Joshua Baig (Ray) made his debut as a director on the Main Stage with the classic Romeo & Juliet after directing last season’s A Comedy of Errors for Civic Education. He studied theatre locally at Spokane Falls Community College and Eastern Washington University and was last seen onstage at Civic in Merrily We Roll Along and Photograph 51. In Civic’s 2019-2020 season, he had the honor to play the iconic roles of George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life and Clifford Bradshaw in Cabaret. Other favorite credits include Paul Roms in Important Hats of the Twentieth Century (Upstart Players), Ensemble in Young Frankenstein (Civic) and Sebastian in The Tempest (EWU Theatre).
Melody Deatherage (Mag) has a long association with Spokane Civic Theatre, beginning with her first appearance as Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Melody loves to play in all genres from serious drama to high comedy. Recent appearances on Civic’s stages: POTUS and Angels in America (Reader’s Theatre), Playwrights Forum Festival, Parallel Lives special event with Kathie Doyle-Lipe, and Rose Brice in Funny Girl. Directorial credits include An Enemy of the People presented earlier this season, Amadeus, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Kiss Me Kate, and Present Laughter. She is honored to share the stage with this talented cast. Thank you to our crew and production team for bringing this story to life, to Director Jamie for your trust in me, and to you, the audience, for supporting live theatre in our community!
Ruth Elliott (Maureen) is excited to make her Spokane Civic Theatre debut! Ruth has performed all over, training in California and New York City.
Jon Jordan (Pato) is excited to return to the Studio Theatre after portraying Hovstad earlier this season in An Enemy of the People. Other favorite credits include Geoffrey in The Lion in Winter (Ignite! Community Theatre), Reston in Frost/Nixon (Civic) and Nick in Over the River and Through the Woods (Lake City Playhouse).
Jamie L. Suter (Director, Costume Design) is thrilled to bring this haunting story to the stage. She 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.
Matthew Pope (Stage Manager, Sound Board Operator) is happy to return to Civic, previously onstage as Jordan in Significant Other. Other favorite onstage credits include Witch 2 in Macbeth (Stage Left) and Player Queen in Hamlet (Spokane Shakespeare Society). Matthew hold as BA in theatre from Eastern Washington University and currently works with Vitalant, the blood bank, as a blood drive planner!
Kelli Cunningham (Producer) 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 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.
Peter Rossing (Scenic Design) first designed and painted for the Civic with CATS last season. He has designed sets for theater, opera, dance, and corporate events in Portland, Austin and traveling productions. Favorite projects included 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. In recent years, Peter has focused on graphic design, arts marketing, and entrepreneurial projects including founding and operating an art supply store in Portland.
Bryan D. Durbin (Lighting Design, Fight Consultant) 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.”
Jake Schaefer (Sound Design) is a musician, theater-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 addition to directing CATS, The Addams Family, Alice by Heart, Jersey Boys, Young Frankenstein, Follies in Concert, 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).
Dawn-Taylor Reinhardt (Consent Forward Director) studied theater at the Northern College of Speech and Drama and recently became a certified Consent forward Artist facilitator, bringing the important work of intimacy coordinating to the Spokane theater community. She returned to the stage for the first time in 9 years as Renfield in last season’s Dracula at Civic. Her favorite directorial credits are Native Gardens, Red, Spaceman and The Memory of Water.
Mackenzie Willett (Properties) 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.
Sara Edlin-Marlowe (Dialect Coach) has an MFA in Theatre with emphasis on directing from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She spent time studying and working as an actress in NYC where she managed a small part in Godfather I. After moving to Tucson, AZ for a radio news job, she met her husband, William, at callbacks for You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. Bill and Sara ended up spending five years in Birmingham, Alabama working for the Children’s Theatre. They also worked at the Smoky MT. Passion Play in Tennessee where Sara played Mary Magdalen, and at Tecumseh! an outdoor drama in Ohio where she played Tecumapes, sister to Tecumseh. Moving to Spokane in 1992, Sara continued to work at Civic where she directed Dancing at Lughnasa and Women of Lockerbie and acted at Interplayers. Sara worked at Gonzaga and Spokane Public Radio. In 1999, Sara worked at both SCC and SFCC; Retiring in 2019, she continues to be active in theatre here in Spokane.
Adam Snow (Light Board Operator) 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!”
Laureen Savage (Wardrobe) is excited to work backstage after performing as Lady Montague in Romeo and Juliet and Mrs. Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol this season. Other Civic shows include Elf The Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, or Catch Me if You Can. Constantly proud of her three adult children, she wants everyone to know they are amazing individuals who stand up for what is right even when it is not popular and continue to fight even when it is hard. Ms. Savage would especially like to thank her husband, Shane, for the extra strength shown these last few weird months.