| | Marshall Keating— (Ugly) is so pleased to return to the Jon Hassler Theater after providing music direction and playing piano for last year's production of HONK! As a recent grad of St. John's University, where he studied voice with the fabulous Dr. Carolyn Finley, he could have been seen in Opera productions of Gianni Schicci (with Bradley Greenwald), The Beggar's Opera, and just this spring as Figaro in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. Marshall has also peformed with MN Opera and after appearing for a short time at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres as Tommy Djilas in their production of The Music Man, had a brief engagement playing piano for the boys downstairs in Forever Plaid. Many thanks to all his wonderful friends and family and especially to Billy and Sally for giving him the opportunity to come out from behind the piano and be "ugly" in front of all of you. |
| | Amber Nicolette Swenson —(Henrietta, Pinkfoot, Penny) is excited to be working with the JHT for the first time. She currently attends Cornell College, where she is pursuing a B.M. in Vocal Music Education as well as a concentration in Theatre. Recent credits include Comedy of Errors and Romeo and Juliet (Riverside Shakespeare Festival); Story Theater, Twelfth Night, Cosi fan Tutte, and The Most Massive Woman Wins (Cornell). She would like to say a special thanks to her family for their endless support and love. |
 | Clark A. Cruikshank*—(Turkey, Barnacles, Bullfrog), a member of the Twin Cities theatre community since 1991, has worked with such varied companies as Buffalo Gal Productions, The Great American History Theatre, Illusion Theater, Lake Pepin Players, The Lyric Theatre, Park Square Theatre, The Refreshment Committee, Theatre du Mississippi, Theatre Exchange, and Troupe America. He toured the country for six months with Jamie Farr and William Christopher (M*A*S*H) in The Odd Couple, appeared with Gary Sandy (WKRP in Cincinnati) in The Fantasticks (a show in which he will soon be seen again at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres), and, most recently, shaved his head to portray Daddy Warbucks in Annie at Theatre L'Homme Dieu in Alexandria. When he is not performing, he acts as managing director and actor-in-residence for the Jon Hassler Theater, where he has appeared in To Whom It May Concern, The Fantasticks, Grand Opening, and last summer's production of HONK!, and where this fall he will potray Boolie in Driving Miss Daisy. As always, heartfelt thanks to son Benton and wife Maria for supporting his insidious “theatre habit”. Honey, sorry I have to miss the reunion! I'll make it up to you somehow! |
| | Tod Petersen—(Drake, Greylag) is a Twin Cities actor and writer. He is an artistic associate with Theater Latté Da, where he performs his popular shows Oh, $#!%, I'm Turning Into My Mother and A Christmas Carole Petersen. He is also the director and host of their new cabaret series Theater Latté Dark. Tod is a member of the Interact Center Theater company, where he has worked variously as an actor, writer, director and composer for their shows Madame Josette's Nothing Sacred Cabaret, Mother Mary's Gumbo YaYa and Cloud Cuckooland. Tod spent several years doing musical theater in Chicago, and has worked in the Twin Cities at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Troupe America, Minnesota Festival Theater and Illusion Theater (where he will be performing his new one-person show, Buy Me a Mockingbird, this August). |
 | Dieter Bierbrauer—(Cat) returns at last to the Jon Hassler Theater, having played Bob the Dog Owner in To Whom It May Concern in the Theater's opening season. This fall Dieter will be appearing in A Grand Night for Singing, the Rodgers & Hammerstein revue coming up at the Ordway's McKnight Theatre in September. Other credits include The Cocoanuts for Illusion Theater and Actors Theater of Minnesota, the title roles in Jekyll & Hyde, The Musical for Bloomington Civic Theatre, Godspell for Minnesota Festival Theatre, A Christmas Carole Petersen for Theater Latté Da, Candide with the Minnesota Orchestra, and The Red Mill for North Star Opera. Dieter would like to thank all in attendance for their support of live theatre and the Performing Arts. |
| | Stacey Lindell—(Grace, Dot, Queenie) is excited to be making her Jon Hassler Theater debut with this delightful production of HONK! She has been working around the Twin Cities area for three years and has had the privilege of performing with Highland Summer Theatre (Jerry’s Girls), Minnesota Festival Theatre (Annie Get Your Gun, Godspell), Troupe America (two national tours of A Christmas Carol), Paul Bunyan Playhouse (The Robber Bridegroom), North Star Opera (Wonderful Town, La Belle Helene, The Red Mill), and Minneapolis Musical Theatre, where she played the roles of Dot and Marie in Sunday in the Park with George at Hey City. Stacey wishes to thank her family for their constant love and support. |
 | Jen Burleigh-Bentz—(Ida) is excited to be back in the duckyard, having created the role of Ida for last summer's Jon Hassler Theater production. Other regional credits include Bingo, Into the Woods, and The Buddy Holly Story for Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding for Hey City Theatre, the world premiere of Jack the Ripper: A Musical Mystery for Phipps Center for the Arts, Anything Goes and The Fantasticks for Lake Pepin Players, Guys & Dolls for Ashland Productions, and national tours of The Buddy Holly Story and Miracle On 34th Street. Jen's lifelong project is Brickhouse Music in River Falls, where she follows her husband Tom's lead. |
| | Debra L. Olson—(Maureen, Lowbutt, Snowy, Swan) has been a familiar face to Rochester audiences since 1989 thanks to her work at Rochester Civic Theatre, Rochester Repertory Theatre, Stewartville Community Theatre, and Ad Hoc Theatre, as well as her voiceover and video work for the Mayo Clinic. The play Quilters, performed with the Rochester REP, was part of the "Mayo for Humanities" program, as was a year-long original musical called The Doctor Will See You Now. Favorite roles include: Mother Superior in Nunsense I, Nunsense II, and Nuncrackers, Eulalee Shinn in Music Man, Mrs. Van Dan in The Diary of Anne Frank, the Diva in Phantom, Abby Brewster in Arsenic & Old Lace, and Big Mama in Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, all at the Rochester Civic Theatre; Mrs. Johnstone in Blood Brothers, Katherine in Quilters, Mary in Merrily We Roll Along, and Charlotte Hays in Moon Over Buffalo at the REP; Yente in Fiddler on the Roof with The Stewartville Community Theatre. In the rare moments when she is not onstage, Debra is a claims examiner for MMSI, a Mayo Health Company. Also in her spare time, she managed to earn a BA in Theatre from Bethel College and an MA in Christian Education from Bethel Seminary. Thanks to my family for the unending love and support - especially to mom & Julie for all the extra support! |
Billy Kimmel (Director / Choreographer) is a veteran in the theater, not only as a professional director and choreographer, but a professional actor as well. Over the last few years he has held many executive positions in the entertainment field. Serving as President of On Stage Entertainment from 1996-1998, In 1997 and 2001 Billy served as Live Entertainment Seasonal Manager for Valleyfair Amusement Park, Currently he serves as Entertainment Director for the Design Group, an events management company located in Minneapolis. Directing, choreography and producing credits include: Phipps Center for the Performing Arts, 3M Innovations, Target, Wal-mart, Lyric Theatre, Jon Hassler Theater, Knotts Camp Snoopy, Lakeshore Players, Double JJ Resort, Valleyfair, Idlewild Park, The Design Group, Mall Of America, Alpine Industries, Ecoquest International, Winsor Concepts and JC Penny Co. In 2002 he directed the area premier of the musical HONK! at the Jon Hassler Theater. The show garnered critical acclaim and was named one of the best shows of 2002 by the Rochester Post-Bulletin. Billy also has enjoyed twenty-eight years of performing experience in national tours, industrials, theme parks and regional productions. Recently Billy made his Off-broadway debut in Forbidden Broadway at the Douglas Fairbanks theater in New York City. Other credits include: Brigadoon, Crazy For You, Forever Plaid, Forty Second Street, My Fair Lady, and Forbidden Broadway at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. Forbidden Broadway, the New York cast. Anything Goes, I Love A Piano in New York and at The Ordway. The Prince and the Pauper at The Ordway and at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle. Opryland USA, Walt DisneyWorld, Busch Gardens and Holland America Cruise Line.
David Gilliland (music director), originally from Indiana, began playing piano at the age of five. He earned degrees in both piano performance and composition from DePauw University, and a masters in accompanying from the Eastman School of Music. This past May, he (finally) completed his doctorate in accompanying from the University of Minnesota. While in the Twin Cities, David has been involved in several opera and musical theater productions, including the Minneapolis Musical Theatre and the last two productions of Black Nativity with Penumbra Theatre. He has also participated in multiple summer festivals, ranging from the Banff Centre for the Arts to the Music Academy of the West. To temper his "classical" side, David frequently performs as a jazz pianist, and has toured the Mediterranean and the Mexican Riviera working for Cunard and Carnival Cruise Lines.
Sally Childs (Stage Manager) has changed hats to act as the stage manager for this production of Honk! She continues as Artistic Director for the Jon Hassler Theater as we finalize plans for next year. Since moving the Lyric Theater company to Plainview and picking up the reins for the Jon Hassler Theater in June, 2000, she has directed at least three plays each season and last year added a high school production which was done in the Jon Hassler space. Childs gives special thanks to the wonderful design team and Director Billy Kimmel and to these delightful actors and the parents of the ducklings and froglets who have traveled so many miles to bring the magic of HONK! back to the JHT stage.
Jon Davis (pianist) makes his debut at the John Hassler Theater with HONK!. For the Rochester Civic Theatre, he served as musical director/pianist for Beehive and A...My Name Is Still Alice, orchestra director/pianist for Damn Yankees and Kiss Me Kate, and pianist for Victor/Victoria, The Sound of Music, Forever Plaid, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Music Man, and Jesus Christ Superstar. He was the pianist for productions of Ruthless, Two By Two, and Merrily We Roll Along at the Rochester Repertory Theatre, and for productions of Bye Bye Birdie and Into the Woods. Jon is the musical director/pianist for a yearly Christmas show called Forever Christmas at Best Western/Apache. He is currently the orchestra director/pianist for a production of Bye Bye Birdie at RCT. Jon has two children, Connor and Katrina, and is married to a fabulous saxophone player named Catherine. For his "day job", he works for IBM as a Software Engineer.
Kellie Stoltz (Assistant Stage Manager) has participated in some aspect of every production at the Jon Hassler Theater since its first season. She is currently attending Minnesota State University-Mankato (MSU), majoring in Technical Theater. Last year at MSU, she was the Assistant Stage Manager for The Real Inspector Hound and The Mikado, and was Master Electrician for Julius Caesar. In September, she will debut as Stage Manager for MSU's production of Escape From Happiness.
Ben Hain (Lighting Designer) has been active in Theatre for over 20 years. From High School to the Rochester Civic Theatre and the Rochester Repertory Theatre, Ben has done all aspects of technical Theatre, with lighting being his favorite. He has been lighting advisor to the Allegro/Rochester Ballet School and designed lighting for an original dance program by the Terpsichore II Dance company. This marks Ben's fifth show with the Jon Hassler Theatre. He is married to Kelly, has two children, Preston and Amelia, and operates a dairy farm.
Susan Fick (Costume Designer) originally from Zumbro Falls(!), now spends most of her time as the Wardrobe Supervisor for the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Susan made her debut at the Jon Hassler Theater this season with her costume design for The Staggerford Murders. In addition, Susan has designed costumes for such theaters as: Northstar Opera, Eye of the Storm, The Great American History Theatre and the Gilbert and Sullivan Very Light Opera Company and has had her hand in almost every other theater company in the greater Twin Cities area, from Chanhassen Dinner Theaters to Park Square. Various tours and live industrials have taken her all across the continent and yet she now finds herself back in Plainview, the same town where she failed swimming lessons as a kid, 3 years in a row!
Erica Zaffarano (Set Designer) has designed for the Lyric Theatre since 1993, and now serves as Resident Designer for the Jon Hassler Theater. She has designed for theatres in Vermont, Maine, the Virgin Islands, Washington, California, Nevada, Utah, Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana's Purdue University. She recently designed Bye, Bye Birdie for a theatre on San Juan Island and Prelude to a Kiss at for Mankato State University. Erica's graphic work involves editing the newsletter for the British group The King's Singers and designing commercial web sites.
