Greg Bealer

Stage Manager

Greg is happy to be making his first appearance with OSF. He was last seen on stage at Coach House theatre in The Nerd. Other credits include Edward in Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing and Bottom in Midsummer Nights Dream.

Alex Briski

Stage Manager

Alex is elated to announce that this is her OSF debut! She is a senior at The University of Akron studying Theatre. She has been stage managing all throughout college and her previous credits include, A Mouthful of Birds, The 2nd Annual Cabaret Company, Mrs. Murphy’s Porch, Cabaret Company, and The Diviners. She would like to thank Terry, Nancy, and the whole OSF family for giving her this opportunity!

Henry Bishop

Dull

Henry is returning for a fifth year at OSF. He is happy to be working in the Stan Hywet environment with a lot of friends. Henry has acted and directed around the area for several decades. Married to Karen Wood, they live in Wayne County with several cats. He frequently pretends to work in his woodshop and sometimes goes to school and annoys young people as a substitute teacher.

Amelia Britton

Player Musician, Greenshow

Amelia is very happy to be returning for her third season with OSF. She has performed with many local theater groups, including Weathervane Playhouse and Firestone High School’s touring show. Some of her favorite productions include As You Like It (Phebe), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hermia), Long Day’s Journey into Night (Cathleen), and Pride and Prejudice (Lydia). Amelia will be a junior this fall at Firestone High School in the International Baccalaureate Program.  She dedicates this performance to her mom, who supported her always.

Tess Burgler

Rosaline, Lady Anne, Greenshow Director

Tess couldn't stay away--she returns this year for her 9th season with Ohio Shakespeare Festival. Last year's audiences will remember her as Bianca (Taming of the Shrew) and Cordelia (King Lear). Some other OSF credits include: Juliet (Romeo and Juliet), Luciana (Comedy of Errors) Celia (As You Like It), Guildenstern (Hamlet), Witch 2 (Macbeth), Shy (Best Little Whorehouse), and Deidre (I Hate Hamlet). Tess spent the past nine months touring the country with Theatre IV of Richmond, VA, but is happy to be returning to the home front. She graduated from the College of Wooster in 2009, Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude. Special thanks to fellow company member Joe Pine, whom she met in Neverland.

Scott Campbell

Sir Nathaniel, Musical Director

 Scott is ecstatic to return to Akron for his second season with OSF. A native of Williamsville, NY, Scott owns a BA with departmental honors from The College of Wooster’s Department of English. When not pursuing theatrical opportunities, Scott focuses much of his energy on studying and performing traditional music of the British Isles. He would like to thank his family, friends, and Caitlin for their inexhaustible support and understanding.

Timothy H. Champion

 A co-founder of OSF, Tim is delighted to return to Stan Hywet for the 2010 season.  Tim has appeared in more than 200 theatrical productions, creating many memorable characters, as well as host of entirely forgettable ones too numerous to list.  Tim played Baptista in our inaugural 2002 season.  Other OSF performances include: Stephany--The Tempest; Man 2--both Oh, Coward! and Side by Side by Sondheim; Malvolio--Twelfth Night: Peter Quince--Midsummer; Launce--Two Gents; Osric--Hamlet: and Capulet--Romeo & Juliet.  Most recently, Tim played Sir Wilfred Robarts--Witness for the Prosecution and Mr. Kirby--You Can't Take It With You at Coach House Theatre.  He received a Royal Coach House Award for the 2007 Oh, Coward! revival.  Tim has appeared in 37 productions at Weathervane Playhouse, whose audiences have recognized his efforts with seven Chanticleer Awards.  By day, he is employed at Champion & Company, LPA in Fairlawnl engaged in resolving client problems and adjusting human relationships in the practice of Trust, Probate, and Estate Law.  This is his seventh season.

Andrew Cruse

Berowne, Fight Choreography

Andrew returns for a sixth season with OSF having previously appeared as Petruchio, Romeo, Edgar, the twin Antipholi, and Hamlet among many others. This past spring Andrew battled wits with Terry Burgler in SLEUTH at Coach House Theater where he also directed this season’s Agatha Christie offering, THE UNEXPECTED GUEST. He has appeared locally at Dobama, Porthouse, and Ensemble Theatre in Cleveland. Andrew has worked on stages large and small in New York City and across the country, including Playwrights’ Horizons, The Kennedy Center, North Shore Music Theater, The Public Theater of Maine, and The Cape Playhouse, to name a few. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association since 1989.

Michael Cranston

Player

Michael is pleased to be returning for his second season with Ohio Shakespeare Festival. This past year he has appeared in “Jekyll and Hyde, the Musical” (Mr. Poole and Spider) for Medina County Show Biz Company, “The Trip to Bountiful” (Roy) with Stow Players, Stage managed for “Unexpected Guest” and assisted with special effects for “Sleuth” for Coach House. Favorite roles include (Carter) “Witness for the Prosecution”, (Dub Dubberly) “Christmas Belles”, (Garson) “Norman, Is That You?” and (Doodie) “Grease”. This Wadsworth resident is thrilled and proud to be associated with such a tremendously talented company of performers and crew.

Ron Cuirle

Front of House Manager, Ensemble Richard III

Ron Cuirle was last seen on stage as Underling in the Hudson Player's production of "The Drowsy Chaperone." You may have also seen him wrangling his troops as George Custer in "Custer" at Coach House, grieving his dead wife as Stu Gellman in "Caroline, or Change" at Karamu, parenting puppets as the father in "A Long Christmas Ride Home" at The Bang and the Clatter, exchanging vows as Michael in "I Do! I Do!" at Weathervane, celebrating Beethoven Day as Schroeder in "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" or banishing his daughter as Duke Frederick in "As You Like It" on these very boards. No matter the venue, Ron always returns home to the one he loves, Emily.

Amanda Davis

Jaquanetta, Greenshow

Amanda is super excited to be debuting in her first OSF production! She is in the accelerated Nursing program at Kent State University and is about to graduate! She has most recently been seen in Coachhouse's production of Present Laughter. She also appeared in Coachhouse's productions of Not Now Darling and Hay Fever. She also has been seen in Weathervane's productions of The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Putting it Together, Lend Me a Tenor, Ragtime, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Italian American Reconciliation (Chanticleer Award), and Children of Eden (in which she won a Chanticleer Award and a Marquee award). Thanks to family and friends for never-ending support!

Joshua Davis

Player, Greenshow

Joshua is a recent graduate of the Theatre program at the University of Akron, and a first time member of the Ohio Shakespeare Festival. Some of Josh's previous stage roles include CB from Dog Sees God, Buddy from The Diviners, Jacks in Militant Language, and Octave in Scapin. Working with OSF has been a wonderful experience and a great way to spend the Summer before moving to the Los Angeles area. Josh is so excited for the opportunity to work with such a respectable group of people, and hopes that everyone in the audience enjoys themselves thoroughly.

John Estep

Lighting Design

John is happy to be working with the OSF again this season, finally able to take the time needed to really enjoy it. Recently he has been seen as Technical Director at Coach House Theatre, This season he designed sets for Doubt, a Parable and Leading Ladies, and co-designed Deathtrap with Artistic Director Terry Burgler. Last season he was a Royal Coach Award winner for Tonight at 8:30 both for scenic design, and for lighting. John would like to sincerely thank his friends and family, especially Terry Burgler and Nancy Cates, and the Coach House Theatre board for giving him the opportunity to work in the field he loves, the theatre. After this season, he will be making another move for his career, moving to New York City to continue to try and learn everything possible about the world of theatre, and contribute in any way possible.

Richard Figge

Holofernes

Richard is an emeritus Professor of German at The College of Wooster. His acting credits range from Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac and Friar Lawrence in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to modern comedy and drama. He is best known for his performance of David Rintels' one-man play Clarence Darrow, which he has presented across the country, in Europe and, in 1985, in Washington D.C. under the patronage of President Reagan.

In 2002 he toured in Jason Miller's one-man play Barrymore's Ghost, in which he portrayed legendary actor, John Barrymore. He has toured in productions of Mass Appeal and Love Letters. In 1997, he toured with Vincent Dowling, portraying President Theodore Roosevelt to Mr. Dowling's John Muir in Phyllis Webster's new play John and Teddy. In April 1998, he returned to Wooster to play Prospero in The Tempest. Mr. Figge has experience in film and has made radio and television commercials. He has performed in special broadcasts on public radio and can be heard as the narrator on the CD Visions of the Souls: The Joshua L. Chamberlain Story. He has narrated Peter and the Wolf with the Wooster Symphony Orchestra and was a narrator for a performance of Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale with the Charlottesville (VA) Symphony.

Jim Fippin

Jim Fippin returns for a 13th Summer of Shakespeare at Stan Hywet, his 6th with OSF. His resume includes roles in Lettice and Lovage, Custer, The Real Thing, Uncle Vanya, The Odd Couple, The Lion in Winter, Hamlet, Noises Off, Twelfth Night, Another Antigone, Romeo and Juliet, Getting Out and King Lear. As Artistic Director at Coach House Theatre, Jim staged Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Proof, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Art, Betrayal and Chapter Two. And at at Weathervane Playhouse, he has staged Italian American Reconciliation, Love! Valour! Compassion! , and Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me. Jim earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from Otterbein College (now Otterbein University), where he met his wife, Elaine. Together they live in Wadsworth with their daughter, Emelie.

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Johnathan Fletcher

Costume Designer

Johnathan is OSF’s resident costume designer, and in recent seasons has created designs for Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, As you Like It, and I Hate Hamlet. Jonathan is also the resident designer for Coach House Theatre.

Benjamin Fortin

Moth, Greenshow

 Ben is ecstatic to be returning to the Ohio Shakespeare Festival for his 4th season. He has just completed his Freshman year at Kent State University, where he is majoring in Entrepreneurship and Managerial Marketing. He was last seen on the stage for Coachhouse’s production of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery The Unexpected Guest. He is grateful for the opportunity to return to the Ohio Shakespeare Festival’s stage to not only share his love of theater with his fellow actors but to also learn from such gifted individuals.

Ernie Gonzalez

Costard

Ernie is originally from El Paso, Texas, but now calls Chicago, Illinois home. Ernie is thrilled to return to OSF for a second season having appeared last summer as the twin servants in The Comedy of Errors. Locally, you might have also seen Ernie at Porthouse Theatre in West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, and A Streetcar Named Desire. In Chicago, Ernie has performed at The Village Players Theatre, the Cornservatory, and directed at The Bailiwick Repertory and The Chicago Cultural Center. In March Ernie filmed a series of 3 shorts called “The Things I Luv” and in April he shot his first Spanish national commercial. In NYC, Ernie has performed at La MaMa and Creative Place Theatre. Ernie holds an M.F.A. from Kent State. He would like to dedicate this performance to him Mom, “¡Feliz 50 años!”

Robert Hawkes

 Robert has been privileged to act in plays by (among others) Hare, Churchill, Anouilh, Shepard, Fugard, Wilder, O’Neill, Mamet, Albee, Brecht, Pinter, Stoppard, Molière, Chekhov, Sophocles, Beckett, and Shakespeare. Most recently he has appeared in Quake at convergence-continuum, Why Torture is Wrong and the People Who Love Them and Hum at Cleveland Public Theatre, and Mass Appeal and The Miser at Clague Playhouse. Gloucester is his first role for the Ohio Shakespeare Festival.

Alex Funk

Mercade

Alex is a senior at The University of Akron majoring in Theatre Education. Alex is excited to be making his debut performance with OSF in Love’s Labours Lost, Richard III and the Greenshow. Past credits include Rodolpho (A View From the Bridge), Scapin (Scapin), CC Showers, (The Diviners), Tranio (The Taming of the Shrew), Jesus (Godspell), the Duke (Big River) and Tuzenbach (Three Sisters). When he graduates, Alex would love to be an educational director for a theatre company. He would like to thank Terry and the OSF cast and crew for their support during the rehearsal process.

Holly Humes

Maria

Holly has been seen on several local stages, including Weathervane, CoachHouse and Dobama. Her favorite roles include Becca in Rabbit Hole, and Lizzie in The Rainmaker. Other credits include Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet), The Comedy of Errors (Adriana), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Mae), Uncle Vanya (Yelena), The Laramie Project, Song of Survival (Dawn), and V-E Day (Lil). Holly is the office manager at Fairlawn Family Chiropractic Center, and an assistant speech coach at Wooster High School. She would like to thank her husband, Scott Custer, for all of his love and support.

Michael James

Michael is excited to be returning to Ohio Shakespeare Festival for his second year after appearing in last year’s  The History of King Lear. Most recently he was a part of the stage crew on Sleuth, Co-Stage Managed The Unexpected Guest and appeared as a tourist in Lettice and Loveage at The Coach House Theater. His favorite roles have included Jekyll and Hyde (the Musical) (General Lord Glossop, Wig master Assistant Costumer) Big River (Silas /Schoolteacher / Leif) Christmas Belles (Rev. Justin Waverly) Scapino! (Geronte). He has also been seen in productions of Guys and Dolls, Godspell, The Sound of Music, and two productions of A Thurber Carnival. Michael hopes each and every audience members enjoys this production under the stars the way it was intended to be.

Jeremy Jenkins

Dumaine, Greenshow

 Jeremy does not consider it summer without his OSF family. He is elated to return for his 3rd season! A native of Nashville, TN, he received his BA in Theatre & English from Cumberland University. Since his move to NE Ohio 3 years ago, he has had the privilege of working at such venues as Coach House Theatre, Weathervane Playhouse, The Beck Center, The Illusion Factory, among others. Favorite productions include The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Peachy), The Taming of the Shrew (Hortensio), The Glass Menagerie (Jim), Witness for the Prosecution (Leonard Vole), and Wings. Up next for the fall: a reprise of Beck Center's Wings in its original radio version being produced by WVIZ-Ideastream for public radio & A Little Night Music for FPAC. High Four!

Erika Johnson

Player Musician, Greenshow

Erika is excited to be returning for her second season with the OSF company. Last year, she appeared in both As You Like It and Romeo and Juliet in ensemble roles. Most recently, she was the Stage Manager for the one-act How to Succeed in High School Without Really Trying and the Assistant Director and Cast Understudy for Dear Gabby, both of which were presented at Firestone High School. She will be a sophomore at Firestone High School this fall, involved in the Theatre division of the high school's Visual and Performing Arts department.

Kelly Johnson

Wardrobe, Box Office

Kelly is thrilled to be working with OSF for another season assisting with costumes, but she is no stranger to theatre. She was bitten by the theatre bug at a very young age, and totally blames her mother for it, “Thanks Mum for giving me the greatest playground to grow up in, I love you duckie.” Kelly has worked at Goodyear Community Theatre and Coach House, where some of her favorite shows include; Leading Ladies, Peter Pan, Anything Goes, Greetings, Bell Book and Candle, and Last of the Red Hot Lovers, just to name a few. Kelly would like to thank all of her friends for their love and support, you know who you are, xoxox… Now sit back and enjoy the show.

Dede Kline

Dede returns to OSF after having appeared as Lillian in I Hate Hamlet two seasons ago. She has performed on several area stages including Coach House, Weathervane Playhouse, Beck Center, and Bang & the Clatter. Most recently she appeared as Sister Aloysius in Doubt (Coach House) and Stevie in The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? (Weathervane.) Other favorite roles include Eleanor in The Lion in Winter, Judith Bliss in Hay Fever, Hannah Pitt in Angels in America, and Amanda in The Glass Menagerie. When not on stage, Dede builds dollhouses and gives TLC to Bear and Percy!

Lara Knox

Princess of France, Queen Elizabeth

Lara Knox (formerly Mielcarek) is proud to return to her home-company for her 5th season this summer! Favorite past roles at OSF include Kate in Shrew, Julia in Two Gents and Emilia in Othello. Other favorite past roles include Lusia in A Shayna Maidel (JCC), Cunningham in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Penn State), Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (Penn State) and Gi in Northeast Local (Crain, NYC). A graduate of the MFA Acting program of Penn State, Lara now calls NYC home and is a proud member of Actor’s Equity. She is elated to be the second girl this year that gets to go from civilian to Princess!

Eric Lualdi

Ferdinand the King of Navarre

 Eric returns for OSF's 10th season, having appeared as Biondello in the 2002 production of Taming of the Shrew, as well as Romeo & Juliet (Mercutio), Midsummer...(Lysander), Macbeth (Banquo), As You Like It (Silvius), Much Ado...(Borachio), Tempest (Trinculo), and King Lear (Edmund). Other favorite roles include Hamlet, Tom Sawyer, and John Proctor, at venues including Porthouse, Cleveland Play House, and GLTF, as well as 6 seasons with GLTF's School Residency Program. Eric recently wrapped up his 2nd season with Magical Theatre Company, where he’s been seen in Little House Christmas, And Then Then Came for Me, and playing the title role in a world-premier adaptation of Beowulf. Thanks to L & J for your love & support!

Alex J. Nine

Alex is thrilled to return for his fifth season with the Ohio Shakespeare Festival. Since 2006 he's appeared in eight shows with OSF. He is an Akron native and University of Akron graduate. Since last years festival Alex has kept busy directing (Deathtrap at Western Reserve Playhouse and Lie Cheat and Genuflect at Hudson Players) and acting (Foreigner at Aurora Community Theatre and Leading Ladies at Coach House Theatre) Alex is also a member of the Largely Literary Theater Company having performed with them in The Tell-Tale Play, The Mystery of Dashiell Hammett and The Reports of My Death Are Greatly Exaggerated. Alex spends his days working for GOJO Industries Inc.

Emma Picht

Player Musician, Greenshow

Emma is excited to make her Ohio Shakespeare Festival debut and to be working with such an amazing cast and crew. Emma most recently appeared at Actors’ Summit in A Christmas Carol as Tiny Tim. She has appeared in Weathervane’s Seussical the Musical and Magical Theatre Company’s Number the Stars and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Emma is a seventh grader at Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts in Akron. While Emma’s first love is the stage, she also enjoys singing and dancing. Emma has studied classical violin for eight years and Irish fiddle and piano for three years.

Joe Pine

Longaville, Greenshow

Joe is beyond excited to be back at Ohio Shakespeare Festival for his second season. Last year he was seen as Tranio in Taming of the Shrew, and Edmund in King Lear. For the last nine months he has been on a national tour with Theatre IV from Richmond VA with his girlfriend and fellow company member Tess Burgler. Locally he has been seen as Father Flynn (Doubt), Happy (Death of a Salesman), El Gallo (The Fantasticks) and Starky the pirate (Peter Pan). He cannot thank Terry or Nancy enough for the amazing opportunity to work with and learn from such amazing talents. Special thanks goes to his best friend, Tess.

Olivia Scicolone

Katherine, Greenshow

Olivia, a sophomore at Yale University and graduate of Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Academy, returns for her second season with OSF. Yale credits include Ismene (Antigone) and Lady Capulet (Romeo and Juliet), and favorite local credits include Masha (The Three Sisters), Eliza Gant (Look Homeward, Angel) and Belle (Beauty and the Beast). Olivia loves farm life. Thanks to Leslie and Tom for always teaching.

Scott Shriner

Boyet

Tom Stephan

Tom is happy to be returning for his seventh summer of Shakespeare at Stan Hywet with The Ohio Shakespeare Festival, having appeared in last season’s Othello and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. This past fall he appeared in Greetings! at Stow Players, The Tell-Tale Play with The Largely Literary Theatre Company, and this spring in And The Winner Is at Weathervane. He has been seen in over 75 productions in the area, and performs regularly with “Mysteries by Moushey.” Tom retired from 31 years of teaching English and drama in Stow so he could pursue good theatre, voice-overs, and commercial work.

Mark Stoffer

Mark returns to Stan Hywet for another summer with his friends, old and new, in OSF. Since last season, he has appeared on stage as Major Julian Farrar in “The Unexpected Guest” at Coach House Theatre, where he also worked behind the scenes designing Lighting, Special Effects, and/or Sound for “Gin Game”, “Lettice and Lovage”, and “Sleuth”. He also was the lighting designer for “A Long Day’s Journey into Night” at Weathervane Playhouse. Mark lives in Cuyahoga Falls with his wife Sherri.

Buddy Taylor

Production Manager, Lighting & Sound Designer

Buddy is starting his eighth season with OSF. Although he now lives in Houston with his wife Michelle, he still makes his way back now and again. This past March, he designed lights for Doubt at the Coach House Theatre in Akron. Most recently, Buddy has gone back to work for Mainstage Theatrical Supply as a Sales Specialist.

Dorene White

Stage Manager

Doreen is happy to be back for her second season at OSF. Dorene is former resident stage manager at Youngstown Playhouse. She has stage managed, crewed, & been light & sound board operator for over 40 shows in various theaters in northeast Ohio.

Dylan White

Player, Greenshow

Dylan is a 17 year old from Columbiana, Ohio and an AEA membership candidate. This being his third year at Ohio Shakespeare Festival he has been seen as Balthazar in Romeo & Juliet, a singing page in As You Like It, Bartholomew the Page in The Taming of the Shrew, and The Fool in King Lear. His resume includes more than 40 productions. He enjoys reading and studying the real-estate market.

Karen Wood

Player

Karen is very pleased to return to OSF for a fifth year. Karen recently appeared as Grandma Rosie in The Wedding Singer at Weathervane Community Playhouse. Last summer Karen was a featured soloist with the London National Symphony Orchestra aboard the Queen Mary 2. Karen, a retired educator, currently juggles stage roles with serving as a volunteer music therapist for a local hospice provider. Karen remains married to Henry C. Bishop.

Alfred Anderson

Once and Future Company Member

Alfred was for twenty-one years the University of Akron’s Director of Opera Theatre, and is now Professor Emeritus. As a singer/actor, Mr. Anderson has enjoyed a 42-year professional career with a stage repertoire of more than 150 roles. He has performed with such organizations as the New York City Opera, the Glimmerglass Opera, The Pittsburgh Opera, Starlight Musicals, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the San Diego Opera, the Hong Kong Opera, the New Orleans Opera, the Royal Opera of Gent, and the Cincinnati Opera, to name a very few. Locally he has performed with the Akron Symphony, the Porthouse Theater, The Weathervane Theater, Coach House Theater, The Akron Civic Theater, and for the last eight seasons with the Ohio Shakespeare Festival.

Adam Hoffman

Once and Future Company Member

Adam is happy to be returning to OSF. He has been seen here previously in Twelfth Night (Feste), A Midsummers Night Dream (Puck), The Tempest (Antonio), Macbeth ( Murderer / Bloody Sergeant), and Much Ado About Nothing (Don John). Adam works for many theatre related institutions in the Akron area, including West Side Vocal Academy, Porthouse, and Akron After School. He has acted extensively for Magical Theatre, including their 2007 production of Romeo and Juliet, where he played Mercutio/ Lord Capulet/ and Friar Lawrence. Whew! A proud grad of Kent State (MFA Acting) and Baldwin-Wallace (BA Theatre), Adam thanks the cast, crew, and staff, as well as his parents and friends. Love to the Beautiful Girl

Jason Marr

Once and Future Company Member

Joy Marr

Once and Future Company Member