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Jon Berry
(Sheriff Hawes) As
Founder and Artistic/Producing Director of WHT has directed all but seven
of our productions. In the last six years, he has been nominated four times
for the Valley Theatre League's "Artistic Director Achievement Award",
winning directorial awards for Gigi
(1996),
The Fantasticks
(1998) and Don't Dress for Dinner (2000). As an actor, he has worked
professionally in New York, Kentucky, New Mexico and Los Angeles. His association
with playwright Horton Foote goes back to the mid seventies when he appeared
in a special adaptation of William Faulkner’s short story Old Man
that Mr. Foote reworked from his own Playhouse 90 TV Screenplay
of the same title. The local production was produced at the Loft
Studio under the direction of legionary acting teacher the late Peggy
Feury. In 1982, Jon originated the role of Eddie Hayhurst in Horton
Foote's critically acclaimed Off-Broadway production of The Roads to
Home. He received a Drama-Logue Award for his performance in
The Last Meeting of the Knights of the White Magnolia and a Valley
Theatre League Award as Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for A Tale
of Two Cities (Parts 1 and 2). In addition to a recurring
role (two seasons) on the Fox Network series
Mr. President starring
George C. Scott, Jon has appeared in Quantum Leap, Matlock,
and Doogie Howser, M.D. among others. He’s done many national
and local commercials, extensive ADR (voice-over) work, most notably for
Murder,
She Wrote and the Cosby Mystery Series. |
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Steve
Ruggles (Tarl,
Director)
is a two-time "Woodie"
recipient here at the West Valley Playhouse. He's won Best Actor for his
work in Charles Grodin's One Of The All-Time Greats and for his
portrayal of Burt Hines in Neil Simon's Proposals for which he also
received a Valley Theater League nomination. Other appearances here include
Room
Service, It Runs In The Family, Black Coffee, and Chekov's
The Sneeze. Directing credits include Murder At The Howard Johnson's,
Borderlands,
Little
Tales Of Misogyny, and at Stages Theater, Feydeau's Sleep, I Want
You To Sleep, and
Leonce And Lena. He is excited and exhausted
to fill both shoes in The Chase. |
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Jeremy
Radin (Rip Murphy)
has been acting primarily in musicals, since he was 13 years old.
This is his first real venture into straight drama. He is truly ecstatic
and extraordinarily grateful to be here on this stage. Some past
favorite roles include Jud in Oklahoma, Seymour in Little Shop
of Horrors, Mr. McHabe in Up The Down Staircase, and Jesus in
GodSpell.
He dedicates this show to Sue Freitag and Ted Goldenberg if not for them,
who knows where he’d be. |
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Diana
March (Ruby
Hawes) most recently had
the pleasure of performing here at the WHT as Sage in the musical Inside
Out (for which she’s been nominated for best actress in a musical by
the Valley Theatre League). Diana’s other favorite’s: performing
her one-woman-show Spontaneous-Combustion-In-Red-Boots at the Cinegrill,
Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Catherine in Pippin,
Kathryn in The Hound of The Baskervilles and Carla/Caroline in Go
Back for Murder (for which she received a best actress award). Miss
March studies at The Beverly Hills Playhouse. Diana thanks her Mom &
family and is thrilled having her nephew on stage with her. She sends a
special thanks to Steve and Jon for a truly rewarding experience. |
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Howard
Gibson (Edwin
Stewart) was born in Roseville,
California and attended Sacramento State where he found his passion for
acting. He moved to Los Angeles to attend the American Academy of
Dramatic Arts where he graduated in 2001. He is co-founder of Genco
Productions Company. His list of work includes Hurly Burly, The
Traveling Lady, Boy’s Life, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf,
A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Chapter Two and The Diviners. |
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Bernie
McGinnis (Mr.
Douglas) last appeared at the West
Valley Playhouse as Senator Blake in Room Service. A native
of Louisville, KY, he began acting in various Louisville area theaters
where his appearances included, Guys and Dolls,
Carousel,
Kiss
Me Kate, You Can't Take It with You,
Romanoff and Juliet,
and Sgt. Trotter in The Mousetrap. He currently resides in
Sherman Oaks with his number one fan and supporter, his wife, Nancy. |
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Valerie Hager (Anna
Reeves) began performing when she
was a small child as a sidekick to her mentor and father Jerry Hager.
He has been a great influence in her life as a mime, actor, writer, director
and teacher. Having moved here two years ago from San Diego, she
has managed to stay busy. Studying at the Lost Studio with Cinda
Jackson, Second City Improv, Margie Haber and with writer Donald Freed.
This is her fifth play in Los Angeles, with one of those being last years
production of Murder Plot here at the West Valley Playhouse, for which
she received a "Woodie" for her performance. Valerie also fills her
time with short films and continued study of playwrights and their plays.
This is just the beginning of a long and prosperous life in her career
and in her heart. Her next project will be in an original play called
My
Audrey Dylan opening in late February at The Complex Theater in Hollywood. |
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Nadya Starr(Mrs.
Reeves) recently appeared at the
American Renegade Theatre in William Mastrosimone’s
Shivaree.
In addition, she appeared in the world premier of Tom Grimes’ New World
at the Met Theatre, in Recess by Hollace Starr at Trade City Warehouse,
and in A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepherd at the Lillian Theatre.
In television, she has had guest starring roles on Matlock, Jake
and the Fatman, Perry Mason,
Parole Board, and The
Bronx Zoo among others. Her film credits include a starring role in
the award winning film A Little Victory directed by Genevieve Robert.
Nadya lives in Pasadena with several house kitties, two house bunnies,
and one very understanding husband. |
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David Stifel (Knub
McDermitt) Previous WHT appearances
include Knights of the White Magnolia,
The Sneeze, The
Fantasticks, and Room Service. David was happy to win the Woodland
Hills Theatre award for Best Supporting Actor in 1995. David was
seen on the big screen recently opposite Tom Cruise in Minority Report
as Lycon, the eyeless drug dealer. Watch for him next year in the upcoming
Civil War film Gods and Generals. |
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Daniel Lennox (Bubber
Reeves) is a native of St.Louis,
Missouri who arrived in L.A. three years ago from New York City. He attended
the prestigious Circle in the Square Theatre School where he performed
in such plays as The Glass Menagerie,
Romeo and Juliet, and
Boys
Life. Some of his other theatre experiences include Henry V
(ATA, New York City), The Twelve Extremes (Lyceum Theatre, St.Louis),
and Butterflies Are Free (Houseman Theatre, NYC). Daniel's T.V.
credits include episodes on Mad T.V. and Freaky Links. He
just most recently came back from Bangkok, Thailand where he completed
filming on the critically acclaimed independent film Black Magic M.R.L.12. |
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Steve Whittaker (Hawks
Damon) with great delight he is
coming full circle with his role in this production. His first major
film role was in the film adaptation of The Chase, in which
he played opposite Marlon Brando as the deputy sheriff “Slim”. Beginning
in theatre at an early age, his first Equity show was Take Her, She’s
Mine, starring Margaret Blye. He’s done over 50 plays, including;
Curse
of the Starving Class, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,
The
Time Of Your Life, New World, and Catch-22. He’s
played major roles in numerous films, including starring opposite Cher
in Chastity. He’s guest starred and co-starred on TV for five
decades, from Gunsmoke to Nash Bridges, to a recurring role
on The Young and the Restless. Steve is a professional Theatrical
Director /Producer, and he’s an acting teacher and private coach. He currently
works as a Director/Instructor at The American Film Institute. |
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The
Playwright
Horton Foote
had his first play Texas Town produced Off-Broadway in 1941.
Since then he had plays produced On-Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off Broadway
and at many regional theaters. They include: The Last of
the Thorntons, The Young Man From Atlanta, The Chase,
The
Traveling Lady, The Trip to Bountiful, Night Seasons,
Tomorrow,
The
Habitation of Dragons, The Orphan’s Home Cycle (Roots In
a Parched Ground, Convicts, Lily Dale,
The Widow Claire,
Courtship,
Valentine’s
Day, The Death of Papa)
Dividing the Estate,
Talking
Pictures,
Laura Dennis,
Vernon Early and The Roads
to Home. He received Academy Awards for his screenplay adaptation
of To Kill A Mockingbird and his original screenplay
Tender Mercies.
He received the Pulitzer Prize for his play
The Young Man From Atlanta
and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway,
the Outer Critics Circle Special Achievement Award for the Signature Series
of his plays. In 1996, he was elected to the Theatre Hall of Fame.
In 1998, he was elected to membership in the American Academy of Arts and
Letters. At the same time, he received from the Academy the Gold
Medal of Drama for the entire body of his work. In 2000, he received
the PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award for Drama, the New York State Governor’s
Arts Award and in December of that year he was given the National Medal
of Arts Award by President Clinton. His memoirs “Farewell” and “Beginnings”
are published by Scribners. |
