2006-2007 Traveling Troupe

This year's Troupe will be performing Story Theatre, by Paul Sills, based on the folktales of the Brothers Grimm. Tales include, "The Fisherman and His Wife," "The Golden Goose," "Henny Penny" and more! These fun stories are told in a fast-paced, interactive style that will appeal to family audiences ages 5 and up. We have cast 2 Troupes this year and each Troupe will travel one day a week from early March through mid-May to perform for area elementary schools.

In addition to the tour, there will be four at-home performances on the Meijer Majestic stage on Saturday mornings, February 24, March 3, 10 and 17 at 11:00 am. The doors open at 10:30 am with open seating and the performance is free. There is also a performance tentatively scheduled for Festival 2007 the first weekend in June.

Ed Nelson will again act as Road Manager for the Troupe and Mary Beth Quillin is directing.

Cast Bios

	Allie Soave was in the Traveling Troupe last year and is the assistant director for this year's Troupe. She has appeared here onstage in Harriet the Spy and The Wizard of Oz. She has completed the Theatre Wheel and been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp and Phase II. She has also been a Theatre Assistant in the GRCT Summer Programs. A freshman at Forest Hills Eastern, she can also been seen in the GVSU film, The Gospel According to Roy.
	Anthony Murphy has completed the Theatre Wheel and is currently in the Pirate Ship Players. He was in the Traveling Troupe in 2006 and also appeared in Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Anthony has also been seen around town in Murder on this Train, Celtic Fest 2005 and Celtic Fest 2006 (Rogue River Players). Anthony is in the seventh grade at Crossroads Middle School.
	Ben Baker is a sophomore at Northview High School and has completed the Theatre Wheel. He has also been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp, Phase II and performance classes. His poetry has been selected by the Michigan Reading Association for publication and he was named Most Improved Cross Country Runner for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. This is his first appearance in Traveling Troupe.
	Breighanna Marie Minnema has appeared previously in the 2006 Traveling Troupe, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse and Harriet the Spy at GRCT. She has also been seen around town in Joseph and the Amazing... (Circle Theatre and Grand Rapids Christian High); Peter Pan, Two Nights Before Christmas (Children's' Creations) La Boheme (Opera Grand Rapids), and the GVSU film The Gospel According to Roy. Breighanna is in the 8th grade at Ada Christian School.
	Bryce Hutson is making his first Traveling Troupe appearance, but GRCT audiences may recognize him as Peter Hatcher from last fall's production of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Bryce is a 6th grader at East Rockford Middle School and has been active in musicals at Blythfield Hills Baptist Church.
	Caleb Brooks mhas appeared on the Civic stage in The Wizard of Oz (2000), Peter Pan (2001), Cinderella, Scrooge, and The Music Man. He has also appeared in Tom Sawyer at Master Arts Theater, The Living Room at Cornerstone University and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Holland Civic Theatre. An 8th grader at Excel Charter Academy he enjoys soccer and swimming. He has appeared in several films including The Gospel According to Roy.
	Connor Jewell most recently appeared in this year's production of Peter Pan and was in the 2005 production of The Wizard of Oz. In the 7th grade at East Rockford Middle School, he has appeared in The Music Man and Seussical the Musical at Rockford High School. Connor plays SCOR soccer and runs cross country for ERMS and would like to thank his family for their support and Mr. Bouwman for teaching him voice lessons. He has also been in Theatre Arts Day Camp at GRCT.
	Cullan Jewell has been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp, but this is his first appearance on the GRCT stage. A 6th grader at East Rockford Middle School, he plays rocket football and SCOR soccer. He would also like to thank Mr. Bouwman for teaching him voice lessons and keeping him positive, and his family for supporting him.
	David Shepard was in last year's Traveling Troupe and also appeared in GRCT's production of Harriet the Spy. An eighth grader at Northpointe Christian, he has also appeared in Salute to America and The Perfect Gift (with Children's Creations), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe with Koinonia Homeschool Drama Club and was in the Grand Valley film, The Gospel According to Roy.
	David Solon was in last year's Traveling Troupe and also appeared in GRCT's production of The Wizard of Oz. He has been a member of the School of Theatre Arts and has appeared in A Christmas Carol and Sounds of the Forestos at Goodwillie Environmental School. David is in the 7th grade at Northern Hills Middle School. He is also a Midwest Academic Talent Search Award recipient.
	Ellen Avery was the student stage manager for last year's Traveling Troupe and has been an active member of the School of Theatre Arts since first grade! She has completed the Theatre Wheel two times and been in many performance classes. An 8th grader at East Grand Rapids Middle School she has also appeared in A Christmas Carol and Les Miserables at East Grand Rapids High School.
	Emilee Ritz has completed the Theatre Wheel and is currently in the Pirate Ship Players performance class. Traveling Troupe marks her first appearance on the GRCT stage. Emilee is in the 8th grade and Northern Hills Middle School.
	Emily Kasper is a freshman at Rockford High School, where she played the role of Amarylis in The Music Man. She has been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp and Phase II here at GRCT, plays piano, and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and St Cecilia Music Society.
	Jamie Staley is a busy sixth grader at North Rockford Middle School. He has been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp and most recently appeared on Civic's stage in Peter Pan and was also in GRCT and Rockford High School productions of The Music Man. He can also be seen in GRCT's upcoming production of Oklahoma! He plays SCOR soccer, takes voice lessons and plays the saxophone in the NRMS band. He wants to thank Mary Beth for giving him this opportunity, his family for their support, and God who makes all things possible.
	Jillian Langford has been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp for the past two summers and was also seen in last fall's production of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, in the role of Sheila. She is in the 5th grade at Wealthy Elementary in East Grand Rapids.
	Kailey Specht has been involved at GRCT since she was just nine years old and has completed the Theatre Wheel twice and is currently working on the High School Wheel. She has also been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp, Phase II and several performance classes here at GRCT. Kailey is a freshman at Grandville High School.
	Katie Duiven was in both the 2000 and 2005 productions of Scrooge here at GRCT as well as Anne of Green Gables, Winnie the Pooh and Harriet the Spy. She was also in the Circle production of Joseph and the Amazing... and Opera Grand Rapids' La Boheme. An 8th grader at Northern Hills Middle School she appeared in State Fair at Forest Hills Northern High School. She has been in commercials for Meijer and Toy City and industrial films.
	Katie Schneider has been an active member of the School of Theatre Arts since 4th grade and is currently starting her third "trip" around the Theatre Wheel! She is an 8th grader at East Grand Rapids Middle School, where she sings in the choir. Katie was also in the 2006 Traveling Troupe and appeared in Circle Theatre's production of Oliver!
	Kira Alsum is in the 7th grade at Grand Rapids Christian Middle School. This is her first show at GRCT, but she has completed the Theatre Wheel and appeared onstage in Paper Bag Players and been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp. She is currently enrolled in the Theatre Wheel for the second time.
	McKenzie Coe is a 6th grader at Pinewood Middle School where she played the Evil Stepmother in Cinderella. She has completed the Theatre Wheel at GRCT and Traveling Troupe is her first performance experience at GRCT.
	Nate Ferrick completed the Theatre Wheel last year and this is his first performance experience at GRCT. He is in the 6th grade at Excel Charter Academy.
	Skyler Kragt is another Traveling Troupe veteran and has also appeared on the GRCT stage in Madeline and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. She has completed the Theatre Wheel at GRCT's School twice and been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp and Phase II. She has won several awards including the Midwest Academic Talent Search Recognition Award in 2005, the 2004 International Grand Prize for NPR's Earth and Sky Radio Series and was the 2005 Theatre Scholarship Recipient for Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Skyler is in the eighth grade at Northern Hills Middle School.
	Traci Potter has completed the Theatre Wheel and been involved in Theatre Arts Day Camp, Phase II and performance classes here at GRCT. A junior at Jenison High School, she has also appeared in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Cinderella at Caledonia Community Theatre, and House at Pooh Corner at Master Arts Theatre.
	Edward Jay Nelson is acting as Troupe Road Manager for the third year. He has appeared in numerous shows at GRCT including Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Boxcar Children, Cinderella, City of Angels, Kiss Me, Kate, The Velveteen Rabbit, Winnie-the Pooh, and Cotton Patch Gospel, Somebody Catch My Homework, Harriet, the Spy, Blue Horses and most recently Leading Ladies. He has also performed at Actors' Theatre, GRCC Players, Madame Babe's Dinner Theatre, Ladies' Literary Club, Jewish Theatre GR and Circle Theatre. He is a member of the faculty in GRCT's School, teaching acting and song and dance combo classes to pre-schoolers and lower elementary aged kids.