Moving On : Curated Personal Story Evening — The Mopco Improv Theatre

Everything shifts. We let go of things; we chart new paths. Whether with intention or unexpectedly, with clarity or stumbling around in the dark, these moments of change and transformation can surprise and delight, bring hope, healing, and teach us about what's possible. Join us as we continue our series of curated personal story evenings with a lineup of real-life stories told by real people — poignant, funny, or heartwarming tales that showcase what it means to move on.

Show: Friday Sept. 18 at 8 PM

Lineup:
- Richard Moran, Jr.: grew up in Scotia, NY, earning a BA in Theater from SUNY Cortland (1989) and a Master of Divinity from Northeastern Seminary (2017). A former member and director of three improv comedy troupes (1999–2004), Richard famously ran his dog, Loffredo, for Mayor of Schenectady in 1999 to the chagrin of local officials. Raised Roman Catholic, he converted to African Methodism in 2006, serving five years as an ordained pastor. Today, he is an Independent Catholic priest co-pastoring St. John of God Parish in Schenectady and serves as a Clinical Chaplain Supervisor at Ellis Hospital.
- Adam Biggs: took his first improv class at Mopco a year ago and has found immense joy in being part of the local improv community. He has no other formal theater training but serves as a history professor at RPI which, according to some, is the same thing.
- Dee Lee Wind: a professional storyteller for more than 30 years, has presented throughout the U.S., the U.K., and France. Her expressive arts training, as well as her background in drama, speech, and theatre, adds warmth, sensitivity, and a dramatic flair to her storytelling. Dee performs storytelling concerts and does storytelling workshops for children, family audiences, and adults. She also hosts storytelling programs in her home several times a year. She is a member of the Story Circle of the Capital District.
- Beverly P. Schwartz: is an educator, speaker, and creator of the first STEM program in the US. A third-grade teacher in Troy, New York, she turned a lack of resources into an opportunity, building partnerships with engineers, scientists, businesses, universities, parents, and educators. Her program became known as STEM in 1990 and expanded across four counties. Today, Beverly shares her story nationally and internationally, encouraging educators and students to embrace curiosity, creativity, and the courage to create their own path.
- Jen DeGroff: is the Founder of TrueIcon Inc., where she helps high-achievers stop living for everyone else's expectations and start building a life that genuinely gives them energy. After 12 years in corporate marketing and business strategy, and 6 years as a personal trainer, she made the bold leap to leave it all behind to create impact at a greater level. Through coaching, speaking, and workshops, Jen helps women identify what's holding them back and move forward with clarity, confidence, and a strong sense of self, guided by her mission to help others stay true and boldly grow.
- Craig Petreikis: I arrived in Schenectady at the age of ten and always felt as if this was where I was supposed to be. It’s only fitting that I ended up here improvising at MOPCO. A member of DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE, Craig has been improvising since 2016. An artist and art organizer, Craig also runs ART NIGHT SCHENECTADY and the ELECTRIC CITY ARTS CONTEST.
- Hayes M. Fields II: has been in front of audiences practically since birth. As a child, he sang with his mother and his sisters in a well-known gospel group, aptly named the Fields Singers. He was introduced to theatre formally through the Harlem Children's Theater Company and performed in Europe and Africa, as well as on most of the major stages and Off-Broadway stages in New York City. Hayes went on to appear in films, write his own scripts and music, produce music videos, and move to the Capital Region. He sang with popular local party band The Refrigerators in the early 2000s and has appeared in numerous productions with Park Playhouse, Capital Repertory Theatre, and the Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York. His most recent projects include launching the talk show Various Fields on YouTube and exercising his comedy muscles as a member of both a house team and the mainstage company at The Mopco Improv Theatre.
- Michael Eisenstein
- Ross Acevedo
- Sandy Schuman