Co-Directed by
Jennifer Lockwood & Sarah Caplan
Produced with permission of the author by
The Dayton Playhouse, Inc.
Setting: The office of Mary Pickford, Owner of United Artists Studios, Los Angeles, California. September 1, 1939.
The play is performed without intermission.
Cast, in order of appearance
Miss Hollombe – Jenna De Gruy
George Gyssling – Mike Beerbower
Mary Pickford – Debra Strauss
Charlie Chaplin – Matt Lindsay
Production Crew
Producer – Tim Rezash
Stage Manager – Sarah Caplan
Costume Designer – Theresa Kahle
Set Designer – Logan Dabney
Lighting Designer – Richard Lee Waldeck
Sound Designer – Bob Kovach
Set Decoration/Properties Designers – Deirdre Root, Heather Martin
Videography/Editing – Tracey Obenour, Dave Obenour
Ms. De Gruy’s Wig Design – Dawn Roth Smith
Ms. Strauss’ Hairstyling – Heather Martin
Set Build Crew – Logan Dabney, Sean Mayo, Matt Lindsay, Karen Lindsay
Special Thanks to
John Morogiello, The Dayton Theatre Guild, Today’s Headlines Salon, Natasha Randall, Saul Caplan, and Jeff Sams
Cast/Director Biographies
Jenna De Gruy (Miss Hollombe) is thrilled to be making theatre again. Her favorite past roles include Mimi Schwinn in A New Brain (UD), Joan in Fun Home (Beavercreek Community Theatre) and Becky in Slowgirl (Dayton Theatre Guild). She is also a writer and teaches English Composition at UD and Sinclair. You can typically find her at Gem City Catfe, where she can both make you a coffee and help you cuddle cats.
Mike Beerbower (George Gyssling) Mike is excited to return to the Playhouse stage after last appearing in “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Other favorite Dayton theatre credits include “All My Sons,” “Jailbait,” and “Outside Mullingar.” Offstage, Mike loves to run and bike. He and his wife Val are renovating a home in historic St. Anne’s Hill.
Debra Strauss (Mary Pickford) Debra thanks Jennifer for the opportunity to share this experience with such a talented cast and crew. She is thrilled to be recreating the role of Mary Pickford having performed in this play’s FutureFest debut. Some of Debra’s favorite roles include Hannah and Diana in California Suite, Martha in A Piece of My Heart, M’Lynn and Truvy in Steel Magnolias, Randi in Greetings, and Constance Wilde in Oscar Wilde’s Wife. In real life she is a professional organizer and is co-owner of Breathing Room Dayton.
Matt Lindsay (Charlie Chaplin) was grateful for the opportunity to work with the cast and crew on The Consul…as the calendar changed to 2021. As Charlie knew, making art is good for the heart and spirit, and doing this work – with these great people – was as healing as it was invigorating. You may have seen Matt before, on the Dayton Playhouse stage most recently in The Man Who Came to Dinner, and To Kill a Mockingbird. He has also been fortunate to play at The Dayton Theatre Guild and Sinclair Community College, and others. Much love to Karen, who makes all this possible. Please, be well.
Jennifer Lockwood (Director) Jennifer began her theatre career as a Munchkin at the age of 7. She has since worked on and off stage at many area theaters. Some of her favorite roles include Marjorie in Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Dr. Kelsey in [MISS], Karen in Dinner with Friends, and Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker. Her directing highlights include The Diary of Anne Frank, Deathtrap, Inherit the Wind, A Few Good Men, and last season’s Man Who Came to Dinner. Jennifer is a member of the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame.
Sarah Caplan (Assistant Director/Stage Manager) Having not worked at the Playhouse since her last collaboration with Jennifer Lockwood (and Mike Beerbower, come to think of it), it just feels right to be back. Most often Sarah can be found working on a production team, such as the ones behind The Last Lifeboat and Marjorie Prime at Dayton Theatre Guild, A Streetcar Named Desire at Beavercreek Community Theatre and The Importance of Being Earnest, Deathtrap and The Miracle Worker here at Dayton Playhouse. Every so often she appears onstage, as she did last season in Proof at Troy Civic Theatre. Sarah is the Production Manager for The Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus and a stage hand at the Dayton Art Institute. She thanks Jennifer for this opportunity and her guidance, Tim for his support and this cast and crew for a level of flexibility and adaptability no one should be expected to have to exhibit.
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