WHO’S WHO IN REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM
JONI ARREDIA (Mrs. Perkins) Fresh out of acting school, this 52 year young dynamo is an author, motivational speaker, artist, wife and mom. Enjoy her debut performance as she brings to the stage her unique enthusiasm for life and the arts. Joni studied extensively at the renown Act One Studio of Chicago and The Green Room. “…skydiving, scuba diving, bicycling, rollerblading, tennis, golf, throwing parties, fashion, being of service to others, travel, doing something that scares me everyday and keeps me learning.”
TIFFANY BEDWELL (Dialect Coach), originally from Michigan, studied theater at Wayne State University (Detroit), The Moscow Art Theater School (Russia) and The Athens Centre (Greece). She has worked as a dialect coach for A Red Orchid (Fastest Clock in the Universe, The Hothouse, Blasted), Broken Compass (Mercury Fur), North Lakeside Players (Candida), and several Michigan productions. In Chicago she has worked as an actor with Goodman Theatre (Passion Play), Victory Gardens (I Sailed with Magellan), Eclipse (Rimers of Eldritch), Bruised Orange (Humble Abode, History of a Handgun), EP Theater (Avenue A) and Trap Door (Eva Peron, The Beastly Bombing). Tiffany is currently appearing in The Lion in Winter at Writer's Theatre.
TIFFANY BEDWELL
JOSH BONIFAS (Abner Simpson) is pleased to be making his debut with Theatre-Hikes and thanks Frank for rolling the dice in casting him. Josh was last seen playing Tiresias in Antigone at the Feltre Theatre. Since then he was most likely spotted riding his bike from audition to audition through rain, sleet, and snow every weekend for the last few months. It was a long winter.
AMY CALDWELL (Alice Robinson) is playing with Theatre-Hikes for the second time, having previously appeared as Glinda and the Good Witch of the North in The Wizard of Oz. Other companies she has performed with include Drury Lane Oakbrook, Chicago Dramatists, Prop Thtr, Metropolis, Bailiwick, North Lakeside Players, Michigan Classical Repertory Theatre, and Rockford's New American Theater. She is thrilled to work with Frank again and to be a part of this cherished childhood classic.
AMY CALDWELL
MIKE CASEY (Musician) has been active in the Chicago theatre scene for almost thirty years as actor, musician and music director. His Theatre-Hikes credits include musician for Hiking with Davy Crockett, Lewis and Clark: The Principal Stream, Little House on the Prairie, Treasure Island, Little Women and as music director and musician for Heidi. Mike is a full time string instructor at his studio in Oak Park.
ALBERT F. CLARK (Jeremiah Cobb) Al just finished playing Norval Hedges in Born Yesterday. Earlier this year he portrayed Geppetto in his first children’s play, Pinnochio. Prior to that he played Frank Fitzpatrick in The Skin of Our Teeth and Henden in Edward Albee’s Finding The Sun. He also played Jack in the original Scrap Mettle SOUL production of The Inspiration Café. Other plays Al has performed in are The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew and Richard III. He was Salieri’s Valet in Amadeus; the judge in Inherit The Wind; Father Dewis in Buried Child; Edsel Mackey in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Dr. Bradley in The Man Who Came To Dinner. Al began acting in 2002 with Scrap Mettle SOUL. In his very first play with them, The Whole World Gets Well, the ensemble was invited to perform in London, England and Leith, (Edinburgh) Scotland.
JOANNE DUBACH (Emma Jane Perkins) is excited to take part in her first show with Theatre-Hikes and her first show in Chicago! She studied theatre at Indiana University, and has been acting in Indiana since. She was last seen in The Lieutenant of Inishmore at The Phoenix Theatre Inc, in Indianapolis. Joanne would like to thank her friends and family for everything.
FRANK FARRELL (Director) is the Artistic Director of Theatre-Hikes, for which he has directed The Snow Queen and Little Women. His play adaptations for Theatre-Hikes include Alice Through the Looking Glass, Hiking With Davy Crockett, The Snow Queen, Bambi: A Life in the Woods, Rascal, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He has appeared as an actor in Theatre-Hikes' productions of Into the Woods as the Narrator, in Tuck Everlasting as The Man in the Yellow Suit and as the writer Sterling North in Rascal. In 2007 he created and directed The Audition and directed Candida, both productions for the North Lakeside Players in Chicago. He has also directed for Steppenwolf, Raven Theater, Temporary Theatre, Shakespeare’s Herd and Free Shakespeare, the windy city’s first year round Shakespeare Company, which he founded. He has taught acting and improvisation at Columbia College and at Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s Clown College in Florida.
FRANK FARRELL
CHRISTINA IRWIN (Jane Sawyer) appeared with Theatre-Hikes in 2006 in Frankenstein. She started in the theatre by doing improvisational comedy and later went on to play a wide variety of character roles, such as eunuch, cabaret singer, and mothers of all nationalities. The highlight of her theatre career was taking her one-woman show Beryl Markham to the Festival Fringe in Edinburgh. Recently she appeared in the smash hit Gaudy Night for Lifeline Theatre and Uncle Vanya for TUTA Theatre Company which received much critical acclaim. The TV pilot video Unto the Least of These, in which she stared, was in this spring's New York Film Festival. Her favorite theatre genre is musical theatre, for the thrill of hearing the opening overture.
KCLARE KEMOCK (Costume Designer) just recently moved to Chicago after finishing her MA at Miami University of Ohio. She spent two summers with her mentor, Jesus Perez, in Colorado as the Wardrobe Manager for Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre and continues to work with Jesus at his Chicago Kids Company here in Chicago. She designed costumes for Circle Theatre's production of Boy, as well as Stage Managing their production of Enchanted April. She also designed costumes for Metropolis' current production of SpeeDating!, Oak Park Theatre Festival's Blithe Spirit, and Grounded Theatre's Crimes of the Heart. She will be attending Illinois State University in the fall, working towards her MFA in Costume Design.
CHRIS KORDYS (Adam Ladd) This is Chris's first production with Theatre-Hikes. In 2006 he received his BFA in Actor Training from The Hartt School (Hartford, CT). Most recent productions include: Dog Sees God (Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead) by Bert Royal and Don Juan in Chicago by David Ives.
KEVIN MEECE (Abijah Flagg) is very excited to be a part of Theatre-Hikes' Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Mr. Meece is fairly new to the Chicago acting scene. Kevin graduated from high school a little over a year ago; he has been doing shows ever since. You may recognize him from shows such as Smoke Break at Gorilla Tango Theatre or part of The Grazaam Family Allstars. However, the shows are probably too obscure for recognition. In addition to playing the role of Abijah this summer, he can also be seen as The Changeling Boy in Midtangent Production's A Midsummer Night's Dream: A Queer Tale. Kevin would like to thank all of the actors/directors/theater-goers he has met in Chicago so far. They all make the drives from Indiana worth it.
KEVIN MEECE
JANE MILLETT (Choreographer) Moved from NYC to Michigan and then on to the Chicago area. She is a 32 year member of Actors Equity Association (AEA), and has performed in musical theatre, TV and film productions. Jane has worked with Juliet Prowse, Sandy Duncan, Carol Lawrence, Ann-Margret, Vincent Price and many others. Having choreographed, directed, designed hair and makeup, costumed and propped countless productions, she finally put together her own theatre company, The Nowhere Near Broadway Players. Jane is most proud of her son Luke, a film student at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. She would like to take this opportunity to thank Frank Farrell for his blind belief in her and for giving her the chance to “whet her chops” in the Chicago market.
KERENSA PETERSON (Delsarte System of Expression Coach) has a BFA in Dramatic Arts from Emporia State University, KS and MFA in Acting from the University of Florida. She loves to explore physicality on stage and is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with this cast on the Delsarte System of Expression. In Chicago, she’s directed for the Side Project, Keyhole Theatre Co., Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble, and is currently directing The Belle’s Stratagem for Halcyon Theatre Company’s Alcyone Festival. She is the casting and resident director for the Chicago production of Gutenberg! The Musical, which is running at the Royal George Theatre.
JOYCE PORTER (Miranda Sawyer) is happy to be working with Theatre-Hikes for the first time. Recent shows include Fred Blue (Bailiwick Directors's Festival), Lend Me a Tenor (Piccolo Theatre), Little Women (Lincoln Square Theatre) and appearances in Oak Park Festival Theatre's Robin Hood and The Comedy of Errors. She has also worked at Drury Lane Water Tower Place, Theatre at the Center, Circle Theatre, Village Players, n.u.f.a.m. Ensemble and several others. She has has featured roles in Chicago Overcoat, Crime Fiction, The Art of Pain and many other independent films as well as shows on The History Channel and The National Geographic Channel. Joyce's first career was as a professor teaching theater, film, humanities and speech at Moraine Valley Community College. She has directed over 30 plays and is the President of the Board of Directors of Oak Park Festival Theatre. She has also lectured on the arts on cruise ships and for clubs. She has a B.A. in Speech Education from UIUC and an M.A. in Theatre from Northwestern University. She would like to thank her husband Paul for his support.
MARGARET PRETKELIS (Minnie Smellie), a Chicago native and graduate of DePaul University, most recently performed in The Green Room at Stockyard Theatre’s Women’s Performance Art Festival. Past productions include Theatre-Hikes’ Little Women and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Paper Doll in Collaboration Festival, and Village Players’ Theatre’s Dracula. She is excited to be a part of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and would like to thank the cast for their support, time, and commitment.
AMANDA ROMANO (Hike Leader) is no stranger to the Theatre-Hikes productions. Her most recent show was Bambi: A Life in the Woods, where she played the role of Bambi’s Mother. Previous Theatre-Hikes credits include: The Snow Queen and A Midsummer’s Night Dream. She has also been in several productions in and around Chicago. Amanda is in her final year at Columbia College majoring in theater with a concentration in acting.
MICHELLE ROSSI (Rehearsal Stage Manager) previously stage managed A Bitter Taste, The Tricky Part, served as assistant stage manager for Barenaked Lads, Marlowe and A Kiss From Alexander, and sound board operator for Shamelessboyz of London’s Dangerous, all at Bailiwick Repertory Theatre where she completed her artistic administration internship. Michelle was also a stage management intern for Seussical at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where she became an Equity Member Candidate. She is also a prop and costume designer and has worked with Next Theatre Company, Bailiwick Repertory, Piccolo Theatre, Hell in a Handbag and Point of Contention. She can now be found costuming Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding. Visit her on the web at www.myspace.com/michellethestagemanager.
GISELLE VAUGHN RUECKING (Clara Belle Simpson) is thrilled to be “Clara Belle” in Theatre-Hikes production of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Giselle is a Musical Theater Major at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. She was most recently seen in the National Geographic film Madness in the White City, Bill Kurtis Production as “Emeline Cigrand.” Theatre credits include The Cotton Club (Mary Alice) Theatre Building Chicago Stages Festival, The Music Man (Ensemble) at Drury Lane Theatre Oak Brook, staged reading of Babes in Barns (Patsy) at Theatre Building Chicago, Africa and Plumbridge (Kerry) at Players Theatre NYC and Theatre Building Chicago. Original cast Circle of Friends, American Girl Place Theatre (Kit/Felicity). Giselle has also played the “Cat” in Seussical for BAM Theatreworks and “Sandy” at Riverside Community Theatre. Giselle thanks God and her supportive friends and family for their support and encouragement, and is grateful to Frank for this wonderful opportunity.
JEANNE SCUREK (Mrs. Simpson) is thrilled to be working with Theatre-Hikes for the first time (and to be working with her friends Joyce and Amy again!). Jeanne was seen this past season in Hellcab with Theatre on the Hill, in A Christmas Story with Steel Beam Theatre, in Suddenly Last Summer with the Illinois Theatre Center and in Professor Philo Pheldman Saves the Universe (Again!) with Village Player’s Theatre for Youth. She is also currently appearing in a summer run of A Dinner Party to Die For with Murder Mystery Productions. Thanks to Frank for this wonderful opportunity and to Daniel for the past 11 years.
JEANNE SCUREK
RACHEL STUART (Rebecca Rowena Randall) is a sophomore at Hinsdale Central High School. Previous professional credits include The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (Susan), Rascal (Rascal) & Little House on the Prairie (Mary), with Theatre-Hikes, A Christmas Carol (Emily Cratchit) with the Goodman Theatre, and I Never Saw another Butterfly (Raja) and A Rosen by any Other Name (Fern) with the Chicago Jewish Theatre. Community Theater plays include School House Rock Live (Grove Players), Hansel & Gretel (Elk Grove Village Center for Performing Arts), Revenge of the Space Pandas (Revere Park), Laramie Project (THH Productions), and Fiddler on the Roof (PZ Productions). Hinsdale Central productions include Complete Works of William Shakespeare and Comedysportz Improv.
KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN (1856 – 1923) American author and educator, b. Philadelphia. In San Francisco she organized the first free kindergartens on the Pacific coast (1878) and with her sister established a training school for kindergarten teachers. As part of her teaching career she wrote her first book, The Story of Patsy (1883). The most popular among her many later works for children were The Birds’ Christmas Carol (1887), Timothy’s Quest (1890) Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1903), and Mother Carey’s Chickens (1911). See her autobiography, My Garden Memory (1923); biography by her sister, Nora A. Smith (1925).
KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN