Welcome to our Digital Program!
Enjoy the Show!
A Note From the Director
Ahoy, and welcome to Yorick Ensemble! Thank you for joining us at our debut performance! First, let me introduce you to our company. The idea came from a place of opportunity; anyone with a camera can make a film, why isn’t there something like that for theatre? So, inspired by independent filmmakers like John Cassavetes, I set out to create a space where local theatre artists can explore in a non-traditional way. To boil plays and musicals down to their essence, to make the text sing, and to focus on the people that make the magic happen. Bucking a traditional season model, we choose our projects one at a time, allowing us to keep our selection of titles fresh and relevant.
The Pirates of Penzance, it may surprise you to hear, was a natural first choice for such a company. I believe that sometimes innovation requires one to toss everything they know out the window and start from scratch. To redefine a classical text that so many people know so well, and to flip it on its head. Gone are the lavish sets and giant orchestra. Instead, we have nine actors, a piano, five weeks of rehearsal, and an antique steamer trunk. We have tossed Gilbert and Sullivan into a blender and this is what came out; apologies to the G&S purists out there. Our hope is by peeling away all of those things that are traditionally associated with Gilbert and Sullivan, the humor and heart in this marvelous text will come to the forefront, and that you walk away thinking about the very nature of tradition. Why do we observe such traditions? How did they come to be? Are they even necessary?
Since I was eight years old I’ve been raised in the theatre, and I love it so much I would do it for free. Unfortunately, the very nature of theatre requires financial support. One of Yorick’s core beliefs is that every member of the team deserves to be paid for their valuable time. If you like tonight’s show and would like to see more from Yorick Ensemble in the future, I encourage you to make a donation of any size. On this site you will find links to make one-time (or any time) donations through PayPal, or a recurring monthly donation (with rewards!) through Patreon.
Thanks again for coming out, and I hope you enjoy tonight’s performance. None of this would be possible without your support.
The Cast (In no particular order):
Josh Telepman
Director
as Major General Stanley
Josh is the founder and creative director of Yorick Ensemble. Recently, Josh has appeared as Dewey/Elle's Dad in Legally Blonde (The Footlight Club), Alf in Peter and the Starcatcher (Vokes), and Dickon in The Secret Garden (Concord Players). Upcoming: LeFou in Beauty and the Beast (Weston Friendly Society). Directing credits include Still Life With Iris (Kidding Around), Be a Good Little Widow, Eurydice (Weston Drama Workshop), The 25th... Spelling Bee, and Company (Black Box Productions). BFA: Emerson College
Michael Jay
as The Sargeant of Police
Michael's first performance with the Yorick Ensemble is also his first-ever Gilbert and Sullivan show, and he couldn't be more thrilled to be working with such a talented and expressive team. Michael's recent credits include Harold Hill in The Music Man (Savoyard Light Opera Company) and Jack in The Important of Being Ernest (Footlight Club). He'll also be appearing as Paul Bratter in Barefoot in the Park (Concord Players) this February. He hopes you enjoy the show! Tarantara!
Kat O'Connor
as Mabel
Kat is so thrilled to be joining her old friend Josh in the inaugural performance of his new company! She has her BA in Musical Theatre from American Univserity. Her past credits include, Reagle Music Theatre: Mame; La Cage Aux Folles. The Williamstown Theatre Festival: Lempicka; Late Night Cabaret (Soloist). Kensington Arts Theatre: Cabaret (Texas). American University: No, No, Nanette (Sue); The Threepenny Opera (Readymoney Matt); Women/Verge/Nervous Breakdown (Ana); Marat/Sade. Weston Drama Workshop: Into The Woods (Baker's Wife); Two Gentlemen of Verona: the Musical (Julia); Eurydice (Eurydice). Blessings on your alley.
Jess Couture
as Edith
Jess is grateful to be a part of the first production for the Yorick Ensemble. Some of Jess' favorite past roles include Beth (Little Women), Jan (Grease), Hildy (On the Town), Erma Latour (Anything Goes), Audrey (Little Shop), and Martha Dunnstock (Heathers). Jess would like to thank Josh and Laura for having her on this project and for letting her tackle the challenge of her first G+S.
Tristyn Sepersky
as The Pirate King
Tristyn is so pleased to be part of Yorick Ensemble’s inaugural production and in her favorite role in a favorite show! Favorite past roles include Veronica Sawyer (Heathers the Musical, The Footlight Club – EMACT DASH, Best Lead Actress in a Musical), Smee (Peter and the Starcatcher, Vokes Players), Bombalurina (CATS, Star Players of Bristol County), and Brooke Wyndham (Legally Blonde, The Footlight Club). Tristyn recently earned her Master of Fine Arts in Musical Theater Performance from the Boston Conservatory. Her cat Lloyd is a large and lovely nuisance. Break legs, mateys!
Laura Ballek Cole
Music Director
LB Cole is a lifelong weirdo who is passionate about equity, self-actualization, and snacks. She began a musical career at age 3 and has been singing, playing, writing and accompanying ever since. (Now entering her 4th decade, this is a really long time.) Theater was a natural next step due to a large personality and pathological need for attention, although, since college, LBC has been mostly behind the scenes, working as a musical director. With brief stints as a middle school teacher and a non-profit professional, LBC is now gigging for a living. Thanks to the indefatigable Yorick crew, her parents, and Evan, her forever friend.
Becca Mayersohn
as Ruth and Dance Captain
Becca is so excited to be a part of Yorick Ensemble's first production! She works in Development at Walnut Hill School for the Arts and as the Marketing Manager for Weston Drama Workshop. Becca also serves on the board of the Weston Friendly Society, and has performed in many of their recent productions, including Holiday Inn, Sweet Charity, and Annie. Many thanks to Mano for his endless support, and of course Josh for his vision and leadership!
Amanda O'Donnell
as Kate and Violence Director
Amanda is a New England native performer, playwright, and educator. She currently works as a Ghost Host with Ghosts and Gravestones of Boston and a princess with Party Princess Productions and can often be found performing with Walking Shadow Shakespeare Project. Recent playwriting credits include The Daffodil Girls (Artists from Suburbia) and The Family Plot (Quannapowitt Players). She is also a graduate student pursuing an MFA in Theatre Education at Emerson College. This is Amanda’s first time serving as fight director and she could not have asked for a more delightful and supportive group of artists to work with on this newest venture.
Nick Osborne
as Frederic
Nick is thrilled to be part of Yorick’s debut production. Recent credits: “Cabaret,” “Pippin” (Footlight Club), “Gross Indecency” (Longwood Players), “42nd Street,” “Parade” (Umbrella), “Hamlet” (Brown Box Theatre Project), “Amadeus” (Moonbox Productions), “A Man of No Importance” (Bad Habit Productions), “The Rocky Horror Show” (Salem Theatre). Northeastern grad and NTI alum (Eugene O'Neill Center).
Felton Sparks
as Samuel
Select Boston acting credits include A Chorus Line (Richie), The Antigone Project, Stuart Little (Stuart Little), The Ebonic Woman (Aladdin), and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Bailiff/ Simon the Zealot). In 2016 he choreographed the world premier production of The Midvale High School Fiftieth Reunion (Nora Theatre Company), which has since been produced by the Public Theatre in NYC. He will be next seen in ImprovBoston’s T: An MBTA Musical. Proud Emerson graduate. Many thanks to my teachers, my friends, my love, and my parents for pushing me and believing in me.