| Keilani Akagi - Belinda Cratchit/Ensemble |
Keilani is excited to return to the Christmas Carol family for her third year. A sophomore in H.S, and was last seen as the Narrator in Joseph...Dreamcoat for Theatre Outback MCC. She has also performed with Broadway Palm, Mesa Encore Theatre and Ballet Arizona. Thanks to the sweet Lord, and all the wonderful people in my life.
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| Rafe Arlotti - Peter Cratchit/Ensemble |
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Rafe Arlotti is very excited to be making his debut with Actors Theatre! Recently he appeared as Roger in Rent with Ahwatukee Children’s Theatre, and will be playing Chuck Cranston in ACT’s Spring production of Footloose. He is currently a Junior at Desert Vista High School and is a member of NHS and Spanish Club. He enjoys playing guitar, writing music, and of course - acting! When he graduates he is looking towards a career on Broadway or in medicine. He would like to thank his parents, as well as Michele and Michael Rubino, and everyone else who have helped make his acting career exciting every step of the way!
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| Sally Jo Bannow - Ghost of Christmas Past |
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Sally Jo Bannow is happy to be playing ‘Past’ in Actors Theatre’s present production, and hopes to continue in the future. She is well known for having received numerous AriZoni Awards and nominations for her work with Actors Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, and Arizona Theatre Company, and for her humble nature. Her CDs are available at CDBaby.com. For performance info and to book her one-woman show, go to www.SallyJoBannow.com.
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| David Barker - Ghost of Christmas Present |
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David Barker is thrilled to return for his fifth year in A Christmas Carol. Other credits include national and international tours, Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theatre, international festivals and TV. He is a Professor of Theatre at Arizona State University where he serves as Coordinator of the MFA Performance Program. www.davidbarker.org
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| Abigail Belliston - Mrs. Fezziwig/Ensemble |
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Abby is so happy to be making her debut here with Actors Theatre in the story of A Christmas Carol. Abby has been addicted to singing ever since she could open her mouth, which then lead her to the musical theatre world around the high school years. You may have been able to catch a glimpse of her in shows aroung the Valley, such as Annie Get Your Gun (Sylvia Potter-Porter), The Music Man (Ethel Toffelmier), Jekyll & Hyde (Ensemble) all with the Arizona Broadway Theatre. She's also played such roles as The Narrator in Joseph..., Dorothy in The Wiz, Woman 2 in Songs for a New World, and many other fun roles. Abby loves having the opportunity to be a part of the fantasy world, known as theatre, to bring that rush of emotions that the live theatre is able to capture. Thank you for supporting the arts and for coming out to get boost of Christmas Spirit. A special thank you to her beloved parents, grandparents (all of you!), brother and friends. I love you all. Now please, sit upright, eyes open, and hands in applauding position and brace yourselves for A Christmas Carol.
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| Kim Bennett - Ebenezer Scrooge |
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Kim is overjoyed to be returning for his tenth season with the Christmas Carol family. An Actors' Equity member for over 25 years he has played principal roles in regional theatre throughout the United States. With Actors Theatre he’s appeared in Katsina, The Archbishop’s Ceiling and Dinner With Friends. Kim lives in Southern California with his lovely wife Nancy and adorable daughter Lilymaria.
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| Kiana Brown - Fan/Ensemble |
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Kiana Brown, a 12 year old student of Arizona School for the Performing Arts, has traveled the United States with NAMISS as a national queen singing soulful ballads, rocked the stage in Disneyland, starred in a Fruits and Veggies Infomercial, and most recently has begun her own foundation, Making Meals and Mending Hearts. Other credits include shows with Desert Stages, East Valley Children's Theatre, New Horizon School for the Performing Arts, and Uniting Artists. In addition, she plays piano and violin, loves to dance and write songs, and hopes to one day win American Idol. She is honored to portray Fan in A Christmas Carol.
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| Beka Burnham - Martha Cratchit/Ensemble |
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Beka is thankful for the opportunity to be in A Christmas Carol. She was last seen as Lies'l in The Sound of Music. Other credits include: Zoe in The Power of Birds at Phoenix Theatre's New Works Festival, Violet in Snoopy!, Little Red Ridinghood in Into the Woods and Sally in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (AriZoni Award). She is a Musical Theater and Classical NATS first place winner.
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| Maxx Carlisle-King - Young Scrooge/Ensemble |
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Maxx has performed in over 30 shows with some of the best companies in AZ including Childsplay, Southwest Shakespeare, Lyric Opera Theatre, Greasepaint Youth Theatre, Stray Cat Theatre and Nearly Naked Theatre. Favorite roles include Theo - Pippin (GPT) & L. Ron Hubbard - A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant (SCT). He received a Zoni award for his portrayal of 10 yr old Tommy in The Who’s Tommy with Nearly Naked Theatre. Maxx is in 8th grade at Arizona School for the Arts.
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| Natalie Charle Ellis - Nurse/Ensemble |
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Natalie is so glad to be home with her Christmas Carol family, having just completed the New York Musical Theatre Festival production of Hurricane featured as Millie Delgado. Also, she recently starred as Young Alice in Dancing with Abandon in the New York City Fringe Festival. Her favorite Regional Credits include: Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Roxie in Chicago, Cinderella in Into the Woods (Phoenix Theatre); Isabel in Pirates of Penzance (Arizona Theatre Co.) And of course 4 years of A Christmas Carol here with Actors Theatre.
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| Gene Ganssle - Fred/Ensemble |
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A Valley actor with over 20 years' experience, Gene has been with A Christmas Carol since 1997. His AriZoni recognized credits at Actors Theatre include The Pursuit of Happiness, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow, Benefactors and Dinner with Friends. Gene is producer of the local cooking show The Rock n Roll Grill, teaches on-camera acting at ASU and is director of the AZ Student Film Festival. He cherishes his wonderful family.
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| Robert Kolby Harper - Bob Cratchit/Ensemble |
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is a graduate of Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts. He is the Associate Artistic Director of Phoenix Theatre, Artistic Director of the Cookie Company at Phoenix Theatre as well as the Artistic Director for Greasepaint Youtheatre. As a performer he has appeared in: Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks (Michael Minetti) Best Little Whorehouse (Melvin P. Thorpe), The Producers (Roger Dupree), Guys and Dolls (Nicely Nicely), and Applause (Duane Fox). Directing Credits include: Putnam County Spelling Bee, Altar BoyZ, I Left My Heart, The Oldest Profession, Cole, Route 66, and Swing!
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| Beau Heckman - Sailor/Ensemble |
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Beau is pleased to be returning to A Christmas Carol for his eleventh year. He was last seen in Carmen for Phoenix Opera and Les Miserables for Phoenix Theatre. Other shows include The Lieutenant of Inishmore for Actors Theatre, Romeo and Juliet for Shakespeare Sedona, Macbeth for Southwest Shakespeare, The Producers, Guys and Dolls, You Can't Take It With You, Cabaret and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for Phoenix Theatre; Wanda's Visit, Shel's Shorts, and Out to Lunch: A Cuisine Comedy for Blackball Ensemble; The Who's Tommy and Reefer Madness for Nearly Naked Theatre; Old Jake's Skirts for Childsplay and toured in Personals and Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda! for Theatreleague. Beau would like to thank Shelly, his friends and family, for all their love and support.
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| Jenny Hintze - Belle/Ensemble |
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Recent theater credits include Curtains (Georgia), Company (Kathy), Les Miserables (Eponine), Nunsense (Sister Mary Leo), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), The Full Monty (Pam), Crazy For You (Polly/AriZoni Nomination), Assassins (Squeaky Fromme), A Chorus Line (Judy). Jenny received her Bachelor’s Degree from ASU. Love to family, Mark, and Marshall.
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| Dion Johnson - Middle Scrooge/Ensemble |
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Dion is very excited to be a part of A Christmas Carol. He was last seen as Strange Man in A Vampire Tale for Scorpius Dance Theatre in Phoenix and New Orleans as part of The Vampire Film Festival. Other recent credits include Grady in Curtains, David in Company for Phoenix Theatre; My First Time for Theatre 4301, Unbeatable, first at PT and then Stages Rep. Theatre and the Hobby Center in Houston, TX. Valley credits also include Steve/Chad/Danny in Almost Maine, Leo/Maxine in Leading Ladies, Brannigan in Guys & Dolls, and several roles in Dream A Little Dream all for PT; Shane Mungitt in Take Me Out, Hawker/Specialist in Tommy (Arizoni Nom.), James Avery in Valhalla (Arizoni Nom.) all for Nearly Naked Theatre, and John Merrick in The Elephant Man for TheatreScape for which he won a New Times award, plus the “Maxie” and “Goldy” awards. Dion would like to thank Matthew for this amazing opportunity, the wonderful cast and crew and his mom and Nicole for all the gifts in his life. Enjoy the Show!
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| Mike Lawler - Jacob Marley/Ensemble |
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Mike is thrilled to be returning to Actors Theatre as Marley in A Christmas Carol. Mike has also performed with Arizona Theatre Company, Phoenix Theatre, Arizona Jewish Theatre Co., and Canyon Moon Theatre in Sedona. Television credits include the BBC docudrama Nuclear Secrets in which Mike played Edward Teller. He also appeared in the BBC’s Comet Impact and the Lifetime mini-series Maneater. His film credits roles in Jolene and the locally produced indie thriller Death Hunter. Mike is a proud member of Actors’ Equity.
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| Casey Likes - Tiny Tim/Ensemble |
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Casey is so excited to be returning as Tiny Tim for a third time. He has been keeping busy acting, singing, dancing, playing piano, and songwriting this past year. He has appeared in several commercials and catalogues, and loves taking Hip Hop. He recently appeared in the scary movie Dead West where he got to have a really awesome death scene! Look for it in theaters next year. He is represented by the Leighton Agency, and is in second grade at Jacobson in Chandler. Thanks to Matthew for the opportunity, once again. Love to his family, his dog, Bosco, and especially to his baby sister, Claire.
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| Stephanie Likes - Mrs. Cratchit/Ensemble |
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Stephanie is thrilled to be appearing as Momma Cratchit again this year, and is especially grateful to be sharing the stage with her son Casey once again. Favorite credits include: Les Miserables (Broadway/National Tour), Walt Disney Company (Florida, Tokyo, Cruiseline), Opryland (Fiesta Texas), Actor's Theatre (The Last Five Years), Phoenix Theatre (Will Rogers Follies, Into the Woods-Zoni Award, I Love You You're Perfect Now Change, Children of Eden), Jolene (feature film by Dan Ireland), Les Miserables School Edition (Director: Greasepaint-Zoni Award and Chandler High), and The National Anthem (Suns and D-Backs). Stephanie is in her second year of teaching English at Chandler High. Love and thanks to Matthew, her family, and her beautiful baby girl, Claire.
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| Lillie Richardson - Mrs. Fred/Ensemble |
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Recently seen as Claudia in Bluest Eye. Other theatrical credits include: Colored Museum, Fabulation, Death and the Maiden, Lion in Winter, Wit, Midsummer Nights Dream, Lizard and Angels in America parts one and two. She spent the summer filming seven episodes of the Starz original series Crash, as Shauna with Dennis Hopper. Other film and televisions credits include: Younger Riders, The Truth about Jane, Shadow Hunter, Stranger in my House, Stranger to Love, This Bitter Earth and The Fugitive. She dedicates her performances to her father as he is her inspiration.
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| Dave Rodgers - Miner/Ensemble |
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Dave grew up singing and acting and has performed with the Utah and Honolulu Symphony orchestras. Recent roles: Franz (Phoenix Theater's The Producers) and Duke Solinus (SWS Comedy of Errors), Shaw (Footloose), Father (Children of Eden), and Noah (Rainmaker). He was awarded a Juris Doctor by the University of Utah in 1992.
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| Ben Tyler - Mr. Fezziwig/Ensemble |
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Ben feels certain he has been involved in valley theatre for many years. He has a clear recollection of last year's production of Christmas Carol, and for that reason he is very pleased to be writing about himself in the third person again. This season he has appared in Curtains for Phoenix Theatre, he just finished directing Fools for Arizona Jewish Theatre Co., and following this production he will appear in Blythe Spirit for Southwest Shakespeare Co. An actor, playwright and director, Ben manages to stay rather busy in the theatre community, and truth be told, some people actually seem to like his work. I don't get it either. Currently he is working on the Centennial Theatre Foundation, a way of creating new Arizona themed works to acknowledge Arizona's centennial through the theatre.
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