TIMES THEATRE TRIBUTES--2007
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 and deserve special recognition.
Only shows performed in 2007 which I reviewed were considered. Selections were limited to locally produced stagings, so none of the professional touring shows are recognized, though actors, directors and technicians who were imported by local theatres were considered. Actors are not separated by gender or leading or supporting roles.
If you would like to read any of my reviews for the year, please go to www.royberko.info, enter the blog and click on “2007 Reviews” or click on the name of the producing theatre and scroll through their performances. Reviews from previous years may also be accessed.
Thanks to the following for making the 2007 theatre scene in the Cleveland area stimulating and memorable:
PLAY
DEATH OF A SALESMAN (Actors’ Summit)
EQUUS (Beck Center)
FAT PIG (The Bang and Clatter)
HAY FEVER (GLTF)
JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck Center)
LINCOLNESQUE (CPH)
LUNACY (Dobama)
MALICIOUS BUNNY (Fourth Wall Productions)
MEASURE FOR MEASURE (GLTF)
NINE (Cain Park)
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (BW)
QED (Actors’ Summit)
ROUNDING THIRD (Actors’ Summit)
TAKE ME OUT (Dobama)
THE CHOSEN (CPH)
THE PRICE (Ensemble Theatre)
TWO HEADED (Titlewave)
DIRECTOR
Charles Fee, HAY FEVER (GLTF)
Constance Thackaberry, ROUNDING THIRD (Actors’ Summit)
Dorothy Silver, THE PRICE (Ensemble Theatre)
Greg Vovos, TWO HEADED (Titlewave)
Mark Alan Gordon, LUNACY (Dobama)
Michael Bloom, LINCOLNESQUE (CPH)
Risa Brainin, MEASURE FOR MEASURE (GLTF)
Scott Plate, TAKE ME OUT (Dobama)
Scott Spence, JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck Center)
Sean McConaha, FAT PIG (The Bang and The Clatter)
Seth Gordon, THE CHOSEN (CPH)
Vicki Bussert, NINE (Cain Park)
Vicki Bussert, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (BW)
Wayne Turney, QED (Actor’s Summit)
William Roudebush, EQUUS (Beck Center)
PERFORMER
A. Neil Thackaberry, QED (Actors’ Summit)
Amiee Collier, JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck Center)
Andrew May, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (GLTF)
Andrew May, MEASURE FOR MEASURE (GLTF)
Andrew Pastides, THE CHOSEN (Cleveland Play House)
Aric Generette Floyd, NINE (Cain Park)
Bernadette Clemens, LUNACY (Dobama)
Brian Marshall, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY (Hanna/Playhouse Square)
Caleb Sekeres, TAKE ME OUT (Dobama)
Carmen Keels, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY (Hanna/Playhouse Square)
Charles Kartali, THE PRICE (Ensemble)
Chris Seibert, OUR TOWN (CPT)
Chris Seibert, TWO HEADED (Titlewave)
Dan Folino, EQUUS (Beck)
Dan Folino, JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck)
Dan Hammond, LUNACY (Dobama)
David Anthony Smith, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (GLTF)
David Anthony Smith, MEASURE FOR MEASURE (GLTF)
Dedriu Ring, FROZEN (Beck)
Donald Carrier, LINCOLESQUE (CPH)
Emily Leonard, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (BW)
Emily Pote, PETER PAN (Porthouse)
Eric van Beers, SWEET CHARITY (Porthouse Theatre)
Fabio Poanco, NINE (Cain Park)
Fred Maurer, TAKE ME OUT (Dobama)
George Roth, OLIVER (Cain Park)
George Roth, THE CHOSEN (GLTF)
Greg Violand, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY (Hanna/Playhouse Square)
Jason Markouc, FROZEN, (Beck)
Jason Markouc, A LOSS OF ROSES (Ensemble)
Jean Zarzour, CHRISOPHER COLUMBUS, Cesear’s Forum
Jeffrey Evan Thomas, OF MICE AND MEN (CPH)
Jenna Messina, FAT PIG (THE BANG AND THE CLATTER)
Jeremy Rishe, THE CHOSEN (GLTF)
John Kolibab, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, Cesear’s Forum
Juliette Regnier, DEAR WORLD (Kalliope Stage)
Keith Stevens, ROUNDING THIRD (Actors’ Summit)
Kristin Netzband, JOLSON & FRIENDS (JCC)
Laura Theodore, REFLECTIONS (Beck Center)
Laurel Johnson, SOME GIRL(S) (The Bang and Clatter)
Lynn Allison, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (GLTF)
Mark Tomasick, SONG AND DANCE (Beck Center)
Marla Berg, DEAR WORLD (Kalliope Stage)
MaryAnn Black, SWEET CHARITY (Porthouse Theatre)
Matthew Wright, EQUUS (Beck)
Michael Reginer, LUNACY (Dobama)
Nate Bigger, MALICIOUS BUNNY (Fourth Wall Productions)
Nick Koesters, DEATH OF A SALESMAN (Actors’ Summit)
Patty Lohr, OLIVER (Cain Park)
Philip Hernandez, MAN OF LA MANCHA (CPH)
Rachel Warren, MAN OF LA MANCHA (CPH)
Reuben Silver, THE PRICE (Ensemble)
Richard Klautsch, MEASURE FOR MEASURE (GLTF)
Sandra Simon, PASSION (Beck Center)
Sara Bruner, THE TEMPEST (GLTF)
Scott Plate, THOM PAINE--based on Nothing (Dobama)
Sean Derry, FAT PIG (THE BANG AND THE CLATTER)
Sean Derry, POUNDING NAILS IND THE FLOOR WITH MY HEAD (B&C)
Stephanie Iannarino, WEST SIDE STORY (Carousel Dinner Theatre)
Tina Fabrique, ELLA (Cleveland Play House)
Tracee Patterson, SONG AND DANCE (Beck Center)
Tricia Bestic, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY (Hanna/Playhouse Square)
Laurel Johnson(Composite cast
EQUUS (Beck)
FORBIDDEN BROADWAY (Hanna/Playhouse Square)
HAY FEVER (GLTF)
LUNACY (Dobama)
NINE (Cain Park)
TAKE ME OUT (Dobama)
THE PRICE (Ensemble)
TECHNICIANS
Aimee Kluiber, costume design, OLIVER (Cain Park)
Allison Garrigan, costumes, OUR TOWN (CPT)
Andromache Chalfant, set design, THE CLEAN HOUSE (CPT)
Charlotte Yetman, costume design, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (BW)
Don McBride, set design, FROZEN (Beck)
Don McBride, set design, JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck)
Don McBride, theatre reconception, EQUUS (Beck)
Gage Williams set design, HAY FEVER (GLTF)
James Swonger, sound design, THE CHOSEN (CPH)
Jeff Hermann, set design, OLIVER (Cain Park)
Jeff Herrmann, set design, TAKE ME OUT (Dobama)
Jeff Lockshine, lighting design, TAKE ME OUT (Dobama)
Jeff Merrmann, scenic and light designs, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (BW)
Jenniver Sparano, costume design, FROZEN (Beck)
John Konopka, set design, PERMANENT COLLECTION (Karamu)
Lydia Chanenka, set design TWO HEADED (Titlewave)
Michael Klaers, light design, MEASURE FOR MEASURE (GLTF)
Michael Lincoln, light design, THE CHOSEN (CPH)
Michael Raiford, scenic design, THE CHOSEN (CPH)
Molly Richard, costume design, SEUSSICAL! THE MUSICAL (Mercury Summer
Theatre)
Richard B. Ingraham, sound design, EQUUS (Beck)
Ron Newell, set decoration, THE PRICE (Ensemble)
Ross Borski, scenic and lighting design, NINE (Cain Park)
Russell Metheny, set design, MEASURE FOR MEASURE (GLTF)
Russsell Metheny, set design, ARSENIC AND OLD LACY (GLTF)
Sean Derry, set design, FAT PIG (THE BANG AND THE CLATTER)
Terry Pieritz, costume design, NINE (Cain Park)
Todd Rosenthal, scenic design, LINCOLNESQUE (CPH)
Trad A. Burns, lighting design, EQUUS (Beck)
Trad Burns, lighting design, JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck)
Trad Burns, lighting design, JOLSON & FRIENDS (JCC)
MUSICAL DIRECTION
George Caldwell, ELLA (Cleveland Play House)
Jodie Ricci, OLIVER (Cain Park)
Larry Goodpaster, JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck Center)
Larry Goodpaster, REFLECTIONS (Beck Center)
Larry Goodpaster, SONG AND DANCE (Beck Center)
Marge Adler, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY (Hanna/Playhouse Square)
Nancy Gantose-Maier, NINE (Cain Park)
Stuart Raleigh, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (BW)
CHOREOGRAPHY
Martin Cespedes, EQUUS (Beck)
Martin Cespedes, OLIVER (Cain Park)
Martin Cespedes, JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck Center)
Martin Cespedes, NINE (Cain Park)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Maryann Elder Goldstein for her authorship of BOTH SIDES OF THE FAMILY, an original play
Roe Green, financial and leadership support for the arts, including Fusionfest, Kent State University, Porthouse and the JCC theatre
Sandra Perlman, for her authorship of LUNACY, an original play
Matthew Sprosty, for his authorship of MALICIOUS BUNNY, an original play
Conceptual development of PETER PAN (Matthew Earnest), Porthouse
The mesmerizing “horses” of EQUUS (Beck): Franklyn Singley, Jose Ayala III, Bill DePetro, E. Ray Goodwin, Jr., Ryan Lahetta and Vincent Martinez
THE BEST OF THE BEST
I have been asked why I don’t select my “best of the best” for each season. So, to satisfy those requests, I present my selections:
2007 BEST OF THE BEST DRAMAS:
EQUUS (Beck Center)
LUNACY (Dobama)
FAT PIG (B&C)
THE CHOSEN (CPH)
2007 BEST OF THE BEST MUSICALS:
JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck Center)
NINE (Cain Park)
2007 BEST PERFORMANCES:
Bernadette Clemens, LUNACY (Dobama)
Dan Folino, JEKYLL & HYDE (Beck)
Dan Folino, EQUUS (Beck)
Dedriu Ring, FROZEN (Beck)
Jenna Messina, FAT PIG (B&C)
Michael Regnier, LUNACY (Dobama)
Sean Derry, POUNDING NAILS IND THE FLOOR WITH MY HEAD (B&C)
