Prayer for the French Republic

Don Bearden is thrilled to be making his GableStage debut. A long-ago graduate of the Professional Actors’ Training Program at the University of Washington, Don has recently moved up to South Florida from Key West where he still returns from time to time to perform. His latest was for the Fringe Theatre of Key West playing Oscar Levant in Good Night, Oscar. Don appeared in two plays for Plays of Wilton: 3 Card Stud and Museum and two musicals: A Shonda and The Sound of Music, the latter of which was performed outdoors. Since his arrival to the area, he has performed with the West Boca Theatre Company (Sunshine Boys, Over the River and Through the Woods and The Last Romance) PPTOPA (12 Angry Men) Curtain Call Theatre (The Cemetery Club) and Barclay (La Cage Aux Folles).

Headshot Photographer: Eric Campbell

Patti Gardner is grateful to be a part of this beautiful and timely production.  Last season she performed in The Last Yiddish Speaker (Theatre Lab) and A Delicate Balance (Island City Stage).  Previous performances at GableStage include last season’s Summer 1976, The Price, The Guys, Defiance, Sons of the Prophet, Casa Valentina, If I Forget and Ordinary Americans. Patti has been performing in South Florida for over thirty years from Miami to West Palm Beach. She has toured nationally for seventeen years with Menopause the Musical and is a Carbonell, Silver Palm, and New Times Best Award recipient for her work. “You will never know how much it costs the present generation to preserve your Freedom. Make good use of it”….John Adams.

Photographer: George Schiavone

Irina Kaplan was raised in Miami, and is delighted to come back home and work on the breathtaking Prayer for the French Republic with the inimitable GableStage. Most recently, Irina wrapped upcoming feature, Into The Sky, playing a sassy receptionist opposite Sam Richardson. Her last short film, “Double Happiness”, was named a 2025 Jewish Film Institute Grant Recipient, and will make its Florida premier at Boca Film Festival. Favorite NY and regional theater credits include Haarlem Berlin (Powerhouse Theater), Black Milk (Classic Stage Company), California Suite (Winnipesaukee Playhouse) and As You Like It (Scranton Shakespeare). Irina holds a BA from Vassar College, an MFA from The Actors Studio Drama School, and is a proud graduate of Beth Am Day School and Ransom Everglades. Thank you to Marianne Wells, Tsu Tsu Stanton, Dad, Cash, Bari and John. Irina-Kaplan.com @tangirina_k

Michael McKenzie is pleased to return to GableStage where he last appeared in The Price. South Florida performances include: Actors Playhouse (Proof and Murder on the Orient Express), Palm Beach Dramaworks (Sweeney Todd), MNM’s Man of La Mancha, Theater Lab (We Will Not Be Silent), Caldwell Theater (Dangerous, Déjà Vu). Broadway – Waiting in the Wings, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Eastern Standard. Off Broadway – Kari Floren’s If Wishes Were Horses, A Late Supper, Voices of Swords. Tour – two seasons with John Houseman’s The Acting Company. Extensive Regional Theatre, including: Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Baltimore CenterStage, Denver Center, Pittsburgh Public, Salt Lake’s Pioneer Theatre, Arkansas Rep, many others. TV/Film- “Law & Order”, “House of Cards”, “Orange is the New Black”, “Younger”, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”, “Blacklist”, “Gypsy”, “All My Children”, and numerous episodes of “Babylon 5”. www.MichaelMcKenzie.net

Headshot Photographer: Jeremy Folmer

Holden Raleigh Arco Peck (young Pierre Salomon) is thrilled to make his professional debut in Prayer for the French Republic at GableStage. An accomplished self-taught pianist who credits his musical ear to his grandfather and learned his first chords from his grandmother at five years old, Holden also enjoys playing percussion and trombone in his school band. He recently served as Assistant to the Music Director in Hadestown: Teen Edition. On stage, Holden has played roles such as “George” in Mary Poppins, “the Beast” in Beauty and the Beast, and “Dewey” in Legally Blonde. Holden is in 8th grade at the Benjamin School where he enjoys competing with the drone team, drum line, and running cross country. He is grateful to Bari for this incredible opportunity, and thanks his supportive cast, family, and music teacher, Mr. Miller for their encouragement, and his sister and parents for their inspiration always.

Photo by Alana Arco

Jason is a Carbonell-nominated artist and Connecticut Critics Circle Award winner who is thrilled to return to GableStage. He is Co-Artistic Director of Thrown Stone, a Connecticut-based company dedicated to producing bold new work. Jason’s favorite theatre credits include subUrbia (Actor’s Gang Theatre), Looking for Normal (Mark Taper Forum), Birds of North America (Thrown Stone), Perfect Mendacity (Asolo Rep), A Perfect Wedding (Kirk Douglas Theatre), We Will Not Be Silent (GableStage), All My Sons (New City Players), van gogh (Mint Theatre, Off-Broadway), Far Away (Odyssey Theatre), The Underpants (Florida Rep), and What’s Best for the Children? (TheatreLab). Screen credits include In Her Shoes, Family Law, NYPD Blue, The King of Queens, three seasons on Roswell, and the recent LA Law pilot remake. MFA: FSU/Asolo Conservatory; BFA: University of Southern California. Jason serves as Theatre Director at The Benjamin School. Love to Alana, Ilia, and Holden. www.jasonapeck.com

Headshot Photographer: Naomi White

Elizabeth (Marcelle Salomon Benhamou) is an actor, director, writer, and producer based in South Florida. She has her MFA in Acting from Florida Atlantic University and has received Silver Palm Awards, a Big Easy Award, and Carbonell Award nominations for her acting and directing. Recent roles: Heidi Schreck in What the Constitution Means to Me (City Theatre), Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (New City Players), Harriet in POTUS (Zoetic), Annie Wilkes in Misery (Empire Stage), President of the Disney Nation in G7: 2070, Sophie in Step by Step (Actors’ Playhouse), Two in What’s Best for the Children (Theatre Lab). Elizabeth is soon to release a mini web series she wrote, produced, and starred in called “Mackerel: The Midlife Alien”.

Photo by Eric Campbell

Bruce Sabath (Adolphe) is making his GableStage debut! New York: Larry in Company (Tony® Award – Best Revival), Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish (Drama Desk Award – Best Revival), Cagney, Hello Again (Drama Desk nomination – Best Revival), The Gig, Platinum, Jerusalem Syndrome. Bruce’s MAC Award-nominated solo show Searching for Tevye has played to sold-out houses in New York and regional venues. Florida appearances include the Wick Theatre (Fiddler on the Roof – Tevye – Carbonell Award), Asolo Rep, Florida Rep and Florida Studio Theatre. Additional regional highlights: Bucks County Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse, Flatrock Playhouse, Geva Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Ogunquit Playhouse, The Old Globe, Stages St. Louis (Fiddler in the Roof – Tevye – BroadwayWorld Award). TV: “The Blacklist,” “Elementary,” “Madam Secretary,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Mrs. Maisel,” “Ramy” and “Limitless”. Graduate of Harvard, Wharton and The William Esper Studio. Thanks to Karen, Michael, Jeremy, Kat, Margot and Junie, for dreaming with me. www.BruceSabath.com, @bsabath on Instagram.

Headshot Photographer: Grace Stockdale

Casey Sacco is so excited to be back at GableStage! She was last seen here as Jessica in Hand to God back in 2017. Over the past 10 years, she’s had the joy of working throughout South Florida Theater. Some credits include: South Pacific (LPAC; Carbonell Nomination); The Humans (Palm Beach Dramaworks); A Streetcar Named Desire, Little Montgomery, The Last Christmas (NCP); Cabaret (Zoetic Stage); Heebie Jeebies (Theatre Lab); Red Speedo (Plays of Wilton); Zanna, Dont! (Island City Stage); Sister Act (MNM Theatre Co.); A Wonderful World (Miami New Drama); Twelfth Night (Palm Beach Shakespeare), Titanic, Tarzan, Shrek, Matilda, The Little Mermaid (Slow Burn Theatre Co.); Curtains (The Wick). BFA grad from New World School of the Arts. She is a proud ensemble member of New City Players. Love to Friends, Fam, and TMD. caseysacco.com

Headshot Photographer: AJ Cola

Jeremy Sevelovitz is ecstatic to be making his GableStage debut!! A native New Yorker, Miami transplant, and graduate of the Hartt School of Music (Hartford, CT); Theatrical credits include: Beau: The Musical (Off Broadway/Adirondack Theater Festival), Chasing The Song (La Jolla), Hello! My Baby (Goodspeed), Comedy of Tenors (Florida Rep), Escape To Margaritaville (Actor’s Playhouse), Woody Guthrie’s American Song (Penobscot Theater Co.), as well as over 20 regional productions of Million Dollar Quartet. TV/ Film credits include: “Beau: The Musical” (TBD Productions) & “Billions” (Showtime). As a multi-instrumentalist, he has played with several different groups, spanning many genres from pop to rock to blues and country. He also released a collection of original music in 2014, entitled “Devils & Kings”. In 2018, he helped found and launch Tundra Productions, crafting tribute concerts and shows across the country. Thanks to his team at Avalon Artists Group, his family and his wife, Sofia, for their continued love and support! TT! // Instagram: @jeremy.sevelovitz // www.jeremysevelovitz.com

Headshot Photography: A.J. Cola

Stephen Trovillion is delighted to make his debut with GableStage. On Broadway, he appeared in The Young Man From Atlanta. In Chicago, he was nominated for the Best Actor Joseph Jefferson Award for Eastern Standard. In Florida, he has appeared in The Little Foxes at Island City Stage, Who’s Afraid of Viginia Woolf? at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Dangerous Days at Miami New Drama, The Cancellation of Lauren Fein and August: Osage County at Palm Beach Dramaworks, American Rhapsody at Zoetic Stage (Carbonell nomination), Now and Then at Actors Playhouse, The Clearing at Florida Stage and 16 seasons of City Theater’s Summer Shorts (2 Carbonell nominations). On-camera work includes episodic and syndicated television as well as numerous commercials. He was the head of the BFA Acting Program at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and is a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.

Headshot Photographer: Myles Aronowitz