April 20-28, 2024
Wells Fargo Playhouse
Contents 4 5 6 7 TITLE PAGE THE 2023-24 SEASON SHOW SPONSORS SUMMER CAMPS 10 MEET THE CAST 8 14 MEET THE CREATIVE TEAM CAST & CREATIVE TEAM LISTING 17 STAFF & BOARD OF DIRECTORS 22 ENCORE! OUR VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY OUR SUPPORTERS 18
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Links FACEBOOK.COM/CTCHARLOTTE INSTAGRAM.COM/CTCHARLOTTENC X.COM/CTCHARLOTTE YOUTUBE.COM/CTCHARLOTTE
By David S. Craig
Director Lakeetha Blakeney
Scenic Designer Andrew Gibbon
Lighting Designer Brandy Brogden
Costume Designer Katy Sigmon
Sound Designer Tyler Knowles
Run time approximately 60 minutes
Videotaping, photography and other recording of this production is prohibited.
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The Season 2023-24
BALLOONACY
Aug 23-31, 2023
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER: THE MUSICAL
Nov 17 - Dec 22, 2023
DJEMBE FIRE!
Mar 9, 2024
NARNIA THE MUSICAL
Sept 22 - Oct 22, 2023
SCHOOLHOUSE
ROCK LIVE!
Jan 13-28, 2024
DANNY, KING OF THE BASEMENT
Apr 20-28, 2024
TIRED SOULS: THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT
Oct 7-8, 2023
PINOCCHIO
Feb 3-18, 2024
ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE'S "WE ARE IN A PLAY!"
Apr 13 - May 5, 2024
LIFE DOESN’T FRIGHTEN ME
Nov 4-19, 2023
CATCHING THE MOON: THE STORY OF A YOUNG GIRL’S BASEBALL DREAM
Mar 9-24, 2024
PIGS IS PIGS
May 29 - June 9, 2024
LEARN MORE 5
The Season 2023-24
Today’s celebration is brought to life, in part, by:
C.D. Spangler Foundation, Inc.
Brian Litwak
Brian & Laura Murdock
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is supported, in part, by the Infusion Fund and its generous donors. This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
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2024 Summer Camps
Experiences for students ages 3 to 18 at ImaginOn I CPCC Matthews I Queens University
• Early Childhood Camps
• Primary Camps
• Performance Camps
• Teen Studios
7 LEARN MORE
ON SALE AT CTCHARLOTTE.ORG
Cast & Creative Team
CAST
Miles Thompson.............................................................................................................Danny
Lauren Ragsdale............................................................................................................Louise
Jailyn Feliz.................................................................................................................Penelope
Seth Nelson...................................................................................................................Angelo
CREATIVE TEAM
Director...........................................................................................Lakeetha Blakeney
Scenic Designer...................................................................................Andrew Gibbon
Lighting Designer.................................................................................Brandy Brogden
Costume Designer.....................................................................................Katy Sigmon
Sound Designer.........................................................................................Tyler Knowles
For This Production
FOR THIS PRODUCTION
Stage Manager................................................................................................Vince Aycock
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Meet the Cast
MILES THOMPSON (Danny)
Miles is incredibly excited to make his debut at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte! While you may recognize him from his fabulous tutus or dedication to Wacky Wednesdays during our summer camps, this is his first time performing with Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. A recent graduate of UNC Charlotte, Miles is consistently looking for new and innovative ways to further his theatrical growth which include directing, stage managing, and teaching! He would like to thank his parents, mentors, and all his AWESOME students for inspiring him daily!
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Meet the Cast
LAUREN RAGSDALE (Louise)
Lauren is so excited to be making her debut with Children’s Theatre of Charlotte in the Resident Touring Company! Originally from Tennessee, she moved to North Carolina to attend college. Having graduated from UNC Chapel Hill, she received a B.A. in Drama and Vocal Performance in 2022. Recently, she has worked with Theatre
Raleigh, Theatre in the Park, Burning Coal Theatre, and Kenan Theatre Company. When not working, Lauren loves to read and watch the same movies over and over again with her cat, Milo. Thank you to the cast and the team behind this tour, and she can’t wait to share these awesome shows with kids across the Carolinas!
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Meet the Cast
JAILYN FELIZ (Penelope)
Jailyn is a Charlotte native and is excited to return home and make her Children’s Theatre of Charlotte debut. She recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with her bachelor’s degree in Drama and Media Studies. Go Spartans! Some roles she had the pleasure of playing during her time in Greensboro include: Sister Bear in WAKE UP, BROTHER BEAR, Mom in DONTRELL, WHO KISSED THE SEA and Antígona in THE PASSION OF ANTÍGONA PÉREZ. She is passionate about theatre for young people and is thrilled to share DANNY, KING OF THE BASEMENT and SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! with hundreds of children on this tour. Jailyn would like to give special thanks to her family, friends, and mentors for supporting her on her journey. She hopes that you all enjoy these shows as much as she enjoys performing them.
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Meet the Cast
SETH NELSON (Angelo)
Seth is an actor, director, and educator originally from Dallas, TX, and he is thrilled to be making his Children’s Theatre of Charlotte debut with the resident touring company. Seth received his B.F.A. in Theatre (Directing) from Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 2016, and his M.F.A. in Acting from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2022.
Seth has performed professionally as an actor all across the country, but he is especially excited for this opportunity to help share the joy of theatre with so many young people. Seth currently lives in Concord, NC with his spouse and their pet cat, Hobbes.
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Creative Team
Lakeetha Blakeney (Director) is an actress, playwright, director, and author. She received her BA in Theatre from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her MA in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. She was the inaugural recipient of the Paige Johnston Thomas Directing Assistantship and is excited to make her CTC directing debut. She is extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented cast.
Andrew Gibbon (Scenic Designer) started scenic design at West Charlotte High School and then went to study at North Carolina School of the Arts and the Atlanta College of Art. As well as serving as Children’s Theatre’s Technical Director, Andrew has designed several Mainstage shows for Children’s Theatre including HOLES, DR. SEUSS’S THE CAT IN THE HAT, SECRET LIFE OF GIRLS, and co-designed with Tim Parati, PETITE ROUGE and LILY’S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE.
Andrew also has had the great joy of designing over fifty shows for our Education department’s OnStage program.
Brandy Brogden (Lighting Designer) (she/her) is from Gaston, South Carolina, and graduated from Winthrop University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Design/Technical Theatre. Since graduating college she has made Charlotte her home. She has worked as a Stagehand with I.A.T.S.E. Local 322, Stage Technician
at Central Piedmont Community College, Head Electrician with Charlotte Ballet, and A1/Co-Head Electrician at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. She is excited for her first lighting design at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte!
Katy Sigmon (Costume Designer) is a Charlotte based costume and lighting designer, and wig and makeup artist. Professional credits include work with Heritage Theatre Festival, Liberty Mountain - The Revolutionary Drama, The Carolina Pumpkin Spelltacular, and Carl White’s Life in the Carolinas. She is Co-Founder and Production Designer of Sigmon Theatrical, Co-Founder of GiggleBox Circus, and full time mama to Levi and Charlie.
Tyler Knowles (Sound Designer) is thrilled to be returning to Children’s Theatre of Charlotte for his sixth season! Tyler received his BFA and MFA in Sound Design and Technology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Tyler has recently worked on THE VELVETEEN RABBIT and PIGS IS PIGS at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. He has also worked at Hope Summer Reparatory Theatre on shows such as SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK
LIVE!, GO DOG. GO!, and DR. SEUSS’S THE CAT IN THE HAT. He is also a member of the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association.
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The Season 2024-25 SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW Catch School of Rock The Musical and 11 other amazing shows! Details at ctcharlotte.org
Staff & Board of Directors
CHILDREN’S THEATRE OF CHARLOTTE
LEADERSHIP
Artistic Director - Adam Burke
Managing Director - Nao Tsurumaki
Administration
Human Resources Manager - Carolyn Lugo-Allred
Business Manager - Alex Doxey
Senior Accountant - Crystal Johnson
ImaginOn Partnership Coordinator - Maryann O’Keeffe
ImaginOn Administrative Support - Casey Kaufmann
Artistic & Production
Director of Production - Steven Levine
Artistic & Community Relations Fellow - Alicia Tafoya
Costume Shop Manager - Anna Klinger
Cutter/Draper - Emily Heilig
Technical Director - Andrew Gibbon
Resident Stage Manager - Steven James
Resident Sound Designer/AV Supervisor - Tyler Knowles
Charge Scenic Artist - Tim Parati
Master Carpenter - John Slechta
Deck Chief/House Carpenter - Shane Burgett
Properties Manager - Cassie Ward
Lead Electrician - Amber Bidwell
Education
Director of Education - EG Engle
Camps & Community Programs Manager - Mary Katherine Smith
Education Program Manager - Morgan Southard
Education Operations & Administrative Manager - Cat Koski
Resident Teaching Artists - Karen Steele & Breana Venablé
Education Assistant - Katie Kinser
Development
Director of Development – Emily J. Chuma
Associate Director of Development - Scott Tynes-Miller
Special Events & Individual Giving Manager - Kenneth Rosander
Development Coordinator - Jean Edwards
Touring Coordinator, Front & Center Series - Madia Medico
Marketing and Communications
Director of Marketing & Communications - Cindy Taylor
Associate Director of Marketing - Rob Odum
Customer Experience Manager - Ashley Hughes
PR & Social Media Mananger – Alex Aguilar
Touring Performance Coordinator - Margot Parrott
School Group Sales & Performance Coordinator - Chris Stonnell
IT Manager - Claire Whitworth-Helm
Audience Service Coordinator - Louise Lawson
Marketing Assistant - Aaron Bunzey
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mitchell Kelling - Chair
Sallie Beason - Chair-Elect
Stephanie Isham - Treasurer
Maddie Myers - Secretary
Cynthia Banks
Veronica Bell
Mary Alice Boyd
Mike Burgess
Stephanie Couch
Caryn Craige
Charlitta Hatch
Leigh Hickman
Ben Hume
Tim James
Rebecca Lindahl
Brian Litwak
Mitzi Lynch
Jennifer Madara
Scott Manning
Salem McMullan
Lisa Miller
Rosemary Morgan
Mallory Navin
Michael Tarwater, Jr.
Kristin Tokić
Rosa Vega-Vazquez
Nichelle Weintraub
April Whitlock
Honorary Lifetime Members
Robin Branstrom
Carla DuPuy
Peter Flur
Cynthia Lank
Linda Lockman-Brooks
ENCORE! President
Sandy Vlahos
Advisory Board
Robin Branstrom
Tom Eiselt
Jami Farris
Peter Flur
Gina Lawrence
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Our Supporters
EXECUTIVE PRODUCING PARTNERS ($50,000 and more)
Bank of America
North Carolina Arts Council
PNC Foundation
The Shubert Foundation
The Infusion Fund and its generous donors
PRODUCING PARTNERS ($25,000 to $49,999)
C.D. Spangler Foundation, Inc.
First Horizon
National Endowment for the Arts
DIRECTING PARTNERS ($10,000 to $24,999)
Autism Strong Foundation
Clear Blue Insurance Group
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated
Continental Tire the Americas, LLC.
Cornwell Foundation
Paige Johnston Thomas Giving Tree
SPX Corporation
Triad Foundation
STANDING OVATION PARTNERS ($5,000 to $9,999)
Carolina Panthers
The Daniel, Edward, Cora & Strickland Foundation
The Dickson Foundation, Inc.
LendingTree
Offit Kurman
Parker Poe
Publix Super Markets Charities
South Arts
Wells Fargo
CENTER STAGE PARTNERS ($3,000 to $4,999)
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Gerrard Builders
QRCA
Social Venture Partners
LEADING ROLE PARTNER ($1,000 to $2,999)
Blue Cross Blue Shield Dickens-Mitchener & Associates
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Our Supporters cont’d
INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY DONORS
We recognize and thank our generous donors who gave as of April 7, 2024. Our annual donors are recognized at the most current giving level.
LEADING PLAYERS SOCIETY
($10,000 - $24,999)
Dorlisa & Peter Flur
Mitchell Kelling
Linda Reynolds
Tammy Stringer & Richard Viola
($5,000 - $9,999)
Omid & Julie Ahdieh
Dr. Daniel Donner
Andrew and Stephanie Fulford
Travis & Lise Hain
The Hensley Family
David Holland
Bruce & Anita LaRowe
Brian Litwak
Jennifer & Eric Madara
Ann & Scott Manning
Arrington Mixon
Brian & Laura Murdock
Jennifer & Jack Ross
Sandy & Greg Vlahos
April & Thomas Whitlock
($3,000 - $4,999)
Herb & Gina Clegg
Rob & Caryn Craige
Stephanie Couch
John & Nancy Dickson
Ben & Christy Hume
LaKeisha & William Jefferson
Pat Burgess & Joan Martin
Heather & Scott McAllister
Ken & Lisa Miller
Rosemary Morgan & Fielding Huseth
Maddie & Brian Myers
Stacia & Charlie Neugent
Stephen & Stephanie Sorenson
Erik & Amelia Peterson
Kristin Tokic
Rosa Maria Vega
Lauren & William Voorhees
Nichelle & Sasha Weintraub
Judith & Matthew Whelan
($1,000 - $2,999)
Stephen & Carolyn Allred
Mr. & Mrs. Richard R. Babcock
Cynthia Banks
Sallie & Gary Beason
Veronica Bell
Robin & Bill Branstrom
Susan & Richard Buckley
Craig & Mary Bunzey
Mike & Katie Burgess
Julie & Stoke Caldwell
Zoe & Lewis Chandry
Spencer Clair & Chris Loyd
Amy & Alfred Dawson
Tom & Julie Eiselt
Dr. Gloria Ann Evans
Christi Farr
Bryan & Jami Farris
Beth & Gaston Gage
Mr. & Mrs. Greg Gonzalez
Watts & Carol Hamrick
Brad & Karen Harris
Scott & Claire Helm
Anne Henderson*
Lesley Herrera
Leigh Hickman
Ryan & Danielle Hutcheson
Timothy James
Tonya Jesso
Laurie Johnston*
Ashley & Matthew Joseph
Jeff & Deborah Long, In Honor of Miss Penelope Long
Bruce & Michelle Long
Michael and Leslie Marsicano
Seah & Robert McCammon
Salem & Sean McMullan
Gary Monie
Mallory Navin & Joe Shreve
Anna & Tom Nelson
John & Suzy Nurkin
Ed & Tari Schutzman
Janet & Joshua Smith
Michael Tarwater
Patrick & Elizabeth Vaughn
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Our Supporters cont’d
INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY DONORS
Laura & Brian Walger
Katie & Jason Weeks
SUPPORTING PLAYERS SOCIETY ($500 - $999)
Dora Abraham
Sylvia Bartee
The Staub Family
Marian Clark
Veruska & Julio Colmenares
Rachel & Michael Coyne
Dallas & Kathy Craven
Ina DeRochi
Bryan & Jamie Gerrard
John & Mara Gose
Sally & Drew Harriss
Soraja Helac
Mr. Frank Hruby & Mrs. Tatyana Rector
Kate Land
Cynthia & Dave Lank
Catherine LeCompte
Louis Leone
Craig & Mitzi Lynch
Michele & Steve Mangan
Jennie McGuire
Megan McKeever
Renee Miller
Elizabeth Murphy
Eileen Manlove O’Brien
Jerry & Cookie Parnell
Christian & Denise Pineno
Allison & Thad Reece
Benjamin & Rebecca Schultz
Kindra Shah
Nedra Tawwab
Cindy & Rob Taylor
Carrie & J.T. Teixeira
Robert & Leslie Tesch
Brandon Williams
*Indicates those who support the Paige Johnston Thomas Directing Assistantship.
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Our Supporters cont’d
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte receives support from the Infusion Fund, a partnership between the City of Charlotte, Foundation for The Carolinas and generous donors to support the arts and cultural sector. Contributors to the fund include:
Multimillion Dollar Commitment
City of Charlotte
$1.5 million and above
Bank of America
C.D. Spangler Foundation / National Gypsum
Company
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Trane Technologies
$600,000 - $1 million
Albemarle Foundation
Atrium Health
Barings
Duke Energy
Honeywell
JELD-WEN, Inc.
LendingTree Foundation
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
Novant Health
Red Ventures
Truist
$300,000-$600,000
Ally Financial
The Centene Charitable Foundation
Childress Klein Properties
Coca-Cola Consolidated
Deloitte
EY
The Gambrell Foundation
Moore & Van Allen
PwC
Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.
Rodgers Builders
Wells Fargo
Up to $300,000
Fifth Third Bank
Foundation For The Carolinas
Deidre and Clay Grubb
Leslie and Michael Marsicano
Jane and Hugh McColl
Nucor Corporation
PNC Bank
Premier, Inc.
Jane and Nelson Schwab
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ENCORE! Our Volunteer Community
Be a part of the wonder. Volunteers help in many areas across the Theatre from Production to Education to Development to Outreach.
JOIN US
Opportunities like...
• Ushering public performances and school shows
• Delivering thousands of holiday gifts to Charlotte children through The Winter Wonderland Shop
• Inventorying costumes with our Production team
• Hanging artwork created by school children attending our shows
• Checking in guests at our annual gala
• Selling concessions during OnStage weekend with our Education team
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Charlotte Latin’s Middle School Spring 2023 production of Disney’s Newsies, Jr. included a cast and crew of more than 50 students.
Charlotte Latin School is an independent, non-sectarian, coeducational, college-preparatory day school for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12.
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9502 Providence Road
Charlotte, NC 28277
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
September 7
Audition for the 2024 - 2025 season of Charlotte Youth Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker and the spring show
For details, scan the QR code or visit CharlotteYouthBallet.org
SAVE THE DATE
The Nutcracker
DECEMBER 6 - 8, 2024
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