Geauga Lyric Theater Guild’s Teen Drama Project, designed and implemented by director/instructor Angela Miloro-Hansen, is having an exciting fourth year. This year’s play, I Never Saw Another Butterfly by Celeste Razpanti, is based on the true story of the journey of a teen and young woman as they are imprisoned in the Terezin concentration camp during the Holocaust. The cast undertook in-depth research which included talks with survivors and a trip to the Maltz Museum in Beachwood, all in addition to their long rehearsal schedule.
After a successful weekend of shows and traveling to schools, including the Fairmount Temple, they believed the journey was done. A decision to enter the piece in the Ohio Community Theaters Association’s (OCTA) regional theater competition changed that.
The I Never Saw Another Butterfly cast and crew were entered in the adult division of the OCTA competition because three of the actors are 19, making them ineligible for the junior competition. They nonetheless wowed the judges and attending theaters with their performance. Director Angela Miloro-Hansen, producer Karen Martin, and the cast were a bundle of nerves.
That is, till the cast stepped on stage. Despite having daily cuts from the scripts every night for the preceding week, some of which they never had a chance to rehearse (the rules state only forty minutes allowed) the cast flawlessly performed. With less than 30 seconds to spare, they received the first standing ovation at the region’s competition in three years.
Awards given:
- Merit in Acting: I Never Saw Another Butterfly: as Father – Johnathan Klein
- Merit in Costuming: I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Kelly Miloro
- Merit in Acting: I Never Saw Another Butterfly: as Mother – Halle Blados
- Merit in Set Design: I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Randy Hansen
- Excellence in Acting: I Never Saw Another Butterfly: as Irena – Sarah Wyatt
- Excellence in Directing: I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Angela Miloro-Hansen
- Excellence in Acting: I Never Saw Another Butterfly: as Honza – Andrew Kotlar
- Outstanding in Acting: I Never Saw Another Butterfly: as Raja – Janna Klein
- Outstanding in Ensemble: I Never Saw Another Butterfly
Now GLTG’s cast is invited to perform in the state level at the OCTA State Conference in Dayton, Ohio, in August. Only twelve to fifteen theaters in the state will be invited to perform. Director, cast and crew have launched from shock to jubilation to intense fundraising mode.
To pay for registration, travel, and hotel for this 28 person cast plus crew is expensive. One of the ways they are intending to raise money is with a benefit performance of I Never Saw Another Butterfly at Geauga Lyric Theater on July 12, 2013, at 8 p.m. All proceeds will go towards the group’s expenses for the conference.
Tickets for the benefit performance will be $10.00 general admission at the door. For information contact the business office at 440-285-7701 or email officemgr@geaugatheater.org.
Anyone wishing to donate or to help with the fundraising, car washes and more, please also contact the office or mail your donation to
GLTG – ATTN Teen Drama
PO Box 834
Chardon,Oh 44024
Please come see this wonderful piece of theater again, or for the first time.
The Geauga Theater is located on Chardon Square, at 101 Water Street. For more information, visit the website.
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Photo Detail:
Top Row: Kelly Bergenstein, Halle Blados, Ray Bender, Emily Sadowski, Caroline Corsaro, Melissa Rowan, Melanie Williams, Rosey Easthom, Mikaela Klein, Randy Hansen, Noah Wohlever, Kelly Tapager, Kelly Miloro, Julia Reid, Natalie Washington
Bottom Row: Emily Strlich-Waybright, Casey Wilcox, Niamh Field, Savannah Corsaro, Andrew Kotlar, Janna Klein, Jonathan Klein, Sarah Wyatt, Angela Miloro-Hansen, Madison Newman, Katy Lessick, Katie Sweet, Cara Robbins
