Directed by Alison Garrigan
Music Direction by Oliver Deak
Choreography by Andrea Belser
Intimacy Choreography by Casey Venema
Stage Managed by Whitney Miller
Costume Design by Kelsey Tomlinson
Set & Lighting Design by Patrick Ciamacco
Sound Design by Merrill Edleman
CAST
Emma Beekman (Swing/Ensemble) is overjoyed to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre and to share the stage with old friends and new. Past BCT credits include The Wild Party (Nadine) and the remount of Cabaret (Helga). She has spent the last six years living in Tampa, FL. During that time, she earned a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre at The University of Tampa where she was seen in A Very Potter Musical (Draco Malfoy), Pirates of Penzance (Edith), and a production of Baby (Arlene) which was attended by Liz Calloway. Other Tampa credits include Into the Woods (Cinderella), A Comedy of Tenors (u/s Mimi), Boeing, Boeing (u/s Gretchen, Gloria) and the regional premiere of All Bark No Bite (Bella). Many thanks to the cast and staff for everything that they do for live theater. Much love to her family and friends for all the love and support they give her. Enjoy the show!
Adam James Cooper (Ernst) is THRILLED to be making his BCT debut after taking a five year hiatus from acting! His recent Credits include Titanic (Hartley), Violet (Monty), Cabaret (Victor), Shrek (Big Bad Wold), and Les Miserables (Marius). Previously, he worked behind the scenes at Cleveland Playhouse as both a dresser and a wig tech on such notable productions as Antigone and Clue. Special Thanks to Patrickand the cast for trusting him. IG: @cooperstition
DeLee Cooper (Wendla) hopes you’ll enjoy this show as much as she does! She was last seen on the Blank Canvas Theatre stage in the 2021 production of The Texas Chainsaw Musical! (Melissa/Joey/Ensemble). You may have seen her performing at several other theatres around the area, including Beck Center for the Arts, Cain Park, Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Dobama Theatre, French Creek Theatre, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Pointillism Jazz Consort, and Talespinner Children's Theatre. When not onstage or at her day job for a local CBD/hemp company, DeLee can usually be found in a dance studio, in a coffee shop, on a D&D adventure, reading a book, or hanging out with her cat, Cerridwen.
Sarah Farris (Ilse) has been in various theatre productions in the NE Ohio area such as Spring Awakening (Wendla), Chess (Florence), The Fantasticks (Luisa), and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Ensemble)--all at Near West Theatre. Other roles/productions include The Sound of Music (Liesl), Legally Blonde (Kate/Chutney), The Sleeper (Vivien), and Bye Bye Birdie (Kim MacAfee). She has also performed at Feinstein's/54 Below in New York City in "Secrets: A Spy Musical." Love and thanks to her family, friends, and to her boyfriend, Brendan, for all their continuous love and support. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Lysa Kenney (Adult Woman) is thrilled, after a lengthy hiatus having and raising her own children, to be back on stage mothering this AMAZING cast. Most recently, she played Mother Theresa (Children's Letters to Satan), and she was one of the original and closing cast members of the Cleveland production of Tony ‘n’ Tina's Wedding. You've probably seen her on one of the local stages in the last 30+ (WOW) years – and she thanks you heartily for supporting the arts in Cleveland.
Michael Knobloch (Otto) is thrilled to be returning to Blank Canvas Theatre to join the case of Spring Awakening in their last weekend. Past credits with Blank Canvas include Floyd Collins (Homer Collins), both prodctions of Cabaret (Victor/Max), A New Hope concert, and the Chess 2017 benefit. A few other favorite credits include Macbeth (Banquo) at Chagrin Arts, If/Then (Lucas) at Lakeland Civic Theatre, and both Bonnie & Clyde (Clyde) and Jekyll & Hyde (Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde) at French Creek Theatre. Michael has performed across NE Ohio in several other venues including Beck Center for the Arts, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Near West theatre, and Weathervane Playhouse among others. Outside of theatre, Michael has embarked in a new hobby for the last few years in both figure skating and works in software with state, local, and federal public sector customers. Enjoy the show and thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting live theatre!
Annie Kostell (Thea) Is returning to the stage for the first time since 2017. Favorite credits include Diana in “Next to Normal”; Lucille in “Parade”; Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” and many more. When not doing her “adult job” she enjoys reading and obsessing over her pets. She would like to thank her family, Kiki, and her 3 “O”s.
Jacob Lang (Melchior) is thrilled to be making his Blank Canvas Theatre debut by taking his THIRD trip to 1890s Germany as Otto Lammermeier! His recent Cleveland credits include Assassins (John Hinckley, Jr.) and Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Prince). Other favorites include High Fidelity (Rob Gordon), Urinetown: The Musical (Bobby Strong), and Evil Dead - The Musical (Scott). During the day, he works for Vitamix, and some of his other hobbies include baking, whitewater rafting, and Major League Baseball. He’s cherished this experience with this absolutely incredible cast and crew. Thanks, as always, to BCJ. Enjoy the show!
Kate Leigh Michalski (Martha) Past credits include: The Texas Chainsaw Musical (Lucretia), Evil Dead: The Musical (Cheryl), We Will Rock You (Oz), Reefer Madness (Mae), Jekyll and Hyde: 2018 Benefit Concert (Lucy Harris) Ragtime (Emma Goldman), The Toxic Avenger (Mayor/Ma), She Loves Me (Amalia Balish), Parade (Lucille Frank). ...Spelling Bee (Olive). EMC, BFA Musical Theatre Point Park University. Love you Mom! Love you Dad.
Zach Palumbo (Moritz) Previous credits here include Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Jacek), Evil Dead: The Musical (Ed), Yippee Ki-Yay Merry Christmas (Willis), and The Texas Chainsaw Musical (ensemble). He has also 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 ‘17, 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
Derrick Winger (Adult Male) has performed on stages throughout Northeast Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Western New York and is elated to share the Blank Canvas Theatre stage again with so many talented young actors. BCT credits include Working (Mike Dillard, et al), Reefer Madness (Lecturer), and Little Miss Sunshine (Richard). Other favorite musical theatre credits include Guys and Dolls (Sky), Assassins (Charles Guiteau), Children of Eden (Father), Monty Python’s Spamalot (Galahad), Songs for a New World (Man 2), Les Miserables (Jean Val Jean), The Fantasticks (Matt), Of Thee I Sing (Wintergreen), and The Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King). He’d like to thank you, the best-looking audience around, for supporting live, local, professional theatre. It warms the cockles.
Hannah Woodside (Anna) feels very grateful to be on stage at Blank Canvas again and to step into this role. Last season she played Frenchie in Cabaret. Other recent credits include Macbeth (Witch), People, Places, & Things (Charlotte), Effective Magic (Filly), Young Frankenstein (Ensemble) and Troilus and Cressida (Cressida). She is a recent graduate of Ohio University’s BFA Acting program. For more, check out her website www.hannahwoodside.com or follow her on Instagram @hannahewoodside. Love you, Mom, Dad, Bee, and Adam!
Andrea Belser (Choreographer) is a performing and teaching Artist from Cleveland with a B. A. in Theater Studies, emphasizing in Dance and Applied Voice, from Wright State University. Andrea teaches various dance styles, theater acting, and musical theater to all ages and abilities at theaters around Northeast Ohio. She also continuously works on- and offstage as an actor, dancer, singer, choreographer, stage manager, and dresser. Performance credits include Dog Act (Vera) at convergence-continuum. Choreography credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oba Asks for a Mountain, My Way, and Once On This Island, Jr. Andrea's awards include Best Actress in Cleveland in 2008 for I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given to Me by a Young Lady from Rwanda, and a nomination for Best Actress in Cleveland in 2012 for The Bluest Eye.
Patrick Ciamacco (Artistic Director/ Lighting and Set Design) is the Artistic Director and founder of Blank Canvas Theatre. This has been a rough couple years… but he is so very excited to be back at BCT and to be working with the people he loves.
Oliver Deak (Music Director) is thrilled to have joined the production team at Blank Canvas as music director of Spring Awakening. Going into his 7th year of music direction/keyboard work and 6th of vocal coaching, his past credits include performances at Karamu House, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Ohio Theatre, The Ohio State University, Weathervane Playhouse, and other local Cleveland and Columbus venues. Recent music direction credits include Rocky Horror Picture Show at LCC, The Addams Family at Near West Theatre, and The Last Five Years at Ohio State University.
Merrill Ten Edleman (Sound Designer) is excited to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre working in the crew! He recently worked as a Sound Designer for Cabaret, and as a sound technician for Bugsy Malone and The Texas Chainsaw Musical!
Alison Garrigan (Director) is a long-time theatre professional who has worked locally, regionally, and nationally as an actress, director, designer, and puppet-maker. She is thrilled to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre after having last directed the incredible rock experience Hedwig and The Angry Inch here. Elsewhere, she has directed for such theatres as Cleveland Public Theatre (The Vampyres, The Alice Seed), Bad Epitaph Theater (Othello), and Talespinner Children’s Theatre (of which she is Founder and former Executive Artistic Director), to name a very few. When she is not onstage or directing, she runs Lady Bats Puppets, where she is the designer and fabricator.
Whitney Miller (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre, creating art in the best space in Cleveland. She's happy to say that her love for theatre survived the pandemic. 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. She would like to thank Lemon for not having separation anxiety and being so understanding with her busy schedule. Here's to MANY more!
Kelsey Tomlinson (Costume Design) is thrilled to be working on this production of Spring Awakening. A professional Costume Designer, she currently serves as one of two Resident Costume Designers for Ohio Shakespeare Festival, and works on a freelance basis from Canton to Cleveland. Favorite designs for Ohio Shakespeare Festival include Cinderella, The Rocky Horror Show, and The Three Musketeers: An Adventure, With Music. Audiences may also recognize her work on Emma (Western Reserve Playhouse), A Little Night Music (Lakeland Civic Theatre), and Angels in America (Ensemble Theatre). Follow her work by searching #KLuelleCreative. Much love and gratitude to family, friends, and her husband, Emerson.
Casey Venema (Intimacy Choreographer) is a freelance intimacy choreographer, actor, director, and devising artist focused on bringing unheard narratives to the stage. She is an alumna of Bucknell University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Theatre and Film and Media Studies. Her career as an intimacy choreographer started in college with her own directing projects, and since then, she has choreographed for several theatres in Northeast Ohio including Dobama Theatre, Karamu House, Seat of the Pants, Playwright's Local, Cain Park, Chagrin Valley Little Theatre and her own company, Nightbloom Theatre Co. She is absolutely ecstatic to be Blank Canvas Theatre's first Intimacy Choreographer. For more information about her artistic adventures, you can follow Casey on Instagram @caseyvenem8 and on her website: www.caseyvenema.com"