9 – 5, the musical Cast and Crew

Cindy Houpt (Judy Bernley) – Cindy lives in Newark with her husband Ron and youngest daughter Sarah. She always enjoys another opportunity to perform here at ZCT. She has had the good fortune of performing in several productions, namely Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Young Frankenstein. Cindy would like to thank the cast and crew for such a fun Summer. Cindy hopes you enjoy the show as much as she enjoyed rehearsing it!

Jodi L. Wolfe (Violet Newstead) – I’ve been involved in theater since the age of 5, but my parents will tell you I’ve been performing for them since birth. I studied Musical Theater and Vocal Music Education at Kent State University, I was a singer in the rock band Mad Shadows, and I also sing for weddings. I’ve been active in local theater for many years, including playing Gilmer in “Godspell”, Ronette in “Little Shop of Horrors” and Tosha/Ensemble in “Young Frankenstein” here at ZCT. My husband Bill and I met during a production of “Oliver!” back in 1996, (I played Nancy) and we live here in Zanesville with our 8-year-old son Liam. My performance is dedicated to my Dad Jeff, in honor of his recent retirement from the New Bakery Co. after 35 years, and to my Nephew Kyle, who graduated from John Glenn H.S. this year and will be starting at West Liberty College this fall. Congratulations, and I love you both!

Tahnee Kay (Doralee Rhodes) – Tahnee Kay is thrilled to be portraying Doralee in ZCT’s production of 9 To 5! Dolly Parton is a big inspiration to Tahnee and she is so proud to be a part of such an amazing musical.
Originally from Perry County, Tahnee now lives with her newlywed husband and three cats in Zanesville. She has been in productions with New Lexington High School and Community Theatre, Hocking College and Havering College, and Zane Trace Players. This will be her fourth show with ZCT.
Tahnee feels blessed to be surrounded by this amazing community of truly talented people and she can’t wait for another show! She hopes that the audience has as much fun watching the show as she has had being in it!

Rob Cook (Franklin Hart) – Originally from Illinois, I moved to the area in 2000 and have been doing shows in Zanesville since that time. I attended grad school for theatre and worked throughout Illinois in several companies. Some of my favorite shows here have been Godspell, Doubt, and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I love it at ZCT. Try out for a show here and you’ll love it too. Big love to my partner Matt and our son Evan and mild love to our spoiled cats.

Amber Winland (Roz Keith) – Amber Maree Winland is really not a killjoy in the office setting! Amber most recently played melancholy “Martha” in ZCT’s Spring Awakening. Before moving to Zanesville 4 yrs. ago, she directed and performed with Center Stage Players in Columbus for 6 yrs. Memorable parts include Rose in Bye Bye Birdie and Sarah Jane Moore in Assassins. From age 7 to 18 she performed with The Ashtabula Arts Center and D’Itri Productions. Thank you to the crew, who have shown so much confidence in her. Amber would also like to thank her mother, brother, and step-father for making the long journey to see the show!

Sean McClure (Joe) – Sean Adam McClure is a vivacious and active participant of the theater community in Zanesville. At ZCT, favorite productions have been Young Frankenstein, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and The Lion in Winter. At The Renner theater, Sean has enjoyed being a part of A Streetcar Named Desire and A Little Night Music. Sean appreciates you attending 9 to 5, and supporting the arts in our community.

Phil Palmer (Dick Bernley) – I have been honored to be onstage this season in Harmony Romances, Anne Frank and this show. I have worked backstage and as production staff for Young Frankenstein, Little Princess and Spring Awakening.I have had so much fun doing this show with the entire cast and crew.  I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we have enjoyed doing it.  This is the last show of ZCT’s 51st season and I can’t think of a better way to end it.   We appreciate your support of the arts in Zanesville.

Matt Swingle (Dwayne Rhodes) – Sit back and enjoy a blast from the past. I’ve done several shows with ZCT most recently Young Frankenstein and Spring Awakening and this has been another fun experience. In my spare time, I do have a real job, I’m a Sr. Data Architect in Columbus. I love working with these people and ZCT has become a big part of my life.I live in Philo with my partner Rob Cook, our son and two spoiled cats.

Michelle Robison (Maria Delgado) – Michelle Robison is proud to be part of such a diverse cast. After living in Las Vegas with her husband Scott for nearly ten years she was glad to get back on stage and do what she loves most; Shine. “Break a leg” to cast and crew plus a big thanks to the Dir’s… “You guys Rock!”

Lura Brannon (Kathy) – Lura is thrilled to be in her fourth show here at ZCT. Her journey began here in August: Osage County last April. In 2013, she also sang and danced with the monster cast of Young Frankenstein and became an ornery pastor’s wife in Harmony Romances. This summer, she has enjoyed portraying a singing 70’s secretary in 9 to 5 the Musical. She feels blessed to have the opportunity to be on stage once again with her theater family and friends. Look for her in future productions both onstage, and behind the scenes.Mrs. Brannon currently works in secondary education and resides in Philo, Ohio with her husband and teenage son, Romeo (who despite his name, has no interest in drama of any kind.)

Sally Goins (Margaret) – Sally Goins is thrilled to be part of the outstanding cast for this exciting show. Since renewing her interest in theatre after a long absence, she has been in “Ladies of Harmony” at ZCT and “The Music Man” and “A Little Night Music” at the Renner. Since one part had no singing, one required her to sing loudly off-key, and the third confined her to a wheelchair, her goal for this show was to walk and sing on-key at the same time. Unfortunately, since this part requires her to be drunk, we’ll just have to see if the goal is met. Thanks for coming to the show — enjoy!

Sarah Gantzer (Missy Hart) – Sarah is so excited to be a part of this show and has had a fabulous time in her first performance at Zanesville Community Theater! Favorite roles for Sarah include portraying Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible, and Marian the Librarian in The Music Man both at The Renner Theater. Sarah is a first grade teacher, soccer coach, Girl Scout Leader, and busy mom of 3. She thanks you for supporting the arts in Zanesville!

Cory Roush (Bob Entright) – Cory began acting as a student at Maysville High School, playing roles in Annie, Into the Woods, The Music Man, Annie Get Your Gun, Big, Back to the 80s, and Beauty and the Beast. Cory is a 2012 graduate of Ohio University and has taught Elementary Language Arts. He is currently working with the school outreach program through the Muskingum County Library System. Cory most recently appeared as Otto in ZCT’s production of Spring Awakening.

David J Kerr (Mr. Tinsworthy) – Sometimes I think I’m the luckiest man in Zanesville for having the opportunity to perform here at ZCT. Other times I think I’m a glutton for punishment. This is my fifth year as part of the ZCT company and I’ve performed in five of the six shows this season. Why do I keep coming back? The people. I’m continually amazed by the talent and drive of all the people who volunteer here; not only the actors, but the directors, techies, band, and stage crew. It takes a lot of hard work to put on a show like this, but when we know that we’ve done the best job that we can do and that you, the audience, have enjoyed our efforts; it makes it all worthwhile.
For my real life, I’m a retired US Air Force Master Sergeant, and I currently work for the City of Zanesville in the Engineering Department as a construction inspector. I’ve been married for 31 years and have four children ranging in age from 27 to 16 and a one year old grandson.

Jack McLendon (Josh Newstead) – Jack McLendon is a sophomore at Tri-Valley High School. Jack is playing the role of Josh and has been in many other ZCT productions, including You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown and A Little Princess.

Sierrah Archibald – Sierrah has been a long time member of ZCT, participating in a number of shows over the years. Her favorites include “Singin’ in the Rain”, “Suessical the Musical”, and many, many Angel Tree Benefits. She hopes you enjoy “9 to 5.”

Stephanie Anderson – Stephanie Anderson is a busy wife and mom of four wonderfully theatrical children! In fact, her daughter Miriam is responsible for reintroducing her to the magical world of theater when she saw Charlotte’s Web at The Renner Theater in downtown Zanesville. She has enjoyed being a part of several productions, including: The Music Man, A Little Night Music, and The Crucible. Stephanie was thrilled to be cast in 9 to 5, and has really enjoyed being a part of her first show at ZCT! She thanks you for attending the production, and for supporting her theater family in Zanesville. –

Katelyn Baughman – Katelyn Baughman is 13 years old and attends Crooksville Schools. She fell in love with theatre at age 5, when she 1st appeared at ZCT as a member of the chorus in Fiddler on the Roof. Other productions she has participated in since then include the title roles in Annie (ZCT) and Charlotte’s Web (Renner), A Little Princess (ZCT), A Little Night Music (Renner), HONK (ZCT), M*A*S*H (ZCT), eight Angel Tree Benefits (ZCT/Renner), Back to the Garden (Shadowbox Live) and more. Katelyn runs Cross Country, and is a student of Kachido Aikijitsu. Katelyn is extremely grateful to all those who have helped her learn and grow in theatre and performance and sends special thanks to Jillian Von Gunten and Sheryl Wise for providing her the opportunity to play the role of the Candy Striper and appear in the Chorus of 9 to 5!

William Harris – William Harris, an Ohio native, received his B.A. in Liberal Arts from Wright St. University in Dayton, Ohio. From there, he obtained his Master of Divinity from Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, IN. Upon graduation, he and the family moved to Michigan where his wife embarked upon a teaching career, and he later enrolled at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI in pursuit of his Master of Theology degree. He subsequently enrolled into a summer unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE – chaplaincy ministries) at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Center, also in Grand Rapids and the following year, he completed a yearlong chaplaincy residency at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo Michigan.At the completion of his residency, William enrolled in the Ecclesiastical Program for Ministerial Candidacy at Calvin with the intent of pursuing ordination within the Christian Reformed Church and at the conclusion of his program, had received a call to serve as pastor at New Hope Community Church in Kincheloe, MI, located in the Upper Peninsula, where he served just shy of three years. Currently, William is employed with Genesis Healthcare, serving as a Hospice Chaplain.

Kara K. Kelly – I started theater at Maysville High School with roles in Bye, Bye Birdie and The Very Very Great Grandson of Sherlock Holmes. After high school, I became involved in Zanesville Community Theater in 1982. In 1985, I went to Wright State University where I studied acting, music and dance. I’ve enjoyed roles in Finian’s Rainbow, Anything Goes, Carousel, Annie, Show Boat, I Remember Mama, Music Man, Babes in Toyland, South Pacific, Cinderella, The Sound of Music, A Little Night Music, Barnum, Harvey, MASH, The Odd Couple- Female Version, The Ladies of Harmony and Subject to Change. I’m just as comfortable working behind the scenes while stage managing, working on sets, sound and lighting.
In my personal life, I work for Tri-Valley School District as a Special Education Assistant. I’m training my rescued Min Pin, Cubby, to become a therapy dog. I want him to have a life occupation helping struggling readers. Plus, he’ll get to come to work with me. I have a cat, Little Bit, but she has an attitude. Maybe I need to fix her up with a behavior plan. I added a new member to my family; Buster, the cat, showed up one day.
My favorite quote is from Shakespeare; “If music be the food of love, play on”.

Bambi McConaha – I was told I had to write a bio, “OR ELSE,” so here goes. Hi, my name is Bambi. Yes, Bambi. And yes, my mom LOVED the movie. No, this is NOT my true hair color, close, but not quite natural. And yes, I am notoriously ORNERY!! Fair warning. Well, there it is. Not much of a bio, but for an “OR ELSE” it’ll have to do.

Terri Oakley – Terri Oakley is a Special Education teacher at Frazeysburg Elementary. She has danced and sang in The Zaney Follies and The Follies Family productions for the past 14 years. She was part of the cast of “Singin’ In the Rain” for The Community Theater. She also played Diana in the Genesis Dinner Theater production of “Lend Me a Tenor“.” I am proud to be a part of such a funny, talented cast and can‘t wait to share “9 to 5“ with the audience!”

Scott Robison – Scott Robison is enjoying his time In The Sun. What does he love most about being involved in the theater? The Attention! The adrenaline rush of performing is definitely his drug of choice. He’s been in several productions both here @ ZCT and @ The Renner and would like to continue doing so for a very long time. Thanks to everyone involved in 9 to 5, it’s been fun. Have a great time and enjoy the show!

Kari Scott – Kari Scott is the mother of two lovely boys Cameron and Nathan and wife of Ian. Kari is the assistant band director of Philo high school.Kari has also participated in Annie,Oliver and several Angel tree productions. Kari aspire frequently plays F Horn in the pit band.

Pam Smith – Pam Smith wears many hats at ZCT! Pam enjoys acting,costuming, and has even directed a production here (which she says she will not attempt again). She has enjoyed very much being a part of this fun cast, and has had a blast costuming this colorful bunch. She also loves spending time with her husband, daughters, son-in-law, and soon to be son-in-law.

Jillian B. Von Gunten (Director and Choreographer) – Jillian has participated in local theater all of her life and currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Zanesville Community Theatre. Some of her favorite roles include: Maggie in “A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Alais in “The Lion in Winter,” Nancy in “OLIVER!” and Barbara Fordham in “August: Osage County,” all at Zanesville Community Theatre, and Stella Kowalski in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” at The Renner. Some of her favorite shows to direct were: “The Mystery of Irma Vep,” “HONK,” “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Jillian currently serves as the Coach for Powerhouse’s SPARKS!! Improv Troupe and works in Zanesville as an attorney at Allen, Baughman, & Martin, Attorneys at Law.

Director’s Notes: This is usually the place where the Director talks about why they wanted to direct this particular show, etc. This is also one of the things folks who arrive early to the show read to pass the time before the “curtain rises.” So, I’ll try to make this just long enough to pass the time (without boring you) and (marginally) entertaining. No promises, though…

Two admissions are necessary before we go much farther. First, I loved the movie “Nine to Five.” Loved it. Still do. I may be guilty of speaking only in quotes from the movie with one dear friend. Second, I love Dolly Parton. While not a huge fan of modern country music, I do love the “Classics” and I have a special place in my heart for Dolly, not only for her music, but also for her abilities – talk about one smart lady who has more brains and business sense than anyone gave her credit for when she started out. She sure showed them. So, these two things alone should explain why I had to direct this show. But like the ladies say in the show, “there’s more than that.”

On one hand, “9 to 5” is a “women’s story” – as one person called it, a “girl power show.” And, yes, it certainly is. (There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, in my opinion.) The show is set in 1979, a mere 35 years ago, but tells a story with which many of my contemporaries are unfamiliar: women earned less, succeeded less, and were less respected than their male colleagues. Certain career avenues were unilaterally closed to women. Flash forward 33 years to me graduating from law school with a class composed of 60% women and being sworn into the practice of law by an Ohio Supreme Court on which sat more women than men and whose Chief Justice was (and still is) a woman. Pretty awesome changes, but they hide the history for many young women. So, in that sense, “9 to 5” is a reality check that the advances women of my age have gained were hard fought for not all that long ago. (I’m putting my gender soapbox away, I promise.)

More than that, though, “9 to 5” is the story of every person who has been belittled or made to feel small by a jerk (boss or not). The journey made by each of the ladies, Violet, Doralee, and Judy, is one with which we can all identify – learning to be independent and stand up to the people who makes us feel less than valuable. We want the “underdogs” to win, for the “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” to get his in the end. We’ve all got that one jerk we wish we could accidentally poison with rat poison that looks disarmingly like coffee sweetener. (Just buy into the theory, ok?) So, the show serves the purpose of a kind of group therapy – time for the bad guy to get his just desserts, the hard working employees to be rewarded, and order to be restored to a world of chaos. An overly dramatic generalization? Well, yes. But I am a theater person and its probably only a slight generalization anyway.

To avoid any additional tangents, time to wrap this up, I think. The show is very funny. The cast and crew have worked exceedingly hard all summer long. This is one of the largest shows we’ve ever done at ZCT . We hit the ground running 3 months ago and never looked back. It was a challenge embraced. Everyone involved had enthusiasm from day one and I couldn’t be more grateful; you’ll see why. I hope you leave the show humming a tune and with a smile on your face. I’ve had a marvelous time with my dear friends putting this show together and I sincerely hope that carries over to you. As always, thank you for supporting the arts in Southeastern Ohio and Zanesville Community Theatre. Time to get to work! Enjoy the show.

Sheryl Wise (Music Director) – Sheryl has been involved in Zanesville Community Theatre for over thirty years onstage, backstage, and on the board of directors. She has also worked with several other community theaters in central and southeastern Ohio. Some of her favorite shows to direct have been “Noises Off”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, “Seussical”, and “The Odd Couple”. Some of her favorite shows to be in have been “Sweeney Todd”, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”, “Nunsense”, and “Steel Magnolias”. Currently Sheryl is a Fine Arts teacher for Franklin Local Schools where she teaches theater and music. She is also church organist for Market Street Baptist Church. Sheryl shares her home with her Mom and their three cats. She is preparing for shoulder replacement immediately after this show closes so there will be lots of time to rest and read. Time to keep dreaming big!

Musical Director Notes – I am excited about the opportunity to bring the music of “9 to 5” to our stage. For those of you that don’t know— Dolly Parton wrote all of the music. So many people only associate her with country or bluegrass styles, but the music from this show encompasses everything from Broadway to Latin to the blues. I have always enjoyed her as a performer, but was especially impressed when I heard her speak at an educational conference I attended in Nashville. She has such a passion for giving back to her own community and for always improving. She spoke that day about her project to promote reading in her home county called Imagination Library. The project provides high quality books at no charge to pre-school students by mailing them directly to their families. Since its inception in 1996 over 50 million books have been delivered! She is an amazing performer, business woman, and philanthropist. In a recent article in “Guidepost Magazine” Dolly wrote “Dreams are never gonna come true if you don’t put wings on ‘em. Not only wings—they need feet, hands, and a brain. You’ve got to work really hard to make a dream come true. That’s the difference between a wish and dream.”Our dream here at Zanesville Community Theatre is to continue to bring quality productions to our stage. It takes hours of hard work by a dedicated group of volunteers to make it come true. We thank you, our audience, for being part of the dream.

Jan Kiikka (Producer) – has been involved in one aspect of production or another at ZCT for over 20 years. Jan just retired in May 2012 from Franklin Local Schools, though she will still be the drama producer at Philo High School. Jan and her husband, Niel, live in the McIntire Terrace with their five dogs and one cat (and turtles and fish).