2004 Season - “Carousel”

215 South Country Road • Bellport, NY 11713 • 631.286.1133
Long Island's Only Professional Musical Theatre.

Music by RICHARD RODGERS
Book and Lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II

Based on Ferenc Molnar's play ‘Liliom’ as adapted by Benjamin F. Glazer
Original Dances by Agnes de Mille



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Producer
PAUL ALLAN
Associate Producer
JEFF BELLANTE
General Manager
GALE EDWARDS
Artistic Director
ROBIN JOY ALLAN
Company Manager
STANLEY SCHORR
Production Stage Manager
JOVON E.SHUCK
Technical Director
MICHAEL BOYER
Costume Coordinator
MARIANNE DOMINY
Lighting Design
DOUG HARRY
Costume Design
ALLEN WILSON
Musical Direction by
JEFFREY BUCHSBAUM
Choreographed by
SHARON R. HALLEY
Directed by
BOB DURKIN

CAST OF CHARACTERS
(in order of appearance) 
Carrie Pipperidge NICOLE FENSTAD*
Julie Jordan JENN MORSE*
Mrs. Mullin JAN LEIGH HERNDON*
Billy Bigelow TOMMY FOSTER*
David Bascombe MICHAEL HAYWARD-JONES*
Nettie Fowler JULIE J. HAFNER*
Enoch Snow JASON DULA*
Jigger Craigin D.B. BONDS*
Policeman STEVE WINKLEMEYER
Heavenly Friend ROBIN LEIGH MASSIE
Star Keeper DON BOVINGLOH*
Louise MICHELLE PUCCI
Carnival Boy McCREE O’KELLEY
Enoch Snow, Jr. A.J. CADE
Dr. Seldon DON BOVINGLOH*
Snow Children CONNER BYRNES, STEPHANIE FEINBERG, HAYLEY LYNN GILLMAN,
JAIMEE LYNN GIORGI, RYAN KOERBER, STEPHANIE OSMANSKI,
MARISA TACHE, EMILY JOY VAETH
Ensemble PURDIE BAUMANN, ANNE-MARIE BRULƒ, A.J. CADE,
JONATHON GRANT, JESSUE LUTTRELL, NICOLE MANGI,
ROBIN LEIGH MASSIE, McCREE O’KELLEY, REGINA PELUSO,
MICHELLE PUCCI, ERIC SHOREY, BRIAN SLAMAN, MATTHEW WINNEGGE

THE ORCHESTRA
Conductor/Piano JEFFREY BUCHSBAUM
Keyboard PAUL FEYER
Reeds MARGE EWALD & LARRY WOODALL
French Horn AMBER LANE, IAN DONALD
Violin MARNI HARRIS
Trumpet JOE BOARDMAN
String Bass MICHAEL PREEN
Percussion GREGG MONTEITH

Cast Biographies

PURDIE SARAFINA BAUMANN (Ensemble / u/s Mrs. Mullin) grew up dancing at her mother and father's dance studio in Maywood, IL. She continued dancing at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and later went to North Carolina School of the Arts, majoring in Ballet. Purdie took her first professional job onboard Renaissance Cruises and later Norwegian Cruise Line doing Guys and Dolls and Fosse. She moved to NYC and landed a Rockette position at Radio City Music Hall. Ms. Baumann is thrilled to be joining Gateway Playhouse and its production of Carousel.

D.B. BONDS (Jigger / u/s Billy) Broadway credits include Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera. National tours: The Scarlet Pimpernel (u/s Percy), Les Miserables, and The Phantom of the Opera. He was also seen in Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years at the Minetta Lane Theater.

DON BOVINGLOH (Star Keeper / Dr. Seldon) is delighted to return to the Gateway Playhouse. On the stage, Don has appeared in A Funny Thing Happened … Forum, Music Man, Company, Jekyll and Hyde, Love Letters, and many others including South Pacific, Kiss Me Kate, and Best Little Whorehouse at Gateway. Don has directed numerous plays and musicals which include Hello Dolly, How To Succeed in Business…, Other People's Money, Mame, Child's Play, The Odd Couple, Cabaret and Baby at the Pasedena Playhouse in Los Angeles. Bovingloh lived and worked in Los Angeles for 20 years and has appeared in over 250 commercial, film and television roles. Don was an original member and a teacher at the prestigious Groundling Theatre Company in Hollywood, a source for many past and present cast members of Saturday Night Live. A few guest starring roles have been on Columbo, Newhart, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, Murder She Wrote, Murphy Brown, The Hogan Family, Family Law, Just Shoot Me, and Law and Order. Don continues to meld his theatrical background with a passion for the arts and education through his Improv and Musical Theatre workshops which he facilitates in New York, Los Angeles and theatres around the country. Special thanks to Robin, Stanley, Bob, and Jack.

ANNE-MARIE BRULÉ (Ensemble / u/s Julie) began dancing at age 4. After Miss Donna's School of Dance she attended and graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy as a dance major. She went on to receive her BFA in performance and choreography from S.U.N.Y. at Purchase College. Regional credits include Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Easter Parade and Nunsense II. Anne-Marie is also a Lindy Hopper. She has won several competitions including the American Lindy Hop Championships in 1999.

A.J. CADE (Enoch Jr. / Ensemble) Professional debut! Recently finished studying at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. I would like to thank my friends and family for all their support.

JASON DULA (Enoch) is thrilled to be here at Gateway. Jason has appeared as a back-up singer for Linda Eder on Broadway and her Bravo Christmas Special. Other credits: Off-Broadway: The Grass Harp (Collin) with Sandy Duncan, His Excellency with Tony Roberts, A New Girl in Town (Oscar), all at the York Theatre. First National Tour: Kopit/Yeston's Phantom (Count Phillipe). Regional: Great Expectations (Goodspeed), A Tale of Two Cities (Darnay), Ragtime (Brother), Children of Eden (Cain/Japheth). Jason is a graduate of the N.C. School of the Arts, and dedicates this performance to his brother. God Bless!

NICOLE FENSTAD (Carrie) is delighted to be working at Gateway Playhouse. She currently resides in New York City, but has spent a substantial amount of time in Europe touring with the musical Grease. She recently finished doing the world premiere of a new musical about Rosemary Clooney entitled A Dash of Rosemary. Favorite roles include: Sandy, Grease; Lily St. Regis, Annie; Roxie, Chicago; Ado Annie, Oklahoma; Woman 1, I Love You You're Perfect Now Change; Eva Peron, Evita; and Christine in Phantom. She is a native of Fargo, N.D. and earned a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Minnesota, Moorhead.

TOMMY FOSTER (Billy) is excited to be making his Gateway Playhouse debut in his favorite musical, Carousel. Regionally, he appeared as Willard Hewitt in Footloose at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine, Hero in A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, and the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, NY. He spent a season with the Mill Mountain Theatre in Roanoke, VA, toured the East Coast after 9/11 with Theatreworks USA as Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and in his native Charlotte, NC, played Harlon in Stanton's Garage, John in john and jen, and Bobby in Love! Valour! Compassion! He is a proud high school graduate of the NC School of the Arts and has a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan. Eternal gratitude to Mom and Brent for continued love and support, thank you to Joel for raising the bar, and to Robin for believing in me for 2-1/2 years. For Grandma, wherever you are.

JONATHON GRANT (Ensemble / u/s Bascombe) is very excited to be a part of the Gateway family. He has been featured in the National Tours of Susan Stroman's Oklahoma (Frisky Pete) and Fosse (singing "Mr. Bojangles"). Regional: Oklahoma (Dream Curly), Guys & Dolls (Benny), South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof (Fyedka), Grease (Sonny), The Who's Tommy, and, being a BTP alumnus, soloist in Broadway 2002, Directed by Ann Reinking.

JULIE J. HAFNER (Nettie) most recently appeared as The Wicked Witch of the West/Miss Gulch in The Wizard of Oz at Syracuse Stage. BROADWAY: Nine with Raul Julia; the 20th anniversary tour of Annie as Mrs. Pugh and the understudy to Sally Struthers. OFF-BROADWAY: Mr. Bobby/The Club at Circle in the Square (Obie Award for PerformanceÑdirectorial debut of Tommy Tune); Molly/The Green Heart for Manhattan Theatre Club; Mother Superior/Nunsense I &II. REGIONAL: Evangeline Harcourt/ Anything Goes at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven and the Cape Playhouse; Miss Wells/Dracula with Jean LeClerc at the Cape and Ogunquit Playhouse; Domina/A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at St. Louis Repertory, Barter Theatre and the Cape and Ogonquit Playhouses; Sister/Damn Yankees with Tony Randall at TUTS; Gladys Fritts/Radio Girls at Geva; Queen/Cinderella at Cleveland Opera; Mrs. Sowerberry/ Oliver; Mrs. Fezziwig/A Christmas Carol at Alabama Shakespeare Festival; Mama to Charles Busch in Little Me at Birmingham Theatre and Mrs. Segstrom/A Little Night Music at George Street Playhouse.

MICHAEL HAYWARD-JONES (Mr. Bascombe) returns to Gateway after a year playing M. Thnardier on the National Tour of Les Misrables. He was last seen here as Sir Danvers Carew in Jekyll and Hyde. Broadway and national touring audiences have seen him in Evita, The King and I, Me and My Girl, A Little Night Music, Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas Carol, The Sound of Music, Brigadoon, She Loves Me, Mame, and Call Me Madam.

JAN LEIGH HERNDON (Mrs. Mullin / dance captain) Broadway: A Chorus Line (Sheila), La Cage Aux Folles. Off-Broadway: Give My Regards to Broadway, Joan and the Devil, Scapegrace (written and directed by N. Richard Nash), Thoughts in a Woman's Mind (a presentation for The Women's Project). Regional: The King and I (Anna), Evita (Eva), Educating Rita (Rita), 42nd Street (Dorothy), The World Goes Round (Buffalo Studio Arena and FST), The Sound of Music (Elsa-Casa Manana), A Chorus Line (Northshore Music Theatre and Papermill Playhouse), A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and San Jose Rep), Puttin on the Ritz (Florida Stage), Crazy for You (Westchester's Broadway Theatre) and Bingo (Adirondack Theatre Festival). Gateway audiences may remember Jan in A Chorus Line (Sheila), City of Angels (Alaura), Lend Me a Tenor (Diana) and State Fair (Emily Arden), among others. Jan also works as a director/choreographer. She thanks her husband, actor Stephen Berger, and terrier Frankie, for their love and support.

JESSUE LUTTRELL (Ensemble) Regional: Evita, West Side Story, Meet Me in St. Louis. Trained and danced professionally with Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, The Rockschool/PA Ballet, CPYB, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Originated roles in two of Alan Hineline's premier ballets. Appearing in West Virginia Public Theatre's 2004 summer season. Thanks Bob!

NICOLE MANGI (Ensemble) is excited to be returning to Gateway for her second season. You might have seen her last year in On the Town. She just recently completed her first national tour of The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Favorite roles include Peggy Sawyer (42nd Street), Peter (Peter Pan), Amy (Company), and Martha (Secret Garden). TV: Guiding Light. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Webster Conservatory. Nicole sends much love to her family and friends.

ROBIN LEIGH MASSIE (Ensemble / Heavenly Friend / u/s Carrie / Nettie) has established her career as a versatile artist, performing in opera, concert, and musical theatre. She has performed with New York City Opera, Tulsa Opera, Kentucky Opera, Princeton Opera, and Trenton Civic Light Opera. Last summer, she appeared as Laurey Williams in Oklahoma! with the Bucks County Playhouse. Her repertoire includes roles in The Music Man, The Secret Garden, Brigadoon, The Mikado, Hansel and Gretel, Falstaff, and Don Giovanni. Ms. Massie has appeared as Jellylorum in the Hamburg, Germany production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's Cats, and recently sang the part of the First Fairy in Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream with the New York Ballet. She can be heard as the soprano soloist on the Westminster Choir recording Like as a Hart. A native of Austin, Texas, she received a bachelor's degree from Westminster Choir College, and a master's degree from Yale University. Upcoming engagements include the role of Papagena with Opera Delaware and a recording with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Yuletide Celebration program. Thank you to Bob and Jeff for believing in me. All my love to my husband Steven, my wonderful family and friends. Thanks be to God!

JENN MORSE (Julie) is so excited to be playing one of her dream roles since childhood. Favorite credits include Martha Jefferson in 1776 (Casa Manana), Charlotte in CharlotteÉLife or Theatre? (Prince Music Theatre), Mina in Dracula, the Musical (LaJolla Playhouse), and Guenevere in Camelot (Casa Manana). Thank you to her family and friends for their love and support.

McCREE O'KELLEY (Carnival Boy / Ensemble) began his dance training with Ann Brodie and the Carolina Ballet in his hometown of Columbia, SC. He then went on to study at the School of American Ballet and the North Carolina School of the Arts. McCree was a member of the Atlanta Ballet where he performed soloist roles in several ballets. He was Mr. Mistoffelees in the National Tour of Cats. Other credits include Tokyo Disney, The Music Man at Helen Hayes Theater Co., and the off-off-Broadway production of Pam Ann.

REGINA PELUSO (Ensemble) is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Regional Credits include The Guthrie Theatre, Carousel Dinner Theatre, Minneapolis Childrens' Theatre, and The Rand Barn Theatre. Favorite shows include The Nutcracker with Ballet Minnesota, The Importance of Being Earnest (Cecily), Carousel (Louise), Brigadoon (Bonnie, Jean), The Secret Garden (Mary), The Grapes of Wrath, Chicago, and Cabaret. Thanks to my family for their constant love!

MICHELLE PUCCI (Louise / Ensemble) is a recent graduate of East Carolina University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Her mainstage shows there include: Gypsy, The Music Man, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, The Bacchai, The Comedy of Errors and Spring's Awakening. Summer Stock credits include: The King and I and Horn in the West Historical Outdoor Drama. She is thrilled to be a part of the show and would like to thank her family for their support.

ERIC SHOREY (Ensemble) Eric is excited to make his debut with Gateway. European/National tour: West Side Story (A-rab), Cats (Pouncival, Swing). Regional credits include: Cats (NSMT), Chicago, Big River (Huck), The Fantasticks (Matt), West Side Story (Baby John), and Crazy For You. Love and thanks to friends and family.

BRIAN SLAMAN (Ensemble) is thrilled to be a part of Carousel, his first production with Gateway Playhouse. He previously danced in Encore! at Tokyo Disney Sea, in an industrial show for Rite-Aid (New Orleans), and with the Toledo Ballet Company in Peter Pan (Peter), Sleeping Beauty (Bluebird), Cinderella (Jester), The Nutcracker, and Carmina Burana. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Christie, Joyce, and Tom for everything!

MATTHEW WINNEGGE (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his debut at Gateway Playhouse. Most recently Matthew has performed in several shows at the Fireside Theatre, including Hello Dolly! (Barnaby) and The Sound of Music (Rolf). Other regional credits include A Chorus Line (Mark), Brigadoon (Harry Beaton) and West Side Story (Baby John). He has also been seen on ABC Daytime's One Life to Live. Love to his family and friends.

PAUL ALLAN (Producer) For more than 20 years, Paul has produced successful shows from the East End to the Far East. Born into the theatrical family that started Gateway, Paul became involved in the theatre at an early age. In addition to his career as a producer, Paul co-founded a successful touring company, which mounted dozens of productions across the US and as far away as Taiwan and Singapore. Serving as technical director, sound engineer and master electrician for numerous productions when he first began working in the industry provided Paul with invaluable knowledge and hands-on experience. His expertise allowed him to act as consultant and advisor on the restoration and renovation of Patchogue Theatre, which under Gateway's management, reopened in 1998 with Nutcracker On Ice. Gateway still stages shows there several times each year, with Cats and Fosse being this season's productions.

BOB DURKIN (Director) Bob's work has been represented both nationally and internationally in tours of Big River, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Dreamgirls, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Anything Goes, Purlie, The Goodbye Girl, One Mo' Time, Little Shop of Horrors, They're Playing Our Song, Hello Dolly, Crazy for You, and Ain't Misbehavin'. In 1997 he was the recipient of the Connecticut Critic's Circle award for outstanding choreography for his work on the national tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. He was Tommy Tune's co-choreographer for the pre-Broadway workshops of Irving Berlin's Easter Parade, starring Tommy Tune and Sandy Duncan, in both Sydney, Australia and in New York City. He also worked many years with the late Broadway director Phillip Oesterman. Bob's work has been seen by audiences in Brazil, Columbia, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, all over the United States and in Canada. Bob is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory of Music.

JEFFREY BUCHSBAUM (Musical Director) is very pleased to return with Carousel, which marks his 14th production at Gateway Playhouse, including Ragtime, Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and last season's Miss Saigon and Phantom. Other recent credits: Broadway Rhythm, produced in China for the Macao International Music Festival (also conceived, arranged, and orchestrated); The Magic of Musicals, produced in Athens, Greece (also conceived, arranged); The Skinflint (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis). In New York: A Dash of Rosemary (also arranger); Tallulah's Party with Tovah Feldshuh (Kaufman Theatre); and Michael Valenti's Song by Song (West Bank). Tours include: Phantom of the Opera (European/South American), A Chorus Line (European), Romance, Romance (National); Song and Dance (National); Titanic (National). Jeffrey recently returned from Eastern Europe where he conducted a series of musical theatre recordings, four with the Warsaw Radio Philharmonic in Poland and two with the Pecs Philharmonic Orchestra in Hungary. Jeffrey is also a voice teacher and coach, and has taught at New York University, Baruch, Middlesex and Mercer Colleges.

SHARON R. HALLEY (Choreographer) began her career at the world-renowned St. Louis Municipal Opera where she had the unbelievable opportunity of working alongside every major musical theatre choreographer of the twentieth century, including: Agnes DeMille, Jack Cole, Michael Kidd, Bob Fosse, and Ron Field. When she arrived in New York she became the youngest member of the Broadway ensemble of Cabaret, followed by the Broadway companies of Hellzapoppin' and Funny Girl. Sharon danced alongside Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. She left her performing days behind to become a choreographer in her own rite and went on to stage the original New York production of Jerry's Girls and the national tour which starred Carol Channing, Leslie Uggums and Andrea McArdle. Her other New York credits include The New Moon, The Desert Song, The Merry Widow (all at New York City Opera) and Elizabeth & Essex, starring Estelle Parsons. She choreographed the National Tour of Carousel (with Rex Smith) and Regional Productions of: Peter Pan, Bye Bye Birdie, South Pacific, Anything Goes, Can Can, Shenandoah, Music Man, Finian's Rainbow, Oklahoma!, Sweeney Todd, Fanny, Robert & Elizabeth, Oliver, The King and I, Mame, Where's Charlie, Brigadoon, Phantom of the Opera, Gigi, Guys and Dolls, Man of La Mancha, Damn Yankees among others at some of the country's finest theatres, including: Paper Mill Playhouse, Sacramento Light Opera, Starlight, Theatre Under the Stars, The Fifth Avenue Theatre, McArter, and the Walnut Street Theater. She staged the world premiere of the Rick Hawkins musical Lunch. PBS filmed her productions of Showboat, The Merry Widow, and The New Moon for Great Performances and she was the Resident Choreographer for the Robert Preston, Rosemary Harris mini series, Chisolm. She has been a Guest Artist for the Canadian Government in Fredericton, New Brunswick and Theatre Des Westins in Berlin, Germany. She most recently choreographed Ain't Misbehavin' for Bristol Riverside Theater in Philadelphia and is teaching movement at Mannes College in New York. Ms. Halley is the proud mother of Christopher, Gretchen, Amanda, and Ebony.

ROBIN JOY ALLAN (Casting and Artistic Director) is grateful to have lived and breathed the arts all her life, beginning with performance as child actress here at Gateway as well as on the road, to traveling with a rock band as vocalist and keyboardist. Her background running the family business, included running the summer teen workshops, musical directing, writing, directing, choreographing and eventually, producing. After moving to NYC, she began a career in casting that took her to the West Coast. She was the Associate Casting Director on the feature films; Parenthood, When Harry Met Sally, Lord of the Flies, Side Out and Ghost. She also cast several television series, pilots and MOW's. Along with her Artistic and Casting Director duties here, she is also the force behind Gateway's Acting School Division. Robin's appreciation is for her family, her devotion is for her second family of students, her joy is in her daughter, Hayley Lynn, named after Harry and Libby, her maternal grandparents, who are her constant source of inspiration and a true example of eternal love.

DOUG HARRY (Lighting Designer) is happy to be designing another Gateway production. His past credits here include last year's Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar, Scarlet Pimpernel, Titanic and Dracula the Rock Opera. Doug holds a degree in Theatre Production and Stage Management from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, UK. He is currently a freelance designer/programmer for Mohegan Sun Casino, General Motors and Six Flags theme parks, to name a few.

ALLEN WILSON (Costume Designer) graduated with a Degree in Theater from the University of St. Louis. Among his many theatrical accomplishments he has directed, produced and designed over 200 stage productions. Formally the resident costume designer for The Mark Two Dinner Theater, Allen moved to COSTUME WORLD in 2001, one of the countries largest costume rental houses based in south Florida. He has since designed many new shows for professional theatres such as the Orlando Broadway Theatre, Light Opera Works and Art Park, and the tours of State Fair, Singin' in the Rain and Titanic for Candlewood Productions. Allen is very pleased to once again be working with the Gateway Playhouse where last summer, his designs were seen in On the Town.

JOVON E. SHUCK (Production Stage Manager) Broadway: Noises Off, The Graduate; New York: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, The Seagull (NY Shakespeare Festival/Public Theatre), Lyrics and Lyricists Series (92nd Street Y) and three seasons with Actors ' Studio.


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