[NEohioPAL]Actors' Summit Opens SUDS, the rockin 60's musical soap opera

Thackaberr at aol.com Thackaberr at aol.com
Tue Jun 10 22:35:23 PDT 2003


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For Immediate Release
For additional information contact: 
Neil Thackaberry 330-342-0800
Hudson, Ohio June 10, 2003 

Actors' Summit Theater presents
SUDS
The Rocking '60's Soap Opera Musical

Actors' Summit presents the rocking '60's soap opera musical, SUDS at its 
theater, 86 Owen Brown Street, one block north and two blocks west of the clock 
tower, in downtown Hudson. A preview performance on Thursday, June 19, will be 
followed by an extended run with a scheduled closing on Sunday, July 27. 
Performances are scheduled for Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 8:00 PM and 
Sunday afternoons at 2:00PM.

The Play
    Cindy works in a Laundromat. It's her birthday and everything seems just 
swell until Mr. Postman arrives and gives her all sorts of bad news. Among 
other things, she has been dumped by her pen-pal boyfriend for someone with 
better penmanship. After Mr. Postman leaves she becomes depressed and tries 
'suicide by laundry' using various laundry items. Just as she has created a noose 
with a pair of petal pushers and attached it to the agitator of a washing 
machine, Marge and Dee Dee enter with laundry baskets. As Cindy is being sucked into 
a washer, Marge and Dee Dee think she's doing a new dance and join in. It 
turns out Marge and Dee Dee are both 'Guardian Angels' sent down to help Cindy 
with her dilemma. After that the story gets silly.
    The play is really an excuse to perform live some of the most popular 
music of the 1960's. From The Beatles (We Can Work It Out), to Burt Bacharach (I 
Say a Little Prayer), to James Brown (I Feel Good), to Aretha Franklin 
(RESPECT), to Elvis (Are You Lonesome Tonight?) to great girl group songs like 
Loco-motion, Chapel of Love, and Easier Said Than Done. 

The Cast
Pam LaForce (Dee Dee) This is Pam's second production with Actors' Summit, 
having just appeared in Picnic, and she's thrilled to be here. Pam has been 
performing for over 20 years and has worked at many theaters throughout 
Northeastern Ohio. Recent credits include: Man of La Mancha (Aldonza), Guys and Dolls 
(Adelaide), Gypsy (Rose), Annie (Miss Hannigan), Chicago (Roxie), and 
Joseph...Dreamcoat (Narrator). 

Joel S. Nunley (multiple roles) is excited to be working for the first time 
at Actor's Summit.  Area credits: Winston in Credeaux Canvas; Captain Von 
Trappe in Sound of Music; Carl Mangus in A Little Night Music; Kodaly in She Loves 
Me; and John Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet.  For New York's Doger Productions:  
Pharoah in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Stanley in Smoke on 
the Mountain (Best Supporting Actor of the Year Award).  For CBS, Joel 
recently co-starred on "The Guardian" and will return next season.  Also, his "big" 
scene in "The Clearing" an upcoming Robert Redford film, should astound 
multitudes.  

Sasha Thackaberry (Cindy) received her BFA in Dance from the University of 
Akron Honors College and her Masters in the Art of Teaching from Kent State 
University.  She is the Artistic Director of illuminata dance theatre and teaches 
dance full time in the Cleveland Municipal School District.  She has studied 
dance at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, at Ballet Met in Columbus, and was 
a member of the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet. Sasha appeared at Actors' Summit 
in Charlie's Aunt, as well as Oedipus Rex.  Last summer she  performed in  
the area premiere of  I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. She has also 
performed at Cain Park and Stan Hywet Shakespeare.  Sasha has choreographed all of 
Actors' Summit Productions.

Jean Zarzour (Marge) has appeared internationally on television, radio, film 
and in regional theater for over 20 years. Film credits include Sal's Wife in 
"The Public Eye" with Joe Pesci, Flo in "Lost in Yonkers" with Mercedes 
Ruhell, Gloria in "Street Corner Justus" with Mark Singer & Clint Howard and Holly 
in "Proximity" with Rob Lowe & James Coburn. TV credits include Candid Camera 
and America's Funniest People. Stage credits include off-Broadway productions 
of West Side Story, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Nuts. Jean most recently 
appeared as Mahala in Homebody/Kabul at Dobama Theater and has also appeared at 
Berea Summer Theater, The Cleveland Play House, and Great Lakes Theater Festival 
. 

The Playwrights
MELINDA GILB co-wrote Suds  and originated the role of "Marge".  She played 
the role off-Broadway, as well as in the San Diego and San Francisco 
productions.  Her writing credits include "Apple Pie" for British television, sketch 
comedy for the stage revue "When Friends Collide" and two screenplays.  She has 
appeared on Broadway in Singin' in the Rain, off-Broadway in The Robber 
Bridegroom, toured nationally in Joseph Papp's The Pirates of Penzance and appeared 
on the BBC-1 television series The Full Wax (with Mo Gaffney) and Ruby Takes a 
Trip.  She starred in off-Broadway's Back to Bacharach and David and performed 
the title role in the musical Always...Patsy Cline in several cities. 
Recently, Melinda joined old Suds co-horts Will Roberson and Steve Gunderson to star 
in their new musical Dixie Highway, which had its world premiere in San Diego 
last summer.

STEVE GUNDERSON co-wrote and did the musical arrangements for off-Broadway's  
Suds and starred in the New York, San Diego and San Francisco productions.  
He played "Sparky" in the off-Broadway, Boston, Atlantic City and Los Angeles 
productions of Forever Plaid.  His regional theatre credits include "Peter" in 
The Heidi Chronicles and "Tom" in Only Kidding  both directed by Will 
Roberson.  TV appearances include NBC's "The Doctors" and "The Equalizer" and BBC's 
The Full Wax.  He played multiple roles in the National Tour of The Grapes of 
Wrath  (with Ed Harris) and played "Joey" in the Arts Club Theatre's revival of 
Butley .  Steve conceived, arranged and starred in off-Broadway's Back to 
Bacharach and David  and recently composed the score for the new musical Dixie 
Highway. He has arranged and composed music for various shows, revues and an 
award-winning short film Topsy and Bunker.

BRYAN SCOTT co-wrote Suds  as well as being one of the original producers of 
the off-Broadway production and subsequent companies throughout the United 
States.  Bryan moved to London in 1989 where he worked as a  writer and/or 
producer for British Television. His credits include "The Full Wax" (BBC1), "Tonight 
with Jonathan Ross (Channel 4), "A Word in Your Ear"  (BBC2), "Accentuate the 
Positive" (Channel 4), "Friday Night with Wogan (BBC1) "For One Night Only" 
(Channel 4)  "The Real McCoy" (BBC2) and "Passengers (Channel 4).  Bryan also 
wrote and performed (with Meera Syal), at the 1992 Edinburgh Fringe Festival 
and in London as Part of Time Out's Pick of the Fringe  series. Since returning 
to the States in 1993, Bryan has created the game show Trashed for MTV, 
co-wrote/associate produced the Gay and Lesbian comedy special Out There for Comedy 
Central and wrote for the Fox Television series The Mo Show, starring Mo 
Gaffney. Bryan would like to thank Will Roberson for his creative input on Suds  
and Mo Gaffney for just about everything else. 

The Production Team 
Evie Moris (Musical Director) has worked as a musical director, accompanist, 
performer and teacher throughout Greater Cleveland.  Since musically directing 
Actor's Summit productions of I Do! I Do! and Roar of the Greasepaint she has 
played keyboard for KSU productions Sideshow, Chicago, Guys and Dolls and 
Brigadoon at Porthouse Theatre.  She returns to Porthouse this summer for 
Oklahoma!.  

The production is directed and designed by MaryJo Alexander, associate 
artistic director of Actors' Summit Theater. Stage management is by Katie Dougherty. 
 Joe Proscia and Shingo Ito are the stage crew.

Performance Dates and Tickets
Suds runs from June 19 through July 27 at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and 
Saturday and 2:00 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $27.50 on Fridays and Saturdays and $24.50 
on Thursdays and Sundays. Students and Seniors receive a $4 discount. Group 
discounts are available. 

Web site 
Actors Summit Theater can be found on the web at www.actorssummit.org. 
Actors'Summit is a professional, not for profit, 501-c-3 professional arts 
organization. We are seeking volunteers and board members. For more details please call 
MaryJo or Neil at 330-342-0800. 

Actors' Summit is a member of PACT, The Professional Alliance of Cleveland 
Theaters. 

Actors' Summit is working under a developmental agreement with Actors' Equity 
Association (the Union of professional Actors and Stage managers.)

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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT  SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">For Immediate Release<BR>
For additional information contact: <BR>
Neil Thackaberry 330-342-0800<BR>
Hudson, Ohio June 10, 2003 <BR>
<BR>
<P ALIGN=3DCENTER></FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR:=
 #ffffff" SIZE=3D4 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">Actors' Su=
mmit Theater presents<BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D5=
 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><B><I>SUDS</FONT><FONT  COLO=
R=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D4 FAMILY=3D"SANSSER=
IF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><BR>
The Rocking '60's Soap Opera Musical</B></I><BR>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT></FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #=
ffffff" SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"><BR>
Actors' Summit presents the rocking '60's soap opera musical, <B><I>SUDS</B>=
</I> at its theater, 86 Owen Brown Street, one block north and two blocks we=
st of the clock tower, in downtown Hudson. A preview performance on Thursday=
, June 19, will be followed by an extended run with a scheduled closing on S=
unday, July 27. Performances are scheduled for Thursdays, Fridays, & Sat=
urdays at 8:00 PM and Sunday afternoons at 2:00PM.<BR>
<BR>
<B>The Play</B><BR>
    Cindy works in a Laundromat. It's her birthday and everything seems just=
 swell until Mr. Postman arrives and gives her all sorts of bad news. Among=20=
other things, she has been dumped by her pen-pal boyfriend for someone with=20=
better penmanship. After Mr. Postman leaves she becomes depressed and tries=20=
'suicide by laundry' using various laundry items. Just as she has created a=20=
noose with a pair of petal pushers and attached it to the agitator of a wash=
ing machine, Marge and Dee Dee enter with laundry baskets. As Cindy is being=
 sucked into a washer, Marge and Dee Dee think she's doing a new dance and j=
oin in. It turns out Marge and Dee Dee are both 'Guardian Angels' sent down=20=
to help Cindy with her dilemma. After that the story gets silly.<BR>
    The play is really an excuse to perform live some of the most popular mu=
sic of the 1960's. From The Beatles (We Can Work It Out), to Burt Bacharach=20=
(I Say a Little Prayer), to James Brown (I Feel Good), to Aretha Franklin (R=
ESPECT), to Elvis (Are You Lonesome Tonight?) to great girl group songs like=
 Loco-motion, Chapel of Love, and Easier Said Than Done. <BR>
<BR>
<B>The Cast<BR>
Pam LaForce</B> (Dee Dee) This is Pam's second production with Actors' Summi=
t, having just appeared in <B><I>Picnic</B></I>, and she's thrilled to be he=
re. Pam has been performing for over 20 years and has worked at many theater=
s throughout Northeastern Ohio. Recent credits include: <I>Man of La Mancha<=
/I> (Aldonza), <I>Guys and Dolls</I> (Adelaide), <I>Gypsy</I> (Rose), <I>Ann=
ie</I> (Miss Hannigan), <I>Chicago</I> (Roxie), and <I>Joseph...Dreamcoat</I=
> (Narrator). <BR>
<BR>
<B>Joel S. Nunley</B> (multiple roles) is excited to be working for the firs=
t time at Actor's Summit.  Area credits: Winston in <I>Credeaux Canvas<=
/I>; Captain Von Trappe in <I>Sound of Music</I>; Carl Mangus in <I>A Little=
 Night Music</I>; Kodaly in <I>She Loves Me</I>; and John Barrymore in <I>I=20=
Hate Hamlet</I>.  For New York's Doger Productions:  Pharoah in <I=
>Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat</I> and Stanley in <I>Smoke on=
 the Mountain</I> (Best Supporting Actor of the Year Award).  For CBS,=20=
Joel recently co-starred on "The Guardian" and will return next season.&nbsp=
; Also, his "big" scene in "The Clearing" an upcoming Robert Redford film, s=
hould astound multitudes.  <BR>
<BR>
<B>Sasha Thackaberry</B> (Cindy) received her BFA in Dance from the Universi=
ty of Akron Honors College and her Masters in the Art of Teaching from Kent=20=
State University.  She is the Artistic Director of illuminata dance the=
atre and teaches dance full time in the Cleveland Municipal School District.=
  She has studied dance at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, at Ballet=
 Met in Columbus, and was a member of the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet. Sash=
a appeared at Actors' Summit in <I>Charlie's Aunt</I>, as well as <I>Oedipus=
 Rex</I>.  Last summer she  performed in  the area premiere o=
f  <I>I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change</I>. She has also performe=
d at Cain Park and Stan Hywet Shakespeare.  Sasha has choreographed all=
 of Actors' Summit Productions.<BR>
<BR>
<B>Jean Zarzour</B> (Marge) has appeared internationally on television, radi=
o, film and in regional theater for over 20 years. Film credits include Sal'=
s Wife in "The Public Eye" with Joe Pesci, Flo in "Lost in Yonkers" with Mer=
cedes Ruhell, Gloria in "Street Corner Justus" with Mark Singer & Clint=20=
Howard and Holly in "Proximity" with Rob Lowe & James Coburn. TV credits=
 include Candid Camera and America's Funniest People. Stage credits include=20=
off-Broadway productions of <I>West Side Story</I>, <I>A Midsummer Nights Dr=
eam</I>, and <I>Nuts</I>. Jean most recently appeared as Mahala in <I>Homebo=
dy/Kabul</I> at Dobama Theater and has also appeared at Berea Summer Theater=
, The Cleveland Play House, and Great Lakes Theater Festival . <BR>
<BR>
<B>The Playwrights</B><BR>
<B>MELINDA GILB</B> co-wrote <I>Suds</I>  and originated the role of "M=
arge".  She played the role off-Broadway, as well as in the San Diego a=
nd San Francisco productions.  Her writing credits include "Apple Pie"=20=
for British television, sketch comedy for the stage revue "When Friends Coll=
ide" and two screenplays.  She has appeared on Broadway in <I>Singin' i=
n the Rain</I>, off-Broadway in <I>The Robber Bridegroom</I>, toured nationa=
lly in Joseph Papp's <I>The Pirates of Penzance</I> and appeared on the BBC-=
1 television series The Full Wax (with Mo Gaffney) and Ruby Takes a Trip.&nb=
sp; She starred in off-Broadway's <I>Back to Bacharach and David</I> and per=
formed the title role in the musical <I>Always...Patsy Cline</I> in several=20=
cities. Recently, Melinda joined old Suds co-horts Will Roberson and Steve G=
underson to star in their new musical <I>Dixie Highway</I>, which had its wo=
rld premiere in San Diego last summer.<BR>
<BR>
<B>STEVE GUNDERSON</B> co-wrote and did the musical arrangements for off-Bro=
adway's  <I>Suds </I>and starred in the New York, San Diego and San Fra=
ncisco productions.  He played "Sparky" in the off-Broadway, Boston, At=
lantic City and Los Angeles productions of <I>Forever Plaid</I>.  His r=
egional theatre credits include "Peter" in <I>The Heidi Chronicles</I> and "=
Tom" in <I>Only Kidding</I>  both directed by Will Roberson.  TV a=
ppearances include NBC's "The Doctors" and "The Equalizer" and BBC's The Ful=
l Wax.  He played multiple roles in the National Tour of <I>The Grapes=20=
of Wrath</I>  (with Ed Harris) and played "Joey" in the Arts Club Theat=
re's revival of <I>Butley</I> .  Steve conceived, arranged and starred=20=
in off-Broadway's <I>Back to Bacharach and David</I>  and recently comp=
osed the score for the new musical <I>Dixie Highway</I>. He has arranged and=
 composed music for various shows, revues and an award-winning short film To=
psy and Bunker.<BR>
<BR>
<B>BRYAN SCOTT</B> co-wrote <I>Suds</I>  as well as being one of the or=
iginal producers of the off-Broadway production and subsequent companies thr=
oughout the United States.  Bryan moved to London in 1989 where he work=
ed as a  writer and/or producer for British Television. His credits inc=
lude "The Full Wax" (BBC1), "Tonight with Jonathan Ross (Channel 4), "A Word=
 in Your Ear"  (BBC2), "Accentuate the Positive" (Channel 4), "Friday N=
ight with Wogan (BBC1) "For One Night Only" (Channel 4)  "The Real McCo=
y" (BBC2) and "Passengers (Channel 4).  Bryan also wrote and performed=20=
(with Meera Syal), at the 1992 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in London as Pa=
rt of Time Out's Pick of the Fringe  series. Since returning to the Sta=
tes in 1993, Bryan has created the game show Trashed for MTV, co-wrote/assoc=
iate produced the Gay and Lesbian comedy special Out There for Comedy Centra=
l and wrote for the Fox Television series The Mo Show, starring Mo Gaffney.=20=
Bryan would like to thank Will Roberson for his creative input on Suds =
 and Mo Gaffney for just about everything else. <BR>
<BR>
<B>The Production Team</B> <BR>
<B>Evie Moris</B> (Musical Director) has worked as a musical director, accom=
panist, performer and teacher throughout Greater Cleveland.  Since musi=
cally directing Actor's Summit productions of <I>I Do! I Do!</I> and <I>Roar=
 of the Greasepaint </I>she has played keyboard for KSU productions <I>Sides=
how, Chicago, Guys and Dolls </I>and <I>Brigadoon</I> at Porthouse Theatre.&=
nbsp; She returns to Porthouse this summer for <I>Oklahoma!</I>.  <BR>
<BR>
The production is directed and designed by MaryJo Alexander, associate artis=
tic director of Actors' Summit Theater. Stage management is by Katie Dougher=
ty.  Joe Proscia and Shingo Ito are the stage crew.<BR>
<BR>
<B>Performance Dates and Tickets</B><BR>
Suds runs from June 19 through July 27 at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturd=
ay and 2:00 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $27.50 on Fridays and Saturdays and $24=
.50 on Thursdays and Sundays. Students and Seniors receive a $4 discount. Gr=
oup discounts are available. <BR>
<BR>
<B>Web site </B><BR>
Actors Summit Theater can be found on the web at www.actorssummit.org. Actor=
s'Summit is a professional, not for profit, 501-c-3 professional arts organi=
zation. We are seeking volunteers and board members. For more details please=
 call MaryJo or Neil at 330-342-0800. <BR>
<BR>
Actors' Summit is a member of PACT, The Professional Alliance of Cleveland T=
heaters. <BR>
<BR>
Actors' Summit is working under a developmental agreement with Actors' Equit=
y Association (the Union of professional Actors and Stage managers.)</P></P>=
</FONT></HTML>

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