Rent
ARIEL ARBISSER (Maureen Johnson) previously performed with the MTC in Little Women: The Musical (Marmee), Candide (Old Woman), and Songs For a New World (Woman #2). Recently, Ariel produced, co-wrote, and performed in Sex, Drugs, and A Cappella: An Original Web Series, co-produced an award-winning EP and album with co-ed collegiate group the Cornell Chordials, and was the featured soloist for two tracks on their "best of" a cappella compilation albums. Ariel was also featured in performance and recording with professional all-male a cappella group Overboard, and won Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards for Best Mixed Solo and Song of 2010. Ariel performs regularly with local bands, including The Jeff Love Band, and is completing her fourth semester with the Actor's Workshop of Ithaca.
RACHEL MAYER (General Manager) just graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelors in Science in Biology and Society. She is currently studying for her Masters in the Art of Teaching in Biology and Health at Cornell University Graduate School. This is Rachel's ninth production with MTC, and she is so happy to be able to return to the company for another year. She joined the MTC in the spring of 2008 as Makeup Artist for Little Shop Of Horrors, and rose to General Manager by Fall 2010. Rachel would like to thank Zoe, Sammy, Ariel and Tim for their incredible leadership and dedication, as well as the cast and crew for making this production breathtaking.
SAMMY PANZARINO (Assistant General Manager) is a B.A. Drama Major/Italian Minor in the IC class of 2014. He is thrilled to be returning to the MTC for another semester. Previous company credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Little Women: The Musical. Most recently, Sammy served as Assistant Dramaturg for The Light in the Piazza at Ithaca Main Stage. Sammy would like to congratulate the fantastic cast and crew of Rent!
TIM DYSTER (Director) is a senior biology major with pre-med in Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences. Last semester, Tim directed a staged, concert version of the musical Aida, working with Broadway actors and students to raise money for children in Africa. Rent marks Tim's fifth production with the MTC. Previous company credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Assistant Director, Co-Director of Marketing), Candide (Assistant Director), and I Love You Because (Jeff Bennet). He also served as the Director of Alumni affairs for the company during Little Women: The Musical. Tim is esctatic to be directing Rent. He would like to thank his family and friends for their support and encouragement.
JEFF COX (Music Director, Keyboard I) is a junior music major at Cornell University. Most recently, Jeff served as Music Director for a concert version of Aida at Cornell. Previous MTC credits include Music Director for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Assistant Music Director and Piano for I Love You Because. Jeff also plays piano in Cornell's jazz program and is an alumnus of the Anything Goes musical theatre troupe. Special thanks to Paul Merrill, John Rowehl, Cynthia Johnston-Turner, Kevin Stites, Michael Valentine, Beth Quackenbush, a loving family and supportive friends.
LAUREL STINSON (Assistant Music Director) graduated from Ithaca College in 2010 with a degree in Music Education. Although she studied clarinet throughout her college years, she was also very active in the vocal community, performing with and conducting Premium Blend, Ithaca College's only all-female a cappella group and serving as a member of IC's Women's Chorale and Chorus. Laurel served as a pit performer for South Pacific and Camelot at Central Bucks East HS and Throughly Modern Millie with IC Triple Threat Theatre. Onstage appearances include small roles in Pinocchio, Pocahontas, Once Upon a Mattress, Honk!, A Christmas Carol, and Into the Woods. Laurel would like to thank the entire cast, as well as the rest of the members of the MTC for making her first experience as Musical Director a memorable one.
ELLIE FOUST (Choreographer, Graphic Designer)
TYLER EHRLICH (Orchestra Director) is a sophomore at Cornell University in the College of Arts and Sciences. Rent marks his third production with the MTC, having previously served as Orchestra Director for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Little Women: The Musical. As a clarinetist, Tyler performs with the Cornell University Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. He is in the studio of Lenora Schneller and studies conducting with Professor Cynthia Johnston Turner. In January, Tyler will accompany the Wind Ensemble to Costa Rica for their biennial service and performance tour. He would like to thank his family and friends for their constant support, and his past and present music teachers for all they have taught him.
ZOË GUZY-SPRAGUE (Technical Director, President) is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University, and is incredibly excited to be joining the MTC! At Cornell, she has had the pleasure to help build Big Love and Our Town on the main stage of the Schwartz, as well as run the lighting board for the Shakespeare Troup's The Tempest. In high school, Zoë had the opportunity to design sets for Pippin and Amadeus, and serve as Master Carpenter for productions of Elizabeth Rex and The Producers. She also had her directorial debut with the short, one-act adaption of Dorothy Parker's Here We Are. Zoë would like to thank the cast and crew of MTC for being so welcoming, and for providing such a wonderful experience.
SHAINA HIMELSTEIN (Director of Marketing, Director of Alumni Affairs) is a sophomore in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University majoring in Applied Economics and Management. She hails from Long Island, New York and is thrilled to be able to help the company promote such a wonderful production by implementing the business skills learned in the classroom in a real-world setting. This is her first semester working with the amazing cast and crew of the MTC. Shaina would like to thank the members for being so friendly and welcoming and is excited to be working with everyone!
DUNCAN FULLER (Marketing Assistant)
JULIAN MONTIJO (Marketing Assistant, Run Crew) is from San Diego, California and is excited to be working on the marketing team for the MTC's production of Rent! Julian has performed in various productions such as The Wiz, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Urinetown, and 42nd Street. He looks forward to working on more MTC productions in the future. Break a leg everyone!
ERIN SHULTS (Marketing Assistant)
PRISCILLA YANG (Marketing Assistant) is a sophomore in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. She comes from the little town of Chapin, South Carolina where the largest theatre production to be held each year was the school play (and where the weather rarely gets below 30 degrees). Most of her experience with theatre is through costume design (Guys and Dolls), and observing! However, she hopes to incorporate her past work and educational experiences in the marketing field to promote the MTC’s productions. She is excited to be learning more about how a theatre production comes together, and can’t wait to see the MTC’s production of Rent!
DANNY BRISTOLL (Director of Photography)
TINA CHOU (Photographer)
ERIK JAWORSKI (Photographer) is a freshman at Ithaca College majoring in Documentary Studies and Productions. Hailing from Chicago, Erik worked as photo manager for his school's yearbook and photographer for Stage Door Fine Arts. Besides taking photographs, he too has played different roles in Bye Bye Birdie (Mr. Macaffe), Diary of Anne Frank (Peter Van Daan), Oklahoma (Jud Fry), and many more. Erik is excited to be part of the MTC and cant wait for what's to come in the future.
LUCY ARNOLD (Stage Manager) is a sophomore majoring in English and Government in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University. She is from Strafford, New Hampshire and was heavily involved in theatre at her boarding school, Phillips Academy, in Andover, MA. This is her first season with the MTC and is pleased to be working on such a fantastic show!
SARAH BYRNE (Assistant Stage Manager, Run Crew) is a freshman biology major in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University. She has played the piano for eleven years. Her high school chorale sang in Carnegie Hall frequently with composer John Rutter. Last year, she was involved with a production of Footloose. This is her first production with the MTC, and she is very excited to be working with such a great cast and crew on this amazing show.
JOEY MORO (Scenic Designer) is a junior Theatre major at Cornell. He is the Technical Director of Risley Theatre, and recently designed the set for the Shakespeare Troup's production of The Tempest in Risley Theatre. He has served as Lighting Designer for Orange Flower Water, Rachel Corrie, and Far Away with the Actor's Workshop of Ithaca, as well as for the Locally Grown Dance Festival at Cornell in both 2010 and 2011. Joey also served as Assistant Lighting Designer on many other theatre department productions. He is currently working as the Master Electrician at the Kitchen Theatre Company.
ABBY SMITH (Costume Designer) studied Architectural Design at Cornell University where she worked in the Theatre Department’s costume shop creating costumes for many a production. After leaving Cornell, she designed and created costumes, props, and sets for Ithaca’s Kitchen Theatre Company. A graduate of the Actor’s Workshop of Ithaca, Abby is now an assistant instructor at the Workshop and a designer for the Actor’s Workshop of Ithaca Theater Company (AWITC). Recent credits include costume and set design for Orange Flower Water (AWITC), set design for Poona the F***dog (and other plays for children) (AWITC), Art Director for Sex, Drugs, and A Cappella (An Original Web Series) and costume and set design for Rabbit Hole (AWITC).
WEILI SHI (Lighting Designer) is a junior in Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Information Science with minors in Theatre and Game Design. Rent marks her third production with the MTC; previous company credits include Lighting Designer for both Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Little Women: The Musical. Additional credits include Far Away and The 2011 Locally Grown Dance Festival at the Schwartz Center, a staged concert version of Aida, and Big Love and Our Town at the Schwartz. She has also served as Light Board Operator for American Buffalo and Passing Strange at the Studio Theatre in Washington, DC. Thanks to the entire company for a fantastic semester, but especially Max for being her partner in crime.
MAX BENAT (Assistant Lighting Designer) is a Freshman in Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences, studying Computer Science. Interested in computers since a young age, he has always sought to apply what he could learn to other activities in which he participated. He has been involved in lighting for theatre, both board operation and light design, for over 4 years. Max began working lights in early Middle School, and has since worked on such shows as Annie Get Your Gun, Damn Yankees, Anything Goes, and 1776. Max seeks to expand his knowledge about theatre lighting and board operation through the opportunities made available to him through the MTC, and through the guidance of Weili and the rest of the MTC staff.
WILL BARTLETT (Sound Designer, Sound Board Operator)
JOSH ROLLIN (Sound Board Operator)
KATE ROSINSKI (Graphic Designer)
MARISSA TAYLOR (Property Master)
BRENDAN HAMMOND (Ticket Agent)
ABBY BELL (Construction Crew)
PETER INGATO (Construction Crew)
NATE MATTINGLY (Construction Crew)
JUNG-HO SOHN (Construction Crew)
AARON STOLICKER (Construction Crew)
TYLER WALKER (Construction Crew)