The Glenridge

SEASONED LEADERSHIP

Ben Turoff, Manager of the Glenridge Performing Arts Center, has been involved in theatre and the performing arts his whole life. After receiving his BA in Humanities from Stetson University, he worked for The Walt Disney Company for 3 years, running sound and lights all over Disney property.

A fixture on the Sarasota arts scene for over 20 years, Ben was truly "born in a trunk." His parents were seasoned theatre professionals from New York City � his dad was a Broadway director and his mom a Broadway veteran from many shows, including the original company of South Pacific. After moving to Sarasota in 1969, they opened up Sarasota's famous Golden Apple Dinner Theatre in 1971. Consequently, Ben has been involved in every aspect of producing entertainment � from the Box Office to the technical end, from producing and directing award-winning shows to working with the clean-up crew!

At The Glenridge, Ben gets involved with all things entertainment oriented. He can be found offering guidance to the Glenridge Players (the member run theatre group), helping put together the July 4th program for the entire Glenridge community and, of course, handling all the bookings for our wonderful theatre!

Mark Noble, Technical Director of G-PAC, earned his MFA from Florida State University where he worked in lighting design and scene painting at the Asolo Conservatory.

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Mark has lived in Florida since 1960. In Sarasota, he's been head electrician at the Asolo and Van Wezel, production electrician and assistant technical director at the Sarasota Opera, production manager for the Florida West Coast Symphony and La Musica, and a grip and scene painter in locally made films that include "Great Expectations," "Honky Tonk Freeway" and "Palmetto." In addition, he's done lighting design for the Sarasota Youth Opera and the Eddie Toussaint Dance Company.

At Glenridge, Mark does it all � audio, lighting, wiring, set-ups � and everything that has to do with the technical side of the theater. We feel fortunate to have him.

Deborah Kerr, Performance Coordinator, may be the newest team member at the Glenridge Performing Arts Center but Deborah quickly made herself indispensable. Not only does she handle all the Box Office duties for the Glenridge but she also heads up our Film committee and works with members on various projects as well.

Deborah earned her AA in Theatre at Manatee Community College where she won many awards in Drama. She went on to get her BA, Summa Cum Laude, in English and American Literature from USF. Originally hailing from Canada, Deborah has been "stateside" for the past 10 years and brings a fresh perspective to everything she does. We feel fortunate to have her. The next time you make a reservation with her, ask her about "Fluffy."