Anne Allgood (Mother Superior) has been seen on Broadway (Carousel, The Sound of Music, The Most Happy Fella, Beauty and The Beast, Imaginary Friends); in National Tours (Evita, Parade, Floyd Collins, South Pacific, Urinetown); in regional theatres coast-to-coast; and in many starring roles in Seattle (5th Avenue, Intiman, Seattle Rep, SCT, Village, and ACT – CORE Company). This is her 5th appearance onstage as a nun. Enjoy!

Ania Briggs (Tina/Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours & Deloris Van Cartier u/s) is a Seattle-based actress, vocalist, and cat mom. After graduating high school, Ania decided to continue her musical theatre education at AMDA NY. In her decade of acting, some of her favorite roles include Rita (White Christmas, 5th Avenue Theatre), Chiffon (Little Shop of Horrors, Village Theatre), and Fabian (Twelfth Night, Seattle Shakespeare Company). Ania wants to say a big thank you to her friends and family for their continued support and encouragement. As always, this one is for you, Michelle.

Rolando Cardona (Pablo & TJ u/s) is excited to make their debut on the Taproot stage. Past credits include Macbeth (Seattle Shakespeare EDU tour), Ride the Cyclone (Ballyhoo Theatre), Peter and the Starcatcher (Reboot Theatre), and HAIR (Renton Civic Theatre). Rolando is grateful to their friends and family for their support and Taproot Theatre for this amazing opportunity. 

Christopher Clark (Joey & Curtis & Monsignor O’Hara u/s) is thrilled to add his voice to the choir and make some joyful noise back on the Taproot stage. Recent credits include The Book of Will, Cabaret, Wolf Play, The Prom, and See How They Run. His first feature film, Ingress, is currently in limited theatrical release. “Love and thanks to my perpetual comedic scene partner and fellow goose, Mary!”

Connie Corrick (Sister Mary Lazarus & Mother Superior u/s) is thrilled to return to Taproot after playing Mama Murphy in Bright Star. She has been seen locally on the stages at The 5th Avenue, ACT, Seattle Children’s Theatre, ArtsWest, Kenyon Hall, and more. She thanks Bretteney for this opportunity and the Taproot family for creating this wonderful space.

Rebecca Cort (Sister Mary Robert) is delighted to return to Taproot after her work in The Hello Girls last summer as Suzanne. Other local credits include Seattle Rep (Little Women, Amy March) and 5th Avenue Theatre (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods). To this life I love to lead. @beckabrooke

Eyual Degaga (TJ) is ecstatic to debut at Taproot Theatre. Past credits include Disney’s Newsies (Village Theatre Kidstage), Into the woods (5th Avenue RSP), and Sunset Boulevard (Showtunes Theatre).

Alexandria J. Henderson (Deloris Van Cartier) cannot contain her excitement to make her Taproot debut with this legendary role! Select credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Village Theatre), Twelfth Night (Seattle Shakespeare Company); Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (Harlequin Productions); Legally Blonde (Showtunes); and Dreamgirls (for which she won a Gregory Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical; Village Theatre). She is ever grateful to her family for all they do to support her. Follow her on all the things: @missajhenderson 

Danny Kam (Curtis/Monsignor O’Hara) is delighted to debut on the Taproot stage after music directing A Charlie Brown Christmas earlier this season. Danny is a singer-actor and voice coach who works with Cornish College of the Arts, 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Rep, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, and Village Theatre, as well as maintaining a private vocal studio. Enjoy the show!

Cherisse Martinelli (Michelle/Sister Mary Theresa & Sister Mary Robert u/s) is thrilled to be making her Taproot Theatre debut! She recently returned home to Seattle after singing her way around the globe on luxury cruise ships. Recent favorite credits include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Village Theatre), Legally Blonde (Showtunes Theatre), and EVITA (SecondStory Repertory). Eternally grateful for the gift and to the Giver!

Hannah Schuerman (Sister Mary Patrick) is jazzed to be making her Taproot debut! Favorite credits include Romy and Michele the Musical, The Sound of Music, and The Pajama Game (5th Avenue), The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, The Homefront (Village Theatre), and The Light in the Piazza and Bridges of Madison County (Showtunes).

Charles Simmons (Eddie/Ernie) is a performing artist from Tacoma, WA and is thrilled to make his Taproot Theatre debut with such a fun show! Previous credits include Dreamgirls; Hairspray; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Beautiful (Village Theatre); Beauty and the Beast; and The Wiz (5th Avenue Theatre). IG: @Shiemmons18

Keoni Dilay (Eddie/Ernie, Joey & Pablo u/s) is a Seattle-based performer, teacher, and choreographer. His acting credits include Flounder in The Little Mermaid (The 5th Avenue Theatre) and Mamma Mia! (Village Theatre). Some of his choreography credits include Guys and Dolls and The Lightning Thief at Village Theatre KIDSTAGE. @keonidilay

Lauren Engstrom (Sister Mary Lazarus & Sister Mary Theresa u/s) is thrilled to spend another summer with Taproot Theatre. She was last seen in Taproot’s production of The Hello Girls as Helen Hill. She also enjoys singing at retirement homes with a vintage ‘40s singing group, The Memphis Belles.

Viviana Garza (Sister Mary Patrick & Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours u/s) is excited to make her Taproot debut. Past credits include Quixote Nuevo (South Coast Repertory Theatre, Seattle Rep, Portland Center Stage), Cost of Living (Sound Theatre), The Tempest (Seattle Rep), In the Time of the Butterflies (Book-It Repertory Theatre), and 9 to 5 (Showtunes Theatre).

Paul Adolphsen (Dramaturg, he/him) is a Seattle-based dramaturg, writer, and theater artist. He has been on the artistic staff at Seattle Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Asolo Rep. Paul has also worked with Arena Stage, Hartford Stage, and Ashland New Plays Festival, and was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of the Western Cape (South Africa). His writing has been published in Theatre Journal, on howlround.com, and by Penumbra Theatre Company. MFA: UMass, Amherst.

Bretteney Beverly (Director) serves as the Associate Artistic Director at Taproot Theatre. She recently directed How to Write a New Book for the Bible at Taproot. Additionally, she served as Associate Director of Once on This Island at Village Theatre. Favorite theatre credits include A Streetcar Named Desire, ‘Night Mother, Grease, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Crowns, An Octoroon, Pride & Prejudice, Flyin’ West, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Bus Stop, Macbeth, and A Woman of No Importance. Favorite directing credits include Everybody, Grease, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf, R & J, Little Shop of Horrors, The Fantasticks, Crimes of the Heart, and Always… Patsy Cline. In her off time, she enjoys spending time with family, friends and her adorable pit bull, Boss Lady. She would like to dedicate this show to her mom, Tyna. 

Ahren Buhmann (Lighting Designer) is a lighting and video designer based out of Seattle. His previous shows include Or, with Theatre22, The Angel In The House with Café Nordo, Pipeline with Seattle Public Theater, Dear San Francisco with 7 Fingers, My Antonia with Book-It Repertory Theatre, Parliament Square with Pony World, Angels in America with Berkeley Rep, The Trial of Elizabeth Cree with Chicago Opera and Opera Philadelphia, and Ernest Shackleton Loves Me at the Tony Kiser. Ribbet. 

Esther Garcia (Costume Designer) has designed for opera, modern dance, theatre, and burlesque. Most recent design work includes The Fantasticks at Village Theatre. She is thrilled to be returning to Taproot, for which her design credits include Daddy Long Legs and The Bishop’s Wife. Esther has a BFA from the University of Oregon with an emphasis in Costume Design. She has designed for Village Theatre, Taproot Theatre, Eugene Opera, Lord Leebrick Theater, Lane Community College Theater and Dance Department, and University of Oregon School of Music. Favorite designs include She Loves Me, Hello Dolly!, Million Dollar Quartet, Pagliacci, Carmen, A Little Night Music, and HMS Pinafore.

Kathryn Louise (Stage Manager) is a theatre magic maker who lives, works, and plays on Coast Salish land. Katt has a double BFA from the University of Montana (Theatre Design Tech & Dance) and was the production associate at Taproot Theatre from 2020-2023. In 2023, she and Michelle Rodriguez were recipients of the Melissa Hines Backstage Gregory Award. Previous credits include TTC’s The Book of Will and Last Drive To Dodge (SM), Cornish’s New Moves (LD), and PLU’s Pippin (LD). All her love to her handsome husband and cute pupper. kathryn-louise.com

Karen Lund (Producing Artistic Director) has been on the Taproot staff since 1993 and became Taproot’s Producing Artistic Director in January 2021. Recent directing work includes Taproot Theatre’s The Book of Will, Georgiana & Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley, The Hello Girls, and A Woman of No Importance. She has also directed at several theatres around the country and coast to coast. She is the past president of the board of directors for Theatre Puget Sound, a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union (SDC), a professional voice-over artist, and the recipient of numerous theatre and film directing awards. Karen thanks her amazing family, Mark, Jake, and Hannah.

Mark Lund (Scenic & Sound Design) has designed many things in many places. Recent favorites include The Book of Will, The Hello Girls, A Woman of No Importance, Black Coffee, and Daddy Long Legs. Other design work includes Seattle Shakespeare, Book-It, and award-winning short films. Mark has also voiced hundreds of regional & national projects including T-Mobile, The North Face, NHL, FedEx, Amazon and many years as Falco Lombardi in Starfox and Smash Bros for Nintendo. Love to Karen, Hannah, and Jake.

Nik Nolen (Assistant Director, they/them) is a Seattle-based theatre artist, thrilled to be back this summer to work with Taproot and this incredible team. Whether onstage, behind the scenes, or anywhere in between, Nik loves the chance to tell new stories and engage in creating theatre. They are currently pursuing directing with a focus on highlighting LGBTQ+ stories and will be attending graduate school in London come fall. Recent work includes How to Write a New Book for the Bible (Stage Manager), The Book of Will (Assistant Director), Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley (Stage Manager) and The Hello Girls (Assistant Director) with Taproot Theatre, and The Marriage Tree with Seattle Pacific University (Director). Niknolen.com @annikanolen

Michael Nutting (Music Director) earned his Piano Performance and Music History degree at WWU and began music directing as a college student in Bellingham. Now a music director in the area, his favorite past shows include Bright Star (Taproot), String (Village Theatre), Urinetown (ACT/5th Ave), and In the Heights (Village Theatre). When he is not music directing, Michael is an avid teacher, composer, and arranger. Love to Jerra.

Jimmy Shields (Choreographer) is a professional director, actor and choreographer from the PNW. His love for the performing arts started at a very young age and has taken him all over the US. As a dancer and choreographer, Jimmy has had the opportunity to work with Redd Williams, Emmy Award-winning choreographers Tabitha and Napoleon D’umo (Nappytabs), Disney veteran Jon Jacobson, and famed Seattle-based choreographer Daniel Cruz, just to name a few. Jimmy is a performer at heart and has been performing in theatre and dance throughout the Pacific Northwest for 30 years. He has most recently held production leadership roles including director, associate director, choreographer, and associate choreographer with esteemed companies such as The 5th Avenue, Seattle Rep, Village Theatre, Taproot, Seattle Shakespeare Company, and Tacoma Arts Live.

R.J. Tancioco (Co-Music Director/Conductor/Keyboard 1, he/him) Select musical direction credits include: Spring Awakening, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Into the Woods, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Urinetown, Mamma Mia!, Jasper in Deadland, Little Shop of Horrors, RENT, Joseph..., Smokey Joe's Cafe, Hair (The 5th Avenue); Beautiful: the Carole King Musical, Cinderella, ...Charlie Brown, She Loves Me, In the Heights, Hairspray, Newsies, Dreamgirls, (Village Theatre); The Winter's Tale, As You Like It, The Odyssey, Here Lies Love (Seattle Rep); A Christmas Carol (ACT); Twelfth Night (Seattle Shakes); Head Over Heels, Violet, American Idiot (ArtsWest); The Spitfire Grill (Showtunes); Daddy Long Legs, Bright Star (Taproot Theatre). A 2010 Gregory Award and 2011/2014 Gypsy Rose Lee award recipient, Tancioco is a vocal coach, arranger, and composer who enjoys educating theatre to youth and cultivating new musicals. Raise your voice!

Ben Bentler (Associate Music Director, Keyboard 2) is excited for his second Taproot production in Sister Act, bringing 27 years of theatre experience from Chicago to Seattle. As a versatile pianist and music director, he’s grateful for the kindness and collaboration with these phenomenal professionals. Ben dedicates this show to his anchors, Alex, Toby, Seven, and Nora, for their unwavering support. 

Anthony Pooley (Guitars) is delighted to be back at Taproot for another summer musical. Previous Taproot credits include Bright Star and The Spitfire Grill. Other recent credits include Beautiful (Village Theatre), Sunset Boulevard (Showtunes), Twelfth Night (Seattle Shakespeare), and Ride The Cyclone (SecondStory Rep). Thanks to R.J. and Taproot for this opportunity. Love and gratitude to Nicki for supporting my musical endeavors. Blog: STRUMpit.org

Scot Sexton (Drums) is excited to be back for his third show at Taproot, following Big Fish and The Hello Girls. Scot is a professional drummer with over 20 years and 325 musical theatre show credits to his name. Most recently he worked in NYC before relocating to Seattle. He has devoted his life to his love of all things percussion and has become well-versed in all styles of music with study under Larry Lelli, Dr. Larry Snyder, Tom Weaver, Dr. David Spondike, and Mark Zimmerman.

Douglas Carter Beane’s play “The Nance” opened on Broadway starring Nathan Lane, where it received five Tony nominations and won three. It was filmed for PBS “Live from Lincoln Center” and was shown in movie theaters and then broadcast on PBS.

Beane’s previous play “The Little Dog Laughed” opened on Broadway where it was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play and won a Tony award for Julie White. It then opened in the West End at the Garrick Theater where it starred Tamsin Grieg and Rupert Friend and Gemma Arterton and was nominated for the Olivier for Best New Play.

His other plays include “Fairycakes” starring Mo Rocca, Jackie Hoffman, Ann Harada, and Julie Halston, “Shows for Days” featuring Patti Lupone and Michael Urie, “The Country Club” starring Cynthia Nixon and Amy Sedaris, “Mr. & Mrs. Fitch” which starred John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle , “Music From a Sparkling Planet” and “As Bees in Honey Drown” which won the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award and an Obie award for its star, J. Smith Cameron. His first play “Advice From A Caterpillar” was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle award and was made into a film starring Cynthia Nixon and Timothy Oliphant. It received the Aspen Comedy Festival Best Feature award.

He wrote the film, “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar” which starred Patrick Swayze, John Leguizamo, Wesley Snipes, Robin Williams and Stockard Channing.

A respected practitioner of musical theater his adaptation of “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” ran on Broadway for two years and was also nominated for Tonys for both Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical Revival. His musical stage version of the film “Xanadu” also ran on Broadway for two years and was nominated for a Tony for Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical. It received the Drama Desk Award for best book of a musical and the Outer Critics Circle Best Musical award. Beane’s new book for the musical “Sister Act” ran on Broadway for two years and was nominated for the Tony for Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical. It opened in London this summer with Jennifer Saunders as Mother Superior. He wrote the book for the Broadway musical, “Lysistrata Jones” and received both the Drama Desk and Tony nomination for Best Book of a musical.

He wrote the book to the stage adaptation of MGM’s “The Bandwagon” which was produced at the Old Globe and Encores and he’s written the summer show for the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall. His libretto for “Die Fledermaus” debuted at the Metropolitan Opera and is in their repertoire.

He is married to composer Lewis Flinn and they have two children Cooper and Gabrielle who like theater but don’t want to do it.

Alan Menken (Composer). Theater: God Bless You Mr Rosewater, Little Shop Of Horrors, Real Life Funnies, Atina: Evil Queen Of The Galaxy, Kicks, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz, Beauty And The Beast, A Christmas Carol, Weird Romance, King David, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Leap Of Faith, Aladdin and Newsies. Film: Little Shop Of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Newsies, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Hercules, Life With Mikey, Lincoln, Home On The Range, Noel, Enchanted, Shaggy Dog, Tangled and Mirror Mirror. Songs: Rocky V, Home Alone 2 and Captain America. Awards: 8 Oscars (19 nominations), 11 Grammys (including Song of the Year), 7 Golden Globes, Tony^® (plus 4 nominations), Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics, Olivier and London’s Evening Standard Award, Drama League. Honors: Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, Doctorates from New York University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Glenn Slater (Lyrics) co-created Disney’s 2010 worldwide smash Tangled (2011 Grammy Winner, 2010 Oscar and Golden Globe nominee), as well as the Broadway and international hit musicals Sister Act (2011 Tony nominee - Best Score) and The Little Mermaid (2008 Tony nominee - Best Score, Grammy nominee - Best Cast Album), and, most recently School of Rock (2015). With longtime collaborator Alan Menken, he is Executive Producer and Lyricist for the ABC-TV musical comedy series Galavant, and has also written songs for the Disney animated film Home On The Range (2004) and the Broadway musical Leap of Faith (Tony nominee - Best Musical, 2012). In the West End, Glenn provided both book and lyrics for Andrew Lloyd Webbe’s Love Never Dies (2010 Olivier nominee - Best Musical), the sequel to Phantom of the Opera. Other work includes an Emmy-nominated song for the ABC-TV comedy The Neighbors (2013), and the stage revue Newyorkers at The Manhattan Theatre Club (Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations). Glenn is the recipient of the prestigious Kleban Award for Lyrics, the ASCAP/Richard Rogers New Horizons Award, and the Jonathan Larson Award. He is an alumnus of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, and a member of both ASCAP and the Dramatists’ Guild.

Bill Steinkellner: Award-winning television and screen writer: “Cheers” and Disney’s “Teacher’s Pet” (Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAS, Writers Guild and People’s Choice Awards). Book writer (with wife, Cherri): Sister Act the Musical (London Palladium, Hamburg, Broadway 2011), Princesses (Goodspeed, 5th Avenue). Writer/director (with Paul Reubens): the original Pee-wee Herman Show (Groundlings, Roxy Theatre, HBO). Creator/director: Instaplay, L.A.’s first all-improvised musical-comedy. Author: the L.A. Times bestseller Postcards From the Moon. 

Cheri Steinkellner has won four Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, The People’s Choice, BAFTA, Writers Guild Award, Parents Choice and TV-Land Legend Awards, for writing and producing Cheers (recently named one of the Top 10 Best Written Comedies in TV history), and The Jeffersons, Facts of Life, Family Ties and Who’s The Boss, and for creating the acclaimed Disney animated Saturday morning TV series and feature film, Teacher s Pet. A 2011 Tony-nominee for Sister Act (with husband Bill Steinkellner, Alan Menken and Glenn Slater); Cheri has also written Princesses (with Bill, David Zippel and Matthew Wilder); and book and lyrics for Mosaic (with Georgia Stitt), and Jailbirds on Broadway (with Bill and Jeff Rizzo). Other stage includes Our Place, and Instaplay — L.A.’s original — and longest-running — improvised musical-comedy. An Indy Award winner and Ovation nominee for Hello! My Baby, Cheri currently teaches writing at Stanford and UCSB and directs youth theatre in beautiful Santa Barbara, where she and Bill raised their three favorite children/writers/artists: Kit, Teddy, and Emma.

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.

MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.

MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior^® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.

MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City with additional offices in London (MTI Europe) and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).

Maggie Ramirez Burns, Nagare I

The act of making visual art – unlike theatre – often occurs in isolation. But though most visual artists work alone, they are influenced and inspired by the world – and the people – around them. Artists tend to champion each other too. In our social media focused world, this means that many artists follow each other’s work through posts and reels without ever having met each other.

As I contemplated the joy of friendship and sisterhood in the musical Sister Act, this is what I hoped to capture with this summer’s Kendall Center Exhibition. As I watched artists I knew liking and commenting on each other’s Instagram and Facebook posts, I realized that bringing them together might be just the way to celebrate art making and the talented and vibrant women artists of Seattle.