Barn Volunteers
Volunteer of the Month ~ February 2011
Pamela Rybarczyk
Volunteer of the Month ~ January 2011
Diana Matson
Diana Matson has been involved with the Theater since she was a teenager and can remember when we did shows in other venues prior to moving in to the Theater Barn itself. Over the years she has served in many capacities. She has helped with multiple renovations and personally spent hundreds of hours working here during the big renovation in the mid 1990s. She has served on the board in many capacities, most recently as president before moving on to raise her two boys. To recognize her many contributions to the Barn, Diana was recognized with a Lifetime Membership to the Theater Barn.
Never really going that far away Diana has helped kept involved in smaller ways as life circumstances permitted. Now that the boys are older she has returned to produce and perform in some of our Theater for Young Audience series programs including the most recent production Blues…Party bringing the boys along and introducing them to the wonderful world of live theater.
Congratulations to Diana on being selected to be our first Volunteer of the Month for 2011.
Volunteer of the Month ~ December 2010
Tom Devlin
Tom Devlin has mainly been seen onstage at the barn but recently took on the role of associate producer in the successful run of Enchanted April. In addition, Tom helped coordinate props and helped backstage during the production of the show. Tom plans loves acting roles and next, he pland to help the barn get the word out about what a great venue and talent the barn offers the community.
In his outside life Tom has a Masters Degree in Leadership and Strategic Management from Manhattanville College in Purchase NY. He has a strong sales background and is currently the Director of Marketing for Amplitude Marketing Group inc. in Newtown Connecticut. He resides in Ridgefield with his wife Nicolle, Sons Patrick and Ryan and, at last count, ten assorted pets including dogs, birds and Lizards.
In Tom's first role at the barn he was the 'visitor' in Spitfire Grill, and while on stage, he did not speak a single word. He has come a long way since then!!! We thank Tom for his ongoing and still growing volunteerism, and we congratulate him on being selected our volunteer of the month for December 2010.
Volunteer of the Month ~ November 2010
Jennifer Gantwerker
Jennifer Gantwerker wore several hats during the Barn production of Enchanted April. She stepped in to help coordinate props and took on the role of associate producer, a first for her! She was also responsible for bringing the new stage manager for the production up to speed and for helping out backstage during the show. She has been a tremendous help and a big part of Enchanted April’s success.
Jenn is a graduate of Ridgefield High and the theater program from the University of Southern California. While her theatrical background has been primarily acting, she has also worked as stage manager, production assistant, electrician, spot operator , wardrobe dresser and press intern at venues from RTB and Westport to LA. Jenn has performed in student films, experimental theater, solo performance shows at USC and she made her RTB debut as Ginger Sullivan in Sunshine Boys.
Jenn is warm, friendly, positive and very creative. She is a pleasure to work with; whether on stage or behind the scenes, we are fortunate to have her as a volunteer at the Barn. We congratulate her on being selected as our November 2010 Volunteer of the Month.
Volunteer of the Month ~ October 2010
EVAN COSTA
Evan Costa is currently a sophomore at Ridgefield High School. He has always been involved in theater productions, but finds himself drawn to the technical side. Evan formerly directed the sound crew at the Mead School. He is currently operating sound and lights for the Ridgefield Theater Barn Kids and Ridgefield High School.
Evan embraces the whole theater experience. A performer himself, he appeared as an Elvis-impersonating Pharaoh in the Theater Barn Kids' recent production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. What the audience didn't know was that behind the scenes Evan was also the sound operator, light operator and projectionist!
Evan has had his hand in not only student productions, but also Mainstage and the Theater for Young Audience Series here at the Barn . Watch for his performance at the Barn this January as Steve’s younger brother Joe in Blues Clues Live: Blue's Birthday Party.
Congratulation to Evan for being selected as our Theater Barn Volunteer of the Month for October!
Volunteer of the Month ~ September 2010
JAY AUSTIN
We are pleased to welcome Jay Austin to the Ridgefield Theater Barn Family. Jay has jumped right and gotten to work, currently running the light and sound board for The Prisoner of Second Avenue. He was also responsible for designing and constructing the set. Jay is multi- talented in the technical side of theater productions...No job is too big or small for Jay. He is generous, helpful and can do just about anything!
Jay has worked in different capacities in theaters in the area, serving as Technical Director for the Brookfield Theater for the Arts. No stranger to theater, Jay is having his own stage debut in elementary school theater as Tiny Tim. He is also involved with a traveling murder mystery dinner theater, doing tech and occasionally playing a butler or two.
Jay started getting involved with theater when his son Matt performed in shows starting in middle school. He is a very supportive dad, having done sports related things with his daughter too.
We are thrilled to have Jay involved at the Theater Barn and congratulate him on being our September Volunteer of the Month!
Volunteer of the Month ~ May 2010
MISSY SLAYMAKER-HANLON
Missy Slaymaker-Hanlon is best known at the Barn for her work with our children’s programs….she is, in fact, responsible for us having children’s programs at all. She was the genius behind the youth workshops which have now become known as the Theater Barn Kids. This program is consistently sold out and some of Missy’s young thespians are now coming of age and taking on roles in our adult productions. Others have become volunteers on our productions crews.
Missy has also coordinated the more recent Theater for Young Audience program and has directed several of the productions. Through her work with No Dogs Allowed she has developed relationships with creators of other children’s programs, which is sure to yield additional creative and entertaining programs for our local youngsters.
Missy’s dedication does not stop with acting and directing and organizing programs….she encourages the ‘kids’ and their families to support the Barn and through their collective efforts, over $15,000 has been raised to benefit our renovation project. Her volunteerism has not been limited to the children's programs....she has acted, directed, and built/designed sets for several main stage productions as well
So, Missy, here’s to you! We thank you for all you’ve contributed to the Barn and hope to keep you a part of our Theater Barn family of volunteers for many years to come!
April 2010 Volunteer of the Month
David Foster
Dave is one of those special people who is there when needed and eager to pitch in. Currently a resident of Ridgefield, he hails from Lake Bluff, Illinois. After thirty years at Prudential Insurance, he retired as an Operations Director in 2000.
His impressive history of service to the arts and culture in Ridgefield includes membership on the Board of the Ridgefield Symphony, volunteer work at the Aldrich Museum, the Ridgefield Library, and the Ridgefield Community Foundation. And, now his latest contributions to the community, have been his valuable assistance in the building of an apartment in Queens (The House of Blue Leaves), a homeless person’s shelter (Godspell), a Salvador Daliesque landscape (How I Learned to Drive), and most recently, a pig farm (A Moon for the Misbegotten.) The sets of all these Ridgefield Theater Barn productions bear the imprint of Dave’s ingenuity, and generous labors.
When it comes to community service, Dave’s daughter Meredith, a doctoral candidate at the Harvard School of Public Health did not fall far from the family tree. We wish to thank Dave for his valuable contributions, not only to the Ridgefield Theater Barn, but to the arts and culture of our community.
March 2010 Volunteer of the Month
Roberto Perez
A resident of Danbury, Roberto (Bob) was born and raised in The Bronx, NY. His day job is as the Treasurer of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1105, representing union members in downstate New York. He has worked for almost 30 years for Verizon, is a graduate of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, and serves as a member on the Danbury American Disability Act (ADA) commission.
“Macbeth was my first contact with live theater,” he says. “I was mesmerized by the performance, and a fan for life.” Bob performed in the junior high school production of “Bye, Bye Birdie” and played the trumpet as a member of the band at Morris High School. Baseball is his passion and while he never had the opportunity to act as an adult, he says he always wondered “What if?” Bob thanks Cheryl Marceau for introducing him to the Barn and “all its wonderfully talented people.” “Everyone connects to make magic happen,” he says. “I am grateful for the opportunity to help, watch and learn. Thank you.”
And WE thank Bob for all he has done to become our feature volunteer of the month. Fairly new to the Barn, he ran the lights for Beyond Therapy this season. Since then he has become our go-to guy to help get the lights and sound just right for our main stage productions. When you sit down to watch a show, it may not be obvious to you, but if the lights are not right, nothing works right. Our thanks to Bob for joining our team and for being there when we need him!
February 2010 Volunteer of the Month
Taylor Starr
Taylor first began studying drama as a two-year-old with Missy Slaymaker-Hanlon in Westchester at Dance Drama & Song. She became one of our own 'Theater Barn Kids' in Autumn of 2005, appearing in I'm Sorry The Bridge is Out, You'll Have to Spend the Night and has been an integral part of every TBK program since then. Taylor was the inspiration behind our tuition-free program for Student Crews, giving students an opportunitiy to learn and participate in back stage activities. For her hard work and dedication, she was awarded a "Scholorship for Life' with the Theater Barn Kids in 2007.
Taylor has been seen both on stage and behind the seens at many of our productions in the Theater for Young Audiences series. She was Blue in our first production of Blues Clues, the Most Spectacular Place. Taylor made the leap to Main Stage, joining the crew of Secret Garden and was later cast in the ensemble for Camelot. She has helped out in one way or another on many of our major productions...sets, back-stage, running spot lights. You name it...when volunteers are needed, Taylor answers the call!
We are pleased to recognize this very talented and dedicated young woman as our February Volunteer of the Month....thank you, Taylor, for being our shining 'star'!
January 2010 Volunteer of the Month
Andrea Sack
If you have ever worked with Andrea Sack, you already know that she is simply incredible. Here at the Barn, Andrea started out working on props and sets for Company back in 2005 and her engaging smile along with her talent, professionalism and drive for perfection have put her at the top of our list of go-to people. She wore many hats for ...Forum, including props, sets, and even light board operator but she didn't stop there. Andrea expanded her horizons even further by serving as co-stage manager for The Spitfire Grill and Man of La Mancha and then stage manager for Cabaret....not instead of properties, but in addition to! Do you remember how fantastic the theater and gallery looked for Camelot? That too was largely Andrea's doing!
Even during personally challenging times, Andrea has found time to give to the Ridgefield Theater Barn. It is clear she truly loves the Barn and is an integral part of our family; we are indeed lucky to have this extremely talented artist on our team. Thank you, Andrea, for your many contributions and congratulations on being our first 2010 volunteer of the month!
Our Thanks to Our 2009 Volunteers!
Helping Us Bring Quality Theater to Our Community
Volunteer of the Month ~ November 2009
PAMME JONES
Pamme Jones has acted as the Ridgefield Theater Barn's volunteer Box Office Coordinator since 2008. She is responsible for all reservation and ticket sales as well as supervising dozens of other box-office volunteers almost every weekend throughout the year. This has turned into a monumental commitment due to the numerous productions produced by the Barn each year including four Mainstage productions, performances by the Barn's own improvisation group, The Role in the Hay Players, an on-going Playwright's Discussion Group, performances by the Theater Barn Kids, and other special events. Her acting credits at the Barn include Come into My Parlor, Mother Superior in Nunsense and her continuing role as a ensemble member in The Role in the Hay Players. In addition to all of the above, Pamme also decorated the Gallery for the Barn's current production of Godspell. Pamme resides in Ridgefield with her husband John and their three children Sophie, Grant and Evan.
Volunteer of the Month ~ October 2009
CHERYL EVANS
Cheryl Evans is a new volunteer at the Theater Barn and was a tremendous help behind the scenes on the Theater Barn's recent production of BEYOND THERAPY. Whether it be assisting in the design of the set, set construction, or acting as a sounding board for ideas, Cheryl was continually contributing to help make the show a success. Raised in Alabama and coming from a strict Protestant family, Cheryl was not permitted to dance, act or even go to the movies until she was 18. She didn't hesitate to make up for lost time thereafter and has worked in the arts ever since as a professional actress, model and film producer. Cheryl is also an artist and photographer and a huge Dallas Cowboy's fan (nobody's perfect). Cheryl lives in New Milford and works for the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim.
