Meet the Cast and Crew of Let the Play Begin Players
Anita CastleAnita has spent many years on stage as part of the Long Beach Chorale, Santa Barbara Master Chorale, and Santa Barbara’s Children Chorus. Since joining Let the Play Begin Players in 2010, she has performed in Agatha Christie’s The Unexpected Guest and is currently producing, co-directing and performing the role of Cassie in our upcoming production of Rumors. Anita’s passions extend far beyond the stage and into the mental health field where she has a burgeoning Marriage and Family Therapy practice, Castlelight Counseling.
Sarah DickeySarah, one of the newest members of Let the Play Begin Players, is a community and children’s theatre veteran from Buchanan, Michigan. Her rich and eclectic acting and directing credits include Oklahoma, The Wizard of Oz, Golf the Musical, You Can’t Take It with You, Everybody Loves Opal, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Godspell, and Proof. From directing a theatrical adaptation of Charlotte’s Web for young audiences to playing villain Annie Wilks (her favorite all-time character) in a stage production of Stephen King’s Misery, Sarah is an incredibly versatile performer. In addition to playing Cookie in the upcoming Let the Play Begin Players production of Rumors, Sarah will also be reprising a directorial role as one of the show’s co-directors.
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Ryan CastleRyan is an eccentric who loves history, swashing and/or buckling, nonlinear movement, and antiquated language. Since joining Let the Play Begin Players in 2010, Ryan has performed, built sets, and adapted Bram Stoker’s Dracula for the stage. His favorite roles include Michael Starwedder in The Unexpected Guest and Count Dracula in Dracula. In addition to playing Ken Gorman in our upcoming production of Rumors, Ryan has also taken on the roles of producer and lead set designer. Ryan is currently studying to become a high school teacher where he is certain to become rich and famous beyond his wildest dreams.
Cynthia MaroneyCynthia has appeared in several stage and television productions both in California and her native Missouri including A Miracle on 34th Street, The Music Man, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Since joining Let the Play Begin Players, Cynthia has graced the stage of the Long Beach Scottish Rite as Mrs. Warwick in The Unexpected Guest, several Dracula characters, and is looking forward to playing Clair Ganz in Rumors. Cynthia loves the theatrical camaraderie that she shares with her fellow cast members and audience!
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Theresa NguyenTheresa Nguyen has participated in dozens of theatrical productions including Feeding the Moonfish, Pirates of Penzance, and Dracula. She has over 15 years of experience as an educational consultant and private tutor – a role that keeps her young at heart. Theresa has been a member of Let the Play Begin Players since 2011. She is playing the role of Chris Gorman, assistant directing, and producing our upcoming production of Rumors. You can find Theresa on the Web at Theresa Tutors.
Joseph JagaticJoseph is an actor, performance artist, filmmaker, editor, photographer, singer-songwriter, poet, and playwright. He is currently working as a stand-in on television’s Criminal Minds, a new media project with the Screen Actors Guild, and is putting his mastery of the North Eastern accent to good use as Lenny Ganz in Rumors. Yes, Joe is a performing Renaissance man that does it all. You can find more information about Joe’s many projects on the Web at Message in a Bottle Soul Search…And did we mention that he also has ninja skills?
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Ronald ChanouLike Snoop Dogg and Bo Derek before him, Ronald is a bona fide born and raised Long Beach native. Appearing on stage as Officer Welch in the upcoming Let the Play Begin Players production of Rumors marks Ronald’s first foray into theatre since he first appeared on stage in the first grade as a tree. When performing, he draws inspiration from his favorite comedic performance: Peter Sellers as Dr. Strangelove. In addition to dabbling in stage-craft, Ronald works as a development administrator for a community health clinic.
Mia BonadonnaMia puts her avid and passionate consumption of plays to good use as a theatre critic and arts journalist at LAist.com where she reviews productions all over Los Angeles. When Mia isn’t busy doing public relations, marketing, and webmaster stuff for Let the Play Begin Players, she likes to obsess over fictional shark movies, robots, Doctor Who, and her geriatric dogs. She is currently producing and playing the role of Glenn in Rumors.
Shanna GarzaShanna has been performing since she was a little girl when she began reciting all of her Disney records verbatim (ad nauseum). She enjoys dancing, writing fiction, and teaching the thrilling intricacies of English grammar to middle schoolers. Shanna holds a BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MFA from California State Univeristy, Long Beach. She served as production designer for the Let the Play Begin Players production of Dracula in 2011.
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Chris TrouttHailing from Knoxville, Tennessee, Chris is a founding member and producer for Let the Play Begin Players. Since creating our theatre cooperative in 2010, Chris has bravely delved into every aspect of live theatre including acting, set design, sound design, costuming, directing, development, and producing. His favorite Let the Play Begin stage roles include Julian Farrar in The Unexpected Guest and Quincy P. Morris in Dracula. In addition to being the Let the Play Begin go-to guy for all things theatrical, Chris is an Organizational Development Consultant for the Walt Disney Company.
Karyn McIvorActing has been a life-long passion for Karyn. She has performed in many productions including The Wizard of Oz, Look Homeward Angel, Up the Down Staircase, and Plaza Suite. Karyn's acting distinctions include winning numerous awards in county-wide competitions for both leading and supporting roles and working with the renowned South Coast Repertory. Since joining Let the Play Begin Players, Karyn has breathed life into characters such as Miss Bennett in The Unexpected Guest, and Mina in Dracula. Karyn has a BA in Communication Studies from Loyola Marymount University.
Tony MoyaTony received his BA in Theatre Arts from Loretto Heights College in Denver, Colorado. He is a skilled stage manager and director in both musical and dramatic mediums. Tony’s stage management credits include Candide, Sweeny Todd, The Unexpected Guest, and Rumors. He has directed productions of Los Esclavos, Lone Star, and Dracula. Tony previously distinguished himself as the resident stage manager for the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts where he traveled with the company to the Canary Islands with a production for a world theatre festival. Tony has served as an actor and stage manager for Let the Play Begin Players since joining in 2010.
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Duane SeveraDuane is a Let the Play Begin Players founder and set designer. Comfortable both on and off stage, Duane has dabbled with direction, production, costuming, development, sound design, and acting. In addition to designing and building the sets for The Unexpected Guest, Dracula, and the upcoming Let the Play Begin production of Rumors, he has played Inspector Thomas in The Unexpected Guest and Dr. John Seward in Dracula. Duane is a Raleigh, North Carolina native with a long and distinguished military service record currently working for the Walt Disney Company.
Rob GarzaRob enjoys dabbling in anything creative. Along with acting, he has published fiction in small-press magazines, directed short films and documentaries, and played guitar in few punk rock bands. Rob has been a member of Let the Play Begin Players since 2011 when he played Jonathan Harker in Dracula. He is a writer for The Walt Disney Company and holds a BA and MFA in Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach.
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