ABOUT US: Players By the Sea
For 45 years, Players by the Sea Community Theatre has been committed to serving the First Coast with outstanding art and entertainment. Each year we aim to provide a fresh helping of exciting productions, programs and learning opportunities to provide impactful creative experiences for the artists of today and tomorrow. The intention of each production at Players by the Sea is to offer extraordinary creative opportunities for volunteers to contribute their best in an atmosphere of openness, inclusion and cooperation.
At Players by the Sea, we provide a theatre home for many activities. Local playwrights, solo performance artists and groups of young actors bring us personal projects which provide excitement and enrichment in addition to the balance of traditional and contemporary works we offer in our Mainstage and Studio Seasons.
We seek to lead theatregoers on an emotional journey that may stimulate, challenge, amuse, enlighten or simply delight in ways that enrich their daily lives. Whether you are an old friend or a stranger to the stage, please consider attending a performance, auditioning for a show, or just stopping by the say hello. Because creating community between performers and patrons is how we learn and grow. We measure our success by the extent to which volunteers and patrons consider us their theatre.
JOE SCHWARZ: Executive Director
For the past 8 years, Joe has served as the executive director of Players by the Sea, committing himself and the theatre to not only strengthen the city's talent pool, but also to deliver quality, original works to patrons and fellow members of Jacksonville's theatre community.
Past season selections such as 'Cabaret,' 'Sweeney Todd,' and 'The Price' have each possessed a type of progressiveness that has become synonymous with the theatre under Joe's direction, allowing the theatre and everyone involved to stretch both artistically and technically. In recent years, Joe and the selection committee have chosen a number of innovative pieces penned by local talent. Writers David Sacks, Barbara Williams, Derek Coghlan and Al Letson have had their work produced by Joe and each has seen measures of success both at Players by the Sea and at other theatres around the country.
Prior to his work with Players by the Sea, Joe worked as the executive director for the Common Stage Theatre Company in Woodstock. While there, he worked with industry figures such as Michael Cristofer, Mary Louise Wilson, Lisa Loomer and Wendy Wasserstein, giving them the opportunity to showcase their works in their developmental stages. Joe received his BS from New York University.
BARBARA
COLACIELLO: Education Director
For the past 6 years, Barbara Colaciello Williams has produced and directed numerous children's plays and collaborative theater pieces as the Education Director of Players by the Sea's School of the Arts. As part of PBTS's outreach initiative she has developed programming for children with learning disabilities partnering with The Noble School, and The DePaul School.
Along with her passion for
teaching, Barbara is a playwright. Her original one-woman show, 'Life on the
Diagonal', directed by Bob Arleigh White, had its NYC debut at Theater Lab in
April of 2008. Her children's play 'NO-I-TAN-I-GAM-I' was performed in 2011
on main stage with the entire School of the Arts student body. Barbara was
commissioned by PBTS to write a play about Ninah May Holden Cummer for the
Cummer's 50th Anniversary entitled 'Sustaining Beauty'.
In 2000 Barbara began working with nationally-known slam poet, playwright and NPR Radio Host of 'State of the Re: Union' Al Letson initially as his acting coach. She went on to direct/produce many of his plays including, 'Essential Personnel', 'Griot: He Who Speaks the Sweet Word' which received rave reviews when performed at The NYCFringe and 'Chalk', which she co-produced with Players by the Sea. She also directed his poetical 'Julius X' for which she received the Pelican Award for Best Director and his semi-autobiographical piece 'Crumbs: a possibly true story'.
Barbara received her BFA from Rider University and earned her Actor's Equity card at the age of 20 performing in summer stock at Bucks County Playhouse, PA. She had extensive acting training in NYC studying with Larry Moss and Peter Flood.
JIM WIGGINS: Technical Director
Jim is a 1987 graduate of Indiana University, with a B.A. in Telecommunications (Production), with a minor in Theatre. As part of his studies in Bloomington, Jim was active with IU's nationally recognized School of Music Opera Program, working on the stage, lighting, sound, and other technical crews for each season's productions. At the same time, he also worked outside of school as a technician for various local and touring bands. Jim began volunteering behind the scenes at Players by the Sea in 2008 with the Pelican Award-winning production of "Sweeney Todd", and has acted as Technical Director on a voluntary basis since the spring of 2010. He is thrilled to be able to finally pursue his theatrical ambitions and help provide art to our community; and is grateful to the Cultural Council for their support of Jacksonville's arts community in general, Players by the Sea in particular, and by extension, me.
In the real world, Jim has worked for CSX for 23 years.
LESLIE
RICHART: Office Manager
Leslie joined the Players by the Sea staff in August 2011. She holds Bachelor's Degrees in both Music Education and Geography, as well as a certificate in network systems administration. After moving to Jacksonville in 2009 from Colorado Springs, Leslie quickly found a home on the Players stage, appearing in Hair, Pippin, The Taffetas, The Merchant of Venice, and Tommy. She earned Pelican Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical two years in a row for her versatile performances in The Great American Trailer Park Musical and Parade. Leslie enjoys using her experience in performing, teaching, and technology to give Players' patrons outstanding customer service.
PATRICK RICHART:
Sound Technican
Patrick received a MS in Electrical Engineering from Colorado Tech and worked for 8 years performing electronic, firmware, and optical design of conventional and automated theatrical lighting equipment, stage motion control systems, and communication products for intelligent lighting. He moved to Jacksonville in 2009 with his wife Leslie and got connected with Players by the Sea through her involvement with the theater. He has been happy to make a contribution and appreciates the opportunity to be involved recently in the productions of Crumbs, The Taffetas, and The Full Monty.
MATT MORGAN: Vocal Resident Director
Having the distinction of making debuts at three of the four theaters at New York's Lincoln Center, Matt Morgan has established himself as a tenor to watch. His New York debut came as Don Gomez in Weber's "Die drei Pintos" with Leon Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra. The very same season, his New York City Opera debut occurred in the world premiere of Charles Wuorinen's 'Haroun and the Sea of Stories'. Following these successes, Mr. Morgan debuted with the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall as the tenor soloist in Handel's 'Messiah'.
Since moving his home base to Jacksonville in 2011, Mr. Morgan has established a powerful presence. In addition to still performing at the top theaters and concert venues in the country, he is the new Department Chair for Musical Theater at the Grammy award winning Douglas Anderson School for the Performing Arts, serves on the voice faculty at Jacksonville University, is Vocal Director at Players by the Sea, and maintains a thriving private vocal studio.
He has performed at New York City Opera for three consecutive seasons to great audience and critical acclaim in a variety of repertoire ranging from Rameau's Plateeto works of the 20th century. Most recently he appeared in their new production of 'The Pirates of Penzance' where Mr. Morgan was as an "endearing and loveable Frederick with the right hero looks and a wonderful tenor voice". Additionally he has appeared 5 consecutive seasons at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall and debut at Washington D.C.'s famed Kennedy Center. Among his many appearances at Lincoln Center his other New York successes include his portrayal of Britten's anti-hero in Gotham Chamber Opera's wildly successful production of 'Albert Herring'.
A true cross-over artist Mr. Morgan is currently featured on 3 current PBS television specials; Matt Morgan in Concert, Opera Louisianne, and Opera Masters. As a recording artist his DVD's and CD's are distributed internationally and are carried by every online music service and music seller worldwide.
In addition to Mr. Morgan's exciting performance career he has placed a special emphasis on teaching and mentoring young performers. His work as a master teacher has taken him around the world and back. He most recently was in residence at Louisiana State University, Boise State University, Opera Idaho, and University of Western Australia.
RACHEL ANTON: Musical Theatre Teacher
Rachel, a native New Yorker, started her professional career at age 15 and has been a member of Actor's Equity Association since the age of 19. Living in NYC she has performed off-broadway in shows such as "Stop, Drop and Roll", That Time of the Year" and "Evangeline". She has also performed on the world famous Apollo Stage as a finalist in the television show "Showtime at the Apollo". She has performed regionally in such roles as Eva Peron in "Evita" (Library Theatre) the Narrator in "Joseph..." (Maine State Music Theatre, Westchester Broadway Theatre), Sister Robert Anne in "Nunsense" ( Alhambra Theatre and Dining) and Lucy in "Jekyl and Hyde" (Bucks County Playhouse) to name a few.
As a choreograher, her credits include "Shout!", "Night of the Living Dead" and "The Marvelous Wonderettes" (Hippodrome State Theatre). As a voiceover artist her credits include national television and radio commercials as well as the MTV series "Daria" and "Sky Groove". She is a member of the SAG - Aftra union. She now resides here in Jacksonville teaching voice lessons with her associate and mentor, Matt Morgan.