PRODUCTION STAFF

Director - Tim Stolz
Musical Director - Brian Pierce
Scenic Design - Tim Stolz
Choreographer - Caitlin Featherstone
Costumer - John Woscoff

CAST

Howard - Ross Young
Wally - Paul Coate *
Phil - Tory Schaefer
Bob - Kiran Arquin

Understudy - James Lane

*Appearing through an Agreement between Sidekick Theatre and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Ross Young (Howard) is making his debut at Sidekick Theatre. Recently he portrayed Walter Hobbes in ELF The Musical and Norman Thayer, Jr. in On Golden Pond at the Paul Bunyan Playhouse, and Colonel Mustard in CLUE  at Theatre L’Homme Dieu. Over the years Ross has appeared in extended runs of Tony and Tina’s Wedding and several productions of the Don’t Hug Me musicals across the Midwest.  Ross is scheduled to appear in It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play at the St. Paul Hotel during the holidays this year for its 18th season.

Paul R. Coate (Wally) is excited to work with Sidekick Theatre for the first time. Recent Twin Cities theatre credits include Theatre Elision, Mixed Precipitation, and Theater Latte Da's North American tours and national PBS broadcast of All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Other credits include The Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, History Theatre, Park Square Theatre, Artistry, and the Duluth Playhouse's Norshor Theatre, where he performed the title role in Sweeney Todd. Opera and vocal concert credits include The Minnesota Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Skylark Opera, Lyric Opera Of The North, Opera Omaha, and the Omaha Symphony. Thanks to Kathleen, TJ, and Gena. www.paulrcoate.com

Tory Schaefer (Phil) has proven to be a versatile performer in a career spanning New York productions such as As You Like It, Arms and the Man, The Misanthrope, Amphitryon, as well as tours of Romeo & Juliet, Gold Rush, Les Miserables and Tom Sawyer, He has also appeared in such "Law & Order," "Live & Date in NY," and "NTV Crimes of NYC.” His films credits include "Peacock" and “Virgin." Reflecting on the transformative power of theater, Tory recognizes its ability to mirror the complexities of human nature. He believes that by confronting the roles we might not want to inhabit or are even challenging to witness, we gain insight into our true selves and how we can live a connected life from love. Tory’s other stage is at Life Time where he supports education for the class collection and yoga operations. A heartfelt thank you goes to Tim Stolz and Brian Pierce for welcoming Tory back to the stage in Minnesota. And to Tory's wife Margaret and their children, Violet and Zinnia, for their unwavering support as Tory continues to play in life.

Kiran Arquin (Bob) is a recent graduate from Macalester College with a BFA in theater and dance. He is thrilled to make his debut here at Sidekick Theatre. His other credits include tours with both Open Eye Theatre and Heart of the Beast Theater. He hopes that this is the first of many shows at Sidekick.

James Lane (Understudy: Phil, Wally, Howard) as appeared at Lakeshore Players Theatre in Little House on the Prairie: The Musical (Charles “Pa” Ingalls), Noises Off (Garry), White Christmas (Bob Wallace), Company (Harry), Wait Until Dark (Mike Talman); at Blackdirt Theatre in The Music Man (Harold Hill), Beauty and the Beast (Beast), Mary Poppins (George Banks), Much Ado About Nothing (Benedick); at Artistry in The Pajama Game; at (Max) at Artistry Theatre; at Minneapolis Musical Theatre in Hands on a Hardbody (Benny). James has a BFA in musical theatre from Sam Houston State University. He thanks his wife, Aimee, son, Atticus, and Grammy Gay, for picking up the slack at home and all the love.

John Markus (Co-writer) is an Emmy Award-winning writer, television producer, and playwright and is best known for his work as the head writer and co-executive producer for The Cosby Show. He wrote or co-wrote 67 episodes, earning an Emmy, a Peabody back-to-back Humanitas prizes, and a People’s Choice award for "The Greatest Sitcom of All Time." Markus also co-created the Cosby spin-off A Different World and produced the Larry Sanders Show on HBO.

Mark St. Germain (Co-writer) has written the plays Freud's Last Session and Camping with Henry and Tom (Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel awards), Out of Gas on Lover's Leap and Forgiving Typhoid Mary (Time Magazine "Year's Ten Best”), and Dancing Lessons seen at Sidekick two years ago. With Randy Courts, he has written the musicals The Gifts of the Magi, Johnny Pye and the Foolkiller (winner of an AT&T "New Plays for the Nineties Award") and Jack's Holiday at Playwrights Horizons. Mark's musical Stand By Your Man: The Tammy Wynette Story was created for Nashville's Ryman Theatre. He was PPWriter and Creative Consultant for The Cosby Show where he met John Markus. The pair stayed in touch and when St. Germain had "a vision" ten years ago for a storyline involving a cappella quartet that he couldn't get off the ground, he brought it to Markus who found the right "note" to get it percolating.

Caitlin Featherstone (Choreographer) is so happy to be back at Sidekick Theatre! Originally from the Chicagoland area, Caitlin is a Twin Cities based choreographer, actor, and educator. She has enjoyed choreographing for companies such as the Youth Actor’s Academy of Lincoln NE, St. Croix Festival Theatre, Brownville Village Theatre, Mission Theatre Company, and in public schools all around the Midwest. When not onstage or dancing, Caitlin is the Director of Education at CLIMB Theatre. For Gram.

Brian Pierce (Musical Director) Co-founder of Sidekick Theatre, Brian has been lucky enough to have made a lively career out of many facets of the performing arts, including as an actor, music director, playwright, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist. Brian has also performed as a session musician across the US and Europe, and worked alongside Ed Asner, Jim Brickman, Chris Thile and many others. He always extends his gratitude to his parents, who in their infinite wisdom realized early on that Brian would never be a professional baseball player, and instead encouraged his creative endeavors.

Tim Stolz (Director) is co-founder of Sidekick Theatre who has worked in theatre for many years, much of that time at the Old Log Theatre as a director, playwright, stage manager and general manager.