A Christmas Carol

Paige Lindsey White has performed in 6 seasons at Santa Cruz Shakespeare where some of her favorite roles include Pericles, Malvolio, & Polonius. Other regional theater credits: Pasadena Playhouse, Arizona Theatre Company, Indiana Rep, Wallis Annenberg, Disney Concert Hall, Mark Taper Forum, South Coast Rep, San Diego Rep, International City Theater, Boston Court, & The Actors’ Gang. TV: “Shameless,” “American Woman,” “Corporate,” & “Days of Our Lives” LA Drama Critics’ Circle Award Winner for Lead Performance.

David Morden teaches voice in the School of Theatre, Film and Television at University of Arizona. For Arizona Repertory Theatre, he has appeared in Little Women (Mr. Laurence) and Proof (Robert). Regionally, he has performed with Arizona Theatre Company, the Utah, Colorado and Seattle Shakespeare Festivals, Shakespeare Theatre Company and ACT Theatre, as well as Jagriti Theatre in Bangalore, India. In the summers, David serves as Voice, Text and Dialect Coach for Santa Cruz Shakespeare.

Shaun Carroll has been a staff member of the Jewel Theatre Company in Santa Cruz, CA since 2015. There he has appeared onstage in Me & My Girl, The Odd Couple, All My Sons, Sylvia, Fallen Angels, and Woman in Mind. Previously, he has appeared around the greater Bay Area with TheatreWorks, Lake Tahoe and San Francisco Shakespeare Festivals, Willows Theatre Company, and CapStage, among others. Shaun is also the prop master for Jewel Theatre Company.

Brenda O’Brien began her theater career in San Diego, where she was seen as Judas in Godspell, Louise in Gypsy, Nicki in Sweet Charity, and Viola in Twelfth Night (to name a few). She received awards for her roles as Ouisa in Six Degrees of Separation, Joan in Dames at Sea, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, and Electra in Gypsy. Brenda then went on to perform as Svetlana in the 1st National tour of Chess. Soon after she began portraying Carmen San Diego on the PBS television show and video games. In addition to acting, Brenda is an accomplished make-up artist and hairdresser for TV, Film, and Theater. She received her 25 years on Broadway pin in 2019 for her work on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Jekyll & Hyde, and Disney’s The Lion King. SRT Audiences might remember her as Tanya in Mamma Mia (2018), or as Tootie in Meet Me in St. Louis (2021). So glad to be back!

Will Block is thrilled to be returning to Sierra Rep, after appearing earlier this year as Curly in Of Mice and Men. Favorite regional credits: Hamlet in Hamlet (ETC Santa Barbara), Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, and Tom in The Glass Menagerie (Santa Cruz Shakespeare). Up next: Richard Dreyfuss in The Shark is Broken with ETC Santa Barbara. He currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Company in Los Angeles, CA.

Laura Whittenberger is happy to make her Sierra Rep debut. Favorite credits: Originating Saavik in KHAN!!! The Musical Off-Broadway, Maria in The Sound of Music (FL), Lucy in Bright Star (MA, FL), Guenevere in Camelot (WA), Catherine in Proof (ME), Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance (ME, MD and PA), Bella Manningham in Angel Street (FL) and Amalia in She Loves Me (DE and FL). Regional Broadway World nominee in 4 states, prizewinner in NYC’s 2025 SongSlam.

Jackie is thrilled to be returning to SRT once again! She has most recently been seen in SRT’s production of Cinderella as Charlotte. Jackie is a graduate of PCPA and holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Cornish College of the Arts. Favorite credits include: Cinderella, Sunday in the Park with George, Elf, Shrek, and The Wizard of Oz (Sierra Rep); Men on Boats (Cornish College); Freaky Friday (PCPA). Jackie would like to thank her friends and family for their constant love and support.

Lee started his career in the mid-West where he performed as Sweeney Todd and Professor Harold Hill (among many others.)  He came to California with the First National Company of The Phantom of the Opera (LeFevre). Bay Area performances include John Muir’s Mountain Days (Shellie Award – Best Actor in a Musical), Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd, Pickering in My Fair Lady, and Von Trapp in The Sound Of Music with Theatre Works, Diablo Theatre Co., AMT, Pocket Opera and 42nd Street Moon. At SRT Lee was last seen as The Wizard of Oz. Before that he performed in SRT’s Into the Woods and The Drowsy Chaperone as well as Man of La Mancha (2000). Lee met his talented wife here at SRT and is delighted to be on stage with her again.

Laurie Strawn is delighted to be a Resident Company member at SRT. Recent SRT roles: Glinda/Aunt Em in The Wizard of Oz, Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods, Mrs. Tottendale in The Drowsy Chaperone. Other SRT favorites include: Old Woman/Blair in Sunday in the Park with George, Annie Wilkes in Misery, and Clairee in Steel Magnolias. With love and thanks to all at SRT, and to her Lee and Julia, Laurie says, “Thank you for supporting live theater. Welcome!”

Michael Gould is thrilled to be returning to Sierra Rep. He recently appeared in the SRT production of Of Mice and Men as Whit, and understudied the role of Roland in Constellations. Some of his other favorite past credits include: John in Holding the Man, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Holmes 3 in Holmes and Watson, Bookseller/Ensemble in Beauty and the Beast, Captain Gower in Henry V, Wino & Plant Puppeteer in Little Shop of Horrors, and Cliff understudy in Cabaret. Much love to his sister, Elle, his family, and friends for all their love and support!

Soren is a 13 year old homeschool student who has trained with SRT Jr. since 2023. She is beyond grateful for an opportunity to learn and improve as an actor in her second main stage production with SRT. Favorite SRT credits include: Regina George (Mean Girls Jr.), Mal (Descendants Jr.), and Youth Ensemble (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer). Soren has been studying piano and voice with Louise McPeeters, since 2020. Along with with acting, Soren has been a finalist in state and local singing competitions. Soren is thankful to everyone at SRT for bringing this festive, heart-warming story to the community in all of its glory. Special thanks go to her friends and family; she could not do this without their love and support. She wishes you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Rory is delighted to be part of this incredible production and is so grateful for your attendance! This is her third time on the SRT Main Stage, previously appearing in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as an elf and misfit toy, and The Wizard of Oz as a lollipop guild Munchkin and flying monkey. She has been in several SRT Jr. productions since she first started acting in 2019. Some of her favorite roles include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Viola in Twelfth Night, Dororthy in The Wizard of Oz, and Ms. Norbury in Mean Girls. Rory would like to thank you again for your attendance, her family for all their support, and the SRT team for this phenomenal experience—now, without further ado, enjoy the show and happy holidays!

Maverick is honored and thrilled to be a part of this magical production. He is 12 years old and attends Columbia Elementary School. His passion is acting and he finds his true happiness up on stage. He has been in multiple plays over the last few years including his latest roles as the Lion in The Wizard of Oz (Youth Edition) and Cyrano in Cyrano de Bergerac. He would like to thank his family, friends and SRT team for all of their love and support. Please enjoy the show!

Madeline Kushnir is thrilled to be making her professional debut with Sierra Rep! She first discovered her love of theatre a year and a half ago when she played Jemima in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and has been hooked ever since. Favorite roles include Flotsam in The Little Mermaid, Snow White in The Descendants (SRT Jr), and Michael in Mary Poppins. When she’s not on stage, Madeline enjoys skiing, kneeboarding, and playing softball, volleyball, and soccer. She would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support and SRT for the awesome opportunity!

Jonas is excited to make his main stage debut with Sierra Repertory Theater! He previously appeared as the Mayor of Munchkin City in SRT Jr.’s The Wizard of Oz. A proud Soulsbyville Elementary Falcon and second grader, he loves playing soccer, reading, and spending time with his little sister, Coco. Jonas is also hoping for an epic ski season. He is grateful to the A Christmas Carol crew for this incredible opportunity and to his family for their love and support.

Richard Hellesen is the author of numerous plays for adults and young audiences. The former include Kingdom (Denver Center; Stavis Award, National Theatre Conference), Once in Arden (South Coast Repertory; Julie Harris Award, Beverly Hills Theatre Guild), Moonshadow (numerous regional productions; Dennis McIntyre Award, Philadelphia Festival Theater), and several projects for Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC where he is an Associate Artist, including the full-length Necessary Sacrifices and the long-running one-act One Destiny. His solo show Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground, starring Tony-winner John Rubinstein, ran off-Broadway in 2023 and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Solo Performance. With composer David De Berry he wrote the book for a widely-produced musical adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. His two dozen short plays include five finalists for the National Award for Short Playwriting, all produced at City Theatre in Miami (among others). Mr. Hellesen’s plays for young audiences include a version of The Twelve Dancing Princesses (published by Samuel French), and adaptations of The Emperor’s New Clothes and Esther Forbes’ Johnny Tremain (B Street Theatre). With Grammy-winning composer Michael Silversher he has written a musical adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind on the Willows (South Coast Repertory), as well as eleven Educational Touring musicals for SCR, three of which were subsequently produced at the Sundance Children’s Theatre in Utah. A member of the Dramatists Guild, Mr. Hellesen has twice been playwright-in-residence at the William Inge Center for the Arts in Independence, Kansas.

David de Berry was Resident Composer and Music Director for the Sacramento Theatre Company for many years. For STC he composed the music and lyrics for the musicals A Cappella and Sisters: A Legend, as well as original scores for Twelfth Night, The Good Person of Setzuan, All My Sons, The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew, ‘Night Mother, and The Time of Your Life. He composed the scores for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival productions of The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Comedy of Errors, The Glass Menagerie, King Lear, Betrayal, Our Country’s Good, The Recruiting Officer, Terra Nova and The Miser. He also composed scores for Romeo and Juliet at the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and M. Butterfly at the Arizona Theatre Company. A graduate of Boston University and member of Actor’s Equity Association, Mr. de Berry appeared as an actor at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Arizona Theatre Company, PCPA, Pennsylvania State Theatre, Charles Playhouse in Boston and in major roles at the Sacramento Theatre Company.

Jerry Lee is Sierra Rep’s Artistic Director. He’s appeared in the SRT productions of Misery, Sunday in the Park with George, Elf The Musical, Shrek The Musical, Camelot, Cabaret, Route 66, Intimate Apparel, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Man of La Mancha, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s State Fair, and The Drowsy Chaperone. As an actor: I Love You…Change, Forbidden Broadway (California Musical Theatre); Life Could Be a Dream, A Christmas Carol (CenterREP); A Little Princess, The Fantasticks (Sacramento Theatre Company); West Side Story (Mountain Play); Orlando, An Iliad, A Tale of Two Cities (SacImpulse Theatre). As a soloist: Rodgers and Hammerstein Celebration (Sacramento Choral Society); Billy Bigelow in Carousel in Concert (Sacramento Philharmonic). As a director: HAIR, Little Shop of Horrors, Mean Girls JR., Sh-Boom! A Christmas Miracle (World Premiere), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Twelfth Night, Jersey Boys, Clue, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh KIDS, Elvis The Musical (West Coast Premiere), Dogfight, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Steel Magnolias, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka KIDS, I Love You…Change, The Wizard of Oz, Holiday Jukebox, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Robber Bridegroom (SRT); I Love You…Change (STC). Lee began his association with Sierra Rep in 2010 when he stepped in as a replacement in Guys and Dolls.

In 2019, Lee created SRT in Schools, a touring program that brings live professional theatre to Tuolumne County schools at no cost to the schools, students, or their families. In 2023, the program branched out to include Stanislaus and Calaveras counties.

Scott Viets is Sierra Rep’s Executive Producer. He has directed over 60 shows for SRT since his arrival in 2002. As a director, his SRT favorites include The Wizard of Oz, Intimate Apparel, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Christmas Story, All My Sons, Shipwrecked, The Robber Bridegroom, and The Glass Menagerie. Thank you for supporting live theatre and continuing (or beginning) your journey with us!

Sean is a composer and pianist based in Los Angeles. Originally from Sonora, he attended USC for Jazz Performance studying with Milcho Leviev and Cedar Walton. After finishing his degree, Sean spent a year in Glasgow, Scotland, playing in hotels and working with the Lothian Gaelic Choir. Then, after working in San Francisco with jazz and pop groups, he returned to Los Angeles and a career as a composer and pianist. He has music directed dozens of productions at various theatres including Sierra Rep, Milwaukee Rep, PCPA, The Odyssey, The NoHo Arts Center, Sierra Madre Playhouse, and has played and produced music for Disney and Universal Studios. Sean recently scored the award-winning feature Refuge, SMP’s production of Deathtrap, and received ASCAP’s Harold Arlen Award for film scoring.

Justin Kelley-Cahill is a California-based theatrical designer originally from Alameda, and a proud UCLA graduate (Go Bruins!). He is passionate about innovative storytelling and strives to illuminate the beauty of our differences through his work, aiming to spark joy and craft a memorable & entertaining experience for all audiences. He is thrilled to be returning to SRT after designing The Wizard of Oz and looks forward to collaborate with such a talented team on Some Enchanted Evening! Recent credits: The Wizard of Oz (SRT), Pacific Overtures (Kunoichi Productions), Electric, I (Theatre of NOTE), Forever Plaid (42nd Street Moon), and RENT (Jaxx Theatricals).

Brenda O’Brien began her theater career in San Diego, where she was seen as Judas in Godspell, Louise in Gypsy, Nicki in Sweet Charity, and Viola in Twelfth Night (to name a few). She received awards for her roles as Ouisa in Six Degrees of Separation, Joan in Dames at Sea, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, and Electra in Gypsy. Brenda then went on to perform as Svetlana in the 1st National tour of Chess. Soon after she began portraying Carmen San Diego on the PBS television show and video games. In addition to acting, Brenda is an accomplished make-up artist and hairdresser for TV, Film, and Theater. She received her 25 years on Broadway pin in 2019 for her work on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Jekyll & Hyde, and Disney’s The Lion King. SRT Audiences might remember her as Tanya in Mamma Mia (2018), or as Tootie in Meet Me in St. Louis (2021). So glad to be back!

Hunter is ecstatic to be returning to SRT, this time as Sound Designer! His previous credits include: Regional (PCPA): Buddy u/s, Elf; Warwick, Henry V; Male Lead Swing, The Play that Goes Wrong; M. Darque, Beauty and the Beast; Sexton, Much Ado about Nothing; Harry, Lucky Stiff; Ensemble, Waitress; Shylock/ Ensemble, Something Rotten!

Emily is thrilled to be joining Sierra Rep for the first time! She recently wrapped her third season with Santa Cruz Shakespeare, beginning as an apprentice on The Taming of the Shrew and returning as Assistant Stage Manager for As You Like It. She holds a B.A. in Theatre Design and Production from Arizona State University (emphasis in Stage Management) and a certificate in Special Events Management. She’s excited to continue creating meaningful theatre.

Maggie Braun (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back at her theatre home! SRT: Steel Magnolias, Murder on the Orient Express, Route 66, The Wizard of Oz, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, and Million Dollar Quartet. With her associate degree in Theater from Modesto Junior College, she is proud to have her dream job here in Sonora. She would like to thank her family, best friends, and Connor for supporting her in her journey of chasing her dreams. “Look ma, I made it!”