Comtra Theatre

Jesus Christ Superstar

directed by Robert Hockenberry

April 2011

Role - Judas Iscariot

JCS is my all time favorite musical and getting to play Judas has been, to this point, the highlight of my theatrical experiences. The music is wonderful and the emotions run very raw. We had a small but wonderful cast. We joked that it was Jesus and his five apostles and their wives.

I tried to play Judas as sympathetic and misguided as possible. I saw in him someone who thought he was doing what was best for everyone only to discover that he was catalyst for tragedy and great pain. I had to come down from an emotional high every night after doing the show and I absolutely could not watch the crucifixion scene.

The highlight of the run was the night I received applause for my death scene. It was very satisfying to know I had moved the audience.

Heaven On Their Minds

This is one of my favorite songs in all of music theatre and I am so glad I got to perform it.

Red Barn Theatre

Anything Goes

directed by Tom Tillia

September 2011

Role - Elisha J. Whitney

Not my favorite role. He's mostly comic relief in a comedy show which really makes him superfluous. I got one "solo" line in the finale song and it was cut which also made me sad.

And, yet again, I got to be drunk on the Red Barn Stage.

Comtra Theatre

Children of Eden

directed by Robert Hockenberry

April 2010

Role - Noah

This was my first show at Comtra Theatre. I had never heard of Children of Eden before we did this and I actually auditioned for Jesus Christ Superstar. Unfortunately, the rights were pulled because of a touring company and we ended up doing this one instead.

I spent the first act in the chorus, wearing a terribly tight and uncomfortable tank top. But the second act, I got to be Noah. I liked this role. He's a father torn between his obedience to his God and his love for his family. My featured song was "The Hardest Part of Love" which I still sing in the shower from time to time.

Hardest Part of Love

Comtra Theatre

Rocky Horror Show

directed by Robert Hockenberry

October 2010

Roles - Eddie and Dr. Scott

I'm not a big fan of playing Eddie. He comes on, sings a ridiculous song (Hot Patootie) and then dies. It was five minutes of swing dancing hell considering I had the flu during the run of the show. I remember running off stage and out onto the balcony so I could cough up a lung without the audience hearing.

Dr. Scott, on the other hand, was a lot of fun to play. He's the sort of over the top character I can really get into.

For these dual roles, I completely shaved all my facial hair. Eddie was a young greaser so I didn't think he'd have any facial hair. For Dr. Scott, I glued on a fake mustache.

I really do believe that most of the audience had no idea I played both parts.

Comtra Theatre

Sweet Charity

directed by Robert Hockenberry

July 2010

Role - Herman

I took this role as a favor to the director. He was having a hard time getting guys interested in this show. We were going to do RENT, but the theatre owner vetoed that so auditions were awkward when he had to tell everyone we were doing Sweet Charity instead.

Not on my list of favorite roles but he was a fun to play in a way. He's brash, loud and heartless, or so he wants everyone to think. He reminds me of Louie from Taxi. His only song is "I Love to Cry at Weddings," a song I came to despise because our performance track was awful and we always sounded off key at the end despite our best efforts.

New Castle Playhouse

Fiddler on the Roof

directed by Mike Cavalier

July 2009

Role - Lazar Wolf

This is the show that got me back on the stage after a nine year hiatus. We took my father-in-law to see a show at NCP and they were advertising the auditions. I grew an epic beard for auditions and landed the role of Lazar. Poor Lazar is put upon. He's a nice guy and just when he thinks things are going his way, the rug is pulled out from under him.

I played Lazar with a deep gravelly voice which was difficult to sing with and left my throat raw most nights. Most of the cast had no idea that wasn't my voice. We closed after a Sunday matinee and I went right home and shaved before going to the cast party. A lot of my cast-mates didn't recognize me.

To Life

New Castle Playhouse

Beauty and the Beast

directed by Rick Hudson

November 2009

Roles - Baker, Gaston Crony and Dancing Dinnerware

Not one of my favorite experiences in theatre. I think it was at this point that I realized that I was getting too old to take parts in the ensemble.

I somehow managed to play most of the bit parts that had lines in the crowd and I got to dance dressed up like knife... or was it a fork?

Carnegie Mellon University

Hello Out There

Spring 1991

Role - The Young Gambler

This was another one of those plays I did as part of a directing class in college. I was not officially in the class and was there as an actor only but it's hard to attend a directing class quietly and not learn a few things about directing.

This is actually one of my favorite roles. As short as the play is, it has some very powerful characters.

My leading lady went on to appear in a Hollywood movie (Clerks) in a small role. I'm still jealous.

Carnegie Mellon University

The Glass Menagerie

Spring 1991

Role - Jim O'Conner

I learned a lot about acting and directing doing this classic Tennessee Williams character. This was performed on campus as part of a directing class and I was there just to be an actor.

Red Barn Theatre

Play On

directed by Joseph Long

Summer 1998

Role - Saul Watson

This play marks one of the funnest and funniest roles I've ever played on stage. Saul is not a stretch for me since he is the cast's sarcastic voice. By the second act, he is drunk off his rocker and trying to play the villain in a melodrama. Needless to say, hilarity ensues. This wasn't the first time I've lost my pants on stage and it certainly wasn't the last.

My most memorable scene was trying to be intimidating while slurring my words and waving a gun through the crotch in my pants.