meet the cast
of
King Lear
Robbie is thrilled to be back in Murphys to direct and play one of his favorite roles in King Lear. Past credits with MCT include: Romeo & Juliet, The Whipping Man, The Mousetrap and others. Roles from other companies include: Oberon/ Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, McDuff in Macbeth, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, and the title role in Hamlet, among others. Film/TV credits: Lanterns Lane, Wild West Chronicles, City of Gold, The Redeemer, Life Interrupted. Thank you to my family and especially to my Haley, I couldn’t have done this without you!
Don Bilotti
Don Bilotti returns to Murphys Creek, where he directed signature productions of “The Whipping Man”, Inspecting Carol”, “The Elephant Man”, and “Equivocation” as well as appearing in “Accomplice”, “I Hate Hamlet” and “The Game’s Afoot”. A founding member of the Berkeley Shakespeare Festival, he studied at U.C. Berkeley and the American Conservatory Theater. His half-century professional career across the country includes leading roles in many of Shakespeare’s plays and modern works such as “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “A Man For All Seasons”, “The Crucible” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and “The Foreigner”. Locally, he brought Stage 3 Theatre to prominence as its long-time artistic director. Bilotti directed many of that theater’s landmark productions including “August: Osage County”, “The Grapes of Wrath”, “A View from the Bridge”, “Inherit the Wind”, “Woody Guthrie’s American Song” and “Crowns”. It has been his privilege to work with many of the world’s greatest theater artists. He thanks them for their kindness and inspiration. |
SARAH COYKENDALL
Sarah Coykendall is a film and theatre artist with 30+ years in the industry. Sarah is a former company member of Impact Theatre of Berkeley, a position she held proudly for 10 years and is currently the Producing Stage Director of The Bracebridge Dinner at Yosemite and Co-Artistic Director of Splathouse Productions. To learn more about Sarah and her current and upcoming projects, visit: www. splathouse.com
harry stoner
Harry has been fortunate to have been in several plays in the Stockton, Modesto, and Sacramento area. He was last seen as Eric Blake in Prospect Theater’s production of ‘The Humans’ and has several opportunities to participate in various Shakespearean productions as well. Harry works full time as an English teacher for Venture Academy in Stockton and looks forward to this performance of ‘King Lear’. |
stuart pierce
Stuart Pierce: clown, actor, & scenic artist for over 30 years. Graduate of the Dell Art’e School of Physical Theater. Favorite roles include Eddie Carbone in View From A Bridge, Mc Murphy in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest ,and The Cowardly Lion in the Wizard Of Oz. He is pleased to be reprising his role as the Fool in King Lear. Stuart would like to give thanks to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his lovely wife Jennifer of 19 years and his son Simon for their love and support!
traci sprague
Traci Sprague (Goneril): At PTP: (Kent) The History of King Lear, (Marthe de Brancovis) Watch on the Rhine, (Barbara) The Orchard, (Nancy) The Women, (Holly) Next Fall, (Virginia) The Life of Galileo, (Louka) Arms and the Man. At CSC: (Agnes) Bug, (Corrynn) Gidion’s Knot, (Kayleen) Gruesome Playground Injuries. At Shakespeare on the Vine: (Banquo) Macbeth. At MCT: (Paulina) The Winter’s Tale. At Stage 3: (Blanche) A Streetcar Named Desire, (Brooke) Other Desert Cities, (Kate) Brighton Beach Memoirs. At Merced Shakespearefest: (Tamara)Titus Andronicus, (Lady Macbeth) Macbeth, (Puck) Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Traci Sprague (Goneril) earned her BA in Drama from CSU Stanislaus. She studied crafting political theatre with San Francisco Mime Troupe, Viewpoints with Alexandra Billings, and Improv with Sills/Spolin Theaterworks. Traci has directed and performed locally at Prospect Theater Project, Center Stage Conservatory, Stage 3, Merced Shakespearefest, Murphys Creek Theatre, Phoenix Collective, and Shakespeare on the Vine. She led several workshops at Opera Modesto and Stanislaus County schools including using theatre to teach creativity in the classroom at the County of Education Arts Symposium. Traci has spent the last few handful of years focusing on shows that empower queer voices and women. |
Charley Vershay
Charlie is thrilled to return for her 7th production at MCT. Since the reopening of the theatre she has been seen in Exit: Pursued by a Bear, Doubt: A Parable, and Every Christmas Story Ever Told. This is, however, only her second time performing Shakespeare (the first being Romeo & Juliet on this same stage)! She would like to extend a shoutout to her husband, David, for joining her on the stage and sharing in the fun. Finally, thank you to all our patrons for keeping live theatre alive in the Motherlode. Enjoy the show!
Zie Harmon
Zie is thrilled to make her debut on the MCT stage as Cordelia. She has been acting since she was 11 years old, and Gold Country theatre-goers may recognize her from her work with Fourth Wall Entertainment in San Andreas. Roles on her resume include Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Sylvia in Sylvia, Edith in Blithe Spirit, Gretchen in Boeing Boeing, Ghost of Christmas Past in A 1940’s Christmas Carol, and most recently Marilyn Monroe in a cabaret tribute. While her Shakespeare experience is limited (Juliet in Romeo and Juliet), she is excited for the new challenge and experience and would like to thank her family for always supporting her theatrical endeavors.
Todd Thomas
Todd has been involved with MCT since 2001. A graduate of SJDC’s Actor Training Program, he spent 4 working with MCT and Stage 3 Theatre before moving to NYC and Portland OR, before coming full circle to these beautiful Sierra Foothills. He was last seen in MCT’s 2019 Romeo & Juliet as Mercutio and Paul in Moon Over Buffalo. Someof his favorite roles include John in Oleanna, Hal in Proof, Birdboot in The Real Inspector Hound, Man in Marry Me A Little, Nick in Over the River and Through theWoods, and Larry in an off-Broadway production of Closer. He will also star in MCT’s upcoming production of This Wonderful Life. He is the current Artistic Director of MCT, founding Artistic Director of Missing Link Theatre Company (Portland), and a founding member of the sketch troupe I Got Your Monkey (NYC).
greg parker
Greg Parker is a California native spending most of his theatrical career on the west coast. He studied at The Pacific Conservatory for the Performing Arts and holds a BFA in Performing Arts from UC Santa Barbara. As an accomplished performer and storyteller, he has appeared in regional theaters such as Oregon Cabaret, Sierra Repertory Theater, B Street Theater, and PCPA Theaterfest. Some of Greg’s favorite roles: CPT. Walker, in The Who’s Tommy, Luther Billis, in South Pacific, Malvolio, in Twelfth Night, and The Poet, in An Iliad. Forty years ago, Greg was hooked into a life of theater, while attending a seminar at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, watching King Lear for the first time…
evan zukai
Evan is honored to be working with Murphys Creek Theatre for the first time! After making his debut at The Metropolitan in San Andreas, he is thrilled to be participating in his first Shakespearean production here at MCT. Evan is currently a senior at Arizona State University with plans to graduate in 2023 with his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences.
David Vershay
David is excited to return for another Murphys Creek production. He has previously been seen at MCT in Romeo & Juliet as Gregory and Inspecting Carol as Bart. He wouldn’t be here without his wife Charlie and is so grateful to share in the thing she loves so much. Enjoy the show!
alison guyton
Allison Guyton Schipper is thrilled to join this fantastic cast for her long-awaited return to the theatre. She began acting on this very stage when she was 9 years old. Allison is a licensed drama therapist and her most recent theatrical work was a self-revelatory performance entitled, “Empathy for Sleepwalkers.” She would like to thank her daughters for encouraging her to audition and her family for their unending support.
jon cates
Coming soon
Staff & Crew
Cortney Gillaspie |
Micki Dambacher |
Kathleen Lowe |
Emily Graham |
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Murphys, CA 95247
