playbill vip

Fellow theatre friends,

Thank you for coming out to see the St. Mary’s Drama Guild’s Production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Now I must warn you that this is not your Disney Cinderella. This is not just about a girl falling in love with a prince but about every person finding their voice in the world and using it to make the world a better place. In a world filled with so much negativity, this show helps remind us to keep dreaming and to believe in the impossible. 

I want to thank in particular four very special people that without whom this production could not go on. From building set pieces, to fixing lights, to basically every technical thing on this stage, nobody knows this stage better than TJ Kerins. He is my constant go to for help, questions, and most importantly he deals with my crazy ideas and brings them to life. Everything you see built on this stage, including most of the stage itself, TJ has had a part in. Then there is the two people who bring TJ’s creations to life, Abby Farillas and Alex Alejandro. They are the two extremely talents artists who design all the back drops and set pieces. Between the two of them, they make sure that the flats and set pieces bring to life the setting of the story. Plus, they have done all of this while juggling lead roles. They are showing off that they are triple threats, singing, acting, and painting. This show comes with a very difficult extra layer with the unique costumes required for many parts. 

So, I must point out that almost every costume worn by Ella in this production was handmade by one of the ladies playing the role, Anna Bencivengo. Not only did she take on the job of making these specific dresses with multiple parts, but she also had to make them in adjusting sizes to accommodate the different ladies wearing them. These costumes were definitely a source of worry for me when we first picked this show but God truly answered my prayers with Anna. She came in with a plan and a vision that came together quite beautifully proving to be another true triple threat in this cast. 

You will see many names in the playbill pop up in many spots. I am continuedly amazed how much the entire cast cares about the production as a whole. Constantly lending more of their time and energy to help in other areas of production. The level of talent by each person in this cast goes well beyond what you will see on the stage and I am so honored to be able to help them create something beautiful together on stage. 

Theatrically Yours,

Claire Spinetti
Director/Treasurer of the Board
St. Mary’s Drama Guild