CRT Sets Artistic Teams for 2015 Summer Season, Featuring 1776 & More

Cortland Repertory Theatre is announcing the artistic teams for their 44th annual summer season of professional theatre at the Little York Pavilion in Dwyer Park. This year's creative staff includes many new artists to Cortland, some with Tony-Award winning credits from Broadway.

Season opener "Always a Bridesmaid" will be directed by long-time CRT director Bert Bernardi, whose previous CRT credits include "All Shook Up", "The Full Monty" and "Grease" amongst many others. Bernardi is also the co-founder of Pantochino Productions, which is in its fourth season of original musical theatre productions for family audiences in southern Connecticut. Costumes are designed by long-time CRT designer Jimmy Johansmeyer. Scenic design is handled by Ola Kraszpulska, an Assistant Professor of Scenic Design at SUNY Cortland. Lighting Design will be created by Louis Kreienkamp, who is also CRT's Master Electrician.

For all the summer productions, Sound Design is handled by Seth Asa Sengel in his fourth year with CRT, and props are designed by Amanda Diaz in her first CRT summer. Stage managers for the season are Laura Krouch (in her fourth CRT year) and Erin Heare in her first year at Cortland.

CRT Producing Director Kerby Thompson (who has also led "Buddy! The Buddy Holly Story", "Unnecessary Farce", "Best Little Whorehouse..." and others at CRT) will direct the musical "1776". The Assistant Director and Dialect Coach will be Dustin Charles, who previously has directed "Boeing Boeing" and "I'll Be Back Before Midnight" at CRT. His dialect work has been heard in "Brigadoon" and many Agatha Christie plays. Music direction is by Joel Gelpe, a music director at Ithaca College, whose work at CRT includes "Les Miserables" and "Cats". Choreography will be handled by SUNY Cortland instructor Cynthia Halpin, whose CRT work includes "The Full Monty", "Grease" and "Brigadoon". Scenic Design will be done by Sam Sheehan, former Props Designer at Syracuse Stage. Long time CRT costume designer Wendi Zea will handle costumes, and David A. Sexton makes his debut as Lighting Designer.

Bernadi returns to direct "The Addams Family" in July, with Aimee Radics making her CRT debut as music director. Robin Levine returns to choreograph; her work was previously seen last summer in "All Shook Up". Sexton handles lights, Johansmeyer returns for costumes, and Shelley Barish makes her CRT debut as Scenic Designer.

Shaun Peknic makes his CRT debut directing "Sherlock Holmes & The West End Horror". Peknic was the Associate Director of the Tony-Award winning musical "Once" on Broadway, as well as for the First National Tour, West End and Toronto productions. Leah Gabriel serves as Dialect Coach for the show, with Zea returning to handle costumes. Andrea Nice makes her CRT debut as Scenic Designer and Ann Marie Duggan returns as Lighting Designer, having worked on "Buddy" and "Ring of Fire" in the previous seasons.

In another Tony-Award connection, Nathaniel Shaw makes his CRT debut with "Miracle on South Division Street". Shaw was also involved with the Broadway production of "Once", serving as Associate Choreographer on both the Broadway production and the First National Tour. Shaw is also the founder and Artistic Director of The Active Theatre in New York City. CRT's Assistant Technical Director Nicholas Thornburg serves as Scenic Designer for this show, with Duggan returning on lights. Mark Reynolds, a Designer and Director at SUNY Cortland, serves as Costume Designer.

Wrapping up the season, Robin Levine returns to direct and choreograph "Suds - The Rockin' '60's Musical Soap Opera". Music direction will be handled by Jeff Campos in his CRT debut, fresh from the national tour of "Jekyll and Hyde". Johansmeyer returns to handle costumes, with Kreienkamp on lights and Barish as Scenic Designer.

The CRT Box Office at 24 Port Watson Street opens on May 18th for individual ticket sales. Orders for subscriptions and flex passes are being taken until May 22nd. Groups of more than 10 people can order tickets now at a discount price. Gift Certificates are always available for purchase. More information on all shows as well as prices and box office hours is available at www.cortlandrep.org. Call 800-427-6160 for more information

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