Wild Goose Players is a theatre company under the direction of David Stern and Sandy Klein, along with key collaborators Ethan Sudan, Liz Guzynski, Morganna Ekkens, Ira Wilner, Tricia Suriani, Ed Dinnany, Sally Regentine, Erik Burke, Chip O’Brien, and a group of incredible performers and artisans. This team has been instrumental in bringing live theatre back to the Bellows Falls Opera House presenting productions of “Sweeney Todd”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Chicago”, “The Secret Garden”, “Into The Woods”, and the upcoming “Urinetown”, opening March 2023.
We at Wild Goose are wedded to the pursuit of excellence. We want to reveal and stretch ourselves, and in so doing, connect with one another. Building community, both within and without the company, is the second pillar of our mission. We seek to make a safe space where people feel able to be their fullest selves. This is both because it is right action, but because the best theater requires the greatest safety.
As part of our commitment to original work, “Wild Goose” hosts a monthly public reading of a new play, where authors share a work in development and seek feedback from attendees. Wild Goose has an ongoing relationship with playwright Sean Hurley. An award-winning playwright and radio journalist, and creator of “Atoms’ Motion, and the Void”, (voted best podcast in New Hampshire), Sean was the author of “Food and Shelter”, which Wild Goose performed last January at Next Stage. We are planning a production of his newest play, “Claire in the Chair in the Cemetaire” in the near future.
Through transformational opportunities both on and offstage, 'Wild Goose' seeks to create a theater company that models and builds community, nurtures the development of artists, explores new works, attracts new audiences, and provides both economic and cultural momentum in the region.
David Stern has been working in the theatre for over 35 years, running drama programs at Swarthmore College, The Middlesex School, Springfield High School, and most recently Kimball Union Academy. With an MFA in theatrical design from Rutgers University, David has worked professionally as a designer and director throughout New England at companies including The Merrimack Repertory Theatre, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, North Country Center for the Arts, The Weston Playhouse, and the New Ensemble Theatre which he founded in 1993. From 2014-2020 he served as Artistic Director at Main Street Arts in Saxtons River, where he, and much of the “Wild Goose” team led productions including “Sweeney Todd”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Chicago”, “The Secret Garden”, “Bat Boy”, “Equus”, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”, and the touring production of “Jacques Brel.”
Sandy designed the costumes for Main Street Art's Bat Boy, Sweeney Todd and Jesus Christ Superstar where she met David Stern. It has been a dream for many years to work with David in a more permanent fashion. Wild Goose Players is that dream realized. "In the latter half of my life I find myself fascinated by small collaborating groups of artists actively working to break out of conventional theater and filmmaking and to discover ways of storytelling that better reflects our changing world."
My first theatrical experience, in Kindergarten, almost went up in smoke when the beard of my Santa Claus costume got too close to a lit candle. Bitten by the theater bug since childhood I couldn’t resist finding my way back into live theater later in life after settling down in Vermont. I’ve recorded and mastered record albums for the Chelsea House Folklore Center in Brattleboro VT and other small record labels. I’ve also produced short documentaries for All Things Considered and provided concert recordings for NPR’s Folk Festival USA. I’ve also done lighting and sound design for many community theater groups in the area. I made my adult stage debut as Laser Wolf in a Saxtons River Playhouse production of Fiddler On The Roof. I have been an extra or chorus member for many other regional productions including Main Street Arts’ long run of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. As a technologist I helped Bellows Falls Union High School upgrade their auditorium lighting and sound system to something appropriate for the 21st century.
In real life I’m a broadcast engineering consultant who keeps radio stations throughout much of New England on the air. I’ve designed new facilities for commercial and public broadcasters such as VPR. These days I hang my hat in Keene NH where I am the chief engineer for the Monadnock Broadcasting Group of radio stations. I also moonlight as an audio recording engineer, videographer and photographer. I enjoy collaborating with Wild Goose Players with their challenging productions.
I live in Westminster West Vermont with my long suffering wife (stage door widow) in a house I helped build back in 1979 to which I have recently added solar power generation and heat pump technology to do my part for reducing global warming.
Libby has worked with a number of area theater groups over the years, both on and off the stage, including Wild Goose Players, Main Street Arts, The Vermont Theater Company, and The Apron Theater Company. She is honored to be a part of the development of Wild Goose Players, as it begins its journey in the area. A long-time resident of Putney, Libby works at Oak Meadow in customer relations and as the assistant to the registrar.
Sean is a playwright, musician, public radio reporter, podcaster, and TV staff writer.
As a playwright and performer, his one man show “Whisper, Pray, Make Room” at the Player’s Ring in Portsmouth, NH was named “Favorite Play” in the 2011 Spotlight awards.
His first one man show, “Atoms, Motion & the Void” at the Player’s Ring was called “Stunning… arresting art…” by Jeanne McCartin in her 2008 review.
As a reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio, Sean won numerous awards for his stories and essays including most recently “Best Commentary” at the PRNDI awards and a “Best Sports Feature” in the 2019 Regional Murrow awards. His stories have aired nationally on Here & Now, Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Sean’s fictional, storytelling podcast, “Atoms, Motion & the Void” was named “Best Podcast in New Hampshire” by New Hampshire Magazine.
Sean has episode writing credits for the Amazon show “Patriot” and the Epix Show “Perpetual Grace, Inc.” starring Ben Kingsley. He will shortly begin work on “The Tales of Dunk & Egg” Game of Thrones prequel with frequent TV collaborator Steve Conrad.
Liz is an artist who has walked the long and winding path. After fleeing the ivory towers of academia, she frolicked in many artistic disciplines: painting with everything from watercolor to encaustic, botanical illustration, and beadwork, to name a few. She stumbled into theater work via the fortunate coincidence of living in a small town populated by diverse artists and performers working hard for no good reason except the joy of building a creative community. Lacking any discernible abilities as a performer, she found that theater’s backstage puzzles and opportunities perfectly suited her magpie design skills. Costuming has been a joyous challenge drawing on every facet of her life: artistic design, building, research (including thrifting!), and collaborating with other artists. She has costumed Chicago, The Secret Garden, Equus, and Urinetown under Director David Stern; assisted with Vermont Suitcase Company productions and NEYT shows under Sandy Klein. She has worked backstage on Jesus Christ Superstar and other local productions.
Liz lives in Bellows Falls, VT with her ridiculously supportive husband and four selfish cats.
Morganna Ekkens has been performing on stage for over twenty five years. A native of the Monadnock region, she discovered her love of theater at Moco Arts in Keene, NH and that passion led her to NYC, where she attended The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Morganna has performed in productions with Wild Goose Players, Main Street Arts, Springfield Community Players and The Vermont Theater Company, as well local film companies Wayward Ark Productions and Either/Or Films. Additionally, you can find her behind the scenes helping produce cabaret performances, building props and costumes, designing hair and makeup and more!! Presently, she works at the staffing agency Barton Associates as a Staffing Consultant Group Manager. Morganna lives in Bellows Falls, VT and is honored to be a part of this extraordinary community of creative talent and to help bring vibrant performance art to Rockingham!
Every member of our board of directors is a thought leader who has made significant contributions to our society.
Each one brings a unique set of skills and expertise to our organization.
THANK YOU TO
THE VERMONT ARTS COUNCIL
FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF BOTH
WILD GOOSE PLAYERS,
AND ART IN GENERAL IN THE
GREAT STATE OF VERMONT!
The Office of Bill Stevens
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