The Ritz: Cast and Crew
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Matthew Abergel (Michael Brick) – Matthew always wanted to play a detective. In third grade, he and his best friend founded a spy agency. When he’s not snooping and sneaking, Matthew hides out in his office as a writer. Take a peek at his book Gay Stars: The Ultimate Gay Guy’s Guide to Astrology, published by Simon and Schuster. New to Sacramento, along with his partner in crime and love, celebrity gossip columnist Bob Crooner, Matthew’s happy to have infiltrated The Lambda Players, where he’s got the scoop on many suspicious but adorable characters.
Karen Boulet (Vivian Proclo) – Besides being new to acting, Karen is discovering her poetic side and would like to share her first work: The Ritz is a blitz of hilarity and incongruity. It is a thrill to be billed in this festivity of creativity. The Lambda Players are a treasure of pleasure and Rand is a director’s director. I only wish this endeavor could go on forever and forever. To be frank, THANKS!
Steve Buri (Sheldon) – Steve hails from Chicago where he was a member of the Lionheart and Syzygy Theatre companies and trained with The Second City and Steppenwolf Theatre. He tickled pink to be a part of this wonderful cast and to be back on the boards with Lambda again, having previously appeared as Harry/Martin in Cloud Nine. Favorite past roles include Steve in Jeffrey in San Antonio, the Midwest tour of the one man show One, Billy in Jeff Hagedorn’s Clowns trilogy, Bud (a robot) in Café’ Homophobe and ensemble member of Too Much Light Makes the Baby go Blind in Chicago. Steve would like to thank Tom and Kim for their continued love and support and would like to dedicate his performance in memory of his brother Paul.
Damian Crichfield (Chaps) – The journey of my life has led me down many roads. I have experienced may sad and rainy days, as well as many days filled with sunshine and more joy than I new existed. Eight years ago, I had my first theatre experience and ever since then, I have been taking trips down that highly rewarding path. It feels good to be a part of a theatrical endeavor once again.
Bob Delucia (Gaetano Proclo) – Bob was last seen on The Lambda Players stage as John and James, the twins in Love! Valour! Compassion. He has also performed in The Sum of Us, Edward the II and Jeffrey and directed Boys in the Band all for The Lambda Players. He has received six Elly Awards for his acting. “I am Happy to be back with The Lambda Players and doing The Ritz, which happens to be the first show I did when I moved to Sacramento at the Old Garbeaus on Fulton. I played Claude in that show and now its come full circle.
Ron Dumonchelle, Light Design – Ron is an Elly Award-winning designer and owner of Monkey Glue Theatrical Design where he does set, light and sound design. His work includes Apartment 3A at the “B” Street Theater, Raisin for Sacramento Light Opera Association, Fences at Celebration Arts, Of Mice and Men at the Geery, Jumbo at the CSUS Playwright’s Theater, and Angels in America, Part I: The Millennium Approaches and Part II: Perestroika for Beyond the Proscenium Productions and Love! Valour! Compassion! for Lambda. He has his BA from Sacramento State with an emphasis on lighting, set and sound design.
John Ewing, Set Designer – John has been involved in theatre in one capacity or another since age 13, when he played “Soldier #2” in a high school production of A Mouse that Roared. Since then, he has gone back and forth from acting, lighting, stage management and scenic design. Shows for which John has designed include A Chorus Line, Anyone Can Whistle, Anything Goes, Chess, Follies, Fool for Love, On the 20th Century and Sweeney Todd. John would like to thank Keith for supporting his endeavors, and for putting up with the paint, cardboard, fabric and wiring that occasionally takes over the house.
Larry Fox, Lead Carpenter – Larry has been the master carpenter on several shows for The Lambda Players, including The Dying Gaul and Beautiful Thing. He is also the master carpenter for Sacramento High School and Monkey Glue Lighting.
Bob Geary (Abe Lefkowitz) – Bob recently played the Admiral in Whodunnit. Previously, he performed the Gravedigger in Hamlet and the lead in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. He was an apprentice at the Alley Theater in Houston. This is his twelfth role and while not doing theater he is a volunteer at the Crocker Art Museum and with Toastmasters.
Scott Griffith (Duff) – Scott is happy to be making his debut with Lambda. He has been seen in many local community theater productions in both Sacramento and Davis. His favorite role is The Plant Manipulator in Little Shop of Horrors. He would like to thank his cast members for a good time.
Martin Hansen (Cruiser) – Recent events have allowed Martin to focus on what is important in his life, including the need for some fun and excitement. A recent trip to see the Sacramento Ballet’s Carmina Burana (with thanks to John, James, Mike and Jack) inspired him to adventure out and have some fun as well. Part of the fun will be to perform on stage for the first time in The Ritz. "Hopefully, you will have as much fun viewing our performance as I do being part of the cast… watch for the guys in towels!"
Christine Hooten (Googie Gomez) – Christine was brought up in the Christian faith and was seeking a musical career in the Christian Music Industry. Much like Googie Gomez she searched for her Mr. Big and was offered a recording contract on a Christian label. There was one hitch however… one month earlier she had discovered he own sexuality and turned the opportunity down. She has since sought an outlet for her musical passion and thanks to Rand and the Lambda Players for giving her a platform to share her talents. Christine would like to thank her parents for all of the things they did right and for loving her always, even when it has been more an effort than a joy, brother Doug for his friendship and support, Tim and Katie Hooten, her hero, Uncle Randy, the girls in the complex who have tried desperately to teach her to speak “Spanglish”, Wendy and Hannah, Pepper and Barb and the most beautiful woman in the room here tonight, the woman who warms her back and nuzzles into her neck each night, Marjorie. "There is no place I would rather be...you kiss me like every woman has ever dreamed of."
Lenore Justman, Costume Designer – Lenore’s previous credits include: Cloud Ninefor The Lambda Players, The Time at the End of this Time and Holiday Broadcast of 1943 for Coyote Theatre, The Crucible and On The Verge for SCAT. Lenore is a three time Elly nominee for On The Verge, The Littlest Angel and Kismet.
Clayton Litwinenco (Tiger) – Clay had his stage debut at the age of five when his mother was singing a solo performance on stage. Being a hyper child, he was bored back stage and decided to do the backstroke across a newly waxed stage. Not realizing just how well he would slide, he gained momentum and made the stage entrance that would change his life, sliding across the floor behind his mom as she sang Ave Maria. Since then he has been in a number of singing and acting roles including The Grinch in The Grinch that Stole Christmas, Conrad in Bye, Bye Birdie, Billy Crocker in Anything Goes, Van Buren in Damn Yankees, Creon in Antigone, Arsenic and Old Lace, You Can’t Take It With You, A Three Penny Christmas and A Christmas Carol. While living in Los Angeles he was involved with the award winning Glendale Center Theater, having roles in the The Baby Sitters and Hold on June written by Ruth and Nathan Hale.
Rand Martin, Director – Rand returns to Lambda for his fifth show. He has directed the clothing-impaired Love! Valour! Compassion! and Torch Song Trilogy (all five hours of it), portrayed Oscar Wilde with abandon in Oscar and Bosie and sashayed in a pink dress as 5-year-old Cathy in Cloud Nine. Abandoning his full-time theatre career after realizing that earning money was good way to pay for food, Rand has since directed, choreographed and acted in numerous productions. Among his directorial delights are Candide, My Fair Lady (both best director Elly Award winners), Into the Woods and Anyone Can Whistle, all of which he also choreographed. As a performer, he ranks his most memorable roles (at least to him) as Littlechap (twice) in Stop the World…., Saul in As Is, the Devil in Damn Yankees, Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar and the one, the only ZaZa in La Cages aux Folles.
James Ozanich (Priest, Buzz) – Although this is his debut with the Lambda Players, James has spent several years researching his roles for this production. What better way to study being a priest than 16 years of education in Bay Area Catholic parochial schools? James followed up with 20 plus fruitful, international bathhouse patronage. (Thanks Martin for the early tutelage.) His performance background includes over 30 years of square dancing with both exhibition and recreation groups. He is active locally in the Capital City Squares and the Shady Rest Dancers. Away from the stage, James is an activist in the local GLBT community and he has been director of the local AIDS Memorial Quilt chapter for seven years.
Bob Reaux (Chris) – A newcomer to the Sacramento stage, Bob is celebrating his 40th year performing in community theatre. ("I was practically BORN on the stage!") In his childhood, Bob was mature beyond his years. While his peers were learning to grapple with their Crayolas, Bob was buy perfecting his craft. ("I was doing Ibsen at six!") He has performed in a variety of venues, but remembers with fondness these roles: Koko in Mikado, Lord Chancellor in Iolanthe, Pseudolus in Funny Thing Happened…Forum, and the Step-sister in the ballet Cinderella. ("I was the pretty one!") Bob has found the role of Chris a particular challenge, stating that "playing a bitter, campy queen is a stretch for me. Luckily, I have so many friends I could draw on as resources for my character. A special thank you to them!" Bob resides in Sacramento with his beautiful (and incredibly needy) dog, Lucy.
Barbara Roberts (Aunt Vera/Maurine) – Barbara made her Lambda Players debut in the Readers Theater production of Toot Sweet. Her performance credits include, The Waiting Room with Beyond The Proscenium, Voice of the Prairie with Main Street Theater Works, and Moon Over Buffalo with Volcano Theater Company.
S. Brian Salazar (Drip) – Brian’s performance in The Ritz is his debut with the Lambda Players. He remembers his mother took him to see The Ritz when he was 13 years old and from that moment on he knew he would spend many days and nights in bathouses! He has performed in Holiday for Santa, A New Angle on Christmas, The Art of Dining and The Sum of Us. Brian lives and works in Sacramento and he would like to thank his mother for taking him to see The Ritz and his partner for being his best friend. Thanks also to Rand and the cast.
Herb K. Schultz (Claude Perkins) – Herb is returning to the stage after an almost 20 year absence, 18 of which he spent in Washington DC "acting" out as a Capitol Hill staffer and a health care lobbyist. He’s been in California for 3 years, spending the last year and a half working for the State of California. The Ritz is his first non-musical comedic role and his favorite roles include Prince Dauntless in Once Upon a Mattress, Barnaby in Hello Dolly, Motel the Taylor in Fiddler on the Roof and Heinzie in The Pajama Game. Herb dedicates his performance to his partner Stuart, who allows him to do the Los Angeles-Sacramento commute. He thanks Rand for having faith in this actor-wannabe-turned-politico!
Clint Vigen, Stage Manager – Clint is working on his, well we lost track of how many shows, because he has done so many. Recent works include The Dying Gaul, Beautiful Thing and Standing in the Shadows. He sends special thanks to his little girl, Ellie.
Jonathan Williams (Snooty) – This is Jonathan’s first role and he is learning a great deal, everything from "blocking" to going "off book". "Thanks for the experience Rand."
Bill Zarriello (Carmine Vespucci) – This is Bill’s second "straight" role for the Lambda Players; he was last seen as Mendl in Falsettos, before taking the last three years off from theatre to complete his MBA. Prior to this, local audiences may remember him as Charlie in The Foreigner for The Foothill Theatre Company, Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors for Sacramento Theatre Company, and Felix Turner in The Normal Heart for the Playwright Theatre, to name a few. Regionally, he has performed in various venues all over the country; he has been seen as the Padre in The Man of La Mancha for Lyric Theatre in Ashland, Oregon, a Gorilla Guard on Saturday Night Live, hosted by Charleton Heston, as well as playing a collage of off-beat characters-an unborn fetus, the State of Florida, and Woody Allen? in the world premiere of the comedy Triumph of the West at the Harold Clurman Theatre in New York City.
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