John Becker (Judge Hathorne) has appeared at the Playhouse in She Loves Me, The Dining Room, and Side By Side By Sondheim. He has also worked with the Florham Park Players (Hello Dolly, Rumors), the Stony Hill Players (A Funny Thing Happened ..., Blithe Spirit), the Dover Little Theater (Pirates of Penzance, Harvey), and several other groups.

Maureen Bentley (Ann Putnam) has acted at various regional theaters in Connecticut, Colorado, Pennsylvania and New York. Most recently, she appeared as a digitized (but very elegant) Lady Capulet, in a high-tech production of Romeo and Juliet at Kean University in Union, where she teaches Acting and Improvisation.

Rick Brown (Rev. John Hale) has appeared in numerous area productions, including The Wild Duck (Gregers), Separate Tables (John Malcolm), Awake and Sing (Moe), Guys and Dolls (Sky), Brigadoon (Tommy), Titanic (Charles), Summer and Smoke (Dr. Johnny), Of Mice and Men (George), The Elephant Man (Treves), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Lysander), The Fantasticks (El Gallo), Assassins (Czolgosz), and The Lion in Winter (Philip). Prior to moving to NJ, he appeared extensively in dinner theatre and local cruise line productions in Baltimore. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC-Greensboro, Rick works for Montclair State University as Director of Student Leadership Programs.

Elaine Dooman (Sarah Good) is pleased to be acting in such a moving play, in such good company. She has been acting pretty steadily for the last 20 years in: Outward Bound (Mrs. Mudget) and Curious Savage (Ethel Savage), both with Stony Hill Players, Play On (Phyllis), Steel Magnolias (Ouiser), etc. She especially enjoyed being in Summit's George M as the Diva's mother, miscellaneous roles, and tap dancing in the chorus. In real life, she is a Marriage and Family Councilor and Parenting Workshop Leader.

Bruce Gandy (Deputy-Governor Danforth) has over 32 years in showbiz, professionally performing many principal roles on stage, soap operas (The Guiding Light, As The World Turns, Another World) and commercials. His direction projects include A New Look at Life (a one-act evening that included his own one-act Major Breakthrough produced at the Westbeth Theater Center in NYC), Rumors, An American Wake and The Hound of the Baskervilles. As an actor his favorite roles include Henry in The Lion in Winter, John Proctor in The Crucible and Flan Kitteridge in Six Degrees of Separation. From this he naturally evolved into computer consulting.

Jeannie Gedeon (Elizabeth Proctor), best known offstage as "Grace's Mom," is happy to be returning to New Jersey theatre after a 21-year absence. In NJ, she was last seen in the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival's Timon of Athens, and also performed at the New Jersey State Opera in their 50th anniversary production of Aida (starring Placido Domingo), Metropolitan Musical Theatre, Craig Theatre, and Chatham Community Players. Some New York credits include the Richard Schechner workshop The Prometheus Project, film (Malcolm X), television (Saturday Night Live - she was on the night Sinead O'Connor tore someone's picture...), commercial (American Express with Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey), music video (Freddie Jackson's Do Me Again), and a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She also played the role of Bobbi Michele in a national tour of Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers. Favorite roles include Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, Catherine in Pippin, Marina in Pericles, and her current role.

Kevin J. Gray (Rev. Samuel Parris) was recently seen in Neil Simon's Rumors with the Chatham Players. This is his first Summit Playhouse production. His favorite roles include Arnold in The Boys Next Door, Anatoly in Chess, Alfred/Sam in Romance Romance, Stine in City of Angels, and Marvin in Falsettos. His Nick in Baby won him AVY Award's Best Actor in a Musical. Kevin is also founder and president of J. Galt Associates, a cost management consulting group. He thanks his wife Sandy and children Keaton, Colin and Chase for all their love, laughter and support.

Jacqueline Jarrold (Mercy Lewis) is thrilled to be making her Summit Playhouse debut in The Crucible but is by no means a stranger to the stage. Her more notable Summit credits include Lucy in Summit Middle School's Dracula last fall. She also has been featured in many Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing Arts productions, most recently playing Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, among others. She also performed with Frenchwood's Traveling Comedy Improv Troupe. Jacqui would like to thank all her family and friends, as well as Ms. Kim Noel Bianchini, Mr. Ron Wells, Ms. Anne Poyner, and all those who have inspired her.

Michael Kaplan (John Willard) played the role of Timber Tucker in the Westfield Players' production of An American Daughter earlier this year. After many years in commercial software development, Michael recently achieved certification as a project management professional. He resides in Cranford with his wife and two teenage children.

Stan Kaplan (Giles Corey), a retired school administrator, has been active in the theater since high school. He has performed in many shows throughout the area, including comedies, dramas and musicals. He particularly enjoys playing character roles. His favorite role is always his last, which was the Senator in An American Daughter in Westfield. This is his first play with the Summit Playhouse.

Tracy King (Tituba) has been acting since the age of 12. She is the mother of two girls, Crystal (16) and Adia (11 months), and has worked in the optical field for 17 years as an optician. She is currently going to John Jay Criminal Justice College, with a major in Forensic Psychology and a minor in (of course!) Theatre. Her most recent performance was in An American Daughter at the Westfield Players, where she played Dr. Judith B. Kaufman, one of her favorite characters. She is tremendously grateful to work with so many talented individuals who make this passion enjoyable. To my biggest fan club, my family, thank you for all of your support. To the Crucible cast and Chris Messineo, thank you for the opportunity to work with you.

Jean Kuras (Rebecca Nurse) is making her third appearance at Summit Playhouse, having played Elizabeth Almond in The Heiress and Evelyn Ashford in Wit. Her favorite roles on other stages include Bananas in House of Blue Leaves, Madame Beaurevers in A Shot in the Dark and Margaret Lord in Philadelphia Story. Jean thanks Chris Messineo, Tamara Nedjar, the wonderful cast, the remarkable stage crew of this beautiful theater and the special artistry of Katherine Winter for bringing the village of Salem to life.

Erin Mahon (Abigail) is delighted to appear on the Summit Playhouse stage for the fourth time, having previously been involved with Kaleidoscope Theater here. She was most recently seen as Hecuba in the NJPAC Summer Youth Performance Workshop production of The Trojan Women, and is currently enrolled in their Young Artist Institute. In addition to the Summit Playhouse and NJPAC, she has been involved at the Papermill Playhouse, Playwrights Theater, and the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey. Erin is a sophomore at Summit High School. She would like to thank her family and friends for always being so supportive.

Jeff Maschi (John Proctor) studied theatre at Cornell University and has appeared in countless productions throughout the Metropolitan area. Some of his previous roles include Sgt. Toomey in Biloxi Blues, Pale in Burn This, Roma in Glengarry Glen Ross, Glenn Griffin in The Desperate Hours, Ray in Lone Star, Lou in Speed of Darkness, and Eddie Carbone in A View From the Bridge. In New Jersey, Jeff has acted with the 12 Miles West, What Exit?, and Alliance theatre companies, and he is a founding member of N.Y. based Bon Bock productions.

Jillian Moseman (Mary Warren) is thrilled to be back at the Summit Playhouse, having played Teresa in The Shallow End during the One Act Festival, Summer, 2002. Memorable roles include: Lavinia in The Little Princess, Hope in For Richer or For Poorer (both at the Papermill Playhouse), Geraldine O'Dare in Irene and Doris MacAfee in Bye, Bye Birdie! (Millburn Middle School). She is currently a member of the Papermill All-Stars. She now studies acting with Caroline Thomas at Total Theatre Lab. She is eternally grateful to her family for their endless support, especially Mom and Kelly!

Bill Roome (Francis Nurse) was last seen on-stage in our 1998 production of It's Only A Play. Previous on-stage appearances include Beau Jest, Play On, and Man Of La Mancha. Off-stage, he has done lighting and/or sound for many of our recent productions. Off-off-stage, he is owned by four cats, each of whom would prefer to be sole owner and get top billing.

Michael Stricchiola (Thomas Putman) has always been secretly fascinated with acting. He felt that he is at a point in his life where he would like to experience the art firsthand. He makes his acting debut playing Thomas Putnam here in The Crucible. Mike is a stay at home dad. He lives with his wife Tami and their 16 month old daughter Macie. Mike is a Diamond Broker and runs his business through his home office.

Michelle Wilson (Betty Parris) is an 8th grade student at East Hanover Middle School. She has been dancing for 10 years and enjoys fencing at Medeo Club at Newark Academy. Some of her previous roles include: Fan Scrooge in The Christmas Carol, Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, Little Boy Blue in Babes in Toyland, Shulie in School House Rock Live, Orphan and understudy in Annie with The Florham Park Players, and an Angel and Gingerbread Child in Hansel and Gretel (The opera) at the Scottish rite in Lincoln Park. She has won two 1st place and one 3rd place trophies in forensics competitions, and can play the piano, oboe, guitar, and fife.

Suzanne Winter (Susanna Wallcott) is excited to be performing on the community stage again since her last performance as Amaryllis in the town wide production of The Music Man. Although the community theaters have been bereft of her presence since then, Suzanne has been busy with school productions, including Zuzana Winterova in I Never Saw Another Butterfly at the Summit High School and Frau Schmidt in The Sound of Music and Charlotte in Oliver! at the Summit Middle School. Suzanne currently attends Summit High School as a sophomore, where she is working on the technical aspects of Noises Off! that the theatre program there is putting on as well as juggling high level classes. Many thanks to the cast and crew of The Crucible, especially to my coven (Erin, Jillian, Michelle, and Jacqui) and to my mother, Katherine, who makes everyone look so pretty all the time.

Production Staff

Chris Messineo (Director) grew up in Community Theater. Acting since he was 10, he met his wife (Elizabeth) on stage at 24 and six years later they were back on stage together with their daughter (Joanna) in utero. He has since directed Wit and a special benefit performance of Christopher Durang's The Actor's Nightmare with Christopher Durang actually in the audience. A computer geek by day, Chris is also a screenwriter, soccer player, golfer, CD and DVD collector Ð with basically too many hobbies for his own good. Much thanks to Tam who came along for the ride and kept me sane.

Maya Daniels-Morrissey (Producer) came to The Playhouse in 1994 as a hair and make-up assistant for Marvin's Room. A classical choral singer, Ms. Daniels has performed throughout the NY/NJ area from the intimacy of coffeehouses to the enormity of Carnage Hall. She has acted in numerous local productions including a NJ based murder-mystery dinner-theater troop. A voice-over artist as well, Maya has participated in over 15 shows for NPR and audio series sold at major bookstores throughout the US. Producing The Crucible is a maiden opportunity for Ms. Daniels and she is excited at the prospect of directing in the future. Thank you to family, friends, and playhouse members, for your support and patience throughout this process.

Tamara Nedjar (Assistant Director), a Boston native, moved to New Jersey four years ago after receiving her Bachelor's degree from Cornell University. She has worked on several productions with The Summit Playhouse, both onstage and off, since her return to theater nearly two years ago. She also performs and trains at Miss Debbi's School of Dance, where she has had the opportunity to both choreograph and perform in several numbers. In between performances, she attends class at the Stevens Institute of Technology, where she plans to receive her Master's Degree this spring. She would like to thank Chris for pulling her onto this project.

Katherine Winter (Costume Designer) is pleased to design her third show for the Summit Playhouse, having created costumes for The Importance of Being Earnest and Black Comedy. On other stages, her recent designs include Starmites, Dracula, and The Sound of Music. Additional favorite costume credits include George M!, The Music Man, Annie, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Oliver!, and Murder on Gallows Hill. She also maintains professional relationships with The Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company and Bettina Bierley Inc. Katherine thanks her wonderful family, Cara S., Chris, Tam, Bill R., Frank H., and Mom. This experience is very special because she is sharing it with her talented daughter, Suzanne.

Frank Hawrusik (Stage Manager) returns to his usual backstage role of stage manager, after recently producing Two by Two and Labor Day. Frank's other backstage credits include Arsenic and Old Lace, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Heiress, and Moon Over Buffalo.

Pam Heller (Make-up) has been very active in New Jersey theaters as an actress and director. Her most recent performances were in Dr. Cook's Garden, Family, Frying Pans and the FBI and Blithe Spirit. She is delighted to be assisting such a talented cast.