Meredith Willson's The Music Man Cast

Grant Arbour is a 21-year-old actor from Holden, MA with a passion for musical theatre. Grant spent 4 years doing and loving musical theatre at Wachusett Regional High School. His past favorite role was Audrey 2 from Little Shop of Horrors. Grant is very excited to be Olin Britt in the Music Man, which is his first time performing with the Vanilla Box productions as well as in community theatre.

This is Amanda’s first time working with Vanilla Box Productions and is very excited to be involved. She is a senior at Maine College of Art, and has done theatre all her life. Some of her favorite roles include Beth March (Little Women) and Mrs Webb (Our Town).

Emily Baldwin is a rising senior at West Boylston High School. She has been in numerous productions, and this is her fourth year with Vanilla Box Productions. Some of her favorite roles include Kim (Bye, Bye, Birdie), Mrs. White (Clue), Niki (Curtains), and Lisa (Mama Mia). She just finished her 13th year od dance and has been taking voice lessons with John Leslie for around 3 years. She is the new president of Thespian Society at her school. She is very excited to be performing with this cast!

Karen is excited to share the stage with her daughters in her second production with VBP. Recent performances include On the Town (VBP) and The Producers (NPTG). She is currently choreographing the third Summer Youth Theater program at NPTG. Karen is the Director at MFC Circles Learning Center.

Emily Bechtholdt is excited to be in her first Vanilla Box production. She lives in Leominster and will be a Junior at Leominster High School this fall. Emily has studied dance since the age of three. She currently studies tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical and hip hop at Heidi Hogan’s School of Dance in Leominster. Emily has been in several school and community theater productions since the age of 9. Her favorite as a dancer/poor person in Urinetown at Leominster High School this past Fall. She would like to thank her family for all their support.

Eva Bonczek (ensemble). Eva is a rising seventh grader, and has been involved with Vanilla Box Productions since she was six years old. Favorite shows include “Godspell” and “Evita”. Eva also takes dance at The Dance Place Studio in Worcester, MA, and is hoping to begin guitar and percussion lessons in the fall. She is excited to be part of this year’s production of “The Music Man”, and hopes everyone enjoys the show!

Hailey Cross is 13 year old 8th grade student from Worcester, MA. She has had a passion for dance from a very young age. Hailey has been dancing for 9 years at New England Dance Center. She's been dancing for her studios traveling competion team for the past 5 years now. She gives credit to her dance teachers at New England Dance Center (Nikki Barris, Tee Minton Jr, Jazmine Johnson, Cristin Torrey, Michelle Philippe & Chrissy Duque.) Hailey is a soloist and also does many other forms of dance. She has traveled all over New England for competitive dance competitions and has won many awards and high scores. Hailey has performed in Disney World with her dance team in 2018 and is performing there again in the spring of 2020. This is Hailey's very first theatrical experience. She is grateful to be in two productions this summer; Matilda and Music Man.

Jess Couture (Ethel): Jess is so excited to be back with Vanilla Box Productions for another show. Some of Jess' favorite past roles include Jan (Grease), Lilly St. Regis (Annie), Hildy (On the Town), Erma Latour (Anything Goes), Rusty (Footloose), Audrey (Little Shop), Martha Dunnstock (Heathers), Little Red (Into the Woods) and Logainne SwartzandGrubenierre (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). Jess would like to thank the production team for all of the hard work and dedication that went into this production.

Charlotte is thrilled to be making her debut with Vanilla Box Productions! Originally from New York, Charlotte has a BA in Music and Psychology from Williams College, and an MM in Vocal Performance from NYU Steinhardt. Favorite roles include Ariel in The Little Mermaid (EMACT 2019 DASH nominee for Best Lead Actress in a Musical), Laurey ( Oklahoma!), Cinderella ( Into the Woods), Maria ( The Sound of Music), Luciana ( The Boys from Syracuse), Cinderella ( R&H's Cinderella) and Anna ( The King & I). Charlotte is a resident physician at UMass, where she is completing a combined residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and hopes to specialize in Adolescent Medicine. She would would like to thank her family, her husband Caleb, and her co-residents for all of their support!

Sarah is a Junior at Tantasqua Regional High School in Fiskdale MA. Sarah is in Radiance, Tantasquas’ show choir and Choraleers, the schools select chorus. She has been in several performances at the Jewish community Center Theatre in Longmeadow MA: Into the Woods Jr as Cinderella and in the Lion King Jr Ensemble as well as Elphaba in Broadway for Kids 2017. Sarah is excited to be in Music Man. This is her first show with Vanilla Box Productions

Katharine Edel (Alma Hix) - Katharine is excited to be performing in her first Vanilla Box Production, and first community theatre production! Originally from Highland Mills New York, she is a Mechanical Engineering major at WPI, and is currently working at Boston Scientific through their co-op program. Favorite performances include Peter Pan (Wendy), Fiddler on the Roof (Tzietel), Spring Awakening (Anna), and Almost, Maine. In the fall, she will be performing in Mamma Mia! with WPI's VOX Musical Theatre. Katharine would like to thank her parents, who are not only willing to drive 3 and a half hours to see her perform, but who shared and supported her love of theatre from a young age.

Michelle Fisher (Maud) - Michelle is excited to be performing with Vanilla Box Productions for the first time! Michelle is a preschool teacher for Worcester Head Start and currently pursuing her Masters in Early Childhood Education at Worcester State University. She has an Associates degree in Musical Theatre from Florida School of the Arts and performed in several shows while living in Florida. Favorite shows include Grease, Heaven Can Wait, Fame, and Kilroy Was Here. Thanks to friends and family for ongoing support and to such a welcoming cast and crew!

Laina is excited to be in Vanilla Box Productions Music Man. This will be Laina’s 3rd show with Vanilla Box and is thrilled for many more. She goes to Oxford High School and is currently her sophomore class President. Her favorite Musicals she’s Been in includes Godspell, Chess the Musical, Shrek the Musical, Seussical the Musical, The Little Mermaid jr., and now including Music Man. She would like to thank her mom and her brother for driving her back and fourth, and she would also like to thank the cast and crew for and amazing experience she won’t forget!

Miriam Greenslit is thrilled to be playing the role of Amaryllis in The Music Man! Last spring, she played one of the General’s daughters in Pirates of Penzance, which was performed at Holy Name High School. Miriam is also a member of the Chorus at Holy Name. Outside of school, Miriam is a member of the Gigueres Dance Team. She would like to thank everyone involved with the show for their hard work and dedication. Break a leg!!

Linda Grieco (Ensemble)- Linda is a recent resident of Massachusetts. She spent most of her life in NY here she retired from her dual career of professional singer and music teacher. This is her first community theatre production and it has been a wonderful experience. Linda is eternally grateful for her loving family who are her daily inspiration. Love you guys! Congratulations to the cast and crew of “The Music Man”!

Kaci Kneeland is thrilled to be back for her fourth summer at Vanilla Box! She is an upcoming senior at Wachusett and has had a blast spending her summer rehearsing for Music Man. Most recently Kaci was seen as Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda here at Vanilla Box. Kaci has also played Mayzie La Bird in Seussical and Rosalie Mullins in School of Rock, Youth Edition with Vanilla Box, Cecile Leroux in Is He Dead? at Saint John’s and the Scarecrow in HCT's Wizard of Oz. Kaci would like to thank her family, friends and teachers for all their support.

Marina is usually onstage at Worcester Juvenile Court when not performing in local community theatre. She is a partner at Matuzek & McGee, Attorneys at Law. Favorite roles include; Madame Dilly in "On The Town", Golde in "Fiddler on the Roof", and Fraulein Schneider in "Cabaret".

Keri McCarthy (Mrs. Paroo) is a voice teacher from North Brookfield who is thrilled to rejoin the community theater world after several years away! Thanks to Joel, Chris and the entire creative team for the opportunity and to the cast for being so welcoming to her. Love to Max and Milo!

Connor’s excited to be working with Vanilla Box Productions for the first time. He’s enjoying playing the baritone of the show’s quartet. In the past he’s been in roles like Cain/Japheth (Children of Eden - A Common Thread Theatre Company), Sammy (Wedding Singer - Performing Arts Center of Metrowest), and a number of ensemble roles with Auburn Community Players. He wants to thank his fiancée Becky for finding the information about auditions for this show, they both plan on coming back for future productions. He also wants to thank his family for supporting him in so many ways and always making time to come see the shows he’s in. He’s currently going to school for his Associate’s degree in Computer Science, then he’s heading for his Bachelors in computer Science with a minor in Robotics in UMASS Lowell.

This is Kayleb’s first year with Vanilla Box Productions. Kayleb has been dancing for over 10 years and competing for 3 years in various competitions such as Bravo, Step Up to Dance, Turn It Up and Starborn. He has won several awards and trophies. Kayleb had the opportunity to choreograph Hairspray at his middle school in Peabody, MA. Kayleb is very proud to be a part of Vanilla Box Productions and can’t wait to perform in both Matilda and Music Man.

“I am not my thoughts; I am what I do.” – Gary John Bishop At 61... this is Michael’s first theatrical experience ever. Michael thought he could never be a stage performer, until he just did it. From auditions to right now, He’s loving it and never looking back. In Michael’s own words, “It all starts with just showing up... Then do it, live it, and love it! We are all better than we think.”

Molly is seven years old and is going into the second grade. She really likes being Gracie Shinn and wants to thank Mr. Joel and Miss Chris for the opportunity. This is Molly’s first big production. She has participated in the Vanilla Box Rising Stars Camp for the past three years; just a few weeks ago she played Green Frog in “A Caterpillar’s Voice.” She loves her dog Penny and her sister Gracie. She is also a Brownie and enjoys acting.

Dan is thrilled to boast The Music Man is his 4th Vanilla Box production. As a Worcester native, he has most recently been seen in the ensemble of WCLOC’s Chess the Musical. Other recent roles include Gabey in On the Town, Jesus in Godspell, Lt. Joe Cable in South Pacific, and Daniel in Once on this Island. As a 2014 Holy Name alumnus he is happy to be back ‘up on the hill’. Dan would like to thank his family, friends, and Oz for their love. He also hopes everyone enjoys the show!

Max Robinson (Donny Dunlop) is 8 years old and from North Brookfield. He is excited to be in a show with his mom and friend Mr. Jake. Previous credits include the beggar child in Aladdin, jr (NBHS) Puffy in We are Monsters (NBES), Spike in Stone Age (SkyRise Theater) and more. He’d like to thank everyone in the cast and crew for being so nice and making his first show with Vanilla Box so fun!

Music Man marks David's third theater production this year, following Pirates of Penzance and Matilda. He has effectively caught the acting bug. David is an accomplished musician, playing both trumpet and viola. He participates in the Advanced and Intermediate Bands as well as String Ensemble at Holy Name, where he will be an 8th grader. He recently was selected for both the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra and Worcester Youth Wind Symphony. When not playing music or having fun in theater, David can be found hanging out with family and friends, and binging Stranger Things.

Peter Russo (Mayor Shinn) is proud to be returning to Holy Name’s stage for this production of The Music Man. He has performed with Vanilla Box Productions in the past, including in Evita and Anything Goes. His most recent role was the part of Nick in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with Braid Productions.

Cameron is going to be a Sophomore at Franklin Pierce University. Since the age of five, he has been performing with Vanilla Box Productions and has portrayed many characters ranging from Sandy in Annie to the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, Bobby in Crazy for You, young performer’s edition and Dewey Finn in one of the first productions of “School of Rock, youth edition”. He was most recently in the ensemble of “Chess” at WCLOC. Besides doing theater, Cameron is a trained dancer and has won three National Titles. He has additionally helped to choreograph many shows and has directed a One Act Play which won “Best Overall Production”.

Jacob Sewell is thrilled to be back with Vanilla Box Productions for his fourth show! Jacob was born and raised in Bedford, TX where he started dancing at the age of 15. After graduating from Oklahoma City University with a degree in Dance Performance he worked as a dancer/aerialist for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines where he traveled the world performing . Jacob has appeared at WCLOC as Harry/Aaron in Chicago as well as Bobby in Cabaret and Chip in On The Town with Vanilla Box Productions.

Viraj is thrilled to be making his Vanilla Box debut. After the summer, he will be going to back to Wagner College as a sophomore Theatre Performance major. Select credits include: Egon Salmon (Rise Up!), Ted (Disaster!), Roger/Gerry (Noises Off!), and Kenickie (Grease!). He would like to thank his family, cast and crew for all the support!

Anand Sitaram is excited to be in his first Vanilla Box production! This is his second stage production as an adult, the first being "My Fair Lady" with Theatre III in Acton. He also sings Tenor 1 in the Boston Gay Men's Chorus, Tenor in the men's barbershop chorus Vocal Revolution, and Lead in the mixed quartet Neapolitan. This fall, catch him in a three-year run in the role of "Assistant Professor of Biology" at Stonehill College. Thank you to all the friends and family who have given their support!

Erin Socha currently attends Worcester State University majoring in nursing with plans to become a nurse midwife. She has been dancing for 11 years, training at Cathy Taylor School of Dance in Auburn, and earning high scores while competing at a national level. Erin has participated in the performing arts her entire life through dance as well as being a member of the chorus, treble choir, jazz band, and leading as president of the advanced concert band at Holy Name High School. She began performing in theater in her junior year of high school. Erin has been the dance captain in both Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella and Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance. She is very excited to be a part of the cast of The Music Man and to be surrounded by such talented people. She would like to thank her family, friends, and mentors for all of their love and support. Enjoy the show!

Regina is thrilled to return to Vanilla Box Productions, having been last seen as Reverend Mother in their production of Nunsense. She was one of the original co-founders of Wachusett Theatre Company in 1993, and has directed and performed with many area theater companies over the years. Some favorite roles have been Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Nancy in Oliver, Louise in Always, Patsy Cline, and just about every nun in Nunsense! Regina is a Multimedia Sales Representative for Gatehouse Media and lives in Holden with her son Ben, Joe, Max and Lucky. Special thanks to the entire cast (especially my Shinn family!) and Christine & Joel for a fun summer experience!

This is Becky’s debut with Vanilla Box Productions! She is very excited and honored to be a part of the Music Man ensemble. She has worked with several different theatre companies and has been in many different productions! Most recently, she was Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors with Apple Tree Arts and Specs in Disney’s Newsies with A Common Thread Theatre Company. She wants to thank her fiancé, Connor, for supporting her throughout her community theatre experiences; the shows that Becky does with Connor are the ones that matter the most to her! She also wants to thank the production staff and cast for inviting us into their Vanilla Box Family!

Alyssa Tetreault (Mrs. Squires) – Alyssa is thrilled to be performing in her 1st production with Vanilla Box Productions. She is a Theatre Major at CCRI, a nanny and teaches theater to youth during the summer at Theatre by the Sea in Matunuck, RI. Alyssa has performed with several local theaters over the past 10 years including the Norton Singers in Norton, Ma and the Stadium Theater in Woonsocket, RI. Favorite productions include Les Miserables, Shrek the Musical, Sister Act, and Grease. After The Music Man she will be joining the cast of Hairspray at the Stadium Theatre. Sending thanks and love to all her family and friends for their love and support!

Lily is very excited to be a part of The Music Man: her very first production! Lily is 7 years old and will be going into second grade at Mayo School in Holden. She is an avid dancer, having studied at Charlotte Klein Dance Centers since the age of 2. Lily loves to write stories, draw and paint. She is thrilled to share the stage with her dad and her cousin, Olivia.

Todd is delighted to be making his debut with Vanilla Box Productions in a role he has always wanted to play! Todd has been recently seen onstage in Central Massachusetts as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins, and most recently in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). Todd's varied performance career has seen him play the roles of Proctor in The Crucible , Gayev in The Cherry Orchard , Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, The Stage Manager in Our Town, and Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie , among many others. Todd currently serves on the Board of Directors for Studio Theatre Worcester as its Director of Community Outreach and Engagement, and is absolutely overjoyed to be a part of such a wonderful cast and crew in The Music Man. He would like to thank his family, friends, and Dr. Babs for their love and support, and especially Lily, who is the B-E-S-T. Great job!

Olivia is 10 years old and is going into Fifth Grade at Flagg Street Elementary School in Worcester. The Music Man is Olivia's first theatrical production, though she is no stranger to the stage. She has danced with Charlotte Klein Dance Center since she was two years old. Olivia would like to thank her family for all their love and support. A big shout out to her Uncle Chewie (aka Prof. Hill) for his encouragement to be part of such a wonderful production!