NORTHEAST OHIO Valley natives have key roles in new play

Romance blooms -- sort of -- between a college student and a museum guard in the new play.
CLEVELAND -- Two Mahoning Valley natives have key roles in the world premiere of a Cleveland playwright's latest work.
"Stumble," by Sarah Morton, will be presented 28 times throughout Northeast Ohio from now through early May. A local performance will be at 3:30 p.m. April 22 in Youngstown State University Spotlight Arena Theatre, Bliss Hall. Admission is free.
Great Lakes Theater Festival has chosen "Stumble" for its annual community outreach touring program.
The play is also part of "Star Cross'd," a series of events tied to Great Lakes Theater Festival's production of "Romeo and Juliet," running from May 2 to 19 in Ohio Theatre in Cleveland.
Who's who: Todd S. Krispinsky is director and co-designer of "Stumble." Krispinsky earned a degree in theater production and performance at YSU. He is associate director of education for Great Lakes Theater Festival and a free-lance actor.
The two-character play features Diane Mull as Cleo, a college student, and Nick Cordova as Marshall, a museum security guard. The pair become romantically involved in complicated fashion.
Cordova has appeared in productions at Youngstown and Oakland Center for the Arts, among other places. He has also taught children's acting classes and directed youth theater productions at the Playhouse.
For four years, he traveled with Magic Carpet Touring Theater Co. to elementary and middle schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Mull, who studied at Ohio University, is a free-lance actress and educator.
Morton, the playwright, is visiting writer in residence at Cleveland State University.
Running time for "Stumble" is one hour, including introductory remarks and a post-play discussion.