Market Theatre owes its success to the thriving community we have built over the past eight years. Our community participates in shows and attends performances with great enthusiasm and support, making our work possible! But how did a young theatre manage to create such a community? We sat down with some of the Jersey Boys cast and crew to learn more about their thoughts on Market Theatre and why they continue to be a part of this family.
2024’s 24 Hour Musical volunteers. Angel Ruff Photography.
Hannah Henriques
Jersey Boys Stage Manager
What’s a special or unique trait about Market Theatre that keeps you returning?
Hannah as one of the camp counselors for our 2023 summer camps. Photo by Kelly T. Images.
The community! The people that work are just amazing and I love the enthusiasm with which we put shows on here. It’s just everybody giving their all, and we all do it because we love theatre and not because we have to.
Do you have a favorite Market memory?
I think probably watching Ben Stasiek eating chocolate cake in Matilda. Baby Ben shoved chocolate cake in his face, and every night we were like, “Is he going to move his mic away from his face?” and every night he did, and every night he got covered in chocolate cake. He was on top of it!
Do you have a favorite Market tradition?
Yes! Anytime Chris Liles is in a production – he brings me and anybody that’s in the tech booth handfuls of mints. We make bets in the booth on what time of the night he brings us mints, and if he’s a minute off, we get so mad at him. If he’s a minute early, we are like, “Okay, Chris!”
Mark Cawood
Gyp DeCarlo & Others
How did you learn about Market Theatre and become involved?
Becca Payne and Mark Cawood in Mamma Mia in Carolina Wren Park. Angel Ruff Photography.
Mark (on left) at curtain call for The Fantastiks (2016). Photo by Craig Johnson.
Back in the summer of 2015, my first show was Les Miserables at Clemson Little Theatre. The Stage Manager, Emma, said, “Mark, you be a good El Gallo.” Then I read that this new theatre was opening up and they were doing The Fantasticks. So, I auditioned and got cast as Mortimer. It was a really, really good cast, by the way, and we didn’t have a place to perform. We were rehearsing–I forget where we started rehearsing–and, it’s like, Noah would come in and say, “I think I found a place for us to perform.” Then, the next rehearsal, he’d come in and say, “Well, that fell through.” Then, he said we’re going to be in the basement of the Arts Center. Cool! We set up a stage down there, and then he [Noah] came back in and said, “We have to put in these louvered things on the other side–we can’t perform there.” It was just one hurdle after another. We didn’t know where we were going to perform, but we kept on rehearsing. We didn’t have any doubt we were going to perform this thing somewhere! We ended up in the art gallery, where we did Spelling Bee! I remember it was Christmas Eve when I got cast. I got this email message, and Thomas [Mark’s son and Market’s Resident Lighting Designer] said, “It’s Mortimer. Dad, you have to take it!” which was cool. I then did Addam’s Family–a lot over here. It’s really become kind of a home. I like the people. I like feeling part of the community here.
Do you have a favorite Market memory from over the years?
Yeah, actually, when we did Mamma Mia, it was 2021, and everyone was just coming out of Covid, and the cast was super! It was so good to see a lot of people and be out and performing, and, of course, the crowds were incredible. The park was full every night! It was magical – nighttime, it was all lit up. I got to do a show with Thomas because he was in the show, too. It was a great experience!
Michael Crittendon in The Addam’s Family (2018). Escobar Photography.
Michael Crittendon
Bob Gaudio
How did you find out about Market?
I’ve been doing shows at Market since their first year because–Carliie and Noah–were some of my first directors when I was really young. So when they opened up the Market, I was super eager to be involved.
What is special or unique about Market that keeps you coming back?
Michael (bottom, center) at the cast reveal of 2024’s 24 Hour Musical. Angel Ruff Photography.
I think Market’s one of the few theatres in this area that doesn’t just treat you like a piece of a show. They treat you like they want you to be there consistently, and if you show them that you really have effort and care as a person, then they will care for you and love you no matter what.
What is your favorite Market memory?
Oooooh, honestly, it might be stuff from this show (Jersey Boys). This show has been probably the most fun show I’ve been in here just because all the cast has gotten so close. Pretty much any rehearsal where it was just me and the three other guys–just laughing, cracking up–it was amazing.
Emily Mitchell
Jersey Boys Tech Crew & Bartender
How did you find out about Market?
Noah is actually married to my cousin [Carlie Taylor]!
Besides family and your love of theatre, what keeps you returning to Market Theatre?
The community! I love people so much, and everyone is so kind.
Do you have a favorite Market memory?
It’s probably not my favorite memory, but it’s a core memory of when it was pouring down rain when we did Tempest, and we had to tear the set down really quickly. Everything had to be torn down–all of our lights, EVERYTHING. It was chaos.
The opening dinner of the 2024 24 Hour Musical. From left to right: Isha Pattanaik, Tish Crittendon, Mark Cawood, Victoria Cox, Emily Mitchell, Alex Bennett. Angel Ruff Photography.
Chris Liles
Bob CrewE & Others
How did you get involved at Market Theatre?
We found out about it through some friends after we’d been here a while after the Pandemic. Matilda was the first thing we saw here. Also, Noah and Carly [Executive Artistic Director, Noah, and founding members] go to church with us. In April of ‘22, a cohort I was in for work challenged us to set some goals for ourselves. Since most of what I do is logistical, one of my goals was to find some ways to have more creative outlets. Of course, a couple of months after that, Noah posted about needing someone to run the spotlight for Shrek, which seemed to match pretty closely. And then we were off to the races.
Caroline Bates, Courtney Dorn, and Chris Liles on the Pinocchio school tour (2023). Photo by Casey Bates.
So what keeps you coming back to Market?
I just love the sense of camaraderie and family here. I’ve noticed [this], especially coming in late to Kinky Boots. I walked into the first rehearsal, and it was like I’d been there from the beginning. It’s a family atmosphere.
Besides the shows, what Market Theatre tradition or event is your favorite?
It’s 24 Hour Musical. The buy-in from so many people that are willing to–from an audience perspective, coming in understanding that it’s not gonna be a two-month-long rehearsed thing, but have a blast anyway—or how many people did we have? 120? 130-something volunteers in all this past year? That just went for it to make this thing happen for a good cause. It’s a lot of fun!
Kelly Neal
Frankie’s Mom & Others
Like Mark, you’ve been around since the early days of Market. How did you find out about the theatre?
From left to right: Dave DiGeronimo, Kelly Neal, and Kelsey Elaine Wilbanks.
Oh my goodness, it was way in the way back machine. They were doing 9 to 5: The Musical, and, I think, either Violet dropped out or something, so they called and asked if I would do Violet in 9 to 5, and it was a huge, huge honor. I still can’t believe they did it.
From left to right: Libby Pennington, Kelly Neal, and Andrea Seemuller in Barbecue (2022). Escobar Photography.
What’s the special factor that keeps you coming back?
The people. It’s the people–it’s the people like you, the people who put everything together. You never have to doubt that the show is going to be quality–never, never, never. The production values are so, so high for what I feel is a young company. You don’t get that at every theatre: the sets, the musicality, the quality of acting, and the quality of the show offering. You know they’re going to pick good material.
Over the years, what’s been your favorite memory from the theatre?
Oh my gosh, there’s so many. The first one that pops into my mind is being an audience member of Willy Wonka and seeing the magic of all that come to life. It’s hysterical because there was one little kid in Willy Wonka that we were enthralled with, and her name was Daisy Bates. I’m on stage with her TONIGHT, and that, to me, is a neat thing about Market. While they’re constantly doing new things and getting new people, it’s a family. I remember saying to Jeff [Kelly’s husband and Market volunteer], “Oh, we’re going to see more of her because she was so good in Willy Wonka!” and here I am, side-by-side.
What’s your favorite Market event?
I love the productions in Wren Park because I feel like that is such a community outreach. I’ve never been in a Wren Park musical, but I go to all of them. When you look back at the audience, it’s just everybody. Theatre can touch everybody and I love that. And having it out there in the open, in a big space where people will just wander up and get five minutes of theatre, that is magic.
Want to be a part of the Market family? We have a few ways to be involved! Check out our Get Involved page for information on upcoming auditions or to complete our volunteer form.
Looking to see a Market Theatre show? Next up is Frank Sinatra: Fly Me to the Moon, an intimate concert of Frank Sinatra’s hits. This show runs for only four performances from June 28 - 30.
