Christ Wesleyan Theatre Productions
presents
It Runs In The Family
By Ray Cooney
It Runs In The Family is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
www.concordtheatricals.com
THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR(S)’S RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: https://concordtheatricals.com/resources/protecting-artists
Please respect our cast, crew, and other audience members by turning off your cell phones. For everyone’s safety, we ask that you keep the aisles clear of all personal belongings.
There will be a 25 minute intermission with concessions provided by Christ Wesleyan Global Missions. Proceeds benefit our upcoming missions trips.
About The Show
Time & Place: A doctor’s common room in Saint Andrews Hospital, London, some time in the 1990s.
Summary: On the day of a prestigious international conference, a doctor is faced with his past indiscretions. What starts as one simple white lie sets the dominos falling and this stuffy London hospital into utter, hilarious chaos.
Meet and Greet
Stick around after the show to meet the cast members in the foyer!
Cast
Dr. David Mortimore - Nick Neagu
Dr. Mike Connolly - Rafe Stafford
Rosemary Mortimore - Sara Snyder
Dr. Hubert Bonney - Tommy Weber
Matron - Angela Lannan
Sir Willoughby Drake - Brent Mestach
Jane Tate - Liz Ripka
Sister - Angelina Santalucia
Leslie - Maddy Bucher
Sergeant - Caitlin Meleski
Bill - Cale Blakely
Mother - Sue Diffenderfer
Crew
Director - Cameron Edinger
Assisstant Director/Producer - Tracy Rhoades
Stage Manager - Isabella “Izzy” Stafford
Stunt Coordinator/Rehearsal Stand-in - Ty Sigvaldason
Set Construction Supervisor - Mike Mitchell
Set Construction - Ty Sigvaldason, Rafe Stafford, Tyler Noll, Isaiah Schuler, Andrew Walter, Cameron Edinger, Bryn Rhoades
Costumes - Bryn Rhoades
Hair/Makeup - Devin Reedy
Logo Design- Brent Mestach
Props - Lillian Dewald
Stage Crew - Isabella “Izzy” Stafford, Ty Sigvaldason
Sound - Kyle Anspach
Lighting Sound Effects - Keegan Gill
Special Thanks
Pastor Holly Mestach
Mike Mitchell
Brett Logan
Jeremy Rhoades
Meadowbrook Christian School
Coming up next from Christ Wesleyan Theatre Productions
Meet The Director - Cameron Edinger
Cameron attends Christ Wesleyan Church where is the creative Director of Film/Storytelling and the program director of CWTP. He as been in theatre here since 2015. He previously directed Anastasia The Broadway Musical. He has played a number of roles in various shows at CWTP, including Max in The Play That Goes Wrong, Frank Churchill in Emma, Eddie McCuen in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, and Harold Bride in Titanic The Musical (2022 and 2017). He has also portrayed Tim Allgood in Noises Of at Community Theatre League and Tom in The Glass Menagerie at Studio 570. One of his favorite thins to do is dungeon master for his Dungeons and Dragons group. Cameron is happy to provide a home for people to bond over their shared passion for theatre in the restorative and uplifting environment of the local church.
Meet the Assistant Director - Tracy Rhoades
We are excited to welcome Tracy to her first Assistant Director role at CWTP! This is her 11th year with CWTP and she has performed as a producer, stage manager, stage crew member and an actor. Tracy is the Worship, Outreach and Theatre Secretary at Christ Wesleyan and a barista at the Well Coffee house. She is also the Front of House Director for Sunday Mornings. Tracy enjoys crocheting, organizing, party planning and listening to true crime mysteries. Her favorite thing to do is spending time with family and friends. She has this to say, “CWTP is more than a show or a cast-it is a family. It is such a meaningful experience because it combines creativity, faith, fellowship, and service. Christian theatre reminded me that storytelling can be a ministry. She would like to thank her husband and children for allowing her the time and grace to be a part of CWTP!
Something for the whole Family
We have great programs for kids and teens on a Sunday at CWC.
CWC Kidz is for ages 9 months - 5th grade at both campuses.'
CWC Youth is for students in 6th. - 12th grade.
Meet The Author
Ray Cooney
Ray Cooney began his theatrical career as a boy actor in Song of Norway at the Palace Theatre in 1946. He played with Brian Rix in Dry Rot and Simple Spymen at the Whitehall, and then began a writing career which, to date, has sent 18 plays to the West End, including One for the Pot, Not Now, Darling, Move Over, Mrs. Markham, There Goes the Bride, Chase Me, Comrade!, Why Not Stay for Breakfast?, Wife Begins at Forty, Run for Your Wife, Two Into One, Out of Order, It Runs in the Family, Funny Money, Caught in the Net, and Tom, Dick and Harry. In addition to his stage work, his plays have been made into dozens of films in English and in a host of other languages, including French, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Greek, Spanish and Swedish. In 1983, Mr. Cooney formed the Theatre of Comedy Company (bringing together the founding members consisting of 30 West End stars) and he became its first Artistic Director. During Mr. Cooney’s tenure, the company produced over 20 plays. During his time with the Theatre of Comedy Company and throughout his career, Mr. Cooney has continued to act, direct and produce while he writes.
A note from the director
Laughter is medicine.
Throughout the run of rehearsals, I have been reminded of that time after time. I have laughed so hard until it hurts. That has been the greatest gift this cast has given to me all throughout the process — and now we get to share that gift with you.
It is my hope that tonight, you find even just a fraction of that laughter and that is would speak to the part of you that needs to let loose and laugh.
The characters of It Runs In The Family are imperfect people, scrambling to put the broken pieces of the messes they’ve made back together somehow. As you’ll see, the processes of doing so is incredibly hard to do — and often leads to creating more problems than it solves. I don’t know about you, but that’s something I definitely relate to.
Everyone fails. It is okay to fail. In the church, that has not always been the case. What I hope that you see through this silly story told at this church is that it is okay to let your walls down — to understand that we are all flawed people who sometimes make silly, laughable decisions. And maybe you’ll see that a church — our church — is just a that: a group of imperfect people simply doing life together while exploring how Christ gives meaning and vibrance to that pursuit. He redeems our mistakes and picks the pieces up in a way that we never can.
On behalf of the Christ Wesleyan Theatre Productions Team, thank you for being here and I hope that we see you again, either at our next show or on a Sunday morning at CWC.
Cameron Edinger
Meet The Cast
Nick Neagu as Dr. David Mortimer
This is Nick’s second show with CWTP. He played Charles Haversam in The Play That Goes Wrong with CWTP. He has performed the roles of King Sextimus in Once Upon A Mattress, Tim Allgood inNoises Off, Vice Principal Panch in 25thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Billy Claven in The Cripple of Inishman, and Steve in Almost, Maine all through Wig & Buckle Theatre. One of Nick’s favorite things to do is cooking. He also enjoys card and board games. He says that Christ Wesleyan Theatre productions is, “An incredibly friendly group of individuals. So welcoming and very talented. Thank you for the opportunity to perform with such a fantastic group!”
Rafe Stafford as Dr. Mike Connolly
Rafe attends, works and volunteers at Christ Wesleyan Church and we are excited to welcome him to his first acting role with CWTP! Previously he was on Stage Crew for Anastasia and The Play That Goes Wrong at CWTP and 7 Brides for 7 Brothers and Seussical at Meadowbrook Chistian School. He was the Stage Manager for The Wizard of Oz and Seussical at Meadowbrook Christian School. Rafe is a Mechanical Engineering student at Penn State University. He enjoys playing video games. Rafe says of CWTP, “ It’s pretty sweet”!
You are why we’re here!
Christ Wesleyan Theatre Productions exists as an extension of the desire we have at Christ Wesleyan Church to reach out to our community. We believe that God blesses every artist with their gifts and talents. We hope through our theatre program, everyone involved finds a positive, creative, family-friendly environment where they can cultivate their skills. It is our desire to bring delight and awe to our community through our performances. By delivering excellent theatre to the area, we seek to build a bridge between the community and the church.
We seek to provide a memorable experience for cast, crew, and audiences that brings people together. Our auditions are open to all and we invite any interested to explore roles behind the scenes. We encourage our audiences to invite friends and family to enjoy our shows together. And maybe through our community theatre, you might see that the church is full of vibrant, diverse people discovering life-changing faith together.
Theatre has a special way of turning strangers into family. We pray our theatre is as much of a blessing to you as we work towards delivering incredible performances to our community.
Thank you for choosing to be a part of Christ Wesleyan Theatre Productions!
Sara Snyder as Rosemary Mortimer
Sara attends Christ Wesleyan and we are excited to have her join us in her third CWTP show. She played various roles in Enchanted Evening and was the Dowager Empress in Anastasia at CWTP. Sara also performed At Mid Valley High School Sara played Pick-A-Little Lady in The Music Man and Mellie in South Pacific, and a French Maid in Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem with A&A Productions. At age 14, her family was asked to act as tourists on the show JAG. Sara’s husband calls her a jack of all trades. She loves reading, baking custom birthday cakes, spending time with her 2 kids and husband, singing with her daughter, spending time with friends, and watching movies and musicals. Sara says that CWTP, “This community fosters genuine friendships, creativity, and trust; all within a fun and supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to grow and try new things. Each experience has deepened my love for theatre and my appreciation for the gifts God has given me.”
Tommy Weber as Dr. Hubert Bonney
Tommy attends Christ Wesleyan Church and we are excited to welcome him to his first acting role with CWTP! He was Props Master for The Play That Goes Wrong and Props Master/Set Dresser for Anastasia with CWTP. Tommy is an Assistant Manager and social Media Director at The Well Coffee House. Tommy has a knack for learning different accents. His favorite things to do are tell stories and spend time with his nieces. Tommy says, “CWTP is made up of people who love theatre and are doing their best to connect with others that share this passion in an effort to bring a bit of joy, wonder, and love to our community”. Tommy would also like to thank his mother for her dedication in running lines with him.
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Angela Lannan as Matron
This is Angela’s first show with CWTP and we are excited to have her! She previously played Natalie in Do Not Resuscitate at Berwick balck Box. Angela is a Speech Therapist working with several cyber schools and intermediate Units. She has three kids, Owen, 15, Mya 12 and Lily 6. She enjoys reading and states, “Much like Dr. Seuss I will read in the house, with the mouse, in the car, both near and far.” Angela says she is, “very excited for my first time working with the group”.
Brent Mestach as Sir Willoughby Drake
Brent attends Christ Wesleyan and is their Creative Director of Communications/Broadcast. He has done multiple shows with CWTP. Brent was the beast for Evermore in Enchanted Evening, Maui & the Prince for Enchanted Evening, Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Statue in Mary Poppins: The Broadway Musical, Philip Lombard in And Then There Were None, Thomas Andrews in Titanic the Musical and Harry Monday in If It’s Monday, This Must Be Murder!.He also performed as Simon Stride in Jekyll & Hide at RiverStage Theatre. In 2011, Brent was a contestant on Season 9 of American Idol. His favorite thing to do is anything involving the fine arts. To anyone interested in CWTP Brent says, “Just do it”.
Special thanks to our VIP Patrons!
Angelina Santalucia
Elizabeth Ripka
Michelle Van Patten
Your support makes theatre possible at CWTP! Learn more about become a patron on our Patreon page!
Food, Fun, & Fireworks!
Come to CWC for a fun-filled tailgating event featuring an incredible fireworks show celebrating our nation’s freedom.
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Support the arts and our mission of providing excellent theatre coupled with the community of the local church. Learn more at our Patreon page!
Elizabeth Ripka as Jane Tate
Liz attends Christ Wesleyan Church and we are excited to have her back for her third CWPT show. She has played Annie in The Play That Goes Wrong and Comrade, Smoker, and Ballet Dancer in Anastasia at CWTP. Liz has performed various acting roles at Point Park University where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre.Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. She enjoys spending time with her family. Liz says CWTP, “Is a wonderful experience and very family friendly.
Angelina Santalucia as Sister
Angelina attends Community Baptist Church and has joined CWTP previously as Dunya and a reporter in Anastasia, Mary Poppins and Princess Anna in Enchanted Evening and a postulant/party guest in The Sound of Music. With Community Theatre League she has performed as Anastasia (soloist) in their Harmonies Concert and Sally in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. She has played as a maid/ensemble in The Little Mermaid, ensemble in Cinderella, and ensemble in Beauty and the Beast at The Community Arts Center. With the Home Grown Players she has portrayed Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, Bombur in The Hobbit, and soloist/ensemble in Fiddler on The Roof. She was Toddle in a radio play of Unlikely Wiseman with Lamplight Theatre. Angelina is a church youth leader, has traveled to Peru, and has been a camp couselor at Camp Susque for 6 years. She enjoyed listening to Adventures in Odyssey growing up and was able to take a class with the creator of the program and actors! She enjoys sharing her passion for the arts through singing, dancing, acting, playing guitar, and painting. She enjoys the outdoors and hiking/walks. She says of CWTP, “The directors and cast truly care for one another like family and are so supportive and encouraging. I deeply appreciate the uplifting Christian atmosphere that makes every production special”.
YouR SUpport Changes Lives
You can make a difference.
Child Sponsorship Guatemala is a program of Christ Wesleyan Church’s Global Missions supporting children in Guatemala. The program promotes powerful change in children's lives through education, medical care, and food. Sponsored children are more likely to finish secondary school, complete a university education, have salaried employment, and become community and church leaders.
Maddy Bucher as Leslie
This is Maddy’s third show with CWTP. She has played various roles in Enchanted Evening and the role of Anastasia in Anastasia at CWTP and Fiona in Shrek: The Musical, Aquata in The Little Mermaid, and Meredith Priestly in A Highschool Christmas Carol at Selinsgrove Area High School. She has also played Rapunzel in Into the Woods at Riverstage Community Theatre. Maddy plans to be a social worker or a teacher. She loves crocheting, listening to music, and being creative! Maddy says that CWTP “has been such a positive experience with such wonderful people, and I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity”. She would like to thank her parents for their endless love and support and her high school choir teacher/musical director for her encouragement and professional-level vocal training.
Caitlin Meleski as Sergeant
This is Caitlin’s third show at CWTP. She sang Friend Like Me and Under the Sea in our Enchanted Evenings. Caitlin performed as Robin in The Merry Wives of Windsor at Gaspipe Theatre Company, Cordelia Hull and Ensemble in Annieat Salt & Light Theatre and Sally Perks in PUFFS at Riverstage. Caitlin is a freelance graphic designer who loves designing theatrical posters and listening to and singing Broadway tracks. She says CWTP, “Took the time to see me and work with me to improve both my singing and acting skills and also support my own creative output”.
Our Church Cares
Our church is a safe place for you to find community, purpose, and family as you discover how a connection with Jesus will change your life.
Come as you are to see what a relationship with Jesus looks like!
See you Sunday!
Learn more about our service times, campuses, events, and more at cwc.lfe.
Cale Blakely as Bill
This will be Cale’s 47th show he as performed in! This is his second show with CWTP. Some of the roles he has played are Dmitry in Anastasia at CWTP, Dwayne in 9 to 5: The Musical at Community Theatre League, Lounge Singer in Dogfight at NRT, and Mayor Dobbs in Bright Star at Thespians. Cale enjoys reading and playing cards. Cale recently proposed to his girlfriend and... she said yes! Cale says, “It’s been a very welcoming experience here and would recommend you to give it a try if you have any interest”.
Susan Diffenderfer as Mother
This is Susan’s second show with CWTP. She previously played Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music at CWTP. Susan has performed in other shows such as: Mistress Page in Merry Wives of Windsor, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing and Quince in Midsummer Night’s Dream at Gaspipe Theatre, Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods, Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music and Gallahad’s Mother/a guard in Spamalot at RiverStage Theatre, and Parent/Peppermint In Lewisburg Victorian Nutcracker for Strictly Ballet at RiverStage. Susan enjoys singing and hanging out with her family and friends. When it comes to CWTP Susan says, “Very welcoming. I’m having a blast”.
CWC Kidz Camp
Games, snacks, inflatables, crafts, and more at this carnival themed camp for kids age 4 through 6th grade.
Register your kids for this favorite summer event!
Past Shows at Christ Wesleyan Theatre Productions
