WHO'S WHO IN THE CAST & CREW
The Sisters Rosensweig
a comedy by Wendy Wasserstein
Laura Byrne-Cristiano (Pfeni Rosensweig) is thrilled to on the Studio stage, and would like to thank Dan, Amy, Tommy, and the cast for a wonderful experience. Laura's usual home theater is Theater Under the Stars where she has appeared in Polish Joke, Gemini (Perry Nomination), All in the Timing, and The Miracle Worker. Where does a nice Irish/Italian-Catholic girl find the inspiration for Pfeni? Answer, her Long Island roots and her Sicilian mother's Jewish upbringing…it's along story.
Bob Caruso (Nick Pym/Lighting Designer) was Drama Director and Technical Director at West Essex HS for almost 30 years where he directed and designed the lighting for over 60 plays and musicals. He has been lighting designer for the Passaic Valley Summer Theater, for Jesus Christ Superstar and Chess. He recently designed the lighting for The Little Princess at the Wings Theater in NYC. For Studio he was AD and Lighting Designer for Hello Dolly and James and the Giant Peach, Breaking Legs, Saturday Night, and Wait Until Dark among others. He has appeared at Studio as the Ambassador in Don't Drink the Water, Dr. Scott in The Rocky Horror Show, Philip in Play On! , and The Judge in Goldilocks on Trial. He recently directed Studio's productions of The Fantasticks and Cabaret.
Tommy John Donaldson (Stage Manager) Ho There! Tommy is thrilled to be stage managing another Studio production. Past stage managing credits include: Cabaret, Ruthless, Joseph, Bye Bye Birdie, Annie Get Your Gun, Forum, The Heidi Chronicles, Suburb, Tapestry, and The Fantasticks. Tommy is looking forward to making is directorial debut here at Studio Players next season with Wooing Wed Widing Hood.
Amy Fox (Assistant Director) a veteran stage manager at Studio from shows such as Breaking Legs, Don't Dress for Dinner, Play On! , and Don't Drink the Water is making her debut as an Assistant Director ("Pish, Pish"). Amy would like to thank Dan Willis for giving her this opportunity to begin branching out at the playhouse.
Mitch Frank (Geoffrey Duncan) currently serves as Vice President of Studio Players and is a familiar face to our audiences, having appeared in many of our productions during the past 15 years. Favorite roles include George in Moon Over Buffalo (nominated for a Perry Award as Best Actor in a Play), Robert in Don't Dress for Dinner, Ken in Rumors, Manolo in The Female Odd Couple, George in Out of Order, Stanley in Broadway Bound, Gary/Roger in Noises Off, Ken de la Maize in Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Michael in Alone Together and Kholenkov in You Can't Take It With You. Mitch has also appeared at the Barn Theater in Rumors and The Odd Couple, at Nutley Little Theater in Room Service and at the dear departed Montclair Dramatic Club in Randall's Thumb, The Imaginary Invalid and The Female Odd Couple.
Claudia Kalinowski (Set & Sound Designer) has just finished directing Studio's production, Breaking Legs. Claudia has a BA in Theatre Fine Arts and designed sound professionally for a dozen years in radio. Claudia has sound designed 6 out of Studio's 9 productions this season and couldn't be more thrilled to be working with Dan, Amy and such a talented cast and crew. She was previously seen on the Studio stage in The Little Mermaid, Play On! , Rocky Horror Live, and Don't Drink the Water. Claudia can't wait to direct next season's The Man Who Came to Dinner. She also co-directed last season's Don't Dress for Dinner with her real life leading man, Ken Budris.
Norm Keller (Nick Pym) has acted in many Studio productions like Cabaret, Touch of Danger, Arsenic and Old Lace, Quillow, Forum (Pseudolus), Company, Li'l Abner, Noises Off, Around the Horn, Out of Order, Office Hours, Marvin's Room, Noises Off, Rumors, Run For Your Wife, Cheaters, and The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. Norm has directed Chapter Two, Sunshine Boys, I Love My Wife, and Murder Among Friends.
Brian Peeke (Tom Valiunus) is thrilled to return to the Studio Players' stage after last being seen as the Emcee in Cabaret! Past touring and regional credits include Jesus in Godspell, Arnold Epstein in Biloxi Blues, and Snoopy in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Bob Rizzotti (Merv Kant) This is Bob's first stage production at the Studio Players and he's grateful for the opportunity. He has been acting and directing for the past 32 years and has been involved in more than 30 productions, performing both male leads in separate productions of The Sunshine Boys, Velasco in Barefoot In The Park, Mr. DePinna in You Can't Take It With You, Nunzio in Over The River and Through The Woods, and Heinzie in The Pajama Game, among others. His directing credits include Barefoot In The Park, A View From The Bridge, Mousetrap, Harvey, and most recently, I Never Sang For My Father. Bob has appeared on an ABC-TV on- air promo for its news broadcast and, if you blinked, you missed him as a gambler on last season's Soprano's. He also had principal roles in several medical videos. Bob also is an artist (oils) and has exhibited in various regional venues. He is a retired economic development official with the Port Authority and with the municipalities of Edison and Clifton. Bob is former councilman of Waldwick where he lives with his wife of 40 years, Ginny. They have 4 children and 4 grandchildren.
Kate Samberg (Tess Goode) This is Kate's second appearance at Studio Players, having last appeared as a Mute in The Fantasticks (and she's very happy to be speaking now). Last summer Kate studied at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, originating the role of Judy in Gemini, The Musical. Her other theatre credits include the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods, and Sally in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. She also choreographed Godspell at Verona HS last year. Kate has been studying dance at New Jersey Ballet for 15 years, appearing in The Nutcracker in many roles at the Paper Mill Playhouse. In the fall she will attend Marymount Manhattan College.
Melissa Surow (Sara Goode) is delighted to return to Studio Players, where she has been seen frequently during the past ten years. At Studio and elsewhere, her favorite roles include: Hazel (Tiny Island), Ouisa (Six Degrees of Separation), Lee (Marvin's Room), Kate (Sylvia), Cora (Morning's at Seven), Clytemnestra (The Prodigal), Doris Walker (Here's Love), and Pamela (Cat's Cradle). She has also been honored to sing her cabaret favorites in two of Studio Player's own spring cabarets shows, including Down Memory Lane, a RECT award nominee for Best Original Musical. President of Profit Ability, Inc., an executive consulting firm, she loves the music of the 40s, piano bars and singing in a cabaret setting.
Dan Willis (Director) is very pleased to be directing his first Main Stage production at Studio Playhouse. He has directed a few Magic Trunk productions here in the past. He currently works in the healthcare industry but his love is the theater and directing in particular. He studied theater at FDU and worked in the entertainment industry for almost twenty years.
Marguerite Wurtz (Dr. Gorgeous Tietlebaum) is thrilled to be making her Studio Players debut with a terrific group. Some favorites among previous credits include Moon Over Buffalo, Six Degrees of Separation, Jake's Women (Perry Nominee), Don't Dress for Dinner, Steel Magnolias, Gypsy, and Hank's Really Final Show (NYC). She trained at HB Studio, SFT and Broadway Dance Center.
Performance Dates
June 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18
Thursday, Friday, Saturday - 8pm
Sunday - 3pm
Now Playing |
Current Season |
Ticket Info |
Directions |
Auditions |
Past Seasons
Get Involved |
About Us |
Contact Us
Copyright ©2004 Studio Players