Directed by Anne McEvoy
Music Direction by Bradley Wyner
Stage Managed by Whitney Miller
Costume Design by Jenniver Sparano
Set Design by Patrick Ciamacco
Lighting Design by Patrick Ciamacco
Assistant Lighting Design by Bing Reising
Prop Design by Venchise Phillips
Sound Design by Merrill Edleman
CAST
Curt Arnold (Gareth/Ensemble) returns to Blank Canvas Theatre, where he has worked on stage in all three productions of The Texas Chainsaw Musical!, Next Fall, 12 Angry Men, The Wild Party, and Chess in concert; on video in Night of the Living Dead; and as assistant stage manager for Hellcab. He is also seen occasionally behind the bar and in the box office, and ran a camera for several of BCT’s pandemic parking lot concerts. He has been a freelance actor, director, and stage manager for over 40 years and has worked with most northern Ohio theatre companies. Since 2003, Curt has been proud to co-produce and usually direct an annual musical production (now on hiatus) to benefit AIDS service agencies in Cuyahoga and Summit counties, raising over $135,000 for these charities.
Patrick Ciamacco (Francis Henshall) is very excited to be returning to the stage for the first time in almost two years. Past Blank Canvas Theatre shows include The Toxic Avenger (The Toxic Avenger) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Sweeney Todd), Jekyll & Hyde (Jekyll and Hyde), The Wild Party (Burrs), Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show (Eddie), High Fidelity (Barry), and Of Mice and Men (Lennie). Other professional credits include Beck Center’s Shrek The Musical (Shrek), Jerry Springer: The Opera (Dwight/ God) , … Spelling Bee (William Barfee), and Evil Dead - The Musical (Jake). His experience also includes Playhouse Square's We Gotta Bingo (Bucky Fuller), a musical version of The Nutcracker at The Cleveland Play House, and Playhouse Square's two-and-a half-year run of Tony & Tina's Wedding. Patrick dedicates his performance to the person sitting in the third row, fifth seat from the left.
Adam Harry (Stanley Stubbers) is so grateful to be a part of this production at Blank Canvas Theatre! Most recently, he appeared in Angry F*gs (Cooper Harlow) and Nothing’s Magic (Drew), both at convergence-continuum. Past theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Benedick) and Hedda Gabler (Eilert Lovborg) at Slippery Rock University, where he studied English Literature and Theatre. Adam would like to thank all those who have been there for him on the long and winding road.
Noah Hrbek (Alfie/Ensemble) is very excited to be diving in (or getting knocked over) with this awesomely talented group of people. Most recently, Noah worked behind the scenes at Blank Canvas Theatre, creating projection imagery and animations for The SpongeBob Musical. Prior to that, he was on this stage as Cliff in Cabaret. In addition to working with BCT, he also does graphic art for Near West Theatre, illustrates children’s books, plays guitar for a rock musical project, Future Perfect, moves vinyl at Blue Arrow Records, and hangs out with his amazing daughter, Lydia. Huge thanks to everyone coming out to support live theater! Enjoy the show!
Seth Jerabek (Ensemble/Swing) is excited to be making his Blank Canvas Theatre and Cleveland debuts in this witty little show. When he is not on stage, you can catch him watching movies, eating snacks, or playing with the nearest fluffy animal. Some of his favorite past roles include Seymour in Little Shop Of Horrors (Ashland Little Theatre), The Baker in Into The Woods (Renaissance Theatre), and Charlie Brown in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Lancaster Bible College). He would like to thank Patrick, Anne, and the rest of the team at Blank Canvas Theatre for this opportunity and hopes that during the show you will let go and allow yourself to have a good laugh! Proverbs 16:9. IG: @sethjerabek.
Andrew Keller (Alan Dangle) is very pleased to be returning to Blank Canvas Theater! Andrew is a proud graduate of Baldwin Wallace University, where he received a B.A. in Acting and Directing. Recent credits include Silent Sky (Peter), Into the Woods (The Baker), Puffs (Ernie Mac), and The Drowsy Chaperone (George). He has worked as an actor throughout the area, performing at The Huron Playhouse, Ensemble Theatre, Clague Playhouse, Shahrazad Theatre Company, French Creek Theatre, Bay Village Community Theatre, Strongsville Community Theatre, Broadview Heights Spotlights, and here at BCT. Thanks to the audience for supporting local theater, and the biggest thanks of all goes to his family for their constant love and support.
Dave Moody (Lloyd Boateng) is very excited to be back on the Blank Canvas Theatre stage working with Anne and Patrick! Thank you, Anne, for the opportunity! Past BCT credits include One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Turkle) and Glengarry Glen Ross (Detective Baylen). Dr. Moody is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Lake Erie College in Painesville, and is recognized nationally for his academic work in Black Popular Culture. He would like to dedicate this show to his 95-year-old mother Mary Louise Moody—Love you, Mom and thanks for all your encouragement! Please continue to support live theatre! Enjoy the show!
Lindsay Pier (Dolly) is excited to be out of her house and back at Blank Canvas Theatre! BCT credits include Next Fall (Holly), the benefit concert of Merrily We Roll Along (Mary), and singing in a window for the A New Hope concert. Over the past several years, she kept her head down, had a kid, went back to school, had another kid, changed careers, worked really hard, and tried to laugh as much as possible along the way. She is a pessimist, but in a fun way. By day, she teaches math to teenagers at Garrett Morgan High School in Cleveland. By night, she…is tired of everything. Love to Josh, A, and KK!
John J. Polk (Harry Dangle) has been a hardy perennial at Blank Canvas Theatre for over ten years. Audiences may remember him in Cabaret (Herr Schultz), Side Show (Sir), Urinetown: The Musical (Cladwell), and Kiss Of The Spider Woman (the Warden). He can be found loitering with intent around theaters throughout Northeast Ohio, including Beck Center, French Creek Theatre, and Cleveland Public Theatre. Many thanks to Patrick and Anne, and a special thanks to His Charming Wife, Laura: “And in the end/ The love you take/Is equal to/The love you make.”
Eliza Rodriguez (Ensemble/Swing) is excited to be making her Blank Canvas Theatre debut! Previous credits include These Shining Lives (Frances) at Clague Playhouse, and Scapin (Hyacinth), Life is a Dream (Ensemble), Equus (Nurse), and Marat/Sade (Ensemble) at The College of Wooster. Thanks to Anne and Patrick for this opportunity and to her husband, Jim, for his endless love and support.
Mark Seven (Charlie Clench) is excited to add Blank Canvas Theatre to his resume! Other area theatres where he has performed include Mercury Theatre Company (Finian in Finian's Rainbow, The Toymaker in Babes in Toyland, Grandpa in Meet Me in St. Louis), Beck Center (Klingelhoff in The Underpants), and Actors' Summit Theatre (Reverend Chausuble in The Importance of Being Earnest, Chaplin in Tintypes). Mark is the Producer of Get Away With Murder, Inc., the fastest-growing theatre company in America, with mystery comedy shows throughout the Great Lakes region. He is thrilled to be working with this talented, professional cast and crew!
Shley Snider (Rachel Crabbe) earned an M.F.A. in Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. Shley's recent credits include The Importance of Being Earnest (Miss Prism), Death and the Maiden (Paulina), Tarzan (Tarzan's Mother), Julius Caesar (Mark Antony), Kindertransport (Helga), The Penelopiad (Telemachus), Henry V (Henry V), and Maid Marion: An Adventure with Music (Maid Marion). Directing credits include Antigone, The Neverending Story, Bat Boy: The Musical, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet. Her original musical, Trollop: The Trials and Titillations of the INfamous 'Moll Flanders,' was a Grand Prize winner at the Emerging Artists Theatre Festival. It premieres at the Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield on January 13th, 2023, and will afterwards move to its Off-Broadway premiere. Shley will be off to New York in 2023 to create further art and to accept an offer as a performing arts teacher. In her non-existent free time, Shley is a comedic rapper, performing on The Impractical Jokers Cruise and at Lyric Theatre Miami. She has had multiple NYC gigs and will be onstage, Off-Broadway, on November 19 with the DBJ Comedy musical comedy show.
Kegan Sulamoyo (Ensemble/Swing) knew nothing about this play prior to auditions, but is excited to debut at Blank Canvas Theatre in it. Kegan graduated from Case Western Reserve University in 2020 with a B.A. in Computer Science and a Minor in Theatre. Kegan’s past credits include Deputy in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Steven Kodaly in She Loves Me, Dupree in Cry-Baby, and Jack in Into the Woods.
Katie Wells (Pauline Clench) is thrilled to FINALLY be back on stage at Blank Canvas Theatre, where she was last seen as the Nurse in Equus. After attending Cleveland State University, she has been acting professionally on stages and screens throughout Ohio and New York for the last ten years. Favorite Northeast Ohio theatres where she has worked include Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Ensemble Theatre, French Creek Theatre, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, none too fragile, Rubber City Theatre, The Illusion Factory children's theatre, Magical Theatre Company, and Avenue Arts Theatre in Canton. She is a proud Actors' Equity Membership Candidate. She is also an award-winning costume designer, award-nominated director, and devoted theatre educator. She would like to thank Anne, Brad, and Patrick for this opportunity. Thank you for supporting local theatre!
Benson Anderson (Guitar) is excited to be making his Blank Canvas Theatre debut! He most recently appeared onstage as Theo/Ensemble in Cain Park's production of School of Rock, and as Nino in Mercury Theatre Company's production of Amelie. He has also worked in pit orchestras around Cleveland, as well as in Newark, OH, Crawford, NE, and Traverse City, MI. Thanks go out to his family, friends, the BCT crew, and to you all for supporting the arts in the Northeast Ohio area!
Zach Palumbo (Bass) is right chuffed to be rocking out again on the Blank Canvas Theatre stage with this smashing band! He was last seen here in The SpongeBob Musical (SpongeBob SquarePants). His first BCT credit was 2018's Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Jacek), playing bass onstage in another of Brad's bands, so things have come full circle! He has performed throughout Northeast Ohio with Cleveland Public Theatre, Beck Center for the Arts, Karamu House, Lakeland Civic Theatre, convergence-continuum, none too fragile, Playwrights Local, Rubber City Theatre, French Creek Theatre, Near West Theatre, Dobama Theatre's Marilyn Bianchi Kids' Playwriting Festival, and the BorderLight International Theatre Festival, among others. He is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University (2017), where he performed with the Department of Theatre, the CWRU Footlighters, Players’ Theatre Group, and IMPROVment. Love to his family, friends, and Nicole. zachpalumbo.com
Jaiden Willis (Drums) began his musical journey playing drums at the age of two. In the spring of 2017, Jaiden assisted with the choreography and lines for the Cleveland All-City Musical production of Memphis, joined the All-City drumline, and was employed as a drummer for the youth choir at Antioch Baptist Church. He has played with the All-City Jazz Band at Severance Hall, played with Cavs 216stix, and had a drum solo in the Emmy-nominated All-City Winter Concert. He recently performed in School of Rock (Freddy Hamilton) at Cain Park. He is currently employed as a drummer at Christ Baptist Church and will be starting high school at Lutheran High School East this fall.
STAFF
Merrill Edleman (Sound Design) is 17 years old and has been doing sound design for a year. His sound design work includes shows such as Bugsy Malone at Beck Center and, most recently, The SpongeBob Musical at Blank Canvas Theatre. He enjoys working both on and off stage.
Anne McEvoy (Director) is grateful to return to Blank Canvas Theatre to work with Patrick and so many other generous, creative artists…on stage and off. Previously here, she directed Lobby Hero and has appeared on stage in Cabaret, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Next Fall. Elsewhere, Anne has worked with Beck Center, Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Dobama Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre, none too fragile, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, and Seat of the Pants Productions. Thanks for supporting live theater!
Whitney Miller (Stage Manager) is back at Blank Canvas Theatre doing what she loves. Some of her favorite past shows include Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Stage Manager), Evil Dead – The Musical (Stage Manager), The Last Five Years (Lighting Designer), Avenue Q (Stage Manager), and Kiss of the Spider Woman (Stage Manager). Whitney attended Case Western Reserve University for Chemical Engineering, but spent most of her time with the CWRU Footlighters. Now, you can mostly find her in the theatre, writing, or taking photos with Shiny Penny Studios. She would like to thank Lemon for being so understanding with her busy schedule. Here's to MANY more!
Venchise Phillips (Prop Design) is delighted to be involved in another amazing Blank Canvas Theatre production! Venchise has most recently been involved behind the scenes of BCT as Assistant Stage Manager for The Texas Chainsaw Musical! and last appeared onstage in Yippee Ki-Yay, Merry Christmas: A Die Hard Musical Parody (Fabrique/Theo/Dancing Twinkie) and Cannibal! The Musical (Liane). Venchise got her start as Prop Designer with Near West Theatre's recent production of All Shook Up, and is excited to take up that role within BCT! As always, Venchise thanks Patrick for each and every opportunity, and her husband Aaron for always letting her adopt just one more stray cat.
Bing Reising (Assistant Lighting Designer) is a neon glass bender and fine art photographer local to Cleveland. After a few years absence from the Cleveland theater scene, Bing is extremely excited to be making his debut as an Assistant Lighting Designer here at Blank Canvas Theatre. Past electrician credits include Aida, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Merrily We Roll Along, King Lear, and others. Photons are kind of Bing’s thing.
Jenniver Sparano (Costume Designer) created costumes for Blank Canvas Theatre’s first production (The Texas Chainsaw Musical!), most recent production (The SpongeBob Musical), and countless musicals, dramas, benefit concerts, and pandemic drive-in revues in between. Elsewhere, her work has been seen at Beck Center, Clague Playhouse, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Dobama Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Weathervane Playhouse, Rocket Mortgage Field House, and the Pickwick & Frolic cabaret stage. In addition to designing, she is proud to co-produce the annual AIDS/HIV agency benefit production with Curt Arnold, and looks forward to resuming in 2023. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, she also studied in Paris and is employed by KeyBank.
Bradley Wyner (Music Director/Keyboard) is thrilled to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre following a summer as music director for Cain Park’s School of Rock. Previously at BCT, he music directed Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Texas Chainsaw Chainsaw Musical! (2021), Yippee Ki-Yay Merry Christmas: A Die Hard Musical Parody, The Rocky Horror Show, We Will Rock You, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Toxic Avenger, and Hair, plus the concert production of The Who’s TOMMY and the first and last of the pandemic drive-in concerts. In addition to BCT, he has worked as a Music Director at Cleveland Public Theater, Cleveland Play House, Kalliope Stage, and many other venues. Bradley plays rock gigs with the Bowie tribute band Diamond Dogs, performed with Richard O’Brien’s The New Rocky Horror Show starring Jason Donovan, and performs dueling pianos. Teaching music and arts for diverse groups has led him to a second career as a dual-diagnosis specialist for people with autism, mental health issues, and developmental disabilities.