Eastern Campus Theatre

Howard Blecher appears in Spoon River Anthology and is pleased to return to the OUE Theatre stage. He made his debut at OUE in 2015 as Mr. Kolenkhov in You Can’t Take It With You and went on to perform in five additional productions, learning from Dennis Fox as both director and teacher along the way.

Spoon River Anthology marks Howard’s first time acting since 2020, and he is grateful for the opportunity to work with his friends again. Outside of theatre, Howard is a proud member of the Shadyside Community Band, where he plays drums and percussion.

Audrey Dillon portrays Mrs. Williams, Hannah Armstrong, Mrs. Purkapile, Mrs. Meyers, and Lucinda Matlock in Spoon River Anthology. She is thrilled to return to the OUE Theatre stage, where previous credits include Sonia in Vanya, Sonya, Masha and Spike and Margaret in The Marriage of Bette and Boo, among others.

Audrey shares her love of theatre with her daughter, Courtney, who often helps her rehearse lines. Outside of the stage, she enjoys tending her flower beds and cheering on her Pittsburgh Steelers.

Spencer Echemann portrays Hamilton Greene, Reuben Pantier, Enoch Dunlap, Walter Simmons, and Granville Calhoun in Spoon River Anthology. He is excited to return to the stage after several years away from theatre. In high school, Spencer appeared as Oz in The Wizard of Oz and Rev. Shaw in Footloose. He was also cast as Gomez in The Addams Family, though the production was canceled in 2020.

Spencer is grateful for the opportunity to step back into the theatre and is thrilled to be part of this production.

Gracie Fraley portrays Emily Sparks, Lydia Puckett, Faith Metheny, Mary McNeely, and Lillian Stewart in Spoon River Anthology. Gracie is 14 years old and in the 8th grade. Her previous productions include Footloose, Mamma Mia!, The Wizard of Oz, and The Homecoming.

In her free time, Gracie enjoys drawing, spending time with her dog Bow, and listening to, playing, and singing music. She has greatly enjoyed being part of Spoon River Anthology and would like to thank Dennis Fox for believing in her and giving her the opportunity to learn from such a talented director. Gracie hopes you enjoy the show and perhaps even find a little “eternal peace.”

Charles Smith portrays Frank Dummer and Harry Williams in Spoon River Anthology. He serves as an Instructor of History at Ohio University Eastern, where he shares his passion for the past with his students.

Charles is pleased to bring his love of storytelling from the classroom to the stage and values the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and students through this production.

Brooke Showalter appears in multiple roles in Spoon River Anthology, including Mabel Osborne, Mrs. Benjamin Pantier, Mrs. Charles Bliss, Aner Clute, Minerva Jones, and Nancy Knapp. This production marks Brooke’s theatrical debut. She lives in Barnesville with her husband and daughters. When she’s not working from home, Brooke enjoys spending time with her family and getting lost in a good book.

Matt Smith portrays Searcy Foote and Willie Metcalf in Spoon River Anthology. He is pleased to be part of this production and to contribute to the rich storytelling that defines the voices of Spoon River.

Matt is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the cast and crew and to bring these memorable characters to life on the OUE stage.