Our Supportive Partners
William Shakespeare's
The Tempest
Presented by The Gary Shakespeare Company
Directed by
Morgan McCabe
Starring
Caliban: Christina Biancardi
Stephano/Boatswain: Alexander Bonner
Ceres/Spirit: Mae Colette
Prospero: Mario Dongu
Ferdinand: Westley Hearne
Gonzalo: Kelly Denise Horton
Miranda: Breanne Knopf
Alonso: Keith Loeffler
Antonio: Tyler Marrie
Trinculo/Juno: Ryan Moskalick
Ariel: Stacy Nelson
Master/Spirit/Reaper/ Cast Understudy: Maggie Reister
Sebastian: Matthew Seiluns
Iris/Spirit: Sarah Wurster
Production Team
Directed by Morgan McCabe
Scenic Painting / Design - Tony Martin
Scenic Construction / Engineering - James Severa
Sound Design - Kevin Kuhn
Costumes - Stephanie Naumoff and Morgan McCabe
Costume Assistance - Suzi Naumoff
Lighting - Tony Martin
Lighting Assistance - Keith Loeffler and the sun
Stage Manager - Kim Perz Volek
American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter - Regina Pustelak
“I can no other answer make but thanks,
And thanks, and ever thanks.”
~ Twelfth Night
Our Deepest Gratitude to:
The Historical Fencing Guild
Gary Rotary Club
Miller Garden Club
Westminster Presbyterian "Scene Shop"
New Chicago Parks & Recreation
New Chicago Town Council
The Genesius Guild (Hammond)
Sherwin-Williams of Crown Point
Zach Krikava
| Follow Us: |
|
|
|
|
|
Director's Notes
As you from crimes would pardon me,
Let your indulgence set me free.
Prospero and his daughter Miranda live in exile on an
island bound by magic. They watch from a rocky cliff
above the sea as a relentless storm hurls a ship from
Naples and its survivors onto their rocky shore.
Conjured by Prospero, the cyclone is just the beginning
of a spectacle of revenge Prospero enacts in retribution
against his own brother and the King of Naples for his
exile.
Stripped of power in Milan 12 years ago, he still
devotes himself to his secret studies and mastering his
charms. Prospero's arrogant power plays out in
vengeful magical illusions and his control of Miranda
and the spirits that inhabit the island.
Prospero introduces Miranda to the King’s son, Ferdinand, the
first human other than her father that she has ever
seen, and binds him with a spell to serve him. As love
blooms between Miranda and Ferdinand, Prospero's
heart, full of an awful desire for revenge, undergoes a
metamorphosis, opening into a heart filled with
forgiveness and freedom.
We made use of Prospero’s “rough magic” to shape
this show, imagining that various things have washed
up on the shore from times and places unknown to
them. We explored the landscape of relationships
looking for what we recognize, understand, and what
we still have to learn about being human. We found the
possibility of a “brave new world” founded on reunion
and reconciliation.
Thank you for joining our journey.
~ Morgan McCabe, Director
Our Generous Sponsors
Meet the Company
Christina is best known for her award nominated titled-role of Hamlet in GSC’s production of Hamlet. She has a degree in English and Theatre from Indiana University, and she continues to grow a deeper love for Shakespeare with every show she does. GSC credits include: Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream); Cobbler/Portia/Pindarus2 (Julius Caesar); Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet); Lady MacDuff (Macbeth). Other credits: Suzanne in Dearly Departed (Beatniks on Conkey); Margot in Dial M for Murder (Genesius Guild); Melvina in Shake Up Christmas (Hope Creative); Pirate/Wind/Water in Peter Pan and Wendy (Theatre Northwest). She has also directed several shows including Homeward Bound (Living Hope Church); No Exit (Crown Point Comm. Theatre). She loves the real Jesus and science fiction, and terribly misses her chupacabra, Swayze.
Alexander is pleased to be working with GSC again, having previously played roles in the productions of Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Julius Caesar. No stranger to NWI theater, his previous favorite credits include Macduff in both GSC and Chicago Streets' productions of Macbeth, Smee in 4th St Theater's production of Peter and the Star Catcher, Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace at Footlight Players and Wadsworth in Clue on Stage at Laporte Little Theatre. Shakespeare will always be Alexander's favorite thing to perform and is so privileged to be working with such amazing people, new and old friends alike.
Mae is excited to be joining Sarah in her debut performance with Gary Shakespeare Company! Her last performance was in GSC’s production of Julius Ceasar as Calpurnia. Previous favorite roles include: Lucy in Dracula (Theatre Northwest); Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (GSC); and Mary Warren in The Crucible (Griffith High School). Mae believes that theatre is an amazing gift for self-expression and a great excuse to have fun with friends.
Mario never submitted a bio for the program. He has a degree in Theatre and Under Water Basket Weaving from Indiana University Northwest. He played Mercutio in GSC’s production of Romeo and Juliet. Other credits include: The Miser; Dracula; Eurydice at Theatre Northwest; but his favorite show was Cover directed by the wonderfully, brilliant Christina Biancardi. He identifies and a fantasy jester.
Westely of Hobart has been a part of every GSC production, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, and Macbeth being some of his favorite…but especially Hamlet because the lead actor was absolutely phenomenal and a joy with whom to work; although a well deserved nomination, she was robbed for the “best actress” award for her performance; she should have been in a category all her own! Westley has done too many shows to recount, but Facing Our Truth at Theatre Northwest has been his most recent. He is a Gary native and former board member of GSC.
Kelly was born in East Chicago and raised in Gary. Acting has been a passion of Kelly's ever since her first performance as a turtle in a Christmas pageant when she was in the second grade. Her last production with GSC was as Cobweb in their performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Previous roles include "The Vagina Monologues," “Parade the Musical,” and "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." In addition to acting and singing, she also plays the piano and violin. She credits her love of performing to her family, who have always nurtured and encouraged her to explore her artistic side.
Breanne is delighted to be working with GSC again. Last summer, she appeared as Cassius in Julius Caesar. This year the character of Miranda brings her another step closer to completing her Shakespearean bucket list. Her other roles have included Rosalind (As You Like It), Portia (Merchant of Venice), and Emilia (Othello). Breanne wants to thank Dave for being kind while slowly losing his mind from hearing her run lines and ask questions like “Do these footsteps look whimsical enough?”. She hopes the play inspires people to get involved in GSC shows in the future. It’s never too late to try Shakespeare!
Keith has a theatrical career spanning more than 30 years. He was recently the Soothsayer in GSC’s Julius Caesar and played Pooh-Bah in the Dunes Summer Theatre production of Mikado, but is more often seen in the lighting booth. Keith has designed lights for productions across Northwest Indiana including Evil Dead: The Musical at CST; Jekyll and Hyde at the Dunes; Dracula at Portage Community Theater; and most recently, Clue: The Musical at Memorial Opera House. Keith is thrilled to have been cajoled into joining the cast – he’s still waiting on his fudge…
Stacy is thrilled to be performing in her first Gary Shakespeare Company production. She has been in several theatrical productions with notable roles as Curley’s Wife in Of Mice and Men, Karen in The Children’s Hour (Stuff of Dreams/Bigger Boat Productions), Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest (Glimmerglobe Theatre) and most recently Honey in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (4th Street Theatre). Stacy lives in Porter, Indiana with her partner Brian and Nina the Dog. She is grateful to the talented, dedicated cast and production team for the opportunity to bring live theatre to the NWI community.
Tyler of Crown Point, is majoring in Performing Arts at Indiana University Northwest. Some credits include shows such as Everybody and A Bright New Boise at Theatre Northwest.
Ryan is new to GSC and is excited to be playing a dream Shakespeare role as Trinculo! Ryan studied theatre and arts administration at Butler University and has trained with the Moscow Art Theatre School. More recently, studied Shakespeare with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company in Boston as part of their apprentice company. Recent credits include Simonides/Cerimon in Pericles (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company), Fred/Christmas Present/Peter in A Christmas Carol (Chicago Street Theatre) and Quince/Egeus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chicago Street Theatre). University theatre credits include An Enemy of the People (Thomas Stockmann), The Little Prince (Geographer/Lamplighter/Businessman), and The Threepenny Opera (Walt Dreary/Beggar). Ryan currently lives in Griffith and hopes to one day play all the iconic Shakespeare fools!
Maggie lives in Valparaiso; She is excited to join GSC in her first Shakespeare performance! Previous credits: Late Night Caberet, Done to Death (Beatniks); Outside Mullingar, Nine, 10 Minute Play Festival (4th Street Theatre); A Picasso, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Pirates of Penzance (Genesius Guild). She is married to Tom Walters; they have 6 grandkids in North Carolina. She loves to ski and bike ride.
Matthew from Griffith, Indiana is thrilled to be performing in his third production with Gary Shakespeare Company. Previous GSC roles include: Peter Quince (A Midsummer Nights Dream) and Duke of Venice (Othello).
Sarah is thrilled to have joined Gary Shakespeare Company for the first time! Sarah has always had a love for experiencing the arts, however, with the exception of acting in one middle school play, this is the first of Sarah's entry into the performance side of acting! With the enthusiasm from friends to join Gary Shakespeare this summer, Sarah couldn't be more pleased in getting to act with these talented actors. Outside of rehearsals, Sarah loves to hike, do amateur photography, and play with her dog hazel.
Morgan is excited to work with the Gary Shakespeare Company in their 10th anniversary season. She appeared in GSC’s King Lear and directed and performed in their production of Romeo and Juliet. Morgan is a performer, director, designer, dramaturg, producer, administrator, consultant, and educator, and does on-camera and voice-over work. She is a member of SAG/AFTRA and AEA. She has worked at regional and international theatres, including Indiana Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf, Madison Rep, The Goodman, SITI Company Associates, Chicago Dramatists, The Gift, Lookingglass, Court, Body Politic, Victory Gardens, and the Vienna English Theatre.
Jim is a retired educational and healthcare facilities administrator...and an amateur theater set designer. Jim has created sets for over twenty stage productions with the Purdue Calumet 'Building Community Through the Arts' series, the Purdue Calumet Theater Company, and the Gary Shakespeare Company.
Tony is an artist living in the woods outside of Chicago. Painting and drawing are my passion. For "fun" I create sets, backdrops, props, lighting, photos, video and more for theatre productions. My "day job" is professional photography and video production. Photography credits include The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Wall Street Journal, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, American Theatre Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Reader, Shore Magazine, IN Business Magazine, Get Healthy Magazine and other publications in the US and abroad.
Kevin is a Submarine Sonar Technician for the United States Navy. In the confined and cooped up environment of a naval submarine, Kevin decided to become an audio engineer. Although those days are gone now, Kevin is once again on the shore and making "waves" of progress. Kevin is an audio technician with experience with audio editing, sound design, and sound board operation. One of his favorite projects is an adaption of the Wilhelm scream sound effect, now appearing on multiple Northwest Indiana community theatre stages. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys huddling over his computer desk, working on sound cuts and appeasing his caffeine addiction.
Stephanie has enjoyed performing, directing, and designing for over 30 years in multiple area theatres, as well as various venues in Chicago, and across the country. Stephanie has also been fortunate to lecture and teach courses in acting, directing, costuming, improv, and Shakespeare for local middle schools, high schools, and colleges. Stephanie was honored to portray both Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and Maria in Twelfth Night for The Gary Shakespeare Company, as well as directed and costumed multiple GSC productions; Stephanie currently sits as the GSC Board President. Shakespeare has always been a passion of Stephanie’s; a passion she shared with her father who was the greatest actor she has ever known.
Kim is excited to join Gary Shakespeare Company once again. She has previously worked with GSC on Midsummer Night’s Dream (Cobweb), Othello (Emilia & Rehearsal Stage Manager/Prop Master), Hamlet (Player Queen/Priest/Ghost), Romeo & Juliet (Lady Montague/Petra), and King Lear (Stage Manager). Other select credits include: Places! 50 years in review (Scene Director) and The Perfect Garden (Cara) at Purdue Calumet Theater Company, and The Mysterious Unknown Revealed podcast (various characters). Outside the theater, she is an avid reader and Lego enthusiast. Kim would like to thank her husband and two sons for their love and support.
Regina has been fascinated with American Sign Language (ASL) from the time she was a little girl watching deaf actress, Linda Bove on Sesame Street, . Movies like Johnny Belinda and The Miracle Worker also had a (no pun intended) dramatic impact on her and her later personal and professional interests. She is now in what she calls her ‘third life’: the first being a military wife and mom; the second raising and homeschooling her children with an occasional odd job. She also spent some time in a Michigan theatre company playing characters such as The Whether [Wo]man in The Phantom Tollbooth and Mrs. Macready in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe et al. Now an empty-nester, her ‘third life’ and her husband’s job relocation brought her to Indiana May 2016, the day after she graduated from university with a Bachelor of Sign Language Interpreting Studies, minoring in Communication Studies. She started interpreting in the NWI community not long after that. Regina has interpreted in numerous settings and especially enjoys the education field. This is her debut combining her two loves: ASL and theatre. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Ask About Youth Workshops at Calumet College!
Shakespeare is for all ages! The next "Summer with Shakespeare" at Calumet College is slated for July of 2024! (Pictured: Julius Caesar cast member Amy Maples pictured reading Julius Caesar to her youngest daughter, cast member Caroline Maples).
GSC PARTNERS:
|
The Gary Shakespeare Company is a member of the Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre Foundation. nietf.org We currently rehearse in residence at Calumet College of St. Joseph, where we partner with the College on the "Summer with Shakespeare" Youth Workshop. Our productions and our new Madrigal Choir are partially funded by very generous grants from the Indiana Arts Commission and The Legacy Foundation. Learn more about what Legacy Foundation is doing to help transform Lake County here! We are Grateful to these Amazing Friends for their continued Support
|
We appreciate the support of all of our present venues:
…as well as our previous venues:
|
Our Amazing Venues
