Professional Staff
Joshua Erichsen
Producing Artistic Director
Josh begins his 2nd season as Producing Artistic Director, and is embarking upon his 11th season with the Players Guild. Prior to his appointment as Artistic Director, he served as the Production Designer, overseeing the artistic integrity of all production elements, and designing sets and costumes for both the Mainstage and Downstage productions. During his tenure with the Guild, Josh has accumulated more than 80 design credits. Those design credits include, Players Guild: A Christmas Carol, Ragtime, Beauty and the Beast, Jekyll and Hyde, Titanic, Cabaret, The Diary of Anne Frank, 1776, To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, The King and I, Les Miserables, The Guild's 70th Anniversary Musical Review, Children of Eden, Godspell, The Secret Garden, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A Grand Night for Singing, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Wizard of Oz, and Inherit the Wind. Josh has also had the great pleasure of working with the critically acclaimed Ohio Shakespeare Festival: Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, and The Tempest. Magical Theatre Company: Romeo and Juliet. Josh is the proud recipient of the 2007 Spotlight Award from the American Association of Community Theatres for outstanding contributions to theatre. Josh is most proud of his two beautiful daughters, Grace and Liberty, and winning the ultimate prize, his beautiful and patient wife Monica.
Jonathan Tisevich
Resident Director & Education Administrator
A proud Canton native, Jonathan is overcome daily by the amazing blessing of working in live theatre. After college, Jonathan spent several years as a professional actor in New York City. Favorite Credits include: Titanic, Rent, Miss Saigon, Cabaret, Grease, Joseph...Dreamcoat, and The Full Monty. As an actor, he was truly honored to be a part of the 10 year anniversary performance of RENT on Broadway. To this day however, Jonathan's proudest moments are his wedding day and the birth of his son. Since taking the office of Resident Director, Jonathan has been at the helm of numerous productions including: To Kill A Mockingbird, Peter Pan, Ragtime, The Last 5 Years, God's Favorite, and Disney's Beauty & the Beast to name a few. A passionate Christian, a devoted husband, a proud father, and an enigmatic 'work in progress', Jonathan knows that it is only by the Grace of God that he is where he is today. He is truly humbled to work side by side with the inspiring staff and instructors at The Players Guild that strive daily to make a significant impact in our community. Jonathan dedicates this 2009-2010 Season to his best friend, his partner, his voice of reason, his dream come true...Kelly.
Susie I. Smith
Resident Costume Designer
Susie has been a professional costumer in a career that spans over three decades. She started in film with TV westerns of the 70's at Old Tucson Movie Studios and from there was asked to join the IATSE Costumers Local 705 in Hollywood. She worked on feature films at all the major movie studios then segued to episodic TV shows. She has worked with many up and coming actors who are now house-hold names and directors who are or were legendary. Susie was nominated for an Emmy Award for the TV series "St. Elsewhere" and won. She also won an Emmy for being part of the costume team on the TV mini-series "Winds of War." For a change of pace, she returned to Ohio and started her own design business which covered a broad range of experiences across the country. In 2002 she took up theatre full time for Magical Theatre Company, Wooster Stage Partners and The Players Guild Theatre. Her great discovery is, "...the money is great in film, but costuming in theatre is honest work!" She wishes to thank Magical Theatre Co. for giving her a start in theatrical costuming and The Players Guild for bringing some stability to her life---most particularly Josh Erichsen "who has always believed in me." And to the new and upcoming generation of costumers, a big thank you to Miss Leslie DeStefano, her true-blue costume design assistant. "Fame is fleeting, but God is forever."
Leslie DeStefano
Assistant Costume Designer
Leslie is a graduate of Kent State University, where she studied costume design. Leslie started volunteering in 2005 with the production of Children of Eden, which helped her to land this current position. Leslie served as Costume Designer for the Guild's production of The Princess and the Pea, and assisted for the productions of Ragtime, A Christmas Carol, The Last 5 Years, God's Favorite and Beauty and the Beast. She has also costumed the Page to Stage and children's summer camp productions, most recently Beauty and the Beast Jr., Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Jr. and Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. Plus she has costumed at the Kent State University Stark Campus, Ohio Youth Shakespeare Festival and has assisted on Ohio Shakespeare Festival and Magical Theatre Company productions. Leslie's fondest dream in costuming is to have an entire show with only mannequins.
Carrie Alexander Spina
Director of Outreach
Carrie Alexander Spina ( Director of Outreach) - Carrie, a Players Guild volunteer since 1992 (both on and off stage), joined the staff in 2006 as a director and outreach coordinator. Carrie's favorite stage roles include: Ghost of Christmas Past, Belle and Mrs. Cratchit (A Christmas Carol), Curley's Wife (Of Mice and Men), and Minnie Stern (Anne of Green Gables). Although Carrie enjoys being on stage, she dedicates most of her time to her passion for community outreach through the Players Guild Theatre. She has organized tour productions to local elementary schools and events since the inception of the Page to Stage program in 2006. Carrie has directed close to 20 productions and is in her 4th season of touring as the director of Page to Stage. Through such classics as Treasure Island, Stuart Little, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, and this year's Alice in Wonderland, Page to Stage has brought live theatre to over 15,000 students in Stark and Tuscarawas Counties. Carrie also directs youth productions at the Players Guild Theatre and has brought Annie J.r, 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland Jr., Willy Wonka Jr. and Beauty and the Beast Jr. to life for local audiences. Her dedication to theatre as an actress, instructor and director has driven her mission to provide every child the opportunity to experience the magic of theatre. Carrie is most proud of her finest production and as a wife and mother to her three beautiful children, she's very thankful for the support she receives from her family.