The Fantasticks – TrueNorth Cultural Arts 2012

TrueNorth Cultural Arts
Richard A. Fortney, Artistic Director

presents

“Had a great time with the cast of The Fantasticks at TrueNorth Cultural Arts! Wonderful show!”
Kate Leigh Michalski

“Go see The Fantasticks at TrueNorth. Do it! So wonderful! But seriously go. Tomorrow. The end”
Sarah Calre

“Congrats on a beautifully staged, interesting, creative, and moving production. My mother and I both enjoyed it! It really is a great show. LOVED the concept, and proud to say I got it without reading that board outside the theatre first. Scott and Tom were great together. And George Roth … I was in awe. What an actor.”
Sean Grandillo

“I saw the Friday evening performance of The Fantasticks on its last weekend and enjoyed it very much. This was my first time seeing the show … I can see why it was a ground-breaking and long-running musical … it definitely needs a good cast with no weak links. Yours was certainly up to the task, on all counts.”
Elaine Dowling

“Congrats on Fantasticks. So glad I braved the snow to see your amazing troupe of performers.”
Monica Olejko

“After not having performed in a show in 6.5 years, I can’t think of a better show to have done than the show we closed today. A truly amazing cast and crew, and I gained new insight into a show I’ve loved for over 40 years. Thanks Fred Sternfeld and the entire crew for a great experience in The Fantasticks.”
Allen White

Bill Hart (Percussion) Originally from the Nation’s Capital, Bill has performed shows at the Kennedy Center, National Theatre, Wolf Trap, the Shoreham Americana Hotel, and other major venues in the D.C. area. Since moving to Cleveland in 1992, he has played nearly 150 shows, classical concerts, and small-group jazz and big band performances at most Playhouse Square theaters, Blossom, Porthouse, Beck Center, Cain Park, and myriad other venues. He has been blessed to perform with the Starland Vocal Band, the Capitol Steps, trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Doc Severinson, and Clark Terry, saxophonists John LaPorta and Hank Mobley, pianists Cecil Taylor and Marian McPartland, and bassist Ron Carter. He also played the piano for Elvis Presley, but that’s another story.

Richard A. Fortney (Music Director, Founder & Executive Director – TrueNorth Cultural Arts) established TrueNorth Cultural Arts in 1999. At TrueNorth, Mr. Fortney conducts the TrueNorth Chorale, serves as Musical Director for its theatre productions, and serves as TrueNorth’s Artistic Director in theatre, music, visual arts and dance. He founded the TrueNorth Orchestra, serving as its conductor for 5 years. Throughout his career, Mr. Fortney has demonstrated effective program development, administration and performance with organizations on both professional and community levels. His accomplishments include student program development serving as the Director of Student Affairs with The Manhattan School of Music, the Assistant Director of Campus and Residence Life with the State University of New York – College at Purchase, and as the Assistant to the Director of Student Affairs at Bluffton College. He founded the Avon Lake Men’s Chorus, which he subsequently led for nine years. Mr. Fortney previously served as the Director of Choral Activities at Cleveland’s John Marshall High School, 2000 – 2008, and directed and brought back to the Cleveland system the Cleveland’s All-City High School Choir in 2001. Mr. Fortney was the Music Director of Mighty Goliath Productions in, 2007 and 2008. He also served as the Minister of Music at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Amherst (2007 – 2009), the Director of Music and Creative Arts Ministries at St. Barnabas Anglican Church in Bay Village (1999 – 2006), and as the Director of Worship Ministries / Minister of Music at Bay Presbyterian Church in Bay Village (1990 – 1999). He also served as President of Riverside Academy of Music’s Board of Trustees (2000-2001), and as a part-time adjunct professor at Lorain County Community College teaching music theory and served as conductor for both the choir and orchestra while faculty was on sabbatical or sick leave. His professional singing resume includes performances with New York Choral Artists, Musica Sacra, Trevor Pinnock’s Classical Band Chorus, The New York Concert Singers, The Juilliard Singers, The National Chorale, The David Dussing Singers, and featured Soloist within the Calvary Baptist Chamber Concert Series. Theatrically he was Spirit McCoy in the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s in Beckley, West Virginia outdoor theatre; worked with American Entertainment, singing at Convention Shows, State Fairs and Cruise Ships for a number of years; and was in the opera chorus for three seasons with Director Peter Sellers while living in New York City. Since returning to Ohio he has been with Mighty Goliath Productions, Huntington Playhouse, and ACT of Brunswick; as an active chorister, he is a member of CleveWest Music Consorte, and The Canterbury Singers, USA with which he has sung several choral residencies at Cathedrals throughout England. Mr. Fortney received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts Degrees from Bowling Green State University.Shawn Galligan (Mortimer) has acted, directed, and stage managed in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. Chicago credits: a singer at Navy Pier Players; director / actor / stage manager with Tremont Avenue Productions; Eugene in Brighton Beach Memoirs. Pennsylvania credits: a soldier in King Lear; Choir in The Civil War; Henry von Snoote in Little Red Riding Hood. Ohio credits: Peter in Company; Harvey Greene in Ten Nights in a Barroom; Proops in Jekyll & Hyde; Snoopy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; the Ten Minute Play Festival at CPT; Benjy in My Favorite Year; Aquaboy in Freakshow; Kanute in Don’t Hug Me, Are We There Yet?, Ernie inGuys on Ice, I Love a Piano, Hugh in A Murder, a Mystery, & a Marriage, and Fred in A Christmas Carol at Actors’ Summit: Princess and the Pea for Magical Theater Company. Production credits: director of Romantic Fools for Actors’ Summit, stage manager of Children of Eden for Sandstone Summer Theatre, director of The Fantasticks for Stow Players; co-director of Cuyahoga Falls M&Ms show choir; productoin manager and director of various plays and three film projects for Tremont Ave. Productions; company stage manager for Chicago Tap Theatre; stage manager of The Mikado for Akron Lyric Opera Theatre. Shawn is a proud company member of Actors’ Summit and convergence-continuum. When not involved in the theater, Shawn is a bicycle mechanic at the Wheel and Wrench Bike Shop in Cuyahoga Falls.

Carlton Guc (Sound Designer) Part of Stage Research, developers of award winnning theatrical software for Lighting and Sound, Carlton has designed sound for the Titanic exhibit, Dialog in the Dark exhibit and recently assisted on the tour of Handel’s Messia Rocks. He recently designed Steel Magnolias and Baby at TrueNorth. For FPAC, Carlton has designed Pippin, the Ohio premiere of Eat (It’s Not About Food), Company, Children of Eden, Honk Jr., Pride and Prejudice, Into the Woods, the Ohio premiere of Thirteen, Les Miserables: School Edition, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and Big, the musical.

Heidi Herczeg (Music Director) is ecstatic to be working on such a classic piece of musical theater, not to mention with such a talented cast and orchestra. A vocal music teacher at Bay Middle School since 1987, Heidi has been seen music directing and teaching over the past 11 years at such theaters as The Cleveland Play House, Beck Center, and The Cassidy Theater. Heidi holds a Master’s Degree from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor’s from Baldwin-Wallace College. She returns to The Cassidy Theater this summer for Gypsy.

Tia Karaplis (Luisa) will be appearing in Bunnicula and Miracle on 34th Street this fall at TrueNorth. She is in 9th grade at Amherst High School. Some of her past FPAC credits include Cosette in Les Miserables: School Edition, Susan in Big, the musical, The Snake in Children of Eden, Rapunzel in Into the Woods, Dan in Joseph…Dreamcoat, The Cat in Honk Jr., and the understudy for Charlotte, Cassie, and Molly in Thirteen the Musical. Some of her other favorite roles are Grizzabella in Cats! and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at Beck Center for the Arts, and Liesl in The Sound of Music at Mighty Goliath Theatre. She was also the 2008 Youngstown Superstar. This will be Tia’s fourth year attending Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory. She’d like to thank her family and friends for all their support, and wishes the cast many broken legs!!Bebe Weinberg Katz (Choreographer) , B.A., M. Ed. Bebe’s recent theatrical credits include Les Miserables: School Edition, Big, the musical, Company, Children of Eden & Thirteen at FPAC and Baby at TrueNorth. Hercredits extend deep into the arts. She has danced, choreographed, staged, designed, directed, taught, written and illustrated. As an educator, Bebe has taught dance, movement education and /or fitness and wellness to children, teens and adults in the public schools, Baldwin-Wallace College, Cleveland State University, the Jewish Community Center, in her own studio, in private dance studios and Camp Wise. Her dance credits extend from Purcell’s Opera The Fairy Queen and The Cathy Powel Dance Company in Pittsburgh to the Dancing Mimes at DanceCleveland, as well as her own company, Center Motion at the JCC. While holding the position of resident choreographer at Euclid High School Bebe worked with the show choir “Varsity Choral” and choreographed the school’s productions of The Music Man, Hello Dolly, Anything Goes, Pajama Game, Pippin, Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz and Grease. She currently works in both Shaker Heights schools and Cleveland Heights / University Heights school. Bebe is the choreographer for Shaker’s “Chanticleers,” and Cleveland Height’s nationally ranked show choir “Singers.” At CHHS she choreographed Beauty and the Beast, The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof and West Side Story as well as doing costume design for the latter two.. Bebe has production credentials spanning the 35 years she has lived in Cleveland. She was dance and drama specialist at Camp Wise, and performed the choreographer duties for Mameat Chagrin Valley Little Theater, Anything Goes at Euclid Community Theater, Joseph, Holy Moses, Rock Pinocchio, The Grand Tour and Fiddler on the Roof at the Cleveland JCC. She also directed The Apple Tree for the JCC and was costume assistant for The Wall and The Merry Widow. She also has written and illustrated a number of books. The M.I.M.E Set, an activity book the integrates movement and academics, and three middle grade chapter books titled Princess Claudia and the Freckles, A Best Friend for Claudia and Sibling Wars. This summer Bebe will be returning to Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory (FPAC) as Associate Director of the East programs.

Cynthia Lally (Harpist) Cyndi’s most recent theatrical credits include A Little Night Music and Pippin at FPAC, and Sweeney Todd at Chagrin Performing Arts Academy. She grew up with a musical family on a farm in Michigan and started playing the harp at the age of 8. She had attended Interlochen Arts Academy in high school then received her Bachelors in Performing Arts at The Cleveland Institute Of Music. There she studied with world renowned harpist Alice Chalifoux and has performed multiple times with orchestra director Carl Topilow. She has performed in the Cleveland area for more than 20 years. She now has a very musical family of her own. Her husband Patrick plays bass with multiple bands in the area, daughter Catie, is attending high school at Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Academy with broadway aspirations, and Hannah is in middle school using Cynthia’s recordings in many of her figure skating competitions. She would like to thank Fred Sternfeld and Heidi Herczeg for this opportunity to be a part of this wonderful show. This cast, crew and musicians are truly amazing!

Cameron Caley Michalak (Set Designer) is the resident set designer and technical director for TrueNorth. He is also the Assistant Technical Director for The Cleveland Play House, where he is the acting Technical Director for the resident CASE MFA acting program and the resident designer for the Theatre for Children Series. With Fred Sternfeld, he recently designed FPAC’s production of Les Miserables: School Edition. He has been working as a Technical Director and Scenic Designer in Ohio and NYC for many years after graduating with a BA in Theatre and a minor in Studio Art from Baldwin-Wallace College. Recent local design credits include A Soldier’s Tale at Cleveland Play House in conjunction with the Cleveland Orchestra and Groundworks Dance Theatre; Cinderella at Brush High School; Seussical: The Musical for The M.A.D. Factory; Peace Signs at Kaiser Permanente; Urinetown: The Musical for The M.A.D. Factory; The Little Mermaid at Cleveland Play House and You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, A Raisin in the Sun and Little Shop of Horrors at Truenorth Cultural Arts. Elsewhere he has designed The Mortician for the Washington D.C. Fringe Festival and The Messiah at Workshop Theatre Company NYC. Cameron is also currently working on designing a production of The Wiz for The M.A.D. Factory at Oberlin High School that will open the last weekend in July. He is thrilled to be making his FPAC debut this summer!

Maureen E. Patterson (Lighting Designer) is happy to be at TrueNorth working with the creative team for The Fantasticks. Her theatrical designs and production expertise have been showcased in the Cleveland area and beyond for the last thirteen years at the Cleveland Play House, Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Cleveland Opera, the Dallas Theatre Center, MGM Grand, Las Vegas and many others. Over the last six years, Miss Patterson has focused her talents and creativity on special event lighting and currently is the Owner and Lead Designer for Solus Lighting LTD. Solus Lighting LTD is the only company in the city of Cleveland exclusively dedicated to special event lighting, production, and consultation. Solus Lighting LTD – innovation through illumination.

R. Scott Posey (El Gallo) is honored to have the opportunity to join this wonderful cast in one of his most cherished musicals. This is his third round in The Fantasticks!…having played Matt and El Gallo previously. Scott just finished directing The 1940’s Radio Hour at Lake Catholic High School, where he serves as head of the Performing Arts Department. This past summer he was featured in Stagecrafters production of Children of Eden as Father, as well as having served as director for Urinetown at Rabbit Run Theater in Madison, Ohio. Scott has worked extensively in the Cleveland /Akron area as both performer and director at such theaters as: Great Lakes Theater Festival, Cain Park, Porthouse Theatre, Kalliope Stage, The Beck Center, CCC West, Rabbit Run Theater, Heights Youth Theatre, Cleveland Opera and Dobama. Favorite roles played include: Albert in Bye Bye Birdie,Rutledge in 1776, Neckties in Opal, Nick in Baby, Christ/Judas/Annas/Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar, Padre in Man of La Mancha, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Riff in West Side Story, Anthony in Sweeney Todd, Curley in Oklahoma!, the Duke in Big River, the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, Carl Magnus in A Little Night Music, the Voice of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof and Father/Adam/Noah in Children of Eden. Scott holds a Bachelor of Music from Baldwin-Wallace College and a Master of Fine Arts from Kent State University. He is honored to have served as an associate artist with the original Cleveland Opera for 15 years for both main stage productions as well as the touring department. “…deep in December, our hearts should remember…”

George Roth (Henry) trained to be an actor, first as an undergraduate at Yale University, and then at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Last fall, he had the pleasure of playing Otto Frank in TrueNorth’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank opposite his daughter, Olivia, who played Anne. Other recent performances include Willie Clark in The Sunshine Boys for Porthouse Theatre, Hamm in Endgame for the Cleveland Museum of Art and Andrey Botvinnik in A Walk in the Woods for Rabbit Run. His film and television credits include Batman, The Russia House, Nightbreed, Doing Time on Maple Drive, and Murphy Brown. George is a two-time Jeopardy champ and a twenty-five-year cancer survivor. He lives in Solon with his wife, Elizabeth, and their daughter, Olivia.

Fred Sternfeld (Director) most recently directed Steel Magnolias and Baby at TrueNorth Cultural Arts and A Little Night Music, Company and Les Miserables: School Edition at FPAC. Fred is widely represented on Northeast Ohio stages through diverse projects, garnering numerous honors and awards. Recently he directed the award-winning productions of Baby at TrueNorth, Yellowman at Karamu Performing Arts Theatre, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Beck Center and Ragtime, the musical at the JCC. He previously served as Artistic Director at Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory, Lakewood Little Theatre – Beck Center for the Arts and the Cleveland, Seattle & Dallas Jewish Community Centers. Other selected credits: Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver! & The Sound of Music at Cain Park; The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife & The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek at Dobama Theatre; Children of Eden, Into the Woods, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Eat (It’s Not About Food) and The Odd Couple at FPAC; A Shayna Maidel, Jolson and Company, Man of La Mancha, Modern Orthodox, Rags, From Door to Door, South Pacific, The God of Isaac, Beau Jest, Crossing Delancey, The Twilight of the Golds, The Immigrant & Conversations With My Father for the Cleveland JCC; Bad Seed at Ensemble Theatre; Amadeus at Willoughby Fine Arts; Table Settings, Isn’t It Romantic, The Diary of Anne Frank & Broadway Bound at JCC Center Stage in Seattle; Peter Pan (1987 & 2008), On the Town, Of Mice and Men, La Cage aux Folles, Saturday Night, Foxfire, Noises Off, Children of a Lesser God & The Importance of Being Earnest at Beck Center; Proof at GLTG and All My Sons & Enter Laughing at the Dallas JCC. Other upcoming projects are The Bluest Eye for Karamu House Theatre in February of 2012 and Gruesome Playground Injuries for Ensemble Theatre in April of 2012. For pictures and reviews for any of the shows listed here you can go to this link.

Thomas Sweeney (The Mute) will be appearing as Peter in TrueNorth’s The Diary of Anne Frank this fall. Recently he appeared at FPAC in Les Miserables: School Edition and Big, the musical and attended the Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory training for his first time. Favorite roles include Adam in Children of Eden at Avon Lake High School, Agent 44 in Get Smart at Avon Lake High School and Kenny in Christmas at Aunt Ida’s at Huntington Playhouse. Tom is 16 and will be a junior at Avon Lake High School in the fall. He studies voice, sings in a local band and enjoys songwriting. Tom is looking forward to becoming part of the FPAC family, and would like to thank his friends and family for their support.

Allen White (Hucklebee) returns to the stage after a 6 1/2 year absence. He’s been acting and directing in area community theatre productions for over 30 years. Most recently, he directed City of Angels for the Hudson Players in 2010. Allen is the Practice Manager for UpSearch Technical Services, providing companies expert help managing their Microsoft SQL Server environments. He is an internationally known writer and speaker on SQL Server, and has been awarded Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award each year for the last 5 years. (There are about 300 SQL Server MVPs in the world.) Allen enjoyed working with Fred in the 2003 production of Fiddler on the Roofat Cain Park, and in the 2004 JCC production of Ragtime. He played the Mute in The Fantasticks as a sophomore in high school (1970) and Henry in the Clague Playhouse production in 1981, and looks forward to working with this brilliant cast in this production.