TIMES THEATRE TRIBUTES--2005
Greater Cleveland is blessed with a vital theatre scene. It is the purpose of the TIMES THEATRE TRIBUTES to recognize theatrical experiences that, in the mind of this reviewer, were excellent.
I did not see all of the productions in the area, so only shows performed in 2005 that I reviewed were considered. Selections are limited to locally produced performances, so none of the professional touring shows are recognized, though actors, directors and technicians who were imported by local theatres were considered. Actors were not separated by gender or leading or supporting roles.
Thanks to the following for making the theatre scene in the Cleveland area vital and exciting:
PRODUCTIONS
AS YOU LIKE IT, GLTF
BABY, Kalliope
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Beck
A CHORUS LINE, Carousel
CLARENCE DARROW, Actor’s Summit
FOOTLOOSE THE MUSICAL, Carousel
I AM MY OWN WIFE, CPH
LONG DAYS JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, Ensemble
OPAL, Kalliope
PTERODACTYLS, convergence-continuum
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, Cain Park
THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Porthouse
STATES OF SHOCK, convergence-continuum
SWING, Carousel
THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Porthouse
THE EXONERATED, Dobama
THE GOAT OR WHO IS SYLVIA?, Dobama
TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, CPH
URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL, Beck
DIRECTING
Risa Brainin, AS YOU LIKE IT, GLTF
Anders Cato, I AM MY OWN WIFE, CPH
Alex Cikra, CLARENCE DARROW, Actor’s Summit
AC Ciulla, FOOTLOOSE THE MUSICAL, Carousel
Licia Colombi, LONG DAYS JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, Ensemble
Donna Drake, A CHORUS LINE, Carousel
Carol Dunne, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, Cain Park
Paul F. Gurgol, BABY, Kalliope
Paul F. Gurgol, CABARET, Kalliope
Seth Gordon, TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, CPH
Joel Hammer, THE EXONERATED, Dobama
Joel Hammer, THE GOAT OR WHO IS SYLVIA, Dobama
Caroline Jackson Smith, JOHNNIE TAYLOR IS GONE, Karamu
Terri Kent, THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Porthouse
Claude Simon, PTERODACTYLS, convergence-continuum
Claude Simon, STATES OF SHOCK, convergence-continuum
Scott Spence, URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL, Beck
Fred Sternfeld, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Beck
A. Neil Thackaberry, HERBAL BED, Actor’s Summit
John Woodson, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Porthouse
PERFORMANCE
Sharon Alexander, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Carousel
Lynn Allison, MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, GLTF
Michael Anderson, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Porthouse
Mike Backes, FOOTLOOSE, THE MUSICAL, Carousel
Tom Beckett, ROOM SERVICE, CPH
Marla Berg, OPAL, Kalliope
Marla Berg, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, Kalliope
Sonia Bishop, THE FAMILY LINE, Karamu
Sonia Bishop, RAISIN IN THE SUN, Beck
MayAnn Black, THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Porthouse
Adina Bloom, BABY, Kalliope
Ed Blunt, TOPDOG UNDERDOG, Beck
Scott Boulware, THE THING ABOUT MEN, Actor’s Summit
Lucy Bredeson-Smith, TALES OF THE LOST FORMICANS, convergence-continuum
Brian Breth, PTERODACTYLS, convergence-continuum
Cornell Calhoun, III, JOHNNIE TAYLOR IS GONE, Karamu
Kathryn Cherasaro, MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, GLTF
Kathryn Cherasaro, AS YOU LIKE IT, GLTF
Alex Cikra, THE HERBAL BED, Actor’s Summit
Jennifer Clifford, THE CHILDREN’S HOUR, Beck
Kris Comer, OPAL, Kalliope
Kris Comer, BABY, Kalliope
Liz Conway, THE SECRETARIES, CPT
Andrew Cruse, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Porthouse
Andrew Cruse, LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, Ensemble
Kayce Cummings, WEST SIDE STORY, Porthouse
Kayce Cummings, THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Porthouse
Jimmie D. Woody, TOPDOG, UNDERDOG, Beck
Stephen Dale, STONE COLD DEAD SERIOUS, TITLEwave
Michael David Edwards, ROUNDING THIRD, CPH
Sandra Emmerick, THE THING ABOUT MEN, Actor’s Summit
Julia Evan Smith, AS YOU LIKE IT, GLTF
Dan Folino, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Beck
Scottie Gage, A CHORUS LINE, Carousel
Mark Alan Gordon, ROOM SERVICE, CPH
Natalie Green, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Beck
Sally Groth, THE HERBAL BED, Actor’s Summit
Joseph Haladey III, CABARET, Kalliope
Lauri Hammer, PTERODACTYLS, convergence-continuum
Hollis Hayden, Jr, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Porthouse
Marvin A. Hayes, JOHNNIE TAYLOR IS GONE, Karamu
Ali Hernan, THE SECRETARIES, CPT
Geoffrey Hoffman, STATES OF SHOCK, convergence-continuum
John Jensen, BABY, Kalliope
Betsy Kahl, URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL, Beck
Charles Kartali, TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, CPH
Nick Keoster, THE HERBAL BED, Actor’s Summit
Annie Kital, LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, Ensemble
Nick Koesters, TEN MINUTES FROM CLEVELAND, Dobama
Robert Koutras, FOOTLOOSE, THE MUSICAL, Carousel
Kristie Lange, THE CHILDREN’S HOUR, Beck
Andrew May, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, GLTF
Andrew May, AMADEUS, GLTF
Andrew May, MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, GLTF
Mitch McCarrell, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, Cain Park
Christopher McHale, A CHRISTMAS STORY, CPH
Dougfred Miller, AS YOU LIKE IT, GLTF
Scott Miller, THE GOAT OR WHO IS SYLVIA?, Dobama
Wiley Moore, THE PIANO LESSON, CPH
Marlon Morrison, THE PIANO LESSON, CPH
Cristin Mortenson, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Carousel
Sarah Morton, T.I.D.Y., Beck
Sarah Morton, 4 MINUTES TO HAPPY, CPT
Kathryn Mowat Murphy, A CHORUS LINE, Carousel
A. Neil Thackaberry, CLARENCE DARROW, Actor’s Summit
Mark Nelson, I AM MY OWN WIFE, CPH
Bernie Passeltiner, TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE, CPH
Tracee Patterson, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, Cain Park
Tracee Patterson, THE GOAT OR WHO IS SYLVIA?, Dobama
Scott Posey, OPAL, Kalliope
Scott Posey, BABY, Kalliope
JdBowman, PTERODACTYLS, convergence-continuum
Chuck Richie, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Porthouse
Rhoda Rosen, THE CHILDREN’S HOUR, Beck
Linda Ryan, SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER, Actor’s Summit
Wes Shofner, STATES OF SHOCK, convergence-continuum
Wes Shofner, TALES OF THE LOST FORMICANS, convergence-continuum
Reuben Silver, TO KNOW HIM , JCC
Andrew Smith, BABY, Kalliope
Lenne Snively, THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Porthouse
Greg Thornton, ROOM SERVICE, CPH
Elizabeth Townsend, THE EXONERATED, Dobama
Elizabeth Townsend, FIFTH OF JULY, Ensemble
Wayne Turney, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, GLTF
Wayne Turney, SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER, Actor’s Summit
Greg Violand, URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL, Beck
Jimmy Wood, THE EXONERATED, Dobama
Nan Wray, TEN MINUTES FROM CLEVELAND, Dobama
Matthew Wright, URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL, Beck
Brian Zoldessy, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Porthouse
Brian Zoldessy, TO KNOW HIM, JCC
Ensemble Cast: BABY, Kalliope
Ensemble Cast: A CHORUS LINE, Carousel
Ensemble Cast: THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Porthouse
Ensemble Cast: SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, Cain Park
Ensemble Cast: SWING, Carousel
TECHNICAL
MaryJo Alexander, Props, CLARENCE DARROW, Actor’s Summit
MaryJo Alexander, costumes, SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER, Actor’s Summit
Paul Black, lighting design, SWING, Carousel
Russ Borksi, set design, OPAL, Kalliope
Trad Burns, scenic and lighting design, THE SECRETARIES, CPT
Trad Burns, set design, THE GOAT OR WHO IS SYLVIA?, Dobama
James C. Swonger, musical arrangement, ROUNDING THIRD, CPH
Felix Cochren, set design, THE PIANO LESSON, CPH
Nolan Dell, WEST SIDE STORY, Porthouse
Dale DiBernardo, costume design, SWING, Carousel
Michael Gaino, Set Design, A CHRISTMAS STORY, CPH
Todd Krispinsky, set design, TEN MINUTES FROM CLEVELAND, Dobama
Hugh Landwehr, Set Design, I AM MY OWN WIFE, CPH
Don McBride, Set Design, RAISIN IN THE SUN, Beck
Don McBride, set design, URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL, Beck
Don McBride, Set Design, AIDA, Beck
Ben Needham, Set Design, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Beck
Ron Newell, set design, TALLY’S FOLLY, Ensemble
Devon Painter, Set Design, AS YOU LIKE IT, GLTF
Steve Pauna, set design, SPITFIRE GRILL, Porthouse
Paul Sannierud, set design, SWING, Carousel
Cynthia Stillings, lighting design, SPITFIRE GRILL, Porthouse
Lance Switzer, lighting, OPAL, Kalliope
Sergio Villegas, set design, VENUS, CPT
Eric Wahl, visual media design, STATES OF SHOCK, convergence-continuum
Gage Williams, set design, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, GLTF
MUSICAL DIRECTION
Melissa Fucci, WEST SIDE STORY, Porthouse
Melissa Fucci, THE SPITFIRE GRILL, Porthouse
Larry Goodpaster, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Beck
Larry Goodpaster, URINETOWN, Beck
Nancy Maier, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, Cain Park
Brad Wyner and Anthony Ruggiero, OPAL, Kalliope
CHOREOGRAPHER
Martin Cespedes, URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL, Beck
Martin Cespedes, AIDA, Beck
Martin Cespedes, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Beck
Donna Drake, CHORUS LINE, Carousel
AC Ciulla, FOOTLOOSE THE MUSICAL, Carousel
Beverly Durand and Mark Stuart Eckstein, SWING, Carousel
Janiece Kelley-Kiteley, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, Cain Park
OTHER
The Halle Theatre--The wrecking balls have completed their work, so “Rest in Peace” to the long time home of the Jewish Community Center’s Drama program.
The closing of Dobama Theatre’s bowling alley theatre ends a long era of the theatre’s down-under Coventry Road run. Good luck to Joyce Casey in her wanderings until the new venue is built.
Bill Allman--his passing has left a big hole in the Cleveland Theatre Community’s collective hearts..his ever-present smile is missed.
Sean Cercone--for his insight and dilligence in raising the quality of performances and play selection at Carousel Dinner Theatre.
Goodbye to Wayne Turney, one of the area’s best overall actors, who has moved from the city to assume a college teaching position.
THE BEST OF THE BEST
I have continually been asked why I don’t select my “best of the best” for each season. So, to satisfy those requests, I present my selections:
2005 BEST LOCAL DRAMAS: ‘THE GOAT, WHO IS SYLVIA’ at Dobama; ‘BOYS NEXT DOOR’ at Porthouse.
2005 BEST LOCAL MUSICALS: ‘SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD’ at Cain Park; ‘URINETOWN’ at Beck Center; CHORUS LINE at Carousel Dinner Theatre
