Who’s
Who in the Company
May 8 - June 14, 2009
Studio Theater
Scott Spence (Artistic Director/Director) Scott Spence (Artistic Director/Director) Scott is excited to enter into his 19th season at the Beck Center. He hopes that as always you are enjoying the great diversity Beck Center offers. In his tenure as Artistic Director and Associate AD, Scott has produced well over 200 productions, directing over 50 himself. The list of favorites grows every season, and includes Altar Boyz, Parade, A Man of No Importance, Sweeney Todd, Hair, The Secret Garden, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Greater Tuna, Reefer Madness, The Fix, Zombie Prom, Tommy, and so many more, including Urinetown The Musical being revived as this season's opener. He is very proud of the awards and acclamations Beck has received over the past several years, and is especially grateful for having won the Northern Ohio Live Award for Achievement in Theatre in 2006. Outside of Beck's walls, Scott's directorial assignments have included Das Barbecü at Opera Cleveland and Noises Off at both Weathervane in Akron and Berea Summer Theatre. Occasionally on the other side of the footlights, Scott has appeared in Dick Deadeye (Berea Summer Theatre), Man of La Mancha (Jewish Community Center), The Secret Rapture (Dobama) and closer to home at Beck in Big River, The Boys Next Door and Laughter on the 23rd Floor. He also recently had the privilege of joining the cast of Passion, directed by Victoria Bussert, in his first onstage stint in the Studio Theater. Scott holds an M.F.A. in Directing from Western Illinois University and is a trained stage fight choreographer, having studied extensively with the SAFD. As always, he dedicates his work to the two leading ladies in his life Rachel and Carleigh.
Larry Goodpaster (Musical Director) An award-winning pianist while in high school, Larry followed quite a different path and obtained degrees in biology, chemistry, veterinary medicine, and business over the next 20 years. Upon receiving his MBA in 1997, Larry decided to pursue musical theater in his recreational time. What started as an avocation quickly became an obsession. Thanks to the thoughtful tutelage and support provided by Beck Artistic Director, Scott Spence, he is now able to fill his evenings 12 months a year musically directing shows at multiple venues in the Cleveland area. Larry spends his days at the Beck Center as a volunteer business consultant. As he completes his 11th year at the Beck, Larry fondly remembers some of his favorite productions – Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Floyd Collins, The Rocky Horror Show, Parade, Eating Raoul, Zombie Prom, Urinetown The Musical, Moby Dick the Musical, and A Man of No Importance. As always, Larry is indebted to our faithful patrons and loyal donors for keeping theater alive and vibrant in Cleveland – especially during these tough times. Your charitable contributions not only support our professional theater, but also allow us to continue instilling confidence and self-esteem in the children, youth, and adults in our arts education classes. Thank you!
**Martín Céspedes (Choreographer) Evil Dead the Musical marks the 22nd collaboration with director Scott Spence. Most recent projects include Reefer Madness at Oberlin College, Grey Gardens at Beck Center, Into The Woods at Great Lakes Theatre Festival, and the East 14th Street Theatre's I Love You Because, both directed by Victoria Bussert. Some favorites are Nine The Musical and Beck Center's critically-acclaimed production of Equus, for which he was nominated for the 2007 Northern Ohio Live Award for Achievement in Choreography. Broadway national tours credits include Man of La Mancha, The King and I, South Pacific, and West Side Story. Other credits include staging choreography for the off-off-Broadway production of Scrooge and Marley, opening acts for Earth, Wind, and Fire and the Bee Gees, appearances on TV's Dance Fever and NBC's Weekda.y Fever, and associate choreography for the PBS production of Le Cid with Placido Domingo and the Washington Opera. He is an alumnus of Jacque d'Amboise’s National Dance Institute in New York City. Martín was featured in Bravo magazine, has won numerous Times Tribute Awards and was named in Scene Magazine as Cleveland’s Best Choreographer of 2006. Upcoming projects include Pippin at Cain Park, The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the The Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Great Lakes Theatre Festival’s Wild Party at Baldwin-Wallace College, The Fantastiks at St. Louis Repertory Theater. Kudos to Scott Spence.
Kate Klotzbach (Stage Manager) Kate is happy to return to the Beck Center for her fourth show as a stage manager. Previous Beck Center shows have included: The Seagull, The Imaginary Invalid and T.I.D.Y. A musical theater/public relations graduate of Ohio Northern University, Kate has also performed in many productions such as West Side Story, Broadway Moments, Big River, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera, and Nunsense. She also spent 3 ½ years on the road in company management with VEE Corporation (producers of Sesame Street Live) on the tours of Bear in the Big Blue House Live and Dragon Tales Live. She has neither been EVIL nor DEAD before this experience, but has demonically enjoyed decaying with this cast, crew and design team. Thank you all!
Kathleen Rooney (Linda) Kathleen is delighted to be making her Beck Center debut! She is a junior Music Theatre major at Baldwin-Wallace College. Kathleen will soon be leaving for Idaho to perform in The Mystery of Edwin Drood with The Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Favorite credits include: Into the Woods (Cinderella U/S) at Great Lakes Theatre Festival, The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy and Glinda) at Dynamics Theatre and Wagon Wheel Theatre, the non-union premiere of The Phantom of the Opera (Meg), and Footloose (Urleen) at Wagon Wheel Theatre. Thank you to my beautiful family, Vicky, Scott, Kristin, and everyone involved in this bloody good cast!
Amiee Collier (Cheryl) Amiee is bloody stoked to be performing in the musical version of one of her all-time favorite movies. This is Amiee’s ninth show at the Beck Center and she considers herself lucky to be able to return to the Studio Theater. Last appearing at the Beck on the Main Stage in Urinetown The Musical (Soupy Sue) and Jekyll & Hyde (Lucy), she has also been seen around Cleveland in West Side Story (Anita) at Cassidy Theatre, Sunday in the Park with George (Dot/Marie) at Lakeland Theatre and The Last Five Years (Cathy) at Ashtabula; as well as in Boston in Respect: A Musical Journey (Eden). Amiee would like to thank Scott, Larry, Martín, and Kate for all their evil contributions and to her fellow Deadites for making every day memorable and fun. Previously at the Beck: Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts), On the Town (Hildy), Moby Dick: The Musical! (Starbuck), Seussical The Musical (Bird Girl), Reefer Madness (Mae), and La Cage aux Folles (Paulette).
Bailey Moulse (Shelly) Bailey is thrilled to making her Beck Center debut! She is a freshman Theatre major, Music minor at Baldwin-Wallace College. Credits at Baldwin-Wallace include The Odd Couple (Cecily Pigeon), Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You (Philomena) and Choreographer for As You Like It. She is a graduate of Virginia’s premiere arts program, The Governor’s School for the Arts, where she was seen in All Shook Up (Miss Sandra), Goblin Market (Lizzie), Cabaret (Kit Kat girl), and Swing! (featured soloist). Bailey has also performed with Regent University’s M.F.A. Acting program in The Miracle Worker (Percy), Beauty and the Beast (Babette), and Guys and Dolls (Ensemble). Upcoming projects include Me and My Girl (Lady Jacqueline) with Mercury Summer Stock Theatre. Special thanks to Mom and Dad for their incredible love and support, and to all of her close friends and professors at Baldwin-Wallace College for an amazing first-year.
*Dan Folino (Ash/Special Effects) Since last appearing here at the Beck Center in The History Boys (Irwin), Dan has performed in Beauty and the Beast (Beast) and The Desperate Hours (Agent Harry Carson) at the Barter Theatre in Virginia, in the title role of Sweeney Todd at Lakeland Theatre, and most recently in The Spitfire Grill (Sheriff Joe Sutter) at The Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Dan is currently working on a "play with music" entitled The Way Back Home... which has recently become a collaboration piece between himself, Cleveland writer/actor Jeff Glover, singer/actor/producer Wade McCollum, Grammy-nominated guitarist/producer Reeves Gabrels, avant-guard pianist Mike Garson, bassist/vocalist Gail Ann Dorsey, and the hardest-hitting drummer the world has ever known Steve Mehlman. Love to Dief and Meg.
Josh Theilan (Scott) Josh is thrilled to be performing at the Beck Center again this summer. Most recently, Josh was killed by Dan's razor as Signior Adolfo Pirelli in Lakeland Theatre's bloody-good production of Sweeney Todd. Other recent credits include Holy Ghost (Billy), Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), and Death of a Salesman (Biff). Josh is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and has been performing in local bands and other musical ensembles in the Cleveland area since 1992. This production of Evil Dead has been the MOST FUN of anything he's ever had the pleasure of performing. Thanks to Scott, Kate, P.J., Martín and all the other lovely Deadites working their hands off to make this show so fantastic to see and so wonderful to be a part of.... and to Bailey, Kathleen, Amiee, Betsy, Megan, Pat, Zac, and Dan: "love you, loved working with you and can't wait to work with you all again."
Zac Hudak (Ed) Zac is thrilled to be living out his lifelong dream of being a show tune singing zombie...He has been seen locally and regionally for the last 17 years in such productions as Disney's Beauty and the Beast (LeFou), Cabaret (Emcee), Urinetown The Musical (Old Man Strong/Hot Blades Harry), The Rocky Horror Show (Dr. Frank-n-Furter), Man of La Mancha (Barber), Anything Goes (Billy Crocker), Footloose (Chuck Cranston), Crazy For You (Bobby Child), The Gingerbread House in the Forest (Hansel), Fiddler On the Roof (Perchik), and La Cage Aux Folles (Hannah). Zac also starred in Playhouse Square's Ain't We Got Fun as the drag diva Amanda Luze. Zac made his New York debut in Jennifer Danielle's Shucked as Zac, a role based on himself at the Manhattan Repertory Theater on 42nd Street. He is honored to finally share the stage (at the same time) with fellow cast members Amiee Collier and Dan Folino. Thanks to Scott, Larry and Martín, and to all of you who are still wonderful patrons of the arts! For RRM.
Betsy Kahl (Annie) Previous shows at Beck Center include: Annie (Lily St. Regis); Saturday Night (Florence); Zombie Prom (Ginger); Boy Gets Girl (Harriet); Of Mice and Men (Curly's Wife); Reefer Madness (Mary Lane); Urinetown The Musical (Little Sally). Betsy is thrilled to be back in the Studio Theater with such an amazing group of people. She plans on attending Cleveland State University in the fall to begin her Masters degree in Community Counseling and actually hopes to use this degree in connection with her NARHA Advanced Certification in therapeutic riding. Betsy loves her horse, Stuart, dreams of studying with Betsy Steiner, and thanks Rosie for all the kisses when things get tough. Love to Mama J for all her support and the fabulous wine and cheese selection.
Patrick Ciamacco (Jake) Patrick recently moved to NYC and is happy to return back to Cleveland to make his Beck Center debut. Professionally, Patrick has been seen in Playhouse Square’s We Gotta Bingo (Bucky Fuller) at the East 14th Street Theatre, in a musical version of The Nutcracker at The Cleveland Play House and was part of the 2 ½-year run of Tony & Tina's Wedding at Playhouse Square. Favorite performances include Children of Eden (God the Father), The Baker's Wife (The Baker), Chess (Freddie), The Music Man (Harold Hill), The Rocky Horror Show (Eddie), Art (Marc), Of Mice and Men (Lennie), and The Full Monty (Dave). Along with various film, television and radio credits, Patrick has recently pursued a path in directing. Some directing credits include Of Mice and Men, Bathroom Humor, Aladdin Jr., Annie, and Seussical the Musical. Patrick also co-founded and currently directs, performs and writes for The Laughter League, a Cleveland-based sketch comedy group. Patrick sends thanks to his Mom, Stepdad Frank, his brothers Joe and Jim, Lukas, Joe Kenderes, Jenn Hayek, Sneezy, Jacqi, his friends in NYC, his Bricco peeps, his fellow Deadites and everyone at Near West Theatre. Patrick dedicates this performance to the person sitting in the third row, fifth seat from the left.
Megan DePetro (Linda U/S) Megan is very excited to have the opportunity to work with such a talented and evil cast and production team! She spent last summer studying acting at The William Esper Studio in New York City and hopes to return there for continued studies this fall. Favorite shows include Sweeney Todd and Pride and Prejudice at Lakeland Theater, Beauty and the Beast, Jekyll & Hyde, and My Favorite Year at the Beck Center for the Arts, Lord of the Burgeoning Lumber at convergence-continuum, and many others. Thanks to Scott and Larry for this great opportunity, to Leslie for the constant guidance and support, to her family for everything, and love to Dief and df always. "Finding love at work, it must have been fate..."
*Actor appears courtesy of the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the union of actors and stage managers.
** Member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreograhers (insert SSDC logo)
Don McBride (Scenic Designer) Don is pleased to be back at Beck Center after spending more than 20 great years here. He is now teaching at Cleveland State University.
Jenniver Sparano (Costume Designer) Jenniver has designed twenty shows for Beck's Studio Theatre, among them Zombie Prom, Reefer Madness, Greater Tuna (2006) and this season's Talking Heads 2. She also designed costumes for the Beck's production of The Rocky Horror Show, as well as several other productions on the Mackey Main Stage. Her work has been seen at other local companies, including convergence-continuum, The Bang & The Clatter, Cleveland Public Theatre, Clague Playhouse, Ensemble Theatre, and Pickwick & Frolic's cabaret stage. Later this summer, she will co-produce her seventh annual production to benefit AIDS agencies in Cleveland and Akron, The Great American Trailer Park Musical (don't miss it!). This is her third show this season in which a baby is mistreated. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, she also studied in Paris and is employed by KeyBank.
Michael Boll (Lighting Designer) Recent Cleveland designs include the CASE MFA productions of Angels in America and Arcadia (The Cleveland Play House), The Wiz (Cain Park) Colder Than Here (Dobama) and Blackbird (Bang and Clatter). In New York, he designed the off-Broadway productions of The Moliere Cycle (Classic Stage Company), Songs for a New World (George Street Playhouse), Dog Sees God (Soho Playhouse), and The Moonlight Room (Beckett Theater-Associate Lighting Design). Michael designed the NY International Fringe Festival’s award-winning productions of Ellen Craft and Valiant. His work has also been seen at La Mama ETC, Here Arts, Blue Heron, and Center Stage NY. He has designed many shows at the Yale Cabaret including Say You Love Satan, Fake, Three Days of Rain, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. He has designed numerous productions at Karamu House including Black Nativity (Cleveland Music Hall). He has taught classes and workshops on Lighting Design and Technology at Yale School of Drama, Barnard College (NY) and the University of Cincinnati-CCM. Michael is Lighting Supervisor for Opera Cleveland and Lighting Designer for Robert Stark Lighting, a NYC-based Special Event and Architectural Lighting Design company.
Richard B. Ingraham (Sound Designer) Richard is happy to be returning for his sixth season of work with the Beck Center. Previous sound designs at the Beck Center include: History Boys, Equus, Beauty and the Beast, The Diary of Anne Frank, T.I.D.Y., Agnes of God, and Of Mice and Men. Richard is the Resident Sound Designer for Hope Summer Repertory Theatre in Holland, Michigan. He has designed sound for numerous theaters in the area and around the country, including: The Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland State University, The Cleveland Theatre Company, Dobama Theatre, The University of Evansville, The Jewish Community Center of Cleveland, Playhouse Square Center, Rabbit Run Theatre, Shakespeare and Company, and Willoughby Fine Arts Association. Richard also works for Stage Research Inc., an award-winning software company that creates sound and lighting applications for live production. Richard has worked as a Show Control Programmer and Trainer for clients such as Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum and Stone Mountain Park.
Joseph Carmola (Technical Director) Joe enters his third season as Technical Director at the Beck Center. Hailing from Canton, in the past he has served as Technical Director/Lighting Designer at the Canton Players Guild, The Magical Theatre Company, as well as Paul Green’s Trumpet in the Land, and numerous freelance credits as well as a design for Les Miserables Jr. which has been seen in many student programs throughout Northeast Ohio. He is also the proud father of Clayton who has always brought light to his life.
P.J. Toomey (Special Effects/Masks) P.J. is excited to be "demonizing" some of Cleveland's finest young actors. A relative newcomer to live theater, P.J. worked on Beck Center's 2007 production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Beast Makeup Effects), and Peter Pan (Makeup), as well as consulting on several other area productions including Lakeland's Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He holds a B.A. in Art Education, but spends his days at Lakewood's Monster Makers & FX Supply Co., providing theatrical supplies to the film and television industries around the globe. He is also the Co-Founder of Out of the Dark Studio, a full-service Makeup and Special FX studio specializing in custom sculpting and painting. He feels very fortunate to be working with some of the great friends he's met through the Beck, and would very much like to thank everyone who's been supportive of his ridiculous endeavors. You know who you are.
James Lenahan (Plasma Plumber) James is delighted to be working with his friends Dan, P.J., Megan, and Amiee again on such a fun show. James' last Beck appearance was in My Favorite Year. Some other recent roles have been InCogNegro (Fitz) at Cleveland Public Theatre and The Importance of Being Earnest at Lakeland Theatre (Lane). Horror fans will also want to check out his starring role in the new film Death Stop Holocaust which is due to be released this year. James would like to thank his friends and family for all the support he has recieved during his trial and tribulations.
