About TheStage Repertory Company

Serving the Western Connecticut performing arts community, TheStage Repertory Company is a collective of stage directors, playwrights, composers, designers, performers and academics devoted to developing the next generation of artists and theatregoers.

Through the presentation of staged readings and fully realized productions, TheStage Repertory Company is committed to nurturing repeatable artistic relationships within the company while cultivating an enthusiasm in the community for new and underproduced plays and musicals.

Our Board of Directors

Alicia Dempster (Executive Director/Co-Founder) is a director, writer and producer currently residing in Danbury, CT. She received her B.A. in Theatre/Musical Theatre from Ohio Northern University, where she was the first and only student in the history of the University to direct a main stage production. Area directing credits include Doubt, Little Shop of Horrors, Little Women, Peter Pan, The Diviners, How I Learned To Drive, When Pigs Fly, A Few Good Men and Father of the Bride. As a producer, Alicia produced Tea At Five for The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, as well as the Die, Vampire! Die! creative workshop led by [title of show]’s Susan Blackwell. Alicia also produced Kleban and Larson Award winning composer Joe Iconis’ Connecticut concert debut. An avid theatergoer, Alicia follows the NY theatre scene quite closely and writes about her experiences in her theater-centric blog Things You’ll Learn To Love About Me.

B. Peter Hughes (Artistic Director/Co-Founder) As a playwright, Mr. Hughes was most recently represented on the area stage by 2009’s See Dick… at The Sherman Playhouse. He is also the author of 2005’s critically acclaimed puppet & people production of Ghost of a Chance. Previous Connecticut productions include successful stage adaptations of The Picture of Dorian Gray and Frankenstein. Growing up in and around NYC theatre offered the opportunity to witness and learn from many of the best, on, off and backstage. The result of these opportunities ranged from founding several theater troupes to acting, directing, puppet design and performance, choreographing and teaching, set and scenic design, alongside many truly talented individuals. While the majority of the work occurred Off-B’way and Off Off B’way, there were the periodic visits uptown. During his “New York” years, Mr. Hughes, in addition to enjoying professional associations with a number of performers, producers and playwrights, had the privilege of lending some of the latter a hand and an occasional word or two. Nowadays, non-ectoplasmic authorship has its rewards as well as risks, with one’s own, flesh and blood name sitting alongside the title. Next up, the finishing touches to a dark comedy titled, The Trinity Recruit. Also an accomplished artist, Bill’s artwork can be viewed at http://overtheline.yolasite.com/.

Joseph Russo (Managing Director/Co-Founder) is currently working as Assistant Director to Gordon Edelstein on The Long Wharf Theatre's production of A Doll's House. Joe recently directed See Dick… and Oscar Wilde’s Salome at The Sherman Playhouse. Other directing credits include Tennessee Williams’ Suddenly Last Summer, the non-Equity tour of Tea at Five, and The Philadelphia Story (the latter two with Jane Farnol), as well as Boeing-Boeing and All About Eve, both staged readings. He has been involved with local theater since 1997. A playwright and member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences since 2007, Joseph’s award-winning works have been seen at The Hartford Stage Company and the HBO Studios in New York City. Please visit his website: http://jrusso.yolasite.com/.

Vicki Sosbe (Treasurer) is a native of Wisconsin and has been active in theatre for over 30 years, with the last 18 years spent here on the East Coast. She has worked both onstage and behind the scenes with many local theatres in Brookfield, Ridgefield, New Milford and Sherman, as well as a brief sting Off-Broadway at the Harold Clurman Theatre. Favorite roles include Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest, Mrs. Manningham in Gaslight, Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Frenchie in Cabaret and Myra in Hayfever. When not at the theatre, she spends her time with her husband and three children at their home in New Milford.

Jackie Decho-Holm (Secretary) studied for her BFA in Theatre Arts at both Central and Western CT State Universities and completed two professional internships athe Juilliard School in Manhatten. Jackie has worked professionally both on and off many stages in NYC and CT, also throughout the US with touring companies. She has continued her theatre education with Martha Graham Master Classes, Broadway Teachers Workshop, and many Shakespeare performance workshops over the years. Though her first love was Stage Management and design, Jackie was pushed onto the stage and can't seem to find her way off! Favorite past roles are: Sheila in A Chorus Line, Becca in Rabbit Hole, Lil Bit in How I Learned to Drive, Molly in Molly Sweeney, Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Portia in Merchant of Venice. She has also taught acting to teens and hopes to branch out to teaching younger children, starting with the love of her life, her 7 year old son, Tyler.