In 2008, David Roth and Kerry Long staged a Staples Players production of “Les Misérables.”
It’s ambitious for any high school troupe. It was especially challenging as a summer show, with its very tight time frame.
The next summer, the Players’ directors chose another great, but complex and super-difficult, musical: “Rent.”
As he’s done with every Players mainstage and summer show since 2000, former media teacher Jim Honeycutt took on the nearly equally tough task of distilling it into a highlight reel.
Click here or below to relive “Rent.”
As with so many Players shows, a number of actors went on to careers in entertainment. They include:
Chris McNiff (Mark Cohen) ) is an actor, singer, dancer and choreographer based in New York City. He has appeared in “White Christmas,” “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Hair.”
Dan Shure (Mark Cohen) plays bass, in Charley Bliss, a successful New York band, with Eva Hendricks (Maureen Johnson). Their current release is “Back There Now.”
Clay Singer (Roger Davis) has extensive theater credits including “Masquerade” (New York), “Fiddler On the Roof” (St. Louis), “Perchik” (Westport), “The Band’s Visit” (North American tour), “Into the Woods” (Pittsfield, Massachusetts), “Next to Normal” (Vero Beach, Florida), “Man of La Mancha” (Westport), “Romeo and Juliet” and “Ragtime” and “The Full Monty” (both Pittsburgh).
Steve Autore (Roger Davis) is a humorist, writer, actor and singer, and produces unique, original original media content. After Elon University he founded an independent dark comedy production group, Nice Hog! Productions. They’re currently in development for 2 animated series, CREEPS and Drop Dead.
David Ressler (Tom Collins) is an actor and singer. He is currently performing in a Bay Area Opera Collaborative production of “Pirates of Penzance.”
Johnny Shea (Angel Dumont Schunard) is a New York based actor. Credits include “Spring Awaking,” “Deathless” and “Peter Pan,” in theaters ranging from Goodspeed and the Shakepeare in Chicago to the Portland Stage Company.
Charlie Greenwald (Benjamin Coffin III) is an actor, voiceover artist, comedian, copywriter and children’s book author. He has appeared in the film “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and the TV special “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.”
Audrey Twitchell (Mimi Marques) has appeared in numerous commercials, print ads and on television. In 2006, she originated the role of Lee Bouvier in the Broadway musical “Grey Gardens.”
Michelle Pauker (Mimi Marques) is a singer and actor. She has appeared in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Idaho Shakespeare Festival), “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (Great Lakes Theatre Company), and “Into The Woods (Forestburgh Playhouse).
(If you like these nutshells — or any other “06880” feature — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
