Thank you to our production
sponsors and supporters!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Bend, Oregon - Open Space Event Studios
220 NE Lafayette Ave, Bend, OR 97701
Friday, April 5 - 7PM (Actor and Director Talk Back following)
Saturday, April 6 - 2PM & 7PM (Expert Panel Discussion following matinee)
Sisters, Oregon - Sisters Firehouse Community Hall
301 S Elm St, Sisters, OR 97759
Saturday, April 13 - 2PM & 7PM
Redmond, Oregon - High Desert Music Hall
818 SW Forest Ave, Redmond, OR 97756
Sunday, April 14 - 2PM & 7PM
La Pine, Oregon - La Pine Senior Activity Center
16450 Victory Way, La Pine, OR 97739
Saturday, April 20 - 2PM & 7PM (Actor and Director Talk Back following matinee)
Prineville, Oregon - Bowman Historical Museum
** Donation only performance **
246 N Main St, Prineville, OR 97754
Sunday, April 21 - 2PM
Bend, Oregon - Westside Church
2051 NW Shevlin Park Rd, Bend, OR 97703
Friday, April 26 - 7PM
Bend, Oregon - Partners In Care
2611 Courtney Drive, Bend OR 97701
Saturday, April 27 - 7PM (Expert Panel Discussion at 3:30PM)
Help us find a cure for ALS - Donate Today!
Members of the cast, creative team, leadership, and volunteers of ETC will be participating in the Walk ALS Fundraiser on April 28, 2024.
We have a goal to raise $5,000 to support ALS research needed to find a cure. Your contribution of ANY amount is greatly appreciated.
Interested in joining the walk?
Use the Donate link above to sign up to join our team!
Walk ALS Fundraiser Walk
Riverbend Park - 799 SW Columbia St, Bend, OR 97702
Sunday, April 28 - 11AM
CAST BIOS
Craig Brauner (Mitch Albom) Much of what is depicted in Tuesdays with Morrie Craig experienced when he was 10 years old with his grandfather, George Joseph Brauner, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2000, and through the palliative care journey of his mother, Vickie, who was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2015 and passed in 2020. He is thankful for a process that has allowed him to take the pain of the past and transform it through the power of theatre. Originally from Kentucky, Craig has starred in over 80 productions across the country. Notable credits include King Lear, Man of La Mancha, A Tale of Two Cities, Peter and the Starcatcher, Tartuffe, Present Laughter, Clybourne Park, The Full Monty, Rent, As You Like It, The Tempest, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. Recent directing credits include Fun Home, Circle Mirror Transformation and Songs for a New World. He obtained his MFA in Acting from the University of California-Irvine where he was 1 of 8 accepted and attended on full scholarship, and a BFA from the University of Evansville. Craig is a proud Founding Member and current President of Ellipse Theatre Community. For more information, please visit www.craigbrauner.com
Ed Mierjeski (Morrie Schwartz) is sincerely humbled to portray the role of Morrie Schwartz in this exquisitely crafted story which explores the many layers of what it means to be human. He hopes it will touch you in a personal way as it addresses questions going to the core of our lives, including family, love, illness, our individual search for meaning and eventually death. As you learn of the reunion of a student with his former professor, recently diagnosed with ALS, the story goes deeper and takes you on an unforgettable journey into what we continue to learn about ourselves as we progress through our experiences and the resulting and ongoing “lessons in living.” Ed’s previous appearances include most recently portraying Grandpa in You Can’t Take It with You and Dr. Bessner in Murder on the Nile (2023). He also appeared in Shakespeare in Hollywood (Max Reinhardt, 2022), Spamalot, the Musical (2013) and The Producers (2012), as well as many others in between. Ed wants to thank the entire team behind our production, and for the countless hours of work in bringing this collaborative effort to its fruition.
CREATIVE BIOS
Mark Baron (Director) is a trained singer, actor, and improviser who's been performing for over 20 years. Most recently, he appeared in two of ETC’s productions -- as Peter Shaw in Silent Sky and Craig Fox in ETC's world premiere of Craig Fox Had a Wife. Mark has even been known to play an ‘ass’ as Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream with Bend's Guerrilla Shakespeare Company. Prior to moving to Bend, Mark held several lead operatic roles with The Savoy Company of Philadelphia. Mark is humbled to be sharing this important and very meaningful story with you all today and hopes it will open up your world of understanding. Thank you to my entire cast and crew for your tireless work; you ALL inspire me! A special thanks to Debbie Levin, Suzie Hughes, and Raechel Gilland for always encouraging me. And especially to Juliah Rae, my mentor, for reminding my heart of why I love Theatre. Lastly, I dedicate this performance to my dear wife, Justine. Thank you for your endless love, support, and always reminding me that I AM good enough to do this work.
Melissa Fitzgerald (Stage Manager) is delighted to be part of the Tuesdays with Morrie behind the scenes crew, following her first stint as Stage Manager for Ellipse Theater Community’s Here on the Flight Path. Melissa spends her days as an Operations Manager for a clinical research ethics startup that focuses on gene and cell therapy, oncology, and rare disease research. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she and her husband Jon moved to Bend, Oregon in 2019 and love taking in all the natural wonders that Central Oregon has to offer.
Amy Anderton (Immersive Theatre Producer) Amy has been humbled and grateful for the process of bringing Tuesdays with Morrie and the “ALS and End of Life Awareness” events to our Central Oregon communities. A few years ago, Amy walked by the side of dear friends who received an ALS diagnosis, so she understands how devastating this disease is for the patients AND their families. Amy is on the Board of Ellipse Theatre Community, and you may have seen her on stages around Bend. Theatre is a passion of Amy’s and she enjoys every part of it: acting, dancing, singing, and producing! Amy wants to thank you for coming to Tuesdays with Morrie and the associated Immersive Events.
Debbie Levin (Producer) has been an active supporter of community theatre for over 30 years, serving in the roles of actor, set designer, costumer, stage manager, producer and marketer. As a Director, she has led over 20 productions, including 18 main stage productions at several theaters in The Hudson Valley, NY, Western CT and most recently here in Bend. She served for 10 years on the Board of the Brewster Theater Company in NY from its incorporation in 2000, acting as Vice-President for two years and President for four years, and is now a Founding Member and Secretary of Ellipse Theatre Community. Many thanks to the cast and crew of this production for their amazing talent, dedication and hard work!
Barbra Rich (Sound Design) is a voice actor/sound designer by day as owner of Richcraft Studios and musician/actor by night. She frequently sings with the Cascade Chorale and Jazz Central, and she has been seen on stage in productions including Queen Lear, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love, Loss & What I Wore, Little Women - The Musical, Evanescent and Arcadia in addition to producing numerous audiobooks. Her technical expertise has been featured in the sound designs for Steel Magnolias, Here on the Flight Path, Craig Fox Had a Wife, A Christmas Story, A Wrinkle in Time, Peter Pan, The Neverending Story, A Child Shall Lead, Shakespeare in Hollywood, and Something Rotten! She is thrilled to be working with ETC again on Tuesdays with Morrie.
Eric Denzler (Lighting Design) has enjoyed illuminating live theatre since 2014, designing and lighting numerous shows around Bend and Central Oregon with Ellipse Theatrical Community, BEAT Children’s Theater, and others. His most recent light and shadow work was on ETC’s Silent Sky, and BEAT’s Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Find your light.
Eddie Lampe (Lighting Operator) has found theater to be very rewarding for him. He had the opportunity to tour Hawaii and Japan as a child with Ah, Wilderness! and All the Way Home. He enjoys living in Central Oregon and is grateful for the opportunities he has had in the local theater community. Recent roles include John in Here on the Flight Path, Henry in Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web, and Male Ensemble in Craig Fox Had a Wife.
Warren Schweitzer (Sound Operator) is studying Psychology at OSU Cascades. He made his debut as Sound Operator with Ellipse Theatre Community’s production of Silent Sky last fall after a lengthy hiatus while focusing on his studies. He recently returned to the stage in the role of the Rabbi in CTC’s production of Fiddler on the Roof. In his spare time, Warren enjoys comedy, doing improv, cooking and the presence of dogs.
Charlotte Dadabay (Stage Crew) first joined Ellipse Theatre Community in late 2022 as sound operator for Craig Fox Had a Wife. She is a sound operator and recently began training in lighting design, as well. Most recently, she worked with Silent Echo Theatre Co. on their productions of One Acts (Sound Operator) and Steel Magnolias (Light Operator). She was also on stage crew for Silent Sky (ETC). Charlotte loves community theatre, especially the stories that are shared and how they move the audience. She loves being a part of the theatre community, learning sound and lighting design, and is happy to help wherever she is needed. She is excited to be involved with Tuesdays with Morrie. When not working in community theatre, she enjoys playing outside with her new two-year-old pup, Darla, and finding local music around town. Her full-time profession is working with Oregon Adaptive Sports as an adaptive ski instructor, as well as community facilitator for recreation activities in the summer.