created and performed by RCSA Fall 2024 Devised Theatre  Workshop Students
directed by Nick Hrutkay

A group of kids calling themselves The Midnight Circle gather around a campfire on a cold winter night to tell spooky tales… with a holiday twist!

Inspired by 90s classics like Are You Afraid of the Dark? and The Midnight Club, this eerie show blends nostalgic scares with a touch of festive cheer. But there’s more—this show is a true product of devised theater, where the talented students in RCSA’s program have taken this exciting framework to write and develop their unique characters and script. It’s a performance written by kids, for kids—and everyone else too! Prepare for a chillingly fun adventure with original stories and a holiday spin on spooky campfire tales!

Celebrate the holiday season with Raue Center School For The Arts. Our audiences will experience a production in which cast members, in collaboration with a creative team, collectively developed a new 60-minute piece without an existing script, with the cast members also taking on the role of performers. The process of a devised production allows our cast members to enhance their skills in collaboration, ensemble work, improv, acting, and playwriting which they then get to share with our audiences.

Prepare to share in the laughs, the music, and much more as we bring an original holiday tale to the Raue stage! Directed by award-winning theatre artist, Nick Hrutkay and Musically Directed by Raue Center For The Arts resident Music Director, James Mablin.

This Goosebumps-style performance contains spooky stories and may not be suitable for all ages.

Approximate Running Time: 60-minutes

ABOUT DEVISED THEATRE:

Devised Theatre is loosely defined as collaboratively creating a new work without a pre-existing script wherein the collaborators are also the performers. In the standard theatre model, a single playwright writes the text, and then a director casts actors and selects designers to interpret that text, resulting in a theatre production. With Devised Theatre, however, the collective artists begin without a script. A devised piece of theatre can start with anything: a painting, a song, a real-life event, a novel to adapt, non-fiction interviews, a photograph, poetry, etc. Multiple ways to devise exist. This process requires great creativity, collaboration, and the ability to create/learn new material to mount a world-premiere production.

Approximate Running Time: 60-minutes | No Intermission

A special holiday thank you to the following:

Volunteers and Staff

Our Parent Support Committee
Antike Mema, Naomi Unverzagt, Maria Gonzales, Cheryl Sturtevant,
Erin Verba, and Emily Truscott.

Kim Scharlow

D155 Micro Internship Program

Sponsored by

CAST

(In alphabetical order)
Asher Gonzales…….Atticus
Chloe Graham…….Chloe
Quinn Grider……. Madelyn
Azaria Mema……. Amelia
Reyden Mema……. Harry
Riley Petersen……. Joseph
Addyson Rebman…… Annaliese
Ava Sturtevant……. Marley
Frank Truscott….. Steven
Gabby Tsuryk…… Harley
Julia Unverzagt…… Summer
Hanna Verba…… Hattie

CREATIVE TEAM

Rob Scharlow
RCSA Director of Education

Nick Hrutkay
Director

James Mablin
Music Director/Raue Center Resident Music Director

Jessie Higgins
Stage Manager/Props Designer

Chole Graham
Assistant Stage Manager

Amy Cole
Costume Designer

Anna Burke
Scenic Designer

Tasha Guevara
Sound Designer

Ryan Meadows
Production Manager/
Lighting Designer & Board Op

Chris Tumblin
Director of Production/
Audio Engineer & Board Op

Lisa Giebler
Technical Director

Cast Bios

Asher Gonzales (Atticus) – is a 6th grader at Marlowe Middle School and he’s been in numerous other shows. Most recently, Asher was seen in RCSA’s Summer Camp Production of Moana Jr as one of the Chief Ancestors. He’s incredibly grateful to be in The Midnight (Holiday) Circle, especially since it’s unlike anything he’s ever done before. He’d like to thank his family and friends for helping him out during the production.

Quinn Grider (Madelyn) – Quinn is excited to return to the stage with RCSA for the second time. She was last seen in their productions of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. She continues to develop her acting skills and passion for performing. Quinn is thrilled to bring her character to life but other than acting and performing she enjoys practicing sports, especially volleyball, and spending time with friends and family. She would like to thank her family, friends, and teachers for their encouragement and support. A special thanks to Quinn’s parents for their endless love, guidance, and belief in her dreams. Happy holidays!!

Azaria Mema (Amelia) – is very excited for this year’s show. She’s very happy to be working with Nick again. Azaria has been part of classes and productions with Raue Center School For The Arts and was in last year’s Devised Christmas show, The Disturbing Disappearance of St. Nicholas. She was part of the Fundamentals of Performance class this past February, appeared in their production of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and is thrilled to be part of The Midnight (Holiday) Circle. She thanks RCSA for giving her the opportunity to be a part of this amazing team again. She also thanks her family and friends for their support.

Reyden Mema (Harry) – is so happy to be working with Raue Center School For The Arts and Nick again. Reyden has been in three shows including last year’s Disturbing Disappearance of St. Nicholas. He also made an appearance in Diary of a Wimpy Kid as Manny Hefley and is excited to be part of this year’s, The Midnight (Holiday) Circle. He is very thankful for the opportunity with RCSA and to work with the amazing crew members. He thanks all his friends and family for all their support for acting.

Riley Petersen (Joseph) – is very excited to be back with Raue Center School For The Arts. Previously, Riley has performed in The Wizard of Oz (Uncle Henry); Shrek the Musical (Papa Bear); The Disturbing Disappearance of St. Nicholas (Louie the Elf); Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Rodrick); and The Curious Savage (Hannibal). In addition to acting, he enjoys gaming and writing. He would like to thank his family, friends, and his amazing girlfriend for believing in him. This one’s for you Uncle Ron.

Addyson Rebman (Annaliese) – is beyond thrilled to be a part of The Midnight (Holiday) Circle as Annalise. Addyson is 14 years old, and she is currently a freshman at McHenry High school.  This is her 9th theater production and 3rd time performing with Raue Center. You may recognize her from last year’s Devised Christman production of The Disturbing Disappearance of St. Nicholas. You may also recognize her from Elf: The Musical, Sound of Music and A Christmas Carol, or Raue Center School For The Arts summer performance of Seussical Jr. Addyson would like to thank everyone in this production and her family for believing in her and pushing her to be her best! She would also like to thank her siblings, who deal with her singing at the crack of dawn (Sorry not sorry. Love you!) Break a leg, everyone!! This one’s for you, Papa.

Ava Sturtevant (Marley) – is excited to be a part of this devised production of The Midnight (Holiday) Circle as Marley. This will be Ava’s first show with Raue Center School For The Arts, and has previously been in 9 other shows! Her most recent appearances were for Woodstock’s Children Summer Theater for her third year as a Blind Mouse in the production of Shrek. At her old middle school, she did theater every year. Previously, she was Glinda in The Wizard of Oz, at Creekside. She has also participated and completed each level of Acting Through Movement class for RCSA, with her amazing teacher, Tasha Guevara. She is a freshman at Woodstock High School and a part of treble choir, her favorite school class. She is 14 and would like to thank all her friends and family, especially her choir teacher Mr. Jozwiak and her grandparents. Her character is named after Marlene, her grandma. Enjoy the Show!

Frank Truscott (Steven) – is a 5th grader at Indian Prairie Elementary, and this is his fifth show with Raue Center School For The Arts. He previously appeared as a Villager in Moana Jr., Newsie in A Ghost Tale for Charles Dickens Jr, Vlad Vladikoff/Cameraman in Seussical Kids, and John in Peter Pan. He also plays football for the Crystal Lake Raiders. Frank enjoys reading, drawing, animating, and playing video games.

Gabby Tsuryk (Harley) – Gabriella is a 10-year-old with a passion for the arts and a wide range of interests. She plays the saxophone and participates in acting classes at her school, where she excels in drama. Gabriella is also a dedicated member of her school’s choir at Prairie Grove School. She loves singing, sketching, reading, and traveling, which allow her to explore new ideas and express her creativity in many different ways.

Julia Unverzagt (Summer) – is so excited to be in her third production for Raue Center School For The Arts. She previously appeared as Te Ka/Te Fiti in Moana Jr. and as Parry Ferrell in Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Julia loves everything: acting, singing and dancing. She has studied at the Judith Svalander School of Ballet, Cary Grove Performing Arts Center, the Metropolis Theatre and with RSCA. When not on stage, Julia enjoys reading, going to performances and spending time with her oversized cat.

Hanna Verba (Hattie) – is so excited for her first time being in a production for Raue Center School For The Arts! Hanna was previously in her school musical as Sebastian from The Little Mermaid Jr. Hanna has been acting and doing choir lessons at Encore Music Academy for about two years and decided to take a break and try some productions at Raue Center. She thinks it has been an amazing experience! Some of the shows Hanna has been in include, Willy Wonka Jr., and Newsies Jr. Hanna would like to thank her family and friends for their support!

Production Bios

Rob Scharlow (RCSA Director of Education) – is an award-winning director, with over 35 years of experience in the performing arts, working nationwide as a director, actor, teacher, and more. For 17 years, he was part of the internationally acclaimed performing arts training center, Stagedoor Manor, in New York. There, he held various roles, including director, and teacher, spent 11 years as the Director of Education, and served as Associate Artistic Director.

He is thrilled to continue developing the education program here at Raue Center. It’s hard to believe he just completed his first year as Director of Education for Raue Center School For The Arts. During that time, not only did he oversee, develop, and manage all the educational programming, but also directed their production of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical and workshop of the new musical Static: Noise of a New Musical over the summer. He recently finished a 6-week run as Brian in WSRep’s production of Avenue Q, which is Raue Center’s professional theatre company.

Nick Hrutkay (Director) – Nick Hrutkay is an award-winning director, arts leader, and educator based in Pittsburgh. He has spent nine seasons on the artistic staff at Stagedoor Manor where he is currently the Director of Education and Assistant Artistic Director and is an Adjunct Professor at Point Park University.

His work has been seen on Off and Off-Off Broadway, and across the country having directed over 80 productions at theaters, including Theatre Row, The Brick, Alchemical Studios, The Kennedy Center, Central Square Theater, The Media Theatre, Hippodrome Theatre, Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Playwrights Local, The Huron Playhouse, Keystone Repertory Theatre, Point Park University, and Stagedoor Manor.

Nick is the former Artistic Director of Keystone Repertory Theater and The Huron Playhouse, one the longest-running summer stock theaters in the United States. He has overseen several new work development initiatives, currently spearheading the Musical Theatre Junior Lab at Point Park University focusing on cultivating new musicals, and has served as a Dramaturg for Dramafest at Stagedoor Manor leading the annual new work festival while mentoring students whose selected plays were published through Stephen Sondheim’s Young Playwrights Inc. He has also been heavily involved with The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival having three world premiere productions, “The Embalmer,” “Black Friday: The Musical,” and “Discovering Eden,” invited to perform in the Region 2 Fringe Festival.

 
He has taught at Point Park University, Stagedoor Manor, Hippodrome Theatre, Quantum Theatre, Stagedoor Manor Studios, Stagedoor Manor College Connection, Raue Center School for the Arts, The Huron Playhouse, Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks, and Pittsburgh Musical Theater, where he was the Chair of the Acting Department for the PMT Conservatory.

 
Nick is the recipient of an ArtWorks Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region 2/Stage Directors and Choreographers Society Fellowship, a Broadway World Award for Best Director of a Musical, and has been honored with over a dozen other award nominations. He holds a BA in Theater from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is a member of DirectorsLabChicago. nickhrutkay.com 

James Mablin (Music Director) hails from London, England. He has musically directed and/or played Keyboards in over a hundred shows. Favorites include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat (UK Tour), Whistle Down the Wind (UK Tour), High School Musical (World Premiere – Stagedoor Manor, NY), Caroline or Change (Cyrano’s Theatre Company, AK), Little Shop of Horrors (Thin Air Theatre Company, CO), The Toxic Avenger (Thin Air Theatre Company, CO) and Into the Woods (Slow Burn Theatre Company, FL).

As an educator, James ran the musical theatre program at a large college in London, was a professor & musical theatre specialist at The Yale School of Drama, and most recently on the Musical Theatre faculty at Auburn University as their resident Music Director. James was also the Associate Artistic Director and head of the music department at Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center, named one of the top summer theatre programs in the world.

James has written the vocal arrangements and musically directed opening and closing numbers for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade including the Emmy award-winning song “Join Our Parade”. In January of 2024, James stepped into the role of Resident Music Director for Williams Street Rep and Raue Center for the Arts. He is thrilled to be a part of this thriving community.

Jessie Higgins (Stage Manager) – is excited to return to the Raue Center and RCSA, having previously served as Stage Manager for Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical and Static: Noise of a New Musical with RCSA and serving as Assistant Stage Manager on the Williams Street Rep production of An Act of God. As a freelance Stage Manager based in Cleveland, she has worked primarily throughout the eastern US. Jessie spent ten summers working at Stagedoor Manor in New York, spending six of those summers serving as a Production Stage Manager. Favorite past productions include Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville…, Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty…(Cleveland Play House); Heathers: High School Edition, Beauty and the Beast (Stagedoor Manor); Groundhog Day, Legally Blonde (Slow Burn Theatre Company). She would like to thank Jack and her parents for their endless support.

Anna Burke (Scenic Designer) is delighted to be making her professional debut with Raue Center School For the Arts. Recent/Favorite credits include Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Pillars of Salt, both produced by Columbia College Chicago. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Design and Technology from Columbia College and is based in Chicago. More at AnnaBurkeDesign.com

Amy Cole (Costumer Designer) – has a degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan, but her creative flair has steered her path in a different direction. After getting involved with theater as a parent volunteer when her children were the performers, she has expanded her experience and talent to design costumes for Boeing Boeing (Three Brothers Theatre), Seussical (Standing Ovation Theatre Academy), Die Fledermaus (Northwestern University Opera), and many other schools, park districts, and theater groups in the Chicago area. She has also worked in various other offstage roles including choreographer for Nunsense and stage management for Proof. She is the Company Manager for Red Clay Dance Company and a school bus driver.

Lisa Giebler (Technical Director) has worked in the Chicagoland area for over 15 years as a carpenter, painter, and mixed-material artist. She has worked in mostly educational theatre, but is happy to join the Raue team as the Technical Director for WSRep and RCSA.

Chloe Graham (Assistant Stage Manager/RCSA Shadowing Program/Chloe) – Chloe Graham is so excited to be a part of this production of The Midnight (Holiday) Circle. She has stage managed and assistant directed 4 productions in the past, and next weekend she is going to stage manage her 6th production, Six: Teen Edition at Prairie Ridge HS. Chloe loved seeing this show come together, and is so proud of all the hard work the kids put into it. She would like to thank the whole production team for this wonderful opportunity. And she hopes you enjoy the show! 

Tasha Guevara (Sound Designer) – hails from Trinidad and grew up in Brooklyn New York, Tasha recalls always being deeply impressed by music and movies. Some of her earliest music education moments came via browsing the 45 record collections of her uncles. Though music was among her first loves, Tasha for many years pursued her career in Acting and Education. She has held DJ residencies all over NYC and has served as a sound designer for multiple theater companies. She also has several independent movies, TV appearances, and commercials under her belt. In her spare time, she served as a teaching artist in the NYC school system. Tasha also spends time teaching classes for Raue Center School For The Arts but is thrilled to be working on the production side of things this time around.

Ryan Meadow (Production Manager/Lighting Designer) has over ten years of experience in the theater and corporate audio-visual industries with a background in Production Lighting and video. Ryan enjoys planning and executing different projects and helping to bring someone’s dream and imagination to life. He also enjoys working in the performing arts on all levels from people with a newfound interest in the arts all the way to experienced acts keeping their passion alive and helping to inspire the next generation of performers.

Chris Tumblin (Director of Production/Assist. Lighting Designer) is excited to be back at Raue Center since his tenure from 2002-2012. After gaining additional experience at other venues, he returned in October 2022. Chris brings with him over 20 years of experience.

RAUE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
STAFF LIST

Richard Kuranda
Raue Center CEO & Founding Artistic Director of Williams Street Repertory

Justin Wellington
Managing Director

Jenna Klaproth
Operations Manager

Meredith Schaefer-Flowers
Director of Marketing &
Institutional Advancement

Michele V. Knight
Marketing Manager

James Knight
Economic Development Manager

Rob Scharlow
Raue Center School for the Arts
Director of Education

Maribeth Ling
Front of House Manager

Chris Tumblin
Raue Center Director of Production

Lisa Giebler
Technical Director

Ryan Meadow
Raue Center Production Manager

James Mablin
Resident Music Director

Box Office Associates
Naomi Unverzagt
Max Powers

RAUE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tim Paul
Board President

John Jacobsen
Vice President

Jerry Trachsler
Treasurer

Luanne Flavin
Secretary

John Green
Mike H. Johnson
Richard Kuranda
Jack Minsley
Rich Naponelli
Michelle Nowland
Sandra Pierce
Regan Shepley
Chuck Stevens
Steven Szalaj

Stacey McInerney
Volunteer Liaison