Wendy Almeida has appeared in several BRT productions, including Steel Magnolias, The Octette Bridge Club and Rumors. She also performs with Theatre at the Mount, Hourglass Readers and Actors' Circle Theatre. In 2006 Wendy won a NH Theatre Award for her performance in ACT's production of Jake's Women and last summer she appeared in The Man Who Came to Dinner at the Peterborough Players. Wendy is currently rehearsing the role of Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, which Actors' Circle Theatre will present at the end of July.

2005 NH Theatre Award winner - Best Actress, for Actor's Circle Theatre's production of Jake's Women!

Jeremy Blanchard marks his first performances with BRT in the role of Jerry in Cuffed. He received a BA in Theatre at Southwestern College in Winfield, KS. He is very excited to return to the stage after his 4-year hiatus from acting. Jeremy, a two-time Irene Ryan nominee for ACTF (American College Theatre Festival), has been in numerous plays such as Six Characters in Search of an Author, Little Shop of Horrors, Lysistrata, as well as Tartuffe, Charlie's Aunt, 1776, and many others throughout college and summer theatres. When he's not on the stage he works as a web developer at Fletcher and Wilder communications. He currently resides in Swanzey with his loving and supportive wife, Missy.

Jennifer Bond has been acting for as long as she can remember. As a child, her mother affectionately nicknamed her “Sarah Heartburn”. As such, she decided to use her drama queen tendencies for good and not for evil and minor in theatre arts at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge. Locally, she has appeared in several Branch River Theatre shows including, My Three Angels, Selections from Working, Bus Stop, On Broadway, Rumors and Back to Broadway. She has also appeared with Jeff Stout Concepts as Trixie Norton in The Honeymooners. But she is perhaps most famously (and definitely least clothed) remembered for her role in The Jeff Stout Concepts production of Noises Off! as Brooke/Vicki. She also had the opportunity to get a different perspective of the theater (from the backstage) when she assistant stage managed this year's Lion's Club musical, Oliver. When not on the stage, Jennifer enjoys playing the role on “mommy” to her two beautiful, amazing, brilliant daughters, Abigail and Lily (little drama queens in their own right), and is employed by the Monadnock Radio Group where you may recognize her voice as she transforms into her alter-ego, “J Bo”. Jennifer lives in Keene with her husband, Matt (genius set designer) and daughters.

Matt Bond returns to the stage for the first time with the Improv Smackdown since his triumphant turn as John in Love, Sex and the I.R.S. , which was so wildly heralded and brought him such fervent worship from his legions of fans that he's spent the last 20 months holed up in a dingy cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of WV. After much soul searching, and swine wrangling, he's decided to say goodbye to the family of racoons who befriended and adopted him and return to the big city and the stage where it all began.

Steve Bourque ... “Life is improv, I make everything up as I go along anyway.” Art, music, and then acting ... so what's the next logical step? Of course - improvisational comedy with Improv Smackdown! New to the stage, 2007 saw Steve as the towering Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (BRT) and The Crucible as Hopkins (Small Pond Production). He was also cast as the disembodied voice of God in Bingo (BRT) - an original one-act play written and directed by Carrie Kidd. A lifelong want-to-be-artist and musician, Steve spends some of his “spare?” time as drummer for the Keene based band Fuzzy Logic, and has provided percussive support for dozens of local projects including the Just Desserts benefits and the Keene Music Festivals as well as the BRT and Small Pond productions of Moon Fever (both groups performed!), Neon Coconut and Have A Very Ninja Christmas (Amelia Rules!) - all original musicals from Fuzzy front man Michael Cohen. He shares all of non-fantasy life with his outrageously supportive wife and son in Peterborough, NH.

Cindy Choate made her first appearance on local stages in director Eric Walther's On Broadway in 2003 and hasn't stopped since. She has also appeared in the Keene Lions Club productions of Mame, The Music Man, and most her most recent appearance was selling roses in Oliver!. She was also a part of AIDS Services Just Desserts X and XI, and has appeared in BRT's Just Desserts X - Encore, Back to Broadway, At the Punchbowl, The Sherman and Jeff Comedy Revue, and Jeff Stout Concepts' Flaming Idiots. Playing the part of Nimue/Vincent II in the BRT production of Jon Ripley O'Brien's Merlin marked Cindy's first leading role. Thanks go out to her supportive husband and her favorite drama queen and king, children Kelly and Bryan.

Kelly Choate is 11 years old, and is a 5th grader at Wheelock Elementary School. Kelly has been in the Lions Club productions of Mame, The Music Man and Oliver, as well as BRT's Back to Broadway and Small Pond Production's Amelia, Rules!. In school, Kelly likes to play with her best friend Bri at recess, and she LOVES the Red Sox! Outside of school she likes to enjoy a game of kickball. Kelly is very, very happy to be participating in BRT's Silver Jubilee, and hopes you enjoy the show.

Nell Conkright in a scene from IMPROV SMACKDOWN

Nell Conkright has appeared in numerous ACT productions such as Deathtrap (kookie psychic Helga ten Dorp), Once Upon A Mattress, the award winning Jake's Women and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She is a Tricinium alum of Peterborough Verbatim 2004 and 2006. She is committed ot community and world affairs and in the light performed in the international Lysistrata Project on 03/03/03 and for three years has co-produced, co-directed and performed in the local presentation of The Vagina Monologues to help raise awareness and money for violence prevention and education. Nell also runs Aesop's Table in Peterborough, NH in the Toadstool Bookstore.

Nancy Coutts has taught and performed theatre both professionally and at local venues for over 40 years. She was last seen in BRT's Spoon River Anthology and is on the BRT board of directors. Her recent performances have been in BRT's At the Punch Bowl and American Dreams: Lost and Found. She is a consultant for various theatre companies in New England and a member of the newly formed group of improvisation performers led by Henry Balzarini at “Acting Out” in Keene.

C.J. Cummings is absolutely thrilled to be working with the outstanding talent of the greater Keene area and to get a chance to put on her Morgan Le Fey wig once again! She wishes to give a big, loud SHOUT OUT!! to BRT on it's 25th Anniversary and much success over the next 25 seasons of playing around! CJ would also like to thank BRT for giving her first big break into showbiz about eight years ago in the Agatha Christie murder mystery Ten Little Indians. Since then she has enjoyed working along side the "wild & crazy" BRT board members and having the best friendships ever with many of amazingly talented & generous BRT actors and production teams. She is truly grateful to have a place (the stage, of course) where “playing around” is acceptable behavior!! CJ would like to urge all patrons and friends of BRT to donate often, attend shows regularly and/or eat generously at intermission so this community theatre will always stay a part of your lives in the years to come. Thank you again BRT!!!! Earlier this year you may have caught CJ in the Raylynmor Opera production of Don Giovanni at the Colonial or as the neurotic, crystal-crazy Cassie Cooper in the Vermont Theatre Company's highly successful comedy play Rumors or the “woman you love to hate”, Miss Dolly Tate, in the Keene Lions Club musical Annie Get Your Gun. Highlights of her theatre “career” include, Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Mame, The Music Man, Anything Goes, Gypsy, Morgan Le Fey in Merlin (2006), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Wait Until Dark, Noises Off, The Mousetrap, The Unexpected Guest, On Broadway and Back To Broadway. She sends out big hugs & kisses to all her friends, family, theatre groupies (yes, groupies are out there!) and her spoiled little dog, Ripley. Special love and thanks go out to her patient and almost never complaining hubby Tommy!

Michael Delaney, always a late comer it seems, has just joined our Improv Smackdown group at the last minute. (Oh look Ma, the ink is still wet!!). He has performed with BRT in the past doing Studs Terkel monologues in American Dreams and Selections from Working, in addition to having five varied personalities in Spoon River Anthology. He has done a number of Komody skits in The Jeff and Sherman Comedy Review and Check Please! Mike has also performed with the Walpole Players performing as Johnny, the criminal nephew in Arsenic and Old Lace and the lead, Oberon, in Midsummer Nights Dream. His most recent adventures has been doing Standup Komody with The Greater Falls Theatre Company from Bellows Falls, VT. Michael resides in the hills and farm country of Walpole, NH ... Ahhh! The fresh scent of cow flop! (This has been a paid advertisement for the Mike Delaney for Komody campaign and I approve this message.

Jeanne Donahoe has been performing as a cast member with BRT for several years. She has been in such BRT productions as On Broadway, Just Desserts X-Encore, and At the Punchbowl. She has performed in seven Keene Lions Club musicals and was recently a cast member in their production of Annie Get Your Gun earlier this year. She has also been a cast member in an Actor's Circle Theatre production of Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and a Small Pond Production of Miss Reardon Drinks a Little. She has been singing for many years as a member of the Keene Pops, Sound of Joy chorus and Animaterra. During the day, Jeanne works for the NH Dept. of Health and Human Services in Concord, NH. She lives in Keene with her husband Larry. She is honored to be a part of BRT's Silver Jubilee production. It's a great privilege to be working with a wonderful and talented cast and She is thrilled to be reunited with this great theater group

Dean Eaton first landed on the stage in 1975 with the Marlborough Playwrights' Theatre. Among other roles he played leads in Blythe Spirit and The Haunting of Hill House. After a long hiatus he came back to the stage with the Lions' production of Mame. Having caught “the fever” he has since been active with Branch River Theatre, Small Pond Productions and AIDS Services Just Desserts. Dean owes a debt of gratitude to his wife, Carol, for yet again allowing him to perform with the Lions' Club, whose productions always fall on her birthday! In his daily life Dean is the owner of Your Kitchen Store where his mantra is “Thanks for shopping at a locally owned business.” On Sundays he is in the pulpit of the Stoddard Congregational Church where he serves as Worship Leader and as a trustee.

Peter Eisenstadter taught high school English, Drama, and Communications in NYC and Winchester, NH, for over thirty years until his retirement in 2005. A former member of Actors' Equity, he performed in various roles Off (and off-off) Broadway in the `70s. He produced, directed, and was host announcer for the radio show, “The Eye of the Tiger,” out of Thayer High School, which aired on the old WXOD 98.7 FM every Sunday from 1995-98. In his NH acting debut at Actors' Circle Theatre in Peterborough, in 2005, Peter won the New Hampshire Theater Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the lead role in Jake's Women, by Neil Simon. In 2006, Peter was a nominee for Best Actor (Sidney Bruhl- Deathtrap) and Best Supporting Actor (King Sextimus- Once Upon a Mattress), while also appearing with the Peterborough Players in Shakespeare's Winter's Tale. Last April, he played Bellomy in Branch River Theatre's The Fantasticks. In July, he directed a production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (Best Sound Design- 2007) with Actors' Circle Theatre, also appearing as Sir Toby Belch, which gained him another Best Actor nomination. This was followed by a second summer with the Peterborough Players as Prof. Metz in The Man Who Came to Dinner. This fall, he portrayed Rev. Hale in The Crucible, staged by Small Pond Productions, in Marlborough. He has also participated in several productions of the Hourglass Readers' Theater, most notably Don Juan in Hell, where he played the title role. Most recently, he appeared as Rev. Watkins in Keene's production of Six Nights in the Black Belt. He has also performed occasionally with the Monadnock Mavericks, an award-winning local line-dance team. And if he had known he would be getting this much work, he would have retired a lot sooner.

Cynthia Elmour's first performances with BRT were in On Broadway and Back to Broadway. She has served on the BRT Board of Directors, focusing mainly on running concessions and dinner theatre. Her most recent role was the evil (but misunderstood!) Nurse Ratched in BRT's June 2007 production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. She has also performed with the Keene Lions Club, with AIDS Services for the Monadnock Region, and with Small Pond Productions. She is happy to be a part of BRT'S Silver Jubilee where she will reprise her role of Mrs. Lovett in a duet from Sweeney Todd.

James Elmour made theatrical appearance since his “debut” as one of the plantation children in the Keene Lions Club's 2004 production of Mame. James enjoys Game Boy, Game Cube, Nintendo, art animals, travel, ice cream and corn on the cob! His favorite color is red. This past Christmas he appeared in the original musical Amelia Rules: Have A Very Ninja Christmas produced by Small Pond Productions. He would like to thank his dad and his grandparents for their love and support, and his mom Cynthia, for introducing him to “the theatre thing”!

Chris Fleming's is a 5 year member of ACT with an eclectic variety of roles to his credit. From his stiff and uncomfortable debut as Dickie Stanley in The Man Who Came To Dinner he has expanded his skills to play an inintentionally Pacino-esque sounding CJ Scruggs in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, a human wagon wheels, 1/2 the gate of the Emerald City AND Winkie General in The Wizard of Oz the mostly mute but hard rockin' Bart in Inspecting Carol and most recently an occasional line flubbing, coin slinging/band harming Curio in Twelfth Night. He also stage managed ACT's productions of Once Upon A Mattress and the award wining production of Jake's Women and directed Deathtrap which unfortunately ran for 2 incredibly sunny and 80 degree weekends in Oct. 2006! His hobbies include baseball and baseball related photography and brooding over his failed Jeopardy audition from a few years back.

Jonathan Flower is always amazed with the pool of talent that exists in the Monadnock Region. Certainly, the cast of The Foreigner is no exception. He feels graced to be working with such a talented crew. With several BRT productions under his belt (Merlin, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Improv Smackdown) he looks forward to working with them for years to come. With his wife on the BRT Board of Directors, he feels comfortable that a few roles will be thrown his way!

Tracy Flower got her first taste of BRT in the amazing world-premiere of Merlin this last year. As the newest member of the Board for the BRT, she is delighted to be working with such a talented and dedicated group. Having been both on-stage as a performer and back-stage as a makeup artist for many years, she is looking forward to learning the operations side of the house. Last season she, for the first time, co-produced One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest with fellow board member Gary Gagnon. Tracy had her own identity until 1987, when she became Mrs. Flower, or Jonathan's wife. Then for the last 16 years she has been either Gregory's mom or Sarah's mom. These days Tracy has been re-establishing her identity working with the Keene Lions Club productions and BRT shows. The only thing better than watching her family perform is sharing the stage with them. Tracy would like to extend her thanks to the actors, director, and co-producer for their wonderful work, the audience for support of the show, and to the sponsors and advertisers (especially her co-workers at the Savings Bank of Walpole) for their generous donations. She invites everyone to get involved with BRT in any way possible. In fact, she will be holding an informational meeting after the last performance of Cuckoo's Nest. Feel free to wear work clothes and bring brooms, as she will be preparing an improvisational sketch that she has titled “Strike The Set!” And she is sure everyone will have a part.

Ben Gagnon makes another BRT appearance in Silver Jubilee, although this time he is on stage! Ben is usually found either behind the drum set or camera lens. He has been involved with several productions with BRT as well as Vermont Theatre Company. He has been involved with music in particular for the majority of his life, and suffers from what his wife lovingly refers to as “drummer's tourettes.” Ben works as a machinist for Timken. He lives in Keene with his wife (of two years!), Kate and their two Broadway-musical-character-name-inspired cats, Elphaba and Roxie.

Gary Gagnon is proud to be a long time member of BRT and has been instrumental with the technology and sound aspect of the group in recent months. Working with Sharon McHugh, the website has been modernized and the ticket reservation system, through phone and email, has been streamlined. As an actor he has participated in the revitalization of the group back in the 90’s and has been involved with musicals, plays and dinner theater(re). He has been an actor, artistic and musical director, producer and concession guy for many productions. Acting and singing is his favorite BRT activity while tearing down the set and lifting the piano on stage are his least favorite. Gary has been on stage with many of his friends, as well as his daughter, Kaeleigh who sang a Les Mis song, and his sons, Dan, who was a disco dancer in a variety show, and Ben who ate Cap’n Crunch, sang, and drummed with his dad in several productions. His daughter-in-law, Kate, has also trod the boards with Gary. The ever-increasing production values of recent shows are astounding and only promises to get better. Gary welcomes everyone to join up in some way; we always are looking for new talent. When not working, doing laundry, or keeping his cars and motorcycles running, Gary is the lead singer in the Rage ‘N Age Band out of the Manchester, NH area. He would like to remind all patrons of the arts that paper money and personal checks cause less damage to the new curtain when thrown onto the stage in appreciation of an enjoyable production, and is a sure harbinger of good fortune for the theater-goer who participates in this age-old tradition!

Kate Gagnon is excited to be a part of Silver Jubilee. Her past theatrical endeavors have been with Branch River Theatre (On Broadway, Back To Broadway, and Just Desserts X and XI), Vermont Theatre Company (Lights Up Broadway and improv team member for Improv Smackdown) and Springfield Community Players (where she played Dainty June in Gypsy and is currently in rehearsal for the July production of Why Do Fools Fall In Love?). Kate can also be seen on local TV station, Cheshire TV channel 8, on the improv show Acting On Impulse. Aside from theater, Kate has been involved with music all of her life, mastering several musical instruments, singing (she is a member of Keene Pops Choir), and has most recently taken up tap dancing. When not pursuing musical or theatrical activities Kate is a preschool teacher and also supervises a summer recreation program for children. She lives in Keene with her husband (of two years!), Ben and their two Broadway-musical-character-name-inspired cats, Elphaba and Roxie.

Kristin Gagnon has been working with BRT since she moved to the Keene area about 8 years ago. You may remember her as Kafka, the pink tutu-wearing monkey in All in the Timing or more recently as a slightly inebriated gal named Sandy (okay, she was a gold-lamé-wearing floozy) in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. There have been many characters in between and hopefully many more to come. Being on stage is a passion for Kristin, and in the role as Cindy in Cuffed you will see her vent a lot of pent-up aggression … she and her husband are in the mist of building a home so the level of stress is easy to imagine!

James "Jay" Gelter, in the last two years has appeared on the Park stage as half of Ariel in The Tempest and Prince Florizel in The Winter's Tale for VTC. Jay's other credits with VTC include An Inspector Calls, The Philadephia, and The Equivalent Lands. He also directed to David Ives one acts for VTC's All In the Timing and is a VTC board member. He has also done various productions with Brattleboro Union HS and recently finished his second year of training in the WRCC's acting program under direction of Bob Kramsky.

Lori Goldring marks her debut as show coordinator/director with the final show of BRT's 25th season … Silver Jubilee. Earlier this year, when asked if anyone else with Improv Smackdown (January 2008) had done a hat trick other than her ... Lori's thoughts began racing. “What the h**l is that? ... OMG what have I done on stage that could make me the only one to have done a hat trick?” She quickly reviewed all the shows she has done starting with her portrayal of inanimate objects in The Wizard of Oz with ACT to the numerous shows with BRT, including her favorite role of Kate in Love, Sex and the I.R.S. (it was supposed to be funny!) It must have something to do with sex ... oh, it must have been her performance with VTC - Lights Up On Broadway where she was running around in her skiveys in that show - that mist be it! Now it's true she has performed in other venues and theatre groups including Keene Lions' Club shows and she just finished Gypsy with The Springfield Players where she portrayed Louise (she did strip in that!) But come to find out it's just an old hockey term which means the player has scored 3 goals in one game. Lori has performed with ACT, BRT and VTC ... a hat trick! She was happy to hear that was all it was!

Carrie Kidd, is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in Theatre Arts and a student of acting at The Actor's Institute in Manhattan. Locally her previous roles include the dead body in Wait Until Dark, Martha in Actors' Circle Theatre's production of Arsenic and Old Lace (NH Theatre Assn. 2007 Best Actress finalist) and an anonymous Klu Klux Klan member in BRT's The Foreigner. Having almost gotten the acting bug out of her system she is pleased to be futzing around with producing and directing as well as playwriting. “Stage managing is allowing me to observe Nancy Preus (director of The Foreigner ) at work, and hopefully picking up some directing tips I can use while directing Dancing at Lughnasa this time next year.”

2007 NH Theatre Award finalist - Best Actress, for Actor's Circle Theatre's production of Arsenic and Old Lace!

Art Knowles, by day, is a mild mannered Accounting Specialist for a locally based worldwide tour company, but ... by night he's a regular thespian. Regardless of the venue, Arthur has been seen from the seacoast Rock Band Scene to the Cheshire County Karaoke scene supporting AIDS Services. Branching out from the comfort of a rock band, he has dabbled into the local community theatre performing in several roles (The Cowardly Lion, Eric "Rubberlegs" Devine, Sir Harry, Miles Gloriousus and a multitude of supporting roles) for Actors' Circle Theatre, BRT, The Keene Lion's Club, and Tongue and Cheek Theater. You may also have even seen him on the small screen as he has made several commercials which are in rotation on cable access in Northern NH. He would like to thanks his wife Crystal and his two children (Cooper and Kylie) for their love, support, and for sharing time with his hobbies.

Kay Lucius … after years of helping with children's theater, building sets for Lions' Club shows, helping with costumes and prompting, she soon decided it was time to be “onstage” again. She made her adult debut in 1986 with the Surry Players in Harvey, then came The Odd Couple (female version), I Remember, Mama, Run For Your Wife all with Surry Players; as well as Damn Yankees!, Gypsy, Bye, Bye, Birdie, Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Hello, Dolly!, Oliver!, The Music Man, Mame, and Annie Get Your Gun with the Keene Lions' Club. Several years ago she became involved with BRT in On Broadway, Back to Broadway in and AIDS Services Just Desserts X & XI and was thrilled to be a part of our Jon Ripley O'Brien's Merlin with BRT and the Keene Lions' Club. At the UCC in Keene, she was in the cast of Godspell and Jonah. Love to her husband Bob and two lovely daughters, Kate and Robyn. In just a few years she hopes to see her two precious grandchildren - Gracyn and Gustyn onstage with her! She will be performing in August with AIDS Services Just Desserts XIV, so please come out and enjoy!

Margaret Lynott is excited to be part of BRT's Silver Jubilee. Earlier this season she had the honor of portraying Aggie in the very first production of Bingo and hopes she brought the character to life as the author and director Carrie Kidd intended. She recently appeared in Actors' Circle Theatre's production of Arsenic and Old Lace in Peterborough, NH. Margaret has also performed in several BRT shows, including: The Octette Bridge Club, Love, Sex and the I.R.S., At the Punchbowl, American Dreams: Lost and Found, On Broadway, and Just Desserts X Encore. Other roles include; Bloody Mary in the Keene Lions Club production of South Pacific, and Eulalie Shinn in The Music Man, as well as a chorus member in Oliver. When she is not acting up, you can find her at Shamrock Real Estate, Inc., a company she started with her late husband Jim in 1983. She is the proud mother of Michael and Bridget, and grandmother to Mick, Taylor and Jamison.

Ray Mahoney was last seen on the Community House stage in the fall production of The Crucible produced by Small Pond Productions. He has appeared with BRT in The Curious Savage, Ten Little Indians, Working, Bus Stop, All in the Timing, The Fantasticks and Merlin as well as On Broadway and Back to Broadway. Keene Lions Club Productions include Gypsy, Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, Li'l Abner, Damn Yankees, South Pacific and The Music Man. Many theatergoers will remember Ray as Selsdon in Jeff Stouts' production of Noises Off, a role he recreated for Theatre at the Mount in Gardner, MA. As always, thanks to Ann, Mike and Chris for their support. Enjoy the evening!

John Mangiapane since coming out of retirement in 2006, has appeared in three productions for BRT, Wait Until Dark, The Fantasticks and The Foreigner and the lead in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for the Lion's Club of Keene. If you can read this, you already understand that John is a big joker, no matter how serious the production is.

Desde que Juan se retiro en 2006, Juan a aparecido en tres producciónes para BRT, y en A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum para los Lionés Club de Keene. Si usted puedes leer esto, ya puede entender de que Juan es un payaso, no importa los mas serio que la producción puedo set.

Susan Massey is thrilled to have her NH acting debut here at BRT. Her prior theatre experience has been with various theatres in MA & RI. You may also have met her (without knowing it) at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, where she portrayed Chip, Dale, Roger Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh! She and her fianceé John just bought a home this past October (2007) in Rindge and are so happy to finally be in their hearts' true home of NH! Much thanks to everyone here at BRT for this wonderful opportunity in The Foreigner and to John for his infinite patience!

Sharon McHugh has been with BRT since it was created over 25 years ago! With the exception of acting on stage, she has worked in every capacity, Producer, as Props and Stage Managers, Set Construction, Refreshments, etc. and has been President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer of BRT. Sharon has directed numerous BRT shows such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Dracula, The Haunting of Hill House, Fractured Shakespeare and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. She marked her return to directing with When Shakespeare's Ladies Meet and 2006's The Octette Bridge Club. She acted as Producer for Wait Until Dark in 1985 and has come full circle as the director the fall 2006 version of the same play. Re-elected as President in Aug. 2006, she retains her roll as the Lighting Director for BRT and has worked lights for Vermont Theatre Company, AIDS Services Just Desserts, Actor's Circle Theater, Jeff Stout Concepts, Inspirational Improv and Small Pond Productions, to name just a few.

JoAnne Mead holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and Elementary Education. She is known as a Soprano Soloist, Voice Instructor, and Music Director. She is currently the Musical Director for the musical theater program at the Moving Company in Keene, and frequently provides vocal coaching for area school productions. She received her vocal training with teachers from Boston University, Keene State College, Opera singer Anna Gabrieli, and has coached with Eric Schwartz. As a Soprano Soloist, she has performed numerous Oratorio works with area choral/orchestral organizations, as well as concerts and recitals. She has performed with Granite State Opera, Lowell Opera, Opera North, and Raylynmor Opera. Roles in Adele in Die Fledermaus, Gianetta in Elixir of Love, Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, Zorah in Ruddigore, Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors and Madre in Madame Butterfly. Her favorite musical theatre roles include Mother Abbess in Sound of Music, the Queen in Once Upon a Mattress, Joanne in Godspell, and the Mother in Jonah. She has performed as a member of the Keene State College Faculty Quartet, Mainstreet Broadway, and the quartet Mainstreet Four. She performed the National Anthem for President George W. Bush during his original campaign, and has sung at ceremonies in the Governor's chambers at the State House in Concord. She has performed as a vocal soloist for the National Dance Institute and the NH Special Olympics. She has recently performed with the Celebrated String Quartet of Washington, DC. She has music directed and conducted Fiddler on the Roof, Damn Yankees, Bye, Bye, Birdie, Gypsy, South Pacific, Mame, The Music Man, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Oklahoma! She serves as a Judge/Adjucator for the NH Music Educator's Association (NHMEA), and the NH All-State Choral Festival. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Grand Monadnock Arts Council, and currently serves as First Vice President of the Keene Lions Club. She maintains an active voice studio where she resides with her husband Curtis, sheepdog Maxwell, and daughter Ashley who has flown from the nest to attend college in CT.

Kimberley Miller is pleased to be playing the role of Catherine and working with Branch River Theatre on this production. Previous roles include: Cookie in Rumors with Best Foot Forward Productions, Elaine Harper in Arsenic and Old Lace with Actors Circle Theater, Leonora in Long Christmas Dinner and Meg in Little Women at Peterborough Players. She is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Acting. Thank you to Nancy for being a wonderful director in The Foreigner! Thanks to my parents for putting up with me! And a special thanks to my friend Teresa for helping me with the Southern accent!

Mia Moravis - under her nom d'emprunt de théâtre, Mia has performed varied roles, including Thais in The Eunich, Antigone in Antigone, both Baroness Elsa Schraeder and Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music, Jenny in The Threepenny Opera, and twirled a mighty baton in Babes in Arms. Mia received her professional training at The National Shakespeare Company in New York under the tutelage and mastery of Mario Siletti, Peter Lobdell and the late Phillip Meister. Mia thanks Sherman Morrison profusely for casting her in the most unique production of Cuffed.

Heather A. H. Morrison has been walking the halls of the therapeutic theatre community her whole life. She grew up in a home where everything was a line from some play and where every piece of furniture in the house had been used on a set. She is an actor, director, and board member of Branch River Theatre since 1998, and yes, there were props on the stage from her house in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in which she directed last season. She is an adjudicator for the New Hampshire Theatre Awards. She enjoys the community support in Keene Lions Club productions, she has been honored to sing with the Raylynmor Opera, to perform with Actors Circle Theatre, Jeff Stout Concepts, and to be part of Just Desserts for AIDS Services. Favorite productions include directing Spoon River Anthology, playing Babe in Crimes of the Heart, and singing/dancing in Guys and Dolls and Life is a Cabaret. Last year, she began working with younger children as a teacher for The Moving Company's Cupcake Program, and adapted a musical version of Sleeping Beauty. She hopes that the other patients will have patience with her, including her quietly patient husband, Sherman, and amazingly patient director/daughter, Willow.

G. Sherman H. Morrison has performed, directed, and worked behind the scenes at BRT for nearly 11 years. Directing credits include American Dreams: Lost and Found by Studs Terkel, What I Did Last Summer by A.R. Gurney and Selections from Working by Studs Terkel. He has also directed shows for The Compass School (Alice in Wonderland and The Changing Faces of Agriculture) and the Front Porch Theatre (Voices of the Past: A Rockingham Anthology). Sherman is now deeply involved in the most important production of his like - being a father to his daughter, Willow! He lives in Keene with her and his wife, Heather.

2007 NH Theatre Award finalist - Best Original Play, for Branch River Theatre's production of CUFFED!

Jon Ripley O'Brien (accompanist)-the composer/librettist of the 2006 Branch River Theatre and Keene Lions Club production of Merlin is a life-long resident of Keene. He is a graduate of Keene High School and an alumnus of Keene State College where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music composition. He has accompanied and/or arranged music for the annual Keene Lions Club shows since 1978. He did likewise for the Branch River Theatre's musical revue Back to Broadway in 2005 that was directed by Eric D. Walther. Jon is the only person in Keene High School history to have had two original musical works staged there. In 1974, he composed the music for the Keene High School Drama Club's production of Jonah! that featured Keene Lion and Merlin music director JoJo Mead. In 1981, he wrote the book, music, and lyrics for the school's presentation of Pendragon. In 1977, the Playwrights Theatre presented at the Marlborough Community House another one of his musicals called Poverello. It was based on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and featured BRT member and local merchant Dean Eaton. In November, 2007, the United Church of Christ in Keene and BRT director Martha Hennum (Rumors) restaged Jonah! Current original musicals in the works written by Jon are Dracula (with a book by KHS Drama Club director Scot Tolman) to be staged by the KHS Drama Club this October, and a revival of Pendragon (the sequel to Merlin) to be produced by the Branch River Theatre in the summer of 2009. Jon is an honorary member of the Keene Lions Club. He is an accompanist for the St. Bernard's Church Contemporary Music Group. He resides in Keene and is employed by TD Banknorth.

Hank Parkhurst has “trod the boards” from ME to AZ, from community theatres to NBC's Monday Night at the Movies. He has on-stage experiences as well as all backstage to his credit. Whether dramatic, operatic or comedic he has handled them with dedication and a lot of fun. This “I can do it” actor has portrayed the Cowardly Lion, Honeybun, Captain Lombard, and Teddy Brewster. When not on stage he spends time substitute teaching in Northfield, MA. Spare time is spent kayaking, reading, traveling and house exchanging in the British Isles as well as being a 3 term NH State Representative. He has the distinction of being the only member in college to have been in both Delta Psi Omega and Alpha Psi Omega the national honorary dramatics Fraternities. Once in a while he sits quietly by the river to just muse and ponder how fortunate he has been and to say “thank you” to all who have helped pave the road to his successes. Thanks to BRT for welcoming him back!

Marilyn Parpan is delighted to be appearing with BRT again! Audiences will remember her as Mrs. Savage in The Curious Savage, Clairee in Steel Magnolias, Dr. Margaret Thorne Brent in The Perfect Crime, Chris Gorman in Rumors, and in Back to Broadway and Merlin. Lions Club audiences will remember her as Nellie Forbush in South Pacific, Mame Dennis in Mame, Widda Paro in The Music Man, Aunt Eller in Oklahoma!, Dolly Levy in Hello, Dolly! plus leading roles in Li'l Abner, Fiddler on the Roof and Annie to name a few! Marilyn, a native New Yorker, became involved with Musical Theater in college. It was while living in WI that she worked with the Brown Deer Community Playhouse and enjoyed playing Rizzo in Grease and Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. Marilyn lives in Swanzey with her handsome husband Mark. After all these years of theatre, however, Marilyn's favorite role will always be "Grammy" to Emma, Nick, Ethan and Hab.

Nancy Preus has been active in Community Theater for the last 30 years. She has recently been on-stage with the Branch River Theatre Group in Sherman Morrison's original play of Cuffed, and in Spoon River Anthology; she has also appeared in the Hourglass Readers production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. The Foreigner marks her directorial debut with Branch River. Past directing efforts include Nunsense for the Surry Players.

Jeff Repko has been on the board of Branch River Theatre for a number of years and has appeared in several productions, most recently in Wait Until Dark and in the hysterical, and highly successful production of Love, Sex and the I.R.S. Along with acting, over the years he has constructed many of the sets for BRT shows and been involved in numerous Keene Lions' Club productions.You may have seen him in the Monadnock Regions Aid Services production of Just Desserts in which he had co-directed with Debbie Pickering. He works for Océ in Keene, as a sales representative.

Cristen Rosinski has been involved in theatre for as long as she can remember, and probably longer than that. She is currently Secretary on the Board of Trustees for Vermont Theatre Company. Working with VTC since 2000, she has performed in numerous plays, including her personal favorites, The Taming of the Shrew as Katherina, and All's Well That Ends Well as Helena. Most will remember her (eventually) in drag, however, as the autistic Jan in The Unexpected Guest! Cristen also commits murder on a regular basis, with VTC's Murder Mystery dinner theatre productions. She has worked with BRT in the past, on the productions of Back to Broadway, and Jon O'Brien's orginal musical Merlin!

Beth Signoretti has been with Actors' Circle Theatre since 2001. You might remember her as the soulful singing Jewel in ACT's production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the ditzy Lady Larkin in Once Upon A Mattress or perhaps her best known singing character of Feste the Fool, the wise cracking, coin cadging clown in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Beyond ACT, Beth has also performed with the Granite State Opera in productions of The Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, Madama Butterfly and The Elixir of Love, and yes, playing all the ditzy characters! But wait! There's more! She has played other ditzy characters as Sue in A Slice of Saturday Night, a sixties musical, tap dancing Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show and Susan Lucci in Why Can't I Win A NH Theatre Award! a musical, singing her most memorable song of "What Does A Girl Have To Do???" and "You Have to First Get Nominated to Win."

Susan Silver is thrilled to be a part of BRT's Silver Jubilee (it's kismet-Sue Silver, Silver Jubilee). Most recently Sue participated in BRT's Improv Smackdown which was so successful that Cheshire TV picked up the option. Sue is a member of the Keene Lion's Club and you may have seen her in such Lion's Club productions (or heard in the chorus) of The Music Man and Oliver! and this year's Annie Get Your Gun where she debuted as Mrs. Schuyler Adams. .Sue also appeared in BRT's productions of Back to Broadway, Just Desserts XI (Cotton Picking Finger Licking Chicken Plucker) and Merlin. Sue lives in Keene and by day she is Branch Manager and Commercial Loan Officer for a bank in Keene. So please take her with a grain of salt and don't hold her alter ego against her.

Marilyn Simons and BRT go back a long way. She appeared in BRT's second show, The Cocktail Party, a real laugh-fest by T.S. Eliot. There were actually 5 people in the audience one night, during a February snowstorm. She still has her `Hosanna stick' from BRT's first musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, and enjoyed stealing Jesus' cigarettes out of his pocket onstage. She remembers during Hot L Baltimore, where she played Jackie, one of the actors actually fell asleep onstage. In the title role of Mary, Mary, she had to wear a wig, and it took three people to get her in it each night. She also played an hysterical maid in Enter Pharoah Nussbaum, Babe in Crimes of the Heart (the 80s production), and most recently Rosalie Sorrells in American Dreams: Lost and Found and Nora in The Octette Bridge Club. Backstage she did make-up for Love, Sex and the I.R.S. (the Hinsdale outreach version) and tech work for Dracula (yes, she was the one who made the bat fly over the audience each night!) Ah, the memories ... Marilyn would particularly like to thank all the BRT directors through the years, especially Sharon McHugh (yes, you, Sharon!) When not acting for BRT, Marilyn enjoys acting in other places and working at the Jaffrey Public Library, where she's lived all her life (so far).(Jaffrey, not the library).

David Teubner is fairly new to acting, performing most recently in BRT's production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Wait Until Dark as the evil character Harry Roat. In addition, he has performed in the Small Pond's production of The Neon Coconut as a beatnik named Sid and in Actors' Circle Theatre production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas as Melvin P. Thorpe, that outrageous TV evangelist. Besides acting, David has a love for singing and is often found at local karaoke venues. To make his living David is a website designer with http://www.KeeneOnline.com, a business he started six years ago when he moved to Keene from Framingham, MA.

Eric Walther is seen in local venues around the center of the Universe - a.k.a. the Keene/Brattleboro area for the past 12 years. He has been in roles that made him: a Russian rebellious student who choked on cheese, a baseball player, a golden rock star that looks like Elvis - but his friends called him Birdie, a Shakespearean lover, a totty Englishman who was not Earnest, a boyfriend, a best friend, a gas meter reader, the Crest kid, the butler, a very hyper stage manager, a director of three Broadway revues with good food, the big bad wolf, a detective, a common law assistant, a challenged and hallucinating war veteran in a mental institution, a Shakespearean French loard, a waiter, a war hero names BUZZ, a person stuck in Los Angeles, and a politician named Mr. Cooper. He loves piña coladas and getting caught in the rain - he's not much into health food, but is into champagne!

Amanda Guthorn Warman is a seasoned community theatre veteran. Her most recent local appearances have been in BRT's first Improv Smack Down and with a group of local actors in Acting on Impulse on Cheshire TV. Her other BRT productions include Merlin, The Octette Bridge Club (Ann), At the Punchbowl, Check, Please!, American Dreams: Lost and Found, Chamber Music, On Broadway and The Sherman and Jeff Comedy Revue, where she performed her favorite bit, “Vitameatavegamin” from the legendary “I Love Lucy” series which she will recreate for the Silver Jubilee. She has appeared with Actors Circle Theatre in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (as the wise cracking waitress Doatsey Mae) and in several Keene Lion's Club productions: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Gymnasia); The Music Man, (Violet Squires - the memorable squatting urn); Oliver; Oklahoma!; and South Pacific. Other local credits include The Vagina Monologues, Just Desserts X and XI, Keene Komic and her appearance as a “celebrity” judge for Keene Karaoke Idol for its first three years. Amanda appears daily working at Keene State College. She and her husband Don live in an old farmhouse in Swanzey, with their ever adorable and precocious Miniature Schnauzers, Schatzie and Henry.