The Tourists
Susan Hollander - Molly McGrath
Marion Hollander - Cynthia Robens
Walter Hollander - Carl Danna
The Embassy Staff
The French Chef - Bea Girard
The English Chef (Reprise) - Shirley Jean Measures
Axel Magee - Scott Fellows
Ambassador Magee - Jerry Petronis
Kilroy - Rick Kelsey
Burns - Kathleen Schneibel
The Characters
Father Drobney - Terry Ford
Krojack - Mike Wolske
Commie Novotny - Chris Parks
Commie Notalkney - Carl Schneibel
Countess Bordoni - Nicole Murphy
Kasnar - Tony Derico
The Sultan of Bashir - Linda Yurschak
The Original Sultan's Wife - Lisa Greene
The Reprised Sultan's Wife - Heather Borden
Molly McGrath is Susan Hollander
Lovely Molly returns in her third SPAO dinner theatre role with a soft New Jersey Jewish dialect as the hostage tourist's daughter, Susan . Molly debuted with SPAO as the shy veterinarian nurse, Caitlin O'Hare, in "Over The River and Through The Woods" the fall of 2001. Molly was introduced to SPAO audiences as a vocalist during SPAO's "Arsenic and Old Lace" that spring. She returned last fall in the multiple mood changing lead role of Carrie Sachs of "Lunch Hour". (Photos above as Carrie with current director Brian Gronczniak and as our little angel - Yeah Right!) Her beautiful voice has been involved with many local community theaters. She has played Anna in "The King and I", Grace Farrell in "Annie", the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz" and Marian the Librarian in "The Music Man". She was also the narrator for "Joseph and the Amazing Technocolor Dream Coat". Molly just turned 19. Originally from Stillwater she graduated from Mechanicville and is a Graphic Arts student at Hudson Valley Community College and resides in Mechanicville.
Cynthia Robens is Marion Hollander
Cynthia debuted with SPAO as the Ozark Chanteuse Cherie in "Bus Stop", then returned as Purity Dean in "Pure As The Driven Snow" during SPAO's highschool days. Her comedic accent and dialect abilities have kept her on-stage with SPAO. This role is no exception as she brings the lead of the Jewish New Jerseyite Marion to life. This is her ninth role in SPAO's dinner theater having started it all off with a lead in our first dinner theatre production of "Poisoned Pawn". Her personal favorite was her role as the mischievous cockney con-artist cook in "Don't Dress For Dinner". (Photo with Terry Ford) Her other Dinner Theatre appearances include "The Odd Couple", "Full Moon", "Moon Over Buffalo", "Rumors", "Murder By Mistake" and, last fall's "Lunch Hour". (Photo with then romantic rival Molly MaGrath who is currently playing her daughter) She has appeared in "Morning's At Seven" at both Schuylerville and Round Lake, and as southern belle lead character, Carnell Scott, in Round Lake's "The Miss Firecracker Contest". She has worked in just about every area of community theater from pouring coffee to lead producer. Current SPAO treasurer, Cynthia resides in Stillwater and is a letter carrier for the USPS in Mechanicville.
Carl Danna is Walter Hollander
SPAO welcomes Carl as he makes his SPAO dinner theatre debut as the very comical Jewish caterer from New Jersey. Carl has been in many stage productions since starting his acting career doing mystery dinner theater while residing on the Gulf Coast. Carl moved to this area in 1992. Since then he has appeared in Home Made Theater productions of "Steet Car Named Desire", "Plaza Suite", "Charlotte's Web", "Wizard of Oz", "The Diary of Anne Frank", and "You Can't Take It With You"; Schenectady Civic's productions of "After Play", "Man With the Flower in His Nose" and The Schuylerville Players production of "Pippen". He is most proud of his jokes project with HBO and his music video creation "Blues Clues". Carl was last seen this past December with SCT's production of "Inspecting Carol". Carl resides in Saratoga.
Bea Girard is The French Chef
Bea made her acting debut with SPAO as Mr. DePina, (Photo 1) the little Italian ice man in "You Can't Take It With You", SPAO's first community theatre production presented at the highschool. She considers that role as one of her most enjoyable and creative roles. Bea appeared in "Mousetrap", "Blithe Spirit", "Harvey" and, "Pure as the Driven Snow" at the highschool for SPAO. Her SPAO dinner theatre shows include "All in the Timing", "Moon Over Buffalo" (Photos 2&3) and, as the leads of 'Aunt Abby' in "Arsenic and Old Lace" (Photo 4) and 'Aida Gianelli' in "Over The River and Through The Woods". She has also been seen on the stages of The Round Lake Auditorium and The Schuylerville Community Theater in "Mornings at Seven", Albany Civic Theater in "Impassioned Embraces" and Schenectady Civic Theater in "The Crucible". Bea, a past SPAO president has worked in many areas of production for SPAO. She resides in Stillwater with husband Paul. We are extremely delighted to have her comical talents once again grace the SPAO stage.
Shirley Jean Measures is The Embassy Chef "Julia"
Shirley Jean began her career in show business at the age of 4 when she appeared in “How’s My Baby” with T. Roy Barnes and Monty Collins, the Martin & Lewis of the ‘20’s and ‘30’s. She then went to Hal Roach Studio to appear in the Our Gang/Little Rascal Comedies. She was part of the group that included Jackie Cooper. Over the next 20 plus years she worked in hundreds of movies primarily as a dancer. After dancing in “Singing In The Rain” Hollywood just plain stopped making musicals and Shirley was a dancer with a Mother and daughter to support. Big-stage burlesque was still flourishing in the US and Canada so she became a strip-tease and played all the burlesque theatres, including Minsky’s, as Gilda and Her Crowning Glory. When her mother passed away she moved to Buffalo where she was active in The Island Theatre Group as actor, stage director and director. She left the Buffalo area to move to West Springfield and not only appear in the productions with Stage/West (a regional Professional Theatre) but had the job of Group Sales Director. She now resides in Ballston Spa and is active designing and creating Wearable Quilting items. SPAO is proud to welcome Shirley Jean to our stage.
Left to Right: Jackie Cooper, June Marlowe, 4 year old Shirley Jean
Shirley Jean, Chubby and Dorothy Deborba
Scott Fellows is Axel MaGee
Scott made his SPAO dinner theatre debut in the spring of 2001 at 19 years of age playing the cowering villian Dr. Herman Einstein, the role Peter Lorre made famous, in "Arsenic and Old Lace". Photo 1 with Brian Gronczniak as the killer Jonathan) By that time he was already a stage veteran having appeared previously in the SPAO Youth Theater production of "Fiddler on the Roof", and The Stillwater School Drama Society's productions of "My Son is Crazy.... But Promising", "Jenny Kissed Me", and "The Diary of Anne Frank". Scott's wild character's continued as Owen Musser, The Georgia red-neck member of the Klu Klux Klan in SPAO's "The Foreigner" (photo 2 with Heidi Wittchen) last spring and the crazy taxi cab driver last fall in "Lunch Hour". Now for the first time, at 21, we welcome him to a lead role as a clean cut fumbling lover playing opposite our other incredible young find, Molly McGrath. He is a new member of SPAO's Board of Directors. Scott resides in Clifton Park.
Jerry Petronis is Ambassador Magee
Jerry has been with SPAO from the start producing, acting, and directing. He played the father in SPAO's first production, "You Can't It With You" in 1989. He was also in the SPAO productions of "The Mousetrap", "Play It Again, Sam", (Photo 1) "The Fantasticks", "Dracula", "Harvey", "Bus Stop", "Fools", "Heaven Can Wait", and "Wait Until Dark" during the years at the high school. Jerry developed the current dinner theatre concept and directed our first two dinner theatre productions, "Poisoned Pawn" and "The Sunshine Boys". He also directed "Don' t Dress For Dinner", "All In the Timing", and "The Foreigner". Jerry directed the SPAO Summer Youth Theater musical's "The Sound of Music" and "The King and I". His dinner theatre appearances include the roles of Felix Unger in "The Odd Couple", Teddy in "Arsenic and Old Lace", (Photo 2) the TV director in "The Sunshine Boys", Lenny in "Rumors", the director in "All In the Timing", and Peter, the shallow lover, in last fall's "Lunch Hour". (Photo 3) Jerry was advisor and director of the Stillwater School Drama Society for two years. He has also appeared in Round Lake's Summer Theater productions of "The Miss Firecracker Contest" and "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail" and as a lead character in The Schuylerville Players production of "Murder at the Howard Johnsons". He is currently SPAO's financial Officer. Jerry resides in Stillwater.
Rick Kelsey is Kilroy
Rick finally returns to the SPAO dinner theatre stage after debuting for SPAO as the lawyer in "Moon Over Buffalo" the spring of 1999. (Cast Photos above) Rick started acting in the 60's with Albany Civic Theater productions of "Pajama Game" and "Country Girl" and with The Slingerlands Players in "The Play is the Thing". While residing in Boston, Rick performed in the musicals "Funny Girl" and as the lead in "Promises, Promises". Upon returning to the area Rick did several plays with Curtain Time Players. He was last seen this past June playing Taxi Dave in the piece "Stuck on a Country Road" for Changing Spaces production of "A Night of Shorts" presented by new young playwright, Craig Ryan. Rick is a professional hair stylist. He created hair styles for the movies "Ironweed", The Bostonian's, and "Billy Bathgate". Rick resides in Clifton Park. Welcome back Rick!
Kathleen Schneibel is Burns
SPAO welcomes Kathleen as she makes her acting debut as the clumsy fast paced character, Burns. Kath says, "This is my first time in any production and I consider it an honor to be working with such an incredible cast. They have made this a fun and exciting experience for me". Guess what?, Kath. You have made this project fun and exciting for us too! Kathleen resides in Mechanicville with hubby and their three daughters.
Terry Ford is Father Drobney
Terry has always brought this same enthusiasm to the stage. Be it a leading role, such as Oscar in “The Odd Couple”, or a small one, like the phone man in both “Barefoot in the Park”, and “Full Moon”, you know he’s going to make it funny. One of the original founders of SPAO, and former president, Terry produced most of our early productions with Jerry Petronis, under the moniker The PetFord Twins. His stage roles have included the SPAO productions of “You Can’t Take It With You” (as Mr. Kolenkhov, the Russian ballet instructor), “The Mousetrap” (the mysterious Mr. Paravancini), “Harvey” (Wilson, the asylum attendant), “Bus Stop” (Will, the sheriff),”All in the Timing, Among Others” - Variations on the Death of Trotsky - (as Ramon Mercader, the assassin gardener),"Don't Dress For Dinner" (The maid's comically jealous husband in photo with Cynthia Robens, the maid), and "Arsenic and Old Lace" (as Officer O'Hara). His most recent appearance was as the over zealous demolition expert 'Froggy' LeSueur' in last spring's "The Foreigner". (Photo above) Terry resides in Clifton Park with wife Carole.
Mike Wolske is Krojack
Mike walked on the SPAO stage with no lines twice before his voice debuted for SPAO with three lines in "The SunShine Boys". Since then he has has played all sorts of roles for SPAO from the young lover lead in "Full Moon" (Photo 1) to a southern dumb hick in "The Foreigner" last spring. (As Ellard in second photo) His other SPAO dinner theatre credits include "The Odd Couple", "Murder by Mistake", "All in the Timing", "Arsenic and Old Lace","Moon Over Buffalo", and leads in "Barefoot in the Park" and "Over the River and Through the Woods". Mike has grown as an actor since his first SPAO walk on. He has appeared in productions with The Nickel & Dime Players, Albany Civic Theater, Round Lake Summer Theater and, The Schenectady Civic Players where he performed the lead role as 'The Writer' in Tennessee Williams' self portrait "Vieux Carre". Mike resides in Stillwater.
Chris Parks is Commie Guard Novotny
Chris is making his acting debut on stage with SPAO. Twenty one year old Chris volunteered to try it after attending the auditions just to watch. It's not easy hanging around the people of SPAO. Chris is a biology student at Hudson Valley and a Kennel Staff and Vet Assistant at Animal Health Center, Malta. He resides in Waterford. Welcome Chris.
Carl Schneibel is Commie Guard Notalkney
SPAO welcomes Carl as he makes his acting debut as a commie guard. Carl joins wife Kathleen to complete SPAO's newest acting family. Carl volunteered while watching Kath rehearse and a character was needed to fill an open role. We find a lot of talent that way. Carl resides in Mechanicville with wife Kathleen and their three daughters.
Nicole Murphy is Countess Bordoni
SPAO welcomes Nicole as she makes her almost speaking SPAO dinner theatre debut as The Countess with three lines consisting of one word each. Nicole always wanted to be on stage but was scared to say any lines. Her first appearance was in The Stillwater School Drama Society's production of "George Washing Slept Here" with a major character role that had no lines. She then appeared in SPAO's Summer Youth Theater productions as a maid with one line of two words in "The Sound of Music" and as a wife of the king with no lines in "The King and I". She returned last spring as a Klu Klux Klansman in "The Foreigner" again with no lines. Nicole has been working backstage with SPAO for quite some time and is willing to do or be anything that doesn't have to speak. Nicole resides in Stillwater with hubby AJ and daughter Aubrey.
Tony Derico is Kasnar
We welcome Tony as he makes his SPAO dinner theatre debut. Tony has been involved recently with local theater productions of The Side by Side theater group in Mechanicville appearing in their productions as President Roosevelt in "Annie" and as the Prime Minister in "The King and I". He is a social worker and Treasurer of the Board of Directors of The Mechanicville Area Community Center. Tony enjoys attending theatre production, classical & jazz music and visiting New York City. Tony resides in Mechanicville.
Linda Yurschak is The Sultan of Bashir
Linda is an original SPAO member, initially appearing as the Countess Olga Katrina in our first production, "You Can't Take It With You" in 1989. (Photo 1 with Terry Ford) Linda has been involved in every aspect of production working her way up from lobby design to actress, writer, producer and director. Linda directed the SPAO dinner theatre productions of “The Odd Couple", “Divorce Southern Style", “Moon Over Bufallo", "Rumors", and last fall's "Lunch Hour”. She has also appeared in "Fools" and as the loving Marmee in SPAO’s summer youth production of “Little Women". She was last seen on the SPAO stage as Betty Meeks, the poor owner of the old inn, in "The Foreigner". (Photo 2 with The Foreigner, Ed Nieman) She was SPAO's president for four years. Linda was also associate advisor/director for the Stillwater School Drama Society for three years. The very talented Linda now resides in Schuylerville.
Lisa Greene is Wife of The Sultan
Lisa became involved with SPAO during last fall's production of "Lunch Hour" working behind the stage. She will now attempt to work on it as she debuts with SPAO. Her only other time on stage was with her Greenwich High School Players when they presented "The Crucible". She is a brand new mother to daughter Kierstyn. Lisa is attending Hudson Valley Community College as a nursing student. Lisa dedicates her debut and sends her love to Kierstyn's brother Jason and SPAO fan, sister Brittany. Lisa wishes to thank SPAO for the opportunity. Lisa resides in Clifton Park.
Heather Borden is Wife of The Sultan
This is Heather's debut with SPAO. Heather started her theater career three years ago working behind the scenes as a lighting/music technician for The Rainbow Troupe in Mechanicville on a production that included songs from the musicals "The Phantom of the Opera", "Miss Saigon", "Oliver" and "Wizard of Oz". The next spring, as a Junior in High School she was seen as a Munchkin, Poppy, Jitter Bug and a Hairdresser from Emerald City in Spa Catholic's Musical "Wizard of Oz". That fall she returned as a Senior at Shenedehowa High School participating in 4 to 5 student films. Heather is 19 years old and will be attending Schenectady County Community College this fall majoring in Theater. She thanks SPAO for her part in the current show where she will also work backstage. We welcome the talented teenager on her debut. Heather resides in Clifton Park/Halfmoon.