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January 13-29, 2023
Looby Theatre

Meet the Cast

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Elliott Robinson

Hurcule Poirot

Elliott is a Nashville-based actor, singer, voiceover artist, and aspiring audiobook narrator. Words cannot describe how thrilled I am to portray this iconic role, and I am very excited to be back home with Circle Players, for what is now my 10th production. The other nine? To Kill a Mockingbird (Tom Robinson); Jekyll & Hyde (John Utterson); A Raisin in the Sun (Joseph Asagai); Willy Wonka, the Musical (Willy Wonka); The Color Purple (Pa/African Chief); THE PIANO LESSON by August Wilson (Wining Boy); Dreamgirls (Marty); The Little Mermaid (King Triton); and THE FULL MONTY (Horse). Great experiences, all; thank you, Circle, for your dedication to providing Nashville with quality theatre. Special thanks to my sweetheart, Jessica, my family & friends, and this amazing cast and production team; I will always cherish the memory of this amazing train ride we have taken together.

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Emily Summers

Mary Debenham

Typically a musical theatre performer, Emily (Mary Debenham) is pleased to make her straight-play debut in Nashville with her favorite theatre family, The Circle Players. Recent credits include Legally Blonde: The Musical (Vivienne Kensington), Little Women (Meg March), The Last Five Years (Cathy Hiatt), The Rocky Horror Show (Janet Weiss), and If/Then (Elizabeth Vaughn). Emily is also a singer-songwriter; her latest two
albums, Evening and Morning, are available on all streaming and downloading platforms.

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Gray Miller

Hector MacQueen

Gray is humbled and grateful to be back on stage for the first time in 10 years! During that long hiatus, he has been mostly performing to himself in the mirror and when no one is watching. Gray would like to thank his family, friends, and girlfriend for their encouragement and of course to Clay and the Circle Players team for giving
him a chance to shine again.

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Catherine McTamaney

Princess Dragomiroff

Catherine is delighted to return to Circle Players after almost ten years away. She performed in Circle's second run of Titanic: The Musical and assistant directed Tim Larsen for the centennial production of Titanic at TPAC's Polk Theatre. Catherine is most comfortable backstage, and most recently directed Band Geeks albeit it 2013! An enthusiastic supporter of local, community and youth theatre, Catherine has served on the board for Act One and was a founding board member of The Theater Bug. Catherine is a professor at Vanderbilt's Peabody College, where, among other things, she teaches preservice teachers to incorporate visual and performing arts in their classrooms. She's overjoyed to share the stage with old friendsand new.

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Kaleigh Ruiz

Countess Andrenyi

Kaleigh is thrilled to challenge herself with this role. You may have seen her in Circle’s Young Frankenstein or any number of plays and musical in the Pittsburgh theatre circuit. Kaleigh would like to thank her friends and family for their unending support, especially her grandfather for passing on his love of murder mysteries. Enjoy the show!

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Tim Bush

Ratchett

I am enjoying my return to the stage after a long hiatus. This is a great role and I hope you enjoy the presentation. The cast is phenomenal and I’m so happy to work with the new faces (to me they’re new) and a few old friends. I have been truly impressed by their skills. Thanks to Clay Hillwig for this opportunity to join such a quality cast. Shout out to my fantastic and supportive wife, Christi Dortch! She encourages me at every turn and is delighted to see me get out of the house. Wait…. Now I get it…. Wow… love you too Honey..

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Antonio P. Nappo

Monsieur Bouc

Mr. Nappo graduated with a B.A. in Theater from the College of Charleston and got his Master’s in Acting from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He is excited to be returning to the Looby Stage with Circle Players. Favorite credits include: A Christmas Story (Nashville Rep); And in this corner: Cassius Clay (NCT);Julius Caesar, Macbeth and Twelfth Night (NSF); The Flick (Verge Theater); The Ice Treatment (Actors Bridge Ensemble); and Of Mice and Men (Circle Players). Much love to B.J. and Leo for their support and to his mom for introducing him to the art that he loves.

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Nick Spencer

Colonel Arbuthnot

Nick Spencer is incredibly excited to be performing on the Circle Theater stage for the first time since 2019. He is a resident of Nashville where he has been performing for the past several years with groups like the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, Chaffin’s Barn and Actors Point Theater Company. He has also gotten to tour with several children's theaters over the years, including the National Theater for Children, Arkansas Children’s Theater, and Missoula Children's Theater. Some of his favorite shows he's performed in include: Red White and Tuna (Thurston),  Avenue Q (Trekkie), Smoke: Ballad of the Night Riders (Sam Cash), Peter and the Starcatcher (Smee), and Singing in the Rain (Dexter). He thanks his friends and family for supporting his love of theater and hopes you all enjoy the thrills of tonight’s show!

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Barrett Thomas

Michel the Conductor/Marcel

Barrett is pleased to support l’inspecteur Elliott in this production after himself tackling leading man duties in his two most recent Circle appearances: Dr. Frank N. Furter in The Rocky Horror Show (alongside your very own Mary Debenham) and Frederick in this season’s Young Frankenstein (alongside the Countess). Other past favorites include Hair (Woof), South Pacific (Lt. Cable), and Legally Blonde (Warner). “Je suis ravi d’avoir à nouveau l’occasion de trop faire sûr scène (comme d’habitude). Gagné!”

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Claire Landers

Greta Ohlsson

Hailing from the great state of New Jersey, Claire is so excited to make her Circle Players debut! A theater girl through and through, Claire has been involved with the stage since she was 9 years old. Whether it was on stage, at the light booth, or in the wings, Claire has always loved theater and is so happy to have found a community here in Nashville. When she is not wailing on stage or grabbing her bosom, Claire can be found at Room In The Inn, a Nashville nonprofit that is dedicated to providing resources and a community for the homeless population of Nashville. She is so grateful for her RITI family for making Nashville feel like home. Enjoy the show!

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Bailey Anne Borders

Helen Hubbard

Bailey Anne is excited to make her return to the stage! A Nashville native, Bailey Anne attended Nashville School of the Arts where she studied theater, dance, and film. At the young age of eighteen she moved to Los Angeles in pursuit of her acting. Her return to Nashville has brought her much joy, as she reunites with her family and friends where her performance bug first began. This will be her first production with Circle Players.

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Michael Hutson

Announcer

Michael has worked in several productions with Circle Players. Rocky Horror - 2019 (Stage Crew); Young Frankenstein - 2022 (Producer); and now Murder on the Orient Express - 2023 (Assistant Stage Manager and Announcer Voice). Michael is very excited to be a part of this production of MOTOE!

Meet the Production Team

Clay Hillwig

Director

Michael Hutson

Asst. Stage Manager

Clay Hillwig

Set Designer

Roger Hutson

Music/Sound Effects Coordinator

Clay Hillwig

Director

Denese Evans

Costume Designer

Suzanne Spooner-Faulk

Props

Megan Ward

Logo/Graphic Design

Ashley Morrison

Producer

Daniel DeVault

Lighting Designer

Antonio P.

Nappo

Master Carpenter

Robyn Saunders

Stage Manager

Marsalis Turner

Sound Designer

Timerlake Pieper

Stage Assistant

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