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Brecksville Theatre on the Square
Brecksville, Ohio April-May, 2010 Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book by Arthur Laurents Directed by Geoff Short Musical Direction by Georgiann Bodle Choreography by Katie Kocik Costumes by David Glowe Starring MONICA OLEJKO as Rose ROB GIBB as Herbie BRIDGET CHEBO as Louise KATIE O'CONNOR as June TIA KARAPLIS as Baby Louise EMILY TABAR as Baby June KIM BUSH as Tessie Tura HEATHER HERSH as Mazeppa JEANETTE LULI as Electra SHANE SINISCALCHI as Tulsa LUKE SCATTERGOOD as L.A. DEBBIE LENARZ as Angie NICK ROYAK as Yonkers THERESA PEDONE as Marjorie May/Miss Cratchitt BOB KENDERES as Pop/Goldstone/Cigar MICHAEL PITT as Jocko/Weber/Kringlein/Pasty JOEY STEFANKO as Young Tulsa JORDAN STEFANKO as Young Yonkers MEGHAN JOYCE as Young Angie CAROLINA MANFREDI as Young Yonkers and KATIE KOCIK |
Monica Olejko as Rose
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Geoff's production of Gypsy at BTOTS was featured in a full page newspaper story. The story used the production to focus on community theatre in general and the people who create it.
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"Geoff Short's mama was mad.Geoff was a latchkey kid, on his own while his single mom went to work. And here he'd gone and done it again: He'd made their garage a shambles by turning it into a theater to stage a show he'd written, starring every kid in the community he could corral.
Here it is a few years later, and a 44-year-old Geoff Short is still rounding up kids in the community to be in shows." - Cleveland Plain Dealer, Sunday April 25th, 2010 
Sun News review of "Gypsy"
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A video look behind the scenes of the Brecksville Theatre on the Square production of Gypsy.
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Geoff's Director's Note:
I dedicate this production to my mother Linda Short. Like so many strong and amazing women - including Mama Rose - she was a single mom raising two kids, my younger brother and me. When I think of Rose, it’s not the image of her as the epitome of a manic stage mother who won’t let anything – including her daughters’ happiness – get in the way of her dream of fame and fortune that I think of. I’ve always identified with Gypsy as simply the story of an extraordinary single mom doing whatever she thinks is necessary for her and her kids to survive. Just like my mom. And just like the extraordinary performer playing Rose in this production, Monica Olejko, the first and only person I wanted to play the part from the very beginning. It’s only now that I’m a parent of two daughters myself, that I can truly appreciate the fact that the sheer fear these incredible women - and so many others like them - must have felt while wondering where the next meal was going to come from, was tempered only by the pride, determination and strength to overcome it. It’s easy to judge an iconic character like Rose as being selfish and overbearing. Indeed, it may be a vast understatement to say the real-life mother of Gypsy Rose Lee - Rose Thompson Hovick - was, at times colorful, unusual and disturbing. But no one can doubt the love she had for her kids and the lengths she would go to to protect them. And no one who knows my family can doubt my mom has always been the same way. And when she sees this production I hope she knows that there is no doubt that the feeling is mutual.
This production wouldn’t be possible without the incredible work of our creative team – Music Director Georgiann Bodle, Choreographer Katie Kocik, Costumer David Glowe, Stage Manager Annmarie Steffes, Scenic Artist Michael Lenzo, Props Managers Mary Ann Hippsley and Judy Pekarik and the entire BTOTS team, Scott McPherson, Don Albainy, Hadden Hippsley, Michelle Albainy, Kim Bush and Pam Ciccarello. Thank you.
I am in awe of the talent and dedication of this cast and crew. Love and thanks to you all. But most of all, love and thanks to my family Lisa (another incredible mom) and my kids Mikey and Bailey…and of course to Mom. I love you.
- Geoff Short
I dedicate this production to my mother Linda Short. Like so many strong and amazing women - including Mama Rose - she was a single mom raising two kids, my younger brother and me. When I think of Rose, it’s not the image of her as the epitome of a manic stage mother who won’t let anything – including her daughters’ happiness – get in the way of her dream of fame and fortune that I think of. I’ve always identified with Gypsy as simply the story of an extraordinary single mom doing whatever she thinks is necessary for her and her kids to survive. Just like my mom. And just like the extraordinary performer playing Rose in this production, Monica Olejko, the first and only person I wanted to play the part from the very beginning. It’s only now that I’m a parent of two daughters myself, that I can truly appreciate the fact that the sheer fear these incredible women - and so many others like them - must have felt while wondering where the next meal was going to come from, was tempered only by the pride, determination and strength to overcome it. It’s easy to judge an iconic character like Rose as being selfish and overbearing. Indeed, it may be a vast understatement to say the real-life mother of Gypsy Rose Lee - Rose Thompson Hovick - was, at times colorful, unusual and disturbing. But no one can doubt the love she had for her kids and the lengths she would go to to protect them. And no one who knows my family can doubt my mom has always been the same way. And when she sees this production I hope she knows that there is no doubt that the feeling is mutual.
This production wouldn’t be possible without the incredible work of our creative team – Music Director Georgiann Bodle, Choreographer Katie Kocik, Costumer David Glowe, Stage Manager Annmarie Steffes, Scenic Artist Michael Lenzo, Props Managers Mary Ann Hippsley and Judy Pekarik and the entire BTOTS team, Scott McPherson, Don Albainy, Hadden Hippsley, Michelle Albainy, Kim Bush and Pam Ciccarello. Thank you.
I am in awe of the talent and dedication of this cast and crew. Love and thanks to you all. But most of all, love and thanks to my family Lisa (another incredible mom) and my kids Mikey and Bailey…and of course to Mom. I love you.
- Geoff Short
Set Concepts
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"I am sort of a minimalist by nature when it comes to set design. I don't like literal rooms and walls or long, clunky set changes. On a small stage like the one at BTOTS, they're impossible anyway. I wanted to tie in the themes of burlesque and vaudeville into the set for Gypsy so I used the concept of dressing screens as the main set pieces. These oversized units were on casters and could be moved by the cast to form different rooms and walls quickly and smoothly while serving as a thematic reminder that this story is based on the memoirs of a famous burlesque artist. I even inserted a brief scene at the beginning of the show where Gypsy was writing her memoirs and presenting her story in flashback."
- Geoff Short |
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Production Photos
Geoffrey Short
South Florida Entertainer
South Florida Entertainer