[NEohioPAL]ONCE ON THIS ISLAND opens the Porthouse 2002 Season

[emadden]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MAGIC, MUSIC & LOVE OPEN THE PORTHOUSE THEATRE 2002 SEASON
Directed by Victoria Bussert, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND starts this magical season

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio =96 Opening the magical 2002 season for Porthouse Theatre 
is the calypso-flavored musical ONCE ON THIS ISLAND.  Cleveland-Area director, 
Victoria Bussert returns to direct after last season=92s successful The 
Fantasticks.  ONCE ON THIS ISLAND runs June 13 =96 29 with a preview performance 
on June 13 and opening night on June 14.  The opening night performance will 
be followed by a free champagne reception.

=93The tale of a peasant girl who fell in love wit ha young grand homme.  A girl 
chosen by the gods for a magical fate.  The Story of Ti Moune!=94

Written by Lynn Ahrens with music by Stephen Flaherty, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is 
a calypso-flavored legend that tells the story of Ti Moune, a poor peasant 
girl who falls in love with an upper class boy, after she saves his life.  At 
the center of the story are the island=92s four gods, whom have determined Ti 
Moune=92s destiny from the time she was an orphaned child.  The gods cause the 
lives of the young lovers to intersect and send Ti Moune on a fateful journey 
that tests the strength of her love over prejudice and even death.  Directed 
by Cleveland-Area director, Victoria Bussert, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND runs June 13 
=96 29 on the beautiful Porthouse grounds.  Performances are Tuesday =96 Saturday 
at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM.

The cast of Once ONCE ON THIS ISLAND includes=85
Victoria Bussert** (Director) has been the Artistic Director of Cain Park 
Theatre for 15 years.  Credits include: SIDE SHOW, INTO THE WOODS, GOBLIN 
MARKET, COMPANY, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and FOLLIES.  Ms. Bussert is also a 
Resident Director with Great Lakes Theater Festival.  Credits include: THE 
MOST HAPPY FELLA, SHE LOVES ME, THE SCHOOL FOR WIVES, SHE LOVES ME, NOEL AND 
GERTIE, GYPSY and LA RONDE.  She has worked regionally at Repertory Theatre of 
St. Louis, Pegasus players, Cincinnati Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera, Dallas 
Theare Center, Portland Stage, Anchorage Opera, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland 
Play House, and the Manhattan Theatre Club.  She has directed 7 national tours 
including TOMMY, THE SECRET GARDEN, GUYS & DOLLS, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, INTO 
THE WOODS, and BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY.  International work includes 
productions in St. Petersburg, Russia, Brazil and an African tour of BUBBLIN' 
SUGAR BROWN.

Derrick Cobey* (Agwe) is honored to be part of Porthouse Theatre this summer.  
Derrick was recently seen in the National Tour of RENT.  Other credits 
include: FOREVER SWING(National Tour) and Regional: SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE, VIOLET, 
SIDE SHOW, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, and Great Lakes Theater 
Festival's BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME. Derrick would like to dedicate this 
show to Carelton, I love you little bro.

Yolanda Christine Davis (Erzulie) recently completed her second year as a BFA 
Musical Theatre major at Kent State University.  Her first year in school was 
spent studying voice at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.  Favorite 
past appearances include THE SOUND OF MUSIC(Maria), CINDERELLA (Cinderella), 
and Dobama=92s CONSTANT STAR(Ida B. Wells).  As always, she sends thanks to her 
Mom and Dad. She would like to dedicate this performance to the memory of 
Stacy Lynn.

Angela Gillespie-Winborn * (Mama) recently completed a film, "Finding Fish, 
the Antwan Fisher Story", directed by Denzel Washington.  Northeast Ohio 
productions include, SHOWBOAT (Queenie) at the Carousel Dinner Theater, 
Cleveland Opera on Tour, productions at the Karamu House, and performances at 
the Civic Center.  Angela teaches Drama and Speech at John F. Kennedy High 
School.  She is assistant manager for the Cleveland Showagon Summer Program.  
Angela sends love to her family, friends and students.  She thanks God and 
Vicky for this opportunity.

Thomasina E. Gross (Ti Moune) is pleased to be a part of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND 
at Porthouse.  This Chicago native is a graduate of the Musical Theater 
program at Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music.  Her favorite shows 
include VIOLET (Music Hall Singer/Gospel Singer), WEST SIDE STORY(Consuela), 
and a host of professional commercials and voice-overs for Toyota, McDonalds 
and Kraft, to name a few.  Thanks to her Mom, Dad, Tanya, the Hoods, The Fam, 
Vicky, Francine, John and B-dub for your love and support.

Brian Johnson* (Tonton Julian) has performed many roles in opera as diverse as 
Ford in FALSTAFF to Figaro in THE BARBER OF SEVILLE.  He has also performed a 
variety of musical theatre roles ranging from Jim in several productions of 
BIG RIVER, including last season=92s record breaking production at Porthouse, to 
Bellomy in THE FANTASTICKS.  This season=92s engagements, other than Tonton 
Julian, include the title role in DON GIOVANNI at Duke University, CARMINA 
BURANA with both The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and The Akron Symphony and 
Dewain in I WAS LOOKING AT THE CEILING AND THEN I SAW THE SKY at the Lyric 
Opera Cleveland.


Colleen Longshaw (Asaka) is glad to be returning to Porthouse for a second 
season.  She was last seen on the Porthouse stage as Alice=92s daughter in BIG 
RIVER.  She can be seen this August as Julia in Cain Park=92s production of 
AVENUE X.  She would like to thank her family and friends for their love and 
support and God for allowing her to live her dream.  May God bless and keep 
you all.

Lauren Marshall (Andrea) is originally from the Chicago area and is very happy 
to be making her debut performance with Porthouse Theatre.  She was last seen 
in THE TIN PAN ALLEY RAG directed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett at The Cleveland 
Play House. Lauren is a sophomore Musical Theatre major at Baldwin-Wallace 
College in Berea, OH. She would like to thank God, her family, and friends for 
their constant support.

Charles D. Martin, Jr. (Understudy) is a junior at Kent State University 
having recently transferred from Fisk University in Nashville, TN.  He has 
performed in numerous plays, many of them while in Nashville, including: 
DREAMGIRLS, GOD'S TROMBONE, BEFORE IT HITS HOME, FLYIN' WEST, THE OLD SETTLER 
and ONCE ON THIS ISLAND. This is Charles' first time working with Porthouse 
and he would like to thank everyone involved for this opportunity.

Sierra Matthews (Little Ti Moune) is 8 years old and in the 3rd grade at 
Carylwood Intermediate.  She is pleased to be making her debut with Porthouse 
as Little Ti Moune.  Sierra has also had roles in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTARat 
Tri-C West, THE WIZARD OF OZ and PINOCCHIO with Cassidy Theatre.  Off stage 
she has been seen in the Cleveland Zoo commercial for the Australian 
Adventure.  She sends her love to all her supporting family and friends.

Darrel Miller (Armand) is a Kent State University Musical Education student 
whose credits include, SIDE SHOW (Jake), and CHICAGO (Mary Sunshine) at Kent 
State and THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT (The Black) at Actors=92 Summit Theatre.  
He is very active in the Chorale, Gospel Choir, Chorus and Opera at Kent 
State.  Future projects include more operas and musicals, a solo album and a 
teaching career.

Dominic Roberts (Daniel) is excited to be appearing at Porthouse Theatre with 
such a talented cast.  His past shows include HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS=85(J.P. 
Finch), THE SOUND OF MUSIC(Rolf), and WEST SIDE STORY(Chino).  You can see him 
later this summer as Chuck in AVENUE X at Cain Park, and he will be a Junior 
Musical Theatre Major at Baldwin-Wallace College in the fall.  He sends his 
thanks to Vicky, Nancy, friends, and much love to his parents and family for 
constant support.

Kristopher Thompson-Bolden (Papa Ge) comes to you all the way from Houston, 
TX, where he graduated from the High School for the Performing and Visual 
Arts.  Kristopher was seen here last summer in THE FANTASTICKS (Mute) and BIG 
RIVER(Elmo). This year he was honored to be a part of the Cleveland Opera 
Chorus.  He is currently a sophomore Musical Theatre major at Baldwin-Wallace 
College Conservatory.  He would like to thank God, his mother and Vicky for 
supporting and believing in him.
*Members Actor=92s Equity Association
**Member of the Society for Stage Directors and Choreographers


Subscriptions for this =93Season of Magic=94 are still available by calling 
330-672-2497 or 1-800-304-2363.  Subscriptions range from $21 - $42 with 
discounts available for seniors and students.  Single tickets can also be 
purchased by calling the numbers above.  Ticket prices range from $10 - $20 
with discounts available for students and seniors.  Group tickets are 
currently available by calling 330-672-3884 or 1-800-304-2363.  Groups consist 
of ten or more people and prices range from $10 to $20 depending on the size 
of the group and day of performance.

Porthouse Theatre was founded in 1971 and is one of only a few summer theaters 
in the area.  Set on the beautiful grounds of the Blossom Music Center, 
Porthouse offers audiences the finest in professional summer theater.   The 
comfortable 500-seat, outdoor, covered pavilion theater is located next to the 
Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Cuyahoga Falls.  Audience members are 
encouraged to arrive early to picnic on the grounds or in our new picnic 
pavilion.  Picnic tables and the beautiful scenery are provided free of 
charge.  We can also pack you a picnic.  Order your boxed dinner with your 
tickets.  Experience professional, live theater, a wonderful picnic, and a 
little bit of magic all in one season.  =93The Stars Are Out & Magic Is Afoot!=94

Porthouse Theatre, the Akron-Cleveland area=92s professional summer theatre, is 
a cultural service of Kent State University.  Porthouse Theatre is a member of 
the Akron Area Arts Alliance and Porthouse Theatre=92s programs and activities 
are made possible in part by funding from the Ohio Arts Council.


Elisabeth Madden
Managing Director
emadden at kent.edu
330-672-0103 (Phone)
330-672-2889 (Fax)

Elisabeth Madden
Managing Director
School of Theatre & Dance
Porthouse Theatre
330-672-0103
emadden at kent.edu