Original Cast Biographies at Bailiwick
March 12, thru May 7, 1995
The play previewed March 12, 1995, with official press opening
on March 19, 1995 (Feast of St. Joseph,
Patron of the Universal Church).
Its not-for-profit run ended on May 7, 1995.
Joan: Kate Fry
Joan Fry is happy to be returning to the Bailiwick where she played Ana in
Don Juan in Hell last season. She most recently appeared as Polly
Peachum in The Threepenny Opera with Magellan Theatre. Other Chicago
credits include Mary in the musical version of It's a Wonderful Life
at Drury Lane Oakbrook, and Jane in Lovely Letters at the Factory Theatre:
as well as Louise and Valerie inRoad, and Pennie in the Jeff-Citationed
End of the Road, both with Roadworks Productions. Kate is a recent
graduate of Northwestern University, and would like to thank Jon for all of his
support.
Louis II: Robert D. Mammana
Bob is very pleased to be returning to the Bailiwick where he was first
seen as Nicki in Blue Concerto for the Bailiwick Director's
Festival. Chicago credits include: Another Midsummer Night
(workshop) at The Goodman Theatre, Anna Karenina, The
Substance of Fire, and Sugar (Jeff Nomination) at
Apple Tree Theatre. Other credits include: Long Day's Journey into Night,
Ah Wilderness!, Hey, Fever, Light Up the Sky,
Fiddler on the Roof with Theodore Bikel (Zony Best Actor Nomination), Tartuffe (Best Actor Award Recipient), Orphans, The Normal Heart, Breaking the Code, Anatol, Albatro
ss, A Shayna Maidel, Working, Baby, Grease with Liz Larsen, and Gunmetal Blues (U.S. Premiere), at such theatres as: The Arizona Theatre Company, Maggie Crum (San Francisco), Sacr
a
mento Music Circus, Golden Theatre (Los Angeles), Musical Theatre of
Arizona, Phoenix Little Theatre, Invisible Theatre and Borderlands Theatre.
A resident of Los Angeles, Bob had the good fortune of co-writing and starring
in the 1930's musical romp, Fade to Blue, which ran on the L.A.
Critics Choice list for several months. This performance, as
always, is dedicated to his family (especially, his baby niece, Ry Ry), and
to Jessica.
Cardinal Bishop Nicholas: Matt McDonald
Actor, vocalist, typist, waiter- Matt McDonald has managed to
rack-up quite a little list of Chicago stage credits: Strike Up the Band;
Ludlam'sCamille; Assassins, Charlie's Oasis
; Apple Tree's Edwin Drood and The Rothschilds;
Bailiwick's St. Joan of the Stockyards and Son of Fire;
Personals; Tintypes; and Doonesbury.
Periodically appearing with such groups as The Sharps and Flats,
Matt also tours with his own act, One Hour With You, specializing in
vintage music and vocal styles.
Lucius: Ron Sherry
Ron, a native Nebraskan, studied theatre at Sam Houston University. Some of
his credits include: the Doormouse in Alphabet Soups production of
Alice in Wonderland, Angel in Distant Fires with Pegasus
Players, the Pauper in Christopher Moore's musical adaptation of
The Prince and the Pauper, Bert in A Memory of Two Mondays
and Tom in This Property is Condemned at Raven Theatre. Ron's
favorite role to date is that of husband to his soulmate Mike. Hi Mike!
Martine: Mary C. Beidler
Mary is honored to be back for her eighth show at Bailiwick through which she
has received two After Dark Awards for her performance in Son of Fire
and Wuthering Heights and performed in the Equity Jeff nominated
An Uncertain Hour and The Shanghai Gesture. She spent
last summer at Pheasant Run Resort in I Ought to be in Pictures.
Acting, folksinging, directing, and theatre professorships have taken Mary on
adventures from her Ohio roots to New York City, Europe, and back again.
Anastasius Bibliothecarius: Christopher McNamara
Christopher was last seen as Larry Foreman in Splinter Theatre Groups's critically
acclaimed revival of The Cradle Will Rock. He made his Chicago
debut as Charles Guiteau in Pegasus Player's Jeff-Cited production of Assassins
and also appeared as Col. Holmes inStrike Up the Band at the Ivanhoe.
During the day he can be seen as John The Baptist/Judas in American Eagle's
touring version of Godspell.
The Holy Ghost: Robert Schleifer
Robert has been deaf since birth. He is originally from Chicago and is making
his first appearance with Bailiwick Rep. He was last seen as Haemon in
Antigone at the Footsteps Theatre Co. He is delighted to return to
Chicago from Florida where he was seen in Barefoot in the Park,
which he also directed at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. He also appeared
in Rumors by Neil Simon, Romeo and Juliet, The
Odd Couple, and many others. His recent directing work includes
Act Without Words for the Bailiwick Directors Festival. Robert
is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, and he currently
teaches American Sign Language at Columbia College and at Northwestern University
in Evanston. He would like to thank David Zak and Christopher Moore and
the members of Bailiwick Rep for their love and support. Special thanks to
family and friends.
Young Joan: Cecily Strong
Cecily just turned eleven, but she has been acting since she could talk. She
is a veteran at Village Players in Oak Park, and Pope Joan marks
her first Bailiwick - and first professional- production. She thanks Gene,
Chris, and David for their guidance, patience, and encouragement, and her mom
for all the driving.
Lucretia/Ensemble: Anne Tolpegin
Anne is delighted to be part of the Pope Joan cast, having spun
her way through the Bailiwick Studio Production of A Holiday Spin.
A graduate of Northwestern and a Wagon Wheel alum', Anne has performed in shows
ranging from Jenny in Remember Mama, Gert in Lost in Yonkers,
the witch in Into the Woods, Rafaella in Grand Hotel, and
Bernstein's Mass. She thanks her parents - endlessly- and Bill, and
fabulous friends for their love and support.
The Ensemble:
Cardinals, Soldiers, Monks, Peasants, Performers,
and Townspeople of Rome:
Rick Beech: (Ensemble)
Rick is a native Minnesotan making a return to Bailiwick's stage. Previous Bailiwick
appearances include JR in Jerker, and The Man in Adam and
the Experts. Other Chicago credits are Zak and Hujar in Vampire
Lesbians of Sodom, Blackie in Archie and Mehitabelle,
Queer Stories and Gays of Our Lives. Regional credits include
The Rink at Summer Point Theatre,Gianni Schicci for
Great Lakes Opera, and Damn Tango for Theatre Tesseract in Milwaukee.
Rick would like to thank his friends and Kim for their encouragement and tolerance
of his neuroses.
Dina Joy Byrd: (Ensemble)
Dina is glad to be at the Bailiwick. She is a graduate of Millikin University.
Favorite roles of Ms. Byrd's include Princess Puffer in The Mystery of
Edwin Drood, Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti and most recently,
Dina in Theatre BAM's Schoolhouse Rock, Live! The last year and a
half with SHRL! has taken her from below ground to above ground and,
in the near future, to new ground off Broadway. (Are there stalkers in New York?)
Dina is grateful for her suportive family, especially her fabulous mom, Diana.
Michael Camp: (Ensemble)
Michael Camp is making his second appearance at Bailiwick, having just celebrated
Christmas here in A Holiday Spin directed by Scott Ferguson. He was
most recently seen in Prologue Theatre's presentation of Maltby, and
Shire's Starting Here, Starting Now. Michael has performed in such
roles as Tony in West Side Story, Curly in Oklahoma! and
Lt. Cable in South Pacific. He has also had the privilege of singing
Leonard Bernstein's Mass for the composer on his 70th birthday. Michael
would like to thank his family for all of their support and love.
Adam R. Davis: (Ensemble)
Adam is pleased to be working with David Zak and everyone at the Bailiwick.
He was most recently seen as Gus in a staged reading of Nobody Likes Retsina
and the world premiere of Hans Brinker as Saint Nicholas, both at
the New Tuners' Theatre. Adam is a recent graduate of the Musical Theatre
Program at University of Cincinnati College- Conservatory of Music. There,
he enjoyed playing roles such as File in 110 in the Shade, Lt. Schrank
in West Side Story, Thurio in Two Gentlemen of Verona,
Paul in Company Julias Weiss in Flora, the Red Menace
and Joe Zutty and Emilio Hernendez in Working. He has also performed
at Barefoot Bay Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Candace L. Johnson: (Ensemble)
Candace is thrilled to be back at Bailiwick where she was last seen as Hera in
The Underwear Plays, the Jeff-Cited Son of Fire, and
Wuthering Heights. Other Chicago credits include the Griffin Theatre's
Riding the Dolphin, Talisman's Mendacity and Strawdog's
Abstinence. Candy is proud to be an Artist in Residence with the Griffin
Theatre and an Artistic Associate with Emerging Artists Project. Smile the while
Mom and a thank you to Mr. Decker.
George Keating (Ensemble)
George received his B.F.A. at The Theatre School at Depaul University. He happily
comes to Pope Joan directly after a thirteen month run in Theatre BAM's
Schoolhouse Rock, Live! which received After Dark Awards of both
"Outstanding Ensemble" and "Outstanding Performance." The original cast and
company is scheduled to open in "the Big Apple" summer of '95. The fun places
he's worked: The Bailiwick (The Harvey Milk) , Chicago Children's Theatre, Wagon Wheel,
and next door at New Tuner's. He won't bore you with the places that
weren't fun. Enjoy!
David Peryam (Ensemble)
David joined Pope Joan as a last minute replacement, and would like
to thank David, Chris, and Gene for the confidence and help. This is David's
debut at Bailiwick. He has also been seen in the Jeff nominated
Anna Karenina at Apple Tree, Our Country's Good at
Illinois Theatre Center, Piano Bar with Milestone Productions,
as well as The Devil's Artithmetic and Let the Circle Be
Unbroken with Apple Tree's Theatre for Young Audiences Program. He
dedicates his work in Pope Joan to the loving memory of his
grandfather Gregory H. Sloan. "I love you Buddy, and we'll miss you every day."
Linda Schaeffer: Ensemble/ Fight Choreographer
Linda marks her fifth Bailiwick appearance with Pope Joan.
Other shows are the Jeff Cited Son of Fire (also by Christopher
Moore), Wuthering Heights (where she met her fiance Steve,
thanks to David Zak), The Harvey Milk Show and Don Juan
Tenorio. Linda has also appeared in Prologue Theatre's production of
Chicago. In May of 1994, Linda passed an exam to receive her
certification from the Society of American Fight Directors and is hoping to
break the stage combat glass ceiling with rapier and dagger in hand.
Thanks to Mom, Dad, Steve, and Maxine.
Matt Shea: (Ensemble)
Matt is excited to be a part of another Chris Moore musical after appearing in
Son of Fire for the Bailiwick Pride Series '93. Other Chicago credits
include Fairy Tales and The Harvey Milk Show at
Bailiwick,Hans Brinker with New Tuners, Chicago with
Prologue, and several children's shows with Soupstone Productions. Matt is a
graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with degrees in Theatre and Mass
Communication.
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Bailiwick Production Team Biographies