Actors Theatre

Amy Groen (Katherine/Kate)

Amy is thrilled to be making her Actors' Theatre debut. Last season, she was on crew for The Sweetest Swing in Baseball. Other recent community credits include The Diary of Anne Frank (Margot Frank) at Civic Theatre, and Honk! (Penny/Henrietta/others), Rumors (Cassie Cooper), and Annie at Circle Theatre. Amy is a graduate of Cornerstone University with a B.A. in theatre (musical theatre emphasis), where her favorite credits include Into the Woods (Baker's Wife), Something's Afoot, Steel Magnolias, and Wait Until Dark (2008 Grand Award).

Torrence R. O'Haire (Marlow/Rafe/William)

Tory is honored to be a part of Actors Theatre Grand Rapids and the first-ever production of Ampersand! His recent stage credits include RUST, at Actors' Theatre, Rumors at Grand Rapids Circle Theatre, The Magic Flute, Il Trovatore, and Manon Lescaut, with Opera Grand Rapids. Outside of the theatre-scene, he works as a private chef--"The Starving Artist," and heads The Full Moon Supper Club.

Don VandenHuevel (Barry)

Don is making his second appearance at Actor's Theatre having previously been seen in the 2007 production of Bach at Leipzig. Other credits include Duck Hunter Shoots Angel, Rumors, Funny Money (for which he received a Grand Award Nomination) at Circle Theatre, and Laughter on the 23rd Floor and The Value of Names at Jewish Theatre of Grand Rapids. Don also serves as a member of the Actors' Theatre Board of Directors.

Vincent Delaney, Playwright

Vincent's plays include The Art of Bad Men, Three Screams, Writer 1272 and Kuwait, which won the Heideman Award from Actors Theatre of Louisville and the New Play Award from Sonoma Rep. His plays have been produced, commissioned and developed at the Guthrie, Cleveland Playhouse, ACT, Children's Theatre Company, the Humana Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Magic, Woolly Mammoth, the Empty Space, PlayLabs, Seattle Public, the New Harmony Project, Pittsburgh Public, Florida Stage, InterAct, and the Orlando Shakespeare Festival, among others. The Sequence, commissioned by the Guthrie, has been produced around the country and in the UK. Acceleration Red won the Lamia Ink contest and was produced by Harrogate Theatre and Brooklyn College.

Randy Wyatt, Director

Randy earned his MFA in Directing from Minnesota State University in Mankato. He has directed locally for Circle Theatre, Heritage Theatre, Lost in the Cove Productions, Cornerstone University and Aquinas College.  Directing highlights include The Arabian Nights, Hecuba, Writer 1272, Tartuffe, Moby Dick!: The Musical, Waving Goodbye, Dimly Perceived Threats to the System, The Secret Garden, Androcles and the Lion, Man Saved By Condiments!, Treasure Island and Guys and Dolls.

Currently, Randy is the chair of the Theatre Program at Aquinas College and is the Literary Manager for Actors' Theatre.

Note:  The following Director's note was written for the playbill for "Ampersand", a new play by Vincent Delaney, opening at Actors' Theatre on March 22, 2012.

"Directing new work is exhilarating.  A new production of published work always has new possibilities, but it’s charted territory—at least one other production team has tackled it already.  There can be "baggage" attached, especially if the play is well known or already produced on Broadway or in regional theatres.  There’s a way it’s been done before, and it can be tempting to think there's a “right” way to approach it.  With new work, the script is fluid, not fixed.  The playwright, director, actors and designers have to lean on each other for discoveries even harder than usual.  It’s scary but incredible too, like jumping out of a plane.  And the audience gets to experience something no one else has before. 

Never fear-- you’re in good hands tonight.  Vince’s work leaps off the page when I read it.  It crackles, it’s sardonic and strange, darkly wise, truthful in the way that wanting to clone your spouse to make a better marriage is truthful.  This is my second collaboration with Vince and the rehearsal process has been just as full of discovery and fun as my first go-round with his WRITER 1272 at Aquinas.  He’s a funny guy, but his work isn’t going to let you laugh without gut-punching you.  It’s fun but dangerous.  My kind of theatre.

I often harangue my students about how much I believe in the vitality of theatre.  The evolution and production of new work is what keeps it vital.  Rather than catch plays “on the way down”—that is , after they’ve had major productions and publications, Actor’s Theatre has chosen to be one of those theatres that catch them “on the way up”.  That’s an important distinction.  Just this last week we learned that AMPERSAND has won the prestigious Riva Shiner Comedy Award.  People are starting to notice this play, and Actors' produced it first. 

Geronimo!"

- Randy Wyatt
Director, Ampersand  |  Literary Manager, Actors' Theatre Grand Rapids | Theatre Program Director, Aquinas College

• Ampersand is "a shining, visually compelling production" (Review)
  
• Ampersand - Production Stills
  
• Actors' Theatre works with playwright Vincent Delaney to stage "Ampersand" (GR Press)