Directed by Jonathan Kronenberger
Music Direction by Heidi Herczeg
Choreography by Katie Zarecki
Stage Managed by Brittany Gaul
Costume Design by Jenniver Sparano
Lighting Design by Cory Molner
Set & Sound Design by Patrick Ciamacco
CAST
Brian Altman (Dr. Hannibal Lecter) is delighted to add another disturbed doctor to his Blank Canvas Theatre resume. He made his BCT debut last year in Bat Boy: the Musical (Dr. Parker) and is excited to return with this incredible cast! He's been involved in community theater for many years all over PA and OH. His favorite theatrical credits include Into the Woods (The Baker), Ragtime (Tateh), Cabaret (Emcee), Sweeney Todd (Tobias), and Forever Plaid (Smudge). Though she would NEVER approve of the language in this piece, Brian continues performing to honor the memory of his mother. who lost her battle with cancer this year.
Tonya Broach (Ardelia/Lamb) is no stranger to Blank Canvas Theatre, having performed in past productions of Hair (Dionne) and Night of the Living Dead (Zombie). She has performed on various stages in the Cleveland area including Karamu Theatre, Beck Center, Weathervane Playhouse, and more. She is looking forward to having lots of fun with this production and its talented staff. When she is not doing theatre, she likes to design and make jewelry and travel to the wonderful world of film. Her last film, Made in Cleveland, featured local celebrities Leon Bibb and Robin Swoboda, along with TV personalities Gillian Jacobs and Busy Philipps. Tonya also enjoys working behind the scenes and has served as a Stage Manager at Karamu Theatre. She also serves as Vice President for the Karamu Alumni Association and as a Board Member at Waterloo Arts in the Waterloo Arts Entertainment District in Collinwood Village. “Thank you all for supporting live theatre! I hope you enjoy the show!”
BJ Colangelo (Catherine/Lamb) is ecstatic to professionally play a great, big, fat person. An import from Chicago, BJ has credits including The Wild Party (Ensemble), Urinetown:The Musical (Penelope Pennywise), Big Fish (The Witch), Seussical (Mayzie LaBird), Godspell (Turn Back, O Man), Once Upon A Mattress (Princess Winnifred), The Rocky Horror Show (Columbia), When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? (Angel), Hair (Cathy), and Working (Cleanin' Woman). BJ is also a film actress, having appeared in the films Halloween Spookies, Benny & Steve Almost Die, Applecart, Snuffet, Seven Minutes, Prognosis, and Eat it Up! BJ is the co-founder of Sickening Pictures, an award-winning film production company, and celebrating a year of being pancreatic cancer free! When she's not performing, BJ is a published horror film journalist and theorist featured on Blumhouse.com, Playboy.com, and Icons of Fright, among others. She'd like to dedicate this performance to her parents, who dealt with years of off-key belting and ill-fitting baton costumes to get her to where she is today.
Trey Gilpin (Dr. Chilton / Lamb) is thrilled to be back at Blank Canvas Theatre for this awesome premiere! This is Trey’s fourth show here (fifth, if you count his star turn in the video footage for Night of the Living Dead). You may have seen him in 12 Angry Men (Juror #4), Hair (Woof), and/or Reefer Madness (Ralph). Trey’s a Kentucky native who moved here after working with the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City. As an adopted Clevelander, Trey has appeared at Beck Center for the Arts, Cain Park, Cleveland Public Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Mercury Theatre Company, and more. Favorite shows include The Toxic Avenger (White Dude), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Van Buren), Assassins (Zangara), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Freddy), American Idiot (age gap filler), Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play (Matt), and The Last Five Years (Jamie). Many thanks to Patrick and this spectacular team! Sorry for the swears.
Kat Glover (Lamb) is happily making her Blank Canvas Theatre debut. Though a career children's theater artist, she is excited to be doing something decidedly not for the kids. Favorite credits include Clybourne Park (Betsy/Lindsey) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Rona). Many thanks go out to theater friends old and new for the constant encouragement and continuing education.
Mitch Manthey (Crawford/Papa Starling/Lamb) is thrilled to be back on the Blank Canvas Theatre stage where he fulfilled a long-time desire to play Juror #3 in 12 Angry Men back in 2013. Mitch has been involved in theatre for over 30 years and appeared in over 40 shows. Some of his favorite credits include Kiss Me, Kate (Fredrick Graham), Oliver! (Bill Sykes), 1776 (Edward Rutledge), Wait Until Dark (Harry Roat Jr.), Luv (Milt Manville), Accomplice (Derrick Taylor), and, of course, 12 Angry Men (Juror #3).
Connor Logan Reese (Dream Lecter/Lamb) is incredibly excited to be making his debut at Blank Canvas Theatre and to be a part of such a fantastic show! He is a recent graduate of Kent State University with his BFA in Musical Theatre, minoring in dance. Some of his past credits include Sister Act (Swing) and Footloose (Swing) at Porthouse Theatre, Spring Awakening (Hanschen, u/s Melchior) at Kent State Stark, South Pacific (The Professor) with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, and Peter and the Starcatcher (Bill Slank/Hawking Clam) at Weathervane Playhouse. He would like to thank his eternally supportive friends and family that urge him to succeed no matter what he does, MAB for her insistence on excellence in all things theatrical and dance, and the company of Blank Canvas Theatre for the wonderful opportunity afforded him in this show.
Dawn Sniadak-Yamokoski (Senator Ruth Martin/Lamb) Is thrilled to be doing her first show at Blank Canvas Theatre! Now because of this, she might pursue a seat in the Senate… Some of her favorite roles have been in Next to Normal (Diana), Monty Python’s SPAMALOT (Lady of the Lake), Evita (Eva Peron), Children of Eden (Eve/Momma Noah), My Mother’s Jewish Wiccan Wedding (Jane), and Hairspray (Velma Von Tussle). She has also performed at Aurora Community Theater, Beck Center, Players’ Guild Theatre, Huntington Playhouse, Stow Players, Olde Towne Theater, BTOTS, and Weathervane Playhouse. Dawn lives in Peninsula with her hubby, Jeff, her sons, Drew and Colin, her daughter, Nadia, and two pups.
Kelly Strand (Clarice) is thrilled to be making her debut at Blank Canvas Theatre. Recent credits include Prelude to a Kiss at Ensemble Theatre of Cleveland, Nerve at none too fragile theatre, and Steel Magnolias with the Contemporary American Theatre Company. She has also performed with Cumberland Theatre in Maryland, The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, and Highland's Playhouse. Favorite pastimes include eating ice cream and running, occasionally at the same time. Kelly is a proud alumna of the Barter Players at Barter Theatre and holds a degree in performing arts from Ashland University.
David Turner (Pembry/Lamb) is ready to rock out in this raunchy spoof -- Blank Canvas Theatre will never be the same! Favorite theatrical credits include The Wedding Singer (Robbie Hart), The Producers (Leo Bloom), Bonnie & Clyde (Buck), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Hero), Hair (Tribe/Margaret Mead), Bathroom Humor (Sandy), The Secret Garden (Dickon), and Guys and Dolls (Rusty Charlie). During the day, he works in development for Playhouse Square. David also is a Licensed Massage Therapist at the Studio Cleveland. Thank you to Jonathan for leading this crazy crew!
Joe Virgo (Buffalo Bill) is returning to Blank Canvas Theatre for the third time and he is very thrilled to be back! In his spare time, Joe enjoys watching “Family Feud” with his Slovenian grandfather and roommate, Karl, eating cheese, declaring war on the ants in his kitchen, and forcing his girlfriend to watch terrible YouTube videos he made of himself in high school. Mr. Virgo would like to dedicate his performance of Buffalo Bill to his mentor and friend, Aaron Benson. Additional thanks to his family and the entire BCT/Silence! Team and Jonathan for this enriching experience. Enjoy.
STAFF
Heidi Herczeg (Music Director) is ecstatic to be working at Blank Canvas Theatre! A vocal music teacher at Bay Middle School by day, Heidi has been seen music directing and/or teaching at the Cleveland Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Beck Center, Cassidy Theatre, True North Cultural Arts, Weathervane Playhouse, Chagrin Valley Little Theater, Brecksville Theater on the Square, FPAC, and the Cleveland Opera. Heidi holds a Master's degree from Case Western Reserve University and is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College. Thank you Patrick and Jonathan for this opportunity.
Jonathan Kronenberger (Director) is honored to return for another season at Blank Canvas Theater, having previously directed last season’s Extremities. He serves as Associate Director of Theater Education at Beck Center for the Arts, and holds a BFA in Acting from Miami University and an MFA in Directing from Ohio University. He has directed locally at Beck Center for the Arts, Clague Playhouse, Cleveland Play House and Western Reserve Playhouse as well as in NYC at the Aegean Theater Company, Expanded Arts, Wings Theater and Circle in the Square Theater School. Recent performance credits include Night of the Living Dead (Harry) and 12 Angry Men (Juror #2) at Blank Canvas Theater, along with She Loves Me (Sipos) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Panch) at Beck Center. Mr. Kronenberger is an Associate Member of the Dramatists Guild. Special thanks to Patrick for his trust.
Jenniver Sparano (Costume Designer) returns to Blank Canvas Theatre for a fifth consecutive Halloween, adding “cannibal serial killer” to a design resume that already features a regular serial killer (The Texas Chainsaw Musical!), zombies (Night of the Living Dead), a half-bat mutant (Bat Boy: The Musical), Candarian demons (Evil Dead - The Musical at Beck Center), bloodthirsty Romans on a vengeance-fueled killing spree (Titus – A Grand and Gory Rock Opera at CPT), and Satan himself (Jerry Springer: The Opera at Beck Center). In addition to her design work, she is proud to co-produce an annual musical production to benefit AIDS/HIV service agencies in Cuyahoga and Summit Counties. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, she has been employed by KeyBank for 30 years.