The family of Martin Vanderhof lives “just around the corner from Columbia University — but don’t go looking for it.” Grandpa, as Martin is more commonly known, is the paterfamilias of a large and extended family of charming eccentrics. His granddaughter, Alice, is an attractive and loving girl who is still embarrassed by her family’s idiosyncrasies. When Alice falls for her boss, Tony, a handsome scion of Wall Street, she fears that their two families – so unlike in manner, politics and finances – will never come together. But why be obsessed by money? After all, you can’t take it with you…
You Can’t Take It With You opened on Broadway at the Booth Theatre on December 14, 1936. A smash hit, the show ran for 838 performances and returned to Broadway five times, most recently in 2014. That production, directed by Scott Ellis, earned the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress for Annaleigh Ashford as Essie.
“YOU CANT TAKE IT WITH YOU is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)”
May 26 – June 11, 2023
By Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman
Directed by Richard Choate
Meet The Cast!
Desi Thrower – Penelope “Penny” Sycamore
This is Desi’s fifth production with CTC since moving to Bend in 2020. You may have seen her at CTC as Lane and Marie in The Importance of Being Earnest, Helen Hubbard, in Murder On The Orient Express, Phillis in Sylvia, or as God in Cascades 10, God’s Favorite Lunch. Prior to moving to Bend, Desi performed in or directed many productions in the San Francisco Bay Area and Colorado. Productions include Steel Magnolias, Night Shift, Romeo and Juliet, George Washington Slept Here, Taming of the Shrew, Our Town, and Born Yesterday. Desi is thrilled to be performing with this group of talented and really cool actors.
Dora Novak – Essie Carmichael
Novak recently moved from a career in New York, NY to Bend. She is excited for her first play to be at CTC. She developed love for dance with Iowa Dance Theater as a child and has continued to serve on their board and work as an artistic director, choreographer, and stage manager. Dora attended SUNY Purchase Dance Conservatory, with a Composition Concentration and danced professionally for over a decade. Dora works as an artist by costuming and designing dance, film, and TV, and joined IATSE 764. Most notably working at The Metropolitan Opera, films The Irishman, West Side Story, and The Gilded Age.
Amber Wells – Rheba
Amber is stoked to be performing on stage again with Cascades Theater Company, they were previously seen in the production A Gift To Remember where they not only caught the thespian bug, but drag star Harlowe Justice was conceived. Harlowe was born on the Greenhouse Cabernet stage alongside six other babies competing for Fertilizer’s Hoe Of The Garden. When they’re not juggling kids, working as an electrician, or catching babies in peoples’ homes, you can find them at the rink playing ice hockey, enjoying live music, or maybe even shredding the gnar on a pow day.
Michael Brumbaugh – Paul Sycamore
Michael pursued his MFA in Directing, Stage Management and Theatre History from Ohio University and has extensive educational and experiential background in directing, acting and stage management in professional, college and community productions. Michael dedicates his theatrical passion to many youthful, improvised shows in the family garage and basements. He has loved working on his first production with CTC and feels tremendous respect and pride playing with this wonderful director, cast, crew, and volunteers!
Robert Knowles – Mr. De Pinna
Robert is a new face at the CTC Theater, but is no stranger to the stage. His first part in an elementary school play introduced him to a world of unlimited characters. He continued with numerous roles in high school, encouraged by an inspiring drama teacher. Robert is looking forward to bringing a smile to your face and laughter to your heart in this hilarious clash of classic misadventures.
Joel Newman – Ed Carmichael
Joel Newman is elated to be making his CTC mainstage debut, having participated in Cascades10 prior. Joel has been on the central Oregon theater scene since 2013, past roles including Charles Bingley in OPA’s Pride and Prejudice, Fagin in Oliver! and Gavroche in OperaBend’s Les Miserables. As a vocalist, Joel has competed on a national scale. He was the 2020 NATS Student Auditions TBB national champion and is a three-time Sunriver Music Festival Young Artist Scholarship recipient. Joel hopes you enjoy the whimsy and wisdom of You Can’t Take it With You.
Peetie McCook – Donald
After performing in four Cascades 10 one acts, Peetie is delighted to be in his second full length CTC Production. Previous credits at CTC include Colonel Arbuthnot in Murder on the Orient Express, a man addicted to buying Star Wars memorabilia, and a frisky rooster. Peetie has had a blast playing Donald and working with this very talented ensemble cast.
Ed Mierjeski – Martin Vanderhof
Ed is humbled to be offered this delightful opportunity to portray the character of Martin Vanderhof alongside this “extended family” of such talented thespians. Immense gratitude to everyone involved for the many countless hours of hard work, collaboration, and ultimately sincere trust, which were lovingly invested in the creation of this timeless production. Ed hopes there is something tender, beautiful, funny, wistful, playful, poignant, relevant or profound which resonates with you in this unique love story. And whatever that experience is, “you can (most definitely) take it with you!”
Whitney Garner – Alice Sycamore
Whitney is excited to be in her first main stage show with CTC after participating in the Cascades 10 One Acts. Most recently from Seattle, she’s been in Bend a little over a year and is grateful to have the opportunity to be on stage again after a 10-year break. It’s been wonderful to work and play alongside so many amazing people.
Zachary Ellis – Wilbur Henderson
Zachary Ellis began his acting career during the French Revolution but has never seen Les Miserables. Zachary has performed as many times as a fool, a villain, a servant and a clown among many other rolls. Zachary is delighted for the opportunity to perform with such a great cast.
Trevor Graciano – Tony Kirby
Graciano is thrilled to be in his first production with Cascades Theatrical Company. You’ve likely not heard of any of his past projects, but he insists they’re the best thing you’ve never seen. Trevor thanks each of the cast and crew for their blood, sweat, and tears as well as his wife and kids for tolerating his melodramatic demeanor through the run of the show.
Levon Alldredge – Boris Kolenkhov
Levon delighted to be in this production. He has done countless productions all over bend, and may have been seen most recently in Craig Fox had a Wife. He has done several plays at CTC including Murder on the Orient Express, Shakespeare in Hollywood, and Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie. He would like to thank his partner, K.A., and kids for their support AND HE PROMISES THIS WILL BE THE LAST ONE FOR A WHILE.
Tracy Miller – Gay Wellington
Tracy is loving her first Central Oregon appearance as an actor. She’s had the role of costumer in many local productions. (CTC: She Loves Me, Miracle on 34th St, Radiance, Lost in Yonkers, Arcadia; 2nd St: Young Frankenstein, Sweeny Todd; TMP: Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast; Opera Bend: Elixir of Love). Professionally she was a wardrobe technician for IATSE TWU Local 747 (Columbus, OH) on touring productions of: The Lion King, Jesus Christ Superstar, Seussical the Musical and 42 St. A native of WV, she’s had the “Wheeling Feeling” since 1961. Meg and Babe, this one’s for you! Love Lennie.
Bill Alsdurf – Mr. Anthony Kirby
Bill is extremely proud and honored to be joining the cast and crew of You Can’t Take It with You. Bill moved back to Bend last summer after working as a Montessori educator on Orcas Island. Bill’s acting credits include Dr. Armstrong in “And Then There Were None”, Adult Male in “Spring Awakening”, Roger Hopewell in “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940”, Luis Alberto Molina in “Kiss of the Spider Woman”, and Clive and Cathy in “Cloud Nine”. He directed “The Lost Virginity Tour” at the Orcas Center along with countless children’s theater productions at Tall Cedars Academy Dinner Theater. He has worked behind the curtain as a stage manager, costumer, and set decorator and wants to thank his Bend community theater family, his friends and colleagues for their ongoing love and support of his favorite pastime.
Kelley Ryan Vincent – Mrs. Miriam Kirby
Kelley has been part of the Bend theater community for the past 10 years. She first appeared on the CTC stage as Mrs. Cheveley in An Ideal Husband. You may also have seen her in Black Comedy, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 (Bernice), Tantalus (Hilde), August, Osage County (Karen), and Spider’s Web (Clarissa). Kelley has also worked as a director (A Christmas Carol, 2017), an assistant director (She Loves Me), a set dresser (In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play, She Loves Me), a costumer (An Ideal Husband, The 39 Steps, Musical Comedy Murders of 1940), and a prop maker. This will be her final production in Central Oregon as she and her husband, will be moving to Ashland at the close of the show. She’d like to thank her theater friends and family, especially Billiam, for the wonderful memories.
Mark Magness – FBI Man
Mark has lived all over the world and spent 27 years in the Air Force, most of it as a lawyer. He spent 20 years teaching at the University of North Dakota. Mark and his wife Linda are now Bendites and are thrilled to have finally discovered CTC. Mark has been involved in community theater since 1986 and has played Lopakhin (Cherry Orchard), Polonius (Hamlet) and his favorite, Jacey Squires (Music Man) singing tenor in the barbershop quartet. He is grateful for the patience and support of his castmates, and is happy to have made new friends that he hopes to keep for a long time.
Evan Furgurson – FBI Agent
Evan is excited to in his second show with CTC after a brief 14-year hiatus. Evan was born and raised in Bend and is happy to be back with the community and playing again. He would like express gratitude to the planet for providing all we need, and a big thank you to everyone who does little things to make it a better place.
Casey Leith – FBI Agent
Casey is excited to be in their very first production with Cascades Theatrical Company. Outside of CTC, Casey is a videographer and graphic designer, and collects almost as many hobbies as the Sycamore family.
Nancy Scher – Grand Duchess Olga Katrina
Nancy is what’s known as a quadruple threat. Actress-singer-dancer, and mother. She studied dance at Juilliard School, moved to Los Angeles to act in television, movies, and theater. Since moving to Bend she has embraced community theater, directing and choreographing The World Goes ‘Round, Reefer Madness, The Addams Family, and Disenchanted! at the Second St. Theater. Her latest choreography was for The Sound of Music for TMP and Putnam County Spelling Bee, and RENT, at CTC. Nancy has been onstage in Working, Company, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, Disaster, Lost in Yonkers, and Murder On The Orient Express. She is excited to bring The Grand Duchess Olga Katrina to life.
Meet The Crew
Richard Choate – Director
Richard has been acting, directing, producing, and playwriting for over 50 years. You Can’t Take It With You is his second directing duty at Cascades Theatrical Company. His first endeavor was She Loves Me at the end of the 2018-2019 season. Richard was last seen on stage as Nostradamus in Something Rotten at CTC. He has appeared previously in CTC productions, Vanya, Sonia, Masha & Spike, Black Comedy, and A Christmas Carol. Richard also appeared in the TMP Productions Newsies and Titanic. He recently directed two short plays for Silent Echo Theater. He spent some time getting his MFA in Creative Writing from OSU-Cascades. He has two novels currently in revision. His favorite actor quote is from Andy Devine. “I never won any awards for my acting. But I loaned money to a lot of guys who did.”
Meg Knight – Asst. Director/Stage Manager
Meg Knight received her BA in Dramatic Art at UC Davis in 1986. After a hiatus of 35 years, Meg is back in theatre and loving it. She most recently played Shylock in Something Rotten. Other roles include Gingy in Love, Loss and What I Wore and Marmee in Little Women – The Musical. Her first gig as SM/AD since 1985, Meg has enjoyed watching the director and actors bring this story to life. What a treat is in store for you!
Nishka Morton – Costumer
- Master Carpenter – “C-Dub”
- Carpenter Assistant – “Q” & Keith Eichner
- Set Design & Dresser – Chris Mehner, Breanna Billeter, Anita Fowler & Mariah Harper
- Lighting Design – Erik McGinnis
- Photographer/Headshots – Frankie Palmer
- Videographer – Gneel Costello