THE ARTISTIC COMPANY

Acting Company

Tyrick Wiltez Jones*

Andre Debut season with Great Lakes Theater

Broadway/New York credits include Jagwire in Bat Out of Hell, Howard in Finian’s Rainbow and Hairspray. Broadway national touring credits include Bat Out of Hell, Miss Saigon, Seussical, Fosse and Show Boat

Regional credits include Putting It Together, Smokey Joe’s Café, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Stick Fly, Mom’s Gift with Cindy Williams, The Wiz, Once On This Island, Witness Uganda and From My Hometown (WILDE Award). Other credits include Grammy Awards “Sam Smith Performance,” PHISH 2011 New Year’s Eve concert at Madison Square Garden, Mary Wilson of the Supremes Motown/Rock and Roll North America Tour and United States premiere of Sacred Ellington starring Jessye Norman with the Carnegie Hall Honor Series. Film credits include Fresh Kills (upcoming), Back to Me (an independent short), A Joyful Noise (assistant choreographer) and Nickelodeon’s Shimmer and Shine (choreographer).

IG: @tyrickwjones

William Knowles

Fats Waller/Music Director

Debut season with Great Lakes Theater

As a composer, arranger, music director and pianist, William Knowles has worked at regional theaters around the country. He looks forward to his first visit to Great Lakes Theater, reuniting with many of his Ain’t Misbehavin’ compatriots from summer 2022 at Idaho Shakespeare Festival. William’s hometown is Washington, D.C., where he has received five Helen Hayes nominations for Musical Direction, winning twice. Originally from Milwaukee, William attended Howard University and the University of Massachusetts. Offstage he has released eight jazz CDs with music partner Mark Saltman, most recently Native Speaker, a mix of originals and covers. Visit saltmanknowles.com and @saltmanknowles.

Colleen Longshaw*

Nell

Five seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Credits include Kiss Me Kate (national tour) and The Groove Factory (New York Musical Theatre Festival). Regional credits include Hairspray (Northshore Music Theatre, Porthouse Theatre), The Full Monty (Northshore Music Theatre), Ghost (Beck Center), Caroline or Change (Tantrum Theatre, Karamu/Dobama, Mercury Theatre), Blackademics, Pipeline and The Piano Lesson (Cleveland Play House), The Color Purple (Karamu House), Sister Act (Karamu House, Porthouse Theatre), Hurricane Diane (Dobama Theatre), Twelfth Night (Ohio Shakespeare Theatre), Dreamgirls (Cain Park) and Aida (Beck Center). IG: cocoloco_13 Thanks be to God. Thanks to the Ain’t Misbehavin’ team for the invitation to the party! Thanks to my husband, mom, friends, and family for their grace, patience, and endless support.

Brittney Mack*

Charlaine

Debut season with Great Lakes Theater

Brittney is excited to be doing her favorite shows at GLT. Favorite credits include Broadway: SIX (Anne of Cleves). Tour:

Memphis (Networks). Regional: Beehive, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Avenue Q, All Shook Up, Shrek and Rent. International: Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. TV: Empire. Thank you so much to the entire Ain’t Misbehavin’ team for the creative opportunity to dig in and do my thing! Cast and crew love ya’ll. #heybestfriiieeend. CEO and Founder of HowtoSlay. @BrittMack8 @howtoslayu Romans 8:28

Jessie Cope Miller*

Armelia

Nine seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Recent shows include Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol, Chaining Zero, The Tempest, The Music Man and Julius Caesar. She also played the Witch in Into the Woods during Great Lakes Theater’s inaugural season at the Hanna Theatre, and has spent four seasons at The Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, GLT’s sister companies. Other regional credits include The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Love’s Labour’s Lost, In The Heights, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Hello Dolly! and Pippin. A proud alum of the Baldwin Wallace Musical Theatre program and now an even prouder member of the acting faculty of the Baldwin Wallace University School of Theatre and Dance. Actors’ Equity member since 2005. Much love and thanks to the entire company! For family and friends and for Dougfred, Always.

David Robbins* Ken

Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Happy return to the theater that gave him his first equity points. Chicago native. Select regional: Spamilton: An American Parody (original Chicago cast), Jesus Christ Superstar (Lyric Opera), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Idaho Shakespeare), The Scottsboro Boys (Theatre Raleigh), Memphis (Phoenix Theatre, Cape Fear Regional Theatre), Forever Plaid (Theatre Raleigh), Avenue Q (Mercury Theatre Chicago). Film/TV: Fargo (FX, guest star), Lovecraft Country (HBO, featured dancer), Target, Jimmy Dean, and AutoZone commercials. Thank You, Mom, my big family, host of friends, Gerry McIntyre for the opportunity and agents over at Big Mouth Talent. For Pat Rusk. @david.s.robbins

Understudies

Kechante Baker, Zoe Mclean-Lewis, Praise Oranika, Justin Lee Price

Directors

Gerry McIntyre

Director/Choreographer

Debut season with Great Lakes Theater

Gerry is acclaimed for his choreography in the Berkshire Theatre Group’s Godspell. Other credits include associate artistic director of the York Theatre in NYC; director of Hallelujah Baby! at The York, Kinky Boots at The Hangar Theatre and Once on This Island at Martin Beck Theatre, Virginia Stage, Pioneer Theatre, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, La Mirada Theatre (Robby Award, Best Director; Ovation nomination, Best Choreography and Best Musical); and choreographer of Ain’t Misbehavin’, Anything Can Happen in the Theatre, Side by Side, Tommy and My Fair Lady at the Berkshire Theatre Festival; Laura Comstock’s Bag-Punching Dog, The Color Purple, Cinderella, Ragtime, and The Wiz at the Music Circus Broadway Sacramento. He’s performed as OBC of Once on This Island and in Anything Goes with Patti LuPone, and was one of three Americans cast in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond. gerrymcintyre.net

Charles Fee

Producing Artistic Director

Twenty-one seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Directing credits at GLT include Much Ado About Nothing, Sleuth, Witness for the Prosecution, A Christmas Carol, Misery, Macbeth, Hamlet, And Then There Were None, Dial “M” for Murder, Deathtrap, Blithe Spirit, Romeo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, All’s Well That Ends Well, Hay Fever, The Importance of Being Earnest, 19

Arms and the Man and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). Charles holds a unique position in the American theater as producing artistic director of three independently operated, professional theater companies: Great Lakes Theater in Cleveland, Ohio (since 2002); Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise, Idaho (since 1991); and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in Incline Village, Nevada (since 2010). His appointments have resulted in a dynamic and groundbreaking producing model for the companies, in which more than 60 plays have been shared since 2002. In 2009, Charles was honored to receive recognition for his leadership by the Cleveland Arts Prize as a recipient of the Martha Joseph Award. Other awards include The Mayor’s and Governor’s awards for Excellence in the Arts, Idaho. From 1988 to 1992, he held the position of artistic director at the Sierra Repertory Theatre in California. He has also worked with The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, the Milwaukee and Missouri repertory theaters, Actor’s Theatre of Phoenix and the Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival. In addition to his work with the companies in Ohio, Idaho and Nevada, Charles is active within the community. He has served as a member of the strategic planning committee for the Morrison Center, as producer of the FUNDSY Award Gala (’96, ’98 and 2000) and as producer of the 1996 Idaho Governor’s Awards in the Arts. Charles has served on the board of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the Downtown Rotary Club. He received his B.A. from the University of the Pacific and Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego. Along with his wife, Lidia and daughter, Alexa, Charles resides in Boise, Cleveland and Lake Tahoe — a feat that is only possible because of the incredible love and support of his family, and the generous communities he serves!

Jaclyn Miller Assistant Director/Choreographer

Six seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Director credits for GLT: Sense and Sensibility, The 39 Steps; choreography/ movement credits for GLT: Romeo and

Juliet, Little Shop of Horrors, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, The Music Man, Julius Caesar, Mamma Mia! The Taming of the Shrew, Pride and Prejudice and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Regional credits: Oregon Shakespeare Festival (It’s Christmas, Carol! Hairspray, Alice in Wonderland, Book of Will, Shakespeare in Love, Twelfth Night, Yeoman of Guard, Fingersmith (world premiere), The Cocoanuts and My Fair Lady; South Coast Rep (She Loves Me), Arizona Theatre Company (Cabaret and The Music Man), Guthrie Theatre (The Cocoanuts) and Baltimore Center Stage (Fun Home). Additionally, Jaclyn has worked as an associate director and/or choreographer around the country in theaters that include Arena Stage, Kirk Douglas Theater, Ogunquit Playhouse, Portland Opera and Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma.

Designers

Dustin Cross Costume Designer

Debut season with Great Lakes Theater

Broadway credits include The 24 Hour Plays. Select off-Broadway credits include Love Actually (NY/Chicago), The Office (NY, national tour) Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation, Spamilton (New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, LA, London, national tour/Lucille Lortel nomination, Henry Hewes nomination), The Glass Menagerie, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cougar The Musical, The Other Josh Cohen, Forbidden Broadway: Comes Out Swinging (NY, national tour, London). Regional theater productions include: Peter and The Starcatcher (NH Theater nomination) Kinky Boots, The Prince of Egypt, The Witches of Eastwick, Billy Elliot, Cinderella, Sister Act, Grumpy Old Men, From Here to Eternity, Heartbreak Hotel, The Christmas Rose (Carnegie Hall)

The NY Knicks Dancers and The NY Jets

Drumline. Film: Celtic Heart (PBS), Buttons: A Christmas Tale (Paramount Pictures starring Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury)

Enjoy! dustincrossdesigns.com Instagram: @dustincrossdesigns

Trad A Burns

Lighting Designer

Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater Theater designs include Little Shop of Horrors (Great Lakes Theatre/Idaho Shakespeare Festival), Nickel and Dimed (Great Lakes Theater/Cleveland Public Theatre), Doubt and Inherit the Wind (Cleveland Play House), The Legend of Georgia McBride, Broadway Bound, Matilda, American Idiot and Altar Boyz (Beck Center for The Arts, Playhouse Square), Pippin, Gloria (Texas State University) and Ragtime and Rock of Ages (Cain Park). Dance designs include world premieres for Cincinnati Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, BalletMet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet Oregon, BalletWest and Sacramento Ballet. Themed entertainment designs include Rise of the Resistance (Hollywood Studios, Disneyland), Beauty and the Beast (Hollywood Studios) and The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventures (Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea). Associate professor of practice in lighting design at Texas State University.

David Gotwald

Sound Designer

Eight seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Great Lakes Theater productions include The Music Man, Mamma Mia! My Fair Lady, Little Shop of Horrors, The Fantasticks and The Secret Garden. He was the sound supervisor and mixer for numerous Broadway productions including A Chorus Line (1981), Dreamgirls, Sweet Charity, Cabaret, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, Crazy For You, Fosse, The Producers, Gypsy, and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. He was a concert sound engineer for Tommy Tune, Mandy Patinkin and Patti LuPone, as well as for special events at The Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lincoln Center, NY City Center Encores and Carnegie Hall. David is a faculty adviser in sound design at Carnegie Mellon University.

Iran Micheal Leon

Hair and Wig Designer

Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater

He has designed shows throughout the West Coast as a hair/wig designer and costume designer. Previous work includes wig master and interim key hair stylist for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Other theaters include Cleveland Play House, Great Lakes Theater, Celebration Theater, Pasadena Playhouse, Hollywood Bowl, A Noise Within, Azusa Pacific University and Askew Theatre Company. Instagram: iml_design_elements

Stanley A. Meyer

Scenic Designer

Debut season with Great Lakes Theater

Credits include being the original designer for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Broadway, 2022-25 UK-AU Tour, League of American Theatres & Producers National Broadway Award. American premieres include Sir Tim Rice’s From Here to Eternity, Saturday Night Fever, REV; Disney’s Aida, Alliance; Treasure Island, Arkansas Rep; WarholCapote, ART; The Three Musketeers, SALT Award for Best Scenic Design, Syracuse Stage; and The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Comedy of Errors, King Lear and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Grove Shakespeare Festival. Tours: Steve Miller Band, Disney on Ice, Alice Cooper, Barbie Live! Cyndi Lauper, Ringling Brothers Circus. Tournament of Roses Parade, 28 award-winning float designs. Thanks Gerry McIntyre for hiring me! stanleyameyerdesignllc.com

Stage Management

Sarah Kelso*

Production Stage Manager

Six seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Previous shows include Sense and Sensibility, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, The 39 Steps, Sleuth, Million Dollar Quartet, Beehive the ’60’s Musical and A Christmas Carol. Twelve seasons with Idaho Shakespeare Festival: Ain’t Misbehavin’, The 39 Steps, Sleuth, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), Million Dollar Quartet, Beehive the ’60’s Musical, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Forever Plaid, The

Fantasticks and Steel Magnolias. Ten seasons with Boise Contemporary Theater: With Love and a Major Organ, Good Bitch Goes Down, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and A Skull in Connemara. Sarah is a graduate of Boise State University’s Department of Theatre Arts.

Nicki Cathro*

Assistant Stage Manager

Seven seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Previous credits include production stage manager for As You Like It, A Christmas Carol, Romeo and Juliet, Little Shop of Horrors, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest and Julius Caesar; assistant stage manager for Sense and Sensibility, Sleuth, The Music Man, Witness for the Prosecution, Misery, Macbeth and Pride and Prejudice; production assistant for Hamlet, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. ASM for Every Brilliant Thing at Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. Nicki earned a BFA in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas and is a member of AEA.

Lindy Warren

Assistant Stage Manager

Debut season with Great Lakes Theater

Lindy is thrilled to join the Ain’t Misbehavin’ team! She recently worked as a production assistant on The 39 Steps for Idaho Shakespeare Festival. She also works for Great Lakes Theater’s Residency Program. Lindy is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University ’22.

Authors/Creators

Richard Maltby Jr.

Broadway credits include conceiving and directing two Tony Award-winning musicals Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1978: Tony, N.Y. Drama Critics, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards and Tony Award for Best Director) and Fosse (1999: Tony, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Awards), as well as Ring of Fire (2006). With composer David Shire, he is director/lyricist for Baby (1983, seven Tony nominations); lyricist for Big (1996, Tony nomination: Best Score; also Dominium Theatre London 2019). With Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel

Schonberg, he is co-lyricist for Miss Saigon (Evening Standard Award, London 1990; Tony nomination: Best Score, 1991) and co-lyricist for The Pirate Queen (2007). He directed The Story of My Life (2009), and was director/co-lyricist for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song & Dance (1986 Tony Award for star, Bernadette Peters.) Off-Broadway credits with David Shire include director/lyricist for Starting Here, Starting Now (1977, Grammy nomination) and Closer Than Ever , (1989, two Outer Critics Circle Awards: Best Musical, Best Score; also Off-Broadway Alliance Award, Best Musical Revival 2013; and London Jermyn Street Theatre 2014) and director for Just Jim Dale (Roundabout Theatre 2014, Vaudeville Theatre, London 2015). Regional credits include being lyricist/conceiver of Take Flight (Menier Chocolate Factory, London 2010; McCarter Theatre 2012); book and lyrics for Waterfall (2015, Pasadena Playhouse and Seattle’s Fifth Avenue Theatre); and is lyricist for Sousatzka (2017, Toronto). Film credits include the screenplay for Miss Potter (2007: Christopher Award, Best Screenplay.) He contributes cryptic crossword puzzles to Harper’s Magazine ; is the son of the well-known orchestra leader; and has five children: Nicholas, David, Jordan, Emily and Charlotte.

Murray Horwitz

Productions include Ain’t Misbehavin’ (associate director, based on his original idea and featuring songs with additional lyrics (Original, Musical, Revue May 9, 1978–Feb. 21, 1982; and Revival, Musical, Revue,

Aug. 15, 1988–Jan. 15, 1989) and André De Shield’s Haarlem Nocturne (book and direction, Original, Musical, Revue, Nov. 18, 1984–Dec. 30, 1984).

Composer

Fats Waller ✶

Fats Waller, born May 21, 1904, was an African-American jazz pianist, organist, composer and comedic entertainer. He was born Thomas Wright Waller in New York City. Having studied classical piano and organ, he apprenticed under legendary Harlem stride pianist, James P. Johnson. Now considered one of the very best who ever played in the stride style, his songwriting and lovable, roguish stage personality often took center stage. Before his solo career, he played with many performers, from Erskine Tate to Bessie Smith, but his greatest success came with his own five- or six-piece combo, Fats Waller and His Rhythm. He collaborated with the Tin Pan Alley lyricist Andy Razaf and had a commercially successful career, which according to some music critics eclipsed his great musical talent. He composed “What Did I Do (To Be So Black and Blue)?” which became a hit for Louis Armstrong. This song, a searing treatment of racism black and white, calls into question the accusations of “shallow entertainment” levelled at both Armstrong and Waller. On December 15, 1943, at age 39, Waller died aboard a train in the vicinity of Kansas City, Missouri, following a West Coast engagement. ✶ Rita & Charles Maimbourg | Thomas G. & Ruth M. Stafford | A.J. & Nancy Stokes

✶Thank you to our Composer Sponsors for their generous support of the Great Lakes Theater artistic company.