Kathleen
Caliendo (Mrs. Krebbs).
She is pleased to make her
first appearance at Prime
Stage Theatre. Her most recent
performance was with the Terra
Nova Theatre Group playing
Laura Johnson in The Music
Lesson, which was originally
commissioned by Prime Stage.
As a veteran of South Park
Theatre, she has performed
in The House of Blue Leaves
and Picnic and
stage managed Love Letters
and The Owl and the Pussycat.
Kathleen has also performed
with the Bethel Park Heritage
Players, the Red Barn Theatre,
Rage of the Stage Players,
Little Lake Theatre, and the
Comtra Theatre.
Jeffrey
A. Dudek (Bert Cates).
Jeffrey is a senior acting
major studying for his Bachelor
of Fine Arts at Point Park
University. He is proud to
join Prime Stage and join
Ms. Tannebaum in their third
production together. His credits
include The Skin of Our
Teeth, The Rover, Warrior,
The Philadelphia Story, It's
a Wonderful Life, Grease,
Twelfth Night, and Wiley
and the Hairy Man.
Lynne
Franks (Mrs. Brady). Lynne
has performed at Open Stage
Theater, Little Lake Theater,
The Upstairs Theater, City
Theater Partners Project,
The Pittsburgh New Works Festival,
South Park Theater, The Red
Barn, and others. This is
her third Prime Stage production,
having playing Jean Louise
Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird
and Sarah Sutin in Jack
and Rochelle. She enjoys
promoting the works of playwrights
thru festivals, readings,
workshops, and premiere productions.
Some favorite roles include
Adelaide Childs Frick in the
world premier Pandemonium
and Mrs. Antrobus in The
Skin of Our Teeth for
Open Stage, Lizzie Curry in
The Rainmaker at South
Park, along with Nettie Cleary
in The Subject was Roses,
Lizzie Borden in Blood
Relations, and Annie Sullivan
in The Miracle Worker at
Little Lake Theatre.
Brandon Gary Giles (Bollinger).
A senior acting major at Point
Park University, Brandon was
recently seen in the Playhouse
Jr. production of Pinocchio.
Other Playhouse credits include
Peter in Tales of a Fourth
Grade Nothing, 4.48
Psychosis, and The
Skin of Our Teeth. Locally,
Brandon has played in productions
of Into the Woods and
Faust: A Masked Telling.
Tyler
Hodges (Elijah). A junior
at Point Park University,
Tyler is double majoring in
Acting and Sports, Arts &
Entertainment Management.
This is his first appearance
with Prime Stage. His Pittsburgh
credits include Robin Hood
in The Somewhat True Tale
of Robin Hood, The Vicar
in Jane Eyre, and Tony
Snow in The Still Alarm.
As a director, his productions
include Schoolhouse Rock,
The Mouse That Roared,
and several musical revues.
Jason
R. Jackson (Davenport).
This is his Prime Stage debut.
A West Virginia native and
now Pittsburgh resident, Jason
has a BFA in Musical Theatre
performance from West Virginia
Wesleyan College where he
performed in A Chorus Line,
The Comedy of Errors,
and Carousel. Other
credits include Adam in The
Complete Works of William
Shakespeare [abridged]
and Snoopy in You're a
Good Man, Charlie Brown
with Valley Ridge Studios,
Aggie Ensemble in The Best
Little Whorehouse in Texas
with The Show Palace Dinner
Theatre in Tampa, Florida,
and most recently in the ensembles
of Footloose and Beauty
and the Beast with Pittsburgh
Musical Theatre.
Margie
Johnson (Rachel). Her
most recent Pittsburgh area
performance was Barbara in
the Stage Right production
of Run for Your Wife.
Margie studied theater in
Texas and Utah before moving
to Pittsburgh three years
ago. Past credits include
Gwendolyn in The Importance
of Being Earnest, Maggie
in Lend Me A Tenor,
Mary in The Insanity Of
Mary Girard, Shelby in
Steel Magnolias, and
Winifred in Once Upon a
Mattress.
Jay
Keenan (Judge). Jay was
last seen at Prime Stage as
the title character in The
Giver. He has most recently
appeared with Pittsburgh Playwrights
as Shadrack McGinty in James
McBride and with The Summer
Company as Lord Loam in The
Admirable Crighton. In
2003 Jay retired from Duquesne
University where he had served
as Chair of English and Theatre.
Since then he has appeared
with Pittsburgh Irish Classical
Theatre, Quantum, The Pittsburgh
Camerata, and other local
companies. In 2004 The Pittsburgh
New Works Organization honored
Jay with their Lifetime Achievement
award.
Brandon
Leyton (Reuters News Man,
Radio Man). Originally from
Los Angeles, Brandon is a
recent Point Park University
transfer student where he
studies acting, dance, and
vocal techniques. Brandon
has also studied at The University
of Arizona as well as PCPA
(Pacific Conservatory of Performing
Arts) in Santa Maria California.
Brandon has performed at PCPA
and Summer Repertory Theatre
Company in Santa Rosa California
in shows which include Working,
The Mystery of Edwin Drood,
Learned Ladies, Oliver, The
Man Who Came to Dinner,
and Beauty and the Beast.
Amanda McGuire (Mrs.
Loomis). Amanda is a senior
acting major at Point Park
University. She was recently
seen in the Pittsburgh New
Works Festival representing
Echo Theatre where she played
Evelyn in Infraction. She
recently appeared in The Playhouse
Jr. production of Pinocchio
at the Pittsburgh Playhouse,
in Point Park University's
production of the Vagina
Monologues, and the Playhouse
Conservatory production of
The Skin of Our Teeth.
Originally from Greenville,
Pennsylvania she attended
the Pennsylvania Governor's
School for the Arts in the
summer of 2003.
Marcus
Muzopappa (Reverend Brown).
Marcus is pleased to work
again with Prime Stage Theatre
having last appeared in Jack
& Rochelle and The
Crucible. He most recently
played in Not another Devine
Comedy during the opening
week of the Pittsburgh New
Works Festival at Open Stage
Theatre. Prior to that, he
appeared in The Session
for the Pittsburgh Pride Festival
at Pittsburgh Playwrights.
Marcus has been an active
member of The Old Schoolhouse
Players for fourteen years
where, among other duties,
he performs and directs. His
most recent directing credit
was Little Shop of Horrors
this past spring.
Nicholas Ochendowski
(Mr. Bannister). Nicholas
is a graduate of CCAC's acting
program where he has played
in several productions such
as See How They Run, Inspecting
Carol, Electric Roses,
and The Sin-Eater.
This is his debut with Prime
Stage Theatre.
JP
Patrick (Hornbeck). As
an actor, director, and writer,
JP has performed in regional
theaters across the country.
His favorite roles include
Tevye in Fiddler on the
Roof, Ed Adams in Stain
at PPTCO, along with playing
Mark Twain.
Liz
Roberts (Townsperson).
Her work will be see in multiple
roles with Prime Stage this
season. In addition to performing,
she is the Dramaturg for the
season. In this role, she
works with all the directors
to conduct research and create
special projects in the lobby
that help connect audiences
to the stories being produced.
Last season, Liz was a dialect
coach for To Kill a Mockingbird.
As an actor, her credits include
The Love Talker, Our Town,
Most-ers!, The Curious Savage.
She also teaches private acting
lessons for Side Project Studios.
Robert J. Roberts (Meeker).
A veteran of over fifty stage
productions, television and
radio commercials, movies,
comedy/mystery dinner theatre,
and variety shows, this is
Bob's fourth appearance with
Prime Stage having recently
played Giles Corey in last
year's production of The
Crucible. Bob studied
at the Pittsburgh Playhouse
and has worked with companies
in Johnstown and Cresson,
as well as Cumberland, Maryland
and Suffield, Connecticut.
A favorite appearance was
at the Hazlett in 2003 with
nationally known comedian,
Charlie Prose, as Dr. Morrissey
in Send Me No Flowers.
Other favorites include Ivan
Botanovic in the world premiere
of The Music Lesson,
Juror #9 in Twelve Angry
Men with Prime Stage,
Salvatore Bustebrizzio in
Never Get Smart With An
Angel, Jethro Crouch in
Sly Fox, and Dr. Einstein
in Arsenic And Old Lace.
Jocelyn
Snyder (Mrs.Goodfellow).
Jocelyn is a senior musical
theater major at Point Park
University. She spent last
semester at the University
of Cape Town in South Africa,
where she studied religion,
sociology, and jazz. While
in Africa, she taught an acting
class to a creative and inspirational
group of high school students
at the Instebenziswano School.
She also performed in Eve
Ensler's Vagina Monologues
at the Armchair Theater.
Lin
St. Clair (Sillers). Lin
is a middle school mathematics
teacher at Community Day School
in Squirrel Hill. He is delighted
to be back at Prime Stage
where he was last seen as
Judge Taylor in To Kill
a Mockingbird.
Rachel Rudel (Melinda).
A sixth grade student at Moss
Side Middle School, Rachel
plays the piano, takes voice
lessons, and classes at the
Richard E. Rauh Conservatory
of Pittsburgh Musical Theater.
She attends summer camp at
French Woods Festival of the
Performing Arts in Hancock,
New York. Rachel has performed
at local Pittsburgh area theaters
including The Theater Factory,
McKeesport Little Theater,
Gemini Theater, and The New
Kensington Civic Theater.
Jonny
Summers (Howard). His
theater experience includes
roles as a singing beetle
in Winnie the Pooh for
Gemini Theater and Randolph
in the musical Bye, Bye,
Birdie for Bethel Park's
Heritage Players. Last season,
he played Dill Harris To
Kill a Mockingbird for
Prime Stage. Jonny is a fifth
grade student at Boyce Middle
School in Upper Saint Clair
where he is in the school
chorus and plays drums for
the school band. Jonny also
does voiceovers for radio
commercials and is an artist.
One of his drawings appeared
in the April 2007 issue of
Highlights Magazine. Recently,
Jonny was featured in the
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
as a "Young Achiever."
David
Tabish (Mayor). David
performed as a Guest Artist
with Indiana University of
Pennsylvania's theater department
playing Arvide Abernathy in
Guys and Dolls and
Pischik in the Chautauqua
Theater Company's production
of The Cherry Orchard
with Lisa Harrow. At Chautauqua,
he has also performed in A
Midsummer Night's Dream, Lysistrata,
and Street Scene. In
the Pittsburgh area, David
has worked at Allegheny Highlands
Regional Theater, Pleasant
Valley Playhouse, The Theater
Factory, and Apple Hill Playhouse.
A veteran of fifteen years
with IUP's professional summer
companies, first Theater-by-the-Grove
and then Keystone Rep, his
roles include Senex in A
Funny Thing Happened on the
Way to the Forum, Watson
in Sherlock's Last Case,
Chausable in The Importance
of Being Earnest, Mr.
Webb in Our Town, and
Baptista in The Taming
of the Shrew as well as
working on several new play
projects. Films include Silence
of the Lambs, The Prince of
Pennsylvania, and the
Academy Award winning documentary
The Johnstown Flood.
Recently retired, David taught
English, theater and speech
for 32 years at the high school
and university levels.
Tara
Lyn Zynel (Mrs. Blair).
A sophomore Theatre Arts student
at Point Park University,
Tara was recently seen on
Women's Entertainment Network's
reality show American Princess.
Prior to moving to Pittsburgh,
she was actively involved
in The Pennsylvania Theatre
of Performing Arts where her
credits include Shelby in
Steel Magnolias, Sister
Mary Hubert in Nunsense,
Mickey in The Odd Couple,
along with Jesus Christ
Superstar, and Tommy.
Shirley
Tannenbaum (Director).
Previous directing credits
include The Miracle Worker,
Ring Round the Moon, Our Country's
Good which was selected
to perform for the American
College Theatre Festival,
Our Town, Three Sisters,
Philadelphia Story, and
Skin of Our Teeth for
the Conservatory of Point
Park University. Other directing
credits include The Ride
Down Mt. Morgan for the
Jewish Theatre of Pittsburgh,
Talking With.... for
City Theatre, Duet for
One for Metro, and Mr.
Eliot's Cats for Allegheny
Highlands. She is also known
to Pittsburgh-area audiences
as an actor, having performed
with the Pittsburgh Public
Theatre, City Theatre, St.
Vincent Theatre, CMU Showcase
of New Plays, Pittsburgh Irish
and Classical Theatre and
the Playhouse Repertory. Shirley
is an Associate Professor
of Theatre and Head of Acting
at Point Park University.
Johnmichael
Bohach (Scenic Artist).
A graduate of the University
of Pittsburgh with degrees
in architectural studies and
theatre arts, he is currently
employed as their Prop Shop
Supervisor. His scenic design
credits include Rent, Grease,
West Side Story, Copacabana,
42nd Street, Footloose for
Stagedoor Manor in Loch Sheldrake,
New York, Jack and Rochelle
for Prime Stage, Winthrop
Was Stubborn for 4th River
Project at the Three Rivers
Arts Festival, Titus Andronicus
and Amphitryon for Pandora's
Box. For PittRep he designed
A Toothache, and a Plague
and a Dog, Everyman, Ashes
to Ashes, UBU, An American
Century, Her First American,
and The Man of Destiny.
Johnmichael was Scenic Charge
Artist for Prime Stage's To
Kill a Mockingbird and
The Diary of Anne Frank,
Pittsburgh Irish Classical
Theatre's School for Scandal,
as well as PittRep's Mother
Courage and Twelfth
Night. In 2005, he was
the properties artisan for
the Light Opera of Oklahoma
and an American intern at
Theatre503 while studying
in London. Johnmichael has
been awarded the 2006-2007
Helen Katz Theatre Award,
the 2004-2005 Pittsburgh Playhouse
Plus Scholarship Fund Award
and the University of Pittsburgh
Department of Theatre Arts'
Award for Best Scenic Designer
in the 2006-2007, 2005-2006
and 2003-2004 seasons.
Nicholas
J. Crano (Sound Designer).
As a local Sound Designer,
his credits include Skin
of Our Teeth and The
Rover for the Pittsburgh
Playhouse, Mother Courage
and Her Children for Pitt
Rep and most recently Outside
Inn at the University of Pittsburgh
and Theater Rampe Stuttgart.
Nick holds degrees from The
Ohio State University, The
University of Texas at Austin,
and The University of Pittsburgh.
He is also the drummer for
the Jill West and Blues Attack
band.
Gianni
Downs (Set Designer).
Gianni returns to Prime Stage
this year to design scenery
for Inherit the Wind and
The Outsiders. Previously,
Gianni designed the scenery
for Prime Stage's The Cay
and The Diary of Anne Frank.
Other local scenic design
credits include Boston
Marriage, Stuff Happens, 9
Parts of Desire, The Lieutenant
of Inishmore, Private Lives,
and Pride and Prejudice
for Pittsburgh Irish Classical
Theatre, The Missionary
Position at The City Theatre,
Top Girls, The Skin of
Our Teeth, The Rover,
and A Flea in Her Ear
at Point Park University,
as well as several designs
throughout Massachusetts and
New England. Gianni received
his MFA from Brandeis University
in 2003, and is currently
on the part-time faculty in
the Carnegie Mellon School
of Drama.
Megan L. Federline (Properties).
Megan is a senior at the University
of Pittsburgh. Her local credits
include Chanticleer with
Pandora's Box and Shakespeare's
Pericles with the University
of Pittsburgh Repertory Theatre.
Erik
Flores (Properties). Erik
has experienced with directing,
stage management, and as an
actor. He recently was Properties
Designer for South Park Theatre
for their 2007 season. As
an actor, Erik appeared in
the Prime Stage production
of Miracle on 34th Street.
Erik recently played Roger
in Grease at the McKeesport
Little Theatre and is preparing
to direct Abie's Irish
Rose for The Baldwin Players.
He has also worked with the
University of Pittsburgh Repertory
Theatre, Actor's Civic Theatre,
and The Old Schoolhouse Players.
Joanna
Obuzor (Stage Manager).
Joanna returns to Prime Stage
after stage managing To
Kill a Mockingbird last
season. A recent graduate
of CCAC South's Technical
Theater program, her recent
credits include Production
Manager/Costumier for Sketchy
for the Crutch Productions
tours in Mexico, France, and
Belgium, The Kitchen Sink
for Attack Theatre, along
with Greater Tuna, 1000
Clowns, Cinderella, Hansel
and Gretel, and Little
Red Riding Hood at South
Park Theatre. Her credits
include playing Miss Skillon
in See How They Run,
Jack's Mother in Into the
Woods, along with Pittsburgh
Tap Ensemble, and The Case
of the Missing Case.
Elizabeth
Thompson (Assistant Stage
Manager /Assistant Production
Manager). EJ is a recent graduate
of Clarion University of Pennsylvania
with a BFA in Technical Theatre,
concentrating in Stage Management.
Her recent Stage Management
credits include Macbeth,
Two By Two, I Love
You, You're Perfect, Now Change,
and The Dybbuk: To Fly
Like The Baal Shem Tov.
As a two time Kennedy Center
American College Theatre Festival
Stage Management Award nominee,
she was Stage Manager for
the KCACTF.
