2019 Summer One-Act Bonanza

Annie Hnatko as Abby (Deer Playrite), Mary/Charlene (Where Everybody Says “Goodbye”)

Annie is thrilled to return to the Old Academy Players stage. She studied Music Education at West Chester University and Opera Performance at the Academy of Vocal Arts. She has been active in theater, opera and concert singing for over 30 years. Her favorite roles include, “The Witch” (Into the Woods), “Musetta” (La Boheme), “Anna Maurant” (Street Scene), and “Peppermint Pattie” (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown). She had the privilege to perform the role of “Erzulie” (Once on This Island) for the official opening of the Venice Island Performing Arts Center

Blanca E. Beadle as Morgan (This is What’s Left)

Blanca makes her return to the stage after more than a decade away from acting. Blanca found her way back and joined the Old Academy family in 2016. Since she’s assisted with lights and sound for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe, Men Are Dogs, and past One Acts. In 2017’s Summer One Acts she fulfilled a life long dream by directing Juggling Act. Blanca is very excited to take on the roll of Morgan in This is What’s Left. She has a strong connection to both the play and the character. A disorganized organization specialist may seem like an oxymoron to most, but to someone with severe ADHD who has built a career in the rather straight-laced corporate world, this is a reality she’s familiar with.

Cynthia Young as Susan (In the Eye of the Beholder), Martha (Where Everybody Says “Goodbye”)

This is Cynthia’s first time performing with Old Academy Players and she is honored to have been cast in two of the One Act Bonanza plays, Susan in The Eye of the Beholder and Martha in Where Everyone Says “Goodbye”. Past performances include Myrna Hobsnagle in The Christmas Express, Ruth Condomine in Blithe Spirit, Joy Partridge in A Partridge in a Palm Tree (all with Bridge Players Theatre Company), Emma Cristano in Over the River and Through the Woods (Spotliters Theatre Company), Elizabeth Almond in The Heiress (Langhorne Theatre Company) and most recently Edith Lambert in Never Too Late (DCP Theatre Company). Cynthia is a classical pianist and also plays guitar and violin. In addition to working full time in the healthcare industry, she has two music programs in New Jersey where she teaches students. Cynthia has three amazing children, DJ, Nate and Emilyrose; a wonderful almost daughter-in-law, Keely; a beautiful grandson, Lincoln Parker; a German Shepherd who thinks she is human, Violet; and the most amazing soulmate in the entire world, Arthur. She dedicates every performance to these wonderful people in her life.

Dani Kennedy as Jen (The Font of All Knowledge)

Dani has been involved in theatre for almost 30 years. Favorite roles include Ouiser in Steel Magnolias and Steele in A Piece of My Heart. Directing credits include Doubt, Art, and Of Mice and Men.

Douglas Tague as Older Man (Back to the Drawing Board), Al (In the Eye of the Beholder)

Elliott Rotman as John (In the Eye of the Beholder), Dennis/Joe (Where Everybody Says “Goodbye”)

Elliott has performed in various OA productions such as Elephant Man and The Fourth Wall as well as Summer One-Acts and Holiday musicals. Other shows have been with Stagecrafters, Allens Lane Theater, Jenkintown Music Theater, Drama Group, and the Savoy Company. The Summer One-Acts are always a lot of fun. Love to Elissa.

Helga Krauss as Viv (Back to the Drawing Board)

Helga, a Distinguished Member, has been involved with Old Academy for eighteen years. She has previously directed, among others, Two Dozen Red Roses, Return Engagements, Relative Values, The Constant Wife, Murdering Marlowe, The Countess, Doubt, Wedding Belles, and The Pearl. Production credits include To Kill a Mockingbird, The Member of the Wedding, An Ideal Husband, The Miracle Worker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Little Women, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Taming of the Shrew, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Lion in Winter, Twelfth Night, and A House With No Walls. Among her memorable performances as an actor are The Price and For Goodness Sake. Helga is active as a member of the production committee and is the theater’s treasurer.

Jael Marie as Alex (This is What’s Left)

Jael (formerly listed as Jael Brown) is ecstatic to return to the OA stage for the third time. She began acting as a curious and theatrical toddler, instantly dazzled by the stage that lit up before her. That passion led her to pursue a BFA in Acting at the Savannah College of Art & Design and a career, currently based here in her native city of Philadelphia, on both the stage and screen. Jael’s undying love and devotion for performance have afforded her many opportunities to appear in productions such as: Our Town, IN: A Look Into the World of Autism, The Rocky Horror Show, and A House with No Walls, her debut show at OA. When not on the stage or screen, Jael can be found working as a teaching artist throughout and outside of Philadelphia and as a freelance and studio makeup artist.

Jamaal White as Taylor (This is What’s Left)

Jo Johnson as Kathleen (In the Eye of the Beholder), Tess/Joanne (Where Everybody Says “Goodbye”)

Jo is excited to be making her acting debut after a long hiatus from the theater. Regional Stage Management and technical credits can be found in the archives of The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Trinity Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Public Theater, Mill Mountain Playhouse, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Studio Arena Theater. She completed her BA in Theater from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and MFA in Stage Management from the Professional Theater Training program at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

Joe Crosley as Barry/Charles (Where Everybody Says “Goodbye”)

Joel Rosenwasser as Dave (Back to the Drawing Board), Martin (Where Everybody Says “Goodbye”)

Joel is happy to make his debut with Old Academy Players. He has performed and produced locally and in Chicago and Dallas. Trained at HB Studio in NYC. Favorite roles include Roger De Bris (Producers), Moonface Martin (Anything Goes), George Banks (Mary Poppins), Rooster Hannigan (Annie), Scarecrow (Wizard of Oz), Audrey 2 (Little Shop of Horrors), Mr. Sowerberry (Oliver!), Mr. Mayor (Seussical), Chris (All My Sons), Danny Zuko (Grease), Prez (Pajama Game), Lightoller (Titanic), Lord Savage (Jekyll & Hyde) and Hamlet (Hamlet Cubed). Joel has truly enjoyed his first time working with all of the fun and talented cast and crew at OAP!

Kelci Schlierf as Heather (The Font of All Knowledge), Rita (Where Everybody Says “Goodbye”)

Kelci is a Philadelphia based actor, director and stage manager. She currently works as Associate Artistic Director of Sewer Rat Productions. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from SUNY Oswego, where she also directed on the mainstage. Kelci is an advocate for feminism and social change and believes in making art that reflects that. Directing credits include The Pillowman (SUNY Oswego), Children of Eden (Deegan Children’s Theatre), and Sonder’s Settlement (Staged Reading at Sewer Rat Productions). Acting credits include Abram in R&J (Purplecabbage Productions), Angelique in The Haunting of the Imperial Theatre (Bistro Romano), Agave in The Bacchae (Gorilla Repertory Theatre) and Mrs. Boyle in The Mousetrap (SUNY Oswego).

Leah O’Hara as Becky (In the Eye of the Beholder), Janice/Cass (Where Everybody Says “Goodbye”)

Leigh Jacobs as Peter (Deer Playrite), Boss (The Font of All Knowledge)

Leigh thinks of the Summer One Act Bonanza at Old Academy Players the way other people think of the beach and backyard barbeques: a high point of the summer. He and his talented wife, Lauri, wrote The Font of All Knowledge in this year’s Bonanza. He’s directing Our Lady of 121^st Street later in the upcoming season at Old Academy. As a regular on area community theater stages, Leigh’s favorite roles include Frost/Nixon (Swifty Lazar) and Other Desert Cities (Lyman) on the Players Club of Swarthmore Main Stage, Death and the Maiden (Roberto) and The Goat or Who is Sylvia? (Martin) on the Players Club of Swarthmore Second Stage, and God of Carnage (Martin) here at Old Academy.

Marc Johnson as Lewis (A Good Heart)

This is Marc’s second time on stage doing Old Academy Players’ Summer One-Act Bonanza. Marc has acted in and directed plays around the Philadelphia area, including with The Drama Group and Allens Lane Art Center.

Norma Kider as Martha (A Good Heart), Tina (Back to the Drawing Board)

Norma is delighted to perform on the OAP stage again. Her training at the Walnut Street Theater was the kickstarter to the amazing world of community theater. Recent favorite plays include: Moon over Buffalo, Arsenic and Old Lace, Rumors, Fiddler on the Roof, Jake’s Women, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised]. Thank you audience member for supporting community theater!!

Sarah Labov as Angie (Back to the Drawing Board), One-Act Bonanza Co-Producer

Steven Peitzman as Ron (In the Eye of the Beholder)

Steven is a partly-retired physician and medical historian with Drexel University, and a long-time theater enthusiast. But his interest in moving from audience to stage–however minimally–is recent, and he has enjoyed some classes at Lantern Theater. He has used the “Readers’ Theater” format in his teaching, and worked with many fine actors gigging as “standardized patients.” Steven is an OAP member and subscriber. He has lived in East Falls or nearby Germantown since his student days, and is active in the East Falls Historical Society. He is grateful for the opportunity to be part of an OAP production.