Ryan Blackwell (Johnny), a Seattle native, is delighted to make his Seattle stage debut at LHPAC. He has recently produced several local cabaret and burlesque shows including Hazy Nights and Cabaret Magnifique. In 2002 he appeared as Herr Zeller in the Auburn Avenue Dinner Theatre’s production of The Sound of Music. He would like to send love to his parents for their many years of support; a big thank you to all of his friends and partner, Michael; and most of all, he would like to thank God.
Ron Davids (Curtis) is very happy to be appearing in his 3rd fall play at LHPAC, having previously appeared in Dinah Was and Bobbie & Jerome. Ron directed outdoor Shakespeare for seven summers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and was founder and Managing Director of City Lights Theater in Perth Amboy, NJ. He has appeared recently in Annie Get Your Gun with Seattle Musical Theater and A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Wooden O. He is an ordained Presbyterian Minister and is presently an employment consultant for people with developmental disabilities.
Nik Doner (Charlie) is a Seattle native and received his BA in theater arts from Loyola Marymount University in LA. Recent local roles include Frick/Rollie in Dinah Was (LHPAC), Marcus in Erotic Shorts 2009 (Little Red Studios), Tom in the premiere of Wake (Onward Ho!), and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew (Balagan Theatre). He originated one of four Kurogo roles in Opera Omaha’s Madama Butterfly and appeared in the west coast premiere of Tango Til They’re Sore with Inkwell Theater in LA. Nik has also worked as voice over talent (Microsoft, T-Mobile , Apex Learning; the Dark Void video game), dramaturg (WET) and director (Living the Dream, a touring company serving Western WA elementary schools; Balagan Theatre’s upcoming 10-minute play festival Death/Sex).
Demene E. Hall (Mary) is a native of Saginaw Michigan and currently resides in Seattle. She is a graduate of the academy of Dramatic Arts, Oakland University Rochester MI. Demene has shared performance time with Billy Eckstein, Bob Hope, and award winners James Earl Jones, Cuba Gooding Jr., Kelsey Grammar, Faye Dunaway and Timothy Hutton. Her LHPAC credits include: The Diva Daughter’s Dupree, Bud, Not Buddy, Illuminating Langston with Jennifer Lewis. Seattle audiences have also enjoyed her performances at ACT Theatre, Intiman, Seattle Rep and Book-It Repertory and the Charlotte Martin stage at Seattle Children’s Theatre. Local television viewers will remember her from commercials for Washington State Lottery, Taco del Mar and the Seattle Times. Her most recent film, The Spy and The Sparrow was released at SIFF this past year. Demene has been a member of Actor’s Equity since 1974.
Josephine Howell (Trish) was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. Music is unmistakeably one of her most treasured gifts. Her theatrical credits include: Intiman’s The Grapes of Wrath, Our Town, To Kill A Mockingbird, Crowns and Black Nativity She thanks God for the gift of song and the privilege to stand before others to share her gifts. To God Be The Glory!
Annie Jantzer’s (Martha) past Seattle performances include Balagan Theatre’s The Taming of the Shrew, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, by Steve Martin, and Othello. She worked with Leavenworth Summer Theatre playing Fiona in Brigadoon, Laury in Oklahoma!, Maria in The Sound of Music, Maria in West Side Story, and the narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Annie has a BA in theatre arts from Central Washington University.
Kimbre Lancaster (Winona) has her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Idaho, and made her Seattle debut last May as Clara in Bainbridge Performing Arts’ The Light in the Piazza. Prior to her move to Seattle, Kimbre spent two years at Idaho Repertory Theatre as a Company Member and Teaching Artist. She’d like to thank Jackie, the cast, and her family and friends for their unending love and support.
Rebecca Meneses (Valerie) is pleased to return to Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center where she was last seen in the African Conexion Project’s Callejon. She began her training at Julliard School of Drama, and went on to continue her education at Cornish College of the Arts where she recently graduated in 2008. Upon graduation, she appeared in The Highest Tide at BookIt Repertory Theater and in Intiman’s A Streetcar Named Desire. Elsewhere, she performed in numerous productions at the Riverside Civic Light Opera in Southern California, including the Mistress in Evita. She also portrayed Sonya in Uncle Vanya at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles.
Umémé (Peter) is one of the founding members of Black Arts West and a veteran of over 25 stage productions including: Green Pastures, Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, Death of a Salesman, Roar of the Greasepaint Smell of the Crowd, Two Train’s Runnin and Tambourines to Glory. Most recently he performed in a one man play about the life of Jacob Lawrence that was first commissioned by the CD Forum and later produced at the African American Heritage Museum. He spent 10 years on the road as a member of The Coasters featuring vocalist Terry Evans and worked extensively at The Paramount Theatre as an artist, orchestra member and emcee for acts such as Kenny G and Cameo.
Bob Williams (Frank) has appeared on the LHPAC stage in The Right to Dream and Bud, Not Buddy. Past credits include Black Gold and Well at ArtsWest; Chicken Sunday, Sosu’s Call and Bud, Not Buddy at Book-it Repertory; Lobby Hero with Spokane Interplayers; An American Book of the Dead with Annex theatre A Streetcar Named Desire at the Historic Everett Theater, as well as work with Freehold, 14/48 and the Seattle Experimental Opera. He thanks you for supporting live theatre and thanks his friends and family for their continued support.
Phyllis Yasutake (Frances) has, for the past three years, performed as the narrator in Intiman Theater’s Black Nativity. She played The Woman in Death of a Salesman at LHPAC, and Yellow Bird in numerous readings of The Edge of Blue Light. She has worked with Seattle Children’s Theater, Paul Robeson Theater, Good Companions Touring Dinner Theater, and Seattle Public Theater. She is currently doing Story-Telling at the African American Heritage Museum.
The Chorus Dancers
Kiana Harris (Intern)
Ahnaleza Vandermay (Intern)
Pamela Yasutake (Intern)
The Musicians
Carter Yasutake (Keyboards)
Cedric Thomas (Drums)
