Empower

Julie Berghammer

Julie Berghammer was last seen on stage in Stage Left Theater's Fast and Furious. Prior to that, she played Ilsa Lund in Radio Lux's Casablanca at Ignite Theater. She has also been seen in Spokane Civic Theater 2.0 as Catherine Powell and at various Playwright Festivals. She is honored to be a part of Empower and is excited to be back on a stage to share these glimpses of a very personal experience.

Harper Clanton

Harper Clanton is a professional film, commercial, and theater actress. She has been acting for over twenty-five years and has trained with numerous studios and universities in order to improve and hone her skills. After appearing in nearly two dozen plays, the theater is her second home. Currently, she is juggling acting with parenting three beautiful boys. Harper loves to read and learn all she can about just about anything. She spends her free time playing with her Newfoundland Alucard and her two bunnies Nutter Butter and Sharko and dances every chance she can get. Harper sends all her love to her husband Zach and her children Ashton, Killian, and Kairo.

Abby Constable

Abby Constable is ecstatic to be back in the theatre and honored to be a part of Empower. Over the past year, Abby has used her time in lockdown to earn a Master's in Teaching and has been preparing to begin a career teaching English, social studies, and drama. Abby is excited to be playing the role of Rose and wants to extend a heartfelt thanks to Heather McHenry-Kroetch for allowing her to help bring this character to life. A few of Abby’s most recent performances include Daphne Stillington in Present Laughter, Penelope Toop in See How they Run, and Emma/The Countess in Bloody Murder.

Rebecca Craven

Rebecca Craven has recently been seen in Masterpiece Monologues: Greek Edition and Shakespeare Edition at Stage Left, as well as the Leading Ladies stream from Spokane Civic. Prior to the shutdown, you may have seen her as Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret, Joanna in Present Laughter, or Rebecca Heminges in The Book of Will at Spokane Civic. Her other Civic shows include Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, Vi in The Memory of Water, and Miss Andrew, the nasty nanny, in Mary Poppins. Her local theatre work began a couple of years back when she decided to go back to school for an Associates in Fine Arts, Drama from SFCC. She has loved exploring the talent and heart of Spokane’s theatre world and hopes to see more budding creativity as we open up again.

Pamela Kingsley

Pamela Kingsley is an actress and director with over 200 productions to her credit. Her most recent acting credits include Robin inThe Roommate for Contra Costa Civic Theatre, Halie in Buried Child for The Folio at Stage Left, Narrator/Mother in The Long Christmas Ride Home at Stage Left, “The Flood” in The Vagina Monologues at the Unfinished Space, and Clairee in Steel Magnolias at the Booth Tarkington Theatre. Her most recent directing credits include Deathtrap and The Sunshine Boys for Westfield Playhouse, Constellations for Spokane Civic Theatre, Freud's Last Session at Stage Left, and Love, Loss, and What I Wore for the Actors Buddhio.

Jennie Oliver

Jennie Oliver obtained her AFA in Acting from Spokane Falls Community College and is well-known for her regional performances on stage and screen. Recent favorite stage roles include Rebecca in The Long Christmas Ride Home (Stage Left), Rose in A Shayana Maidel (Ignite), Ophelia in Hamlet (SFCC), and the title role in Sylvia (Civic Theatre 2015, Stage Left 2017). Jennie has also been seen on the SciFi television series Z Nation, as well as in numerous short films and commercials. She is excited to continue making an impact in our community by telling compelling, intimate stories of the human condition while collaborating with local, regional, and international talent here at Stage Left.

Mary Jo Rudolf

Mary Jo Rudolf is delighted and extremely honored to join these vibrant, strong women in presenting these empowering words for all women now and in their futures; she extends thanks in particular to Gail Cory-Betz, for her words, and to Lindsay Teter for being drawn to direct Gail’s script. Equally thrilled to have participated in Stage Left’s virtual Masterpiece Monologues: Shakespeare and Greek performances with directors Dahveed Bullis and Lisa Pryne Edwards. Other memorable stage cedits include Aunt Bernie in Molly Allen’s Closing It Up (awarded WA State Kaleidoscope Best Featured Actress 2019), (directed by Heather McHenry-Kroetch), Eloise in Molly Allen’s Preview Play (Directed by Susan Hardie), Emily Brent in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (Directed by Bryan Durbin), Mary in Ron Ford’s Cosmological Constant (Directed by Jerry Sciarrio), Carrie Watts in A Trip To Bountiful (Directed by Troy Nickerson), Momo in The Humans (Directed by Dawn Taylor Reinhardt; cancelled due to the pandemic), Lady Saltburn in Noel Coward’s Present Laughter (Directed by Melody Deatherage), Fannie Lewis in “A Place To Call Home” (Directed by Tim Rarick), Aunt Vera in I Never Saw Another Butterfly (Directed by Troy Nickerson), Madame Rosemonde in Dangereuses Liaisons (Directed by Keith Dixon), The Vagina Monologues (Directed by Dawn Taylor Reinhardt) Rebecca Nurse in The Crucible (Directed by Josephine Keefe), Francis Kittle in Scotland Road (Directed by Kat Heath), Nanny in The Effect of Gamma rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds (Directed by H. James Brown), Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Ernest (Directed by Nick Kittilstved) Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (Directed by Jennifer Bergman), and Heidi (Directed by Trudi Meakin Rogers). There are never ever enough thank-yous to express to each of these amazing insightful skilled directors and the talented actors for all the great pleasure working with you.

Lindsay Teter

Lindsay Teter has been performing and directing around the Northwest for almost 20 years. Trained in Acting and Directing at the University of Idaho, Lindsay has worked with Stage Left, Spokane Civic, Portland's Hand-2-Mouth theatre, and a host of others. Most recently Lindsay directed A Bright Room Called Day at Stage Left and was seen as Roxanne in the theatre's production of Cyrano.

Alyssa Zunker

Alyssa is so excited to be back to sharing the joys of theatre with you again. She has been seen all around the Inland Northwest in theaters large and small, from The Crucible to RENT, and Sister Act to Masterpiece Monologues. She is excited and honored to be included in Empower.

Crystal Madsen

Crystal Perry-Madsen has owned her own photography business in Spokane for over 10 years and specializes in boudoir photography. She has received numerous gold and silver "Best Of” awards in her community as a result of building lasting relationships with her clients. Helping women harness their confidence and unveil their power is her passion and reason for providing boudoir photography. See Crystal's website here

Joy Wood

Courtney Joy Wood, known as Joy to friends and coworkers, is a writer, stage manager, theater administrator, and mother living in Spokane. Born in Centralia, Washington, much of her early theater experience occurred at theaters in Western Washington, including the Evergreen Playhouse, Harlequin Productions, and Centralia College Theater. 

Joy is a former student of Developmental Psychology at Eastern Washington University who plans to continue her education throughout her life. Joy is currently the Front-of-House Manager at Stage Left Theater.

Elizabeth Kitzig

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Kitzig joined the Spokane theater community in 2015, when her love of arts and crafts found an outlet with managing properties for many shows. That quickly evolved into becoming a Stage Manager for shows such as Left Overs, Arcadia, Fiddler On The Roof Jr., God’s Country, Hecuba, A Place to Call Home, Present Laughter, An Iliad, and I Am My Own Wife. 

During the pandemic, Lizzie learned how to operate the light board and she has been happily pushing buttons ever since.

Molly Allen

Molly Allen, of Dave, Ken, and Molly in the Morning on 92.9 ZZU, is thrilled to be the Playwright in Residence at Stage Left Theater. Molly is a radio personality and Grandma by day and a theater lover by night. Molly’s original comedy, Closing It Up, played to sold-out audiences in the 2018/19 season at Stage Left and went on to win several awards at the Kaleidoscope Festival. Before that, she took home the “Audience Favorite” award at the Civic Theater’s 29th Playwrights Forum Festival for The Hostage. She also entertained overflow crowds at Ignite! Theater’s 2016/17 season with On Shaky Ground. Look for more of Molly’s work in upcoming festivals and seasons at Stage Left Theater.

Sharai Bohannon

Sharai Bohannon is a playwright who has been produced in London, England and all over America. She is the founder/co-producer of Punching LaBute, a festival that strikes back at sexism to raise money for charities that support femmes. Additionally, Sharai is a film and pop culture critic for various online magazines including The Everygirl and Book and Film Globe, and her own Medium page. She created and co-hosts the podcast  A Nightmare on Fierce Street. On the podcast, Sharai tackles horror films through a Black feminist lens. She also serves as the Director of Production for Rachel Lynett Theatre Company.

Diana Burbano

Diana Burbano, a Colombian immigrant, is a playwright, Equity actor, and teaching artist at South Coast Repertory and Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble. Diana’s play Ghosts of Bogota, won the Nu Voices festival at Actors Theatre of Charlotte in 2019, where it will be produced in 2022. Ghosts was commissioned and debuted at Alter Theater in the Bay Area in Feb 2020. Sapience, a Playground-SF 2020 winner was featured at the Latinx Theatre Festival, San Diego Rep 2020. Fabulous Monsters, a Kilroys selection was to premiere at Playwrights Arena in 2020 (postponed).

Diana was in Center Theatre Group’s 2018-19 Writers Workshop cohort and is in the Geffen’s Writers Lab in 20-21. She has worked on projects with South Coast Repertory, Artists Repertory Theatre, Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble and Center Theatre Group, and Livermore Shakespeare Festival. Diana recently played Leona in Brian Quijada's Somewhere Over The Border, online at Arizona Theatre Company. You can also see her as Viv the Punk in the cult musical Isle of Lesbos. She is the current Dramatists Guild Rep for Southern California.

Tristen Canfield

Tristen Canfield is a Spokane-based playwright and actress. If you know her, it might be because she wrote The Window and you, or someone you know, saw it and liked it. When not at the theater, Tristen enjoys cat ownership and canceling plans. She would like to send gratitude to her supportive friends and boyfriend: "I love you all, just not enough to leave the house.”

Gail Cory-Betz

Gail Cory-Betz draws on her experience as a professional “people watcher” (retired RN) as well as a stage actor. She began writing plays in 2009. Gail enjoys creating characters and letting them tell the story. 

Her plays, both short and long, have been produced in Newport, Washington at the Pend Oreille Playhouse and in Spokane at Ignite! and Stage Left theaters. In 2019, Gail's one-minute play Lady Parts was selected for production for the Gone in 60 Festival at Brooklyn University. Gail is honored to be participating in Empower.

Etta King

Etta King’s plays have been selected for productions throughout the U.S.; most recently Cleveland, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New Haven, NYC, Richmond, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Spokane, and SUNY Brockport. She was a 2019 finalist for New Yorker’s James Stevenson’s Prize for Short Comedic Plays. Ms. King is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and Women Playwrights and Screenwriters Honor Roll. She is a former television producer/copywriter and has taught playwriting at several colleges and universities in the West.

Giselle Muise

Giselle Muise is a NYC-based actor, singer/songwriter, playwright, and educator. Notable credits include Jobsite Theater’s The Threepenny Opera (Polly Peachum), TampaRep’s Stupid Fucking Bird (Nina), FringeNYC’s Full: The Musical (Emily), Sweet Charity (Nickie), 9 Parts of Desire (Layal), and Shruti Gupta Can Totally Deal (Shruti) at American Stage’s 21st Century Voices: New Play Festival. Recent plays include Senses: An Actor’s Exercise, Behind the Shed, and The Christmas Tree Farm. Most recently, as a result of live theatre’s brief hiatus, Giselle founded Theatre Unmasked—a virtual group that explores important contemporary stories and facilitates conversation around unique and marginalized voices in the theatre. Her passion lies in finding deep connection and self-actualization through theatre and music, as well as the written word. 

Lindsay Partain

Lindsay Partain is an emerging playwright based out of Portland, Oregon, and a member of the Dramatists Guild. She holds a BA in Theatre from Pacific University and was the Vice President and co-founder of the online literary magazine Cascadia Rising Review (Jan 2017-Dec 2020). Lindsay's work has been read and produced all across the US, as well as in England, Dubai, and Japan. Her plays were accepted to be shown at the 2020 Mid-America Theatre Conference and at the 2018 & 2019 Midwest Dramatist Conference. She was also a finalist for the 2020 Annual Parity Commission, Vanguard Arts Collective, NYC Audio Theatre, and the 2019 Portland Civic Theatre's New Play Award. You can find Lindsay's work published in "The Best New 10-Minute Plays of 2021", "The Best New Men's Monologues of 2021", "Women's Monologues of 2021" Anthologies (Applause), Best Men's Monologues of 2021 (Smith and Kraus), and Next Stage Press (Siren Songs). Her body of work is available on New Play Exchange.

Dayna Smith

Dayna Smith is a Boise-based playwright, dramaturg, and director with a BA in Theatre Arts, Dramatic Writing from Boise State University. Dayna has worked as a playwright and dramaturg at The Kennedy Center, Seven Devils New Play Foundry, Echo Theatre Company, HMBG Foundation's National Winter Playwright's Retreat, HomeGrown Theatre, Boise Contemporary Theater, Little Theater of Alexandria, and the Boise State University Theatre Majors' Association. Her plays have been finalists for Unicorn Theatre and The Playwrights' Center, and semifinalists for Seven Devils New Play Foundry, Headwaters New Play Festival, and SPACE on Ryder Farm. She has worked for Seven Devils New Play Foundry, The Playwrights' Center, and Boise Contemporary Theater. Dayna is also a recipient of a Higher Education Research Council Undergraduate Fellowship and an Idaho Commission on the Arts Quickfunds Grant. Additionally, she is the Artistic Director and a co-founder of Boise's Campfire Theatre Festival.

Catherine Weingarten

Catherine Weingarten is a friendly Jewish chick from an obscure area of Pennsylvania whose honors include the Scott McPherson Award and the Tennessee Williams Scholarship through the Sewanee Writer’s Conference. She has previously developed her “girly, trashy” work with Dixon Place, The Tank, Less Than Rent, Last Frontier Theater Conference, and has been awarded residencies through Bethany Arts Community and Monson Arts. Catherine has participated in Art House Production’s INKubator Writer’s Group, New Perspective’s Writer’s Group and The Shelter’s Virtual King Lear project. BA: Bennington. College MFA: Ohio University.

Kearney Jordan

Kearney Jordan is thrilled to return to Stage Left where she has previously directed (Fast & Furious), costumed (Glengarry Glen Ross), and acted (title role in Emma). Kearney also serves as the Academy Director for Spokane Civic Theatre, where she has directed Twelfth Night, 13, and Anne of Green Gables, among others. She is the proud mother of three teens and fosters dogs in her spare time.

Heather McHenry-Kroetch

Heather McHenry-Kroetch is very happy to be working on this interesting and unique production for Stage Left involving so many talented playwrights, directors, actresses, and crew members. She most recently directed Closing It Up for Stage Left and Cabaret for Spokane Civic Theatre. She has directed/co-directed numerous shows for local theaters over the past decade. Other directorial credits for Stage Left include Back of the Throat and Piece of my Heart. She is very grateful for the empowering cousins, sisters, daughters, and girlfriends in her life. 

Marianne McLaughlin

Marianne McLaughlin began her theatre experience in Portland, Oregon attending PSU and working as an actress in both professional and community theatre. She holds a BA in Theatre from EWU and has been directing and teaching theater workshops in the region for over 20 years. As an actor and director, she has received multiple awards and taken two shows, Orphans by Lyle Kessler and Bug by Tracy Letts, to compete in the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) national competition representing Spokane Civic theatre. Both productions received multiple Acting and Production awards. Theatre has shaped her as a human being in its relentless and spiritual journey to find and share the truth.

Dawn Taylor Reinhardt

Dawn Taylor Reinhardt studied theatre at the Northern College of Speech and Drama in Oldham, England. She has since traveled the globe working as an actor, director, producer, and production manager. Some of Dawn’s director credits are Memory of Water, On Shaky Ground, Reasons to be Pretty, and Other Desert Cities. Dawn resides in Spokane, where she works as a talent agent with Big Fish NW Talent. 

Lindsay Teter

Lindsay Teter has been performing and directing around the Northwest for almost 20 years. Trained in Acting and Directing at the University of Idaho, Lindsay has worked with Stage Left, Spokane Civic, Portland's Hand-2-Mouth theatre, and a host of others. Most recently Lindsay directed A Bright Room Called Day at Stage Left, and was seen as Roxanne in the theatre's production of Cyrano.