MEET THE CAST AND CREW:
CAST:
KATIE NABORS (Anna Christopherson) has been living in Cleveland for a little over five years. She has been seen on stage at Ensemble Theatre, the Beck Center, Cleveland Public Theatre, Lakeland Civic Theatre and Blank Canvas Theatre. Katie performed professionally in Detroit at Meadow Brook Theatre while working on her BFA in theatre performance and dance at Oakland University. Katie has performed internationally in Greece and Ukraine. She performed throughout Greece in an English touring production of Lysistrata and while in Ukraine she performed in a Ukrainian/English bi-lingual production of Medea as Young Medea. Thank you to Ian, for your trust; to the amazing cast for being completely fearless- each one of you has the heart of a lion. To Drew, my rapscallion fellow vagabond, you are my light across the sea.
GREG WHITE (Chris Christopherson) is glad to be back at Ensemble so soon, having just played Banquo in Voodoo Macbeth. Some recent roles include Crooks in TrueNorth's production of Of Mice and Men, and Denson, the emasculated husband of a rising political spouse in CPT's Big Box production of Armature. Other performances include, Rawl Cheeks in No Niggers, No Jews, No Dogs, Paul in Karamu's Cut Flowers, and Doug in Dividing The Estate for Ensemble's last season as residents in the former Cleveland Play House.
MARY ALICE BECK (Marthy Owen) portrayed Mrs Atkins in Ensemble’s production of Beyond the Horizon this past spring. Last year she appeared at The Beck Center in 33 Variations (Gertie) and The Pitmen Painters (Helen Sutherland); both directed by Sarah May. Also at Beck Center she was in The Seagull (Polina) directed by Tom Fulton. Mary Alice has been part of several Cesear’s Forum productions, notably All That Fall (Miss Fitt) and Blue Heart (Enid). Cleveland Shakespeare Festival productions include Titus Andronicus (Tamora), Richard III (Elizabeth) and All’s Well That Ends Well (Countess Rousillion). She has worked for other local theatres including Charenton Theatre Company and Cleveland Public Theatre, as well as numerous productions at Tri-C, CSU’s Factory Theatre and CWRU’s Eldred Theatre. Favorite roles include: Crimes of the Heart (Lenny), Crimes of the Heart (Meg), The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (Beatrice), A Streetcar Named Desire (Blanche),The Good Times Are Killing Me (Edna),The Three Sisters (Masha) and Fifth of July (June). Mary Alice thanks her family for their love and support,especially Tommy.
MICHAEL JOHNSON (Mat Burke) is a currently a student at Cuyahoga Community College. His most recent favorite role was Clifford Bradshaw in Cabaret. The role of Mat Burke is his first role at Ensemble and is incredibly grateful for the opportunity. He is grateful for the oppurtunity to work with such a talented cast and director. He would like to thank all of his friends and family for there never ending support.
STEPHEN VASSE-HANSELL (Larry/Sailor) is happy to appear again at Ensemble. Recent Ensemble credits include Captain Scott in Beyond The Horizon, Cecil Lewis in Ensemble's award winning The Iceman Cometh, and Agate Keller in Waiting for Lefty, "Lefty" being part of Ensemble's first season in this new location. Stephen has been engaged in the theatrical arts for over 40 years, including residencies in Chicago, Missouri, Indiana and Ohio; participating in more than 200 productions as an actor, director, designer and wrighter. He also has three Jefferson nominations to his credit. All my love to Nancy and Hunter for everything! He most recently directed Ionesco's The Chairs, and will be directing Oakley Hall's adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in the fall.
ALLEN BRANSTEIN (Johnny The Priest/Sailor) is very excited to be doing Anna.... He last apperared at Ensemble in The Iceman Cometh, Frankenstein, Waiting for Lefty and has also appeared in The Man Who Came to Dinner and Burial at Thebes, the last being directed by Lucia Colombi. He has performed at the Beck Center, Great Lakes, Karamu, Dobama, Red Hen, Working Theater, Bad Epitaph as well as any other place that would have him. Favorite roles have been Richard III, Titus, Agrippa, Rosencrantz, Bottom, and Harry in Harry's Christmas. He is a co-founder of the Mike and Al Show (a vaudeville comedy act), has been in a few films and commercials, and would like to thank Paula because he can.
KYLE HUFF (Longshoreman/Sailor) is an actor and director who just moved into the area. He is a recent graduate from Hiram College, getting his BA in Dramatic Arts, and is excited to be working with such a talented group of people. His past productions include Ensemble Theatre’s The Iceman Cometh as Moran; Cleveland Shakespeare Festival’s Proteus in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Lucius in Measure for Measure and the last production he directed was Doubt by John Patrick Shanley at Hiram College.
CREW:
Ian Hinz, Director, is a graduate of the Ohio University School of Theatre holding a B.A. with an emphasis in playwriting. He has studied under Charles Smith, David McClendon, Robert Winters and Vince Cardinal. Ian’s most recent directing credits for Ensemble include The Iceman Cometh, The Colorado Catechism, Waiting for Lefty, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, & Miracle and Wonder. He has designed projections for Wating for Lefty, Lower Ninth, Song for Coretta, The Normal Heart, The Gospel According to James, Animals out of Paper, Prelude To A Kiss, Beyond the Hoizon, and Voodoo Macbeth at Ensemble as well as Pitmen Painters, 33 Variations, Carrie, and Young Frankenstein at Beck Center. He would like to thank his family and friends for their love. He is the newest Artistic Director for Cain Park in Cleveland Heights, as well as Facilities Coordinator and Stage Production Specialist for the Cleveland State University School of Music. For his family.
Becca Moseley, Stage Manager, is excited to be back for another season at Ensemble Theatre! Previously, Becca stage managed Ensemble's productions of The Iceman Cometh, Animals Out of Paper, Prelude to a Kiss, The Chairs, and Beyond the Horizon as well as serving as ASM for Knock Me a Kiss. She appeared on the Ensemble stage as Effie in Zebediah and Mary Shelly/Elizabeth in last year's production of Frankenstein. Becca has been lucky enough to have been involved in theatre for most of her life, both behind the table and treading the boards. Some of her favorite credits include Rosalind(As You Like It,) Cunningham (The Last Days of Judas Iscariot,) Dorine (Tartuffe,) Edward/Betty (Cloud 9,) Company (Twelfth Night, Macbeth,) Phoebe (HAIR,) and Maggie (A Chorus Line.) She sends a big "thank you" to Celeste and Ian for giving her an opportunity to SM her third O'Neill, hugs to her ever supportive and patient family, and as always, love to Kyle for everything.
Andrew Eckert, Lighting Designer, recently designed The Normal Heart, Miracle & Wonder, The Gospel According to James, The Iceman Cometh, Animals Out of Paper, Prelude to A Kiss, Beyond The Horizon, Voodoo Macebeth, as well as the 2012 & 2013 Colombi New Play Festival shows. He recently served as Master Electrician for CAIN PARK’s 2012, 2013, & 2014 Summer seasons. A recent graduate of Hiram College, Andrew is thrilled to be working with such a great cast and crew. He would like to thank Rick Hyde, Ian Hinz, Carl Skorepa, and Mum.
Meg Parish, Costumes, can be found, when not on stage, lurking in the wings with measuring tape and pins. A self-proclaimed “theater gypsy,” her designs have appeared in productions across northeast Ohio over the last thirty years. Favorite projects include The Miser at Clague Playhouse and A Free Man of Color at Ensemble. She has designed all of Charles’s work at Ensemble having designed last years Knock Me a Kiss as well as the 2014 production of The Gospel According to James. She thanks the cast for wearing her “deconstructed” costumes with such distinction. She will design for Ensemble’s next production, The Great Gatsby as well.
Steven Barton, Master Electrician, coming from Vienna, Austria, is a recent Hiram graduate in Theatre. He is excited to start his first season here at Ensemble Theatre, having just designed the lights for The Mercy Seat. He has worked on shows here in Cleveland Heights at Cain Park, as crew for The Frogs, Smokey Joe's Cafe, and Avenue Q. He would like to thanks Carl Skorepa, for putting up with me long enough for this to become a reality.
