JIM LANTZ, writer/producer

Jim Lantz has directed and produced over 200 commercial films, videos and live events. Recipient of numerous awards including The Rosebud Award, the Telly Award, and the International Television and Video Association's award for 'Best in Show', Jim has produced work for clients such as MCI, Mobil Oil, American Express, and The Brooklyn Museum of Art. As a producer, Jim raised over 2.5 million dollars to finance a production company, several film projects and live events. Jim currently teaches writing and public speaking at Community College of Vermont and works as an employment counselor for people with mental disabilities at the Howard Center. He lives in Burlington with his wife, two sons, and a dog named Gromit. This is his first theatrical endeavor.

SETH JARVIS, director

Director, producer, writer and actor, Seth Jarvis has been actively involved in the Vermont arts community for over 10 years. Seth has directed several plays including The Once and Future Ubu which he also wrote, and the Burlington Free Press called, ...wildly entertaining. A familiar actor on Burlington stages (All My Sons and The Cripple of Inishmaan) Seth has received praise in the local press calling his performances ...riveting. A producer of both The Burlington Poetry Slams and the artsProject VT series, he represented Vermont at the 2001, 2002, and 2003 National Poetry Slam Competition. Winner of the 2004 Daisie Award for ‘Best Poet in Vermont,’ Seth has written several books of poetry including his latest, Manipulate the World, which has been made available through Wordsmith Press.

JOHN B. FORBES, Lighting Designer

John B. Forbes has previously designed the lighting for the Vermont Stage Company, Saint Michaels Playhouse and Lost Nation Theatre in Vermont.  In addition he has designed the lighting for productions at the Old Globe Theatre, the San Diego Repertory Theatre, the Center Repertory Company, and the Ensemble Theatre Company, all in California.  He has also designed lighting for Theatre Aspen in Colorado; the Riverside Shakespeare Company and Theatre Matrix in New York; the Arizona Theatre Company, and he is the winner of three L. A. Dramalogue awards for his designs at the Old Globe Theatre and three Shelley Awards for his designs with the Center Repertory Company.  He is the faculty lighting designer at the University of Vermont in the Department of Theatre, and his lighting design for UVMs production of Metamorphoses was displayed in the Gallery Exhibit at the World Stage Design Exhibition in Toronto.  He has also taught at San Diego State University and the University of San Diego, and while at U.S.D., he also managed Shiley Theatre.  In that capacity he served as the technical liaison between the University and the Presidential Debate Commission for the final Presidential Debate of 1996 held there.

BRETT HUGHES, original music

Brett Hughes has been writing and performing original music for the theatrical productions of Very Merry Theatre and the Edmunds School system for several years, including adaptations of Shakespeares The Winter's Tale, a Western version of King Lear, and a Circus treatment of The Tempest . He also scored original music for stage productions of Dickens Tale Of Two Cities and Great Expectations, and a comedic adaptation of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, among others. He won the 2005 Boston/New England Emmy Award for Musical Composition for his soundtrack to the television series Windy Acres , produced by Kingdom County Productions and Vermont Public Television. Brett performs regularly with Chrome Cowboys, Monoprix, and Mike Gordon and Ramble Dove, as well as playing solo gigs. He performed at this years Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee, the Evolve Festival in Nova Scotia, and Moedown in Turin, NY. He lives and works in Winooski and Burlington, VT.

JIM WOLVINGTON, sound design

Jim Wolvington has been in the professional audio business for over 30 years, first as a music editor for CBS Masterworks, RCA Red Seal, Telarc and many others. Later, he moved into sound design and sound effects editor for television and film. Jim has won six Emmy awards for best sound for television shows, Max Headroom, and ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation.’

SHAWN LIPENSKI, associate producer, technical director

Shawn Lipenski (Associate Producer) resides in Burlington, VT where he works in the non-profit sector, teaches tap dance and gets involved artistically whenever possible. Shawn has performed in NYC at Theater East in the musical production of That’s Life! Shawn was a producer, writer and performer with the New York sketch-comedy group – Nothing Personal. In 1999, while residing in Northern California, he was nominated for an Arty Award for Best Director for Harbor Theatrical Group’s production of School House Rock Live. In the past several years, Shawn created and directed Exploring the Lives of Women in Musical Theater, toured with the Weimar Berlin-inspired Spielpalast Cabaret, acted in A Perfect Goodnight Kiss and Attraction which debuted at the 15th Annual Vermont International Film Festival. This past year, Shawn produced The Once and Future Ubu written and directed by Seth Jarvis. He also originated the rage-filled role of the Punk in the show of the same title. Most recently Shawn directed the one-act play, Welcome to the Moon, which was presented at the Shoebox Theatre. Shawn trained at the University of Wisconsin and The American Musical & Dramatic Academy in New York City.

MINDY KEAR, stage manager

Mindy Kear has been the stage manager for The Breakfast Club (live onstage), The Once and Future Ubu, Welcome to the Moon, The Bald Soprano & Funny. She is on the advisory panel of Sweet Racket Productions. The Bus is Mindys sixth Vermont production. Mindy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from the University of Vermont.

JESSIE OWENS, costume designer

Jessie Owens performs with and artistically directs and costumes the Spielpalast Cabaret. She created several costumes for Seth Jarvis' The Once and Future Ubu. Jessie has been playing with fabric and yarn since she was a small child. She enjoys spending her time designing and creating knits.

The Cast

DENNIS McSORLEY , 'Harry Deforge'

A native New Yorker, Dennis has appeared in over 30 plays and films and has helped bring the stories of Chekov, Mamet, Stoppard, Albee, Simon, and local writers Steve Goldberg, Keefe Healy and Maura Campbell to life. He received accolades at the 2001 Edinburgh Fringe Festival's world premiere of Dogs of War by Keefe Healy. He was the gritty cop in Mark Covinos Bessie nominated film, Talcum, and was nominated for Best Actor at last years Brighton Fringe Festival, U.K. for his role in Keefe Healy's drama, Fish Dancing. He enjoys being himself in his spare time and sharing lifes joys with his wife, Janet.

TRACEY GIRDICH , 'Sarah'

Tracey Girdich graduated from SUNYPlattsburg with a BA in Theatre Arts. She went on to study acting at Circle in the Square in NYC and Atlantic Theatre Cos P.A.W. program. She has acted for film, radio and stage. Tracey has performed with several Vermont theatre companies as well as regionally at the Sanford Meisner Theatre in NYC and internationally at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Tracey is a founding member of Green Candle Theatre Company.

COLIN CRAMER , 'Jordan'

Colin Cramer has been acting on Burlington stages for over four years, and could not be happier than to be in the premiere production of The Bus and once again working with director Seth Jarvis. A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Colin came to Champlain College in 2002 and almost immediately became involved with the Champlain Players, performing in such productions as As You Like It, Ah, Wilderness!, All My Sons, The Cripple of Inishmaan, and Lady Windermeres Fan.  When not performing, Colin has assistant directed with Dr. Joanne Farrell in No Exit and stage managed the premiere of Wild Hair, by Robin Fawcett and Jean Taylor.  Off stage, Colin is a senior at Champlain College, completing his degree in Communications.  He can be seen in the Champlain Players production of A Raisin in the Sun in the fall.

BEN VAN BUREN , 'Ian'

Ben Van Buren has been performing in the Burlington area for many years. As a young child, he began his theatrical career in various acting camps and school plays and later moved on to the fabulous BHS Drama Department and various community theatre projects. Recently, Ben was seen as The Cat in the Hat in Lyric Theatres production of Suessical and in the Robin Fawcett directed play, Bigger Than All of Us at FlynnSpace last March. Ben will be appearing in Lyric Theatres upcoming production of Fiddler on the Roof. Ben would like to thank his wonderful mothers for being his constant inspiration. 

WALT LEVERING, 'Sloat'

Walt has played many roles over the past ten years from Officer Welch in Rumors to the Major in Titanic. He has played the role of Charlie in Death of a Salesman, Constable Warren in Vermont Stage Companys Our Town and the Prince in Romeo and Juliet. Some of his other favorite roles include Conrad in Much Ado About Nothing and First Senator in Othello for Lost Nation Theater Company and Judge Hawthorne in the University of Vermont’s production of The Crucible. Film credits include Pressure Point, Moving Targets, Automatism, The Pursuit of Happiness, Windy Acres and soon to be released Disappearances. Walt lives in Williston and owns the Windjammer Restaurant and Best Western Hotel.

RANDY PRATT , 'John Tier'

Randys stage exploits began in college as a dancer with The Stripendales, a male dance revue. He has since performed in numerous plays with Stowe Theatre Guild, the Lamoille County Players, and other troupes -- in diverse roles from Captain von Trapp in the Sound of Music to serious Shakespeare to his favorite role(s) (until now!) in the Vermont premiere of I love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. Randy has worked in television and radio, was "the Voice of Velodrome" for several years, and has done voice and video work for the Colorado and American Bar Associations. Randy is a Hearing Officer at the Vermont Public Service Board. Free of cancer for a year now, Randy also raises goats in Elmore.

KAREN GEIGER , 'Detective Rankin'

Karen M. Geiger has been away from the acting scene for almost 18 years, but she is quivering with anticipation and excitement to be involved with this production. As a local artist she has been concentrating mainly on the visual arts to feed the (creative) monkey. Additionally, for the past three years she was a local radio personality with Hall Communications, Inc., but has taken the summer off to pursue different interests. Her voice-over work for local television production is rampant, and you’d recognize her voice before you would her face. An administrative assistant for CCV, Karen lives in Burlington with her boyfriend, Abu, and her cat Tiger Lilly. Her first solo gallery show, a mixed-media instillation, will take place at Studio STK on North Street in February, but Karen looks forward to performing for an audience again, hopefully on a more regular basis!