Vanessa Miller (Rona Lisa Perretti/Olive's Mom) is a Seattle native and has been working for many years as an actress, director, and teacher at many of the Seattle area theater companies including Village Theatre, Seattle Repertory, Intiman, Seattle Shakespeare and ArtsWest. Spelling Bee is her first production with SecondStory. A founding company member of Wooden O Theatre, Vanessa has performed in many of the Shakespeare in the Parks productions that have toured to Redmond and other area parks. Her favorite roles include Kate in Taming of the Shrew, Beatrice in Much Ado, Lady MacBeth and Mistress Page in Merry Wives. This summer she will be playing the role of Adriana in Comedy of Errors. As a director, Vanessa enjoys working on new material, especially new musicals. Recent projects include Anne of Green Gables, Sacagawea and Fairystories (Village Theatre). As well, she directed Othello, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Winter’s Tale (Seattle Shakespeare) and Sunlight and Well (ArtsWest). She is honored to be working with David, Cathy and this talented cast on Spelling Bee.

Dan Posluns (Douglas Panch) is thrilled to be joining such an obscenely talented cast in such a spell-binding show. He is a veteran improviser and can be seen regularly performing in Seattle Theatresports at the Pike Place Market Theatre, as well as with Split Second Improv right here at SecondStory. Recent non-improvised roles include James Humphrey in Cannibal! The Musical (Unexpected Productions) and William Henry Blore in And Then There Were None (Driftwood Players). Love to Elizabeth and a special dedication to all the teachers, administrative staff, principals and even vice-principals out there who work so tirelessly at producing the next generation of spellers.

Angelica Duncan (Olive Ostrovsky) is delighted to be a part of this amazing production! She has had an absolute blast working with this fabulous cast and crew. Previous roles include Briar Rose in Sleeping Beauty, Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical, Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables the Musical, Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream and soon she will portray the role of Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest. She thanks SecondStory Repertory for the opportunity to share her passion for storytelling, her family and friends for their support and encouragement, Tyler for his love, patience and excellence in being the greatest boyfriend EVER! Heather Ruiz and Gerald Browning for their friendship and guidance and the audience for sharing this awesome experience with SecondStory Repertory! Enjoy the show!!!

Diana Huey (Marcy Park) is E-C-S-T-A-T-I-C to be at The Bee with such a fun group of people!  Recent faves: Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog (ACT/Balagan Theatre), A Christmas Carol (ACT), Zanna, Don’t! (Contemporary Classics), The Yellow Wood (CC & NAMT in New York, dir. Brian Yorkey), and two touring shows with the 5th Avenue Theatre’s Adventure Musical Theatre.  She recently won the Q13 Fox Glee Casting Call Competition as well as King 5’s New Day Northwest Sing-Off, making her the new theme song singer (Thanks for ALL the support!).  Love to my family, Zac and SecondStory!  www.DianaHuey.com

Sarah Jane Elliott (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre) This is Sarah's second time playing Logainne in Spelling Bee and is thrilled to have the opportunity to play the role once more with SecondStory! Sarah recently attended Point Park University's Conservatory of Performing Arts program in Pittsburgh, PA where she studied Theatre Arts with professional actors, like Mary Rawson (Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood). In 2008, she took several master classes with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Sarah has also worked with several theaters around the Seattle area including Studio East, Core Theatrics and Seattle Repertory Theatre. She would like to thank Starbucks for supplying her with a job, lots of caffeine and great friends, both Studio East and Core Theatrics for continuing to strengthen youth theater everywhere, her family and friends--especially Mom, Dad and Jadam for pushing her to her limits and always being there to fall back on. Sarah hopes to eventually study Elementary Education so she can help all the "Schwartzy"'s of the world know that they too are something special.

Daniel James Goodman (Leaf Coneybear/Carl Dad) is giddy doing Spelling Bee.  A Southern boy, he was born the 3rd of 4 brothers in Birmingham, Alabama to Catholic hippies.  In 6th grade, he represented his English class in the Gresham Middle School spelling bee.  He went out in the second round by misspelling elAvator.  But he turned out ok.  He went on to get BA's in sociology and German from Southern Miss.  And now, some lists.  Original cast: 13 Alabama Ghosts with Red Mountain Theatre Company in Birmingham, Estranged Identity with Trueheart Productions and Slap That Bitch! with Fuse Theatre Ensemble, both in Portland.  Other regional credits:  The Drowsy Chaperone, Cabaret, A Chorus Line, Curtains, Joseph...Dreamcoat, Pinocchio, Camelot, Caucasian Chalk Circle, A Flea in Her Ear, and West Side Story.  His favorite role was as das Gespents (the Ghost) in Das Gespents von Canterville (The Ghost of Canterville), an original stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde's short story performed during his year abroad in Bonn, Germany.  He misses his family and does everything for them.

Randy Scholz (Chip Tolentino/Jesus) is thrilled to be on the SecondStory stage for the first time and has been long-awaiting a chance to be a part of the Bee! Still in his first year in the Puget Sound area, Randy recently finished The Odyssey at Taproot Theatre where he also worked on a holiday show, and Awesome 80's Prom at the Comcast Arena. A native of Houston, Texas, Randy has worked regionally in Indiana, Colorado, and Montana in many fun productions such as Drood, Oklahoma!, and All Shook Up, as well as a tour of A Christmas Carol with Nebraska Theatre Caravan. Thanks to his wonderful fiancé (with an accent ague), Jessica, and hi to his visiting family from Texas!

Evan Woltz (William Barfee) is excited to be in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and to be working with SecondStory Repertory again. You may have also seen him recently in Balagan Theatre’s Dr. Horrible and/or The Full Monty: The Musical. Other shows include Unexpected Productions’ Nietzsche The Musical; The Yellow Wood, Razia’s Shadow and A New Brain with Contemporary Classics; Gutenburg! The Musical! and Bat Boy the Musical at Artswest. Special thanks to Mom, Dad, and Erin for their unyielding love and support, even when it means spelling “hasenpfeffer” in front of strangers.

Isaiah Parker (Mitch Mahoney) is excited top be doing a show at SecondStory Rep for the first time, in one of his dream roles. After dancing up a storm in Coeur d'Alene’s production of Hairspray in Idaho and touring the rainy lands of Washington with the 5th Avenue AMT tour, returning to the stage is always a blessing. Thanks and love go out to God, his mother, two sisters, friends, Paul Linnes, Vincent O. (VJ), Laird Thornton and many more.

THE PRODUCTION TEAM

David Hunter Koch (Director) David Hunter Koch began his performing career as a singer, musician and bandleader, performing in various bands throughout the West coast and Canada and as an opening act for comedian Steve Martin, the Dave Brubeck Quartet and jazz legend, Jon Hendricks.  David has been performing and directing for leading US regional theaters including: Seattle Repertory Theatre, Empty Space, ACT Theatre, The Group Theatre, Intiman Theatre, 5th Ave. Theatre and MetroStage in Alexandria, VA. As a guest director for the Milwaukee Rep. in Wisconsin he’s directed 6 premieres for the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre including: King of Cool, Jazz Royalty, Chaps, Blue Rose, Ellington, and his own cabaret musical,  Isn’t It Romanic. He’s worked with such notable performers as: Helen Hayes, Kevin Spacey, Kate Mulgrew, Reid Shelton, Terrance Mann, and directors Garland Wright, Stanley Kramer and Bartlett Sher.  David served as an Artistic Associate at ACT Theatre in Seattle, under Gregory Falls, where he produced and directed their Songworks program, creating and developing new small-cast musicals.  He created the Cabaret de Paris, Seattle’s preeminent Cabaret theatre, where he produced and directed over 60 musical productions, which garnered two-dozen critics’ awards and was named Theatrical Entrepreneur of the Year by The Seattle Weekly.  He founded Cabaret Productions, an event production company that creates live entertainment, film and video for Fortune 500 companies. As a video director he’s created corporate videos as well as documentary & concert films of music performers David Byrne, Jill Sobule and guitarist Pat Methany.   He has directed and consulted for Seattle’s PONCHO Arts auctions, as well as serving as the producing director of Swedish Hospital’s Celebrate Swedish fund raising Gala.  Koch has performed as a guest artist with the Seattle Symphony, narrating Peter and the Wolf and The Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra, and the world premiere of Samuel Jones The Shoe Bird.  As a playwright, he’s created scripts for new musicals, cabarets and performance works such as: The Bouffants, Musica Vitae, Music By Gershwin; and most recently, Judy Sings Judy, the Judy Garland concert piece. He’s also composed over 30 scores and sound designs for plays including: Marvin’s Room and The Illusion.

Rosanna Hughes (Stage Manager) Rosanna is thrilled to be stage managing her first production at SecondStory Repertory! Previously, she stage managed at The Mountaineers Players’ Kitsap Forest Theater, Columbia Gorge School of Theater, Western Washington University, and was resident Stage Manager at Bainbridge Performing Arts for their 2001 and 2002 seasons.  She graduated from Western Washington University with a B.A in Theater, Acting Concentration. Prior to that, she enjoyed four years as a company member with Greasepaint Repertory Company at BPA, a pre-professional teen training ensemble modeled after the UW’s Young Actor Training Program. Favorite BPA roles include:  Mrs. Peachum in Threepenny Opera, MiLady DeWinter in Three Musketeers, and Glinda in Wizard of Oz. She also appeared in many plays and musicals at Bainbridge High School, and worked on the production team for others. Rosanna was privileged to perform at EuroDisney and the Montreux and North Sea Jazz festivals in Europe as a member of the Bainbridge High School Invitational Jazz Choir.  Rosanna is the 1989 Orchard Heights Elementary Spelling Bee Champion. In 1991, she won the Commodore Middle School and Bainbridge Island School District Bees and earned 2nd Place in Regionals at Bremerton, WA.  Her favorite spoils of the Bee include her Golden Trophy, Electric Type-writer, Massive Dictionary, Inflated Ego and Expansive Vocabulary. She sends love & gratitude to her family and friends, especially her amazing girlfriend, Tosha, for their support and encouragement. Enjoy the show everyone, and remember: “The best spellers don’t necessarily win” because “life is random and unfair”, even though “we concentrate on winning”.

Laurie Roberts (Costume Designer) Laurie has been designing at SSR since Summer 2008.  Her work has been seen in Souvenir, She Loves Me, Natural Selection, Dinner With Friends and most recently in this season's production of Sleeping Beauty. In addition to her mainstage work, she has also designed numerous children's productions and teen summer shows. She would like to thank the cast and crew of Putnam for their collaboration, and thanks to the staff of SSR for allowing her to continue what she loves to do.

Originally produced on Broadway by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman,
Patrick Catullo Barrington Stage Company, Second Stage Theatre