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LOST IN YONKERS

By Neil Simon

July 11-20, 2024

Robert Wagner Auditorium at Seaholm High School

Directed by Rob Roznowski
Costumes & Scenic Design by Thalia Hollinger
Sound Design by Abigail Gearhart
Lighting Design by Lauren Spiegal
Properties Design by Alison English
Production Stage Manager Nan Luchini*
Assistant Stage Manager Jai Downing

TICKETS

The set and costumes bring you into the world of the 1940s with ease, but the best part of Lost in Yonkers was the cast that embraced the heartbreaking story of generational trauma and made it come alive."

The Cosmic Circus

Dubbed “the best play Simon ever wrote,” (New York Post) this Pulitzer Prize-winning dramedy beautifully captures the humor, conflict and heartbreak of a Jewish family living in Yonkers in 1942. Riddled with debt, Eddie takes to the road as a salesman, leaving his two sons to stay with tough-as-nails Grandma Kurnitz for a year. Left to contend with Grandma and cousins, Bella with her secret romance, and Louie, a small-time gangster, the boys are in for a summer they’ll never forget. Winner of the 1991 Tony Award for Best Play, the show remains as poignant now as ever.

Lost in Yonkers is presented in arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

CAST

Drew Parker

Louie

Elise Castle*

Bella

Joseph Sfair

Eddie

Karen Sheridan*

Grandma Kurnitz

Kristofferson Morrison

Arty

Josh Kroll

Jay

Katie Della Mora

Gert

*Denotes members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

our inaugural 2024 season

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Nan Luchini

PSM

Recent: Lincoln Center Damrosch Park. Opera: San Diego, Annapolis, Tulsa, Pensacola, Naples, Palm Beach, New Orleans, Teattro Grattacielo, Carolina, Grand Rapids, Atlanta, Florentine.  Upcoming: Detroit Opera House La Traviata, University of Michigan Fall 2024 Guest Lecturer/Mentor of Stage Management.  Thank you D and Nevaeh for your continued love and support. 

Jai Downing

ASM (Lost in Yonkers, Guys & Dolls)
Scenic Designer (Peerless)

Jai Downing is a 2024 graduate of Wylie E. Groves High School, and will be attending Northern Michigan University to major in Theater Design and Technology. After eight high school productions with Groves Performing Arts Company, they are excited to be working professionally on all three Michigan Stage productions this summer as a scenic designer, assistant stage manager, and build crew member. 

Alison English

Properties Designer

Alison English moved to Detroit in 2022 to pursue a rich, dynamic, and diverse theater community. She has worked as a director, designer, and artist for over 10 years since graduating with a BA from Clarke University. Favorite director/designer credits: MSND, That Mighty Day!, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!.

Abigail Gearhart

Sound Designer

Abigail has worked for Interlochen Arts Academy, Detroit Country Day Schools, and more. Her most notable works include her work as a sound designer for Oakland University’s production of Bluestockings, which she received the KCACTF Design, Technology and Management Legacy Award for Sound Design.

Katie Della Mora

Gert

Katie is thrilled to be making her Michigan Stage debut. She spent a decade in NYC, writing and performing sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade and the Peoples Improv Theater. Off-Off-Broadway and select favorites: Arts or Crafts, See What I Wanna See (Actress), Recent Tragic Events (Waverly), Savage in Limbo (Denise Savage), As Bees in Honey Drown, The Life, She Loves Me. Her original humor writing has appeared in ClickHole, Reductress, WhoHaha, and more. BFA, MSU. Lots of gratitude and love to Mom, Pete, the family, Ted, Tim, and Rob.

Rob Roznowski

Director

Rob is a Professor at Michigan State University and thanks you for supporting professional theater! He is thrilled to be part of this new and exciting company’s inaugural production.

Thalia Lara

Scenic & Costume Designer

Thalia has earned an MFA in Design for theater from Michigan State University (MSU). She has designed and created scenery, costumes, and properties for education, community, and regional theaters in Washington, California, and Michigan. Her recent design credits include Scenic Design for Williamston Theare’s production of Predictor (2024) directed by Billicia Hines, Scenic & Projections for MSU Opera theater’s production of Don Giovanni (2024) directed by Melanie Helton, and Scenic Designer for the MSU Department of theater production of Clue* (2023) directed by Ryan Welsh.

*earned the Gretel Geist Award for Excellence in Design & 2 Lansing State Journal Thespie awards

Joshua Gabriel Kroll

Jay

Josh is thrilled to be playing Jay in Lost in Yonkers this summer. Most recently he was Jack Kelly in Newsies and Leo in The Book Women through Groves Performing Arts Company (GPAC). He will attend University of Michigan in the fall with a major in Philosophy. He would like to thank his family, the cast and crew of Lost in Yonkers, and Michigan Stage for this incredible opportunity to be in such a powerful show.

Joseph Sfair

Eddie (Lost in Yonkers)
Lieutenant Branigan (Guys & Dolls)

Joseph is a Michigan native from Eastpointe and holds a BA from Wayne State University. He has had the privilege of appearing on several stages across the state over the last decade, most recently including The Extra Mile Playwrights, Open Book theater, Shakespeare in Detroit, theater Nova, University of Detroit Mercy, Riverbank theater, and The Inspired Acting Company, where he recently accepted a position as an Associate Artist. Joe feels immensely honored to have been asked to participate in Michigan Stage’s first season of professional theater, (performing Neil Simon, no less!). He’d like to send his thanks to Jessica, (both for telling him about the audition and generally tolerating him while he was learning his lines,) Michael, (for telling Jessica about the audition,) his friends & family for their support, and of course YOU in the audience for coming out to support live theater! Enjoy the show!

Elise Castle*

Bella

Elise is thrilled to be joining Michigan Stage for their inaugural season! A Michigan native, Elise graduated from Oakland University, and has been in NYC ever since! Elise has done lots of plays, lots of sketch comedy, written lots of stuff, and has recorded lots of episodes of her podcast “We Couldn’t Help But Wonder”. Elise is grateful to Michigan Stage for bringing her “home” for the summer. @evcastle www.elisevcastle.com

Manda Borden

Ensemble

Manda is currently a local choir teacher, originally from Rochester, NY. Syracuse University – BFA. Thanks to my friends & family, y’all are okay I guess <3 @mandaborden

Tim Paré

CEO and Founding Artistic Director

Named 2023 Humanities Champion of the Year for the entire state of Michign by Michigan Humanities, and a 2024 member of Oakland County Together 40 under 40, Tim previously served as Director of Education for the Tony Award-winning Barrington Stage Company in the Berkshires, managing the nationally acclaimed Playwright Mentoring Project, recipient of the Coming Up Taller award, the nation’s highest honor in after school arts programming. While working at Barrington Stage he helped develop the now acclaimed Music theater Conservatory, a 10 week program offering intensive training for students ages 18+ in the areas of Performing, Directing and Choreography. His other programs at BSC include an international internship program, providing opportunities to study and train in various theatrical fields, student matinees for local youth, an annual musical for young audiences, and youth performance programs Kids and TeensAct! — reaching 7500 community members annually.

Prior, Tim served as Director of Education at Lake Dillon theater Company (CO). Pioneering the position, he expanded existing program offerings such as the Youth theater Workshops to year round youth programming and launched an in-school professional development initiative for educators, incorporating theater arts into  the common core curriculum.

At the college level, Tim has taught workshops in auditioning, various styles of dance, and the business of theater for Pace University, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and Ithaca College, and taught adjunct for Colorado Mountain College. He was Senior Director of Programs for Play Rugby USA (NYC) and Broadway Bound Kids (NYC). As an educator, Cohoes Music Hall (NY), Warren Consolidated School of Performing Arts (MI), Arts Academy in the Woods (MI), STREB Action Lab’s SLAM (NY), Stagedoor Manor (NY), Granbury Opera House (TX), Little theater on the Square (IL), and The Co-op School (NY).

Tim is a graduate of Michigan State University, former Chair of the Ferndale Arts and Cultural Commission, and a volunteer with the Downtown Ferndale Vision Committee.

Linda Rabin Hammell

Pickpocket | Havana Bartender | Hot Box M.C.

Linda has appeared on stages from hometown Philly to Cambridge MA to Brooklyn NY, and in Michigan at such venues as Open Book, Obsidian theater Festival, Detroit Rep, The Ringwald, Matrix, Performance Network, Jewish Ensemble, The New theater Project, Blackbird, Penny Seats, Abreact, Puzzle Piece, The Dio, and Shakespeare Royal Oak. More recently, she’s branched into podcasts and indie films (including two festival-fave shorts with your irrepressible Nicely Nicely, Sam Meier). Linda welcomes everyone to Mich Stage’s inaugural season and hopes it becomes your family’s new tradition. Much love to the Dood (a/k/a Arvide).

Grace LaFave

Ensemble | Dance Captain

Grace has recently graduated from Churchill High School, where she participated in the CAPA program. She is excited to start her BFA in musical theater at Oakland University in the fall and sends love to her family for their consistent support <3.

Collin Gregory

Ensemble

Collin is a high school student who is excited to be a part of Guys and Dolls as ensemble this summer, with just only being in 5 school-produced shows throughout his life. He loves stepping out of the box and trying new things, and that’s what eventually led to him landing here at Michigan Stage’s summer season of 2024. He’s always busy testing out new waters in the theater world with new environments, shows, jobs, and loves meeting new people. Although just an underclassmen, he is striving to pursue his passions with a career in film when he gets older.

Zach Deande

Calvin | Ensemble

Zach Deande, from Dallas TX, just graduated from Michigan State with his BFA in Acting, minors in musical theater and dance. He wants to thank his friends and family for their support! @zacharydeande 

Drew Parker

Louie

Drew was most recently seen in Shakespeare In Detroit’s production of As You Like It. Favorite regional credits include Death of a Salesman at The Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Secret Mask at Next Act theater in Milwaukee, and K2 at Virginia Stage Co. Other Michigan credits include Jake in 2AZ at the Purple Rose, and the title role in Hamlet with Shakespeare Royal Oak. He’ll be returning to SRO this summer in the role of Feste, acting beside his wife Meredith Parker (Viola) in Twelfth Night. Thanks to the entire creative team for sharing your dreams and visions. It’s been an honor to play a part in fostering in this wonderful new theater. Mere, my heart, you are my Chemical X. Love you forever, Parker.

Lauren Spiegal

Lighting Designer

Lauren is a senior at Michigan State University currently pursuing a BFA of Lighting Design and a BFA of Graphic Design. Her recent designs at MSU include Much Ado About Nothing, Charlotte’s Web, and The Roller Derby (assistant). Additionally, she co-designed the projection/media design for Stevie and the Real World. Lauren is ecstatic at the opportunity to be designing with Michigan Stage and hopes you enjoy the show!

Kristofferson Morrison

Arty

Kristofferson is ecstatic to be apart of his first Professional Acting gig. He has been acting since he was 6 and has played such roles as Jafar in Aladdin Jr., Oscar Delancey in Newsies Jr., Mr. Bucket in Willy Wonka Jr., and many more. He enjoys reading plays with his favorite playwrights being Christopher Durang, Neil Simon, and Neil LaBute. Kristoff wants to be a professional actor when he’s older and he’d like to thank all his friends and family for their continued support of his passion.

Karen Sheridan*

Grandma Kurnitz

Karen is excited to be a part of Michigan Stage’s inaugural production. Her credits include ‘Rain on Fire and Ragtime (Flint Rep); The Hat Box, Chapatti and Silent Sky (Williamston); The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Detroit Public); Boeing Boeing, Dancing at Lughnasa and Angels in America (Meadow Brook), Much Ado About Nothing (Wishing Well), Love Letters with husband Sam Pollak (Two Muses), Other Desert Cities [if you were there the day the standby went on] (Jewish Ensemble) and numerous roles at Peninsula Players. Karen also directs professionally—ask her what’s coming up. Here’s to family…and what it teaches.