is honored to be making her KC Starlight debut. Off-Broadway: The Fartiste (Downstairs Sophia’s), Where’s Charley? (Encores!) and Pipe Dream (Encores!) Tours: Annie (Grace Farrell), The Sound of Music (Maria u/s). Regional: Pirates! (Mabel) at The Muny, The Music Man (Marian Paroo) at the Geva Theatre, Hello, Dolly! (Irene Molloy) at NSMT, Arlington (Sara Jane) world premiere at Magic Theatre, She Loves Me (Amalia) at the Infinity Theatre, The Game (Emilie) and Sweeney Todd at the Barrington Stage Company. Analisa is a winner of the international Lotte Lenya Competition for Singers and was recently seen in concert with the Kurt Weill Fest in Germany and Weill on Broadway in New York City. B.M. Eastman School of Music. Thanks to The Gage Group. www.analisaleaming.com
TOM GALANTICH (Captain Georg von Trapp)
Broadway: Don’t Dress for Dinner, Boeing Boeing, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Mamma Mia, The Boys From Syracuse, City of Angels and Into the Woods. Off-Broadway: The Preacher and the Shrink, Distracted (Roundabout), Ghosts and Biography (Pearl Theatre), A Doll’s Life and On the 20th Century (The York Theatre). Film: Julie and Julia, Watching TV With The Red Chinese, and the short films Tracks and Let it Ring. TV: “House of Cards” (Thomas Larkin), “Person of Interest,” “Elementary,” “Smash,” “Made in Jersey,” “Royal Pains,” “Law and Order” (Joe Chapelle), “L&O Criminal Intent,” “Ed,” “Chappelle’s Show,” “The Cosby Mysteries,” “One Life To Live” (Mark Casey), “All My Children,” “Another World.” He has toured nationally as Bob Wallace in White Christmas, Bobby in Company, and Harker in Dracula. In addition, he has appeared at many regional theatres across the country including The Denver Center, The Old Globe, Michigan Opera, North Carolina Theater, Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, Drury Lane and Marriott’s Lincolnshire among others. He is a veteran of numerou
SUZANNE ISHEE (The Mother Abbess)
KCS: Glinda/Aunt Em in Phil McKinley’s The Wizard of Oz. Emmy/Drama Desk Award-winning producer. Broadway: The Phantom of the Opera (Carlotta, NY/Toronto), Showboat, La Cage aux Folles, Mame, Jerry’s Girls, Regional: Lion in Winter, Kiss Me Kate, Steel Magnolias, King and I, Jekyll & Hyde, NYCO’s Merry Widow (PBS) Premieres, symphonies, concert series worldwide. Playwright: Searching for Spinoza, et al. Creator/Producer (8 years) Broadway’s Easter Bonnet Competition. Current: Numerous boards and President: (CenterForCreativePlacemaking.com)
GLORY CRAMPTON (Elsa Schraeder)
is thrilled to return to Starlight, having starred in West Side Story and Jekyl & Hyde. Recent theater credits: Death Takes a Holiday (Roundabout Theater Co., NYC), Annie and Hello, Dolly! w/ Leslie Uggams (TUTS, Houston). Guys and Dolls w/Richard Kind (Ogunquit Playhouse). Glory recently released her solo CD, Unusual Way, singing classic and contemporary Broadway favorites with the London National Symphony recorded at Abbey Road-England. She is touring the U.S. with her one-woman concert, “From Broadway to Abbey Road.” She has sung as a soloist with The Three Tenors’ Jose Carreras (Radio City Music Hall/ Orchestra of St. Lukes), as well as guest soloist in a performance honoring The Royal Crown Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg. Other credits: 10 leading ladies at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse, including My Fair Lady where she played the role opposite “The Nanny’s” Charles Shaughnessy (Pittsburgh CLO), Christine in the world premiere of the Kopit/Yeston Phantom (RCA Victor), The Fantasticks w/ Robert Goulet (national & NYC), Louisa in Nine (WBT). Featured on 12 recordings including The Musicality of Jerome Kern, Broadway Duets, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Jay Records), Unsung Berlin, Unsung Musicals series, (Varese Saraband), Romantic Duets (RCA). Recent television: “The Good Wife.” www.glorycrampton.com
JAMES JUDY (Max Detweiler)
Broadway: Into the Woods, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Jekyll & Hyde, A Christmas Carol. National tours: Deaf West’s Big River, South Pacific. Off-Broadway: Fiorello – City Center Encores, 1,2,3,4,5 & The Gig– Manhattan Theatre Club, La Boheme– N.Y.S.F. TV: “Boardwalk Empire,” “Trinity,” “Cosby.” Regional: A Christmas Story (Jean Shepard) KC Rep. James would like to thank Kathy and Moochie for being his refuge.
CLAIRE CHARLAND (Liesl von Trapp)
is thrilled to be back home at Kansas City Starlight! Regional: 42nd Street (Weston Playhouse). Sweeney Todd with the New York Philharmonic (Soprano Cover). Pace: Merrily We Roll Along, Spring Awakening. Pace University BFA MT 2014. BIG thanks to Pace MT, MTYP and her incredible family and friends. This one’s for Molly and Grammie!
SETH JONES (Rolf Gruber)
couldn’t be more thrilled for his first show with Starlight! Seth is a visual artist and performer from Kansas City. Previous credits include The Fantasticks! and Hello, Again (Spinning Tree Theatre), Sunday in the Park with George (MTH), School House Rock (Coterie), Carrie: The Musical (EGADS Theatre). He was a two-time nominee and winner of Starlight’s Blue Star Award for Outstanding Lead Actor and placed as a top three finalist at the Jimmy Awards in NYC. Find more of Seth’s artwork at sethmjonesart.com
KIP NIVEN (Franz – the butler)
KC native and KU grad Kip Niven has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in regional theatres, as well as in feature films and on network television. Previous Starlight appearances include Phantom, Annie, The Wizard of Oz, Anything Goes, Cinderella, Xanadu, Aida, Aladdin and Narnia. This winter he’ll appear as Fagin in Oliver! for Musical Theatre Heritage.
KATHLEEN WARFEL (Frau Schmidt – the housekeeper)
is pleased to be able to work for Starlight Theatre for the first time. A native of the Kansas City area, she has been seen in many venues: KC Repertory in The Foreigner (Betty), August: Osage County (Mattie Fae), To Kill a Mockingbird (Mrs. DuBose), Major Barbara (Rummy Mitchens), A Christmas Carol (Mrs. Cratchit, Past), The Seagull (Paulina), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Margaret), A Delicate Balance (Claire), Julius Caesar (Calphurnia); Kansas City Actors Theatre: Picnic (Helen Potts), Good People (Dottie), Talley and Son, The Fifth of July, The Cripple of Inishmaan; The New Theatre Restaurant: The Games Afoot; American Heartland Theatre: Making God Laugh, The Odd Couple female version, Steel Magnolias; The Unicorn: Grey Gardens, Speech and Debate, Omnium Gatherum, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Keeley and Du, Burn This; Heart of America Shakespeare Festival: Richard III, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing.
BRUCE ROACH (Herr Zeller)
has worked extensively with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, the Unicorn, American Heartland Theatre, Kansas City Actors Theatre, the Coterie, and for the past 10 seasons with the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival. He recently finished playing Leontes there in The Winter’s Tale. Bruce is making his Starlight debut.
CAM BURNS (Kurt von Trapp)
is thrilled to be a part of The Sound of Music at Starlight! He was most recently seen as Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird at White Theatre and Young Harvey in I Am Harvey Milk at Folly Theatre. A few of his favorite things are singing and playing the piano.
BRENDAN HULLA (Friedrich von Trapp)
Performing on the Starlight stage is a dream come true for Brendan, 14. Previous credits include Peter Cottontail, Aladdin and Narnia (Starlight Children’s Theatre), Nuncrackers (AHT) and The Music Man (MTH). Brendan is excited to be cast as Friedrich because he played the role of Kurt three years ago at TITP. Brendan loves performing, playing cello and gymnastics.
DELILAH ROSE PELLOW (Gretl von Trapp)
is thrilled to be playing Gretl in The Sound of Music at Starlight! She is 6 years old and has been on stage since the age of 3. Her favorites so far were being in Les Miserables and playing a princess in The King and I at the MET. Delilah loves baby animals and anything pink!
JOSEPHINE PELLOW (Marta von Trapp)
is so excited to be playing Marta in The Sound of Music at Starlight! She is 10 years old and has been on stage since the age of 6. Her favorite roles so far have been playing Young Cosette in Les Miserables and Young Fiona in Shrek. Josephine loves animals, riding horses, being outside, singing and acting.
FIONA SCOTT (Brigitta von Trapp)
is thrilled to perform at Starlight Theatre! She appeared in Billy Elliot at The Muny last month and in productions with Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Favorite roles include Young Jane in Jane Eyre and Tootie in Meet Me in St. Louis. Fiona sings with St. Louis Children’s Choirs and studies voice, dance and acting with Lisa Casciola, Mark Krupinski and Ben Nordstrom.
MEGAN WALSTROM as (Louisa von Trapp)
is elated to be making her Starlight debut. She is an eighth-grader at Indian Hills Middle School. Some of her credits include Joseph… at The New Theatre, Ragtime at the MET, and A Christmas Carol at the KC Rep. She also enjoys performing in community theatre and dancing at Miller Marley.
CATHY BARNETT as (Sister Berthe/Ensemble)
Cathy’s previous Starlight appearances include Footloose and The Producers. She performed in the American Heartland Theatre’s final production, The Bikinis; the Unicorn/KCAT/ UMKC collaboration, Inspecting Carol; Social Security at The New Theatre with “I Dream of Jeannie” star Barbara Eden; Musical Theater Heritage’s concert production of Sweeney Todd; Grey Gardens at the Unicorn Theatre. She portrays the Hallmark greeting card character, “Maxine,” in live performance
JUDY SIMMONS (Sister Margaretta/ Ensemble)
recently moved back to KC from Washington, DC, after enjoying a long and exciting career in theatre, cabaret and teaching. She is thrilled to be making her debut at Starlight Theatre. She was most recently seen as Mrs. Paroo in The Music Man at Western Playhouse and Mrs. Rose in Hello, Dolly! at MTH. Judy teaches at the Coterie.
BECKY BARTA (Sister Sophia/Ensemble)
Kansas City native! Broadway: Les Miserables (Mme Thenardier); Radio City Music Hall: Christmas Spectacular (Mrs Claus); Off-Broadway: Frankenstein (cast recording), Forbidden Broadway, title role in Always Patsy Cline, Sessions and Meet Me in St. Louis. Recent Regional: Lost Highway (Mama Lilly) – director, Randal Myler. Favorite regional: The Sound of Music (every speaking nun). Love to Mom and David!
JOHN RENSENHOUSE (Admiral von Schreiber/Ensemble)
Broadway: The Lion King, Noises Off (National tours). Film: Candyman, Doubletake. Television: “The Edge of Night,” “LA Law,” “thirtysomething,” “Who’s The Boss?”, “Kate and Allie,” Regional: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Hartford Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Kansas City Actors Theatre, Kansas City Rep, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival.
DANIEL BEEMAN (Ensemble)
is a senior at UMKC. Credits: Les Miserables, Mary Poppins, Betty Blue Eyes, The King and I (Music Theatre of Wichita); A Little Night Music (Spinning Tree Theatre); Carrie: the Musical (Egads Theatre); Next to Normal (She & Her). Boundless thanks to family, friends and Kansas City Starlight! Upcoming: Hands on a Hard Body (Unicorn Theatre); Violet (Spinning Tree Thatre) DanielBeeman.com
LAUREN BRATON (Baroness Elberfeld/ Ensemble)
is thrilled to be back under the stars at Starlight! Local credits: Spinning Tree Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Coterie Theatre, Starlight Theatre, American Heartland Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, Quality Hill Playhouse, Musical Theater Heritage, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, and Kansas City Civic Opera. Regional: Arrowrock Lyceum Theatre, Seagle Music Colony New York. She also stays busy with commercial and film work. Lauren has a private voice studio and teaches at Kansas City Young Audiences. This fall she will play the title role in Violet at Spinning Tree Theatre. www.laurenbraton.com
ELLIOT HARRISON BROWN (Ensemble)
BM, MM from Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Past: I Capuleti e i Montecchi, The Magic Flute, La Bohéme, Die Fledermaus (Lyric Opera of Kansas City); Wagner in Faust, Corcoran in HMS Pinafore (Indianapolis Opera) Upcoming: Marchese d’Obigny in La Traviata, Haly in L’Italiana in Algeri (Lyric Opera of Kansas City).
SHEA COFFMAN (Ensemble)
Regional credits: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, bare (Unicorn Theatre); All Shook Up, Joseph…, Spelling Bee (New Theatre); Spring Awakening, Seussical, U:Bug:Me (Coterie Theatre); Make Me a Song (Spinning Tree Theatre); How to Succeed…, Big River (MTH); Being Alive, Thrill Me (Fishtank Theatre). Upcoming: Hands on a Hardbody at Unicorn Theatre.
MOLLY DENNINGHOFF (Postulant/ Ensemble)
Starlight debut! Select local: A Little Night Music (Spinning Tree); The Buddy Holly Story (New Theatre); Carousel, A Christmas Carol (KC Rep); The Marvelous Wonderettes (American Heartland); Gypsy (Musical Theatre Heritage); This Is How It Goes, Carousel (The Living Room). Select regional: The Unexpected Guest, Boeing-Boeing, Camelot (Arrow Rock Lyceum); Quilters (Avalon Theatre – Kevin Kline Award nom); Godspell, Present Laughter, Cabaret (Okoboji Summer Theatre). BFA Stephens College. Love to ZNS.
ERIC GEIL (Ensemble)
is a senior at CCM. Credits: Marius, Les Miserables; Tommy Ross, Carrie: The Musical; Spring Awakening, Chess, Street Scene and The Civil War. Other credits: Frankie, Parade (The Carnegie Theatre); Bobby, Urinetown (TITP); L.A., Gypsy (MTH); Enjolras, Les Miserables (Cardinal Stage Company, Bloomington, IN).
CHERYL HODGES (Ensemble)
is thrilled to return to Starlight for her 10th production. She made her Broadway debut as Isabel in Joseph Papp’s The Pirates of Penzance followed by Merlin. National tours include The Pirates of Penzance, On the 20th Century, Annie and The Music Man. She teaches and directs musical productions in Shawnee Mission, however, her favorite production is her son, Scott.
SARAH LaBARR (Ensemble)
returns to Starlight having previously performed in Cinderella, Anything Goes, The Music Man, Annie, Narnia and Aladdin. Education: BS theatre performance, BA music-NWMSU; MM voice-UMKC. KC credits: KC Rep, Musical Theater Heritage, Theatre for Young America, Quality Hill, KC Lyric Opera, KC Civic Opera, and KC Chorale (Grammy Award-winning Passion Week album). www.sarahlabarr.com
HANNA LEIGH (Dance Captain/Ensemble)
is thrilled to join the cast of The Sound of Music. Regional theatre credits: Cinderelly, Cats (Victoria), Hello, Dolly!, Rocky Horror Show and Disco Nites. Hanna has performed with Ballet Theatre of Maryland and as a soloist with Chesapeake Ballet Company.
KATHRYN LONG (Ensemble)
is proud to make her Starlight debut! Locally: Your Hit Parade, Christmas in Song, On The Sunny Side of the Street (Quality Hill Playhouse); Die Fledermaus, The Mikado, The Flying Dutchman (Lyric Opera of Kansas City). Regionally: George M!, Rex, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, Camelot (Utah Festival Opera).
MELINDA MacDONALD (Frau Zeller/ Ensemble)
24 years of KC credits include leading roles at KC Repertory, New Theatre, American Heartland, Unicorn, Spinning Tree, Chestnut, 19 years of cabarets at Quality Hill Playhouse, and featured soloist with Kansas City Pops Symphony concerts. Private voice teacher, active volunteer with KC Young Matrons and lucky wife of Darold Frenzen.
NANCY NAIL (Ursula/Ensemble)
recently appeared as Truvy in Steel Magnolias at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre. Nancy has also been seen in M. Butterfly and The Night of the Iquana at the MET. Nancy has performed at American Heartland Theatre, Quality Hill Playhouse, Musical Theater Heritage and is feeling pretty blessed to appear here at Starlight Theatre again. Previously, Nancy appeared at Starlight in Annie, Footloose and Fiddler on the Roof. In her spare time, Nancy is a vocal coach out of her home. Next up for Nancy is Oliver! at Musical Theater Heritage in December. This performance goes out to my two kids, Daniel and Madeline, and my guardian angel, Ruth!
KYM CHAMBERS OTTO (Ensemble)
Starlight Theatre: The Sound of Music, Anything Goes, The Wizard of Oz,Tours: Cats (Jellylorum), The Wizard of Oz (u/s Wicked Witch), Cinderella (Queen). Theater: KC Rep: Cabaret; Ordway CPA: Cinderella (u/s Stepmother, Queen), Joseph…, Contemporary Songbook; Bushnell CPA: The Music Man starring Shirley Jones; Forestburgh Playhouse: Mame (Gooch); NSMT: Camelot; History Theatre: Baby Case, Chanhassen; DT: Joseph…, 42nd St, Oklahoma!; Old Log: Elves and the Shoemaker. Training: M.A. NYU. Thanks to all of you who continue to support the Arts! LYBT Otto. AEA since 2005.
CASI RIEGLE (Ensemble)
is a Kansas City native ecstatic to be back at Starlight after previously appearing in Footloose, Anything Goes and Les Miserables. Other credits include Phantom (PCLO), Hairspray (New Dinner Theatre) and Joseph…(New Dinner Theatre). Casi is a recent graduate of Point Park University BFA. Much love to family and friends as always! Proud AEA member.
TIM SCOTT (Baron Elberfeld/Ensemble)
has been seen lacally and nationally on television, stage and emceeing live events. He has appeared in nearly 50 Equity productions and is a two-time recipient of The Pitch Magazine’s “Best of KC” award for his work on local stages. Starlight Theatre credits include Aladdin and Footloose. Other local credits include productions at the Unicorn Theatre, Coterie Theatre, Quality Hill Playhouse, Musical Theatre Heritage and American Heartland Theatre. Tim made his Off-Broadway debut in Lucky Duck at The New Victory Theatre in 2012. www.TimmyScott.com
JOANN ARMSTRONG (Blue Star All-Star Teen Ensemble)
a junior at Blue Valley Southwest, previously appeared in Starlight’s Blue Star All-Star Chorus in Footloose in 2013 and is a member of the Starlight STARS of Tomorrow. She has also performed as Marcy Park in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and in Children of Eden at The Theatre in the Park. She would like to thank her family.
NEHEMIAH DEASON (Blue Star All-Star Teen Ensemble)
is grateful to be returning to the Starlight stage for his third production. His favorite theatrical roles in high school have been Troy in High School Musical, Lumierre in Disney’s Beauty & the Beast, Friederich Bhaer in Little Women and Ren in Footloose. He thanks God for all of his success.
JOEY PARKER (Blue Star All-Star Teen Ensemble)
attends Grandview High School and will be a senior in the fall. Joey has been performing on various stages for eight years. He is also active with his band and is currently drum major of the Marching Band. Joey is very excited to be performing on the Starlight stage!
ANDREA STRICKLER (Blue Star All-Star Teen Ensemble)
is thrilled to be making her first appearance at Starlight! She is 16 years old and attends Olathe South. Andrea has previously performed at Theatre in the Park, the Coterie, the White Theatre, the Chestnut Fine Arts Center and CYT. She hopes you enjoy the show. God Bless!
MARIAH STUDEBAKER (Blue Star All-Star Teen Ensemble)
is living a dream making her Starlight debut! A 2014 graduate of Oak Park High School, she will be studying musical theatre at Webster University this fall. Recent credits include Beauty and the Beast, Legally Blonde and Picnic. Thanks to family and friends. All glory to God!
ALEC WALBERG (Blue Star All-Star Teen Ensemble)
a junior at Olathe Northwest, is thrilled to be performing in his third production at Starlight. Alec has performed in more than 20 local productions at venues including TITP, Musical Theater Heritage, The Barn Players, and StageRight Performing Arts. He is a huge fan of the Dark Knight Trilogy.
