Introducing...the cast of BTG's Fall Musical, All Shook Up!
Lindsey Sukowatey (Natalie Haller) is excited to hit the stage once again at the gorgeous Al Ringling Theatre. She joined BTG in 2017 and has shared in the fun while performing in Little Mermaid (Aquata), Newsies (Katherine), Pippin (chorus), and Seussical (Bird Girl). This year, she’s having a blast being two characters rolled into one for All Shook Up. While the show is packed with over-the-top characterization, goofy moments, and music that will surely make you want to “shake it”, she hopes you will take to heart how each character grows throughout the show. She’s thankful to her BTG family for being her adult performance outlet, and to her family and friends that continue to support her by coming to shows. Now she asks that you lean into the ridiculousness, and get ready to belly laugh!
Tyler Lang (Chad) is beyond excited to be in his fifth BTG production. His previous shows include Newsies (Racetrack Higgins), Pippin (Pippin), Seussical (Wickersham Brother), and Mary Poppins (Valentine and Ensemble). Tyler would like to thank his wonderful wife and family for all of the support they provide everyday. He feels honored to work with such a talented cast, crew, and those that put in countless hours behind the scenes. Tyler is thrilled to share the song in his soul and love for the audience. Enjoy the show!
Neil Peterson (Jim Haller) is thrilled to be performing again with BTG and this talented cast. He thanks the dynamic duo of Lang & Lang for their vision and artistic direction in creating this production and all his fellow actors for tolerating his lack of dancing, singing and memorization skills. He has had a blast recreating the music and era he grew up with. He thanks all of you for supporting the arts in this wonderful community!
Carly Penshorn (Sylvia)is ecstatic to be returning for her 7th BTG show! You may have seen her on stage recently as Pharaoh (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), Mrs. Correy (Mary Poppins) and Bird Girl (Seussical). She works in Talent Acquisition for Shake Shack and enjoys spending her free time with her fur babies, Buddy and Shenzi. Carly is forever thankful for the unyielding support of her boyfriend, Nick, and her amazing friends and family. Enjoy the show!
Rebecca Klusmeyer (Lorraine) is excited for her first BTG performance since moving to Baraboo! She recently graduated college with a Music Education degree. She started performing in high school by first joining her high school show choir, then musicals such as White Christmas, Children of Eden, Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie, and Hello Dolly. She also has done choreography and was in an A Cappella group in college. Becca loves the community here in Baraboo and is excited to be here!
Dylan Schattschneider (Dennis) is in his first show with BTG, and he is thrilled to have found so many great friends despite only having moved to the area this August. Previously, Dylan was involved with the Pioneer Players group at University of Wisconsin Platteville, where he graduated this spring with a Major in Engineering Physics. Some previous roles include John Wilkes Booth (Assassins) and Ali Hakim (Oklahoma!). He would like to thank his friends and family for their support during this significant series of life changes.
Sarah Horowitz (Miss Sandra) is thrilled to be participating in this hip production! You may have seen her on various local stages over the last few years in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Lady Potiphar), Unnecessary Farce (Billie Dwyer), Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins), Seussical (Gertrude McFuzz), Steel Magnolias (Truvy), or Two Into One (Pamela). She is grateful to all of the people who dedicate their time and talent both on and off the stage to make these productions happen. She thanks her family, friends, and colleagues, and especially her husband, for their love and support, which allowed her to participate in uplifting adventures like this show during a very difficult year. And she thanks YOU for being here and being a part of the arts in Baraboo. As someone who knows once told her, this show is about finding one's joy. She hopes you find some joy here today!
Karen DeSanto (Mayor Matilda Hyde) as the mayor and the moral compass for this town, is happy to announce that she is once again, (reportably), in charge, making obscene rules and then watching it all fall apart by the end, and letting love win! How fun is that?!? A Baraboobian for the last 25 years, Karen comes from a long background of performing. From birthday parties in her Sacramento California backyard to the three Rings of Ringling Bros Circus, she does enjoy a performance! Karen is thrilled to once again add to her repertoire of lovable villains for BTG: Miss Hannigan, (Annie), Ursula (Little Mermaid) as well as Miss Pennywise (Urinetown), Mama Morton, (Chicago) and others, for the UW Baraboo Sauk County Campus Theater. Special thanks and gratitude to the incredible cast, directors, support team and the amazing backstage crew for keeping theater alive and FUN for us all. And for doing it in this amazing theater space, long live the Al Ringling Theater!
Owen Burri (Dean Hyde) is thrilled to be a part of All Shook Up! This is his fifth musical with BTG, following up Little Mermaid, Newsies, Pippin, and Mary Poppins. He is also very excited to once again be performing with his father, Lance, whose ongoing mid-life crisis is being fully taken advantage of. Owen has been working hard to give a fantastic performance, and he hopes that you enjoy it as much as he does!
Lance Burri (Sherriff Earl) is making his 9th appearance on stage with BTG, and so (quickly doing math) this is also the 9th time he’s had to write a bio. Truth be told, he’s a little tired of it. I mean, how many times can you read about how thrilled or excited or happy someone is to be working on such an amazing show and/or with such a talented, incredible, or fun cast? Those things may all be (are) true, but Lance believes in avoiding cliché whenever possible, so you won’t be reading them here. Except in the preceding paragraph, of course. Because as much as Lance loathes cliché, he really enjoys irony. In many ways, Sheriff Earl has been Lance’s most challenging role to date. He has played a wide variety of characters since his debut in Little Mermaid in 2016: a sailor, a general, a philandering British weenie (twice!), a homicidal psychopath (that was fun), and a giraffe. But All Shook Up has demanded something very new from Lance: silence. Keeping his mouth shut is not Lance’s go-to modus operandi, and he hopes his acting skills were up to the task. This is also the fifth time Lance has appeared on stage with his son Owen, who is entirely at fault for getting Lance started in theater. Please be sure to thank him accordingly. Lance is also extremely grateful to his wife Mari Jo, who has put up with him for over 25 years and still doesn’t seem to mind.
Jan Alzada Fry (Ensemble) is so excited to join BTG for another great show after participating in Mary Poppins last year. She has been on the stage performing since she was little and loves to step into new roles. Currently, she is working as a research assistant in Madison and would like to thank her family and friends for all of their support. She loves musical theater and is pleased to once again dance and sing in this beautiful theater. She hopes you all have a great time. Enjoy the show!
Jacob Barrix (Ensemble) made his debut with the Baraboo Theatre Guild in Seussical (Horton). He then returned in Mary Poppins as set builder, chorus and as the teddy bear. Jacob returns for his 3rd season in All Shook Up and is excited to be a part of the show!
Jean Bartz (Ensemble) is thrilled to be joining BTG for her 3rd production (previous Arsenic & Old Lace and Mary Poppins). It’s a joy working with such a talented group of people! When not on stage, Jean runs Books on Main (the only bookstore in Adams County), does admin & marketing for Bartz Realty, originates mortgage loans, and leads her daughter’s Girl Scout troop. To be surrounded by books, music, and family - what more could anyone want? Enjoy the show!
Sydney Birkholz (Ensemble) is enjoying her first time being a part of ensemble in BTG! She worked in stage crew last year for Mary Poppins. She has done other productions such a She Kills Monsters and Time Flies. This has been a great experience for her, and she can't wait to see what her future in theater will evolve to!
Lily Brant (Ensemble)is excited to be in her third BTG musical. She wants to thank Tina and the cast for this fun opportunity. She also sends a big hello to her friends and family. Lily hopes that you enjoy the show!
Tony Calabrese (Ensemble) is the oldest member of our cast at 77. He has 58 years of experience in the performing arts and has performed with numerous companies in various geographical locations. These performances include dramas, musicals, comedies and operettes. This is Tony's 6th performance with BTG that includes Little Mermaid, Newsies, Pippin, Seussical, Mary Poppins and now All Shook Up. He will also be performing with his granddaughter, Lily Brant and his daughter, Nina Brant, the Stage Manager. A family affair!
Tierney Cutrell (Ensemble)This is Tierney's 4th year in a BTG production. She has previously been seen in iconic roles such as the dancing plate in Beauty and the Beast, Ursula's tentacle number 3 in The Little Mermaid, and most recently a secretary in Mary Poppins. Please enjoy this addition to Tierney's resume as she plays a bus person and more!
Will Davies (Ensemble) started acting with BTG in sixth grade when he was a turtle (The Little Mermaid), and he has been in four productions since. Six years later, he is happy to be in his fifth and final BTG musical. He hopes you enjoy the show.
Autumn Elliott (Ensemble) is all shook up that she gets to join her theatre family on stage again! This marks Autumn's 7th musical with BTG, and 18th production in the past 12 years. Autumn has been on the stage, backstage, produced, and directed with BTG. She also sits on the Board of Directors as Treasurer. Some of her favorite roles have been Clara (Don't Hug Me (a non-BTG musical), Mrs. Cratchet (Scrooge: The Stingiest Man in Town), being a Mersister (The Little Mermaid), and the multiple roles she had in Almost Maine. Autumn would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support. She hopes you all have as much fun watching the show as it is to be in it!
Lillian Gillmore (Ensemble) is so excited to be doing her first production with BTG. She is a sophomore at Baraboo High School and is very involved in the choir and theater programs. This is her second show.
Peyton Hall (Ensemble) is so excited! He's been singing all of the songs in his spare time and listening to the soundtrack a ton. He's definitely very happy to finally do something that he loves. He's wanted to do a musical for a while.
Kendra Hardin (Ensemble) is a junior at Baraboo High School. She was previously in the high school musical, Mamma Mia. Kendra enjoys golfing, singing, and hanging out with friends and family during her free time.
Mary Hilgendorf (Ensemble) is excited to be back on stage dancing her heart out! Mary’s first BTG show was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1998 and she has enjoyed getting back into theater since returning to Baraboo a few years ago. Her most recent shows have been Seussical and Mary Poppins. Mary thanks her husband, Adam, and their daughter, Kaylee Grace, for all their love and support.
Annelise Hilke (Ensemble) Annelise caught the acting bug when she was a wee little fifth grader and hasn’t been able to get enough since. She absolutely adores the opportunities to perform at the Al. Ringling Theater and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world. She has loved all the roles she has gotten to portray such as Sally Brown (You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown), a Chimney Sweep/Toy (Mary Poppins), and Sophie (Mamma Mia). She is unbelievably excited to get to once again perform at her favorite place in the entire world with some of her favorite people and is unbelievably excited for you to see the show! She hopes you love it just as much as she does!
Bella Hill (Ensemble) is thrilled to get to be a part of Baraboo’s rendition of All Shook Up. She has enjoyed getting to sing well-loved songs along with getting an opportunity to do one of her favorite activities, dance. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Ava John (Ensemble) is having fun again in a BTG show! She started at 9 years old as Chip (Beauty and the Beast) and has enjoyed several shows since (The Little Mermaid, Newsies, and Mary Poppins)!
Eleanor Johnson (Ensemble) is excited to be in her first musical theater production! You can find her most of the time doing programming and outreach at the library, or singing showtunes loudly while doing odd jobs on her farm.
Heather Johnson (Ensemble) is so happy to be performing for the first time with BTG!!
Christine Meiners (Ensemble) is excited to be making her debut with BTG! Christine just finished the Sauk Prairie Theatre Guild’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as an ensemble member. Previous credits also include the Lily in the University Center of Rochester’s production of The Secret Garden.
Ben Raupp (Ensemble) after an eternity of waiting, returns from his 11 month hiatus from the arts due to heavy public outcry. All singing, all dancing he graces the stage after his extremely well reviewed chorus and ensemble pieces in Mary Poppins, to bring to the masses joy renewed. Likened to the first green glimpses of spring he hopes to rejuvenate your spirit from your pelvis on up to your pompadour!
Arwen Reno (Ensemble) graduated from Northwestern College in 2020 with a degree in Theatre. Arwen worked backstage for BTG's production of Steel Magnolias and designed costumes for BTG's Arsenic and Old Lace and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Arwen stepped back on stage in for the first time in 4 years to play Miss Andrews (MaryPoppins) and is beyond excited to be back at the Al again for All Shook Up!Arwen would like to thank her wife, Emily, who shares her passion for theatre and can be found backstage during this show.
Michael Riley (Ensemble) is proud to return to the Ringling Theatre for his 9th show with the Baraboo Theatre Guild. He would like to thank everyone involved with the show, as well as his family and his wife, Molly. One day, years ago, while entertaining his Grandma Sharlene, she asked Michael to learn some Elvis Presley songs and to perform them for the nursing homes in the area. He did just that and fell in love with Elvis while he was at it. This one's for you, Grandma.
Molly Riley (Choreographer, Ensemble) has been dancing since she could walk and singing since she could talk. She is super jazzed to be on stage at the Al for her ninth production with BTG; past roles include Elvira (Blithe Spirit), Cat in the Hat (Seussical), and Lead Dancer (Pippin). She also took on the role of choreographer, but would like to thank those who often suggested “jazz hands.” Your creative input means the world to us all. Molly has been a dance teacher for several years, most recently joining the amazing team at BRAVO Center. Now don’t be afraid just relax and enjoy the show!
Jack Roche (Ensemble) is happy to join BTG for his first show.
Linus Roland (Ensemble) is in his last show, before heading off to college, and just his second BTG performance. He's been dancing for over six years and is absolutely thrilled to part of this swinging 50's production of ALL SHOOK UP! He wants to thank his amazing friends for being so supportive of his passion for performance. Ben Shrake (Ensemble) is so excited to be back on the BTG stage for his third production. You may have previously seen him as a Who in Whoville (Seussical) or as a Chimney Sweep (Mary Poppins). Ben is currently a sophomore at Baraboo High School and enjoys every minute he can in the musical arts. He hopes you enjoy this show.
Barbara Stanek-Quinn (Ensemble) has really enjoyed taking part in all of the wonderful music and dancing that is integral to this show! The younger cast members have really been able to show off their talents as well! The whole cast and crew is always welcoming and supportive, and working with BTG is always a pleasure! Barb is happy to return for her third BTG musical, being part of Mary Poppins and Suessical. Prior, she was Clairee in Steel Magnolias. She is grateful and blessed by the support of family and friends. She knows this show will be enjoyed by all!
Aimee Steinbrink (Ensemble)Aimee is so excited to be a part of another BTG show! This will be her 4th show since 2015, and she is thrilled to be rejoining her friends on stage. She would like to give a special thanks to her wonderful husband Nick, her three boys (Hayden, Jordan, and Logan), and her amazing coworkers at St. Clare OB department for all their love and support. Enjoy the show!
Jasmine Szweda (Ensemble) is enjoying her first musical theater production! She is a freshman in high school. This is going to be an amazing show!
Charlie Tomlinson (Ensemble) is a senior in high school. This is Charlie’s first BTG show, and he hopes you enjoy the show!
Violet Zolper (Ensemble) is a junior at Baraboo High School. She loves soccer, her family and her dogs, but she loves performing even MORE! Violet has participated in plays and musicals her entire life and she is definitely passionate about all things voice and performance. She's had a blast getting the songs and steps down for this show, and she hopes you enjoy getting ALL SHOOK UP as much as she has!
Tina Lang (Director) Tina Lang has been involved with BTG musicals for 43 years, playing Horn in the pit for many of those years. Over the past 18 years she has directed BTG productions of Mary Poppins, Seussical, Pippin, Newsies, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods (2015 and 2004), Stingiest Man in Town, Shrek, Miracle on 34th St., Little Women, Music Man, Sound of Music, and given vocal direction for Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, Camelot and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She has directed twelve musicals for Baraboo High School and directed Secret Garden for Music Theatre of Madison. She is delighted to be back again with BTG friends old and new.
Greg Lang (Pit Band Director) Greg Lang taught band in the Baraboo Schools for 36 years prior to his retirement in 2015. He has been involved with BTG fall musicals since 1980 playing trumpet or electric bass in the pit for several years. More recently he has enjoyed directing BTG pits. He has provided the musical direction for My Fair Lady, Annie, State Fair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, Camelot, Sound of Music, Mystery of Edwin Drood, Music Man, Little Women, Shrek, Stingiest Man in Town, Into the Woods, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Newsies, Pippin, Seussical, and Mary Poppins. Greg would like to thank his friends in the pit for being part of this production and other musical adventures over many years. Special thanks to Griffin James for sharing his time, efforts, rehearsal space, and percussion instruments.
Nina Brant (Stage Manager) is 'all shook up' to be part of her tenth BTG production! She has been part of BTG as a stage manager, director, and a board member. She is happy once again to work alongside her dad, daughter, and new theatre family. Nina would like to thank her husband, Sam, her kids, as well as her Mom for going above and beyond to help her this year, and the cast and crew for all their hard work!
Jonathan Baker (Lighting Design) Selected design credits include: The Sound of Music, All Shook Up, Joseph...Dreamcoat, Little Women, Guys and Dolls, Grease, Shrek the Musical, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins, Viterbo University’s Platinum Edition Show Choir, and Artists Alive’s Tear Down the Wall. He would like to thank Greg Lang for getting him started in theatre.
Melisa Skwor (Producer) has been involved with BTG for over 15 years as a performer, board member, producer and volunteer. She was seen in Camelot (Guenevere), Sound of Music (Maria), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Rosa Bud), The Music Man (Marian), Little Women (Marmee) and Beauty and the Beast (Wardrobe) and was producer for Shrek, Stingiest Man in Town, Into the Woods (2015), Red Carpet Revue, Cash on Delivery (Dinner Theater) Newsies, Pippin, An Advent Calendar of Carols 2022, Seussical,Arsenic and Old Lace and Mary Poppins. She thanks her family for supporting her during this time of year, every year. It simply wouldn't be possible without their strength and dedication. She'd also like to say a special thank you to her best theatre friend, Tina Lang. We're in this together, always.