FAME

Cast Bios

Kathy Boyle (Musician) is a returning SRT actress, seen last year in Pirates of Penzance. She has been a part of the crew at GRCT for Blues Clues Live! and Big Friendly Giant. Kathy is entering into her senior year at Jenison High School where she has been part of the costume crew for Antigone, Beauty and the Beast, You Can’t Take it With You and has also held roles in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Fiddler on the Roof. She is also a member of the International Thespian Society.

Michaela Christie (Actor) is thrilled to make her Civic Theatre debut in Summer Repertory Theatre’s Fame. She attends Northview High where she is a junior and has been involved in theatre, taking Theatre Arts Classes and performing in their production of Cinderella. Michaela is glad to be a part of the Fame cast this summer.

Aubrey Clark (Actor) is making her debut at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre in Fame. Though this is her first show at GRCT, she has been in several other shows at West Catholic High School where she is a sophomore. Some of those shows are: Godspell, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Les Miserables.

Nick Coulson (Musician) is no stranger to the Civic. He has appeared in Captain Louie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Pirates of Penzance Jr. and Peter Pan. Nick has also been a part of the crew for The Big Friendly Giant, Blues Clues Live! and GRCT’s most recent show, Hairspray. He is currently a sophomore at West Catholic High School and was in their theatre production of Godspell. He is a dedicated volunteer and has received an award for Volunteering 500+ hours in the 2009-10 Season at GRCT.

Taylor Emmons (Actor) is excited to make her first appearance on the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre stage in SRT’s Fame. She is currently a senior at Rockford High School and has been very involved in their theatre program. Taylor has been in many of their productions: Dead Man Walking, Les Miserables, Date Expectations, Fiddler of the Roof, The Crucible, The Boys Next Door and The Diary of Anne Frank. She is happy to be a part of the Civic’s Summer Repertory Theatre this year.

Eli Harter (Musician) is making his Civic Theater debut in this years Summer Repertory Theatre’s production of Fame. He will be beginning his freshman year at Forest Hills Central High School in the fall. Eli began acting at a young age, performing in shows; We Haz Jazz and Rules of Comedy.

Micah Hazel (Dancer) has been a part of GRCT’s 2010-11 Season, in shows: Hello, Dolly! and Hairspray. He is currently in his third year at Grand Rapids Community College, studying Theatre. At GRCC he was last seen in End Days. While in high school Micah performed in numerous shows including, Guys and Dolls, Fame!, Hamlet Abridged and Lucky Stiff.

Noah King-Bates (Tyrone Jackson) was last seen on stage in Hairspray! and has also been in several GRCT Summer Repertory Theatre productions: Sleeping Beauty and The Big Friendly Giant. Noah was also a part of the Civic's Traveling Troupe two seasons ago. While in high school he performed in several shows: Guys and Dolls, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and TCH. He is a sophomore in Western Michigan University’s Theatre program and has been awarded with the EK Wepman Drama Scholarship.

Michael Kohlenberger (Mr. M & Dramaturg) was last seen in the GRCT's Hello, Dolly! Michael made his Civic debut in 2005 with To Kill a Mockingbird, and has gone on to Tales of Fourth Grade Nothing, Cinderella, Sarah, Plain and Tall and Blue’s Clues Live! Among his other credits are Inherit the Wind and Lone Star with Heritage Theatre, as well as Children of Eden and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with the Caledonia Community Players. He also worked on stage with GVSU and currently hosts his own radio show with WPRR called Spotlight on the Grand. “Thanks to Kelsey, you are my star!”

Phoenix Lofquist (Actor) is a Summer Repertory Theatre veteran. She was in last year’s Pirates of Penzance Jr. and the 2009 production of Sleeping Beauty. Phoenix was in GRCT’s Willy Wonka as Violet in 2008. She is currently a junior at Grandville High School and is also a member of the State Honors Choir.

Jessica Luiz (Miss S.) is making her Grand Rapids Civic Theatre debut in Fame! She has been very involved in theatre throughout Michigan, in the following productions; Kiss Me Kate at Vista Theatre, Anything Goes at Lake Superior Theatre, Piece of My Heart at Forest Roberts Theatre and in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Caledonia Community Players. Jessica has also performed in NMU’s production of Closer Than Ever doing aerial silks. She currently works as facilitator at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum.

Taylor McKinstry (Joe Vegas) is making his first appearance in Summer Repertory’s show, Fame. He has been in other community productions: RENT and Aladdin Jr. While in high school, and as he pursues his college degree at Western Michigan University he has appeared in several shows: Romeo and Juliet, Frankenstein, Bye, Bye Bridie!, The Man Who Came to Dinner, and Les Miserables. Taylor was also a part of Theatre for Community Health in various shows.

Hannah Melton (Actor) was last seen in the this season’s Our Town, and was also in Scrooge in 2004 at GRCT. She has been in several community productions, to name a few: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Circle Theatre and The Secret Garden at GVSU. Hannah was recently in the video, Distracted Driving: Forever and Ever and has done other freelance and voice work. She is currently a junior at Caledonia High School and has been in several shows: It’s A Wonderful Life, Peter Pan, Hunchback of Notre Dame and Fiddler on the Roof. She was also a part of the Blue Lake International Choir in 2008.

Jon Melton (Schlomo Metzenbaum) is making his Civic Theatre debut in Fame! While he is new to the Civic, he has been in The King and I and The Wizard of Oz at Hamilton Community Theatre. He is currently a senior and is being homeschooled. He has had a great experience being involved in GRCT’s Summer Repertory Theatre.

Patrick Nowak (Nick Piazza) made his first appearance in The Wizard of Oz in 2005 at the Civic. He has been in several other shows at GRCT: Junie B. Jones, Nate the Great, Miss Nelson is Missing, Willy Wonka, Cinderella, Blues Clues Live!, and last year’s SRT show, Pirates of Penzance Jr. Other community theatre shows include Pippin, Tommy, and Snow White with Circle Theatre; Opera Grand Rapids’ show Carmen in 2007; Honk! at Cornerstone and GR Public Museum’s planetarium show Crickets and Constellations. He is currently a sophomore at East Grand Rapids High School, where he has performed in Phantom of the Opera.

Clarissa Ortiz (Dancer) is making her Civic theatre debut in Fame. While at East Kentwood High School she took several theatre and acting courses and also performed in their production of Hairspray! She is entering into her freshman year at the University of Michigan this fall.

Alex Petkus (Carmen Diaz) has performed in GRCT’s High School Musical II, has crewed The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Blues Clues Live! and served as the Assistant Stage Manager for Cinderella. She has been involved in other community theatre shows including Guys and Dolls at Circle Theatre, Star Wars in Concert at the VanAndel Arena and was a part of the All-State Honors Choir. She is a senior at East Grand Rapids High School where she has performed in Phantom of the Opera and Small Actors. Alex has also been awarded with the Superior and Excellence Awards in Acting from MIFA.

Emerson Petkus (Musician) is making his stage debut in Summer Repertory Theatre’s Fame. Though he has not appeared on stage at GRCT, he was a member of the crew during Hello, Dolly! He has also crewed other shows in the community with Jewish Theatre, Heritage Theater and Dog Story Theatre. He is entering into his freshman year at East Grand Rapids High School this fall.

Sabrina Petkus (Iris Kelly) has been a part of SRT for several years, performing in Sleeping Beauty and Pirates of Penzance Jr. She has also been involved in several other Civic Theatre shows including Hairspray, Hello, Dolly!, Willy Wonka and The Producers. While in high school she appeared in Our Town, From Every Mountainside and Noises Off. Sabrina is a sophomore at Aquinas College studying Nursing. She has also been recognized as a loyal GRCT Volunteer.

Katherine Searcy (Musician) has been involved in the Civic's Traveling Troupe in Tales of Molly Malloy and Nate the Great, when she made her GRCT debut. She has been in other community theatre productions like Master Arts Theatre’s Cheaper by the Dozen. While in middle school she was seen in Honk Jr! and Little Women. Katherine is entering into her sophomore year at Jenison High School and has performed in the 2011 production of Fiddler on the Roof. She is a member of the International Thespian Society.

Chelsea Sedlecky (Dancer) is making her first appearance on GRCT’s stage in Fame. She has been a dancer since the age of two, well versed in tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, and lyrical. She took classes at the Academy of Dance Arts, has danced with the Russian Moscow Ballet in the Nutcracker and is also a part of the Aquinas Dance Team. While in high school she was in the production Grease. Chelsea is currently in her second year at Aquinas College majoring in Communications.

Emilie Smith-Meyering (Mrs. Bell) is excited to be back on stage at the Civic once again, after her latest show, Charlotte's Web. She has fond memories of times here as a child in such shows as Carousel, Annie, and Oliver. She was also choreographer for School House Rock Live Tour, Trixie True Teen Detective, and The Magic Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. She has taught many Kidsplay Kamp sessions as well as taught dance here at Civic. Emilie has also taught dance at Hope College, Hearts in Step Dance Academy, and drama at Old Town Playhouse Traverse City. She has performed in many other theaters including The Cotton Club, NYU Classical. and Circle in the Square. While taking time to raise kids and spend time with family, she took a leave from stage. Emilie is pleased to be playing her first “Mom” roll as the mom in one of her favorite children's books. She thanks her family for their support and Bruce Tinker for the opportunity to be here once again.

Katie Szostak (Serena Katz) was last seen on the Civic stage in Captain Louie. She was also in the GRCT production of The Miracle Worker. Other Community theatre shows include, Seussical the Musical at Cornerstone, Annie at Circle Theatre, Wait Until Dark, Puss in Boots, and A Christmas Story at the Holland Civic Theater. She is a junior at Hudsonville High School and starred as Annie in their 2011 production of Annie.

Tabea Thiesen (Musician) is very excited to make her GRCT debut in Fame! She was born and raised in Germany, near Munich and while living there was in three musicals. When living in Germany, she went to a high school specifically for students interested in music. Tabea loves singing, playing the violin and the bassoon, ballet dance and anything to do with musicals. She is currently a junior at East Grand Rapids High School.

Ben Utter (Goodman "Goody" King) was last seen at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre in Charlotte’s Web. He has been involved in several other community productions including 13! The Musical and Aladdin with Youth Theatre Grand Rapids. He is entering into his sophomore year at East Grand Rapids High School where he was in the production of The Three Musketeers and held the role of Assistant Director in Don’t Drink the Water.

Michelle Valente (Grace "Lampchops" Lamb) made her theatre debut last year in Summer Reportory Theatre’s Pirates of Penzance Jr. She currently attends Grand Rapids Catholic Central going into her junior year. While in high school she has performed in Macbeth, Guys and Dolls, and Much Ado About Nothing. Michelle has also received excellent scores during the solo and ensemble for piano and percussion.

Courtney Williams (Actor) is making her first appearance at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre in Fame! She is currently a sophomore at Columbia College in Chicago where she is a Musical Theatre Major. Bye Bye Birdie, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat are just a few of the productions that she has been in throughout her high school and college career.

Amanda Wright (Mabel Washington) has been very involved at the Civic Theatre. She has appeared in the GRCT shows Cinderella, The Music Man, Oklahoma, Junie B. Jones, Bunnicula, Willy Wonka, Blues Clues Live!, Peter Pan and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Her community theatre productions include Metamorphosis with Heritage Theatre; Annie, Snow White and Oliver! with Circle Theatre; Wait Until Dark, Seussical, Meet Me In St. Louis, Jane Eyre, and The Traveling Lady with Cornerstone University. She attends Caledonia High School as a sophomore, where she has performed in Fiddler on the Roof. Amanda has received a Grand Award for Winning Ensemble for Metamorphosis and Winning Ensemble for Wait Until Dark.

Chelsea Zabel (Dancer/Sonia) is returning to SRT after performing in last year’s Pirates of Penzance Jr. She has also crewed in several other Civic Theatre shows including Peter Pan and Blues Clues Live! While she was in high school at East Grand Rapids High she stage managed Phantom of the Opera and Our Town. She was also seen in EGR’s production State Fair, The Wiz and On The Town. Chelsea is currently attending the University of Michigan.