AlumniSpotlight
CharlieRasmann-‘08
Charlie Rasmann received his BFA in Musical Theater Performance from Rockford College in 2008. After graduation, he went on to work on and off stage in Chicago and Rockford as a producer, director, stage manager, actor, and he recently founded Rockford Players Guild, where he is the Producing Artistic Director. Recent acting credits include: Candide, The Game's Afoot (Rockford University), The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Angel Next Door, The Tin Woman, Cry It Out, Silent Sky (Artists' Ensemble), Urinetown, Chesapeake, The Realistic Joneses, Assassins (Usual Suspects), Peter and the Starcatcher, Young Frankenstein (Starlight Theater) When not working in the theatre, Charlie is most content at home with his wife, daughter, a menagerie of pets, and a good book
CurtainCall!
KeepingupwithOurAlumni
In this new addition to our newsletter, we want to hear from our Alumni and spotlight you with current projects that you are working on or have booked Keep us up to date so we can celebrate with you and shout you out for all of your talent! Please fill out the form from the QR code
ForumMarqueeEvent:ENOUGH! PlaystoEndGunViolence
ENOUGH! invites YOU to attend staged readings of this year’s plays in your community.
On October 6, 2025, six of the plays submitted through our nationwide call in Spring 2025 will be presented in an evening of readings staged simultaneously by theaters, schools, and community groups across the country. Nearly 3,000 artists in more than 150 communities have participated across three previous Nationwide Readings. Many have used ENOUGH! to forge meaningful community partnerships and create space for the youth of their area to be seen and heard
Our teens are looking for answers on how to avoid becoming another statistic and saying, “Enough is enough.”
IntheRUCommunity TheRockfordPlayersGuild
Rockford Players Guild is a new theatre company, working alongside the students, alumni, and community of Rockford University’s Performing Arts Department. With the goal of creating a bridge between educational and professional theater, our focus is on mid-century and prior American Realism – “the old chestnuts” as we lovingly refer to them We are currently offering several readings throughout the year, as well as a full- scale production this December, and two next summer.
Open Houses Series
Over the course of the year, we hold Open Houses, which are our opportunity to connect with the community, and read a classic play aloud This year, we have read The Odd Couple by Neil Simon, Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, Harvey by Mary Chase, and At Home at the Zoo by Edward Albee. We also have back-to-back Open Houses coming up this month!
A Christmas Carol
Adapted by Greg Oliver Bodine
Directed by Ana Weickert
December 17-21, 2025
Charles Dickens; 1867 American Reading Tour is off to a rough start. Due to an inexplicable loss of his luggage, he regretfully announces that he will be unable to read from his beloved classic, A Christmas Carol. All is not lost however; Dickens delivers what he promised by performing from memory the magical story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey from miserliness to redemption with warmth and humor This one-man play is based on the condensed version Dickens himself used on his historic reading tours of the United States
WorkshopHighlight
AnthonyRobertGrassoWorkshop
Anthony Robert Grasso is an award-winning actor, director, and educator, and the founder of ARG Studios, where his students work consistently in film, television, and theater He served as Artistic Director of Breakthrough Studios for 16 years and teaches in-person, virtual, and international masterclasses for colleges, universities, and performing arts studios
Grasso trained at the British American Drama Academy at Oxford, The Actor’s Studio, and The Neighborhood Playhouse, studying under renowned teachers such as John Barton, Fiona Shaw, Arthur Penn, and Larry Moss His television credits include recurring and guest roles on Jessica Jones, Gotham, The Sinner, FBI, Blue Bloods, Person of Interest, Sex & The City, and eight appearances in the Law & Order franchise. Deeply rooted in the indie film scene, he has acted in over three dozen films, with his work as an actor, producer, and director screening at festivals from Sundance to Cannes. Grasso is known for his versatility and passion for bold, character-driven stories
Anthony also did a workshop at a local High School as well as a few news segment See the link below!
https://wwwwifrcom/video/2025/09/11/anthony-robertgrasso-pays-visit-rockford-university/ New York acting teacher helped Rockford students fine tune their skills | Northern Public Radio: WNIJ and WNIU
AnthonyRobert Grasso
