The Gifts of the Magi

The Gifts of the Magi Music by Randy Courts Lyrics by Mark St. Germain and Randy Courts Directed by Jacqi Loewy

November 30 - December 16 Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm

4530 Colorado Ave., Sheffield Village, OH www.MetroParks.cc

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French Creek

Theatre

French Creek Nature and Arts Center

Cultural Arts Manager / Site Manager....................................Rick Fortney Senior Naturalist................................................................................. Aimee Potonic Naturalist II.............................................................................................Rachel Mazzola Cultural Arts Programmer..............................................................Brian McNally Front Desk Staff.....................................................................................Camille Olsen, Elizabeth Fernandez, Anngela Sawtelle FCNAC Building and Grounds Crew............................................Tim Barrett,

Thomas Bourque, David Davis

Lorain County Metro Parks

Director.....................................................................................................................James Ziemnik Assistant Director..........................................................................................Jennifer Bracken Operations Supervisor............................................................................................Paul Hruby Public Information Officer...........................................................................Vanessa Klesta Web Developer and Graphic Artist.....................................................Nicholas Baker

Lorain County Metro Parks Board of Park Commissioners

Chairman ................................................................................................... Ms. Cookie McLoda Board Member..............................................................................................Mr. Joseph Hribar Board Member.............................................................................................Mr. Kenneth Lieux

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French Creek

Theatre 2018-2019 season Little Shop ial of Horrors mid*Snigpec ht show Oct 12 - 28, 2018

on Friday, October 26* Seymour Krelborn, a failing florist’s assistant, dreams of escaping his luckless life on skid row. After he stumbles upon a first-of-its-kind flower, his fortunes start to turn around. But when the potted plant suddenly won’t bloom without blood, Seymour must choose: success or slaughter?

Book by Howard Ashman | Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Howard Ashman Based on the film by Roger Corman, with Screenplay by Charles Griffith

The Gifts of the Magi Nov 30 - 16, 2018

When you have nothing, what do you give the person who is your everything? Such is the plight of Jim and Della, a young, penniless couple in New York City on Christmas Eve. Searching for the perfect present for one another, they discover the richness of their love despite being poor in means. Taken from the short stories of O. Henry, warm your heart and spirit with The Gifts of the Magi.

Music by Randy Courts Lyrics by Mark St. Germain and Randy Courts

She loves Me

Little Women

Georg and Amalia, two headstrong employees of a European perfumery, quarrel endlessly on the job. But away from work, they’re two lonely hearts, each exchanging tender correspondences with an anonymous pen pal who’s a lot closer than they know!

From their Concord, Massachusetts home in Civil War America, Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth March plan their futures, but the present is what they’ll cherish forever. Woven together with each sister’s unique flaws, hopes and dreams, the classic novel gets the musical treatment in this vibrant and stirring adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s timeless celebration of a family unbroken by life’s trials.

Feb 1 - 17, 2019

Book by Joe Masteroff | Music by Jerry Bock Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick Based on a play by Miklos Laszio Originally Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince

Mar 29 - Apr 14, 2019

Music by Jason Howland | Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein Book by Allan Knee Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott

Into the Woods

Tuck Everlasting

Cinderella goes to the festival, and marries the prince. Jack climbs the beanstalk, and steals the giant’s gold. The Baker and his wife are bestowed with a child...then what?

In this imaginative and beguiling takeoff of familiar fairy tales, the real story begins once wishes have been granted, and the characters learn to live with their “happily ever after.”

The woods of Treegap, New Hampshire beckon eleven-yearold Winnie Foster to escape her humdrum, small town life. Once within, she discovers a spring with a powerful secret, and a boy with a mysterious past. Pursued by a strange man in yellow, she learns the truth about the connection between the boy’s family and the water, and is forced to make a decision with everlasting consequences.

May 31 - June 16, 2019

Book by James Lapine Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Originally Directed on Broadway by James Lapine Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick

July 19 - Aug 4, 2019

Book by Claudia Shear & Tim Federle Music by Chris Miller | Lyrics by Nathan Tysen Based on the novel Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Bacon Woods Amphitheatre, Vermilion River Reservation

As You Like It

Aug 16 - 18, 2019 (Shows at 7pm) Lovers in disguise, banished dukes and merry companions come together in As You Like It. Set in the dreamlike Forest of Arden, the Bard’s whimsical discourse on the fun and folly of love is performed outdoors (and FREE!) at the Bacon Woods Amphitheatre at Vermilion River Reservation.

By William Shakespeare

Shakespeare in the Park!

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Visit Us! 38790 Chester Road Avon Ohio 44011 440.934.WINE (9463) www.thewoodnwine.com

Proud supporter of French Creek Theatre!

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French Creek

Theatre

The Gifts of the Magi Music by Randy Courts Lyrics by Mark St. Germain and Randy Courts

Director/Choreographer/Costumer // Jacqi Loewy Music Director // Jayne Kacik Stage Manager // Julie Billinghurst Assistant Stage Manager/Spotlight Operator // Jessica Dupee Set Designer/Technical Director/Lighting Designer // Rob Peck Sound Designer // Stan Kozak Sound Board Operator // Sarah Rounds Spotlight Operator // Gretchen Woods Artistic Director // Rick Fortney Program Director // Brian McNally

The Gifts of the Magi

is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

–– PLEASE NOTE ––

The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited

Welcome to French Creek Theatre Happy Holidays!

The Gifts of the Magi was conceived to be a simple, fluid seamless musical; a simple story about the consequences and significance of the act of giving. When in doubt, simpler is better. We take you to New York City, December 23 – 25, 1905, with stories of O. Henry.

Rick Fortney I thank the Staff, Production Cultural Arts Manager, Team, Cast, Musicians, and Lorain County Metro Parks Crew for bringing The Gifts of the Magi to life on the French Creek Stage, thus your gift to us ‌ thank you.

May the message found through this performance resonate love and an act of giving within our home, community and beyond. Happy Holidays!

Please pick up a theatre brochure from the Box Office if you do not already have one, and note our season schedule on pages 4 and 5. We are in rehearsal currently for She Loves Me,

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to be performed February 1 – 17. Auditions are taking place this month and next for the remainder of the season, please refer to our E-Newsletter and Facebook page (French Creek Theatre) for up-to-date information. If you do not currently receive our E-Newsletter, an E-Newsletter form is at the Box Office. Please fill-out the form and return to the Box Office and we will then add you to our e-mail address book!

Thank you for joining us today and for supporting the arts here at French Creek and throughout Northeast Ohio.

Rick Fortney Cultural Arts Manager

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Musical Numbers Star of the Night.....................................................City Him and Her Gifts of the Magi..............................................Willy and Company Jim and Della...............................................................Willy, Della, Jim Christmas to Blame................................Willy, City Him and Her How Much to Buy My Dream?...........................................................Jim The Restaurant........................................Soapy, City Him and Her Once More...........................................................................Jim and Della Bum Luck..............................................................................Soapy and Jim Greed......................................................City Him and Her, Della, Jim Pockets.....................................................................................................Willy Bum Luck- Reprise.............................................................................Soapy The Same Girl........................................................................................Della The Gift of Christmas...................................Willy and Company Gifts of the Magi- Reprise...................................................Company

// The End //

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Cast Michael Knobloch...............................................................................Jim Melissa Anderson..........................................................................Della Zach Palumbo....................................................................................Willy Corey Thur.....................................................................................City Him Erin Donovan...............................................................................City Her Carla Petroski................................................................................Soapy

Orchestra Jayne Kacik..........................................................................................Piano Eric Hanson..........................................................................Percussion

Production Team Jacqi Loewy............Director/Choreographer/Costumer Jayne Kacik...................................................................Music Director Julie Billinghurst..................................................Stage Manager Jessica Dupee.......Assistant Stage Manager/Spotlight Op Rob Peck..........................Set Designer/Technical Director/ Lighting Designer Stan Kozak..................................................................Sound Designer Sarah Rounds........................................Sound Board Operator Gretchen Woods.........................................Spotlight Operator

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A Note from the director Many years ago when I was still living in New York City, I found myself alone the week before Christmas. I am Jewish, so that was not a big deal, but the holiday spirit of the city seemed to be passing me by. I knew some people I had worked with had written a little Christmas show playing at an off-Broadway theatre, so I decided to attend. I was taken in and uplifted by the music and the story. For years, I have been looking for the right venue to produce The Gifts of the Magi, and French Creek seemed to be a perfect fit for the small, simple musical that tries to heal the world. I hope you will enjoy the spirit and the talents of this very special cast. In this often-stressful time of ours, it warms me to go back to the days when things were not so complicated.

Wishing you and yours a very joyful and peaceful Holiday Season!

And, thank you for your support of live theatre.

Jacqi Loewy Director

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Actor/Actress Bios

CAST M e l i ss a Anderson (Della) is excited to return for her second production at French Creek after appearing as Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar. Other recent roles include Margaret White in Carrie: The Musical and Brooke Wyndham in Legally Blonde: The Musical. Melissa received her Bachelor of Music and Masters of Music Education from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. This is her 11th year teaching choir and music at Amherst Junior High School, where she also coaches cross country. Melissa would like to thank her wonderful husband Dave and beautiful daughter Delaney for their support.

Erin Donovan (City Her) is thrilled to be doing her first production at French Creek!

She has performed in local and professional productions throughout the United States and abroad.

It has been Pg. 14 almost three years

since she was in a show because she has spent the past few years building Exclusive Private Tutoring, her tutoring company that helps students make huge score improvements on the ACT. Teaching has always been her first love, but theater is a close second so she is so happy to have the opportunity to work with such a talented group of people on The Gifts of the Magi.

Erin would like to thank her friends, family, and all of the groups of people in her life who support her to lead the wonderful life she leads: you all are the most valuable Gifts.

M i c h a e l K n o bl o c h (Jim) is thrilled to be returning to French Creek Theatre in The Gifts of the Magi.

This is Michael’s 3rd performance on the French Creek Theatre stage after Bonnie & Clyde (Clyde Barrow) last year and Jekyll & Hyde (Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde) two years ago. Aside from French Creek, Michael has performed in several other theatres across NE Ohio including Beck Center for the Arts, Blank Canvas Theatre, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Near West Theatre, Western Reserve Playhouse, and Weathervane Playhouse among others. Some other recent credits include Little Women (Laurie), Death of a Salesman (Biff), City of Angels, and Floyd Collins

Actor/Actress Bios (Homer). Thank you SO much for supporting live theatre and enjoy the show!

Zach Palumbo (Willy) is thrilled to be returning to French Creek after appearing earlier this year in Children of Eden (Snake/ Storyteller), and this fall in Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour). He has also appeared in Dogfight (Bernstein) at Western Reserve Playhouse, Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Jacek) at Blank Canvas Theatre, and Spring Awakening (Moritz Stiefel) at Near West Theatre. Zach is humbled to be sharing this show with a wonderful cast and creative team, and he is grateful to his family and friends for their unending support and encouragement.

C a r l a P e t r o s k i (Soapy) has been a performer in Northeast Ohio for over 30 years.

She was seen on this stage last year playing Miss Hannigan in Annie and Bonnie Parker’s “Ma” in the musical Bonnie & Clyde. Other French Creek Theatre appearances include Mrs. Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank and Truvy in Steel

Magnolias.

More favorite roles include Lita Encore in Ruthless, Bunny Flingus in The House Of Blue Leaves and Maria in Lend Me a Tenor (Beck Center), Sr. Aloysius in Doubt (Strongsville Community Theatre), Germaine in Picasso At The Lapin Agile (Blank Canvas Theatre), Rosie Alvarez in Bye Bye Birdie (Fine Arts) and Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Ensemble Theatre). She also played 7 different roles during the full run of Tony ‘N Tina’s Wedding (Hanna Theatre). In addition she has appeared in cabarets at Brother’s Lounge, Nighttown, Music Box Supper Club and Cain Park. She was the first female company member to perform with the improvisational group Something Dada. Carla is a proud graduate of Cleveland State University.

Corey Thur (City Him) is happy to be making his debut at French Creek Theatre after a long hiatus from the theatre scene with such a wonderful and welcoming cast and crew. He is a 2016 graduate of Kent State University where he was the Assistant Music Director/ Arranger for the Kent Clarks, a campus a cappella group. As a director with KSU’s film production company, he was the producer of [Mr. Spectacular] and casting director Pg. 15

Actor/Actress Bios for Unlucky. After graduation, he spent six months at Disney World in Orlando, and currently works as a Talent Agent at The Talent Group.

Past roles include Fyedka in Fiddler on the Roof, The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance and the lead in Rehearsal for Murder.

Production Team: Jacqi Loewy (Director/ Choreographer/Costumer) happily returns to collaborations with Rick Fortney and French Creek after successful productions of I’m Not Rappaport, Jekyll & Hyde, The Last Five Years, I Do, I Do, The Nutcracker and Blooms of Steel. She was also commissioned by LCMP to write the play Ten Cents a Dance, chronicling the history of the local dance halls. Jacqi’s direction has also been seen at Dobama, Ensemble, The Cleveland Play House, CPT, Weathervane and Playhouse Square. Also an actor and stage manager, Jacqi’s work includes Broadway, International and National Tours and numerous dinner theaters. After spending ten years as a professor at Notre Dame College, she now works as a talent agent at The Talent Group. Happy Holidays and thanks for supporting this fabulous cast, crew and venue!

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Jayne Kacik (Music Director) has performed onstage and off as a music director and accompanist at area theaters for many years.

Her most recent roles are Sister Regina in Nuncrackers, Mrs. Webb in Our Town, Martha in White Christmas, Ouiser Beaudreax in Steel Magnolias, Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods, and Joanna in Company. Jayne works as music minister at Community Congregational United Church of Christ in Amherst.

Julie Billinghurst (Stage Manager) is excited to be working on her fourth season at French Creek Theatre. She has also been the SM for Lorain Community Music Theatre and is a past president of Lorain County Children’s Pioneer Theatre. Some of her favorite shows she’s worked on include: Big Fish, Parade, Jekyll & Hyde, and Romeo & Juliet. By day, she enjoys her job as Librarian at St. Peter School in Lorain. Thanks to the cast and crew for helping to bring this delightful holiday show to the stage. Teamwork makes the dream work! Enjoy the show!

Jessica Dupee (Assistant Stage Manager/Spotlight Operator) is a recent graduate of Ashland University, where she received a B.A. in Theatre Design/ Technology. She is very excited to be working on her first show with French Creek Theatre, and

Actor/Actress Bios is looking forward to being the Assistant Stage Manager for She Loves Me in February. Outside of Ashland, Jessica has stage managed for Porthouse Theatre, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, and CAMEO. Enjoy the show, and Happy Holidays!

Stan Kozak (Sound Designer) Stan Kozak, currently in his twenty-seventh season at Great Lakes Theater, has more than 50 design credits including Bat Boy: The Musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Comedy of Errors, Amadeus, You Can’t Take It With You, Private Lives, Into the Woods and the Tom Hanks’ benefit performances.

His work in 1979 and 1981 with

Geraldine Fitzgerald on Streetsongs at GLTF led to the original cast album. Mr. Kozak was the resident sound designer for four seasons at the Porthouse Theatre Company, including productions of Driving Miss Daisy, Niteclub Confidential and a Nightingale Sang. His collaborations with Victoria Bussert at Baldwin-Wallace College include productions of Chess, Hair, Company, Cabaret, West Side Story, Tommy in Concert, Parade, the Ohio premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s Passion, and one of the first nonprofessional productions of Phantom of the Opera. For Cain Park, his design credits include Secret Garden, Fiddler on the Roof, Grease, Bat

Actor/Actress Bios Boy, Tick, tick…Boom, Nine, The Wiz, Harold and Maude and Pippin.

Mr. Kozak has also designed sound for Wit and Last Five Years for the Dobama Theater, Iolanthe and Sweeney Todd for the Cleveland Opera, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and Forbidden Broadway SVU for the Hanna Theatre and A Shayna Maidel, Brooklyn Boy and Pangs of the Messiah for the JCC. He has served as sound designer for the All-City Musical for the Cleveland school system for eight seasons.

He also had the good fortune to have worked with Bebe Neuwirth in her concert performance for the Ideastream Gala in 2005. He was honored to be among the first group of LORT sound designers to achieve recognition in USA 829.

Sarah Rounds (Sound Board Operator) is excited to be back working on her seventh show at French Creek! She graduated from Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, earning a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Recording Arts, and currently works at Playhouse Square as a Ticketing Concierge.

She is an Avon High School alumni where she was hugely involved in the drama club and was inducted into the Thespian Society. She enjoyed being onstage as much as working offstage in running crew and as head of the makeup/ hair crew. In her free time, Sarah likes to sing, teach herself new instruments, hang out with friends

and family, work on her sound design skills, and cuddle with her puppy.

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