I'll Fly Away
May - August 2018
Featuring SERVANT STAGE’s most requested ensemble, I’ll Fly Away is a toe-tappin’ tribute to folk, bluegrass, and old-time gospel music with the Backwoods Bluegrass Band and Friends! Fun and feel-good from start to finish, it’ll leave a smile on your face and a song in your heart!
Thank you to our Sponsors
Performance Schedule
Saturday, May 26 | 3:00pm & 7:00pm
Sunday, May 27 | 3:00pm
Lancaster Alliance Church (click for map)
Sunday, June 3
3:00pm & 7:00pm
The Red Caboose Motel, Ronks (click for map)
Saturday, June 9 | 7:00pm
(no tickets required)
Zion Lutheran Church, East Petersburg
Sunday, June 10 | 6:00pm
(no tickets required)
United Zion Campground, Manheim
Saturday, June 16 & Sunday, June 17
7:30pm
The Amish Experience, Bird-In-Hand (click for map)
Saturday, June 30 | 7:00pm
(no tickets required)
Garden Spot Village, New Holland
Sunday, July 1
7:00pm
Coleman Memorial Park, Lebanon (click for map)
Sunday, July 8 | 7:00pm
(no tickets required)
Mountville Church of the Brethren
Friday, July 20 | 7:00pm
(no tickets required)
Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community
Saturday, July 21 | 7:00pm
(no tickets required)
Tulpehocken United Church of Christ, Richland
Sunday, July 22 | 5:30pm
(no tickets required)
Landis Woods Park, Neffsville
Saturday, July 28 | 7:00pm
(no tickets required)
Reich's E.C. Church, Marietta
Sunday, July 29
7:00pm
New Holland Park (click for map)
Saturday, August 4
6:30pm
Strasburg Community Park (click for map)
Sunday, August 5
3:00pm & 7:00pm
Lititz Springs Park (click for map)
Thursday, August 9 | 6:30pm
(no tickets required)
Calvary Fellowship Homes, Lancaster
Saturday, August 11 | 7:00pm
(no tickets required)
Huffnagle Park, Quarryville
Thursday, August 16 | 7:00pm
(no tickets required)
Highland Presbyterian Church, Lancaster
Sunday, August 19 | 6:00pm
(no tickets required)
Mount Pleasant Brethren in Christ Church, Mt. Joy
Cast
Sarah studied opera privately with Dale Moore at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. At the age of 20, she started a full-time music career traveling all over the Country as a soloist and recording artist. Since getting married, she has settled here in Lancaster and is co-owner of Creative Pursuits Studio on Eden Road teaching voice full-time. She currently performs with Servant Stage Company and locally whenever she can. She is humbled and honored any time she gets the chance to share her gift with others. Special thanks to her husband Joel for all his unconditional love and support. To their sweet baby Gideon, “thank you for making me a mommy.”
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” 1 Peter 4:10 www.sarahcope.com, www.creativepursuitsstudio.com
Caleb Heckman is a teacher, actor, music director, and accompanist in Lancaster County. He has performed onstage with many local theaters, including Cavod Theatre, PRiMA Theatre, and Fulton Theatre. He has also music directed productions for Susquehanna Stage Company, The Lancaster Academy for the Performing Arts, and Cavod Academy. He is very excited to be returning back to Servant Stage after first appearing in HMS Pinafore back in 2015. When not in rehearsal for one show or another, Caleb enjoys teaching private piano lessons, serving guests at the local Chick-fil-A, learning violin, and studying foreign languages. Caleb is grateful to Wally and Servant Stage for the opportunity to participate in their mission to make art that is accessible to all!
Cody is proud to make his second musical appearance with Servant Stage. You might recognize him from The Old-Time Gospel Radio Hour or other local productions like Sight & Sound Theatre's Samson and Jesus. Cody would like to thank his parents for their love, Elena for her unyielding encouragement and support, and God for the blessing of worship.
Julie Keough is thrilled to finally be making her Servant Stage debut! A lifelong musician, Julie has been seen locally at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, in the Ware Center Club 42 series, American Music Theater, St. James Episcopal Church and most recently in Guys and Dolls and Three Little Pigs at Fulton Theatre. Julie can also be seen here and there singing tunes with her guitar and hopefully a few friends, and occasionally filming and editing silly music videos. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram, and find her holiday album Silver Belles on CDBaby, Spotify or iTunes.
Jon Knauss is excited to be working with Servant Stage and the Bluegrass Band once again! He graduated with a BA in Worship Arts from Lancaster Bible College and loves all aspects of music. Offstage he is the guitarist, vocalist, and sole writer for the band KILOLIMA, and enjoys being an instrumentalist for Lancaster Alliance Church. He enjoys any and all kinds of music, learning new instruments, and doing those things with his close friends. “Thanks to Rob and Jonah for pushing me forward” Micah 7:7
Cody McSherry is a rising sophomore at Lancaster Catholic High School. He has been playing piano accordion since the age of six. Cody also plays button accordion, piano and organ, and sings. Cody has been cast in numerous professional theater roles in the Lancaster area and performs as an accordionist locally and regionally. He is so thankful for this opportunity to share in Servant Stage’s mission. God Bless!
Sarah is excited to be back for her 6th production with Servant Stage! She has been in three of the four Old-Time Gospel Radio Hour productions, Yankee Doodle Dandee: Music of America, and Joy to the World! Sarah lives in Columbia with her husband, Jeremy, and two little girls, Madison and Evelyn. She enjoys being at home with her girls, working her Mary Kay business, and performing with Servant Stage whenever she is able. Special thanks her Trio buddies, Ric and Julie. It's been a joy to sing with you both and I am so thankful for this opportunity!
Gary lives in Holtwood with his wife Patti. Originally from Montgomery County, PA, Gary moved to Lancaster County to study music at Millersville University and has played guitar and bass in church worship for over 40 years. More recently, Gary has begun to explore Irish traditional music, singing ballads and songs and playing Irish bouzouki. Gary works in industrial training management, overseeing the training programs of utility personnel in a five-state area and continues to serve in his local church as a worship team musician. “I am very thankful that God has given me a wife who has offered support and encouragement to pursue musical avenues and to walk through the doors God has opened. All glory to Him for the gifts and opportunities He has given me.”
Lamentations 3:21-23
Rebekah Wimer is excited to return to the stage as one of the fiddlers in I'll Fly Away. Although classically trained, she has enjoyed expanding her musical horizons by becoming a member of the Bluegrass Band. Rebekah graduated from Lancaster Bible College in 2015 with a BMus in Music Pedagogy (focus in violin). Past theatre experiences include The Sound of Music (2012), Fiddler on the Roof (2015) and The Old Time Gospel Radio Hour Christmas (2017). Rebekah is grateful for the support of her family and friends and for the gift of music. Psalm 33:3 "Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy."
Gideon Werner, 16 years-old, is ecstatic to be part of Servant Stage's production as part of the Backwoods Bluegrass Band. Gideon is also a part of his family band, The Werner Family Band, where he primarily plays banjo, as well as guitar and vocals. Gideon has previously performed with the Lancaster Academy for the Performing Arts portraying most recently Mr. Beaver in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. He has also portrayed Uncle Henry and the Oz Guard in The Wizard of Oz, Captain Hook in Peter Pan Jr., Mr. Turtle in Murder in a Nunnery and Malcolm Andrews in Anne of Green Gables: The Musical.
Henry is pleased to be performing I’ll Fly Away. A fan of bluegrass music, he picked up the bass so he could play with his sons in their family bluegrass band, The Werner Family Band. Henry enjoys spending time with his wife Kristina and their children.
Silas, 12 years-old, is thrilled to be a part of Servant Stage again. He was most recently in Old-Time Radio Gospel Hour Christmas. Silas performs regularly with his family band, The Werner Family Band, playing the mandolin. Silas is also part of Lancaster Academy for the Performing Arts in the junior choir, ACE and theater. Where he was most recently in All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Being in a Bad Play. Previously he portrayed Winthrop in Music Man Jr., and as the Coroner and Nikko the chief flying monkey in their production of The Wizard of Oz.
Stephen Werner, 15, is thrilled to be a part of Servant Stage for the first time. Stephen most recently portrayed Edmund in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe with The Lancaster Academy for the Performing Arts. He has done 4 other shows with the Academy, including Anne of Green Gables: The Musical, Murder in a Nunnery, The Wizard of Oz and his favorite portraying John in Peter Pan Jr. He also regularly performs with The Werner Family Band, as the fiddler and a singer.
A. Scott Williams started playing piano when he was seven years old and hasn’t stopped since. Currently he’s a freelance musician/music director performing all over Lancaster County. He has been music director for Prather Entertainment Group and Prather Touring for the last 10 years. Mr. Williams has music directed/conducted and played over 50 shows for PEG including the nationals tours Footloose, The Wedding Singer and Fiddler on the Roof. Originally from Chicago, he earned his BA in piano performance, and his MM in choral conducting. Mr. Williams was nominated twice for a Jeff Citation for best musical direction and received an After Dark Award for Best Music Director. He would like to give God the glory for his talent and passion for music.
Lance is grateful for the opportunity to help bring such a fun show to the community! He has appeared in a number of previous Servant Stage shows, including Sing, Sing, Swing! and multiple performances of the Old-Time Gospel Radio Hour. Enjoy the performance!!
Adam Zembower, who plays in the Backwoods Bluegrass Band, is excited to be a part of Servant Stage's tour of I'll Fly Away! You may have seen him in Servant Stage's production of Old Time Gospel Radio Christmas as part of the Bluegrass Band! Adam graduated from Lancaster Bible College in 2016 and now works as a Worship Leader and Communications Assistant at Grace Church in Lititz, PA. Adam also loves to play in pit orchestras. Credits include substitute bass player for The Fulton's Newsies, and guitar player for Popovsky Performing Arts' 13, The Musical, Lititz Christian School's Honk, PRiMA Theatre's First Date and Songs For A New World. Adam wishes to thank his family for their constant love and support from the other side of the state! He also thanks his friends for all their love!
A Lancaster native, Ric Zimmerman has performed in numerous American Music Theatre and Sight & Sound Theatres shows, and has been seen at the Fulton Theatre, and PRiMA Theatre. He was the founder/director of the Celebration Singers. Ric has had the privilege of singing with Christian artists Steve Green, Dino, Wayne Watson, and conducted the orchestra for the Mandrell sisters and Celeste Holmes. He also toured with The Continentals throughout the US, Canada, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.
Production Team
Jordanne Brodersen | Stage Manager
Lily Brown | Stage Manager
Wally Calderon | Director
Brandon Fisher | Asst. Audio Engineer
Tyler Hoover | Music Director, Arranger, Production Manager
Shaun Ressler | Lead Audio Engineer
Abigail Sobanski | Costume Designer
Daniel Stargel | Writer
Dane Styczynski | Audio Designer
A. Scott Williams | Music Arranger
Adam Zembower | Band Director
Jordanne Brodersen is a freelance stage manager who works with various local theater companies. Past Servant Stage credits include The Civil War, Around the World in 80 Days, and Old-Time Gospel Radio Christmas. She is also a lighting technician at Sight & Sound Theatres. In addition to stage managing she also has experience with props, lighting, and costuming. She looks forward to continuing to work with Servant Stage on future productions.
Lily Brown was born and raised in Lancaster County. She began her theatrical career as a set painter with Cavod Academy and has painted sets, worked backstage, and stage managed many productions since 2015. Over half of her credits include Servant Stage shows. She was so humbled for the opportunity to become the Servant Stage administrative assistant in 2017. “It is such a blessing to be surrounded by people who make these productions so amazing. Servant Stage has been such a blessing to my life and I am forever grateful for all of the experiences I have with them.”
Colossians 3:15
Originally from Green Bay, WI, Wally earned his BFA in Music Theatre Performance and Direction from Ohio Northern University. For over 15 years, Wally traveled the country as a freelance performer, director, and choreographer. Notable stays include the Miracle Theatre in Pigeon Forge, TN, The Palace Theatre in Manchester, NH, Hershey Park, and the highly credited Stagedoor Manor in upstate New York. For the last 5 years, Wally has worked at Sight & Sound Theatres in multiple positions. “Special thanks to my wonderful wife Andrea and sweetest daughter Joyanna for their love and support. All the glory to God for the amazing gifts and opportunities He has given me!”
Psalms 149:3
Brandon Fisher been working with Servant Stage Company for just over a year, serving on the audio team for a number of productions including Joy to the World, The Civil War, and Old-Time Gospel Radio Christmas. Brandon is a high school senior and will be attending Cedarville University in the fall to study Business Management! He also enjoys long walks on the beach, mushy ice cream, and anything starring Sandra Bullock. "I am so excited to be working with the Servant Stage team once again on The Marvelous Wonderettes and hope to participate in future productions with Servant Stage Company as well!"
Tyler Hoover is a Lancaster County native and has been involved in the regional arts scene for more than fifteen years. Tyler has been blessed to serve as an actor, director, writer, and composer with a number of local theatre companies including Servant Stage, Sight & Sound, Piercing Word, and PRiMA. Tyler also enjoys work as a freelance composer, holding both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Music Theory & Composition from West Chester University. “With gratitude to God, our fantastic audiences and supporters, my beautiful wife Sandra, and our precious daughter Evelyn.”
1 Peter 4:10-11
Shaun Ressler always loves performing and working with Servant Stage Company. He was last seen on stage in Old-Time Gospel Radio Hour (Keystone Quartet) and Forever Plaid (Smudge), and has designed sound for over 6 other SSC productions as well. Shaun works as a Software Engineer for Cargas Systems in Lancaster, but has a passion for theater and singing as well. He has also designed sound and acted with Ephrata Performing Arts Center, Popovsky Performing Arts Studio, OperaLancaster, and Cavod Theatre. Love and thanks to Kayla for everything, and to the entire SSC team for all the wonderful opportunities!
Abigail Sobanski is a Michigan girl who relocated to Pennsylvania to study musical theatre performance at Sight & Sound Conservatory. Having gotten her start in costuming by helping her mom costume shows in high school, she is honored to now be costuming for the wonderful people at Servant Stage. As for performing, she is currently under contract as an actress at the Bird in Hand stage and will be performing with Piercing Word over the summer.
Daniel Stargel is a professional stage actor, director, and writer living in Lancaster, PA. He has over fifteen years of experience on stages from his native Florida to Alaska, and has performed locally with numerous companies, including Servant Stage Company, PRiMA, Rainbow Comedy Playhouse, Piercing Word, and the Bird in Hand Stage. A friend of Servant Stage since 2014, his favorite memories include co-writing the Old-Time Gospel Radio series, writing and directing Embraceable You: a Rhapsody in Gershwin, and playing the creaking door in A Christmas Carol. He can currently be seen in Sight and Sound Theatre’s Jesus, though his favorite roles are husband to his wife, Rachel, and father to their three young children. Lam. 3:25
Dane Styczynski received his MFA in Theatre Technology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2015. He has experience in various areas of theatre, but focused his independent research in control systems. He spends his days designing controls for stage machinery and enjoys moonlighting with local theatre groups as a technical director and audio designer/engineer. Recent productions include First Date with PRiMA Theatre and Old-Time Gospel Radio Christmas with Servant Stage Company.
A. Scott Williams started playing piano when he was seven years old and hasn’t stopped since. Currently he’s a freelance musician/music director performing all over Lancaster County. He has been music director for Prather Entertainment Group and Prather Touring for the last 10 years. Mr. Williams has music directed/conducted and played over 50 shows for PEG including the nationals tours Footloose, The Wedding Singer and Fiddler on the Roof. Originally from Chicago, he earned his BA in piano performance, and his MM in choral conducting. Mr. Williams was nominated twice for a Jeff Citation for best musical direction and received an After Dark Award for Best Music Director. He would like to give God the glory for his talent and passion for music.
Adam Zembower, who plays in the Backwoods Bluegrass Band, is excited to be a part of Servant Stage's tour of I'll Fly Away! You may have seen him in Servant Stage's production of Old Time Gospel Radio Christmas as part of the Bluegrass Band! Adam graduated from Lancaster Bible College in 2016 and now works as a Worship Leader and Communications Assistant at Grace Church in Lititz, PA. Adam also loves to play in pit orchestras. Credits include substitute bass player for The Fulton's Newsies, and guitar player for Popovsky Performing Arts' 13, The Musical, Lititz Christian School's Honk, PRiMA Theatre's First Date and Songs For A New World. Adam wishes to thank his family for their constant love and support from the other side of the state! He also thanks his friends for all their love!