“Ask Me About My Dad”: The Virtual Program

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 – JCC CenterStage Canalside Stage

Your Storytellers

PETER HAGGERTY

Peter retired in 2015 as an Associate Professor Emeritus at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at RIT after teaching there for 39 years. Peter is the recipient of numerous RIT honors, including the RIT Award for Outstanding Teaching. He hails from Boston, MA, and has been in Rochester since 1976. His recent Rochester stage roles have been at the RIT Panara Theatre/MuCCC/Geva (Fielding Stage)/Highland Park Bowl.

When not performing, Peter enjoys reading and exercise, especially running, cycling, and swimming. He has completed the Boston Marathon and a Tinman triathlon distance. He thanks his beautiful and talented wife, Luane, for all her love and support on all the “stages” of the world.

RACHEL DAZE 

Rachel Daze is a regular on the Rochester comedy scene, appearing in upcoming shows including “Little Darla’s Comedy Hour” at Comedy at the Carlson Friday, September 29.

Find her on Instagram @rachels_notfunny

GOODKNEWS

Christopher “GoodKnews” Cardwell is a Rochester-based photographer specializing in wedding and portrait photography.

In the last year he’s become a prominent local comic as well, appearing in and hosting numerous shows, including the Wednesday night open mic at ROC Cinema.

RALPH TETTA

Ralph Tetta is an experienced and talented comic who has lived the comedy life. As a performer, club manager, and even as a part of the George Carlin tour, Ralph has been everywhere, done everything, and seen it all.

With over 30 years in the business, Ralph has a knack for connecting with all types of crowds. From family-friendly events to corporate appearances to gritty clubs, Ralph can size up an audience and deliver the performance that’s just right every time.

Starting out at Yuk Yuk’s in 1988, Ralph became the house MC at the Comix Cafe, performed with Joey & Maria’s Comedy Wedding and The Inner Loop Improv Troupe. He is the co-host of “The $18 Podcast with Chris and Ralph” and an instructor at Rochester’s Focus Theatre.

RALPH MERANTO

Ralph Meranto, Jr. is Producing Artistic Director of CenterStage Theatre at the JCC. Born in Niagara Falls, NY, he began his love of theater at age 10 as an orphan in Oliver! and never looked back. Ralph is a stage director, acting coach, and (occasional) performer. His first performance at the JCC was in 1987 as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, and his most recent performance was stepping into the role of Mr. Mushnik in that same musical in 2022. Ralph’s passion as a producer is working with writers on new works, including regular collaborations with Jason Odell Williams, with whom he has worked on world-premiere plays including Church & State (Off-Broadway premiere at New World Stages), Division Street, and On the Market. Church & State has been licensed by Dramatist Play Services and has had over 50 productions across the country. Other new work development projects include Survivors by Wendy Kout (currently touring area schools and soon to be a documentary film), Kasha Davis’ There’s Always Time for a Cocktail (Off-Broadway Premiere at the Beechman Theater), the rock musical RISE, My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding, and CenterStage’s Hitmakers popular music series. He is thrilled to make his writing debut in honor of his father, Ralph Meranto, Sr.

Producer/Host

SCOTT FYBUSH

A Brighton native who grew up just down the road (and at the JCC and its summer camps), Scott is a broadcast journalist — currently with Rochester’s WXXI News, a radio industry broker and consultant, and more recently, a stand-up comedian and storyteller. Recent performances have included New York’s Greenwich Village Comedy Club and The Story Collider in Boston. Along with his wife, Lisa, he produces and hosts the Comedy on Deck series at their Brighton home, where they live with two children and Sadie the dog.

He is very happy to be returning to a JCC stage for the first time since 1985, when he played John in the Camp Seneca Lake production of Peter Pan.

In addition to tonight’s show, you can see the Fybushes in this year’s Fringe in Comedy on Deck Comes Inside, their stand-up show at 9 pm Saturday at Club SOTA at School of the Arts, and in Catharsis Time! 2.0, where they are part of the ensemble cast telling embarrassing true stories, at 7:30 Wednesday night and 4 pm Saturday at Focus Theater.

Find Scott on social media @fybush (except on Twitter, where he’s @scottfybush) and learn more about their Fringe shows at fybush.com/fringe.

Special Thanks

Erica Fee and everyone at Fringe

Ralph Meranto and the entire JCC CenterStage team

Jim Byrne at Pittsford Community Library

…and our dads!