Meet the Cast & Production Crew for OUR TOWN
Dave Villepique (Stage Manager) finds that his plate is full being a stockbroker by day and a theater person at night. Recently seen in 1776 as Hancock and in Something’s Afoot as the Butler. Our Town brings him full cycle after having played George Gibbs in high school. Favorite roles are as real-life father of a nurse at NIT in Washington and a comedienne in Chicago. Appearances with Chatham Players, Gill Community Players, Barn Theater, TNT, and Trilogy have provided fun roles as Bernard (Don’t Dress for Dinner), Captain (Dames at Sea), Clifford (The 1940s Radio Hour), Victor V (Barefoot in the Park), and Larrabie Sr. (Sabrina Fair). Roles in Amadeus, Six Degrees of Separation, and The Crucible were from the serious realms while fun was gained from comedies and musicals including Anything Goes, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Secret Garden, and Camelot. And Amy’s support spirit is always there.
Hugh Wallace (Dr. Gibbs) has been active in area community theater, both on stage and off, for the past 20 years. Some of his favorite roles include Starbuck in The Rainmaker, Biodello in Taming of the Shrew, and Truffaldino in Servant of Two Masters. This past summer, he directed Scapino for Trilogy Repertory’s “Plays in the Park.”
Steve Miller (Joe Crowell, Si Crowell, Ballplayer #1) is very happy to be working with such a talented cast. He was recently seen in the ensemble for the New Jersey premiere of Jekyll & Hyde. He has trained with the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival for two years and is currently a student at the Boonton School for Performing and Visual Arts. Among his favorite roles are Harley in Princess and the Goblin, Templeton in Charlotte’s Web, Ichabod Crane in Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Howie in Mother Hicks, and Cobweb in Midsummer Night’s Dream. He also appeared in the ensemble in Little Mary Sunshine and Evita. In addition to his work on stage, Steve also has been busy with sound and light design and operation for productions of Steel Magnolias, Baby With the Bath Water, The Mousetrap, A Chorus Line, and others. He has also helped to design and build sets for Jesus Christ Superstar, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Mikado, A Chorus Line, and Fiddler on the Roof.
Chris Winans (Howie Newsom) is appearing in his second show at this church. The first was Servant of Two Masters. He has been very active the last 15 years with Trilogy Repertory in Basking Ridge, serving most recently as stage manager for Scapino! He also won an AVY in ’91 for stage man-aging Piano Bar for TNT. He is currently a member of the Trilogy board.
Tina Darrah (Mrs. Gibbs) lives in Gladstone with husband Clark, daughter Blair (3) and son Conan (1). Before staying home with her children, she work-ed for Nordstrom in Advertising and Special Events. She is also a freelance makeup artist. Past theater experience was in high school in Rochester, NY, where she was Narrator in Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Ms. Higa Jiga in Teahouse of the August Moon, with additional supporting roles in Bells Are Ringing, Witness for the Prosecution, Little Mary Sunshine, and Mr. Roberts. Favorite pastimes are running, reading, solving the NY Times crossword puzzle, spending time with her family, and attending her husband’s triathlons.
Irene Weaver (Mrs. Webb) is glad to be working with Allen again, having previously been directed by him in A Flea in Her Ear (twice), Servant of Two Masters, and Allen’s very own award-winning Ten Thousand Days. She has also been featured in Love Letters (Dave Villepique directing), Chapter Two, Hay Fever, Finishing Touches, Little Mary Sunshine, Brigadoon, The Music Man, and others. It is great to be on stage again after a long time away, and to be working with old friends and making new ones.
Jonathan Biber (George Gibbs), now 16 years old, started acting at age 10 as the Mayor in The Wizard of Oz at the Growing Stage. Here his performances also included two productions of The Nutcracker, first as a Mouse and then as a Soldier. In 1999, Jon was Captain Keller in The Miracle Worker at Eisenhower Middle School in Roxbury. The following year he portrayed Daddy Warbucks in Annie, Jr., also at Eisenhower. This year he portrayed the Starkeeper in the Roxbury High School production of Carousel.
Cailyn DeBie (Rebecca Gibbs), a resident of Gladstone, attends the Middle School in Bernardsville. This is her first appearance in community theatre, but her experience includes roles in school and church productions, most notably a recent Christmas Pageant at Peapack Reformed and participation in a regional summer camp program for the performing arts. Cailyn aspires to be a professional actor.
Jesse Doherty (Wally Webb) is making his stage debut with this appearance in Our Town. He is in the fifth grade at Hackettstown Middle School and in his free time especially enjoys drawing.
Pamela Reneé (Emily Webb) is making her New Jersey debut in this production of Our Town. A native of Pennsylvania, she earned a BA in Theatre at the University of Pittsburgh where she portrayed Anne Frank in Diary of Anne Frank, Edna St. Vincent Millay in a one-woman production of A Lovely Light, Marianne in Tartuffe, Honey in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Sorel Bliss in Hay Fever, Lucia in Long Christmas Dinner, Rebecca Gibbs in Our Town, and Willie in This Property is Condemned. In addition, she portrayed Anybodys in West Side Story with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra. She also appeared as an extra in the films Earthly Possessions and Knightriders. Most of her professional theatre career took place in the 1400-seat auditorium at Sight & Sound Entertainment Center in Lancaster County, PA, where she played a variety of roles in many productions. In Noah, she was an understudy/swing for three leading female roles while additionally playing many supporting roles throughout a 14-16 show weekly run. Her hobbies include almost all sports, dancing, baton and fire twirling, horseback and motorcycle riding. Pamela Reneé thanks her family, support group of friends, and most importantly…God. Her favorite quotes are “Let’s look at one another” and “Love one another.”
David Lipkin (Professor Willard, Dead Man #1) is making his stage debut in Our Town and he now wonders why he has waited so long to experience the joys of acting. It is through the encouragement of Linda, his beautiful wife of 33 years, and the skills and demand for excellence of director Allen Crossett that he is able to perform for you this evening. This play is near and dear to David as he spent many years living, fishing, and hunting in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire, an area brought to life by Mr. Wilder in Our Town. In light of the tragic events that have recently rocked our nation and affected so many, it is David’s deepest wish that our audiences take away from each performance a keen desire to begin experiencing life to the fullest. Peace and God’s blessing to all.
Bob Sutton (Editor Webb) is making his local theatrical debut in the Players’ production of Our Town after a long absence from the footlights. Previously, in a memorable 1960 performance, he originated the role of A Page in “Old King Cole & His Merry Old Court,” a commencement pageant presented by Mrs. Howard H. Davis’ Kingsland (GA) Kindergarten. Stricken mute at the appearance of an actual audience on the day of the event, he vowed never to mount a stage again and instead has worked atop soapboxes, tree stumps and speaker’s rostrums during a political and sales career that spans two decades. A reluctant software marketeer and retired ocean racer with numerous inshore and offshore victories to his credit, in his spare moments Bob enjoys the quiet contemplation of splitting firewood, tying dry flies, and procrastinating at writing. Founder of a locally-popular Burns Night celebration and gentlemen’s invitational whisky-and-poetry supper now in its seventh year, Bob aspires someday to flood the Roxiticus Valley below Route 24 and develop a destination trout fishery and sailing school. Meanwhile, he and his wife and best friend Ginger are raising three little ball players in a local town not unlike Grover’s Corners. “A very ordinary town if you ask me.” Aya.
James Doherty (Man in the Auditorium, Baseball Player #2, Dead Man #2) has been involved in the performing arts for four years on a professional level. He would like to thank all those who inspired him, and most especially God.
Miriam Johnson (Artistic Lady, Choir) was the star of Auntie’s Money presented by the Far Hills Elementary School. More recently, she appeared with the Footlight Guild of Peapack in a production of White Sheep of the Family.
Pat Richards (Woman in the Audience, Choir)
T.R. Kimpland Jr. (Simon Stimson) is from Long Valley and is in the process of working on his goals and dreams in the entertainment world, from TV commercials to feature films. T.R. gives special thanks to his family and friends for their encouragement to be able to perform upon this stage. It truly is a “Wonderful Life.” God bless everyone in the cast. He dedicates his performance to 9-11-01.
Linda Jean Lipkin (Producer, Dead Woman #1) has been involved in acting, singing, dancing and costuming in a variety of community theater events both here and in New Hampshire over the years. As a member of the Amherst Community Players, she was involved in Paint Your Wagon, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Plaza Suite. Most recently, Linda appeared in the Trilogy production of Servant of Two Masters. She has also sung with the Soughegan Valley Chorus of Amherst, NH, and is a member of the Peapack Reformed Church choir. Linda’s greatest enjoyment was realized through her years of performing with the Amherst Follies, a cabaret theater dance troupe that performed at numerous events throughout New Hampshire.
Sheila Lund-Pearson (Mrs. Soames) is a self-employed software training and support consultant, residing in Peapack with her husband Ken (alias Constable Bill Warren) and two children, Blake and Ashley. In her early youth, she starred in the title role of Mary Poppins, shone as the Guardian Angel in Johnny Appleseed, and has a vague recollection of sparkling in the role of Agnes, a U.S.O. entertainer, in a local production of M.A.S.H. Sheila would like to thank her daughter, Ashley, for her support, understanding, and encouragement.
Elaine Helbig (Dead Woman #2, Choir) portrayed Emily in Our Town at the Park Street Church, Worcester, MA, in 1953. For the West Valley Light Opera Association of Saratoga, CA, in 1970 she appeared as one of the townspeople in The Student Prince. Other credits include performing in The Mikado, playing the female lead in Don’t Darken My Door, and receiving awards for her performance in Paul Gallico’s The Snow Goose, all at Southwest Harbor, and in the Miss Mount Desert Island Contest in Bar Harbor, Maine.
Vin Girardy (Joe Stoddard) serves as Mayor of the Borough of Peapack and Gladstone. Upon his retirement from IBM, he promised himself that he would do five things that he never had time for while working and raising a family. Acting is the fourth of the promises kept, and this is his first exposure to theater. Vin lives with his wife Estelle on Tiger Hill in Gladstone where they raised two sons.
Drew Thomson (Sam Craig) is a lifelong resident of Peapack-Gladstone and a lifetime member of Peapack Reformed Church. For Trilogy Repertory, he has portrayed Dupont-Dufort Sr. in Thieves Carnival, Dr. Gall in R.U.R., and an Englishman in A Flea in Her Ear. Two years ago, he helped to produce the Trilogy production of A Servant of Two Masters, performed in Peapack Reformed Church’s Fellowship Hall. Drew was employed by AT&T for over 18 years, taking voluntary retirement in 1998. He now works for Pathfinder Consulting Group of Annandale.
Ken Lund-Pearson (Constable Bill Warren) a resident of Our Town, is making his stage debut in this production.
Mark Bentley (Farmer McCarthy, Choir) has been performing with various barbershop quartets and choruses for almost 40 years. As a part of “Cap’n Billy’s Whiz Bang” quartet, he performed at the opening of the South Street Seaport in New York and sang backup on Leon Redbone’s “Double Time” album. Mark appeared as Vittorio in the Trilogy Repertory production of Servant of Two Masters.
Allen Crossett (Director) helped to create Trilogy Repertory some 20 years ago and is very grateful to Jaye Barre, the current president of Trilogy, for her support in helping to create the New Peapack Players. Among Allen’s favorite projects were the Trilogy productions of Vanities, Servant of Two Masters, Don’t Dress for Dinner, The Crucible, and his own Winter Nights. His reviews of professional theater in New Jersey appear regularly in the newspapers of the Recorder Publishing Company.
Henry Repp (Music Director/Organist) is the organist/choir director at Peapack Reformed Church. He studied with Robert McDonald at Riverside Church, New York, and the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. He accompanied Messiah performances for many years with the Dover Area Oratorio Choir. He has also been accompanist for the Sussex County Oratorio Society, the Livingston festival Choir Concerts, and the Livingston Broadway Show Tunes Revue. In addition, he has performed in numerous concerts, including St. Thomas Church in New York and the Cathedral of the sacred Heart in Newark.
Judy Books (Choir) recently switched from a career in publishing-related work to a position as a naturalist at the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center in Chatham. She has performed in productions of Peter Pan, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Godspell. Judy enjoys bicycling, bird watching and hiking with her dog “Ginger” and is delighted to have the chance to sing in Our Town, directed by her former English and Journalism teacher.
Stuart Conway (Choir) is returning to the stage for the first time since the fourth grade. Stu has been a member of the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church choir since 1988. He and his wife have recently completed a three-year sail around the world aboard their boat Stampede.
Nancy Culton (Choir)
Linden DeBie (Choir) is a native of Long Beach, California, and took his PhD at McGill University in Montreal. He is pastor of Peapack Reformed Church.
Mary DeBie (Choir) was born in Birmingham, England, and is employed as a case manager for a large law firm in Newark. She teaches Sunday School at Peapack Reformed Church and enjoys singing in a choir whenever she can.
Kathleen Doherty (Choir) is making her stage debut singing alto with the New Peapack Players. She has been singing sacred music in church since she was in grade school. She thanks her sons and husband for their endless support.
Anne Hampson (Choir) is pleased to join the cast of Our Town. Stage credits include the national and international tours of Ken Hill’s Phantom of the Opera and numerous Gilbert & Sullivan productions. CD credits include performing with the Fugs in the rock opera Star Peace.
Christina Lanzetti (Choir), a Junior at Bernards High School, studies acting and singing in NYC. She is appearing now in Cinderella at Pax Amicus in Budd Lake. She sang our national anthem before 6000 people at East Bay Raceway, Tampa, FL in November 2000.
Lucy Lanzetti (Choir) is a mother of four and is a Spanish teacher at Everett Academy in Peapack. Her last stage appearance was a solo performance in a Middle School Talent Show in Cliffside Park, NJ.
Barbara McElroy (Choir) is a fifth grade language arts teacher at Hardyston Twp. School where she has taught for 32 years. She studied voice with Mildred Ellor May and has sung with the Masterwork Chorus as well as the Sussex County Oratorio Society.
Jodi San Giovanni (Soprano Soloist) sings each Sunday at Peapack Reformed Church. A graduate of the University of Florida, she is now employed as a teacher of vocal music at Alpine School in Sparta, NJ. She is co-founder and director of the 130-member Alpine Players Musical Theater Group.
John Charles Smith (Choir) enjoyed his first appearance in an acting role singing “O Holy Night” right here in this same church some fifty years ago, more or less, when in the sixth grade of the Peapack-Gladstone School. After recovering from that experience, John went on to sing with “Cayuga’s Waters,” a 12-voice ensemble at Cornell University, and now sings with the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church choir.