Meet the cast of “Much Ado About Nothing”!

Each day this week you will be introduced to the members of our stellar cast of “Much Ado About Nothing”. We are so excited for you to meet them! Up next is Cynthia, Jimmy, and Lizzy! As always, special thanks to the incomparable Jason Lange for these awesome photos.

Cynthia (Ursula/Watchman) has happily performed more than 70 shows in Monmouth County, New York State , and Toronto, including 13 performances with the wonderful Stone Church Players: musicals, radio plays, holiday concerts, and Shakespeare. She has taught high school and College English and has cantored/sung with Holy Cross Choir in Rumson for many years. Thanks to Michael McClellan, Mother Debbie, Board members, cast and crew for their creativity and hard work to mount this theatrical production

Jimmy (Benedick) is an actor and musician based in Brooklyn, NY. He is excited for his first appearance with The Stone Church Players portraying the role of Benedick and to be a part of some of the first live theater in the region in over a year. His last stage performance was at The Public Theater in the annual Bring A Weasel and A Pint of Your Own Blood Festival, and in recent years has performed at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Upright Citizens Brigade, Improv Asylum, Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, The Tank, and The Secret Theater. He has worked on several short films and web series and will be heading out to Los Angeles this summer to continue creating new work. He can also be seen playing around NYC and the northeast with his band, Amoeba Earhart. He holds an MFA in Acting from Brooklyn College and a BA in Theater from Muhlenberg College."

Lizzy (Margaret/Watchman) is very excited to be in her first show with Stone Church Players. Her previous credits include: The Wedding Singer (Julia), As You Like It (Audrey), Tony & Tina’s Wedding (Marina), and Pippin (Berthe). When Lizzy isn’t acting, she is running an Instagram dedicated to reviewing public bathrooms. She sends her love to Michael and the whole cast/crew, and say a special thanks to Cher.

Meet the cast of “Much Ado About Nothing”!

Each day this week you will be introduced to the members of our stellar cast of “Much Ado About Nothing”. We are so excited for you to meet them! Up next is Juice, Allie, Ray, and Anne! Again, special thanks to the incomparable Jason Lange for these awesome photos.

Aaron "Juice" (Leonato) is happy to be returning to the Stone Church for the role of Leonato. This is his 6th production with the Stone Church Players, and as always, he is grateful for the opportunity. Some past favorite roles include the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Christian in Cyrano de Bergerac. Originally from the west coast, he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from AMDA College and Conservatory for the Performing Arts. When he is not on stage, he can be found recording his podcast Breaking The 4th Wall, and being a father to four cats, and a husband to their mother.

Allie (Antonio/Assistant Artistic Director) is thrilled to be participating in her first production with Stone Church Players! Favorite past productions include: Man of La Mancha (Playhouse 22), Edges (Villagers Theatre), The Learned Ladies (Muhlenberg Mainstage), The Winter's Tale (Muhlenberg Mainstage), Pippin (Young Adult Drama Group), and many more across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Allie is a 2014 graduate of Muhlenberg College and holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts. Many thanks to the cast and crew for all their hard work, especially Michael for this incredible opportunity, and to her husband Adam for all his patience, love, and support. She dedicates all her performances to her mother, Susan 12/16/10 <3

Ray (Claudio) is a student at Monmouth University where he is active in the Music and Theatre Departments. In addition to being involved in his school’s musicals, he is a member of the local band, Malibu. He is very excited to be a part of Much Ado About Nothing, and would like to thank Michael for the opportunity.

Anne (Don Pedro) is a writer, actor and director working in the NY/ NY area. Recent work with the Stone Church Players includes performing the Nurse in “Romeo and Juliet”, Titania in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and directing a staged reading of her adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac”. She has also participated for many years in Aery Theater Company’s annual 20/20 One-Act Festival in Garrison, NY, winning awards at various times for directing, writing and performing. Most recently, Anne wrote and performed several monologues for virtual productions with Nyack, NY’s Elmwood Playhouse.

Meet the cast of “Much Ado About Nothing”!

Each day this week you will be introduced to the members of our stellar cast of “Much Ado About Nothing”. We are so excited for you to meet them! Today we’re starting with Faith, Justin, Sean, and Liz! Special thanks to the incomparable Jason Lange for these awesome photos.

Faith (Dogberry) is excited about everything. As a recent graduate of Trinity Hall, she plans to attend West Virginia University to pursue a BFA in Acting and minor in Creative Writing. Her favorite credits include Wadsworth in Clue and Miss. Blake in Bluestockings both with The Queens Court Company at Trinity Hall. Additionally she was involved with The Stone Church Players virtual production of The Tempest last year. She wants to thank Michael and the Stone Church Players for this amazing opportunity (in her favorite Shakespeare show!) and wants to send all the love to her family and friends.

Justin (Messenger/Borachio) is a long-time actor and a Mater Dei Prep alumnus that is proud to be in his second Stone Church Players production, his first one being A Midsummer Night's Dream as Demetrius. He would like to thank Michael for giving him this opportunity to perform, as well as his fellow actors and the whole crew for coming together to make this show happen.

Sean (Balthasar/Verges/Friar Francis) is excited to be performing in his fourth production with the Stone Church Players! His previous roles include Puck in “A Midsummer Night's Dream”, Gremio in “Taming of the Shrew”, and most recently Fredinand in “The Tempest”. He would like to thank his family for their support, and Micheal McClellan for the opportunity!⁣

Liz (Beatrice) is thrilled to be joining The Stone Church Players for her second production- and in one of her dream roles no less! Liz was previously seen as Ariel in The Tempest with Stone Church. Other past credits include Becca (Rabbit Hole), Desdemona (Othello), Lavinia (Titus Andronicus), and more. Liz also has a passion for new work development, and has served as dramaturg, director, and actor on many new plays- most recently making her NYC directorial debut at The Hudson Guild in Faith and Shackles by playwright and friend Justin Giachetti. During the pandemic, Liz pivoted from her pursuit of a professional acting career to becoming a certified Self-Love Coach and energy healer, creating her own wellness business Wild Woman Rising and largely working with fellow actors and artists in navigating self-care during the shutdown. She is so thankful to Michael and The Stone Church Players for giving this cast a space to play and create, and is excited to be bringing theatre back into her life.

Announcing the Cast of Much Ado About Nothing

SCP proudly presents the cast of our upcoming production of “Much Ado About Nothing”. Thank you to everyone who auditioned!

Beatrice: Liz Carlin

Benedick: Jimmy Morgan

Claudio: Ray Laux

Hero: Lily Grace Riddle

The Troupe:

Hunter Burgos, Allison Cohen, Anne Connolly, Justin Corman, Cynthia Dannen, Juice Jackson, Faith King, Lizzy Stefanic, Andrew Struse, Sean Tonne Jr.

The Tempest Virtual Performance Now Available!

We are so excited to share with you the five acts of The Tempest, recorded on the grounds of the All Saints’ Memorial Church campus in July 2020. Enjoy!

Brandon Horner's Fabulous Lecture!

Last night Brandon Horner, a teacher at Rumson Country Day School, delivered an engaging and insightful lecture on Shakespeare and the “The Tempest”. The lecture was meant to be a primer for next week to help prepare viewers for what they will see during our filmed reading. Mr. Horner was a big hit, so much so that we are posting his lecture here on our blog so that more folks can benefit from his extensive knowledge of the play. Enjoy!

And remember to register for the filmed reading at aharts.org. By registering you will be granted access to exclusive content which includes interviews from the cast and crew as well as an invitation to join a live Zoom wrap party with the cast on Friday, September 25th following Act V.

Tempest Release Dates and More!

We here at SCP are thrilled to announce a partnership with the Atlantic Highlands Arts Council to release The Tempest over five nights in September starting on the 21st. The Arts Council will also be facilitating a lecture on Shakespeare and The Tempest the week prior on September 16th and an acting workshop for kids and teens led by a Tony-nominated stage actor the week after on September 30th. Please be sure to register for all these great events and consider making a donation to the Atlantic Highlands Arts Council!

On the heels of this great announcement, we had a chance to catch up with some of our cast members. We asked them to answer three questions:

1) What is your character’s favorite line or moment in The Tempest?

2) If you could switch roles with any other character, who would it be and why?

3) What is your dream Shakespeare role?

Read on to learn more!

Sean Tonne (Ferdinand)

1. My favorite line in the show is “And for your sake am I this patient log man” 

2. If I had to switch roles with one other character from the show it would be Caliban, I feel like he’s such a interesting and weird character that could be interpreted in so many different ways. 

3. My dream Shakespeare Role is Romeo, being able too play one of literature’s most famous and influential characters.

Brian Craig (Prospero)

1. “Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling / Of their afflictions? And shall not myself, / One of their kind, that relish all as sharply / Passion as they, be kindlier moved than thou art? / Though with their high wrongs I am struck to the quick, / Yet with my nobler reason ‘gainst my fury / Do I take part: the rarer action is / In virtue than in vengeance: they being penitent, / The sole drift of my purpose doth extend / Not a frown farther.”

2. Stephano or Trinculo, for the opportunity to do comedy.

3. Either King Lear, Falstaff, or Iago.

Lily Grace Riddle (Miranda)

1. Honestly, I’d have to say that my favorite moment in The Tempest is when Miranda and Ferdinand meet for the first time. It’s so funny to me because of how uncultured and naive Miranda is. “What is’t? A spirit?” Like no, Miranda. That is a man.

2. I thought about the depths and personalities of each character and their roles, and I really can only say that I’d want to play Miranda. She’s so fun and I’ve spent such a long time researching and playing around with the character, that I can’t even imagine taking on the role of a different one.

3. Katherine in Taming of the Shrew!

Faith King (Trinculo)

1. My favorite moment is “I will now let loose my opinion, hold it no longer. This is not a fish” I think we really get to see Trinculo’s character there. She entertains herself and enjoys making other people laugh.

2. Probably Ariel or Antonia. I love the idea of the villain and the antagonist. Antonia is the villain, but Ariel antagonizes almost every character in the show, so she’d be all the fun of playing a villain without having to play a bad person

3. Beatrice in Much Ado about Nothing or Olivia I’m Twelfth Night

Aaron “Juice” Jackson (Sebastian)

1. Favorite line: A pox o' your throat you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!

2. If you could switch: Caliban because it would be fun to explore the craziness of this character

3. Dream role: Henry V

Cynthia Dannen (Gonzala)

1. My character’s favorite moment comes at the end of Act V, when Gonzala witnesses the forgiveness and reconciliation between brother and sister, Prospero and Antonia. Gonzala then asks for blessings on the young couple, Miranda and Ferdinand, thus uniting the kingdom of Naples.

2. I would switch roles with that “airy sprite, “ Ariel, whose strength and perseverance in her pursuit of freedom wins over Prospero and unites/saves several characters. Her magic and music , her songs about a major theme, the “sea change” in the shipwrecked characters, are powerful and whimsical elements in Shakespeare ‘s final play.

3. I have always wanted to play Portia from The Merchant of Venice. She is a strong royal who is known for her famous speech in Act IV in Shylock’s trial: “The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed. It blesses him that gives and him that takes....”

Ray Laux (Stephano)

1. My favorite line of mine in the show is “give me thy hand I do begin to have bloody thoughts”.

2. A dream character I would most want to play would be either Rosencrantz or Guildenstern from Hamlet because I love the back and forth dialogue .

3. I would love to switch parts with Sean and play Ferdinand because I think it would be a great challenge to be a romantic lead in a Shakespeare play.

Liz Carlin (Ariel)

1. Ariel has a big monologue where she appears to some of the others as a harpy- that’s definitely my favorite piece to perform. She admonishes the group for doing wrong by Prospero and one of the lines is “For which foul deed the powers, delaying, not forgetting, have incensed the seas and shores, yea, all of the creatures against your peace.” I love this moment because time feels like it stops and we can see just how much mystical power Ariel truly holds that she commands nature to avenge Prospero.

2. I think it would be Antonia. Everyone loves playing the villain, and she’s got some great lines.

3. Queen Margaret is probably my biggest Shakespeare aspiration. I’m obsessed with her transformation over the course of the Henry VI trilogy through Richard III, from this sweet innocent new wife into a commanding Queen into the insane woman hellbent on revenge.

Monologue Monday - Part IV

Leading up to the release of our filmed reading in mid-August, during the month of July we will be releasing monologues from each of our talented actors. This week we are featuring Andrew Struse (Alonso), Sean Tonne (Ferdinand), and Ray Laux (Stefano).

This concludes our series! We hope you’ve enjoyed seeing our cast and look forward to our Tempest view party in a couple weeks! More details coming soon.

Featuring Andrew Struse.

Featuring Sean Tonne.

Featuring Ray Laux.

Monologue Monday - Part III

Leading up to the release of our filmed reading in mid-August, during the month of July we will be releasing monologues from each of our talented actors. This week we are featuring Faith King (Trinculo) and Juice Jackson (Sebastian).

Featuring Faith King.

Featuring Juice Jackson.

And….Action!

Today was a very special day for the Stone Church Players. With Artistic Director Michael McClellan and filmmaker Griffin Lange at the helm, our talented ensemble braved the intense heat and humidity for a full day of filming. Breakfast and lunch were provided courtesy of the SCP board and all safety precautions were in place. It was truly a team effort and a family affair as Griffin’s brother, Jason, came on as cameraman. Jason is our resident photographer and designer of our logo! We cannot wait to debut our filmed reading next month on Facebook! More information to follow, but for now enjoy some behind the scenes shots from today’s shoot.

Monologue Monday - Part II

Leading up to the release of our filmed reading in mid-August, during the month of July we will be releasing monologues from each of our talented actors. This week we are featuring Lily Grace Riddle (Miranda) and Liz Carlin (Ariel).

Featuring Lily Grace Riddle.

Featuring Liz Carlin.

And we're off!

Filming rehearsals for The Tempest have begun on the All Saints’ Memorial Church campus! SCP is thrilled to be working with local filmmaker Griffin Lange as he helps bring our vision to life. We are one step closer to making our filmed reading a reality! Check out some images from yesterday’s rehearsal, and stay tuned for more content here, and on Instagram and Facebook.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Monologue Monday - Part I

Leading up to the release of our filmed reading in mid-August, during the month of July we will be releasing monologues from each of our talented actors. This week we are featuring Brian Craig (Prospero), Cynthia Dannen (Gonzala), and CeCe Altenburg (Antonia).

Brian Craig as Prospero

Cynthia Dannen as Gonzala

CeCe Altenburg as Antonia

Interview with Artistic Director Michael McClellan

Recently, we had a chance to chat with our artistic director, Michael McClellan, about our upcoming reading of The Tempest which he is directing. Throughout June, Michael has been holding Zoom rehearsals and working very closely with each of the actors, coaching them as they develop their characters, and navigate the complexities of storytelling in the time of Covid-19.

1. What made you pick The Tempest for this season?

The easy answer is that I love Shakespeare in summer!  On a deeper level, inside my mind, when I read “Tempest,” I see and hear the waves and seagulls, feel the chill of the mist and sense the touch of moss and slippery rocks. But most of all, I am drawn into the magical realm of Prospero’s mind and island.  This play triggers all the senses and that is a welcome gift during this time of isolation and social distancing.

2. What lessons can we learn from The Tempest?

Hopefully to find a way to laugh with each other! Although the play is full of passion with regards to the dangers of colonization, repressed anger and obsessive thoughts of revenge, there are also welcome references to awakened self-awareness, redemption and forgiveness and gloriously, the gift of recognizing the beauty in front of you.

3. What's your favorite moment in the play? Why?

Wow. I could probably list at least ten, but I think the section that always warms my soul is Ferdinand’s sense of wonder at the images Prospero puts before him. “This is a most majestic vision, and harmonious charmingly.  May I be bold to think these spirits?” Does it get better than that?

4. What are the cast’s biggest strengths?         

This cast understands magic!  We are missing the magic of theater right now and this cast fully grasps the idea and importance of moving storytelling forward in whatever form available. 

5. What have you liked about virtual rehearsals? What has been challenging?

Overseeing a rehearsal using Zoom and not letting your mind wander to imagine the cast bursting into the theme from “The Brady Bunch” is its own demented challenge. One advantage I have discovered within this format and grown to embrace is as a director I can really focus into the actors’ facial expressions and the emotions expressed within their eyes. If they are focused, listening and responding, their eyes dance as they tell the story.

6. What would you like to accomplish from a virtual reading and how will you engage the community?

I hope that through creating and publishing this filmed reading, we can inspire ourselves and other community troupes to move theater forward during this pandemic. Two of the worst possible side effects during this time are stagnation and hopelessness. Storytelling will survive. We just need to keep nudging it forward on its journey.

7. Where do you see the future of theatre going for SCP?

We very much look forward to being back on the stage with the costumes, sets, lights and dance. We are so appreciative of our community and audiences. We miss them and hope to hear them laugh, gasp, sigh, and applaud again soon. Until then, we will continue to encourage actors to be actors and to grow and expand their storytelling talents.  Our plans include promoting local playwrights by reading their works online and providing a space for talk-backs and discussion. We are already looking ahead to the 2021 season which will include the production of “Little Women” that we had intended to mount this autumn.

8. What other projects are you working on?

Personally, I am working on a project that unites my two passions for baking and art history.  I am extremely excited to move this journey forward.  I can still hear one of my pastry chef mentors looking me in the eye and saying, “Michael, my wish for you is that someday your buried passion bursts forth.” Well, Andrew, get ready!  It is about to explode!

Announcing the Cast of The Tempest

SCP is over the moon excited to announce our talented cast for this summer’s production of The Tempest. Thank you to everyone who auditioned and expressed interest and special thanks to Michael McClellan for organizing everything virtually!

Brian Craig as Prospero

Lily Grace Riddle as Miranda

Liz Carlin as Ariel

James Saydah as Caliban

Sean Tonne as Ferdinand

Andrew Struse as Alonso

Cece Altenburg as Antonia

Michael”Juice” Jackson as Sebastian

Cynthia Dannen as Gonzala

Faith King as Trinculo

Ray Laux as Stefano