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
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
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
Company
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.
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 Technical Director. Enjoy the show! Huzzah!
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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