You last saw Lindsay Hurley's beautiful costumes in AFD's production of "Sunset Boulevard." And indeed, she was 2017 DASH Nominee for Costume Design for that one! Now, she's hard at work on the beautiful period costumes for "The Light In The Piazza." Also serving as treasurer on the AFD Board, Lindsay's Costume Design credits with AFD include: "Death of a Salesman," "Side By Side By Sondheim," "Avenue Q," "NINE," "The Boy From Oz," "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," and "Sunset Boulevard." Lindsay was the recipient of 2010 Broadwayworld.com / Best of Boston’s Best Costume Design for a Small Theatre Company and 2011 IRNE Award Nominee for Blue Spruce Theatre’s "Once On This Island." 2017 DASH Nominee for Costume Design for AFD's production of "Sunset Boulevard." Emerson CollegeClass of ‘06 - Musical Theatre Performance and Costume Design. “NO WIRE HANGERS!”

At the beginning of “The Light in the Piazza,” Clara Johnson sweeps onto a piazza lit with golden sunshine, singing sweetly about the wonders of Florence, Italy and being on vacation with her mother. Everything changes when a gust of wind sends her hat flying into the hands of a handsome young Florentine, Fabrizio. We go on a journey as she and her mother discover some difficult truths about finding love, letting go, moving on. Suzanne Reese-Mills, in her AFD debut, brings intelligence and depth to the Southern belle who is more than she appears. As she notes, “Clara has exceeded my expectations. She’s not who I thought she was.” Clara is a lovely young woman who’s intellectually delayed, but has a depth of emotional sensitivity and passion that emerges throughout the play. Suzanne notes, “There’s so much more to her than I thought there was when I auditioned. I made the actor’s mistake of thinking this was a straightforward damsel sweet role, but she’s much more complex.” As her mother continues to insulate her from the dangers of the world, “She feels underestimated and protected when she doesn’t want to be protected. She’s indignant that she’s being treated with kid gloves.” Suzanne received her MFA in Musical Theater from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she played Nadine in Michael John LaChiusa’s "The Wild Party," Odysseus in Atwood’s "The Penelopiad," and co-wrote and performed "Hysterical," a cabaret. Other favorite roles include Cathy in "The Last Five Years," Olive in "25th Annual...Spelling Bee," Liesl in "The Sound of Music," and Éponine in "Les Misérables." Suzanne also works as a dialect coach, having collaborated most recently on "Billy Elliot," "The Yeomen of the Guard," and "Ragtime."

Charlie Carr! He's done it all at AFD. Now he's singing in "Piazza" -- who knew? Check out this piece all about him. Gary Ames and Charlie Carr

That's all. I just like cake. And theater. And AFD. Here, all three. Also, our choreographer Daisy Giunta is great; and Tom Kelleher is deliciously dastardly as Giuseppe.

You probably know how crazy tech week can get, and this one is particularly busy. Here we have Giuseppe (Tom Kelleher), Franca (Emma Boroson), Sra Naccarelli (Stephanie Mann), Fabrizio (Gary Ames), priest (Tom Richardson), and CLARA (Suzanne Reese-Mills). And next, we have the arches -- front and back. It's getting interesting!

Sarah O'Neill, Stage Manager for "The Light In The Piazza," is excited to return to AFD for her second show, after debuting as ASM for last season's "The Graduate." Additional credits include Stage Manager for "Enchanted April" with TCAN Players and Assistant Stage Manager for "The Wild Party" with The Umbrella Community Arts Center, as well as being on the stage management team for several concerts with Natick’s Sound and Spirit choir. She also has varied backstage experience, including board operator, stage crew and lighting design. She is also a staff member for the Boston Asian American Film Festival. For those of us who know Sarah's systems, we hope she'll always be there with her three ring binder full of pens, pencils, colorful dividers, and prodigious knowledge and organizational skills.

Sandy Armstrong, Producer of "The Light In The Piazza," has been involved in Community Theater in one form or another for more than forty years. She produces, directs, does make-up, sets, and associated art work as well as performing. Sandy usually has the lovely Sassy by her side... Sandy was a Founding Board Member of Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell and for many years produced and performed in shows for The Paint and Powder Club of greater Lowell, raising funds for local children’s charities. Some of her favorite roles include Mame in "Mame," Mother Superior in "Nunsense," Grandma in "Lost In Yonkers," Dotty in "Good People," and Jeanette Burmeister in "The Full Monty." On our stage she's played Ethel in "Moon Over Buffalo" and The Narrator in "Side by Side by Sondheim." This is the 3rd show she's produced for AFD. Sandy was a 2014 EMACT Supporting Actress nominee for her role as Felicity in "The Shadow Box" and is a DASH Consultant for EMACT. Gary Ames and Suzanne Reese-Mills have some excellent romantic chemistry, y'all.

AFD is DELIGHTED to welcome Karen Fanale back to the stage, as Margaret Johnson in The Light In The Piazza."Karen just starred as Mrs. Robinson in our production of "The Graduate." This character is more than a little different... She also appeared with AFD in "A Little Night Music." Recent credits include: Madame Arcati in "Blithe Spirit" with Theatre To Go, Inc., "Carousel" with Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston, and Domina in "A Funny Thing…Forum" with Greater Lowell Music Theatre. Karen is a “Piazza” veteran, having first performed the show at SpeakEasy Stage Company (Tour Guide/Ensemble), then later as Signora at both Beatrice Herford's Vokes Theatre and NextDoor Center for the Arts. Favorite roles include Maria Callas in "Master Class" with MassTheatrica and Helene Hanff in "84 Charing Cross Road" Theatre@First Reading Series!

We're building a lovely and innovative set for "The Light in the Piazza." And by we, I mean our handful of hard-working and dedicated set builders. They're the best, and do some gorgeous work. Below they're hard at work. You will want to see the final... It's a long way from here to there. But we're getting there! Gareth Williams is enjoying the new tools.

The Game's Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays By Ken Ludwig Stage Director, J. Deschene ​ CAST William Gillette - Iain Bason Martha Gillette - Linda Burtt Felix Geisel - Tom Formicola Madge Geisel - Kathleen Dalton Aggie Wheeler - Melody Martin Simon Bright - Randall Lawrence-Hurt Inspector Harriet Goring - Christine Chilingerian Daria Chase - Diana Doyle PERFORMANCE DATES ​​ Fridays, December 8 and 15 at 8 PM Saturdays, December 9 and 16 at 8 PM Sundays, December 10 and 17 at 4 PM ​ Opening night champagne reception after the show. First Sunday talkback after the show. ABOUT "THE GAME'S AFOOT OR HOLMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS" ​ It’s December 1936, and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his role as Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. The danger and hilarity are nonstop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays.

Well, we're not sure about them yet, but we do know that our Piazza cast is lovely and talented, and working hard day and night just to entertain YOU. Get your tickets! Phyllis Uloth, Gary Ames, Suzanne Reese-Mills, Karen Fanale, Philip Paquet, Tom Richardson

Rehearsals have started and are going beautifully! We hope you can join us when we open on October 13. Director Ryan Began explains all the set to you. Gary Ames is our Fabrizio. Karen Fanale as Margaret, and Suzanne Reese-Mills as Clara. Stalwart Charlie Carr in the ensemble. Clara! Choreographer Daise Giunta and director Ryan Began. Tom Richardson as Roy Johnson, and Michelle Youell as our dialect coach.