Main St 56 Theater

Press Release:

Batavia Players, Inc. and Main St. 56 Theater are excited to kick off a brand-new season of theatrical performances, community events, and business partnerships. The organization recently held its Annual Board Meeting on Saturday, January 25, where new leadership was confirmed, committees were formed, and plans for the highly anticipated 2025 season were shared.

Election of Officers

The following officers were elected for 2025:

• President: Patrick D. Burk
• Vice President: Jodi Coburn
• Secretary: Norm Argulsky
• Treasurer: Dave Adams

2025 Season & Organizational Updates

• The 2025 Gala was a huge success, and the recent "Drag Me Home" fundraiser saw a strong turnout, helping to generate funds for the theater.
• Upcoming productions, including "The Mousetrap,” “Cupid's Stupid" and Shakespeare’s "The Winter’s Tale," are well underway, with rehearsals and ticket sales in progress.
• As part of its continued growth and development, Batavia Players has established five key committees to help oversee and improve various aspects of theater operations. These committees will work collaboratively to support the theater’s mission and ensure its long-term success:
  1. Administrative, Finance & Planning Committee – Oversees financial planning, budgeting, and administrative policies to ensure the smooth operation of the theater.
  2. Box Office & Fundraising Committee – Manages ticketing operations and spearheads fundraising initiatives to generate support from donors, sponsors, and community members.
  3. Membership & Volunteer Activation Committee – Focuses on recruitment, engagement, and retention of volunteers and members who are essential to the theater’s operations.
  4. Advertising, Promotions & Public Relations Committee – Handles all marketing efforts, social media, press relations, and promotional campaigns to increase visibility and audience engagement.
  5. Property, Maintenance & Care Committee – Ensures the upkeep, maintenance, and overall care of the theater’s physical space and technical equipment.

These committees are open theater members and community volunteers who wish to contribute their expertise and passion for the arts.

Exciting Lineup for the 2025 Season

Batavia Players has an incredible slate of productions planned for 2025, celebrating the theme "Pure Imagination." Audiences can look forward to a diverse mix of classic plays, musicals, and cabarets, including:

• February 7-9 – Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap
• February 14-15 – Cupid's Stupid: A Valentine's Day Cabaret
• March 21-23 – Shakespeare in Springtime: The Winter’s Tale
• April 11-13 – Lights, Camera, Action: A Cabaret
• May 16-18 – Jesus Christ Superstar
• July 18-19 – Summer Theater Camp: Frozen Jr.
• August 15-17 – Summer Youth Theater: Be More Chill
• September 12-14 – Laugh Tracks: A Musical Comedy Cabaret
• October 24-26 – Hedda Gabler
• December 12-14 – It’s A Wonderful Life

“This season is all about bringing creativity to life in unexpected ways,” said Patrick Burk, President of Batavia Players. “With Pure Imagination as our guiding theme, we are challenging ourselves to think outside the box—whether that means reimagining Shakespeare with a modern twist, putting a fresh spin on a beloved musical, or presenting classics in ways that will surprise and delight audiences. We’re giving our community a season filled with drama, laughter, and wonder, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience it.”

Exclusive Business Soirée – February 18

As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with the local business community, Main St. 56 Theater is hosting a Business Soirée on Tuesday, February 18, from 5 - 7 p.m.

This exclusive networking event is an opportunity for business owners, community leaders, and supporters of the arts to experience firsthand the transformative work happening at Main St. 56 Theater. Attendees will enjoy:

• Guided Tours – Explore the theater and see how it has become a cultural hub for the Batavia community.
• Live Performances – Enjoy two acts from a recent cabaret, showcasing the incredible talent that graces the Main St. 56 stage.
• Networking & Refreshments – Connect with fellow business owners, artists, and community members over delicious food and drinks.
• Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities – Learn about new sponsorship packages that provide businesses with unique marketing exposure while supporting local arts.

“This event is a chance for local businesses to see how they can be a part of the arts community,” said Jodi Coburn, Box Office Manager and Fundraising Committee Chair. “By partnering with Main St. 56 Theater, businesses not only support a vital nonprofit but also gain valuable visibility and goodwill within the community.”

RSVPs are requested by Saturday, February 15. To confirm attendance or for more information, contact Jodi Coburn at 585-813-4658 or boxoffice@bataviaplayers.org.

A Bright Future for Batavia Players & Main St. 56 Theater

With an ambitious 2025 season on the horizon and strong community engagement, Batavia Players is poised for an exciting year ahead.

For more information about upcoming productions, sponsorship opportunities, or ways to get involved, visit bataviaplayers.org or contact Heather Zerillo at admin@bataviaplayers.org.

Batavia Players' annual Harvie Awards gala culminated in two ties, Maia Zerillo stealing the show with Best Performance, downtown's Business Improvement District getting a nod for Community Partner, and several others earning rightful recognition for their roles in productions throughout the 2024 Main St. 56 Theater season.

And the Batavia Players – Main St. 56 Theater 2024 Harvie Awards went to:

2024 Best Male Lead Performance in a Play

Anthony Haitz – King John

2024 Best Female Lead Performance in a Play

Sophie Houseman - Pygmalion

2024 Best Male Supporting Performance in a Play

Steven Coburn - Pygmalion

2024 Best Female Supporting Performance in a Play

Dorothy Gerhart – Whirligig of Time

2024 Best Male Featured Performance in a Play

Elijah Van Epps - Pygmalion

2024 Best Female Featured Performance in a Play

Sophie Houseman – Whirligig of Time

2024 Best Male Lead Performance in a Musical: a tie

Anthony Haitz – White Christmas

Elijah Van Epps – Evita

2024 Best Female Lead Performance in a Musical

Kristin Gelia – Evita

2024 Best Male Supporting Performance in a Musical: a tie

Robert Balbick – White Christmas

Skylar Dence - Evita

2024 Best Female Supporting Performance in a Musical

Teressa Hirsch – White Christmas

2024 Best Male Featured Performance in a Musical

Bill Moon – White Christmas

2024 Best Female Featured Performance in a Musical

Rory Van Epps - Evita

2024 Best Male Performance in a Cabaret 

Deacon Smith – Four the Record

2024 Best Female Featured Performance in a Cabaret

Jocelyn Coburn – Four the Record

2024 Best Group Performance in a Cabaret

This Man – Just One More Time

2024 Best Solo Performance in a Cabaret

Ian Cannioto – Wickedly Musical

2024 Best Youth Performance in a Cabaret

Lilah Mordell – Wickedly Musical

2024 Best Youth Performance in a Musical or Play

Maia Zerillo – Bye Bye Birdie

2024 Best Child Performance in a Musical or Play

Elle Williams – White Christmas

2024 Best Solo Performance in a Musical

Kristin Gelia – Don’t Cry For Me Argentina

2024 Best Group Performance in a Musical

And the Money Kept Rolling in - Evita

2024 Performance of the Year

Maia Zerillo - Bye Bye Birdie

2024 Director of the Year

James Chamberlain

2024 Community Partner of the Year

Downtown Batavia Business Improvement District

When Andy Rich was a teenager, he daydreamed of becoming an actor and showing up in television or movie productions, except for one small detail.

A small-town boy from Le Roy getting anywhere in Los Angeles seemed like a foolhardy pursuit.

“I told myself that was like a silly dream and that I should get a real job,” Rich said during an interview with The Batavian. “So I just gave up on it until I turned 25 or 26. And then I started finding commercial work. I’m 37 now and have probably been in 100 commercial films and television productions. The biggest thing I’ve done recently is I produced a film with Alicia Silverstone.”

His portfolio includes “Pretty Thing” as a producer; movies “Halloween Inferno Part 3” and “The Ultimate Playlist of Noise” as an actor; and commercials for Rozwell Park and Independent Health. 

A 2005 Le Roy High School graduate who was involved with Batavia Players and was on the group’s board of directors in 2022, Rich now wants other aspiring actors who may be reticent about working in the field of acting or are making an attempt but with no clear road map to get some tools to help them out.

Supported by a grant through the state Council on the Arts, and locally administered by GO Art!, Rich is offering two workshops of Acting for Large Markets from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 3 and 4 at Main St. 56 Theater, Batavia. Residents of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties may pick one of the sessions to attend for free. 

“The reason I’m doing this is because when I got started, there just weren’t any resources for this type of thing. No classes, no one to explain to you how to get started, you were here to figure it out on your own. It took me the better part of 10 years to figure it out. How can I make this dream something real? So that’s the point of this class, is to essentially give people the tools that they need to get started. It is like a jumping-off point.”

There will be two others from the field providing their expertise: 

• Educator, coach and casting director Amy Gossels will talk about Mastering your Camera Auditions and offer lessons about “innovative on-camera audition techniques that will elevate your auditions and gain coveted industry insight to boost your career.

  Gossels has cast more than 1,500 commercials and has been the casting director and, in many cases, a producer for more than 100 film and television productions during her 25-year career in the industry.

• Andria Schultz is a brand strategist and consultant for entertainment professionals and organizations. She has worked on the production team for a variety of popular television programs, including “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and Disney Channel’s “Bizaardvark.”

Participants will learn more about honing their actor’s brand — for example, do you have that villain look? 

“A lot of casting directors nowadays look for the look first, and then they’ll look at your audition if they’re interested,” he said.

Gossels will also offer tips on how to properly do a casting audition, Rich said, “and she’s not easy to get ahold of,” so making the connection with her is also a plus.

“This is going to give you all the work you need to do to get ready,” he said. “They’re going to get the opportunity to learn a lot of things that they maybe didn’t know as well and they’re gonna be able to make connections with people who have more industry connections than I do.”

He considered not promoting the class and just hoping for the best that people would learn of it and sign up. But then, he thought, “What a waste for it not to be full.” 

He has learned the hard way about what not to do or say on set and in auditions, he said, and this is someone’s opportunity to start off on the right foot. 

People can make innocent mistakes — say by talking too much on set — that gets them banned from future projects, and they may never know why. It’s a tough business, and the more you learn upfront about what’s expected of you, the likelier it is that you’re called back for other gigs because casting directors will remember you as the cooperative actor, not the difficult one.

And the really good news is that you don’t have to live in Los Angeles to get acting jobs, he said. Western New York is a burgeoning region for the field; there are commercials made for insurance and other familiar companies that are always looking for people of various ages. 

New York State makes some eight I Love New York commercials each year, he said, and directors are always looking for people to serve as families in those projects. 

Getting more interested? Registration will close by the end of July. To sign up, email iamandyrich@gmail.com with your preferred date of either Aug. 3 or 4. He hopes to see you there.

“I still have a really soft spot for small-town living, and Le Roy means a lot to me, and I just think that people in the region, the Western New York region, deserve more opportunities," he said. "I think a lot of people grow up thinking that there’s only a certain amount of options that are available to them. And I just want people to think differently, that the world is their oyster if they try hard enough.”

As another year begins to fade away in the hopefulness of a new one, there’s still room for a look back at the best and brightest theatrical performances as the Batavia Players present the 2024 Gala: Starting Here, Starting Now!

The premise is simple enough. Pat Burk says: it’s a new year, the first time for the awards show in a brand new theater, and with all but three of a dozen new shows negotiated for the 2024 season.

“Starting Here, Starting Now is a song written for a musical, it’s not really well known, but it’s about, this is the beginning of our new year, it’s about things being new. It’s just a nice kind of event, and people can see the seating and the style in the theater and how things are presented there. And it’s just kind of a cool event,” Burk said during an interview with The Batavian. “We’re pretty close to being completed, and all of our shows will be presented in the same venue with all new equipment. It’s just going to be a great year for us.”

Set for 7 p.m. Saturday at the Main St. 56 Theater in downtown Batavia, the gala is a party celebration of the Players’ “very successful 2023 season” with hors d’oeuvres, refreshments, basket raffles, select performances and — drum roll, please — a presentation of the 2023 Harvie Awards to a slate of deserving performers in this past year’s lineup of shows.

There will be several recap performances and highlights of plays and musicals from the past season, along with a discussion about why people were nominated and ultimately chosen for each award. 

Directors from each of the shows submitted nominations, and four additional directors contributed reviews for the final selections, Burk said. Beyond a nod of recognition for the talent up on stage is a moment to pause and reflect and reminisce about the seven musicals and four play productions put forth in a span of 12 months, he said. 

This will be the first time since COVID — will it ever be forgotten? — for a full-blown awards show. The last one was for the 2019 awards, and it was right smack in the middle of a St. Patrick’s holiday that health department officials came in to shut down the event on those first bleak days of the pandemic, he said.

“And they came in nicely, and we said, ‘Can we at least finish, or can we get the food out of here?’ And they said we had to close up. I remember they allowed us to do takeout containers for the corned beef and cabbage,” he said. 

Does that feel like a million years ago now, or yesterday?

“A million years ago, because we were also in the process of just starting the demolition of the new theater. And that literally started that January 1, and we were just so looking forward to, within two years, we’d be out of Harvester and into our new theater. And obviously, none of that happened,” he said. “So, we’re in the new theater … it’s so deserved. It’s been a long time coming.”

And in that vein, the theater is starting here, starting now, with its 2024 season that kicks off with a concert, “Pushin’ Time,” with duo Eric Carlin and Deanna Spiotta Carlin on Jan. 19. Other confirmed shows include “The Little Mermaid Jr.," “Pygmalion,” and one that Burk is thrilled to have secured for May, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Evita.”

As for the remainder of the lineup, that will be revealed, except for those three shows still in negotiations, during this weekend's gala. Attendees may want to spiff up for the affair if they like and absorb a medley of productions while supporting the arts and artists who make it happen.

Admission is a $30 donation. Advance ticket purchases are encouraged at bataviaplayers.org

Award nominations went to the following:

Lead actor in a play

Stephen VanValkenburg - Almost Maine

Steven Coburn - Antony & Cleopatra

Steven Coburn - 12 Angry Jurors

Anthony Haitz - One Act Plays/The Bear

Seth Coburn - One Act Plays/Mr. Icky

Lead actress in a play

Jacqueline Morrison - Almost Maine

Emily Crawford - Antony & Cleopatra

Teressa Hirsch - 12 Angry Jurors

Teressa Hirsch - One act plays/Verbatim

Supporting actor in a play

Elijah Van Epps - Almost Maine

Shaun Coburn - Almost Maine

Elijah Van Epps - Antony & Cleopatra

James Barcomb - 12 Angry Jurors

James Barcomb - One act plays/The Bear

Supporting actress in a play

Kendra Morrison - Almost Maine

Cynthia Nelson - Almost Maine

Cynthia Nelson - Antony & Cleopatra

Dorothy Gerhart - 12 Angry Jurors

Dorothy Gerhart - One act plays/Verbatim

Featured actor in a play

Richard Ferris - Almost Maine

Lawrence Rowswell - Antony & Cleopatra

James Barcomb - Antony & Cleopatra

Anthony Haitz - 12 Angry Jurors

Shakeem Walcott - One act plays/Mr. Icky

Featured actress in a play

Sophie Houseman - Almost Maine

Maia Zerillo - Almost Maine

Erin Stamp - Antony & Cleopatra

Shellene Bailey - Antony & Cleopatra

Mary Eckstein - 12 Angry Jurors

Sophie Crandall - One act plays/Mr. Icky

Leading male performance in a musical

Marc Sapareto - Opposites Attract

Phil Berry - Drowsy Chaperone

Marc Sapareto - Do Not Sing List

Marc Sapareto - Cry Baby

Kevin Partridge - A Christmas Carol

Leading female performance in a musical

Sarah Hill - Opposites Attract

Kristin Gelia - Drowsy Chaperone

Maia Zerillo - Do Not Sing List

Maia Zerillo - Cry Baby

Jennifer Dunn - A Christmas Carol

Supporting male performance in a musical

Seth Coburn - Opposites Attract

Sam Bowman - Drowsy Chaperone

Qasim Huzair - Drowsy Chaperone

Deacon Smith - Do Not Sing List

Deacon Smith - Cry Baby

Andy Hamm - A Christmas Carol

Supporting female performance in a musical

Jocelyn Coburn - Opposites Attract

Sophie Houseman - Drowsy Chaperone

Kendra Morrison - Do Not Sing List

Paige Sikorski - Cry Baby

Rose Mosher - Cry Baby

Amanda Melissa Taylor - A Christmas Carol

Featured male performance in a musical

Cass Dzielski - Opposites Attract

Anthony Haitz - Drowsy Chaperone

Steven Coburn - Drowsy Chaperone

Elijah Van Epps - Do Not Sing List

Paul Daniszewski - Cry Baby

William Zerillo - A Christmas Carol

Featured female performance in a musical

Teressa Hirsch - Opposites Attract

Amy-Catherine - Cunningham Drowsy Chaperone

Beth Knopf - Drowsy Chaperone

Kristin Gelia - Do Not Sing List

Samantha Jane Balbi -Cry Baby

Kylea Wright - Cry Baby

Dorothy Gerhart - A Christmas Carol

Youth performance

Peyton Woeller -Do Not Sing List

Quinn Boardman - All Shook Up

Peyton Sikorski - All Shook Up

Peyton Woeller - Cry Baby

Sophie Crandall - A Christmas Carol

Lilah Mordell - A Christmas Carol

Child performance

Annalie Crandall - All Shook Up

Sylar Kuenzi - All Shook Up

Adam Jursted - Cry Baby

Xavier Deschamps - A Christmas Carol

Liam Taylor - A Christmas Carol

Charlotte Reddin - A Christmas Carol

Best musical performance ensemble

Move Towards the Darkness - Opposites Attract

I Do, I Do in the Sky - Drowsy Chaperone

Cell Block Tango -Do Not Sing List

You Bet Your Ass - Cry Baby

In December - A Christmas Carol

Best musical performance solo

Jacqueline Morrison - Three Days Without Breathing/Opposites Attract

Sophie Houseman - As We Stumble Along/Drowsy Chaperone

Cass Dzielski - Run Away With Me/Do Not Sing List

Paige Sikorski - Screwloose/Cry Baby

Deacon Smith - Hallelujah/A Christmas Carol

It looked like the Batavia Players cast had quite a party as show Director Anthony Baldwin-Giambrone dropped empty beer bottles into a cooler near the stage Monday evening.

There was a party, he said, however, only as part of the 2022 Shakespeare in Springtime series. Beer-drinking during a yearly Shakespearean staple? Only when the setting has been switched up from the typical 16th Century scenario of kings, queens, and jesters, to a modern-day educational setting.

“We took the entire show and set it at a college, with a fraternity house and a sorority house,” Baldwin-Giambrone said during rehearsals at the new venue inside City Centre. “We had this play ready to go in March 2020 … we have two-thirds of the original cast back. We had to recast eight people, and we bumped up an actor from a small role to a lead role.”\

The show didn’t go on then, as all things COVID-19 shut it down. Fast forward two years and construction of the new theater is still in progress as new and returning cast members rehearse in The Backstage space that accommodates 84 patrons. Known as “black box theater,” this space offers a close-up view of the action. It was a welcome sight for 34-year-old Justin Chortie, he said.

“It’s nice and intimate,” the North Tonawanda actor said. “I haven’t done black box since college.”

He plays Ferdinand the King, aka president of the fraternity. Thought to be sort of snobby, his character convinces his friends to give up girls for a while. Of course, this wouldn’t be a comical love story if the king actually followed his own advice, as Chortie said, and the king’s own words get him into hot water.

Chortie believes the two-hour round trip for rehearsals is worth it. He had but one word for why: passion.

“To hear the audience laugh, it’s adrenaline almost, it’s like a drug,” he said. “I mean, it's wild. You gotta go. You’ve got kings and princesses, but they're not really kings and princesses; they're fraternities and sororities. There's all kinds of fun.”

The show is Love’s Labour’s Lost, and it’s set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m Sunday at The Backstage at Main St. 56 Theater, Batavia. For those unfamiliar with this new space at Batavia City Centre, the entrance is a purple door next to Batavia Family Dental.

Love's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance before Queen Elizabeth I. The King of Navarre and his three companions attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. They break their oath through a subsequent infatuation with the Princess of France and her ladies. The play closes with the death of the Princess's father, and all weddings are delayed for a year.

Although Baldwin-Giambrone is no stranger to the Players troop or the Shakespeare series, this is his first time directing this particular show. A resident of Kenmore, he is one of a big handful of actors and staff driving to and from rehearsals after a more typical day job. 

For this director, he goes from being a special education high school math teacher by day to working with a cast of 18 people at night. Think Shakespeare is dull, dry, and a ho-hum display of antiquated dialect? Think again, he and his cast members said. This is a show they described as “fun and funny.”

What hasn’t been so funny is how that unyielding pandemic wiped out this show two years ago.

“We were two weeks away from opening. And then we were shut down before we opened. And then with COVID, we had to make sure we were wearing masks at all rehearsals,” he said. “And then I know my assistant director, Jane (Burk), she actually, after every single rehearsal, stayed after and wiped down all the surfaces and sprayed and cleaned everything.”

Pushing COVID repercussions aside, Baldwin-Giambrone ran with the comical theme of Love’s Labour’s Lost. He replaced the more regal characters of kings and queens with frat boys and sorority sisters and paired them by personality — over the top and very clear cut  — such as the dumb blonds and the studious ones. 

“And they’re funny because this is a comedy. So it’s very funny seeing them do their very stereotypical distinct personalities,” he said. “The biggest challenge, I would say, was rehearsing in a shorter time period … just being able to get in here and start working with people to begin scheduling and everything. It just was a lot more tight.”

Dorothy Gerhart of Alabama had to drop her former role of Holofernes for the sorority mom, Boyet. It wasn’t really a bigger role, she said, because she counted the lines, and they were about equal. However, the mom role provided opportunity for more fun, she said. Her outfits are wild and colorful, with leopard, tie-dye, and purple pok-a-dot patterns. 

“I think she graduated from college but never really left,” Gerhart said. “She sees herself as one of the girls. She’s kind of the comedy relief, with a lot of funny lines.”

Aaron Klafehn is another newcomer to the Players, though not at all new to acting, he said. Working in quality control for HP Hood in Batavia, the 34-year-old discovered Batavia Players through his partner, the show's assistant costumer Marshall McCall. Klafehn has been interested in theater since elementary school. He plays the role of Costard, who he describes as a “chaos-causing math teacher.”

“He purposely does things incorrectly, to try and get a rise out of someone else,” Klafehn said, adding that he had a hiatus from theater during the last couple of years. “I fell right back into it, and am making new connections. It’s much different than the day-to-day aspects of what I do. It’s fun to bring someone’s creation to life. I try and make sure that it's as organic to the character that I'm creating as possible, rather than trying to imitate or copy someone else's. I'm excited to be back performing again, and very excited to see the new performing space when it's finished.”

Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, go to: showtix4u.com

Top photo: Shaun Coburn, Justin Chortie and James Barcomb run through a rehearsal Tuesday night of Batavia Players' upcoming Love's Labour's Lost, which is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at The Backstage at Main St. 56 Theater, Batavia City Centre. The actors are joined by Sam Bowman, shown in the fourth photo from the top, during mandatory masked rehearsals for the Shakespeare in Springtime Series comedy by Batavia Players. Photos by Howard Owens. Editor's Note: Due to scheduling conflicts, this rehearsal was not in costume.