The Last Five Years
ALEX GRUHIN (Artistic Director) is a sophomore in Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. This is his third semester with MTC, having served as Associate Producer and Director of Marketing for MTC's production of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party and as Associate Producer and Assistant Director for Little Shop Of Horrors. He has worked off-Broadway at the Summer Play Festival at Theatre Row as an Intern and Assistant Stage Manager on their production of “Spain” (dir. Jeremy Dobrish). For the past two years, he has served as a member of the Festival’s play selection committee alongside New York theatre professionals. Alex has performed throughout the Washington D.C. metropolitan area (his home), including a stint with the Washington National Opera under the conduction of Plácido Domingo.
KATIE VAN CLEAVE (General Manager, President) is a junior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, majoring in both Atmospheric Sciences and Spanish. She attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, IL where she first became interested in theatre production while serving as Co-Producer of a large, student-written musical her senior year. During the Spring 2008 semester, she studied Spanish theatre history abroad in Madrid. She has served as Stage Manager for MTC productions of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street as well as Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party and served as Assosciate Producer for Little Shop Of Horrors. The Last Five Years and Songs For a New World mark her fourth season with MTC, and she looks forward to many more. She would like to thank Justin Leader and Josh Burlingham for encouraging her, as well as her ever-supportive family and friends.
BRYAN BOTTI (Director) is really excited for his third MTC production, having performed in MTC's Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party and Little Shop Of Horrors. He is a sophomore Biology major, premed, at Cornell University. He has been in various shows back home in Livingston, NJ as well as here in Ithaca. He'd like to thank the MTC for this opportunity.
CRISTINA FAICCO (Music Director) is a junior Vocal Performance and Music Education major at Ithaca College. She is excited to be returning for her second season with the MTC after playing Audrey in Little Shop Of Horrors last spring. Broadway Credits include Young Cosette/Young Eponine in Les Misérables. Regional Theater Credits include Molly in Annie, Brigitta in The Sound of Music and Jane Banks in Marry Poppins. Other Theater Credits include the Narrator in Joseph…, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Theo in Pippin, Eponine in Les Misérables (High School Edition) and Kate Murphy in Titanic. In the future, Cristina hopes to teach music at the college level. She thanks her friends and family for all their help and support.
CHRIS TOLBERT (Orchestra Director, Conductor) is currently a junior at Ithaca College majoring in Music Education. Though he is primarily a trumpet player, conducting has become one of his prevailing interests since his involvement with the MTC. Chris has served as Conductor for MTC productions of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party and Little Shop Of Horrors. Chris also serves as an Ithaca Dining Services Student Supervisor and as a member of the brass quintet Five Cents Sharp. Special thanks to his teachers and friends!
JEFF PALEY (Technical Director), hailing from Cincinnati, OH, is a junior at Cornell University studying biological engineering. He built sets in his high school theater, and has worked in the Schwartz center scene shop since his freshman year. This is his second season with the MTC.
ERNEST MEADOWS (Director of Marketing) is a sophomore at Cornell University majoring in Applied Economics and Management. He is from Brooklyn, NY, where he wrote and produced his own play and co-produced others. Additionally, he is involved in several student organizations at Cornell, such as, Student Assembly and Class Council of 2011. This is his second season with the MTC, and he is extremely excited for many more.
EVAN CARR (Marketing Assistant), originally from Vestal, NY, is currently a sophomore at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration with primary interests in hospitality development and entertainment law. This is his first semester with the MTC; previously, Evan sang with the Vestal Voices under the conduction of Dennis Powell, helping boost the Voices to a NYSSMA Gold with Distinction award in 2007. Last summer, Evan interned with WIVT-TV NewsChannel 34 to learn more about the media and entertainment business. Evan has also participated in many student business and leadership activities, including the CHC Hospitality Consultants Industry Relations Team, student government, and as a Cornell University Resident Advisor.
BETH SPERGEL (Director of Photography) is a Junior at Cornell University in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences studying a Natural Resources and Photography. Beth is a senior photographer for the Cornell Daily Sun, and this semester she has an internship with University Photography, Cornell's commercial photography studio.
ALEX SILVER (Assistant Photographer) is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University. He is from Bethesda, Maryland, where he first pursued his interest in photography. In high school he was president of the photography club and won several national accolades including 3 gold medals in The Scholastics Art and Writing Awards. At Cornell, Alex is a staff photographer for the Cornell Daily Sun and is currently studying photography in the College of Art, Architecture and Planning.
BEN ANDERSEN (Stage Manager) is a freshman at Ithaca College, majoring with a B.A. in Drama. This is his first season with the MTC. Previous credits include: Little Shop Of Horrors (Production Stage Manager, Light Designer), Much Ado About Nothing (Light Designer), City of Angels (Stage Manager), West Side Story (Stage Manager), and The Laramie Project (Stage Manager). He will also be stage managing a new show on the Ithaca campus in December, called The Memory Project by Laura Abbott. He would like to thank the cast and crew for welcoming him to the MTC, and a special thanks to his friends and family for all their love and support.
CARTER HEARNE (Business Manager)
CASEY KROSSER (House Manager, Dramaturg) is a sophomore English major at Ithaca College. She first became involved in theatre during high school in her hometown of Livingston, NJ. She was also on the properties crew for Ithaca College's main stage production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. She thanks MTC for giving her the opportunity to be involved in this production! This is her first season with MTC, and she looks forward to many more.
BETH MONTROY (Community Outreach Coordinator) is a junior at Ithaca College studying arts administration with a concentration in music. While primarily interested in producing and presenting the arts, she also plays the trombone, handbells & recorder at Ithaca College. This is her first season with MTC, and she is excited to work with everyone.
MICHAEL GARRETT (Technical Coordinator) is in his seventh season with the MTC. Credits with the company include Bat Boy: The Musical (Master Carpenter), A New Brain (Technical Director, Scenic Designer), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Executive Technical Director, Scenic Designer). Michael also serves as the Technical Director for Risley Theatre. Other credits include: Festival of One Acts (Director) Robber Bridegroom (Technical Director) Skin of Our Teeth (Master Carpenter) Beat Box Bard (Asst. Lighting Designer) and Cradle Will Rock (Sound Crew). Michael has been trained in Technical Theater at The Hill School. He is currently a senior at Cornell University, studying Animal Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
ANDERS BENSON (Scenic Designer) is a sophomore in the Hotel School at Cornell and plans to one day be a chef. Company credits include Puppet Designer for Little Shop Of Horrors He has previously worked on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, played piano for a melodrama, and served as lead understudy for Cats 2: Rise of Growl Tiger. He would like to say thank you to all of his friends that helped him with this project!
MARIA-TERESA ASARE-BOADI (Assistant Scenic Designer) is a sophomore in the college of Human Ecology majoring in Interior Design. She acted in all four years of high school, participating in productions of The Wiz, The Nerd, Little Shop Of Horrors, Grease, Steel Magnolias, and A Raisin in the Sun. She was born and raised in Verona, Italy and lives for and loves every form of art: visual and performing. This is her first season with MTC, and she is excited to share her experiences and background with everyone in the group.
ARIEL ARBISSER (Makeup Designer), a native of Davenport, IA, is currently a junior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. She has performed in, and done makeup for, many shows over the years, but The Last Five Years and Songs For a New World mark her fourth season with the MTC. She is president of the Chordials, a co-ed a cappella group at Cornell. Their most recent CD, “Arrival” was recognized as the best co-ed album in the nation in 2007 and the group is currently recording their next album. This semester, she launched Ariel Makeup Artistry, a cosmetic service for students and residents of the Ithaca area. Ariel would like to thank her parents for giving her the freedom to explore her passion and the cast and crew for such a great show!
GARIN BULGER (Graphic Designer) s a junior at Ithaca College majoring in advertising and marketing. He has been involved in marketing and design for theatre in many different areas since beginning college. Last year, Garin was the advertising chair for the IC Players, as well as the graphic designer and marketing director for a performance of Dying to Be Thin. During the summer, Garin held an internship at the Hangar Theatre as the marketing intern and continues to do various design and marketing work in theatre. This is his first time working with MTC.
RACHEL MAYER (Makeup Artist) is returning for her second season as Makeup Artist for the MTC, having previously served as Makeup Artist for Little Shop Of Horrors. She is a sophomore at Cornell University and a member of Kappa Delta sorority. She's really excited to be back working with this awesome group and their beautiful faces!
CLOVER BOBKER (Scenic Artist, Construction Crew)
LEONARD TEDESCO (Ticket Agent) is excited to be returning for his third season with the MTC. Lenny was part of his Drama Club in high school, where he performed such memorable roles as Olson in The Long Voyage Home and Doody in the musical Grease. Lenny is a senior and a Government major in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University.
MICHELLE HUYNH (Construction Crew) is a Cornell sophomore from Sunnyvale, CA with a currently undecided major in the College of Arts and Science. The Last Five Years and Songs For a New World mark her third season with the MTC. In high school, she served as stage crew for the play The Cripple of Inishmaan. She'd like to thank the production staff for giving her a chance to be part of this awesome group, and may she continue to learn more about theater from them.
ROBERT BERG (Senior Copywriter) has been involved in the MTC since its first production of Assassins and has since performed such varied company roles as Lead Creative Consultant, Associate Producer and Dramaturg. Robert holds a Masters in Theatre History and Criticism from CUNY Brooklyn and a Bachelors in Liberal Studies from SUNY Purchase. He is also the proud co-founder and co-president of Striking Prose, Inc., a professional freelance copywriting company. Additionally, he is a reviewer and has been published in David Hofstede's "5000 Episodes and No Commercials: The Ultimate Guide to TV Shows on DVD 2007." Robert currently lives in New York, NY, with his partner and somewhere around 400 DVDs and 500 books.
BRENDON SHAPIRO (Rehearsal Accompanist) is an active student accompanist at Ithaca College who somehow always finds time to play for shows as well! Since coming to college, he's played for four IC Triple Threat productions, and served as music director for two of them: The Fantasticks and Once on This Island