Production Galleries

Ben is ecstatic to make his debut at Straw Hat Theatre. You may have seen him most recently in Freshmen Showcase at Kent State University, as well as in Beautiful: The Carol King Musical as Bobby Darin/Bobby Hatfield at Weathervane Playhouse, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels as Freddie Benson at Aurora Community Theatre, Joseph… Dreamcoat as Pharaoh at Weathervane Playhouse, and She Kills Monsters as Orcus at Akron Civic Theatre. Ben would like to thank his family and peers for their support and would like to rebuke the current gas prices for making his commute here so expensive.

Addie is very excited to be included in the production of Mean Girls! She has been in 13 shows now, her favorites being, High School Musical Jr, SpongeBob, Guys & Dolls, and now Mean Girls! Outside of theater Addie plays softball and volleyball! She would like to thank everyone who made this show so special!

Amelia is thrilled to be returning to the Straw Hat stage as Karen Smith this summer! During the school year, Amelia completed her freshman year of undergraduate school at Ohio University studying Pre-Physical Therapy with a certificate in Performing Arts Health and Wellness! Amelia has grown up at the AAC in both musical theatre and ballet. Some of her favorite credits include Ariel Moore (Footloose), Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Kim MacAfee (Bye Bye Birdie), and Ensemble (Rent). Amelia wants to thank you for supporting the arts in your community and hopes you enjoy the show! Make sure your skirts are always tiny!

Andrew is excited to be in Mean Girls! Some of his past roles include Sheldon Potts in Junie B. Jones, Ted in Peter and the Starcatcher, and Mr. Wormwood in Matilda Jr.. When he’s not on stage, he enjoys historical reenacting (especially at D-Day Conneaut), history, and spending time with friends. His Roman Catholic faith is a big part of who he is, and he’s grateful to be part of this production. Enjoy the show!

Angela is making her Straw Hat come back after a 26 year hiatus. Angela did over 50 shows at the Arts Center in her childhood and has returned to do her daughter's (Sadie Drozd) final show before she heads to college to major in Musical Theater at Oberlin College! Some of her favorite past shows are Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Gypsy. Angela is now the Associate Band Director at Buckeye Local Schools and is the head cheerleading coach at Lakeside High School. Her pride and joy are her 3 children Sydney, Sadie and Seve and her husband Matt! Angela wants to thank Christy for giving her this opportunity! Break a Leg everyone.

Ava is thrilled to be playing Cady Heron! While this is her debut show in the Straw Hat Theatre, she's been acting for nearly twelve years in over forty shows with Curtin 440 Productions. Some of her favorite past roles include Mary Warren (The Crucible), Elsa (Frozen Jr.), and Phoebe (As You Like It) among others. While not on stage, Ava can often be found directing many of Curtain 440's youth productions. She'd like to thank her mom for countless hours of chauffeuring, as well as the rest of her family for all their support. She'd also like to thank her vocal coach, Sarah Klein, for helping her throughout this whole process. Finally, she'd like to thank the entire cast and crew of Mean Girls for being so supportive and welcoming. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Ava is excited to debut here at the AAC. She has always loved theater but could not participate due to sports—real life Troy Bolton. Ava currently attends Kent State University for her degree in Early Childhood Education. She would like to thank her friends for encouraging her to step out of her comfort zone and try something new! This is proof to show that amazing things come out of being temporarily uncomfortable!

Avery has been a part of the Ashtabula Arts Center for 18 years now, particularly as a Ballet Theatre Ashtabula dancer. She is currently working towards her Dance B.F.A at George Mason University. This is her first musical theatre show, gaining interest after watching various off-Broadway productions and taking singing lessons. Avery would like to thank her friends and family for always believing in her and encouraging her dreams no matter how big or small. We can do anything with the support of a loving community!

Ayden is entering his junior year at Edgewood High School and is excited to be part of this production of Mean Girls! Though he likes being on stage, Ayden can often be found backstage or running sound at a ton of productions at AAC. Previously, Ayden was in Edgewood's productions of Frozen as Pabbie, Addam's Family as the cowboy ancestor, and AAC’s production of Guys & Dolls as a crapshooter. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Connor is extremely excited to be playing the role of Aaron Samuels in the Ashtabula Arts Centers Straw Hat Theatre production of Mean Girls the Musical! This is Connor’s 9th show at the Ashtabula Arts Center but he has been in a multitude of shows elsewhere totaling over 21! Connor hopes that you enjoy the show and that you let all your friends and family know how “fetch” the show really is! Enjoy!

Donovan has participated in many shows at PVHS (The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Oklahoma, and Footloose) Donovan was recently involved in the Ashtabula County Honors Choir Concert, as well as a part of PVHS’s show choir, choir, concert band, jazz band, and marching band. “I would like to thank my parents, my amazing cast mates, and amazing directors. Enjoy the show!!”

Eduardo is very happy to be performing on the Arts Center’s Straw Hat stage for the first time ever. His favorite role was Charles Haversham in The Play That Goes Wrong. Eduardo would love to thank all of his amazing friends and parents for helping him get to where he’s at today and he hopes you enjoy the show!

Electra is so excited to be part of this production of Mean Girls! She is an incoming senior at Edgewood High School and has been in various shows, her most recent show being Frozen (EHS) as Bulda. She is incredibly thankful to her director, Christy, for her patience, understanding, and support in allowing her to balance both church and theatre throughout the rehearsal process. She would also like to thank her amazing castmates for all the laughs, memories, and friendships made along the way. She hopes you enjoy the show and wants you to “come to lunch and sit with us!”

Ember is 18 years old and has been performing at the AAC since he was 4. Some of his past favorite productions include Descendants and Mary Poppins. He would like to thank his mom for never letting him give up.

Emma is an incoming senior at Edgewood High School and is excited to perform again on the Straw Hat stage. She has been in many productions over the past few years including Olaf in Frozen the Musical (EHS), Spongebob in Spongebob the Musical: Youth Edition (AAC), Ensemble in The Lightning Thief (AAC), and many more. When not at theatre she enjoys participating in Cheer, Softball, Flag football, and Wrestling at Edgewood High School. She would like to thank Christy for giving her the opportunity to showcase her talent on the stage and everyone in the show for making it an amazing experience. She would also like to thank her family and friends for giving her unconditional support! She hopes you enjoy and if you don't, don’t worry, she’ll never tell Regina what you said.

Ethan is excited to be returning to the Straw Hat stage for Mean Girls after being Larry the Lobster in SpongeBob the Musical last season. This is his 7th production with his 8th coming later this summer for Wizard of Oz. Ethan is super grateful to be part of this production and would like thank everyone who was involved. Lastly he hopes you enjoy the show!

Hannah is taking a break from her usual role as a cool mom to spend some time on stage with her kids this summer! Thank you's owed to Addie for pushing her to audition again, Ayden and Ethan for (loudly) agreeing, and her youngest Emmie for only being a little wild when she comes to rehearsals. Mostly she wants to thank her husband Jonathan for the endless support he gives his entire family so they can spend countless hours singing and dancing, knowing they'll always have dinner before rehearsal, and that he'll drop off whatever they forgot at home an hour later.

Harper is very excited to be a part of her 1st main stage production at the AAC after performing in eight youth productions! At school Harper is involved in the band, gifted art program, and project love. When she is not at school or the AAC you can find her hanging out with her theater gang! Harper would like to thank Ms. Christy for this opportunity, as well as her mom, dad, and brother Gavin for all the rides to and from rehearsal. She would also like to thank everyone else in her life that takes time to come out and see her and support her dreams. Get In Loser We're Going To See Danny DeVito!

This is Isaac's 6th overall show he's been involved in, having played Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie (‘24), Curly McClain in Oklahoma! (‘25), Ren McCormack in Footloose (‘26) at his high school, and his 2nd show at the Ashtabula Arts Center, having played Chuck Cranston in Footloose (‘24). Isaac is very excited to be a part of this production of Mean Girls. In August, Isaac will be attending the University of Akron to pursue a Bachelors in Music Education. Isaac would thank his family, friends, and all his fellow cast mates for making this such a fun production. Enjoy the show, and don't forget your lion costume!

Isaac just finished his 10th grade year at Edgewood High School and is involved in his school’s show choir, choir, band, and jazz band. His freshman year he was Lucas in Addams Family (EHS) and during last summer was part of the ensemble for The Lighting Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (AAC). Last March, Isaac played Hans in Frozen at EHS. He is so excited to perform for the audience and show them what it truly means to be mean. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Juliana is an upcoming senior at Lakeside High School. You may have seen her as Hermes in Hadestown or Mack in Peter and the Starcatcher, both at the AAC. You can see Juliana in She Kills Monsters at Straw Hat on July 10-12 and 17-19!! She would like to thank Kyah, Crystal, Henry, and Izaiyah for helping her to be the strong and confident actress she is now. She hopes you enjoy watching the World Burn!

Karis Peyton is a senior at Pymatuning Valley High School, and this is her first production as a cast member at the Ashtabula Arts Center. Karis participated in her high school’s productions of Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie as Ursula, Oklahoma as Ado Annie, and Footloose as Ariel Moore. She also participated in the pit playing drumset for the show How to Succeed in Business… at the Ashtabula Arts Center. Karis wants to thank her family and friends for their support, Mrs. Seymour and everyone who put in the effort to make this show amazing!

Kenzie is excited to be a part of Mean Girls as a member of the show choir and ensemble. You may recognize her from Beetlejuice JR where she played one of the dream roles, Lydia. When she is not on stage, Kenzie enjoys spending time with friends, learning guitar, and getting creative with crafts. She would like to thank Mrs. Christy for casting her in such an amazing production, her castmates for being incredible role models, and a heartfelt thank you to her family and friends for their support. She wants you to remember to “raise your right finger to how girls should behave!”

Kiden’s favorite time of year is summertime. Why? Because that’s when she can perform at the Straw Hat Theatre. Kiden is a student at Kent State University where she studies Visual Communication Design. Kiden has been performing since she was a young girl. Her favorite roles include Suzy in The Winter Wonderettes (AAC 2022), Ms. Krumbholtz in How to $ucceed… (AAC 2023), and Peter Pan in Peter Pan (SJS 2023). “I’m so excited to be in this show! My friend, Ava, and I are always singing it together!”

This is LissaBelle’s first show at the AAC. They took part in the PVHS production of Footloose and is part of the show choir there, as well. Outside of theatre, they enjoy dancing, reading, arts and crafts, and music. They would like to thank their Mom, Carl, Mason, and Ms. Seymour for supporting them throughout the show.

Maddie is so excited to be on the AAC stage again and in her first Straw Hat show! Her previous role on the inside stage was Eurydice in Hadestown. She would like to thank all the cast members, friends, and family for being so supportive!

This is Mason’s second year at the AAC. Before this he performed in the ensemble of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical and on the crew for Peter and the Starcatcher. He has also done several shows at Pymatuning Valley High School. Most notably there was his role as Jud Fry in Oklahoma! and Chuck Cranston in Footloose. Outside of theatre, he is interested in tabletop roleplaying games, videogames, and baking.

McCamey has performed in numerous AAC productions. (Lion King Jr, Dr. Doolittle Jr, Frozen Jr, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Matilda, Peter Pan, and Descendants) She’s also been in many shows at her high school, Pymatuning Valley, (The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Oklahoma, and Footloose) She was recently involved in the Ashtabula County Honors Choir Concert. She’s a part of her high school’s show choir, choir, and golf team. She would like to thank her parents, brothers, Isaac, her amazing cast mates, and amazing directors. Enjoy the show!!

Mia will be attending Kent State University in the fall as a Freshman Theater Studies (performance program) major and is excited to be back on the Straw Hat Theatre Stage! Most recently you may have seen her in Bat Boy as Ruthie Taylor (AAC), Peter and The Starcatcher in the role of Prentiss (AAC), Romeo and Juliet (AAC), The Lightning Thief (AAC), Mary Poppins (AAC) and Disney’s Newsies (AAC). When she is not busy in a show you can find her spending time with her friends, family, and animals at her family’s animal sanctuary. She would like to thank Christy for the opportunity to be in this great show and also her family for supporting her ineverything she does. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Natalie will be attending the University of Mount Union this fall to double major in Psychology and Theatre, as well as be a part of their cheer team! She has been in countless productions, her latest being Frozen at Edgewood Senior High School, where she played Anna, and The Lightning Thief at Straw Hat last summer where she played Annabeth Chase. She would like to thank her family and friends for always supporting her, Debbie for always being such a great music director, and Christy for giving her the amazing opportunity to be a part of this show. Although she looks forward to her next steps in her life, she will miss the Arts Center and the amazing memories, friendships, and lessons it’s given her.

Nathan will be a senior at Pymatuning Valley High School this fall where he is a member of the PVHS Show Choir, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Concert Band and Soccer team. At PV he has performed on stage as Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie, Ali Hakim in Oklahoma! and Willard Hewitt in Footloose. A veteran of 15 shows on the Ashtabula Arts Center stages, Nathan is best known as Charlie Brown in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Carlos in Descendants, Dickon in The Secret Garden and Young Simba in The Lion King Jr. He would like to thank the directors for their hard work on this show, Zach Adkins for his vocal & acting guidance, Karis for her continued support and his family for their love and encouragement and he hopes everyone enjoys the show.

After a 10 year break, Nick is excited to be back where it all started, on the Straw Hat stage! Last seen in The Wedding Singer, and Legally Blonde, he has enjoyed some time away from the stage, but had an itch to scratch. It’s been a walk down memory lane, stepping back into Straw Hat, but please, if you’re walking anywhere, he hopes you have your hall pass, or else it’s detention for you.

Noah is very excited to be a part of their second AAC production and second production overall. His previous roles in past shows were Philostrate/Mustardseed (A Midsummer Nights Dream at JAHS), The Troll (Little Women at JAHS), The Mayor (SpongeBob the Musical: Youth Edition at AAC), and lastly Ensemble (All Shook Up at JAHS). Outside of the theater, he enjoys walking around town with friends and participating in events for his schools Show Choir that he is in. Noah wants to thank his friends and family for always being there to support him throughout this journey. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Paige has been preparing for this role for years thanks to her love of the real housewives franchise. She’s so excited to be back on stage after a 7 year break! Paige is not a regular mom, she's a cool mom to her 2 little boys, Jack and Rocky. She has had a blast working with this cast and her cool mom/director...enjoy the show!

Raegan is very excited to do her first show at the Arts Center’s Straw Hat Theatre. Her favorite show so far was Hadestown with Lakeside High School and the AAC. She wants to thank all her friends and family for supporting her and you for coming to the show!

Ryan Watts is thrilled to be stage managing for Mean Girls! This is Ryan's first production as a stage manager, but he has previously been seen on the AAC stage acting in various productions including Rent, Mary Poppins, and Young Frankenstein. Enjoy the show!

Sadie is so honored to be playing Regina George in Mean Girls: The Musical. Sadie has been in multiple shows, most recently playing Shelley in Batboy the Musical at the Ashtabula Arts Center, and Persephone in Hadestown The Musical: teen edition with Lakeside High School Theater. Sadie is an incoming freshman in college and will be attending Oberlin Conservatory to pursue her love for Musical Theater and dance. She is so excited for this to be her last show before college and it’s even more special that her mom, Angela Ponteri, is performing in the show as Ms Norbury. Enjoy the show!

Shaylee will be attending Baldwin Wallace in the fall to major in Vocal Performance. Some of her previous stage roles include Trixie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Workshop Players), Goth Girl in Bring It On! (Near West Theatre), and Paulette in Legally Blonde (Perry High School). She would like to thank her parents, sister, and friends for being amazing and swag.