smplayers

The President’s Corner

(September 2011)

We are thrilled to have 3 new Directors for our 2011-12 season.

John Pike is an adjunct professor at The Hartt School Theatre Division where he teaches theatre history, text analysis as well as musical theatre performance. Previously he was on the faculty of Syracuse University. John works equally as a stage director and musical director. Recent productions include Seussical, Cabaret, Big: The Musical and has conducted Titanic, Coram Boy, The Wild Party, A Little Night Music and Smokey Joe’s Café. For many years John was Artistic Associate for Goodspeed Musicals where he worked on 90 productions, collaborating on books for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Broadway), Red, Hot and Blue!, King of Hearts, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. He has worked at The O’Neill, Yale Cabaret, and Gulfshore Playhouse and for 12 years served as publisher for Show Music Magazine. He is the author of The Grand View and The Womb and his articles have appeared in Playbill and Dramatists Quarterly. He is the co-author of The Christmas Tree Dinner which was performed at the Old Lyme Inn in 2010. He is excited to Direct Little Women in his debut at The Opera House.

Barbara Washer is a lifelong theater artist, director, teacher and consultant, she holds two graduate degrees in Theater from The University of New Orleans. Professionally, she has performed in regional theatre, summer stock, outdoor drama, children’s and community theater. Barbara has directed a wide range of styles from Shakespeare to the avante garde. She has developed drama classes and workshops in recreation departments, universities and theater companies, including Hartford Stage, University of Hartford and UCONN. For 15 years Barbara was Chair of the Drama Department at Renbrook School in West Hartford CT. Throughout her career she has produced a series of unique summer theatre programs, giving young campers the opportunity to collaborate with professional teaching artists to create their own original musical productions. Barbara contributes her expertise to area arts organizations including Hartford Performs (as a teaching artist). Barbara’s passion is to use the medium of theater to help students realize their full potential. Her unwavering philosophy is to give all participants, regardless of age, ability or prior experience, equal ownership in the creative process. She is delighted to Direct the original Rogers and Hammerstein version of Cinderella in November.

Becky Beth Benedict is a theatre director, actor, and educator based in Connecticut. This Autumn her directing projects include a staged reading of David Mamet’s Boston Marriage with the Suffield Players and Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl at the University of Hartford. Among other recent directing credits are Almost, Maine at the Valley Repertory Company as well as three new plays in the “LabWorks 15 Minute New Play Contest”, including Reservations Cancelled, the festival drama winner. Becky Beth teaches theatre courses for Hartford Children’s Theatre, the Summer Institute for the Gifted at Yale, and Hampshire Shakespeare Company. Becky Beth has served as the dean of the musical theater department of The Hartford Conservatory and worked with several New England theatre companies including East Haddam Stage Company, Connecticut Heritage Productions, Hole in the Wall, The Repertory Theater of New Britain, and Castle Craig Players. She is thrilled to bring the decadent and seedy world of Chicago to the Opera House Players audience in February and suggests you get your tickets fast!

We are so fortunate to have these talented Directors join our Opera House Family. And lets not forget Opera House veteran Sharon FitzHenry (Secret Garden and Ragtime of late) who will Direct La Cage Aux Folles in May. What wonderful talent and skill!

Bill Stepansky

President

The Opera House Players

860-668-6020

billstepan@aol.com