Who's Who...

The cast of our 2008 Production of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

 
Zhanna Albertini (Kratnoff) is a member of the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre School and has completed the HS acting Theatre Wheel, plus one of the advanced acting classes taught by Penny Notter. This is her first show with GRCT. Zhanna is a junior at Forest Hills Central HS where she played a nun in The Sound of Music. She has also performed with the Lowell community players as a Wind-up Mouse in The Velveteen Rabbit.

 
 
Shannon Anderson (Cathy) is a dance major at Grand Rapids Community College. This is her first time onstage at GRCT, but she’s performed in many shows at Ionia Community Young People’s Theatre, including Dragon Tales, Cinderella, Bye Bye Birdie, and Meet Me in St. Louis. Shannon appeared as a Jungle Creature in a Home School Performing Arts production of Seussical the Musical, and in a dance concert, Rhapsody, at Lansing Community College.
 
Joseph Becherer (Ryan Evans) first appeared onstage at GRCT in the 2005 production of Gypsy. Since then, he’s performed in The Wizard of Oz and Oklahoma. Joseph played the Artful Dodger in Community Circle’s production of Oliver! and has been in two productions of Fiddler on the Roof – with Heritage Theatre and Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids. He attends Catholic Central High School where he played Simeon in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
 
Emily Bennett (Kelsi Neilson) is a freshman at City High School. She earned a District MS Solo and Ensemble #1 rating for her solo Pie Jesu/The Water is Wide last year. Emily has participated in competitive dance since 2002. She’s also been a member of St. Cecelia’s Youth Choir and GR Musicians’ League Youth Choir. This is her first show with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
 
Dylan Bowman (Zeke Baylor) comes to Summer Repertory Theatre from Hastings High School. He played the lead of Ren in the Hasting HS production of Footloose. Dylan knows how to run a sound board and this is his first time onstage at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts.
 
Annie Brewer (Thespian) has been working on her dance skills since 2004 with Hearts In Step Christian Dance Academy, Breakdown, Tutu & Point Shoes and Integrity School of Dance Arts. She is a home-schooled 11th-grader. This is her first production with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts.
 
Caleb Brooks (Jock) first performed with GRCT as a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz way back in 2000! Since then, he’s appeared in Peter Pan, Scrooge, The Music Man and Cinderella. In addition, Caleb is a member of GRCT’s School of Theatre Arts and toured with Traveling Troupe 2007. He’s also won a 500 volunteer-hour award at GRCT for his volunteer work in one season! This past year, Caleb appeared in Steamship Quanza with Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids.
 
Jay Brooks (Coach Bolton) has been performing in theatre since he was nine years old and is excited to be working with this year’s SRT. Jay has volunteered in many shows at the Civic over the past eight years, both onstage and off, and received a 500 volunteer-hour award last year for his work at the Civic. Jay is also a freelance talent and has appeared in several films, commercials, and corporate training videos. Jay owns Affinity Marketing Services, and was responsible for designing many of the promotional materials for the Civic Theatre in recent years.
 
Calley Cross (Cheerleader) is a sophomore at Northview High School. She’s been very active at the Performing Arts Center there! Some of her credits include Downy in Honk, Wolf #7 in The Jungle Book, Cassie in Lewis and Clarks Great American Expedition, and a Page in The Prince and the Pauper. In addition she’s performed several solos onstage there. Calley has taken dance classes here at GRCT’s School of Theatre Arts. This is her first show with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
 
Ashley Dwarshuis (Susan) first appeared on GRCT’s stage in the Pirate Ship Player production of The Talent Show. An active member of the School of Theatre Arts, Ashley has completed an acting Theatre Wheel, and toured with Traveling Troupe 2008 as Annie in The Adventures of Nate the Great. At Master Arts Theater, Ashley played the role of Piglet in The House at Pooh Corner, and Princess Bouquet in Rapunzel. She is an eighth grader at Forest Hills Northern MS, where she played Alice in Alice in Wonderland.
 
Angelee Garcia (Gabriella Montez) is a sophomore at Hope College. While still at Rockford High, she performed in a musical every year: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Music Man, Seussical the Musical and Oklahoma. She was also awarded a #1 rating at State Solo & Ensemble! Angelee also appeared as one of the orphans in a production of Annie at Knapp Charter Academy. This is her first production with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts.
 
Ines Garcia (Skater) attends East Grand Rapids HS where she’s appeared as Katerina in Taming of the Shrew, Mammy Jenny in The Summer of Jack London, and in various other productions including The Comedy of Errors, Pride & Prejudice, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ines has also performed with Children’s Opera Workshop and in the EGRHS Dance Team. She is a member of the International Thespian Society. This is her first show with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
 
Rebecca Hansen (Thespian) is a member of the National Forensics League and was a Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association Semifinalist in Sales at the State Finals in 2007. Rebecca also plays clarinet and has danced with Linda Moon School of Dance. This is her first show with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. She attends City Middle/High School where she performed in The Mouse that Roared. Rebecca has also appeared in a production of A Christmas Carol at St. Cecelia Music Society.
 
Tom Harney (Mongo) attends Grandville High School. He’s appeared often at the Grandville Theatre -- as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Hodgkins in Get Smart, Monsieur D’Arque in Beauty and the Beast, and various roles in Mousetrap, Rumors and My Fair Lady. Tom has attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp for Acting and Violin. This is his first show with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts.
 
Danielle Henderson (Cheerleader) This is Danielle’s first role onstage at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts. She previously attended East Kentwood High School where she took theatre arts courses with Scott Mellema and Tracey Kooy. She will be a Business and Theatre Administration Major at Grand Rapids Community College.
 
Daniel Hill (Chad Danforth) is in his second year at Grand Rapids Community College. He is a member of the Schubert Male Chorus and is always looking forward to his future, without forgetting what a gift the present is. High School Musical is his first show with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts, and his first theatre experience anywhere!
 
Connor Jewell (Jason) will be attending Rockford High School in the fall. His first show with GRCT was The Wizard of Oz in 2005. He’s also appeared as John Darling in 2006’s Peter Pan. Connor has been active in the School of Theatre Arts, as a student and a teacher’s assistant, and toured with two Traveling Troupes! He’s appeared in several Phase II summer shows including Crusade and Pandora’s Box. Connor has performed in The Music Man, Seussical the Musical, and in Oliver! with Rockford High School.
 
Cullan Jewell (Brainiac) has been an active member of the School of Theatre Arts appearing in summer camp productions, including The Restless Quest, The Moppet Show and The Pirates of Penance! Cullan also toured with Traveling Troupe 2007 in Story Theatre, and Traveling Troupe 2008 as Oliver in The Adventures of Nate the Great. Cullan has also been seen onstage at Rogue River Players in Scrooge’s Awakening.
 
Samantha Johnson (Martha Cox) attends Rogers High School where she played Mabel Washington in Fame!, Mrs. Luce in Little Shop of Horrors, and was in the ensemble of Roger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. This is her first time on stage at GRCT. Samantha took 8 years of dance with Miss Rosanne’s School of Dance and has been involved in choirs since 2002. She is also an All-State Bowler and a Varsity Tennis player.
 
Heather Jones (Cheerleader) is a sophomore at the University of Michigan majoring in pre-med. While attending Rockford High School, she played Laurie in Oklahoma and performed in the ensembles of Seussical the Musical, The Music Man and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She also was a member of the All-State Honors Choir in 2007, and State Honors Choir in 2006. Heather is performing for the first time on GRCT’s stage.
 
Daniel Krause (Troy Bolton) is a member of the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre School of Theatre Arts. He completed the High School-level Acting Theatre Wheel and took a performance class, appearing on the Civic Stage in the Pirate Ship Players production of Story Theatre. Daniel just graduated from East Kentwood High School. He’s performed as Bagheera in The Jungle Book, and Reverand Parris in The Crucible there.
 
Marijke Kremin (Cheerleader) will be a senior at East Grand Rapids High School next fall. Her first show with GRCT was the Summer Rep production of Holes. Audience members may recognize her from last year’s SRT production of 13 Bells of Boglewood. Marijke has been in many EGRHS productions – On The Town, From Every Mountainside, The Summer of Jack London, Snake in the Grass, Pride and Prejudice, and Fiddler on the Roof, as well as working backstage in many productions there. Marijke has also completed the Theatre Wheel at GRCT as well as been a TA for GRCT’s summer camps.
 
Mary Lehmann (Brainiac) first appeared on the GRCT stage in Scrooge. She’s also been in GRCT’s The Wizard of Oz, played Mary Lennox in Grand Valley State’s production of The Secret Garden, appeared with Opera Grand Rapids La Boheme, and Circle Theatre’s Oliver! Mary also played Annie in the Flat River Community Players production of Annie! She attends Comstock Park High School.
 
Megan McKnight (Cyndra) is a junior at Kelloggsville High School where she is very active in the theatre department. Her many roles include: Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Mona in Flapper, Lenya in Fools, Hecate in MacBeth, Diva in French Toast, Gertrude in Edelweiss, Anne in Soda Shop Angel, and Chorus in Antigone for which she won a MIFA Competition Best Acting Award. Megan is also active in choir and music ministry. This is her first role at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
 
Emily Lane (Cheerleader) is a sophomore at Forest Hills Central. She is very active in Dance with the Moving Company and GRCT’s Dance Performance Troupe. She’s taken many classes at GRCT’s School of Theatre Arts, first appearing onstage in a summer camp production of Lord of the Strings. Emily went to World Competition with Odyssey of the Mind – twice! She won a Gold for her Hip-Hop routine at VIP Dance Competition in 2008.
 
Alexandra Nienhaus (Sharpay Evans) first appeared on Civic’s stage in 2001 as Daisy the rabbit in Winnie the Pooh, and she participated in two summers of Theatre Arts Day Camp here at GRCT. Since then, she’s been very active with Kenowa Hills High School theatre. Some of her roles include: Ado Annie in Oklahoma, Violet Peterson in It’s A Wonderful Life, Mayzie La Bird in Seussical the Musical. In addition, Alexandra has appeared in Get Smart, Footloose, The Music Man and The Sound of Music.
 
Leanna Norris (Cheerleader) is appearing for the first time with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. She attends East Kentwood High School, and has attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp for Flute and Dance. Lianna has appeared in the ballet, Sleeping Beauty at St. Cecelia’s. She has been in many dance competitions, winning High Silver, High Gold and Platinum awards.
 
Maggie Nye (Cheerleader) first performed on GRCT’s stage in The Adventures of Madeline. Since then, she’s appeared in Harriet the Spy, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan and Miss Nelson is Missing. Maggie is a member of the GRCT School of Theatre Arts. She’s completed an acting Theatre Wheel and performed in several Theatre Arts Day Camp productions. At Byron Center High School, she performed in Beauty and the Beast. Maggie has also performed on Community Circle’s stage in Nine and Oliver.
 
Bradley Poleski (Ripper) attends East Kentwood High School. He is active in the theatre department there, and is part of the East Kentwood Improvisation Team. He’s by the Varsity Performance troupe – Minutemester. This is Brad’s first appearance on the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre Stage. Besides theater, he enjoys, guitar, martial arts, skateboarding and basketball.
 
Bethany Roderick (Taylor McKessie) attends Hastings High School. She has performed the National Anthem at many sporting events and has recently earned a varsity letter in choir. Some of her roles at HHS include Vi Moore in Footloose, Phyllis in 42nd Street, and Alice in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Bethany is performing for the first time at GRCT. She has previously appeared in Emma with the Thornapple Arts Council.
 
Ryan Slagter (James) appeared the SRT 2007 production of Into the Woods, Jr.. He attends Hopkins High School where he has performed in Oliver, The Music Man, Grease, The King and I, Better Football Through High School Chemistry, Cinderella and The Sound of Music. Ryan was part of the MSVMA State and All-State Honors choir. He would like to be a musical theatre major in college.
 
Eva Stasiulewicz (Skater) has played Emily in the Christmas Carol with Home School Performing Arts and New York Girl in Copacabana with Forest Hills Easter Theatre. This will be her first performance with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts.
 
Sasha Tomasik (Cheerleader) attends Grand Rapids Community college in Culinary Management. She first appeared on GRCT’s stage in a Summer Camp performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Since then, she has concentrated on dance: Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Hip-Hop, Character and Clogging, receiving both top 10 and top 5 awards throughout the Midwest at reagional and national dance competitions.
 

Susan Strohmer (Ms. Darbus) last appeared on GRCT’s stage in Harriet the Spy and 12 Dancing Princesses. Her favorite local productions she appeared in include Circle Theatre’s Henry and Ramona, Babe the Sheep Pig, Bunnicula, and The Odyssey; Grand Rapids Community College’s Baby with the Bathwater, God’s Country, and Naomi in the Living Room; The Ladies Literary Club’s Dracula the Musical?; Grand Rapids Jewish Theatre’s Cantorial. For the past decade, Susan has been designing costumes for local theatres, including GRCT’s Jack and the Giant Beanstalk, Dracula’s Treasure, Trixie True Teen Detective, Free to be…You and Me, The Hardy Boys, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, and The Adventures of Nate the Great. Susan is a theatre instructor for GRCT’s School of Theatre Arts and Grand Rapids Community College.
 
Laura Uzarski (Skater) played Lucinda (one of the ugly-acting stepsisters) in last summer’s SRT production of Into the Woods, Jr. She just finished her freshman year at Aquinas College, appearing in The Misanthrope there. Laura was heavily involved in theatre at West Catholic during high school. She has appeared in Taming of the Shrew (The Widow), Once Upon a Mattress (Lady Dixie), See How They Run (Miss Skillon), Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), Oklahoma! (Aggie), Stage Door (Terry Randall), Merry Wives of Windsor (Mrs. Page), and Bye Bye Birdie (Mrs. Merkle).
 
Joseph Valente (Jack Scott) is a theatre major at Aquinas College where he played Paparazzi in The Misanthrope and Poor Man in The Arabian Nights.. This is his first show with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts. At Catholic Central High School, his many roles included Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods, Dr. Cais in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Martin Vanderhof in You Can’t Take It With You, Apostle John in Jesus Christ Superstar, and Lord Montague in Romeo and Juliet. Joseph also participated in choir, was a member of National Honor Society, and played clarinet for seven years.
 
James Wallington (Jock) is a Communications Major at Grand Rapids Community College where he has performed in the black-box production of Melissa McHiney McNormous McWhale. James is appearing for the first time on Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s stage. While at Forest Hills Central HS, he performed in many shows, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Sound of Music, School House Rock Live Jr, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, Seussical the Musical, Annie Get Your Gun and Bye Bye Birdie. James would like to dedicate his performance to his grandma.
 
Alastair Watt (Jock/Cheerleader) just graduated from Comstock Park High School and will be starting Central Michigan University in the fall. This is his first time on the GRCT stage. Throughout high school, Alastair played trombone in band and sung tenor in choir, and was a member of the Theater Club. He has been dancing for 9 years in Tap, Jazz, Hip-hop and partnering.
 
Laura Watt (Cheerleader) is performing with GRCT for the first time this summer. She attends Comstock Park High School. Laura has been dancing since 1994 with the Academy of Dance Arts in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical and Hip-Hop. Laura was involved in Odessey of the mind, and attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp for Performance Band. She plays Flute and Piccolo.