Our Town

Our Town

By Thornton Wilder

July 14 - 23

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

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

Coming Soon!

LORAIN COUNTY METRO PARKS’ FRENCH CREEK THEATRE PRESENTS:

ROALD DAHL’S

WILLY WONKA MUSIC AND LYRICS BY LESLIE BRICUSSE & ANTHONY NEWLEY ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY LESLIE BRICUSSE & TIMOTHY ALLEN MCDONALD BASED ON THE BOOK CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY BY ROALD DAHL

AUGUST 11 - 20

FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS AT 7:30 PM AND SUNDAYS AT 3 PM TICKETS: $10 - $18 | (440) 949-5200 OR WWW.METROPARKS.CC

French Creek

Theatre

French Creek Nature and Arts Center

Cultural Arts Manager / Site Manager....................................Rick Fortney Ranger Supervisor / Park Manager....................................... Brian Holmes Senior Naturalist................................................................................. Aimee Potonic Naturalist................................................................................................Rachel Mazzola Cultural Arts Programmer..............................................................Brian McNally Front Desk Box Office Staff............................Camille Olsen, Chris Bizub,

Patrick Hanlon 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 Chief Naturalist...............................................................................................Grant Thompson 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. Fred Alspach

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French Creek

Theatre

Remaining 2016-2017 season E w i n g T h e at r e

E w i n g T h e at r e

Our Town

Willy Wonka

Ushering in a new era of modern theatre, Thornton Wilder wrote of a people frozen in the earliest years of the 20th century. Decades later audiences continue to be moved by their simple yet universal struggles, dreams, loves and triumphs.

The world’s most famous chocolatier reemerges after years in hiding, and five lucky children win a once-in-alifetime trip through his factory.

July 14 - 23

By Thornton Wilder

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Aug 11 - 20

Music and Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley Adapted for the Stage by Leslie Bricusse & Timothy Allen McDonald Based on the book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory

by Roald Dahl

French Creek

Theatre

Our Town

By Thornton Wilder

Artistic Director // Rick Fortney Director // Fred Gloor Stage Manager // Tanner Lias Scenic, Props, and Lighting Designer // Derek Green Sound Designer // Stan Kozak Costume Designer // Inda Blatch-Geib Deck/Costume Crew // Jordan Demich-Bogner

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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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Synopsis Setting Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire

Act I May 7th, 1901 - Ten Minute Intermission -

Act II July 7th, 1904 - Ten Minute Intermission -

Act III Summer 1913

// Bows // - This performance runs approximately two hours with two ten-minute intermissions -

–– PLEASE NOTE ––

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

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A Note from the director I am extremely excited to be back at French Creek directing Thornton Wilder’s beautiful, moving, and melancholy masterpiece about the fragility and transience of human existence. The last time I was at French Creek, I directed Eric Coble’s wonderful adaptation of The Giver. Playing the title role in that production was my long-time friend, colleague, and mentor Ron Miller. Ron recently passed, and upon his passing, I was moved to write my thoughts about how important he was to me, and how much I loved and enjoyed knowing and working with him for the last 30 years. I was also struck by the fact that he would never see, read, or hear these words. Knowing him, I imagine he would have appreciated it. It brings to mind Emily’s imploring of her mother and her former self to “look at one another” in order to truly see and connect with each other.

In the age of social media, it is increasingly easy to look at so much of the world around us without seeing anything. Wilder posits that the only humans that truly realize life while they live it are the saints and poets. Maybe upon seeing this beautiful play, we can be more like them and truly see life and each other while we live. Tell people more often that we love them, stop looking to the past and future (places where truly nothing is happening), and truly see each other as unique, fragile, beautiful, and eternal if only for a short time.

I want to thank Rick Fortney for this opportunity, and to Brian, Chris, Dave, and the entire French Creek staff for all their help.

Huge thanks to Inda, Stan, Derek, Tanner, and the entire cast and crew for their time and talents. Finally, thank you, for spending some of that precious time with us and this beautiful piece of theatre.

Fred Gloor Director Pg. 8

Cast Chris Bizub...................................................................Stage Manager David Boyce..................................................................................Dr. Gibbs Emmy Cohen...........................................................................Emily Webb Connor Fields...................................Joe Crowell, Si Crowell,

Baseball Player, Ensemble Dennis Fleming.............Howie Newsome, Man of the Dead Brooklyn Freeman..........................Rebecca Gibbs, Ensemble Aziz Ghrabat.............................................Man in the Auditorium,

Baseball Player, Sam Craig, Ensemble Patrick Gladish..........................................................Simon Stimson Xavier Heipp..........................................................................Wally Webb John Hnat...........................................................Professor Willard,

Joe Stoddard, Ensemble Jayne Kacik...............................................................................Mrs. Webb Andrew Keller...............................................................George Gibbs Lynna Metrisin.......................................................................Mrs. Gibbs Steven Oleksa........Constable Warren, Man of the Dead Jackie Scheufler...........................................................Mrs. Soames,

Women of the Dead, Ensemble Casey Wolnowski..................................................................Mr. Webb

Production Team: Rick Fortney..........................................................Artistic Director Fred Gloor...................................................................................Director Tanner Lias..................................................................Stage Manager Derek Green.............Scenic, Props, and Lighting Designer Stan Kozak..................................................................Sound Designer Inda Blatch-Geib..............................................Costume Designer Jordan Demich-Bogner.........................Deck/Costume Crew

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Cast and Crew Bios

CAST Chris Bizub (Stage Manager) is excited to be performing on the French Creek Theatre stage for the second time. You may remember him as Stanley in Death of a Salesman earlier this year, or from his appearances in The Odd Couple (Murray) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Nick Bottom) at TrueNorth Cultural Arts. Chris has a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre from Baldwin Wallace College, and has recently completed his Master’s in Arts Administration from the University of Akron. He works as a Program Reservationist at French Creek, but he spends the majority of his spare time acting and directing in the Cleveland/Akron area. Some recent performances include To Kill a Mockingbird (Judge Taylor) at Brecksville Theater on the Square, You Can’t Take it with You (Kolenkov) at Karamu House, Of Mice and Men (Curley) at Coach House Theatre, Richard III (Richard III) and The Importance of Being Earnest (John Worthing) at Rubber City Shakespeare Company. Chris’ directing credits include productions of The Odd Couple and Play On! at Strongsville Community Theater, Panache at Pg. 10 Clague Playhouse, As You Like It at Rubber City

Shakespeare Company, No Sex Please We’re British at Huntington Playhouse and many more. His next directing endeavor will be The Dining Room

by A.R. Gurney at Bay Village Community Theater in September.

David Boyce (Doctor Gibbs) is honored to be making his first appearance at French Creek Theater.

He most recently performed You Can’t Take it with You at Karamu House.

David has been performing in theaters in NE Ohio for several years. In 2017 he appeared in Brecksville Little Theater’s production of Agatha Christies The Hollow. Prior to that he played Uncle Billy in Garfield Players production of It’s a Wonderful Life. Other 2016 appearances include Workshop Players production of Dearly Beloved and The Laramie Project. He has been in productions at Olde Towne Hall Theater and Huntington Playhouse, and has studied acting at The Beck Center for the Arts.

Emmy Cohen (Emily Webb) is happy to be appearing in her second production at French Creek, the first being Jekyll and Hyde this past October.

Cast and Crew Bios Most recently she was seen as Marie in Clague Playhouse’s Incorruptible.

Upcoming shows include Pippin at Rubber City Shakespeare. She’d like to thank her friends and family for their support as well as Fred for this opportunity.

Connor Fields (Joe Crowell, Si Crowell, Baseball Player, Ensemble) is 15 years old, and attends Brookside High School. He was recently in The Wiz and played The Scarecrow. He also won an award for playing Jack in Into the Woods. He is thankful that you are all here tonight.

He would like to thank his mother and family/friends for the support.

D e n n i s F l e m m i n g (Howie Newsome) is looking forward to his first performance at French Creek Theater and would like to thank director Fred Gloor for the opportunity. His previous experience has been as an extra in the opera La Boheme with the Cleveland Opera Theater where he was a soldier. He was also an extra in the short film Technically Marvin where he was a diner. He has taken classes in improv and acting at the Beck

Center for the Arts in Lakewood.

B r o o k ly n F r ee m a n (Rebecca Gibbs, Ensemble) is so excited to be cast in French Creek’s production of Our Town. She was last seen in French Creek’s All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten this past fall and this summer she will also be in Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka.

Brooklyn is 11 years old, and will be going into fifth grade. She is a child of four, and when she is not rehearsing, she is participating in martial arts where she is an orange belt. She also loves going to school, dancing, singing, hanging out with her friends, and babysitting.

Aziz Ghrabat (Sam Craig, Baseball Player, Ensemble) is thrilled to be a part of Our Town!

Not only is this his first show at French Creek Theatre, it’s also his first show that’s not on a college campus. Other than acting, his hobbies include video games, hiking, and photography.

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Cast and Crew Bios P a t r i c k Gladish (Simon Stimson) is making his debut at French Creek Theater, and he’s very excited about it! His past p e r fo r m a n c e s include Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at Cleveland State, and Ted in Harbor at Convergence Continuum. You may also have seen him do improvisational comedy with the groups Something Dada and Torque. He thanks you for supporting the arts and hopes you enjoy the show!

Xavier Heipp (Wally Webb) is happy to be performing in Our Town. His previous experience at French Creek includes playing Alf Bueller in Back to the 80’s and Charles F. Maude in Bye, Bye Birdie. He will be a junior at Avon High School, and has been active in the drama club playing E.J. Lofgren in Harvey, and Steve in Almost

Maine. He enjoys spending time with friends, playing the flute, and participating in Academic Challenge at his school. He would like to thank his friends and family for always supporting him. Break a leg, cast of Our Town!

Jayne Kacik (Mrs. Webb) is excited to be performing in Our Town at French Creek Theatre. She has performed on and offstage as a music director and accompanist at area theaters for many years. Some of her favorite performances on stage are Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Joanne in Company, Jellylorum in CATS, Ouiser Beaudreax in Steel Magnolias, and many more. Enjoy!

John Hnat (Professor Willard, Joe Stoddard, Ensemble) is pleased to be returning to French Creek’s stage for the second time; his last performance was in last year’s The Odd Couple as Vinnie. Recent area credits include Cleante in Tartuffe (CCC Metro), Henry in Play On! and Sandy in

Xavier, break a leg!

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We love you!

Mom & Dad

Cast and Crew Bios Brigadoon (both at Strongsville). John has performed in and directed quite a few shows in his 25+ years in community theater. Favorite roles include John Dickinson in 1776, Senex in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Lucien P. Smith in The Boys Next Door. This is John’s first trip to Grover’s Corners, and is glad he is making it with such an outstanding cast! It’s good to work with old and new friends! John would especially like to than his wife Margaret for her love, patience, and support these past 17 years. “I hope your visit to Our Town will be memorable.”

A n d r ew Keller (George Gibbs) is very excited to be returning to French Creek for this wonderful production of Our Town. He is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University, where he studied acting and directing, and appeared in Noises Off, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Recent regional credits include: The Phantom Tollbooth, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, and Farragut North at Ensemble Theater,

The Bigfoot Letters at Blank Canvas Theater, and Footloose at The Huron Playhouse.

Lynna Metrisin (Mrs. Gibbs) is happy to return to French Creek where she was previously seen in the production Falling.

Lynna has been seen in various productions at Cleveland Public Theatre, Blank Canvas Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Lorain County Community College Theatre, Charenton Theatre, and Clague Playhouse, among others. This will be Lynna’s third time performing in Our Town, having previously played Mrs. Soames/Ensemble in the CPT production, and Mrs. Webb in the Blank Canvas production. By day, Lynna is a social worker for University Hospitals Hospice.

Steve Oleksa (Constable Warren, Ensemble) attained his B.F.A in the theatre 25 years ago, then life happened and he hasn’t trod the boards since. He is delighted to start again with a quiet classic like Our Town. Thanks to all for making him feel welcome.

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Cast and Crew Bios Jacqueline Scheufler (Mrs. Soames, Ensemble) is thrilled to be returning to the French Creek after appearing in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Titania.

When’s she’s not doing shows, Jacqueline works as a receptionist for Hospice of the Western Reserve.

Previous favorite shows include The Odd Couple (Cassidy Theatre), Moon Over Buffalo (Olde Town Hall Theatre), and Death By Design (Huntington Playhouse). Jacqueline would like to thank Fred, Tanner, and the rest of the cast and crew for a fun return to the world of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. Enjoy the show!

C a se y Wolnowski (Mr. Webb) has been involved in local theatre, musical and dramatic productions for the last 40 years.

He was last seen in the musical My Way at the Amherst Workshop Theatre. He has performed and directed at Lorain Community Music Theatre, Cassidy Theatre, Chef Henri Dinner Theatre, Mighty Goliath Productions, Huntington Playhouse, Lorain Palace Players, and other theatrical venues. He

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thanks his wife, Georganne, for her encouragement to involve himself in this wonderful, iconic play.

Production Team: Fred Gloor (Director) is currently the Artistic Associate and Marketing Director at Weathervane Playhouse.

He is happy to be back at French Creek, having directed The Giver two seasons ago. Most recently, he directed You Can’t Take It With You, The Lyons, and 4000 Miles all for Weathervane Playhouse.

A graduate of Kent State University, Fred’s other directing credits include Cleveland Public Theatre, Dobama, TitleWave, Charenton, The Second City Cleveland, CVLT, and Tri-C West.

As an actor, he has performed at The Cleveland Play House, Great Lakes Theater, Dobama, The Beck Center, Cain Park, The Second City Cleveland, The Ensemble Theatre, and as a cast member of Something Dada.

A member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA, he has appeared in numerous commercials and such films as The Dream Catcher, and Pirates with Leslie Nielsen, Eric Idle, and Rodney Dangerfield. He would like to thank Rick, Brian, Derek, Inda, Stan, Tanner, and the entire cast and crew for all their hard work and passion.

He would especially like to thank his beautiful wife and daughter, Liz and Olivia, for all their love and support and to his awesome doxies Lola and Lennon for being happy to see him every time he walks in the door.

Cast and Crew Bios Tanner Lias (Stage Manager) is a recent graduate of Bowling Green State University where he majored in theatre with focuses in stage management and directing. He is excited to return to French Creek Theatre with OurTown. Selected stage management credits include: South Pacific (TrueNorth Cultural Arts), The Penelopiad, Evelyn in Purgatory, Noises Off! (Bowling Green State University), and It Runs in the Family (Workshop Players). Tanner recently directed his first full-length production, Dying City at Bowling Green State University.

In early September, Tanner will be moving to Sarasota, Florida working on a full-year contract with Florida Studio Theatre as a stage management intern. Tanner wants to thank the cast and production team for their unwavering dedication and support throughout this process. He would also like to thank his family and friends for their endless love and support.

Derek Green (Tech Director, Scenic and Lighting Design, and Props Master) is happy to continue working with French Creek this summer.

Design credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (FCT); The Tempest, Richard II (Cleveland Shakespeare Festival); South Pacific, The Curious Savage, Joseph…

Dreamcoat, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Here Come the Brides (NDCL). He has also performed with Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Ensemble Theatre, and alongside the CWRU/

CPH MFA Acting Program. Derek currently works as part of the Education staff at Cleveland Playhouse.

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 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

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Cast and Crew Bios 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’s (Costume Designer) work as a costume and production designer for over 800 theatrical, commercial, and film releases has spanned 30 years and crossed 4 continents including work off-Broadway and for The Colombian National Opera. Current commercial projects include Costume Design for The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 1970’s and 80’s themed videos and 5 national spots for the team. Upcoming Production Design credits include a soon to be released Showtime Original film. Her print design has included set styling for Harper’s Bazaar UK Scarlett Johansson cover and spread as well as catalogue set styling for Foundations and Kilgore Trout. Inda’s designs have been highlighted at The National Inventor’s Hall of Fame/Smithsonian Institute ‘Exercising Ingenuity’ exhibit as well as in national commercials for Microsoft, McDonald’s,

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Under Armour, TroyBuilt, The Original Mattress Factory, and Momentive.

Recent film projects include Ohio Art Direction for The Signal starring Laurence Fishburne. Music Video Production and Costume Design includes Machine Gun Kelly’s Alpha Omega release. Locally, Inda is the 2016/2017 Resident Designer for Cleveland Public Theatre, Karamu House, Magical Theatre Company, New World Performance Lab and Cleveland Institute of Music. Inda was recently recognized with the Cleveland Critics Circle Award with Best Costume Design for Blues in the Night.

Jordan Demich-Bogner (Deck/ Costume Crew) is currently in her senior year at Cleveland State University where she will earn her bachelor degree in technical theatre with a concentration on light design.

She has served in many theatre roles over the past twelve years including acting, house manager, stage manager, light designer and board operator, sound board operator, and technical crew from props to building the set. This is her first season at French Creek, she is excited for this opportunity and would like to thank the cast and crew for bringing their talent to the stage.

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2017/2018 season opener!

LORAIN COUNTY METRO PARKS’ FRENCH CREEK THEATRE PRESENTS:

BONNIE & CLYDE BOOK BY IVAN MENCHELL | LYRICS BY DON BLACK MUSIC BY FRANK WILDHORN

DIRECTED BY BRITTNI SHAMBAUGH ADDISON MUSICAL DIRECTION BY ANTHONY TRIFILETTI

OCTOBER 13 - 29

FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS AT 7:30 PM AND SUNDAYS AT 3 PM TICKETS: $10 - $18 | (440) 949-5200 OR WWW.METROPARKS.CC

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