STAFF
LEADERSHIP
CAGLE MCDONALD
ARTISTIC & EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR PRODUCER
Clocktower has been led by Cagle since 2006. She champions diversity and produces shows that highlight the breadth of the human experience such as Purlie, In the Heights, Rent, La Cage Aux Folles and Spring Awakening. She has significantly grown all Clocktower educational, mainstage and community engagement programs. Cagle initiated the now annual Gala starring a host of Broadway performers including Jane Alexander, Liz Callaway, Maddie Corman, Ruby Dee, John Danelle, Ann Duquesnay, Rob Evan, Randy Graff, Joshua Henry, Joel Higgins, Terri Klausner, Marni Nixon, Richard Seff – and more! Prior to Clocktower, she founded and ran the performing arts center Cagle & Company Arts Warehouse in Dobbs Ferry and was instrumental in the development of Rivertowns Teen Summer Stock. A graduate of the Theater Department of Indiana University and the Dallas Theater Center, her career as an actress includes many stage, film and television credits. The recipient of the 2009 Cab Calloway Lifetime Achievement Award, 2018’s Bravo Award and an OnStage best director nominee, she has directed and produced hundreds of shows for performers of all ages. Cagle considers working under the tutelage of Philip Rose on the landmark production of Purlie, which brought a primarily African-American cast to the Irvington stage for the very first time, a highlight of her development as a director.
Favorite co-production: Mary Caitlin.
Favorite co-production: Mary Caitlin.
RENE O'NEAL
EXECUTIVE MANAGER
DIRECTOR PRODUCER
Rene O'Neal graduated from Manhattanville College and studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Rene started working with Clocktower Players in 2010. Sharing her love of theatre Rene works with the Clocktower Players' Youth Troupes and has directed several productions including, Les Miserables, Once on This Island, Into The Woods, Mary Poppins and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. As an actor she has appeared in many productions with Clocktower Players and several other theatres in the Westchester, Connecticut and the New York City Area; Cinderella (Fairy Godmother), Kiss Me Kate (Hattie), Swing! (Principal Singer/Dancer), A Raisin in the Sun (Ruth), Dreamgirls (Effie), Little Shop of Horrors (Crystal), Purlie (Church Soloist), Sweeney Todd (Ensemble), Into the Woods (Stepmother), A Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein, A Midsummer Nights Dream (Puck), A Night of Shakespeare (Narrator), Pippin (Leading Player), Ain’t Misbehavin' and several workshops and concerts.
CORE TEAM
LARRY ALEXANDER (Sound Design) is a Grammy Award winning audio engineer who began his career recording such superstars as Bruce Springsteen and Janis Ian. After lengthy employment as a staff engineer at Power Station Studios, Larry began to freelance and has worked extensively in the U.S. and abroad. Larry has done sound design for Broadway Training Center, Clocktower Players, Elmwood Playhouse, Friends of Nyack, Helen Hayes Youth Theater, Stage Left Children's Theater and Theater Now New York.
LARRY ALEXANDER (Sound Design) is a Grammy Award winning audio engineer who began his career recording such superstars as Bruce Springsteen and Janis Ian. After lengthy employment as a staff engineer at Power Station Studios, Larry began to freelance and has worked extensively in the U.S. and abroad. Larry has done sound design for Broadway Training Center, Clocktower Players, Elmwood Playhouse, Friends of Nyack, Helen Hayes Youth Theater, Stage Left Children's Theater and Theater Now New York.
JENNIFER JONAS CAHILL (Director, Choreographer) started dancing with Marya Kennett. She earned a BFA in Dance from Boston Conservatory where she fell in love with musical theater while working with Leslie Woodies. At the Conservatory she worked on the world premiere musical, Heaven and Hell, working closely with the creative team as dance captain. Jennifer has choreographed for White Plains Performing Arts Center (Chess, West Side Story, HSM, assisted Cats), Palame Productions (New York! New York!), Curtain Call Theater (Ragtime), Bedford Community Theater (Oliver!), Strauss Theater (assisted Cats), Westchester Broadway Theater (assisted Oliver!, The Music Man), Strawberry Hill Players, Varley Players, PVHS Theatreworks and Pied Piper Youth Theater. She has been on staff with Clocktower Players since Hairspray as assistant choreographer, choreographer, and director for numerous youth and adult troupe productions. Jennifer has been nominated for Metro Awards for choreography (Chess, Me and My Girl, Billy Elliott) and for Broadway World Awards for choreography (Ragtime, Chess). She recently won 2019 OnStage Theatre Award Outstanding Choreography for Clocktower Player’s Annie.
RACHEL COHEN (Musical Director) originally from Dobbs Ferry, currently resides in Stamford, CT and works as a music director, pianist, accompanist, and voice and piano teacher throughout the tri-state area. Rachel has recently music directed productions with Little Radical Theatrics (Mamma Mia, Fame), and Off-Beat Players (James and the Giant Peach, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, High School Musical, and Bye Bye Birdie). Other shows she has recently played include Ghost the Musical (Union County Performing Arts Center), Rent (Random Farms Kids Theater), Chicago (Shelton High School), Newsies (Wilton High School), and Spamalot (Greens Farms Academy). Rachel has been on faculty at the Long Ridge Music Center and runs her own studio teaching voice and piano to students of all ages. She is very excited to join Clocktower Players!
GEORGE H. CROOM (Director, Musical Director) has served as music director for over 200 productions, including, Kiss Of The Spiderwoman, 42nd Street, Cabaret, Urinetown, Personals, The Pirates of Penzance, City Of Angels, Miss Saigon, Ragtime, Nine, Songs For A New World, A Little Night Music, The Mystery Of Edwin Drood, And The World Goes Round, Into The Woods, Gypsy, West Side Story, Blues In The Night, Merrily We Roll Along, the European premiere of Myths And Hymns, and the off-Broadway premiere of The Scarlet Letter. As an actor he has appeared in national tours of Evita, Purlie and Godspell; off Broadway in Sweethearts, Celebration, The Wind In The Willows and The Elephant Piece, and regionally in productions of Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?, La Cage Aux Folles, The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (abridged), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, You Can’t Take It With You and As You Like It, among many. He has directed/choreographed productions of Ragtime, Sister Act, Bonnie And Clyde, Company, Dreamgirls, Bloodbrothers, Sweeney Todd, Damn Yankees, Side By Side By Sondheim, On The Twentieth Century, Me And My Girl, and Assassins.; directed productions of The Odd Couple, You Can’t Take It With You, Hairspray, 9 To 5 and In The Heights. He wrote the score for Shakedown Street for the New York Fringe Festival, Twelfth Night at the Herbert Mark Newman Theater, and Suicide In Bb for the 18th Street Playhouse. He currently teaches voice at The Masters School, and is music consultant for several schools and resident director for three companies.
KEITH FERGUSON (Light Design) has been a lighting designer and worked in community and professional theatre in Westchester and the greater New York City area for the last 10 years. He's been involved with Clocktower Players at the Town Hall theatre since January of 2018. Originally hailing from Eastchester, he's been a resident of Irvington for the last three years where he lives with his partner in theatrical crime, Julia. Besides Clocktower, he is also on the board of directors for Actors Conservatory Theatre in Yonkers, affiliated with the Manhattan College Players at his alma mater, Local Celebrity Theatre, various other theatre companies, and currently manages Altman Rentals.
MOLLY GALLAGHER (Acting Instructor) is a proud Clocktower Players Alum. Her love for theater began when she attended Cagle’s Acting Adventures class in 1997. She has done over 20 shows with Cagle/Clocktower, most recently she played the Star to Be in the Adult Troupe production of Annie in the Spring of 2019. She graduated from NYU Steinhardt with a degree in Vocal Performance concentrating in Musical Theater and is a SAG/AFTRA and AEA member. Molly is currently auditioning for shows in NYC while balancing her two part time jobs in finance and fitness. Molly LOVES all things Disney and can't wait to work with all of these adorable kiddos!
CAROLINE JANNACE (Light Design) has spent the past 5 years working across Long Island, Westchester, and NYC as a designer and theatre electrician. She is currently working for Major League Baseball Network doing television studio lighting. Additionally, Caroline is working with the Assemblywoman of the 18th district of NY as a filmmaker and anthropologist. She is excited to work with the Clocktower Production Team. (Reellifeethnos.com)
JOSUE JASMIN (Director, Choreographer) was born in Brooklyn and developed his extraordinary love for dance and theater at a very early age. This love grew as Josue connected with the Young Professional Division at Alvin Ailey School and the Broadway Dance Center in NYC. In addition, Josue had the privilege to train at the Ballet School of Stamford, was selected for the New Hampshire City ballet, and as a principle dancer with the world-renowned Locust Contemporary Dance Company in NYC. His passion for dance extended to teaching and choreography as he began teaching at Brass City Ballet. Josue choreographed, and danced for the recording Pop Star artist Neil Nathan on the TODAY SHOW, and R&B singer Rain during her US tour. Josue also choreographed for the 2004 - 2005 VIBE MAGAZINE’S fashion show for BET and NEW FACE DEVELOPMENT INC. IMTA NY and LA. His theater credits include: Guys & Dolls, La Cage Aux Falls, Raisin in the Sun, The Colored Museum, Oklahoma!, Pajama Game, Into the Woods, Dreamgirls, Once on this Island, Ragtime, Swing, Kiss me Kate…and the list goes on. Camelot was his Clocktower Players debut as choreographer.
LARRY E. JOHNSON (Graphic Design) is originally from Philadelphia and a graduate of Rutgers University. He has twenty-plus years conceptualizing and producing exciting marketing collateral and graphics for various clients, including publishing, fashion, and lifestyle for print and web. He's a creative problem solver, and enjoys collaborating and developing relationships with clients, colleagues and vendors. He has also performed in some of the stage productions here at ITHT. Some stage credits include Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Purlie, Kiss Me Kate, Ragtime, Oklahoma!, and Pippin. He has been a long-time member of the Charles Moore Dance Theater, and has danced with other companies, such as The Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company, and Eleo Pomare Dance. Other credits include Television and Film.
JULIA LAVERDE (Stage Manager) has been stage managing for the past 12 years among theaters in Westchester County. For the past five years, she has happily been on the production team for Clocktower Players' Junior Teen Troupe, helping to expand young actors experiences in the theater, helping them flourish and grow their talent and confidence, and to encourage them to get to places swiftly and quietly. Other companies Julia is involved with include Actors Conservatory Theatre in Yonkers where she is on the Board of Directors, GoJo Clan Productions, and Westchester Collaborative Theatre. Julia lives in Irvington with her partner and lighting designer Keith, and their slightly spoiled but adorable cat Lina.
STEVEN LOFTUS (Set Designer) is pleased to be on the Clocktower team. He is the owner and lead scenic designer for Scene Works Inc, a fully serviced scene shop located in Ossining NY. Scene Works provides scenic design, fabrication and installation for theater, film and events. Steve has tech directed and designed all over the tristate area. He is currently the resident Technical Director and scenic designer for Westchester Broadway Theater.
JESSE PELLEGRINO (Choreographer, Director, Web Master) attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy for Musical Theatre as well as State University of New York New Paltz for Musical Theatre and Dance. He has studied under the tutelage of Linda Duci (Country Academy of Dance), Lisa Duci (Country Academy of Dance), Lindsey Chambers (AMDA), Keri Casserly (AMDA), Harry Woolever (AMDA) and Yoav Kaddar (SUNY New Paltz). After school Jesse has been performing and teaching all over Westchester County and the world. He has appeared in the European Tour of West Side Story (Snowboy), Xanadu (Terpsicore), Peter Pan (Mr. Smee), Grease! (Kenickie/Dance Captain), ...Forum (Protean) and West Side Story (Baby John/Dance Captain). Jesse has choreographed various productions for Yorktown Stage, including Joseph...Dreamcoat, Grease!, and Peter Pan. He has developed and taught several Dance Workshops and Classes all over Westchester County at Northern Westchester Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre of Westchester, The Dance Shop, Carmel High School. In addition to his work with Clocktower Players, Jesse choreographs and teaches dance at Rye Neck Middle School and High School, as well as Pelham Middle School and Pelham Memorial High School. At Clocktower Players, he has been able to spread his wings even further by making his directorial debut with Thoroughly Modern Millie and choreographing multiple productions since 2013.
PETER F. PETRINO (Lighting Designer) is pleased to be working with Clocktower Players again. Previously Peter designed Ain’t Misbehavin’ and The Laramie Project for CTP. Peter is the resident LD for Caramoor Center for Music and Art since 1996. Peter also designs for such theaters as Sherman Playhouse, Penguin Rep. and Seven Angels Theater; for dance companies such as Westchester Ballet Co. and Nutmeg Ballet Co. and for television companies such as: Versus, Court TV and ESPN.
LILI THOMAS (Director, Vocal Coach) started her theatrical career with Cagle McDonald in The King and I (1995 at ITHT) and is overjoyed to return to her roots joining the staff here at Clocktower Players. She assisted with the Teen production of Rent, was the associate choreographer on A Chorus Line and Director of Spring Awakening. She just closed the acclaimed Off-Broadway run of The Hello Girls and select favorite regional credits include A Chorus Line (Sheila), Rent (Mimi), Cabaret (Lulu), Pippin (Fastrada), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Marcy Park), Miss Saigon (Gigi), and The King and I (Tuptim). She was the Young Soprano in the world premiere of Aaron Jay Kernis’ Garden of Light (Disney Millennium Symphonies) at Avery Fisher Hall with the New York Philharmonic. Lili holds a BFA from NYU (Tisch School of the Arts/CAP21) and is a proud member of Actors Equity. She lives in Hastings and runs a busy voice studio throughout the Rivertowns (teaching many talented Clocktower Kids, Jr. Teens, and Teens!)
HONORARY BOARD
JANE ALEXANDER (Actress, Activist) is a four-time ACADEMY AWARD Nominee for her roles in the films: Testament, Kramer vs. Kramer, All the President's Men and The Great White Hope. Her film career includes roles in: Fur, The Ring, Sunshine State, The Cider House Rules, Glory, Square Dance, Sweet Country, City Heat, Night Crossing, Brubaker, The Betsy, Feast of Love and The New Centurions. Ms. Alexander, a six-time Tony Nominee for best actress in: Honour, The Sisters Rosensweig, The Visit, First Monday in October, Find Your Way Home, 6 Rms Riv Vu, she was awarded the Tony for The Great White Hope opposite James Earl Jones. Her television credits include Emmy Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Warm Springs, Playing for Time and five nominations for: Law and Order/Special Victims Unit, Malice in Wonderland, Calamity Jane, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years and Eleanor and Franklin. From 1993-1997, Ms. Alexander was the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and from 2001 to the present has served as the Commissioner for the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
ERIC JAVIER (Principal & Managing Director with CCS), draws from a wide-range of experience working on more than 200 major fundraising initiatives with CCS, one of the most comprehensive and widely recommended fundraising consulting and management firms in the world. Eric has assisted several of the nation’s most sophisticated and well-known nonprofit institutions to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in support of a broad spectrum of needs. Eric’s primary areas of expertise include feasibility and planning studies; annual capital and endowment campaigns; major gift solicitation strategies; strategic development planning; case messaging and development; and coaching and training. Eric has also designed and facilitated numerous training courses at CCS on major donor cultivation and solicitation, prospect management and proposal development. He is a frequent speaker at professional conferences, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Eric is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross. Eric, his wife Kristin, and their two daughters reside in Westchester, NY.
DAVID LOVETT (Set & Lighting Designer) trained at London’s Chelsea School of Art and Design. After working in British repertory theatres and touring major American productions he worked for London’s newly formed Almeida theatre with Pierre Audi. He was an associate of ACT Theatre Consultants specialist international theatre designers and a visiting lecturer at the Central School of Speech and Drama as well as the Theatre Department of Croydon College. His work includes pieces for: Extemporary Dance, Dancers Anonymous, Scottish Opera, Garsington Opera, Newcastle Playhouse, Northern Symphonia, Electro-Acoustic Music Association of Great Britain (EMAS) and The Matrix Ensemble, and was a design associate on Alan Rickman’s Hamlet. Lovett worked on realizing John Cage’s installation piece Essay in the Espai Poblenou, Barcelona and the tour of Cage’s Europeras 3 & 4. For the Contemporary Opera Studio of English National Opera he lit the world premiere of John Tavener’s Mary of Egypt. Production design for the Off Broadway production of Transatlantic Liaison, and Against the Rising Sea at Queens Theatre in the Park. Other credits include work with Ute Lemper, London Children’s Ballet, Steve Montague, Julia Bardsley & Andrew Poppy, New York’s Composers Collaborative, Centro Dramatico Nacional, Madrid, DiMauro Dance and Queens Theatre in the Park.
JOHN MCDONALD (Director, Actor, Acting Coach) graduated Carnegie Mellon University with a BFA in Acting. After a successful twenty year acting career (Broadway: The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window, Tough to Get Help Off-Broadway : Split Second; Film: The Rosary Murders TV: Dr. Frank Grant on All My Children and Lt. Art Hindman on Loving) he changed careers and was Director of Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center Performing Arts and Director of Operations at Carnegie Hall. He co-wrote the film, By the Sword, produced by Philip Rose, John is now a private acting coach who specializes in preparing students for the grueling college-audition process. His students have been accepted at such prestigious schools as Carnegie Mellon, NYU, University of Hartford/The Hartt School, Ithaca, Elon University, Fordham University, Pace University, Marymount Manhattan, Baldwin-Wallace, Syracuse, University of the the Arts, and Emerson College. www.jmcdonaldactingcoach.com
BRIAN C. SMITH (Mayor of Irvington, Founder and COO of Bayberry Capital Partners, Broadway Producer) was head trader at Blue Ridge Capital LLC. for 18 years prior to founding Bayberry Capital Partners in 2018. Born and raised in the village of Irvington, Brian has served as Mayor of Irvington since April of 2011. The Smith family have long been lovers of theater. Brian’s wife, Keira, was in several Irvington high school musicals and even played Sandy in Grease and both their children performed with Clocktower Players. Brian made his producing debut with Broadway’s It’s Only A Play after investing in Ken Davenport's Broadway revivals of Godspell and Spring Awakening. Most recently he co-produced Gettin’ the Band Back Together and the Tony-award winning revival Once On This Island.
MEREDITH VIEIRA (Journalist) as special correspondent for “Rock Center with Brian Williams,” Vieira contributed her signature reporting for the broadcast, as well as “Today,” “NBC Nightly News,” “Dateline” and co-hosted the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympic Games. She also curRently serves as host of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” a position she’s held since 2002. At the end of 2008, Vieira founded her own TV/film production company, Meredith Vieira Productions. Vieira has been honored with eleven Emmys, including two Daytime Emmys for best morning newscast for her work on “Today,” which she joined as co-anchor in 2006. Before joining NBC News, Vieira had been moderator of ABC’s “The View” since the show’s inception in 1997. She started at ABC in 1993 when she joined their news division as chief correspondent of “Turning Point,” which debuted in March 1994. Prior to her work at ABC, Vieira spent more than a decade at CBS News, where she garnered five Emmy Awards for her work as a correspondent on the news magazines “60 Minutes” and “West 57th.” A native of Providence, R.I., Vieira received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University in Medford, Mass. She has three children, Ben, Gabe and Lily with her husband, Richard Cohen.
JACK VIERTEL (Artistic Director, Producer) is creative director of Jujamcyn Theaters and the artistic director of City Center’s Encores! series. He is the former dramaturg of the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles and was the drama critic of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. He conceived of and co-produced Smokey Joe’s Cafe, dramaturged Hairspray and has been associated with six August Wilson plays, Angels in America, and many others.
MICHAEL C. PENTA (Founding Director Emeritus) directed seventy-two shows in Irvington since his arrival here in 1967. Prior to that time he performed, choreographed and directed Equity productions both for off-Broadway and for regional, stock and community companies around the country. Once off the train in Irvington he directed and choreographed productions at the High School and taught drama and dance for 26 years. Michael holds theater degrees from Rutgers and Columbia. He takes his role as a theater educator as seriously as he takes his craft, and it is clear that he instills a love of theater and dance in his graduates. Nearly 300 have gone on to careers in professional and educational aspects of theater. Today, to paraphrase Mrs. Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!, he still "spreads it around, encouraging young things to grow."
NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN...
DORIS BELACK (Actress/Honorary Board in memoriam) appeared on Broadway in such plays as The Cemetery Club, Social Security, The Trip Back Down, Bad Habits, and Last Of The Red Hot Lovers. She starred Off-Broadway at the American Place Theatre as Sylvia Plath’s mother in Letters Home, at the Ensemble Studio Theatre’s One Act Festival in Frank Gilroy’s Real To Reel, and in a tour of Lettuce & Lovage. On television she has guest starred on Everwood, The Cosby Show, The Golden Girls, Sisters, Chicago Hope, Picket Fences, Touched By An Angel, and Ellen. She appeared as a regular on the series Family Album and Laurie Hill, and has played the recurring Judge Margaret Barry on Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU. She created the role of Anna Craig on One Life to Live. Among her film performances were featured roles in Tootsie, What About Bob?, Opportunity Knocks, Naked Gun 33 1/3, Batteries Not Included, She-Devil, Krippendorf’s Tribe, The Odd Couple II, and Prime, with Meryl Streep. She was married to Philip Rose, a theatre producer and director, and author of a fascinating memoir, You Can’t Do That on Broadway! Doris died in October, 2011.
PHILIP ROSE (Director, Producer, Author/Honorary Board in memoriam) made his Broadway debut with Lorraine Hansberry's play A Raisin in the Sun, the 1958-59 winner of the New York Drama Critics Award as Best Play of the Year; he then went on to co-produce the film starring Sidney Poitier. He has been involved as a director, producer, and/or author of many Broadway productions, including the plays The Owl and The Pussycat, Nobody Loves An Albatross, Purlie Victorious, Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?, Split Second, and Checkmates, and such musicals as Purlie and Shenandoah. For Purlie, Mr. Rose received three Tony nominations, as a director, producer, and co-author. Shenandoah received six nominations and won two, including best book for Mr. Rose. He directed the television production of Purlie, for which he received the ACE and Silver Awards from the International Film and TV Festival of New York. He was executive producer of the play Sun Flower: The Life and Loves of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and toured extensively as a guest speaker at colleges and schools discussing his acclaimed book, You Can't Do That on Broadway. Mr. Rose died on May 31, 2011. He was 89 years young.
EDWIN SHERIN (Director, Producer/Honorary Board in memoriam) a graduate of Brown University, began his professional career as an actor in 5 Broadway plays, a dozen roles for the American and New York Shakespeare Festivals, in regional theaters across the country and in many filmed and live television dramas. He began directing on Broadway with The Great White Hope which won the Pulitzer, the Tony and the Drama Critics Award. Among his other Broadway credits: Rex, Sweet Bird of Youth, The Visit, Of Mice and Men, An Evening with Richard Nixon and Friends..., First Monday in October, 6 rms riv vu, Find Your Way Home, Eccentricities of a Nightingale, Do You Turn Somersaults, and Prymate. He was Artistic Director for the Hartman Theater, Stamford, Connecticut; Associate Producing Director, Arena Stage, Washington, D.C.; Director, Theater School, Boston University and Artist-in-Residence, Florida State University. He has directed feature films, television movies and hour-long episodic dramas including Law and Order where for nearly a decade he was Executive Producer.