"You Can't Take It With You"
July 2010

Laurie Arnold - (Gay Wellington) is ecstatic to be back with Bell Road Barn in her 2nd production with them. She is having loads of fun playing Gay Wellington, who she see as a cross between Carol Burnett and Robin Williams. When Laurie isn't acting, singing or dancing, she's either working on her autobiography, screenplay or traveling the world. Her next project is to create a TV variety show, much like The Carol Burnett Show. She loves to see people laugh and enjoy life. Why Look at Laurie . . . . her middle name must be ENTHUSIASM!! Woodward.
Don Carlton - (Mr. Kirby) is now in his 9th production of a minor acting career with Bell Road Barn. Past shows include: "Sabrina Fair," "Moon Over Buffalo," "Spoon River Anthology," "Picnic," "Shadowlands," "Nightwatch," "Blythe Spirit," and "Mary Mary." Additionally, he directed the literally final show ("Drood") at the former site in Riverside before the Missouri waters took it all downstream in 1993. Here's thanks to high and dry ground.

Valorie Dodd - (Penny Sycamore) is excited to make her debut at the Bell Road Barn Players and almost forgot what it's like to be a play that isn't a musical! You might have seen her in one of these places: Olathe Community Theatre Association, Leawood Stage Company, The Shawnee Mission Theatre in the Park, Barn Players in Mission, Late Night Theatre or the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. Valorie is a core performer with Murder Mystery Players and loves interactive theatre. Thank you to my family, Tim, Madison and Danielle for all their love and support. Hey Matt, thanks for nothing.
Mary Martha Donaldson - (Essie Carmichael) is excited to be on stage and performing with The Bell Road Barn Players for the first time. She has recently returned to Kansas City after studying acting in New York City at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Mary has performed both in New York and internationally. Some of her favorite roles include; Georgie in Spike Heels, Katty Foster in The Wake of Jamie Foster and Velma in
Birdbath. She would like to thank Matt for putting up with her crazy shenanigans, as well as her loving parents for always “helping her out” and paying for all those years of dance classes which helped her prep for the role of Essie. Much love to all, peace, love and Justin Bieber for life!
Sylvester Finck - (G-Man) hailing from Kansas City, KS, Sylvester "Sly" Finck eagerly makes his debut on stage in The Bell Road Barn Players' production of You Can't Take It with You. He would like to thank Matt for giving him the opportunity to be part of such an amazing cast.
Richard Gill - (Grandpa) has been involved in Community Theater for over 30 years. He has worked with several area theater groups including Wyandotte Players, Kansas City Theater Under the Stars, City Theater of Independence, Johnson County Barn Players, Blue Valley Players, and extensively for The Bell Road Barn Players. He is married with 4 adult children. Of all of the roles he has portrayed over the years, the one that has given him the most satisfaction is portraying a math teacher at Blue Valley High School for 30 years.
Kim Hentges - (Alice Sycamore) is excited to be back on the Bell Road stage again. She was most recently on this stage in Park’s production of Enchanted April. Other Bell Road appearances include Bunny in California Suite & Emily in Bell Road’s 50th Anniversary production of Our Town. Some of her favorite roles include Ann in All My Sons and Elvira in Blithe Spirit. Kim would like to thank her biggest fans, her husband Matt, and her beautiful children Audrey & Leo for their support and patience.
  Matt Hentges -(director) has been doing theatre for over 15 years. He is extremely happy to be back at Bell Road Barn and to be directing as part of this “Homecoming Season”. Matt made his community theatre debut with Bell Road Barn back in 2002, playing the role of Jud in their production of “Tribute”. Since then he has worked with numerous theatres in the Kansas City area. Other directorial credits include The Shape of Things & The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged. Some of his favorite onstage moments include “Knickie” in Grease & “Ethan” in The Full Monty. He would like to thank his talented wife Kim and their beautiful children Audrey & Leo for all of their love, patience, understanding and inspiration.
Sean Hogge - (Ed Carmichael) would like to thank Matt for this exciting opportunity to be part of such a talented and fun cast.
Benjamin J. Howard - (Henderson / Jim) is a Kansas City native, though over the past several years he has studied and performed from Southern California to Cincinnati, OH. In terms of his most recent on-stage work, he wrapped up two seasons as a performer with ZOIKS! Comedy Improv at Emporia State University in May '09. Behind the seasons, he has training in administration, marketing, and arts advocacy. He's excited to be back on stage in his first scripted role in over two years. Thank you to the The Bell Road Barn Players and the cast and crew for this opportunity and to Christopher for his love and support. Enjoy the show!
Vicki Kerns - (Mrs. Kirby)
This is Vicki’s 4th time appearing in “You Can’t Take It With You” (one of her all-time favorite shows). Vicki has been involved with community theatre as an actress, tech director, and music director for over 30 years, having performed in over 100 shows. She also is a co-writer and co-performer in the Kansas City Renaissance Festival stage act known as MentalPause: Hot Flash Wenches. Vicki would like to thank her family, friends, and her Basset Hound kids, Cleo and Pongo, for their continued love and support.
  Kelly Lipovitz - is thrilled to be working for the first time with Bell Road Barn! In her other life, Kelly is an English and theater teacher at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, KS. This is her third production working in community theatre, but she hopes for many more. Kelly would like to thank her students at BWHS for making her love theatre more with each production. She would also like to thank Matt for having faith in her as his assistant for a second time.
Lauren Pope Myrseth - (Grand Dutchess Olga Katrina) is glad to be working with Bell Road Barn! She graduated from Indiana University Bloomington in 2007 with a BA in Theatre. She performed such roles as Julia in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Carol in Oleanna, and Mina Harker in the first-ever true stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. More recently, she was seen in the Park University production of Enchanted April as Lady Caroline Bramble. She would like to thank all the important people in her life: thank you, important people. She would also like to thank Edgar, her invisible friend, for remaining invisible; otherwise, her parents might have thought her crazy, instead of just theatrical.
Jonathan Peery - (Boris Kohlenkhov )
Jonathan is happy to be returning to the Bell Road Barn Stage (and happy that Bell Road Barn is returning to their stage as well!). He was last seen as Feste in Twelfth Night. Other favorite roles include Einstein in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Gougain in Inventing Van Gogh and Lonnie Wayne Burke in Coming Attractions. When not indulging his theatrical guilty pleasure, Jonathan types away madly in front of a computer screen for Cerner.
Stephen Phillips - (Tony Kirby) anative of Austin, TX, Stephen is excited to be making his debut with the Bell Road Barn Players. After acting on-stage in New York and paying off his massive gambling debts, Stephen moved to Los Angeles in hopes of seeing the Pacific. After viewing it, he remarked, "Not bad!" and proceeded to act in local plays and commercials and co-write/produce the short film The Saint with his brother John. How he ended up in KC is a mystery that will never be solved. Favorite stage roles include Hal in Proof at the Odyssey Theater in L.A., Dodge in Buried Child and Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof. He would like to thank Matt and the entire cast for always keeping the laughs coming.
Tim Phillips -(Paul Sycamore) second time appearing on the Bell Road stage. Tim is the Kansas City director resident artist and head bottle-washer for Murder Mystery Players. He can also be seen performing as Johnny Holiday, tour guide for the world famous Kansas City Gangster Tour. You may also see him reprising his role as Ackbar for the KC Renaissance Festival's "Fabulous Feaste of Fooles" this upcoming fall. Recently, Tim was a priest in "Jesus Christ Superstar" with Musical Theatrical Studios, Tommy in "Brigadoon" at Leawood Stage Company last summer and Paul in "Hair" for Mind's Eye Theatre last spring.
Lastly, he's thrilled to be playing the husband of the woman he's actually engaged to in real life.
Millie Picker - (Rheba) wife, Mom, and Nana are the roles I have played for over thirty years. If I continue to be blessed, Old Lady will be another. For now I am thrilled to be part of "You Can't Take It With You", playing the role of Rheba. We moved here from Atlanta in 2005 and I decided to try my hand at theater again after, let's say, after a very long absence. I am also happy to be back with the Bell Road Barn Players. My first role in Kansas City was in this theater in 2007 where I played Lurlene Turnover in "Daddy's Dyin' Who's Got The Will". Thanks to the great cast who has made this play what it is; it's been a lot of fun, and thank you to my family who has been so supportive of my desire to act again.
Jeremy Shields - (Donald) makes his return to local community theater after 10 years away. A former member of Northgate Community Theater, one of his favorite past roles was Dwight from Frankenstein. He has been an extra in the locally filmed “Lenexa: One Mile” where if you look real close, you might see him pretending to eat a hamburger. Through the years he has delighted children and adults with his comedic antics and physical comedy. Now older and fatter, he’ll just have to make you laugh the old fashioned way, by playing the lovable clod Donald. He is excited to make his debut here at the Bell Road Barn and looks forward to future projects. Jeremy thanks his wife for not complaining too much about him never being home anymore.
  Samuel Stokes - (Musical Consultant) is a freelance composer and playwright living in Blue Springs, MO. This is the third production of You Can't Take With You in which Sam has been involved. He has twice played the part of Ed Carmichael and for this production is serving as the musical consultant. All of the xylophone cues heard in the show are arranged by Sam who also assisted in training Sean Hogge on playing the xylophone. Sam is very excited to be again involved in a production of this wonderful play. Sam has master's degrees in Music Composition from the University of Central Missouri and Music Theory from Florida State University and is beginning the PhD program in Music Theory at Louisiana State University in August. You may visit Samuel Stokes' website at http://stokesmusic.tripod.com
Chris Teters -(Mac – gman) his eleventh show and the third show he has done with the Bell Road Barn Players. He is thankful to his parents for supporting him and his theater habit. He would also like to thank Matt for this opportunity.

J. Michael Wimpy - (Mr. DePinna) is practically exploding about the prospects of blowing up stuff in the basement in the role of Mr. DePinna. This by the way is his second appearance on the Bell Road Barn Player's stage and hopefully not his last - assuming there is not too much damage from the fireworks! Of course, it's now been forty years since his last arrest, and he has no plans for manned space travel so prospects are quite good it appears.

By George S Kaufman and Moss Hart

Directed by Matt Hentges

July 9, 10, 16, & 17 at 8 PM
Matinee July 18 at 2 PM

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