JERUSALEM C&C

Katja Yacker (Phedra) is a junior at Case Western Reserve University, pursuing a double major in Theatre and Psychology and a minor in Childhood Studies.  Previous credits at CWRU include The Cripple of Inishmaan (Helen), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hippolyta/Titania), and Waiting for Lefty (Florence), as well as the CWRU/CPH MFA production of Three Sisters (Natasha) at The Cleveland Playhouse.  In the spring of 2015, Katja studied at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London with the CWRU Timemarks in European History program.  This is her first production with Ensemble Theatre.                  

Valerie Young (Ms Fawcett) Ensemble Theatre audiences have been watching Valerie on their stages since the early '80s when she first appeared in DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS with Lucia Colombi.  Since then, Valerie has appeared in numerous productions with Ensemble - playing everything from a Queen to a Prostitute, a few conniving daughters-in-law, a Gnome and a Beaver!   Valerie has also performed locally with Mamai Theatre Company, CPT, Dobama, Tri-C and Cesear's Forum in Playhouse Square.  Valerie thanks Ian for the opportunity to work with some of her favorite boys in Cleveland!

August Scarapelli (Mr Parsons) is happy to return Ensemble Theatre for Jerusalem! Fresh off of Howard (Death of a Salesman) and Tumnus (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe). August is in his final year at Hiram College to complete his Bachelor’s in Theatre Arts! At Hiram, August’s theatrical endeavors have been many; he has acted in many plays such as Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well (Bertram) , Doubt (Father Flynn), and Christopher Durang’s Beyond Therapy (Bruce). He has acted and directed in Larry Larson and Levi Lee’s Illuminati (Brother Lawrence), directed Steven Dietz’s The Nina Variations, and Amy Herzog’s 4000 miles (scenic artist). He has most recently created a lec-dem on the works of Bertolt Brecht, and acted and directed for Hiram College's The Horatio Project: Hamlet The mini - series. August also works at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights where he intends to return  for his fourth summer as house manager and carpenter. August is grateful for this opportunity with Ensemble and is looking forward to being a part of such great work! 

Mitch Rose (Johnny "Rooster" Byron) graduated from The Ohio University with a BFA in Theatre Performance. Mitch went on to spend years doing sketch comedy in NYC. This is his third production with Ensemble previously appearing as Danny in Sexual Perversity in Chicago and Willie Oban in The Iceman Cometh. Mitch is grateful for the opportunity to play Johnny Rooster Byron in this magical bloody production of a 21st masterpiece. Mitch currently lives in Columbus and will be taking the trailer with him when he leaves. Sanders 2016.

James Rankin (Ginger) is absolutely thrilled to be back home at Ensemble. James has performed at various locations and with various companies around the Cleveland area, some of his past credits include Peter and the Starcatcher with Dobama, Double Heart with Great Lakes Theater, Akarui with Cleveland Public Theater, and Beyond the Horizon, The Great Gatsby, and The Iceman Cometh with Ensemble Theater. James is grateful to be back on the main stage here in Cleveland Heights and he would like to thank his family, Ian H, Celeste C, Robert E, Doug F, Nathan M, and David H. Please enjoy the show.

Dana Hart* (Professor) first appeared with Ensemble in a hardhat in Steel Bound directed by Lucia Colombi also in a straw boater in The Iceman Cometh directed by Ian Hinz and twice in a bowtie for St. Nicholas, directed by Sarah May.  He has performed Off-B’way and with regional theaters including Alaska Repertory Theatre, San Diego Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Baltimore’s Center Stage and the Harare International Festival of the Arts. He has been privileged to perform locally with theaters such as Cleveland PlayHouse (where he apprenticed in the ‘70s) The Beck, Cleveland Public Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre Festival,  Actors’ Summit, TrueNorth Cultural Arts, Convergence-Continuum, Cesear’s Forum, and in the 2014 Equity Members’ Project: Heartbreak House.  (*denotes Member of Actors' Equity Association).  

Kyle Huff (Lee) is very excited to be doing Jerusalem with such an amazing cast in such an amazing theatre. Kyle has been seen at Ensemble in several productions, including The Never Ending Story and The Great Gatsby. He recently directed Farragut North in the Playground Theatre. Other favorite credits not at Ensemble include The Laramie Project (Workshop Players,) Bad Jews (Actor's Summit,) Two Gentlemen Of Verona and The Merchant of Venice (Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, ) Young Man from Atlanta (Beck Center, ) and Macbeth (Renner Theatre.) He is excited to be part of the Jerusalem adventure, and thanks Celeste and Ian for all their guidance. We are all the giants.

Michael Johnson (Davey) is excited to be back at Ensemble Theatre. Previously seen as Matt Burke in Anna Christie and Victor Frankenstein in Frankenstein, he is grateful to be working again. He is currently attending Kent State University and will graduate in December. He would like to thank his family and friends for there neverending support.

Becca Moseley (Pea) is excited to be back for another production at Ensemble Theatre! She has served as Production Stage Manager/Assistant Stage Manager for many Ensemble shows, including Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, The Iceman Cometh, Animals out of Paper, Knock Me A Kiss, Beyond the Horizon, Anna Christie, Thurgood,  The Chairs, Death of a Salesman, Slow Dance on the Killing Ground, and Ages of the Moon. She co-directed Run, Kingsbury, Run. She was onstage last season at Ensemble as the Childlike Empress/company in The Never Ending Story, and as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby. Other favorite credits not at Ensemble include Rosalind (As You Like It,) Fabiana Cunningham ( The Last Days of Judas Iscariot,) Dorine (Tartuffe,) and Maggie ( A Chorus Line). Most recently, Becca played Ophelia in Hiram College's alumni inclusive production of Hamlet. She thanks Ian and Celeste for building and nurturing a theatre that provides a constant supply of great scripts and people to bring them to life, her family for their love and support, and Kyle for believing in the magic and the forest.

Leah Smith (Tanya) is overjoyed to be back on Ensemble’s stage in Jerusalem and to be working with such amazing talent. She was seen as Rosie in Slow Dance on the Killing Ground, in The Great Gatsby and The Neverending Story for Ensemble. Recent credits include roles in Peter and the Wolf and Finn McCool: An Irish Folktale at Talespinner Children’s Theater, Jeanne in Hair at Near West Theatre, Logainne in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Willoughby Fine Arts Center, and in the Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival at Dobama Theatre. Great thanks to her family and friends, and for the opportunity to work on such a wonderful piece of modern art. Cheers Spongers!

David Vegh* (Wesley) is excited to make his Ensemble debut in one of his favorite plays!  He most recently played the role of Chebutykin in the CWRU/CPH production of The Three Sisters.  His regional credits includes the Chautauqua Theatre Company (Cat On a Hot Tin Roof) and South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, CA.  He made his feature film debut opposite Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. Other film and TV credits include Grey’s Anatomy, Dexter, House, and The Last Witch Hunter.  David teaches in the MFA and undergraduate theater programs at CWRU.  He recently directed The Cripple of Inishmaan and Lobby Hero at CWRU, as well as Christopher Johnston's original documentary play Peace at Home: Veterans in South Euclid, presented by Notre Dame College.  He is a member of Actors Equity Association (AEA) and SAG-AFTRA.  He thanks Khara and Ozzy for their incredible love and support
(*denotes Member of Actors' Equity Association). 

Brittni Shambaugh Addison (Dawn) is a recent transplant to Cleveland from Honolulu, Hawaii, where she was a member of the Professional Acting Company with the Honolulu Theatre for Youth and served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, teaching Beginning Directing and Beginning Acting. Since moving to Cleveland in August, she has had the pleasure of performing with Cleveland Play House in the Classroom Matinee productions of No Silly Season and Kicked, Cleveland Public Theatre in the world-premiere full length production of Incendiaries, and Great Lakes Theater in the outreach production of The Secret Adversary. She holds a BA in Theatre and an MFA in Directing, and currently works as the Education Associate at Cleveland Play House. Favorite acting credits include The Fool in King Lear, Carly in Reasons to be Pretty, Ado Annie in Oklahoma!, and Del Scarlet in A Bollywood Robin Hood. She would like to dedicate this performance to her amazing husband, Lavour, who is her constant rock, and who inspires her to be a better artist and human-being every single day. 

Miles Pierce (Marky) is a third grader at Roxboro Elementary in Cleveland Heights.  His appreciation for theatre grew as a preschooler at The Music School.  Miles has performed in the Bianchi Children's Playwright festival at the Dobama Theatre and most recently as Randy in A Christmas Story at the Allen Theatre for The Cleveland Play House. Miles enjoys making music, playing soccer and skateboarding. 

Whit Lowell (Troy Witworth) is supremely happy to be working with this fabulous cast and crew at Ensemble!  He was last seen as Spike in Chagrin Valley's production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and before that in Ensemble's The Lion, the Witch... and even before that in last fall's crazy good production of Death of a Salesman.  Whit loves outdoorsy-type things, local professional theater, motorcycling and playing jazz piano

Higgins (Lee's Sister's Pet Turtle) is an Eastern Box turtle that hails from Lake Metroparks Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center, where she works full time as an Animal Ambassador. Higgins came to the Wildlife Center from Boonshoft Museum in Dayton Ohio in 1992. She was an extra in the film, "The Kings of Summer" with some of her other Animal Ambassadors. This is her first on-stage appearance. Higgins would like to thank her co-star Becca for providing her transportation and lodging, Mitch and Kyle for carrying her carefully, and the makeup department for making her look younger than her years. You can visit Higgins on display at the Wildlife Center in Kirtland year round, or even schedule a special appearance with Higgins and some of her animal friends by calling 440-256-1404 extension 2131. Higgins hopes you enjoy the show! 

Ravers: 
Hannah Woodside, Beatrice Woodside, Jesse Gross, Remi Godard, Emmanuel Climaco, Brett DiCello, Mackenzie Barry.
Muscle:
Emmanuel Climaco, Brett DiCello