SURFLIGHT TO GO BIOS
LAURIE SELIGMAN
A New Jersey native, Laurie is ecstatic to be embarking on her Surflight career as a member of Surflight To Go, bringing exceptional theatre to young audiences all over her home state! She is a proud recent graduate of Montclair State University, where she received her BFA in Theatre, with a concentration in Musical Theatre. Favorite past productions include Crazy For You, Guys and Dolls, Peter Pan, Paper Mill's annual New Voices concert, and Give My Regards to Broadway, a musical extravaganza performed alongside students at the Shanghai Theatre Academy in Shanghai, China. Laurie has also been privileged enough to take part in several benefits and cabarets at various Manhattan locations, including Don’t Tell Mama’s. Laurie sends her thanks and love to her wonderful family and friends, and all those at Surflight, especially her STG family, who have made her time here thus far simply amazing!
DARIN POLLA
Darin looks forward to his third year here at the Surflight Theater and his continued work in schools and venues across the state with Surflight To Go! You may have seen him on Surflight's stage this fall in The 1940's Radio Hour (B.J. Gibson), several roles in The Man Who Came to Dinner, and several more roles in Ebenezer. You may also have seen him through the summer months wearing a striped vest, bow tie, and an ever-so-slightly-too-excited look in his eye, as he is a battle-hardened veteran of the Show Place Ice Cream Parlour. Some favorite regional credits include john & jen, Nunsense A-Men (Sister Amnesia), Noises Off (Garry), Tintypes (Charlie), Camelot (Mordred), Honk! (Ugly), and Cabaret (Emcee). Darin is thankful for his family and their endless support, and so very grateful to his friends (you know who you are!) without whom none of the above would have been possible.
LAURA MARIE RONDINELLA
Laura Marie, from West Orange, NJ, is a Seton Hall University graduate with a BA in theatre performance and studies and musical theatre. She has performed with several theatrical organizations statewide in a variety of repertoire, including an NYC debut showcasing of Does This Show Make Me Look Fat?, several Bound For Broadway!, NYC performances, a full summer season with Northern Lights Playhouse, WI and the Dazzle Dinner Theatre, WI and most recently, as a tour actor/director in The Frog Prince with Missoula Children's Theatre. Favorites: Grizabella/CATS, Wendy-Jo/FOOTLOOSE, Wendy/PETER PAN, Annie/ANNIE, Cathy/THE LAST FIVE YEARS, Blue Fairy/PINOCCHIO (Running Rabbit Theatre, NJ Touring Production), Gertrude/SEUSSICAL: THE MUSICAL (2009 NJAct Perry Award nomination) and Stepsister Grace/CINDERELLA (2010 NJAct Perry Award recipient). Laura is a voice student of Scott Mello. She would like to thank MDBJNAAAS and all of her other family and friends for their endless LOVE, patience and support. XVII. =
ERIKA WASKO
Surflight-To-Go marks Erika’s debut in children’s theater, but her theater career began many years ago. Erika was a student at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia as a Musical Theatre major, where she studied voice and acting, and styles of dance including ballet, jazz, tap, modern and pointe. Before UArts, she trained in ballet with the Academy of Ballet for Children in Marlton, NJ under the instruction of David Gallagher. She has performed regionally in several musicals including: 42nd Street (Peggy Sawyer & Anytime Annie); Into the Woods (Cinderella); Oklahoma! (Gertie); Damn Yankees (Gloria Thorpe); On Your Toes!; Hello, Dolly; Kiss Me, Kate; and Footloose!. Choreography: Surflight S.T.A.R.S. (Ballet/Pointe, Tap, Musical Theatre Jazz/Ballet), Ocean City Theatre Company ’09 and ’10 Dance Camp, Oklahoma!, Jr. at Saint Mary School of Williamstown, NJ.
JOHN ANKER BOW.JPG)
John Anker Bow, originally from Hamilton, NJ, graduated from Rider University in 2003 with his BA in English Literature and Secondary Education. Alpha Psi Omega credits include I Hate Hamlet (Barrymore), Anne Frank and Me (Jack Polin), as well as numerous improv shows and cabarets. Rider Theatre Department performance credits include The Boys Next Door (Jack), Company (Bobby), My Favorite Year (Benjy Stone) and …Forum (Hero). His student teaching was conducted in Montgomery Township, NJ (7th grade Language Arts/Drama).
His first “gig” as a performer was as a singing server at the Show Place Ice Cream Parlour on Long Beach Island in the summer of 2000. John would later manage and host the Show Place from 2001 until 2005 and directed children’s theatre for the adjacent Surflight Theatre from 2002 until 2006. Surflight credits include Beau Jest (Joel), Forever Plaid (Smudge), Biloxi Blues (Hennesey) and The Lion in Winter (Geoffrey). In 2004, John became Director of Educational Outreach at Surflight Theatre and founded the educational touring company Surflight To-Go, now in its 7th season.
John has taught and performed for Pennsylvania Youth Theatre in Bethlehem, PA since 2004 and has directed productions of James and the Giant Peach and Charlotte’s Web. He substitute teaches at the Theatre Arts Center of Doylestown, PA and also coaches acting privately. John’s recent credits include Lloyd in Noises Off at the Palace Theatre in New Hampshire, Forever Plaid (Smudge) at the Boothbay Opera House in Maine, a season at Bucks County Playhouse (Oklahoma!, Carousel, Oliver!), four seasons with Nebraska Theatre Caravan’s A Christmas Carol tour, voiceover work for Little Fox Productions, Hello, Dolly! (Cornelius) with the Ocean City Pops Orchestra and an outreach job working as The Storybook Man for the Philadelphia Eagles Youth Partnership.
In addition to his performance credits, John is an inventive writer and has developed several musical plays for young audiences that have been performed at hundreds of schools in NJ, NY, PA, DE and CT, as well as at St. Michael’s Playhouse in Colchester, VT. His newest work, Maggie McGee Goes Green premiered with Surflight To-Go in September of 2010.
GEORGE PLATIS
George is very happy to be returning to Surflight To Go for his second season after joining the Surflight family in January of 2009. George holds a degree from Monmouth University in Elementary Education and Music/ Vocal Performance. Although he began singing at a very early age, George didn't get his first taste of musical theater until his freshman year of college when he was asked to join the cast of The Robber Bridegroom. He claims he was "bit by the bug" and hasn't stopped acting since. George has performed in many beautiful theaters throughout New Jersey including: the Count Basie Theatre, Two River Theatre, State Theatre of New Jersey, and most recently Surflight Theatre! Favorite credits include: A Year With Frog and Toad (Snail), Into the Woods (Jack), Children of Eden (Cain/ Japheth & Abel/ Ham; though not at the same time), Cabaret (Ernst Ludwig), and The Full Monty (Ethan). George would like to thank his family for always supporting his acting career, his friends for their honest and amazing advice, his teachers/coaches who have made this dream a reality, and his fellow STG actors who make everyday fun and adventurous.
KEVIN JAEGER
Kevin Jaeger is so happy to be returning to the cast of the Surflight To Go Children's Theatre Tour. Kevin was most recently seen in the Surflight Theatre's 2009 productions of 1940s Radio Hour (Wally), The Man Who Came to Dinner (Professor Metz, Mrs. McCutcheon, Mr. Wescott), and Ebenezer (Topper, Harp, Undertaker's Man). You may also recognize Kevin from his summer position as a singing waiter in the Show Place Ice Cream Parlour. A recent transplant from the sunny state of Florida and a graduate of the Florida State University College of Music, Kevin began his professional acting career in Florida in such productions as Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? (Louie), Enter Laughing (Marvin), and Biloxi Blues (Joseph Wykowski). Kevin is so blessed to be bringing theater to young audiences and working with one of the most incredibly talented groups of people in the business. Kevin would like to thank the Surflight Theatre for this amazing opportunity, his family for their unending love and support, and his friends for always being there through everything.
