Be Our Guest (2015 Season)

Be Our Guest by F.J. Hartland
October 15-18, 2015

The Beckmann Theatre
The American Theater of Actors
314 West 54th Street
New York City, NY 10019

When Jeremy brings his new girlfriend home from college for his Grandfather's birthday celebration they hope that his family will love her. Too bad it turns out that Mother Guest and the wacky Guest family prove to be quite difficult for a guest to please! From a unique history-buff father to an unusual uncle who lives in the attic, this eccentric family truly has it all! Duke's Eye Productions cordially invites you to meet the Guest family this Fall at the New York City premiere of this side-splitting new farce by award winning playwright, F. J. Hartland. Come on, Be Our Guest!



Cast

Hanna Burke (Judith Ann) is thrilled to join the cast of "Be Our Guest" with Dukes Eye Productions! Hanna is a BFA holding Musical Theater actress and has been living and working in New York City for the last 3 years. Most recently, Hanna was seen performing at The Metropolitan Room in Joseph Macchia's "Gone Too Soon: A Tribute to Madeline Kahn" and is currently planning her own Madeline Kahn Tribute Cabaret. Other favorite credits include: Saleswoman/Whitney/Judge/Vivienne u/s in "Legally Blonde, The Musical", Madame Hildegard in "Chaundria and the Giant" with her theater company Three Act Theater, and Mother in "Ragtime, the Musical", performed for New Rochelle's 325th Anniversary Celebration. Much love & aloha to her incredibly supportive family & friends! www.hannaburke.com

Justin Blake Broido (Jeremy) hails from San Antonio, Texas (Go Spurs Go!). He was last seen on Chamber Theatre Productions' national tour of Encore!. Off Broadway: This Is Our Youth (777 Theatre). NYC credits: cal and grey (NY Fringe and Thespis Festivals), Hamlet (Gross Masons), Gossip (Puzzle Theatre Festival). Other credits include Malvolio in Twelfth Night (Shakespeare's Globe, London), Our Town (George Street Playhouse, directed by David Esbjornson), The Aliens, Much Ado About Nothing (Rutgers Theatre Company), and productions of columbinus, Touch, The Sea Gull, Da, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Grapes of Wrath, Metamorphoses, The Diviners, and Night Must Fall back in his hometown of San Antonio. BFA in Acting from Rutgers University.

Aubrey Quinn (Abigail) is a born and raised New Jerseyan. After graduating from Adelphi University a little over a year ago, she is proud to now call the city home. Aubrey is excited to be working with Duke's Eye Production and her fellow cast mates on this hilarious show. Special thanks to her own crazy family for always supporting her. Be sure to catch Aubrey in the upcoming web series Meetings at www.meetingswebseries.com

Rocco George (Jared) is a unique character actor who starred in numerous film, and stage productions. He was born in Tucson, Arizona to a Mexican Mother and an Italian Father. This cultural blending, along with many strange life experiences, shaped Rocco into the diverse actor he is today. In the early 90's Rocco left the desert to start a new life in Portland, Oregon. There he fell into acting and starred in several short horror films, in which he became known for playing multiple characters. As the Grunge era came to an end Rocco's acting career led him away from Portland. In 2001 Rocco was cast as the "Cheese Demon" in the short lived, stop motion animation kid's show The Phantom Investigators that aired on the Warner Brothers Network. After stints in Los Angeles, and San Francisco he inevitably landed in New York City where he continues working on several projects for stage, and screen. In addition to acting Rocco also designs, fabricates, and voices fantastic puppet creations. Presently he is in the process of writing a one man show that will include puppetry.

Roni Laytin (Jo Ellen) is so jazzed to be joining the cast of "Be Our Guest". Recent credits include The Afflicted in the Washington D.C. Fringe Festival, "Girl's Liberation Front" as an alumna of the Girl Be Heard Theater Company, and Mad Full of Dreams. She holds a BFA in Acting from Pace University and pursues improv, writing, and production assisting in her spare time. Roni would also like to take this opportunity to express gratitude toward family and friends for their continued sparkle and support. www.ronilaytin.com

Larry Gutman (Josephus) was trained at HB Studio. His favorite roles include Ol' Cap'n Cotchippe in Purlie Victorious, Firs in The Cherry Orchard, Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey, Robert in Proof, The Old Man in Fool For Love, Otto Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank, Captain Taylor in A Soldier's Play, Oscar Wolfe in Royal Family, and Dr. Einstein in Arsenic and Old Lace.

Mer Therrien (Kandi) is thrilled to be making her debut with Duke's Eye Productions! She spent several years overseas performing onboard the M.S. Marina as a dancer/dance captain. Other past shows include Legally Blonde the Musical (Pilar/Dance Captain), Peter Pan (Tiger Lily), and Beauty and the Beast (Babette). Meredith is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Outside of theater, she enjoys working with children and is studying to become an ACE certified personal trainer.

Nikita Francois (Hulga) Theater Credits Include: Mob, For the Colored Girls (Lady in Red), Adventures in Wonderland , Showtime: a Musical Medley, Bye Bye Birdie (Ursula Merkle) , and Noises Off (Poppy Taylor). TV/Film: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, 30 Rock, and more.

Patrick Kelly (Hamish) is very excited to be performing in Be Our Guest with this talented troupe after returning from his exile, doing the Medora Musical, all summer in North Dakota. Some favorite credits include: Fiddler on the Roof, Man of La Mancha, Sunday... w/ George, 42nd St., Kiss Me, Kate!, The Wizard of OZ, White Christmas, to name a few. When he's not locked in an attic he enjoys playing his ukulele, giving historical walking tours of New York, and writing plays & musicals. Thanks to Liz, Bobby, and everyone at Duke's Eye for this amazing opportunity.

Kristin Serafini (Holly) is thrilled to be joining the supremely talented cast and production team of Be Our Guest! Kristin recently graduated from Point Park University this past spring where she received a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Dance. Point Park Conservatory Co./Playhouse Jr. credits: The Boy Friend (Polly Browne), The Wind in the Willows (Mole), Hecuba, Huck Finn, and The Crucible (Mary Warren). Other credits include: Oliver! (Bet; Pittsburgh CLO), Pinkalicious the Musical! (Pinkalicious), The Light in the Piazza, and Parade (Essie). Kristin would like to thank Dukes Eye Productions for this awesome opportunity, as well as her family, friends, teachers, and God for all of their continual love and support!

Enid Breis (Evangeline) NYC Theatre: Piece of Mind, Plastic People in Waiting (Cynthia Brown), Hardware Diaries (Widow Getz) Regional: The Children's Hour (Lily Mortar), And Then There Were None (Dr. Armstrong), The Vagina Monologues, California Suite (Beth). Enid is a member of Love Creek productions.

Michael DeBartolo (Lance/Mr. McCauley) grew up in the small town of Bethel, Connecticut. He has his Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies from the University of Rhode Island, and is a graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse. He was recently nominated for Best Actor of the Strawberry Festival for his performance in "i'm so, so, so lonely, or, the omegle play", and played the lead character in "The American Play," which was selected as "Best of FringeNYC." He has performed in several NYC theaters including Soho Playhouse, Player's Theatre, St. Clements, Hudson Guild, and The Davenport. Some of his greatest inspirations are George Carlin, Rowan Atkinson, Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep.

Liz Pegg (Ione/Mrs. McCauley) is excited to be reprising her role in this fun show with such a talented group! Some recent credits include: Nancy in Graceless (Capital Fringe Festival), The Vagina Monologues (Treehouse Theater), and Jenny in The Shape of Things (DEP's inaugural production). Elizabeth is a graduate of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh with a BA in Theatre Arts and is the founder of Duke's Eye Productions. www.lizpegg.com Love to the Nybergs and Mer!

Production Team

Bobby Traversa (Director) Bobby Traversa is excited to join Duke's Eye Productions director of this production of F. J. Hartland's Be Our Guest! He currently serves as the personal assistant to two-time Tony nominated Broadway producer Rich Affannato (Peter and the Starcatcher, Kander and Ebb's The Visit) and as a Producing Associate for his company Affannato Productions. A real career highlight so far was working alongside Rich on Kander and Ebb's last Broadway musical staring legendary actress Chita Rivera. On his own, he has directed, produced, and acted all over the United States. Previous directing credits include Lark (Manhattan Repertory Theatre), The Sarros: A New Family in Town (The Duplex), Carrie the Musical (AMDA Los Angeles), and Zombie Prom (Oxnard High School). Producing credits include the cabaret series Songs You Might Have Missed, a celebration of lost and forgotten musical theater songs. Acting credits include Norman's Ark (The Ford Amphitheater - dir. Peter Schneider), Motel in Fiddler on the Roof (Sierra Repertory Theatre), The Newsboy in Jekyll & Hyde (Cabrillo Music Theatre - Ovation Nominated Best Musical), and the first reading of the stage adaptation of the cult film The First Nudie Musical. He is also fondly remembered as running the music library at AMDA Los Angeles for nearly half a decade and serving as assistant (and emotional support system) to a faculty of Broadway vets that included Danny Gurwin, Hadley Fraser, Tony nominees Alyson Reed and Jane Lanier, and legend Karen Morrow.

Elizabeth Cippolina(Costume/Prop Designer) Liz has over twenty five years of experience as a wig, makeup, and costume designer with various companies in the New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts area. Her work includes stage, opera, film and media productions. She has worked on Broadway showcases, costumed staged readings, and film projects that have screened at Sundance and Telluride. She is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University. Visit her website at www.wigmubyecipollina.com to view photos and reels, and for further contact info.

F.J. Hartland (Playwright) is thrilled to have Be Our Guest make its New York City debut. His play Mother Tongue was performed in GayfestNYC in 2010 and in Gayfest Philadelphia last August. His plays have made a record-setting fifteen appearances in the Pittsburgh New Works Festival, winning for "Best Play" four times. This year F.J.'s Games of the Mind won Pittsburgh Throughline Theatre's New Play Contest, and it was performed this past September. His work has also been seen in NYC at Emerging Artists Theatre, Thirteenth Street Theatre, and the Quaigh and in Pittsburgh at Bricolage, Duquesne University, South Park Theatre, Pittsburgh Playwrights, and Pittsburgh Fringe Festival. A member of Actors Equity Association since 1991, he won raves in May for his performance in the lead role of "Charlie" in Off The Wall's production of The Whale. He is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre at Saint Francis University in Loretto PA.

Paul Radassao (Lighting Designer) is a freelance lighting and scenic designer based in NYC. His previous design credits include lighting designer for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Crucible and Gruesome Playground Injuries (Ithaca College), A Christmas Carol (Cider Mill Playhouse), Richard II (Ithaca Shakespeare Co.) Cinderella (M'Lanie Hunter Dance). Other credits include assistant lighting and scenic designer for Buyer & Cellar (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), Other Desert Cities (Hangar Theatre) assistant lighting designer for Two Gentlemen of Verona (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival) for Steve TenEyck. He received his BFA from Ithaca College.

Vanna Richardson (Stage Manager) is a 2007 Theater graduate from Centenary Collge of Louisiana, and previously worked at the River City Reportory Theater in Shreveport, LA. www.vannarichardson.com

Special Thanks To: