The Acting Company
Asolo Rep's acting company is composed of the following talented individuals. In addition to our resident company and third year M.F.A. students of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, they come to our stage from other cities and our own community. "Associate Artist" is a title given to a group of resident Equity actors who have made a personal and professional commitment to Asolo Rep for more than three years, established an official residence in this community and have made a special commitment to Asolo Rep's longevity. In return, these actors constitute the "leadership" of the acting company and serve in a variety of capacities for the institution, including mentoring students of the Conservatory. Those professional actors who are members of the Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, are noted with an asterisk.

	GHAFIR AKBAR Last season: Billee/Herbert Hawkins/Stage Manager, Wilder! Wilder! Wilder!; Doctor/Hand Job Guy/Blind Student, Blur; Walter/Bob/Mr. Fuller, Three Postcards. From Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he is a graduate of Western Michigan University and is also an Artistic Associate of The Ruckus in Chicago. Other credits: Romeo, Romeo & Juliet; Tupolski, The Pillowman; Ali, The Retreating World. For their generosity and support, he thanks his family, Bruce & Ann Bachmann, Doug & Patty Bradbury, Eva Slane and Bill Yandow.
	JASON BRADLEY* Guest Artist, first season. Jason is delighted to be making his Asolo Rep debut. In Chicago Jason has appeared in The Diary of Anne Frank (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); To the Greenfelds Beyond (Writers’ Theatre); and Stripped (Circle Theatre) where he received a Jeff Citation Nomination for Best Actor. Regional credits include: Milwaukee Repertory Theatre (Pride and Prejudice, A Month in the Country); Indiana Repertory Theatre (The Heavens are Hung in Black, The Gentleman From Indiana, A Christmas Carol, The Drawer Boy, and Arcadia); American Players Theatre (Candida, Merry Wives of Windsor, and Macbeth); Cleveland Play House (Pride and Prejudice) and Madison Repertory Theatre (The Drawer Boy).
	JAMES CLARKE* Associate Artist, fourteenth season. Last season: Purgeon, The Imaginary Invalid; Old Shepherd/Gaoler, The Winter’s Tale; Major Swindon, The Devil’s Disciple. Past seasons: Mansky, The Play’s the Thing; Jansenius, Smash; Dalton, Equus; Graham, Lady. Other Asolo Rep credits include Amadeus, Men of Tortuga, A Few Good Men, Pride and Prejudice, Enchanted April, Anything to Declare?, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Rounding Third, Sherlock Holmes & The West End Horror, The Front Page, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Crucible, The Millionairess, Murder by Misadventure, The Diary of Anne Frank, Inherit the Wind, You Never Can Tell, Filumena, A Flea in Her Ear, Born Yesterday, The Hollow and Twelfth Night. He has performed at Yale Rep, Pittsburgh Public, Geva, Circle in the Square and SoHo Rep. He graduated from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory in the 1970s and spent a year with Asolo Rep after graduation. TV credits include Ryan’s Hope (Pat Ryan), Search for Tomorrow, Guiding Light, Legwork (CBS series) and Saracen, a series in England.
	KRIS DANFORD* Guest artist, fourth season. Previous Asolo Rep roles include Hermione in The Winter’s Tale, Beline, The Imaginary Invalid, Henrietta, Smash, Carolina Bingley, Pride and Prejudice, and Cinderella, The Plexiglass Slipper. Other favorite projects include Sight Unseen, Five By Tenn and the title role in Mirandolina. Kris gives her love and gratitude to the Covilles, her parents and her wonderful husband - and castmate - Sam.
	HOWARD ELFMAN* (LOUIS) makes his Asolo Rep debut playing the role he originated last year in the world premiere of Managing Maxine at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. He also appeared in the original production of Bluish at The Alliance (also written by Janece Shaffer). Last year he played Henry Morgenthau in the Gablestage production of The Accomplices and was in Brooklyn Boy at the Olney Theatre Center, The Chosen at the Hippodrome State Theatre and Deathtrap at Maltz Jupiter Theatre. A transplanted Chicagoan now based in Ft. Lauderdale, he has appeared in many top-rated theatres across the country. Favorite roles include Old Man in Fool For Love, Judge Brack in Hedda Gabler, Boolie in Driving Miss Daisy, Mr. Cobb in Cobb, Herman Lewis in Mixed Emotions, Flo Ziegfeld in Funny Girl and Henry Ford in Camping With Henry and Tom. Film and TV credits include HBO's Recount, Raw Deal, Rent A Cop, The Untouchables and Safe Harbor. Howard is a proud member of AEA, SAG and AFTRA, as well as Georgia's happy husband.
	KIRSTIN FRANKLIN First season, third-year conservatory student. Last season, Cook Stage: Dot in Blur, Dodie & Caroline in Wilder!, Wilder!, Wilder! Also Tybalt/Nurse in Romeo & Juliet and Miranda in The Tempest. Kirstin has a BA in theatre (St. Olaf College) and has performed at The Guthrie, Pangea World Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and NYC Players Theater. She thanks: The Baers, The Sieglers, C. Camiener, J.Herrington, and her family and classmates. She dedicates this season to the love of her life and biggest fan: her husband John.
	STEVE GARLAND Guest Artist, first season. Steve is the proud recipient of Creative Loafing’s 2007 Best of the Bay award for his work in Jobsite Theater’s production of The Pillowman. Regional appearances include work with the Gorilla Theatre (Bug, Bach at Leipzig), American Stage (Coronado), Gypsy Productions (Sordid Lives, Blackout), Jobsite Theater (The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Picasso at the Lapin Agile), and The Studio@620 (Grace). Graduate of UC Davis.
	SARAH GAVITT was born and raised in Iowa where she also graduated from Grinnell College. She has been seen on stages in Chicago, New York, and Kentucky, and has performed in such diverse works as The Medieval Cycle Plays, Keely and Du, Arcadia, and Mileep & the Attack of the Jelly Bean People. Last year she appeared on the Cook stage in Wilder!, Wilder!, Wilder!, Blur and Miss Julie. She is deeply grateful to her donors, Dr. Dean Hautamaki and Ray & Ann Hautamaki, and to Abbie & Alan Kurland.
	HANNAH GOALSTONE received her BA from Whitman College, and performed in Chicago for five years before attending the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other conservatory roles: Beatrice, Much Ado; Portia, Merchant of Venice; and Lady Capulet/Benvolio, Romeo & Juliet. Hannah would like to thank her wonderful parents and sister, and amazing donors Warren and Margo Coville, and Ted and Jean Weiller for the love and support they give her, and the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for this wonderful opportunity.
	ALEXANDRA GUYKER Originally from Washington, D.C., she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Niagara University with a BFA in Theatre Performance and minors in Communications and Fine Arts. At Asolo Conservatory she went on as understudy for the Nurse in Equus and a Maid in The Play’s the Thing. She also played Angelique in the Late Night Performance of The Imaginary Invalid. A student of classical voice, she has taken workshops with the Washington Opera Center, Richard Crittendon, and Elizabeth Vrenios. Other interests include photography, digital art, and stand-up; and she is currently a voice over student at John Burr Productions. Alexandra sends her love and thanks to her parents and her donors.
	DOUGLAS JONES* Associate Artist, twenty-fourth season. Last season: Argan, The Imaginary Invalid; Camillo, The Winter’s Tale; General Burgoyne, The Devil’s Disciple; Roger, Perfect Mendacity. Past seasons: Mortimer, The Constant Wife; Turai, The Play’s the Thing; Frank, Equus; Dyson, Lady. Other Asolo Rep credits include Amadeus, Men of Tortuga, A Few Good Men, Pride and Prejudice, Darwin in Malibu, Laughing Stock, Enchanted April, Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Crucible, Hay Fever, You Never Can Tell, Art, A Flea in Her Ear, Golden Boy, Black Coffee, King Lear, Nicholas Nickleby and The Kentucky Cycle. Other favorites: Directing The Clean House and playing Vanya in Uncle Vanya at The Banyan Theater. He has directed and acted in many Asolo Rep Late Nites. Doug has spent seasons at Baltimore’s Center Stage, The Cleveland Play House, Milwaukee Rep, California Shakespearean Festival, Stage West, Cincinnati Playhouse, Boston’s Huntington Theatre, American Stage, The Playmakers, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Florida Studio Theatre and four plays Off-Broadway. Doug trained at The Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London.
	MACKENZIE KYLE* Guest Artist, first season. Mackenzie Kyle is thrilled to make her Asolo Rep Theatre debut. She has Chicago theatre credits that include: Hedda Gabler in Hedda Gabler (Raven Theatre) Amadeus (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Raven Theatre), Blithe Spirit (The Gift Theatre), The General from America (TimeLine Theatre), The Frogs (Pegasus Players), Madge in Picnic (The Illinois Theatre Center) The Little Dog Laughed (About Face Theatre), Girl, 20 (Serendipity Theatre), Othello (Shakespeare on the Green), The BFG (Chicago Theatre for Young Audiences), and Still Life with Iris (Vittum Theatre). She holds a B.F.A. in acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University.
	PETER J. MENDEZ was seen last season in Wilder! Wilder! Wilder!, Blur, Miss Julie. Regional Theatre: Round House Theatre: Our Town, Problem Child, The Cherry Orchard; The Shakespeare Theatre Company: Coriolanus, Timon of Athens, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Camino Real, King Lear; Folger Shakespeare Library: Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing; The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: Shear Madness; The Olney Theatre Center for the Arts; Camille, After Play. Thank you to Angel and Eric Hissom and Foster Harmon for their support.
	CAROLYN MICHEL* The Keating Family Foundation Actor Chair – Associate Artist, nineteenth season. Last season: Toinette, The Imaginary Invalid; Mrs. Dudgeon, The Devil’s Disciple. Favorite roles at Asolo Rep include Kate, Broadway Bound; Maggie, Hobson’s Choice; Becky, Morningstar. Other Asolo Rep credits include Enchanted April, String of Pearls, The Smell of the Kill, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Millionairess, I’m Not Rappaport, The Corn is Green, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Over The Tavern, Communicating Doors, The Sisters Rosensweig, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, The Immigrant, How the Other Half Loves, The Constant Wife. Florida Studio Theatre roles include four one-person plays: Ann Landers, The Lady with All the Answers; Rose; The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe; Dorothy Parker, One Foot in Scarsdale. Appeared at Golden Apple and other regional theatres. Other roles: Sylvia, Sylvia; Lillian Hellman, Cakewalk; Don’t Dress for Dinner; The Triumph of Love; Learned Ladies. Off-Broadway credits include Sold to the Movies. Carolyn has also played Broadway opposite Sid Caesar in Sid Caesar & Company.
	SAM OSHEROFF* Guest artist, second season. Favorite roles include Stanley in Broadway Bound and Cecco the Pirate in Peter Pan (Asolo Rep), Morris in The Heiress and Jamie in The Last 5 Years (Peterborough Players), and Uncle Louie in Lost in Yonkers (Pioneer Theatre). Sam holds an M.F.A. from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory and is a proud member of Actors Equity.
	NISSA PERROTT, a native of Massachusetts, is thrilled to join the Asolo Rep Company and tread the boards of the Mertz Stage this season. Seen last year on the Cook Stage in Wilder! Wilder! Wilder! and Miss Julie, other recent credits include Fuddy Meers (Claire), Gum (Auntie), and Big Love (Thyona) all with the UMass Amherst Theater Department where she received her B.A in Theater. She has been seen at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Williamstown Theatre Festival, as well as studied at the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia. She sends endless love to her family and eternal thanks to her generous donor, Esther Mertz, for her passion, support and lifetime commitment to this theatrical community.
	SHARON SPELMAN* Associate Artist, fourteenth season. Recent Asolo Rep credits include Hester/Ensemble, The Plexiglass Slipper; Lila, Expecting Isabel; and Mrs. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice. Past seasons include: Hay Fever, Kentucky Cycle, Tale of the Allergistt’s Wife, and The Rivals. Sharon has appeared in major roles in regional theatres across the country, and guest-starred in dozens of national commercials and more than sixty TV shows, including a regular cast member on Search for Tomorrow and the sitcoms Angie and The Cop & the Kid.
	KEVIN STANFA is excited to embark on his third and final year in the Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Recent credits include Blur (Father O’Hara) and Wilder!, Wilder!, Wilder! in the Conservatory’s 08–09 season, Much Ado About Nothing (Benedick), Romeo and Juliet and Drunk Enough to Say I Love You? (Guy). Kevin holds an Honors Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Utah. Professional credits include The Merry Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare and Company), Julius Caesar and Cyrano de Bergerac (Pioneer Theatre Company). He would like to show his extreme gratitude for his generous sponsors, both past and present, Walker Croskey, Jim Goddard, Emily, Anne and Larry Levine, as well as the entire community of donors that support our work in the conservatory and lastly his family, without whom none of this would be possible.
	KIP TAISEY Guest artist, second season. (Ensemble, The Life of Galileo) Kip is thrilled to return to Asolo Rep after his experience in The Winter’s Tale last season. Previous credits include Cliff, Cabaret; Ganymede, Prometheus; Crookedfinger Jake, The Threepenny Opera; Louis/Billy Webster, Sunday In The Park With George; Bob Baker, Wonderful Town; Bob Wallace, White Christmas. MFA Musical Theatre UCF, BM Music Education CWU. Kip sends love and thanks to his family in Oregon and Leah.
	DAVID J. VALDEZ Guest artist, first season. Jobsite Theater Company: The Serpent (Adam, et al.), Gorey Stories (Little Henry), Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Just One Night. Gypsy Productions: Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde (Parker/Harris, et al.). Salerno Theatre Company: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Schroeder). TV: Excellence in Education for All (NBC). Graduate of Blake School of the Arts, USF, and MTC’s SpringboardNYC. Peace.
	BETHANY WEISE First season, third-year conservatory student. Conservatory credits include: Mrs. Boker in Infancy, Francesca in The Rivers Under the Earth, and Big Jane in Three Postcards. Asolo Conservatory Late Night credits include Beline in The Imaginary Invalid, Woman in Trash Anthem, and Prospero, The Tempest. Favorite credits include Circe in The Odyssey, Bridget in Translations, Holly in Anton in Show Business, and Jeannie in Fat Pig at the Banyan Theatre Company. Bethany is a graduate of Bradley University and native of Illinois. She would like to thank her family for their never ending support and love, as well as her wonderful donors Beverly Koski and the late Robert Koski.
	PAUL WHITWORTH* Guest artist, second season with Asolo Rep. Paul returns to Asolo Rep after playing Dysart in Equus. Regional credits include Higgins in Pygmalion (Seattle Rep and SSC); Neils Bohr in Copenhagen (Syracuse Stage), George in Night and Day (ACT, San Francisco); Dr. Robert Smith in Blue/Orange (Aurora Theatre, Berkeley) and Hamm in Endgame (SSC). Whitworth has also directed professionally in UK and USA at: Crucible Theatre, (Sheffield) Lyric Hammersmith (London), Magic Theatre (San Francisco), and many productions at Shakespeare Santa Cruz where he was Artistic Director (1996-2007).

back to top

 

THE CREATIVE TEAM

PETER AMSTER Director (The Perfume Shop) Peter returns to the Asolo Rep after directing This Wonderful Life last season. Other directing credits include: High Fidelity the Musical (Route 66 Theatre Company, Chicago) Tartuffe; The Importance of Being Earnest; Twelfth Night; The Royal Family and Idiot’s Delight (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Our Town, Driving Miss Daisy, Pride and Prejudice, State of the Union and The Gifts of the Magi (Indiana Shakespeare Festival); London Assurance (American Players); M. Butterfly (Apple Tree); The Mystery of Irma Vep and the Jeff-winning production of Master Class (Northlight); Die Fledermaus, La Traviata and The Magic Flute (Lyric Opera of Chicago); La Belle Helen and Die Fledermaus (Light Opera Works); The Mikado, Side by Side by Sondheim (Skylight Opera); Cosi fan Tutte and Elixir of Love (Chicago Opera); Carmen, The Magic Flute and Tosca (DuPage Opera). Peter has taught theatre, opera and performance studies at Northwestern University, CalArts, LSU, Columbia College and Roosevelt University.

Kelly A. Borgia Stage Manager (The Perfume Shop, Galileo, New Play Festival) This marks Kelly’s second season with Asolo Rep. Last season, she stage managed Inventing Van Gogh and Murderers. Regional theatre credits: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Once on This Island and Betrayal at the Hangar Theatre; Beauty and the Beast and The Full Monty at Northern Stage; The Miser, Picnic, am Sunday and Speed-the-Plow at CenterStage Baltimore. Off Broadway: Hurricane: A New Musical, part of the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival and Cato at The Flea Theatre. Kelly is a proud member of Actors Equity Association.

Luke Brown Costume Designer, (Managing Maxine) This is Luke’s first season with Asolo Rep. Regional credits include Rough Crossing (Yale Repertory Theater), Tom Jones (Theater at Monmouth), I Have Loved Strangers (Williamstown). Design/assistant credits in TV and film include The Pretender’s Dance (Vesto Productions), We Shall Remain: After the Mayflower (PBS/WGBH Boston), The Women (Picturehouse), Normal Adolescent Behavior (Junction Films). Education: Yale School of Drama. www.lukebrowndesign.com.

David Covach Costume Designer (Searching for Eden, The Last Five Years) in his fourteenth season, David began with Asolo Rep as a designer/draper and has been the costume shop manager for eight years. In addition to ensuring that all costume production runs smoothly, David is a freelance designer whose credits include: Nobody Don’t Like Yogi (Asolo Rep) in the Historic Asolo Theater, Murder by Poe and The Underpants (FSU/Asolo Conservatory), and Five Course Love (Human Race Theatre Company—Dayton, Ohio). He has designed more than 100 productions and worked on more than 100 others. Having worked in all levels of theatre from community theatre to the Broadway stage, David appreciates the uniqueness of each opportunity. Some of his work is featured at the Motown Café in NY, Sony headquarters in Japan, and the LBJ library in Texas.

Edward Cosla Sound Designer (The Last Five Years) Second season, previously sound designed Misery. Edward has also sound designed for The Wooster Group, Mabou Mines, Playwrights Horizons, as well as for several productions at The Vienna International Festival of the Arts in Vienna, Austria, for directors such as Peter Sellars and Peter Brook. Edward created the original sound design for the 1999 Tony-nominated Best Musical It Ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues.

Jeff Croiter Lighting Designer (Backwards in High Heels) NYC credits include: Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway; concerts at the New Amsterdam including Chess; Hair and On the 20th Century; Jerry Springer the Opera; Rufus Wainwright’s Judy Concert at Carnegie Hall; Love Child; Ordinary Days; Love Loss and What I Wore; Next Fall; Streamers; The Voysey Inheritance; Adrift in Macao; Things We Want; The Internationalist; Burleigh Grime$; Drumstick; Jacques Brel; I Love You Because; Rope; Almost, Maine; Trumbo; Matt & Ben; Cam Jansen; Miss Witherspoon; Privilege; The Dazzle; Fiction. Regional: The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, McCarter Theatre, The Kennedy Center. Williamstown Theatre Festival, Huntington Theatre Company, Geffen Playhouse, George Street Playhouse, Trinity Rep, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Ford’s Theatre, Goodspeed Opera House, Shakespeare Theatre Company and NY Stage and Film.

Jeffrey W. Dean Scenic Designer (The Perfume Shop, The Last Five Years) Company Senior Property Master, previous Asolo Rep shows include: Nobody Don’t Like Yogi; Laughing Stock; To Kill a Mockingbird; Broadway Bound; The Smell of the Kill; The Front Page; Inherit the Wind; The Corn is Green; Broadway; You Can’t Take it with You; Look Homeward; Angel; Much Ado About Nothing; The Diary of Anne Frank; I’m Not Rappaport; Sicilian Vespers; Ernani; Tales of Hoffman and L’Ariesiana for the Sarasota Opera. Execution of Justice; Invictus and The Sum of Us for Florida Studio Theatre. Anna in the Tropics; Dracula and We Got Gershwin for American Stage. Jeffrey has designed well over 200 shows in Florida including designs for television and film. He is a nationally recognized sculptor and recipient of two Florida Individual Artist Fellowship Awards for set design.

Patricia Delorey Voice & Dialect Coach (Life in the Middle, The Perfume Shop, The Life of Galileo, Hearts) This is Patricia’s seventh season with Asolo Rep. She is the head of voice, speech & dialects at the FSU/Asolo Conservator. Ms. Delorey is a Certified Associate Fitzmaurice Teacher with her M.F.A. in Voice & Speech from the M.X.A.T./American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. Patricia has taught voice at the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia, Texas State University, and the University of Bologna in Italy. Ms. Delorey has worked extensively as a professional voice, speech and dialect coach both in the United States and internationally, including Plasticine with Studio 6 directed by Dmitry Troyanovsky, Phaedra 4.48 directed by Robert Woodruff, and the world premieres of Nocturne, Ohio State Murders, and Stone Cold Dead Serious directed by Marcus Stern.

Judy Gailen Scenic and Costume Designer (Hearts) designed the set for last season’s The Imaginary Invalid. Other credits include sets (and sometimes costumes) for the Curtis Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh’s City Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Bowdoin College (where she is adjunct lecturer in design), La Jolla Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse, Long Wharf, Trinity Rep, Beau Jest Moving Theater, Merrimack Rep, Portland Stage, Yale Rep, George Street Playhouse, Florida Stage, Triad Stage, Anchorage Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera Omaha, Perseverance Theatre, Primary Stages, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Skylight Opera, Virginia Stage, and Off and Off-off Broadway. Judy directed The Stooge: A Troubled Clown for Troubled Times and The Dark Clown, written and performed by Michael Lane Trautman. In 2003, she was awarded a Maine Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship for artistic excellence.

Sarah Gleissner* Stage Manager (Life of Galileo, Searching for Eden, The Last Five Years, Backwards in High Heels) This is Sarah’s third season at Asolo Rep. Previous shows include The Giver, Visiting Mr. Green, Production stage management credits at SCAD include The Grapes of Wrath, Pirates of Penzance, The Night of the Iguana and Balm in Gilead. She spent last summer at Millbrook Playhouse in central Pennsylvania stage managing four musicals in ten weeks, including Peter Pan! Three years ago she was an Asolo Rep stage management intern, and she has stage managed for Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp, the Perry-Mansfield New World Festival, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival and the Coastal Carolina Chamber Music Festival. Sarah is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art & Design in 2004 with a B.A. in Media and Performing Arts.

Michelle Hart Hair/Wig Design (all shows) a licensed cosmetologist and certified professional make-up artist, is in her ninth season with Asolo Rep and designs for both Asolo Rep and FSU/Asolo Conservatory shows. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet: Last Call, Rake’s Progress; Florida Studio Theatre: Ruthless the Musical and Lady With All the Answers; West Coast Black Theatre Troupe: One Mo’ Time; four seasons with Banyan Theater, and Open Stage Theatre: Ideal Husband, Dorian Gray and Rumors (where she won the Opius Award for Best Hair). She has also done hair and make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl and for the music video “Second Chance” by Shinedown. She wants to express her gratitude and great respect to all involved in every aspect of theatre.

Jim Hoskins Choreographer (Life of Galileo, The Last Five Years, Hearts) Mr. Hoskins has performed, directed and choreographed in education theatre, television, film, the corporate theatre, opera, nightclubs and the legitimate theatre. He has staged more than 400 productions in this country and abroad. Over the past 35 years Mr. Hoskins has taught period movement and dance, and was the movement specialist for both the graduate and undergraduate programs at Penn State University and the graduate program at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. He resides in Sarasota, where he is an adjunct professor of theatre at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory and staff choreographer for Asolo Rep. Mr. Hoskins’ book, The Dances of Shakespeare, is published by Routledge, New York/London.

Virgil C. Johnson Costume Designer (The Perfume Shop) Debut at Asolo Rep. Virgil has been an active professional costume designer in regional theatre for the past 40 years. His designs have been seen at the Missouri Rep, Guthrie, Colorado Shakespeare, Indiana Rep and various Chicago area theaters including the Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST), and Northlight. He designed for the Goodman Theatre from 1969-1997 including The Winter’s Tale and The Government Inspector directed by Frank Galati, The Visit and Richard II directed by David Petrarca, and A Little Night Music and As You Like It directed by Michael Maggio. Both The Government Inspector and A Little Night Music won the coveted Joseph Jefferson Award for best costume design. In 2001, Mr. Johnson received the Michael Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration. Most recently, he designed The Crucible directed by Anna K. Shapiro for the Steppenwolf. Amadeus directed by Gary Griffin opened the CST 08-09 season and was preceded by designs for Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, directed by Barbara Gaines that performed in Chicago and Stratford, England. His design for opera includes The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe and Verdi’s Macbeth (current) for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Mr. Johnson is Professor Emeritus of Theater at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Kevin Kennedy Sound Designer (Managing Maxine) is pleased to return to Asolo Rep for this season’s production of Managing Maxine. Kevin has designed, engineered, recorded and composed for numerous artists and shows including Darwin in Malibu and Lady at Asolo Rep; Phantom of the Opera, Ghetto, On the Razzle, Webb’s City, The Hellbound Heart, Batboy, Hector and Greshika, many cabaret shows at The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Jaeb Theatre, and numerous local and professional acts. Kevin has also toured as Sound Engineer with the 1st National Tours of Mamma Mia, The Wizard of Oz, Martin Guerre and Ralph Lemon’s Geography Tour. Kevin is currently the house sound engineer at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater and the sound engineer for the Alan Parsons Live Project.

Timothy R. Mackabee Scenic Designer (Managing Maxine) Regional: Rough Crossing (Yale Rep), The Story (Philadelphia Theater Co.), Rent, No Child… (Weston Playhouse), Curse of the Starving Class (University of Rochester.) Dance: Doug Varone’s Alchemy (Joyce); Raw; Beyond The Red (National Tour) and Seed all for Cedar Lake Dance. New York credits include: Mel & El: Show & Tell (Ars Nova), Trout Stanley (Culture Project), Gorilla Man (P.S. 122); Those Who Can, Do (Clubbed Thumb) Associate/Assistant designer on Broadway for Fela!; Cymbeline; Heartbreak House; How the Grinch Stole Christmas; The Color Purple; Ring of Fire; ‘night, Mother; Frozen; Losing Louie; Wonderful Town and Little Women. Television: The Today Show and Football Night in America. Film: Margot at the Wedding. BFA: North Carolina School of the Arts MFA: Yale School of Drama, timothymackabeedesign.com
Vic Meyrich Production Manager (all shows) Victor is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theatre and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and serves as consultant for the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969.

Aaron Muhl Lighting Designer (The Perfume Shop, The Last Five Years) Second season. Asolo Rep Credits: This Wonderful Life, Perfect Mendacity. Regional theater: This Wonderful Life (Syracuse Stage) Around the World in 80 Days, Trapezium, A Moon for the Misbegotten, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Orlando Shakespeare Festival); A Little House on the Prairie, Dancing at Lughnasa (Orlando Repertory Theater). Dance credits: The Snow Falls in the Winter (OtherShore); The Two Pigeons, Las Hermanas, Grosse Fuge, Elite Syncopations, Allegro Brillante, Infernal Gallop, Checkmate, The Rake’s Progress, Anna Karenina (Sarasota Ballet); Shifting Phantoms, The Testimony of Matrimony (Moving Ethos). He is the managing director of production for the Ringling International Arts Festival and the technical director of the Historic Asolo Theater. B.F.A. – University of Central Florida

Fabian Obispo Composer & Sound Designer (The Life of Galileo) returns to Asolo Rep where his credits include Imaginary Invalid and Pride and Prejudice. He has composed and sound designed for major off-Broadway and regional theatres including the Public Theater, MTC, MCC, Atlantic Theatre, Vineyard, New Group, CSC, Primary Stage, MaYi, Arena Stage, Goodman Theatre, Guthrie Theater, American Conservatory Theater, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Oregon Shakespeare, Huntington Theatre, Seattle Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, Hartford Stage, Kennedy Center, Westport Playhouse, Florida Stage, Philadelphia Shakespeare, Alabama Shakespeare, New York Stage and Film, Perseverance Theatre, Playmaker’s Rep and Indiana Rep, among others. His works have been recognized by the American Theatre Wing’s Hewes Design Award, Helen Hayes, Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, Barrymore, NAACP, Audelco, Jackie and the IRNE.

Matthew Parker Sound Designer (Contact, The Perfume Shop, Searching for Eden, Hearts, New Play Festival) Since 1993 Matt has designed sound for most of Asolo Rep’s productions. He also wrote and performed the musical scores for Asolo Rep productions of The Count of Monte Cristo and Nicholas Nickleby. Matt received his B.F.A. in Theatre Production Design and Technology from Ohio University, where he designed Heartbreak House, Luann Hampton Laverty Oberlander, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Hot L Baltimore. As resident sound designer at the Monomoy Theatre (Cape Cod), he designed South Pacific, Dracula, Private Lives, Richard III and others. Sound and special effects credits at The Flat Rock Theatre (North Carolina) include I Hate Hamlet, the world premiere of Gilligan’s Island: The Musical and others. He is most proud of his sound and video designs for the 1992 production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Cumberland County Playhouse (Tennessee).

Clint Ramos Scenic and Costume Designer (The Life of Galileo) Previous Asolo Rep credits: The Winter’s Tale; Blonde, Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead and Equus. Regional: Guthrie, Alliance, Kansas City Rep, A.R.T., Dallas Theater Center, Baltimore CenterStage, Williamstown, Roundhouse, Shakespeare NJ, Folger, La Jolla, Chautauqua, Oregon Shakespeare, Barrington, Opera Theatre St. Louis, Opera Boston, others. NY: Second Stage, Public/NYSF, NYTW, Culture Project, Vineyard, Mint, Ma-Yi, Women’s Project, Red Bull, SPFNY, Foundry, Play Company, others. International: Barbican (London), O’Reilly (Dublin), Kanon (St. Petersburg), Rijksteatern (Stockholm), Thalia (Bucharest), Teatro Pilipino (Manila), others. Honors: 2009 TDF Irene Sharaff Young Master Award, 2007 American Theater Wing Henry Hewes Award, 2008 Drama Desk nomination, NYTW Design Fellowship, Audelco, Elliot Norton. Upcoming: A Life in the Theatre (Alliance), So Help Me God (Mint w/ Kristen Johnson), Ruined (Oregon).

Mark Rucker Director (Managing Maxine), third season, directed Murderers last season. Previous Asolo Rep credits include: The Constant Wife and Catherine Sheehy’s Pride and Prejudice. Recent credits include Rough Crossing (Yale Rep), Twelfth Night (California Shakespeare Theatre) and Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). An associate artist at South Coast Repertory Theater (California), he has directed over 20 productions there including world premieres by Richard Greenberg, Christopher Shinn, Annie Weisman and Culture Clash; and for Arena Stage, the world premiere of Anna Deveare Smith’s House Arrest. Other theaters include: La Jolla Playhouse, Yale Rep, ACT in San Francisco, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Old Globe, Intiman Playhouse, Ford’s Theater, Utah Shakespearean Festival, George Street Playhouse, Berkeley Rep, Shakespeare Santa Cruz and The Acting Company. His film Die Mommie Die! also won a Sundance Film Festival jury prize.

James D. Sale Lighting Designer (Hearts) Last season credits include: The Imaginary Invalid and The Devil’s Disciple. Mr. Sale has designed over 500 shows in the last 30 years. His work in theater, opera and ballet has taken him all over the United States and the world. Design credits include: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, English Speaking Theater of Vienna, Denver Center, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Portland Center Stage, Alley Theater, Seattle Repertory, Studio Arena, Intiman Theater, St. Louis Repertory, Alliance Theater, Hartman, Alley Theater, Alaska Repertory, Spoleto Festival in Italy, LA Opera, Wolf Trap, Opera Colorado, Palm Beach Opera, Tulsa Opera, Colorado Opera Festival, Kansas City Opera, Central City, Sarasota Ballet and Colorado Ballet. He is also senior designer and partner at James Sale Lighting, Inc., a firm specializing in high-end residential and commercial lighting design in Denver, Colorado.

Michael Schweikardt Scenic Designer (Backwards in High Heels) Over 40 productions for Music Circus. Recent credits include Ella, a musical about jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald, which is appearing in cities all across the country, critically acclaimed productions of 1776, Big River and Camelot for Goodspeed Musicals, Barnum for The Asolo Rep’s 50th anniversary season, American premiere of Frank McGuinness’ Gates of Gold and The Bird Sanctuary, Oklahoma! starring Kelli O’Hara and Will Chase celebrating The Oklahoma State centennial and national and international tours of James Taylor’s One Man Band. Upcoming projects include the world premiere of the new Duncan Sheik/ Kyle Jarrow musical Whisper House opening at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre in January 2010. Online portfolio: www.msportfolio.com

Dan Scully Projection and Video Designer (The Life of Galileo) Dan is happy to return to Asolo Rep after designing last year’s The Winter’s Tale. Previously at Asolo Rep he designed light and projection for The Blonde, The Brunette, and The Vengeful Redhead. Other recent designs include Christmas is Miles Away (Babel Theater Project); Seven Last Words (Lincoln Center Chamber Orchestra Society); Much Ado About Nothing, Pericles, and Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival); Di Ksube (Folksbeine National Yiddish Theatre); The Greeks - Part II (Juilliard Drama); A Ghost’s Bargain (Two River Theatre Co.); With Glee (NYMTF); Novel and A Wive’s Tale (SPF); Il Tabarro (Vertical Player Rep. Opera); The Rover (Fordham University); Caligula (Soho Rep); Alive @ 10 and Rainy Day People (NYU Musical Theatre Writing Program); This fall, on Broadway he was the associate projection designer for Fela!. He is also the resident lighting designer for the Abraham in Motion Dance Company, and has designed for dance at New York’s City Center, The Kitchen, PS122, Symphony Space, Baryshnikov Arts Center and the Chocolate Factory. MFA – NYU.

Alejo Vietti Costume Designer Regional: Alley Theatre Houston, Arena Stage, Arizona Theatre, Barrington Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, Colorado Ballet, Columbia University, Florida Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Washington, D.C., Goodspeed Opera, Hangar, Hartford Stage, Long Wharf, Metrostage, New York Stage & Film, Northlight, Pasadena Playhouse, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Pittsburgh Public, Rockland Opera, San Diego Repertory, Saint Louis Repertory, Signature Theatre Washington, Theatreworks Hartford and Westport Country Playhouse. NY: Grace, Make Me a Song, Tryst, Roulette, The Last Sunday in June, 16 Wounded, 2 X Tennessee, The Wau Wau Sisters, Servicemen, Waiting for Godot, Five Flights, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Measure for Measure, Othello, Of a White Christmas and productions at NY Musical Theatre and NY Fringe Festivals. International: The Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Donetsk Opera (Ukraine). Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Gold Unit 2007.

Marian Wallace* Stage Manager (Contact, Hearts, Managing Maxine) is retiring as productions stage manager, a job she has held for 41 years, at the end of the 09-10 season. It’s been a great run and it’s time to let someone else share in the fun. Marian and her husband, Brad Wallace (Associate Artist), celebrated their 44th anniversary in September 2009. Along the way they’ve purchased the same home twice, driven one Dodge van for thirty years and raised three wonderful daughters.

Peter West Lighting Designer (Galileo) Recent designs: Amistad (Spoleto USA), The Alchemist (The Shakespeare Theatre), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Cal Shakes) and Don Giovanni (Tanglewood) Other designs include 9 Parts of Desire at Manhattan Ensemble Theatre, and shows at New York Theatre Workshop, Flea, Baruch PAC, Rattlestick and The Juilliard School Regional: The Shakespeare Theatre, Geffen, Seattle Rep, Berkeley Rep, Arena Stage, Geva, Huntington, Shakespeare Santa Cruz., Great Lakes Theatre Festival, American Dance Festival (Martha Clarke) Teaching: Williams, Brooklyn College www.peterwestdesign.com

ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES
Creating each season here at Asolo Repertory Theatre is a task that utilizes the talents and creativity of every member of the theatre's artistic and administrative staff. In addition to those who make up the day-to-day heart of Asolo Rep, there is also a select and growing group of outstanding local and national artists whose wisdom and expertise I have come to rely on. Asolo Rep's Artistic Associates help to provide our season with bold artistic excellence and deepen the richness and vitality of Asolo Rep's body of work. It is my pleasure to introduce these individuals to you. – Michael Donald Edwards, Producing Artistic Director

HOWARD MILLMAN Producing Artistic Director, Asolo Repertory Theatre (retired)

MITCHELL J. MILLS Actor, Producer, digital artist

ROBERT MOSS Artistic Director Syracuse Stage

LYNN NOTTAGE Playwright, professor Yale School of Drama

MARK RUCKER Director

TONY WALTON Set and Costume designer

DAVID ZINN Set and Costume designer

back to top