............................................................ Noah Curran

Grandpa Joe ............................................................ Brecken Vishio

Augustus Gloop ....................................................... Brooke Hunter

Mrs. Gloop ................................................................ Hadley Hacker

Veruca Salt ..................................................... Cadence Castaneda

Mrs. Salt ....................................................................... Ava Sharma

Violet Beauregarde ................................................... Emma Colyer

Mrs. Beauregarde ............................................... Adeline Overman

Mike Teavee ......................................................... Nicholas Radosti

Ms. Teavee ........................................................... Samone Sharma

Candy Man, Ensemble ....................................... Mia Sturzenegger

Mrs. Bucket, Ensemble ............................................... Eloise Filner

Mr. Bucket, Ensemble ................................................ RiLee Muller

Grandma Josephina, Ensemble ............................... Allie Aulestia

Grandma Georgina, Ensemble................................ Sophia Brown

Grandpa George, Ensemble ........................... Miabella Mambuca

Reporter 1, Ensemble .................................................. Luna Lopez

Reporter 2, Ensemble ............................................... Sienna Taylor

Reporter 3, Ensemble .................................... Allie Kirchhoff-Lyon

Reporter 4, Ensemble .............................................. Mallory Howe

Matilda, Ensemble ................................................... Olivia Radosti

James, Ensemble ................................................... Karina Nanavti

Oompa Loompa .......... Dominic Diaz, Galia Lopez, Lorna Murphy, Ariela Padejka-Savov, Sullivan Kollmer, Jacob Radosti, Brodhi Vishio

Ensemble, (Candy Kid, Chef, Oompa Loompa) ..... Alexandra McLaughlin

Lillian Murphy, Serena Nanavati, Hailey Solomon

“Pure Imagination” ...............................................................

Willy Wonka

“Golden Age Of Chocolate” .. Oompa-Loompas, Willy Wonka, Ensemble

“The Candy Man” .. Charlie, James, Matilda, Candy Man, Candy Man Kids

“I Eat More” ............................. Mrs. Gloop, Augustus Gloop, Reporter 1

“Think Positive” .......................................................... Charlie, Mr. Bucket

“I See It All On TV” ................................... Mike, Ms. Teavee, Reporter 4

“Cheer Up, Charlie” .................... Grandpa Joe, Mrs. Bucket, Mr. Bucket

“Think Positive (Reprise)” ............................................................. Charlie

“(I’ve Got A) Golden Ticket” ............. Charlie, Grandpa Joe, Mr. Bucket, Golden Ticket Winners, Parents, Ensemble

“At The Gates” ....................................................................... Willy Wonka

“In This Room Here” ..... Willy Wonka, Golden Ticket Winners, Parents

“Factory Reveal Sequence” ....... Willy Wonka, Golden Ticket Winners, Parents

“Oompa-Loompa 1” ....................................... Oompa-Loompas, Augustus

“There’s No Knowing” .. Willy Wonka, Golden Ticket Winners, Parents

“Chew It” ........................... Violet, Willy Wonka, Golden Ticket Winners

“Oompa-Loompa 2” .......................................... Oompa-Loompas, Violet

“Flying” .................................................................... Charlie, Grandpa Joe

“Burping Song” ....................................................... Charlie, Grandpa Joe

“I Want It Now!” .............................................................................. Veruca

“Oompa-Loompa 3” ......................................... Oompa-Loompas,Veruca

“Oompa-Loompa 4” ........................................... Oompa-Loompas, Mike

“Finale” ......... Willy Wonka, Oompa-Loompas, Golden Ticket Winners, Parents, Ensemble

About the Cast

About the Cast (in alphabetical order)

Maddy Benner (Willy Wonka) is a natural born actor and singer. She is 12 years old. She has been acting since age four. This is her 6th show onstage including Mother Superior in Sister Act Jr., Cinderella in Into the Woods Jr., Mrs Paroo in The Music Man, Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians, and Peppermint Patty in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Maddy is a well known local soloist singing the National Anthem for many foundations, events, and for the Red Sox at Fenway Park South. Maddy has also been in two local commercials for Devoe Cadillac and Valerie’s House. She also is a public speaker on healing and loss. She would like to dedicate this performance in memory of dad and cousin who always encouraged her dreams and believed in her bright future!

Noah Curran (Charlie Bucket) was a lead soloist in FBA’s common cast spring performance in 2023. He played Roger in 101 Dalmatians with Naples Children for the Arts. He has taken voice lessons at Hashtag Sharps.

Hadley Hacker (Mrs. Gloop) is a rising 5th grade student at Seacrest Country Day School. She has always been drawn to the theatre. She enjoys having the ability to push herself out of her comfort zone and communicate complex emotions to her audience. She has been a part of James and the Giant Peach, Finding Nemo Jr., Annie, Winnie the Pooh, and various classroom productions.

Cadence Castaneda (Veruca Salt) This is Cadence’s fourth performance with Gulfshore Playhouse, including The Little Mermaid last summer. She has also been in the Commons Cast at First Baptist Academy. She loves to sing and act and looks forward to being in Willy Wonka Jr.!

Brecken Vishio (Grandpa Joe) has been in A Charlie Brown Christmas (Linus), 101 Dalmatians (Horace), The Music Man (Charlie Cowel), Sister Act (TJ/Alter boy), Pippin (Theo). He was the only middle schooler in Pippin. He has had Piano recitals and helps with Sunday morning worship team for kids ministry.

Brooke Hunter (Augustus Gloop) is nine years old and is super excited to perform in her second show at Gulfshore Playhouse. She previously performed in Finding Nemo Jr. (Anchor, Moonfish 3, and Electric Eel 2). She has been dancing with Hit the Floor for the past 3 years. She also takes voice lessons with The Vocal Ring Studio. She loves to read and play with her dog, Gwen, in her spare time.

Ava Sharma (Mrs. Salt) loves to sing and act. This is her third production here at Gulfshore Playhouse after Finding Nemo Jr. and Frozen Jr. During the school year, Ava is a member of the Concert Choir at Artis-Naples and performed in Holiday Pops and Patriotic Pops. She has also participated in musicals with Naples Players including Moana and Ever After. Ava loves working with the Gulfshore Playhouse staff and is glad to be back!

Emma Colyer (Violet Beauregarde) has been in multiple plays in her musical theatre career, some of which include Annie and Frozen Jr. with Gulfshore Playhouse. In every one she has learned something new and exciting. She also takes voice and dance lessons and continues to grow as a performer!!

Adeline Overman (Mrs. Beauregarde) is so excited to be in this production of Willy Wonka Jr.! She has been in two other Gulfshore Playhouse productions, Junie B. Jones Jr. and Little Mermaid Jr. She has also been in Seacrest’s production of Finding Nemo Jr. Thank you to Gulfshore Playhouse for inciting my love for theatre!

Nicholas Radosti (Mike Teavee) feels alive when he is on stage. He has been participating in theatre with Gulfshore Playhouse since 2018. He’s in middle school at Saint Ann’s. His other hobbies are baseball and tennis.

Samone Sharma (Ms. Teavee) is excited to be back at Gulfshore Playhouse for her fourth production, her latest role being Dory in Finding Nemo Jr. She has also participated in numerous shows at Naples Players, including Moana and Ever After, and at her middle school she recently participated in High School Musical. She is a member of the Naples Philharmonic Youth Chorus and enjoys performing on stage.

Mia Sturzenegger (Candy Man, Ensemble) is excited to be back on the Gulfshore Playhouse stage! Mia has performed in Matilda, Finding Nemo Jr. (Nemo), Newsies Jr., Shrek Jr., Annie as (Pepper), and Frozen Jr.! She has attended training classes led by Broadway stars and has trained in dance, voice and a variety of theatre classes. In addition to theatre, Mia enjoys swimming, reading and cooking.

Eloise Filner (Mrs. Bucket, Ensemble) has been in numerous KidzAct showcases. Highlights include Dodger in Oliver, The Mirror in The Everafter, and Ladahlord in James and the Giant Peach. She has been a member of the Naples Philharmonic Youth Chorus for two seasons and she has studied the violin since the age of three. This is her first Gulfshore Playhouse production.

RiLee Muller (Mr. Bucket, Ensemble) is excited to be back at Gulfshore Playhouse for another summer production. He attends Mason Classical Academy where he will be entering 7th grade this fall and enjoys participating in their drama program.

Allie Aulestia (Grandma Josephina, Ensemble) has performed in Matilda, Finding Nemo Jr., Shrek, Annie, Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella. She is Disney-trained, a choir singer, an accent aficionado, and a cartwheel enthusiast!

Sophia Brown (Grandma Georgina, Ensemble) is ten years old, and an incoming fifth grader. This is her second production with Gulfshore Playhouse. She is happy to be here, and hopes that everyone enjoys the show!

Miabella Mambuca (Grandpa George, Ensemble) is an eight-year-old outgoing girl. She enjoys gymnastics and cheerleading. She recently performed Sing a Song of Aesop with her classmates at Vineyards Elementary School.

Luna Lopez (Reporter 1, Ensemble) loves to act and sing, and has done multiple productions: Jack and the Magic Beans (Mexico), Finding Nemo Jr., and The Jungle Book. Plus, she has been a part of multiple concerts with the Naples Philharmonic Chorus.

Sienna Taylor (Reporter 2, Ensemble) has worked with Gina Sisbarro with Marco Island Y-Theatrics. Training includes: Theater Class and Camp, Improv Training. Shows include: What Happens After Happily Ever After and A Weekend Mystery (Detective).

Allie Kirchhoff-Lyon (Reporter 3, Ensemble) This is Allie’s first show! Two years of piano lessons and excited to be on stage!

Mallory Howe (Reporter 4, Ensemble) is a rising 4th grader at Sea Gate Elementary. Although, she has been in numerous performances, this is her second performance with Gulfshore Playhouse. Her more recent performances include Aladdin Jr. and Finding Nemo Jr. Besides acting, Mallory enjoys volleyball, soccer, and loves being with her friends.

Olivia Radosti (Matilda, Ensemble) is in the 5th grade at Saint Ann’s. She adores performing on stage. Her passions are singing and dancing. She is also a competitive Irish dancer. Always reaching for the stars!

Ariela Padejka-Savov (Oompa Loompa) Naples Players Kids - Ms. Trunchbull (Matilda); Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland); Wendy (Peter Pan); Bagheera (The Jungle Book); and Nala (The Lion King). 2024 Poetry contest winner at RPA (“Sick” by Shel Silverstein).

Sullivan Kollmer (Oompa Loompa) is a caring, loving and outgoing girl who has a love for all the arts. She currently studies ballet, lyrical and musical theatre at Hit The Floor Dance Company. She is very excited for her first musical production.

Karina Nanavati (James, Ensemble) has been involved in musical theatre camp for the past two years, Dance Arts by Maria, BDA dance classes, ballet, jazz, violin, and piano.

Jacob Radosti (Oompa Loompa) This is Jacob’s first production. He is so excited to be part of such an amazing show. Currently in 2nd grade at Saint Ann School. His hobbies include baseball, soccer, and tennis.

Dominic Diaz (Oompa Loompa) is new to performing, with no previous training or recitals. He loves singing and dancing, and is very outgoing!

Galia Lopez (Oompa Loompa) has the smarts and the artistic flair. She has already been in three theatre productions: Jack and the Magic Beans (Mexico), Finding Nemo Jr., and The Jungle Book.

Brodhi Vishio (Oompa Loompa) has participated in The Village School of Naples production of 101 Dalmatians as one of the dalmatians; he was 5 years old. He participated in his school’s winter and spring concerts the last two years. Where he sang and played the bells in each of these concerts. He loves imaginative play and performing monologues with his brother, Brecken from various movies and plays they’ve watched and seen.

Lorna Murphy (Oompa Loompa) is excited to be back with her friends at the Gulfshore Playhouse for the production of Willy Wonka Jr.! Lorna was a cast member in last year’s production of Finding Nemo Jr. She is a kind, creative, spunky rising 4th grader, who loves to kick the ball on the soccer field but is also highly interested in theatre.

Alexandra McLaughlin (Ensemble, Candy Kid, Chef, Oompa Loompa) is excited to make her stage debut! She has danced with Dance Arts by Maria since the age of two and has competed throughout the State of Florida. She wants to thank all of her teachers, family and friends who encouraged her to take to the stage in her very first show.

Lillian Murphy (Ensemble, Candy Kid, Chef, Oompa Loompa) is excited to be back at Gulfshore Playhouse for Willy Wonka Jr.! Lillian was a cast member in last year’s production of Finding Nemo Jr. Lillian is a smart, compassionate and independent rising sixth grader who loves dance,volleyball and theatre. She can always be found with a book in her hand or engaged in friendly conversation.

Serena Nanavati (Ensemble, Candy Kid, Chef, Oompa Loompa) has been involved in musical theatre camp for the past three years, BDA dance classes, piano, violin (youth symphony level), Dance Arts by Maria, and Etudes ballet.

Hailey Solomon (Ensemble, Candy Kid, Chef, Oompa Loompa) is 9 years old. She is a competitive dancer and plays piano. She is so excited to be in her first musical!

About the Playwrights

About the Cast (in alphabetical order)

Leslie Bricusse (Playwright) Double Oscar and Grammy winner Leslie Bricusse was a writer-composer-lyricist who has contributed to many musical films and plays during his career. He was born in London, and educated at University College School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. At Cambridge, he was President of the Footlights Revue Club and founded the Musical Comedy Club. There, he co-authored, directed and performed in his first two musical shows, Out of the Blue and Lady at the Wheel, both of which made their way to London’s West End. He also found time in the gaps to acquire a Master of Arts Degree. The late, great Beatrice Lillie plucked him out of the Footlights Revue at the Phoenix Theatre, and made him her leading man in An Evening with Beatrice Lillie at the Globe Theatre, where he spent the first year of his professional life writing another musical, Boy On The Corner, and the screenplay and score of his first motion picture, “Charley Moon,” which won his first Ivor Novello Award. That year he decided to drop the possibilities of directing and performing, and concentrate his career on becoming a full-time writer-composer-lyricist. His subsequent stage musicals include; Stop the World - I Want to Get Off; The Roar of Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd; Pickwick; Harvey; The Good Old Bad Old Days; Goodbye, Mr. Chip; Henrys’ Wives; Scrooge; One Shining Moment; Sherlock Holmes; Jekyll and Hyde; and Victor/Victoria. He has written songs and/or screenplays for such films as Doctor Doolittle, Scrooge; Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Superman, Victor/Victoria, Santa Claus - The Movie, Home Alone 1 & 2, Hook, Tom and Jerry, and various Pink Panthers. Bricusse wrote more than forty musical shows and films, and over the years had the good fortune to enjoy fruitful collaborations with a wonderful array of musical talents, including Anthony Newley, Henry Mancini, John Williams, John Barry, Jerry Goldsmith, Jule Styne, Quincy Jones, Andre Previn, Frank Wildhorn and Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky (whose Nutcracker Suite he adapted into a song score). His better-known songs include: “What Kind Of A Fool Am I?,” “Once In A Lifetime,” “Gonna build A Mountain,” “Who Can I Turn To?,” “The Joker,” “If I Ruled The World,” “My Kind Of Girl,” “Talk To The Animals,” “You And I,” “Feeling Good,” “When I Look In Your Eyes,” “Goldfinger,” “Can You Read My Mind?,” (The love theme from “Superman”) “You Only Live Twice,” “Le Jazz Hot,” “On A Wonderful Day Like Today,” “Two For The Road,” “The Candy Man,”“This Is The Moment,” “Crazy World,” “Pure Imagination,” and “Oompa-Loompa-Doompa-DeeDoo.” He was nominated for ten Academy Awards, nine Grammys and four Tonys®, and won two Oscars®, a Grammy®, and eight Ivor Novello Awards, the premiere British Music Award. Hundreds of Bricusse’s songs have been recorded by major artists, including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole,

Judy Garland, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis, Jr. (who recorded 60 Bricusse songs), Tony Bennett, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, Julie Andrews, Liza Minnelli, Andy Williams, Rex Harrison, Kate Smith, Elaine Paige, Anthony Newley, Michael Feinstein, Bette Midler, The Moody Blues, Nancy Sinatra, Lena Horne, Sergio Mendes, Nina Simone, Dionne Warwick, Robert Goulet, Matt Monro, Ray Charles, Ethel Merman, Placido Domingo, Jennifer Holliday, Danny Kaye, Robbie Williams, Mariah Carey, Linda Eder, Maroon 5, Michael Bublé, and The Black-Eyes Peas. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Award for consistent excellence in British songwriting, bestowed by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, and was inducted into the American Songwriters’ Hall of Fame - only the fourth Englishman to be so honoured - after Noel Coward, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Bricusse is currently represented internationally and across the United States by Jekyll and Hyde, written with Frank Wildhorn, which ran for four years at the Plymouth Theatre in New York, with a dozen international productions around the world, and Victor/Victoria, written with Blake Edwards and Henry Mancini, which successively starred Julie Andrews, Liza Minnelli, and Raquel Welch on Broadway, and is now to be seen across America and in other international productions. Bricusse’s children’s stage musical version of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka opened at the Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts in Washington DC in November, 2004, before embarking on a three-year national tour. Another Bricusse perennial, his musical version of Scrooge, in which Anthony Newley starred at the Dominion Theatre in London’s West End, is also seen annually in many productions in the U. K., Europe, the U. S. and Japan. For Doctor Doolittle, another current stage musical, which played four years in the U. K. starring Phillip Schofield and almost one hundred assorted animatronic animals created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, Bricusse served as librettist, composer, lyricist and coproducer. Further productions are planned in Europe, Australia, South Korea and Japan. A major U. S. production opened in the summer of 2005. Recent projects included a remarkable musical biography of the world’s greatest entertainer, the late Sammy Davis, Jr., entitled Sammy, directed and choreographed by Debbie Allen. Bricusse also completed the book and lyrics of his musical adaptation of Cyrano De Bergerac, his new collaboration with Frank Wildhorn, and a compilation songbook show, Brick by Brick by Bricusse.

Timothy Allen McDonald (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright (Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter, Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach) adaptor of over 65 musicals (highlights include Guys and Dolls JR., Getting to Know...The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz YPE, and Les Miserables School Edition). McDonald is also an accomplished director (Dear Edwina produced by multi-Tony® award winner Daryl Roth, and The Phantom Tollbooth at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts) and a leading authority on musical theater education. In 1996 McDonald was recruited by Freddie Gershon to develop Music Theatre International’s Education Division, working side-by-side with theatrical greats including Cameron Mackintosh, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Schwartz, and Sheldon Harnick to create age-appropriate adaptations of musicals. In 1997 McDonald founded iTheatrics to continue and expand the work he began at MTI by developing educational musical theatre adaptations and resources for Tams-Witmark, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Samuel French. McDonald is the founder of the Junior Theater Festival, the world’s largest festival exclusively dedicated to young people performing musical theater which is held annually in Atlanta, GA over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. Believing that every child everywhere should have access to quality arts programs, Tim has developed several nationwide initiatives which build sustainable musical theater programs in underserved schools. These programs include NBC’s Smash Make A Musical, Educational Theatre Association’s JumpStart Theater, New York City’s Department of Education’s Shubert Foundation/MTI Broadway Junior Program and The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities’ Turnaround Arts Initiative. Tim has had the unique honor of seeing Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka performed at the White House for President and Mrs. Bush and directing Sarah Jessica Parker and a troupe of the most wonderful girls at the first ever White House Talent Show for President and Mrs. Obama. For more information check out iTheatrics.com.

About the Cast (in alphabetical order)

About the Creative Team

About the Cast (in alphabetical order)

John Perine (Director) is a director, performer, playwright, and fulltime Education Associate at Gulfshore Playhouse. John earned his BFA and MFA in Theatre for Young Audiences from Samford University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, respectively. Previous teaching artistry includes The Rose Theater (Omaha, NE), The Virginia Samford Theatre (Birmingham, AL), and Lexington Children’s Theatre (Lexington, KY). Since arriving at Gulfshore Playhouse, John directed Conservatory productions of Finding Nemo JR. and Winnie the Pooh Kids (in partnership with the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples). Other directing credits include Peter and the Starcatcher (Finalist; Best Director of the Decade, Best Musical of the Decade/BroadwayWorld Birmingham), Kate DiCamillo’s Flora & Ulysses (North Carolina Theatre for Young People), and the world premiere of his play icarus x apollo (UNC Greensboro Centennial Fringe). www.johnperine.com

Christy Tarr-McVey (Music Director) is a Broadway Actress who made her Broadway debut as Mrs. Walker in The Who’s Tommy. She was also a part of the 1st national tour of that same show (Swing/ u/s Mrs. Walker). Other Broadway credits include: Annie – The 20th Anniversary Tour (Swing/ u/s Grace, u/s Lily) with Nell Carter, and Jekyll and Hyde where she played the roles of Kate and Emma. Workshops/Readings: Eliza dir. Charles Randolph Wright, Amazing Grace, Tale of Two Cities, Sweet Smell of Success. She has done live industrials for such companies as Mattel, Allstate, MasterCard and Pfizer. Commercials: Microsoft, Comcast, Allegra and Marie Callenders. Film: After The Fall which stars David Duchovny, Timothy Hutton, and Hope Davis. Christy performs concerts withher husband J Mark McVey. Notably: West Virginia Symphony, Huntington Symphony Orchestra, Greensboro Symphony and Campbellsville University. Christy teaches voice at Gulfshore Playhouse and teaches music at Village Oaks Elementary in Immokalee, Fl. Christy’s teaching philosophy is based on the fact that every voice is as unique and diverse as each individual student. She believes in a strong classical Bel Canto foundation technique for singing in all styles and genres. Christy is very good at helping her students navigate and achieve the one voice ideal. Christy also believes that a song is to be expressed rather than just sung. Her students have gotten into Broadway shows, top colleges across the country, and leads in their school shows. Christy received her BFA from The University of Michigan.

Vasthy Mompoint (Choreographer) Choreography: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Roku), “Cursed Friends” on Comedy Central, The Prom Movie (Netflix), “Miracle Workers” (TBS), Dream Girls (Red Mountain Theater), Anything Goes (Breunu University). Broadway: Good Vibrations, Hot Feet, Mary Poppins, Ghost, Soul Doctor, Rocky the Musical, SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical, and The Prom. Film/TV: “High School Musical the Series” (Krystal),“Nora from Queens” (Lehana), “NCIS: LA” (Janique), “The Bold and the Beautiful” (Dr. Ricks), “Baby Sharks Big Show” (Briny the Whale), “The Winx Club” (Layla). Vasthy runs and owns a children’s entertainment company: Vasthy & Friends. In 2022, she released her debut Children’s Music album, “Sing, Dance, Play” which can be heard on all music streaming platforms. Vasthy is currently on a writing scholarship with “Saturday Night Live” and “The Upright Citizen Brigade” and has written and performed in the CBS Sketch Comedy Showcase.

Alyson Snyder (Assistant Choreographer) originally from St. Joseph, MI, Alyson Snyder (she/her) is a singer/dancer/actor based in NYC. She has worked regionally at theatres including Paper Mill Playhouse, Short North Stage, & with the Transcendence Theatre Company. Some favorite credits include Cynthia Weil in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Janet Weiss in Rocky Horror Picture Show, and understudying Jinkx Monsoon and Ginger Minj in the workshop of Xanadu. Learn more at www.AlysonSnyder.com.

Natalie Rose Mabry (Scenic & Props Designer) is a scenographer focusing on scenic and video/projection design. She is the recipient of the KCACTF 2024 Outstanding Projection Design for ≈ [almost equal to] at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, the 2022 William & Jean Eckhart Award for Design and Stage Excellence as well as the 2020 Recipient of the Taubman Scholarship for Excellence in Stage Design from the Meadows School of the Arts. Most recent works include Jersey Boys at Flatrock Playhouse, Rocky Horror at the Dallas Theater Center and Spring Awakening at Pitt Stages. Other Theatres they have worked at include: The Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, Hiawatha Project,The Rep of St. Louis, Dallas Children’s Theater, Willamette University, Shakespeare Dallas; and Theatre Three, Public Works Dallas Magik Children’s Theater, Natalie is an IDEA artivist and seeks to make space for the Queer and BIPOC Designers in the modern theatre scene. Website: Natalierosemabry.Art. IG: Nrmabryartistry

Owen True (Sound Designer) is a sound designer and audio engineer, and excited for his first season at Gulfshore Playhouse. He graduated from the Western Michigan University (WMU) with a degree in Theatre: Design and Technical Production with a focus in Sound, in 2021. Since

then he’s mixed and sound designed shows in the midwest and southwest Florida area. Owen would like to thank his family and cat Pebble for all their support.

Elizabeth Knudson (Lighting Designer) has been with Gulfshore Playhouse since Fall 2019. Her favorite design credits at Gulfshore Playhouse include The Little Mermaid JR., Frozen Jr., Grease, and The Addams Family. Other design credits include South Pacific and High School Musical 1&2 at Shawnee Mission Theater in the Park, Oklahoma! at Crane River, and The Nutcracker: A Kansas Ballet at the Lawrence Arts Center. She has also designed corporate and charity galas, debutante balls, and busked concerts. She graduated from Emporia State University with a BFA in Theatre. https://elizabethlkennell.wixsite.com/portfolio

Jennifer Bronsted (Costume Designer) started at Gulfshore Playhouse in Fall 2012. She has designed, built costumes and run wardrobe for GP. Favorite credits at Gulfshore Playhouse include Boeing-Boing, The Butcher, The God Game, and All My Sons. Other design credits include Henry V and Henry VI part 1 with American Shakespeare Center, Oedipus Rex and The Importance of Being Earnest with Florida Gulf Coast University. She has worked with Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Illinois Shakespeare Festival. Jennifer graduated University of Alabama with a Master of Fine Art in Costume Design/Production. www.jennyclairedesigns.com

Dylan Gellett (Stage Manager) is a recent graduate of the University of South Florida Theatre program with a Bachelors in Theatre Arts. He has been working as a Stage Manager in both Tampa and North Carolina for close to six years now. Recent credits include: Unto These Hills (Cherokee Adventure), 26 Miles (Gulfshore Playhouse), The Refugees (Gulfshore Playhouse) and She Loves Me (Gulfshore Playhouse) as an Assistant Stage Manager, Everybody (University of South Florida), Jersey Boys (Mountain Theatre Company), and Rock of Ages (Mountain Theatre Company) as a Stage Manager. He is excited to be joining Gulfshore as their Stage Manager for the summer season and looks forward to serving the community of Naples by helping to produce theatre at such a high level.

Meredith Singleton (Assistant Stage Manager) is a theatre artist and educator who has served at Gulfshore Playhouse since September 2021, where she started as an intern before being promoted to a full-time staff member. Before traveling to Southwest Florida, she attended Juniata College, located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, where she studied Theatre and Elementary Education.There, she worked as a teacher and a stage manager, working on student productions as well

as professional traveling productions. She has worked professionally as a classroom teacher, theatre artist, stage manager, and director, and has brought the arts to students across the country.

Steven Calakos (Director of Education) attended Rowan University and earned his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Elementary Education and Theatre: Child Drama. He is an award-winning teacher and theatre director having taught in Vineland Public Schools in New Jersey for over 11 years. He served as artistic director for several school theatre organizations, and co-founded his own theatre production company in 2014. Steven is a recipient of the 2022 and 2023 Tony Award® Honorable Mention for Excellence in Theatre Education, as well as, Greek America Foundation Forty Under 40 Award and is a Gulfshore Business 40 Under 40 Honoree. He is a professional actor and singer with national credits, including being a member of Actors Equity Association, producing and performing in three solo concerts, and appearing in several television ads and feature films. www.stevencalakos.com

Joel Markus (COO & Managing Director) is thrilled to be in his sixth season as Gulfshore Playhouse’s COO & Managing Director. Joel enjoys working side by side with Kristen Coury to produce Broadway caliber theatre while focusing on cultivating a great staff and culture. In his time at Gulfshore Playhouse, Joel has helped grow and double the theatre’s budget, double the staff, has co-managed the design and construction of the new $72M Baker Theatre and Education Center, new production shops construction project, has been instrumental in joining LORT (most recently, being on the negotiating committee for LORT and Actors’ Equity Association), and navigated and guided the organization through the pandemic and Hurricane Ian. Joel’s thirty year career has taken him to some of our nation’s leading professional regional theatres. Previously, he spent seven years at The Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, America’s oldest professional theatre with an annual budget of over $16 Million. Joel has played integral roles in the production of hundreds of plays over ten seasons at the Indiana Repertory Theatre, four years at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, NY, five summers at the Weston Playhouse in Vermont, American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts. Joel is a graduate of Indiana University and originally from Miami, Florida.

Kristen Coury (CEO & Producing Artistic Director) founded the Playhouse in 2004, after moving to Naples from New York City. Under her leadership, the Playhouse has grown to a staff of 56, an annual budget of $8.15M with no debt, and is about to complete a $72M state-of-the-art Theatre and Education Center at the gateway to downtown Naples, which will be open to the public in late 2024. As part of this project, Coury ignited

a public/private partnership with the City of Naples, donating an acre of land upon which to build a public parking garage. While in New York, she worked on Broadway for Walt Disney Theatrical’s production of Beauty and the Beast, both nationally and internationally, and for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s company, The Really Useful Group, working on Sunset Boulevard and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Kristen made her feature film directorial debut with Friends and Family, a comedy starring Tony Lo Bianco, Anna Maria Alberghetti, and Tovah Feldshuh, which was released around the US and Europe. Kristen is also a frequent investor in Broadway productions, most recently The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise. Kristen has directed over 40 productions for the Playhouse, including a ten person, 2 piano My Fair Lady, the world premiere of The God Game by Suzanne Bradbeer and The Butcher by Gwydion Suilebhan. Most recently, she directed the final production in the Norris Center, the musical She Loves Me. Kristen was named one of the “Top 40 Professionals Under 40” by Gulfshore Life Magazine in 2008, a “Star in the Arts” by the United Arts Council of Collier County in 2011, and was named one of the Men and Women of the Year by Gulfshore Life in 2013. She served two terms on the board of Theatre Communications Group, the national advocacy group for professional theatres. She was named Top 100 Most Influential Business Leaders in Collier County in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Most recently, she was appointed to the Florida Council for Arts and Culture by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo.

COMING SOON

Seussical JR. (Ages 8 - 18)

July 1 - July 26, 2024

Mon - Fri | 9AM - 4PM

Tuition: $1200

Performances: July 26 - 28

Auditions for Seussical JR. will occur on the first day of camp and will consist of singing and reading selections from the show. The students will learn from industry professionals and gain supplementary musical theatre training that goes beyond what they learn in the rehearsal room.

Summer Conservatory: Seussical JR.

(Ages 5 - 7) | July 15 - 26, 2024

Mon - Fri | 1PM - 4PM | Tuition: $600

Students taking this class will get to perform live on stage in Seussical JR.

Anything Goes: Youth Edition (Ages 10 - 18)

Auditions: August 21, 2024, 5PM - 8PM

Rehearsals: Sept. 4 - Dec 11 |(Mon&Wed) |5PM - 8PM

Performances: Dec. 13th - 15th

Be part of Gulfshore Playhouse history by performing in the first Conservatory production in the Baker Theatre and Education Center!

Anything Goes Tap Class (Ages: 10 - 18)

Aug. 14 - 15 | 6PM - 8PM

Students who take this class will be guaranteed to be cast in our Anything Goes Youth Edition production, where they will be the first students to perform on our Moran Mainstage on a professionally designed set.

Story Explorers: Happily Haunted (Ages 5 - 7)

Tuesdays, October 1 - 29, 2024 | 5:30PM - 7:30PM

Tuition: $150

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Ages 6 - 9)

Mon-Thurs, Nov. 4 - 21 | 5:30PM - 7:30PM

Performances Nov. 21 - 23

Tuition: $300

Broadway Bootcamp: Golden Age (Ages 8 - 13)

Weds. Jan. 5 - Feb. 5 | 5:30PM - 7:30PM

Tuition: $150

Story Explorers: Out of This World (Ages 5 - 7)

Weds. Jan. 8 - Feb. 5 | 5:30PM - 7:30PM

Tuition: $150

Patty Baker

Kristen Coury

David Drobis

Tim Habbershon

Mitch Hertz

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Steve Akin, Chairman of the Board

Rich Struthers, Vice-Chair

Jenny Housh

Jason Hunter Korn Pamela Krupka Don McCulloch

Sandi Moran

Gerry Moss

Jack Nortman

Tony Panzica

Gail Kern Paster

Susan Regenstein

LEADERSHIP

Rick Rondinelli

Cynthia Scholl

Tennille Sevigny

Ashley Smith Pat Sweet

Kristen Coury, CEO & Producing Artistic Director

Joel Markus, COO & Managing Director

ARTISTIC & EDUCATION

CEO & Producing Artistic Director ........................... Kristen Coury

Director of Education ........................................... Steven Calakos

Literary Manager............................................ Audrey Zielenbach

Artistic Associate ......................................................... Dann Dunn

Executive Assistant .................................. Mackenzie Caraballo

Education Associates .................................... Meredith Singleton John Perine, Mary McGough

Education Assistant ......................................... Emilie Baartman

ADVANCEMENT

Chief Advancement Officer .......................................... Lisa Halsey

Advancement Officer: Events & Donor Engagement .... Sarah Owen

Advancement Officer .......................................... Brandon Horwin

Donor Stewardship & Events Coordinator .................. Dave Blount

Advancement Coordinator ............................ Ashleigh Jennings

MARKETING

Chief Marketing Officer..................................... Rachel Applegate

Marketing Manager ............................................... Heidi Overman

Graphic Designer ................................................ Ashley Martinez

Patron Services Manager ......................................... Luke Matlock

Patron Services Assistants ...................... Tim Coryell, Sara Ross

FINANCE

David Wilson Don Gunther, Emeritus

Robert Harden, Emeritus 2640 Golden Gate Pkwy, Suite 211 Naples, Florida 34105 (239) 261-7529 | GulfshorePlayhouse.org

GULFSHORE PLAYHOUSE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

COO & Managing Director ...................................... Joel Markus Director of Finance ................................................ Alyson McCoy

General Manager........................................................ Jim Dallas Facilities Manager .............................................. Joe Salemme IT Manager ................................................. Lucas Chang Broker

Director of Events/Food and Beverage ..................... Erin Perez

Finance Associate ...................................... Maureen P. Devine

Front of House Manager .................................... Denise Vonada

Company Manager ................................................... Abby Greer Asst. Company Manager ........................... Chanda Hawthorne

Executive Assistant ............................................... Allison Winkel

Office Manager/Bookkeeper ....................................... Taylor Ho Administrative Assistant.......................................... Katie Presta A.

PRODUCTION

Director of Production ................................................ Ray Inkel

Assistant Production Manager .................................... Lila Sell

Stage Management Production Assistant ........ Dylan Gellett

Technical Director ................................................. John Forton

Asst. Technical Director ........................................... Alex Riggs

Construction Charge ................................... Anthony Knudson

Carpenter ................................................. Deborah Samuelson

Props Supervisor................................................ Andrew Babb

Props Artisan .................................................. Gwendolyn Rygg

Properties Technician ......................................... Hunter Booth

Scenic Art Supervisor ............................................ James Allen

Scenic Artists ................ Katherine Burns, Larashleigh Wallace

Lighting Supervisor ................................. Elizabeth Knudson

Sound Engineer ....................................................... Owen True

Costume Shop Manager ............................ Jennifer Bronsted Draper ............................................................... Elizabeth Eaton

First Hand ........................................................... Carolyn Schar

Costume Technician ....................................... Emma Madden