MEET the cast of “OLIVER!”

MAYA BARNES (Mrs. Bedwin)

ELLA BEDENBAUGH is a rising eighth grader at Bailey Middle school. She has been seen in various pantochino productions since the age of eight. Ella has also starred in two MainStage shows, most recently Dorothy’s Christmas in Oz as Little Dorothy. When not performing she can be found making homemade ice cream, reading, junk journaling, cuddling her cat, writing poetry, or walking her dog.

RYDER BLANCHARD (Mr. Sowerberry) is a fourteen year old rising Sophomore at Foran High School. He has been in plays such as, Beetle Juice Jr, Addams Family, and was the lead role in Shrek Jr. He loves to play video games, and watching movies with his family. Ryder thanks all of his family for continuing to sign him up for all the plays he wants to thank his family for keeping him motivated, and always supporting him.

REMINGTON BRENNER (she/her) is a rising sophomore at Foran High School where she is a proud member of the Mane Stage Players, Foran’s Drama Club. She is also a member of the Advanced Vocal Ensemble. Remi’s theatre experience includes Wizard of Oz (Barrister, part of Crow Trio, Winkie General), The Addam’s Family (ensemble), Beetlejuice Jr. (Delia), Zombie Prom (ensemble), and Shrek Jr. (Captain of the Guards). This summer she is also learning the ropes as a stage crew member for The Orange Players. In her spare time, Remi loves to travel, spend time with her friends, and attend Broadway shows. She is a certified scuba diver and USFS figure skater. Remi would like to thank her “Jay Bird” for being her #1 Oliver! fan. 

LEILA BOTONJIC  is a sophomore at Foran High School who has participated in multiple plays, the key productions being Shrek Jr and Beetlejuice Jr. In Beetlejuice Jr, Leila played the role of Miss Argentina. In her free time, Leila is a member of the volleyball and basketball teams at school, and she enjoys to write and bake. Leila’s parents and family members have always encouraged her to pursue her passion in theatre, and she extends her gratitude to them for their constant support.

PHOENIX CARLYON (Noah)

ARIA CHIARAMONTE is a rising junior at St. Joseph high school. She is excited to be taking part in her fifth Pantochino teen theater show! Some recent performances for Aria include The Music Man (Jacey Squires), Rent (Ensemble), The Addams Family (Pugsley), and Zombie Prom (Ginger). Besides performing, Aria enjoys being a lawyer on her Mock Trial team at school. She would like to thank her parents for always supporting her love of theater.

ANA CORNIER is a rising junior at Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge, CT.  She is excited to return to Pantochino Teen Theatre for this summer’s production of Oliver!.  Ana has appeared in My Fair Lady, The Addams Family, Finding Nemo Jr., and All by Myself, as well as various film and commercial productions. In addition to her passion for the performing arts, Ana is a dedicated athlete. She is grateful to be performing once again alongside such a talented cast and crew. Being part of this production is the highlight of her summer. Ana would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to her family for their constant love, support, and encouragement.

PERSEPHONE DELANEY (Nancy) is a rising junior at Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden. This is her first Pantochino production! Previously she has played Stepsister in 𝘊𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢,  Stepmother in 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘜𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦, and Matron “Mama” Morton in 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘨𝘰. Persephone, who often goes by Sephie, also loves running on the track team, reading Agatha Christie, and singing karaoke with her best friends. She thanks the entire creative team, her dear family, her friends, and the Sharpe Family Singers.

KEVIN DEWEY is excited to perform in his second teen theatre production, most recently appearing in Pantichino’s production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He is a rising freshman at Foran High School. His recent roles include Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka Jr., Jafar in Aladdin Jr., and ensemble in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Outside of theatre, Kevin enjoys playing baseball and hanging out with his friends. Kevin would like to thank his family and friends for supporting him every step of the way.

HELEN GALLAGHER is thrilled to perform in her fourth Teen Theatre production, previously in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Geminae), The Addams Family (Ensemble), and Saturday Night Fever (Ensemble). She is a rising freshman at Foran High School and the Educational Center for the Arts. Recent roles include The Candyman and Ms. Teavee in Willy Wonka Jr, Adam in Beetlejuice Jr, and Pinocchio in Shrek Jr. Outside of theatre, Helen enjoys reading, writing poetry, singing, and competitive Irish Dance. Helen would like to thank her family and friends, her voice coach, Shaylen Harger, and the Pantochino team for all of their support. She hopes you enjoy the show!

FIORELLA GARGIULO (Charlotte)

MANDY GIANCOLA

MOLLY GIANCOLA

ISLA GRANDIN is happy to consider herself part of the family as she joins her cousins Rowan and Nora onstage in her first Teen Theatre performance. Previous shows include The Drowsy Chaperone (Gangster) and Footloose (Ethel McCormack). Isla is a rising eighth grader at the Wellesley Middle School in Wellesley, MA. In her free time she dances competitively and plays softball and basketball. Isla is so excited for this new opportunity to make new friends and make her debut in a Pantochino production! Lots of love to her family and friends! 

JULIET GUILMETTE will be a freshman at Jonathan Law High School this fall. She has been involved in her middle school's drama productions of The Little Mermaid and, most recently, played the role of Olaf in Frozen. Juliet recently completed her ninth year of dance at Lee Lund Studio of Dance, where she enjoys jazz and ballet. At school, she is a member of the band, where she plays percussion. Juliet also recently earned her Girl Scout Silver Award and looks forward to bridging to Senior Girl Scouts. She would like to thank her family for their love, encouragement, and support.

RAINEY HARIMIS is sixteen years old and going into eleventh grade.  This is her fourth teen theater performance, and Rainey previously participated in the kids’ theater for many years. In addition to acting, Rainey enjoys competing in gymnastics, playing lacrosse, and snowboarding. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, and is excited for them to see this performance. 

LAYLA HERNANDEZ is a rising junior at Jonathan Law High School in Milford. She has previously been in Matilda Jr., The Tolstoy Story, and New Clothes for the Emperor. She thanks her family for their unwavering support and her friends for being totally awesome.

ADISON HOEFER

WYATT HUGHES (Artful Dodger)  is a rising sophomore at Foran High School in Milford. This is Wyatt’s third year in Pantochino teen theatre. Wyatt has played the role of Hero in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Pugsley in The Addams Family. He has also been seen in Saturday Night Fever and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Wyatt is very excited to be playing the role of The Artful Dodger in Oliver. He is fully prepared to pick a pocket or two, though he promises to return whatever he steals by intermission. Wyatt wants to thank his mom and his family for their support.

GRAYSON JOSOVITZ (Dr. Grimwig) is a rising junior at Shelton High School, and has been performing on stage since he was 8 years old. Over the years, he has performed with the Shelton High School drama club, Center Stage, and Pantochino. Grayson’s favorite roles include playing Charlie Bucket in the Pantochino Teen Theatre production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Tom Buchanan in Shelton High School’s production of The Great Gatsby. When he isn’t on stage, Grayson enjoys photography and playing with his two cats. He would like to thank his family for their constant support throughout his years doing theater.

AVERY KIPPERMAN

DENIZ KORKMAZ

RYAN KULENYCH is a rising sophomore at Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge. He has appeared in numerous productions, including Oklahoma! JR., Shrek JR., Jurassic Mark, Finding Nemo, three years of Amity Theater Camp productions, and as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Outside of the theatre, Ryan is passionate about politics and hopes to become a leader who fights for equality, justice, and the rights of all people, as well as he is a member of the PGA JR LEAGUE team in New Haven. He would love to thank his family an supportive friends for all that they do to support him!

ELEANORA (ELLE) LANDA is so excited to be in her fourth teen theatre production! At Pantochino, she previously played ensemble in A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, Addams Family, and Saturday Night Fever. Recent roles include Barbara in Beetlejuice JR, Tessie in Annie JR, Wicked Witch in Shrek JR, Leading Morfolk in Secret Garden, The Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood and much more. Elle is a rising freshman at Foran High School. In Elle’s free time she enjoys drawing, singing, dying her hair, and having fun with her friends and family! She would like to thank her friends, family, Pantochino productions and everyone in the cast. She hopes you enjoy the show!

ABIGAIL MACIAG (Oliver)is a rising tenth grader who attends RCA in Trumbull for Musical Theater and Jonathan Law in Milford. She has been seen as “Middle Allie” from the Notebook and “Brenda” from Catch Me if You Can in RCA’s showcases; Ariel in The Little Mermaid Jr, Molly in Annie Jr. and a munchkin in The Wizard of Oz Jr. She also performed in Pantochino shows such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Addams Family, as well as a variety of Pantochino original productions. When she isn’t involved in a show, she sings with Selatti voice studios, and competes in vocal, lyrical, ballet, jazz, modern and hip-hop with Stratford Performing Arts Academy. Abby thanks her family, friends, Pantochino, and all of her teachers that have helped her along her performance journey. 

JAMES (JIMMY) MACIAG (Charley Bates) is a rising 8th grader at West Shore Middle School in Milford. He has been seen in Pantochino’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, as a sailor in The Little Mermaid Jr., as well as in a variety of Pantochino shows such as James and the Sort of Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Outlet Store; The Sweet Life of Hansel and Gretel, Greece!; Pinocchio Sort of; The Wizard of Oz Sort of; Cinderella 72, and Beauty and the Beast Sort of. In addition to performing, he loves playing baseball with the CT Gators, playing basketball, and playing guitar. James thanks his family, friends, and Pantochino for providing performance opportunities and supporting his journey along the way.

BRENNA MURPHY (Mrs. Sowerberry) is a recent graduate of Notre Dame Prep, and will attend Ithaca College with a major in sports media in the fall. Oliver! is her seventh and final show with Teen Theatre; she has previously been seen in The Prom, Chicago, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Saturday Night Fever, The Addams Family, and A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. Additionally, she appeared on Pantochino’s main stage as Ivy in Welcome to Santa Claus last winter. At Notre Dame, she played a Whichersham Brother in Seussical, and the MC in Chicago. She would like to thank everyone at Pantochino for an incredible three years of unforgettable memories, performances, and experiences.  

LYAH PAWLUK

ELISE PITTS is a rising freshman at Foran High School, and is excited to be returning to Pantochino Teen Theatre for Oliver! Previous performances include The Addams Family, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and several Pantochino Summer Theatre productions. Outside of theater, Elise enjoys singing, listening to music, and spending time with friends. She would like to thank her family—including her two cats—for always supporting her love of performing.

PIP RIVIECCIO is excited to make her Pantochino Teen Theatre debut! She has been doing kid theater with Pantochino and other groups for years. Recent roles include the titular role in The Pied Piper, the Dumb Pig in Little Red Riding Hood, and Fritzia in The Nutcracker. Pip spends most her time dancing at Rockwell Dance Center. She has won first place for competitive dancing at many national competitions. Pip is a rising Freshman at Trumbull High School. She would like to thank Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, as well as her friends and family and the Pantochino team. She hopes you enjoy the show. Pip pip Cheerio!!

VICTORIA ROSA is a rising sophomore at Shelton High School and Regional Center for the Arts, where she specializes in dance. She's been a competitive dancer at Stratford Performing Arts Academy for ten years. She's also been in various productions such as Catholic Academy of Bridgeport's Shrek Jr, and Pantochino’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Addams Family. She thanks her parents, her little brother, and her family and friends for all of their love and support.

ALICE SAUNDERS is an eighth grader at West Shore Middle School in Milford. She has appeared in multiple productions with Pantochino including as May in Noni Ciminos Kitchen, Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (Sort-of) and Zeus in Greece. She recently portrayed Olaf in West Shore Middle Schools production of Frozen Junior as a seventh grader and as a sixth grader played the role of Chef Louis in The Little Mermaid Junior. Alice is thrilled to be making her debut in Teen Theatre this Summer. When not on stage, Alice loves to sing and dance, read and write, make art & short films and care for her guinea pigs. 

CHRISTOPHER SERRANO (Mr. Bumble)

NORA SIMONELLI (Bet) is delighted to be living her finest life this summer as the role of Bet! Previous roles include Beth in Little Women, the title role in Annie, as well as Teen Theatre productions of Saturday Night Fever (Maria Huerta), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Prom. She has been a part of the Pantochino family for many years, participating in several of the company's after-school and summer camp shows, as well as mainstage productions of Christmas Carol and The Wicked Witch of the West, Kansas or Bust! Nora is a rising junior at The Williams School in New London, where she serves as a school ambassador, and is a member of the school’s dance and theatre company. Nora is grateful to be able to share the stage with so many friends, especially her brother Rowan and cousin Isla. Lots of love to all!

ROWN SIMONELLI (Fagin)

AISLYNN SMALL (Brownlow) is so excited to be performing in Oliver, her final Teen Theater show! This is Aislynn's eleventh show in Pantochino Teen Theater, and she will be attending UCONN in the fall. Some of her most recent roles include Flo in Saturday Night Fever, Kelsi Nielsen in High School Musical, Grandma in The Addams Family, and Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby. Aislynn is grateful for the support of her friends and family and is so glad she gets to work with this amazing cast! She wants to thank the entire cast and creative team for making her time at Pantochino so special!

MARS THOMAS (Widow Corney)

JULIA VALENZANO (Milkmaid)is a fourteen years old rising freshman at Foran High School in Milford. She is excited for her second Teen Theatre show after her amazing experience as Domina in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum earlier this year. Julia is looking forward to bringing her roles as the Milkmaid and a Workhouse Boy to life during Oliver! Some other favorite past roles include SpongeBob Squarepants in SpongeBob the Musical, Lydia in Beetlejuice, Elsa in Frozen, Mrs. Potts in Beauty & the Beast Jr, The Sour Kangaroo in Seussical, and Lavender in Matilda the Musical. Most recently, she performed in Mean Girls the Musical where she played a North Shore student and Marymount Mathlete and shined in her roles as a dancer, including tap! Besides theatre, Julia loves to sing, dance, read, & go to Broadway! She thanks her family for their continual support, especially her #1 fan aka her Mom, as well her voice teacher.  Sending a HUGE thanks to Bert, Justin, Jimmy, and everyone at Pantochino for all that you do and accomplish... and thank you to the cast for being amazing!

BARRET WELCH (Rose Seller) is thrilled for their seventh Teen Theatre production! Previous productions here include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (u/s Marcus Lycus), The Addams Family, Saturday Night Fever, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (u/s Veruca), Chicago (Harry), and The Prom (u/s Emma). A rising senior at West Haven High School, they most notably played Alice in The Addams Family, earning the Halo Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Other notable productions include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Titania), earning them the Up & Coming Halo Award; Footloose (Urleen), earning them the Halo Award for Best Specialty Ensemble; Almost, Maine (Marvalyn); Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl); Newsies (Elmer); The Little Mermaid (Andrina - u/s Ursula); Frozen (Anna); and High School Musical (Sharpay).

Justin Rugg (Musical Director) A composer, singer and actor, Rugg has co-authored 35 original musicals with writing partner Bernardi, many of which are published and available for licensing. Other works: five albums of original songs, Predictable Heart (cabaret performed at NYC’s Duplex), music for NYU Steinhardt’s 4@15 Festival, several piano works, dozens of theatre camp scores for young performers, the youth ballet I Dreamed Of A Place. A music and theatre teacher in Connecticut for 14 years, he received top honor in the “40 Under 40” awards from the Milford Chamber of Commerce. Oh, and he’s been in a good many of Pantochino’s performances—maybe even all of them! Thanks to the Pantochino family and all who support them.

Bert Bernardi (Director) is the co-producer and co-founder of Pantochino Productions Inc and has been bringing ‘ridiculously entertaining’ theatre to the Milford since 2010. He is the former Artistic Director of the Children’s Company in Bridgeport and his work has been seen extensively at Cortland Repertory Theatre (NY), The Theatre Barn (NY), Millbrook Playhouse (PA) and the Surflight Theatre (NJ). His work as also been seen at Legacy Theatre (CT), Fairfield University, New York University, Music Theatre North (NY), the Boston Post Road Stage Company, Arundel Barn (NY) and TheatreWorks New Milford. With composer Justin Rugg, he has penned many, many new musicals, several of which are published, licensed and performed around the country. Bert is a recipient of the Connecticut Critics Circle Tom Killen Award for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Connecticut. www.bertbernardi.com