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| Our 2011 Company |
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 Jesse Dornan (Chris, Becky’s New Car), originally from Salt Lake City, is currently a graduate student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Recent credits: The Language of Angels (Asolo Late Night), The Steadfast (Asolo Rep Unplugged), Thrill of the Chase (Asolo Late Night), Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet (Nebraska Shakespeare Festival), and Launce in Two Gentlemen of Verona (Nebraska Shakespeare Festival). |
 Dan Higgs (Doc Andrews, Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun) - Since moving from Annapolis, Maryland in 1995, Dan has performed at the Asolo, Venice Theatre, FST, and the Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee and Island Players, among others. Some favorite roles include the Top Banana in Sugar Babies, Nat in I’m Not Rappaport, Psuedolous in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Thurston Wheelis in Greater Tuna, Fagin in Oliver, Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit the Wind and a dozen roles in Nicholas Nickleby. He has also directed a dozen shows locally and serves on the board of directors for Theatre Odyssey. |
 Melliss Kenworthy* (Ginger, Becky’s New Car) has worked all over the country as an actor and singer in plays, opera and musical comedy before arriving in Sarasota 11 years ago. Here she has appeared with the Banyan Theater as Aunt Julie in Hedda Gabler and Esther in The Price, as well as in productions at Theatre Works and the Golden Apple. For the past seven years she has directed the St. Andrew Coffee House Playreading Series and was artistic director for Theatre Odyssey's 2011 Ten-Minute New Play Festival. |
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 Robert D. Mowry (Steve, Becky's New Car) is delighted to return to the Banyan stage. You may remember his debut in last season's Side Man as Jonesy, the one-eyed, heroin-addicted trombonist. Bob has appeared in numerous productions around town in his 26 years as a Sarasota resident. He is originally from DeKalb, Illinois, the home of barbed-wire and the famous "XL-15 Flying Ear of Corn." When not treading the boards or playing golf, Robert enjoys being a recluse. Some favorite roles include The Nerd, The King, Barrymore and Actor #3. |
 Barbara Sloan* (Ilana, Animals Out of Paper) was recently seen at Actor’s Playhouse in the world premier of Nilo Cruz’s The Color of Desire and previously in Thumbs. At New Theatre plays include Raised in Captivity, Kissing, Nervous Smile, Wit*, The Book of Ruth*, Blind Date, Lost Tango, Far East, Madame Melville, A Town Like Irving, The Diaries, and most recently the one woman show High Dive. Death Defying Acts and the one woman show 2.5 Minute Ride were at Mosaic Theatre; Strange Snow*, Burn This*, and The Real Thing at Gables Stage; Bee-Luther-Hatchee at Florida Stage; Parallel Lives – the Kathy and Mo Show and Last Summer at Bluefish Cove* at New River Rep; The Disputation at Coconut Grove Playhouse and Summer Shorts. Barbara does commercials, voice over work and independent films, and teaches physical theater at the UCPA and New World School of the Arts. (*Carbonell nominations) |
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Executive Director  JERRY M. FINN got his first job in radio at age 14 on WBGO in Newark. Following his formal training at Emerson College and law school at Boston University, he pursued a career in professional theater and radio drama and performed in over 100 productions before settling down to win over smaller audiences in courtrooms in New Jersey. He is a member of the Bars of New Jersey and Massachusetts and is admitted before the Federal and Supreme courts. Jerry was a partner and chief trial lawyer in the New Jersey law firm Schneider, Goldberger, Cohen & Finn for over 30 years until his retirement and relocation to Sarasota with his wife Terri in 1999. Jerry and Terri founded the Banyan Theater Company in 2002. Jerry has performed in several Banyan seasons, playing The Waiter in Betrayal in the inaugural season, Alex Gal in Rough Crossing and Telegin in Uncle Vanya. He also played Bobby Franklyn in Run For Your Wife at The Lemon Bay Playhouse in Englewood and Hamilton Orr in Smoke and Mirrors at the Island Players in Anna Maria Island. |
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers |
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Luke Bartholomew (Suresh, Animals Out of Paper) – A proud Alaskan, Luke is currently a student in the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. With the Conservatory, he was most recently seen as Damis in Tartuffe, Arnholm in Lady From the Sea, and Eglamour in Two Gentlemen of Verona. This next year, he will be seen in the shows of the Asolo Repertory Theatre. Favorite past roles include Touchstone (As You Like It), King John (King John), Snoopy (You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown), and Margaret Mead (Hair). 
Wayne LeGette* (Simon, Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun) – Most recently Wayne appeared in the world premiere of Jolson at the Wintergarden! (Maltz Jupiter Theatre) and in Tuesdays With Morrie (Gulfshore Playhouse). He also co-starred with Matt Passmore and Jennifer Siebel Newsom on A & E’s The Glades and appeared in the film Tony Tango. Regional: Nathan in Rags (Papermill), Nathan in The Rothschilds (Coconut Grove), Dr. Radio in Dr. Radio (Florida Stage), Archer in November (American Stage), Baker in Into The Woods, George in Sunday in the Park, Follies (Caldwell), Harold in The Full Monty (Maltz Jupiter) and many more. Wayne is a six-time Carbonell award nominee and two-time winner. 
Geraldine Librandi* (Becky, Becky’s New Car) - Regional theater: Long Wharf Theatre, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Cleveland PlayHouse, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Triad Stage, Delaware Theatre Company, Asolo Repertory, Dallas Theatre Center, Trinity Rep, among others. Off-Broadway: Lost and Found (Lucille Lortel), The Crow Mill (The Cherry Pit), Caesar and Cleopatra (Harold Clurman), Sister Mary Ignasius…(The Duplex), Approaching Simone (LaMaMa, E.T.C.). Television: The Sopranos (Patty Leotardo), Law and Order: CI, All My Children and Against the Law. Film: Astoria and Mr. North. Awards: 2010 NY Int’l Fringe Festival Actor Overall Excellence, OBIE Nomination (Approaching Simone), Best Actress Sarasota press (The Clean House and Filumena), Best Actress nomination Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Vincent in Brixton) and Oregon Critics Award Best Actress (A View From The Bridge).
Robert David May (Robert, Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun) was last seen on The Players' stage as Max Bialystock in The Producers. He was also seen this season as Jud in Oklahoma! at The Players, Fagin in Oliver at Manatee Players and in a concert reading of the new musical Shine with Hal Linden. Robby has performed on stages across the country from San Francisco to Branson to Carnegie Hall. Favorite roles include Danny in Grease, Curly in Oklahoma!, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Pharaoh in Joseph...Dreamcoat, Billy in Anything Goes, Cinderella's Prince and The Wolf in Into The Woods, and his Willie Award winning turn as Albin in La Cage Aux Folles.
Christopher Swan* (Andy, Animals Out of Paper) – During his time in Florida, he has acted with American Stage (The Seafarer, Moonlight and Magnolias), The Gorilla (Shipwrecked!), The Hippodrome (This Wonderful Life), Florida Rep (Rabbit Hole), Gulfshore Playhouse (Unnecessary Farce), The Showpalace (Sweet Charity), Palm Beach Dramaworks (At Home at the Zoo) and was named Best Actor by Sarasota Magazine for his role as Albin in La Cage Aux Folles at The Golden Apple. For three years he was a member of the acting company of Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, winning the Ostrander award for his roles in Our Country's Good, Little Shop of Horrors, and I Love You, You're Perfect.... New York credits include American Globe (Three Sisters), Illyrium Theatre Co. (As You Like It) and Stageworks/Hudson (Dirty Blonde) among others. Christopher is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory.
Rachel Swindler (Kenni, Becky’s New Car) just finished an eight-month acting internship with Florida Repertory Theatre, after graduating with a B.A. in musical theater from Coastal Carolina University. Some of her favorite collegiate credits include: Macy in Dog Sees God, Agnes in Dancing at Lughnasa, Follies Girl in Will Rogers Follies and Crazy for You, and Jenny in Company. Regionally: Nancy in Gaslight (Florida Rep), Anne Frank/Mutti in And Then They Came For Me (Florida Rep), Milt Skeeter in How I Became A Pirate (Florida Rep), Narrator in Amelia Earhart (Florida Rep), and has also performed with the New York-based entertainment company RWS and Associates. 
Katherine Michelle Tanner* (Holly, Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun) – Most recently she was seen onstage as Margaret in Charm at Orlando Shakespeare Theater. Other favorite regional theater roles include: Laura in The Glass Menagerie, Myrrha in Metamorphoses, Catharine in Suddenly Last Summer, Ophelia in Hamlet, Jane in Jane Eyre, Catherine in Proof, Helen in The Cripple of Inishmaan, Luisa in The Fantasticks, Cathy in The Last Five Years, Cinderella in Into the Woods, Celia in As You Like It, and Lisa in Collected Stories. Film: Lucky Irish, The File, The Darndest Things, The Surgeon, and the multi-award winning and critically acclaimed Respire Mon Amie. Katherine holds a B.A. triple major from St. Olaf College and her M.F.A. in acting from the Asolo Theatre Conservatory. 
Peter Thomasson* (Walter, Becky’s New Car) appeared last year in Banyan's Ghosts as the kindly Pastor Manders and in 2008's The Retreat From Moscow. In Atlanta he appeared in the award winning Sunset Limited at Theatrical Outfit and made his 17th season at North Carolina's state theater, the Flat Rock Playhouse, as Underling in The Drowsy Chaperone, Harry in The Prisoner of Second Avenue, and Scrooge in his seventh production of A Christmas Carol. Earlier this year he appeared in the extended hit production of Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes as Oscar Hubbard at Atlanta's Theatre in the Square. He has appeared in commercials for Days Inn, Delta, Napa, Krystal, Six Flags, Coca Cola and Wrigley's Extra as well as the films Mayflower Madam, One Terrific Guy, and Desperate for Love.
Don Walker (Joe, Becky’s New Car) appeared last summer as Morgan in Banyan Theater's production of The Drawer Boy. More recently, he served as foreman of the jury in the Asolo Rep's Twelve Angry Men. Local audiences will also recognize him from Same Time, Next Year, California Suite, Murder at the Howard Johnson's and dozens of other Golden Apple Dinner Theatre productions in which he shared the stage with favorite costar and wife Jenny Aldrich. At Florida Studio Theatre Don portrayed Norton Baskin in Invasion of Privacy, and Uncle Earl in FST’s workshop productions of Beth Duda’s Up to Home. He was Sheriff in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Sarasota Players; Judge Arthur Powell in David Smith’s Man With Blue Guitar; and James Joyce's father in John's Farewell, directed by Jack Gilhooley.
Karel K. Wright* (Claire, Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun) - Most recently Karel was Mrs. Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer, Lavinia Penniman in The Heiress, and Mrs. Higgins in Mad Cows production of My Fair Lady (with the Orlando Philharmonic). Karel has acted for the Gorilla Theatre in Tampa and the TheatreZone Company in Naples, Florida where she performed High Spirits with Georgia Engle. Karel received her B.F.A. from the University of Minnesota and M.F.A. from the University of Illinois, and earned her membership into Actors Equity at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Roles with the Minnesota Repertory Theatre: Madame Arcati (Blithe Spirit), Judith Bliss (Hay Fever), Martha (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) and Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Favorite roles at The Krannert Center: Penny (You Can’t Take it With You), Rita (Uncommon Women and Others), Elizabeth (The Lady from Dubuque), and Rosie (Slow Dance on the Killing Ground). With the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park: Connie (Snow Angel), Joellen (Chocolate Cake), and the title role in Mother Hics. |
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Banyan Theater Company, PO Box 49483, Sarasota, FL 34230 Info: (941) 358-5330 |