CAST BIOs | vvtc

SWEET CHARITY CAST BIOs

(in no particular order)

KATIE-JANE DENTON

Charity Valentine

Ms. Katie-jane is more than thrilled to be back on stage with the wonderful Vail Valley Theatre Company - "It really is such an honor to be with the Vail Valley Theatre Company under amazing direction and creativity from Beth Swearingen, Jonathan Gorst and Kaylee Brennand"!! From farm to table, Katie-jane is a grass fed local from the Vail Valley and is a proud daughter of Craig and Nancy Denton. Since dancing in Los Angeles California, Katie-jane is back full-time in the valley teaching the Pure Barre Technique, Pilates and Dance at Studio 8100. A HUGE thanks for the support from Family and Friends - "With all that love, I have a purpose". Katie-jane is more than thrilled to be your Sweet Charity, and can not wait to share this musical experience with the valley!

ELIZABETH SULLIVAN

Helene

Elizabeth Sullivan holds a BA in Dance/minor in Kinesiology. Equity/Community Theatre; Tess in CRAZY FOR YOU, Hunyak in CHICAGO, 9to5, SOUTH PACIFIC & KISMET. She has performed with & choreographed for Amy Adams, Bob Hope, Kenny Rogers, Descente, Obermeyer, Fila, Stetson, Pioneer Western Wear. Commercial Credits; Nissan, Schick, ISUZU, Coors, Budlight, Ski The Summit. Film/TV Credits; Lady Bugs, Father Dowling. Dance Company Credits; Boulder Jazz Dance Co., Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Co., 40 Woman Over 40 Dance Co., Jan Justis Dance Co., Centro De Acapulco (Mexico), Makado (Tokyo, Japan). She was the choreographer for 12 years for the Upper School Musicals at Kent Denver School along with owning an entertainment company in Denver. She is a certified Pilates, Yoga & Barre Instructor specializing in Rehab Pilates. Thank you to the VVTC for this amazing run, her three children, her loving partner, Flanny and his three kids for support. She is dancing on two hip replacements! Never stop Dancing 'til the Music Runs Out!

DIANA HONEY KISS

Hazel

Diana has lived in Vail over half her life and equally loves the great outdoors and performing with The Vail Valley Theatre Company. She loves the process of rehearsals, comradery, and the bonds created with the casts both new and old. Diana has been a member of the VVTC for 18 years and also serves on the Board.

JOHNETTE TOYE

Betsy/Receptionist/Assistant

Johnette, a Nebraska native, moved to Colorado shortly after receiving her B.F.A. in Theatre Arts from The University of Nebraska at Kearney. She performed over 20 years professionally on stage and in various film projects throughout the Denver Metro area from 1991-2013. A great 15 years of that time was spent at The Heritage Square Music Hall until their final closing. Another one of her major Denver credits was her role as Dame Van Tassel in the musical, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” with Write On Productions. It received the Denver Theatre Critic’s Award for the Best Play of the Year and it was later produced as a feature film where she reprised her role. Most recently, She performed at Glenwood Vaudeville Theater in their 2017 Summer Comedy Review. Johnette arrived in Vail in 2014 and has been performing with the Vail Valley Theatre Company ever since. She is thrilled to be here and is very grateful for the opportunity to perform.

MARIA BARRY

Rosie

Maria has been dancing since the age of four. She danced professionally in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, California and Aruba. She also performed professionally in musical theater in Denver and Vail Colorado. She has been teaching jazz, tap, and ballet at Vail Valley Academy of Dance for the last 25 years. She is assistant Choreographer for Vail performing Arts Academy. She has choreographed for numerous musical theater productions in the Vail Valley. She also teaches Country Western Dance and West Coast Swing.

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BETH SWEARINGEN

Director/Choreography/Staging

Beth is thrilled to be directing and choreographing this production of Sweet Charity. She has also directed and choreographed “9 to 5 the Musical”, “Chicago” “Company”, “Side by Side by Sondheim”, “Annie Get Your Gun”, “Man of La Mancha”, and “A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum” for VVTC. She also co-wrote directed and choreographed 9 years of the highly successful “Evening on Broadway” fundraisers for the VVTC at the Vilar Center. She had a ball performing in VVTCs highly acclaimed production of “Into the Woods” as the witch, as well as “Trailer Park the Musical” and “The Rocky Horror Show”.

Here in the valley she wears many hats as a musician, dance teacher, fitness instructor and member of The Fabulous Femmes and the Vail Valley Band. She thanks the cast for all their talent, hard work, and dedication, Kerry for never complaining about being a theatre widow, and her beautiful kids Naomi, and Jonah for their never ending love and support.

Thanks for supporting live theatre. Come and get involved with VVTC either onstage or off!

JONATHAN GORST

Musical Director

Jonathan was born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His love of music began at the age of three and has continued throughout his career. As a pianist, Jonathan began his professional career at the Imperial Hotel in Cripple Creek, Colorado when he was sixteen years old. He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley in 1996 with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance. Jonathan soon became the Keyboard I player for the Broadway National Tour of Cats. He later became Music Director/ Conductor for the tour. Jonathan became Music Director/Principle Conductor for the National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera in 2007 and finished the last 4 years of the longest running National Tour of a Broadway show in history. He continued to play and conduct that show in Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular at the Venetian Hotel and Casino, holding the position of Assistant Conductor/Keyboard II Player until that production closed in 2012. Having become a Las Vegas resident he then produced two family-friendly shows in the area, Bonnie's Old West Musical Revueat Bonnie Springs Ranch, and the Grand Ole Vegas Revue at the Plaza Hotel and Casino. In 2013 he returned to the tour circuit, joining the First National Tour of Ghost, The Musical as Associate Conductor and Keyboard I Player. Most recently Jonathan has taken on the position of Music Director at the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue in Glenwood Springs, CO, where he draws on his knowledge of musical theater, ragtime piano, and classical music to entertain audiences with sing-a-longs, musical comedy, and virtuosic performance.

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ABBY FIX

Suzanne

Abby moved to the Vail Valley six years ago from Michigan after graduating from Michigan State University. This is her first time on stage in her first musical. When she is not on stage, you can find her swimming, hiking, mountain biking, watching football and skiing. She enjoys spending time with her fiancé Mike, and dog, Milford.

CONNIE KINCAID

Elaine/Mama Brubeck

Connie has been dancing, singing and acting since the age of three; beginning her professional career at age sixteen. She can be seen in the films, Grease 2 and Pennies From Heaven, as well as tour videos from Columbia Artists as a member of the Danny Daniels Dance America Tap Dance Company. Danny Daniels is the celebrated Tony Award winning choreographer of the Broadway musical, Tap Dance Kid.

Connie has been a Member and Board Director of the Vail Valley Theatre Company since 2008. Show credits with VVTC include CHICAGO (2015), as Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show musical (2011, 2013), Assistant Director/Choreographer of the 2012 production of Company, An Evening on Broadway productions, Vail Vignettes, (a joint production with The Vail Symposium) and with The Porchlight Players, she played Vicki Nichols in The Full Monty in 2013.

You may also have seen her as one of the Professional Dancers at the Vail Valley Foundation | Youth Power 365’s Star Dancing Gala fundraisers.

During daylight hours she is a REALTOR®/co-owner of Vail Property Brokerage, Inc., the Central Rockies only vacation home advisory and consulting service real estate company specializing in Buyer Brokerage. She also proudly served on the Board of Education with Eagle County Schools for ten years (two as President) having left the elected position due to term limitations.

She is thrilled to work with the talented cast of Sweet Charity as the musical is one of her favorites and thanks her family for understanding her passion and supporting live theatre.