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TCTA Staff
Carole Ries, President & CEO, has been with the Topeka Civic Theatre & Academy since August, 1999, shortly after TCTA moved into our new home. She spent the previous ten years as Executive Director of the Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre. Prior to that Ries spent over sixteen years working with Theatre Memphis. Her love is theatre - whether it is management, acting, directing or producing. She's worked backstage as a stage manager and just about every other volunteer job, including hanging lights and striking a set. Carole has a degree in Speech/Theatre from South Dakota State University. Carole has acting in or directed over eighty plays in many different venues. Her favorites include Woman in Mind, Agnes of God, Parallel Lives and A...My Name Is Alice, for which she won Best Musical for her direction in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1986. She won a Renna Hunter award for her portrayal of Aida in Over the River and Through the Woods on our stage. She has two adult children and four grandchildren. Carole currently serves on the board of directors of the American Association of Community Theatres (AACT). She has served as Hospitality Chair for the American Association of Business Women Career Chapter's Scholarship Luncheon, and as treasurer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Topeka Chapter. She has also served as Chair of the Children's Theatre Division of the Southeastern Theatre Conference and received a Distinguished Service Award in 1995 from the Florida Theatre Conference, Children/Youth Theatre Division.
e-mail: carole@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 103
Shannon Reilly, Artistic Director, holds a B.A. in Theatre from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, and a Masters of Fine Arts degree (M.F.A.) in directing from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He first came to TCTA in 1990 as a guest director from Kansas City to direct Wait Until Dark. He returned the following year to direct The Night Hank Williams Died and was asked to join the staff as Associate Artistic Director in September of 1992. Shannon was named Artistic Director in December of 1993 and has directed over 100 productions for the Topeka Civic Theatre. Past theatre credits include work with the Acting Company of New York, the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas, and The Missouri Repertory Theatre in Kansas City. Shannon served as Education Director/Artistic Director of the Blue Lakes Fine Arts Camp of Michigan. He also formed two improvisational comedy companies, Laughing Stock of Kansas City and TCT's very own, Laughing Matters.
e-mail: shannon@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 123
Administrative Staff
Barbara Bruner, Administrative Director, a native Topekan, has been a volunteer at TCTA since 1987 in a variety of capacities: running crew, strike crew, host, house manager, and box office. After spending 30 years at Hall Commercial Printing handling the finances and accounting, she returned to Washburn University to complete her BA in Psychology. She subsequently earned her MS from K-State in Family Studies and Human Services. She joined the TCTA staff in January 2007 and has never before had so much fun at work! Barbara has three wonderful grown daughters: Kris, Deb, and Lisa.
e-mail: bookkeeping@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 104
Linda Falley, Development Director, is from "Our Town," born and raised in the Topeka community. After graduating from Washburn University, she taught in USD 501. Linda is the proud mother of three sons and one daughter by marriage. She was thrilled to receive her first "Grammy Award" in January 2003 when her oldest son declared that she would be called "Grammy" after his firstborn Grace arrived. Linda adores being Grace's Grammy.
e-mail: development@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213
Chelle Decker, Marketing Director, is pleased to promote Topeka Civic Theatre & Academy where she has been a volunteer since she moved to Topeka in 1994 where she completed her two degrees from Washburn University in Theater and Mass Media. She also studied Scientific Illustration and Philosophy at Cambridge University in England.
Chelle’s entire family volunteers at TCTA, occasionally doing shows together. She and her husband, Dan performed together in The Full Monty during the 2006-2007 season and their young son Theodore MacLain made his TCTA stage debut on stage with the family during Christmas 2007 in Scrooge at age 4.
Chelle has performed, directed, costume designed, stage managed, and even played in the orchestra pit on more than 14 different stages in theatres across Northeast Kansas, but is proud to call Topeka Civic Theatre & Academy her home.
e-mail: marketing@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 124
Lynda Denton, Administrative Assistant. After volunteering at Topeka Civic Theatre for over five years, Lynda joined the staff in October, 2005 as Capital Campaign Secretary for the Oldfather/Gage Capital Campaign. What an exciting project to be a part of! She began volunteering at the theatre when her two sons, Don and Dan, were cast in separate productions in the spring of 2000. She has volunteered as house manager, host, receptionist, strike crew, as well as in the costume shop, box office, and for special events. Lynda was born and raised in suburban Chicago, and she and husband Don and their two sons moved to Topeka in 1998.
e-mail: lynda@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 102
Cathy Kready Smith, Box Office Manager. A born and bred Topekan, Cathy was hired as a full time employee in March of 2003, after volunteering for almost nine years. She has three beautiful and talented children who grew up around the theatre. Cathy is married to her best friend, Bruce Smith, who is a regular on stage here. Together, they enjoy hanging out at the theatre with friends, working on do-it-yourself projects at home, and traveling to visit children.
e-mail: cathy@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 128
Les Smith, Box Office Assistant, is a Topeka native, graduating from Shawnee Heights High in 2003. Les started his run with theatre in 1997 and has had the opportunity to act in six different theatres since then, including two different times at the Wichita Grand Opera. Acting finally led Les to Topeka Civic Theatre for auditions for The Full Monty…and he hasn’t left since!! He is now a proud member of the box office staff since September of 2009. Les is married to the love of his life, Melissa, whom he met here at TCT. They reside in Topeka in their house with two rambunctious dogs.
e-mail: les@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 107
Kristie Ohlemeier, Box Office Assistant, is originally from Colorado and has a MM in Music Performance from Emporia State University. In Topeka Civic Theatre's 2001-2002 season, she was cast in "Starmites" and "La Cage aux Folles". Kristie has been a member of Topeka Festival Singers since 2007. She and her husband, Mark, have a beautiful daughter who loves to dance and sing.
e-mail: kristie@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213
Patricia "Pattie" Homan, Maintenance Supervisor, graduated from Silver Lake High School. She has lived in the Topeka area her entire life. Pattie started working for TCTA in 1999 when the move to our Gage School location was complete. In the beginning, she came to TCTA as a Cardinal employee on loan to us for only three days. She's still here today, and is now an official TCTA staff member. The rest, as they say, is history! Her passion is the Pontiac Trans Am, and her dream is to own one someday.
e-mail: pattie@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213
Artistic Staff
Ted Shonka, Resident Designer and Technical Director, has worked on or acted in well over 200 productions. He received his B.A. in Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado. Ted earned his M.F.A. from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Ted is an accomplished actor and is an adjunct professor at Washburn University Theatre Department. He has performed for and built sets for the Missouri Repertory Theatre, the Unicorn Theatre, the Coterie Theatre and many other theatres around the country. He is married to Amy and, he says, they have way too many animals.
e-mail: ted@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 113
Adam Jenks, Resident Lighting Designer/Studio Designer/Technical Director, started volunteering for TCT at the young age of seven and is thrilled to be working for the theatre he has called home all his life! He graduated from Seaman High School and has been working in technical theatre every since. He was the Technical Director/Facility Manager at the Columbian Theatre, the Production Manager at Topeka Performing Arts Center, and a Technical Lighting Consultant for XS Lighting in Overland Park. He is presently the Light Designer for Dance Factory and the Technical Director for Ballet Midwest. In his spare time, Adam is busy with his lovely wife Nina and their three rowdy Jack Russell terriers.
e-mail: adam@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213
Kate Stires, Resident Costume Designer, started volunteering at TCT because her daughter Jamie was cast in a show. TCT got into her blood and she has worked on every show since then. She took early retirement from JCPenney to take on the full time job as Resident Costume Designer in 2002 and loves it! She is a KU graduate with degrees in Comercial Design, Silversmithing, and English. Kate and her husband Jay have two grown children, Kelly and Jamie, and two adorable grandchildren, Lilli and Cole.
e-mail: kate@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 ext. 125
Jennifer Van Bruggen, Education Director, has served in that capacity at the theatre since 2002. She received a BA in theatre from Sterling College (in Sterling, KS) in 1993 and an MA in theatre from KU in 2003. Before joining TCTA, she was an admission counselor for Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Van Bruggen has also acted, directed and choreographed at various community theatres throughout the state. She lives in Topeka with her two crazy dogs, Bogey and Gretta.
e-mail: education@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213
Joanna Daffron serves on the TCTA staff as the Volunteer Coordinator; she is also a guest director, academy instructor and volunteer for the theatre. She completed her BA in theatre in 1996 and her MBA in 2010 (both from Baker University). Jo loves working with the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who make TCTA so great.
e-mail: joanna@topekacivictheatre.com
Phone: (785) 357-5213 Ext. 121
Theatre Club of Topeka Staff
Eddie Shirron, Club Manager, came to Topeka in the summer of 2000 following 31 years service as a soldier in the U.S. Army. Eddie holds a BA in Speech & Drama and a Masters in Military Arts & Science and History. He joined the staff in March of 2003. Eddie is also a volunteer at TCT, both as an actor and stage manager. He is a member of the WTCT Radio Players company. He and his wife, Joan, also a TCT volunteer, have two grown children, Carrie and Greg. Eddie is an avid golfer and hunter, and enjoys the study of the American Civil War. And, he is an amateur wine enthusiast.
e-mail: club@topekacivictheatre.com
Christy Weiler, Assistant Club Manager joined the club staff in November 2002 as a bartender and server wanting to obtain extra money for her upcoming wedding. Suddenly, TCTA became a second home to her and she has never wanted to leave. Christy attended Pittsburg State University and Washburn University majoring in Public Administration. By day, she is a Management Systems Analyst for the State of Kansas. Christy spends all of her other valuable time with her husband, Brad and two children Mia and Talan.
e-mail: club@topekacivictheatre.com