Weathervane Playhouse is excited to announce the Board of Trustees for our 88th season. Michael Hairston will assume the role of Board President. In addition, current Trustees David A. Redle and Diane Geiger, Ph.D. will be joining the Executive Committee.  Weathervane would like to welcome new board member Jeffrey Waterman, and thank Kathy Ashcroft, Frank Castorena, Tiffany Edwards, Mary Kay Finn, Joe Geiger, Ian S. Haberman, Jill Judge, Rance Mack, Aaron Sanders, and Joe Tennant for continuing their service to the Playhouse. 

With roles in South Pacific and The Wiz, and later starring as Tony in West Side Story while at Buchtel High School, Mr. Hairston has enjoyed musical theater and performing arts over numerous years. As a natural 2nd tenor, he also enjoys vocal performance, and continues to perform with the Buchtel High Alumni Barbershop Quartet. Mr. Hairston works professionally in the pharmaceutical industry as a Specialty Healthcare Representative. He has twice finished as the top representative in the U.S. Most recently, he finished 1/200 while promoting COPD products for the Respiratory Division of Astra Zeneca. Previously, he finished 1/800 in 2004, achieving District Representative of the Year, while promoting Zithromax, Viagra, Lipitor, and Zyrtec for Pfizer. A lifelong resident of Akron and avid theater patron, Mr. Hairston resides in Copley and has one daughter, Hannah (20), who currently resides in Cooper City, FL.

He is excited about the challenge, what the theater has accomplished, what it has in store.  “Given our diverse, record-breaking attendance over the pandemic, our 88th season promises to be our absolute best. It all begins with Sweeney Todd September 29. Your seat awaits!” said Mr. Hairston.

“The organization would also like to profusely thank William Kist, Ph.D. for his outstanding and transformative leadership as President of the Board of Trustees during one of the most challenging times in the theater’s history.  Not only did the theater weather the storm of trying to remain viable during a pandemic and the subsequent reopening, but it returned stronger and more artistically viable than ever.  Mr. Kist also helped to transform the composition and function of the board. Weathervane thanks him for his service” said Melanie YC Pepe, Weathervane’s Chief Executive Artistic Director.

Of his time as president, Mr. Kist said:  “Being Board president during the pandemic was challenging! But there were some silver linings. This difficult situation forced me to be closer to the staff, sometimes on a daily basis, as we tried to figure out when and how we could reopen.  Once we were able to open, we decided to ask Board members to take turns being at the door with staff members, helping to check for vaccination status. I think this daily task brought Board members closer to the action. They got to hear directly from our audience members who were so happy we were doing shows again. I think, overall, even though we were apart and met through Zoom, Board members got to see, ironically, up close and personally, just how vital Weathervane is to Akron and beyond.”

Full list of Trustees

2022 - 2023 Executive Committee

Michael Hairston, President
Mary Kay Finn, First Vice President
Ian S. Haberman, Second Vice President 
Jill Judge, Secretary 
David A. Redle, Treasurer 
Diane Geiger, Ph. D., Member-at-Large

2022 - 2023 Trustees

Kathy Ashcroft 
Frank Castorena 
Tiffany Edwards
Joe Geiger
Rance Mack
Geraldine Hayes Nelson, Ph. D
Aaron Sanders
Joe Tennant
Jeffrey Waterman

Additional information on our Board of Trustees can be found here