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Don Gingold / Friday, November 22, 2019 / Categories: Past Shows

1776

Naperville Central HS Auditorium

Event date: 6/15/2001 7:30 PM - 6/24/2001 3:00 PM Export event

by 
Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone
Directed by: Jan Mahlstedt   
Vocal Director: Elizabeth Wesley
Music Director: Joe Lugay
Choreography by: Tracy Brown
Produced by: Bernadette & Roger Budny
Assistant Director: Judy DiVita
Stage Manager/2ns Asst. Dir.: Ken Cox
Props: Kay Lawson
Costumes: Patti Mason

The Cast of 
John Adams..............................................Steve Arvanites
Col. Thomas McKean...............................Mike Choate
Leather Apron...........................................Josh Culberson
Caesar Rodney.........................................Patrick Farbo
Stephen Hopkins.......................................Burke Fry
Andrew McNair..........................................Craig Gustafson
Robert Livingston.......................................David Hollander
John Hancock............................................Robert Kimmeth
Thomas Jefferson......................................Randall Knott
Joseph Hewes...........................................Garth Lawson
James Wilson........................................... James Liljegren
Richard Henry Lee.....................................Daniel Linka
Dr. Josiah Bartlett...................................... Larry Lipskie
Benjamin Franklin.......................................Craig Mahlstedt
Rev. John Witherspoon...............................Roger Matson
Charles Thomson........................................Daniel Miller
George Read..............................................Trevor Morgan
Roger Sherman...........................................Daniel Murphy
Dr. Lyman Hall.............................................Ned O'Reilly
A Courier......................................................David Pfenninger
John Dickinson............................................Joseph Scola
Edward Rutledge.........................................Steve Tomlitz
Samuel Chase.............................................Steve Zeidler
Abigail Adams..............................................Lisa Baggott Miller
Martha Jefferson..........................................Eirian Morgan

 

Cast Profiles
(In Alphabetical Order)

Steve Arvanites (John Adams) - 1776 represents Steve’s debut with Summer Place. This veteran performer of 40+ productions has executed many principal roles in shows ranging from A Midsummer Nights’ Dream to La Boheme.

Lisa Baggott-Miller (Abigail Adams) - Lisa last appeared at Summer Place in The Sound of Music. She has been doing theatre since 1980 and has also appeared with Wheaton Drama and Tempo Players, among others.

Mike Choate (Col. Thomas McKean) - Mike has appeared in two other Summer Place productions. He was Big Julie in Guys and Dolls and Charlie Cowell in The Music Man. He sends his thanks and love to daughter Amy and wife Pam.

Josh Culberson (Leather Apron/Painter) - Josh has performed in many shows, most recently at Hill Middle School. He was also in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Godspell, and The Music Man. He will be attending Waubonsie Valley H.S. in the fall.

Patrick Farbo (Caesar Rodney) - When not performing, Patrick enjoys working at his gift and flower shop “Cabeaux” in Aurora. He would like to thank his friends and family for their continued love and support, especially Ed, Daphne and Zoe.

Burke Fry (Stephen Hopkins) - Burke was Henry in last February’s production of The Fantasticks. He traveled the United States for two years in variety, convention and industrial shows. He has extensive theatrical experience in musicals and opera throughout Chicagoland.

Craig Gustafson (Andrew McNair) - Craig’s favorite roles include The Foreigner (Charlie), The House of Blue Leaves (Artie), Chicago (Amos Hart), Bobby Gould in Hell (Interrogator), The Fantasticks (Hucklebee) and husband of the lovely Margie.

David Hollander (Robert Livingston) - David is pleased to be making his Summer Place debut. As a history teacher, David could never have abstained, even courteously, from participating with this talented cast.

Robert Kimmeth (John Hancock) - Robert is thankful for the opportunity to call this historic Congress to order in his first Summer Place show.

Randall Knott (Thomas Jefferson) - 1776 marks Randy’s second appearance with Summer Place, having been seen as El Gallo in The Fantasticks. Randy is the new Vice President of Wheaton Drama, Inc. His most recent of a long list of lead roles was that of Paul in Born Yesterday.

Garth Lawson (Joseph Hewes) - This is Garth’s fourth season with Summer Place. He was the barber in Born Yesterday, a disciple in Jesus Christ Superstar, and an Indian in Annie Get Your Gun.

James Liliegren (James Wilson) - This is Jim’s first production with Summer Place since moving to Lisle from Iowa last fall.

Daniel Linka (Richard Henry Lee) - After 12 years in professional theatre Daniel recently left to pursue a more stable life. But the lure of theatre drew him back into a show he performed 14 years ago with the Before Broadway Players.

Larry Lipskie (Dr. Josiah Bartlett) - Larry has appeared in numerous Summer Place shows, most recently as Detective-Sergeant Porterhouse in Run For Your Wife. He works in computer software at Lucent Technologies.

Craig Mahlstedt (Benjamin Franklin) - Craig has been involved as a director, board member and officer of Summer Place for over 21 years. 1776 marks his 5th stage appearance. Most recently, he played Ben in Little Foxes with wife Jan. He earned his BFA in 1969, the Cubs folded that year too.

Roger Matson (Rev. Jonathan Witherspoon) - This is Roger’s first appearance with Summer Place. His other roles include: Riff in West Side Story and Noah in The Rainmaker. Roger also sings with the Naperville Chorus.

Daniel Miller (Charles Thomson) - Daniel has been in 30+ shows throughout the Chicagoland area over the past 20 years. Shows include Evita, Sunday in the Park With George, Two By Two, Assassins, Guys and Dolls, Brigadoon, No, No, Nanette and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Eirian Morgan (Martha Jefferson) - Eirian was last seen on Summer Place’s stage over seven years ago as Zaneeta in The Music Man. She has appeared at Light Opera Works, Arc Productions, De Paul Opera Theater, Du Page Opera Theater and Centro Studi Italiani in Urbino, Italy.

Trevor Morgan (George Read) - This is Trevor’s debut with Summer Place. He was an original member of the Naperville Men’s Glee Club and active in starting the Rotary Club of Naperville/Sunrise’s Fund for the Arts. He has sung with the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus but is best known as Eirian Morgan’s father.

Dan Murphy (Roger Sherman) - Past roles include: Billy Flynn in Chicago, Tito in Lend Me a Tenor, Nick in Baby, Rooster in Annie, Jeff Moss in Bells Are Ringing, and Felix in Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? Dan is delighted to be in his first Summer Place production.

Ned O’Reilly (Dr. Lyman Hall) - Ned has acted all over northeast Illinois, most recently as Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing. Other favorites include: El Gallo in The Fantasticks and The Narrator in Into the Woods.

David Pfenninger (A Courier) - David is making his debut performance with Summer Place. His favorite past roles include Mike in A Chorus Line, Uncle Max in The Sound of Music, and most recently Dickon in The Secret Garden.

Joseph Scola (John Dickinson) - After a short, but exciting, five year stint in the Champaign-Urbana theatre circuit, Joe is thrilled to return to the Chicagoland area for his Summer Place debut.

Steve Tomlitz (Edward Rutledge) - Steve makes his Summer Place debut in 1776. Previous work includes The Who’s Tommy and Into the Woods at the University of Illinois. Much love to Marisa and my wonderful family.

Steve Zeidler (Samuel Chase) - Steve is no stranger to the Summer Place stage. Audiences may remember him as Daddy Warbucks in Annie, Jules Marsh in 42nd Street, and as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha.

Production Staff Profiles

Bernadette and Roger Budny (Producers) - 1776 marks Bernadette and Roger’s first collaborative effort as producers for Summer Place. Over the past seven years they have either acted in, directed or helped produce several shows for Summer Place. Favorites include Man of La Mancha, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and The Fantasticks.

Jan Mahlstedt (Director) - Jan earned a BFA in Theater from Illinois Wesleyan University where she met her husband Craig. She has been active in area theaters, served on the board of Summer Place for 25 years, has performed or directed in nearly 60 productions in Chicago and the western suburbs, founded Community Players, and is currently teaching at the Theater of Western Springs.

Judy DiVita (Assistant Director) - Judy has served in various capacities on the Summer Place board for almost ten years. She was Frau Schmidt in Sound of Music, directed Velveteen Rabbit, and works at other area theaters.

Ken Cox (2nd Assistant Director/Stage Manager) - This is Ken’s first production with Summer Place (not counting ushering.) He has previously played Gribble in Room Service and Ross in Macbeth, both with the Community Players.

Elizabeth Miller-Wesley (Vocal Director) - Elizabeth is making her Summer Place debut as vocal coach for 1776. She is an active performer of opera throughout the United States and Europe, teaches private voice in the Naperville area and is a busy mom to Matthew and Anne.

Joey Lugay (Orchestra Director) - Pianist since age five, Joey plays for St. Leonard Productions, Morton College, and Absolute Entertainment. He has performed opposite wife, Susie, The King and I (King) and The Wizard of Oz (Lion). Favorite: Daddy to Jacob (7) and Savanna (4).

Tracey Brown (Choreographer) - Tracey is proud to be associated with this show and fine cast, despite being British! Maybe there is a deeper connection since her father’s name was John Adams! Tracey performed earlier this year in Summer Place’s production of Run For Your Wife, has choreographed many shows in the local area and by day teaches dance at DancEncounter Ltd. in Geneva

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