Professional Summer Theatre Crew

Design

Christopher Otwell (Set Design) is excited to return this year to Tibbits as the main stage scenic designer after having a wonderful time as the popcorn designer and master carpenter last summer. He has just finished a production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for the Hilberry Theatre at Wayne State University, where he will be beginning the final year (Yeeaaaah) of his MFA in the fall. His upcoming credits include designs for The Talented Tenth and The Servant of Two Masters. He would like very much to thank all of his supportive friends and family, especially his lovely wife, Tiffany, and his good friend, Jeff, with whom he has the honor of working with this summer.

Brian Pearson (Light Design) is very excited to be returning to his favorite summer theater. Since his last season here, he has been traveling North America. His recent galavanting has included work with corporate giants Disney and Carnival Cruises as well as work with educational programs in opera and theatre. His design credits with Tibbits have included such shows as The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Grease, Arsenic and Old Lace, and You Can't Take it With You.

Jenny Thurnau (Costume Design for Popcorn Theatre) is delighted to join the Tibbits family this summer. She earned a BA in Acting and MFA in Costume Design from Western Illinois University. Jenny is a costume crafts artisan and stitcher at the Milwaukee Rep during the regular theater season. Her favorite designs include: Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens and Pump Boys and Dinettes (Circuit Playhouse - Memphis, TN); Fuddy Meers, Angels In America pt 1 and Footloose (Western Illinois University - Macomb, IL). Many thanks to her family and Ray for their unending support.

Erin Tucker (Costume Design for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Hair) is thrilled to be a part of this exciting and diverse summer season! She is a graduate of Western Illinois University in costume design, some of her favorite projects there included A Streecar Named Desire and Oedipus.  Erin just completed a costume design internship, and also the design of Shear Madness at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.  These opportunities would not be possible without the help of many people.  Special thanks goes out to Ray Gabica, her family, and her friends for their love and continuing support.

Sarah Woodworth (Costume Design for Leading Ladies and I Love You....) is a Senior Technical Theatre/Design Major at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), Her most recent work was the Costume Design for Katatonika which premiered at the 2009 Prague Fringe Festival. Past design credits include Point of Revue and Polaroid Stories at SIUE, Mary’s Wedding (Echo Theatre Company) and Road to Mecca (Orange Girls Theatre Company) both in St. Louis, MO. She has also worked in the SIUE Costume Shop as a stitcher and junior cutter/draper for 3 years, and at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis as a stitcher in 2008. She is thrilled to be designing at Tibbits for the 2009 summer season and she would like to thank her parents for their unending support and B for everything.

Tech

Jeffrey Strange (Technical Director and Set Design for Popcorn Theatre) is an MFA Scenic Designer at the Hilberry Repertory Theatre in Detroit. While at the Hilberry he has designed The Taming of the Shrew (Bonstelle Theatre), Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Jeffrey also designed A Lie of the Mind which represented the United States at the Moscow International Theatre Festival last summer. His other Hilberry Credits include Technical Direction for Biloxi Blues and One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Properties Design for As You Like It. Jeffrey was the mainstage designer for the past two seasons at Stagedoor Manor youth theatre, designing Sweeney Todd, The Producers and Chicago among others. He also holds an AA in Theatre from Sinclair College and a BFA in Theatre Design (Scenic Design) from East Carolina University where he designed Dance 2007, Hedda Gabler and The Fantasticks. Following Tibbits, Jeffrey will be returning to the Hilberry for his final year, designing The Seagull and Pippin.

Chris Aler (Master Carpenter) is excited and honored to serve as Tibbit’s Master Carpenter before he begins his senior year at Bradley University. During his past year at Bradley he associate designed Pirates of Penzance and associate technical directed Cloud Nine, two of Bradley’s main stage shows. Chris is also the operations manager for the student run theatre on campus where he designed and produced 3 shows with his peers including George Orwell’s 1984. Last summer, he worked with the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in the beautiful central park as the master carpenter. Chris Aler would like to thank his University and Ed Leahy the technical director from Chicago Shakespeare Theatre for the knowledge and the wonderful opportunities to make a living out of his passion.

Kyle Garrelts (Carpenter) was born in Kearney Nebraska which is where he started doing theater. He has done a wide range of positions including set designer, props head, carpenter, intern, actor, technical director and some stage management. Last summer Kyle spent at Tibbits as an intern. He currently is attending the University of Wyoming where he is majoring in scenic design. Kyle hopes to be done with school in 2012 and plans to do theater the rest of his lifetime.

Samantha Hall (Properties Master) is new to working with Tibbit’s Summer Theater this year. She is originally from the small town of Beallsville, Ohio. Recently, this past January 2009, Samantha graduated from Douglas Education Center with an Associates Degree in Specialized Business for the Tom Savini Special Make-Up Effects Program. She is excited to put her knowledge of props to use for the theater and is looking forward to working with everyone at Tibbit’s this summer.

Dan Janes (Master Electrician / Light Designer for Popcorn Theatre) Dan is a 19 year old Eagle Scout from Crystal Lake, Illinois. Dan is glad to take a break in his fast-paced, action-packed life in order to be a part of Tibbits Summer Theater program. He is going to return for his second year as a Technical Theater student at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in this fall. His past works include master electrician of SIUes Dance in Concert 2008 as well as the sound technician of their production of Anton in Show Business. He also was the sound technician of seven shows at Crystal Lake South High School as well as various Battles of the Bands, and a few Miss Crystal Lake Pageants. Dan has spent summers canoeing in the boundary waters, hiking through mountains, summer camps, working on mission trips in Mexico, South Dakota, and New Orleans; yet this summer will be his first doing theater. He is excited to start his professional career at Tibbits and hopes to return next year. He likes long walks on the beach and romantic candlelit dinners. He has a great personality and an incredible sense of humor. Dan thanks you for coming. Enjoy!

Megan Lothamer (Intern) is a sophomore Theatre and English double major from Valparaiso University and resides in Hamilton, Indiana. Backstage work for Megan includes assistant stage manager for Soul Purpose, VU’s liturgical drama troupe, and assistant set designer for Hamilton High School’s production of The 1940’s Radio Hour.  Also, she has previously appeared onstage at HHS in Once Upon a Mattress-Winnifred the Woe-be-gone and The 1940’s Radio Hour -Geneva Lee Brown and at Valparaiso University in The Importance of Being Earnest-Miss Prism and Variations on the Death of Trotsky-Mrs. Trotsky.

Jason Simpson (Assistant Stage Manager/ Stage Manager for Popcorn Theatre) is going to be a college senior this fall, majoring in theatre production with his concentration in Stage Management and Directing at State University of New York at Brockport. He hails originally from Texas, but has called Western New York his home for the past eight years.  Jason has actively participated in theatre his entire life including performance, designing, stage management and directing. When he is not involved in a production, Jason enjoys fishing, traveling, and spending time with his parents and little sister, Madison.   He is thrilled to be joining the production crew of Tibbits Summer Theatre for this summer season.