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Heather Alexander (Nurse Ratched) - Heather is thrilled to work with Circle Players again! Involved in theatre most of her life, her favorite shows/roles include Same Time, Next Year (Doris), Dearly Departed (Mama Raye), Plaza Suite (Karen), To Kill A Mockingbird (Miss Maudie), and The Miss Firecracker Contest (Popeye). There is a special place in her heart for The Grapes of Wrath (Ma Joad), for which she was selected Best Actress in a Play (Non-professional) by Nashville.BroadwayWorld.com and one of First Night Theatre Honors’ Best Actresses of 2011. Heather is slated to direct bare, the Musical for Circle Players in spring 2014, and The Outsiders for Lakewood Theatre in August 2014. She is also the very proud mother of two wonderfully creative sons who mostly tolerate her theatre obsession, Josh (APSU creative writing major, literary journal editor, and budding playwright) & Ryan (MTSU recording industry major and student Emmy winner). She gives special thanks to Clay for allowing her to play one of her all-time favorite roles!
Doug Allen (Charlie Cheswick) - Doug is very excited to be in his second Circle Players’ production and working with Clay Hillwig again. He played Pa under the direction of Clay in The Grapes of Wrath. Doug has been acting since age 4 in movies, television commercials, and, of course, theater. He recently played the role of Uncle Freddie in Bent at Murfreesboro Little Theater, and duplicated the role of Captain Keller at Lakewood Theater in The Miracle Worker at Ivy Green, the Helen Keller Birthplace, in Tuscumbia, Alabama. He has been active with a variety of Nashville Theater Companies since 2007. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is one of my all-time favorite shows. It provides a true perspective of what confuses many of us about mental illness, while also demonstrating that anyone who suffers from a mental illness wants what everyone wants: to be loved. I want to thank everyone in this cast for their support and encouragement.”
David Amond (Chief Bromden) - This is David's second show with Circle Players. He is excited about working with this talented cast and crew. When not on stage with these "cuckoos", he is the Plant Engineer at American Fabricators. Back at the "nest," he tends to two "chicks" - his lovely wife Deb, whom he met two years ago on the set of Circle Players presentation of Titanic the Musical, and his daughter, Morgan, who is a Circle Player regular! He is grateful to Clay for this opportunity and he hopes you enjoy the show! JUICY FRUIT!
Cat Arnold (Candy) - Cat is proud to return to the Circle Players’ stage with such a wonderfully talented cast and director. She was most recently seen in Boiler Room Theatre's Les Miserables and Promises, Promises; and Pull-Tight as Chiffon in Little Shop of Horrors. Cat has also performed in various productions around the Nashville area including Keeton Theatre and Towne Centre Theatre. You may have seen her as Alice in all three Circle productions of Titanic The Musical, Domina in Forum, Gooch in Mame, Chris in Rumors, or Puck in Almost a Midsummer Night’s Dream. ILUDEA.
Leon Blandon (Anthony Martini) - Leon Blandon is thrilled to play Martini and be a part of this great, classic production! He was last seen in his bad boy portrayal of Jake in Band Geeks the Musical last May. His previous work with Circle Players includes performing in the cast of The Color Purple and serving as Props Manager for The Piano Lesson. Since adolescence, Leon’s gifts & talents for performing arts have flourished. He ventured into theater with roles in Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream and Christopher Sergel’s The Mouse that Roared. Before moving to Nashville, Leon had memorable performances with the Pensacola Community Arts and Recreation Association from 2001 to 2007 under the tutelage of Leroy Williams. These performances included: Prayer Changes Things, Faith is the Key, Thank God it’s Sunday, & Too Blessed to be Stressed.
Mitchell Blankman (Randle P. McMurphy) - Mitchell studied at the Mason Gross Conservatory for the Arts at Rutgers University. He began acting at Hendersonville High School, class of 2001. On day one of his freshman year, he left the marching band and had to take another elective. He randomly chose Drama 1, and a passion was born. Mitchell’s favorite roles are Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, The Vicar in See How They Run, and Noah Joad in The Grapes Of Wrath (directed by Clay Hillwig). Mitchell could not be more thankful for the privilege to work with Clay again, and with such an amazing cast and crew of new friends. This is his third performance with Circle Players, including Jekyll and Hyde The Musical. He hopes you not only enjoy the performance, but you find there is a little cuckoo-ness in all of us.
Jarvis Bynum (Aide Williams) - Making his debut with Circle Players, Jarvis is a senior Theatre Performance Major at Austin Peay State University. He has been in such productions as Twelfth Night (Feste), Bat Boy The Musical (Ron Taylor), and Back To The 80s: The Totally Awesome Musical (Billy Arnold) among others. Jarvis is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with a wonderful theatre company such as Circle Players, and an awesome cast and crew.
Preston Crook (Dr. Spivey) - Preston is excited to perform with Circle Players again. He was recently seen in Towne Centre Theatre’s production of The Importance Of Being Earnest. Preston is honored to work with Clay again, and for sharing the stage with an amazing cast. Preston started acting and singing in third grade, playing the part of “3rd boulder from the left” in the production Spring Has Sprung. He has also performed for the Walt Disney World Theatre Workshop in the original production The Wizard of Diz (a takeoff of L. Frank Baum’s classic) , The Dizard of Woz, and Guys and Dolls. Locally, Preston has performed with the Pull-Tight Players as well as with St Cecilia Academy. Preston’s 8-5 hours are spent as a Helpdesk III Technical Support analyst, so he really needs acting to round out his days.
Daniel DeVault (Billy Bibbitt) - Daniel is thrilled and grateful to make his debut with Circle Players. Previous credits include Love! Valour! Compassion!, Ded Herring, Same Time Next Year, Deathtrap, The Miss Firecracker Contest, The Signal Season of Dummy Hoy, Lie Of The Mind, The Fantasticks, Elvis Blossom, Miss Julie, and Antigone. He was also a professional intern for the Tennessee Repertory Theatre during the 2011-12 season. Daniel worked on the world premiere of The Nutty Professor Musical at TPAC in 2012, where he had the honor of working with Jerry Lewis and Rupert Holmes. He received his B.A. degree in Theatre and Communications from Roanoke College.
Clark Harris (Aide Turkle) - Clark Harris is an actor and writer who enjoys playing a wide range of characters. His “Let’s try it” attitude and hard work keeps him polished. This will be his 11th stage play in just under the 3 years he has been acting. His most recent projects include Lord Capulet in Romeo & Juliet and Cuzo in the Dream 7 Productions of Duplexes. He has also had a few movie and commercial roles as well. Because of his tone and range, Mr. Harris is adding “Voice Over” to his repertoire. Clark Harris, since introduced to acting, has jumped head first and is always generous to his audience. Please visit www.clarkaharris.com for more.
Gene Jones (Aide Warren) - Gene Jones is a Detroit native who learned how to win over audiences at age of three, spawning his musical career in the back room of his grandmother’s house. He is a self-taught vocalist who has been involved in school and church choirs most of his life, most recently as a worship leader for Ray of Hope Community Church in Nashville. As an artist on a mission, Gene stays true to his soulful and sultry Motown roots. He is well-traveled and has performed at venues from Mackenzie High School in Detroit to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar’s E-Club in San Diego. Gene continues to perform in his new hometown of Nashville at the Love Noise, BB Kings, The Rhythm Kitchen, Pearl Fusion Restro, Sports Page, The Place, The Limelight, Jazz & Jokes, and Soul Lounge where he is the host. Theater credits include: Mister in Javon Johnson’s Sanctified directed by Kenneth B. Dozier and Grady in Circle Players’ musical The Color Purple. Gene is elated to be back with Circle Players for this production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Joseph Lovell (Technician) - Joseph is excited to perform with Circle Players for the first time and hopes to continue to do so in the future. He is from Minnesota, but Tennessee has been home for the last seven years. Joseph is a musician who sings and plays the guitar, and he enjoys writing short stories and poems. Joseph has been interested in acting since he was a child. His favorite motto is, “Genius begins great works, but labor alone finishes them.”
Jenna Manolakes (Sandra) - Jenna is a recent arrival to Nashville from Illinois. In Chicago, she made her mark on the theatre scene performing at her alma mater, The University of Illinois, Columbia College, Second City, and various other theatres located in Chicago. By the time she left, Jenna considered herself a professional stage actor who also had the pleasure of writing, directing, and casting numerous shows. Jenna would like to thank her cast and crew for their wonderful talents and dedication as well as her family and friends who continue to support and push her to follow her dreams.
Courtney McClellan (Nurse Flinn) - After performing with the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival and studying in New York with McCaskill Studios, Courtney is glad to be home again with Circle Players. Including stage time, technical/running crew, and creative design, this is Courtney's twentieth show with Circle! She is thrilled to work with Clay Hillwig again, for whom she would gladly lay down over train tracks. Nashville credits include A Raisin in the Sun (Circle Players), Once on this Island (Street Theatre Company), and Miracle on 34th Street (Larry Keeton Theatre). Regional credits include Mama Morton in Chicago, Alice in Big River, and Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music ( Weathervane Playhouse;Newark, OH) and Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet , First Witch in Macbeth, and Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream (North Carolina Shakespeare Festival; High Point, NC). Courtney gives unending thanks to Mommy and Daddy!
Antonio P. Nappo (Frank Scanlon) - Antonio P. Nappo graduated with a B.A. in Theater from the College of Charleston in 2008 and received his Master’s in Acting from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2009. He is excited to be back on stage with Circle, having last been seen in Titanic the Musical. Favorite credits include: Kiss Me Kate, Legally Blonde (The Keeton Theater); Macbeth (Nashville Shakespeare Festival); Chicago!, Annie, HAIR (McLeod Summer Playhouse). Tony sends much love to B.J. for her support and to his mom for introducing him to the art he loves. Check him out at: antoniopnappo.weebly.com
Michael Roark (Dale Harding) - Michael Roark graduated from Western State Colorado University, and moved to NYC, where he worked at CBGB and studied acting at the National Shakespeare Conservatory. He has been seen locally in many productions over the years. Some of his favorite roles are Cecil Graham in Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, Griever in Blue Window by Craig Lucas and Norman in Ronald Harwood's The Dresser. He also directed two productions for ACT 1: Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Paul Osborn's Morning's at Seven. Micahel is very excited to be working with Clay Hillwig again (the first time under his direction), and to be a part of Circle Players in this classic American drama.
Chris Rogers (Ruckley) - Chris was born and raised in southern Georgia. A singer/songwriter and pianist, Chris relocated to Tennessee to pursue new opportunities. Having studied theatre while pursuing his degree, he naturally felt drawn to come back to his first love: being on stage. Chris has performed in several productions, including an all-musical performance of Les Miserables, in which he had a lead role as a guest soloist. He resides in East Nashville and is a doggy-daddy to three great pooches. Chris is happy to be a part of Circle Players and looks forward to future roles in the company.
Matt Salerno (Technicians Aide )- Matt is new to Circle Players and very excited to start his journey towards an acting career. He is a singer and songwriter who plays the bass guitar and spends a lot of his time writing songs and stories. Matt is from Minnesota and loves the outdoors. His life-long goals include becoming a film director, publishing novels, and touring the world playing music with his two brothers.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Crew