CAST

The Spellers
Chip Tolentino - Evan Faris
Logainne Schwartandgurbenairre - Cassidy Freeman
Leaf Coneybear - Scott Kirkland
William Barfee* - Andrew Jonas/Steven Bell
Marcy Park - Judy Crawford
Olive Ostrovsky - Faris Sanders

The Adults
Rona Lisa Piretti - Stephanie Sanders
Douglas Panch - Pat Dohoney
Mitch Mahoney - Nik Braswell

Creative

Director - Christian Sanders
Stage Manager - Kay Berru
Music Director - Andrew Jonas
Conductor - Dax Freeman
Front of House - Katie Huitt

 *The role of William Barfee will be played by Andrew Jonas on June 17-19 and by Steven Bell on June 24 - July 3.

STEVEN BELL (William Barfee) - Steven Bell is a high school English teacher and is paid to love spelling. He has worked with GRT since 2012, appearing on stage in memorable roles such as “Deer” in Shrek. He lives in Denton with his wife, Lani, and his new son, Bradley.

NIKOLAI BRASWELL (Mitch Mahoney) - Nikolai has been a member of the GRT Family since 2015 when he became Shrek in Shrek, the Musical. Since then, he has portrayed as many characters as he could, including Scrooge (GRT's Xmas Carol), Sebastian (The Little Mermaid) and Daddy Warbucks (Annie). Nik wants you to know that, though it may seem dark and hopeless, the sun will rise, you are loved and you are not alone.

JUDY CRAWFORD (Marcy Park) - Judy Crawford is a GRT veteran. This will mark her 11th year being a part of the GRT family. She has appeared as Annelle in Steel Magnolias, Mickey in The Odd Couple (Female Version), Arlene Miller in Murder at the Howard Johnson, and many more! When Judy isn’t on stage, she runs the box office. Her “grown up” job allows her to help the older adult population as a Case Manager/Benefits Counselor with the Area Agency on Aging of North Texas. She is so excited to get back to theatre after it coming to a screeching halt due to the pandemic!

PAT DOHONEY (Vice-Principal Panch) - Pat Dohoney is an attorney in private practice in Fort Worth. Pat has appeared on the GRT stage in Annie, The Producers, Rumors, A Christmas Carol, Shrek, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Beauty and the Beast, Moon Over Buffalo, & Les Miserables. Pat also directed The Tell-Tale Farce at GRT. Pat has directed and acted in Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington, and Weatherford, Pat would like to thank Christian Sanders for letting him perform with this fantastic cast and crew. Pat would also like to thank his wife Karen for basically letting him act like a fool and never grow up.

EVAN FARIS (Charlito “Chip” Tolentino) - Evan is so happy to be on stage with GRT. Some of his favorite roles with GRT have been Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys & Dolls, Jonathan in Arsenic and Old Lace, and Maurice in Beauty and the Beast. When not on stage Evan can usually be found on the golf course or in the kitchen. He was a guest chef with the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival for five years. Evan would like to thank his family for helping him through the past year and is so happy to be back with his theatre family and friends old and new!

CASSIDY FREEMAN (Logainne Schwartengrubenierre) - Cassidy Freeman is a 21-year-old music education major from Texas Tech University. She started her career with GRT in the 2008 production Lil’ Abner as a scrag. She has done many shows throughout the years and hopes to continue to do shows with this family.

ANDREW JONAS (William Barfee) - Andrew has been so ready to be back on the stage since 2020, and he couldn't have asked for a better cast and show! He has so many people he wants to thank and mention here, but he doesn't have the room. First, his thanks to Christian and Stephanie Sanders for giving him the opportunity to get back out there, and to let him play a character he has never felt closer to. Second, to his wife Jill and his new son Beau for giving him encouragement and allowing Daddy to be gone some nights. His last thanks? To this awesome cast. Let's go break a leg!

SCOTT KIRKLAND (Leaf Coneybear) - A resident of Graham since 2011, Scott came to Graham Regional Theatre in 2019 along with one of his daughters for the production of Annie. He enjoyed the experience so much, he married the costume designer. Since then, he’s been honored to be in the casts of The Importance of Being Earnest (Lane), LaRue’s Return, or How’s a Bayou? (Ike), and Into the Woods (Steward). He was most recently seen at Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol. Scott and his family are thrilled to see live theatre return to Graham and will work to make sure it remains for generations to come.

FARIS SANDERS (Olive Ostrovsky) - Faris Sanders is a 20-year-old actress who made her stage debut at GRT when she was carried onstage by her mother at three weeks old in The Music Man. Some of her favorite roles include Junie B. Jones in Junie B. Jones is not a Crook (Graham Regional Theatre, 2018); and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde Jr. (Graham High School, 2019); Polly Montclaire in La Rue’s Return… or How’s a Bayou? (Graham Regional Theatre, 2020); Melpomene in Xanadu Jr. (Graham High School, 2020); and was cast as Olive Ostrovsky in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Not opened due to COVID-19). She is currently a Junior at Texas State University as an Acting Major. She loves being able to experience theatre and grow up doing theatre with her family.

STEPHANIE SANDERS (Rona Lisa Piretti) - Stephanie’s singing and acting career has taken her across the US and around Europe. She has performed in venues from Carnegie Hall to St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Austria. She has been a soloist for Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and Dubois’s Seven Last Words of Christ. Her musical theatre resume include roles such as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun, Kathy in Company, Anna Leonowens in The King & I, Miss Hannigan in Annie, Agnes in I Do! I Do!, and Pippin in Fellowship! A Musical Parody of The Fellowship of the Ring. Stephanie has also served as musical director and choreographer for many shows in Graham, Wichita Falls, and the DFW metroplex.

KAY BERRU (Stage Manager) - A Graham native, her favorite roles include Ouiser Boudreaux in Steel Magnolias; Olive in The Odd Couple, Female Version; Charlotte Hay in Moon Over Buffalo; Sister Hubert in Nunsense and Nunsense 2, The Second Coming. Kay will do just about anything to be on the stage, including wearing an extremely hot fat suit as Helena Dowling in The Tell-Tale Farce. She serves on the GRT Board of Governors as the Business Manager. Kay is grateful to be back in the theatre.

DAX FREEMAN (Conductor) - Dax is has been an active member of GRT since it's very first show. Currently, he is the assistant producer on the GRT board of directors. This is his 22nd show conducting music for the productions, along with 25 years as a band director, 23 being with Graham Independent School District. He is married to his beautiful wife Jennifer and has two daughters, Madison (who played Anna in this year's production of Frozen Jr.) and Cassidy (Little Red in tonight's production). He would like to thank his family for their support and love.

KATIE HUITT (Front of House Manager) - Katie has been involved with GRT since 2012, when she was cast as Mrs. Beauregard in Willy Wonka and discovered the magic of live theatre. Since then, she has found her life path, her second family, and her voice. Katie is an MSU Theatre graduate (2017), and she teaches Theatre Arts and directs UIL One-Act Play (with her fantastic partner Stephanie Sanders) at Graham High School. Her favorite GRT experiences include playing Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables, Dr. Einstein in Arsenic and Old Lace, and Ursula in The Little Mermaid. When she's not onstage, you can find her working tech, stage-managing, or assisting however possible. Katie is so grateful to her loving family and incredible friends, without whom she would not have made it through the past year. She'd also like to thank her father, Verl Hart, for all his encouragement and support. We all miss you so much! This one's for you, Dad.

CHRISTIAN SANDERS (Managing Director) - Christian is the Managing Director of Graham Regional Theatre and is extremely happy for the theatre to be open and running again. Christian has performed over three hundred roles in his career as an actor and directed dozens of plays and musicals. Some of his favorites include Max Bialystock in The Producers, Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Nathan Detroit in Guys & Dolls. He invites everyone to be involved in GRT in some capacity, whether that be onstage, backstage, or by supporting the theatre financially as a donor!