Cast & Crew – photo by Michelle Cherie Blake
Rochester Community Players is presents Much Ado About Nothing at MuCCC (142 Atlantic Ave. Rochester, NY 14607), directed by Carl Del Buono and Judy McCaffrey. The show will run from October 8 to October 16, 2021 with shows on Thursday through Sunday:
Show Times:
Friday, October 8 – 8:00 pm
Saturday, October 9 – 2:00 pm
Saturday, October 9 – 8:00 pm
Sunday, October 10 – 2:00 pm
Thursday, October 14 – 7:00 pm
Friday, October 15 – 8:00 pm
Saturday, October 16 – 2:00 pm
Saturday, October 16 – 8:00 pm
COVID-19 Guidelines
All visitors 12 years of age and older are required to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination when entering the building. Unvaccinated visitors 12 years of age and older will not be admitted into the building. All vaccinated visitors are encouraged to wear a mask while in the building.
Children under the age of 12 years will be admitted and are required to wear a mask, covering both nose and mouth, at all times while in the building.
- The doors will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the show
Cast
| LEONATO | PHILIP DETRICK |
| HERO | SAMMI COHEN |
| BEATRICE | EMILY PUTNAM |
| ANTONIA | JUDY McCAFFREY |
| MARGARET/SEACOLE | KATIE KEATING |
| DON PEDRO | CHRISTOPHER C. CONWAY |
| CLAUDIO | EVAN J. MILLER |
| BENEDICK | RICHARD M. STEELE |
| BALTHASAR | CALVIN STAROPOLI |
| LADY JANE | SARA MICHELLE PENNER |
| BORACHIO | TYLER LUCERO |
| CONRADE | ADAM URBANIC |
| DOGBERRY | GERALD G. OWEN |
| VERGES | JILLIAN CHRISTENSEN |
| OATCAKE | LIZZ DE SIMONE |
| FRIAR FRANCIS | GREGORY LUDEK |
Production Team
Carl Del Buono, Director
Judy McCaffrey, Co-Director
Kate Duprey, Stage Manager
David Kensek, Assistant Stage Manager
Lisa Lipski, Costume Designer
Eric Moslow, Scenic Designer
Bridget Blakley, Lighting Designer
Brodie McPherson, Technical Director
Mark Wenderlich, Carpenter
Jesse Lansner, Production Manager
Lily Feldman, Lightboard Operator
Director’s Notes
Hello everyone and welcome back to the theater! This process really began almost two years ago when RCP announced they were looking for directors for Much Ado About Nothing. In that time, we’ve been beset by several obstacles, not least of which was the Covid-19 virus and subsequent shutdowns. But the tenacious spirit of the Rochester Community Players and the undaunted mettle of our production leaders, the creative team, and this unbelievable cast have been a light and a beacon to follow and focus on as we push forward into the uncertain future of theatre in our region and beyond. With that said, we invite you to leave your cares, sit back, relax and…
…join us at the vineyard. 
️
About the Team
Bridget Blakley (Lighting Designer) is a Rochester based lighting designer, technical director, stage manager, and director. She received her degree in Theatre Arts from Nazareth College in 2014 and has been active in the community ever since. She is currently a board member for Out of Pocket, Inc and co-founder of Page to Stage Productions. Bridget is thrilled to be working with RCP again (previous credits include stage managing King Lear and Henry IV) while balancing working towards a master’s degree in inclusive childhood education! Special thanks to Carl, the amazing cast and crew, the Krickmires, the Suidas, and Beth LaJoie.
Sammi Cohen (Hero) is overjoyed to be back on stage and making her RCP debut. Her other Rochester stage credits include Handle With Care (Ayelet) and First Date at JCC CenterStage, Heathers (Heather Duke) and Beehive: The 60’s Musical at Blackfriars Theatre, Sneeze (Imogen) at MuCCC with Page to Stage, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Yischak) and ROOMS: a rock romance (Monica) at the Rochester Fringe Festival. Sammi also regularly performs with TYKEs, most recently in A Winnie the Pooh Birthday Tail (Kanga). By day, Sammi is the brand content specialist for a digital marketing company, runs a vintage-inspired fashion blog, and is the co-founder and creative director of Dear Blossom Studios, a Rochester-area portrait photography business (yes, they offer headshots for performers!). Sammi holds a B.A. in Theatre Performance from Wagner College. Learn more at sammicohen.com or dearblossomstudios.com.
Jillian S. Christensen (Verges), a 20-year veteran of the RCP Shakespeare Program, is happy to be home after a five-year stint in New York. Her favorite RCP shows include The Merry Wives of Windsor (Co-director/Co-producer); A Winter’s Tale (Stage Manager), Richard III (Stage Manager), and Macbeth (Lady Macduff). A stage manager by trade, she’s surprised to learn that she knows more than she thought she did about acting. She thanks her husband John, a forever patient and supportive soul, and her stage partner Camille for keeping her up on her feet.
Christopher C. Conway (Don Pedro) hails from the dense, piney woods of rural, deep East Texas, and has appeared on stages in Houston, Seattle, and Rochester. Since arriving in 2017, he has been seen locally in Blackfriars’ production of Glengarry Glen Ross, Out of Pockets’ Yankee Tavern, and the JCC’s Indecent. Notable previous roles include Jody May in the world premiere of Charles Marowitz’s Wilde West, Larry in Lanford Wilson’s Burn This, Roy Cohn in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, Fagin in the musical favorite Oliver!, and Moricet in the Feydeau farce 13 Rue de L’Amour – a performance described by one Houston critic as “theater sleight of hand of very subversive quality.” (Though still not entirely sure what that means, he takes it as a compliment.) After the long, dark days of pandemic-induced theatrical deprivation, Christopher is pleased and proud to be back on the boards, in this show, with these folks. Much Ado About Nothing marks his first association with Rochester Community Players, and he’s pleased and proud about that, too!
Lizz de Simone (Oatcake) is honored to rejoin RCP as Watchman High Oatcake after debuting as Trinculo in Shakespeare’s Tempest with NTID at The Highland Bowl. Lizz is a printmaker & bread baker, currently living on the west side of the Genesee River with a German Rottweiler named Dilly Bean. Most recently, Lizz appeared as Billy Boy Bill in Urinetown! The Musical with the Gatesingers Company, and at The Fringe Festival as a member of the ASL/English performance troupe Dangerous Signs! Other favorite roles include Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Lord Clifford (Henry IV pt 3), Sicinius (Coriolanus), & The Witch (Into The Woods)
Carl Del Buono (Director) is a proud graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Regional credits include: Little Women the Musical (Prof. Bhaer) Blackfriars
Philip Detrick (Leonato) is excited to return to Rochester and be joining this wonderful cast of actors. Philip was last seen at the MuCCC in Out of Pocket’s Yankee Tavern as Adam. Philip has also performed in the ensembles of A Christmas Carol and Revival: Resurrection of Son House with Geva Theatre Center, and has been seen in Avenue Q as Princeton and Rod and in the ensemble of The Rocky Horror Show at Blackfriars Theatre. Philip thanks this stellar cast, and dynamite production team for letting him be a part of some Shakespeare. He also thanks his three cats.
Kate Duprey (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back and working on this amazing production! Over the past year and a half, Kate has been bringing theatre to people in the comfort of their homes through Screen Managing many productions, including, A Christmas Carol, Almost Maine, and Youth in a Pandemic with Geneva Theatre Guild and the Los Angeles Drama Club Shakespeare Youth Festival. Previously (in live theatre) she has Stage Managed for WallByrd’s Romeo and Juliet, Duchess of Malfi, and Geneva Theatre Guild’s Drowsy Chaperone and Avenue Q. Special thanks to her parents for starting all this, and to Erik for putting up with all the late nights.
Katie Keating (Margaret/Seacole) is ecstatic to be doing what she loves the most and being back on the stage again after the pandemic pause. She has relished the entire theatrical process even more, and is honored to be part of this talented cast and production of Much Ado… She is also grateful for the fun opportunity and task of bringing two very different characters to life in this show! Katie holds a BFA in Acting and Theater Performance from Niagara University and has numerous stage credits to her name. Some favorite theatrical experiences include: the cherished chance to portray Horatio in Hamlet, with Screen Plays; being part of the World Premier Adaptation of At Swim Two Boys as Mrs. Mary Doyle with DVC (dream/visualize/create); The Receptionist (Beverly) with Limelight Productions; and The Children’s Hour (Karen Wright) with Out of Pocket Productions. Other stage credits include: the title role in Major Barbara with Classics Theater; The Taming (Bianca) with Aspie Works; Speed the Plow (Karen) with Theater Theater Company; Red Herring (Lynn McCarthy) with Penfield Players; The Desk Set (Bunny Watson), The 39 Steps (Pamela Stewart), and Black Comedy (Carol Melkett) with Screen Plays; Six Characters in Search of an Author (Mother); The Trojan Women (Andromache); and The Way of the World (Foible). Katie is an Artist-In-Residence at MuCCC, and has been featured in front of the camera in a variety of films. She relishes the gift of being able to continually use and hone her craft in any theatrical and artistic endeavor.
Jesse Lansner (Production Manager) is a web developer and crossword constructor originally from Brooklyn, New York. A life-long Shakespeare fan, he has been a member of the Rochester Community Players: Shakespeare Committee since 2019. He created the Much Ado About Nothing segment for RCP’s video project “Shakespeare In the Time of Covid” (2021) and was production manager for The Tempest earlier this year. He has created custom crossword puzzles for the RCP productions of The Comedy of Errors, The Tempest and this production.
Lisa Lipski (Costume Designer/Set Dresser/Properties Master) has been working closely with many of Rochester’s most popular theaters for several years, including RAPA, OFC Creations and many more. Lisa lives in Canandaigua near her new neighbor, Carl.
Tyler Lucero (Borachio) is thrilled to be back onstage this year after a three-year hiatus beginning even before the pandemic. He appeared earlier this year as Ferdinand in the Rochester Community Players’ Highland Bowl production of The Tempest, and played in other RCP productions as Gregory and understudy for Paris in Romeo & Juliet, and Tadhg in The Field. He frequently collaborates with Wallbyrd Theatre Company, playing disoriented lover Lucentio in The Taming of the Shrew, and disgruntled butler Merriman in The Importance of Being Earnest. To “those loved ones nearest / the lip of the stage, their soft faces blanched / in the footlight glow”, he gives his most generous thanks.
Gregory Ludek (Friar Francis/Sexton) is overjoyed to return to the MuCCC stage for the first time since March 2020 when he appeared as Philip Gellburg in Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass for Hummingbird Theatre Company. The month before he portrayed Theodore “Thor” Swanson in Paul Osborn’s Morning’s at Seven for Out of Pocket, Inc. Previous shows at MuCCC include Closing Time, The Seafarer, The Field, Is Life Worth Living? and A Moon for the Misbegotten for Irish Players of Rochester; The Duchess of Malfi for WallByrd Theatre Company and The Bermuda Avenue Triangle for Greater Rochester Repertory Company. A Rochester-based actor since 1991, Greg has performed in well over 100 productions and been featured in principal roles with Blackfriars Theatre, Brighton Theatre Guild, Downstairs Cabaret Theatre, Gatesinger Company Ltd., Greece Performing Arts, Henrietta Community Theatre, Irondequoit Theatre Guild, JCCenterStage, Off Monroe Players, Penfield Theatre Guild, RAPA, Rochester Children’s Theatre, Shipping Dock Theatre, TYKES, Theatre Arts of Rochester and Webster Theatre Guild, among others. This is his sixth show for Rochester Community Players.
Judy McCaffrey (Antonia; Co-Director) has worked as an actress and director for many productions throughout the Rochester area. Upon receiving her MFA in Theatre, Judy worked as an acting teacher at both the High School and College level for many years. Judy also spent three years living in NYC, where she worked with an outreach program through Bedlam Theatre, teaching Shakespeare to Military Veterans. Judy is currently a performance educator for Impact Interactive, a Rochester Theatre Based Training Company, using theatre techniques to work with schools, businesses and institutions to address issues around social justice, diversity, inclusion, etc. As an actress, some of Judy’s favorite theatre projects have been, Henry V (Chorus), Twelfth Night (Maria), Curse of the Starving Class (Ella), Angels in America (Hannah Pitt/Ethel Rosenberg), Faith Healer (Grace), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Martha), A Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Mary) and Merchant of Venice (Portia). Judy is beyond thrilled to be finally back doing IN PERSON theatre, and being a part of the amazing cast and crew for Much Ado About Nothing, makes it all the more wonderful!
Brodie McPherson (Technical Director) is incredibly excited to be working with RCP again! In addition to scenic and lighting design for dozens of productions, he also has experience designing costumes, makeup, and sound in many others. He teaches at Genesee Community College where he designs and occasionally directs their productions, including this fall’s The Edgar Allan Poe Afterlife Radio Show. He has previously also directed productions including The Rocky Horror Show (GCC), Legally Blonde (GCP), and Bakkhai (GCC), as well as performing in The Tempest (RCP), The Importance of Being Earnest (Geneseo), Pygmalion (CTR), and Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (GCC).
Evan J. Miller (Claudio) is still somewhat new to the theatre stage; with his first two performances in as many years being Next to Normal (Henry) with Blackfriars Theatre, and The Tempest (Understudy Ferdinand, Spirit) with RCP and NTID. He’s also a singer/songwriter, and is in the midst of recording his first EP. Many thanks to his mother for passing on her love of theatre, and to Carl and Judy for trusting him with Claudio.
Eric Moslow (Scenic Designer is new to the Rochester area and RIT. Originally from Buffalo, NY he has spent the last 11 years in the Midwest. He received his B.A. in Theater from Buffalo State College in 2008. After a year of freelance work, he headed to Illinois State University where he received his M.F.A. in Scene Design in 2012. He is currently the Technical Director for NTID. This is his first show at MuCCC and as a designer with RCP.
Ged Owen (Dogberry) graduated from Nazareth College with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Previous credits include: Jason in Sweat (JCC), Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (Red House Arts Center), Macbeth in Macbeth (RCP), and Edmund in Long Day’s Journey Into Night (RIP/RCP). Special thanks to his wife and family for all their support.
Sara Michelle Penner (Dame Jane) is so thankful to be a part of Much Ado! Sara is an actor, director and educator who has worked in NY, Chicago and regionally throughout the US. Her local credits include: Twelfth Night (Viola) Blackfriars, Indecent (Middle) JCC CenterStage, SURVIVORS (Ellen/ W2) at JCC CenterStage/Tour, Ivy and Bean (Ivy) TYKES and Live Drawing of the Mona Lisa (Lisa, Francesco) Hummingbird Prod. She has also worked with Out of Pocket, DEEP Arts in Geva’s Fielding Studio, the Hourglass Play Reading Series and the ROC Fringe Festival. NY Credits: Richard the Third (Lady Anne), dir. by Lloyd Richards, Man of La Mancha (Aldonza) St. George Theatre, Secret Garden (Martha) dir. Norb Joerder, Heart In the Ground at The Actors Studio. Regional: Best Little Whorehouse in TX, Circle Theatre, CRAVE, Chicago and MN Fringe, World premiere of Tank and Horse (Horse) Berkshire Fringe, Honky Tonk Angels (Darlene) Old Creamery Theatre. She directs and teaches Acting, Voice and Movement at FLCC and The University of Rochester. Sara has an MFA from The Actors Studio Drama School. She would like to thank her students for reminding her everyday that she will always have more to learn and Josh, Maddie and Cam for lighting her sky each day.
Emily Putnam (Beatrice), is bursting with joy to finally be back on stage, crossing a dream role off of her bucket list! A Rochester native, Emily has appeared at a host of local, regional, and off-Broadway theaters. Locally she’s worked with Geva Theatre Center, Blackfriars Theatre, WallByrd Theatre Co., Lyric Theatre, OFC Creations, Pittsford Musicals, Webster Theatre Guild, Rochester Fringe Festival, and others. By day she is a TV news reporter, anchor, and multimedia journalist with Rochester’s NBC affiliate, covering everything from politics, to pandemic recovery, to the arts. Last year Emily received her master’s degree in communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Before that she earned her bachelor’s degree in drama from Ithaca College. She’s a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, and she lives in the South Wedge neighborhood of Rochester with her boyfriend Ricky and their rescue pup, Bowie. She sends endless thanks and love to Carl Del Buono, Judy Molner, and RCP for believing in her and giving her the chance to play again. www.emilyputnam.com
Calvin Staropoli (Balthasar) graduated from SUNY Fredonia in 2020 with a BFA in Acting. Some recent roles include Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Porter/Captain/Young Siward in Macbeth, and Floyd in The Grapes of Wrath. He also recently directed a production of Almost, Maine at OFC Creations Theatre. He is very excited to get back into performing and to work with this wonderful team!
Richard Steele (Benedick) is thrilled to be a part of this wonderful production! Previously, Rich participated in Hitmakers at JCC. When not performing, he enjoys playing basketball, writing, and making his students cringe with horrible jokes. Rich would like to thank his generous and talented cast mates, his astute stage manager, his remarkable director(s), and of course his loving and supportive girlfriend Amanda.
Adam Urbanic (Conrade) is a Rochester-based actor and stage manager. He was the Production Stage Manager for RCP’s productions of The Tempest and Two Gentlemen of Verona (with WallByrd Theatre Co.). Recent performing credits include Almost, Maine with Geneva Theatre Guild and A Christmas Carol with Geva Theatre Center, which he will be returning to this holiday season. Adam would like to thank this incredible cast and production team for their creativity, determination, and talent, and for being a joy to work with through this entire process.
Mark Wenderlich (Carpenter) is the resident designer and technical director for Dance at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He holds an MFA from Syracuse University and a MA from the University of Iowa. Mr. Wenderlich was also a half time Professor of Theatre at Keuka College, and a professional actor/director. He holds membership in AEA, SAG and AFTRA, USITT and SDC. This is his first RCP production and he looks forward to more. www.markwenderlich.com RCP Board of Directors
Michael C. Krickmire, President
Kenneth Dauer, Co-President
Thomas M. Bohrer, Secretary
Joyce Curran, Treasurer
Anna Beck
Rachel Pazda
Jean Gordon Ryon
Elaine Sauer
Shakespeare Program Committee
Thomas M. Bohrer
Kenneth Dauer
Philip Frey
Jeffery Jones
Jesse Lansner
Danielle Lattiere
Rachel Pazda
Jamie Tyrrell
Special Thanks To
- Joe Hooley, Buffalo Barrel Company
- Kyle Lascelle
Rochester Community Players is a member of the American Association of Community Theatre and the Theatre Association of New York State.