Westfield Community Players (Black Coffee bios)

Cast and Production Members

The Cast	The Production/Crew
Jack Cibrian as Hercule Poirot	John Correll Director
Lisa Vasfailo as Tredwell	Linda Correll Producer
Rachel DeLeonardis as Lucia Amory	Lynn Lampariello Stage Manager
Linda Correll as Miss Caroline Amory	JoAnne Lemenille Production Mgr. / Properties
Eric Branda as Richard Amory	Bill McMeekan Set Design/Construction
Paige Matt as Barbara Amory	JoAnne Lemenille/Jean Lioy Set Decor
Tracey Lincoln as Edith Raynor	Jean Lioy Performance Dir. / Properties
John Schweska as Dr. Carelli	Ed Whitman Lighting Design
Steve Lemenille as Sir Claud Amory	Ed Whitman Lighting Operator
Timothy McGovern as Captain Arthur Hastings, O.B.E.	Glen Crane Sound Design
Howard Fischer as Dr. Graham	Michael Bieber Sound Operator
Josh Jancourtz as Inspector Japp	Steve Lemenille Publicity
Ben Jancourtz as Johnson	Katie Engel Playbill/Marketing
	Steve Lemenille Webmaster
	Wendy Bregman Box Office
	Ed Bontempo Costumes
	TBD House Managers
	TBD House Managers
	TBD Ushers
	Jean Lioy Stage Crew
	Lois Stevens Stage Crew
	Alexandria Roll Box Office Ass't.
	Steve Lemenille Photographer
	Stuart Schnitzer Videography
	George Hiltz Set Construction Chairman
	Sal Villani Set Construction
	Russ Ortiz Set Construction
	Ed Whitman Set Construction
	Ed Whitman, Dave Frey Lighting

BIOGRAPHIES
The Cast
JACK CIBRIAN	*(Hercule Poirot)* is thrilled to play Agatha Christie’s most famous detective, Hercule Poirot. Jack mostly appears in musicals; he has been on the Plays-in-the-Park summer stage since 1998 and in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Jacob) at the State Theatre every year since 2005. Some favorite play roles include A Christmas Carol (Scrooge), The Dresser (Norman), Arsenic and Old Lace (Teddy), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bottom), Hamlet (Polonius), The Odd Couple (Felix), and Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (Giles). When not on stage, Jack teaches Film at East Brunswick High School.

LISA VASFAILO	*(Tredwell)* is happy to be back on the WCP stage after performing in last year's Play It Again, Sam (Nancy/Vanessa). Lisa is a graduate of the NYU Program in Educational Theatre and teaches middle school theatre and dance. Recent credits include: The Other Place (Dr. Teller, Laurel, Woman) - Fearless Productions, Almost, Maine (Glory, Hope, Waitress) - Circle Players, and Beyond Therapy (Prudence) - Mystic Vision Players. Favorite past performances include: Polaroid Stories (Eurydice) at NYU and The Vagina Monologues at the Triad NYC.

RACHEL DeLEONARDIS	*(Lucia Amory)* Rachel caught the acting bug at the young age of eleven when she saw Reese Witherspoon portray June Carter in Walk the Line (2006). First stepping on the stage as a chorus member in Godspell, she then quickly went on to nab featured (and then starring) roles, including: Lily St. Regis in Annie Jr., "Anytime" Annie in 42nd Street, Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun, and Adelaide in Guys & Dolls. She majored in Theatre Studies with minors in both Film and Psychology at Montclair State University. All the while, she kept chasing her dreams by working on many student films and appearing in background/featured roles on numerous TV shows and movies. Rachel is delighted to be portraying the role of Lucia Amory in Westfield Community Players' production of Agatha Christie's Black Coffee. She is excited to explore any and every avenue along the acting highway, and hopes you enjoy the show! Rachel would like to dedicate her performance to her loving family, her amazing best friends, wonderful boyfriend, and super adorable dog named Frodo."

LINDA CORRELL	*(Miss Caroline Amory)* Linda has been involved in theater for over 40 years, in and around New Jersey and New York. It is a pleasure working with this talented and funny cast. Thank you to our wonderful Director (I’m biased) and Westfield Community Players for producing Black Coffee. Linda has recently been seen as Abby in Musical of Musicals, the Musical at Nutley Little Theater, the grandmother in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds at UCPAC, Lilliane Le Fleur in Nine! at UCPAC at Hamilton Stage, Carla in Phantom and Marta in Thumbs! at Bergen County Players (World premier). Also a director, Linda directed Play it Again, Sam at WCP earlier this year. Linda designs and builds sets and is proficient in stage pyrotechnics. Her absolute favorite role is John’s “other half”. AML, AML

ERIC BRANDA	*(Richard Amory)* Eric is pleased to perform with this great cast and crew in his first production with WCP. Past productions: Evita (Peron), Almost, Maine (East/Steve/Randy/Dave), Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure (Larrabee/Norton), Urinetown, Gross Indecency, Chess (Gregor Vassy), Forum (Hero), The Liar (Philiste), She Loves Me, Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow), Beyond Therapy (Bruce), Assassins, Evita (Magaldi), Sunday (Soldier/Alex), and Two on the Aisle (Scott). Love to V. Here’s to honor.

PAIGE MATT	*(Barbara Amory)* Paige is thrilled to take the stage in her first production with WCP. She graduated from TCNJ in 2015 and is currently teaching Kindergarten in Springfield. She has the pleasure of directing and choreographing Jonathon Dayton High School’s musicals in the spring, thankful to be able to blend two of her passions: theater and education. Paige would like to thank her greatest support system, Lindsey and Becky, and John and Linda for this wonderful opportunity.

TRACEY LINCOLN	*(Edith Raynor)* Tracey is thrilled to be making her first WCP debut after taking a 10-year hiatus from acting to raise a family. Past acting credits include Erica in Suburbia, Lottie in The Ugly Man, Cora in The Rimers of Eldrige, Lucky in Waiting For Godot, The Pagan Crone in Yerma and Georgie in Spiked Heels throughout various off-Broadway Theatre venues in NYC. She has a B.F.A in acting from Brooklyn College. She would like to thank John Correll for this wonderful opportunity along with the cast and crew for their hard work, collaboration and for making this great experience. She would also like to thank her husband Will, her two love bugs, Samantha and Luke, and her mother in law, Jean, for all their love and support.

JOHN SCHWESKA	*(Dr. Carelli)* John was last seen on the WCP stage last January as Father Flynn in Doubt and in April, as Phillip Lombard in And Then There Were None at the Stony Hill Players. John has performed in various musical, dramatic and comedic roles on the community theatre stage since 1993 and in NYC cabaret singing with Musical Director Andrew Cooke for over a decade of shows. John is a NJ Licensed Professional Counselor for loss and crisis..and for building healing and holistic life directions. He is the proud dad of a beautiful Standard Schnauzer, Morrigan.

STEVE LEMENILLE	*(Sir Claud Amory)* Steve has directed WCP's productions of Dial 'M' for Murder, A View from the Bridge, the comedy Squabbles, {p r o o f}, Barefoot in the Park, A Thousand Clowns, And Then There Were None and last season, Mister Roberts In 2013 Steve was nominated for a NJACT Perry Award for OUSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAY for {proof}. He also has appeared in six consecutive productions here at WCP. Steve has been involved in theatre since his college days at Jersey City State. He is a retired Social Studies teacher and Drama Director of 29 years with the Hackensack Public Schools. Steve was also a MFA candidate at Montclair State. He has acted with Tower Players and the Opera Workshop of Jersey City, StageCrafters (Fairlawn), and Bergen County Players. He has also acted in dinner theatre for Regal Productions. Some of the roles he portrayed were: Otto Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank (Tower Players), the Grandfather in The Long Christmas Dinner (Tower Players), Ulysses in Tiger At The Gates (Tower Players), Paul Verrall in Born Yesterday (Bergen County Players), Paul in Barefoot in the Park (Fairlawn), and Michael in Second Time Around and the Inspector Paul Sevigne in A Shot In The Dark (Regal Productions) and the Grandfather in Kurt Wiell's Down in the Valley (Opera Workshop). Steve portrayed Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Stanley in Death of a Salesman, The Magistrate in Fools, and Gen. Oscar Fairfax in Little Mary Sunshine and Kilroy in Don't Drink the Water, and most recently as Daniel in Almost, Maine…all for WCP. Steve was nominated for a 2009 NJACT Perry Award for OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE MEMBER for his role as the Magistrate in Fools. His directorial credits include: You Can't Take It with You, Harvey, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Gramercy Ghost, George Washington Slept Here, L'il Abner, The King & I, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, The Diary of Anne Frank, Our Town, South Pacific, The Music Man, Rehearsal for Death (all for HMS), Dial 'M' for Murder (Stagecrafters/WCP). Steve was nominated for two (2) 2012 NJACT Perry Awards for OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY (As Producer for Rehearsal for Murder) and as OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY (Rehearsal for Murder). Steve was also nominated for two (2) NJACT 2011 Perry Awards: OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR in a Play for his role as Justice Lawrence Wargrave in Main Street Theatre's production of And Then There Were None, and OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR in a Play for his role as Isaac Cohen in Westfield Community Players production of Abie's Irish Rose. Steve is the immediate Past-President of WCP, as well as, the webmaster here at WCP. Steve wishes to thank his wife, JoAnne, for getting him back involved with theatre. "Without her support and love, I can accomplish little. Thank you dear!!" Steve also thanks Sherrie Ahlin and Drude Roessler for making his WCP experiences very special. A special note of thanks to Katie, Mike, JoAnne, Glenn, Bill, Ed Whitman and Ed Bontempo for their contributions at WCP. And of course special thanks to this Cast/Crew for their hard work and love of theatre. Steve has also performed at the Grove Street Theater in Montclair performing in Apricot Productions' 1-act series. Also, he has appeared in a series of monologues entitled Sex, Relationships and Sometimes… Love at The Old Library Theater, Main Street Theater Company; and at the Producer's Club and the Jerry Orbach Theater, both off-Broadway, NYC. Steve also directed Harper Lee's classic To Kill A Mockingbird and Sharr White's The Other Place at the Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) on the Hamilton Stage, in Rahway, NJ for Fearless Productions. Most recently, Steve was inducted into NJACT's Hall of Fame for Directing.

TIMOTHY McGOVERN	*(Captain Arthur Hastings, O.B.E.)* Timothy is very happy to be opening the new season as Capt. Hastings. In fact, he just set a personal record by appearing in his third straight show at Westfield. He played Stefanowski in Mister Roberts and was Dick in Play It Again, Sam, the last two shows of last season. Timothy also played Elyot in Private Lives here three years ago and more recently filled a long desire by playing Charles in another Noël Coward play, Blithe Spirit in Cranford. Typically, Timothy acts in comedies here in WCP such as The Fox on the Fairway (Dickie Bell), Don’t Dress for Dinner (Robert), Caught in the Net (John Smith), Run for Your Wife (Sgt. Porterhouse), It Runs in the Family (Dr. Bonney) and Squabbles (Jerry Sloan). A special memory was acting in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, because that’s where he first met his wife, Diane. Timothy is dedicating this performance to her and his sons Jack and Brian. He’s also most thankful to be working with this director again. Welcome back, John!

HOWARD FISCHER	*(Dr. Graham)* Howard is very happy to be making his Westfield Community Players debut in Black Coffee. He has been active in many local theaters over the years. Recent appearances include Jersey Voices, Moon Over Buffalo, and Spamalot at Chatham; Ragtime and Hands on a Hardbody at 4th Wall, and Present Laughter at interACT Productions. Member, Alliance Repertory Theatre Company. Love and thanks to wife Jill for her support, advice, encouragement, and patience. (See what you started, Jen?)

JOSH JANCOURTZ	*(Inspector Japp)* is a software developer, musician, and dad. He hasn’t acted in a long, long, long time, but thanks to his son, Ben, he has caught the acting bug again. As his family well knows, one of his favorite shows remains Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, in which he performed as (while not the Pirate King) his lieutenant, Samuel. He would like to thank his family for their love and encouragement, as well as the wonderful folks at WCP for their support and guidance.

BEN JANCOURTZ	*(Johnson)* is a freshman at The Academy For The Performing Arts at UCVTS in Scotch Plains, NJ. He is thrilled to be making his WCP debut and would like to give a shout out to his drama family at the Deerfield School and the Actor’s Camp in Mountainside, NJ, where he performed as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, and Noah Claypole in Oliver!

Production Staff
JOHN CORRELL	*(Director)* is very happy to be directing here at WCP again and working with his lovely and talented wife Linda as well as this lovely and talented cast & crew. Thanks to all of you for all the fun and laughter, WCP for this great place to play, Rupert Holmes for allowing us to use his music, Linda for all the love and support and God for everything. We hope you enjoy the show!

LINDA CORRELL	*(Producer)* See above in cast bios.

LYNN LAMPARIELLO	*(Stage Manager)* is delighted to be back at WCP, involved in a Correll production! Some other shows she has stage managed here include All My Sons, The Lion in Winter, Deathtrap, Angel Street (for which she received an NJACT Perry nomination), and, earlier this year, Play it Again, Sam. Thanks to John & Linda, Jo Anne & Jean, and kudos & thanks to a wonderful cast & crew! My love to Mark.

JOANNE LEMENILLE	*(Properties)* JoAnne appeared as Mrs. Isaac Cohen in last seasons WCP's production of Abie's Irish Rose. She began her WCP experience with her role as Mildred WCP's production of The Cemetery Club. Since that time, JoAnne has been the Properties Mistress for our productions and served on WCP's Board of Directors as Director of Productions. JoAnne recently served as President of WCP for three terms; she is now serving as Director of Performance. JoAnne has been nominated for a NJACT Perry Award for Outstanding Properties in a Play for Rehearsal for Murder She has always been involved in theatre since she was a child back in Union with the Teen Stagers. She has also appeared as Polly in The Boyfriend, Anna in New Girl in Town; Eleanor in Second Time Around (for Regal Productions), and Peggy in Front Page. Besides doing props, she has worked on Scenery and Set Design. Her favorite role was Eleanor in Second Time Around because it gave her the chance to play her husband, Steve's, snobbish and self-centered wife. JoAnne is a retired teacher of music from the Clark School system where she was the vocal, instrumental and music theory teacher for over twenty years and for which she directed and musical directed the plays for Kumpf School. "I make bead flowers - an old French art of using glass beads." Special thanks to my husband Steve and JoAnn Scanlon for giving me the chance to rekindle my love for the stage, and thanks to a wonderful cast and fabulous crew." It's good to have you back on front stage!!!

JEAN LIOY	*(Properties Mistress)* Jean is a retired professor of microbiology at Union County College and also Rutgers/UMDNJ. She also has been a consultant with the NJ Office Of Homeland Security in the area of bioterrorism and emergency preparedness. Being new to WCP, she is very thankful for the opportunity to learn about the backstage world of the theater. Jean currently serves on the Board of Directors as Director of Performance.

BILL MCMEEKAN	*(Set)* Bill not only serves as our set designer, but is currently WCP's Treasurer and serves on the Board of Directors. Bill has recently been nominated for a NJACT Perry Award for Outstanding Set Design for a Play for Rehearsal for Murder

KATIE ENGEL	*(Playbill/Marketing)* Katie is WCP's Playbill and Marketing Director having been elected last June. Katie made her WCP debut in Tribute portraying Sally Haines. Last season Katie appeared as Lt. Ann Girard in Mister Roberts Katie has also Stage Managed for And Then There Were None last season. Katie also was the Stage Manager for The Other Place produced by Fearless Productions at UCPAC's Hamilton Stage in Rahway, NJ back in 2015.

ED WHITMAN	*(Lighting Designer/Operator)* This is Ed's second year with WCP. Ed has been instrumental in updating and improving our lighting system giving up greater opportunity to enhance our productions. Ed has also been a part of our construction staff. Ed was recently elected to the Board of Directors to serve as Director of Technical.

GLEN CRANE	**(Sound Design) Glen has been nominated for a NJACT Perry Award for Outstanding Sound Design for a Play for Rehearsal for Murder**

MIKE BIEBER	*(Sound Operator)Michael has played smaller and larger roles at WCP and Westfield’s Troupe of Friends free Shakespeare in the Park* series. From 1999-2007 he was one of the lead male vocalists in the Daddy-Os and the Grateful Dads in the McKinley Kapers annual variety show. But he most enjoys working tech behind the scenes. Professionally Michael is Associate Chair of the Information Systems Department at NJIT (which also has a Theater Department and regular productions).

STEVE LEMENILLE	(Webmaster / Publicity) Besides directing for WCP, Steve also is the Past-President of WCP and is the webmaster for our web site.

WENDY BREGMAN	*(Box Office)* Wendy is our newest Board of Directors member. She is serving as our Box Office Director. Welcome, Wendy!!

ED BONTEMPO	*(Costumes)* Aside from portraying the role of Beverly Carlton in this production of The Man Who Came to Dinner, Ed has taken on the responsibility of being the costumer, including hair and make-up for this production.


GEORGE HILTZ	*(Set Construction Chairman)* To be developed

RUSS ORTIZ	*(Set Construction/Board Sect'y)* Russ Ortiz currently serves as WCP Board Secretary. Russ has also performed here at WCP in many productions, namely Tribute. A Thousand Clowns. Almost, Maine, Barefoot in the Park, Rehearsal For Murder and Squabbles. During the past five years Russ appeared in 36 productions in New Jersey and N.Y. In 2014 Russ appeared in Twelve Angry Men, A Man Of No Importance, Sex Relationships and Sometimes…Love, Time Stands Still, The Laramie Project, To Kill A Mockingbird, And Then There Were None, A Christmas Carol and most recently, Inherit the Wind.