Film credits

Directed by Robert Cicchini

Starring Deborah Staples and Chase Yi

Screenplay by Roger Rapoport and Deborah Staples

Producer: Roger Rapoport

Director of Photography: Bruce Schermer

Cinematographer, Production Director: David Darling

Editor: Gene M. Gamache

Production Designer: Kirk Wahamaki

Executive Producers: Tom and Renée Boldt, Robert Goodrich, Dorothy Johnson, Ilene and Norm Tyler, the Tyler-Little Family Foundation.

Associate Producers: Robert Cicchini, David Darling, Jan Deur, Gene Gamache, Katherine Gietzen, Kelly Nash, Tyler Joslin, Kay Ostrom, Jean Pataky, Shaw and Betty Walker Foundation and Deborah Staples

Assistant Producers: Nancy Bierenga, Michael Hahn, Donna and Scott Lachniet, The Massie Family Foundation, Dan Sutherland.

Our Team

  • Deborah Staples

    Deborah Staples, a Los Angeles native, moved to the midwest to pursue a career in the professional theater. She took an acting internship at The Milwaukee Rep, before starting her career in Chicago. Amid a flourishing relationship with Chicago Shakespeare, Deborah jumped at the chance to live her dream of being in an acting company. She relocated to Milwaukee to join The Milwaukee Rep as a Resident Actor, where she has performed 21 seasons and is currently an Associate Artist.

    She has performed in well over 100 plays across the country at The Milwaukee Rep, American Players Theatre, Next Act Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Meadow Brook Theater, Writers' Theater, Milwaukee Chamber Theater and Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa Shakespeare Festivals among others. Deborah has enjoyed portraying a wide range of roles, including all the men and women in two different one-woman shows (The Blonde, The Brunette And The Vengeful Redhead and The Amish Project), and the title roles in HAMLET, MARY STUART, ELIZABETH REX, ANNA KARENINA, PHEDRE, MIRANDOLINA, and ANNA CHRISTIE. Other roles of note are Billie Dawn (Born Yesterday), Nora (A Doll's House), Jean Louise (To Kill A Mockingbird), Amanda (Private Lives), Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing), Helena (All's Well That Ends Well), Yelena, (Uncle Vanya), and Ariel (Tempest), Lady Macbeth (Macbeth), Kate (The Taming of the Shrew), Cressida (Troilus & Cressida), Desdemona & Emilia (Othello), Catherine (Proof), Lyuba Ranevskaya (The Cherry Orchard), Roxane (Cyrano de Bergerac), Gwendolen (The Importance of Being Earnest), Ann (All My Sons), Viola & Olivia (Twelfth Night), Hermione & Perdita (The Winter's Tale), Goneril & Regan (King Lear), Brook and Belinda (Noises Off), and Elmire (Tartuffe).

    Deborah's film work includes cameos in Waterwalk and Baraboo, and a featured role in Pilot Error.

    She is also a voiceover artist and the mother of two fabulous girls.

  • Robert Cicchini

    Robert Cicchini is an award winning actor, director, and acting teacher. He has acted in or directed over 100 stage plays, has acted in over 70 television shows as a guest star or recurring character, and played roles in 40 feature films. He also teaches acting at AMDA College and Conservatory for the Performing Arts and has directed numerous plays with The New American Theater, Los Angeles. Cicchini directed and starred in the 2012 feature film, Waterwalk, which has played theatrically in over 200 theaters across the US.

    He has been fortunate to work with some of the most important theater, film and television artists of our time. His list of film credits include: Godfather III, Lightsleeper, Primary Colors, The Deep End of the Ocean, Path to War, Mrs. Harris, The Pickle, War of the Worlds, Jungle Fever, Dreamgirls, Mission of the Shark, California Solo and most recently Pilot Error. The list of directors with whom he has worked include: Francis Ford Coppola, Spike Lee, Paul Schraeder, Ulu Grosbard, Bill Condon, Mike Nichols, Paul Mazursky, John Frankenheimer and Steven Spielberg.

    His extensive television credits include: Shameless, Castle, Law and Order, Bones, The Mentalist, NCIS, CSI, The Closer, CSI/NY, Desperate Housewives, The Sopranos, The Practice, Everybody Hates Chris, Cold Case, NYPD Blue, Without a Trace, Frasier, E.R., Twisted, The Gilmore Girls and recurring roles on Six Feet Under, 24 and Murder in the First.

    Cicchini is an active participant in the Los Angeles theater scene and performs and directs regularly with The New American Theatre Ensemble, (formerly Circus Theatricals), where he is an Associate Artist, teacher, director, actor, and charter member.

    Additionally, Cicchini has performed many plays in New York City and in several theaters across the U.S. and abroad. Those productions include: The Screens (The Guthrie Theater) opposite the great Ruth Maleczech and directed by Joanne Akalaitis, in which he sang a lullaby composed by Philip Glass a cappella in a net stretched above the audience's heads, The Racket (Soho Rep), As Is, On The Waterfront (world premiere), The Time of the Cuckoo, Antigone (tour of the Middle East), The Taming of the Shrew (Astor Place), Woycek (The NY Public Theater) in which he sang another Philip Glass composition, Biloxi Blues (Broadway tour), No Exit (Playwrights Horizons), Three Sisters, and the New York premieres of The Job (WPA) and Man.Gov (46th St. Theater).

    His directing credits with The New American Theatre Ensemble include: The Heiress, The Maids, Antigone, The Lower Depths, Getting Out, and the Los Angeles premieres of several one act plays including The Sausage Eaters, Star Song, and many more.

    Cicchini received an MFA from The Grad Acting Program at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, where he was a talent scholarship recipient. He has a BFA from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan

    He resides with his family in Culver City, California.

  • Chase Yi

    Chase Yi starred in the feature film Waterwalk and is a recent creative writing honors graduate of the University of California Los Angeles where he won the poetry award. In addition to being a successful film and stage actor, Yi is also an avid singer and guitar player performing regularly in West Los Angeles area. He is cofounder of the Philospher’s Stone Poetry Company which publishes the Third Eye Poetry and Prose anthology that aims to be an inspiration to the world.

    pspoets is proud to serve Los Angeles’s Westside where Yi lives. He grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and made his professional debut on the Farmer’s Alley Stage where he has appeared in Marvin’s Room, and Good People.

FULL CAST LIST

  • Anna Russell: Deborah Staples

  • Stan Russell: Chase Yi

  • Lee Russell: Kate Thomsen

  • Ron: Neil Brookshire

  • Jocelyn: April Paul

  • Coach Day: David Bendena

  • Curt: Kirk Wahamaki

  • Coach Brian: Ray Brazaski

  • Dr. Cole: Carrie Hitchcock

  • Receptionist Anya: Shelley Irwin

  • Dr. Christy Brown: Jacqui Robinson

  • Fred: Doug Mancheski

  • Molly: Kim Harsch

  • Ruth: Judy Johnson

  • Mom: Diane Van Wesep

  • Dad: Bill Iddings

  • Carl: Torsten Johnson

  • Micah: Evan Lugo

  • Lauren: Olivia Lenhertz

  • News Anchor: Michael Stewart

  • Melanie Foster: Sarah Chapin

  • Mental Health Intake Coordinator and 9/11 Operator: Shannon Huneryager

  • Police Detective: Mark Corkins

  • Police Desk Officer: Will Bryson

  • Furnace Guy: Tom Harryman

  • Process Server: Chris Beaman

  • Angela: Miranda Cecsarini

  • Jeff: Foley Schuler

  • Jeannie Happens: Liz Nolan

  • Training Coach: Dick Kimball

  • Cop: Joe Hasper

  • Sun Wind and Rain Gallery Customers: Susan Craves, Von Washington Jr. Keely Ackerman

  • Gallery Party Guest: Sebastiana Gullo

  • Lake State Divers: Allie Murphy, Colin DeShaw

  • Shoppers: Mary Jamieson, Filis Slater and Keely Ackerman

  • Assistant Coach: David Darling

  • Police Detective: D.J. Hilson

  • Italian Professor: Roger Rapoport

  • Les: Mickey Wallace

  • Janet: Tiffany Burns

CREW

  • Assistant Director: Cameron McCarger

  • Assistant Editor, Camera Operator, Visual Effects, DIT: Tyler Joslin

  • Supervising Sound Editor: Thomas C. Brewer, M.P.S.E.

  • Sound Editor: Jacob Brewer

  • Re-recording Mixer: Thomas C. Brewer

  • Supervising Sound Recordist: Kristian Bringedahl

  • Sound Recording: Brandon Popp, Luke Robinette, Joshua Swift, Dayton Hinton

  • Sound and Lighting: Travis Mandenburg

  • Colorist: Art Chudabala

  • Hair and Makeup: John Bailey, Heather Courson

  • Diving Photography: Michael Cody, Colin Wever

  • Camera Operator: Patrick Clark

  • Key Grip: Michael DePass

  • Set Designers: Gillian Twining, Lesley Witt

  • Props: Muskegon Civic Theater, Fran Harryman, Barbara Ferriby, Jack Kison

  • Graphics, Poster and Website Designer: James Sparling

  • Art and Set Designers: Tracey Howell, Gillian Twining

  • Marketing: Sales Driven Services, Jon Reesman; Peak Number Five, Lindsey Luttinen, Denise Robertson

  • Script Consultants: Richard Riehle and Terry Green

  • Diving Coach: Erin Isola

  • Diving Consultants: Dick Kimball, Mike Hilde, Vickie Kimball, Todd Hill, Erin Isola, Jim Richardson, Bonnie Kulp, Kyle Overhill, Margie Collison

  • Mental Health Consultants: Dr. Henry Massie, Anna Bednarek, Lynn Doyle, Michael Pine, Joellen Rhyndress

  • College Athletics Consultant: Dr. Mark Nagel, College Sports Research Institute, University of South Carolina

  • Police Consultants: D.J. Hilson, Jeffrey Lewis, Mark Barnett, Sean Bride

  • Ballistics Consultants: Jack VanWingerden, Jim Guy

  • Medical Consultant: Cindy Collison 

  • Casting Consultants: Benjamin Reigel, Sandra Ernst, Claire Simon

  • Production Consultant: Aviva Kempner

  • Assistants to Deborah Staples: Jennifer LaChapelle, Rebecca McCroskey

  • Production Assistants: Hannah Ferriby, Colin Wever, Alex Bernhardt

  • Legal: Janet Fries, Drinker, Biddle and Reath

  • Accounting: Spoelman, Hovingh and Feldt:Betsy Merkins, Ron Hovingh

  • Insurance: Jerviss-Fethke, Gene Fethke

  • Database: Marie Duarte

  • Catering: Oceana Winery, Renae and Greg Goralski, Ryke’s

Art

Paintings: Lori Eslick

Pottery: Laurie Pounder and Adam Merten (Claybanks Studios), Laurie Floyd, Louise Hopson (Art Cats), Joan Rapoport, Deborah Smith, Hannah Craig, Deborah Staples.

Pottery Consultants: Suzanne Seymour (Creative Fire), Peter Johnson (Terrestrial Forming)

Muskegon Museum of Art: Art Martin, Kirk Hallman, Judy Hayner

Paintings from the Museum’s Collection:

Tornado Over Kansas, John Steuart Curry

The Court Yard, Jerome Meyers

Tea Time, Unknown Artist

The Green Door, Edward Gregory Smith

LOCATIONS

Muskegon, Michigan

Sun Wind and Rain, Filis Slater, Ron Paquette, Mary Jamieson

Tom and Fran Harryman

Muskegon Community College: Dale Nesbary, Rod Van Nortwick, Cindy DeBoef, Shelia Wahamaki, Lee Ann Frame, Jason Cooper, Carol Briggs-Erickson, Marty McDermott, Colleen Morse

Lakeshore Fitness Center: Jeff Lohman

Cherokee Restaurant: Lisa Tyler

Hannah Bananas Ice Cream

Muskegon Civic Theater: Jason Bertoia, Heather McCallum

Temple B’nai Israel: Alan Alpert, Bob Scolnik

Muskegon High School

Muskegon Surgery Center: Cindy Collison

Fruitport Conservation Club

The Trophy House: Steve Bliss

18th Amendment

Unity of Muskegon: Diane Sandefer

Vintage Redefined: Renee Doan and Courtney Leibrandt

Witt Buick: Lee Witt

Lakeshore Federal Credit Union: Kathy Fearnley

Nexes Realty: Bill Carlston, Sherri Davis

Ken Price, Jeff Sicho, Jim Allen.

Grand Haven: Third Coast Media, Jeff Jonease; Third Coast Recording, Bill Chrysler

Ludington: William and Anna Anderson, Susan Golder, Gail and David Anderson, Stacey Kunkle, Shirley Vandervere, Jacob Miller

Holland: City of Holland, Good Time Donuts

Grand Rapids: Meijer Gardens, John Vanderhagen; Michigan Women’s Foundation, Judith Welch.

Ann Arbor: Donald B. Canham Natatorium, Ann Arbor District Library

Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, City of Whitefish Bay, Eve Lipchik, Luci Klebar, George Tzougros

Ann Arbor Unit: Jim Burnstein, Natalie Grove, Kaley Wetekamp, Annie Cohen, Steven Wezelman, Eve Silberman, John Hilton, Ryan Silva, Andy Sacks, University of Michigan Department of Film, Television and Media

Ludington Art Center: Andrew Skinner
Fetzer Center Western Michigan University

Hope College: Daina Robins, Department of Theater

Western Michigan University: Department of Theater, Joan Herrington, D. Terry Williams

Compass Film Academy: Austin Morse, Anna Proulx

Columbia College: Isabeau Dornevil

First Unitarian of Milwaukee: Joan Christopherson

Next Act

Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Door Shakespeare: Amy Ensign

Starfish Family Services: Kelly Sisung, Margo Hill, Janna Marinko, Tonya Williams

Full Compass, Lensrental.com

S.S. Badger: Sara Ewing, Terri Brown

Lake Express: Mindy Temple, Amy Braschler, Ken Scallai

Thanks

We Gratefully Thank The Following Foundations, Companies, Mental Health Agencies and Individuals Who Have Generously Supported This Production:

Neil Berkson
Mike and Theresa Bernhardt
Cathy and Bernie Berntson
Marilyn Cagle
Jeff Closz
Culver’s of Grand Haven: Angela Taylor
Fran, Jackie and Jim Fisher
Judith and David Gingras
Shirley Gossett
Bonnie Hawkins
Joel and Kathy Jarvis
Gerald Nehra, Peggy Jensen
Bari Johnson
Larry Kirshbaum
James and Constance Klug
Ilene Lang
Bill Loxterman
Rosemary Monroe
Hester Newton
Keni Nooner
Fritz and Gretchen Stansell
Barbara and John Tevebaugh
Leon Van Reese

Community Mental Health Association of Michigan: Chris Ward, Robert Sheehan
Ask Family Services Kalamazoo: Tina Robbins, Jill Angell
Brickley DeLong, Certified Public Accountants, Don Swick
Carthage College: Elizabeth Young, Paul Hegland
Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton-Eaton-Ingham Counties: Sarah Lurie
Copper County CMH Services: Carolyn Raboin, Taryn Mason
Detroit Wayne County Mental Health Authority: Sharday Selby
Genesee Health System: Danis Russell, Renee Keswick
Goodrich Community Theaters: Jill Ashton, Mark Culp, Reed Simon, Dusten Van Zyll
Health West
Huron Behavioral Health: Ruth Schwendinger
First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee: Joan Christopherson
First Presbyterian Church, Muskegon: Rev. James B. Rausch
Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services: Jeff Patton
Lapeer County Community Mental Health, Melody Munro Wolf
Momentum Center, Grand Haven: Barbara Lee, Carey Korpi
Muskegon Women’s Club, Nancy Bierenga
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill: Mark Creekmore, Judy Gardner, Margaret Keeler, Suzanne Kellom, Frank Mumford
Newaygo County Mental Health: Carol Mills, Denise Russo-Starback, Wendi Selmon
North Country Community Mental Health CMH: Christine Gebhard, Lorraine Manary
Ottawa County Mental Health: Lynn Doyle, Anna Bednarek
Redford Theater: Steve Overstreet
Sanilac Community Mental Health: Kellie Phelps, Deb Messing
Spectrum Health Ludington
St. Clair Community Mental Health: Jill Vandenabeele
Starfish Family Services: Kelly Sisung, Allison Payer, Lisa Messina
Washtenaw County Community Mental Health: Sally Amos O’Neal
West Michigan Community Mental Health: Lisa Williams

Accommodations:  Barbara DeLello, John Derbin, Peggy Jensen, Earl and Denise Lyden, Renee and Bert May, Gerry Nehra, Jean Pataky, Deb Smith, Ilene and Norm Tyler.  

Props/Vehicles: Hannah Craig, Barbara Ferriby, Jason Bertoia, Muskegon Civic Theater

Thanks to Heath Carpenter, Terri Gust, Edye Evans Hyde, Bob Lukens, Rana Roman, Jarod Peterson, Cynthia Price, Rachel Partain, Ron Pesch, Dave Riegler amd Kimberly Sorenson, Jeff Tripp

BACKGROUND ACTORS

Mike Allen, Michael Burns, Cristina Trevino, Corbin Blink, John Derbin,Ty Joshua LeFurge, Meggan McCaughan, Alyssa McCaughan, Marjorie McCargar, Cambell Robinson, Colin Wever, Jack Kison, Lori Eslick, Golman Eslick, Erica Rudholm, Avery Rudholm, Macy Rudholm, Wendi Rudholm, Laurie Keller, Carmen Harcourt, Navidad Cortez, Tracey Howell, Dominic Ferrett, Elicia Ferrett, Leon Van Reese,Tim Hamlin, Isabel Young, Nicole Banistean, DaQuawn Bruce, Kevin LeFaivre, Jordan Booth, Caitlin McCombe,John Archer, Sarah Schmidt, Hailey Morgan, Jane Eckles, Kari Flett, Patricia M.Baker, Rachel Prolte, Sidney Burke, Lauren Faragoi. Emily Krysinski, Jamie Serena, Julia Duerig, Brianna Gromowski, Ariana Raya, Katherine Baker, Deborah Holdship, Jim Burnstein, Jared Versluis, Tyler Madock, Emma Madock, Jacob Madock, Pamela Reed, Beverly TenBrock, Kailey TenBrock, Norman Tyler, Ilene Tyler, Rebecca Poulin, Marc Poulin, Cruz Poulin, Alex Poulin, Carol Levin, Ashlee (Gabby) Han, Emily Tubbs, Shannon Kearney, Ambrose Burnside, Hannah Ferriby, Catherine A Woodring, Ann Slade, Dylan Metzdoff, Allen Kinahan, Kiernan Pitts, Amber Gould, Brock Berson, Brittany Merritt, Brooke Ledsworth, Cody Berkobien, Mary Moulton, Richard Moulton, Mark Moulton, Spencer Moulton, Mitchell Moulton, Joel Manthei, Rachel McLouth, Trae Pitts, Andrea Buntley, Ryan Harris, John Burns, Michael Haug, Joshua Powles, Paul Cwik, Charlie Oldaker, Elizabeth Cobas, Alexis Martin, Deshay Burks, Isaiah Washington, Lisha Sweet, Cole Halterman, Faith Smith, Brandon Lemieux, Lynsie Brandenburg, Leonard E. Poole, Megan Delgado, Brody Yarian, Sheila K. Wahamaki, Omega Osband, Jake Mate, Tyler Modock, Bill Golder, Stacey Kunkle, Collin DeShaw, Tiffany Burns, Robin Thomsen, Jane and Dan Horton, Mary A. Luther, Jean M Steele, Jacqueline Fisher, Jim Fisher, Max and Ruth Bloomquist, Tyler Quillen, Gary and Elaine Reynolds, Merle Scolnik, Bob Scolnik, Will Vallie, Paul Vallie, Michael Lundell, Kristopher Arnold, Martin M. Holmes, Joe Genia, Susan Holkeboer, Alan Gurwitz, Connie Nesbary, Dale Nesbary, Gerald Nehra, Bill Loxterman, Lorie Floyd, John Bailey, Luciana Bailey, Zoe Vanderstelt, Ian Vanderstelt, Claudia Derda-Vanderstelt, Sage Grimm, Hallie Ackerman, Leo Ackerman, Lucy Ackerman, Preston Sims.

SPECIAL THANKS

A Very Special Thanks to Frederic Alline, Frank Browning, Jeanine and Angelina Cicchini, David and Miranda Cecsarini, Pascal Diot, Marty Ferriby, Will Ferriby, Gavin Ferriby, Shelly Stackhouse, Chiara Marin, Lindsay McDonald, David Raikes, Carla Rapoport, Ron Rapoport, Elizabeth Rapoport, and Jonathan Rapoport.

Coming Up For Air is Project of the Heartland Independent Film Forum