Meet the company of Melancholy Play: a chamber musical:

Wayne Asbury (Lorenzo the Unfeeling) was seen last on stage with tKAPOW as Doyle Trigorin in Stupid Fucking Bird. He has also appeared in Macbeth, as Quinn in Penelope and as Bradley in Buried Child. Past credits include: Brick, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; Henry, Mud; Slim, Cowboy Mouth; Provost, Measure for Measure; Martin, The Goat or Who is Sylvia? and Claudius, Hamlet.

Candace Gatzoulis (Tilly) is so excited to perform in her second theatre KAPOW production, the first being Raining Aluminum. A graduate from Emerson College with a masters degree in Theatre Education, she has directed and choreographed over 30 community theatre and school musical productions and has had the opportunity to perform with the Boston Pops, and for the Red Sox and Celtics. A NH Theatre Awards Top 10 nominee in recent years as a director, choreographer and actress, she won the award for “Best Supporting Actress” as Anita in Majestic Theatre’s West Side Story in 2016.

Emily Karel (Frances) is thrilled to be back with tKAPOW in Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical! Emily was last seen with tKAPOW as Queen Marie in Exit the King, and Nina in Stupid Fucking Bird. She holds a BA in Theatre from Wheaton College, MA. She has studied acting for theatre, TV, and film in New York and Los Angles, and is a graduate of Shakespeare and Company’s Winter Intensive and Conservatory programs. Emily also teaches youth theatre with The New Hampshire Theatre Project in Portsmouth, and will be producing her very first project with her production company, Glass Dove Productions, in the fall of 2017! Emily would like to thank Matt, the fantastic cast and crew, and of course, Sarah Ruhl.

Sheree Owens (Joan) is happy to be part of Melancholy Play, her first production with theatre KAPOW. She studied Musical Theatre at Dean College in Franklin, MA and has been active in professional and community theatre most of her life. Sheree lives in Concord with her son, Sam, and works at the Capitol Center for the Arts. Thanks to Matt and tKAPOW for the opportunity, and the entire cast and crew for making this a fantastic experience. 

Jimmy Stewart (Frank) was last seen as the Guard in Exit the King, and wants you to be the first one to hear that he’s happy now that he is performing in his second show with theatre KAPOW by one of his absolute favorite playwrights: Sarah Ruhl. Jimmy is still stubbornly toiling away as an engineer during the daytime hours although sometimes he looks out the window, in the afternoon.

Matt Cahoon (Director) is a tKAPOW co-founder and has directed many productions for the company including: Agamemnon, A Dream Play, Buried Child, Time Stands Still and the February 2014 production of Penelope which won three NH Theatre Awards including Best Director. Matt directed Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Israel Potter at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse. He currently serves on the boards of the Arts Presenters of Northern New England and the Greater Derry Arts Council. Matt’s theatre training includes work with Double Edge Theatre Company, SITI Company, the New England Center for Circus Arts, and Range of Motion Arts. In 2013, Matt attended the International Symposium for Directors at LaMaMa Umbria in Spoleto, Italy. As his “day job” Matt serves as the Director of Cultural Programming at Pinkerton Academy. In 2011, Matt was named to the New Hampshire Union Leader’s “40 Under Forty” program.

Caught in the Act Blog Review

“What a weird, wonderful, weird, marvelous, weird, glorious show. The music is rich and complex, and executed brilliantly by the cast. I feel like this almond thing might turn into something. #GoNuts“

“Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical was lovely, silly, sad, weird, classical, loony, sweet, and wonderful.”

“Change your plans and see this tomorrow. I’m 100% serious.”

“Everyone’s right — you can’t really explain it, but you have to recommend it… delightful, weird, unique, funny. Go see it. They have almonds at intermission.”