CAST BIOS

(In Alphabetical Order)

Robert John Biedermann

(Thurston Wheelis Team Texas)- In his 32^nd year of performing, with over 150 productions under his belt, including 8 National Tours and a Helen Hayes Nomination, Robert is finally doing Greater Tuna, having seen it in it’s first year Off-Broadway in 1982. During this run he turns 60 and thinks it is the best way to jump into his 7^th decade…it is, it is! Here’s to you Kurt!!!    

Jeffrey Davis 

(Arles Stuvie- Team Tuna) – As an actor, Jeff last appeared on the Lazy Susan stage as the title character in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.  You might also remember him as dull dog Edward Angketell in the Hollow, As time study man Vernon Hines in Pajama Game, or as Public Enemy #13 Moonface Martin in Anything Goes. For the latter, Jeff was recognized as Best Actor in the region by a local theatre critic and some of his other stage work has been honored with a WATCH award, as well as “The Best of the Fringe” at the DC Fringe Festival. Jeff also made his Lazy Susan directing debut two winters ago with Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced. No strange to the Director’s chair, his credits include Oliver, Gypsy, Camelot and Music Man.    

Matthew Randall 

Matthew Randall- Arles struvie (and others**)

(Arles Struvie-Team Texas)- Matthew has visited Greater Tuna before, portraying the other half of the roles for Elden Street Players (ESP). Other roles include john and James Jeckyll, Love! Compassion! [ESP & Dominion Stage (DS), Sterling], Jeffrey (DS); Flanders, Six Degrees of Separation [Taking Flight (TF)]; Tartuffe, Tartuffe [Vpstart Crow (VC)]; Scrooge, A Christmas Carol (VC0; Norman, The Dresser [Port City Players (PCP)]; Selsden, Noises Off (TG); Dale Harding, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (TF); Capt. Keller, The Miracle Worker [The Arlington Players (TAP)]; Geoffrey, The Lion In Winter (TF); Dr. Sloper, The Heiress [Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA)]. Directing: Reefer Madness: The Musical (DS); Glengarry Glenn Ross (TF); Fifth of July (TF); The House of Blue Leaves (DS); Bat Boy: The Musical (TF, with Natalie V. Safley); Harvey (TF) and La Bête (TF).   

Lyle Blake Smythers

(Thurston Wheelis-Team Tuna)- performed at the 1992 and 1995 Helen Hayes Awards ceremonies at the National Theatre, where he was also seen in Jesus Christ Superstar. He has appeared at Signature Theatre (Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods), Studio Theatre (Medea), American Century Theatre (The Pirate), and the West End Dinner Theatre (Ten Little Indians). Credits here at the Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre include such shows as 1776, Big River, and Arsenic and Old Lace and most recently A Christmas Carol (Scrooge), Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web (Sir Rowland), and Shenandoah (Reverend Byrd). Favorite roles include his three Henrys: Higgins in My Fair Lady, the King in the Lion in Winter, and the Old Actor in The Fantasticks.   

George Rouse

(Stage Manager)- Recently George appeared as Sgt. Johnson in Shenandoah, Dick Wilkins in A Christmas Carol, Rev. Oglethorpe in Smoke on the Mountain, the Puppeteer for Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, the Wizard in Once Upon A Mattress, and Rudi Scherz in A Murder is Announced. George has often snuck around in his “tech Blacks” for a wide variety of shows including Beehive, Steel Magnolias, Grease!, The Mousetrap, Spider’s Web, Murder on the Nile, Guys & Dolls, and No, No, Nanette…to name a few. He became Stage Manager here in 1997. This year marks George’s 16^th year at the Lazy Susan.    

Jeanne Forbes

(Lighting Designer)- Jeanne has appeared onstage, in the booth, and many other positions here at the Lazy Susan, and is happy to once again design lighting for the theatre. You may remember her as Parthy in Show Boat, Pauline in No, No Nanette, Ouiser in Steel Magnolias, or Yente in Fiddler on the Roof. Jeanne has been the lighting technician for over 30 shows.  Her film/TV credits include Kurt Vonnegut’s Fortitude and the popular TV series M*A*S*H where she appeared as Nurse Able and as Frank Burns’ wife.   

 Mary Beth Smith-Toomey

(Assistant to the Director/Wardrobe Chief)- Mary Beth is happy to be back at the Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre. Mary Beth and Frank have worked together as a Producer/Director team at the Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA) on more than 10 productions including Gross Indecency: the Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, Cabaret (a Washington Area Community Theatre Honors (WATCH) Outstanding Musical production award), Das Barbecu, Shenandoah and I Hate Hamlet to name a fess. When not producing, Mary Beth Stage Manages or can be found as the Wardrobe Mistress for complicated wardrobe shows such as Auntie Mame, The Secret Garden and Mack and Mabel. She was the Co-Stage Manager for LTA’s production of Greater Tuna last season. 

 SCENES

ACT I    

Morning News, Radio Station OKKK    

Breakfast    

The Interview    

Pet-of-the-Week    

Leonard on the Line    

The Bitter Pill    

ACT II    

The Funeral Parlor    

The Midday Report    

The Smut Snatchers of the New Order    

The Interrogation    

Evening Prayers    

Sign Off    

CAST OF CHARACTERS

(Team will be announced each evening)    

Team Tuna:    

Thurston Wheelis (and others*)…Lyle Smythers    

Arles Stuvie (and others**)…Jeffrey Davis    

Team Texas:    

Thurston Wheelis (and others*)…Robert Biedermann    

Arles struvie (and others**)…Matthew Randall    

Production Staff:  

Scenic Painter…Myke Taister    

Set Painting/Set Dressing…Karol Kaldenbach, Linda Shaw    

Technical Staff:…Jeanne Forbes, Jesse Forbes