EMMET MAHDAVI     I played Montag in Fahrenheit 451. A senior, I'm 17 and I live in Newfane. I have done many plays at Leland and Gray including Little Shop of Horrors, Galileo, Hats Off '07 and '09, Anything Goes, and crew in Frankenstein. I played in Fiddler on the Roof at the Grammar School. This is my first time playing a lead.

WILLIAM BASS     I'm a 17 year old senior and this is my fifth year with the Players. I have had major roles in Footloose, The Rivals and Frankenstein, and medium-sized roles in Fahrenheit 451, Anything Goes and Hats Off '09. I love performing; from a capella to samba band to the Journey East program: I hope to be involved in all the performing programs offered here at Leland & Gray.

MADDI ETMAN     I am sixteen years old.  I am in eleventh grade and have participated in ten productions with the Leland and Gray Players: Oliver!, Anything Goes, Hats Off '08, '09, '10 and '11, The Rivals, Frankenstein, Little Shop of Horrors, Fahrenheit 451, and Footloose.  I have also helped with the summer performing arts camp at Leland and Gray for the past two years.  I really enjoy the teamwork involved with being part of a production.

JESSE NEWTON     I'm a junior at L&G and I have acted in Little Shop of Horrors and Footloose. It has been interesting and I've learned a lot. This experience has given me a new respect for drama and the work that is required to put on a play.

CAITLIN HAMM     I am 16 years old and I am in 11th grade. I have acted for three years and appeared in Oliver!, Frankenstein, and Little Shop of Horrors. I have learned that it takes dedication, practice, and focus to put on a show. It's a lot of fun and I hope to do more in the future.

ZOE ELAINE SOULE     I am 15 years old, and live in West Wardsboro. This is my fourth year performing with the Players, and I have participated in Anything Goes, Hats Off, Frankenstein, and Little Shop of Horrors. I am involved in band and chorus as well, and have performed at arts camps. But I enjoy my time with the Players the most and I enjoy the challenges: having to collaborate with people of different personalities and ways of acting; of trying to get everything perfect, and biting your nails at the beginning of every show, highly doubting everything will go smoothly. But, magically, it does. And that leaves you with a thrill that you must make that magic again. That's why everyone will always do another show, wanting to see everything become one.

MAEZIE CRAMP     16, lives in Williamsville.  Maezie has participated as both a crew member and Player, beginning in seventh grade with Anything Goes, Hats Off, and Frankenstein.    She has also attended the first two summer sessions of theater arts camp at Leland & Gray.  This season she is in eighth grade and is both finding her voice on stage and time to contribute behind the scenes.  She particularly enjoys helping with costumes and sets.

NICOLE WINOT   I am a sophomore at Leland and Gray. I have been in many of the Players' performances including the Wizard of Oz, Anything Goes, Hats Off '09, and both of the Summer Performing Arts Exploration plays. I love working with the Players. They are inspirational. They inspire much hard work and dedication.

ANDREW POWELL     I'm a sophomore from West Dover and this is my first year with the L&G Players as Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of Horrors. I enjoy music and acting very much.  I have attended the Broadway Bound program lead by Clear Space Productions.  I especially enjoy singing and playing the guitar.  I appreciate the L&G Players giving me the opportunity to explore acting.  I look forward to many more plays in the future.

KAYLA WILLIAMS     I live in Newfane.  I was in Anything Goes three years ago in 7th grade.  This year I'm in 10th grade and I love being in the drama club.  If I'm not too busy, I hope to be in many upcoming plays.

GENEVIEVE DARLING     I'm a sophomore from puny little South Newfane. I love performing in musicals or funny plays or skits because I like acting, singing, dancing, and comedy. I've performed in lots of school bands, chorus, and jazz band concerts. I was an actress with a small part in Anything Goes (2008's musical), Little Shop of Horrors (2009's musical), and in a couple very short skits in my history class. I learned that being in a play is really good because it can teach you to talk well in front of an audience (any kind or size of audience, including something like a small class for a class presentation), cooperate with and rely on fellow actors and actresses, and just plain have fun with other people.

JASMINE DOMENICK     I'm 14 years old, and I live in Newfane and Jamaica. Little Shop of Horrors was my first year/first time being in a play. I think acting is fun because you get to be in an interactive school activity where you get to be with friends and you get to act, which means you always have to be in character. That means DRAMA. What I've learned from acting is that you have to work together, or every thing goes wrong. I've also learned that it takes a lot of work to put this all together. 

ALEXA ANDRE LITCHFIELD     I'm 14 years old from Jamaica, VT. I have been in Don Coyote, Wizard of Oz, The Liberated Cinderella, Oliver!, Professor Zucchini's Traveling Tales, and The Jack Tales. I learned diction, projection, stance, eye contact and dance.  I like to act because I get to be the center of attention, be loud and wear costumes.  I also enjoy the story and reading the script makes me a better reader.  Acting also helps me to fib... :)

MADISON CANELLA     I am 14 years old and not new to the stage. On stage, as a member of both chorus and band, I sing and play the alto saxophone. I have performed as a young member of the L&G Players in their productions of Wizard of Oz and Oliver!. During the past couple of summers I continued to enjoy acting by participating in SPAE (Summer Performing Arts Exploration) program in their performances of Peter Pan as Smee and in Alice in Wonderland as Humpty Dumpty and the Walrus. I have performed with the JVS Drama Club on the Jamaica Town Hall stage in their production of The Liberated Cinderella as the Mirror and the King. In their production of Professor Zucchini's Traveling Tales I played Gorgonzola and in Jack Tales, I was Bill. I enjoy singing and acting and have learned and come to love dance.

JESSE CANELLA     I am 14 years old and extremely comfortable on the stage. I have performed as a young member of the L&G Players in their productions of Oz and Oliver!. During the past couple of summers, I continued to hone my craft by participating in SPAE (Summer Performing Arts Exploration) performances of Peter Pan as Tick Tock Crock and in Alice in Wonderland as The Mad Hatter. I performed with the JVS Drama Club on the Jamaica Town Hall stage as an audience implanted actor in their production of The Liberated Cinderella and I assisted in set design. In their production of Professor Zuchini's Traveling Tales I played both the Tax Collector and Blacky the Sheep. In their production of Jack Tales I was Ol'Greasy Beard. I enjoy character acting and contributing to set design and costumes.

RACHEL SPENCE     is a freshman this year. She has been acting for two or three years. She first started acting with New England Youth Theater in the fifth grade. Throughout this year, she has been working lights and set design, also for NEYT. Rachel has preformed in two plays, The Emperor's New Clothes and Little Shop of Horrors. She just finished up doing lights and painting for two shows at NEYT. She plans on continuing to do both for a long, long time.

RACHAEL TURNER     I am 14 years old. I am from Brookline Vermont. I am fairly new to the drama program. I took an acting summer camp. I really enjoy acting. You get to see so many different sides of people! I have learned that anything is possible in a play, from true love, to man-eating plants!

SARAH DICKSON     is seventeen years old and currently a senior. She joined the stage crew in 2009 starting with Anything Goes!, working on props and learning how to operate the sound board. In Hats Off! V, Sarah was in charge of sound and also made props. She designed posters for Frankenstein, Little Shop of Horrors and Hats Off! VI. She also helped with sound for Little Shop of Horrors, and was sound captain for Hats Off! VI. Additionally, she created the lovely website that you are viewing.

MORE BIOS TO COME!

MELISSA SOULE     Graduated in 2011. West Wardsboro. I have participated in Galileo, The Wizard of Oz, The Rivals, Anything Goes, Frankenstein, Little Shop of Horrors, Once in a Lifetime, Fahrenheit 451, Footloose, and four years of Hats Off. As an instrumental and choral student, as well as an alumni of the Journey East program and various performing arts camps, I've had my fair share of time as an entertainer. Anyone just emerging into to this world of theatrics might wonder what the draw is; what can possibly hold such an allure. For me, it is as simple as that initial twist of emotion deep within me when the curtain goes up. For months, our company, our team, our family of Players has worked to put together something wholly our own. We've been coached and guided, nudged and trained, but when those lights go up, inhibition and conceptions of who you are dissipate into the shadows. The funny thing is, no one ever really wants to go back to what they were.

TYLER GERVAIS     Graduated in 2011. Wardsboro. I enjoy acting and have been acting at Leland and Gray in every play since 8th grade. Performing is a great experience. It hard to explain; you just have to try it. You learn so much each time in all different aspects. I'd like to thank my family for making this all possible and our director, Ann Landenberger.

QUINN DARROW     Graduated in 2011. Newfane. I have played a variety of roles in many Players' productions including The Wizard of Oz, Galileo, Hats Off productions, Oliver, The Rivals, Anything Goes, Frankenstein, and Little Shop of Horrors. I also participated in pit band, playing bass guitar for several productions. I have been acting since eighth grade when a few of my friends persuaded me to be in The Wizard of Oz. Although small roles are obviously easier in line-memorizing and rehearsal times, having a large or lead role is much more rewarding and tends to involve fewer costumes. Sometimes rehearsing shows is very difficult and I find myself asking why I do it. Once the show comes around, though, I realize how much fun it can be, even while pacing back stage afraid I'll forget a key line and throw off the entire show. But hey, "that's show biz," as Ms. Landenberger would say.

AUDREY JONES     Graduated in 2011. Wardsboro. I love every show we do and it always turns out amazing, thanks to everyone's effort.  My time with the Players has taught me many things, and I've realized how vital every single role is, no matter how big or small it may seem.  I know that we'll pull this show together; we always do, and I'm excited to see the final outcome.

AMY VAN LOON     Graduated in 2010. Marlboro. I started with the Players in ninth grade when I came here for Journey East. I was Oliver in Oliver!  in my sophomore year, I played the role of Bonnie in Anything Goes as a junior, and my final year I was a Ronnette in Little Shop of Horrors. I have been in many a Hats Off skits and have loved every moment of it. I would like to thank everyone who has helped with the Players from sewing to lighting and playing in the pit band. This is a wonderful family.

HEATHER CHAMBERLIN     Graduated in 2010. Newfane. I have been in the past productions of Grease (crew), Anything Goes (stewardess, and Ms. Wiggins) and Little Shop of Horrors (Det. Sgt. Joe Fink). I love to perform because it is a good outlet for my creative and wild sides and through my short acting career, I have managed to learn so much, about myself and my peers. I have developed great and strong friendships that probably would never have formed if it where not for the Players. The Players have taught me so much; I can do so much more with my inner actor than I could before. I have so much more respect for my peers and their unique talents.

GABRIELLE WILHITE (GABBY)     Graduated in 2010. Townshend. My first and only show with the players was Little Shop of Horrors.  Thanks to everyone who has made this show possible. It has been a lot of fun.

SARAH STAIB     Grduated in 2010. Townshend. My senior year was my first time on stage! In 2009, I played the clarinet and tenor sax in the pit band for Anything Goes, but acting is so different. I love the challenge that Little Shop of Horrors has given me. I have had so much fun with my fellow Ronnettes, but maybe that is just because of all the red lipstick.

JENNY NEWTON     Graduated in 2010. Windham. Little Shop of Horrors was my first show with the players and it has been a great experience. It has been especially fun working with everyone to learn the dances and the music. Thanks to all the people who made this show possible.

TESSA STANLEY     Graduated in 2010. Townshend. As a sophomore, I learned that, although I was home schooled, I'd be welcome in the L&G Players. I played minor roles in both productions and sang in Hats Off that year. As a junior not only did I start attending Leland and Gray as a full-time student, I also continued with the Players in Anything Goes and Hats Off. In May of 2009 I was Elizabeth Lavenza in Frankenstein.

BRANDY REYNOLDS     Windham. Little Shop of Horrors was her first performance and she learned a lot about music, singing and dancing. She underestimated the talent and devotion that is needed to be a good player, but is really enjoying the play and hopes to participate in more for years to come. Her favorite part about being in the play is meeting and getting to know new people, especially those who she doesn't typically hang out with.