By DEBORA SHAULIS

By DEBORA SHAULIS
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
UMARC ROUTH
A Liberty High School graduate who acted at Youngstown Playhouse, Routh was one of the producers behind shows that crisscrossed the country this year, including the song-and-dance revue "Swing!"
Routh and his business partners will back the Broadway smash "The Producers" when it begins its national tour in the 2002-2003 season. Other projects in development include musical versions of "Hairspray" (by John Waters) and "An American in Paris"; and a stage play based on Mitch Albom's book "Tuesdays With Morrie."
UMICHAEL DEMPSEY
A Boardman native, now of Kent, Dempsey completed a new play, "The Romeo and Juliet War." The farce focuses on two community theater groups that engage in heated competition as they produce different versions of the same Shakespeare classic, "Romeo and Juliet." Dempsey directed the debut production in October at Oakland Center for the Arts in Youngstown.
Dempsey's previous writing credits include the comedy "Mrs. Claus Has A Gun!," which was performed by Stage Left Players of Lisbon and, just this holiday season, at Kent State University Trumbull Campus.
UJOHN DEMPSEY
The brother of Michael Dempsey saw his stage version of "The Witches of Eastwick" -- produced by Cameron Mackintosh -- continue its run at Prince of Wales Theatre in London.
UMARK HAMPTON
This was the year that Hampton, originally of Canfield, saw the first full-scale productions of his second and third plays.
"The Boswell Sisters," his collaboration with "Forever Plaid" creator Stuart Ross, told the story behind the story of the "syncopatin' songbirds from New Orleans" who were stars in the 1920s and '30s. It had a six-week engagement at Olde Globe Theatre in San Diego. Then Hampton traveled back east for "Paper Doll," about best-selling author Jacqueline Susann, which he co-wrote with Barbara J. Zitwer. It made its world debut at Pittsburgh Public Theatre, with Marlo Thomas portraying Susann and F. Murray Abraham playing her husband, Irving Mansfield.
UKEITH HALLAS
One May morning, Hallas, 23, received his music degree from Youngstown State University Dana School of Music. Later that day, he left his home in Poland for Orlando, Fla., where he joined rehearsals for the national tour of the marching band production "Blast!" Hallas, who plays trombone, got closer to home in September, when "Blast!" had a week-long run at Benedum Center for Performing Arts in Pittsburgh.
UPAMELA FEICHT
The former TV news reporter and banker, who grew up in Canfield and Lake Milton, realized a dream when she landed the role of Parthy Hawkes in a national tour of the musical "Show Boat." Family and friends were able to see her perform last January at Edward W. Powers Auditorium in Youngstown, where "Show Boat" was part of Youngstown Symphony Society's Broadway Series.
UTRACY SCHULER
After appearing as Graziella in "West Side Story" at Carousel Dinner Theatre in Akron, this Youngstown woman and YSU alumna was tapped to choreograph dance segments for actor Billy Hufsey in Carousel's holiday variety show, "Razzle Dazzle." The show closes Jan. 13.
UGREG CLEPPER
When this Hermitage, Pa., resident isn't working as production director at Youngstown State University Theatre, he's on tour with Moscow Ballet, for which he is touring production manager of the group's annual production of "Great Russian Nutcracker." The show was performed in Youngstown for a second consecutive year at Edward W. Powers Auditorium.