As the country reflects on its administration and the direction we will take in this election year, The Berea Grindstone Players and The Cassidy Theatre will embark on a timely and important new partnership to bring the musical Assassins to northeast Ohio. Assassins is being produced by the Grindstone Players but will take place at The Cassidy Theatre . The show, which will take place a month before the current general election, reflects on our culture, the American dream and asks many of the questions voters are asking right now during this current presidential campaign. 

Assassins is bold, original, surreal, disturbing, thought-provoking and alarmingly funny. This most American of shows features the wonderful music of Stephen Sondheim and lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States, in a one-act historical “revusical” that explores the dark side of the American experience. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a nightmarish rollercoaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and in an intense final scene inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream. Assassins showtimes are October 10, 11, 16, 17 & 18 at 8p and October 12 at 3p. Tickets are available by calling the Cassidy Theatre box office at (440) 842-4601. Assassins is intended for mature audiences - parental guidance is strongly suggested. http://www.cassidytheatre.com/http://www.cassidytheatre.com/shapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1
2008
The Berea Grindstone Players Presents ASSASSINS Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by John Weidman Directed by Geoffrey Short Musical Direction by Heidi Herczeg at the Cassidy Theatre in Parma Heights October 10-12 and 16-18, 2008 MEET THE CAST! John Wilkes Booth - Michael Snider Balladeer/Oswald - Jacob Wadenpfuhl Charles Guiteau - Kevin Joseph Kelly Sarah Jane Moore - Kim Bush Squeaky Fromme - Holly Facer Leon Czolgosz - Rob Starek Sam Byck - Chris Bizub Giuseppe Zangara - Trey Gilpin John Hinckley - Joshua Brown The Proprietor - Michael Andrews-Hinders Emma Goldman/Ensemble - Jennifer Nageotte Ensemble - Lissa Pavluk Ensemble - David Turner Gerald Ford/Ensemble - Michael Strama James Garfield/Ensemble - David Williams Billy/Ensemble - Joey Stefanko
ASSASSINS PROMOTIONAL VIDEO TRAILERS Because of the unique and controversial nature of “Assassins”, Geoff didn’t document the actual process of producing Assassins as extensively on “Call-Back” as other productions. Instead, Geoff focused on producing this series of video promotional video trailers. Messages from each “Assassin” to promote the show.
(Photos by Geoff Short)
"Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins," dealing as it does with the lives of murderers and would-be murderers, fairly quivers with controversy. The Berea Grindstone Players production, currently at The Cassidy Theatre in Parma Heights, does not shy from the controversy. Rather, this excellent production embraces it, encouraging the audience to think, to examine their own preconceptions and mores, and to view today's political climate through the cauterizing lens of history." -Ted Larsen, Correspondent, Sun News (Read the full review by clicking here) http://www.cleveland.com/newssun/sports/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1224117472135590.xml&coll=4shapeimage_6_link_0

(Photos by Geoff Short)