Program for – The House on Pooh Corner
Director's Note:
The inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood have always held a special place in my heart. Whether I was reading the original stories by A.A. Milne, watching “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” on TV, or playing with my many stuffed animals of the characters…these stories were never far from my imagination. I connected with Piglet’s bravery in the face of his fears, Eeyore’s predisposition to sadness, Owl’s journey for more and more wisdom, Kanga’s desire to nurture and protect, Roo’s joy in the art of playing, Tigger’s excitement for new adventures, Rabbit’s intelligence (and bossiness, if I’m being completely honest), and of course…Pooh’s inner calm and constant search for the next snack. The character of Christopher Robin (based on Milne’s actual son), held them all together and was the reason for their many grand adventures. I always felt like Christopher Robin and I would get along just fine.
This show deals with several tricky situations for our cast of characters. How to help our friends feel like they have a home. How to react and adjust when a new friend is introduced (who may be louder and bouncier than you are used to). How to say goodbye, at least for a little while. These are situations that we have all dealt with at some point in our lives and watching the inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood go through it themselves is not only entertaining, but also healing. These stories are for everyone and it has been a great honor to help bring them to the OFT stage. A.A. Milne said a lot of wonderful things and one of my favorites is: “You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” We are so glad you have come to our corner of the Forest to witness the love, sadness, laughter, and tears of The House at Pooh Corner.
– Alayna Chamberland,
Director
CAST:
Isaiah Myers – Winnie the Pooh
Hudson Ray – Christopher Robin
Amelie McClain – Piglet
Christine Goode – Eeyore
Debbie Sampson – Owl
Kaiah Costa – Kanga
Mahayla Joseph – Roo
Jerry Romasco – Tigger
Katie Wiggett – Rabbit
Elizabeth Satterlund – Early
Sydney Fisher – Late
CREATIVE CREW:
Alayna Chamberland – Director & Production Manager
Katie Peck – Stage Manager & Light Board Operator
Lex Langguth-Torres – Assistant Stage Manager
Vanessa Cat – Costume, Prop, & Lighting Designer
Jordanna Averett – Set Designer, Lead Production Carpenter, & Scenic Artist
Eyota Wak’ishuit – Sound Designer
Nathan Groome – Sound Board Operator
David Nowitz – Scenic Draftsman & Production Carpenter
Special Thanks:
To all of our helpers, carpenters, painters, and folks who loaned us things!
- Jamie Terry and Eric Terry
- Danny Denniston
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CAST BIOS:
Isaiah Myers
(he/him)
Winnie the Pooh
Isaiah is so excited to be performing in his first mainstage show with OFT. This is Isaiah’s first time as a character with so many lines, so this was a very big learning experience for him. He is most grateful he had the ability to learn surrounded by wonderful people. His past roles included DR Blair (Anne of Green Gables), Kurt (The Sound of Music), Bert Healy (Annie Jr.). Rarely, when offstage Isaiah likes to watch tragic romances and read fiction, he also loves to love his friends and family. Isaiah’s one year anniversary with the stage is coming up and he is glad to celebrate at OFT.
Hudson Ray
(he/him)
Christopher Robin
Hudson is so excited to be performing in his second mainstage show with OFT. His favorite part about being in this production has been making new friends and spending time with his castmates. You may have previously seen him last season at OFT as Barney in Barney Carey Gets His Wings. His favorite roles he has played in the past are Barney Carey, Winthrop Paroo in The Music Man, Peter Pan, and young Simba in The Lion King. When not onstage, Hudson loves to play the clarinet, sing, and explore new places.
Amelie McClain
(she/they)
Piglet
Amelie is so enthused to be performing in her second mainstage show with OFT. Her favorite part about being in this production has been having fun and making new friends in the process. You may have previously seen her on the OFT stage as the Velveteen Rabbit. Her favorite roles she has played in the past are Annie in Annie the Musical and Dorothy in Newsies The Musical. When not onstage, Amelie loves to sing, play piano, and play fastpitch on the Electric Tigers, coached by her dad.
Christine Goode
(she/her)
Eeyore
Christine is thrilled to be back on the OFT stage as sweet, grumpy old Eeyore. Favorite past roles include Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, Lianne in Cannibal The Musical, Aunt Sponge in James and the Giant Peach. The list could go on and on! When not on stage Christine teaches kindergarten – and loves it. Eeyore wants you to know that he’s pretty happy that despite the rain….we haven’t had any earthquakes lately and that makes him pretty happy.
Debbie Sampson
(she/they)
Owl
Debbie is thrilled to return to the stage at Olympia Family Theater with The House at Pooh Corner! You may have seen her most recently as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, or as Nana in The Velveteen Rabbit. She also performed in Olympia Little Theatre’s Falling, Clue! and The Man from Earth.
Debbie has a treasured, lifelong relationship with Winnie the Pooh and friends, so couldn’t be happier to be part of another 100 Acre Woods production. Her own Pooh stuffy has logged many miles over the last 50+ years as a trusted friend, playmate, crying companion, and even grandma’s support pillow!
When not playing in the theater, Debbie enjoys spending time with her favorite humans and animals at home. Much love and thanks are sent to her family for always generously sharing her with the theater.
Kaiah Costa
(she/her)
Kanga
Kaiah is so excited to bring Kanga to life on stage! Previous OFT roles include Toto in The Wizard of Oz, Mirror Toad in The Wind in the Willows, and numerous daytime show productions. She currently serves on the board of directors at OFT. When Kaiah isn’t acting or teching, she sings with the Capitol City Chorus. She would like to thank Alayna and the whole cast and crew of The House on Pooh Corner. Mother is mothering.
Mahayla Joseph
(she/her)
Roo
Mahayla is so excited to be performing in her first mainstage show with OFT. Her favorite part about being in this production has been trying something new outside of her comfort zone. When not onstage, Mahayla loves to draw, play volleyball and take tap lessons. She also enjoys playing with her cats and dog.
Jerry Romasco
(he/him)
Tigger
Jerry is thankful to be performing in his first mainstage show with OFT. His favorite part about being in this production has been trying something new, working with the amazing actors and OFT staff, and becoming a Dreadful Tigger. You may have also seen him playing pretend with The Real Faker’s Dozen, a local improv comedy troupe. When not onstage, Jerry loves to read, play DnD, play drums (learning!), and general tomfoolery with his wife and very floofy cats.
Katie Wiggett
(she/her)
Rabbit
Katie Wiggett is honored to be performing in her first mainstage show with OFT. Her favorite part about being in this production has been stepping out of her comfort zone to bring a character to life. Working with this unique, diverse cast has been so enjoyable! When not onstage, Katie loves to listen to comedy podcasts, read old books, and go on nature adventures with her kids.
Elizabeth Satterlund
(she/her)
Early
Lizzie is so excited to be performing in her first mainstage show with OFT. Her favorite parts about being in this production have been making new friends, bringing the character of Early to life and learning the ropes of theatre. This is her first production ever! She was inspired by attending The Wizard of Oz at OFT last season and can’t wait to be a part of OFT shows. When not onstage, Lizzie loves to sing, do gymnastics, swim, bake, and travel.
Sydney Fisher
(she/her)
Late
Sydney is thrilled to be in her first mainstage show with OFT. She is especially excited to try something new outside of her comfort zone, as this is her first non-musical theater experience. At 8 years old, Sydney is an aspiring actress who has performed in various musical theater camps in the Pacific Northwest and is so excited to learn from and perform alongside such an amazing cast at Olympia Family Theatre this fall. When not onstage, Sydney attends the 3rd grade, loves to sing in a local choir, play with her grandma’s dog, explore playing various musical instruments, and design clothing for her dolls. Sydney also enjoys swimming, gymnastics, and is an avid reader of comic books.
CREWS BIOS:
Alayna Chamberland
(she/her)
Director & Production Manager
Alayna has been the Production Manager at OFT for a little over a year now and it fills her heart to be working in the Arts and helping create these magical productions. This is her first time directing with us and it has been a true honor to be given the opportunity to bring the Hundred Acre Woods to life on the mainstage. Alayna studied experimental theater at Evergreen State College and has been seen in productions all over the Pacific Northwest. When she’s not performing in variety shows or making checklists for productions here at OFT, she is usually reading horror novels or caretaking for her literal zoo at home (she is proud to be the mom of two cats, three lizards, a turtle, and a tortoise!) She is so thankful for this perfect cast and wonderful crew.
Katie Peck
(she/her)
Stage Manager & Light Board Operator
Katie is honored to be making her OFT stage managerial debut with The House at Pooh Corner! She has loved Winnie The Pooh since she was young, so this has been a dream come true! Katie has been stage managing in the Olympia and Santa Cruz area for about 4 years. When she is not stage managing she can be found outside with her dog and drinking coffee. Katie would like to thank all the special people in her life for supporting her and would like to specifically thank Alayna for being such an amazing director. She hopes you adore the show as much as she does!
Lex Langguth-Torres
(they/them)
Assistant Stage Manager
Lex feels bouncy AND refined to return Olympia Family Theatre as the Assistant Stage Manager for The House on Pooh Corner! Lex appeared in OFT productions such as Lucha Virus as Nana/Chancla/célula sana, The Secret Garden as Mouse, an original retelling of Alice in Wonderland as the Mad Hatter, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as Scarecrow! This cast and crew has felt so special and sweet to work with. Lex wants to thank every single cast and crew member for showing up and sharing their sparkle, especially through the descent of summer and the start of a new school year.
“It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine.” – Eeyore
Vanessa Cat
(she/her)
Costume, Prop, & Lighting Designer
Vanessa is an Olympia based performing artist, dancer, choreographer, producer, musician, actor, Teaching Artist, mama, and lover of cats. Vanessa has been working in theater and performance for over 20 years, and is very grateful to be part of this production here at OFT with this talented rockstar cast and crew. Thank you all so much for coming!
Jordanna Averett
(she/her)
Set Designer, Lead Production Carpenter, & Scenic Artist
Jordanna is an Olympia based artist and theater creative. She loves working behind the scenes for our local theaters – most especially when she can build, paint, or otherwise get her hands messy. Recent favorites include being on the build team for String and Shadow’s giant puppet show: Or So it Would Seam, and set designing/working the fly rail for Hurricane Diane with the SPSCC Theater Collective. Jordanna is grateful to work with the passionate and kind folks at OFT, and to step into the nostalgic world of the Hundred Acre Wood. Thank you to David for all his mentorship. All my love to Danny.
Eyota Wak’ishuit
(she/her)
Sound Designer
Eyota is downright ecstatic to be a first-time designer for her second mainstage show with OFT. Her favorite part about being in this production has been designing the sounds and aural aspects, bringing the loveable characters of the Hundred Acre Wood to life through ear candy and sound FX. You may have previously seen her as the Tin Wood Lady in The Wizard of Oz. When not contributing to the stage, Eyota loves to sing, write music and stories, draw, and exist in the natural world surrounded by trees. Eyota would like to give a shout-out to the wonderful director, Alayna, for bringing this production together and for choosing her for this role.
Nathan Groome
(he/him)
Sound Board Operator
Nathan Groome is delighted to be back at OFT for another show! He’s previously been onstage in OFT’s The Lightning Thief, SPSCC’s Amélie, and the Evergreen State College’s Tick, Tick… Boom! He stretched his backstage muscles this past spring as a part of Evergreen’s Discus and is excited to continue doing so here at The House at Pooh Corner. As Milne and Pooh once said, “A day without a friend [and theatre!] is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.”
David Nowitz
(he/him)
Scenic Draftsman & Production Carpenter
- The dunking donut for Flora & Ulysses
- Building an escalator for Corduroy
- Making a recycling machine with working wooden gears for Cinder Edna
- Making an under bed and over bed/jungle gym in The Monster Under the Bed
- Making a bed fall through a ceiling in Mercy Watson to the Rescue
- The TV falling in Dragons Love Tacos
- Kabuki style curtain drops for Nyx and The Long Night
- The truck in The Girl Who Swallowed A Cactus
Special Thanks to our DONORS:
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Thank you to the generous supporters who bid on items and/or attended our very successful GALA fundraiser at SPSCC in early May.
Mark Alford
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ORGANIZATION CREDITS:
OFT Staff
Executive Director
Mark Alford
Production Manager
Alayna Chamberland
Development Manager
Melissa Sampson
Box Office Manager & Bookkeeper
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Anya Guadamuz
Education Managers
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Company-in-Residence
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