The Cast of
EAT YOUR HEART OUT

Back: Virginia Kemp, Mathew Hayner,
Jason McClements, Kratia Ure, Ed Nieman,
Front: Jeanette Sassatelli, Jerry Petronis,
Mike Wolske, Cynthia Petronis

THE BIOS

Joe Phillips - The Director

Joe has been an acting fixture of local college, community, summer-stock and professional theater for nearly three decades in the Capital Region and in half a dozen other states. As a performer he has appeared locally in literally hundreds of roles, as both a regular with numerous local community theaters and professionally, the latter including appearances at Capital Repertory (“King O’ The Moon”), Proctor’s Theater (“Hearts of Fire”) and the Egg “Santa’s List”and “Saul Bellow’s Stories On Stage”.  He has also appeared in multiple productions with Park Playhouse and C-R Productions at The Cohoes Music Hall. He recently appeared in “Sylvia” in summer stock at Fort Salem Theater, and with the New York State Theater Institute in “Idiot’s Delight”; he will be featured in their forthcoming “A Wonderful Life.” As a director, Joe has helmed over forty productions, including “Shenandoah” and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” at Schenectady Light Opera; “Lend Me A Tenor” at Albany Civic; “South Pacific” for Spotlight Players; and dozens of others for RPI Players and numerous other community and high school groups. Making his directing debut with The Stillwater Players Among Others, Joe is a freelance writer and part-time lifeguard.  He lives in Colonie with his wife and frequent theatrical colleague, Margot.

   MIKE WOLSKE is CHARLIE
In Mike’s first two appearances with SPAO, his characters had no lines.  It was not until “The Sunshine Boys” that he finally spoke on stage, albeit only three lines.  Since then, Mike has taken on many roles for SPAO, from the young panicky lover Paul Bratter in “Barefoot in the Park” to the dastardly Krojack in “Don’t Drink the Water.“ His other SPAO credits include “The Odd Couple”, “Divorce Southern Style”, “Full Moon”, “Murder By Mistake”, “All in the Timing, Among Others”, “Arsenic and Old Lace”, “Moon Over Buffalo”, “Over the River and Through the Woods”, “The Foreigner”, "Kiss or Makeup" and last spring's "Everybody Loves Opal".  Mike has also performed with other area groups, including The Nickel & Dime Players, Albany Civic Theater, Round Lake Summer Theater, and the Schenectady Civic Players, where he appeared in the co-lead as The Young Writer in Tennessee Williams’ self portrait “Vieux Carre”.  Mike originally from Stillwater now resides in Mechanicville.

 
KRATIA URE is The Girl - DORIS
Kratia started performing as a child. She has danced for 13 years (ballet, tap & jazz) and has been a choreographer for local cheerleading squads. She has been active in chorus, Madrigal and All State Choir. She made her theatrical debut with SPAO in 2003 as the lead role of Casey Delevan in "Kiss or Make Up" and has been a part of the SPAO family ever since. Just after completing her supporting role as Amelia Shotgraven in SPAO's  2005 spring production of "The Solid Gold Cadillac", she ventured for a musical as a hot box girl with Clifton Park's The Not So Common Players rendition of "Guys and Dolls".  She was last seen a the two-bit crook in last spring's "Everybody Loves Opal". When not on stage she is behind the scenes helping with prompting, props, hair, make-up and scene changes.  Kratia is a 20 year old Albany resident. She is very excited to be back on the SPAO stage." She thanks her, friends and her SPAO comrades for all of their love and support. 

JASON McCLEMENTS is THE BOY

As a boy, Jason began acting with SPAO’s Youth Theater in 1990.  During that time, he was also a member of the Stillwater High School Drama Club.   In the years since, Jason has appeared often on the SPAO dinner theater stage.  His first role was as the not-so-straight TV director in “Sunshine Boys”.    He went on to play Leo, the party-hardy drunken landlord in “Lunch Hour” and Mark Jenkins, the love smitten mail clerk in “The Solid Gold Cadillac”.  Jason, who loves playing weird characters, amused us last fall as the suicidal would-be jumper in "Lover's Leap".  The father of three resides in Stillwater

. JEANETTE SASSATELLI is The Wife - ANN CARTERJEANETTE After moving to the area from Minneapolis, Mn., Jeanette first appeared in SPAO’s “A Bad Year For Tomatoes” playing the frustrated get-to-the-point sheriff of Beaver Haven, Vt.  She appeared in the film portion of “The Solid Gold Cadillac” playing Estelle Evans, the gossip TV news columnist.  She was last seen as the wannabe adulterous lover in “Lover’s Leap”.  Jeanette holds a BA in theater arts from Kenyon College of Gambier, Ohio where she appeared as Moon in “The Real Inspector”, Bessie in “Marvin’s Room”, Miss Prism in   “The Importance Of Being Earnest” and Lillian Hellman in the one-woman showing of “Lillian”.  Jeanette has also worked with Essex Community Theater in Essex,Vt.  Including playing Daphne in “Present Laughter” and the March hare in “Alice In Wonderland”.  Jeanette is currently employed by G.E. and resides in Valley Falls with husband John.

ED NIEMAN is The Husband - DAVID CARTER. 

Ed joined SPAO in 1996 working behind the scenes for “Barefoot In The Park”.  A former SPAO president and current board member, Ed enjoys all aspects of the performing arts. Off stage he’s worked as an executive producer, back stage manager, special effects designer, sound designer, musical editor, sound system operator, web site programmer and set designer/builder. He designed and built this set for “Eat Your Heart Out”. His on stage credits begin with Vinny the sun burned poker player in “The Odd Couple”.  He also appeared in “Moon Over Buffalo”, “All In The Timing”, “Rumors”, “Arsenic and Old Lace”, “Murder By Mistake”, "The Foreigner" (lead), “Kiss or Make Up”, “The Solid Gold Cadillac” and most recently the lead in “Lover’s Leap”.  Ed is also an accomplished bass guitarist and song writer.   His original piece, “Is Love An Illusion”, became the theme song for SPAO’s “Arsenic and Old Lace”.  By trade, an estimate/project manager for Shelby and Smith Sheet Metal, the very talented Ed resides in Stillwater.

CYNTHIA PETRONIS is THE WOMEN

Considered SPAO’s Queen of Accents and taking on multiple roles this time, Cynthia adds to the many memorable characterizations she has brought to SPAO.   In her pre-dinner theater years she played Cherie in “Bus Stop” and Purity Dean in “Pure As The Driven Snow”. She began her dinner theater appearances in the first SPAO dinner theater, “Poisoned Pawn”.  Her personal favorite role was the mischevious, cockney, con artisit  cook in “Don’t Dress For Dinner”.  Other dinner theater appearances include  “The Odd Couple”, “Full Moon”, “Moon Over Buffalo”, “Murder By Mistake”, “Lunch Hour”, “Don’t Drink The Water”, “Steel Magnolias”, “The Solid Gold Cadillac” and last fall’s “Lover’s Leap”.  Cynthia has also appeared for the Schuylerville Players and the Round Lake Summer Theater l in “Mornings At Seven” and in “The Miss Firecracker Contest”, taking the lead as Carnell also at Round Lake.  SPAO’s current treasurer, Cynthia has worked in just about every area of community theater from pouring coffee to executive producer.  A Mechanicville mail carrier, Cynthia resides in Stillwater with her actor/director husband Jerry.

  JERRY PETRONIS is The MAN

Jerry has been with SPAO from the start producing, acting, and directing.  He played the father in SPAO's first production, "You Can't It With You" in 1989.  He also appeared in the SPAO productions of "The Mousetrap", "Play It Again, Sam", "The Fantasticks", "Dracula", "Harvey", "Bus Stop", "Fools", "Heaven Can Wait", and  "Wait Until Dark" during the years at the high school.   Jerry developed the current dinner theatre concept and directed our first two dinner theatre productions, "Poisoned Pawn" and "The Sunshine Boys".  He also directed  "Don' t Dress For Dinner", "All In the Timing", "The Foreigner", "Arsenic and Old Lace" and last fall's production of "Lovers Leap".  Jerry directed the SPAO Summer Youth Theater musical's "The Sound of Music" and "The King and I".   His dinner theatre appearances  include the roles of Felix Unger in "The Odd Couple", Teddy in "Arsenic and Old Lace", the TV director in "The Sunshine Boys", Lenny in "Rumors", the director in "All In the Timing",  Peter in "Lunch Hour", Ambassador Magee in "Don't Drink the Water", Gillie in "The Solid Gold Cadillac"and the doctor in "Everybody Loves Opal".   He has also appeared in Round Lake's Summer Theater productions of "The Miss Firecracker Contest" and "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail" and as a lead character in The Schuylerville Players production of "Murder at the Howard Johnson's".  Jerry was advisor and director of the Stillwater School Drama Society for two years.  He is Vice President of SPAO's board of Directors.   Jerry resides in Stillwater with actress wife, Cynthia.

VIRGINIA KEMP & MATHEW HAYNER

                                                       are THE YOUNG LOVERS

A resident of Stillwater & a junior at Stillwater Central High, Virginia is making her SPAO debut.  She brings to SPAO her experience of working with the Stillwater High School Drama Club for one year where she played Prudence Hopewell, the lead in “Love Rides The Rails”.   Virginia’s other interests include Varsity Volleyball, bowling and Masterminds.  She hopes to attend college one day and major in history or writing—good choices since it’s youngsters like Virginia who will one day write history.

Debuting with SPAO, Matt hails from Stillwater.  He is fifteen years old and a sophomore at Stillwater Central High where he participates in football, track & field and Masterminds.  He was a member of the Stillwater High School Drama Club for two years where he appeared in “Love Rides The Rails” playing Dirk and carried the lead role of Dauntless The Drab in “Once Upon A Mattress”.

SPAO welcomes working with these fine young people of our community

BRIAN GRONCZNIAK is EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.  A former SPAO president and current board member, if something needs to be built, rebuilt, if it involves electricity or plumbing or any kind of mechanics, Brian is SPAO’s “go to man”.  He has built and designed special effects, set pieces, designed and operated sound and lighting just to list a few of his technical accomplishments. Brian led the Stillwater High School Drama Society producing and directing “Jenny Kissed Me” and  “The Diary of Anne Frank”.  He directed such shows for SPAO’s Youth Theater as “Our Town” and “Fiddler On The Roof”.  For dinner theater, he directed “Full Moon” and “Don’t Drink The Water”.  His credits as a producer include “Fools” and “Rumors”.  And Brian has been just as active on stage starting with SPAO’s very first play ever, “You Can’t Take It With You”.  On stage, Brian was last seen in the lead of “Lunch Hour”.  The very talented Brian is self employed as a contractor, resides in Stillwater with his ever faithful dog, Toby and is the proud father of Mechanicville High’s women’s soccer, basketball and softball star, Becky.

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