Meet the Cast & Crew!

MEET THE CAST

Wells Abee (Ensemble) is thrilled to be returning to the SYT stage!  She was last seen on stage at SYT in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical and backstage in The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. Her favorite roles include Baloo in The Jungle Book at Jesse Boyd Elementary, and Elf in Shrek the Musical at Spartanburg District 7. In her free time Wells enjoys taking voice lessons, walking her dog, and playing her guitar.  Wells would like to thank the directors, cast, and crew for putting so much hard work into this amazing show, and her parents for always being her biggest supporters.

Perry Anderson (Elsa Understudy/Ensemble) is a sophomore at Dorman High School, a singer, and a lacrosse player. She grew up loving music (especially Elsa!) and played Annie in Annie Jr. at SYT. Perry is grateful to God for the life she has been given. She is thankful for her family, especially her parents, brother, and Nonna and Pop Pop for always showing up and supporting her. She also thanks the Spartanburg Youth Theatre for the opportunity to be a part of Frozen Jr.

Colten Bruce (Hans) is extremely excited to be back at SYT! Colten has participated in many productions in the past with the Spartanburg Youth Theatre, Dorman High School and the Spartanburg Little Theatre. Some of his favorite roles include Crutchie in Disney’s Newsies Jr., Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird, and Cosmo Brown in Singin’ in the Rain. Colten attends Dorman High School and loves to draw, sing and perform for others. Finally, Colten would like to thank his family and friends for all of their love and support throughout this rehearsal process.

Giada Cole (Elsa) is thrilled to be performing in this production! Previous roles include Bea in Something Rotten Jr. and Pearl in The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition. When not on stage, she enjoys playing piano and songwriting. She would like to thank her family and Ignite Theatrical for their support and encouragement.

Reese Crocker (Olaf Understudy/Housekeeper/Ensemble) is excited to make her debut at Spartanburg Youth Theatre! Reese has been involved in many productions at Spartanburg High School, including Frozen as Elsa Understudy, The Music Man as Mrs. Squires, and Shrek the Musical as Gingy. Reese would like to thank her parents and her Memaw for their constant love, encouragement, and support.

Knox Curry (Weselton) is thrilled to be on the stage with SYT for the first time as Weselton. He has been in many plays at Oakbrook Prep where he is a 9th grader. His favorite role so far has been Bullfrog in HONK. Outside of theatre, he is an active boy scout and cross country athlete. He would like to thank Mrs. Rollins for being a major influence to his passion.

Nico DePaol (Sven) makes his SYT debut as Sven. Nico is a junior at Spartanburg High School. His previous credits include Captain of the Guard in District 7's Shrek the Musical. He also was Young Simba in the Jesse Boyd production of Disney’s The Lion King Jr. Nico would like to thank his Mom, Dad, and sister for their support.

Gloriana Howard (Ensemble) is incredibly grateful to be in this show! She was last seen onstage as the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, but you may also recognize her from other SYT productions including The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition (Wicked Witch), A Christmas Carol (Ghost of Christmas Present), and The Rainbow Fish (Starfish). This is her final season at SYT, and she will be attending Anderson University in the fall with hopes of pursuing a double major in musical theatre and psychology. She would like to thank everyone for the beautiful work they put into this show! Romans 15:13.

Chloe Hujik (Anna Understudy/Ensemble) is so excited to be in Frozen Jr.! She was last seen on the SYT stage in The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. Chloe currently serves as the Vice President of SYT's Junior Advisory Board. She would like to thank Adam and the rest of the production team for giving her this amazing opportunity and her friends and family for their endless support!

Aidan Jimenez (King Agnarr/Ensemble) has been involved in multiple productions at Dorman High School including Disney’s Moana Jr. and Anastasia. This is Aidan's first time acting in an SYT production. Aidan would like to thank his directors for giving him this opportunity. He would also like to thank his parents for supporting him with theatre and all he does.

DJ Johnson (Bishop/Ensemble) is so happy to be back on the SYT stage. His previous SYT credits include Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical (Fregley), The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition (Ensemble), The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, and Pete the Cat: The Musical (Pete and Jimmy Understudy, Ensemble). DJ is 14 years old and homeschooled. Theatre takes up most of his free time, but when not on stage, DJ enjoys reading, playing video games, and spending time with friends and family. He would like to thank the Frozen team, cast, and crew for their hard work in this amazing production.

Strong Jones (Kristoff) is a junior at Fountain Inn High School and is thrilled to be performing in his eighth show with the Spartanburg Youth Theatre! He’s especially excited to take on the role of Kristoff and to share the stage with so many of his friends. Strong would like to give a special thanks to Adam for his encouragement and guidance over the past four years.

Mariam Kitchen (Young Elsa) is so excited to be in this production! Mariam is 12 years old, and attends High Point Academy. She was most recently seen as Tiny Tim in Spartanburg Youth Theatre’s A Christmas Carol and in Spartanburg Little Theatre’s School of Rock. Mariam loves singing, baking, playing with her 6 siblings, and being student council president! She would like to thank Adam, Jessie, Mrs. Taylor, Madeline, Bella, and her brother Samuel for believing in her and supporting her through this process! Enjoy the show!

Samuel Kitchen (Olaf) is ecstatic for his sixteenth production here! Samuel is a part of the Junior Advisory Board, and was last seen in The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. Other favorite roles include Friedrich von Trapp in The Sound of Music and Ichabod Crane Sleepy Hollow. Besides theatre, Samuel is a TEDx speaker/co-organizer, Envirothon champion, award-winning youth senator, PoetryOutLoud state runner-up, and more. Samuel is an aspiring biochemist/ethnobotanist. He thanks his family and this team for their support!

Jennings Kyle (Young Anna) is thrilled to make her Spartanburg Youth Theatre debut as Young Anna! She has previously appeared in several school productions, one of her favorites being Shrek the Musical (Baby Bear) with Spartanburg School District 7. A proud student at Jesse Boyd Elementary School, Jennings has participated in her school’s musicals for the past several years and will take the stage again this December as Young Rudolph. When she’s not performing, Jennings loves reading and spending time outdoors. She sends a big thank-you to her family and friends for their endless love and support!

AnaRuth Lowry (Queen Iduna/Ensemble) is thrilled to perform again with SYT! She was last seen as Puffer Fish in The Rainbow Fish and Mrs. Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol. When she’s not singing or dancing, she loves pouring into her friends—encouraging them, sharing time together, and finding little ways to brighten their day.

Olivia Marsh (Ensemble) is thrilled to be a part of Frozen Jr. She has been a part of several SYT productions as both cast and crew. Some of her favorite roles include Junie B. in Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook, Goose in Charlotte's Web, and Ensemble in The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. Olivia is a 10th grader at Dorman High School where she is involved in the chorus program including The Accapelliers as Director Elect. She would like to thank Adam, Jessie and Alexa for this amazing opportunity. Olivia would also like to thank Dr. Ben Dawkins, her mom, and family for their guidance and support.

Marcel Miller (Pabbie/Ensemble) is excited to be in his first show with the Spartanburg Youth Theatre and he is very excited to be a part of this journey!

Wren Padgett (Ensemble) is thrilled to return to SYT! Her favorite SYT roles include Mom in Pete the Cat: The Musical, Claire in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical, and Blue Dragon in Dragons Love Tacos. When she’s not onstage, she enjoys playing piano and singing in her school’s chorus. Wren would like to thank her directors for this opportunity and her family for their love and support.

Abigail Peuser (Handmaiden/Ensemble) is a junior at Spartanburg High School and is excited to be back on the SYT stage. Abigail has performed with SYT, SLT, SHS Viking Theatre, D7, and Dorman Theatre Department. Some of her favorite roles include Gladys in SYT’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Fish in SYT’s Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat, Louisa in SLT’s The Sound of Music, Maud in D7’s The Music Man, Evie in Dorman’s Descendants Jr., and Susan in SYT’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. She would like to thank Adam for the opportunity to be in this production. She would also like to thank all of those who have helped her pursue her passion for theatre with special thanks to her family.

Ali Claire Pingley (Ensemble) is excited to be returning to the stage with Spartanburg Youth Theatre.  She was most recently seen playing multiple roles in The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. She has performed in eight shows at SYT, with favorite roles including Yellow Dragon in Dragons Love Tacos and Thing 2 in Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat. She also recently starred as Summer in Spartanburg Little Theatre’s School of Rock. Offstage she is an 8th grader at McCracken Middle School and enjoys art, music, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.  She would like to thank Adam, Jessie, and the rest of the production crew for such a wonderful opportunity. 

Alex Richards (Dance Captain/Ensemble) is a senior at Dorman High School. Alex is so happy to be a part of this show. They will soon take their final bow as a high schooler and is so happy they got to experience SYT and the people that they have done shows with. Alex is sad that their journey at SYT will soon end but is excited for what lies ahead. They would like to that their mother, directors and friends for the endless love and support.

Ruby Wagner (Ensemble) is thrilled to make her Spartanburg Youth Theatre debut in Frozen Jr.! She is a freshman at Spartanburg High School and recently relocated from Logan, Utah, where she discovered her passion for musical theatre. Some of her favorite roles include Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, and Niki Harris in Curtains.

Stephen Wilson (Oaken/Butler/Ensemble) is excited to appear in his seventh show at SYT. He was most recently seen as Jimmy Biddle in Pete the Cat: The Musical. Some of his favorite show include Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical (Rowley Jefferson) and The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition (Ensemble). Stephen enjoys piano and voice performance. He enjoys composing music and designing 3D models for video games, as well as learning about engineering through Crunch Labs. Stephen loves spending time with his family and his 55+ stuffed animals. Stephen would like to thank Adam and all the staff for the fabulous opportunity to participate in SYT productions

Jaeleah Wise (Bulda/Ensemble) is a junior at Dorman High School and is thrilled to be part of her fifth SYT production. She was most recently seen at SYT as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. Jaeleah has appeared in ten productions with the Dorman Theatre Department, including her recent role as Peppermint Patty in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. She extends heartfelt thanks to her friends and family for their unwavering support and hopes you enjoy the show!

Moss Evelyn Wise (Anna) is beyond excited to be in Frozen Jr.! She's been in many productions with her favorite roles being Dragon in Shrek the Musical at Spartanburg High School, Glinda in The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition at SYT, and Anna Understudy in Frozen (Spartanburg High School). She would like to thank her friends, family, Adam, and Alexa! She hopes you enjoy the show!

MEET THE CREW

Leah Bray is excited to be joining the crew of Frozen Jr. in her first production with SYT! Leah is a current senior at Dorman High School, where she has participated in theatre since her freshman year and was last found on stage in their production of Oliver! Leah wants to thank God for the journey she's taken, and her family, directors, and friends for the support they've given.

Leah Burgess is a senior at Dorman High School and has been involved in many productions including Singin’ in the Rain, Oliver!, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Descendants Jr., and A Motown Christmas. Leah has been an active cast member in the dance corps of other productions. Leah is a visual ensemble member of the Dorman Indoor Drum Line and has just completed her last year as a drum major for the Dorman Marching Cavaliers. “Enjoy the show! And stay warm!”

Eowyn Connor is so excited to be back with SYT! She has been on crew for several past productions, including The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. She has also worked backstage with the Spartanburg Little Theatre on shows such as Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Full Monty. She can't wait to help bring this show to life and would like to give a big thank you to her fellow crew members, the cast, production team, volunteers, and everyone who helped make this possible!

Lauren Dinacci has crewed for The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. She attends McCracken Middle School, where her favorite subjects are English and Math. She would like to thank her friends and family for their everlasting love support.

Xander Dotson is a 12th grade student and is super exited to be a part of this production at SYT. His previous roles onstage include Aslan in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Shrek in High Point Academy's Shrek The Musical, and Col. Mustard in Clue at High Point Academy. Xander is super excited to “let it go,” and be a part of Frozen Jr.!

Presley Goudelock attends Spartanburg High School and is excited to crew at SYT for the first time.

Cooper Martsberger is so excited to be returning to crew at SYT! He enjoys cross country, reading, writing, and theatre! Cooper previously crewed at SYT for Disney’s The Lion King Jr. and The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. He is excited to be back!

Ellison Patton has participated in numerous productions as both an actor and crew member. Her favorite role she has performed is Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice Jr.

Sierra Shuford has acted in many productions such as The Music Man, Shrek, Romeo and Juliet, Mary Poppins Jr., 12 Angry Jurors, and Descendants. This is her first time crewing! She is a junior at Spartanburg High School and is thrilled to have been offered this amazing opportunity. She would like to thank her parents and older sibling for supporting her theatre journey!

Irely Taylor is excited to join for the first time as a member of the tech crew. This is her first experience working behind the scenes, and she’s grateful for the chance to learn new skills and be part of the production. She is a dedicated student who enjoys being involved in creative projects. Irely would like to thank her family and friends for encouraging her to try something new and supporting her every step of the way.

Kareem Thompson has participated in many productions at Dorman High School. This is his first show at SYT and he is excited for the opportunity!

Daniel Wright is extremely excited to help crew this adaptation of the beloved Frozen story. He has crewed on other productions at SYT like The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show and Pete the Cat: The Musical. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Delaney Zibell is a sophomore at Dorman High School. This is her 13th show overall and her 7th with Spartanburg Youth Theatre. Her favorite production so far has been The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. Along with Spartanburg Youth Theatre, she is also involved with the Dorman Theatre Department and the Spartanburg Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. She would like to thank her parents for always supporting her in all her hobbies.

MEET THE PRODUCTION TEAM

ADAM SANDERS (DIRECTOR/SYT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR)  is celebrating his 10th year as the Artistic Director for SYT! He participated with SYT as a child and loves directing the program that shaped him! He previously taught and directed at South Carolina Children’s Theatre. While he has played many roles at the theater, his favorite role in life is husband to his beautiful wife, Kelsey. Galatians 2:20.

JESSIE CANTRELL (ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) is so excited to be working with SYT again! She is no stranger to the SLT stage and was most recently seen as Rheba in You Can't Take It with You. Other SLT credits include Tina in Sister Act, ensemble in Mamma Mia!, Adella in Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Euterpe in Xanadu. She has also worked backstage for many productions and instructed camps & classes at SYT, along with acting as the Production Assistant for Diary of A Wimpy Kid and Assistant Director/Costumer for Xanadu over the summer. She is a graduate of Limestone College, where she received a B.A. in Theatre. Some of her favorite credits include Anything Goes (Reno Sweeney), Shrek (Fiona), and Beehive! the 60’s Musical (Patty). Special thanks to the cast and creative team for such a magical experience!

MADELINE HALL (STAGE MANAGER) has crewed six shows at Spartanburg Youth Theatre. This is her first time stage managing a production and she is so excited to be a part of this amazing show. She would like to say thank you to all her friends and family for their endless love and support, and to enjoy the show!

BELLA SCOTT (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER) is a 12th grade homeschooler and is SO honored to be an Assistant Stage Manager for Frozen Jr.! Bella has participated in numerous productions, some of her favorites including playing the role of Octopus in The Rainbow Fish and being the Assistant Stage Manager in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. She'd like to thank you for coming and hopes you all enjoy your trip to Arendelle!

AISLEY ZARE (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER) is so excited to be a part of the stage management team at SYT for the first time! She has performed in multiple SYT shows including Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr., Songs for a New World, and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. She can’t wait for you to see this heartwarming show put together by this magical cast and crew!

ALEXA COTRAN (MUSIC DIRECTOR) is a native of Columbia, SC, and currently works as the Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Spartanburg High School. Alexa holds a B.M. in music education with a vocal performance certificate from the University of South Carolina Honors College, as well as a Masters of Music in choral conducting from Mercer University. While in Columbia, Alexa worked as one of the music directors for Town Theatre's Youth Theatre program. She taught voice lessons, as well as musically directed the youth productions. Outside of the classroom, Alexa has loved performing since she was a child. She was involved in performances at Town Theatre, in the Broadway Bound Theatre Company, Opera at USC, and Mercer University Opera. If she is not rehearsing a choir or in a theatre, you can find Alexa playing with her two cats, trying new restaurants, or exploring a new city! 

LUSTRA REID (CHOREOGRAPHER) is a proud native of Spartanburg! She began her journey in theatre with Spartanburg Youth Theatre and Spartanburg Little Theatre. She holds a B.A.  in dance performance from Winthrop University and a master’s in education from Anderson University. With a diverse career spanning roles in K-12 education and higher education, Lustra now leads Lustra Miller Consulting, LLC, a pageant consulting firm dedicated to helping young women realize their fullest potential. Thrilled to be part of her eighth production with SYT since 2018, Lustra is incredibly proud of the cast and crew and eagerly awaits their performances on stage!

ERIN O’NEIL TAYLOR (PRODUCTION ASSISTANT) Erin O'Neil Taylor is an avid performer, teacher, and musician who “jokes” that she eats, sleeps, and breathes theatre. She earned degrees from Radford University (2014) and Converse University (2022) and has worked on the administrative, performance, production and educational sides of the theatre. You may recognize her from her time on stage with local companies including Spartanburg Little Theatre, Gaffney Little Theater, Centre Stage, Proud Mary, and Converse Opera Theatre. Outside of the theatrical world, you may recognize her as the face and host of Delaney's Irish Pub's Tuesday Trivia Night. When she's not watching, rehearsing, or directing a show, you can usually find Erin with her two friendly huskies, four cats, and her husband, Austin!

CATHRYN JUDICE (CO-COSTUME COORDINATOR) has loved coming back to SYT as an adult, after getting her start working crew for SYT when she was a kid. She credits those early backstage days for instilling a love of being a part of the creative team that never subsided. Cathryn spent several years in NYC designing costumes for film and television, before moving back to Spartanburg to raise her own family. She couldn’t be more excited for her second costuming gig for SYT, having previously costumed Pete the Cat: The Musical. When she isn’t costuming, you can find her designing for her textile line or undertaking another home renovation project. Special thanks to her partner for wrangling her three boys so she can be a part of this production.

ANNA RENNINGER (CO-COSTUME COORDINATOR) is excited to be costuming for another SYT production. She was last seen stitching hakuna matata into every seam for Disney’s Lion King Jr. This season also marks her first year as Spartanburg Little Theatre's office/media manager, and she’s grateful to be part of the team. When not working behind the scenes, Anna enjoys relaxing at home with her husband, Dustin, traveling to new places, experimenting with creative crafts, and spending time with friends. She’s proud to contribute to the magic of SYT and SLT! 

THE ROCK SHOP (OLAF & SVEN PUPPET DESIGN AND FABRICATION) are the brilliant puppet creators behind Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: The New Stage Adaptation! They’re delighted to share these handcrafted Olaf and Sven puppets with Spartanburg Youth Theatre and congratulate the cast and crew on their success! To learn more about The Rock Shop’s Frozen puppets, head to rockshopworkshop.com/frozen.

CLINT WALKER (SCENIC DESIGNER) is excited to be back collaborating with the SYT team! His SYT design credits include Pete the Cat: The Musical, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical, Disney's The Lion King Jr., Disney’s Newsies Jr, Disney’s Freaky Friday the Musical, Elf the Musical Jr., and James and the Giant Peach Jr. Additionally his design collaborations with SLT include Grease, Cinderella, Little Shop of Horrors, Escape to Margaritaville, The Sound of Music, Motown Magic, School of Rock the Musical, Bright Star, Mamma Mia, Blithe Spirit, Chicago and Joseph…Dreamcoat. Some of Clint’s other production credits include scenic designer for Into the Woods and Little Shop of Horrors at Centre Stage as well as Once on this Island, Charlotte’s Web, and Matilda the Musical at SCCT.

PARIS AGUILAR (LIGHTING DESIGNER) is thrilled to be back in Spartanburg! Paris is a graduate of Brenau University and the Gainesville Theatre Alliance, with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre. Paris currently resides in Atlanta, GA, where she works as a freelance lighting designer. Some of her recent design work includes Grease (Spartanburg Little Theatre), Footloose (Player’s Guild at Sugar Hill), and Fat Juliet (Theatrical Outfit). When not in the booth, you can find Paris outside, reading a book with a good cup of tea.

SARAH HUBBARD (PROPERTIES MASTER) is thrilled to work with such a wonderful cast and crew for Charlotte's Web. A graduate of Converse University with a BA in theatre and a minor in vocal performance, Sarah is a member of Scrappy Shakespeare and Sparkle City Improv here in Spartanburg, SC. This is Sarah's first time as Properties Master for SYT, having costumed Miss Nelson is Missing, Grace for President, and the 2017 Charlotte's Web. When not working behind the scenes, Sarah loves to be on stage! A few past favorite roles include Ursula (The Little Mermaid) and Myrtle Wilson (The Great Gatsby) with Spartanburg Little Theatre, Lady Macbeth (Macbeth) and Viola (Twelfth Night) with Scrappy Shakespeare, and Princess Fiona (Shrek the Musical) with Greer Children’s Theatre.