When Captain Jennings’ ship is overtaken by the fearsome Captain Bree and her crew of lady pirates, he struggles to find a way to protect his remaining crew and the wealthy, high-society passengers onboard. Finding that the passengers are the closest thing to a treasure on the ship, Captain Bree and her crew decide to ransom them, but are unaware of the meddling passengers in their midst. Hijinks ensue as one passenger tries to become a pirate, another disguises himself as a girl, hoping to avoid being thrown overboard, and others undermine both captains at every turn. Expect lots of silly songs, sea shanties, and general swashbuckling across the stage and maybe even some romance.
From The Director
Most of us grew up with pirates in some form, whether it was Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow, The Muppets Treasure Island, Errol Flynn, or even the Dread Pirate Roberts. Who doesn’t love a swashbuckling adventure on the seven seas?
As a lover of history, my fascination with pirates extends beyond these pop culture references to random pieces of knowledge that make piracy seem even more thrilling. For a woman, piracy offered a freedom that “civilized society” would not have offered. And yes, there were plenty of female pirates. Not only that, but there were pirates from every walk of life. Pirates have always existed in some form or another and still do. The pirates portrayed here are from just after the Golden Age of Piracy – the late 18th Century.
Although this play, by nature, is not historical, there are sprinklings of accuracy contained in it. As you watch, you may find yourself wondering about the pirates’ accents. Truth be told, pirates would have had accents from all over because they were from all over. Many pirates were from right here in New England, as well as from all over Europe and the world beyond. This play, however, truly is not meant to be historical. As such, it is imperative that you throw history out the window, and just enjoy the nuggets of truth when they pop up. I mean, if we all wanted accurate pirating there would be no plank and an extremely rank smell at the very least!
The Lady Pirates of Captain Bree is special for me, as I have worked on this show with middle-schoolers 3 or 4 times prior to this production. I’ll never forget the now-adults who played the captains in that first production. I always had a lot of fun working on this show, but always wished that I could direct adults who would understand the humor on a different level. And that’s how I got here. The folks involved in this show have been having fun since day one. I am so lucky to be able to bring this musical to life yet again, and most likely for the final time, with them.
Into this production I bring all of those who have been part of this show from my past and I leave behind the message of found families and love – after all, isn’t that what theater is all about?
-Debbi Finkelstein
Debbi Finkelstein (She/Her) (Director/Co-Choreographer) Debbi is beyond excited to be sharing one of her favorite silly musicals with the Lakes Region! Debbi previously directed and appeared in 10-minute musicals for Village Players a couple of years ago and is grateful to be back for a full-length show. Debbi has been involved in theater in some form since pre-school and started directing in college. She is most proud of the 17 years she spent as the Assistant Director and Stage Manager for Natick Drama Workshop, but would be remiss to not mention all the fun times she had directing and acting for Gazebo Players of Medfield, The Winnipesaukee Playhouse, Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, and Advice to the Players (she is also a new board member for the latter). Thank you to the cast and crew for going on this journey. Storms were weathered and luckily no one had to walk the plank!
Cast List (In Order of Appearance)
PIRATES
Captain Bree – Ellie Harrison
Jane – Jayson Andrews
Molly – Miley Colbath
Josephine – Mary Foedermair
Gabriella – Nicole Gauvreau
Shawna/Old Pirate – Mary White
Patty – Morgan Gehring
Maggie – Mylie Weygand
Georgia – Kelly Bennett
CAPTIVES
Captain Jennings – Julie Mills
Fergus – Christian Boudman
Madam Prescot – Lucy Randall-Tapply
Samuel Prescot – Brandin Weygand
Julia Prescot – Kai Zimmer
Professor Bidwell – Lee Kennedy
Thomas – Sawyer Mills
Cook – Bob Rautenberg
John – Kat Sykes-Gray
Jack – Emma Matheson*
George – Olivia Etchings
BRITISH NAVY
Admiral Moore – Bob Tuttle
Officers – Emma Matheson*, others TBD*
*denotes double casting
Crew & Production
Director – Debbi Finkelstein
Assistant Director – Emm Close
Music Director – Kara Boulay
Musicians – Holly Simons (piano), Tom Bissett (drums), John Petruzzelli (bass)
Producer – Phoebe VanScoy-Giessler
Fight Choreographer – London Summers
Choreographer – Olivia Etchings
Co-Choreographer – Debbi Finkelstein
Stage Manager – Brendan Berube
Stage Crew – Josh Spaulding
Costume Head – Kelly Bennett
Costume Crew – Stef Marsh, Carol Bense, Nicole Gauvreau
Set Design – Bob Tuttle
Set Contruction – Helen Rautenberg, Deb Jones, Jay Sydow, Russ Ellis, Lee Kennedy, Bob Kennedy, Chelsea Stewart, Paul Stewart, Janice Knepp, Nancy Moulton, Bob Tuttle, Travis Norman
Publicity – Stef Marsh, Kimmi Canney
Lighting – Gordon Brooks
Sound – Paul Stewart, Phoebe VanScoy-Giessler
House Manager – Joanne Cameron
Graphic Design – Emily Marsh
Meet Our Cast
Jayson Andrew (She/Her)
Jane
Jayson is happy to be back on the Village Players’ stage after appearing last as Ruth in Calendar Girls for which she was nominated for an NHTA award. She has also previously performed with Powerhouse Theater Collaborative and Winni Players Community Theater. Jayson earned a BFA in dramatic arts from the University of Connecticut and studied at HB Studio in New York City. Previous roles include Cherie in Bus Stop, Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker, and Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. This is her first musical since 1990, so please bear with her.
Christian Boudman (He/Him)
Fergus
Christian has been walking these familiar planks for nearly two decades! Village Players highlights include Spamalot!, Kiss Me Kate, The Drunkard, Leading Ladies, and most recently, the award winning Escanaba in da Moonlight and Wit. Christian lives in Wolfeboro and when not on stage somewhere in NH, he can be found in his VFX studio or hanging out with his family and hound dog, Alice.
Miley Colbath (She/Her)
Molly
Miley is 18 years old and thrilled to make her Village Players debut!. You may have seen her in several shows at Spaulding High School, including Amanda Thripp and the Doctor/Children’s Entertainer in Matilda, Yvonne in Cinderella, Cindy Lou Who in Seussical, and Audrey in Descendants. Additional credits include Flapper Ancestor in The Addams Family, Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and Babette in Beauty and the Beast. Outside of theatre, Miley has danced for 13 years with SIUDC, as well as spent 3 years as first chair Euphonium with the Spaulding High School Marching, and Concert band. Which has greatly influenced her love for performing. She would like to thank her whole family, especially aunt and mom for their endless love and support. Currently Miley is majoring in political science, she plans to pursue a career in animal welfare. Miley hopes you enjoy watching this swashbucklin’ adventure, just as much as she enjoyed being a part of it.
Mary Katharina Foedermair (Any pronouns)
Josephine
Mary is back again after most recently being in Bye Bye Birdie! A lover of musicals, they are happy to be performing and singing again!
Nicole Gauvreau (They/She)
Gabriella
Nicole is delighted to make their Village Players debut! They find it equally delightful not to be told to talk slower for once. Nicole has previously appeared onstage with the Winni Players and Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative and behind the scenes with the Winni Players, Winnipesaukee Playhouse Education Department, and Inter-Lakes Middle High School. Outside of theatre, Nicole can be found indulging their dramatic and creative tendencies as a librarian and with their D&D group, baking, and serving on possibly too many boards and committees.
Morgan Gehring (She/They/Fae)
Patty
Morgan is back on the Carol Bense Stage after two years, their last on-stage role being in Wyrd Sisters (2024). Fae is grateful for the cast and crew and production team having collaborated to bring pirate life to Village Players this year. When Morgan isn’t acting a pirate on stage, she is spending time with her beloved family and friends and trying to get Olivia E. to dance a jig with her.
Ellie Harrison (She/Her)
Captain Bree
Ellie is so excited to be in her second show with the Village Players. She was in the Ensemble this past fall in Sweeney Todd and couldn’t be more thrilled to bring Captain Bree to life! When not talking like a pirate and carrying a sword, she teaches English and is a dorm parent at Brewster Academy. She is so grateful for the production team and cast for joining her on this wild adventure and would like to give a special shout out to her coworkers, friends, students, and pets for the encouragement, support, and love throughout this process.
Lee Kennedy (She/Her)
Professor Bidwell
Lee is excited to be able play the pompous professor Bidwell in this production. (Type cast? She hopes not!) It’s been a lot of fun breathing the hot air into this 18th century stuffed shirt! Her first role was a reporter and shopper in “HoHoHo the Santa Chronicles.” She also enjoyed playing the Sargent who “did in” the Duke in “Wyrd Sisters,” and most recently she was the “micro-managing” Mrs Armstrong in The “Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” She is appreciative to all who are working on this production helping to keep her 2 left feet dancing, and her sword safely swinging, and to her family who know when to run lines and when to run away (when she practices choreography!).
Emma Matheson (She/Her)
Jack/Officer
Emma started her small theater journey in elementary school. During middle school she did two years of theater camp where she learned this is what she was passionate about. Having started with the Village Players in 2024 with Bye Bye Birdie (ensemble) she is back to stir up some chaos and maybe cause some laughs. She thanks the wonderful crew and directors who made this possible, and to her parents, who drove her and put up with the late night practices.
Julie Mills (She/Her)
Captain Jennings
Julie feels honored to join the Village Players after a nearly 30 year musical theater hiatus and wants to thank everyone for their support and patience as she tried to remember her lines and sing like a man! Her first role was Dorothy in her Elementary School production of The Wizard of Oz and she was in her High School productions of How to Succeed in Business Without Trying and Oklahoma!. A musician first, Julie has played Tenor Sax on a national tour with Surgeon General, was a member of the Olympic Spirit Band at the 2002 SLC Winter Games, loved playing bass in her college drumline, and enjoys playing with the Cate Park Band whenever she can. Julie would like to thank her family for being so awesome – she loves you more than you’ll ever know. To her daughters, Delilah & Daphne, thanks for telling her to ignore her inner hater and get back on stage. To Sawyer, her sweet cabin boy, she’s extremely stoked to do a show together – it’s been a blast! Finally, to her best friend and biggest fan, Brad, you held down the fort & supported me 1,000%
Sawyer Mills (He/Him)
Thomas
Sawyer is so excited to join the Village Players for this performance and hopes it will be the start of many shows to come. Sawyer’s love for acting began in the summer of 2025 when he attended Ghostlight Theater camp for 3 weeks in Maine. He played Sasha in Trial By Jury, an adaptation of the greek comedy The Wasps. His fellow castmates were amazed by how quickly he memorized the script and his perfect comedic timing! He will attend Ghostlight again this summer and hopes to continue growing his skills as an actor. In the fall, he plans on joining his big sister at Kingswood High for their musical. When Sawyer isn’t on stage, he likes to spend his free time cooking, acting, and playing games. He is so excited to be in the show with his Mom and can’t wait for his sisters and dad to see what this amazing cast and crew have accomplished.
Lucy Randall-Tapply (She/Her)
Madam Prescot
Lucy is making her Village Players debut. She has previously worked with Winnipesaukee Playhouse (My Fair Lady, 2025) and Newfound Regional High School (Freaky Friday, 2024; Cinderella, 2023). She’s most often seen spouting Shakespeare with Advice To The Players, where she is executive director. Lucy lives in Laconia with her very sweet cat, Snug.
Mary White (She/Her)
Shawna/Old Pirate
Mary is overjoyed to be on stage with the Village Players for the very first time. She is currently involved with multiple theater groups including Powerhouse Collaborative Theater and Winnipesaukee Playhouse. She is also creator and executive producer on Before the Whispers Audio Series, which is readily available online. She wants to take this chance to thank her partner James, her parents, siblings and coworkers for supporting her continued passion of being involved in local theater.
Mylie Weygand (She/Her)
Maggie
Mylie has been performing for five years and has appeared in productions such as Grease, Oliver!, and Discovering Rogue. She hopes to pursue professional acting in the future, whether in voice work, television, or on stage. When not on stage, she loves to watch the How to Train Your Dragon franchise with her cat, Darwin.
Meet Our Crew
Brendan Berube (He/Him)
Stage Manager
Brendan is glad he booked passage on the Kayla Mae for this sometimes rocky, sometimes zany, but never dull voyage. He previously appeared on the other side of the curtain at the Village Players Theatre as the ghost of King Verrence in “Wyrd Sisters,” and also works frequently at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith, and with Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative in Laconia. When not on stage, Brendan can be found dotting i’s and crossing t’s (sometimes literally) as Managing Editor of The Granite State News and other Salmon Press newspapers and spinning tunes on weekends at Pitchfork Records in Concord. He is grateful to our directors, crew, and most of all, our incredible cast for their tireless work to keep the ship afloat.
Kelly Bennett (She/Her)
Georgia/Costume Head
This is Kelly’s first production at the Village Players and only the second musical she’s ever been in. She’s a member of several other local community theater groups and has done costumes for them as well. When not in a production, Kelly lends her time to her community service organizations, Altrusa of Meredith, Wicwas Lake Grange and Friends of the Meredith Library. She is a member of Granite State Roller Derby, she is a published author, a published visual artist and works full time as a veterinary technician. She is also a full time mom to two very spoiled house cats.
Kara Boulay (She/Her)
Music Director
Kara is excited to take part in her first show at Village Players. This is her first adult show after directing and music directing children’s theatre in New York for 13 years before deciding to stay home and homeschool her three beautiful, spirited children. She is grateful for the entire cast and crew for their hard work and dedication in making this ship an easy, and exciting one to steer.
Gordon Brooks (He/Him)
Lights
Gordon is delighted and somewhat surprised to be celebrating 20 years with the Village Players, on stage, in the director’s chair, and in the lighting booth.
Olivia Etchings (She/Her)
Co-choreographer/George/Officer
Olivia is assistant tour manager of Plymouth State University’s professional TIGER (Theater Integrating Guidance Education and Responsibility) program. This is her third Village Players production, and she has enjoyed how much fun has been had throughout! Olivia is especially happy to be in this fun show with her partner, Morgan!
Emily Marsh (She/Her)
Graphic Design
Emily has been designing posters for Village Players nearly as long as she has acted in their productions (nearly 15 years!). You may have seen her onstage as Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress or and Magrat Garlick in Wyrd Sisters. Offstage, she is the Director of Marketing & Communications at NHTI–Concord’s Community College, and a devoted Dungeons & Dragons player.
Helen Rautenberg (She/Her)
(Set Construction)
Helen has been enjoying working on the set for Lady Pirates of Captain Bree. Set building is new for her with other aspects of theater having already been done. This is Helen’s 45th year with the Village Players.
London Summers (They/Them)
(Fight Choreographer)
London is ecstatic to be working with Village Player on this show. Performing on the VP stage in 2006 in That Darn Plot, London, went on to study theatre and stage combat at Temple University in Philadelphia and then at Shanghai Theatre Academy in Shanghai, China. Having certified with both the Society of American FIght Director and Fight Directors Canada, London is bringing 18 years of stage combat experience to the stage in this production. Since returning to the United States in 2023, London has choreographed fights for Beauty and the Beast, Shakespeare in Love, She Kills Monsters, Cinderella, and The Last Firefly at Kingswood Theater, as well as assisting with fights on VP’s Oliver and Wyrd Sisters.
Phoebe VanScoy-Giessler (She/Her)
(Producer / Sound)
Phoebe is delighted to play a part in this fun show. Her first role with VP was in The King and I in 2002. More recently you may have seen her in Calendar Girls (2025, Chris Harper), W;t (2024, Vivian Bearing); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2022, Zebulon / ensemble); and Once Upon a Mattress (2019, Queen Aggravaine). She is grateful to the entire production team and cast for their commitment to this show. Huge love to Scott, Tommy, Elliott, and Gabe who keep her laughing and feeling loved all-the-dang-time.
A Special Thanks To
Melvin Village Marina
Winnipesaukee Playhouse
“The Lady Pirates of Captain Bree” is produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service, Inc., Englewood, Colorado.