John Hedges
Executive Director

Mr. Hedges has an extensive background in theatre as both an actor and a producer. Prior to coming to Weathervane, John spent 10 years in the acting company at the Barter Theatre in Virginia, where he performed in over 60 shows. Other acting credits include performances at Town Hall in New York and the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. Regionally, he has worked at the Indiana Repertory Theatre, the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville and the American Stage Festival, where he appeared opposite Academy Award-winner Olympia Dukakis in The Cherry Orchard. For his work in the independent film Freedom, Mr. Hedges won a Best Supporting Actor Award from the Southern Appalachian International Film Festival. John has been Managing Director of First Stage Children’s Theatre in Milwaukee, Associate Producer of North Shore Music Theatre, Business Director of Gloucester Stage Company, Managing Director of Sanford Maine Stage Company and General Manager of New York’s award-winning Pearl Theatre Company. In addition, he has worked as Research Coordinator for Theatre Communications Group, where he wrote for American Theatre magazine, and was an Outside Business Representative for the New York office of Actors’ Equity Association, of which he is a current union member. Mr. Hedges served on the Board of Directors of Boston’s StageSource and chaired its Strategic Planning Committee, has been a Conference Panelist for the American Alliance for Theatre and Education and began his career working in Corporate Promotions for the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. He studied at Indiana State University, the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Delaware, is a graduate of the National Shakespeare Conservatory and holds an honorary MFA in theatre from Stafford University. He lives in Akron with his wife, Melissa Owens, and their daughters, Rachel and Mary, and was a member of the 2008-09 Leadership Akron class.

Telephone number: (330) 836-2626 (ext. 13)
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Janis Harcar
Director of Advancement

Janis holds an M.A. in Arts Administration from the University of Akron and B.S. in Music Education from Kent State University, and has been a Weathervane staff member since 1993. She serves as the Artistic Director of the Ravenna Community Choir and Director of the St. Paul Lutheran Church Choir (also in Ravenna). Jan was honored with the Weathervane Board of Trustees Award in 2003 and 2007.

Telephone number: (330) 836-2626 (ext. 16)
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Melanie Y.C. Pepe
Director of Education

Melanie holds a B.F.A. in Theatrical Performance from Kent State University, where she is now serving on the School of Theatre and Dance Advisory Board. She has been teaching theater classes for more then twelve years and has been affiliated with Weathervane's education program since 1998. She supervised Weathervane's City of Akron-sponsored Neighborhood Playhouse program for four years. Her experience includes eight years as an actress, makeup designer and theater director. She currently resides in Akron with her husband, Christopher, and three children, Calista, Zavier and Jude.

Telephone number: (330) 836-2626 (ext. 17)
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Alan Scott Ferrall
Resident Technical Director
and Scenic Designer

Scott, as everyone calls him, began his association with Weathervane as a backstage volunteer under the tutelage of the late John R. Thomas. This is Scott's tenth season as a Weathervane staff member. Before Weathervane, he worked at Cuyahoga Falls High School. He has designed sets for many local high schools as well as for the Players Guild of Canton, Cleveland Signstage Theatre and PBS-TV Channels 45/49. At Weathervane, Scott has earned four Chanticleer Awards -- one as stage manager for Fences, and the others for his lighting designs for The Laramie Project and A Lesson before Dying and co-lighting design for A Man for All Seasons. Scott also takes great pleasure in writing the end-of-the-season revue for the Not-Ready-for-Mainstage Players, who appear at Weathervane's annual Chanticleer Awards banquet.

Telephone number: (330) 836-2626 (ext. 18)
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Keith Campbell
Director of Audience Development

Keith, a native of Canton, Ohio, graduated in 1992 from the University of Akron with a bachelor's degree in English. At UA, he served as editor of The Buchtelite and sang with the Akron Symphony Chorus. During the summers of 1995 and 1996, he interned in the box office at Porthouse Theatre Company. Keith joined the Weathervane staff in November 1996, and he was honored with the 2005 Weathervane Playhouse Trustees Award. He lives in Akron.

Telephone number: (330) 836-2626 (ext. 12)
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Lisa Mansfield
Patron Services Manager

Lisa holds a B.A. in Secondary Education with a concentration in English and History from the University of Akron. A stay-at-home mom since 1994, Lisa continues to be active in the community serving breastfeeding mothers through La Leche League and volunteering at Children’s Hospital. The Akron Beacon Journal named Lisa a “Woman of Excellence” in 2005 for her service to military families. A stage actress in high school, Lisa is excited to return to one of her first loves, the theater. She lives in West Akron with her high school sweetheart, and now local TV anchor, Eric Mansfield, and their three sons, Joshua, Jacob, and Teddy.

Telephone number: (330) 836-2626 (ext. 28)
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Barbara Trotter
Volunteer Coordinator

Barbara holds an M.A. in Communications from the New York Institute of Technology. She teaches speech and communication courses at The University of Akron. Barb began volunteering with Weathervane Community Playhouse in 2000, working backstage on props crews. She designed costumes for the productions of Arsenic and Old Lace and Proof, both in 2003. She served as the costume coordinator for Weathervane's May 2006 production of Angels in America: Perestroika and was lighting designer of the May 2007 production of String of Pearls. Barbie was Stage Manager for the December 2008 production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. She served as Stage Manager most recently for the September 2009 production of Putting it Together and the February 2009 production of Intimate Apparel.

Telephone number: (330) 836-2626 (ext. 29)
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Kathy Kohl
Assistant Technical Director

Kathy holds a degree in elementary education from Bowling Green State University and a master's in business management from Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. She began her theater career as a volunteer on many lighting, set construction and props crews. At Weathervane, she won a Chanticleer for her properties co-design for The Philadelphia Story (2001). Kathy also serves as Resident Master Carpenter and Master Painter for the theater department at Firestone High School in Akron. She lives in West Akron with her husband, Doug, with whom she has raised their three children: Stephanie, Zachary and Katie.