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THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Dale Marach
(Director) For Celebration Players Dale has
directed Lend Me A Tenor, Barefoot in the Park
and Harvey. He has portrayed ‘John Hancock’ in 1776
for the past two years. Originally from Chicago, his other
directing credits include The 1940’s Radio Hour and
Larry Shue’s The Nerd. Performing credits include
Play It Again, Sam, Fiddler On The Roof, My Three Angels,
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The
Good Doctor. He has stage managed such shows as the 3 Neil
Simon ‘B.B.’ plays (Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues,
and Broadway Bound), Pippin, Charley’s Aunt, and
Murder On The Nile.
Frank Mathews (Musical
Director/Conductor) – Frank attended
the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY, is a 3 year resident
of Celebration and has been involved with the Celebration
Players for about a year. Credits with the Players include
Jacey Squires in Music Man, orchestra for 1776
and Chorus Line, and Music Director for Man of La
Mancha. Frank would like to that Bobby and Felicia Amerena
and Barbara Bowers for the opportunity of working with
Celebration Players.
Christine Keppler
(Stage Manager) Christine is absolutely thrilled to be stage
managing with the Celebration Players! A native of
Pennsylvania she has a B.A. in Theatre and just received her
Masters in Musical Theatre from Carnegie Mellon last spring.
She’s usually used to being on-stage and has appeared in such
roles as Katisha in The Mikado, Little Red in Into
the Woods, Mrs. Johnstone in Blood Brothers, and
the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat. She has Stage Managed many shows such as
Macbeth, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,
Waiting for Godot and Once on this Island. She
thanks everyone at Celebration Players for making her feel so
welcome and looks forward to hopefully doing many more
productions with them!
Kim Keller
(Choreographer)
– This is
Kim’s third production with the Celebration Players. She
Choreographed Man of La Mancha, and was recently seen
in A Chorus Line as Lori and served as the productions
Assistant choreographer. Originally from Tampa, Kim was a
member of the Florida Ballet Theatre, Encore Tumbling Team,
and other dance groups where she was a featured soloist. She
has won numerous state and national competitions. Kim was
also a dancer for Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World. She
was a member of the faculty and staff at Frank Rey Dance
Studio and the Orlando Ballet School. She can also be found
teaching masters classes to students in the Washington DC
area. Kim would like to thank her wonderful husband Jason and
puppy Max for their support.
Felicia Amerena
(Production Manager) – Executive Director
and Volunteer Coordinator of Celebration Players, Felicia has
a hand in everything from acquiring rehearsal space to selling
program ads, and has appeared in numerous productions. Felicia
has over 25 years of dance experience and was a member of the
Boston based Dance Company for 7 years. She has
choreographed numbers in The Music Man, 1776, Godspell,
and Pippin, and her stage credits include, Godspell,
The King and I, How to succeed in Business Without Really
Trying, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum,
and The Music Man. Felicia also directed
A Chorus Line.
Chris
Camp (Technical Director)
ABOUT THE CAST
Paul Hassett (John
Hancock) -
Jeremy
Nelson (Dr.
Josiah Bartlett) - Making
his Celebration Players debut after nearly 10 years away from
Theater, Jeremy started singing at a young age with the
Chicago Children’s theater group.He has preformed at Six Flags
Great America in the musical review of Chicago 1920 and
Love at First Fright and also played supporting
roles at the Chicago Auditorium Theater including Phantom
of the Oprah and Les Miserables. In 1994 he landed
the role of Prince Eric in the Little Mermaid at
Disney/MGM studios. Jeremy would like to Thank Bob & Felicia
Amerena, Dale Marach, and the cast and crew for giving me this
opportunity, I’m nervous, but excited.
Jonathan Lange (John
Adams) -
Scotty Schultz
(Stephen Hopkins) - After a very successful run as Stage
Manager of Man of LaMancha. Scotty returns to
Celebration Players, this time as Stephen Hopkins. You may
remember him last year as Lewis Morris, delegate from New
York. Scotty also appeared in Arsenic and Old Lace in
the old Black Box. He is a permanent member of the Moonlight
Players of Clermont. “I’m starting to think of the Celebration
Players as a second home theater”. I would like to thank my
wife for her support.
Tom Malonson (Roger
Sherman) - Tom is a 4 year resident of Celebration and a
Disney Cast Member. This is his 2nd appearance with the
Players, having recently performed dual roles in Man of La
Mancha as the Duke and the Barber. Previous roles have
included Mordred Camelot, Bellamy The Fantastics
Moonface Anything Goes and Charlie Brown You're A
Good Man, Charlie Brown. Tom looks forward to future
productions and hopes to stay active with the group, both
onstage and in helping on set construction projects.
J.P. Cortes (William
Morris) - J.P. is a 21 year old native of New York and has
been involved in the arts since his early teens. Currently
employed at Universal Studios Florida Entertainment, he
graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BA in
theatre. J.P. is an aspiring television/film actor.
Roger Hotz
(Rev.
Jonathan Witherspoon) - Roger is no stranger to Celebration
Players. His favorite role was Marcus Lycus in A Funny
Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. He has been seen
in Barefoot in the Park, Music Man, Lend Me a
Tenor, and
Harvey
just to name a few. Roger hopes to perform in more productions
in the future.
Yogi Mueller (Ben
Franklin) - Yogi is proud and humbled for being asked to
reprise his role of Dr. Franklin for the third year in a row.
Thank you to the cast, crew, director and Celebration Players.
A special thanks goes to his beautiful, patient, wife and his
two daughters. As always a huge debt of gratitude goes out to
our Armed Services for helping to preserve our freedom and
liberty. God Bless America.
Bobby Amerena (John
Dickinson) - Also the Players Production Manager for 3 years,
Bobby is a former part-time model and T.V. commercial actor
originally from Boston. Stage credits include Col. Thomas
McKean in 1776, Bobby Franklin in Run For Your Wife,
Felix Unger in The Odd Couple, Pontious Pilot in The
Crucifixtion of Christ. His Directing credits include,
Godspell, Run For Your Wife, The Music Man, Man of La
Mancha and he has also stage managed several productions.
Bobby sends his love to his amazing wife and best friend
Felicia, and to the soldiers who defend our freedom, God Bless
you and America.
John
Baker (James Wilson) - 1776
marks John’s first production with Celebration Players.
Originally from the UK, he holds a GCSE Certificate in Drama
and Theatre, an advanced level qualification in Theatre
Studies and studied Acting & Directing at the University Of
London. UK theatre productions include Kafka’s
Metamorphosis, The Bacchae, Barbarians, The Threepenny
Opera and Oh! What a Lovely War. John can also be
seen playing several characters in repertory at Sleuths Murder
Mystery Dinner Shows in Orlando. Film and Television work
include the National Geographic television series Lost At Sea
and the films The Monkey's Paw, Strong Images, and The
Punisher. John is a member of The UK Screen Organization, The
Royal National Theatre (London) and The Central Florida
Performing Arts Alliance. I speak on behalf of all the Brits
in the cast when I say: “We’re still bitter about all that
tea...”
T.J. Wollard
(Caesar Rodney)
Mike
Ennis (Col. Thomas McKean) -
This is mikes
third performance with the players his most recent project was
school house rock live were he played tom mizer. Mike loves to
act and hopes to follow a career in the same path.
Michael
Jenkins (George Read)
Tony Diaz (Samuel
Chase)
Bill
M. Wilcox (Joseph Hewes) - Art
imitates life as Bill has moved from the North to the South
for this year’s production of 1776. He comes to the
Celebration Players after theatrical experiences in college
and community theater acting, directing and in set design.
Kirby Ryan (Edward
Rutledge) - Kirby is pleased to again join Celebration Players
in 1776. He has enjoyed working with the cast, and is
honored to share the stage with them. His previous credits
include Gad in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,
Doody in Grease, Frederick in The Sound of Music,
Daddy Warbucks in Annie, The Tin Man in The Wizard
of Oz, Snoopy in You're A Good Man Charlie Brown,
Skip Snip in Little Shop of Horrors, and Joseph Hewes
in last year's production of 1776.
Duane Fioravanti (Dr.
Lyman Hall) - This is Duane's first Celebration Players
production and he is grateful and proud to be a part of such
an outstanding cast. An avid fan of American history, Duane
dedicates his performance to his family back in Delaware and
to the men and women serving in our Armed Forces. Let Freedom
Ring!
Paul Manutes
(William Henry Lee) - 1776 is Paul’s second
production with Celebration Players. He last hit the stage
with us two years ago as Tito Morelli in Lend Me a Tenor.
Although he was disappointed to learn that his 1776
character, Richard Henry Lee won’t have women chasing him
around trying to kiss him throughout the whole production,
Paul is none the less quite honored and excited to be a part
of such an amazing production. He’d like to thank his wife
Nicole and his son Eli for affording him the time, love and
support to be involved in 1776.
Spencer Jenkins
III (Thomas Jefferson) – A
Celebration resident, Spencer has been in performances of
Fame, The Wizard of Oz, and Annie. This is
his second time around in 1776, and has also been seen
as Linus in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." He is
thankful for the opportunity to do a show so different from
the others he has done.
Drew Darr (Thomson)
- I am thrilled to be in my second Celebration Players
production, and am looking forward another great show. I also
was in the shows Yellow Boat as Benjamin, Little
Shop of Horrors, Figments, and Man a la Mancha. I
would like to thank family, Mal and Meg, and God.
Michal Marach (Andrew
McNair) - No stranger to the stage, Michal’s most recent
appearance with the Players was Judge Gaffney in Harvey,
preceded by the critically acclaimed role of the
Bellman in Lend Me a Tenor. Michal has also appeared in
many productions with Disney’s S.T.A.G.E.. You can find Michal
in his real life role of barber at The Magic Kingdom Barber
Shop.
Barbara Bowers (Abigail)
- Barbara returns to the role of Abigail Adams after having
performed the role two seasons ago in the Players’ first
production of 1776. Barbara has appeared with the
Celebration Players as Anna in The King and I, Marian
in The Music Man, and most recently as Sheila in A
Chorus Line. Before settling down to raise her family in
Celebration, Barbara toured nationally in productions of
The Pirates of Penzance and The Pajama Game. Her
regional credits include Anne in A Little Night Music,
Irene Molloy in Hello, Dolly!, April in Company,
Corie in Barefoot in the Park, and Catherine in The
Foreigner. A teacher at Celebration High School and the
Director of the Theatre Department, she is thrilled to have
the opportunity to work along side some of her students as a
fellow actor in this production.
Kate Willis (Martha
Jefferson) - Kate is originally from England and gained
her BA Honors degree in Performing Arts at the Paul McCartney
"Fame" school in Liverpool. She then toured Europe in
Spirit Of The Dance with the Irish International Dance
Company before going to sea with Celebrity Cruises. She danced
on 3 major Cruise Liners and was Dance Captain for five years,
exploring the world! Kate recently got married and moved to
Orlando and after appearing with the Celebration Players in
Man of La Mancha. Kate is delighted to be back with them
again for 1776.
Steve
Shouse (A Courier) – This is Steve’s
debut with the Players, his debut on the stage and his first
time singing in public. A character performer at Walt Disney
World he aspires to score soundtracks for cartoons.
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