January 22 - February 7, 2010
When
two sets of doting Italian-American grandparents and their grandson,
Nick, all get together every Sunday for dinner, there's plenty of food
and, of course, advice… “find a nice girl and get married!” It’s 1984,
the year of VCRs, answering machines, Trivial Pursuit… and problems.
Nick has to announce that after 29 years of Sunday dinners, he's
received a promotion and is moving across the country to Seattle.
Hilarity ensues when his loving grandparents devise a plan to keep him
from moving. This is a poignant and heartwarming tale of family love
and relationships that everyone can relate to.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll appreciate your family!
Click here
to make your reservations!
THE DIRECTOR
Thom Esposito
Born and
raised in New York City, Thom came to St. Mary’s county via
St.
Louis University. Involved in community theatre for some
time,
Thom started with The Newtowne Players in 2007 and has been
involved
in numerous productions in various capacities.
Whether helping to
build a set, producing a show, operating the
light board, or appearing
on stage, Thom is happy to do what he
can to help make a show a
success. Thom has appeared on
stage in the NTP production of A.R.
Gurney’s The Dining Room,
which won numerous Three Notch Awards,
including “Best Ensemble
Cast”. Most recently, he was cast as the
male lead in
Sylvia, another A.R. Gurney play that was performed in
March
of 2009. As the author of a One Act play entitled “Rapture
in
Flight,” Thom was excited to be called a “playwright” and
with NTP’s
summertime production of Harvey he was called
“Stage Manager.” Now,
with Over the River and
Through the Woods he gets to add “Director” to
his growing
list of theatre credits. Thom would like to thank his
family, friends, Lisa Gregory, Keith Williams, John and
Louise
Anderson and the entire NTP family for giving him the
opportunity to
experience all that theatre has to offer.
THE CAST
Dawn Weber as Emma
Dawn has been
active in community theater for over 30 years. She has
been
involved with The Newtowne Players for the last 5 years and
although
she loves to act, is frequently involved with all aspects
of
production. Currently she serves on the Artistic
Council.
Her recent shows here include The Foreigner,
Crimes of the Heart, Nunsense and
Cat On A Hot
Tin Roof.
She is employed by St. Mary's Hospital as
a registered nurse in the emergency department, a Certified
Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner and a Clinical Health Educator
for cardiovascular disease. Thanks to her children, Jeff and
Kate, for
sharing their time with Mom so she can do what she
loves. All her
love to Kelly, her cherished husband, for his
continued support. This
show is in remembrance of her loving
grandparents and all the great
aunts and great uncles who were
such a presence in her life.
Chelsea Long as Caitlin
A newcomer to
The Newtowne Players, Chelsea is certainly no stranger
to
performing and the stage. She performed the leading role of Prissy
at
Vacation Bible School three years running, and acted in Mrs.
Arris
Goes to Paris at King’s Christian Academy, where she
also danced in
Cantata. On the lighter side, Chelsea has
entertained fellow
parishioners performing various skits at
church. While attending college in Santa Clara, California, she
studied acting at
the San Jose Repertory Theater with Bill Olson
of Billie Shepard & Assoc.
She has also attended Theatre Camp
at Port Tobacco Players, studied tap
dancing at Gracie’s Guys
and Gals Dance Studio, and has recently been
taking vocal lessons. Chelsea wishes to thank Thom Esposito and Lisa Gregory for seeing
the
Caitlin within her, her stage famiglia for welcoming her with
open arms,
and the love and support of her parents and sister.
Rebecca DeLorme as The Mute
Rebecca DeLorme (The Mute)
Since The Newtowne Player’s second season, Rebecca has
fallen for an Opera Star and dumped, been Murdered and Returned,
Poisoned by Vichyssoise but still Loved, and had her fifth
birthday! Her most recent role as Sylvia in
Sylvia gave her the opportunity to
play her favorite character, a dog. She is very excited to be a
part of the cast for The
Fantasticksand her fiancé Mark
gives Kerry Robinson a pat on the back for finding a way to keep
her quiet...if only for a little while! Much love and thanks for
the support goes to Mark, Daphne, Sabrina, 7 Bridesmaids, Family
and Charles Alderton (for inventing Dr.Pepper).
Larry Silvestro as Hucklebee
Larry Silvestro (Hucklebee)
This is Larry's third appearance on the Three Notch Theatre's
stage. He was previously seen in The Newtowne Players’
(NTP) award-winning production of The Dining
Room, in March 2008 and in
several roles during NTP's production of original one-act plays
back in June of this year. Beyond NTP, he has performed with Port
Tobacco Players (PTP) (Beauty and the
Beast), Patuxent Playhouse
(Twelve Angry Men), and First Players of
Hyattsville (Fiddler On the
Roof, Cinderella). Larry currently resides
in Leonardtown, MD with his beautiful wife of 36 years, Ginny.
They have six children (four of whom have been involved in PTP
productions) and four grandchildren. He thanks Kerry and Diane
for giving him "another" opportunity to sing on the Three Notch
Theatre's stage. And, he especially thanks Ginny, for supporting
“his habit”!
Robert K. Rausch as El
Gallo
Robert K. Rausch (El Gallo) Robert is a
Nationally Registered Music Educator. For 35 years he was a
teacher, vocal/instrumental performer, and Conductor/Director for
church choirs, community choruses/bands. He retired in 2007 from
Charles County Public Schools. He received the “Maryland
Outstanding Arts Educator” award, and was accepted six
times into Who's Who
Among American Teachers. He returned to his theatrical roots in
2008, performing with the Port Tobacco Players: Fagin
(Oliver!),
Senator Wingwoah
(Best Little
Whorehouse in Texas) and Reverend Hooker (Dearly Departed). He thanks Kerry and Diane for trusting
him with the role of El Gallo, and the opportunity to work with
an outstanding cast, crew and production team. Robert lives in
Waldorf, with supportive wife Diane, and Dalmatian son Kasper.
He dedicates this performance to his mother, Joan Rausch, present
at his last appearance as El Gallo (Coastal Playhouse, Beaufort,
NC) in 1968.
David Bayles as Mortimer
David Bayles (Mortimer)
Dave has been performing on stage in and around Southern Maryland
Since 1998. This is Dave's 5th production with The Newtowne
Players (NTP). Previous NTP roles include Oscar Madison
(The Odd Couple), Owen Musser
(The Foreigner)and David (one
act Morning Coffee). Dave also directed NTP's
last season's hit musical Return to the Forbidden
Planet. Other stage favorites:
Scrooge (A Christmas
Carol)with Port Tobacco Players
(PTP), Mr. MacAfee (Bye Bye
Birdie)with PTP, Herbie
(Gyps) withPTP and as six different
characters in the Stageworks production of
Ragtime. Dave has also been in the
orchestra Pit for several shows including
Little Shop
of Horrors, Honk,Schoolhouse Rock
Liveand
The Best
Little Whorehouse in Texas. Dave holds down a day job
with the Charles County Department of Health and resides in
Mechanicsville with his wonderful supportive wife Cheryl and
their three "furry" kids, Sammie, Abby and Gracie. Thanks Kerry
for letting me be a part of this "Fantastick" cast and crew.
ILYC
Steve Fogle as Bellomy
Steve Fogle (Bellomy) Steve
is playing the role of Bellomy for the second time. (The first
was twenty years ago with Actors Company Theatre). Most recently,
he played the role of Max Reinhardt in NTP's production
of Shakespeare in Hollywood. Some of Steve's favorite
roles have been Roger Sherman in 1776, Teddy Brewster
in Arsenic and Old Lace, Warren in
On a Clear
Day..., and Sir Andrew
in Twelfth Night. Steve resides in Lusby
with his lovely wife Jill and his beautiful and talented daughter
Jessany.
THE PRODUCTION CREW
Gloria Ranta (Production
Manager)
Gloria’s early experience in
theater was in high school and college. While her love of theater
never left, she left theater to pursue a career in teaching,
raising 3 children, and a second career in computer science. Now
retired, her love of theater has drawn her back. She joined a
small theater group at the Loffler Senior Center a couple of
years ago and has played several roles there. This experience
gave her the courage to join The Newtowne Players. She started as
an usher, and has served as an understudy, stage manager and prop
master. She has had a few roles in front of the lights as well,
primarily in One Act venues here at Newtowne. This is her first
experience as Production Manager (thanks Kerry for providing the
opportunity.) and is delighted to be working with an excellent
cast and crew here at Newtowne. She thanks her husband Marv for
putting up with her love of theater.
Diane Trautman (Music
Director)
This is Diane’s first time
to be involved with The Newtowne Players and she is really happy
to be working with such a professional group of people. She has
recently retired after teaching 33 years at Margaret Brent Middle
School. While she was teaching, she directed her own musical
every year and also was music director for numerous musicals at
Chopticon, Great Mills, and Leonardtown High Schools, and for
“A, My Name is
Alice” at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. In
her spare time, she directs the music at the Church of the
Ascension in Lexington Park, directs a barbershop group at CSM,
and enjoys her grandchildren, Hayley, Nathan, and Sam. She has
loved doing The
Fantasticks – especially because she has had the
opportunity to work again with her former students, Ryan and
Becca!
- Anne
Schwartz (Stage Mgr.)
- Dave
Groupe (Ltg. Design)
- Mallory Green (Asst SM)
- Amie
Gilligan (Props Master)
- Millie Coryer-Dhu
(Costumer)
- Stacey Park (Graphic
Artist)
- Karen
Maynard (Make-Up Artist)
top
updated on 04 January 2010
|