Rhonda Jones
This is Rhonda’s first appearance at Playhouse 51. She was involved with this spring’s production of Same Time Next Year by helping with the set construction and worked the backstage. She has worked for First South Credit Union for 21 years and has managed the Millington Branch for 5 years. She is married to James Jones and has two beautiful daughters named Megan and Taylor Jones. She is also a member of First United Methodist Church and sings in the choir. She wants to thank her family and friends for not committing her when they caught her talking to herself these last few weeks while she learned her lines!
Tanya Mabry
(Chris Gorman)
Tanya has been seen on the Playhouse 51 stage in It’s A Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. She says, “I have REALLY enjoyed being in this play!!” Tanya wants to thank her family… favorite husband - Pat, favorite daughter- Katie, and favorite son & daughter-in-law - William & Claudia for their love and support. She also wants to thank her Mom, Mary Lou Watkins, who has always encouraged her “creative side.” Rumors cast members: giggle, laugh, and always remember Dan Marino!!
Kate Armitrage
(Claire Ganz)
Kate enjoys volunteering her time with Playhouse 51 and encourages you to get involved in your community theatre too! Although she normally works behind the scenes, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her talented husband, Danny Armitage, on this production. Kate would like to thank her wonderful daughter, Ellie, for being so understanding and helping Mommy learn her lines. Love you more!
Suzanne Cipra
(Cassie Cooper)
Suzanne is making her first appearance on the Playhouse 51 stage. She was the stage manager for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in December. She has been involved in theatre for many years. Suzanne is married and has 3 terrific boys, Ian, Evan, and Aidan, and they have lived in Millington for 3 years. She would like to thank her kids for being so understanding of Mom’s crazy idea to get back on stage. It seemed like a great idea to play a tramp on stage while her husband Kyle is serving in Afghanistan!
Mike Domingo
(Glen Cooper)
The United States Naval Reservist is proud to make his debut at Playhouse 51. While on active duty and stationed near Seattle, Washington, Mike has participated in theatres in the North West area to include: Guy's and Doll's, The Sound of Music and The Mikado with the 'NorthWest Savoyards'; Peter Pan with 'King's Players Theatre'; and Neil Simon's Fools and M*A*S*H with the 'Historic Everett Theatre Company'. Michael is very happy to be a part of such a wonderful, funny and talented cast, and would like to thank them very much for letting him be a part of the ''family''. Mike would also love to thank God, his family and friends, fiancée, Traci, and his shipmates deployed across the seas for all the support.
Dan Edmiston
(Lenny Ganz)
Dan is a native of Millington and a 5th grade teacher at E. A. Harrold Elementary School. He is happy to be making his Playhouse 51 debut and is happy to be a part of this wonderfully talented cast. Dan is also a choir member of the Lindenwood Christian Church and volunteers at The Orpheum and Theatre Memphis.
Mike Evans
(Ernie Cusack)
This is Mike's second onstage appearance at Playhouse 51, second on any stage for that matter. After a run as Joseph and Bert the Cop in It's a Wonderful Life, he completes the "Bert and Ernie" combo by playing Ernie Cusack in this production. Mike is a retired Naval Officer who continues to work for the Navy as an operations research analyst. He sings tenor in his church choir, plays guitar and loves to play golf. He is married to Linda and they have four children and three grandchildren.
(Officer Pudney)
I am a wife, mother of three and I work as a first grade teacher at E.A. Harrold School. I have never acted in a play before, so I am making my acting debut as Officer Pudney in the play Rumors. I am very nervous and excited. I have learned a lot from watching the other seasoned actors in the play. I would like to thank Mr. Armitge for giving me this opportunity;your energy should be bottled and sold. I would also like to thank the Playhouse family and cast for accepting me into their family.
Andrea Granderson
(Cookie Cusack )
Barry has been involved with Playhouse 51 since the beginning. He has run lights, sound, worked as a stagehand, and built sets. He assisted in directing Playhouse 51’s Everybody Loves Opal. Barry has also appeared in Playhouse 51’s Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple: Female Version, It’s A Wonderful Life – A live radio play, and Opal’s Million Dollar Duck. He is very happy about how Playhouse 51 has grown since its beginning. Barry lives in Atoka with his wife Cindy, his daughter Bonnie and his two dogs, Ricky and Stinker.
Barry Martin
(Ken Gorman)
(Officer Welch )
Melissa Wilson
This is Melissa's second appearance on the Playhouse 51 Stage appearing previously in It's a Wonderful Life. Melissa has been involved with Playhouse 51 off and on since it's inception and with theatre since age 9. Tipically she volunteers helping to build, paint, and tear down the sets. Being a "straight gut" in such a halarious show is certainly not easy, but you'll see why she earned the title "The Envorce" while helping control the kids offstage during The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. She wishes to taank her husband, Matt, and her daughter, Sarah, for their understanding and time sacrifices through this and other Playhouse 51 productions.
Director
Danny is Playhouse 51 Board as the Executive Director and he wants to encourage everyone in the community to come out and join the community theater in Millington. This is the sixth show that Danny has done with Playhouse 51. Love Letters, The Rainmaker, It’s a Wonderful Life,and Goodbye Charlie in an acting capacity and he directed Bell Book and Candle. His theater background covers 30 years in many different capacities. His credits in Memphis include productions with Theater Memphis, Playhouse of the Square, Circuit Playhouse, Germantown Community Theater and the old Gaslight Dinner Theater. He has also worked in professional theater in Florida and Alabama. He also is the Associate Dean of Students at the University of Memphis.
Danny Armitage
Jane Lester
Stage Manager
Jane has been in love with theatre ever since donning cardboard wings and a tinsel halo at age 5. She has worked in Millington, at the University of Memphis, Arrow Rock Lyceum in Missouri, Red Balloon Players, Germantown Theatre and Circuit Playhouse. She has hosted several shows for talk radio, done voice work for local and national ads and was the voice of "Grammy Granny on FM-100. Jane has appeared in Playhouse 51's Bell, Book and Candel and The Odd Couple:Female Version. She also directed It's A Wonderful Life:Radio Version. Some of her favorite roles were in : Uncle Vanya,The Firebugs, Blithe Spirit, The Firebugs, Blithe Spirit, Bullshot Crummond, The Dresser, Merry Wives of Windsor, The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky, and all the maids in School for Scandal. (Yes, all the maids.) She considers herself fortunate in having survived wearing a trash can over her head (a mask, it’s a long story) in The Oresteia Trilogy!
