Gloucester Stage debuts Ken Riaf’s play about Simon Geller, ‘My Station in Life’

Keith Powers, Wicket Local

Recalling the Voice of Cape Ann; Story of the last lone radio operator in town heads to Gloucester Stage

Gail McCarthy, Gloucester Daily Times

Story of Gloucester’s last lone radio operator heads to the stage.

Gail McCarthy, The Eagle Tribune

World Premiere of MY STATION IN LIFE Opens This Week At Gloucester Stage

Broadway World

Ken Baltin* (Simon Geller): Ken last appeared at GSC in Last of the Red Hot Lovers. Recent local theatre credits: Shakespeare in Love (SpeakEasy Stage), Beckett in Brief (Commonwealth Shakespeare), Not Constantinople (Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse), Blood on the Snow (Bostonian Society). Other Boston-area theatre highlights include: Death of a Salesman, Glengarry Glen Ross, Lost in Yonkers, and Laughter on the Twenty-Third Floor (Lyric Stage Co.); The Kite Runner, Eurydice, Waiting for Godot, American Buffalo (New Repertory Theatre); Operation Epsilon, Fever Chart, The Cherry Orchard (Central Square Theatre); The Screenwriter’s Daughter, Copenhagen (Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse); Deported-a Dream Play, King of the Jews, Permanent Whole Life (Boston Playwrights); Art, The Illusion, Oleanna (Merrimack Rep); Cymbeline, Romeo and Juliet (Actors Shakespeare Project); Brooklyn Boy (SpeakEasy); I Ought To Be in Pictures (Jewish Theatre of NE). Recent film credits: Equalizer 2, Vault, A Case of Blue. Ken will appear in Heartland at the New Repertory Theatre this January.

Veronica Anastasio Wiseman (Ensemble) : is thrilled to be returning to Gloucester, having appeared here two summers ago in The Last Schwartz. Veronica has become a familiar face on Boston area stages. Recently: Old Money (Commonwealth Shakespeare Co), Timbuktu USA, Cleanliness, Godliness & Madness, 27 Tips for Banishing the Blues, Talk To At Me & Real Realism (Sleeping Weazel), Mrs. Packard, Mud Blue Sky, Salome (Bridge Rep), Speech and Debate, The Goat or Who Is Sylvia – IRNE Nomination (Bad Habit Productions), The Edge of Peace (Central Square Theatre). Veronica produces and hosts the profile talk show “Wise Friends” for Sharon Community Television, where she serves as Vice President on their Board of Directors. Veronica also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Huntington Theatre Company. Thanks to Bob for inviting me back and for the entire company of lovely artists that made it so special. XOXOH.

Meagan Gallo (Maris): is excited to be making her professional theater debut, although this is not her first time performing at Gloucester Stage. She has been an active member of the GSC Youth Acting Workshop program for 4 years, including roles in Holiday Delights2016 (Daughter 1) and Holiday Delights 2017 (Mrs. Claus), as well as being a Playtime Stories company member. She is a junior at Gloucester High School, where she is involved in the Drama Club both onstage and offstage, in Seussical, Nora’s Lost and Once Upon a Mattress. She would like to thank her family and Heidi Dallin for all their help and encouragement!

James “Jimmy” Tarantino (Ensemble) is is a proud husband, father and grandfather who has spent his entire life passionately creating, participating in, and defending all things “Gloucester”. An accomplished rower, his many accolades include International Dory and Seineboat Championships. During Summer, Jim can be found most nights on Gloucester Harbor, either alone in a Grand Banks Dory or training with one of his many cherished Dorymates. Mr. Tarantino last appeared at Gloucester Stage Co. over 20 years ago, when he starred in Tracers, a play about Vietnam veterans. He is most commonly known for his appearance as a cast member on “Survivor: Nicaragua” in 2010.

*denotes Actor’s Equity Association (AEA)

Writer – Ken Riaf
Director – Robert Walsh
Scenic Design – Afsoon Pajoufar
Lighting Design – PJ Strachman
Costume Design – Lara Jardullo
Sound Design – David Reiffel†
Stage Manager – Julia Fioravanti*
Assistant Stage Manager – Claire Morse
Assistant Director – Scott Caron

*denotes Actor’s Equity Association (AEA)
†denotes United Scenic Artists (USA)

SCOTT CARON (Asst. Director, Apprentice) is a director, actor and educator. Originally from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, he is now based out of New York City. Scott is a co-founder of The Regatta Players, a company he administrated from its 2010 inception until making his directorial debut with their 2017 productions, First Date and Evita. Acting credits include: The Imbible (Off-Broadway at New World Stages), Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar (Fiddlehead Theatre Company), A Christmas Carol (The Hanover Theatre), All Shook Up, Les Misérables (Mac-Haydn Theatre), Comedy of Errors, I Remember Mama (Monomoy Theatre). Scott is also a coach for Shrewsbury High School’s Speech and Debate Team with state-level and national champions in drama and public speaking. He holds a BFA in Music Theatre from The Hartt School (University of Hartford). Immense gratitude to his parents for their unending support. www.scottcaron.com

JULIA FIORAVANTI* (Production Stage Manager) Julia is excited to be working with GSC again
after working on True West this summer, To Kill A Mockingbird last season, and participating in the 2016 Apprentice Program as a stage management apprentice. Since her apprenticeship she has been able to further her career in the Boston area having had the opportunity to work with the Boston Children’s Theatre as Wardrobe Supervisor, Fresh Ink Theatre as Assistant Stage Manager and replacement props designer, and Liars & Believers as Stage Manager. Her most recent work took her to Albany, NY to work with Park Playhouse as Wardrobe Supervisor for their 29th summer season. Julia holds a BFA in Theatre and Music from Tennessee Wesleyan College. She has also worked with Salt and Light Dance Studios, Athens Community Theatre, and is one of the founding members of The Children’s Theatre of Athens.

LARA JARDULLO (Costume Designer) is ecstatic to be coming back this season to GSC after working on The Flick a few seasons back, in 2015. She has also spent the past eight years designing costumes for the Gloucester Stage Youth Acting Workshop’s annual production of Holiday Delights. Lara studied Theatre at UMass Boston where she discovered her true forté: behind the scenes in costuming. This enabled her to combine previous studies in Fashion and Art at both Rivier College and Massachusetts College of Art with her love for theatre. Previous credits include The Glass Menagerie, Incident at Vichy, Waiting for Lefty, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.

CLAIRE MORSE (Asst. Stage Manager, Apprentice) is a recent graduate from University of North Texas, with a B.A. in Theatre. The Dallas native has served as stage manager, assistant stage manager, and intern at various theatre companies in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. His career goals consist of becoming an established stage manager for Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre, direct new work plays for regional theatres, and teach. He is grateful for the opportunity the Gloucester Stage Company has provided him.

AFSOON PAJOUFAR (Scenic Designer) is originally from Tehran, Iran and currently pursuing an MFA in Scenic Design at Boston University. Recent Boston area design credits: Straight White Men, Ripe Frenzy (New Repertory Theatre). Cabaret, Pool No Water, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Tis Pity She’s A Whore (Boston University). Her film credits include: Ruined, Zoya, Remembering Pentagons (Tehran, Los Angeles). www.afsoonpajoufar.com

DAVID REIFFEL† (Sound Designer) is a Boston-based composer and sound designer. Gloucester Stage: True West, The Rainmaker, Man in Snow, Gloucester Blue. Recent national: Shakespeare in Love (US national premiere), Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Cymbeline (Shakespeare & Co.). Recent Boston area: The Last Act (Israeli Stage), The Cradle Will Rock, Coolsville (The Boston Conservatory at Berklee); Ripe Frenzy, Man of La Mancha (Norton Award, Musical Direction), Blackberry Winter, Master Class, Chesapeake (IRNE Nominee) (New Rep); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Winter Solstice, Hamlet, Blood Wedding, A Beautiful Day…, Stupid F***ing Bird (Apollinaire); Shakespeare in Love, Dogfight, Big Fish, Carrie, The Color Purple (SpeakEasy); Doubt, I Capture the Castle (Stoneham); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, Measure for Measure, As You Like It, Middletown (ASP); A Disappearing Number (URT, IRNE Nominee); Cupcake (GBA Productions); The Rag Doll (Blue Spruce, IRNE Nominee, Best New Play). He is an Assistant Professor at Berklee, teaching Musical Theatre Writing. Upcoming: Everyman (Northeastern). Listen at soundcloud.com/davidreiffel

PJ STRACHMAN (Lighting Designer) with GSC: Every Christmas Story Ever Told and Dueling Divas. Other recent designs include Flat Earth’s Delicate Particle Logic, Antigone, A Bright Room Called Day, Silent Sky and Fat Pig, L.A.B.’s A Story Beyond and Yellow Bird Chase, Blue Spruce’s The OK Diaries, Boston Public Works’ Los Meadows, Bad Habit’s The Real Inspector Hound, How Soft the Lining, A Man of No Importance, Speech and Debate, Six Degrees of Separation, The Goat or, Who Is Sylvia, Orlando, Translations, and Top Girls, Wax Wings’ The Man from Willow’s Brook, Kevin Cirone’s Creative License, and many other area shows. She is the regular designer for Gann Academy and Stonehill College and coproducer at Blue Spruce Theatre. Photos of her work can be seen at www.pjelex.com. Upcoming works: lighting design for L.A.B.’s A Story Beyond at the Boston Center for the Arts; lyrics for the new musical.