Commonweal Company
HAL CROPP, Executive Director, is now in his 20th season with the Commonweal where favorite roles include: Groucho, Shylock, Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple, Botvinnik in A Walk in the Woods, and Peck in How I Learned to Drive. Company directing credits include The Cmplt Wks of Wm Shakespeare (abridged), Heartland Portrait, The Wild Duck, Ghosts, Peer Gynt, Man of La Mancha, Hedda Gabler, and A Midnight Dreary. He holds a B.A. in Theatre from Brown, an M.B.A. from Santa Clara University, an M.F.A. in acting from the National Theatre Conservatory in Denver and was the 2006 Sally Irvine Award winner for Initiative.
GARY DANCIU is a recent graduate of Luther College. While at College, he performed in such plays as Big Love, The Boy Who Fell into a Book, Waiting for Godot, and he co-directed a production of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. Gary is very happy to be joining the Commonweal family as an apprentice actor.
STEF DICKENS is in her lucky number eighth season at the Commonweal where she also works as the company’s Director of Development. Recent stage credits include Ginger in The 1940’s Radio Hour, Frances in A Midnight Dreary, and Thea Elvsted in Hedda Gabler. Other personal favorites include Meg in Crimes of the Heart and Shelby in Steel Magnolias. Stef has also appeared on stage at the New Theatre in Nottingham, England as Tracy Lord in High Society. She earned her B.A. in Theatre/Dance from Luther College and also spends a joyous part of her life as a doula.
SCOTT DIXON is now in his tenth season at Commonweal where some of his favorite onstage work has included The Wild Duck, The Rainmaker,
The Mystery of Irma Vep, Wait Until Dark, and How I Learned to Drive. As a playwright, he is the author of two plays which have premiered at Commonweal—The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (based on the E.T.A. Hoffmann novella) and A Midnight Dreary, about the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe. Scott earned his M.F.A. in Acting from Wayne State University in Detroit and now makes his home in Lanesboro with his wife, Stela Burdt.
CATHERINE GLYNN Development officer and event coordinator is delighted to be making her CTC stage debut in 2012. She holds MFAs from UT-Austin & The University of Delaware’s PTTP and has over 150 professional play, film & commercial credits. Some favorite roles include Haley in Bad Dates and Hermione in The Winter’s Tale. She owns her own executive coaching firm Voce Veritas, teaches Pilates, and runs Casa Verde B&B- with her husband Jeremy van Meter- right here in Lanesboro. She is thrilled to be a part of CTC and this community. Thank you for supporting the arts!!
BRANDON GRAYSON a Tulsa, Oklahoma native, is a recent B.F.A. Acting graduate from Oklahoma City University. He enjoys performing on the stage, on camera, and pretty much in life in general and is very excited to be a part of Commonweal. Previous credits include: Dead Man Walking, Children of Eden, The Boys Next Door, Man and Superman, The Pajama Game, along with several student film and television projects. He would like to thank all of his family and friends who have supported him and is very pleased to share a piece of his passion and him with you.
DAVID HENNESSEY is on the Commonweal’s Development Team and has performed in 29 shows over 12 seasons, including The 1940’s Radio Hour, A Midnight Dreary, The Rainmaker, and The Odd Couple. Other favorite shows include Peer Gynt, Ghosts, A Christmas Carol, A Doll’s House, and Bus Stop. He also designed costumes for Ice Maidens and A Streetcar Named Desire. Other credits include Park Square and the Jungle Theatre in the Twin Cities and American Players Theatre in Wisconsin. He lives in Preston with Linda, his favorite scene partner of 36 years.
CARLA JOSEPH is a recent Graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. She is very happy to be a part of the Commonweal Theatre’s Apprentice Company. Her previous credits include: Hostess Quickly in Henry V, Helen Potts in Picnic, and Lessa in Cementville. She was also in Unequal Access / Pushed with The Conciliation Project and Discovering Naked, her solo piece. She would like to thank her family and friends back home for their continued love and support.
RACHEL KUHNLE returns to the Commonweal after appearing in the 2010-2011 Apprentice Company’s production of Metamorphoses as a guest artist. Originally from a tiny town in Iowa, Rachel received her BA in Theatre from Concordia University, St. Paul, where favorite roles include Mary in On the Verge and Halie in Buried Child. Upon graduating, Rachel has worked with CLIMB Theatre, Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre and Prospero Theatre. Rachel is also a published short fiction writer and assistant editor for burgeoning independent poetry press Lowbrow Press. Rachel is very excited to be back as an apprentice, for real this time.
MEGAN PENCE made her Commonweal debut as the stage manager for Metamorphoses. Coming from the Twin Cities, she recently stage managed The Frog Prince, The Wiz, and Dreams of a Bird Woman for Stages Theatre Company. She also worked for CLIMB Theatre and served as Assistant Director for Park Square Theatre’s The Last Seder. Megan earned her Theatre Education degree from Bradley University. Directing experiences there included Each Day Dies with Sleep, The Brides, and The Laramie Project. Megan also worked for Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre as their Associate Director, and co-wrote their musical, Sleeping Beauty.
DANIEL LOUDEN STOCK, originally from Cannon Falls, MN, earned his B.S. in Theatre and Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Superior where he directed Land of the Dead and References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot. Acting credits include Creon in Antigone and Anthony in The House of Yes. He toured the Midwest with Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre where he co-wrote and composed music for their newest musical, Sleeping Beauty. After touring, he moved to Chicago where he worked for American Eagle Productions, Chicago Dell’arte and Prologue Theatre.
ADRIENNE SWEENEY is in her tenth season with the Commonweal, serving as the Marketing Director and Ibsen Festival Coordinator in addition to her artistic roles. Originally from Philadelphia, she has an M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Arizona and has performed at a variety of theatres in Arizona and the Twin Cities. Favorite roles at the Commonweal include Lizzie in The Rainmaker, Veta Louise in Harvey, and Susy in Wait Until Dark. Her voiceover work airs on the radio and television regionally and nationally.
JASON UNDERFERTH, the Production Manager and Resident Lighting Designer for the Commonweal, has been lighting shows professionally throughout the Midwest for ten years. His designs have been seen at the Chinese Dance Theatre, MN Conservatory for the Arts, Minnetonka Arts Center, St. Mary’s University of MN, St. Olaf College, and the University of MN. Favorite Commonweal designs include Man of La Mancha and A Midnight Dreary, in which he also designed the multimedia projections. More info at his website: www.UnderferthDesign.com
JEREMY van METER is thrilled to be on board with the Commonweal family as an actor and Marketing Assistant. Jeremy permanently relocated to Lanesboro from Chicago in April 2011. Memorable roles from eight years in the Chicago area include DeFlores in The Changeling (Caffeine Theatre), Peter Smith in A Taste of Honey (Shattered Globe), Julian in Toys in the Attic (Blindfaith Theatre), and Clive/Edward in Cloud Nine (Infamous Commonwealth Theatre). Regional credits include Great River Shakespeare Festival, The Barter Theatre, Lexington Children’s Theatre, Riverside Theatre, and Riverside Shakespeare Festival. Jeremy holds an MFA in Acting from The University of Iowa.
