​​OUR HISTORY
Live theatre in Geneva dates back to the end of the Nineteenth Century at the Smith Opera House in downtown Geneva. Early records show a production by “Geneva Amateurs” of The Pirates of Penzance on April 4, 1896. The Geneva Players presented productions at various schools and in the barn at Seneca Lake Country Club for a number of years. For seven years, The Geneva Summer Theatre presented plays with a professional company and community actors at the Bartlett Theatre on the Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus.
1978, the Geneva Theatre Guild, Inc., was founded to foster interest in the performing arts through participation in community theatre. Since that date, the Guild has presented over 130 plays and musicals in various venues, involving community members of all ages. Each summer, “Geneva’s amateurs” return to the beautifully restored, historic Smith Opera House to present a summer musical production. This magnificent venue allows area actors, singers and dancers the opportunity to perform on the same stage that once was used by noted vaudeville and theatre personalities.
1986, the Geneva Theatre Guild Youth Theatre was founded to provide local youth with an opportunity to be involved in all aspects of a live theatre production. The Youth Theatre also runs “Dramatic Inventions,” a series of informal drama classes for children in the third through fifth grades.
1998, The Nancy Curvin Playground Players were founded to honor the memory of longtime Guild member and past president, Nancy Curvin. This touring program provides a theatrical experience for area children and senior citizens who might not have easy access to a production.
1998, the Guild initiated a program that gives area playwrights the opportunity to have their plays performed in a staged-readers theatre format. Area writers are invited to submit scripts, which are considered by a committee of Guild members. Three or more plays are selected for performance in the Geneva Free Library and other venues around Geneva in April. Discussions with the playwrights, actors and directors follow the performances.
Throughout the years, the Guild has given many talented young people the opportunity to perform for local audiences. David Wood has gone on to appear in the chorus lines of several musicals. Tyrone Henderson is now a professional actor in New York City and appeared with Phylicia Rashad in Boston in Blues for an Alabama Sky. (He recently appeared in Syracuse in the same play.)
Meet our Board Members
Lara Ann Schmidtgall
President
Lara Ann Schmidtgall began working with Geneva Theatre Guild in 2016, but has been involved in theatre (onstage, backstage, and everything in between) for 20 years in the Finger Lakes Region. She has been closely supporting the GTG Board of Directors in various volunteer roles, which is what led to the role of President coming to her so soon after she officially joined the Board in May of 2024. Outside of GTG, Lara holds a bachelor's degree in Fine Art and is the Performing Arts Coordinator in the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, working in administrative and faculty support capacities. She is also infatuated with her pets (three cats and one dog) and their silly shenanigans.
Bella Amato
Board Member
Bella Amato has been with the Geneva Theatre Guild since 2024 and has been a board member since 2025. During her time with GTG, she’s loved stage managing productions where the challenges and opportunities have helped her grow and thrive. Outside of GTG, Bella is an active member of the SUNY Geneseo community as a student and can be seen spending time with children as a future educator.
Willow Lewmos
Board Member
Linda Stevenson
Board Member
TJ Bogart
Vice President
​TJ is a Director, Producer, and Social Media Guru born and raised in Geneva. He has been with the Guild since 2017 and a board member since 2023. He has served multiple roles within GTG as an actor, stage manager, director, liaison, and social media expert. Outside of the Guild, you can often see him around Geneva as an HWS Community Member, Volunteer Fire Fighter, and a professional Lolly-Gagger.
Kathleen Carney
Board Member
Luann Preston-Wilsey
Board Member
Luann Preston-Wilsey is a dedicated costumer who brings a unique blend of creativity and practicality to every production. Her journey with the Geneva Theatre Guild began when her daughters participated in Youth productions. She has been designing, constructing, and coordinating costumes for both the Adult and Youth divisions of the Geneva Theatre Guild, as well as for Geneva High School and Middle School and the Geneva Light Opera, for over 20 years.
Luann joined the Geneva Theatre Guild Board in 2010 and has served as Secretary and as Chair to the Geneva Theatre Guild Youth Committee. She is dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive environment backstage, where young actors understand the role their costumes play in the performance and where the costumes help them to feel confident and empowered.
Outside of the theatre, Luann has spent most of her adult life conducting agricultural research for Cornell University and New York State, focusing on a wide range of subjects from insect behavior to wine fermentation.
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Kathryn Snyder
Treasurer
Nicholas J. Goodman
Board Member
Nicholas J Goodman is a Finger Lakes native who began working with GTG in 2011. He now lives in the DC Area where he is the Production Manager at Creative Cauldron Stage. During his time working with GTG he directed three productions, ran lights and sound for many others, produced Playwright's Play Readings, and served as Secretary of the Board. As the Production Manager at CCS he stage manages the full season of productions, designs sound and projections for several productions each season, runs lights and sound for concerts, and handles a myriad of organizational needs. His early work with GTG allowed him to develop a strong foundation of skills he was able to use and expand on in his professional career which has led him to work alongside Broadway veterans and Grammy Award winners. He is glad to continue serving on the GTG Board and share his experience with the organization who helped him get started.
Loren Schmidtgall
Board Member
Loren Schmidtgall has been a member of the GTG Board of Directors since approximately 2017. During that time, he has served in various Officer and committee roles, has been active onstage in several productions and backstage in just as many, even directing shows for both the Youth Theatre and Mainstage programs. Though his work with GTG has been extensive in the last 8-10 years, he has been involved with theatre in some aspect almost his entire life. When he's not in a show, you can find him just about anywhere in the Seneca-Cayuga County area working in the Community-Hab portion of Mozaic, or flipping through his Pokémon cards to decide which one he should post next for his eBay following.
Geoffrey Hellauer-Geiger
Secretary
Jesse Tyler Hallstead
Board Member
Jesse Tyler Halstead has served on the Geneva Theatre Guild Board of Directors since 2025. He is a local singer, actor, musician, and aspiring director with two decades of performance experience. He returned to theatre in 2024 after an extended hiatus and has since contributed to GTG productions, bringing a performer’s perspective to the board. Alongside his work as a musician, he has held notable theatrical roles, including Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, Miss Trunchbull in Matilda the Musical, and Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors. He lives in Waterloo with his fiancée, Erika, and their pets.
Eleanor Sterns
*Founding Board Member
​Eleanor “Ellie” Stearns was invited to join the founding Geneva Theatre Guild Board of Directors in 1978. She served several times as president and has produced, directed and acted in more plays than she can list. Among her favorite roles are Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman (Seneca Community Players), Emily Dickinson in The Belle Of Amherst and Fonsia Dorsey in The Gin Game (Geneva Theatre Guild ). She also does one woman portrayals of Clara Barton, Emily Dickinson, Amelia Earhart, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton for organizations around the state. She is retired from her job as a School Psychology Technician and continues to be active in theatre, church, choir and community events.
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