Season Sponsor SYRACUSE ANTIQUES EXCHANGE

Located at 1629 N. Salina St.

Syracuse, NY

This project/program is made possible with a General Support/Tier Three Project Support grant from the County of Onondaga, with the support of County Executive Ryan McMahon and the Onondaga County Legislature, administered by CNY Arts.

Louis Balestra (Henry Wilcox) As a professional stage/film actor, and dancer for 30 years, Louis has trained and performed throughout the United States and Italy.  He has received the Thespie Award for Best Professional Performance (Elizabeth Rex), 2 Los Angeles Drama-logue Awards (Vieux Carré, Badgers), and a Philadelphia Barrymore Award (Angels in America).  Film work includes Dear Darwin, The Promise, and Mr. Music among others.  Louis has worked and performed with The St. Louis Repertory Dancers, Bugliesi Dance Co., Burning Feet Dance Co., and The Joseph Holmes Dance Theatre. 

Nick Bessette (Young Man 9/Eric) is excited to make his Covey Theater Company debut. He has previously worked with various local theater companies in such shows as Next 2 Normal (Dan), Company (Bobby), Rent (Collins), Evita (Che), Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio), and Twelfth Night (Malvilio). He has also directed plays and musicals for Theatre444, several different high schools, and Shakespeare in the park. 

Chelsea Colton (Co-Director) is thrilled to be co-directing her first show with Covey Theater Company. She has previously worked with Covey both onstage and as a choreographer, most recently choreographing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Company. Chelsea has also choreographed Godspell at Redhouse Arts Center, and has previously choreographed at Jamesville Dewitt High School for their annual musical and show choir performances. A big shout out to her mom, her dad and her Joe for being her biggest supporters. Enjoy the show!

Brandon Furze (Young Man 6/Tristan) is excited to join The Inheritance cast in his very first theatrical production! Although new to the acting arena, Brandon is more than eager to learn the ins and outs of what is needed to make a successful production possible. With a background in language arts education, Brandon is hoping to expand his skillset by working and learning alongside his fellow cast members!

Josh Gadek (Young Man 4/Young Walter/Man/Agent’s Assistant) joins The Inheritance fresh from a workshop reading of his original play Echoes Before Dawn, and Assistant Directing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Josh has had a plethora of experiences on stage both with Covey Theater Company and throughout the Syracuse area. He has most recently appeared on-stage in Covey’s production of Co-op(erative) (Logan), A Chorus Line (Al DeLuca) with Baldwinsville Theatre Guild, as well as Damn Yankees (Sohovik/Postmaster) with Syracuse Summer Theatre at the Oncenter. He appeared in the world premiere productions of Garrett August Heater’s Aktion (Jean-Marie Castillon) and Puccini, originating the role of Giuseppe Giacosa in both Syracuse (2023) and New York City (2024). This past year, his original one-act play Goodnight, Mom received its stage premiere at The Brewster Theater Company in Carmel, New York. 

Joey Gazzilli (Young Man 1/Adam/Leo) is thrilled to make his theatrical debut with The Covey Theater Company. An aspiring singer/songwriter and actor, he is passionate about storytelling that blends honesty, emotion, and connection. Joey is excited to explore this creative chapter and continue growing as an artist. He hopes this production leaves audiences feeling entertained, moved, and seen. Joey would like to thank his mom and family for their endless love, encouragement, and belief in him from the beginning.

Bennie Guzman (Young Man 8/Jason #2/Clinic Worker) is excited to make his theatrical debut with The Covey Theatre. He is a visual artist, dancer, poet, arts administrator, and received his MS in Creative Art Therapy from Syracuse University. Previous dance experiences include the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company, and Latin American Dance at Colgate University. Bennie is the  Program Coordinator at La Casita Cultural Center, supporting young artists exploring visual arts, bilingual literacy, dance, and theatre. 

Garrett Heater (Co-Director/Young Man 10/Toby) is the artistic director and a co-founder of The Covey Theater Company, and formerly artistic director of NYC-based Chelsea Opera, Syracuse Summer Theatre at The Oncenter, and Syracuse Opera. He is an award-winning playwright, including the NYC and locally produced Lizzie Borden Took an Axe, Playing God, and Lincoln’s Blood. Other locally-produced works include Puccini!, Evelyn, Co-op(erative), Aktion, Rom-Com, The Utterly Predictable Rise and Fall of Congressman Cassidy Brown, and My Life as a Soprano. Full production directorial credits include Into the Woods, Grease, and Chicago, among many others. Staged musical concert directorial credits include How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Company. He is a graduate of Hunter College of NYC (Theater Studies/Mira Felner) and Syracuse University (Music Education). Please donate to Covey’s capital campaign! 

Marcus Herndon (Young Man 2/Jason #1/Other Agent/Waiter/Doorman #1) is glad to be back with Covey Theatre Company! Other credits include: Steward in Into The Woods, Donalbain/Doctor in Macbeth, Ensemble in Grease, and Paul in Company all with Covey Theatre Company. Marcus would like to thank their family for all the love and support. 

Andy Hughes (Young Man 3/Young Henry/Tucker/Henry’s Assistant) has designed many shows for Covey over the years. Some of his previous designs for Covey include Lizzie Borden Took an Axe, Into the Woods, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Andy is also the production/facilities manager at Cortland Repertory Theater. 

Nicholas Kinney (Young Man 5/Charles Wilcox/Toby’s Agent) is excited for his first local Syracuse production with The Covey Theater Company. He is a video producer for social media. He’d like to thank his family and friends for their support in this new journey. 

Edward Mastin (Morgan/Walter Poole) Last seen in Covey's Cooperative, Ed celebrates 48 years on the stage. After retiring from acting, Ed is thrilled to return to the stage with Covey for this amazing show. A Salt Award Best Actor Winner, Ed has also performed with Appleseed, Theater 90, and nearly 25 years with The Acme Mystery Company. Ed also gives loving thanks to his unwaveringly supportive husband, John.

Catherine Rush (Margaret) is happy to be back in the Syracuse area. She’s a private voice and acting teacher, and a certified yoga therapist and RYT-500 yoga teacher. Among her performances in CNY are- Follies, (Sally) Into the Woods, (Cindy’s mom, Granny) James Joyce’s The Dead, (Aunt Kate) State Fair, (Melissa) West Side Story, (Maria) The King & I, (Tuptim) and in the Hudson Valley- Collected Stories, (Ruth) Tough Love, (Rae) Silent Sky, (Williamina Fletcher) Half-Life of Marie Curie, (Hertha Ayerton) Calendar Girls. (Ruth)  She’s a member of NYSTEA, NATS, Yoga Alliance, C-IAYT and FGNA. More info at: catherinejrush.com

Shane Stensland (Young Man 7/Jasper/Paul Wilcox/Dealer/Doorman #2) is so excited to be back on stage with The Covey Theater Company. His previous credits with the company include: How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Bud Frump), Grease (Eugene), Chicago (Ensemble), and Damn Yankees (Ensemble). He's also performed in several Baldwinsville Theatre Guild productions, including Bright Star, A Chorus Line, Kinky Boots and Pippin. Shane has also performed with the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company.

Imogen Whyte (Stage Manager/Props Master) is excited to be at Jazz Central for the first time and working with The Covey Theater again! She received her BFA in Industrial Design from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Imogen has worked previously with Covey on Into the Woods, Lizzie Borden Took an Axe, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, as well as Baldwinsville Theater Guild’s August Osage County, CNY Playhouse’s Nevermore, Book of Will, Clue, Heathers, and Prescription Murder. She is also the owner and creator of Imogen’s Antlers, @imogens.antlers, which allows her to create wearable floral whimsy. Imogen would like to thank her cats, Susu and Blue.