NRHS Alumna Mariah Burks to lead Antigone at Cleveland Play House

Cleveland Play House (CPH) Artistic Director Laura Kepley has announced the casting of Cleveland native Mariah Burks in the title role of the timeless Greek tragedy Antigone. Staged in the intimate Outcalt Theatre March 28 through April 19, 2020, this contemporary translation is freely adapted by playwright Emily Mann from the classic play by Sophocles. Antigone is generously supported by Presenting Sponsor, DLR Group | Westlake Reed Leskosky.
Mariah Burks, as third grader in Cleveland, first took the stage in 2001 at Near West Theatre cast as one of the orphans in Annie. She was a regular cast member for years. Her family then moved to North Royalton, where Mariah graduated from North Royalton High School in 2011.
Burks was last seen at CPH in the 2018 production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Previously at CPH, Burks served as understudy for both Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight in George Brant’s Marie & Rosetta, and was featured in Shakespeare in Love as well as the New Ground Theatre Festival’s reading of The Nolan Williams Project/Minton Place. Burks is a graduate of the Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program Class of 2018.
A polarized country is being torn apart. The Leader, Creon, stands for law and order. Antigone, Creon’s niece, kneels for justice. Pushed to extremes, both crave peace and unity, but neither will yield. This ancient tale burns with contemporary relevance, as age and youth clash over the future of their country.
“Mariah wowed Don Carrier (Head of the CWRU/CPH MFA program) and me at her audition for the program back in the winter of 2015,” said CPH Artistic Director Laura Kepley. “She had everything we look for in a young artist – passion, generosity, curiosity, fierce intelligence and charisma. She came into the program with a lot of skill, particularly with musical and comic material. Her training and hard work sharpened these skills and provided her the opportunity to grow and strengthen her dramatic technique. Mariah is a powerhouse performer and we are proud to welcome her back in this once in a lifetime role.”
Tickets for Antigone can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 216.241.6000 or by visiting clevelandplayhouse.com. See more information in an ad in this issue.

North Royalton High School Presents “James and the Giant Peach”

The North Royalton High School “Spotlighters” will be performing their 2020 musical, James and the Giant Peach.
The musical is based on the book by Roald Dahl with words and music by Benj Paek and Justin Paul and book by Timothy Allen McDonald. The story centers around James Trotter, who is sent to live with his strict Aunts, Spiker and Sponge after a family tragedy. While he is working, a mysterious man gives James a book of magic potions. James accidentally spills the potion on a peach tree and magic ensues, leading him to a fruitful world of giant insects and new friends.
The production is directed by Megan Dolar, English Teacher, with the assistance of Kate West and Scott Spessard. Performances will be held at the Dan Calabrese Center for the Performing Arts at 14713 Ridge Road in North Royalton. Performance dates are Thursday, March 26 through Saturday March 28 at 7 p.m. with a matinee on Sunday, March 29, at 2 p.m. followed by character meet-and-greet.
Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Call 440-582-7824 for tickets or fill out a ticket order form and return it to the NRHS Activities Office with a check payable to NRHS Drama Club.
“Gather family and friends, the young and the young at heart, for what is sure to be an amazing production! Our talented group of actors, crew, and musicians look forward to seeing you at the show,” said Dolar.
Those who are interested in giving patron donations can choose from three categories: “Supporting Role,” which is $40 and includes two adult tickets; “Lead Role,” which is $70 and includes two adult tickets, or “Celebrity,” which is $100 and includes two adult tickets. Donations received by March 17 will appear in the program.

Tickets are now on sale to April 24 for Royalton Players’ Golden Girls Murder Mystery

There will be plenty of friendship, laughter, murder and mayhem as the Royalton Players Golden Girls Murder Mystery will be presented April 24 at its new location, Michael’s Place in North Royalton. Tickets are $35 each and includes a full course dinner, the show, grand prizes and more.
“After performing murder mysteries for almost ten years at Carrie Cerino’s Ristorante and Party Center, we were very lucky to find a new location still in North Royalton that can offer us the same services that we had,” said Chuck Poliafico, who is the writer and director of the production and serves as president of the Royalton Players. “Like everyone in the community, we were sad to see Carrie Cerino’s close its doors and we at the Royalton Players wish Carmen and Jo Marie Cerino the best always. Working with the Cerino’s and their team was always pleasant, fun and easy. But I believe that the theater has found another great group of people with Chrissy and her team at Michael’s Place.”
According to Poliafico, the remainder of murder mysteries for the year, are focused on television shows and genres from the 70s, 80s and 90s. The premise of the April murder mystery is that several of Blanche’s boyfriends are murdered and of course all four of the Golden Girls (Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia) are suspects, along with several other characters from the series, including Dorothy’s ex-husband, Stanley, and Rose’s boyfriend Miles. Another suspect from the series is the live-in chef who was only in the first show before producers cut his characters so the four Golden Girls could be the focus of the show.
“The Royalton Players murder mysteries are very interactive with the audience, as the suspects travel to each table for questioning,” Poliafico said. “Each table acts as a team, and it will be up to those attending to ask as many questions to the suspects, review all the evidence given to them and then make a guess as to who the real murderer could be.”
The four Golden Girls are portrayed by Mary Manos Mitchem as Dorothy Zbornak, Danielle Trybala as Rose Nylund, Holly Prather as Blanche Devereaux, and Jessie DeLap as Sophia Petrillo. Tom Doyle is Stanley Zbornak, and Chuck Javorsky is Miles Webber. Also in the cast are Luka Guzina and Beth Licht-Gangidine. Matt Black is the assistant detective, Jessica Jabbour serves as box office manager, and Brittany Jabbour is the gift basket table Tickets must be purchased in advance. Those interested in purchasing tickets should contact the Royalton Players Box Office at 440-877-0009.
In addition to The Golden Girls Murder Mystery, other Royalton Players events scheduled this year include A TV Detective Murder Mystery set for June 12, A TV Western Murder Mystery set for August 7, and a Halloween Scooby Doo Murder Mystery set for October 23.
“Our television murder mysteries are a lot of fun because the audience will know most of the suspects that are involved in each production,” Poliafico said. “Plus, I have been fortunate to have a great group of actors and crew who are committed and involved in these fun-filled events.”