City of Angels
Season 11 10 Again
A Killer Hollywood Musical Comedy – it’s a witty detective thriller and glorious celebration of film noir set in the late 1940s.
MEET THE CAST
(Stone)
(Stine)
(Carla/Alaura)
(Buddy Fidler/Irwin Irving)
(Donna/Oolie)
(Gabby/Bobbi)
(Munoz/Pancho Vargas)
(Jimmy Powers/Mahoney)
(Mallory/Averil)
(Angel City 4/Margaret/Bootsie)
(Angel City 4/Commissioner Gaines/Anna/Margie)
(Angel City 4/Sonny/Orderly/Studio Cop)
(Angel City 4/Big Six/Orderly/Dr. Mandril/Barber)
(Peter/Pasco)
(Luther Kingsley/Werner)
MEET THE PRODUCTION TEAM
JEFFREY CASS, Artistic Director/Director
SARAH CATE LANGHAM, Music Director/Vocal Director/Keys
HALEY SHADDEN, Stage Manager
TIM ELLIOTT, Sound Mixer
STACI HAUK, Administrative Assistant
JULIE ANN KORNAK, Executive Director/ Co-Founder
TIN PENAVIC, Co-Founder
Jon Cunningham (Stone)
Jon Cunningham recently graced the BrightSide stage as Georg Nowack in She Loves Me. You may also remember him as Lawrence in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels or Chuck Baxter in Promises, Promises in Concert. With over 20 years of experience, Jon has performed at Drury Lane, Marriott Lincolnshire, Theatre at the Center, Big Noise, and Apple Tree. Favorite roles include Seymour, Little Shop of Horrors; Jesus, JCS; John, John and Jen; and Charlie, Merrily We Roll Along.
Brady Mcneil (Stine)
Brady Mcneil is thrilled to be making his debut in the Chicagoland area with BrightSide! Some of Brady’s previous shows include Chicago (music director), Theory of Relativity (“Apples and Oranges”), A Little Night Music (Henrik), Les Misérables (Feuilly), Sister Act (music director), Into the Woods (music director) Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy) and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Lumiere). When not onstage, Brady coordinates the music education program and conducts the Symphonic Band at Wheaton College.
Jamie Marie Depaolo (Carla/Alaura)
Jamie Marie Depaolo is grateful to be a part of City of Angels, making her BrightSide Theatre debut. She most recently had the honor of performing in back-to-back Sondheim shows: Gyspy (Louise/Gypsy Rose Lee, Theatre of Western Springs) and Sweeney Todd (Johanna, North Riverside Players). Favorite credits include The Great Gatsby (Daisy Buchanan), Legally Blonde (Vivienne Kensington), Crazy for You (Polly Baker), and Guys and Dolls (Sarah Brown). Thank you all for sharing this moment with us and supporting the arts.
Christine Ronna (Donna/Oolie)
Christine Ronna is excited to be performing in her first concert show. She was most recently seen at BrightSide playing Rosie in Mamma Mia. Her other BrightSide credits include Mrs. Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol the Musical, Marge in The Bridges of Madison County, General Cartwright in Guys and Dolls, and Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music. Christine would like to thank her husband, Jim and her vocal coach, Anne Perillo for their continued support.
Jim Heatherly (Buddy Fidler/Irwin Irving)
Jim Heatherly is happy to be returning to BrightSide Theatre in the award-winning musical City of Angels. Over the past twenty-plus years, Jim has appeared in over 100 productions. Some of Jim’s favorites include Miracle on 34th Street (BrightSide Theatre), Anything Goes (Metropolis Theatre), An Enemy of the People (Goodman Theatre), A Wonderful Life (Theatre-at-the-Center), Guys and Dolls (Light Opera Works), and in New York Orpheus Descending (directed by Austin Pendleton). Jim has also appeared in many TV productions and feature films. Annamae I found the muse!
Laura Sportiello (Gabby/Bobbi)
Laura Sportiello is thrilled to be back at BrightSide after playing Sarah Brown in their 2017 production of Guys and Dolls! She has since worked on stages throughout Chicagoland, including at Porchlight, Music Theater Works, Theo Ubique, Kokandy, Metropolis, Citadel, Big Noise and Actors Theatre of Indiana. Proud graduate of Ball State University. Represented by Grossman & Jack Talent. Love and gratitude to my wonderful support system! And to Drew, for your unending encouragement and care.
Nick Arceo (Munoz/Pancho Vargas)
Nick Arceo BrightSide debut! Nick is beyond grateful to be back on stage for his first live musical since the pandemic shutdown! Chicagoland: Will in Island Song (BroadwayWorld Chicago nomination) – 4 Chairs Theatre; Plano – First Floor Theatre; Robbie Fay in A Man of No Importance – Pride Arts; A Funny Thing Happened… – Metropolis PAC; Grand Hotel – Kokandy. Regional: Sparky in Plaid Tidings – Towle; Pippin in Pippin, Eddie Ryan in Funny Girl, and Parade at Revival Theatre Company.
Parker Stancato (Jimmy Powers/Mahoney)
Parker Stancato is excited to make his BrightSide debut! Other Regional Credits include: 42nd Street (Billy Lawlor), State Fair (Wayne Frake), American Idiot (Will), Guys & Dolls (Benny Southstreet), Company (Harry), Something Rotten (Ensemble/Minstrel u/s) & White Christmas (Ensemble). A finance graduate of Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, Parker works as Manager of Financial Analysis for Kuvare Insurance. He dedicates all performances to his son, Brooks [8], “You and me versus the Universe”
Bella Blackshaw (Mallory/Averil)
Bella Blackshaw is so grateful, and excited to be making her BrightSide debut! Originally from Minneapolis, Bella is a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago where she earned her BFA in Musical Theatre. Previous credits include: Miracle on 34th Street (Troupe America National Tour), The Sound of Music (The Ordway), Violet (TASU Theatre Co.), Shrek, Annie, Wizard of Oz (Children’s Theatre Company). Bella gives a huge thank you to her family for their love and support!
Dana Clouser (Angel City 4/Margaret/Bootsie)
Dana Clouser is very excited to be returning to BrightSide after moving back to the Windy City! She has previously been in their productions of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and A Christmas Carol the Musical (Emily). Other credits include Xanadu (Calliope), A Christmas Carol (Christmas Past), Mamma Mia and South Pacific. Dana holds a BFA in musical theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University. She would like to thank her family & friends for their never-ending love & support. Enjoy!
Meghan Kessel (Angel City 4/Commissioner Gaines/Anna/Margie)
Meghan Kessel is happy to be back at BrightSide! Some recent credits include caroling with The Chicago Carolers, AlphaBet Soup Productions’ Winnie the Pooh, and BrightSide’s She Loves Me. When not on stage Meghan teaches at Old Town School of Folk Music, works as a Music Director, and plays piano (most recently with BrightSide’s Mamma Mia!). She would like to thank her family and friends for their constant support and love.
Derek Zinke (Angel City 4/Sonny/Orderly/Studio Cop)
Derek Zinke is excited to be a part of his first BrightSide Theatre production! He is a graduate of Illinois State University (BME in music education and vocal performance) and VanderCook College of Music (MMed in Music Education). Derek is in his 11th year teaching elementary general music in the south suburbs! His theatre credits include: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, American Idiot, Les Miserablè and Grease.
Sean Rhead (Angel City 4/Big Six/Orderly/Dr. Mandril/Barber)
Sean Rheadis thrilled to be back with BrightSide to sing this exciting score! Some past credits with BST include Jafar (Disney’s The Descendants), the Announcer (Miracle on 34th Street), and Jacob Marley (A Christmas Carol the Muscial – Lou Award Nomination). Other favorites include Elijah in Moby Dick (understudy), Frollo in Hunchback of Notre Dame (Jedlicka), and Orin in Little Shop of Horrors (Munroe Park Theatre). When Sean is not on stage, he is either producing an audiobook or providing musical instruction to today’s youth. All his love to his fiancé Caitlin and their dog Ollie!
Dean Zaverdas, Jr (Peter/Pasco)
Dean Zaverdas, Jr is thrilled continuing his journey with BrightSide after debuting in their stunning production of She Loves Me. A recent graduate from Columbia College Chicago’s Musical Theater Class of 2022, Dean’s accomplished 37 productions in his career. Most notable shows are Cabaret directed by Elizabeth Swanson, Ghosts directed by Paul Amandas, Grease, West Side Story, and directed Into the Woods by Melanie Lamoureux, and Chicago directed by Max Cervantes
Craig Zeller (Luther Kingsley/Werner)
Craig Zeller is delighted to be returning to BrightSide Theatre after appearing as the Headwaiter/Mr. Keller in their production of She Loves Me last October. He recently appeared in MadKap Production’s Something’s Afoot at Skokie Theatre. West suburban audiences may have seen him in Closer Than Ever as Man 1, Bobby in Company, or Leo Bloom in The Producers. He would like to thank Julie, Hannah and Madeline for their love and support.