Who’s
Who in the Company
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
January 30 – February 22, 2009
Main Stage
Scott Spence (Artistic Director/Fight 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.
Sarah May (Director) Sarah’s work is well known to Beck Center audiences. Most recently at Beck she directed Alan Bennett’s The History Boys and The Diary of Anne Frank on the Main Stage and Bryony Lavery’s Frozen in the Studio Theater. Other Beck Center productions include Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour and Rebecca Gilman’s timely dramas Boy Gets Girl and Spinning Into Butter, A Piece of My Heart (Winner of the 2001 Northern Ohio Live Award of Achievement in Theatre), Oleanna, Proposals, Lost in Yonkers, You Can’t Take It With You, Death of a Salesman, Steel Magnolias, and Rumors. Sarah spent 10 years in New York City performing, directing and developing educational programs for Playwrights Horizons, Henry Street Settlement and Roundabout Theatre. In Cleveland she has served as Director of Education for Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Artistic Director of Karamu Theatre and guest director for most area theaters. She has been nominated for the Northern Ohio Live Award on five occasions, and recently was honored by Scene Magazine, which named her Charenton Theatre production of Six Degrees of Separation the “Best Theatre Production” of 2003 and The Diary of Anne Frank the “Best Theatre Production” of 2006. Earlier this season Sarah directed Tuck Everlasting for The Cleveland Play House and the Dobama/Karamu co-production of Tony Kushner’s Caroline, or Change. Sarah is so grateful for a theater career that has allowed her to participate in a lifelong dialogue on race and civil rights. She dedicates this production to the memory of her “sister,” Lucia Colombi.
Edward E. Ridley, Jr. (Music Director) Recent productions include Caroline or Change, Crowns, Cuttin' Up, Gee's Bend, The Piano Lesson, Love Janis, and Five Guys Named Moe. Ed serves as music director for the Christian Fellowship Center Church and is also on the music faculty at the Eastern Campus of Cuyahoga Community College. His versatility and talent as a performer have allowed him to accompany such great artists as Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Walter Hawkins, Jon Hendricks, and Clark Terry.
Tod Huffman (Stage Manager) Tod is excited to be working once again with the wonderful Sarah May on this amazing production. He is honored to be working with such a talented cast and crew. Tod has been stage managing for many years. He has worked around the Cleveland area at such places as Beck Center, Rocky River Community Theatre, Jewish Community Center, Cleveland Public Theatre, Tri-C Metro, Cassidy Theatre, Clague Playhouse, and Dobama. When not stage managing or working as a computer programmer for Macy’s Inc., he travels all over China. His favorite shows have included Grease, Beauty and the Beast, Hair, The Fix, Perfect Ganesha, Tommy, Chicago, Five Guys Named Moe, Smokey Joe’s Café, A Raisin in the Sun, La Cage aux Folles, Urinetown the Musical, Beehive, Joe Turner, and Aida. Please support your arts organizations. Ni hao to Jim, Christopher, Sarah, and Solomon. Wo ai nimen.
Elisa Hanna (Assistant Stage Manager) Elisa is an actress, dancer, stage manager, and theater technician. She has worked as a stagehand for Great Lakes Theatre Festival, assistant stage manager for The Cleveland Art Museum's presentation of The Gamblers, and was a member of the run crew at The Cleveland Play House. At Tri-C, Elisa was the assistant stage manager for The Colored Museum and Lysistrata, and stage manager for A Step Beyond and Jali Muso. She has appeared in Future of the Funk and De Vices at Cleveland Public Theatre. Elisa has also performed with TOPS (Theater Outreach Performance Series) at Karamu House and during the Showtime at High Noon series at Playhouse Square. At Tri-C, she appeared in Doin' it to Death and Lysistrata. Elisa prides herself as being an advocate of art for social change and rehabilitation.
Lawrence Seman (Sturdyvant) Lawrence was last seen in Medea (Tutor) at the Actors Summit. He has appeared on most of the area’s stages over the last 25 years including A Canticle for Leibowitz at Beck Center. Lawrence is pleased to work on such a powerful play with such an exceptional cast and director.
Michael Regnier (Irvin) Michael is grateful for another opportunity to work, and is especially pleased to return to the Beck Center and to be under the direction of Sarah May again. Previous credits here include The History Boys, Holy Ghosts, and Mrs. Warren’s Profession. In the recent past Michael has been featured in Buried Child at convergence-continuum; Lunacy and The Cleveland Plays: Migration at Dobama; Great Lake’s Theatre Festival's Surround Tour Before the Storm, and Jungle Book at The Cleveland Play House. A professional theater veteran for 30 years, Michael was a longtime resident-company member of Ken Albers’ Actors Company and Cleveland SignStage Theatre, where he also served as Artistic Director and General Manager. Michael is a manager at Cleveland Heights’ historic landmark dwelling and bed-&-breakfast, The Alcazar. Sunguidess beauty Juliette – mystic seer, songbird actress and burgeoning playwright – is his wife and life-unifier, and Nova-the-basset-hound’s enabler. Beloved children are in Akron, Chicago and Taos. Thank-you, Universe!
Larry Arrington-Bey (Cutler) Larry is a Karamu-trained actor with a long list of twelve Karamu productions. His favorite production was Athol Fugard’s Sizwe Bansi is Dead which toured colleges and the Cincinnati Playhouse. This is Larry’s third August Wilson show – others included Jitney and 7 Guitars. He was voted best actor of the season at Weathervane for his performance in Wilson’s 7 Guitars (Hedley). Larry’s most recent production was Karamu’s Lil Tommy Parker’s Celebrated Mitstred Show. "Success comes before work only in the dictionary."
Anthony Elfonzia Nickerson-El (Toledo) Anthony has starred in several theater productions, including the lead in John Henry at The Cleveland Play House. He was seen in ensemble roles here at Beck Center in A Few Good Men, To Kill A Mockingbird and Romeo & Juliet. Anthony has performed at Dobama in In The Blood. He had a memorable role as Mister in August Wilson's King Hedley. He was also seen in Karamu's production of Before It Hits Home and Black Eagles. His films Benjamin and Unspeakable are in international film festivals.
Robert J. Williams (Slow Drag) Bobby is pleased to make his first appearance on the Beck Center stage in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and is even more excited to be working with Sarah May again – the director who gave him his first professional role almost 20 years ago. Recent credits include Venus (The Negro Resurrectionist) and The Designated Mourner (Howard) at Cleveland Public Theatre; Joe Turner’s Come & Gone (Seth) at Tri-C Metro Theater; Hard Lovin’ Gone Bad (Chuck) at The Access Theatre, New York City; and in the Sundance Award-winning film American Splendor (The Cancer Doctor).
Michael May (Levee) Michael is thankful his cousin, Sarah, casted him – 8 years later. During that time, he has performed in A Raisin In The Sun also at the Beck Center, Take Me Out at Dobama, The Trial... at Karamu and others. This spring, Michael's film, Confessions Of A Disciple, will be available at the Lakewood Public Library. Much love to his wife, Kimberly.
*Angela Gillespie-Winborn (Ma Rainey) Angela is a Cleveland native who has performed throughout the Northeast Ohio area. Theaters include The Cleveland Play House in Crowns (Velma), Porthouse Theatre, Cain Park, Karamu House, Carousel Dinner Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre, and Cleveland Opera. She also performed here at the Beck Center 20 years ago in A…My Name is Alice. Angela was last seen in the production Double Nickel Blues, which was written and directed by Margaret Ford-Taylor at Cleveland State University Factory Theatre. She appeared in the motion picture The Antwone Fisher Story (The Women in White) directed by Academy Award-winning actor, Denzel Washington. Angela was also an extra in the trilogy Spiderman III. Currently, she is a substitute teacher for Cleveland Municipal Schools, and manages the City of Cleveland’s summer performing arts program, Showagon.
Dennis Sullivan (Policeman) Dennis is happy to return to the Beck stage after a few years away. He has been seen here in 1776, Parade and Inherit the Wind. Since then, he has appeared in Our Town, AtTENtion Span and Crumble (Lay Me Down Justin Timberlake) at Cleveland Public Theatre. Dennis is enjoying his first time working with Sarah May and such a wonderful cast and crew!
Deja M. Foster (Dussie Mae) Deja is currently a theatre major at Baldwin-Wallace College and a recent graduate of the Cleveland School of the Arts. She has performed in numerous plays around Cleveland for the past several years including West Side Story, Carmen Jones, The Hot Mikado, Miracle Worker, Secrets, and Baba King, just to name a few. Deja has really enjoyed her time here at the Beck Center while rehearsing for Ma Rainey, and hopes you enjoy the show. GOD Bless.
Nathan A. Lilly (Sylvester/Choreographer) Nathan is thrilled to return to the Beck Center where he appeared in Elton John’s Aida. He has appeared in The Wiz (Tinman), Kiss Me, Kate and Damn Yankees at Cain Park; One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (Aide Williams) at Porthouse Theatre; Bunnicula (Harold), Ferdinand the Bull and The Nutcracker - A New Holiday Musical, at The Cleveland Play House; in Alison Carey’s staged reading of Peter Pan at Great Lakes Theatre Festival. Nathan has worked alongside Sarah May on Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori’s Caroline, or Change at Dobama and Karamu; as well as Eric Coble and Bill Rudman’s Let Freedom Ring at Ensemble Theatre. Other credits: Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey II); Songs for a New World (Man 1 & Man 2); Eric Schmiedl’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (March Hare/King of Hearts), and A New Brain (Nurse Richard). Nathan has worked as a director, choreographer, and teaching artist at many venues and schools throughout Northeast Ohio. Notable credits include Once on this Island, Children of Eden, Pippin, Seussical the Musical, The Wiz, Gypsy, Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls, Working, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Les Miserables (School Edition), and Into the Woods.
*Actor appears courtesy of the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the union of actors and stage managers.
Richard Gould (Scenic Designer) Richard has worked with Sarah May on numerous productions since “before electricity” including The Diary of Anne Frank and You Can’t Take it with You at the Beck Center. Last season, Richard also designed the set for Holy Ghosts, his first Studio Theater show at the Beck Center. Other designs include Something’s Afoot, Purlie, Saturday Night, What the Butler Saw, Once On This Island, Inherit the Wind, La Cage aux Folles, and Of Mice and Men. It has been a great ride here at the Beck Center. Thanks to the Tech Dept. and all the crew people that made all these shows possible.
Aimee Kluiber (Costume Designer) Aimee is a costume designer who resides in Lakewood. She studied theatre and music at Wittenberg University and The Cleveland Institute of Music and fashion and millinery design at The Virginia Marti College of Art and Design. Her theatrical associations include Cleveland State University, Lyric Opera Cleveland, The Cleveland Play House, The Cleveland Institute of Music, Cain Park, Case Western Reserve University, Cesear’s Forum, Red Hen Productions, Dobama Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Beck Center for the Arts, Willoughby Fine Arts Association, and the Cleveland Jewish Community Center.
Michael Boll (Lighting Designer) Recent Cleveland designs include the Case Western Reserve University’s MFA productions of Angels in America and Arcadia at The Cleveland Play House, The Wiz at Cain Park, Colder Than Here at Dobama, and Blackbird at Bang and Clatter. In New York, he designed the Off-Broadway productions of The Moliere Cycle at Classic Stage Company, Songs for a New World at George Street Playhouse, Dog Sees God at Soho Playhouse, and The Moonlight Room at 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. Michael 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 The 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, 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. He has worked as a show control programmer and installer 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.
