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STAFF BIOS - DIRECTORS - ARTISTIC STAFF - ACTING COMPANY - ACTING INTERNS
Staff
Bios
 David
Colacci
Artist Director
DAVID COLACCI directs Room Service. In 24 seasons with HSRT (18 as Artistic Director) his productions have included Kiss Me, Kate, Godspell, Seussical, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, Oliver, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare in Hollywood, Return to the Forbidden Planet, I Hate Hamlet, Johnny Pye, Suds and Go Dog Go. Among the roles he has played some are Charlie in The Foreigner, Morgan in The Drawer Boy, Mark in Art, Queeg in The Canine Mutiny Court Martial, Nicely in Guys and Dolls, Lenny in Rumors, Frank in Educating Rita, Billy in Billy Bishop Goes to War, Oscar in The Odd Couple, Orgon in Tartuffe, Uncle Jack in Dancing at Lughnasa, Will in Willi, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Archidald in The Secret Garden, and John Adams in 1776. During eight years as a resident artist at the Cleveland Play House, he directed World Premiers of the AT&T Award winning Bright Ideas by Eric Coble and Murphy Guyer’s The Infinite Regress of Human Vanity. Also at CPH he directed Harvey, Seascape, Sylvia, and Laughter on the 23rd Floor. David has performed at theatres nationwide for over 30 years, including The Old Globe in San Diego, The Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Chicago’s Wisdom Bridge and Northlight Theatre, the Guthrie in Minneapolis, the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, People’s Light and Theatre in Philadelphia, Boston’s New Rep, and most recently in True West, at New Jersey's Two River Theater Company. He has won numerous awards as a narrator of audio books, including an Audie nomination this year for Philip Pan's Out of Mao's Shadow.
 Mary
Schakel Van Heynigen
Producing Director
MARY SCHAKEL VAN HEYNIGEN is now in her 36th year with HSRT. She began work in Holland as the Costume Designer for HSRT’s first season 38 years ago, and designed costumes for over 100 productions in Detroit, Minneapolis, and Chicago, as well as in Holland, MI. She became HSRT’s Managing Director in 1979 and Producing Director in 1984. Mary is a consultant for the Midwest Theater Auditions at Webster University and conducts audition workshops for colleges throughout the Midwest. Mary graduated from Hope College and did her graduate work at the University of Minnesota.
To e-mail
Mary: mschakel(at)hope.edu
 Matthew
R. D'Oyly
Assistant Producing Director
MATTHEW R. D’OYLY, Assistant Producing Director, is starting his eighth summer with HSRT. In addition to working for HSRT, Matthew is ending his fifth year as a Residential Life Coordinator for Hope College. His background encompasses a variety of areas including student activities, residential life, greek life and theatre. Matthew serves as the Inter-Fraternity Council Advisor, the chair of development and training committee for Residential Life and Housing and the coordinator of the alcohol education programs. Matthew was invited to present his alcohol campaign initiatives at the American College Personal Association’s National Conference in Atlanta, GA in 2008. He served as an ambassador for the NCAA Women’s Final Four and can often be seen with the Hope College Mascot “Dutch” as he advises the mascot program at the college. He is also a graphic designer, and designs logos, posters and t-shirts for many local organizations. He was instrumental in establishing the Mona Shores Choir Fund through the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. Before HSRT, he worked as a sound engineer for Cherry County Playhouse in Muskegon, MI. Matthew holds a master’s in Education with an emphasis in College Student Affairs Leadership from Grand Valley State University and a bachelor of fine arts in theatre technical design from Otterbein College in Westerville, OH.
To e-mail
Matthew: hsrt(at)hope.edu
 James Saba
Artistic Director of the Children's Performance Troupe
JAMES SABA is happy to return to HSRT to direct The Cmplt Wrks…, Click, Clack, Moo and Charlotte’s Web. Past HSRT shows (as a director) include Forever Plaid, Petite Rouge, Lost In Yonkers, Junie B. Jones, The Shakespeare Revue, Scapin, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Sylvia, and over 25 productions for the Children’s Performance Troupe. Regionally he directed All in the Timing and 7 Stories (Old Globe Theatre), Blithe Spirit, Lucky Stiff and The Philadelphia Story (Webster University), Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol (North Coast Repertory Theatre), The Mystery of Irma Vep (Diversionary Theatre) and Girl Scouts of America (Fringe NYC). As an actor he recently appeared in the premiere stage production of Kite Runner at San Jose Repertory Theatre and Centennial Casting at Virginia Stage Company. Other regional acting credits include Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Old Globe Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, San Diego Repertory, The Apple Tree and several productions at HSRT including Young Rube, The Nerd, The Odd Couple, Compleat Wks of Wm Shakespeare Abridged, Tartuffe, Irma Vep, Rumors, Art, and Rounding Third to name a few. TV credits include Law and Order, Conviction and 30 Rock.
To e-mail
James: hsrt(at)hope.edu
 Peter E. Sargent
Resident Lighting Designer
This season marks the 19th season that PETER E. SARGENT has designed a production for HSRT. Starting with The Human Comedy through last season’s Doubt. He enjoys the incredible collaboration with the artists that are the company of HSRT. He is the Dean of the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts at Webster University in Saint Louis. He has been the resident lighting designer for The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis since the theatre opened in 1966. He has also designed for The Great Lakes Theatre Festival, the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Arrow Rock (MO) Lyceum Theatre. He is a member of the College of Fellows of American Theatre, The National Theatre Conference, the Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame, a recipient of The Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis Award for Excellence in the Arts and was recognized with the Special Citation for Excellence in Theatre Education by the United States Institute for Theatre Technology. He is the founder of both the National Unified Auditions and the MidWest Theatre Auditions and serves as the coordinator for auditions for the International Thespian Festival. He served as a panelist for the Musical Theatre/Theatre Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts. He is on the Board of Directors and Chair of the Artistic Committee for The Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, President of the Board for the Saint Louis Professional Theatre Awards, and a Board member of the Arts and Education Council. Peter and his wife, Alice love to return to Holland each year and enjoy hosting daughter Megan and son-in-law Dennis Case and daughter Amy and son-in-law Douglas Hanneken and grandsons Connor (9) and Jack (5 1/2). We thank the incredible support of Hope College and everyone that participates as a member of the audience.
To e-mail
Peter: hsrt(at)hope.edu
 Richard Ingraham
Resident Sound Designer
RICHARD INGRAHAM is happy to return to HSRT as The Resident Sound Designer for lucky season #13. Some of his favorite previous designs for HSRT include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scapin, ART, Woman in Black, Having Our Say, To Kill A Mockingbird, Return to the Forbidden Planet, and Forever Plaid (both 2008 and 1996). Richard is a Freelance Sound Designer, based out of the Cleveland, OH area. He has worked at numerous theatre companies and schools in the Cleveland area and around the U.S. including: Ashland University, The Beck Center for the Arts, The Cleveland JCC, The Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland State University, Dobama Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Oberlin College, Shakespeare and Company, The University of Evansville and The Willoughby Fine Arts Association. Richard also works for Stage Research Inc., an award winning Software Company based in Cleveland OH that creates software tools designed for the performing arts. Richard has also worked as a Show Control Programmer and installer for clients such as Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Dialog in The Dark in Kansas City, The Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield IL and Stone Mountain Park in Georgia.
To e-mail
Richard: hsrt(at)hope.edu
Directors
JAHNNA BEECHAM is happy to return to HSRT for her 8th season as the director of Dog Park: the Musical. The first five were as a director and playwright, directing The Nerd, Educating Rita, The Reluctant Dragon and two productions of Chaps! which she co-wrote with her husband, Malcolm Hillgartner. In 2006, she appeared as Maggie in Memory House and last year she played Betty Meeks in The Foreigner. Jahnna has directed at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland, and International Theatre of Vienna. Besides Chaps! she and her husband, along with Michael J. Hume, wrote They Came From Way Out There which has been performed at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland and The Oregon Cabaret. She directed Dogpark at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre in January and she and Malcolm are hard at work on their newest piece, Holmes and Watson: a Musical Mystery, which will open in Milwaukee November 14th. Besides writing musicals, she and Malcolm have written 120 books for children and young adults under the pen name Jahnna N. Malcolm. Currently on the shelves are Love Letters, published by Simon and Schuster; Scholastic’s Jewel Kingdom; and Jack and the Flying Zambinis for Sylvan Learning Systems. But Jahnna and Malcolm’s best team effort has been their two wonderful kids, Dash, 20 and Skye, 17. They all live loudly in Ashland, Oregon.
DAVID COLACCI - See above
DAINA ROBINS joins HSRT for her sixteenth season as Director of Little Women. Past HSRT productions include Sarah, Plain and Tall, The Hypochondriac, The Drawer Boy, Rounding Third, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, The Game of Love and Chance, Footloose, Orphans, Three Viewings, Twelve Angry Men, Cinderella, The Turn of the Screw, and Dancing at Lughnasa. As chair of the Theatre Department at Hope College, Daina teaches acting, directing, and theatre history. Recent productions for the academic program include Big Love, The Nina Variations, The School for Scandal, and Wonderful Town. During the 2009-10 season she will direct Rabbit Hole and Much Ado about Nothing. Daina and her husband Peter von Websky are the proud parents of Maris, Hope grad of 2009, and Kaija, Holland High grad of 2009.
JAMES SABA - See above
FRED TESSLER, Resident Music Director, is delighted to return to HSRT for a 16th season! This summer he is serving as Director, Music Director, and Pianist/Conductor for Suds and also Music Director for Little Women. Fred has worked on over 40 productions for HSRT. Favorites include directing productions of Honk!, Dames At Sea , and 10 Cabaret shows (8 of which were original creations), music directing Kiss Me Kate, Babes In Arms and Two Gents, and playing the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz. A resident of New York City, Fred is on the faculty of Wagner College where this past year he directed productions of tick, tick…BOOM! and Master Class. Fred has also been Music Director for productions at Brooklyn College and Columbia University and is on the staff of the Cap 21 Conservatory at New York University. Music directing credits in New York include the Off-Broadway production of Five Course Love, three seasons with the ENCORES! series at City Center, and productions with The Roundabout Theatre Company and Manhattan Class Company. Regional credits include productions with Theatre de la Jeune Lune, The Berkeley Repertory Theatre and The Berkshire Theatre Festival. Fred has been an Artist in Residence at The Stratford Festival of Canada and looks forward to returning there this fall.
The Management
SAMANTHA SOSKA is thrilled to be joining HSRT this summer as the Production Stage Manager. She will also be stage managing Little Women: the Musical. This past year Samantha was an ASM for multiple UMKC productions and a PA at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. She will begin her 2nd year at University of Missouri – Kansas City this fall, where she is pursing her MFA in Stage Management. She also received her BA in Technical Theatre and Production with an emphasis in Stage Management and Lighting from Western Michigan University.
Artistic Staff
ERIK ALBERG is a lighting and sound designer currently working as the Technical Director for Events and Conferences at Hope College. He received his B.A. of Theatre at Hope College and his M.F.A. in technical production from the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Delaware. Erik’s design work has been seen with many dance companies including dANCEpROjECt Dance Company, IDT Dance Company, Dorrell Martin’s Dance Fusion, and Lehrerdance. His design work has also been seen or heard at The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Hope College, University of Delaware, Boarshead Theatre Company, Heritage Theatre Company, City Theatre Company, and The Miniature Theatre of Chester. Erik is also an award-winning photographer, whose works have been featured in galleries and publications.
KATY ATWELL is thrilled to be returning to HSRT for her fourth summer, and second as the Master Electrician. In past years at HSRT, she has light designed A Shakespeare Revue, Junie B. Jones, and The Foreigner. Originally from Central Illinois, she received her BFA from Millikin University in Theatre Technology and Design and worked with IATSE Local 193. Since her last appearance in Holland, she has been working at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island as an electrician and light board operator. She is excited to be back in the Midwest working with a talented group of young artists. This year, she will be designing Room Service and The Complt Wrks… and trying to figure out what her next move "in the real world" is going to be.
CLAY BARRON is back for his third summer with HSRT, this time as Scenic Designer for Suds and as the season Charge Artist. Previously at HSRT he has served as an assistant Scenic (The Hypochondriac) and Lighting (Seussical the Musical) Designer. He also spent the summer of 2005 as an Arts Administrative Intern for the one and only Mary Schakel. University of Evansville: Dancing at Lughnasa (Scenic Designer); Reckless (Scenic Designer); Dark of the Moon (Assoc. Scenic Designer). Eugene O'Neill Theater Center: Assistant Technical Director (2007); Props Intern (2006). BFA University of Evansville 2008.
LISA BORTON, Stitcher/Costume Designer for Charlotte’s Web, is excited to be returning to HSRT for her second summer. She is a 2009 graduate of Hope College, where she recently designed costumes for Proof and Second Class. In the fall she will be pursuing her MFA in Theatre Arts at the University of Iowa. Lisa would like to thank her family and friends for their unending love and support.
ELIZABETH FLAUTO is thrilled to be home at HSRT! Selected credits include HSRT: Doubt, Petite Rouge, Lost in Yonkers, The Hypochondriac, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Barrington Stage Company: A Streetcar Named Desire, Private Lives, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, The World Goes Round, Uncle Vanya, Ring Round the Moon, Burnt Part Boys, and Importance of Being Earnest. Chicago: Married Alive (Noble Fool Theatricals), John and Jen (Apple Tree Theatre). New York: The Shape of Metal, Trousers, Clocks and Whistles (Origin Theatre Co), Nelson (Partial Comfort @ The Lion), Doubt, Woman Before a Glass (TheaterWorks Hartford), Captain Louie (York Theatre, Little Shubert), Sides: The Fear is Real (Culture Project, PS122). BA University of Evansville 1996, MFA UT Austin 2002, Member United Scenic Artists.
This season marks the twenty-fifth season JOSEPH P. FLAUTO has been a member of the HSRT company, this year as Scenic Designer for Room Service and Little Women. For the 2008 season he designed the set for The Foreigner. He hopes you enjoyed the production as much as he did! Other recent HSRT credits include: scenic design for The Hypochondriac (another of his professional collaborations with his daughter Elizabeth), She Loves Me, and Art. Joe keeps coming back to HSRT because he is so pleased with the quality of work all these years. It has become a second home (he lives in Evansville, IN) and he has made lots of friends. If Holland audiences are tired of seeing his work, they should let him know and he’ll stay away. But not for long! As a member of the faculty at the University of Evansville for 30 years, Joe has had numerous designs appear at regional and national American College Theatre Festivals, including Anatomy of Grey, which was invited to appear at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC in April of 2006. His set design for the University of Evansville’s production of The Comedy of Errors was seen as part of the city wide Shakespeare in Washington Festival this past April, 2007. He is a member of the United Scenic Artists and has worked at professional regional theatre in Crew, England, Philadelphia, and Indianapolis. He is now retired from U of E but not the theatre and theatre design. He looks forward to working with John Tammi this fall on The Skin of Our Teeth, part of the regular season at Hope College.
DOSS FREEL is thrilled to be returning for his second summer at HSRT as the scenic designer for The Cmplt Wks…, Charlotte's Web, and Click, Clack, Moo as well as Co-Proping the season with Katie "Dino" Terpstra. A recent graduate of Western Michigan University, he is excited to spend another season working with such a talented and dedicated group of individuals. This coming fall he plans to attend UMKC while working at the Kansas City Rep.
DOMINIQUE RHEA GLAROS is thrilled to return to HSRT this summer as the Costume Designer for The Cmplt Wks…and Dogpark: the Musical, as well as doing costume crafts for the season. Dominique is a second year MFA student in Costume Design at the University of Cincinnati- College Conservatory of Music, and received her BS from the University of Evansville. Last year she served as the Costume Coordinating Assistant at the Cincinnati Opera. Favorite credits include costume designs for BatBoy, the Musical, Rappaccini’s Daughter (CCM), The Secret Garden (Montana Civic Center), Into the Sun (Burchett Films), and costume crafts for Falstaff (CCM) and La Traviata (Cincinnati Opera).
This marks SARAH HECK’s fourth summer at HSRT. Previously she worked two seasons as Head of Props and one as Charge Painter. She holds a BFA in Theatre Design and Techology from the University of Evansville, and has worked with several theaters around the country including: building and designing Puppets at Redmoon Theater in Chicago, building Puppets at Enchantment Theatre in Philidelphia, building eighty masks for the Glen Ellyn's Children's Chorus which toured to Beijing, and working as the Props Journeyman at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Currently she resides in Milwaukee, working as a Props Crafts Artisan at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
MALCOLM HILLGARTNER, Music Director, returns for his fourth summer at HSRT after an absence of many years. In 1992 he played the title role in Macbeth and Dickinson in 1776, and returned in 1995 and 1996 as musical director and performer in Chaps!, a musical he co-wrote with his wife Jahnna Beecham that has been performed all over the country. Other shows he and Jahnna have created (with Michael J. Hume) include Dogpark: the Musical, which premiered at the Milwaukee Rep last January, and They Came From Way Out There, which premiered in 2004 at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre, and subsequently been produced at the Milwaukee Rep and Artists Rep of Portland. Malcolm wrote the songs for both shows. A professional actor since 1978, Malcolm has performed with theatres across the US and Europe, including six seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, three seasons with the Intiman Theatre in Seattle, the Seattle Rep, Milwaukee Rep, A Contemporary Theatre, and the Hartman, to name a few. Favorite parts include the title role in Macbeth at Portland Center Stage, Max in Bent at the Empty Space, and Captain Brazen in Trumpets and Drums at the Denver Center. At the North Carolina Theatre, he’s played Thomas Jefferson twice in productions of 1776 directed by Terrence Mann, as well as Emile in South Pacific and Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. He’s narrated over 30 audiobooks, recently receiving an AudioFile Earphones award for his narration of Cheever: A Life. From 1990-94 he and Jahnna directed the Gathering atBigfork, a new play development festival that introduced Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-winning play Master Class. Under the pen name Jahnna N. Malcolm, he and Jahnna have written and sold 8.5 million books for children and young adults. They turned one of those books, The Ruby Princess Runs Away, into a movie, which won Best Feature at the 2001 Burbank International Children’s Film Festival. They’ve also written scripts for CD-ROM games, and the content for the Parents and Teachers Choice Award winning programs Hooked on Phonics—Master Reader and Hooked on School Success. They were featured humor columnists for Sesame Street Parents Magazine and their collected columns on the lighter side of parenting became the award-winning book I’m Counting to 10… Malcolm’s favorite collaborations with Jahnna are their son Dash and daughter Skye.
AMANDA RAE JANKE - Costume shop manager and costume designer of Suds. Amanda is excited to be returning to HSRT for her third season, her first as costume shop manager. Last season she served as the costume designer for Closer Than Ever. Amanda is currently pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in costume design and technology at the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music. She received her B.A. in theatre from Grand Valley State University in 2008.
BRANDON KIRKHAM returns for his fifth summer at HSRT, as Costume Designer for Little Women and Click, Clack, Moo and is Designing/Building Puppets for Charlotte's Web. Previous HSRT designs include: Kiss Me Kate, Drawer Boy, Petite Rouge, Rounding Third, The Stinky Cheese Man, and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Brandon received his MFA in Theater Design from Ohio University in 2008, and graduated from the University of Evansville in 2005. Brandon has also worked at The Santa Fe Opera, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Pioneer Theatre in Salt Lake City, Milwaukee's First Stage Children's Theatre, Minneapolis Children's Theatre, Cincinnati's Playhouse in the Park, Enchantment Theatre in Philidelphia, and Skylight Opera in Milwaukee. He participated in the 2007 Prague Quadrennial Design Exhibition, Ming Cho Lee's Clambake in 2008, and later this summer will be co-leading USITT's summer symposium on Puppetry. Brandon is a freelance Costume and Scenic Designer, Crafts Artisan, and Puppet Maker.
MERIBETH KISNER returns to HSRT as Choreographer for Little Women and Suds. From 1972 to 1993 Meribeth performed, directed, and choreographed as a concert dancer for several nationally-known dance companies. She has taught as a Master Teacher both nationally and internationally. She has owned two dance studios as well as founding and touring her own dance company for eleven years. Meribeth performed in musical theatre from 1972 to 1977, dancing for the likes of Bob Fosse and Tony Stevens. She has choreographed for musical theatre since 1980 and has been choreographing and directing here at Hope Summer Repertory Theatre since 1983. She resides in Evanston, Illinois with her husband, Bob Griffin (who, bless his heart, comes to all her HSRT openings).
ROYAL MARTY is happy to be making his debut at HSRT as the Technical Director. Royal is entering his senior year at Webster University pursuing his BFA. His past experiences include technical director for Arrowrock Lyceum Theatre for the 2008 season, as well as his numerous productions at Webster University.
NATHAN W. SCHEUER is returning to HSRT for his second summer as the Assistant Master Electrician and Lighting Designer for Dog Park: the Musical. In the coming fall, Nathan will begin his third year at Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts, where he is pursuing his B.F.A. in lighting and scenic design. After he designed the two 2008 CPT shows, Sarah Plain and Tall and Petite Rouge, Nathan has had the opportunity to be Assistant Scenic Designer/Charge Artist for the Conservatory’s production of Our Town, and Lighting Designer for the Webster Dance Department’s Senior B.F.A. Showcase. In addition, he has had the pleasure of working with The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis as an Assistant Lighting Designer for Jekyll and Hyde and Frost/Nixon and Assistant Master Electrician for The Lieutenant of Inishmore and Kiss Me, Kate.
After spending his first season as a sound design intern, KEITH STIDHAM is happy to be returning to HSRT this time climbing his way to head of the Sound Department. Keith currently lives in Dayton, OH where he attended Sinclair College as a technical theatre student with a focus in Sound/Scenic Paint. He has also worked with various theatre companies around the Dayton area including Dayton Playhouse South and Human Race Theatre Company as a guest designer and sound board operator. As Master of Sound he has the pleasure of designing both Suds and Dog Park: The Musical. After this summer Keith is looking to escape Dayton and head to Columbus, OH where he will hopefully find plenty of opportunity to continue a theatre career.
KATIE J. TERPSTRA is very happy to be returning for her third summer with HSRT. Two years ago Katie served as the Prop Assistant for The Hypochondriac, She Loves Me, Lost in Yonkers, and Go, Dog! Go! Last year Katie tackled the duties of both Assistant Prop Master and a Scenic Painting Assistant. This summer Katie is excited to serve as Co-Head of Props with the one and only Doss Freel, for whom she has yet to come up with an appropriately cool nickname.
Hailing from neighboring Zeeland, MI, Katie is a recent graduate of Hope College, where she earned a B.A. in theatre with an emphasis in performance. Katie’s onstage credits at Hope include The Illusion, By the Bog of Cats, Big Love, and several student projects. Katie was also active behind the scenes during her four years at Hope, as she served on various crews and/or design teams for 12 Hope College productions. Katie recently learned that she will start an apprenticeship with The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, MI and can hardly wait!
AMANDA WERRE is happy to join HSRT for the first time as a sound engineer. Amanda will be entering her third year at Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts, where she is pursuing her BFA in Sound Design. She is excited to be designing Room Service this summer. She will also be running Little Women and Charlotte's Web. She would like to thank HSRT for allowing her to join their company and her family for all their love and support.
Stage Management
SHAUN HART is pumped to be returning to HSRT this year as the Assistant Production Stage Manager after serving as a Stage Manager last Year. This summer, Shaun will serve as Stage Manager for Room Service and Dogpark: the Musical and serve as the Production Stage Manager for the Children’s Performance Troupe. Shaun is a recent graduate of the University of Evansville with a Bachelors of Science in Stage Management and an Associated Study in Business Administration. His credits while at Evansville include Reckless (Stage Manager), Dark of the Moon (Assistant Technical Director), The Memory of Water (Technical Director) and most recently Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part One (Stage Manager). Also, while at Evansville Shaun participated in the Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Stage Management competition, in which he reached the regional finals.
JESS LEESEBERG is stoked to be joining the Stage Management team at HSRT for her first summer. Jess will serve as Stage Manager for The Cmplt Wrks... and will be the Assistant Stage Manager for Room Service and Little Women: The Musical. Jess recently finished her second year at Millikin University where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with an emphasis in Stage Management. This past fall she Stage Managed Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. She will be returning to Millikin at the end of the summer, where she will serve as Stage Manager for Kiss Me, Kate and Urinetown: the Musical. Since she has moved to Holland for the summer she has heard many things about the Tulips, and is disappointed that she missed the annual Festival.
KRISTI H. MOUNTZ joins HSRT for the first time as Stage Manager for Suds and Assistant Stage Manager for Dog Park: The Musical. Kristi is a recent graduate of Western Michigan University where she focused her studies on Stage Management for dance. Favorite Stage Management credits include: Stand up Eight (The Big Show, LLC), Rite of Spring, East Meets West (Grand Rapids Ballet Company), and Mother Courage and Her Children (Western Michigan University). Kristi is a proud alumna of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival’s Internship Program.
The Acting Company
JEAN REED BAHLE, Aunt March in Little Women, has been involved with the arts in West Michigan for over 30 years primarily as an actor, director and teacher. Jean has also been a free-lance talent in radio, TV and Industrial films. She has lead workshops in acting and writing; she has worked with Circle, Civic, Hope Summer Repertory, and most prominently with Actors’ Theatre in Grand Rapids. She has taught in the Theatre Department of Hope College since 1994. Recent directing credits for Actors’ include The Clean House, The Spitfire Grill (Grand Award for Directing), and Intimate Apparel. Recent acting credits include Stevie in The Goat, and Queen Elizabeth in Elizabeth Rex (both Grand Awards for Acting). She is also Grandma Zippy in the West Michigan-produced children’s TV show, Come on Over. She has appeared in a number of HSRT shows over the years (since 1986!), most recently in Three Viewings and Footloose.
JOSEPH BYRD is delighted to be making his HSRT debut as Dr. Glass in Room Serviceand will be playing Mr. Laurence in Little Women. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music in voice and conducting, he served as music director for two seasons at Oregon State University’s Gilbert and Sullivan Festival. While living and working in Berlin, Germany, his rock opera Resurrection premiered at the Berlin British School and his musical The Secret of Adam and Evelyn in Portland, Oregon. Favorite roles have included Bergetto in ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore, the Celebrant in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, Mr. Owen in Postcard from Morocco, Don Basilio/Curzio in The Marriage of Figaro and Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods. He is the founder and artistic director of the Upper Room Theatre at Zion Lutheran Church in Holland, MI and maintains an active recital schedule as the pianist with the Tira Mi Su trio.
CHIP DUFORD is celebrating 16 seasons at HSRT this summer, in the roles of Gregory Wagner in Room Service and Professor Bhaer in Little Women. At HSRT, Chip has played General Harrison Howell in Kiss Me Kate, Froggy in The Foreigner, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Touchstone in As You Like It, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Mr. Bumble (twice) in Oliver, The Scarecrow in Wizard Of Oz, The Bullfrog in HONK!, and The Pharoah in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, among many other roles as a part of 50 productions during his time as an acting company member, starting with an acting internship W-A-Y back in 1989. Two favorite HSRT projects over the years are the creation of Clive Cooper in the hit musical, CHAPS!, back in 1995, and the 4 winters aiding in the creation of creatures and performing in the Hope College/HSRT joint venture, The Nutcracker/A Play. Three years ago, Chip teamed up with local Holland artist Joel Tanis and Enthusiastic Productions to take on the roles of the curmudgeonly next-door-neighbor, Mr. Flabbinjaw, and Joel’s housecat, Poo-Kitty, in the children’s TV program, Come On Over, which has aired locally on WOTV4 in Grand Rapids. Over the past year, Chip was in the ensemble cast of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change! At the Tippingpoint Theatre in Northville, MI; joined the Hope College Theatre Department’s fall production of The 1940’s Radio Hour as Clifton Feddington; and created the role of Bogey and co-vocal arranged the world premiere production of Dogpark: The Musical at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. Chip is a proud member of the Actors Equity Association. http://www.chipduford.com.
MICHAEL HALLER is thrilled to return to HSRT as a member of the Acting Company. Last summer he played Frankie in Forever Plaid, Gremio in Kiss Me, Kate, and the Frog in Petite Rouge. This summer Michael will appear as Laurie in Little Women and The Man in Suds. Originally from Rochester, New York, Michael will be entering his senior year as a BFA Musical Theatre major at Ithaca College this fall, having just returned from a semester abroad studying theatre in London. His Ithaca College mainstage credits include Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party (Black), The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Joe Farkas), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Egeus), and Urinetown (Billy Boy Bill).
MICHAEL HANSON (Acting Company) is thrilled to be making his third consecutive appearance here at HSRT. This season he's performing in The Cmplt Wrks…, Room Service (Harry Binion), and Dog Park: the Musical (Bogie). He was seen here last summer in Forever Plaid (Sparky), The Foreigner (Rev. David), and Kiss Me Kate (Paul). Previous Credits include Cabaret (Cliff), The Threepenny Opera (Macheath), and Into the Woods (Rapunzel's Prince) at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre. In New York Michael was seen in Full of Noises inaugural production of Hamlet (Claudius), Hope for Change Foundation production of Songs For a New World, and at Columbia Stages in The Threepenny Opera (Matt the Mint).
BEN HERTEL is returning to HSRT for his second summer. Last year, he served as the Arts Management Intern. This summer, he returns as the Arts Administration Assistant, as well as joining the Acting Company for Charlotte’s Web. He will be entering his junior year at Hope College as a theatre performance major, with other aspirations in playwriting. This past year, he played Lou in The 1940's Radio Hour and Giuliano in Big Love. He is also involved in properties and house management. He has worked in properties for the Michigan Emmy-winning children’s television show, Come On Over, shot here at Hope. He would like to thank his family, friends, and anyone else who has supported him in every step that he takes.
STEPHEN MAILER is making his HSRT debut in Room Service. Other regional credits include: Touch the Names (Arizona Theatre Company), The End of it All (South Coast Rep), Moonshadow and Minor Demons (Philadelphia Festival Theatre), and Orphans (Pittsburgh Public Theatre). BROADWAY: Laughter on the 23rd Floor, and Broadway Bound (National Tour). OFF-BROADWAY: Awake and Sing and What’s Wrong With This Picture? (Jewish Repertory Theatre), The Innocents Crusade (Manhattan Theatre Club), Peacetime (WPA Theatre), and For Dear Life (The Public). TELEVISION: Gilmore Girls, Law and Order, Law and Order: SUV, All my Children, As the World Turns, and the PBS American Playhouse Productions, Darrow and Love and Other Sorrows. FILM: Rabbit Hole, Jack Goes Boating, Last Night, Che, Baby Mama, The Golden Boys, Kettle Of Fish, Ride With The Devil, 24 Nights, Red Meat, Quiet Days In Hollywood, Getting In, Reversal Of Fortune, Cry Baby, Another Woman, and War And Love. He lives with the brilliant and beautiful artist, actress, and HSRT veteran, Elizabeth Rainer, and is the grateful father of two extraordinary, wisecracking pals, 6 year old, Teddy and 10 year old, Cal.
JORDAN NUCKELS is thrilled to be making his debut at HSRT. This summer he’s playing the roles of Hogarth in Room Service and Itchy in Dog Park: the Musical. Jordan recently earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from the University of Evansville where favorite performances include: Into the Woods (Jack), Company (Paul), Grand Hotel (Bolero), and A Little Night Music (Mr. Erlanson). He studied ballet with Hugh Nini from the age of four, and performed fourteen years with the Festival Ballet Company of North Texas. Jordan would like to thank all of his family and friends for their love and support.
GAIL RASTORFER, playing Marge in Suds and Marmie in Little Women, is honored to be back at HSRT after 14 years. She first appeared on HSRT’s stage as Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest and then as Lily in The Secret Garden among other crazy roles. Since then she’s been living and working in Chicago on stage, and on camera. Theatre credits include: Comedy Of Errors with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Lend Me A Tenor at Theatre At The Center, Shear Madness at The Chicago Theatre, As You Like It at Indiana Repertory Theatre, Twelfth Night at First Folio Shakespeare Festival, The Rose Tattoo at Goodman Theatre, and The Gamester at Northlight Theatre. Last summer one of her dreams came true when she was directed by one of her former acting professors in Proof. Gail acts with The Shakespeare Project of Chicago performing staged readings of classical works free to the public at the Newberry Library. You may have seen her in a myriad of commercials selling vacuums, popcorn or cars. She is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association, Screen Actor’s Guild and is on the Chicago board of the American Federation of TV & Radio Artists. Gail is married to fellow actor Dan Rodden (who saw her on the HSRT stage before ever knowing that he was going to marry her). She would like to dedicate her performance to her wonderful mother and to the memories her grandmothers.
DANIELLE ROTH is delighted to be returning to HSRT for her second summer, this time having just graduated Wagner College with her BA in Theatre Performance. Recent roles include: Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun, Lucy Brown in Threepenny Opera, Louka in Arms and the Man, Denise Savage in Savage in Limbo, and Clytemnestra in The Eumenides. She was last seen at HSRT in their 2007 CPT production of Junie B. Jones as Junie B. Many thanks to Mary and David for giving her the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful company.
ANNIE SHEEHAN is delighted to make her debut with HSRT as part of the Acting Company. This summer she will be playing Cindy in Suds and Daisy in Dog Park: the Musical. She is a recent graduate of Bradley University where she was the Athletic National Anthem Singer and member of the award-winning Chorale. Annie hails from Southside Chicago where she hopes to base her career. Some performance credits include: Urinetown (Hope Cladwell), Pirates of Penzance (Ruth), Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Philia), 42nd Street (Phyllis) and Tommy (Mrs. Simpson/Ensemble). Annie would like to thank her parents for their support both emotionally, artistically and especially financially, her sister Colleen for allowing Annie to follow in her footsteps, her brothers Joey and Dennis for making her tough, the Chicago Bears and Melissa and Timmy, her best friend and her best guy.
KELLY SINA is stoked to be returning for her third summer at HSRT as Meg in Little Women and Dee Dee in Suds. Previously she was seen in Godspell, The Til Midnight Cabaret, She Loves Me, Oliver!, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and several CPT performances. Before moving to New York City, audiences may also recognize Kelly from Hope College productions where she graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in musical theatre. She was also recently seen in The Producers at The Skylight Opera Theatre in Milwaukee, WI. Kelly would like to thank her family for their endless love and guidance, her friends for their consistent support, and David and Mary for allowing her to continue to call Holland her home.
JONATHAN SPIVEY is pleased to appear in Room Service (Joe Gribble) and The Cmplt Wrks.... Favorite previous HSRT credits include Forever Plaid, Shakespeare in Hollywood, Kiss Me Kate, The Foreigner, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Off-off Broadway: The Last Chanukah. Recent regional credits include Itchy in the world premiere of Dog Park: the Musical at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Around the World in 80 Days at Sierra Repertory Theatre, Black Gold at Phoenix Theatre, The Merchant of Venice at Richmond Shakespeare, The Glass Menagerie (Tom), The Altruists (Ronald), and Gypsy (w/ Lorna Luft). Film: Cashing Checks (LAZOR Productions). Jonathan lives in NYC, is a Second City trained improv artist, a jazz pianist, the co-author of the original musical Murphy’s Law, and a member of Actors Equity Association.
TEDDY YUDAIN is so glad to be back for a third summer with HSRT! This summer he can be seen as Leo Davis in Room Service, as Champ in Dog Park: the Musical, and as himself in The Cmplt Wrks…. He was previously seen as Jinx (Forever Plaid), Ellard (The Foreigner), Hortensio (Kiss Me Kate), Judas (Godspell), Monsieur Bonfaux (The Hypochondriac), and the clumsy Busboy (She Loves Me). He received his BFA in Acting from the University of Connecticut and favorite CT Rep roles include: Jack (Into the Woods), Will Hays (Shakespeare in Hollywood), Second Witch (Macbeth), Amiens (As You Like It), and the world premiere of William Gibson's Jonah's Dream (featured singer).
Acting Interns
LINDSEY JANE BULLEN is proud to be making her HSRT debut as an Acting Intern. She will be starting her junior year in the fall at Ithaca College as a member of their B.F.A. Musical Theatre program. She will be in Click, Clack, Moo, Charlotte’s Web, and is very excited to be playing Amy in Little Women with the Acting Company! On the Ithaca mainstage she has been seen as a Dancer in Dance *No Translation Needed and Nadine in The Wild Party. She has also played CB’s Sister in Dog Sees God, Woman 1 in Edges: a song cycle, in various student theatre groups and is a member of Rock Hard Dance Company. Last summer she played Sally Bowles in Candace Evans’ Production of Cabaret in Dallas.
NATHANIEL FRENCH is excited to make his professional debut with HSRT. He is currently going into his junior year as a B.F.A. student at Southern Methodist University. His credits include: Far Away, Twelfth Night, The Runner Stumbles, and SMU's new play festival New Visions, New Voices. He is also a freelance book critic for the St. Petersburg Times.
LISA KITCHENS is a rising senior at the University of Evansville majoring in theatre performance. Recent UE productions include The Memory of Water, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, 1918 and That Scoundrel Scapin guest directed by HSRT's David Colacci. She is excited to be an acting intern at HSRT, and thanks her family for their everlasting support.
Acting Intern JASON ROJAS is here for the first time at HSRT, appearing in Room Service and Charlotte's Web. He will be entering his senior year at The University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA professional acting program. Jason's most recent credits include Fernand in The Count of Monte Cristo at the Minnesota Centennial Showboat, Old Oedipus in Oedipus, Cassio in Othello, Pleribo/Adraste/Prince in The Illusion, and Glenn in Splendor in the Grass at the University of Minnesota.
DAVID SAJEWICH is excited to be working with the Hope Summer Repertory Theatre as an Acting Intern, appearing in Little Womenand Charlotte’s Web. David will be entering his third year at the Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA) at Roosevelt University in the fall, where he is working towards a BFA in Musical Theatre. He recently performed in Bells Are Ringing (Paul Arnold/Ensemble) at CCPA, and spent his previous summer performing in Oklahoma! (Ali Hakim) and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Ensemble).
Acting Intern from St. Charles, IL, BRITTANY STOCK is very excited for her first season with HSRT! About to enter her senior year at Hope College, credits there include The 1940's Radio Hour (Ann), Big Love (Thyona), and the original production of Rose and the Rime (Hazel). When Rose was invited to the National level of the American College Theatre Festival, Brittany had the distinct honor of performing at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. This summer, she can be seen in Click, Clack, Moo and Charlotte's Web.
ABBE TANENBAUM is thrilled to be making her HSRT debut. Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, she is going into her senior year as a BFA Musical Theatre major at Ithaca College. Past credits include The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Sunny), Brigadoon (Fiona), You Can’t Take it with You (Alice), Metamorphosis (Eurydice/ Sleep), and The Fantasticks (Luisa) which she performed in Ireland. She has just recently returned from an extended stay in London where she studied theater and was fortunate enough to see 30 shows!
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