Amanda Bartlett (Chip) has numerous credits at The Playhouse (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) and Ingersoll Dinner Theatre (It's a Wonderful Life), and sings with Iowa Kids Children's Choir. Amanda is going into fifth grade at Delaware Elementary, Pleasant Hill.

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John Busbee (Cogsworth) is a favorite of Des Moines area audiences whose extensive resume includes Fiddler on the Roof (Ing-ersoll Dinner Theatre) and Guys & Dolls (Playhouse). John, who is managing editor of ArtScene magazine, and wife Kimberly are parents of Kaitlyn (16).

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Erin Conley (Silly Girl) is a junior at Iowa State University, Ames, majoring in performing arts. She has appeared in Hair (Crissy) at StageWest, and Fiddler on the Roof (Hodel) and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Lucy) at Roosevelt High School, Des Moines.

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Matt Dick (Ensemble) was active in theatre at Simpson College, Indianola, where his shows included The Mikado. At the Ingersoll Dinner Theatre, Matt appeared in Phantom and Sweeney Todd. Matt, who works for BH Management, and wife Jessica are the parents of Elizabeth (1).

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Rusk Dorsett (Lefou) began acting at age 7 in Winnie-the-Pooh in Abilene, TX. He has been onstage and backstage for numerous shows at Arlington (TX) Community Theatre. Rusk says his favorite role is husband to Beth and dad to Caitlin (12), Noah (7) and Becca (6).

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Steve Fox (Ensemble) is a recent graduate of Southeast Polk High School who plays guitar, disc golf and video games. He spent last summer as a singer/dancer with Celebration Iowa (formerly the State Fair Singers). Steve hopes to one day be on Broadway, playing Roger in Rent.

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Anne Arthur Frett (Ensemble) is CEO of the Frett Family (husband Stacey and children Emily, 5, Sarah, 3, and Audrey, 7 months) and a substitute teacher. She loves attending Broadway shows and Iowa State University sports.

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Jeremy S. Jorgenson (Beast) has been active at The Playhouse – Seussical the Musical, La Cage Aux Folles, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Children of Eden – but says his favorite role is Uncle to nieces Cailey and Mia. Jeremy is a former music teacher turned annuity rep for MetLife.

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Taylor Kinney (Ensemble) is making his Playhouse debut. When this sophomore is not attending Ankeny High School, he is busy playing guitar, bass, drums, piano and trombone. Taylor also works as a courtesy clerk at Hy-Vee.

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DeShana Langford (Ensemble) is making her stage debut in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. An administrative assistant at Principal Financial Group, Shan enjoys singing, writing and spending time with daughter Dionna (13).

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Austin Scott Locke (Ensemble) is appearing in his first Playhouse production. Scotty has appared in shows at Goodrell Middle School, Des Moines. He is a student at East High School, Des Moines.

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Nick Marcouiller (Ensemble) will be entering his junior year at Dowling High School, West Des Moines, this fall, where he is active in the drama program. At The Playhouse, Nick has performed in Peter Pan (Pirate) and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Ralph Herdman).

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Erin McNally (Madame de la Grande Bouche) counts among her lead roles Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady), Laurey (Oklahoma!) and Sandy (Grease) at the Ingersoll Dinner Theatre; and Margy Frake (State Fair), Grace (Annie) and Mayzie LaBird (Seussical the Musical) at The Playhouse. Erin is an analyst at Principal Financial Group.

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Ben Millar (Ensemble) is entering his sophomore year at Ankeny High School, and lists his hobbies as tennis and driving. Ben was on The Playhouse stage this past year in Hello, Dolly!, and played Winthrop in the Ingersoll Dinner Theatre production of The Music Man.

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Gregory Millar (Maurice) is an early childhood special education teacher at Mitchell Elementary, Des Moines. His area shows include High School Reunion at The Playhouse, and Guys & Dolls at the Ingersoll Dinner Theatre. Greg and his wife, Carol, have three children, Ben (15), Shelby (13) and Taylor (9).

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Ian D. Mostrom (Ensemble) is a sophomore at Iowa State University, Ames, majoring in performing arts. He has been onstage at The Playhouse (The Hobbit), Ingersoll Dinner Theatre (Raggedy Anne and Andy) and Valley High School, West Des Moines (The Miracle Worker).

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Jenn Myers (Silly Girl) is a junior at Drake University, Des Moines, earning her BFA in musical theatre. Her Drake Theatre experience includes roles in A Little Song and Dance, Mental Reservation, A Girl's Guide to Chaos and Pippin.

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Frances Paterik (Mrs. Potts) returns to The Playhouse after an absence of nearly a decade (Moon Over Buffalo). Other area shows include Me and My Girl at The Playhouse, Sweeney Todd at the Ingersoll Dinner Theatre, and Messugah Nuns at Ankeny Community Theatre. By day, Frances is a music teacher at Merrill Middle School, Des Moines.

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Robby Pedersen (Gaston) builds furniture for the working Story City museum, RVP1875. He made his Playhouse debut in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and has had lead roles in Oklahoma! (Judge Story Players, Story City) and Blood Brothers (Drama Workshop).

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Charlie Reese (Monsieur D'Arque) regaled Playhouse audiences this spring as The Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical. Other Playhouse shows include Ragtime and The Wizard of Oz. Charlie, who is a member of the Army Reserves, will be attending Iowa State University, Ames, this fall.

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Dawn Shafer (Silly Girl) has danced in The Nutcracker and Firebird for Iowa Dance Theatre, and appeared in The Music Man at West Des Moines Community Theatre. Dawn enjoys yoga, dancing, running, music and traveling.

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Sasha Smith (Ensemble) is a Roosevelt High School (Des Moines) sophomore-to-be who loves singing, performing, and going to concerts and movies. Her Playhouse credits include Annie (Duffy), Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse (Garland) and Amazing Grace (Grace).

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Brett Spahr (Lumiere), a familiar face to Des Moines audiences, is excited to add this sparky character to his Playhouse resume which includes Rooster (Annie), Tateh (Ragtime) and Tinman (The Wizard of Oz). Brett is in the process of completing his teaching degree in elementary education. He and wife Robin are currently preparing for their biggest production to date: parenthood, debuting in November!

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Sarah Weinberg (Babette), a recent Valley High School, West Des Moines, graduate will be attending the University of Iowa, Iowa City, this fall. A singer/dancer and gymnast, Sarah has graced the stages at The Playhouse (Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz) and Ingersoll Dinner Theatre (Charlotte's Web, Tom Sawyer).

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Anna Marie Wilharm (Ensemble) is a sophomore at Cedar Falls' University of Northern Iowa who loves dancing, singing, acting, playing softball and reading romance novels. Anna sang with the Urbandale High School Show Choir and competed in the Bill Riley State Fair Contest.

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Robin McKercher (Director), a native of Nebraska, started his theatrical career as an actor with six national tours with the Nebraska Theatre Caravan. As a member of the United Scenic Artists, he painted more than 35 Broadway productions and served as the charge artist on the Tony Award-winning design of The Secret Garden, Beauty and the Beast, The Red Shoes, Aspects of Love, Grand Hotel and Tommy to name just a few. Numerous television and feature movie credits include "The Late Show with David Letterman," "Kate and Allie," To Wong Foo..., Brighton Beach Memoirs, Hannah and Her Sisters and Radio Days. He also painted for The American Ballet Theatre at Lincoln Center, Paul Taylor Dance Company and Dennis Cunningham Dance Company. After earning his Master of Fine Arts in Directing from UNL, Robin directed original productions such as A Christmas Carol, Romantic Rhapsody and A Salute to Pearl Harbor at the Lied Center. He served as associate artistic director of the Nebraska Rep directing Starting Here... Starting Now, My Nebraska and Pterodactyls. For the Nebraska Theatre Caravan, Robin garnered national and international attention for his innovative production of A Thousand Cranes, which has toured eight times from Alaska to Florida. He served as artistic director for the Lincoln Playhouse from 1996 to 2003. Favorite shows he directed include West Side Story, Tommy, Children of Eden, Ragtime and The Civil War. Now living in Lancaster, PA, he designed My Way and directed Ragtime and Seussical for that city's Fulton Opera House. Additionally, he designed Gypsy, George M! and Show Boat for the Broadway Palm West Dinner Theater/ Dutch Apple Dinner Theater.

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Brenton Brown (Music Director) has served as music director for StageWest productions of A New Brain and Hair, and appeared onstage as the title character in Sweeney Todd and as Max in Lend Me a Tenor, both at Ingersoll Dinner Theatre. Brenton is work flow coordinator for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

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Alison Shafer (Choreographer) has been choreographing, performing and teaching dance professionally for the past 17 years. Most recently, she choreographed I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change; My Way; Ragtime; Cabaret; Annie; and The Who's Tommy; and directed and choreographed Honk! and Smokey Joe's Cafe for The Des Moines Playhouse. She has choreographed more than 15 shows for Theatre Cedar Rapids, the Off-Broadway production Marathon Dancing, the Georgia Pacific Industrial/Tour Tree Wishes (Atlanta), the Iowa Youth Choruses, and shows and dance pieces for the University of Iowa, Intimate Works (Seattle), St. Ambrose University, Celebration Iowa and the Mall of America. When not in rehearsal, Alison loves dancing around the house to jazzy music with husband Allen and children Emma and Ethan.

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Susan Gulbranson (Assistant Director/Stage Manager) earned her BFA in acting from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. A multi-talented performer and director, Susie has appeared onstage in shows ranging from Annie to The BFG (Big Friendly Giant), served as fight choreographer for Peter Pan, and volunteered as assistant director for The Boxcar Children, all at The Playhouse. Susie has recently joined the theatre staff as volunteer coordinator.

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Jessica Brown (Assistant Stage Manager) is a marketing associate for Regency Homes. She and husband Brenton enjoy going to the theatre and volunteering in the theatre. Jessica's onstage credits include Cinderella (Cinderella) at her alma mater, Grand View College, Des Moines, Steel Magnolias (Shelby) at Ankeny Community Theatre, and You Can't Take It With You (Alice) at Ingersoll Dinner Theatre.

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