Donald Panella (Matthew Brandon) is excited to return to the Butte for his second season with the Cripple Creek Players. He spent this year playing Scrooge in a national tour of A Christmas Carol and Ben Franklin in an original children’s theater national tour. Last year he was seen at the Butte playing Arthur Wardlaw in The Star Crossing and Dracula in The Vampire of Cripple Creek. Other favorite roles include Marc in Art, Duncan in Macbeth, and Caiphas in Jesus Christ Superstar. Donald graduated from Boston College in 2003 with a degree in Theater Arts with Pre-Med and Pre-Law concentrations and went on to finish his studies at Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York where he majored in Musical Theater performance.

Michael Mendez (Sam Bowler) is junior at the University of Arizona, where he is a BFA musical theatre major and in the company of the Arizona Repertory Theatre. Previous credits include Side Show (Sheik), Scenes from an Execution (Lasagna/Albanian), and She Loves Me (Sipos). Originally from Norwalk, CA., Michael has appeared in numerous productions in the Southern California area including: Songs for a New World (Man 2), West Side Story (Riff), Chicago (Mary Sunshine), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Benjamin), 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), among many others. Michael would like to thank his friends and family for their continual support.

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Mickey Burdick (Josiah Scraggs)* received his BFA in Acting and Directing from the University of Arizona in 2000, and has been working out of New York, Los Angeles and Colorado since then. Acting Credits at the Butte include Michael in Rounding Third, Crockett in A Cripple Creek Christmas Carol, Detective Adkins in The Star Crossing, Harker in The Vampire of Cripple Creek, Bert Cecil in Under Two Flags, and Ned Singleton in My Partner (the old one; six years ago.) Directing credits at the Butte include The Vampire of Cripple Creek, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Mickey wishes to thank Mom-n-Dad, Mel, the Mackins, Stacy, Ross, Bill, Braque, Shakespeare, Roland, God, ESPN, Hazel-Rah, Henry IV, Taco Bell, and a buncha others.

Cara Manuele (Dolores Conchita Rivero Del Fuego) is excited to be back for her third season with the Cripple Creek Players. Her past shows include The Thief of Frisco and the goofy red-headed Nancy in The Star Crossing last summer. Cara has just graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.F.A in Acting. Recent performances include Pericles, Scenes from an Execution, King Henry parts I and II, among others. Cara has also been really into the student film scene, being in a handful of films. She is also a certified actor combatant with the SAFD, so you better watch out! She would love to thank God, her family and friends for traveling the corners of the Earth to see her, and to her new family here in Cripple Creek.

Kyle Harris (Joe Saunders) originally from Irvine, CA, Kyle is proud to be making his debut with the Cripple Creek Players in My Partner. In the fall he will be a junior, BFA Musical Theatre Major at the University of Arizona. Kyle was recently selected as one of the top 10 finalists on My Broadway Debut a CBS television special hosted by The Early Show. Other credits include: She Loves Me (Mr. Liszt/Georg u.s.), Scenes from an Execution (Sordo), Side Show (Buddy Foster), Into the Woods (Baker), Joseph…Dreamcoat (Joseph), Guys and Dolls (Nathan Detroit), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour). He would like to thank his family and friends for all of their love and support.

Jennifer Weingarten (Grace Brandon), originally hailing from the Motor City, is very excited to travel from NYC to enjoy a gorgeous summer in Colorado. Favorite past roles include Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, Columbia in Rocky Horror Show, Leading Player in Pippin, Helen in The Trojan Women, Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, and Robin in Saved by the Bell: the musical. She has worked as a choreographer, drama teacher and assistant stage combat instructor and in her spare time can occasionally be seen flying high on the trapeze. Jennifer is recent graduate from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and has studied at the Stella Adler Conservatory, Stonestreet Studios, and Playwrights Horizons Theater School. Thanks to an amazingly supportive group of family and friends.

Scott Reynolds (Ned Singleton) is a junior in the University of Arizona’s BFA musical theatre program. He has performed as Carpeta in Scenes from an Execution, and Stanley Jerome in Brighton Beach Memoirs. Other stage credits include Sideshow, She Loves me, The Rocky Horror Show, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease, and The Music Man. He plans to pursue a career in New York when he graduates. He would like to thank his loving and supporting family and his wonderful girlfriend Lauren.

Samantha Berman (Mary Brandon) is performing for her first season with the Cripple Creek Players. She is going into a third year at the University of California, Irvine where she is working towards her degree in Drama and Dance with an emphasis in musical theatre. Originally from Sacramento, CA she is thrilled to be out in the clean Colorado air and excited to be a part of the Cripple Creek family. She most recently has been spotted in UCI’s productions of Nine (Lina) and Kiss Me Kate(ensemble) and has been featured in multiple dance shows this past year. Sam would like to thank her parents, friends, and family for always encouraging her to reach for her dreams and to never stop believing in oneself.
 

Mel Moser (Co-Producer/Major Henry Clay Britt) Mel Moser hails from Montana with a BFA in Theater and English. He has been a part of the Cripple Creek Players since they were established in 2000. Moser was a part of the renowned, Imperial Players from 1980-84, under the producing guidance of Dorothy and Wayne Mackin, at the Imperial Hotel. In 2000, Steve and Bonnie Mackin established The Cripple Creek Players, bringing Moser back to the Cripple Creek theater venue. Since that time he has been a part of the Butte Opera House and its continued growth; with the roles of Zachariah Gooch in A Cripple Creek Christmas Carol to Van Helsing in The Vampire of Cripple Creek and most recently, this past spring, Don in Rounding Third. He wishes to thank the many people and businesses, for their generous support of the Butte Theater. There is nothing more exciting than the birth and growth of a good, small town theatre.

Amanda Hunt (Posie Pentland) is a recent graduate of the University of Arizona with a BFA in Musical Theatre. She is thrilled to rejoin the Cripple Creek Players after playing Mrs. Fairweather in 2004’s The Thief of Frisco. Amanda has most recently appeared in She Loves Me with the Arizona Repertory Theatre. Other favorite credits include Tracy in High Society, Sara in Bondagers, Sonja in Godspell, and The Fortune Teller in Side Show. She would like to thank her parents, Patrick, her friends, the wonderful cast and crew, and the Mackins for having her back.
 

Josh Lamoreaux – Musical Director
Josh Lamoreaux is back for his fourth season with the Cripple Creek Players. Josh has spent the last two years in New York City pursuing acting in theatre, TV and film, auditioning for roles ranging from Broadway shows and workshops to TV pilots for Fox and the WB Network. While in New York, Josh also sang professionally in the choir of Christ’s Church in Rye, New York; of which his cousin serves as choirmaster and organist. He has only recently returned to his hometown of Tucson, Arizona and is happy to have the opportunity to return to Cripple Creek and to be reunited with so many of his close friends. A recent newlywed, Josh is planning on applying for law school later this year, where he can continue his studies in addition to working as musician part time.

Lisa Otey – Alternate Pianist (August 9th – September 3)
Lisa is thrilled to be back in Cripple Creek for her third season. She was musical director at the Gaslight Theatre in Tucson for many years, but now tours the world with her music and has released many recordings on her own label, Owl’s Nest Productions. Lisa would like to thank Diane and all her fans around the world.

 Scenic Designer & Artist
Tom Benson – Scenic Designer and Artist
Tom has been the resident scenic designer and artist for the Gaslight Theatre in Tucson for 29 years, designing and painting scenery for five original musical melodramas each year. He has designed and painted scenery for theatres from Vermont to southern California, including three seasons at the Utah Shakespearean Festival, and has taught theatre design at the University of Arizona and at Penn. State University. He has also worked as a set designer on the films “Posse”, “Tombstone”, and “Tank Girl” and the TNT movie, “Buffalo Soldiers”. Recent scenic design work includes; Noises Off, Deathtrap and Aida for the Willows Theatre, Concord, California; Sideshow,The Rocky Horror Show, and The Little Shop of Horrors for the University of Arizona Repertory Theatre. Tom has designed and painted scenery for 13 Imperial Players productions and for all six Cripple Creek Players summer melodramas, including two previous productions of My Partner. You might remember his sinking ship and a singing turtle from last summer. Tom last appeared onstage with the Imperial Players as “Green Jones” in the 1976 production of The Ticket of Leave Man.

Rick Wood – Master Carpenter
Rick moved to Cripple Creek, with wife Janice, in 1995 to build and operate the largest traditional Bed & Breakfast in Teller County, The Last Dollar Inn. Although his High School Shop teacher, Mr. Stout, showed him the tricks of the trade he attributes most of his ability to his Father. This is Rick’s third melodrama he has worked on, and enjoys it most of the time. Having performed in several shows with the community theatre the past few years, Rick still likes being behind the scenes the best. Out side of the theatre you can find him on his Ghost Walk Tours or sitting on the board for The Butte Opera House Foundation. He would like to thank the Mackins for continuing the melodrama tradition in Cripple Creek and Mel for teaching him all about theatre.

Rick Koehn – Lighting Technician
This is Rick’s seventh season with the Cripple Creek Players! He is a certified concert lighting director with over twenty years in the business and also has an Associate’s Degree in electronics. Rick works for the City of Cripple Creek as the Butte Opera House Technician throughout the year where he runs lights, sound and the movie projector. This year Rick was the lighting designer for The Vampire of Cripple Creek, A Cripple Creek Christmas Carol and Rounding Third. Rick has lived in Cripple Creek for 13 years with his wife Michelle and two children.

Erik Michael - Lighting Designer
This is Erik’s 4th season with the Cripple Creek players having previously designed Rocky Mountain Flyer, The Thief of Frisco, and The Star Crossing. He recently completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Production at the University of Arizona. He currently lives in New York City where he works as the Assistant Lighting Designer for The Lighting Design Group, a large television and event lighting design firm. He also works with various theatre and dance companies throughout New York City and New Jersey. Selected Off-off Broadway lighting design credits include: Forever Plaid and Once On This Island. Selected Arizona lighting design credits include: A New Brain, Assassins, Ruthless!, and Carousel. Erik is excited to be working in Cripple Creek once again!
www.erikmichaelonline.com

Renee Cloutier – Costume Designer
This is Renee’s fifth year designing for the Cripple Creek Players. She is excited to be working once again with such a creative cast and crew, and returning to the gracious hospitality of the Mackin family and the people of Cripple Creek. Renee is a full time Costume Designer at the famous Gaslight Theatre in Tucson Arizona, and has been costuming there for the past 22 years. She really loves the entire costuming process from the historical research, to the creation and finally watching them come alive on stage. Renee has costumed a variety of films and Television Commercials, and has worked with some very famous people along the way. When she is not designing a show Renee enjoys spending her time with her three beautiful daughters, Pj, Tamra, and Parisa. They keep her pretty busy and always inspired. Enjoy the costumes, the show and your stay here in Cripple Creek!
 

Marketing
Ruth Zalewski - Marketing Director
Ruth has been a Colorado resident since 1986 when she moved here to work as a journalist; working as the editor of 2 local newspapers for nine years she attended and reviewed the Imperial Players productions. She lives in Victor, where she operates a marketing/internet web design business. She is also a co-owner of a broadband internet service, and volunteers with the Victor Lowell Thomas Musem and the Southern Teller County Focus Group. Ruth and husband Jon enjoy hiking, traveling and restoring their 1899 Victor newspaper building. Ruth is proud to be a part of the Cripple Creek Players’ seventh season.