Cast Bios
* Indicates member of Actors’ Equity Association.
 | BREANNA BARTLEY* (Ensemble, U/S Lily St. Regis) Happy Holidays! Originally from Southern California, Breanna Bartley most recently starred in Theatreworks USA’s national tour of We the People. Other productions include Black Nativity Now and Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly. Breanna holds a BA in Ethnomusicology from Barnard College, Columbia University. Many thanks to 1590 for all the love and support! |
 | MICHELLE BLAKE (Ensemble) is thrilled to return to PTC after appearing in last season’s Sunset Boulevard. Trained in Vocal Performance at Utah State University, Michelle’s credits include Curtains(Georgia), Kiss Me, Kate (Lilli/Kate), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Dorothy), Man of La Mancha (Antonia),Oklahoma! (Laurey) and Into the Woods (Florinda). All my love and thanks go out to my amazingly supportive family and friends. |
 | ERIC LEE BROTHERSON* (Ensemble, U/S FDR) Eric is excited to be back after this spring’s Sunset Boulevard. In his career, Eric has performed in 25 countries, 45 states, and over 100 cities worldwide. He has performed from rural casinos to Lincoln Center to European opera houses. He has choreographed, taught dance, and coached privately. He graduated with honors in the social sciences and English, but has remained in the arts because he believes in the sacredness of storytelling. His proudest moments on stage were as Tugger in the NW Premiere of Cats, as Mike in PTC’s production of A Chorus Line, and in the Seattle production of The Who’s Tommy directed by Brian Yorkey, where he was associate choreographer and dance captain. To Marc and my family, thank you for giving me time to figure this all out. |
 | LARRY CAHN* (Oliver Warbucks) is very pleased to be making his Pioneer Theatre Company debut. Broadway: The Graduate, Guys and Dolls, Epic Proportions, Anything Goes, The Music Man. National Tours: Ragtime, Lend Me A Tenor. Off-Broadway:Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!; The Portable Pioneer and Prairie Show; Play to Win. Regional: The Rhythm Club; Moon Over Buffalo; Company, She Loves Me, Miracles (premiere); The Predators’ Ball; LUV;Carousel; The Golden Land; Is There Life After High School?; Johnny Pye & The Foolkiller (premiere). Film:Freedom Writers; City of Jerks. Television: Without a Trace, The West Wing, Grey’s Anatomy, Law & Order,Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Chappelle’s Show,The Young and the Restless, As The World Turns,Another World, One Life to Live and The City. |
 | ASHLEY GARDNER CARLSON (Ensemble) was last seen on PTC’s stage as Kristine in A Chorus Line and Yvette in Miss Saigon; she is thrilled to be back. Regional credits include: The Sound of Music (Main Street Players, Los Angeles), Hello Dolly! (Moonlight Amphitheatre, San Diego), Bye Bye Birdie (The Lawrence Welk Resort, San Diego), The Sound of Music and Jekyll and Hyde (Starlight Musical Theatre, San Diego), and the original cast of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Avo Playhouse, San Diego). Ashley earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Utah in Communications and an MBA from Westminster College. |
| SARA KAE CHILDS (Ensemble) is thrilled to be part of Annie! This is her second performance with Pioneer Theatre Company, having appeared in Sunset Boulevard last season. Sara stems from sunny St. George, Utah, and is currently working towards her BFA in the Musical Theater Program at the University of Utah. Sara would like to thank her amazing cast and family for their generous support. | |
 | JACKIE COVAS* (Ensemble) is happy to be returning to Pioneer Theatre Company after playing Phyllis in42nd Street. Most recently, Jackie appeared at Cape Playhouse as Betsy in Crazy For You. Her touring credits include Madagascar Live!, Dora The Explorer Live! and Doodlebops Live!. Jackie also appeared as a headliner in Shanghai, China with the production From Hollywood To Broadway. In NYC, Jackie has worked as an assistant choreographer on Reefer Madness for the Gallery Players and Underwear: A Space Musicalfor the NYC Fringe Festival. Film credits include TAP(special feature with Henry LeTang) and All I Want for Christmas (voiceover with Lauren Bacall). Check out her company Dance Dot www.mydancedot.com for a way to practice tap dancing anywhere! Love to M,D,G,C! |
 | STEVEN FEHR* (Ensemble, Drake, U/S Warbucks) is pleased to make another appearance on the PTC stage. Previous PTC productions include Sunset Boulevard, White Christmas, Dracula, My Fair Lady, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Black Comedy, The Light in the Piazza, Cyrano de Bergeracand Camelot. Steven has also performed at Salt Lake Acting Company, the Old Lyric Repertory Company, the Egyptian Theatre, the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, where he starred with Sally Struthers in Annie. Steven earned his Master’s Degree in Theatre-Performance at UNLV. Steven thanks Isaias, Mom, his family and God for all they do for him. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity. |
 | SUZANNE GRODNER* (Miss Hannigan) is so happy to be back at Pioneer Theatre Company where she was seen in Enchanted April and Scapino. Broadway:Bye Bye Birdie and The Rose Tattoo. Off-Broadway:Sarah/Sarah, Cakewalk, Death Defying Acts, Show and Tell, Appelemando’s Dreams. National and International Tours: Phantom of the Opera andBrighton Beach Memoirs. Regional (selected): Jane Austen’s Emma (Old Globe, Cincinnati Playhouse, TheatreWorks), Wintertime (ACT/Seattle), Angels in America (Actors Theatre of Louisville), The Smell of the Kill and Much Ado About Nothing (Cincinnati Playhouse), Distracted, Twentieth Century, Living Out,The Fourth Wall and Into the Woods (TheatreWorks CA), The Plexiglass Slipper, Tartuffe and Broadway Bound (Asolo Rep), …Earnest (Indiana Rep), The Sisters Rosenweig (Syracuse Stage), Red Herring(Florida Stage), among many others. TV and film: Law & Order (all three), Ed, and HBO’s Hidden Signs. For Alba. |
 | BRIAN MICHAEL HOFFMAN* (Ensemble, Bert Healy, Animal Handler) starred as “Horton” in the acclaimed off-Broadway revival and subsequent cast recording ofSeussical and has performed across the country in regional productions/national tours of Annie (30th Anniversary), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Barfee), The Wizard of Oz (Cowardly Lion), Assassins (Czolgosz), Xanadu (Cupid),Sweeney Todd (Toby), Into the Woods (Jack), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Charlie Brown),Threepenny Opera (Filch), Big River (Young Fool),Edwin Drood (Chairman) and Grease (Roger). Brian led a barbershop quartet at Tokyo Disney Sea in Japan for three years, has performed in over 1,800 performances of Annie (some with Broadway’s original red-head, Andrea McArdle!) and can be heard on theAnnie: 30th Anniversary and Annie 2 cast recordings. He lives in NYC where, instead of waiting tables, he happily works with 2011 Tony Award winner William Berloni and his pups on Broadway (Legally Blonde,The Royal Family). www.brianmichaelhoffman.com. |
 | RASHAAN JAMES II* (Ensemble) is excited to be here for his first show at Pioneer Theatre Company. He went to University at Buffalo for a BFA in Musical Theatre and a BA in Dance. Some of his favorite credits include Aida (Mereb u/s-Nubian), Dreamgirlswith Jennifer Holliday (Tru-Tone/5 Tuxes), Swing!(Sexy Couple), The Wiz (Featured Ensemble), Smokey Joe’s Café (Adrian), and Playground (MMAC). Tours: 50th Anniversary World Tour of West Side Story(Luis/Shark Swing), South Pacific 1st National Tour (Swing) and 42nd Street (Featured Ensemble, Theatre of the Stars Tour). Rashaanjames2.com |
 | MIKE KIRSCH* (Ensemble, Asst. Choreographer, U/S Rooster) is thrilled to be back once again at PTC! A couple favorite credits here include Bobby in A Chorus Line and Kevin in The Producers. A few other favorite theatre credits include Cosmo in Singin’ in the Rain(National Tour and at several regional theatres)Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and 42nd Street at Walnut Street Theatre, Gypsy (L.A.) at Westchester Broadway, Titanic (Roger Hitchens) at Maine State Music Theatre, Ginger starring Donna McKechnie and Randy Skinner, Best Little Whorehouse in Texasstarring Sally Struthers at the Ogunquit Playhouse,NBS (off-Broadway) and most recently on tour with off-Broadway’s Parallel Exit. Check him out at MikeKirsch.org and check out his production company at UniqueNewYorkProductions.com. |
 | ADAM LENDERMON* (Ensemble, U/S Drake) holds a BFA in Acting and a Dance Minor from Adelphi University. He has toured nationally with Cats(Skimbleshanks) and internationally with West Side Story (Big Deal). Regional credits include: H.M.S. Pinafore (Guthrie), The Who’s Tommy (Arkansas Rep),A Chorus Line, (Merry-Go-Round Playhouse), A Christmas Carol (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), All Shook Up with Sally Struthers (Artpark), La Cage Aux Folles (Arvada Center), and Cabaret (Gateway Playhouse). www.adamlendermon.com. |
 | JOHN LITTLE* (FDR, Ensemble) is delighted to make his PTC debut. Earlier this year he appeared in Hamletand As You Like It at the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, and in Light Up the Sky at Centenary Stage. His regional work includes The Grapes of Wrathat the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Woman in Black at Portland Stage, Glimmerglass at Goodspeed, Noises Off at Barter Theatre, Pygmalionat Syracuse Stage and A Woman of No Importance atYale Rep. He has toured Europe with A Christmas Carol, Crazy For You and Harold and Maude, and Asia in Cabaret. John is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and lives in New York with his wife, Amy, and children, Eleonora and Joel. |
 | DIRK LUMBARD* (Rooster) is proud to be back at Pioneer Theatre Company after appearing in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and choreographing last year’s White Christmas. Broadway credits: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,The Music Man, Imaginary Friends, On Your Toes,Barnum and Sugar Babies. Off-Broadway: Flora, the Red Menace and Dames at Sea. National Tour of The Wizard Of Oz (Joseph Jefferson Award), Grand Hoteland Crazy For You. At Canada’s Stratford Theatre:The Music Man (Stage Door Award), Kiss Me, Kate,Titus Andronicus, Comedy of Errors. Television:Deadline (NBC), Home Improvement (ABC), Alice in Wonderland (PBS). He’s a proud recipient of a Tyrone Guthrie Award. Dirk would like to thank Chuck, Patti, Michael and of course Paul for this opportunity. |
 | ANNE STEWART MARK* (Ensemble, U/S Miss Hannigan) is happy to be returning after appearing inWhite Christmas and Sunset Boulevard last season. Other PTC favorites include My Fair Lady, Noises Off,Paint Your Wagon, Les Misérables, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Macbeth, Peter Pan, Tartuffe, The Three Musketeers, Laughing Stock, Misalliance,Arcadia, Private Lives, Blithe Spirit, Camelot, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George and Evita, to name a few. She has been seen at Salt Lake Acting Company in The Clean House,Hold Please, Going to St. Ives, Master Class and Nine; at the Peterborough Players in Hay Fever, 1940s Radio Hour and Noises Off; and for the Utah Opera Company as ZoZo in The Merry Widow. Also a director of some note, Anne has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association for over 28 years. |
 | MIKEY (Sandy) was seized from a family who neglected him for the first three years of his life before being discovered by his guardian and trainer, 2011 Tony Award winner William Berloni in the spring 2005. When Mr. Berloni first adopted him, he had to be treated for Heartworm disease, which could have been fatal. Later in 2005, Mikey hit the road on the 30th Anniversary tour of Annie as the understudy to a dog named Lola who was playing Sandy. After Lola retired from the road in 2007, Mikey took over the role on tour and has since been starring in Annie at regional theatres all across the country. In the proud tradition of all of the dogs Mr. Berloni has rescued and trained, Mikey carries on his mission to help the plight of unwanted animals by proving they can all be stars. Mikey is handled by his favorite handler, Brian Michael Hoffman, and they dedicate this performance to Lola. |
 | GINA MILO* (Lily St. Regis) is thrilled to be making her PTC debut! Broadway: Les Misérables (Eponine perf). National Tours: Les Misérables, Annie, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas starring Ann-Margret. Off-Broadway: For Christ’s Sake (Mary) New World Stages. Regional: Enter Laughing (Miss B), Bay Street;Hairspray (Penny), Engeman; Spamalot (Lady of the Lake-JEFF Award Nomination), Drury Lane; For the Glory (Sarah), Flatrock Playhouse; The Marvelous Wonderettes (Suzy), Das Barbecu (Brunhilde) andLucky Stiff (Anabelle Glick) Mason Street; Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey) at the Engeman, Casa Manana and NCT. She can be heard on cast recordings of Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Annie and Carols for a Cure. Special thanks to God, my amazing family, the PTC team, and last but never least, my wonderful husband, Ken. |
 | EMILY SHOOLIN* (Grace Ferrell) is thrilled to get her first taste ever of Utah air here this winter at Pioneer Theatre Company! Most recently: Enter Laughing asWanda, the ingénue with chutzpah (Bay Street & York Theatres, original cast album); National Tour of Fiddler on the Roof (opposite Harvey Fierstein and Theodore Bikel) understudying and playing both Tzeitel and Hodel; The Tin Pan Alley Rag at Roundabout Theatre Company understudying and playing Dorothy Goetz, the wife of Irving Berlin; Nerds: A Musical Software Satire as the headgear-toting Myrtle (Philadelphia Theatre Company). She is most proud of her one-woman show, Perfect Isn’t Easy, performed at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Love to Jared, Mom, Dad, Claire, her whole family and the Mine! |
 | SAMI STAITMAN* (Annie) is thrilled to be making her Pioneer Theatre Company debut in Annie! Tour:Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat(Theatre League). Regional: Singin’ in the Rain andThe King and I (Cabrillo Music Theatre); Les Misérables (High Street Theatre as Little Cosette/Little Eponine); 7th and Schwartz (Original Cast, Festival of New American Musicals). Film: The Maiden and the Princess (Evil Sibling). Television: House of Lies(Showtime); The Care Bears (Guest Star). XOXO and thank-you to the entire cast, crew and new friends at PTC, especially Paul, Michael, Patti and Charles! A million thank-yous and tooooo much love to Mom, Dad, Sarah, Jake, Grandma Harriet, Grandpa Mel, Meema Beth and Papa Jack, Joshua, Debi, Rebecca, Mark at Savage and my entire family! |
| JEFFREY SCOTT STEVENS* (Ensemble) is thrilled to be returning to PTC after most recently appearing inSunset Boulevard as the Wunderkind (u/s Artie Green). Other PTC credits include A Chorus Line andMiss Saigon. NY projects: Frank Carter in The Marilyn Miller Musical, Lead Tenor in The Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic (Manhattan Comedy Club), and Sam Adams inPaul Revere. Recent Regional Credits: Al in A Chorus Line and Jasper in Disney’s 101 Dalmatians (STAGES, St. Louis), Pasty in Spamalot! (Ogunquit Playhouse), Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors (Jackson Hole Playhouse), Stanley in Hello Dolly! (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina) and Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie (Hale Centre Theatre). Last fall, Jeff introduced Bill O’Reilly on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart by singing an original jazz song, when Nathan Lane had “other obligations.” Jeff graduated from BYU with a BFA in Musical Theatre and traveled with the Young Ambassadors to Brazil, Argentina, China and Korea. Jeff works as director of the Children/Youth for Wright Way Master Classes out of New York and also as Production Manager for The Jackson Hole Playhouse in Wyoming. Thanks to God, Paul, Patti, Chuck, Michael, and Jim at BLOC for this wonderful experience! Merry Christmas! | |
| And introducing the rest of the Orphans: | |
|---|---|
 | ARIANA BAGLEY (July) Ari thinks that Annie is the perfect show for an 11-year-old girl because she gets to sing, dance, and fight! You may have seen her performing at Hale Centre Theatre, Desert Star Playhouse, and several community theaters. “Tootie”in Meet me in St. Louis, and “Gretl” in The Sound of Music top her list of favorite roles. She also enjoys acting in commercials and movies. |
 | CEDI CHRISTENSEN (Kate) Cedi (pronounced Sed-E), 11, is a sixth grader at Oakridge Elementary. She’s always loved the stage and is excited to make her PTC debut. Recently seen as Annie at Centerpoint Legacy Theatre, she knows the work involved with this production. Cedi loves reading, going to Disneyland with her family, and singing or lip-syncing to any song she knows. |
 | HANNA GEMPERLINE (Ensemble, U/S Duffy, U/S Pepper) has performed several roles at Centerpoint Legacy Theatre including Annie in Annie, Amaryllis in The Music Man and just recently as Anika in Jim Christian’s Sleepy Hollow. She studies dance at Clytie Adams School of Ballet and enjoys playing the piano and viola. She would like to thank everyone here for making her feel so welcome as a newcomer. |
| ALEXIA “ALLY” IOANNIDES (Pepper) is thrilled to be back at PTC after playing Susan Waverly in White Christmas and Esther Jane in A Christmas Story. Ally has performed with the Egyptian Theatre, recently, in Gypsy. She has sung with Utah Opera and Utah Symphony as a student at the Madeleine Choir School. Ally has starred in two short films and a feature film. Big thanks to Director Barnes, Dr. Christensen, MCS teachers and her Mom. | |
| BAILEE JOHNSON (Ensemble, U/S Tessie, U/S July) is happy to make her PTC debut in Annie. Eleven years old, Bailee’s theatre credits include A Tale of Two Cities (Hale Centre Theatre), Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird (Hale Centre, Orem) and Seussical at the Sandy Arts Guild. Her film credits include 127 Hoursand 17 Miracles. She has appeared as a dancer for Ballet West’s The Nutcracker for the past three years. | |
 | SYDNEY PEEBLER (Ensemble, U/S Annie) age 11, is ecstatic about joining the Annie family at PTC. Her love of theater has sprouted into local production performance opportunities such as Cinderella (Anastasia), Annie Get Your Gun (Jessie), There’s a Monster in My Closet (Megan), The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Beth) and Wonderland (Alice). She is extremely grateful for the continued support she receives from her parents and others. |
| LIZZIE ROSEN (Duffy) is delighted to be onstage at PTC for the first time. She has appeared at the Desert Star Playhouse, Hale Centre Theatre, and Sandy Amphitheater, to name a few. Some of her favorite roles include Natalie in Miracle on 42nd Street, Jessie in Annie Get Your Gun, and Tessie in Annie, Jr. In her spare time she likes to dance, play the violin and babysit. | |
| MAGGIE SCOTT (Ensemble, U/S Molly, U/S Kate) is delighted to make her PTC debut! A performer at heart, this 10 year old has been singing and dancing since she could talk. She recently played the Coroner Munchkin in The Grand Theatre’s Wizard of Oz. Other favorites: Secret Garden (Mary Lennox), The Sound of Music (Maria), and There’s a Monster in my Closet(Dream Queen). Thanks to everyone at PTC, my teachers, friends & family! | |
| OLIVIA SMITH-DRIGGS (Tessie) is delighted to be making her Pioneer Theatre Company debut inAnnie. She has performed in many community productions and was recently Annie in Canyon Rim Academy’s production of Annie, Jr. She thanks the PTC family for trusting her with this role and thanks her dad, mom, Abraham, Eliza, grandparents, 27 aunts and uncles, 59 cousins, and numerous friends for loving and supporting her. | |
 | ADDIE WRAY (Molly) Addie is excited for the opportunity to perform at PTC. Her previous roles include an orphan in Annie, Mary’s understudy in The Secret Garden, Cosette in Broadway Family Favorites, and Marta in Sundance Theatre’s production of The Sound of Music. Thanks to my parents, and my brothers for hanging in there, and to my big family for being such great fans. |