Maria Ackley

Maria is delighted to return to GACT to direct her Greenville friends for the second time. In 2017 she directed the musical Blame it On the Movies.

Over the years she has continued working in countless productions as producer, director, stage manager, and most often as an actor.  Maria was active in the Shenango Valley for many years when there were numerous venues continuously producing plays and musicals. She has appeared on stage at the New Castle Playhouse Annex and has directed seven plays for The Acts Performing Arts Center (formerly ACTSharpsville. In Ohio and Alabama she has appeared on stage at The Youngstown Playhouse, Trumbull New Theatre, Hopewell Theater, Selah Dessert Theatre Worthington Community Theatre ,  The Little Theatre Off Broadway, Spotlight Dinner Theater,  The Renaissance Theatre and The Palace in Columbus. An active member of the American Association of Community Theatres, she participates in online round tables and educational webinars.

 In 2015 she co-founded Black Sheep Players in Sharon (part of Random Acts of Artists, Inc.)  which has since produced 18 plays. As an advocate and mentor, Maria has worked tirelessly to create opportunities for actors to perform, learn and grow, surrounded by like-minded individuals whose passion is also the theater.

Don Shumaker

Black sheep Players: Stage Manager for /Costumes/set/Hair Styles/ props

Doubt a Parable, Driving Miss Daisey,  RavensCraft, Of Mice and Men, The Cocktail Hour,  Talking with,  N by David Alex, A Christmas Carol Live Radio Play, A Christmas Pudding 1&2.

Acts Sharpsville : Stage manager for

Dearly Departed,  Death Trap.             Guys & Dolls,  Christmas at the Pierce. ( Costume/Hairstyles)

New Castle Playhouse: Costume dresser/ Hairstylist

Moon over Buffalo

Youngstown Playhouse: Costume/Hairstylist

People along the way.

Sharpsville Historical society:  Stage manager/Costume/Hairstylist

Edger Allen Poe.   

A Patsy Cline Story

Hopewell Theater Youngstown:  Consultant For Set/Props/Hairstyles  

Steel magnolias

Gacts Greenville:     Costumes/hairstyles

Blame it on the Movies

Dan DeSantis

Hi… Dan DeSantis here… Spent my early teen years living Buhl Park and the Casino with the other “Theatre Kids”. Guinea pig for the first under graduate program at Carnegie-Mellon University in Set and Costume Design. Had my own Fashion Label with a showroom at 498 7th Ave. NY. Had TheEmporium Gift Shop in Sharpsville (aka The Castle). And just sent off a couple of boxes of my Artwork for the Underground World of Paper Dolls (and yes there is a huge crowd across the country for this type of thing… and it sure beats having to draft patters for dresses! My 1st book should be coming out in late summer/early fall… followed by (hopefully) 3 more. I always have plenty more to say and tell, but I’ll leave that for another day. Like they say in the Theatre, leave them wanting more, or in other words, GTH off the stage before they quit clapping! Peace…love…out. Dan

Alan Anderson

Alan Anderson currently lives in Greenville with his lovely wife Amy, three children, and a small bear (or is it a very large dog?). He has been involved with GACT since 1985. His most notable roles have been as Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone, The Big Bad Wolf in Into the Woods, The Cowardly Lion in Wizard of Oz, and Daddy Warbucks in Annie.  He hopes to one day complete the entire alphabet of theatre roles. Alan credits his love of theatre to his big brother Douglas Anderson and his drama mama Charlotte D'Alfonso. He looks forward to being a part of GACT for many, many more years, both on and off the stage. 

Amy Anderson

Amy currently lives with her amazing husband Alan and their 3 kids in Greenville. This is her 5th show with GACT. Amy has also participated in shows with Hermitage United Methodist Church. Amy credits her love of the theater to Charlotte D'Alfonso where she learned the ins and outs of the stage with Young People's Theater. Amy is very excited to be in this show. She is even more excited to finally have an opportunity to be in a scene with her husband! She would like to thank her children and husband for their love and support. 

Barbara Long-Cooper

I started with GACT in the early 90s and played Mona Lipschitz in Chicago as my first role ever!
Some of my favorite plays have been Fools, Nunsense, Into the Woods, and Murder at Rutherford House!  My biggest thanks go to my friend and mentor, Bill Robinson for his belief in me and my abilities as an actor!  Thanks Maria for giving me a chance to act again!  Loved working with her as a director and the cast and crew of this production!

Ben Beck

Ben has been involved with GACT for 10+ years and is currently a GACT board member. He is excited to be under the direction of Maria for the first time! Ben started acting as a child in productions at Northridge church in Plymouth, MI. After moving to PA, he acted in the Young People’s Playhouse. At Greenville High School, Ben took every opportunity to audition for the school plays and musicals. In 2003, he had the opportunity to play Marius in the school’s production of Les Miserable.

While at Thiel College, he acted under the direction of William A. Robinson in several productions. It was during college that Ben first joined GACT as Jack in Into the Woods. Ben loves his GACT family and is excited to be on stage once again.

Ben Houston

Happy to be a first-time member of the Greenville Area Community Theater, Ben has been involved with stage and television productions since the age of 15. with roles in “The East Ohio Gaslight Theater” (children’s productions), “The Man Who Came to Dinner”, “Most Happy Fella”, “Diary of Anne Frank” and locally “Plaza Suite”, “The 39 Steps”, “It’s a Wonderful Life-the Radio Play”, “Poe and the Spirits of the Dead”, “Deathtrap” and “Art”.  Ben lives in Hermitage with his husband and two dogs, Lulu a French Bulldog and Jackson a Border Collie/Black Lab rescue from Strayhaven Animal Shelter.