Mike Wawrzynek (President) was first seen on the Gaslight Theatre stage in the 2017 production of A Charlie Brown Christmas Live! as everyone’s favorite scene-stealing shepherd, Shermy. His other Gaslight acting credits include: Taming of the Shrew (Lucentio); Playroom: Home for the Holidays, A Very Criminal Christmas, Mr. Christmas, and Christmas With the Joneses (multiple roles); Romeo & Juliet (Romeo), and 12 Angry Men (Juror #8). Mike has been active in local theatre for more than a decade, receiving recognition for his acting, directing, set designing, light designing, writing, and composing. Recently, Mike composed and co-wrote an original musical called Tall Green Plumber: A Video Game Musical, which premiered in 2021. He has a B.A. in Theatre and English Literature from Elizabethtown College and is pursuing an M.A. in Strategic Communications from King's College. Outside of the theatre, Mike enjoys spending time with his wife, Eyanna, and their dog Sydney Pierogi Sunshine. He is also the co-founder of FlashMilk Productions with fellow Gaslight board member, Dane Bower.
Dane Bower(Vice President) began his involvement with Gaslight Theatre Company as a cast member in Playroom: Attic and is proud to serve as a member of the Board of Directors. A long-standing (and sometimes sitting) veteran of the local community theatre scene, he has enjoyed taking part in over 80 shows in the area during a “career” that has spanned 20+ years. When not treading the boards of one of the many NEPA local theaters, Dane works as a member of the Events and Travel team at Benco Dental and takes care of his Boston Terriers, Rigby and Wally. Against his better judgment, he also roots heartily for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is one half of the creative production team FlashMilk, where he serves as the primary writer and one of the actors. His Gaslight acting credits include the Attic, Bedroom, and Home for the Holidays editions of the Playroom series,Toast!, The Taming of the Shrew (Petruchio), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Next to Normal (Dan), and Songs for A New World (Man 2). He directed Gaslight’s 2018 production of Cormac McCarthy’s The Sunset Limited as well as entries in the Back Porch and Home for the Holidays editions of the Playroom series, and as a writer, he has contributed short plays to Home for the Holidays, Back Porch, and Dining Room editions of the Playroom series.
Brandi George (Artistic Director)has served on the Gaslight Board of Directors since 2012, previously as president, artistic director, and secretary. She earned her MA in Communication Arts from Marywood University and her double BA in Theatre and Mass Communications from King’s College. She works as Assistant Director of Communications and Public Relations at King's College. Select directing credits include August: Osage County by Tracy Letts (NEPTA, Best Drama); Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts; God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza; Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare (NEPTA, Best Comedy, Best Director); As You Like It by William Shakespeare; and many Playroom one acts! Select acting credits include Proof (Catherine);The 39 Steps (Annabella/Margaret/Pamela);Much Ado About Nothing (Margaret); and Playroom: Home for the Holidays, All the Year (Marla). In to her role as a board member, Brandi also leads Gaslight's marketing efforts.
Eden Stella (Secretary) began working with Gaslight in 2020 designing/engineering sound and visuals for the original improv show Leave the Cannoli presented at Scranton Fringe Festival. Eden continued to work with Gaslight for the next two Scranton Fringe Festivals in another original improv, Bring out Your Dead (sound designer), and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (stage manager). She earned her Master’s in Social Work from Marywood University and her BA in Theology with a minor in Theatre from King’s College. During her time at King’s College she sound designed, engineered, and stage managed many shows. Some of note: As You Like It (stage manager), Much Ado About Nothin' (sound designer), King Lear (stage manager and sound designer), Ragtime (sound designer), The Drowsy Chaperone (sound designer). When not behind the sound board or in the stage manager’s booth, Eden can usually be found spending time with friends and family and finding new opportunities to be behind the sound board or in the stage manager’s booth.
Jason Alfano (Treasurer) was elected to the Board in 2014 but has been involved with Gaslight Theatre Company since 2004, having acted in many Gaslight productions. Some of his favorite roles include Lucky in Waiting for Godot, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Jack in Incorruptible, Adam in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), and Fr. Stills in At This Point. Jason also directed smaller pieces for Gaslight's Playroom series. Jason is very excited to be on the Board and is already enjoying the meetings and other important stuff they do. When Jason is not acting or at board meetings, he enjoys golf, fantasy football, regular football, acting, redundancy, and excluding the Oxford comma. He married Gaslight alum Meaghan Alfano in 2015, and they have a beautiful daughter, son, and two dogs.
Dave Reynolds is a proud co-founder of Gaslight. He has served as Resident Designer and Technical Director since the company’s inception and has designed nearly every production. Dave has also directed several productions, including: Taming of the Shrew,Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), and Quiet Cowboy. Dave is currently an Assistant Professor of Theatre at King’s College. He earned a MFA degree in Design from Temple University. He has worked extensively as a freelance designer in NEPA and Philadelphia. Some recent design credits include Lighting Design/Technical Direction – Two Gentlemen of Verona, PAI at the FM Kirby Center; Scenic Design – The Cure at Troy, Swarthmore College; Lighting Design –Antigone, King’s College, Scenic Design/Technical Direction – Charley’s Aunt, Maples Repertory Theatre, Macon, MO. Dave’s favorite roles have been as husband to Christina and father to Max, Elliott, and Rosie.
Jahmeel Powers joined the Gaslight Board in 2021 after working on the final Playroom edition, Home for the Holidays, and the original improv show Leave the Cannoli presented at Scranton Fringe Festival. Originally from Michigan, Jahmeel received his MFA in Acting at Regent University, which has taken him to multiple professional contracts across the country such as in Maine, Michigan, Virginia, New York, and internationally as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018. Select local performances include Something Rotten (Brother Jeremiah, PTPA) and Chicago (Fred Casely, Little Theatre) as well as other favorite appearances in Much Ado About Nothing (Dogberry), She Loves Me (Headwaiter), Seussical (Cat in the Hat), and The 39 Steps (Clown #2). He is an experienced and passionate improviser, working with a number of short-form and long-form methodologies and is co-owner of Powers Performance Coaching with his wife, Elizabeth (Beth) Guarnieri Powers,which improves individual and organizational clients’ communication, social, and performative skills through various acting methodologies.Outside of work, Jahmeel is ecstatic to be playing his two favorite roles: that of a loving husband and the father of twowonderful children, Anntoinette and Ezekiel!
