Dust off your lawn chairs and break out the picnic blankets - “All the world’s a stage” as Scenic City Shakespeare in the Park springs back into beautiful Greenway Farm in Hixson, TN this May with As You Like It. Shakespeare’s beloved pastoral comedy will have performances beginning at 7:30 May 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 26 & 27. May 19th and 20th will feature family-friendly original “Billie the Bard’s Puppet Playhouse” at 7:00 and the return of “Shakespeare From a Hat” improvised adaptations at 8:00. Admission is FREE, reservations are recommended. Bring your outdoor chairs and blankets - seating is not provided. Plan to arrive early to enjoy fare from local food trucks and other vendors. RSVP now at ScenicCityShakespeare.org/inthepark. As You Like It is made possible by the Arts Build Communities grant through Arts Build and the Tennessee Arts Commission. Escape to the Forest of Arden this May with Scenic City Shakespeare's new rendition of As You Like It. In this refreshing comedy, the Bard’s spirited heroine and her cousin leave behind their familiar world and encounter a company of colorful characters, each on their own journey of love and self-acceptance. Enhanced by a soundtrack of popular songs, this heartwarming story weaves together laughter and romance, culminating in a joyful celebration of love and new beginnings. Experience the timeless charm of this beloved tale and immerse yourself in the magic of the Forest of Arden as love, self-discovery, and transformation intertwine! As You Like It features new and familiar company members Marianna Allen, Bryan Basil, Maria Chattin, Courtenay Cholovich, Emma Collins, Kyle Coplen, Monica Ellison, Ryan Laskowski, Jacob Moore, Kashun Parks, Hunter Rogers, Ripken Russell, Will Snyder, & Arche Twitty.
The third weekend in May Scenic City Shakespeare shakes it up with original performances. “Billie the Bard’s Puppet Playhouse” is a new hands-on educational puppetry program created by Scenic City Shakespeare with funding from the Tennessee Arts Commission. The program premieres April 15 and 16 at the Chattanooga Public Library auditorium and will receive an encore at Shakespeare in the Park May 19 and 20 starting at 7:00. Through classic scenes, audiences will experience Shakespeare’s text and engage in a magical story alongside puppet characters. Back for a second year, “From a Hat” style improvised adaptations - this years title, "As You Like Hat!” - make for a delightful evening of improv as actors pull their As You Like It character from the hat and perform the play through a collection of
improvised games and scenes.
Cast and Creative team for As You Like It at Scenic City Shakespeare
Cast
Fran Bixby
Rheba
Fran is delighted to be making her Carlisle Players on High onstage debut! Past favorite roles include Judas' Wife in The Saint Plays at Muhlenberg College and Hebe in Gallathea at Gamut Theatre. Fran was a member of Muhlenberg's sketch/improv group and has just finished her studies at The Second City in Chicago. She hopes to continue her work in comedy. She would like to thank her family for all of their support.
Katy Clay
Penny Sycamore
Katy Clay, as Penny, is debuting in Carlisle Theatre's Players on High. Katy previously acted in Oregon Repertory Theatre, Chicago Premier Society, Shippensburg University Theatre productions, and most recently as Eleanor in Lion in Winter at Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg in 2022. Recently retired as a Russian History professor, she enjoys playing accordion at music jams, writing about and keeping bees, and is delighted to be joining this talented cast in You Can't Take It With You.
Debra Cornelius
Grand Duchess Olga Katrina
Debra Cornelius returns for her fourth show with Players on High, this time as the Grand Duchess Olga Katrina. In addition to acting, she is a volunteer in the theatre office and works on the crew in props and set decorating. One of her fun jobs is making fake food for our shows, and in this show, there is a LOT of food. The Sycamores love to eat! Debra has been a resident of Carlisle for 35 years and is a happily retired Shippensburg University professor.
Kyle Davis
Tony Kirby
Kyle Davis (Tony Kirby) has previously appeared with the Players on High as Old Joe in A Steampunk Christmas Carol and as The Narrator in Dying for a Drink. He wishes to thank his family for their support and the Players on High for the opportunity to discover acting, A retired Army Officer and former Personal Fitness Trainer, he currently moonlights as a technology "expert" in the Futures Lab of the U.S. Army War College. He can also be heard co-hosting the hybrid audiobook/podcast, Classics You Slept Through, with his sister. (https://linktr.ee/cystpod)
William Donaldson
Donald
William Donaldson has been acting since he was 15. This will be his second official stage production with Players on High. Playing Donald has been one of his favorite characters to bring to life and he would like to thank Ashley and Ben for the opportunity to play Donald. Acting and being on stage is one of his favorite things to do. In addition to theatre acting, he has appeared in 2 movies (Dark Operations: Terminus and 21st Century Band) and a pilot for an internet TV show (Buddy Cop). He would like to thank his son Tobin and nephew Jaxon for their support and loves them both very much!
John Fitzgerald
Wilbur Henderson / FBI Agent
John Fitzgerald debuted with the Players on High in A Steampunk Christmas Carol when he was cast as the narrator Charles Dickens in 2021. He reprised his role this past year in the 2022 production. He has also played Parson van Pastor/Old German doctor in this past fall in Players on High’s version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Community Theatre fulfills a lifelong dream of storytelling via the performing arts.
Janelle French
Gay Wellington
Janelle French is excited to return to the stage as Gay Wellington in her fourth production with Players on High. Her previous roles include Miss Scarlet in Clue, Mrs. Cratchit in A Steampunk Christmas Carol, and Emma Royde in Dying for a Drink. Janelle is a Carlisle resident, a homeschooling teacher to her two sons, and a hat designer known as The Mystical Milliner. She is thankful for the support of the directing team and her wonderful cast mates. Special thanks also go out to her family for encouraging her to pursue her passion for theater.
Margie Fry
FBI Agent
A native of Newville, Margie Fry arrives for her 2nd performance with Players on High. She is excited to expand her acting repertoire from being caring Nurse Ruth Kelly in Mary Chase’s “Harvey” to portraying intimating “j-man” “Mac” in this production. Margie has always valued the arts and is pleased to be a part of this wonderful cast. Currently, she spends time with her greyhound Rufus, hiking, and knitting. She would like to thank her family and friends for their support.
Dave Lang
Mr. Anthony Kirby
Dave Lang is excited to be sharing the stage with this delightful cast. Special thanks go out to the marvelous production team that has made this such a joyful experience. This is Dave’s 10th production with Players on High and his 53rd production overall. He has also performed locally at Hershey Area Playhouse, Upstart Arts, Forge Theater, Gettysburg Community Theater, The Micro Theatre at Broadway Tavern, and Lebanon Community Theater. Dave enjoys competitive ping-pong and is an avid board gamer. He studies vocal performance at Roger Lentz Studio.
R. J. Lesch
Paul Sycamore
R. J. Lesch is delighted to be part of Carlisle Players on High. R.J. made his directorial debut in October 2021 with QED and followed up with co-directing A Steampunk Christmas Carol. He portrayed Uncle Billy in It's a Wonderful Life, several characters in A Christmas Carol, and Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey. Previously, R. J. worked with Punchinello Players in St. Paul, MN, performing in The Time of Your Life and Our Town, and providing offstage support for several other shows. R.J. lives in Carlisle with his spouse, Laura Rumley. He is an avid fencer and fencing coach, his specialty being sabre.
Viki Mallios
Head FBI Agent
Viki Mallios is excited to be back on stage. She was a theatre major in college and has previously done several Hospital Follies. She has lived in Carlisle her whole life and was thankful to raise her three children around her big fat Greek family while teaching first grade for 25 years.
Russ Moore
Mr. De Pinna
Russ is really excited to participate in his Fourth production with Players on High in a You Can't Take It With You. He was previously seen as Topper in A Steampunk Christmas Carol, Baltus Van Tassel in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and multiple small roles in The Secret Garden with Players on High. Other credits include Doody in Grease for the Wentworth Institute of Technology Theater Troupe, as well as performing in the ensemble for the Regal Players performance of Oklahoma in Waltham, MA. Additional credits include ensemble roles in Godspell, Mame, and The Boy Friend with the Arlington High School Drama Club. He would like to thank his wife Amanda and children Cathryn, Aaron, and Abigail for all of their support.
Lesley Newcome
Alice Sycamore
Lesley Newcome is excited to be a part of her first stage production and overjoyed to be welcomed by such a talented and wonderful cast and crew! In her spare time, she can be found pursuing some of her other creative hobbies including painting, baking, and dancing. Many thanks and much love to all the friends, family, and teachers who have given all their support and encouragement.
Deborah Robertson
Mrs. Miriam Kirby
One of the benefits of being a military spouse of 25 years is that it
has allowed Deborah Robertson to pursue her love of acting on stages across the world in various roles including Lenny in “Crimes of the Heart”;
Florence in “The Odd Couple: A Female Version”; and Judge Gaffney in
“Harvey”. However, she is thrilled to be returning to The Carlisle
Regional Performing Arts Center to play the unraveling Mrs. Kirby. She
would like to thank her husband, Brian, and their 4 children, without
whose love and support this return to the stage would not have been
possible.
Mike Shevlin
Martin Vanderhof (Grandpa)
Mike Shevlin is returning to the stage after a 40-year hiatus. He was last seen as Horace in Moliere’s “School for Wives” in 1982, shortly after Moliere first published the original play. Okay, maybe not “shortly,” but it was pretty close. He would like to thank his youngest son, Aedan, for inspiring him to try again. He is also grateful to the directors, crew, and cast of “You Can’t Take It With You” for welcoming him into their family, and most of all to his wife, Megan, for her patience and support.
Shane Shuma
Ed Carmichael
Shane Shuma is originally from McKinney, Texas. Shane has always been invested in the arts, having been involved in dance, acting and music while growing up. At Dickinson College, where Shane graduated in May of 2022 with a degree in Law and Policy, he was a member of the college choir, the Red Clover Quartet, and the college’s nationally ranked mock trial team. This is his second theatre production as an adult having previously portraying Brom Bones in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. He’d like to thank his sister, who is studying theatre at Messiah University and regular at the Carlisle Theatre, his parents and his grandmother for all their support!
Rick Sollman
Boris Kolenkov
Rick Sollman is thrilled to return with the Players on High for his 3rd production after debuting in A Steampunk Christmas Carol last year. Born in a small dashcha in Millkrik, Rick serves faithfully as a uchitel istorii at the local srednyaya shkola. He would like to thank his wife Tara for all of her love and support, along with Hank, Livy, Momo, and Mom!
Logan Weaver
Essie Carmichael
After auditioning for and gaining a role in QED, originally meant to be a prerecorded radio show in 2021, Logan discovered a newfound hobby in stage theatre. Now, two plays and a musical later, she takes the role of Essie Carmichael in her fourth stage show, and is thrilled that actual dance experience was not required for the role. She appreciates her friends and family for supporting her in her theatrical endeavors, and hopes they enjoy watching the show as much as she has enjoyed performing in it.
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