Meet the Cast (continued)

Kirk Lambert (Amias Paulet) is excited to be performing at LTA once again in this magnificent production! Favorite shows include the adaptation of Tom Brokaw’s The Greatest Generation Speaks (FCT), Shoah (FCT), Rumors (LTA), The Haunting of Hill House (LTA), Dracula (LTA), The Audience (LTA) and The Cemetery Club (ACCT). Kirk has also appeared at the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap Filene Center, Studio Theatre and Alden Theatre. Kirk would like to thank his family and friends for their continued support.

John Paul Odle (Mortimer) is an Alexandria native and Providence College graduate and is delighted to be under the guiding eye of Kathleen Barth once more at LTA! Previous credits include As You Like It (NOVA Nightsky), Blue Stockings (LTA), Picnic (NOVA Nightsky), The Precious Scars and Gold and Cocaine (LTA One Acts), A Few Good Men (LTA), Bus Stop (ACCT), The Nance (LTA), The Count of Monte Cristo (ACCT) and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (LTA).

Thomas O’Neill (Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester) is thrilled to return to LTA after making his acting debut in the 2020 production of A Christmas Carol. He is looking forward to expanding his theater acting resume and counts A Few Good Men as a personal favorite production.

Jessie Roberts (Hanna Kennedy) earned a master’s degree in theatre from Brandeis University. After performing onstage in San Francisco and New York City, she went over to the “dark side” and became an attorney. Since finding her way back to her second love, theatre, she has been involved in over 50 plays in the Northern Virginia area. (Her husband, Jon, is her first love.) Jessie is pleased to return to LTA, where she directed Ripcord and Design for Murder.

Lee Swanson (Officer/Sheriff) is thrilled to be making their debut with LTA. They have been delighted to return to theatre this year for the first time since college and appeared in Almost, Maine (TAP) in February. Productions they participated in as a young adult in Tennessee and North Carolina included A Midsummer Night’s Dream and I Never Saw Another Butterfly (KTG), Godspell (NSCC) and The Actor’s Nightmare and Dearly Departed (UNC-CH). Lee thanks LTA for this opportunity and their partner, Anna, for all their support.

Theater Abbreviations Used in LTA Playbills

ACCT – Aldersgate Church Community Theater

ACT – Alliance of Community Theaters

AS – Arena Stage

ASC – Annapolis Shakespeare Company

BCT – Bowie Community Theatre

BST – Baltimore Shakespeare Factory

Cappie – Critics and Awards Program (High School)

CCP – Chevy Chase Players

CFTC – City of Fairfax Theatre Company

CPA– Colonial Players of Annapolis

CRT – Castaways Repertory Theatre

CT – Chalice Theater

DTC – Damascus Theatre Company

DS – Dominion Stage

ES – Encore Stage

ESP – Elden Street Players (now NST)

FCT – Fauquier Community Theatre

FP – Foundry Players (now CCDC)

FST – First Stage Tysons

FT – Ford’s Theatre

GAC – Greenbelt Arts Center

GFP – Great Falls Players (now MCP)

GMU – George Mason University

GSP – Good Shepherd Players

HBP – Hard Bargain Players

IS – Infinity Stage

KAT – Kensington Arts Theatre

KT – Keegan Theatre

KTG – Kingsport Theatre Guild

LBTC – Little Butterfly Theatre Company

LMP – Laurel Mill Playhouse

LST – Loudoun Centre Theater

LTA – The Little Theatre of Alexandria

MCP – McLean Community Players

MP – Montgomery Playhouse

MTA – McLean Theatre Alliance (now MCP)

MVCCT – Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theatre

NSCC – Northeast State Community College

NST – NextStop Theatre

NVP – Northern Virginia Players

NVTA – Northern Virginia Theatre Alliance

OTC – Olney Theater Center

PCP – Port City Playhouse

PGLT – Prince George’s Little Theatre

PPF – Providence Players of Fairfax

PTC – Potomac Theatre Company Inc.

PTP – Port Tobacco Players

PWLT – Prince William Little Theatre

RCP – Reston Community Players

RHT – Round House Theatre

RLT – Rockville Little Theatre

RMT – Rockville Musical Theatre

SCT – Springfield Community Theater

SMP – St Mark’s Players

SP – Sterling Playmakers

SSS – Silver Spring Stage

ST – Signature Theatre

STC – Shakespeare Theatre Company

STC – StageCoach Theatre Company

TACT – The American Century Theater

TAP – The Arlington Players

TAT – The Alliance Theatre

TBP – The British Players

TCP – Tantallon Community Players

TTL – The Theatre Lab

2FT – Second Flight Theatre

UNC-CH – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

VC – Vpstart Crow

VTC – Vienna Theatre Company

WAC – Workhouse Arts Center

WATCH – Washington Area Theatre Community Honors

VLOC – Victorian Lyric Opera Company

ZS – Zemfira Stage

Meet the Crew (in alphabetical order)

Hilary Adams (Co-Producer/Dialect Coach) is proud to be part of the Mary Stuart team. This is her third turn as dialect coach and fourth as producer (recent credits include Blue Stockings, Design for Murder, Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol and Lettice and Lovage). Working with Kathleen has been a joy, and Hilary counts herself extremely lucky to be working with the finest actors and designers in Northern Virginia. Last but not least, she thanks her husband, Griffin, for his perennial love, support and insight.

Mia Amado (Co-Assistant Director) is excited to be involved in her first main stage production with LTA! Her directing credits include Echoes (Capital Fringe Festival), Sacrifice: A Nightmare in One Act (LTA), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (GMU) and Counter Facts (Who What Where Theatre Collective). Mia was the stage manager for America’s Sexiest Couple (Best Medicine Rep). She has performed with StageCoach Theatre Company, Momentum Collective Inc. and Fractal Theatre Collective. Training: B.F.A. in theatre, George Mason University; Young Company, Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Helen Bard-Sobola (Co-Assistant Producer) is happy to be part of a strong team of producers and cast, learning the ropes! Love to Mike and Ally always and forever. Support local theatre!

Kathleen Barth (Director) is a writer/director based in the DC metro area. Her recent directorial credits include America’s Sexiest Couple (Best Medicine Rep), Women and Guns (Dean Productions Theatre Company, Premiere the Play Podcast) and A Few Good Men (LTA). Kathleen also wrote and directed a short film, The Death of Anne Brontë, that has screened in a variety of online film festivals and across the United States.

Luana Bossolo (Set Painting) has been painting LTA sets for over a decade. Past shows include Rabbit Hole, A Christmas Carol, The Full Monty, Spamalot, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Fabulous Lipitones, The Audience, Harvey, The Fantasticks, Fences and Something Rotten. She has also worked wardrobe and set dressing and produced several LTA shows. She is delighted to be working again with set designer Matt Liptak.

Margaret Chapman (Co-Producer) is happy to be back producing after most recently designing props for Something Rotten (WATCH nomination) (LTA). For the past few years, she has been designing props and producing shows for LTA, St. Mark’s Players and Fat and Greasy Citizens Brigade, including Blue Stockings, You Can’t Take it With You, August: Osage County, Sister Act, Evita and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). She also serves as the Vice Director of the LTA Council and as the President of the SMP Board of Directors.

Matthew Cheney (Lighting Design) is excited to be working his first show at LTA. Matthew has previously designed for MVCCT, OLQP and Bishop Ireton, where he received a Cappie for lighting design. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in theater that focused on lighting and media design, and he worked as a programmer for their designers. He is currently the programmer at Roundhouse Theatre and the Writer’s Center in Bethesda. He hopes everyone enjoys the show!

Ian Claar (Fight/Intimacy Choreography) A Midsummer Night’s Dream (NextStop Theatre Company), The Art of Murder (Workhouse Arts Center), Or (Theatre Prometheus), The New Moon and El Capitan (VLOC). Peter and the Starcatcher, Superior Donuts (WATCH Award), Time Stands Still, The Game’s Afoot, Newsies, Cabaret (Reston Players). Key for Two (LTA). Matilda (Levine Music Theatre). Lion King Jr. (Encore Stage & Studio), Peter and the Starcatcher, Clue, She Kills Monsters (DC International School). Member: SAFD Advanced Actor/Combatant, Noble Blades, managing director.

Juliana Cofrancesco and Carol Pappas (Co-Costume Design) designed for Playing Juliet and Casting Othello (PP); Death of a Salesman and Leading Ladies (VTC); The Fantasticks, A Christmas Carol and Key for Two (LTA); Enchanted April (ACCT); Cinderella and Revolutionary Gentleman (IS); Seussical, Putnam County Spelling Bee, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Comic Potential, Footloose, 1776 and Calendar Girls (MCP); and American Idiot (LBTC).

Meet the Crew (continued)

Jenna Dawkins (Co-Assistant Director) is excited to join LTA’s production team. Jenna’s experience has primarily been onstage, but she is also well versed in all things behind the scenes. After a pandemic-long hiatus, she is happy to be back in a theater and is honored to bring the brilliant story of Mary Stuart to life. Outside of LTA, Jenna performs in the Alexandria Choral Society and Pro Coro Alexandria. Thanks to family and friends for their love and support.

Julie Fischer (Set Construction) is honored to work again with Kathleen, the production crew and the skilled volunteers who give their time to construct fantastic sets at LTA. This is her fifth year working on LTA productions, including serving as master carpenter (Wait Until Dark, Rumors) and set designer (Lettice and Lovage, Sister Act, Design for Murder). She would like to thank Jim, Jeff and Dan for the work that they put into the LTA shop and encourage everyone to come play with power tools.

Allison Gray-Mendes (Properties Design) enjoys working on the “dark side” of theatre as a designer, technical director and producer. Mary Stuart is the last in a four-show sprint with TAP and LTA this spring. She would like to thank her mother and Mercedes for always being creative collaborators and her husband, fellow thespian Mark, for always encouraging her to push herself. Thank you also to Hilary and Griffin for being amazing collaborators. Enjoy the show!

Peter Halverson (Apprentice–Sound Design) continues to expand his skills and experience on the LTA A-V Squad, having assisted with lighting and sound in LTA productions including Design for Murder, The Nance, In the Heights and Cantorial. Onstage, he has enjoyed performing in LTA shows such as Rumors, You Can’t Take It with You, The Fabulous Lipitones and Spamalot, as well as various productions in other area theatre groups. Many thanks to Janice for her mentorship, guidance and support!

Meet the Crew

Fred C. Lash (Co-Assistant Producer) Although no stranger to community theatre stages in Northern Virginia, Fred is quite pleased to be assisting the Mary Stuart production team. Having been associated with LTA since 1989, he has been onstage for 10 productions, served as an assistant director, and is currently on the Board of Governors. Fred is a retired Marine who lives in Springfield with Donna, his “partner” and theatrical critic of nearly 55 years.

Matt Liptak (Set Design/Photographer) Mary Stuart is Liptak’s 13th set design for LTA. Liptak has designed, painted and dressed sets across the DMV for the past seven years. Recent LTA productions include Bright Star (WATCH nominee), Fences, The Revolutionists and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (LTA Award winner). Other notable and award-winning shows include Harvey, Dracula, Steel Magnolias and Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. Liptak thanks everyone who helped bring his design to life and thanks Kieran and Branson for their support.

Dana Maksymova (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be making her LTA debut! Dana recently stage-managed Almost, Maine (TAP) and Unprotected (Pipeline Playwrights). Her favorite credits include The Sound of Music, White Christmas, Peter Pan, Catch Me If You Can and Chicago. She thanks her husband for his endless love and support, and the whole cast and crew for their hard work and for being amazing!

Robin Maline (Co-Makeup and Hair Design) has had the pleasure of designing such shows as Blue Stockings, Something Rotten (WATCH nomination) (LTA), Newsies, Singin’ in the Rain (TAP) and many others in the greater DC area. She has been working as co-chair of Wigs and Makeup at LTA since November 2017. She would like to thank her family for its unending support and Lanae Sterrett for always being by her side with a comb and a clever quip. Enjoy the show!

Meet the Crew (continued)

Abbie Mulberg (Co-Costume Design) is a local seamstress and reenactor who previously served as wardrobe manager for The Washington Revels. Enjoy the show!

Carol Pappas (Co-Costume Design) See Juliana Cofrancesco.

Donna Reynolds (Set Decoration) has been involved in local community theater for over 20 years in a variety of roles. She previously provided set dressing for A Few Good Men and The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (LTA). Most recently, she designed props for Blue Stockings (LTA) and just finished stage managing Silent Sky (ACCT).

Janice Rivera (Sound Design) Sound Design credits include Wait Until Dark, The Haunting of Hill House (WATCH nomination), Dracula (WATCH Award), The Fabulous Lipitones, The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged), Spamalot (WATCH nomination) and Cantorial (WATCH nomination) (LTA); and The Best Worst That Can Happen and Death by Design (ACCT). You may have seen her onstage as Cookie Cusack in Rumors, Carmen in The Nance and Camilla in In the Heights (LTA). Janice is a video editor and producer via her postproduction company, Offbook Productions. https://www.offbookpro.com

Mary Beth Smith-Toomey (Co-Wardrobe Coordinator) is delighted to be working with Margaret on Mary Stuart. Mary Beth last was the Wardrobe Coordinator for West Side Story. Since then she has been on several wardrobe crews, including Bright Star and Something Rotten, among others. When not doing wardrobe, Mary Beth can be found producing shows such as Legally Blonde, The Producers and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. She will be producing A Christmas Carol in December.

Margaret Snow (Co-Wardrobe Coordinator) is highly appreciative to be working the wardrobe operation and to be working with our talented director, cast and crew.

Griffin Voltmann (Dramaturg) is thrilled to have finally found a job where being a know-it-all is paying off. Thank you to the cast and crew for your incredible talent bringing this story to life, and to Hilary for her unending love and support.

Julius Rosenwald Ware II (Master Electrician) is an 82nd ABN veteran and a union electrician with over 35 years of experience working in the DMV and nationally. He is a Sr. Safety manager inspecting Exelon projects for compliance with OSHA and local, and company safety protocols. He has appeared on stage at LTA and other community theaters. Julius is a Rutgers alumnus, a charter member of the 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County, and a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc

Robin Worthington (Co-Costume Design) has collaborated with designers for LTA and many local theater productions and costumed films: The Feather: The Agatha Tiegel Hanson Story and Kathleen Barth’s The Death of Anne Brontë. She is thrilled at the opportunity to work again with director Kathleen Barth to design costumes for the queens and their attendants in Mary Stuart with a stellar team of creative seamstresses.

LTA COVID Pandemic Health and Safety Standards

LTA will continue to follow all current health and safety standards set by governmental authorities while the COVID pandemic continues, and we will maintain our full participation in the ALX Promise program sponsored by the Alexandria Health Department and Visit Alexandria. LTA will no longer require proof of COVID vaccination or PCR testing (if not vaccinated) for audience admission to our facility, and we will no longer be holding out every third seat for social distancing. Proof of full vaccination, including boosters, against COVID is required for all cast, crew, volunteers and staff, and for those auditioning at the Little Theatre of Alexandria. Effective February 17, 2023, masking is required only while inside our auditorium on performance evenings/matinees. Masks are strongly encouraged, but optional, in our lobby, Green Room and restrooms. This may change later in the season.