Our 541st Production
Directed by Jane Jennings
June 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 2024
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
This Pulitzer Prize–winning drama of life in the small town of Grover’s Corners has become an American classic and is Thornton Wilder’s most renowned and frequently performed play. At the turn of the 20th Century, we follow the ordinary, yet profound, experiences of the inhabitants of Grover’s Corners as they live, die, and realize the meaning of life.
Reviews: Hugh Hunter ♦ Ginger Agnew
Meet the Cast
Anna King as Joe Crowell, Wally Webb, Si Crowell
Anna is a fifth grade student at Julia R. Masterman. She has participated in theater since kindergarten and has recently performed at the Venice Island Performing Arts Center in Manayunk. She is very excited about Our Town — an American classic. The cast is very nice; she has felt welcomed in her first role at Old Academy Players. When Anna is not preforming on stage she enjoys swim team, art, and her dog Charlie. (Huge shout out to Anna’s puppy Charlie.)
Chris Cutrufello as Mrs. Soames, Woman in the Balcony
Chris’s performance at The Old Academy was in 1996 in Our Town; 28 years later she is once more in Our Town at The Old Academy. She is truly honored to be part of this wonderful cast. She would like to thank Director, Jane Jennings, for giving her the opportunity to again be part of this great American play. Thank you to her sons, her daughters-in-law, and her grandchildren for encouraging her to continue to be involved in the theater.
Connor Patrick as George Gibbs
Connor is thrilled to be making his Old Academy debut! Some favorite roles include Professor Plum in Clue (The Candlelight Theatre) and Martin in Fool for Love (Princeton Summer Theater). When not on stage, Connor specializes as a financial technology compliance officer. He is a graduate of Penn State University and Temple Law School. He wants to thank Morgan and his family for all their love and support.
Dan Crozier as Dr. Gibbs
Dan has acted and directed in New York City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Madison, WI. He taught Theatre at the University of Georgia and Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. This is his first show at the Old Academy Players.
Emma Rydzewski as Rebecca Gibbs
Emma is excited to play Rebecca Gibbs in her first stage play and with Old Academy Players. She has acted in several children’s musicals at Plymouth Performing Arts Center since age 6, including as Anna in Frozen and Charlie in Willy Wonka. She also acts on-camera, including a recent Wawa commercial and for an upcoming HBO series. Emma would like to thank Jane and the Our Town cast and crew for this wonderful opportunity.
Fiona Grelis as Wally Webb
Fiona is a fifth grade student at Erdenheim Elementary, where she is active in chorus and Girl Scouts. Our Town is her first foray into Community Theater, and she is excited and grateful to join the cast! Off stage, Fiona enjoys art, singing, skateboarding, bike riding, and hanging with her cat, UVO.
Haley Dunning as Emily Webb
Haley Dunning is so excited to be returning to Old Academy for the third time! She played Susan in Company last year, and the Mute in The Fantasticks the year before that, and loves working with the talented and fascinating people here at Old Academy. She has been acting since the ripe age of five and hopes to continue to do so here and elsewhere for a long time to come. She is super grateful for the opportunity and cannot wait to share Emily with all of you!
James Hearn as Constable Warren, Choir Singer
James Hearn was last seen on our stage in last year’s Arsenic and Old Lace where, ironically, he played another lawman. He has done theater in this area and in Hawaii, off and on, for 43 years. He thanks his wife Sonya and sister Holly and dedicates his performance to the memory of his parents.
Leah O’Hara as Mrs. Gibbs
Leah is delighted once again to take the stage at Old Academy Players. Most recently she played Natalie in Love Between the Dryer Sheets, and Jessie in Sweat. Some of her other favorite roles have been Mrs. Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank and Mrs. White in Clue at Players Club of Swarthmore; Inez Serrano in No Exit at The Village Players of Hatboro; Romaine in Witness for the Prosecution and Beatriz in Much Ado About Nothing at The Stagecrafters Theater; and Ileen in Rasheeda Speaking at Allens Lane Art Center.
Lucy Bell Sellers as Dead Woman, Choir
Lucy Bell taught drama at Kangaru School in Kenya, Germantown Friends School, and the College of the Atlantic in Maine. She has also acted in small theaters in Brooklyn and Philadelphia and written and performed a one-woman show about the life of Isak Dinesen. She is thrilled to be a part of an Old Academy Players production.
Matt Rydzewski as Sam Craig
Matt plays Sam Craig. He is a newbie to Old Academy Players. Recent past roles include Alan in God of Carnage (Stagecrafters), Macbeth in Macbeth (Footlighters), Bottom in Midsummer Night’s Dream (Steel River), and serving as an understudy in productions at the Walnut. He also performs in film, tv, and commercials. Many thanks to Jane, the cast and crew for every minute working together on “the greatest American play ever written.”
Mike Zaleski as Howie Newsome, Choir
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Mike has appeared intermittently on stage and screen in the area since 2005. This role in Our Town, however, marks Mike’s first fully staged theatrical production as an actor with a speaking role. Mike works as an attorney in Philly to support his interests, which include the arts (particularly cinema), food and road-trips. Mike would like to thank his amazing partner, Ren, and his wonderful parents for their unwavering support, love, and encouragement, without which this would not be possible. Love to Bobby Hill.
Nathan Weid as Joe Crowell, Wally Webb, Si Crowell
Nathan is extremely excited to be making his debut for Old Academy Players in Our Town. Nathan has played Caldwell B. Cladwell (Urinetown), Peter Neilsen (Number the Stars), Warner (Legally Blonde: The Musical), and Mr. Mooney (Flowers for Algernon) at Chestnut Ridge Middle School. He has also been cast as Mr. Pulitzer (Newsies, Jr), Mr. Wormwood & Nigel (Matilda, Jr) and Carlos (Descendants) in Pitman Theater’s summer productions. He would like to thank his family for their continued support of his passion, as well as the directors for all the hard work putting the production together.
Olivia Lewandowski as Rebecca Gibbs
Olivia is a 5th grade student at Thomas Mifflin School in East Falls. This is her third production at Old Academy Players, and she has cherished every moment on stage. Olivia feels incredibly grateful for the chance to be a part of such a fantastic production and to soak up knowledge from the talented adults guiding her. Outside of the playhouse, she enjoys gymnastics, competing in debate club, and running 5ks. She looks forward to acting in more plays and cannot wait for what the future holds in her acting journey!
Paolo Barolat-Romana as Joe Stoddard
Paolo started taking acting classes at the Walnut Street theater in his late twenties, where he fell in love with the art form. His resume includes the role of Aviator in The Little Prince at the Swarthmore Players Club and Biff in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman at Haddonfield Plays and Players. He is honored to be part of the wonderful cast of Our Town.
Paul Anderson as Man in the Auditorium, Choir Singer, Man Among Dead, Belligerent Man
Paul is excited to be making a rare foray into straight theater in one of his favorite plays. Paul is known professionally mostly as a singer — a tenor — who has performed for decades with leading vocal ensembles, opera/musical theater organizations, and in area churches in the Delaware Valley and Seattle, WA. Paul enjoys creatively expressing himself with photography.
Phoenix Levine as Joe Crowell, Wally Webb, Si Crowell
Introducing Phoenix Levine, a budding talent gracing the stage with his infectious enthusiasm and natural flair for performance. At just 11 years old, he has already captivated audiences in his middle school’s rendition of “Singing in the Rain” at Germantown Friends School. Now, he is spreading his wings further, embracing a few of the young male roles in the community theatre production of “Our Town.” With each step, he brings a fresh energy and dedication that promise a bright future in the world of acting.
Randy Shupp as Professor Willard, Choir
Every day, think as you wake up: Today I am fortunate to be alive; I have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it.
Rich Geller as Simon Stimson, The Dead Speaker
Rich Geller has appeared at Old Academy in Arsenic and Old Lace and Mornings at Seven. Productions elsewhere include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at Spotlight Theater, Clybourne Park at Colonial Playhouse and The Country Girl at The Stagecrafters.
Ross Druker as Stage Manager
Ross is happy to be returning to Old Academy Players for his fourth show, having appeared as Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Father Flynn in Doubt, and Shakespeare in Shakespearepalooza. Recently he appeared as Ned Newley in The Outsider and multiple roles in The Laramie Project:Ten Years Later at Spotlight Theatre. This past winter he sang with The Philadelphia Chorale behind Andrea Bocelli at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and Madison Square Garden in NYC.
Sam Gugino as Mr. Webb
After retiring as a food and wine journalist and cookbook author, Sam studied at Philadelphia’s Lantern Theater School. Since then, he has appeared in plays throughout the Philadelphia area including: The Diary of Anne Frank (Otto Frank); Inherit the Wind (Mathew Harrison Brady); Freud’s Last Session (Sigmund Freud); The Taming of the Shrew (Baptista Minola); The Grapes of Wrath (Jim Casy); The Miracle Worker (Captain Keller); and understudy for Big Daddy in the Walnut Street Theater’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Sarah Labov as Mrs. Webb
Sarah appeared as Queen Margaret & Beatrice (Shakespeare Palooza), Marty (Circle Mirror Transformation), Sonya (Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike) and directed Fast Girls and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Sarah studied with the Philadelphia Repertory Co., Mike Nichols, Paul Sills, David Mamet and NYU/Stella Adler. Sarah enjoys designing and building sets, lights, sound, and running shows in the booth. Sarah coproduces the Summer One Act Bonanza, an evening of seven short plays at OAP (opening July 12th!). Heartfelt thanks to family and friends for their ongoing support and encouragement.
Sonya Aiko Hearn as Woman Among Dead, Choir
Sonya was last seen on the stage during the 2023 Philadelphia Fringe Festival as Jennifer in David S. Traub’s one-act, Train to Essex Junction. She was also happy to help backstage with last season’s Arsenic and Old Lace. She is now pleased to be sharing the stage in Our Town with her husband and best friend, James Hearn (Constable Warren). Thank you Jane, the cast, and the crew for a wonderful experience.
Jane Jennings (Director)
Jane is a ten year member of Old Academy Players, with many diverse credits, including directing, acting, singing and costuming. A few of her favorite directorial accomplishments are Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike, Melancholy Play, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Elephant Man. Her background is in classical singing and opera, having graduated from The Academy of Vocal Arts, Philadelphia. When not at the theater, she teaches piano at Friends Central School.
Carla Childs (Producer)
Carla is a Distinguished Member, has been active at the Old Academy since 1993, when she brought children to audition for a play and got a part of her own. She stayed on to act, produce, direct, build and paint sets, run lights and sound, and do whatever else needs doing. She also teaches technical theatre at Germantown Friends School.
Janine Lieberman (Producer)
Janine is pleased to be back at Old Academy after a several year break where the spirit of community and collaboration thrives! Janine has helped produce and operate tech for several plays at Old Academy Players and previously at Stagecrafters. She arrives at this work via reading anthropology and writing short stories.
Jerry Jennings (Producer, Man Among Dead)
After 10 years of assisting Director Jane with her OAP shows and enthused by his recent stage debut in Arsenic and Old Lace, husband Jerry is pleased to expand his involvement at OAP as a first-time producer. Jerry also will be playing Man Among Dead, Mr. Carter, The Dead Speaker, Another Man Dead in this production.
Elliana Porter (Production Assistant, Mourner)
Elliana first discovered her love of stage management in 7th grade when she was the assistant stage manager for her school’s production of The Addams Family Junior. This past winter, Elliana was the stage manager for her school’s production of Singin’ in the Rain Junior. Her role as assistant stage manager in Our Town is her first experience with community theater. She is an 8th grader at Germantown Friends School. When Elliana is not involved with theater, she loves to sing in the school choir, play with her cat Oliver, and travel to new destinations.
Helga Krauss (Costumer)
Helga, a Distinguished Member, has been active at the Old Academy for twenty years. Some of the plays she has directed are: 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, A House with No Walls, A Raisin in the Sun, and Wedding Band. Her memorable performances as an actor include roles in The Price and For Goodness Sake.
Mary Jane Fullam (Producer, Prompter)
Mary Jane is happy to be part of the crew behind the scenes, as in past productions at the Old Academy including The Curious Savage, Waiting, The Pearl, Skin Deep, Calendar Girls, and last season’s Purlie Victorious. Her ongoing role at the theater is keeping an eye on safety issues. Mary Jane is a member of the East Falls Town Watch and is involved in many environmental programs.