COMMITTED PERFORMERS

Contemporaires (Alumni & Current)

After Moline High School, Anna attended University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she met her husband, Tom. Decades later, she’s overjoyed to be sharing life with the yin to her yang — Tom with the sail and Anna with the rudder. Together they were blessed with three boys, each different and delightful in his own way. Professionally, Anna worked in advertising, marketing, and sales across several industries, including the past 11 years with a building materials manufacturer (drive-thru windows… who knew?!). She enjoys biking, golfing, racquet sports, and spending time with friends, family, and her adult children. Her mom and much of her extended family still live in the Quad Cities area. She looks forward to the next chapters of life — grandchildren, snow birding, travel, charity work,  and continuing to nurture the lifelong connections that mean so much to her.

Couldn't be more delighted (and slightly terrified) to be back on stage in Moline. Was lucky to follow Sue Wignall from Coolidge to MHS, and participated in every theater production possible. Graduated in '86, and attended college outside of Philadelphia, PA. Sadly did not continue acting. Wig's coaching and theater experience, however, have been a vital part of a career presenting at business and technology conferences around the world. Living in Mill Valley, California, and active hiking, biking, playing tennis and pickleball with my wife of 30+ years.  Thrilled to be a part of this celebration of Sue Wignall's career and the success of MHS theater over the years.  

After graduating from MHS, I attended BHC where my love of performing continued and followed me to SIU-C where I earned my BS in Speech Communications and Public speaking. My education guided me to using my communication skills every day while giving presentations, teaching and still loving to perform on stage. I was also the SIU Saluki mascot. My husband , Clay, and I enjoy many different types of adventures, including travel, kayaking, watching Iowa Hawkeye football, Indiana Fever women’s basketball, spending time with our crazy and ever growing family of my daughter, son, and the blessed gift of Clay's two sons. We have 3 adorable granddaughters who are the loves of our lives and we spend most of our time with family, my lifelong friends from MHS and my besties from college. After working in sales and hospital administration  positions, I am currently working part-time as a Behavioral Health para educator and looking forward to retiring to spend every minute I can with the love of my life our beautiful family and wonderful friends. 

Linnea Saddler, has been singing and performing since the age of five and has dedicated more than 25 years to choral music and vocal leadership. Throughout her years as a choral director and vocalist, she has shared her passion and love of music with her community and countless others, including her children, all of whom enjoy singing and carrying music as a meaningful part of their lives. As a graduate of Moline High School, Linnea continued her education at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa before completing her college career at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, earning Bachelor of Arts degrees in Public Relations & Marketing and Radio/TV Production. Linnea is honored to share her gift of music and as she remains passionate, she is grateful for every opportunity to connect, inspire, and uplift through song.

Scott Boruff (MHS Class of 2000) spent much of his high school career on the Moline stage, appearing in productions including Mame, Fame, Bye Bye Birdie, Damn Yankees, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and The Sound of Music. His favorite role, however, was donning the mane as the Cowardly Lion in Wig's wonderfully over-the-top production of The Wizard of Oz. These days, Scott is a Partner at PwC, where he leads the firm's Procurement & Supply Chain Managed Services practice. He lives in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood with his wife, Amanda, and their young son, Grant. When he's not working, you'll likely find him traveling somewhere new, exploring Chicago's best restaurants, cheering on the Cubs, or finding yet another excuse to bring up Indiana University's unforgettable 2025 football national championship run. When Wig called, there was no way Scott was going to miss the chance to support his favorite mentor, celebrate Moline High School, and give back to the next generation of Maroon performers. It's an honor (and a lot more fun than presenting at a conference) to be back on the MHS stage!

Jeremy O'Grady, a 1994 MHS graduate,  is grateful to Wig for inspiring a love of acting! After a college degree in psychology, Jeremy studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and the Barrow Group in New York City. Alongside a career in non-profit financial and operations management, Jeremy has been in a handful of regional productions, an original play Off Broadway, and a few commercials and films.

Vinny is a 2001 graduate of Moline High School whose last time on stage was under the direction of Sue Wignall as a high school senior. A 20-year pharmacist and healthcare administrator, he currently owns a specialty drug infusion company, Junction Health, that operates in the Midwest and southeastern United States. He and his wife of 17 years, Kara, have five children, and live in Broomfield, Colorado. He enjoys playing and coaching hockey, and traveling with his family.

Majored in Theater at Northern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor degree. Performed with WNEP Theater in Chicago writing, producing and acting. Very happy to be back on the MHS stage. 

I got married in 2004 and now have 3 kids (2 in college and 1 in HS). We live in Chicago and I am a lawyer (I work mainly with French companies that do business in the US). I still love to film and only wish we had today’s technology back in the 90s so we could have better recorded all the MHS plays, shows and musicals! 

Lars was fortunate enough to be cast in Peter Pan as well as Wig’s last show, Big. After MHS, he attended Purdue University, where he met and ultimately married his college sweetheart, Marisa. After stops in Chicago, Atlanta, and Las Vegas, he settled in Greenville, South Carolina, with his wife, daughter Margot, and son Alec. In his spare time, he enjoys coaching his kids’ sports teams, chasing his two corgis around the yard, and attempting to stay in shape.

Heather was a proud thespian at MHS from 1992-1996, and then pursued a BFA in acting from the University of Illinois. She now lives in Minneapolis where she has run her restaurant, The Lowbrow, with her wife for the past 15 years. 

Class of 1989.  Healthcare executive, husband, father, and being on stage these days is 100% a work conference instead of a musical.  

Reagan Hanneman graduated from MHS in 1992. During that time she was in very play Wig directed including Grease, The Outsiders and M.A.S.H to name just a few. Reagan continued acting and dancing in Chicago at UIC where she got her Bachelor’s of Arts. After college Reagan discovered Pilates and Gyrotonic Movement System and now teaches both at East Bank Club in Chicago. 

Matthew Gibson (’90) is honored to participate in The Final Curtain, celebrating Wig’s legacy and supporting the launch of the Susan Wignall Legacy Performing Arts Scholarship. Matt was fortunate to perform in many of Wig’s productions at MHS, including Flowers for Algernon, Grease, and Dracula. He went on to major in theatre at Northwestern University and worked professionally as an actor in Chicago throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. A Portland, Oregon resident since 2005, Matt has remained active in the theatre community as a director and acting coach, and earlier this year returned to the stage as Gloucester in King Lear at Portland State University.

Joyce dedicated 21 years to Moline High School as an English teacher, leaving a lasting impact on generations of students. A passionate supporter of the performing arts, she played a key role behind the scenes in many productions, assisting with ticket sales and helping ensure performances ran smoothly. Joyce also contributed to beloved MHS traditions like ADC and Operation Prom Night, always showing up with enthusiasm and heart. Joyce enjoys spending time with her three granddaughters, Juliet, Joslyn, and Ruby.

Jazmin Newton (2002) is ecstatic for the opportunity to be a part of The Final Curtain honoring the legacy of one of Moline High School’s most influential teachers, Susan Wignall (aka Wig).  During high school she had occasion to perform in one of Wig’s productions, Peter Pan, despite not having any previous acting or stage involvement.  Such experience allowed her to grow her confidence and gain skills that have helped her to become a proficient public speaker.

Ms. Newton is an attorney licensed to practice law in Illinois and Iowa.  Her primary area of practice is family law, which includes divorce, custody, visitation, adoptions and support issues.  She takes great pride in zealously representing each of her clients and obtaining optimal results.  On January 1, 2019, Ms. Newton founded Newton Law, PLC, a highly regarded law firm in the Quad Cities. 

Ms. Newton and married and has three children, Eric, Ethan and Mila.  She balances the rigorous demands of raising her children while maintaining her law firm and finds time to give back to the community.  Ms. Newton has been heavily involved in the community and has served  in various capacities with many non-profit organizations.  In November 2023, Ms. Newton was elected to the city council for Davenport, Iowa and serves as Alderwoman at Large.  She believes civic engagement is of paramount importance and that having a representative government is key to moving our community, state and country forward.

Kristen Lebo Naimi, ’92 MHS Graduate, has built a career in marketing and media, with a passion for storytelling that began on stage, where she performed in multiple MHS productions including The Wizard of Oz, Sticks and Stones, and Steel Magnolias, and continued performing in college. She earned a degree in Communication and Journalism from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and has built a 25+ year career leading strategy and content development for major brands.

Today, Kristen serves as SVP, Director of Content at Carat. Living in Detroit, she is active in her community and a proud mom to her son, Holden.

Ally is a proud 1995 graduate of Moline High School, where she was lucky enough to be directed by Wig as Maria in West Side Story during her senior year. That experience helped cement a lifelong love of performing, which she carried with her through college and beyond. More than 20 years ago, Ally spent several wonderful years performing in the vibrant Cincinnati theater scene before eventually trading the stage for a very different kind of meaningful work. These days, Ally is a licensed therapist for moms and women in transition, a mom to a precocious, brilliant, and hilarious 12-year-old daughter, wife to her soulmate, and pet owner to two enormous dogs and a cat named Garbage. While most of her performances now happen alongside friends on the occasional karaoke night, the theater has always held a special place in her heart. She is delighted to dust off her theatrical shoes, return to the stage, and share this experience with old friends and new ones alike.

Octavia was a performer under Wig from 91-94, with her final role as Captain Hook in Peter Pan. Although life took her to a different stage, she has performed several roles since her departure from Moline High School. She currently is the captain of her own ship as she has her own small business. She has 5 children, and one grandchild. 

I am a 1996 graduate of Moline Highschool! 😊 I grew up in Coal Valley, IL and resided with both of my parents and older sister. Growing up my mom was an Early Childhood Special Ed teacher in the Moline School District at Jefferson Early Childhood Center and my dad was a computer programmer for Deere and Company. My sister is a high school french teacher of 27 years and lives in Grayslake, IL with her family. Fun fact, her MHS French teacher Mrs. Meier inspired her to become a French teacher!  I feel like I learned a lot from both of my parents professions; especially my mom’s interest in special education and “thinking outside the box” with her students. Those skills that my mom taught me helped me learn to build a sense of community with the students that I served as a caseworker post college graduation at Bethany For Children and Families. As a huge advocate for inclusive services and programs for children and teens, I am honored to still serve families at the East Moline Early Learning Center in the East Moline School district. I remain a consistent advocate for students with special needs as well as I continue to be inspired by the therapies that students with a wide range of abilities benefit from in Early Childhood. I have two sons ages 13 and 15 and when they are not busy with academics they are swimming competitively and running cross country at school. When I look back, I am so thankful for the impact that Mrs. Wignall had on me. My involvement in Operation Prom Night encouraged me to want to help others with substance abuse prevention and recovery. The more we can do to help others, the better! Through my involvement in Operation Prom Night, I learned to love my community and help provide the tools to others in need. My goal is to always help others! 

Class of 1986

I graduated with the class of 1995 and after I went to Milliken University where I studied commercial music. I now live by Chicago where I raise my three children, and I’ve been married to my wife of 18 years. 

Gretchen works at Eagle Harbor Book Co. and also for the non-profit Bainbridge Island Book Festival. In her past, she was an attorney in Seattle, then moved to California where she did public policy work. After California, she returned to the Pacific Northwest with her husband Steve and started a family. They’ve raised three kids and many dogs and love calling Bainbridge Island home. 

A Midwestern girl at heart, I traded Iowa for Pennsylvania many years ago and somehow managed to pack a lot of life into the journey. Along the way, I've celebrated 35 years of marriage, raised three amazing adult children, worked in fundraising for education and healthcare, spent time in the kitchen and bath design industry, and eventually followed my Midwestern roots and sweet tooth by opening Nikki's Custard. Reuniting with the high school director who first introduced me to theater has been an unexpected joy, and this production is one more reminder that it's never too late to say "yes" to something new.

We fell for each other during Wig’s 1989 production of Grease, and 37 years later, we’re still singing “you’re the one that I want.” Parents of 4 kids, he’s a teacher in Orion; she’s development director at Augustana College. Wig’s investment in us and all involved in MHS theater leaves a lasting legacy of collaboration, teamwork, confidence, and connection that are useful in high school and throughout life. We’re  thrilled to honor this incredible woman and hope you’ll join us in making a generous gift to the scholarship in her name. Let’s be like Wig by helping others be all they can be! 

Maria (MHS '00) works in higher education as the University of Montana Registrar in Missoula, Montana. She holds a BA Cum Laude from Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) and a Master of Education degree from Loyola University Chicago. She is an alumna of the IWU Collegiate Choir, the University of Edinburgh (Scotland) EUMS Chorus, and the University of Delaware Schola Cantorum. She married, moved west, became a parent to three strong-willed children, and divorced post-COVID. She currently sings in the feisty alto section of the Missoula Symphony Orchestra Chorale. Maria was diagnosed with endometriosis at age 42 and hopes to become a more vocal advocate for women's health research. She lives in Missoula with her partner Curtis Strohl, her three children, and an overeager black lab. She sings every day, mostly harmonizing to whatever is on the car radio or Spotify at home.

Jenny Gloeckner Powers graduated MHS, class of 2000 (y2k baby!) before heading East for college and medical school. Her adventures in training took her to Boston, Nashville, Durham, and Iowa city before settling in Charm city aka Baltimore. Jenny is a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Johns Hopkins where she cuts out skin cancer and occasionally gets to hum along to music while doing it. She is married to a fellow doc Mike and is Mom to three high energy kiddos now 13, 10, and 8. Getting to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz was one of her greatest joys, especially following the yellow brick road with her best friends! Wig’s courage has always inspired and there’s no better way to celebrate her latest win!

Trish Quarterman, 2002 MHS Alumni, attended Lincoln College after graduating. While there she performed in local theatre shows and was part of the Lincoln Express Show Choir where she performed at the Illinois Governor's Ball, on cruise ships, and at Disney World. She later attended UNLV in Las Vegas where she still resides and works as a restaurant manager. She also referees for fighting game tournaments at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Mandalay Bay. During the MHS school days she was fortunate to perform in the productions of Once Upon A Mattress, Leader of the Pack, Grease, and Peter Pan. 

Jeff De Leon (‘94) is ecstatic to be part of The Final Curtain to honor Wig and the creation of the Susan Wignall Legacy Performing Arts Scholarship alongside so many others whom she has inspired. Jeff was part of numerous shows at MHS, including The Musical Comedy Murders of the 1940’s, Little Shop of Horrors, and Cabaret. He double majored in Theatre and Communications (Film) at Augustana College, relocated to Chicago, and has since traveled the world performing and teaching improv in addition to a variety of theatrical and sketch comedy roles. 

I am blessed. As a lifelong Quad City area resident. I have spent half of my years living in Illinois the other half in Iowa. As a result, I truly enjoy the benefits of lifelong friendships and relationships of this larger community. I have been blessed by and take great pride in my family and faith communities. My wife and I currently own and operate local small businesses and we are looking forward to our sunsetting years with our children and grandchildren while always keeping our anchor here in the QC. 

A 2001 graduate of Moline High School, Brent Behrens returns to the stage where his love of performance began. During his time at Moline, Brent performed in numerous musicals under the direction of Wig, who helped him come out of his shell and grow into a more confident performer. Today, Brent is an active tenor in the Quad Cities performing arts community, having performed with Opera Quad Cities, Augustana Choral Artists, Handel Oratorio Society, Nova Singers, and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, as well as in a number productions with the Quad City Music Guild. He is excited to return to his alma mater for this special celebration.

Shana (Novak) Kulhavy is a 1993 Moline High School grad who grew up singing and dancing at Studio 17 and City Center for the Performing Arts. Though she primarily performed through those studios, she was a Contemporaire at Moline as well as a featured dancer in The Outsiders at MHS. Since high school she has been onstage as well as choreographed over 30 mainstage shows at local community theaters including Quad City Music Guild and Spotlight Theatre, and most recently finished a run of Come From Away at The Blackbox Theatre all here in Moline. Shana is a married mother of three kids and a grandmother of a cute toddler; she owns and operates her salon Shana’s Transformations at a suite in Moline. She is looking forward to performing and helping celebrate Sue Wignall’s career and raise money to create scholarships for future MHS theater students!

Marc Vermeire is incredibly proud to return home to the Moline-Coal Valley School District this year, bringing his extensive global leadership experience to his role at John Deere Middle School. Marc’s own passion for the arts was sparked on the high school stage, most notably in Fame, where he credits the legendary Sue Wignall for her uncanny ability to spot his unique talents and help him find his perfect niche in the high school community. Since those unforgettable days under the theater lights, Marc has worked as an international administrator, pairing his career with a lifelong love for traveling the globe and discovering great food. Above all his adventures, his greatest joy is being the father of two awesome boys who are currently attending the University of Toronto and carving out their own bright futures. He is thrilled to be back in the district, always keeping a special place in his heart for the theater community that helped shape who he is today.

Steve Shelton graduated from Moline High School in 1996, where he performed in ADC, Mame, and Project Graduation. It was Sue “Wig” Wignall who first convinced Steve to sing somewhere other than the safety of his bedroom—and, in the process, taught him how to act, dance, sing, and occasionally make a fool of himself on stage. More importantly, Wig encouraged Steve to step outside his comfort zone, try things he might never have considered, and discover the confidence that comes from putting yourself out there. Nearly 30 years later, those lessons have stayed with him, making it especially meaningful to return to the stage with two of his best friends to help close the curtain on this final production.  

Craig Mawdsley (Class of 1996), first discovered the MHS stage his senior year after being inspired by Wig in speech class and coerced by his friends to audition for Mame.  Experiencing the stage and all the energy that came with it, helped define a wonderful senior year, also participating in Operation Prom Night, The Up All Night Play-a-Thon and ADC. After graduating MHS, he attended Augustana College, Midwestern University and Post Doctorate work with the Ola Grimsby Institute. Craig has practiced as a Physical Therapist in the Chicagoland area for the past 24 years where he lives with his wife Ellen and their four kids.  Craig and Ellen opened up two Physical Therapy private practices near Western Springs where they currently live.