Making it Happen Behind the
Scenes...
 Joe
Palmer - Executive Producer &
CEO
E-Mail:
jpalmer@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Joe brings a varied background
and experience ranging from
investment banking to education to
the Carousel. He is nationally known
as a speaker on merger and
acquisition topics or marketing
professional services and has
authored two books and numerous
publications.
Joe received his BSBA and MBA
degrees from The University of
Akron. He began his second of many
careers in education teaching both
high school and college. He left
education to pursue a career as a
financial consultant providing
client services in debt financing,
profitability analysis and business
valuations. This career provided the
springboard for Joe to launch
another career in providing merger
and acquisitions transactional
services. He has been the lead
negotiator on over 88 transactions
throughout the United States
exceeding over one billion dollars
in aggregate value. He also
co-sponsored an IPO in 1997.
Joe is very excited about
refreshing his career
again-especially with the Carousel.
He and his wife, Gloria,
reside in Wadsworth, Ohio, while
their much smarter and married
daughters and grandchildren live in
Florida.
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 David
W. Slaght - President
E-mail:
dslaght@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Mr. Slaght has led a fine career
in culinary arts and restaurant
management. He attended the
world-renowned Culinary Institute of
America in Hyde Park, New York and
was subsequently appointed Executive
Sous Chef at the City Club in Miami,
Florida.
Upon his return to Ohio, Slaght
was hired as Executive Chef at
Carousel's original location in
Ravenna, Ohio. Slaght assisted in
the opening of the new Carousel in
Akron and was promoted to Director
of Operations shortly thereafter. He
has served as General Manager since
1997, overseeing total theatre
responsibilities for the Carousel
and most recently in January of
2003, David became Co-Owner and
President of the Carousel.
Over the past 20 years, Mr.
Slaght worked at Paragon Restaurant
Group, stinted as Corporate
Executive Chef for Don's Pomeroy
House and was part owner of a well
known Akron Italian restaurant.
The Westlake, Ohio native
enjoys the pleasures of seeing the
Carousel's guests delight in an
afternoon or evening of fine dining
and theatre. When David is not
working, he loves spending time with
his three young children, Kendall,
Kaden and Cooper. His other pastimes
include boating, snow skiing,
working around the house and cooking
elegant meals for friends and
family. David is also an active
member of the Cuyahoga Falls Rotary
as well as the American Culinary
Federation where he serves on the
board of the local chapter. Bon
Appetit.
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 Sean
Cercone - Vice President &
Artistic Director
E-Mail:
scercone@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Sean Cercone
is in his fifth season as
the artistic director at the
Carousel. Cercone began his
theatre career as the
founding artistic director
of the West Virginia
Shakespeare Festival. While
at Carousel, Cercone has
been responsible for
the development of a New
Works program and the
creation of Carousel’s
Signature Series, which
consists of one main stage
production per year that is
created through
environmental style. An
enthusiastic member of NAMT,
Cercone has been the
co-chair of the festival
selection committee and was
selected as one of
Crain’s Business
40 Under 40 Top Executives
of 2004. Directing credits
include
Hot L
Baltimore, Tape, Danny and
the Deep Blue Sea, Brick and
the Rose, The House of Yes,
Pump Boys and
Dinnettes, Swing!
and development
of a new musical
Cumberland Blues,
written by Drama
Logue-winner Michael Norman
Mann and music by Jerry
Garcia and Robert Hunter of
the Grateful Dead. Cercone
received his Master of Fine
Arts from West Virginia
University. He has worked as
a guest artist for the
Cleveland
Shakespeare Festival
and American College Dance
Festival, served as the
board president for the
Cleveland Theatre Collective
and is currently a proud
board member of the National
Alliance of Musical Theatre.
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 Zach
Dulli - Associate Artistic Director
E-Mail:
zdulli@carouseldinnertheatre.com
An
Ohio native, Zach Dulli grew up in
the Washington DC area but has spent
the last 4 years living in Los
Angeles. While in LA, Zach worked as
an Artistic Associate with the famed
Fountain Theatre producing, among
others, the critically-acclaimed
production of Steven Sachs'
Freedom Summer,
a re-telling of August Strindberg's
Miss Julie.
Zach also worked as the Marketing
Director for The Road Theatre
Company during their 2006-2007
season. While at the Road, he
directed the world premiere of
Nomenclature,
a play by Katie Hickman and was
nominated for an Ovation award for
Tom Jacobson's hit play
Bunbury.
You may have seen Zach in numerous
national commercials, including ad's
for Taco Bell, AT&T and Hardees. He
is a graduate of West Virginia
University and The Moscow Art
Theatre Program at Harvard
University. Zach is married to
actress Stephanie Stearns; they have
one son named Max.
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 Lisa
Miley - Director of
Administration
E-Mail:
lmiley@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Lisa has been at the Carousel
longer than anyone in the executive
offices and is the "go to" person on
all administration issues. Lisa
started at the Carousel as a hostess
in 1978 when the theatre was located
in Ravenna, her birth town. She
eventually climbed her way up,
working in just about every position
possible at the theatre, including
backstage as a dresser and as Box
Office Manager. As Director of
Administration, Lisa is responsible
for all aspects of Accounts Payable
and Receivable. Lisa lives with her
husband and their two young
daughters, Jenna and Raegan. She
loves baking, reading mysteries and
pop fiction, fitness, and spending
time with her family.
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 Richard
Ferensic - Director of
Operations
E-Mail:
rferensic@carouseldinnertheatre.com
An Akron native Richard has been
in the hospitality industry for 30
years. After spending 10 years on
the west coast holding executive
positions at Lacosta Hotel & Spa and
Trans Pacific Restaurant Group it
was time to come back home and
continue his career. Serving as
General Manager at some of
Northeastern Ohio's finest Country
Clubs, Hotels and Restaurants
Richard has gained insight as to how
important the guest service and
culinary departments are in the
hospitality industry. "We have far
less to fear from outside
competition, than from inside
inefficiency, discourtesy and bad
service." Great food, great service
and a great show that's what we
strive for at the Carousel. As for
Richard"s time away from the
Carousel Dinner Theatre he enjoys
spending time with his children and
all activities that deal with the
great outdoors.
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Michael served as the Stage
Manager for 26 years for the
Carousel before taken on the role of
Production Manager. His
responsibilities include evaluating
the technical integrity while
developing and evaluating the
production process as well as
overseeing all technical areas of
each production. Michael's career at
the Carousel has taken him from the
days of the "in-the-round" theatre
in Ravenna, Ohio to the "state of
the art" proscenium stage here in
Akron, Ohio. Other theatre
experience includes Long Beach Civic
Light Opera; The Freedman Forum of
Anaheim, California; Center Civic
Repertory of Cleveland; The Kenley
Players in Warren, Ohio and Macy's
Parade Day Studio. Originally from
Warren, Ohio, Michael is an alumnus
of Kent State University and John F.
Kennedy High School. He is the proud
grandfather of 4, Alexis, Taylor,
Zion and Chance, and loves to golf
and support the Browns, Indians,
Cavs and Buckeyes. As always love to
Carlie for her support.
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 Sarah
Lance -
Marketing Manager
E-Mail:
slance@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Sarah has been with Carousel
since 2005. She previously
worked as a marketing assistant
at a landscape architecture firm
and as an account coordinator
for an advertising agency. A
graduate of Kent State
University, Sarah received her
B.B.A. in Marketing and holds a
private pilot certificate for
airplanes. She volunteers as a
Court Appointed Special Advocate
for Summit County as a court
voice for neglected, abused and
dependent children and is a
member of American Marketing
Association and Akron Area Arts
Alliance. She is a lifetime
resident of Akron other than a
brief episode near Austin,
Texas, and she is dedicated to
contributing to this wonderful
community. She loves to travel,
read, ride bicycles, golf and
delves into amateur photography.
She is very grateful for the
love and support of her husband,
and she is proud to be a part of
this Akron gem where she is able
to meet the many wonderful
guests who have been an ongoing
part of the Carousel family.
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Sara Ward
- Designer
E-Mail:
sward@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Ms. Ward graduated from
the prestigious Scripps
College of Visual
Communication and
Communication from Ohio
University, located in
Athens, Ohio. With two
Bachelor Degrees, Ms.
Ward has a background
ranging from print
design to web design,
animation, and
post-production. In her
spare time, Ms. Ward
enjoys illustrating,
design, fine literature,
and French cinema.
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 Danielle
Loibl-Gee -
M.A.- Group Sales and Services Manager
E-Mail:
dloibl-gee@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Danielle has been with the
Carousel since January
2007. Previously she had
spent most of her career in
the non-profit world of
mental health. She received
a B.A. in Communications
from the University of
Cincinnati with a minor in
Business Administration and
an M.A. in Public Speaking
from the University of
Cincinnati with a minor in
African American
Culture. Currently she
serves on the Board of
Directors of the Ohio
Suicide Prevention
Foundation. She is a member
of the 2007 Provisional
class of Akron Junior League
and an Alpha Delta Pi
Alumnus. She is a member of
the Akron Summit Council on
Tourism serving as First
Vice President and a member
of the Western Reserve
Tourism Council, Ohio
Tourism Association, The
National Tourism
Association, American Bus
Association, the African
American Travel Association
as well as numerous North
East Ohio Convention and
Visitors Bureaus. She is
currently working toward
becoming a Certified Tour
Professional and Certified
Travel Industry Specialist.
Danielle is also a certified
fitness instructor at the
YMCA in Tuscarawas county.
She is thrilled to be a part
of the theatre and travel
world and is grateful to the
Carousel for giving her the
opportunity to be a part of
such a quality
organization. But most of
all, she thanks every group
that visits. Spending time
with them is the best part
of her job!
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 Diane
Motil -
Group Sales and Services Representative
E-Mail:
dmotil@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Diane has lived in Akron all her
life. She is married with children
and is the proud grandmother of one
wonderfully terrific grandson. Diane
began working at Carousel in Feb
2002 as a Box Office Reservationist,
and in November 2005 she began
working part time in Group Sales. In
July 2006 she was promoted to the
full-time position of Group Sales
Representative. Diane is happy to be
a part of the Carousel Dinner
Theatre Staff.
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 Jodie
Fiala -
Network and Systems Administrator
E-Mail:
jfiala@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Jodie came to the Carousel
with Entertainment very near and
dear to her heart. A graduate of
Kent State University, Jodie
spent most of her young career
with SeaWorld Cleveland and Six
Flags Worlds of Adventure. She
joined the Carousel as the Box
Office Manager in late 2004 and
in early 2006 was promoted to
Network and Systems
Administrator.
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Desiree Herchek -
Box
Office Manager
E-Mail:
dherchek@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Having previously spent four
years as Box Office Manager,
Desiree returns to Carousel
after a brief hiatus. She has
worked as a restaurant manager
and has experience in business
marketing and sales. Desiree
enjoys interacting with Carousel
guests as well as her box office
staff. On a personal note,
Desiree has a husband of 19
years, a Siberian Husky dog, 7
cats and one beautiful
horse. She is active in showing
her Paint horse and has traveled
all over the country. This year
she went all the way to World
Competition in Tulsa Okalahoma
with her horse where they
finished in three top tens. She
also teaches baton at a dance
studio in Kent and enjoys the
outdoors and spending time with
her family. “There are so many
special people that I work with
at the Carousel, and I’m very
happy to be a part of the
Carousel Family again.”
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 Jim
L. Morrison C.E.C -
Executive Chef
E-Mail:
jmorrison@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Chef James L.
Morrison is a Northeast
Ohio native who attended
the University of Akron.
He is one of only a few
chefs in the area to
have earned the
Certification level of
Executive Chef through
the American Culinary
Federation. James has
worked for nearly three
decades in the industry
in various regions of
the country, learning
the many flavors of
American Cuisine. When
he is not cooking, you
will find him with his
family, on his Harley or
on the golf course
chasing the little ball.
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Clarence began working as a
part-time and seasonal server at the
Carousel back in 1988, when he owned
his own construction company and
needed work during the winter
months. He was also attending The
University of Akron at that time,
and graduated in 1991 with a B.S. in
Business Administration. Clarence
quickly parlayed his new degree into
his current position, where he is
responsible for the complete
satisfaction of your dining
experience here at the Carousel.
Clarence lives in Akron with his
wife and their two children. When
he's not strutting around the office
singing, he loves doing interior
home improvements, is an avid
walker, and enjoys good jazz,
football and boxing.
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 Brian
Hedges - Maitre d'
E-Mail:
bhedges@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Brian is a proud graduate of
the University of Akron, with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts. He came
to the Carousel 14 years ago and
loves working with and
supervising the Back Server
staff (16 to 20 year olds) for
the past 7 years. "They give me
a great deal of satisfaction and
pride, back serving is a first
employment for many of these
kids." In his spare time, he
enjoys cooking, gardening, being
outdoors and being at home.
Brian likes to visit New York
City and the New England states.
An Akron native and resident, he
previously worked for Guys Party
Centre as a wedding reception
supervisor.
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 Dale
Dibernardo - Costume
Designer and Manager
E-Mail:
ddibernardo@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Dale Dibernardo has been
designing costumes for theater,
opera and television for more
than fifteen years. A former New
Yorker, she now makes her home
here in Akron. She is credited
with designing projects starring
Rich Little, Sandy Duncan,
George Chakiris, Peter Scolari,
John Davidson, Dick Van Patton,
Estelle Harris, Donna McKechnie,
Priscilla Lopez and a host of
other celebrated performers. She
would like to thank Joe and
David for adopting her into the
Carousel family after serving
thirteen years in foster care.
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 Steve
Parsons - Resident Musical Director
E-Mail:
sparsons@carouseldinnertheatre.com
Steve is pleased to be in his second
full year at the Carousel. For ten
years, Steve was the Resident Musical
Director at The Players Guild Theatre.
Other credits include The Ohio
Shakespeare Company, Pittsburgh Civic
Light Opera and productions in New York.
Additionally, he provided new
arrangements and orchestrations for Dean
Pitchford’s official revised version of
FOOTLOOSE, created new versions of the
NUNSENSE scores for creator Dan Goggin,
wrote original music for the hit video
game COLLEGE SLAM, and performed in the
“Tickestra” for the FOX animated
television series THE TICK. Steve was
also the arranger for the Grateful Dead
musical CUMBERLAND BLUES, which was
recently performed at the New York
Musical Theatre Festival. An active
composer and orchestrator, Steve is
orchestrating the regional musical IT’S
A WONDERFUL LIFE and is a consultant and
contributor to the upcoming biography of
legendary songwriter Stephen Schwartz.
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Michael
J. Stein - Production
Manager
Clarence
Edmonds - Guest
Services Manager
