Kirk Gardner

 

Kirk Gardner is a CPA with Eide Bailly LLP. When not doing taxes, he has appeared with Nevada Repertory Company, Western Nevada Musical Theatre Company and (mostly) Reno Little Theater. This past summer he was most recently seen (sans hair) in SSPA’s Annie. He measures each year in the love and support of Julie (jt).

Reno Biondi
Reno Biondi is very excited to be part of this wonderful Musical Revue. This is his 2nd performance with Sierra School of Performing Arts. He is in the sixth grade at Swope Middle School. He loves drawing/cartooning, playing the piano and guitar and spending time with friends and family.

Anna Leff

Anna is a senior at Damonte Ranch High School. This is her sixth Sierra School of Performing Arts production and she is so excited to spend more time onstage. Anna has previously been in Annie, Guys and Dolls, Legally Blonde, City of Angels, and more! Anna would like to thank everybody for coming and supporting Sierra School of Performing Arts!

Abby Wagner

Abby is a 7th grader at Alder Creek Middle School in Truckee.  Her favorite role to date was playing Annie this past summer with SSPA.  Abby plays the tuba, trombone, and ukulele and loves to sing, dance and travel with her family (when they aren’t driving her to and from rehearsals)!  Without a doubt the BEST thing about SSPA are the people and wonderful friends she’s made.

Maddi Dowden

Maddi’s first experience with SSPA was in Annie and she is thrilled to be part of the  cast of All Together Now!. Some of her previous roles include: Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Ms. Sherman in Fame!, and Minerva in Murder’s in the Heir. She has also performed in a variety of short films during her time in Las Vegas. Maddi would like to send her appreciation to SSPA; to Christian and his family for their unconditional support; and to her father for his endless supply of love.

Brooklyn Remington

Brooklyn Remington is grateful to SSPA for launching her into the world of musical theater at just seven years old. She first played Marta Von Trapp in The Sound of Music at Bartley Ranch. She also worked with SSPA as the Jazzy Snail soloist in A Year with Frog & Toad and as Jojo in Seussical the Musical. Brooklyn appeared as Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka, Jr. and Flounder in The Little Mermaid, Jr. She was also featured in Newsies and Matilda. Brooklyn’s stage experience caught the attention of the Miss Universe Organization, which invited her to sing The Star-Spangled Banner at Miss Teen USA. She also belted the national anthem in front of 10,000 Aces fans on July 4th!

Harper Westfall

Harper is thrilled to have another opportunity to perform with SSPA, having previously been in Annie and the ensemble of Seussical the Musical, Jr.  She is in the  7th grade at Sage Ridge School, where she performed as Reginald in their production of Matilda, as well as singing Castle in the Cloud for their Bring Back Broadway show.  Along with performing, Harper takes voice lessons and enjoys playing volleyball at both the school and club level.  She spends her free time with her family, friends, and puppy, Koa. 

Barbara Brand

Barbara recently moved to Reno and this is her first production with SSPA. She has spent the last 18 years performing, choreographing, music directing with The Music Theatre of Idaho. Some of her favorite roles have been Fantine, in Les Mis, Dolly, in Hello Dolly, Velma, in Chicago, and Donna, in Mamma Mia. She is excited to be joining SSPA for this production and to get to be part of such a great group of performers. She is also the music director for the show.

Cody Hamilton

Cody Hamilton is a local Actor, Producer, Writer, and Director. He is one of the Heads/Creators of the local Film Co. Teensy Leader Pictures (Check out our YouTube channel), and has done acting in the area for over a decade. You may have seen him in local theater productions of  Legally Blonde(SSPA as Warren, Young Frankenstein(GLM) as Dr. Fronkensteen, and Shakespeare in Love(GLM) as Will Shakespeare. And you may recognize him from Annie – he played Rooster.

Cami Thompson

Reno native Cami Thompson is thrilled to FINALLY be back onstage with dear friends!! She has sung professionally for almost 45 years in over 20 countries and across the U.S. Her repertoire covers jazz, swing, R&B, funk, rock, soul, the Blues, Big Band, and Broadway. She has recorded 6 CDs, and composes and arranges her music. An Equity candidate, her professional roles in SF/Bay Area include: Jeanette (Full Monty), Mrs. Lovett (Sweeney Todd), Muzzy (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Miss Hannigan (Annie), Kate (Girl Crazy). Roles with  Nevada Opera chorus include the Witch (Hansel and Gretel), Mrs. Lovett, Annie Oakley (with John Raitt), Agnes Gooch (with Toni Tenille), Ellie May (Showboat). Roles with UNR/Nevada Repertory include Mary Magdalene, Mame, Mrs. Lovett, Miss Mona, Old Lady (Candide), Sally Durant (Follies).  More recently:  Queen Eleanor (Lion in Winter - Brüka), Fairy Godmother (Cinderella - SSPA), Joanne (Company – Good Luck Macbeth). Cami also works as Music/Vocal Director for dozens of local productions and is a private vocal coach and clinician at schools and competitions around the Western US.

Jon Marshall

Jon Marshall is delighted to be on the stage again after performing in Annie. He has been singing all his life, for the past six years with the Reno Phil Chorus, recently in a quartet for the 2020 Spirit of the Season concert broadcast. He currently works as a middle school teacher in Sparks, after spending two decades as an insurance actuary. His wife and four children are all performers.

Cameron Leavitt

Cameron was born in Monterey California and has been in several local shows including Young Frankenstein, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Mary Poppins, and Madagascar Live. Cameron has been preforming and dancing since he was very young. He is excited to be returning back to the stage and working with The Sierra School of Preforming Arts.

cameron.leavitt

Sophie Moeller

Originally from Massachusetts, Sophie has performed on stages from the east to west coast. Favorite roles include; Paulette in SSPA's production of Legally Blonde, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors with Falmouth Theater Guild, Logainnne SchwartzandGrubenierre in Harwich Junior Theater's production of 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Lottie in Enchanted April with Cotuit Center for the Arts, Dora Lee in 9-5 with TCT, and Emma in Stupid F@#*$@! Bird with Bruka Theater.  She won the award for Best Actress in the Oregon Short Film Festival for her role as Katie in the film Dear George as well as the Forte Award for Best actress in a Dramatic role for her performance in Stupid F@#*$@! Bird. It has been a joy to sing a song from one of her all-time favorite musicals and spend time with fellow theater folk in ATN with SSPA!

Imani Valle

Imani is 12 years old and in 7th grade. She has performed with TheatreWorks of Northern Nevada, Reno Little Theater, and Good Luck Macbeth (where she played her favorite role, Small Alison in Fun Home) and played the orphan July in SSPA’s production of Annie last summer. Besides acting and singing, she loves sports, school, family time, and generally being dramatic. She thanks her family, teachers, and friends for always believing in her!

Cindy Sabatini

Cindy has a passion for music and has performed in or musically directed theater productions in the Reno/Sparks/Carson City/Lake Tahoe area since moving here in 1998.  Some favorite roles include Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL, Ursula in THE LITTLE MERMAID, Rizzo in GREASE, Sally Bowles in CABARET, and Aldonza in MAN OF LA MANCHA.  You may remember her in SSPA productions of Fiddler on the Roof (Golde) and Cinderella (Stepmother).  Her diverse musical background includes productions in 6 states, vocalist in classical, jazz, religious, and rock groups.  She currently is vocalist for the Let’s Dance Big Band, Route 66 rock band, a member of the Reno Philharmonic Chorus and had the thrill of performing at Carnegie Hall!  Cindy teaches private voice and piano and feels very blessed to be employed as the Director of Worship & Music Ministries at Sparks United Methodist Church.

Jeff Chamberlin

Jeff is pleased to make ATN  his 3rd show with SSPA, his 2nd being Annie this past summer. Jeff is a longtime resident of Reno and has worked in the North Lake Tahoe area for more than 16 years. Starting at the age of 6, Jeff has performed in more than 50 dramas, comedies and musicals. His most recognizable roles include Sky Masterson in SSPA's production of “Guys and Dolls.” He has also performed as Billy Flynn “Chicago”, Thenardier “Les Miserables”, Anatoly Siergievski in  “Chess”, and Stanley Kowalski in “A Streetcar Named Desire”. He has been honored with two Blythe Awards for his roles in “Murder on the Orient Express” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Jeff has lovely twin daughters who will be heading off to college next year and he will miss them very much.

Lynette Gardner

Lynette Gardner has been performing for the majority of her life.  She’s performed with SSPA as the Queen in Cinderella and Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music.  Some of her favorite roles have included Rosie in Mamma Mia, Laurey in Oklahoma!, Meg Brockie in Brigadoon, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Ernest, several characters in The Laramie Project,  Side by Side by Sondheim, She also appeared as Izzy Sue Ricks in Mother Hicks and Ariel in The Tempest.  As always, it’s a joy to appear onstage with such a fantastic company!

Traci Biondi
Traci Biondi is delighted to be part of All Together Now! with SSPA. In her free time, she enjoys supporting local theater and the performing arts here in Northern Nevada and spending time with her family and friends. Traci hopes to one day be like Mary Poppins – practically perfect in every way.

Scott House

Scott has performed in over 20 shows with Nevada Repertory Company and in over 10 shows with Nevada Opera. He performed in "Mame" and "Showboat" featuring Toni Tennille; was in two USO shows: "Grease", performing in Korea, The Philippines, Okinawa, Guam, and Diego Garcia. "Guys and Dolls" was a West Germany USO tour and was on tour for two years playing bass and singing in a top 40 cover band. Played Judge Turpin in "Sweeney Todd" with TMCC; played Arvide in "Guys and Dolls" with SSPA. Most recently he has been performing with P'Opera, a group that sings everything from Pop to Opera.

Michelle Pfingston

 Michelle is delighted to be a part of this vastly talented cast in All Together Now. her first time performance  with SSPA. Michelle usually performs in Plumas County, with roles that include Vicki Nicholes from the Full Monty, Bloody Mary from South Pacific, and Lady Thaing in The King and I. When not on stage, Michelle is an Independent Studies teacher for grades 2-10. “Music is how I connect.”

Maddie Ho

Madeline (Maddie) Ho is 9 years old and is currently a fourth grader at Hunsberger Elementary. Maddie played the role of Molly in Annie and has appeared in several other productions with Sierra School of Performing arts including “Suessical the Musical” and “Frog and Toad”. She also enjoys playing piano and swimming.

Lily McCaskill

Lily is in fourth grade at Hunsberger Elementary. She played Molly in SSPA's recent production of Annie and is thrilled to be in All Together Now.

Katia Eccles

Katja Eccles, 11, trained formal ballet at Conservatory of Movement for four years before turning her focus to modern dance and theater arts. Katja has received several years of vocal training with Tiffanie Story, and has performed on stage with Sierra Nevada Ballet. She currently enjoys attending classes at Fascinating Rhythm in Hip Hop, Lyrical dance and Musical Theater. Katja would like to thank Sierra School of Performing Arts for the opportunity to perform in All Together Now. “Measure your life in love..”

Emily Ho

Emily Ho is a 12-year-old who is currently a seventh grader at Marce Herz Middle School. This is Emily’s second  musical with Sierra School of Performing Arts. She was very excited to play the role of Kate in “Annie” this past summer.  Emily also enjoys playing piano, singing, tennis, and swimming.

Giuliana Hovenic

Giuliana Hovenic is in 5th grade at Sage Ridge School. She loves the theater and aspires to be an actress. This is her second  production with SSPA.

Aila McCaskill

Aila is 12 years old and in the 7th grade. She loves singing and is currently in the Advanced choir at her middle school. She is also passionate about baking, piano, and soccer. Aila has performed in several SSPA productions including Suessical the Musical Jr., Horton Hears a Who Jr., And Stuck Ever After. She is excited to be among her friends and a very talented cast performing in this production.

Amy Ginder

Amy Ginder has been performing in Reno for more than 20 years as a vocalist, actress and choreographer. Favorite roles include Yitzhak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Janet in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Mae in Reefer Madness The Musical, Queenie in Wild Party, and of course in Annie as Miss Hannigan.  She sends huge thanks and love to her family and friends for their support during a wacky year.

Jessica Pauletto

Jessica discovered music as a child, performing in youth choir groups and never missing a moment to sing with her three sisters. Dubbed the “National Anthem Singer” in high school and college, she performed for various non-profits, sporting games and events while her athletic career took the forefront. In 2010, she turned her senior thesis into a musical and performed before peers and professors, snagging an academic award in entertainment marketing. In 2019, Jessica enjoyed her debut performance as a Hot Box Girl in “Guys & Dolls,” by The Sierra School of Performing Arts and then, as Lily St. Regis in “Annie,” she got to channel her inner New Yorker once again. Jessica is forever grateful for the joy of performing arts, and its power to connect people from all ages, talents, backgrounds and stories.

Vivi Keller

Vivienne Keller is 11 years old and appeared as an orphan in Annie. She has trained in various genres of dance since she was 3, advancing to competitive dance at 6. She is currently taking voice and piano lessons. When not on stage, she’s passionate about swimming and tennis. Vivi thanks her parents for always letting her pursue her dreams. She is also grateful to SSPA for the  amazing opportunity to perform in Annie. Vivi wishes to dedicate all of her performances to Great Grandma Betty.

Melina Frogget (Co-Director and Lighting Designer)

Melina is excited to make her directing debut in the Reno, Nevada theatre community. She graduated from the University of Nevada Reno in 2020 with a Theatre degree (emphasis in design and technology). Her recent credits include assistant directing UNR’s production of Spring Awakening and directing a small one-act in Reno Little Theater’s One Day Play Festival. She is also heavily involved in the technical side having designed lights for Sierra School of Performing Arts’ A Year With Frog and Toad and running lights for SSPA’s Guys and Dolls and Annie. She enjoys taking part in every aspect of productions and has run sound and lights, designed sets and costumed, stage managed, acted, and anything else you can think of!

Janet Lazarus (Co- Director and Production Manager)

Janet is the co-founding artistic director for SSPA since 2005. She holds an M.F.A. in theater from UCLA and has worked as an actress, producer, director, teacher, and playwright in New York, Los Angeles and locally. Janet has taught at various schools and institutions in Reno and Tahoe including UNR and LTCC.  She has directed many musicals for SSPA and is thrilled to be sharing directing duties with Melina on this show. She would like to extend her heartfelt thanks to the cast, creative team and production crew for volunteering their time and talents to help raise funds for Sierra School of Performing Arts.  Shameless plug to come take a class this winter/spring, and be sure to join our email list so you know what show we will be doing next summer! We will announce soon!

Abby Rosen (Choreographer (We're All in this Together; Consider Yourself; Supercalif.))

Abby Rosen is a teaching artist, theater maker, and performer currently based in Reno, NV. She moved to Reno in 2016 to pursue a degree in vocal performance from the University of Nevada, Reno. Through multiple musicals, countless dance classes, tears, laughter and a global pandemic, she is now the proud holder of both a BA in Musical Theater and a BA in Dance from UNR. She had the privilege of touring with the Missoula Children’s Theater during the summer of 2019 where she discovered her love for teaching and bringing the magic of performing to children everywhere. Rosen hopes to attend graduate school for a degree in Theater for Young Audiences and Communities in the near future. When she isn’t singing, acting, dancing, teaching with Theater Works of Northern Nevada, Sierra School of the Performing Arts, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, or in her own private studio… you can find her knitting/crocheting and watching The X Files late into the night. 

Amanda Flocchini (Choreographer (Easy Street, Hard Knock Life))

Amanda has choreographed seven musicals with SSPA including: Fiddler on the Roof, Wizard of Oz, Legally Blonde, Guys and Dolls and Annie.  By day, Mandy is a middle school chemistry teacher.