Meet the cast & crew of The Secret Garden!
Sara Catherine Barnes as Martha
Sara Catherine is thrilled to be returning to Mad Cow in The
Secret Garden. Her previous roles at Mad Cow include Olive Ostrovsky in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Jenny in Company,
Gymnasia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Rose Mundy
in Dancing at Lughnasa, and the tour guide in The Light In The
Piazza. Last year she choreographed James Joyce's The Dead here in the pasture. Other favorite roles include the Baker’s Wife in Into The
Woods, Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray, Woman 2 in Songs For A New
World and Wendy Jo in the national tour of Footloose: The
Musical. Sara Catherine received a bachelor of fine arts in musical theatre
from the University of Central Florida Conservatory Theatre, and she heads the
dance department at Celebration High School.
Rachel Carreras as Ayah
Rachel is thrilled to be making her Mad Cow debut. She has appeared most recently in the Candlelight Processional at Epcot and in Aida last summer with Encore! Rachel
graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a degree in vocal performance.
Two of her favorite roles have been the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro and Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls. Rachel is a
native of the Chicago suburbs, and for the past two years she has been a
character attendant at Walt Disney World. Thanks to her family and friends for
their unending love and support. Phil 4:13.
Kristoffer Cleto as Fakir
Kristoffer is a Chicago-born, Orlando-raised Filipino-American tenor and is honored to be making his Mad Cow debut. Recent credits include Puccini’s Tosca and The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses – Master Quest (Orlando Philharmonic
Orchestra/Florida Opera Theatre), Life of The Party: Choose Your
Adventure! (Central Florida Vocal Arts), The Mikado (Sinfonia da Camera), and Verdi’s Falstaff (Illinois Opera Theatre). MM
in voice performance and literature, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign; BM in vocal performance, University of Central Florida.
Kristoffer would like to thank Priscilla Bagley for continuing to foster his
vocal artistry and his family and friends for their undying love and support.
Luis Gabriel Diaz as Lieutenant Shaw
Beit-Zvi School of the Performing Arts. Classically trained dancer
(Maria Hellena Trujillo-Colombia at the Academia de Ballet) and Jerusalem
Academy Of Music and Dance. Principal at Redding City Ballet in
California under Cindy Michaels. Vocal technique: Aaron Hagen, Priscilla
Bagley, and Thomas Cavendish. Ballet credits: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Dormouse), Israel's Hope, Macy's Holiday Parade. Theatre credits include Bernardo in West Side Story, Angel in Rent,
John in HaMashiach, Paul in A Chorus Line, Only
Fools Are Sad, Tommy Ross in Carrie: The Musical (Clandestine Arts), and The
Light in the Piazza and Hair (Mad Cow). Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights and Ernst Robell in DayStar Theatre Arts’ upcoming production of Spring Awakening at the
Venue. Luis owes all of who and what he is to his supportive family and to
Jesus Christ, who gave him the gifts of song and dance. Psalms 105-2.
Terry Farley as Lieutenant Peter Wright
Terry is excited to making his Mad Cow debut. Favorite projects
include The Argonauts (Jason, Los Angeles premiere), Section 60
(American Stage), The Understudy (Jake, Theatre UCF), Urinetown: The
Musical (u/s Bobby Strong, Theatre UCF), Oliver (Show Palace Dinner
Theatre), and Company (Robert, Eight O’Clock Theatre). Film: The
Infiltrator (Good Films, director Brad Furman), Crime of Passion (Sarasota Film Festival). He is a senior in the University of Central Florida’s BFA theatre program.
Kennedy Joy Foristall as Mary Lennox
Kennedy Joy is excited to return to Mad Cow after having appeared in The
Philadelphia Story (Dinah Lord), Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (Trixie
Pollitt) and the 12th annual Cabaret Festival Community Engagement Gala (co-host).
Other credits include To Kill A Mockingbird (Orlando
Shakespeare Theater), The Music Man (Theatre UCF), Grapes of Wrath, Lizzie Borden – A New Musical and A Christmas Carol (Theatre
Downtown) and Naughty is Nice Cabaret (the Abbey). Offstage, Kennedy Joy is passionate about community service, having recently startied a youth volunteer organization, and she is honored to have received the 2016 Mayor’s MLK Youth Humanitarian Award. She thanks God, her family and the extraordinary Robin Jensen. Love to the cast and crew for making this “garden” so magical.
Will Gavigan as Colin Craven
Will is proud to be joining this Mad Cow cast. Will is nine years old and in fourth grade at St. Margaret Mary Catholic School. This is Will’s first professional production, although he has enjoyed performing in many plays through Central Florida Music Studio. He also enjoys soccer, reading and video games. Will would like to thank his family for their love and support, as well as David Foust, Danielle Smith, and Felicia Melcer for their constant encouragement.
Glenn Gover* as Ben Weatherstaff
Glenn is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. Mad Cow:
Professor Sloane in The Explorers Club,
Jimmy in The Pitmen Painters, and Ira
in Laughter on the 23rd Floor, which
he reprised at American Stage in St. Pete. Orlando Philharmonic at Bob Carr:
Mr.Twimble/Wally Womper in How to Succeed
in Business Without Really Trying. FreeFall Theatre Company: Judge Gaffney
in Harvey, Sancho in Man of La Mancha, and Ko-Ko in The Mikado. Glenn studied at Baltimore Actors’ Theatre Conservatory. Maryland credits include the Master of Ceremonies in Cabaret and Doolittle in My Fair Lady. He originated the title
role in Pendragon: A Tale of Young King
Arthur at the Smithsonian Discovery Theatre. Glenn will be appearing next
spring at Winter Park Playhouse as Hucklebee in The Fantasticks.
Sara Jones as Mrs. Medlock
Sara Jones has a BFA in musical theatre from UCF. At Universal Studios she appears at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and in Grinchmas. Jones has created such cabaret shows as Jonesie Takes New York, Big In Winter Park, and I Am The F ... Show, all of which premiered at the Orlando Fringe. She has performed in the Orlando Cabaret Festival, at the Abbey and at Don't Tell Mama's and the Duplex in NYC. She studied musical theatre and cabaret in Germany and taught acting for singers at Music Theatre Bavaria. Past Mad Cow productions include Jacques Brel is Alive and Well.... and Archy and Mehitabel, where she played alongside Michael Andrew. Favorite roles include Mazeppa in Gypsy, Kate McGowen in Titanic, Rita La Porta in Lucky Stiff, Mrs. Prentice in What The Butler Saw, Maggie in Dancing at Lughnasa, the Witch in Into The Woods, and many others.
Heather Kopp* as Lily Craven
Heather returns to the pasture for the third time,
after having appeared in Tommy (Mrs.
Walker) and Hair (Sheila). She
recently finished sailing the Mediterranean and Baltic as part of the original
production cast of the Viking Star. Heather was took part in the pre-Broadway
tryouts of Bonnie & Clyde with
Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes and A Tale
of Two Cities at the Asolo Repertory Theatre. Other favorites include Miss Saigon (Ellen) at Western Playhouse
in Missouri, Godspell at Actors’ Playhouse in Miami, Forbidden Broadway
at Winter Park Playhouse, and Joseph ...
Dreamcoat (Narrator) at Golden Apple Dinner Theatre in Sarasota. She is a proud member of Actors' Equity. www.heather-kopp.com
Steven Lane* as Dr. Neville Craven
Steven is excited to return to the role that
launched his professional career almost 20 years ago. He was last seen in Photograph 51
earlier this year. Other Mad Cow productions include Hedda Gabler (Lovborg), Legacy of Light( Voltaire), The Heiress (Morris), The Lion in Winter (Geoffrey) and The Drowsy Chaperone (Man in Chair – one of his all-time favorite roles). He has worked at numerous theaters in a wide range of roles, from Che in Evita to
Mordred in Camelot, Cornelius in Hello, Dolly! to Newman Noggs in Nicholas Nickleby, and many more. He celebrated his sixth anniversary with the Walt Disney Company in June. Steven has a bachelor’s in vocal performance from Stetson University and is a grateful member of Actors’ Equity. Thank you to Lauren O'Quinn Burns and to Mitzi and Aradhana for this opportunity. Soli Deo Gloria.
Crystal Lizardo as Mrs. Winthrope
Crystal is a student at the University of Central
Florida and is excited to be making her Mad Cow debut. In the past year she has
originated a role in the opera Under the
Rainbow, sung for President Barrack Obama, and won the young artist
competition at the University of North Florida. Some of her favorite productions
have been in In The Heights, Les Misérables, Edges, Rent, Cosi Fan Tutte, and Signor
Deluso. Crystal would like to recognize her family for their endless
love and support.
Whitney Morse as Mrs. Holmes
Whitney is excited to make her Mad Cow debut. Whitney is a recent transplant from Chicago. Her recent Chicago credits include Next To Normal
(Skokie Theatre), Other Desert Cities (Citadel Theatre), The Children’s Hour (Pride Films and Plays), Spike Heels (Brown
Paper Box), Down Range (Genesis Theatricals), Trafford Tanzi and I
Carry Your Heart (Prologue Theatre Company), Accomplice (Jedlicka
Performing Arts Center), The Turn of the Screw, Unnecessary Farce and The
Merchant of Venice (First Folio Theater), and Little Women
(Theatre-Hikes). New York credits: Hold Music (Culture
Project,) and Love’s Labour’s Lost and Three Sister’s (both
directed by Andrei Serban.) Next up: Jeeves at Sea at First Folio
Theatre in Chicago. Whitney is a Rollins College graduate and holds an MFA
in acting from Columbia University.
Zach Nadolski* as Archibald Craven
Zach earned a B. Mus. in voice from Vanderbilt University. Recent roles include Anthony in Sweeney
Todd (Mad Cow/Orlando
Philarmonic), Constantine in A
Day In Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine (Winter
Park Playhouse), and Frederick in The
Pirates of Penzance (American Stage). He has been a principal vocalist for
Celebrity and Azamara cruise lines as well as in Donn Arden's Jubilee in Las Vegas. Zach also performs in
various venues at Disney and Universal, most often Finding Nemo: The Musical at Disney's Animal Kingdom. He is looking forward to marrying his wonderful fiancé Kurt in a glitzy Las Vegas wedding this coming March.
Cole NeSmith as Dickon
Cole has worked professionally in theater, film, and music. His debut at Mad Cow was in James Joyce’s The Dead last season. Cole is co-creator of the Creative City Project, to which
he has contributed several interactive performance and installation
pieces. He has performed in shows at many theme parks in Central Florida.
He co-produced and performed in the original work Connected: An
Interactive Experience, which won the Fringe of the Fringe Award at
the Orlando Fringe Festival. Cole is a graduate of the University of
Central Florida, where he studied music and creative writing.
Janine Papin as Mrs. Shelley
Janine was last seen on the Mad Cow stage in James Joyce’s The Dead and is
thrilled to be back with the herd. She works at Trinity Preparatory
School in Winter Park, where she is fine arts chair, auditorium manager,
theatre teacher, and director. In 2006 she was awarded the H. Benton Ellis
Award for excellence in teaching. She loves performing and sharing her passion
for the stage with her students. Some of her favorite roles include the
Mother Superior (Nunsense, Theatreworks Florida), Gertie (33
Variations, Beth Marshall Presents), Beggar Woman (Mad Cow Theatre and
Theatreworks Florida), Pennywise (Urinetown, Valencia College), Mrs.
Pierce (My Fair Lady, Orlando Philharmonic/Mad Cow Theatre), and Fräulein Schneider (Cabaret, Valencia
College and Starlight Dinner Theater).
John Hamilton Rice as Major Shelley/Holmes
John recently moved from Indianapolis, where he appeared as John in Oleanna at the Theatre Within, Dirty Jake in Golden Ticket Production's original musical Tumbleweed, and Bill Lewis in The Hot L
Baltimore at the Epilogue Playhouse. John can be seen regularly
at Ollivanders Wand Shop at Universal Studios. He is tremendously pleased
to be making his fourth outing with Mad Cow, where he read the part of Werner
Heisenberg in Copenhagen for the second annual Science Play
Festival and appeared in The Philadelphia Story and You Can’t Take It With You.
Bert Rodriguez* as Captain Albert Lennox
Bert is making his debut at Mad Cow. He has been seen in Central Florida at Winter Park Playhouse as Carlo in A Day in
Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Gabe in Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, and the Loveable Loser in 8-Track: The Sounds of the 70s, and he
plays Crush and Marlin in Finding Nemo:
The Musical at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He toured as Ewart Dunlop in the first national tour of the Broadway revival of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. Regionally he played Ziegfeld’s Tenor in Funny Girl (Music
Theatre of Wichita) and Roger in Grease! (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma). BFA in musical theatre performance from the University of Oklahoma. Proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Rachel Whittington as Alice
Rachel is thrilled to be back with the herd. Rachel is an Elon University graduate. She has performed in several operas in San Francisco with the Opera Academy of California, led by Metropolitan Opera director Yefim Maize, and she sang backup for Ben Folds and the North Carolina Symphony in Raleigh. Mad Cow credits: James Joyce’s The Dead (Rita/Young Julia), The
Philadelphia Story (Elsie). Other credits: The Music Man (understudy
Marian), Don Giovanni, Dialogues of the Carmelites, Gianni Schicchi (understudy Lauretta). She was most recently seen in Central Florida Community Arts’ Into
the Woods (Rapunzel). Rachel would like to thank her family, friends,
teachers, and everyone who chooses live theatre for keeping her dream job a
reality.
Allyssa Yost as Rose Lennox
Allyssa is happy to be returning to the cows. She was last seen at Mad Cow as Frieda in Sunday in the Park with George. More recently she appeared as the Lady of the Lake in Orlando Shakespeare Theater's Spamalot (understudy) and as Young Republicanette/Heather Duke in Gen Y's production of Heathers at DPAC. She can also be seen in Diagon Alley as a part of Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees and in Walt Disney World's Finding Nemo: The Musical. BFA in
musical theatre from University of Central Florida. Much love to all of my
family and friends for their continuing support.
Direction by Aradhana Tiwari
Musical Direction by Philip King
Choreography by Holly Harris
Scenic Design by Rebecca Pancoast
Sound Design by Michael Powers
Costume Design by Winfield Murdock
Costume Assistant, Carol Milanes
Props by Lisa Buck
Stage Management by Danielle Paccione
*Members of Actors' Equity Association