Enter Stage Right

After spending 10 seasons working behind the scenes at Powerhouse, Ed Cheetham has been cast in the lead role. The new producing director of the Powerhouse program got his start as former director Beth Fargis-Lancaster’s assistant, and has also worked as an apprentice, training director, and as head of the apprentice program. “Beth left some big shoes to fill,” says Cheetham, “but I’m picking up right where she left off.” So far ticket sales are up, and the season is set to kick off on June 22.

The actor-turned-director is used to wearing many hats. After his own stint as an apprentice, Cheetham lived in Chicago for nearly 10 years doing everything from teaching cooking classes and editing a newspaper to event planning and catering. With each job change, his love of theater remained a constant, and he often flew to New York to direct low-budget plays. Eventually, the native of Wappingers Falls moved back to New York, working in the city as a restaurant manager, corporate meeting planner, and as a nanny for most of the year to support his theater habit.

When Fargis-Lancaster left, he jumped at the chance to return full time. “I literally went from being a nanny one night, to taking the train to Poughkeepsie to start in the office the next day,” says Cheetham with a laugh. “But this job is ideal because there are so many hats to wear.”

Mention Metro-North to Katherine Bush and she’ll tell you how she spent four hours a day riding along the river from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie. Stepping in for Karen Minturn as the new director of Summer Programs and Special Events, Bush still factors in the train station as part of her commute, but only to drop off her husband who works in the city.

After working for JP Morgan Chase for 10 years in corporate human resources, Bush is ready to take on her first summer at Vassar where she’ll help oversee the college’s 30-plus summer programs. “There are so many exciting programs, and I’m definitely used to coordinating venues and multitasking,” she says. Bush created and led programs at JP Morgan Chase on breaking through the glass ceiling, teaching children about money, and empowering young girls to enter any profession on Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. At one point, Bush coordinated a program with 900 children at three different New York sites, along with 16 other sites outside of New York that were also taking part. “It was so much fun,” she recalls. “I love to pull everyone in from different directions and start working as one unit – as a team – that’s what I like to see.”