Beauty And The Beast 2013
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Beauty & the Beast

Dec. 13-29, 2013
in Patchogue

The Company

Michael Edward Baker (Monsieur D’Arque/ U/S Beast)
is thrilled to be a part of this amazing production with such a talented cast and crew. Over the past 11 years, Michael has been involved at the Gateway Playhouse in many capacities – teaching in the acting school, assisting in the casting office and for the last six seasons as Company Manager. Michael has been seen in National Tours, NYC theatres and on the screen. Favorite regional credits from near and far include; Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar, Jekyll and Hyde, Scarlet Pimpernel, Ragtime, The Secret Garden, and more. Favorite Gateway credits include Avenue Q (Brian), and A Christmas Carol (The Ghost of Jacob Marley). When not at Gateway Michael has studied improv at the Groundlings School in LA and has appeared this year on DiscoveryID channel, commercials and more! He thanks his Gateway Family, Jessica, JP, Rick, and Mom for their support. Love to Savannah and Trippy. Michael has a BFA in Acting and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. For Dad.
JEFF BROOKS (Ensemble/ U/S Gaston/Fight Capt./Director)
is happy to be a part of such a wonderful production! National Tours: Beauty and the Beast (Gaston), Oklahoma!, Bathhouse: the Musical. Off Bway: Parenting 101. Other favorites include Carousel (Billy), Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Prince) and Chicago (Billy Flynn). Love to my family and friends and thanks to Todd! Jeff is a proud graduate of SUNY Cortland.
MELISSA CHATY (Ensemble)
is thrilled to join the Gateway team! Credits include Hello, Dolly! (Goodspeed), Spamalot (National Tour), The Phantom of the Opera (International Tour), Camelot (Engeman), and soloist for the San Diego Symphony. Melissa was honored to represent her home state, California, at the 2008 Miss America pageant, placing in the Top 8. Many thanks to Gateway for this opportunity and much love to family and friend
LOREN CHRISTOPHER (Beast)
is thrilled to be working with Gateway, and on this timeless classic. Loren is a proud AEA/SAG actor as well as the owner/Artistic Dir. of F.A.C., an instructional arts facility located in Montville Township, NJ (fineartsconnection.net). Some national stage credits include: Miss Saigon (US/Canadian Tour), West Side Story (Tony), Die Zauberflote (Papageno), The Pirates of Penzance (Sergeant/Pir. King u.s), Something’s Afoot (Flint), Light Up The Sky (Peter), Noises Off (Frederick), and Sweet Bird of Youth (Chance Wayne). He would like to thank About Artists Agency, everyone at F.A.C., Bryan, and his amazing family!
JEROME DOERGER (Ensemble/ Wolf/ U/S Lumiere/D’Arque)
is excited to return to the Gateway Playhouse after performing this summer in Young Frankenstein. A native of Cincinnati, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wright State University with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. National Tour: Young Frankenstein Regional: Che in Evita; Young Frankenstein; The World Goes ‘Round; Man of La Mancha; Shenandoah; Jerry Springer: The Opera. Much love and thanks to his parents, family, friends, and ‘Shley. www.jeromedoerger.com
ERIN EDELLE ((Madame de la Grande Bouche/Ensemble/ U/S Mrs. Potts)
is a native LI-er and is beyond excited to be performing back on her home turf. Recently returned from a year on the road with Disney’s Beauty and the Beast where Erin played Mrs. Potts, she’s ready to have some fun and tackle this show from the flip side. Other national tours: Shrek the Musical (Dragon, Mama Bear, Mama Ogre), The Drowsy Chaperone. Favorite Regional: The Who’s TOMMY (Acid Queen), I Love A Piano (Sadie), Shout! (Orange Girl). Watch for Erin as part of the St. Paul’s Singers for the CBS Christmas Eve concert starring Regis Philbin and new creations from The Henson’s. Special thanks to Rich and the WAM fam. erinedelle.com
Ethan Eisenberg (Chip (Certain Performances)/Ensemble)
is thrilled to be making his Gateway debut! He has been taking classes at Gateway for two years and has looked forward to one day performing on the Main Stage. Ethan would like to thank Michael, Dominic and everyone at Gateway for this amazing experience. He would also like to thank his voice/piano teacher, Cheryl Fried, for her guidance, and his family for their unconditional support of his passion for theater and acting. Ethan wishes everyone a safe, healthy and happy holiday.
JOE HAGER (Gaston)
is “pumped up” to be making his Gateway debut in Beauty and the Beast after recently finishing a leg of the National Tour in the same role! Select other credits include Phantom (Monsieur Richard) in Jakarta, Indonesia, Guys n’ Dolls (Sky Masterson) Metropolitan Ensemble Theater, The Threepenny Opera (Macheath) Brevard Music Center, La Boheme (Marcello) Hidden Valley Opera. Special thanks to Dom, the amazing cast and crew and above all his family and friends for their unending love and support! Visit JoeHager.org
PETER HARGRAVE (Ensemble)
is thrilled to be joining the talented cast of Beauty and the Beast here at Gateway Playhouse! In addition to doing several stints as Hercules on Disney Cruise Line, Peter’s regional favorites include Damn Yankees, Peter Pan, Hairspray and The Taming of the Shrew. Love to my family, especially the newest member, my wife Katherine. God is good, God is great!
DEUNDRE C. JAMES (Dance Captain/Ensemble)
is more than thrilled to be returning to the Gateway stage this holiday season. He would like to send a very special thank you to all of his friends and family for their undying love and unwavering support. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!
ROBERT ANTHONY JONES (Cogsworth)
is thrilled to be returning to his favorite place to spend the holidays. Previous roles at The Gateway: Phantom (Colet), Sweeney Todd (The Beadle), Sunset Boulevard (Manfred), A Christmas Carol (Fezziwig), and A Century of Christmas. NY Credits: Bunnicula (Harold, Original Off-Broadway Cast, Daryl Roth Theatre-Book by Charles Busch), The 101 Dalmatians Musical (Jinx-Original Cast-Madison Square Garden, Broadway Series, dir. Jerry Zaks, choreo. Warren Carlyle). Regional: Spamalot (King Arthur-Little Theatre on the Square), A Christmas Carol (Fezziwig, Pioneer Theatre). Original Cast Recordings: Bunnicula (Yellow Sound Lab), The Prince and the Pauper (Jay Records). www.robertanthonyjones.com
KATE KRAMITZ (Silly Girl/ Ensemble)
is thrilled to be returning to Gateway Playhouse after performing in last year’s My Fair Lady and Phantom! Past regional roles include June in Chicago, Phyllis in 42nd Street, Cha-Cha in Grease and Maggie in Brigadoon. Graduated with a B.F.A. in musical theatre from Kent State University. Sending much love, hugs and thanks to all my wonderful family and friends. Enjoy the magic and Happy Holidays!
ANDREW LEGGIERI (Ensemble)
is thrilled to return to The Gateway! He was last seen in Grease (Eugene) and Singing in the Rain (Diction Coach). National Tour: Spamalot (Ensemble). Int’l Tours: Grease (Eugene) in Istanbul, Turkey; Fame (Goody) in China; Disney Cruise Line. Regional: Damn Yankees, Cabaret, and The Human Comedy. Other credits include: Parade (Leo Frank), Urinetown, and Company. BFA from Penn State University. Love to my amazing family and special thanks to Dom Ruggiero, Michael Baker, and Cathy Parker.
LAUREN LUKACEK (Babette/ U/S Belle)
Gateway debut! Theatre: My Fair Lady (Nat’l Tour - Eliza u/s), Joseph... (Ogunquit Playhouse), Edith Stein (York Theatre Co.), Sound of Music (Engeman Theatre), Joseph... (North Shore Music Theatre), Genesius (TADA! - World Premiere), Of Thee I Sing (Bard SummerScape), Film: Fifty Grades of Shay, Seconds of In Between. Training: BFA Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory. Lauren is also a comedy writer and novelist. Much love to Mom, Dad, Casey, Dave and Tao.
  NOLAN LYONS (Chip (Certain Performances)/Ensemble)
is proud to be back in another Gateway holiday show. This has been an especially busy year for Nolan, with a principal role in his first feature film, The Harvest (Jason), a regional commercial, and a featured role on the hit NBC series The Blacklist (Michael Brodine). Some of the past Gateway main stage productions that Nolan has appeared in are Phantom (young Erik), A Christmas Carol (Tiny Tim), A Holiday Spectacular (ensemble), and A Century of Christmas (shepherd boy/ensemble). Nolan has also appeared in Gateway’s children’s productions of Disney’s Little Mermaid (Flounder) and Suessical Jr (Jo Jo). Nolan is a proud product, and current student of the renowned Gateway Acting School. Nolan owes much thanks to Dom for this great opportunity. In addition he would like to thank the cast and crew of Beauty and the Beast for the wonderful experience, and his teacher and friend, Robin Joy Allan, and the entire Gateway family.
TAYLOR MORGAN MARSH (Silly Girl/Ensemble)
is thrilled to be back at Gateway Playhouse! Her favorite credits include: Ginger Spice and Debbie Gibson in the off-Broadway production of The Totally Tubular Time Machine, Velma in West Side Story, and Patty Simcox in Grease. She graduated from New York University and the Atlantic Acting School with a BFA in Drama. Thank you Mom, Dad, Blair, and Ben!
CAITLIN MESIANO (Silly Girl/ Ensemble)
is so grateful to be making her Main Stage debut with The Gateway here at the Patchogue Theatre! You may have seen her here in the children’s theater production of Seussical! as Mayzie. Regional credits: Fred’s Sister In-Law in A Christmas Carol (John W. Engeman Theatre), Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls (Interlakes Summer Theatre); Natalie/Ed in All Shook Up, Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest, and Jemima in Cats. Caitlin earned a BFA in Musical Theater with a Minor in Dance from Pace University in NYC. Thanks to Dom, Michael, and Peter for this amazing opportunity, the cast and crew, my family and friends for their endless love and support, and Christopher. (Wagon Wheel Theatre).
MELISSA MITCHELL (Belle)
feels blessed to be portraying her favorite Disney princess onstage! Upcoming: Les Miserables 2014 Broadway Revival. Off-Broadway: GIANT (Public Theater). Regional: Guenevere in Camelot (Arvada Center), Cosette in Les Miserables (Pioneer Theatre), Cinderella in Cinderella (Cabrillo MT). Film: Anger Management, Holes. TV: Unsolved Mysteries, Star Search. B.A. in Psychology, UCLA, cum laude. Endless gratitude to everyone at Gateway, KMR, and her wonderful family! Soli Deo Gloria – For the glory of God! Prov. 3:5-6. www.melissamitchell.us
KATHERINE PECEVICH (Mrs. Potts)
is a Gateway alumni having appeared in Meshuggah Nuns! (Rev. Mother) as well as A Christmas Carol (Mrs. Fezziwig) and is thrilled to be back on Long Island. Credits include: National Tour: Annie (Mrs. Pugh/Hannigan U/S). Regional: The Full Monty (Vicky), Pippin (Berthe), Chicago (Mama Morton); Hello Dolly (Dolly); Parallel Lives (Kathy); Nunsense 2 (Rev. Mother); 42nd Street (Maggie); Scrooge in Rouge (Scrooge). Film: Payday (Sundance). TV: Law and Order: SVU; The Onion’s Sports Dome for Comedy Central. Recordings: Annie: The 30th Anniversary Album (featured soloist). Katherine lives in NYC where she also performs in the ongoing comic cabaret Ludwig Live and because she is so “cultured” portrays a talking yogurt for the LG refrigerator website.
AMANDA PHILLIPS (Ensemble)
is ecstatic to be back at Gateway Playhouse! Credits: “The Lives of S,” webisode (Briget). St. Louis MUNY: West Side Story (Velma), Spamalot. Alhambra Theatre: Crazy For You. Ogunquit/Gateway Playhouses: 9-5. Gateway: West Side Story, Legally Blonde, Spamalot. MWVTC: Cats, Fiddler (Chava), Cabaret. Other: The Seagull (Nina), Spitfire Grill (Shelby). You can see her next year as Amy in the upcoming feature film “Sleepwalkers.” Love and thanks to my family, Josh, Gateway and Bloc. As always, for my Dad.
ANGELA RAYMOND (Ensemble)
is thrilled to return to Gateway and to be working with such a stellar cast! Favorite NY theatre credits include: Grease (Sandy), Agnes of God (Agnes), Rocky Horror (Janet), Cabaret (Fritzie), Polaroid Stories (Eurydice), and Hedda Gabler (Hedda). TV: Royal Pains. Angela would like to send love to the hardworking cast and crew, her loving family and friends, and the amazing audience for supporting live theatre.
ANDY REDEKER (Lumiere)
is the proud holder of a Bachelor of Music degree from Indiana University School of Music. He has been a studio singer for The Disney Company, Warner Music Publishing and has been a host/emcee for countless live events including The Tribeca Film Festival in New York and Doha, Qatar. As an Actor/ Singer, he has been in: Les Miserable (Marius, Nat’l Tour); Big! (Josh u/s, Nat’l Tour); Titanic (Swing, Nat’l Tour); The Music Man (Olin Britt, Ogunquit Playhouse). Thanks to Family & Friends for continued love and support. This (and every) show is dedicated to Mom & Dad!
COURTER SIMMONS (LeFou)
is thrilled to reprise the role of LeFou and make his Gateway debut! Courter’s been busy the last several years in Jersey Boys, touring to over 50 cities and performing with the show on Broadway, in Vegas, and on the Tony Awards. Other favorite roles include Sebastian in Illyria (off- Broadway), Mike in A Chorus Line, and Cosmo in Singin’ in the Rain (Trump Plaza, AC). There’s more at www.courtersimmons.com, or follow @courtersimmons on twitter!
TOM SOUHRADA ( (Maurice)
was last seen at The Gateway as Inspector Kemp and The Blind Hermit in Young Frankenstein. He recently played Juror #1 in The Engeman Theatre’s 12 Angry Men. Broadway/National Tours: Mary Poppins, Evita, My Fair Lady, The King & I and The Boy Friend (Directed by Julie Andrews) Off-B’way: Mardi Gras/The Last Word (York Theatre) Broken Hands (NY Fringe Award of Excellence), Women on the Verge of HRT, The Mystery of Irma Vemp, Tony and Tina’s Wedding. Regional: Cincinnati Playhouse, St. Louis Rep, Goodspeed, Ogunquit Playhouse, Pioneer Theatre, Geva, Cleveland Playhouse, North Carolina Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre Fest, Sundance, Florida Rep, Seven Angels, etc. He can also be seen as Prof. Ed M. Ology on the children’s web series The Hello You! Show. www.helloyouentertainment.com
BRIAN C VEITH (Ensemble/ U/S Cogsworth)
couldn’t be more excited to be back at The Gateway after being in Phantom, Sweeney Todd and Sunset Boulevard in Bellport. He just finished workshopping The Rat Pack Undead as Dean Martin this fall. Thanks to the cast, crew, creatives and house staff for all their hard work. Thanks to friends back in NYC. Lots of love to my friends and family back in California. I miss you and I’ll see you soon. BroadwayDemo.com/BrianCVeith.
STEPHANIE VERTICHIO (Ensemble)
has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Minor in Communication from SUNY College at Brockport. Stephanie has been a dance teacher at Stage Door School of Dance for the past 5 years, where she specializes in Modern and Tap dance. Stephanie is also the Choreographer at Bellport High School, where she has choreographed five musicals, Fame, Fiddler on the Roof, The Music Man, Pippin, and Little Shop of Horrors. She is also a Dancing Classrooms Teaching Artist at Frank P. Long Intermediate School and Our Lady Of Lourdes. Stephanie’s first main stage show was this past summer in Singin’ In The Rain. She is honored to be working with this amazing and talented cast. Thank You to my family, my love, and my supportive Stage Door friends!
TONY WILLIAMS II ( (Ensemble)
is originally from McDonough, Ga. Regional: Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Victor u/s), Under Six, Good Will Tour, Playmaker Tour, FST Improv. Tony wants to say thanks to his family for their support.
CHAZ WOLCOTT (Ensemble, u/s Lefou)
thanks you for choosing to “Be Our Guest” today! Chaz happily returns to Gateway after debuting in White Christmas last season. National Tour: Cats (Mistoffelees). Regional: 42nd Street (Andy Lee) - Lyric OKC, Legally Blonde (Kiki, u/s Carlos) - Merry-Go Round, Gypsy (Yonkers, u/s Tulsa) - Fulton Theatre, MT Wichita, Casa Mañana, Westchester Broadway, Fireside, Gretna. OCU graduate. Huge thanks to this inspiring team & Gateway! Shout out to Mom for being the best supporter out there! Check out www.chazwolcott.com!
  DOM RUGGIERO (Director)
is known for his directorial work in the United States as well as in Great Britain, South America, Europe and Australia. His works include a run of the worldrenowned version of the Yeston/Kopit Phantom throughout the U.S. , and La Traviata at New York City Opera. Audiences throughout Italy viewed his production of West Side Story. Most Recently his work has been seen in the national tours of The Scarlet Pimpernel, Titanic, George M!, My One and Only and Mame. Dom directed Louisiana Purchase, sponsored by Louisiana State University for their Bicentennial program of celebrations. Dom made his Off-Broadway debut at Playhouse 91 with a production of The Secret Annex; a new musical based on the story of Anne Frank. Other Off- Broadway credits include The New York City debut of Stephen Sondheim’s The Frogs, and an original musical version of Sheridan’s “School for Scandal” entitled, SCANDAL! He has also directed the Australian, Asian, and South American tours of Ain’t Misbehavin’, the Asian tour of Anything Goes, a European tour of Phantom of the Opera in Copenhagen and Geneva. For the U.S., Dom has directed the national companies of Song & Dance, Shenandoah, Funny Girl , How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying and Titanic. Dom has been a Resident Director at The Gateway Playhouse for the past 20 years. Represented by over 35 musical and comedy productions, Rumors, Lend Me A Tenor, Into the Woods, Once On This Island, The Secret Garden, Beehive, Cabaret, The Drowsy Chaperone, Big River, Carousel, Tommy, Sweeney Todd and last season’s Phantom are among his favorites. Regional credits include productions of Romance, Romance, I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It Out on the Road, Pump Boys & Dinettes, Little Shop of Horrors, Working, Company, South Pacific and Grease. Dom received The Connecticut Critics Circle Award for this production of Phantom in 1993 and the Best Director and Best Musical awards for his production of Tommy. He has also been the recipient of Best Director awards for his direction of Into the Woods, Big River and Little Shop of Horrors. Dom is the co-creator with Jeffrey Buchsbaum and director of their original review, The Magic of Musicals, which played an extended run in Athens and Thessaloniki Greece.
CARLOS L. ENCINIAS (Choreographer)
is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, studied Theatre in Utah at BYU, and has been living and working in New York City since 2000. Carlos is thrilled to be back at Gateway after having directed and choreographed West Side Story and Altar Boyz. This past year Carlos directed and choreographed Altar Boyz at the North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh. Other directing/choreography credits include Altar Boyz at Westchester Broadway Theatre, the Jarkarta production of Phantom, Altar Boyz at the Adirondack Theatre Festival, the DC premiere of Altar Boyz and Big River at the Tuachan Amphitheater. He has taught and choreographed for the Broadway Dreams Foundations, Take it From the Top Productions, Red Mountain Theatre Company, Scera Theatre, New York Musical Theatre Festival, and the New Mexico Ballet Company. As an actor, Carlos made his Broadway debut in Mamma Mia and then left to act in and supervise the Broadway production of Good Vibrations, a musical based on the Beach Boys music. Carlos spent some time off-Broadway in the award winning, Altar Boyz, where he was dance captain and standby for the show, and was privileged to be in the final company of Les Miserable on Broadway. Last season he was part of Scandalous on Broadway. “Here’s to my sons, Luca and Marco!”
HOLLY SHUNKEY (Associate Choreographer)
Holly is honored to be a part of the Gateway Family! Holly is currently part of the cast of Fuerzabruta. Other credits: Pilobolus, Networks Tour Contact, Tarzan Broadway Workshop, Angels Broadway Workshop, Wicked at USJ, West Side Story at Gateway Playhouse, Vices: A Love Story at the Caldwell Theater for which she won the 2010 Carbonell Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Thank you to the amazing Carlos and my husband Mark.
PETER PECE (Musical Director)
is thrilled to be a part of Gateway’s production of Beauty and the Beast. He has been musical director of Children’s Theater at Gateway since 1993. Peter has performed at Lincoln Center as well as having arranged and performed musical revues for former President Bush (41) and former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Although he has retired from public school teaching after 37 years, he is still involved in education as an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University where he teaches in the School of Professional Development, lecturing on diverse topics like music and neurologic function, the pre-adolescent/educational methods and he guides teachers and school administrators in writing their thesis. Peter is also the musical director and arranger for “Courting the Jester: A Salute to Danny Kaye” and “That’s Amore: A Musical Salute to Harry Warren.” Peter received his doctorate in the field of Neuromusicology where he examined issues involved in how the brain processes music and memory. Highlights as Musical Director are Gateways productions of My Fair Lady and The Rat Pack is Back. Other highlights include Big River, Man of La Mancha, Diamonds and The Boys from Syracuse among many others. For the last four years Peter has been a consultant with the Creative Aging Project at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center where he works with those very talented “young” people, who continually demonstrate that “you’re never too old to learn.” Kudos to the cast, crew and pit of Beauty and the Beast for a wonderful production. Special thanks to my family who were very supportive during the rehearsal process. Much love to Pattye, Christina, Jason, Jessica, Gabby and the newest addition Mia – my first grandchild!
BRIAN LOESCH (Lighting Designer)
is proud to be part of the Gateway Family for his sixteenth straight season. Gateway Playhouse lighting design credits include: Sweeney Todd, A Christmas Carol (2006 & 2010), Avenue Q, Sophisticated Ladies, Forbidden Broadway (2008), The Full Monty, A Holiday Spectacular On Ice (2004 & 2009), South Pacific, Footloose, Jesus Christ Superstar, Kiss Me Kate, Holiday Hop (1999), Urinetown, Mooseltoe, Cabaret and numerous children’s theatre productions including Peter Pan (2004) and Jungle Book (2005). Brian graduated with a Degree in Technical Theatre from Suffolk County Community College. Other design credits include Language of Angels (Henry Street Experimental Theatre, NYC), Paraffin Touch (World Premiere at Suffolk County Community College), The Man Who Would Be King (World Premiere at the Antrim Playhouse), and Kiss Me Kate (Cape Fear Regional Theatre). National Tour credits include George M! (2003 Candlewood Int./ Mainstage Productions), Titanic (2004 Candlewood Int.), A Holiday Spectacular On Ice (2004 A Gateway / Candlewood Production), Mame (2005-06 Candlewood Int.), Camelot (2006-07 Candlewood Int.), and the 2007 and 2008 productions of Mooseltoe (Semmelman Productions).
JASON A. QUINN (Production Stage Manager)
Broadway: Tale of Two Cities, Cabaret, Phantom, Urban Cowboy, Candide with the NY Philharmonic, pre-Broadway Normal Heart, First Date, Annie Get Your Gun, In My Life. Tour: Tommy Tune’s Dr. Dolittle. Big Apple Circus Off-Broadway: Criss Angel Mindfreak, Stomp, Rooms: A Rock Romance, Scott Wittman’s Jukebox Jackie Roundabout’s Howard Katz, Beyond Glory, The Overwhelming. For BC/ EFA; Broadway Bares, Easter Bonnet, Broadway on Broadway, for The Actor’s Fund; The Visit, Nothing Like A Dame. Events: Reopening the Statue of Liberty after 9/11, GLAAD Media Awards, US Open, Clinton Global Initiative; events for Miller Light, VH1, New Yorker Magazine, NY Yankees, and NFL.