(in alphabetical order)
Tap a photo to view the cast member bio

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Sarah Altomari (Hero) hopes this isn’t her last Shakespeare in the Park performance, as it is her first time acting in the park. She has done many other shows in Butler, including Sheila in An Inspector Calls, Carrie in Lunch Hour with the Butler Little Theatre Guild and Squeaky Fromme in Assassins with the Butler Musical Theatre Guild. She was last seen in a hobnob production as Kitty in The Vaudeville Christmas Carol Extravaganza. Sarah is the Business Manager for a Pittsburgh non-profit. When not performing or working, she spends her time crafting and hanging with her menagerie of pets.

Stefano Altomari (Don Pedro) is tickled to be here. Enjoy the show!

Glen Bittner (Watchman 1) has been involved in Butler theater for the past fifteen years. People are mostly familiar with him behind the scenes as a set construction carpenter, lighting designer and technician. Glen has performed minor acting roles for the Butler Little Theatre and the Musical Theater Guild. This is his first experience with hobnob’s Shakespeare in the Park. When not volunteering at the theater, he enjoys being retired with his partner on their north Butler County farm.

Casey Bowser (Benedick) is grateful to be involved in his first Shakespeare in the Park performance! This is his seventh show with hobnob theatre co. two as a director, and his fifth as a performer. Casey was last seen as Richard Hannay in the Butler Little Theatre’s production of The 39 Steps. Case would like to thank his wife, Heidi, for her support, and like to send a big thanks to all those performers, producers, and supporters who give their talents and time so that we can continue to have live theater in our community. Away from the theater, Casey works at Newhaven Court at Clearview.

Steve Fogle (Friar Francis) has been in several Shakespeare in the Park productions including Snug the Jointer in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Duke Frederick and Duke Senior in As You Like It as well as a number of plays at the Butler Little Theatre. He has also performed in several cemetery walks for the Butler Historical Society and a brief stint as the original Uncle Charlie on television. Steve is happy to be back on the stage…..he means “grass.”

Thom Hilliard (Leonato) hasn’t been as active in theater since hobnob’s production of Twelfth Night because of a mixture of the pandemic and really bad timing. Nonetheless, Thom is thrilled to be expanding his theatrical background as Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing. From his role as Ebenezer Scrooge in 2014 and participating in Poe’s Tales of the Grotesque, Thom has been fortunate to have been involved in many hobnob productions over the years, as well as shows at the Butler Little Theatre and the Red Barn Theatre in Zelienople. Here’s hoping we won’t have two years without theater ever again!

Holly Furman (Innogen/Messenger) has been involved with theater and the arts in both Butler and surrounding area for many years. Some of her roles have including Sister Mary Amnesia in Nunsense, as well as Marian Paroo in The Music Man with the Butler Musical Theatre Guild. Holly has also performed with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and is a private voice and piano teacher at May’s Music Shoppe. When not acting or singing, Holly spends her time roller skating, cross-stitching, gardening, and searching for a great dairy-free ice cream recipe.

Eva Clare Hendricks (Verges) is delighted to join this amazing cast and crew in bringing one of her favorite Shakespeare plays to life. A native of Pittsburgh, Eva is a recent graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and is heading into her sophomore year at California Institute of the Arts pursuing a BFA in Acting. She recently made her Hollywood Fringe Festival debut in the premiere of Apocalypse at the Rainforest Cafe. Her favorite roles include Avery (Trash!), Liesl (The Sound of Music), Auntie/Duchess/Mock Turtle (Alice), Eagle (The Birds), Hunyak (Chicago), and Little Sally (Urinetown). Sincere thanks to Ken for this opportunity and to hobnob for welcoming her with open arms. To our audience, enjoy the show – and whatever you do, do it wisely!

Steve Kalina (Borachio) is honored to be joining hobnob theatre co. for the first time. He is a 20-year vet of the theater, most recently seen as Juror Number 3 in Twelve Angry Men for the Butler Little Theatre. He has also had stand-out roles in The Fantasticks and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat for the Butler Musical Theatre Guild. Steve owns a salon and is a podcaster. He would like to dedicate this performance to his family and his mentor, Jerry Johnston.

Matt Leslie (Dogberry), i’faith, is overflowing with joy and mirth to trounce the parks of Butler for yet ‘nother merry summer! A graduate of Seton Hill University with a BA in Theatre Performance, Matt has been active in local theater for more than seven years. Most recently, you may have seen him as Stanley Jerome in Broadway Bound with the Butler Little Theatre or as Duke in the Butler Musical Theatre Guild’s The Great American Trailer Park Musical. hobnob audiences may remember Matt as Mercutio from Romeo and Juliet or Antipholus of Syracuse from last summer’s The Comedy of Errors. When not at rehearsal or working at the Aldi Distribution Center, Matt enjoys being a part of the Worship Team at Orchard Hill Church Butler and smothering his cat Phoebe with love and affection.

Justin Macurdy (Conrade), a gentleman, once again joins us for our soiree through the park. Having missed the general comradere of the theater, he was paralyzed with happiness to dive back into another production with hobnob! Last seen as Doctor Randolph in ACT’s All Because of Agatha, Justin’s cocktail of favorite roles starts with a base of James Keller (The Miracle Worker), a splash of Paris (Romeo and Juliet) add a dash of Hortensio (The Taming of the Shrew), shaken, not stirred, and hopes to add a garnish this fall as Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby). He would love to thank hobnob for the myriad of opportunities offered, and you, the audience, for coming out to support all of us year after year! So please, kick back, relax, and resort to making Much Ado About Nothing with us!

Megan Flannery Manuel (Margaret) is excited to make her return to Shakespeare in the Park! She’s been seen in past hobnob productions in the park including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and As You Like It. Most recently, Megan was seen over at the Butler Musical Theatre Guild’s production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Now that she has coerced her husband to share his talents in this show, she’s really hoping to get Gibson – their 2-year-old Bernedoodle – involved in the next one! Thank you to the audience for braving the inevitable bugs and potentially scorching heat to see this production!

Zach Manuel (Balthasar, show musician) Although this is Zach’s theater debut, he is no stranger to the stage. As singer/guitarist for the sissy grunge band, Improper Fraction, and a solo singer-songwriter, he has been sharing his music with all who will listen for the past ten years. He’s most excited to share the stage with his wife, Megan (Margaret), and is looking forward to the day that their Bernedoodle, Gibson, joins them for a role in a show.

Molly Miller (Ursula) is the “ninety pounds of white-hot fury” reporter of news and entertainment for the Butler Eagle newspaper. She’s been performing in Butler productions since she was 8 years-old. Her past roles include Alice in Daniel Rocket and Sally in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown at the Butler Little Theatre, Richard Henry Lee in 1776 and Snoopy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown at Grove City College. When she’s not reporting on car crashes or muncipal quarrels, you can find her reading, writing screenplays, or singing in public places unprompted.

Jeff Myers (Watchman 2) got involved with the Butler theater scene four years ago as a narrator of two shows for The Lab’s Readers Theatre. He started acting this last season for Butler Little Theatre as part of an ensemble in Twelve Angry Men. he then worked his way behind the stage as fly-puller and light and sound tech. This is Jeff’s first time working with hobnob theatre co.

Luke Pfeifer (Claudio) is no stranger to the Butler theater community. He is, however, taking his first step into the world of Shakespeare. He has performed in multiple stage shows over the years with the Butler Little Theatre. His roles include Eugene Jerome in Broadway Bound, George Gibbs in Our Town, and The Narrator in Peter Pan among others. His hope is to pursue the acting field as a professional and continue to perform for the pleasure and entertainment of all.

Deanna Sparrow (Beatrice) is new to the Butler theater community and is thanking her lucky stars that she gets to be a part of it! She recently played Blanche in the Butler Little Theatre production of Broadway Bound and is overjoyed to be joining the hobnob crew this summer. She’s previously performed in Iowa City, Pittsburgh, and Slippery Rock. Favorite prior Shakespeare roles include Lady Percy (Henry IV, Pt.1) and Lady Macbeth (ye’ old Scottish play). Deanna has taught in a number of educational and arts enrichment programs. She ESPECIALLY loves spending time with her husband and daughter…and watching their favorite comedies on a loop!

David Skeele (Don John) is thrilled to be returning to the brilliant community of artists that his hobnob theatre, having played Duke Solinus/Doctor Pinch in Comedy of Errors, Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet and Hawley in A Vaudeville Christmas Carol Extravaganza. Other favorite recent roles include John in Marjorie Prime at the Butler Little Theatre and Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon at Slippery Rock University (SRU). David teaches acting and playwriting at SRU, along with directing shows each year. He recently wrote and directed a Zoom horror film entitled The Margins, and this fall he will be directing SRU’s production of Head Over Heels.

Noelle Ledford (Stage Manager) is pursuing a degree in Arts Administration and Cultural Advocacy at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. She’s been involved in multiple theatrical productions, one of her first being hobnob’s very first A Christmas Carol production! Some of her more recent roles included Fruma-Sarah in Fiddler on the Roof, Eulalie Shinn in The Music Man, Lucy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and Shelby in Steel Magnolias. She is also a part of multiple comedy groups on her campus where she does improv and sketch comedy. This is her second show serving as stage manager and she is so grateful for this opportunity. Enjoy the show!

Ken Smith (Director) is glad to be bringing this beloved show to life this year. He was also director of A Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night and acted along with his wife, Elizabeth, in The Taming of the Shrew. Ken was last seen on stage in The 39 Steps as Clown 2 with the Butler Little Theatre. He has also been musical director for Butler Musical Theatre’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar and Assassins. Ken works at Carnegie Mellon as a Software Programmer.

Elizabeth Smith (Producer) is thrilled to don the producer hat for this year’s Shakespeare in the Park production. Other Shakespeare roles include Luciana in A Comedy of Errors, Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, and Kate in The Taming of the Shrew. Elizabeth was recently seen in the Butler Little Theatre production of Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound in the role of Kate Jerome. She also directed The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) with the Butler Little Theatre and the first four productions of A Christmas Carol with hobnob theatre co. She currently serves on the Butler Little Theatre Board of Directors.