A CHRISTMAS STORY
The Slutzker Family Foundation is proud to be a Season Sponsor of the Syracuse Stage 25/26 season, full of stories that engage, entertain, and inspire us to see life beyond our own experience.
Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1917, Lillian Slutzker was a survivor. After fleeing Nazi control for England, she met her husband at a USO dance and later returned to his hometown of Rome, New York.
She dedicated her life to bettering her community. The Foundation’s purpose is to carry on her incredible legacy and fulfill her passion for Judaism, education, the arts, and enriching the community.
LETTER FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR
DEAR FRIENDS,
Welcome to Syracuse Stage and thank you for joining us for A Christmas Story. We’re so delighted that you’ve made our theatre a part of your holiday season. This time of year always carries with it a certain magic—one that blends nostalgia, laughter, and the joy of gathering together.
Like so many of you, I have my own fond memories of the holidays growing up just down the road in Rochester, N.Y.—snowy evenings spent with family, drives around the neighborhood to see the holiday lights, spirited gatherings with a seemingly endless supply of cousins, and that sense of anticipation that only December seems to bring. I am so grateful to return to the region to celebrate the season here in Syracuse with my own children, and I’m reminded of how special it is to share those traditions that connect generations.
A Christmas Story captures that same spirit beautifully. Whether it’s Ralphie’s unshakable dream of the perfect gift, the warmth (and chaos) of family life, or the triumphs and trials of childhood, this story reminds us that the holidays are less about perfection and more about connection—the laughter, the mishaps, and the love that bind us together.
We’re deeply grateful for your support and for being part of our Syracuse
Stage family. Your presence helps keep the arts thriving in our community and allows us to create the kinds of experiences that bring people together year after year.
From all of us at Syracuse Stage, thank you for sharing your holiday season with us. We wish you peace, joy, and a touch of that childlike wonder that makes this time of year so special.
With appreciation,
Carly DiFulvio Allen Managing Director
CARLY DIFULVIO ALLEN. PHOTO: BRENNA MERRITT.
THE HELLO GIRLS
September 9 – 28, 2025
Music and lyrics by Peter Mills Book by Peter Mills and Cara Reichel Directed by Cara Reichel | Co-produced with Michael Cassel Group, Broadway & Beyond Theatricals, and Chief Operator
A heroic new musical about connection in a time of conflict.
THE 39 STEPS
October 22 – November 9, 2025
Adapted by Patrick Barlow | From the novel by John Buchan | From the movie by Alfred Hitchcock | Licensed by ITV Global Entertainment Limited | And an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon | Directed by Benjamin Hanna Co-produced with Indiana Repertory Theatre
A Hitchcock spoof with hair-raising hijinks.
A CHRISTMAS STORY
November 25 – December 28, 2025
By Philip Grecian | Based on the motion picture A Christmas Story written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark and In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd | Directed by Robert Hupp
A triple-dog-dare of a show.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
RELENTLESS
February 4 – 22, 2026
WORLD PREMIERE
By Rae Binstock | Directed by Melissa Crespo | Co-produced with Sing Out, Louise! Productions
A knockout new play about loyalty and legacy.
JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE
March 11 – 29, 2026
By August Wilson | Directed by Timothy Douglas Co-produced with Indiana Repertory Theatre
August Wilson’s heartbreaking and mystical masterpiece.
DISNEY’S FROZEN THE BROADWAY MUSICAL
May 13 – June 21, 2026
CENTRAL NEW YORK PREMIERE
Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez | Book by Jennifer Lee Based on the Disney film written by Jennifer Lee and directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee | Originally produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical Productions
Directed by Emily Maltby | Music Direction by Brian Cimmet | Choreographed by Marjorie Failoni Co-produced with the Syracuse University Department of Drama
Sisterhood, stirring songs, and one magical snowman.
PRESENTS
A CHRISTMAS STORY
BY
Philip Grecian
BASED ON THE MOTION PICTURE A CHRISTMAS STORY © 1983 TURNER ENTERTAINMENT CO., DISTRIBUTED BY WARNER BROS., WRITTEN BY
Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark
AND ON THE BOOK IN GOD WE TRUST, ALL OTHERS PAY CASH BY
Jean Shepherd
DIRECTED BY Robert Hupp
SCENIC DESIGNER
Kimberly Powers
COSTUME DESIGNER
Suzanne Chesney
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER
Hannah “Rock” Roccisano
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Robert Hupp
LIGHTING DESIGNER Dawn Chiang
STAGE MANAGER
Kristine Schlachter*
MANAGING DIRECTOR Carly DiFulvio Allen
SOUND DESIGNER
Jacqueline R. Herter
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
Lauren Nicole Jackson*
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Melissa Crespo RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT Kyle Bass
November 25 – December 28, 2025
Produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing, Woodstock, Illinois.
TAKING PHOTOS IN THE THEATRE
Audience members may take photos in the theatre before and after the performance and during intermission. If you post photos on social media or elsewhere, you must credit the production's scenic, lighting, and projection designers by including the names below. Please note: Photos are strictly prohibited during the performance. Photos of the stage are not permitted if an actor is present. Video and audio recording is not permitted at any time in the theatre.
Photo credit: The Syracuse Stage production of A Christmas Story. Scenic Design by Kimberly Powers. Lighting Design by Dawn Chiang.
SPECIAL THANKS
Special thanks to Redhouse Arts Center.
MAY 13 – JUNE 21, 2026
CENTRAL NEW YORK PREMIERE Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson Lopez and Robert Lopez Book by Jennifer Lee
CAST
(in order of speaking)
Ralph..............................................................Jason O’Connell*
Flick.........................................................................Max Elmer
Schwartz....................................................Jojo Harper-McNeal
Mother..................................................................Kate Hamill*
Ralphie...............................................................Gavin Lambert
The Old Man...........................................................John Tufts*
Randy....................................................................Henry Elmer
Farkas.........................................................David Downey Ford
Helen......................................................................Kyla Kopko
Miss Shields.........................................................Krystel Lucas*
Esther Jane..........................................................Kenley Sample
UNDERSTUDIES
Understudies never substitute for the listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of performance.
For Miss Shields – Dylinn Andrew; For Ralph, The Old Man – Tanner Efinger For Mother – Lilli Komurek; For Ralphie – Max Elmer For Farkus – Henry Fink; For Flick – Will Himowitz For Schwartz – Owen Kertesz; For Esther Jane – Joella Kwilos For Randy – Anthony Schmidt; For Helen – Arden Williams
ADDITIONAL CREDITS
Fight Captain: Krystel Lucas*
Student Dramaturg: Alyssa Beaulieu†
Student Assistant Director: Michaiah Barrett†
Stage Management Assistants: Katie Barnes, Erin C Brett
Stage Management Interns: Amelia Chu†, Paige Michal Reidy†
Young Actor Supervisors: Khayman Clancy, Gemma Cooper-Novack, Joe McCurdy
Wardrobe and Wig Supervisor: Dylinn Andrew
Dressers: Megan Hillenbrand, Kris Stewart
Spotlight Operator: Chris Green
Automation Operator: Caitlin Radziewski
Deck Crew: Basil Allen, Edmund Beese, Dylan Finnley, Fatima Yasmin
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers in LORT theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829, IATSE. The director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union. A Christmas Story is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. †Student, Syracuse University Department of Drama.
A NOTE from playwright Philip Grecian
In the early 1970s, magazines published Jean Shepherd's short stories about his Indiana childhood. I loved them, but even better than that, my children— Alex, Roxane, and Gabrielle—loved them, and insisted upon them as bedtime stories. Shepherd’s stories did not appear regularly, and so when one did (after months of waiting and disappointment), it was a family event.
One evening, during the Christmas season of 1983, we decided to take the children to a film. There was a new one at the mall theatre about which we knew nothing; it was called A Christmas Story . We sat in the darkness as the coming attractions ended. The feature began, and these words appeared: “A film from the works of Jean Shepherd.” Roxane leaned toward me wide-eyed and whispered, “Our Jean Shepherd?” Yes! Our Jean Shepherd! There on the screen were some of the stories we’d loved, woven together into a
cinematic whole, narrated by Jean Shepherd! Our Jean Shepherd!
As it turned out, everybody’s Jean Shepherd. A Christmas Story was an instant American Christmas classic.
Sixteen years later Dana Wolworth, my editor at Dramatic Publishing, asked me, “Have you ever seen the movie, A Christmas Story? I think it’d make a great play.” By this time I owned the book, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, which collected the stories that had been so much a part of our lives.
I didn’t wait for the contracts to be signed, I began writing. I was three-quarters of the way through the first draft by the time all the signatures were on the dotted lines. I could hardly wait for Shep (by this time I was referring to him by the nickname he preferred) to finish reading the play.
Two days later, Jean Shepherd died.
I mourned his loss. We had never met face-to-face, but he had helped me raise my children. He was an unbilled family member, a favorite uncle. He never got to finish reading the play. That weighed heavily on me. But as I finished the first draft and moved on to the final polish draft, I found myself asking more and more, “Would Shep do it this way? What would he think of this?” I read the original stories over and over again, trying to capture Jean Shepherd’s rhythms, the way he
put his words together. Sometimes, writing dialogue, I fancied that he stood over my shoulder, giving me pointers. Often, in my imagination, I heard that wonderful laugh of his when I made a scene work particularly well.
So, thank you to Jean Shepherd, the dear friend I never met. Ralphie Parker will ever continue in his quest for that Red Ryder carbine action 200-shot Range Model air rifle, on the printed page, on the screen, and on countless stages.
AUTHOR JEAN SHEPHERD.
Thtuck! I’m Thtuck!
BY JOSEPH WHELAN
If you grew up in a northern climate, most likely you know some variation of the story about the kid who got his tongue stuck to a lamppost. It’s quite possible that in your wild youth you may have even succumbed to the pressure of a triple-dog dare and sacrificed some taste buds in
order to preserve personal honor, much like the unfortunate Flick in A Christmas Story. And even if you were not personally involved, you may have contributed to and embellished a tale of such winter torment as it made the rounds of the schoolyard, the sleigh-riding hill, and the dinner table.
“If you grew up in a northern climate, most likely you know some variation of the story about the kid who got his tongue stuck to a lamppost.”
Did you guys hear Anthony Pollastrino got half his face stuck to the hand bell Sister Mary Dolores rings at the end of recess?
What happened?
She rang it anyway!
No way!
Way! He had to go to the hos-
pital for stitches. The janitor had to scrape blood off the ice. Some eighth-grader found a piece of his cheek in the snow.
I heard he can’t hear out of his left ear anymore.
The more gruesome the details, the better in the retelling. Meanwhile, Anthony was at home with a cold having
SCENE FROM THE 1983 FILM A CHRISTMAS STORY, DIRECTED BY BOB CLARK.
chicken soup and cupcakes and watching Andy Griffith reruns.
Not to be outdone by the fictitious Anthony Pollastrino or the unfortunate Flick, Tim Bond, Syracuse Stage Producing Artistic Director from 2007-2016, has a story to add to the collected folklore of winter near-mutilation: This is where the clock starts spinning backward and calendar pages
fly away counting back the years until we arrive at a frigid day in Toledo, Ohio, where an eight-year-old Tim makes his way home from school.
In the bracing -12° temperature, Tim trudges on. Is he thinking about how one winter long ago his father got his tongue stuck to a lamppost because of a dare from his father’s brother? No.
“This is where the clock starts spinning backward and calendar pages fly away counting back the years until we arrive at a frigid day in Toledo, Ohio, where an eight-year-old Tim Bond makes his way home from school.”
TIM BOND, PRE SYRACUSE STAGE DAYS.
He’s thinking about getting warm and maybe some hot chocolate.
He arrives at the porch of his home only to discover that the front door is locked. He knocks. No answer. He knocks again. Still, no answer. Is no one home? Can’t be. Someone must be home.
Tim kneels to peer through the keyhole, and much to his relief he sees his teen-aged sister approaching the door. Warmth is just seconds away when, “Oh, no! What’s this?” Tim’s tender eyelid is stuck to the metal rim of the keyhole.
Instantly, he realizes that opening the door is no longer a very good idea. And teen-aged sister is getting closer.
“Don’t open the door! Don’t open
the door! Don’t open the door,” Tim yells. We can only imagine his sister’s confusion. Through the locked door, Tim explains his predicament and his sister springs to action. Braving the frigid temperatures and ice so thick Peggy Fleming could have gone for gold on the driveway, she makes her way out the back door and around the house to the front porch, cup of warm water in hand.
In the cold air, the water seems scalding to Tim, but at least his eyelid is free from the keyhole. It’s somewhat swollen and somewhat sore, but within days his sight returns (ok, that’s an embellishment). Tim gets his hot chocolate, courtesy of his sister, and in the warmth of their home, on a frigidly cold day, a bond and a memory are forged.
CAST
Dylinn Andrew (u/s: Miss Shields) is ecstatic to be making her Syracuse Stage debut, although she’s no stranger: She also serves as the company’s wardrobe and wig supervisor, resident wig designer, and as an adjunct professor with the Syracuse University Department of Drama. She began her theatrical journey as a child in the opera and studied under the late Neva Pilgrim. Most notable credits include Shrek the Musical (Princess Fiona) (TANYS Excellence Award) at Lafayette Theatre and Daddy Long Legs (Jerusha) at Center for the Arts of Homer. Dylinn also dedicates her focus to her nonprofit organization, The Creators’ Cove & Collective, which fosters greater community connection and creativity in Syracuse.
Tanner Efinger (u/s: Ralph, The Old Man) is thrilled to be back at Syracuse Stage after last appearing in Dial M For Murder (understudy), Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, and directing the 2024 Salt City Drag Battle. A Syracuse transplant, Tanner is the Producing Artistic Director of Breadcrumbs Productions creating new theatrical work such as The Picture of Oscar Wilde which featured in Stage’s 2019 Cold Read Festival directed by Bob Hupp. Other select acting credits: The Game of Life (Breadcrumbs), Rough Crossing (Cortland Rep), Hamlet (Boston Theatre Company), The Marriage of Figaro (Boston Lyric Opera), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oxford University Press).
Henry Elmer (Randy) is a second-grader at Cherry Road Elementary School who enjoys video games, playing sports, and roughhousing with his big brother, Max. Henry made his live theater debut in Syracuse Children’s Theatre’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Jr. and performed as Young Paul in the Upstate premiere of A New Song and Dance. He most recently performed as John in Redhouse’s production of Fun Home. Henry is thrilled to perform for the first time at Syracuse Stage, alongside his brother.
Max Elmer ( Flick, u/s: Ralphie ) is a sixth-grader at Onondaga Hill Middle School who enjoys reading, drawing, and playing sports. He is thrilled to be back at Syracuse Stage where he last played Ebenezer the Child and Edward Cratchit in A Christmas Carol . Max’s acting experience includes playing Ziggy in seasons two and three of the Emmy-nominated TV show Reading Buddies; Nemo in Syracuse Children’s Theatre's Finding Nemo, Jr.; and Shrek in Redhouse’s summer performance of Shrek the Musical, Jr. Max is also involved in his school’s drama programs. Most recently, Max performed as Christian, one of his favorite roles to date, in Redhouse’s 2025 spring performance of Fun Home. Max is very excited to be sharing the stage with his little brother, Henry, in A Christmas Story
CAST
Henry Fink (u/s: Farkus) is thrilled to be performing in his first professional production. He is a student at Syracuse Latin and plays trumpet in the Pride of Syracuse City School District Marching Band.
David Downey Ford (Farkus) is making his Syracuse Stage debut. Recent shows include Beauty and the Beast with Cortland Repertory Theatre and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Giver, and Lord of the Flies at Homer Center for the Arts. David is in seventh grade at Cortland Jr/Sr High, where he plays clarinet, sings in chorus, and recently completed a season of soccer. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Dan, Clarksons, Ingrid, Jack, Ms. Cindy, Mrs. Finamore, and all the other adults who have helped him along the way.
Kate Hamill (Mother) is delighted to return for her 6th production at Syracuse Stage; previously, she appeared in Noises Off, Pride & Prejudice, Talley’s Folly, The Play That Goes Wrong, and Sense & Sensibility. Kate has been one of the most-produced playwrights in America every year since 2017, and is 24/25 season’s top-produced playwright. Wall Street Journal Playwright of the Year, 2017; Einhorn Award, 2023. Work includes Pride & Prejudice - Primary Stages / HVSF (originated role of Lizzy; nominee, Off-Broadway Alliance Award), Sense & Sensibility at Bedlam (originated Marianne; winner, Off-Broadway Alliance Award; nominee, Drama League Award); Vanity Fair at the Pearl (originated Becky; nominee, Off-Broadway Alliance Award); The Light & The Dark (the life & times of Artemisia Gentileschi) at CTC / Primary Stages (originated Artemisia; nominee, Off-Broadway Alliance Award); The Odyssey at A.R.T. (originated Circe; 2X Elliot Norton nominee); Mansfield Park at Northlight; Little Women at Primary Stages; The Jungle, Dracula at Classic Stage; Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson at KCRep; The Little Fellow (or: the Queen of Tarts Tells All) at Cygnet; Emma at the Guthrie; BadAssGalBoss at Primary Stages; The Scarlet Letter at Two River. www.kate-hamill.com
Jojo Harper-McNeal (Schwartz) is thrilled to be part of this production! He made his stage debut as Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story, The Musical at The Redhouse Theater. Since then, he has appeared as a child soloist in Evita and played Les in Newsies at The Rev Theatre, Young Lola in Kinky Boots with the Baldwinsville Theatre Guild, Boy
CAST
Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at Syracuse Stage, and Kurt Von Trapp in The Sound of Music at The Redhouse Theater. In his spare time, Jojo loves seeing as many musicals as possible. One of his dream roles is King George in Hamilton.
Will Himowitz ( u/s: Flick ) is a 5th grader at Eagle Hill Middle School. He is honored to be making his Syracuse Stage debut in A Christmas Story. Will has appeared as Mr. Scary in Junie B. Jones, Jr., and most recently as Banzai in his school’s production of The Lion King, Jr. When he is not on stage, Will enjoys playing lacrosse, cello, and playing with his siblings. He would like to thank his family, friends, and teachers for their constant encouragement and support.
Owen Kertesz (u/s: Schwartz) is thrilled to make his Syracuse Stage debut with A Christmas Story ! He discovered theater through The Syracuse Children’s Theatre, and some of his favorite shows and roles include 101 Dalmatians, Kids (Roger), How I Became a Pirate (Jeremy Jacob), Annie, Kids (Oliver Warbucks), Madagascar, Jr. (Alex), and The Jungle Book, Kids (Bagheera). He also enjoys playing soccer and golf and is a member of the Select Choir at school. Owen is grateful for this opportunity to be part of this Syracuse Stage Production!
Lilli Komurek (u/s: Mother) is delighted to spend the holidays at Stage, where she has performed in Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Our Town, Tender Rain, and readings of Harvey, Medea, and The Picture of Oscar Wilde. Additional credits include: Bonnie and Clyde, May We All, Bandstand, Into the Woods, State Fair, Hunchback, Footloose, and Grand Hotel (The REV); Sister Act, Big Fish, The Secret Garden, Almost, Maine, Into the Woods, Make Me a Song, Birds of Paradise, and A Member of the Wedding (Redhouse Arts Center); and The Odd Couple, Footloose, and Honky Tonk Angels (Cortland Repertory Theatre). Endless love to her family.
Kyla Kopko (Helen) is a fifth-grader at Wellwood Middle School and is thrilled to be making her Syracuse Stage debut! Previous roles include: Molly in Annie and Arista in The Little Mermaid at Syracuse Children’s Theatre, and Young Anna in Frozen with the Village of Fayetteville. Kyla is a proud member of Tawn Marie’s Dance Centre’s Firecracker competition team and the United States Tournament of Dance national dance team. In her spare time, she enjoys playing clarinet, writing, and ghost hunting. A big thank you to her family, friends, “dance fam,” and teachers for their love and support!
CAST
Joella Kwilos (u/s: Esther Jane) is excited to make her Syracuse Stage debut. She has performed in numerous productions with Syracuse Children’s Theater, including Descendants, Finding Nemo, Cinderella, and Frozen Jr. Notable roles include Gabriella in High School Musical 2 Jr. and Matilda in Matilda the Musical Jr. Joella is 11 years old and a 6th grade student at Central Square Middle School. Outside of theater, she enjoys gymnastics, singing, and reading. Joella thanks her family, friends, and teachers for their encouragement and support as she pursues her love of performing.
Gavin Lambert (Ralphie) is delighted to make his Syracuse Stage debut. He has appeared in more than 50 productions with local companies including Redhouse Arts, Syracuse Children’s Theatre, GNAC, BTG, and Chelsea Opera. Gavin is grateful to be part of such a vibrant theatre community. He extends sincere thanks to Bob Hupp and the A Christmas Story team for making this Christmas wish come true, as well as to the ESM PG staff, his mentor Brendan M., “theater mom” Ceara W., his friends, and his family for their continued support.
Krystel Lucas (Miss Shields, Fight Captain) Credits include Dial M for Murder (Syracuse Stage, Westport Country Playhouse); Sherlock Holmes, Good People (Alley Theatre); Galboss Power Hour (Primary Stages); Hamlet (Shakespeare Theatre DC); Pride and Prejudice, Good People (Dorset Theatre Festival); Our Town (Triad Stage); Twelfth Night, The Christians (Denver Center); Disgraced (Cincinnati Playhouse); The Book of Will, Twelfth Night (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival); In the Next Room (Syracuse Stage, St. Louis Rep); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice (Old Globe Theatre); Death and the King’s Horseman, Macbeth (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). TV/Film: Jessica Jones (Netflix); The Blacklist (NBC); Eidolon (feature). M.F.A.: NYU Grad Acting Program
Jason O’Connell (Ralph) is thrilled to be back in Syracuse, collaborating with director Bob Hupp for the sixth time, following Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, The Play That Goes Wrong, Eureka Day, Talley’s Folly, and Amadeus. (Jason also directed Stage’s productions of Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice, both adapted by his wife, Kate Hamill.) Off-Broadway credits include: Prosperous Fools and the upcoming Coriolanus (Theatre for a New Audience), Judgment Day (Park Avenue Armory), Happy Birthday, Wanda June (Wheelhouse Theater), Pride & Prejudice and The Light & the Dark (Primary Stages), Sense & Sensibility
CAST
(Bedlam) and multiple productions of Jason’s solo show The Dork Knight (Joe’s Pub, Primary Stages, Abingdon Theatre Company, etc). Recent Regional: Murder on the Links (Two River Theater), The Odyssey (ART), Twelfth Night (The Old Globe), The Mousetrap (Hartford Stage), God of Carnage (Cape Playhouse), Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B (Kansas City Rep), and the title role in Jason’s own adaptation of Cyrano (co-written with Brenda Withers) at Two River Theater and Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Cyrano will next be produced by The Old Globe in Summer 2026. TV credits include Search Party, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent Instagram: @jasono15
Kenley Sample (Esther Jane) is very excited to join the Syracuse Stage team. She credits seeing their production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid as the moment she knew she wanted to become an actor. Her credits include roles in Syracuse Children’s Theatre productions of Beauty and the Beast, Jungle Book, Cinderella, Aladdin, and The Lion King Kenley would like to thank her family for all of their love and support. She’s very grateful for this opportunity and hopes you enjoy the show!
Anthony Schmidt (u/s: Randy) is excited to be part of another production with Syracuse Stage! He has previously performed in A Christmas Carol at Syracuse Stage and in multiple Syracuse Children’s Theatre productions, where he has been performing since he was 4 years old. When he’s not on stage, he enjoys dancing and studies jazz, ballet, and tap. Anthony loves performing and is grateful for the opportunity to share his passion for theatre and dance with the audience. He would like to thank his mom, dad, grandparents, Kelly, Babs, and especially his dog. Thank you all for motivating him to keep going
John Tufts (The Old Man) Syracuse Stage: The Play that Goes Wrong, A Christmas Carol, Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express; Off-Broadway: City Center: Ava: The Secret Conversations with Elizabeth McGovern; Primary Stages: Kate Hamill’s Pride & Prejudice (Lucille Lortel Nomination); Ensemble Studio Theater: Virtual Meditation; The Mint: Fashions for Men (Lucille Lortel Nomination). In 15 Seasons with The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, roles include Benedick, Henry V, Romeo, Puck, and many more. Regional credits: The Guthrie, Goodman, Arena Stage, Old Globe, Seattle Rep, McCarter Theater, Pioneer Theater, Chicago Shakespeare, and more. TV: Bad Teacher, Fashions for Men. Awards: Arthur Kennedy Award, Indy Award. @johnnymtufts / www.john-tufts.com
CAST
Arden Williams (u/s: Helen) Regional: Clara in The Nutcracker (Syracuse City Ballet); Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (Redhouse Theater Camp); Shrek (Redhouse Theater Camp); Seussical (Redhouse Theater Camp). She would like to thank her ballet teacher, her Mom & Dad, along with Mema and her brothers for all their support.
ARTISTIC TEAM
Kimberly Powers (Scenic Designer) is excited to return to Syracuse after designing the holiday show for Stage for the last three years. Her work has been seen at venues across the country including Riverside Theatre, Santa Fe Playhouse, Dallas Theater Center, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Opera Theatre St. Louis, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Florida Repertory Theatre, TheatreSquared, Virginia Stage Company, and Northern Stage. During her career, she has been a design assistant, scenic artist and muralist, props master, event designer and coordinator, graphic designer, and exhibit designer. She is a part of the team that was awarded the 2022 Robert L.B. Tobin DirectorDesigner Prize from OPERA. Member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829. Kvpowersdesign.com; @kvpowersdesign
Suzanne Chesney (Costume Designer) Recent productions include The Christine Jorgensen Show (Cleveland Play House), Have You Met Jane Goodall and Her Mother? (Ensemble Studio Theatre, NY), The Bookstore (New Jersey Repertory Company). Regional Theatre: The Play that Goes Wrong, The Wolves, Talley’s Folly, Next to Normal, To Kill A Mockingbird, Blithe Spirit, Turn of the Screw (Syracuse Stage); In Every Generation (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Steel Magnolias, Clybourne Park, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Humans, The Glass Menagerie, Between Riverside and Crazy (Pittsburgh Public Theatre); Third, Degage, Chicago, and A Christmas Carol (The Hangar Theatre); Upcoming Productions: The Bookstore (59 E59th), The Roommate (Arizona Theatre Company), Freak the Mighty (Cleveland Play House and Seattle Rep).
Dawn Chiang (Lighting Designer) has designed the lighting for numerous Syracuse Stage productions, including The Hello Girls, Sense and Sensibility, Dial M for Murder, Amadeus and Murder on the Orient Express. She has designed the lighting at numerous regional theaters including Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Guthrie Theater, Arena Theatre, and the Mark Taper Forum. On Broadway, Dawn designed the lighting for Zoot Suit, and was co-designer for Tango Pasion. Off-Broadway, she has designed for Roundabout Theater, and Manhattan Theatre Club. Dawn was resident lighting designer for New York City Opera, where her designs included A Little Night Music and Fanciulla del West
ARTISTIC TEAM
Jacqueline R. Herter (Sound Designer) has served as resident sound designer at Syracuse Stage and Syracuse University Department of Drama since 1997. She shifted and combined theatrical design with video/film design for the 20/21 season. Herter has designed for Indiana Repertory Theatre, Studio Arena, the Wilma, Geva, Round House, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Virginia Stage, and the Hangar Theater as well as other theatres across the nation. Some favorite designs have been: Annapurna, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Next to Normal, Mary Poppins, Nine, Hairspray, The Overwhelming, Caroline, or Change, The Miracle Worker, The Wolves, The Day Room, The Christians, Radio Golf, Parade, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Red Noses, The Real Thing, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, M. Butterfly, A Raisin in the Sun, A Lesson Before Dying, Copenhagen, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Inherit the Wind, and Big River.
Hannah “Rock” Roccisano (she/they) (Fight Choreographer) is thrilled to return to Syracuse Stage having previously served as the Fight and Intimacy Choreographer for Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Her fight work has been seen off-Broadway including Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Wolf Play, A Bright New Boise, and Montag. Rock has additionally choreographed regionally and at multiple universities such as Columbia University, Syracuse University, and the Hartt School. She is a Certified Teacher with the SAFD and holds two masters degrees, an M.F.A. and Master of Letters in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University. Hannah is the founder of “Expand, Educate, Empower,” an initiative bringing free stage combat training to students in underserved communities across the U.S.
Kristine Schlachter (Stage Manager) is excited to return to Syracuse Stage having previously served as Production Stage Manager for Dial M for Murder and Primary Trust. Recent: Off-Broadway: Avenue Q, Emperors Nightingale (Nom. Off-Broadway Alliance Award), The Brothers Paranormal (World Premiere), Memorial (NYTimes Critics Pick), Warrior Sisters of Wu (Nom. Drama Desk Award). Regional: Rock of Ages, The Prom, Jersey Boys, The Wizard of Oz, Holiday Inn, The Glass Menagerie, Long Days Journey Into Night, Singing In The Rain, Big River, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, The Magic Flute, The 39 Steps. N.Y.C.: As You Like It, The Marriage of Figaro, Raisin in the Sun, The Great Society, FAME!, Cyrano De Bergerac, Tartuffe, Allegro, The Secret Garden. B.F.A. Syracuse University. Special thanks to my family for all your support.
Lauren Nicole Jackson (Assistant Stage Manager) is a New York-based AEA Stage Manager and is excited to be back at Syracuse Stage! Production Stage Manager credits include: Franklinland and Smart (Ensemble Studio Theatre), Southern Harmony: A Murder Ballad and Summer of 1976 (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater), Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare on the Sound), Peace and Love in Brooklyn (Origin Theater). Assistant Stage Manager: Sense & Sensibility (Syracuse Stage), The Irrepressible Magic of the Tropics (INTAR Theater), Only Gold (MCC Theater).
B.F.A. in Stage Management from Syracuse University. laurennicolejackson.com
PLAYWRIGHT
Phillip Grecian makes his full-time living as a playwright. His authorized stage adaptation of the film A Christmas Story has approximately 100 professional and amateur productions annually. His staged radio adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life has been broadcast on both radio and television and continues to be produced on stages throughout the United States and Canada. Other works, most of which are published by Dramatic Publishing, include The Great Gatsby, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Dragon of Nitt and The Lion and the Lyre (both translated and performed in Russia), In His Steps, Little Pills, Toby Saves the Farm and a translation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Grecian has also worked as a writer/director for film, video and audio production, earning more than 150 local, regional and national awards, and his televised live radio adaptation of Dracula won an Emmy in 2010. Additionally, he has written many staged and televised radio scripts, including Twisted Tales of Poe, Trilogy of Terror, A Christmas Carol, The Hound of the Baskervilles (Emmy nomination), The Blood Countess, Frankenstein (Emmy nomination), Call of the Mummy (Emmy nomination), Ghosts of the Elysian Arms (Emmy nomination) and Midnight Tales in Shadow Wood (Emmy nomination). His work has been produced at the Cleveland Play House, Arts Club Theatre Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Orlando Repertory Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Portland Center Stage, Creede Repertory Theatre and Syracuse Stage, among others.
AUTHOR
Jean Shepherd was a writer, humorist, satirist, actor, radio raconteur, and television and film personality. A master storyteller, he took bits and pieces from his youth in Hammond, Indiana, his adventures in the Army Signal Corps and stories of the obscure and infamous were all fertile sources for his tales. For almost three decades, he told these stories to eager radio audiences, in Cincinnati from 1950 to 1954 and on WOR in New York from 1956 to 1977. His other radio enterprise was live broadcasts on Saturday night from The Limelight, a nightclub in Greenwich Village. Shepherd began his entertainment career in Chicago as a performer at the Goodman Theatre. He did nightclub acts on Rush Street, appeared on Broadway in Leonard Sillman’s revue, New Faces (1962) and in Voice of the Turtle, and played a dance instructor in the film The Light Fantastic (1963). He was also a sportscaster and did baseball broadcasts for the Toledo Mudhens and Armed Forces Radio. In the seventies, he took his talents to television in a series of humorous narratives for PBS called Jean Shepherd’s America, later continued on the PBS New Jersey Network as Shepherd’s Pie. Here he was able to show us the more offbeat aspects of America, particularly his own home state, which he loved to ridicule. This led to a series of teleplays for PBS/WGBH’s American Playhouse: The Phantom of the Open Hearth, The Great American Fourth of
AUTHOR
July and Other Disasters, Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven of Bliss, and The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski. His most popular and well-known work is the film A Christmas Story (1983) which he co-wrote and narrated. In 1994 he did a sequel, My Summer Story (aka It Runs in the Family). Shepherd wrote articles for several magazines, including Playboy and Omni, and was an early contributor to The Village Voice, most notably in his “Night People” column. His books include The America of George Ade; In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash; Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters; The Ferrari in the Bedroom; and A Fistful of Fig Newtons. Shepherd passed away on October 16, 1999, at the age of 78.
DIRECTOR/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Robert Hupp is in his tenth season as artistic director of Syracuse Stage. He recently directed Dial M for Murder, Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Our Town, The Play That Goes Wrong, Eureka Day, Annapurna, Talley’s Folly, Amadeus, Noises Off, Next to Normal, and The Three Musketeers for Stage. Prior to coming to Central New York, Robert spent seventeen seasons as the producing artistic director of Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock. He directed over 30 productions for Arkansas Rep ranging from Hamlet to Les Miserables to The Grapes of Wrath. In New York City, Robert directed the American premieres of Glyn Maxwell’s The Lifeblood and Wolfpit for the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble. He also served for nine seasons as the artistic director of the Obie Award-winning Jean Cocteau Repertory. At the Cocteau, Robert’s directing credits include works by Buchner, Wilder, Cocteau, Shaw, Wedekind and the premieres of the Bentley/Milhaud version of Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children, Seamus Heaney’s The Cure at Troy, and Eduardo de Filippo’s Napoli Millionaria. He has held faculty positions at Pennsylvania’s Dickinson College and, in Arkansas, at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Hendrix College. Robert served as vice president of the Board of Directors of the Theatre Communications Group and has served on funding panels for the New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, the Theatre Communications Group, the New Jersey State Council of the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. While in Arkansas, Robert was named both Non-Profit Executive of the Year by the Arkansas Business Publishing Group, and Individual Artist of the Year by the Arkansas Arts Council. He and his wife Clea ride herd over a blended family of five children, their spouses, one granddaughter, one dog and two cats.
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Carly DiFulvio Allen is thrilled to have joined the team at Syracuse Stage. Originally from Rochester, N.Y., she is returning to the region after a twenty-year career on Broadway. Most recently at Disney Theatrical Group, she was the Associate General Manager for the worldwide productions of Aladdin (Broadway, First and Second North American Tours, West End, U.K. Tour, Australia, Germany, Japan, Mexico City, the Netherlands, and South Korea) and Beauty and the Beast (North American Tour, U.K. Tour, Australia, Japan, and China at the Shanghai Disney Resort). Prior to her time at Disney, she was the Company Manager for Roundabout Theatre Company at the Todd Haimes Theatre (formerly the American Airlines Theatre) for twenty-five Broadway productions. Favorites include Violet with Sutton Foster, On the Twentieth Century with Kristin Chenoweth and Peter Gallagher, Noises Off with Andrea Martin, and the original Broadway production of The 39 Steps. She has a Theatre Arts Management and Integrated Marketing Communications degree from Ithaca College and has taught theatre management at Pace University. While at Disney, she served on the advisory committee for ENSEMBLE, an employee-led network with the goal of fostering and celebrating an inclusive culture, and was the founding member and cochair for a parents and caregivers sub-committee. She is forever grateful for the support of her parents, Jeff and Triscilla, and her husband Mike Allen. Carly’s most important role is mom to 6-year-old Arthur and 2.5-year-old Eloise.
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Melissa Crespo (she/her/hers) is a multi-hyphenate theatermaker who has made a career of developing new plays and musicals at theaters such as: Playwright’s Realm, Cape Cod Theatre Project, The O’Neill Theater Center, New Dramatists, and more. Past world premiere credits include: O.K.! by Christin Eve Cato (INTAR), Reggie Hoops by Kristoffer Diaz (Profile Theater), and Bees and Honey by Guadalís del Carmen (MCC Theater). This season, she will direct two world premieres: Relentless by Rae Binstock (Syracuse Stage) and The Woman Question by Suli Holum (People’s Light). As a playwright, her play Egress cowritten with Sarah Saltwick, had a world premiere at Amphibian Stage and won the Roe Green Award for Outstanding Achievement in Playwriting at Cleveland Playhouse. Melissa has served on faculty at The New School for Drama and Syracuse University. Last year, she was selected to participate in the first National Theatre Convening by the President’s Council of the Arts and Humanities, NEA, and IMLS. Past fellowships and residencies include: Time Warner Fellow (WP Theatre), The Director’s Project (Drama League),
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Van Lier Directing Fellow (Second Stage Theatre), and the Allen Lee Hughes Directing Fellow (Arena Stage). Melissa received her M.F.A. in directing from The New School for Drama. https://www.melissacrespo.com/
RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT
Kyle Bass, Resident Playwright and curator of Poetry & Play and Wednesday@1, is the author of The Floydians, which premiered Off-Broadway earlier this year, Toliver & Wakeman, which premiered at Franklin Stage Company, Tender Rain, which premiered at Syracuse Stage, Salt City Blues, which received its first production at Syracuse Stage, and Possessing Harriet, published and licensed by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, which premiered at Syracuse Stage, and has been produced at Franklin Stage Company, East Lynne Theater Company, and HartBeat Ensemble. Citizen James, or The Young Man Without a Country, about a young James Baldwin, streamed nationally and has been optioned for a feature-length film. Under commission from the Washington National Opera, Kyle is the librettist for a new version of Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha, which will premiere at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in March 2026, and he is the screenwriter and executive producer of the forthcoming live action short film Northeast. With Ping Chong, Kyle is the co-author of Cry for Peace: Voices from the Congo, which premiered at Syracuse Stage and was produced at La MaMa Experimental Theatre. A descendant of African people enslaved in colonial New England and in the American South, Kyle lives and writes in central upstate New York where his family has lived free and owned land for 226 years. Kyle is Associate Professor of Theater at Colgate University. www.kylebassplaywright.com
WHO WE ARE
Syracuse Stage is the non-profit professional theatre company in residence at Syracuse University. We are nationally recognized for creating stimulating theatrical work that engages Central New York, and for our significant contribution to the artistic life of Syracuse University, where we are a vital partner in achieving the educational mission of the University’s Department of Drama.
OUR MISSION
Syracuse Stage tells stories that engage, entertain, and inspire us to see life beyond our own experience.
OUR VISION
Reimagining what's possible for regional theatre-through active inclusion, innovative outreach, and bold productions-Syracuse Stage shapes the culture and social vitality of Central New York, enriches the Syracuse University student experience, and fosters change in ourselves, our communities, and our world.
OUR CORE VALUES
People - Actively including diverse individuals, communities, ideas, and perspectives. Passion - Commitment to integrity, excellence, and enthusiasm in our work. Curiosity - Fostering an innovative and adaptive environment that elicits wonder.
ANTI-RACISM PLEDGE
Syracuse Stage stands firmly against racism and discrimination. We pledge to stand with under-represented and oppressed communities and to advance antiracism in all aspects of our work, including the outward facing, public dimension of our creative endeavors and the less visible internal practices of the organization.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Syracuse Stage respectfully acknowledges the Onondaga Nation, Firekeepers of the Haudenosaunee, the Indigenous people on whose ancestral lands we now stand.
ABOUT SYRACUSE STAGE
Originally constructed as the Regent Movie House in 1914, the physical space of Syracuse Stage has seen many films, musicians, actors, and artists pass through its doors over the course of the past century. The Syracuse Stage that exists today is a non-for-profit professional theatre company founded in 1974, and a longstanding League of Resident Theatres (LORT) member. Since its inception, Stage has produced over 350 shows, both plays and musicals, within its walls. Now, Stage produces six to seven shows per season, while also offering educational programs to students, various pre- and post-show offerings, and fundraising events each year. Stage is Central New York’s only LORT theatre and one of the largest performing arts organizations in the area. Stage has a strong commitment to giving the community access to a range of high-quality productions; it is equally committed to bringing in actors, designers, and directors who are among the leading theatre professionals, both locally and across the nation.
Join the ensemble with an Annual Fund donation to help us make a difference through live theatre.
Your gift supports educational, artistic, accessibility, and community engagement programming which provides the city of Syracuse and the Central New York Region a platform to connect and build community.
Chessa Metz (front) with cast members in the Syracuse Stage production of The Hello Girls. Music and lyrics by Peter Mills. Book by Peter Mills and Cara Reichel. Co-produced with Michael Cassel Group, Broadway & Beyond Theatricals, and Chief Operator. Directed by Cara Reichel. Music supervision by Ben Moss. Musical staging by Christine O’Grady. Scenic design by Milagros Ponce de León. Costume design by Jen Caprio. Lighting design by Dawn Chiang. Sound design by Jessica Paz. Video design by Caite Hevner. Orchestrations by Peter Mills and Ben Moss. Music direction by Alexandra Crosby. Photo by Joan Marcus.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Stage has collaborated with a myriad of institutions in the Syracuse area. Community partners include 100 Black Men of Syracuse, YWCA, AccessCNY, ACR Health, ARC of Onondaga, ARISE, BOCES, CNY Reads, ED21, FOCL, Hiscock Legal Aid, Northside Learning Center, Center for Community Alternatives, Food Bank of Central New York, InterFaith Works, La Casita Cultural Center, Community Folk Art Center, Black Citizen's Brigade, Syracuse International Film Festival, Clear Path for Veterans, Honor Flight, National Veterans Resource Center, Onondaga Historical Association, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Rematriation, The Skä•noñh Great Law of Peace Center, Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation, Syracuse Peace Council, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Make-a-Wish Foundation, The Kara Fund, and Golisano Children's Hospital. Additionally, the educational department collaborates with many CNY schools.
CHAIR
SYRACUSE STAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Richard Driscoll
Senior Vice President Commercial Banking Division NBT Bank
PRESIDENT Brett Padgett*
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Syracuse University
VICE CHAIR
Colleen A. Gaetano
Retired- Vice President Global Education & Artistry Estée Lauder Companies, NYC
TREASURER
Denise Dyce*
Associate Vice President of Labor and Employee Relations Syracuse University
SECRETARY
Maria Lesinski
Attorney Newman and Lickstein
AT-LARGE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
Cydney Johnson
Deputy County Executive for Physical Services Onondaga County
Carly DiFulvio Allen** Managing Director Syracuse Stage
Janet Audunson Assistant General Counsel National Grid
George S. Bain Freelance Editor and Writer
Barbara Beckos Retired - Syracuse Stage
Nancy Byrne Community Volunteer
Jessica Cain Reporter WRVO
Dr. Ruth Chen* Professor of Practice Syracuse University College of Engineering and Computer Science
Robin Curtis
NYS Lic. RE Asso. Broker Hunt Real Estate ERA
Elisa Dekaney*
Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives Academic Affairs Syracuse University
Helene Gold Private Voice & Piano Instructor
Jacki Goldberg Community Volunteer
Nancy Green
Managing Member
Edward S. Green & Associates
Larry Harris Retired - EVP and CFO Saab, Inc.
Eleanor J. Holdridge** Chair
Syracuse University Department of Drama
Robert Hupp** Artistic Director Syracuse Stage
Eric Jackson Co-Founder and CEO Black Cub Productions
Kathy Kelly Retired - Health Educator, PNP
Larry Leatherman Retired - Bristol-Myers Squibb, MOST
Dan Lent Commercial Loan Officer AmeriCU Credit Union
Rob Lentz Retired - EVP of Enterprise Operations Zeta Global
Rocco Mangano Partner Mangano Law Office, PLLC
Anthony Malavenda Retired - Duke’s Root Control
Julia Martin Partner Bousquet Holstein
Suzanne McAuliffe Retired - Educator
Juli McCann New York Chief Compliance Officer National Grid
Rod McDonald Bond, Schoeneck & King
Molly Mulvihill
Sr. Relationship Manager Global Commercial Banking Bank of America
Claire Myers Group Billing Coordinator Brown & Brown Insurance Services
Fran Nichols Retired - Mower, Inc.
YiWei Qi Co-Founder and CEO AccuGPS LLC
Kira Reed*
Associate Professor
Syracuse University Whitman School of Management
Dr. Henry Roane
Executive Director and Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry Upstate Golisano Center for Special Needs
Jeff Rubin*
Senior VP for Digital Transformation & Chief Digital Officer Syracuse University
Molly Ryan Partner, Goldberg Segalla LLP
Cora Thomas Radio Host and Office Manager, WAER
Michael S. Tick*
Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts Syracuse University
Dr. Amy Tucker
Chief Medical Officer SUNY Upstate Medical University
Ahmeed Turner Vice President of Scholarships & Student Success; Executive Director of Say Yes Syracuse Central New York Community Foundation
Andrea Waldman Operations and Development Coordinator
Make A Wish Foundation of Central New York
Maryam Wasmund
Chief Financial Officer Filtertech Inc.
*University Trustee **Ex-Officio
SYRACUSE STAGE EMERITUS TRUSTEES
We are grateful to the following individuals who have served as Members of the Stage Board of Trustees and continue to provide significant support to Syracuse Stage.
Jim Breuer
Sandra Brown
Mary Beth Carmen Bea González
Alexys Blansett Liverpool High School
Lydia Brechler Nottingham High School
Siri Brubaker Nottingham High School
Silas Crawford Nottingham High School
Joclyn Dallas Cicero-North Syracuse High School
Raymond Feldstein Jamesville-DeWitt High School
Kate Fennessy Auburn High School
Jackson Finn Christian Brothers Academy
Claire Foran East Syracuse Minoa Central High School
Joan Green
Elizabeth Hartnett
John Huhtala
Margaret Martin
Kevin McAuliffe
Eric Mower
Judy Mower
Michael Shende
YOUNG ADULT COUNCIL
Anqi Geng
Fayetteville-Manlius High School
Brooklynn Gilbert North Syracuse Junior High School
Will Hougland
Jamesville-DeWitt High School
Zinira Izmir Manlius Pebble Hill School
William Kallahan Shafer Manlius Pebble Hill School
Beatrix Karn Cazenovia High School
Molly Linzer Manlius Pebble Hill School
Cecilia Lombardi Christian Brothers Academy
Zoie Markowski Solvay High School
Octavia Miller
Fayetteville-Manlius High School
Mimi Myers Baldwinsville Central School District
Jacelyn Peña Corcoran High School
Spencer Perrigo Christian Brothers Academy
Caspian Pierce Nottingham High School
Briar Raymond North Syracuse Junior High School
Taeyang Reid Manlius Pebble Hill School
Destynee Rogala STEAM High School
Richard Shirtz
Sharon Sullivan
Jack Webb
Michael Zoanetti
Quinn Rost
Charles W. Baker High School
Morgan S. Johnson
Jamesville-DeWitt High School
Hikaru Simmons
Tully Junior-Senior High School
Anne Sowaya Fanfan Henninger High School
Maria Timmons
Charles W. Baker High School
Leo True-Frost
Jamesville-DeWitt High School
Thomas Warne Nottingham High School
Rebecca Wheeler Homeschooled
Mika Zolberg-Steiger Homeschooled
SYRACUSE STAGE ANNUAL FUND GIFTS
Syracuse Stage depends on the generosity of contributions from individuals, corporations, businesses, foundations, and government agencies. It is with much gratitude that we recognize the following donors to our annual campaign. For information regarding levels of contribution and benefits of each please contact the Development office at 315-443-3931 or visit syracusestage.org.
CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT SPONSORS
Richard Mather Fund
CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNMENT SPONSORS
Contributions listed above are current as of November 7, 2025, and reflect operating support of $5,000+ and in-kind donations of $10,000+.
The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation is proud to be a sponsor of the arts in Central New York. We recognize the deep importance live theatre plays in shaping the cultural and social vitality of our community. In these challenging times, theatre brings us together to be inspired and celebrate the richness of the human experience. We are delighted to continue to support Syracuse Stage and this very special production of A Christmas Story.
A Christmas Story is made possible with funds from the General Operating Support program a regrant program of the County of Onondaga with the support of County Executive, J. Ryan McMahon II, and the Onondaga County Legislature, administered by CNY Arts.
50 TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN GIFTS
Syracuse Stage's 50th Anniversary Season is presented by Slutzker Family Foundation
Sarah Alden
Jackie Anderson
Robert & Jeanne Anderson
Frank Badagnani
George S. Bain
Rosemary Baker & Stuart Spiegel
Bank of America
Keith Batman & Barbara Post
Helen Beale
Barbara Beckos & Arthur McDonald
Jean Beers
Carrie Berse & Chris Skeval
Michael & Jennifer Blowers
Leslee Boissy
Thomas & Carol Boll
Jon & Patricia Booth
Patricia Borer
Dennis & Mary Anne Brady
Mary Brady
Marion Brillati
Angel Broadnax
Marlene Brown
Pamela Brown-Benjamin
Paul Brown & Susan Loevenguth
Gary & Kathleen Bruno
Lia & Dean Burrows
Kathleen Burt
Patricia Bush
Nancy & William Byrne
Mark & Lori Campitello
Rich & Mary Cappelli
Cazenovia Jewelry
Charity Cars Inc.
Dr. Ruth Chen & Chancellor Kent Syverud
Anthony & Carolyn Cimino
Patricia & Sandy Colabufo
Nicholas & Louanne Colaneri
Elaine Coppola
Raymond W. Cummings, Jr.
Kevin & Kristin Curtis
Therese & Walter Dancks
Anthony & Deborah D'Angelo
Bill & Terry Delavan
Roger & Naomi DeMuth
Robert Desimone
Mary DiSanto
James & Leona Dowd
Dick & Therese Driscoll
Ron Ehrenreich & Sondra
Roth
Richard Ellison & Margaret Ksander
Linda Fabian & Dennis
Goodrich
Carole Farfaglia
Carol Fedrizzi
Alan Fischler & Karen
McDonold
David & Karen Fitch
Robert & Terry Flower
Peter Frantzis
Nancy Freeborough
Colleen Gaetano
George & Halina Gagne
Jim & Carol Galvin
Barbara Genton
Neil & Helene Gold
Jacki & Michael Goldberg
Douglas Goldschmidt &
David Jacobs
William Goodwin
Nancy Green & Tony Marschall
Muffy & H. Baird Hansen
Tom & Cynthia Helmer
Kenneth Hendel
Steven Herwood
Michele Hickman
Judy Huckle
Robert & Clea Hupp
Norma Huxter
Linda Imboden
Emily Johnson & Vijay Ramachandran
Deborah Joiner
Laura & Ed Jordan
Gwenn & John Judge
Brian Kane & Phyllis Perrotti
Michael & Audrey Kane
James & Jan Kaplan
Dana Keefer
Kathy Kelly & Len Weiner
John & Gloria Kennedy
Stewart Koenig & Judy Schmid
Dean Kolts
Jill Ladd
Lorraine LaDuke
Andrea Latchem
Skip Lentz & Anne Russ
Stephen Lessie
Linda Loomis
Tony Malavenda & Martine
Burat
Rocco & Roberta Mangano
As of November 7, 2025
Wade Manning
Nicholas Martin
Kevin & Suzanne McAuliffe
Donyce & Kenneth McCluskey
Rod & Jana McDonald
Andreas & Margaret Meier
Carl Mellor
Michael & Claudia Miceli
Gail Mitchell
Molly Carole Fitzpatrick
Bruce Moseley & Leigh Yardley
Molly & Kevin Mulvihill
Janet Munro
Claire Myers
Richard & Barbara Natoli
NBT Bancorp Inc
Marty & Millie Newshan
Becky Nicandri
Sally Lou & Fran Nichols
Leslie Noble & Bill Morris
Sally O'Herin
Marjorie Ostrander
Brett & Jeannie Padgett
Cindy Spiezio Paikin
Ricky & Whitney Pak
David & Susan Palen
Cathy Palm
Nolan & Phyllis Palsma
Peter & Constance Palumb
Robert & Teresa Parke
Susan Perriello
Debra Petzold
Jane Pickett
Duane & Karleen Preske
Nancy Radoff
David Rankert
Jean Reilly
The Dorothy and Marshall
M. Reisman Foundation
Ross & Melanie Relyea
Todd Relyea
Patrick & Kuni Riccardi
Richard Mather Fund
Terry & Monica Richmond
James & Tricia Sadowski
Robert Sarason & Jane
Burkhead
Mike & Marilyn Sees
Barry & Jenny Shulman
Brenda Silverman
Theresa Slosek & Ronald
Wilson
Slutzker Family Foundation
Joseph & Carolyn Smith
Vinodhini Subramanian
Sharon Sullivan & Paul Phillips
John & Jamie Sutphen
Amy Sweeney
Delia & Sandy Temes
Angi Tipton
John Toomey
Hon. Karen M. Uplinger
Joseph & Carole Valesky
Nancy Wadopian
Marc & Marcy Waldauer
The Estate of George Wallerstein & Julie Lutz
Maryam Wasmund
Liz & David Wei
Lynda Wheat
Joseph Whelan & Margaret
Harding
Dr. Kelvin White
Tom & Desiree Wight
Evelyn B Williams
Diana Wolpert
Leslie & Jerry Zaborsky
Joyce Zadzilka
INDIVIDUAL, CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, & GOVERNMENT GIFTS
New and increased gifts this season will be matched by The Richard Mather Fund.
It is our goal to provide a complete list of all donors $100+. Nevertheless, if your gift is not listed or is listed incorrectly, please accept our apologies, and contact the Development Office at 315-443-9848.
$100,000+
CNY Arts, Inc
Onondaga County
Syracuse University
$50,000 - $99,999
Advance Media NY
George S. Bain
The Shubert Foundation
Slutzker Family Foundation
$20,000 - $49,999
Jacki & Michael Goldberg
iHeartMedia
M&T Bank
Richard Mather Fund
New York State Council on the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The Dorothy & Marshall M. Reisman Foundation
$10,000 - $19,999
Richard Bunce
Nancy & William Byrne
Cumulus Media
Howard L. Green Foundation, Inc.
Elizabeth Hartnett
Robert & Clea Hupp
NewsChannel 9
The John Ben Snow Foundation & Memorial Trust
Sharon Sullivan & Paul Phillips
Douglas Sutherland & Nancy Kramer
WAER
WRVO
$5,000 - $9,999
Ryan & Leigh Ann Benz
Jim & Juli Boeheim Foundation
Bousquet Holstein PLLC
Craig & Kathy Byrum
Jessica Cain & Kevin Kopko
Pete & Mary Beth Carmen
Cathedral Candle Company
JP Morgan Chase
Dr. Ruth Chen & Chancellor Kent Syverud
Peggy & Dana Dudarchik
Maggie & Jake Feldmeier
Colleen Gaetano
Neil & Helene Gold
Nancy Green & Tony Marschall
Larry & Ann Harris
The Hayner Hoyt Corporation
Kathy Kelly & Len Weiner
Larry & Mary Leatherman
Skip Lentz & Anne Russ
Rocco & Roberta Mangano
Mangano Law Office, PLLC
Kevin & Suzanne McAuliffe
Eric & Judy Mower
NBT Bancorp Inc
National Grid
Sally Lou & Fran Nichols
Joel Potash & Sandra Hurd
Sharye Skinner
Syracuse Mets - Diamond Baseball Holdings Inc.
Theatre Development Fund
Joshua & Andrea Waldman
Wegmans
$3,500 - $4,999
Janet Audunson & David Youlen
Kathleen Bice
Bond, Schoeneck & King Attorneys
Francine Boutet
James Clark & Sharon Gordon
Barbara Sheklin Davis
Dick & Therese Driscoll
Melvin & Mildred Eggers
Family Charitable Foundation
John & Kimberly Huhtala
Randy & Elizabeth Kalish
Maria Lesinski & Benjamin Hicks
Claire Myers
Selma Radin
Maryam Wasmund
Jack & Linda Webb
The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between November 7, 2024 and November 7, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.
$1,800 - $3,499
James & Nancy Asher
Bank of America
Barbara Beckos & Arthur McDonald
Donald Blair & Nancy Dock
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation
Constance Bull
Robin Curtis
Edward & Susan Downing
Ernst & Young, LLP
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield
Michael & Barbara Flintrop
Herman Frazier & Caroline Beal
Paul & Carolyn Frymoyer
Dorothy & Lawrence Gordon
Edward S. Green & Associates
Dennis & Judi Hebert
David & Sally Hootnick
Steven & Elaine Jacobs
Leslie Kohman
LeChase Construction
Rod & Jana McDonald
Walter & Elizabeth Merriam
Anne Morford
Molly & Kevin Mulvihill
Brett & Jeannie Padgett
Michael & Rissa Ratner
Molly Ryan & Tim Byrnes
YiWei Qi & Julie Yu
Robert Sarason & Jane Burkhead
Sam & Carolyn Spalding
Raymond & Linda Straub
Michael & Cathy Tick
Dr. Amy Tucker
$1,200 - $1,799
Anchor QEA Inc.
Debbie & Candido Bermudez
Black Cub Productions, LLC
Marlene Blumin
Jim & Cathy Breuer
Andrew Corbin
Ana Díaz-Diez & Javier
Maymi-Perez
Thomas Greenwood
Deborah & Samuel Haines
Mary Hershberger
Richard G. Jaeger
Julia & Lee Martin
Susan Martineau
David Rankert
David Redding
Frank and Frances Revoir Foundation
Nancy & Walter Shepard
Richard & Margaret Shirtz
James Shults
Elinor Spring-Mills
John Steigerwald IV
Rob & Christine Stoltz
Larry & Glenda Wetzel
$600 - $1,199
Charles Amos
Chris Arnold
Edward & Angela Bernat
Susan Brett
Cazenovia Jewelry
Demetrius & Erin Cunia
Mark Cywilko & Marianne
Moosbrugger
Triscilla & Jeff DiFulvio
Denise Dyce
Mark & Marci Erlebacher
Allen & Anita Frank
Muffy & H. Baird Hansen
Daniel & Julia Harris
David Heisig & Donna Mahar
Heritage Masonry Restoration, Inc.
Joyce Day Homan
Richard & Margaret
Ingraham
Cydney Johnson & Jeff Comanici
Noel Keith
Tim & Susan Kennedy
John & Maren King
Bob & Pat Lebel
James MacKillop
John & Joan Nicholson
Doren Norfleet
Sally O'Herin
David & Janice Panasci
Ellen Runge
Lois Schroeder
Gracia Sears
Jon Selzer
Geraldine & John Sheehan
Dr Craig A Simmons
Cynthia Sutton
David & Eileen Thompson
Joseph Valesky
Lynda Wheat
David & Daryll Wheeler
John & Mitzi Wolf
Gabriella Yonkers
$300 - $599
Jerrold & Harriet Abraham
Robert & Jeanne Anderson
Timothy Atseff & Margaret Ogden
In Honor of
Contributions have been made to Syracuse Stage to honor someone, celebrate a special occasion, or offer an expression of sympathy in memory of a loved one.
Charles Amos, thank you to Tracey White and Group Sales.
George S. Bain, in memory of Ginny Parker.
Melinda and Ronnie Bell, in memory of Barbara Toman, SSITP's costume designer for nineteen seasons.
Debbie & Candido Bermudez, with pride for Candice’s work at Stage.
Brenda Bousfield, in memory of Mary Walsh.
Susan Brett, in memory of Thomas Brett.
Carol Bryant, in memory of Ginny Parker.
Stephanie Cross, in memory of my mom who introduced me to the experience of live theater from an early age.
Aimee deSimone, this is for my former colleagues who I worked with at Syracuse Stage during college, and all of the artists I met along the way.
Gwendalyn Rose Díaz, small dedication to my grandmother ‘TITA’, my mom @ musicaltheatre_mom ‘Rosy’ & Syracuse Stage Company ‘Bob Hupp’, Melissa Crespo & the board of directors and for believing in me the last few years
The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between November 7, 2024 and November 7, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.
Jerome Bailey
Christina El Bayadi
Jackie Bays & Joseph McCaffrey
Dennis & Mary Anne Brady
Mary Brady
Brine Wells, LLC
Marlene Brown
Gary & Kathleen Bruno
Joe & Nancy Clayton
Paul & Linda Cohen
Jerilyn Costich
Anita Cottrell
Susan & Devin Crossett
Jennifer Davidson
Christian & Ann Marie Day
Elisa & Joshua Dekaney
Stephen & Emily DiMarco
Audrey Dolata
Linda & Alan Dolmatch
Judith & William Dowling
Elizabeth & Evan Dreyfuss
Kim & Charles Driscoll
Joseph Driscoll
Clay & Dora Elliott
Richard Ernst
Linda Euto
Linda Fabian & Dennis Goodrich
Carole Farfaglia
Carol Fedrizzi
Joyce Freeman
Kenneth & Kathleen Freer
Gasparini Sales, Inc.
David & Mary Geloso
Ellen Golden & Brian Walton
Douglas Goldschmidt & David Jacobs
Bea Gonzalez & Michael
Leonard
Greenblott Recycling LLC
Michael & Whitney Hadley
Judith Hand
David & Ellen Hardy
Karl & Mary Herba
Jean Hickey
Joseph & Paula Himmelsbach
L John Potter
Emily Johnson & Vijay
Ramachandran
Philip & Judith Kaplan
Peter & Brenda Keithslack
John & Gloria Kennedy
Alan & Deborah Kinney
Trudy & Earl Kletsky
Lorraine LaDuke
Andrea Latchem
Tod Leggat & Shannon
Magari-Leggat
Daniel & Ann Lent
John & Marian Loosmann
George & Roseann Lorefice
Eugene & Christine Lozner
Caro Macdonald
John & Candace Marsellus
Charles Martin & Johanna
Keller
Holly Mathis
Juli McCann
Laura McCord
James & Elizabeth Megna
Lauren Melnikow
David & Mary Morgan
Susan Moskal
James & Kathleen Muldoon
Newman & Lickstein, LLP
Kevin & Peggy O'Connor
Marjorie Ostrander
Cathy Palm
Robert & Teresa Parke
Paolo & Nicole Pastore
Mickey & Pat Piscitelli
Eileen Ponto
Howard & Ann Port
Kira Reed
Mariangela Risucci
Jennifer Roberts
Jeffrey & Jennifer Rubin
George & Sharon Schmit
William Schuyler
Robert & Cheryl Shallish
Beth & Tobias Sienel
Joseph & Carolyn Smith
Sharon Sutter
Victor & Diane Tice
Richard & Jessie Trudeau
Hon. Karen M. Uplinger
Mary Ward
Howard Weinstein
Jay Yonta & Jennine Lombardi
$150 -$299
George & Beverley Adams
James Aiello
Carly & Michael Allen
Eric Allyn & Meg
O'Connell
Beatrice Angus
Holmes & Sarah M Bailey
Mary Roberts Bailey
Rosemary Baker & Stuart
Spiegel
Jeffrey Barbero
Nancy Barnum
Marjory Baruch
Jean Beers
Janine Bernard
Paul & Elizabeth Berry
Dr. Sylvia Betcher & Martin
Korn
Susan Boettger
In Honor of
(Continued)
while performing at Syracuse Stage! Memories of a lifetime.
Ana Díaz-Diez & Javier Maymi-Perez, in loving memory of Pedro DíazMolina.
Farfaglia Family, in memory of Edward J Farfaglia.
The Hennessy Family, in loving memory of Cat Hennessy.
Jane Hopeman, in loving memory of Virginia Barnes Parker and her love of life, friendships, and theatre.
Robert Humphrey, in memory of Mary Anne Wilson.
Donna Inglima, in honor of Arthur Storch.
Eileen Ponto, in memory of my daughter, Emily Ponto. Marvin & Jo Ann Reed, we enjoyed Cinderella so much we want to give a little more to support your continued success.
Eric & Liza Rochelson, in honor of Nancy and Bill's 50th wedding anniversary.
Ellen Runge, in memory of Lorne Runge, MD.
Lillian Shine, we love what you do and bring to the stage!
Ellen Somers & Allan Kolsky, in memory of Annette Green.
H. Paul Steiner, in memory of Ginny and Fritz Parker.
Rob & Christine Stoltz, in recognition of Bob Hupp, Melissa Crespo, and the entire Syracuse Stage team's efforts
The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between November 7, 2024 and November 7, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.
Jon & Patricia Booth
Brenda & Wendy Bousfield & David Marcus
Eric & Carol Boyer
John & Lynn Branagan
Cindy Brink
Paul Brown & Susan Loevenguth
William Buchanan
Alice Butunoi
Mallika & Gildas Cadin
Ronald Capone
Lexi Carlson & Sebastian Karcher
Delores Carney
Joseph Cerroni & Linda Tassa
Steven & Seanne Chase
Lou & Rosa Clark
Rubin Cohen
Martha Cole
John & Deloris Coleman
Donna Coloton
Robert & Jane Corcoran
Elizabeth Cowan
Karl Crossman & John Steinburg
Raymond W. Cummings, Jr.
James & Suzanne Cusack
CVS
Carol Decker
Kathryn Dickerson
James & Leona Dowd
Beth Drew & Joe Marusa
Philip Dunham
Penelope Pooler Eisenbies
Richard Ellison & Margaret Ksander
Robert & Valerie Finney
David & Karen Fitch
Ben Franklin
Jeffrey & Teresa Freedman
Stacy French
Allen & Nirelle Galson
Mary Beth Gannon
Claudia & Adam Gasiorowski
Neil Gold
Karen Goldman
Bernice Gottschalk
Roger & Vicki Greenberg
Mike Hall
Mark & Carole Hansen
Tom & Cynthia Helmer
Donna & Joseph Hipius
Harry Hood
Judy Huckle
Ziad Hussein
Daniel & Rhea Jezer
Laura & Ed Jordan
Marjorie Julian
Jan Kaplan
Rebecca Karpoff
Norma Kelley
Amy Kemp
Cynthia Killian
Diane King
Russell & Joan King
Barry & Kathy Kogut
Dean Kolts
Sheldon & Karen Kruth
Robert & Lauren Lalley
Dorothy Lennon
Bonnie Levy & Steven Faigen
Edward & Carol Lipson
Mary Lombardo
Janet Mallan
Robert & Nancy Mandry
Anthony & Christi
Mangano
Frederick & Virginia Marty
Elizabeth Mascia
Margot McCormick
Kathleen McLeod
Daniel & Terry Miller
Michael Miller & Katharine O'Connell
Pat & Jan Moore
Alan & Rosalind Napier
Richard Natoli
Jane Neuburger
Cathryn Newton
Vickie Olcott
Judy Oplinger
Patricia Orr
Jane Pickett
Kevin & Rachael Porter
Duane & Karleen Preske
John Przepiora
Steve Reiter & Annegret Schubert
Todd Relyea
Patrick & Kuni Riccardi
Terry & Monica Richmond
Michael Riecke & Anthony McEachern
Henry Roane & Heather Kadey
Judith Robertson
Haley Rogacki
Amanda Root
Elaine Rubenstein
Susan Ryan
Linda & Bob Ryan
Roberta Savage
Susan Scharoun & Susan Hynds
Cathryn Sellers
Shannon & Alfonso
LaPuma
Roger & Nancy Sharp
Sari Signorelli
Steven & Robin Sisskind
In Honor of (Continued)
to bring arts to the community.
Sharon Sullivan & Paul Phillips, in memory of Alma Elaine Shende.
Elizabeth Thorley, remembering Virginia "Ginny" Parker on this first anniversary of her passing.
George Urist, in honor of Barbara Beckos McDonald.
Francis & Elaine Walter, in memory of Dr. Louis Fisher and Edith Fisher.
Gabriella Yonkers, in honor of my sister, Katelyn Yonkers, whose incredible talent and dedication as a seamstress bring every performance to life. Her artistry and hard work ensure that every actor looks truly amazing, enhancing the magic of the theater for us all.
William & Marianne Smith
Judith Smith
Ryan & Carol Smith
Jeffrey Sneider & Gwen Kay
James & David Sonneborn
Michael Stanton
George & Helene Starr
Greg & Maura Stefl
Mark & Beth Steigerwald
Susan Stred & Harold Husovsky
Bonnie Stroup
Kathleen & Mark Sunheimer
Maria Tesorio
Cora Thomas
James & Deborah Tifft
John & Jean Tromans
George Urist
Peter Vanable & Anne
Jamison
Anthony & Martha Viglietta
The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between November 7, 2024 and November 7, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.
Bob & Claudia Visalli
TJ & Meghan Vitale
Robert & Anita Wagner
Judith Waite
Marc & Marcy Waldauer
Donald & Martha Washburn
Sarah Whitehouse
Fred & Karen Whitney
Robert & Pauline
Williamson
Tina Winter
Tom & Carol Wolff
Joyce Zadzilka
Steven & Judith Zdep
Loretta Zolkowski
$100 - $149
Sarah Alden
Jason Allers
John Andrake
Al & Jane Arras
Robert Attridge
Margaret Banazek
Rosanne Barbaglia
Mary & Peter Bearkland
Carrie Berse & Chris Skeval
Carol Biesemeyer
Diana Biro & Eric Rogers
Nicolina Bisson
Leslee Boissy
Thomas & Carol Boll
Bernard & Ona Cohn Bregman
Angel Broadnax
Dawn Broderick
Robert & Helene Brophy
Bob & Kathy Brown
Joseph Browne
Ron & Amy Butchart
Andrea Calarco
Joseph & Patricia Cambareri
Larry & Fran Campbell
Phoebe Cannon
Molly Carole Fitzpatrick
Janet & Bruce Chandler
Paul & Cynthia Chapman
Douglas & Diane Chilson
Amy & Tom Clark
Patricia Clark
Patricia & Sandy Colabufo
Nicholas & Louanne
Colaneri
Cheryl Cole
Al Coles
David & Peg Compton
Anthony & Mary Anne
Corasaniti
Michelle Cretaro
Paul & Cynthia Curtin
Timothy & Christine Curtis
Angela & Gregory Cwikla
Virginia DeBenedictis
Alec Del Gigante
Diane Dimond
Rebecca Downing
Laura Downs
Ron Ehrenreich & Sondra
Roth
Margaret Elliot
Pamela Ellis
Stanley & Penny Emerick
Lois & Jill Fowler
Tim Fox
John Friedman & Polly Ann
Heavenrich
Dan Gaffney
William & Jean Gamble
Caroline Garner
Margaret Gelfuso
Rosamond Gifford Foundation
Susan Gilbert
Peggy Gillard
Kathryn Glynn
Michael & Wendy Gordon
William Gray
Stephen Graziano
Paula & Louis Green
Linda & James Green
Mark & Cynthia Greene
Seth & Lisa Greenky
Chip & Kate Grosso
Carol Guido
Charlotte Haas & Gary
Quirk
Patricia Haggerty
James Hahn
Nancy & Stephen Hallock
Beth Hansen
Ann & Richard Harris
Elizabeth Hayes
Barbara Heitzman
Michael & Elizabeth
Hennessy
Kathleen Hinchman
Barbara & Ronald Hoffman
Howard & Linda Hollander
Kathleen Howard
Barbara Hudson
Diana Ingraham Milkovic
InterFaith Works of CNY
Gwenn & John Judge
Jon & Wanda Jukam
Vanessa Kalette
Randy Karcher
Donna & Kenneth Kirsch
Steven Kulick
Briana Kuneman
Sandra Ledda
Sarah Ledwith
Amanda Lee
Kathleen Lemos
Dennis Lerner
Susan Lotierzo
Lynn Luteran Minney
Nancy Machles Rothschild
Jon Maloff
Megan Marzeski
Michael Masingale
Douglas & Randi Matousek
Donyce & Kenneth McCluskey
John & Mary McCulley
Philip & Martha McDowell
Linda McKeown
Timothy McLaughlin & Diane Cass
Diane McRae
Andreas & Margaret Meier
Marcia & Dave Mele
Merck
David Michel & Peggy Liuzzi
Thomas Miller & Mary
MacBlane
Dr. Merrill L. Miller
Joseph Moorman & Catherine Gerard
Janet Munro
Marty & Millie Newshan
Leslie Noble & Bill Morris
Margaret O'Brien
Jane Ondich
John & Elizabeth O'Sullivan
Ricky & Whitney Pak
John & Linda Parsons
Dorothy & Harvey Pearl
Michael & Susan Petrosillo
Anita Pisano
John Poirier
Bud & Kathy Poliquin
William & Merriette Pollard
Roni Ponto
Steve & Kate Pynn
Paul Raulli
Marvin & Jo Ann Reed
Scott Reinhart
Sultan Reshamwala
Boyd & Julie Rimel
Stacy Roberts
Mary Rose Ranieri
Ann Rothschild
Valerie Roy
Richard & Maria Russell
Margaret Ryniker
John & Judy Sabene
Richard & Jill Sargent
Jennifer Scalione
Jeffrey & Abby Scheer
Scott & Nancy Sellers
Sally Senecal
Katherine Sgarlata
Paul Silverstein
Dirk & Carol Sonneborn
The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between November 7, 2024 and November 7, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.
Paul & Jean Soper
Patricia & Michael St. Leger
Milton & Mary Stevenson
Martha Sutter & David Ross
John & Anne Sveen
Tom & Lauren Sweeney
Kristin & Steve Swift
Brady Systems
Edward & MaryJane Szczesniak
Miles Taylor
Thomas & Carole Taylor
Marian Thompson
Theresa Thoryk
James Traver & Marguerite
Conan
Shveta & Girish Trikha
Kevin Wade
Francis & Elaine Walter
Peter & Cheryl Ward
Virginia Watson
Ardyth Watson
Leah Weinberg & Paul
Barron
George & Mrs Whitton
Christopher & Renee Wiles
Eleanor Williams
Deborah Wood
Victoria Xlander
Samuel & Robin Young
Mary Yurco
The gifts listed in this program include those received or pledged between November 7, 2024 and November 7, 2025. It does not include gifts to the special 50th Anniversary Campaign.
PLANNED GIVING
A planned gift is a way to make a significant and lasting gift to Syracuse Stage. By making a bequest to the theatre, you are assuring that Syracuse Stage will continue to inspire, stimulate, and entertain Central New York audiences for generations to come, as well as maintain its high artistic standards that are recognized locally, and nationally. For more information about planned gifts contact: Ana Díaz-Diez, Director of Development 315-443-3931 or ajdiazdi@syr.edu
Dr. William J. Clark, Jr. Fund
The Estate of Rosemary Curtis
Mary Louise Dunn Fund
Deborah O'Shea
In Honor and Memory of Sheldon P. Peterfreund and Josephine A Peterfreund
Michael and Rissa Ratner
The J. Zimmeister-Yarwood Estate
MATCHING GIFT PROGRAM
Many companies will match gifts of their employees, retirees, and spouses with a gift of their own to Syracuse Stage. Ask your personnel office for a matching gift form, send the completed form with your gift – and we’ll do the rest!
SYRACUSE STAGE STAFF
Artistic Director.............................................................................................................Robert Hupp
Managing Director.............................................................................................Carly DiFulvio Allen
Associate Artistic Director............................................................................................Melissa Crespo
Resident Playwright..............................................................................................................Kyle Bass
PRODUCTION STAFF
Director of Production Operations...........................................................................Don Buschmann
Associate Director of Production Operations.......................................................Stuart Plymesser
Student Employee.............................................................................................Nikky Spencer†
Company Manager and Production Management Associate......................................Brian Crotty
Assistant Company Manager.....................................................................................Sarai Ford
Technical Director..................................................................................................Randall Steffen
Assistant Technical Director............................................................................Rebecca Schuetz
Scene Shop Foreman...........................................................................................Michael King
Technical Assistant...................................................................................................Liz Daurio
Carpenters...............................................................................John Gamble, Brian McBurney
Student Employee................................................................................................Bailey Olson†
Student Workstudy..............................................................................................Bella Molino†
Scenic Charge Artist...................................................................................................Emily Holm
Lead Scenic Artist................................................................................................Laurel Arnold
Scenic Painter....................................................................................................Jessica Culligan
Props Supervisor............................................................................................................Mara Rich
Associate Props Supervisor...................................................................................Andrew Babb
Craftpersons....................................................................................Alexis Frizzell, Nora Galley
Student Employee..............................................................................................Emma Henry†
Costume Shop Manager..........................................................................Gretchen Darrow-Crotty
Assistant Costume Shop Manager.....................................................................Amanda Moore
Cutter-Drapers..............................................................................Emily King, Kathryn Rauch
First Hand.......................................................................................................Katelyn Yonkers
Stitchers.................................................................................Sidney Barmoha, Sophie Shahan
Craftsperson/Shopper..............................................................................................Wyatt Kim
Wardrobe Supervisor.........................................................................................Dylinn Andrew
Electrics and Projection Supervisor...............................................................................Jed Daniels
Associate Electrics and Projection Supervisor......................................................Andy LiDestri Electrician/Board Operator...................................................................................Kat Larrabee
Resident Sound Designer/Audio Engineer.....................................................Jacqueline R. Herter
Audio Engineer...............................................................................................Kevin O’Connor
Sound Engineer/Board Operator..........................................................................Garrett Frink
Stage Management Assistants................................................................Katie Barnes, Erin C Brett
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
General Manager....................................................................................................Michael McCurdy
Comptroller..............................................................................................Mary Kennett Morreale
Associate General Manager...................................................................................Jacob G. Ellison
Director of Information Management & Technology...................................Garrett Diaz-Wheeler
Director of Development.............................................................................................Ana Díaz-Diez
Development Associate.....................................................................................Candice Bermudez
Development Assistant............................................................................................Polly Gilmore†
Development Interns.......................................................................Lauren Schweers†, Youran Li†
Director of Community Engagement..................................................................Joann Maria Yarrow
Director of Education.......................................................................................................Kate Laissle
Community Engagement and Education Coordinator.....................................................Zizi Majid
Education Interns........................................................................Aliana Aspesi†, Nat Wilson†
Director of Marketing and Communications..............................................................Joanna Penalva
Audience Development Manager..............................................................................Tracey White
Creative Director, Marketing..................................................................................Brenna Merritt
Marketing Content and Publications Manager.....................................................Matthew Nerber
Graphic Designer.................................................................................................Jonathan Hudak
Marketing Intern......................................................................................................Mady Mohat†
Box Office Manager.....................................................................................Courtney Richardson
Assistant Box Office Manager.............................................................................Clari Atherlay
Box Office Assistants.......................................Aliana Aspesi†, Nathan Ayotte†, Tess Feldman†, Polly Gilmore†, Skye Robinson†
Show Supervisor......................................................................................................Lisa Doerle
Audience Services Manager.......................................................................................Luke Centore
Assistant Audience Services Manager..............................................................Bianca Stevenson
Audience Services Associates........................Pat Condello, Laurie DeMaria, Juniper Feliciano, Talia Gabriel-Shenandoah, Hannah Mendillo, Ellie Pedone, Donna Stuccio, Victoria Wickert
Bartenders...........................................................Michelle Cannizzo, Julie Malone, Meg Pusey
Audience Services Intern....................................................................................Phinneas Roy†
Sign Language Interpreters.....................................................................Brenda Brown, Sue Freeman
Open Captioning........................................................................Jacob G. Ellison, Michael McCurdy
Audio Description..........................................................Brad Beckman, Kate Laissle, Joseph Whelan
Artistic Intern..................................................................................Ella Femino†, Amanda Podhurst†
Community Services Officers............................Chris Deutschman, Stacey Emmons, Martha Farmer
Custodians........................................................................Tony Rogers, Ron Taylor, Candace Velario
†Student, Syracuse University Department of Drama.
