Who's Who in the Company - Beck Center for the Arts

Who’s Who in the Company
Scott Spence (Artistic Director/Director)
is excited to enter
into his 21st season at
the Beck Center. In
his tenure as Artistic
Director and Associate
AD, Scott has
produced well over
200 productions,
directing over 70
himself. The list of
favorites grows every season, and includes
Parade, A Man of No Importance, Sweeney
Todd, Hair, The Secret Garden, Picasso at the
Lapin Agile, Greater Tuna, Reefer Madness,
The Fix, Zombie Prom, Tommy, Urinetown the
Musical, The Farnsworth Invention, and Evil
Dead The Musical, as well as last season’s
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and
the box office smash The Producers. Scott is
also thrilled to direct a remounting of Beck’s
hit production of Altar Boyz this coming
January at Playhouse Square’s beautiful
Hanna Theatre. He is very proud of the
awards and acclamations Beck has received
over the past decade, and is especially
grateful for having won the Northern Ohio
Live Award for Achievement in Theatre
in 2006. Outside of Beck’s walls, Scott’s
directorial assignments have included Das
Barbecü at Opera Cleveland, The Last
Night of Ballyhoo at Case Western Reserve
University’s Eldred Theatre, Oh Dad Poor
Dad....at CSU Summer Stages and Noises
Off at both Weathervane in Akron and
Berea Summer Theatre. Occasionally on
the other side of the footlights, Scott has
appeared in Dick Deadeye (Berea Summer
Theatre), Man of La Mancha (Jewish
Community Center), The Secret Rapture
(Dobama) and closer to home at Beck in
Big River, The Boys Next Door and Laughter
on the 23rd Floor. He also recently had
the privilege of joining the cast of Passion,
directed by Victoria Bussert, in his only
onstage stint in the Studio Theater. Scott
holds an MFA in Directing from Western
Illinois University and is a trained stage fight
choreographer, having studied extensively
with the SAFD. He is also a proud member
of the faculty at Cleveland State University,
where he teaches Directing. As always, he
dedicates his work to the two leading ladies
in his life – Rachel and Carleigh.
24
Bryan Bird (Musical Director) is making
his music directing
debut with the Beck
Center for the Arts,
and is grateful to
Larry Goodpaster and
Scott Spence for this
opportunity. In addition
to playing keyboard
for Peter Pan, The 25 th
Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee, The Producers, and Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat here at
Beck, he has also accompanied over two
dozen shows around Northeast Ohio, and
occasionally pretends to be an actor when
someone is gracious enough to cast him. His
music directing credits include Camelot and
Pump Boys and Dinettes at Olde Towne Hall
Theatre and City of Angels at Hudson Players.
During his non-theater time, he works as
a graphic artist for a music publisher and
moonlights as a roller coaster enthusiast.
Bryan sends his love to his parents Bill and
Janet for being supportive and to his friends
for being awesome.
**Martín Céspedes (Choreographer) most
recently choreographed
Beck Center’s production
of Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat, and
Batboy and A Midsummer
Night’s Dream at Great
Lakes Theater Festival
and Idaho Shakespeare
Festival, and The
Fantasticks at St. Louis
Repertory Theater. Favorite productions
include Nine The Musical, Equus (for which
he received a 2007 Northern Ohio Live
nomination for Choreography), Smokey
Joe s Café, Five Guys Named Moe, Ain’t
Misbehavin’ and My Way (the Music of
Frank Sinatra). He has appeared in several
Broadway national tours, including Man
of La Mancha with Jack Jones and Ron
Holgate; The King and I with Hayley Mills,
Marie Osmond, Maureen McGovern and
Faith Prince; South Pacific with Robert Goulet;
and West Side Story with Bebe Neuwirth. In
New York Martín staged choreography for
the off-off-Broadway production of Scrooge
and Marley. He choreographed the opening

acts for Earth, Wind, and Fire and the Bee
Gees, and has appeared on TV’s Dance
Fever and NBC’s Weekday Fever. His
most recent opera credit was the lavish
PBS production of Le Cid with Placido
Domingo and the Washington Opera live
from Kennedy Center where he served
as associate choreographer. Martín is an
alumnus of Jacque d’Amboise’s National
Dance Institute at New York City’s PS
161. He has won numerous Times Tribute
Awards, Scene Magazine Awards, News-
Herald Best Choreographer, and was
nominated in 2009 for the prestigious Zelda
Fichandler Theater Award.
Diana D’Alessandro
(Stage Manager) is
happy to be involved
with this fabulously
talented and crazy
cast and, as always, a
dedicated crew and
production staff. She
can frequently be found
backstage performing
various technical elements required for
stage productions at many theaters in
Northeast Ohio. Stage management credits
at the Beck Center include The 25 th Annual
Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Farnsworth
Invention, Peter Pan, My Favorite Year, Jekyll
& Hyde, Porgy & Bess, The Full Monty and
By Jeeves. Other favorites at Beck Center
include The Fix, Urinetown the Musical and
Miss Saigon. Love to Patrick, Mom and Dad,
whose support makes it all possible!
Gilgamesh Taggett
(Warm-Up Man/
Satan) has played
a riot-inciting bigot
(Tom Watson, Parade,
Beck Center), a
suicidal, wife-beating
carny (Billy Bigelow,
Carousel, Midland
Center for the Arts), a narrow-minded,
conservative fascist (Dindon, La Cage aux
Folles, Beck Center), an anti-Semitic Russian
(Constable, Fiddler on the Roof, Cain Park),
a Southern elitist slave owner (Rutledge,
1776, Beck Center), an alcoholic gangster
(Frankie Five Angels, Mambo Italiano, The
Cleveland Play House), a bloodthirsty,
murderous wrestler (Charles, As You Like It,
Great Lakes Theater Festival), an unstable
zealot (Warren, The Cult, Cleveland Public
Theatre), an inconstant, drunken sot
(Reuben, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat, Beck Center), an emotionally
unbalanced Nazi (Franz, The Producers,
Beck Center), and now, finally, an insecure
sycophant and Satan. He’s actually a
very nice guy. Really. He has friends and
everything.
Michael J. Rogan
(Steve) is excited to
be appearing once
again on stage at the
Beck Center. He has
previously been seen
here in productions of
Jekyll & Hyde and My
Favorite Year. Over the
past 10 years, Michael
has directed or appeared on stage in over
50 productions at theaters throughout the
Greater Cleveland area. Prior acting credits
include: the critically-acclaimed Caroline or
Change at Karamu Theatre, Laughing Stock
and Duck Hunter Shoots Angel at Chagrin
Valley Little Theatre, Angel Street at East
Cleveland Theatre, To Kill A Mocking Bird
and Into the Woods at Lakeland Civic Theatre,
and Wait Until Dark at Aurora Community
Theatre. Favorite roles include: The King
And I (King), A Funny Thing Happened
On The Way To The Forum (Pseudolus),
and Annie (Daddy Warbucks). Michael
would like to send his thanks and love to
Helen and Anne Marie, for their continued
support of his theatrical endeavors.
*Matthew Wright
(Jerry Springer) is
happy to return to
Beck Center in this
delightfully deranged
and rather dangerous
production. Previous
Beck Center credits
include: Urinetown
the Musical (both
incarnations), My Favorite Year, A Man of No
Importance, Equus, Reefer Madness, and The
Fix. Cleveland theater-goers most recently
saw Matthew at Great Lakes Theater
Festival in Edwin Drood (Crisparkle) and
Twelfth Night (Antonio). Before moving
to Cleveland in 2002, Matthew worked at
25

such celebrated theaters as The McCarter,
The Clarence Brown Company, Trinity Rep,
La Jolla Playhouse, Studio Arena of Buffalo,
Florida Stage, New Theater, and many
others. He won South Florida’s Carbonnel
award for Best Actor for his portrayal of
Prior Walter in Angels in America. He
currently serves as the Program Director for
Theater at Oberlin College and is a member
of the founding company of the Oberlin
Summer Theater Festival where he has
performed in The Tempest (Prospero) and
Much Ado About Nothing (Leonato). This
spring, Matthew looks forward to directing
a new revision of Kander and Ebb’s Flora,
The Red Menace, collaborating with Oberlin
alum John Kander (’51).
Patrick Ciamacco (Dwight/God) is thrilled
to return to the Beck
Center where he has
been seen in The
25 th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee
(William Barfee) and
Evil Dead The Musical
(Jake). Professionally,
he performed in
Playhouse Square’s
We Gotta Bingo! (Bucky Fuller), a musical
version of The Nutcracker at The Cleveland
Play House and was part of Playhouse
Square’s 2½-year run of Tony & Tina’s
Wedding. Favorite performances include
Secret Garden (Archibald), Children of Eden
(God the Father), The Baker’s Wife (The
Baker), Chess (Freddie), The Music Man
(Harold Hill), Art (Marc), Of Mice and
Men (Lennie) and The Full Monty (Dave).
Patrick also co-founded, directs, performs,
and writes for The Laughter League, a
Cleveland-based sketch comedy group.
Patrick sends thanks to his Mom, Frank, his
brothers, Joe Kenderes, Jacqi, and especially
Debbie, for her love and support. Patrick
dedicates his performance to the person
sitting in the 3rd row, 5 th seat from the left.
26
Diana Farrell (Baby
J a n e / P e a c h e s )
A soprano from
Wilbraham, MA,
Diana has recently
been seen in Mozart’s
Le nozze di Figaro
(Contessa Almaviva)
with the Crested Butte Music Festival and
Die Fledermaus (Rosalinda) with Simsbury
Light Opera Company. She appeared as a
Young Artist with Opera Western Reserve
in their “Mini-Mainstage” productions of
Carmen (Michaëla) and Madama Butterfly
(Cio-Cio San). While performing as a
Young Artist, she also appeared in Rigoletto
(Contessa Ceprano). Other notable credits
include the title role of Amelia Goes to the Ball
and Impresario (Madame Heartmelt) with
the Dana Opera Workshop of Youngstown
State University. Concert engagements
include a performance of Berlioz’s Les Nuits
d’été with the Dana Symphony Orchestra
and the Messiah soprano soloist with the
Westfield Festival Choir. Diana holds an
Artist Diploma from the Cleveland Institute
of Music and is currently a student of Jane
Eaglen.
Leslie Andrews (Zandra/Mary) is thrilled
to be returning to Beck,
having made her debut
this past fall in My Fair
Lady (Ensemble). She
earned a BM in Voice
from Cleveland State
University where she
was actively involved
in leading roles
with Opera Theater
including Humperdinck’s Hansel und
Gretel (Gretel). Leslie will be returning to
CSU in April as a guest performer with the
orchestra singing selections from Puccini’s
La Bohème (Muzetta). She has studied voice
and pedagogy under Elizabeth Unis Chesko
and Beverly Rinaldi. Leslie is a soloist and
member of the chorus at St. Angela Merici
Parish in Fairview Park. She received the
Artistic Expression in Talent award from
the Miss America Organization placing
first, third and fourth runner-up to Miss
Ohio. Special thanks to friends and family
for all the love and support, especially her
husband, Chris, for helping her to obeebum
ebee bababoo.
Ryan Bergeron (Tremont/
Archangel Gabriel)
Believe it or not this is
actually Ryan’s debut
in heels...although
not as a soprano.
A Baldwin-Wallace

graduate and former Beck Youth Theater
faculty member, he was last seen here
in Urinetown the Musical (2005 & 2008
productions) and as the conductor of the
extended run of The Evil Dead The Musical.
Other favorites: Sweeney Todd (Pirelli) at
Connecticut Repertory Theatre; Songs for a
New World (Man 1) at Theatre on the Hill,
Baltimore; Godspell (Lamar) at Porthouse
Theatre; Hello, Again (Young Thing) at
the Beck Center. Ryan has also performed
in over 20 productions with Cleveland
Opera, 10 with the former Carousel Dinner
Theatre, and regional/touring credits across
the country. He has also served as Musical
Director at just about every venue in town,
and maintains a private vocal studio of very
talented students that very much sustain his
love for the arts. He is honored to take his
final Cleveland bow (for a while, at least)
with very dear friends and colleagues in Jerry
Springer, after which he leaves to pursue his
MM in Musical Theatre. Ryan will very
much miss his Cleveland family. Love and
thanks to all!
*Darryl Lewis (Montel/
Jesus) A Euclid resident,
Darryl graduated from
Wickliffe High School.
He holds a Bachelor of
Music degree in Vocal
Performance from the
D’Angelo School of
Music at Mercyhurst
College in Erie. He is currently a Master
of Music Voice Performance candidate at
Cleveland State University and the Music
Director at the Cleveland School of the
Arts. Mr. Lewis was most recently seen as the
loveable Mr. Fezziwig in Christmas Carol in the
Ohio Theater at PlayhouseSquare. He has also
performed at many local theaters including:
Karamu, Dobama Theatre, Beck Center, Cain
Park, Willoughby School of the Arts, Oberlin
College Summer Festival, and Youngstown
State University. His baritone voice has also
been heard at the Chautaqua Opera, Toledo
Opera, Michigan Opera, Bowling Green
State University Opera Theater, The Rome,
Italy Summer Festival, and singing the National
Anthem for the Cleveland Browns. Darryl
has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity
Association since 2008 and is delighted to be
working with such an amazingly, talented cast
and production staff.
Shelley Thorpe
(Andrea/Archangel
Michael) most recently
performed with
the Opera Training
Institute of Chicago
during their inaugural
season, performing
scenes from Rigoletto
(Gilda). She has
also been involved in outreach recitals,
Manon (Manon), and scene performances,
Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira),with Operatic
Adventures of Cleveland. Shelley spent
the summer of 2009 with the Emerald City
Opera Artist Institute where she performed
in The Old Maid and the Thief (Miss
Pinkerton/Laetitia US) and Lucia di
Lammermoor (Lucia) in scenes programs. She
holds a Bachelor of Music from Duquesne
University in Pittsburgh where she was seen
in Gianni Schicchi (La Ceisca) and The Gypsy
Baron (Arsena). In 2009, Shelley earned
a Master of Music from the Cleveland
Institute of Music where she performed
in Die Zauberflöte (First Lady), Suor
Angelica(First Tourière), and in scene
programs including La Traviata (Violetta)
and La Bohème (Mimi).
Joanna May Hunkins (Shawntel/Eve)
has been living in
New York City for
nearly three years.
A Baldwin-Wallace
graduate, Joanna was
last seen onstage in
Cleveland right here
in the Studio Theater
in Holy Ghosts directed
by Matthew Wright.
Other credits include: Urinetown the
Musical, The Full Monty, and Cinderella at
Beck, The Last Five Years and Smokey Joe’s
Cafe at Weathervane Playhouse, Ferdinand
The Bull at The Cleveland Play House,
and numerous productions at Mercury
Summer Stock where she served as longtime
Company Manager. Joanna wishes to
thank Christina and Valerie at Be Studios,
Jenniver and the entire production team,
and especially Scott for giving her this
opportunity to come home briefly and play
with all these great people. Special thanks to
some special people back in New York and
to her parents for continuing to be proud of
her...even when she’s dancing on a pole.
27

Robert Pierce (Chucky/Adam) A Painesville
native, Robert has
experience in both
opera and musical
theater. Previous opera
credits: La Traviata
(Marquis d’Obigny),
Carmen (educational
outreach – highlights:
Dancaïro) with
Opera Western
Reserve; Ariadne auf Naxos (Major-Domo/
Truffaldino), The Apothecary (title role),
and Béatrice et Bénédict (Claudio) at the
Cleveland Institute of Music; The Merry
Wives of Windsor (Mr. Ford), Amelia Goes
to the Ball (The Husband), Die Fledermaus
(Frank) with Otterbein Opera Theater.
Previous musical theater credits: Moby
Dick! The Musical (Head/Ahab), Side
Show (Terry), Camelot (Mordred) at the
Ashtabula Arts Center. Other appearances:
Fauré Requiem and Mozart Coronation Mass
with the Westerville Symphony. Robert
holds degrees in Vocal Performance from
Otterbein University (formerly Otterbein
College) and the Cleveland Institute of
Music. He currently serves as the Educational
Outreach Associate Director with Opera
Western Reserve in Youngstown.
Lissy Gulick (Irene) is delighted to resume
being a Beck regular,
having appeared in last
season’s Is He Dead?
(Mme. Bathilde) and
previously in Sweeney
Todd: The Demon
Barber of Fleet Street
(Mrs. Lovett), Auntie
Mame (Mame), and
Nunsense (Mother
Superior). Lissy has played many area
venues: A Christmas Carol at Great Lakes
Theater Festival, H.M.S. Pinafore (Cousin
Hebe) with Cleveland Opera, Shear Madness
(Mrs. Shubert) and We Gotta Bingo! (Helga
Vogel) at PlayhouseSquare; and Fiddler
on the Roof (Yente) at Carousel Dinner
Theatre. At Cain Park she appeared in The
Music Man (Eulalie Shinn), The Robber
Bridegroom (Salome), and Violet (Old Lady/
Hotel Singer). At Porthouse Theatre, Lissy
performed in Oklahoma! (Aunt Eller) and
last summer’s Bye Bye Birdie (Mae). Other
recent credits include: The Receptionist (title
28
role) at Dobama Theatre, Carpetbagger’s
Children (Grace Anne) at Ensemble
Theatre, and Dark of the Moon (Mrs.
Summey) at Cleveland State University’s
Summer Stages. In film, Lissy played pivotal
five-line rolls in Antwone Fisher (a nice
social worker) and Welcome to Collinwood (a
mean nun).
Tim Anderson
(Audience/
Ensemble) is excited
to be doing his first
Studio Theater show
here at the Beck
Center. Previously, he
has been seen on the
Mackey Main Stage
in My Favorite Year
(Ensemble) and Disney’s Beauty and the
Beast (Ensemble). Other recent performing
credits include Putting It Together (Man #2)
at Weathervane Playhouse and Something’s
Afoot (Geoffrey) at the Broadview Heights
Spotlights, where Tim currently serves as
the Education Director.
Ian Atwood
(Audience/Ensemble/
Warm-Up Man/
Satan US) This is
Ian’s tenth show at the
Beck Center (Parade,
Annie, La Cage aux
Folles, 1776, The Fix,
Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat,
Miss Saigon, Aida, and Jekyll & Hyde) and
his FIRST time performing in the Studio
Theater! He would like to thank Scott,
Martín, and Bryan for the opportunity
to show how truly immature he really is.
Also, thank-you to a brilliant cast who
collectively decided weeks ago to jump from
the ledge and drink the Kool-Aid. Much
love to his amazing wife for allowing him
out of the house again to go on this crazy
adventure. He usually also sends love to
nieces, Lucy and Riley, but since we say
@#$% every 5 seconds, he figured that
would be inappropriate. To the Journey!

Joy Fowler (Audience/
Ensemble/Peaches/
Baby Jane US) is a twotime
recipient of the
National Association
of Teachers of Singing
Award in Ohio. She
has been a chorus
member with Opera
Cleveland for the past
three seasons. Joy was the Cleveland winner
of the Bel Canto regional auditions. She
has studied with Elizabeth Unis Chesko,
Georgio Tozzi, and Martina Arroyo. While
attending Cleveland State University,
Joy performed in Mozart’s The Impresario
(Madame Silberklang) and Weill’s The
Threepenny Opera (Lucy Brown).
Kathryn Gucik
(Audience/
Ensemble) recently
graduated from Ohio
University with a
degree in Theatre and
Music. She currently
lives in Hudson
(where she grew up),
and works at The Cleveland Play House.
Previous productions include: Annie (Mrs.
Pugh/Ensemble) at Chagrin Valley Little
Theatre, Into the Woods (Witch) and Oliver!
(Strawberry Seller) at Ohio Valley Summer
Theater, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience
(Lady Jane) with the Ohio University Opera
Theater, and Little Shop of Horrors (Chiffon)
at Aurora Community Theater. This is her
first show at the Beck Center. Kathryn
would like to thank her voice teacher for
taking her voice to new heights and to her
Dad, Leonard, for being so supportive and
open-minded while listening to her rehearse
for this show. She hopes you all enjoy the
show!
Lydia Hall (Audience/
E n s e m b l e / I r e n e
US) is thrilled to
be returning to the
Beck Center in Jerry
Springer: The Opera!
Recent productions
include My Fair Lady
at the Beck Center,
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet
Street at Cain Park, Baby and Side By Side By
Sondheim at TrueNorth Cultural Arts Center,
and the world premiere of Costumbrismo, or
Khandihba Wars as part of Cleveland Public
Theatre’s Big [BOX] series. Favorite roles
include The Magic Flute (Pamina) with
Opera Cleveland, Into the Woods (Witch)
with Grand Valley Opera Theatre and
Amahl and the Night Visitors (The Mother)
with Cuyahoga Community College. Lydia
holds degrees from Grand Valley State
University in Michigan and The Boston
Conservatory. Thanks to the gifted cast and
crew for everything. Enjoy the show!
Melanie Hauer (Audience/Ensemble/
Zandra/Mary US)
is excited to return
to the Beck Center
as a part of the Jerry
Springer “audience.”
What better way to
vent your frustrations
than by blurting out
profanities in harmony
with others? She was
most recently seen on stage in Closer Than
Ever at Brecksville Little Theatre, for which
she received rave reviews. Favorite stage
credits include: Godspell at Cassidy Theatre,
The Fix at Beck Center and Missionaries at
Fine Arts Association. Film/Television
credits include: Julio, Guys, Alone and spots
for 717 Credit Union, ZeroDebt, Value City,
and Kroger. Melanie would like to thank her
family and friends for their love, support,
and general tolerance of her kookiness.
Shannon Hubman (Audience/Ensemble/
Shawntel/Eve US)
is thrilled to be
performing for the
first time on the Beck
Center stage. She is
currently a sophomore
Musical Theatre
major at Kent State
University. Shannon
has performed on many
different stages in the Cleveland area and
was most recently seen in Why Do Fools Fall
in Love? (Dee Dee) at Cassidy Theatre. Some
of her other credits include A Chorus Line
(Cassie), Pippin (Catherine), Hair (Shelia
Franklin) at Playmakers Theatre. Shannon
would like to extend a very big thank-you
to everyone involved with this production.
It has been a great learning experience and
she has grown so much working with such
talented people.
29

Justin Charles Schickler (Audience/
Ensemble) is thrilled
to be making his
Beck Center for the
Arts debut and to be
working with such
a talented group of
people. Justin is a
recent graduate of
Baldwin-Wallace
College where he
received his Bachelor of Arts in Public
Relations and Communications. While
there, he studied voice at the Conservatory
of Music. He has performed in over 40
musicals – most recently, Mame (Ensemble).
Other recent show credits include: The
Wedding Singer (Ensemble), Peter Pan: A
Musical Adventure (Twin 2), Little Shop of
Horrors (Seymour), Children of Eden (Cain/
Japheth, Abel/Ham, Young Cain, and
Young Abel). Something’s Afoot (Nigel),
Hello Dolly (Cornelius), and Meet Me in St.
Louis (Lonnie).
Mark Robert Snyder
(Audience/Ensemble/
Dwight/God US) is
thrilled to be back
at the Beck Center.
He was last seen
here in Seussical! the
Musical (Who). Mark
holds a BM in Vocal
Performance/Musical
Theatre from the University of Akron. He
has performed throughout the Northeast
Ohio area with the Ohio Light Opera,
the Cleveland Opera, University of Akron
Opera, Lakeland Civic Theatre, Beachwood
Community Theatre, Olde Town Hall
Theatre, and Cassidy Theatre. Some of his
favorite roles include: Trial by Jury (Edwin),
Der Vogelhandler (Schneck), The Magic Flute
(Monostatos), Mame (Beauregard), Godspell
(Judas), and Seussical! the Musical (Horton).
He is employed during the academic year
as a Production Assistant in Costuming
and Assistant Costume Designer at the
University of Akron. He spends his summers
in Wooster as a Performer/Wardrobe Master
for The Ohio Light Opera. Special thanks
to Jim for believing.
30
James Lenahan (Security) is happy to
be returning to the
Beck. Previous shows
here include Porgy &
Bess, Jekyll & Hyde,
and My Favorite Year.
James also delighted
audiences with his
blood plumbing in
Beck’s production of
Evil Dead The Musical.
In Jerry he finds himself once again playing
a loveable bad guy. It must be the goatee.
Look for him in the upcoming film Beautiful
Garden (King) which is due to premiere at
the Cleveland International Film Festival
in March. Upcoming projects include the
films, Madtown and Sleeper. James would
like to thank his friends and family for their
love and support.
Nathan Taxel (Security) is thrilled to
join the cast of Jerry
Springer The Opera.
Though it has been
many years since
Nathan performed
on stage, he uses his
theatrical training from
Hobart College every
day, wowing school
children as a science
instructor at the Cleveland Museum of
Natural History. Nathan is especially excited
about the opportunity to join his lovely wife,
Diana Farrell, on stage.
Matthew Ryan Thompson (Tremont/
Archangel Gabriel US) is thrilled to be
joining the cast of Jerry
at the Beck Center.
Ryan got his start
onstage when he was in
kindergarten through
dance (tap, jazz, and
ballet) and quickly
transitioned into
musical theater where
he has performed
and competed all over the United States.
Off stage Ryan has worked behind the
chair as a cutting and style specialist both
locally (Ichiban Salon and Day Spa) and
nationally as a hairstylist on fashion shows
and photo shoots and numerous musicals.
Most recently he performed in the Beck
Center’s encore production of Altar Boyz

(Mark) at the Hanna Theatre at Playhouse
Square. Ryan was also seen in Beck’s
holiday smash hit production of Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Asher).
Some favorite performing credits include:
Altar Boyz (Mark), The Scarlet Pimpernel
(Hal), Joseph…Dreamcoat (Joseph), Into
the Woods (Jack), The 25 th Annual Putnam
County Spelling Bee (Chip/Leaf US) and Dear
Gabby (Austin). He owes all his love and
thanks to his family, friends, and mentors
for their continued love and support. Enjoy
the show!
*Actor appears courtesy of the Actors’ Equity Association
(AEA), the union of actors and stage managers.
** Member of the Society of Stage Directors and
Choreographers
Trad A Burns (Scenic & Lighting
Designer) is a lighting and scenic designer
based in Boston Massachusetts. His career
has spanned theater, dance, amusement
parks, as well as architectural and retail
lighting. Designing over 400 productions
during the last two decades, his varied
work has been seen around the world. His
extensive credits include designs for Boston
Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, New York City
Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Houston
Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet
British Columbia, Washington Ballet,
Spectrum Dance, Verb Ballets, New York
Theatre Workshop (NYC), La Mama
ETC (NYC), HERE (NYC), Classic Stage
Company (NYC), The Public Theatre
(NYC), The Cleveland Play House,
Cleveland Public Theatre, Indiana Repertory
Theatre, Cedar Point, ValleyFair, Knott’s
Berry Farm, Kings Island, Walt Disney
World, Disneyland, Disneyland Japan,
Disney Sea, Disney Cruise Lines, Carnival
Cruise Lines, Universal Studios Florida &
Japan, Woodstock Ice Productions, and
The Family of Charles M. Schulz. Mr. Burns
recent theater designs include the revival of
Altar Boyz at the Hanna Theatre, Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Wings,
My Fair Lady, The Producers, The 25th
Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Fiddler
on the Roof, Altar Boyz 2008, The Farnsworth
Invention, Urinetown the Musical, Song &
Dance, The History Boys among others for
the Beck Center for the Arts. Inherit the
Wind and Doubt for The Cleveland Play
House; Assassins, Death of a Salesman and
Sweeney Todd at Lakeland Civic Theatre. At
Cleveland Public Theatre Mr. Burns has
designed The Book of Grace, Open Mind
Firmament, The Alice Seed, Goldstar Ohio,
Our Town, Sleep Deprivation Chamber, Fefu
and Her Friends, The Secretaries, Venus, Stone
Cold Dead Serious, A Bright Room Called Day,
Nickel and Dimed, Dojoji, The Confessions of
Punch & Judy, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Discordia,
Blue Sky Transmission: A Tibetan Book of
the Dead, Summer and Smoke, The Fugitive
Pieces, and Gross Indecency: The Three Trials
of Oscar Wilde.
Benjamin Gantose (Assistant Scenic
& Lighting Designer) received a BFA
from the University of Cincinnati, College
Conservatory of Music (CCM), and has
been involved in both scenic and lighting
design for works spanning ballet and modern
dance, theater, musical theater, opera, and
theme parks. Highlights include Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, My
Fair Lady, The Producers, and Altar Boyz,
at the Beck Center; Don’t Call Me Fat and
Open Mind Firmament at Cleveland Public
Theatre; Passion and Swan Lake at CCM;
and various productions at Cincinnati
Ballet, Cedar Point, Knott’s Berry Farm, Verb
Ballets, and Inlet Dance Theater. Things
are just getting started for Benjamin and
he looks forward to being a struggling artist
for many years to come. He’d like to thank
his family and Izzy for all of their love and
support.
Jenniver Sparano (Costume Designer)
is always happy to return to the Studio
Theater, where she most recently designed
costumes (and maintained integrity) for
the record-breaking Evil Dead The Musical.
Her other Studio credits include: Floyd
Collins, Zombie Prom, and Greater Tuna
(2006). She has also designed for The 25 th
Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The
Rocky Horror Show on Beck’s Main Stage;
as well as at Cleveland Public Theatre,
Clague Playhouse, Ensemble Theatre,
Dobama Theatre, convergence-continuum,
Weathervane Playhouse, and The Bang
and The Clatter Theatre Company. In
addition to her design work, she is proud to
co-produce an annual musical production
to benefit AIDS/HIV service agencies in
Cuyahoga and Summit counties. A Phi Beta
31

Kappa graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, she
is employed by KeyBank.
Richard B. Ingraham (Sound Designer)
is happy to return for his eighth season of
work with Beck Center. Previous sound
designs at Beck Center include: Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Wings,
The Producers, Evil Dead The Musical, The
Farnsworth Invention, The History Boys,
Equus, Beauty and the Beast, The Diary of
Anne Frank, Agnes of God, and Of Mice and
Men. Richard is a freelance sound designer
and has worked at numerous theater
companies and schools in the Cleveland
area and around the U.S. including: Ashland
University, Cain Park, The Cleveland
Jewish Community Center, The Cleveland
Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre,
Cleveland State University, Dobama
Theatre, Great Lakes Theater Festival,
Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Oberlin
College, The University of Evansville, and
Willoughby Fine Arts Association. This fall
Richard began lecturing at The Carnegie
Mellon School of Drama. He also works as
a consultant for award-winning software
companies such as Stage Research and
Richmond Sound Design, helping to create
software tools for the performing arts and has
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.
P.J. Toomey (Makeup/Special Effects)
Previous shows at the Beck Center include:
Beauty and the Beast – 2007 production (Beast
Makeup Effects), Peter Pan (Makeup), and
Evil Dead The Musical (Demon Masks/SPFX).
32
Other shows include: Into The Woods (Witch
Mask) at Cuyahoga Community College
West, Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet
Street (Effects Consulting) at Lakeland Civic
Theatre, and The Great American Trailer
Park Musical (Breast Technician), and,
most recently, Gilligan’s Island: The Musical,
a benefit for AIDS support programs in
Cleveland and Akron (Alien Design). He
holds a BA in Art Education, and works for
Lakewood’s own Monster Makers and FX
Supply Co., providing special effects supplies
for film and television industries around the
world. He is also the co-founder of Out of
the Dark Studio, a full-service makeup and
FX group specializing in custom haunted
attraction props and special makeup effects
for theater, film, and video. His most recent
film work can be seen in the upcoming
feature film, Beautiful Garden (Makeup/
SPFX). He’d like to thank his parents and
the other important people in his life for
dealing with him, and his ridiculous ideas.
You know who you are.
Joseph Carmola (Technical Director)
enters his fifth season as Technical Director
at the Beck Center. Hailing from Canton,
in the past Joe has served as Technical
Director/Lighting Designer at the Canton
Players Guild, The Magical Theatre
Company, as well as Paul Green’s Trumpet
in the Land, and numerous freelance credits
as well as design for Les Miserables Jr. which
has been seen in many student programs
throughout Northeast Ohio. He is also the
proud father of Clayton and Lily who have
always brought light to his life. Thanks to
Devon for all her support.