Directed by Patrick Ciamacco
Music Direction by Lawrence Wallace
Choreography by Katie Zarecki
Stage Managed by Brittany Gaul
Costume Design by Jenniver Sparano
Special Effects Design by PJ Toomey
Lighting Design by Cory Molner
Sound Design by Tobias Peltier
CAST
Brian Altman (Dr. Parker) is thrilled to be making his Blank Canvas Theatre debut in this production! He has enjoyed performing on stages all over PA and OH for many years and counts Forever Plaid (Smudge), Monty Python's SPAMALOT (Lancelot) at Beck Center, Ragtime (Tateh) at Rabbit Run Theater, Assassins (Leon Czolgosz) at Lakeland Civic Theatre and Into the Woods (the Baker) at the Erie Playhouse as some of his all-time favorite shows. Offstage, Brian really enjoys his job as a Senior Product Designer of Kids’ products for American Greetings. He sends love and thanks to his family, friends, and especially his partner, Brendan, for their constant support!
Stephen Berg (Pan/A Doctor/Ensemble) This is the first time Stephen will appear as a half-goat (in front of an audience, anyway). He graduated with a BA in Dramatic Arts from Case Western Reserve University. Most recently he appeared in Aurora Community Theatre's production of Avenue Q (Nicky). Some of his prior credits include Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Sweeney Todd), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged (Adam), Night of the Living Dead (Tom), and High Fidelity (Bruce Springsteen). He looks forward being part of this incredible cast!
Amiee Collier (Meredith Parker) is overjoyed to return to Blank Canvas after having recently appeared in as Patricia in Extremities. She is thrilled to knock out a dream role with his production! Previous dream roles accomplished include: Diana in Next to Normal and Dot/Marie in Sunday in the Park with George (at Lakeland Civic Theatre), Susan in [title of show] and Ilona in She Loves Me (at Beck Center for the Arts), The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods (Tri-C West), and The Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd (Cain Park). Thank you to Patrick, Lawrence, Brittany, Jenniver (and PJ) for helping her to achieve this wish.
Michael Crowley (Reverend Billy Hightower/Mrs. Taylor/Ensemble) is thrilled to return to the Blank Canvas stage! Blank Canvas credits include the Cleveland premiere of Triassic Park: The Musical (Mime-A-Saurus/Morgan Freeman) and the 2015 benefit concert. Favorite credits include Bonnie & Clyde (Buck Barrow), Hot Mikado (Pooh-Bah), Pride and Prejudice (Col. Fitzwilliam), She Stoops to Conquer (Hastings), The Little Prince (Fox/Snake), Reefer Madness (Lecturer), Rabbit Hole (Jason), 4:48 Psychosis, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Flute), Urinetown (Bobby Strong), Lend Me A Tenor (Max), Carousel (Carnival Boy), Les Misérables (Grantaire), Cedar Point’s Lusty Lil’s Palace Revue (Barbershop Quartet), and A Collection of Grimm’s Fairytales (Mother/Others) at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He is very excited to share this stage with incredibly talented people. Thanks to Patrick, Lawrence, Brittany, Jenniver, and PJ. Special thanks to Mom and Dad who always come see him play the craziest parts imaginable.
Kristy Cruz (Maggie/Ron Taylor/Clem/Ensemble) is elated to be making her Blank Canvas debut! Previously, she has been seen throughout Cleveland on such stages as Dobama Theatre, Near West Theatre, Cassidy Theatre, and CPT’s Pandemonium to name a few. Favorite roles include Mrs. Walker (The Who’s Tommy), Woman II (Songs For A New World), Penny (Urinetown), Marian Paroo (The Music Man), Svetlana Sergievsky (Chess), and Grace (Tigers Be Still). She is also active backstage, soon beginning her twelfth year as the choreographer for Solon High School. Kristy feels so fortunate to perform in one of her favorite shows with such a talented cast, and sends endless gratitude to Pat for this opportunity, to Helen for all of her guidance, and to her family for their endless love and support.
Jacob Damsky (Rick Taylor / Lorraine / Mr. Dillon) is very excited to make his Blank Canvas Theatre debut! He is from the Boston area and is a recent graduate of Vassar College, where he majored in Biology with a focus in behavioral ecology. He is extremely passionate about singing and music and hopes to one day form a professional a cappella group in his new home, as well as become an active member in the theater arts community. In college, Jacob participated in various musical theater productions and helped lead his a cappella group, the Vassar Devils, to perform on a Broadway stage for the final round of the International Championship for Collegiate A Cappella. Jacob’s stage credits include Next to Normal (Henry), Grease (Danny Zuko), Urinetown (Mr. Cladwell), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Twimble/Wally Womper) and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Grandpa Joe).
Will Foley (Sheriff Reynolds/ Delia/ Ensemble) studied acting at Purchase College (SUNY) where he appeared in Romeo and Juliet with Steven Weber, and The Good Person of Szechwan with Wesley Snipes. Local credits include Twelfth Night and The Skin Of Our Teeth, directed by Gerald Freedman at Great Lakes Theatre Festival, and Die Meistersinger and The Flying Dutchman at the Cleveland Opera. Will is a songwriter who performed for many years with his parents, Bill and Carol, and his brothers, Ken and Tom, as the Foley Family Singers, with appearances at Sea World of Ohio, Geauga Lake Park, and Opryland, USA. Will recently completed work on an independent feature film, Virgin Forest, and is very pleased to return to the stage at Blank Canvas Theatre!
Venchise Glenn (Daisy/Ensemble) is thrilled to be back at Blank Canvas after last being seen haunting the stage as a zombie in Night of the Living Dead. Her other recent credits include Hair (White Boys Trio/Tribe) at Blank Canvas Theatre and Jesus Christ Superstar (Apostle) at Near West Theatre. Off the stage, Venchise spends her time attempting to adopt all the stray animals on her street or immersing herself in a good story, as well as going back to school to obtain her degree in marketing. Venchise would like to thank her mom and dad for their love and support, as well as Aaron for always being the perfect partner in crime.
Stephanie Harden (Shelley Parker) is excited to be a part of Bat Boy: The Musical in her first production at Blank Canvas Theatre! Favorite credits include Hello, Dolly! (Irene Malloy) at Rabbit Run Theater, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Christine Colgate) and Company (April) at Capital University, Violet at Lakeland Civic Theatre, and Young Frankenstein at Beck Center. Stephanie is the vocal music director for Mentor Theatre at Mentor High School having most recently worked on Into the Woods, and is looking forward to Mary Poppins this school year. As her full-time job, she is a middle school choir director in her third year teaching.
Colleen McCaughey (Ruthie Taylor/Ned/Ensemble) returned to her native Ohio in June, 2015. She holds a bachelor’s degree in both Theatre and Political Science from Allegheny College. From 2013 through 2015, she worked in New York City as a stage manager for various theatre companies including The Play Company and the Flea Theater, and performed in various cabarets, choirs, and Shakespearean shows. Originally from Hudson, Ohio, Colleen has appeared onstage in several Northeast Ohio community theatre productions. Colleen is a proud member of the staff of Cleveland Public Theatre.
Pat Miller (Bat Boy) is bloodthirsty for another bite of Bat Boy: The Musical. He first sunk his teeth into this role during his freshman year at the University of Toledo. Since then, Pat’s degree in Film and Studio Art has led him to the Beck Center for the Arts, where he currently works as the Graphic Designer & Marketing Coordinator. Recent credits include: High Fidelity (Dick) and Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical (Hardwick) at Blank Canvas Theatre, Next to Normal (Henry) at Lakeland Civic Theatre, Titus: A Grand and Gory Rock Musica l(Bassianus/Demetrius) at Cleveland Public Theatre, and [title of show] (Jeff) and Monty Python’s SPAMALOT (Patsy) at Beck Center. His performance as Patsy garnered him two “Best Actor in a Musical” awards from the News-Herald and BroadwayWorld Cleveland. Many thanks to the staff, designers, band, and cast of this show. Love to his parents and Tina.
Jenniver Sparano (Costume Design) is happy to spend another October at Blank Canvas Theatre, having previously designed Next Fall, The Texas Chainsaw Musical! and Night of the Living Dead, as well as Twelve Angry Men. Elsewhere, she has worked at Beck Center, Clague Playhouse, Cleveland Public Theatre, Dobama Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Weathervane Playhouse, and the Pickwick and Frolic cabaret stage, as well as theatres throughout the Albany, New York area. In addition to her costume design work, she is proud to co-produce an annual musical fund-raiser to benefit HIV/AIDS service agencies in Cuyahoga and Summit counties. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Mount Holyoke College, she also studied in Paris and is employed by KeyBank.
P. J. Toomey (Special Effects Design) has been a part of Blank Canvas Theatre from the beginning, having designed the blood and special effects for the premiere production, The Texas Chainsaw Musical!, as well as Night of the Living Dead. He has also contributed to productions at Beck Center (Evil Dead – The Musical, Beauty & The Beast), Cleveland Public Theatre (Titus: A Grand and Gory Rock Opera), and Tri-C West (Into the Woods), as well as a variety of independent and feature films, includingUnderdogs and, most recently, The Land. As Co-Founder of Out of the Dark Studios, P. J. has created creatures and effects for businesses and events around Northeast Ohio, including the Haunted Prison Experience at the Mansfield Reformatory. He thanks his friends and family for putting up with him and his ridiculous ideas (you know who you are).