Tracey Altman (Co-Chair/Membership)
Tracey has been a member of the SBP since 1986 and has made many lifelong friends through the group. She met her husband, Ken, in 1987 during a production of Come Blow Your Horn. Throughout the years she has been both on stage and backstage, working on many productions. In 1992 Tracey served as Chair of the Board for a two-year term. In 2018 she rejoined the Board to head up Membership, and in 2020 she became Co-chair of the group. To Tracey, the SBP has always offered community, creativity and friendship. As Co-chair, she works collaboratively across all facets of the group. Tracey, a proud Lifetime Member, also leads the Players’ overall strategy/vision, which includes its 95-plus-year history, as well as helping facilitate the group’s evolution to keep it relevant. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Ken, and her two cats Inga & Ulla. sbpmembership@gmail.com
Melissa Broder (Communications Chair)
Melissa joined the SBP more than 30 years ago and is a proud Lifetime Member of the group. She has served on the Board, on and off, for many years in a variety of roles, including marketing, staffing and communications. Melissa has found the SBP to be the warmest and most professional of community theaters and is proud to call it her theater home. Melissa is a retired book publishing professional, a Certified Master Gardener and a crazy cat lady who resides with her husband, Michael, (and their cats Penny and Puffer) in Hoboken, NJ.
Joe Gambino (Treasurer)
Joe joined the St. Bart's Players in spring 2001 and made his onstage debut in the fall of that year in Morning's at Seven. Soon after, he joined the Board as Co-Treasurer, later moving on to Chair other committees such as Communications, Marketing and Play Selection. This year, Joe returned to the Board in his original role of Treasurer. He has had the pleasure of appearing onstage and backstage throughout his 22 years with the group, including working twice as Producer. Joe has also worked on postcard and playbill design, and produced play readings for the group on Zoom during the pandemic. By day, he is an Audit Supervisor with the Shubert Organization, and moonlights as a voice actor. He is the creator/writer/star of the comedy web series A Cup o' Bitter Joe, available on YouTube. Joe counts joining the SBP as one of the smartest decisions he's ever made, and cherishes the friendships and memories he's made with the group. He is a proud Lifetime Member of the group.
Amy Kurfist (Marketing Co-Chair)
Although she has been a fan and audience member for many years, Amy officially joined the Players in 2020, just in time to participate in - and take the lead on - some creative virtual programming including the livestreamed production of All Together Now. Amy quickly moved up the ranks from marketing committee member to Marketing Co-Chair in 2022. In this role, she looks forward to continuing to expand the Players’ reach through creative social media and digital marketing tactics, as well as using her background in market research to help inform the Players’ decisions. Professionally, Amy works as a higher education consultant, and in addition to theater she enjoys crafting, spending time with her niece and nephew, and getting all the cuddles from her best friend/dog, Archie. stbartsmarketing@gmail.com
Merrill Vaughn (Advisor)
Merrill became a member of the St. Bart’s Players in the spring of 1978. The years have brought many changes to the Players, but what hasn’t changed is the depth of friendships forged and the quality of theater produced. Merrill joined the Board as a Production co-chair in 2001 and has proudly co-produced seven Main Stage shows. Merrill served as Board Co-Chair with various people for many years before stepping down to serve as Advisor. Anyone who knows Merrill knows that she can usually be found at the helm of one of her favorite activities: cleaning out and organizing our props closets at St. Bart’s. She is also a proud Lifetime Member of the Players. By day, Merrill is a Senior Editor at Forbes magazine; she divides her time between her homes in Maine and New Jersey with her husband, Glen, and their dog, Miami.
Alex Cooke (Co-Chair/Marketing)
Alex first joined the Players in 2014 and was immediately drawn to the mix of professionalism and camaraderie rarely found in other community theater groups. The productions were — and are — high-caliber, and the members were approachable and eager to make one feel welcome and a part of the family. It was this sense of community that pushed him to apply for the board. Since 2016, Alex had worked on Marketing efforts but as of March 2023, Alex now serves as co-chair for the Board along with Tracey Altman as he continues to work on Marketing efforts with Amy Kurfist. Alex is thrilled to help Tracey lead the group as they navigate honoring the rich legacy of the group while keeping us moving forward. Alex currently works at Giant Spoon as an Associate Account Director. stbartsmarketing@gmail.com.
Erin Bruno (Front of House Chair)
After years of being a huge SBP fan, Erin officially joined the group in 2021. She has loved becoming a part of the community by co-producing shows, volunteering, performing in concerts and getting to know all of the welcoming, warm and talented Players along the way. In 2023, Erin was awarded SBP's Member of the Year, a true honor and highlight of her time with the group. She is very excited to join the Advisory Board and deepen her involvement with a community she loves and has always admired. By day, Erin supervises Psychologists with New York City Public Schools, adores her nieces and nephews, is a board game enthusiast and lives in Hoboken with her wonderful husband, Ken.
Daniel Grinko (Fundraising Chair)
Dan came to the Players at the turn of the century — and never left — having found a wonderful community of friends. He has been seen onstage playing everything from a child to a princess to a wealthy, middle-age man. Behind the scenes, Dan has created many of the Players’ show logos and marketing materials, produced cabaret events and served in several positions on the Board. With a professional career in creative marketing and design, he specializes in work with nonprofits and fundraising. He applies all of those skills when focused on raising money for the Players, whether through fundraising campaigns or events. “Our friends realize how amazing it is that we can produce and stage shows on our own. Their unwavering generosity is what keeps us going.” When Dan is not at St. Bart’s or hard at work, he’s likely home, mowing the lawn (while singing!) and enjoying his family. Dan prefers vodka martinis with three olives. He is also a proud Lifetime Member of the group. fundraising@stbartsplayers.org
Mike Pitsikoulis (Technical Director)
Mike joined the Players in 2018 because he was captivated by the sense of community he felt and the quality of the work everyone strives to create. His first Players’ show (both on stage and helping behind the scenes) was You Can’t Take it With You. Soon thereafter Mike joined the Board in the newly created role of TD. As TD, Mike oversees all technical aspects of SBP productions and manages all equipment. He helps with the hiring of designers, the planning of Load-Ins/Strikes and fills in as crew (and cast) as needed. He also serves as resident technician for smaller Players’ productions. Professionally, Mike serves as Facilities/Studio Manager of the National Dance Institute Center for Learning & the Arts in Harlem.
2019 Award Winners:
2019 New Player of the Year: Michael Halwagy
2019 Crew All-Star: Deirdre Mullins
2019 Player of the Year: Nicole Bournas-Ney
Crew All-Star of the Decade: Jill Conklin
2023 Award Winners:
2023 Crew Member of the Year: Hannah Miller
2023 New Member of the Year: Ashlye Valines
2023 Member of the Year: Erin Bruno
Lifetime Members
Ken Altman • Tracey Altman • Maryjane L. Baer • Robert Berger • Eric B. Bettelheim
Barbara Blomberg • Melissa Broder • Susan Carlino Nicholson
Christopher Catt • Maryellen Conroy • Alyssa Somers Farlow
Rev. Bruce W. Forbes • Joe Gambino • Danielle Giorgetti • Dan Grinko
Joe Kassner • Ronald Kross • Hope Landry Cilen • Ray McGarrigle
Fran Mullins • Jim Mullins • Nell Robinson • Joan Scribner
Veronica Shea • Jane Southall • Rev. William McD Tully • Merrill Vaughn