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2011 Staff Bios

David Colacci
Artist Director

DAVID COLACCI directs Children of Eden and Guys on Ice this summer. In 26 seasons with HSRT (20 as Artistic Director) his productions have included Into the Woods, I Do! I Do!, Room Service, Kiss Me, Kate, Godspell, Seussical, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, Oliver, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare in Hollywood, Return to the Forbidden Planet, I Hate Hamlet, Johnny Pye, Suds and Go Dog Go. The roles he has played include Charlie in The Foreigner, Morgan in The Drawer Boy, Mark in Art, Queeg in The Canine Mutiny Court Martial, Nicely in Guys and Dolls, Lenny in Rumors, Frank in Educating Rita, Billy in Billy Bishop Goes to War, Oscar in The Odd Couple, Orgon in Tartuffe, Uncle Jack in Dancing at Lughnasa, Will in Willi, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Archibald in The Secret Garden, and John Adams in 1776. During his eight years as a resident artist at the Cleveland Play House, he directed the World Premier of the AT&T Award winning Bright Ideas by Eric Coble and Murphy Guyer’s The Infinite Regress of Human Vanity. Also at CPH, he directed Harvey, Seascape, Sylvia, and Laughter on the 23rd Floor. David has performed at theatres nationwide for nearly 40 years, including The Old Globe in San Diego, The Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Chicago’s Wisdom Bridge and Northlight Theatre, the Guthrie in Minneapolis, the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, People’s Light and Theatre in Philadelphia, Boston’s New Rep, and New Jersey’s Two River Theater Company. He has won numerous awards as a narrator of audio books, including two Audie nominations.

Mary Schakel Van Heynigen
Producing Director

MARY SCHAKEL VAN HEYNIGENis now in her 38th year with HSRT. She began work in Holland as the Costume Designer for HSRT’s first season 40 years ago, and has designed costumes for over 100 productions in Detroit, Minneapolis, and Chicago, as well as for HSRT. She became HSRT’s Managing Director in 1979 and Producing Director in 1984. Mary graduated from Hope College and did her graduate work at the University of Minnesota. Mary spends much of her off-season time staring at her computer screen and not working on the book she is writing in collaboration with several of her Hope classmates about reconnecting, lunch, travel, chocolate, bread, soup, aging and laughter.

To e-mail Mary: mschakel(at)hope.edu

Matthew R. D'Oyly
Assistant to the Producing Director

MATTHEW R. D’OYLY is starting his ninth summer with HSRT. In addition to working for HSRT, Matthew is the Assistant Director of Wellness and a Hall Director at Otterbein University. Previously, Matthew worked as a Residential Life Coordinator for Hope College. His background encompasses a variety of areas including student activities, residential life, greek life and theatre. Matthew is the 2010 recipient of Hope College’s Vanderbush-Weller Award, which recognized him for his extraordinary contributions to the lives of students at Hope. Matthew is an honorary member of the Emersonian Fraternity at Hope College and the Faculty Staff Advisor of Sigma Delta Phi at Otterbein which was recently honored as Chapter of the Year. In Addition, he serves as the chair of the annual Tree Lighting celebration, co-chair of the Founders Day celebration, and serves on the Universities alumni council. He is also a graphic designer, and designs logos, posters and t-shirts for many local organizations. He was instrumental in establishing the Mona Shores Choir Fund through the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. He is currently working on producing an alumni show as a benefit concert for the Choir Fund. Matthew holds a Master’s in Education with an emphasis in College Student Affairs Leadership from Grand Valley State University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Technical Design from Otterbein University in Westerville, OH.

To e-mail Matthew: hsrt(at)hope.edu

James Saba
Artistic Director of the Children's Performance Troupe

JAMES SABA is happy to return to HSRT for his 18th season. Past HSRT credits include A Year With Frog and Toad, Forever Plaid, Petite Rouge, Lost In Yonkers, The Shakespeare Revue, Scapin, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Sylvia, and over 30 productions for the Children’s Performance Troupe. Regionally he directed All in the Timing and 7 Stories (Old Globe Theatre), Blithe Spirit, Lucky Stiff and The Philadelphia Story (Webster University), Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol (North Coast Repertory Theatre), The Mystery of Irma Vep (Diversionary Theatre) and Girl Scouts of America (FringeNYC). As an actor he has appeared at the Cincinnati Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cleveland Playhouse, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Old Globe Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Apple Tree Theatre and several productions at HSRT including Young Rube, The Nerd, The Odd Couple, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Tartuffe, Irma Vep, Rumors, Art, and Rounding Third to name a few. TV credits include Law and Order, Conviction and 30 Rock.

To e-mail James: hsrt(at)hope.edu

Peter E. Sargent
Resident Lighting Designer

In the 1991 season, PETER E. SARGENT designed his first production at HSRT, The Human Comedy starring Norbert Leo Butz and directed by John Tammi. This season, Peter returns to design lights for I Remember Mama and will enjoy another wonderful collaboration with scenic designer Joe Flauto, the designer of the first show. He enjoys the opportunity each season to work with a wonderful team of artists that comprise the company of HSRT; the consistency of excellence is truly amazing. He is the Dean of the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts at Webster University and has just completed his 45th year at Webster. He is also a resident lighting designer for The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. He is a member of the United Scenic Artists and was in the original class for the category of Lighting Designer. He is a member of the College of Fellows of American Theatre and serves on the Board of Directors. He is also in the Educational Theatre Association’s Hall of Fame, The National Theatre Conference and has received the Arts And Education Council of St. Louis Award for Excellence in the Arts and was recognized with a Special Citation for Excellence in Theatre Education by the United States Institute for Theatre Technology. He is the President of the Board of Directors for the Professional Theatre Council of St. Louis, on the Board of Directors of the Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis and the Insight Theatre Company. He served as a panelist for the Musical Theatre/Theatre Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts. Peter and his wife, Alice, look forward to returning to Holland each year and look forward to hosting daughter Amy, son-in-law Douglas Hanneken, grandsons Connor (11) and Jack (7 ½), in addition to daughter Megan (a HSRT Alum) and her husband Dennis Case. We always thank Hope College for their incredible support of HSRT and salute the wonderful audiences that applaud the artistic excellence represented by the Company of HSRT. Your support is truly exceptional. Enjoy this evening’s performance.

To e-mail Peter: hsrt(at)hope.edu

Richard Ingraham
Resident Sound Designer

RICHARD B. INGRAHAM is happy to be returning for his 16th season with HSRT as the Resident Sound Designer. Richard is a freelance sound designer based in the Cleveland Ohio area. He has worked at numerous theatres, schools and attractions in the Cleveland area and throughout the US including: Ashland University, The Beck Center for the Arts, Cain Park, Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Academy, The Cleveland Play House, The Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland State University, The Cleveland Theatre Company, Dobama Theatre, The University of Evansville, The Jewish Community Center of Cleveland, The Lincoln Amphitheatre, The Lincoln Library and Museum, Oberlin College, Playhouse Square Center, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Shakespeare and Company, Stone Mountain Park and Willoughby Fine Arts Association. Richard is very much looking forward to his chance at improving upon his 1997 Sound Design for Return to the Forbidden Planet this summer. Previous favorite sound designs at HSRT include: A Year with Frog and Toad, The Cmplt Wrks of Wm Shkspr...Abrgd, Little Women, Forever Plaid, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ART, Woman in Black, Sylvia, Johnny Pye and To Kill A Mockingbird. Richard is an adjunct faculty member at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh where he teaches Sound Design and other related course work. He has also worked as a consultant to award winning software companies that create products specifically for the needs of live performance including Stage Research and Richmond Sound Design. Richard would like to thank David and Mary for the many wonderful opportunities he has had over the past 16 seasons at HSRT as well as the many hard working members of the sound crew that have helped make it all possible.

To e-mail Richard: hsrt(at)hope.edu

Directors

DESHA CROWNOVER is the Artistic Director at San Diego Junior Theatre where she has served as general manager, director, musical director, and teaching artist for the past 15 years, co-founding SDJT’s Conservatory Program for aspiring high school artists . She has had the opportunity to direct, teach, and perform all over San Diego where her directing work has been commended by such theatre notables as Edward Albee, Ming Cho Lee, and Timothy Near. She holds a Masters degree in Theatre from San Diego State University and a BA in Theatre from UCSD and has served on the teaching faculty of SDSU, Cuyamaca College, and Santa Fe Christian Schools. How I Became A Pirate marks Desha’s first show with HSRT and she is thrilled to be here!

FABIO POLANCO is the Director for Return to the Forbidden Planet and is happy to return to HSRT where he performed in The Tempest, Twelve Angry Men, and Man of La Mancha. Directing credits include Sunday in the Park with George, Measure for Measure, The Spitfire Grill, Guys and Dolls, Dead Man Walking, Jesus Christ Superstar, Anyone Can Whistle, Godspell, Sweeney Todd, True West, Cloud Tectonics, Waiting for Lefty, I Love, You’re Perfect, Now Change. In 2004 Fabio directed the Midwest premiere of Elizabeth Swados’ Missionaries for which he was a finalist for Northern Ohio Live! Magazine’s Award of Achievement in Theatre. A member of Actor’s Equity, Fabio was recently seen in Bat Boy: the Musical and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Great Lakes Theatre Festival. Other theatre credits include “Thenardier” in the Broadway national tour of Les Miserables, Missionaries (Brooklyn Academy of Music) directed by Elizabeth Swados; the U.S. premiere of David Hare’s adaptation of Brecht’s The Life of Galileo (Berkeley Repertory Theatre) directed by Mark Wing-Davey, Resurrection Blues (The Signature Theatre Company) Willie and Rupert (O’Neill Center) A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theatre) directed by Scott Ellis, A Little Night Music (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park) with Donna McKechnie at directed by Ed Stern, as well as productions at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Cleveland Play House, Cain Park, Porthouse Theatre, Arden Theatre Company, and the world premiere of DREAM/HOME at Dobama Theatre. Fabio’s film and television appearances include The Next Three Days directed by Paul Haggis and starring Russell Crowe, the upcoming The Ides of March written and directed by George Clooney and starring Ryan Gosling and Marisa Tomei. Fabio is an assistant professor of Theatre at Ashland University where he teaches Acting, Shakespeare, and Musical Theatre. He received his MFA in Acting from Case Western Reserve University. He lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio with his wonderful wife Jennifer and their two fabulous boys Mateo and Gabriel. Special thanks to David and Mary for this wonderful opportunity.

LOUIS RACKOFF is the Director of I Remember Mama. Lou was Artistic Director of the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival from 1988 – 2002, where he supervised or directed more than sixty productions. Most recent directing for NCSF included Shakespeare’s King Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Tempest; Anton Chekhov’s The Three Sisters; and Lou’s original adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Lou has been a guest director at numerous professional theaters and universities throughout the country, including the following productions at HSRT: The Guys, Billy Bishop Goes to War, El Capitain, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Taming of the Shrew, and Candide. He was a Production Stage Manager for the New York Shakespeare Festival 1974-1981, and directed a National Tour of the NYSF Broadway production of The Pirates of Penzance. Lou has been Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Southern Mississippi since 2005, where he also serves as Head of the MFA Directing Program.

The Management

KATY ATWELL is excited to be taking on the roll of Production Manager in her sixth season with HSRT. Also a lighting designer, she has worked on The Foreigner, The Cmplt Wrks of Wm Shkspr...Abrgd, Room Service and I Do! I Do! among others. Originally from Central Illinois, she received her BFA from Millikin University in Theatre Technology and Design. Most recently, she worked at Actors Theatre of Louisville as a lighting technician and light board operator. This year she will be designing Taking Steps as she tries to figure out how to get to her next step, the MFA Lighting Design program at Boston University.

KRISTIN P. KURZ is thrilled to be this season’s Production Stage Manager. She has worked with LORT and Guest Artist contracts across the U.S. She is currently an MFA Stage Management candidate at the University of Iowa. Her select credits include working at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, PCPA, New London Barn Playhouse, Maine State Music Theatre, and The 2nd Annual Chester Horn Short Play Festival in New York City. She is a proud member of the Stage Manager’s Association.

Artistic Staff

CHRISTOPHER F. BALDWIN is very excited to be with the HSRT community for his first summer as the Assistant Master Electrician. He is a senior from Kent State University pursuing a BA in Design Technology. His recent lighting design work includes the independent student fashion show Delineation, Student Dance Festival, and Love Without A Face. Thanks to my friends, family and many mentors who have had the patience to help me learn and grow in this journey through theatre.

JOSEPH BYRD returns for his third season with HSRT as the Assistant Music Director. Previous roles have included Dr. Glass in Room Service, Mr. Laurence in Little Women, and Vezinet in An Italian Straw Hat, as well as serving as music director for the Children’s Performance Troupe. In May, he received a Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Direction from the Graduate Theological Foundation and was awarded the Charles Wesley Prize in Sacred Music and Liturgy for his setting of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Morning Prayer from Letters and Papers from Prison. He serves on the board of 3-Sixty, a local non-profit in relationship with neighbors, civic organizations, churches and the city of Holland to intentionally build a strong community within the central neighborhoods of Holland. He is a Novice in the Order of Lutheran Franciscans, and his music is published by earthsongs.

SIMON CLEVELAND’s credits include: La Ronde, NYU directed by Martha Clarke; Urinetown, ONU Freed Center directed by Gwen Arment; Tis Pity She’s A Whore, Toy Box Theatre Company directed by Jonathan Barsness; The Importance of Being Earnest, NYU Directed By Sam Gold. Dance credits include premiers of original works by Jessica Lang, Camille Brown, Gerald Casel, Patricia Norwoll, and Carlos A. Cruze Velasquez. This season, he is designing lights for Return to the Forbidden Planet. Simon is a recent MFA Graduate from New York University Tisch School of The Arts Department of Design For Stage and Film. www.simoncleveland.com

ALLYSON COMBS is very glad to be joining HSRT’s company for a third season, this summer as Properties Master, and is thrilled for the opportunity to do what she loves with such a great group of people once again. She graduated from the University of Evansville with a BFA in Design and Technical Theatre this year. In her last year at UE, Ally was the Scenic Designer for The Farnsworth Invention and the Props Master for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. At HSRT last year, Ally was the Props Master for Frog and Toad and Italian Straw Hat, and assisted with Into the Woods among others. Other experience includes: Top Girls (Scenic Designer), Parade (Assistant Scenic Designer), Courtship and Valentine’s Day (Assistant Technical Director), As It Is In Heaven and Dark of the Moon (Props Master). She is very grateful for all of the support that she has gotten over the years from family, friends, and professors and really (seriously) couldn’t have done it without them. After this summer Ally will be moving to New York City to be part of the Professional Internship Program at the Juilliard School of Drama.

MATTHEW ECKSTEIN is thrilled to be joining HSRT this summer in his capacity as the sound technician. This summer he will be designing HSRT’s production of I Remember Mama, as well as working on Children of Eden, Taking Steps, and The Borrowers. His past design credits as a BA candidate at Case Western Reserve University include Our Town (CWRU), The Tempest (Players' Theatre Group, Cleveland), The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told (CWRU), and The Last Night of Ballyhoo (CWRU).

KRISTIN ELLERT is stoked to be back at HSRT to design the set for Taking Steps. Other HSRT credits include: A Year with Frog and Toad, I Do! I Do!, Doubt, Lost In Younkers, Dames at Sea, Memory House, and Scapin, among others. Recent Off-Broadway and Regional credits include: Scenic Design: Keen Teens (Keen Company), The Cannibal Play Festival (Kokopeli Theatre), Severance (Barracuda), Hoover Comes Alive! (La Jolla Playhouse), Twist (Diversionary Theatre), Miss Electricity (La Jolla Playhouse POP Tour), Woyzeck, Danton’s Death, The Further Adventures of Suzanne and Monica, Bureau of Missing Persons, The Skin of Our Teeth, Freedom, NY (UC, San Diego). Projection Design: Restoration (New York Theatre Workshop), Restoration (La Jolla Playhouse), Woyzeck, Danton’s Death, Dancing with Bob (UC, San Diego). She received her BFA from the University of Evansville and her MFA from UC San Diego.

ELIZABETH FLAUTO is thrilled to be home at HSRT! This season she is the costume designer for Children of Eden and Taking Steps. Selected design credits include, for HSRT: Into the Woods, Room Service, Lost in Yonkers, The Hypochondriac; In Chicago: Snapshots (upcoming, Northlight Theatre), First Look Repertory of New Works 2010 (Steppenwolf Theatre), Lost Boys of Sudan (Victory Gardens), Funny Girl (Drury Lane), John and Jen (Apple Tree Theatre), Leaving Iowa, Married Alive (Fox Valley Rep/Noble Fool Theatricals), Here Where It’s Safe, An Enemy of the People, (Stage Left Theatre); New York: Burnt Part Boys (Playwrights Horizons); Secrets of a Soccer Mom (Jerry Orbach Theatre/Snapple Center); Captain Louie (York Theatre, Little Shubert); Barrington Stage Company: A Streetcar Named Desire, Private Lives, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, Uncle Vanya, Ring Round the Moon, Importance of Being Earnest. BS University of Evansville, MFA University of Texas, Member United Scenic Artists Local 829. Love to K.

This season marks the twenty-seventh season JOSEPH P. FLAUTO has been a member of the HSRT company, this year as Scenic Designer for I Remember Mama. For the 2010 season he designed the sets for Into the Woods and An Italian Straw Hat. Other recent HSRT credits include scenic design for Room Service and Little Women. Joe keeps coming back to HSRT because he is so pleased with the quality of work all these years. It has become a second home (he lives in Evansville, IN) and he has made lots of friends. One of them is Lou Rackoff the director for I Remember Mama. They first met at HSRT over 20 years ago working on a production of Taming of the Shrew. They worked together many times since, the last time almost ten years on the HSRT production of The Guys. Joe is so looking forward to the reunion that he agreed to do the show even though he will be in England until June 17th. A tight schedule! As a member of the faculty at the University of Evansville for 30 years, Joe has had numerous designs appear at regional and national Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festivals, including Anatomy of Grey, which was invited to appear at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC in April of 2006. His set design for the University of Evansville’s production of The Comedy of Errors was seen as part of the city wide Shakespeare in Washington Festival in April, 2007. This March he was invited to design the set for a production of Tartuffe, the opera at Anderson University. He is a member of the United Scenic Artists and has worked at professional regional theatre in Crew, England, Philadelphia, and Indianapolis. He is now retired from U of E but not the theatre and theatre design. Especially not HSRT!

LIZ JASPERSE is thrilled to return for an eighth season with HSRT, serving as the Associate Costume Shop Manager and Costume Designer for Guys on Ice. Select design credits at HSRT include The Short Tree and the Bird Who Could Not Sing, Memory House, The Shakespeare Revue and The Foreigner. Some of her design work will also be exhibited at the upcoming 2011 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space. After completing her MFA in Costume Technology at the University of Illinois and too brief a stay with HSRT last summer she spent this year bouncing between from the Goodman Theatre and Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and feels blessed to have landed once again in Holland. www.lizjasperse.com

BRANDON KIRKHAM is back for his seventh season at HSRT as the Costume Designer for The Borrowers and How I Became a Pirateand the Puppet Designer for The Borrowers. Previous designs include costumes for A Year With Frog and Toad, Little Women, Kiss Me Kate, Drawer Boy, Rounding Third, and numerous costume and puppet designs for CPT. Brandon is the resident Costume Crafts Artisan at First Stage Children's Theatre in Milwaukee. As a freelance designer his costume and scenic designs have been seen at First Stage Children's Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati's Playhouse in the Park, Anderson University, and the 2007 Prague Quadrennial International Design Exposition. Costume Crafts/Props/Puppetry credits include Santa Fe Opera, Steppenwolf Theatre, Philadelphia's Enchantment Theatre Company, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, First Stage Children's Theatre, Skylight Opera in Milwaukee, Pioneer Theatre Company in Salt Lake City, the Utah Museum of Natural History, and the Milwaukee County Zoo. Brandon is a 2005 graduate of the University of Evansville, and received his MFA from Ohio University in 2008. He currently resides in Milwaukee, WI with his fiancé (and fellow HSRT veteran), Sarah Heck.

BRAD LANDERS is the Choreographer for Return to the Forbidden Planet and is joining HSRT for his first season. Brad holds a BA in musical theater performance from Wagner College on Staten Island, NY. Among many regional credits, Brad spent from '07-'10 on the road with the Broadway tour of Cats as the Dance Captain/Swing. Since being back in New York City, he co-conceived/choreographed a project called G.I.G. showcasing new singer/songwriter and dancer/choreographer talent in one show. (www.gigtheshow.com) Other choreography credits include: Jesus Christ Superstar (NY), Faust (7 deadly sins ballets) (NY), "We Are the Pink Panthers," an original work, 20Nothings-Effable Arts (NY). And coming in the fall, Little Shop of Horrors at Revision Theater in New Jersey. Brad is thrilled for the opportunity to work and play on beautiful Lake Michigan and would like to thank Fred Tessler, his family and his luck ;). www.thebradlanders.com

KEVIN LOEFFLER is glad to be celebrating his third year with the HSRT company as a Paint Charge Artist and Scenic Designer for Return to the Forbidden Planet. Kevin will be starting his second year at the University of Iowa as an MFA Scenic Design student in the fall. He is gracious for the opportunity to return to the HSRT family. He has his own family, friends and loved one to thank for his continuing support and inspiration.

MICAH J. MAATMANis excited to return to HSRT for his fourth season. This season he will serve the company as the Resident Director of Properties and as Scenic Designer for Children of Edenand Guys on Ice. He received his BA in Theatre from Hope College and holds an MFA in Theatrical Design with emphasis in Scenic Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Micah has been an Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance and the Head of Performance Design at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota since 2007.

KRISTINA MAKOWSKI is thrilled to be joining the company for her first summer at HSRT as the Costume Designer for Return to the Forbidden Planet and I Remember Mama, as well as the Costume Shop Manager. Currently, Kristina is based in Brooklyn, NY where she works as a freelance costume designer. Recent projects include Polaroid Stories (Lee Strasberg Stuidos), BINGE (Slant Theatre Project), Anatomy of Gray, Franny's Way, A Bright Room Called Day, First Baptist of Ivy Gap and All's Well that Ends Well (Stella Adler Studios). Assistant design credits include House of Blue Leaves (Walter Kerr Theatre), The Dream of the Burning Boy (Roundabout Underground) and The Normals (Gigantic Productions). Kristina holds a BFA in Theatre Design and Technology from the University of Evansville. She would like to thank her family for their continued patience and support.

NATHAN W. SCHEUER is excited to be returning to HSRT for his third summer as the Lighting Designer for Children of Eden and the Master Electrician for the season. Past HSRT works include the lighting design for Dogpark the Musical, Sarah, Plain and Tall, and Petite Rouge. Other select credits include lighting for The Government Inspector, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, A Year with Frog and Toad, and scenic design for The Threepenny Opera. Nathan has a BFA from The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University in lighting and scenic design. www.nwscheuerdesign.com

SARAH SCHNIEPP is excited to be returning for her third year with HSRT, this time in the role of Technical Director. A graduate of the University of Evansville, she is now entering her second year of graduate school at the University of Arizona. Past titles include Technical Director for UA's The Shape of Things, and UE's The House of Blue Leaves and Picasso at the Lapin Agile. She would like to thank her friends and family for their love and support.

FRED TESSLER, Resident Music Director, is delighted to return to HSRT for his 18th season! This summer he is serving as Music Director for Children of Eden, Return to the Forbidden Planet, and Guys on Ice. Fred has worked on over 40 productions for HSRT. Favorites include directing productions of Suds, Honk!, Dames At Sea, and 10 Cabaret shows (8 of which were original creations), music directing Kiss Me Kate, Babes In Arms, and Two Gents, and playing the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz. A resident of New York City, Fred is on the faculty of Wagner College where he has been Director and/or Music Director of over a dozen shows, including Brigadoon, Tick, Tick...Boom, and Master Class. Fred has also been Music Director for productions at Brooklyn College and Columbia University and is on the staff of the Cap 21 Conservatory at New York University. Music directing credits in New York include the Off-Broadway production of Five Course Love, three seasons with the ENCORES! series at City Center, and productions with The Roundabout Theatre Company and Manhattan Class Company. Regional credits include productions with Theatre de la Jeune Lune, The Berkeley Repertory Theatre and The Berkshire Theatre Festival. Fred has been an Artist in Residence at The Stratford Festival of Canada. Special thanks to all the great folks at HSRT who make every summer a wonderful experience – both familiar and new in all the best ways.

MATTHEW THORNTON grew up in Northeast Ohio and began his training studying movement theater with James Thornton’s Acting Ensemble Program. He studied dance at Hamilton College, and transferred to the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he earned a B.A. in English. There he was introduced to contact improvisation, and began training capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art hidden in dance.

Thornton performed internationally with Pilobolus Dance Theater in concert dance, commercial work, talk shows, and at the 79th Academy Awards. He has worked as a performer and teacher for Pilobolus since 2003, and is a master teacher of the Pilobolus Method, in addition to performing and creating for Pilobolus Creative Services. Previous dance companies include Jody Oberfelder, Freespace Dance, Alice Farley Dance Theater, and Contemporary Motions.

Thornton co-founded Agua Dulce Dance Theater with dancer and choreographer Alicia Díaz. Agua Dulce has performed and given workshops in colleges, high schools and festivals, traveling to Mexico, Puerto Rico and across the U.S., including the 2006 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Inside/Out Series. Currently Agua Dulce is in collaboration with Steven Iannacone and dANCE pROjECt, and creating a site-specific dance on video with Alison Dobbins and Kim Su Theiler.

Thornton has been a Visiting Lecturer/Artist at Hope College since 2005, and joined the Hope College faculty as Assistant Professor of Dance in Fall 2009. In the Fall of 2011 he will join the Theatre and Dance Department of the University of Richmond.

AMANDA K. WERRE is happily returning to HSRT for her third summer. Amanda will be serving as the head of the sound department and the Sound Designer for Taking Steps and Guys on Ice. Past HSRT credits include: An Italian Straw Hat, I Do!, I Do!, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, and Room Service. Favorite projects elsewhere include: Dancing at Lughnasa (Webster University), 100 Dresses (COCA) and You Can't Take it with You (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis). Amanda has a BFA in sound design from Webster University. Amanda would like to thank her family for their love and support.

Stage Management

SAMANTHA GASS is delighted to return to lovely Holland, Michigan for her third summer with HSRT as the Assistant Production Stage Manager. This year, she will serve as the stage manager for Children of Eden and I Remember Mama, as well as the Production Stage Manager for the Children's Performance Troupe. Sam is a rising senior at the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University where she is earning her BFA in Stage Management. She would like to send her love to her friends and family back home in Las Vegas who always support her.

BJ BROOKS is excited to be a part of the HSRT 2011 season as a Stage Manager for Return to the Forbidden Planet and Assistant Stage Manager for Children of Eden. He is a rising senior at the University of Evansville pursuing a BS in Stage Management. BJ recently finished Stage Managing Assassins at UE and is looking forward to next year’s season. BJ would like to thank his family and friends for all their support.

ELIZABETH DWYER is exuberantly returning to HSRT for her second summer. She is positively delighted to be Stage Managing Taking Steps and Guys on Iceand Assistant Stage Managing Return from the Forbidden Planet. Last summer she Stage Managed The Brand New Kid and Assistant Stage Managed Busytown the Musical and An Italian Straw Hat for HSRT. She will be a senior at Hope College in the fall, double majoring in English Literature and Theatre with an emphasis in Directing and Stage Management. In recent past she has Stage Managed Gone Missing, Almost, Maine, Canopy of Stars, Motherland, and The Skin of Our Teeth. She is looking forward to a different role within Hope's Theatre Department in the fall when she will be Assistant Directing Two Gentleman of Verona under John Tammi.

The Acting Company

MICHELLE BOMBE is Professor of Theatre, Director of Theatre, and Resident Costume Designer at Hope College. Michelle is delighted to be portraying Jesse in I Remember Mama marking her acting return to the HSRT stage after a 27-year hiatus marking her 16th season at HSRT. Michelle last appeared on stage in 1984 in Guys and Dolls, also directed by Lou Rackoff. However, no stranger to HSRT, 15 seasons have seen costume designs by Michelle appear on stage. Michelle received her MFA in Design from UTexas-Austin and her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Evansville. Michelle has designed the costumes for over 100 productions for professional theatre, colleges, and even in prison through her work with Shakespeare Behind Bars. Michelle is currently the Vice-Chair for Region Three of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Her professional credits include 10 seasons at the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival and her work was seen last year at The Theatre of Monmouth. Michelle will be traveling to Australia at the end of the summer with her husband, Curt L. Tofteland, for five months to embark on a research project involving ethnographys, family histories, and immigration. Michelle has also been awarded a Great Lakes College Association New Directions Grant to support her research which will take her to France for six weeks in May of 2012.

KEVIN COUBAL is thrilled to be joining the Acting Company at HSRT for his first season where he will play Leslie in Taking Stepsand Ernie the Moocher in Guys on Ice, as well as being an ensemble member in Children of Eden. A native of Sacramento, California, Kevin earned BAs in Theatre Arts and Political Science at the University of Oregon and an MFA in Acting from the University of Connecticut. In his three years at Connecticut, Kevin performed in various productions at Connecticut Repertory Theatre, including Othello (Iago), Pride and Prejudice (Mr. Darcy), The Comedy of Errors (Dromio of Ephesus), A Flea in Her Ear (Ferraillon), The Exonerated (Gary Gauger), Urinetown: The Musical (Officer Barrel), The Who's Tommy (Kevin's lad/Guitar), and Hair (Tribe/Trumpet). Last summer, Kevin worked with Bated Breath Theatre (Hartford, CT) on the world premiere production of Michael Bradford's The Parkville Project (Officer Riley, Mr. Nenortas). In Oregon, Kevin appeared in Willamette Repertory Theatre's production of Wild Oats (Harry Thunder). During his time at the U of O, Kevin appeared in many productions including Measure for Measure (Angelo), The Big Knife (Smiley Coy), and Eugene Ionesco's The Lesson (The Pupil), as well as directing productions of Endgame and The Bald Soprano. Internationally, Kevin, a fluent French speaker, worked in Paris, France with Friches Théâtre Urbain, devising and performing in the show En Attendant la Loco: L'Esprit des Rails (Ensemble). Kevin would like send love and thanks to his friends and family, who continue to support and encourage all his
artistic pursuits.

CHIP DUFORD is celebrating his 18th season at HSRT this summer, and it’s a busy one, taking on the roles of Father in Children of Eden, Roland in Taking Steps, and Papa in I Remember Mama. At HSRT, Chip has played Professor Bhaer in Little Woman, Gregory Wagner in Room Service, General Harrison Howell in Kiss Me Kate, Froggy in The Foreigner, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Touchstone in As You Like It, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Mr. Bumble (twice) in Oliver, The Scarecrow in The Wizard Of Oz, The Bullfrog in HONK!, and The Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, among many other roles as a part of over 50 productions during his time as an acting company member, starting with an acting internship W-A-Y back in 1989. Two favorite HSRT projects over the years are the creation of Clive Cooper in the hit musical, CHAPS!, back in 1995, and the 4 winters aiding in the creation of creatures and performing in the Hope College/HSRT joint venture, The Nutcracker: A Play. Five years ago, Chip teamed up with local Holland artist Joel Tanis and Enthusiastic Productions to take on the roles of the curmudgeonly next-door-neighbor, Mr. Flabbinjaw, and Joel’s housecat, Poo-Kitty, in the children’s TV program, Come On Over, which has aired locally on WOTV4 in Grand Rapids. He has performed at theatres nationwide for over 20 years, including Sierra Repertory Theatre in Sonora, CA., Oregon Cabaret theatre, Nebraska Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, The Cleveland Play House, and The Monomoy Theatre in Chatham, MA. Over the past year, Chip has nurtured a growing online singing career, under the pseudonym of Cranston Yordstorm, on the social-networking website, Second Life. Chip is a proud member of the Actors Equity Association. http://www.chipduford.com. Kisses and love to Taylee Helix, I’ll be seeing you soon! XOXOX

SUSAN ERICKSEN loves stories and uses many different types of media to tell them. As an actress, she has performed in regional theatres throughout the country including The Cleveland Play House, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Baltimore’s Center Stage, Virginia Stage Company, and the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival. New York credits include A Woman Without a Name at the Signature Theatre and Peer Gynt at Theatre for a New Audience. This season marks Susan’s 22nd anniversary with HSRT. She will be playing Mama in I Remember Mama. She began as Maria, the novice nun in The Sound of Music, and worked her way up to head nun in Doubt. Perseverance clearly has its rewards. She has been fortunate to portray everyone from Rosalind in As You Like It to Prudy Cupp in Pump Boys and Dinettes. Last season she and her husband, David Colacci, had the great pleasure of doing a lovely show called I Do! I Do! for the second time together. As an audiobook narrator she has recorded well over two hundred novels by authors as varied as Nadine Gordimer, Charlotte Bronte, T. Jefferson Parker, Kristin Hannah, and J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts.) She has recorded all of Robb’s books in the In Death series with great delight. This series has garnered commercial as well as professional praise, and has earned Ericksen an Audie award for Origin in Death, as well as Earphone Awards for many others. Susan is a singer and a director as well, and can proudly point to an extensive resume here at HSRT to show it. She recently moved to Minneapolis with her husband and their two delightful children, where she has discovered her inner gardener.

REBECCA FUTTERMAN is thrilled to be making her debut at HSRT this summer in Taking Steps, Children of Eden and I Remember Mama. Originally from Mamaroneck, New York, Rebecca recently graduated with a BFA in musical theater from Ithaca College. Favorite credits include Chicago (Velma Kelly), Coram Boy (Lady Ashbrook), Top Girls (Win) and Lippa's Wild Party (Deloris). Rebecca plans to move to NYC in the fall. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Mike and Marina for all your love and support!!

HAYLEY GALBRAITH is extremely grateful to be returning for her second season here in Holland as a part of HSRT's acting company, performing in Children of Eden as Eve, Aunt Jenny in I Remember Mama and the Science Officer in Return to the Forbidden Planet. Originally hailing from Fresno, CA, Hayley currently resides in New York City. Since graduating from the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, CA, she has worked with numerous regional theatre companies across the country but counts her experiences at Hope as some of her very favorites! Last summer, you may have seen Hayley as the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods, the Duchess of Champigny in An Italian Straw Hat or as Reba in The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Other credits include: Dotty Otley in Noises Off!, Beline in The Imaginary Invalid, Adriana in A Comedy of Errors, Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof, Izzy in Rabbit Hole and Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! Hayley wishes to thank the entire HSRT company for their friendship and support, the city of Holland for it's welcoming spirit and beauty, as well as her amazing family for always managing to catch a performance (regardless of the zip code)! "Imagination is the highest kite one can fly." -- Lauren Bacall

JOHN GARDNER is thrilled to be joining HSRT for his second summer as part of the Acting Company! He will be playing Cain/Japheth in Children of Eden and Mr. Thorkelson in I Remember Mama. John, originally from Harrisonburg, VA, will be a senior Acting major at Ithaca College in the fall. His past HSRT credits include Snail in A Year With Frog and Toad, Tardiveaux in An Italian Straw Hat, Steward in Into the Woods, and Huckle Cat in Busytown the Musical. His other credits include Otis Gardiner/Philip Gaddarn in Coram Boy, Jewell Estes in Floyd Collins, and Jon in Tick Tick Boom at Ithaca College, and Jeffrey in Godspell overseas at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. John also spent a semester studying at the Moscow Art Theatre with some of Russia's most influential actors and directors last year. Many thanks to family and Riz for their unending love, and Sergei and Tolya for providing continuous inspiration.

MICHAEL HANSON is thrilled to be back in Holland marking his fifth consecutive season with HSRT! You can see him this summer in Children of Eden as a Storyteller, in Taking Steps as Tristram, and Llody in Guys On Ice. Previous HSRT credits: And Italian Straw Hat (Fadinard), The Cmplt Wrks of Wm Shkspr...Abrgd, Forever Plaid (Sparky), The Foreigner (Rev. David), The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Peachy), and She Loves Me (Head Waiter). Other credits: The Tempest (Ferdinand), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Demetrius) at The Actors Shakespeare Company at New Jersey City University, The Threepenny Opera (Matt the Mint) at Columbia Stages, Cabaret (Cliff), The Threepenny Opera (Macheath), and Shakespeare In Hollywood (Dick Powell) at Connecticut Repertory Theatre. Thanks Mom and Dad for all your love, support and guidance!

ALI PERLWITZ grew up in Connecticut and is a graduate of the University of Connecticut’s BFA Acting program. At Connecticut Repertory Theater, she has performed in Spring Awakening (Wendla Bergman), Pericles: Prince of Tyre (Marina), Too Much Memory (Antigone), Othello (Desdemona), Antony & Cleopatra (Caesar), Pride and Prejudice (Lizzy Bennet), and Urinetown (Little Sally). She studied acting with Larry Silverberg, creator of the True Acting Institute, a program inspired by Sanford Meisner’s Neighborhood Playhouse. She attended Arts at the Capitol Theater Magnet High School, where she played in The Cave Dwellers (Queen), The Shadow Box (Maggie), Noises Off (Dotty/Mrs. Clackett), and the original script, Rewind: 80 Years Behind the Silver Screen (Katharine Hepburn). This summer she will be performing in the ensemble of Children of Eden as Kitty in Taking Steps, and Katrin in I Remember Mama.

NOAH PUTTERMAN is very happy to be back in beautiful Holland, MI for his second summer at HSRT! This summer he will be playing Adam/Noah in Children of Eden and Mark in Taking Steps. Last summer, he appeared in Into the Woods (the Baker), A Year with Frog and Toad (Frog), and An Italian Straw Hat (some guy who was really angry at Michael Hanson’s character for some reason). Since then, he appeared as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors (The North Carolina Theatre), Scrooge’s nephew Fred in A Christmas Carol (Guthrie Theater), and as one of many, many hopeful actors in several very long lines outside of the Actors’ Equity Association building on 46th Street in New York City at the crack of dawn. Noah is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BA in Psychology and a BFA in Acting from the Guthrie Theater. He is a United States Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and an alumnus of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts YoungArts program (youngarts.org). In his spare time, Noah enjoys writing theatrical bios for himself using the third person. He would like to thank David, Mary, and the whole HSRT company for having him back, and his incredible family for having him at all.

ROBERT THOMPSON is best known for his character work. You may remember him from HSRT’s productions of Kiss Me Kate and Closer than Ever in 2008. This year you can see him in the ensemble of Children of Eden, Prospero in Return to the Forbidden Planet, and Mr. Hyde in I Remember Mama. Favorite past roles include: Frank Butler, Oberon, Roger Debris, Officer Lockstock and Bill Calhoun. Robert has performed at the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, the New Bedford Festival Theatre, and the Tony award winning Utah Shakespeare Festival. UCONN MFA.

CURT L. TOFTELAND is making his HSRT debut as Uncle Chris in I Remember Mama. He is the founder and producing director of Shakespeare Behind Bars, Inc. In February of this year, Curt created the newest SBB Restorative Circle of Reconciliation at the Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon Heights, Michigan. Annually, Curt visits college campuses across the United States to screen Philomath Films documentary, Shakespeare Behind Bars, about his work, conduct audience talkbacks, teach master classes, and visit classrooms. Curt is a published poet and essayist. He is at work on a book written in collaboration with members of SBB/Kentucky program - Behind the Bard-Wire: Reflection, Responsibility, Redemption, & Forgiveness . . . The Transformative Power of Art, Theatre, and Shakespeare. From 1989 to 2008, Curt was the Producing Artistic Director of Kentucky Shakespeare Festival where he produced sixty productions. As a director and an Equity actor, Curt has 200+ professional productions to his credit. Additionally, he has presented 400+ performances of his one-man show Shakespeare’s Clownes: A Foole’s Guide to Shakespeare. Curt has guest directed for Theatre at Monmouth (Monmouth, ME), American Shakespeare Center (Staunton, VA), Actors’ Shakespeare Project (Boston, MA), Foothills Theatre Company (Worcester, MA), Oklahoma Shakespeare Festival (Oklahoma City, OK), Actors Theatre of Louisville (KY), and Stage One (Louisville, KY). Curt has been awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from Bellarmine University, a Petra Foundation Fellowship, an Al Smith Fellowship in playwrighting from the Kentucky Arts Council, the Fleur-de-lis Award from the Louisville Forum, the Mildred A. Dougherty Award for communication from the Greater Louisville English Council, and a Distinguished Theatre Alumni Award from the University of Minnesota, where he received his MFA in Acting. Curt was recently awarded a 2011-12 Fulbright Fellowship. In August, he and his wife, Michelle Bombe, Hope College Theatre Professor, will travel to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia for a four month residency.

NANCY WAGNER is happy to be spending her first summer at HSRT as Florence Dana Morehead in I Remember Mama. Grand Rapids audiences may remember her this past winter as Dolly Levi in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s production of Hello, Dolly! Other recent area credits include Cinderella, Oklahoma!, Rabbit Hole, The Clean House and Sunday in the Park with George. Before coming to Grand Rapids, Nancy was a company member of Actors’ Coop Theatre in Los Angeles. She has performed in original productions of Puss in Boots and Little Women at the Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Company and School, and then later reprised her role of Meg in CTC’s national tour of Little Women. Some of her television credits include Home Improvement and Carol & Company. Nancy holds an MFA in Acting from the University of Iowa and a BFA in Theatre from the University of Evansville, and teaches Acting and Voice & Movement at Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, and Cornerstone University. She has been accredited as a Practitioner by the Arthur Lessac Training and Research Institute for Voice, Movement and Acting, and is member of the Screen Actors Guild, and the Voice and Speech Trainers Association.

BRIAN PATRICK WILLIAMS was born and raised in the infamous “OC” of Southern California. He has an avid interest in the human body and the ways in which it moves and grows, especially in regards to the theatre and storytelling. This interest has led him to earn a BS in Kinesiology, the scientific study of human movement, and experience as both a Yoga instructor and personal trainer. Brian grew immensely as an actor while working and studying at the University of Connecticut and Connecticut Repertory Theatre where he just graduated with his MFA this past May. Some of his favorite roles include Mr. Bingley in Pride and Prejudice, Cassio in Othello, Mr. Walker in The Who’s Tommy and Claude in Hair. Recently, he was extremely fortunate to work with PUSH Physical Theatre Company in Rochester, NY on developing skills in non-traditional partnering, viewpoints, mime and ensemble-based, devised Theatre. This summer you can see him in the ensemble of Children of Eden, Captain Tempest in Return to the Forbidden Planet, and Dr. Johnson in I Remember Mama. This fall, Brian is moving to NYC to begin the next chapter of his professional acting career. His life philosophy: “Follow Your Bliss.”

CHRISTINE WORDEN, a recent graduate of Hope College with a B.A. in Theatre, is making her HSRT acting debut as Christine in I Remember Mama. She is also working as a stitcher in the costume shop for her third summer. You may have seen her in the Hope College Theatre Department’s production of Gone Missing, as Deborah in A Kind of Alaska, as Gladys in The Skin of Our Teeth, or as Josie in By the Bog of Cats. She has also directed several short plays, including a student-written one-act this spring. Christine would like to thank her family, friends, and “catfish” for supporting her pursuit to create beautiful art.

TEDDY YUDAIN is thrilled to be returning to HSRT for his fourth summer and performing in Guys on Ice! He spent last summer at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey as part of the Next Stage Ensemble in their Summer Professional Training Program. Recent credits are Lysander/Flute/Fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Cassius in Julius Caesar in STNJ's educational touring company Shakespeare LIVE! He also made his Off-Broadway debut in the Fall working with director Moisés Kaufman as a puppeteer in the opera El Gato Con Botas. Past HSRT credits include: Juliet/Ophelia/etc. in Cmplt Wrks of Shkspr Abrdgd, Jinx in Forever Plaid, Judas in Godspell, Ellard in The Foreigner, and Leo Davis in Room Service. Teddy received his BFA in Acting from the University of Connecticut and is so glad to be playing with his fellow Husky and best friend Mike Hanson once again.

Acting Interns

EMILY AUSTIN is absolutely thrilled for her first season at HSRT and can be seen in the ensemble of Children of Eden, Scurvy Dog in How I Became a Pirate, and Homily in The Borrowers. A Boulder, Colorado native, Emily just finished her sophomore year as a BFA Acting major at Ithaca College where she appeared in Electra (Greek Chorus) and most recently played the title role in a reading of Kenny Finkle's new work, Marzipan. Other favorite credits include The Secret Garden (Lily) with Broadway in Boulder Studios and Oklahoma! (Laurey) and Les Miserables (Eponine) with CenterStage Theatre Company. Thanks to my beautiful and unbelievably supportive family and to the wonderful people of HSRT for welcoming me into theirs.

WILL BOYAJIAN is thrilled to be making his HSRT debut. Will is to be a senior at Ithaca College, where he is majoring in Musical Theatre Performance and loving every second of it. Previous credits include Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Hedwig), Tom Wait's Woyzeck (Drum Major), Les Miserables (Jean Valjean) and Chicago (Fred Cassely). He will be excitedly joining the HSRT company this summer in Children of Eden, The Borrowers, andCookie in Return to the Forbidden Planet.

SARAH CHARLES is elated to join HSRT this summer for the first time! Originally from Baltimore, MD, she is entering her Junior year at Ithaca College, studying a BFA in Musical Theatre. This summer, she will be playing Yonah in Children of Eden and appearing in Return to the Forbidden Planet and How I Became a Pirate. Other credits include Children of Eden (Female Swing) and Baby the Musical (Lizzie) at Ithaca College Mainstage, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Christine Colgate) with Melodramatics Theatre Co., and Les Miserables (Fantine) with Columbia Center of the Theatrical Arts. Special thanks to Mom, Dad, and everyone else that has supported me over the years. Enjoy the show!

SARAH CLINE is delighted to be spending her first summer at HSRT as an Acting Intern and can be seen in Children of Eden, Return to the Forbidden Planet The Borrowers, and How I Became A Pirate. A Kansas City native, Sarah has performed in over 40 productions since beginning her career at the age of 6. She is a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre at Webster's Conservatory of Theatre Arts in St. Louis, Missouri. Credits include productions at Starlight Theatre, The MUNY, The Coterie Theatre, The Kansas City Repertory Theatre and now, HSRT! Low-Dive Jenny (The Threepenny Opera), Ariel (Footloose) and Maryjo Kincaid (A Piece of My Heart) are among her favorite roles. Much love and gratitude to family and friends for their endless laughter and undying support. Have fun and enjoy the show!

SKYE EDWARDS is excited to be joining HSRT for the first time this summer as an Acting Intern. He is currently a student at Hope College (2013) and is pursuing degrees in Theater and Dance. Originally from Denver, Skye has been the official dancing fan of the Colorado Avalanche (NHL) and Colorado Mammoth (NLL), and a member of the Denver Nuggets (NBA) Mob Squad hip hop crew. In 2008, Skye was recognized as Mr. Showbiz Denver for his performances as a hip-hop dancer and choreographer. As a college student, Skye has received two Irene Ryan Scholarship nominations for his performances as Gus in The Dumbwaiter and multiple roles/choreographer in Gone Missing. This summer Skye will be playing the roles of Abel/Ham in Children of Eden, Sharktooth in How I Became a Pirate (CPT), and Crampfurl in The Borrowers (CPT). He would like to thank his family for their unending support and God for the limitless blessings he has given.

MATT HAUPERT could not be more thrilled about making his HSRT debut as an Acting Intern in Children of Eden, Return to the Forbidden Planet, How I Became a Pirate, and The Borrowers! Originally from La Crosse, Wisconsin, Matt will be entering his junior year at Drake University this fall, where he is pursuing a BFA in Acting, a BA in English, and minors in Music & Musical Theatre. Some of Matt's favorite past credits include Bare (Matt), Gutenberg! The Musical! (Bud Davenport), Talk Radio (Henry) and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You (Aloysius) at Drake and Children of Eden (Cain/Japheth) at Appleseed Community Theatre. Matt is also a co-founder and company member of Dirty Thatch Theatre Company (dirtythatchtheatrecompany.com), with which he directed and performed The Compleat Wks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) this past spring. Matt enjoys writing as well as performing, and his one-act play The Plaid Table was selected for a Prose Award in the 2011 edition of Drake's literary magazine, Periphery. Matt is also a member of comedy pop-rock band Sleeping Berries Three, which released its debut album, There Beneath the Shrubbery, last summer. Matt would like to thank his friends and family for their constant inspiration and support!

HUNTER RINGSMITH is incredibly excited to be spending his first season at HSRT where he will be in Children of Eden, as Max in How I Became a Pirate, and Nels in I Remember Mama. He is a Florida native currently residing in Dallas, Texas where he just completed his sophomore year at Southern Methodist University. Pursuing a BFA in Acting, Hunter's SMU credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Chip), Mercury Fur (Elliott), Seascape with Sharks and Dancer (Ben), and the forthcoming Othello (Duke/Gratiano). Other favorite roles include Reverend Hale in The Crucible, Trinculo in The Tempest, and Brutus in Julius Caesar. Hunter would like to thank his family and friends for their unfaltering support and love.

JOHN TELFER is excited to be returning to HSRT this summer as an Acting Intern. John recently finished his junior year at Hope College, where he has performed in several shows, including Undermilkwood, Much Ado About Nothing, Skin of our Teeth, Second Class, and Big Love. John also recently finished his first major role in a feature film, Alone Yet Not Alone, as David, as well as acting and doing stuntwork for the locally-filmed WWII feature Return to the Hiding Place, which was recently screened at The Cannes Film Festival. John is excited to be playing Ariel in Return to the Forbidden Planet, a storyteller in Children of Eden, Braid Beard in How I Became a Pirate and Spiller in The Borrowers.

SARAH VOGT is honored to be making her HSRT debut as an Acting Intern. Originally from Floyds Knobs, IN, Sarah is a rising theatre performance senior at the University of Evansville. Recent UE productions include The Hot L Baltimore (Girl), Force of Nature (Lucy/Lucianne), The Children's Hour (Mary), and As It Is In Heaven (Izzy). She is excited to be appearing this summer in Children of Eden, Return to the Forbidden Planet, and The Borrowers.

KARA WILLIAMS is beginning her first year with HSRT and couldn't be more excited! In the fall, she will be entering her senior year at Hope College, majoring in theatre. She has appeared in many Hope College productions such as Undermilkwood, Almost, Maine and Much Ado About Nothing. She will be working as an acting intern this summer with HSRT and, having seen past productions, is excited to finally be involved! She can be seen in Children of Eden, I Remember Mama, and How I Became a Pirate.