VIOLET HOWARD is a freshman at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, majoring in Sound Recording Technology. She hopes to be on the stage in the future, as a musician or actor. This is her second time acting with Theater in the Open, but she’s been coming to all their plays since she was little. She’s excited to join them in the future for more!

Violet has previously appeared in A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) at Theater in the Open.

NADIA TOTH AS ADAM WATT

NADIA TOTH (she/her) is thrilled to be a part of this year’s winter panto! Most recently, Nadia appeared as Madame Pernelle (Tartuffe) and Betty Parris (The Crucible). When she is not on stage you can find her writing poetry at Newburyport High School or fostering kittens for the MSPCA. Many thanks to her family, friends, and teachers.

Nadia has previously appeared in A Nutcracker Panto! (2021), and The Crucible (2022) at Theater in the Open.

WILLOW DIXON AS MAY WATT

WILLOW DIXON has been performing with Theater in the Open for the past five years, getting her start as the changeling child in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2017. Since then she’s appeared in A Christmas Carol Panto, POE, and Metamorphoses, most recently playing Clara in A Nutcracker Panto! Willow has attended TITO’s Summer Arts Workshop every summer since the age of 6 and is a member of Joppa Dance Company in Newburyport..

Willow has previously appeared in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2017), A Christmas Carol Panto (2019), Metamorphoses (2021), and A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) at Theater in the Open.

BONNIEJEAN WILBUR AS WENDY WATT

BONNIEJEAN WILBUR

SIERRA GITLIN AS THE WHITE WITCH

SIERRA GITLIN has been working with Theater in the Open as an actor since 2017, performing in Antigone, The Tempest, Metamorphoses, and POE. She has appeared as Medea and in several pantos. Sierra serves on the Board of Directors of Theater in the Open, and is passionate about the community-building power of storytelling and the arts.

Sierra has previously appeared in Antigone (2017), Medea (2018), The Tempest (2019), Metamorphoses (2021), and A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) at Theater in the Open.

KATIE FORMOSI AS Ginarrbrik

KATIE FORMOSI (she/her) is a paraprofessional in a 6th grade classroom. Katie has been working with Theater in the Open since 2018 as an actor and instructor. Along with Theater in the Open, she has performed with Shawn Terenzi’s Academy of Dance, Northern Essex Community College’s Top Notch Players, UMass Amherst’s Student Theatre Guild, and Dive In Productions. As a student through UMass Amherst’s University Without Walls, she is studying Foreign Language Education. She would like to give a shout-out and congratulations to her Winter Workshop students, who are performing on the Firehouse stage as well!

Katie has previously appeared in A Cinderella Panto! (2018), A Christmas Carol Panto! (2019), Adventures in Zoomland (2020), and A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) at Theater in the Open.

RIVER WYNNE AS WOLF 1

RIVER WYNNE is a freshman at Triton High School and recently participated in his school’s production of the Addams Family Musical. Aside from acting he also enjoys playing the flute in his school’s band.

River has previously appeared in A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) at Theater in the Open.

NICHOLAS O’CONNOR

ALLEGRA DUBUS-BRANDOLINI AS WOLF 3

ALLEGRA DUBUS-BRANDOLINI is thrilled to be joining the cast of Through the Wardrobe: A Winter Wonderland Panto! Other credits include Waiting for Godot (Firehouse Center for the Arts), Emotional Creature (Firehouse Center for the Arts), The Little Mermaid (Firehouse Center for the Arts), and School of Rock the Musical (Ogunquit Playhouse). She has performed in countless productions at Sarah Lawrence College such as Head over Heels the Musical and Twelfth Night. She trained at the British American Drama Academy in London and recently graduated with a BA in Theatre and Creative Writing at Sarah Lawrence College.

Allegra has previously appeared in Antigone (2017), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2017), Medea (2018), Lost Songs (2018), Julius Caesar (2018), A Snow White Panto (2018), The Game of Love and Chance (2022), and The Crucible (2022) at Theater in the Open.

GWYNNETHE GLICKMAN AS THE FOX

GWYNNETHE GLICKMAN is a mother and artist from Newbury, MA. Gwynnethe creates and teaches with many companies/schools in the area, though she feels most at home when performing with TITO. Fox is a role she has played twice before so getting the opportunity to reprise and revamp it is an extremely exciting opportunity. Gwynnethe would love to acknowledge that her daughters and family are the driving force of her existence and without them she would not be the performer that she is.

Gwynnethe has previously appeared in Much Ado About Nothing (2018) A Peter Pan Panto! (2019) and A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) at Theater in the Open.

ADRIANNA NEEFUS AS BEAVER

ADRIANNA NEEFUS is delighted to be back with TITO for Winter Panto, number 2! "Yes number 1?" No no, number two was her mouse name! Adrianna is a local actor, singer, storyteller and theatrical American Sign Language interpreter. You can catch her performing on stages all over the Boston/North Shore area in various capacities.

Adrianna has previously appeared in A Nutcracker Panto (2021) at Theater in the Open,

Kate Doyon as BADGER

KATE DOYON is a local actor and middle school teacher at Glen Urquhart School. She has an undergraduate degree from Skidmore in Acting and has worked with companies such as SITI Company and Double Edge Theater. Kate is grateful to all of you reading this for being here and for the opportunity to perform with such a lovely organization. Happy Holidays!

Katie has previously appeared in The Tempest (2019) and A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) with Theater in the Open.

JARED STROMSKI AS Will Watt

JARED STROMSKI has been involved with Theater in the Open for well over 10 years; but made his TITO debut in 2014 haunting the trails of Maudslay and then on the big stage with A Nutcracker Panto! in 2021.

Jared has previously appeared in A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) with Theater in the Open.

FIG HASELTINE AS RABBIT

FIG HASELTINE is thrilled to be joining the cast of Through The Wardrobe! Fig has enjoyed working with Theater In The Open as a volunteer during the summer throughout the past years! She enjoys getting to see the kids during camp while teaching them to be creative and confident on stage. When she is not rocking out at camp she spends her time at Essex North Shore High School studying Landscaping and Sustainability.

Fig makes her Theater in the Open debut with Through the Wardrobe: A Winter Wonderland Panto!

ESME SPECK AS A MOUSE

ESME SPECK

VANESSA ROSSI AS WHITE DOE

VANESSA ROSSI is a singer, designer, and creative director living in the Newburyport area. She has been working with Theater in the Open since 2015, and has appeared most recently in A Nutcracker Panto (2021) and the Firehouse production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2019). As a vocalist, Vanessa has spent many years performing and playing in bands, and recently released her first solo album.

Vanessa has previously appeared in Through the Looking Glass: A Snow White Panto! (2017) and Jack and the Beanstock Panto! (2018) at Theater in the Open.

KEITH STROMSKI AS FATHER CHRISTMAS

KEITH STROMSKI It's been an entire childhood since I've been on the TITO stage, having last appeared in 2004 just before the birth of my son Jared, who is playing Will tonight. Thank you to the current stewards of this beloved company for keeping it going and for continuing to provide holiday magic for so many years.

Keith has previously appeared in The Skin of our Teeth (1999), The Cherry Orchard (2002), A Christmas Carol (2002), and Taming of the Shrew (2004) at Theater in the Open.

CHRIS DOYON AS A MUSICIAN

CHRIS DOYON has been performing music in a variety of different contexts for much of his life. As a former music teacher, he is delighted to share his talents as a "one-man-band" with Theater in the Open during this year's panto.

Chris has previously appeared in A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) at Theater in the Open.

SOPHIA TODD AS SKUNK

SOPHIA TODD has enjoyed working with Theater in the Open both onstage and as a volunteer, and she is so excited to be back for this production! Sophia is currently in high school, and enjoys reading, doing karate, and playing the violin.

Sophia has previously appeared in A Nutcracker Panto! (2021) and The Crucible (2022) at Theater in the Open.

AMANDA LUDEKING AS WHITE WITCH UNDERSTUDY (Dec 10th, 7pm)

AMANDA LUDEKING has been involved with TITO for twenty years! She began as a student at the Summer Arts Workshop in 2002, taking the performance class and playing the Narrator in A Series of Unfortunate Events. Since, she has adored TITO, spending many summers either as a student, counselor in training, or teacher. She graduated with an M.A. in Drama Therapy from Lesley University in May 2022 and is working part time as a hospital clown with Laughter League. When not being a big old goof, she spends her time with her two cats, Buster and Dusty.

Amanda has previously appeared in Cinderella in December (2014), A Nutcracker Winter Panto (2016), Through the Looking Glass Spring Panto (2017) at Theater in the Open.

Joshua Shack, Director

JOSHUA SHACK has co-directed the pantos for Theater in the Open since 2014; this production of Through the Wardrobe is his sixteenth collaboration with TITO. Josh decided to become a clown when he was just three years old. As a teenager, he spent his summers performing with Circus Smirkus, and then toured nationally with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. He is a co-creator and performer of The Piccolini Trio and directed their critically acclaimed stage show Circus in a Trunk. Other directing credits include Out of Orbit at The Theater at Saint Peter’s in New York City, and Nothing but Nonsense, a variety musical comedy at Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI. He is a teaching artist-in-residence for Circus Smirkus, and served as Production Manager and Director of Programming before becoming the Associate Artistic Director last spring.