Cael Birch (Ensemble) The performing arts is a big part of Cael’s person life, often being involved in music programs, drums or piano and theater productions. Recently at Civic he performed in The Wind In The Willows as Lesser Weasel. In his free time he is a night stalking crime fighting vigilante who you might otherwise know as Batman.
Josian Brett (Serena) studied at Utah Tech University is Performing Arts and joined the Raging Red Preforming Arts Team. She also studied dance at Dance Arts and became a dance Instructor at Dance Motionz. Her favorite roles include Anita in the 2024 national tour of Girls Night Out Christmas which was her first national tour, Veronica Sawyer in Heathers: The Musical (Civic), Sandy Cheeks in The Spongebob Musical (Aspire), and Ellie in Freaky Friday (Hurricane Utah Theatre). She has won Hip hop dancer of the year her senior year, 2nd place is Dixie’s Got talent, won Dixie Idol, and won Performer of the Year her freshman year at Utah Tech University. “I’m so thankful for my family and friends who keep supporting on my journey! Please enjoy the show.”
Taylor Clanagan (Delta Nu) is excited to be back on the Civic Main Stage! She was last seen there in the ensemble of Funny Girl and most recently appeared in the ensemble in She Loves Me in the Studio Theatre. You may have also seen her in the ensemble in Sweeney Todd at Stage Left. Theatre feeds her soul, and she’s grateful for the chance to share that joy once again with the Spokane Civic Theatre community.
Mike Donahoe (Ensemble) is excited to be back onstage at Civic after working backstage for The Wind in the Willows this summer! Last season at Civic he performed as Cal in Waitress and Bob Cratchit in this season’s A Christmas Carol! Other favorite roles include Oscar Delancey in Newsies and Kerchak in Tarzan (both with Spokane Children’s Theatre).
Jameson Elton (Ensemble) is a three times Youngarts winner and is a Marietta Coyle award recipient for Classical Voice. His favorite credits are Mole in The Wind in the Willows (Civic Education) Mark Cohen in RENT (Lake City Playhouse), Tommy Devito in Jersey Boys and Venticelli in Amadeus (both with Civic). When not on stage, he can be found as a barista at Ladder Coffee. “So proud of you, Elizabeth – you’re amazing as Elle. Break a leg!”
Reuben Erlinso (Ensemble) has had a blast being part of this production and learning about his voice, how to move his body, and growing as an actor. “Thank you Jake and crew for this opportunity!” Reuben is multi sport athlete who is also ASB Secretary and a member of his school’s choir and most importantly Reuben Erlinso is Me.
Lilah Gail (Delta Nu, Courtney) is thrilled to be in her third Civic production, as well as her third production acting alongside her incredible boyfriend, Noah. Recently she performed as Chief Weasel in The Wind in the Willows, Ensemble in Heathers (both with Civic) and Milky White in Into The Woods (Aspire).
*Ayden Gilbreath (Ensemble) is ecstatic to be working on his first show with Civic. Previously, you may have seen Ayden in CYT’s production of Tarzan as Tarzan and Reuben in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. In SCT’s production of Tarzan as Tarzan and Finch in Newsies. Ayden would like to thank his parents, his voice coach, Steve Mortier, the Joseph artistic team and God. Enjoy the show!
Noah Graybeal (Warner Huntington III) is excited to be back on the Civic stage in Legally Blonde! He was last seen as Rat in The Wind in the Willows this summer. Other performances have included Into the Woods, Heathers, Gypsy, Fiddler on The Roof, Seussical The Musical and Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s PNW premiere production of The Addams Family.
JJ Hatheway (Ensemble) works as an Art Director at DH, a social change marketing agency. Favorite credits include Seymour Krelborn in Little Shop of Horrors (Saint George’s High School), Uncle Fester in The Addams Family, Bobby Strong in Urinetown The Musical and director for Little Shop of Horrors (all with University of Washington Stage Notes). JJ also does wildlife photography in his spare time.
*Owen Henderson (Ensemble) is ecstatic to be part of Legally Blonde at Civic and hopes you enjoy the show!
*Henry C. Jackson (Ensemble) is excited to make his Civic debut! At North Central High School he has performed as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Robbi Praver in 26 Pebbles and Kholenkhov in You Can’t Take It With You. Achievements include being selected as a National qualifier for male solo musical, performing at the Washington State Thespian Festival Showcase and qualifying for state in solo monologue and group musical. Henry enjoys theatre as a hobby and hopes it make a living from it one day.
*Meghan Jane (Vivienne Kensington) is honored to be making her Spokane Civic debut with such a strong and supportive cast! This is her first show since moving to Spokane from Tacoma, WA, where she got her music degree from Pacific Lutheran University. Some of her favorite credits include being in the choir for 5th Avenue’s production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Katherine in Freaky Friday the Musical (Northwest Theatre Lab), The Princess in Love’s Labour’s Lost the Musical (PLU), and Young Rep./Ensemble in Heathers (Lakewood Playhouse). Off stage, Meghan teaches private voice lessons and is passionate about art as activism and advocacy for arts education. She would like to thank her friends for their unwavering love and support, and her cast for reminding her that being true to yourself never goes out of style.
Delaney Kahler (Delta Nu) is a Washington based performing artist, choreographer, arts educator, and writer. She graduated from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle earning her degree in Musical Theatre with an Original Works emphasis. Recent acting credits include The Wolves as player #13 and ensemble in Carousel here at Civic, Once: The Musical as the percussionist and Berthe in Pippin at Cornish. Her recent choreography credits include Ride The Cyclone at Stage Left, RENT at Lake City Playhouse, and Heathers, Waitress and Xanadu Jr. at Civic. Thank you for supporting local arts!
Karlin Marie Kahler (Pilar) Ohmigod you guys, Karlin is totally psyched you’re here! She has been performing from the age of five and began her career as a director at the age of 14. In addition to performing and directing, Karlin is an Educator and Costume Associate at Spokane Civic Theatre and a student at EWU. Last summer she directed Xanadu Jr. for Civic Education. Recently, you may have seen her in A Grand Night for Singing at Spokane Valley Summer Theatre. In Rent at Lake City Playhouse. At Civic, you may have seen her in Waitress as part of the ensemble, Carousel as Julie Jordan, Heathers: The Musical as Heather Chandler, and CATS as Demeter. She also was in Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens and as Jessica in Women Playing Hamlet at Lilac City Dinner Theatre. As Johanna in Sweeney Todd and ensemble in The Rocky Horror Show at Stage Left. Or Cinderella in Into the Woods at TAC at the Lake. Karlin thanks her eternally supportive family and friends, and you for joining us!
Tori Liezen (Brooke Wyndam, Store Manager) is thrilled to return for her third show at Civic following her performances of Ms. Fleming in Heathers and Ms. Teavee in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She is living her childhood playground dreams of nailing her jump rope routine in front of a captive audience. So, thanks in advance for clapping! Hi mom and dad! Thanks for coming from San Diego to cheer me on!
Jake Schaefer (Director) is a music and theatre-maker and, proudly, Civic’s Executive Director. His passion for collaborative creative work caught fire at a young age while studying music and performing at Civic. Jake moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to pursue a college education and career in show business. In 2010, he founded a music co-op called EMPHATIC which has since evolved into a recording and live production company. Jake and other EMPHATIC artists have contributed to recordings and live endeavors for artists including Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, LA Phil, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Rufus Wainwright, and Quincy Jones; commercial clients include Cirque du Soleil, Marc Jacobs, and Nike; favorite regional theater credits include Evita (director), It Must Be Him (original/LA workshop music director), and The Night of the Black Cat (original production workshop music director); consulting clients include Live Nation, The Nederlander Organization, and Universal Music Group. In October 2021, Jake worked on the grand opening of Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, supporting Coldplay concert opening act We Are KING. In addition to directing CATS, The Addams Family, Alice by Heart, Follies in Concert, Young Frankenstein, and more, Jake has led Civic collaborations with Spokane Symphony (West Side Story) and Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (Dressing The Abbey: The Costumes of Downton Abbey).
*Beth Rainey (Music Director) is thrilled to be part of this production of Legally Blonde! An accomplished pianist, her local theatrical credits include Piano/Conductor for Annie (CYT North Idaho), Piano/Conductor for Rising Stars and Keys 2 for A Grand Night of Singing (both with Spokane Valley Summer Theater). Additionally, Beth works at the Eastern Washington University Music Department as a collaborative pianist and vocal coach. On the west side of the state she worked as Music Director and Pianist for Broadway Bound Theater (Seattle, WA) and Kitsap Forest Theater (Bremerton, WA). Beth is a mom to a lively toddler Myles and is soon teaching Zumbini music classes to ages 0-4 and their guardians!
Bonni Dichone (Choreographer) is ecstatic to be a part of this artistic team. A multi-hyphenate creative based in the Pacific Northwest, she works primarily as an actor for film and television while maintaining deep roots in dance and musical theatre. Her artistic foundation includes extensive training in classical ballet, musical theatre, and classical piano. Bonni has performed as a principal dancer with a contemporary ballet company and on professional musical theatre stages. She is also an award-winning choreographer, with credits including Spokane Civic Theatre’s CATS, Wind in the Willows for Spokane Civic Education, and choreography for the feature film Train Dreams. In addition to her creative work, Bonni is a faculty member at Artistry in Motion Dance and Performing Arts in Spokane. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Washington State University and recently retired as a tenured Professor of Mathematics at Gonzaga University. Spokane is home, where she enjoys a full and vibrant life with her husband, Paulo, and their two children, Georgina and Rafael.
Kelli Cunningham (Stage Manager) holds a BA in Finance and Business Management from Eastern Washington University where she also found a love for the performing arts through the theater program. She joined the Spokane Civic Theatre staff in 2014 as Assistant Box Office Manager and is currently enjoying her role as Operations Manager. She started working on the production side at Civic as assistant stage manager for Catch Me If You Can in 2015 and has continued on as stage manager for Young Frankenstein, Jersey Boys, The Addams Family, CATS, and more. Kelli has also been fortunate to have a part in various community collaborations with Spokane Symphony and Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture and hopes to be part of many more in the future.
*Anna Collado (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to jump into the Spokane theatre community after graduating from Wastern Washington University. Their credits at Eastern include Assistant Stage Manager for Something Rotten! and Stage Manager for New Works Play Festival.
Peter Rossing (Scenic Design) has designed sets for theater, opera, and dance in Portland and Austin and staging for corporate events in Europe and Asia. Recent designs for Civic have included Cats, Carousel, A Christmas Carol, and The Beauty Queen of Leenane. Favorite past projects include A View from the Bridge for Portland Repertory Theatre, The Importance of Being Earnest for New Rose Theatre (Portland), On the Verge for Different Stages Co. in Austin, and A Comedy of Errors on Austin’s Zilker Park Stage.
Jamie L. Suter (Costume Design) holds a BA in Theater Design and Technical Production with concentrations in Costume Design and Directing from Marymount Manhattan College in NYC, studying under Broadway professionals Gail Brassard, Liz Covey, and Bob Anton. Notable credits include Costume Design for The Wonder!: A Woman Keeps a Secret (T. Schreiber Studio), Assistant to the Costume Designer for Sweeney Todd (Avery Fisher Hall), Assistant Costume Designer for The Lucky Chance (Theresa Lang Theater), Director/Costume Designer for Seven Femmes (Rathskeller Studios), and Costume Designer for The Lost Cabaret (NYC Fringe Festival). Jamie joined the Civic staff in 2018, her first design on stage being Present Laughter in the Studio Theatre. She loves being part of the fun and frivolity of live theater and is incredibly happy to do that at her home away from home, Spokane Civic Theatre.
Bryan D. Durbin (Lighting Design) has a BA in theatre and is very excited to be back as Civic’s master electrician and lighting designer following the long hiatus. “I want to thank my family Heather, Evie, and Abby for all of their support.”
Jeremy Wissing (Sound Engineer) is excited to be back in the tech booth at Civic! Recent sound credits include The Drowsy Chaperone, Jr. (Lewis and Clark High School), Romeo and Juliet, An Enemy of the People and CATS (all with Civic).
Alexei Snow (Lighting Design Associate, Light Board Operator) is excited to support Civic and local theatres. Recently he worked in backstage as Fly Coordinator for The Addams Family, Light Board Operator for CATS, A Sherlock Carol and Alice by Heart, Deck Chief for Jersey Boys (all with Civic) and Crew for Red (Stage Left). “I would like to thank my life partner Adam Snow and dear friend Sarah Dahmen for showing me the delight of collaboration and teamwork that is theatre.”
Maren Forsnes (Dance Captain) in an incoming student at EWU studying pre-physical therapy. Her favorite roles include Ancestor in The Addams Family, Mr. Mistoffelees in CATS, Uranis in Xanadu Jr. (all with Civic) and Tilly in She Kills Monsters (Hitchhiker’s Theatre).
Wren Rhodes (Dresser) is a self-taught singer with dance training, focusing on tap. Their recent credits with Civic are Mrs. Otter in The Wind in the Willows, Arminy in Carousel, Ensemble in She Loves Me and Ancestor in The Addams Family. Wren also own Enchanted Entertainment, a princess character company: @enchanted_pnw
Lily Savage (Backstage Crew) would like to thank all of the wonderful people in her life who have supported her through this process; she loves you all! Lily is a regular on and off the stage in the local theater community, her recent credits are Ruffian in Carousel (Civic), Assistant Stage Manager for Little Shop of Horrors (Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre), Adriana in The Comedy of Errors (Civic Education) and Denise in Wild Dust (Upstart Players).
Adam Snow (Backstage Crew) is a detail-driven person with experience in various aspects of theater design. Favorite and recent credits with Civic include stage manager for The Wolves, CATS, A Sherlock Carol and Alice by Heart, and backstage crew for A Christmas Carol and The Addams Family. When not working in design, Adam can be writing, creating art, petting their cats, and adventuring with their partner. “I’m excited and honored to collaborate at Civic once again!”
Mackenzie Willett (Costume Assistant) loves working behind the scenes at Civic as well as working as part of the Front of House Staff. Outside of theatre, Mackenzie spends all her time watching and playing soccer, spending time at church, and reading.
* Spokane Civic Theatre Debut