Directed by Lindsay Pier
Stage Managed by Cass Penegor
Costume Design by Luke Scattergood
Set, Sound, and Light Design by Patrick Ciamacco
CAST/STAFF
Patrick Ciamacco (Guildenstern) is very excited to be returning to the stage with such an amazing cast. Last season, you may have seen Patrick in The Crucible (John Proctor). Past Blank Canvas Theatre shows include the title roles in The Toxic Avenger, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Jekyll & Hyde, plus roles in The Wild Party (Burrs), Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show (Eddie), High Fidelity (Barry), and Of Mice and Men (Lennie). Other professional credits include Beck Center’s Shrek The Musical (Shrek), Jerry Springer: The Opera (Dwight/ God) , The 25th… Spelling Bee (William Barfee), and Evil Dead - The Musical (Jake). His experience also includes Playhouse Square's We Gotta Bingo (Bucky Fuller), a musical version of The Nutcracker at The Cleveland Play House, and Playhouse Square's two-and-a half-year run of Tony & Tina's Wedding. Patrick sends thanks to all those who believe in him and dedicates his performance to the person sitting in the third row, fifth seat from the left.
Dimitri Georgiadis (Hamlet) is excited to be playing Hamlet in his first production at Blank Canvas Theatre. He has performed at a number of Akron and Cleveland theaters including Magical Theater Company, Weathervane Playhouse, and Ohio Shakespeare Festival. Dimitri’s memorable credits include Noises Off (Gary/Roger), Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), Dracula (Renfield), The Miracle Worker (James Keller), and And Then There Were None (Phillip Lombard). Dimitri can also be seen in various locations performing in murder mystery events for Get Away With Murder, Inc., based out of Akron.
Miron Gusso (Player) is appearing at Blank Canvas Theatre for the first time and is beyond thrilled to join this stellar cast. A third-generation puppeteer from Russia, Miron received his M.A. in Puppetry from The University of Connecticut. Previous Cleveland credits include The Play That Goes Wrong (Max) with Chagrin Valley Little Theater and Golden (Zanchino) at Talespinner Children’s Theatre. Miron’s NYC credits include Looking Glass Theater’s The Tempest (Antonio), and Teatro SEA’s Skeletons (Enrique), Legends of the Enchanted Treasure (Miguel), and La Cucarachita Martina (Kike the Rooster), as well as Twist, a gay rock opera based on Oliver Twist, at the Kraine Theatre (Charlie Bates). His national tour credits include Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE (Lead Puppeteer and Trainer), Vital Theater’s original musical The Bully (Steve), and NPR Radiolab's “Apocalyptical” tour (Lead Puppeteer). Other favorite credits include Doc Brown from Back to the Future at Universal Studios Japan and Lead Puppeteer and Trainer with Field Station: Dinosaurs adventure park. Miron currently works as the Director of Entertainment for Kringle’s Inventionasium in Tower City Center. Thanks to the fam who made this possible for me to be up here!
Christian “CJ” Hall (Tragedian) is excited to be back for his second show with Blank Canvas Theatre. He has appeared in several productions, both in Chicago, IL and here in Cleveland, including Little Women (Mr. Dashwood), Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf), RENT (Ensemble/Angel U/S), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Judah), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Drifter), and his most recent production, Choir Boy (Pharus). CJ is grateful to be working with the BCT family, and would like to thank his friends and family for all the love and support.
John Harrington (Tragedian) is very excited to be making his Blank Canvas Theatre debut! Some of his previous credits include the English-language premiere of Where Are Ypu Going, Little Horse? (Carnival Master), Heddatron (Cubby Gordon), The Sandbox (Young Man), The 25th …Spelling Bee (Leaf Coneybear), All My Sons (Joe Keller), and Rumors (Lenny). He is a recent graduate of Skidmore College who has also trained at Brooklyn Comedy Collective. John is a musician, comedian, reader, writer, and a big Cleveland sports fan. He would like to thank the cast and crew for their incredible work, and his friends and family for their support.
Amanda Martin-Bensken (Ophelia) is thrilled to be making her Cleveland professional debut at Blank Canvas Theatre! She could be previously seen performing in Washington, DC and Lancaster, PA. Some favorite credits include Circle Mirror Transformation (Marty), The Blameless (Libby), and The Wizard of Oz (Wicked Witch of the West). Most of her time is spent teaching at Saint Ignatius High School and serving as the director of the Harlequins Drama Program. Some favorite directing credits include The Laramie Project, Shrek The Musical, and Something Rotten. Come see her amazing students in Clue this November! Tremendous love and gratitude to her husband Wyatt for his patience and support, thanks to her loving parents, and so much gratitude to Patrick and Lindsay for this opportunity!
Brian McNally (Rosencrantz) is happily returning to Blank Canvas Theatre, having appeared in last season's The Crucible (Rev. Parris). He has worked with Cleveland Public Theatre, Beck Center, Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Great Lakes Theater, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, and alongside the Cleveland Orchestra, among others. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Jessica, and Marty.
Samuel Roter (Alfred/Tragedian) is happy to be making his Blank Canvas Theatre debut. He recently returned to the Cleveland theatre scene after receiving his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Chemistry and Theatre at Muhlenberg College. Recent performances at Muhlenberg include Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (Pierre), The Labyrinth of Desire (Alejandro), Everybody (Everybody et al.), Blue Stockings (Mr. Banks), Love and Information (Ensemble), and the world premiere of -in-chief (Asst.). Samuel's undergraduate research focused on designing, synthesizing, and testing novel therapeutics to treat neuroinflammation, one of the possible contributors to Alzheimer's disease.
Kim Seabright Martin (Tragedian) is happy to be making her debut at Blank Canvas Theatre. She recently earned her M.F.A. in Acting from Michigan State University. Previous credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Leonata), The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong (Chris), The Whirligig (Trish), and As You Like It (Rosalind). Around Northeast Ohio, she has also performed with Ohio City Theatre Project, Dobama Theatre’s Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival, Rubber City Theatre, Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, and Talespinner Children’s Theatre, among others. Evermore thanks to her family, friends, and mentors.
Sean Seibert (Claudius) is proud to be among the Blank Canvas Theatre rookies in this exciting production! He's a local performing artist, having worked with many theatres, including Talespinner Children's Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Karamu House, and Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. He also hosts the monthly Last Saturday Open Mic at Negative Space Gallery. Sean’s credits include New York productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bottom) and Henry V, (King Henry), both with Gorilla Rep, and The Hamlet Project (Ghost) at La MaMa ETC as well as The importance of Being Earnest (Jack) in Key West, FL. Sean is grateful. Everyday. Enjoy the show!
Tammy Shanley (Tragedian) is thrilled to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre. Some of her recent and favorite roles include The Crucible (Judge Hathorne), The Price (Esther), The Mirror Effect (Virginia Woolf), A Delicate Balance (Claire), A Streetcar Named Desire (Stella), Orson's Shadow (Joan Plowright), The Tempest (Stephano), A Midsummer's Night Dream (Puck) and Noises Off (Poppy). Shanley has performed on stages throughout Ohio, Minneapolis, Key West, and Mexico. She is also a director and playwright.
Susan Stein (Gertrude) is excited and grateful to make her debut at Blank Canvas Theatre and to work with Lindsay and this wonderful cast! Recent credits include This Side of Crazy (Abigail), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Genie Klein), Incident at our Lady of Perpetual Help (Josephine), Broadway Bound (Kate) and The Sisters Rosensweig (Gorgeous). Stein has spent the past 12 years touring her original play, Etty, adapted from the writings of Etty Hillesum and directed by Austin Pendleton, to theatres, universities, schools and prisons throughout the U.S. and parts of Europe. Stein currently teaches at Duquesne University bringing incarcerated men, formerly incarcerated men, police officers and undergraduates together using theater and writing to work towards police justice. In the fall, Stein will be staging Hamlet in the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh. She studied at New York University Tisch School of the Arts (M.F.A.) and SUNY Purchase. www.ettyproject.org Thank you, always, Seth and Yannick.
Stephen Walker (Polonius) is beyond thrilled to bring Polonius to life in this production! He is a graduate of Albion College, where he studied genetics and theatre, and also played football. As a member of Theta Alpha Phi, a national theatre honor society, Stephen is no stranger to the stage, having a deep love and appreciation for the art. He is also a musical artist with more than a few albums self-produced and distributed. His hobbies include writing poetry, painting, producing music, spending time with his family, studying history, recording monologues, and binge-watching Marvel films (Spider-Man is his favorite). Stephen also loves to cook, and his favorite food is macaroni and cheese. After a recent relocation to Cleveland, Stephen is incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be involved in this wonderful production. His recent credits include Unfiltered: Gen Z Reacts to The Chosen (Himself), The Hope of Noel (Martin), and I’ll Be Back Before Midnight (George).
Cass Penegor (Stage Manager) is excited to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre and working with this wonderful team. Cass stage managed BCT’s productions Leap of Faith, Zombie Prom, and American Idiot, and has been involved in stage management for 12 years. During the day, Cass teaches art, and, somewhere between all of that, works as a studio artist. Cass would like to thank Pat and BCT for this opportunity, as well as mom, partner, and friends for all of the love and support! Enjoy the show!
Lindsay Pier (Director) is excited to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre -- this time as a director! She most recently appeared in BCT's production of Pippin (Leading Player). Other BCT credits include Next Fall (Holly), the benefit concert of Merrily We Roll Along (Mary), and One Man, Two Guvnors (Dolly). She is a pessimist by nature, but in a delightful way. Lindsay tries to find reasons to laugh whenever she can in this current hellscape. Lindsay is thankful for Pat for this opportunity and for making BCT a place where she can spend her "me" time, meet some cool, different people, and put that B.F.A. degree for which she's still paying to good use. Love to Josh for his immeasurable support and to Lisa for her endless encouragement.
Luke Scattergood (Costume Design) is thrilled to return to Blank Canvas Theatre for another season. His costume design credits include Hair, Of Mice and Men, Sweeney Todd, Cabaret, Reefer Madness, and many others. Regionally, his work has been seen at Cain Park, CCC Western Campus, Lorain Community Music Theater, and beyond. Luke serves as the theater director at Bay High School and directs productions throughout the area. Heartfelt thanks to Patrick and Lindsay for bringing into the troupe, and endless love to his wife, Laura, and their three amazing kids for their constant support. Thank you for supporting live theater — enjoy the show!