THE AWESOME 80S PROM

KATIE ALLEN (HEATHER WYNTERS, ANOTHER CHEERLEADER) is incredibly excited to be joining the cast of 80's Prom, where she is making her professional theater debut! Katie is currently a senior at the College of St. Catherine majoring in Communication Studies. Recent credits include: Grease (Marty) Eagan Summer Theater, Kiss Me Kate (Kate) CSC and UST, Pippin (Catherine) CSC and UST, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Mrs. Potiphar) Eagan Summer Theater, Children of Eden (Snake/Generations soloist) Ashland Productions, Fiddler on the Roof, and Wizard of Oz. Katie teaches a youth drama class for elementary and middle school students with Ashland Productions to keep the arts alive! When Katie's not singing or dancing you'll find her studying, sleeping, or drinking red wine! Thank you to Ken for this amazing opportunity. So much love and many thanks to my family for all of your love and support, this one's for you!!!

DALE BOTHUN (MR. SNELGROVE, THE PRINCIPAL) is making his debut in Minneapolis with The Awesome 80's Prom. He has been very active in regional theater out in rural Minnesota where he makes his home. He is as comfortable on the stage as he is in the director’s chair. His credits include Oklahoma!, Fiddler on the Roof, Once upon a Mattress. Dale is also the director of Mooseburger Clown Arts Camp, and his program teaches professional clowning around the country. In his spare time, he teaches Catholic school a couple of days a week during the year and drives a school bus. He is looking forward to being in charge for a few hours a week, at Wanaget High for The Awesome 80's Prom.

TOPHER BRATTAIN (LOUIS, THE NERD) has worked with a number of other local theater companies including Park Square, Bedlam, Starting Gate Productions, Gaydar Productions, The National Theater for Children, Gray Space, Outward Spiral, Theater Mu, The Playwrights' Center, The Jungle, and The Original Theater. He studied Acting at The Theater School of DePaul University in Chicago.

KERI BUNKERS (THE MYSTERY GUEST) is totally stoked to go “Back in Time” with the Awesome 80s Prom! Keri is certainly no stranger to “big hair.” After all, she had the amazing opportunity of being a Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader for 4 wonderful years! In addition to performing for screaming Vikings fans, highlights of her cheerleading career include visiting the men and women of the U.S. Army at Fort Hood in Texas, teaching dance in Acapulco and an appearance on "Good Morning America". Most recently, however, Keri was seen as brash Holly Ivers in the comedy Sober Cab (Mainly Me Productions). A dancer nearly all of her life, Keri was a member of the nationally ranked dance team at St. Cloud State University where she earned her B.S. degree in Marketing. Keri has had acting and dancing roles in productions of Bye Bye Birdie, The Music Man, and Once Upon a Mattress and has choreographed for shows such as Li’l Abner. Keri would like to thank her family and friends for all of their love and support.

HALEY CHAMBERLAIN (KERRIE, THE SPAZ) is jumping up and down to be cast as the spaz in this show. She was not necessarily a spaz in high school, but she was a definitely a nerd with a twist of dorkdom. Yet, even with headgear and school letters in Quiz Bowl, Math Team, and Odyssey of the Mind, she never felt like a dweeb. She would like to thank her Dad for thinking she’s perfect and her Mom for always telling her she’s cool. Haley has been professionally acting in the Twin Cities for two years. Some of the companies she has worked with are: No Refunds Theatre, CalibanCo., Stages Theatre, Mainly Me Productions at the BNW, Theatre Unbound, The National Theatre for Children, and the Missoula Children’s Theatre.

STEPHANIE CORDELL (MISSY, HEAD OF THE PROM COMMITTEE) is a southern girl from Virginia, but is happy to make Minnesota her new home. She has been fortunate enough to travel the states and perform at such places as Busch Gardens VA, SeaEscape Cruise Lines FL, Cornwells Dinner Theatre MI, and Lakes Region Theatre NH. Here in town, she has had a blast touring with Troupe America, performing for Gremlin Theatre, Pigs Eye, Theatre Unbound, and the Minor League at Comedy Sportz. Her most exciting performance has been working with the independent documentary film, Loving A Honey Bee. She sends all of her love to her Mom and friends.

DAVE CRADY (DICKIE HARRINGTON) Dave is thrilled to be playing the role of Dickie In The Awesome 80's Prom. He hopes to surpass the greatness he attained playing the fox in his second grade interpretation of an Aesop's Fable. You might recognize Dave From the improv troupe Mr. Shrimp or their sketch Comedy Show, Super Size This! or Life is an Uber Target and Then You Die, which he acted in and wrote for. Other people might think he looks sort of like the person who used to host rock concerts for All the Pretty Horses which he did for about a year and a half. He is a regular performer of spoken word throughout the Twin Cities. He has been featured as part of the Spoken word Fringe and On KFAI's "Write On" Radio. He would like to thank you all for coming to the show because without an audience actors don't make money.

KARIANN CRAIG (INGA, THE SWEDISH EXCHANGE STUDENT) is from Stewartville, MN. Some theater credits include The B St. Theatre, Fantasy Children's Theatre, Delta King Theatre Co., The Actors' Theatre of Sacramento, Theatre on the Park Players, Rochester Repertory Theater, Rochester Civic Theater, Stewartville Community Theater, and various Fringe Festival shows. She has also appeared in film, television, commercials, and print ads. As a professional figure skater she toured with Disney on Ice's Beauty and the Beast. She currently works as a fit model for Target, and is a sophomore at MCTC.

BRYCE DAVIDSON (FENDER, THE BAD BOY) is a true child of the 80s. He proudly graduated with the class of 1988 from Hale Elementary School. Presently, Bryce spends most of his time performing at the Brave New Workshop with his improv performance team O! Haus. He recently performed at the workshop in the Brave New Others’ sketch comedy They Say It’s Your Earth Day -or- Everyone wants a Hummer, which he helped write. Other credits include: Phantom at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater, and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the State Theater (with Donny Osmond). This is Bryce’s first time performing at the Hennepin Stages and is very proud to be part of the cast of The Awesome 80s Prom. He would like to add a special thanks to the decade of the 80s for creating Breakdancing. Check out the nightclub scene in Minneapolis to find Bryce battling old men in Puma jumpsuits.

BRAD ERICKSON (JOHNNY HUGHES, THE DJ) is ever so grateful to share his passion for Spuds MacKenzie, Smurfs, and "Who's The Boss?" in this ultimate hallmark to the 80's. Originally from Brooten, MN, Brad spent the last eight years acting, writing, and painting in the city of Los Angeles. Among his favorite roles and shows are: Freddy in Noises Off, Delmount in The Miss Firecracker Contest, Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Woof in Hair, John in A Life in the Theater, and Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Brad has performed stand-up comedy at "The Laugh Factory" and "Ha-Ha Cafe" featuring a wide spectrum of celebrity impressions and worked as a puppeteer for "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and "Cousin Skeeter". As a member of the comedy troupe Here Come Your Enemies, he's played roles ranging from Willy Loman to Bea Arthur.

DREW HAMMOND (LLOYD, THE PHOTOGRAPHER) Drew’s temporal bond to the eighties is built primary on Weird Al Yankovic songs and the worst haircuts imaginable to man. For three Halloween’s in a row, Drew dressed as The Greatest American Hero. The next two years: Teen Wolf. After that, two Octobers as Alf. What remains of Drew dignity is nestled tightly away next to the scars from being skate-trampled to Purple Rain at Skateville. Drew has performed for 5 years as a stand-up comic in NYC, where he also wrote and produced several original plays. He has most recently performed locally with No Refunds Productions, Theatre Unbound, and Chopping Block. Nonetheless, his time is best spent working with his students at Eagan High School. By the time Drew graduated from High School in 1996, the 80’s had been relegated to a social embarrassment; little more than a collective blemish on the face of humanity. A couple decades later and here we are drinking it in like so much Jolt Cola… ain’t it funny how nostalgia works?

WENDY HINZ (PROM COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE / U/S FOR SEVERAL ROLES) Wendy was a Hanson High School Beaver, class of 1989 (Alexandria, South Dakota). She has a BA in Communication Studies and Theater from South Dakota State University and worked as a professional cheerleader during school. You may have seen her in a print ad or a commercial for Best Buy, Ricoh or Target. She is a former owner/talent agent for Agency Models and Talent (Minneapolis) and has been a regional pageant producer/director for the Miss Universe Organization. Much love to her little boy Alex and her parents who never insisted she get “a real job.”

MICHAEL LEE (MICHAEL JAY, CLASS PRESIDENT) Having recently completed a nine month run in the smash hit Don’t Hug Me at Hennepin Stages, Michael is pleased to return to his awesome high school days with The Awesome 80’s Prom. He has also been seen as the Cat in the Hat in Seussical, during the 2004 Fringe Festival. Mr. Lee works regularly with the Tony award winning Children’s Theatre Company. Recent CTC productions include Once Upon a Forest and Alice in Wonderland, the national tours of Grimm Tales and Lyle the Crocodile, in which he played the title role. Other Twin Cities credits include the Guthrie Theatre (As You Like It), the Jungle Theatre (Macbeth), Theatre de la Jeune Lune (The Kitchen), Brave New Workshop (Flanagan’s Wake), Park Square Theatre (Equus, Saint Joan) and Troupe America (A Christmas Carol, The Fantasticks). Have a sweet time tonight…

ANGELA MANNELLA (WHITLEY, THE HEAD CHEERLEADER) has acted in shows at The Guthrie Theater, The Old Log Theater, Actor's Theater of Minnesota, Pantages Theater, The Children's Theater Company, Shakespeare & Company and many others. She has danced with the Minnesota Dance Theater's Nutcracker Fantasy and as part of Paul McCartney's "Back in the US" tour. Angela has choreographed shows for the Actor's Theater of Minnesota, Rosetown Playhouse as well as many local High School and Middle School productions. She is currently the spokesperson for American Furniture and Appliances.

JAY MELCHIOR (BLAKE, CAPTAIN OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM) is from Shakopee, MN and earned a Bachelor of Music Theatre from Viterbo University. He spent his first year in the "real world" directing children with Prairie Fire Children's Theatre. You may have seen him perform with the G & S Very Light Opera Company or in the Fringe Festival. For the better part of the last four years Jay has had the rare privilege to bring joy to children in many parts of the world as a dancing Muppet. There is no way Jay could live this fantasy without the support of his lovely family.

ZOE PAPPAS (HEATHER, CHEERLEADER) A child of the 80's, Zoe is thrilled to be working with the tripendicular cast of Awesome 80's Prom and enjoying big hair once again. She has worked throughout the Twin Cities: Pantages Theatre (Hair); Eye of the Storm (Play About the Baby, Shape of Things, Slither); Theater Latté Da (A Man of No Importance); Great American History Theater (Fire Ball); Buffalo Gal Productions (Spitfire Grill, Legendary Ladies); Children's Theatre Company; Jon Hassler Theater; Illusion Theater; and Pig's Eye Theater. Next spring, she can be seen in Theater Latté Da's production of Floyd Collins. "Thanks to Ken and Fred for this opportunity. Love to Mom, Dad, Rhea, Botten, and Ang. Peace."

MIKE RYLANDER (BEEF, FOOTBALL PLAYER) thinks his involvement in The Awesome 80's Prom is like, so totally boss. Mike learned the art of story-telling by constantly creating "action-figure soap-operas" with his brother Chris and their best friends in the whole-wide-world, The He-Men, The Transformers, The G.I. Joes, The Thundercats, The Members of Team Voltron, and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Those guys were so awesome. Some of Mike's North Dakota theatre credits include: The Music Man, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Romeo & Juliet, On Golden Pond. Mike recently finished performing in MainlyMe Production's Sober Cab. Mike can currently be seen performing at the Brave New Workshop's Six-Ring-Circus, Improv-A-Go-Go, with the ComedySportz Minor League Team & in the upcoming Brave New Others' production, The Da Vinci Code's Cliff Notes or I Can't Believe It's Not Scripture. Mike owes all of his life's accomplishments to the undying love and support of his family and friends.

JEN SCOTT (MRS. LASCALSZO, THE DRAMA TEACHER) has been performing in the Twin Cities as an actor/musician/improvisor since 1999. Recent theatre credits include: Children's Theatre Company (Brooklyn Bridge), the Brave New Workshop (Minnesota: It's Not Just for Lutheran's Anymore), Galumph Interactive Theatre (Tales From Tumtumerau), and Huge Theater (Kung Fu Island). She is also a resident company member of the Old Gem Theater in New Richmond, WI, performing children’s show for hundreds of pre-schoolers. Jen teaches improv at the Brave New Workshop, working with teens and adults. She's absolutely thrilled to be a part of The Awesome 80's Prom!

Pat Sukhum (FEUNG SCHWEY, THE ASIAN EXCHANGE STUDENT) when asked about the awesome opportunity to be a part of the show, simply responded "it makes a hard man more humbled than one night in Bangkok". Pat's credits include improv at ComedySportz, public speaking for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the glamorous world of mock trial in eleventh grade. He thanks Ken and Fred for the opportunity, Steph and Pogi for all their help, his super-supportive mom, dad, and sis for showing him that crazy-fun just runs in the family, and his amazing friends for always being so impervious.