Westfield Community Players (Dixie Swim bios)

Cast and Production Members

The Cast	The Production/Crew
Renee Litwin as Sheree	Wanda S. Maragni Director
Linda Hatcher as Dinah	JoAnne Lemenille Producer
Debbie Badal as Lexie	Barbara Ruban Stage Manager
Mary Webb as Vernadette	JoAnne Lemenille Properties
Keyren Burgess as JeriNeal	Bill McMeekan Set Design
	JoAnne Lemenille/Barbara Ruban Set Decor
	Bill McMeekan Lighting Design
	Jessica Foerst Lighting Operator
	Glen Crane Sound Design
	Michael Bieber Sound Operator
	Barbara Goldstein Publicity
	Jessica Foerst Playbill
	Steve Lemenille Web site
	Renate Bieber Box Office
	Doris Dias Costumes
	Linda Correll Make-Up
	TBA House Managers
	TBA Ushers
	Julia Bieber Stage Crew
	Kevin Coulson Stage Crew
	Rebecca Dias Stage Crew
	Steve Lemenille/Jessica Foerst Photographers
	George Hiltz Set Construction Chairman
	Bob Smith Set Construction
	Sal Villani Set Construction
	Paul Kirsh Set Construction

BIOGRAPHIES
The Cast
RENEE LITWIN	*(Sheree)* Renee is very excited to be returning to the Westfield Community Players stage where she has performed many times over the years. She was last seen here as Cynthia in �The Second Time Around�, Ann in �All My Sons�, and Romaine in �Witness for the Prosecution�. Other favorite community theater roles include Mrs. Gibbs in �Our Town� (Act IV), Claire in �Proof� (Maplewood) and Sonia in �The Ice Breaker� (Stony Hill Players). Thanks to Wanda, the cast and crew. Lots of love to Ken, Tyler and Melanie, as always.

LINDA HATCHER	*(Dinah)* Linda was delighted to accept the role of Dinah in this production of The Dixie Swim Club. It is her first time working with Westfield Community Players and she looks forward to working with them again in the future. She is from Warrington, PA and how resides in Warren, NJ with her husband and three boys. She went to Temple University where she earned a BA in theater. She currently takes acting classes at KPAC in Warren under the instruction of Zita Geoffroy. Some of her favorite roles include Sally in A Lie of the Mind, Lizzie in The Rainmaker and Roberta in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. She would like to thank her family and friends for the continued support. And especially her husband for taking the nightshift with the boys while she was busy rehearsing.

DEBBIE BADAL	*(Lexie)* is honored to be onstage again at WCP. Some favorite past roles include Squabbles (Mildred Sloan), Rumors (Cookie), Caught In The Net (Mary Smith), Dont Drink The Water (Marion), Steel Magnolias (M'Lynn) and The Odd Couple-Female Version (Florence Unger). In addition to theatre, Debbie competes in ballroom dance competitions with the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Morristown. Heartfelt thanks to Wanda for this opportunity to play such a fun character. To Joanne, Barbara & Jess, you all are priceless and ALWAYS a pleasure to work with. To the "Swim Club Ladies", what a delight to work with such a talented cast. To my beautiful daughters Kristen and Brittany, I thank you for your love, support and constant inspiration. Always, your Madge.

MARY WEBB	*(Vernadette)* Mary is thrilled to be back on stage after an almost 15 year hiatus. She was last seen at WCP in A Day in Hollywood; A Night in the Ukraine. She is currently a Board member of the Cranford Dramatic Club where she has performed in, directed and choreographed numerous productions. Her favorite part was Cleo in The Most Happy Fella where she met her husband Ken. The role she holds most dear is that of Mom to Bridget and Colleen and she wants to thank them and her husband for there love, support and never ending patience. She would also like to thank all the Ladies � �Why, I do declare girls, it has been a Hoot!!�

KEYREN BURGESS	*(JeriNeal)* Newlywed and doting mama to a beautiful (and squirmy!) baby boy, Keyren is thrilled to be making her Westfield Community Players debut after a 10 year absence from the stage. To keep from getting too rusty, Keyren studied with NYC�s acclaimed Atlantic Theater Company and HB Studio in her spare time. Favorite past roles include Laura in Tennessee Williams�s The Glass Menagerie, Paulina in Chekov�s The Seagull and Solange in Genet�s The Maids. When she�s not baby-wrangling or chasing the two family cats off the furniture, she works at home as a romance novel editor. She�d like to dedicate this performance to the two people who believe in her most: her adoring�and adorable�hubby, Mike, and her ridiculously talented mom, Arlette, who insisted she audition for this fabulous show!

Production Staff
WANDA S. MARAGNI	*(Director)* Wanda is pleased to be working for the first time with Westfield Community Players. Some of her other directing credits include: Glengarry Glen Ross, The Exonerated, The Lion in Winter, Blithe Spirit, Our Town, The Boys Next Door, and Six Degrees of Separation. Wanda was nominated for several Perry awards including Best Direction for A Streetcar Named Desire and Toys in the Attic (which she won), as well as, receiving the Perry Award for Best Production of an Original Play for Improper Attention. She has done most of her work at the acclaimed Attic Ensemble in Jersey City - where she recently directed a production of The Dining Room. Wanda thanks her wonderful cast and crew for their hard work, and her family - Al, Emily and Michael - for understanding why she needs to do this. As always - for Tommy.

JOANNE LEMENILLE	*(Producer)* 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!!!

BARBARA RUBAN	*(Stage Manager)* started with WCP as property master for many shows before branching out into stage managing and received a Perry Award nomination for props for the production of Angel Street. She also assists with set decoration and costumes. Having been on stage in a couple of productions, she would rather leave the acting to the pros and enjoy being in the backstage "hustle and bustle". Barbara also wrote two original plays which were performed at WCP. In addition, one play was performed in Chatham in the Jersey Voices Festival. She had been on the Board of WCP for two years serving as Director of Performance. Barbara is now Vice President of Productions. A legal assistant by day, she thanks WCP for allowing her to express her creative side and her children and grandchildren for their love and support, which makes it all more gratifying.

JOANNE LEMENILLE	*(Properties Mistress)* See above

BILL MCMEEKAN	*(Set/Lighting Designer)* 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.

JESSICA FOERST	*(Lighting Operator/Playbill)* Jessica is not only versatile at operating the light control board, but also sits on the WCP Board of Directors as Director of Playbill. She has aided in the lighting design of this show. She is also extremely talented as a graphic designer. Much of her art work is displayed throughout our website. Jessica has been nominated for a NJACT Perry Award for Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play for Rehearsal for Murder.

GLEN CRANE	(Sound Design) Glen is WCP's expert Sound designer who works on all of our shows. Glen was nominated for a NJACT Perry Award for Outstanding Sound Design for a Play for Rehearsal for Murder. Glen is also a member of WCP's Play Selection Committee.

MIKE BIEBER	*(Sound Operator)* Michael has played smaller and larger roles at WCP and Westfield�s Troupe of Friends, the 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).

BARBARA GOLDSTEIN	*(Publicity)* Barbara currently serves on the Board of Directors as Publicity Director.

STEVE LEMENILLE	*(Web Master)* Besides directing for WCP, Steve also is responsible for our web site. He directed WCP's production of Dial 'M' for Murder, A View from the Bridge and last season's comedy Squabbles. 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 semi-professionally 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 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...all for WCP. 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, 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: Outstanding Production of a Play [Producer] (Rehearsal for Murder) and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Rehearsal for Murder as Lt. McElroy). Steve was also nominated for two (2) NJACT 2011 Perry Awards: Oustanding 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 was nominated for a 2009 NJACT Perry Award for Outstanding Male Actor in an Ensemble for his role as the Magistrate in Neil Simon's Fools, her at WCP. Steve is currently 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 Naomi Yablonsky, Sherrie Ahlin, Maurice Moran and Drude Roessler for making his WCP experiences very special. A special note of thanks to Jessica, Mike, JoAnne and Barbara for their contributions in making this another excellent production. And of course special thanks to this Cast/Crew for their hard work and love of theatre.

RENATE BIEBER	*(Box Office)* Renate has been Director of Tickets since the 08-09 season and enjoys making sure the front of the house runs smoothly. Participating in the chorus of Mikado and Pirates of Penzance with the Gilbert & Sullivan Players of Philadelphia many years ago makes her appreciate the hard work that goes into a production and confirmed her belief that she doesn't want to be on stage. Renate is a substitute teacher in the Westfield School District, a board member of Westfield Hadassah, a member of the Harvest Quilters of Central New Jersey and enjoys spending time with her family and reading.

DORIS DIAS	*(Costumes)* I�m thrilled with the opportunity to work on this production. My personal goal is to make sure that the actors are comfortable and confident in their appearance on stage. I started working on costumes at the Westfield Community Theater in 2009 with their production of Little Mary Sunshine. At this point I fell in love with costuming. I was asked back to the theater and subsequently invited as the Chairperson of Costumes. I thank the production team for their faith in my ideas and their respect for my opinion. And specially my daughter for all the late hours, help and support. Past credits: Little Mary Sunshine, Don�t Drink the Water, The Second Time Around, Dial M for Murder, Caught In The Net, Beauty and the Beast, Alice in Wonderland, Abie�s Irish Rose, I Love You, You�re Perfect, Now Change, Top Girls, Stuart Little and Bizet�s Carmen "I am a Costumer, I make clothes for imaginary people." ---Celestine Ranney, 1982

LINDA CORRELL	*(Make-Up)* To be developed

JULIA BIEBER	*(Stage crew)Julia is one of WCP's teen members. She has worked on shows from A Midsummer Night's Dream* up to our current show. She is a real trooper. She even commanded running the props for Caught in the Net. Good job, Julia!! She also makes her traditional cookie for the cast party...Maybe a 'beach cookie'?

KEVIN COULSON	*(Stage crew)*

REBECCA DIAS	*(Stage crew)*

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