Supporting Materials

Free “Open Talk”

The Playboy of the Western World

Saturday, January 4 at 2:00 P.M.

Join us for a presentation by Director Cynthia Meier that will deepen your understanding of the play and hopefully enrich your experience of attending the production. As always, actors from our production will be on hand to present an exciting sneak peek at the play in action!

This open talk is supported in part by a generous gift from Julia Royall.

Cynthia Meier (Director) is Co-Founder and Managing & Associate Artistic Director for The Rogue Theatre and holds a Ph.D. in Performance Studies from the University of Arizona. She has directed 42 of The Rogue’s 92 productions to date including The Secret in the Wings, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Galileo, Bach at Leipzig, The White Snake, Hamlet, Waiting for Godot, Betrayal, Naga Mandala, and The Four of Us for which she received Arizona Daily Star Mac Award nominations as Best Director, as well as Arcadia and Richard III for which she won Mac Awards for Direction. Cynthia has created stage adaptations for The Rogue of Thornton Wilder’s The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Virginia Woolf’s The Lady in the Looking Glass & Mrs Dalloway, James Joyce’s The Dead, Kafka’s Metamorphosis, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tales of the Jazz Age, Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness, and (along with Holly Griffith) Moby Dick. She is co-founder of Bloodhut Productions, a company performing original monologues and comedy improvisation, which toured throughout the western United States. She also directed The Seagull (featuring Ken Ruta) for Tucson Art Theatre, and she directed Talia Shire in Sister Mendelssohn and Edward Herrmann in Beloved Brahms for Chamber Music Plus Southwest. Cynthia has also been nominated for nine Mac Awards for Best Actress from the Arizona Daily Star, and in 2008, she received the Mac Award for Best Actress for her performance of Stevie in Edward Albee’s The Goat at The Rogue Theatre.

Cynthia Meier’s direction of The Playboy of the Western World is supported in part by
generous gifts from Denice Blake & John Blackwell and Jordan & Jean Nerenberg

CAST

CHRISTOPHER MAHON - Hunter Hnat*
MICHAEL JAMES FLAHERTY, a publican - John Keeney
MARGARET FLAHERTY (called PEGEEN MIKE), his daughter - Bryn Booth*
SHAWN KEOUGH, her cousin, a young farmer - Aaron Shand*
WIDOW QUIN, a neighbor - Sophie Gibson-Rush*
PHILLY CULLEN, a farmer - Ryan Parker Knox*
JIMMY FARRELL, a farmer - Matt Walley*
SARA TANSEY, a village girl - Chelsea Bowdren*
SUSAN BRADY, a village girl - Shannon Elias
HONOR BLAKE, a village girl - Chelsey Jean Smith
TOWNSPERSON - Zachary Austin
TOWNSPERSON - Christopher Pankratz*
OLD MAHON- Joseph McGrath*

*Member of The Rogue Resident Acting Ensemble

Biographies

Zachary Austin (Townsperson) graduated in 2020 with his BFA in Acting. Since his graduation, he has been continuing his growth through helping students find their voices in the various classrooms he has found himself in around Tucson, most recently at City High School in a partnership through The Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre. Some of his recent credits include: Faustus: That Damned Woman, Killed a Man (Joking), Citizen: An American Lyric, Twelfth Night, Tecumseh!, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Pippin and The Pajama Game. In addition to his acting credits, Zac has directed Shows such as Our Town and Almost, Maine with young Tucson actors. Zac would like to thank his Mom, Dad and sister for all their support over the years. Finally, he would like to thank Annika Maher for being his rock.

Zachary Austin’s performance is supported in part by a
generous gift from Barbara Martinsons & Larry Boutis

Bryn Booth (Pegeen Mike) is a graduate of the BFA Acting program at the University of Arizona. She was most recently seen as Ludmilla in If on a winter’s night a traveler, Rosaline in Love’s Labor’s Lost, Ellie Dunn in Heartbreak House, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Martine in Babette’s Feast. This is Bryn’s seventh season as a member of the Resident Acting Ensemble and her 26th show with The Rogue. Some of her favorite shows in which she’s performed here are King Lear, Great Expectations, The Awakening, Much Ado About Nothing, and Passage. Bryn has also been seen at the Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre as Mag in Lovers and Gowdie in The Love Talker. Bryn is also very active in the Tucson Indie Film Community where she has worked as an actor, writer, and producer. Bryn wants to thank Joe and Cindy for giving her the best job she’s ever had with the most amazing people she’s ever met.

Bryn Booth’s performance is supported in part by
generous gifts from Carol Mangold & Jill Ballesteros

Chelsea Bowdren (Sara Tansey) is excited to be in her third season as a member of The Rogue Resident Acting Ensemble. She has previously performed on The Rogue stage as Lotaria in If on a winter’s night a traveler, Sabina in The Skin of Our Teeth, Maria in Love’s Labor’s Lost, Miss Myfanwy Price & others in Under Milk Wood, Obsle in The Left Hand of Darkness, Hesione Hushabye in Heartbreak House, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Biddy/Camilla Pocket in Great Expectations, Jessie in Sweat, Miss Killman in Mrs Dalloway, Jenny/Miss Forsythe in Death of a Salesman, Maria in Twelfth Night and Rosalind in Immortal Longings. Chelsea received her BFA in Acting from the University of Arizona. For Archer, Eloise, and Felix.

Chelsea Bowdren’s performance is supported in part by generous gifts
from Peggy Houghton & Paul Garner and Eloise Gore & Allen Hile

Shannon Elias (Susan Brady) got her first big break in theatre at age 11 when she was cast as the Wicked Witch of the West in her school’s production of The Wizard of Oz. After that first applause, she was hooked. She made her debut on The Rogue stage in The Oresteia in 2020 and has since appeared in Babette’s Feast, The Left Hand of Darkness, and The Skin of Our Teeth. Other select acting credits include Almost, Maine at Invisible Theatre and Faustus: That Damned Woman at Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre. She also worked backstage with The Rogue as Assistant Stage Manager for The Awakening, Mrs Dalloway, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Love’s Labor’s Lost. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from the University of Arizona with a minor in Special Education and Rehabilitation Psychology. For Anna, Marcel, & Clara

Shannon Elias’s performance is supported in part by
a generous gift from Paul Winick & Ronda Lustman

Sophie Gibson-Rush (Widow Quinn) is a musician and actor based in Tucson, Arizona. She is proud to be a resident ensemble member with The Rogue Theatre and the front woman and primary songwriter for critically acclaimed alternative rock quintet Holy Faint. She attended Boston University and London Academy of Music and Drama where she earned a BFA in acting. She continued her education at Double Edge Theater studying devised theatre. Favorite acting credits include Polly Garter (& others) in Under Milk Wood, Katherine in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Marc Antony in Julius Caesar, Peggy in The London Cuckolds, and Thomasina Coverly in Arcadia. She's honored to be included in the Rogue ensemble- a group of people as kind as they are curious. She looks forward to her first full season acting with The Rogue Theatre, and can be found playing music on stages all around Tucson and Southern Arizona. Always for Jojo with love. IG: @soatgoat

Sophie Gibson-Rush’s performance is supported in part by generous gifts from
Paul Winick & Ronda Lustman and Rick & Debby Apling and John & Diane Wilson

Hunter Hnat (Christopher Mahon) is grateful to be in his seventh season as a member of The Rogue Resident Acting Ensemble. He was most recently seen as Gritzvi & others in If on a winter’s night a traveler and Henry Antrobus in The Skin of Our Teeth. He has performed in over 30 shows with The Rogue, some notable favorites include Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Pip in Great Expectations, Happy in Death of a Salesman, Sebastian in Twelfth Night, Edmund Tyrone in Long Day’s Journey Into Night, and Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Other credits include Salomé (Scoundrel & Scamp), U/S in Romeo and Juliet (Arizona Theatre Company), and How the House Burned Down (Live Theatre Workshop). He is a U of A alumnus with his BFA in Musical Theatre, class of 2015. Enjoy the show!

Hunter Hnat’s performance is supported in part by
generous gifts from Susan Tiss and Cheryl Lockhart

John Keeney (Michael James Flaherty) is an interdisciplinary artist, thrilled to be working with The Rogue again. He has previously appeared on stage at The Rogue in The Skin of Our Teeth, Twelfth Night, As You Like It, Galileo and Much Ado About Nothing, and with The Scoundrel and Scamp in There Is a Happiness that Morning Is, and as music director for Two Plays for Lost Souls. He provided guitar and vocals for The Rogue’s productions of The Weir and The Seafarer.

John Keeney’s performance is supported in part
by a generous gift from Katherine Standifer

Ryan Parker Knox (Philly Cullen) had forgotten how many seasons he has been a member of the Rogue's Acting Ensemble, and with that blissful ignorance he's diving headfirst into his first full season since 2018-19. A South Dakota native, he has worked regionally in Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri, and Florida but he's glad to have found his home in the Old Pueblo. RPK brings his versatility into a number of challenging roles this season and can't wait to see where the journey takes him, creatively and personally. He would like to thank his lovely partner CM for her patience and support (but mostly her patience) and to his zoo of fur babies back at the house who all lovingly ensure that no one gets a good night sleep.

Ryan Parker Knox’s performance is supported in part by
generous gifts from Ann & Andrew Lettes and Joan Warfield

Joseph McGrath (Old Mahon) is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Drama and Co-Founder and Artistic Director for The Rogue Theatre. He has recently appeared in If on a winter’s night a traveler, Under Milk Wood, The Left Hand of Darkness, Heartbreak House, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Seafarer, Great Expectations, Mrs Dalloway, Passage, Death of a Salesman, Twelfth Night, The Awakening, As You Like It, The Weir, A View from the Bridge, Moby Dick, Long Day’s Journey into Night, The Crucible, The Secret in the Wings, Galileo (2018 Mac Award for Best Actor), and King Lear. He also received the Mac Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Tobias in A Delicate Balance. Joe has toured with John Houseman’s Acting Company and has performed with the Utah Shakespearean Festival. He has been a frequent performer with Ballet Tucson appearing in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and for seventeen years as Herr Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker. He has also performed with Arizona Theatre Company, Arizona Opera, and Arizona Onstage.

Joseph McGrath’s performance is supported in part by generous gifts
from Kathy Ortega & Larry Johnson and Bill & Nancy Sohn

Christopher Pankratz (Townsperson and Property Master) Christopher’s Rogue acting credits include If on a winter’s night a traveler, The Skin of Our Teeth, Love’s Labor’s Lost, Under Milk Wood, The Left Hand of Darkness, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Great Expectations, The Awakening, As You Like It, A View from the Bridge, Moby Dick, The Crucible, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear, and The Grapes of Wrath. Christopher also directed An Enemy of the People and Constellations for the John and Joyce Ambruster Play-Reading Series. Christopher formerly taught theatre at Flowing Wells High School where he wrote and produced numerous new plays including The Longest Day of April, The Story Seller’s Tale, and You Can’t Make Wine from Raisins, which are available online for licensing and performance. While attending the University of Arizona, Christopher earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, as well as a master’s degree from the College of Education.

Christopher Pankratz’s performance is supported in part
by generous gifts from Kristi Lewis and an anonymous donor
His work as prop master is supported in part by
a generous gift from Meg & Peter Hovell

Aaron Shand (Shawn Koegh) was last seen on The Rogue stage as Silas Flannery & others in If on a winter’s night a traveler. Now in his seventh season as a member of The Rogue Theatre’s Resident Acting Ensemble, Aaron has also appeared in Love’s Labor’s Lost, Under Milk Wood, The Left Hand of Darkness, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Seafarer, Twelfth Night, The Awakening, As You Like It, The Weir, A View from the Bridge, Moby Dick, Middletown, Much Ado About Nothing, Galileo, The Grapes of Wrath and King Lear. Born and raised in Tucson, he received his B.F.A. in Acting from the University of Arizona, performing for the Arizona Repertory Theatre in Bus Stop, The Miracle Worker and Romeo & Juliet. He also spent a season with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, performing in The Cherry Orchard and A Christmas Carol.

Aaron Shand’s performance is supported in part by generous gifts
from Barbara & Gerald Goldberg and Lori Levine & Gary Benna

Chelsey Jean Smith (Honor Blake) is a Tucson newcomer and thrilled to make her Rogue debut! A Jersey native, she’s appeared on east coast stages such as Walnut Street Theatre, Bristol Riverside Theatre, and the Majorie S. Dean Little Theater in NYC. Previous credits include Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime, Amy in Company, and Catherine in The Foreigner. Recent local credits include u/s Margot Wendice in Dial M for Murder (Arizona Theatre Company) and Almost, Maine (Invisible Theatre). Smith proudly holds her BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory. She is grateful to be back at it after a brief hiatus, during which she’s fulfilled her greatest role yet: “Mama.” Sincerest thanks to the Rogue team for the opportunity and their kindness!

Chelsey Jean Smith’s performance is supported
in part by a generous gift from John Hemann

Matt Walley (Jimmy Farrell) is a member of The Rogue Theatre Resident Acting Ensemble and was most recently seen as Marana & others in If on a winter’s night a traveler. Other appearances include Mr. Antrobus in The Skin of Our Teeth, Don Armado in Love’s Labor’s Lost, Captain Cat & others in Under Milk Wood, Estraven in The Left Hand of Darkness, Boss Mangan in Heartbreak House, Francis Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard in The Seafarer, Stan in Sweat, Stubb in Moby Dick, Dr. Bradman in Blithe Spirit, Thomas Putnam in The Crucible, Mr. Walley in The Secret in the Wings, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Roger in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Matti in Galileo, Edmund in King Lear and Uncle John in The Grapes of Wrath. He enjoyed previous roles at The Rogue in Bach at Leipzig, Macbeth, Richard III, Journey to the West, The Winter’s Tale, Shipwrecked!, As I Lay Dying and Major Barbara. He also co-created and performed in Oaf at The Scoundrel and Scamp Theatre. He received an MFA from Dell’Arte International.

Matt Walley’s performance is supported in part by generous gifts
from Karen DeLay & Bill Sandel and Rick & Debby Apling

Russell Ronnebaum (Music Director & Composer) serves as The Rogue Theatre’s Director of Music and Resident Composer. He holds a Master of Music degree in collaborative piano from the University of Arizona and is the assistant director of music at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Oro Valley. As a pianist, Russell often performs with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and various ensembles and choirs in the greater Tucson area. Russell made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2016, performing the music of Dan Forrest. Past Rogue credits include productions of *If on a winter’s night a traveler, *The Skin of Our Teeth, *Love’s Labor’s Lost,*Under Milk Wood, *The Left Hand of Darkness, Heartbreak House, *A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Seafarer, *Babette’s Feast, *Great Expectations, *Mrs Dalloway, *Passage, *Death of a Salesman, Twelfth Night, *The Awakening, *As You Like It, The Weir, *The Oresteia, *Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, *A View from the Bridge, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, *Moby Dick, Blithe Spirit, Long Day’s Journey into Night, and *Much Ado About Nothing (*original score). Russell also composes the music for Rogue Radio, a radio play series produced in partnership with Arizona Public Media, NPR 89.1 FM. Recordings, videos, sheet music, and upcoming concert dates can be found at www.RRonnebaum.com.

Russell Ronnebaum’s music direction is supported in part by
generous gifts from Elaine Rousseau & Don Baron and Vicki Ettleman

Designers and Production Staff

Cynthia Meier (Costume Design) worked her way through college at Eastern Michigan University by assisting in the costume shop. Most of what she knows about Costume Design, she learned from Katie Holkeboer, the costume designer and professor at EMU. After graduating with her MA in Speech & Theatre, Cynthia stayed on at EMU to teach Costume Design, Costume Construction, Stage Makeup, and Introduction to Technical Theatre while designing the university mainstage plays and supervising the costume shop. She has designed costumes for each and every one of The Rogue plays since 2005. 

Cynthia Meier’s costume design is supported in part
by a generous gift from Katherine Jacobson

Joseph McGrath (Scenic Design) worked in the scene shops at West Virginia University and the Juilliard School of Drama while he was studying to become an actor. He served as Technical Director for Arizona Theatre Company from 1987–88, and opened his own scene shop, Sonora Theatre Works, in the 1990s. Joe has designed and built scenery for Ballet Tucson for most of their ballets for over 20 years, as well as various projects with UA Opera Theatre. He has designed each and every set for The Rogue since its inception in 2005.

Joseph McGrath’s scenic design is supported
in part by a generous gift from Jerry James

Deanna Fitzgerald (Lighting Design) is a member of United Scenic Artists whose lighting design credits include theatre, dance, opera, circus-themed, puppets, architectural lighting and more. She is a yoga and meditation teacher, and conducts classes and workshops focused on using these and other “quietive” practices to aid creative process. Deanna is the author of The Heart of Light, published in January 2022. At the University of Arizona, she is the Vice-Dean for the College of Fine Arts and a Professor in the School of Theatre, Film, and Television. She serves on the Western Region Exam Committee of United Scenic Artists, the Boards of Directors for URTA (University Resident Theatre Association) and USITT (United States Institute of Theatre Technology), and as a general editor for the Theatre Design and Technology magazine. Deanna has been smitten with her Rogue family since 2014 when she designed their extraordinary creation, Jerusalem, and has since designed a couple dozen Rogue productions, including some of these favorites of hers: The Left Hand of Darkness, Sweat, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Penelope, The Secret in the Wings, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Beauty Queen of Leenane, Celia A Slave, Tales from the Jazz Age, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. She is grateful for every moment she gets to spend making things with The Rogue, and for the very talented associate-LD Shannon Wallace and ME Peter Bleasby whose collaborations make it possible for her do that.

Deanna Fitzgerald’s lighting design is supported
in part by a generous gift from Phil & Kay Korn

Maddie Thatcher (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be working on her first show with The Rogue Theatre. Maddie was born and raised in Tucson and got her BFA in Technical Theatre Production and Design from the University of Arizona. Some of her local credits include Asst. Stage Manager for The Scoundrel and Scamp’s productions of One Twig at a Time and Pooh, as well as Production Stage Manager for Hamlet: Fine Revolution. Maddie has spent several summers in Ohio as the Production Stage Manager & Assistant Director for Scioto Society’s Tecumseh! The Outdoor Drama, as well as Production Stage Manager for their Haunted Mountain shows including Frankenstein, The Passion of Dracula, and Tales of the Dead: St. Nicolas.  Maddie would like to thank her family and friends for all of their love and support!

Maddie Thatcher’s stage management is supported in part by
a generous gift from Marcia & Tyler Tingley

Shannon Wallace (Production Stage Manager, Associate Lighting Design) first came to The Rogue in 2015 to stage manage The Picture of Dorian Gray, and now serves as their Production Stage Manager and Operations Manager. She has worked on over 30 shows with The Rogue, some favorites include: The Bridge of San Luis Rey, The Grapes of Wrath, Curious Incident, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, As You Like It, and If on a winter’s night a traveler. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona, with a dual emphasis in stage management and lighting design. During her college years, she worked on over 25 productions with Arizona Repertory Theatre and dabbled in production & company management at Arizona Theatre Company and the Contemporary American Theatre Festival. After graduating, she continued to expand her breadth of experience to include different arts management positions such as Operations Assistant at Mudlark Theater Company. Apart from a one-year sojourn to Chicago, The Rogue has been her home for almost 10 years, and she is grateful every day to be a part of this vibrant and loving community.

Shannon Wallace’s production stage management is supported
in part by a generous gift from Marcia & Tyler Tingley

Peter Bleasby (Master Electrician) lit his first show at 13. Professionally, he was with BBC Television for several years, and was an assistant to the UK lighting designer Richard Pilbrow during the inaugural production of the National Theatre (Hamlet, directed by Olivier.) Although his career was in architectural lighting, he maintained some theatre lighting involvement on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2009, he volunteered for The Rogue’s initial season at the Historic Y. He has been master electrician at The Rogue for every show from 2013 to the present, supporting our lighting designers. He devised the system that enables lights to be quickly re-arranged, allowing more time for the creative process. Elsewhere in Tucson, he directed the technical and logistical aspects of fundraisers for the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, including the fashion show Moda Provocateur.

Matt Elias (House Manager, Sound Consultant) is constantly seeking out art whether it be theatre, music, television or video games. He became enamored with live performance at The Rogue Theatre in 2014 while joining his wife, Shannon, as an usher. His experience as a touring musician, his penchant for audio production and his general obsession with how stuff works, makes him useful in all sorts of tight places throughout the production process. Nowadays you’ll see him as House Manager, trading off shows with Woods Fairchild and you might not see him sneaking a peek at each of those shows from behind the scenes. Matt has experience as a Master Bicycle Technician, Emergency Medical Technician, Fire/EMS 911 Dispatcher, and most recently a Production Brewer at Dragoon Brewing Company.

Woods Fairchild (House Manager, she/they) first met the Rogue by assisting their installation of “The Object” art piece in preparation for The Left Hand of Darkness. The Object’s designer, John Farrell, is a dear friend of Woods’ through her work with his wife, Carol Farrell, in costume design. John’s invitation to Woods to help assemble the art kindled an immediate friendship between Woods and the Rogue team. Woods formally joined the Rogue family in October 2023. In overlap with performance arts, Woods has an artistic background in dance and movement practice studies, as well as sewing and costume design. Woods also worked as a Project Manager with the Arts Foundation who manage public art projects, as well as distribute funding to support artists and arts organizations in Southern Arizona, including the Rogue Theater! Woods is a photographer, crafter, biker and her little old pickup truck is her true love. Grateful to be with the Rogue!

Thomas Wentzel (Box Office Manager, Program, Website) is a Scientific Programmer for the National Solar Observatory and holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Arizona. Previously he has worked as a Data Manager for several prevention programs in the Arizona Cancer Center and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman Arizona College of Public Health. He has served on the Board of the Tucson Men’s Cooperative, editing its newsletter for five years, and on the Executive Committee of Sons of Orpheus—The Male Choir of Tucson. He has sung with Furry Day Singers, Sons of Orpheus, AwenRising and Arizona Repertory Singers, and has performed with Tucson Art Theatre in Viktor Slavkin’s Cerceau and Clifford Odets’ Waiting for Lefty. Thomas has designed and built The Rogue Theatre Web site (with great assistance from Bill Sandel and Bryan Falcón in creating the 2020 Website update), and serves as Webmaster and Business Manager. He has also served on The Rogue’s Board of Directors since the founding of the theatre.

Our Thanks

Performance Schedule