The Tutors by Erica Lipez

Jan 04

- Jan 07 | 2018

The Story

No one dreams of being a tutor: just ask Heidi, Toby, and Joe. While catering to the offspring of New York elite has forced them to confront the anticlimax of adulthood, these roommates are not ready to give up on their social networking startup—just yet. When Heidi's online editing begins to invade her subconscious and a student crosses the line, all three friends might be in over their heads. A funny, heartfelt look at day jobs versus dream jobs and the people we count on to remind us of the difference.

The Actors

Meet the cast of The Tutors

Jenna Gomes de Gruy

Heidi

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Jenna Gomes de Gruy

Heidi

Bio

Jenna was last seen as Crystal Allen in The Women at Dayton Playhouse and in Chess at Playhouse South. This is her third show with The Playground after playing Claire in Jailbait and Grace in Really Really. Some of her favorite past roles include Mimi Schwinn in A New Brain and Becky in Slowgirl. She would like to thank her dutiful fiance for putting up with her busy hours and her sister for introducing her to the Dayton theatre scene. When she's not acting, you will probably find Jenna writing a new screenplay or crying while grading papers.

Skyler McNeely

Toby

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Skyler McNeely

Toby

Bio

Skyler is overjoyed to be making his debut with The Playground! Past credits include Seussical (Dare to Defy), Fifteen-Minute Hamlet (Weathervane Playhouse), and Foxfire (BCT).

A.J. Breslin

Joe

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A.J. Breslin

Joe

Bio

A.J. is proud to be making his third appearance in a Playground production after playing Jon in Tape this season and Dennis in This Is Our Youth last season. You may have seen him recently in Dare To Defy's productions of Seussical (The Cat In The Hat), Children Of Eden (Cain), and American Idiot (Theo). He also sat in the director's seat for Dare To Defy's 35MM and will be returning to co-direct The Playground's Bachelorette. He would like to thank his friends and family for their immense love and support.

Ryan Grissett

Milo

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Ryan Grissett

Milo

Bio

Ryan has been in theatre for only a few years now but has fallen in love with it. This is only his second show out of high school, so you better believe he's terrified. Coming from Spamalot to The Tutors is a big leap, and he couldn't be happier with the progress he's made. He'd like to thank his girlfriend of four years, Angie, for always supporting his unrealistic ambitions. He'd also like to thank his friends Bert, Alex, Liz, and Tommy for getting him interested in theatre in the first place. Ryan spends so much free time doing very productive things such as playing with a yo-yo and juggling on a unicycle (work in progress).

Boyang Zhang

Kwan

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Boyang Zhang

Kwan

Bio

Boyang is thrilled to be making his Dayton debut with the inimitable Playground Theater. A Cincinnatian by trade, he relishes all chances to explore life beyond the 513. Past credits include Kawabata in Take Me Out, Sirki in Death Takes a Holiday, and Robin in The Trials of Robin Hood. When he's not out playing, Boyang chills in Covington with his roommates, both of whom are cool cats.

The Crew

Meet the director, designers and crew members of The Tutors

Jenna Valyn

Co-Director

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Jenna Valyn

Co-Director

Bio

Jenna is a Co-Founder and Artistic Director of The Playground. Her directing credits include The Breakfast Club, Really Really, Jailbait, and, most recently, Tape. She was seen on stage a few seasons ago as Steph in Reasons to be Pretty. Next up, she will be co-directing as well as playing the role of Becky in Bachelorette. In addition to directing and acting, she takes on the role of set and costume designer. She also creates the soundtracks for every Playground production.

Chris Hahn

Co-Director • SM

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Chris Hahn

Co-Director • SM

Bio

Chris is a Co-Founder and Artistic Director of The Playground. He is very excited to be directing alongside his partner, Jenna Valyn, for the first time. He was most recently seen as Vince in Tape. Last season he played the role of Mark in Jailbait. Other favorite roles include John Proctor in The Crucible, Bender in The Breakfast Club, Davis in Really Really, and Greg in Reasons to be Pretty. Next up, he will be back on the stage in March as Joe in Bachelorette. In addition to all his work with The Playground, he is also a Technical Lead at CreativeFuse, here in Dayton.

Marley Masterson

Assistant SM

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Marley Masterson

Assistant SM

Bio

Marley is excited to return for her third show with The Playground after working on Reasons to be Pretty (ASM) and Tape (ASM). She views The Playground like a second home. Marley graduated from Otterbein University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Directing and Costuming. She is currently attending Wright State for English Education, after which she plans to pursue a career in directing and teaching high school theatre. She hopes to remain an active member of The Playground. She will be Stage Managing Bachelorette in March. Marley would like to thank Jenna and Chris for this opportunity and would like to encourage you to donate to The Playground to keep us moving forward and bringing you raw, real, relevant theatre!

Derek Dunavent

Lighting Designer

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Derek Dunavent

Lighting Designer

Bio

Hailing from Tipp City, Derek is the current President of the Board and the Technical Manager at Troy Civic Theatre and is a Theatrical/Musical Director at Chaminade Julienne HS in Dayton. Some of his favorite credits include The Producers (Max Bialystock), Almost Maine (Director), Tick Tick BOOM (Musical Director/Jon), -Isms (Playwright/Director/Fairy Godfather), and The Breakfast Club (Lighting Design). When not in the theatre, Derek works as a Music Publishing Associate for The Lorenz Corporation and moonlights as an Author and Playwright.

The Trailer

Filmed by Knack Creative

The Soundtrack

The Sponsors

A big shout out to the following local businesses for their contributions and support on this production:

Knack Creative

Film & Photography

Knack Creative is a production company that creates photo and video work with substance. They know that having pretty pictures & videos isn't enough - we're all bombarded every day with content, so their goal is to let your voice be heard through the noise. It's about more than just creating content, it's about creating a positive emotional response to your story.

CreativeFuse

Marketing

CreativeFuse is a creative solutions partner focused on building brands and engaging those who matter most. By fusing comprehensive strategies with stellar designs, they intentionally position brands and better your team through the process.

VTA ImPACt Program

Season Sponsor

Victoria Theatre Association’s ImPACt program nurtures fledgling local arts groups by providing access to Victoria Theatre Association’s professional education, technical and marketing staff and renting theatre space at reduced rates. ImPACt mentors smaller companies through a three-year development as they prepare themselves for their next steps.

Get Your Organization Involved

The only way we can stick around is if we get support from some freaking awesome organizations like the ones listed above. If you or someone you know is interested in helping us grow and thrive in Dayton, we'd love to chat! So go ahead, be awesome...

I'm Awesome. Let's Talk.

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