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TONY CALZARETTA .....Frankie The leader of the group. He has the most confidence and takes care of his fellow PLAIDS. Tony is very pleased to make his Woodstock debut with this great TSP production. No stranger to the stage or to Plaid, Tony has performed as Frankie through out Northern Illinois in a variety of venues, including Palatine, Schaumburg, Barrington Hills, and for the Illinois State Park System. A choreographer as well as an actor, Tony has appeared on stage professionally at White Pines and for Pheasant Run Dinner Theater. He has worked both on and offstage for numerous community theaters, including Lake Zurich Players and St. James Theater. When he's not near a stage, Tony performs in court as a partner with a law firm in Schaumburg. A board member of Music on Stage of Palatine, Tony resides in Schaumburg with his lovely and talented wife Carol (without extensions) and four Calzaretta cats.

JINX .....Stephan Panek The shy and terrified one. He is Sparky’s step-brother. He was abused and beaten causing him to live his life in terror. The others are very protective of him. Stephan is pleased to make a return to the Woodstock Opera House after a small absence. He was last seen on this fine stage in Paradise People's last show, On Broadway. You may also recognize him as Prince Christopher in Cinderella, Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar, and Young Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees. He is also active regionally in Palatine's theatre circuit as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes, and Elgin's Community stages as Magaldi in Evita. He is currently a supervising technician for Elgin Community College's Visual and Performing Arts Center, as well as a stagehand in other places of theatre happenings. He would like to dedicate this performance to his parent's for their constant reassurances and love. He would also like to send a warm thank you to his one and only Sheryl, with whom all things are possible.

CHARLES RUCKER .....Smudge The worrier and dyslexic. He has a chronic nervous stomach and is very reluctant to perform. Charles is a graduate of St. Mary's University w/a BA in Theatre and Speech and pleased to be making his first appearance here with TSP at the Woodstock Opera House. He utilized the experience he gained at school to take on the many different challenges being in a theater presents. Whether it was being the Master Electrician for the Round Barn Theatre at Amish Acres (100 year old wooden barn - yikes!), or directing 40 high school students in Once Upon a Mattress at Crystal Lake Central High School, Charles has always enjoyed his time spent in a theatre. Oh, and he also acts! Some of his most recent roles include Big Deal (JET) in West Side Story, David in Company and as Smudge in Forever Plaid at Elgin Community Theatre. Charles would like to take this opportunity to thank his family and friends for all of their continuing support in the arts.

MATT SCHARLAU .....Sparky The clown, the imp, the scamp, the cut-up of the group. He is very sharp and loves singing his tailor made solos. He wears a retainer and has a slight speech impediment or lisp. Matt is excited to be back on the Opera house stage for TSP's production of Forever Plaid. Matt was previously seen on this stage as Count Philippe de Chandon in TSP's Phantom, and with WMTC as Danny Zuko in Grease, and Pooh-Bah in The Mikado. Other credits include The Sound of Music, Perfectly Frank, Music Man; Albert Peterson in Bye, Bye Birdie; Boatswain in H.M.S. Pinafore; Al Johnson in The Album: A Century Brought to Life for the Millennium Celebration in St. Charles; Hucklebee in the Steel Beam Theatre's The Fantasticks; plus appearances in Pheasant Run Dinner Theatre's Grease and My Fair Lady. Matt holds a B.A. in Music Performance from Cornell College in Iowa. Matt would like to thank his family and friends for all of their love and support, especially his wife Sharon, and would like to dedicate his performance in this show in memory of his dad.

The Folks Behind the Scenes

LOU CZARNY .....Producer/Technical Coordinator

This is Lou's 88th production since his stage debut in Woodstock Musical Theatre Company's (WMTC) The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Woodstock Opera House in 1985 when he "caught the bug". Over the past 19 years he has served in the capacities of cast member, running crew, follow spot operator, sound board operator, producer, production coordinator, technical coordinator, set construction foreman, set construction crew, set designer and production manager for WMTC, TSP, Paradise People, Woodstock Summer Theatre, Dillie's Follies and Marengo Summer with the Arts. He is a member of the Woodstock Opera House Advisory Commission and current President of TownSquare Players. Lou is the court administrator for McHenry County and lives in Woodstock with his wife Janie.

DEB SPITZBART .....Producer

Deb is thrilled to be co-producing her second show. Her first one was I Hate Hamlet in November. Thank you, Lou, for this opportunity and your guidance. Deb has been involved in several capacities of theater for the past 15 years. She is currently one of the House Managers at the Opera House. She is on the board of TSP and is also on the Play Reading Committee. Deb has been a teacher's associate in a special education classroom for 20 years. She has 2 adult children and lives in Woodstock with her husband, David.

BOB WILBRANDT .....Director/Choreographer/Set Design

After performing for so many years at the Opera House in a variety of roles, Bob would like to thank Woodstock's TownSquare Players for allowing him to make his Opera House directorial debut with one of his all time favorite shows. Bob has toured as "one of the guys" in numerous productions of Plaid throughout Northern Illinois, and has also appeared on suburban Chicago stages in many harmony singing ensemble roles, including Pump Boys and Dinettes and Black Patent Leather Shoes. When he's not onstage or backstage, Bob is another of this area's "singing lawyers". His office is in Crystal Lake, where he also teaches for McHenry County College. Bob and his wife, Palatine Music on Stage producer Maureen, live in Woodstock with their two fuzzy children, Sheila and Sadie the Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.

KERRY HAYES .....Musical Director

Kerry has been involved with all aspects of musical theatre for over thirty years. As an actor, he has portrayed such roles as Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore, Jesus in Godspell, Migaldi in Evita, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar and Curly in Oklahoma. As an instrumentalist, Kerry has played guitar for Les Miserables Student Edition, Godspell, Bye, Bye Birdie and Baby. Kerry has also served as musical or vocal director for My Fair Lady and Evita (Lewis University); Godspell (Town Square Players); Baby (Vernon Hills Players); and orchestra director for Fiddler on the Roof (Woodstock Musical Theatre Company). Holding a master’s degree with a specialization in arts administration, Kerry served as arts coordinator for the Palatine Park District where he was responsible for the operations of Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center. Kerry currently works at Cove School in Northbrook where he directs a choir comprised of students with a variety of learning disabilities. He also directs their annual musical. Kerry serves as director of music ministries at St. Barnabas Lutheran Church in Cary, Illinois, and is the father of three very musically gifted children.

TOM HERMANSON .....Stage Manager

Tom is thrilled to be back at the Opera House to stage manage Forever Plaid. Some of Tom’s past credits include Grease, Joseph, My Fair Lady, Westside Story, and Chicago. Tom’s future credits include Music Man to be presented by TSP at the Raue Center in June. By day, Tom is a restaurant manager for Taco Bell in Fox Lake. Tom would like to thank his family as well as everyone at work for making this possible.

MAUREEN WILBRANDT .....Costume Design/Properties

Maureen is thrilled to be working on one of her all time favorite shows. Forever Plaid. "Thanks to TSP for the opportunity to be part of this wonderful team." A banker by day, a volunteer by night, Maureen likes to spend her free time at Lake Redstone with Bob, Shelia and Sadie. She sends special thanks to Ann, Tom J., and Tish for all their help.

JOANNE GUTHRIE-GARD .....Property Manager

Joanne is honored to have joined the WMTC/TSP family just last year and her contributions have been, up until now, only on the stage. Last year she portrayed Golde in WMTC’s spring production of Fiddler on the Roof and was then seen singing in the Nun's Chorus in TSP's summer production of Sound of Music. Joanne earned her BA in Music Education from Western Illinois University and currently does Corporate Meeting and Event Planning. She is thrilled to expand her theater knowledge by working behind the scenes with this extremely talented group of individuals. Love goes out to her three children, Maureen, Mitchell and Erin -"I love you more than you'll ever know." Special thanks to Lou: "for believing in me, your constant friendship and for giving me the opportunity to spread my wings."

JIM CLOUSE- .....Scenic Artist

Jim has worked as scenic painter for several local theatre productions over the past two years. Counted amongst his favorites are Phantom, Joseph and Miracle on 34th Street. Jim would like to take this opportunity to express his love and thanks for the loving support of his wife Mary and children, Amber and Brandon.

PAUL BAYER .....Light Designer

M. CHRISTOPHER STEVENS .....Sound Board Operator

GREG "NORM" BOYD .....Light Board Operator

GLORIA PEETZ .....Rehearsal Pianist

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