Kids, No Pets, Maybe Whores

  • Tina Eyer

    ANITA

    Although new to Encore Players, Tina has enjoyed a long run in the local community scene since 1999. A sampling of favorite roles includes, Nancy French (Grand Horizons), Edna Edison (Prisoner of Second Avenue), Fonsia Dorsey (The Gin Game), Martha Livingston (Agnes of God), Amanda Wingfield (The Glass Menagerie), Thelma Cates ("Night, Mother"), and Deputy Chief Danforth (The Crucible).

  • Jan Quarles

    CYBIL

    Jan Quarles has a dance background, but this is her first attempt at acting. Hailing from Demarest, NJ, she attended Harvard College and did a gap year in France. Decades ago she settled on a grain and bean farm near Sheldrake Point and became a community organizer for democracy and the environment. Currently she promotes citizens’ sustainability initiatives for S.T.E.P.S. in Ovid. Gratitude to her daughter, Havana Jorrin, for unwavering encouragement.

  • Dave Williams

    LEON

    Dave Williams is a semi-regular in Encore productions. His favorite roles include Liberty Valance here, Hamm in Endgame in Ohio, and the title role in Dr. Faustus on Taiwan. In his spare time, he paints, composes questions for a trivia contest, does gardening and landscaping, and paddles with the Ithaca Dragon Boat Club. Miss you, Mom.

  • Andy Weintraub

    DIRECTOR

    Before moving to Trumansburg, Andy Weintraub founded The Rhinebeck Theatre Society (1986) and The CENTER for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck (1993). Since his arrival, he as directed two shows for Encore Players - Magic and Marionettes in April, 2023, at the Ulysses Historical Society; and Inherit The Wind in February, 2024, at the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts. He is grateful to Encore for entrusting him, once again, with directorial responsibilities.

Sure Thing

  • Mary Bouchard

    BETTY

    A resident of Trumansburg for most of her adult life, Mary Bouchard spent her formative years in the 1000 Islands in northern New York.  She came late to acting, having first played a munchkin in the Encore Players' presentation of The Wizard of Oz in 2017, followed by roles in several other Encore productions.  In her spare time, she keeps bees and makes mead, dotes on her granddaughter, and lives with her husband and three cats.

  • Gary Weissbrot

    BILL, DIRECTOR

    Gary Weissbrot has been treading the boards for over 40 years, including many local venues, e.g., The Hangar, The Kitchen, The Firehouse Theatre, and Ithaca Shakespeare Company. He thought he had hung up his acting boots until he recently discovered the Encore Players. After playing Henry Drummond in their recent production of Inherit the Wind, he was rehooked. As always, this one’s for you Lizzie.

I'll Fly Away

  • Vito Brancato

    POPPY

    This is perhaps a fitting role for thespian.  He plays an aging grandfather, which he is in real life and his actual children called him “Poppy” growing up.  As a teacher of many years, he half-jokingly referred to his teaching as “five shows a day, five days a week.”   Vito’s on-stage acting includes playing a gangster in a production of Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate, a deceased watchman and lawyer in Encore Players’ Spoon River and a junkman and strong man in its production of Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang. 

  • Claire Olney

    RACHEL

    This is Claire’s first encore production. She’s going into her sophomore year at Trumansburg High School. She has been in Puffs, HONK!, Beauty and the Beast jr., and many other shows. When Claire’s not acting she enjoys reading, skiing, and biking. Claire is very excited to be a part of this show.

  • Nancy Preston

    DIRECTOR

    Nancy loves the art of acting and has participated in theatrical projects off and on for many years, including studying in D.C. and Atlanta and teaching in Steamboat Springs. She feels lucky working with all the fun, talented, generous, and kind people at Encore Players and appreciates the creative opportunities offered in Trumansburg. Nancy thanks Torin, Ebba, Claire and Vito for playing with her, and gives a big shout-out to her husband, Douglas Lockwood.

The Banishment Room

  • Jerry Kraus

    MR. BILLINGS

    Jerry Kraus appeared in the Encore Players’ inaugural production of Oliver! as Mr. Bumble, and also as Baron Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Prince Herbert’s Father in Spamalot. Jerry was an All-American lacrosse player at Hobart College in his hometown of Geneva, NY, and was a member of two NCAA Championship teams. He and his wife, Lori, reside in Trumansburg and have three grown children and three grandchildren under 18 months.

  • Laura Mielenhausen

    DIANE

    A Trumansburg resident since 2021, Laura is excited to return to the stage after making her Encore Players debut in last summer's Spamalot. Laura is a librarian and musician who sometimes sings with the Trumansburg Community Chorus and sometimes performs original songs under the alias Laura Holmes. Laura thanks her husband Robert and sons Gus and Ozzy for their ongoing support of all her creative endeavors. 

  • Carissa Parlato

    AMY

    Originally from a nearby small town, Carissa returned to the area after several years in California to be closer to waterfalls, geese, lakes, and softserve. You may have interacted with her in other aspects of her life in Trumansburg such as local government or a euchre game. This is her first performance with the Encore Players after auditioning on a whim. We’ll see if she shows up in future performances.

  • Katie Behr

    DIRECTOR

    Katie is thrilled to make her solo directorial debut with Encore Players. She was last seen having the time of her life as The Lady of the Lake in last summer's production of Spamalot. Other selected credits include Dark Hearts: A Villain's Caberet (co-writer, co-director, Morticia), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Baroness Bombhurst), The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy Gale), Artifice (Maggie), Lucky Stiff (Rita LaPorta), Godspell (Morgan), 35MM: A Musical Exhibition (The Cajun/The Sinner/The Broad), Hostage Song (Jennifer), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (The Bandleader), and RENT (Bag Lady/Mrs. Jefferson). Huge thanks to everyone who has helped me finally get here! And to Benn and Isla...I love you 3000.

Stairway To Heaven

(directed by Nancy Preston)

  • Ebba Knapp

    ELISA

    Ebba Knapp is happy to be in her first Encore Players show! You may have seen her in R2P’s Seussical as Jojo, as the “Rock and roll!” Electric Skate in SpongeBob, or as Chef Louis in The Little Mermaid, Jr. This is her second show working with her brother Torin, and she can’t wait to do more shows with them.

  • Torin Knapp

    GIL

    Torin is excited to be back for another show with the Encore Players! They have been doing theatre for a little under 2 years now, having previously performed in Spongebob the Musical! And Honk! with Running to Places of Ithaca. And they can’t wait to do more.

The Inauguration

  • Sarah Davidson

    PAULETTE

    This is Sarah Davidson’s fourth performance with the Encore Players. As a child and young adult, she always enjoyed being on stage. She is thrilled to be acting as an adult. Sarah moved to Ithaca, from Oregon, 8 years ago. She is a special education teacher who teaches at TST BOCES. Sarah is also the mom of a 14 year old boy, an 11 year old girl, and the sweetest and happiest Beagle mix named Ginger.

  • Rebecca Johnson

    DINA

    This will be her second appearance with Encore Players.  She feels very blessed to be a part of this wonderful group of talented people.  It was a great experience during her debut with Bermuda Shorts two years ago and now with the Briefs Edition. She loves to sing and play the piano. She loves to hike, bike and kayak especially here in Upstate New York where her and her husband have spent their summer/fall months for the last four years. She works as a surgical nurse in Yuma, AZ for American Vision Partners during the winter and spring months.

  • Kerr Mesner

    ALEX

    Kerr finds such delight in his involvement with Encore! He is a Theatre of the Oppressed facilitator, activist, writer, and a proud member of Transpose: Ithaca Queer Singers Alliance. He toured with a number of children’s theatre productions, and has also written and performed solo pieces about LGBTQ issues.

  • Chris & Jen Westling

    DIRECTORS

    Chris & Jen joined Encore Players in 2021 in The Man with Bogart's Face. They have played many roles between the two of them, both offstage and on, including Chris's turn as King Arthur in last summer's Spamalot! and Jen's in February's Inherit the Wind. The both enjoy serving on the Encore Players board and this is their second time directing together.

Best Lei'd Plans

  • Anne Bialke

    KAREN

    Anne Bialke (Encore Players co-founder) is happy to be onstage with her dear friend and collaborator Alice Ploss, having the kind of fun they envisioned when Encore was created! Anne has a long history in theatre -- backstage, onstage and in the director's chair, having directed ten fully-staged shows for Encore Players, most recently last summer's smash hit, Spamalot. Anne paints, sings, cares for her family and her animals, and loves living on Loch Ridge Farm with Bill Bialke!

  • Alice Ploss

    TRICIA, DIRECTOR

    Alice Ploss loves to be working behind the scenes music directing for Encore shows, but she finds being on stage a total gas! Alice made her mother sit and watch her improvised plays when she was in elementary school; now she's living the dream! Her Encore Players stage credits include comedic roles in Artifice, Dark Hearts, Murder and Mayhem in Grove Cemetery, and Cayuga Canal Girls. She'd like to thank Robin for his life-time of support.