Always... Patsy Cline VIRTUAL PROGRAM

  Kyle Javon is excited and humbled to perform as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in The Mountaintop. Kyle Javon just finished Beautiful at Titusville Playhouse in Florida He starred as Curtis in Dreamgirls at the Roxy Regional Theatre in Tennessee and also performed in Cry-Baby, The Color Purple, and White Christmas at the Roxy Regional Theatre. In his home state of New Jersey, Kyle Javon starred as Duke in ShBoom! Life Could Be a Dream at the Greater Ocean City Theatre, a Drifter in Beautiful at Kelsey Theatre,Wolf in Into the Woods at the Algonquin Theater, and Donkey in Shrek at the Middletown Arts Center. He was a 2022 BroadwayWorld New Jersey Award nominee for his role as Donkey in Shrek.

Natalie is very excited to be returning to the stage with APTCo! Natalie is a choreographer, performer, and educator from Long Branch NJ. Her work with APTCo started last year with the role of Kendra in American Son, and as choreographer for the summer musical, The Bikinis.  She was also recognized by APTCo as the Champion of the Arts Education Honoree 2023. A special thank you to the production team, her husband Jarrod, and her family and friends for their continuous love and support. She dedicates her work to her mom, Susan Hayes-Stasio. 

Jarrod Scott is world touring Vocalist,  NJ based arts educator, Vocal Coach and Director. He is joyed to be directing his first APTCO show, and couldn’t be happier for it to be a Katori Hall show. 

Most recent projects include Once On This Island, Guys and Dolls, The Addams Family and Ragtime. 

Teaching in multiple districts in NJ, as well as performing, allows for a broader understanding of the importance of, as well as the impact Theatre has on colored peoples all over.  

Providing access to material for the African American community, actors and audiences, especially written by the Community, is a driving force in his Directorial pursuits.   

Empowering the next generation of creators is each of our duties with each project we undertake. 

Jarrod would like to thank the amazing creative team, his family for their support, his wife Natalie, and Dunkin. 

Neil is back at APTCo after designing Always, Patsy Cline in the fall. He designs for film, television and the theatre, and is a five-time Emmy nominee for his work as the Supervising Art Director on Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

  Lyle Greene (Lighting Design) Lyle is an Actor/Singer/Designer from Long Island, New York and a recent graduate with a BFA in Musical Theatre and Minor in Technical Theatre from Rider University. Currently Lyle is Assistant to the Production Manager at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC. Select credits include: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Director/Lighting Designer), Urinetown (Hot Blades Harry), Monster Songs (Sasquatch), Polaroid Storied (Dionysus), Carrie (Lighting Designer), Clean Slate (Assistant Lighting Designer), Cabaret (Assistant Director), American Idiot (Lighting Designer), Million Dollar Quartet (Lighting Designer), and American Son (Lighting Designer). This marks Lyle’s fifth production with the Asbury Park Theater Company. Special thank you to Kathryn and his family for their continued love and support! 

   Crafton Barnes (Sound Design), from Memphis Tn, started professional concert sound and recording studio production in 1998 working every style and venue size from football stadium half time shows to 15 seat coffee shop size open mic nights. Currently one of the working front of house sound engineers at the Wonder Bar and monitor engineers at the Stone Pony for the past two years having made Asbury Park my permanent home. Crafton wants to thank Kenny for always motivating him to be his best!

 Trina got bitten by the acting bug at age 3, when  she created and performed the “Ricky Ticky Mambo” (thanks Ricky Ricardo) for her family and friends at her family’s  summer home in Long Branch, and continued to put on shows in her backyard in Jersey City throughout her childhood!  Mainly working behind the scenes since high school, she has costumed over 30 productions, including Bye Bye Birdie, Little Shop of Horrors, Me and My Gal, No ,No Nanette, The Boyfriend, Leader of The Pack, Godspell  and Dream Girls to name a few.   She was the House Manager and volunteer coordinator for ReVision Theatre in Asbury Park.  She is also a photographer and her work has been exhibited in Monmouth County, and her photos have appeared in newspapers and on television.   Trina received Presidential recognition from President Bush for her video about Operation Desert Storm, and Trina created and produced, “Reflections on Ice”, an ice skating extravaganza featuring Olympic Skating champions which benefitted the Special Olympics.  She has been nominated by the Rising Star Program at the Paper Mill Playhouse for her costume design for “No, No Nanette”, and by The Count Basie Theatre Basie Awards for outstanding costume design for the “Wiz’, and set design for “Always A Bridesmaid”. This is Trina’s 6th production working with the Asbury Park Theatre Company, and she is very proud to be a part of the creative production team.  This particular show, The Mountaintop, has significant meaning for her, because when she was 15 years old Trina  was cast in her first leading comedic role  and opening night was scheduled  unfortunately on  April 3, 1968, the  night that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.   The show was postponed and, naturally,  at age 15, you don’t really realize the magnitude of what had happened.  Looking back on it now, of course she realizes the significance of what had happened at that time and it brings her to tears. In her spare time she follows a band called the Mavericks, grammy award winning artists who play Cuban,, Americana, Country, Rock.  Affectionately she is called the ‘Chaos Coordinator” for the Maverick fans!   Trina is always looking forward to her next theatrical project and when she is not designing or hunting down props in thrift shops , she babysits for her two youngest grandchildren, Pearl 3 ½ and Parker 2.  She sends love and hugs to her other 3 grandsons, Ryan, 12, Brayden 10, and Greyson , 6 who are all outstanding students and athletes! Love and kisses  to her 4 her kids too! Glamma loves you more than chocolate covered pretzels!    

Dennis is excited to make his Asbury Park Theater Company debut to work on this powerful show. Dennis is a two-time, NJACT Perry Award winning Stage Manager and is also a performer, working primarily with Phoenix Productions at The Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank. Dennis has also worked with The Axelrod Arts Center (Deal), The Kelsey Theatre (Mercer County Community College), Playhouse 22 (East Brunswick), and Holmdel Theatre Company. Dennis is a 1st generation Filipino-American. He grew up in Bloomfield and Old Bridge and now lives in Manalapan. He went to Georgetown University and spends his days working for McMaster-Carr Supply. Dennis thanks the production team and cast for welcoming him to the team. And thank you to the audience for supporting live, local theatre!

Jo Wymer (Asst. Stage Manager)   

is a Navy Veteran, a 2x AMA award winner & a 2x Grammy nominee for her original music written for TV & film. Recent APTCO credits include: Always Patsy Cline(Stage Manager), The Bikinis(Karla). Other credits include: IN THE HEIGHTS (Abuela Claudia) Music Mountain Theater. Phoenix Productions credits:  Guys and Dolls(Production Stage Manager), Evil Dead The Musical 2022 and 2023 (Production Stage Manager), The Wizard of Oz (Assistant Stage Manager), IN THE HEIGHTSInternational Tour 2018 (Abuela Claudia). Jo was the 2023 NJACT Perry Award Nominee and Phoenix Award winner for Outstanding Stage Management in Phoenix Productions’ presentation of Guys and Dolls.Love to Dan, Hudson and Saydee. So grateful for her APTCO family. @jowymermusic or jowymer.com

 Bill is a singer, songwriter, composer, lyricist, director, arts educator and actor who hails originally from Nashville, TN. He was the Executive Director at Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, NJ for six years where he was responsible for overseeing the Production, Education, Development, Marketing & Box Office staff. He produced over 30 main stage Broadway-style shows including the New Jersey premiere of Spamalot starring Robert Johanson, Joseph….., Tuesdays with Morrie, The 1940s Radio Hour, The Music Man, Always, Patsy Cline starring Emmy Award Winner Sally Stuthers and Carter Calvert, Kids Say the Darndest Things starring Patrick Cassidy, My Fair Lady starring Glory Crampton and Robert Johanson, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Shrek, The King & I, Annie Get Your Gun and South Pacific. 

As an actor he has been seen in the lead role of Giuseppe in The Gondoliers, the role of Florian in Princess Ida, the role of Bill Bobstay in H.M.S. Pinafore and as a pirate in The Pirates of Penzance starring Hal Linden, all at City Center in New York City. He was featured in The Presidents starring Rich Little and directed by Bill Castellino, first at the Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center and then at TheatreFest in Montclair, NJ. The show was later taped for TV at The Paris Theatre, Las Vegas and subsequently aired on PBS. As a TV actor, he has appeared in several commercials for such companies as Letgo, YOPA (England), Benjamin Moore Paints, Office Depot among others.

Regionally, he was seen as Detlef in Paper Mill Playhouse's production of The Student Prince starring Christiane Noll and directed by Robert Johanson, as well as the American in Paper Mill’s production of Rags. He played the role of John in Shenandoah alongside such cast members as James Van der Beek, Michael Park and Marc Kudisch. He has performed nationally atTennessee Repertory Theatre, American Stage Company, Northshore Music Theatre, Monomoy Theatre and Algonquin Arts Theatre where he played Mitch Albom in the gripping drama, Tuesdays with Morrie and Sir Robin in Spamalot. 

As a songwriter he wrote the music with lyricist Nick De Biase for two songs for Centaur Records: “Every Time You’re Near” performed by Tony Award winner Alice Ripley on the CD, Utopia and “Never Letting Go” sung by Elsa Raven on the CD, Dance With Angels. He also wrote the music (with lyricist Bill Castellino) for Tony Award nominee Rebecca Luker’s recording of “Fine” which is featured on her album, Leaving Home, produced by Christopher McGovern.

As a singer, Bill toured from 2001 to 2018 around the globe as the Construction Worker with the World famous Village People featuring Ray Simpson, Felipe Rose, Alex Briley, Eric Anzalone, Jim Newman and Bill Whitefield. 

He is a proud member of ASCAP, SAG-AFTRA, Actors Equity Association and Dramatist Guild. He earned his BA in Theatre at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA and currently resides with his husband Christopher Verdi where he teaches voice and produces music in his home recording studio.

Bob is so happy to bring professional theater back to the Jersey Shore. The founding Board President and past Artistic Director of ReVision Theater, Bob teamed up with Bill Whitefield and Board President Robert Allison to fill this huge void of theater arts in the greater Asbury Park area. Bob is a member of the Stage Director's & Choreographer's Society, Actor's Equity Association and the Screen Actor's Guild/AFTRA. He wants to thank Neil Prince, his friend for over 40 years, for his extreme creativity and talent, his tireless work and commitment to APTCo and for his love the arts. Bob also wants to thank Kipp Koenig for making our set construction happen and teaching him about carpentry. Bob wants you all to know that without all of APTCo's corporate sponsors, Board of Directors, and patrons we would not exist. Bob wants to thank his partner in "Theater Crime" Bill Whitefield for coming up with this evil plan to start a non-profit theater on the Jersey Shore and for sharing his passion for theater with us all.

Last but certainly not least, Bob wants to thank his wife, Mary Pat, his kids Toni, Bobby and Daisy (The Mini-Schnauzer) for their love and continued support.

Kipp is a local playwright and composer who recently retired from a career in financial software. He now enjoys time at the shore  relaxing with his beautiful wife and loyal dachshund Frank. His newfound love is volunteering his carpentry skills and himself for APTCo! (Pictured above is of Frank, not Kipp)

Established in 1997, the Jules L. Plangere, Jr. Family Foundation, founded by the late Jules L. Plangere, Jr. and his wife Jane, continues its philanthropic legacy of supporting numerous critical programs that enrich the lives of thousands of people in the Jersey Shore area and beyond.

The primary mission of the Jules L. Plangere, Jr. Family Foundation is to support local charitable organizations that feed hungry children and families, shelter people without homes, deliver meals to elders, fund educational institutions and medical research, provide support for the health care system and essential workers, and support people in recovery (mental health issues). In 2020, the Foundation generously gifted $1 million to allow American Cancer Society funded research to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  Brian Thompson (NBC News (ret.), APTCo Board Member) was the New Jersey Bureau Reporter for WNBC News since 1998. Thompson, who has done extensive political reporting for several television stations throughout the United States, joined WNBC in 1996. He is the winner of an Emmy Award and many journalism awards.  

Recently retired, Brian joined the Board of APTCo where he assists with his journalism skills and marketing ideas. Whether from his home base in Monmouth Beach, or strolling the beaches of Asbury Park, Brian is dedicated to moving APTCo forward. His deep love for Asbury Park and the Jersey Shore is evident by the countless hours he spends helping this new non-profit theater.