Little Women

Little Women

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

March 29 - April 14

Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm

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

Coming Soon!

French Creek

Theatre

French Creek Nature and Arts Center

Cultural Arts Manager / Site Manager..................................Brian McNally Senior Naturalist................................................................................. Aimee Potonic Naturalist II.............................................................................................Rachel Mazzola 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

Remaining 2018-2019 season 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

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!

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

The Morning Journal Lorain, OH | www.MorningJournal.com

Proud Supporter of Lorain County Metro Parks and French Creek Theatre!

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

Little Women The Broadway Musical Book by Allan Knee

Music by Lyrics by Jason Howland Mindi Dickstein Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott

Director // Joanna May Cullinan Musical Director // Anthony Trifiletti Stage Manager/Props Master // Julie Billinghurst Assistant Stage Manager // Jessica Dupee Choreographer // Kate Michalski Lighting Designer // Rob Peck Sound Designer // Stan Kozak Set Designer/Technical Director // Daniel Simpson Costume Designer // Inda Blatch-Geib Assistant Costume Designer // Mark Baiza Artistic Director // Brian McNally

Little Women

is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com

–– PLEASE NOTE ––

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

Musical Numbers // Act I // An Operatic Tragedy............Jo, Clarissa, Braxton, Rodrigo Better................................................................................................................Jo Our Finest Dreams...............................................Jo, Meg, Beth, Amy Here Alone........................................................................................Marmee Could You........................................................................Aunt March, Jo Delighted.........................................................Marmee, Meg, Jo, Beth Take a Chance on Me......................................................................Laurie Better-Reprise.............................................................................................Jo Off to Massachusetts..................................Beth, Mr. Laurence Five Forever...........................................Jo, Laurie, Amy, Meg, Beth More Than I Am...........................................................Mr. Brooke, Meg Take a Chance-Reprise..................................................................Laurie Astonishing...................................................................................................Jo

// Act II // The Weekly Volcano Press..........................................Jo, Braxton, Clarissa, Rodrigo, Hag, Troll, Knight, Rodrigo 2, Mrs. Kirk, Professor Bhaer Off to Massachusetts-Reprise............................Mr. Laurence, Beth, Marmee, Meg, Mr. Brooke How I Am.......................................................................Professor Bhaer Some Things Are Meant To Be...............................................Jo, Beth The Most Amazing Thing..................................................Amy, Laurie Days of Plenty................................................................................Marmee The Fire Within Me.....................................................................................Jo Small Umbrella in the Rain....................Professor Bhaer, Jo Volcano-Reprise........................................................................................Jo

// The End // Pg. 8

Cast (in order of appearance)

Brian Altman.................................................................Professor Bhaer Neely Gevaart................................................................................Jo March Cameron Olin.............................................................................Amy March Meg Martinez.............................................................................Meg March Stephanie Harden..................................................................Beth March Katelyn Rotuno...............................................................................Marmee John J. Polk............................................................................Mr. Laurence Tony Heffner........................................................................................Laurie Samantha Ksiezyk-DeCrane......................Aunt March/Mrs. Kirk Kyle Burnett..........................................................................John Brooke

Orchestra

Anthony Trifiletti...................................................Conductor/Piano Alison Ortenzi.......................................................................................Flute Rebecca Gardner..........................................................................Clarinet Melinda Kellerstrass........................................................................Horn Abigail Johnson...................................................................................Violin Olivia Clark............................................................................................Cello Everett Brandt.......................................................................................Bass Kevin Aylward..........................................................................................Bass Kevin Robison............................................................................Percussion

Production Team

Joanna May Cullinan..................................................................Director Anthony Trifiletti.....................................................Musical Director Julie Billinghurst..........................Stage Manager/Props Master Jessica Dupee...............................................Assistant Stage Manager Kate Michalski.................................................................Choreographer Rob Peck.........................................................................Lighting Designer Stan Kozak........................................................................Sound Designer Daniel Simpson..........................Set Designer/Technical Director Inda Blatch-Geib.......................................................Costume Designer Mark Baiza.............................................Assistant Costume Designer Sarah Rounds..................................................Sound Board Operator Rachel Miller..........................................................Spotlight Operator Wesley Carney........................................................Spotlight Operator Connor Fields......................................Spotlight Operator

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Actor/Actress Bios

CAST Brian Altman (Professor Bhaer) is delighted to return to French Creek Theatre having made his FCT debut in The Addams Family (Mal Beineke) a couple years ago. He’s been involved in community theater all over PA and OH for many years. His favorite theatrical credits include Into the Woods (The Baker), Ragtime (Tateh), Cabaret (Emcee), Shrek the Musical (Lord Farquaad), and Forever Plaid (Smudge). Brian snacks his way through the day as a Senior Designer of Kids Product at the American Greetings Creative Studios in Westlake. He shares his Lakewood home and all his free time with his partner of nearly 20 years, an affectionate cat and a box turtle. For Momma Rita - always.

Kyle Burnett (Mr. Brooke) is so “delighted” to be making his French Creek debut with this beautiful show.

He was last seen in the ensemble for Blank Canvas Theatre’s Kiss of the Spiderwoman. He graduated from Kent State University with a BFA in Musical Theatre, and is a Pg. 10 proud Equity Membership

Candidate. Favorite credits: Alice the Dream Child (Charles) at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Dogfight (Eddie Birdlace) at Western Reserve Playhouse, Merrily We Roll Along (Ensemble) at Lakeland Civic Theatre, The Full Monty (Malcolm) at Players Guild Theatre, and American Idiot (Ensemble) at Beck Center for the Arts. He’d like to thank Joanna, Anthony, Kate, Julie, Jess, and the rest of this amazing cast and crew for this sublime production!

Neely Gevaart (Jo March) is excited to be back on the French Creek stage.

She was last seen here in Sunday in the Park with George (Yvonne/Blair).

Some past favorite shows include: We Will Rock You (Scaramouche), The Wild Party (Kate), and Texas Chainsaw Musical! (Kristy) at Blank Canvas Theatre; Violet (Violet), The Last Five Years (Cathy), and A Little Night Music (Charlotte) at Lakeland Civic Theater. All my love to Chris and Taco.

Stephanie Harden (Beth March) is excited to be making her debut at French Creek Theatre in Little Women!

Some recent credits include Side Show (Violet), Urinetown (Hope Cladwell), and Bat Boy:

Actor/Actress Bios The Musical (Shelley Parker) at Blank Canvas Theatre; Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie), Songs For a New World (Woman 1), and Hello, Dolly! (Irene Malloy) at Rabbit Run Theater; and Into the Woods (Lucinda) at Lakeland Civic Theatre. Full-time, Stephanie is a middle school choir director in her sixth year of teaching. Thanks to Joanna, Anthony, and her lovely show-sisters!

Tony Heffner (Laurie) is excited to be back on the French Creek stage in this beautiful show! He lives in Berea and has participated in many productions in the greater Cleveland/ Akron area including Cassidy Theatre, Cain Park, Blank Canvas Theatre and Weathervane Playhouse. Some of Tony’s favorite credits include Next to Normal (Gabe), Bonnie and Clyde (Clyde Barrow), American Idiot (Johnny), The Hunchback of Norte Dame (Quasimodo), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Leaf Coneybear/Carl Dad/Olive’s Dad), and Catch Me If You Can (Frank Abagnale, Jr.). When not onstage, Tony is an instructor at The Little Gym of Rocky River teaching gymnastics, sports, and dance to children ages 4 months to 12 years. Tony would like to thank his family and friends for always supporting him in all he does! GBOGB! For Bug. Samantha Ksiezyk-DeCrane (Aunt March/ Mrs. Kirke) is excited to be returning to the French Creek

stage with such amazingly talented people. A Dramatic Coloratura Soprano, her most recent engagements include She Loves Me with French Creek Theatre, The Land of Smiles and Straszny Dwor with The Cleveland Opera, Annie (Mrs. Pugh) with Cassidy Theatre, Madama Butterfly (Aunt) with Opera Western Reserve, and Newsies with TrueNorth Cultural Arts.

Upcoming engagements include Into the Woods (Lucinda) with French Creek Theatre, and La Traviata with Cleveland Opera Theatre. Thank you for supporting the arts! Love to her family and friends for their unending support!

Meg Martinez (Meg March) is excited to be making her French Creek Theatre debut in Little Women. Favorite recent credits include Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins—twice!), The Music Man (Marian Paroo), A Little Night Music (Petra), Sweeney Todd (Johanna), The Rocky Horror Show (Janet Weiss), Cannibal!

The Musical (Polly Pry), [title of show] (Susan), Doubt (Sister James), Cymbeline (Imogen), Princess Ida (Princess Ida), Into the Woods (Rapunzel), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Philia). Meg holds a BA in Theatre

Actor/Actress Bios Arts from Brown University and is an Equity Membership Candidate. Many thanks to Joanna, Anthony, and the rest of this incredible cast, and love to Matt. www.meg-martinez.com Cameron Olin (Amy March) is very excited to be making her debut here at French Creek Theatre with this incredible cast and crew in this production of Little Women.

She has appeared in many other performances in Northeast Ohio including Seussical (Cat In The Hat) and Catch Me If You Can (Brenda Strong) at Cameo, and Peter and The Starcatcher (Molly). She is currently studying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater at Kent State University, and plans to continue studying theater at Kent for the next 3 years. She would like to extend a huge thank you to all of her family, friends, teachers and directors that have made all of this possible! Enjoy the show!

Break a leg, Cameron!

Keep raising your voice!

We love you, -Mom, Dad, Bailey, and Brando

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John J. Polk (Mr. Laurence) returns to French Creek after making his debut as Mr. Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors last fall. He has been loitering around Northeast Ohio theaters for a few decades, and has brought a parade of authority figures, blowhards, villains and foils to productions such as Kiss Of The Spider Woman (The Warden), Urinetown: The Musical (Caldwell Cladwell), Side Show (Sir), and Cabaret (Herr Schultz) at Blank Canvas Theatre; The Winter’s Tale (Old Shepherd), Romeo and Juliet (Lord Montague), Macbeth (Duncan), and Inherit The Wind (The Judge) with the Oberlin Summer Theatre Festival; Lend Me A Tenor (Henry Saunders), Mary Poppins (The Chairman, Admiral Boom), My Favorite Year (King Kaiser), and You Can’t Take It With You (Mr. Kirby) at The Beck Center For The Arts; and Other Desert Cities (Lyman Wyeth) at Clague Playhouse. Thanks to Joanna and the production staff for the chance to join this brilliant young cast as The Token Old Guy, and to My Charming Wife, Laura, for her frankly amazing tolerance of these on-stage shenanigans.

Katelyn Rotuno (Marmee) is thrilled to return to the French Creek stage for this role, and brilliant production of this musical. You may remember her appearances in every main stage musical during the 2016-2017 season: Jekyll & Hyde (Nellie/Ensemble), White Christmas (Rita), Joseph & the Amazing

Actor/Actress Bios Te c h n i c o l o r Dreamcoat (Levi), Parade (Mrs. Phagan), and Willy Wonka (Mrs. Beauregard). Other recent credits: Love Letters (Melissa) at Brecksville Theatre, Godspell (“By My Side”) at Strongsville Community Theatre, and Shrek the Musical (Dragon) at Silhouette Productions. Next up: The Fantasticks (El Gallo) for Strongsville Community Theatre. By day she is a Client Service Representative for Hyatt Legal Plans: A MetLife Company. Her favorite role offstage is “Mother of Cats”.

She is a foster mom for kittens through House of Mews Rescue, and full time cat mom to her 3 year old Sir Elton John.

Thank you to Joanna and Anthony for trusting me with bringing Marmee to life.

Thanks to her family, friends, colleagues, and boyfriend, John W. Polk, for his support and patience. Thank you for supporting live theatre!

Production Team: Joanna May Cullinan (Director) is the Associate Director of Community Engagement for The Musical Theater Project. She is also a freelance director and performer who has worked throughout the greater Cleveland area at theaters including Great Lakes Theater, Cleveland Play House, Mercury Theatre Company, Ensemble Theatre, and here at French Creek where she previously

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Actor/Actress Bios directed Big Fish and Parade. Joanna graduated from Baldwin-Wallace University with a B.A. in Theatre and completed the graduate studies program in Arts Administration from The University of Akron. She is the Artistic Director of Cain Park in Cleveland Heights, where she recently directed critically acclaimed productions of Godspell, Rock of Ages, and Memphis and will be directing Ragtime this summer. Special thanks to Julie and Jess and to her amazing husband, Tom. Joanna dedicates this production to the strong women in her life, especially her mom.

Anthony Trifiletti (Music Director) is an active solo pianist, collaborative artist, and music director throughout much of Ohio.

As a pianist and music director, Anthony has held positions at TrueNorth Cultural Arts Center, The Lorain Palace Theatre, Lorain Palace Youth Theatre, Sandstone Summer Theatre, Amherst Workshop Players, Lorain Community Music Theatre, The Human Race Theatre Company, Dayton Opera, Dayton Philharmonic Youth Strings, and numerous other venues. Anthony is currently serving on the Board of Directors for TrueNorth Cultural Arts Center. He is a recent graduate of the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance. While at UD, Anthony was the recipient of the Award for Outstanding Collaborative Pianist and performed at the American Choral Pg. 14 Director’s Association

National Convention in 2013.

Besides working in theatrical and other performance related settings, Anthony is an active church musician having served at numerous parishes throughout the state. He is currently the music director at St. Peter in Lorain. Congratulations cast, crew, and orchestra on a wonderful performance!

Julie Billinghurst (Stage Manager/Props Master) is delighted to be working with Joanna once again. This is her fourth season with French Creek Theatre. Some of her favorite shows she’s worked on are Big Fish, Parade, Bonnie & Clyde, and She Loves Me. Thanks to her amazing ASM, Jess and the cast and crew of Little Women for bringing this lovely show to life. Teamwork makes the dream work!

Jessica Dupee (Assistant Stage Manager) is a recent graduate of Ashland University, where she received a B.A. in Theatre Design/ Technology. Outside of Ashland, Jessica has stage managed for Porthouse Theatre, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, and CAMEO. She is very excited to back for her third show, and is grateful for the experience she has gained with French Creek Theatre!

Kate Leigh Michalski (Choreographer) just finished She Loves Me (Amalia Balish), and is thrilled to be right back here, working with this talented group!

Past

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Actor/Actress Bios Directing/Choreography Credits: Thoroughly Modern Millie, Seussical, Godspell at Normandy High School, Dracula the Comedy, Annie at The Cassidy Theatre, Godspell at Strongsville Community Theatre.

Performance Credits include Parade (Lucille Frank), The 25th...Spelling Bee (Olive Ostrovsky) at French Creek Theatre, The Toxic Avenger (Mayor/ Ma), The Music Man (Alma Hix) at Cain Park, The Spitfire Grill (Shelby Thorpe), Ruthless! (Myrna Thorne) at Beck Center for the Arts , Twelfth Night at Ensemble Theatre (Maria/ Feste), Reefer Madness (Mae), The Texas Chainsaw Musical (Lucretia), We Will Rock You (Oz) at Blank Canvas Theatre, Guys and Dolls (Sarah Brown), Hello, Dolly! (Irene Malloy) at The Cassidy Theatre, and Annie Get Your Gun (Annie Oakley) at Silhouette Productions. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Point Park University and is a proud EMC. Love you Mom! Love you Dad. Stan Kozak (Sound Designer) Stan Kozak, currently in his twentyseventh 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

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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 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.

Inda Blatch-Geib (Costume Designer) has worked as a costume

and production designer for over 1,000 theatrical, commercial,

Actor/Actress Bios and film releases that has spanned 30 years and crossed 4 continents. Ms. Blatch-Geib’s set styling, costume, and puppet designs include the Broadway special production of Kris Kringle The Musical. Live performance and festival design include set design for Machine Gun Kelly’s US and European Tours, Wolstein Arena Shows, multiple EST Fests as well as Cobra microphone design.

Current commercial work includes Production Design for Footlocker national commercial, Costume Design for The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 1970’s and 80’s themed videos, national spots for the team, and design for on court half-time shows including their shield design.

Print designs have included set styling for Harper’s Bazaar UK Scarlett Johansson cover and spread as well as catalogue set styling for Foundations and Kilgore Trout. Ms. Blatch-Geib’s designs have been showcased in exhibits at The Smithsonian Institute as well as national and regional commercials including Microsoft, McDonald’s, Under Armour, TroyBuilt, The Original Mattress Factory, The West Virginia Lottery, and Momentive.

Recent film projects include the Production and Costume Design Pg. 18 for an upcoming

cable Original series and Ohio Art Direction for The Signal starring Laurence Fishburne.

Music Video Production and Costume Design includes Machine Gun Kelly’s Alpha Omega and Let You Go releases. Locally, Inda is the 2018/2019 Resident Designer for Cleveland Public Theatre, Karamu House, Magical Theatre Company, New World Performance Lab and Cleveland Institute of Music. Upcoming Costume Design includes the mainstage production of Native Gardens at Cleveland Play House.

Sarah Rounds (Sound Board Operator) is excited to be back working on her ninth 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 on stage as much as working off stage 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.

Coming Soon!

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