Geauga Lyric Theatre Guild
presents

May, 2004

“Proof was the best show to grace the Geauga Theater stage during our years there.”

Chuck Burris
&
Stacy Burris,
Past President of Geauga Lyric Theatre Guild


Diane Mull as “Catherine”

Cast of Characters
Catherine — Diane K. Mull
Claire — Liz Conway
Robert — Mark Cipra
Hal — Doug Rossi
Production Staff
Director — Fred Sternfeld
Set Designer — Richard Gould
Lighting Designer — Cassie Goldbach
Sound Designer — Stuart J. “Skip” Kelley
Scenic Artist — Heather Cool
Stage Manager — John Poucher

Diane Mull as “Catherine” and Mark Cipra as “Robert”

“Just a quick note to encourage you to try and make it to see Proof at the Geauga Lyric Theatre Guild
in Chardon. The play is sensitively directed by Fred Sternfeld and skillfully performed by the four actors: Diane Mull, Liz Conway, Mark Cipra and Doug Rossi. Fred and company got to the heart of the matter, clearly illuminating the plays underlying theme – that the true proof of human relationships is found in faith and trust. This production is altogether humane”

Thomas. Q. Fulton, Jr., Theater Director

“Thank you for Proof. I saw it yesterday afternoon & was so absorbed in it I could hardly wait for the
next word to be spoken. I don’t know if you were there to notice, or if you noticed it on other nights,
but the entire audience was as captivated as was I” “I was able to thank only one cast member, so if you see Liz, Mark and Doug, please give them my thanks for the enjoyment they brought to me.

Carole Clement, Playwright


Doug Rossi as “Hal” and Diane Mull as “Catherine”

April 24, 2006

Fred,

We are living in Pittsburgh now. (Which has some excellent live theater going on!)

Just a quick line: Chuck and I finally took the time to watch the movie version of Proof this past weekend and the bottom line is that we both agreed that your live version was better. The cast, the directing….we knew the play was good, but really discovered just how dead on you were with your directing.

I do hope you appreciate how very good you are at your craft, and frankly, how timeless excellence such as yours is.

Truly, now that we have some distance between us and the Cleveland area we really appreciate how superb your work is, Fred.

Lucky Cleveland: We hope they never stop appreciating it.

Hope all is well!

Stacy Burris,
President of Geauga Lyric Theatre Guild, 2004


Mark Cipra as “Robert”

“It is enthralling. It is entertaining. And yes, it is dramatic! Especially in the capable hands of director Fred Sternfeld and his very fine cast”

“Diane Mull plays daughter Catherine with a quirky nervousness and an aloofness that is believable. Liz Conway plays her over protective sister with her own set of quirks”

“Doug Rossi, who plays Hal, a graduate student who’s advisor and mentor is Robert the mathematical genius, is also believable as the ‘geeky’ but ‘hip’ young academician”

“Mark Cipra, Robert the math genius, has way too little time on stage” “Cipra’s performance is finely crafted and completely heartfelt. The relationship of father and daughter that Cipra and Mull create under Sternfeld’s direction is as fine and intricate as a spider’s web…. And every bit as strong as that miraculous fiber”

“Richard Gould’s set is wonderful as is the lighting design by Cassie Goldbach all complimented by sound designed by Stuart Kelly. These elements, in smaller theatres are often given less attention, but when they are well done, as in this production, it only serves to enhance the theatre experience”

“This is a wonderful production and one that should not be missed. Do yourself a favor and see this show”

Janet Shank, Theater Director
Former Artistic Director Willoughby Fine Arts


Doug Rossi as “Hal” and Diane Mull as “Catherine”

“I came to see Proof on the last Saturday of the production … I want to tell you that you and your
fellow cast members gave one of the best performances that I have ever seen. I regret that I waited so late to see it because I would have loved to have seen it once again.”

Marvin L. Mallory, Actor


Liz Conway as “Claire,” Doug Rossi as “Hal” and Diane Mull as “Catherine”

What the audience said about PROOF opening weekend…

“Amazing! I hadn’t seen the show before and never knew it was this good; now I know why everyone was talking about it. We want to come back and see it again.”

“This is absolutely the best show I have ever seen…anywhere.”

“We just moved here from Chicago where good theater was a part of our lives. We were afraid that we
wouldn’t be able to find professionally done theater close to our home; this production of PROOF makes us want to celebrate…we know we are home again where excellent shows are right around the corner.
We’ll be back.”

“How refreshing! Truly professional theater in our own back yard that completely drew us in to the
lives of the characters. These actors outdid themselves.”

“Fantastic! The set, the acting, the story…this is why we go to live theater! Experiencing this show
was an honor!”

“Congratulations to Geauga Theater, THIS is what we have been waiting for; an adult show,
beautifully acted, that we could sink our teeth into.”

“I’ve seen PROOF before, and love it. This is the best production by far.”

“This show was not what I thought it would be at all, I didn’t know that I would be laughing so much.
I have to admit that this is the best show that I have seen in a long time.”

“Thank you for bringing this director and cast to Geauga County, we wouldn’t trade tonight for anything.”

“Please tell the actors thank you; no one could have done a better job. No one, absolutely no one, should miss this show”

 


Liz Conway as “Claire” and Diane Mull as “Catherine”


Liz Conway as “Claire,” Doug Rossi as “Hal” and Diane Mull as “Catherine”

 “briskly directed” “very worth seeing”

Kelly Ferjutz, Times Newspapers


Diane Mull as “Catherine”


Diane Mull as “Catherine” and Mark Cipra as “Robert”


Diane Mull as “Catherine” and Mark Cipra as “Robert”

ABOUT THE PLAY: In this humorous and moving Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning Broadway hit, a mathematician’s daughter struggles with her father’s brilliant legacy – and finds that genius and madness share
uncomfortably close ties.


Doug Rossi as “Hal” and Diane Mull as “Catherine”


Diane Mull as “Catherine,” Doug Rossi as “Hal” and Mark Cipra as “Robert”


Liz Conway as “Claire,” Doug Rossi as “Hal” and Diane Mull as “Catherine”

Set Designer Richard Gould’s color pencil rendering of the
Geauga Lyric Theatre Guild production of Proof.