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It sure is hard to be humble when you're a swashbuckling, egocentric super-hero. But our gallant guy-in-green tries his best as he swaggers through The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood, a frantically funny, Monty Python-esque retelling of the classic. This time around, the legendary legend, in his never-ending quest to aid the needy, encounters a lovely damsel-in-distress (oddly obsessed with skin conditions); an ever-scheming sheriff who would rather bowl a strike than hit a bull's-eye; a gold-hoarding, bad-guy monarch wannabe; and a good-natured "Town's Guy" who manages to make his way into every scene, whether he belongs there or not. Combine them with an expandable band of spoon-wielding Merry Men whose collective IQs equal six, and you've got an irreverent jaunt through Sherwood Forest you won't soon forget!

~ Courtesy Dramatic Publishing

Notice: This production contains sudden loud noises and the use of brief flashing lights.

Director's Note

How do you make a version of Robin Hood that people haven't seen before? How do we take characters that everybody has a preconceived idea about and challenge those perceptions? These were some of the questions I asked myself as I started thinking about this production. As I thought more about what to do I found myself coming to the same conclusion, maybe it was the way we are taught to present and view theatre is where my issues are based. 

 

We, as theatre artists, are taught to hide the magic that makes the final performance possible and I ask, "Why do that at all?" So I decided to show some of the process of making a play by showing you a rehearsal that becomes a play. You as an audience not only see the world of the play built in front of you, but you will become active participants in the play itself. I did this because I wanted to remind the adults what it was like to pretend as a child, and for children to see that theatre is imagination come alive.

 

Robin and the Merry Men of Sherwood are heroes that we all want to be. People who look out for one another and those that are oppressed and marginalized by people in power. That is what I tried to remind all of us about as I weaved this tale together, with the help of these merry accomplices of actors, designers, and stage managers, and of course you friends. 

 

So sit back laugh, cheer, and remember as our somewhat true tale unfolds...Huzzah!

 

Jason A, Speicher

 

Director, The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood

Production Staff

Director - Jason Speicher

Producer - Brian A. Palmer

Board Representative - Megan Mateer

Stage Manager - Leah Kessler

Assistant Stage Manager - Veronica Heer

Scenic Designer - Travis Williams

Lighting Designer - David Bruns

Sound Designer - Sloan Mercerhill

Properties Designer - Jaimee Levitt

Costume Designer - Carolyn Speicher

Sound Board Operator - Randi Morgan

Cast

Robin Hood - Allison Leonard

Lady Marian - Maegan Mosher

Town's Guy - Kallen Alsdorf

Sheriff of Nottingham - Taryn Jennifer Huffman

Prince John - Kyle Smith

Lady in Waiting - Lindsey Capritta

Friar Tuck - Fati A. B.

Will Scarlet - Rebekah McBane

Allan Adale - Anita McFarren

Little John - Kate France

Ensemble - Aditi Pyakurel

Ensemble - Gretchen May

Ensemble - Jaimee Levitt

Ensemble - Phoebe Levitt

Thank You

The company of The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood would like to offer a special "Thank You" to the following people:

Geoffrey Martin

Tabatay Stage Props

Columbus State Community College

Actors' Theatre of Columbus

Westerville North High School

Company

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Fatimah H. Abdullah-Borrego

Friar Tuck

Fatimah will be portraying the role of Friar Tuck in tonight's performance. This is the first production that she has done with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. Past credits include: Ensemble [School Performance], Bobcat Bailiff [B Street Theatre], and Josephine [Actors Theatre of Columbus]. Fatimah would like to thank Mia Borrego-Lemus, Astrid Borrego-Lemus, Mario Borrego, and Mohammed Sharif.

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Kallen Alsdorf

Town's Guy

Kallen will be portraying the role of Town’s Guy in tonight's performance. She is excited to introduce you to the true Robin Hood and guide you through this zany epic full of love, betrayal, friendship, and most importantly, Yodels. This is the first production that she has done with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. Kallen would like to thank Jason Speicher, Leah Kessler, Brian A. Palmer, Mackenzie Wendt, and Mademoiselle Stage Manager. Enjoy the show! Huzzah!

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Lindsey Capritta

Lady in Waiting

This is Lindsey’s first show with Aethereal Jest. Past roles include Emily Webb in Our Town, Lucy in Dracula, Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, Salarina in The Merchant of Venice, Essie in You Can’t Take It With You and Babette in Beauty and the Beast. She has also performed in local productions of Second to Sherlock, Rigoletto, Something Rotten, Kiss Me, Kate, and Hairspray.

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Kate France

Little John

Kate will be portraying the role of Little John in tonight’s performance. This is the first production that she has done with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. Some of her recent productions include: DJ in Normies [MadLab Theatre], Willie Lovelace in Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch [Weathervane Playhouse], and she played several roles in MadLab’s Theatre Roulette: Holiday Edition. She would like to thank her family, friends, and mentors for their enduring support and willingness to watch her be silly on stage. #goshermif

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Veronica Heer

Assistant Stage Manager

The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood is Veronica's first show with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. For the past 10 plus years Veronica has been stage manager for many productions and festivals around central Ohio. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater, she started as a Production Stage Manager at the Columbus Performing Arts Center before it was CPAC. Some of her favorite shows were Honk Jr and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs told Bunraku (puppetry) style. She worked with the Columbus Civic Theater, stage managing their productions of Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Real Thing, and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). She is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a fun and energetic cast for this production. She hopes you enjoy the show!

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Taryn Jennifer Huffman

Sheriff of Nottingham

This is Taryn's first production with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. She has recently been seen performing with Columbus Children’s Theatre in their school tour of Mr. Scrooge, in an original play titled Mighty Flame, and in Tent Theatre’s The Prom. Taryn holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Missouri State University. #goshermif “Have Courage and Be Kind.”

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Leah Kessler

Stage Manager

Leah served as Stage Manager for tonight's performance. This is the first production that she has done with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. Past credits include: Stage Manager for A Midsummer Night's Dream and Her Naked Skin with The Ohio State University Department of Theatre as well as Being Alive & Other Big Jokes with The Ohio State University Lab Series. Leah would like to thank her family and Jason for their continued love and support.

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Allison Leonard

Robin Hood

Allison is thrilled to be in her first show with Aethereal Jest Arts Council, and is super excited to be performing as Robin Hood! She used to play Robin Hood with her younger siblings growing up (and always had to be Robin Hood), so this has been a long-time dream role. Allison is very active in the Columbus theater scene, having been cast in shows at MadLab, Gallery Players, and Original Productions Theater, just to name a few. She would like to thank the director, cast, and crew for all of their hard work, her friends and family for all of their love, and everyone in her theater circle for all of their support. Allison sincerely hopes that you will enjoy the show.

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Jaimee Levitt

Properties Designer/Ensemble

Jaimee is just happy to be here. She has emerged from her hidey hole backstage by the prop table and is actually going to attempt to speak on stage… we’ll see how this goes. Loves you, Phoebs, you’re my favorite!

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Phoebe Levitt

Ensemble

Phoebe is so excited to work with Aethereal again! Phoebe will be playing in the ensemble in tonight‘s performance. They have been Dickie Watson in “The Lottery,” Ensemble/Hugo Understudy in “Tuck Everlasting,” and Ensemble in “Pirates! The Musical.” They would like to thank Jaimee Levitt, Brian Palmer, Grandma, and Jordan for all their help. They hope you enjoy the show!

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Gretchen May

Ensemble

Gretchen will be portraying multiple characters including the Merry Men and Fawning Ladies in tonight’s performance. This is the second production they have done with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. Past credits include Juror Twelve in Twelve Angry Jurors [Aethereal Jest Arts Council] and Ensemble in The Who’s Tommy [Little Theatre Off Broadway]. Gretchen would like to thank their theatre family for their love and support and all of the children who came out to see the show tonight. They hope you love it and want to be onstage yourself someday!

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Rebekah McBane

Will Scarlet

Rebekah is excited to be joining Robin Hood's famous band of Merry Men in her first production with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. She was previously involved in theatre during high school and college and is glad to be back onstage post-graduation. When not at rehearsal, Rebekah loves painting, crocheting, riding horses, and exploring the metro parks.

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Anita McFarren

Allan Adale

Anita is excited to work with Aethereal Jest Arts Council for the first time! Anita received her BA in Musical Theater from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  Some of Anita's favorite roles include Charlotte in These Shining Lives [Red Herring Productions, Jebby Award Winner], Maggie Dalton in Into the Breeches! [Tipping Point], Susan in Tick, Tick…Boom! [Curtain Players], Hunyak in Chicago [Shadowbox Live], Lily in Kitezh [MadLab], Doatsey Mae in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas [Imagine Productions], and Ella in Life Sucks [CATCO].  She also acts in local films and dabbles in runway modeling. By day, she is a Finance and Administration Specialist at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.

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Randi Morgan

Sound Board Operator

Randi will be serving as the Sound Board Operator for tonight’s performance. This is the third production she has done with Aethereal Jest Arts Council, portraying Juror #7 in Twelve Angry Jurors and Aunt March in Little Women of Orchard House. Randi’s previous theatre experience includes acting and directing with Roundtown Players and MadLab. Randi would like to thank her husband, Peter Graybeal, for his encouragement and support. 

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Maegan Mosher

Lady Marian

Maegan is excited to be portraying Lady Marian in her first production with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. She is a recent graduate from Anderson University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. Maegan is so grateful to be back on the Shedd Stage where she first fell in love with theater over fifteen years ago.

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Brian A. Palmer

Producer

Brian served as the Producer for tonight’s performance. This is the fourth production that he has done with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. Past credits include: Director for Nighthawks [Red Herring Productions, now New Herring Productions], Director for The Fantasticks [King Avenue Players], and Director for Tuck Everlasting [Worthington Community Theatre]. Brian would like to thank Anthony, Alex, and Kathy.

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Aditi Pyakurel

Ensemble

Aditi will be a part of the ensemble in tonight’s performance. This is the first production that she has done with Aethereal Jest Arts Council. She recently starred in The World's Happiest Man, a feature film that will be out later in 2024. Aditi would like to thank her parents and friends for all their support.

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Kyle Smith

Prince John

Kyle makes his debut on the Aethereal Jest stage after primarily working at Curtain Players, including roles in such productions as Sgt. Trotter in The Mousetrap, Mr. Manningham in Angel Street, and directing A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Most recently he appeared as Jeff in the Lancaster Playhouse production of The Curious Savage. He holds a masters in Shakespeare performance from Mary Baldwin University, and definitely didn’t think he was auditioning for the underrated history King John.

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Carolyn Speicher

Costume Designer

Carolyn has worked with multiple companies (first with Aethereal Jest!) as a frequent collaborator of her director husband, Jason (yeah nepotism!). She works mostly as a costumer for various performers and stage acts at Renaissance Festivals so the costumes needed for this show are close to home. She hopes you enjoy the bit of playful, anachronism in the costumes and the show overall!

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Travis Daniel Williams

Scenic Designer

Travis is an adjunct professor at Columbus State Community College and Technical Director of Theatre Columbus State. He received his AA from Columbus State, his BA from The Ohio State University, and his MFA from Kent State. He designs professionally for theatre companies in central Ohio. This is his first production with Aethereal Jest Arts Council.

Board of Directors

Megan Mateer, Chair

Randi Honkonen, Vice Chair

Veronica Heer, Secretary

Lucia Lombardo, Director at Large

Jason Phillips, Director at Large

Chris Makar, Ex Officio Director

Brian A. Palmer, Ex Officio Director

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